By: BBC News, September 28, 2009
Students in Iran have demonstrated against the government at Tehran University on the first day of the new academic year. Footage posted on websites showed several hundred people chanting slogans against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Eyewitnesses said students were not allowed into an official ceremony attended by a government minister to mark the start of term. Reports say a large number of police officers were in the area.
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Iranian protester flees after telling of torture
By: Nazila Fathi, NY Times, September 26, 2009
When he eagerly joined the mass street protests that followed Iran’s tainted June 12 presidential elections, Ibrahim Sharifi, 24, hoped only to add his voice to the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators demanding that the government nullify the results. He never imagined that he would eventually have a far greater impact, as the only person willing to speak publicly about the brutal treatment he was subjected to in prison, including rape and torture.
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Iran: Submission of medical records to victims of recent unrests banned
By: IHRV, September 25, 2009
“Urgent” and “Confidential” memo sent to the Ministry of Health by Sepah (Revolutionary Guard Corp) ordered that: “Arrangements must be made such that hospitals are prevented from submitting any document or record to listed individuals”. In the memo sent from Sarullah’s base, headed by Commander Mohammad Hejazi, it said: “Submission of documents or medical records to anyone injured or hospitalized during the recent events is strictly forbidden”.
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Picture Imperfect
By: Rob Anderson, Campus Progress, September 24, 2009
Yesterday, protesters gathered in front of the United Nations in New York City as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prepared to speak to the general assembly. Composed mostly of Iranians from around the world, the protest called for democratic reform in Iran and registered opposition to Ahmadinejad. “Murder. Torture. Rape,” read signs held by protesters, “Hold him accountable.” Yesterday’s event was a continuation of the “green revolution,” or protests that have been happening in Iran and around the world ever since the country’s June 12 elections.
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CRISIS IN HONDURAS
Library of Congress report determines Honduran coup was constitutional despite having unconstitutional aspects
By: Belén Fernández, Narco News, September 28, 2009 The most prevalent argument in favor of the June 28 coup that ousted Honduran President Mel Zelaya is that Zelaya intended to accumulate more than the single presidential term currently permitted him by the Honduran Constitution. This argument fails to take into account the question that was to be posed in the nonbinding public opinion survey slated to take place on the day Zelaya was removed to Costa Rica, which was not “Do you want the president to remain in power forever?” Read full article… Honduras’ interim gov’t silences key broadcasters Troops raid Honduran media groups Honduran protesters set to defy clampdown Honduras suspends civil liberties amid calls for ‘rebellion’ Zelaya says Honduras stopped OAS officials at airport Honduras coup leader decrees 45-day suspension of constitution Honduran coup regime mocks UN Security Council with embassy attacks
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AFRICA
Sierra Leone: Banned opposition radio station goes to court
By: Lansana Fofana, All Africa, September 28, 2009 Sierra Leone’s largest opposition party has taken the country’s media monitoring body to court for banning its radio station. The Independent Media Commission (IMC) banned the Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party (SLPP) station, Radio Unity, in March. This followed political clashes between the SLPP supporters and the ruling All Peoples’ Congress (APC). The APC’s station, Rising Sun, was also banned. Read full article… Guinea:’Dozens killed’in anti-junta demonstration Sudan lifts media censorship Zimbabwe court rules activist can’t be prosecuted Kenya: Can one woman save Africa? Somalia: Mass demonstration in the capital Mogadishu Zimbabwe police shoot striking workers South African children push for better schools
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By: Act For Climate Justice, September 27th, 2009
Earth Island Institute interview with NASA scientist Dr. James Hansen. He denounces cap-and-trade, the Waxman-Markey bill, and calls for civil resistance in the face of the fraudulent inaction of the US government. He stated “When I give a talk on this, I show that the three options for getting the actions that are obviously needed are through the democratic process, influencing the elections of the administration and Congress; secondly, the courts; and then thirdly, civil resistance.”
Listen to the interview…
US: Someone in Pennsylvania loves you, but it isn’t the Pittsburgh Police
By: Herschel Tomlinson, The Examiner, September 26, 2009
The Pittsburgh G-20 Resistance Project reported that they were followed, photographed and searched prior to the summit. Planners were told to write lawyers’ numbers on their bodies. One thousand jail cells were prepared for protesters. Thirty one hundred law enforcement officers and 2000 National Guardsmen converged on Pittsburgh from around the country to reinforce Pittsburgh’s 900 member force. There have been reports of police buying tanks, and using anti terrorism money to militarize their forces. Laws were passed by the city council, outlawing the possesion of certain tools, and “noxious substances”.
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US: Be it G8 or G20, activists say protests to continue
By: Mark Egan, Reuters, September 25, 2009
The Group of 8 rich nations may have become the Group of 20 to be more inclusive of emerging economies, but activists vow to go on decrying capitalism no matter how many leaders attend the summits. At its summit here, the G20 said it will become the forum for global economic management, giving rising powers such as China more clout and including countries such as Mexico, Indonesia and South Africa who are not in the G8. About 10,000 protesters marched against capitalism and the G20’s summit agenda on Friday, in what organizers called the biggest protest in this western Pennsylvania city since Vietnam war demonstrations.
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Thousands hold peaceful march at G-20 Summit
By: Ian Urbina, NY Times, September 25, 2009
Several thousand demonstrators espousing and denouncing a host of causes converged on downtown Pittsburgh on Friday, chanting, pumping up signs and playing instruments in a peaceful and permitted march calling for solutions to a range of problems that they attributed to the economic policies of the world leaders at the Group of 20 meeting. The People’s March, as it was called, was sponsored by the Thomas Merton Center, a Pittsburgh peace organization. It came a day after raucous confrontations between the police and protesters resulted in 66 arrests.
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US oil company sued for Amazon exploration
By: Survival International, September 25, 2009
Indigenous people from south-east Peru are suing Repsol-YPF and US company Hunt Oil over their plans to explore for oil on their land. Local indigenous organisation FENAMAD has filed a lawsuit asking for an injunction to be placed on both the companies’ activities. The suit argues that the government did not consult with local people before giving the companies permission to work there, as is required under international law, and oil exploration would violate local peoples’ fundamental human rights to ‘enjoy a balanced environment’.
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