A Past Forever Present: Truth And Reconciliation In Burundi
Burundi’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), established in 2014 to ease ethnic animosities between the Hutu majority and Tutsi minority, has caused controversy ever since. Development and Cooperation states that Tutsi politicians still accuse TRC members of being too one-sided in their investigations of Burundi’s troubled past. The TRC discovered
What Constrains Those In Power Or Those Seeking Power?
Governmental systems have existed for thousands of years, and are the most powerful factor in maintaining state stability. Power and how it is distributed is a trait shared by all governing systems. The concept “power” frequently conjures up notions of intimidation and force. An individual must have authority over something
Tensions Rise Between Israel and Iran after Jerusalem Post Website Hacked on Anniversary of Soleimani’s Assassination
On Monday, January 3rd, Israel’s Jerusalem Post reported that its website had been hacked. They described this attack as an “apparent threat to the country,” according to Reuters. The website’s main page showed an illustration that recalled General Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated in a U.S. drone strike on January
Indigenous Sovereignty And The Possibility Of An Intercultural Paradigm In Ecuador
At the end of December, following a speech in which Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso threatened indigenous leader Leonidas Iza, the Alliance for Human Rights condemned Lasso for intimidation tactics and impinging freedom of speech. Iza, known for his involvement in the October 2019 national protests against the economic policies of
Lockdowns And Increasing Opioid Overdoses: Can We Fight COVID-19 And Simultaneously Decrease The Death Rate Of Opioid Overdose?
A Google search that contains the words “overdoses” and “lockdown” will produce pages of headlines on the record numbers of deaths caused by drug overdoses during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and Canada. 81,000 people died of opioid overdoses in the U.S. between June 2020 and June 2021;
The Global Inequity Of COVID-19 Vaccinations
COVID-19 is undoubtedly the most significant public health crisis in recent years. As of January 6th 2022, there have been almost 5.5 million deaths related to the disease across the world. With the emergence of new variants, it is difficult to predict how many more there will be. Potentially, the
The Rise Of Human Trafficking During COVID-19 Pandemic
Just before the new year, Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of the recruitment and grooming of underaged girls for late partner, Jeffery Epstein, with the intention of sexual exploitation and trafficking. The trial of Maxwell had been long awaited after her arrest in July of 2020 and the abrupt death of
War And Armed Conflict: Implications For Women
War and armed conflict around the globe causes disruption and damages social systems, essential services and economies and, as a result, has proven to have enormous humanitarian implications. War and armed conflict can affect victims in different ways, but women and girls often find themselves facing unimaginable risks, threats and
Biden Extends Student Loan Relief For The Third Time
Despite having stated that the second period of loan payment relief, which was meant to end next February, would be the last for American university students, President Joe Biden recently announced that he will pause student loan repayments for a third time. This third relief period will last for a
Tears After The Rain: The Legacy Of The Gukurahundi Genocide In Zimbabwe
In 1983, Robert Mugabe, then Prime Minister and leader of ZANU-PF (Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front), launched the final phase of his plan to turn Zimbabwe into a one-party state. He sent the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade (called “Gukurahundi” in Shona) into Matabeleland to exterminate “dissidents.” What arguably
Colorado Trucker’s Life Sentence Highlights Injustices In U.S. Mandatory Minimum Sentencing
In December, 26-year-old commercial truck driver Rogel Aguilera-Mederos was sentenced to 110 years in prison for a 2019 runaway truck crash. While driving down Interstate 70 in Colorado, Aguilera-Mederos lost control of his brakes, speeding down the highway at 85 miles per hour until he finally crashed into stopped traffic,
Signatory Or Non-Signatory To The Refugee Convention: Refugee Protection Is A Global Responsibility
Since the inception of the Refugee Convention, by the United Nations, all countries have had the liberty to choose whether to be a signatory or not. This famous 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (and its 1967 Protocol) has been upheld as the fundamental documents which outline refugee
Violence In Chile Stemming From Indigenous Land Rights Has Increased In Recent Years, No Attempt For Negotiations
Members of the Mapuche Lavkenche Resistance group burned around 30 properties in southern Chile following a decades-long conflict between the government and Mapuche communities. The attack followed deliberations in Chile’s government to extend the state of emergency implemented due to increased reports of violence between Mapuche groups and the Chilean
Chinese Foreign Minister Warns of Confrontation Following New U.S. Trade Legislation
Following months of trade and investment restrictions, new legislation passed by the U.S. Senate on Thursday led to a claim by the Chinese foreign minister that China would take the necessary steps to protect its sovereignty and would not fear confrontation by the United States, according to a Reuters article.
Benin Bronzes To Be Repatriated: Will This Repair Relations?
After over a century, multiple cities have announced plans to repatriate bronze artifacts to Benin. These Benin bronzes, which currently reside in museums in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and many other countries, were historically used to honor Beninese ancestors and are representative of a rich culture and shared
