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While we continue this effort in collaboration and cooperation with other Human Rights organizations working in Africa and network around the globe, ASIF will continue to call on the intervention of UN Security Council, Amnesty International, Human rights Watch and other NGOs working and promoting Human Rights in Africa to help ending conflicts in that region.
The year 2010 is significant for African SurViVors International.
As we said before, you can’t talk about Christmas without mentioning Jesus. In the same context, you cannot talk about human rights abuses in congo, war crimes in Congo, crimes against Humanity in Congo and genocide without mentioning General Paul Kagame.
Concerning the DRC, an independent inquiry is necessay than ever to determine those who are involved in the conflict and who are committing all kind of inimaginable crimes on the Congolese soil: Multinational mining companies, American and Briths individuals, Rwandan government (RDF),FDLR, RDC,CNDP,FARDC, MONUC, Maï Maï and Pareko and other RPF proxy armies.
Concerning Rwanda, a sustained dialogue among Rwandans is more than necessary to end the regional conflict. The dialogue should be helping conflictual parties and the civil societies to map and name problems and relationships. A dialogue sustained over time can produce such a transforming political process.
This is the time of year when you can take stock of the blessings you have, and plan for new success in the New Year. One of the blessings we have here at ASIF are our members, partners, and volunteers, because it simply would not happen without all of you. Human rights are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. When human rights are not respected, tension and even armed conflict often follow. That what we actually live in the Congo, across Rwanda, Somalia and Darfur in Sudan.
The New Year 2010 provides exciting opportunities to all of us, but our success depends on all of us working together toward our goals of Human Rights education, conflict resolution, culture of good governance, and democratic values, Justice and reconciliation. The UN Charter makes this clear by affirming its “faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and nations large and small.”
(a) Knowledge and skills — learning about human rights and mechanisms for their protection, as well as acquiring skills to apply them in daily life;
(b) Values, attitudes and behaviour — developing values and reinforcing attitudes and behavior, which uphold human rights;
(c) Action — taking action to defend and promote human rights around the world.”
Human rights is not a subject that can be studied at a distance. All people at all levels in Africa should not just learn about the Universal Declaration, about racial injustice, discrimination, war crimes and genocide or about poverty in developing countries without also being challenged to think about what it all means for them personally.
As human rights educator and advocate, African SurVivors International staff members must ask the involved people, students and ourselves, “How does this all relate to the way we live our lives?” The answers to this question will tell us much about how effectively we have taught our students and different community members in different workshops.
Using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to promote human rights education.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
Plan an Internet event or campaign
Using the Internet to advertise and even to host an event is a growing trend in communication and in outreach.
Thank you for being a friend, member, partner and supporter, and best wishes from our family to yours!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays 2010 from African SurViVors International!
We look forward to enjoying great New Year 2010 with all of you!
Be healthy, wealthy and sound!
The Truth can be buried and stomped into the ground where none can see, yet eventually it will, like a seed, break through the surface once again far more potent than ever, and Nothing can stop it. Truth can be suppressed for a “time”, yet It cannot be destroyed. ==> Wolverine
