6 Feb 2012 | Uncategorized
The UK parliament’s reasonably sensible report on radicalisation was released this morning, focusing on the perceived terror threats to Britain and Northern Ireland; far-right racist individuals and groups, Islamist terrorists and “dissident” republicans.
A quick glance at, for example, the Republican Sinn Féin website is enough to tell the reader that your average dissident is not the most web savvy person. “Radicalisation” in Northern Ireland is not taking place on the web, but in the same small, tightly bound communities where extremism has festered in Ireland since, well, a very long time.
What of the other two groups? The report points out that white power radicals tend to pop up in isolation — think of Anders Breivik in Norway, busy writing his manifesto in suburban Oslo before unleashing his horror. At the time, many on the liberal left took a perverse glee in finding Breivik’s “manifesto” quoted, among others, Jeremy Clarkson and Melanie Philips, as if they somehow carried responsibility for the slaughter. I argued against this, pointing out that while his thinking may have been influenced by them, they could not be held responsible for one man going on a shooting spree. The mainstream writers Breivik quoted did not incite violence. The attack was something Breivik did off his own bat.
While I don’t think Breivik fits into our 20th-century idea of “far right”, many of those on the radical right in the UK seem to be following a similar pattern — paranoid obsessives acting alone, convinced of the coming race war, but fuelled by reading and discussion on the web.
Radicalisation of young Muslim youth tends to take a different slant. When Roshanara Choudhry stabbed her MP Stephen Timms, much of the coverage suggested that the east London woman had been radicalised on the web, particularly by the sermons of the (now dead) preacher Anwar al-Awlaki. At the time I suggested that it was disingenuous to suggest Choudhry would never have encountered these ideas until she stumbled across “Sheikh Google” as the report calls online Islamist extremism, and I still believe that to be true.
The issue is agency. While we should be thankful that the parliamentary committee does not recommend additional censorship powers (indeed, it advocates more free speech in the form of helping civil society groups make counterarguments against extremist rhetoric), the effectiveness of any form of online censorship must continue to be questioned. it is ultimately unpredictable what language will have what effect on whom. Context mean a lot more than content.
6 Feb 2012 | Russia
On Saturday February 4 protesters calling for fair elections in Russia hit the streets worldwide.
The protests took place exactly one month before the presidential election, which is likely to return prime minister Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin’s highest post. Protest organisers estimated that 120,000 people took part in Moscow, it was the biggest demonstration to date triggered by suspicions of vote-rigging surrounding the December 4 parliamentary elections.
In London around 100 people attended a demonstration organised by the NGO Speak Louder! together with the Committee for Free Elections in Russia. At around 3pm, a letter was handed into No. 10 passed to prime minister David Cameron. The protesters asked the British government to monitor next month’s elections very closely:
On behalf of Russians living in the United Kingdom, and on behalf of all the citizens of this country who cherish freedom and democratic rights, we ask you to pay constant attention to the forthcoming presidential elections in Russia. Unfortunately, these elections will most probably not be democratic and fair, as the trend shows.
“Russia without Putin” proved to be the most popular slogan at the demonstration, and a variety of creative posters were on display. Many joked about Putin’s attitude towards the white ribbons used by protesters to symbolise freedom — Putin compared them to condoms, and posters carried slogans such as “Put-in – preservatives with governmental flavour” and “Grandpa with a condom tattoo”.
Tamara, a Russian businesswoman and mother of two, says: “I think that Russia needs to make its own path to democracy. It is a very specific, very large country, and I don’t know how long will it take. But we need to start from somewhere, and what is finally happening in these months is a very important start”.
Finnish human rights activist Lauri Vuoriluoto came all the way from Cardiff to join the demonstration. “I am here because I believe that what happens in Russia is of big interest for all of us. As a Finnish citizen, these developments touch me deeply because of the proximity of my country to Russia, and because of the deep economic ties between the two countries. I am probably the only one here who does not speak a word of Russian, but I will learn by next time.”
Political artist Kaya Mar took part in the protest as well. He carried his latest work, a painting portraying Putin and Medvedev, naked, as they play on a seesaw.
“The bear in the middle symbolises Russia, with eyes and mouth shut because its fundamental freedoms have been breached,” he explained. “My subjects are always naked because this way you can catch people’s heart better — taking off their clothes you take off their power as well, and they are revealed the way they are – as human beings.”
Organisers announced that the next London protest action will take place on February 26.
Tena Prelec is a freelance writer and consultant at the ESOP Centre, London.
3 Feb 2012 | Index Index, minipost
The United Nations Human Rights Committee have found that the defamation conviction of a Philippines journalist violated the journalist’s right to free expression. In the landmark ruling, the UN committee said that the prison sentence handed to journalist Alexander Adonis of Bombo Radyo, following his reporting on an alleged affair between a Philippine congressman and a married woman, was “incompatible” with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UNHRC has given the Philippine government 180 days to provide “information about the measures taken to give effect to the Committee’s views”.
25 Jan 2012 | Middle East and North Africa
Stateless protesters face deportation after demonstrations in Kuwait demanding citizenship turned violent. Kuwaiti authorities revealed that as a punishment, the stateless “Bedoon” population, those without passports, would be forced out of the country. Authorities also warned that any Bedoon from the army and police force would be dismissed if they or their children attended the protests, and those involved in the protests would be evicted from any state housing.
There are at least 120,000 Bedoon jinsiyya (without nationality) in Kuwait denied the right to obtain birth, death, marriage or divorce certificates. They have no access to public education, health care, housing or employment.
Kuwait’s Interior ministry faced down the protests with tear gas, smoke bombs, water cannons, bats, humiliation, harassment, arrests and trials. Back in February and March 2011, around 5000 stateless protested in isolated areas of Taimaa, Sulaibiya, and Ahmady for their rights to documents, education, health care, employment, and most importantly naturalisation. Over 100 men were sent to trial for ‘illegal protesting’, ‘disobedience of police orders’, and ‘violence against policemen.’
In December the protests began again and every Friday, Kuwait’s police repressed them more and more violently. Kuwait University professor Dr Ebtehal Al-Khatib and other members of the Kuwaiti association of Human Rights reported the terror they witnessed in Taimaa. A video of a stateless woman being beaten by a riot policeman enraged the Bedoon even further. According to Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Rai, around 108 protesters were arrested on 13 January. They are still in detention as the prosecution keeps delaying their release.
Kuwaiti authorities justified the oppression saying the protests were not “authorised”. Some stateless activists tried to get permission to demonstrate but their requests were rejected. The Interior Ministry has repeatedly stated that only citizens are allowed to protest. It also claims that the brutality demonstrated by riot police was merely a response to violence by protesters.
Several Kuwaiti activists condemned the threats of deportation. Academic Dr Ghanim Al-Najjar suggested these threats were not serious, but were made up to frighten protesters.
Unconfirmed reports by stateless activists indicate that detained protesters were mistreated and beaten in prison. For over a week after Fridy 13 January, Taimaa and Sulaibiya areas — where large numbers of Bedoon live — were under siege by riot police.
Activists such as Nawaf Al-Bader and Mousaed Al-Shammari have reported on Twitter how policemen set checkpoints questioning drivers in an attempt to stop people joining ptotests.
Mona Kareem is a stateless poet, journalist, and a blogger at monakareem.blogspot.com
