· October, 2008

Stories about Human Rights from October, 2008

D.R. of Congo: Blogging From the War Zone

The following are eye-witness accounts from bloggers based in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo about the situation in the area following fresh clashes between rebels, government and UN forces.

31 October 2008

D.R. Congo: Confusion Reigns in Goma

Two months ago fighting resumed in the DR Congo's Eastern province of North Kivu between the rebel group led by Laurent Nkunda and government forces, in violation of a peace accord signed in January. The fighting has intensified during the last 6 days and, although a cease-fire was announced, the situation remains uncertain in Goma. Here are a few impressions from bloggers on the ground.

31 October 2008

Jamaica: Missing Children

YardFlex refers to “some shocking figures that indicate 65 per cent of the 1,112 people reported missing in Jamaica since January 1st 2008 are children.”

30 October 2008

Russia: “Help Svetlana Bakhmina” Petition

As of now, 71,250 people have signed an online petition appealing to the Russian president to pardon Svetlana Bakhmina, a former senior lawyer for Mikhail Khodorkovsky's oil company Yukos, who was arrested in December 2004 and sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison for embezzlement and tax evasion in April 2006.

29 October 2008

Morocco: Barça Fan Jailed for Superlative Statement

Many bloggers were shocked last week to learn that a young Moroccan man had been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for what seemed like such a minor "crime." The young man, a Barça (FC Barcelona, a soccer team) fan, allegedly wrote “God, Nation, Barça” on the blackboard at his school. Morocco's motto is "God, Nation, King."

27 October 2008

Guyana: Social Services

“Increasing access to social services is among the priorities identified by indigenous women leaders in the region as key to empowerment”: The Voice of the Taino People Online reports on...

27 October 2008