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LISA JUNG, KAROLINA KISIEL, ROBIN DIETEREN, AYÇA ZEHRA KARABABA, ALICJA SZAMBELAN, HELENA PARISE SANVICENTE
Oct 17, 20229 min read

WEEKLY OVERVIEW - MAY 09TH, 2021

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BY LISA JUNG, KAROLINA KISIEL, ROBIN DIETEREN, AYÇA ZEHRA KARABABA, ALICJA SZAMBELAN, HELENA PARISE SANVICENTE

THIS WEEK 5 OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE WRITTEN AN ARTICLE ABOUT CURRENT ISSUES FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD. THE BLOG COVERS THE RULING IN GERMANY ABOUT CLIMATE POLICY, REFUGEE CAMPS IN MALAWI, THE SITUATION IN COLOMBIA, THE POLISH OMBUDSMAN BEING REMOVED FROM OFFICE, AND THE DEADLY POLICE RAID IN RIO.

GERMANY'S CLIMATE CHANGE LAW RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL FLOODS, FIRES, HEATWAVES, AND OTHER WEATHER ABNORMALITIES RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE HAVE RECENTLY INCREASED WORLDWIDE. WILDFIRES IN AUSTRALIA AND AMAZON, WINTER TEXAS, FLOOD IN VENICE ARE ONLY A FEW OF HUNDREDS OF DISASTROUS EXAMPLES. ALTHOUGH ALREADY HAVING A TERRIBLE EFFECT ON BOTH ENVIRONMENT AND HUMANITY, THOSE EXAMPLES WILL ONLY WORSEN IF THE GOVERNMENTS DO NOT RADICALLY REDUCE GAS EMISSIONS. A RECENT STUDY HAS FOUND THAT GERMANY IS THE COUNTRY WITH THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GAS EMISSION IN THE WHOLE EUROPEAN UNION. MOREOVER, IT IS A COUNTRY WHERE MANY OLDER PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE OF THE HEAT WAVES CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE. ONLY IN 2018, OVER 20,000 DEATHS OF PEOPLE OVER 65 WERE CORRELATED WITH THE HEATWAVES IN GERMANY. FURTHERMORE, IT RANKED THIRD IN THIS REGARD AFTER CHINA AND INDIA. ON APRIL 27TH, GERMANY'S FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL COURT GAVE OUT A VERDICT THAT OBLIGED THE LAWMAKERS TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THE COURT STATED THAT GERMANY'S 2019 CLIMATE CHANGE LAW DID NOT REGULATE GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS EFFECTIVELY. THE LAW IS SAID NOT TO REDUCE THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION FROM 2030 ONWARDS ADEQUATELY. CONSEQUENTLY, IT VIOLATES THE COUNTRY'S LAW, ESPECIALLY THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT'S OBLIGATION TO PROTECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE NINE PEOPLE BETWEEN 15 AND 32 YEARS OLD BROUGHT THE CASE TO COURT. THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLIMATE CRISIS'S IMPACT ON THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY AND THE PLANET EARTH. SOME OF THE APPLICANTS LIVE ON GERMAN ISLANDS, WHICH ARE INCREASINGLY DISTURBED BY FLOODS. THEY JOINED A YOUTH MOVEMENT CONCERNED WITH CLIMATE ACTIVISM TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE CRISIS VIA STREET PROTESTS, ONLINE ACTIVISM, AND LAWSUITS TO CALL OUT GERMANY'S AUTHORITIES' LACK OF ACTION REGARDING CLIMATE CHANGE. THE BIGGEST, AND WORST CHALLENGE THAT YOUNG CLIMATE ACTIVISTS FACE WHILE TRYING TO HOLD GOVERNMENTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR LACK OF AMBITIOUS GOALS REGARDING GAS EMISSIONS, IS THAT THE WORST EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ARE YET TO COME. IF WE DO NOT TAKE ACTION NOW, CLIMATE CHANGE WILL TAKE A CONSIDERABLE DEATH TOLL ON HUMANITY. FORTUNATELY, THE GERMAN FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL COURT'S DECISION IS LIKELY TO HELP ADDRESS THIS CONCERN AND POSSIBLY PRODUCE REAL-LIFE POLICY IMPLICATIONS. TO BE SPECIFIC, THE COURT RULED THAT GERMANY MUST HAVE SET A GAS EMISSION REDUCTION GOAL POST-2030 TO COMPLY WITH OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE PARIS AGREEMENT. FAILING TO DO IT WOULD "IRREVERSIBLY OFFLOAD MAJOR EMISSION REDUCTION BURDENS ONTO FUTURE GENERATIONS." THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT HAS NOW TIME UNTIL THE END OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO CHANGE THE 2019 CLIMATE CHANGE LAW. THIS DECISION HIGHLIGHTED THAT WE HAVE NO MORE TIME TO MEET THE OBLIGATIONS THAT WOULD PROTECT FUTURE GENERATIONS.

MALAWI ORDERS INTEGRATED REFUGEES TO RETURN TO THE ONLY REFUGEE CAMP MALAWI IS A LANDLOCKED COUNTRY IN SOUTH-EASTERN AFRICA BORDERED BY ZAMBIA TO THE WEST, TANZANIA TO THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST, AND MOZAMBIQUE TO THE EAST, SOUTH-SOUTHWEST. THE COUNTRY IS HOME TO AROUND 44,000 REFUGEES AS OF NOVEMBER 2020. MOST REFUGEES COME FROM THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, RWANDA, BURUNDI, ETHIOPIA, AND SOMALIA, AND THEY PRIMARILY LIVE IN THE DZALEKA REFUGEE CAMP. THE CAMP IS CONGESTED AND OVERCROWDED SINCE IT WAS ESTABLISHED INITIALLY TO HOST 10,000 PEOPLE. THIS OVERCROWDING IMPACTS THE WATER AND SANITATION, GENERAL WELL-BEING, AND LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE REFUGEES IN THE CAMP. ON APRIL 1ST, THE MINISTRY OF HOMELAND SECURITY ISSUED A 14-DAY ULTIMATUM FOR REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS TO RETURN TO DZALEKA CAMP. THE UN REFUGEE AGENCY (UNHCR) IN MALAWI ESTIMATES THAT ABOUT 2,000 REFUGEES ARE AFFECTED BY THE ORDER. MANY OF THESE REFUGEES HAVE INTEGRATED INTO SOCIETY. THEY HAVE LIVED IN MALAWI FOR YEARS, SETTING UP BUSINESSES AND MARRYING MALAWIANS. BUT NOW AUTHORITIES SAY THEY POSE A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY BY LIVING AMONG LOCAL PEOPLE AND THEREFORE ARE BEING ORDERED TO MOVE BACK INTO THE COUNTRY'S ONLY REFUGEE CAMP. HOMELAND SECURITY MINISTER RICHARD CHIMWENDO SAYS THE FOLLOWING: "WE ARE NOT CHASING THEM, AND WE JUST WANT THEM TO BE WHERE THEY SHOULD BE. THOSE WHO HAVE BUSINESSES WILL HAVE TO OPERATE FROM DZALEKA. IF THEY ARE MARRIED, THEY MUST APPLY FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE. WE ARE NOT SENDING THEM BACK TO THEIR COUNTRIES." THE REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS TOOK THE MATTER TO COURT. THE JUDGE GRANTED A TEMPORARY COURT INJUNCTION STOPPING THE GOVERNMENT FROM RELOCATING THEM BACK TO DZALEKA REFUGEE CAMP, WHOSE DEADLINE WAS APRIL 28TH, 2021. THIS, HOWEVER, IS ONLY A BRIEF RESPITE. MANY REFUGEES ARE AFRAID TO LOSE EVERYTHING THEY HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO BUILD SINCE STARTING A NEW LIFE IN MALAWI. HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS HAVE ALSO EXPRESSED THEIR WORRIES. GIFT TRAPENCE, HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS COALITION CHAIRMEN, ADDRESSED THE MALAWIAN GOVERNMENT WITH A DEMAND TO RESPECT THE REFUGEES' ACHIEVEMENTS AND PROPERTIES. "WE DON'T WANT TO SEE SCENARIOS WHERE PEOPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE TO GRAB OR RANSACK THE REFUGEES' ASSETS," HE SAID. ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT HAS LEGAL GROUNDS TO ORDER THE RELOCATION TO THE CAMP, THE UNHCR REMARKED THAT THE ORDER WAS ALSO DUE TO "SECURITY CONCERNS TO PROTECT BOTH REFUGEES AND HOST COMMUNITIES FOLLOWING THE VOLATILE SITUATION IN MOZAMBIQUE'S CABO DELGADO AREA." IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL A DEFINITE VERDICT WILL FOLLOW FROM THE MALAWIAN COURT, SO THE REFUGEES LIVING IN THE COUNTRY WILL HAVE CLARITY REGARDING THE SITUATION.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN COLOMBIA? STANDING OUT WITH ITS CLOSE ALLIANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES IN COLOMBIA, ITS MOST COMPREHENSIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEOLIBERAL POLICIES, ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH STATE TERROR, PARAMILITARY GROUPS, AND DRUG TRAFFICKING DESPITE THE PEACE AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH THE FARC, THE RIGHT-WING IVAN DUQUE GOVERNMENT SAID HE SUBMITTED THE "SOLIDARITY LAW" DRAFT TO THE CONGRESS. THE GOVERNMENT AIMED TO COLLECT "6.3 BILLION DOLLARS" FROM THE PEOPLE WITH THE BILL, WHICH WAS A COMPLETE "TAX LAW" AND WHICH THE PEOPLE CALLED IT AS SUCH. THE LAW AIMED TO INCREASE THE VAT AND TO EXPAND THE TAX BASE. TREASURY SECRETARY ALBERTO CARRASQUILLA, WHO RESIGNED DUE TO THE PROTESTS, SAID THAT "73 PERCENT OF THE MONEY WILL COME FROM INDIVIDUALS AND THE REST FROM COMPANIES." THEREFORE, THE REACTION OF MIDDLE-CLASS WORKING PEOPLE TO THE LAW WAS SIGNIFICANT. ON THE OTHER HAND, ALTHOUGH THE LAW IS THE LAST STRAW, IT IS NOT A SINGLE DROP. NEARLY 75 THOUSAND PEOPLE DIED IN THE PANDEMIC. INCREASED POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT UNDER PANDEMIC CONDITIONS, INCREASED PRECARIOUSNESS WITH THE INCREASE OF UNREGISTERED EMPLOYMENT ABOVE 48 PERCENT, VERY LOW VACCINATION, THE GOVERNMENT'S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PEACE AGREEMENT SIGNED IN 2016 ALSO AFFECTED THE PROTESTS AND PREPARATIONS FOR A "NATIONAL STRIKE" MADE SINCE MARCH, FOR REASONS SUCH AS THE MASS MURDER. SPECIAL POLICE FORCE ESMAD WAS SENT TO PEACEFUL PROTESTS, AND THE ATTACKS TURNED INTO CLASHES. HOWEVER, POLICE VIOLENCE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO END THE PROTESTS. PRESIDENT IVAN DUQUE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WITHDREW THE BILL FROM PARLIAMENT. HOWEVER, DUQUE ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD PREPARE A NEW LAW BY MEETING WITH TRADE UNIONS AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS. IN ADDITION, THE NEWLY APPOINTED TREASURY MINISTER JOSÉ MANUEL RESTREPO SAID THAT THEY GAVE UP THE PLAN TO BUY "24 FIGHTER JETS" WORTH $ 4.5 BILLION FROM THE US COMPANY LOCKHEED MARTIN. THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO TAKE A STEP BACK WAS NOT ENOUGH TO END THE PROTESTS. IN A NEW STATEMENT, THE NATIONAL STRIKE COMMITTEE ANNOUNCED THAT THE WITHDRAWAL OF TAX REFORM WAS A SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT, BUT NOT THE ONLY DEMAND OF LABOR ORGANIZATIONS. THE STATEMENT LISTED THE FOLLOWING REQUESTS:


  • GUARANTEEING DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS:

  • CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEE FOR THE RIGHT TO ACTION AND PROTEST

  • ENDING THE MILITARIZATION OF CITIES

  • STOP THE MASSACRES, PUNISH THOSE RESPONSIBLE

  • DISINTEGRATION OF THE ESMAD POLICE FORCE

  • ESTABLISHING A DIALOGUE WITH THE NATIONAL STRIKE COMMITTEE ON:

  • WITHDRAWAL OF THE HEALTH BILL AND MASS VACCINATION.

  • MONTHLY BASIC INCOME FOR EVERYONE AT A MINIMUM WAGE LEVEL.

  • DEFENSE OF NATIONAL AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRY, CRAFTSMEN AND FARMERS.

  • A POLICY ADVOCATING SUBSIDIES FOR SMES, PROTECTED EMPLOYMENT AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND SECURITY.

  • FAILURE TO START FACE-TO-FACE EDUCATION.

  • NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SEXUAL AND ETHNIC IDENTITY.

  • NO TO CUSTOMIZATIONS. ANNULMENT OF DECREE NO. 174.

  • ENDING THE FORCED DESTRUCTION OF ILLEGAL CROPS AND THE AERIAL SPRAYING OF GLYPHOSATE ON CROPS.


POLISH OMBUDSMAN ADAM BODNAR REMOVED FROM OFFICE ON APRIL 15TH, THE POLISH CONSTITUTIONAL TRIBUNAL RULED THAT THE CURRENT OMBUDSMAN SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE IN THREE MONTHS. THE CURRENT OMBUDSMAN (ALSO CALLED THE COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS) - ADAM BODNAR - WAS A KEY DEFENDER OF CITIZENS' RIGHTS, ADVOCATED FOR JUDICIARY AND MEDIA INDEPENDENCE, AND PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE DEFENDING WOMEN'S AND MINORITY RIGHTS. THEREFORE, AS A STAUNCH CRITIC OF THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT, HE WAS AN OBSTACLE FOR THE PARTY IN POWER (PIS - LAW AND JUSTICE). BODNAR'S TERM AS OMBUDSMAN ENDED IN SEPTEMBER. NEVERTHELESS, THE CHAMBERS OF PARLIAMENT COULD NOT AGREE ON A SUCCESSOR. THIS IS BECAUSE THE PARTY IN POWER CONTROLS THE LOWER CHAMBER, WHILE IN THE UPPER HOUSE (THE SENATE), THE OPPOSITION HAS A MAJORITY. CURRENT LEGISLATION PROVIDES THAT WHEN THE PARLIAMENT CANNOT AGREE ON A REPLACEMENT, THE CURRENT OMBUDSMAN REMAINS IN OFFICE UNTIL THE APPOINTMENT OF A SUCCESSOR. HOWEVER, ON APRIL 15TH, THAT LEGISLATION WAS DEEMED UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY THE POLISH CONSTITUTIONAL TRIBUNAL. ACCORDING TO THE TRIBUNAL'S DECISION, BODNAR SHOULD STILL STAY IN OFFICE FOR ONLY THREE MONTHS. THAT SAME DAY, THE LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT APPROVED BARTŁOMIEJ WRÓBLEWSKI AS A CANDIDATE FOR THE POSITION. WRÓBELWSKI WOULD STILL NEED TO BE APPROVED BY THE SENATE. HOWEVER, HIS CANDIDACY ALREADY SPARKED OUTRAGE AS MR. WRÓBLEWSKI WAS BEHIND THE MOTION THAT RESTRICTED ACCESS TO ABORTION LAST YEAR. THE DECISION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL TRIBUNAL IS ALSO HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL AS THE TRIBUNAL ITSELF IS SEEN AS GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED, WITH 14 OUT OF 15 JUDGES APPOINTED BY PIS. THEREFORE, MANY FEAR THAT THE PARTY WILL USE THE TRIBUNAL'S DECISION TO GO AROUND THE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE AND APPOINT A HANDPICKED OMBUDSMAN AFTER ADAM BODNAR IS FORCED TO LEAVE THE POST IN THREE MONTHS. SEVERAL EU OFFICIALS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE SITUATION. THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE SEEN BY MANY AS YET ANOTHER BLOW FOR DEMOCRACY IN POLAND. IF THE OMBUDSMAN'S OFFICE STOPS BEING INDEPENDENT, A NECESSARY CHECK ON THE POWER OF THE PIS PARTY WILL BE REMOVED.

RIO DE JANEIRO: 25 PEOPLE LOSE THEIR LIVES IN DEADLY POLICE RAID ON THURSDAY, MAY 6TH, 2021, POLICE IN RIO DE JANEIRO STORMED INTO THE FAVELA KNOWN AS JACAREZINHO WITH HUNDREDS OF OFFICERS IN WHAT WILL NOW BE KNOWN AS THE DEADLIEST POLICE RAID IN THE HISTORY OF THE BRAZILIAN STATE. ACCORDING TO RIO'S FEDERAL AND CIVIL POLICE FORCE, THE HEAVILY ARMED OFFICERS WERE IN PURSUIT OF MEMBERS OF THE SO-CALLED COMANDO VERMELHO, A CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION DEALING IN NARCOTRAFFICKING, ABDUCTIONS, AND OTHER ILLICIT ACTIVITIES. HOWEVER, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE CONDEMNING THE RAID AS UNNECESSARY USE OF FORCE AND EXTREME POLICE BRUTALITY. THE RAID LEFT 25 PEOPLE DEAD, OF WHICH ONE POLICE OFFICER. INHABITANTS OF THE JACAREZINHO COMMUNITY WERE FACED WITH SHOCKING SCENES AS BODIES AND BLOOD WERE SCATTERED IN THEIR HOMES, BALCONIES, AND STREETS. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT ISSUED BY THE POLICE, THE PURSUIT WAS AIMED AT "HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS CRIMINALS," YET RESIDENTS OF THE FAVELA AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ARE DOUBTFUL THAT EVERY PERSON KILLED IN THIS RAID WAS, IN FACT, A CRIMINAL. SILVIA RAMOS, COORDINATOR OF THE PUBLIC SECURITY OBSERVATORY NETWORK, SAID: "WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO DIED? YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE. THAT IS WHY THE POLICE SAY THERE WERE 24 SUSPECTS. YOU JUST HAVE TO BE YOUNG, BLACK, AND LIVE IN A FAVELA, TO BE SUSPICIOUS FOR THE POLICE". AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IN THE LATE AFTERNOON, THE CIVIL POLICE CONFIRMED THE DEATH TOLL INITIALLY REPORTED BY THE PRESS OF "24 SUSPECTS" AND A DEAD AGENT. THEY GUARANTEED THAT "ALL PROTOCOLS WERE MET, WITHOUT EXCEPTION" BEFORE OPENING FIRE. HOWEVER, THIS RAID HAPPENED IN CONTRADICTION WITH AN ORDER FROM THE BRAZILIAN FEDERAL SUPREME COURT, WHICH PREVENTS THE POLICE FROM CARRYING OUT OPERATIONS IN THE SUBURBS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, EXCEPT IN "ABSOLUTELY EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES." THE SUPREME COURT HAS NOT YET ESTABLISHED WHETHER THE RAID WAS CONDUCTED ILLEGALLY. BYSTANDERS AND ACTIVISTS WHO VISITED THE SCENE CLAIM THAT MANY OF THE DEATHS WERE CARRIED OUT AS EXECUTIONS. POLICE DID NOT DISCLOSE THE VICTIMS' IDENTITIES, AND SEVERAL OF THE BODIES WERE TAKEN AWAY IN ARMORED POLICE VANS. ACCORDING TO REPORTS ISSUED BY HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, MORE THAN 1200 PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY POLICE IN 2020. STUDIES CONDUCTED BY THE FEDERAL FLUMINENSE UNIVERSITY CONFIRMED THIS AS THE RAID WITH THE HIGHEST DEATH TOLL SINCE 2007. THE INGRAPÉ INSTITUTE'S FIGURES SPEAK CLEARLY: SINCE THE START OF THE YEAR, RIO POLICE HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF 453 PEOPLE. AMONG THE VICTIMS OF THESE VIOLENT RAIDS, WE CAN ALSO FIND CHILDREN AND INNOCENT BYSTANDERS. RESIDENTS OF JACAREZINHO ARE PROTESTING AND MOURNING THE LOSS OF THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

SOURCES:

GERMANY'S CLIMATE CHANGE LAW RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL

MALAWI ORDERS INTEGRATED REFUGEES TO RETURN TO THE ONLY REFUGEE CAMP

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN COLOMBIA?

POLISH OMBUDSMAN ADAM BODNAR REMOVED FROM OFFICE

RIO DE JANEIRO: 25 PEOPLE LOSE THEIR LIVES IN DEADLY POLICE RAID


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