HIAS’ Post

Yesterday, watching the #MaastrichtDebate at the ALDE Group (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats) HQ in #Brussels. We need to Renew Europe: reform the treaties to strengthen #RuleOfLaw, invest in #defence, in the #environment, and keep the EU’s primacy in #AI. There’s a #liberal #progressive #EuropeanUnion waiting.

Key UN Committee Adopts Resolution for First-Ever Treaty on Crimes Against Humanity  A significant committee of the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution that paves the way for negotiations on a groundbreaking treaty aimed at preventing and punishing crimes against humanity. This historic decision follows Russia's withdrawal of amendments that could have obstructed progress. The resolution outlines a timeline for preparatory sessions in 2026 and 2027, leading to negotiating sessions in 2028 and 2029. Advocates, including Mexico and Gambia, view this as a crucial step towards addressing impunity for severe human rights violations globally, emphasizing the need for a robust legal framework to protect civilians. #UNCommittee #Humanity #Russia #russiaukraineconflict #framework #wno #wnoheadlines #wnonews

With Resolution 62/122, the United Nations General Assembly established the Outreach Programme on the transatlantic slave trade and slavery, and designated 25 March as the annual International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Modern slavery takes many forms and is known by many names: human trafficking, forced labor, forced or servile marriage, debt bondage, sexual exploitation, slavery-like practices, sale and exploitation of children, and more. In all its manifestations, it is the systematic removal of people's freedom of self-determination, and according to the most recent estimates, some 50 million people still live subjugated in conditions that can be traced back to modern forms of slavery. This is why political and diplomatic action against all forms of slavery is more important than ever.

An intelligent morality starts with a deep interest in self-preservation. When state and non-state actors' resort to unprovoked violence (9/11, Feb.24, Oct.7), then the laws of the jungle apply- not conventions and treaties. https://lnkd.in/dxc7Xtx2

Throwback to the Walk to End Genocide in Washington, DC back in 2017. Speaking about the mass atrocities occurring in several places around the world. This was before the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act was signed into law. Before the Global Fragility Act. Before the Strategy to Anticipate, Prevent, and Respond to Atrocities, and before the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability. Here we are in 2024 with even more mass atrocities happening and the US directly complicit in mass atrocities. We desperately need a paradigm shift toward a prevention-focused foreign policy. The policies of administrations, Democrat and Republican, must change. Congress needs to exercise more oversight. And we the people need to stand up and demand these changes!

I find it incredibly abominable that in the last 20 years, no, make that 50 years, that Western governments have saw it fit, in fact jumping at the chance, to deploy their 'Defence' forces into conflict zones based on paranoia (Communism) and lies (Iraq, WMD's), and yet we have 2 clear cases right now of nations engaging in war crimes, genocide and the flagrant disregarding of international law, and the best the West is willing to do is wave their finger (Russia) and continue to provide weapons to the other to further their illegal actions (Israel). As a result of this hypocrisy, innocent men, women and children continue to die, centuries of culture, history and places of meaning are destroyed and all we ultimately really do by enabling this to continue is to allow further seeds to be planted for the next round of conflict, destruction and murder that will surely come. - Have we not learned? - Where's the leadership, diplomacy, empathy and humanity? There's too much darkness right now - we need new lighthouses to emerge and guide us towards new paths and systems. #lighthouse #system

Strategic Interests Over Democracy: The U.S. has often prioritized its strategic and economic interests in the Middle East over promoting genuine democracy. This includes maintaining access to oil resources and supporting allies like Israel. Stability vs. Popular Will: There's a perception that authoritarian regimes provide stability, which is seen as beneficial for U.S. interests. However, this "stability" often comes at the expense of democratic freedoms and human rights.

Political Reflections 584.  A new international organization must be established instead of the United Nations. The new organization should be effective and free from the cursed right of veto and has full authority and a voice to be heard to achieve international justice and peace and impose immediate punishment on the aggressors!

NOTE, I ORIGINALLY POSTED AS A COMMENT ELSEWHERE IN LINKEDIN THIS MORNING REF: UN's Sustainable Development Goal-16, Peace, justice and strong institutions, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Based on my extensive critical experiences in process and product development from world class businesses with stated intent to serve humans individually and collectively from defence and medtech industries, and clocking some sixty four years of relating to humans, hundreds of them directly and many times more through the writings of other humans, its my 2 cents that there can never be peace unless there is acknowledgement of injustice at a fundamental, root level in a visible, manner in language that does not require expertise of some kind or other for comprehension. For example, had it been an international business, its my unaffiliated understanding, sustainable development efforts plan would have a line item to prepare and publish such an acknowledgement, so that the rest of the program is anchored on a uniform understanding of the extent of failure(injustice) and be able to come up with solutions ensuring all potential consequences of the failure are adequately addressed. In other words, in the absence of such an acknowledgement of the root cause, it is impossible to even aspire for sustainability.

Steve Forbes reflects on the Russian seizure of Vuhledar, and how it shows the failure of Biden-Harris Administration foreign policy. I agree to a certain extent the overall message of Mr. Forbes report. Somehow, I believe if the Biden administration didn't insist they would place strategic weapons of destruction on the door step of Moscow that could obliterate the key city in 10 minutes, and or the continuation of the Minsk agreement, we may not be in this situation? Regarding Israel and Palestine, it has always been a flair up of war provocation in history. No one truely wins either wars when it involves displacement and death, of each countries civilization. We need new lines draw and getting back to some normality for peaceful regions. https://lnkd.in/e3qGkKr4