Featured documentary: India Reborn

Ex-Guantanamo Bay detainee is released

After seven years without trial, Guantanamo Bay Prison detainee Binyam Mohamed has been released from the controversial prison.

I'm aware the when David Hicks was released, there was an enforced media ban on him which prevented him from speaking publicly about his ordeal.

Since, his release - Mohamed's lawyers have requested that President Obama release documented evidence (including photographs) which detail abuse and torture inflicted upon Mr. Mohamed during his incarceration.

My question is: Can Binyam Mohamed sue the United States government? If so, on what grounds?

Through their eyes: The Darfur Genocide

I've recently signed up to be a member of The Hub which is the world's first participatory site where individuals, groups, networks and organisations can bring their stories of human rights abuses and draw the attention of citizens worldwide. Members can upload videos, photos or make comment on posts. It's a great site - volunteers all over the world with acclaimed human rights advocacy organisations such as Amnesty International make frequent postings as well.

Well, so we all know that George Clooney didn't rock up to this year's 81st Annual Academy Awards...instead he was briefing U.S. President, Barack Obama and Vice President, Joe Biden on the ongoing conflict in Darfur, Sudan. This genocide has been going on for a few years now and the fact that someone of George Clooney's celebrity and association with the United Nation's (he is a U.N. Messenger of Peace) brings great publicity before this modern day genocide went off the radar. You would have thought that world would have taken a more firm stance in the aftermath of Rwanda.

The Sudanese government has time and again denied supporting the mass killings and atrocities that have been instigated by the Jajaweed Militia, however, witnesses continue to raise claims about Government helicopters being used in the assault against innocent civilians. To difuse the Government's rejection of any involvement, video below is a shocking testimony from four alleged perpetrators who have been involved in the Sudan crisis - one was a senior officer in the Sudan Army Force, one a high-ranking Janjaweed commander, another a Janjaweed footsoldier, and the last a Sudanese soldier. In this video you see the genocide through the eyes of these four men. They give very key details about who were financiers behind some of the attacks through to detailed accounts of some of the attacks. The stories of these four men make a direct link between the accounts of witnesses claims and their own experiences in the lies that the Sudanese government has been telling the world over and over again. Phil Cox, an independent film-maker who assisted in the production of this film states the importance of this footage as being "the first time that the people can see a Sudanese, Arabic-speaking, high-ranking commander saying that 'We did this.' It never happened before." In a nutshell, the testimonies of these four alleged perpetrators could be used against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and others if this case was to go the the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Watch the video here.

Related articles:

Group releases film allegging Darfur war crimes - International Herald Tribune
Shocking video testimony from Darfur perpetrators (Aegis Trust) - By Samir Padania, The Hub online

Get it right, Buai Chewer

(Mustard, Betel Nut, and Lime)

This post in retaliation to an article posted in the Post Courier's Viewpoint Section entitled "Get right NCDC with your buai ban" by Buai Chewer:

"...Your supporters can then go around and collect the rubbish in their trucks twice a day and while doing so the public is educated on how to dispose of their rubbish properly instead of going around in convoys harassing people".
Read the full article here.

I agree with Buai Chewer that more bins need to be located in smart spots - locations where betel nut chewers can easily dispose of the betel nut shell itself instead of throwing it on the ground and littering public areas. One thing I've noticed (and I'm sure every other Moresby-ean) is the spilling of 'red blood' on our streets and walkways. This 'red blood' itself isn't actually 'human blood' but the product of a chemical reaction between the lime, mustard and saliva in the mouth. If not swallowed, a lot of betel nut chewers usually spit this out of their mouths onto our walkways and from their moving vehicles onto our roads. If the purpose of the betel nut ban is to promote cleanliness and hygiene in Port Moresby, in order to also prevent betel nut chewers from ruining our pathways and especially our roads, (1) all buai chewers on our PMVs (Public Motor Vehicles) should be refused entry on all our PMVs if they are chewing betel nut. (2) NCDC should also enforce all betel nut chewers to carry a plastic bottle (for example only) to spit into instead of smearing betel nut spittle publicly.

"Buai selling (betel nut selling) is their lifeline and as soon as they are deprived of their income..." - Buai Chewer

Growers, PMV operators and village people will not be affected by the betel nut ban - they can still grow, distribute and supply betel nut vendors! The current betel nut ban only restricts WHERE betel nut vendors can sell betel nut. They still can sell betel nut - just not on public property. This is legally enforceable because first of all, betel nut sellers who sell betel nut in public places do not pay the people that the NCDC contracts to clean up the streets. By restricting betel nut vendors to sell betel nut only on private property reduces the costs that the NCDC has to cough up paying street cleaners and also gives the responsibility of cleaning entirely up to the betel nut vendor. Which is very fair. Think of it as a form of 'corporate responsibility' - only on a smaller business scale. In addition, the fact that NCD govenror, Mr. Powes Parkop has established a taskforce of enforcement officers - they aren't mobilised to 'harass' people as Buai Chewer suggests. Yes, they may be intimidating but this is not unlawful harassment. These betel nut sellers know it is illegal to sell betel nut in public places.

By banning the sale of betel nut in public places - there is only a slight change (as opposed to complete difficulty) in terms of moving and purchasing betel nut, I've made a few suggestions to make purchasing betel nut, more 'efficient' for betel nut lovers:

• know your 'suppliers' and their location. Liase with them. Get their mobile numbers if you're that desperate. If you can't go to them, let them come to you! Most importantly, know where they live so you can go to their house and buy it. This all sounds very hilarious but I can't figure out anything more practical. It shouldn't prove too difficult as there is a high probability that there is at least one betel nut vendor who alread resides on your street/has a betel nut stall on their property.


• Buy in BULK. Simply, less trips and frustration in finding and locating your supplier.
  

Buai Chewer, I suggest you start to not only stop thinking selfishly, but start acting responsibly. If you haven't noticed, the Health Department, other NGOs as well as the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) have spent millions to educate citizens on how to dispose of their rubbish properly in paid TV, radio and print media. The argument that spending K80,000 so that "the public is educated on how to dispose of their rubbish properly" is a reckless argument. Obviously, lazy and ignorant people have failed to comprehend one-line advocacy campaigns such as "Please Help Keep Port Moresby Clean". It's time to toughen up.

Yes Buai Chewer, betel nut is here to stay, but please be smart and responsible.
Enough is Enough.