Democracy & Civics

Anti-Gay Russian Churches Growing in U.S.

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The beating death of a gay man by a group of Russian-speaking men in Sacramento this summer highlighted the growing trend of anti-gay extremists in western U.S. states that hail from Slavic countries. These men, second- or third-generation immigrants from Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union, are part of an international evangelical Christian movement known as the Watchmen of the Walls. The right-wing group has churches in Sacramento, Seattle and Portland that organize virulently anti-gay marches. Gay activists are routinely harassed during demonstrations, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Source:
“The Latvian connection/ West Coast anti-gay movement on the march”
Intelligence Report (Southern Poverty Law Center), Fall 2007

Democracy & Civics

Thailand's Muslim Conflict

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Violent conflicts between Thai armed forces and a rebel separatist group in the three Muslim-dominated southern provinces of Thailand flared up again last week when a series of small bombs planted in restaurants and karaoke bars killed a Buddhist civil servant and wounded four others. The insurgency, and the government’s campaign to crush it, have resulted in 2,500 deaths in the past decade, according to the Jakarta Post. Although Islamic reformists say they are making progress against violent ideology, the conflict has now spread to neighboring provinces and could soon affect Bangkok as well. Thailand’s population is 95 percent Buddhist, and measures to combat the rebellion increasingly appeal to religious intolerance. Thai forces are empowered by martial law and have detained dozens of people without charge.

Democracy & Civics

The Persistence of Rendition

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When President Bush publicly acknowledged the existence of secret CIA jails, he also said they would be vacated — temporarily. Today, parts of the rendition program are still being debated by U.S. courts — and investigated by foreign governments. According to the Washington Post, 14 suspected Al Qaeda militants have been taken out of CIA prisons and moved to Guantanamo, but human rights groups say up to 30 other “ghost prisoners” remain unaccounted for. Some have been transferred to their home countries, such as Libya or Pakistan, and held in government jails there. Others are suspected of remaining at several CIA “black sites.”

Democracy & Civics

Whistle-Blowers Muted by Bureaucracy

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Whether speaking out about violations of national security or tainted meat, precious few government employees receive protection for their whistle-blowing from the Merit Systems Protection Board, according to an investigation by the Center for Investigative Reporting and Salon.com. An unprecedented review of 3,500 cases filed since 1994 reveals that whistle-blowers win no more than 3.5 percent of the time, and can spend years fighting for their rights amid a backlog of thousands of cases. Memos obtained by the writers show Republican judges stalling a case until a Democrat leaves the bench, while the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, the only court of appeal for whistle-blowers, has ironclad rules about the workplace that make victory impossible. President Bush said he would veto a Senate bill to reform the system over national security concerns. Source:
“The war on whistle-blowers”
Salon.com, November 1, 2007

Democracy & Civics

Old Wounds Deepen for Government Critics

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A snapshot of anti-government and protest movements in Bolivia and the Philippines reveals little progress towards healing old wounds — in fact, some appear to be deepening . But in Zimbabwe, a ray of sunshine may break through the political deadlock. Bolivia’s Fault Lines
In eastern Bolivia, opposition to the socialist government of Evo Morales is digging in over attempts to nationalize lucrative natural gas fields for the benefit of the impoverished, majority Indian communities of the western highlands. Morales is pushing towards a December 14 constitutional convention, which would give greater power to Aymara and Quechua Indians, reports the San Francisco Chronicle’s Foreign Service. Public response has been divisive.

Democracy & Civics

Blood Diamonds Sullied, But Still Glitter

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Delegates from 70 countries and international groups will meet in Brussels next week to discuss progress in stamping out trade in “conflict diamonds.” Also called blood diamonds, the rare gems are unearthed in war zones and are used to fund militant operations. SABC News reports that the multinational Kimberly Process has successfully reduced the trade from 15 to one percent of all diamonds sold on the world market. An opinion piece in The News, a Liberian newspaper, even notes that Sierra Leone, once riven by civil war fueled by diamond smuggling, now seeks to develop a lucrative tourist industry focused on its “spectacular” beaches. But Reuters reports that Belgian authorities also seized 14 million euros worth of suspect diamonds in Antwerp last weekend.

Democracy & Civics

New Hope and Hurdles for Uganda Peace

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Overshadowed by the Darfur conflict, one of Africa’s most bloody and intractable rebellions inches closer to resolution. Reconciliation is on the agenda in Uganda, where an unprecedented meeting between elected President Yoweri Musevini and leaders of the Lord’s Resistance Army is scheduled for the capital city of Kampala, reports The Monitor, a leading newspaper there. The LRA, renowned for extraordinary cruelty in its attacks on rural villages, and children in particular, has been locked in conflict with the government for decades. One of the decisive issues in the conflict is the fate of Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA, who is wanted for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands. The human-rights advocacy group Enough says that only three options exist for Kony — “accountability, asylum or arrest.”

Democracy & Civics

A Taste of Old Russia

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European authorities are decrying a move by Russia to cut the number of international observers at its upcoming December 2 vote from 465 to 70 individuals. A spokeswoman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which organizes vote-monitoring teams, said the plan would greatly reduce its capacity for “meaningful observation,” reports the International Herald Tribune. The cutbacks come amid increasing concerns of a return to authoritarian rule. Changes in election laws will largely prevent opposition candidates from winning seats, and according to the BBC, televised debates have been scheduled for “off peak” times, such as mid-morning or late at night. United Russia, the largest party supporting the agenda of President Vladimir Putin, has chosen to skip the debates altogether, bringing sharp criticism from the Moscow Helsinki Group, an outspoken human rights group.

Democracy & Civics

Resistance Deepens to Afghan Poppy Spraying

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A secretive test-spraying of “harmless plastic granules” over Afghan poppy crops has revealed deepening opposition to drug- eradication efforts backed by the United States. The program, intended to gauge reactions to future spraying of real herbicide, provoked questions and outrage from local farmers all the way up to Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai, reports McClatchy Newspapers. Opium produced from Afghan poppies contributes as much as $100 million annually to the insurgent Taliban’s coffers. Eradication efforts thus far have done little to stem the harvest, and now fears are deepening over the impacts of toxic herbicides on water supplies, livestock and humans. Source:
“Outcry against poisoning Afghanistan poppies”
McClatchy Newspapers, October 26, 2007

Democracy & Civics

Fakin' It: Officials Forge a Future in Iraq

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More than 900 officials in the Iraqi government, including parliamentarians, are obtaining forged degrees to continue to serve in the government and obtain higher salaries, according to Azzaman, an Iraqi news source. Azzaman quotes Abdullah al-Mawsawi, a cultural attache officer in London, saying the Iraqi Ministry of Education is aware of the problem. He says he regularly receives degrees to certify that bear stamps from universities that do not exist in the United States. The fake documents are easily obtained at a well-known public market in Iraq. Source:
“Senior officials said to have forged degrees”
Azzaman (Iraq), October 16, 2007