World Youth Movement for Democracy
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World Youth Movement for Democracy |
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October 2007 Newsletter |
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1) WYDD-2007 has passed, but the rally continues... WYMD members organized events on and around the World Youth Day for Democracy on the 18th October. 70 groups and organizations from all over the world registered their events in our online database! Have you been among those who organized an event? Then we are waiting for your reports at wymd [at] youthlink.org as soon as possible! Have you participated in or held an event that you haven't registered yet? Then visit the WYMD website to register your event. Join WYMD Chat - Join our e-forum for exchanging news, resources, ideas and experiences. Share knowledge gain information and ideas, or just meet other WYMD members online. Check out WYMD's new and updated information! | |||
1) Russia: One Year Anniversary of the Murder of Anna Politkovskaya In Russia, the Nizhny Novgorod Foundation to Promote Tolerance (the Foundation) is organizing a two-day conference on October 5-6, 2007. The conference will be attended by more than 150 activists and cultural figures from throughout Russia, and will focus on developing positive proposals for the future consolidation of democracy. The conference will feature a film festival on democracy; musical and other performances; and a series of roundtables. The conference will close with a commemorative event in honor of Anna Politkovskaya. Also in Russia, a vigil, memorial service, and photo exhibition on Chechnya, Beslan and the work of Anna Politkovskaya will be held in Moscow. The memorial photo exhibition will be open in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square from 11 a.m. till 5 p.m. The one-day exhibition will feature works by prominent masters of photo reporting about Chechnya and the Beslan tragedy - two themes on which the late journalist had been working extensively during the months and weeks leading up to her assassination. Additionally, Anna's mobile phone number, which was cut at 16:01 on 7 October 2006, has been reconnected and will be working on October 7 until 18:00 Moscow time for anyone to call and share their memories of Anna. The messages will be retrieved by Novaya Gazeta and posted on their Web site. In London, on the evening of October 5, a new international human rights group supporting women human rights defenders and female victims of war and conflict- Reach All Women in WAR (RAW in WAR) - will mark its founding by honoring Anna. Anna was very supportive of RAW's work and had just agreed to join the group's advisory board a few days before she was killed. To honor her, RAW established a RAW in WAR annual international award in her name to a woman human rights defender from a conflict zone, who stands up for the victims of conflict. The award will be presented on October 7 every year. This year, the award will go to Natalya Estemirova, a woman activist who works on Chechen war issues. In the US, there will be events held for Anna in New York and Washington, DC. In New York City, on Oct 6-7, a requiem is being held at the James Chapel, Union Theological Seminary at 7 pm. Also, on October 7, at 5pm, "The Life of Anna Politkovskaya: A Panel Discussion" will be held at the Refectory, Union Theological Seminary. Tickets are still available; please call the Box Office at 212-854-5638 if interested. On October 10, a conference entitled "Russia one year after Politkovskaya's Murder" is being held by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus at 2200 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. For additional information about the memorial photo exhibition in Moscow, go to: For further information about calling Anna's phone, go to: http://en.novayagazeta.ru/data/2007/75/06.html For information about Reach All Women in WAR event, go to: http://www.frontlineclub.com/club_events.php?event=1202 For more information please about events in New York City and Washington, DC, go to: http://www.peaceinthecaucasus.org 2) Singapore: Democracy Institutions Call on International Bar Association (IBA) to Address Human Rights Issues in Singapore On October 11, international organizations around the world endorsed a resolution urging the International Bar Association (IBA) to address the human rights abuses in Singapore during its annual conference, which began on October 14 and will run through October 19. The resolution calls for the IBA to "express its concern at the lack of respect for the rule of law in Singapore" and to "urge the Singapore government to practice the rule of law and not the rule by law by signing and ratifying the ICCPR (International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights)." Representatives from democracy organizations, as well prominent lawmakers and democracy advocates, signed the resolution, putting Singapore firmly on the radar of the global democracy movement. Signatories of the resolution include Ayo Obe, chair of the World Movement Steering Committee; Carl Gershman, president of the National Endowment for Democracy; Richard Rowson, president of the Council for Community of Democracies; and Bo Tedards, World Forum for Democratization in Asia. Singapore has a democratic constitution; however, the government lacks the independence of the judiciary, and basic human rights, such as freedom of speech and association, are often violated. Many courageous democrats in Singapore, including Singapore Democratic Party leader Dr. Chee Soon Juan, have been consistently harassed by the government because of their activities promoting democratic principles and questioning the government's policies and practice. Most recently, Dr. Chee and four other activists were arrested on October 8 for protesting against the city-state's ties with Burma after a week of unprecedented demonstrations outside the Burmese embassy. The Asian Human Rights Commission is asking concerned individuals to send appeals on their behalf. The IBA's annual conference presents an important opportunity to highlight the failures of the Singapore government to consistently apply the rule of law and to apply other democratic principles in the country. The full text of the resolution is available below. To send an appeal on behalf of those arrested in Singapore for demonstrating in front of the Burmese Embassy, go to: www.ahrchk.net/ua/support.php?ua=UA-295-2007%20 For previous alerts on Singapore, go to: www.wmd.org/democracynews/sept07.html#1 3) Myanmar: Human Rights Organizations Appeal to End Abuse in Burma On August 15, 2007, the State Peace and Development Council of Myanmar doubled both petrol and diesel prices, triggering a sharp rise in the cost of rice and cooking oil. On August 19, responding to these economic conditions, pro-democracy activists led a 400-person march, demanding a price reduction. That day the government rapidly responded by arresting dozens of activists. Small peaceful protests continued across the country, and on September 5 in Pakokku, a small town in central Burma, troops injured several monks when they used force to disband the protesters. The following day monks took several government officials hostage in retaliation demanding that the government issue an apology by September 17, but when the apology never came, the monks began protesting in increasing numbers and withdrew their religious services from military officials and their families. Protests began mounting across the country. On September 21, the Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks emerged to coordinate the growing protest movement, issuing a statement describing the military government as "the enemy of the people," and calling on the public to join them in protest. On September 23, according to the Associated Press, 100,000 people joined a procession led by monks, igniting the largest protest in Burmese history. Five hundred monks walked to pro-democracy leader DAW Aung San Suu Kyi's home, where she greeted them in her first public sighting in 4 years. As protests escalated the government began issuing warnings of a crackdown. The crackdown then began with an increased troop presence in Rangoon and Mandalay, and on September 26, arrests, beatings, and detentions began. Raids on monasteries resulted in brutal violence against the clergy, and democracy activists have been arrested and jailed. The government has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on the population. Internet access has been cut and soldiers have been specifically targeting anyone with a camera. The number of casualties is unknown; the official state toll remains at 13, but experts estimate an exponentially higher number. During the last week, thousands of monks have been rounded up, and many of the people arrested during the protests remain held in undisclosed locations. DAW Aung San Suu Kyi and other public figures within the pro-democracy movement have been transferred to high security prisons. A number of World Movement participating organizations have condemned the recent actions of the Burmese government and have mobilized support for, and built solidarity with, democracy movements in Burma: World Movement participant and Singapore Democratic Party leader, Chee Soon Juan, and three of his party members were arrested on October 8 for protesting against the city-state's ties with Burma after a week of unprecedented demonstrations outside the Burmese embassy. Chee Soon Juan had sought to deliver a petition to the office of Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister, asking the government to disclose its dealings with Burma's military leadership. In addition, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has created a Web page devoted to the events in Burma that includes video and photographs; the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-Asia) has sent a letter to the president of the United Nations Human Rights Council, calling for a special session on Burma; a coalition of human rights organizations has issued a call to all Asian governments urging action regarding the ongoing situation in Burma, targeting the Asian members of the Human Rights Council; and the Venerable Thich Quang Do of Vietnam has held a prayer service in Saigon for the monks and people of Burma, and has urged Vietnamese to stage peaceful protests outside Burmese embassies to call for an end to the bloodshed and a dialogue with the democratic opposition. To read updates from the AHRC regarding the protests, go to: http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/burmaprotests To read the letter from the coalition of human rights organizations, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/oct07demnews2a.pdf To read more about the protests and subsequent arrests in Singapore, go to: www.singaporedemocrat.org/articleburmaprotest18.html To read the letter from FORUM-Asia, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/oct07demnews2b.pdf For more information on Thich Quang Do's call to action, go to: www.queme.net/eng/news_detail.php?numb=852 4) Guatemala: Solidarity Center Condemns Murder of Guatemalan Union Leader On September 23, Marco Tulio Ramirez Portela was murdered as he left his home on his way to work at a banana plantation. He was the Secretary of Culture and Sports of the Guatemalan Banana Workers Union of Izabal (SITRABI). The Solidarity Center condemns this brutal murder and calls on the Guatemalan government to conduct an investigation and bring those responsible to justice. SITRABI has been the target of several attacks over the past few years. The previous attack involved the interrogation of union leaders by Army officers. Military officers had been punished by the Ministry of Defense for this attack just days before Marco Tulio Ramirez Portela was murdered. SITRABI believes that they are being targeted because of a workers training program that they are conducting in the Izabal and Southern Coast regions. Go to: www.solidaritycenter.org/files/pressrelease_SITRABI092507.pdf 5) Iran: Women's Learning Partnership Calls for Further Support in One Million Signatures Campaign In light of recent developments in Iran, the Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace (WLP) is calling for further support in the "One Million Signatures" campaign petition, which calls for an end to discriminatory laws against women, such as men's uncontested right to divorce, polygamy, and child custody. At the end of September, the Iranian parliament submitted legislation attempting to push back current family laws, reversing the few rights that exist for women. In a statement issued on September 20, 2000, equal rights defenders objected to the Family Support Legislation submitted to parliament by the executive branch. The statement asserts that while lawmakers have claimed that the Family Support Legislation intends to address shortcomings in the law and bring it up to date in accordance with the needs and realities of today's family, it has in fact pushed back family legislation and the status of women by 42 years. Most recently, Ronak Safazadeh, a member of the campaign, was arrested at her home in Sanandaj, Kurdistan on Tuesday October 9. According to reports from the Kurdistan Human Rights News Agency, security forces arrived at her home, and searched and seized some of her property, including her computer, copies of the Campaign's petition, and the Campaign booklet explaining Iranian laws. Ms. Safazadeh was then arrested and transferred to the detention center of the local Office of Information and Security Ministry in Sanandaj. According to reports, the nature of the arrest of Ms. Safazadeh and the search of her home by security forces was violent. To sign the petition for the One Million Signatures Campaign in English, go to: www.weforchange.info/english To sign the petition for the One Million Signatures Campaign in Persian, go to: www.we4change.info For more information on recent developments, go to: www.learningpartnership.org/advocacy/alerts/iranmillionsigns0207 For more information about Ms. Safazadeh's arrest, go to: www.learningpartnership.org/advocacy/alerts/iranwomenarrests0307 6) Ethiopia: Human Rights Organizations Express Concern over Arrests of Ethiopian Activists The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) are deeply concerned over the recent arrests of Ethiopian activists. Eleven individuals, including three members of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, remain detained in Nekemte for alleged links with the armed opposition group Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). Police searched their homes, but found no proof of the allegations. Several of the activists appeared in court on September 3 and were remanded in custody until September 13. One was transferred to Addis Ababa Central Criminal Investigation Department and has since appeared in court, although the outcome is unknown. There has been no information as to why the others have not yet appeared in court. Go to: www.fidh.org/spip.php?article4687 7) Egypt: Egyptian Government Takes Action against Independent Press On September 13, four prominent figures in the independent press in Egypt, Ibraheem Isa, Adel Hamouda, Wail Al-Ibrashi, and Abd-Al-Haleem Kandeel, were each sentenced to one year in jail and fined following their conviction for insulting and defaming the President of Egypt and leaders of the ruling National Democratic Party. ARTICLE 19 and Index on Censorship condemn the recent spate of prosecutions of independent media professionals in Egypt, and call upon the Egyptian government to urgently improve protection of freedom of the press. Likewise, the Arab Program for Human Rights Activists (APHRA) has emphasized that the sentences go against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Egyptian Constitution, and several rulings by the Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Court. APHRA calls on civil society to launch a campaign in support of freedom of the press and in solidarity with the journalists involved. For the press release from ARTICLE 19 and Index on Censorship, go to: www.article19.org/pdfs/press/egypt-media.pdf For the press release from APHRA, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/oct07demnews6.pdf
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News on projects, issues and experiences; articles and reports; news of events and information on groups and organizations, from people working on youth activism and democracy issues. 1) "All Different - All Equal": to be continued... (Russia) The International Youth Forum "All Different - All Equal" took place on September 20-23 in Kazan' City, Russia. It was dedicated to summarizing the results of the Russian component of the European "All Different - All Equal" youth campaign and also to elaborating and planning its continuation in Russian Federation. The event was organized by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, National Youth Council of Russia and the Tatarstan Republic government. 2) Peace and Collaborative Development Networking Initiative This is a free professional networking site to encourage interaction between individuals and organizations worldwide involved in development, human rights, civil society development, gender, conflict resolution, democratization, and related fields. 3) Problems with freedom of association in Russia discussed in the Council of Europe (France) The conference of the international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) took place in Strasbourg Palace of Europe on October 1-4 parallel to the PACE session. The first day was concluded by the enlarged session on the defense of Human Rights defenders. 4) Two seminars on youth participation organized by MAAPSI (Bangladesh) During September 2007 MAAPSI (Motivation, Awareness and Advocacy Programme on Social Issues) organized a two seminars: "The Role of Youth to Prevent Corruption" on September 2 and "The Role of Youth to Promote Democracy" on September 10. The World Youth Movement for Democracy (Brazil), JANIPOP, Mass Line Media Centre (MMC) and Swapno Sahajjyo Shongstha (SSS) acted as the co-organizers of the events. 5) Russian NGOs' reports on freedom of assembly and freedom of association presented at the OSCE session (Poland) On October 4 the reports on freedom of assembly and freedom of association prepared by the International Youth Human Rights Movement, the movement of civil actions "GROZA" and the Inter-regional Human Rights Group were presented at the OSCE Human Dimension International Meeting in Warsaw. 6) Youth bridging the political gap through sports (Liberia) Five Liberian political parties participated in the inter political parties soccer and kickball tournament organized by the National Youth Movement for Transparent Elections - Partners for Democratic Development (NAYMOTE). The overall goal of the tournament - which will be held under the theme "WHO OWNS THE LAND" - was to promote free competition of ideas, enhance constructive political parties engagements, and generate increased cooperation amongst political actors for national unity, sustainable peace and development. Check out WYMD's Resource Page for toolkits, guides, and more articles. | |||
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1) Myanmar democracy drive 'falters' (Al Jazeera) October 1, 2007 Al Jazeera's correspondent reports from Yangon on the aftermath of mass protests in Myanmar. Read the full article: 2) Democracy-promotion body aims to help conflict-wracked nations (International Herald Tribune) October 1, 2007 A new international initiative will help governments in weak and fragile democracies build up their capacity to govern and deliver basic services as a way of bolstering their democratic development, its founders said Monday. Read the full article: 3) Eritrea comes last, replacing North Korea, while China and Burma still rank near bottom; G8 members, except Russia, recover lost ground (Reporters without Borders) October 16, 2007 Eritrea has replaced North Korea in last place in an index measuring the level of press freedom in 169 countries throughout the world that is published today by Reporters Without Borders for the sixth year running. Read the full article:
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1) 2nd Conference for Young Political Leaders, Copenhagen (Denmark), October 24 - 28, 2007 The Asia-Europe Young Leaders Symposium is a platform to provide opportunities for closer and more regular contacts and dialogue on a wide range of issues among leaders of the next generation of Asia and Europe. This year, the 2nd Conference for Young Political Leaders will be organised in Copenhagen by the Danish Youth Council (DUF) in co-operation with the Asia-Europe Foundation. The conference will culminate in the drafting and dissemination of a report and declaration which will be submitted to the ASEM Heads of State and Government when they meet in October 2008. ASEM is an informal process of dialogue and cooperation bringing together the 27 EU Member States and the European Commission with 16 Asian countries and the ASEAN Secretariat. 2) Regional European Meeting on the World Programme for Human Rights Education, Strasbourg (France), November 5-6, 2007 Regional European Meeting for the World Programme for Human Rights Education (WPHRE) will be organized by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UNESCO and the OSCE/ODIHR (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights). 3) Africa-Europe Youth Summit, Lisbon (Portugal), December 4 - 7, 2007 The North-South Centre of the Council of Europe is facilitating a youth-led process to hold an Africa-Europe Youth Summit that will be held in Lisbon. The aim of the Summit is to reinforce youth work and increase youth participation in Africa and Europe influencing the youth policy in Euro-African Cooperation. An expected outcome of the Summit will be the submission of a declaration by a youth delegation at the EU-Africa Heads of State Summit. The Youth Summit will address key areas of concern that had been identified by young people from Europe and Africa. 4) Course on Human Rights Leadership Development and Training, Nigeria, November 1 - December 10, 2007 The Global Human Rights Leadership Training Institute (GHRLTI) based in Nigeria is now accepting applications for a certificate course in "Human Rights Leadership Development and Training" to be held on November 1 - December 10, 2007. This course seeks to provide participants with an introduction to the concept of human rights, as well as to the design and implementation of successful human rights learning in their organizations and communities. The course can be used to establish or strengthen human rights policies and practices both in the public and private sectors. The program consists of six different modules, discussion, and empowerment sessions, each of which is geared towards helping the participants understand the human rights-based approach to development. The deadline for applications is October 27. 5) First Alliance of Civilizations Annual Forum, Madrid (Spain), January 15-16, 2008 This high-level event will bring together political leaders, representatives of international and regional bodies, donor agencies, civil society groups and foundations to explore ways of addressing the growing polarization between nations and cultures worldwide and develop partnerships to promote cross-cultural understanding globally.
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1) Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program (Eurasia) The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program at the Washington, D.C.-based National Endowment for Democracy invites applications from candidates throughout Eurasia for fellowships in 2008-2009. Established in 2001 and named in honor of the two principal founders of NED, former president Ronald Reagan and the late Democratic congressman Dante Fascell, the program enables democracy activists, practitioners, scholars, and journalists from around the world to deepen their understanding of democracy and to enhance their ability to promote democratic change. The program is intended primarily to support activists, practitioners, and scholars from new and aspiring democracies. Projects may focus on the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural aspects of democratic development and may include a range of methodologies and approaches. Fellows are in full-time residence at the International Forum for Democratic Studies, the research and publications arm of the Endowment, in Washington, D.C., and receive a stipend, health insurance, and travel assistance. Please note that the program is not designed to pay for professional training or to support students working toward a degree. The Program hosts 12 to 15 fellows per year for periods ranging from three to ten months. A working knowledge of English is required. The program offers two tracks, a practitioner track and a scholarly track. The application deadline for fellowships in 2008-2009 is Thursday, November 1, 2007. 2) The ICNL-Cordaid Civil Liberties Prize (International) The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) and the Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development (Cordaid) announce a $25,000 prize competition to encourage scholarship on the legal and political environment for civil society, with a focus on civil liberties. 3) The IGLHRC 2008 Felipa Award (International) The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission calls on the international LGBTI, human rights, and sexual rights communities to submit nominations for the 2008 Felipa Award. The Felipa Award recipient will receive a cash award to help further their work. IGLHRC will also cover all travel and accommodation expenses for the individual award recipient or a designated representative from an organization to travel to the United States to be honored at IGLHRC's annual springtime ceremonies in New York City and San Francisco. 4) Young Creators Award (International) The Knight Foundation and MTV have partnered to found the "Young Creators Award" that will be given to innovative projects that use digital news media to improve communities. This initiative is part of the Knight News Challenge which focuses on using digital technology to transform community news. It is being promoted by MTV and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. The competition is open to young people around the world. The application deadline is October 15, 2007. 5) "Subjected to Repressions, but not Broken Down" contest (International) The International Youth Human Rights Movement, the "Young Europe" international network and the All-Russian Trade Union of Literary Men announce the International contest, which welcomes any stories about writers, philosophers, artists, musicians, scientists and public figures from all over the world, who were subjected to repressions by authoritarian or totalitarian regimes, but remained faithful to their ideals and continued their work. The submissions in Russian or in English, not limited in length, are to be sent in Microsoft Word or Open Office format to: lit-contest [at] ynnet.org. The deadline for submissions is February 29, 2008.
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Contribute to WYMD's Newsletter! We would love to hear more from
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stories, experiences, news of events etc. So please, if you have any stories
to share, know of any events that might be of interest (international
or national), or just want to share an experience of activism or participation,
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