The photographers want to show the communities' day-to-day existence, in inhospitable conditions © Amnesty International
By Louise Finer, South America researcher for Amnesty International
This week, the long-awaited launch of a series of photos taken by young people in the Indigenous Yakye Axa and Sawhoyamaxa communities took place in central Asunción here in Paraguay.
The photos are hung in the Memory Museum [Museo de la Memoria] a space for reflecting on and learning about the disappearances, torture and other human rights violations that were committed between 1954 and 1989 under Paraguay’s military regime.
Continue reading ‘Photo exhibition shows the hardship faced by Paraguay’s Indigenous communities’
By Valdênia Paulino Lanfranchi Human Right Defender / Professor of Social Rights for CEDHOR
As a human rights defender and activist living and working in Brazil I hope to be able to listen and share my concerns about the political and economic model in place in the world today. Rather than being a means to overcome injustice and inequality it is, for the most part, an end to itself and focused on accumulating power and riches in the hands of a few. Within such economic frameworks the world, in my view, will not achieve the MDGs or any other more ambitious goals to redress inequality. With such a model those living in slums do not have a chance.
I hope to share my strong belief in the human rights approach to the question of development because these are not negotiable and as such, impose a moral and legal obligation on all the actions towards the overcoming of poverty, hunger, disease, discrimination and injustice.
Continue reading ‘My expectations for the UN Civil Society hearing in NYC’
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’
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’
Our report We’re only asking for what is ours was launched this morning in a press conference. The Yakye Axa and Sawhoyamaxa Indigenous communities each designated three people to speak to the press – as part of a panel and in subsequent interviews.
Even without knowing any Guaraní we could understand the power of their words and the passion with which they voiced their demands to the public. We did our best to make sure that the community representatives were the protagonists of the day, although sadly it was difficult to convince many local journalists that they should interview them directly.
Continue reading ‘Still asking for what is theirs…’
