MINELRES: MRG eBulletin - March 2008

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Original sender: Minority Rights Group International
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Welcome to the Minority Rights Group International (MRG) email
bulletin. Simply click on the links below in order to access the full
news story or publication on MRG's website, or alternatively visit our
site at http://www.minorityrights.org

**News features **

**Minority and indigenous groups - silent victims of climate change
says new global report**

11.03.08 - Minority and indigenous groups across the world are among
the hardest hit by climate change and often disproportionately
affected by climate-related disasters but their plight has yet to be
recognised by the international community, a new report says.

http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=6140


**Climate change: "a challenge but an opportunity" for the Karamajong
people of North-Eastern Uganda**

18.03.08 - At MRGa��s global launch of State of the World's
Minorities in London, David Pulkol a�� a Karamajong leader a�� spoke
movingly of how global warming is already beginning to impact on his
fragile community.

http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=6181


**Tibet crackdown: China's minorities in focus**

20.3.08 - Protests in Tibet and its neighbouring provinces have
focused attention on Chinaa��s ethnic minorities, and Chinaa��s
desire to preserve a��stabilitya�� in a multi-ethnic nation.

Read a full description of the history, culture and governance of
Tibetan people, and a comprehensive account of Chinaa��s ethnic
minorities, in our World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous
Peoples.

http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=5324


** MRG in the news: a selection of the major stories featuring
MRG's views **

**Climate change 'hits minorities hardest'**

When the floods subsided in India last year more than half of the
bodies found were Dalits, or untouchables; the recent droughts in
Kenya have devastated the herds pastoralists in the north rely on for
survival; in Arctic Norway the Sami people's reindeer are starving as
warmer rains destroy their grazing land. 

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/climate-change-hits-
minorities-hardest-793990.html


**Les minoritC�s sont les premiCOres victimes du rC�chauffement
climatique**

Certaines minoritC�s ethniques sont particuliCOrement menacC�es de
disparition par les bouleversements climatiques, selon le rapport
annuel sur l'C�tat des minoritC�s dans le monde de l'organisation
Minority Rights Group (MRG), publiC� mardi 11 mars.

http://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/2008/03/11/les-minorites-sont-les-
premieres-victimes-du-rechauffement-climatique_1021708_0.html


**Tribus indC�genas son las mC?s afectadas por el cambio climC?tico,
advierte ONG **

Minority Rights Group International (MRG) advirtiC? que algunas de
ellas podrC�an incluso extinguirse si no se toman con urgencia
medidas para resolver la situaciC?n.

http://www.eltiempo.com/vidadehoy/13demarzode2008/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-
4007853.html

**UNHRC voice growing concerns over Lankaa��s deteriorating situation
**

Says increasing violence, terminating CFA agreement negatively
impact on human rights 

 Several countries and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
attending the ongoing UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in
Geneva on Friday expressed concerns over the deteriorating situation
in Sri Lanka even as the country is to be subject to the Universal
Periodic Review at the council.

http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=9398


**Coming up**

In 2008 MRG will be running campaigns on the impact of climate change
on minority communities, the effects of tourism on minorities and
minority refugees from Iraq. MRG will also be launching publications
tackling issues affecting minorities in Sudan, Turkey, Iraq and the
Great Lakes region of Africa in the coming months. Check our website
for details of all these exciting new developments. 


** What's new? MRG's blogs, reports, briefings and online
resources **

**MRG blog: Minorities in focus**

MRG's International Human Rights Officer for Africa, Paile Chabane,
travels to Pretoria, South Africa, to co-host a landmark conference on
minorities in Africa.

MRGa��s Programmes Officer, Marusca Perazzi, travels to Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia, to visit MRG partner organisations.

Read about their experiences at http://minorityrights.wordpress.com


**MRG's World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples **

MRG recently launched the first online database of the world's
minorities and indigenous peoples. The World Directory of Minorities
and Indigenous Peoples covers 220 of the world's countries and
dependent territories, and features profiles of about 700
minorities/indigenous peoples. It is a unique resource for
policy-makers, governments, journalists, academics and all those with
an interest in the growing field of minority rights.

http://www.minorityrights.org/directory


** State of the World's Minorities 2008**

This third annual edition of State of the World's Minorities looks at
the issues affecting the human rights and security of ethnic,
religious or linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples. It
includes:

 a preface by 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate, Professor Wangari Maathai
 a ground-breaking analysis of the impact of climate change on
minorities
 first-hand accounts of the impact of global warming from minorities
themselves
 an eye-witness report from Pakistan on the plight of the country's
religious minorities
 comprehensive regional sections, highlighting the main areas for
concern, as well as any notable progress
 a unique statistical analysis and ranking of Peoples under Threat
2008.

http://www.minorityrights.org/swm


For more information on Minority Rights Groupa��s publications, see
http://www.minorityrights.org/publications

Minority Rights Group International (MRG) is a non-governmental
organization working to secure the rights of ethnic, religious and
linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples worldwide, and to
promote cooperation and understanding between communities.

MRG is a registered charity no. 282305, and has consultative status
with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and observer
status with the African Commission for Human and Peoples' Rights.

Minority Rights Group International

54 Commercial Street, London, E1 6LT, UK
Tel: 020 7422 4200
Fax: 020 7422 4201
Email:
minority.rights@mrgmail.org

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