6 February 2011

AFRICA:

• Egypt = Protests against police brutality and President Mubarak continued this week, despite Egypt’s prior attempts to quash the demonstrations by using live fire against civilian marchers and instituting a nation-wide internet blackout. Egyptian security forces, including the police and the Special Police, have been detaining and abusing Egyptian citizens, activists and journalists, as well as international activists and journalists in an apparent attempt to cover up or at least minimize the reporting of the protests. On Friday, security forces raided a Law Center in Cairo, detaining 30 people including two Amnesty International staff and local human rights activists. (AI, ICTJ)

• Gambia = YAY!! 24 communities in Gambia’s Upper River Region have officially abandoned the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). (AA, GRD)

• Uganda = After last week’s murder of David Kato, a Ugandan gay rights activist, his local colleagues are calling on both the Ugandan government and American evangelicals to take responsibility for the role they played in spreading the homophobia and hate which led to Kato’s death. (CHNG)

· You can sign a petition to “Tell Evangelicals to Condemn the Murder of a Gay Activist in Uganda” here.

AMERICAS:
• USA = Closing arguments are expected this week in the Arizona murder trial of 9 year old Brisenia Flores and her father, Raul in their Arizona home by anti-immigration extremists. The accused vigilante group leader, Shawna Forde, is a former member of the Minuteman Project and was known to espouse her extremist views to such a degree that she was expelled from some civilian border patrol groups. (IPS, WP)

ASIA:
• Bangladesh = Sometimes “village justice” just isn’t – according to the local human rights advocates. 14 year old Hena Akhter died this week after being whipped by her village elders for having “an illicit relationship with a married man.” (GRD)

· The married man in question is her cousin, who found her outside her home in the early evening one night, gagged her with a cloth and beat her senseless. This attack led her cousin Mahbub’s wife Shilpi to accuse Hena of engaging in a relationship Mahbub. This man Mahbub, Hena’s cousin and attacker, had been found guilty of rape before, but the village elders had him marry that woman—Shilpi—to invalidate any shame on Shilpi’s family.

· Justice did not serve Shilpi, forcing her to marry her rapist, and Shilpi used that same justice system, the shalish—a village meeting led by the elders (elder men only?)—to get her revenge on her husband Mahbub.

· How absurd that Hena got caught up in the middle of this; that village elders, village ANYONE, would think it reasonable to give 101 lashes to a 14 year old girl who could barely stand from the beating her cousin Mahbub had given her.

· The only way to turn this into a positive is to put pressure on the Bangladeshi government to enforce its own laws, which make these village-level punishments illegal. You can contact the Supreme Court of Bangladesh here, and the Prime Minister here.

EUROPE:
• European Court of Human Rights = The Court is introducing fees on applications, which many rights groups fear will deter individuals from filing legitimate human rights claims. (PAMB)

ALSO OF INTEREST:
• Cell Phones = Blood Diamonds? Six African Heads of State are backing a certification plan to track and eliminate conflict minerals from being used in electronic devices, much like the processes that were adopted to prevent the trade in conflict diamonds. The four “dirty” minerals are tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold – regularly used in our cell phones and laptops. This initiative aims to prevent armed groups from reaping the profits of these minerals. (CHNG)

· You can get in on the action, by signing a petition to “Tell the SEC: Keep Conflict Minerals Out of Our Electronics” here.

• The 2^nd Annual Women in the World Summit is happening in New York City this coming March 10^th-12^th. (DB)

• The Draft UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training is available online here.

30 January 2011

AFRICA:

• Egypt = This week’s demonstrations and riots against police brutality and against President Mubarak have resulted in at least 33 civilian casualties in Alexandria, with estimates of over 50 people dead in a Cairo morgue -- due to excessive force and live fire on civilian protestors. Additionally, the Egyptian government imposed a nation-wide blackout, shutting down the internet and most phone networks. (HRW, FC, FIDH, AI, HRW)

• Ethiopia = YAY! Two districts in Ethiopia’s Afar Region have outlawed Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting, citing the many health problems it causes women and girls. (IRIN)

• Uganda = David Kato, a prominent activist for LGBT rights in Uganda was killed in his home this past Wednesday. He was the Advocacy Officer for Sexual Minorities Uganda and was an active opponent to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill before Parliament. This Bill would officially criminalize all homosexuality, making offenses punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty. (HRW)

AMERICAS:
• USA = The state of Pennsylvania’s Superior Court met this Tuesday to hear an appeal regarding whether or not to try Jordan Brown, a 13 year-old boy, as an adult. Jordan allegedly shot and killed his father’s pregnant fiancée when he was 11 years old. Currently, the international human rights community is in almost consistent agreement that putting a minor child on trial for a crime which could result in life imprisonment without a chance for parole, violates international law. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child prohibits this action, but the USA (along with Somalia) has not yet ratified that Convention. (AI, CBS)

ASIA:
• Phillippines = Peace talks are scheduled to resume next month between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Phillippine government. Previous negotiations broke down in August 2008 and led to over half a million people being internally displaced. The most contentious topic will likely be Ancestral Domain in disputed territories. (AST)

EUROPE:
• UK = The UK high court—perhaps in response to the killing of David Kato (see above)—granted 29 year-old Ugandan Brenda Namiggade a temporary stay, rather than being deported home on Friday, as was originally intended. Ms. Namiggade is a Ugandan national and a lesbian who has been petitioning for asylum in the UK since 2002. (ADV)

ALSO OF INTEREST:
• The Danish Institute for Human Rights, with the UN, has published The Arc of Human Rights Priorities, a guide developed for businesses looking to integrate human rights practices into their internal management.

· “The Arc builds upon the Sphere of Influence concept, and is designed to allow companies to focus their resources on the most urgent human rights issues in their operations.” (BHR)

• TED Talks go old-school, sort of … you can now read several of their talks on your Kindle. TED Talks are publishing short (10,000 to 20,000 word) electronic books by authors who have given Talks. The launch is 3 TED favorites, including The Happiness Manifesto, for $2.99 each. (FC)

24 November 2009

24 November 2009

AFRICA:

• Uganda = I didn’t expect to see this headline, ever: Right-wing Evangelicals Challenge President Over Anti-Gay Bill. Exodus International (A US-based Christian group which advocates for changing the behavior of homosexuals in Uganda) and the Executive Council of the Anglican Church of Canada (and others) have joined such African groups as Sexual Minorities Uganda and The Rainbow Project of Namibia in decrying the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill as a violation of fundamental human rights. The Bill would expand the punishments in Uganda for homosexuals to the death penalty for those who are HIV positive. (AWID)
• Here’s a link to a petition calling on Christians globally to oppose the Bill. (AWID)
• Zimbabwe = Anyone want a blood diamond? After a November meeting in Namibia, the Kimberly Process (the group governing the international diamond industry) failed to suspend Zimbabwe, even after determining that Zim’s diamond mines were operating in “significant non-compliance” with the Kimberly requirements. Georgette Gagnon of Human Rights Watch has said, “this diamond monitoring body has utterly lost credibility.” (HRW)

CULTURAL:

Afghanistan = Check out the indie pop band, Kabul Dreams who have songs like “Sound of Peace and Love.” Nice.

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.

25 January, 2009

AFRICA:

• Democratic Republic of the Congo = Rwandan Troops Enter Eastern Congo to Pursue the FDLR Hutu Group (AT)
• Congolese troops are denying Red Cross workers and other aid groups to cross the check point north of Goma into the area where Rwandan and Congolese forces are operating. Their alleged objective is to disarm the FDLR Hutu rebels in 2 weeks.
• Democratic Republic of the Congo = The International Criminal Court in the Hague has accused Jen-Pierre Bemba of ordering mass rapes while he was serving as a rebel leader of the Congolese Liberation Movement. He allegedly ordered rape as a tool to terrorize the populace to prevent them from supporting any resistance to Ange-Felix Patasse, the Central African Republic president. He faces counts of crimes against humanity as well as war crimes. (AJ)
• Nigeria = A group of divorced women who planned a protest have been ordered by authorities to cancel the event. Authorities claim that street protests are “un-Islamic” and morally wrong. Additionally, the Director General of the Hisbah, the police force, stated that “never in the history of Islam have women taken to the streets to press for their demands.” Hmm. I imagine lots of women’s human rights activists would disagree with that comment … and even if the comment were true, wouldn’t the international community rally around these gutsy ladies? I hardly think a lack of historical precedent would be a deterrent for these activists. (AWID)
• Somalia = Check out this Amnesty Int’l interview with women’s human rights activist Zam Zam Abdullahi Abdi (AI)
• Sudan = 16 civilians killed in Darfur when Sudanese government planes bombed a “rebel town” (AJ)
• Uganda = Supreme Court Keeps Death Penalty, claiming it is a deterrent to murder (all evidence to the contrary), but the Court did commute the death sentences of people who have been on death row for greater than 3 years, changing their sentences to life in prison, after ruling that mandatory death sentences are unconstitutional. This overrules a 2005 Ugandan Constitutional Court ruling which found the death penalty unconstitutional. It is now up to the Parliament to decide the fate of the death penalty in Uganda, as well as the particulars of it if they keep it (i.e. death by hanging is still legal, though the Constitutional Court has previously deemed it unconstitutional). (AT, AI)
• Zambia = Chipata, the Provincial Capital of Eastern Province has seen at least 4 deaths by drowning so far this rainy season. Authorities from the local Council blame the recent landslides and floods on hillside cultivation. To address this problem, authorities, in full riot gear, destroyed many local maize fields. Many of these had already been fertilized and planted, prompting local residents to protest. Some threw stones at the officers, who fired warning shots into the air and tear gas into the crowd. (JHR)

MIDDLE EAST:

• Iraq = 14 of Iraq’s 18 Provinces will be voting on January 31^st. The 2005 elections were largely boycotted by voters who are Sunni. This time, a dramatic increase in Sunni voting is expected, which puts into doubt whether the Islamic Party that took power in 2005 will win these elections as well. (WPWB)
• Palestine, Gaza Strip
• After a 22-day assault on Gaza, Israel called for a unilateral cease-fire. During those 22 days, Israel bombed 4 United Nations schools, among many other civilian targets. (DN)
• The United Nations compound in Gaza is essentially destroyed, prompting harsh words from the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who calls the destruction “outrageous and totally unacceptable.” He has also called for Israel’s attack upon the UN compund to be investigated as a war crime. (DN)
• Amer Shurrab, a Washington, DC resident and graduate of Middlebury College, told Democracy Now his heartbreaking story of his brothers’ deaths in Gaza and his father’s distress at not being able to get his wounded son an ambulance. This is worth a listen by you. Really. (DN)
• Dr. Mousa al Hadad, in an interview with World Vision, described his impressions of the current situation in Gaza. He is a retired doctor living in Gaza City. Dr. al Hadad estimates there have been greater than 4,000 injuries, greater than 60% of which he guesses to be women and children. He has been staying in his home which currently has no electricity and hardly any running water. He says that a pregnant woman and three of her friends who were helping her to the hospital were killed by an Israeli missile. (WVR)
• White Phosphorous = was used as a weapon by Israel against Palestinian civilians. White phosphorous causes 3^rd degree burns, eating away one’s skin down to the bone, and attempting to wash it off with water only makes it worse. (WVR, DN, HRW, AI)
• What will the effect of this be on the kiddos?
• President Obama of the US called the leaders of the PLO, Israel, Jordan, and Syria … but not Hamas. George Mitchell has been appointed by Obama as the United States’ Special Envoy to the Middle East; seems like a good guy for the job based on his Ireland experience … (DN)

CULTURAL:

• Zimbabwe = New Album: Rebel Woman by Chiwoniso released and getting great reviews (WVR)
• United States = Bishop Eugene Robinson’s invocation at the Be The Change concert at the National Mall on January 17^th was not included in the HBO coverage of the event, but is available online here. He is the first openly gay Episcopal Bishop and censorship and bigotry are suspected in the neglectful coverage of his invocation. (DN)

AMERICAS:

• United States = Barack Hussein Obama is the new Prez. JOY! Needless to say, as a human rights advocate, I am feeling invigorated with the possibility of having a leader who may actually care about constitutional as well as international legal obligations. With cautious optimism, I’m waiting to see how this all shakes out.
• In his first week, Obama ordered a 4 month suspension of all Guantanamo cases (but no word on other US prisons abroad – Bagram anyone?), instituted a pay freeze for all top White House staff members, and unveiled new White House ethics rules for lobbyists, among other things. (DN)
• United States = The Meridian Star newspaper in Meridian, Mississippi offered an apology for its coverage of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, stating that they had “acted with gross neglect” in their coverage of the movement. (DN)
• United States = The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture stated that Bush and Rumsfeld should be prosecuted for sanctioning abuse and torture at Guantanamo Bay. (DN)
• United States = Before ending his tenure as President, George Bush pardoned 2 US Border Patrol agents (Ignatio Ramos and Jose Campion) who were imprisoned for killing an unarmed Mexican civilian. (DN)
• The International Court of Justice ruled that the US’ killing of a Mexican citizen in Texas breached US obligations under international law. (DN)
• United States = Leonard Peltier, in jail since 1975 for his participation in a shootout at the Pine Ridge Reservation was transferred to the Canaan Federal Prison in Pennsylvania. He is considered by many to be a political prisoner within the US. Upon his transfer, he was put into the general population and severely beaten, likely with the implicit consent of the guards. Mr. Peltier suffers from diabetes and was placed in solitary confinement after being beaten. (DN)

ALSO OF INTEREST:

• Nepal = Uma Singh, a Nepalese journalist, has been assassinated for voicing her human rights convictions. (WVR)
• Russia = human rights lawyer Stanislav Markilov was assassinated after protesting the release of a Russian officer convicted of atrocities during the Chechen war. (DN)
• Denmark = Is the happiest country on earth. Denmark. Happiest Country. Who knew? (60M)