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Sustainable blue economy vital for small countries and coastal populations

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United Nations News
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Sustainable blue economy vital for small countries and coastal populations

The world’s coastal populations contribute significantly to the global economy – an estimated $1.5 trillion per year – with expectations pointing to some $3 trillion by 2030.

Ensuring ocean ecosystem health, supporting livelihoods and driving economic growth requires targeted support for key sectors, including fisheries and aquaculture, tourism, energy, shipping and port activities, and seabed mining, as well as innovative areas such as renewable energy and marine biotechnology.

Marine resources ‘essential’

This is particularly important to small island developing states (SIDS), for whom marine resources are critical assets, providing them with food security, nutrition, employment, foreign exchange, and recreation.

Further, through evidence-based policy interventions, these assets can also make enhanced and sustained contributions to the economic growth, and prosperity of SIDS and least developed countries (LDCs).

Participating in the main interactive dialogue of the second-day of the Conference, former President of Seychelles, Danny Faure, explained to UN News that it is “extremely important that small States have a place at the table, to ensure that they can put forward their aspirations and move in the right direction”.

Acknowledging that climate change continues to affect his own country, and several SIDS, Mr. Faure called on the international community to continue to support countries like Seychelles.

“The blue economy is essential for the livelihoods of our people and nations. I see [investment] coming very slowly and I believe it is very important that, internationally, we continue to maintain the focus, so we can build partnerships between civil society and private sector,” he stated.

© FAO/Luis Tato

Fish is sun dried at a landing site in Kigoma, Tanzania.

What does a truly sustainable blue economy mean?

Despite of the lack of a universally accepted definition of the term blue economy, the World Bank defines it as “the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.

A blue economy prioritizes all three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social. When talking about sustainable development, it is important to understand the difference between a blue economy and an ocean economy. The term implies that the initiative is environmentally sustainable, inclusive and climate resilient.

In addition to providing goods and services measurable in monetary terms, coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass meadows and wetlands deliver critical ecosystem services such as coastal protection and carbon sequestration.

Seagrass, which evolved over 70 million years ago from terrestrial grass, is one of the most diverse and valuable marine ecosystems on the planet. © Unsplash

Seagrass, which evolved over 70 million years ago from terrestrial grass, is one of the most diverse and valuable marine ecosystems on the planet.

Action now

Small island developing states control 30 per cent of all oceans and seas. But how can SIDS and the private sector build equitable and accountable partnerships for sustainable ocean?

Calling for the implementation of the promises set out in the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action, known by the shorthand SAMOA Pathway and the ambitions of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14), on conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, experts on the second day of the Conference reiterated the importance of harnessing private sector collaboration to make it possible.

Impacts of climate change

Speaking to UN News, the Secretary to Government of Tuvalu, Tapugao Falefou, said that his country was “not just beginning to understand what climate change is and how impacts [the world] but also physically understanding how it impacts [us].”

Describing major coastal erosion, drought and inland inundated by seawater, Mr. Falefou said “that didn’t happen 20 years back. These are the impacts of climate change that I can attest to, that larger countries may not experience.”

The path of multilateralism

With millions employed worldwide in fishing and fish farming, most in developing countries, healthy and resilient marine and coastal ecosystems are fundamental to sustainable development.

Other sectors that are critical to the resilience of developing countries include the coastal tourism sector, which contributes up to 40 per cent or more of the global gross domestic product (GDP) in some SIDS, and the marine fisheries sector, which provides nearly 20 per cent of the average intake of animal protein consumed by 3.2 billion people, and more than 50 per cent of the average intake in some least developed countries.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General, added that without multilateralism, no one can solve the problem of the Ocean.

“SIDS have the potential to be large ocean economies (…) if we do so sustainably, we can unlock development prospects”, she added, emphasizing the blue economy path.

A fisherwoman on her way to sell the fish she caught at Joal port in Senegal. © FAO/Sylvain Cherkaoui

A fisherwoman on her way to sell the fish she caught at Joal port in Senegal.

Women and the ocean

Focusing on the interlinkage between the SDG14 and SDG 5 (gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls) a panel of experts advocated for increasing women’s participation and leadership at all levels.

With women critically under-represented in the field of ocean actions, particularly in decision-making roles in ocean science, policy-making, and blue economy, the panel called for more action and a radical change in society.

“We have an enormous responsibility to do whatever we can to ensure the sustainability of our planet, and an event like this [Conference] is probably one of the most important in terms of the future of life,” said Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of the World Maritime University, based in Sweden.

Reiterating the importance of looking into women’s working conditions and pay-gap in fisheries, Ms. Doumbia-Henry added: “We need to focus on some of these questions, and what I am tired of is the lip service, we need to make the changes, and implement, to take it forward.”

Mainstream women’s participation

For Maria Damanaki, founder of Leading Women for the Ocean, concrete action plan is needed, along with legislation.

“We need to see women as part of the blue economy, we need to see them everywhere, to mainstream their participation, because without their leadership, humanity as a whole is going to lose a lot,” Ms. Damanaki said.

With the expected participation of over 12 thousand ocean advocates, including world leaders, entrepreneurs, youth, influencers, and scientists, the Conference will continue to ignite fresh impetus for advancing SDG14, at the heart of global action to protect life under water. Concrete measures will be adopted to build ocean resilience and more sustainable communities, underpinned by a new wave of commitments to restore the ocean’s health.

During the week, UN News will bring you daily coverage on the Conference as well as interviews, podcasts, and features, which you can access here.

World Drug Report 2022 launched to the public in-person and online

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Newsdesk
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World Drug Report 2022 was launched to the public with an expert forum discussing findings in-person and online

UNODC/TheEuropeanTimes – Vienna (Austria), 29 June 2022 — World Drug Report 2022 – The 2022 edition of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)’s World Drug Report was released and launched to the public on Monday alongside a round table discussion featuring some leading experts in the field of drug prevention and treatment.

The report details record rises in the manufacturing of cocaine, the impact of increased permissiveness toward cannabis legalization, the expansion of synthetic drugs to new markets, potential futures for the global opiates market given the recent changes in Afghanistan, and continued gaps in the availability of drug treatments, especially for women.  

UNODC has included several calls to action in the World Drug Report 2022 in order to help save lives affected by drug misuse. Of these, some relate to providing care in crises and conflict situations – in line with the focus of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, 26 June 2022, which was “Addressing drug challenges in health and humanitarian crises”. Ensuring access to controlled medicines, guaranteeing evidence-based care, treatment and services, and preventing negative coping behaviours through support are among the calls to action highlighted.

Others are based around leaving no one behind in drug use prevention, treatment and recovery, including tailoring interventions to women, youth and at-risk groups and improving data collection disaggregated by gender and age. Others still call for strengthened cross-border cooperation in order to contain criminal markets.

During the round table discussion held to launch the World Drug Report to an audience of media and civil society, panellists opened up on the major topics contained within the report.

Among the online interventions from the panel, Sara Esmizade, head of the women’s department at Iranian treatment and harm reduction charity Rebirth Charity Society, spoke to the gender disparity in non-medical drug use and the underrepresentation of women in treatment. Esmizade outlined that more could be done to improve gender-sensitive services for drug treatment:

“Any gender-sensitive treatment should offer a solution for covering the treatment expenses. Investing in qualitative research on the lived experience of women is also fundamental; we don’t know enough about the root causes of their drug use, such as domestic violence and the basic need for childcare that many women can’t meet,” she said.

Abel Basutu, Senior Drug Programme Officer at the African Union Commission, outlined the impact of new record highs in cocaine manufacture and drug use across Africa, as well as the continent’s status as a cocaine transit hub. Governments on the continent, he said, should work to adopt “balanced drug policy emphasising both drug supply and demand reduction in equal measure”, “strengthen the criminal justice and law enforcement systems to interdict maritime crime and drug trafficking”, and “ramp up prevention efforts, working also with families and traditional communities”.

Because of the “prevention efforts” mentioned by Basatu, The European Times asked a European expert on the matter, Dr Christian Mirre, former CNRS and currently Spokesperson of the Foundation for a Drug Free Europe, who said that “one of the best programs on prevention is called ‘The Truth About Drugs‘. There is no way we can stop the demand, if we do not teach the facts to the younger generations; we have to work not only on the present, but on the future, and we can do this working with our children“

Drug policy researcher John Caulkins, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, U.S., provided a recommendation for governments considering or adapting cannabis legislation, which has impacted consumption, public health and safety, market dynamics, and criminal justice responses in various world jurisdictions.

John Caulkins said: “Legalized commercial production has led to more frequent use and greater amounts of THC consumed in daily use, increasing the intensity of use rather than prevalence. The recommendation is to be cautious on the legalization of commercial supply, which is a risky and impactful policy path, as a powerful private cannabis sector looks for profits and not to protect public health interests,” he said.

Daniel Brombacher, who heads the global drug policy partnership at the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), elaborated upon the impact of drugs on the environment at local and community levels: “In countries with the major share of illicit drug crop cultivation, the environmental impact is high. For example, illicit crop cultivation is directly and indirectly linked to deforestation as forest land is converted into agricultural land for illicit cultivation, or as an indirect result of it. There are also measurable ‘harm pathway’ impacts on waterways, soils, and biodiversity”, Brombacher explained. “The carbon footprint of cocaine is many times higher than that of sugar cane or even of cocoa beans, so alternative development has a role to play to mitigate the climate impact as well,” he added.

UNODC’s research and trend analysis chief Angela Me reflected on the connection between armed conflicts and drugs, particularly how the drug situation may have changed in Ukraine since the conflict intensified:

“Conflict can disrupt drug routes and can become a magnet for synthetic drug production. We must monitor the impact of the conflict to ensure Ukraine doesn’t become such a magnet and see how the war in Ukraine could impact the countries around it. Conflict also exacerbates vulnerabilities that lead to some drug users to move towards drug dependence, so we must ensure everyone has access to treatment and prevention tools.”

Further information

The 2022 World Drug Report provides a global overview of the supply and demand of opiates, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine-type stimulants and new psychoactive substances (NPS), as well as their impact on health. This year’s edition of the report spotlights trends on cannabis post-legalization, the environmental impacts of illicit drugs, and drug use among women and youth.

Freedom of speech in Portugal being discussed

By
João Ruy Faustino
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freedom of speech monument
MARCO AURÉLIO ESPARZ…, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Freedom of Speech – Today 29th of June will be a busy day in the Assembly of the Republic. The parliament and the government will discuss the Czech presidency of the EU Council and other central European Union matters. One of those affairs is freedom of expression, and for that, there are going to be discussed three important bills that can (if passed) protect, check, and/or ensure freedom of speech in Portugal. More specifically, these bills aim to amend the Portuguese Charter of Fundamental Rights in the Digital Age (Carta de Direitos Fundamentais na Era Digital), a bill ratified into law on May 17th, 2021. 

 The chart was inspired by the 2018 EU’s Action Plan against Disinformation, which aims to combat propaganda that can destabilize European institutions as well as member states’ institutions. Accordingly, the charter states:

“All citizens […] have the right to freedom of opportunity of access, utilization, creation, and sharing in the Digital world.”

As the Liberal Initiative (Iniciativa Liberal, party member of the Renew Europe political group) bill says, the “law guarantees free access to the internet, the right to be forgotten”, etc. However, the liberal parliamentary group considers that article 6 of the chart promotes “censorial mechanisms”, relating to the “freedom to protection against disinformation”.

This is because, as the liberals say, the term “disinformation” is not well defined and that the current definition is inadequate. The definition of “information that is fake, […] or that may be considered fake by any official institution” can be very dangerous, the liberals claim, because it can mean censorship by the government. “Defining what is ‘true’ or ‘false’ in politics, […], and the power to censor political discourse only by agents authorized by the government is unacceptable”.

The deputies who wrote the bill, therefore, admit that political discourse will always be filled with logical fallacies, half-truths, factoids, etc. And that’s because that shouldn’t be regulated by any entity. For that reason, the liberal bill proposes the revocation of article 6 (of the Portuguese Charter of Fundamental Rights in the Digital Age).

 The bill that the populist party, CHEGA, will propose is similar in its objective (the revocation of article 6), but on a different foundation. First, the proposal cites the Ombudswoman Maria Lúcia Amaral “request for inspection in relation to article 6 of the law”.

The deputies of CHEGA mention the 2nd and 37th articles of the Portuguese Constitution to express a question of constitutionality regarding article 6 of the Charter. Both of the articles, regarding freedom of expression, clearly state that there are no limitations to the rights to freedom of speech, and so, no exceptions regarding censorship of disinformation. Hence, CHEGA! proposes the revocation of article 6, and a slight alteration to article 5 of the Charter.

 The Socialist Party (PS), however, clearly states that it has a different view on the matter. As it is written in the bill:

 “Between us, the quarrel recently centered around one of the many articles in the Portuguese Charter of Human Rights in the Digital Age has diverted attention from the most difficult points in managing the media agenda of the digital age. From the authors’ rights of journalistic pieces, competition rules, and the regulatory system manifestly conceived for the pre-digital world. Contributing very little to the essential question that the fight against disinformation itself calls for.” 

PS, thus, opts for just simplifying the article (article 6, of course), by revoking the numbers 2 to 6 of article 6.

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Ukraine: Cycle of death, destruction, dislocation, and disruption ‘must stop’ 

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Newsroom
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Ukraine: Cycle of death, destruction, dislocation, and disruption ‘must stop’ 

“The cycle of death, destruction, dislocation, and disruption must stop”, underscored Rosemary DiCarlo. 

Depravity of war 

Amidst a new wave in recent days of missile and airstrikes in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and other cities far from the frontlines, the senior UN official drew attention to the missile strike in Kremenchuk on a shopping mall, reportedly by Russia, that killed at least 18 civilians and injured 59 others. 

She warned though that “the final toll may be much higher”. 

The most intense fighting now is in and around the towns of Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk and Sloviansk in the Donbas, and also reportedly around the cities of Kharkiv and Kherson.  

“In scenes reminiscent of the World Wars, large-scale artillery duels are devastating industrial areas, with thousands of civilians forced to hide in basements or to flee for their lives,” said Ms. DiCarlo.  

“Large military casualties are claimed on both sides”.  

‘Too high a price’ 

“Civilians continue to pay too high a price in this war,” she continued, telling ambassadors that as of 26 June, the UN human rights office (OHCHR), has recorded 10,631 civilian casualties in the country – 4,731 dead and 5,900 injured.  

She said that these figures are based on verified incidents and the actual numbers are “considerably higher”. 

Most were caused by explosive weapons with a wide impact area, many of which are inherently indiscriminate when used in populated areas increasing casualties and devastating humanitarian impacts, she added.  

Probing crimes 

The UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine reported back earlier this month its first mission to the country, including to Bucha, Irpin, Kharkiv and Sumy.  

Though only in the initial stages of its work, she said that the Commission received information and visited sites that “may support claims that serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, perhaps reaching war crimes and crimes against humanity, have been committed”. 

The Commission, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and other fact-finding efforts, are “essential” for establishing accountability for the crimes and atrocities being committed. 

“This work must lead to justice…if we hope to be able to prevent such violations in the future, wherever they threaten to occur,” underscored Ms. DiCarlo.  

Perilous conditions  

Although more than 8.8 million people across Ukraine have received some form of humanitarian assistance and protection services, at least 16 million need aid. 

Meanwhile, humanitarian partners are working on a winterization assistance plan and extending the Flash Appeal to provide support until the end of 2022. 

And when it comes to health, safety, and access to food, the political affairs chief said that women in particular, were facing immense hardship. 

She cited a Rapid Gender Analysis by UN Women and anti-poverty and injustice NGO, CARE, that explained how they are increasingly becoming heads of households and leaders in their communities as men are conscripted.  

“They must be included in formal decision-making processes related to humanitarian efforts, peace-making, and other areas that directly impact their lives,” she spelled out. 

At the same time, the World Health Organization (WHO) has now recorded 323 attacks on healthcare facilities and personnel, resulting in 76 deaths. 

“We strongly remind all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law: All adequate measures must be taken to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure,” underscored Ms. DiCarlo, in her first briefing to the Council for ten weeks. 

© UNICEF/Ashley Gilbertson VII

Homes destroyed by conflict in Novoselivka, on the outskirts of Chernihiv in Ukraine.

Displacement 

Since the start of the Russian invasion, more than a quarter of Ukrainians, or 12 million people, have been forced from their homes.  

And within the country, over 7.1 million remain displaced.  

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, estimates that over 5.2 million have taken refuge across Europe and over 3.5 million Ukrainian refugees have registered for temporary protection or similar national protection schemes on the continent. 

Long-term recovery 

Given the conflict’s increasingly protracted nature, Ukraine’s long-term recovery and rebuilding needs must also be considered now, she urged.  

She said the Council that the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a Resilience and Recovery Programme to support the Government’s emergency response, help keep the economy running and help assess priority needs.  

Beyond the borders 

The war is having devastating consequences on Ukraine, the immediate region, and far beyond its borders.  

On top of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, price shocks in the global food, energy and fertilizer markets are escalating. 

“To address this multi-dimensional threat, strong political will across the multilateral community and a comprehensive approach is foremost necessary,” said the political affairs chief. “For the sake of Ukraine, Russia, and the entire world”. 

Expel Russia from UN urges Zelenskyy 

Speaking via video teleconference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy argued that Russia’s actions in his country had now made it a “terrorist State” that should be expelled from the United Nations. 

Acknowledging that the Organization does not have a legal definition of what constitutes a “terrorist State” he stressed that the Russian invasion of Ukraine “demonstrates not only the meaning of this notion, but also the urgent need to enshrine it legally”. 

“Russia has no right to take part in discussions and votes on the war against Ukraine” in the Security Council, he said, urging ambassadors “to rid the delegation of the terrorist State”. 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy (on screen), President of Ukraine, addresses the Security Council meeting on maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Volodymyr Zelenskyy (on screen), President of Ukraine, addresses the Security Council meeting on maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.

Full-scale aggression 

President Zelensky highlighted Russia’s “full-scale war of aggression”, saying that in the Kremenchuk shopping centre blast, dozens were still missing, and that it was inconceivable that the Russians could have been unaware it was “a regular shopping centre”. 

He invoked the names of several dozen civilians killed he said by Russian fire, ranging in age from three months to 68, all across Ukraine, and concluded by asking for a moment of silence to commemorate the tens of thousands of innocent people killed. 

He said it was essential, to prosecute Russia at the “global level”. 

Russian rebuttal 

Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative, Dmitry Polyanskiy argued that his country simply was not striking civilians or civilian infrastructure, during its special military operation in Ukraine. 

He urged the Council to take heed of what he said were eyewitness accounts, which would confirm that a strike on an apartment building in Kyiv on Monday, was not the result of a Russian cruise missile, but of two unsuccessful Ukrainian operations that led to the shooting down of “their own anti-aircraft missiles”. 

Moreover, the Russian ambassador argued that the West supplying weapons to Ukraine, only serves to prolong the “criminal regime” in Kyiv. 

Low sale at Ariyalur book fair worries stall owners, publishers

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News desk
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Low sale at Ariyalur book fair worries stall owners, publishers

By Express News Service

ARIYALUR: Bookstall owners and publishers, whop are upset over poor sales at the book fair being held in Ariyalur Government Higher Secondary School, have urged the district administration for better promotion. The footfall is low as not many people are aware of the fair, they said.

Organised by Tamil Cultural Academy, the fair began on June 24 and will be on till July 4. It starts at 11 am and ends at 10 pm. Various art shows, seminars and awareness programmes are held as part of the fair. School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi inaugurated the fair.

However, the turnout has been low, stall owners said. Speaking to TNIE, a stall owner, who did not want his name disclosed, said, “This year’s fair was held well in advance of schedule and that might be a reason why enough awareness was not created among public. School and college-going students should be
encouraged to visit the stalls. We usually receive help from the administration. Panchayat officials used to purchase the books required for the panchayat library. However, the fair has not attracted enough crowd until now.”

Another stall owner said, “The book fair held in 2019 earned us good revenue. This year, I am not even able to earn 2,000, and the stall rent itself is 9,000. Promotion of the fair should be taken up more actively. Also, the Collector should issue an order to the panchayat and schools to visit the stalls.

When contacted, Collector P Ramana Saraswathi said, “They (stall owners) spoke to me about the issue on Tuesday. I have asked the chief education officer to do the needful.”
 

The Tai Ji Men Case: A Test for Taiwan’s Compliance with the Two Covenants

By
Massimo Introvigne
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Tai Ji Men
Photo courtesy of Tai Ji Men

The European Union is increasing its cooperation with Taiwan. It is an essential economic partner, particularly (but not only) in the field of semiconductors.

It is also a geopolitical partner for a Europe increasingly concerned with the expansionism of non-democratic superpowers.

Although we are now witnessing in Ukraine a return of traditional boots-on-the-ground warfare, it is still true that modern wars are also fought in the arena of propaganda and public relations.

Taiwan may be a reliable partner for Europe only if it maintains an image as a beacon of democracy in a region plagued by non-democratic regimes.

For reasons we all know, Taiwan is not a member state of the United Nations, but it affirmed its commitment to the U.N. human rights principles when it incorporated into its domestic law in 2009 the “two Covenants,” the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

In all countries, not in Taiwan only, achieving a full respect of the two Covenants is not easy. Again, Taiwan gave a positive signal when it devised a system for reviewing its achievements in complying with the two Covenants, which involved independent international experts.

In 2011, Taiwan’s government initiated the process of preparing reports on the rights protected by both Covenants, and in 2013, an independent Review Committee with experts from nine different countries was invited to review these reports. In 2013 and 2017, the experts examined the government’s reports and formulated their observations and recommendations. A review by the experts of the government’s 2020 answers to the second report was delayed because of COVID-19 until, from 9 to 13 May 2022, a Review Committee consisting of nine independent experts convened in Taipei.

On 13 May 2022, the Review Committee adopted a third set of Concluding Observations and Recommendations (COR 3), after an International Review Conference to which representatives of Taiwan’s civil society also participated. It was the first such review since the National Human Rights Commission was established in 2020.

The COR 3 show that work remains to be done to fully implement the two Covenants in Taiwan. In fact, despite the government’s claims, the two Covenants still do not play a significant role in court cases. According to the government itself, only some 100 cases mentioned them between 2015 and 2019. Clearly, more should be done.

On the other hand, the absence in the COR 3 of any reference to freedom of religion or belief (FORB) and taxpayers’ rights is surprising. As one of the scholars who has studied and lectured extensively on the Tai Ji Men case, I would have expected that both subjects would have been discussed in the COR 3. Time and again, those who have studied the Tai Ji Men case have noted that it is not an isolated incident and that both FORB and tax justice seem to be problems worth of the most serious consideration when assessing the situation of human rights in Taiwan.

During the five-day discussion, several NGO representatives and scholars pointed out to the above problems and referred to the Tai Ji Men case.

Three main problems emerged.

First, Taiwan has a National Human Rights Commission but how it exactly works remains unclear, particularly when confronted with cases involving the National Taxation Bureau and the Administrative Enforcement Agency. In the Tai Ji Men case, a complaint was treated by the Commission by simply asking the accused executive branch to prepare a letter, and then using that letter to answer the complainants. Second, human rights problems connected with tax justice remain unaddressed by the Commission and by COR 3. A traffic fine of NT$18,000, resulted in a seizure and foreclosure of the offender’s house, valued at NT$2.5 million.

A taxpayer was restricted from leaving the country indefinitely, and had to remain abroad for nine years, resulting in a divorce. While the Ministry of Finance has subsequently reduced the period of restriction of leaving the country to five years, the Administrative Enforcement Agency is still allowed to place residence restrictions on people whose tax debt reached about US $3,500, with no limitation on duration.

Another example is the case of Dr. L. He is a renowned scientist who returned to Taiwan and applied for a patent worth $10 million as the company’s capital, with the approval of the authorities, and was then taxed as if the capital contribution was income. He went bankrupt and lost his patents and business.

The number of interpretations of the tax law that have been declared unconstitutional is so high that it evidences a systemic lack of application of the two Covenants. The Taxpayer Protection Act of 2017 created the Taxpayer Protection Officer, but these officers are not really independent.

They are tax bureaucrats who serve part-time and return to their original positions after two years. In general, the system of bonuses given to tax bureaucrats incentives them to issue ill-founded tax bills and to violate taxpayers’ human rights. It should be deeply reformed or eliminated.

The system also allows the tax authorities to maintain the original tax bills indefinitely, even after court decisions have established that they are ill-founded. In the Interpretation Letter Orders issued by Ministry of Finance in 1961, 1978, and 1979, the original tax bill and the new double-reviewed tax bill issued by the National Taxation Bureau following the review coexist.

The revocation of the original sanction in a subsequent petition or an administrative court decision is a “revocation of the re-examined tax bill,” but does not revoke the “original tax bill.”

The consequence is that, even if the taxpayer wins the case several times, the original tax bill remains.

Additionally, the citizens’ right to request a tax refund has been subject to a time limit of 15 years, when there was previously no time limit for requesting a refund for an incorrect taxation by tax agencies.

The laws on disqualifying judges who have already served in previous stages of a case also needs to be amended, and they have created serious problems in tax cases. Tax injustice is not a technical problem but a serious violation of human rights and of the two Covenants.

A second area discussed in the conference is transitional justice, i.e., the restoration of rights violated by the previous non-democratic regime after a transition to democracy. The current President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-Wen, made transitional justice for victims of past Taiwanese authoritarian and post-authoritarian regimes a priority of her administration.
This is commendable, but provisions on transitional justice only refer to human rights violations perpetrated until November 6, 1992.

However, these violations continued even after that date, as the Tai Ji Men case demonstrates.

A third area concerns the laws regulating the rights of assembly and to hold peaceful demonstrations.

While amendments have been promised, the current laws still give the police a broad scope to deny authorizations.

Contrary to what the government reports, such denials are frequent. In general, freedom of speech and of peaceful protest continues to be unduly restricted.

Foreign scholars have commented on the case of Ms. Huang, a protester on the Tai Ji Men tax case, who was detained in 2020 just for holding a sign a bureaucrat regarded as offensive.

The Tai Ji Men case is a blatant and unresolved case of human rights violations, on which a significant scholarly literature exists both in Taiwan and internationally.

Tai Ji Men is a “menpai” (similar to a school) teaching qigong, martial arts, and self-cultivation whose master, his wife, and two members were detained in 1996, accused of fraud, tax evasion, and even, absurdly, of “raising goblins” by a prosecutor called Hou Kuan-Jen.

In 2007, a final decision of the court of third instance recognized them as not guilty of any crime, including tax evasion, and they received national compensation for the unjust detention.

However, not only was Prosecutor Hou never punished for his violations of the law in the Tai Ji Men case, but based on his theories that were declared unfounded in 2007, the National Taxation Bureau continued to issue tax bills and finally maintained the one for the year 1992.

Based on this bill, in 2020 the National Enforcement Agency auctioned off unsuccessfully and confiscated land intended for a Tai Ji Men self-cultivation center. This generated mass protests. The case includes several egregious violations of human rights, and any serious assessment of Taiwan’s compliance with the two Covenants should investigate it.

The Tai Ji Men case is not about taxes only. It is a case where rogue bureaucrats and politicians first tried, unsuccessfully, to destroy a spiritual movement accused of not supporting the powers that be, then, frustrated by their legal defeats, continued to harass it through taxes.

The case is at the crossroads of religious liberty and tax justice, and is a crucial test for Taiwan’s democratic achievements.

Century-Old Tunnel Set to Open as New Attraction with Never-Before-Seen View of Niagara Falls

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EINpresswire
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red boat on water falls during daytime

NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO, CANADA, June 28, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — – The Tunnel at the Niagara Parks Power Station will officially open to the public on July 1

  • – New visitor experience completes Phase II of the award-winning adaptive reuse project at the historic power station
  • – Additional information and tickets are available at niagaraparks.com/powerA formal ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place this morning recognizing the completion of Phase II of the landmark adaptive reuse project and the opening of the Tunnel at the Niagara Parks Power Station.

Opening July 1, the Tunnel will expand the guest experience at the Niagara Parks Power Station, providing access to the vast underground infrastructure of the historic building and spectacular new viewing platform at the base of Niagara Falls. The Niagara Parks Power Station opened Phase I last July, which included daytime tours of the restored generator hall along with the award-winning immersive sound and light show, Currents.

Visitors to the Tunnel will descend 180 feet below the generator hall in a glass-enclosed elevator, observing the many underground floors of the station on their way down to the historic tunnel. For over a century, the power station’s spent waters flowed through this engineering marvel as it made its way back to the Niagara River.

The one-of-a-kind experience offers guests a 2,200-foot-long journey through the enormous tunnel that leads to the exit portal where the water exited back into the Niagara River. There, a brand-new viewing platform has been constructed, extending out into the river to provide never-before-seen panoramic views of Niagara Falls and the lower Niagara Gorge.

Access to the Tunnel is included with all regular admissions to the Niagara Parks Power Station, beginning July 1, with adult tickets starting at $28.

Additional information and tickets can be found at niagaraparks.com/power.

Quote from Niagara Parks Chair April Jeffs

“With the opening of the Tunnel, the incredible transformation that has taken place over the past two years to restore the power station and transform it into a one-of-a-kind visitor attraction is officially complete. This is truly a landmark achievement and one that has and will continue to draw the interest and adoration of a global audience while preserving this heritage building for future generations of Ontarians.

I am so proud of our board and staff team at Niagara Parks for their work on this project and thankful to the Government of Ontario and our Ministry for their constant support and counsel, which made this all possible.”

About the Niagara Parks Power Station
The first major power station on the Canadian side of the Niagara River, the former “Canadian Niagara Power Company generating station,” harnessed the powerful energy of the Horseshoe Falls and turned it into a great source of electricity for over 100 years. Now, years after its turbines came to a halt, the wonder of this hydropower pioneer has come back to life as a must-see attraction, the Niagara Parks Power Station. Phase I of the attraction opened in July 2021 and invited guests to explore interactive and educational exhibits throughout the largely untouched 600-foot generator floor. Phase I also featured the one-of-a-kind evening sound and light show, Currents. Created by Thinkwell Studios Montreal, Currents combines interactive media, mesmerizing lights and a breathtaking musical score to take guests on an immersive adventure inside the Niagara Parks Power Station.

The Niagara Parks Power Station was honoured by the Ontario Heritage Trust with a 2021 Lieutenant Governor’s Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation.

Beginning July 2022, phase II of the Niagara Parks Power Station will introduce an exciting new experience, allowing visitors to explore the underground portions of the station via the historic tunnel located 180 feet below the ground floor. Visitors will make their way to a spectacular new viewing platform extending into the Niagara River with panoramic views of Niagara Falls.

Media assets are available here.

About Niagara Parks
Since its establishment in 1885, Niagara Parks has remained a self-financed agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport, entrusted to preserve and protect the land surrounding Niagara Falls and the Niagara River. Today, Niagara Parks boasts gardens, a horticulture school, recreation, golf courses, restaurants, heritage and historic sites, gift shops and, of course, Niagara Falls. In short, natural landscapes, history, family fun, hiking, culinary delights, attractions and adventure.

Sri Lanka’s prophetic Church on the side of a suffering people

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Vatican News
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Sri Lanka's prophetic Church on the side of a suffering people - Vatican News

By Linda Bordoni

A steady downward spiral of economic and socio-political woes compounded by corruption and economic mismanagement at government level have severely impacted the lives and livelihoods of the people of Sri Lanka who find themselves facing a daily struggle to feed their families and to look ahead with hope.

Authorities have suspended sales of fuel for non-essential vehicles as the nation faces its worst economic crisis in decades. Schools in urban areas have shut and officials have told the country’s 22 million residents to work from home.

The South Asian nation is in talks over a bailout deal as it struggles to pay for imports such as fuel and food.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo has appealed to the international community to assist in providing medicines and equipment for hospitals amid its unprecedented economic crisis.

Speaking last Sunday, Cardinal Ranjith said “We urge Pope Francis to request the international community to assist Sri Lanka” and he reiterated his condemnation of widespread government corruption that he blames for having emptied the coffers of the state, depriving Sri Lankan children of a future.

Speaking to Vatican Radio, Sri Lankan Father Shanil Jayawardena, Director of Communications for his Congregation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate at its General House in Rome, said everyday life for ordinary people in Sri Lanka has become “hell”. He also spoke of how the Church is helping provide food to those who can no longer afford to feed themselves, and of how his faith in God and his trust in the resilience of his nation keep hope alive.

Listen to Father Shanil Jayawardena

When I asked Father Shanil to describe life today for ordinary Sri Lankans, he said “it is almost like going through hell.”

He explained that the shortages of of food, essential goods, medicine and the lack of fuel cause huge difficulties for ordinary citizens, for farmers and for all those involved in providing services as well.




People wait for hours to buy cooking gas

The nation’s worst crisis ever

He described the current crisis as the worst experienced in Sri Lanka since its independence in 1948.

Father Shanil reflected on the fact that his country went through a decades-long civil war that lasted until 2009 noting that the country has suffered many difficulties. But this economic crisis, brought on by political mismanagement and corruption he said, has caused the greatest difficulties he has ever witnessed.

He told me the situation is so bad, the government has asked civil servants to stay home one day a week so that they can grow their own food.

“That’s how serious it is!” And not only: this situation has resulted in unprecedented levels of inflation; the near depletion of foreign exchange reserves; a shortage of fuel and cooking gas that means people wait in queues for hours and hours just to receive a tank of cooking gas; continuous power cuts.

“Today we are earmarked for sovereign default as a country and this is very serious because we don’t have the money even to pay the debts that we have taken.”

Of course, Father Shanil continued, all this means that it’s the poor people who cannot do anything but try to live hand-to-mouth as no one is offering employment.

The Oblate explained that many people have taken to the streets to peacefully protest but the government is not listening.




Protesters during an anti-government rally in Colombo

Political chaos and corruption

Narrating an incredible parable of incompetence and nepotism, Fr. Shanil told me that the Prime Minister, who was the ex-President stepped down because of pressure from the people. But the President is still in power. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister – who is the President’s elder brother – had to resign following brutal attacks by security forces on peaceful protesters in Colombo.

“That led to a lot of pressure from other parties and probably even internationally for him to step down. But that did not solve matters.” In fact, he added, even since an opposition leader from another party (who was also a former Prime Minister), Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe became the new Prime Minister and promised a lot of good things, “Nothing has changed.”

Fr. Shanil pinpointed deeply rooted corruption at the roots of the political incompetence that has poisoned the system in which politicians in Sri Lanka have repeatedly pocketed public money and mismanaged state funds.

2019 Easter Sunday bombings

It is not possible to analyse the current situation in Sri Lanka without taking into account the tragic 2019 Easter Sunday bombings in which some 270 people were killed and about 500 injured as 3 churches and 3 hotels were hit in a series of coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks.

Since then, investigations have faltered. The people and the leaders of all of the country’s faith communities have demanded clarity and justice in vain. One courageous and outspoken voice calling for accountability is that of the Catholic Cardinal of Colombo, Malcolm Ranjith, who has alleged that the government has been covering up the investigations into the attacks in order to protect the brains behind them.

Fr. Shanil said there is much disillusionment and lack of trust as more than three years from the attacks “none of the main culprits have been taken into custody.”

What everyone knows, he said, is that “there was a political hand to it. We know that there was invisible power behind the scene, behind the curtain, which was never revealed. And that is why we say the truth, the real truth will never come out.”

“In spite of Cardinal Ranjith’s appeals and the Catholic Church’s call for justice, and in spite of international requests, including that of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, nothing has changed.”




Demonstrators at a silent protest to pay respect to the victims of the 2019 attacks

A prophetic Church

Fr. Shanil recalled, with gratitude, Cardinal Ranjith’s latest appeal for international aid to help the people of Sri Lanka, especially by providing essential medicines.

And he told me that “at the ground root level, there are many priests and religious who have organized a lot of programmes to help, especially the poor people, to provide them with daily food.” 

The Church is active in helping people get by, he continued, “but even the Church is helpless when it comes to the real problem, which is an economic crisis that the State has to solve together with the people who are protesting against the government.”

The Oblate reflected on how the Catholic Church “has been very prophetic over the last few years, especially after the Easter Sunday attacks.”

“The Church, the priests, the religious have joined the peaceful protesters to tell the people, to tell the government: you have to do something.”

“And we have always done our best, up to this point, as Church, but it is not enough. We have to do more. We have to organize ourselves more,” he said.

“Now that there is an international appeal, issued by the Cardinal, I hope and believe that we can do much more to uplift the people’s situation.”




Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo

Interreligious harmony

Fr. Ranjith also spoke of the good and fruitful interreligious dialogue and relations in his country.

Paradoxically, he explained, the Easter Sunday attacks have promoted harmony and collaboration between all the religious leaders – Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists – who have been working together to help bring to justice all the culprits of the attacks.

There have been some clashes over the years, he said, especially between the Muslims and some extremist Buddhist leaders, but since the Easter attacks, the relationship has been good and it’s improving.

Giving hope to the people 

I asked Fr. Shanil what he hopes for his country. “We as the Catholic Church, we do our best to give hope to the people, because once you lose hope, that’s the end of the story,” he said.

This is what we have been working on a lot over the last few months, he continued, trying to give hope to people “not only in providing things for them, but also bring them back to faith.”

“There is a lot of room in a situation like this that people lose faith, not only in themselves but also in God, in religion.”

“But I believe,” he concluded, “that if we come together as a nation, if we come together as the people of Sri Lanka, in spite of our differences, in spite of our religious and racial differences, we can defeat these corrupt politicians and we can show the world that we can rise up once again as a nation.

“This is my hope and this is my prayer. Every day, each and every passing day.”




Sri Lankan Catholics praying

#CareInCrises: Special event focuses attention on addressing drug challenges in health and humanitarian crises

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Newsdesk
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Vienna (Austria), 28 June 2022 – Each year, the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) holds a special event to launch the World Drug Report and in commemoration of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, or World Drug Day. In keeping with this longstanding tradition, a special event was held today to present to the international community the findings of the World Drug Report 2022, released yesterday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

This year’s special event was held under the World Drug Day 2022’s theme of “addressing drug challenges in health and humanitarian crises”. The theme reinforces the importance of protecting the right to health of the most vulnerable, including children and youth, people using drugs, and people who need access to controlled medicines, in the context of existing and emerging transnational drug challenges stemming from crisis situations.

In his remarks, H.E. Ambassador Ghislain D’Hoop, current Chair of the CND and Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations in Vienna, lauded the relevance of the theme considering recent international developments, including the Covid-19 pandemic. D’Hoop highlighted the CND’s ongoing work to scale up implementation of the international drug policy commitments on improving the availability of, and access to, controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes.  

In her opening remarks, Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC, explained that UNODC had launched a campaign calling for better ‘Care in Crises’ for this year’s World Drug Day, as the world faced “persisting as well as new crises and conflicts”. “Care in crises means ensuring science-based services for all: for people in emergencies and humanitarian settings, those left behind in the pandemic, and those facing barriers of stigma and discrimination,” said Waly.

UNODC’s research and trend analysis chief Angela Me presented the main findings of the World Drug Report 2022, which includes current trends in the global drug market and the latest information on drug use, production and trafficking. This year’s report analyzes the gender disparity in non-medical drug use and the underrepresentation of women in treatment, considers the potential future of the global opiates market given developments in Afghanistan, examines the impact of cannabis legalization, and investigates the relationship between drugs and conflict. For the first time, it also includes a dedicated section on the impact of drugs on the environment.

Participants also heard the perspectives of two youth representatives, Malak Shaarawy and Tedi Jaho, who delivered interventions focusing on how Covid-19 has affected the world drug problem. Speaking about building a more sustainable world, Shaarawy highlighted that “youth involvement is a crucial factor in the sustainability of a healthy community”, while Jaho emphasized the importance of prevention. “It is so important to understand that there is so much that we can do to provide a better route to health and recovery to people who need it,” said Jaho.

The special event also featured a panel discussion on drugs and the environment, with interventions made by the permanent representatives to the United Nations in Vienna from Colombia (H.E. Ambassador Miguel Camilo Ruiz Blanco), Slovenia (H.E. Ambassador Barbara Zvokelj) and Thailand (H.E. Ambassador Morakot Sriswasdi); Nicolas Prisse, President of the Interministerial Mission for Combating Drugs and Addictive Behaviours of France; and Sylvia Kay of the Vienna NGO Committee on Narcotic Drugs. Following the discussion, interventions were made by over 20 Member States and three additional civil society organizations.

Further information

The 2022 World Drug Report provides a global overview of the supply and demand of opiates, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine-type stimulants and new psychoactive substances (NPS), as well as their impact on health. This year’s edition of the report spotlights trends on cannabis post-legalization, the environmental impacts of illicit drugs, and drug use among women and youth.

Elite cherries in Japan – buyer paid $ 296 for each berry

By
Newsdesk
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0

At a Japanese fruit auction in Aomori Prefecture, an elite Juno Heart variety of cherries was sold for $296 – not a ton, but one piece cost so much. The buyer immediately took the box, which contained 15 pieces, according to the Japanese national newspaper The Asahi Shimbun. The whole box cost $4440.

Juno Heart cherries are considered an upscale gift in Japan. It meets certain requirements of the standard: the diameter of the berry must be more than 2.8 cm, the sugar content must be from 20%. Juno Heart berries, whose diameter is from 3.1 cm, are called “Aomori Heartbeat” and are sold especially expensive.

The exclusive berries were purchased by Nagatsuka Seika, a fruit and berry wholesaler. Representatives of the company said that the purchased berries will be sold in one of the stores.

Photo: Box of the Aomori Heartbeat cherry that fetched the highest price of 600,000 yen per box. (Kuratoshi Yokoyama) / asahi.com

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