Soldiers as victims: behind military barracks in the post-colonial African army

This paper examines the ways in which the military infringes on the social and political rights of soldiers who joined the Zimbabwe National Army in post-independence Zimbabwe. Contrary to the scholarly and policy debates that present Zimbabwean soldiers as the silent prop behind President Robert Mugabe and the perpetrators of political violence, this paper argues that these soldiers have also been victimised in army barracks. The victimhood of soldiers has been explicit in the ways in which they are forced to execute their duties beyond their professional expectations. In substantiating this argument, the paper explores the unethical military training and the ways in which soldiers are disciplined and punished through Chapter 11:02 of the draconian Defence Act. The paper’s contribution stems from a ‘rights’ perspective that emphasises the right to freedom, justice and protection, which is usually quite silent in the military. But the question is how can soldiers’ concerns be translated into new practices without compromising so-called ‘state security’?     

Civilian Cooperation and Non-Cooperation with Non-State Armed Groups: The Centrality of Obedience and Resistance

Abstract

Terms like ‘support’ and ‘collaboration’ are often used interchangeably to denote a loose set of acts or attitudes that benefit non-state armed groups (NSAGs). However, these terms are seldom defined, and the alternatives available to civilians are rarely identified. Moreover, existing approaches overlook that the interaction between civilians and NSAGs is often one between ruler and ruled, which makes obedience and resistance central. This paper proposes to conceptualize the choices available to civilians as forms of cooperation and non-cooperation, offers a typology, and discusses the implications for theory building on civilian and NSAG behavior, and on the functioning of armed social orders.     

滑模控制的新型双幂次组合函数趋近律

提出一种基于双幂次组合函数趋近律的新型滑模控制方案。与现有的快速幂次或双幂次趋近律相比,具有更快的收敛速度,同时还保持了全局固定时间收敛特性,收敛时间上界与滑模初值无关。当系统存在有界扰动时,能够使滑模变量在有限时间内收敛到稳态误差界内,同时其稳态误差要小于现有方法的。仿真实验验证了该方法的有效性及理论分析的正确性。     

可调喷油规律下柴油机性能随喷油提前角的影响

为获取可调喷油规律条件下,喷油提前角对柴油机性能的影响规律及成因机理。在实现可调喷油规律喷射的基础上,基于Fire软件建立了柴油机工作过程计算模型,并通过试验对模型中的主要参数进行了标定,进而利用模型分析了靴形喷油规律下柴油机性能随喷油提前角的变化。结果表明：随着增压时刻的滞后,喷油规律由矩形过渡到斜坡形再到靴形,实现了灵活可调的喷油规律。在靴形喷油规律条件下,存在一个最佳的喷油提前角,使柴油机的动力性和经济性均达到最优。同时,随着喷油提前角的增大,柴油机缸内压力、缸内温度以及放热率均逐渐升高,且到达各自最大值的时刻前移,而NOx排放量和碳烟排放量则分别呈现出增加和减小的趋势。     

持续推进强大海军建设必须要有良好的法治环境作基础

海军建设任务重、周期长、投入大的特点决定了持续推进强大海军建设,必须要有良好的法治环境作基础。文章坚持运用辩证唯物主义的立场、观点和方法,通过对近代中日两国海军建设在经费投入、规划审定、法规制定三个方面具体做法的比较,深入分析了近代中日两国海军兴亡背后的法制因素,指出当前持续推进强大海军建设必须深入学习贯彻党的十八届四中全会精神,按照依法治军方略,强力推进依法治军进程。     

浅析听证制度在消防行政执法中的应用

以当地消防部门首次行政处罚前的听证会为例,对《公安机关办理行政案件程序规定》中听证程序进行解析,论述了公安消防部门在行政执法中对听证制度需引起高度重视的必要性,并分析了在听证过程中需着重注意的细节和问题,就深入研究听证制度提出建议.     

刑事法律制度差异对海峡两岸合作打击跨境犯罪的影响及对策研究

大陆地区和台湾地区的刑事法律制度存在较大差异,必将影响海峡两岸共同合作打击跨境犯罪工作的开展。海峡两岸应在《海峡两岸共同打击犯罪及司法互助协议》框架下,在协商互信的基础上,本着对两岸刑事法律制度差异的清晰认识,采取合理、有效的刑事对策弱化其对两岸合作打击跨境犯罪的影响。     

消防监督执法规范化建设的认识与思考

加强消防监督执法规范化建设是提高消防部门执法能力、构建和谐消防安全环境的根本保证。消防部门作为公安机关的重要组成部分,在消防监督执法工作实践中,要勇于研究、勤于探索,把消防执法规范化建设全面推向深入。分析了当前消防监督执法规范化存在的问题,提出了推进执法规范化建设的建议。     

Detecting Problems in Military Expenditure Data Using Digital Analysis

The UN asks governments to report key figures of their annual military budgets with the aim of creating trust among member states. This goal can only be achieved if the data reported is accurate. However, although there are many reasons for governments to falsify data, the UN does not check for manipulation. In this paper, we apply Benford’s law to the military expenditure data of 27 states taken from the UN register. Our analysis of the first digits shows that the states with the greatest deviations from the expected Benford distribution and therefore the lowest data quality are the USA and the UK.     

THE ‘EXPANDING TORRENT’: BRITISH MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGION

In May 2012, Zambia's Inspector-General of Police announced a crackdown on sex workers. This commentary discusses the rationale behind this proposed crackdown and the problems associated with such a policy response.