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Burmese diaspora pays tribute to victims of the cyclone Nagris
This afternoon, many of the 2100 Burmese living in Norway paid tribute to the dead and expressed concerned for the survivors of the cyclone Nagris that recently hit Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), to devastating effect. The public moment of mourning arranged in front of the Norwegian parliament was also a protest against tomorrow´s totally undemocratic referendum on a new constitution in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar). (09-MAY-08)
NBC highlights the HR aspects of the cyclone disaster
A natural disaster doesn´t in itself amount to a violation of human rights. It is the authorities´ handling of the situation that sometimes does. This certainly applies to the current situation in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), argues Marte Graff Jenssen, right, the Norwegian Burma Committee´s (NBC) information officer. (07-MAY-08)
COHRE calls for urgent action to protect housing rights in Burma
The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) today called on the Burmese regime to immediately allow international relief agencies unrestricted access to Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), to deal with the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the cyclone that hit the country on 2 and 3 May 2008. (07-MAY-08)
Governments should not endorse vote on new constitution in Burma
-Burma’s May 10 referendum on a new constitution is a sham process aimed at entrenching the military, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a new report released today. -So far all independent reports tell the same story. HRW’s report is just one more reason why the people of Burma should tell the regime ‘NO’ in the upcoming referendum, says Marte Graff Jenssen, information officer in The Norwegian Burma Committee (NBC). (01-MAY-08)
Somalians in Norway to demonstrate against Oslo summit
The International Contact Group (ICG), a loose network of countries trying to affect the situation in the Republic of Somalia meets in Oslo tomorrow to discuss the political process, the security situation and the humanitarian conditions in the country. To address ICG´s disputable role, representatives of many of the different Somali organisations in Norway will demonstrate outside the meeting. (29-APR-08)
-Regarding Kurdistan, Turkey is at a watershed
Remzi Kartal , right, Vice President of Kongra-Gel, the Kurdish National Congress, visited the Human Rights House in Oslo on Friday, and painted a bleak picture of the situation in Kurdistan. Kartal, who lives in exile in Belgium, has spent time in prison and cannot go back to Republic of Turkey. Like his fellow political representative Leyla Zana, he once presented his oath to the Turkish parliament in Kurdish. (28-APR-08)
Burma: Press forbidden to refer to campaign for a No on new constitution
Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association are outraged by the methods being used by the military government to prevent the media from freely covering the views and activities of the supporters of a No vote in a 10 May referendum on a new constitution. -Let the press and the public discuss the draft constitution, says Marte Graff Jenssen, right, of the Norwegian Burma Committee. (24-APR-08)
Radio stations jammed, websites hacked, media restrained in Tibet
Reporters Without Borders called yesterday for the foreign news media to be allowed back immediately into Tibet and nearby provinces with a Tibetan population, where the Chinese authorities have maintained a news blackout and have been conducting a massive propaganda campaign for the past six weeks. (24-APR-08)
What is the most important? A flame or the lives of human beings?
This was the question left hanging in the air by Kesang Takla, right, Tibet’s Minister for International Relations, in her press conference at the Human Rights House in Oslo today. Takla further emphasized that the official Tibetan position is not that the Olympics should not have been held in the People´s Republic of China, or that the rest of the world ought to boycott the forthcoming Summer Games, but that each participating individual and nation should listen to their conscience and act accordingly. (16-APR-08)