FROM this week’s news ON: human rights and humanitarian aid [Note: Content Warning - links to distressing reports on this topic. Reader discretion is advised]

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. 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/. 

Note: in my “from the news” posts, quotes are shown italicised and blue, my comments are in a different shade of blue, and “good” items are shown in green. I have loosely grouped the posts where such seemed reasonable, but that is subjective (i.e., my opinion - others are free to disagree), and challenging, as some posts belong in multiple “groups”.

 

Fromm this week’s news on human rights, noting that many issues have probably not made it into the news that I see (please note: this is a cut down and/or combined version of what I used to do): 

 

• “Sudanese refugees flee UN camp in Ethiopia following attacks”   https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudanese-refugees-flee-un-camp-ethiopia-following-attacks-2024-05-03/      [Content Warning: VERY disturbing details, including against children]   “new details emerge of ethnic cleansing in Darfur”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/09/darfur-atrocities-ethnic-cleansing-human-rights-watch-report-rsf-sudan      “The UN warns Sudan’s warring parties that Darfur risks starvation and death if aid isn’t allowed in”   https://apnews.com/article/sudan-darfur-starvation-violence-united-nations-295c2bf7ac311313313dd44d021d8d11      “Journalists under attack, media devastated amidst Sudanese conflict”   https://sudantribune.com/article285195/      
  

 

Humanitarian, including refugees/asylum seekers/IDPs: 

 

• as   “Panama to deport US-bound migrants who cross Darien Gap jungle route”   https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20240510-panama-to-deport-us-bound-migrants-who-cross-darien-jungle-route      UN says   “Americas: Regional cooperation crucial to address migration and forced displacement”   https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/05/1149571      

• “Explainer: High Court’s decision in ASF17 v Commonwealth”   https://www.hrlc.org.au/reports-news-commentary/2024/05/10/asf17-high-court   “...   the High Court’s decision shows that a nuanced approach to understanding ‘cooperation’ with removal is needed   ...   There are various and complex reasons why a person may not – or cannot – consent to their deportation: fear of harm in their country of citizenship and medical incapacity ... The Albanese government must now meaningfully engage with the circumstances of each person who remains in immigration detention and, at a minimum, immediately release those who do not have the capacity to cooperate with their removal.”     
  

 

Global/multinational and multi-category human right issues: 

 

• “Forces of Impunity: The US Threatens the International Criminal Court”   https://theaimn.com/forces-of-impunity-the-us-threatens-the-international-criminal-court/   

• “Africa states still abet abuse of human rights, report says”   https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/rest-of-africa/africa-states-still-abet-abuse-of-human-rights-report-says-4612330   

• “Australians born overseas are more likely to be treated for mental illness against their will”   https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/we-looked-at-over-166-000-psychiatric-records-over-half-showed-people-were-admitted-against-their-will/xqkqdiqf1   “The largest study of its kind found that Australians are more likely to be admitted to hospital against their will for acute mental illness treatment if they are born overseas, speak a language other than English or are unemployed”     
  

 

LGBTQIASB+: 

 

• “Transgender Map”   https://www.transgendermap.com/   An excellent resource which also includes information on transphobes and their tactics   

• “Utah Creates ‘Snitch Line’ For Trans People In Bathrooms”   https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/utah-trans-snitch-line/230473   

• In a despicable, right wing extremist move made when four councillors were not present   “A Sydney council has banned books with same-sex parents from its libraries.”   https://theconversation.com/a-sydney-council-has-banned-books-with-same-sex-parents-from-its-libraries-but-since-when-did-councils-ban-books-229610   This article includes the history of censoring books in Australia   but   “Sydney council’s ‘ridiculous’ same-sex parents book ban could be overturned as backlash grows”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/09/sydney-cumberland-council-same-sex-book-ban-could-be-overturned   “NSW premier condemns western Sydney council’s ban on Holly Duhig’s children’s book as motion to rescind it lodged”      (I first became aware of this issue through an online petition)      “Book Banning and The Seven Pillars Mandate”   https://theaimn.com/book-banning-and-the-seven-pillars-mandate/     
  

 

Racism: 

 

• “Queensland police service sacks First Nations advisory group after members refuse to sign gag clause”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/07/queensland-police-sack-qps-first-nations-advisory-group   “We are concerned that the QPS will now actively seek to recruit a token advisory group who will be bound by an approved narrative handed to them.   Until drastic action is taken to address the culture that exists within the QPS, we hold great concern that any action taken by QPS will be tokenistic, performative, and for the purposes of optics to mislead our communities”.”    These are both appalling acts - that can only reasonably, IMO, be interpreted as attempting to silence dissent     
  

• “Victorian Police to apologise for role in Stolen Generation”   https://nit.com.au/09-05-2024/11301/victorian-police-to-apologise-for-role-in-stolen-generation   “... and implement an improved monitoring system for complaints made by Aboriginal people as part of 79 proposed reforms to change the organisation”      
  

• “NT Aboriginal Justice Agency criticises move to allow private security to carry pepper spray”   https://nit.com.au/06-05-2024/11238/nt-aboriginal-justice-agency-criticises-decision-to-give-private-security-guards-pepper-spray   I share their concerns      
  

• “The Australian public service is letting Indigenous people down. How do we fix it?”   https://theconversation.com/the-australian-public-service-is-letting-indigenous-people-down-how-do-we-fix-it-227662   “Government structures and processes are built around accountability. This means purposes must be defined, money assigned and acquitted according to law, and performance measured against agreed criteria. Everything must be quantifiable. If the only goal is to protect taxpayers’ dollars, it works well enough.   But the status quo has limitations when it comes to dealing with complex problems.   Indigenous issues differ from place to place, and almost always have multiple causes.   ...   large changes in administrative arrangements, even if well-intentioned, take years to bed down on the bureaucratic side.   Having Indigenous people design and deliver the programs that affect them will take time to become standard practice.”      “UN alarmed at number of Indigenous kids in care system”   https://nit.com.au/06-05-2024/11219/un-alarmed-at-number-of-indigenous-kids-in-care-system      

• “Northern Land Council hails High Court victory on Gunlom Falls”   https://nit.com.au/08-05-2024/11284/northern-land-council-hails-high-court-victory-on-gunlom-falls   “The Northern Land Council has welcomed the High Court's ruling that Commonwealth can be held criminally liable for damages to Indigenous sacred sites”     
  

• “Traditional Owners slam racist campaign against South Coast Marine Park”   https://nit.com.au/06-05-2024/11230/traditional-owners-slam-racist-campaign-against-south-coast-marine-park   “... there has been a surge in racist and conspiracy-led rhetoric”      

• “Court backs Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation on agreement with mining company”   https://nit.com.au/06-05-2024/11233/court-backs-robe-river-kuruma-aboriginal-corporation-on-agreement-with-mining-company   “The Court rejected CITIC's frustration argument and gave eight reasons why the Compensation Agreement was not frustrated, ultimately finding RRK is entitled to the annual payments with interest.”      
  

 

Sexism: 

 

• “As Australia screams for action against lethal male violence, this is a culture war for survival”   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/05/as-australia-screams-for-action-against-lethal-male-violence-this-is-a-culture-war-for-survival   “I have survived an abusive relationship, stalking and sexual assault – yet even I was stunned at the revelation of men using smart fridges to threaten women.   In a world that still insists to women and girls that romantic partnership and family should dominate their aspirations and trajectories, the narrative we can, should, must lead is for genuinely empowering alternatives; economic interdependence, sisterhood, friendship, community – especially in the context of a resurgent western far right so active in promoting tradwives and reproductive unfreedom.”      “Women with criminal records face stark barriers to reporting domestic violence, advocates warn”   https://nit.com.au/09-05-2024/11314/criminalised-women-face-increased-hurdles-to-reporting-domestic-violence-abolitionist-group-argue      “How effective are domestic violence advertising campaigns for preventing violence against women?”   https://theconversation.com/how-effective-are-domestic-violence-advertising-campaigns-for-preventing-violence-against-women-228900   “... few campaigns have identified the strength and empowerment needed for survivors to take action   ...   In doing the same thing over and over in campaigns, there is a risk of “outsourcing” this important preventative work to future generations   ...   We need to also focus on more immediate actions to prevent violence in the short-term.”   A very good critique      “To tackle gendered violence, we also need to look at drugs, trauma and mental health”   https://theconversation.com/to-tackle-gendered-violence-we-also-need-to-look-at-drugs-trauma-and-mental-health-229182   And survival - e.g., cost of living, job security, etc - issues      “Figures like A_____ T___ may help spread misogyny. But they’re amplifying – not causing – the problem”   https://theconversation.com/figures-like-andrew-tate-may-help-spread-misogyny-but-theyre-amplifying-not-causing-the-problem-229128   An important point, which is well examined in the article - but we still need to take action against T___ and his ilk      “A_____ T_t_’s extreme views about women are infiltrating Australian schools. We need a zero-tolerance response”   https://theconversation.com/A_____-T_t_s-extreme-views-about-women-are-infiltrating-australian-schools-we-need-a-zero-tolerance-response-229603     
  

• “How can we expect mothers to return to work if we’re so reluctant to allow fathers to stay home?”   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/07/how-can-we-expect-mothers-to-return-to-work-if-were-so-reluctant-to-allow-fathers-to-stay-home     
  

 

Disability, workers, and other: 

 

• “Autism Speaks Police Cars are back (and we still hate them)”   https://youtu.be/jPHZcLjG3yI?si=_BlEzh6tkX3oMGps   This makes some excellent points - such as autism being a neurodevelopmental difference, not a mental illness   

• “Neuroaffirming care values the strengths and differences of autistic people, those with ADHD or other profiles. Here’s how”   https://theconversation.com/neuroaffirming-care-values-the-strengths-and-differences-of-autistic-people-those-with-adhd-or-other-profiles-heres-how-227449       

 

• “‘Huge’ proportion of mental health conditions in Australia found to be caused by childhood maltreatment”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/09/huge-proportion-of-mental-health-conditions-in-australia-found-to-be-caused-by-childhood-maltreatment       “Children in danger as NSW child protection reaches crisis point, striking caseworkers say”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/08/children-in-danger-as-nsw-child-protection-reaches-crisis-point-striking-caseworkers-say   “Public-sector workers call for pay rise, 500 additional staff and the de-privatising of out-of-home care”     

• “Third-party providers a customer data ‘weak spot’, Australian privacy commissioner says”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/06/third-party-providers-a-customer-data-weak-spot-australian-privacy-commissioner-says   “Carly Kind’s comments come after major leak of customer data collected by IT provider for NSW and ACT clubs”   

• “Google releases new tool to enable Australians to find their personal information and request removal”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/07/google-results-about-you-tool-australia-personal-information-removed   This is potentially good     
  

My links for activism post may aid any activism you may decide to do on any/all of these. If you do, don’t get too fixated on specific instances of problems - important though they may well be: take a moment to also consider the broader issues these incidents and groups of incidents may suggest/reveal.

 

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;

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 - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

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

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk & accept that all insistence on the use of “trans” as a descriptor comes with commensurate use of “cis” as a descriptor to prevent “othering”.

Copyright © Kayleen White 2016-2024     NO AI   I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise  replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product.     Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike basis   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/