The Lights of Liberty

Since yesterday was International Human Rights Day, I found it appropriate to do my last blog on it. Cuban exiles organized in Miami and decided that they wanted to shoot off fireworks off the border of Cuba on the eve of International Human Rights Day. The group of exiles was organized by Ramon Saul Sanchez who is a part of the Democracy Movement group. The Cuban government claims that the exiles had malicious motives with their firework display. The exiles said that the purpose of the fireworks was not malicious but was to bring attention to Cuba’s human rights violations. The firework show has been named, “The Lights of Liberty” show.

(Ramon Saul Sanchez)

The exiles hoped to be supported by dissidents in Cuba. The dissidents in Cuba associated with the firework show are the Ladies in White. The group is made up of wives and other females that have jailed dissident husbands and/or loved ones. The group met before the fireworks at their former leader’s house, Laura Pollan, who died in October. Pro-government protesters surrounded the house disabling the woman to participate in protesting during the fireworks. Only a handful of dissidents made it out to the Malecon promenade in Cuba. When Associated Press members tried to interview people that had come out they were attacked by pro-governmental protesters.

(The Ladies in White)

This firework display does not sit well with Cuba. The Cuban government is dissatisfied that the United States did not enable the exiles from shooting them off by the Cuban border. The exiles are protected here under the freedom of expression. Legally the United States could not have stopped them unless they did not stay in proper range of Cuba’s boundaries. However, in Cuba, dissidents were not allowed their freedom of expression. Some members of the Ladies in White group were not permitted to attend the meeting at Laura Pollan’s house. Other dissidents claim that they were held by the government so that they could not participate in protests. We are seeing in many countries where old regimes are trying to stay in power that the freedom of expression is being taken away from many citizens. Like in Cuba, governments are trying to censor citizens in order to prevent uprisings and discontent. However, it seems the more governments try to censor the voices of dissidents the stronger the dissidents become.

Do you see the dissidents in the near future being able to oust the Castro regime?

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/exile-fireworks-show-off-cuba-irks-castro-govt-15127325?page=2

Violence in Yemen

With the Arab Spring have come numerous human rights violations against civilians. In Yemen, this violence is no different. This violence is still continuing even though the country signed an agreement to “restore peace and stability.” The government forces are blamed for killing peaceful protesters, as well as children. UNICEF has reported that 138 children have been killed since the start of the violence in March and 568 have been injured. Recently, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that there have been 20 people killed in the city of Taiz. Due to this violence many people do not feel safe in their own homes and are forced to flee when their neighborhoods have been damaged. The High Commissioner, Navi Pillay, asked permission from the government to allow her and her staff access into the country to further investigate the human rights violations.

This story is nothing that we haven’t heard of in regards to the Arab Spring. However, the unfortunate part of the Arab Spring is these injustices against children. Children are granted special protections under International Law. They also have the right to life. A one month old baby was killed December 1st due to the violence in Yemen. The military is trying to prevent further uprising against the government but they are killing civilians in the process. The military is also not allowing the freedom of expression because people are being killed and detained because they are not happy with their government. If the military is going to continue to support the government, it needs to differentiate between threats and innocent people. The government also needs to go through due process and not just kill people who no longer support it.

What should the Yemen government do to ensure that children are protected from this violence?

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=40634&Cr=&Cr1=

Elections in the Congo

The Congo has conducted its second free election in 51 years and is the first that has been organized by the government. However, the election is suspected to be corrupt and 3 out of the 11 candidates have asked that the ballot be voided. This election has led to widespread violence around the country. There have been 14 deaths and about 100 have been injured. Most of those who were killed were murdered by troops that are in favor of President Joseph Kabila. The deaths were a cause of thousands of people crowding Kinshasa’s airport to welcome the opposition nominee Etienne Tshisekedi. There were soldiers (supposedly part Kabila’s Republican Guard) firing into the crowd who killed the 14 people. There has been other reported violence between groups at voting locations. Other violence has been blamed on the Lord’s Resistance Army. They are responsible for killing 13 people, raping a pregnant woman, and abducted 3 boys.

This election has gotten out of hand and it is hard to tell if the election can really be categorized as “free,” especially is the voting has been rigged. The freedom of expression is a right that is being violated here. People are not allowed to have a preference for who they want to vote for because they will be targeted by members of opposing parties. The right to life is also being violated here because people are being murdered over political beliefs. Special protections for children are not being represented because young boys are being abducted. The President is up for re-election so the army supporting him is trying to squash all other opposition. However, there are groups who do not want the President in power and are acting out against those who are fighting for him.

What can the Congo do to ensure more peaceful elections?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/12/02/international/i023655S98.DTL

Grandmother Strip Searched

Lenore Zimmerman was planning on traveling from JFK airport to Fort Lauderdale. The 85-year-old woman is only 100 ponds and walks with a walker. After Zimmerman checked her bags she made her way t the security line. She asked permission to be exempt from the image screening technology because she has a defibrillator. She expected to be pat down like she normally is. Instead she was the subject of a strip search. Two female TSA agents took her into a private room where she was forced to remove her clothing. In the process, her walker banged against her leg and blood began to run from a gash. Zimmerman claims that the TSA agents had no sympathy and continue to remove her clothing. Zimmerman is planning on suing the TSA for her whole ordeal.

Now it could be argued that Zimmerman’s right to privacy was abused here. All people have the right to their bodies but to what extent? Zimmerman is not the only person that has had a strip search. It could be argued that she was targeted because she is a women but that is a far reach and is more than likely not the reason. All citizens are subject to strip searches and they should not be skipped just because they do not look like a “terrorist.” Zimmerman sarcastically said, “I walk with a walker — I really look like a terrorist.” The TSA cannot just search people who they deem as looking as a terrorist. I believe that they may have decided to do the strip search because she opted out of the image screening.


Do you believe that any of Zimmerman’s rights were infringed upon? Should she not have been strip searched because she is an 85-year-old woman?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/lenore-zimmerman-85-hurt-strip-search-tsa-agents-jfk-airport-article-1.986198

Yemen

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) came to an agreement that they would grant the President of Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh, immunity from being prosecuted. President Saleh has been in office for 33 years and has announced that he was going to resign many times only to change his mind. Amnesty International is not impressed with this decision because the President would not be held accountable for human rights violations. However, Yemen is responsible for investigating these human rights abuses and persecuting those involved due to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The GCC decided to allow Saleh to stay in office for 90 days until the elections stay place. The President and vice-President, Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, will share presidential powers.

Yemen is another country in the Arab World that is experiencing the Arab Spring. The situation happening in Yemen is similar to Syria. The population wants another ruler that has been power for decades out of office. However, the ruler does not want to leave. Violence is rampant in Yemen. Protesters are being murdered for speaking out against the Saleh regime. Yemen is also experiencing a pro-Shia Muslim movement. This has led to the deaths of many Sunni Muslims. Just recently, 24 people were murdered in a Sunni section of Yemen. Many human rights violations occurring in Yemen include: the right to life, religion, and expression. Many people in Yemen are losing their lives because of their values. They have a differing religion so they are murdered. They want a new government so they are murdered.

DO you think that President Saleh should be granted immunity from prosecution?

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=19825

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/27/world/meast/yemen-clashes/?hpt=hp_t2

Violence Continues in Syria

This week Syria refused to agree to having people place in the country to try and stop the eight months of violence with a peace treaty. Syria was told if it did not cooperate it would be subject to economic sanctions. Since Syria's President Bashar al-Assad did not agree to start the peace agreements, the Arab League has to meet to decide why sanctions it will set on Syria. Possibilities will be stopping transactions with Syria's banks and stopping flights to Syria. These sanctions could lead to more violence in Syria. Syria has had the deadliest attack on protests in the Arab Spring. There have been 3,500 deaths in eight months and Assad continues with the killing. The violence started mostly against peaceful protesters but then civilians became to be armed and fought back against Assad's forces.


The United Nations Commission against Torture Is investigating the many human rights abuses occurring in Syria. Human rights groups have reported that the police forces in Syria have been torturing children. This is an obvious violation of special protections for children. The military was also using force against peaceful protesters. These are violating rights to life and freedom of expression. Assad is justifying his actions against civilians saying that terrorists are plotting to get him out of power. Many of the same abuses are happening in countries experiencing the Arab Spring. For example, Egypt's military regime is arresting anyone who speaks out in opposition of the government.

What do you think it will take to get Assad out of power?

http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1770118

Freedom of Expression in US

Every year college students in California gather and protest against rising college tuition rates. This year the campuses have been inspired by the occupy movement. Specifically at the University of California, tuition has almost doubled in recent years. Just this month, the California State Board of Trustees decided to increase tuition for next year by 9%. These protests that are typically peaceful took a different turn this year when police officers sprayed pepper spray into the protesting students. This video has gone viral and is causing uproar across the country. Many who have watched the video are pressuring the Chancellor, Linda Katehi to resign. The Chancellor apologized to the student body and is working to earn the schools trust back.

Most of my blogs have focused on human rights issue abroad and I thought it would be nice to focus on an issue that is close to home. The freedom to assemble for these students was taken away from them. They were performing a peaceful protest and the school police officers pepper sprayed them. There right to freedom of expression was also violated. I feel that in the United States we pride ourselves on all the freedoms that this country has to offer. However, there are still times when we do not provide these rights. It would have been a different situation if the crowd had turned violent and the police needed to use pepper spray to pacify the crowd. The police officers that were involved in the pepper spraying were put on administrative leave.

Do you believe that the University of California should take a stronger action against the police officers? Or do you believe that the pepper spraying can be justified?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/us/police-officers-involved-in-pepper-spraying-placed-on-leave.html