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Last night, an open meeting was held at the Rafto House on the situation in Western Sahara. Several speakers participated to provide an understanding of the forgotten conflict. The Saharawi student and human rights activist, Rabab Amidane, right, described a shocking reality. (21-NOV-07)
 

 “…caste determines what one is allowed to be, what one is forced to, and denies one’s ability to live a life of human dignity. Caste is an all encompassing frame of barriers and violations for those of us – the Dalits at the bottom of the caste system”.  With these words, General Secretary Vincent Manoharan (right) of the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights in his acceptance speech summarised the effects of caste discrimination on the 260 million Dalits of the world, who suffer this dehumanising practise every day (05-NOV-07).
 

On the occasion of UN Day on 24 October and the 12th anniversary of Aung San Suu Kyi’s (right) detention, the Burmese people in Norway express their deep concern regarding the current situation in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar). While many in the world are enjoying fundamental rights, Burmese citizens are being arbitrarily arrested and tortured for attempting to practice freedom of expression, freedom of association, and freedom of assembly. (25-OCT-07)

Anna Politkovskaya was a fearless journalist who sought justice for victims of human rights abuses through her words. On October 7, 2006, she became a victim herself when she was murdered, many believe, in retribution for her work. Last Sunday on October 7 Politkovskaya was remembered in many places around the world. Rafto Foundation took initiative for memorial event in Bergen. (10-OCT-07)

On Saturday 6 October global demonstrations of support for Burma were held in many cities all over the world. The Rafto Foundation in co-operation with Amnesty International Norway and the Campaign Committee for Burma in Norway organized a demonstration in the city centre of Bergen. (10-OCT-07)

The demonstrators are chased off the streets, the cameras confiscated, but the suffering continues in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar). Now the activists and their supporters are collected one by one in the night; to imprisonment, torture, death. On Saturday, 6 October there will be global demonstrations of support for democracy in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), also in Bergen. (04-OCT-07)

Anna Politkovskaya was a Russian journalist and human rights activist well known for her opposition to the Chechen conflict and Russian president Putin. On October 7, 2006 she was shot dead in her apartment building. We wish to honour Anna Politkovskaya´s memory this Sunday 7 October, one year after her death, with an event in Bergen at the Rafto Human Rights House.
(02-OCT-07)

A demonstration in support of the peaceful protesters in Burma took place in Bergen on 29 September. Bergen Sosialistiske Ungdom took initiative for a cross-political demonstration against the military dictatorship in Burma to show their support of the monks marching through the streets of Rangoon. Around 200 people joined this demonstration in Bergen. (30-SEP-07)

Venerable Thich Quang Do, right, the 2006 Rafto Prize Laureate, calls on United Nations to take emergency action on Burma and expresses solidarity with Buddhists´ and civilians´ peaceful, democratic protests. In his Letter to the UN Secretary General, Thich Quang Do wrote: “I express the deep alarm of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam on the violent repression of peaceful and democratic protests by the military government of Burma/Myanmar. (28-SEP-07)