Democracy & Civics

"Avoidable" Gaza Deaths Follow Medical Travel Bans

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The World Health Organization said preventable deaths almost doubled in the Gaza Strip between 2006 and 2007, following the Hamas takeover and a corresponding ban by Israel on most cross-border travel. The number of travel permits denied to sick Gazans seeking medical care in Israel more than quadrupled, from 8.5 percent in December 2006 to 36 percent one year later. Israel said it was concerned about suicide bombers using health issues as a cover story, while critics said the policy amounts to collective punishment of the Palestinian population for rocket launches against Israel by Hamas militants. Medical care in Palestinian territories is in decline due to shortages in equipment, pharmaceuticals and trained personnel. An Israeli defense official told Reuters that tight control of Gaza’s borders has not caused unnecessary deaths, but a WHO spokesman said 100 Gazan patients have died since June after being denied travel permits.

Democracy & Civics

Australian Labor's Nuclear Powers

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Firmly established in power, Australia’s Labor Party has opted to reinvigorate a plan from the previous government to expand uranium mining. According to The Age, Labor’s resources minister, Martin Ferguson, is an “enthusiastic” advocate of the industry, and has reconvened the Uranium Industry Framework, an advisory board appointed by the government of former Prime Minister John Howard of the conservative Liberal Party. Among other things, the advisory panel will undertake a publicity campaign, funded by the uranium industry,to address public concerns about the health and safety issues of mining uranium. The panel also has proposed a number of new regulations to improve training and safety, as well as the “economic fortunes” of indigenous communities and mine owners. The Labor Party overcame strong opposition to narrowly overturn a ban on developing new mines, but opted to leave state-level bans in place in Queensland and Western Australia.

Democracy & Civics

U.S. Guest Workers Kept Like "Pigs in a Cage"

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Almost 100 Indian guest workers at a Mississippi shipyard stormed off from their jobs one day earlier this month, claiming their employer had treated them like slaves. Now the group is suing the company and marching from New Orleans to Washington, D.C., to demand a meeting with the Indian ambassador. The men were part of a group of 500 Indians who were brought into the United States after Hurricane Katrina to work as welders and pipe fitters for Signal International, a company that makes marine oil platforms and other equipment in Mississippi and Texas. The company housed them in trailers where 24 men shared a room, paying $1,050 in rent, India-West reported. According to the Web site of the AFL-CIO, the workers say they were also pressured into paying other fees by Signal and forced to live like “pigs in a cage.”

Democracy & Civics

Debt Waived for India Farmers

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Small and marginal farmers in India will get almost $15 billion in debt relief, thanks to legislation orchestrated by the populist son of the Nehru-Gandhi political family. Rahul Gandhi, whose family includes several former prime ministers and a turbulent history of assassination, said the farmers deserved the same treatment as “industrialists” who default on billions of rupees borrowed from banks, and then have their obligations waived. While some farmers complained that they were excluded from debt relief, critics said Gandhi was playing at being “Santa” for the sake of political populism, without concern for the economy, and praised his decision to limit loan waivers. Taking a cue from Gandhi’s actions at the federal level, state officials in Andrha Pradesh are moving forward with their own debt relief plan, aimed at more than 4 million women and minorities. Sources:
“Can’t play Santa beyond a point, realises Rahul”
Economic Times (India), March 26, 2008
“When industrialists dont pay, why should farmers: Rahul”
Deccan Herald (India), March 26, 2008

Democracy & Civics

Who Wants to Buy a President?

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Bucking the trend of “horse race” campaign coverage, the Center for Public Integrity’s latest edition of “The Buying of the President” does more than simply track vital statistics, such as poll numbers and the amount of money raised by each candidate. Instead, CPI delves into who, specifically, is donating — and what their motivations are. The site offers a wealth of regularly updated information and analysis of campaign spending throughout the 2008 season, with blogs tracking ad buys, campaign spending, and controversial, tax-exempt 527 organizations that aren’t quite political action committees, but still impact elections. There’s also an extensive look at the history of campaign financing and its abuses, plus an overview of “The Spoils” — the rewards given to the donors who backed the winning candidate, including “Access,” “Flights on Air Force One,” “Cabinet Posts” and more. Source:
“Buying of the President 2008”
Center for Public Integrity

Democracy & Civics

Gay Muslims Seek Political Asylum in Britain

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The United Kingdom has been gripped in recent weeks by the stories of two gay teenagers who say they face persecution and even death in their home countries of Iran and Syria. Though unrelated, the stories the two youths tell are eerily similar. The Iranian, 19-year-old Mehdi Kazemi, won a temporary reprieve last week when the British Home Secretary agreed to reconsider a deportation order, according to The Independent. Kazemi had already lost one bid for asylum in Britain and had been rejected in the Netherlands as well. He first came to Britain in 2005 as a student, and learned the following year that his boyfriend in Iran had been arrested and put to death for sodomy, the newspaper reported.

Democracy & Civics

Communist Chic in the Former Eastern Bloc

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There’s nothing unusual about people returning to the fashions, products and social spots of their youth, but when that youth was spent in communist Eastern Europe, nostalgia takes on new levels of meaning. The Christian Science Monitor reports that young and old alike in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and other countries in the region are engaging in a fashion craze for communist-era clothing, eateries and brands of sneakers and soft drinks. There are even new nightclubs that are explicitly modeled on the infamously gray, institutional look of the old Eastern Bloc. The fad is sometimes referred to by the German term “Ostalgie,” or “nostalgia for the East,” the Monitor reported. Andreas Ludwig, a museum director, said that the trend is a combination of pop culture and a “social critique” of Western-style capitalism.

Democracy & Civics

South Africans March as Crime Wave Peaks

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A planned march against crime in South Africa is highlighting how racial and economic relations have changed in the nation since the fall of apartheid 14 years ago. South African entertainer Desmond Dube plans to hold the Million Person March Against Crime on April 24 to call for the South African government to do more to ensure safety on the streets. He was inspired to action after the slaying of his friend and neighbor, Bashimane “Shimi” Mofokeng, last week, according to South African news reports. The slaying was just one of many that have terrorized parts of South Africa in recent years. Already the rally is generating a good deal of media attention and interest from the public, according to the reports.

Democracy & Civics

New Reparations Call for Philippine "Comfort Women"

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The Philippine legislature is considering a new resolution to ask for apologies from Japan, as well as financial reparations, for “comfort women” held captive by occupying Japanese forces during World War II. According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the resolution was unanimously passed by a legislative committee, but was met with dismay by the Department of Foreign Affairs, which stated that financial reparations were already dealt with in two previous treaties, in 1951 and 1996. However, an official said the government had no opposition to private claims of “sexual slavery” sought against Japan. Proponents of the measure also stated that the terms of Japan’s surrender required it to maintain “continuing compliance with modern human rights law.” Source:
“House panel OKs resolution on comfort women”
Daily Inquirer (Philippines), March 11, 2008

Democracy & Civics

News Outlet Seeks Reader Donations to Fund Iraq Trip

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An Oregon news service has come up with an unusual way to help pay for a reporter’s trip to Iraq: It’s asking readers to donate money to the cause
Tim King, executive editor for the Salem News, is heading to Iraq later this month to spend up to six weeks embedded with Oregon National Guard troops. In order to defray the high costs of such a trip, the agency is putting on a fundraising event March 9 at an Oregon winery, and also has links on its Web site for readers to donate through PayPal. The site has taken a strongly populist approach in its funding appeals. One article requesting donations is headlined “Making War Coverage a National Community Project,” while another reads: “If You Really Care About our Soldiers in Iraq.” The Salem News also solicited and received donations for a previous reporting trip to Afghanistan.