MINELRES: MRG e-bulletin (oct 2008)

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Original sender: Minority Rights Group International <noreply@mrgmail.org>


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

October 2008

Campaign Updates
 
We are now up to 316 signatures on our online petition! That�s good, but
not nearly enough to pressurize the Kenyan government into action.
Please don�t forget to sign 
<
http://www.minorityrights.org/6775/trouble-in-paradise/add-your-voice.html
>, and forward the petition to all your friends and family. 

In October, Emma Eastwood, the Trouble in Paradise campaign manager,
visited the Endorois community in Kenya. Check out her blogs �The road
to Lake Bogoria is littered with goats and sheep�, 'There is rubies in
them there hills', 'Cutting a shine on the Endorois Dancefloor':
http://minorityrights.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/the-road-to-lake-bogoria-is-
littered-with%e2%80%a6goats-sheep-and-cows%e2%80%a6/
http://minorityrights.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/there%e2%80%99s-rubies-in-them-
there-hills/
http://minorityrights.wordpress.com/2008/11/05/cutting-a-shine-on-the-endorois-
dancefloor/ 

Become a fan of Trouble in Paradise on social networking sites Care2,
Amazee and Netlog. 
http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/MRGTIP
http://www.amazee.com/trouble-paradise?destination=dashboard
http://en.netlog.com/clan/TiP

The Trouble in Paradise website has been updated. Get to know Grace,
Richard and Sarah on our new Meet the Endorois feature: 
http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/MRGTIP
http://www.amazee.com/trouble-paradise?destination=dashboard
http://en.netlog.com/clan/TiP

Are you ready for World Responsible Tourism Day? The Trouble in Paradise
campaign will be in full swing as Wilson Kipsang Kipkazi, of the
Endorois Welfare Council, makes his first trip to London on 12 November
on this international day to encourage ethical tourism. Read more about
his visit in the next MRG e bulletin. 
 
We have now topped 600 signatures on this campaign as we near the
crucial round of climate change talks in December in Poznan. States are
meeting in just ten days in Poznan, for their penultimate round of
negotiations before a new climate change deal is to be reached by
December 2009. 

Time is running out�..we need to up our signatures to a couple of
thousand in the next few months. 

If you have not already signed up please do so now on � link to take
action page. 

If you are already a supporter then please forward the campaign around
to as many people as possible. 

We have to get indigenous and minority voices into the international
climate change negotiation process before it is too late.


MRG's World Directory of 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. Recent updates to this
unique resource are: Georgia and Guyana.


News Features

"We will fight on", vow Chagos Islanders after law lords defeat
Minority Rights Group International calls on the UK government to
recognize the Chagos islanders fundamental right to go home- following a
shock ruling from the UK's highest court, which upheld the existing ban
on their return. 
http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=7447&bid=113

Reserved seats for minorities a must before Iraq election law comes into
effect
In a letter to the Iraqi President, MRG calls for a special provision to
be made to guarantee reserved seats for ethnic and religious minorities
before the law comes into effect. Provincial elections in Iraq are
expected to be held before the end of January 2009.
http://www.minorityrights.org/7339/press-releases/reserved-seats-for-minorities-
a-must-before-iraq-election-law-comes-into-effect.html 

NGO declaration on the Framework Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities
On the occasion of the Conference Enhancing the Impact of the Framework
Convention: Past Experience, Present Achievements and Future Challenges
several NGOs focused on the plight of minorities have come together to
issue a statement regarding the implementation of the Framework
Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.
http://www.minorityrights.org/7419/minorities-in-the-news/ngo-declaration-on-
the-framework-convention-for-the-protection-of-national-minorities.html

Colombia Supreme Court landmark ruling in favour of Afro-Colombians
A landmark racial discrimination case has been won by a group of
Afro-Colombians who were barred entry into Bogota nightclubs on the
basis of their colour. The Court ruled that the nightclubs had violated
the right to equality, honour and human dignity of the seven
Afro-Colombians and furthermore owed the defendants a public apology for
the humiliation they had suffered. Significantly it also ordered both
the Colombian government and Congress to adopt measures to prevent
racial discrimination towards its citizens..
http://www.minorityrights.org/7414/minorities-in-the-news/colombia-supreme-
court-landmark-ruling-in-favour-of-afrocolombians-.html

Double discrimination in East Africa
Minority groups in East Africa are tackling discrimination against women
from within their own communities in new and innovative ways.
http://www.minorityrights.org/7372/so-what-do-you-do/double-discrimination-in-
east-africa.html


MRG in the News - A selection of MRG�s news coverage over the past month

In the climate change debate, indigenous peoples are not being heard
MRG's campaign officer Farah Mihlar is in Barcelona attending the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) forum, which is
expected to attract some 8000 environmental and community activists.
Read her impression of Barcelona and the forum on the Independent�s
blog.
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/openhouse/2008/10/in-the-climate.html

Seats for Minorities a Must Before Iraq Election: Minority Rights Group
Minority Rights Group International on Thursday expressed serious
concern that a new Iraqi draft election law, which paves the way for
provincial polls to take place soon, does not provide guaranteed seats
for minorities. http://www.aina.org/news/2008109152300.htm


What�s New?

MRGs Blog: Minorities In Focus Marissa Burik, an MRG intern, has written
three blogs about the upcoming US Presidential election and the
potential effect on the minority community.
http://minorityrights.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/more-than-skin-deep-in-ohio/


Coming Up

New Briefing Paper
Voices that must be heard: minorities and indigenous people combating
climate change Just ten days before states meet in Poznan, Poland, for
another round of negotiations over a climate change deal MRG will launch
a new briefing on how communities worst affected by climate change have
been left out of the process. The briefing paper through a series of
testimonies makes the case that for indigenous and minority communities
climate change is not something of the future � it is real and already
resulting in loss of lives, livelihood, cultures and traditions. Launch
date � November 20th 2008.

**

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
Website: http://www.minorityrights.org


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