Politics

Almost 26 years after its founding, the International Humanist Party, which proclaims “active nonviolence” as its method of action, began a new phase with a global meeting. At the Park of Study and Reflection at Punta de Vacas members of Humanist Parties from all over the world converged. Exchanges were conducted and a short term plan was defined.

Today, Cristina Fernandez welcomed the international team from the World March for Peace and Non-Violence in the presidential office. In the meeting, which lasted close to half an hour, they discussed international military conflicts and investment in weapons, among other topics. The activists said they felt very satisfied with the president’s reception.

Elogia Quispe, Mayoress of the Tiahuanaco locality, reported on Friday that at least forty thousand people are expected in the town, among them presidents, authorities, tourists and ordinary people, for the symbolic tenure of president Evo Morales’ second mandate which will take place on 21 January at the ancestral temple of Kalasasaya.

Bolivian President Evo Morales announced that a world conference of social movements is to take place in Bolivia, as a response to the failure of the 15th Summit on Climate Change, recently held in Copenhagen.
“The problems of climate change are directly linked to the irrational development of industry,” said the president from the region of Chuquisaca.

This proposal developed by Tomás Hirsch and delivered to the President of Ecuador, Mr Rafael Correa, comes from the Humanist Movement, as the World March for Peace and Non-Violence is approaching its final destination, arriving at Punta de Vacas, at the foot of Mount Aconcagua, on border between Chile and Argentina on 2 January 2010.

A diverse group of social organizations have launched a campaign nominating the former Cuban president Fidel Castro for the Nobel Peace Prize this coming year 2010. The nomination is based on Cuba’s achievements in health, education and reduction of infant mortality, among other improvements made under Castro’s leadership.

In 2009 Human Rights Watch (HRW) documented human rights violations against migrant women, men, and children in every region of the world, publishing dozens of materials, including 14 reports. This issue is treated by the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers ratified by 42 countries since the UN adoption on December 18, 1990

While Uruguay awaits the arrival of the World March for Peace and Non-Violence on 27th December, writer Eduardo Galeano reflected on the initiative’s proposals, the business of war and its consequences. The members who are steering the project in Uruguay will hold a welcoming festival on 29th December on calle 18 de Julio and at the University.

Obama attempted to justify his concepts of “just war” and “just peace” in a tense speech that veered between the idea that “war is sometimes necessary” and the idea that “war is an expression of human error”; between his ideals of non-violence inspired by Luther King and his role as Commander in Chief of a country whose army is currently embroiled in two wars.

More than sixty percent of Bolivians have decided that Evo Morales should continue to lead Bolivia’s social, political and cultural transformation process. This categorical support of Evo´s government takes place in spite of the act that the great majority of the print and tv media are constantly campaigning with venom against Evo.