Stories about Human Rights from March, 2007
South Africa: Busisiwe, Rest in Peace
Earlier this month, the South African blogosphere lost a blogger, writer, artist and poet, Busisiwe Sigasa (25). She started her blog, My Realities, at the end of last year with the help of Sokari Ekine. Busisiwe, whose name means “the Blessed One” in Zulu, was also known as Latifah. She...
Russia: Photos of Grozny
Earlier this week, I linked to LJ user kunstkamera‘s photos from Grozny, Chechnya. (Warning: bandwidth intensive.) Below are some of the comments and kunstkamera‘s own remarks, translated from Russian. gematogen: Was it scary? kunstkamera: It was scary to fly the [YaK-42] plane. […] i_grappa: It's interesting, thank you! In general,...
Jordan: Protect Migrant Workers
Jordanian blogger Lina Ejeilat calls for tougher laws to protect women migrant workers in her country after reading about yet another conference to discuss their plight.
Bahamas: Help for Zimbabwe
Weblog Bahamas.com thinks that Bahamians should get more vocal with regard to the situation in Zimbabwe.
Antigua: Human Rights Treaty
A new human rights treaty protecting the rights of persons with disabilities opens for signing today at the United Nations and Talk Antigua thinks it is a significant development: “How we as a progressive Caribbean people continue to treat such persons, will be the measure of our human development.”
Uzbekistan: New Attitude
Registan.net says that Uzbekistan has not shown the change of heart regarding its human rights practices that some European Union officials claim it has.
Lebanon: The Plight of Migrant Workers
The sad plight of migrant workers in Lebanon comes under the spotlight in an article by Syrian blogger Yaman which appears on Migrant Rights in the Middle East. (Warning: the item linked to in this post contains graphic and upsetting images)
India, Bangladesh: Lessons from Nandigram
Unheard Voices takes a look at the violence in Nandigram in India. “What is remarkable in this tragedy is the arrogant attitudes and brutal actions of a government that is democratically-elected and that is filled with nominal socialists and communists. In true deshi fashion, the police forces’ brutality has been...
Russia: Politkovskaya
Sean's Russia Blog reports on no progress in the investigation of Anna Politkovskaya's death. (Also, Sean mentions that Politkovskaya's last – posthumous – book is coming out in May.)
Bangladesh: Development Against All Odds
Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Bideshi Blond provides the relevant statistics proving the claim. Being a developing country with limited resources it is really tough to take the country forward. No wonder many development activities are being carried out by the government and...
Iran: Connecting the Medical World and Norouz Inspires Reflection
Iranian bloggers provide information, share their opinions, and discuss various issues with their photography, illustrations, and text. But that's not all. Occasionally, they launch plans to make the world a better place. Paris Marashi, an Iranian-American video-blogger has revealed a project that aims to bring Iranian medical professionals in contact...
Sri Lanka: Women and Work
True Sri Lankan adds his take on the issue of women with children below the age of five years not being allowed to seek employment abroad. “This is a careful line to tread and I believe that the ban while solving some problems will only increase other problems such as,...
Arabisc: In Keeping with Fashion, Algerian Blogger Sued
An Algerian official has today filed a case against blogger Abdulsalam Baroudi, accusing him of libel for an article he posted on his blog. This will be the first time a blogger is sued for his online writings in this North African country. Baroudi is unruffled and says he has...
Egypt: Blogger Assaulted
Egyptian blogger Hossam El Hamalawy reports a bizarre incident during the hearing of a case lodged by a judge to block 21 blogs and websites that “harm Egypt’s national interests and defame Hosni Mubarak.” “The court session ended in a circus, with judge Abdel Fattah Mourad who filed the lawsuit...
Russia: Chechnya's Street Children
A Step At A Time translates an article on street children in Chechnya.
Russia: Variations of Dissent
After reading LJ user rudin‘s report (RUS) from the Dissenters’ March that took place in Nizhniy Novgorod this past Saturday, LJ user an_drevv made this ironic remark (RUS): Judging by the ratio between the participants [police outnumbered the protesters], it looks like the majority of the dissenters were cops, and...
The Israeli Blogs-Looking for an Advocate
Hello Everyone! Today I am guest authoring for the Israeli blogs…a section of the Middle East that doesn't get covered very much here at Global Voices. It isn't because we aren't interested…we are, and it isn't because the Israeli blogs aren't fun and fascinating…because they are (and I will show...
France: Line Crossed in the Hunt for Immigrants
(photo via broyez) Here is a sombering follow-up to the post regarding the hunt for illegal immigrants and their following arrests in France. It seems that things have gotten worst in a hurry with the French presidential elections fast-approaching. Series of sudden arrests prompted many French people to take action...
Egypt: HRW Slams Egypt
Egyptian-based blogger Issandr El Amarani links to an article in which Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticises Egypt for its heavy-handedness in dealing with protesters demonstrating against amendments to the constitution. The changes, said HRW, “effectively remove basic protections against violations of Egyptians’ rights to privacy, individual freedom, security of person...
Nepal: Gaur Massacre
The unthinkable happened on March 21 in Gaur in the central Terai plains. Two political groups clashed, and violence followed. 29 were dead, more than 40 injured. This incident has shaken Nepal. Democracy For Nepal condemns the violence but it also takes the Maoists to task for disrupting the MPRF...
Zimbabwe: living under a dictatorship
Zimpundit on life in Zimbabwe, “In Zimbabwe, a nation dominated by government owned media, keeping up with the political realities is an impossible and risky undertaking. Media in Zimbabwe is dominated by a state owned daily newspaper, and state owned radio and television. All reports carried by state media are...
