Civic organisations, locally known as 'ormas,' have long maintained a reputation across Indonesia as extortionists and ‘thugs,’ frequently demanding money from businesses as part of an established protection racket. Neo Tsotetsi discusses two pre-eminent ormas operating in Jakarta and countrywide, GRIB Jaya and Pemuda Pancasila, to examine their tactics…
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s renewed push for an Ethiopian sea port has stoked tensions in the Horn of Africa, threatening the re-emergence of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. However, as Neo Tsotetsi discusses, the current dynamics lend themselves more to a continuation of the familiar proxy routine than open conflict.
As several African countries head to the polls in the second half of 2025, democratic freedoms in many states continues to shrink, drawing public ire and concerns over longer-term political stability. Richard Gardiner and Neo Tsotetsi examine these dynamics in Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, and Tanzania as key elections approach.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra faces a backlash after a leaked phone call about a growing border dispute with Cambodia, driving cracks in her coalition government, and fears over another military coup. But Thailand’s military could instead exploit other areas of influence to capitalise on the current instability and increase its political…
Extortion syndicates have increasingly been targeting mining companies in South Africa, deploying a mix of old and newer tactics. Neo Tsotetsi examines these dynamics.
Former president Joseph Kabila’s return to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in April in the M23-controlled city of Goma, North Kivu, coincides with the government’s crackdown on pro-Kabila dissent, further complicating efforts to address the country’s persistent security challenges, writes Neo Tsotetsi.
On 30 April, US and Ukrainian representatives signed a bilateral minerals deal, securing an alliance for Ukraine in the ongoing war with Russia. However, its skirting of security guarantees changes little on the ground for Ukraine, and sustains uncertainty over whether the investments it seeks to entice will turn a timely profit, writes Neo Tsotetsi.…
In early 2025, Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) facilitated their first kidnappings of foreign nationals in nearly seven years. Neo Tsotetsi analyses the incidents and discusses the underlying shifts in the Sahelian security environment enabling it.
US President Donald Trump’s ‘America first’ policies and threats to withdraw from NATO have highlighted the urgency for European countries to decrease their reliance on US military support. However, significant challenges remain in realising security independence, write Neo Tsotetsi and Shannon Lorimer.
With significant changes in governments across several elections in 2024, and similar shifts likely in upcoming polls in 2025, voters have signalled a desire to hold governments accountable in addressing political and economic grievances. Neo Tsotetsi discusses the implications for political and commercial stability as new governments settle into their…
Travellers in Europe remain more commonly affected by opportunistic petty crimes like pickpocketing and theft, rather than violent crimes like extortion and kidnapping.