(en) Venezuela: For a libertarian and emancipated society, fascism will not come to pass! by Federaci?n Anarquista Revolucionaria de Venezuela - FARV (ca, it)

1st communique of the FARV before the presidential elections of October 7, 2012. -- The
Revolutionary Anarchist Federation of Venezuela, formed by libertarian communist groups
and individuals in the cities of Caracas, Valencia, Maracay and Barquisimeto, presents the
following statement: ---- Black storms shake the air. Capitalism and the international
economic powers seek to recapture the spaces that they are losing in Our America, they
seek to chain us again, they seek to make the local history of the north-west an overall
design for the peoples of the world. We are aware that the situation of October 7 is not a
mere inter-bourgeois conflict, but a scene of class struggle and anti-colonial
confrontation. ---- As anarchists, we recognise the possiblities that have been generated
from the strained State/Organised Communities link, translated into undeniable
achievements in relation to the social and popular rights that the current Bolivarian
process has resulted in among the Venezuelan people.

It would be foolish and unrealistic to say that no progress has been made in meeting the
social and political needs of the historically excluded population in this country due to
the struggles of the Venezuelan people. However, we also recognise the limitations of this
link that, beyond the many errors and failures ? owing to the hierarchical, bourgeois and
reactionary nature of any state ? tends to dam up the potential of the Venezuelan people
in the construction of a society where capitalist hegemony is eradicated and economic,
social and political organisation predominates through a true socialist, collective and
assembly-based popular power of direct democracy. As anarchists we know that this
deepening process is constituted as a collective and common task for the Venezuelan people
and, therefore, should not be abandoned to the conditions that the tactical link with the
Bolivarian state today raises.

No state is revolutionary: revolutions are made by the people. Therefore, before the
upcoming presidential elections on October 7, we maintain a strong position not to let the
traitorous and fascist bourgeois puntofijista right retake the reins of the national
government, and emphasise our commitment to fight for the deepening of the Revolution .
(Puntofijista refers to a power sharing agreement of the bourgeois parties, L.G.)

We know that historically anarchists of all kinds have been against bourgeois elections
and all the trappings of the electoral show. As anarchists we do not validate this circus.
States do not make revolutions, but they can destroy them. Therefore it is not surprising
that, in certain specific and concrete junctures there have been examples in the world of
electoral political participation by anarchist sectors, for instance the Spanish elections
of 1936 where the Spanish proletarian people, many of them anarchists of both the National
Confederation of Labour (CNT) and the Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI), gave their
support to the Popular Front against groups and parties of the Iberian right-wing that
quickly carried out the coup in July of that same year.

The same people that went to the polls were those who, months later, made possible one of
the most glorious moments of the world proletariat, bringing into reality Libertarian
Communism and Anarchy. Similarly, the Party for the People's Victory in Uruguay was
founded on libertarian influences from the Uruguayan Anarchist Federation, whose members,
among others, were great fighters that fought the southern dictatorships of decades past.

The junctures and peculiarities of each struggle are not a new issue. At a meeting
celebrated in Biel (Switzerland), on the fiftieth anniversary of the Saint-Imier Congress,
Bertroni and Malatesta raised the question of what the actions of the anarchists should be
in the face of possible social revolutions that were not libertarian.

?It was not about describing a revolution like that which we want, an anarchist revolution
would be possible if all, or at least the great majority of inhabitants of a determined
territory were anarchists. It was seeking the best that could be done in favour of the
anarchist cause in a social revolution that may occur in the present reality.? (1)

But, this exercise of imagination in favour of anarchism, of placing oneself before the
outbreak of a possible revolution, found opponents in the libertarian camp:
?The comrades shine much light upon the question and the friend and comrade Colomer is not
scandalised nor indignant. If these are new issues for him, anarchists are not frightened
of new ideas.? (2)

A hypothetical situation to Malatesta is now a reality confronting revolutionary
Venezuelan anarchists.

All this allows us to express that historical circumstances can not be ruled out when
evaluating our participation in constructing revolutionary socialist spaces. Action and
theory can not be divorced from reality, from the unfolding historical political context
where we act. We are firm in the conviction that the possibility of a genuine radical
revolutionary change has deep roots, is alive in the creative powers of the people in the
communities who struggle to set the country on the path of social transformation and who
support comrade Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias. We are convinced, as experience shows us, that
in the grassroots lies the germ of a new communal society.

At the present moment there are already many examples of activities which, while not
defined as anarchist, undoubtedly exhibit in their daily lives libertarian practices:
communities that have a certain degree of social production, of self-management and
self-organised security (January 23 Collectives, Alexis Vive Collective, Montaraz
Collective, and others); community radio that do not conform to opinions contrary to the
popular cause and which self-identify as libertarian (community radios of the north of
Barquisimento, Waraira Repano, Toromaima Rebelde, Sanare?a Community Radio, sites like La
Guarura and the like). The Movement of the ?Homeless?, the ?Communities in Charge?, the
?Our America Project?, the Ezequiel Zamora Peasant Front and very many other groups and
organisations of the Popular Movement that, while playing a leading role as builders and
promoters of the Bolivarian process, are also deeply critical of the same.

The vision of the neoliberal sectors of the Venezuelan right with their desire to
implement economic policies that reduce the state to its minimum expression (as is
currently the case in Europe, Africa and other countries of our America), does not allow
them to feel sympathy to observe and listen to our position. Our struggle is for
libertarian communism. We are not prepared to go back to a ?state of things? where we will
be persecuted occupants and social activists, where alternative media will be closed,
where land and companies now communally owned will be returned to the big landowners and
employers, where there will be systematic violation of human rights; where juridicial
instruments that can help the popular cause, the future construction of truly horizontal
and assembly-based community spaces, the realisation of worker, peasant and student
councils will disappear; where the social missions that today are necessary to help the
most dispossessed classes will be eradicated; to regress to a past, not so hidden that
waits to make its fascist attack.

History has already given us many examples:

?From his guard post in La Protesta, Santill?n understood better than any of the men of
the Argentine left the direction and the sense of the anti-irigoyenista conspiracy, which
was nothing really but an attempt to destroy the workers? movement, to halt the social
revolution (which was presumably approaching) and to establish the basis of a corporatist
state (with the support of the armed forces, the landowners and the clergy). When the coup
of the 6th of September ? announced from the pages of a newspaper calling for a general
strike ? occurred, the FORA disregarded it: relying on an apparently very orthodox and
logical view, its militants refused to intervene in the struggles of the bourgeois
political parties, as if it had been about a mere dispute between conservatives and
radicals or between anti-personalists and personalists (personalism refers to a Catholic
philosophy, L.G.). Relying on inflexible dogmatism, they proclaimed: for an anarchist and
a proletarian the same as the populism of Irigoyen goes for the fascism of Uriburu. This
failure of perspective cost the FORA many lives and many exiled. It can even be said that
it cost the organisation its own life. La Protesta was closed down and put the workers
organisation outside of the law?? (3)
We are as much against these positions of the supposed ?left? that would have us believe
that ?they are all the same? as those of the careerists and opportunists that assure us
?this is a true revolution?.

So much more for certain ?personalities? who, taking refuge in the ideals of anarchism
(and certain postures of Trotskyism), seek to conceal their bourgeois world view and along
with it, conceal the struggles and processes for change that have been developed during
the last three decades from the popular communities and counter-hegemonic movements.

To these anarchists turned peddlers, merchants and tourists of the idea, we too say that
fascism will not succeed.

The FARV reaffirms it will not support any government or any state, only the people in
their emancipatory struggle and the Social Revolution.

Our position is the following: defend the popular gains we have achieved and have cost so
much blood; combat by all means possible the return to power of the fascist oligarchic
right of Venezuela and fight together with the people, the organisations, movements and
social and political collectives allied to our struggle for the autonomous and popular
deepening of the Bolivarian Revolution, against the ?red right? and against the failures
and errors provoked by the still present bourgeois capitalist judicial economic structure,
which has yet to be dismantled. If it is not, we could run the imminent risk of being
another failed example of a participative, democratic and socialist revolution in the world.

The overcast sky announces storm. We call all Venezuelan workers, peasants, all the
exploited and excluded of Venezuela to attend the battle of October 7, to close the door
to fascism, be it at the electoral polls or on the street.

Fascism will not come to pass. The invitation is to choose the option that expresses the
vision of the revolutionary and socialist organisations, movements and collectives allied
to our cause and in favour of the continuity of the Bolivarian Process. The invitation is
to be alert to any agenda of violence on the part of the right, to defend our
determination to be free. But, above all, to build ? from the base made in the left, from
everyday life and the day-to-day, from the small and common, from the street, the
neighbourhood, the villages and the mountains ? libertarian spaces that help the
achievement of the Social Revolution.

?Down with the Mazziniano system that is the system of the republic in the form of a
state, there is no other system if not that of the republic as a commune, the republic as
a federation, a genuinely socialist and popular republic ? the system of Anarchism? M.
Bakunin. (4)

FOR A POPULAR AND BOLIVARIAN PROCESS!
FOR A LIBERTARIAN AND ZAMORANO SOCIALISM TOWARDS THE COMMUNAL REPUBLIC!
FOR LIBERTARIAN COMMUNISM!

Federaci?n Anarquista Revolucionaria de Venezuela - FARV

(1) Escritos. Errico Malatesta. Anselmo Lorenzo Foundation. Madrid 2002, Pg. 56.
(2) Ibidem. Pg. 59
(3) El Anarquismo en Am?rica Latina. Carlos M. Rama and ?ngel J. Cappelletti. Ayacucho
Library. Caracas 1990. Pg. LVII
(4) Stateless Socailism. Bakunin http://www.marxists.org/espanol/bakunin/socsinestado.htm

Related Link:
http://farvespecifistas.blogspot.com.br/2012/09/por-una-sociedad-libertaria-y.html

From: http://www.anarkismo.net/article/23985

Bron : a-infos-en@ainfos.ca

France, Alternative libertaire de septembre - The gender division of labor activists (fr)

The issue of gender relations through the whole of society, it is inevitable that it also
passes through activist organizations. A set of recent work in sociology seeks to
highlight these inequalities. ---- The first element of social inequality between men and
women for the activism. So traditional social space was divided into two kingdoms: the man
the public space of the city, the woman, the domestic hearth ... One might think that in
contemporary Western societies traditional view is exceeded. However, engagement in the
public sphere of women is lower than men and varies depending on the type of activism.
Indeed, women invest more easily in the associative activism considered more practical
than political activism, more ideological, and the proportion of women in the
organizations of the extreme left is low, more in anarchist organizations.

It seems in particular that virile image conveyed by the latter sometimes is not unrelated
to this feature. This report to the public space is also reflected in a greater difficulty
for women to speak in such general meetings. It should also take into account the unequal
investment of men and women, the problem of the sexual division of labor within the
domestic space. The assignment still often dominant female tasks of raising children and
household activities.

The iron law of patriarchy

We often talk about the glass ceiling which reflects the fact that women do not occupy
leadership positions in companies or under-representation of women among the elected
representatives of the political parity laws do not compensate. It should however be noted
that the militant organizations, especially trade unions, suffer from the same
inequalities. Women are still less women than men in positions of responsibility. Thus,
the model of the iron law of oligarchy - which states that any organization beyond a
certain mass tends to generate a ruling bureaucracy - some sociologists speak of iron law
of patriarchy. More, some studies show that it is often women who are able to behave says
men who succeed in these positions.

Such a state of queries again the capacity of grassroots organizations to adopt other
values ??than those of male domination to be open to activism which emphasizes an ethic of
care, values ??related to care .

Mixed and non-mixed

The work of feminist theorists have led to broaden the concept of work, which remained in
the theory of Marx limited productive labor of the worker, and the exploitation of
invisibilisant reproductive work performed by women within the domestic space. In
continuation of these studies, sociologists analyze the sexual division of labor activist.

We can notice the existence of a vertical division of labor which also affects the content
of the tasks performed by the one and the other. Women often invest more on technical
tasks as more political. It must be remembered that the feminist movement of the second
wave, the Women's Liberation Movement (MLF), has just formed around the non-mixed because
of the difficulty for women to find their place in the spaces militants mixed .

Current work on these issues sociology show the importance of paying attention to this
dimension in our activism today.

Bron :

Irene (AL Paris North East)

Ce 22 Septembre 2012 : Quatorzième anniversaire de la mort de Sémira Adamu, tuée par son escorte lors d’une tentative d’expulsion.

http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/ce-22-septembre-2012-quatorzieme-anniversaire-de-la-mort-de-semira-adamu-tuee-par-son-escorte-lors-dune-tentative-dexpulsion/


RIEN N’A CHANGE.

On ne les a pas crues.

TRAJET D’UNE FEMME – Bruxelles Août 2012

2003:

Elle a été violée. Elle a accouché de jumeaux, suite à ce viol.

Elle a refusé que le père reconnaisse ces enfant nés d’un viol.

Elle a refusé le mariage forcé avec cet homme.

Elle a refusé la religion musulmane, étant chrétienne.

2007

Elle a été marié de force à cet homme par son père après plusieurs années de lutte.

2010

Elle a refusé de continuer à vivre avec cet homme qui la battait quotidiennement.

Elle a porté plainte contre cet homme.

2011

Elle a refusé l’ excision exigée par cet homme.

2012

Et elle a fuit vers l’Europe par désespoir et espérant une autre vie.

Elle a demandé l’asile..

On ne la pas cru.

Elle a été mise dans un centre fermé, enceinte à nouveau de jumeaux.

Elle a refusé l’avortement proposé par l’assistante sociale du centre.

Elle a refusé de se faire expulser.

Elle a résisté, résisté à 4 reprises lors des tentatives d’expulsion.

Elle s’est battue, a été torturée, elle a faillit mourir .

Elle a continué à résister.

Elle a été libérée avec un ordre de quitter le territoire dans les trente jours.

Elle a été amenée dans un centre ouvert , enceinte de 5 mois!

COMBIEN D’AUTRES ????????



Vidéo Semira

http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/en-savoir-plus/videos-dexpulsions-par-avions-de-personnes-dites-sans-papiers/

http://ccle.collectifs.net/-Semira-Adamu-

International Weekend NoBorder 6-7 octobre 2012 (FR below)‏

International Weekend NoBorder 6-7 octobre 2012 (FR below)



start 6 Octobre 13:00

end 7 Octobre 18:00

Saturday 6 octobre 2012

11:00 Picnic and welcome

13:00. Update of the NB movements in different countries .

-Update of the current situation in different countries
-Common aspects of our struggles
-Communication between ourselves
-Communication to the outside world

16:00
-How to mobilise people for a struggle ? Exchanging experiences on
infotours, evenings, camps and other activities during which to inform
on Noborder and involve others in the movement.
 - Putting together of our actions in different airports against
deportations

-Situation in Calais and supporting the NoBorder Netwerk

-Legalteam : BXL and other

Sunday 7 octobre

9:00 : breakfast

10:00: European borders: EastEurope, Greece, Turkey , Marocco ,

-The council of migrants would like that, in solidarity with the
migrants in Marocco, the following theme is discussed : Refugees and
Migrants in Marocco - between reality and legislation.

13:00 Relax:

14:00 Nobordercamp


-Conflict management : How to avoid that internal conflicts disrupt the
functionning and happening of NoBordercamps.

- Feedback from the evaluations the groups and networks have done of
the last no border camps.

- Next no border camp, where and when, call for proposals.


FR



International Weekend NoBorder 6-7 octobre 2012

Ou : Maison de la Paix rue van Elawijck Ixelles / Bruxelles

6-7 octobre 2012

Samedi 6 octobre

11.00 Picnic et accueil

13.00 Etats des lieux des mouvements noborder dans nos pays respectifs

-Etats des lieux
-Mise en commun de nos luttes
-Communication entre nous
-Communication vers l'extérieur.

16.00 -Comment amener du monde à la lutte ? Échanges d'expériences sur
les
infotours, soirée, camps et autres événements pendant lesquels on
informe sur NoBorder en espérant que d'autres s'impliquent.
-Mise en commun des actions entreprises dans différents aéroports
contre les expulsions
-Situation in Calais et soutien du rééseau Noborder
-Legalteam : BX and other


Sunday 7 october

9:00 déjeuner

9:30 Europborders : EastEurope, Greece, Turkeye , Marokko...... ,

-Le conseil des Migrants souhaiterait qu'en solidarité avec les
> migrants au Maroc le thème suivant soit abordé:
>  "Réfugiés et Migrants au Maroc ; entre réalité et legislation

13. 00 Relax
14. 00
-Gestion de conflits: Comment éviter que des conflits internes plombent
le déroulement et le fonctionnement des camps Noborder.
Evaluation des groupes et réseaux concernant les derniers Nobordercamp
Nouveau Nobordercamp : Ou et quand ? Appel à projet

No Border Stockholm

Hello,

Recently the government of Iraq decided to stop all forced deportations to
the country. This decision was conveyed to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.
However, the government of Sweden and the Swedish Migration Board keep
deporting people there. Right now a new massdeportation from Sweden to
Baghdad is planned, possibly on the 17th of October.

To date 1730 Iraqis have been sent to Iraq with chartered airplanes. In
the beginning the deportations were a Frontex project but now Sweden is
the only country that keeps deporting Iraqis in groups. During the past
three years one chartered plane per month has left Swedish grounds bound
for Iraq. This has been done without much media attention and with
anonymous white buses, in order to protect the praticipating bus
companies.

Last week the chairman of the Iraqi parlament, Osama Al Najaf, the Iraqi
foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari and the Brittish foreign minister William
Hague met in order to discuss forced deportations of Iraqi asylum seekers.
Iraq strongly ciritices European countries that carry out forced
deportations of Iraqis.

http://www.alsumarianews.com/ar/iraq-politics-news/-1-47841.htm

The prime minister of Iraq is right now in Sweden on an official visit,
however the meeting with the Swedish migration minister and the government
is kept secret.

During the week before the coming massdeportation we will do our best to
put light on what is going on but we need your help! This is a call out to
groups all over Europe to carry out protest actions outside Swedish
embassies, demanding that Sweden stops the massdeportions to Iraq.
Please send reports, articles and pictures from the protests to
antidep@gmail.com.

It is also of great help if Swedish media is made aware of protests that
occur in other countries. Press releases, articles etc can be sent to any
or all of the following media: red.skane@metro.se, redaktion@skd.se,
sydnytt@svt.se, sydsvenskan@sydsvenskan.se, p1morgon@sr.se,
lars.linder@dn.se, caroline.goransson@svt.se,
petter.larsson@efterarbetet.se, konflikt@sr.se,
alex.schulman@aftonbladet.se, mikael.funke@sydsvenskan.se,
linda.petersson@tv4.se, ramin.farzin@sverigesradio.se,
71000@aftonbladet.se, tipsa@svd.se, redaktion@city.se,
internetred@sydsvenskan.se, internet@hd.se, p3morgonpasset@sr.se,
peter.f.andersson@hd.se, brith.lindahl@hd.se,
nyheterna.kristianstad@sverigesradio.se, red.skane@metro.se,
redaktion@skd.se, sydnytt@svt.se, sydsvenskan@sydsvenskan.se,
p1morgon@sr.se, lars.linder@dn.se, caroline.goransson@svt.se,
tomas.ramberg@sverigesradio.se, kaliber@sverigesradio.se,
p1morgon@sverigesradio.se

We will also update our website and facebook regularly with pictures and
info from the actions!!

Thanks!

//
Aktion mot deportation

www.aktionmotdeportation.se

Last Information - world wide - Human Right Watch - with website

See Human Rights Wath :  website : http://www.hrw.org/news/list/all

Canada: Rehabilitate and Reintegrate Ex-Child Soldier
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Iran: Bring Notorious Abuser to Justice
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Guinea: Stadium Massacre Victims Await Justice
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Hundreds of victims of the 2009 massacre, rapes, and other abuses by security forces in Guinea have yet to see justice done on the eve of the third anniversary of the attacks. The Guinean government should increase support for the domestic investigation of the crimes so that those responsible can be held to account without further delay.


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« FIRST ‹ PREVIOUS  OF 1027 NEXT › LAST »

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Vietnam: Drop Charges Against and Release Bloggers
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Vietnamese authorities should drop all charges against three prominent bloggers and immediately release them

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Peru: Prevent Unlawful Killings of Protesters
SEP 20, 2012
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Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) should immediately charge or release men they are detaining arbitrarily and investigate alleged abuses against them in custody.


Peru: Prevent Unlawful Killings of Protesters
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Russia: Forced Eviction Tramples Olympic Ideals
SEP 19, 2012
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In its haste to be tough on failed asylum seekers the UK is ignoring torture risks
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Georgia: Investigate Sexual Abuse in Prison
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SEP 17, 2012
The death of Adnan Latif should serve as a wake-up call for the United States to change its tarnished response to 9/11 by closing Guantanamo, even as it grapples with the horrifying attacks on its missions in Libya, Egypt and Yemen.

Morocco: Contested Confessions Used to Imprison Protesters
SEP 17, 2012
A Moroccan court on September 12, 2012, sentenced five activists of the pro-reform February 20 Movement to prison terms, and one to a suspended term, for assaulting and insulting police officers after what may have been an unfair trial, Human Rights Watch said today.

Syria: End Opposition Use of Torture, Executions
SEP 17, 2012
Armed opposition groups have subjected detainees to ill-treatment and torture and committed extrajudicial or summary executions in Aleppo, Latakia, and Idlib, Human Rights Watch said today following a visit to Aleppo governorate. Torture and extrajudicial or summary executions of detainees in the context of an armed conflict are war crimes, and may constitute crimes against humanity if they are widespread and systematic.

Bangladesh: Discriminatory Family Laws Fuel Female Poverty
SEP 16, 2012
Bangladesh’s discriminatory personal laws on marriage, separation, and divorce trap many women and girls in abusive marriages or drive them into poverty when marriages fall apart. In many cases these laws contribute to homelessness, hunger, and ill-health for divorced or separated women and their children. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have recorded significantly higher levels of food insecurity and poverty among female-headed Bangladeshi households.

United Kingdom: Halt Deportation Flight to Sri Lanka
SEP 15, 2012
The United Kingdom should immediately suspend deportations to Sri Lanka of ethnic Tamils with real or imputed links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or who have engaged in activities the Sri Lankan authorities might view as anti-government. The next scheduled deportation of Tamils from the United Kingdom to Sri Lanka is due to take place on September 19, 2012.


Russia: Halt House Demolition for Olympics
SEP 14, 2012
The Russian authorities’ illegal bulldozing on a property in Sochi is a stain on the 2014 Winter Olympic Games preparations.
Kazakhstan’s Labor Rights Debacle
SEP 14, 2012
For a country that prides itself on economic and political stability, these are testing times for Kazakhstan.

Protecting the domestic front
SEP 14, 2012
It would be a wonderful gift for the many domestic workers if a treaty, which could signal better protection of their rights, was signed before Christmas.


South Africa: Broaden Inquiry Into Miner Killings
AUG 22, 2012
The South African government should ensure that the Commission of Inquiry into the killings of the Lonmin miners in Marikana on August 16, 2012, is independent, impartial, and investigates the underlying circumstances that led to the killings. The inquiry should not be limited to whether the use of lethal force by police was lawful.

The Clubbing of Klubradio
AUG 22, 2012
A clampdown on a leading independent radio station shows that Hungary has no intention of heeding EU calls to improve media freedom.

Tunisia: Drop Charges for Criticizing Army
AUG 22, 2012
Tunisia’s military prosecutor should immediately drop charges and lift the travel ban against Ayoub Massoudi, former adviser to President Moncef Marzouki, for criticizing the country’s armed forces.
Australia: Cluster Munitions Law Seriously Flawed
AUG 22, 2012
Australia’s ratification of the international convention banning cluster bombs can finally proceed following the Senate’s approval on August 21, 2012, but its flawed implementing legislation contains provisions inconsistent with the convention.

US: Immigrant Ruling Rejects State Overreach
AUG 21, 2012
A federal appeals court ruling held that Alabama and Georgia overstepped their authority to regulate immigrants, but left intact abusive provisions that allow authorities to investigate a person’s legal status during police stops.

Iran: Donors Should Reassess Anti-Drug Funding
AUG 21, 2012
United Nations agencies and international donors should immediately freeze financial and other assistance to Iran’s drug control programs, Human Rights Watch and Harm Reduction International (HRI) said today. The funding contributes to abusive prosecutions of drug suspects, the groups said.

Ethiopia: Transition Should Support Human Rights Reform
AUG 21, 2012
Ethiopia’s new leadership should commit to fundamental human rights reforms in the wake of the death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Meles’s death was announced by the Ethiopian state media on August 21, 2012.

Uganda: Growing Intimidation, Threats to Civil Society
AUG 21, 2012
Research and advocacy organizations in Uganda that deal with controversial topics are facing increasing harassment by Uganda’s government. Groups have recently faced forced closure of meetings, threats, harassment, arrest, and punitive bureaucratic interference. The Ugandan government should end its hostile rhetoric and repeated obstructions of nongovernmental organizations.

The Pussy Riot trial is a turning point for how we view Russia
AUG 20, 2012
The present state of affairs is intolerable for a country that claims to respect human rights.

Lebanon: Investigate, Prosecute Kidnappers
AUG 20, 2012
The Lebanese authorities should investigate and prosecute those responsible for the reported kidnapping of dozens of Syrian nationals and a Turkish man on August 15, 2012. Members of the al-Meqdad extended family inLebanon claimed responsibility for some of the kidnappings on national TV, calling them a retaliation for the kidnapping of one of their relatives, Hassan al-Meqdad, a Lebanese national, in Syria on August 13 by a group that claimed to be part of the opposition Free Syrian Army.

Bron : Human Right Watch

Syria's Torture Centers Revealed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lr-dcHOtzo&feature=player_embedded


Gepubliceerd op 2 jul 2012 door HumanRightsWatch

http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/07/03/syria-torture-centers-revealed Former detainees and defectors have

identified the locations, agencies responsible, torture methods used, and, in many cases, the commanders in

charge of 27 detention facilities run by Syrian intelligence agencies. The systematic patterns of ill-treatment

and torture that Human Rights Watch documented clearly point to a state policy of torture and ill-treatment

and therefore constitute a crime against humanity. Interactive Map: http://www.hrw.org/interactive-map-

syria-torture-centers

Categorie:
Non-profit en activisme
Licentie:
Standaard YouTube-licentie

Bron : Human Rights Watch

Georgia: Misuse of Administrative Detention Violates Rights

Authorities Should Secure Full Due Process Rights for Detainees

© 2012 Human Rights Watch

RELATED MATERIALS:

Georgia: Investigate Sexual Abuse in Prison
A
nyone arrested for a misdemeanor offense is entitled to due process, and their basic rights in detention must be respected. A misdemeanor charge may not lead to a permanent criminal record, but the punishment imposed qualifies as a criminal punishment.
Giorgi Gogia, senior Europe and Central Asia researcher
(Tbilisi) – Georgia’s use of administrative detention to lock up protesters and political activists violates the country’s international commitments to safeguard against arbitrary detention, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should immediately ensure all those deprived of liberty enjoy their full due process rights and receive a fair trial regardless of whether the charges against them are administrative or criminal.

In recent weeks, protests across the country have swelled in response to a prison abuse scandal, and Georgian media and political parties are reporting that police have arrested more than 28 people since September 21, 2012, on administrative, or misdemeanor, charges of disobeying police orders. Those arrested have been sentenced to up to 40 days’ imprisonment. They include activists for the Georgian Dream opposition coalition and at least six other people actively involved in the recent protest rallies in Tbilisi. The protests are taking place less than a week before the October 1 parliamentary elections.

“Anyone arrested for a misdemeanor offense is entitled to due process, and their basic rights in detention must be respected,” said Giorgi Gogia, senior Europe and Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “A misdemeanor charge may not lead to a permanent criminal record, but the punishment imposed qualifies as a criminal punishment.”

Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offences sets out prison sentences of up to 90 days for minor public order breaches, but does not provide for adequate due process rights, so that many facing administrative charges may end up in arbitrary detention. The Code does not require police to inform defendants promptly of their rights or to provide reasons for their detention. Several lawyers representing recent detainees told Human Rights Watch that the trials were perfunctory, with judges not allowing defense council to examine witnesses or introduce evidence.

Courts have consistently found all detainees guilty of violating the administrative code and sentenced almost all of them to imprisonment ranging from 10 to 40 days. One activist was released on September 25 after he had been fined GEL400 (US$242).

At least seven individuals were detained in four separate incidents in Tbilisi on September 21, 22, and 25 under similar circumstances. The Ministry of Interior stated on its website that all seven defendants disobeyed police orders and insulted them.

A lawyer for Davit Patsatsia, detained on September 21 and sentenced to 40 days administrative imprisonment, told Human Rights Watch that he was not allowed to provide an effective defense during the Tbilisi City Court hearing. The judge did not allow him and his client to question the policemen who wrote their arrest report; declined a motion to hear a defense witness who was present during the arrest, claiming he would be biased; and rejected a motion to introduce video evidence from a CCTV camera installed at the scene of the incident.

Dachi Tsaguria, 30, one of the organizers of student protests in Tbilisi, was detained on September 22 and sentenced to 10 days’ administrative imprisonment for disobeying a police order and insulting a policeman. Bekar Aladoshvili, another activist, was detained together with Tsaguria and sentenced to 10 days at the same hearing. Their lawyer told Human Rights Watch that the judge granted only one of 10 defense motions – to hear police testimony – and even then did not allow the defense to ask any questions. He and his clients had only 10 minutes to familiarize themselves with the case file and prepare their defense, which he claims was insufficient. Furthermore, Tsaguria alleged that he had been beaten during the arrest and again in police custody and he bore visible bruises during the trial. However, the judge did not inquire about the nature and circumstances of the injuries or refer the case to a prosecutor for investigation. The Ombudsman’s office representatives, who visited Tsaguria a day after his detention, confirmed that he indeed had bruises and that he claimed to have sustained them as a result of police ill-treatment.

“Anyone facing detention has the right to a real trial with a real defense, it should never be a rubber stamp,” Gogia said. “Authorities should swiftly and effectively investigate any allegations of ill-treatment in police custody.”

In a September 23 statement the Ministry of Interior alleged that Tsaguria physically and verbally assaulted patrol officers and resisted arrest, and as a result he “hurt his knee and has several scratches and redness in the armpit area of the right hand [sic].” It is not clear from the statement whether there was a thorough investigation into Tsaguria’s complaint of ill-treatment.

Police also detained activists in the towns of Rustavi, Mestia, Kaspi, Gori, Khashuri, Kareli, Sagarejo, and Kutaisi, and local courts convicted almost all of them of disobeying police orders in violation of the code of administrative offenses. The political opposition and some civil society groups said the arrests were intended to intimidate opposition supporters in the run-up to the parliamentary elections.

In a September 26 statement the Ministry of Interior denied that any of the arrests was politically motivated and expressed regret about an “upsurge in cases of violent behavior, most of them involving individuals affiliated with political parties.” It further stated that in the vast majority of cases police refrained from detaining anyone, but “in incidents where the physical safety of individuals or authorities is threatened,” police had to respond in order to avoid further escalation or more violence.

“Police do have a responsibility to maintain public order and can arrest anyone caught committing an offense, however there also need to be clear safeguards against arbitrary detention,” Gogia said. “The current legal framework does not provide for them and the courts are not offering protection, so the government needs to take urgent steps to address the gaps.”

Background
Georgia’s justice system differentiates between criminal offenses, which are felonies, and administrative offenses, which are misdemeanors. Separate legislative acts define the offenses, set the sanctions, and govern the procedures for their application. Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offenses, adopted in 1984, governs misdemeanor offenses, which are minor public order offenses that do not accrue a criminal record. Penalties for administrative offenses range from a fine to imprisonment of up to 90 days.

A defendant in an administrative case has some due process rights, but they are weaker, or vaguely worded, compared to similar safeguards under the criminal procedures code. It does not require police to inform defendants of their rights promptly or to provide reasons for their detention. Detainees often are not allowed to contact their families and lawyers have difficulty finding detainees in custody. Trials are also often perfunctory. Detainees often serve their sentences in facilities that were not intended for stays longer than 72 hours and where conditions do not meet international standard.

In 2011 the government started to work on a new code of administrative offenses and also sought Council of Europe expertise on two drafts of the law. Although significant safeguards against arbitrary deprivation of liberty were introduced in the second draft, the parliament failed to review and adopt the law before the end of its mandate.

In January 2012, Human Rights Watch issued a report, “Administrative Error: Georgia’s Flawed System of Administrative Detention,” documenting how the current code lacks full due process and fair trial rights for those accused of offenses under the code.

Bron : Human Rights Watch

Iran: Bring Notorious Abuser to Justice

© 2011 Human Rights Watch

RELATED MATERIALS:

Iran: Prosecute Mortazavi for Detention Deaths

Try Mortazavi for Deaths of Election Protesters

Mortazavi is accused of the worst abuses against Iranian detainees, so an investigation into the allegations is good news, if long overdue.
Sarah Leah Whitson, director of the Middle East and North Africa division
(Beirut) – Iran’s Judiciary should move forward speedily and transparently with the criminal investigation of Saeed Mortazavi, the former Tehran Prosecutor General, for the deaths of protesters after the June 2009 elections and prosecute if there is evidence implicating him. Mortazavi, now head of Iran’s Social Security Organization, is accused of involvement in the deaths, torture, and arbitrary detention of dozens of protesters following the disputed presidential poll and other rights abuses perpetrated over more than 12 years.

After years of delay, a judiciary spokesperson announced on September 17, 2012, that authorities have opened a criminal case against Mortazavi in connection with alleged post-election abuses at Kahrizak prison, but he has not yet been indicted. A 2010 parliamentary investigation implicated Mortazavi in the 2009 abuses.

“Mortazavi is accused of the worst abuses against Iranian detainees, so an investigation into the allegations is good news, if long overdue,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch. “But justice won’t come from making Mortazavi the regime’s fall guy: the Judiciary should pursue other high-ranking officials for abuses following the 2009 elections.”

On September 17, 2012, Gholam-Reza Mohseni Ejei, a high-ranking judiciary spokesperson and Iran’s general prosecutor, said the criminal case against Mortazavi remains open and that prosecutors have received defense pleadings from Mortazavi’s lawyers. Ejei said that he expected prosecutors to summon Mortazavi to court soon, but that he had not yet been indicted on any charges.

Ejei’s announcement comes days after media reports that authorities had freed Ali-Akbar Heidarifard, one of Mortazavi’s deputies and a main suspect in the Kahrizak case, who had been arrested earlier in 2012 on unrelated charges. In January 2010, a parliamentary inquiry investigating the deaths at Kahrizak detention facility found Mortazavi, a former judge and Tehran prosecutor, to be the main culprit in the transfer and mistreatment of detainees at Kahrizak. The inquiry also named Heidarifard and Hasan Dehnavi, another one of Mortazavi’s deputies, as suspects in the case.

As widely reported in the media, three detainees – Amir Javadifar, Mohammad Kamrani, and Mohsen Ruholamini – died at Kahrizak, operated by Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces. In 2010, the victims’ families and rights activists reported that two other detainees, Ramin Aghazadeh Ghahremani and Abbas Nejati-Kargar, died after their release from the facility, allegedly due to injuries suffered while in custody there. Authorities have so far refused to link their deaths to injuries they sustained at Kahrizak.

Other detainees have alleged that security forces subjected them to torture and abuse, including sexual assault, during their detention at Kahrizak. In addition, two doctors who treated some of the victims and who testified before the special parliamentary panel in 2009, later died in mysterious circumstances. Their reports contradicted statements by Mortazavi and others that the detainees had died of meningitis.

In July 2009, Iran’s parliament set up the Special Parliamentary Committee to Investigate the Status of Post-Election Arrestees to look into allegations of torture and abuse of detainees arrested in the post-election crackdown. The panel’s report found that Mortazavi, Tehran’s Prosecutor-General at the time, claimed his decision to send detainees to Kahrizak stemmed from a lack of space at Evin prison, in northern Tehran. But authorities at Evin told the panel that their prison had been ready to accept the prisoners. The panel concluded that Mortazavi’s decision to transfer protesters to Kahrizak was “not justifiable even if Evin did not have the capacity” to take them, and held Mortazavi responsible for the deaths of Javadifar, Kamrani, and Ruholamini.

In December 2009, a military court charged 11 police officers and a private citizen who allegedly collaborated with the police, with murder over the deaths of detainees at Kahrizak. On June 30, 2010, Iranian media reported that the military convicted and sentenced two of the defendants to death, fines, lashings, and monetary compensation to the victims’ families. Nine others received undisclosed prison sentences and monetary fines for their role in abuses perpetrated there, according to media reports. The court acquitted the highest-ranking defendant, General Azizollah Rajabzadeh, who headed Tehran’s police force at the time, of all charges.

The court hearings took place behind closed doors and did not examine high-ranking judicial and police officials such as Mortazavi, Dehnavi (Mortazavi’s deputy, also known as “Judge Haddad”), Heidarifard (another one of Mortazavi’s deputies), Esmail Ahmadi Moghadam (commander of the Law Enforcement Forces), and Ahmad-Reza Radan (deputy commander of the Law Enforcement Forces. On April 30, 2012, Tabnak News, a pro-regime website, reported that security forces had arrested Heidarifard, but authorities later said he had been summoned for a criminal matter unrelated to Kahrizak.

Soon after the military court issued the sentences, family members of the victims announced they had forgiven the two officers sentenced to death so they could “witness the punishment of the real perpetrators.” They have since pursued their case against Mortazavi, Dehnavi, and Heidarifard, whom they believe are responsible for their sons’ killings. All three lost their positions in the judiciary in 2010 following investigations into their involvement in the deaths at Kahrizak, and as a result their governmental immunity to prosecution. Despite the strong evidence linking Mortazavi to serious rights abuses, he has since taken up posts in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s cabinet, first as head of Iran’s Task Force Against Smuggling and now as head of the Social Security Organization.

Human Rights Watch called on Iranian authorities to provide public information regarding the status of the criminal investigation or prosecution against Mortazavi and other high-ranking officials responsible for abuses perpetrated in Kahrizak and during the post-election crackdown. More than three years have passed since the deaths of anti-government protesters at Kahrizak detention facility and the judiciary has failed to provide any concrete information regarding criminal investigations or proceedings against Mortazavi and the others.

Mortazavi was also in charge of investigating detained reformist leaders and party officials in the aftermath of the disputed election according to relatives of persons detained by security forces who spoke to Human Rights Watch. They said Mortazavi led the investigations of those arrested in Tehran in his capacity as the prosecutor of the Revolutionary Court and Prosecutor-General of Tehran.

The authorities should also ensure a criminal investigation also looks at a series of rights violations that took place earlier in Mortazavi’s tenure as judge and prosecutor.

In April 2000, Mortazavi, then a judge of the Public Court Branch 1410, led a crackdown to silence growing dissent in Iran, ordering the closure of more than 100 newspapers and journals. In June 2003, Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi died while in the custody of judiciary and security officers presided over by Mortazavi. Lawyers for her family have alleged her body showed signs of torture, including blows to the head, and that Mortazavi participated directly in her interrogation.

In 2004, Mortazavi organized the arbitrary detention of more than 20 bloggers and journalists, holding them in secret prisons. Human Rights Watch research established that Mortazavi was implicated in abuses of these detainees, including holding them in lengthy solitary confinement and coercing them to sign false confessions. The signings of the false confessions were later repeated in front of television cameras.

“This is a critical opportunity for the judiciary to show it can fairly and transparently investigate Mortazavi for the many human rights abuses he’s been accused of over the years,” said Whitson. “Iranians deserve to see justice done for abuses committed by high-ranking officials.”

Bron : Human Rights Watch

Ralph Nader: 'Obama is een oorlogsmisdadiger'

Ralph Nader, de onafhankelijke linkse politicus die in 1996 en 2000 presidentskandidaat was voor de Amerikaanse Groene Partij en in 2004 en 2008 als onafhankelijke opkwam, noemt president Barack Obama in een interview met Politico 'een oorlogsmisdadiger'':
'Obama is op het vlak van drones verder gegaan dan Bush. Hij beschouwt de wereld als zijn achtertuin en nationale soevereiniteit heeft voor hem geen enkele betekenis. Hij kan eender wie laten vermoorden. Elke dinsdag beslist hij over leven en dood in plaatsen als Jemen, Pakistan en Afhanistan. Dat is een oorlogsmisdaad en hij moet daarvoor verantwoording afleggen,” aldus Nader.
Nader is zeer teleurgesteld in Obama. Ondanks zijn intelligentie en zijn kennis van de grondwet, heeft hij tegenover zijn voorganger geen enkele verbetering gebracht: “Ik weet niet of Bush de grondwet ooit heeft gelezen, maar deze man gaf les over de grondwet.”
De voormalige frontman van de Green Party houdt van de retoriek en de speeches van Obama over hernieuwbare energie, maar benadrukt dat die in de praktijk nog steeds kernenergie en fossiele brandstoffen steunt.
Toch is Obama, in vergelijking met Mitt Romney, volgens Nader 'de beste keuze uit twee kwaden.' Hij beschouwt Obama als “het effectievere kwaad” omdat hij “de wetteloze oorlogen en het militarisme van Bush” geloofwaardigheid en legitimiteit heeft gegeven.
Nader noemt het Amerikaanse tweepartijstelsel tenslotte  een “tirannie”. De huidige Republikeinse partij is 'de slechtste Republikeinse Partij in de geschiedenis' en de huidige Democratische Partij 'ziek en in verval.'

Bron : Politico / Express.be

Werkt de demografie in het voordeel van de linkse partijen?

De verkiezingsstrijd in Antwerpen tussen Bart De Wever (N-VA) en Patrick Janssens (SP.a)  draait in toenemende mate om allochtonen die dit jaar 20 tot 36%, maar tegen 2018 ruim de helft van de kiezers zouden vertegenwoordigen.

Het spreekt dan ook voor zich dat politici trachten allochtone harten te veroveren. Driekwart van de jonge Turkse en Marokkaanse kiezers koos in 2006 voor Janssens. Vandaag is het belang van de allochtone kiezer enkel toegenomen.  Alle partijen met uitzondering van het Vlaams Belang hebben nu allochtone kandidaten op hun lijst, met de linkse partijen veruit op kop.
Toenemende immigratie leidt tot meer kiezers voor linkse partijen omdat economische migranten gewoonlijk uitbreiding van de verzorgingsstaat, herverdeling van de welvaart en hogere belastingen op de rijken en de middenklasse steunen, schrijft Joost Niemoller in De Dagelijkse Standaard.
Ook in Nederland, Frankrijk en de VS neigen immigranten duidelijk naar links. Emile Roemer, François Hollande en Barack Obama zijn dan ook aanhangers van toenemende immigratie en vaak ook van de uitbreiding van de kiesprivileges voor vreemdelingen.
In 2008 koos bijvoorbeeld 80% van alle minderheden voor Obama. Dit jaar lijkt hetzelfde scenario zich te voltrekken en is het goed mogelijk dat de Democraat de verkiezingen wint dankzij de steun van deze immigranten.
Toch zijn niet alle allochtonen aanhangers van links. Net zoals de Amerikaanse Hispanics zijn ook een groep Belgische immigranten conservatief ingesteld. Zowel N-VA als de Republikeinse Partij doen dan ook veel moeite om die immigranten op inhoud aan te spreken.
De overweldigende steun voor links in deze gemeenschappen kan in de toekomst nog afkalven, maar voorlopig is er geen twijfel aan: toenemende immigratie maakt winnaars aan de linker- en verliezers aan de rechterkant van het politieke spectrum, besluit Niemoller.

Bron : Express.be

'Catalanen stemmen op 25 november over zelfbeschikking'

Met 84 van de 133 stemmen heeft het Catalaanse parlement zich uitgesproken voor een referendum over zelfbeschikking. Waarschijnlijk al op 25 november mogen de Catalanen zich over autonomie uitspreken. Volgens peilingen zou een op twee Catalanen de onafhankelijkheid van de regio nastreven.

Of die autonomie er snel komt is onwaarschijnlijk. De Spaanse grondwet verbiedt namelijk zo’n referendum, maar de president van de deelstaat, Artur Mas, vindt dat de Catalanen het recht hebben om zich uit te spreken over hun toekomst.

Een tweede optie is een door het Catalaanse parlement georganiseerde volksraadpleging. Daarvoor is geen toestemming van Madrid vereist, maar de uitslag ervan is evenmin bindend.

Catalonië vindt dat het maar eens gedaan moet zijn met het afdragen aan de centrale regering in de Spaanse hoofdstad. Op 11 september kwamen daarvoor nog honderdduizenden Catalanen op straat in de grootste onafhankelijkheidsbetoging in de geschiedenis van de deelstaat.

Catalonië heeft het erg moeilijk. Ondanks dat het de rijkste regio van Spanje is en de Catalaanse economie groter is dan die van Portugal, vinden de Catalanen dat ze te veel moeten afstaan aan de centrale regering in Madrid en dat ze daarvoor te weinig terugkrijgen.

Bron : Express.be

Apple kan het eerste bedrijf worden met een beurswaarde van 1 biljoen dollar

Zal de beurswaarde van Apple in 2015 meer dan 1.000 miljard dollar bedragen? Veel waarnemers denken van wel, sommigen geloven zelfs dat die klip al volgend jaar kan gerond worden. Voorwaarde is dat de koers van het aandeel aan het huidige tempo blijft stijgen.

Michael E. Driscoll, van Metamarkets, is één van de believers. Zijn bedrijf is gespecialiseerd in het verwerken van data en het doen van voorspellingen. Driscoll ziet de beurswaarde van Apple nog met 50 % toenemen, die beurswaarde bedraagt nu ongeveer 650 miljard dollar.

Van boetiek PC bedrijf tot absolute vernieuwer

Apple is geen gewoon bedrijf, het heeft zowat elk bedrijf dat het op zijn weg tegenkomt platgewalst. Niet zo lang geleden was Apple een gewone assembleerder van PC’s, nu is het bedrijf de grote absolute vernieuwer in de digitale wereld. Zowat alles wat nieuw is in dit universum mag op rekening van Apple geschreven worden.

Nokia, Sony, Research in Motion, Dell en Hewlett-Packard, toch stuk voor stuk bedrijven die in het verleden iets hebben gerealiseerd, kunnen alleen met open mond toekijken hoe Apple alsmaar harder groeit. Microsoft leek ooit ook op weg naar de klip van 1.000 miljard dollar, maar bleef in december 1999 ‘hangen’ op 616 miljard dollar.

Bron : Slim Beleggen

Vakbond eist debat over kernactiviteit Belgische banken

Er moet een debat komen rond de kernactiviteit van de Belgische banken. Dat heeft de Landelijke Bediendecentrale (LBC) gezegd naar aanleiding van de berichten over mogelijke nieuwe herstructureringen in de banksector.

Verwezen wordt daarbij naar recente berichten over mogelijke ontslagen bij Belfius, BNP Paribas Fortis en KBC Groep. De christelijke bediendevakbond stelt daarbij dat de banken op sociaal vlak al jaar en dag hun zin hebben kunnen doen. De vakbond zegt echter binnen het sectoraal overleg te willen debatteren over de organisatie van de financiële sector. De herstructureringen volgen elkaar al jaren op, maar de vakbond vreest deze keer voor een versnelling van de personeelsafbouw. De vakbond zegt ook niet langer te kunnen aanvaarden dat de banken steeds meer activiteiten uitbesteden en daarmee aan sociale dumping doen. Ook de loonkloof tussen de top en de lagere kaders bij de banken moeten volgens de vakbond worden verkleind.

Bron :  (MH) / Express.be

In Athene is één op drie winkels dicht

Bijna één op elke drie winkels in de Griekse hoofdstad Athene is dicht, schrijft de Griekse krant Ekathimerini. Omdat tal van deze winkels hun ingangen dichttimmeren, begint de stad steeds meer op een spookstad te lijken.
De Griekse werkloosheid grenst aan de 30% en de belastinginkomsten blijven dalen. De economische dienstverlening en productiviteit zijn compleet ingestort. Bewijs daarvan zijn de talloze winkels in Athene die de boeken neerleggen.
Het voorbije half jaar sloot 14% van alle winkels in de drukste commerciële straten van Athene de deuren. Het aandeel van de gesloten winkels bedroeg in sommige winkelstraten van de hoofdstad ruim 34,7% tot 42%.
De meest voor de hand liggende redenen zijn gebrek aan geld en de talrijke stakingen in de regio. Tienduizenden kleine bedrijven hebben sinds het eerste bailoutpakket van 2010 al hun deuren gesloten.
In de commerciële districten is winkel na winkel dichtgetimmerd terwijl anderen uitverkoop houden. Nog eens 63.000 andere winkels zouden voor het einde van dit jaar de deuren te sluiten. Aanwijzingen dat daar snel verandering in komt zijn er niet, want er lijkt geen einde te komen aan de vicieuze cirkel van werkloosheid, falingen, dalende staatsinkomsten, dalend ondernemerschap en stijgende schulden.
Het goede nieuws is dat de zon voorlopig nog schijnt in Griekenland en dat miljoenen Grieken zich  de komende maanden nog geen zorgen hoeven te maken over verwarmingskosten. De rijke buurten doen het zelfs nog goed en shoppingcentra die voornamelijk merken verkopen, blijven klantentrekken.
Hoe lang nog, vraagt ZeroHedge zich af, vooraleer de tegenstelling tussen arm en rijk een hoogtepunt bereikt en in geweld ontaardt.

Bron : Express.be

Kapitaalkrachtige Fransen strijken neer in Brussel

Kapitaalkrachtige Franse burgers kopen massaal luxeverblijven in Brussel. Dat heeft het exclusieve makelaarskantoor Engel & Völckers tegenover de krant De Standaard gezegd.

Het kantoor zegt dagelijks één luxebedrijf in Brussel aan Franse klanten te verkopen. Oorzaak van die trend is de aankondiging van de Franse president François Hollande om alle inkomsten boven de grens van 1 miljoen euro zwaarder te belasten. Dat zou tot een ware exodus hebben geleid. De Franse inwijkelingen trekken in de Brusselse regio volgens het kantoor vooral naar Ukkel, Elsene, het centrum en Watermaal-Bosvoorde, maar ook in de richting van Sint-Genesius-Rode en Lasne. Engel & Völckers vertegenwoordigt ongeveer 20 procent van de lokale markt voor luxewoningen. Franse uitwijkelingen zouden vooral door de nabijheid door Brussel worden aangetrokken. De exodus zou echter ook naar metropolen zoals Londen en New York gaan.

Bron : (MH)/ Express.be

België moet oppassen met fiscaal akkoord met Zwitserland

De organisatie Taks Justice Network (TJN) heeft België opgeroepen om geen belastingakkoord met Zwitserland te sluiten in ruil voor het behoud van het Zwitserse bankgeheim. Volgens John Cristensen, oprichter van Taks Justice Network, moet een dergelijk akkoord als loutere oplichting worden bestempeld. Met een zogenaamd Rubik-akkoord stelt Zwitserland voor om een forfaitaire taks te betalen voor het geld van Belgen op de rekeningen van Zwitserse banken. Minister van buitenlandse zaken Didier Reynders wil hierover een debat in het parlement, maar dat werd al afgewezen door staatssecretaris voor fraudebestrijding John Crombez. Volgens Taks Justice Network zou een dergelijk akkoord een ramp zijn voor België. Het gaat volgens de organisatie om een complot van de Zwitserse banken tegen de pogingen om de uitwisseling van fiscale gegevens te bevorderen.

(MH) / Express.be

CNN: “Riskeer je pensioen niet in goud”

We wezen er al diverse malen op: de mainstream media moet niets weten van goud. Dit werd tot op heden nooit in zoveel woorden neergepend door journalisten, maar door de aanhoudende druk komt CNN nu openlijk uit voor z’n afkeer van goud.

Het populairste nieuwsmedium ter wereld adviseert om uw spaarcenten niet in goud te steken. Zoals gekend geeft men eerder de voorkeur aan staatsobligaties, de grootste financiële bubbel van het moment! En als u dan toch zo nodig in goud ñoet beleggen, beperk dan uw inleg tot een minimale positie, luidt het advies.

Zo ziet u maar dat we bij Slim Beleggen nog steeds uitgesproken contraire visie hanteren. Het hoeft echter ook niet te verbazen dat CNN & co anti-goud zijn. Hun belangrijkste advertentieklanten zijn de grootbanken van onze planeet, en die zijn op dit ogenblik nog niet bereid om het goudverhaal te vertellen aan het grote publiek. De banken willen er eerst voor zorgen dat men zelf voldoende goud in het bezit heeft aan lagere prijzen…

Niets is wat het lijkt!

Bron : Slim Beleggen

Eerste Chinese megastad staat aan de rand van het bankroet

U hebt er misschien nog nooit van gehoord, maar ze bestaat en ze is bijna failliet. Dongguan, een van de grootste steden van de Chinese provincie Guangdon - waar 100 miljoen mensen wonen en met een bbp van om en bij de 1.000 miljard dollar - moet er na drie decennia van uitzonderlijke groei en welvaart aan geloven.

Deze stad van 10 miljoen inwoners die op een steenworp van Hong Kong ligt, is ei zo na bankroet, schrijft de South China Morning Post, op basis van een studie van onderzoekers aan de Sun Yat-sen universiteit.

60% van de gemeenten die de stad uitmaken kampen met begrotingstekorten en zullen snel voor noodhulp aankloppen, aldus de onderzoekers, die vrezen dat Dongguan slechts de voorbode van een grotere crisis wordt, nu de Chinese economie afkoelt.

De problemen in de stad begonnen eens de wereldeconomie in 2008 vertraagde.

Grote fabrieken - voornamelijk actief in de hightechsector - verloren klanten maar de lokale politici bleven genereuze dividenden uitbetalen aan kiezers, een gebruik dat courant is in het landelijk verkiezingssysteem.

15% van de fabrieken zou Dongguan ondertussen al verlaten hebben. Omdat daardoor steeds meer arbeiders de stad verlieten raakten appartementen niet meer verhuurd, waardoor de stadskas leeg raakte. Vele flatgebouwen zijn immers opgetrokken op grond die eigendom is van de stad en deze huurinkomsten zijn haar belangrijkste inkomstenbron. De weinige appartementen die nog wel verhuurd raken kosten amper nog een derde van de prijs die in 2007 moest worden betaald.

Als gevolg daarvan zitten 60% van Dongguans 584 gemeenten nu zwaar in de problemen, besluiten de onderzoekers.

Bron : Express.be

'Wie denkt de beurzen te kunnen stabiliseren terwijl moeders boodschappenlijst onbetaalbaar wordt, dwaalt'

De Europese regeringen hebben de reactie van de burgers op de crisismaatregelen zwaar onderschat, blijkt uit de massaprotesten in Madrid en Athene, aldus de Italiaanse liberale krant La Stampa:

‘Wanneer regeringen denken elke maatregel te kunnen doorvoeren zonder rekening te houden met de politieke duurzaamheid ervan en enkel met oog voor de economische voordelen, dan hebben ze het bij het verkeerde eind.

De politieke duurzaamheid, die kan afgelezen worden van de reactie van de burgers, is niet enkel een probleem voor de crisislanden. Ook in Frankrijk daalt de populariteit van François Hollande evenredig naarmate de werkloosheiscijfers stijgen. De vertragende groei in Duitsland brengt de heersende coalitie in een moeilijk parket.

De wereld is geen plek waar enkel rekening gehouden moet worden met aandelenprijzen op beurzen, maar ook met het boodschappenlijstje van huismoeders. Denken dat de eerste op korte en middellange termijn stabiel zullen blijven wanneer het laatste steeds meer onder de crisis lijdt is een illusie.'

‘Europa ervaart een déjà-vu,’ schrijft de Portugese krant Diário Económico:

‘De Europese politici krijgen de rekening gepresenteerd voor jaren van wanbeheer. En wij in het Zuiden, die niet weten hoe we ons moeten gedragen, krijgen nu - net als ezels - van de stok, zonder de kans op een wortel.

Mevrouw Merkel is uiteraard niet verantwoordelijk voor de blunders die de Portugese, Spaanse en Griekse regering in het voorbije decennium hebben gemaakt. Maar ze kan en moet verantwoordelijk worden gehouden voor de fouten van de voorbije twee jaar.

De fragmentatie van de eurozone is nu al twee jaar in volle gang en heeft het punt bereikt waarop we niet meer terug kunnen- niet enkel op de financiële markten, maar ook op straat.

En dat is gevaarlijk, want daar is geen ‘Super Mario’ om ons allen te redden.'

Bron : Express.be

Vluchtelingenwerk sleept overheid voor Raad van State

Nieuw opvangbeleid is onwettig

Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen vindt het nieuwe opvangbeleid van de Belgische overheid onwettig. En trekt daarom naar de Raad van State. ‘Omdat elementen in het nieuwe beleid onwettig zijn krijgen heel wat asielzoekers en vluchtelingen niet de opvang waar ze nood aan hebben,’ zegt Kathelijne Houben, woordvoerder van Vluchtelingenwerk.

 Zo krijgen asielzoekers die in beroep gaan bij de Raad van State geen gewone opvang meer. Zij kunnen enkel tijdelijk terecht in terugkeerplaatsen. Dat is ook zo voor asielzoekers uit ‘veilige’ landen die in beroep gaan omdat hun asielaanvraag niet verder onderzocht wordt. Deze mensen hebben bij wet recht om in beroep te gaan. ‘Maar als deze mensen uit het gewone opvangnetwerk worden gezet is het voor hen zeer moeilijk hun beroep op te volgen en hun rechten te laten gelden. Krijgen ze dan wel een eerlijke kans op bescherming?’, zegt Kathelijne Houben.

Ook asielzoekers die medische hulp nodig hebben en daarom een medische regularisatie indienden, ondervinden problemen. Als hun regularisatie effectief onderzocht wordt, verliezen ze het recht op opvang. Deze mensen  krijgen dan wel twee maanden de tijd om het opvangnetwerk te verlaten, een woning te vinden en financiële steun aan te vragen bij het OCMW. ‘Maar op die korte tijd een woning op de privémarkt vinden, is quasi onmogelijk. Bovendien komen deze mensen in een nieuwe omgeving terecht. Er is dan geen garantie meer dat de broodnodige medische begeleiding voortgezet wordt,’ besluit Houben.

Bron : VLUCHTLINGENWERK VLAANDEREN

Het politiek activisme “verGASt” door de stad Brussel: een verontrustend signaal

Open brief over Gemeentelijke Administratieve Sanctie

Op 13 april 2012 drongen 6 activisten vreedzaam de hoofdzetel van de Socialistische Partij (PS) te Brussel binnen, om er een spandoek aan het balkon op te hangen. De actie vond plaats in het kader van de contestatie omtrent de rechteloze toestand van mensen zonder papieren in België. Deze locatie was gekozen, aangezien het niet mogelijk is om te manifesteren aan het bureau van de premier in de Wetstraat (die ligt immers in de “neutrale zone”). De 6 jongeren wilden de passieve houding van de politieke besluitvormers, die ze als een diepe onrechtvaardigheid ervoeren, publiek aankaarten.

Hoewel de actie volledig vreedzaam is verlopen, werden de activisten manu militari verdreven door de politie. Na een administratieve aanhouding van enkele uren werden ze in de loop van de namiddag vrijgelaten. Een paar maanden later kregen de 6 jongeren een Gemeentelijke Administratieve Sanctie (GAS) opgelegd door de stad Brussel, op grond van een vermeende “verstoring van de openbare orde”.

Indien dit voorval de voorbode inluidt van een veralgemening van deze praktijk, betekent dit een beduidende achteruitgang van de politieke vrijheden in ons land. Deze penalisering stuurt tevens een weinig motiverend signaal naar de jeugd, waarvan het gebrek aan politiek engagement zo vaak aan de kaak wordt gesteld.

De mogelijkheid van de lokale autoriteiten om hun politiebevoegdheden uit te voeren om de openbare orde te verzekeren, stellen we niet invraag. We verzetten ons daarentegen met klem tegen elk misbruik van deze machtsuitoefening, die een inperking van de fundamentele vrijheid van meningsuiting betekent. Tijdelijke bezettingen, vergezeld van het weergeven van politieke boodschappen, vormen een essentieel onderdeel van de strategie van alle grote contestatiebewegingen om hun aanklachten kenbaar te maken. Van de strijd van de ontluikende arbeidersbeweging aan het einde van de 19e eeuw voor het algemeen stemrecht, via de Amerikaanse burgerrechtenbeweging, tot alle vredesbewegingen over de hele wereld, was deze actievorm essentieel.

Door de actie van 13 april laatstleden op zulke harde manier te reprimeren, veroordeeltde stad Brussel een politieke expressiemogelijkheid die een essentiële voorwaarde vormt voor het bestaan van een dynamische democratie. Onze politiek moet openstaan en respect tonen voor de vrijheid van meningsuiting van allen, ongeacht hun relatie met de huidige politieke meerderheid.

Dit signaal is niets anders dan een voorbeeld van de tendens om afwijkende meniningen te criminaliseren. Een aantal lokale politieke verantwoordelijken willen op voorhand elke betoging verbieden. De politie aarzelt niet meer om preventieve aanhoudingen te doen om sociale contestatie die ze als hinderlijk beschouwen te vermijden. Het is dat soort criminalisatie van sociale bewegingen die wij aanklagen. Spijtig genoeg heeft België niet het monopolie op dergelijk soort praktijken. Zo heeft het Parlement van Quebec de beruchte “wet 78” gestemd die studentenbetogingen en -stakingen verbiedt onder dreiging van zwareboetes. Deze praktijk zal er toe leiden dat jongeren en minder-jongeren zich afwenden van het publieke leven. Erger, deze praktijk wordt meer en meer een ondergraving van politieke actie.

Ongeacht ieders mening omtrent de standpunten die door deze diverse bewegingen worden ingenomen, is het de taak van elke democraat om zich te verzetten tegen elke obstructie van het recht op vrije meningsuiting.

De beslissing van de stad Brussel met betrekking tot deze actie, toont tevens glashelder de problemen aan die gepaard gaan met de steeds toenemende sanctionering vanwege de lokale autoriteiten d.m.v.GAS-boetes. Deze gemeentelijke administratieve sancties verlenen geen procedurele bescherming, die nochtans gewaarborgd wordt door het strafrecht, vooral op het vlak van onpartijdigheid en duidelijkheid. De gemeentelijke autoriteiten zijn dan ook geen belangeloze partij, aangezien dergelijke boetes de gemeentelijke kas spijzen. Deze lokale bevoegdheid zorgt voor een uiterst onzekere situatie daar het moeilijk te voorspellen valt wat er al dan niet zal worden gepenaliseerd. Verschillen van gemeente tot gemeente, soms ook afhankelijk van de budgettaire situatie van de gemeente in kwestie, zorgen ervoor dat er geen homogene regels zijn in het al dan niet bestraffen van bepaalde handelingen.

Bij het criminaliseren van politieke standpunten via de veralgemening van de GAS-boetes en de gevolgen dat dit met zich meebrengt, plaatsen wij serieuze vraagtekens. Het vervolgen van jongeren die hun politieke opvattingen uiten is een maatschappelijke keuze, erop gericht om het politieke debat uit de weg te gaan. Een deel van de Belgische politiek lijkt, in plaats van oor te hebben naar meningen die leven in de samenleving en het debat aan te gaan, het pad van de sanctionering op te gaan. Dit is niet hoe wij de toekomst tegemoet willen treden. We roepen daarom op om de repressieve gemeentelijke administratie te vervangen door de ontwikkeling van democratische ruimte, die ten volle plaats laat aan het democratische debat.

Kyle Michiels

Ondertekenaars

Deze openbrief werd mede ondertekend door:

- de Liga voor Mensenrechten
- Maite Morren (animo)
- Joc Bruxelles
- Dirk Van der Maelen (sp-a)
- Erik Demeester
- Erik Corijn (VUB)
- Jean-Jacques Jespers (ULB)
- Annemie Schaus (ULB)
- Alexis Deswaef (Ligue des droits de l'homme)
- David Mendez Yepez (FEF)
- Aurélie Decoene (Comac)
- Zoé Genot (ecolo)
- Céline Moreau (Jeunes FGTB)
- Philippe Van Muylder (Secrétaire général FGTB Bruxelles)

Bron : Liga voor Mensenrechten

Golshifteh Farahani

Omdat ze in januari een promofilmpje voor de Franse Césars haar borst ontblootte is de Iraanse steractrice Golshifteh Farahani voor altijd uit haar land verbannen. Tot ze zo’n vier jaar geleden besloot haar land te ontvluchten was Farahani de absolute ster van de Iraanse cinema.

In 2008 had de ondertussen 29-jarige steractrice verbod gekregen haar land te verlaten nadat was uitgelekt dat ze de première van de film ‘Body of Lies' - waarin ze met Leonardo Di Caprio aantrad -  in New York had bijgewoond zonder de in de Islamitische Republiek verplichte hijab. Ze kreeg daarvoor een boete van 2 miljoen euro opgelegd, een som die ze in een mensenleven in haar thuisland nooit zou kunen terugverdienen. Toen ze zich later ten voordele van de Groene Revolutie uitsprak sloten zich alle deuren en greep ze de kans naar Parijs te vluchten.

Nadat ze in de aanloop van de Césars haar borst ontblootte in een promofilm kreeg haar vader een telefoon van een official van het Iraanse Hooggerechtshof met de boodschap dat zijn dochter gestraft zou worden: men zou haar borsten afsnijden en ze op een schotel aan hem aanbieden.

‘Ik wil geen politiek icoon worden. Ik werk hier in Frankrijk en voel me hier goed,’ zegt Farahani in The Guardian. ‘Parijs is een stad die je als vrouw bevrijdt van alle zonden waaraan je denkt schuldig te zijn. Deze stad wast dat allemaal weg.’

Bron : The Guardian / Express.be

Greece, Clashes break out during anti-austerity rally in Athens

Clashes broke out between protesters and MAT riot police at around 2pm on Wednesday as
tens of thousands of striking workers marched to parliament in the country's biggest
anti-austerity rally in months. ---- Clashes broke out between protesters and MAT riot
police at around 2pm on Wednesday as tens of thousands of striking workers marched to
parliament in the country's biggest anti-austerity rally in months. ---- Police fired
teargas as a minority of protesters threw stones and petrol bombs against them. --The
clashes started outside the Athens Plaza hotel on Syntagma Square. ---- Firefighters
rushed to the square to put out a fire that had broken out in the National Gardens during
the clashes. A kiosk was set on fire by a group of hooded men. ---- The two main umbrella
trade union organisations representing workers in the private and public sectors, the
General Confederation of Employees of Greece (GSEE) and the civil servants' union
federation ADEDY, have declared a 24-hour nationwide strike in protest against the
finalisation of the new package of austerity measures.

Participating in the strike are municipality employees and civil servants, staff in
state-run public utilities, teachers, doctors and hospital staff, as well as merchants,
lawyers, civil engineers and bank employees. Tax office, customs and finance ministry
staff launched a three-day strike on the same day.

The parliamentary groups of the Communist Party (KKE) and the Independent Greeks walked
out of parliament on Wednesday in a show of support for the working people.

Source http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/58323

Republishing from http://glykosymoritis.blogspot.com

See more photos, video etc at

http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1424791
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1424650
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1424644

Bron : A-infos-en@ainfos.ca

Alt. Media, Jakub Pol?k, doyen of the Czech anarchist scene, dies aged 60

The death has been announced of the veteran anarchist Jakub Pol?k, regarded as the leading
light of the Czechoslovak and later Czech anarchist movement. The founder of numerous
anarchist initiatives and long-time editor of the anarchist paper A-kontra, Pol?k was
perhaps best known for his public ? and at times unpopular ? defence of the Roma
community. ---- At both public rallies and in courtroom debates, Jakub Pol?k was an
unmistakeable presence: his wild, unkempt hair, grey beard and crooked teeth giving him a
slightly wolfish appearance. He was certainly several dozen years older than most of the
young anarchists gathered around him, and became something of a doyen of the anarchist
movement. One of his closest acquaintances was political scientist and fellow anarchist
Ond?ej Sla??lek, who announced his death ? shortly after his 60th birthday - to the media.
He had this to say about his friend.

?Jakub Polak was truly an unchained element. If anyone personified not only anarchism but
anarchy, unleased energy - it was to a great extent him. He was driven by a powerful
refusal to let himself be restrained by any kind of obstacle standing in his path, whether
it was a police cordon or ideas about ideological purity.?

A dissident and member of the underground in communist times, Jakub Pol?k launched
numerous anarchist initiatives after the fall of communism in 1989, quickly becoming
involved with a number of causes he felt passionate about. One was discrimination and
hostility towards the Roma community; hostility that spilled over into acts of wanton
violence in the early 1990s.

One of the most notorious race-related killings in the early years of the independent
Czech Republic was the drowning of the Roma teenager Tibor Danihel by neo-Nazi skinheads
in the town of P?sek in September 1993. Ond?ej Sla??lek says it was largely thanks to
Pol?k?s tireless campaigning that Danihel?s killers were finally put behind bars:
?Back then there was a general tendency to play down the seriousness of such crimes. You
know, that it was just a boyish prank that got out of hand, that the skinheads didn?t
really mean to hurt anybody. I think even the state prosecutor used the word ?boyish
prank?. There was also an attempt by these small town local officials to sweep the whole
thing under the carpet, and the skinheads were initially given suspended sentences. Jakub
got involved with his typical energy and dedication, broke apart the manipulated police
version of events, and after an endless round of appeals managed to get them properly
punished.?

Pol?k?s contemporaries say he was primarily motivated by a sense of justice, something he
believed that was worth fighting for. But he also felt strongly about the freedom of
speech. He defended extremism expert Zden?k Zbo?il after the political science professor
was severely reprimanded by Charles University for inviting far-right extremists to speak
at his class on political extremism. Jakub Pol?k and several left-wingers were also
invited to address the class. Pol?k and others defended Zbo?il?s decision at a time when
he was roundly condemned by academics and politicians including the prime minister of the
time, Milos Zeman.

Pol?k ? who died of cancer ? was honoured in 2001 by the Charter 77 Foundation for his
long battle against prejudice and police apathy in cases of racially-motivated murder in
the Czech Republic.

Bron : a-infos-en@ainfos.ca

[Squares] 29S ROMA WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!! (english/español)‏

Hi everybody
They are some Italian friends at home in Madrid participants of Indignati 15 M movement, popular assembly of Rome from the beginning, coming in Madrid to exchange experience and participate  of  these days here 25 S, assemblies etc. ..
I handled the call concern that today 29 S in Rome, based on their information and data It seems that the call to action comes quite confuse from nationalist groups, so we think that recognize that action as part of network Take the Square or another .., and disseminate it seems at least risky, because nobody know what it should happen there. Tomorrow there will be a meeting in Rome where they transmit  the things agreed in joint assembly here in Madrid, such as Agora 99 , calendar etc...
To serve
Greetings to all
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Han venido en casa unas amigas italianas participantes del movimiento de Indignati 15 M, asamblea popular de Roma desde los inicios, para intercambiar experiencia y participar des esos días aquí en Madrid 25 S , asambleas etc.,..
Me tramiten su preocupación por la convocatoria de lo de hoy  29 S en Roma, en base a sus informaciones y los datos que tienen, el llamamiento a la movilización de hoy surge de forma poca clara por parte de grupos nacionalistas, así que reconocer esa movida como parte de la red Take the Square u otra afine ,  y darle difusión como tal parece por lo menos arriesgado, porque no se sabe que puede pasar allí. Mañana habrá una asamblea en Roma donde se trasmitiera  lo acordado en asamblea conjunta aquí en Madrid,  con calendario tal como Ágora 99 etc..
Para que sirva
Un saludo a todos

Bron : Ulrike Beudgen