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Pauper claims stir debate12:36 pm | March 25, 2013
It's a question most never think to ask:
What happens to the poor after they die?
Nationally, pauper, or indigent, burials are on the rise. Many blame the weakened economy as a factor, saying that fewer people can afford things like life insurance, automobiles, or property.
For nearly two years, it has been official policy in Carter County to cover the costs of handling the remains of the poor or indigent – which usually means cremation.
Recently, however, the county's policy has come under scrutiny as the number of pauper claims has increased to three times the county's average.
With nine pauper burials since the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1, 2012, and each burial costing $600, the county has spent a total of $5,400 on cremating the county's poor.
In contrast, Johnson County's most recent pauper burial took place more than two years ago.
Some in Carter County government have said they are concerned that some may be taking advantage of the system. County Commission Chairman Tom Bowers, who has been one of the more vocal opponents of the county's policy, said that he fears that the county's current background checks are not sufficient.
"It's not that I don't like the policy, or am against helping someone out," Bowers said. "But it has been abused. The backgrounds are not being checked into at the extent they should be."
According to County Mayor Leon Humphrey, the current policy was created specifically to verify a claimant's pauper status.
"When I came into office, there was no formal policy for pauper burial," Humphrey said. "I felt the need to draft a formal policy with some steps and procedures so that we could verify the actual financial abilities of any surviving family members, or the person in question."
That verification is conducted by Humphrey's office, upon receipt of an application for pauper/indigent status. These applications can come from several sources, but, primarily, they come from the county coroner or a funeral home.
Joe Taylor, a manager at Tetrick Funeral Home, said that, after presenting options to impoverished clients, they are then advised to seek assistance from the county.
"If we had a family come in, and they said they had no money, then I would ask if they had a car, or property, or something of value that they could turn into money," Taylor said. "If they say no, then we'll direct them to the county."
If there are no surviving family members, and the deceased had no assets, Humphrey said the county medical examiner authorizes the pauper's burial.
Once the application is complete, its next stop is Humphrey's office.
"The county mayor then verifies through the assessor's office, or the county clerk's office, if they did, in fact, have any real property of record, namely automobiles," Humphrey said. "If they (do), then we reject the application. If they don't have any of those possessions, normally I will go ahead and authorize it."
While Humphrey said there are several sources of information available to him, he added that other sources are more difficult to attain.
"There are limits to how much information we can access," Humphrey said. "Bank accounts and the like, it's hard to get that information. But I don't think the policy is unreasonable."

subset: commoncrawl


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This undated photo released by the Los Angeles Police Department shows suspect Christopher Dorner, a former Los Angeles officer. Dorner, who was fired from the LAPD in 2008 for making false statements, is linked to a weekend killing in which one of the victims was the daughter of a former police captain who had represented him during the disciplinary hearing. Authorities believe Dorner opened fire early Thursday on police in cities east of Los Angeles, killing an officer and wounding another. Police issued a statewide "officer safety warning" and police were sent to protect people named in the posting that was believed to be written by Dorner. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Police Department)
Read the article: Racism fuels ex-LA cop suspected of 3 killings
Read the article: AP source: Suspect didn't leave burning cabin
Read the article: Carjacking victim says fugitive ex-cop was calm


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Top Posts
Latest Posts
Rangers shut down Tanner Scheppers
Apr 18, 2014, 4:22 PM EDT
This morning I wrote about how the Rangers had to be considering removing Tanner Scheppers from the rotation given his awful performance through four starts and now they've placed him on the disabled list with elbow inflammation.
Brandon Phillips leaves game with a back injury
Apr 18, 2014, 3:59 PM EDT
Dat Dude back pain.
Hisashi Iwakuma cleared to begin rehab assignment
Apr 18, 2014, 3:32 PM EDT
Out since February with a strained tendon in his middle finger, Mariners right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma threw a simulated game today without any problems and has been cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment.
HBT Daily: PuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuig
Apr 18, 2014, 2:28 PM EDT
Also: PuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuigPuig.
Bo Porter to his blundering baserunner: "Do you think you're invisible?"
Apr 18, 2014, 2:00 PM EDT
Bo Porter does not mince words when a TOOTBLAN happens.
Aroldis Chapman cleared to throw live batting practice
Apr 18, 2014, 1:45 PM EDT
Aroldis Chapman's recovery from facial fractures has progressed to the point that the Reds left-hander has been cleared to throw live batting practice, according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Freddy Garcia close to signing with a team in Asia
Apr 18, 2014, 1:02 PM EDT
In which I speculate why Garcia is heading across the ocean. The answer may surprise you! Unless you've ever had babies at home before, in which case you'll go "yep, I woulda too."
Tracy McGrady made his pitching debut last night
Apr 18, 2014, 12:23 PM EDT
When you're as tall as he is, it's far less than 60'6″ to home plate.
Jose Tabata passes post-concussion tests
Apr 18, 2014, 11:51 AM EDT
Pirates outfielder Jose Tabata left Wednesday's game after crashing very hard into the wall in Cincinnati while making a tremendous catch and was diagnosed with concussion-like symptoms.
Tanner Scheppers moving into the rotation hasn't worked for the Rangers
Apr 18, 2014, 11:19 AM EDT
Tanner Scheppers and his 9.82 ERA may not be long for the Rangers' rotation.
Brian Matusz makes a special connection with a fan who shares his peanut allergy
Apr 18, 2014, 11:03 AM EDT
Over two million Americans have peanut allergies. This story is about two of them.
Joe Nathan is feeling better after a "dead arm" period
Apr 18, 2014, 10:47 AM EDT
After a pair of ugly early season outings Tigers closer Joe Nathan talked last week about going through a "dead arm" phase, but now the 39-year-old is feeling much stronger.
Mark Teixeira expected to rejoin the Yankees on Sunday
Apr 18, 2014, 10:15 AM EDT
On the disabled list with a strained hamstring, Mark Teixeira got three at-bats in a minor-league rehab game Thursday and is expected to rejoin the Yankees' lineup Sunday.
The Top Ten Logos in MLB history — and the list actually includes Chief Wahoo
Apr 18, 2014, 9:24 AM EDT
And one serious mistake with respect to the Tigers.
Chris Sale has no use for statistics and that's totally fine
Apr 18, 2014, 8:47 AM EDT
He may not care, but I'm going to write a research report about how you normalize ISPFMLBLSSR for different eras.
The Secret Service was prepared to kill Mr. Met
Apr 18, 2014, 8:33 AM EDT
If this is true, you'd have to think the Philly Phanatic would have a no-fly zone imposed over him.
And That Happened: Thursday's scores and highlights
Apr 18, 2014, 6:47 AM EDT
Adam Wainwright turned in the latest of several dominant pitching performances around Major League Baseball this week.
Cole Hamels goes seven innings in latest rehab start, on track to join Phillies next week
Apr 17, 2014, 11:02 PM EDT
The Phillies' rotation is about to get stronger.
Toronto's bullpen melts down in epic fashion against the Twins
Apr 17, 2014, 11:00 PM EDT
The Twins scored six runs on one hit, eight walks (!) and three wild pitches in the bottom of the eighth inning tonight.
Jonathan Papelbon is tired of talking about his velocity
Apr 17, 2014, 10:05 PM EDT
Jonathan Papelbon had a little more giddy-up on his fastball today, but don't ask him about it.
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Did you know that it takes an average of $800 Million and 8 years for a drug manufacturer to complete research and development, prove safety and efficacy in multiple clinical trials? (read more at http://bit.ly/6wMxgk) More so, in the arena of drugs for small population — "orphan" — illnesses, drug companies have little incentive to go down this road when they can only sell any resulting drug to a few hundred people. Compare that to 113 million prescriptions for high blood pressure drugs in 2005 alone!
The FDA, recognizing this disincentive to develop better treatments for orphan diseases, has developed strategies to allow, encourage, and make possible the development of drugs — even for small populations.
Because so much of the cost of drug development happens long before a drug ever (might) be sold — a hurdle to even getting started — the FDA has modeled some new concessions that could allow drugs to be released earlier to needy populations. These are tied to ongoing followup through a new program called REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy). Now, with well documented and consistent survey data of a drug's impact, a manufacturer may be allowed to release a drug that has not completed
traditional drug-to-market clinical trials, when circumstances like a too small population exists, which can allow people with no good treatment solutions to have access to medicines in ways they never could, while still providing the FDA with all data necessary to ensure safety. Recording good quality data on the effects of drugs — like rituximab — being tried for P/P, helps those drugs gain FDA approval if there is evidence they are effective. This opens the door to better access, more insurance coverage, and better options.
In addition to sharing data about medications and disease history on an aggregate, de-identified basis, patients support the development of new drugs by participating in clinical trials. It would be a challenge for a manufacturer to even be able to run a clinical trial in many rare diseases as the patients are far apart, not well connected and, by definition, few. The more patients connect to patient advocacy groups representing rare disorders, the better chance that a drug study could be offered to more people to allow for meaningful proof of effectiveness. This is true also of tissue-bank collections. With an extensive spectrum of blood/tissue samples available for analysis, opportunities for seeing patterns that may provide answers, increase. Most drug manufacturers of orphan drugs begin their clinical trials process by reaching out to patient organizations to help them get connected to their relevant community. Because medical information is protected, no patient/member names may be disclosed, however, information about a trial may be sent out and patients can investigate further if they are interested.
How does this relate to you?
The IPPF is launching a new science advocacy campaign in January. Titled "1010 in 2010″, we are determined to get a minimum of 1000 (plus a few to spare) "data-sets". That's you all! We need 1000 disease history/medication experiences recorded so that the numbers are (statistically) significant to define treatment opportunities.
This data will be used when our Medical Advisory Board (MAB) and P/P experts from around the world gather at the NIH in the Fall of 2010 to define consensus and advise on protocols.
Now, all this data collection will be gathered in an online survey — no phone calls, no appointments (unless you want), just log in, enter your meds, improvements and flares — at midnight, in your pajamas, on your cell phone, whatever works for you. Watch the IPPF website as the numbers rise and find out interesting facts from the data! We appreciate what you contribute to helping everyone have access to better treatments!


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The Jan. 17 event kicks off what will be a Third Thursday of every month event, held from 5-10 p.m.
According to ReNeWest organizers Sarah Brewer and Naomi Dyer, both Montrose artists, the Interactive Art Crawl will bring music, drama, fine art and the spoken word – complete with a crowd-pleasing "festival feel" – to the business district west of Townsend Avenue.
"Our mission is to try and incorporate all the arts, drama, music [and] visible two-dimensional and three-dimensional arts into one specific area," Brewer said.
Brewer and Dyer, who grew up in Montrose, reconnected recently, when Brewer returned to their hometown.
"I realized when she came back that I don't know any artists here our age," Dyer said, adding, "There has to be lots."
And so ReNeWest was born.
Each participating business will host an artist, creating a "pop-up" gallery within its space where artwork will be displayed and sold, with the artist on-hand to answer questions. The long city blocks gave organizers the idea of making the event one large walking, talking art experience.
Pickled Painter, Amazing Glaze, Chow Down Pet Supplies, Riddled Raven, 2 Rascals Brewery, Amelia's and Papa Wheelie's bike shop are among the participating businesses.
"This is exciting. There is a younger community here, and they're more interactive with their art and that's exciting," said Montrose Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Scott Shine. Shine went on to praise the duo for the event's "focus on West Main," describing it as "a prime area for redevelopment," and their event for offering a wide range of Montrose artists an opportunity for interaction – amongst themselves, and with the public – that's different from more traditional art gatherings.
"We're trying to make it as easy as possible for artists and businesses both to be involved," said Brewer, "but also to make it as cheap as possible. If there are interested artists out there, they can contact us and we'll find a spot for them," she added.
Participating businesses are encouraged to decorate their storefronts with lights (the inaugural ReNeWest's the theme is "Light It Up!").
To that end, a Bike Light Competition will be held at Papa Wheelie's Bike Shop, at 6 p.m., decorating bikes with lights that then are gathered for a rally. A Lamp Revamp Silent Auction will be conducted throughout the evening, at all participating businesses; proceeds from the sale of the artistically decorated old and antique lamps will fund further ReNeWest Interactive Art Crawls.
The two women are developing concepts for future ReNeWest events, which include inviting participation from local students in arts and theater programs, and reaching out to the surrounding region for more support and artists. They hope to work with the City of Montrose in the future, to open up even more spaces, along West Main, for future events.
For information, visit the Interactive Art Crawl Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/RenewestInteractiveArts.


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Whereas, the National Panhellenic Conference has resolved to support the efforts of fraternity houses to be "dry" by fall of 2000,
Whereas, the National Panhellenic Conference has revolved to not endorse the co-sponsorship of events involving alcohol in chapter facilities,
Whereas, all national chapters at Bucknell University have pledged support of this resolution in varying degrees,
Whereas we, as fraternity women, recognize the need for increased personal and chapter responsibility,
Whereas we, as fraternity women, recognize the increasing risk of alcohol abuse among college students,
Whereas the members of the Panhellenic Council strive consistently to reduce underage consumption of alcohol,
Whereas, we support the efforts and desires of fraternity men to live in clean and pleasant houses,
Whereas co-sponsoring can be defined as planning, running, or endorsing a function.
Be It Hereby Resolved, that the Bucknell University Panhellenic Council and its chapters will not, by Fall 2000, support the co-sponsorship of all functions involving alcohol,
Be It Hereby Further Resolved, that individual chapters will be charged with creating a program to monitor and enforce this policy based on national and Bucknell university policies.
Meredith T. Alan, President
May 1, 2000
The following links are virtual breadcrumbs marking the 27 most recent pages you have visited in Bucknell.edu. If you want to remember a specific page forever click the pin in the top right corner and we will be sure not to replace it. Close this message.


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A collection of news and information related to Jeff, Who Lives at Home (movie) published by this site and its partners.
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Bells are ringing, effectively, in films of today and of yoreColumn | Mar 21, 2012 | 1:39 PMIt's not much of a movie, but in the Duplass brothers' "Jeff, Who Lives at Home" a misdialed phone number — Mis-tapped? Mis-punched? Who dials anymore, anyway? — gets the bonged-out dreamer played by Jason Segel thinking he was contacted for a reason. He's already obsessed with the M. Night Shyamalan film "Signs." Surely this must be a sign as well.


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BARELY a month after she joined the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) as a volunteer, a medical undergraduate was sent to an earthquake-hit region in China for relief operations.
But Ms Wu Wei, 20, a China national studying at the National University of Singapore (NUS), was not deterred.
She said: "I got a phone call from SRC and was given an hour to make a decision. I felt unprepared, but I thought it was a good opportunity for me to experience relief work in a disaster zone."
She and four others visited the disaster zone last Friday and returned on Monday.


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Chicken mites, also known as bird mites, get their common name
because they live on the skin of a wide variety of birds, but
especially chickens. They become structural pests when they migrate
from bird nests into buildings and attack humans. They are found
throughout the United States and worldwide.
This hornet (also called Giant hornet) gets its common name from
its introduction from Europe into the New York area in the 1800's.
European hornets are much larger than yellow jackets and unlike
most stinging insects, can be active at night.
Fleas are parasites that feed on the blood of any warm-blooded
body. The most common species is the cat flea, which often feasts
on cats, dogs and humans.
One of the best-known summer pests, mosquitoes breed in stagnant
water or soft soil. There are about 170 different kinds of mosquito
species in North America alone.


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A good night for Mitt Romney
There is little doubt Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney won Wednesday's evening's debate. Mr. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, has seen his poll numbers sag, mostly because of his extensive fundraising circuit as of late and some personal missteps. In the debate, however, he made a solid case for himself and against President Obama.
His performance may reshape the race.
Read more of this story and more!
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30 October 2013
How we are doing so far?
GAVI partners give a personal take on the Mid-Term Review, immunisation and the Alliance's performance against its strategic goals
29 October 2013
Why political commitment to immunisation matters
Lord Boateng of the UK Parliament helped kick-off the Mid-Term Review meeting by hosting a panel discussion exploring the importance of parliamentary commitment to immunisation– among MPs in donor and implementing countries
09 October 2013
GAVI welcomes Canada's support for measles vaccines
GAVI welcomes Canada's US$ 20 million pledge to accelerate access to measles vaccines.
24 September 2013
Measles campaign launched in the DR Congo
DR Congo: 6.8 million children immunised against measles in the Equateur and Orientale provinces.
07 August 2013
At Dakar conference, countries showcase increased efforts to fund their own immunisation programs
Sabin Vaccine Institute convenes government officials to discuss progress on sustainable immunization financing programs (News release: Sabin Vaccine Institute).
22 April 2013
GAVI profiled in aid transparency report
The health sector has led the development success of the MDG era and created an unprecedented opportunity to achieve even more after 2015
10 January 2013
GAVI recognised for effectiveness and focus on results
In its first ever Multilateral Organisation Performance Assessment Network (MOPAN) review the GAVI Alliance has been commended for its effectiveness in increasing access to immunisation and for its focus on results.
14 December 2012
Seth Berkley visits DR Congo to view progress on immunisation
The twofold objective of Dr Berkley's visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo was to gain a better understanding of what drives increases in immunisation coverage in a large fragile country and to advise on the scaling-up of pneumococcal vaccines. Meetings with various partners, including government ministers, UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and DR Congo's vibrant civil society allowed vigorous discussion of how best to provide financial sustainability for immunisation.
12 November 2012
Vaccines to prevent pneumonia deaths reaching poor countries in record time
A vaccine against the leading cause of pneumonia is protecting millions more children in developing countries, according to figures compiled to mark the fourth World Pneumonia Day.
12 October 2012
Brazzaville marks Congo's first pneumococcal vaccinations
Brazzaville, 11 October 2012 - The Republic of Congo has taken a big step today in improving child health by introducing the pneumococcal vaccine, which protects children against one of the leading causes of pneumonia.
© GAVI Alliance 2014
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I landed on draught-plagued Mykonos Wednesday afternoon to bright sunshine. Things immediately began clouding up, and by early Thursday came a steady, drenching rain. My idiomatic Greek is a bit rusty—appropriate for the weather—but I believe Mykonians now refer to me as a sort of deity. At least I think I'm hearing a reference to [...] Read More →
by Mary Reed In childhood we went weekly to our local cinema. It was small, with baroque architecture, and crouched, unexpectedly, in the middle of streets of terraced houses. The sort of picture palace where you'd sit on a shabby plush but somehow prickly fold-up seat, with a sound system not of the best, the [...] Read More →
By Michael Kahn The editors of The American Scholar–the quarterly publication of the Phi Beta Kappa Society–have published a piece on their website featuring their ten favorite sentences from fiction and nonfiction. Several were familiar, including one each from The Great Gatsby, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, A Farewell to Arms, and Pride and Prejudice. My favorite of [...] Read More →
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Harlingen Cardinals
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Record: 3-7-1
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My buddy that's stationed overseas sent me her phone to JB, now, its been a minute since I've done one of these. Her phone has 3.1.2, I downloaded redsnow, followed the instructions and now its stuck in DFU mode (all black screen). What are my options here? Download the 3.1.2 FM and restore it to that FM?
Edit: Forgot to mention that when I plug it in my Mac, iTunes detects a phone in Recovery mode. Any advice?


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Celine Dion
There's only one place to find one of the Best Selling Female Artists in the World, Celine Dion -- the Colosseum at Caesars Palace Las Vegas. Dion raises the stakes with her latest show, adding vivacious backup dancers and a terrific live band to a performance that consistently sold out over her initial five year residency. A five-time Grammy Award-winner, Dion's powerhouse vocals are legendary and one of the hottest shows on the Strip. Now's your chance to see one of the Best Selling Female Artists in the World for less with tickets from BestofVegas.com!
Celine Dion Show Schedule: 7:30pm
August 6 - September 1, 2013
December 30, 2013 - January 19, 2014
February 18 - March 19, 2014
Age Requirements: Children 2 years of age or older must have a ticket.
Show Duration: 90 minutes
Elton John once called The Colosseum "Celine's Theater," and it's easy to see why. Celine Dion has made the venue her home away from home, welcoming theatergoers as her personal guests. Charming the crowds with her sense of humor, honesty and incredible voice, Dion has put together a Las Vegas show that transports listeners through a combination of her rich vocals and powerful music. It's an experience that has fans coming back for more on a regular basis. Buy a ticket and find out for yourself why she's one of the most decorated singers in pop music history!
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Drinkwell's Fountain Replacement Filter Cartridges fit every type of Drinkwell fountain. These filter cartridges are quick change filters which capture debris and filter water to keep your pets drinking water clean and extra fresh.
Instructions: Rinse the filter thoroughly prior to use. This will remove any loose charcoal dust from the filter which is harmless to your pet.
Place the filter in your fountain as directed on the insert inside the package. The water should flow through the polyester side of the filter first and exit out the black side. The position of the filter will vary depending on the fountain model.
Replace the charcoal filter every 2 to 4 weeks. Replace more frequently with multiple pets using the fountain.
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Dictionary definitions
- Enter a word for the dictionary definition.
basilarchia astyanax
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Ursula \Ur"su*la\, n. (Zool.) A beautiful North American butterfly (Basilarchia astyanax syn. Limenitis astyanax). Its wings are nearly black with red and blue spots and blotches. Called also {red-spotted purple}. [1913 Webster]


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skd is a tool for the simple distribution of SSH keys in a growing environment. It allow you to create hosts, group them, and link that group a group of users with keys to easily distribute all affected keys. skd generates a DSA or RSA keypair, which is saved to its database and used as the authentication source for skd itself. This keypair can (and should be) additionally be encrypted using a passphrase. This allows you to simply add a user with their key and press one button to grant (and revoke!) the user's access to all needed hosts.
nnmon is a central database and a Web interface for the nmon program's data. It allows you to store and view nmon data instantly. nnmon_sender.pl is a pure Perl script. It runs the external nmon program and opens its output file for reading. Every line read from the file is sent to the nnmon_server.py program via TCP/IP socket. nnmon_server.py reads incoming data, parses it, and inserts the result to the database. nnmonweb is a PHP script that lets you view monitored systems in a tree. If there is data for a system for the last 12 hours, it will show a chart on the right hand side. The database and server components have been tested on RHEL 5.5. The client parts have also been tested on AIX 6.1 and RHEL 5.5.
A lossless PNG optimizer.
A Trac appliance that is easy to use and lightweight.


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Comments On Oct 11, 2013:I bought a used ttr90 for my daughter that had no spark arrestor, so I fit this spark arrested exhaust to it. It's now forest legal. Fit and finish we're fine with no surprises on the install. The exhaust note is obnoxiously loud though.
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Comments On Oct 11, 2013:Bought this FMF Powercore 4 S/A System for my 2003 Honda XR80. I sold the bike, but the system definitely increased the overall power, from top to bottom. I always run FMF, because their quality is great, and everything is made right here in the USA. Definitely recommend.
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Comments On Sep 05, 2013:Sounds great on my little TTR110.
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Comments On Aug 31, 2013:put this on my Honda 300, and I did notice a decent power gain, and this makes my quad sound sick! its a lot lighter than the stock exhaust. I also tuned the carb so it could accept the new exhaust better. so with a stage 1 jet kit and the exhaust my quad rips compared to stock.
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Comments On May 10, 2013:Did not notice a big power gain but a lot of weight difference from the stock and that alone made a huge difference.
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Comments On Feb 06, 2013:I have installed and run lots of different exhaust systems on my bikes, some of them way more expensive, but none of them fit as nice, installed easier or gave any more performance. Best pipe for the money for sure.
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Comments On Sep 03, 2012:really looks nice after we figured out how to install..
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Comments On Aug 13, 2012:I put this on 2009 crf70r it trenches the lawn it has loads of torq!
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Comments On Jul 22, 2011:I have the shorty, now I have this for the state trails. Perfect fit, great FMF performance.
Additional Comments On Jul 22, 2011:This was installed on my daughters pit bike. Wow, this thing sound like a big 4 stroke, it is awesome! Noticeable power gain.
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Comments On Jun 01, 2011:put this exhaust on a 2008 ttr 125l with a jet kit and it hauled. My bike previously topped out at 70 basically stock now its pushing 85. p.s. I have 160 main jet 50 pilot jet.
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Dec 10, 2010
How Africa's voice has been hijacked
Nnimmo Bassey writes in the UK Guardian on how a scramble for individual leaders to speak for the whole of Africa undermines the common voice
Dec 08, 2010
Nnimmo Bassey collects his 'Right Livelihood Award'
On Monday December 6, Nnimmo Bassey, Chair of Friends of the Earth International, was one of four people to be presented with a Right Livelihood Award in the Swedish parliament.
He was awarded the honour for revealing the full ecological and human horrors of oil production and for his inspired work to strengthen the environmental movement in Nigeria and globally.
Watch his acceptance speech here
Find out more about the Right Livelihood Award
Dec 07, 2010
Videos from Cancun
Members of the Friends of the Earth International delegation in Cancun have been documenting the mobilisations and interviewing our spokespeople so we can keep you informed on all the twists and turns of the talks.
Here Nnimmo explains why initiatives such as carbon offsetting should really be called 'do nothing solutions'.
Watch all of our videos here
Dec 06, 2010
Bringing Cancun to London
On Saturday December 4, thousands of people took to the streets of London to call for a zero carbon Britain. Several well known environmental campaigners addressed the crowds including Friends of the Earth's Andy Atkins.
Dec 05, 2010
The Climate Carbon Stock Exchange drags on
Nnimmo Bassey, Chair of Friends of the Earth International, is observing the UN climate talks in Cancun. Here he assesses the first week of negotiations; from the nations clambering to reject the Kyoto Protocol to the Mexican hosts cooking up secret texts.
"With the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, emitting greenhouse gas (CHG) emissions over a set limit entails a potential cost. Conversely, emitters able to stay below their limits hold something of potential value. Thus, a new commodity has been created – emission reductions. Because carbon dioxide (CO2) is the principal greenhouse gas, people speak of trading in carbon. Carbon is now tracked and traded like any other commodity."
The above quote is taken from a publication of the UNFCCC on the Kyoto Protocol mechanisms. The publication focuses on international emissions trading, the clean development mechanism and joint implementation – all market based mechanisms set up to ostensibly help the private sector and developing countries to contribute to emissions reduction efforts.
Reflecting on the framing of the protocol one could easily reach the conclusion that there is no point seeking its continuation or validation for another commitment period. It does however appear that the world is in a tight corner right now with the crop of policy makers intent on inventing new ways of carrying on with business as usual and doing nothing concrete to fight climate change. Because the Kyoto Protocol is the only existing climate treaty that has legally binding targets inscribed by parties, many see it as better than nothing.
Could this be a case of half a loaf is better than none? Or is it the case of drowning persons hanging onto straw? You must find your answer!
The first week of the climate conference in Cancun drew to a close with no cheery news and lots to worry about. The first shocker came when Japan declared that they would not inscribe any targets in a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. Let me quickly add here that the term inscribe may sound like chiselling a rock, and casting commitments in concrete, but in reality the inscriptions in the first commitment period have been promises made only to be broken. Nothing inscribed in stone or concrete.
Killing Kyoto
So why are people worried? One reason could be that Japan is wishing up to what the USA knew long ago. Let us take a trip to Kyoto in 1997.
It is reported that when the protocol was being negotiated, the USA, led by Al Gore, made the inconvenient demand that carbon emissions reductions must be tackled under a framework of carbon markets. This led, rather conveniently, to the formulation of what some termed innovative ways of emissions reduction through the commodification of carbon or emissions. Did the USA sign the protocol after they got what they wanted? No. They conveniently walked away. Now we are in the inconvenient corner, pressed on every side and perching precariously on the brink of catastrophic climate change. The USA just walked away from Kyoto once they got the world on the roller coaster of carbon markets. Japan can equally walk away. So can Canada. And Australia.
The European Union says they are willing to consider either option. Wise guys. The fence could be a great place to sit, especially when the only smoke of battle is raised not by canons but by carbon trade.
The carbon market paradigm spun the so-called clean development mechanism (CDM), among others. At the Bali conference another item found its way on to the platter – Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD). This quickly brought up proposals for REDD plus, REDD pluss pluss… and who knows what else is waiting in the wings. The entire idea is to find ways by which carbon can be quantified and valued wherever it can be found. So far carbon stocks in trees are valued under REDD.
Progress or regress is being made about carbon stocks in the soil, so that those who do not have forests, but presumably have lands can key in and make some bucks from the carbon beneath their feet. For those who have neither forests nor land, there is hope that they can find some carbon in the water on which they float. And if they have no forest, no land and no water they will probably have some air over their heads. The bigger the atmospheric space over your head, the bigger your chance of making a kill in the carbon equation. Probably.
There's no doubt that there may be some folks who in the future may have none of these natural assets: no forest, no water, no land, no air. This will happen when every natural thing would have been privatised. Believe me. In that case, all any one would need to tap into the carbon market will be to prove that their bodies embody some amount of carbon.
Mexican Text
As the first week drew to a close, the rumour mill was abuzz with stories of a text being prepared by the Mexican chair of the COP to force a path for the outcome of the conference. This was the method of COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. If the text is not a phantom, it will materialise over the weekend in time for ministers who will be arriving then to have something to chew on.
In a statement pre-empting this move, civil society advocates, including Friends of the Earth International and the Third World Network demanded, "that delegates reject any attempts to introduce such a text into the conference."
They said so because the text would seek to replace "the aggregate global emission targets that are supposed to be negotiated under the Kyoto Protocol with the non-binding pledges of the Accord could, according to a UN analysis released November 23, [and] set the planet on a course for devastating changes by the end of the century - as much as 5°C (9°F) of warming."
It appears that policy makers are not living on planet earth. With a temperature increase of this magnitude, no amount of mitigation or adaptation would preserve most lives, as we know it.
Action time
The week was not all talk. Action time came on Friday when groups led by Jubilee South took to the streets of Cancun, marching from the municipal office to a Wal-Mart Supermarket and demanding that the World Bank must not be allowed to become the climate bank. Why? For one, the bank is notorious for funding fossil fuel related projects and is thus one agency that is deeply implicated in the climate chaos.
Will the last week of the COP bring any hope? We will have to see.
Nov 30, 2010
Report launch: Clearing the air
Today Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland launch an in-depth report about the available alternatives to carbon trading in climate change mitigation and climate finance. Marco Cadena from our Cancun delegation attended the launch.
Speaking at the launch, the report's author, Sarah-Jayne Clifton, outlined the aim of the report:
The report aims to provide real solutions for the establishment of financial framework for climate change mitigation and finance, in an attempt to allow the initiation of genuine low-carbon development in both developing and developed countries. The report analyses the different sectors involved and the provided alternatives.
Here's a summary of the key points:
A worldwide feed-in tariff in the energy sector would bring down the costs of renewable technologies to an affordable level for everyone. In addition to the feed-in tariff, a stronger taxation on carbon and energy would trigger energy savings.
Instead of large-scale industrial agriculture, an expansion of small-scale sustainable farming would lead to emission cuts on a broad level. This would also a tackling of the increasing global demand for large-scale agriculture with particular attention given to the meat and dairy industries
A broad global agreement on universal standards within the heavy industry sector would be the very first step in applying the best technology available worldwide.
Actions taken in tackling emissions from deforestation and forest degradation need to be monitored and measured to address the main collective issues and to achieve a just solution across the board. This also calls for the protection of the rights of the local communities and the expansion of community forest management.
Real solutions for climate finance
A Taxation placed on all international transactions of leading financial institutions and corporations would provide extra income, and would have no financial effect on the general public.
A Carbon and energy tax would generate $200bn from which climate finance could be easily funded. The fossil-fuel subsidies are around $700bn per year, worldwide. The producer subsidies consist mostly of funding from Northern governments to fossil-fuel producing companies. The redirection of this money to climate finance would have minimal affect on the citizens in developed countries.
Later in the evening there was a side event to discuss the report. Several representives from Friends of the Earth member groups were there to share their thoughts and take question.
The people included Ricardo Navarro from El Salvador; Siziwe Khanyile from South Africa; Samuel Nnah Ndobe from Cameroon; Karen Orenstein from the USA; and the report's author, Sarah-Jayne Clifton from England.
During the event delegates from developing countries were able to voice their concern regarding the efforts that are being made in pushing the World Bank's lead on handling climate finance for mitigation.
Members of the panel outlined that previous experience has shown that the World Bank is an unreliable institution, who continue to invest in fossil-fuels which are affecting the natural environment and local communities.
Siziwe Khanyile pointed out that the World Bank lent almost $4bn to South Africa for coal-fired power station development. Only 1% of this funding was actually spent on renewable energy projects. This example clearly shows that the World Bank lacks experience and sound judgement in promoting funding for development of a low-carbon economy.
Samuel Nnah Ndobe highlighted the problems associated with the UN REDD programme. In his summary, he states that through the REDD scheme forests will become cheap commodities. To date UN REDD is the biggest forest protection program, however Indigenous communities and developing countries are not necessarily benefiting from it.
Samuel added: "The debate shifted from climate change to financial mechanisms, which through carbon trading would create the possibility for the continuation of carbon-dioxide emissions and dependency on fossil-fuels."
Sarah-Jayne Clifton gave a briefing providing a more in-depth look at carbon trading. Clifton outlines that trading with carbon emission credits is not helping to tackle climate change at all, as it provides nothing but a shelter in which industrialized countries can aviod responsibility.
Sarah-Jayne pointed out that only developed countries benefit form the current carbon trading scheme and that there needs to be solutions implemented that are beneficial for everyone. Moreover, a market based on speculation does not provide a secure alternative to fossil-fuel dependency and it does not provide incentives to reduce emissions in developed countries.
In conclusion, Sarah-Jayne confirmed the report provides real solutions to climate finance, that will allow both the developed and developing world to implement just and transparent solutions for the procurement of the necessary climate funds.
Nov 25, 2010
Commodifying nature in an age of climate change
A few days before the UN climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico, Nnimmo Bassey, Chair of Friends of the Earth International, writes about the carbon speculators who will be there hyping the utility of the carbon market as a means of fighting climate change through offsetting rather than taking real drastic action. We will be there to drown out the hype with the message of climate justice.
For about two weeks, starting from next Monday, the world will be locked into another session of negotiations on how to tackle climate change. The conference, to be held in Cancun, Mexico, has drawn less excitement than its predecessor held in Copenhagen, Denmark, a year ago.
The excitement of Copenhagen was partly driven by the false information that circulated that the Kyoto Protocol was ending at that meeting. Though there were serious, but failed efforts, made at that conference to lay the protocol to rest, its first period actually ends in 2012, while a second commitment period will be entered into as soon as the first period elapses.
But why would anyone want to kill the protocol and why should it be sustained? The Kyoto Protocol is seen by some as the only legally binding instrument to which the industrialised and highly polluting nations can be made to commit to cutting emissions at source. From this perspective, when countries fight to abolish the protocol, they are simply trying to avoid making any real commitment to tackling climate change.
leave it to the market?
One problem with the workings of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the ongoing negotiations is that it bases a chunk of its reasoning and framings on the market logic. This follows the path created by the mindset that has built a vicious paradigm of disaster capitalism, in which tragedy is seen as opportunity for profit. What do we mean by this?
Rather than take steps to curtail emissions of greenhouse gases responsible for global warming, some people are busy devising ways of making every item of nature a commodity placed at the altar of the market. Through this, everything is being assigned a value and many others are privatised in addition.
What makes this offensive is firstly that you cannot place a price on nature, on life. Secondly, speculators are hyping the utility of the carbon market as a means of fighting climate change. Some of the ways this manifests is through the carbon offsetting projects by which polluters in the industrialised countries continue to pollute, on the calculation that their emissions are being compensated for elsewhere.
As Friends of the Earth International stated in a recent media advisory, "Carbon trading does not lead to real emissions reductions. It is a dangerous distraction from real action to address the structural causes of climate change, such as over-consumption. Developed countries should radically cut their carbon emissions through real change at home, not by buying offsets from other countries. Carbon offsetting has no benefits for the climate or for developing countries - it only benefits developed countries, private investors, and major polluters who want to continue business as usual."
Cancun will obviously be crawling with carbon speculators and traders, as was the case in Copenhagen. And they have good reasons to be there. They will be there because policy makers on both sides of the divide see benefits in the schemes, even though the so-called benefits are pecuniary and are actually harmful to Mother Earth. But as far as the money enters the pockets of some poor countries, the rich countries can go on polluting, having paid their "penance."
Not just money alone
The world appears deaf to the need for real actions to curb climate change, and the focus remains on money. In fact, while many of the items of the Cancun agenda have stalled, with regard to reduction of carbon emissions in the industralised nations, there is no shortage of proposals on how carbon markets can be brought in to give appearance of action.
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) is one of such schemes in the scheme. Quick progress is being made on REDD and already, talks are advancing on other variants of the scheme. Indigenous and forest community people are opposed to REDD and object to its implementation, as attention is being focused on forests merely as carbon stocks for mercantile purposes. Significantly, many see REDD as not seeking to stop deforestation, but merely to reduce it.
It is also argued that that any reduced deforestation may not be sustained, as deforesters may just shift to another forest or zone to continue with their activities. In other words, REDD is a pretty fiction that may pump money into the pockets of some countries and corporations, but will marginalise forest peoples and will not help to fight climate change. The attraction, as critics have said, is that if this mechanism is linked to the carbon market, it will allow developed countries pay money to REDD-projects that preserve forests in developing countries, and in return receive carbon credits - buying the right to pollute.
There will also be strident rejection of any role at all for the World Bank in the climate finance architecture that may be devised in Cancun.
The atmosphere is set for a somber, winding series of negotiations. However, social movements and other civil society groups are set to push up the voices of the people, as already broadly articulated in the Peoples Agreement, reached at the World Peoples Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth held in April 2010 at Cochabamba, Bolivia.
The environmental justice movement that took first serious steps in Copenhagen is sure to take firmer steps on the streets of Cancun and in thousands of Cancuns being planned for a multitude of locations around the world.
The message in Cancun, if we must expect motions towards real actions to tackle climate change, is that governments must pay attention to what the people are saying, to the real challenges faced by vulnerable peoples around the world, and not lend their ears to carbon speculators.
Nov 10, 2010
The detention and deportation of Filipino activists from Seoul and the harassment and intimidation of a number of other activists at the hands of Korean immigration authorities are manifestations of the undemocratic and anti-people nature of the G20 and further exposed the illegitimacy of this group of self-proclaimed caretakers of the global economy.
The protests and mobilizations in Korea of tens of thousands of people in clear defiance of the Korean governments security measures, is an indication of a clear disconnect between the agenda of the governments of the G20 countries and the interests and aspirations of their people.
The G20 Summit in Korea was supposed to address the issue of the growing gap between the rich and the poor in the wake of the global economic crisis. The G20's prescriptions for economic recovery and development, however, anchored on the perpetuation of a flawed corporate driven, export-oriented development model would further exacerbate poverty and inequality and undermine social cohesion across the world.
The whole point of the Peoples Conference in Korea, and the reason why the deported Filipino activists came to Korea, is to articulate the peoples' opposition and resistance to the G20 and to collectively discuss and put forward alternatives to the failed model of development that the G20 is so desperately trying to preserve.
We say NO to the G20 and the policies that continue to threaten jobs and peoples livelihoods, and erode workers' rights and welfare;
We say NO to the G20 and policies that cause the expulsion and repatriation of migrants in the name of restrictive and Draconian migration policies and rules;
We say NO to the G20 and the policies that use women as safety nets in crisis, and is blind to the differential decision-making powers in the household and economy in general;
We speak out against the free trade agenda and the push of the G20 governments for more ambitious and comprehensive free trade agreements disguised as economic partnerships but are really instruments of economic domination and control by the rich over the poor within and across countries and regions;
We speak out against the development agenda of the G20 which threatens peoples' right to food, destroys the environment, and perpetuates unequal access and control over natural resources in support of the profit-driven motives of corporations;
We say NO to the G20. It does not represent the interests of the peoples of the world and it cannot speak on our behalf.
We call on the peoples of the world to come together against the G20 and to intensify the struggle for a better and more just and peaceful world.
Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL)
Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM)
Aniban mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura
Asia-Pacific Network on Food Sovereignty
Ban Toxics!
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific (CATW-AP)
Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP)
Greenresearch Environmental Research Group
Green Convergence for Safe Food, Healthy Environment and Sustainable Economy
Focus on the Global South
Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC)
Friends of the Earth International
Friends of the Earth Asia Pacific
Jubilee South – APMDD
Kilusang Mangingisda
Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center
Migrants Forum for Asia (MFA)
Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ)
Task Force Food Sovereignty (TFFS)
Third World Network
World March of Women - Pilipinas
Oct 08, 2010
Toxic sludge leak: request for donations
Friends of the Earth Hungary is calling for donations in order to provide assistance to those living and working in the areas worst affected by the red mud spill.
The Csalán (Nettle) Environmental and Nature Protection Association appeals to everyone in a position to do so to contribute to the purchase of vitally important protective equipment. The Association would like to provide immediate assistance to those living and working in the areas worst affected by the red mud spill, coordinating with the local governments of the affected communities, particularly Kolontár and Devecser.
We would like to provide quick help to those living and working in the areas affected by the unprecedented, catastrophic spill on October 4, 2010. We are coordinating this with those working in the disaster area and Mr. Tamás Toldi, Mayor of Devecser. They emphasized the most urgent need for protective clothing and equipment for those working in the affected areas. Our Association would like to provide all residents of the affected communities with a protective mask (6,000 pieces) , 500 pairs of rubber boots and recovery devices, as much as needed.
About $5 (1000 HUF = 4 EUR) pays for 4 safety face masks with a dust filter, $26 (5000 HUF = 20 EUR) for one set of protective clothing (one pair of rubber boots and gloves),
$26 (5000 HUF = 20 EUR) for one set of recovery devices (spade, shovel
and hoe),
12 500 HUF = 50 EUR for one barrow for those working on the field.
Please provide help according to your abilities!
donate now!
1. Bank Account below (with a note that the donations is for the RED MUD
SWIFT-code: GIBAHUHB
Bank Account (in international relations): HU60 1160 0006 0000 0000 0297
Beneficiary's Name: Csalan Egyesület
Beneficiary's Address: H-8200 Veszprem, Rakoczi F. u. 3, Hungary
2. Donate through PayPal by clicking on the link below
All donations received are allocated to the purchase and distribution of the above described equipment and we report the amounts received and their use in detail on our website. Based on the donations received as of October 6 and 7, 2010 the distribution of rubber boots and gloves and safety masks has already started. The Csalan Association considers providing accurate information to the citizens critically important, so we prepared and distributed flyers about the basic facts of the accident and priority activities for the first days.
Your donation is highly appreciated – no amount is too small!
Oct 07, 2010
Statement on the toxic sludge leak in Hungary
Friends of the Earth Europe sends it condolences to the families of the people who have lost their lives this week in the toxic sludge leak in Hungary. Our thoughts are with the thousands who are suffering from this environmental disaster.
Far too often we see environmental disasters of this kind yet we continue to see corporate opposition to strong environmental, health and safety regulations at a national, European and international level. Corporations say the costs are too high, but the real cost of weak regulation is clear for all to see.
Friends of the Earth Hungary/Magyar Termeszetvedok Szovetsege (MTVSZ) is present in the area and actively assessing and monitoring the situation as the gravity of it unfolds. The priorities must be to safeguard people's health and protect the repair the local environment. In the longer term environmental protection measures must be strengthened to prevent future disasters.
Read more at FoE Hungary's website: http://www.mtvsz.hu/
Aug 12, 2010
Statement on the floods in Pakistan
Pakistan is experiencing one of the worst natural disasters in living memory as floods and mudslides claim thousands of lives and destroy entire communities.
Fourteen million people have been affected by the floods and so far at least 1,600 people have lost their lives. It's estimated that some 300,000 homes in all four provinces of Pakistan have been washed away by the flood waters affecting more than 10,000 villages.
We at Friends of the Earth International feel the pain of the Pakistani people as they struggle for survival in this desperate time. We are deeply saddened by their losses.
While we express our solidarity with the Pakistani people and all who are contributing to the efforts to provide assistance to the displaced, we promise to relentlessly work for climate justice, demanding real and urgent actions to confront the realities of the climate crisis.
The Pakistani people are also victims of an international community that has failed to act and address the underlying causes of climate change. The causes of the recent increase in extreme weather conditions must be addressed now.
Pakistan has always had monsoon seasons and for generations people have adapted to them. However, the increase in extreme weather conditions has left the Pakistani people unable to adapt to such rapid change and they have become much more vulnerable.
Deforestation and other natural habitat destruction also play a part in this increased vulnerability, as do large infrastructure projects like mega-dams. Both the Pakistani and the Indian governments released water from their bursting dams due to the flood in order to "save" their dams.
This action proved fatal to scores of people living around these dams. For several years, communities and civil society groups fought against the building of these mega-dams stating that they were catastrophes waiting to happen and the vulnerable communities living along the rivers would be impacted the most. In the event of extreme weather, as we are seeing now, these people would be on the front line. Sadly in the last few weeks these predictions have been realised.
In Pakistan's time of need we urge you to donate to organisations working directly with the Pakistani people to relieve their suffering.
In the long term we hope you will join those like us who campaign for the right of communities to choose their sustainable energy sources and to develop healthy consumption patterns that will lead to sustainable societies.
This, combined with the need for greenhouse gas emissions reduction and for all people to share an equitable amount of resources within ecological limits, is essential to achieving climate justice.
For more information about our climate justice work go to - www.foei.org/en/what-we-do/climate-and-energy
Jul 20, 2010
Australia Must Close the Door to Illegal Timber
Today, Indonesian environmental and social justice groups will ask Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard to close the door to illegal timber and forest products. A letter carrying the message will be delivered to the Prime Minister through the Australian Embassy in Jakarta by Friends of the Earth Indonesia.
The Australian Government made an election promise in 2007 to ban illegal timber. Last Saturday, PM Gillard set the date for the next election for August 21st. The Government has just one month left to uphold its commitment on illegal timber.
Australia has continued to expect timber supplying countries, especially Indonesia to stem out illegal logging.
"Of course, Indonesia needs to tackle the serious and chronic problem of illegal logging because it is in our national interest to do so. However, Australia is a timber importing country and an influential power in the Asia-Pacific region. It has to walk the talk on good governance by banning the trade in timber stolen from other country's forests." says Mohammad Teguh Surya, Head of Campaigns for WALHI.
"For the last few decades, WALHI and other civil society groups in Indonesia have been campaigning hard to fight illegal logging to protect what is left of the once dense and mighty Indonesian tropical rainforests. Teguh explains, "we are fighting a losing uphill battle. Illegal logging operations are organised criminal activities. They operate above the law, bribing law enforcers, using force to intimidate forest communities and those who stand in their ways to cut down the trees, leaving a trail of destruction behind."
Illegal logging is highly profitable. Those who benefit from it will be open for
business as long as there are buyers. A recent UK-based Chatham House research showed that tough actions taken by the US and EU has resulted in a drop in demand for illegal timber. However other timber importing countries including Australia must act aggressively in order to maintain the momentum created to eliminate this trade.
Jul 19, 2010
Save the largest National Park in Sri Lanka
Friends of the Earth Sri Lanka need your help.
Recently two roads have been developed across the Wilpattu National Park without respecting the value of this natural habitat and the environmental laws.
The park, which was famous for its leopards, was closed due to the civil war in Sri Lanka and has recently been re-opened only to find that this ambitious construction is ruining the park further.
This may be the last chance to save Wilpattu, the largest national park in Sri Lanka.
Please sign this petition and help ensure the national park is a safe haven for animals.
Jul 07, 2010
Illegally detained activists in Indonesia deported with no formal charges filed
Friends of the Earth International is shocked by the police harassment of 15 international environmental activists. The group were arrested and detained for more than 24 hours, after Indonesian police dispersed a peaceful press conference. They are now safe and on their way to their home-countries.
In an interview, Judith Pasimio, the executive director of Friends of the Earth Philippines (LRC-KsK) said that on July 5, Jean Marie M. Ferraris, team leader of LRC-KsK's Davao office, together with 14 other green activists were in a middle of a press conference on the ill-effects of coal-fired power plants, when some 100 Indonesian police barged in and arrested the activists.
"This outrage only shows what appears to be collusion between the Indonesian government and the Cirebon Elektrik, Ltd. We denounce how the police violently disrupted a peaceful and legitimate practice in the defence of the environment and the rights of its people" said Ms Pasimio.
"Jean went to Indonesia to share the Philippine experience on the deadly impact of coal and our own learnings from our anti-coal campaigns, particularly in Maasim, Saranggani. She kept her humour throughout the ordeal.
"We maintain that the Indonesian government should explain this affront against the rights of peoples to peacefully assemble and pursue genuine solutions to our deteriorating environment and rational utilisation of natural resources for the national interest and not for the profits of corporations," Ms Pasimo continued.
The delegation claim that representatives of coal-fired power plant Cirebon Elektrik, Ltd. accompanied the 100 Indonesian police when they were arrested.
An emailed statement from LRC-KsK, appealed for President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III to immediately intervene and demand an explanation from the Indonesian government.
"The new administration of President Aquino must send a strong message to the international community that it is committed to protecting our citizens from abuses committed on foreign soil, even if it is by a foreign government," it stated.
background on the incident
In an email, Tuesday evening, Amalie Conchelle C. Hamoy-Obusan, one of the anti-coal campaign network members detained, said that she, together with other activists from Greenpeace and communities in China, Indonesia, Thailand and India were apprehended at around 2pm on Monday and detained for more than 24 hours.
"We were in the village simply to give support and learn from the experiences of our brothers and sisters who share the same plight as our countrymen living around coal-fired power plants," Ms. Hamoy-Obusan said in her email.
She claimed that while at the Cirebon police station, they were accused of "visa irregularities" and "engaging in activities that create instability."
"The interrogation lasted through the night and we've had little sleep," said Ms. Hamoy-Obusan.
One of the unilateral agreements of member-nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is that visa is not required if a citizen of any member-nation—visiting an ASEAN country—for visits of less than a week.
Jul 02, 2010
The Cariano 7X festival
Nnimmo Bassey, Chair of Friends of the Earth International has been in Italy for the last few days enjoying life in a sustainable village one day and denouncing oil companies in Rome the next.
These past few days I have been in Avellino, Cairano and Rome all in Italy, of course. Friends from the unit of Amici della Terra (Friends of the Earth Italy) – in the Avellino area invited me to participate in Cairano 7X – a week-long festival where artists, poets, writers, philosophers, musicians, farmers, carpenters, travellers, meet, have workshops and enjoy hospitality in the houses of the inhabitants of Cairano. I am sure you would want to be there! They are all engaged in a unique local struggle to show how a sustainable village can thrive and to make a plea that Cairano must not die. Local struggles in local contexts multiply like drops of water to form the ocean of our collective struggles and fights.
It is indeed a huge cultural experiment with seven projects over a seven day period. The dates set for the event this year were 20-27 June. But I was busy elsewhere at that time and had to visit Cairano a couple of days after the event.
Did I miss a lot? You bet! But, because Cairano is a living event, I still met the atmosphere and the footprints the festival left behind. I should let you know that Cairano is also the name of the village in which Cairano7X takes place annually. As we headed west of Aviello towards Cairano on a warm afternoon, my hosts Luca Battista, his wife and Letizia Leito began to fill me in on what to expect.
By the way, the Aviello landscape is incredibly beautiful. Mountains surround you in every direction; protected parks ensure that those who wish can stay green (with envy). We rode over a series of bridges with no rivers beneath them. That really surprised me. We eventually saw two minuscule rivers and an artificial lake (a dammed river).
A new humanism
Letizia, my interpreter, by the way, reminded me of the words of Franco Arminio, poet, writer and the Artistic director of Cairano7X. He had explained the Cairano project this way: Cairano 7x is a simple but a very ambitious idea: we think that a new humanism may develop somewhere and we think mountains are the best place for its development: we call this humanism "paesologia", a discipline that looks at the villages as they are and as they could become rather than think of them as they were, typical activity of the scholars of "paesologia."
One has to be at Cairano to fully comprehend what the festival seeks to achieve and what it is all about. Cairano is a village set on a hilltop and cannot be hidden. The hill itself is a sculpturesque cape that reminds you of so many things at the same time. Could it have been dropped here from space? All around the hill are farmlands and a little way off wind power generates electricity for equally far off places.
Cairano had a population of 1,410 people in 1951. Currently the population has dropped to about 300 or less, mainly elderly men and women who sit in the summer sun probably recalling the days of old when the village was bustling with folk. A few young couples live here, so you will find kids and some youths. There is only one kindergarten, so the young folks have to attend school in other villages or towns. Great thing, I soon found out is that you don't really need a wrist watch here, because the bell tower at the church sends out chimes on the hour and also every other 15 minutes or so. I wondered if that continued through the night.
touring cairano
So here we were. A team was waiting to receive us, and then the tour of the village begun. Cairano7X's focus this year was on migration. I learned that in the distant past this was a point where folks moving elsewhere paused before proceeding with their journey.
During the week-long event artists set up sculptures and dynamic art works that tell the story of migration. One very interesting one was made of paper cut-outs of birds and snails denoting rapid movement and the crawl. We found these paper birds sitting on door posts, window ledges and walls. Of course, the snails crawled at the base of walls. There were moments of dispersal and moments of convergence. Exciting.
And then a big scaffold that held different expressions of movements: barbed wires representing restricted access, a huge nest made of grass representing the idea of home. There were seeds in a trough speaking of life and settlement. So many symbols. You could stand before this architectonic sculpture for hours and there would still be more to see.
And what about the wooden chair that is stuck precariously up a wall? I could not figure that one out. Except if it means to say it is no time for sitting down. Keep moving. But then a piece of paper looking like a giant price tag tells another story: you may have to sell this, and move. My imagination ran riot!
How about the workshop in an abandoned building, with a giant wooden leaf on the floor and vertical poles rising from it? On the wall is a wooden block on which is a call for the world to move away from fossil fuels and leave the oil in the soil. Yes!
All around this area there are stone and concrete dice of different colours. The urge to roll the dice was so strong I had to move my attention to giant spider legs of sticks and a body of a bulbous glass jar.
Come with me. Let us climb higher up and see the beauty of this "deserted" village.
We were soon confronted with a brick and terracotta building constructed on the principles of a compass with horizontal and vertical axes, according to Luca. The architect who invented this compass and method of construction had used it to construct a hospital in Mali. And I suspect the same was replicated in the artisan markets of Bamako (where I must say is the only place I find hand made sandals that my feet love!) Ah!
Up at the pinnacle of this beautiful village is a brow of a ship constructed of sticks and ropes. It perches precariously on the precipice overlooking a lake in the distance and giving you a true sense of sailing… into the future. And then next to it are chairs and a bench.
It was instructive to observe that all the artistic projects here were executed with locally sourced materials. Nothing was imported in. As we left Cairano the young folks regretted that people had to leave after arriving at the village. The wished that folks would come to stay. Hmmm, it was sad to say goodbye.
I couldn't capture the sounds of music that must have wafted across the Cairano landscape during the event. The plugs had been pulled and the platforms were being dismantled. The gardens developed by some of the participants were alive and well and I keep wondering how come flowers were already blooming if they were planted just the week before. As we descended from Cairano, I wished we could actually stay. The memory of the event hung thick in the air. And we took a part of it away to the seminar that was to hold the next day.
addressing the causes of climate change
The seminar took place at Avellino and I was honoured to speak about the structural causes of climate change, promote elements of the Chochabamba Peoples Agreement on Climate Change and also talk about the gushing oil in the Gulf of Mexico and the forgotten spills in the Niger Delta. I also read a poem I wrote in Bolivia, I will Not Dance to Your Beat. Other speakers spoke on the fact that the limitless growth was impossible in a finite planet.
Cairano is seen as representative of a place that is "sustainable in itself, not having yet saturated its ability to bear the pressures due to human activities. Giving a new demographic and economic meaning to these western territories is probably one of the most important policy actions for the environment having the goal of reducing the climate altering emissions and of ensuring civil rights not unrelated to health and safety provided by the environment."
The seminar was followed by excellent local food and folk music. I felt like skipping to the beat!
July 1 saw me heading to Rome with Raffaele Spagnuolo, President of Friends of the Earth Campania. Max Bienati and Rosa Filippini of Friends of the Earth Italy were waiting having left Avellino the day before. Rome was the venue of a vital press conference to call the attention of the Italian public to the fact that although everyone speaks of the oil spill gushing in the Gulf of Mexico, United States, there are unreported disasters happening everyday in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. And an Italian oil company, ENI or AGIP is neck deep in the murk along with their cohorts.
The press conference was moderated by Rosa and addressed by me, Christine Weise of Amnesty International and Elena Gerebizza of the Campagna per la Riforma della Banca Mondiale. The press were there and so were representatives from the Italian oil giant ENI. Having the oil company represented was quite something!
gas flaring in the dock
The conference opened with a video clip of gas flaring around the world, produced by the World Bank. It shows the Russian Federation as the top gas flarer in the world, with Nigeria taking the silver medal.
Our focus was on the evil and illegal practice of gas flaring in Nigeria (illegal since 1984) and the fact that the BP's spill in the USA shows clearly that the best oil industry standards are not nearly good enough. Plus the fact that reliable data is hard to come by. One high profile example is the BP spill that has grown from 1000 barrels a day to over 100,000 barrels. Not to mention their cut-and-paste environmental impact studies and spill response plans.
Christine spoke primarily of the fact that environmental rights are human rights and that the oil majors operating in the Niger Delta have played foul in every imaginable way – spilling equivalent of one Exxon Valdez every year over 50 years. Plus the human rights abuses ongoing in the oil fields and in Nigeria generally.
Elena focused on the footprint of international finance institutions in this mire. And she also brought up the case of the Italian oil company ENI getting a nod to receive carbon credits for halting an illegal activity in one location in Nigeria.
We went for lunch after the conference. I have thoroughly enjoyed pasta and cheese these past few days. Over lunch Laura Radiconci from Friends of the Earth Italy, who writes books under the pen name Camilla, presented me with a very apt give. She gave me a copy of her book "The Parachutist" – a story of an American World War II soldier who was actually a vampire, fierce, desperate and bloodthirsty. The question on the blurb of this book is "Will he see his love again and resist the urge to kill her?"
I told her that she might have to write a new story about another vampire, the oil companies, who have sunk their fangs into the necks of poor communities.
I had looked forward to enjoying this trip. I was not disappointed. Saying good-bye was not easy. But Cairano7X will also happen in 2011. Mark your diaries.
Ps: see my album "Cairano" on facebook to see some photos from Cairano
May 26, 2010
Love and the climate crisis
FoEI Chair Nnimmo Bassey talks about what the recent Cochabamba climate summit in Bolivia meant to him.
May 03, 2010
It's Not Just BP That Bears Responsibility for Spill; Government Is Responsible Too
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Friends of the Earth's president, Erich Pica, had the following response to President Barack Obama's remarks this afternoon in Louisiana:
"President Obama was correct when he said BP is responsible for this spill. But the government bears responsibility too, as it failed to protect U.S. waters and the people who depend on them. Offshore oil drilling is inherently dirty and dangerous. In order to fulfill its responsibility to protect its citizens and territory, the government must establish a permanent moratorium on offshore drilling."
More information about offshore drilling, the oil spill and Friends of the Earth's response can be found here: http://www.foe.org/gulf-oil-spill
Apr 20, 2010
World People's Summit on Climate Change opens in Cochabamba
A team of Friends of the Earth climate justice campaigners are in Cochabamba, Bolivia attending an historic people's summit on climate change. Nnimmo Bassey, Chair of Friends of the Earth International is also there and filed this blog post.
Following the catastrophic outcome of the United Nations' climate negotiations held in Copenhagen in December 2009, a breath of fresh air wafts in as peoples from around the world gather in the first ever global summit on climate change initiated by a government in league with social movements, indigenous peoples and other civil society actors.
An assembly of governments and peoples
When the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, announced that the world would meet in Bolivia for a thorough and inclusive discussion on this vital issue of our day many may have thought that the announcement was nothing but a pipedream. To the joy of many and the consternation of some the summit is taking place as planned.
The summit attracted a registration of up to 17,000 participants and activities commenced today by way of working groups and a peoples assembly facilitated by La Via Campensina, the largest peasant farmers movement and Friends of the Earth International.
This summit stands in sharp contrast to the Copenhagen event in many ways. First, this is an assembly of governments and peoples. In Copenhagen effort was not spared in keeping civil society out of the conference. That conference was marked by lockouts of civil society, detentions of climate activists and outright brutality on non-violent protesters on the streets.
In Cochabamba the police are offering assistance and are even wearing badges indicating that they too are participants. Whereas Copenhagen showed a disdain to the voices of the people, in Cochabamba this is the essence of the meet. Having said that, we must agree that there is a similarity between the two cities: the two names begin with the letter "c" and both have ten letters.
Participants generally agree that this summit is a great opportunity for the false solutions to climate change to be fully exposed and the real solutions as well as the demands for climate justice to be clearly made. It is a step in the build-up to an unstoppable global environmental justice movement.
Declaration of Mother Earth's rights
The summit is organised around seventeen working groups and hopes to examine the structural causes of climate change and also to discuss and agree on the need for a Universal Declaration of Mother Earth Rights.
The working groups around which the work is organised include those planning for a Climate Justice Tribunal, the dangers of a carbon market, climate migrants and technology transfer among others. The summit is also working on the organisation of the Peoples' World Referendum on Climate Change.
The summit will not be without controversial moments. For one, there is a group of techies from Europe who are in Cochabamba to sell the idea of geo-engineering as a solution to climate change. Many groups are already up in arms against in suggestion of using the techniques suggested by geo-engineers. Among which are those that say that manipulation of nature could lead to unexpected outcomes apart from allowing individual unregulated space to take up the global commons and further pile unjust access to resources and place people at risk.
Some proposed geo-engineering solutions are the seeding of the clouds to block off the sun and thereby cool the climate as well as seeding the oceans with "pollutants" in order to enhance its carbon capture and storage capacities.
Another hot area has to do with REDD (reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation). While some groups think that REDD would bring benefits to communities, The Indigenous Environmental Network, Oilwatch, The Corner House, Transnational Institute and other NGOs believe that REDD is nothing other than "Reaping profits from Evictions, land grabs, Deforestation and Destruction of biodiversity." It is also believed that REDD offers polluting companies the space to buy permits to carry on polluting.
In the run up to the Cochabamba summit, an International Fair on Water (towards the World Peoples Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth) was held here on 14-18 April 2010.
The conference declared that climate change is "a result of an extractive, destructive and polluting production pattern of which large-scale mining, oil, coal and gas extraction operations, and water dams intended to meet wasteful energy consumption needs, provide examples."
The conference went ahead to propose among others a transition from an extractive pattern to a pattern based on principles of solidarity, justice, dignity and respect for life, reciprocity and equity.
It also called for a revocation of "licences granted to transnational corporations and especially halt mining, gas, oil and monoculture tree plantations and agro-industrial, land-intensive, cattle ranching corporations. All those activities are voracious water consumers that end up in merchandise aimed at meeting an increasing consumerism."
Strengthening the environmental justice movement
Some people wonder what will be achieved in the peoples' summit seeing the failure of the United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen. Most participants here see Cochabamba as a great opportunity for the strengthening of an environmental justice movement whose birth was so loudly communicated outside the official meeting chambers of Copenhagen.
This summit also illustrates that governments ought to work with the people, after all they their legitimacy can only derive from the support of the people. President Evo Morales of Bolivia is showing very clearly that governance is about engagement with real people in efforts to tackle real problems and that governments and government organs should not be afraid of listening to the people.
The university campus (UNIVALLE) where the summit is taking place is covered with a sea of colourfully dressed participants from around the world. Business suits are a rarity here. People walk with assured steps in full dignity. Laughter rings beneath the trees and the mountains of Tiquipaya provide and excellent backdrop.
The volcanic ash blowing over Europe may have stopped some participants from getting to Cochabamba, but that event alone illustrated the power of nature and the fact that although there is much knowledge, there are still things that remain under the control of nature. Wisdom urges humanity to respect the rights of Mother Earth and live in cooperating rather than manipulating relationships with her.
Tomorrow the summit opens.
Further information
- Read our press release on the summit
- Listen to Nnimmo's speech the summit
- Go to the official website of the summit
- Find out more about our work on climate justice
Mar 29, 2010
Indonesia: Bajau Action Alert
On March 12, 2010, Berau Regency Police rounded up and detained 103 Bajau Pela'u people who live on boats around Balikukup Island, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Your help is needed in ensuring their release.
The Bajau Pela'u people were taken to Tanjung Redeb, capital of Berau Regency and ended in the Hall of the District Social Agency where they were detained. The local chief of Police said that they did not have national identity papers and thus planned to deport them to either Malaysia or the Philippines.
The Bajau Pela'u are part of the Bajau community who live on boats as a way of life. This is a part of their culture and they cannot be separated from their boats and the sea.
Since their detention they have become weak and are suffering emotionally as a result of being away from their usual surroundings.
Please take action on the Friends of the Earth Indonesia website
Mar 09, 2010
Protect Indonesia's biodiversity by rejecting World Bank funding
A planned nickel and cobalt mine in Indonesia could destroy the fragile ecosystem of Halmahera island. Please take action and call on the world bank to halt their funding of the project.
A planned nickel and cobalt mine on Halmahera Island in Indonesia could result in an ecological nightmare if it goes ahead. Twenty-one percent of Weda Bay nickel mining area is part of Indonesia's protected areas and includes the Lalobata and Aketajawe National Park.
The mine will destroy 35,155 hectares of protected forest. Approximately 17 million tons of rock will be dug each year from this small and fragile island rich in biodiversity.
Export of the nickel and cobalt from this mine is expected to reach 65,000 tons a year. The company behind the mine plan to use sulphuric acid to extract nickel from the ore. In addition, they will dump their waste into Weda Bay.
Friends of the Earth Indonesia (Walhi) reject the role of the World Bank and financial institutions everywhere that provide insurance and funds to dangerous projects such as the PT Weda Bay Nickel mine.
take action
Please support the Halmahera people by signing the petition on Friends of the Earth Indonesia's website.


text:
My head nearly exploded.
So today we are going to spend this entire column reviewing the rules of proper comma usage.
If we have any time left over, we'll start on the proper use of apostrophes.
Back when I was in journalism school in college — yes, Virginia, some of us actually trained to be journalists — I had an insanely strict copyediting professor. Each error on a test was a letter grade off.
By golly, I learned my spelling, grammar and style.
"Style," in this context, means AP style, as codified in the Associated Press Stylebook, a collection of rules for all sorts of minutia, such as when to abbreviate street names and state names. ("The names of eight states are never abbreviated in datelines or text: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah.")
United Press International (UPI), a competitor to the Associated Press, had its own stylebook, which back in the day was legendary for this entry:
"burro, burrow: A burro is an ass. A burrow is a hole in the ground. As a journalist you are expected to know the difference."
Now, I would have used a comma after "journalist," because isn't that an introductory prepositional phrase?
Commas, people, commas!
Remember that punctuation book that went viral a few years ago, with the lesson that a simple comma can mean the difference between a gentle panda ("eats shoots and leaves") and a homicidal animal with a gun ("eats, shoots and leaves")?
You have to be careful with commas.
1. Place your comma inside the quote mark.
2. Do not stick a comma between your subject and your verb.
3. If you smush two sentences together, you need a comma before your "and" or your "but."
4. If you stick in one comma, you will most likely need a second one. Commas frequently function like brackets, setting off information that is not actually essential. You should be able to remove the words between the commas without affecting the basic meaning of the sentence. For example: "Lisa Davis, who is a good writer, frequently embarrasses herself in public."
5. And that brings us to the Oxford comma aka the serial comma. When making a list of things — "bread, milk and cheese" — some people would stick a comma in there before the "and." That's the Oxford comma. Book people tend to use the Oxford comma. Journalism people do not. It's a longstanding argument that erupts into public view every few years or so, most recently after an erroneous report that Oxford University was going to stop using the Oxford comma.
One of the good things about the rise of the Internet is that is has brought us grammar nerds together. We know we are not alone as we drive to work, critiquing the punctuation on the fast food signs.
Rest assured, the grammar police are on the job, ceaselessly patrolling Facebook and ridiculing the mistakes in other people's status updates.
Did you spot the comma error in this column? See what I did there?