Anarchopedia:Current events

• The Obama administration has publicly confirmed it is continuing the Bush-era policy of opposing the return of Haiti’s ousted former president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Overthrown in a 2004 U.S.-backed coup, Aristide has renewed his pleas to return to Haiti following the recent re-emergence of exiled dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier. In a statement issued through Twitter, U.S. Department of State spokesperson P.J. Crowley said, "We do not doubt President Aristide’s desire to help the people of Haiti. But today, Haiti needs to focus on its future, not its past." The Haitian government has refused to issue Aristide a new passport, reportedly under U.S.-led pressure. - Democracy Now!
• Just after his return this week, Jean-Claude Duvalier was indicted on corruption charges stemming from his embezzlement of millions in state funds before a popular uprising forced him to flee Haiti in 1986. Alleged victims of human rights abuses under his regime have also filed criminal complaints. Duvalier says he returned to assist Haiti’s rebuilding effort, but critics say he’s making a last-ditch attempt to recoup some $6 million frozen in a Swiss bank account. A Swiss law passed in response to Duvalier’s longtime effort to obtain the money goes into effect on February 1. Before the new rules kick in, Duvalier would be able to receive the money if he could prove he is not under criminal investigation in his home country. His return is seen as a gamble that he would have been able to enter Haiti and then depart without being charged, which he would then cite as proof to the Swiss he’s not under legal scrutiny. - Democracy Now!

One of the crowd 'celebrating' Duvalier's return told a reporter from The Telegraph that he had been paid $10 Haitian dollars to cheer. Duvalier "declared himself 'impressed by the welcome I have received, especially from the crowd of young people who don't know me.'"- The Telegraph

• (In January 2011), "a group of U.S.-based human rights groups and legal organizations filed an emergency petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to halt the roundups, detention and deportations of Haitian nationals by the U.S. government." - Democracy Now! On the 20th of January, the U.S. government resumed deportations to Haiti. Haitian refugees face a completely different standard than Cuban refugees for entry into the US, according to Human Rights Watch. Other human rights groups criticized deporting people into a triad of disasters: a cholera outbreak, violence surrounding the election and earthquake devastation.
• Giovanni, guitarist of anarcho-punk band Drömdead is murdered by a gang in Caracas. [1]
• 160 minors confined in the same cell at Pagani Detention Center (Greece), start a hunger strike. [2]
• Two gay people are killed in Israel after shootings at the Tel Aviv Gay and Lesbian Association. Hundreds have protested and rallied against these murders. Gay rights activist Mike Hamel blamed religiously-driven hatred of gay people. "Beyond the pain, the frustration and the anger, we are facing a situation in which the incitement to hate creates an environment that allows this to happen," Hamel said.[3]
• Eleven workers at the Vestas factory in Newport, Isle of Wight, England, who occupied their plants to protest against closure, were fired by the management without offer of redundancy pay.[4]
• Alexandros Grigoropoulos, a 15-year-old boy, is killed by police in Greece triggering riots. [5]
• The United Nations is concerned over "systematic and widespread" killings of civilians by Colombia's US-backed security forces. Navanethem Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the 'extrajudicial killings' by Colombian forces could categorize it as 'crime against humanity'.[6]
• Tensions between North Korea and South Korea are rising. North Korea accused South of being confrontational and said it is scrapping military and political agreements signed with Seoul. [7][8]