Ups and downs

United Nations' Human Rights Council is a sham. One religious group managed to make their practices - in spite of whether these practices are indeed based on their religion, or if they are a twisted and offensive remnant of old cultural practices - untouchable. So untouchable, that members trying to discuss the human right violations in any way connected to these, will get reprimanded. They will also get reprimanded if they complain about this fact.
There indeed is something very rotten in the state of this council.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights trumps every other law - when the respect towards other religions and freedom of religion is guaranteed in the UDHR, the hurtful and disrespectful practices of ANY religion shouldn't be allowed because the perpetrators scream about their "religious rights" being violated. Child marriage should not be allowed because some religions don't see anything wrong with it. Female genital mutilation is a disgusting, vile habit that has to stop. "Honor" murders have no honor and have to be stopped - and the murderer punished by the law. Children shouldn't be punished as adults. Raped girls and women may not be stoned to death. Women should be able to walk on the streets without company and dressed as they wish (in fact, they should be able to walk naked, but let's not go there) without being harassed, imprisoned or punished. Islam shouldn't be known by human rights violations like this, but as the peaceful, loving and tolerant religion it really is.

There was a documentary about Sudan and how the AU troops were slaughtered and UN helicopters - the only way to get to the place to save the soldiers - refused because they are civilian... it took the general in charge 2 days to get to the place, to find thousands of soldiers killed, died in their wounds waiting for the rescue and dying... Nice. Now the AU troops have been placed with UN troops. There are thousands of soldiers and five (5) helicopters - the very same civilian UN helicopters... US has hundreds of helicopters doing nothing useful in Iraq and Afghanistan, they could show some good will and give UN - or BORROW - 5-10 military helicopters to UN to make it easier for the poor general to deal with the issue. Sudan is bigger than Texas and very much bigger than Iraq. Do you think US does anything like that? No.

A courageous man in Zimbabwe video-filmed the Zimbabwean reality. The governing "political party" is nothing but thugs and terrorists. South African president - the same guy who said AIDS can be healed by sleeping with virgins and doesn't need any medication - supports Mugabe. What are the consequences to Mbeki? None, what so ever.

But there's good things happening too.

In India a man has started a school for the lowest of the low - to orphans, half-orphans, abandoned children, castless kids. Brahmanic education has not been allowed to those who aren't "worthy" - that is to everyone but those from Brahman cast. This man is giving the castless and low-cast members of India a chance to show what they can do. One step on the road to break the despicable cast system.

China is solving the growing energy problem by turning to the alternative, "green" sources.
In Saudi-Arabia they are preparing for the day when there is no oil. They are building a "green" city.

Ingrid Betancourt is free :-)