The systematic exploitation of foreign and migrant workers takes place with the full participation of the Canadian state.
human rights
Amnesty International at 50: Global call to action aims to tip scales against repression and injustice
Amnesty International is marking its 50th anniversary on 28th May with the launch of a Global Call to Action designed to help tip the scales against repression and injustice, with events held in more than 60 countries in every region of the world.
The anniversary comes against the backdrop of a changing human rights landscape, as people across the Middle East and North Africa courageously confront oppression, tyranny and corruption -- often in the face of bloodshed and state violence.
Ecologik -- For Egypt and our world
Global warming didn't pause at all during Cairo's recent rebirth. In fact, every month of inaction on Earth's climate emergency makes recovery that much harder and costlier.
Kairos observes the South Sudan referendum
John Lewis, the human rights co-ordinator with Kairos, has been in South Sudan to monitor the recent referendum for secession from the north of the country. He has been blogging about his experience; below is his final blog post. Read the entire blog by clicking here.
Sasha: UN decisions perpetuate sexual and gender-based violence
Wow, really? What the fuck was the UN thinking?
This past week a group of Arab and African nations succeeded in getting a resolution that condemns executions based on sexual orientation deleted from a list that includes "killings for racial, national, ethnic, religious or linguistic reasons and killings of refugees, indigenous people and other groups".
In case you're planning a getaway for the holidays and you don't like the idea of supporting a country that actively condones the murder of homosexuals, here is a list of who approved the removal of sexual orientation from the resolution:
Obama brings support for repressive regime on visit to Indonesia
If a volcano kills civilians in Indonesia, it's news. When the government does the killing, sadly, it's just business as usual, especially if an American president tacitly endorses the killing, as President Barack Obama just did with his visit to Indonesia.
Ignatieff and the death of Liberal class
On Oct. 27, the House of Commons narrowly defeated a private members bill, C-300, aimed at ensuring mining companies are accountable and responsible for human rights and environmental standards abroad.
Despite being a Liberal lead private member's bill by MP John McKay, Ignatieff's Whip, Marcel Proulx in caucus during the week of the vote, was quietly encouraging Liberal MPs to stay away from the third reading vote on Wednesday evening to ensure its defeat.
In apparent contradiction, a backgrounder was sent from Ignatieff's office to the caucus members just before the vote that appeared to support the bill.
This is how it read:
Indie Inside: Listen to the Banned
Music by censored, imprisoned and tortured artists.
Related rabble.ca story:
Lessons from the Guatemala syphilis experiments
News broke last week that the U.S. government purposefully exposed hundreds of men in Guatemala to syphilis in ghoulish medical experiments conducted during the late 1940s. As soon as the story got out, President Barack Obama phoned President Alvaro Colom of Guatemala to apologize. Colom called the experiments "an incredible violation of human rights." Colom also says his government is studying whether it can bring the case to an international court.
