Trading Blacks for Bucks………..

Trading Blacks for Bucks………..

No news does not means good news

Colombia is internationally recognized for its coffee, drugs, murders and kidnappings which have stigmatized the country for the last 20 years. During the  90s the international media focused on drug trafficking and the war against Pablo Escobar and the drug cartels. At the beginning of the millennium, what you could hear or read about Colombia was the high number of hostages kept by the guerrillas groups. There was an increment in the international press with the kidnapping of Ingrid Betancur - a French-Colombian politician - and the 8 foreign tourists kept in captivity for 101 days in the Colombian mountains.

With the number of kidnapped people declining steadily from 3,572 in the year 2000 to 153 last year (latest statistics by the Colombian NGO ‘Pais Libre’) there has been a reduction in the news coverage about the Colombian nation in the international press. Colombia has by far the worst human rights record in the Western Hemisphere. According to Josefina Salomon, press officer of the Americas for Amnesty International “there was an increase in the threats against human rights defenders and killings of trade unionists between 2002 and 2008.” This was a period when the former Oxford University student and former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe was in power, leaving us to question why there have been not press coverage about these issues in the British media?

Although the U.S. State Department presented its annual human rights report observing a "remarkable" improvement on human rights issues in Colombia over the past year, the situation still grave for Trade Unions there. More unionists are assassinated in Colombia than in the rest of the world. This leads us to question why there has not even been a small article about these issues in the British media for some time. In an interview with Mariela Kohon (Director of the British NGO – Justice for Colombia) she  states: “52 unionists were killed last year and 6 have been killed this year so far.”

The people of Colombia have lived with this violent history between the poor peasants and the oligarchy, the drug traffickers and also the civil war for over four decades. Over the last decade there have been 97 articles in British newspapers, on the situation of the trade unions in Colombia – 90% of which appeared in the Morning Star (a socialist paper). The rest of the articles appeared mainly in The Independent, The Guardian, The Western Mail and The Times newspapers. A majority of these articles reported on VIP visits from Britain to Colombia to witness the situation. Other articles reported on the numbers of dead or kidnapped persons.

“It is hard to get things in the media here [the UK] about Colombia unless is about drugs, it is quite hard to get coverage about the human rights issues. The Independent did a good story and The Guardian have done couple of pieces as well.” Says Ms Kohon.

This shows how frustrating it is for NGOs trying to raise awareness of the problems faced by trade unions in Colombia. Other problems faced by campaigners include accusations of  being allied with factions such as FARC:

“Last month Mr Howells [UK Foreign Office minster] was forced to withdraw accusations that JfC [Justice for Colombia] had links with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after trade unions, MPs and campaigners called for him to be sacked.” From The Western Mail (March 22^nd 2008).

Even in Colombia itself, the journalists are reticent to report on the reality of the situation of the trade unions. This form of self-censorship exists due to a climate of fear of retribution from paramilitaries backed by the Colombian armed forces. The main newspapers in Colombia are owned either by the family of the President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos or other families with close links to the president.

Britain spent many years arms trading with Saddam Hussein and Colonel Gaddafi who were eventually revealed to have committed gross human rights abuses. The UK is now providing the second highest level (after the US) of military aid to the Colombian armed forces in an attempt to reduce the volume of drugs entering Britain. It has been proved that the Colombian army has taken part in human rights abuses. The media, both in Colombia and the UK, is obsessed with this picture of Colombia as a violent, war torn, drug producing nation, but neglects the fact that such human rights abuses are a regular occurrence in Colombia. “I don’t think that a lot of people realize how bad the situation is because the international image is just linked with the drug trafficking” asserts Ms Kohol.

For more information about Colombian Trade Unions follow this link: http://justiceforcolombia.org/

Today is the day to stop the picking of the ripe mango! Female Genital Mutilation

“Even though cultural practices may appear senseless or destructive from the 

standpoint of others, they have meaning and fulfil a function for those who 

practise them. However, culture is not static; it is in constant flux, adapting 

and reforming. People will change their behaviour when they understand the 

hazards and indignity of harmful practices and when they realize that it is 

possible to give up harmful practices without giving up meaningful aspects of 

their culture.” 

— Female Genital Mutilation, A joint WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA statement, 1997 

In the world, there are a large number of women that undergo genital mutilation in the name of tradition, a practice that for many –especially in the west- seems incorrect, brutal and unreasonable, but for many cultures it is a ritual to celebrate. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) defined Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as “the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”. Most of these female circumcisions occurred as a form of social costume in some countries of Africa, Asia and in the Middle East and with migration the practice is spreading to the US, Europe and Australia and other industrialized countries (UNICEF, 2005). 

Some of these communities may have long forgotten the reasons for it and may not even question the practice. Others assert that it is not just a cultural tradition but also a religious one. Nevertheless, it is not a requirement of any of the major world religions and it is a mistaken belief that it is an Islamic practice, simply because it is practiced mostly in North Africa, especially in Muslim areas. 

There are many procedures for this ritual and for those who practice them are not considered a health hazard, but many health organizations and NGOs disagree, stating that this practice can cause long-term effects or to result in death. The harmful practice is deeply ingrained into common social principle in some communities where it is practiced and failure to perform the mutilation on the girls will bring dishonor, shame and segregation from the rest of their society. 

Female circumcision is practiced by people of many ethnicities and various religious backgrounds, including Muslims, Christians, and Jews, as well as followers of traditional African religions (UNICEF 2005). It has not been possible to determine when or where the tradition of FGM originated, but according to the Dutch NGO (GIZ) “The roots of the practice go back to pre- Islamic and pre-Christian times”.   

In an article by David Westley, about ʻFemale Circumcision and Infibulation in Africaʼ it has been established that the origins of FGM are Egyptian and that there is plenty of evidence that FGM was practiced on ancient mummies and it dates as far back as about 2500 years ago. 

The common convention to practice a form of circumcision was first recognized as a tradition of passage from childhood to womanhood. 

Nevertheless, on a documentary by Current TV, it is shown that the procedure nowadays is practiced by many communities, as a cultural convention.  This can be carried out from as early as a few days after birth, as the ritual and celebration will involve less people and therefore be cheaper. There is a global trend in the progressive lowering of the age at which girls undergo the practice.  

The debate over FGM is complex. On one hand you have this cultural practice of  “good traditions” ,“group identities” and on the other hand the immediate and long-term psychological and heath consequences that in many cases lead to death. 

Complications Encountered by PATH.org

However, there are many disadvantages to this procedure and FGM can cause irreparable harm, whether is mild or severe, it reduces femalesʼ sexual desire and in patriarchal societies (which is the majority of countries where it is practiced) it is intended to increase the enjoyment of the male partner and that “all types of FGM inhibit the sexual fulfillment and pleasure of women” (WHO). 

International NGOs have been joining forces and making alliances during the last decade towards the total abolition of the FGM. Addressing the issue and making people aware of the health and legal complications is the only way to stop this barbaric act.

It is believed that FGM originated in the time of the pharaohs (UNFPA) and is just practiced in Africa.  But today it has spread into Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States due to immigration. The justification of FGM generally relates to tradition, power inequalities and the ensuing compliance of women to the dictates of their communities. Many of the practitioners are unwilling to change their customs and are often kept ignorant of the real implications of FGM and the extreme health risks that it involves. 

What right do others have to question or criticize certain traditions or ways of life? Is it the importance of cultural imperialism? Off course it is important to ensure that these females are healthy and that their human rights are not violated, but their cultures and believes should also be respected. And what about men? Why donʼt the laws and campaigns against circumcision not apply to men and boys as well? 

One is not against or pro FGM, one believes that many campaigns work in order to eliminate the practice it can end up in eliminating cultural beliefs. Law enforcement does not eradicate the rituals, just makes them illegal. Campaigns should start educating societies who perform these procedures 

about the serious physical and psychological cost of the practice, giving them further options. For communities to be able to re-shape their traditions and rituals and leave behind the bloodiness of their practices erasing the mentalities attached and the consciousness involved in the tradition. Only 

then Article 24 and Article 29 of the UN convention can come into practice without ambiguity. 

Dictatorships Have Weakness and Nonviolent Actions Can Overthrow Them

(c) Damon Lynch

The resent uprisings in the north of Africa and the Middle East have raised questions and also brought with it hope to many. Now, the old preconception that violence always works quickly and nonviolent means always requires vast time scales, is clearly like an outdated concept.

Nonviolent action against dictatorial regimes and new perspectives of freedom through people power and disobedience, gain fame at the same time that Mr Gene Sharp came out of obscurity. Few people have heard of Mr Sharp, however he has been put on the spotlight as he is the world’s top expert on nonviolent revolution and strategies to abolish dictatorships. Many claimed he was the inspiration that brought down the Mubarack regime down.

But who is he? Gene Sharp (born in 1928, Ohio, USA), has studied and  written about non-violent revolutions and his ideas have been used in conflicts worldwide. He studied a BA in Social Sciences (1949) and an MA in Sociology in (1951) at the Ohio State University. In 1968 he received a Doctorate of Philosophy from Oxford University.

Inspired by Gandhi, Thoreau and Mohandas K, Sharp’s first book (which was his PhD thesis)  “The Politics of Nonviolent Action” provides an in-depth political and methodical analysis about civil disobedience and non-violent strategies, arguing this is the most effective way to undermine the power of the state.

Aware of the world’s problems, Prof Sharp has dedicated his entire life to the scholarly analysis of the power of non-violent action and sharing his knowledge with others. Writing more than a dozen of books, giving seminars and providing training to academics and activists. In 1983, he founded the Albert Einstein Institute, an institution which is consulted by pro-democracy groups and that is committed to support and expose the power of resistance through educational materials and workshops.

His most famous and recognized book, “From Dictatorship to Democracy” has provided great influence worldwide (especially in the colour revolutions across Eastern Europe) as the basis for many non-violent protests and campaigns. In this book, which has been translated in to more than 30 different languages, Sharp presents a list of 198 non-violent weapons to defend democracy and 17 weaknesses of dictatorships, which can be applicable across any culture or country in the world.

Nevertheless, many people still disbelieve the accreditation of Prof Sharp’s on the Egyptian revolution and other uprisings in the region, suggesting that it is very unlikely, that it is just a way for the West to take credit about it - as the West did not participate in the revolution. Social networkers of the Arab world have reacted mocking Prof. Sharp’s influence in blogs and twitters also creating a hashtag to ridicule the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize nominee. Nonetheless a documentary about Sharp is in production and will be released next month in which the power Prof. Sharp’s non-violent academic work takes action at the Tahrir Square in Cairo. 

(c) Albert Einstein Institution

If you want more information about the film please follow this link:

http://www.genesharpfilm.com/

or if you would like to find out more about Gene Sharp’s work follow this link:

http://www.aeinstein.org/

Ai Weiwei detained for his refusal to tone down his views

The artist who is best known for his contribution to the outstanding Beijing stadium ‘The Bird Nest’ was detained at Beijing airport yesterday.


The most famous and recognized outspoken political modern artist, had recently reproduce one hundred million porcelain sunflower seeds. His masterpiece is exhibited at the Tate Modern and without a doubt bringing a huge audience that wants to delight themselves with what it seems at first gaze as pebble carpet.

The political art exhibition that took two and a half years to manufactured the porcelain seeds with the help of 1,600 Chinese’s artisans in the city of Jingdezhen. It has been exhibited since the 12^th of October 2010 and that will last until the 2^nd of May 2011 at the Turbine Hall, a vast space renowned internationally for its previous astonishing exhibitions at the Tate Modern.

For the Chinese artist, the sunflowers seeds symbolized the Chinese people, the millions of faceless factory workers, the millions of Chinese oppressed by the regime of Chairman Mao, the millions of skilled Chinese handcrafters and the millions of Chinese without internet access. Ai Weiwei said that he chose to replicate sunflower seeds to his compatriots because the seeds were one of the few sources of food during the famine years under Mao. For him, they also symbolize hope.

His political statement its easier to understand when you get the chance to walk along this massive rectangle, when your feet submerge in the immensity of the replicas layer after layer under your feet. You then realize its immeasurable amount of work, especially because every minimalistic detail of the work represents the hugeness of China’s population. In that gray pebble sea there isn’t two identical seeds, all of them are unique, each of them representing the uniqueness that each Chinese person, each Chinese life that we may  underestimate in the mass industrialized China.


The Chinese government has detained scores of lawyers, human rights activists, writers and bloggers in the past two months. According to Human Rights Watch "is the most severe campaign  of repression in China in more than a decade".

The Colombian Struggle

A few weeks ago, while I was doing some research about human rights violations in Colombia I came across with a web page of an NGO based in London called Justice for Colombia. I was astonished about the amount of information and their commitment for social justice in the northwester South American country.

More surprising was to find out the terrible situation which Colombian trade unionists are living in. To realize that this beautiful territory, full of ethnical, cultural and environmental diversity is suffocated with impunity, corruption and social misery.

Once I was immersed into the information about their campaigns and their work, I learnt about a Colombian political prisoner that is an inspiration, an example to follow, a woman that deserves admiration for her strength, fairness and tenacity. Liliany Obando is a Colombian dissident of inequality and who has been in prison since august 2008, without a trial.

Digging into her life, I discovered that she isn’t just an activist, she is also an independant film director. She has produced documentaries that are forbidden on Colombian national television. I found one of them “Postponed Dreams” - a film that tells the truth about experienced by everyday Colombians.

Please follow the link below and experience what this film has to say.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2witk_postponed-dreams_people

What We Can All Learn From Indigenous Cultures

Centuries after European colonization, discrimination faced by indigenous peoples remains the norm in many nations around the world. These peoples are seen by many as primitive but ‘developed cultures’ could learn a lot from them about sustainability. Indigenous cultures have lived, sometimes for thousands of years, in harmony with their environment, while modern societies are bringing irreversible cultural, social and environmental damage.

Arhuaco's Village

The circumstances that Latin American aborigines are confronting should concern us all. For instance how can the Peruvian government allow oil and gas exploration in indigenous land? Up to 70% of the Peruvian Amazon is being explored for oil which is not only destroying the rainforest but also could wipe out some of the world’s most vulnerable citizens. This Amazonian region is occupied by some of the most uncountable tribal people in the world stresses Prof. James Anaya, the UN’s special reporter on indigenous peoples assert.

In Colombia, at least 64 out of 102 indigenous groups are facing extinction says a report released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The government has introduced laws supposed to protect those communities but their land is still used by illegal armies for the growing and trafficking of drugs. An estimated 74,000 indigenous people have been forcibly evicted from their homes, says the country’s national indigenous peoples’ organization (ONIC).

Kogui Children

In Guatemala, the situation is also grave. Mayan descendants appeared to be removed from the political system, have little access to education and there is clear evidence of discrimination. “Much as black Africans were the majority in South Africa under apartheid, the Indigenous peoples of Guatemala constitute the disempowered (and persecuted) numerical majority,” says Prof. Valerie Alia internationally recognized for her work in media ethics and indigenous communications.

The critical situation that indigenous peoples have to face nowadays around the globe is unacceptable. Their traditions and sacred lands all deserve respect. But what can we do to help the situation of indigenous peoples’ human rights?  It is important to change the way indigenous peoples are perceived; we should educate people about different societies and the way that they survive. Pressure governments to implement policies which promote respect for indigenous peoples’ values.  We cannot help but be vigilant with regard to indigenous peoples’ human rights.

Aztec descendant

An Arsario child

Zulu Children