HRs 4 All?

Struggles with Illegal Immigration

2011-12-09T01:26:00.000-05:00

The plan to stem illegal immigration calls for building a fence along the desert border and increasing fines for companies that hire illegal immigrants. Some fear that without a firm hand against illegal immigration, the demography of the nation will be at risk. One government official says, "It's true that they come from Third World countries, but [we] cannot accommodate all of them."

If I asked you to name what country I am talking about, you would probably say the United States. But you would be wrong, as this actually is describing a situation in Israel right now. An article in the Israeli newspaper, Ha'Aretz, explains the details of the aforementioned plan.

I just think it's funny how two completely different nations halfway around the world from one another can have virtually identical challenges with illegal immigration.

What do you think? Should Israel (or America, for that matter) build a fence to keep out illegal immigrants? What is the proper response? I'm grateful for any insights and comments.

South Africa: LGBT Rights in Name Only?

2011-12-07T08:28:00.002-05:00

This is a very interesting article. In South Africa there is discrimination taking place against the LGBT community. Which exist outside of South Africa however it is employed by government officials as well. There have been various acts of sexual harassment against the LGBT. When they reach out for justice they are often laughed at and discarded. For an example a young girl tell Human Rights Watch:
“He had seen my lesbian friends coming home and he talked about how we all dress like men,” 22-year-old Dumisani (pseudonym) told Human Rights Watch. “He dragged me to the bushes. There was no one around. He told me to take off my pants. I was refusing but he was beating me. He raped me until it was late at night. … I saw the guy after that, too. A week later I heard he had raped another girl. He was arrested but he came out three days later and beat her up so badly, she was in hospital for three weeks. I was so scared.”
Yes these women chose to dress like men but how does a man raping them help their character. I have so many mixed feelings about the underlying issues of LGBT however I do not feel as though they should be discriminated against especially not by government officials. The government should be protecting them. I hope you guys read the article and share your thoughts.

Rights group: South African lesbians face abuse

2011-12-07T08:18:00.000-05:00

In South Africa, lesbians are being abused. Lesbians and transgender are living in constant fear of harassment as well as physical and sexual violence. The Human Rights Watch reported that this is a contrast to the South African constitution. Same-sex marriage is legal in South Africa and the country has among the most liberal laws on sexual orientation on the continent. But cultural attitudes don't always match the constitution approved in 1996 by lawmakers determined to show they were more progressive then their apartheid predecessors.

One woman told Human Rights Watch of a series of rapes by her cousin, her coach and her pastor. Another said a female cousin spiked her drink so that the cousin's boyfriend could rape her. A third said that after a rape. "I really hated myself."

Raping a lesbian, HRW researchers found, can make a man a township hero. Attackers boast publicly of their crimes and declare to their victims, "We'll show you you're a woman," the report said. Such attacks are known as "corrective rapes" in South Africa.

The Human Rights Watch is calling on the South African government to reach out and implement a system to free lesbians and transgender from living in fear. However, I don’t think it only depends on the government to make these changes. The citizens of South Africa need to realize that their society needs a change to protect the rights of all human beings. Educating the public is a step to bring change to South Africa to build the society that the country is trying to achieve.

Bangladeshi man receives reprieve after 19 years.

2011-12-07T00:55:00.000-05:00

Ahmed Hossain came to New York City 19 years ago and applied for political asylumHe worked for a rival political party in Bangladesh. His lawyer put the wrong name and birthdate on his application so the case was denied. How does this even happen?? He won the green card lottery and his interview was scheduled for September 11 so his interview was cancelled and was rescheduled for a time when green cards were no longer available. Eventually, the Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Queens/Bronx) and Se, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) reached out the immigration officials and eventually, he was granted one year of stay. He is married to an American citizen and has two children. It does not seem like he had any criminal charges and he is a cab driver. I am curious to know more about his legal case. I feel bad for this man because of all of the unfortunate events that caused his application to keep going for almost two decades. I can’t imagine the kind of stress the family felt because it seems like he is the provider for them. I am glad that he finally received something but what happens after the one year is over?

How do we weed out the liars from genuine asylum seekers?

2011-12-07T00:15:00.000-05:00

As the semester has come to an end, I can't help but evaluate our asylum system as a whole. With a better understanding of the law and reading so many cases, I think I can finally make some comments. I think we all agree that the system needs work. An article published a few months ago in the New York Times raised the same question: How can the asylum system be fixed? This article was open for a discussion. It mainly stated that New York receives the highest number of cases than any other city in the US. In 2010, 76% of such cases were granted of some kind of relief, compared to 51% nationwide. Even though fraud is a big issue in asylum cases, judges still "err on the side of caution, believing that the approval of fraudulent claim has fewer dire consequences than denying a real one." A commenter pointed out that there is usually one judicial law clerk to every four judges; so when courts receives 1,200 cases, you have to be quick and you can't necessarily delve into everyone's cases-which is something everyone deserves. She suggested that a structural reform is key to making changes in the asylum system and that we should have an independent court, as opposed to courts within the Department of Justice. Though this is a plausible way for reformation, many people feel otherwise. In fact, some of the commenters simply wants an end to asylees and refugees in the US.

Their argument is that Americans still have to pay taxes so the "liars" can receive their benefits. They do not want to be taxed on their hard-earned dollars for people who lied to get relief. Also, the US has its fair share of poverty as well (obviously-not as extreme as the slums of India or many African nations. Below are two comments that stood out to me:

"Stop asylum now.it isn't fixing the problem in the home country, but making immigration lawyers rich and their clients liars. We can't afford it. Those people are immediately paid SSI and then get FREE medical insurance ( medicaid or medicare) while many taxpayers footing THEIR BILL have neither. Now that's real abuse..."

"Zero - allow no more into the US -- We cannot take care of our own, why should we be taking care of foreigners who mostly likely lie to get here. We have how many homeless veterans? This is dispictable!! Stop bringing in asylum seekers/refugees from other countries. WE CANNOT AFFORD THEM IN LIEU OF AMERICANS. We are being flooded as a nation by refugees from Burma -- STOP THIS MADNESS. If these people cannot fight for their countries, rest assured they would be the first to flee America if they had to fight for the USA. No more asylum, no more refugees!"

I think these are way too harsh and these people obviously do not know much about the ayslum process. I actually read an article a while back on people's perceptions on the number of asylum seekers and refugees in Australia but the actual numbers were much lower. But, to be honest, I don't really know where I stand on this issue. On one hand, I think that the US has a moral responsibility of helping those in need and I'm glad that the US and similar countries are safe havens for many individuals across the globe but at the same time, I don't really feel comfortable granting asylum to liars. I don't trust almost anyone and I am especially critical of those seeking ayslum, even the one that my classmates and I worked. I think that even if we do have a reformation in the court system, it still doesn't resolve the issue of weeding out the genuine asylum seekers from fraudulent ones. How do we even guarantee this? The more fraudulent cases granted will continue to misrepresent asylum seekers to the general public and create more hostility to them in the US.

What do you think?

Role of media to spread human rights awareness

2011-12-06T22:06:00.000-05:00

Recently, an advocacy organization, Global Witness, that helped to establish an international certification program to prevent the sale of blood diamonds withdrew from the Kimberley Process coalition saying the effort was no longer effective. The coalition was created in 2003 because conflicts in Angola and Sierra Leone were being fueled by diamond sales. The group withdrew after a decision last month was made to to allow Zimbabwe to export diamonds where there have been reports of widespread human rights abuses by government security forces. This article sheds insight on the current issue.

In reading about blood diamonds in the NY Times, I couldn't help but think about the impact that media could play on spreading knowledge and awareness of the issues that exist. I knew nothing about the existence of blood diamonds (must be the sheltered life i live) prior to the thriller film debut. The movie (trailer here) included Leanoardo DiCaprio in his quest and role in the blood diamonds web. The blood diamonds refer to the diamonds mined during the Sierra Leone Civil War in 2002 and sold to finance conflicts by providing warlords and international diamond companies. The Sierra Leone Civil War actually led to the creation of the above discussed Kimberley Process coalition.

It amazes me the impact that media can have on an individuals knowledge and awareness. We blog on this site - but mainly people interested in human rights come to this blog. With movies we have the ability to reach so many individuals who don't even know that they have an interested in human rights advocacy.

A Broken Immigration System?

2011-12-06T17:45:00.001-05:00

Most people agree that it is not a good thing to detain/jail someone if they have not committed a crime. However, the American immigration system does just that. It detains, sometimes in maximum security prisons, asylum-seekers who are fleeing persecution from their home country. Granted, the immigration system has been reformed to make that more of the exception, rather than the rule, but there are still many asylum seekers who have never committed a crime, yet they are being detained in U.S. prisons waiting for their asylum hearing. What's worse, even though EOIR and I.C.E. have expedited the system so that those in detention are processed more quickly, they still have long waits -- especially if their case is appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).
What's the answer? Obviously-- we have to be aware of potential security threats to those whose identity remains unverified, but is this the best that we've got?

Digging for gold, children work in harsh conditions, paid with bags of dirt

2011-12-06T15:07:00.000-05:00

Mali is Africa’s third largest gold producer. Artisanal mines rely on heavy human labor and little mechanization. People throughout West Africa are flocking to work in the primitive pits. Approximately 100,000 to 200,000 people in Mali are working in artisanal mines, according to the Human Rights Watch report which will be released Tuesday. Twenty to thirty percent of the workforce in African artisanal mines is child labor. The children working in the mines, some as young as six years old, help dig shafts with pickaxes, lift and carry heavy bags of ore and pan the gold with an amalgamation process involving mercury. These children experience harsh working conditions on a daily basis where they have terrible headaches, back pain, joint aches that can potentially lead to long-tern spinal injury for some of these children who are carrying very heavy loads.

A 15 year old named Samba Dairra, journeyed 200 miles to live in a plastic hut alone and work in an artisanal gold mine in Mali. The teen came to the mine to help support his five younger brothers and sisters. The main reason he left his home is to help his parents by sending them money. Diarra’s parents can’t afford to send him to school because he has to support his younger siblings. Diarra spent his first day pulling up gold ore that was mined by men working deep underground. At the end of his first day, he was paid with a bag of dirt while gold is currently trading at around $1747 an ounce. Some children working in the mines never get paid. Those who do, get just a few dollars a week.

It is extremely heartbreaking that these young children like Diarra are working for little or nothing so that they can contribute to their households. They are shouldering responsibility at an early age, which is taking away from their childhood because many of these children will continue to work in these mines for most of their lives because they have no other forms of work or means to get educated. I hope these children can receive justice and one way we can help is to stop purchasing diamonds to prevent the diamond industry from growing.

War Dance

2011-12-06T01:44:00.001-05:00

While watching the documentry channel a few days ago, I came across this incredible documentary called War Dance that follows the Acholi tribe as they prepare the Bwoli and other dances/songs for an intertribal competition in the National Music Festival in Kampala. At the competition, the other tribes insult the children for being from Northern Uganda, accusing them of being murderers from the bush. The group ended up taking home a number of awards- it was really inspiring to see that so many children who had come from such frightening and horrible circumstances could come together to create something so beautiful. As the children sang, they all had such genuine, beautiful, and contagious smiles

While there is a happy ending, the rest of the film is filled with heartbreaking moments. I started watching as a young, former child soldier of the LRA (no more than 12) traveled to a military camp, photo of his brother in hand. He came to see the lieutenant, and asked if he could talk to the rebel they had caught just a few days prior. The lieutenant obliged and the boy sat down with this rebel and asked if he had seen the boy’s brother. The rebel explained that the brother was likely dead. “I will tell my mother so we can go on with our lives,” the boy said bravely. I felt my heart sink as the boy looked at the rebel in the eye and said, “Why did you capture me, and capture children like me?” The rebel looked uneasy and lowered his eyes; finally, he said, “if you want a strong family, you must have a lot of children.”

I recall reading in Lukwago’s narrative of how he was forced to kill his friend, but when this Ugandan child looked into the camera and explained how he was forced by the rebels to take hoes to the back of facedown farmers, I got a bit teary-eyed. These were not just words on a page, this was a face, a life with a story. “I have never even told my mother that I have killed; you are the first to know,” he confessed after explaining the graphic details. Those who cried would be killed; those who refused to kill would be killed themselves. This film is definitely worth a watch; It really is moving. I can try to get it on NetFlix if anyone is interested in a break over reading days!

Alleged Drug War Tactics Under Fire

2011-12-05T20:02:00.001-05:00

Five years after Mexican President Felipe Calderón declared war on the country's violent drug traffickers, his government is fighting accusations by human-rights activists that it allowed the killing, torture and kidnapping of civilians in its drug war. While the government denies systematic abuses, mounting reports of such cases could erode popular support for the offensive by Mr. Calderón. And with Mr. Calderón's legacy largely built on his fight against organized crime, the reports could also hurt his party's bid to hold on to the presidency in elections next year.

Netzai Sandoval, a Mexican human-rights lawyer, asked the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Nov. 25 to investigate Mr. Calderón and top security officials—along with leading drug lords—for alleged war crimes. The request came with a petition signed by more than 23,000 people, led by a group of mostly leftist academics, jurists and journalists. The petition says the abuse by the Mexican state is systematic. The petition names Mr. Calderón and his top security officials for at least 470 specific cases of human-rights abuses. A recent Human Rights Watch report said it found strong evidence of participation of security forces in 170 cases of torture, 39 disappearances, and 24 incidents of extrajudicial killings. Since Mr. Calderón took office five years ago, 46,000 people have died in drug-related violence, most of it, according to the government, between rival cartels fighting for turf. The president has sent 45,000 troops to try to quell the violence and reclaim territory from drug lords. He has also tried to improve the local and federal police forces.

This is neglect and abuse by the government. All of this evidence clearly demonstrates that the government has been encouraging acts that deprive Mexican citizens of human rights. The government should be held accountable for this disturbing amount of torture that it encouraged to inflict onto others. There is a tremendous amount of corruption that is taking over the government and there is a similar trend in many other countries that are known as third world. This is a step to hold the government accountable to improve human rights in Mexico and in other parts of the world.

Seeking Asylum for the Wrong Reasons

2011-12-05T11:24:00.002-05:00

Two men, one aged 42 and the other aged 52 fled the United Kingdom in July 2008 and came to the United States seeking asylum claiming they faced persecution of their right-wing views. The two men believed that they would be able to gain asylum in the U.S. for their government was unfairly convicting them for things they said online. The men were charged with publishing hate speech against Jews, Blacks, and Asians online and were then charged and convicted of race hate offences; after they were released on bail, the pair escaped to the U.S. were they claimed asylum. The two men lost their cases for asylum and were ordered deported back the United Kingdom in 2009.

It is clear, through this case, that people come to the U.S. claiming asylum with a false understanding of what asylum is meant for and what it is meant to protect or people try to claim asylum as a way to escape serving a jail sentence for crimes they committed. Not only does the U.S. government, but all the governments in the world need to do something in order to stop these fake cases that just waste the time of Immigration Judges. Any suggestions?

Amnesty International Calls for Arrest of G.W. Bush?

2011-12-04T20:53:00.007-05:00

Former President George W. Bush is headed to Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zambia from Thursday through Monday to spread awareness about AIDS, cervical and breast cancer. On World Aids Day of Thursday, he met in Tanzania with former President Clinton and President Obama, who has commended Bush's continued efforts, lauding the program that "has saved hundreds of thousands and thousands and thousands of lives, spurred international action, and laid the foundation for a comprehensive global plan that will impact the lives of millions." Despite the noble cause of his trip, Amnesty International has called upon the three nations to arrest Bush as he travels between the countries, stating that there is evidence of his "alleged involvement in and responsibility for torture," referring to the Bush administration's use of waterboarding on three Al-Qaeda leaders.

Is Amnesty International acting out of genuine concern for human rights abuses, or are they following an ulterior political agenda? The organization has received a huge amount of funding from organizations with anti-Bush leaders, such as George Soro's Open Society Institute, and has oft been accused of infusing its campaigns with far-left politics, exploiting its tax exempt status. The request could be viewed as an attempt to embarrass the former President, and could even incite violence against him as travels. Critics of AI go on to note that the waterboarding was used against terrorists with the intention of saving the lives and protecting the human rights of millions of others; intelligence has suggested that this interrogation technique likely produced the information that led to locating Osama bin Laden. These were people who had devised atrocities against humanity- and yet AI is infuriated by the treatment of three terrorists. I think the critics make a valid and interesting point- but I'm left to wonder if that sort of claim is a slippery slope. If human rights exist in virtue of our being human, should we be able to sacrifice another group's rights for ours just because they are terrorists?

FARC's lack of concern for human lives

2011-12-04T20:02:00.000-05:00

Just 8 days ago, on November 26, the bodies of four members of the Colombia security forces were found in a FARC run camp in Solano, Caqueta. The FARC had been holding the four members of the security forces for over 10 years and he bodies were only found because of a war between FARC and the Colombian army. The killing of captives by the FARC is a war crime and therefore the people responsible for the deaths of four innocent people should be brought to justice; however, it is highly unlikely that they will be. Even if the people responsible confess, they would receive a jail sentence that would be less than what they should actually get due to the Justice and Peace Law that was created in Colombia in 2005. The Justice and Peace Law offers reduced sentences to any and all members of a guerrilla group as long as they confess what they have done. The possibility of receiving a lighter sentence for committing a crime such as murder is not appropriate in any way. Rather, it gave way for individuals to commit more crimes for they knew that their prison sentence would be less if they confess than before the law was created. In my own opinion, the Colombian government needs to do something now before the FARC and other guerrilla or paramilitary groups get any worse.

DR Congo: Rein in Security Forces

2011-12-04T17:33:00.000-05:00

November 28 was the presidential and legislative elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But there was a lot of electoral violence. Between 11/26-28, at least 18 civilians died and 100 were seriously wounded, according to the Human Rights Watch. The majority of these people were killed by the Republican Guard soldiers, and rival political parties, and attacked by armed groups and mob violence. A researcher said, “security forces should be protecting people, not fueling the violence.” I think this is something that many of us have said but it never happens. In countries all of the world, including the US, the security forces are not adhering to the law and are not protecting citizens. The Republican Guard soldiers shot and wounded a 21-year-old pregnant woman while she walked home from the market. She said. “they began shooting at everyone in the crowds on the side of the road. I anted to run, but the soldiers shot me in the foot.” Violence like this must be stopped.

Secrets and Woes of Indian Gays

2011-12-04T16:29:00.000-05:00

A weird thought is that I have never met a Bengali gay person. I'm sure they exist but homosexuality is very taboo in places like Bangladesh. The average Bengali adult (parent's generation and older) can't even decipher the concept of being gay, of such a "unnatural"idea. It made me wonder the perceptions of gays in larger, South Asian countries, like India. Although this article is from 2007, I think that it is still relevant today. The article talks about Sangini, a support group for gays, that meets in secret in the Indian capital of Delhi. As homosexuality is illegal in India, people have to take a lot of precaution to speak of the whereabouts of this group and in general about their sexual orientation. A homosexual man claimed, “they should legalize homosexuality-why should we forced to keep ourselves hidden-the law and society needs to change.” However, the law has been the same for a very long time. Gays are discriminated against by the police. But I think there is hope for them. The US based Human Rights Watch has expressed concern. There are various groups that are lobbying the government and the courts to change the law. I think it’s very difficult for Indians to accept the concept of homosexuality. Because they think it’s so unnatural, I don’t think they can understand why homosexuality should be legal. Although the US has a long time to go with accepting homosexuality, I think that we have come a long way-with many states legalizing gay marriage.

Police violating human rights in Occupy Wall Street?

2011-12-04T16:17:00.000-05:00

Now, before everyone and their mother begins ranting on their opinions towards OWS, I just want to make clear that I will not be conveying any of my personal views to this protest. As I'm sure many of you have heard of the recent pepper-spraying business to protestors, I just wanted to raise the question whether police officers are violating humans rights. One of the most popular happenings so far was when a police officer pepper-sprayed a line of passive students sitting on the ground. You can watch the video here. There are further stories of an 84-year-old woman being pepper sprayed. You can see the image here. There is another story of an NYPD officer eating pizza that was delivered to imprisoned protestors. You can read it here. As American citizens, we have the right to protest and I understand that most protests become violent and the police is supposed to control it. But they are not supposed to adhere to the violence themselves. If there was a riot going on, then maybe, it is more understanding to use pepper-spray but for a line of passive students? who are just sitting on the ground? I think that's ridiculous. When I come across things like these, it's not really that different from police officers hitting and abusing citizens in Jamaica (as I read about for my case).

Jailed Afghan rape victim freed but 'to marry attacker'

2011-12-03T17:42:00.000-05:00

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has pardoned a rape victim who was jailed for adultery, after she apparently agreed to marry her attacker.

An Afghan woman named Gulnaz was raped and sentenced to prison for adultery for 12 years. Her attacker is the man that she is suppose to marry. Gulnaz's lawyer told the BBC she hoped the government would allow Gulnaz the freedom to choose whom to marry.

Gulnaz is serving time in prison for being a victim of rape. She also gave birth to her daughter while she was in prison. There is no justice and freedom for many Afghan women. Gulnaz’s story is an example of one of the many Afghan women who suffers and is still getting denied basic human rights in the country. In the United States, we typically overlook the freedom we have. We have the right to advocate and stand up for those basic human rights. Also, we have the choice to make decisions without interference of the government, and are able to hold the government accountable for depriving human rights.

Human rights groups say hundreds of women in Afghan jails are victims of rape or domestic violence. Half of Afghanistan's women prisoners are inmates for "zina" or moral crimes. The BBC's Bilal Sarwary, in Kabul, says recent cases of violence against women are embarrassing for the Afghan government. Many Afghan women rights activists say there must be an end to the culture of impunity and police must punish all those behind violence against women, he adds.

Uncertain Future for Coptic Christians in Egypt

2011-12-01T23:31:00.004-05:00

"Some members of Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority — about 10 percent of the population — joked Wednesday that they would prepare to leave the country."

I suspect that the Coptic Christian population was more desperate, honest, and hopeful than "joking”. Just yesterday, in Egypt's first election since Mubarak was ousted of power, the Muslim Brotherhood gained control of nearly 65 percent of the parliamentary seats. This does not bode well for the minority, Coptic Christians, at all. Since the Mubarak regime was ousted of power, the Muslim extremists have actively persecuted Coptic Christians - burned down churches, murdered and tortured, and hurled Molotov cocktails at homes. The ruling military acquiesced to this persecution, and at times even joined in by encouraging violence against Coptic Christians on nationwide news stations, and running over Copt protestors with military vehicles. With the Muslim Brotherhood in power, Coptic Christian persecution could become even worse. No one really knows how bad things could get in Egypt. Some Coptic Christians in the United States even predict genocide in Egypt against Coptic Christians.

The situation in Egypt is horrible; which makes me feel even more thankful for earlier today. This afternoon in Philadelphia, a 19-year-old Coptic Christian student from Egypt, who I along with two other class members have been helping over the past two months, was granted asylum. He is a respectful, hardworking, intelligent, and nice person. Had he lost his case, he would have been sent back to the chaos in Egypt, and subject of even more torture than he already has experienced. I feel thankful that we prevented this 19 year-old not having to "joke" about leaving Egypt; but actually make it a reality.

Local refugees

2011-12-01T21:39:00.002-05:00

Everyday millions of individuals face horrific human rights violations. It is estimated that roughly 1% of the world’s population have been displaced from their home country. Refugees are people who flee their country in order to escape conflict. A refugee is defined as a person whom “owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country,” (UNHCR).

Refugees face various physical and mental hardships before, during, and/or after their flight. Experiencing or witnessing the traumatic events prior to their arrival to the United States is a major risk factor for chronic mental health problems. Killings, material losses, torture and sexual violence are common traumatic experiences refugees face. Once in overcrowded camps, refugees face depravation, uncertainty, and disruption of community and social support networks. Psychiatric morbidity and psychosocial dysfunction observed within the refugee population often dependent on the nature and time span of the conflict and trauma. (WHO, Mental Health of Refugees). Because of the severity of the trauma, physicians across the United States believe that refugees are at high risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. However, little aid is given for Lancaster county refugees for their mental health care needs.Resources and funding are both limited.

Cultural beliefs and stigmas shape the way individuals perceive and overcome traumatic experiences. Physicians should care refugee patients in Lancaster country with culturesensitive approach especially when dealing with mental health care. The distribution of country of origin for refugees varies significantly from year to year. As a result, mental health care workers must be educated and trained regularly about the different cultures they are treating. Traditional treatment for PTSD and depression may not be helpful for certain cultures. In addition, cultural stigmas and norms must be considered in order to effectively communicate and respect the patients. Lancaster County is full of refugees who are at times in dire need of a culture specific approach to care.

Clearly there is a need – and individually organizations are unable to meet it. Together as a community – we can make Lancaster a place for refugees to seek safe haven and be given the opportunities to become healthy and active citizens of the city.

Freedom of Expression

2011-11-27T11:56:00.001-05:00

In the United States, we often take for granted our freedom of speech. Rarely do we think about what would happen if such a right did not exist. People in United Arab Emirates have been faced with such a dilemma. Five activists have been convicted recently by the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi for insulting government officials and received two to three years of imprisonment for criminal defamation. According to Amnesty International, the UAE5 (name given to them by the international community) were charged under articles 176 and 8 of the UAE’s Penal Code for “publicly insulting” the UAE’s president, vice-president and crown prince in an online political discussion forum which had been blocked by the authorities in 2010.

“The defamation charges the UAE5 faced are not internationally recognizable criminal offences and the trial process has been grossly flawed from the outset. The men are imprisoned for nothing but criticizing the UAE President and other officials,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director.

The men were arrested in April of 2011, and detained for over two months before they were charged with anything. Their trial was done in secrecy without granting the defendants any opportunity to challenge the charges against them. AI claims the UAE5 have been persecuted wrongfully.

Freedom of expression is protected under international human rights standards, but it does not seem to be the case for Abu Dhabi. Amnesty International is calling for immediate release of the activists, as “It is not a crime to voice criticism or dissent.” I believe freedom of expression should be a basic human right; thoughts?

Dangers of Tear Gas

2011-11-25T18:58:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone, sorry I keep posting so much! It's my way of procrastinating on other work.

I just saw this article on BBC and thought it was interesting, particularly with all the riots going on in Egypt, Syria, and even at Occupy Oakland.

What do you think? Should tear gas be used as a means of dispersing angry crowds? Or does the threat of injury and sometimes death outlaw its use? How should governments deal with potentially violent mobs? Do citizens have an unlimited right to free speech and assembly, or should governments place limits on human rights?

Life in the "Golden Cage"

2011-11-25T18:47:00.002-05:00

For many undocumented immigrants, life in America is a "Golden Cage"--full of prosperity and a better life, but without true freedom. As an undocumented immigrant, the threat of being found out by authorities is ever-present. Undocumented immigrants go to extreme lengths to protect themselves, making life a "prison" at times.

Recently, Carlo Alban came out and revealed that as a child actor on the TV show Sesame Street, he was actually without proper documentation. Coming from Ecuador, Carlo and his family were waiting to get their proper paperwork:

"The family had been working with a lawyer to earn their green cards, but the process was taking much longer than the four to five years they initially hoped, as changes in the law obliged them to resubmit forms and information. Throughout his tenure on the show, Carlo's immigration status continued to be an issue. When the cast was scheduled to appear in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, they had to provide their documentation to parade security. "I had to turn in a photocopy of my fake green card and for whatever reason, it had the wrong birthday on it," he says. "They knew me and they knew when my birthday was because I'd celebrated it on the set. I was terrified that someone was going to notice the date, get suspicious and start looking into things."No-one ever found out, but it was one of a series of close calls."

Luckily, Carlo has now received his green card and has a happy life in America: the perfect Hollywood ending. However, it makes you wonder whether there are other children who are not so lucky, children who could grow up and benefit America as a whole.

What do you think? Is a right to immigration a human right? Carlo came from Ecuador, a relatively stable developing nation in South America. His family came to America not out of fear, but out of hope for a better life. Is it a human right to get to live in America, or should Carlo and his family have been thrown out had they been discovered to be illegal?

Fight over Immigration Detention Center in a Florida Town

2011-11-25T11:05:00.002-05:00

A fight has broken out between residents of the south Florida town of Southwest Ranches and their local government. The local government has been working for years to have one of the governments largest detention centers for immigrants. The town stands to make a significant amount (between 400,000 and 1.5 million) annually in revenue from the prison, and it should create about 300 permanent jobs. Local residents, however, tend to have higher incomes and do not feel they need the jobs and do not feel comfortable having a prison in their town.

The new detention center is not a regular prison, but a special detention center for immigrants who have not committed any crimes. It is supposed to provide more humane treatment for non-offender immigrants and provide easier access for family members and lawyers.

The residents of Southwest Ranches may be skeptical, but I for one and very much in support of the idea. Every day immigrants flee to this country in search of a better life and every day we throw them in prison, alongside murderers, rapists and other offenders, even if they have committed no crime other than crossing our boarder. While I would prefer we not detain them at all, if we have to I think specialized detention centers that can accommodate the unique needs of these immigrants is a great idea and something that should be pursued.

http://news.yahoo.com/upscale-fla-town-fight-over-immigrant-prison-172908497.html

Always Those Darn Christians

2011-11-23T12:52:00.000-05:00

One interesting thing I’ve found while taking the Human Rights Human Wrongs class is how involved Christian organizations are in the fight for human rights. Atheists such as Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens always blame Christianity for atrocities like the Crusades or the Inquisition. But in the twenty-first century, it seems that the majority of the organizations that are fighting for human rights on the front lines are Christian!

Think about it. Every day in class, we hear about the incredible work that Church World Service and Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service both do with refugees in Lancaster. Water Street Rescue Mission in downtown Lancaster provides meals and shelter to hundreds of homeless people every day. The Salvation Army also does great work in feeding the hungry and caring for the poor. Notably, the largest nonprofit organization in the entire world, WorldVision, is a Christian organization. Examples abound: Living Water International has dug 10,000 wells in nations where drought is prevalent. Every day, while living in Jerusalem, I could see the ancient church on the Mount of Olives that is now a non-profit Christian hospital run by Lutheran World Federation.

Victoria Augusta Hospital. Mount of Olives, East Jerusalem

Obviously, there are tons of charities and many of them are not Christian. It just seems odd to me that SO many charities are based on Christian principles. And these aren’t just to make converts: pushing Christianity is explicitly forbidden in WorldVision’s code of conduct.

The stereotype that some people have, that Christians only care about the afterlife, seems not to be true. So what exactly explains the preponderance of Christian aid organizations? Are they motivated by Jesus’ commands to care of the poor, the weak, the oppressed, the widows, and the orphans? Or is it just a coincidence that they happen to be Christian?

What do you think? Should religion play a part in advancing human rights? Or should Christians stay out of it?

I have my own opinions but I’m curious what you think.

Charity Water

2011-11-21T11:32:00.000-05:00

Recently, I came across a charity that's dedicated to bringing clean water to people around the world. I know it's not necessarily about asylum seekers but everyone should have access to clean water and I just want more people to be aware of this cause. Honestly, I would even argue that access to clean water should be a human right. Charity water funds projects like water facilities in a clinic/school/village. Here is what they have done so far:

http://www.charitywater.org/projects/projects.php

In five years, they funded 4,282 projects and helped over 2 million people. I think this cause is very inspiring and I hope you all feel the same way.

Occupy Wall Street: Is This Really About Human Rights?

2011-11-19T15:31:00.000-05:00

Last night, I was walking around downtown Lancaster with my friend Mike and we decided to stop by the local “Occupy Wall Street” gathering, Occupy Lancaster. When we arrived, we were handed a couple of pamphlets urging the “99%” to rise up and protest the oppression of the “1%.” We then sat in on a meeting where the shivering, sickly protesters discussed recent crackdowns in Harrisburg and New York against other #OWS movements.

The occupiers seemed genuinely concerned about their rights and freedom. One man explained that in Harrisburg, the police ripped up a tent “with a knife! This big!” gesturing his hands about five inches apart, “And there were still people inside!” (Though there was no statement that any of those people were actually harmed in this action). Those gathered around the circle expressed their shock and horror, lifting their hands and wiggling fingers—the #OWS form of silently agreeing with a speaker.

But meanwhile, I had to stop myself from laughing. I’ve spent the last three months reading about female genital cutting, looking at pictures of decaying bodies, and watching videos of people getting run over by armored vehicles. The occupiers’ claims of injustice do not reach anywhere near what others worldwide have suffered.

While #OWS protesters have some serious arguments about the nature of our capitalist society, I’m dubious about how much injustice they really are suffering. Protest movements can only gain traction when there is a real sense of suffering or the government is tricked into overreacting—which explains why Egypt’s government has been overthrown, but America’s has not.

What do you think? Does economic and political inequity constitute a human rights violation, or is this just part of modern society? Are these protests in the same vein as the Arab Spring, or is this just the whining of educated white kids? Can the protesters really complain about police brutality, or are they overreacting?

Homophobic Bill Almost Passes in Russia

2011-11-19T12:54:00.003-05:00

Consensual same-sex activity has been decriminalized in Russia in 1993, however, LGBTI people still face widespread discrimination and violence all over Russia. St. Petersburg, Russia’s second largest city, has recently enacted a legislation to ban “propaganda for homosexuality” as it’s “converting Russia’s youth.”

The bill, which St. Petersburg’s city assembly passed nearly unanimously on the first of three readings, will effectively ban public events by LGBTI people and organizations under the pretext of protecting minors. Under the legislation, freedom of assembly and expression for LGBTI groups would be prohibited anywhere children might be present. If enacted, the law would allow authorities to impose fines of up to the equivalent of $1,600 for “public actions aimed at propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality, and transgenderism among minors.” Publications and other informative forms of literature and media representations of the LGBTI will also be restricted to what the authorities deem appropriate.

There has been a serious backlash against the bill from both the LGBTI rights activists in Russia and the international human rights organizations; specifically Amnesty International, who has urged St. Petersburg not to enact the homophobic bill which would “threaten freedom of expression and fuel discrimination against the city’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community.”

“This bill is a thinly veiled attempt to legalize discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people in Russia’s second-biggest city,” said Nicola Duckworth, Amnesty International’s Europe and Central Asia Program Director.

When comparing the situation in St. Petersburg to the United States, many would say that we’re better off here because no one would think about passing legislations like that. But is that really true? We say discrimination is wrong, yet LGBTI people do not share many of the rights that are granted to heterosexuals. Is this equality?

HRW calls on Obama to tackle Indonesian abuses

2011-11-17T23:45:00.003-05:00

The Human Rights Watch is encouraging President Barack Obama to tackle Indonesia’s leader during his visit this week. President Obama should be meeting with President Soil Bambang Yudhoyono during this week’s East Asia Summit. In Indonesia, the light sentencing that was given to members of a religious lynch mob aggravated the local and international media. This mob was accused of killing three members of the Ahmadiyah minority sect. The same court had jailed one of the Ahmadiyah survivors of the attack in August for six months, who had lost his hand in the violence for defending himself and his friends.

In Indonesia, Christians and the Ahmadiyah Islamic sects are minorities and have experienced persecution based on their religious affiliations. The Indonesian constitution guarantees freedom of religion; however, the persecution of minority religious groups have escalated since 2008. In February, a 1,500-strong mob of Muslims set two churches alight and ransacked a third in the town of Twanging, on Java island, as they demanded that a Christian man be sentenced to death for insulting Islam. More than 80 per cent of Indonesia's estimated 240 million people are Muslim. Five per cent are Protestants and three per cent Catholic.

The Human Rights Watch is encouraging President Obama to persuade President Yudhoyono to take serious action to prevent persecution of religious minority group to provide security and to end discriminatory laws.

I think the United States have the right to step in and encourage President Yudhoyono about this current situation in Indonesia. This country stands to protect and respect human rights. It is disturbing that the president of Indonesia hasn’t taken action to prevent more persecutions onto these minority groups. It is shameful that is all over the media, and it is making the Indonesian government lacking legitimacy especially that majority of the population are Muslims.

Obama administration announces shift in immigration policy

2011-11-17T11:00:00.006-05:00

The New York Times is reporting today that the United States government will be reconfiguring its deportation policies and procedures at every level to focus on accelerating deportations of convicted criminals and ceasing, or at least limiting, forced removal of immigrants who have committed no crime other than the illegality of their presence on American soil.

The goal of this policy revision is to reduce the burden on immigration judges, who have the unenviable task of separating families and wasting valuable time deporting individuals with no criminal record, while violent gang members and others remain incarcerated and awaiting trial. This procedural shift has been a long time coming, and ought to bode well for future changes to an immigration system in the United States that, while generous in comparison to many other countries, lacks the cohesion and consistency necessary for it to be successful.

One of the largest problems with the asylum process, and the immigration legal apparatus as a whole, is the fact the immigration judges don't have the necessary time to make the unimaginably important decisions that they are tasked with carrying out on a daily basis. Hopefully these changes will allow them to focus their energy on removing illegal immigrants who threaten our society, rather than those who are merely seeking a better life.

Aids and Orphans in Swaziland - Government does Nothing

2011-11-16T20:33:00.003-05:00

"Swaziland's government has failed to pay more than $10m (£6.3m) in grants to Aids orphans because of its financial crisis, an IMF official has said."

Swaziland has the world's highest HIV/Aids rate (26% of its adult population is infected), leaving some 69,000 orphans. Despite this staggering and heart-wrenching reality, the Swaziland Government claims that it cannot do anything to help the situation. Officials in the Government explain that the global financial crisis has hit Swaziland especially hard, forcing the cutting of many (needed) social programs. Mr Mongardini, the leader of the IMF team that visited Swaziland, told the BBC that the government had "owed" $10m in grants to orphans and $4m to elderly people since September. Many are very skeptical of Swaziland not having enough money to pay for these much needed social programs, explaining that "lavish spending by King Mswati III and his 13 wives has worsened the crisis."

This is overall a very disturbing and depressing situation. Why is the Swaziland Government sitting and watching its citizens suffer like this? Clearly, the leaders in the Swaziland Government do not care about its people enough to try to help fix this awful situation. As bad as the financial crisis is, a Government should never choose conserving money rather than helping its citizens. A Government that does not care about its citizens is worthless and unjust - I think that a power shift (i.e. revolution) is much needed!

East Africa continues to struggle

2011-11-15T14:03:00.002-05:00

The tragedy unfolding in East Africa has escalated in recent days, the BBC reports, as aid workers have been abducted from UN refugee camps, rain and flooding has hampered resettlement and medical operations, and a cholera outbreak has added to the treatment responsibilities of international organizations already spread thin throughout the region.

Food shortages, primarily in Somalia, have driven millions of people from their homes and communities and into neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia, nations facing many of the same problems but which posses the functional central governments required to handle such catastrophes that Somalia has lacked for decades. What makes this situation so tragic is that fleeing certain death has only bred more hardship, a dark irony that underscores the instability and lack of socioeconomic opportunity that plagues the region.

How are refugees supposed to seek a better life if they cannot even find sufficient services in a refugee camp? One might even ask if the situation there is better than the one they left behind.

Israeli Bill to "Prevent Infiltration"...yeah right

2011-11-14T21:34:00.001-05:00

Israel's Knesset’s Committee on Internal Affairs has discussed a new bill for the purpose of deterring asylum seekers. They do this by proposing a three-year minimum imprisonment of asylum seekers and refugees and of their children, even if there is no possibility or intention of deporting them. The proposed bill is particularly strict with asylum seekers from “hostile areas” (e.g. the Darfur region of Sudan) and enables their indefinite imprisonment.

Furthermore, the bill sets a five year prison sentence on those who offer humanitarian aid to refugees – and even fifteen years should a person persist in offering aid after being prosecuted. This continues the trend of delegitimization of human rights organizations, by criminalizing any assistance – medical, legal, humanitarian – provided to those the law defines as “infiltrators.” The bill has been scheduled for further discussion in the committee. But judging by the recent state of human rights in Israel (which is considering placing strangling financial restrictions and taxes on NGOs that are deemed "political"), this bill has a good chance of passing in the Knesset.
Israel has consistently been a force for human rights and a home for thousands of refugees. This bill would ruin that reputation, and should not be passed.

Persecution of Musicians in the Islamic World

2011-11-14T15:11:00.007-05:00

During the 1990's, the Taliban strictly regulated the production and consumption of music in Afghanistan, especially in the public sphere, claiming that a certain hadith would ensure that those who listen to instrumental music would have molten lead poured on their ears. Musicians who dared to defy the orders of the Taliban were tortured, exiled, and had their instruments smashed. "They were subjected to immense humiliation and disgrace,'' said Tor Gul, an Afghan guitar player, ''they were forced to ride donkeys in bazaars and other places with their faces blackened because they were told by the mullahs that they were sinners.''

Perhaps some of you might be familiar with the story of Lounes Matoub, the Berber singer and mondol player from Algeria who was kidnapped and killed by a radical Islamic group. His songs advocated Berber rights and secularism, and despite threats to his life and family, he refused to be silenced. We can see that persecution of musicians seems to occupy an intersection of the enumerated grounds; for Matoub, it is clear that he was targeted for both religious and political beliefs. However, if we consider a heavy metal singer in Afghanistan who continues to play his music with no political or religious agenda, can we say he is targeted for his political beliefs? Is belief in freedom of expression and performance a political opinion we ought to protect? Moreover, can we say that being a musician constitutes membership in a particular social group?

On a lighter note, even women are gaining more access to the production of music in Afghanistan. In this video, The Burqa Band performs one of their singles as a protest against both Taliban's rules for traditional dress and music regulation. In order to protect their identities and families, the group performs anonymously. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Y-sw89qTY

Police Brutality in the Dominican Republic

2011-11-14T13:42:00.001-05:00

“A tenth of all the murders recorded in 2010 were committed by the police.”

There has been an alarming level of police brutality, killings, and torture in the Dominican Republic. Human rights violations are being committed by corrupt professional authorities who are not being held accountable for their actions. Between January and July 2011, 154 people were killed by the police in the Dominican Republic, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General. Reports indicate that while police officers claim that vast majorities of their shootings were in self-defense, in reality, police officers deliberately shoot to kill. There have also been reports of suspects being threatened, beaten, and tortured while in custody.

“The system for investigations of police abuse in the Dominican Republic is disorganized and lacks proper procedures to handle complaints of human rights violations by the police. Whether a police officer faces justice for a killing or torture depends largely on whether the victim or their family lodges an official complaint, the level of publicity a case attracts and the political pressure exerted on prosecutors,” said Javier Zúñiga.

Many families of victims are afraid to talk, as the new motto in the Republic is: “Shut up if you don’t want to be killed.”

This is a very interesting issue. Unlike the authorities in Syria, and Ukraine, where police are killing innocent bystanders, police forces in the Dominican Republic are killing those charged in criminal convictions without giving them a fair trial or allowing them to serve their sentences. They are ‘cleaning the streets’ by getting rid of criminals. They have justified their killings, but is it really a justification?

Turkey: An end to Freedom of Expression

2011-11-14T12:31:00.003-05:00

The Turkish government, for the past two years, has been trying to stamp out and contending political parties. Ragip Zarakolu, owner and chief editor of the Belge publishing house, has been arrested several times with his final arrest on October 27 in Istanbul due to the materials that Zarakolu has been publishing. None of the pieces that Zarakolu ever published have advocated violence against other individuals; however, he does vocally express his belief in Kurdish rights. Busra Ersanh, also arrested in Istanbul on October 27, is on the political science and international relations board at Marmara University in Istanbul. Both Zarakolu and Ersanh are members of the Peace and Democracy Party, the party that is currently not in power. The Turkish Government has been bringing members of the Peace and Democracy Party to court charging them with crimes such as "aiming to destroy the unity and integrity of the state" and with "being a "member or leading member of the PKK" (hrw.org).

Since October 27 over 50 people have been arrested on similar charges as Zarakolu and Ersanh; the government is using Turkey's Anti-Terrorism Law as an excuse for arresting members of the Peace and Democracy Party. The Anti-Terrorism Law however, has a vague and extremely broad definition of what terrorism is, according to the Human Rights Watch. If convicted, Zarakolu, Ersanh, and hundreds of other people can face between 15 years to life in prison for simply stating their beliefs. Freedom of speech is something that, as Americans, is fundamentally engrained into our society that simply attempting to imagine not having them is impossible.

France's Roma Expulsion Condemned. Obviously?

2011-11-10T20:45:00.002-05:00

The Council of Europe, a leading human rights group, has recently condemned the expulsion of Roma people from France last year. It has released a report declaring that the expulsion was a violation of the human rights of the Roma. France has argued that the repatriations were voluntary and that they did not forcibly remove anyone.

I found this article very interesting because I was abroad in Paris last fall when President Nicolas Sarkozy was deciding to remove the Roma. There was no national uproar. The French people were not really opposed to the idea because they see most immigrants and non-native born residents as competition for scarce jobs and a threat to their beloved culture. The expulsion did, however, strike a chord with most of Europe and parts of France because it is reminiscent of "Nazi-era deportations." This comparison is definitely an uncomfortable one, and something I hope Sarkozy considers before taking more action.

Government of Mexico: Crime Fighters or Crime Creators?

2011-11-10T20:13:00.008-05:00

What happens when people who are responsibe for protecting a nation's people become the persecutors?

Shortly after taking office in December 2006, President Calderon declared a 'war on drugs'. He utilized over 50,000 soldiers, thousands of members of the military, the federal police, and local police forces to help crack down on organized crime.

However, the very people who were in charge of cracking down on crime, actually created more of it. In trying to oust leaders of organized crime, the soldiers and other forces committed serious human rights abuses, including among other things, torturing innocent civilians in hope that they had information to find leaders of drug cartels.

Despite these terrible human rights abuses by Government forces, no soldiers or other law enforcing officials have been prosecuted. Jose Vivanko, Americas director at Human Rights Watch explained, “These abuses are almost never adequately investigated, yet government officials routinely dismiss the victims as criminals and discount their allegations as false”. This is because the Mexican court system is set up in a way to allow the military to have trials for their own members. Unfortunately, this allows government officials to get away with, literally, murder.

This is a very difficult situation with no clear answer. So many aspects of the Mexican Government must be changed to restore order. For one, it is clear that the Mexican Government must re-think its approach to fighting crime - it cannot go around interrogating, torturing, and killing innocent civilians! It must also revamp its court system; the military is not capable of justly putting on trial and convicting its own members. Perhaps most importantly, though, the Government has to feel an increased responsibility to its citizens.

What do you think the first steps are?

UN: Repression ahead of this month’s presidential vote in Congo could lead to more violenc

2011-11-09T16:37:00.001-05:00

Repression by Congo’s government ahead of this month’s critical presidential election could lead to even more violence in the Central African nation struggling after decades of dictatorship and civil war, the United Nations warned Wednesday.

The report from the U.N. Joint Human Rights Office in Geneva said people have been beaten and arrested just for wearing opposition party T-shirts. One man has been jailed since March for selling a newspaper that questioned President Joseph Kabila’s nationality. There is a continued repression of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the pre-electoral period that may increase the likelihood of individuals and political parties resorting to violent means, endanger the democratic process and lead to post-electoral violence.

The Nov. 28 presidential vote will be only the country’s second democratic election in a half century. The first one in 2006 was largely organized and secured by the massive U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo. There are signs of growing tensions with the vote still weeks away. Several people already have been killed and injured. Over the weekend, 16 were wounded in the southeast mining center of Lubumbashi during fighting between supporters of two rival opposition candidates.

Corruption in governments has caused many of these wars that occurs during election season. Working with my asylum case, it has shocked and disturbed me the amount of killings that occur during election season. This occurring in many different areas of the world because of corruption in governments that is greedy for votes. This must come to an end where parties should be held accountable for their actions and manipulating people to wage war to fight for territories and votes.

A Second Chance for an Asylum Seeker in PA

2011-11-06T10:14:00.002-05:00

"An illiterate Jamaican farmworker with a severe stutter has been granted a new asylum hearing in Pennsylvania as he tries to stay in the U.S."

The applicant had been detained for over a year with no progress being made on his case. Because of the applicant's severe stutter and inability to get legal counsel, the judge presiding over the case allowed two fellow inmates to try to translate for the applicant. This obviously led the outcome of the hearing to be extremely questionable. It is surprising that a judge would allow something so unprofessional to occur in court. Luckily, the hearing was reviewed and the applicant has been granted another hearing.

Some good has come out of this case. Along with a new hearing the publicity has led to a speech pathologist to volunteer time to help with the applicants speech impediment.

This case is a prime example of how our asylum system is failing. By not offering support in the form of legal counsel etc. to those seeking asylum we are causing them to be detained for harmful periods of time and it is clogging up the system. At the very least, in extreme cases such as this, we should not expect applicants to fend for themselves. Luckily this applicant no longer has to.

Is Asylum Working in Australia?

2011-11-05T20:46:00.002-04:00

"Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Thursday that she remains committed to her thwarted policy for deterring asylum attempts by boat after at least eight people drowned in Indonesian waters while attempting to reach Australia."

After the fatal capsizing Australia's PM is trying to resurrect a deal with Malaysia to send asylum seekers there is return for resettling 4,000 refugees from Kuala Lumpur. The deal was meant to deter refugees from boarding dangerous boats in an attempt to reach Australian shores. Apparently there have been a rise in asylum seekers trying to reach Australia since the law was shelved.

Opposition is opposed to the bill because of Malaysia's poor human rights record, believing it is wrong to send asylum seekers there. Gillard at least claims to be looking out for the best interests of the asylum seekers, implying that her solution would be safer and lead to less accidents.

What do you think? Is Australia acting selfishly by trying to keep asylum seekers out? Or are they trying to providing an alternative that allows those fleeing persecution to avoid putting there lives at risk traversing dangerous waters to reach Australia?

Human Rights Activist Persecuted in China

2011-11-03T22:39:00.009-04:00

"The Chinese government imprisoned Chen for four years in response to his work documenting forced abortions and sterilizations. Since Chen’s release from prison in September 2010, the police have cordoned off his home from the rest of his village and severely beaten him at least three times. "

The international community is outraged with the Chinese Government's persecution of Chen, a blind Chinese Human Rights Lawyer. As the quote indicates, most of Chen's work focuses in fighting the forced abortions and sterilizations taking place in China – clear violations of human rights.

For his opposition to the Government’s inhumane practices, Chen was imprisoned for four years, and then upon release, was blocked off from the rest of the community by authorities, and beaten numerous times. Fortunately, many local friends and community members heard of Chen’s abuse, and visited his home to try to help out. Authorities, however, violently confronted these supporters, and violently assaulted and robbed them. Despite the violence, supporters still come to see Chen. One supporter summed up his reason for visiting Chen, like this: “I couldn’t believe something so dark and evil could happen in my country, so I had to see for myself.”

It is very disturbing knowing that abuses like this are happening in this day and age. Chen’s treatment reminds me of when Jews were forced into ghettos the in Germany, separated from the rest of the community. Even though it is clear that there are supporters of Chen, it seems that more can be done to stop this human rights abuse. What can be done? Do you think that more attention ought to be paid to this story, even though it is one isolated event? If the answer is no, just remember the quote by Martin Niemollier:

“First they came for the communists,  and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,  and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,  and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

Families Torn Apart By Deportation

2011-11-03T20:01:00.002-04:00

This article from the Huffington Post discusses the latest report from the Applied Research Center. The advocacy group has analyzed national data to create a better understanding of the serious problems involved with separating families through deportation. The author and chief investigator of the report, Seth Freed Wessler, found that, "almost one in four people deported is the parent of a United States citizen child." When parents are taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, their children are often placed in the foster care system and are sometimes never reunited with their families.

I think this is unfair and frankly insensitive to the needs of the child; there should be another way to handle the legal issues of undocumented immigrants without the parents and children being separated. Isn't America all about "family values?"

Doctors take an oath to help others, no? Save their lives? Help them?

2011-11-03T15:01:00.001-04:00

A report entitled, Doctoring the Evidence, Abandoning the Victim, will be published later this month and it is based on 100 cases of Palestinian detainees brought to Public Committee Against Tortue, PCAT. The report reveals that Israeli doctors don't report torture of Palestinian detainees. They don't keep proper medical records of injuries caused during interrogations. There are "countless cases wherein individuals testified to injuries inflicted upon them during detention or in interrogation, and yet the medical record from the hospital or the prison service makes no mention of it." A man alleged in an affidavit that "he was beaten, held in stress positions and deprived of sleep. He said he told doctors of his ill-treatment and said he was suffering from severe arm, leg and back pain. His medical record shows that he was seen by doctors but the only comment noted is that the patient had no complaints and was in good overall condition." The report also mentions that the doctors return the detainees to interrogators after treatment, which essentially grants medical permission to continue on with their practices.

I look forward to reading this report when it is published.

Famine in Horn of Africa - New Green Revolution may not be way forward

2011-11-02T00:53:00.001-04:00

“Just as death from exposure is not an inherent result of a cold winter, famine is not a natural consequence of drought. Simply put, the structure of human society often determines who is affected and to what degree.”

More than 10 million people have been hit by severe drought in the Horn of Africa. Parts of southern Somalia are hit by the worst famine in the area for 20 years, according to the United Nations. I stumbled an older article regarding the famine and it discussed how the “New Green Revolution” may not be the most effective for certain regions of the world. I first heard of the Green Revolution in my advanced genetic course where we began to access genetically modified crops. Interestingly we had a debate on the ethics (and advantages and disadvantages) of genetically modified crops. However, that same semester, an Dr. Akinqumi Adesina received a doctor of humane letter during our F&M commencement. Dr. Adesine is a scholar of African agriculture, economics and development, and a champion of the Agricultural Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), which boosts food security for the continent. We are constantly given information about how life changing the green revolution in Africa could be – and how it is the right way forward.

Though it is critical for the world to act immediately to address the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa (right now..), to ensure food delivery and distribution, we should also attempt to understand the underlying causes of the crisis in order to provide effective long-term solutions.

Some argue that the problem is that the USAID plan for agricultural development in the majority of Africa has stressed a “New Green Revolution” involving improved seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. This green revolution, though scientifically proven to be effective and be more advantages to local growers that are attempting to be most efficient, may not be the best solution. First of all – these green revolutions are financially out of reach of the world’s poor (i.e. the populations that they are trying to help) and have been unsuccessful in times of severe stress. In changing to a Green Revolution, we are removing any chances of species being able to adapt and survive in harsh conditions.

In attempting to solve general hunger problems in the horn of Africa – are we handicapping the countries “food resources” in their ability to naturally overcome harsh weather conditions? Adaptation for all organisms is critical to overall abilities, function, and survival. If we really go forward with the green revolution – we maybe taking natural abilities away from all food sources in the countries, ultimately creating a larger long term problem.

poorest of poor farmers, who are the most likely to face food shortfalls. A more realistic approach would play down imported seeds and commercial agriculture in favor of enhanced traditional approaches to producing food for families and local markets.

Dutch asylum system under fire

2011-11-01T20:51:00.002-04:00

I'm not at all familiar with how the Dutch asylum system works, but a recent article published by the BBC draws attention to recent popular and political outrage against it because of the proposed deportation of an Angolan asylum-seeker. Mauro Manuel, who is now 18, came to the Netherlands when he was a young boy and has been fully integrated into Dutch society. From what I could gather from the article, the fact that he is now an adult means that he is eligible for deportation, since he is not a legal resident of the Netherlands, and powerful politicians and citizen groups alike have reacted with harsh criticism of the system and advocacy on Manuel's behalf. The Dutch parliament has even taken up measures to grant him residency status, but anti-immigrant legislators have argued that "rules are rules" and he must be deported.

I'm the first person to argue that the laws must be adhered to and that justice comes from changing the system, not subverting it, but I'm failing to understand why Manuel cannot be granted asylum - or at least some sort of comparable protection. The fact that his situation has catalyzed an national, and international, debate about his situation indicates to me that there is disagreement about what exactly Dutch asylum law says must happen. It will be interesting to see how this situation plays out.

"Enforced Disappearances in Pakistan"

2011-11-01T15:44:00.004-04:00

“My son was born seven months after my husband went missing…he has never met his father, he just looks at his pictures." - Zahida Sharif

Ever since Pakistan joined the war on terror in 2001, citizens of Pakistan have noticed a dramatic increase in ‘enforced disappearances.’ Families of victims told Amnesty International that authorities forcibly enter their homes, and take whoever they are looking for without any explanation or reason. Victims include prominent members of society, including doctors, engineers, and journalists who speak out against the government. Students have also been prime targets as well. Families are not informed of what happens to their loved ones after the government takes them away. Sometimes bodies are not found until years later.

“Disappearances occur across the country but especially in Balochistan province in the Southwest, which faces violence from ethnic and religious armed groups and state security forces.” Please click on the picture to the right to watch a short video from Amnesty International.

A judicial Commission of Enquiry on enforced disappearances has failed to resolve the crisis or to hold the security forces and intelligence agencies accountable. There is a call for the prime minister to take action against this terrible crisis. I have raised this question before, and I’ll do it once again. What can one do when the very entity that is design to protect and serve are the ones committing gruesome crimes?

Israel Using Legal Technicality to Deport Eritrean Asylum-Seekers

2011-10-31T15:13:00.001-04:00

I just read this article from the Israeli news organization, Haaretz (in English, "The Nation"). It sounds like a terrible injustice is occurring. Israel's Interior Ministry is just assuming that Ethiopia will indeed accept and grant citizenship to Eritreans that Israel deports there, despite the fact that many legal scholars doubt this is actually occurring. Thus Israel may in fact be sending asylum-seekers to a nation where they will be imprisoned, or worse. Israel is supposed to be a safe haven for those fleeing conflict, but it sounds like its government is taking advantage of an imaginary legal loophole to deport as many Eritrean refugees as possible.

What do you think? Should governments make it a policy to deport as many refugees as possible for any reason they can find?

"Israel using technicality to deport Eritrean asylum-seekers to Ethiopia"

By Talila Nesher, Haaretz

The Interior Ministry is deporting Eritrean asylum-seekers to Ethiopia even though it admits it cannot guarantee their safety there, a ministry document obtained by Haaretz shows.

Under UN rules, Eritreans are automatically entitled to asylum, whereas Ethiopians have no such collective asylum right. In 2003, however, Ethiopia passed a law granting citizenship to anyone whose mother or father was an Ethiopian citizen. That provision applies to many Eritreans, since Eritrea split off from Ethiopia in 1993.

An Eritrean migrant in Rehovot, Israel

The ministry's Population Authority has therefore been deporting some Eritreans to Ethiopia on the grounds that they could obtain citizenship there. Yet the document obtained by Haaretz casts doubt on whether the new law is really being applied, and consequently, on whether Eritreans will really be safe there.

The interior and foreign ministries are currently investigating this issue, but the Population Authority hasn't informed the courts of this when seeking permission to deport Eritreans to Ethiopia.

In July, the ministry's advisory committee on refugees met and discussed the 2003 law and its subsidiary legislation. But according to the minutes of this meeting, the option of Eritreans obtaining Ethiopian citizenship is currently only "theoretical," and the interior and foreign ministries are still trying "to understand whether these laws are being applied."

The minutes also quote Danny Hass, head of the Interior Ministry's research department, as saying, "this is a sensitive issue due to the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and it's hard to get answers about what happens to those refugees who return once they land at the airport."

Yet none of this is mentioned in the briefs the ministry files in court. In response to one Eritrean's petition against his deportation, for instance, the ministry wrote simply that "even if the petitioner lost his Ethiopian citizenship at some point, he can, under Article 3 of the new Ethiopian citizenship law, reacquire Ethiopian citizenship if one of his parents (in this case, the petitioner's mother ) is Ethiopian."

Yonatan Berman, outgoing legal advisor for the Hotline for Migrant Workers and one of the attorneys representing that petitioner, said, "the minutes constitute evidence that the Interior Ministry is concealing information that could have led to different conclusions about the legal possibility of deporting people."

Attorney Yuval Livnat of Tel Aviv University's refugee rights clinic termed the minutes "extremely disturbing. The Interior Ministry tells the courts over and over that Ethiopians of Eritrean origin can return to Ethiopia without fear, but in private it admits there's no certainty regarding the treatment that awaits them."

In another case, Judge Rami Amir noted two other problems with the ministry's position. First, he said, neither the Justice Ministry's international department nor any expert on Ethiopian law has confirmed that the new law means what the Interior Ministry says it does. Moreover, another article in the law states that anyone with citizenship in another country shall be viewed as if he had given up his Ethiopian citizenship, unless he waives his foreign citizenship within a year of reaching his majority. That would seem to preclude most Eritrean asylum-seekers from acquiring Ethiopian citizenship under this law.

The Interior Ministry responded that it stands by its right to deport any Eritrean who has or could acquire citizenship in any other country, including Ethiopia. The fact that an asylum seeker also has Eritrean citizenship "does not entitle him to immunity" from deportation, it said

Birth tourists get instant U.S. citizenship for their newborns

2011-10-30T19:49:00.004-04:00

I think that you guys will find this article interesting. It is about an uprising global industry that permits foreign women in the U.S. to give birth to their babies for money. Once the babies are born they return to their parents country of origin but at age 21 they can reap the benefits of American citizens, including bringing their family members to the U.S. There has been a lot of controversy over this issue because members of Congress and Representative Phil Gingrey say "They are gaming the system…and people should be put in jail,” a Republican from Georgia. Many people don't think it's right especially because while the mothers are here in the U.S. they shop at very high end stores.

It is a very interesting article guys, check it out!

Living Heros are Honored

2011-10-26T23:40:00.002-04:00

Often times, people's great accomplishments are not honored most until they are dead. Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Ghandi, Abraham Lincoln, and others did not recieve their greatest honor until they no longer could know about it.

Today, living heros were honored. NBC Nightly News Anchor, Brian Williams, hosted a Human Rights Awards Dinner. Egyptian activist, Basem Fathy, was honored for his tireless and brave work as an advocate for Egypt's political freedom. Fathy was detained many times by the Mubarak regime. However, despite the Mubarak's opposition to his political ideas, which could have resulted in his assassination, Fathy found courage to help coordinate and inspire the Egyptian people to rise up for their political freedom. Another hero, Shehrbano Taseer, was also honored for her brave work. She has faced criticism and even death threats while working to advocate for increased religious freedom in Pakistan. The article states that she was a very key player in organizing the United Nation Human Rights Council's "groundbreaking resolution that seeks to adress violence, discrimination, and incitement to religious hatred without the controversial notion of 'defamation of religions'".

I think that it is great that such amazing heros are being celebrated for their amazing accomplishments. Why are such events not held more often?

"Too Scared to Seek Treatment"

2011-10-26T00:37:00.002-04:00

Footage in this video shows a health professional striking a wounded patient as he is being carried out of the ambulance. Amnesty International reports that the footage is consistent with many testimonies where patients suffer beatings from their doctors or government authorities in Syria.

In an interview, a former Syrian doctor claims that the state administered hospitals are required to report their wounded to the authorities. The government is concerned about taking suspected people who have been wounded to interrogation immediately rather than to give them treatment. Many fear going to the hospital as they will be captured and tortured by the military.

There is a serious dilemma here: as doctors, you either report your patients to the authorities and risk them not getting treatment and eventually tortured, or protect your patients and put yourself at risk of arrest and torture. “Those inside Syria who are injured or dying have a right to basic medical treatment. The Syrian government needs to stop discriminating based on assumed political ties of the wounded.”

It is troubling to know that you cannot speak out against the government. It is even more disturbing to know that when you do and you are injured and dying, doctors are not allowed to help you either.

Virginity Tests in Egypt

2011-10-25T21:59:00.002-04:00

I read a short summary of this article first on the Daily Beast today and was so incredulous that I then clicked on the link to read the entire story at Global Post. This young woman, Samira Ibrahim, was violated by Egyptian military personnel as part of a "virginity check." She has filed a lawsuit against the military for the practice. The entire concept of a virginity test is a complete violation of a woman's human rights and has been condemned by Amnesty International as a form of torture. This woman is so brave for standing up to Egyptian authorities, and even more incredible, I think, is the fact that both of her parents support her case. If her case is not given a fair trial by the often corrupt courts of Egypt, Ms. Ibrahim has said that she will take it to the United Nations. I find it so admirable that she is fighting back for what she knows is right and that she is not afraid, despite the male-dominated culture and corrupt legal system.

Evelyn Apoko

2011-10-23T20:40:00.000-04:00

Another video of Evelyn.

Evelyn Apoko and the LRA

2011-10-23T20:38:00.003-04:00

The LRA needs to sit down! Look at her face due to the LRA. Evelyn is one of the few people to survive and I'm happy that she is speaking out because she may be able to save other children.

Is this the best way to reform our immigration system?

2011-10-21T16:47:00.003-04:00

A recent LA Times article, discusses a new bipartisan Senate bill which would grant new homeowner visas to individuals seeking to come to the United States who spend at least $500,000 on a residential property. The goal of this legislation is to encourage foreign investment as a means of stimulating the American economy, and to remove existing disincentives for the well-off who wish to move to the United States. These individuals would also be able to bring spouses with them, as well as children. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stated that this legislation is also intended to encourage people to come to the United States to spend their money, not only to acquire a job that would otherwise go to an American citizen. These new immigrants would be ineligible for many US social programs such as Medicare and Social Security.

I think the intentions - and probably results - of this legislation are good, but is this really the area of immigration law that we should be focused on reforming? Yes, this new program will probably lead to much-needed economic stimulation here in the United States by encouraging foreign investment from people who will permanently settle in and contribute to American society. But should this really be our priority?

There are thousands of individuals from all across the world who would jump at the chance to enter the United States. Many of them are fleeing persecution, famine, disease, poverty, and other horrendous socioeconomic circumstances, but we make them prove to us why they should join our society before we offer them protection. Many others would probably live a normal and prosperous life if they were to remain in their country, but they would like to move here nonetheless for one reason or another.

Our society is bursting at the seams, and we can't let everyone in. We only have room for so many. Should we work tirelessly to make space for those who desperately need our help, or for those who don't? Should we encourage certain people to join us while we continue to enforce a system that discourages others? I don't know the answers to these questions, and they're certainly not black or white.

I'm just not sure that our priorities lie in the right place when we're creating immigration incentives for a group of people who objectively don't need our help, while we deport those who do by the hundreds of thousands.

Stop the Child Labor in Bangladesh

2011-10-21T16:43:00.000-04:00

The average person will not know the location of Bangladesh, my home country. (It's in South Asia, adjacent to India). Despite it's small size, Bangladesh is extremely over-populated and extremely poor. Although there are many health and education issues, child labor continues to be a big problem. Child labor is defined as, "Child labour is work that exceeds a minimum number of hours, depending on the age of a child and on the type of work. Such work is considered harmful to the child and should therefore be eliminated." (UNICEF). Although child labor is illegal in Bangladesh, the garment industry employed between 50,000 and 75,000 children under 14.

In 1992, the US enforced legislation that banned the importation of goods made using child labor and this decreased number of children employed. However, they went looking for new jobs in stone-crushing, street hustling and prostitution, all activities that are much more dangerous than garment making. In 1995, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), UNICEF, and International Labor Organization (ILO) made an agreement. They agreed to move all workers aged below 14 to attend an appropriate education program for four months, under-age workers cannot be hired, and the children's jobs should be offered to qualified adult family members. NGO's have been pacing child laborers in special schools and are protected and receive health care.

Despite all of these reforms and programs, child labor still exists in Bangladesh. According to UNICEF's 2010 report for child labor in Bangladesh, 3.2 million are child laborers, aged 5- 17. 421,000 child domestic workers work seven days a week and 90% sleep at the employer's home, so they are completely dependent on their employers and have restrictions on their mobility and freedom. Hundreds of thousands of children work in hazardous jobs, which expose children to physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, excessive work hours, and an unhealthy environment. For example, 3,400 children work in brick/stone breaking. Children are not provided with any safety gear or protection from brick dust. 123,000 children work as rickshaw pullers, 56,000 work in carpentry.

Within the past year, through reforms implemented by UNICEF, more than 6,600 learning centers have been established in the six cities of Bangladesh, which provides basic education and life skills training to 166,150 urban working children. Please refer to the UNICEF pdf file for more statistics. What still needs to be done, however, is to increase awareness about child labor because it exists all over the world, not just Bangladesh. Fortunately, the National Child Labor Elimination Policy 2010 has been adopted. I hope the numbers of child laborers in Bangladesh are declining.

References:

UNICEF: http://www.unicef.org/bangladesh/Child_labour.pdf

Burma: Army Committing Abuses in Kachin State

2011-10-21T15:46:00.001-04:00

The ethnic group, Kachin, is the second largest group in Burma (technically-Myanmar). The Kachin state is located in the northernmost part of Burma. Since more than five months ago, the Burmese armed forces have been fighting against the Kachin Independence Army and have been killing and attacking many civilians through forced labor, which resulted in the displacement of an estimated 30,000 Kachin civilians. The cause of the hostility between the Burmese government and the Kachin Independence Organization is the suspension of US$3.6 billion hydropower dam project on the Irrawaddy River in Kachin State. So far, tens of thousands of people have fled through the mountains and jungle during the peak of the rainy season.

Human Rights Watch is sending people on fact-finding missions to investigate the situation. HRW documented three Kachin killings by Burmese soldiers in June. Villagers told HRW that a Burmese soldier shot and killed a 52-year-old woman and her 4-year-old grandson in their home as they tried to flee. Soldiers shot and killed a farmer as he stood unarmed with a group of friends at a cemetery. 18 women and girls have been gang-raped by army soldiers and four were killed.

Most people are shot as they try to flee. Below is the story of a 62-year old woman and her four young grandchildren.

“In the morning when we were cooking rice, we heard gunfire and we left our food and went to the field, looking into the village the whole day before we fled. When we ran the soldiers shot at us. We were really afraid. We just ran and hid.” She said that after two days in the jungle without basic provisions, they decided to return home to get food, at which point they were fired upon a second time. “We had already left the house and were on our way out of the village … and the soldiers opened fire on us [again],” she said. “No one was hit. When the soldier opened fire it made me shake and I didn’t know what to do. We just ran.”

What kind of a damn world do we live in?

2011-10-21T15:20:00.001-04:00

This past weekend, a two-year-old girl, named Yueyue, was run over twice near a hardware market in Foshan, China. Despite the horrible injuries that she faced, the most disgusting part of it all is that MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE passed by the dying child and simply ignored her. In the link above, there is a video. Please watch it with caution-it will be graphic. I'm simply appalled by the fact that 18 people just walked by and went on with their normal lives and completely ignored this little girl. What's wrong with these people? How can our society be so indifferent and so heartless?

Death Penalty: A Human Rights Violation

2011-10-19T23:12:00.001-04:00

October 10, 2011 marked the 35th year that the United States reinstated capital punishment. Human Rights Watch expresses its discontent with the death penalty, explaining that it is a fundamental human rights abuse:

"Human Rights Watch opposes capital punishment in all countries and in all circumstances because the inherent dignity of the person is inconsistent with the death penalty. This form of punishment is unique in its cruelty and finality, and it is inevitably and universally plagued with arbitrariness, prejudice, and error."

There are many reasons, Human Rights Watch explains, why the death penalty is a violation of human rights. First, many innocent people have been unjustly killed because of the Death Penalty. Second, the death penalty violates the right to life found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights treaties. Third, the authorities often times discriminate based upon race, poverty, and geography; which can lead to the difference between life and death. For all these reasons, the death penalty is used less and less as a means of punishment in the United States.

I believe that the death penalty is a violation of human rights. Not only this, but punishing people upon death seems like a very barberic and ancient way of punishing people; and certainly does not help create the type of civil world we want to live in.

Of course, there are some real strong counter-arguments. Paying for murderers to live out their life in jail hardly seems fair. And, it is certainly a strong incentive not to commit crimes. Nonetheless, I still believe that the negatives of the death penalty greatly outweigh the positives. Any thoughts? Is the death penalty a human rights violation?

Police Criminality in Ukraine

2011-10-19T11:06:00.000-04:00

“The Ukrainian authorities must act immediately to deal with endemic police criminality, Amnesty International said today in a new report that reveals widespread torture, extortion, and arbitrary detention.”

The Ukrainian public is demanding investigations for violations of human rights by the police. They are tired of the ill treatment and corruption amongst the authorities. Last year alone, the state office received more than 5,000 complaints about corruption and torture by the authorities. Some police officers who torture or ill-treat detainees never face disciplinary or criminal proceedings, because of high levels of corruption, harassment and intimidation of complainants and lack of supervision by the government.

Amnesty International states, “Complaints by detainees against police officers for torture and ill-treatment are either disregarded or dismissed regardless of how well-founded they might be.”

It is extremely difficult and traumatic for someone to go and complain because the public continues to live in fear of what may happen to them if the authorities find out. The government does not provide any forms of protection for witnesses or complainants. Police officers often falsify documents and brutally beat, and torture someone until they sign confessions. There are also many instances of people ‘committing suicide’ while detained and/or disappearing after being arrested. Extortions for the release of prisoners are not uncommon either.

This video explains the endemic in Ukraine very well.

It is troubling that such things take place within a democratic state. Clearly the government needs to do something to revive the public’s trust back into their police force. What can one do when the very entity that is design to protect and serve are the ones committing gruesome crimes?

Human rights watchdog calls on Canada to arrest former U.S. president

2011-10-16T19:47:00.002-04:00

Is this really a strong enough case to detain former President Bush?

Very interesting point:
"Amnesty International cherry picks cases to publicize based on ideology. This kind of stunt helps explain why so many respected human rights advocates have abandoned Amnesty International," Kenney said in a statement.

Speech and Representation: Jamaican case

2011-10-16T19:23:00.004-04:00

We may need to seriously reevaluate how we assess asylum claims. Why is it that there seems to be few provisions made to accommodate asylum cases? And those that are made are not nearly enough or as frequent considering the case load. Mr. Cotterel's case is a perfect example. He clearly has reason to fear being returned to Jamaica, and yet, an asylum grant is not guaranteed. It seems like our system is working against him.

First, there is the issue of communication. As if it isn't already hard to build a strong asylum application, imagine trying to do it with, not only a language barrier, but a speech impediment as well. It also seems as if he is being penalized for missing a court date that occurred while he was incarcerated in York. Shouldn't it have been York's responsibility to make sure he was present for that appearance? And why did it take so long for him to gain legal representation. At least now he has some hope. If Mr. Shagin had not taken on his case, would he even have thought to appeal the IJ's decision?

There is a great need of legal support for immigration cases. Until the supply meets the demand we will continue to see cases, similar to Mr. Cotterel's, slip through the cracks and have deserving people denied much needed refuge.

100 US advisors are to help fight African renegade group (LRA)

2011-10-15T08:36:00.002-04:00

President Obama recently dispatched 100 armed military advisers to Uganda to defeat the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) (New york times article here!). Tom Malinowski, the Washington director of Human Rights Watch said that though the LRA is only a few hundred fighters, “they are incredibly vicious and have committed numerous massacres. It’s a group that seems to exist for no other purpose than to kill.” HRW and many other international human rights researchers strongly advocated the deployment.

Obama’s decision to act now was justified by a law passed in May by Congress, the Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, which strongly favored “increased, comprehensive U.S. efforts to help mitigate and eliminate the threat posed by the LRA to civilians and regional stability.” Though the first deployment of these military men and women will be to Uganda, these advisers will also travel to South Sudan, Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo upon the approval of each host nation. For years LRA has killed, raped, and prevented economic development in the countries it passes through. With the mass murders of millions, it is clear that Uganda, Sudan, and the Congo are not able to protect their government and citizens alone. I'm glad to see the U.S. finally providing support for these countries to move forward.

A Different Type of Asylum-seeker

2011-10-13T18:39:00.004-04:00

The BBC reports that two Eritrean football players were denied asylum in Tanzania because they "failed to prove that their lives would be in danger" if they were to return to Eritrea. According to the Tanzanian home ministry, the young athletes were trying to escape Eritrea's crushing poverty, repressive one-party government, and national military service, but their seeking of "greener pastures" did not sufficiently constitute future persecution. Instead, the UNHCR is seeking other countries who could offer the football players "resettlement" status.

This anecdote highlights the often overlooked reality that asylum-seekers are not necessarily the poor and the marginalized. In fact, they can be successful national athletes who intentionally board the wrong plane after a tournament in a neighboring country. And while their claims of persecution might face tighter scrutiny, does that make them any less legitimate?

Persecution, in one form or another, can impact even the most well-off. Yes, those with resources and fame might be able to avoid being targeted more so than those with nothing, but they don't necessarily face different threats. Race, ethnicity, religion, political opinion, and membership in a social group are not reserved for the socioeconomically disadvantaged or for the wealthy. They are immutable characteristics that permeate societies, and which ought to be respected at all levels. Anyone who possess a demonstrable and genuine fear of persecution based on any of those characteristics deserves protection, regardless of their social placement.

When the Uprooted Put Down Roots

2011-10-13T14:15:00.004-04:00

We've been spending a great deal of time looking at the process and past of refugees and those seeking asylum- but I'm left to wonder: what happens next? How do these people, with shattered lives and identities, begin to rebuild? This article in the New York Times describes the rise of community farms dedicated to refugee agriculture. Programs like New Roots offer significant sources of income and access to an international variety of produce- but more importantly, they offer a community and a sense of belonging. One of the most agonizing aspects of resettlement is being stripped of one's social identity. These people have come from countries where their societal norms have been entirely inverted; they have lost their families, friends, culture, and entire way of life. By rebuilding interpersonal connections and working with others for a common goal, refugees and asylees can reconstruct their sense of purpose and integrity while establishing meaningful links to a new community. In this community of shared pasts and shared goals, healing can take place.

This article is definitely worth a read- it's a hopeful change of pace from the dismaying, tragic stories of human rights violations. The refugee farm projects are a heartening reminder that people can and do come together to help their fellow man.

Women's Rights Are Human Rights

2011-10-12T22:35:00.002-04:00

Last week, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female president of Liberia, was named as one of the recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. This recognition was applauded by people around the world, as President Johnson Sirleaf is actually the first woman to be elected president in modern-day Africa. The New York Times article covering the Prize (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/08/world/nobel-peace-prize-johnson-sirleaf-gbowee-karman.html?pagewanted=all), contains a quote from Johnson Sirleaf on the honor,

"We particularly give this credit to Liberian women, who have consistently led the struggle for peace, even under conditions of neglect."

Well, "conditions of neglect" is a rather large understatement. The title of this blog post is the link to the 2011 Amnesty International Report on Liberia. It notes that levels of rape and sexual violence against women and girls is at a very high level, despite Johnson Sirleaf's professed admiration for Liberian women. However, what truly shocked me is the statement contained in the section on Children's Rights. Amnesty International finds that female genital mutilation is still widespread in rural areas. The most horrifying fact? FGM is not specifically prohibited by law in Liberia.

I do not understand how the first female elected to president in modern Africa can lead a government that does not criminalize FGM, and instead seems to be willfully blind to the prevalence of this inhumane practice. It is incredible to me that a woman could ignore, and by extension, condone, such a violent act perpetrated against women and young girls. Despite the praise from around the world for Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, I do not believe that progress can be made in Liberia until she makes an honest effort to reform Liberian laws and explicitly condemn FGM. As Hillary Clinton said, "It is no longer acceptable to discuss women's rights as separate from human rights."

Individual decisions that lead to Community Public Health Risks

2011-10-12T06:38:00.001-04:00

Aside from clean water and sanitation, Vaccines have played one of the most important roles in the health of individuals by allowing people to survive, live longer and heather lives. Vaccines against measles, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, mumps, rubella, and so much more have saved the lives of generations. In developed countries, these diseases are vaguely known or understood by name, and very few people now a days (for example, my generation) have had any sort of direct experience with them. Even though vaccines have provided developed societies to "defeat" many of these child killers, some families are chosing to not vaccinate their children. Yet, in developing countries, the life long implications of some of these disease, such as polio, are apparent since individuals from older generations may show symptoms of paralysis from having the disease as a child. In these countries, the question of getting the vaccine for your child or not simply comes down to the availability and cost of the vaccines.

Though meals was almost completely eradicated from the US, recent outbreaks are causing children to become extremely ill. The New York times journalist Donald McNeil shows how a historical study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released in November 2007, death rates for 13 diseases that can be prevented by childhood vaccinations were at all-time lows in the United States. In 9 of the diseases, the rates of hospitalization and death declined over 90%. For small-pox, diphtheria and polio the death rates had dropped by 100 percent. Unethical scientists began false accusations of detrimental mental effects of vaccines (i.e. autism). In recent years, vaccines have become a hot-button topic among parents. In one community, 12 children fell ill; nine of them had not been inoculated against the virus because their parents objected, and the other three were too young to receive vaccines. Should the parents who decided not to vaccinate their children be accountable for the underage children who got the virus from contact with the unvaccinated children? If health is a human right, then should society hold individuals accountable for harming the people (or in this case, children) around them due to their decisions? The government's main role is to protect the public. Individuals must be held accountable for public Health risks that they impose on society by the choices they make.

over two dozen unarmed Coptic Christian protesters killed in Cairo

2011-10-12T05:00:00.000-04:00

Peaceful walks by the Coptic Christian protesters ended in violence in Cairo this past Monday. The devestation occured just over a week after the burning of a Coptic Christian church in southern Egypt. The burning led to the Sunday protest, with the group demanding equality and protection of their places of worship.

A total of 17 civilians were killed and 40 were injured. Moreover, 12 army troops died and 50 were injured. The protesters claim that they were peaceful and some other group began the violence against the military troops, ultimately leading to the chaos. This terrible unbelievable massacre has occured to peaceful demonstrators who were simply asking for their rights. Is the military to blame for the killing of over two dozen unarmed Coptic Christian protesters? It is still ambiguous as to who began the chaos, but the government simply failed to do its purpose, which is to protect its citizens. In this case, violence is used as a tool by a third party to not only attack the Coptic Christians but to also weaken the governments effectiveness, so can blame even be placed on the government?

Moreover, the Egyption finance minister, Hazem el-Beblawi, resigned the day after the protest saying that the "government failed in its main responsibility, which is to provide security, and it should at least acknowledge its failure to give this issue the effort it needed and apologize.”Instead of apologize, the government should commit their efforts to discover what group purposefully began the chaos and continues to attack the Coptic Christians.

Jail is no Place for Immigration Detainees

2011-10-11T21:39:00.002-04:00

A report issued the other day highlights the US Government's failure to reform the immigration detention system. In 2009, the US Government committed to reforming the detention system; which places detained immigrants in jails and jail-like facilities across the country. This is problematic for immigrants as they must live amongst actual criminals, and adhere to very strict security sanctions in jail. It is also concerning for taxpayers, as the facilities are expected to cost more than 2 billion dollars in 2012 in order to house over 400,000 detained immigrants.

The current situation is not good for anyone. The prison conditions are innappropriate for asylum seekers, and American taxpayers are spending too much unnecessary money. Not only this, but US detention practices are not in compliance with International Law. Human Rights First's Ruthie Epstein reports on the current situation:

“The administration has plans to create more appropriate conditions for about 14 percent of their immigration detention beds, but the transformation away from the jail model still has a long way to go... Right now, the overwhelming majority of asylum seekers and other immigrants are still held in jails or jail-like facilities, where they wear prison uniforms and have limited if any real outdoor access.”

Reforming these costly and inhumane detention practices is clearly needed. However, it is difficult to know what steps to take. Is it beneficial to build separate facilities (that are not jails, but rather 'safe houses' of sorts) for Asylum seekers, or is this too costly as well? Or, should asylum seekers not be detained at all? But, where would they stay? Anybody else have any thoughts?

Exile

2011-10-11T20:37:00.005-04:00

In 2010a little more than 9,500 Romanians and Bulgarians were expelled from France; so far, 4,714 Romanians and Bulgarians have been expelled from France in 2011. An immigration law, created in June 2011, targets Roma people who have had repeated short-term stays, have begged or occupied land for expulsion. France is continuing to expel innocent Roma people looking for a place to leave even after the European Commission warned France a year ago that they should take a look at their "abusive policies or face possible sanctions in the EU Court of Justice" (hrw.org). Apparently the European Commission is satisfied with how France responded to their warning; however, there doesn't seem to be a change at all. France is still continuing expel Roma; for example, since mid-September, hundreds of Roma have been expelled from informal settlements in Lyon, France. France does not want the Roma people to gain the benefits that a French citizen would have. In short, France is denying the Romanians and Bulgarians the right to even come into France for a short time.

Public Executions in Saudi Arabia

2011-10-11T18:05:00.000-04:00

Last Friday, Saudi Arabia executed eight Bangladeshi nationals for the alleged murder of an Egyptian man. The nationals were migrant workers who traveled to Saudi Arabia in search of jobs and a better life; so was the Egyptian man who was murdered.

Executions in Saudi Arabia usually happen in public. Offenders who are sentenced to death, like the Bangladeshi men, are beheaded in front of people so that everyone is aware of what happens to those who break the law. According to the Amnesty International article, court proceedings in Saudi Arabia “fall short of international standards for fair trial and news of these recent multiple executions is deeply disturbing.” The article states that, offenders may be convicted solely on the basis of confessions obtained under duress or deception. Also, foreign workers in Saudi Arabia often don’t understand the nuances of Saudi law, do not understand the Arabic language, and frequently fail to secure effective legal representation. This year, death penalties in Saudi Arabia have doubled, compared to last year, which is a little alarming as well.

The activist in the article also suggests that, “The government must establish an immediate moratorium on executions in the Kingdom and commute all death sentences, with a view to abolishing the death penalty completely.” Such a statement brings about questions that are hard to pose.

Saudi Arabia has a very low record of crimes committed and much of that statistic is attributed to their strict punishments for those who break the law. At what point can one infringe on the sovereignty of another state? What I mean by that is, their death penalty is in place according to the Sharia, the “Islamic law.” They have a religious and cultural mindset and act accordingly. Would asking them to ‘abolish the death penalty’ be an infringement of their cultural and religious values? Or would it be justified because we are inherently asking for protecting human rights?

Face to Face

2011-10-11T01:22:00.001-04:00

"For now we see in a mirror, dimly; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known..." (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Today I met a Sudanese refugee and her six year old son. Smiling, she told me her story in broken English. She came to Lancaster about two years ago, and now plans to apply for citizenship in three years. She was from a city about four hours south of Khartoum. "Is that now in South Sudan?" I asked her. No no, she told me, even four hours south of Khartoum is still far from South Sudan. I had kind of guessed that, since she spoke Arabic to her son (a characteristic of the more Arabized north versus the African dialects in the south). With the language barrier and having just met her, I didn't get to ask the full details of her escape from Sudan. But somehow, finally meeting a real-life refugee made things more real to me. Refugees are actual, regular people: normal humans who laugh, cry, eat chips with homemade salsa, and forget the English word for "south".

The quote at the top of this post is from a chapter in the Bible I read this morning. Little did I know how much it would frame my meeting with this refugee. After weeks of sitting and learning in class, us students do "know in part". This is like seeing something in a dirty mirror, dimly...but when we see the face of human rights face to face, we shall know fully. Something will leap out past our intellect, and lodge deep into our hearts. And that is how it should be.

Egypt: Better or Worse Without Mubarak?

2011-10-06T20:49:00.003-04:00

On this site, "human rights first" is fighting to show President Obama that Egypt is better off without Mubarek. One way in which they do this is by urging visitors of the site to send a letter to President Obama. Interestingly, the letter is already written by "human rights first", and is addressed to the White House; so that all one needs to do is push the send button.

Some highlights of the letter include...

"Dear President Obama,

I’m writing because I’m concerned that the transition set out by Egyptian President Mubarak ...does not provide a path for reform. And I’m urging you to push back on the policies of repression and false reform and to support the legitimate demands of the Egyptian people... With Mubarak in power or not, what is clear is that “Mubarakism without Mubarak,” as a witness at a Congressional hearing suggested, is no solution...

For decades, successive U.S. administrations have given their strong backing to President Mubarak, building a bi-lateral relationship on massive foreign assistance, close military cooperation, pursuit of common foreign policy objectives in the Middle East and cooperation on national security and counterterrorism. In fact and in popular perception U.S. support for Mubarak has been a cornerstone of his rule—and the repression he carried out... The U.S. government must break its unqualified support of its despotic ally."

I have a few concerns about such a letter. For one, I think that it is problematic that "human rights first" drafted a letter for people to send to President Obama. The thoughts in the letter are "human rights first" thoughts -- not the American people's ideas.

Also, I do not find the answer to achieving peace in Egypt as easy as "human rights first" asserts that it is. They seem to argue that if the U.S. Government completely reform the Egyptian Government, then all will be solved. First, I do not think the U.S. is capable of reforming a government as they suggest. And second, while Mubarak's rule was oppressive, he was able to maintain a certain level of peace for a long period of time. Once he was ousted, there were many more cases of discrimination, especially against minority groups such as Coptic Christians. Thus, the answer to peace is not as simple as "rid Egypt of all the policies of Mubarek's regime" - many of such policies (although in an oppressive sort of way) maintained peace and order. Transitioning away from these oppressive policies, while still maintaing peace, will be the challenge.

Charity of the Week: Nashville International Center for Empowerment

2011-10-06T14:21:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, in all the stories about horrific massacres and human rights abuses, we miss the good that humans do. While I was studying abroad in Israel, I met an American from Nashville, Tennessee. She told me that she worked with a non-profit who helped Sudanese refugees to acclimate to their new lives in America. Imagining wandering the streets of Nashville without knowing a word of English sounds pretty scary, but that's what the Nashville International Center for Empowerment is meant to solve. From teaching English to helping immigrants get their first jobs, NICE is a catch-all non-profit organization that can be a godsend for desperate refugees. It's good to know that even if the American government may not be providing much-needed help to these people, compassionate private citizens can and do step in to fill the gap.

Modern-Day Slavery

2011-10-05T22:58:00.002-04:00

This is a bizarre article about an investigation of what we would call modern day slavery across Asia. Cambodian recruitment agents target naïve girls from villages promising them lucrative jobs abroad. The agency then takes these desperate women to factories in Malaysia where they are forced to labor with very little pay. Women are detained at these factories and their passports are confiscated. They are not allowed to return or have any communication with their families unless families pay ransom money for their release. “In practice, the women are enslaved; debt bonded, far from home with no way to escape.”

When investigated, in a statement, the recruiting agency insisted: "Most workers willingly give their passports to their respective agents for safe-keeping, and they are able to obtain their passports at anytime upon their request.” In theory, the companies are required to hand over the passports upon request, but in practice, the employers are the ones who sign the exit visas, which means the workers can’t leave the country without permission and are stuck. The amazing part is, all of this is legal in Malaysia.

The women are part of a complex chain, recruited by the agency, employed by a middleman, who is owned and operated by a bigger company that sub-contracts the work.

People who own the recruitment agency are also relatives of the deputy prime minister of Cambodia. This is not a problem with just agencies in Cambodia, but a problem that involves higher authorities in the government. Desperate families have no way to seek justice as these women have signed contracts and other documents without knowledge of what they are going into. If they try to run away, they are arrested and returned to the factories by the police because they lack passports and proper documentation, all of which have been confiscated by the agency.

This brings an interesting issue to light. All of us can agree that we are appalled by the situation in Cambodia and Malaysia, but as consumers, do we care about the way the way our products are manufactured? For example, the computer accessories we own may very well be from debt-bonded labor. Will knowing such information stop us from using computers made in Malaysia? Of course not! We’re all talk when it comes to standing up for human rights, but when it comes to taking steps to reduce it, we’re not willing to go out of our comfort zone because it means we have to sacrifice a luxury that we feel we somehow deserve. As humans, we are inherently selfish and our attempts at improving someone else’s life only go so far. You and I are not willing to give up something that is dear to us to make a statement for someone else.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY): choosing to score political points over protecting human rights

2011-10-04T16:36:00.004-04:00

A recent Politico article reveals disappointing, but unsurprising news that Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has put an anonymous hold on legislation currently pending in the Senate which would release $36 million in funding for benefits that the US government has promised to provide to 5,600 disabled and elderly refugees currently living in the United States. Paul argues that this benefit program - the costs of which are offset by fee increases for immigrants seeking visas - has in the past and could in the future provide funding to terrorists seeking to do harm to the United States by entering this country under the pretense of refugee status.

Paul cites the fact that two "refugees" who resided in Kentucky, the state he represents, were recently arrested for domestic terrorism activities and that they had been receiving benefits provided through this program. His solution, however, is to deny this program's funding - funding that many legitimate refugees desperately need - rather than to pose practical ways of fixing the program's flaws. Furthermore, the funding itself (a mere $36 million) is minuscule compared to most Congressional appropriations, and the harm done by the hold on its release far outweighs any contribution it would make to this nation's deficit.

This is why Paul's behavior is disappointing, but understandable. He is seeking to maintain a political image of fiscal conservatism and concern for national security, but the reality and consequences of his actions will be nothing more than the escalated poverty of some 5,600 refugees.

There is a time and place for political and ideological battles (even legitimate ones regarding the size, scope, and role of government) to be waged, but this isn't one of them.

Banning Gay Pride Parades

2011-10-02T17:52:00.002-04:00

The Serbian government recently decided to ban a gay pride parade that was scheduled for this weekend. They cited security concerns as the reason for the cancellation. There are many organizations who had been planning to counter-protest the parade, and the government decided that these protests were too large of a security threat to allow the parade to proceed. The article that I found, "Gay pride parade ban 'dark day for human rights,'" noted that this ban marks the second time in three years that a gay pride parade has been cancelled due to security threats. These threats are mostly from ultra-nationalists and other right-wing groups who are extremely homophobic.

I think it is completely unacceptable that Serbia banned the pride parade because of its own worries about anti-pride protests. It is the government's responsibility to protect all of its citizens, and to preserve their right to freedom of speech. By banning the parade, Serbia has acquiesced to the demands of homophobic hate groups. I am appalled by the government's treatment of a minority group. This ban sends the exact wrong message to hate organizations, it tells them that their hate is justified, which is absolutely not appropriate. Every person has the right to a pride parade, and to express themselves; you cannot disenfranchise a group of people based on their sexuality. The ban is a blatant violation of human rights, and the government of Serbia should be ashamed. As the organizer of the pride parade, Goran Miletic, said, "This is a defeat for all citizens of Serbia: today, it's the gays, tomorrow, God knows which minority group."

2011-10-02T17:09:00.000-04:00

Many would agree that the Asylum process in the United States is flawed in some ways or another. With such an emphasis on keeping people “out,” events happen daily in the life of each asylum seeker – making it more difficult for them to plead their case. Take for example – the middle of the night change of location of one refugee from one prison to the next – ultimately making it even more difficult for their probonal lawyer to work and communicate with them. Dozens of other road blocks are in place to only allow asylum to individuals who are most deserving, whatever “most deserving” could mean. With a huge emphasis on facts and proof of testimony, it’s a wonder how any false accusations could make it through.

In this article this past summer, the New York Times – pointed to some fraudulent cases. Fraudulent cases exist in all courts in the United States. The articles negative attitude towards the overall process - just because of the few that slip the cracks - was extremely ill-found.

These few cases do not negate the fact that there is genital mutilation, slaughter, ethnic cleansing, and conflict around the globe. Individuals escape their hell only to find themselves handcuffed and placed in another one - miles away from their home in York County Prison. A few fraudulent cases should not tarnish the already dreadful process of receiving refugee status for thousands of individuals that flee here.

Human Rights advocacy - when they try to take away your voice

2011-10-02T09:41:00.001-04:00

Human Rights advocacy comes in all shapes, sizes, and ways. In America, we have the ability to write or speak about issues that exist and even reach out to policy makers demanding change. Halfway across the world in India, individuals do not have the same abilities to express - as seen with Chanu Sharmila, who continues to live on a hunger strike in order to bring attention to human injustices that occur in her community (Read the full article). Though the government continues to push back (by keeping her in solitary confident and force-feeding her), she continues to live each day suffering with the idea that her actions could impact change for others. She says:

I cannot get the advantage of exercising my nonviolent protest for justice against my concerned authority as a democratic citizen of a democratic country.

Common Sense in Immigration Law?

2011-09-30T18:14:00.004-04:00

"Nadia Habib and her mother, Nazmin, had appeared before immigration officials Thursday with their passports and luggage ready to go after Nazmin Habib's illegal status caught up with them. Nadia, who has lived in the United States since she was 20 months old, had not realized that she was an illegal immigrant until she qualified for financial aid for college and was asked to produce identity papers."

-LA Times

Nadia Habib has lived as productive citizen in this country for almost twenty years. She does not remember being brought to this country, and knows almost nothing of her native Bangladesh, where she is to be sent. The only reason this is happening to Nadia at all is because she got into college. She learned of her illegal status when the financial aid office asked for identity papers.

We often see cases where illegals or legal permanent residents are deported because they have committed a crime. For better or worse we have decided that coming to America is a privilege and if you break the law you are no longer welcome. But Nadia broke no law, by all accounts she was doing exactly what we wish more of our young people were doing: succeeding and going to college.

Now luckily this is not an entirely tragic story. Their case is being reviewed, and there is a chance they will be allowed to stay. Also, this story is garnering national attention, which could be helpful for their case. But knowing how fickle Immigration courts are this is far from certain. By deporting Nadia and her mother we are breaking up a family and severely hampering a young student.

When will we come together and reform immigration law to include some common sense. Nadia played no part in bringing herself to this country illegally, she probably doesn't even remember the trip. She has lived as a law abiding citizen and is succeeding, isn't this exactly the type of person we want in this country? I only hope that some good can come out of this case in the form of attention and hopefully future legal status for Nadia and her mother.

"Well-Founded Fear"....the musical?

2011-09-30T13:21:00.004-04:00

"Take Me America" is a rock musical hailing from the Village Theater that follows the story of 7 refugees seeking asylum in the U.S and the immigration officials assigned to their cases.

Many modern musicals are known for their attempts at tackling challenging and controversial issues. It's why plays such as "Rent" and "The Producers" are so well-known. But who would have thought that a documentary on asylum law would be the inspiration for one of these pieces?

In case you don't know, "Well-Founded Fear" is a documentary that gives insight into the process of seeking asylum in the U.S. While I'm sure the directors/producers Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini expected that this piece would yield mixed reactions, I'm sure they never anticipated that its content would be used in musical theatre.

I have yet to see "Take Me America", so I'm afraid I can't really say whether the play is tasteful or offensive. That being said, I can't help but feel conflicted in my reaction to merely knowing this musical is out there. It is possible that this may be an effective means of bringing asylum troubles to the American public and making more people aware of the struggle for asylum and asylum law. However, this musical also has the potential to be insensitive, offensive, and highly accurate. Is it acceptable to find humor in someone else's persecution? And the fact is that many, if not the majority, of asylum seekers have been persecuted in some sense.

But we do need to bring the issue to the attention of the American public. And musical theater has worked in promoting other issues. Could it do the same for the issue of asylum as well?

February 6th is International Day of Zero Toleration to Female Genital Mutilation

2011-09-29T23:22:00.001-04:00

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is possibly one of the worst practices and I am just appalled at the statistics of women who undergo the procedure every year. According to an article on Population Reference Bureau, 100 million to 140 million women worldwide undergo FGM/C and more than 3 million girls are at risk for cutting each year on the African continent alone. I really cannot wrap my mind around these numbers. I spend my day to day worrying about completing my assignments, but women across the world are fleeing from FGM. Below are two pictures of the tools that are used for FGM. I saw some frightening, explicit, traumatic pictures of women undergoing the surgery but I won't post those. While I read Fauziya Kasinga's experience in 'Do they hear you when you cry,' her descriptions of FGM and the tools used remained in my mind for a very long time. Seeing these pictures provides more perspective-can you imagine how dirty and unsterile these instruments are?

FGM is classified into four types: clitoridectomy (partial of total removal of the clitoris), excision (partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora), infibulation (a covering seal narrows the vaginal opening), and other (including any harmful procedures such as pricking, piercing, incising, etc). Despite its negative and harmful effects, ranging from infection to death, this practice is still taking place. Why? Because it is a tradition. Because it guarantees and maintains a girls' innocence and it prevents promiscuity. There is a lot of international response to this issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there has been increased advocacy and increased international involvement. In Mauritania, a country located in West Africa, 72% of their women have been cut and there is a consensus amongst doctors to stop this practice. 34 Muslim clerics and scholars in Mauritania declared a religious decree against FGM/C and that it is clearly against Islam and should be discontinued. The government also agrees with this decision. In 2010, Ugandan's parliament passed a bill that outlawed FGM/C and convicted offenders to have 10 years in prison and if a girl dies during the act, then those involved will receive a life sentence. Although this law a huge step, FGM/C is still being performed in rural areas in Uganda. Obviously, there are many challenges. In Sierra Leone, 94% of their women have been cut. Four female reporters were abducted by FGM/C supporters and accused the reporters of insulting their practices and traditions. Again, these statistics are scary. This practice must come to a stop. More countries in Africa and the Middle East have to outlaw such procedure.

ICE AGENT ARRESTED

2011-09-29T10:58:00.002-04:00

As if I am not already fed up with US Immigration Law. This article is mind blowing. I read the headline and was in complete disbelief. I actually read it and about 3 times to make sure that I was reading it correctly. I believe the most shocking part of this story is "Mangione, a 27-year law enforcement veteran, wore a gray jumpsuit with 'federal prisoner' on the back in court Wednesday, and his hands and feet were shackled..." He was a 27 year law enforcer, keywords LAW ENFORCER. In my mind law enforcers should apply all areas of the law not just in the area they specialize in or work in, I mean that is just my opinion. I also think it is ironic that immigrant detainees walk around with "prisoner" on their backs and in some cases none of them have committed crimes aside from illegally entering the US.

That's just my take on the situation. What do you guys think?

Housing, a Human Right?

2011-09-27T23:13:00.001-04:00

There have been many cases of Roma families in Serbia who are being forced to leave their homes. They are being evicted by the Serbian government, but the government is not doing anything in return to help resettle these families. The families are told simply to go look for jobs, but there is no help from government agencies to send them in the right direction. Due to recent problems with the economy, there just aren’t enough jobs around, and families are being told to leave their property and remove all of their possessions. Serbian authorities have failed to seek out adequate housing solutions for these families. Recent evictions have caused many families to start living on the streets, collecting trash to sell, and often, starve.

This video is a campaign from Amnesty International to help take action against this injustice. Their main premise centers around the idea that ‘housing is a human right.” When thinking about universal declaration of human rights and learning about protecting people from persecution, the idea of housing seems rather interesting. Should it be considered a human right or are we pushing the limit?

Kenya: UN expert urges durable solutions for internally displaced persons

2011-09-27T20:04:00.002-04:00

Kenya has experienced several waves of internal displacement in recent years, including an estimated 600,000 people that were uprooted by the violence that followed the disputed 2007 presidential elections.

The Special Rapporteur on the human rights of IDPs said that any strategy must include the adoption of a policy and legislative framework, consistent with international and regional standards. It must also include capacity building, including in technical aspects such as registration, profiling, and assistance and protection programme management; prevention and mitigation of internal displacement; and durable solutions.

Kenya’s government authorities need to step up and address this disaster that is taking control over its people. They also need to join forces with the international community to collect more reliable sources to be able to give more attention to vulnerable groups, such as children.

How can the International Community Curb Anti-Gay Laws in Cameroon?

2011-09-27T13:44:00.001-04:00

This use of criminal law to punish private sexual activity between consenting adults contravenes international human rights laws that Cameroon has signed and ratified,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

In the last six months, the Cameroon Government has violated the human rights of its homosexual community: “Discriminatory laws that target individuals on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity create a climate of fear for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals,” said Parfait Behen, the president of Alternatives Cameroun.

According to an Amnesty International article, at least ten individuals have been arrested under law that discriminates based upon sexual orientation. Once detained, the supposed homosexuals tortured and treated very poorly while in custody:

“These laws allow police and other actors to target individuals for harassment or violence with impunity, said Cary Alan Johnson, executive director of IGLHRC.

Fortunately, five human rights groups - Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), L’Association pour la Défense des Droits des Homosexuel(le)s (ADEFHO), and Alternatives Cameroun - joined the fight to urge the Cameroon Government to release all individuals detained under discriminatory law. Despite pressure from these groups, Cameroon's discriminatory practices are not likely to fade all that quickly; resulting in increasing torture and ill-treatment of the homosexual community.

What can be done, if anything, to pressure the Cameroon Government to stop these discriminatory practices? Does the burden fall on developed nations, such as the United States, to pressure the Cameroon Government? Or, is the solution to help homosexuals in Cameroon attain formal "refugee" status; and help them re-locate? What should be done?

UN Announces New Parties to Conventions on Statelessness

2011-09-24T22:33:00.006-04:00

This report from the United Nations highlights the encouraging news that three new countries - Croatia, Nigeria, and the Philippines - have signed onto the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, two agreements that are rarely talked about, but which are essential to the recognition of the problem of statelessness, and to finding potential solutions to it at the international level.

What is somewhat discouraging, however, is that the number of current signatories is relatively small (40 and 68 countries respectively). And why is that? Do states fear that they don't have the resources to help the international community deal with the flow of stateless persons?

These new signatories seem to suggest otherwise, as Croatia, Nigeria, and the Philippines have not demonstrated extraordinary ability or influence. Perhaps their willingness to join with the more developed world in helping stateless persons will serve as a signal to other nations that they too can help - and that perhaps it is in their best interest - regardless of their international status. We'll have to wait and see, but for now let's appreciate the steps being taken by Croatia, Nigeria, and the Philippines to make the world a better place for those who lack the basic protection of citizenship.

Australian immigration policies

2011-09-23T14:43:00.000-04:00

An interesting and disturbing report on changing Australian immigration policies.
"Australia's resumed push to swap asylum-seekers arriving by boat with refugees from Malaysia is the government's most recent policy response to an issue that has preoccupied officials and the public for years.

Under the so-called "Malaysia Solution", Australia would exchange the next 800 refugees to arrive by boat for 4,000 mostly Burmese, in Malaysia. On 31 August, the High Court ruled against it, declaring the proposal invalid, a decision welcomed by rights groups such as the Refugee Council of Australia." To read more, follow the link above.
Is this a viable solution? An ethical one? Should the U.S. adopt something similar with Canada?

Accepting Asylum Seekers from an Ally?

2011-09-18T17:26:00.002-04:00

"I felt totally defenseless. Over there (in Chihuahua), the authorities provide no support," the former financial executive said, adding that she was "more afraid of Mexican authorities than of the organized crime groups." -Monica Hernandez

A woman, Monica Hernandez, the daughter-in-law of a slain Mexican activist, was recently granted political asylum In the US after fleeing to El Paso, Texas. From reading the article linked below, it is clear that Mrs. Hernandez certainly has a legitimate fear of persecution, and her grant of asylum on those grounds does not surprise me. What does is that she was fleeing from Mexico, and a US court recognized openly the failures of Mexican law enforcement to protect its citizens. Mexico is a strong US ally, and cooperation has been intensified lately in the form of millions in aid for the war on drugs. (See second article below) It is surprising to me to see the US acknowledge the fact that a major ally, and a major recipient of aid (law enforcment aid no less) is still unstable or dangerous enough to have its citizens, under certain circumstances, to qualify for asylum.

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2011/09/14/us-grants-asylum-to-slain-mexican-activists-daughter-in-law/#ixzz1YLFWhnDC

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124731385

A Life-Threatening Skin Condition

2011-09-18T15:51:00.000-04:00

This article discusses how albinos in Africa often face the prospect of being murdered and cut to pieces by witch doctors, who think that albinos are imbued with special powers. This superstition has led to the death of hundreds of albinos throughout the continent. Two things I though interesting in this article: First, that Israel granted asylum on the basis of albinism, and secondly, that the non-albino parents were also granted asylum based solely on their child's risk of suffering violence. I'm unsure how US asylum law would apply to parents and children according if a similar situation occurred here.

I just thought it was an interesting situation and I am very glad that Israel did indeed grant this family asylum :)