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The Rafto Foundation has received information that Ablikim Abdureyim (right),  the son of the 2004 Rafto Prize laureate and Uyghur democracy leader Rebiya Kadeer, is in dire medical condition in Bajiahu prison near Urumchi, the regional capital of East Turkestan, also known as Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People’s Republic of China (13-DEC-07).

The fourth annual conference on the EU, Republic of Turkey and the Kurds took place in the EU Parliament in Brussles from 3-4 December. The Rafto Foundation in Bergen was one of the main organizers of this event. Leyla Zana (right), the 1994 Rafto Prize laureate opened the event. The EUTCC reflects on two days of valuable dialogue and debate (06-DEC-07).  

SUPPORT THE RELEASE OF ALL PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE IN BURMA. The Rafto Foundation in cooperation with Amnesty International Norway, Exile Burmese and Save the Children Norway arrange a mass demonstration for Burma on Monday, 10 December at Torgallmenningen at 13:00 (05-DEC-07).

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)