Five people arrested in Peru sex slavery raid

Ph: a sex worker sits in a brothel in Mazuco, Madre de Dios, Peru. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

At least five people have been arrested on suspicion of human trafficking in police raids at Puerto Maldonado, in the south- eastern Peruvian state of Madre de Dios. The raids were on 60 houses of prostitution and involved more than 400 police officers. Local prosecutor Fernando de Santa María says that of the 293 women that have been rescued at least 10 were minors, the youngest of them being a 13 year old girl.

The region of Madre de Dios is known for its illegal gold mining, which has attracted thousands of fortune-seekers in recent years. According to Save the Children more than 1,100 underage girls are being used as sexual slaves in the illegal mining camps of Madre de Dios.

My opinion: From my point of view, Peru's government is to blame for this situation. The fact that this is happening shows that they are not keeping and eye on the exploitation of gold mines, which always results not only in the exploitation of people- as this piece of news shows- but also in a lack of respect for the environment (in this case, for example, the rain forest is being destroyed and contaminated by the mercury used in processing the gold--to the point that some fear ecological disaster). More effort and resources should therefore be put by the state in order to ensure that the law is upheld in Madre de Dios.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15165339

Aid crisis in Kenya

Two Spanish aid workers for Medecins San Frontieres (MSF) at the Kanya’s Dadaad refugee camps have been recently attacked and abducted by an armed group. Although al-Shabad denies its participation in the events, authorities do not know if the group was from al-Shabab, a pirate gang or any other armed group. But it is suspected that the victims are in the instable Somalia which makes the rescue operation much more difficult. Abductions are successively happening and now, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has decided to reduce their aid operation in the refugee camp until the security of the area will increase. For example, there have not been any aid workers travelling to the border to pick up new refugees. This has several negative impacts on the region. If the Dadaab refugee camp was a city, it would be considered the third biggest city of the country. And, the famine and political situation in Somalia requires more help for asylum-seekers.

I didn’t want to talk once again about Kenya, even less about abductions in the country. However, this time the issue has gone too far. Not only it is having serious consequences on Kenya’s tourist economy (mostly in the areas next to the Somali border), but also it has negatively affected the international aid sector. Somali refugees need help that they barely find in Kenyan refugee camps. But now that the aid workers also are kidnapped, they fear working in those camps and the prestigious UNHCR has decided to slow down their aid operation in the Dadaad’s refugee camp, a very important camp in the area. The unknown armed groups causing these troubles are extremely hard to stop and aid workers can’t continue to risk their lives like this, but refugees still need lots of help. What can be done?

Source: BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15304384

UN rapporteur raps Turkish judiciary and human rights

The UN has sent to Turkey a special reporter, Gabriela Knaul, to see if recent judicial reforms are being implemented. She points several constraints that currently take place in Turkey in terms of the judiciary and human rights. The UN expert is concerned at restrictions to the right to defense and on freedom of expression that are not in line with international standards. According to the official, there are obstacles that remain to achieve a truly independent judiciary. Knaul will make a report on her findings and reveal it in 2012.

This Week Turkey is being analyzed by the UN and the EU. Each organization will conduct by their own an analysis of Turkey’s rights. As we read in the expert’s statements contained in this article, the situation regarding the judiciary and freedom of expression is still poor. The imprisonment of journalists last spring is a clear example of this. So we should not expect a great improvement in the valuation made by the rapporteur. In contrast, Turkey's rights record seems to be quite hopeless. The analysis will reflect the situation in Turkey and will be a clear reason of why Turkey is far from entering the EU. The recommendations Knaul will make on their analysis to Turkey should be used as a mirror to look in. Therefore, the country should take the necessary decisions to improve its democratic standards. In my opinion one of the most important changes that have to be done is a change in government, changing the president, Abdullah Gül, which just affirms that Turkey is in its most historical democratic period. Right now, Turkey is failing in terms of global democratic values and therefore it is not moving toward Democracy; as I have said, the country needs to take more important steps to solve this problem.

Source: Hurriyet daily news

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=un-rapporteur-raps-turkish-judiciary-and-human-rights-2011-10-14

Afghanistan Favors India and Denigrates Pakistan

The 4th of October 2011 the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan had a meeting in New Delhi, India. The President of Afghanistan signed a wide-ranging strategic partnership with India, which Pakistan sees as its principal adversary. This agreement paves the way for India to train and equip Afghan security forces to fill the gaps as NATO troops leave in the years ahead. Pakistan and India, nuclear-armed neighbors, have long suspected each other’s motives in Afghanistan.
However, it is interesting that this agreement takes place in this specific moment, when the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan is especially hostile. The neighbor of both countries is suspected of helping the Taliban in their territories and not cooperating with the Afghan government in their capture. The recent assassination of the head of the Afghan High Peace Council, former President Burhanuddin Rabbani, has led to increased hostility between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as there is suspicion that Pakistan’s spy agency, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence is behind the killing. Such accusations have been denied by Pakistan. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry in a statement doubts of the veracity on “the so-called evidence” tying Pakistan’s spy agency to Mr. Rabbani’s killing. “Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani was a great friend of Pakistan and widely respected in this country,” the statement said.


Pakistan is not in a very good situation, being surrounded by “enemies”. Pakistan has been host for many Talibans, which have been in their territory protected. Although the statements say one thing, the facts show otherwise. There is evidence and suspicions that many attacks carried out by Taliban in Afghanistan, were backed by the Pakistani secret service. To improve relations with neighboring countries, especially Afghanistan, Pakistan should have a clearer policy in order to proof any doubt that may appear. Pakistan would have to demonstrate that they are not supporting radical movements and that would lead to a better understanding between the two countries. With the complicated crossroads that they have in that part of the world, governments must be clear in their position in order to end together with terrorism and to achieve standardization in Afghanistan. Neighboring countries should help and stop supporting or hosting radical groups.


Source: The New York Times

Gaddafi 'being tracked by satellite'

Senior official says NTC knows fugitive former Libyan leader's whereabouts in southern desert, as Sirte fighting rages.

The war in Libya seems to coming to an end as government fighters continue their offensive on Sirte’s District 2, last remaining enclave of pro-Gaddafi loyalists. Furthermore, Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) asserted on Thursday that satellites have tracked down Muammar Gaddafi in the southern desert region of the country. After the imminent liberation of Sirte, Gaddafi’s capture will follow, claim government fighters. NTC’s oil minister has promised to investigate suspicious oil contracts during Gaddafi’s regime and to tackle corruption through special committees. However, Amnesty International has reported human rights abuses by the NTC and government fighters, for several groups of bodies have been found ihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifn Sirte in the last few days, shot with their hands tied up, wrapped in plastic film―presumably civilians who refused to fight. NATO has already started taking steps towards lifting the no-fly zone by signing an agreement with NTC that will open air corridors for civilian flights.

Source: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/10/201110140613310311.html

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Libya’s future is surrounded by an atmosphere of profound uncertainty. As the end of the war seems to be materialising, Gaddafi loyalists are still offering strong resistance and the capture of the former dictator remains on hold. The evidence of arbitrary killings of civilians by government fighters is reminiscent of Gaddafi’s oppression of its people when the revolution began in February, and raises questions about how the NTC will manage to build a liberal democracy. After the horrors of Gaddafi’s regime, no one wants Libya turning into a quasi military regime as Egypt seems to be. Besides, the humanitarian situation of civilians in Sirte’s district 2 is critical after a month of siege, and so is the case of the refugee camps all along the Libyan borders. The issue of oil production is of utmost importance―if profits are well managed and corruption is persecuted, it has the potential of lifting Libyans out of the misery brought by months of conflict.

Croatia has to thank Greece, Tunisia, Egypt and the warm weather

A particular combination of factors has been crucial for the increase of tourism in Croatia during the last months: instability in Egypt and Tunisia, Greece's economic situation and the unexpected warm weather thats is enjoying most part of Europe.

Last year, many of the hotels were closed around September 15th , but this year they are still receiving guests and most of them will stay until the end of October.

Although Egypt and Tunisia worked hard to offer low prices to visitors, the political turmoil had a higher impact among tourists. Many of them, above all travellers over 50, decided to look for a more stable destiny, avoiding Greece as well.

These are the guests that are enjoying the warm Croatian autumn.

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This article shows how states are highly influenced by the events in the international stage.

Despite the negative impact that the economic crisis, the political turmoil in North Africa and a possible effect of climate change could have, there are some other countries that have to thank these events.

Tourism is one of the most important sources of Croatian economy. More and more people are now discovering this country and interested in visiting its numerous attractions full of beautiful landscapes and history. Apart from all the touristic proposals that the Adriatic country offers to the travellers, Croatian travel agencies and all the sector related to the tourism are also favored by the crisis that is taking place in the area.

In my opinion, I think it is an intelligent idea to take advantage of this situation in order to spread the image of Croatia in the world as an important tourist destination: and they are using it.

They are bringing new airlines to the country; Germanwings has announced the creation of a new direct line Dubrovnik-Hamburg; less cruises but with more guests are arriving to the Croatian coasts, many of its islands are expected to become a new Ibiza, and more and more British are choosing Croatia as their vacation place. Moreover, the new Croatian tourist sector's goal is to attract more visitors from countries like China, Japan or India.

Should the traditional Mediterranean countries such as Spain and Italy, leaders in tourism, be worried about the Croatian impact in this sector?

Again, international events would have consequences for many other countries.

Greenpeace, you are not welcome in Indonesia.

A swath of Indonesian rainforest already cleared (foreground); Another swath being prepared by burning (background).

Image: Netaholic13, courtesy Flickr

The Indonesian government has denied the right to enter the country to the head of Greenpeace in the UK, John Sauven after having issued a business visa for him several weeks ago. His main purpose for travelling to Indonesia was to denounce the massive deforestation of Indonesian’s rainforest and swamps caused by the excessive exploitation of palm oil producers and companies from the paper industry such as Asia Pulp & Paper (APP).

Greenpeace has been promoting a campaign against deforestation in the country for several years. A campaign that has not pleased the government, especially because it has made several multinational corporations such as Adidas, Kraft Foods, Inc., Nestlé, Unilever, Carrefour, Tesco and Mattel start rethinking their relationship with APP. This is not the first time that the government denies the entrance in the country to an activist that threatens to damage the image they want to show to the world, a thing that can have negative effects in Indonesia’s economy.

I think this is a really interesting piece of news because it shows the impact that globalization can have in a country where, in order to maintain foreign investment, the government is allowing practices it should not allow. A government that is turning a deaf ear on companies destroying the environment just to satisfy the demands of the consumer society and a government that is silencing the voices of the people who want to denounce the situation.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/73a23f98-f59e-11e0-824e-00144feab49a.html#axzz1aqAEMihY

Picture from: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=harvesting-palm-oil-and-rainforests