December 10- Human Rights Day

"Today, poverty prevails as the gravest human rights challenge in the world. Combating poverty, deprivation and exclusion is not a matter of charity, and it does not depend on how rich a country is. By tackling poverty as a matter of human rights obligation, the world will have a better chance of abolishing this scourge in our lifetime...Poverty eradication is an achievable goal."

Louise Arbour UN High Commissioner for Human Rights http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/2006/

The reason I use the above quote coincides with Louise Arbour's visit to Sri Lanka in September. Her report to the UN looked at human rights violations which relate to the upturn in the conflict, the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), LTTE tactics, etc.

From the standpoint of someone who is trying to help people regain their livelihoods, this is sometimes seen as a pointless task. Just as many of the initiatives we are working on begin to uplift communities out of poverty and fears about their futures and their security, another attack occurs, a bomb explodes, people are forced back into subsistence, hoping that peace will come to their areas once again.

The government of Sri Lanka does not accept Louise Arbour's report, nor will it accept the UN's invitation to act as a monitoring body within the country. Last week over 1000 Tamils in Colombo were arrested following two bombings in the city. No just cause was given, most of the people have been released, and the government still justifies its actions.

Happy Human Rights Day Sri Lanka

Living with... and speaking out HIV/AIDS Stigma

Just a short video which looks at the problems faced by those living with HIV/AIDS.

World AIDS Day

December 1st is World AIDS Day, a day to become more aware of HIV/AIDS, to actively take part in an AIDS Day event, or to pass on some knowledge you may have about HIV/AIDS.

At present, there are an estimated 33 million people worldwide living with HIV; The number of AIDS related deaths is at around 6 000 people per day. Although much of the problem is due to funding, inability for the poor to buy antiretrovirals, and lack of education in some regions of the world, it is my belief that the root cause is from the stigma which is still attached to the disease. The resulting discrimination makes it difficult for those infected to seek help and feel supported.

"Stigma can lead to discrimination and other violations of human rights which affect the well-being of people living with HIV in fundamental ways. In countries all over the world, there are well-documented cases of people living with HIV being denied the right to health-care, education, and freedom of movement, among others."
http://www.aidsportal.org/overlay_details.aspx?nex=50

Country specific policies don't help matters. Uganda's homophobic regulations do not allow programs which could help cut-down on HIV transmission, the USA believes its "abstinence" program is the way to go, and will not fund any programs which promote condom use, and countries such as China try and sweep the problem under the carpet (although forecasters state that China's HIV potential is at around 50 000 000 people).

Remembrance Day

"Remembrance Day (Australia, Canada, United Kingdom), also known as Poppy Day (Malta and South Africa) and Armistice Day (France, New Zealand, and many other Commonwealth countries; and the original name of the day internationally) is a day to commemorate the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and civilians in times of war specifically since the First World War. It is observed on 11 November to recall the end of World War I on that date in 1918."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day

I have always believed that there is absolutely NO justification for war. Remembrance Day for me is not so much about the sacrifices made by those during periods of war, but more as an overall reminder of its futility. We continue to make the same mistakes, we sensationalize it, we celebrate it: country invasions, genocide, ethnic cleansing, terrorism, and the list goes on...what have we really learned?

We put billions of dollars into military spending each year at the expense of health care, education, and fundamental rights and security. Destroying lives seems more a priority than saving them.

Pakistan- On the Verge

Musharraf has declared a state of emergency, has suspended the constitution, and has ousted members of the supreme court (replacing them with his own supporters).

The military rule in place is denying fundamental rights to its citizenry, including a crackdown on human rights activists, the media, the the legal sector, and political opponents.

"On the pretext of fighting militants, General Musharraf has mounted a coup against Pakistan’s civil society." Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/11/04/pakist17241.htm

UN Day

United Nations Day was declared in 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly to be 24 October, the anniversary of the coming into force of the Charter of the United Nations. United Nations Day is to be devoted to making known to peoples of the world the aims and achievements of the United Nations Organization. United Nations Day is part of United Nations week, which runs from October 20th to October 26th.

The United Nations has been taking a bit of a beating over recent years. Some feel it is too bureaucratic, others feel it has outlived its utility, but I believe that even with the challenges it faces, the UN has come to symbolize the ideals for a fair and just world. It's not easy being an organization which has a membership of 6 billion!

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (and the accompanying 30 articles) is well worth a read, giving us a reminder that each human is unique, "valid", and deserving of respect. http://www.hrweb.org/legal/udhr.html

"Out" and About!

I officially came-out to my colleagues and to much of the NGO community in Colombo, Sri Lanka, through an article I wrote on being a gay ex-pat. This country still has laws against homosexuality; so does that also make me officially "illegal"?

I was hesitant to come-out because of those laws and because of my fear of an aggressive reaction, but it was really quite easy. My workmates listened to me intently, asked to read my article, and then asked me questions about gay issues that I thought were only known to a "secret" community. My rights were in tact, I was treated with respect, and I didn't feel in the least bit threatened. I realize that my colleagues are educated, work in the NGO sector, are in positions to uphold humanitarian principles, and represent a miniscule portion of the Sri Lankan population, but this gave me hope that things have the potential for change.

With that being said, however, I had to reflect on other parts of the world that are dealing with the aggression and intolerance that I had feared. Geoff, my partner, read an article about Uganda's regression on GLBT rights, quoting a piece from the Minister of "Ethics and Integrity". With a name like that, it must be in a position to uphold all that is good and righteous in the country. I searched for more information on this and found a couple of other articles that looked at other parts of Africa, namely Nigeria, and Cameroon. Wow, this world really has a long way to go!!! http://direland.typepad.com/direland/

Guantanamo Bay- America: the world's most powerful hypocrisy

What is going on in Guantanamo, or rather why is it still going on? Although prisoners have been returning to their home countries (16 Saudis two days ago), there has been no suggestion of fairness to those held without trial, some for up to 6 years.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7008453034

The sixth amendment states: "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixth_Amendment_to_the_United%20_States_Constitution

Amnesty International: Signature spot commercial ad

This is the same video that was posted earlier in the year but had a problem so this is a re-post. T

Saudi Arabia- No Rights for Guest Workers

Living in Sri Lanka not only allows me to learn about human rights issues taking place here, it also opens my eyes to the abuse faced by many Sri Lankan guest workers abroad. There has been a lot of news recently about a young women on death row in Saudi Arabia because of accusations of her killing a child under her care. Rizana Nafeek was only 17 when she went to Saudi Arabia, faking her documents to allow her to work abroad. The story of the child's death has become controversial in that it has uncovered unjust processes which allow Saudi authorities to arrest, detain, and pass judgement on guest workers.

It also has brought to light many other cases of abuse faced by workers from other countries such as Indonesia. "Nour Miyati, an Indonesian domestic worker, sustained serious injuries and lost her fingers due to gangrene in 2005 after her employer locked her up, physically and verbally abused her and deprived her of food. She then faced a countercharge of making false accusations against her employer, and was sentenced to 79 lashes". http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/17/saudia16699.htm

http://hrw.org/doc/?t=mideast&c=saudia

Indonesia: A Step in the Right Direction

There are many people in prisons around the world who are there because do not agree with, or do not believe (in) the governments that are in place to "serve the people". In many countries, people take for granted their rights and privileges to criticize governments; they do it because they can, but more importantly, because that criticism is a powerful process which has the potential to shape more "just" and egalitarian societies.

"On July 17, 2007 Indonesia’s Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional articles 154 and 155 of Indonesia’s Criminal Code, commonly known as the “hate sowing” (Haatzai Artikelen) offenses. Articles 154 and 155 criminalized “public expression of feelings of hostility, hatred or contempt toward the government” and prohibited “the expression of such feelings or views through the public media.” The articles specified prison terms of up to seven years for violations. Left over from the Dutch colonial administration, these offenses were often used by the government to restrict peaceful criticism of the government. Political opponents, critics, students, and human rights defenders have been targeted and silenced under the laws". http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/07/19/indone16428.htm

The Maldives- Paradise Lost?

While living in Colombo, Sri Lanka I took a short one hour flight to Male, the capital of a seemingly perfect country. The coral islands, the white sand beaches, and the turquoise waters indicated a place that is free from worry. When I visited one of the many tourist islands, I thought that this was paradise, but at the same time, it was surreal in a sense, not indicating to me the reality of the country.

The reality in fact, is a government that suppresses opposition, creates prisoners of conscience, censures the media, and disallows religious freedom. It's a paradoxical reality which needs attention drawn to it.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/By_Country/Maldives/page.do?id=1011195&n1=3&n2=30&n3=945

June 20th- World Refugee Day

Take a moment today to learn about the plight of millions of refugees around the world, and to reflect on what it would be like to be forced out of your home, displaced to an unfamiliar place, and face fears associated with personal safety, and food insecurity.

"Some 40 million people worldwide are already uprooted by violence and persecution, and it is likely that the future will see more people on the run as a growing number of push factors compound one another to create conditions for further forced displacement." http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/events?id=3e7f46e04

Chad Refugee Camp (from bbc.co.uk)

Amnesty International

My friend Bruno from Portugal put me onto this video. It is very thought-provoking. Bruno is also working on a write-up on AI which I will be posting soon. PLEASE NOTE: THE VIDEO IS NO LONGER WORKING SO I'VE RE-POSTED IT IN SEP. 07

Beijing 2008- The Olympic Spirit?

It is no secret that China has never rated well on the "human rights" scale. When Beijing was awarded the 2008 Summer Olympics, it started to "clean" itself up at the expense of the people that have lived there for generations (aka- forced evictions) . Developmental and gentrification projects have displaced people from their homes and have created an artificial environment, with a widening gap between the rich and the poor.

I have visited Beijing 4 times over the past 3 years and have found it shocking to see at what lengths the city will go to in order to try to convince the international community of its integrity and Olympic spirit.

http://hrw.org/campaigns/china/beijing08/

From Blood Diamonds to the Trial of Charles Taylor

The trial began two days ago for Charles Taylor, a man accused of instigating atrocities during Sierra Leone's decade long civil war. To this point he has refused to show up for the proceedings.

"The global, human-rights advocacy organization Human Rights Watch notes that Taylor, who served as Liberia's president until 2003, "is being tried on 11 counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other serious violations of international law committed during Sierra Leone's conflict." Taylor's alleged crimes include "murdering and mutilating civilians, using women and girls as sex slaves, and abducting both adults and children and making them perform forced labor or become fighters." http://standardtimespress.net/cgi-bin/artman/publish/article_1377.shtml

Michael Stipe of R.E.M. Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma

Myanmar is a country in trouble. I'm not a big fan of celebrity endorsements, but Michael Stipes is one person that I trust. You don't have to believe that Aung San Suu Kyi will be a good leader, you just have to believe that the process that imprisoned her, and has extended her sentence is wrong.

Zimbabwe: A Country in Crisis

"The political and economic crises in Zimbabwe are worsening at an alarming rate. The policies, corruption and repressive governance of President Robert Mugabe and his ruling ZANU-PF party are directly responsible for the severe economic slide, growing public discontent and international isolation of the country. In April 2006, inflation officially topped 1,000 per cent, helped by the decision to print $230 million worth of Zimbabwean currency to pay international debts and sustain operations. Unemployment is over 85 per cent, poverty over 90 per cent, and foreign reserves are almost depleted. Over four million persons are in desperate need of food. HIV/AIDS and malnutrition kill thousands every month. The government-sponsored 2005 “Operation Murambatsvina” to clear urban slums forcibly deprived more than 18 per cent of the population of homes or livelihoods and badly damaged the informal sector, the lifeline for many urban poor."http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=1233&l=1&gclid=CL-QjebgvYwCFQQ4TQodIXEvVw

I visited friends in Zimbabwe in 1991 and found it to be a success story for Africa. My friends warned me to not be too optimistic. Robert Mugabe was in charge of the country then and he still is today. I was told to watch and keep up with the goings on in the country, because it would change for the worse- those friends were right!

How has Robert Mugabe managed to stay in power since 1980? He led the fight against the white dominated government of Rhodesia and helped establish Zimbabwe and black rule. Since that point however, his human rights record has been on a continuous slide downwards. His condemnation of the gay community, his "land reforms", and his zero tolerance of any opposition in the country has led to a country in crisis.

The LTTE (aka Tamil Tigers) of Sri Lanka- Freedom Fighters or Terrorists?

I've been living in Sri Lanka just over half a year now and have actually felt the deterioration of human rights in this country. Many colleagues who have been here for years say it is the worst period they've ever experienced in the country.

The government claims that the LTTE is a terrorist group, but the LTTE claims that they are fighting for a Tamil homeland due to oppression by the Sinhalese majority. I don't want to choose sides, but I do want to add some points to ponder:

-The LTTE is still involved in recruitment of child soldiers
-The government is censoring the media
-There are hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the east due to the conflict
-There are muslim IDPs living north of Colombo forced out of Jaffna in the north by the LTTE, and are still living as displaced persons after 17 years
-Sri Lanka has increase its military spending
-The present government and the LTTE "seem" to have no intention of returning to peace negotiations
-Foreigners, specifically humanitarian workers, are being treated with suspicion by political parties and as such are being treated as scapegoats by the government
-The LTTE wants a Tamil homeland, but only for those of higher castes. They are not interested in the rights of Tamils from the tea plantations or from the east.

For more information on Sri Lankan news visit: http://www.lankapage.com

In Your Eyes Only Sadness

You have all heard about Darfur, but what do you know about it? http://www.darfurgenocide.org/

What Ever Happened to East Timor???

"East Timor's road to independence - achieved on 20 May 2002 - was long and traumatic.
The people of the first new nation of the century suffered some of the worst atrocities of modern times. An independent report has said at least 100,000 Timorese died as a result of Indonesia's 25-year occupation, which ended in 1999."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1508119.stm

The end of the occupation did not spell peace for the country though. Even recently there has been ongoing unrest, killings, and people forced to move into refugee camps. With the May 2007 presidential election of Jose Ramos Horta (1996 Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his "work towards a just and peaceful solution to the conflict in East Timor"), will there be a brighter future for this small nation?

Being Gay is Not Okay

Just when you think things are on track in the world, when countries are beginning to recognize that people with different sexual orientations are not evil and are "real" people, along comes Poland with it's "terrible twins" and their ban against all things gay, Iran with torture and execution of gay men, the US and it's evangelical right, and the pope (don't need to say more on that). There are many more countries that I could add to the list, but I'll let you check the link below for some sad truths.

http://direland.typepad.com/direland/

When I attended Colombo Pride last week I realized how far we still have to go, and no matter how many people are trying to stop the queer community from moving ahead, there are those that are pushing ahead and trying to create "equality for all" (see www.equal-ground.org).