 Human rights international
The meeting this year of the UN Commission for Human Rights ran without large condemnations of violations against human rights. Critical voices concerns it as a "consent of the silence". Individual members protect themselves mutually against condemnations. As positive result stands the condemnation of the death penalty with 26 voices. China and the USA were voted against the condemnation. All resolutions for the stabilization of economic, social and cultural human rights have been rejected by the USA.
In Afghanistan the US human right organization Human Rights Watch accuses the US Army for heavy violations against human rights. The employment of force at arrests, abusing of prisoners and arbitrary arrests are the reproaches due to investigations in the year 2003 and at the beginning of 2004. Since 2002 over 1000 persons were arrested and held in camps without giving a legal response.
The international Court of Justice in Den Hague demanded the examination of the death judge against 51 Mexicans in prisons of the USA. The judges explained that the right of assistance by the consulate was refused to the Mexicans. The consulate assistance is considered as a human right by the definition in the contract of Vienna in the year 1963.
|
 |
Spain - Honduras - El Salvador - Iraq
Troop retreat
Petrol reserve
The new Prime Minister of Spain Zapatero converts the retreat of the Spanish troops from the Iraq faster than first announced. Immediately after its term of office it arranged the retreat. Despite criticism of the allied armed forces it converts thereby the will of 90 % of the Spain people who have been against the Iraq war. Other countries such as Honduras and El Salvador follow now the example of Spain.
Meanwhile increases the voices of experts who seen the high point of oil production soon and/or already exceeded. Since 1983 each year was consumed more oil than discovered. The 5 most important oil producing countries are in the Near East (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, VA Emirates, Kuwait and Iran). Their portion of the world reserves amounts to approx.. 60 %.
Is the Iraq war a consequence of the end of the oil boom?
|
|
 |
Europe - Germany
Marking obligation for genetic food
Since 18 April genetically changed food must be marked in Germany. Briefly before the resolution of the European Union to permit genetically changed food in supermarkets came into strength the marking obligation for these articles in Germany. These food is rejected by the majority of the Germans (70 %). Therefore the German supermarkets will offer hardly genetically changed food. A gap will exist however about the marking obligation. Marking requires not food which is manufactured by genetically changed food. Likewise animal products do not have to be marked even when the animals are feeded with genetically changed fodder.
|
|
Germany - France / Meissenheim - Kuerzell
National horticultural show
Local election
In Kehl and Strasbourg the national horticultural show of Baden -Württemberg began at the 23.04. The horticultural show stands under the slogan Rendezvous on the Rhine, garden of the two banks. During 6 months take place over 3000 meetings to the topic garden and culture. It is the first bi-national horticulture show.
In Meissenheim - Kuerzell comes together with the European vote of the European Parliament in Straßburg for the 13.06 the choice of the local council. Now the lists of candidates found themselves together. As in the last elections 3 groups stands for the vote. Large tension promises this vote because 2 important projects moved both local villages in the last 2 years. For Meissenheim it was the gravel quarrying in the Riedmatten for which the citizen assembly had to be forced by a citizen initiative. In Kürzell it is planned a noise protection wall. To both projects the interest of the population was enormous. Tension prevails also because from the past 14 chair holders in the local council only 5 stands again for candidate. The new local council will be surely be confronted newly with these projects.
|
|
the Journal - April 2004
