Umbuds English

"Democratic" Iraq

2006-02-26T22:06:00.000+02:00

Sometimes, States must admit that 'democracy' they are talking about is akin to Nazi Germany, that was self-proclaimed democratic state (and came to power through popular election!)

Independent reports:

"Hundreds of Iraqis are being tortured to death or summarily executed every month in Baghdad alone by death squads working from the Ministry of the Interior, the United Nations' outgoing human rights chief in Iraq has revealed.

John Pace, who left Baghdad two weeks ago, told The Independent on Sunday that up to three-quarters of the corpses stacked in the city's mortuary show evidence of gunshot wounds to the head or injuries caused by drill-bits or burning cigarettes. Much of the killing, he said, was carried out by Shia Muslim groups under the control of the Ministry of the Interior.

Much of the statistical information provided to Mr Pace and his team comes from the Baghdad Medico-Legal Institute, which is located next to the city's mortuary. He said figures show that last July the morgue alone received 1,100 bodies, about 900 of which bore evidence of torture or summary execution. The pattern prevailed throughout the year until December, when the number dropped to 780 bodies, about 400 of which had gunshot or torture wounds.

"It's being done by anyone who wishes to wipe out anybody else for various reasons," said Mr Pace, who worked for the UN for more than 40 years in countries ranging from Liberia to Chile. "But the bulk are attributed to the agents of the Ministry of the Interior."

No comments. What you have done, Mr. Bush?

Condoleezza wants to bribe Iran

2006-02-25T22:06:00.000+02:00

Wonderful! Ms. Rice wants to bribe Iranians!

Regime Change in Iran (almost terroristic name for a blog, I must admit) tells how Bush pleads Congress to allocate $75 millions more to noble cause of overthrowing Iranian legitimate government.

Aforementionted blog also passionately quotes Ms. Rice, where she says:

"Perhaps one of the biggest challenges we face is the policy of the Iranian regime which is a policy of the destabilization of the world's most volatile and vulnerable region... their support for terrorism around the world. They are, in effect, the central banker for terrorism around the world."

Central banker for terrorism around the world! Gosh, listen what you are saying!

Does US want to be ejected from UN for good? Iranian government is legitimate one, and any attempt to overthrow it will be treated as terroristic act or as a supreme crime!

Have you ever asked Iranians what does they want sincerely? No! You need Iranian oil, and you'll declare war at it.

Magnificient!

Brain it over well.

Poland promotes homophobia

2006-02-24T23:06:00.000+02:00

Pam's House Blend writes about Lech Kaczynski, Polish President, who is harassed by Human Rights Watch for prohibiting gay pride Parade in Warsaw.

HRW declares absolutely devastating harassment of human rights in Poland,

"rising of a new authoritarian regime"

, but hey!

Don't they understand or don't they want to understand cultural difference between Western world and Eastern Europe?

Don't they understand that mild homophobia is norm of society life in Poland and other Eastern European countries?

Mr Kaczynski just supported popular motion of his people, and BTW, gays in Poland understand fully mild intolerance against them and don't seem to object much.

So do you need to make all that fuss and heat over international scandal over cultural intolerance?

Brain it over well.

UN Commissioner vs. Danish cartoons

2006-02-23T22:49:00.000+02:00

As I've browsed the net, I've stumbled over one wonderful post.

Relapsed Catholic comments about Mdm. Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who have responded to collective letter of 56 Islamic states pleading her to intervene over case with Danish Mohammed cartoons.

Blogger furiously protects the point that UN High Commissioner should not intervene, thus protecting free speech.

Holy socks!

If someone offend American government system, hurting relatively small WASP population, that's provocation; if someone offend more-than-half-billion Muslim population, that's free speech.

In marvelous times we live, brethren, when even 'democracy outposts' live by using double standards.

Brain it over well.

Day of Soviet Army

2006-02-22T21:59:00.000+02:00

23rd february is the Day of Soviet Army, here in Ukraine dubbed Motherland Defender's Day.

For me as HR (here and afterwards: human rights) activist it makes some sense to think about what makes person a Defender or not. It is accustomed in Ukraine to think about this holiday as Man's day (man as in male, not as human), in contrary to Woman's day coming several weeks later.

Word umbuds, which I made my nickname, originally means 'defender' in Swedish, and is also root for word Ombudsman.

Yes, when Swedes were still vikings, umbudses ran amok with spears and axes slashing through ranks of savage Anglo-Saxons, and the same fabled defenders warred in Soviet Unions and were venerated on 23rd february.

But Swedish people already have over-grown this phase, and now regards lawyers - HR activists as defenders, not warriors.

Maybe we will beat it too, and will make February 23rd, Defender's Day, day of rights defender, human defender, Ombudsman's Day?

Brain it over well.