Tuesday, 4 October 2011

She Did Make It Up. She Is A Liar. She Is Unfit To Be A Minister Of the Crown. « Peter Reynolds

She Did Make It Up. She Is A Liar. She Is Unfit To Be A Minister Of the Crown.

with one comment

Theresa May

How to make a twat of yourself over a pussy.

Ms May really is the most dimwitted, out of touch dinosaur, eclipsing even historical relics like George Osborne or Alan Johnson.

Quite how she ever became Home Secretary I do not understand. She appeared from nowhere and was immediately elevated to high office. The most obvious explanation isn’t credible because, without wishing to be unkind, she’s not exactly a honey trap is she?

The Human Rights Act is, in any case, very much a British creation. It is simply false to blame it on Europe. It was drafted by British legislators and, in general, is a proud and noble achievement. The very last thing we need is to abandon it on the say so of some third rate politician. It isn’t going to happen anyway. Ms May is just being used as a stool pigeon to appease the Tory right. She’s a muppet – sorry, I mean a puppet. Actually, I mean both.

Child rapist to get less time than pot grower in Canada

Child rapist to get less time than pot grower

Incarcerated weed offenders to skyrocket

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Ethan Baron

Ethan Baron

Photograph by: Ginger Sedlarova, The Province

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is getting tougher on pot growers than he is on rapists of children. Under the Tories' omnibus crime legislation tabled Tuesday, a person growing 201 pot plants in a rental unit would receive a longer mandatory sentence than someone who rapes a toddler or forces a five-year-old to have sex with an animal.

Producing six to 200 pot plants nets an automatic six-month sentence, with an extra three months if it's done in a rental or is deemed a public-safety hazard. Growing 201 to 500 plants brings a one-year sentence, or 1½ years if it's in a rental or poses a safety risk.

The omnibus legislation imposes one-year mandatory minimums for sexually assaulting a child, luring a child via the Internet or involving a child in bestiality. All three of these offences carry lighter automatic sentences than those for people running medium-sized grow-ops in rental property or on someone else's land.

A pedophile who gets a child to watch pornography with him, or a pervert exposing himself to kids at a playground, would receive a minimum 90-day sentence, half the term of a man convicted of growing six pot plants in his own home.

The maximum sentence for growing marijuana would double from seven to 14 years, the same maximum applied to someone using a weapon during a child rape, and four years more than for someone sexually assaulting a kid without using a weapon.

Here in B.C., if police and prosecutors don't rebel against the new laws, we're going to be hit with massive jail costs, says Simon Fraser University criminologist Neil Boyd. The new marijuana legislation will increase the proportion of pot criminals in B.C. jails from less than five per cent to around 30 per cent, at a cost of $60,000 to $70,000 per inmate annually, Boyd says.

"Why put people who are not violent in jail?" Boyd asks. "People who commit serious violent crime are already dealt with pretty harshly, and crime rates are down, not up."

Harper's U.S.-style war on drugs ignores our southern neighbour's expensive failed effort. "Eight states — including New York, where laws were the most punitive in the nation — have repealed most of these mandatory-minimum sentences, and dozens of other jurisdictions are considering repeal or reform," a February report from Human Rights Watch says.

Even the government's own Justice Department questions the use of mandatory minimums. "There is some indication that minimum sentences are not an effective sentencing tool," reads a 2010 report from the department. "They constrain judicial discretion without offering any increased crime-prevention benefits."

Provincial jails — where most people convicted under the new laws will end up — provide far fewer rehabilitation programs than federal prisons, leading to higher rates of re-offending, says Stacey Hannem, chairman of the policy review committee at the Canadian Criminal Justice Association.

"There's a real revolving-door problem in our provincial institutions," Hannem says. "If you're going to throw even more people in there, you can bet that the recidivism rate in the provincial system is likely to go up.

"If you want to get tough on crime, that's fine. But don't sell it as increasing public safety. That's just not true."

ebaron@theprovince.com

World’s Largest Drug Policy Reform Conference One Month Away | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform

The Reform Conference is just a month away – have you secured your spot yet?

Click here to register to attend.

If you haven’t, you should soon. Booking your travel a month out will save you money. And you won’t want to miss what former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and current California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom have to say at the Opening Plenary!

The rest of the conference program is packed full with trainings, roundtable discussions addressing controversies within the movement, and panels exploring and sharing innovative approaches to reform challenges. Thursday evening you can stand up for justice at the No More Drug War rally at nearby MacArthur Park, hosted by dozens of local California organizations and emceed by KPFK radio personality Lalo Alcaraz.

And the activities and highlights don’t stop there…

Very soon we’ll be announcing three special Mobile Workshops – learning sessions that will take a select group of conference-goers out of the hotel and into the local community.

You’re also invited to host informal Community Meetings of your own during the conference. These meetings are meant to be your opportunity to organize reformers around action plans. They take place in open session rooms in the mornings, evenings and at lunch.

What do these Mobile Workshops and Community Meetings have in common? They’re only available to registered conference attendees – and they’ll be limited by space availability!

So register now…and I’ll see you in Los Angeles!

Stefanie Jones
Event Manager
Drug Policy Alliance

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BBC News - Huge Somalia suicide car bomb kills dozens in capital

Huge Somalia suicide car bomb kills dozens in capital

The BBC's Will Ross: "It's one of the largest blasts to happen in many months in Somalia"

At least 70 people have been killed by a huge suicide blast near a government compound in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, say officials.

Eyewitnesses said a truck carrying explosives was driven into a gate near a government ministry and detonated.

A spokesman for the Islamist militant group al-Shabab told the BBC it had carried out the attack.

It is the largest attack since al-Shabab withdrew its forces from Mogadishu in August.

Rescue workers said more than 50 people had been injured in the blast. Many of the victims were soldiers and students who had been waiting at the education ministry.

The UN-backed transitional government condemned the attack and said no senior government officials were hurt in the blast. Government members were meeting in the building near the blast site at the time.

"The attack shows that the danger from terrorists is not yet over and that there are obviously still people who want to derail the advances that the Somali people have made towards peace," it said in a statement.

The government statement set the number of dead at 15, but it was not clear whether this was only an initial count.

'Walls fell apart'

The blast struck outside a compound housing government buildings in Kilometre Four (K4) - a crossroads in central Mogadishu.

Police officer Ali Hussein told the Associated Press news agency that the vehicle had exploded after pulling up at a checkpoint on the way into the official compound.

At the scene

I arrived at the scene by foot about 30 minutes after the lorry exploded. It was shocking. At least 11 bodies burnt beyond recognition were lying on the ground. The main buildings and surrounding trees were on fire.

First-aid workers were carrying severely wounded people to ambulances. Two people with blood all over their legs were shouting for help.

People came rushing to the scene, but it is hard to identify the bodies. Some people were crying - it was very emotional. Somali government soldiers then began shooting in the air to get the crowds to move as it was rumoured that other suicide vehicles may be in the area. They are stopping and searching all cars. There are no vehicles moving in this area of the city.

Somalia's Planning Minister Abdullahi Godah Barreh told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme he was in his office when the blast hit.

"All of a sudden a huge, huge sound and all the furniture and all the windows and all the walls started falling apart," he said.

The vehicle carrying the explosives was big, he said, about an eight- or 10-tonne truck.

"The building that has been destroyed houses eight ministries, and you can imagine how crowded it would have been."

He said the area was protected, "but unfortunately, it was not good enough".

"Almost half of the cabinet sit in that building. So you can understand it was a good target for them - the terrorists."

BBC Somali's Mohammed Dhore in Mogadishu said vehicles were on fire, bodies lying in the street and shocked soldiers were randomly firing into the air in the aftermath.

Our correspondent said it was the worst incident he had ever come across.

One aid worker said the force of the blast had thrown body parts hundreds of metres away.

Residents gather near the covered remains of a body at the scene of an attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Tuesday

Among those killed were soldiers guarding the offices and students who had been queuing for exam results at the education ministry, hoping to gain a scholarship to study in Turkey.

Ali Abdullahi, a nurse at Medina hospital in the city, said victims were being brought in with horrific wounds, including burns and lost limbs. Some had been blinded, he said.

"It is the most awful tragedy I have ever seen," he told AP.

"Dozens are being brought here minute-by-minute. Most of the wounded people are unconscious and others have their faces blackened by smoke and heat."

Famine crisis

Somalia has been without an effective central government since 1991 - the weak transitional government and Islamist militias are competing for control of the country.

Al-Shabab at a glance

  • Al-Shabab means "The Youth" in Arabic
  • Formed as a radical offshoot of the Union of Islamic Courts in 2006
  • Affiliated to al-Qaeda
  • Controls large swathes of south and central Somalia
  • Killed 76 people in double attack in Uganda during 2010 football World Cup
  • Estimated to have 7,000 to 9,000 fighters

Al-Shabab, which has links to al-Qaeda, controls large swathes of south and central Somalia.

It retreated from Mogadishu two months ago following an offensive by African Union troops,, but analysts had predicted that without a front line, the organisation was likely to begin carrying out more bombings, including suicide attacks.

Last week, al-Shabab tried but failed to seize two towns from pro-government forces near Somalia's border with Kenya.

Somalia's political instability has been compounded in the past year by the worst drought in six decades, which has forced tens of thousands of people to flee to Mogadishu in search of food.

The UN has declared a famine in six regions of Somalia.

The BBC's East Africa correspondent, Will Ross, said the latest attack will not only worry the government, but also the aid agencies, who have been taking great risks to get food to the drought victims.

Mogadishu map

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Global Voices · Indigenous Rights

Indigenous Rights

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TranslationsThis post also available in:

Español · Derechos IndígenasIndigenous Rights
Français · Dossier peuples indigènes

Paulina Aguilera MuñozThis page is dedicated to the memory of Global Voices author Paulina Aguilera Muñoz.

Table of Contents

Indigenous protest, Brazil. Image by Talita Oliveira.

Indigenous protest, Brazil. Image by Talita Oliveira.

There are up to 370 million indigenous people in the world, speaking more than 4,000 languages, and living in more than 70 countries. Indigenous peoples have resisted time, colonization, genocide, epidemics and wars, and are now reemerging with louder voices across the globe. In the struggle for survival and recognition, they use the Internet to connect with other citizens in their countries and worldwide.

Global Voices Online actively seeks the voices of indigenous peoples in online citizen media around the world. See also our special coverage, Forest Focus: Amazon.

Please contact Global Voices contributor Silvia Viñas if you have links or story ideas from any part of the world, or are an indigenous organisation that wants to be added to our resources list.

What we do: Global Voices bloggers report on how citizens use the Internet and social media to make their voices heard, often translating from other languages.

In collaboration with:
Global Voices in Aymara


Bolivian women in traditional dress. Flickr: szeke (CC BY 2.0).

Bolivian women in traditional dress. Flickr: szeke (CC BY 2.0).

South America

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Featured South America Posts

South America Resources

Argentina | Bolivia | Brazil | Chile | Chile: Mapuche People | Colombia | Ecuador | El Salvador | Paraguay | South America

Argentina

  • LMA IACIA QOM [es] - Official website of the Toba Qom indigenous community of La Primavera

Bolivia

Brazil

Chile

  • Centro de Políticas Públicas [es] - Group promoting the participation of indigenous communities and organizations in public policy decisions that affect them
  • Indigenous News [en] - Run by Project ISD, Indigenous News provides periodic updates on Chile\'s Indigenous population
  • Observatorio Ciudadano [es] - Nongovernmental organization promoting advocacy, promotion and documentation of indigenous rights
  • Save Rapanui [en] - Website devoted to the Rapanui Peoples

Chile: Mapuche People

Colombia

Ecuador

  • Sarayaku [es] - Official site of the Pueblo Kichwa of Sarayaku
  • The Cofan Survival Fund (Fundación para la Sobrevivencia del Pueblo Cofan) [en, es] - Non-profit organization with Cofán leadership dedicated to the survival of the Cofán indigenous culture and its Amazonian rainforest environment

El Salvador

Paraguay

South America

Tribeswoman, Panama. Flickr: Marc Veraart (CC BY-ND 2.0).

Tribeswoman, Panama. Flickr: Marc Veraart (CC BY-ND 2.0).

Central America

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Featured Central America Posts

Central America Resources

Guatemala | Honduras | Nicaragua | Panama | Central America

Guatemala

Honduras

  • Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular [es] - The official website of the resistance to the coup in Honduras with messages straight from those fighting to restore democracy

Nicaragua

  • Turkulka [es] - Website of the indigenous languages of the Chibchan family spoken by the Rama people on the island of Rama Cay and south of lake Bluefields on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua


Panama


Central America

Maka Zi (Yellow Earth), Siouan (Sioux) and Yankton Tribe. Flickr: Wisconsin Historical Images (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

Maka Zi (Yellow Earth), Siouan (Sioux) and Yankton Tribe. Flickr: Wisconsin Historical Images (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

North America

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Featured North America Posts

North America Resources

Canada | Mexico | USA

Canada

  • Aboriginal Canada Portal [en, fr]
  • Barriere Lake Solidarity - BLS is a network of people from outside of the Algonquin community Barriere Lake who are working with the community to support their struggle
  • Defenders of the Land [en] - Network of Indigenous Communities across Canada who are united in defense of our lands, Indigenous rights, and Mother Earth
  • First Nations Summit - Provides a forum for First Nations in British Columbia to address issues related to Treaty negotiations as well as other issues of common concern
  • Honouring Life Network [en, fr, iu] - Aboriginal youth suicide prevention network run by the National Aboriginal Health Organization in Canada
  • Media Indigena - Interactive, multimedia magazine dedicated to Indigenous news, views and creative expression
  • Sinixt Nation [en] - Traditional, sovereign caretakers of land located in the interior of BC, Canada
  • @UBCIC - Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs was founded in 1969 to fight Canada's White Paper and to defend Indigenous Title & Rights


Mexico


USA

  • Black Mesa Water Coalition - Dedicated to preserving and protecting Mother Earth and the integrity of Indigenous Peoples' cultures, with the vision of building sustainable and healthy communities
  • Goodfox [en] - The personal blog of Julia Goodfox, citizen of the Pawnee Nation (from the Kitkahahki band) and Professor at the American Indian Studies Program at a Tribal college
  • Honor the Earth - Native environmental movement
  • Indian Law Resource Centre - Dedicated to protecting the right of indigenous peoples to live with dignity and respect according to the ways of their ancestors
  • Indigenous Action [en] - Provides strategic media support and action to directly address issues impacting Indigenous communities in the United States
  • Klamath Justice Coalition - Indigenous non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and maintaining the uniqueness of Native peoples throughout the Americas
  • Native American Culture [en] - Blog
  • Native American Rights Fund [en] - Provides legal representation and technical assistance to Indian tribes, organizations and individuals
  • Native American Sites [en] - Collection of links
  • O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective [en] - Made up Akimel O'odham and Tohono O'odham youth who are pressing against the ongoing colonization of our traditional lands
  • Protect Glen Cove [en] - Glen Cove is a sacred gathering place and burial ground that has been utilized by numerous Native American tribes since at least 1,500 BC
  • The Seventh Generation Fund - Indigenous non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and maintaining the uniqueness of Native peoples throughout the Americas
  • Urban Native Girl Stuff [en] - Culture with an indigenous twist

H'mong baby, Vietnam. Flickr: linh.ngân (CC BY 2.0).

H'mong baby, Vietnam. Flickr: linh.ngân (CC BY 2.0).

Asia

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Featured Asia Posts

Asia Resources

Asia | Borneo | India | Malaysia | Papua New Guinea | Philippines | Taiwan | West Papua


Asia


Borneo

  • The Borneo Project - Working over the last twenty years to support indigenous and frontline communities in Borneo


India

  • Friends of the Chakmas (FOTC) - Global initiative to campaign for support and solidarity of the Chakma people
  • India Unheard [en] - IndiaUnheard is the first ever community news service launched by video volunteers
  • Sanhati [en] - Our aim is to provide a platform for evolving news, analyses, debates pertaining to the political economy of India and the world, with special emphasis on West Bengal


Malaysia

  • Center for Orang Asli Concerns - Committed to information and commentary on the Orang Asli, the indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia
  • Radio Free Sarawak - An independent radio station in Sarawak, Malaysia, presented in Iban by Papa Orang Utan, “our own man from the jungle of Sarawak!”


Nepal


Papua New Guinea

  • Porgera Alliance - The Porgera Alliance’s purpose is to seek justice for human rights, indigenous rights and environmental abuse, and to protect human rights and indigenous land rights in Porgera and Papua New Guinea as a whole
  • The Watut Cries - An avenue for the Watut people of Papua New Guinea's Morobe province to speak out against the pollution of the Watut river and the destruction of their lives by large scale mining


Philippines

  • The Cordillera Peoples Alliance - An independent federation of progressive peoples organizations, most of them grassroots-based organizations among indigenous communities in the Cordillera Region, Philippines


Taiwan

  • Atayal - We enjoy introducing the world to the diversity and wisdom of the indigenous people of Taiwan through our projects


West Papua

  • West Papua Media Alerts [en] - West Papua Media Alerts reports the latest independently verifiable news from West Papua

Ndebele tribeswoman, South Africa. Flickr: United Nations Photo (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

Ndebele tribeswoman, South Africa. Flickr: United Nations Photo (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

Global/Other

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Featured Global/Other Posts

Global/Other Resources

Assyrian people | Australia | Botswana | Kenya | International | Nigeria | Norway | Russia


Assyrian people


Australia

  • Aboriginal Tent Embassy - Controversial semi-permanent assemblage claiming to represent the political rights of Australian Aborigines
  • Central Land Council - Elected body that represents all Aboriginal people in the southern part of the Northern Territory
  • Save Lake Cowal - Community campaign that focues on protecting the cultural and ecological significance of Lake Cowal


Botswana

  • First People of the Kalahari - “The government has forced us off our ancestral land, and now we live in resettlement camps. We want to go home.”


Kenya

  • OGIEK - Supports the rights of all Ogiek people in East Africa


International

Twitter

  • @indigenousissue - Working on indigenous peoples issues around the world
  • IndigenousTweets.com - Indigenous language users on Twitter
  • @IndigMapNetwork - Dynamic supportive professional network for Indigenous / Native American / First Nations / Tribal / Aboriginal map and GIS enthusiasts
  • @Survival - We help tribal peoples defend their lives, protect their lands and determine their own futures

Websites


Nigeria


Norway

  • Saami Council - Voluntary Saami organization (a non–governmental organization), with Saami member organizations in Finland, Russia, Norway and Sweden
  • The Resource Centre for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples [en, no, sami] - Aims to increase information about the rights of Saami and other indigenous peoples by building up a documentation and resource base


Russia

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