Land Rights of African Indigenous Groups: International Instruments and Main Issues

For indigenous peoples, land is more than an economic commodity, it has guided their way of life for generations. This notion is particularly prevalent in Africa, where many diverse indigenous communities exist, from desert regions to vast forests. However, without the recognition of international laws and standards that seek to preserve and uphold their land rights, the indigenous peoples of Africa continue to face socio-environmental and political issues. This research paper seeks to understand what actors, documents, and mechanisms exist to protect and promote the land rights of indigenous peoples in Africa and assess their effectiveness. This research question was answered by collecting information about the instruments within the African Commission, International Labor Organization (ILO), and United Nations (UN) and by reading reports, press releases, and documents from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and news outlets that have published information on the current issues indigenous peoples in Africa are enduring. This research has found an apparent discrepancy between the land rights of African indigenous peoples guaranteed and monitored by the international instruments and the alarming reality of the situations these peoples are facing, including food and water insecurity, environmental pressures, limited national recognition, and conflict. These results illustrate a need for more effective implementation of international law, monitoring and enforcement by international bodies, and creation of national policies that address the needs of indigenous African populations

Emerging Risks in the Marine Transportation System (MTS), 2001- 2021

How has maritime security evolved since 2001, and what challenges exist moving forward? This report provides an overview of the current state of maritime security with an emphasis on port security. It examines new risks that have arisen over the last twenty years, the different types of security challenges these risks pose, and how practitioners can better navigate these challenges. Building on interviews with 37 individuals immersed in maritime security protocols, we identify five major challenges in the modern maritime security environment: (1) new domains for exploitation, (2) big data and information processing, (3) attribution challenges, (4) technological innovations, and (5) globalization. We explore how these challenges increase the risk of small-scale, high-probability incidents against an increasingly vulnerable Marine Transportation System (MTS). We conclude by summarizing several measures that can improve resilience-building and mitigate these risks

Predicting Domestic Extremism and Targeted Violence: A Machine Learning Approach

The report applies machine learning (ML) techniques to forecast where domestic extremist groups and active shooter incidents are most likely to occur in the United States. Identifying high-risk areas for these emerging threats is important for effective counterterrorism and conflict prevention, but complicated by the fact that policymakers often need to detect these threats at a stage when there might not be overt warning signs of violence. This report addresses this gap and directly supports Strategic Goals 1.1 and 1.2 in the June 2021 National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism by providing “data-driven guidance on how to recognize potential indicators of mobilization to domestic terrorism.”1 We develop and test two prototype machine learning models based on existing research about the causes of radicalization, ideologically-motivated violent extremism (IMVE), and targeted violence. First, we input information about these potential risk indicators as well as data about extremist actors and violent incidents to map patterns between 2017-2020. We then use this information to forecast which areas are at highest risk for extremism and active shooter incidents. As an extension, we also identify which areas in the 1 “National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism.” White House. June 2021. p. 17. https://www.whitehouse.gov/wpcontent/ uploads/2021/06/National-Strategy-for-Countering-Domestic-Terrorism.pdf 2 “Homeland Threat Assessment.” Department of Homeland Security. October 2020. p. 18. https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/2020_10_06_homeland-threat-assessment.pdf maritime domain are most likely to experience active shooter incidents. The model’s high level of accuracy suggests that these risk indicators are highly predictive of extremist operations and incidents. Overall, these models provide guidance for practitioners about where extremist actors and violent incidents are most likely to emerge moving forward

Emerging Risks in the Marine Transportation System Post-9/11: NCITE Research Snapshot

In the wake of 9/11, the central challenge to protecting the marine transportation system (MTS) is that the complexity of the threat environment is outpacing maritime defense and response capabilities. Sophisticated and versatile threats challenge the conventional counterterrorism framework, generating a new set of security challenges. Unlike the threat environment immediately following 9/11, emerging risks to the MTS are driven by small-scale, high-probability threats. Interconnected network systems, globalization, and big data create the potential for cascading effects. Because the maritime sector is a “system of systems,” an attack in one system has a second-order effect on other, connected systems. Thus, a small-scale attack can turn into a major one with little warning

Tracked: Stories at the Intersection of Migration, Technology, and Human Rights

Hundreds of millions of people cross borders every year. They are fleeing violence, escaping persecution, joining family, and pursuing jobs abroad. But whether they travel by land, air, or sea, these migrants encounter technologies designed to help governments manage who is coming to or passing through their countries. These technologies collect several types of migrant data.CSIS explored some of the technologies migrants encounter during their journeys as well as the human rights implications of their use. Analyzing what motivates governments to deploy technology, and how destination countries in Europe and North America influence that decision-making, is critical to understanding the implications of these decisions on migrant rights