HIV & TB News

Wednesday 11 August 2010

Slovakia's new coalition government commits to taking measures to eliminate segregation in education on ethnic lines.

Amnesty International welcomes the commitment by the new Slovakian coalition government to take measures to eliminate segregation in education on ethnic lines as a first step in the right direction.

The commitment is part of a government programme approved on Tuesday by the Slovak National Assembly. If put into practice it could benefit Romani children, many of whom are segregated in sub-standard education.

“This is the first time that a Slovak government has demonstrated political will to address segregation in education on the basis of ethnic origin as a systemic failure,” said Barbora Cernusakova, Amnesty International’s expert on Slovakia.

“Slovak authorities now need to implement comprehensive, measures that will help bring an end to decades of discrimination and segregation of Romani children in inferior education in Slovakia.”

Thousands of Romani children in Slovakia are placed in special schools and classes designed for pupils with “mild mental disabilities” or in ethnically segregated mainstream schools and classes that provide a substandard education.

This excludes Roma in Slovakia from full participation in society and locks them into a cycle of poverty and marginalization.  

“The government will have to address the institutional failure to enforce the existing prohibition of discrimination in access to quality education.

“In doing so, it will also have to fight existing prejudices against Romani children and promote the principle of equal treatment among teachers and professionals involved in the process of education,” Barbora Cernusakova said.

“The government will further have to provide the economic resources to eliminate segregation so that Romani children can be integrated in mainstream schools.” 

Concrete measures towards enforcing the ban on segregation could include providing the State School Inspectorate with adequate capacities and resources on how to identify, monitor and combat segregation in practice.

This will also require the systematic collection of statistical data on education disaggregated on the basis of gender and ethnicity.

Amnesty International has been campaigning against segregated education of Romani children in Slovakia since 2007.

The organization will continue to monitor the government’s efforts against its stated commitment and will continue to campaign for concrete measures to ensure that Romani children in the country can enjoy their right to education free from discrimination.

Roma children still lose out: Segregation persists in Slovak schools despite new law  (Research, 30 June 2009 )
A tale of two schools: Segregating Roma into special education in Slovakia (Research, 24 July 2008)
Still separate, still unequal: Violations of the right to education of Romani children in Slovakia (Research, 15 November 2007)
Slovakia plans to remove Romani children from their families (News, 9 March 2010)

Measures to eliminate segregation in education has been taken by the new government.

Tuesday 10 August 2010

Amnesty International has condemned the sentencing of seven members of Iran's Baha’i religious minority to 20 years in jail on a series of politically motivated charges.

Amnesty International has condemned the sentencing of seven members of Iran's Baha’i religious minority to 20 years in jail on a series of politically motivated charges.

The five men and two women, leaders of the Baha’i community in Iran who were arrested over two years ago, were convicted on Saturday 7 August of crimes including "espionage for Israel", "insulting religious sanctities" and "propaganda against the system” by a Revolutionary Court in Tehran.

Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm have denied all the charges against them and lawyers for the seven have indicated that they will appeal.

"This verdict is a sad and damning manifestation of the deeply-rooted discrimination against Baha'is by the Iranian authorities," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa deputy director.

"These seven Baha’i leaders, some of whom are elderly, are prisoners of conscience jailed solely on account of their beliefs or peaceful activities on behalf of the persecuted Baha'i minority.”

"The seven were held for months without charge before being subjected to a parody of a trial.. They must be immediately released."

The seven Baha'is, who were arrested between March and May 2008, faced several postponements to their trial while they remained in detention. Their lawyers were rarely allowed to visit their clients and were initially denied access to the court room. One of their lawyers, Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi, has been unable to return to Iran since June 2009. In February 2010, she told Amnesty International that the seven’s file was empty and the accusations baseless.

The Iranian authorities blamed the Baha'is, among other groups, for orchestrating much of the unrest that took place on the Ashoura religious holiday in December 2009.

The Iranian authorities blamed the Baha'is, among other groups, for orchestrating much of the unrest that took place on the Ashoura religious holiday in December 2009, the last mass demonstration that took in the aftermath of Iran's disputed presidential election in June 2009. The Baha’i community denies any such involvement.

"The authorities tried to make the Baha'i minority scapegoats for the unrest when there is no evidence that they were involved," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.

The Baha'i religion is not recognized in Iran’s Constitution and Baha’is have no legal protection.

The Iranian authorities also deny Baha'is equal rights to education, work and a decent standard of living by restricting their access to employment and benefits such as pensions. Iran’s 300,000-strong Baha’i community are not permitted to meet, hold religious ceremonies or practice their religion with other believers.

Tuesday 10 August 2010

Amnesty International calls for prosecutions following the release of a UN report showing a rise in targeted killings of Afghan civilians.

The Taleban and other insurgent groups should be investigated and prosecuted for war crimes, Amnesty International said, following the release of a UN report showing a rise in targeted killings of civilians in Afghanistan by anti-government fighters.

Civilian casualties in Afghanistan leapt by 31% in the first half of 2010, driven largely by the Taleban and other insurgents’ rising use of improvised explosive devices, and their increased targeting of civilians for assassination, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).  Attacks by the Taleban and other anti-government forces accounted for more than 76% of civilian casualties and 72% of deaths.

In the first half of 2010, the executions and assassinations of civilians by the Taleban and other insurgent groups increased by over 95% to 183 recorded deaths compared to the same time last year.  The victims were usually accused of supporting the government.

“The Taleban and other insurgents are becoming far bolder in their systematic killing of civilians.  Targeting of civilians is a war crime, plain and simple” said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Director.  “The Afghan people are crying out for justice, and have a right to accountability and compensation.”

“There is no practical justice system in Afghanistan now that can address the lack of accountability. So the Afghan government should ask the International Criminal Court to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity that may have been committed by all parties to the conflict.”

Afghanistan is a signatory to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.  

Amnesty |nternational has been told that tribal elders in various villages of Kandahar, Zabul, and Khost provinces have been fleeing rural areas, fearing systematic targeting by the Taleban.

“The elders are threatened and if they don’t cooperate with the Taleban they are killed,” said a Kandahar journalist.  “Then the Taliban will just tell the village that the elder was an American spy and that is why he was killed.” The journalist asked not to be identified out of fear of Taleban retaliation.

Amnesty International is urging the international and Afghan forces to ensure they comply with their legal obligation to protect civilians from harm, especially those who provide them with information about anti-government groups or cooperate during military operations.

According to UNAMA, NATO-led and government forces caused 29% fewer casualties than the previous year, which has been attributed to policy changes placing greater priority on civilian protection, borne out in a 64% decline in casualties caused by aerial attacks.  

Amnesty International welcomes the reported drop in deaths caused by NATO-led forces, but sounded a note of caution.  “Pro-government forces were responsible for at least 223 deaths in six months, and NATO still has no coherent way of accounting for casualties,” said Sam Zarifi.  “Special Forces in Afghanistan are still failing to be open about their actions when being called to account over civilian casualties.”

The UNAMA report singles out Special Forces in Afghanistan for acting without accountability, and calls for greater transparency over their operations, and for more information on forces are now operating under a new integrated command structure, so that casualties can be properly investigated and justice delivered to victims.

Killings of civilians by the Taleban and other insurgent groups have increased. Civilian casualties in Afghanistan leapt by 31% in the first half of 2010.

Monday 9 August 2010

Amnesty International has condemned the Mexican authorities’ decision to pursue charges against human rights defender Raúl Hernández for a murder he did not commit..

Amnesty International has condemned the Mexican authorities’ decision to pursue charges against human rights defender Raúl Hernández for a murder he did not commit, after a state prosecutor today decided to continue the case against him.

The State Attorney General’s Office of Guerrero upheld murder charges against Raúl Hernández, despite unreliable and fabricated evidence. The judge presiding over the case is expected to decide on his innocence or guilt within days.
 
“The decision to pursue fabricated murder charges against Raúl Hernández is part of a systematic campaign by the Mexican authorities against members of this Indigenous community standing up in defence of their people’s human rights” said Kerrie Howard, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Americas Programme.
 
Amnesty International has been campaigning for Raúl Hernández’s release since November 2008 when he was adopted as a Prisoner of Conscience.
 
Raúl Hernández was wrongfully arrested and charged for the murder of Alejandro Feliciano Garcia on 1 January 2008 in the village of El Camalote, Guerrero State. However, eyewitness testimonies, stating that Raúl Hernández was not present at the time of the murder, were not taken into account.
 
During the criminal enquiry, the judge carried out an investigation of the crime scene, which confirmed that the eyewitness evidence, claiming that Raúl Hernández was present at the time of the murder, is unreliable and unfounded.
 
Amnesty International believes the case against Raúl Hernández has been brought by the authorities in reprisal for his legitimate activities promoting indigenous rights through the Me’phaa Indigenous Peoples Organisation (OPIM) and for exposing abuses committed by local political bosses, the military and the authorities.
 
The southern state of Guerrero is home to about 116,000 Me’ phaa Indigenous People, and has one of the highest levels of marginalisation and some of the lowest indicators of human development in Mexico, according to local human rights organization Tlachinollan Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Montaña.
 
OPIM was founded in 2002 to defend and promote the rights of the Me’ phaa Indigenous People.
 
“Authorities have often misused the judicial system to punish those who promote respect for the rights of marginalized communities and dare to speak up about abuses. It is high time Raúl be released” said Kerrie Howard.
 
Amnesty International has documented a pattern of harassment and intimidation against members of Indigenous rights organizations in Guerrero state, such as the OPIM over a number of years.
 
Amnesty International activists all over the world have been campaigning for Raul’s immediate and unconditional release, so he can continue his work defending the rights of his community.

Raúl Hernández was wrongfully arrested and charged with murder in January 2008 Footage of Raúl Hernández and his struggle since being imprisoned

Posted by Bobby Ramakant (bobby)

(1.) Patient-centered approach is crucial to successfully confront TB-HIV epidemic in European region; (2.) Public Health Institute's Global Health Fellows Program seeks Senior Tuberculosis Policy Advisor; (3.) Stop TB Partnership signs MoU with UNAIDS to improve TB-HIV responses; (4.) TB cough-in/coffin March: TB on IAC agenda as never before; (5.) Can TB patients say "Rights Here, Right Now"?

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Tuesday 17 August 2010

Amnesty International is urging the Syrian authorities to release or charge a Kurdish man who has been detained for almost two years.

Amnesty International is urging the Syrian authorities to release or charge a Kurdish man who has been detained for almost two years.

Reports from exiled Kurdish activists have raised fears that ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf has been tortured at the hands of State Security.

The political activist is reportedly being taken from Damascus Central prison to a State Security office every few weeks to coerce him into “confessing” to being the head of the political wing of a certain Syrian Kurdish organization, which he denies.

“We are seriously concerned about reports that ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf has been repeatedly tortured under questioning by State Security agents in an attempt to force him to confess to something which he says is not true,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“These allegations must be independently and impartially investigated without delay and those identified as responsible brought to justice.”

Previously a member of the Syrian Kurdish political party known as the Popular Union (Ittihad al-Sha’b), in the 1990s  ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf had helped establish a clandestine library of Kurdish-language books, which are banned in Syria – a country where Kurds face discrimination and where Kurdish civil society activists risk arbitrary arrest, torture and unlawful imprisonment.

‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf has been refused access to a lawyer and his family was on one occasion prevented from visiting him, allegedly because he had been tortured and was not in a fit state to be seen.

“‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf must be allowed immediate access to a lawyer of his own choosing and any medical attention he may require,” said Philip Luther.

Masked men abducted ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf as he was closing his clothing store in Qamishily in September 2008 after he told friends that he believed security agents were monitoring his movements.

Until early 2010, the activist was held incommunicado at an unknown location, where he was reportedly hanged by his wrists and shackled to a wall for the first eight days of detention.

Torture and other ill-treatment are widely carried out in detention and interrogation centres in Syria where four deaths as a possible result of torture have been reported in the last two months.

Dozens of Kurds have been detained over the killings of the security agents, including brothers Munther, Nedal and Riad Ahmed, who were arrested after they discussed with other Kurdish activists setting up an organization to promote Kurdish culture through books on Kurdish issues.

Atleast two of the brothers also ran an unofficial library ,unconnected to that which had been  supported by ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf in the 1990s, supported by ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf and lent books on Kurdish issues, as well as printing works by Kurdish writers who had been refused publication elsewhere.

Kurdish language and culture suffer severe restrictions in Syria, where publishing and printing materials in Kurdish as well as teaching the language are forbidden and punishable by imprisonment.

Many Kurds are denied Syrian nationality, depriving them of education, employment, health care and other rights enjoyed by Syrian nationals. Those connected with Kurdish political parties or groups that raise concerns about the discrimination against Kurds, risk arbitrary arrest, torture and imprisonment after unfair trials.

Abdelbaqi Khalaf is feared to have been tortured at the hands of State Security

Thursday 5 August 2010

Amnesty International calls on the government to ensure presidential election is held in an atmosphere where Rwandans can freely express their views.

Amnesty International has condemned attacks on politicians and journalists in the run-up to the presidential election on August 9 and calls on the government to ensure the poll is held in an atmosphere where Rwandans can freely express their views.
 
The murder of a journalist and an opposition politician – both critical of the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) - in late June and mid-July has created a climate of repression likely to inhibit freedom of expression ahead of the vote, the organisation said.

“In recent months killings, arrests and the closure of newspapers and broadcasters has reinforced a climate of fear,” said Amnesty International’s Africa Programme Deputy Director, Tawanda Hondora. “The Rwandan government must ensure that investigations into the killings are thorough and reinstate closed media outlets.”

On 14 July, André Kagwa Rwisereka, the vice president of the opposition Democratic Green Party, was found dead in Butare, southern Rwanda. Amnesty International has obtained photographs that show that his head was severed from his body.
 
Rwisereka, who left the RPF to create the Green Party, had reportedly been concerned for his security in the weeks before his murder. Other Green Party members said they had also received threats .  

Investigations into Rwisereka’s death continue, but insufficient evidence has been gathered to press charges, according to the Prosecution.  

None of the main opposition parties are able to stand in Monday’s elections. The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and FDU-Inkingi have been obstructed from holding the meetings required to register their parties.

The only new opposition party to secure registration – PS-Imberakuri – was unable to stand after the party’s leader, Bernard Ntaganda, was arrested on June 24. Ntaganda was charged with “genocide ideology” and “divisionism” under vague laws, ostensibly used to restrict hate speech, but often used to silence legitimate dissent.

Opposition leader, Victoire Ingabire, has still not been brought to trial on charges of “genocide ideology”, “minimising the genocide”, “divisionism” and “collaborating with a terrorist group” following her arrest in April. In May, the Prosecution said that investigations may take up to a year, ruling out a trial before the elections.

“Until an independent enquiry into Rwisereka’s murder reveals the true circumstances surrounding his death, Rwandans will fear that it was linked to his opposition activities,” said Tawanda Hondora. “They may be reluctant to express themselves as a result.”

Jean-Leonard Rugambage, a journalist working for the Umuvugizi newspaper, was shot dead on June 24 outside his home in the capital, Kigali.  Rugambage had been investigating the shooting in South Africa of the exiled former general, Kayumba Nyamwasa. On the day of his murder, Umuvugizi published a story alleging that Rwandan intelligence officials were linked to Nyamwasa’s shooting.  

Two suspects have been arrested for Rugambage’s murder and are currently awaiting trial.

Rwandan media critical of the government has effectively been dismantled in the run-up to elections. In late July, the Rwandan High Media Council, a regulatory body close to the ruling party, banned some 30 media outlets arguing they failed to adhere to a 2009 media law. The law restricts media freedom.

Agnes Nkusi Uwimana, the editor of the Umurabyo newspaper, was arrested in July and charged with “genocide ideology”.  Two other newspaper editors fled Rwanda in recent months after their papers were suspended and they received repeated threats.

The United Nations, the European Union, the United States, France and Spain have already publicly expressed concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in Rwanda ahead of the election. Amnesty International calls on other countries to also express their concerns.

“No country should be a silent witness to pre-electoral repression”, said Tawanda Hondora.  “Speaking out about violations is the best way to ensure that the next Rwandan administration respects human rights.”

President Paul Kagame is standing in the election for the Rwandan Patriotic Front

Thursday 5 August 2010

Colombia’s new government must ensure the independence of the country’s justice system, allowing it to bring to justice those responsible for human rights abuses committed during the country’s long-running armed conflict.

Colombia’s new government must ensure the independence of the country’s justice system, allowing it to bring to justice those responsible for human rights abuses committed during the country’s long-running armed conflict, Amnesty International has said.

Juan Manuel Santos is set to be inaugurated as President of Colombia on 7 August, after winning a landslide victory in a second round of elections held on 20 June.

“If human rights abusers are to be held to account, urgent action also needs to be taken to stop the killing of and threats against witnesses, lawyers, judges, human rights defenders and prosecutors involved in human rights cases,” said Marcelo Pollack, Colombia researcher at Amnesty International.

A UN report on Colombia published earlier this year found that at least 300 people working as part of judicial investigations had been killed in the past 15 years.

Amnesty International documented the killing, mainly by paramilitaries, of at least 8 human rights defenders and 39 trade unionists during 2009

“The new government has an opportunity to move away from the hostility shown by the outgoing administration towards human rights defenders and end the culture of impunity that has allowed those who commit abuses to evade justice,” Marcelo Pollack said.

Amnesty International also called on the government to resist the temptation to weaken the ability of the civilian courts to investigate security personnel implicated in human rights violations, something suggested only a few months ago by the outgoing administration.

The Colombian security forces have in recent years been implicated in thousands of extrajudicial executions of civilians. Most are yet to face trial over such killings.

“If the new government is serious about ending impunity it must put an end to the campaign waged by the previous administration to discredit the Colombian Supreme Court, which has successfully prosecuted some of those with links to paramilitaries who carry out human rights violations,” said Marcelo Pollack.

“Guerrilla groups must also be condemned for their attacks on civilians. They should once and for all take steps to put an end to the human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law committed by their fighters.”

The situation faced by Indigenous Peoples, as well as by Afro-Colombians and peasant farmers, also remains acute.

Amnesty International documented the killing of at least 114 Indigenous People in 2009, carried out by members of the guerrilla, the security forces and paramilitaries.

“The recent increase in killings of leaders of displaced communities, who are campaigning for the return of lands stolen from them by paramilitary groups, has been a source of particular concern, and urgent action must be taken to protect these leaders”, said Marcelo Pollack.

“The new government must also make clear that the defence of human rights is not a threat to the security of the state. An immediate public statement asserting the legitimacy of the work of human rights defenders would help assuage fears that activists will continue to be harassed and left unprotected”.

The new government must also ensure that the Interior Ministry’s protection programme for human rights defenders is strengthened to ensure its effectiveness.

President Álvaro Uribe’s government was tainted by its repeated efforts to smear defenders by falsely linking human rights work with support for guerrilla groups. This compromised their safety and weakened their capacity to defend human rights.

Amnesty International is also calling for:

• The new government to quickly announce a plan, with targets, benchmarks and a timetable, to implement in full the long-standing human rights recommendations of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN treaty bodies and special procedures, as well as those issued by the Inter-American human rights system.
• The new government to ensure that the integral mandate of the Office in Colombia of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which expires at the end of October 2010, is renewed. 
• Guerrilla groups and the security forces to respect the right of civilians not to be drawn into hostilities. All parties to the conflict have been responsible for such abuses as unlawful killings, enforced disappearances or abductions and forced displacement.

Juan Manuel Santos won a landslide victory in a second round of elections

Posted by Chheav Aphyra (googman)

We departed from Phnom Penh and drove towards Preah Sihanouk Province. After about three and half hours we looked out of the window on the right-hand side and saw an abandoned train station, where many people are now living. If we were not accompanied by a staff member from one of our implementing partners as a guide, we may have frightened the people there and never found interviewees. Actually, the people there were so lovely and friendly when we met them and they welcomed us warmly.

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Wednesday 4 August 2010

Amnesty International has warned that 10 Malukan political activists detained by Indonesia’s special anti-terrorism police are facing a high risk of torture.

Amnesty International has warned that 10 Malukan political activists detained by Indonesia’s special anti-terrorism police are facing a high risk of torture.

Detachment 88 police officers, who have regularly been accused of involvement in torture, arrested the activists on 2 August.  The activists had been planning to use a visit by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Maluku province on 3 August to draw attention to human rights violations there.

“We fear these activists are at risk of extremely brutal treatment given the record of Detachment 88” said Donna Guest, Asia-Pacific Deputy Director for Amnesty International.  “Independence activists in Maluku have been tortured with impunity by police in the past.”

Benney Sinay, Izak Sapulete, Andy Maruanaya, Ongen Krikof, Marven Bremer, Steven Siahaya, Ong Siahaya, Nomo Andries, Charly Souisa, and Glenn Wattimury are currently being held in police detention.

The men are accused of having links to the Republic of South Maluku (RMS) movement, according to local sources.  The RMS was a pro-independence group whose armed wing has been defunct since 1966.

The activists were planning to disseminate posters, books and other materials on alleged human rights violations in Maluku, and to call for the release of Malukan political prisoners during the President’s visit, Amnesty International has been told.

Detachment 88 officers are reported to be continuing their searches in the houses of family members of activists.  The unit was formed as a special anti-terrorism branch of the Indonesian police after the 2002 Bali bombings.

In recent years, Amnesty International has documented dozens of arrests of political activists in Indonesia who have peacefully called for independence for their region.

“The Indonesian authorities need to stop treating free speech and peaceful activism as security threats,” said Donna Guest.

In June 2007, 22 political activists in Maluku province were arrested by Detachment 88 and other police for unfurling the Maluku independence flag in front of Indonesia’s President.

In detention, they were beaten, forced to crawl on their stomachs over hot asphalt, whipped with an electric cable and had billiard balls forced into their mouths. They were also beaten on the head with rifle butts until their ears bled, and shots were fired near their ears.  The police threatened them continually with further torture, sometimes at gunpoint, in an attempt to force them to confess.

They are currently all serving sentences of between seven and 20 years' imprisonment for ‘rebellion’. Despite the evidence of torture and the serious concerns this raises about the unfairness of their trials, there has been no investigation into their cases by the Indonesian authorities.

Independence activists in the province of Papua have also received hefty sentences for raising their independence flags in peaceful demonstrations.

The 22 activists arrested in 2007 were convicted of ‘rebellion’ under Articles 106 and 110 of the Indonesia Criminal Code.  A twenty-third person was arrested in June 2008 and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment in March 2009.  They are all considered by Amnesty International to be prisoners of conscience.

The Republic of South Maluku (RMS), an armed pro-independence movement, officially ended in Maluku with the execution by the Indonesian authorities of its leader in 1966. However some villagers continue to raise the 'Benang Raja flag', a symbol of the South Maluku independence, in Maluku as a peaceful political act of protest against the central government.

Publication Date:  Wednesday 4 August 2010

A new Amnesty International report documents how thousands of people displaced during past conflicts in Georgia struggle to access basic services.

Teaser image:  Amnesty International Index Number:  EUR56/002/2010

The Georgian authorities must do more than the bare minimum to provide adequate housing, employment and access to health care to those displaced in conflicts in the 1990s and the war with Russia in August 2008, Amnesty International said in a report published today.  

In the waiting room: Internally displaced people in Georgia, documents how thousands of people displaced during the conflicts struggle to access basic services.

“Displaced people need more than just roofs over their heads. They need the government to ensure employment, access to health care and benefits. They also need to be consulted and be able to make the choices affecting their lives,” said Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director.  

“Displaced people have the right to return to their homes in dignity and safety. However, the government has the obligation to those who cannot or do not want to do so to integrate or to resettle them in other parts of the country.”

About 6 per cent of the population of Georgia (some 246,000 people) are displaced within the country. About 220,000 of these left their homes during conflicts that took place in the early 90s.

Another 128,000 people fled South Ossetia and the Kodori Gorge of Abkhazia during and after the Georgian-Russian war in August 2008. The majority of them have since returned to their homes, but close to 26,000 people are still unable to return, and will not be able to do so in the foreseeable future.

In 2007, the Georgian government began to devise and implement programmes to provide durable housing to those displaced with international assistance.

However, many of those who fled their homes nearly two decades ago are still living in hospitals or military barracks that lack basic hygienic conditions and privacy. Some of the new settlements are located in rural areas lacking essential infrastructure.

Government assistance has yet to reach those who live with family members or in rented flats. Many complain that they have not been consulted about measures directly affecting their lives.

“All those displaced are still suffering from the consequences of war. Displaced people need durable solutions and they need them fast so that they can claim their lives back,” Nicola Duckworth said.

Displaced people suffer from high unemployment, and there are still no comprehensive government programmes targeting this issue.

Poor living conditions and poverty undermine the health of displaced people while the lack of information and the costs for medical treatment make it even more difficult for them to get health care.

“The Georgian government has taken important steps, but housing solutions have to go hand in hand with health care, employment and livelihoods opportunities. This is the only way to fully integrate the tens of thousands of its citizens still living in limbo,” Nicola Duckworth said.

As Iza, displaced woman in a collective centre in Kutaisi, told Amnesty International: “Seventeen years ago, when the war broke out, I was a student of foreign languages at the state university, but never finished. Now my son is in high school, but I do not have any means to afford his university education. I can not rebuild my future any more, maybe I no longer have the prospects of ever finding employment, but I ask the government to at least give more prospects to my children so they have a better future.”

Files:  A child's eye view of the daily struggle facing families displaced by conflict in Georgia Assistance has yet to reach those who live with family members or in rented flats. Some of the new settlements are located in rural areas lacking essential infrastructure.

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Amnesty International has called for the release of four Angolan human rights activists unlawfully jailed in connection with an attack on the Togolese football team in Cabinda that left two people dead and several injured.

Amnesty International has called for the release of four Angolan human rights activists unlawfully jailed in connection with an attack on the Togolese football team in Cabinda that left two people dead and several injured.

The four men, including prisoners of conscience Francisco Luemba and Raul Tati, were sentenced to between three and six years' imprisonment by the Cabinda Provincial court for “other acts against the security of the state” over the January attack. 

"The Angolan authorities have used this deadly terrorist attack as a pretext to lock up human rights activists who have criticised them in the past," said Muluka-Anne Miti, Angola researcher at Amnesty International.

"These men must be released unless they are charged with a recognizable criminal offence and guaranteed a fair trial."

All four activists have been convicted of violating article 26 of the Angolan Law of Crimes against the Security of the State, which gives the authorities power to class any act as a crime.

“This is a worrying example of how this vague law is open to misuse by the authorities. It means that any act they decide is a crime will be a crime, even if this was not stated in law when the act was committed. Article 26 clearly violates international human rights law," said Muluka-Anne Miti.

Francisco Luemba and Raul Tati are members of the now banned human rights organization Mpalabanda. They are long-standing critics of the government and the Front for the Liberation of the Cabinda State (FLEC) - an armed group fighting for secession of Cabinda.

Police arrested both men shortly after the attack on 8 January, when the Togolese football team came under fire while travelling by bus through Cabinda to attend the Africa Cup of Nations.

Francisco Luemba and Raul Tati were found with documents on Cabinda and had recently attended a conference aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the situation in the troubled region.

The two other convicted men, José Benjamin Fuca and Belchior Lanso Tati, had also attended the conference and allegedly confessed to being members of FLEC.

Francisco Luemba and Raul Tati have each been given five-year jail sentences, while Belchior Lanso Tati has been a given a six-year term and José Benjamin Fuca faces three years behind bars. Amnesty International understands that all four men are set to appeal the verdict.

Tuesday 3 August 2010

Politicians urged not to incite ethnic hatred or violence and for the security forces to protect the population from abuses ahead of this week's poll.

Amnesty International has called on Kenyan politicians not to incite ethnic hatred or violence and for the country's security forces to protect the population from human rights violations during a key referendum on a new constitution.

Tensions are high ahead of Wednesday's poll. Kenya's most recent elections in December 2007 led to a wave of violence and associated police killings in which over 1,000 people lost their lives. The UN estimated that over 500,000 people were displaced from their homes.
 
"Another bloodbath is not inevitable so long as Kenyan politicians act responsibly, do not stoke ethnic tensions, and avoid making statements that may be construed as advocating ethnic hatred or incitement to violence," said Justus Nyang’aya, director of Amnesty International Kenya.
 
"The referendum also provides an opportunity for the Kenyan security forces to show that they are capable of carrying out their professional duties in line with international human rights standards, particularly at such a moment of heightened political tension," said Justus Nyang'aya.

During the 2007 election some Kenyan police and security agents used excessive force, including the firing of live ammunition into crowds, to quell violence and mass protests.

As part of the power sharing deal that ended the deadly wave of violence following the disputed Presidential elections in 2007, it was agreed that a new constitution would be drafted.

If passed, the new constitution will, among other things, introduce checks to the President’s power and ensure greater regional devolution.

Despite repeated calls by human rights organisations ahead of the referendum that politicians moderate their language, concerns remain that hate speech has already created divisions in parts of the country that could lead to violence.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has captured various politicians on film using hate speech in their campaign rallies between May and July 2010. An MP from the Rift Valley was reportedly arrested by police and detained for one night, on allegations of circulating leaflets warning some people to leave his constituency.

"Kenyans have a responsibility to desist from acts of violence and the use of hate speech," said Justus Nyang'aya.

Amnesty International said it is also concerned about the failure of the government of Kenya to address impunity for human rights violations and crimes committed during the post-election violence in 2007 and 2008, including by individuals, armed groups and security personnel and police.

"Unless the perpetrators of human rights violations and crimes are held to account, then such violations and crimes will continue to be perpetrated. By failing to punish the perpetrators of violations and crimes committed during the post-election violence, the government of Kenya is giving a green light for further violence," said Justus Nyang’aya.

Kenya's most recent elections in December 2007 led to a wave of violence

Tuesday 3 August 2010

At least 70 families living in an informal settlement in Belgrade, many of whom fled there after being forcibly evicted from other sites, could be left homeless again if the demolition goes ahead.

Amnesty International has urged the Belgrade authorities to halt plans to destroy a Roma settlement amid fears that an eviction could be imminent.

At least 70 families living in an informal settlement in the Vidikovac area of the Serbian capital, many of whom fled there after being forcibly evicted from other sites, could be left homeless again if the demolition goes ahead.

"The authorities have yet to find a long-term solution for Roma who, after seeing their homes repeatedly destroyed, live in constant fear of being evicted at any time without warning," said Sian Jones, Amnesty International's expert on Serbia.

Under international law, evictions can only be carried out as a last resort, once all other alternatives have been exhausted.

The Belgrade authorities have not offered the families any alternative accommodation or compensation. They have failed to consult the community, instead issuing them with two eviction notices in April and mid-June, the latter threatening the settlement with eviction from early July.

"The city authorities have no respect for the Roma people's dignity and human rights, we have been suffering discrimination in this society for far too long," a Roma activist, who wants to remain anonymous due to fear of eviction, told Amnesty International after her visit to Vidikovac on 30 July.

"The youngest of the Vidikovac residents are the most vulnerable to forced evictions. We are talking about kids with no chance to live normally. They can't learn like other children, their health is at risk."

Thirty-five of the families at risk of eviction joined the Vidikovac settlement in April 2010, when their homes on the other side of the street were destroyed by the Belgrade authorities. They were offered no alternative accommodation, assistance or compensation.

Another 20 families arrived at site after being evicted from a nearby area without prior notice, leaving them unable to rescue anything but the few belongings they could carry. Promises of food and assistance from the authorities failed to materialize.

"This vicious circle of forced evictions can only be broken through the development of a sustainable resettlement plan, which ensures the right to adequate housing for all affected communities," said Sian Jones.

Many of the Roma families living in Vidikovac were forcibly returned to Serbia from several EU states between 2006 and 2008.

Many had left Southern Serbia in the 1990s in search for work and, after failing to find adequate housing or employment when returned to their home towns, joined informal Roma settlements across Belgrade.

The Belgrade authorities have reportedly said the city's settlements will be removed because they lack proper sanitation. However, they have not specified where families living on the site can be relocated or how their human rights will be protected when their homes are demolished.

"The authorities act as if it is our fault that we live in the settlements, as if it is our choice. What other choice have we got? If you are Roma you haven't got many choices," the Roma activist said.

Amnesty International's Demand Dignity campaign aims to end the human rights violations that drive and deepen global poverty. The campaign will mobilise people all over the world to demand that governments, corporations and others who have power listen to the voices of those living in poverty and recognise and protect their rights. For more information visit the Demand Dignity pages

Serbia must end forced evictions of Roma (Report, 10 June 2010)
Belgrade authorities urged to halt forced eviction of 300 Roma families (News, 23 April 2010)

The families have not been offered any alternative accommodation or compensation

Tuesday 3 August 2010

Security forces in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in northern India urged not to use live ammunition except as a last resort to protect against a threat to life.

Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir should not use live ammunition except as a last resort to protect against a threat to life, Amnesty International said on Monday.

At least 14 protesters have been killed in shootings by security forces during protests in Kashmir over the last four days.

More than 150 people have been injured, including 22 security personnel, in some of the most violent clashes between protesters and security forces in recent years in the restive Kashmir valley.

"Some of the recent demonstrations have turned violent, but the security forces should still respect and protect the right to life at all times," said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific Programme director.

Security forces should use firearms only where unavoidable to protect life, and to the minimum extent required, in compliance with their own manual and international law and standards, including the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.

"The number and circumstances of fatal shootings suggest that this has not always been the case," said Sam Zarifi.

From Friday 30 July to Sunday 1 August, nine protestors were killed by gunfire from the Jammu and Kashmir state police and the Central Reserve Police Force during demonstrations.

Five more deaths have been reported today, including one demonstrator who succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained on Saturday.

Violence by protesters in recent demonstrations has included attacks on a train station and three police stations.

Four people died in an explosion when a police station in Khrew, near Srinagar, was set on fire by protesters on Sunday.

Amnesty International said it recognized the duty and responsibility of the authorities to protect the public, public property and officials from attack, and to investigate and prosecute those suspected of committing a recognizable criminal offence.

The organization said the right to freedom of assembly protects only peaceful assembly. Protesters who engage in human rights abuses must be held accountable for their actions.

Similarly, according to international law, all incidents of police shootings should be investigated promptly, independently, impartially and thoroughly.

Members of security forces suspected of violating human rights, irrespective of rank, should be prosecuted in proceedings that meet international standards of fairness.

Survivors and families of victims should be provided with reparations.

The latest round of demonstrations began in late May over reported extrajudicial executions of three young men at Machil in Baramulla district.

Protests increased after the killing of 17-year old Tufail Mattoo by police in Srinagar on June 11.

They have intensified over repeated cycles of protests and further killings by security forces. 17 protestors were killed between 11 June and 19 July.

Over 300 people, including 45 security force personnel, have been injured in the demonstrations to date.

The demonstrations began in late May over the extrajudicial executions of three men

Posted by Bobby Ramakant (bobby)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has worked with multi-faith religious leaders which included both ‘shia’ and ‘sunni’ religious leaders. Look at the theological basis for addressing homosexuality in particular and also drug use in a different way. Islam like all other great religions of the world speaks of forgiveness, protection...

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Despite of AIDS programmes prioritising men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) and transgender people as high risk communities, not only the existing services are reaching appalling low numbers of MSM and trangender people, but also the funding for programmes targeting these communities is shockingly, namesake

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It is so nice to see that TB/HIV has been given due importance, focus and limelight in the recently observed IAC of Vienna. There were several oral sessions and poster presentation in the conference to share research, clinical and programmatic experiences on combined TB/HIV interventions around the world, chiefly from Africa. The conference has given us opportunity to know about the key lessons learned from the TB/HIV collaborative activities in the countries though it is also felt that the experiences of Asia should have been highlighted more

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Monday 2 August 2010

President Asif Ali Zardari's visit comes amid increased focus by international leaders on his country's response to the Taleban-led insurgency.

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari should use his UK visit to announce reforms in the country's northwest that will help combat human rights violations there, Amnesty International said on Monday.

President Zardari is due to arrive in the UK on Tuesday, amid increased focus by international leaders on Pakistan's response to the Taleban-led insurgency in its northwest tribal areas and in Afghanistan.

"The conditions are right for Pakistan to show it is serious about political solutions to the human rights violations, poverty, and constitutional rights vacuum in the northwest that allowed the Taleban to assert such control there in the first place," said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International's director for the Asia-Pacific programme.  

"The Pakistani people have suffered tremendously at the hands of the Taleban, but a predominantly military response has led to more than a million civilians still displaced and thousands of deaths while not dealing with the root of the problem."

Amnesty International called on President Zardari to deliver on his promise made on 14 August 2009 to reform the exclusionary laws that still govern the northwestern Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly North West Frontier Province).

The Frontier Crimes Regulation is a colonial-era law that excludes the population of FATA from the protection of the national courts and Constitution of Pakistan, allowing for collective military punishment and restricted electoral rights.  
 
"President Zardari should take this opportunity to answer his critics by announcing specific, major reforms, like the abolition of the Frontier Crimes Regulations that treat northwestern Pakistan like a human rights-free zone," said Sam Zarifi.  

Amnesty International also called on Zardari and UK Prime Minister David Cameron to incorporate real human rights benchmarks in their counter-terror efforts, and into development aid to Pakistan.  

Political reform and development will improve the region's human rights, and strengthen accountability and rule of law, which need to be at the core of any anti-terror strategy in Northwestern Pakistan, the organisation said.

"The UK and Pakistan government have to work together to deliver human rights and development for the people of the northwest. Aid to these regions will be wasted in the absence of political reform and guarantees of human rights," said Sam Zarifi.

The UK has pledged £600 million over five years in humanitarian aid to people affected by the conflict in the northwest, but needs to include human rights benchmarks in how that money is used, and to push for an end to enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention and mistreatment of detainees.  

Amnesty International released its report As if Hell Fell On Me: the Human Rights Crisis in Northwest Pakistan in June, which portrayed the civilians of the northwest as caught in a human-rights free zone, between Taleban rule and heavy-handed responses from the Pakistani military.

Millions suffer in 'human rights free zone' in northwest Pakistan (Report, 10 June 2010)

President Zardari urged to announce reforms in the northwest to fight human rights abuses

Posted by Bobby Ramakant (bobby)

A raging issue on the first day of XVIII International AIDS Conference was whether Isoniazid (INH) Preventive Therapy (IPT) be given to all –regardless whether people have TB or not? A full-course of IPT can prevent latent tuberculosis (TB) infection from becoming active TB disease. It is very crucial and often life-saving for people living with HIV (PLHIV) who are co-infected with tuberculosis (TB) as TB continues to be the biggest killer of PLHIV

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