Saturday 1 July 2023

Some human rights and other news links [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on bigotry/hate, violence/abuse/war. Reader discretion is advised!] and thoughts - Saturday 1st July, 2023

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Content shown in green (which may be only part of a news story) is about what is generally considered “good news”, but personal history may still make such events triggering. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/.  

Black Lives Matter! Be Anti-Racist, Anti-Sexist, and Actively Inclusive in ALL Areas.
Vote Yes for the Voice in Australia.
The Climate Crisis is real, urgent and existential!
The Pandemic is Real, and Vaccinations save lives. Stay safe - wash your hands, wear a face mask in public if prudent to do so, and follow informed medical advice.

Some mostly human rights (including significant, relevant links in other fields - such as geopolitics, democracy, or authoritarianism) links (note: the source of news items [but not reference links] is in brackets after each item - normal rules around abbreviations will apply, and abbreviations are listed at the end of this post; links behind hard paywalls have a [$]; also, comments by me are in purple).

  • on ISSUES OF MAJOR GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE and/or ACROSS MULTIPLE CATEGORIES: 
    • “what is racial battle fatigue? ... Racial hostility can produce symptoms similar to what soldiers experience as a result of going to war” - At last! Someone has put into words something the victims of persistent discrimination have known for years (M) - see also here (M);         wars killed 238,000 people last year (83,000 in Ukraine, 100,000 in Ethiopia) - the highest so far this century (DW), double the previous year, with a 13% loss of GDP - the article includes a Global Peace Index graphic;      “spying on employees is the next frontier of military AI”  (Wired);   a UK judge has found “‘spy cops’ operations against leftwing groups unjustified” (TG) - see also this book review (JC);   Ireland this week is preparing to make reporting on or criticising its Data Protection Commission, or criticising big tech, illegal (My Privacy is None of Your Business) - but, ironically, one big tech company has shut down its news services over having to pay for content (TG);   surveillance of journalists (CT);   “how public service media in Estonia and Germany are bridging information gaps” (FH);        “Time after time, tragedies like the Titan disaster occur because leaders ignore red flags “In every crisis I have every studied,” says United States crisis management expert Ian Mitroff who has authored more than 20 books on the subject, “there were always a few key people on the inside of an organisation, or on its edge, who saw the early warning signs and tried to warn their superiors. In every case, the signals were either ignored or blocked from getting to the top or having any effect.”” - this also applies, IMO, to other crises - such as the current spread of fascism, and the existentialist nuclear and climate crisis threats (TC);         “the millions of Australians in the survivor community are asking: what does justice look like for us? To have our experience retried near-daily in the kangaroo courts of leaks, political expedience and sloppy journalism looks nothing like justice. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 22% of Australian women (2.2 million) and 6.1% of men (582,400) over 18 years of age have experienced sexual violence” (TG);         “worldwide survey kills the myth of ‘Man the Hunter’” (Science.org) - and see also this (YT) and this (TC);

  • on FAR RIGHT (AND LEFT) WING EXTREMISM AND HATE:  
    • “Israeli Minister of National Security ... calls for killing thousands of Palestinians and squatting on their property” (JC) - and “world's condemnation of Israeli squatter attacks on Palestinians is a cover for doing nothing” (JC) ... see also this condemnation (UN);         “_, antisemitism and xenophobia are widespread in eastern Germany. A majority of respondents to a University of Leipzig survey said they would like to see a "strongman" or a "strong party" leadership” (DW);         a “top [former potus45] adviser pushed for drone strikes on migrants, new book claims. [The advisor] denies the account, and a person present has “no recollection” of the alleged conversation” (Rolling Stone);         the USA’s supreme court has now thrown (F24) out (JC) race (M) aware (M) affirmative action - and allowed (MJ) businesses to discriminate against LGBTIQA+ people while they’re at it - at least, after two more US states’ bans on care for trans kids were blocked (AP), a potus45 appointee noted “every court to consider preliminarily enjoining a ban on gender-affirming care for minors has found that such a ban is likely unconstitutional” (Law Dork);         “the [informal russian military]’s blueprint for State capture in the Central African Republic” (TS);   “why we NEED a “woke” military” (JC);         another unjustifiable killing of a First Nations man in the USA (The Intercept);         “the treatment of a disabled Aboriginal teenager at Queensland’s Cleveland Youth Detention Centre – where he was likely locked in solitary confinement for more than 500 days – is “the most egregious” case on record in Australia” - and may constitute torture (TG);         more local support against fascist haters (ABC) - including a counter-rally after a hate rally attended by NSW MPs (QN) and one NSW Council is refusing to be intimidated by the haters (QN);   another corporation has shown its alleged commitment to LGBTIQA+ is a superficial sham (CNBC);   “LGBT+ activists work tirelessly to defend individual rights for all, even as they are subjected to repression and hostility” (FH);

  • on the CLIMATE CRISIS (noting the UNFCCC) and ENVIRONMENT (noting multiple  international agreements): 
  • on NATURAL and OTHER DISASTERS (noting Article 1(3) of the UN Charter) including COVID-19 AND OTHER PANDEMICS: 
    • 60 million people in the Horn of Africa urgently need humanitarian (food) aid (UN);   “millions are facing hunger and children’s lives are on the line in northeastern Nigeria amid a protracted conflict and intensifying climate change. In the face of this, the UN’s humanitarian response in the region is underfunded, humanitarians told journalists” (UN);   Haiti (UN);   Syria (UN);         long COVID in Europe (UN);   “tightly packed poultry and pig farms could be incubating the next deadly flu” (MJ);         the recent tragedy where a refugee boat capsized and then sank, killing hundreds (including children), has led to accusations (DW) against the Greek Coast Guard and anger at the millions spent on attempting to rescue a deep sea submersible with a few rich people in it (TG);         the value of, and need for, early warning systems (DW);   six million people in the USA are at risk of extreme weather - and 700,000 were without power during the week (TG);   a notorious right wing governor in the US ended (MJ) water breaks for workers during a heat wave (TG) - see also this (JC);   heat waves have killed tens of thousand of people in recent years in France (LM), and caused heat stress for thousands of those on the hajj pilgrimage (TG);   the still burning bushfires in Canada (F24);   “global heating making extreme rain and catastrophic flooding more likely” (TG);         floods in the Côte d’Ivoire may lead to food shortages (R);   heavy rain and floods in SA have left two dams at risk of collapse (ABC) and warnings of more floods - and snow in central Australian deserts (TND);         in the USA, a “freight train carrying hot asphalt, molten sulphur plunges into Yellowstone River as bridge fails” (ABC);   a roller coaster (TND) in Sweden has derailed (ABC), killing one and injuring several;  

  • on MISGOVERNANCE, MAL-/MIS-/NON-FEASANCE, MISCONDUCT, CORRUPTION (noting international  agreements and monitoring) and other democracy-threatening CRIMES and/or other THREATS TO DEMOCRACY/FREEDOM including GREED: 
    • violent extremists in Ghana are selling stolen cattle to fund their campaigns (DW);         anger (TG) all round and continuing (TG) protests at the killing (F24) by police of a young driver - with police initially telling lies about what had happened - see also here (LM), this on the increasing shootings by France’s police in road stops (F24), this on the changed attitude towards police of the government (F24) but they still have a balancing act to maintain public order (LM0 and stated all options are being considered - including armoured vehicles (LM) - and the UN has called on France to address (LM) racism in France’s police (and, while at it, I suggest their courts, given this religious ban (F24)), this on French imams calling for peace (LM), this reminder (LM) of the three weeks of rioting after French police killed two teenagers in 2005 (LM);         a crackdown on how pet insurance is sold (TND);  
    • concerns around past/current/potential  corruption/crimes/misgovernance/malfeasance/misconduct/threats to democracy or freedom, incl. greed, also in:   NSW (TND) - see also here (TG) and here (TC),   Qld (TG),   “” ’ _ ;

  • on rashist  putin and his cronies’ ILLEGAL (it is contrary to Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter  and international law [and the 1928 Pact of Paris which was successfully used in post-WW2 trials], and possibly includes conduct contrary to the "laws" of war and international humanitarian law (IHL)) INVASION of UKRAINE: 
    • environmental damage has become a weapon (LM);  
    • on the nuclear (weapons and power) situations:   two irresponsible and/or incompetent US Senators have proposed to make russian use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine an excuse for a nuclear World War Three (WKBN);  
    • on human rights in the region and globally:   four russians who committed mass rapes may face trial in Germany (DW);  ending the grain deal would be devastating in the Horn of Africa (F24);   the UN has issues a report critical of both sides (AJ);  
    • inside russia:   for a short while, Russia’s informal military attacked Russia’s formal military, with a view to getting a change of military leadership, until Belarus brokered a deal that ended the nascent conflict, leaving putin weakened and possibly more dangerous out of increased desperation: my initial post (with early news links) is here, but I think these comments by Timothy Snyder are probably the best on these events  
      - see also         here on why this happened and what it could mean for Ukraine (TG) - and, related, here (TC),   here on the cessation of events (TG), here on the move of the informal military’s leader to Belarus (LM) - to the worry of neighbouring nations (LM), here, on how this became a Belorussian triumph (F24),   here on putin’s loss of untouchability (F24) - and, related, here (TG), here (TC), here (LM), russian scepticism over putin’s claims (TG), and new uncertainties for russia (LM),   here, on the first retaliation by putin (TND) - and many russian generals have disappeared from public view (F24),    here on global reactions (TG) and the possible impact on russia’s relations with China (DW), here on US intelligence foreknowledge (by a few hours) (F24), here on that informal military in Africa (DW) and what could happen now (F24) - and, related, here (YT - Caspian Report);  
    • internationally:   as with Switzerland, Ireland is now questioning its neutrality (LM);
       
  • on INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties): 
  • on DEMOCRACY, SOVEREIGNTY / SELF-DETERMINATION, AND GOVERNANCE (noting Article 25 of the ICCPR and monitoring  projects): 
    • globally:   Greece has re-elected a right wing government (TG);  Kosovo is facing a brain drain (DW);   concern over a far right editor being appointed to head a French publication (LM);   “tracking Russian interference to derail democracy in Africa” (ACSS);   far right influence is re-growing in Germany (DW) - leading to neo-n___s being emboldened (TG);   in another surprise decision, the US “Supreme Court rejects a republican effort to hijack elections” (MJ);   elections have ben announced in Gabon (AN);   “dictatorships are almost always less stable than they claim to be” (LM);  
    • in Australia:   criticism of the weakness of a proposed law to manage dis/misinformation on social media (TND);   “young Australians far less likely than parents to shift to right as they age” (TG);   managing the harm (TG) of gambling (TG);   multinationals are whingeing about tax transparency (TG);  
      • on the proposed Voice to the Parliament in Australia:   “Indigenous voice yes campaign to ‘take the high ground’ with funding for thousands of local events. Public messaging of referendum supporters hopes to offer antidote to ‘fear and misinformation’” (TG);   according to one of the referendum architects, the “misleading Voice debate [is] alienating Indigenous people” (TND) - see also this (TG) - I can relate to this because of the existential debate of the Equal Marriage postal vote - and this (TG);   “the Voice alone won’t solve the issues facing Indigenous people. Everyone has to do that work” (TC);   
    • suppression of opposition / dissent / media in:   Africa (PT),   Ethiopia (AA);
      assessment of democracy or risks/issues in:   Sierra Leone (New York Times       [$] TP ) - see also here (The Economist),   Nigeria (AJ);

  • on HUMAN RIGHTS (noting the various rights and treaties summarised here, IHL, Article 5 of the Rome Statute founding the ICC):
    • free bus rides for women and transgender people in the Indian state Karnataka to boost employment opportunities have sparked joy for millions (TG);   inadequate aged care in South Africa (YT - AI);   the stigma of smoking is also affecting non-smokers who get lung cancer (TC);   “UN experts say treatment of Guantanamo detainees is 'inhuman and degrading'” (F24);   the USA has (grudgingly?) yielded to international law and will stop funding Israeli research on occupied Palestinian land (JC);   “outrage after Nigerian accused of blasphemy is stoned to death” (VoA);   “children are being locked in their cells for up to 23 consecutive hours partly due to staffing shortages at South Australia’s youth detention centre, with the system in crisis amid a spate of “shocking” self-harm incidents, the state’s guardian for young people says” (TG);   “UN General Assembly establishes body to probe fate of Syria’s missing” (F24);   in burma, the “military’s obstruction of humanitarian aid could be [an] international crime” (UN);  
    • human rights are at risk or abuses have also occurred or actions have been taken to support human rights in:   Iran (JC),   Uruguay (TC) (this has lessons about memory/oblivion for the rest of the world - right now),   an elitist NSW school (Star),   the Netherlands (DW),   Burkina Faso (P);

    • noting the GENOCIDE  Convention:   an atrocity alert for Syria, India and Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (GCR2P);  

    • noting Article 7 of the ICCPR,   and   the CAT on TORTURE:   “torture as a weapon of war must cease, rights experts demand” (UN);

    • noting the conventions and the Global Compact on REFUGEES:   “after the Morrison government, we hoped for a new way on refugees. Instead it is a brutal business as usual” (TG);   UK appeal judges have confirmed (TG) that sending refugees to another nation while their appeals are decided is illegal (SBS);  
      more refugee issues:   Niger (TG);

    • noting the Yogyakarta Principles on LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE:   bathroom policing at a US airport (M);   “United Nations calls out Australia’s religious exemptions to discriminate against LGBTIQs” (QN);   locals restored a Pride sign that bigots had destroyed (QN);   a UN trans right initiative launched in India has now gone global (UN) - see also this (DW);  
      more LGBTIQA+ issues/stories:   Singapore (good news) (PN) - and Qld (QN),   hate in sport (TC),   USA (Star),   Navajo Nation (good news) (JC);

    • noting ICERD and DRIP on RACISM:   “Victoria police accused of racial profiling, as data shows minority groups more likely to receive COVID fines” (TG) - see also here (TC) and here (NIT) on the call for independent oversight of police;   sports players are fearful of retaliation if the break a culture of silence and speak out on racism (TG) - see also this (TG) and this (DW);   “new report exposes prejudice faced by Aboriginal women employed in Victoria's public sector” (NIT);   ahead of NAIDOC week, “many organisations publicly state they are committed to acknowledging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, which is often outlined in their Reconciliation Action Plans or other organisational strategy documents. They rarely, however, provide resources to meet this commitment” (TC);   “Dja Dja Wurrung Clans call for water rights and greater say in water management” (NIT);   a criticism of diversity training as part of anti-racism (TG);  
      more racism issues:   USA (M);

    • noting CEDAW on SEXISM:    “the women helping rape victims recover dignity in Congo’s conflicts” (the terminology is very dated but the work described in the article actually respectful) (Christian Scientist Monitor);   a crisis of femicide in Trinidad (TG);   “women in leadership roles are criticised for their age — no matter how old they are” (Axios);  
      more sexism issues:   the patriarchy (UN);
    • noting the laws listed here, the conventions listed here, and principles discussed here, here, here, here, and here, on ANIMALS and the RIGHTS OF ANIMALS and other forms of life:   the “grim reality of wildlife tourism” (TND);

    • noting the CRPD on PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES:   a cancellation has highlighted Tourette Syndrome (TND);  
      more disability issues:   ADHD (TC);

    • noting Articles 6 (1), 7, and 8 (see here) of the ICESCR,   Article 5 (e) (i) (ii) (see here and here) of the ICERD,   Article 11 (1) (a - c) of the CEDAW,   and   Article 27 (1) of the CRPD on WORK and FAVOURABLE WORK CONDITIONS:   the damage done by compulsory returns to the office (Entrepreneur);  
      more work issues:   USA (MJ);

(Should you elect to write to your elected representatives or others on these matters, it may be useful to familiarise yourself with the links shown above - or to at least refer to them. Don't forget to CHECK whether your nation has RATIFIED the treaty concerned.)

Abbreviations:   3KND radio - 3KND;   Aeon Magazine - Aeon;   Africa Centre for Strategic Studies - ACSS;   Africa News - AN;   Al Jazeera - AJ;   All Africa - AA;   Amnesty International - AI;   Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project - ACLED;   Associated Press - AP;   Australian Associated Press - AAP;   Australian Broadcasting Corporation - ABC TP ;   Australian Independent Media Network - AIMN;   Australian Unions - AU;   Barrons;   Bellingcat (B);   Bloomberg - BB;   British Broadcasting Commission - bbc TP ;   Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - CBC;   Centre for Strategic and International Studies - CSIS;   Committee to Protect Journalists - CPJ;   Context - CT;   the (US) Council on Foreign Relations (CFR);   Crikey - C [$];   Dabanga Sudan - DS;   Deutsche Welle - DW;   European Union - EU;   Forbes - F;   Foreign Policy - FP;   France 24 - F24 TP ;   Freedom House - FH;   Genocide Watch - GW;   Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect - GCR2P;   Good News Network - GNN;   HumAngle - HmA;   Human Rights Law Centre - HRLC;   Human Rights Watch - HRW;   Independent Australia - IA;   International Crisis Group - ICG;   Jessica Wildfire (Substack) - JW;   Juan Cole Informed Comment - JC;   Just Equal - JE;   Lawfare Blog - LFB;   Le Monde - LM;   LGBT Nation;   Lowy Institute - The Interpreter - Lowy;   Mail & Guardian - MG;   mainstream media - MSM;   Mary L Trump - MLT;   Medium - M;   Michael West (news media platform) - MW;   Middle East Eye - MEE;   Minority Rights Group - MRG;   Mother Jones - MJ;   Nation Africa - NA;   National Indigenous Television - NITV;   National Indigenous Times - NIT;   Nature Magazine - Nature;   NBC News - NBC;   News24;   Pearls and Irritations - PnI;   Pink News - PN;   Political Violence at a Glance - PVG;   Politico - P;   Premium Times Nigeria - PT;   ProPublica - PP;   Q News - QN;   Quartz - Q;   Radio France International - rfi;   Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE);   Raw Story - RS;   Renew Economy - RE;    Reuters - R;   Robert Reich - RR;   (Bruce) Schneier - Sch;   Special Broadcasting Service - SBS;   Star Observer - Star;   Sudan Tribune - ST;   Sydney Morning Herald - SMH;   Teri Kanefield - TK;   The Age - TA TP ;   The Big Smoke (TBS);   The Conversation - TC TP ;   The Defence Post - TDP;   The East African - TEA;   The Guardian - TG;   The (Nigerian) Guardian - TG-N;   The Hindu - TH;   The Monthly - TM;   The New Daily - TND;   The New Humanitarian - TNH;   The Saturday Paper - TSP;   The Sentry - TS;   The Shot - TS;   Timothy Snyder - TS;   Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA;   United Nations - UN;   Vice - V;   Voice of America - VoA;   Wall Street Journal - WSJ [$];   War on the Rocks - WotR;   Washington Post - WP [$] TP ;   Wikipedia - WP;   Yahoo News - Yahoo;   YouTube - YT.

Note: news sources are never perfectly accurate or good - for instance, some have been transphobic (which is why I may, for instance, cancel email subscriptions), but may be good in other areas (e.g., racism) - and attributes may vary depending on region and over time. I do NOT provide an unqualified endorsement of ANY of the media sources I use. Sources with evidence of being transphobic may be marked with a TP .

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

  • this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header; 
  • I expect readers to take positive action on at least some of these stories - e.g., write to elected representatives, where that is possible. 

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

  • there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  • I could be wrong in my views or commentary - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.

 If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Vote Yes for the Voice in Australia.

Finally, remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing.


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