News archive: December 2013
30 December 2013
Christof Heyns, UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, expressed doubt on the legality of the conduct of both the US and Yemen in relation to recent lethal drone airstrikes, allegedly conducted by US forces in the Republic of Yemen, that resulted in civilian casualties. According to local security officials, 16 civilians were killed and at least 10 injured when two separate wedding processions were hit on 12 December 2013 in the Al-Baida Governorate. (more…)
Source: OHCHR | UN experts condemn lethal drone airstrikes in Yemen
Source: Reuters | U.N. experts urge U.S., Yemen to explain erroneous drone strikes
24 December 2013
IKV Pax Christi (the Netherlands) and FairFin (Belgium) have published an updated report entitled Worldwide Investments in Cluster Munitions: a Shared Responsibility. The original version of this report was published in 2009. The Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) bans the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions. The report stipulates that financing the production of cluster munitions constitutes ‘assistance’ or ‘encouragement’ which is prohibited by the CCM.
The report identifies 139 financial institutions that invested more than 24 billion US dollars in seven cluster munitions producers. It also identifies a growing group of states that take the view that the CCM bans investment in cluster munitions. It notes that ‘Experience with legislation in Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Samoa and Switzerland can serve as model for ways signatory states, States Parties to the CCM and states that are not party to the CCM can prohibit investment in cluster munitions producers by national law.’
Source: IKV PAX CHRISTI | Worldwide investments in CLUSTER MUNITIONS a shared responsibility | December 2013 update
24 December 2013
The International Trade Union Confederation, politicians and NGOs have urged western institutions involved in major projects in Abu Dhabi, including the British Museum and New York University (NYU), to take active steps to address the workers’ welfare and press the United Arab Emirates government to improve their conditions.
An Observer investigation found that with respect to thousands workers in building projects, including a new Louvre, the world’s largest Guggenheim and a NYU Campus, minimum labour standards are not respected, there are systematic complaints about poor accommodation and sanitation, salaries and medical services are withheld, and that both experts and the migrants themselves report excessive police force and situations of forced labour.
Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, warned the international institutions involved in the projects that they shared responsibility for the workers’ welfare and said that ‘International institutions need to be aware that if they associate their name with developments they must insist on full respect for ILO standards.’
Gulf Labor, a coalition of international artists which is mounting a year-long protest against the mistreatment and exploitation of migrant workers on Saadiyat, said the findings should shame the western institutions involved.
Source: The Guardian | Conditions for Abu Dhabi's migrant workers 'shame the west'
19 December 2013
The search for suitable vendors to assist in the commercial transport and destruction of Syrian chemical agents is due to begin on 20 December 2013, according to Ahmet Üzümcü, Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). He announced a multinational effort, that will require additional funding. (more…)
Source: OPCW | Executive Council Receives Destruction Plan for Syrian Chemicals
18 December 2013
Amid growing debate over international drug control policy in Latin America, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said that a decision by the Uruguayan parliament to legalise cannabis is a strike against international cooperation.
Yuri Fedotov, head of the UNODC, said that ‘Just as illicit drugs are everyone’s shared responsibility, there is a need for each country to work closely together and to jointly agree on the way forward for dealing with this global challenge’.
Source: UNODC | UNODC stresses the health dimension of drug use as Uruguay parliament passes legislation to legalize cannabis