Bahrain: Rights Center Closed as Crackdown Expands
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/09/30/bahrai9422.htm
The Bahrain government should rescind an order that closed one of the country?s leading human rights organizations, Human Rights Watch said today. The closure of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights on Wednesday follows the arrest last week of its vice-president, `Abd al-Hadi al-Khawaja, after he publicly criticized the prime minister.
The Warming War heats up
http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/news/details?item_id=601014
George Bush's government is out in the cold over Kyoto - and it's that old Cold War enemy, Russia, that's put it there. The Russian government has moved closer towards ratifying the crucial Kyoto climate change treaty. But while Bush hangs out in hurricane-ravaged Florida before his first election debate, the US government continues to criticise the Kyoto Treaty.
http://www.fishtycuffs.com/
Choose John Howard versus Mark Latham. Or David Beckham versus Paris Hilton. Or John versus David. Or Mark versus Paris. Or...
See it to believe it. (Requires Flash.)
Rwanda: Rape Survivors Find No Justice
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/09/30/rwanda9391.htm
The 58-page report investigates the persistent weaknesses in the Rwandan legal system that hamper the investigation and prosecution of sexual violence. The report also documents the desperate health and economic situation of rape survivors. Many of the women who were raped became infected with HIV.
September 29, 9:08 pm.
http://www.empirenotes.org/#29sep041
September 29, 9:08 pm. Obsidian Wings has an important post about "extraordinary rendition" and a bill that may be on the floor of Congress as early as next week to legalize it (action suggestions at the end of this post). Extraordinary rendition is the lovely practice the United States has of outsourcing torture. When stripping detainees naked, threatening them with dogs, beating them savagely, ...
Bono Watch: The lad got a gig as guest speaker at the UK Labour Party conference on Wednesday. He addressed the party faithful with his DATA hat on, describing Tony Blair and Gordon Brown as the John Lennon and Paul McCartney of world development. I don't remember Paul secretly plotting for John's place in the Beatles.
We need a Prime Minister who trusts the people, who tells them the truth about the great issues of war and peace. And when things go wrong, a Prime Minister who is big enough to take responsibility and not blame others.
We need a Prime Minister who will take the people into his confidence, not least about his own intentions. It's urgent to bring a new energy, a new accountability to Australia's biggest job. And that's the difference between Labor and the Liberals.
September 27, 10:40 am.
http://www.empirenotes.org/#27sep041
September 27, 10:40 am. Yesteday, the Times ran what is, all things considered, a remarkable editorial, Iraq's Disappearing Election. It makes the points that I made a few days ago. Not only does it mention "Mr. Rumsfeld's curiously undemocratic remark that if some substantial portion of Iraqis cannot vote, 'so be it,'" far more surprising, it even says, Yet the six political parties that Washingt ...
Last night I was at Petersham Town Hall for a "Meet The Candidates" forum. Organised by the Marrickville Council for the first time, the five candidates for Grayndler were invited to put their cases to the public and answer questions from the floor.
Sitting member Anthony Albanese (ALP), Philip Myers of The Greens and Sue Johnson (Socialist Alliance) were present. Jen Harrison of the Democrats and Stephanie Kokkolis of the Liberal Party didn't attend. Marrickville mayor Morris Hanna (Independent) chaired the forum. About a hundred people were present, mostly middle-aged. The non-appearance of the Liberal Party gave the forum a decidedly left-wing skew, but in this part of the world that reflects the demographics. Not being a regular at political meetings I only recognised a handful of people in the audience, the ABC's Antony Green being one of them.
