The majority follow Christian or Moslem teachings. The government of Israel has taken in millions of people, but they follow Jewish teachings and the government is trying to maintain Israel as a Jewish state. Those who arrive from Africa are allowed in, but are not welcomed. The majority are kept in camps in the Negev desert. They must check in with the authorities there three times a day. New arrivals are required to spend a year in the desert camp before a temporary visa is issued. If a refugee is found outside the detention centre without a visa, he is subject to deportation. It has become increasingly difficult for visa holders to renew their permit. In addition to the turmoil in Africa other crises are generating asylum seekers. Syria, Iraq and Yemen are all in a state of war. Israel has been asked by neighbouring Lebanon to accept some people fleeing from the fighting, but have been refused. Lebanon currently hosts over 160 000 Syrian refugees. Many are not registered with the UN agency so the real number is probably much higher. Some countries in Europe have stepped up to the plate to accept people fleeing war. Others not so much. The Canadian government has pledged to take in 10 000 people, but few have actually been accepted. Sources: UN Refugee Agency Washington Post
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Both sides in the war were quick to claim that further sanctions against them would damage the peace process.
The process has become more complex as one of the rebel generals has announced that he doesn’t agree with Machar trying to form a transitional government with Kiir. He is rumoured to have split from Machar and taken other rebel commanders with him. S. Sudan started with much promise. It is oil rich. Revenues from oil provide over 90% of its foreign money. It also has great potential in developing its agriculture. Large tracts of land have abundant water and could be developed. Meanwhile the country is dependent on the charity of foreign nations to help it feed and clothe the millions who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Sources: Sudan Tribune All Africa Human Rights Watch Freedom of worship is a guaranteed right in the Chinese constitution. The little that is being said to justify this action is that it is a move to enforce the rules and not a move against religious freedom.
Yesterday seven members of one particularly large and influential church built according to all the rules were detained on charges of “embezzlement and disrupting social order”. It has been reported that the online Weibo site is urging people to make small crosses, paint them red and leave them everywhere in a show of peaceful defiance. The top politicos have been accused of persecuting various religious faiths over the years. They periodically rail against the Dalai Lama and impose repressive conditions on the Buddhist monks in Tibet. The persecution of members of the Falun Gong faith has been ongoing since 1999. One of reasons that the PRC was awarded the Summer Olympic Games in 2008 was that they pledged to improve their human rights record. It does not seem that the repressive measures to control personal freedoms have been relaxed. In spite of the ongoing persecution of religious faiths and of human rights activists in China, the country has been awarded the right to hold the Winter Olympic Games 2022. Sources: Christian Solidarity Worldwide BBC News Wikipedia The news corporation Al Jazeera has kept up ongoing publicity about their employees but that has failed to budge the Egyptian power brokers. Australian Peter Greste was released and deported in February of this year. Greste still has the Egyptian court sentence hanging over him.
February saw Fahmy and Mohamed released on bail. Fahmy carried dual Egyptian/Canadian citizenship. He renounced his Egyptian citizenship under the advice that it would facilitate his deportation as well. It was to no avail. The latest postponement will mark the tenth time that their liberty has been denied. There is speculation as to why they are still being held without verdict. One reason may be the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to Egypt. Talks were held concerning security in the Middle East region between Kerry and Sisi. Kerry is known to have lectured the foreign minister on the subject of human rights. In the end the fight against terrorists in the region trumped and pledges of friendship and military aid were made. A second reason that has been floated is that no disruptive news is to be allowed to spoil the party attendant on the opening of the newly expanded Suez Canal. Meanwhile two award winning journalist remain trapped in Egypt as the promise of a new and more democratic Egypt fades as repression grows. Sources: Wikipedia Al Jazeera The Washington Post The African Union has stated that it will not attend the presidential election.
Many of Burundi’s citizens claim that violence and intimidation are rampant in the lead up to the presidential elections. A vice-president and the speaker of the house have both fled the country, seeking asylum in Belgium. Tanzania is overwhelmed with refugees. At last count, 100 000 people have fled. The situation is tragic for the people of Burundi. The elections that placed Nkurunziza in power in 2006 were the hope for a nation that saw a 13 year long civil war end. That civil war erupted shortly after the first elections since independence. When Belgium divested itself of the former colony, a monarchy held sway until 1993. The civil war was particularly vicious, splitting the population along ethnic lines. At final count, there were at least 300 000 dead. Related: Burundi president precipitates crisis Sources: All Africa Bujumbura News Burundi24 The Guardian |
Barbara McPherson
Blogger, gardener, farmer. Working toward food security and a 30 foot
diet. Addicted to reading. Love this planet, especially my little corner
on Vancouver Island, Canada Archives
October 2016
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