It's not very often that there can be a blog title like this one. Canadian politics = exciting? What? Where am I? But for once - we've got something going on. I think what is happening now in Ottawa might actually be more exciting than what is happening right now in American politics. What is happening right now in American politics is Obama naming Hilary Clinton his Secretary of State which isn't exciting because everybody already knew it was happening two weeks ago.

Whereas no one in Canada saw this one coming. Bam! The Liberals, NDP and Bloc have all been secretly scheming against our latest Harper government since they all 'lost' to him during an election featuring one of the worst voter turnouts of all time.

If Harper's government tries to pass a budget that includes no stimulus package for the Canadian economy and cuts public funding for political parties they are going to pounce! If Harper's government presents a revised budget they will probably pounce anyways! Bringing down the government in a no-confidence vote and then asking to create a government made up of a coalition of Liberal, NDP and the Bloc when they feel like it.

This is pretty exciting for people who like watching Harper's sneaky plans to establish a Conservative monopoly within Canadian politics blow up in his face.

I like the coalition idea because it's a risk, it's new, it's sticking it to Harper, and it feels more like real politics than anything I've seen in Canada in a long time.

I don't like the coalition idea because it will make Stephane Dion Prime Minister, it will give the Bloc a lot of power to decide which coalition legislation goes through and which doesn't, and it will be unstable in a period where stability would be good.

So it's more like choosing the lesser evil. The stability of knowing you have a sneaky grinch as your Prime Minister. Or the potential of having five bickering 'Prime Ministers' (Dion, Ignatieff, Rae, Layton and Duceppe) and then a swift return to the grinch.

Young Namibians today, cannot deject that the anti colonial struggle for liberation and against apartheid, remains a cogent political and sociological lesson for our times. It might seem that there are some of us who are obsessed with liberation rhetoric, but this is not the case, on the contrary, apart from the historic worth of liberationism, liberationism teaches us real and cogent lessons for our times, such as loyalty, patriotism, determination, hard work and unwavering resolve. It is these values and notions that we invoke today as we set the pace for a new development discourse.

Given the above, the demand and the struggle for opportunities within the nascent economy remains our rallying call. It is from the struggle against anti colonial resistance from which we must draw our inspiration and resolve. The broad based empowerment of the masses of our people, the rural masses in particular, is preeminent in our minds eye as we seek to trudge towards vision 2030 and as we gather for this event. To underestimate the importance of this objective is to undermine the masses who where and are the bedrock of both our previous and present struggles.

The empowerment of young people is within the above ambits and surely it cannot be anything but a just ask, to receive support while we learn, toil and strive for our country. Those institution and persons who steer us towards vision 2030 consider, and apply their minds to creating worthwhile opportunities for young people today and in the future.

Nevertheless while the above remains a paramount objective we must continue to strive, toil and learn, we must strive for what is just fair and in our national interest, we must toil to grow food, build infrastructure and extract the resources which God has abounded this nation with and finally we must learn to perfect means of governance harmony and without seizing perfect the use of technology for our own advancement.

It is only the generations that owns and strives towards its aspirations that can ultimately achieve them

Soon-to-be no longer President of the United States of America. You know you'll miss him.

A few years ago when researching for an essay, whose topic I can't remember anymore, I happened across this passage from a book introduction by Russian sociologist Boris Kagarlitsky and economist Alan Freeman:

"... The globalised world is an imperial one: this fact simply conforms to direct daily experience outside the charmed circles of Western economic fortresses."

It really struck me at the time because it seemed like such a fitting description of the state of things. Instead of classic imperialism there is economic imperialism. And the imagery used in the passage - a 'fortress' - really stuck with me. It seemed to describe a world where there are walls dividing those people who belong to 'charmed circles' - and who are safe and certain within these 'economic fortresses' - and those who live outside the walls, with constant uncertainty and no guarantees. At the time I was particularly obsessed with the fact that it seemed to describe me: a relatively safe and happy person with little idea of what daily life is like for those who aren't lucky enough to be a member of the middle-class in a prosperous country like Canada. And today - Blog Action Day - this passage came back to me again, because today thousands of bloggers will be talking about the 'state of things' described by Kagarlitsky and Freeman: the inequality that exists in our world and the extreme poverty that it produces.

Today the 'Western economic fortresses' seem an especially relevant topic, because the fortresses seem to be shaking - stock markets in New York, London, Tokyo, Moscow, Toronto and elsewhere have spent the last week fluctuating at rates that have never been seen before. This doesn't necessarily mean that the sun is going to stop shining on any of the 'charmed circles' described by Kagarlitsky and Freeman- actually those most affected and hardest hit by an 'economic slowdown', or 'global recession', or 'global financial heart attack', will most likely be those already living with poverty. The same answer applies to the global problems of rising food prices, climate change, and global health threats - like HIV and AIDS, malaria or TB. [Of course calling them 'Western' economic fortresses ignores the poverty that exists inside what are traditionally referred to as 'Western' countries, and there are definitely those living with poverty in both rich and poor countries alike.]

I don't have a particular solution to propose, or action that I think everyone should take, except - if you haven't already - recognizing which side of that divide you might be on. For me, recognizing that was a big step towards getting more informed on the causes of poverty, the proposed solutions, and the biggest threats. Obviously there isn't any big miraculous solution to the issue, but there is always something you can do as an individual, even if it is as simple as recognizing your place within the greater state of things. I think the more you understand about a topic like poverty - not just globally, but within your own community - the more you'll be able to effectively contribute when that opportunity comes along for you to be part of a solution.

[The passage I quoted is from the book 'The Politics of Empire: Globalization in Crisis', pg 27 of the Introduction by Boris Kagarlitsky and Alan Freeman]

Nangola Mbumba said a most profound thing at the recent SWAPO party rally, when he said amongst other, that there is no one entity that has a monopoly for being smart. I was reminded of this rather telling assertion this morning (Monday, the 15th of September, 2008) while listening to Hon Nora Chase MP (COD) on the Good Morning (Namibia) show.

The assertion that was made by her, implied to me that she viewed that SWAPO had failed at several levels and its failures in respect to the implementation of the constitution and consolidation of democracy where with intent.

This is no complicated matter to take issue with, thus I will do so briefly without much ado and jargon jostling. It is obvious that this statement is set against the backdrop of opposition hyperbole and was made without references to an objective measurement of the relevant tools for analyzing this; consider that Africa is abound with various measures in that respect. Consider also that the most fundamental basis always in our reference to ourselves and our relationship with the state, should be a reverence to firstly the constitution and then secondly other law, most things other than those that are codified in our law are arbitrary considerations.

She dully recognizes that the Namibian constitution is a fair and good instrument and that it enshrines the rights of the citizens of this country. However the assertion that the relevant provision in respect to the same are deliberately not adhered to is fallacious and devoid of logic and falls firmly in the ambit of polemic hyperbole. As Bona fide “defenders” of law, justice and democracy, Why then not defend the law in the courts. And seek the necessary legal recourse?

It is not my manner to consistently make reference to
the past in the analyze of nascent challenges, but in many cases we have to realize that there is a sound logical basis for such arguments on the odd occasion and this issue is one case in point. Democratic ideals both for leaders and the ordinary citizens take years and generations to entrench. So it is not odd in the Namibian instance that we have skirmishes. It is purely hogwash to say that SWAPO has not entrenched democracy in Namibia. In the first place while it is granted that SWAPO as the party in government has a major role to play in this endeavor, it is utterly nonsensical to say then that the failure of democracy is the fault of SWAPO.

Recently in the USA during the Texas “Two Step” as well as in the Philadelphia Democratic Primary, there was much uproar on the process its fairness and incidences of voter intimidation arose, even cases of cheating and actual fighting where recorded. Recently in Arkansas, the Democratic Party’s State Vice Chairman was shot and killed outside the parties’ state headquarters, in an attack that was largely seen to be politically motivated. Consider this against the background that even in a nation that is one of the world’s oldest liberal democracies, we do on the occasion react in an inappropriate manner.

My argument here is not that violence and intimidation is right but that it does occur in the process of a heated political race. The second predicate of my antithesis is that Namibia has an entrenched culture of antagonized politics with roots in the cold war era liberation struggle of the country.

In my modest view, we very often misinterpret the relative absence of our personal political values in the political system as unjust, this is wrong, selfish and at often times elitist. Democracy by its very nature presupposes that there are others in the polity that will have different views than that of our own.

Our democracy is young, fragile and in need of further consolidation, our nation is only now consolidating a new political culture and the odd occasional fracas must be condemned but let us please see such occurrences through the right lenses.

SWAPO should and will do its part to defend the gains of our liberation but so should others, the stakes have bearing on us all.

A Message for all women

THIS IS MOVING. HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET.....IF ....WE EVER KNEW......

WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.

Remember, it was not until 1920
that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.

The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed
nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking
for the vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive.
Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing
went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of
'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'


(Lucy Burns)
They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above
her head an d left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping
for air.

(Dora Lewis)
They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her
head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate,
Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack.
Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging,
beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917,
when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his
guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because
they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right
to vote.

For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their
food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.

(Alice Paul)
When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks
until word was smuggled out to the press.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf

So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because-
-why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work?
Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?

Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new
movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle
these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling
booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.

All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the
actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote.
Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege.
Sometimes it was inconvenient.

My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history,
saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk
about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought
kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said.
'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use,
my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger
women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The
right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'

HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history,
social studies and government teachers would include the movie in
their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere
else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing,
but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think
a little shock therapy is in order.

It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade
a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be
permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor
refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.

The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'

Please, if you are so inclined , pass this on to all the women you know.

We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so
hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.

History is being made.

I think if someone were trying to sum up this whole Georgia-Russia-South Ossetia situation then 'Look what I can do!' would be pretty close to it. Because when Georgia started bombing South Ossetia a few days ago it was sort of saying: 'Look what I can do South Ossetian separatist groups and your Russian supporters! I can bomb you until "order is restored"!' Then when Russia retaliated it was sort of saying: 'Look what I can do Georgia! I'm a much bigger military power than you are and I'm not afraid to march right into your country and bomb your civilians right back!' Then Georgia said: 'Go ahead! I'm trying to join NATO and the US and Britain both think I'm great!' Russia: 'Try me!' And so on.

Obviously it's a little more complicated than that.

So did Georgia think that NATO was going to come to its defense? Because in the end - despite all Russian meddling in South Ossetia - (to the best of my knowledge) Georgia reacted with force first. Which to Russia pretty much translates to: 'Bring it on!' Maybe Georgia's President should have taken a good long look at Chechnya before inviting Russia to come on over. He might also want to check out Afghanistan - and then he might have realized that NATO (of which he is not yet a member anyways) is pretty busy at the moment.

Obviously nothing excuses the amount of force used by either side - whatever the situation - and the high amount of civilian casualties, displaced peoples and homes destroyed.


There are a couple of Georgia-Russia Discussion threads on TIG if you want to join in:
Russia-Georgian War in the Current Events Forum and The Conflict in South Ossetia and Georgia in the Peace, Conflict and Governance Forum.


Also if anyone has any sites where first-hand accounts from people in the region are being posted in English please leave me a link!

A week after President George W. Bush signed legislation repealing the travel restrictions placed on HIV-positive individuals visiting or immigrating into the United States Congresswoman Barbara Lee, from California, shared the process that concluded in the repeal with an audience at the XVII International AIDS Conference. The consequences of travel restrictions like those practiced by the United States, and still practiced by many other countries all over the world, were made clear during the question period. One man came forward to express the sense of betrayal felt by those forced out by the restrictions, he had personal experience as a US citizen living in Canada with a partner who is HIV-positive. He still loved his country, he told the panel, but he was ashamed and angry with his government for initiating the repressive legislation that forced him to choose between his country and his partner, as well as for taking 20 years to address it. The XVI International AIDS Conference, held in Toronto in 2006, drew attention to the restrictions. Many HIV-positive individuals faced difficulties traveling to the conference, since many flights into Canada would take them through the US. Congresswoman Lee attended AIDS 2006 and realized that the only way to put the United States on the "correct side of history", on this particular issue, was to abolish the travel restrictions completely, in her words: "Human rights are not won by appeasement or incrementalism." Although repealing the travel restrictions had support from both Democrats and Republicans, as well as a consensus in the medical community that travel restrictions did nothing to protect public health, it was a time when there was hostility towards any immigrant-related reform amongst the general public. However two years later the repeal is a major step forward, although it is not the final step. It is now up to the Secretary of Health to change regulations to reflect the new legislation. HIV must be taken off of the list of diseases that mean inadmissibility to the United States, but Congresswoman Lee is confident that this will happen soon. So confident she has suggested her constituency, Berkeley, California, be considered for the next International AIDS Conference.

Near the end of the session the conversation was brought back around to other human rights areas where the United States is lacking. One woman approached the microphone to congratulate Congresswoman Lee on her role in repealing the travel restrictions, but also to say that she would not personally attend an AIDS Conference in the United States until an apology was issued for all the human rights abuses it commits in other countries. Although using a session on travel restrictions against HIV-positive individuals as a platform for chiding the US on Iraq, or as she put it "marching into other countries" in the name of democracy, seems slightly inappropriate, it is a part of what the conference is about. Congratulating and celebrating to encourage progress, along with questioning and criticizing to show that we have not forgotten what remains to be addressed.

In the early pages of love in the Time of Cholera the masterful Gabriel Garcia Marques uses lucid and brilliant prose to carry a lesson, which I think we would do ourselves well to consider.

When narrating some of Loratio Thugut’s peculiar sexual habits as a novelty of the avant garde to the sexually and emotionally naive protagonist, Florentine Ariza. Marques says specifically …and so Loratio Thugut could never persuade him that watching and letting himself be watched were the refinements of European princes…just as Floretine Ariza could not be bent to forego his values beliefs and principles to the more seductive excceses of his German fiend in the novel. We as young people of the African continent and of Namibia in particular, should avert being seduced by the easy and romantic notions of liberalism and its nascent excesses

The world is not what it seems, the beautiful is often ugly and the ugly is often prettier than its surface reveals, it would seem that truth is no longer determined by the free conscious but by thugery, collusion and the imagery that is invented subjectively and without the consideration of the values of Africans in particular, it shocks me how easily people are willing to forego their independence and liberty for temporary expedience. There are those amongst us, whom have become too comfortable in this pretension of an existence. The current global economic turmoil reveals only that our economies have misplaced priorities and that ultimately it is the poor, the young, old, woman and the rural masses of black Africa that will bear the brunt of this crisis.

We watch with flushed eagerness the resolutions of the summits of the G8, anticipating with salivating reverence that perhaps Bernake, Bush, Straus Kahn, Sarkozy or Fukuda will offer solution to our burden, how futile and foolish this is. Nujoma has taught us and continues to preach food security as a paramount precondition to our cause, we must be able to feed ourselves before all else. Then invest in the education and technological advancement of our people, this is imperative. Failing this, our states will have no choices to make for themselves and we will have no freedom other than the freedom to salivate for more of the same.

Photographers on the first day of the Youth Pre-Conference in Mexico City.

"Let the World Know"
Report of a Seminar on Human Rights and Disability
Almåsa Conference Centre (Stockholm, November 5-9, 2000)
Published by the Office of the Special Rapporteur on Disability
of the United Nations Commission for Social Development © 2001
e-mail: un-spec.rapp@telia.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface and Acknowledgements *

I Introduction *

II Background to the Seminar *

III Timing of the Seminar: An Opportune Moment *

IV Purpose of the International Seminar: From Rhetoric to Reality *

V Organization of the Seminar *

VI General Directions for Mainstreaming the Human Right of Persons with Disabilities *

VII Developing an Overall Structure for Reporting Violations of the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities *

VIII Understanding What Amounts to an Infringement of Human Rights *

IX Building a System for Dealing with Infringements of Human Rights *

X Making it work: Developing Instruments for Documenting Infringements of Human Rights: The Five Working Groups Report *

Documenting Individual Cases *
Documenting Legal Cases/Jurisprudence *
Documenting the Media *
Documenting legislation *
Documenting Programmes, Services and Practices *
XI. Additional General Recommendations to Strengthen the Use of International Instruments on Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities

XII Concluding Remarks: From little acorns great oaks grow *

ANNEX A: List of Participants (including observers, and support staff)

Annex A:
List of Participants (including observers and support staff)
Participants List
Adalsteinsson, Ragnar, Iceland

Attorney at law, chairman of the Icelandic Human Rights Centre
Klapparstigur 25-27, 101 Reyjkavik, Iceland
Phone: 354 511 1206, Fax: 354 511 1207
e-mail: ragnar @ adalsteinsson.is

Aleksandrova, Lyubka, Bulgaria

Teacher, Regional Society for Support of People with Mental Handicaps, branch of Bulgarian Association of People with Intellectual Handicaps
Bulgaria, 3700 Vidin, Sadebna palata, et. 4, st. 53, P.O. Box 118, Information Centre of the Open Society Foundation and the American University in Bulgaria
Phone: 359 94 41913, fax: 359 94 37159
e-mail: osaub_vd @ medianet.bg, lubka @ medianet.bg

Bach-Jensen, Karl, Denmark

Consultant dealing with social development issues and teaching, co-chair of the Danish Association of Users and Ex-users of Psychiatry, LAP (home-page: www.lap.dk)
Langelinie 7, DK 6000 Kolding, Denmark
Phone: +45 7550 2696 or +45 2342 7243
e-mail: karl @ lap.dk

Byrnes, Andrew, Hong Kong

Associate Professor and Director at the Centre for Comparative and Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong
Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
Phone: 852 285 92 942, fax: 852-255 93 543
e-mail: abyrnes @ hkusua.hku.hk

Carlsson, Barbro, Sweden

Former secretary-general of SHIA
Åsögatan 77, 6th floor, S-118 29 Stockholm, Sweden
Phone: 46-8 669 1557
e-mail: barbro.cn @ telia.com

Fefoame, Gertrud, Ghana

Special educationist, vice-chair at the women´s wing of the Ghana Association of the Blind, vice chair of the World Blind Union Committee on the status of blind women, and member of her District Parliament in Ghana.
Ghana Association of the Blind, P.O. Box AC-496, Accra, Ghana
Phone: 233-21-22 09 04, fax: 233-21-233 442
e-mail gab @ africaonline.com.gh,

Frieden, Lex, Rehabilitation International – USA

President Rehabilitation International, senior vice president TIRR – The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
TIRR, 1333 Moursund, Houston, Texas 77030
Phone: 1-713 797 5283, fax: 1-713 799 7095
e-mail: lfrieden @ bcm.tmc.edu

Ito, Akiko, United Nations (New York)

Social Affairs Officer, programme on disability,
Division for Social Policy and Development
United Nations
2 United Nations Plaza, New York 100 17, NY (USA)
Phone: 1-212 963 1996, fax: 1-212 963 3062
e-mail: ito @ un.org
Homepage: www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable

Kabbara, Nawaf, Lebanon

President of Arab Organization of Disabled People. President of the Human Rights Committee of the SocioEconomic Council in Lebanon. Professor of Political Science in Balamand University, Lebanon.
P.O. Box 113-5157 Hamra, Beirut, Lebanon
Phone/fax: 961 1 738296/7
e-mail: nawafk @ cyberia.net.lb

Kallehauge, Holger, Denmark

High Court Judge, president of the Danish Society of Polio and Accident Victims (PTU)
Fjeldhammervej 8, 2610 Rodovre, Denmark
Phone: 45-36 73 90 00, fax: 45-36 73 90 01
e-mail: ptu @ ptu.dk

Kauppinen, Liisa, World Federation of the Deaf, Finland

President World Federation of the Deaf
P.O. Box 65, SF-00401 Helsinki, Finland
Phone: 358 9 58031, fax: 358 9 580 3770
e-mail: wfd @ kl-deaf.fi

Lachwitz, Klaus, Germany

Past secretary-general of Inclusion International, coordinator of Inclusion International´s task force on human rights, managing director of Lebenshilfe Germany; department of laws, social policy and ethical questions
Bundesverinigung für Menschen mit geistigen Behinderung
Raiffeissenstrasse 18, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
Phone: 49-6421491159, fax: 49-6421491213
e-mail: Recht @ Lebenshilfe.de

Leal Ocampo, Roberto, Nicaragua

Director General, Padre de Familia, Inclusion Interamericana, Secretary-General of Confederacion Centroamericana y Caribe de Padres (Concapad),
P.O. Box J-127, Managua, Nicaragua
Phone: 505 265 1810, fax: 505 265 1694
e-mail: rleal @ nicarao.org.ni

Light, Richard, United Kingdom

Lawyer and director of research at Disability Awareness in Action
Disability Awareness in Action (DAA), 11 Belgrave Road,
London SW1V 1RB, United Kingdom
Phone: 44-20 7834 0477, fax: 44-20 7821 9539, minicom: 44 20 7821 9812
e-mail: research @ daa.org.uk

Lindqvist, Bengt, UN Special Rapporteur on Disability, Sweden

P.O. Box 16363, S-103 26 Stockholm, Sweden
Phone: 46-8 453 4022, fax: 46-8 24 88 47
e-mail: un-spec.rapp @ telia.com

Lööw, Lars, Sweden

Lawyer, national disability ombudsman
Handikappombudsmannen, P.O. Box 8009, 104 20 Stockholm, Sweden
Phone: 46-8 20 17 70, fax: 46-8 20 43 53
e-mail: info @ handikappombudsmannen.se

Mac Aodha, Eamonn, Permanent Mission of Ireland, Geneva, Switzerland

Diplomat, responsible for human rights issues at the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations in Geneva
Rue de Moillebeau, 58, 1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland
Phone: 41-22 9191950, fax: 41-22 9191951/2
e-mail: eamonn.macaodha @ iveagh.irlgov.ie

Malinga, Joshua, Disabled People´s International, Zimbabwe

Chairperson International Disability Alliance, DPI chairperson
P.O. Box 2213, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Phone: 263-9 66764/65392/74133, mobile: 11704104,
fax: 263-9 66764/68023/74398
e-mail: pafod @ telconet.co.zw

Mohit, Anuradha, India

Deputy chief commissioner (for persons with disabilities) at government of India.
e-mail: nabdelhi @ del2.vsnl.net.in

Mukasa, Florence Nightingale, Uganda

Sign Language Coordinator, Uganda National Association of the Deaf
Chairperson of Deaf Women Association (Uganda), treasurer of National Union of women with disabilities of Uganda
P.O. Box 7339, Kampala, Uganda, Fax: 256-041 272 563

Nkeli, Jerry, South Africa

Attorney, national commissioner for disability
South African Human Rights Commission,
Private Bag 2700, Houghton, JOHANNESBURG, 2041
Phone: (011) 484 8300, fax :(011) 484 8403
E-mail: jnkeli @ jhb.sahrc.org.za, smserv @ mweb.co.za

Nordström, Kicki, World Blind Union, Sweden

President World Blind Union
c/o SRF, S-122 88 Enskede, Sweden
Phone: 46-8 39 92 55, fax: 46-8 725 99 20
e-mail: kino @ iris.se

O´Hagan, Mary, World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry, New Zealand

Mental health commissioner in New Zealand, founder and committe member of the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry
Mental Health Commission, P.O. Box 12479, Thorndon,
Wellington, New Zealand
Phone: 64-4 474 8900, fax: 64-4 474 8901
e-mail: mohagan @ ihug.co.nz

Rioux, Marcia, Canada

Rapporteur of International Seminar on Human Rights and Disability, research associate Robarts Centre for Policy Studies, York University, advisor on disability policy to the Victoria Government, Australia, co-chair of the National Resource Centre for Inclusive Project, Mumbai, India
York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3
Phone: +-416 736 5499, fax: 1-416 929 3539
e-mail: mrioux @ interlog.com

Rosenthal, Eric, United States

Founder and executive director of Mental Disability Rights International (MDRI)
MDRI, 1156 15th St. NW, Suite 1001, Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone: 1-202 296 6550, fax: 1-202 728 3053
e-mail: Eric.rosenthal @ erols.com

Tebourbi, Myriam, United Nations, Geneva

Human Rights Officer – In charge of the issue of disability in the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais Wilson, Geneva, Switzerland,
UNOG-OHCHR, CH-1211 Geneva 10
Phone: 41-22 917 93 30, fax: 41-22 917 90 10
e-mail: mtebourbi.hchr @ unog.ch

Wahlström, Victor, Inclusion International

Past President of Inclusion International, UN and human rights coordinator – Inclusion International
Tantogatan 67, S-118 42 Stockholm, Sweden
Phone: 46-8 84 51 06, fax: 46-8 84 42 33
e-mail: victor.wahlstrom @ swipnet.se

Observers
Aquiline, Carol-lee, Secretary-General, World Federation of the Deaf

P.O. Box 65, 00401 Helsinki, Finland
Phone: 358-9 580 31, fax: 358-9 580 3576
e-mail: Carol-lee.Aquiline @ wfdnews.org

Burdekin, Brian, special advisor to the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Palais Wilson, Geneva, Switzerland,
UNOG-OHCHR, CH-1211 Geneva 10
Phone: 41-22 917 91 26, fax: 41-22 917 90 21
e-mail: bburdekin.hchr @ unog.ch

Ekman-Aldén, Malin, Secretary-General, SHIA

P.O. Box 4060, S-102 61 Stockholm, Sweden
Phone: 46-8 462 33 60, fax: 46-8 714 5922
e-mail: shia @ shia.se

Granström, Mette, officer in charge, Swedish Committe for Rehabilitation (SVCR)

P.O. Box 510, S-162 15 Vällingby, Sweden
Phone: 46-8 620 17 00, fax: 46-8 739 21 52
e-mail: mette.granstrom @ hi.se

Gussing, Nils, consultant International Disability Foundation

P.O. 3337, CH-1211, Geneve 3, Switzerland
Phone: 41-22 793 9393, fax: 41-22 793 3939
e-mail: gussing @ gussing.ch

Jokinen, Markku, World Federation of the Deaf, Finland

President of the Finnish Association of the Deaf, Vice President of the European Union of the Deaf, Project Coordinator, University of Jyväskylä,
e-mail: markku.jokinen @ kl-deaf.fi, majokine @ edu.jyu.fi

Parker, Susan, board member, International Disability Foundation

Senior adviser in rehabilitation at ILO, Geneva.
120, rte de Ferney, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone/fax: 41-22 733 7183
e-mail: sparkerski @ aol.com

Seminar secretariat
Berg, Susanne, Sweden

Frödén, Anne, Sweden

Ohlsson, Erica, Sweden

Staaf, Erik. Sweden

Åkerberg, Annica, Sweden

Personal assistants, interpreters, and support staff
Abou Khalil, Jahda (assistant – Kabbara)

Brodie, Malcolm, (assistant - Frieden)

Malinga, Ronia (assistant - Malinga)

Marjanen, Kati (sign language interpreter – Liisa Kauppinen)

Nantongo, Prossy Suubi (interpreter – Florence Mukasa, Uganda)

Nordquist, Kaj (translation service)

Ruuskanen, Sirpa (sign language interpreter – Liisa Kauppinen)

Sagström, Eva (office of the UN Special Rapporteur)

Sigander, Noemi (assistant – Susanne Berg)

Many people don’t realize how much is involved in being an Ambassador or public servant. Many takingitglobal members have questioned me about going into public service or international diplomacy or working for the United Nations. The United Nations has many openings and has several departments and job responsibility depending on the department or agency you work for. You need to sharpen your skills in several areas in management, cultural diversity journalism, literature, writing and communications. The most important instrument you will use is your voice and your ability to persuade many people to your cause or what you are fighting to change to be a change agent. If you are in the government sector you will be working for many people and delivering a product to the government. Change takes sometimes many years to happen and sometimes the change agent does not see the change result he or she started. Sometimes only speech is the ultimate weapon and really not your piece of paper. This will probably give you the clout but ultimately it is what you say that will determine along with your actions which will make you a good or poor leader. Advocates act has a wind of change so try not to fight against the current but ride with it

A disturbing development occupies my mind as I write this post, the first post after several weeks of absence. A period during which we in the Namibian Youth Development sector, lost our dear fiend and compatriot Chris Hawala suddenly and tragically.

I have over the last few weeks been aware in the back fissures of my mind that there is a growing insolence both in the SWAPO Party, media and others for the SWAPO Party Youth league, its leadership and its opinions. I have now come to see, that not only is this festering thought real, but I have seen indications that there are those who seem to be willing to use all manner and means to make known their disdain for the SWAPO Party Youth league.

It now seems that the issue that is at the root of this rancorous backlash is preeminently the Zimbabwe crisis. It is totally acceptable that in the course of a debate, that we influence and synthesize each other views, it is also acceptable that we dissect the opinions of others and often expose the fault lines in such arguments, it is even occasionally suitable to differ strongly and publicly where such differences are acute, but what is certainly not tenable is for foreign Ambassadors to our country to determine the views of the countries leadership on its young people. It is very disturbing that some in the top echelons of our countries leadership are developing an aversion for the Youth league its leaders and opinions, based solely on the positions they hold on certain issues.

If anything this reaction is the antithesis of liberal democracy which seems to be the growing mantra amongst those who lead our party and country, SWAPO party despite it clear oscillation towards scientific socialism and Panafricansim, in its party constitution seems to be in practice a broad church, similar to what the ANC likes to profess of itself. It seems to me that the vagueness outside the parties’ constitution and political program is the cause of the hyper myopia, identity crisis and allergy that some have for the written and expressed ideological positions of the Party, which the youth league seeks to defend. The Youth league has said and done nothing outside of this framework, thus this undeclared war on the league and its leaders seems have a deeper and more sinister genesis than seems apparent.

Does anyone else find the spotlight image for the Fitness and Sport page hilarious? It puts a smile on my face every single time I see it. Seriously - it's really brightening up my week.

Hi Everyone,

On behalf of The Earth Charter, I'd like to invite you to share your stories and/or photographs for a chance to get published. Please see details below:

Have you ever experienced moments of deep connection with the world around you? Do you have stories or photos that illustrate the oneness of life? We warmly welcome you to become part of the Earth Charter Oneness Book Project...

THE CALL:
Earth Charter International invites you to reflect upon moments when you have suddenly felt a deep sense of oneness or connection with the world around you. We are seeking personal stories and photos on this theme of connection from a great diversity of ages, cultures, religions, and walks of life. Submissions will be selected from every region of the world, and published in a book to be released internationally in 2009. For full details and the Youtube version of the Call, please visit: http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/publication. Please share with us your voice, your images, and your inspiration!

THE QUESTION:
The question we are inviting you to respond to has two parts: When have you experienced moments of unexpected connection or oneness in your life, and how has this feeling inspired and sustained your vision, hope, and action for a better world?

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
Stories and photos that come out of your personal experience and speak to unexpected moments of connection. This connection could be with anything that has inspired in you a feeling of oneness – with a culture, a stranger, a mountain, a community, or a passing butterfly. These may stem from experiences of the everyday or the extraordinary, from a random encounter that expanded your sense of connection to a defining revelation in your life. Ultimately, we want to hear about those moments of connection that have had a meaningful impact on your everyday life. Stories should be 1-4 pages in length (500-2400 words). Full details are available at www.earthcharterinaction.org/publication.

WHEN IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS?


Send in your submissions by August 15th, 2008 (12 midnight GMT) for first priority consideration.

HOW TO SUBMIT?
Visit http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/publication for full rules, guidelines, and instructions.

WHO ARE WE?
The Earth Charter is a widely recognized, global consensus statement on ethics and values for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful future. You can find out more at www.earthcharter.org.

CONTACT PERSON (for Singapore):
For queries, please get in touch with Jacques DM Gimeno at jacqyves@pmail.ntu.edu.sg, mobile number 81385744.