Kuwait elected to U.N. rights panel instead of Syria

By Patrick Worsnip
Fri May 20, 2011

(Reuters) - Kuwait was among 15 nations elected on Friday to the U.N. Human Rights Council after Syria, under pressure over its crackdown on protesters, dropped its bid for an Arab slot on the controversial panel.

Kuwait stepped into the race last week after Western countries persuaded Arab states that Syria was not a suitable candidate. In a General Assembly vote, the Gulf emirate was elected along with India, Indonesia and the Philippines on a clean, or uncontested, slate of Asian nations for three-year council terms.

Africa and Western Europe also presented clean slates but there were contested votes for Eastern Europe -- where the Czech Republic and Romania defeated Georgia -- and Latin America, where Chile and Costa Rica edged out Nicaragua.

The 47-nation Human Rights Council, based in Geneva, is the main U.N. body charged with monitoring member states' compliance with international rights norms.

Critics say it spends too much time denouncing Israel while ignoring violations by Sri Lanka, Bahrain, China, Russia and other countries. Libya, elected to the council last year, is suspended because of its civil war.

Syria told a closed meeting of Asian U.N. members on May 11 it had agreed to swap candidacies with Kuwait, which was set to run for the council in 2013, and drop out of the 2011 race, diplomats said.

Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari denied at the time that the decision was connected with events in his country, where troops and tanks have killed hundreds of anti-government demonstrators in recent weeks.

He said the move was based on "reconsidering our priorities" and Syria would run for the council in 2013.

SYRIA RECEIVED VOTES

Even though Syria was not standing up for membership, five of the 192 countries in the General Assembly voted for it on Friday, assembly president Joseph Deiss said in announcing the results. Because the ballot was secret it was unclear who they were.

Elected for the so-called "Western European and others" group were Austria and Italy, while Burkina Faso, Botswana, the Congo Republic and Benin were elected for Africa.

Human rights groups have hailed the fact that Syria will not be elected this year but, as they have done in past years, criticized the clean slate system under which regional groups present only as many candidates as seats are available.

"Without competition for seats on the Human Rights Council, the membership standards set by the General Assembly become meaningless," said Peggy Hicks of New York-based Human Rights Watch. "Manufactured slates of candidates may be easier for states, but they are bad for the council."

Geneva-based group UN Watch said Kuwait and Congo were "not qualified" to be on the council.

Kuwait's "ruling family largely sets the policy agenda and dominates political life. Formal political parties are banned," it said, adding that the country limits freedom of the press and assembly and has no independent judiciary.

In Congo, the group said, recent elections were "marred by irregularities," press freedom was limited and the judiciary was subject to corruption and political influence.

The defeat of Nicaragua was a setback for left-wing governments in the Latin America group, which also includes Caribbean states.

(Editing by Philip Barbara)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/20/us-rights-un-council-idUSTRE74J5IO20110520.

Spanish protests swell as youths defy rally ban

May 20, 2011

Madrid - Protests demanding a reform of Spain's democracy were gathering momentum Friday after the national electoral commission banned them ahead of Sunday's local and regional elections.

The commission prohibited rallies on Saturday, which is the pre-election 'reflection day,' and on election day itself.

But the ban instead resulted in even more people joining sit-in protests being staged in more than 30 cities.

Some protesters vowed not to move if police tried to disperse them. Other announced meetings at which they would decide how to proceed.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said the Interior Ministry would deal with the situation 'correctly, with intelligence.' The Justice Ministry was reviewing the extent of the rally ban, the premier said.

The government was trying to avoid pre-election violence which could cost it votes, analysts said.

Zapatero's Socialists had already been expected to suffer a heavy defeat to the opposition conservatives.

More people joined protesters at Madrid's central Puerta del Sol square, where thousands had spent the night in tents or out of doors.

'We are not participating in electoral campaigns nor asking for votes,' a spokesman for the protest movement stressed.

Smaller gatherings were reported in more than 30 cities all over the country.

'If police comes, we will resist peacefully,' protest movement spokeswoman Lucia Basurto said at Barcelona's Catalonia Square.

In Valencia, about 200 demonstrators entered a bank office to protest the influence of bankers on politics. In Murcia, demonstrators staged a sit-in at a roundabout surrounded by banks, department stores and official buildings.

Madrid organizers called a 'silent cry' event at which demonstrators would seal their mouths with tape in a sign of protest when the electoral commission's order entered into force at midnight.

The protest rallies which began last week-end have been overwhelmingly peaceful so far.

The movement is becoming known as M-15 in a reference to May 15, when tens of thousands of people took to the streets in more than 50 Spanish cities.

They called for a radical overhaul of the country's political system which the protesters describe as corrupt, following the interests of banks and capital, and favoring only two large parties.

The movement emerged on the internet a few months ago in response to Spain's two-year economic crisis, which caused unemployment to soar to 20 per cent. Among young people, the jobless rate exceeds 40 per cent.

The movement has not sided with any political party, nor called for abstention or blank votes. The government, however, is concerned that its criticism of recent laws could encourage many potential Socialist voters to abstain.

The movement has divided expert opinion, with some dismissing it as little more than a street party, while others compare it with the Arab protests, or historic social movements such as France's May 1968.

'We are witnessing the birth of a new type of social movement which is independent of parties and trade unions,' sociology professor Jaime Pastor said.

Source: Monsters and Critics.
Link: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1640410.php/Spanish-protests-swell-as-youths-defy-rally-ban.

Algeria to hold reform talks, boycotted by opposition

By Beatrice Khadige (AFP) – May 20, 2011

ALGIERS — Algerian political leaders are preparing to start talks on democratic reforms on Saturday, but the opposition plans a no-show to protest what they call a feeble attempt at real change.

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April pledged a number of reforms to be introduced before the end of the year including modifying the constitution and revising electoral law, as popular uprisings swept through the Arab world against authoritarian regimes.

He asked a panel of members of recognized political parties and experts in constitutional law to come up with further proposals that would be submitted to parliament or a referendum.

He invited all political parties, regardless of whether they are represented in parliament or not, to take part in the process.

He has tasked speaker of the National Council (Senate) Abdelkader Bensalah to start sounding political parties, flanked by two advisers to Bouteflika -- General Mohamed Touati and a former minister Mohamed Ali Boughazi.

But already opponents view the choice of the trio of negotiators as a thinly-veiled attempt by Bouteflika to keep his grip on power.

"We wait for concrete action towards change in order to re-establish trust in power and the state, not just fiddling around," said Karim Tabbou, secretary of the Socialist Forces Front (FFS) which will boycott the talks.

Said Sadi, leader of the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) which was established after January 21 riots that left five dead and 800 injured, said that the government-initiated talks were simply a "monologue against change."

"The era of political tinkering is over," he added.

The French-language daily El-Watan on Thursday said that the government "will find itself consulting itself. It might as well ask its traditional clients to participate, which will be presented as external contributions to the regime."

The independent newspaper earlier wrote that the president's proposals are aimed at supporting a system which "wants to keep things in hand while making it appear it is reforming, which it is not."

Algeria's 1996 constitution was last amended in 2009 to allow the 74-year-old Bouteflika, first elected in 1999, to seek a third term. He has not indicated his intentions when his mandate ends in 2014.

His promises came amid Algerian discontent over wages, jobs, working conditions, and corruption at the top echelons of the government.

Protesters have staged regular protests since the beginning of the year, although they are often quashed by police.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.

Renewed Protests in Amman Blast Corruption

2011-05-20

By Banan Malkawi

AMMONNEWS - Hundreds of Jordanians on Friday protested in central Amman against government corruption and called for genuine political and economic reforms.

The demonstration, organized by political opposition parties, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Jordanian Professional Associations, marched from King Abdullah I Mosque to the Interior Ministry Circle, chanting anti-corruption slogans and accusing the government of "slacking" in implementing reform measures.

Over 1,500 protestors marched amidst heavy security presence, and were blocked from reaching the Interior Ministry Circle, where major clashes had taken place on March 24th during a youth sit-in, leaving over 100 injured and one protestor dead.

Friday witnessed several major protests throughout Jordan, calling for reforms and blasting government and security forces' violent handling of pro-reform demonstrations last week.

Other protests also took place near the Israeli Embassy in Amman calling for annulling the Jordanian-Israeli peace process, and others in Karak, Tafileh, and Zarqa governorates.

Muslim Brotherhood leader Zaki Bani Ersheid blasted that the widespread economic corruption in the country is caused by political corruption, leading to the loss of trust and confidence in the government.

He stressed that tangible reform cannot materialize unless powers are given to the people.

Bani Ersheid criticized US President Barack Obama's speech delivered on Thursday, blasting that the American administration is the "power that gives international legitimacy, enables corruption, and creates corrupt governments in the region."

In referring to the "Arab Spring," the Islamist leader applauded the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, and addressed Arab leaders warning "you either implement reform, or be ousted."

On his part, Head of the Jordanian Engineers' Professional Associations Abdullah Obeidat noted that the demands of the Jordanian people are legitimate and that what "we ask for here is much less than what peoples of other countries are demanding."

He stressed that the regime and the government ought to respect the people, blasting that "we were surprised that the government did indeed implement reforms; however they were security reforms."

"An opposition activist used to be taken to a jail cell and beaten there, now, activists are being beaten by security forces publicly in the streets," he added.

Obeidat charged that the widespread corruption in the country has transformed Jordanians in both the public and private sectors into a deprived and poor society that is facing grave economic conditions.

An activist in the March 24th Youth Movement, Abdul Rahman Hassanain, said that the movement is preparing for a major demonstration that would surpass the sit-in two months ago at Gamal Abdul Nasser Square (Interior Ministry Circle).

Senior Muslim Brotherhood leader Hammam Saeed told Ammon News during the protest that the movement is part of the Jordanian society and that their protest today is part of the popular demands all Jordanians are demanding.

"We do not act individually, our activism is part and parcel of the demands of the Jordanian street," he added.

The protestors chanted slogans against corruption, and calling for freedom, reform, and change.

Chants included:

"Change and reform are the demands of the people,"

"Freedom where are you, the government stands between us and you,"

"The people demand saving the economy."

* Additional reporting by Shaheera Khatatbeh and Heba Malkawi

Source: Ammon News.
Link: http://en.ammonnews.net/article.aspx?articleNO=11999.

Sikorsky supplying Sweden with Black Hawks

STRATFORD, Conn., May 20 (UPI) -- Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. reports the U.S. government has agreed to sell 15 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to Sweden.

The Swedish armed forces will use the aircraft for medical evacuation, utility, and search-and-rescue missions.

Sikorsky is slated to deliver six of the helicopters in 2011 and the remaining nine in 2012 under an accelerated production schedule.

"We're honored to support the Swedish Armed Forces, and we congratulate them for being the first European Union nation to choose this highly evolved UH-60M aircraft, which is part of a lineage of aircraft that have proven themselves countless times under the most extreme conditions all over the world," said Mick Maurer, president of Sikorsky Military Systems.

The UH-60M helicopter is the latest version of the Black Hawk, providing additional payload and range, advanced digital avionics, improved handling qualities and situational awareness, active vibration control, and improved survivability compared with the predecessor UH-60L model.

The company said about 2,700 Black Hawks are in operation today. Sweden will become the 26th nation to operate the aircraft and only the second in Europe, where Austria operates UH-60L models.

U.S. forces have flown various Black Hawk models for 1.2 million flight hours to date in Afghanistan and Iraq without a single material failure.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2011/05/20/Sikorsky-supplying-Sweden-with-Black-Hawks/UPI-20701305898626/.

Brazilian forests cleared

BRASILIA, Brazil, May 20 (UPI) -- The Brazilian space research institute said deforestation in the country increased 400 percent over the course of a year, causing a political stir.

Satellite images depicted deforestation increased from 25,451 acres in March and April in 2010 to 146,533 acres during the same period in 2011, the BBC reports.

Brazilian Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira said the revelation was troubling and announced the government was establishing a special panel to address the findings.

"Our objective is to reduce deforestation by July," she was quoted as saying.

Environmental protectionists argue increased demand for soy and cattle is behind the decision made by farmers to clear more forests from their land. Most of the declines came from the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a key soybean-producing region.

Others blame the government for dragging its feet on laws regulating deforestation. Advocates of change said more clearing is needed to stimulate the country's agriculture sector, however.

A forest code in place since 1934 spells out how much land a farmer can clear. Currently, 80 percent of the land in the Amazon region must remain forested.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2011/05/20/Brazilian-forests-cleared/UPI-89311305898428/.

Libyan rebels not extremist, EU says

BRUSSELS, May 20 (UPI) -- Rebels fighting to overthrow Libya's Moammar Gadhafi are not Islamic fanatics, a European diplomat said as the EU prepares to open a liaison office in Benghazi.

The diplomat, interviewed on condition of anonymity by the EU Observer Wednesday, said the rebels "are not a bunch of al-Qaida fanatics."

"There is an Islamic element in the politics of Libyan opposition at the moment, but it is a mild Islamic political trend, which is welcome and will have a role in the national dialogue which they envisage. Their focus is national. It's a liberation struggle," the diplomat said.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton announced last week that a liaison office would be opened in Benghazi to support the Transitional National Council. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised the move.

"Our vision is that the U.N. and the EU will play a leading role in the post-Gadhafi period" that will include organizing elections and drafting a new constitution, the diplomat said.

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski visited Benghazi last week for talks with the rebel council.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2011/05/20/Libyan-rebels-not-extremist-EU-says/UPI-74721305901585/.