Every Human Has Rights

2012 has started already, and the Every Human Has Rights team is getting back into the swing of things. What will this year bring is the big question everyone seems to be asking. 2011 was a year that no one could have predicted; from uprisings with the Arab Spring, to protests such as Occupy Wall Street and other major events, all working towards changing the status quo and the accepted way things work for a new system, and a new international order. We want to know what you think will happen this year, or what it will bring? Are we going to push harder for human rights, for equality and equal opportunities for all? Or the clampdowns that were evident last year worsen to stop outspoken voices and challenges?

Whatever it will bring, we hope that it is a year where we see human rights enforced as universal for all, where people know their rights and how to uphold and protect them, and that globally, we work towards a fairer, more balanced and humane society. We wish you all, wherever you are, all the best for this year. We will continue to strive to counter injustice, to fight for what is right, and to ensure that EVERY HUMAN has rights.

Report on the Global Day of Action

By Rehad Desai

Sutcliffe organises his own Green Bombers to intimidate the South African left

Mike Sutcliffe, the City Manager of Durban Metro was forced to back down on his insistence over four months that today’s Global Day of Action against climate change march only comprise 100 people. Failing in that attempt he went on to insist that the march route stay out of Durban CBD. He then reneged as CI7’s lawyers pushed him into a corner, where he was forced to accept the march route that was originally proposed by Civil Society.

Obviously smarting from his failure to impose his will on our right to assembly and protest, he hired 150-200 ‘Host City Volunteers’. These Green Bombers were generally well built young men recruited from the local ANCYL branches and paid R180 for their services. Their first attempt was to capture the front of the C17 march. They were then, after some time, forced to retreat. They then assembled to the side of the side of the Democratic Left Front (DLF) and community supporters of the One Million Climate Jobs campaign, who were lined up on the road at the assembly point waiting to march all wearing identifiable red t-shirts. Read more...

"Pouvoir au peuple - Le pouvoir est le nôtre “.

Mes premiers mots zulu appris aujourd’hui à la grande marche pour la justice climatique qui a réunie 10 000 militant-e-s ce midi à Durban. L’émotion était au rendez-vous. Partager ces moments avec des militant-e-s qui la plupart ont fait leurs premières armes dans la lutte contre l’apartheid. Danser avec eux au rythme des chansons zoulou en marchant. Que de souvenirs… Souvenir d’enfance au travers des films, souvenir de jeunesse au travers des lectures. Souvenir de Sharpeviille 1960, 1985, … Souvenir de cette jeunesse de Soweto sacrifiée en 1976 au rythme de ces mêmes chansons.  En ce pays où les plaies de l’apartheid sont à peine cicatrisées, l’héritage de la lutte demeure grand. L’héritage de ces martyres jeunes qui avaient la foi, la foi en un monde de justice. C’est au nom de cette même justice qu’ils se sont tou-te-s levés pour marcher ce midi. Au nom de la justice et contre les nouveaux apartheids : Apartheid social, apartheid économique apartheid climatique. M’est revenu en mémoire Thomas Sankara, encore et toujours, dans ce discours inoubliable de 1987: «  Il y’ a crise parce que les peuples partout refusent d’être dans Soweto face à Johannesburg ». Amandla – Awethu ! Ces cris qui ont libéré l’Afrique du Sud de l’apartheid racial pourront – ils nous libérer de l’apartheid climatique. « We are faith »  pouvait – on lire sur l’un des panneaux. Oui ! Nous avons la foi, et tant qu’il y’ aura cette foi il y’aura de l’espoir. Le Maghreb nous en donné l’exemple cette année. Et oui, en Afrique tout reste encore possible tant qu’on a la foi et que l’espoir demeure.

Heading into the fourth decade of AIDS, we are finally in a position to end the epidemic.

The progress we have made so far is proof that we can realize our vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

The number of new HIV infections has fallen by more than 20 per cent since 1997. New infections are continuing to decline in most parts of the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, the region most affected by the AIDS epidemic, HIV incidence has decreased in 22 countries.

Among populations at risk, the tide is shifting. Access to HIV prevention services are helping young people, sex workers and their clients, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, and transgender people to take control of their health for greater well-being.

Download entire speech (in ENGLISH) (in FRENCH)

Fantastically useful resources for anyone going to Durban over COP 17 from Tck, Tck, Tck campaign.

• Durban logistics and orientation plan COP 17
• TckTckTck background to COP

Spread the word to all in need!
EHHR team will see you there next week

November 23 has been designated as the International Day to End Impunity. This day calls people to act and demand justice for those who have been killed for exercising their right to freedom of expression. It recognises the sacrifice made by thousands across the world whose lives were cut short and who faced terrible hardships, simply because they were brave enough to demand their right to free expression and freedom itself. Repressive governments around the world have been responsible for too many killings and reduction of the liberties and free will of their people, freedoms that are universal human rights for them to access, but ones they have been long denied.