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More than 2,500 migrants dead or missing in Mediterranean in 2023: UN
More than 2,500 migrants died or went missing while trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe so far in 2023, a UN High Commissioner for Refugees official said Thursday. "By September 24, over 2,500 people were accounted as dead or missing in 2023 alone," Ruven Menikdiwela, director of the UNHCR New York office, told the Security Council. That number marked a large increase over the 1,680 dead or missing migrants in the same period in 2022. "Lives are also lost on land, away from public attention," she added. The land journey from sub-Saharan African countries, where many of the migrants hail from, to departure points on the Tunisian and Libyan coasts "remains one of the world's most dangerous," Menikdiwela said. The migrants and refugees "risk death and gross human rights violations at every step," said Menikdiwela. In total, some 186,000 people arrived by sea in southern Europe from January to September 24, landing in Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Malta. The majority, over 130,000 people, arrived in Italy, marking an increase of 83 percent compared to the same period in 2022. As for departure points, between January and August of this year it is estimated that more than 102,000 refugees and migrants tried to cross the Mediterranean from Tunisia and 45,000 from Libya. An estimated 31,000 people were rescued at sea or intercepted and disembarked in Tunisia, and 10,600 in Libya, Menikdiwela said. The post More than 2,500 migrants dead or missing in Mediterranean in 2023: UN appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Opening Pandora’s box
Exposing the recruitment racket where Filipinos are brought to Italy using bogus work permits, Daily Tribune’s show Usapang OFW may have opened a can of worms in the country’s skewed policy of relentlessly exporting labor. In most countries, being a migrant worker is a career move, not a forced one to have a decent human existence. The diaspora now consists of more than 10 million Filipinos who are promised by their elected leaders every time they are visited that the time is coming when opportunities at home will allow them to return. Policies, however, continue to lean toward promoting overseas employment mainly due to the lure of $3 billion in remittances that shower the country like manna from heaven monthly. Filipinos are preferred first-class workers due to their proficiency in English and their famed work ethic, resilience, and cheerful nature. The demand for Filipino workers is exploited by those seeking a fast buck by recruiting them. Those seeking jobs abroad are sucked dry before they can get a contract and then squeezed of their hard-earned money again at every opportunity by vultures, including the government. Tales like the emergency repatriation fund being misused to buy overpriced sanitary napkins and similar kickback rackets abound. Some 400 workers recounted to the online program how a Filipino employment consultancy firm based in Italy, Alpha Assistenza SRL, headed by Filipino co-CEOs Krizelle Respicio and Frederick Dutaro, victimized them through a “serial scamming” where they paid substantial sums only to be issued fake Nulla Ostas or work permits. The labor trafficking the Filipino firm had been engaged in was revealed after several individuals surfaced to narrate the ordeal they experienced at the hands of Alpha Assistenza. Senator Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution to investigate the likely scam operation, but the probe’s focus should be on the officials who are complicit with the crooks. The victims recounted how the sting of bringing Filipinos to Italy with fake work permits could only be possible through the collusion of officials in the foreign diplomatic outposts. An immediate impact of the revelations of massive human trafficking may squander the country’s recently won Tier-1 ranking in the Global Trafficking in Persons report of the US State Department. As a Tier-1 country, the Philippines is considered to have fully met the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking. The government was applauded for its continued demonstration of “serious and sustained efforts” to fight human smuggling and illegal labor deployment. “These efforts included investigating more trafficking crimes, convicting more traffickers, amending its anti-trafficking law, increasing funding to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and sentencing nearly all traffickers to significant prison terms,” the US State Department said. Being dropped from Tier-1 would have the effect of foreign governments tightening entry procedures for Filipino workers and the issuance of tighter rules on labor recruitment conducted by local agencies. “Corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes remain significant concerns, inhibiting law enforcement action during the year,” the US report said. The report continued: “Some officials in law enforcement, immigration agencies, and other government entities are allegedly complicit in trafficking or allow traffickers to operate with impunity. Some corrupt officials allegedly accept bribes to facilitate illegal departures for overseas workers, operate sex trafficking establishments, facilitate the production of fraudulent identity documents, or overlook illegal labor recruiters.” Italy could just be the tip of the iceberg of a possibly colossal syndicate tapping into the tens of millions of job-seeking Filipinos for a lucrative illegal recruitment ring. The post Opening Pandora’s box appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Climate change ‘dystopian future already here’: UN rights chief
Climate change is sparking human rights emergencies in numerous countries, the UN rights chief said Monday, stressing the need to fight the impunity of those who "plunder our environment". Speaking before the United Nations Human Rights Council, Volker Turk pointed to recent examples of the "environmental horror that is our global planetary crisis". He described visiting Basra, Iraq, where date palms once lined canals, but now "drought, searing heat, extreme pollution and fast-depleting supplies of fresh water are creating barren landscapes of rubble and dust". "This spiraling damage is a human rights emergency for Iraq, and many other countries," he said in his address opening the 54th council session in Geneva. "Climate change is pushing millions of people into famine. It is destroying hopes, opportunities, homes and lives. In recent months, urgent warnings have become lethal realities again and again all around the world," Turk said. "We do not need more warnings. The dystopian future is already here. We need urgent action now." Turk was speaking after the G20 at the weekend failed to commit to a phase-out of fossil fuels, something he said was desperately needed. - 'Nonchalance' at migrant deaths - At a time when the ravages of climate change are forcing more and more people to leave their homes, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said he was "shocked by the nonchalance" seen towards surging numbers of migrant deaths. "It is evident that far more migrants and refugees are dying, unnoticed," he said, pointing to the more than "2,300 people reported dead or missing in the Mediterranean this year, including the loss of more than 600 lives in a single shipwreck off Greece in June." He also highlighted migrant deaths in the English Channel, the Bay of Bengal, in the Caribbean, along the US-Mexican border, and at the Saudi border, where he said his "office is seeking urgent clarification about allegations of killings and mistreatment". The UN rights chief also highlighted a wide range of other concerning situations around the world, including in Russia, Pakistan and the Palestinian territory. On China, he reiterated concerns raised in a report by his office a year ago about the situation in the far-western Xinjiang region, which cited possible crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. "As my Office highlighted a year ago, the concerns in the Xinjiang ... requires strong remedial action by the authorities," Turk said Monday, also voicing concern at "continued detention of human rights advocates". - 'Ecocide' - Turk also spoke about the situation in Lebanon, decrying a total lack of accountability for the 2020 Beirut port blast, that killed more than 220 people, urging "an international fact-finding mission to look into human rights violations related to this tragedy." And he mentioned the situation in Iran, one year after the death of Mahsa Amini in custody after her arrest for allegedly breaching the strict dress code for women. Turk voiced concern at a bill that would impose harsher penalties for breaching the dress code, and "renewed deployment of the morality police." Climate change and environmental degradation played a role in a number of the rights situations he mentioned, including in Africa's Sahel region. Turk insisted on the need to "counter the impunity of people and businesses who severely plunder our environment", welcoming a proposal to recognize "ecocide" as an international crime. Amid the towering problems facing the world, Turk decried "politics of deception". "Helped by new technologies, lies and disinformation are mass-produced to sow chaos, to confuse, and ultimately to deny reality and ensure no action will be taken that could endanger the interests of entrenched elites," he said. "The most apparent case of this is climate change." nl/apo/yad © Agence France-Presse The post Climate change ‘dystopian future already here’: UN rights chief appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A multipolar world is not enough
We are confronting existential challenges. The climate crisis is spiraling out of control. A global cost-of-living crisis is raging. Poverty, hunger and inequalities are growing against the objectives of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. New technologies are raising red flags, without a global architecture to deal with them. Geopolitical divides and conflicts are multiplying with profound global implications, especially the impacts from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We are moving toward a multipolar world, and that is a positive thing. But multipolarity in itself is not enough to guarantee a peaceful or just global community. To be a factor of peace, equity and justice in international relations, multipolarity must be supported by strong and effective multilateral institutions. Look no further than the situation in Europe at the dawn of the last century. Europe was multipolar — but it lacked strong multilateral mechanisms. The result was World War I. As the global community moves toward multipolarity, we desperately need — and I have been vigorously advocating for — a strengthened and reformed multilateral architecture based on the UN Charter and international law. Today’s global governance structures reflect yesterday’s world. They were largely created in the aftermath of World War II when many African countries were still ruled by colonial powers and were not even at the table. This is particularly true of the Security Council of the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions. For multilateral institutions to remain truly universal, they must reform to reflect today’s power and economic realities, and not the power and economic realities of the post Second World War. In the absence of such reform — fragmentation is inevitable. We cannot afford a world with a divided global economy and financial system; with diverging strategies on technology including artificial intelligence; and with conflicting security frameworks. The IMF estimates that such a fracture could cost 7 percent of global GDP — a cost that would be disproportionately born by low-income countries, mainly in Africa. In a fracturing world with overwhelming crises, there is simply no alternative to cooperation. We must urgently restore trust and reinvigorate multilateralism for the 21st century. This requires the courage to compromise in the reforms that are necessary for the common good. It requires full respect for the UN Charter, international law, universal values, and all human rights — social, cultural, economic, civil and political. And it requires much greater solidarity. Redesigning today’s outdated, dysfunctional, and unfair global financial architecture is necessary, but I know it won’t happen overnight. Yet we can — and must — take practical action now. We must also drastically step-up climate action and climate justice. Developed countries [must] commit to reach net zero emissions as close as possible to 2040, and developing countries as close as possible to 2050. Developed countries must also finally keep their promises to developing countries: By meeting the $100 billion goal, doubling adaptation finance, replenishing the Green Climate Fund and operationalizing the loss and damage fund this year. We will not solve our common challenges in a fragmented way. Together, let us work to advance the power of universal action, the imperative for justice and the promise of a better future. *** Excerpts from the UN Secretary-General’s remarks at the BRICS summit, 24 August 2023. The post A multipolar world is not enough appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Binay: Focus on modern info tech instead of burdening Filipino travelers
Senator Nancy Binay on Tuesday said the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking should focus more on maximizing modern technology and profiling improvement to fight human trafficking in the country instead of burdening Filipino travelers with strict document requirements. Binay, who chairs the Senate Committee on Tourism, said that the revised departure guidelines set by the IACAT are very restrictive to Filipino travelers “yet inconclusive in stopping human trafficking. Hence, the senator said the IACAT and other related agencies should also be mindful of improving their profiling of travelers as she finds the policy of providing additional travel documents "coercive, restrictive and redundant." Binay said the presence of technology is there to make it convenient for passengers and make them feel secure. Technology also plays a huge role in curbing human trafficking, she added. "Kung kaduda-duda talaga ang background ng byahero at kasamang biktima (If a traveler's background is indeed suspicious including the victim)—that's the time immigration people should do their jobs of cross-checking the info they have in their database and compare it to the claims of the person in question,” Binay further stressed. She then appealed: ”Let's maximize the use of information technology to correctly profile travelers.” Binay lamented that immigration officials should use a combination of methods and criteria to determine travelers who may pose a security risk. “We all know that visa applications are all scrutinized for accuracy and consistency. Kapag medyo kaduda-duda ang impormasyong nakalagay, expect an outright rejection of your application. Ang dapat sigurong higpitan yung mga babyahe papunta sa countries na walang visa at mataas ang human trafficking cases—in this case, cross referencing is necessary to check the background of a particular traveler,” she said. The Department of Justice and Bureau of Immigration, she said, must deploy officers who are well-trained to interpret data contextually and make informed decisions based on the info at hand. Of course, human judgment is prone to mistakes that's why oversight is essential. Kaya dapat trained professional ang nasa frontlines to treat every traveler with respect and sensitivity, at magkaroon tayo ng mechanisms to address false positives to protect an individual's rights," Binay further stressed. The IACAT recently announced the imposition of the revised guidelines for Filipinos leaving the country beginning on 3 September. Under the revised guidelines, outbound passengers should present the basic travel documents consisting of a passport with at least six months validity from the date of departure; an appropriate valid visa whenever required; a confirmed return or roundtrip ticket, if necessary; and a boarding pass. For tourists, immigration officials may also ask for proof of hotel booking/accommodation, financial capacity or source of income; passenger’s declared purpose of travel, proof of employment, and other similar documents. Immigration officials may also ask outbound travelers for a copy of their original Philippine Statistics Authority-issued birth certificate or report of birth or marriage certificate/report of marriage, copies of documents of sponsor, valid work visa or permit, residency permit, or any equivalent document, overseas employment certificate, e-receipt, or OFW clearance for OFW sponsors. If traveling through a relative’s sponsorship, an original affidavit of support and guarantee duly notarized by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate/Honorary Consulate must be presented. The post Binay: Focus on modern info tech instead of burdening Filipino travelers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DOJ: Revised departure guidelines to boost Phl’s anti-human trafficking efforts
The Department of Justice stressed that the revised departure guidelines for international-bound Filipino travelers primarily target to boost the government measures to fight human trafficking in the country—far from claims that it was intended to intrude on people’s privacy and impede traveling rights. In a news forum on Saturday, DOJ Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said the decision of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking to revise the departure guidelines really aims to reduce “the grave menace of human trafficking” in the country. Clavano further explained that the 2023 revised IACAT guidelines were culled out from the 2015 policy. Thus, the IACAT is not imposing additional documentary requirements on travelers, he said. “Hindi po totoo na additional requirement dahil hindi naman ho iyan required. ‘Pag mayroon lang red flags, ‘pag mayroon lang nakitang inconsistency sa kuwento or hindi na-meet iyong standard po ng ating mga Immigration Officers, doon lang sila magtatanong (It is not true that we require additional requirement because it’s not required. If there are red flags, if there are inconsistencies in their stories or if they did not meet he standards of immigration officers—then questioning will follow),” said Clavano. The IACAT earlier announced it will implement revised departure protocols for Filipinos traveling abroad beginning 3 September. Senator Risa Hontiveros appealed to the Bureau of Immigration not to “bully” Filipino travelers who are going abroad when it starts imposing stricter regulations starting next month. As the author and sponsor of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and one of the lawmakers who exposed the scam hubs within and outside of the Philippines, Hontiveros said she believes it is absolutely imperative for the government to ramp up its efforts in fighting human trafficking. “I believe it is absolutely imperative that we do more against human trafficking. I am aware of the magnitude of this serious global problem,” she added. “Ngunit hinihingi ko din sa ating BI na huwag naman maging bully sa ating mga Pinoy na turista. Bigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang ating mga kababayan na maka-relax o makabisita sa kanilang pamilya ng walang malaking abala (But my appeal to the BI is not to bully our Filipino tourists. Let’s give our compatriots a chance to relax and visit their families without much hassle),” she added. Senator Francis Tolentino hopes that the revised guidelines won’t become another burden to outbound Filipino travelers. In a radio interview on Saturday, Tolentino urged the IACAT to simplify the requirements for Filipino travelers and their processing going through the immigration counters at the airports. Tolentino said the agency should also enhance their information drive on required travel documents and the process of undergoing immigration interrogation. The senator added there must be a “synchronized” process so that Filipinos who wish to go abroad can travel smoothly. In imposing the revised guidelines, Hontiveros hopes the BI would also impose stricter policies for travelers entering the Philippines. “Sana ay kung gaano kahigpit ang BI sa mga palabas ng Pilipinas ay ganoon din ito kahigpit sa mga papasok sa bansa (Hopefully, as strict as BI is on those travelers going out of Philippines, it will also be as strict on those entering the country),” she said. Hontiveros lamented that Filipinos traveling outside the country should not be treated as second-class citizens within Philippine airports. Under the revised guidelines, outbound passengers should present the basic travel documents consisting of a passport with at least six months validity from the date of departure; an appropriate valid visa whenever required; a confirmed return or roundtrip ticket, if necessary; and a boarding pass. For tourists, immigration officials may also ask for proof of hotel booking/accommodation, financial capacity or source of income; passenger’s declared purpose of travel, proof of employment, and other similar documents. Immigration officials may also ask outbound travelers for a copy of their original Philippine Statistics Authority-issued birth certificate or report of birth or marriage certificate/report of marriage, copies of documents of sponsor, valid work visa or permit, residency permit, or any equivalent document, overseas employment certificate, e-receipt, or OFW clearance for OFW sponsors. If traveling through a relative’s sponsorship, an original affidavit of support and guarantee duly notarized by the Philippine Embassy, Consulate, or Honorary Consulate must be presented. Clavano urged outbound travelers especially overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), to follow the revised IACAT guidelines, by preparing the required documents before proceeding to immigration counters at the airports, to ensure hassle-free processing of their travel documents. “Well, this is really not a hindrance to the right to travel. Ito po ay isang polisiya ng ating gobyerno na i-eradicate or tigilan na talaga itong malawak at malalim na problema ng human trafficking,” he said. The post DOJ: Revised departure guidelines to boost Phl’s anti-human trafficking efforts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A ‘feminist diplomacy’ for France? Not quite yet
France has made "undeniable efforts" to roll out a feminist foreign policy with women holding top ministerial jobs but is still falling short in defending women's rights around the world, according to a new report. The concept aims to promote gender equality and women's rights -- particularly sexual and reproductive rights -- and France was an early adopter of "feminist diplomacy" in 2019, following similar moves by Canada and Sweden. It has resulted in a rise in the number of French women ambassadors and consuls general, who now make up nearly a third of such posts compared to just 14 percent a decade ago. But an evaluation of its progress published Monday by the High Council for Equality -- an independent consultative body -- found mixed results, with strides made at home outpacing "timid progress" abroad, council president Sylvie Pierre-Brossolette told AFP. That was "regrettable in an international context of regression of women's rights, including in democracies like the United States, Poland, and Hungary, which would... require French feminist diplomacy to be deployed as a matter of urgency," she said, referring in particular to the US Supreme Court's historic decision last year to erase abortion rights. How "feminist diplomacy" is defined and executed -- from whether it applies to trade policy or foreign aid delivery -- varies between countries that have adopted it. While Luxembourg, Spain, Mexico, Germany, and Chile have joined the ranks to embrace feminist diplomacy, according to the United Nations, pioneering Sweden, which launched the concept in 2014, abandoned the effort last year after a change in government. It's failed to become mainstream, Pierre-Brossolette said. Although France flaunts the term, "we don't give it enough importance", she added. In his second term President Emmanuel Macron appointed Catherine Colonna as minister of foreign affairs, the second woman to hold the post in French history. The top diplomat is also supported by two women who occupy two out of the three junior ministerial posts: Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, in charge of development issues, and Laurence Boone who is responsible for Europe. 'A human issue' Still, the concept "cruelly lacks an official definition, political support at the highest level of government, and the means to deploy it," Pierre-Brossolette said, noting Macron's recent speeches make no reference to the strategy. Looking at the foreign ministry as a whole, "it is still men who often hold the most prestigious posts", she said. Diplomatic sources told AFP the policy still has an impact. Colonna herself, on receiving the report, said its approach did "not always fully credit the progress we have made and the exemplary nature of our track record". But she added: "This will far from discourage us... The best response will be to act." France's initiatives overseas include aid to rape victims in Ukraine, sanctions on countries like Iran for violations of women's rights and aid focused on securing financing for women in Africa. In a separate push, French human rights artist Guila Clara Kessous launched in April the Sarah and Hajar Accords to promote women in diplomacy and women's rights in the Middle East. Signed by representatives from Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Bahrain, it replicated the 2020 Abraham Accords aimed to normalize relations between the four countries. Men need to be convinced of the necessity to include more women in diplomacy so they take "pride in defending an issue that concerns them" too, Kessous told AFP, adding that women's rights are "a human issue". With concerns over the lack of women represented in African foreign affairs, Kessous said she wants to see a similar accord launched for the continent. In France, a new strategy to "accelerate" feminist diplomacy is also in the works. "France, the country of human rights, can be an example for the world," said Pierre-Brossolette, particularly as Sweden has fallen back from the lead. "We can try to take up the torch." The post A ‘feminist diplomacy’ for France? Not quite yet appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UN paints dystopian future marked by hunger
The head of the United Nations agency responsible for human rights warned on Monday that climate change poses a “truly terrifying” threat to bring about a dystopian future marked by hunger and suffering. Volker Turk criticized international leaders for only considering the short term in addressing the climate crisis. Turk stated during a UN Human Rights Council discussion on the right to food that severe weather events were destroying ecosystems, herds, and crops, making it difficult for communities to recover and survive. “More than 828 million people faced hunger in 2021. And climate change is projected to place up to 80 million more people at risk of hunger by the middle of this century,” Turk said. “Our environment is burning. It’s melting. It’s flooding. It’s depleting. It’s drying. It’s dying,” he said, evoking a “dystopian future.” “Addressing climate change is a human rights issue... there is still time to act. But that time is now,” he said. Countries have agreed to limit global warming to “well below” two degrees Celsius above average levels measured between 1850 and 1900 — and 1.5C if possible — as part of the 2015 Paris Agreement. The global mean temperature in 2022 was 1.15C above the 1850-1900 average. The UN’s IPCC climate science advisory panel predicts that the planet will be 2.8C warmer by the end of the century if current policy trends continue. “We must not deliver this future of hunger and suffering to our children, and their children. And we don’t have to,” Volk said. “We, the generation with the most powerful technological tools in history, have the capacity to change it.” Turk said world leaders “perform the choreography of deciding to act and promising to act and then get stuck in the short term.” He called for an end to “senseless subsidies” of the fossil fuel industry, and said the Dubai COP28 climate summit in November and December needed to be the “decisive game-changer that we so badly need.” Turk urged the world to “shun the green-washers” as well as those who cast doubt on climate science, driven by their own greed. The Human Rights Council’s 53rd session runs until 14 July. The post UN paints dystopian future marked by hunger appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Yellen to visit China, raising need to ‘responsibly manage’ ties
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is set to visit Beijing this week, the United States said Sunday, marking the second trip by a cabinet official to China since ties between the world's top two economies deteriorated earlier this year. Yellen is expected to discuss with her counterparts the importance for both countries "to responsibly manage our relationship, communicate directly about areas of concern, and work together to address global challenges," said the Treasury Department in a statement. Yellen's planned July 6-9 trip comes just weeks after Secretary of State Antony Blinken met China's top leader President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Beijing in June. Blinken was the highest-ranking US official to visit the Chinese capital in nearly five years, and Xi said on the rare trip that he saw headway in the strained relationship between Washington and Beijing. In Beijing, Yellen will discuss how the United States views its economic relationship with China, a senior Treasury official said Sunday. She will meet with senior Chinese officials and leading US firms, the American spokesperson said without providing specifics. While the US seeks to secure its national security interests and protect human rights, actions to this effect are "not intended to gain economic advantage over China," the official added. Washington also looks towards "healthy" ties with Beijing and does not seek to decouple the economies, while pursuing cooperation on urgent challenges like climate change and debt distress, the American official said. The United States does not expect "significant breakthrough" from this initial trip, but it does aim to build longer-term channels of communication with China, the Treasury official added. - Restarting engagement - "I think the US government is clearly trying to put some floor under the deterioration of the economic relationship," Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) told AFP, speaking on the Treasury secretary's intentions to visit China. A Yellen trip could "restart a steady pattern of engagement at lower levels," he said, adding that the US has shifted from being ambiguous about how far it was supporting decoupling to explicitly adopting a strategy of "derisking" instead. This means "focusing on a narrower range of items that have strategic importance, trying to build fences around those items, but otherwise trying to continue to nurture a reasonably robust US-China economic relationship," Alden said. But observers do not expect a quick resolution to tensions. President Joe Biden's administration is considering a program to restrict certain US outbound investments involving sensitive technology with key national security implications -- an issue that has riled Chinese officials. Other possible sticking points include amendments to China's anti-espionage law which recently broadened the definition of spying while banning the transfer of information relating to national security -- a move that has spooked foreign and domestic businesses. The senior Treasury official told reporters Sunday that Washington intends to communicate its concerns over the law. While significant disagreements may not be resolved in a single trip, the US seeks to deepen and increase the frequency of communication with China and to "stabilize the relationship," avoiding miscommunication and expanding collaboration where possible, the official said. - Global growth, debt problems - For the US, discussions with officials from the world's second biggest economy "are important to help spur stronger global economic growth and to tackle the mounting debt problem of the Global South," said Wendy Cutler, vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute, discussing a prospective Yellen visit. On Beijing's part, officials are "looking for concrete steps taken by the US to show that 'decoupling' and holding back China is not the ultimate goal of the United States," Cutler added. But despite US policies that have drawn ire from Beijing, officials likely have an awareness of China's continued export dependence and the importance of the US market, CFR's Alden said. "I think that there's a growing awareness in Beijing that China also needs to play a role in nurturing this economic relationship with the United States, because it's simply too important to China as well," he added. Washington and Beijing recently have clashed over trade, human rights and other issues. Relations came under further stress this year when the United States shot down a Chinese balloon it said was used for surveillance -- a claim China strongly denied. But Blinken's reception in Beijing has been seen as a symbolic sign of lowering temperatures. bys/mlm/dw © Agence France-Presse The post Yellen to visit China, raising need to ‘responsibly manage’ ties appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nearly 40 countries at UN back LGBTQ families
Nearly 40 countries at the United Nations backed LGBTQ families on Tuesday, at a time when some Muslim and African nations are contesting sexual orientation and gender identity language in UN forums. "Families play a fundamental role in society. Supporting families is an important element in promoting and protecting human rights," 37 countries said in a statement at the UN Human Rights Council. "This support must be inclusive of all family compositions, including multigenerational and extended families, single-parent households, LGBTIQ+ families and Indigenous kinship groups," Australia's representative said on behalf of several countries. They were mainly from Europe and the Americas, plus Israel, New Zealand and East Timor. They called on countries and UN bodies "to continue to apply an inclusive lens to families, and to ensure that equality, non-discrimination, and the universality of human rights remain at the centre of engagement in supporting families". Argentina, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Spain and the United States were among the signatories. The statement comes as several other countries, notably from the Middle East, are mounting a defence of the traditional family in UN forums. Sexual orientation and gender identity issues will be at the heart of the 53rd Human Rights Council session, which started on Monday and runs until mid-July. Such issues have become contentious in several branches of the UN. Countries in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and many African nations, plus Russia and China, are trying to roll back concepts and language which have been embedded in UN documents for at least a decade. Earlier this month, OIC and African countries were blocking the adoption of the UN labour agency's budget, before agreeing to a last-minute compromise over references to discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. "Promoting a framework around discrimination that does not have the international consensus and reflects priorities of the few risks undermining the spirit of cooperation," said Pakistan's Khalil Hashmi, on behalf of the OIC group, before the vote was finally passed. The World Health Organization has since last year seen attempts to remove such references from its strategy on infection prevention, while the Human Rights Council faces growing opposition to long-standing efforts to monitor for discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The post Nearly 40 countries at UN back LGBTQ families appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
$1.5 bn pledged to curb Sudan’s slide into ‘death and destruction’: UN
Donors at a UN conference on Monday pledged close to $1.5 billion to combat the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and help its neighbours host refugees fleeing the fighting. Sudan is descending into death and destruction at an unprecedented speed, UN chief Antonio Guterres said as he urged donors to step in and curb the unfolding catastrophe. The conference comes midway through a three-day ceasefire which appeared to have brought calm to the capital Khartoum, after the failure of earlier truces to ensure secure aid corridors. "Today, donors have announced close to $1.5 billion for the humanitarian response to Sudan and the region," the UN's humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said, closing the hybrid pledging conference hosted in Geneva. "This crisis will require sustained financial support and I hope that we can all keep Sudan at the top of our priorities." UN refugees chief Filippo Grandi added: "It is very important that now these contributions be clearly allocated and disbursed as quickly as possible because we're really short of funds in this particular emergency." More than two months into the fighting, the United Nations is worried that the crisis could spill over and destabilise neighbouring African states. "The scale and speed of Sudan's descent into death and destruction is unprecedented," UN Secretary-General Guterres told the conference. "Without strong international support, Sudan could quickly become a locus of lawlessness, radiating insecurity across the region." Since April 15, the army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been battling the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, after the two fell out in a power struggle. The death toll has topped 2,000, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project said. Hundreds of kilometres west of Khartoum, up to 1,100 have been killed in the West Darfur state capital El Geneina alone, according to the US State Department, blaming "primarily" the RSF. "The situation in Darfur and Khartoum is catastrophic," Guterres said. A record 25 million people -- more than half of Sudan's population -- are in need of aid, according to the UN. Roughly 2.5 million people have been uprooted across Sudan by the war, which has forced around 550,000 to seek refuge in neighbouring countries, according to UN figures. Around $3 billion needed While Griffiths highlighted donors' generosity, the amount pledged Monday was less than half of what humanitarians have said is needed this year to respond to the dire needs. The UN has two appeals for tackling the crisis -- the humanitarian response within Sudan, which needs $2.6 billion this year, and the regional refugee response, which needs $470 million. Both were less than 17 per cent funded going into Monday's conference. Qatar's prime minister told the conference there was "no military solution" to the conflict, as he pledged $50 million. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani urged the warring parties to "put the aspirations of the Sudanese people in the forefront". Germany doubled its existing donation to 200 million euros ($218 million), while the European Union pledged 190 million euros in humanitarian and development assistance. Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the conflict risks a humanitarian crisis that could spill over the borders. He said the security and stability of Sudan "is our own stability and security". Relative calm in Khartoum UN human rights chief Volker Turk called the Sudan crisis a "powder keg" and a "reckless, senseless conflict taking place in a context of total impunity", with "utter indifference for human life and dignity" at its heart. The temporary ceasefire was a chance to end the "sea of suffering", he told the UN Human Rights Council. Several Khartoum residents told AFP they heard no air strikes, artillery or another fighting on Monday, a rare respite for the war-weary, suffering shortages of medical care, electricity, water and other essentials. The UN, African Union and East African regional bloc IGAD, in a joint statement ahead of the donors' meeting, expressed particular concern about "the rapidly deteriorating situation in Darfur". They said the conflict had "taken on an ethnic dimension, resulting in targeted attacks based on people's identities and subsequent displacement of communities". With their 72-hour ceasefire both the RSF and army "agreed to allow the unimpeded movement and delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout the country", US and Saudi mediators said on Saturday. The post $1.5 bn pledged to curb Sudan’s slide into ‘death and destruction’: UN appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US business titans flock to China despite fraying ties
From Elon Musk to Bill Gates and Apple's Tim Cook, some of the United States' biggest business titans have headed to Beijing, seemingly defying the barrage of doomsayer narratives around the US-China trade war. The stream of visits by some of the world's richest men began after China abruptly ended nearly three years of Covid isolation late last year. In Beijing, the American magnates have talked up their optimism about China's vast market and trade ties between the world's two largest economies. Landing in China in late May, Tesla owner Musk reportedly said that Beijing and Washington's interests were "intertwined, like conjoined twins, who are inseparable from each other". Apple CEO Cook also spoke of his firm's "symbiotic" relationship with China -- home to the world's largest iPhone factory. The biggest honor of all -- a meeting on Friday with Xi Jinping -- was reserved for Gates, whom the Chinese leader hailed as "our old friend", according to the state-run People's Daily. The visits come as US-China trade tensions deepen, and after trade between the two countries reached a record $690.6 billion last year, according to the US Department of Commerce. But businesses are worried about a slow in US exports to China, America's third-largest trading partner, with the drop strongly felt in the tech industry. Citing national security concerns, the United States in 2022 blocked exports to China of the most advanced semiconductors and the equipment needed to make them. China has hit back by vowing to accelerate its efforts to become self-reliant on semiconductors. "China-US trade was... once mutually dependent and beneficial," analysts at the Peterson Institute for International Economics wrote in a recent paper. "US exports to China are one more channel through which the bilateral relationship continues to deteriorate." 'Minority voice' The US government is engaged in high-stakes disputes with China over policy issues ranging from Taiwan to human rights, with no sign of tensions abating despite an upcoming visit to Beijing by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. US businesses in China have long been at the forefront of advocating for engagement, arguing that a strong economic relationship could spur reform. The visits by the magnates show just how embedded some of the world's biggest firms are in China, despite the political tensions. With China growing more repressive under Xi, however, long-influential business lobbies are "increasingly a minority voice", according to Joe Mazur, an analyst at Trivium. "The business community is one of the last remaining pieces of ballast that is stabilizing the US-China relationship." Blinken visit The business community in China will be closely watching Blinken's visit this weekend, which analysts say is unlikely to ease the confrontation. "American business has substantial investments, thousands of employees, and still considers China a promising market," James Zimmerman, a Beijing-based former chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, told AFP. But the US and Chinese governments, he said, "have hollowed out any level of collaboration and there is little room for developing even a pretense of goodwill". The US-China Business Council, long a key interlocutor between Beijing and Washington, feels left in the lurch, with its efforts against stricter trade curbs having failed to sway an increasingly hawkish Congress. "They have to make the case for continued engagement with China when the received wisdom in Washington is that the moment of engagement has passed," Mazur said. Is it worth it? Recent moves by Beijing to restrict overseas access to data and raids on consulting firms' offices have also spooked foreign companies -- adding to a sense that doing business in China is increasingly not worth the risk. "There's a shift in sentiment," said Claire Chu, a senior China analyst at defence intelligence company Janes. Many companies may "wonder maybe, even if I don't exit, I should start thinking about it", Chu added. "Dawn raids with little due process and the indefinite detention of employees without access to legal counsel has become the norm for both Chinese and foreign companies alike," Zimmerman said. Many top manufacturers are openly recalibrating their reliance on China: both Apple and Tesla are looking to move some of their production out of the country. "Much the same way that people said 10 years ago that you need to be in China to be relevant, now relevance will depend upon a strategic reshoring exercise," Zimmerman added. The post US business titans flock to China despite fraying ties appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Don’t derail BBM’s economic push — TUCP
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Sunday urged government and business leaders not to hamper the efforts by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as it seeks to strike a free trade deal with the European Union. “The various economic managers and concerned Government agencies must be careful not to derail or unwittingly sabotage the President’s efforts to bring in more decent employment opportunities for our poor countrymen,” TUCP vice president Luis Corral said in a statement. During a gala dinner with the EU-Association of Southeast Asian Nations Business Council and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Marcos called for a resumption of the FTA between the country and the EU, after having no developments for the past six years. Previously, the Philippines and the EU conducted exploratory talks in 2013, and eventual negotiations in 2016 and 2017 and Corral said that the proposed deal will be a win-win for workers and employers for both nations. “The TUCP likewise believes that these trade privileges and future bilateral agreement tied to progressive compliance with the free exercise of labor rights, sustainable development, climate change energy transition, and the Indo-Pacific strategy of the European Union will also be a huge ‘win-win’ opportunity for both workers and employers,” Corral said. This year also marks a bid for the country to renew its “Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus” or GSP+ to the EU. Gaining this status, the Philippines could experience a tariff reduction to zero percent ‘for vulnerable low- and lower-middle income countries that implement 27 international conventions related to labor and human rights, environmental and climate protection, and good governance.” TUCP also hopes that the country would further uphold all eight core conventions of the International Labor Organization and another two conventions on occupational safety and health. The post Don’t derail BBM’s economic push — TUCP appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Vietnam agree to expand partnership
INDONESIA – The Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to broaden further their partnership across various domains such as farming, military and safety, travel, and business and finance. This is after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met earlier this week during the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and discussed strengthening the relationship between their countries. Marcos recognized the thriving trade in agricultural products, which has been crucial for the Philippines' food supply. He acknowledged that the private sector had played a significant role in improving the relationship between the two countries and emphasized the need for their governments to enhance their partnership beyond just trading rice. President Marcos also acknowledged the significance of tourism for the Philippine economy and emphasized the importance of Vietnam as a potential partner in the recovery of the Philippine tourism sector, which was adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. "I think that the market is ripe for continued development in the areas, of course, as I mentioned, in agriculture, transfer of technologies for climate change, the different areas that we have been looking at also at specific products that Vietnam has been successful at," Marcos said. "So I think that this is an important area to... for us to develop stronger relations. Because that is the way that we will derive strength from each other, from ASEAN, from our member states, from also our agreements that we make between the two countries," he added. "I think it is something that we, the Philippines, are ready to initiate, and we will, after this, start to make contact, especially between our foreign service and eventually maybe even with our military leaders," Marcos pointed out. Prime Minister Chinh pledged to collaborate with the Philippines to promote trade and further broaden the supply chains and commerce between the two nations. He also asked for the Philippines' support for Vietnam's nomination to various United Nations-led organizations, such as the UN Human Rights Council, the UN Security Council, the Presidency of the 91st session of the United Nations General Assembly, and the UN Commission on International Trade. "When it comes to products that we can afford to provide a long-term strategic supply to the Philippines continue to try to do so by tasking with the ministries and agencies to work on said matters because we do have great empathy with sympathy for the Philippines in the natural disaster that they often have to come across," the Vietnamese Prime Minister said. "And if you can ensure a long-term strategic cooperation in the provision of such goods both and ensure stability both in terms of the goods themselves and have their price, that would help us to be better resilient to external shocks in the years to come," he added. The post Phl, Vietnam agree to expand partnership appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Over a dozen alleged gang members stoned, burned alive in Haiti
More than a dozen suspected gang members were stoned and burned alive on Monday by residents in Port-au-Prince, police and witnesses said, as the UN warned that insecurity in the Haitian capital has reached levels similar to countries at war. "During a search of a minibus in which there were armed individuals, the police confiscated weapons and other equipment. In addition, more than a dozen individuals traveling in this vehicle were unfortunately lynched by members of the population," the police said in a statement. The police did not specify the exact number of victims, nor expand upon the circumstances in which they lost custody of the suspects, who were murdered by residents of the district called Canape-Vert. The violence had started before dawn, when gang members burst into several residential areas of the capital, looting homes and attacking residents, according to witnesses. "It was the sound of projectiles that woke us up this morning. It was 3:00 a.m. the gangs invaded us. There were shots, shots," a resident of the neighboring district of Turgeau told AFP. "If the gangs come to invade us, we will defend ourselves, we too have our own weapons, we have our machetes, we will take their weapons, we will not flee," said another resident. "Mothers who want to protect their children can send them elsewhere," he added. In fact, dozens of families left the neighborhoods caught in the spiral of violence on Monday, AFP journalists confirmed. Men, women, and children fled the scene on foot, carrying a few personal belongings in bags or bundles. At least three other suspected gang members were killed and then burned at midday, according to photos and videos that were shared online. The latest grisly killings came as the United Nations released a report highlighting the surge in murders and kidnappings in the country. Armed gangs "continued to compete to expand their territorial control throughout the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, spreading to previously unaffected neighborhoods," said the report, from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "With the high number of fatalities and increasing areas under the control of armed gangs, insecurity in the capital has reached levels comparable to countries in armed conflict," it added. The number of reported homicides in Haiti rose in recent months by 21 percent, from 673 in the last quarter of 2022 to 815 between 1 January and 31 March this year. The number of reported kidnappings soared by 63 percent, from 391 to 637. "The people of Haiti continue to suffer one of the worst human rights crises in decades and a major humanitarian emergency," the report said. Clashes among gangs and with police have "become more violent and more frequent," claiming many civilian lives, it added. The human rights situation of people living in gang-controlled areas "remains appallingly poor" and conditions in areas newly targeted by gangs have "worsened significantly," according to the report. The document highlighted the dire situation for residents of Cite Soleil, along the capital's waterfront, where snipers have shot passersby on the street from rooftops. "The inhabitants feel besieged. They can no longer leave their homes for fear of armed violence and the terror imposed by the gangs," the UN humanitarian coordinator for Haiti said in a separate statement on Sunday. Between 14 and 19 April, clashes between rival gangs left nearly 70 people dead, including 18 women and at least two children, the statement added. "I reiterate the urgent need for the deployment of an international specialized armed force," Guterres said in Monday's report. Guterres in October relayed a call for help from Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, asking the Security Council to send assistance to help police restore order. While some countries have indicated a willingness to participate, none have come forward to take the lead. The post Over a dozen alleged gang members stoned, burned alive in Haiti appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fugitive Teves claims ‘persecution’
Suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnie Teves claimed that the military and police raided one of his properties in Bayawan City without a search warrant. “This is real persecution already. This is too much. It’s not right anymore. It’s wrong. The trampling on human rights is too much. Shouldn’t you have freedom and peace in your home and community? Now it’s gone,” he said in Filipino in a press briefing conducted remotely yesterday. Teves is a suspect in the 4 March 2023 assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo. One of Teves’ lawyers, Ferdinand Topacio, said his client is being subjected to “harassment” as government forces also raided a poultry farm that Teves owns in Bayawan even during the celebration of Eid’l Fitr or the Feast of Ramadan on Friday. Approximately 15 short and high-powered firearms, explosives, and ammunition were found during the initial raid on Teves’ property and two other homes allegedly owned by his relatives on 10 March. Teves’ camp decried as illegal the raid on his properties by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on 25 March. The authorities have linked his younger brother, former governor Pryde Henry Teves, to the killing of Degamo. The embattled lawmaker talked with the media through his Facebook page, where he said he hoped the raiders did not plant evidence. Teves also sought the help of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to stop government agents from raiding his properties without a search warrant. The President, however, had refused to be drawn into Teves’ problems, saying the legislator should just return home to face the charges. Suspension from House His plea to Marcos came days after he revealed in an interview that he had also sought the help of a colleague in returning home after he had insisted on remaining abroad because he did not feel safe. Last 22 March, the President urged the embattled lawmaker to return to the country, assuring him of tight security upon arrival. Teves is also facing charges over loose firearms and a series of killings in the province in 2019. He has been out of the country since 28 February and his failure to return home to perform his congressional duties and face the allegations leveled against him prompted his two-month suspension by the House ethics panel. PDP, Beijing party solidify ties The meeting was aimed at strengthening economic and cultural cooperation between China and the Philippines. Members of the major political party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or PDP Laban yesterday met with their counterparts in the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China or IDCPC at the Sheraton Hotel in Pasay City. Former president and PDP Laban chairman Rodrigo Duterte joined the meeting via Zoom, along with vice chairman Alfonso Cusi, Senator Robinhood Padilla, Former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Secretary General Melvin Matibag, and the party’s Council of Elders and national executive committee. The meeting was aimed at strengthening economic and cultural cooperation between China and the Philippines. The party leaders and the IDCPC delegation, led by the Director-General of the Asian Bureau Peng Xiubin, discussed methods for strengthening their relationship. Given his high approval rating of over 80 percent even upon his retirement, the conference was significant because former President Duterte’s influence within the party could affect its future direction. In addition, the meeting highlighted the growing relationship between the Philippines and China, as both countries have made efforts in recent years to strengthen trade and investment ties. China has made significant contributions to infrastructure and exchange programs in the cultural and educational realms. The Philippines’ strategic location and swiftly expanding economy in Southeast Asia make it a key player in the region. Therefore, establishing strong alliances with other nations, particularly China, is crucial for its future growth and development. The meeting signified a turning point in Philippine politics. It emphasizes the importance of international relations and political parties working together to influence the country’s future, as well as in the strengthening of “people-to-people” ties. The post Fugitive Teves claims ‘persecution’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UN racism and policing experts set to visit US
A team of United Nations experts on racism and policing, appointed following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, will visit the United States starting next week, the group said Friday. The UN's so-called Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in the Context of Law Enforcement said it would visit Washington, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, and New York City during its two-week visit. The team of three independent investigators will meet with government officials at the federal, state, and local levels, law enforcement authorities, civil society organizations, and affected individuals and communities. The experts will also visit detention centers during the mission, due to last from April 24 to May 5. "We look forward to gaining first-hand insight about the lived experiences of people of African descent in the United States," said Juan Mendez, one of Expert Mechanism members, in a statement. They would also "offer recommendations to the government at all levels, to support efforts in combatting systemic racism and excessive use of force, and ensure accountability and justice”, he said. The team is tasked to examine laws, policies, and practices regulating the use of force by law enforcement, including whether they conformed with international human rights standards. It would also "make recommendations as to the concrete steps needed to ensure access to justice, accountability, and redress for excessive use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officials against Africans and people of African descent in the United States." The racial justice group was created by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021 -- a year after the murder of Floyd by a white US police officer -- to investigate racially-fuelled police violence around the world. In their first report published last October, the experts complained that a dearth of data in the United States and other countries on the race and ethnicity of people arrested or killed by police presented a major barrier to tackling systemic racism. They highlighted the lack of a centralized US system to collect such statistics across more than 18,000 law enforcement agencies. The experts are due to present a report on their US visit to the UN Human Rights Council during its September-October session. The post UN racism and policing experts set to visit US appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Countries urge Marcos gov’t to fix human rights crisis left by Duterte
(1st UPDATE) Member-states of the UN Human Rights Council urge swift justice for the victims of former president Rodrigo Duterte's violent war on drugs.....»»
Rights groups urge German, Czech Republic gov’ts to raise lack of accountability, continuing killings
Human rights group Karapatan urged the governments of Germany and the Czech Republic to raise concerns on the “dire lack of accountability and the continuing killings in the Philippines” as Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is on a state visit in the said countries. The post Rights groups urge German, Czech Republic gov’ts to raise lack of accountability, continuing killings appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Peru: Congress Runs Roughshod Over Rule of Law
(Washington, DC) - The decision by Peru's Congress on March 7, 2024, to arbitrarily remove two members of the National Board of Justice severely undermines judicial independence, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights, Human Rights Watch said today. The Organization of American States (OAS) should convene a meeting of its Permanent Council to address ongoing attacks on judicial independence in Peru......»»