Webinar: Nonviolent Strategy, Tactics, and Collective Identity By: ICNC, Online, March 25th at 12:00pm – 1:00pm EST. Dr. Lee Smithey, Professor of Sociology at Swarthmore College, will look at how tactical choices and their execution are closely related to the construction of collective identities in social movements. Studying collective identity has helped social movement scholars understand why people participate in collective action, but less attention has been paid to the relationships between tactical choices and collective identity. Strategies and tactics can reflect, reaffirm, or challenge collective identities. Innovative nonviolent methods can create tension as activists work to resolve what they do with who they feel they are. However, much of the power of nonviolent action lies in the ways tactics and methods leverage culture by tapping into identities that demarcate or crosscut movements, opponents, allies, and by-standing publics. Register here... https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/592790161AFRICA
AFRICA
African journalists oppose ‘unsound’ draft press law in Uganda By: IFJ, March 15, 2010 The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the African Regional Organisation of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), today strongly criticized the Press and Journalists Bill in Uganda on the grounds that it is unsound and constitutes a major stumbling block to press freedom and democratic standards in the country. http://africa.ifj.org/en/articles/african-journalists-oppose-unsound-draft-press-law-in-uganda
Zimbabwe: No progress on democracy By: ZimOnline, March 14, 2010 Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday said his unity government with President Robert Mugabe has not implemented the democratic reforms that were the reason he agreed to join the administration. http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=5824
Togo opposition readies protest rally By: News 24, March 13, 2010 Backers of Togo's opposition leader were gathering Saturday for a rally denouncing the disputed reelection of President Faure Gnassingbe, whose supporters were planning a counter protest. http://www.news24.com/Content/Africa/News/965/f8e1811f037f4acaa509b1527de6036f/13-03-2010-02-00/Togo_opposition_readies_protest_rally
Nigeria: People’s power and authoritarian regimes By: Shanie, Sri Lanka Guardian, March 13, 2010 Saro-Wiwa had been a successful Nigerian businessman and civilian administrator before turning to writing and political activism in the eighties. His conscience did not allow him to live with the injustice being done to the Ogoni people. He was successful up to a point in that the multi-national oil companies abandoned their exploitation of the Ogoni farmlands but Saro-Wiwa had to pay with his life for that. http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/03/peoples-power-and-authoritarian-regimes.html
Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai asks how you confront a dictator using democratic means By: Lance Guma, SW Radio Africa, March 12, 2010 Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has stated for the first time what many Zimbabweans quietly acknowledge - how do you confront a dictator using democratic means? Speaking at the launch of a damning report on the use of torture by Mugabe's regime Tsvangirai said; 'It is very difficult to come to an occasion of this nature and not feel the cries of the victims http://allafrica.com/stories/201003121107.html
Africa’s gift to Silicon Valley: How to track a crisis By: Anand Giridharadas, NY Times, March 12, 2010 Everyone-as-informant mapping is shaking up the world, bringing the Wikipedia revolution to the work of humanitarians and soldiers who parachute into places with little good information. And an important force behind this upheaval is a small Kenyan-born organization called Ushahidi, which has become a hero of the Haitian and Chilean earthquakes and which may have something larger to tell us about the future of humanitarianism, innovation and the nature of what we label as truth. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/weekinreview/14giridharadas.html?pagewanted=all
Nigeria: Protesters demand to see ailing president By: AP, March 10, 2010 Hundreds of protesters in Nigeria's capital are demanding to see the ailing president, who has not appeared publicly since returning from hospital treatment abroad last month. http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2010/03/10/4001659-nigeria-protesters-demand-to-see-ailing-president
Peacekeepers still needed in Central African Republic By: Anna Husarska, Open Democracy, March 10, 2010 Anna Husarska argues that more attention to the Central African Republic is needed as it works toward restoring peace and security. The Central African Republic, or CAR, is almost an oxymoron: “the best known forgotten crisis in Africa.” Forgotten yes, but its dire situation is definitely well documented. http://www.opendemocracy.net/anna-husarska/peacekeepers-still-needed-in-central-african-republic
AMERICAS: NORTH AMERICA
'Bloodied' Spanish activists protest Canada seal hunt By: AFP, March 15, 2010 A group of several half-naked women covered in fake blood staged a protest in front of the Canadian consulate in Barcelona on Monday to denounce the country's annual seal hunt. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100315/sc_afp/spaincanadaanimalsprotestoffbeat
US: NY women's 'summit' unites activists worldwide By: Jocelyn Noveck, AFP, March 15, 2010 A secretary of state. A top presidential adviser. An iconic film star. Fashion designers, TV anchors, and a queen. Those prominent women and many more crowded into a Manhattan theater this weekend for a conference on empowering women across the globe. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5htXhZ8wpGAa9tW0zCLXXGJ26t5EAD9EELE001
US military demanded Netanyahu smackdown By: MJ Rosenberg, Huffington Post, March 14, 2010 Perry reports that the startling and unpredicted US -Israel smackdown did not really start in Jerusalem this week. It began months ago when CENTCOM Commander General David Petraeus dispatched a team to brief the Joint Chiefs and the White House on the danger that the continuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict posed to US troops in the Middle East. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mj-rosenberg/us-military-demanded-neta_b_498593.html
US rights report protests curbs on NGOs By: IPS, March 14 2010 Releasing its annual report on the state of human rights around the world, the U.S. State Department Thursday said it was increasingly concerned about curbs imposed by foreign governments on civil society groups, the press, and Internet use. http://www.humanrights-geneva.info/spip.php?article7577
Internet restrictions curtail human rights, says US By: BBC News, March 11, 2010 Many governments have used the internet to curtail freedom of expression at home, the US state department says in its latest annual human rights report. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8563084.stm
Mexico: Drug-related violence endangers media in Reynosa By: CPJ, March 11, 2010 The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a wave of drug-related violence in the Mexican city of Reynosa, near the Texas border, which is endangering the news media and causing widespread self-censorship. http://cpj.org/2010/03/drug-related-violence-endangers-media-in-reynosa.php
AMERICAS: CENTRAL AMERICA/ CARIBBEAN
Responding to the Honduran coup By: Rosie Wong, FPIF, March 16, 2010 As a 30-year-old Australian who had previously travelled to Guatemala and El Salvador, I decided to respond to an email listserv request for international observers in Honduras after the June 2009 coup. http://www.fpif.org/articles/responding_to_the_honduran_coup
Honduras: Killing of TV journalist spawns protest By: AP, March 15, 2010 Dozens of journalists took to the streets Monday in northern Honduras to protest attacks on their colleagues after gunmen killed a television journalist in a hail of bullets—the third such slaying in two weeks. http://www.yorkdispatch.com/nationworld/ci_14679969
Almodovar signs petition to free Cuban political prisoners By: AFP, March 15, 2010 Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar has signed a petition calling for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Cuba, his production company said Tuesday. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100316/en_afp/cubaspainpoliticsrightsdissidententertainmentpeople
Cuba: Unconscionable imprisonment By: Alina Fernandez Revuelta, El Pais, March 15, 2010 Some days ago, the official daily Granma argued why the Cuban authorities should allow the death of Cuban dissident Guillermo Fariñas, who's on a hunger strike to push the regime to free two dozen imprisoned dissidents said to be critically ill. http://www.cubastudygroup.org/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=7035&Month=3&Year=2010
AMERICAS: SOUTH AMERICA
Chavez denies Venezuela ETA suspects are terrorists By: Reuters, March 16, 2010 Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Monday said he was sure Basque separatists living in Venezuela and accused by Spain of belonging to the armed ETA rebel group were not engaged in terrorist activities. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/16/worldupdates/2010-03-16T094655Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-469489-1&sec=Worldupdates
Venezuela 'will not close Facebook and Twitter' By: ITN, March 16, 2010 Venezuela is not planning to shut down social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, officials have said. President Hugo Chavez said last week that authorities should act against news and opinion site Noticerodigital after it published claims that a senior minister had been assassinated. He said the Opec nation's laws must apply to the Internet. http://itn.co.uk/b16c3ecae05ff7d9246f3e6fc0ce0e97.html
Venezuela denies plans to censor Internet By: Frank Jack Daniel, Reuters, March 15, 2010 Venezuela is not planning to censor the web or to shut down social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, officials said on Monday, after President Hugo Chavez called for regulation of the Internet. http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2686264
Leftist party asserts independence from Venezuela's president, accepts dissident into ranks By: Fabiola Sanchez, AP, March 15, 2010 Representatives of a leftist party asserted their independence from President Hugo Chavez on Monday, accepting a dissident politician into their ranks while demanding increased tolerance from Venezuela's socialist leader. http://www.courant.com/news/nation-world/sns-ap-lt-venezuela-chavez-allies,0,5628582.story
Venezuelan President Chavez makes threat against the open web By: Amy-Mae Elliott, Mashable, March 15, 2010 Venezuela, already under watch from the likes of Reporters Sans Frontieres for jeopardizing press freedom, appears to be edging closer toward the type of restrictive governmental Internet interference as seen in Cuba, China and Iran. http://mashable.com/2010/03/14/venezuela-open-web-threat/
Venezuela: Web site rejects Chavez's allegations By: AP, March 14, 2010 A Venezuelan web site that was accused by President Hugo Chavez of spreading false reports of killings said Sunday the government is trying to restrict criticism, but announced it had banned the visitors who posted the inaccurate rumors. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/13/tech/main6296645.shtml
Venezuela's Chavez calls for internet controls By: Reuters, March 13, 2010 Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, who is criticized by media freedom groups, called on Saturday for regulation of the Internet and singled out a website that he said falsely reported the murder of one of his ministers. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62D05I20100314
EUROPE
Poland: Government to reintroduce web censorship bill? By: The News, March 16, 2010 Deputy Finance Minister Jacek Kapica has come up with an alternative solution to the online betting problem, which would enable him to exercise absolute control over the web, say critics. Kapica’s idea is to create a special unit within the customs service, which would control the web and block sites if a court decided that they contained dangerous content or would enable internet users to gamble online, according to the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily.. http://www.thenews.pl/business/artykul127552_government-to-reintroduce-web-censorship-bill.html
Russia may introduce convict labor on Soviet model, RG reports By: Patrick Henry, Business Week, March 16, 2010 Russia may reintroduce convict labor based on the Soviet model as an alternative to incarceration as part of an overhaul of the prison system, Rossiiskaya Gazeta reported. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-16/russia-may-introduce-convict-labor-on-soviet-model-rg-reports.html
Imagine that! Putin might not be so pure after all By: Matvey Ganapolskiy, Huffington Post, Marcg 15, 2010 The Russian political opposition's treasured fantasy is the Vladimir Putin abuse of power scandal. There would be a trial, during which a teary-eyed Putin would confess to economic crimes committed. Afterwards, he'd be led off to Siberia in handcuffs. Yet, after nine years as president and two as prime minister of Russia, the opposition's dreams remain unrealized. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matvey-ganapolskiy/imagine-that-putin-might_b_498047.html
Climate activists predict direct action against Scotland's 'Kingsnorth' By: Severin Carrell and Tim Webb, The Guardian, March 15, 2010 Climate activists are predicting a campaign of direct action against a new coal-fired power station that could be the UK's first to fit carbon-capture technology. Ayrshire Power starts planning process for power station which would be UK's first to use carbon capture and storage. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/15/ayrshire-power-station-new-kingsnorth
Polls close in Russia amid fraud allegations By: RFE, March 14, 2010 Polls have closed in Russia's regional elections with the ruling United Russia and the opposition accusing each other of fraud. Russians went to the polls in 76 of the country's 83 regions on March 14 to elect mayors and town councils in a vote that was seen as a test of President Dmitry Medvedev's commitment to open up the country's political system. http://www.rferl.org/content/Polls_Close_In_Russia_Amid_Fraud_Allegations/1983493.html
Russia: Video of directed voting By: Alexey Sidorenko, Global Voices, March 14, 2010 Political analyst Alexander Kynev posted a video where students of a local college vote preliminarily in the city of Ivanovo. The video shows one of the most popular fraud techniques in modern Russia: directed preliminary vote that gives 10-15% for the ruling party. The students are either forced or paid to vote. View the video... http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/03/14/russia-video-of-directed-voting/
Russians in far eastern town protest toxic fumes By: Reuters, March 14, 2010 Some 2,000 people protested against the release of what they said were toxic fumes in a small town on Russia's Pacific coast on March 14, one of a series of unusually large protests across the country in recent months. http://www.rferl.org/content/Russians_In_Far_Eastern_Town_Protest_Toxic_Fumes/1983477.html
Russia: Will the Kremlin use information warfare to suppress growing dissent? By: Jeffrey Carr, Forbes, March 13, 2010 Of all the countries in the world which are developing cyber capabilities, the Russian Federation leads the pack in its use of Information Warfare (the Kremlin's terminology for cyber operations). It's happened during the Tulip revolution in Kyrgyzstan (today, March 13, 2010 is the 5 year anniversary) and versions of it are regularly employed to control opposition political parties inside the RF. http://blogs.forbes.com/firewall/2010/03/13/will-the-kremlin-use-information-warfare-to-suppress-growing-dissent/
Italy: Thousands attend anti-Berlusconi protest in Rome By: BBC News, March 13, 2010 Tens of thousands of Italians have been taking part in a protest in Rome's main square against the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The demonstrators, called out by the opposition and unions, accused him of changing laws for his own benefit. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8566450.stm
Belarus: Opposition not allowed to precinct election commissions By: Charter 97, March 11, 2010 On March 10 firming of precinct election commissions finished in Belarus. As said by experts, this process can become determinative for the opposition. in case representatives of democratic parties, movements and organisations won’t be included to election commissions, a boycott of the next stage of the “election” is possible by them. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2010/3/11/27234/
MIDDLE EAST/ NORTH AFRICA
Highlights of the second Arab youth survey By: ASDAA, March 2010 The research for the First Annual ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey was carried out in September 2008, just before the recession made a significant impact in the region, and in the Gulf in particular. The resilience and optimism of youth in the region shines through. http://www.arabyouthsurvey.com/highlights.html
US envoy puts Mideast trip on hold as feud with Israel deepens By: Amy Teibel, Huffington Post, March 16, 2010 Hundreds of Palestinians in east Jerusalem set tires and garbage bins ablaze on Tuesday and hurled rocks at Israeli riot police, who responded with rubber bullets and tear gas. The heaviest clashes in months broke out as an American envoy abruptly canceled a visit, deepening a U.S.-Israeli diplomatic feud. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/16/us-envoy-puts-mideast-tri_n_500502.html
Elections in Iran meaningless, opposition cleric says By: Mail and Guardian, March 16, 2010 'Elections have become meaningless, and the country is polluted with despotism,' said Karroubi, who once had been a part of the government, co-founding the Islamic Republic and acting for years as parliament speaker. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1541402.php/Elections-in-Iran-meaningless-opposition-cleric-says
Obama's quiet action helps Iranian activists By: Sam Sedaei, Huffington Post, March 16, 2010 President Obama and his State Department are keenly aware of the realities present in Iran and, unaffected by absolutist recommendations from across the political spectrum, they are pursuing arguably the most intelligent and comprehensive policy on Iran of all U.S. presidents since the Revolution of 1979. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sam-sedaei/obama-quiet-action-helps_b_500236.html
Iran's uprising prospects after February 11: Escalation or decline? By: Ali Safavi, Huffington Post, March 15, 2010 On the eve of Chaharchanbeh Souri (Festival of Fire), on the last Tuesday of the Iranian year, which is another occasion for the Iranian people to vent their anger at the regime and express the yearning for change, a review of what happened on the anniversary of the anti-Monarchic revolution on February 11 might offer some insights as to what to expect next as far as the post-June uprisings in Iran is concerned. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ali-safavi/irans-uprising-prospects_b_498789.html
Iran hardliners target opposition leader's home By: AFP, March 15, 2010 A group of hardliners besieged the Tehran home of opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, shouting death slogans and calling for him to be put on trial, reports said on Monday. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jyAJ_hbiepdMlRmXy4mYyICJBIgQ
Egypt's chance for change By: Washington Post, March 15, 2010 We objected to Mr. ElBaradei's misuse of his position and are glad that his successor, Yukiya Amano, is embracing the nonpartisan professionalism that the IAEA role demands. Meanwhile, Mr. ElBaradei has found an outlet for his political ambitions that we find much more appropriate: tilting at the rotting autocracy of his native country, Egypt. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/14/AR2010031402271.html
Egypt: Will Skype be blocked? By: Tarek Amr, Global Voices, March 15, 2010 There are rumours that the Egyptian government is going to block Skype. Bloggers react to the unconfirmed news in this post. http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/03/15/egypt-will-skype-be-blocked/
Israel closes villages of Bilin and Nilin to protests By: BBC News, March 15, 2010 The Israeli Defence Force has barred Israelis and foreigners from two West Bank villages, the scene of protests against Israel's "separation wall". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8568355.stm
Israel: IDF steps up fight against weekly separation fence protests By: Ali Waked, YNet News, March 15, 2010 Soldiers distribute flyers in Bilin, Naalin declaring vicinity of fence as closed military zone every Friday between 8 am-8 pm. Notice forbids entry of Israelis, foreigners to village during these hours. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3862812,00.html
Israel: IDF declares West Bank protest villages a 'closed military area' By: Amira Hass, Haaretz, March 15, 2010 The army has declared the West Bank villages of Bil'in and Na'alin a 'closed military area' until August 17, it emerged Monday. In arresting a demonstrator on Friday, police cited a military edict closing off the two villages, where weekly protests against the barrier Israel is erecting around the West Bank have often turned violent. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1156536.html
Many Palestinian protestors already use nonviolent tactics By: Edith Garwood, Common Dreams, March 15, 2010 Israel is escalating its quiet campaign to round up and detain nonviolent Palestinian protesters, from leaders to children, in nighttime raids. And although these protesters remain committed to nonviolence, the world continues to believe the Palestinian struggle is mainly based on violence. http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/03/15-4
Israel responds to Palestinian nonviolence with violence and repression By: William Parry, WRMEA, March 2010 “If President Obama is to live up to his Nobel Peace Prize, then he should ensure that Israel releases political prisoners such as Mohammad [Othman] and insist that trapping Palestine’s emerging Gandhis and Mandelas behind walls, electrified fences, and segregated roadways is incompatible with a peaceful and just future.” http://www.wrmea.com/component/content/article/347-2010-march/8291-israel-responds-to-palestinian-nonviolence-with-violence-and-repression.html
Jail ordeal of hundreds of Palestinian children arrested for throwing stones By: Rory McCarthy, The Guardian, March 14, 2010 With more than 300 Palestinian children being held in Israeli prisons, human rights groups and Palestinian officials are increasingly concerned about the actions of the Israeli military. Rights groups express concern at the rising number of juveniles as young as 12 who are held behind bars and 'treated like terrorists'. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/14/palestinian-children-rights-violated-israel
Egypt: Security detains 97 Muslim Brotherhood members By: Safaa Abdoun, Daily News Egypt, March 14, 2010 Security forces have detained more than 97 members of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) on Friday and Saturday after their participation in pro-Palestine demonstrations following Friday prayers. http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=28445
US government report slams Egypt on human rights Max: Strasser, Almasryalyoum, March 14, 2010 A report issued last Friday by the United States government draws an ugly picture of the state of human rights in Egypt, but also gives a few signs of optimism. http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/us-govt-report-slams-egypt-human-rights
Iran hacks opposition web sites, arrests cyber activists By: Sumner Lemon, IDG News, March 14, 2010 Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps hacked into 29 Web sites affiliated with U.S. espionage networks, Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency reported on Sunday. "The hacked websites acted against Iran's national security under the cover of human rights activities," Fars reported. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/191510/iran_hacks_opposition_web_sites_arrests_cyber_activists.html
Iran: Home of human rights activist raided again By: Persian to English, March 14, 2010 In continuation with the attacks on human rights activists, specifically on the colleagues of HRA, Ministry of Intelligence agents once again raided the home of a human rights activist, searched the residence, and threatened her family. http://persian2english.com/?p=8444
Iran: Indict or free filmmakers By: Human Rights Watch, March 13, 2010 Iran's Judiciary should immediately clarify the reasons behind a raid on the home of film director Jafar Panahi as well as the legal basis for detaining him and two of his colleagues, Human Rights Watch said today. http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/03/11/iran-indict-or-free-filmmakers
Iran: Opposition leader's wife Zahra Rahnavard implicitly calls for peaceful protests during fire festival By: LA Times, March 13, 2010 The wife of Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi called on country's green-themed protest movement to come out in full force during an upcoming annual fire festival but to refrain from using violence. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2010/03/iran-rahnavard-mousavi-ahmadinejad-iranelection-islam-green.html
US concerned over Iranian religious persecution By: RFE, March 13, 2010 The United States has raised concerns about religious persecution in Iran. A spokesman for the U.S. State Department said Iran had detained at least 25 people of the Baha'i religion in recent weeks and that up to 60 followers of the faith remain imprisoned "solely on the basis of their religious beliefs." http://www.rferl.org/content/United_States_Concerned_Over_Iranian_Religious_Persecution/1982422.html
U.N. must stand up for rights of Iranians By: Hadi Ghaemi and Aaron Rhodes, CNN, March 13, 2010 Iranian citizens who support peaceful change that will allow them to enjoy their human rights expect the international community, and in particular the United Nations, to hold the Islamic Republic to account. http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/03/13/ghaemi.iran.un.rights/
Israel detains journalists during protest against apartheid wall By: Maysaa Jarour, Palestine Telegraph, March 13, 2010 Israeli occupation forces detained on Saturday three journalists and beat another three while suppressing a protest against the apartheid wall in Bait Omar town, north of Hebron in the West Bank. http://www.paltelegraph.com/palestine/west-bank/4768-israel-detains-journalists-during-protest-against-apartheid-wall
Egypt rejects U.S. human rights report By: Xinhua, March 13, 2010 Egypt rejected on Saturday a report issued by the U.S. Department of State which criticized human rights condition in the country, state-run Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-03/13/c_13209615.htm
Protests over case against Egyptian blogger Wael Abbas By: BBC News, March 12, 2010 A human rights organisation in Egypt has accused the interior ministry of manipulating the legal system to target a blogger who exposed police brutality. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8564878.stm
Palestine: West Bank rises up in a new 'white' intifada By: The Independent, March 12, 2010 Even if freshly promised "proximity talks" between Israelis and Palestinians get under way, they are unlikely to halt the weekly protests that will take place after noon prayers today in some villages and tomorrow in others. The Palestinian Authority did not start the weekly protests that have now spread to more than half a dozen West Bank villages. And it is not leading them. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/west-bank-rises-up-in-a-new-white-intifada-1920120.html
Clinton slams Israel's settlement plans: 'Deeply negative signal' By: Matthew Lee, Huffington Post, March 12, 2010 Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday delivered a stinging rebuke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his government's announcement this week of new Jewish housing in east Jerusalem, calling it "a deeply negative signal" for the Mideast peace process and ties with the U.S. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/12/clinton-delivers-strong-m_n_497052.html
Peaceful Palestinian resistance is paying off By: Ben White, Right to Stop the Wall, March 11, 2010 For many, the idea of Palestinian resistance is synonymous with terrorism, conjuring up images of suicide bombings and rockets. This is a distortion shaped by the media and our politicians. Beyond the headlines, Palestinian resistance has always included nonviolent tactics. http://right2stopthewall.org/?p=223
Syria: Repression grows as Europe, US avoid discussing rights By: Human Rights Watch, March 11, 2010 Catherine Ashton, the EU foreign relations chief, should use visit to condemn harassment, detention of activists, journalists in Syria. So far, the increased Western engagement with Syria has not resulted in any human rights gains because the US and Europe have failed to press the issue, Human Rights Watch said. http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/03/11/syria-repression-grows-europe-us-avoid-discussing-rights
Vaclav Havel urges Iran student leaders not to lose hope By: RFE, March 11, 2010 Former Czech President Vaclav Havel has praised the two Iranian activists who were awarded the Homo Homini prize presented annually by the Czech NGO People in Need "in recognition of a dedication to the promotion of human rights, democracy, and nonviolent solutions to political conflicts" and called on them not to lose hope. http://www.rferl.org/content/Vaclav_Havel_Urges_Iran_Student_Leaders_Not_to_Lose_Hope/1980971.html
Iran: OR318 memorial to blogger's death in prison By: Juliana Rincón Parra, Global Voices, March 11, 2010 The one year death anniversary of blogger and journalist Omid Reza Mir Sayafi is coming around and the OR318 movement is quite active, raising awareness regarding not only Omid's death in an Iranian prison but also the risks bloggers take when they decide to write. http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/03/11/iran-or318-memorial-to-blogger-death-in-priso/
Conflicting signals on Iran gasoline shipments, sanctions By: Energy Intelligence, March 10, 2010 Conflicting reports continue to circulate regarding the recent decisions of two of Iran's largest gasoline suppliers to stop sending shipments to Iran as part of broad efforts to pressure Tehran into halting its uranium enrichment activities. http://www.energyintel.com/DocumentDetail.asp?document_id=661696
Facebook and Middle Eastern politics By: Issandr El Amrani, Arabist, March 9, 2010 Perhaps it's common in other parts of the world, but I am struck to what extent Facebook has become an integral part of Arab politics — a place where people organize, debate and even government officials weigh in. http://www.arabist.net/blog/2010/3/9/facebook-and-middle-eastern-politics.html
EU demands more rights progress from Morocco By: Pierre Ausseill, AFP, March 7, 2010 EU president Herman Van Rompuy called on Morocco during a summit Sunday to make progress in respecting human rights, including in the disputed Western Sahara region. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iGZImq_kxh1S-HKOU5D5oQ8Jw4RA
Iran shuts down reformist publications By: CNN News, March 2, 2010 Iranian authorities shut down two more reformist publications, citing violations of state rules that govern the media. The media outlets, both linked to opposition leader Mehdi Karrubi, were among the last remaining in Iran that offered dissent. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/03/02/iran.newspapers/index.html
ASIA: CENTRAL ASIA
Kyrgyzstan: Rally supporting media freedom, held in Bishkek By: RFE, March 15, 2010 Some 250 people -- prominent opposition politicians, lawmakers, and rights activists among them -- gathered today outside the offices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Bishkek to ask for help to protect freedom of speech in the country, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports. http://www.rferl.org/content/Rally_Supporting_Media_Freedom_RFERL_Held_In_Bishkek/1984184.html
Big business in Uzbekistan targeted in wave of arrests By: Bruce Pannier, EurasiaNet, March 13, 2010 Some of the wealthiest people in Uzbekistan have reportedly been arrested or detained this week, or are being hunted down by Uzbek authorities. They include the president of one of Tashkent’s premier football clubs, the owner of the country’s largest wholesale market, construction magnates, and bankers, according to media reports. Others with ties to big business have reportedly fled the country. http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insightb/articles/eav031310.shtml
Uzbekistan: Reverse rights defender’s prison sentence By: Human Rights Watch, March 12, 2010 The Uzbek government should immediately release a human rights defender convicted on fabricated religious extremism charges, Human Rights Watch said today. http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/03/12/uzbekistan-reverse-rights-defender-s-prison-sentence
ASIA: SOUTH ASIA
Sri Lanka: Nonviolent protest in Colombo By: Demotix, March 15, 2010 In Colombo, Sri Lanka, the left-wing political party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) staged a non-violent protest today, calling for the release of (Retd.) Gen. Sarath Fonseka who was earlier arrested for military offences. Colombo, Sri Lanka. http://www.demotix.com/news/276961/nonviolent-protest-colombo
India: Left parties to launch nationwide jail bharo on April 8 By: The Hindu, March 12, 2010 Initiating a major campaign against price rise and holding the Manmohan Singh government responsible, the Left parties on Friday announced the launch of a ‘jail bharo' agitation on April 8 across the country. http://beta.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/article237273.ece
ASIA: SOUTHEAST ASIA
Unprecedented civil action in Hanoi, Vietnam By: CNN, March 16, 2010 On Sunday March 14, 2010 a group of young Vietnamese democracy activists gathered in central Hanoi, the Hoan Kiem lake, to distribute shirts and hat emblazoned with “Hoang Sa, Truong Sa, Viet Nam”, meaning “Paracel, Spratly Islands belong to Vietnam”. The activists belong to the pro-democracy group, Viet Tan. http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-420795
Vietnam releases dissident priest Nguyen Van Ly By: BBC News, March 15, 2010 One of Vietnam's high-profile human rights activists has been released from prison, five years before the end of his sentence. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8569304.stm
Burma and North Korea slam UN reports By: BBC News, March 15, 2010 Burma and North Korea have rejected UN condemnation of human rights abuses at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Recommendations by the UN special envoy to Burma "violated the right of a sovereign state", Burma's UN envoy told the UN Human Rights Council. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8569001.stm
Burma: Mark Kurlansky on nonviolence By: Francis Wade, DVB, March 15, 2010 Like Gandhi before, Aung San Suu Kyi has stubbornly refused to take up arms against her oppressors, and her vow not to fight fire with fire has gained her a legion of admirers, from First Ladies to celebrities to world leaders. http://ow.ly/1kPxN
Thai PM rejects protest ultimatum By: BBC News, March 15, 2010 Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has rejected a demand from protesters to resign and call elections. He spoke on national TV as tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the barracks where he is based. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8567406.stm
Thailand: Who will blink first in Bangkok? By: Simon Roughneen, Irrawaddy, March 15, 2010 Leaders of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) have told the Thai government that it must dissolve parliament by noon on Monday or have hundreds of thousands of Redshirt demonstrators on the march around Bangkok. http://www.irrawaddy.org/highlight.php?art_id=18038
Thailand: Rural masses stage historic protest By: Marwaan Macan-Markar, IP, March 14, 2010 An unprecedented show of force by men and women from Thailand’s rural hinterland was on display over the weekend as they poured into Bangkok in the tens of thousands to stake a claim on having a voice in shaping this South-east Asian kingdom’s national agenda. http://www.truthout.org/thailand-rural-masses-stage-historic-protest57667?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
For Philippine family in politics, land issue hits home By: Norimitsu Onishi, NY Times, March 14, 2010 Hacienda Luisita, the Philippines — Like his father before him, Buenaventura Calaquian worked the sugar cane fields at Hacienda Luisita, a plantation owned by the family of former President Corazon C. Aquino. In the long-running, sometimes bloody battle over control of the land here, Mr. Calaquian, 58, has come out better than most. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/15/world/asia/15phils.html
Seven Burmese parties said preparing to register for election By: Kyaw Thein Kha, Irrawaddy, March 13, 2010 At least seven political groups, including one established pro- government party, are preparing to register to take part in the upcoming election, according to the leaders of the groups. "I've learned that seven political parties are going to register with the election commission," said Kyi Win, a leader of the National Political Alliance, a Rangoon-based party consisting of nine smaller pro-government groups. http://www.interconnectionworld.com/index/display/wire-news-display/142467381.html
Burma's Suu Kyi calls for united response to 'unjust' law By: Agence France-Presse, Vancouver Sun, March 13, 2010 Myanmar's detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi Thursday called on her people to respond to an "unjust" election law issued by the junta that bars her from the vote, her lawyer said. http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Myanmar+calls+united+response+unjust/2671853/story.html
Election analysis barred in Burmese publications By: Phanida, Mizzima, March 12, 2010 Weekly publications in Burma have been prohibited from publishing any comment or analysis on the electoral laws being announced daily from March 8 through the State-owned media, said some editors and journalists in Rangoon. http://www.mizzima.com/news/election-2010/3658-election-analysis-barred-in-burmese-publications.html
Burma election laws a 'setback' for dialogue, says US By: BBC News, March 12, 2010 The US says Burma's newly-enacted elections laws are a "setback" for political dialogue and the junta's engagement with Washington. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8563870.stm
ASIA: EAST ASIA
Google appears to drop censorship in China By: Adrienne Mong, MSNBC, March 16, 2010 Web sites dealing with subjects such as the Tiananmen Square democracy protests, Tibet and regional independence movements could all be accessed through Google's Chinese search engine Tuesday, after the company said it would no longer abide by Beijing's censorship rules. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35886780/ns/business-world_business/
Google's China exit: When business and human rights converge By: Nicole Kempton, Huffington Post, March 16, 2010 Rumors that Google may pull out of China has thrown the state of the Chinese Internet into sharp focus. It says much about the disconnect between the idealism of the Internet pioneers and the reality of how the Internet is utilized in undemocratic states. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicole-kempton/googles-china-exit-when-b_b_500200.html
North Korea under tightening sanctions By: International Crisis Group, March 15, 2010 Outwardly, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, North Korea) appears stable. However, the country has been shaken by constricting international sanctions, extremely poor policy choices, and several internal challenges that have the potential to trigger instability. International sanctions have reduced foreign exchange earnings, while humanitarian assistance, which feeds millions of North Koreans, has declined due to political factors and donor fatigue. http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?l=1&id=6562
China: Flashmob at Chengdu Electronics Science and Technology University By: Oiwan Lam, ESWN, March 15, 2010 Around 1000 male students gathered outside the Chengdu Electronics Science and Technology University's building number 5 expecting to have a glimpse of a female student who wanted to look for a boyfriend. The male to female ratio is that university is 25: 1. http://www.zonaeuropa.com/201003a.brief.htm#017
China: Petitioners slam rights record By: RFA, March 15, 2010 As petitioners across China called on parliament to ratify two U.N. human rights covenants, authorities detained a newspaper employee in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi after he wrote to the National People’s Congress demanding an end to forced evictions. http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/NPC-03122010123603.html
In a first, Chinese papers 'dare' to criticize government By: Saibal Dasgupta, Times of India, March 14, 2010 Miraculously, 13 Chinese newspapers joined hands to criticize Beijing on the 50-year-old household registration, or hukuo, system that disallows a person to go and work in any province other than his own without a special permit. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/In-a-first-Chinese-papers-dare-to-criticize-govt/articleshow/5681099.cms
China: Journalists unite to demand governor's resignation By: John Kennedy, Global Voices, March 13, 2010 Public anger continues to spread following the incident which saw governor of Hubei province Li Hongzhong snatch a recording device out of the hands of reporter Liu Jie in between sessions at the ongoing Lianghui. http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/03/13/china-journalists-unite-to-demand-governors-resignation/
Google '99.9 percent certain' to shut China search engine By: Richard Waters and Kathrin Hille, Financial Times, March 13, 2010 Google has drawn up detailed plans for the closure of its Chinese search engine and is now “99.9 per cent” certain to go ahead as talks over censorship with the Chinese authorities have reached an apparent impasse, according to a person familiar with the company’s thinking. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/dd69e680-2e06-11df-b85c-00144feabdc0.html
Heartthrob’s blog challenges China’s leaders By: Andrew Jacobs, NY Times, March 13, 2010 It's not so easy being Han Han, the heartthrob race car driver and pop novelist who just happens to be China’s most widely read blogger. But Mr. Han’s most vexing challenge comes from a more formidable nemesis: the unseen censors who delete blog posts they deem objectionable and the publishing police who have held up the release of his new magazine, “A Chorus of Solos,” a provocative collection of essays and photographs. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/world/asia/13hanhan.html
Exiled Tibetans observe 51st anniversary of women's uprising against China By: Sify, March 13, 2010 Tibetans living in-exile in India staged a protest demonstration outside the Chinese Embassy here on Friday to mark the 51st anniversary of the Tibetan Women's Uprising Day which came two days after an uprising led by the Dalai Lama against Chinese rule in 1959. http://sify.com/news/exiled-tibetans-observe-51st-anniversary-of-women-s-uprising-against-china-news-national-kdnokjeeejc.html
China increases security in Tibet to prevent protests By: Edward Wong, NY Times, March 11, 2010 For a second straight year, the Chinese government has increased security across parts of the vast Tibetan plateau to dissuade any Tibetans from holding protests this week to mark the anniversaries of ethnic uprisings. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/world/asia/12tibet.html?ref=global-home
Chinese use Twitter to report police intimidation By: AP, March 10, 2010 Police have long tried to shush and isolate potential activists, usually starting with a low-key warning, perhaps over a meal or a cup of tea. Now, the country's troublemakers are openly blogging and tweeting their stories about “drinking tea” with the cops, allowing the targeted citizens to bond and diluting the intimidation they feel. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/chinese-use-twitter-to-report-police-intimidation/article1496317/
OCEANIA
Vanuatu shows support for West Papua people By: Free West Papua, March 2010 On 5th of March 2010, during the Chiefs Day of Vanuatu, more than 1,000 participants representing various political and social organisations marched through Port Vila as an expression of their support for independence of West Papua. http://freewestpapua.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1157&Itemid=2
Rally for imprisoned West Papua activists before Obama's trip to Indonesia By: Etan Action, March 13, 2010 The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network today participated in a demonstration called by Amnesty International in support of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage, political prisoners held by Indonesia for waving the Morning Star flag in a 2004 West Papuan independence rally. http://etanaction.blogspot.com/2010/03/rally-for-imprisoned-west-papua.html
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Silence is complicity By: Michael Beer, Nonviolent Action March 15, 2010 "I am Mazin B. Qumsiyeh, a Palestinian American citizen who lived in the US for 29 years before deciding to move to Palestine nearly two years ago...Once I relocated to Palestine, I proceeded to do the same activities I was engaged in here in the US...I also pursue my passion of educating others on human rights and engaging in other civil resistance actions such as protests and vigils." http://nonviolentaction.net/2010/03/silence-is-complicity/
Noble Laureate Shirin Ebadi at Asia Society event By: United for Iran, March 13, 2010 On March 3, the Asia Society hosted a variety of speakers, including 2003 Noble Laureate Shirin Ebadi, who “argues against economic sanctions for Iran—but also says Western businesses should pay a penalty for helping the current regime repress its own people.” http://ow.ly/1kd5m
Dissidents urge UN against cyber-censorship By: Scoop, March 13, 2010 Marking the first World Day Against Cyber-Censorship, a global coalition of dissidents, non-governmental organizations and human rights activists submitted a new declaration on internet freedom to the United Nations, urging its endorsement by the world body. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1003/S00265.htm
Web 2.0 versus control 2.0 By: RSF, March 12, 2010 The fight for free access to information is being played out to an ever greater extent on the Internet. The emerging general trend is that a growing number of countries are attemptimg to tighten their control of the Net, but at the same time, increasingly inventive netizens demonstrate mutual solidarity by mobilizing when necessary. http://www.rsf.org/ennemis.html View full report... https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.rsf.org/IMG/pdf/Internet_enemies.pdf
“Soul of a Citizen” excerpt: The real Rosa Parks By: Paul Rogat Loeb, Truthout, March 12, 2010 One reason people despair so easily these days is that we often have little sense of how change has occurred in times past, and of what it took for ordinary people to persist until they prevailed. The Rosa Parks story offers an example that we all think we know, but where the story as usually told omits the key context and blurs the key lessons. http://www.truthout.org/soul-a-citizen-excerpt-the-real-rosa-parks57597
“The endless haul” of activism By: Nathan Schneider, Waging Nonviolence, March 11, 2010 Over at Killing the Buddha (which I also co-edit), we’ve got a really valuable conversation today between the radical of many causes Abe Osheroff and the activist/journalist Bob Jensen. It’s a reflection on intransigence, futility, and the failures of hope, which should be familiar themes to anyone who has put any time into struggling against the principalities and powers of injustice. http://wagingnonviolence.org/2010/03/the-endless-haul-of-activism/
Citizen conversation with…Tim McCarthy By: Matt Bieber, The Citizen, March 11, 2010 In the interview of Tim McCarthy conducted by Matt Bieber, McCarthy answers various questions, including the idea: “Does protest have a future?” http://harvardcitizen.com/category/features/
New Google public data explorer makes it easier to search globally, visualize charts By: Daniel Vasquez, Sun Sentinel, March 10, 2010 The world of public data just got more fun for those who love to search statistics and analyze numbers with the launch of the Google Public Data Explorer. The latest tool unwrapped by Google Labs makes it easier to analyze data from schools, governments, non-profits and more and also visualize those numbers in animated charts. http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/consumerblog/2010/03/new-google-public-data-explorer-makes-it-easier-to-search-globally-visualize-charts.html
Internet access is 'a fundamental right' By: BBC News, March 8, 2010 Almost four in five people around the world believe that access to the internet is a fundamental right, a poll for the BBC World Service suggests. The survey - of more than 27,000 adults across 26 countries - found strong support for net access on both sides of the digital divide. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8548190.stm
Technologies that empower women By: Tom Watson, Daily Beast, March 7, 2010 Cherie Blair, MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski, and Ann Livermore, the executive vice president of HP Enterprise Business, tackle how technology can change women’s lives at Women in The World on Saturday. Read about how innovations like text messaging, mobile video, and birthing kits are part of the solution. http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-03-07/10-technologies-that-empower-women/full/
International women's day: Using video to stop violence By: Priscila Néri, The Hub, March 7, 2010 Up to 60% of women will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes. So on this International Women's Day, we're highlighting some of the videos that are helping bridge this gap by exposing, documenting, and strengthening the call for an end to violence against women and girls. http://hub.witness.org/en/blog/international-womens-day
BOOK & FILM REVIEWS
Burma: Despite loss at Oscars, film a testament to courage By: Macan-Markar, IPS, March 2010 'Burma VJ' was beaten by 'The Cove', a film about the brutal hunting of dolphins in a Japanese fishing town, for Best Documentary Feature of 2009 at the U.S. Yet Sunday's disappointment for 'Burma VJ' comes on the back of the remarkable story behind a documentary that was released in May 2009 in a single theatre in the United States to little applause and few earnings. http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/yb/142434230
Story of journalists who risked lives in Burma wins human rights prize By: Agence France-Presse, Vancouver Sun, March 15, 2010 Films about dissident journalists in Myanmar and dangerous river pollution in French Guiana won the top prizes at a human rights film festival and forum in Geneva, organizers said on Sunday. http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Story+journalists+risked+lives+Myanmar+wins+human+rights+prize/2683439/story.html
Postel on Iran By: Shiraz Socialist, March 13, 2010 Via Norm, I’ve found a Platypus Review panel on the future of Iran. It’s worth reading the whole discussion just for Danny Postel, who wrote the excellent Reading Legitimation Crisis in Tehran. What I remember from that book was the impression that politically active Iranians were into liberalism rather than socialism. http://shirazsocialist.wordpress.com/2010/03/13/postel-on-iran/
Burma: Opposition leader describes imprisonment By: RFA, March 12, 2010 A senior leader and founding member of Burma’s opposition party has celebrated his 80th birthday with the release of a new book documenting his experiences in jail as a political prisoner. http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/imprisonment-03122010135846.html
IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Israel y los territorios ocupados By: FIDH, March 15, 2010 Carta Abierta Conjunta: Restricción del espacio de los defensores de los derechos humanos israelíes y organizaciones que trabajan en Israel y en los Territorios Palestinos Occupados. http://www.fidh.org/Carta-Abierta-Conjunta-Restriccion-del-espacio-de?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fidhglobal+(Human+Rights+for+All+%3A+www.fidh.org)
Iran: Téhéran annonce l'arrestation de cyber-opposants By: Le Monde, March 15, 2010 Les autorités iraniennes ont arrêté, samedi 13 mars, trente membres d'un groupe qui serait lié au mouvement d'opposition en exil. Pour Téhéran, ceux-ci auraient tenté de "lancer une guerre psychologique" contre l'Iran sur Internet. http://www.lemonde.fr/technologies/article/2010/03/15/teheran-annonce-l-arrestation-de-cyber-opposants_1319212_651865.html#xtor=AL-32280270
NOTICES
Nonviolence in the context of war or armed conflict By: Andrea Ohloff, Peace and Collaborative Development Network, March 2010 Peace and human rights activists, people working with refugees or war affected populations all over the world, bear witness that it is possible to work on armed conflicts and against large-scale human rights violations with nonviolent means. Training in nonviolent skills related to work in situations of war or civil war, awareness of own strengths and weaknesses, learning how to analyse situations – these are experiences that can make the activists’ work more effective. 18th June 2010 - 5th July 2010 http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/events/event/show?id=780588%3AEvent%3A229543&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_event
Call for applications: Building bridges for peace program for Palestinian, Israeli and American Teens By: Erin Breeze, Peace and Collaborative Development Network, March 15, 2010 Seeking Common Ground is accepting applications for the 2010 Building Bridges for Peace program, an international leadership development and peacebuilding program for American, Israeli, and Palestinian teens. The program consists of a summer intensive in Colorado (July 28-August 16) and a follow-up program of continued dialogue, leadership training, social activism and civic engagement that takes place in the participants’ home communities. http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/forum/topic/show?id=780588%3ATopic%3A229611&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_topic
2009 country reports on human rights practices By: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. State Department, March 11, 2010 This report explores trends and developments and provides a specific, detailed picture of human rights conditions in 194 countries around the world. The U.S. Government has compiled these reports for the past 34 years pursuant to a requirement placed on the U.S. executive by law in part to help the U.S. Congress inform its work in assessing requests for U.S. foreign military and economic assistance, as well as to set trade policies and U.S. participation in the multilateral development banks and other financial institutions. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/frontmatter/135936.htm