Ctrl.Alt.Shift’s Richard Lemmer scopes across the world’s headlines: UN’s flippancy towards sexual orientation, Cameron sparks anti-war protests, Eric Cantona viral starts protest and historic trial for DR Congo vice-president...

Outrage At UN’s Flippancy Towards Sexual Orientation

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission has spoken out against the UN’s removal of a reference to sexual orientation in a resolution on executions (November 17, 2010). The removed reference was originally contained in a non-exhaustive list that highlights the many groups of people who are at particular risk of execution. This list includes people belonging to certain ethnic minorities as well as refugees and street children. The removal of the reference was sponsored by Benin on behalf of the African Group. Cary Alan Johnson, Executive Director of IGLHRC, said, “this vote is a dangerous and disturbing development. It essentially removes the important recognition of the particular vulnerability faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people - a recognition that is crucial at a time when 76 countries around the world criminalize homosexuality.”

Read more on Reuters.com.

Anti-Afghanistan War Protest

Thousands of activists have protested in London against the war in Afghanistan, as David Cameron set the withdrawal of British troops to 2015 (November 20, 2010). Activists joined the ‘Afghanistan time to go’ rally as it marched from Hyde Park to Trafalgar square, led by families who had lost relatives in the war. The death of Christopher Davies on Wednesday brings the total of UK servicemen and women killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 345.

"This isn’t about the defence of our country or our liberty"

Joe Glenton, a former soldier who took part in the march and was jailed for six months for refusing to fight in Afghanistan, said, “this isn’t about the defence of our country or our liberty. What are these men [soldiers] going to return to? A country that has been mutilated financially and politically.”

Eric Cantona Viral Video Launches Protest

A new protest campaign has been sparked by an interview with Eric Cantona, in which he calls on people to withdraw money from their banks to protest against the banking system. The French-based group StopBanque is co-ordinating a massive withdrawal of money from banks on 7 December 2010, after Cantona advocated, “(people) go to the bank and they withdraw their money and the banks collapse… a real revolution.” Cantona was speaking to newspaper Presse Ocean about the futility of the traditional placard protest: “I don’t think we can be entirely happy seeing such misery around us. Unless we live in a pod. But then there is a chance… there is something to do. “Nowadays what does it mean to be on the streets? To demonstrate? You swindle yourself. Anyway, that’s not the way any more… what’s the system? The system is built on the power of the banks. So it must be destroyed through the banks.” A statement on StopBanque’s website said, “Our action is a people’s movement…we’re not seeking to destroy anyone in particular, it’s the corrupt, criminal and moribund system that we have decided to oppose using what means we can, with determination and within the law."

Historic Trial For DR Congo Leader

Jean-Pierre Bemba, former vice-president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has gone on trial today (22 November 2010) for war crimes at the international criminal court in The Hague. Bemba is charged with three counts of war crimes and two crimes against humanity: it is alleged that troops under his control led a campaign of rape and murder, moving from house to house in small groups “raping, pillaging and killing” in areas they had recently conquered in the Central African Republic. An official in the prosecutor’s office told the AFP, “It is the first time in the history of international justice that a military commander is on trial on the basis of indirect criminal responsibility for rapes committed by his fighters. Military commanders who let their men rape must know that they can be prosecuted."

Words: Richard Lemmer
Photo: Flickr user sinister pictures