Saturday, October 31, 2009

IFJ Condemns Government over Attack on Journalist in Tunisia

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the kidnap and assault of Slim Boukdhir, a freelance journalist and correspondent of Al Arabya newspaper in Tunisia, who was abducted by unidentified men on Wednesday evening in Tunis. The journalist, who was later dumped near a park stripped of his clothes by his attackers, sustained serious injuries.

"This is a shameless attack on a journalist who has shown great courage in denouncing the repressive regime in Tunisia," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "It is part of a shocking campaign targeting independent journalists and opponents of the government."

According to reports, Slim was attacked by four men, believed to be state security agents, shortly after his interview on the BBC World Service in which he was critical of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali's victory in last Sunday presidential elections.

The IFJ accuses President Ben Ali of exposing independent journalists to mob violence following his statements after the poll, accusing Slim and what he described as a "tiny minority" of Tunisians of treason for working with foreign media organisations.

"The President's comments bear grave consequences for the country's democracy and independent media," added White. "They put journalists' safety at serious risk and intimidate alternative voice on the nation's affairs."

The Syndicat National des Journalistes Tunisiens (SNJT), an IFJ affiliate has been subjected to a government-inspired campaign of destabilisation after the leadership issued a press freedom report critical of the government in May and refused to endorse sitting President Ben Ali during the recent national elections.

Source: International Federation of Journalists, http://www.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-condemns-government-over-attack-on-journalist-in-tunisia

Welcome to the Human Rights Counil

Hello future delegates:

My name is Robert Lees-Miller, and I will be your chair for the Human Rights Council in HSMUN 2010. A bit of history on me: I'm a Microbiology major in my second year at the UofA. I will now have been a part of HSMUN for 3 years, representing Nepal at the WHO in 2008, the chair of the ILO in 2009, and have been to conferences across North America and even in Europe.

My name is Janet Le, and I will be your Director for the Human Rights Council in HSMUN 2010. A bit of history on me: I am in my 4th year of Biological Sciences. I have lived in Ghana and traveled through the Middle East. My current ambition is to become fluent in Hebrew (Shalom!).

My name is Alan Shapiro, and I will be your Intervention Attache in HSMUN 2010. A bit of history on me: I am a Science Psychology major in my first year. This is also my third year with HSMUN and I will continue my tradition of bribing everyone and everything that moves.

The topics at hand will be the rights of people vis a vis transnational corporations and the rights of foreign journalists and aid workers.

Check back regularly for updates, or put us on your Google Reader!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Nestle to stop Mugabe Milk Deal

Swiss multinational Nestle says it will stop buying milk from a farm owned by the wife of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe.

Nestle said it had bought milk from farms including Grace Mugabe's Gushungo Dairy Estate to help the country as its dairy industry neared collapse.

The move comes after human rights activists had called for a boycott of Nestle products.

The farm was seized from its white owner under controversial land reforms.

Nestle said it had been buying milk directly from Gushongo after the local processer Dairy Board of Zimbabwe could no longer do so.

But Nestle said the DBZ was now able to resume its purchases from Gushungo estate and seven other farms, meaning the temporary arrangement was no longer necessary.

A Nestle spokesman clarified to the BBC that the company does not buy milk from the DBZ but from individual farms, which do not include Gushongo.

"In light of the recent controversy surrounding our relationship with the Gushungo Dairy Estate, we believe that this announcement reflects our long-term commitment to Zimbabwe while acknowledging the specific circumstances around these events," Nestle said in a statement.

West blamed

For many years Zimbabwe was a major food producer for neighbouring countries.

But the seizure of almost all white-owned commercial farms - with the stated aim of benefiting landless black Zimbabweans - has led to the collapse of the agriculture-based economy.

The country endured rampant inflation and critical food and fuel shortages.

President Mugabe, however, always blamed the collapse on Western sanctions including an aid freeze.

He said the land seizures were necessary because after years of colonial rule, much of the country's best land was owned by a small number of white farmers.

The economy has, however, stabilised in recent months since the former opposition joined a power-sharing government and the use of foreign currencies was legalised.

Mrs Mugabe is subject to international sanctions, along with her husband and dozens of other Zimbabwean officials.

But these cover travel to, and assets held in, the US, EU, Switzerland and other countries - they do not restrict trade, except arms sales.

Source:
BBC News