22 March 2011 World Water Day Special Edition

The United Nations has defined access to adequate water as an important global issue with an estimated BILLION people lacking such access. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's message for the world today is available online here and includes the imperative that, “without water there is no dignity and no escape from poverty.” He also states that this year's theme is “WATER FOR CITIES” to highlight urban water issues. His future policies will “connect the dots among water, energy and food security.”

• A World Water Day Slideshow: Everything You Need to Know About H20 is available online here, courtesy of GOOD magazine.

• The UNICEF Tap Project is being implemented at thousands of restaurants this week; upscale dining establishments are asking patrons to donate $1 for tap water with their meals, reminding people that even tap water is a privilege in many parts of the world. Since it was launched in 2007, the Tap Project has raised $2.5million to support UNICEF's global water and sanitation projects. This year's revenue will be directed to Togo, the Central African Republic and Vietnam.

• For positive ways to contribute and celebrate World Water Day this year, check out Mashable's list here.

• A World Water Day photo slideshow and video are available on Terra's website here.

• Here is the Center for Disease Control's World Water Day informational page.

• The United Nations' Deputy Secretary-General has posted this youtube video for World Water Day.

• Treehugger has posted this story which includes 22 links to “key stories for understanding water issues.”

• Check out Chris Perry's award-winning animated short The Incident at Tower 37 here.

AFRICA:

• South Africa = This year's World Water Day conference concluded today in Cape Town. The theme was “Water and Urbanization: Responding to the Urban Challenge,” appropriately held on the African continent where the rate urbanization rate is the highest in the world. Over a thousand government, civil society and private sector representatives were present, discussing the relationship between water, public health, sanitation, and the need for better “collaboration and communication between sectors.” (IRIN)

AMERICAS:

• USA = American scientist Stephen Carpenter has won this year's Stockholm Water Prize for his work on practical frameworks for freshwater resource management. (WW)

ASIA:

• Philippines = Officials rehabilitating the Las Pinas-Zapote river system have won a UN Best Practice Award for their progress in a local re-greening process. The project has been underway since 2002, with local “river watch” volunteers planting bamboo and mangroves to prevent soil erosion after undergoing training in ecological solid waste and river management. (IRIN)

MIDDLE EAST:

• Occupied Palestinian Territories = A new wastewater treatment plant is being constructed near Rafah to serve 180,000 people with reduced-contamination water which will be clean enough for irrigation purposes. This should help reduce several public health and environmental risks, but overall the water situation in the Gaza strip remains critical. (ICRC)

8 February 2009

AFRICA:

• Cameroon = An Amnesty International Report is citing abuses, including executions, of journalists and dissidents. Police have enforced policies preventing people from exercising their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. In February 2008, at least 100 people were killed. (AI, AT)
• Kenya = The Ember Project was highlighted by Chicago Public Radio: you can listen to the interview here. This is a project that supports grandparents raising their AIDS-orphaned extended family. Sounds like a great grassroots conceived and driven project … check ‘em out here.
• Madagascar = Thousands of residents of Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital city, participated in weekend protests of the government in anticipation of a general strike. The protestors are calling for the resignation of President Marc Ravalomanana in favor of Antananarivo’s mayor, Andry Rajoelina. (AT)
• Nigeria = Kidnappers shot 11 year old Oduayo Awonusi who was trying to save her 9 year old brother Emmanuel from being kidnapped. This girl’s father is an executive for Royal Dutch Shell oil company. The kidnappings in Nigeria are part of a campaign which has successfully targeted the oil industry, in protest of land use in the Niger Delta. (AT, BBC)
• Somaliland = Somaliland, a break-away province of Somalia, is not internationally recognized and so does not receive any foreign aid. This has led to an increase in men’s depression and an increase in men’s chewing khat (a narcotic) … igniting a huge increase of the number of women in the labor force—primarily as market vendors. This has in turn led to debates about Islam’s analysis of women working outside the home. For various views on this, you can listen here. (WVR)
• Uganda = Uganda is outlawing pornography. This is good for women’s rights advocates … and perhaps a cause of concern for freedom of speech, as this is the first time internet providers are in the firing line in Uganda. Bummer. The terminology states that, “pornography in any form is prohibited and a person who produces or participates in the production or trafficking or publishing or broadcasting in any way” is liable. I like prohibiting porn, personally … it’s easier to regulate all the activities involved with it (i.e. trafficking of persons) when it is unequivocally illegal. This could be a slippery slope to restrictions on internet use in Uganda, though. Thoughts? Opinions? (AT)

MIDDLE EAST:

• Iran = Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureat, discusses the dangers she faces in Iran … and why she won’t leave her homeland despite the threats against her. You can listen to her interview with Amy Goodman here.
• Palestine = The Obama administration is continuing the Bush policy of non-recognition of the democratically-elected Hamas government in Gaza. In fact, U.S. Secretary of State Clinton recently said that the US, “will not in any way negotiate with or recognize Hamas, until they renounce violence, recognize Israel, and agree to abide by … prior agreements.” (DN, AJ)
• Clinton is NOT, however, asking Israel to renounce violence, recognize Palestine or agree to abide by prior agreements. The facts support Palestinians’ allegations of human rights abuses by Israeli troops (see prior posts), so why are we not basing our policies on the facts? Not cool. (DN)

CULTURAL:

• Angelique Kidjo, a Grammy-winning Beninese singer, was featured in the most recent World Vision Report. I have had the opportunity to see her live, and her energy is contagious; she is a fantastic performer as well as a social advocate. She dropped out of law school to be a musician, because she saw music as a more effective means of advocacy than law (can’t really blame her there). She is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and sang at the first 4664 Concert for Mandela in South Africa. She’s just fabulous.
• Hamad Nikpay, an Iranian artist, released a new album entitled, “All is Calm.” He fuses Persian melodies with Flamenco beats; it’s both chill and funky … in a good way. You can check him out here.
• Palestine Inside Out: An Everyday Occupation is a recently published book by Professor Saree Makdisi of UCLA. He discusses the media coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the importance of language in framing the conflict. It’s really good, thought-provoking stuff for those of us who daily hear the word “settlement” as opposed to “colony.” To listen to an interview with Prof Makdisi about his book on KPFA Berkeley radio, click here.

ALSO OF INTEREST:

• Iran = The Guardian Weekly podcast, dated 2/2/09 provides a great—and brief—history of the 1979 Revolution; it’s from minute 9 to approximately minute 14 of the podcast. You can listen here.

1st February 2009

AFRICA:

• Democratic Republic of the Congo = General Laurent Nkunda was arrested while on a recent trip to Rwanda. He is wanted for war crimes in Congo, and it is still unclear whether his Rwandadn captord will turn him over to Congolese forces or not. Refugees at camps in Rwanda have called for his release, calling his arrest illegal and citing entrapment. This prompted Rwandan forces to tighten security in the camps. (AT, BBC, 702)
• Democratic Republic of the Congo = There is concern about ongoing military operations to disarm the Rwandan Hutus in Eastern DRC. Rwandan and Congolese militia are forcibly “disarming” FDLR rebels. Rwanda sees this group as THE major threat to its security. These military operations will almost certainly create massive displacement of civilians in North Kivu. (UNHCR)
• Somalia = There have been explosions and gunfire in Mogadishu, killing at least 5 people. This prompted Parliament to move to Djibouti for their presidential vote, where they extended the time for elections by five days. (AT, DN, BBC)

MIDDLE EAST:

• Iran = Two doctors focused on HIV prevention, Dr. Arash Alaei and Dr. Kamiar Alaei, who talk to their clients about sex, along with other methods of infection, were arrested in 2008 and charged with seeking to overthrow the Iranian government. They are currently awaiting a verdict in their case. The World Health Organization, btw, says that their efforts helped to give Iran one of the best HIV prevention programs in the world. (PHR)
• *TO TAKE ACTION = Sign the online petition to the Government of Iran on behalf of Doctors Arash and Kamiar Alaei HERE.
• Pakistan = the United States launched 2 airstrikes into Pakistan, with new President Obama’s approval. 20 people were killed, including 3 kiddos. (DN, GUA)
• Gaza, Palestine = 8 Israeli human rights groups are calling for an investigation into Israel’s use of white phosphorous in its recent 22-day attack on Gaza Strip, accusing the Israeli military of war crimes. The human rights groups calls the number of women and children killed “terrifying” in its enormity. (DN, AI)

CULTURAL:

• For a good mini-history lesson, check out John Prendergast’s podcast on the Eastern Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo, that is) for the United States Holocaust Museum. It’s 12 minutes of great background info for those of you who are new to this conflict area.
• The BBC and SkyNews are refusing to broadcast an Oxfam appeal for Gaza, calling the recent attacks by Israel a “political crisis” and citing fears of being seen as endorsing one side over the other. Why suddenly quash this issue with political rhetoric? C’mon BBC. It seems pretty clear that—from a strictly human rights perspective—an Oxfam appeal certainly makes sense. Gaza’s resources were overstretched before the attacks – now there is even less food, water, and medical supplies available for Gazan civilians. And FYI: The BBC HAS aired politically charged Oxfam appeals before, including one for Darfur. You can find others here.(DN, PRI, BBC)

ALSO OF INTEREST:

• Democratic Republic of the Congo = Tomas Lubanga, a former militia leader in Eastern DRC is being tried at the International Criminal Court, in its first trial ever, for conscription and use of child soldiers. This is being prosecuted exclusively as a war crime for the first time. (AT, DN)

Human Rights Round Up Jan 20, 2009

Middle East:
- Of biggest concern in the Middle East currently is Israel's current and continuing attacks on Palestine. Human Rights Watch and Democracy Now are both reporting on Israel's alleged use of white phosphorous and DIME weapons -- both terrible weapons, causing unnecessary civilian deaths. At this point, one of every three Palestinians killed in under 18 years old.
The United Nations Security Council voted 14-0 (with the United States' abstension) to pass a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire, which Israel has not yet obeyed.
Avi Schleim, a prominent Israel-Palestine expert is calling for an end to Israel's campaigns, citing human rights abuses. He alleges that Israel failed to fulfill its obligations during the ceasefire (Israel failed to lift the blockade on goods including medical supplies and food). Additionally, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) broke the cease fire first, on November 4th, 2008, killing four men in Gaza.
According to Richard Falk, esteemed international human rights scholar, the International Court of Justice is considering taking a case against Israel both for its attacks on Gaza, and because the IDF has allegedly been blocking aid ships and the media from Gaza. World Vision is confirming that journalists are being excluded from the Gaza Strip.
The Guardian is reporting that Shifa Hospital, in Gaza, is filled mainly with wounded civilians, not Hamas militants. There is a shortage of medical supplies and drugs. The ambulances are getting so many calls that they often cannot stop for the wounded.
As peace talks are scheduled in Egypt, it is important to note that Egypt, after Israel, is the second highest donor country in terms of United States aid. Will Hamas get a fair deal from these talks, considering that the United States recognizes Hamas as a terrorist organization?

Africa:
- Charles Taylor's son, Chuckie Taylor, has been convicted for torture in a Florida court.

Americas:
- Lori Berenson, imprisoned in Peru, has been moved to a prsion in Lima during her difficult pregnancy.
- Leonard Peltier, imprisoned since 1975 for an incident involving two white officers at Wounded Knee, has also been moved to a different prison.