Salem-News.com Human Rights articles Page 58

Life on the Line: Can Humanity Survive?

Can humanity survive? The odds are now stacked heavily against us...

(TASMANIA, Aust.) - As we approach the International Day of Nonviolence on 2 October, which recognizes Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, one challenge we face is to celebrate his life in a way that Gandhi himself would have found meaningful.

Gandhi was not a man of token gestures. His life was dedicated to his search for the Truth and guided by his passionate belief that nonviolence was the means to reach it. He was a visionary who was profoundly aware of the damage human violence is doing to ourselves, each other and the Earth.

31 Years on Sabra-Shatila Massacre: Justice Delayed but Gaining Ground

“If you don’t want the Lebanese to kill them, we will kill them.” - Ariel Sharon

(SHATILA CAMP, Beirut) - Each year, during the third week of September, Lebanon and this region, as well as international supporters, pause to reflect upon and commemorate the victims one of the twentieth century’s most horrific and cynical crimes perpetrated by a member state of the United Nations.

The Sabra-Shatila massacre took place September 16-19th in Beirut, a well-documented 48 hours of slaughter that saw the Shatila Palestinian refugee camp surrounded and sealed off by the occupying Israeli army, whose intent was to block and force back inside the killing field anyone seeking to escape...

Human Rights Tyranny

In the nearly four decades that have passed since my presentation with Five Minutes To Midnight of the everyday reality of global poverty, there has been some progress in addressing it, but not nearly enough.

(GENEVA ) - The title of my contribution to this conference is taken from paragraph three of the Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. QUOTE “It is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law” UNQUOTE

The problem, I say, is that there is no universal enforcement of the rule of law to ensure and protect human rights. Why not?

Spiritual Reclamations Across the World Inaugurate New `Jubilee Revolution` - Debts, Laws Nullified

In Ireland, Canada and America, catholic clergy have already announced their plan to disaffiliate from Rome and establish their own national, congregationally-based churches, according to Not in Our Name (NON), a Dublin based group.

(ROME) - Traditional elders, shamans and clergy gathered near the Vatican today and in at least six other countries to inaugurate a new spiritual regime that nullifies and replaces the Church of Rome, as well as "ungodly laws and economies".

Invoking divine authority, the closed ceremonies culminated twenty one days of global prayer and fasting on behalf of "all of the victims of a false church and its spirit of lies and murder".

The Epic Struggle of A Trapped Student

If you believe that all people have the right to education, please sign the petition (link below)

(GAZA) - Last night, I had a dream that I was running, running and running, and I kept running till I glanced an emergency exit.

Though I cannot remember whether I made my way out, I woke up feeling breathless. Strangled. Suffocated. I cannot even find a better word to describe that feeling, but I think it would suffice to say I woke up to another morning in Gaza! Every night I sleep hopefully that tomorrow is a “better” day only to have a “bitter” one instead. My mornings in Gaza are as salty as the tap water I wash –or rather taint– my face with.

Power Outages Rage in Gaza

Cutting off essential services like electricity to the civilian population in Gaza is a serious breach to international humanitarian law.

(GAZA) - On the 19th of September 2007 Israel further tightened its blockade against the Palestinians in Gaza by disrupting and reducing their already limited supply of electricity.

Tel-Aviv’s decision to besiege the civilians in the tiny coastal enclave has disrupted all aspects of life for a population whose number has now exceeded 1.7 million.

From Afghan Youth to Leaders of Today: Daylight is Almost Here

The daylight of a global awakening...

(KABUL) - We, the Afghan Peace Volunteers, are finding strength amidst our dark nights because, in the daylight of a global awakening, we see people throughout the world refusing to comply with oppressive systems.

We see that we aren’t alone in rejecting governments and militant groups that wage wars and make deals at the expense of ordinary people.

Rohingya in Cambodia as Asylum Seekers

A brief statement of the Rohingya in Cambodia: Chris Lewa, founder and director of The Arakan Project visited Cambodia in 19 may 2010 and returned after three days.

(RANGOON Burma Times) - Ibrahim shah – It is learnt accurately by our correspondent that about 32 Rohingya people in Cambodia are in dire situation who fled Burma desperately to escape discrimination of the Burmese Buddhist majority regime and finally reached there since 2010.

They are still out of refugee or asylum seeker status despite they pleaded many times to various NGOs, humanitarian organizations and UNHCR. In reiteration, many institutions interviewed them; however, in consequence it is in vain yet.

MJ Rosenberg on Anti Zionist Zionists

I actually admire Rosenberg for sharing this fascinating conversation with the rest of us.

(LONDON) - In the following piece, MJ Rosenberg courageously reports on a recent encounter with a bright American Jewish boy.

“You may not realize it,” the boy tells Rosenberg, “but your premise is Zionist. You think Jews are, by definition, connected to Israel and have to care about it. But that isn’t who I am. I’m an American kid whose religion is Jewish.”

Student Activists on the Move in Tamil Nadu

Conference of youth in Chennai raises voice against the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting set to be held in Sri Lanka...

(MELBOURNE) - Today you will find the most genuine activist in Tamil Nadu are the students.

They sacrifice their education for the Tamil cause. They are a force to reckoned with in the future.