Briefing the UN Security Council, Volker Türk ran through a long list of rights abuses, saying that many “stem directly from, or support, the increasing militarisation of the DPRK.”
His argument was reinforced by the UN independent human rights expert Elizabeth Salmón who told ambassadors that leaders of the DPRK – more commonly known as North Korea – have repeatedly demanded citizens “tighten their belts” to the point of starvation in some cases, “so that the available resources could be used to fund the nuclear and missile programmes.”
High Commissioner Türk noted how the widespread use of forced labour, including in political prison camps, by children forced to collect harvests and the confiscation of overseas workers’ wages, all support Pyongyang’s imperative to “build weapons.”
The Council met just over a month ago to discuss the “alarming and unsustainable” situation across the Peninsula, which is also impacting nearby countries such as Japan, following what was DPRK’s fourth intercontinental ballistic missile launch of the year.
The UN rights chief began his briefing noting the dire state of human rights there, which underpin not only security, but humanitarian action and development.
Rarely has DPRK been more “painfully closed” to the outside world than it is today, triggered by border closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Information gathered by his office, OHCHR, “including through interviews and from public information issued by the Government itself, indicates increasing repression of the rights to freedom of expression, privacy and movement; the persistence of widespread forced labour practices; and a worsening situation for economic and social rights due to the closure of markets and other forms of income generation.”
Since the shutdown, “only a handful” have managed to leave the North, he said.
Help ‘rebuffed’
Although DPRK has said it is open to international cooperation to help end a food supply and nutrition crisis, offers of humanitarian support “have been largely rebuffed” said Mr. Türk.
The UN Country Team remains barred amid the border closures, along with almost all other foreign nationals. He said the return of the Country Team and new partnership framework, “would be crucial to advancing coordinated work to address the suffering of the people”.
He called for accountability for victims of rights abuses, both via the International Criminal Court and via “truth-telling, the recovery of remains and reparations programmes.
Thousands of North Koreans remain at risk of being repatriated involuntarily, he said, where they may face torture and arbitrary detention. He urged all States not to send citizens home, “and to provide them with the required protections and humanitarian support.”
“Sustainable peace can only be built by advancing human rights, and its corollaries: reconciliation, inclusion and justice”, he concluded.
Crucial role of women for peace
The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in DPRK, Ms. Salmón, highlighted the precarious situation of women and girls there, beginning with vulnerability to starvation, disease, and lack of available healthcare.
“Women are detained in inhuman conditions and are subjected to torture and ill-treatment, forced labour and gender-based violence by State officials”, she told ambassadors in the Council.
She said they needed to consider peacemaking “beyond the absence of violence or fear of violence.”
“The preparation for any possible peacemaking process needs to include women as decisionmakers and this process needs to start now.”
She said “clear benchmarks” on human rights were an essential element of any negotiations.
“I call upon the Security Council to place the protection of human rights at the centre of a reinvigorated peace and security agenda.”
The UN rights chief expressed grave concerns for the people of Niger. “The people have already been through so much hardship over the years. Now, the very people who they elected to build a pathway to end their destitution have been removed by force,” he said.
The message comes as the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) called for a humanitarian corridor out of Niger to be established urgently, for stranded migrants.
This call was echoed by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative on the ground, Stefano Savi, in an interview with UN News.
He called for a reopening of the border so that humanitarian supplies and more urgently needed humanitarian staff could be admitted to meet rising needs.
He said it was imperative to allow in vaccines stranded at humanitarian hubs.
“We have the vaccines just awaiting the reopening of the airspace. You know, those vaccines are essential to carry out vaccine campaigns.”
In the first half of 2023, more than 60,000 migrants travelled through Niger. IOM said that recent border and airspace closures have led to overcrowding in its centres, where thousands of migrants are hosted as many wait to return home.
According to the Organization, in 10 days, departures for over 1,000 migrants, primarily from Mali and the Republic of Guinea, were cancelled or postponed. Meanwhile, around 1,800 migrants are awaiting assistance outside IOM transit centres, which host around 5,000 people at seven transit point strategically positioned along migration routes.
Chronic food insecurity
From the UN human rights office, OHCHR, spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani noted that Niger was one of the poorest countries in the world, with nearly half of the population living on less than $2.15 a day and millions reliant on humanitarian assistance.
She deplored that the country’s people have been forced to endure “even more misery” following the attempted coup, which has triggered border closures, trade interruptions and a surge in food prices.
Even before President Mohamed Bazoum was seized by some of his guards in the 26 July power grab, over three million people were chronically food insecure, according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and close to half of all children under five were suffering from chronic malnutrition.
The OHCHR spokesperson reiterated Mr. Türk’s call for “full and free access for humanitarian assistance” to allow “critical food, medical and other relief supplies into the country”.
Freedom at stake
Ms. Shamdasani added that there had been a “very worrying” clampdown on civic space in Niger, which was impacting freedom of expression and public assembly. This included allegations of intimidation against journalists and bans on international media outlets.
She also noted that recently there has been a “deeply troubling” pattern of unconstitutional changes in government by military forces across West Africa – the Niger putsch being the sixth in the region in the past three years.
In his statement, Mr. Türk also raised concerns about the announced decision by Niger’s military leaders to prosecute President Bazoum and others working with him for high treason.
“This decision is not only politically motivated against a democratically elected President but has no legal basis as the normal functioning of democratic institutions have been cast aside,” he said.
“The very notion of freedoms in Niger is at stake,” the High Commissioner continued, insisting that generals “cannot take it upon themselves to defy – at a whim – the will of the people. Rule-by-gun has no place in today’s world.”
Electrification seems to be the future for heavy transports. But this places new and high demands on planning for vehicle use and charging. In collaboration with Scania and Ragn-Sells, researchers at Linköping University have launched a project with the final aim of developing calculation software for planning routes for electric trucks.
Two trucks on a road – illustrative photo. Image credit: İsmail Enes Ayhan via Unsplash, free license
In Sweden alone there are currently about 85,000 heavy goods trucks on the road, almost all of them diesel-powered. Most are owned by haulage companies tasked with delivering and collecting goods at many different locations at specific points in time while driving as economically as possible.
Maximising heavy transport vehicle fleet efficiency requires advanced route planning based on mathematical optimisation models and large-scale calculations.
But the heavy transport sector is facing a change, with electrification at its centre, making earlier route optimisation models obsolete.
Charging an electric car – illustrative photo. Image credit: Tommy Krombacher via Unplash, free license
“Planning will be more sensitive. Planning for traditional vehicles hasn’t required taking into account how far a full tank will get you. You only had to refuel quickly at the next petrol station and continue. Electric vehicle transport involves many more parameters, which makes route planning calculations more advanced,” says Elina Rönnberg, senior associate professor in the Department of Mathematics at Linköping University, LiU.
Dynamic methods
Factors that may affect the planning of a route include location of charging stations, number of vehicles charging at a given time, weather, driving style, accidents, etc.
With heavy transport haulage companies needing to plan the routes for a whole vehicle fleet, up to 40 electric trucks to be used as efficiently as possible, the scope of calculations increases further.
“If you’ve planned a route and the weather gets colder than you expected, this will affect the range, and you might not reach the next charging station. This means that the methods we are developing must also be dynamic, as external circumstances impact these vehicles more,” says Daniel Ljung, associate professor in the Division of Vehicular Systems.
Heavy transport, truck, sustainable transportation – artistic impression. Image credit: Sven Brandsma via Unsplash, free license
Scania is not only a project partner and one of the financers of the project, but also one of the world’s largest truck producers. They see a demand for electric heavy vehicles. But before production is tailored to meet demands, they need to know the opportunities for and challenges of electrified heavy transport.
“Our customers depend on reliable and efficient heavy goods trucks and electrification has the potential to lower costs. However, they are more expensive to purchase and more complex to manage. Thusly, more advanced software is needed but so far there are no algorithms that can handle the necessary complexities. That is why more research is needed,” says Viktor Leek, engineer and project manager at Scania.
Electric Heavy Transport Utilisation
The final aim of the project is to develop calculation software for planning routes for a fleet of electric heavy vehicles.
“The software should be able to provide both rough overall planning, plan individual routes in detail, and make adjustments when parameters change. It should be an aid in the electrification, a tool for doing this in a good way. We are pleased that we can combine industry needs with academia’s knowledge about vehicles and large-scale calculations. In this way, we link theory and practice to make a tangible difference for the good of society,” says Elina Rönnberg.
The name of the project is Condore (Customer Oriented Operations Research for Electrification) and it has a total budget of SEK 27 million.
Scania and the Swedish Energy Agency have contributed equal funding. At LiU, two doctoral students are active in the project: Svante Johansson, industrial doctoral student in the Division of Vehicular Systems at the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Lukas Eveborn, doctoral student in the Department of Mathematics’ group Mathematics and algorithms for intelligent decision-making.
In the first article of this series, I discussed the cooperation between the special anti-trafficking Argentinian agency PROTEX and the professional anti-cultist Pablo Salum.
This article was originally published by Bitter Winter under the title “Anti-Cult Repression in Argentina 2. PROTEX and Pablo Salum” (18 August 2023)
It is time for the U.S. Department of State, USCIRF, and other international institutions to condemn human rights and freedom of religion abuses by PROTEX.
The latter’s favorite technique is to interview and weaponize so-called “survivors” and victims of any religious or belief community, that he labels with the magic repulsive word “cult,” and to publicize their—unverified—declarations on YouTube and social media. These disgruntled former members are supposed to reflect the hidden, true horrible face of various religious or belief groups, including inside mainline religions. The style is tabloid and populist. The objective is to be a source of breaking news, create the buzz and draw attention to his own person.
Anybody wanting to settle scores with a religious or belief movement he or she had problems with, directly or indirectly, is welcome on the YouTube channel of Salum, as it was also the case with a former member of the Soka Gakkai, a Japanese Buddhist movement.
Pablo Salum also directed PROTEX to attack the Christian lay movement “Cómo vivir por fe” (How to Live by Faith), the Argentinian branch of the Australian new religious movement “Jesus Christians” making a vow of poverty. The manipulation by Salum of a former member raising the spectre of forced organ donation was denounced by the Argentinian judge who found no crime in the case, as Bitter Winter found out after some serious investigation.
Argentinian members of “Cómo vivir por fe.” They successfully resisted Pablo Salum’s and PROTEX’s false accusations.
In July last, PROTEX raided 38 centers of the well-known Evangelical NGO REMAR. Pablo Salum boasts, rightly or not, that he was “involved” in the operation but what is sure is that this crackdown in Argentina created a scandal in the Evangelical community internationally. REMAR is indeed a respected NGO specialized in the rehabilitation of drug addicts and (paradoxically) women victims of real trafficking. In several countries, REMAR cooperates with the government. In Argentina, PROTEX claims that what they do is “trafficking”…
The harmful influence of Pablo Salum on religious tolerance in Argentina should not be underestimated.
On 1 August, a “collective of organizations and individuals fighting for the eradication of human trafficking in Argentina,” the “Stop Human Trafficking Network” (Red Alto al Tráfico y la Trata – RATT), organized and transmitted on the Senate’s TV channel a conference titled “Cults and Human Trafficking” (“Sectas y trata de personas”) which is now available on YouTube. The conference was held in a room of the Senate and there were approximately 100 people in the audience, plus the people watching the TV channel. The speakers were the senator who hosted the event, Dr Daniel Bensusán; the authorities of the RATT, Viviana Caminos and Nancy Rodriguez; both the former (Zaida Gatti) and the new (Norma Mazzeo) coordinators of the “National Program for the Rescue and Accompaniment of Victims Affected by the Crime of Trafficking in Persons”; a lawyer sponsoring victims of human trafficking, Dr Sebastian Sal; a “survivor” of the Opus Dei and, closing the conference, Pablo Salum.
Salum’s destructive role in the PROTEX operation against the Buenos Aires Yoga School (BAYS)
On 12 August 2022, PROTEX worked in tandem with police SWAT teams and with Pablo Salum when it launched a military-style police raid on the BAYS members-owned building, starting with the cafe on the ground floor.
Carlos Barragán, a professional stage magician, who was arrested and detained for about three months until all the charges against him were suddenly dropped, explained in an interview in Buenos Aires with Susan Palmer, an Affiliate Professor in the Religions and Cultures Department at Concordia University in Montreal (Canada) and director of the Children in Sectarian Religions and State Control project at McGill University (Canada), supported by the Social Sciences and the Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC): “Pablo Salum had told PROTEX that I had in my house—in my ‘bunker’ (as Salum calls it)—all the blackmail material for the extortion of rich men who were offered our women. He said videos of sex acts were taken so that we could extort money from them. So, the police smashed their way into my house and stole over 4,000 VHS, expecting to find blackmail material, but of course, all they found were my historic collection of magic shows, and the VHS series on our philosophy classes in BAYS.”
As a self-appointed judge, jury, and executioner, Salum has already decided that the BAYS leader should go to jail. From Twitter
This incident has destroyed the magician’s whole career. “Lie, lie and there will always be something left,” according to the saying.
Five women older than 50 years, three in their forties and one in mid-thirties were surprisingly said by the state agency PROTEX to have been victims of sexual exploitation by BAYS. The nine women vividly denied they had ever been prostitutes and exploited as such by BAYS. They are currently trying to sue the two PROTEX prosecutors in charge of the case.
A false victim (45 years) of alleged sexual exploitation, from a Jewish family, graduated from university with a MBA and who has been working for years in his father’s TV production company, told Susan Palmer: “Pablo Salum posted photographs of me and my dad and some of our employees at the TV station on Twitter. One woman resigned because she feared her image would be tainted working with us. My boyfriend, he lost his job in the real estate company, and he is now trying to rebuild his career. He started a new realtor business, he has a degree in this field. The mother of my boyfriend was one of those accused of human trafficking.”
The fabricated accusations also ruined the professional activities of other false victims and in several cases disturbed their relations with their partners.
US human rights reports and Argentina
Yet, it seems that the Argentinian authorities prioritize the instrumentalization of the BAYS case to endorse the dangerous brainwashing pseudoscience theory rejected by the academic world.
Argentina has the best ranking of the 2023 US Annual Report on Trafficking in Persons and an institution like PROTEX is undoubtedly necessary to combat labor trafficking and sexual exploitation. Yet, it is difficult to understand why the Argentinian authorities, and PROTEX in particular, go on using as a source an anti-cult activist who is now known for using defamatory hate speech against a wide range of religious and belief groups, spreading fake information and all sorts of lies about them with dramatic consequences for his victims.
The US also has other state mechanisms monitoring the harmful activities of anti-cult activists, such as the Department of State and USCIRF (US Commission on International Religious Freedom).
On 24 July 2023, USCIRF published a report titled “Religious Freedom Concerns about Religious Freedom in the European Union” in which a section was devoted to the anti-cult issue and was stressing that “Several governments in the EU have supported or facilitated the propagation of harmful information about certain religious groups.” This is also the case with Argentina.
The US Annual State Department Report on Religious Freedom around the world and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) should grant more attention to anti-religious hate speech in Argentina. Both the US Department of State and USCIRF are in the best position to warn PROTEX against their questionable implementation of the national Law No 26.842 on Prevention and Punishment of Human Trafficking and Assistance to Victims and the creation of false victims, such as in the BAYS case.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, and Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the development and integration of alternative fuel technologies aimed at reducing the marine engine’s reliance on fossil fuels.
FMD will incorporate the research and development conducted at ORNL into its engine design technology.
ORNL will collaborate with Fairbanks Morse Defense on decarbonization efforts to develop alternative fuel technologies for marine engines. Image credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy
Marine engines heavily rely on diesel fuel, which constitutes a significant annual expense for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). However, global decarbonization efforts are expected to limit the availability of diesel fuel and drive-up costs. Alternative fuel technologies are needed.
In anticipation of this shift, the DOD is exploring options to transition its marine engine technology to low-lifecycle carbon fuels (LLCF) such as methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, and biodiesel, as alternative fuels.
“Oak Ridge is a leader in decarbonization research, clean energy technology development, and defense manufacturing,” said Moe Khaleel, Associate Laboratory Director for National Security Sciences.
“Collaborating with a trusted national security partner like Fairbanks Morse Defense will enable us to translate our scientific expertise into deployable technologies for the Department of Defense.”
Under the terms of the MOU, ORNL will leverage its research and development expertise, while FMD will contribute its power and propulsion design and manufacturing proficiency to promote the use of LLCFs in marine engines.
FMD will define the performance and durability requirements and design testing components, while ORNL will provide research support in combustion strategies for LLCFs, high-temperature materials, additive manufacturing, elastomer compatibility, and corrosion.
“As climate change impacts our global waterways, these changing and unpredictable impacts directly affect our ability to protect the freedom of the seas,” said George Whittier, FMD CEO.
“We’re fully committed to supporting the Department of Defense’s 2030 decarbonization goals with fuel and engine technologies that will create a more sustainable future for the Navy, and we look forward to working with ORNL to explore these possibilities.”
Additional partnership intentions from the MOU include the following:
Collaborating on program development to identify and secure external research and development opportunities.
Establishing a single-cylinder research engine laboratory dedicated to exploring breakthroughs in areas such as safe fuel handling, LLCF combustion strategy, and experimental engine hardware configurations.
Supporting alternative fuel combustion development strategy through modeling studies that employ advanced analytics such as computational fluid dynamics simulations using high-performance computing resources.
UT-Battelle manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory for DOE’s Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the U.S. DOE’s Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science.
Candle lighting in memory of the heroes. Photo credit: The European Times.
In Geneva, Switzerland on August 18 2023 the peaceful city again became the center of global compassion and unity as the United Nations observed World Humanitarian Day (August 19th). This annual event commemorates the Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad back in 2003, where 22 UN staff members lost their lives. It not only honours those who made the ultimate sacrifice in humanitarian service but also highlights the tireless efforts of countless individuals and organizations from both the United Nations and Civil Society as a whole working towards alleviating suffering and upholding human dignity worldwide.
On Saturday, August 19th, 2023 people around the world come together to remember an occasion that forever changed humanitarian work. Two decades ago on this day, a devastating attack in Iraq claimed the lives of 22 colleagues within the United Nations.
In order to pay tribute to this event the United Nations has designated it as World Humanitarian Day (WHD). It serves as a moment for UN personnel and others involved in humanitarian endeavours to honour their fallen comrades. These lives were tragically cut short due to conflicts escalating tensions, disregard, for international human rights and humanitarian law deliberate attacks and misinformation spreading.
Every year a special ceremony takes place at the Palais Wilson in Geneva the headquarters of UN Human Rights. It’s a time for colleagues, family members and friends to come together and honour those who have passed away. This year the attendance at the morning ceremony nearly doubled. The room was filled with people sitting in every chair and many UN staff stood well. In that room, emotions ranged from grief to pride, hope and determination. They were united by their commitment to continue their work “No What,” which has become their motto for this 20th anniversary. People of different religions and beliefs attended the ceremony. Christians, Muslims, Humanists, Scientologists, Buddhists. All silently offering prayers for the fallen heroes and their families.
One touching story that exemplifies the mission of carrying on the work of those who have left us is that of Mattia Sélim Kanaan. He was born three weeks before his father Jean Sélim Kanaan tragically lost his life at the age of 33 while serving as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq. Laura Dolci Kanaan, his widow has taken up the torch. Now serves as Secretary of the Universal Periodic Review, for Human Rights Council. Today Mattia Sélim Kanaan is a 20 year old student eagerly anticipating what lies ahead.
Reflecting on the two decades that have elapsed, Kanaan asserts,
“Twenty years is a long time, almost the equivalent of a new generation, a generation of new hope that can and must do its best in these uncertain times. My generation has to look up with pride to heroes like the ones of Baghdad – people that decided to put their talents and ambitions at the service of humanity… Their fighting spirit has stayed with us and is a bright and powerful light that guides and directs us in our lives.”
One individual who showed resilience during the tragedy is Dhafer Al Hussini, currently based in Geneva. He worked as part of the staff in Baghdad when the incident occurred and he vividly remembers how it had a significant impact on them. Several people had to leave their positions out of fear for their safety or due to contract non renewals. However Al Hussini remained steadfast. Determined, drawing inspiration, from the wisdom shared by someone he greatly respected, “Never be lonely on the path to truth due to its lack of paths.” This sentiment fortified his commitment to serve the cause of humanity with courage, defining it as the chosen path.
Survivor Shawbo Taher-Al-Talabani. Photo credit: The European Times
Shawbo Taher-Al-Talabani, now retired after years of dedicated service for the UN, takes us back to the ordinary morning of 19 August 2003. Office chatter was punctuated by laughter from Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Secretary General’s Special Representative for Iraq, and his Special Political Adviser, Ghassan Salamé. Little did they know, these moments of levity would be their last in that space. The tranquility was shattered at 4:30 p.m. by a deafening blast, altering lives forever.
Taher-Al-Talabani poignantly recalled,
“Many fell down; some never got up again, others were amazed to be still in one piece; incredulous to be still breathing. Those few long hours that afternoon seemed like an eternity… Some of us returned to our modest hotels, dazed with sadness, waiting anxiously to see who would re-join the usual crowd … and waiting for those who never will, Sergio, Nadia, Jean-Selim, Rick, Saad, and 17 other colleagues we lost that day.”
World Humanitarian Day also serves as a moment to honor the memory of colleagues lost in other tragic incidents in places like Afghanistan, Haiti, and Rwanda. UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, eloquently captured the sentiment at the memorial ceremony, stating,
“It is very important that we honor their memories, that we cherish their memories, that we take from their lives, from their service to human rights, to development, to peace something that keeps within us and lives further.”
Latter in the day, at 4 pm, the heart of the event with the Commemoration Ceremony ot the Room XX of the Palais des Nations. People gathered as speeches and shared reflections filled the room with their echoes. A poignant video, created by the United Nations to conmmemorate those fallen in 2003 served as a reminder of the circumstances that led to this event.
The United Nations Secretary General, Mr. António Guterres delivered a message by video to the assembly through a video emphasizing the lasting importance of efforts. Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, Director General of the United Nations Office at Geneva gave a speech highlighting how solidarity is crucial in times of adversity.
A moment of silence enveloped the room as everyone paid tribute to those who lost their lives. Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights took stage to reflect on the courage and resilience that define humanitarian work.
Survivors shared moving testimonials that added a personal touch to the ceremony. Mr. Mujahed Mohammed Hasan recounted his experience as a survivor of a terrorist attack in Baghdad back in 2003—an inspiring testament to human strength, amidst difficult circumstances.
Representing the family of Jean Selim Kanaan Ms. Laura Dolci emphasized the impact of humanitarian work on those it touches, sharing the last message that she received from her husband, who said that they “can not abandon the iraki people, we must continue to help them”.
The presence of dignitaries, representatives and active members of civil society added significance to the occasion. Ambassador Abdul Karim Hashim Mostafa, Permanent Representative of Iraq expressed a message of unity and determination. Ambassador Julien Thöni, Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland highlighted the efforts needed to address global challenges.
A musical interlude by the United Nations Music Club and UN Choir in Geneva brought an atmosphere to the ceremony showcasing the power of art in conveying shared human experiences.
At 5;00 PM a Wreath Laying Ceremony took place outside Room XX at Palais des Nations. Ms. Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service guided the proceedings. Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, Director General of the United Nations Office at Geneva and Mr. Volker Türk United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights paid tribute by laying wreaths—an act honouring lives dedicated, to humanitarian causes.
At 5;20 PM as the sun started to set a reception was hosted by OCHA and the Permanent Mission of Switzerland. It was a kind gesture that allowed participants to engage in conversations and foster collaboration which had been a prevalent theme throughout the days events. The area outside Room XX, in Palais des Nations, turned into a hub for dialogue creating connections that will undoubtedly contribute to humanitarian efforts.
In the heart of Geneva, World Humanitarian Day 2023 brought the principles of compassion, unity and resilience to life.
As the world pauses to reflect on this somber anniversary, it is imperative that the resilience, dedication, and sacrifice of these fallen heroes continue to inspire and guide the ongoing efforts toward a more just and compassionate world. Their fighting spirit remains a beacon lighting the path for future generations to follow, ensuring that their legacy endures through the ages.
GENEVA (18 August 2023) – On the occasion of the International Day to commemorate victims of acts of violence based on religion or belief, a group of UN experts* issued the following joint statement:
“In 2019, 22 August was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, deploring the widespread violations suffered by individuals – including migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and persons belonging to minorities – who are targeted on the basis of religion or belief.
Back in 1981, it had taken some two decades for the international community to finally adopt the UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. That Declaration acknowledged the great suffering brought about by the disregard and infringement of human rights including of freedom of religion or belief. It noted that for those that profess religion or belief, this constitutes one of the fundamental elements of their conception of life and therefore also of their freedoms.
On this, the 75th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), there is a particular resonance with the 1981 Declaration’s emphasis that the use of religion or belief for ends inconsistent with the UN Charter, the UDHR and other instruments is inadmissible and condemnable (Article 3).
The international community resolved to adopt all necessary measures to speedily eliminate and combat intolerance and discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, observing that this can stem from any actor whether a State, business, institution, group of persons, or person. Intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief is defined as: “Any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on religion or belief and having as its purpose or as its effect nullification or impairment of the recognition, enjoyment or exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis” (Article 2.2).
Regrettably, such impairments and violations continue to plague us from every direction in every corner of the world. 42 years on from the 1981 Declaration, this year’s international day to Commemorate the Victims of Acts of Violence based on Religion or Belief offers the opportunity to make visible the multiple, daily and egregious violence that takes place based on religion or belief, and to seek to respond to its root causes, urgently and with far greater determination.”
Music has the power to move our souls, transport us to different realms, and evoke a range of emotions. Behind these awe-inspiring melodies and breathtaking compositions, lie the secrets of the musical geniuses – the great composers and songwriters who have left an indelible mark on the world of music. What makes these creators stand out from the rest and how do they manage to captivate our hearts and minds? Let us delve into their world and uncover the secrets that lie within.
I. Ethereal Inspiration: The Muse of Great Composers
One of the intriguing aspects of musical geniuses is their ability to draw inspiration from unexpected sources, leading to extraordinary compositions. Behind every masterpiece lies a story or narrative that ignited the creative spark. Some composers, like Ludwig van Beethoven, found inspiration in nature, carefully observing the symphony of sounds around them. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral” beautifully captures the essence of nature, evoking the rustling of leaves and the flowing of rivers.
Others, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, were able to tap into the divine, effortlessly translating their thoughts and emotions into celestial music. Mozart’s composition, “Requiem in D minor,” is said to have been his own interpretation of his impending death. The emotional depth and spiritual resonance of this piece continue to captivate audiences to this day.
The secret lies in the ability of these musical geniuses to be receptive to the beauty that surrounds them, whether in the natural world or within the depths of their own souls. Their melodies become a vessel through which they can express their innermost thoughts and emotions, transcending the limitations of language and touching the hearts of millions.
II. Continued Innovation: The Evolution of Songwriting
While some artists may find comfort in sticking to a formula that works, musical geniuses are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is perceived as possible in the realm of music. They have an insatiable thirst for experimentation, often blending different genres, styles, and even musical instruments to create something entirely new and unique.
Take, for example, the brilliance of Queen’s Freddie Mercury, who fearlessly merged rock, opera, and pop, resulting in unforgettable songs like “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The composition, structure, and intricate harmonies in this epic masterpiece remain unparalleled in the music industry.
Similarly, the iconic Beatles revolutionized songwriting, their unparalleled harmonies and innovative studio techniques transforming popular music forever. Songs like “A Day in the Life” or “Strawberry Fields Forever” showcased their willingness to experiment with unconventional structures and instrumentation.
The secret lies in their willingness to take risks and refuse to conform to societal norms. These musical geniuses are unafraid to challenge themselves and their audiences, ensuring a continuous evolution of their craft.
In conclusion, the secrets behind musical geniuses lay in their ability to find inspiration in the extraordinary and translate it into captivating compositions. Additionally, their obsession with innovation and constant desire to push boundaries ensures that their musical legacy remains timeless and unmatched. As we continue to enjoy the fruits of their labor, we can only hope that future generations of composers and songwriters find inspiration in their extraordinary journeys.
Russia’s Zenit Bank believes it is at risk of possible losses related to a loan granted in October 2021 in which it participated – but was then blacklisted
A Moscow court has banned the Swiss bank UBS and its acquired Credit Suisse from disposing of shares in their Russian subsidiaries. This is shown by court documents published after a request by the Russian “Zenit Bank”, which fears losses if the Swiss creditors leave Russia, Reuters reported.
Zenit Bank has submitted a statement to the court stating that it believes the Russian subsidiaries of UBS and Credit Suisse are preparing to cease their operations in Russia. This would expose the Russian bank to potential losses related to a loan granted in October 2021.
The Russian bank then joined an agreement to provide a syndicated loan to Luxembourg-based agricultural firm Intergrain, for which Credit Suisse acted as loan agent.
In November 2021, Zenit Bank transferred $20 million to Intergrain. However, after the western sanctions imposed on the bank, “Credit Suisse” has informed it that it will not transfer payments to it related to the loan for “Intergrain”.
Credit Suisse and UBS declined to comment on the matter when asked by Reuters.
Court documents also show that Zenith Bank has filed for interim measures, asking the court to seize funds belonging to Credit Suisse and UBS, as well as prohibit their disposal of shares.
The request of the Russian creditor for confiscation of funds was not satisfied, and the next court session is scheduled for September 14.
Last week, a Moscow court seized assets in Russia of US-based Goldman Sachs, including a 5 percent stake in Children’s World, the country’s largest toy retailer.
Meanwhile, Russia’s ruble has depreciated sharply in recent months, and the country’s central bank has stepped in to try to stem the slide, the Associated Press reports.
So far, the authorities have refrained from acting, as the weakening ruble has benefited the budget. However, a weaker currency also carries the danger of higher prices for ordinary people, and the government is finally stepping in to try to buck the trend.
The Associated Press points out key factors to know about what’s happening to the ruble:
Basic economic factors play a role, but things do not end there. Russia is selling less abroad — mostly reflecting declining oil and natural gas revenues — and importing more. When goods are imported into Russia, people or companies must sell rubles for a foreign currency such as the dollar or euro, and this depresses the ruble.
Russia’s trade surplus (meaning it sells more goods to other countries than it buys) has shrunk, and trade surpluses tend to support national currencies. Russia used to run a large trade surplus due to high oil prices and a collapse in imports after the invasion of Ukraine. However, crude oil prices have fallen this year, and Russia is also finding it harder to sell its oil because of Western sanctions, including price caps on crude oil and petroleum products such as diesel.
“Significantly weaker inflows of foreign currency due to the drop in exports is a key factor” in the depreciation of the ruble, according to the Kyiv School of Economics.
Meanwhile, nearly a year and a half after the war began, Russian imports have begun to recover as the Russians find ways around sanctions. Some trade is diverted through Asian countries that have not joined the sanctions. Importers, on the other hand, find ways to transport goods through neighboring countries such as Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan.
At the same time, Russia has increased its defense spending, for example by pouring money into companies that make weapons. Companies have to import parts and raw materials, and some government money finds its way into workers’ pockets, mostly because the country faces a labor shortage. That government spending alone, along with India and China’s willingness to buy Russian oil, is helping the country’s economy perform better than many expected. The International Monetary Fund indicated last month that it forecast the Russian economy to grow by 1.5 percent this year.
A weaker ruble makes inflation worse as it makes imports more expensive. And the ruble’s weakness is increasingly passed on to people through the prices they pay. In the last three months, inflation reached 7.6 percent, despite the central bank’s target level of 4 percent.
Higher interest rates will make it more expensive to get credit and this should limit domestic demand for goods, including imports. So the Russian Central Bank (RBC) is trying to cool the domestic economy to lower inflation. The bank raised its benchmark interest rate from 8.5 percent to 12 percent at an emergency meeting yesterday after the ruble’s depreciation was criticized by a Kremlin economic adviser.
Russia’s exports have shrunk because Western allies boycotted Russian oil and imposed a price cap on its supplies to other countries. Sanctions prevent insurers or logistics companies (most of which are based in Western countries) from working with contracts for Russian oil above $60 a barrel.
The cap and boycott, imposed last year, have forced Russia to sell at a discount and take expensive measures such as buying a fleet of “ghost tankers” that are outside the reach of sanctions. Russia also halted most natural gas sales to Europe, its biggest customer.
Oil revenue shrank 23 percent in the first half of the year, but Moscow still earns 425 million dinars a day from oil sales, according to the Kyiv School of Economics.
However, higher oil prices have recently sent Russian supplies above the price ceiling, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its August report.
The resumption of imports shows that Russia is finding ways around sanctions and boycotts. It has become more expensive and difficult, but if someone needs an iPhone or a Western car, they can find one. So the depreciation of the ruble is due to the sanctions, successful efforts to circumvent their effects and Moscow’s military efforts.
“The cheaper ruble partly reflects the consequences of the sanctions, but does not point to an underlying economic crisis,” said Chris Wafer, CEO of Macro Advisory Partners.
In fact, the depreciating ruble has helped the government in some important ways.
A lower exchange rate means more rubles for every dollar Moscow receives from sales of oil and other products. This increases the money the state can spend on defense and social programs aimed at mitigating the effects of the sanctions on the people of Russia.
“What the central bank and the finance ministry have done in the last few months is try to offset the decline in the dollar value of oil receipts with the weaker ruble so that the deficit in the form of spending is contained and more manageable Wafer points out.
Amid sanctions and restrictions on taking money out of the country, the ruble’s exchange rate is largely in the hands of the central bank, which can advise major exporters when to exchange their dollar earnings for Russian rubles.
When the ruble crossed the threshold of 100 rubles per dollar, the Kremlin and the Central Bank drew the line.
“The weakness was planned, but it went too far and they want to turn things back,” added Wafer, who said the ruble will trade in the middle of the 90-ruble-to-the-dollar range in the coming months, roughly where the government wants it.
The inflation caused by the devaluation of the ruble has hit poorer people harder than others because they spend more of their income on basic necessities like food.
Travel abroad – which is mostly enjoyed by a minority of residents of prosperous cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg – is becoming much more expensive due to the weak ruble.
In any case, public outrage has been limited given the measures imposed by the authorities to criticize the military “operation”, including the threat of imprisonment.
Illustrative Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/bank-banknotes-bills-business-210705/
On 12 August 2022, in the evening, about sixty people in their sixties were attending a quiet philosophy class in a coffee shop located on the ground-floor of a ten-floor building in the State of Israel Avenue, in a middle-class district of Buenos Aires when suddenly all hell broke loose.
This article was originally published by Bitter Winter under the title “Anti-Cult Repression in Argentina 1. PROTEX and Pablo Salum” (17 August 2023) A special agency against human trafficking cooperates with a bizarre anti-cult activist who regards even the Catholic Carmelite nuns as a “cult.”
Fully armed SWAT team police led by PROTEX—a state agency dealing with human trafficking, labor and sex exploitation of persons—broke the door of the meeting place and by force entered the building which was the seat of a yoga school, 25 private apartments and professional offices of a number of its members. They went up to all the premises and without knocking or ringing the bells, they violently opened all the doors by force, seriously damaging them.
According to a complaint by a person whose name was not officially disclosed, the founder of the Buenos Aires Yoga School (BAYS) recruited people through deceit in order to reduce them to a situation of servitude and/or sexual exploitation. The plaintiff chose afterwards to reveal his name and to boast about its initiative on his YouTube channel, his social media, and media in general: Pablo Gaston Salum.
In 2023, several scholars in religious studies were invited to Argentina to attend a panel in an international human rights event co-organized by the government and UNESCO. They took this opportunity to study the BAYS case.
Pablo Gaston Salum, born in 1978, had a hectic schooling and life. In 1990 and 1991, while he was living with his mother, a BAYS follower, he stopped attending his classes and had to repeat the 6th grade of his elementary school. In 1992, after (according to her report) beating his mother, he was taken in by his father. He was then 14 years old and his elementary school was still not finished. One year later, he quarreled with his stepmother and went to live at a friend’s family but at their own expense. After some time, they asked him to leave.
In 1995, he went back to the home of his father who after some time and some more quarrels declared him a runaway to the police. In the meantime, he tried to continue his studies in a secondary school but dropped out again. He went back again to his mother’s and continued his turbulent life with his parents.
In 1996, as he did not want to study any more or to work and was violent with his mother, his older brother German Javier, a former but not disgruntled follower of BAYS, took him at home. Despite his new human environment, his violence did not diminish and his brother German with another person filed a complaint against him for death threats. He was then detained by the police for two days. And Pablo Salum resumed his nomadic life, staying then with his stepfather Carlos Mannina, a former but not disgruntled BAYS member, already separated from his mother years before.
In the meantime, his brother had a successful professional life as the director of a real estate agency in Buenos Aires, and his sister has been working abroad for more than ten years as a nurse after having studied in the US.
The fantasies and the lies of Pablo Salum
Pablo Salum claims on his Instagram profile Pablogsalum to have founded the Freeminds Network (Red Librementes), a de facto association which is not known to be officially registered as a civic association. He also presents himself as a human rights activist and “the creator of the law of assistance to victims and relatives of coercive cults.”
The website Celeknow.com, which among other miscellaneous topics publishes gossips about a wide range of personalities in the spotlight, presents him as “a worker fighting for human and animal rights,” as well as “a social worker” and “an activist fighting against coercive cults.”
Nothing indicates that he has the profile of a human rights defender and no other professional website than his does.
Boasting on social media of alleged achievements such as “the creation of a law against cults” looks more like megalomania than a reality. Pablo Salum is not a lawmaker elected by the Argentinian people. Modesty is one of the main characteristics of a human rights defender. He does not have that quality. He constantly disguises reality and openly lies about his family life in order to present himself as a victim, a survivor of something fictitious, and an anticult crusader as this provides him opportunities to be interviewed by the media.
Pablo Salum is just a blogger and an influencer who wants to be in the spotlight as it can also be seen on his videos. The Argentinian authorities prosecuting BAYS on the basis of his declarations should reconsider the reliability and the relevance of their source of information in this regard.
Pablo Salum claims to have left the so-called “BAYS cult” at the age of 14, to which his mother and his older brother and sister belonged and are still allegedly under its grip. In the Argentinian media and in his own videos, he claims to be a “survivor,” to have lost track of his family—his mother, brother and sister—while weeping with a deceptive pathos over his lack of contact with them. He even goes so far as to declare that they have been “kidnapped” by the “cult.” For sure he is a good comedian.
The reality is very different and it is surprising that most Argentinian journalists do not bother to do the slightest verification about what he says and claims to be. A 15-minute video prepared and supplied to “Bitter Winter” by BAYS members (not involved in the investigation), ex-members and relatives, reveals irrefutable evidence of Pablo Salum’s fabrications and silenced disturbing facts about his conflictual relations with his family.
Pablo Salum’s mother has never changed her address since her son left. As for his brother German and his sister Andrea, all you had to do to get in touch with them was to google their names. Pablo Salum’s declarations about them are just all lies.
When somebody as strange as Pablo Salum is invited to the Argentinian Senate to talk about “cults,” we understand Argentina has a problem. From Facebook.
Salum siding with China’s dictatorship against persecuted religious minorities
In the area of freedom of religion or belief, Pablo Salum is certainly not a human rights activist. As a free thinker, he is even hostile to such a freedom.
In May 2022, he took sides with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against Falun Gong practitioners tweeting “Remember that Falun Dafa is a dangerous coercive organization #Secta of Chinese origin that is operating in Argentina and other countries WITH IMPUNITY as seen in this photo. It would be good if you alert the public.” Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have largely documented the cases of illegal detention and forced organ harvesting of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese government. Salum has taken an opposite direction.
