Category Archives: human rights

Ukip gears up to make Oldham byelection an early test for Jeremy Corbyn | Politics | The Guardian

From Oldham Blue Coat school, you can just about make out, across the south Pennines, the cotton mills that once made the town wealthy. In Jason Casey’s A-level class there is a range of emerging political views. Some of the class are already old enough to vote. They are universally hostile towards Ukip. To one or two, the Tories seem the natural rulers. James Tierney is a Conservative supporter because “they can control the economy better” but he does not want to cast a “wasted vote”, so will probably vote Labour. Most are, however, eager to hear more from Corbyn, though Anna Worthington fears that her mother’s job in business would be at risk if he were to become prime minister, and Iwan Phillips, a Labour member who supported Andy Burnham, is conscious that “there are some people who will never, ever vote for Corbyn”. Nuala Scott is unswayed by their concerns: “He’s going to bring in more voters that are disillusioned, because Labour actually stand for something now.”

Source: Ukip gears up to make Oldham byelection an early test for Jeremy Corbyn | Politics | The Guardian

The Real Power | Silvia Writes

This was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. The club was not up to code (one exit, no alarms, no fire sprinkles, flammable soundproofing materials in a place not designed for pyrotechnics) because that’s how things are done when money is paid under the table.Add to this a slow emergency response and hospitals unable to accommodate patients, add to this a prime minister who has been indicted on charges of tax evasion and money laundering, among other things (and who didn’t survive a no-confidence vote), and there is a huge problem.So, Romanians took to the streets in every major city.As a result the prime minister resigned — a good first step, but is it enough? My heart says no, but I’ve been gone for so long. I don’t really know how real reform would look like in Romania. However, I do remember the 1989  revolution when the Romanian people toppled a dictator.So, people do have the power. The real power. They just forget how to use it until an unfortunate event brings them together.

Source: The Real Power | Silvia Writes

In 5 Minutes, He Lets the Blind See – The New York Times

He has restored eyesight to more than 100,000 people, perhaps more than any doctor in history, and still his patients come. They stagger and grope their way to him along mountain trails from remote villages, hoping to go under his scalpel and see loved ones again.

Source: In 5 Minutes, He Lets the Blind See – The New York Times

Afghan Mullah Leading Stoning Inquiry Condones Practice – The New York Times – FAIL! 

One of the leaders of that presidential delegation, however, is a prominent, pro-government mullah who believes the stoning and flogging of adulterers is perfectly justified — as he made clear both in a sermon on the Ghor killing at Friday Prayer and in a subsequent interview on Friday.“If you’re married and you commit adultery, you have to be stoned,” said the mullah, Maulavi Inayatullah Baleegh, during his sermon at Pul-e Khishti mosque, Kabul’s biggest, on Friday. “The only question was whether this was done according to Shariah law, with witnesses or confessions as required,” he said. “It is necessary to protect and safeguard the honor of women in society, as it was done in the past during the time of the prophet.”

Source: Afghan Mullah Leading Stoning Inquiry Condones Practice – The New York Times

German BND Intelligence Spied on Friends and Vatican – SPIEGEL ONLINE

Three weeks ago, news emerged that Germany’s foreign intelligence service, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), had systematically spied on friends and allies around the world. In many of those instances, the BND had been doing so of its own accord and not at the request of the NSA. The BND came under heavy criticism earlier this year after news emerged that it had assisted the NSA in spying on European institutions, companies and even Germans using dubious selector data.

Source: German BND Intelligence Spied on Friends and Vatican – SPIEGEL ONLINE

#FOMO leading to higher levels of depression, anxiety for heavy social media users – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

The fear of missing out (or FOMO) generated by high levels of social media use can lead to depression and anxiety, according to a new report looking at the way social media impacts wellbeing.The fifth annual National Stress and Wellbeing in Australia Survey has found Australians are faring worse than they were when the survey began, with higher levels of stress, depression and anxiety being reported.This year was the first time the study explored the impact of social media on behaviour and wellbeing.It found that social media dominated the lives of many teenagers, with over half (53 per cent) of Australian teens reporting that they used social networking sites for 15 minutes before bed every night.

Source: #FOMO leading to higher levels of depression, anxiety for heavy social media users – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Afghan Women’s Writing Project | Stoning Rukhshana

What is justice?

Why is a 19-year-old girl stoned to death?

Why do police take no action?

Rukhshana is gone and our

Hearts cry for her

Rukhshana, I hope one day women

Change this country

Government is absent when it comes to women

Advocacy does not change it

Protesting does not end it

It happens over and over

It is time now to protect women from wrong traditions

Rukhshana was stoned because a

Girl in Afghanistan does not have a

Right to love, does not have the

Right to choose her life partner

Shall I write more?

Who will read and who will listen?

I am tired.

On Facebook I see only bad news about women in Afghanistan but

Good news about women from Afghanistan in other countries

We are the victims living here.

By Seeta

Source: Afghan Women’s Writing Project | Stoning Rukhshana

Aung San Suu Kyi – A conqueror of hearts | Asia | DW.COM | 06.11.2015

Tens of thousands flock to see her. For weeks Aung San Suu Kyi has been traveling across Myanmar to rally her supporters ahead of a landmark election on November 8. She is also seeking to win new voters for her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), by assuring them that she will run the country after the poll, despite the fact that a clause in the country’s army-scripted constitution bars her from the presidency.During a recent press conference, the NLD leader reiterated her leadership claim: “If we win, and the NLD forms a government, I will be above the president. It’s a very simple message.” When asked if this arrangement violated the constitution, Suu Kyi replied: “No. The constitution says nothing about somebody being above the president.”

Source: Aung San Suu Kyi – A conqueror of hearts | Asia | DW.COM | 06.11.2015

PTA detainees in Sri Lanka: Prospects for justice | Groundviews

The fast by prisoners last month has given rise to fresh debate about justice for them. It is a sad reflection on Sri Lankan people and the new Government that the prisoners had to resort to such drastic action in order to even gain momentum for justice; for what is a categorical breach of these individuals’ fair trial rights and a failure of the criminal justice system. It has been reported that the fast was called off based on assurances by the President to offer a solution by 7 November 2015. However, what the President will offer as a solution is not clear.

Source: PTA detainees in Sri Lanka: Prospects for justice | Groundviews