Stories about Human Rights from March, 2006
North Korea: Prison-camp musical
The Marmot Hole‘s Robert Koehler fingers North Korean apologists in the South Korean government with a look at the smash new musical Yodok Story, which portray's life in North Korea's Yodok camp for political prisoners.
Tourism, Islamic Vietnam & Blogs
IranMehr (Persian) talks about tourism industry problems in Iran. He writes despite country’s attractiveness such as historical monuments, ancient villages, ecosystems…He talks also about government’s politics to attract 20 million tourists to Iran whose share of global tourism revenue has been less that 1 percent. According to him: “How Iranian...
Poland: Solidarity 25 Years Ago Isn't Today's Belarus
The beatroot writes about “the difference between [Poland's] Solidarity twenty-five years ago and Belarus today”: the difference is in “imagination, organization and ultimately, Solidarity.”
Belarus: Analysis of Situation
Tobias Ljungvall sums up last week's events in Belarus and makes some forecasts.
Belarus: Many Protesters With Severe Injuries
Ivan Lenin of Rush-Mush translates a post by a Belarusian LJ user on the injuries incurred on the protesters in Minsk during the March 25 rally.
Belarus: KGB Posing as US Embassy
br23 blog writes about Belarus’ KGB posing as the US embassy and beating an opposition activist unconscious.
Arabisc: Moderate Muslim Voices
It’s not only the English language bloggers from Middle East who are continuously trying to bridge the cultural gaps, but Arabic language bloggers are facing similar tough battle at home, within the Arabic blogsphere itself. Muslim moderates are criticizing some of the taboos of their system. One of them simply...
Belize: The Jaden Foundation
Simone writes about the challenges and progress of a charity she founded in rural Belize which helps send children to school.
Barbados: Friends in high places and Human Rights Treaty
Barbados Free Press reports that a friend of a government minister has been receiving lucrative contracts for consulting on dance and choreography, and is concerned that the new Human Rights Treaty being drafted by CARICOM promotes an agenda that is primarily economic.
Nepal: March in Delhi
International Nepal Solidarity Network on a march in Delhi – “31 March rally for Nepali political prisoners illegally detained in India“
The Lebanese Bloggers This Week: Less Politics, More Diversity
This week has seen a flurry of varied and interesting posts in the Lebanese Blogosphere. It seems a month of observing the dull and disappointing national dialogue has left the Lebanese bloggers wanting to break away into the realm of more exciting material. So if you want to know more...
The Week That Was in Bahrain
Once again the island bloggers venture away from their shores to report international and regional events in a turbulant world where freedom and human rights are challenged on a daily basis. Away from politics, they continue to delve in culture, arts and literature.
Bermuda: 436 cases of child abuse
Unlike the Bermudian government, Valentine Michael Smith thinks that 436 reported cases of child abuse in Bermuda in 2005 is “an alarming trend”, and calls for action.
Belarus: Arrests, Courts and Anti-Media Flash Mob
French journalist writing for Liberation has just been arrested in Minsk; actually so many people have been arrested that, unprecedentally, Minsk courts will be working on Saturday, reports br23 blog. Andrei Khrapavitski posts a picture from today's flash mob event that took place in Minsk to criticize the performance of...
Belarus: Post-Crackdown Belarus
Ivan Lenin – formerly of Minsk, now of New York – translates a post by LJ user lipski, a Minsk resident, on who benefits from the Oktyabrskaya Sq. crackdown, and shares his thoughts on the country's future: “If anything, the West should engage Belarus as much as possible. Isolation would...
Hong Kong: Cardinal Zen
OhmyNews! reports on the ordination as cardinal of outspoken Catholic Bishop Joseph Zen, who has been dubbed “the conscience of Hong Kong”.
China: Tibetan nun statement
China Information Center posts a statement by Tibetan nun Phuntsog Nyidron on her release from prison and arrival in the United States. “In 1993, along with 13 other political prisoners I secretly recorded songs in prison that were in praise of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and about the situation...
Belarus: Photos of the Camp's Remains
Lj user _frut_ has photos of what remains of the tent camp after the riot police attacked it at night and took away all the protestes.
Belarus: Tent Camp Demolished, Protesters Arrested
Riot police began their operation at 3 am Minsk time and after 15 minutes the camp was demolished and the protesters arrested. br23 blog and Rush-Mush have updates on the aftermath: the amazingly slanted coverage on the Russian-language EuroNews; Minsk residents’ approval of the regime's actions; a sample leaflet distributed...
Belarus: Fewer Foreign Journalists at the Square
br23 blog writes about the arrests of the opposition activists and an alarming news – that the number of foreign journalists present at the square has diminished: “And protesters are concerned about it. They view this presence of foreign correspondents as a guarantee that police won’t storm and destroy the...
Nepal: Human rights
Bahas on the human rights issue in Nepal which appears to take turns for the worse, and compares to perilious circumstances elsewhere in the world.