MINELRES: MRG e-Bulletin: April 2009

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


Minority Rights Group International
April 2009 

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
http://www.minorityrights.org


News

Education system in Turkey ignores minorities, says new report

The Turkish government must act to stop discrimination against minority
children in schools which ignore their distinct culture, language,
history and religion, says Minority Rights Group International in a new
report. Read more:
http://www.minorityrights.org/7739/press-releases/education-system-in-turkey-
ignores-minorities-says-new-report.html


Urgent UN Security Council intervention needed on Sri Lanka

The UN Security Council should put pressure on the Sri Lankan government
to suspend its military offensive in the north of the country to enable
tens of thousands of trapped civilians to leave the battle zone,
Minority Rights Group International said on Wednesday. Following a
two-day cease-fire the Sri Lankan military this week accelerated its
offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels, putting an estimated 60-100,000
ethnic minority Tamil civilians at risk. 
Read more:
http://www.minorityrights.org/7796/press-releases/urgent-un-security-council-
intervention-needed-on-sri-lanka.html

Plevris' acquittal signals that authorities in Greece fail to take firm
action to curb racism

Minority Rights Group International on Thursday expressed concern that
the inconsistent implementation of laws against inciting racial hatred
in Greece may result in targeted attacks against Jews and increased
anti-semitic sentiments in the country. 
Read more:
http://www.minorityrights.org/7792/press-releases/plevris-acquittal-signals-
that-authorities-in-greece-fail-to-take-firm-action-to-curb-racism.html


MRG Blog

This land is ours. Well, one day it will be!

Paolo Gerbaudo, ex Production Coordinator at MRG, takes us back to his
days as a media trainer with communities in Honduras and tells a story
that is relevant for many indigenous people today. 
Read more:
http://minorityrights.wordpress.com/2009/03/04/this-land-is-ours-well-one-day-
it-will-be/


MRG in the News

A selection of MRG's news coverage over the past month

Turkey disregards minority rights in schools
http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKTRE52F54820090316

AZINLIK COCUKLARINA ANADILDE EGITIM HAKKI!
http://www.suryaniler.com/haberler.asp?id=547

Turquie: un systeme educatif base sur la segregation
http://www.collectifvan.org/article.php?r=0&id=28625

Kota�s?z ve "Esit" Kad?nlar
http://bianet.org/bianet/kategori/biamag/113134/kotasiz-ve-esit-kadinlar 


Campaign Updates

Due to an ongoing need for support for the Endorois community MRG has
decided to prolong the life of the Trouble in Paradise campaign
<http://www.minorityrights.org/6777/trouble-in-paradise/trouble-in-
paradise.html>
until June 2009. Please add your voice
<http://www.minorityrights.org/6775/trouble-in-paradise/add-your-voice.html>
so that this indigenous community in Kenya can share in the profits of
lucrative tourism in the Rift Valley.

Trouble in Paradise campaign supporters continue to send encouraging
messages, like this one from Nairobi:

"As we rally around the Endorois community in agitating for their
rights, let us also take this opportunity to ensure that never again
shall a people be enslaved and denied their basic rights as has happened
to the Endorois community in Kenya. Alluta continua!" Daudi Ekuam 

Wilson Kipkazi, Secretary of the Endorois Welfare Council sent MRG this
message when we asked him how his organisation was getting along in
their new offices in Nakuru:

�Things are better working now that we have an office to operate from,
people now do respect us because we are no longer a brief case
organization. Cheers guys, you are great and we Love people.�

You can also check out the Trouble in Paradise Flickr photostream
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/minorityrights/> and join the Trouble in
Paradise Facebook page
<http://apps.facebook.com/causes/33847/10749429?
fb_page_id=8576366437&m=6987e7df>.


Show of Hands 

Indigenous people met in Alaska on April 20-24th for a global summit on
climate change. They discussed the impact of climate change on
communities and shared experiences of local adaptation and mitigation
strategies. The meeting was expected to conclude with a call to
governments to ensure that indigenous people are fully included if a
climate change deal is signed in December at the UN meeting in
Copenhagen.

MRG�s Show of Hands campaign
<http://www.minorityrights.org/7117/a-show-of-hands/take-action-now.html>
has got hundreds of comments from people across the world in support of
this very same call. You have just a few weeks left to add your voice
before we compile all the comments and hand it over to the UN. 

If you are at the Indigenous conference send your comments and pictures
to showofhands@mrgmail.org 


Jobs and Internships

Interns for media research project

MRG is looking for 5 interns with a background in media work, and who
are fluent speakers of European languages, to conduct specialized
research for our media team. We want to develop our media coverage in
select European countries and are engaging in a one-month research
project to analyse media trends in these countries and help develop our
contact base. Successful candidates will be expected to do an in-depth
research of the print, broadcast and electronic media in the specified
country on a select list of issues including reporting trends on human
rights and development stories and the sources relied upon for such
stories. The intern will be expected to prepare a full report and
present his/her findings to MRG�s media team. The intern will also be
expected to help develop MRG�s contact base by identifying and finding
contact details of media personal/journalists in the selected country.

Person specification:

* Essential - strong language skills in one of the languages listed
below together with good English language skills.
* Some basic experience working with the media and/or a degree in media
studies.
* Good understanding of the media in the country of research.
* Good research skills, preferable experience in conducting media
related research.
* Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure.
* Ability to work with minimum supervision.

We are looking for interns who are fluent in the following languages:

i. French
ii. Dutch
iii. Polish
iv. Spanish
v. Czech

The internship will be for 3 days a week for a period of one month and
will be based in MRG�s Budapest or London offices. Only candidates based
in these two cities are advised to apply. Internships at MRG are unpaid
but Interns are entitled to travel expenses up to a maximum of ?8.00 per
day and lunch expenses up to a maximum of ?4.00 per day. To apply please
send a full CV with references and a statement of interest to
press@mrgmail.org. Please mark clearly in the subject section �
Application for media research intern. The letter of interest must
explain the skills and experience you have to be able to undertake the
internship. Applications close on May 8th. The internship will start on
May 18th. 


Publications

Upcoming launch of new report on Kosovo

Between the Kosovo-Albanian run government, the European Union Rule of
Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) and the UN mission in Kosovo, minorities
lack proper legal protection. This report considers the legal vacuum
that currently exists in Kosovo, which declared its independent just
over one year ago. The report looks at the protections that are in place
for minorities and considers how they can be strengthened for the safety
and participation of minorities in this fragile state. To be launched in
May 2009, see MRG website for more details.


Resources

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 and is an excellent one-stop
shop for journalists, academics, researchers, policy makers and
students. Recent updates to this unique resource are: Somalia, Sri
Lanka, Iran, Bolivia, Iraq, United Kingdom, USA, Honduras.


**
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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