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Thank you

Adel

Después de poco más de 30 días de aquella tragedia ocurrida en mi ciudad, apenas hoy hace unas horas se realiza la comparecencia del Dr. Daniel Káram Toumeh, Director General del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), ante la Primera Comisión de la Comisión Permanente del Congreso de la Unión. En un evento de cuatro horas y media de duración, parte de la conclusión fue que de ahora en adelante se trabajará en el tema de la transparencia y se crearán nuevas normas para la licitación y el ejercicio de todas las guarderías en el país. Los miembros de la comisión externaron su preocupación porque hay varias guarderías en operación de manera ilegal, hay guarderías que no son parte de la nueva licitación que comenzó a finales del 2008, el titular está laborando con dudosa competencia en su cargo, existiría tráfico de influencias (negocio fácil), se debió haber tenido la presencia de los Procuradores General de Justicia a nivel Federal y Estatal (Sonora), y por lo mismo haber enfatizado el tema de la seguridad; entre otros. Uno de los padres de familia, representante también de otros afectados (Movimiento 5 de junio), expresó su voz por medio de una hoja en la que se lee la frase "Daniel Káram exigimos su RENUNCIA por encubrimiento e incompetencia". A partir de hoy día en la tarde se pone a disposición del público la lista de guarderías subrogadas, en la página electrónica del IMSS http://aplicaciones.imss.gob.mx/guarderias/principal.htm

Qué casualidad que en plenas elecciones, sobre todo a nivel local y estatal, se haya manejado tan mal la información. Claramente, se politizó todo y, no es sólo dicho por mí; se dice además fue parte del pleito personal del Presidente de la República contra el Gobernador de Sonora saliente, Eduardo Bours Castelo... independientemente de si es verdad o no, el hecho es que fallecieron niños en circunstancias evitables y se exige justicia. La bodega que se incendió y la guardería se encontraban a escasos metros de una gasolinera (eso no está permitido y poco se menciona en los medios de comunicación). Tengo una opinión muy particular, pero está de más mencionarla.

Asimismo, se están realizando brigadas por personal de la Secretaría de Salud y voluntarios, tengo entendido se canaliza actualmente para servicio psicológico a la Unidad de Terapia Infantil del municipio. De hecho, me capacité el fin de semana del suceso e hice guardia un día en uno de los hospitales con familias ya en fase de duelo (primero es de shock).

¿Qué es lo que piensan ustedes lectores?

PeaceNobel Lecture, Oslo, December 10, 2001

Your Majesties, Your Royal Highness's, Excellencies,
Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, in Afghanistan, a girl will be born. Her mother will hold her and feed her, comfort her and care for her – just as any mother would anywhere in the world. In these most basic acts of human nature, humanity knows no divisions. But to be born a girl in today's Afghanistan is to begin life centuries away from the prosperity that one small part of humanity has achieved. It is to live under conditions that many of us in this hall would consider inhuman.

I speak of a girl in Afghanistan, but I might equally well have mentioned a baby boy or girl in Sierra Leone. No one today is unaware of this divide between the world’s rich and poor. No one today can claim ignorance of the cost that this divide imposes on the poor and dispossessed who are no less deserving of human dignity, fundamental freedoms, security, food and education than any of us. The cost, however, is not borne by them alone. Ultimately, it is borne by all of us – North and South, rich and poor, men and women of all races and religions.

Today's real borders are not between nations, but between powerful and powerless, free and fettered, privileged and humiliated. Today, no walls can separate humanitarian or human rights crises in one part of the world from national security crises in another.

Scientists tell us that the world of nature is so small and interdependent that a butterfly flapping its wings in the Amazon rainforest can generate a violent storm on the other side of the earth. This principle is known as the "Butterfly Effect." Today, we realize, perhaps more than ever, that the world of human activity also has its own "Butterfly Effect" – for better or for worse.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We have entered the third millennium through a gate of fire. If today, after the horror of 11 September, we see better, and we see further – we will realize that humanity is indivisible. New threats make no distinction between races, nations or regions. A new insecurity has entered every mind, regardless of wealth or status. A deeper awareness of the bonds that bind us all – in pain as in prosperity – has gripped young and old.

In the early beginnings of the 21st century – a century already violently disabused of any hopes that progress towards global peace and prosperity is inevitable -- this new reality can no longer be ignored. It must be confronted.

The 20th century was perhaps the deadliest in human history, devastated by innumerable conflicts, untold suffering, and unimaginable crimes. Time after time, a group or a nation inflicted extreme violence on another, often driven by irrational hatred and suspicion, or unbounded arrogance and thirst for power and resources. In response to these cataclysms, the leaders of the world came together at mid-century to unite the nations as never before.

A forum was created – the United Nations – where all nations could join forces to affirm the dignity and worth of every person, and to secure peace and development for all peoples. Here States could unite to strengthen the rule of law, recognize and address the needs of the poor, restrain man’s brutality and greed, conserve the resources and beauty of nature, sustain the equal rights of men and women, and provide for the safety of future generations.

We thus inherit from the 20th century the political, as well as the scientific and technological power, which – if only we have the will to use them – give us the chance to vanquish poverty, ignorance and disease.

In the 21st Century I believe the mission of the United Nations will be defined by a new, more profound, awareness of the sanctity and dignity of every human life, regardless of race or religion. This will require us to look beyond the framework of States, and beneath the surface of nations or communities. We must focus, as never before, on improving the conditions of the individual men and women who give the state or nation its richness and character. We must begin with the young Afghan girl, recognizing that saving that one life is to save humanity itself.

Over the past five years, I have often recalled that the United Nations' Charter begins with the words: "We the peoples." What is not always recognized is that "we the peoples" are made up of individuals whose claims to the most fundamental rights have too often been sacrificed in the supposed interests of the state or the nation.

A genocide begins with the killing of one man – not for what he has done, but because of who he is. A campaign of 'ethnic cleansing' begins with one neighbour turning on another. Poverty begins when even one child is denied his or her fundamental right to education. What begins with the failure to uphold the dignity of one life, all too often ends with a calamity for entire nations.

In this new century, we must start from the understanding that peace belongs not only to states or peoples, but to each and every member of those communities. The sovereignty of States must no longer be used as a shield for gross violations of human rights. Peace must be made real and tangible in the daily existence of every individual in need. Peace must be sought, above all, because it is the condition for every member of the human family to live a life of dignity and security.

The rights of the individual are of no less importance to immigrants and minorities in Europe and the Americas than to women in Afghanistan or children in Africa. They are as fundamental to the poor as to the rich; they are as necessary to the security of the developed world as to that of the developing world.

From this vision of the role of the United Nations in the next century flow three key priorities for the future: eradicating poverty, preventing conflict, and promoting democracy. Only in a world that is rid of poverty can all men and women make the most of their abilities. Only where individual rights are respected can differences be channelled politically and resolved peacefully. Only in a democratic environment, based on respect for diversity and dialogue, can individual self-expression and self-government be secured, and freedom of association be upheld.

Throughout my term as Secretary-General, I have sought to place human beings at the centre of everything we do – from conflict prevention to development to human rights. Securing real and lasting improvement in the lives of individual men and women is the measure of all we do at the United Nations.

It is in this spirit that I humbly accept the Centennial Nobel Peace Prize. Forty years ago today, the Prize for 1961 was awarded for the first time to a Secretary-General of the United Nations – posthumously, because Dag Hammarskjöld had already given his life for peace in Central Africa. And on the same day, the Prize for 1960 was awarded for the first time to an African – Albert Luthuli, one of the earliest leaders of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. For me, as a young African beginning his career in the United Nations a few months later, those two men set a standard that I have sought to follow throughout my working life.

This award belongs not just to me. I do not stand here alone. On behalf of all my colleagues in every part of the United Nations, in every corner of the globe, who have devoted their lives – and in many instances risked or given their lives in the cause of peace – I thank the Members of the Nobel Committee for this high honour. My own path to service at the United Nations was made possible by the sacrifice and commitment of my family and many friends from all continents – some of whom have passed away – who taught me and guided me. To them, I offer my most profound gratitude.

In a world filled with weapons of war and all too often words of war, the Nobel Committee has become a vital agent for peace. Sadly, a prize for peace is a rarity in this world. Most nations have monuments or memorials to war, bronze salutations to heroic battles, archways of triumph. But peace has no parade, no pantheon of victory.

What it does have is the Nobel Prize – a statement of hope and courage with unique resonance and authority. Only by understanding and addressing the needs of individuals for peace, for dignity, and for security can we at the United Nations hope to live up to the honour conferred today, and fulfil the vision of our founders. This is the broad mission of peace that United Nations staff members carry out every day in every part of the world.

A few of them, women and men, are with us in this hall today. Among them, for instance, are a Military Observer from Senegal who is helping to provide basic security in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; a Civilian Police Adviser from the United States who is helping to improve the rule of law in Kosovo; a UNICEF Child Protection Officer from Ecuador who is helping to secure the rights of Colombia's most vulnerable citizens; and a World Food Programme Officer from China who is helping to feed the people of North Korea.

Distinguished guests,

The idea that there is one people in possession of the truth, one answer to the world’s ills, or one solution to humanity’s needs, has done untold harm throughout history – especially in the last century. Today, however, even amidst continuing ethnic conflict around the world, there is a growing understanding that human diversity is both the reality that makes dialogue necessary, and the very basis for that dialogue.

We understand, as never before, that each of us is fully worthy of the respect and dignity essential to our common humanity. We recognize that we are the products of many cultures, traditions and memories; that mutual respect allows us to study and learn from other cultures; and that we gain strength by combining the foreign with the familiar.

In every great faith and tradition one can find the values of tolerance and mutual understanding. The Qur’an, for example, tells us that "We created you from a single pair of male and female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other." Confucius urged his followers: "when the good way prevails in the state, speak boldly and act boldly. When the state has lost the way, act boldly and speak softly." In the Jewish tradition, the injunction to "love thy neighbour as thyself," is considered to be the very essence of the Torah.

This thought is reflected in the Christian Gospel, which also teaches us to love our enemies and pray for those who wish to persecute us. Hindus are taught that "truth is one, the sages give it various names." And in the Buddhist tradition, individuals are urged to act with compassion in every facet of life.

Each of us has the right to take pride in our particular faith or heritage. But the notion that what is ours is necessarily in conflict with what is theirs is both false and dangerous. It has resulted in endless enmity and conflict, leading men to commit the greatest of crimes in the name of a higher power.

It need not be so. People of different religions and cultures live side by side in almost every part of the world, and most of us have overlapping identities which unite us with very different groups. We can love what we are, without hating what – and who – we are not. We can thrive in our own tradition, even as we learn from others, and come to respect their teachings.

This will not be possible, however, without freedom of religion, of expression, of assembly, and basic equality under the law. Indeed, the lesson of the past century has been that where the dignity of the individual has been trampled or threatened – where citizens have not enjoyed the basic right to choose their government, or the right to change it regularly – conflict has too often followed, with innocent civilians paying the price, in lives cut short and communities destroyed.

The obstacles to democracy have little to do with culture or religion, and much more to do with the desire of those in power to maintain their position at any cost. This is neither a new phenomenon nor one confined to any particular part of the world. People of all cultures value their freedom of choice, and feel the need to have a say in decisions affecting their lives.

The United Nations, whose membership comprises almost all the States in the world, is founded on the principle of the equal worth of every human being. It is the nearest thing we have to a representative institution that can address the interests of all states, and all peoples. Through this universal, indispensable instrument of human progress, States can serve the interests of their citizens by recognizing common interests and pursuing them in unity. No doubt, that is why the Nobel Committee says that it "wishes, in its centenary year, to proclaim that the only negotiable route to global peace and cooperation goes by way of the United Nations".

I believe the Committee also recognized that this era of global challenges leaves no choice but cooperation at the global level. When States undermine the rule of law and violate the rights of their individual citizens, they become a menace not only to their own people, but also to their neighbours, and indeed the world. What we need today is better governance – legitimate, democratic governance that allows each individual to flourish, and each State to thrive.

Your Majesties,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

You will recall that I began my address with a reference to the girl born in Afghanistan today. Even though her mother will do all in her power to protect and sustain her, there is a one-in-four risk that she will not live to see her fifth birthday. Whether she does is just one test of our common humanity – of our belief in our individual responsibility for our fellow men and women. But it is the only test that matters.

Remember this girl and then our larger aims – to fight poverty, prevent conflict, or cure disease – will not seem distant, or impossible. Indeed, those aims will seem very near, and very achievable – as they should. Because beneath the surface of states and nations, ideas and language, lies the fate of individual human beings in need. Answering their needs will be the mission of the United Nations in the century to come.

Thank you very much.

"MOMENTUM: Mission, Passion, Expression" is a youth-led magazine and a website dedicated to helping youth become more informed and engaged in society. The co-founders of this project are Yassir and Ilyes El Ouarzadi, two young laureates of the Millenium Excellence Scholarships. These young leaders both participated in the leadership program Shad Valley as well as in the 2008 World Youth Congress and in the Dictée des Amériques and they wish, through this project, to give the opportunity to hundreds, even thousands of young people from Canada and abroad, to live such live-changing experiences. Therefore, MOMENTUM is a by-youth, for-youth network dedicated to social change.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MOMENTUM MAGAZINE ?

We welcome your submissions (on current events (economic crisis) or on any topic related to youth engagement, global issues, and leadership) in the form of articles, interviews, poetry, personal reflections, short stories, photography, etc.

Your written submissions should be no longer than 1000 words in length.
Please email all submissions by July 31st to info.momentum@yahoo.com in Word format.

NEW DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS:
July 31st, 2009

Thanks !

------------------------------------------------------------

«MOMENTUM : Mission, Passion, Expression» est un magazine jeunesse accompagné d'un site web qui a pour but d'aider les jeunes à être bien informés et bien impliqués dans la société. Les cofondateurs de ce projet sont Yassir et Ilyes El Ouarzadi, deux jeunes lauréats de la Bourse d'excellence du millénaire. Ces jeunes leaders ont tous les deux participé au programme de leadership Shad Valley ainsi qu'au Congrès Mondial des jeunes 2008 et à la Dictée des Amériques et qui désirent, grâce à ce projet, donner l'opportunité à des centaines, voire des milliers de jeunes du Canada et d'ailleurs, de vivre de telles expériences qui pourront changer leurs vies. MOMENTUM est donc un réseau de changement social, par les jeunes et pour les jeunes.


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Envoyez-nous vos articles, poèmes et textes d'opinion sur le thème: comment les jeunes changent le monde ? et comment vous faites en tant que jeunes la différence dans vos communautés ? Vous pouvez aussi partager votre expérience personnelle pour inspirer d'autres jeunes à s'engager et à réaliser des projets dans leurs communautés. Vous pouvez également traiter de sujets d'actualité (crise économique), de problèmes qui affectent les jeunes ou encore des problématiques mondiales comme les changements climatiques.

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MERCI !

Yassir et ilyes
Co-Founders of MOMENTUM: Mission, Passion, Expression
Join us at: http://momentumweb.ning.com/

"MOMENTUM: Mission, Passion, Expression" is a youth-led magazine and a website dedicated to helping youth become more informed and engaged in society. The co-founders of this project are Yassir and Ilyes El Ouarzadi, two young laureates of the Millenium Excellence Scholarships. These young leaders both participated in the leadership program Shad Valley as well as in the 2008 World Youth Congress and in the Dictée des Amériques and they wish, through this project, to give the opportunity to hundreds, even thousands of young people from Canada and abroad, to live such live-changing experiences. Therefore, MOMENTUM is a by-youth, for-youth network dedicated to social change.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MOMENTUM MAGAZINE ?

We welcome your submissions (on current events (economic crisis) or on any topic related to youth engagement, global issues, and leadership) in the form of articles, interviews, poetry, personal reflections, short stories, photography, etc.

Your written submissions should be no longer than 1000 words in length.
Please email all submissions by July 31st to info.momentum@yahoo.com in Word format.

NEW DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS:
July 31st, 2009

Thanks !

------------------------------------------------------------
«MOMENTUM : Mission, Passion, Expression» est un magazine jeunesse accompagné d'un site web qui a pour but d'aider les jeunes à être bien informés et bien impliqués dans la société. Les cofondateurs de ce projet sont Yassir et Ilyes El Ouarzadi, deux jeunes lauréats de la Bourse d'excellence du millénaire. Ces jeunes leaders ont tous les deux participé au programme de leadership Shad Valley ainsi qu'au Congrès Mondial des jeunes 2008 et à la Dictée des Amériques et qui désirent, grâce à ce projet, donner l'opportunité à des centaines, voire des milliers de jeunes du Canada et d'ailleurs, de vivre de telles expériences qui pourront changer leurs vies. MOMENTUM est donc un réseau de changement social, par les jeunes et pour les jeunes.

COMMENT PARTICIPER AU MAGAZINE MOMENTUM ?

Envoyez-nous vos articles, poèmes et textes d'opinion sur le thème: comment les jeunes changent le monde ? et comment vous faites en tant que jeunes la différence dans vos communautés ? Vous pouvez aussi partager votre expérience personnelle pour inspirer d'autres jeunes à s'engager et à réaliser des projets dans leurs communautés. Vous pouvez également traiter de sujets d'actualité (crise économique), de problèmes qui affectent les jeunes ou encore des problématiques mondiales comme les changements climatiques.

Les articles ne devraient pas contenir plus de 1000 mots.
Faites-nous parvenir vos écrits en format Word à info.momentum@yahoo.com

DATE LIMITE D'ENVOI: la date a été prolongée
Le 31 juillet 2009

MERCI !

Veille Environnement, CC, Biodiversité en Afrique

http://climatechange.new.fr/

By Ben Powless

The rhetoric was sharp enough to cut down Amazonian hardwoods. Yesterday, Sunday June 7th, after a number of ministers had been paraded out Saturday and the day before, Peru’s el Señor Presidente, Alan Garcia decided to make it personal. After a joint police-military operation aimed at stopping an Indigenous protest had gone awry, leaving many dead on both sides, Garcia declared the Indigenous elements to be standing in the way of progress, in the path of national development, wrenches in the gears of modernity, and part of an international conspiracy to keep Peru down. In a troubling statement on the resemblance of the Indigenous protesters to the infamous Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) armed insurrection, Garcia seemed to imply the Natives were a band of terrorists as he stood in front of hundreds of military officers in a nationally televised speech. He continued to decry the Indian barbarity and savagery, and called for all police and military to stand against savagery.


Indigenous and non-Indigenous protesters confront the police on the highway outside Bagua PHOTO: Thomas Quirynen


Clearly, the battle lines were being drawn. Garcia demonstrated he is not about to allow anything to get in the way of “our development” of the oil and mineral resources the Amazon has to offer. Especially by a bunch of confused savages (his words) who are pawns to the international market and to Indian elites and therefore have no real reason to be resisting. At this point, it was obvious he thought nothing of the Indigenous cause, and what they actually stood for. There is too much money to be extracted from oil, from minerals, from logging, and from possible agriculture in the Amazon region, the 2nd largest stretch outside of Brazil. All on land with less than 200,000 Indigenous people. All now supposed to be open for business, as a result of a series of laws passed under the auspices of Free Trade Agreements signed with both Canada and the United States.

All those who lost their lives – certainly more than the 30 or so officially cited – have in the end given their lives for these free trade agreements and their domestic implementation. After wresting a concession from Congress – a la Bush – Garcia was able to push through 99 changes to the law of Peru. A number of these were ruled unconstitutional later, one dealing with property law standing out. Indigenous groups disputed from the beginning that these laws threatened the integrity of the Amazon, its cultural and biological diversity. Since the beginning, they were ignored. Living up to their Amazonian warrior mythology, they decided to take action.


Police clearly seen with automatic submachine guns, not fit for use against civilians PHOTO: Thomas Quirynen


Protests have lasted now over 50 days, only recently erupting into bloodshed when Garcia suspended civil liberties, declared a state of emergency, and decided to send in the military to end the dispute. This was all done in the name of Garcia’s idea of ‘democracy,’ which should be farcical to anyone who has the least idea what democracy means. Indigenous groups have maintained they want to be included in this so-called democracy, meaning they have a say over what happens in their lands, and that their rights be respected. This is clearly within international law now, after the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was approved two years ago.

The Declaration lays out provisions that clearly establish the rights to free, prior and informed consent over development projects in Indigenous territories, and the right to be involved in any decision making processes that would impact on Indigenous Peoples’ lands, resources or rights. Repeated demands have called for there to be dialogue with Indigenous groups. Garcia’s response? Yes, there has been dialogue – within the government, by elected officials. Obviously, this hasn’t done enough to safeguard the rights, the lives, and the livelihoods of Amazon peoples, and a number of the new laws have been shown to be unconstitutional. Indigenous leaders quickly condemned the tragic loss of lives as the fault of the government, who was not committed to dialogue, but arms. Even the ex-president has placed the blame on Garcia for not seeking dialogue with Indigenous representatives.


Police take away identified ‘terrorist’ PHOTO: Thomas Quirynen


Lamentably, this whole situation could have easily been prevented, had the government cared enough about its own citizens’ lives and effective dialogue more than getting its own way. Instead, on Friday morning, police and military descended on an Indigenous encampment near the Amazonian towns of Bagua Chica and Bagua Grande. Reports from the ground contradict the government version, in which security forces, reluctant to use force, were ambushed and had to defend themselves with bombs, helicopters, and machine guns. Other reports establish that a private meeting was held between the military, the Indigenous leadership, and a local bishop, among others, the night before the violence. Indigenous groups were reportedly given until 10am to make a decision to leave or stay, and were guaranteed that nothing would happen until then. In response, many decided to go home. But the government apparently lied. The operation started around 6am.

Local sources instead claim they were sleeping, unarmed, when bullets were fired in their direction. When the police finally arrived to physically remove protesters, it was then that many police were disarmed, killed, or taken prisoner by the masses of protesters, probably numbering over 2,000 in days prior, now down to a few hundred. By now, the war had been declared, and wouldn’t stop well into the night as police and military continued in a violent sweep, ending up going into the towns and reportedly searching house by house in vengeance. Police entered with weapons of war against civilians. Now the military has been reported to be wearing civilian clothing to carry out what seems more and more to resemble a civil war. Families decry that they haven’t been allowed to enter the areas to search for missing family, or enter jails to visit and feed prisoners. All this done in a declared state of emergency, with many liberties and human rights withdrawn for local citizens.


Protesters re-converge near the split in the highway PHOTO: Thomas Quirynen


Then came the outrage. But not by locals or Indigenous groups, though that was palpable. By the very same government who initiated the action. Their reports came out throughout the next day – a dozen security forces murdered in cold blood, maybe 3 Indians hurt. Now 24 police and military cruelly assassinated, about 9 Indians dead (no information how). The choice of words is translated from government pronouncements, and reflects their dim view of Indigenous deaths, despite many being civilians, with a few children among those murdered.

On the other side, Indigenous groups reported at least 30 civilians and Natives were killed, but also that government officials had gone through lengths to disappear some of the bodies, a claim documented by Amazon Watch (see link below). Some AIDESEP members in the communities dispute that the number is much higher, closer to 100, including peasants and civilians. Video evidence clearly shows Natives armed only with spears against a tactical unit in one confrontation, and photos show police firing live weapons from the roofs, reportedly into crowds gathered below. A national newspaper even reported that one could clearly find pictures of more than a dozen Natives and civilians dead, online. No matter, the numbers had suddenly taken on a new importance.

This had been the worst episode of violence since the 90’s, so one might think the government might want to cut its losses and signal a shift towards more productive measures. Indeed, both sides could claim that they lost a number of lives, impetus to stop the bloodshed. Except that the war had already been declared, and may only be heating up. Hence the president’s fiery rhetoric, about how dare the savage Indians hurt our humble police, who didn’t want to raise their weapons. With their claim of nearly 30 deaths to the Indians’ 9 pushed them to call it a massacre (matanza, masacre) and seemed to pave the ethical and emotional road towards stronger retaliation, as all news channels were flooded with pictures of the soldiers bodies being flown out. The president of the ministers’ congress today appeared before congress and on national television to decry all the foreign news reports that fail to coincide with official numbers. Not only that, of course, these Natives were getting in the way of our development, of our modernity, denying us our basic human rights. Many of these government claims are thin disguises to misrepresent the Indigenous movement and its positions.


Police seen shooting on crowds below in Bagua, after protesters re-assemble PHOTO: AIDESEP


Take the issue of development. Indigenous communities have repeatedly said they aren’t against development, but it has to be a different kind of development, one more responsible. A reasonable claim, especially considering that the loss of the Amazon rainforest is one of the top drivers of climate change. On the issue of leadership and responsibility, the government has maintained that this was a top-down movement led by Alberto Pizango, president of AIDESEP, the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest, an Indigenous organization with representation from Amazon communities. This flies in the face of the history of the protest, which has literally involved thousands of communities, and shown itself to be led by local communities in their own decision making structures. The government has instead tried to pin the blame on Pizango as the main instigator, as a political agent of other parties or perhaps other countries, and a criminal mastermind who has tricked his followers into rallying against perfectly good legislation. They have gone so far as to issue a warrant for his arrest now, with many news reports hinting he has fled to Bolivia, and the Indigenous leadership have lost contact with him.


Protesters – many clearly non-Indigenous – attend to a civilian shot dead PHOTO: Thomas Quirynen


The other easily disputed claim is that this is an Indigenous movement uniquely, the implication being that this does not apply to anyone non-Indigenous, and others should repudiate the movement. It is well known in and around the Amazonian towns, however, that there have consistently been Mestizos, those of mixed race who make a slim majority of Peruvians, as part of the movement. In recent days reportedly a number of disenfranchised army reservists also decided to join the Indigenous cause. Looking at the protests in and around Bagua, it can clearly be seen that as many as half the protesters were not Indigenous, but were there in support. Also in the past, it has been a number of labour unions and farmer groups that have participated in national strikes, concerned over the same free trade agreements as Amazon communities. The implications here are critical, though, and seem to seek a precedent in declaring the Indigenous movement to be a criminal, or even terrorist, movement and outlaw their activities, organizations, and politics.


Civilians with bullet wounds attended in Bagua hospital PHOTO: AIDESEP


What comes next? On the Indigenous side, there have been calls for a national strike on Thursday, the 11th. In this case, many labour groups have been involved from the beginning, so it remains to be seen whether this will go farther than strikes in the past, which have shut down vital transportation and oil infrastructure, as well as Machu Picchu, the main tourist destination of Peru. Indigenous leaders have said, however, their protest will continue until they are able to renegotiate the controversial laws. On the government side, we can only wait and hope for the best. If the inflamed words and rallying of the troops are any indication, however, they may be getting ready to try and strike down harder on the Indigenous movement sooner rather than later. Reports have come in that Special Forces have been seen in the area. All this may spell out more bloodshed in the name of democracy. However, they are also acutely aware they are under the international microscope right now, despite the lack of substantial media reporting about the situation here in Peru.

And that may be where hope rests. This is a critical moment, as the government plans its next steps. There needs to be a strong international focus on Peru, to let them know they cannot get away with more human rights abuses. Already, protests are planned across the United States, with more in planning in Canada. Letters have been sent to the government and to representatives at embassies around the world. AIDESEP has called for a national inquiry into the events of Bagua and the deaths. They have also issued a request for an international observer committee to come and be witnesses to the situation. A national strike is planned for this Thursday, with participation from diverse groups, calling for resolution to the situation and the resignation of Alan Garcia. AIDESEP is also collecting funds to aid in its work and support observers to get into the region.

A curfew has been imposed. Amazonian towns have been militarized. AIDESEP officials are in communication with the communities that there are many missing, many presumed dead. The government has begun persecuting and threatening jail for Indigenous leaders, while the leaders have said they are ready to go to jail to defend their rights. The fear is growing that the government is trying to build support to further repress Indigenous groups. This is not a path to peace and reconciliation.


Indigenous leaders of the Peruvian Amazon hold a press conference to talk about the whereabouts of Pizango and their reaction to the violent outbreak, Saturday June 6th. PHOTO: Ben Powless


For now, the protests will continue. If we are serious about safeguarding the human rights of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of the Amazon, we need to act now. The violent repression of Indigenous protests and the loss of civil liberties must come to an end. If we want to protect and preserve the Amazon, and its bio-cultural diversity, especially in the face of climate change, there is no better protection than keeping it under the control of those who have maintained it forever. The free trade laws that open up the Amazon to logging, mining, oil and agroindustry must be suspended. Indigenous Peoples’ rights – to self-determination, to their lands and resources, to their lives - must be protected and guaranteed. If we are to stop other atrocities and bloodshed, the battle line must be withdrawn, immediately, and there must be dialogue.

For up-to-date information and planned actions: http://peruanista.blogspot.com/
So far actions are planned in Canada, the US, Australia, India and more.

Website of AIDESEP: Aidesep, pueblos indígenas amazónicos del Peru | Portada

Donations can be made under "SOLIDARIDAD AIDESEP”, at
Bank Name: Banco de Crédito del Perú
Account number: 193-1070011-1-01
Account name: AIDESEP-VARIOS
Swift Code: BCPLPEPL
Address: Jr. Lampa 499, Cercado de Lima, Peru

Peruvian news network, with many (shocking) videos: http://enlacenacional.com/

Collection of actions to take and media sources: http://beckermanlegal.com/Peru.htm

In depth analysis of the situation: https://nacla.org/node/5879

AmazonWatch investigates disposed bodies: http://www.amazonwatch.org/newsroom/view_news.php?id=1843

Send a letter to Peruvian officials: http://amazonwatch.org/peru-action-alert.php

Preliminary blog: Calm at the Center of the Storm: Reporting from the Amazonian Peoples' Headquarters in Lima | rabble.ca

More photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/powless/sets/72157619320374511/

Democracy Now! Report: http://intercontinentalcry.org/democracy-now-reports-on-bagua-massacre/

La ciudad de Zaragoza que rara... Su aire(cierzo) fatal para la migraña que tengo, pero es mía. No toda la ciudad... Sólo unas partes entre unos minutiCOs son mios... Ya os voy a contar lo que es mio, para que cuidéis el espacio entre yo y mi mundo...
Depende del autobús que llega al centro, tengo 20 minutos con mi gente que miro a sus ojos cada día.. Sólo hay unas 30-50 personas que cambian pero todos ellos dicen: todos somos iguales, somos diferentes.
Esta gente son los que están en cola del registro. Unos para solicitar la nacionalidad Española están allí desde la 08.00 de la mañana, unos para registrar a sus bebes, otros sólo quieren ir un paso más allá en la vida: para casarse... Si llego un poco antes, la cola no es muy grande, sin embargo siempre con gente con los doc. en la mano, quieren que abran la puerta ya y por lo menos esperan dentro... Si sigo en el mismo trabajo, igual dentro de unos años voy a tener mi tercer padre favorito en la Calle Alfonso... ¿Quien sabe?

Hi everyone !

I wanted to post a blog about the Obama's Speech in Cairo (Egypt) since it was an important event for the Muslim world, the USA and the world in general.

For those who have not had the chance to read the full text of the speech or listen to it, here are some useful links:

To read the full text of the speech, visit: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/us/politics/04obama.text.html

For a complete video, visit: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/full-video-of-obamas-cairo-speech/

http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/1234919.html

“Less than six months ago, Arabs threw shoes at George Bush. Today, in a address bound to go down in history, President Obama was unexpectedly greeted by a standing ovation in the heart of the Arab-Muslim world.

In a towering speech before 4,000 Egyptians in the Grand Hall of Cairo University, and to another 1.4 billion Muslims world-wide, the President was interrupted 30 times by applause and people shouting, “we love you”.

President Obama also noted Islam's historical relationship with the United States:

"I also know that Islam has always been a part of America's story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President, John Adams, wrote, "The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims."

***

"That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't. And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear."

Source of the picture and text:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/6/4/738719/-Masterpiece

I think that if we, as citizens of the world and youth activitists, want to ensure a better future for ourselves and the future generations, we have to cooperate and to help each other in order to solve the global problems and issues that we face: climate change, poverty, HIV, ...

«When there is a will, there is a way». Let this be the credo for the 21st Century.

All the best,
Yassir El Ouarzadi
Montreal Youth Engagement Coordinator
CLC Canada- TIG
Founder of MOMENTUM: http://momentumweb.ning.com/

La ALIANZA ARAGONESA CONTRA LA POBREZA, conformada por más de 30 organizaciones del ámbito social y de Cooperación al Desarrollo, con su campaña POBREZA CERO se vincula a la Feria del Libro de Zaragoza el sábado 6 junio de 11 a 20 horas a través de diferentes actos culturales y la instalación de una mesa informativa, los actos se celebrarán en Plaza España.

El objetivo de la campaña POBREZA CERO es concienciar a la población de la necesidad de conseguir los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio (ODM) para logar disminuir los índices de pobreza en el mundo. En este sentido, es importante llamar la atención sobre este tema, aún más en el contexto actual de crisis y aumento de los precios de los alimentos que pone en peligro muchos de los progresos conseguidos en la reducción de la pobreza y el hambre. Se estima que 100 millones de personas más vivirán en la pobreza extrema y 75 millones más pasarán hambre como consecuencia de la crisis económica mundial.

Por todo esto queremos aprovechar la celebración de la Feria del Libro para hacer énfasis en el segundo de los ODM “Lograr la enseñanza primaria universal”. Cuya meta es que todos los niños y niñas puedan terminar un ciclo completo de enseñanza primaria en 2015.

Los invitamos a estar presente el 6 de junio en la Plaza España exigiendo desde el espacio de la cultura y desde el poder de la palabra, el derecho a la educación y a una vida con justicia social y equidad económica.


Programa

Día: 6 de junio de 2009

Lugar: Plaza de España (escaleras de la DPZ), Zaragoza.

Horario:

11 a 13 y de 17 a 20 horas: Mesa informativa sobre la campaña Pobreza Cero. Con libros relacionados con el tema.

18.00 horas: Lectura manifiesto

18.05 horas: Cuentos Pobreza Cero, narradores de cuentos de diferentes países nos contarán historias de la lucha contra la pobreza

Como en todos los lugares del mundo, es un libro que cuenta que "mientras los hombres duermen la siesta, las mujeres airean el corazón."

There was a lot of side discussion about artistic and cultural boycotting after the video conference, and I invite both sides of the globe to explore your opinions. Is this an effective form of political pressure, or does it seem counter productive to the goals of dialogue and coexistence? Is it different than financial or academic boycotts? How/why? I will post a link so you can learn more about these boycott movements, too.

Now that you've all had the video conference experience, I'm curious to know how you feel about humans at this point. Are we inherently bad or good, and how do you personally think we can try to ensure that goodness wins in the world?