This originally appeared on my political blog at https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2021/05/on-uganda-burma-attempted-coup-in-usa.html.
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On Uganda this week:
- Museveni is continuing his stay in, and abuse of, power;
- a journalist has been murdered in Uganda.
On Burma this week:
- the protests and killing continue;
- ASEAN leaders have demanded an end to the killings in Burma, and there is very weak "sort of" agreement on that, but nothing on releasing political prisoners - standard diplomatic protocols are inadequate;
- sanctions on two more government-owned companies - but still not their oil company . . . ;
- Burma's doctors have urged the UN to take action (which is being blocked by despotic China - again ... which is why such matters need to be referred to a General Assembly meeting held using our new-found skills in remote, online meetings);
- fighting between Burma's military and ethnic groups in areas occupied by the Burmese Empire;
- repression of journalism continues - and human rights groups;
- petitions here and here, and the "no business with genocide" campaign;
- the unified opposition to the military junta.
From the news this week:
- on the climate crisis and the environment:
a gravely concerning study about the limits of relying on reforestation to address the climate crisis; a criticism of those who "have allowed themselves to be intimidated by Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch and their bullies, who in turn have been collaborators in the crime of the century"; we might be nearing a (good) tipping point for climate action; super funds will vote against directors not acting on the climate crisis; a decades old massive dump of suspected toxic chemicals off the US coats has been found; a brief overview of the instability being amplified by climate change in Africa; the national neolib nitwits continue their dinosaur ways; birds flying into glass skyscrapers and ideas to prevent that; exchangeable batteries for electric trucks; although it would be bad for business as well as the planet, "more than half of Australian companies plan to scale back environmental initiatives to weather the financial harm caused by the COVID pandemic"; a German court has ordered the government to strengthen its anti-climate crisis legislation; Ghana's army will enforce bans on mining; a campaign to ban asbestos in Indonesia is underway; environmental degradation is threatening water supplies in Uganda; Indigenous people in Nepal have won a reprieve from a dam; Indonesia is edging towards forest protection; - on international relations including war:
the Greens may get the role of Germany's next Chancellor; China is trying to bully us into sacrificing our national interest and kow tow to their authoritarianism; the UK's breaches of Brexit conditions could lead to legal consequences; a warning a new civil war may break out in South Sudan;an assessment of the various security problems Nigeria is facing; growing tensions on the Colombia-Venezuela border; a proposal to ban destructive anti-satellite testing; sanctions against people with corruption connections; some central Victorian bush "users" (shooters, fossickers, and bike/4WD drivers) are objecting to greater protections supported by Indigenous and care groups; border clashes between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have left at least four dead and dozens injured; how to prevent another insurrection in Niger; a criticism of China's "self-defeating economic statecraft"; another tiny step towards a regional force to help defeat violent extremism in Mozambique; a criticism of the USA's inactions on Taiwan; support for "microlateralism" - smaller nations doing more internationally;
- on the COVID-19 pandemic:
a perspective on the long term illnesses (and higher risk of death) caused by the vaccine vs the very limited effects of the vaccine; "the only real herd immunity is global"; the pandemic has also come with an epidemic of cyberbullying of the young; a neolib Minister has shown a disturbing lack of awareness of the problems with hotel quarantine; - on genocides and other human rights issues:
hospitals inAfghanTalibanistan are struggling, and Afghans who helped coalition forces are facing death or worse; after 106 years, US President Biden has recognised the Armenian Genocide; Brazil has discovered the Norwegian model for rehabilitative jails; neo-nazis don't want to be investigated for being what they are; abusive Israeli policies constitute crimes of apartheid and persecution; abandonment of refugees in the Mediterranean; torture of Burundian refugees in Tanzania; the problem of human rights abusers on the UN HRC; 29 million people in the Sahel need humanitarian assistance; another possible murder by asphyxiation by US police; China is moving towards exit bans in Hong Kong; one of the latest abuses by US police is dislocating the shoulder of a compliant elderly woman who was being arrested; Denmark on deadly track to return refugees to Syria; ongoing repression in the Union of Soviet Socialist Russia; the CAR and Russian mercenaries have been accused of committing human rights abuses; Zimbabwe's replacement president is going down the Mugabe path ... ; - on democracy:
far right (neo-nazi) extremists are threatening our (Australia's) democracy; improving accountability of governance; India is silencing social media criticism of its flawed pandemic response; "10 years after Finkelstein, media accountability in Australia has gone backwards"; now that they've shifted the climate-denialist ex-cop minister, the national neolib "government risks progress on climate and Indigenous affairs"; an examination of how Somalia's electoral crisis became violent; concerns about the state of democracy in eSwatini; anger over the extended stay of Somalia's President has become violent; the death of democracy in Benin; Somalia's President will no longer seek an extension of his term, and will talk with rivals; defending democracies from disinformation and cyber-enabled foreign interference in the COVID-19 era; demonstrations against military rule in Chad; a criticism of neolib's "internally inconsistent" (i.e., stupid) comments about education; a critique of the Treasurer's spin; after decades of neolib ideological savagery, the world's economists are FINALLY supporting lower unemployment (and hopefully lower underemployment); "...ambulance services being held to ransom by arbitrary performance targets set by governments, which often bear little relevance to actual health outcomes for patients"; bunker-style ghettoes in Poland; an attack on democracy in Mongolia; rallies against tax changes in Colombia; Algeria has arrested an opposition figure; attacks on whistleblowers in Australia; the problem of alpha-toxic masculinity; a Zimbabwean court has quashed charges against a journalist; an enquiry into corruption in South Africa is continuing; “enhancing skills and opportunities for women election candidates in Viêt Nám”; a start on drafting the constitution of an East African political conference; support for elections in Palestine; - on LGBTIQ+ matters:
a speech by a TGD person: ‘We deserve the dignity of being known’; as anti-LGBTIQ+ hate in eastern Europe damages economic growth US businesses call for protection of LGBTIQ+ people; New York City council bans “normalising” surgeries on children born with variations in their sex characteristics; - on racism:
an Indigenous group has crowd funded enough money to buy back a sacred site; the continuing crisis of deaths in custody; a black man killed recently in the US by police died of an execution style shot to the back of the head; "controversial NDIS independent assessments would 'perpetuate systemic racism' in Australia"; a legal case for compensation for the Stolen Generations will start soon; a second probe into unreasonable force and racism by US police has been launched; pre-white invasion, the Indigenous population of Australia could have been three million - or more; more inclusive and accurate education; another racist law - this one in Qld;
racist claims of civil war by serving and former members of France's military; Germany will return the Benin bronzes; - on sexism:
the FCB (Female Contingency Brain) ☺; a recent case of blatant and appalling sexism by Turkey against one of Europe's leaders - which another European leader colluded in; an exposé of rape culture in British schools; another online tool for women to report unsafe locations; more ineptness in Qld police on DV - and criticism of NSW police ineptness on DV; calls for women's shelters as Kenya reports a surge in domestic violence; NSW police continue to live in the 1950s; high rates of sexual harassment in the public service show how inept the neolib's response has been; praise for a rape victim's proposals for reform after she the opposition leader and the drongo heading the national neolib nitwits; in a extreme case of toxic masculinity, a possessive man has allegedly murdered his ex-partner's lover; - on ableism:
steps towards protecting people with disabilities in Brazil; "creating new opportunities for women with disabilities in the West Bank"; - on animal rights:
- on other matters:
the problem of "debunkery"; pathological disbelief; "it should be OK for parents to express regret about having children";
a housing crisis in one town is causing a health care crisis as doctors cannot find homes; after five years of refusing to repair a dangerous house, a housing authority is evicting the single mother and her children;
US police will stop using their terrifying robotic surveillance ground drone; one tech company has improved privacy management of apps; a criticism of tech billionaires fundamentally flawed attitude to workers, and what that could lead to off-planet; criticism of a social media platform for allowing targetted advertising of products such as alcohol & smoking to teenagers - but at least they have FINALLY kicked off a COVID-denialist bigotted MP; the ACCC has called for changes to major tech app stores (including allowing consumers to change or remove pre-installed or default apps) and may impose regulations if there is an inadequate response; another article on the under-diagnosis of ADHD in women; more heavy-handed policing by Vic police in a rural city;
worker abuse in Mexico; the need for a right to disconnect;
thoughts on "working with people who aren't self-aware".
