Arcadia Foundation

The recently concluded U.S.–China human rights dialogue presents an opportunity to reflect on the nature of bilateral engagement with China. Just as intended when such dialogues were masterminded, the recent discussion was a quiet, deferential affair with no outcome: an empty gesture, indicative of an American foreign policy strategy in complete disorganization when faced with a partner on such equal footing.

Thirteen years ago, in March 1997, China threatened trade sanctions against countries that continued to cosponsor the annual U.N. Human Rights Commission resolution on China—a public, periodic reminder of the human rights problems extant in the People’s Republic.

This was part of a shift in the Chinese Communist Party’s response to those who criticized its human rights practices after the Tiananmen Massacre of 1989. Previously, governments had addressed rights violations in China with a combined approach of diplomacy and public censure, bilaterally, and multilaterally.

What changed was a cessation of public censure and multilateral action as a quid pro quo for bilateral dialogue. Engagement became the buzzword. The driver of these changes was, of course, Beijing, “with the objective of eliminating multilateral pressure,” observes NGO, Human Rights in China (HRIC).
Read Full Paper

The Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart has written an intriguing article on the proposed law in Uganda that would criminalize homosexuality, an issue we’ve discussed here on the blog and in conversations with one of the leading international opposers to the bill, British MP Peter Tatchell. A commission created by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has recommended that the legislation be withdrawn. According to Mr. Capehart, “all the international outrage that the horrific bill whipped up is having an effect.”

Ugandan lawmaker Adolf Mwesige led the commission and, according to the New York Times, “said that virtually all clauses in the legislation were either unconstitutional or redundant, and that any other clauses should be placed in another bill dealing generally with sexual offenses.” Mwesige told the paper, “If we proceeded, it would definitely provoke criticism, and rightly so.”

Indeed, international outrage and criticism from human rights groups and objections from major donors like Sweden, prompted the Kampala government to be wary of the bill. In mid-January Museveni issued a statement distancing himself from the bill. He appointed a cabinet committee to review the bill. On May 7, the committee recommended that the bill be withdrawn.

Read Full Paper

Bolivian workers began an indefinite strike yesterday to demand higher pay in a challenge to leftist President Evo Morales, who has previously enjoyed strong support from the poor country’s unions.

Miners and other workers in the mineral-rich Andean country joined the walkout called by the leading Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) umbrella union to protest a 5 percent government pay offer, but the impact of the nationwide strike appeared limited.

“This is a struggle for our basic rights,” said Pedro Montes, a COB mining leader, at the head of a 200 km (125 miles) protest march from the highland town of Caracollo to the capital La Paz that began just before midday.

Morales’ government played down the effect of the strike. “There’s no stoppage in the country. Things are proceeding normally,” said Presidency Minister Oscar Coca.

Read Full Paper

Denis MacShane is a Labour MP and was minister for Latin America in the Blair administration. Below he asks why Brazil’s President Lula da Silva, who once stood for human rights, now stands with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

You don’t remember me but we met now and then nearly 30 years ago when you were an inspiration to labor movements around the world. Your struggle to create a strong, independent trade union in Brazil helped take your country to its democratic future.

I wrote articles about the great workers’ rights movement in the ABC region around Sao Paulo, where you organized strikes for fair pay and decent labor conditions. Proto-globalization helped you. European companies like VW and Renault had opened plants in Brazil. Your appeals for solidarity from European comrades were transmitted via the International Metalworkers Federation where I worked in exile from Margaret Thatcher’s anti-labor England. Read Full Paper

It’s possible, says retired Air Force Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, the U.S. special envoy to Sudan, acknowledging that preparations for a critical element of the peace accord, a referendum on independence for southern Sudan, are behind schedule. Many analysts fear that southern Sudan’s secession could result in renewed fighting.

His recommendation? “To redouble our efforts,” adding “we can’t waste another minute.” The situation seems that pressing. If the referendum lapses, there would be little left to compel parties to come together again without putting new compromises on the table, as the situation certainly has evolved.

Options to address the situation so far have included whether or not Secretary Clinton or Ambassador Susan Rice need to take a more “visible role” in order to elevate importance among Americans. Another suggestion has been to put even more senior officials directly in charge of Sudan policy. Gration said he agrees with the analysis of Adm. Dennis C. Blair, the national intelligence director, that of all the countries likely to experience an outbreak of violence in the next five years, “a new mass killing or genocide is most likely to occur in southern Sudan.”

Read Full Paper

The treasurer general of Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Roy Bennett, a longtime opponent of President Robert Mugabe, was acquitted yesterday of all charges, including terrorism, his lawyer said.

Judge Chinembiri Bhunu found Bennett not guilty of all charges: banditry, sabotage, terrorism and insurgency.

“He is now a free man,” lawyer Trust Maanda said. Bennett could have faced the death penalty.

“I hope that sanity is now creeping into the system and we can now start concentrating on delivering better lives for the people of Zimbabwe,” Bennett told reporters from Harare.

The latest in what could be the shocking conclusion of the Bennett saga may bode well for rule of law in the former breadbasket of Africa. If the judiciary mechanisms are now sane, oiled and running, not stale and rusted from political paralyzation and secret shadow committee initiatives, foreign investment may slowly start to funnel in.

Read Full Paper

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe made a surprise showing at Africa’s biggest business meeting in Dar es Salaam yesterday to appeal for investment. He also tried to downplay the highly controversial indigenization laws which (among other dated atrocities) will undoubtedly stifle much needed-investment, rendering 51% ownership of any organization or business operating in Zimbabwe and earning $500,000 annually to black Zimbabweans.

He was accompanied by members of the fractious coalition government.

Mugabe dismissed investor worries about new ownership laws -

“People have said it will drive away investment. We say it won’t,” Mugabe said.

“Companies have been forthcoming … I don’t think it’s a painful thing for them – 49% is a lot,” he told reporters.

Read Full Paper

Stolen votes, emblematic of a much larger illegitimate government which calls itself “democratic” was a topic of outrage among international spectators and Sudanese citizens alike on the 26th of April 2010.

It stems from evidence of vote-fixing in the nation, all to ensure current President Beshir comes to power in North Sudan. His ascension to power effectively defeats any legitimate defiance by previous leader President Omer towards the International Criminal Court’s warrant to arrest him and thus further separating Northern Sudanese political groups. Evidence of the election tampering was prolific enough to spark widespread boycotting of the elections among the vast majority of Northern Sudan. Why has this resulted in calls of endorsement let alone support from France and Egypt?

Read Full Paper

UGANDA – Recently, Arcadia Foundation President Betty Bigombe participated in a service to mark the 15th anniversary of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) massacre of over 200 people in Atiak sub-county in 1995.

The Atiak massacre was not only one of the biggest in post Independence Uganda, but also particularly shocking in how a community member can kill his own people at will. It followed warnings by Mr Kony to “punish the Acholi people for refusing to support us.”

Ms. Bigombe later donated sh100,000, money to help in the construction of Atiak Lwani Memorial College, which was built in rememberance of the dead. In total, sh2m was raised.

Read Full Paper

In a unanimous decision, the 15 member UN Security council today decided to extend the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) for another year (until April 30th, 2011) “with the intention to renew it for further periods as may be required,” the Council said. The implications of instating goals without deadlines run the risk of incrementally introducing ill defined objectives. Quite simply, a goal without a deadline is just a dream; without setting specific time limits, the UN might run the risk of complicating its objectives further.

The Council stressed the importance of the “full and expeditious” implementation of all elements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended 20 years of fighting between the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) separatists in the south and the national Government in the north. However, without absolute deadlines, UNMIS might not be able to make measurable steps towards defining and accomplishing success in Sudan.

Read Full Paper