Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International’s section in Canada, is in Trinidad
Deserted barricaded Wrightson Road in the centre of the Port of Spain exclusion zone at mid-day on Saturday of the Summit of the Americas ©Amnesty International
It was quite something to see how quickly the people of Port of Spain reclaimed their city as the Summit came to an end on Sunday afternoon. As leaders headed off to the airport, barricades came down and city streets that had been off limit for several days were once again accessible.
You could almost hear a collective sense of relief in neighbourhoods that had been no-go zones throughout the Summit.
Clearly the big stories coming out of the Trinidad Summit revolve around what is being called a “new beginning” for US relations with the hemisphere, particularly with Latin American states. President Obama’s overtures towards Cuba and the several friendly encounters between him and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez have received considerable play. All of the leaders are talking of the spirit of compromise and dialogue sparked by that “new beginning.”
Continue reading ‘Port of Spain reclaimed after Summit of the Americas’
Protesters and attendees at the IV People's Summit in Port of Spain use performance art to highlight their concerns about rights denied and the lack of voice given to the ordinary people of Trinidad and Tobago ©Amnesty International
Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International’s section in Canada, is in Trinidad
Much has been said by the Trinidadian government during the run-up to this Summit about the great benefit it will bring to Trinidadians. Trinidadian Prime Minister Patrick Manning has no doubt been aware that many people here are dubious, doubting that the enormous cost and disruption of hosting this major gathering are worth it.
He has repeatedly assured Trinidadians that the exposure and prestige of welcoming 34 leaders and more than one thousand journalists would bring needed attention to the country, boosting trade, tourism and political clout. Whether or not his strategy of giving the Americas a chance to get to know Trinidad will pay off remains to be seen. But what is clear is that the Trinidadian government has done very little to allow Trinidadians to engage, in a meaningful way with the Americas.
Continue reading ‘The rights of Trinidadians left behind at Summit of the Americas’
Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International’s section Canada, is in Port of Spain
By any measure, one of the most pressing human rights concerns throughout the Americas – in every corner of the hemisphere – is the widespread violation of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous communities and leaders in the Americas are themselves well organized and connected with each other; and have been very clear over the years in setting out their vision for strengthened protection of Indigenous rights in the Americas. But the injustice and inaction has continued.
One would expect therefore that the situation of Indigenous Peoples would have prominence at a gathering such as the Summit of the Americas and that Presidents and Prime Ministers would make a special effort to dialogue with and show their respect to Indigenous leaders who attend. Far from it.
Continue reading ‘Indigenous peoples excluded from Summit of the Americas’
Alex Neve, Secretary General, Amnesty International’s section in Canada (English) is in Port of Spain, Trinidad
Enrique Daza from the Hemispheric Social Alliance (HSA) welcomes participants to the IV People's Summit ©Amnesty International
Thursday marked the final day of the 2-day official civil society summit and the first day of the alternative People’s Summit. Ivahanna Larossa, Director of Amnesty International’s section in Uruguay, gave a strong presentation at the civil society summit, laying out the key issues in the briefing paper we had prepared in advance of the Summit.
That was part of a rich set of workshops in the morning, giving participants a chance to engage with each other and explore a wide range of key concerns – something that had been so lacking yesterday.
The afternoon, though, became fractious. The combined effects, perhaps, of life on the cruise ship, ongoing lack of access to a current version of the Summit Declaration and very poor information flow about decision-making and plans for a 30-minute dialogue session with the hemisphere’s Foreign Ministers tomorrow morning boiled over.
Continue reading ‘Emotions run high on day two of the Summit of the Americas’
Alex Neve, Secretary General, Amnesty International’s section in Canada (English)
It happens only once every four years. Leaders from all of the nations in the Americas, except Cuba, gather to grapple with the major challenges the hemisphere faces. It should be momentous and dynamic. Unfortunately, at least for civil society groups, the beginning to the 2009 Summit of the Americas, in the Trinidadian capital of Port of Spain, has instead been marked by a great deal of frustration and aggravation.
Our three-person Amnesty International delegation has been in the country for a couple of days now. Ivahanna Larossa, Director of Amnesty International’s section in Uruguay, and I are attending the official Civil Society Summit that precedes the leaders’ summit that opens on Friday 17. Stacy Shapiro from the International Secretariat is taking part in the alternative Peoples’ Summit on the campus of the University of the West Indies, to the east of the city. We will join her there at the end of the week.
Continue reading ‘Summit of the Americas off to a frustrating start’
