Asean Summit, Malaysia on Nov 21, 1015

Asean Summit, Malaysia  on Nov 21, 1015
Asean Establishes Landmark Economic and Security Bloc
"A Summary" – Apr 2, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Religion, Shift of Human Consciousness, 2012, Intelligent/Benevolent Design, EU, South America, 5 Currencies, Water Cycle (Heat up, Mini Ice Ace, Oceans, Fish, Earthquakes ..), Middle East, Internet, Israel, Dictators, Palestine, US, Japan (Quake/Tsunami Disasters , People, Society ...), Nuclear Power Revealed, Hydro Power, Geothermal Power, Moon, Financial Institutes (Recession, Realign integrity values ..) , China, North Korea, Global Unity,..... etc.) - Text version)

“….. Here is the prediction: China will turn North Korea loose soon. The alliance will dissolve, or become stale. There will be political upheaval in China. Not a coup and not a revolution. Within the inner circles of that which you call Chinese politics, there will be a re-evaluation of goals and monetary policy. Eventually, you will see a break with North Korea, allowing still another dictator to fall and unification to occur with the south. ….”

“ … Here is another one. A change in what Human nature will allow for government. "Careful, Kryon, don't talk about politics. You'll get in trouble." I won't get in trouble. I'm going to tell you to watch for leadership that cares about you. "You mean politics is going to change?" It already has. It's beginning. Watch for it. You're going to see a total phase-out of old energy dictatorships eventually. The potential is that you're going to see that before 2013.

They're going to fall over, you know, because the energy of the population will not sustain an old energy leader ..."
"Update on Current Events" – Jul 23, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: The Humanization of God, Gaia, Shift of Human Consciousness, 2012, Benevolent Design, Financial Institutes (Recession, System to Change ...), Water Cycle (Heat up, Mini Ice Ace, Oceans, Fish, Earthquakes ..), Nuclear Power Revealed, Geothermal Power, Hydro Power, Drinking Water from Seawater, No need for Oil as Much, Middle East in Peace, Persia/Iran Uprising, Muhammad, Israel, DNA, Two Dictators to fall soon, Africa, China, (Old) Souls, Species to go, Whales to Humans, Global Unity,..... etc.)
(Subjects: Who/What is Kryon ?, Egypt Uprising, Iran/Persia Uprising, Peace in Middle East without Israel actively involved, Muhammad, "Conceptual" Youth Revolution, "Conceptual" Managed Business, Internet, Social Media, News Media, Google, Bankers, Global Unity,..... etc.)









North Korean defector criticises China in rare Beijing talk

North Korean defector criticises China in rare Beijing talk
North Korean defector and activist Hyeonseo Lee, who lives in South Korea, poses as she presents her book 'The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story' in Beijing on March 26, 2016 (AFP Photo/Fred Dufour)

US under fire in global press freedom report

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …

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Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Asia Bibi expected to leave Pakistan after court upholds acquittal

Yahoo – AFP, Gohar ABBAS, January 29, 2019

Asia Bibi's acquittal ignited days of violent demonstrations, with enraged
Islamists calling for her beheading (AFP Photo/ASIF HASSAN)

Islamabad (AFP) - Asia Bibi, the Christian woman at the centre of a blasphemy row which has ignited violent protests, been linked to two assassinations and spotlighted religious extremism in Pakistan, is expected to leave the country after its top court Tuesday upheld her acquittal.

When she will leave and where she will go remain to be seen, however, with rampant unconfirmed speculation she will seek asylum in a North American or European country.

Bibi, a labourer from Pakistan's central Punjab province, spent eight years awaiting execution before the Supreme Court overturned her death sentence for blasphemy in October last year -- prompting days of violent Islamist demonstrations.

As part of a deal with protesters to end the violence, the government allowed a petition demanding an appeal against the court's acquittal.

Bibi has been held in protective custody since, with authorities refusing to reveal her whereabouts for fear she will be targeted by vigilantes.

But Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa -- considered Pakistan's top expert in criminal law -- threw the petition out "on merit" Tuesday, lifting the last legal hurdle in the case and paving the way for her to leave the country.

Moments after the ruling was announced, Bibi's lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook hinted that his client's move could be imminent.

Bibi's lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook dismissed the petition as "frivolous" as
he walked into the court (AFP Photo/FAROOQ NAEEM)

"I think at this time she is here (in Pakistan) -- but by tonight, I don't know," he told reporters outside the court.

Extremists "said they would kill her despite the judgement of the Supreme Court," he said. "Therefore, I think she should leave the country."

"She should now be free to reunite with her family and seek safety in a country of her choice," Amnesty International said in a statement echoed by other rights activists.

Unconfirmed Pakistani reports claim her children have already fled to Canada. France said it was ready to welcome Bibi and her family "if they wish".

Judge frustrated

Earlier Tuesday the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party, which led violent protests demanding Bibi's execution last year, called for its members to be ready for action. Small protests were reported in some cities late Tuesday.

But most of its leaders remain in detention after a government crackdown, and few protesters could be seen at the court in Islamabad, where security appeared normal.

Bibi was sentenced to death in 2010 in what swiftly became Pakistan's most
infamous blasphemy case (AFP Photo/AAMIR QURESHI)

That did not prevent the handful who did show up from calling for violence against Bibi prior to the court's ruling.

"If she goes abroad, don't Muslims live there?" Hafiz Ehtisham Ahmed, an Islamist activist linked to the extremist Red Mosque in Islamabad, told AFP.

"If she goes out of Pakistan... anybody can kill her there."

Chief Justice Khosa expressed frustration at the furious reaction to Bibi's case by an extremist minority.

"Is this the face of Islam that we want to show to the world?" he told the packed courtroom.

He had harsh words for those who first brought the case against Bibi, and the Islamists who over the years have used it to ignite violence, threaten judges, and call for mutiny within the military.

As for the protesters, he was incredulous. "You block the entire country because a decision is not in your favour?" he told the court.

Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry, the lawyer who filed a petition on behalf of the cleric who made the original complaint against Bibi in 2009, remained unmoved.

"All religious scholars also verified later that this agreement was wrong. This was wrong," he said outside court.

'Justice! #AsiaBibi'

Blasphemy remains a massively inflammatory issue in Pakistan, where even unproven accusations of insulting Islam can spark lynchings.

Many cases see Muslims accusing Muslims, and rights activists say blasphemy charges are frequently used to settle personal scores.

Minorities -- particularly Christians -- are often caught in the crossfire.

Blasphemy remains a massively inflammatory issue in Pakistan, where even unproven 
accusations of insulting Islam can spark lynchings (AFP Photo/ASIF HASSAN)

Calls to reform colonial-era laws against blasphemy have provoked violence. In 2011 Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province who offered to support Bibi, was assassinated by his own bodyguard in Islamabad.

"Justice! #AsiaBibi" his son Shehryar tweeted after Tuesday's decision.

Taseer's murder was followed the same year by the killing of minority affairs minister Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic, who had also defended Bibi.

"This shameful delay in enforcing Asia Bibi's rights only reinforces the need for the Pakistani government to repeal the blasphemy laws as soon as possible," Amnesty stated.

The EU called on Pakistan's government to protect Asia Bibi and her family, "as they would do for any Pakistani citizen".

The allegations against Bibi date back to 2009, when Muslim women accused her of blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed.

The accusation emerged from an argument after Bibi was asked to fetch water while working in the fields, but the women objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim.

Bibi has denied the charges, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures.

Pope Benedict XVI called for her release in 2010, while in 2015 her daughter met his successor Pope Francis.

Nearly 5,000 garment workers sacked over Bangladesh strikes

Yahoo – AFP, January 29, 2019

Protests by workers to demand higher wages in the $30 billion garment industry saw
police fire rubber bullets and tear gas at demonstrators (AFP Photo/ABDULLAH APU)

Nearly 5,000 low-paid Bangladeshi garment workers stitching clothes for global brands have been sacked by factory bosses for joining strikes over wages this month that turned violent, police said Tuesday.

Thousands of labourers walked out of factory floors across the country in days-long protests that disrupted the $30 billion industry -- and saw police fire rubber bullets and tear gas at demonstrators.

One worker was killed and more than 50 injured in clashes in Ashulia, a key industrial town outside Dhaka where clothes are sewn for retail giants H&M, Walmart and many others.

Police say thousands of factory workers accused of looting and vandalism during the protests have been fired, but unions have accused the industry of intimidation and a crackdown.

"So far the factories have dismissed 4,899 workers due to the unrest," a senior police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

More than 1,200 garment workers -- whose wages start at $95 a month -- were dismissed from a single factory.

Unions say the real number fire is much higher, closer to 7000, and that nearly a hundred more have been arrested in roundups.

Salauddin Shapon, general secretary of industry body IndustriAll Bangladesh Council, said many workers were afraid to return to work.

"Cases have been filed against 3,000 unidentified workers, which has created panic. Many have opted to stop going to factories," he told AFP.

Police would not comment on allegations of widespread arrests.

Bangladesh is home to 4,500 clothing factories employing 4.1 million workers, and is the second-largest exporter of garments worldwide after China.

Roughly 80 percent of Bangladesh's export earnings come from clothing sales abroad, and the industry wields considerable power.

Police were deployed in a bid to break the strikes, which only ended when the government agreed to a paltry pay rise -- as little as a few cents a month for some workers.

"The fact remains that, even after recent amendments, workers in Bangladesh still earn poverty wages," said Ben Vanpeperstraete, from the Amsterdam-based activist movement Clean Clothes Campaign, on Monday.

"The government of Bangladesh is undertaking to intimidate workers and squelch any attempt of workers to organise."

The strikes spurred demonstrations outside Bangladeshi embassies and consulates around the world, and came just weeks after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was re-elected.

Hasina -- who won a landslide victory disputed by the opposition -- has been accused of increasing authoritarianism in the South Asian nation of 165 million.

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Dyson switches HQ from Britain to Singapore: company

France24 – AFP, 22/01/2019

Leaving Britain, but not because of Brexit AFP/File

British electric appliance pioneer Dyson will switch headquarters to Singapore this year due to booming Asian demand but not because of Brexit, the company said Tuesday.

The group, founded and owned by serial entrepreneur and vocal Brexit supporter James Dyson, last year announced it would produce electric cars in Singapore.

The firm stressed that Brexit was not a factor behind the decision to ditch its corporate base in Malmesbury in Wiltshire, western England, in favour of Singapore.

Dyson, famed for its cordless vacuum cleaners, hand dryers and fans, now has its sights set on electric vehicles -- particularly in Asia.

"An increasing majority of Dyson's customers and all of our manufacturing operations are now in Asia; this shift has been occurring for some time and will quicken as Dyson brings its electrical vehicle to market," it said in an earnings statement.

"As a result, an increasing proportion of Dyson's executive team is going to be based in Singapore; positioning them to make the right decisions for Dyson in a quick and efficient way.

"This does not change any of our investment and recruitment plans; however we are now at a point where Dyson's corporate head office will relocate there to reflect the increasing importance of Asia to Dyson's business."

A prototype Dyson electric vehicle is in the works for 2020, followed by a product launch in 2021.

'Not related to Brexit'

The Singapore move "is not related to Brexit", chief executive Jim Rowan told reporters on a conference call, noting there was only a "negligible" tax benefit.

"We don't see any issues regarding Brexit," he said, adding that Dyson's manufacturing capacity, as well as the majority of its supply base, is in south east Asia.

"We are a global technology company," Rowan insisted, adding that it would continue to invest in home market Britain.

Dyson had already announced last October that it had picked Singapore for its first electric car plant, sparking criticism from some quarters that its Brexit-backing billionaire founder had not invested more in the UK.

But the group also said in March that it would open a second research and development centre in a former Royal Air Force airfield in Hullavington, southwest England.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, Dyson said that 2018 underlying profit -- as measured by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) -- surged one third to £1.1 billion (1.2 billion euros, $1.4 billion).

Turnover, or sales, rose by 28 percent to stand at £4.4 billion on growing global appetite for cutting-edge technology.

"Globally, enthusiastic owners are demanding high-performance products so we are deepening out operations and technology investments to meet their needs," added Rowan.

James Dyson, who owns 100 percent of the company he founded in the 1970s, has revolutionised household appliances with his bagless vacuum cleaners, bladeless fans and air purifiers.

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Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Saudi asylum case prods Thais towards reform of tough refugee policy

Yahoo – AFP, Joe Freeman and Sophie Deviller, January 21, 2019

Thai authorities have signed an MoU to end the detention of all child refugees
and asylum seekers (AFP Photo/Romeo GACAD)

Bangkok (AFP) - On a television set in a grim, overcrowded Bangkok detention centre refugees closely followed Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun's quest for resettlement, as the 18-year-old asylum-seeker's case spurred hopes of a major policy turn from Thailand -- a country that does not recognise refugees.

Qunun fled her family to Bangkok, barricaded herself in an airport hotel room and staved off deportation with her Twitter feed, ultimately gaining refuge in Canada on January 12.

Thai authorities were initially caught flat-footed by the young Saudi's bold social media campaign.

But in the days since they have promised to address some of the lingering issues of indefinite detention and deportation of asylum seekers.

On Monday Thai authorities signed an MoU to end the detention of all child refugees and asylum seekers.

It was welcomed by the UNHCR as a "positive example" of the kingdom's increasingly humane approach to the issue.

Rights groups have for years condemned Thailand, which is not a signatory to the UN's convention protecting refugees, for its hostility to asylum seekers -- often trapping them on a carousel between detention and work in the black economy.

An estimated 900 adults remain in grubby immigration detention centres (IDCs) hoping to be resettled like Qunun but fearing an endless extension to their months, or years, of limbo.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun ultimately gained refuge in Canada after barricading
herself in a hotel room in Bangkok (AFP Photo/Cole BURSTON)

Nazir, a Pakistani-Christian in Bangkok's biggest IDC, said he watched Qunun's case unfold on the news, discussing the twists and turns with his wife over the phone.

He shook his head in amazement at the "days" it took for Qunun's refugee status to be determined by the UNHCR before Canada stepped in with the asylum offer, while he has been locked up for several months.

"My wife is alone with my daughter outside.. they are very sad," Nazir, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, told AFP.

Despite its hardline to asylum seekers, Thailand's lax visa rules, multiple entry points and graft-prone officials have made it an easy staging-post for those escaping conflict, persecution and poverty.

The kingdom wants that reputation to change.

But in the wake of Qunun's case immigration police chief Surachate Hakparn has also vowed to recalibrate the detention policy, saying the kingdom will no longer deport anyone "involuntarily".

Knocking the issue over to the UNHCR, which finds countries to resettle asylum seekers, Surachate says the agency must speed up its processes.

"Otherwise they have to live in anxiety and spend six to seven years (here)."

An estimated 900 adults remain in Thailand's grubby immigration detention
centres (AFP Photo/Romeo GACAD)

'Holding on' 

At the end of 2018 there were around 1,000 asylum seekers in Thailand compared to more than 7,000 in 2014. The UNHCR cites the drop as evidence of faster processing of cases to resolve the backlog.

But less than one percent of the world's refugees are resettled each year while the number of places available "continues to decline", according to a UNHCR spokesperson.

Ahmed, a refugee from Somalia, was locked up at the Bangkok IDC with his brother.

Like Qunun, he too hopes to be resettled in Canada. But the similarities end there -- he has been in detention for four, long years.

"Nothing is moving forward," he told AFP."But we are holding on."

Others have given up hopes for resettlement.

Lama, a Syrian, fled the war-ravaged country four years ago while pregnant with twins.

She and her husband sold their belongings and bought a plane ticket to Thailand.

They obtained UN refugee status in 2017 but were placed in detention centres to await possible resettlement.

The monotonous, overcrowded life in the IDC wore them down and they decided to give up their quest for asylum in early January and head back to Syria.

"It's very hard to be here again," Lama told AFP from Damascus. "We never leave home (because of) security issues... but at least we are all together."

Shamim lives with her daughter in a Bangkok suburb while her husband remains
detained in an immigration centre (AFP Photo/Romeo GACAD)

 'So quick'

Inside the Bangkok IDC the fast-tracking of Qunun's case -- and the accompanying scrutiny of Thailand's immigration policy -- has offered a glimmer of hope for change.

In Nazir's case, he and his wife Shamim were granted UN refugee status three years after fleeing Pakistan when Shamin converted from Islam to Christianity and married Nazir in secret.

In Thailand they lived on the margins but enjoyed happy moments, including the birth of their daughter, until an immigration crackdown saw Nazir swept into detention for visa overstay.

His wife now lives with her daughter in a small one-room apartment in a Bangkok suburb, visiting Nazir every week.

The Saudi "case was so quick... (I have) never seen (anything like it) before. She is very lucky," Shamim said. "But our lives are being wasted."

Saturday, January 19, 2019

India court orders security for women who entered flashpoint temple

Yahoo – AFP, January 18, 2019

Bindu Ammini (L) and Kanakadurga (R) went into hiding after entering the hilltop
temple (AFP Photo/STR)

India's Supreme Court on Friday ordered southern Kerala state to provide "round-the-clock" security to two women who enraged conservatives by entering one of Hinduism's holiest temples earlier this month.

The court in September overturned a ban on women aged between 10 and 50 from entering the hilltop Sabarimala temple, but the devotees refused to accept the ruling and prevented female worshippers from entering.

News that two women had managed to enter the shrine on January 2 triggered days of violent protest, with one person killed and dozens injured in clashes with police that saw buses torched and bombs hurled.

The women, Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga, went in hiding and later approached the top court, claiming their lives were in danger.

"Having heard the lawyers we deem it appropriate to close this petition at this stage by directing Kerala to provide adequate security to both. The security would be provided round the clock," the court said.

Kanakadurga, who goes by one name, was allegedly attacked by her mother-in-law on Tuesday after returning home and was admitted to hospital for her injuries.

She had been on the run for days with Ammini, with the pair changing safe houses more than 10 times to avoid being tracked down.

The temple -- considered among the holiest in Hinduism and set on top of a hill in a tiger reserve -- receives millions of pilgrims a year.

It is dedicated to the celibate deity Ayyappa, and followers believe letting in women of menstruating age goes against his wishes.

It is one of the few Hindu temples with restrictions on the entry of women.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear legal challenges to its September order overturning the ban on women entering Sabarimala next week.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Millions in India gather for world's largest religious event

Yahoo – AFP, January 14, 2019

Pilgrims travel from every corner of India for the ritual dip (AFP Photo/
CHANDAN KHANNA)

The largest religious gathering anywhere on earth gets underway Tuesday, with tens of millions of Hindu pilgrims congregating in India to bathe in sacred rivers for the Kumbh Mela.

Organisers are expecting the enormous spiritual festival in Allahabad to attract more than 100 million devotees over the next 48 days, with seas of pilgrims camped by the riverside.

The ancient city in northern Uttar Pradesh state rises alongside the banks of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers.

The confluence of the three -- known as Sangam -- is considered especially holy and Hindus believe bathing there during the Kumbh helps cleanse sins and brings salvation.

"This pilgrimage gives me peace of mind and an opportunity to reflect on my life," said Sangeeta Gangotri, a pilgrim who travelled 650 kilometres (403 miles) from Nagpur in western Maharashtra state to Allahabad.

Naked, dread-locked holy men smeared in ash and sadhus clad in saffron
robes wander the crowds (AFP Photo/SANJAY KANOJIA)

The riverbank has transformed into a riot of noise and colour.

Naked, dread-locked holy men smeared in ash and sadhus clad in saffron robes wander the crowds, offering blessings to pilgrims who have travelled from every corner of India for the ritual dip.

"All the Gods descend on this sacred place during this period. This is the most auspicious event for any human being," said Chandhans Pandey, a 60-year-old devotee.

"I have been planning to attend (for) many years."

The last major gathering in Allahabad in 2013 drew 120 million devotees, organizers said -- with 30 million plunging into the holy waters on a single auspicious day.

Nearly 30,000 police have been deployed to oversee crowds for the huge undertaking, and prevent stampedes that have marred previous gatherings.

A tent city with restaurants, roads and marketplaces has sprung up along
the river (AFP Photo/SANJAY KANOJIA)

A tent city with restaurants, roads and marketplaces has sprung up along the river, with pilgrims camped out across a sprawling 45-square kilometre zone specially earmarked for the Kumbh.

"More people are drawn to the Kumbh now," Ganeshanand Bharamachari, a 78-year-old pilgrim from nearby Varanasi and a Kumbh veteran, told AFP.

"People, mostly from cities, are becoming increasingly religious because the western life they were living has not led them anywhere."

The Uttar Pradesh state government, led by a firebrand Hindu priest, has heavily promoted this year's Kumbh, which comes as India prepares for a general election in April and May.

The Mela was recognised as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in
 2017 (AFP Photo/SANJAY KANOJIA)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party is in power in Uttar Pradesh, visited Allahabad in December to inaugurate a high-tech command centre to manage the Kumbh.

The historic city was even renamed Prayagraj in October by the state's conservative government, stripping its centuries-old Muslim moniker and replacing it with an ancient Hindu title.

But the city is still widely known as Allahabad, the name given by Islamic rulers that reigned over India hundreds of years ago.

The Mela, which runs until March 4, was recognised as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2017.



Related Article:


Monday, January 14, 2019

Bangladesh garment workers clash with police as strikes roll on

Yahoo – AFP, Sam JAHAN, January 13, 2019

Garment workers in Bangladesh have been demanding a wage rise, closing
factories and taking to the streets in huge marches (AFP Photo/MUNIR UZ ZAMAN)

Thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers churning out clothes for top global brands walked off the job Sunday and clashed with police as protests over low wages entered a second week.

Police said water cannons and tear gas were fired to disperse huge crowds of striking factory workers in Savar, a garment hub just outside the capital Dhaka.

"The workers barricaded the highway, we had to drive them away to ease traffic conditions," industrial police director Sana Shaminur Rahman told AFP about Sunday's strike action.

"So far 52 factories, including some big ones, have shut down operations due to the protests."

One worker was killed on Tuesday after police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at some 5,000 protesting workers.

Bangladesh is dependent on garments stitched by millions of low-paid tailors on factory floors across the emerging South Asia economy of 165 million people.

Roughly 80 percent of its export earnings come from clothing sales abroad, with global retailers H&M, Primark, Walmart, Tesco and Aldi among the main buyers.

Union leader Aminul Islam blamed factory owners for resorting to violence to control striking workers.

"But they are more united than ever," he told AFP. "It doesn't seem like they will leave the streets, until their demands are met."

The protests are the first major test for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since winning a fourth term in December 30 elections marred by violence, thousands of arrests and allegations of vote rigging and intimidation.

Late Sunday, the government announced a pay hike for mid-level factory workers after meeting with manufacturers and unions. Not all unions have signalled they will uphold the agreement.

Babul Akhter, a union leader present at the meeting, told AFP the deal should appease striking workers.

"They should not reject it, and peacefully return to work," he told AFP.

Minimum wages for the lowest-paid garment workers rose by a little over 50 percent this month to 8,000 taka ($95) per month.

But mid-tier tailors say their rise was paltry and fails to reflect the rising costs of living, especially in housing.

'No work, no pay'

Bangladesh's 4,500 textile and clothing factories shipped more than $30 billion worth of apparel last year.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association, which wields huge political influence, warned all factories might be shut if tailors do not return to work immediately.

"We may follow the 'no work, no pay' theory, according to the labour law," association president Siddikur Rahman told reporters.

Last year Bangladesh was the second-largest global apparel exporter after China. It has ambitious plans to expand the sector into a $50 billion a year industry by 2023.

But despite their role in transforming the impoverished nation into a major manufacturing hub, garment workers remain some of the lowest paid in the world.

The industry also has a poor workplace safety record.

The Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in 2013 killed more than 1,130 people in one of the world's worst industrial accidents.

Following the disaster, major retailers formed two groups to introduce factory reforms. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association says its members have since invested $1 billion in safety upgrades.

Monday, January 7, 2019

Saudi woman held at Bangkok airport says fears death if repatriated

Yahoo – AFP, 6 January 2019

Rahaf told AFP she was stopped by Saudi and Kuwaiti officials when she
arrived in Suvarnabhumi airport

A Saudi woman held at Bangkok airport said she would be killed if she was repatriated by Thai immigration officials, who confirmed the 18-year-old was denied entry to the country Sunday.

Rahaf Mohammed M Alqunun told AFP she was stopped by Saudi and Kuwaiti officials when she arrived in Suvarnabhumi airport and her travel document was forcibly taken from her, a claim backed by Human Rights Watch.

"They took my passport," she told AFP, adding that her male guardian had reported her for traveling "without his permission".

Rahaf said she was trying to flee her family, who subjected her to physical and psychological abuse.

"My family is strict and locked me in a room for six months just for cutting my hair," she said, adding that she is certain she will be imprisoned if she is sent back.

"I'm sure 100 percent they will kill me as soon as I get out of the Saudi jail," she said, adding that she was "scared" and "losing hope".

Rahaf was stopped from entering Thailand when she flew in from Kuwait on Sunday, Thailand's immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told AFP.

"She had no further documents such as return ticket or money," he said, adding that Rahaf was currently in an airport hotel.

"She ran away from her family to avoid marriage and she is concerned she may be in trouble returning to Saudi Arabia. We sent officials to take care of her now," he said.

He added that Thai authorities had contacted the "Saudi Arabia embassy to coordinate".

But Rahaf disputed his account, saying that she was in transit to seek asylum in Australia, where she claimed to have a visa, and was accosted by Saudi and Kuwaiti embassy representatives when she deplaned in Suvarnabhumi airport.

Human Rights Watch Asia deputy director Phil Robertson decried the actions of the Thai authorities.

"What country allows diplomats to wander around the closed section of the airport and seize the passports of the passengers?" he said, adding that there is "impunity" within the family unit in Saudi Arabia to abuse women.

Immigration head Surachate said Rahaf would be sent back to Saudi Arabia by Monday morning.

"It's a family problem," he said of the case.

Another Saudi woman, Dina Ali Lasloom, was stopped in transit in the Philippines in April 2017 when she attempted to flee her family.

An airline security official told activists that Lasloom was heard "screaming and begging for help" as men carried her "with duct tape on her mouth, feet and hands" at the airport.

The Saudi embassy in Thailand and officials in Riyadh could not be reached for immediate comment.