Africa: Human rights group links repression to food price protests By: allAfrica, May 28, 2009 A leading advocacy group has linked escalating food prices and the sharp rise in living costs across Africa to violations of human rights across the continent in the last year. In its annual report, Amnesty International notes that protesters took to the streets to demonstrate against ìthe dire social and economic situation and the sharp rise in living costsî during 2008. ìThe authorities often repressed protests using excessive force. Security forces injured and killed numerous people who were claiming their right to an adequate standard of living, including the right to food.î http://allafrica.com/stories/200905280533.html
Zimbabwean journalists and lawyers brought before the courts By: Violet Gonda, SW Radio Africa, May 28, 2009 There was much activity in the magistratesí courts in Harare on Thursday when human rights lawyers, two senior journalists and WOZA activists appeared in court for separate, routine, remand hearings. Two editors from the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper, Vincent Kahiya and Constantine Chimakure, appeared before Magistrate Catherine Chimanda, who ruled that they will stand trial on June 16 th. This was after the State Prosecutor, Moses Musendo, argued that they face serious charges that justifies them standing trial. http://www.swradioafrica.com/news280509/zimjournos280509.htm
Zimbabwe: Armed men abduct MDC pastor By: ZimOnline, May 28, 2009 A church pastor involved in counselling traumatised MDC activists was abducted by unknown armed men from his Harare home on Monday, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangiraiís party said on Wednesday. ìPastor Lawrence Berejena was abducted by unknown armed men at his Tynwald home in Harare on Monday,î the MDC said in a statement to the media. ìPastor Berejena has been involved in offering spiritual counselling to thousands of MDC supporters who were victims of political violence across the country perpetrated by ZANU PF thugs and state security agents,î it added. http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=4652
Zimbabwe: ZANU PF tackles Mugabe succession By: Cuthbert Nzou, ZimOnline, May 25, 2009 The inner politburo cabinet of President Robert Mugabeís ZANU PF party will meet today to discuss his succession, a sensitive and highly divisive matter with potential to split apart the former liberation movement. Impeccable sources said the communist-style politburo that is chaired by Mugabe himself will meet at party headquarters in Harare, the second time in 10 days that the committee will be sitting to discuss the contentious succession issue that has seen fault lines starting to emerge right through the centre of ZANU PF. http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=4653
Anti-slavery gong for Mauritanian By: BBC News, May 27, 2009 A Mauritanian non-governmental organisation run by the son of a slave has won this year's Anti-Slavery International Award. SOS Esclaves was set up by Boubacar Messaoud, whose father was a slave, and Abdel Nasser Ould Othman Yessa, a former slave-owner. It is estimated 600,000 Mauritanians - one in five people - live in slavery despite it being outlawed in 2007. But the government in Nouakchott denies that the practice still exists. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8070100.stm
Dictatorship, Tunisia's undeserved fate By: Bassam Bounenni, Daily Star, May 18, 2009 At a press conference on May 4, Naji Bghouri, the head of the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT), was prevented by pro-government journalists from finishing comments in which he mentioned of declining press freedoms in Tunisia. The episode showed that the regime of President Zine al-Abedine ben Ali had lost patience even with a body that it had helped establish in January 2008 to cut the grass out from under the feet of the country's most critical journalists. http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=5&article_id=102080
AMERICAS
Venezuela: Cold welcome for Vargas Llosa and freedom forum By: Jeremy Morgan, Latin American Herald Tribune, May 28, 2009 It wasnít the happiest of 25th anniversaries for Cedice Libertad, a conservative intellectual group committed to democratic ideas, when the National Guard turned up the day before a forum organized to mark the occasion. Cedice Libertad Director Rafael Alfonzo said ìirregularitiesî took place after the guardsmenís sudden appearance. But having said that, he seemed to want to downplay the incident, saying that the only result had been to increase interest in the forum, he claimed. http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=335756&CategoryId=10717
In Venezuela, hundreds march for press freedom By: Rachel Jones, AP, May 28, 2009 Hundreds of opponents of President Hugo Chavez marched in support of press freedom in Venezuela on Wednesday, two years after his government refused to renew the concession of an opposition-aligned television station. Many protesters also waved flags in support of Globovision ó a second anti-Chavez channel now under investigation by broadcast regulators. Protesters carrying torches marched peacefully to Venezuela's National Telecommunications Commission to turn over a symbolic copy of the constitution. Hundreds of police and National Guard troops looked on. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g66L41uHlU4RH05W2foIKCnXE96wD98EVN200
Brazil: 'Dalai Lama of the rainforest' brings climate change warning to Britain By: Survival, May 28, 2009 A Yanomami Indian shaman from the Brazilian Amazon, dubbed ëthe Dalai Lama of the Rainforestí, will journey to Europe in June to give a message to world leaders in advance of the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen in December. Shaman Davi Kopenawa Yanomami will tell MPs at the British Houses of Parliament that the worldís rainforests cannot be bought, and can only be saved if indigenous peoplesí land rights are recognized. http://www.survival-international.org/news/4614
Remaining four mountaintop removal activists released from jail By: Mountaintop Justice, May 28, 2009 Seventeen mountaintop removal activists had no choice but to enforce the laws since all administrative remedies have been exhausted, said some of the activists and supporters at a press conference today. The four still-jailed activists were released on their own recognizance by Judge Burnside shortly after the press conference, which was held on the Raleigh County Courthouse steps. ìIíve lived in West Virginia most of my life. Iím sick and tired of big business and the corrupt government telling us what to do,î began Sid Moye of Mercer County, who participated in the Picket at Pettus. http://mountainjustice.org/events.php?id=151 Podcast: Account of recent nonviolent action taking place in WV against mountaintop removal mining Listen to podcast...
Canada: Demonstrators protest at Lansdowne defence trade show By: Brendan Kennedy, The Ottowa Citizen, May 27, 2009 Demonstrators from peace and church groups gathered Wednesday morning outside Lansdowne Park to oppose the opening of a military trade show on city property. Led by Ottawaís Raging Grannies, a womenís social justice group with chapters across the country, demonstrators gathered outside a perimeter fence set up around the park waving flags and placards promoting peace. An all-day vigil is planned outside the fence Wednesday, with various faith groups and peace organizations demonstrating throughout the day. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Technology/Demonstrators+protest+Lansdowne+defence+trade+show/1634959/story.html
Brazilian environmentalists demand deeper investigation into the murder of union member By: Don Anque, Impunity Watch, May 27, 2009 Environmentalists and human rights activists in Brazil are demanding a deeper investigation into the murder of Paulo Santos Souza. Santos Souza, a fisherman and trade unionist, was fighting corruption and irregularities in the construction of a Petrobras gas pipeline. The AssociaÁ„o dos Homens do Mar (AHOMAR) for which Santos Souza was the treasurer, and other unions and civil society groups have called for a demonstration today in front of the headquarters of the state oil firm Petrobras. http://www.impunitywatch.com/impunity_watch_south_amer/2009/05/brazilian-environmentalists-demand-a-deeper-investigation-into-the-murder-of-union-member.html
Ecuador: Correaís re-election poses more challenges for social movements By: Jason Tockman, North American Congress on Latin America, May 27, 2009 Ecuadorís President Rafael Correa has marched from one victory to the next. But Ecuadorís leading social movements remain skeptical about whether his re-election will translate into the deep social changes promised by the countryís new Constitution. Ecuadorís indigenous federations are still reeling from a bitter fight over a controversial mining law that the President pushed through the interim Congress in January. https://nacla.org/node/5848
US: Torture and truth By: Jonathan Schell, Truthout, May 27, 2009 It has fallen to President Obama to deal with the policies and practices of torture inaugurated by the Bush administration. He started boldly, ordering an end to the abuses, announcing the closing in one year of the detention camp at Guantanamo and releasing the Bush-era Justice Department memos authorizing torture. Subsequently, he seemed to grow cautious. He discouraged formation of an independent commission to investigate the torture and reversed a previous position in favor of releasing Pentagon photos of abuses and instead opposed release. http://www.truthout.org/052909L
US: In San Francisco, nonviolent protests follow ruling By: John Cote, Meredith May, Matthew B. Stannardand, and Kevin Fagan, SF Chronicle, May 27, 2009 There were tears, chanted slogans and a street-clogging protest that resulted in scores of arrests, but Tuesday's reaction to the state Supreme Court's ruling upholding Proposition 8 - by the usual San Francisco standards of polarized movements - was comparatively tepid. In San Francisco, the statements went one step further into nonviolent civil disobedience at a lunchtime demonstration, followed later by a twilight march through downtown from City Hall. At the noon-hour event, police arrested 160 anti-Prop. 8 protesters blocking Van Ness Avenue near the Civic Center, after giving the chanting, sign-waving crowd more than an hour to vent their anger and disappointment. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/27/MNHP17REHE.DTL
Us: 14 years after Ken Saro-Wiwa's death, family points finger at Shell in court By: Ed Pilkington, The Guardian, May 27, 2009 In 1995, at a trial that resulted in his conviction and execution, the Nigerian writer and environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa vowed that the oil giant Shell would one day be brought to justice. That day is looming large as a New York court prepares for a trial in which the oil giant Shell stands accused of crimes against humanity over its activities in the oil-rich Niger Delta of southern Nigeria. Today, a last minute delay to the trial postponed the jury selection until next week. But when it does start, the trial will excite huge interest on the part of multinational companies and human rights bodies. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/may/27/ken-saro-wiwa-shell-oil
US: Coal mine laws written in blood - an interview with Judy Bonds By: Frank Joseph Smecker, Toward Freedom, May 27, 2009 Judy Bonds is the co-director for Coal River Mountain Watch in West Virginia. Bonds is a coal minerís daughter and granddaughter, has been fighting for justice in the Appalachian coalfields since 1998, and in 2003 won the Goldman Environmental Prize. In this interview with Toward Freedom, she talks about what inspired her to become an environmental activist, some recent examples of coal mining devastation, the lasting impacts of coal mining on communities, and what people around the world can do to help. http://towardfreedom.com/home/content/view/1593/1/
US: FBI infiltrates Iowa City protest group in 2008 By: Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive, May 26, 2009 He was very well dressed. He claimed heíd been in the military. But he said when he was ordered to go to Iraq, he refused and was granted conscientious objector status. Thatís how activists in Iowa City are now recalling a person they believe was working undercover for the FBI. Three FBI documents obtained by The Progressive show the extent of the monitoring of the Iowa City activists. Entitled ìConfidential Human Source (CHS) Reporting Document,î each one was written by FBI Special Agent Thomas J. Reinwart on the material provided by the informant, who was ìin personî at the events. http://www.progressive.org/mc052609.html
Argentina: An anti-paper-mill protest celebrates its fifth year By: Matthew MacLean, CS Monitor, May 26, 2009 In an odd mix of environmentalism and patriotism, more than 20,000 Argentine activists recently celebrated the fifth anniversary of their blockade of an international bridge that connects Gualeguaych˙ with Uruguay, demanding a halt to a paper mill they say is polluting the river that divides the two countries. With an agrarian economy and relatively little industry, the Finnish-built Botnia pulp factory represents the single largest foreign investment in Uruguayís history ñ a big boost for jobs and tax revenue. The blockade has damaged local economies on both sides and dampened the flow of tourist dollars. http://features.csmonitor.com/globalnews/2009/05/26/argentina-an-anti-paper-mill-protest-celebrates-its-fifth-year/
Human rights probe continues to taint Colombian army By: Anastasia Moloney, World Politics Review, May 18, 2009 Over 400 members of Colombia's armed forces have been detained for allegedly taking part in extrajudicial killings of civilians in the last two years, according to the country's attorney general's office. An ongoing probe into human rights abuses in the Colombian army, known locally as the "false positives" scandal, continues to unfold following the recent arrests of more military personnel. The arrests involve charges that security forces murdered civilians and then passed them off as guerrillas killed in combat in order to inflate rebel body counts. http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/article.aspx?id=3768
ASIA/ SOUTH ASIA
China cuts off dissent ahead of Tiananmen anniversary By: Malcolm Moore, Telegraph, May 28, 2009 Beijing has taken steps to prevent dissent in response to a groundswell of pressure for the authorities to atone for what happened. Students at Beijing and Dalian Universities have been banned from giving any interviews to the foreign media until after the anniversary. The Public Security Bureau in Dalian warned: "Any indication of an approach from a foreign journalist must be reported immediately." University exams have been scheduled across China on June 4, in what appears to be an attempt to keep students inside their classrooms. Security officers have also been targeting known dissidents including Bao Tong, 76, an aide to Zhao Zhiyang, the late Chinese leader. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/5400263/China-cuts-off-dissent-ahead-of-Tiananmen-anniversary.html
China: Silence on the square By: The Economist, May 28, 2009 Among journalists at a Chinese newspaper, there has been some surprising talk of publishing a story to mark the 20th anniversary on June 3rd and 4th of the massacre of hundreds of Beijing citizens by Chinese soldiers. One journalist even told his colleagues he would be ready to go to jail for doing so. But such bravado, especially if it proves more than rhetoric, is likely to be rare. For many in China the nationwide pro-democracy protests of 1989 and their bloody end have become a muddled and half-forgotten tale. http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13754101
China's race to supremacy By: AC Grayling, Guardian, May 28, 2009 Churchill's famous remark about the Battle of Britain pilots, could now be applied to China's dissidents, the few to whom the many (the world's population) could come to owe a very great deal indeed, because the burgeoning economic, industrial and political influence of China in the world ñ it is the next great superpower ñ makes it absolutely imperative that the country should be a democratic one, signed up to the rule of law and the idea of human rights, rather than what it is now: an imperialist, irredentist, massively human-rights-violating totalitarian state that will use any means to get its way. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/28/tiananmen-china
Burma hits back at critics of Suu Kyi trial By: MSNBC, May 28, 2009 Army-ruled Myanmar lashed out at foreign critics of Aung San Suu Kyi's trial on Thursday, accusing them of meddling in its affairs and denying the prosecution of the opposition leader was a political or human rights issue. Deputy Foreign Minister Maung Myint rebuked his counterparts from Southeast Asia and Europe at a meeting in Cambodia, saying the trial that could jail Suu Kyi, 63, for up to five years was an "internal legal" issue. "It's not political. It's not a human rights issue, so we don't accept the pressure and interference from abroad." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30982805/
Burma: Obama calls for release of Suu Kyi By: Human Rights Tribune, May 28, 2009 Statement from President Barak Obama White House press release: "I call on the Burmese government to release National League for Democracy Secretary General and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi from detention immediately and unconditionally. I strongly condemn her house arrest and detention, which have also been condemned around the world. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has issued opinions affirming that the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi dating back to 2003 is arbitrary, unjustified, and in contravention of Burmaís own law." http://www.humanrights-geneva.info/Obama-calls-for-release-of-Suu-Kyi,4505
Burma: Security 'didn't stop' Yettaw visit By: Naw Say Phaw, Democratic Voice of Burma, May 28, 2009 Soldiers guarding Aung San Suu Kyiís house knew of John Yettaw entering the compound earlier this month and did little to prevent it, Yettaw told the courtroom yesterday. Suu Kyi told the courtroom yesterday that the breach of security that allowed Yettaw into the house was the fault of authorities charged with guarding her compound, and not Suu Kyi. Yettaw yesterday added substance to this argument with claims that he had passed a number of soldiers en route to the compound. ìThey were carrying guns with them but they didnít do anything to stop him from approaching the house, apart from throwing some stones at him.î http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=2565
Burma: Solo protestor arrested outside Insein By: Naw Say Phaw, Democratic Voice of Burma, May 28, 2009 An elderly solo protestor demonstrating today outside of the prison courtroom where Burmaís Aung San Suu Kyi is on trial was arrested by plain-clothed security officials and taken away. Security has tightened outside of Rangoonís Insein prison where Suu Kyi, her two caretakers and US citizen John Yettaw are on trial. Observers say there is an increase in numbers of both uniformed and plain-clothed security officials, including members of the Swan Arr Shin militia group. ìHe had about less than a minute to protest and was quickly taken away by government officials nearby,î said an eye witness. http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=2570
Tibet: Chinese police shoot six protesters By: Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, May 28, 2009 Armed police in a Tibetan area of south-western China opened fire on protestors who opposed resettlement for a new dam, seriously wounding at least six Tibetan women, the Tibetan government-in-exile said Tuesday [26 May 2009]. The police 'indiscriminately fired at Tibetan residents of Tawu and Nyagchu counties' during the protest Sunday [24 May 2009] in Sichuan province's Kardze prefecture, which is called Ganzi in Chinese, said the report posted on the government-in-exile's website, www.tibet.net . http://www.unpo.org/content/view/9639/69/
China: Beijing protest honours Pelosi's visit By: Robert J. Saiget, AP, May 27, 2009 At least 100 Chinese with grievances against their government staged a protest in honour of US congresswoman Nancy Pelosi in Beijing Wednesday, little more than a week before the Tiananmen anniversary. The protesters, or petitioners, from all parts of China, gathered in front of the news office of the State Council, China's cabinet, passing out leaflets and scrawling graffiti on the office gates. "Pelosi we warmly welcome you, Pelosi we love you," they wrote in red paint on the gate of the compound in central Beijing. "Human rights matter, down with corruption." http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gnT-L6uWlfEVKMX7bQ5G91aSSs1g
China lawyers in touchy cases could be disbarred By: Alexa Olesen, The Buffalo News, May 27, 2009 China's judiciary is warning law firms to rein in lawyers who take up human rights and other politically sensitive cases, lawyers said Wednesday, increasing the pressure in a government campaign that has so far failed to curb growing legal activism. Lawyers said authorities had met or talked on the phone with senior members of at least nine law firms in recent weeks, urging them to not seek the renewal of licenses for certain lawyers or to submit partial applications that would allow authorities to reject them on technicalities. http://www.buffalonews.com/nationalworld/international/story/683803.html
Tibet: Mine standoff said resolved By: Radio Free Asia, May 27, 2009 Talks have resolved a standoff over a planned gold mine in Tibet at a site local Tibetans consider sacred, a local official said Wednesday, while some Tibetans said they were determined to keep protesting. An official at the Markham [in Chinese, Mangkang] County Business Bureau, in the Tibetan Autonomous Regionís (TAR) Chamdo prefecture, said a protest involving several hundred Tibetans has nearly concluded. ìAll county leaders are at the scene and the incident is almost over. The local people just have a different view [on the mining issue],î the official, who declined to be named, said in an interview. http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/standoffresolved-05272009175822.html
Bangladesh, India: No to Tipaimukh dam By: Global Voices, May 27, 2009 The Tipaimukh Hydroelectric Project is being constructed near the confluence of Barak and Tuivai rivers, in Manipur, India and within 100km of Bangladesh border. While Hydroelectric projects are typically considered greener than other power generation options in short term, it has significant long-term impact to the environment. No wonder right from the start this project faced protests from potentially affected people in India, and from the downstream neighbor Bangladesh. The people of Manipur have been fighting legally to stop the project but have so far been unsuccessful. http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/05/27/bangladesh-india-no-to-tipaimukh-dam/
Burma: Web campaign launched for Suu Kyiís release By: Mizzima News, May 27, 2009 British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has posted a message on a new website launched Wednesday calling for the release of detained Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. 64forsuu.org is a website calling for the release of Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and aiming to collect as many supporting messages as possible from around the world to send to her on her 64th birthday on June 19th. ìI add my voice to the growing chorus of those demanding your release. For too long the world has failed to act in the face of this intolerable injustice." Brown said in his message. http://www.mizzima.com/news/world/2206-web-campaign-launched-for-suu-kyis-release.html
Burma: Suu Kyi's witnesses 'rejected' By: BBC News, May 27, 2009 Lawyers for the detained Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi say judges have rejected their request to call four defence witnesses. They say only one defence witness is being allowed in her trial on charges of breaking house arrest regulations. This, they say, means a verdict could be reached as soon as Thursday. The BBC's Jonathan Head, reporting from neighbouring Thailand, says there has been little pretence at fairness by the Burmese authorities during the eight-day trial. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8069397.stm
Bring 'people power' to Pakistan By: Rick Barton, CS Monitor, May 19, 2009 How should the United States respond to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Pakistan? In a proudly sovereign country of 165 million people, billions of US dollars and thousands of US troops will not produce the necessary change. Instead, America should put its new commitment to "smart power" into practice: Success will depend on galvanizing the burgeoning power of popular opinion to bring about reform. When the people and a purpose are publicly aligned, change is possible ñ even when faced with violent extremism, as with the Taliban syndicate in Pakistan. http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0519/p09s01-coop.html
CENTRAL ASIA
Kyrgyzstan: Same old plot for upcoming elections By: Erica Marat, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, May 27, 2009 Preparations for the upcoming Presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan resemble any other in Central Asia. The incumbent President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has shown no sign of willingness to give up office, while the opposition is not able to create a viable challenge to the regime. To date, 17 candidates have registered to run for president, with most of them seeing the presidential bid as an advancement of their own positions in local, as opposed to national, constituencies. http://www.cacianalyst.org/?q=node/5116
EUROPE
Moldova: the Twitter revolution that wasnít By: William H. Hill and David J. Kramer, openDemocracy, May 28, 2009 Moldova, the poorest country in Europe, has spent a rare few weeks in the news after violent protests erupted on 7 April in the capital Chisinau. The violence broke out following the ruling Communist Party's apparently clear-cut victory in the nation's April 5 parliamentary elections. This gave the Communists just under fifty percent of the popular vote, and 60 deputies in the 101 seat Moldovan parliament. The result was sufficient to elect the speaker and the government, but was one vote short of the 61 seats required to choose the country's next president. http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/moldova-the-twitter-revolution-that-wasn-t
Poland forced to move democracy celebrations By: Damien McElroy, Telegraph, May 28, 2009 Poland has been forced to move its celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the country's first free elections away from the city regarded as the birthplace of the democracy movement in the Soviet bloc. The government has announced it is moving events away from Gdansk because of a threat of violent protests from the Solidarity trade union. Gdansk Shipyard was the birthplace of the Solidarity trade union movement, whose opposition to the Soviet regime led to the end of Communist Party rule in 1989. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/5400838/Poland-forced-to-move-democracy-celebrations.html
Belarusian intellectuals demand release of political prisoners By: Charter '97, May 28, 2009 The Council of Belarusian Intellectuals calls on politicians from Belarus, the European Union and the United States to start an international solidarity campaign to release Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka. A statement, adopted in Minsk on May 27, notes that a long hunger strike Autukhovich has been holding since April 16, menaces his life seriously; condition of Yury Lyavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka has also deteriorated. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2009/5/28/18603/
UK: Now to complete the democratic revolution By: Hilary Wainwright, Transnational Institute, May 28, 2009 The anger that now explodes in Britain whenever one of the 125 MPs caught feathering their own or their families nests or building their duckponds faces the public is more than outrage at the pathetic greed of elected representatives. It is a pent up fury over a deep-seated failure of public control over public money. It is a fury that has mounted with growing evidence of financial waste and unaccountability, against the background of levels of inequality unprecedented in post-war years. http://www.tni.org/detail_page.phtml?act_id=19556
Several policemen beaten by opposition in Georgia By: David Nowak, Washington Post, May 28, 2009 Protesters demanding Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's resignation beat several police officers and stabbed one with a knife Thursday, officials said. The incident raised new fears that mostly peaceful protests could slide into widespread violence, further destabilizing the strategically-placed ex-Soviet nation which sits astride a key oil pipeline carrying Caspian crude to Western markets. Shortly after police officers were beaten by protesters, about 20 club-wielding men waged into the crowd of opposition demonstrators outside the parliament building, injuring several protesters. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/28/AR2009052802568.html
Russia: Moscow increasingly represses civil society By: Paul Goble, Georgian Daily, May 27, 2009 The Russian government, using both its own structures and others allied with it, is repressing civil society by means of murders, beatings and the fabrication of criminal and administrative cases, according to Lev Ponomaryev, a leading human rights activist. In a detailed article in todayís ìYezhednevny zhurnal,î Ponomaryev says that these attacks especially since the coming to power of Vladimir Putin in 2000 and the victories of the ìso-called color revolutions in Ukraine and Georgia Ö not only at the political opposition but at any manifestation of independent civic positions.î http://georgiandaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11875&Itemid=65
Georgian opposition mulls more radical forms of protest By: RFE/RL, May 27, 2009 Seven weeks after the Georgian opposition launched its campaign to force President Mikheil Saakashvili to resign, up to 55,000 people congregated at a soccer stadium in Tbilisi on May 26 in support of that demand. Despite dwindling participation at their protest actions in recent weeks, opposition leaders had said earlier they hoped to mobilize 100,000 protesters. It is unclear, however, whether and for how long that upsurge of popular support for the opposition can be sustained, especially in light of growing tactical disagreements between radical and moderate opposition leaders. http://www.rferl.org/content/Georgian_Opposition_Mulls_More_Radical_Forms_Of_Protest_/1741017.html
MIDDLE EAST/ NORTH AFRICA
Middle East: Authoritarian democracy and democratic authoritarianism By: Jon B. Alterman, World Politics Review, May 29, 2009 For a part of the world that doesn't have a lot of freedom, the Middle East certainly has a lot of elections that matter. On May 16, Kuwaitis elected a new parliament, sending women to the chamber for the first time. On June 7, Lebanese will go to the polls, and five days later, Iranians will have their turn. But what makes these elections so interesting is that their outcomes are truly unknown. In much of the region, the results are a foregone conclusion. Rulers elsewhere are not about to allow challengers, and victory margins of 20, 40, or even 90 percent are commonplace. These countries are different. http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/article.aspx?id=3835
Iran: Journalist says she falsely confessed to spying By: MSNBC, May 28, 2009 Journalist Roxana Saberi, who spent four months in an Iranian prison on espionage charges, said in her first in-depth interview that she initially confessed to being a spy but later recanted. In remarks to National Public Radio News, Saberi, 32, said her confession was forced and that she believes her decision to recant prompted the Iranian prosecutor to send her case to trial instead of allowing her to go free. "My confession was false and I thought I had to fabricate it to save myself," she said. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30984819/
Iran urges citizens to vote By: Borzou Daragahi and Ramin Mostaghim, LA Times, May 28, 2009 Putting their political rivalries aside, hundreds of Iranian television executives and government officials gathered recently to think up strategies to draw as many voters as possible to their country's June 12 presidential election. "All four major candidates are in line with the system," Askar Owladi, a high-ranking member of the conservative Islamic Coalition Party, told attendees. "So we do not feel concerned about who will be our next president," Owladi said. "We should make sure we can maximize the turnout because that high turnout can ensure and secure the future of our system." http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-elections28-2009may28,0,3190760.story
Iran lifts ban on Facebook By: Borzou Daragahi, LA Times, May 27, 2009 Iran unblocked Facebook just days after the popular social networking website was banned, an Iranian news agency reported Tuesday. The Iranian Labor News Agency, or ILNA, said the site is now accessible to ordinary Web surfers. The rescinding of the ban came a day after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied he was behind the decision to block the site, which has been used by his challengers to rally supporters for next month's presidential election. Reformist challenger Mir-Hossein Mousavi, a former prime minister, was using Facebook to generate buzz for his campaign. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-facebook27-2009may27,0,5873106.story
Israel: Mizrahi Jews demonstrate against neglect By: Indibay, May 27, 2009 On wednesday, May 27, members of "Achoti" (my sister), a feminist organization representing jews of color (Mizrahim-Jews who emigrated from Arab countries) and members of the Democratic Mizrahi Rainbow, came to the Jerusalem Theater to demonstrate a convention about culture in Israel. In Israel, 90% of the state budget is given to institutions who represent a european and ashkenazi (Jews who emigrated from western countries) culture. To justify this kind of elocution of resources, European culture is described as important, while Mizrahi and arab culture are describe as empty. http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/05/27/18598631.php
Democratic rights in Israel in peril By: The Iron Heel, May 26, 2009 The Israeli government took this week a new measure in its attempt to suppress democratic rights in Israel. The government has approved a bill banning all commemoration of the Palestinian Nakba of 1948, under penalty of Imprisonment. The bill is yet to pass in the Israeli parliament, subject, for now, to heavy criticism from many Israeli parties, from the Israeli Labor party to the Jewish-Arab Hadash and the Arab parties. However, since the coalition government in Israel enjoys a majority of seats in the Knesset, the chances for seeing the law pass are quite high. http://theironheel.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/democratic-rights-in-israel-in-peril/
Egypt: Why freed dissidents pick the path of most resistance By: Michael Slackman, NY Times, May 26, 2009 When political dissidents who challenge authoritarian leaders are locked away in prison, when they are tortured and their families threatened, the goal is to break their resolve, to crush their spirit, to silence them. So how come so many get right back to it when they are finally freed? What compels them to fight on at the risk of great personal sacrifice? The practice may succeed as a deterrent, spreading fear among those who have not yet experienced the chill of a jail cell, the debasement of a strip search, the pain of electric shock. But for those who have already faced the worst, the threats often have the reverse effect. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/27/world/middleeast/27egypt.html?ref=global-home
Promoting democracy - clumsily - in Egypt? By: Michael Allen, Democracy Digest, May 26, 2009 Washington should focus on technical assistance that improves the daily lives of ordinary Egyptians even at the expense of democracy support, argues Steven Cook, a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. ìClumsy democracy promotion often does little good and can even make matters worse-not just in Egypt but in other authoritarian systems resistant to reform,î he cautions. Programs on agriculture, health care and infrastructure have been cut while funds are still available for political reform conferences for regional governors - ìa futile endeavor." http://www.demdigest.net/blog/2483/promoting-democracy-clumsily-in-egypt.html
Bahrain: Special security forces prevent public seminar By: Bahrain Center for Human Rights, May 26, 2009 The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its concerns over the deterioration in the level of freedom of expression as exemplified by the deployment by the local Authorities to Special Forces to prevent people and organizers from attending and holding a public seminar on 16 May 2009. The seminar was focusing on what is locally dubbed as "political naturalization in Bahrain" referring to granting the Bahraini nationality on a wide scale to achieve a political agenda. http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/node/2896
Iran: Presidential candidates urged to pledge to defend press freedom By: Reporters Without Borders, May 26, 2009 As the campaign for Iranís 12 June presidential election officially got under way, Reporters Without Borders wrote today to the candidates urging them to commit to the unconditional release of the 13 journalists and bloggers currently held in Iran. More than 100 news media have been censored since August 2005 and more than 100 journalists and bloggers have been arrested and prosecuted. In 2008 alone, a total of 30 newspapers were suspended, 22 of them at the behest of the Commission for Press Authorisation and Surveillance. http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=31428
Iran: Sentencing and exile of a political prisoner is confirmed Iran Human Rights Voice, May 25, 2009 Political prisoner Hood Yazerlo was exiled to Rajaíi prison in the city of Karaj after confirmation of his sentencing. Previously, on May 24, 2008, Mr. Yazerlo, a student of industrial management in the Independent University of Qazvin, was summoned before the court and subsequently detained. Mr. Yazerlo spent nine months in section 209 in Evin Prison and his trial was held in branch 17 of the Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Salavati, on February 17, following which he received a three-year jail term in exile. http://www.ihrv.org/inf/?p=2363
Obama's message in Egypt By: Dina Guirguis, Washington Post, May 23, 2009 The venue from which President Obama addresses Muslim communities is integral to the substance of his message. While the president and his team are to be commended for extending a hand of cooperation and understanding to the world's Muslims, Egypt's democrats cannot help being concerned over the decision to deliver the address from Egypt on June 4. Voices for a Democratic Egypt and supporters of democracy in general hope that Obama will choose a neutral venue within Egypt and make clear his support for the Egyptian people in their aspirations for basic rights and freedom. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/22/AR2009052203087.html
Iran: Political prisonerís life in danger By: Human Rights Watch, May 23, 2009 The Iranian government should immediately release ailing political prisoner Behrooz Javid-Tehrani, a human rights activist first arrested during 1999 nationwide student protests, and ensure he has access to adequate medical care, Human Rights Watch said today. Javid-Tehrani, who has been continually detained since 2005, is on hunger strike and suffers from health problems caused by prolonged torture. A student activist and leading defender of the rights of political prisoners and their families, Javid-Tehrani has spent the last 10 years in and out of prison. http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/05/23/iran-political-prisoner-s-life-danger
Kuwait: ëGender-benderí election raises optimism By: N. Janardhan, IPS, May 22, 2009 Despite the reappointment of the Kuwaiti rulerís nephew as premier, the results of last weekís elections - the historic victories of women candidates, and the decline of Islamist representation in parliament - are being perceived as a vote for change in the Gulf state. "The results have contributed to a mood of relief and satisfaction. It is a vote for change," says Ghanim Al-Najjar, professor of political science at Kuwait University. http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46944
Palestine: Interview with Thuraya Judi Alwazir - 'More Women Need to Judge' By: Mel Frykberg, IPS, May 21, 2009 Thuraya Judi Alwazir is one of few women judges sitting on the Palestinian Authority's Judicial Authority. Alwazir speaks here to IPS about her experiences in a largely male-dominated environment, on the rights of women in regard to honour killings and domestic violence, and on the death penalty as applied in the West Bank. http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46929
Qatar reacts negatively to media freedom promotion By: The Economist, May 14, 2009 When the Qataris asked Robert MÈnard to run what they heralded as the worldís first press freedom centre, in Doha, their capital, they were probably asking for trouble. An intrepid Frenchman who had previously run a Paris-based lobby, Reporters Without Borders, Mr MÈnard is famous for courting controversy. Now, only months after becoming head of the Doha Centre for Media Freedom, he is entangled in a row that may well be more bitter than anything he has experienced. http://www.economist.com/world/mideast-africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13649580
OCEANIA
Fiji lawyers caught between rock and a hard place after decree By: Radio New Zealand International, May 28, 2009 A lawyer for Fijiís ousted Prime Minister says most lawyers will have little choice but to apply for practising certificates under a new presidential decree. Under the Legal Practitioners Decree, the issuing of practicing certificates will be transferred from the Fiji Law Society to the Chief Registrar. All lawyers will have to apply for new certificates in just over two weekís time if they wish to continue to practice law. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=46799
Fiji law society raided By: Angela Marie Watkins, Impunity Watch, May 27, 2009 Over the weekend, the offices of the Fiji Law Society were raided, files were removed, and the Societyís president was informed that the government will take over licensing lawyers and the handling of any complaints, including its own against the lawyers. Society president, Dorsami Naidu, told Radio New Zealand the new chief registrar, Ana Rokomokoti, and men in plain clothes demanded entry to the society's Suva offices. They then took confidential files relating to complaints against law society members, and the chief registrar told staff a decree had been issued effectively deregulating the society. http://www.impunitywatch.com/impunity_watch_oceania/2009/05/fiji-law-society-raided.html
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Podcast: Laureate Mairead Maguire - Building 'deep democracy' By: openDemocracy, May 29, 2009 In the third podcast from the Nobel Women's Initiative gathering in Antigua laureate Mairead Maguire spoke to Jane Gabriel about a new politic she sees arising: one in which ëdeep democracy' is built by people standing up, building ëpersonal democracy' one to one, and demanding that the money be taken out of militarism. Listen now to some of the ideas discussed during three days of women ëRedefining democracy for peace, justice and equality', and to Mairead Maguire's call to action. http://www.opendemocracy.net/audio/jane-gabriel/laureate-mairead-maguire-building-deep-democracy
Global poverty: The human-rights dimension By: Kate Allen, openDemocracy, May 28, 2009 The worldwide economic recession is working its way through every level of the global economy. Most people in the rich states of the west in one way or another are experiencing its negative effects. But the recession's impact on people in the poorest and most conflict-ridden parts of the world - who were already living with great insecurity - is even greater. Amnesty International's latest annual report on the state of the world's human rights, published on 28 May 2009, documents the devastating consequences of the crisis on the world's poorest people - and finds that the economic problems they face are at their heart human-rights problems too. http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/global-poverty-the-human-rights-dimension
Postmodernity and the crisis of democracy By: Jeremy Gilbert, OurKingdom, May 28, 2009 Two weeks into the public scandal over excessive expenses-claims by members of parliament, and the air is thick with cries for reform.The blogosphere rings as the liberal commentariat cry with one voice ëElectoral Reform! A constitutional convention now! Charter 88 at last!' But as usual, the bulk of the liberal commentariat wants too little too late, is still fighting the battles of the previous generation, and remains in denial about the sheer scale of the challenges which it faces (with notable exceptions). http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/opendemocracy-theme/postmodernity-and-the-crisis-of-democracy
Civic Driven Change - A concise guide to the basics By: Kees Biekart and Alan Fowler, Transnational Institute, April 2009 This short booklet introduces new ideas about how civil society is taking charge in guiding development by taking key roles in society to respond to the most pressing issues the world faces such as poverty, injustice, conflict and environmental degradation. The authors highlight the special characteristics and elements of the approaches and problem-solving used and led by citizens. A concise guide to the basics emerges from the initiative of an international core group of practitioners and critical analysts which came together to ask: What would a citizen-centered story of change in society look like? http://www.tni.org/detail_pub.phtml?know_id=302
IN OTHER LANGUAGES
AlgÈrie: Le Front Polisario lance sa chaÓne de tÈlÈvision By: Jeune Afrique, May 28, 2009 Le prÈsident autoproclamÈ de la RÈpublique arabe sahraouie dÈmocratique (RASD) a inaugurÈ le 20 mai la premiËre chaÓne de tÈlÈvision du Front Polisario. Elle devrait largement relayer les positions de ce mouvement dans la rÈgion. La chaÓne est soutenue par le Front Polisario. Ce mouvement souhaite un rÈfÈrendum sur líindÈpendance du peuple sahraoui. Le Maroc, lui, se dÈclare prÍt ‡ garantir plus díautonomie ‡ la population ‡ condition quíelle reste sous sa souverainetÈ. http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/ARTJAWEB20090528110252/-media-Front-Polisario-RASD-Sahara-Occidental-Le-Front-Polisario-lance-sa-cha%EF%BF%BDne-de-television.html
Honduras: Copinh amenaza con la insurrecciÛn si no hay consulta continuista By: El Heraldo, May 18, 2009 Miembros del Consejo CÌvico de Organizaciones Populares e IndÌgenas de Honduras (Copinh) se apostaron esta maÒana frente al Ministerio P˙blico de Tegucigalpa para apoyar la cuarta urna que propone el presidente Manuel Zelaya. IndÌgenas y campesinos lucieron en la manifestaciÛn machetes relucientes, nuevos y reciÈn desenvainados, que alzaron en son de amenaza y en defensa de la consulta para reformar la ConstituciÛn de Honduras. http://www.elheraldo.hn/layout/set/print/Pa%C3%ADs/Ediciones/2009/05/18/Noticias/Copinh-amenaza-con-la-insurreccion-si-no-hay-consulta-continuista
BOOK REVIEWS
The Protest Singer By: John Kehe, CS Monitor, May 27, 2009 Alec Wilkinson has written a short volume about a slim fellow who has lived a gigantic life. Pete Seeger is one of those iconic American names ñ like Johnny Appleseed or Paul Bunyan ñ that evokes more legend than man. The Protest Singer is the intimate portrait of the man who sparked the folk boom of the 1950s, marched with the Rev. Martin Luther King in Selma, stood up to McCarthy-era blacklisting and the Ku Klux Klan, and spent 40 years cleaning up the Hudson River. http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2009/05/27/the-protest-singer/
IN PAST NEWS
How to bypass internet censorship By: The Communication Initiative Network, January 1, 2008 This manual offers an introduction to the topic of internet censorship and a presentation of techniques and tools used for circumventing this filtering. It is an outgrowth of concerns about the effect of internet blocking mechanisms, and the implications of censorship - concerns expressed by individuals and groups working to ensure that information available on the internet is freely available to everyone who wants it. "How to Bypass Internet Censorship" is designed for a non-technical audience, with what the publishers characterise as clear, user-friendly explanations of software and methods for circumvension of online censorship. http://www.comminit.com/en/node/287705
NOTICES
Hellraisers awards: Great acts of student activism By: Kiera Butler, Mother Jones, May 27, 2009 Recently, Harvard students protested the university's decision to stop offering anonymous HIV testing. It's a great ideaóand we know today's students activists have plenty more where that one came from. MoJo, Campus Progress, and WireTap would like to hear about all feats of student activism (the more creative the better) from the past school year in time for the Hellraisers, our first annual student activism awards. Here's how it works: You tell us about your favorite activism antics. Selected nominees will be featured in the September/October 2009 issue of Mother Jones. http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/05/great-acts-student-activism-deserve-recognition
Tactical dialogues: Engaging pro-bono lawyers By: New Tactics, May 27 - June 2, 2009 Join our featured resource practitioners from May 27 to June 2 for an online dialogue featuring Engaging Pro-Bono Lawyers. A major obstacle for victims of human rights abuses is gaining access to legal representation in order to file a complaint against the perpetrator. This online dialogue will be space for practitioners to share successful tactics for engaging pro-bono, or free, legal services through access to a variety of professional resources. http://www.newtactics.org/en/blog/new-tactics/engaging-pro-bono-lawyers
New IWPR handbook for Sudanese journalists By: Institute for War and Peace Reporting, May 26, 2009 WPR Netherlands has launched a manual for Sudanese journalists aimed at increasing local capacity for court reporting and tackling issues relating to international justice and local trials. Drawing on our training experience in other countries in which the International Criminal Court is active, such as Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the manual takes journalists through all the steps necessary to understand international justice and produce balanced, accurate stories on the subject and related issues. http://www.iwpr.net/?p=acr&s=f&o=352790&apc_state=henh