Opinions

Several important objections have come in, from knowledgeable and experienced observers, to my last column arguing that pronouncing oneself in favour of human rights should predicate opposition to war. One is from Professor George Kent of the University of Hawaii, who says:

*“I think it is important not to mix outrage at particular incidents within wars with opposition to war as such. The two call for quite different strategies.

Prospects for dealing with particular violations of humanitarian and human rights law seem better than prospects for banishing war altogether. New institutional arrangements are needed to ensure accountability for those violations. Having the perpetrators chant, ‘We are investigating’ is not good enough”*.

Democracy Now! – The New York Times reports senior US officials are increasingly concerned about new vulnerabilities for Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, including the potential for militants to snatch a weapon in transport.

One improved in April 2009, according to the new issue of the International Crisis Group’s monthly bulletin CrisisWatch.

Under the slogan “The future is on its way” hundreds of young people took part in a demonstration in the town center of Buenos Aires to support the Worldwide March for Peace and Non Violence.

Lawyer and human rights activist, Dr. Shirin Ebadi, the first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, was in Montreal at the Millennium summit on April 16 with others major players and key figures from government organizations, civil society, and leading international humanitarian organizations to raise awareness on the importance on sustainable development and the eradication of poverty. At the Summit, Dr. Ebadi proposed an International Convention to eradicate poverty.

President Obama’s decision to release the “torture memos” was a victory for
transparency; but his decision not to prosecute the agents who committed
torture is wrong, and betrays his own calls for accountability and moral
renewal.

Actress and UNICEF ambassador Mia Farrow was a guest speaker at the recent Millenium Summit in Montreal. She spoke about the crisis in Darfur, a region she has visited 11 times since 2004.

The problems between India and Pakistan are not problems of common people, but problems of those who are deciding for all.

We are starting to see signals from different sectors about the urgency for nuclear disarmament, the first of the objectives of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner recently confirmed her support for the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, an initiative of the Humanist Movement. She also said she would be pleased to welcome the marchers when they pass through her country.