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‘Humanitarian disaster zone’: Gaza hospital capacity decimated

By
United Nations News
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‘Humanitarian disaster zone’: Gaza hospital capacity decimated – WHO
© WHO - An injured Palestinian child is rushed to Al Shifa hospital in Gaza. (file)

The last barely functioning hospital in northern Gaza is a “humanitarian disaster zone”, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, highlighting the disastrous consequences of ongoing Israeli bombardment for critically ill and injured civilians across the enclave.

Briefing reporters from Gaza, Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, described corridors overflowing with trauma patients at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, where doctors treat people on the floor and fuel, oxygen, food and water are scarce.

In just 66 days of fighting, the Strip has been transformed from a “reasonably functioning health system” producing health indicators “on par with neighbouring countries” to a situation where more than two thirds of its 36 hospitals and over 70 per cent of primary health care facilities are out of commission, Dr. Peeperkorn said. 

Meanwhile WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva that the Kamal Adwan Hospital – also in the north – was being “forcefully evacuated” on Tuesday morning, according to Gaza’s health authorities. Some 68 patients including 18 in intensive care and six newborns are reportedly at the site, alongside thousands of displaced people seeking safety. The hospital has been surrounded by Israeli troops and tanks for days, with armed clashes reported nearby, UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said. On Monday, the hospital’s maternity department was reportedly hit during shelling and two mothers were killed.

Mission fraught with ‘serious incidents’

Amid sky-high humanitarian needs in Gaza’s devastated north, Al-Ahli Hospital is severely short-staffed, Dr. Peeperkorn said, with over 200 patients but only enough resources to support 40. Unable to perform vascular operations, staff are carrying out limb amputations “as the last resort to save lives”.

Last Saturday a WHO-led UN and Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) convoy encountered “serious incidents” during a mission to deliver trauma and surgical supplies for 1,500 patients to the hospital and transfer 19 critical patients and their companions to Nasser Medical Complex in south Gaza, the UN health agency said.

Detention at gunpoint

Dr. Peeperkorn described the numerous obstacles faced by this mission, including inspections at the Israeli military checkpoint at Wadi Gaza on the way north, where two PRCS staff were detained for over an hour. According to a statement released by the UN health agency on Tuesday, “WHO staff saw one of them being made to kneel at gunpoint and then taken out of sight, where he was reportedly harassed, beaten, stripped and searched”.

The WHO medic stressed that “nobody can be detained when they are part of a medical mission” and emphasized the fact that such vital humanitarian missions “cannot afford any delays”.

Dr. Peeperkorn said that arriving in north Gaza, which now “looks like a wasteland”, the humanitarians saw many people in the street surprised at the sight of the convoy, as there had been very little aid access to the north of the enclave for months now.

Deadly delays

Upon entering Gaza City the aid truck with the medical supplies and one of the ambulances which were part of the convoy were hit by bullets, WHO said, and on the way back towards southern Gaza, with the patients from Al-Ahli Hospital on board, “the convoy was again stopped at the same checkpoint, where PRCS staff and most of the patients had to leave the ambulances for security checks”. 

Critical patients remaining in the ambulances were searched by armed soldiers, and one of the same two PRCS staff temporarily detained earlier on the way in was taken for interrogation a second time. Significant delays ensued and “PRCS reported afterwards that during the transfer process, one of the injured patients died, as a result of his untreated wounds”, WHO said.

After his release later that night “after joint UN efforts” the PRCS staff member said that he had been beaten and humiliated, then “left to walk towards the south with his hands still tied behind his back, and without clothes or shoes”.

Health system ‘must be protected’

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed on social platform X on Tuesday his concern about “prolonged checks and detention of health workers that put lives of already fragile patients at risk”.

“The people of Gaza have the right to access health care,” he insisted. “The health system must be protected. Even in war.”

Disease on the rise

The scale of displacement in the Strip, where some 1.9 million people, the vast majority of Gaza’s population, have been forced to flee their homes, and conditions in overcrowded shelters including the lack of proper sanitation, have led to a massive increase in diseases, Dr. Peeperkorn said. There were already some 60,000 cases of diarrhoea in children under five and more than 160,000 cases of acute respiratory infections. Scabies, skin rashes, chicken pox and even meningitis are on the rise, alongside severe trauma and spinal injuries.

Meanwhile health workers lack basic essentials and are “completely preoccupied by the safety of their families”.

The UN health agency official stressed that it was imperative to make the primary healthcare system functional again and bring back maternal and child health, obstetric care, treatment for non-communicable diseases, oncology and mental health support among others.

More hospital beds in Rafah

In the south, which Dr. Peeperkorn called the “backbone” of Gaza’s health system, on Monday the Palestine Red Crescent Society began preparations for establishing a field hospital in collaboration with the Qatari Red Crescent Society, in Rafah governorate. WHO said that the hospital is set to have 50 beds, including an operating room, intensive care unit, reception and radiology. 

The UN health agency stressed the importance of adding hospital capacity in the enclave. According to Gaza’s health authorities only one per cent of Palestinians injured in hostilities, or some 400 people, have so far been evacuated outside of Gaza for hospitalization through the Rafah border crossing. 

Close to 50,000 people have been injured in Gaza since 7 October and some 8,000 of them require “urgent and immediate medical intervention”, WHO said. 

Read more:

Desperation intensifies for Gazans amid uncertainty of ‘safe zones’

MEPs propose lead candidate system rules ahead of European elections

By
European Parliament
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MEPs propose lead candidate system rules ahead of European elections
Parliament has proposed ways to maximise the impact of people’s choice and voter turnout © European Union 2019 - Source: EP 

On Tuesday, Parliament adopted its proposals to strengthen the democratic dimension of the 2024 elections, and for the lead candidate system.

The report, which received 365 votes for, 178 against, and 71 abstentions, calls for measures to boost voter turnout during the 6-9 June 2024 elections beyond the increased figures recorded in 2019. Parliament’s focus is on maximising the impact of electoral campaigns, the post-electoral procedure for the establishment of the next European Commission and the election of its President, and ensuring all citizens can exercise their right to vote.

The day after the elections

MEPs demand a clear and credible link between the choice made by voters and the election of the Commission President. The process should depend on securing a majority in Parliament in line with the Lisbon Treaty, they say, and that backroom deals at the European Council should stop. MEPs want a binding agreement between Parliament and the European Council to ensure that European political parties and parliamentary groups begin negotiations on a common candidate immediately after the elections and before the European Council makes a proposal.

The lead candidate of the party with the most seats in Parliament should lead the process in the first round of negotiations, with Parliament’s President steering the process if needed. MEPs also expect that a ‘legislature agreement’ should be made between the political parties and groups, as a way of securing a majority in Parliament, as a basis for the Commission’s work programme, and as a guarantee, to European voters, of a coherent follow-up to the elections.

Increasing participation and safeguarding the right to vote

Parliament is also urging the Council to swiftly adopt the new European electoral law and new rules for European political parties and foundations, so that at least the latter are applicable for the 2024 campaign. National and European political parties should carry out their campaigns in line with EU values and with enhanced visibility for the European dimension of the election.

To ensure all EU citizens can exercise their right to vote, member states should introduce measures for easier access to information and voting centres for people with disabilities. MEPs also want to encourage the engagement of European citizens from specific categories, such as those living in another EU member state or a third country, and the homeless. Other recommendations seek to shield the elections from foreign and internal interference via more robust safeguards and measures against disinformation. MEPs welcome the deal reached by the co-legislators on rules on the transparency and on targeting of political advertising, and acknowledge the important role that Parliament’s institutional information campaign has, in liaison with civil society organisations, in contributing to the debate on European policy issues and complementing the parties’ campaigns.

Quotes

Co-rapporteur Sven Simon (EPP, DE) commented: “Voters need clarity on how their vote will affect the choice of the people and policies of the EU. Unlike in 2019, we must not make promises we cannot keep. The lead candidate process needs to become credible again. Whoever is elected President of the newly formed Commission requires a clear mandate from the voters and a majority in Parliament.”

Co-rapporteur Domènec Ruiz Devesa (S&D, ES) said: “We have paved the way for recommendations to the European political parties to strengthen the European dimension of electoral campaigns ahead of the 2024 elections. We need to make the European political parties’ logos and their public messages more visible. We would also like to see concrete post-electoral procedures to increase the visibility of the role played by the European political parties in electing the Commission President and strengthen the electoral rights of all European citizens.”

In adopting this report, Parliament is responding to citizens’ expectations expressed in the proposals of the Conference on the Future of Europe – namely, proposals 38(3), 38(4), 27(3), and 37(4) on enhancing the link between citizens and their elected representatives, , and tackling disinformation and foreign interference.

Several women have accused a Georgian metropolitan of sexual assault

By
Newsroom
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An investigation by “Free Europe” gathered the testimonies of five women who were victims of sexual assault by a high-ranking Georgian cleric over the past ten years.

One of the women was fifteen years old at the time. It is about the Metropolitan of Akhalkalaki and Kumurdo Nikolay (Pachuashvili). This is the first time that several women have publicly accused a high-ranking member of the Georgian Orthodox Church of sexual harassment.

Four sexual assaults described in the investigation took place during youth sports expeditions in Javakheti, for which Metropolitan Nikolay was responsible. The camp was advertised as an opportunity for a two-week vacation when young people could help the churches and monasteries of the Akhalkalak Diocese. “Participants get to know the local culture, architectural monuments, go on excursions, film screenings are held… Participation in the expedition is free!”, says the camp’s advertisement.

Only one of the women, Lela Kurtanidze, has told her story with her name, because she decided to file a lawsuit against the senior cleric for sexual assault and abuse of office despite the passage of time. She claims: “I owe it to the dozens of women who may find themselves in this situation.” The other four women in the investigation have told their stories, but anonymously, and will not press charges.

The girl, who was then nineteen years old, claimed that she had several sexual relations with the clergyman, who was then forty-eight years old. He was able to convince her that it was “another kind of spiritual connection that the others should not know about.” After ten years, the young woman managed to overcome the shock of what happened and stated that, despite the expired statute of limitations, she wanted to file a lawsuit against the senior cleric. Today, she assesses his behavior as a gross manipulation of his spiritual authority and power in the diocese. The woman suggests that what happened to her happened to many other women.

The authors of the Free Europe investigation met with Metropolitan Nikolay (Pachuashvili) when three of the women’s interviews were completed. He stated that “an accusation which has not been lawfully examined is defamatory and contains the indicia of a crime, therefore it cannot participate in the discussion of such defamation.” In the end, however, he agreed to talk to the journalists on the condition that they did not record the conversation. He admits that he knew one of the women and actually taught her to swim during a summer camp ten years ago. He emphasizes that his engagement with this youth camp is with the “blessing of the Patriarch of Georgia”: “With the blessing of the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, His Holiness Ilia II, since 2001 student expeditions have been held in Javakheti, in which several thousands of young people. Many of them are successful and famous people today. I still remember many of them, especially those who participated in the first ten to fifteen years, when I directly led the expeditions.

Metropolitan Nicholas states that he selflessly helps many people and this is his duty as a clergyman, and he will let his actions speak for his words. In fact, a number of people, including one of his victims, confirmed to journalists that the senior cleric in question helped people inside and outside the country for training and treatment. “However, this cannot be an indulgence for the harm he has also inflicted on dozens of women and young girls,” said one of the women.

The day before the publication of the article, the publication notified the Metropolitan Nikolay also said that journalists “participate in something bad and that it seems that a wave has risen again against the Church, but may God judge the liar and the unrighteous.”

Specialists in criminal law and church canonists commented to the media that there will be no church sanctions against the accused hierarch. The Georgian Church has had a commission since 2011 to investigate such moral issues, but it does not actually meet. In 2021, a large number of materials collected by the services and compromising a number of senior clerics were leaked, but they remained without consequences and not a single church case was filed on leaked information.

Kindergarten in Germany removes Christmas tree and sparks debate

By
Guest Author
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The management does not want to plant a tree “in a spirit of religious freedom”, headlines the regional newspaper BILD. Secretly set up in the middle of the night: A Christmas tree and presents stand in front of the Mobi daycare center in the Lokstedt district of Hamburg - where there is actually nothing

The management does not want to put up a Christmas tree “in a spirit of religious freedom”, headlines the regional newspaper BILD

By Ivan Dimitrov

A decision by a kindergarten in the Lockstedt district of the large northern German city of Hamburg not to put up a Christmas tree this year “so that no child feels left out” was reported in a major German daily and quickly became a national topic of comments. It caused a wave of protests and negative comments towards the management of the children’s center, which was forced to defend itself. According to the private school, they have only put up a Christmas tree three times in the past ten years because they “don’t want to be confined to one religious tradition”, but this didn’t cause any backlash until this year, when there was a “wave of backlash” against them. of hatred’, as they put it.

As a sign of protest, near the kindergarten in Lokstedt district, unknown persons have secretly placed a Christmas tree in a place accessible to people. Although the management of the neighborhood kindergarten decided that, out of “respect for religious freedom”, the traditional Christmas tree would not be placed in a prominent place, some Christians violated the order and put up the Christmas tree at night, decorated it and even put presents under it. Also as a protest, shopping centers for Christmas decorations have sent Christmas trees to the children’s institution.

The case was also commented on by public figures and politicians. The former Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner wrote that the children’s institution in question should be consistent in its policy and continue to work during the Christmas holidays. Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder also commented on the scandal: “This is absurd! Don’t we have other problems? There should be a Christmas tree at Christmas!”.

It is noted that this and similar decisions are part of the so-called “cancel culture”, that they are unacceptable for a multicultural city like Hamburg, which claims to include and represent the most diverse cultural traditions. “The Christmas tree is part of the secular Christmas, not so much a religious symbol,” says one of the comments. “Religious people will celebrate Christmas without Christmas decorations, but the secular Christmas that is part of our culture is unthinkable without this symbolism.”

There is no information whether the city authorities will leave the Christmas tree or remove it so as not to annoy other believers and non-believers. According to some media, the matter would be discussed in the municipal council.

Short address of the original publication: https://dveri.bg/d84ua, December 11, 2023.

Javier Milei and Victoria Eugenia Villarruel were sworn in as President and Vice-President of Argentina

By
Newsdesk
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Photo credit: Senado de Argentina

The presidents were sworn in at the Congress of the Nation where the oath and ceremony of transfer of power to Milei took place, with the presentation of the Presidential Sash and Baton by the former President, Alberto Fernández.

The Legislative Assembly began at 11:14 a.m., with the customary ringing of the bell, and was presided over by the outgoing Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who, accompanied by the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Martín Menem, and the outgoing Parliamentary Secretary of the Senate, Marcelo Fuentes, welcomed the presidents and former presidents of Argentina, legislators, governors, foreign delegations and guests to the Chamber of Deputies.

At the beginning, the interior and exterior reception committees were formed to receive the president-elect on his arrival in Parliament, and a fourth intermission was held until Milei and Villarruel entered the chamber.

The Foreign Affairs Commission was composed of the following senators: José Emilio Neder, Alfredo Luis De Angeli, Gabriela Valenzuela, Ezequiel Atauche, Enrique De Vedia and deputies: María Graciela Parola, Julio Pereyra, Marcela Pagano, Gabriel Bornoroni, and Francisco Monti.

The Interior Committee was made up of the following senators: Marcelo Lewandowski, Eugenia Duré, Victor Zimmermann, Lucila Crexell, Juliana Di Tullio, and deputies: Gladys Medina, Andrea Freites, Javier Santurio Rodríguez, Lorena Villaverde and Cristian Ritondo.

Javier Milei arrived at Congress at 11:46 a.m. and was received by Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the President of the Chamber of Deputies Martín Menem together with the legislators of the commissions.

Milei and Villarruel proceeded to sign the Books of Honour of the Honourable Senate of the Nation and the Chamber of Deputies of the Nation, in the “Salón Azul”.

Then, Milei and Villarruel looked at the original copy of the National Constitution and went to the Chamber of Deputies to take the oath, as is customary, before the Legislative Assembly.

The outgoing vice-president invited Milei to take his oath in front of the senators and deputies of the Nation. From the centre of the podium, he read out his oath. The President did it for God, the Fatherland and the Holy Gospels”.

Subsequently, the outgoing President Alberto Fernández entered and proceeded to hand over to his successor the presidential attributes, the sash and the baton. He then left the room.

Afterwards, Fernández and Milei signed the corresponding act together with the Notary General of the Nation.

The Vice-President of the Nation was then sworn in “by God, the Fatherland, the Holy Gospels”, and ended by saying that “God, the Fatherland, demand it of me”.

Finally, the new vice-president Victoria Eugenia Villarruel took the floor and expressed that “on behalf of the president Javier Milei and myself, I would like to thank each one of you for your presence, for accompanying us on this historic day. It is a moment that will remain in our hearts and we want to thank you for this gesture of accompanying us from all countries and provinces”. And he closed the Assembly.

After the swearing-in, Milei, who became the eighth elected president since the restoration of democracy in 1983, went to the steps of Congress to deliver his first speech.

National and international leaders and former leaders took part. Among those present were Felipe VI (King of Spain); Jair Bolsonaro (former President of Brazil); Viktor Orbán (Prime Minister of Hungary); Volodímir Zelensky (President of Ukraine); Gabriel Boric (President of Chile); Luis Lacalle Pou (President of Uruguay); Daniel Noboa (President of Ecuador); Santiago Peña (President of Paraguay); Luis Arce Catacora (President of Bolivia); Vahagn Kachaturyan (President of Armenia); Santiago Abascal (leader of VOX, Spanish political party); Jennifer M. Granholm (Secretary of the US Department of Energy); Weihua Wu (Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China) and David Rutley (British Minister in charge of the Americas).

Also in attendance were the head of the Buenos Aires government, Jorge Macri; the governors of Entre Ríos, Rogelio Frigerio; of Mendoza, Alfredo Cornejo; and of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof; former presidents Eduardo Duhalde and Mauricio Macri. Also, the president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Horacio Rosatti, together with his colleagues Ricardo Lorenzetti and Juan Carlos Maqueda.

First published at the Senado de Argentina.

Leonardo Pereznieto, Maestro of Realism, Mentor to over 1 Million

By
Juan Sanchez Gil
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Leonardo Pereznieto in a studio, for a video interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeVlJh61M_0

In a world where abstract art often dominates gallery walls and news headlines, the hyperrealist visions of Leonardo Pereznieto stand out for their technical mastery and emotional resonance. Since picking up his first pencil as a child in Spain, Pereznieto has dedicated his life to perfectly capturing the beauty of the world around him and sharing his craft with budding artists across the globe.

Born To Draw

Pereznieto showed artistic talent from a very young age, filling sketchbooks with observational drawings of people and places. As a teenager, he began formal art training, honing his skills in drawing, painting, and sculpture at Madrid’s prestigious Art Center. Pereznieto then continued his studies at the Florence Academy of Art, widely considered one of the world’s top programs for representational fine art.

Throughout his student years, Leonardo Pereznieto challenged himself to translate three-dimensional reality onto the two-dimensional picture plane with exacting realism. His tireless studies of human anatomy, plant life, landscapes, still lifes, and architecture all furthered his ability to recreate visual phenomena down to the most precise detail. Light, shadow, texture, movement — every component had to be perfect.

Flickr channel of Leonardo Pereznieto : https://www.flickr.com/photos/leopereznieto/

Pereznieto’s diligence soon paid off with illustrations and paintings that seem to leap off the page, depicting their subjects with a level of realism bordering on photographic. And yet, his work moves beyond technical precision to activate the imagination and touch the soul. Subtle symbols and provocative themes inspire viewers to forge their own connections and interpretations.

Global Exhibitions of Leonardo Pereznieto

Since completing his studies, Pereznieto’s hauntingly lifelike drawings, paintings and sculptures have been displayed in exhibitions across Europe and the Americas. Last year, his solo show at the ABLE Fine Art Gallery in New York was met with critical acclaim, solidifying his status as one of today’s preeminent hyperrealist artists.

Highlights of Leonardo Pereznieto’s body of work include monumental graphite drawings like “The Journey,” depicting refugees in a boat gazing ahead with hope; emotionally charged paintings such as “Young Harmony,” featuring children of diverse backgrounds playing music together; and imaginative bronzes including “Window of Hope,” in which a young girl looks longingly through a stone aperture.

While varied in subject matter, Leonardo Pereznieto’s art uniformly marries technical excellence with symbolic resonance. He often incorporates themes of human rights, environmentalism and social justice, allowing the viewer to extract deeper meaning from the breathtaking aesthetics of his work.

Master Mentor

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== Leonardo Pereznieto, Maestro of Realism, Mentor to over 1 Million

In addition to creating award-worthy drawings, paintings and sculptures, Pereznieto strives to pass on his skills to new generations of artists. He teaches in-person workshops around the world and also shares his expertise in bestselling books and popular YouTube tutorials.

Published in 2020, Pereznieto’s book You Can Draw! takes artists through key techniques via step-by-step demonstrations.

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== Leonardo Pereznieto, Maestro of Realism, Mentor to over 1 Million

Enthusiastic readers praise the text for unlocking realistic renderings in graphite, colored pencil and charcoal through straightforward explanations of lighting, proportion, texture and more.

His 2022 follow up, Basics of Drawing, cements core competencies like sketching frameworks, geometric forms and one-point perspective for absolute beginners.

Meanwhile, over 1 million subscribers tune in to Pereznieto’s eponymous YouTube channel to pick up tips for recreating metals, glass, water, gemstones and other tricky substances. Pereznieto breaks down each element in digestible videos aimed at self-learners.

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== Leonardo Pereznieto, Maestro of Realism, Mentor to over 1 Million
Leonardo Pereznieto, Maestro of Realism, Mentor to over 1 Million 5

Through these varied learning tools, the soft-spoken Pereznieto acts as a nurturing mentor rather than strict taskmaster. Aspiring artists around the globe consider him an inspiring guide into the foundations of classical representational technique as well as contemporary hyperrealism.

In his own words

Art is my life, and creating for me is like breathing.
I express myself through drawing, painting, sculpture, and digital media. I seek to capture the splendor of the human spirit, the beauty, and the sensuality of the female figure and nature in a way that mirrors and, at the same time, idealizes visual reality. I strive to capture unforgettable moments and dreams in many of my works.
I create contrast by combining different types of mark-making. I finish the faces, hands, and subjects I want to emphasize with great detail, color, and contrast. At the same time, the rest of the figures and the background are often made with bolder strokes, making them subdued or blurry, inviting the viewer to spend more time on the key areas. 
I intend to preserve the best of visual tradition by emphasizing technical skill, beauty, and passion while keeping up with the times by using new media, being sensitive to our contemporary public, and creating original forms. 

Continuing to Inspire

Now entering his mid-40s, Pereznieto continues to perfect his craft while uplifting the next wave of artistic talent.

Fans can gain insight into his creative process and view new works in progress via Instagram updates from his home studio in Madrid. He engages with commenters and offers words of wisdom to those seeking feedback.

As accolades and auction prices continue rising for Pereznieto’s drawings, paintings and sculpture, he remains committed to keeping excellence in representational art accessible through open discourse with his devoted followers.

Standing apart from fleeting fads, Pereznieto’s sublime illusions have cemented his legacy as a contemporary master. And through his far-reaching educational initiatives, realism itself now looks more durable than ever.

Metsola, “If we are not to stagnate, we cannot be afraid of change”

By
Newsdesk
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Court of Justice ruling on the “rule of law conditionality” mechanism

In her speech, President Metsola said:

En ce moment crucial de relance, de réforme et de réimagination de l’Europe, les valeurs de paix, de justice, de liberté et de dignité humaine resteront fermement ancrées au fondement de tout ce que nous avons construit et de tout ce que nous continuerons de faire. C’est ce qui nous distingue en tant qu’Européens

Pour tracer une voie véritablement équitable et juste, des efforts bien plus importants doivent être déployés pour transformer ces valeurs en avantages concrets pour nos peuples. Qu’il s’agisse de la transition verte ou de la transition numérique, notre travail consiste à veiller à ce que nos politiques soient suffisamment ambitieuses pour relever les défis auxquels nous sommes confrontés. Cela signifie qu’ils doivent travailler pour les gens.

We are at an inflection point that will determine the path we are to take. There are no easy solutions, but they are decisions that we must take. Europe must meet this moment.

My fear is that if we get this wrong, if we ignore when people are telling us that they are worried, we will see a re-rise of the extremes.

My appeal to you today is to join me in this critical moment of reimagining and reforming our Europe. To reject the temptation of easy cynicism that takes over so quickly. Have your say on how you want our Europe to look like.

On Israel:

The reality on the ground is horrific, tragic and desperate.

I visited the sites of the atrocities and met with grieving survivors. I expressed Europe’s solidarity, urged for the release of hostages and reiterated our rejection of terrorism.

I underlined that how Israel responds matters, how Hamas is stopped matters, and that we must work together to mitigate the humanitarian consequences to innocent people in Gaza.

Europe stands against hate. We stand against terrorism. It is absolutely condemnable. Hamas must be stopped. Full stop.

It is also entirely correct to voice our concerns and desperation at the unfolding crisis in Gaza, that has seen too many innocent lives lost.

Standing proudly and strongly against terror and doing everything possible to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are not mutually exclusive. That’s why we insist on respect for international law. Why we do everything we can to protect innocent lives.

On the EU´s role in the world:

We must reinforce our role in the world by becoming stronger and more united on the global stage.

To do this we need to work on building-up a global democratic alliance of trusted partners and friends.

That entails a continued commitment to stand firmly alongside Ukraine. With the situation in the Middle East dominating the headlines, Putin is expecting our political, humanitarian and military support to waiver. We cannot allow fatigue to set-in. This remains as much about Ukraine’s security as it is about ours.

Security, defence and migration should be high on our reform agenda. Work must start immediately to build a real security and defence Union. One that complements NATO without competing with it. Member States must continue with efforts to increase defence spending.

If we want to ensure the longevity of our project and the security of our way of life, we simply need the resources to back it up. The current geopolitical climate is proof of that.

On migration:

After a decade of deadlock, we are now at a point where we can charter a way forward.

More work needs to be done to close loopholes between a negative asylum decision and a return decision especially after what we have seen a few days ago in the heart of Brussels.

We are closer than ever. So let me assure you of the European Parliament’s unwavering commitment to finalise this legislative package by the end of our mandate.

You can find the full speech of President Metsola here.

MEP Maxette Pirbakas calls for the immediate reinstatement of Barbara Olivier-Zandronis

By
Gaston de Persigny
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0

MEP Maxette Pirbakas condemns the treatment of a journalist by RCI Guadeloupe. In a press release issued on 11 December, Maxette Pirbakas, Member of the European Parliament, expressed her outrage at the removal of journalist Barbara OLIVIER-ZANDRONIS from the airwaves of RCI Guadeloupe.

According to Ms Pirbakas, the decision follows an interview she conducted on 8 December with a candidate on the election campaign trail. She believes that Barbara OLIVIER-ZANDRONIS was dismissed by her superiors “for her professionalism and the quality of her contributions” during the interview.

The MP condemned the “brutal treatment” meted out to the journalist as well as an “arbitrary act of authority that defies press freedom” by RCI Guadeloupe. She also found the radio station’s justification for removing the journalist from the airwaves to be “clumsy” and “unfounded”.

As a Member of the European Parliament for Overseas France and national president of the RPFOM, Pirbakas condemns the “dismissal without serious reason” of Barbara OLIVIER-ZANDRONIS. She is calling for her “immediate reinstatement” on RCI Guadeloupe.

For the time being, the management of the public radio station has not officially reacted to this scathing statement by a leading political figure.

Full statement by Maxette Pirbakas:

I am stunned by the brutal treatment inflicted on journalist Barbara OLIVIER-ZANDRONIS, on RCI Guadeloupe, following an interview with a candidate on the election campaign trail on 8 December. Faced with the pugnacity of the journalist, who appears to have taken her interviewer at his word, the management of RCI unfortunately chose the path of “gratuitous repression” by removing from the air a presenter of RCI’s 13h programme who is appreciated by the public and her colleagues for her professionalism and the quality of her contributions.

The clumsy, unjustified and unfounded response by the media’s management to justify an arbitrary act of authority that defies press freedom seems to make RCI, contrary to what its deputy director Hervé de Haro claims to AFP, not an “opinion radio station” but a “politicised and biased radio station” that defies journalistic ethics.

In my capacity as Member of the European Parliament for Overseas France and National President of the RPFOM, I denounce the dismissal of Mrs Barbara OLIVIER-ZANDRONIS for no serious reason, and I add my voice to all those who have spoken out to demand her immediate reinstatement.

Signed in Strasbourg on 11 December 2023

Elections in Bangladesh, Massive arrests of opposition activists

By
Willy Fautre
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0
Mamun Ismail, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The government led by the Awami League is claiming to commit to free and fair general elections due to take place on 7 January 2024 while simultaneously the state authorities are filling prisons with members of the political opposition and are responsible for using excessive force, enforced disappearances, torture and extra-judicial killings.

The country’s main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies have decided to boycott the election saying it will be rigged by the ruling Awami League (AL).

The opposition demands that the government resigns and transfers power to a neutral caretaker administration to oversee the polls, but it has been strongly rejected by the Awami League.

Massive repression during the election campaign

Since the mass political rally organized by the BNP on 28 October against the ruling government, led by Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, at least 10,000 opposition activists have been arrested. Many others have fled their homes to avoid arrest and have gone into hiding. There is no more room left in the prisons, according to Human Rights Watch, which says that at least 16 people have been killed and over 5,500 people have been injured.

At the end of November, Nahid Hasan, a reporter for the news website Jagonews24.com was attacked in the capital Dakha while he was reporting on a clash involving students of the ruling Awami League. The aggressors were Tamzeed Rahman, a local leader of the Awami League’s Youth Wing with about 20-25 men. They grabbed him by the collar, slapped and beat him until he fell to the ground where they continued to kick and stomp on him. This was the latest episode so far of a series of attacks on media people by supporters of the 14-party alliance led by Awadi League.

Attacks, surveillance, intimidation and judicial harassment of the press over the past several years have led to widespread self-censorship in the media.

Over 5,600 cases related to freedom of expression, including those of prominent journalists and editors, are still pending under the much-criticised draconian Digital Services Act, according to the United Nations.

UN concerns about mass arrests

On 13 November, the UN Human Rights Council completed its periodic review of the human rights situation in Bangladesh during which dozens of NGOs complained about the egregious violations of human rights by the Awami-led government.

On the next day, 14 November, Ms. Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Mr.Clément Nyaletsossi Voule; Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; and Ms. Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, denounced the severe crackdown against workers demanding fair wages and political activists calling for free and fair elections. They also condemned judicial harassment of journalists, human rights defenders and civil society leaders, as well as the failure to reform laws suppressing freedom of expression.

The statement of the UN Special Rapporteurs was in line with another UN declaration on 4 August 2023 denouncing pre-election violence, calling for police “to refrain from excessive use of force amid recurring violence and mass arrests ahead of general elections.” According to a UN spokesperson, “Police, alongside men in plain clothes, have been seen using hammers, sticks, bats and iron rods, among other objects, to beat protestors.”

Concerns of the United States

In September 2023, the United States began imposing visa restrictions on Bangladeshi officials found responsible for “undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.” The US could also consider additional sanctions against those with command responsibility for the abuses being carried out now. The principal target of these sanctions is the ruling Awadi League party, the law enforcement forces, the judiciary and security services.

With this measure, the Biden administration remains consistent with its policy towards the Awami-led ruling government. In 2021 and 2023, it left Bangladesh out of the two “Summit for Democracy” events, although it had invited Pakistan (ranking lower than Bangladesh on various democracy indexes, including Freedom House’s Freedom in the World Index and the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index). 

On 31 October, US Ambassador Peter Haas declared “Any action that undermines the democratic elections process – including violence, preventing people from exercising their right to peaceful assembly, and internet access – calls into question the ability to conduct free and fair elections.”

In early November, Awami League leaders repeatedly threatened to beat or kill Haas.

Concerns of the European Union about the elections

On 13 September, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, delivered a speech on behalf of High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell about the human rights situation in Bangladesh stressing that “the EU remains concerned over the reports on extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in Bangladesh.”

She stressed that the EU joins the United Nations’s calls for an independent mechanism to investigate enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Bangladesh should also allow a visit by the United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances. 

On 21 September, the European Union decided not to send a full team of observers during Bangladesh’s upcoming national elections citing budgetary constraints.

On 19 October, the EU officially informed the Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh that it will send a four-member team to observe the upcoming national election, according to The Business Standard. According to the letter sent through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the team will visit Bangladesh from 21 November 2023 to 21 January 2024 to observe the polls.

The EU did not send any observers in the last two national elections in 2014 and 2018 won by the Awadi League. In 2014, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the largest opposition party, boycotted and will do it again in January 2024.

The EU had sent a full-fledged mission in the 2008 elections when it deployed the largest international observation mission in Bangladesh with 150 observers from 25 EU Member States, plus Norway and Switzerland.

Several foreign governments have repeatedly called for free and fair elections in Bangladesh.

Trade relations between the EU and Bangladesh as a tool of possible soft power

Due to the commercial privileges granted to Bangladesh, the EU has the capacity, beyond its formal hopes and wishes, to urge its government to guarantee free and fair elections.

The EU works closely with Bangladesh in the framework of the EU-Bangladesh Cooperation Agreement, concluded in 2001. This agreement provides broad scope for cooperation, including human rights.

The EU is Bangladesh’s main trading partner, accounting for around 19.5% of the country’s total trade in 2020.

The EU imports from Bangladesh are dominated by clothing, accounting for over 90% of the EU’s total imports from the country.

The EU exports to Bangladesh are dominated by machinery and transport equipment.

Between 2017 and 2020, EU-28 imports from Bangladesh reached on average €14.8 billion per year, which represents half of Bangladesh’s total exports.

As a Least Developed Country (LDC), Bangladesh benefits from the most favourable regime available under the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP), namely the Everything But Arms (EBA) arrangement. EBA grants the 46 LDCs – including Bangladesh – duty-free, quota-free access to the EU for exports of all products, except arms and ammunition. Human Rights Without Frontiers urges the EU to energetically use its soft power to put in balance Bangladesh’s respect of human rights ahead of the elections and its commercial privileges.

Historic Visit, European Sikh Organization Gains Support for Recognition within the European Union

By
Juan Sanchez Gil
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0

In a groundbreaking event on December 6, history was made as a Sikh delegation, accompanied by members of the European Sikh Organization, was extended a warm welcome at the European Parliament. This significant development marked the first time Sikhs were officially invited to the European Parliament, where promises of support for the recognition of Sikhs within the European Union were made.

The Sikh delegation, with its registered office in Vilvoorde, was acknowledged by some members of the European Parliament as exemplary residents and citizens of Europe. This recognition, in part, can be attributed to the efforts of Member of the European Parliament Hilde Vautmans from the Open VLD party. Vautmans, who resides in Sint-Truiden—a region with a notable Sikh population—has emerged as a champion for the Sikh community, pledging her assistance in securing recognition for Sikhi not only in Belgium but across the entire European Union.

Vautmans’ commitment to the cause was underscored by her supporting of the Sikh community in gaining recognition for their faith in Belgium and throughout the European Union. Her connection with Sint-Truiden, a city where many Sikhs have chosen to call home, has further fueled her determination to champion their cause on the European stage.

The Sikh community’s spokesman and chairman, Binder Singh, expressed satisfaction with the positive reception they received at the European Parliament. Singh, at 40 years old, emphasized the importance of continued support for the Sikh community in various areas, enabling them to practice peacefully the teachings of Guru Nanak Saab while preserving their unique identity in European countries.

“We continue to look forward to support in all areas so that we can spread the message of Guru Nanak Saab in the European countries with our own identity. Our purpose is not change noboddy’es religion, but to contribute to the enrichemnt of the societies where we live” remarked Singh. This statement encapsulates the broader aspiration of the Sikh community—to share the profound teachings of their Guru while maintaining their distinct cultural and religious identity.

The recognition and support from the European Parliament represent a significant step forward for the Sikh community’s efforts to establish a more prominent presence within the European Union. It not only validates their contributions as residents and citizens but also acknowledges the richness of Sikh culture and the importance of integrating it into the diverse fabric of Europe.

Sikhs have a long history of migration and settlement in various parts of the world, contributing significantly to the cultural tapestry of the regions they inhabit. The European Sikh Organization‘s visit to the European Parliament signifies a desire for deeper integration and recognition, highlighting the need for a comprehensive understanding of Sikhism and its values.

As Europe continues to embrace its multicultural identity, acknowledging and celebrating the diversity of its residents becomes paramount. The support extended by MEP Hilde Vautmans and her colleagues is not just a political gesture; it reflects a commitment to inclusivity and a recognition of the positive impact the Sikh community has on European society.

While Sikhs have been an integral part of European communities for many years, the recent visit to the European Parliament opens new avenues for dialogue and collaboration. It provides an opportunity for lawmakers to gain a deeper understanding of Sikh values, fostering an environment where the Sikh community can thrive while staying true to its heritage.

The recognition of Sikhi in Belgium and the broader European Union is not just a legal or administrative matter; it is about acknowledging and respecting the rich cultural and religious tapestry that Sikhs bring to the European mosaic. The European Parliament’s promise of support signifies a step toward ensuring that Sikhs can practice and promote their faith freely, contributing to the diversity that defines Europe.

As the Sikh community continues to navigate the path towards recognition, the engagement with the European Parliament serves as a catalyst for broader conversations about diversity, religious freedom, and the importance of preserving cultural identities within the European Union. The positive response from parliamentarians sets a precedent for future collaboration and understanding between the Sikh community and European institutions.

In conclusion, the historic visit of the European Sikh Organization to the European Parliament, accompanied by a supportive Sikh delegation, marks a significant milestone in the journey toward recognition within the European Union. The promises of support from MEP Hilde Vautmans and her colleagues signal a positive shift, fostering an environment where Sikhs can proudly practice their faith and contribute to the vibrant cultural tapestry of Europe. As the dialogue continues, this event paves the way for a more inclusive and diverse European Union that cherishes and celebrates the richness of its multicultural communities.

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