By denying Mendez access to Bradley Manning, the United States not only looks like it has something to hide about the treatment of this one individual, but it is undermining the entire system of international human rights monitoring.
First they came for the human rights activists. Now, Bahraini authorities are looking to censor the media. In the meantime, the rights community is showing exasperation with perceived American passivity.
KANO, Nigeria–Nigerian voters have high hopes for this month’s elections, after two delays due to logistical hurdles resulted in the first round of the postponed polls finally getting off to a rocky start yesterday. Here are the words of a Nigerian citizen who expects more from the so-called democratic government than he has experienced in the 12 years since Nigeria abandoned military rule.
This is what we know: At least 800 people were killed in communal violence in the town of Duekoue. The ICRC confirms it. And UN and NGO teams are on the ground today exhuming mass graves.
In the twelve years since Africa’s most populous nation transitioned from military dictatorship to civilian rule, the three elections held have been far from democratic exercises—instead, they have been flashpoints for violence, igniting communal tensions across the country and disenfranchising large numbers of voters.
After a series of victories in key strategic towns across the Ivory Coast, forces loyal to internationally recognized presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara are poised to advance on Abidjan.