human events - progressive news

Yes, that was a whine.

Anyway......Moving right along, Todd at pure bs has a post detailing some human rights issues at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as well as a pretty good call on the post-quake crisis in Afghanistan.

Once I get him to fix this template, I'll be blogging more.

Gotta snooze.

Sorry for the long absence.

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Sorry for the long absence.

Starting right off:

Syria is reportedly cracking down on civil rights. It appears that the Kurdish minority are the primary targets of what the UK group Syrian Committee for Human Rights is calling a "arbitrary arrests" and "systematic torture."

Medea Benjamin writing for the Multinational Monitor in March - the web version came out only today - reported that there are three big "C"s in Iraq: Cronyism, Corruption and Calamity. Notably absent is a "D" for democracy.

I should point out that the U.S. has privatized much of Iraq's infrastructure, and will allow a fourth "C" to flourish: Capitalism.

Anyone that is able to take a good hard critical look at U.S. foreign policy over the life of the country should arrive at the conclusion that capitalism without democracy is okay, but democracy without capitalism is reason enough to go to war.

But I digress.

From our own State department and the E.U. comes the following declaration:

Dromoland Castle
Shannon, Ireland

26 June 2004


The United States and the European Union welcome the Nairobi Declaration of 5 June 2004 on the Final Phase of Peace in Sudan which paves the way for the signature of a comprehensive peace agreement, putting an end to 20 years of conflict in southern Sudan, and commend all those who have worked with the parties to bring the peace talks to this point, in particular the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the host nation to the talks, Kenya. The protocols signed at Naivasha on 26 May 2004 demonstrate the continued commitment by both parties and the international community to end this longest-running civil war in Africa. We urge the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) to sustain the momentum towards an early conclusion of a comprehensive peace agreement. We reiterate our firm commitment to support a faithfully implemented comprehensive peace agreement designed to bring peace to all areas of Sudan. The United Nations has an important role to play in achieving this goal. We fully support the work of the U.N. in addressing the humanitarian and human rights crises in Darfur.

We express grave concern at the continuing humanitarian crisis in Darfur, western Sudan, where the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians, who live in desperate conditions and require immediate life-saving relief, are at great risk. We strongly condemn the human rights violations that have been perpetrated there, particularly by Jingaweit militias. We reiterate our call on the Government of Sudan to immediately stop the violence perpetrated by the Jingaweit, ensure the protection and security of civilians and humanitarian workers, disarm the militias and allow full and unimpeded access by humanitarian groups to Darfur. We also reiterate that those responsible for the atrocities must be held accountable. In addition, we call on all signatories to the cease-fire agreement of 8 April 2004, and their proxy militias, to fully respect the terms of the cease-fire and to cooperate with the African Union-led monitoring mission presently being deployed in Darfur.

We commend the African Union for assuming a leading role in its monitoring mission. To support the AU-led mission, we are actively participating, contributing financially as well as sending observers. We encourage all parties to the conflict in Darfur to initiate a dialogue to begin addressing the underlying political and social problems that have led to this crisis.

We call on the Government of Sudan to stop supporting the aggressive actions by militia groups in the Upper Nile region.

Nice. After 20 years of conflict, we make a statement. The likely reason that the U.S. hasn't interceded is not because we didn't know that there was oil there, but because oil companies - otherwise known as "our interests" - have been shown to be complicit in fomenting the Sudanese civil war. British oil companies merit dishonorable mention for their roles.

Torture as seen across the pond The Independent leads Hersh in getting the story out, but Hersh provides color as only he can.

Bush vows no more Iraqi prisoner abuses, sinks to new low in polls I wonder if that means the "SAP" procedures are still appropriate for Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay, et al.

The Observer makes the observation that human rights coverage and intervention is far from uniform. As if that needed to be said. Okay, that was cynical. If it alerts more people as to how different humans are treated in regards to their rights, it's a good thing.

Brown v Topeka BoE 50 years later. A good look at where we stand on equal access to education opportunities for all. Not a puff piece at all. I can really recommend this one.

Musharraf is calling for a review of controversial Islamic laws that human rights groups say are discriminatory against women and non-Muslim minorities. U.S. pressure? Now that Pakistan has 'major non-Nato ally' status, he's more ours than ever. If you do read the article, and you should, Musharraf makes a good case. I'm rather shocked for a military dictator that came to power via a coup d'etat.

Ex-MNLF Official Invited by UN Detained, Deported From LA. This is pretty weird. Muslim scholar Abhoud Syed Lingga, former secretary-general of the Moro National Liberation Front was invited by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to conferences in Washington D.C. and New York but he never made it. Instead, he was detained in Los Angeles for 24 hours and then sent back to the Philippines. Some weird visa issue it appears. Maybe he got caught in the anti-terroe dragnet. Could be a story here, but since he's not from the West, we're unlikely to see it..Wait, the Philipines have lots of oil. We'll see.

Bad Timing James Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank, is to take on the board of the finance giant in order to force developing countries to improve their human rights records. Good thing we don't need a loan..oh, wait, we do. We'll just issue bonds.

Scot is offered Minister of Human Rights by the IGC(Iraqi Governing Council). He's an ex-pat Iraqi living in Scotland. It's being reported that he has turned down the top job, but wishes to take the deputy position.

EU's arms sales undermine global security I know a single country that sells more arms than the entire EU combined. But we can't talk about that . Odd that the report is from Amnesty International. I'm sure we'll have our turn.

The Indonesian and Timorese governments governments "have agreed to properly settle the problems existing between them, including the post-referendum human rights violations in East Timor, to prevent the issues from disturbing their bilateral relations." Real progress. Wow.

Reueters is reporting that the U.N. intends to adopt a formal statement next week that could lead to prosecution and sanctions against human rights abusers in the Ivory Coast and those deliberately thwarting a peace accord. A pretty bloody scene in West Africa.

A Turkish Human Rights group (IHD) have held a demonstration in Ankara to protest torture events in Iraq. I think this is great news, but Turkey has had their own issues. At some point in the nineties, Turkey was the number one recipient of U.S. weaponry. They didn't use these weapons on an external population. But hey, we needed them. Turkey is in a geographically vital area.

That's all for tonight.

Read this post

Hersh deserves medals. Lots of them.

The obvious thing that ought to be secondary on the mind of Americans is how will our captives be treated if we wantonly disregard the Geneva Conventions.

I think it's sickly humorous that Stephen Cambone, head torturer said the following sometime last year: "I've got to crack this thing and I'm tired of working through the normal chain of command. I've got this apparatus set up — the black special - access program — and I'm going in hot. So he pulls the switch, and the electricity begins flowing last summer. And it's working. We're getting a picture of the insurgency in Iraq and the intelligence is flowing into the white world. We're getting good stuff. But we’ve got more targets" — prisoners in Iraqi jails — "than people who can handle them."

Odd. How come we just had our worst month of the war and occupation for military deaths in Iraq if this thing was working last year?

Two things spring top mind. The one I'm inclined to believe is that Cambone's intel was junk, and he believed it was good stuff.

The other thing is that perhaps the Iraqis found out about our little chamber of horrors a little early, and sought retaliation.

Another gift to America hating peoples everywhere. Will we never again ask "why do they hate us?" Ask the question without disingenuousness?

I'd pray if I wasn't an atheist. Lord knows we'll need it.

I just got around to reading Noam Chomsky's blog on Znet. He really nails the Rwanda vs. Abu Ghraib positions the U.S. in this short entry.

I need to thank Todd at pure bsfor the use of his template, and his time. I'm still woriking on it, but it is coming along.

I am going to be actively seeking link exchanges, but for now I need to add content.

Starting on the 13th of this month, I am goiong to post two articles per day. As well as a bunch of links sans commentary.

I'll get writing so as to have something worthy to read. Of course this is almost purely a egoistic enterprise at present, I hope to make it something far more very soon.

Todd over at pure bs has found an item that warrants comment.

Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh writing for The New Yorker, has gotten ahold of a fifty-three page report, prepared by a U.S. Major General and was not meant for distribution to the public.

My thanks go out to whomever leaked the report to Hersh. Hersh's report is both damning and incredible. It is hard to believe that humans would do such things to each other. But, we see it every day.

Harsh Russian Drug Laws are helping to fuel the spread of HIV/AIDS. Along with not providing clean syringes to addicts, the prisoning of addicts further potentially exposes them to the virus. Here's a snippet:

The Russian government excludes active drug users living with AIDS from antiretroviral treatment, a counterproductive policy in a country where over 85 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS acquired the disease through drug use. Harsh drug laws also ensure that most drug users will spend time in state detention, which puts them at further risk for HIV infection. Russian prisons are breeding grounds for HIV since federal authorities ban syringe exchange and fail to provide condoms and other HIV-prevention services in these facilities.

More at link.

Meanwhile, in Belarus Amnesty International UK is reporting that "independent trade unions and their activists in Belarus are subject to a deliberate pattern of obstruction, harassment and intimidation by the authorities in their attempt to ultimately silence them."

More at link.

The U.N. Security Council has authorized a mission to Haiti in order to help stabilize the troubled Carribean nation. The resolution calls for up to 8,000 tropps and police to bring order and "a functioning democracy" to Haiti.

Whether or not the U.S. was central in ousting duly elected Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide in Rebruary isn't mentioned. I can't let this pass without comment. Pacifica Broadcasting's Democracy Now! really took the lead in exposing what is potentially an American lead coup d'etat in Haiti.

A quick search of their website will allow you to get the full account of their reporting on Aristide's ouster.

Arabs are understandably furious over what they perceive as a double-standard in the Abu Ghraib scandal.

"Shame on America. How can they convince us now that it is the bastion of democracy, freedoms and human rights?" asked Mustafa Saad, reading the morning newspapers at a downtown Cairo café. "Why do we blame our dictators then?"

Fine question, Mr. Saad. It can't be thoughtfully argued that the U.S. always been a benign force. We are a state sponsor of human rights abuses. It's no secret, but rarely enters the mainstream mind.

Reuters is reporting that Amnesty Internaional is requesting that the Sudanese truce between the 'rebel factions' and the Sudanese governmet be upheld berfore the start of the rainy season to avert a humanitarian disaster. The lack of adherence to the cease-fire emperils at least 60,000 more Sudanese people who were slated to have been moved by late May of this year.

The article also provides some background color to the situation in the Sudan. A good little primer if you're not up to speed on the situation.

Turkey looks to be following the U.S. lead in cracking down on dissident voices in their own country. This is part of the global crackdown on dissidence. If it can be justified by reasons of national security, the U.S. will turn a blind eye. Remember, views not in line with your government are reason for arrest and detention. It's the Miami Model spread across the globe.

Morocco gets it right!

Safeguarding democratic values and consolidating human rights culture, constitute " the only suitable means" to shield Morocco against extremism and terrorism, said, in Mexico Thursday, a high-ranking Moroccan diplomat.

Noureddine Khalifa, Charge d'affaires of the Moroccan embassy in Mexico told a meeting of the Human Rights Parliament, made up of several non Governmental organizations (NGOs), that Morocco which is a constitutional, democratic and social monarchy, has opted since its independence for the political pluralism.

If Morocco performs real reforms, they will most likely fend off extremism. It isn't clear that external terrorist threats would be effected by internal reforms, but it's a good start. Morocco has a long way to go. We wish them well.

That's enough reading for now.