Stories about Human Rights from April, 2009
Russia: Union of Repressed Peoples
Window on Eurasia reports that “six of the more than a dozen nations Stalin deported during World War II – the Kalmyks, the Chechens, the Ingush, the Balkars, the Karachays,...
Armenia: Debate over campaign promise overshadows 94th anniversary of WWI killings
Yesterday marked the 94th anniversary of the massacre and deportation of as many as 1.5 million ethnic Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. Bloggers react to a statement made by U.S. President Barack Obama marking the occasion, but which avoided directly referring to the WWI events as genocide.
Fiji: Diplomatic maneuverings
Last April 20, members of United Nations Security Council called the abrogation of Fiji’s constitution and the firing of its judiciary a “step backwards” and declared the country should hold elections as soon as possible. A few of Fiji’s bloggers blasted the UN for issuing statements that produced no concrete results such as trade sanctions.
Cambodia: Doubts over the Khmer Rouge Tribunal
The Khmer Rouge Tribunal is now weeks into its first trial with the prosecution of Duch for crimes against humanity and war crimes. But as the trial continues, many wonder how effective the Tribunal will be in achieving national reconciliation in Cambodia.
Kosovo: The Language Issue
The Unforgiving Minute writes about “the language issue” in Kosovo.
Sri Lanka: The Pros And Cons Of International Attention
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are holding on to to just a sliver of land in the north of Sri Lanka, but the United Nations is estimating that 50,000 people are still trapped in the warzone. As fighting surges in the final throes, concerns for civilians is growing and calls for international attention and understanding abound on the Internet and in the streets of cities around the world, such as London, Berlin and Paris.
Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago: Summit Summary
GuyToons, a Guyanese cartoon blog, posts a series of funnies on the recently-concluded Summit of the Americas, while Trinbago Forever waits to see what benefits will be derived from the...
Cuba: Female Political Prisoner Released
Diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense reports that “perhaps the best known female political prisoner in Cuba” has been released.
Cuba, U.S.A.: What Next?
“After a week in which President Obama announced new Cuba policy measures and discussed Cuba policy at the Trinidad summit,” The Cuban Triangle asks: “Where do things stand?”
Azerbaijan: Email correspondence with expelled student activist
Thoughts on the Road says it has communicated with Parviz Azimov, a youth activist recently expelled from his university, via email. The blog says his former student intends to appeal...
Russia: Kadyrov's “Victories”
Window on Eurasia comments on the end of counter-terrorism operation in Chechnya and writes that no Chechens will be drafted into the Russian army this year.
Australians divided by Durban II boycott
The decision by the Rudd government of Australia to boycott the United Nations Conference on Racism in Durban was a controversial one. GV author Kevin Rennie gathers reactions of Australian bloggers.
MENA: Reflections on Durban II
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech, and the way European Union representatives reacted to it at the United Nations Conference on Racism in Geneva (Durban II), has stirred debates among bloggers across the Middle East. Eman AbdElRahman sums up reactions in this post.
Ethiopia: The plight of Ethiopian muslims
Negashi discusses the mistreatment of Ethiopian muslims, “Ever since the coming to existence of what is known as the Solomonic dynasty in the late 13th century, Islam and Muslims have...
Rwanda: The unresolved FDLR issue
Last January the conflict in North Kivu shifted once again with the arrest of CNDP rebel group leader Laurent Nkunda in Rwanda and the entry of the Rwandan national army (RDF) into the DR Congo to root out the FDLR rebel group in joint operations with the national Congolese army (FARDC). As Rebecca Feeley of the Enough Said blog explains, the Congolese Minister of Defense, Charles Mwando Nsimba, even went so far as to say that the FDLR threat had been “neutralized.”
Cuba: The Outside World
“The Summit of the Americas ended yesterday and it doesn’t appear that an urgent meeting of parliament…is being convened to discuss the proposals made by Obama”, writes Cuba's Generation Y,...
Barbados: Maloney Inquest Verdict
Barbados Free Press blogs about the upcoming inquest verdict on the death of I’Akobi Maloney, saying: “No matter what the findings of the coroner, the big losers in this inquest...
DoGooderTV: Voting Open for the NonProfit Video Awards
The voting period to select the winners of the DogooderTV 2009 Non Profit Video Awards ends this Saturday, April 25, so now is the perfect time to head over to their site, view the different videos uploaded by organizations to promote a cause. Today we´ll show you some of the competing videos which focus on international issues.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Genocide Prevention Month Commemorations
Srebrenica Genocide Blog writes about the Genocide Prevention Month commemorations in Sarajevo – here and here.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Intermarriage
Gray Falcon writes about intermarriage in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: 1,000 More Srebrenica Victims To Be Buried July 11
1,000 new funerals of victims of the Srebrenica massacre have been scheduled for July 11, 2009, Srebrenica Genocide Blog reports.
