FOREIGN SERVICE UPDATES

Israel opens first embassy Lithuania pre-war home to 250,000 Jews mostly killed by German Nazis & local collaborators Lithuania equating of Nazism & Communism & claiming Lithuania victim Soviet genocide damaged its reputation internationally & in Israel Many in Israel perceive 'genocide' claim by Lithuania as a removal of guilt means for Lithuania / has deep complicity in Holocaust. http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Israel-opens-its-first-embassy-in-Lithuania-pre-war-home-to-250000-Jews-393875 EGYPT / ISRAEL - JOHN KERRY BLOOPER  - US Embassy says .... long flight http://www.thecairopost.com/news/141545/business/us-embassy-blames-israel-slip-on-long-flight India doesn't have a rape problem:  12 Robbers ‘gang-raped’ 75 year old Indian nun: police  http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/asia/2015/03/14/Robbers-gang-raped-elderly-Indian-nun-police.html See - Indian student claims German professor denied internship over 'rape culture' German Ambassador Michael Steiner:  “Let's be clear: India is not a country of rapists”   http://www.thenewsminute.com/news_sections/3190 SLOVAKIA  abt 500 Anti NATO protest outside US embassy, in bratislava  http://rt.com/in-motion/240445-anti-nato-protest-slovakia/ Saudi Arabia Heightened security concerns US Embassy cancels consular services (Sun + Mon):  >Riyadh  >Jeddah >Dhahran http://triblive.com/usworld/nation/7974492-74/embassy-saudi-arabia SierraLeone VP Samuel Sam-Sumana seeks US asylum his residence security disarmed by military on orders of President US Ambassador John Hoover in Sierra Leone No comment via spox. Sam-Sumana - not at US embassy  http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2015/03/sierra_leone_vice_president_as.html -- Nepal Embassy in Malaysia relocating landlord complaint. visitors issue:  much spitting, throwing waste everywhere. Malaysia = largest number of Nepali migrant workers than any other labour destinations. est. 800,000  http://www.ekantipur.com/2015/03/15/national/embassy-in-msia-told-to-relocate/402838.html -- India  'May 17 Movement' (Eelam Tamil separatists) protesters arrested trying to besiege US embassy Say US meddling Sri Lanka Tamil affairs, trying to control India Ocean USA - categorisation of Lankan Tamils as ‘religious minorities’ by US denied their nationality / block genocide claims. http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Activists-of-May-17-Movement-Held-for-Bid-to-Beseige-US-Embassy-in-Chennai/2015/03/15/article2714201.ece -- PHILIPPINES Despite US Embassy denials: Philippines Manila says US personnel involved in Oplan Exodus botched police op 6 Americans at command centre Gun battle killed = > 44 SAF troops >14 MILF fighters > 5 civilians police super. confirmed US presence comm.ctr Philippines - Allows US troops Southern PHL as 'war on terror' effort US had 500-600 spec ops forces until last mth  Accusation: Philippine govt playing up 'war on terror' of US to cover up fact that op violated Philippines sovereignty. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/region/15-Mar-2015/us-role-in-philippine-clash-revealed -- China summons Myanmar ambassador  bomb fell from Myanmar aircraft in China territory -  kills 4 bomb also destroyed house near border, days prior Myanmar & China share border: = 2,000 km (1,250 mile) Spox for China airforce says China air patrol step up on border Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army / MNDAA formed out of  Communist Party of Burma remnants led by ethnic China comm. Peng Jiasheng MNDAA reportedly powerful China backed guerilla force {splintered 1989}  Truce struck w. govt until 2009 MNDAA region taken over by Myanmar govt post-2009 tens of thousands of refugees pushed into China Myanmar govt accuses China mercenaries of fighting w. MNDAA rebels China denies any attacks launched from its territory http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/foreign/15-Mar-2015/china-summons-myanmar-ambassador-after-bomb-kills-four-chinese -- COMMENT Heaps of interesting things going on.  Not enough time in a day to cover everything. Probably won't remember most of this stuff.   It took me until today to discover there's more than one Congo.  Tried to note the differences for future reference, but I don't know how much I'll remember.  I've categorised it into French and Belgian, which might help.  And the Che Guevara association might help, too. I got all 'misty eyed' about Che Guevara helping out the revolutionaries in Congo and dug up the Che songs and the pics ... only to be horrified by photos of wildlife slaughter I encountered on Google search.  Immediate revolutionary fandom and mood killer.  Felt like crying seeing slaughtered elephants and gorillas. Funny how places are never how you imagine them to be.