The Speaker » Human Rights

Russians Are Protesting the War in Ukraine, and Are Being Arrested by Russian Police [with video]

The Speaker — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 00:18:29 +0000

In recent weeks, Russians have been attempting to demonstrate against the Russian war in Ukraine–an action that has been difficult because the Russian government has recently passed laws limiting free assembly in Russia. In Moscow Sunday night, Russian protesters attempted to demonstrate against Russia’s undeclared war and were arrested by Russian police. The protesters attempted to hold a candlelight vigil composed of 2,249 candles–equivalent to the number of civilians already reported killed in Eastern Ukraine, but were prevented from doing so by Russian police. “Respected citizens! Extinguish the candles. This is forbidden in a public place!” police announced before extinguishing the candles. Protesters questioned the law prohibiting candles in a public place, and were arrested by police. Dmitry Kartsev, an employee of Gazeta.ru and a participant in the aborted vigil, was arrested after saying, “I have come to remember those who have died on both sides of the conflict taking place in Ukraine.” “I’m not an activist at all. I’m a person who is bitter, that people died–died due to stupidity,” said another participant. “People died who don’t even know the truth about what is happening. I have a friend who went to Donbass as a volunteer. And died. That’s it, the man is gone.” The number of 2,249 was reported by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights last week. A later number, tallied by UNOHCHR and reported by Reuters, was 2,593, excluding Malaysia Airlines MH17 victims. Another participant, who also took part in an extension of the demonstration in another, less public locale, said of the further action, which was seen by very few, “That was useless, even laughable. “But something had to be done. You don’t want to lose the remnants of your human face.” Also over the weekend, in several Russian cities Russians protested against Putin and the denial of their constitutional rights to assembly, and were arrested. A new phenomenon also occurred with regards to the protests. Lone protesters have begun protesting in the streets. The protesters are proceeding on the presumption that, unlike group protests, single protesters do not require permts for demonstration. However, five people were arrested by Russian police for solitary protests, including composer Aleksandr Manotskov. By Day Blakely Donaldson Manezhku for and against the war with Ukraine

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Radio Station Director and Journalist Murder in Colombia Condemned by UNESCO

The Speaker — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 04:31:35 +0000

The murder of Colombian radio station director and journalist Luis Carlos Cervantes by three unidentified gunmen was condemned by UNESCO’s director-general, Irina Bokova. Cervantes had reported on organized crime and corruption, and had previously faced numerous death threats. “I condemn the murder of Luis Carlos Cervantes in the strongest terms, and call on the Colombian authorities to do everything possible to bring the authors of this crime to justice,” said Bokova. “The killing of a journalist is not only a terrible crime against an individual—it is a threat to whole societies, and their right to information and freedom of expression.” The murder took place August 12 in Tarazá, Northwestern Colombia. A government-appointed bodyguard, assigned to Cervantes due to the death threats he had received, was withdrawn two weeks before the murder in a belief that Cervantes was no longer in danger. The director-general reiterated UNESCO’s Resolution 29 that deals with the killing of media professionals. By Day Blakely Donaldson UNESCO UNESCO

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Pro-Siberia Protesters Arrested, Protests Barred in Russia

The Speaker — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 19:27:41 +0000

Russian police blocked demonstrations in Novosibisrk and several other locations of Russia Sunday. The demonstrations had been organized to call for the Russian government to observe constitutional rights in Russia. The “March for the Federalization of Siberia” was set to take place Sunday in Siberia and parts in the south of Russia, but was banned in advance by Russian authorities. Demands of the demonstrators included deomcratically elected officials and a more fair distribution of Siberian revenue. Despite the ban, around a dozen activists picketed in Novosibirsk. Signs displayed by the activists read “Putin, stop stealing from Siberia!” and “Bring taxes back to Siberia, bring elections back!” A primary complaint of the federalists is that although gubernatorial elections were reinstated in 2013, the Russian government maintains a “municipal filter” system, by which they can rule out candidates they do not want to run for office. Another main complaint regards revenue generated in Siberia, which is transferred to Moscow and does not return, allegedly. At least nine pro-Siberia activists were detained. Six organizers were arrested in Novosibirsk and a neighboring region. Another organizer was arrested in Kuban in southern Russia. Two activists were detained at a pro-federalization picket in Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains. Four Novosibirsk organizers were held as part of a potential criminal case, and another two were detained on suspicition of stealing a mobil phone and held in custody during the protest day. The Kuban woman was detained for 14 days on charges of hooliganism after unknown men began arguing with her on the street. The Yekaterinburg activists were charged with resisting police, reportedly. In Omsk, Siberia a pro-Siberian rally was barred from the central square by police, who claimed that the central square was already occupied by another rally purposing to gather aid for Eastern Ukraine. Critics have pointed out that the same support for federalism banned by the Russian government in Siberia is supported by the Russian government in Eastern Ukraine. Pro-Siberia activists have said that the two movements are different in that the Siberian federalists do not want to separate–they want only more rights and economic freedoms for the regions. By Day Blakely Donaldson

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UN Should Establish Peace First, Human Rights Later in South Sudan – Foreign Minister

The Speaker — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 19:28:39 +0000

South Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Barnaba Marial Benjamin spoke today on his return from meeting with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and East African trade bloc IGAD in Nairobi, Kenya, and stated that the UNSC and IGAD should concentrate on establishing peace in South Sudan before attempting to address human rights grievances. He also said that the UNSC and IGAD should not implement sanctions in their attempts to stop South Sudan’s civil war. “What we need from UN Security Council andIGAD countries is that they support the peace process. South Sudan doesn’t need sanctions,” said Marial. “The people of South Sudan can live in peace. Then the accountability issue with regards to those who violated the human [rights] will come later.” Marial stated the South Sudan was ready to form a transitional government and work toward peace and reconciliation. “South Sudan has put its point very clearly both to IGAD as well Security Council that we are for peace and that we are committed to finding peace as soon as possible,” Marial said. “The President of the Republic of South Sudan is ready for an all-inclusive transitional government that will bring all the people of South Sudan together and at the same time to make sure that reconciliation process among the people of south Sudan is enhanced.” The foreign affairs minister made the comments on his return from Nairobi, where he met with the UNSC and IGAD council ministers. Earlier this week, a UNSC delegation to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, had expressed disappointment at the failure of both parties to form a transitional government within a sixty day time frame. IGAD’s representatives also recommended tougher retribution for parties that finder peace talks in Addis Ababa. By Day Blakely Donaldson

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20,000 Person Forced Eviction in Brazil – Military Prepares for Violence

The Speaker — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 02:05:07 +0000

A forced eviction is set to take place in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in which 20,000 people will be set upon by 10,000 military police if they fail to comply with thousands of leaflets dropped from helicopters over the region, announcing to residents that violence will be their own fault if they fail to evict themselves. The community has stated none will leave their homes. The military police action was announced despite the absence of a court decision regarding the eviction. The action was announced by means of leaflets dropped from helicopters, warning that failure to comply with the eviction will result in possible violence. The leaflets stated that the Military Police of Minas Gerais (PMMG) would follow their orders for the repossession of the occupied lands, in accordance with the constitution and the fundamental principles of human rights, and suggested that pregnant women, seniors, children and people with special leave the location for their wellbeing. “The responsibility for these people’s health lies with the (resistance) movement,” the leaflet stated. The houses of the 8,000 families will be demolished. No relocation scheme has been set in place, so the evicted will be rendered homeless. According to the commander of the PMMG, Colonel Machado, “The eviction will take place in the next 15 days, but I will not say the specific day. We will use full force. Leave the area.” Human rights lawyers are contesting the eviction. In the absence of legal defense, residents met and decided unanimously to attempt to remain in their homes. “We will not leave this ground,” said one member of the community, Carvalho Elielma, “It was empty before and now it’s being used for housing. The three communities are united behind this idea,” Elielma said, referring to the affected Rosa Leon, Hope and Victory communities. Brazilian news organization Averdade predicted that the police eviction may result in a “massacre.” Belo Horizonte is the sixth largest city in Brazil and has 2.5 million municipal citizens and 5.2 metropolitian residents. The land is wanted for development. The development is projected to be worth $6.5 billion. By Sid Douglas Noticias G1

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Electric Power Industry Will Face Significant Water Constraints According to New CNA Corporation Data

The Speaker — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 21:06:50 +0000

Recent CNA Corporation research has brought to light new revelations about water consumption and the electricity sector–including that electricity generation could become difficult in areas of the world prone to water scarcity or water stress. “Given pending constraints in water availability, business as usual will be completely nonviable for the electric power industry,” Benjamin Sovacool, Professor of Business and Social Sciences at Aarhous University and Director of the Danish Center for Energy Technology at AU Herning, told The Speaker. The research findings, on which Sovacool worked, were published on the CNA Corporation website, and included two complimentary studies, “Capturing Synergies Between Water Conservation and Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the Power Sector” and “A Clash of Competing Necessities.” CNA Corporation is a federally funded research and development center for the US Navy and Marine Corps. CNA Corporation also provides research and analysis for US national defense. Read more: The Biggest Consumers of Water on the Planet are Not Measured for Water Use, New Study Discovers “The electricity-water nexus makes ‘business as usual’ completely nonviable,” Sovacool told us, referring to the relationship between the amount of water used in energy generation and the among of energy used to distribute and treat the water. “Combined trends in population growth, increasing electricity consumption, and increasing water usage indicate that we cannot, and should not, continue to generate electricity the way we do today. Because water is an essential part of the cooling process for thermoelectric power plants, they may become wholly unsuitable as the globe enters a new era of accelerated water stress and water scarcity.” According to CNA Corporation’s research, increasing water use will create water scarcity in 30-40 percent of the world by 2020, and will create a global water shortage by 2040. The resulting situation will be one in which decisions will have to be made whether to use water for energy generation plants–by far the largest consumers of water–or for human consumption. Currently, power production operates with an assumption that there is no limit to water use. This “blind spot,” as CNA Corporation calls it, extends to policy and technology analysis–decisions about industry that involve water use by-and-large do not factor in water use. Using a model with no water limits, power generation companies formulate graphs in which energy production is increased alongside an increased use of water–a less-than-realistic scenario, according to CNA Corporation’s research. When actual water resources are accounted for, as well as more complex representations of water cooling, such as including carbon capture and storage/sequestration (CCS), graphs for future power production look very different. CNA Corporation found that water consumption could be hundreds of percent larger than water limits. “Including consideration of water availability in electricity planning fundamentally ‘changes the game’ of how we make future projections about power plants and capacity additions,” explained Sovacool. This problem was found to exist globally. Although in the US the Energy Information Administration (EIA), which regulates the power sector, has recently been doing a better job of ensuring information recorded by power companies is correct, according to CNA Corporation, neither the EPA nor the Department of Energy (DOE) even have the authority to regulate water quantity–only quality. According to the study’s principal author, Director of Energy, Water and Climate at the Institute for Public Research at CNA Corporation, Paul Faeth, “[T]he governing responsibility for energy and water are separated and fall into different ministries or departments which don’t communicate with one another.” “In the US, for example, the regulation of the power sector, which is the biggest source of water withdrawals in the US, falls to the US EPA but they do not have the authority to even consider the impact of their rules on water use,” Faeth told The Speaker. “Nor do they EPA or EIA have any models that account for water use.” However, the situation was even more bleak in the other countries CNA Corporation examined in their study. In France, India and China, the CNA Corporation team was unable to find any sources of water use data. The revelations brought forth by the study have demonstrated the current global situation with regard to the changing nature of water resources. “I suppose we weren’t really that surprised that most power plants do not report their water consumption, since this is not mandatory and most of the time water is free,” Sovacool told us. The research team recommended investment in wind and solar energy production. “As we have shown, the electricity generation technologies that are beneficial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions correspond with those that require less water to operate, providing crucial benefits on both ends of the scale: reducing the inputs that contribute to the severity of climate change, avoiding additional stresses on water resources, and minimizing water use as climate change inevitably stresses water resources. Policies that promote renewables and efficiency thus provide multiple benefits beyond technical reliability and economic cost.” By Day Blakely Donaldson

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UN Makes Public China’s Admission of Jailing Tibet Musicians for 6 to 9 Years on Charges of Separatism for Singing Songs

The Speaker — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 19:06:39 +0000

According to a document made public by the UN recently, China was issued a “joint urgent appeal” earlier this year. China has responded to the appeal, confirming that at least six of the 10 Tibetan musicians were jailed on charges of separatism for singing songs supporting Tibetan culture and about the plight of Tibet under Chinese rule. No information was provided by China on the other four musicians. The joint appeal was sent to China on behalf of UN offices covering freedom of expression, cultural rights, arbitrary detention, minority rights, and other UN interests. For several years, Tibetans have been arrested and jailed on various charges, including the charge of separatism, for such offenses as carrying pictures of their chief spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and Tibetan songs on their phones, refusing to fly Chinese flags from their homes, and self immolation or being related a person who had self immolated. Jail terms for these offenses usually range from around six to nine years. Listed along with many other nations in a UN Human Rights Commission document, the People’s Republic of China was alleged to have arrested and detained ten Tibetan singers and musicians. The charge laid by China in the arrests was alleged to have been that of creating or performing songs supporting Tibetan culture and reflecting the current situation in Chinese-ruled Tibet. The UN report stated, “Serious concerns are expressed that the alleged arbitrary arrest and detention or enforced disappearance of the aforementioned 10 Tibetan singers and musicians may be linked to their legitimate human rights activities.” The human rights mentioned here included those related to arbitrary detention, cultural rights, disappearances, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, freedom of religion, and minority issues. The ten artists were listed as Gongpo Tsezin, Trinley Tsekar, Kelsang Yarphel, Lolo, Pema Trinley, Chakdor, Khenrap, Nyagdompo, Shawo Tashi, and Achok Phulshung. The musicians were reported to have been detained or of unknown whereabouts. In the same UN document, China was also alleged to have arrested Liu Xia, the wife of Chinese Nobel Peace Prize winner Mr. Liu Xiaobo, in violation of international human rights law. The joint appeal seeking an account of the fates of the Tibetan musicians came after the rights group Free Tibet sent a letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights. China responded in late April, stating that, “The Chinese government has carried out careful investigations on the matter as stated in the letter and provides replies…” and confirming the fate of six of the 10 listed musicians. The musicians were in prison for terms of six to nine years on charges of “seditiously splitting the state” and related crimes, although one had been released for health-related reasons. Regarding two other musicians, the Chinese response read, “On Kelsang Yarphel and Achok (both names are transliterations), there is lack of reliable information on them. We, therefore, cannot verify their authentic identities and personal data.” The response made no mention of Khenrap and Nyagdompo. Free Tibet also noted that the UN did not make mention of another musician, Choksal, in its request to China. Free Tibet has set up a petition to demand the release of the jailed Tibetan musicians, addressed to China’s justice minister.

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UN to Legislate Against Transnational Corporations Which Violate Human Rights – US and EU Oppose Resolution

The Speaker — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 00:17:48 +0000

The UN will move toward a legal treaty that penalizes transnational corporations which violate human rights, after a vote at the 26th UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session last week. Key language included in the resolution includes a decision to “establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group on a legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights, the mandate of which shall be to elaborate an international legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises.” The vote was split. Twenty states voted in favor, including Ecuador and South Africa, who proposed the resolution. Additionally, more than 80 nations and 600 organizations supported the resolution. Fourteen states voted against, including the US, who said that “this legally binding instrument will not be binding for those who vote against it,” and EU states. Some nations who voted against did so expressly because of political pressure. “We vote with the EU. If we do not, it can become very unpleasant for us”, one representative was quoted as saying to Friends of the Earth International. The opposing states also lobbied other countries to side with them, threatening the loss of developmental aid and foreign investment. Thirteen nations abstained. There is already a voluntary framework in place at the UNHRC to support human rights. The resolution to move from the voluntary framework to a more strict one was led by Ecuador in 2013, and was supported from the outset by 80 nations. UN

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