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The Rafto Foundation welcomes Bush’s recognition of Rebiya Kadeer and her struggle for democracy and the human rights of the Uighur people. At a conference on democracy and security on June 5, President George W. Bush met with Rafto Laureate Rebiya Kadeer (2oo4) and praised her as human rights defender, an individual who has struggled for freedom, democracy and human rights in the face of tyranny. (JUN-08-07)
 

Freedom House in Seoul launched on 21 May a new report detailing the Kim Jong Il regime´s crimes against humanity. Based on recent interviews with former North Korean political prisoners in the kwan-li-so or “control zone” labor camps, Concentrations of Inhumanity details the criminal acts that are being carried out in North Korea on a massive scale. (30-MAY-07)

Over the last two weeks, Sahrawi students at colleges and universities across Morocco and Western Sahara have been subjected to serious human rights violations. On May 23, 2007 fourty three (43) Norwegian civil society organisations, including the Rafto Foundation, signed a letter to the Moroccan government. On the right – Seltana Khaya (24-MAY-07).

Huseyin Celil (37), Uyghur activist with Canadian citizenship, is found guilty of “terrorist activities and plotting to split the country” by the Intermediate People´s Court in Urumqi. He was sentenced to life in jail and to permanent loss of his political rights. After the sentencing, on 19 April 2007, the People´s Republic of China warned Canada against pressing his case. Canadian government offical say that they are reviewing the verdict and will have a reaction in due course. (23-APR-07)

On 17 April 2007 the People’s Court of Urumchi sentenced Rebiya Kadeer’s son Ablikim Abdureyim (left) to nine years imprisonment for “instigating and engaging in secessionist activities”. According to the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) and the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Project (UNPO) Ablikim was tried in a secret trial. (23-APR-07)

Some were unable to escape from Laayoune and other towns before the Moroccans arrived. Men who managed to get out joined the Polisario independence fighters and sent the women, children and old people to shelter in Tindouf. A 16-year war ended in 1991 and hope grew that the territory would be reunited. The U.N. tried to organise a vote on self-determination, but it never happened. “We want only total, perfect independence, even if I must wait 50 years to see my family again,” says Sidi Mohammed Daddach, the 2002 Rafto Prize Laureate. (17-APR-07)
 

The Rafto Human Rights Series film “On a Tightrope”, portraying Uyghur children an orphanage in the Chinese province of Xinjiang, has been awarded the Short Grand Prix Award at the prestigious Chicago International Documentary Festival. It was the only Norwegian film at the festival which shows more than 100 documentaries from around the Globe. (17-APR-07)

Kahar Abdureyim, right, Rebiya Kadeer´s oldest son, is forced to head Working Group on fines against Kadeer family. A Working Group has been established to oversee the liquidation of the business assets of Rebiya Kadeer’s family in Urumchi, the regional capital of East Turkistan, otherwise known as Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People´s Republic of China. (11-APR-07)

A delegation from the US State Department, including Mr. Eric G. John, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Seth D. Winnick, U.S. Consul General and members of staff paid a visit to Venerable Thich Quang Do (the 2006 Rafto Prize laureate), Deputy leader of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) at the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery in Saigon on April 9, 2007. (10-APR-07)