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 (when I remember) 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): 

 

• “Genocide prevention adviser warns of global threat posed by hate speech”   https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/06/1151091   “The UN’s top genocide prevention official warned on Friday that hate speech remains a significant threat to global peace and security, often targeting society’s most vulnerable.”      

 

Humanitarian, including refugees/asylum seekers/IDPs: 

 

• “The New Humanitarian | Denial of humanitarian assistance is a death sentence in Myanmar”   https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/opinion/2024/06/11/denial-humanitarian-assistance-death-sentence-myanmar      

 

• “EU fines Hungary €200 million for flouting asylum laws”   https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240613-eu-fines-hungary-%E2%82%AC200-million-for-flouting-asylum-laws   “The EU’s top court on Thursday fined Hungary 200 million euros ($216 million) and imposed a daily one-million-euro penalty for failing to follow the bloc’s asylum laws and illegally deporting migrants, a decision Budapest slammed as “unacceptable”.”   Tough, Hungary. Obey what is a very just law!       

• “The New Humanitarian | What’s behind the rise in Turkish citizens seeking asylum in Europe and North America?”   https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2024/06/11/whats-behind-rise-turkish-citizens-seeking-asylum-europe-north-america     
  

 

Global/multinational and multi-category human right issues: 

 

• “Israel joins I__L, T_____n, Sudan on UN Blacklist of Violators of Children, Killing or Maiming 20,000 last Year”   https://www.juancole.com/2024/06/blacklist-violators-children.html   “_____ and the Palestinian _______ _____ have been added to this category this year as well, especially for their attacks on Israeli children on October 7, 2023.”      

 

• “US jury holds banana giant Chiquita liable for financing Colombia paramilitaries”   https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20240611-us-jury-holds-chiquita-liable-for-financing-colombia-terrorist-paramilitaries   “Victims of paramilitary violence in Colombia on Monday secured a landmark victory against banana giant Chiquita Brands International in a US federal court in Florida.”      “US banana giant ordered to pay $38m to families of Colombian men killed by death squads”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/11/chiquita-banana-deaths-lawsuit-colombia   “Landmark verdict against Chiquita marks first time major US company held liable for funding human rights abuses abroad”   This is excellent news - and an important precedent, with the case being described as a “bellwether trial”      
  

 

• “Julia Louis-Dreyfus pushes back on Jerry Seinfeld’s ‘PC crap’ comments”   https://www.theguardian.com/film/article/2024/jun/11/julia-louis-dreyfus-jerry-seinfeld-comments-a-red-flag-pc-extreme-left   “Asked about her former co-star’s claims that comedy had been ruined by ‘the extreme left and PC crap’, the actor said ‘that’s a red flag’”   I agree - such claims are often, in my experience, a cover-up for a desire to continue to be abusive     
  

• “The [Australian ] government is drafting anti-hate speech laws. Here are 4 things they should include”   https://theconversation.com/the-government-is-drafting-anti-hate-speech-laws-here-are-4-things-they-should-include-231178      

LGBTQIASB+: 

 

• “Transgender Policy Change UK (Conservatives) #politics”   https://youtube.com/shorts/FrO96oBxUCU?si=F1y_mZtUioVaYoDj       

• a The Guardian exclusive reports:   “Queensland Labor shelves reforms to stop faith-based schools discriminating against gay teachers”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jun/14/queensland-labor-shelves-reforms-to-stop-faith-based-schools-discriminating-against-gay-teachers   “Exclusive: Disabled people, DV victims also at risk after broken promise to pass new anti-discrimination laws, advocates say”   The problem in Queensland is not just government decisions; it is also the bigotry of too many voters ...       

• “A letter from members regarding the Cass Review and the College’s response”   https://www.ranzcp.org/news-analysis/a-letter-from-members-regarding-the-cass-review-and-the-college-s-response   An excellent rebuttal of more snowflake gender flat earther nonsense     
  

• “Michael Kirby has thoughts on NSW’s gay convictions apology”   https://qnews.com.au/michael-kirby-has-thoughts-on-nsws-gay-convictions-apology/   “The NSW Premier’s apology last week, Michel Kirby explained, was “an apology about a functional weakness of our democratic system.”   ...   Michael Kirby said while parliaments are good at addressing the “problems of majorities”, creating a Bill of Rights or a national Human Rights Act is an important step for Australia to achieve “human rights for all”.”      
  

 

Racism: 

 

• “Child protection department preparing for ‘likely transfer’ of powers to Indigenous Victorians under treaty | Victoria | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jun/10/child-protection-department-preparing-for-likely-transfer-of-powers-to-indigenous-victorians-under-treaty       

• “Indigenous music star Emma Donovan refused service by taxi drivers at Perth Airport”   https://nit.com.au/07-06-2024/11887/indigenous-music-star-emma-donovan-refused-service-by-taxi-drivers-at-perth-airport      “Indigenous singer Emma Donovan alleges entire taxi rank refused to serve her at Perth airport”   https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/jun/10/indigenous-singer-emma-donovan-alleges-entire-taxi-rank-refused-to-serve-her-at-perth-airport   “Acclaimed soul singer claims multiple drivers refused to take her home on Friday night, with one allegedly saying he didn’t serve her ‘kind of people’”      

• “Human rights and legal groups warn Queensland’s proposed ‘castle law’ law will encourage vigilantism”   https://nit.com.au/12-06-2024/11947/proposed-castle-law-law-in-queensland-will-allow-vigilantism-human-rights-legal-groups-say   “A proposed law allowing Queenslanders to kill home intruders without legal consequences has been heavily criticised as effectively sanctioning “state-supported murder,” as the discussion around crime continues to surface before the upcoming state election.”   The problem in Queensland is not just government decisions; it is also the violent racism of too many voters ...      
  

• “Why would Aboriginal people report racism to racist people?”   https://youtu.be/BNKsnNsqlQc?si=ktACj6sokRl-zq32   This is a vitally important and blatantly obvious point      “Family of Cleveland Dodd “dismayed and disappointed” by CCC findings on his death in custody”   https://nit.com.au/12-06-2024/11949/family-of-cleveland-dodd-dismayed-and-disappointed-by-ccc-findings-on-his-death-in-custody   “The mother of Cleveland Dodd is “dismayed and disappointed” that prison staff were cleared of serious misconduct over her son's death by WA's Corruption and Crime Commission.”      “At least 18 attempted suicides in WA prisons in just 10 months were misclassified, new report reveals”   https://nit.com.au/11-06-2024/11917/at-least-18-attempted-suicides-in-wa-prisons-were-misclassified-as-threats-or-acts-of-self-harm      “Traditional Owners dispute external probe of Sandfire’s damage to Aboriginal heritage”   https://nit.com.au/10-06-2024/11879/traditional-owners-dispute-external-probe-of-sandfires-damage-to-aboriginal-heritage   “Yugunga-Nya Traditional Owners in Western Australia’s Mid-West region claim Sandfire Resources gagged them and destroyed Aboriginal heritage sites in the pursuit of a mine expansion.”      

• in the UK, a The Guardian exclusive reports that racist (my word)   “Police more than six times more likely to strip-search black children”   https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jun/10/police-more-than-six-times-more-likely-to-strip-search-black-children   “Exclusive: New study also shows forces in England and Wales 10 times more likely to search black people”   This is basically sexual assault     
  

 

Sexism: 

 

• “Taliban assault on women’s rights continues in Afghanistan”   https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/06/1151016      
  

• “Women abused in Nigerian military cells after fleeing B_k_ H_r_m - Report”   https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/11/women-abused-in-nigerian-military-cells-after-fleeing-boko-haram-report/      
  

• “‘I did not want to disappear in silence’: Chechen woman livestreamed attempted abduction by her family”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/10/i-did-not-want-to-disappear-in-silence-chechen-woman-livestreamed-attempted-abduction-by-her-family   “Liya Zaurbekova is just one of a cohort of Chechen women who have tried to escape a deeply sexist and oppressive life”      

• “Bacchus Marsh Grammar: schoolboy arrested after 50 female students allegedly targeted in fake explicit AI photos scandal”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jun/12/schoolboy-arrested-after-allegedly-posting-fake-explicit-images-of-female-students-ntwnfb   “A teenager at the private school in regional Victoria was held after images created with artificial intelligence were circulated in the area”      

“Reports of sexual assault in NSW up 42% in five years, new data reveals”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jun/13/reports-of-sexual-assault-in-nsw-up-42-in-five-years-new-data-reveals   “Increase could be due to major law reform, such as new affirmative sexual consent laws, expert says”     

Disability, workers, privacy, and other: 

 

• “Australia’s largest tenancy database’s ‘virtual manager’ service breached renter’s privacy, information watchdog finds”   https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-11/tica-virtual-manager-rental-database-privacy-breach/103902856       

• “Police are frustrated with mental health callouts – here’s how to reduce their involvement and improve support”   https://theconversation.com/police-are-frustrated-with-mental-health-callouts-heres-how-to-reduce-their-involvement-and-improve-support-230662   “Our research shows a shift to a trauma-informed support system could be a game changer. It has the potential to greatly reduce police involvement while improving support for individuals in distress.”     
  

 

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. Also, consider this poem of mine.

 

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. 

Note that, as with my main blog [see here], I am cutting back on aspects of my posts.

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/