human rights

Terrorist Paranoia Even in ‘Nuke-Free’ New Zealand

I moved to New Zealand in August 2001 and had just got a job in a restaurant on the Viaduct. On 9/11 I walked into work and heard the news about the World Trade Towers. I was feeling rather relieved to be in remote NZ far from the madness being generated in the US. I was shocked, therefore, when one of the Kiwi waitresses confided in me with real terror in her voice that the terrorists were going to bomb Auckland next — in fact, no one was safe anywhere anymore.

I tried to explain to her that New Zealand was the last place on anyone’s radar terrorist or not, as it simply was way too remote have any practical value as a target. But she wasn’t having any of it. At the time I simply dismissed it as a foolish young girl’s irrational fear, now I realize she was just giving voice to a widely held opinion, which was acted on in 2007, when around 300 police locked down a small town in New Zealand to arrest Maori activists. Now, after five years the Urewera four have been cleared of all but a couple charges, which should also be dropped. The right thing to do would to also have a public apology from the NZ government and compensation paid, but that is probably asking the government to be more human that it could handle. More info here: Police fail against the Urewera Four.

FLOW For Love Of Water – Full Length

FLOW For Love Of Water – Full Length

Salina builds a case against the growing privatization of the world's dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel. Interviews with scientists and activists intelligently reveal the rapidly b ...

Haiti History – Trial of the Massacres of Raboteau

Haiti History – Trial of the Massacres of Raboteau

This post, from my series of posts on the history of Haiti, taken from Dr. Paul Farmer's book Pathologies of Power: Health, Human Rights, and the New War on the Poor gives excerpts of the history of Haiti, especially surrounding the massacre that took place in Raboteau. On April 22, 1994, during the ...