Archive for December 4th, 2014

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04/12/2014

The Suicide of Europe

Human Wrongs Watch

By Roberto Savio* 

Rome, 5 December 2014 – The fact that in a referendum Switzerland has taken a path that goes in the opposite direction from that of Europe is an unusual fact which calls for reflection, especially because Switzerland has taken a much more progressive path, while we all were accustomed to see it as a very conservative country.

Migrants have a duty to pay taxes… | Many do not recognize the contributions all migrants – including women and men in irregular situations – make to the economy and to social security schemes where they live. Do you know that everyone – migrant or not – has a right to social security benefits? © OHCHR/ILO

Migrants have a duty to pay taxes…                                         Many do not recognize the contributions all migrants – including women and men in irregular situations – make to the economy and to social security schemes where they live. Do you know that everyone – migrant or not – has a right to social security benefits? © OHCHR/ILO

On 30 November 2014, Swiss citizens were asked to vote on a proposal for reducing immigrants to a maximum of 17,000 per year, compared with 88.000 in 2013. This was rejected by 73 percent of the voters, after a unanimous campaign by the government, industrialists and trade unions that without immigrants there would be serious problems in keeping the economy expanding.

It is worth noting that foreigners account for 23.5 percent of the population in Switzerland, compared with an average of 4 percent in Europe as a whole.

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Posted in Africa, Asia, Latin America & Caribbean, Market Lords, Middle East, Others-USA-Europe-etc., The Peoples | 1 Comment »

04/12/2014

Gorbachev: It’s up to Europe to prevent new Cold War between US and Russia

Human Wrongs Watch

RT*, December 2014 — With the US still intoxicated by its Cold War “triumph” and pushing everyone to take an anti-Russian position, Europe must become the locomotive of shaping the new world order, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev said.

First president of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev (RIA Novosti / Alexander Vilf)

Mikhail Gorbachev (RIA Novosti / Alexander Vilf)

“We must to go back to the starting line, from which we began building a new world both in Europe and elsewhere,” Gorbachev said in an interview with the TASS news agency.

The former Soviet leader recalled his meeting with US President George Bush Sr. in Malta on December 23, 1989.

During the talks, which took place several weeks after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the two leaders overcame their divisions and acknowledged the end of the Cold War.

“There are signs of Cold War” in the recent cooling down of relations between Moscow and Washington over Russia’s accession of the Crimea and the turmoil in Ukraine, Gorbachev said.

“We can and we must stop this whole process, like we did in the 1980s. We opted for de-escalation, for the unification [of Germany]. And back then it was a lot tougher than now. So why can’t we do it again?” he said.

According to Gorbachev, the “new world order” after the Cold War allowed major powers to quickly solve a lot of longtime conflicts around the globe.

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04/12/2014

'US should respond to public demands for greater police accountability – United Nations

Human Wrongs Watch

4 December 2014 – In the wake of a grand jury decision in New York yesterday not to indict a police officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, an unarmed man, in July, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged the United States to do “anything possible to respond to demands of greater accountability.”*
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Protestors in New York City demonstrate in the wake of the verdict in the case of the police shooting of Missouri teenager Michael Brown (24 November 2014). Photo: Jacques Baudrier | Source" UN News Centre

Protestors in New York City demonstrate in the wake of the verdict in the case of the police shooting of Missouri teenager Michael Brown (24 November 2014). Photo: Jacques Baudrier | Source” UN News Centre

“We are obviously aware of what is going on here in our backyard,” said UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric responding to questions at the daily press briefing at UN Headquarters. He said the Secretary-General’s thoughts are with the families of Mr. Garner, a Staten Island resident, and the people of New York.

“I think the case is again focusing on the attention of accountability of law enforcement officials,” he added, welcoming the announcement by the US Justice Department of opening a civil rights investigation in the case.

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04/12/2014

One in Three Women Worldwide Is a Victim of Violence — Refuse Abuse

Human Wrongs Watch 

More than half-way through an international campaign to end violence against women, a top United Nations expert on the issue is calling for a binding international legal standard that holds Member States accountable in fighting this widespread human rights violation.

Photo: UN/DPI

According to UN estimates, one in three women worldwide is a victim of violence.

“With global estimates reaching epidemic proportions, it is deplorable that combatting violence against women has not yet attracted the same level of focus, commitment and resources as non-gendered crimes,” Rashida Manjoo, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women said on 3 December 2014 in a statement.

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Posted in Africa, Asia, Latin America & Caribbean, Market Lords, Middle East, Mother Earth, Others-USA-Europe-etc., The Peoples, War Lords | Leave a Comment »

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