Human Rights in the News

BBC -- Women Recruited for Suicide Attacks by Militant Groups in Gaza
BBC reports on a development in the tactics used by religious extremist groups in Gaza: recruitment of women to carry out suicide attacks. The article, and suicide attacks by similar groups in general, displays the perversion of Islam by a minority of believers that needs to be confronted on the way to peace.

NYT -- Hindu Extremist Violence and Threats Against Christians on the Rise in India
Freedom of belief is a fundamental right that all people deserve. The flaring of religious tensions in India needs to be contained. India has a strong tradition of secularism that has resulted in a rich, pluralistic society. Hopefully, that tradition will be able to overcome the threats posed to all of Indian society by the recent treatment of Christian minorities by radical groups in the State of Orissa.


HRW -- A Call to Defend Human Rights Supporters from Government Encroachment
Human Rights Watch notes the dangers of a new law being considered by Ethiopia's parliament. The statement from HRW notes that : "The CSO law would bar both foreign and Ethiopian organizations that receive more than 10 percent of their funding from abroad from undertaking any activities in human rights, gender equality, children’s rights, disabled persons’ rights, conflict resolution, and strengthening judicial practices and law enforcement, among related activities." Such regulation is unnecessary and its only application will probably be government action against groups seen as a threat to its policies.