Human Rights

Githu Muigai has replaced Doudou Dienne as the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Muigai addressed the Human Rights Council in Geneva today and was particularly alarmed by the mainstreaming of racism and xenophobia by their adoption of political parties in democratic countries.  Muigai did not specify.

Many EU countries, if not all, fall into this category.  Tougher immigration and deportation policies are popular campaign tools in the resurgence of nationalism in Europe throughout the past several years. Right wing political parties in France, UK, Italy, Denmark and many others have employed techniques generating a fear of the “other.” Racism and xenophobia goes beyond immigrations issues.

Muigai also examined religious discrimination and called for a universal approach in addressing these problems.  Muigai wants member states to promote a dialogue between cultures, civilizations and religions in the hopes of recognizing and deconstructing established patterns of discrimination.

The 9th Session on Human Rights is fond of statements, of pointing out the obvious, the atrocious.  It is its duty to bring world attention to the baser instincts of human nature.  But translated into action these causes often lack the will and sincerity of governments.

Yesterday morning, Hillel Nueur of the United Nations Watch criticized the Council for failing to take action when it learned of gross human rights violations. In particular, Mr Nueur addressed the council’s failings over Darfur.

He also condemned Sudan and the African Group’s desire to eliminate the Special Rapporteur on the situation on human rights in Sudan. He then said the Council had so far only addressed two of the 20 worse human rights abusers.

Last year’s Human Rights Council president Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba of Mexico banned Nueur’s speech from the record.  Nueur’s outrage over the inaction on Sudan was palpable.  “What has this Council pronounced, what has this Council decided? Nothing,” he said.  He also called the Council members despots.  Classic and so so true.  It’s rare indeed when someone stands up to the establishment.

The problem with Mr Nueur is he speaks the truth and exposes the institutional hypocrisy of the Council’s members.  Wait -  that’s a good thing.

Below is the clip of the “banned” speech from the 2007 session.  Enjoy…

The 9th Session of Human Rights Council discussed  the issue of Darfur.  Yesterday morning Sima Samar,the UN special rapporteur for Sudan, presented her report. Her findings reveal Sudan’s human rights have eroded since the surprise attack against Khartoum on May 10th.

Government crackdowns against supposed dissidents are widespread. Violence against children and women continues unabated throughout Darfur. Impunity, lack of security, and overall chaos reigns in many parts of the country.

Samar’s report covers extensive investigations dating from January to July 2008. She writes Sudan continues to run air attacks on civilians. She also writes that all parties have committed and continue to commit egregious acts of violence.

Children as young as 11 are forced into military service and used to attack the Justice and Equality Movement.

An oral joint statement by FIDH, OMCT, and SOAT during the same session condemned Sudan’s government for not implementing policies to curb the human rights violations. SOAT says they have documented attacks against numerous settlements in Darfur this past year.

Perhaps most revealing was the lukewarm responses of other countries who themselves have histories of human rights abuses.  These countries fear that any internationally sanctioned military intervention by the United Nations or similar outfit in Sudan will potentially place them at odds.

Territorial integrity, internal affairs, and respect for sovereignty are the usual arguments against sending in a strongly mandated UN outfit.  In its place, a weak, underfunded, undermanned, hybrid African Union/United Nations force is having little effect.

7000 African Union forces are supposed to monitor and protect an area that is slightly more than one-quarter the size of the United States!  This was in January, as of the end of July, it had 8,100 military personnel and another 1,900 police officers on the ground.  26,000 AU/UN troops are slated to arrive by the year’s end.  The chances of that ever happening are slim.

At one point, the Security Council came close to sending in the blue helmets.  But the Chinese threatened to veto.  Eventually the resolution was watered down.  China would agree not to veto only if Sudan agreed to the UN force.  Sudan as expected politely declined.

Let us not forget the ongoing tragedy of Darfur.  Countless UN Security Council resolutions, an American administration that rightfully called it by its proper name: genocide…and yet nothing is stopping the humanitarian disaster from unfolding under the world’s spotlight.

Five years of failure.  Early warning signs in the summer of 2003 could have been heeded.  U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Khartoum, Mukesh Kapila, says Khartoum is arming the Janjaweed to do its dirty work, its final solution.

One year later in April of 2004, the then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan delivers a powerful speech at the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. Among his many statements on Rwanda  - ‘When we recall such events and ask “why did no one intervene?” we should address the question not only to the United Nations, or even to its Member States.  No one can claim ignorance.  All who were playing any part in world affairs at that time should ask, “what more could I have done?  How would I react next time –- and what am I doing now to make it less likely there will be a next time?’

It has obviously fallen on deaf years. The proclamations following Rwanda was shortly followed by a massacre in Srebrenica.  We did nothing.  And today, it’s Darfur.  The harrowing testimonies, the images, the publicity.  Are we suffering from compassion fatigue?  Or has the realpolitik in the narrow corridors of the UN trumped human dignities?

Aid groups working the region say thousands of people are fleeing the villages after heavy fighting between rebels and government forces this past week in Northern Darfur.

The timing is particularly bad.  Food rations are at the lowest this time of year; just prior to the harvest.  The instability has also jeopardized aid workers.  IRIN reports more than 100 World Food Program vehicles have been hijacked in the past year.

I received information from a source inside Human Rights Georgia that some of the components of the cluster bombs dropped on  civilians may have been manufactured by a German facility that produces decoy countermeasures. These include flares and chaff amongst others.

It is claimed that the said company’s labels were found on unexploded cluster bomblets. The facility has denied the allegations and is threatening legal actions.  For these reasons and because the accusations have yet to be proven true, I will refrain from citing the company’s name.

Cluster bombs are banned under international agreements.  Human Rights Watch has uncovered evidence that both Georgia and Russia used cluster bombs during the war.  Georgia has since joined the 107 other nations by signing a treaty that bans their use.  They have also admitted to using the weapon.

Cluster bombs are indiscriminate killers.  Many do not explode on impact but instead lay in wait like landmines.  Investigations into their manufacture and use needs attention.

photo - nikolaj nielsen

Three years ago I attended the Make Poverty History month in Edinburgh, Scotland.  I distinctly remember the chain of people forming a circle, hand in hand, united against the struggle of poverty afflicting many of Africa’s poorest.  I also remember being rather disappointed about the extravaganza as the partying seemed detached from the cause.

The only black person I saw was busy picking up “Make Poverty History” signs off the ground and tossing them into a bin.  Nonetheless, the event did raise millions and helped countless children attend primary schools in Africa.

Organized by celebrity power houses of the likes of Bono and Bob Geldof, the festivities were committed to bringing the world’s attention to those in greatest need.  Occurring at the same time only a few dozen kilometers away was the G8 summit in Gleneagles.

Anti-globalist gathered in Edinburgh.  They too formed human chains as the riot police faced them off in the city’s historic centre.

Now another anti-poverty celebrity, Kidjo from Benin, is accusing big Western donor agencies of secret agendas to export neo-colonial interests.  Kidjo is a goodwill ambassador of UNICEF. She claims Western donor monies end up supporting corrupt officials that only perpetuates the vicious cycle of poverty.

“Aid was supposed to replace the consequences of colonised living in Africa, but the colonial powers did everything to keep on going in Africa,” she told Reuters.

Kidjo makes an interesting and valid point. Donations from large aid organizations are often tied to conditions established by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.  One of these conditions is opening up national markets to free trade for rich countries who have unfair subsidies.

I remember once going into an upscale supermarket in Nairobi (in 2005).  Two crates of oranges were sprawled out on display.  One crate of oranges came from Europe.  Another crate was locally grown.  Guess which one was cheaper?

Certainly one has to address unfair trading practices and tied donor conditions to seriously reverse poverty.

Award winning American journalist and host of Democracy Now! (DN), Amy Goodman, was arrested at the opening of the Republican National Convention in St.Paul.

Two of DN’s producers were also cuffed as were another 280 people.  According to DN’s website, Amy was arrested when she questioned officers why her two producers were detained.  She is charged with obstruction of justice.  The producers have pending felony riot charges.

The officers were clearly in the wrong.  Accredited journalists have the constitutional right under the first amendment to report.  Amy’s actions and her questions were not an obstruction of justice.  Instead, the actions of the arresting officers were in direct violation of article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Video footage of the arrest:

The central Asian nation of Uzbekistan celebrated its independence from Russia on August 28.  Praises all around.  US Ambassador Richard Norland expressed his firm commitment and partnership with the autocratic regime.  Independence.  What does it really mean and to whom? For Tashkent, that answer is clear.

EU’s sanctions against Tashkent are set to expire in October.  HRW says there is little chance the sanctions will continue.  There is simply no will -  especially when huge gas reserves are at stake.  Sanctions in themselves are a contentious issue.  But the real tragedy by the international community is indifference.

The think tank, International Crisis Group, has this to say, “Uzbekistan is well down the path of self-destruction followed by such countries as Burma, Zimbabwe and North Korea, in which an elite prospers while the majority lives in worsening poverty.”

Should we simply forget that three years ago, a peaceful protest in Andijan turned into a horrible tragedy as Uzbek military indiscriminately fired into the crowd…killing men, women and children? Journalist Galima Bukharbayeva witnessed the atrocity.  She survived and now lives in exile in Germany.

When the helicopters arrived people thought it was the president come to address the crowds until their weapons opened fire.  At the same time  a  convoy of armed vehicles drove by the crowds, at a snail’s pace, and fired into the demonstrators.  Hundreds of men, women, and children lay dead.  And for what?  The people were upset over losing their jobs.

Punishing corrupt officials and bringing to justice those responsible for this atrocity may not prevent future massacres.  But to do nothing is a failure of the human spirit and duty to help those in need.  The struggle for justice is more than just sending people to the Hague, it also a struggle against memory and forgetting*.

*Taken from a quote by Milan Kundera who wrote: “The struggle against authority, is the struggle against memory and forgetting.”

Human Rights Watch is calling on the EU to deploy European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) in Gori, Georgia.  While Russian forces starting withdrawing from the region on August 22, reports of kidnappings, beatings, and looting of civilians by Ossetian militias and criminal gangs are emerging.

Georgian police were not allowed to move beyond a series of checkpoints some 8 km outside Gori. Civilians are left at the mercy of anyone with a gun.

Nonetheless, EurasiaNet reports that some 15,000 Georgian IDPs have returned to Gori with UNHCR help. UNHCR representative Helene Caux told reporters in Gori that residents are being intimidated by militias in the buffer zones.

Aid agencies are also reporting that Georgians too old or too sick to leave Gori and find shelter remain in abject conditions.  Russian authorities are not allowing the aid organizations to enter the city and seek out these individuals according to EurasiaNet.

Reuters is also reporting that Russian troops are preventing Georgians from returning to their homes. “The Russians have checkpoints and we still cannot bring these people back home. The threat of paramilitary, irregulars, looting and robbing is still very high,” Gori Governor Lado Vardzelashvili told Reuters.

Human Rights Georgia is reporting Georgian IDPs housed in public schools in Tbilisi are not receiving adequate government attention.

Emzar Karkusov, an IDP at one of the schools told Human Rights Georgia: “We applied to every institutions but nobody pays attention to us. We have not had food for three days already. They brought bread only yesterday and gave only two loaves of bread for a family. We lack many other necessary items; Tbilisi population brought some stuff for us and that is all. Sewerage system does not work in the building. They came here and pretended to repair the system but broke it and went away.”

World Vision says there are around 160,000 people displaced from the most recent war.  The organization claims it will take anywhere from six months to a year before they can return.  In Gori, few people are receiving aid.