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	Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders by World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)   Sept 2010   The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders launches its Annual Report 2010.   The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), which supports, monitors and protects human rights defenders throughout the year, has published its 2010 Annual Report. The report focuses on the year-round fight for human rights throughout the world.   One who speaks of democracy and rule of law in contemporary societies immediately refers to the right of peoples to choose freely their leaders by vote. A right explicitly guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the implementation of which requires the combination of different elements - respect for freedoms of association and expression, transparency, freedom of information, freedom of assembly - without which no election could be recognised as free and fair. If many elections took place worldwide in 2009, many of these processes did not meet these requirements.   Drawing up a detailed inventory of the situation of human rights defenders in the world in 2009, the annual report of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, denounces the increasing repression faced by rights defenders on all continents, with the approach of elections. More generally, this report illustrates forcefully the difficulty and danger of promoting the exchange of ideas, pluralism, protection of fundamental freedoms and the democratic ideal.   Muzzling of the opposition, media subservience, constitutional amendments designed to maintain in power current heads of states: during elections that that took place throughout 2009, it appears that few leaders have agreed to play the game of pluralism.   “In this context, human rights defenders, who strive daily to ensure that rights and freedoms are guaranteed, have been subjected to considerable pressure, when they did not pay with their lives for their commitment” declared Souhayr Belhassen, President of FIDH. “The role they have played in these electoral processes accentuated an already pronounced repression against them” she added.   “This Annual Report shows that even in the most accomplished democracies - or those which consider themselves as such - vigilance must remain the order of the day, and shows that the defence of fundamental rights can be questioned anytime, for purposes of efficiency of questionable policies, or of a greater control of social bodies.   It shows how defenders, everywhere, play an important role as a bulwark against arbitrariness and abuses, and that they remain, more than ever, a cornerstone of the rule of law”, concluded Eric Sottas, Secretary General of the OMCT.   The 2010 Annual Report of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) presents an analysis by region of the situation in which human rights defenders operated in 2009.   The analyses are followed by country fact-sheets, which provide for the political context that prevailed at the national level during the year, and the most prevalent forms of repression against defenders, which are duly illustrated by concrete cases. Given the volume of information gathered for the “Western Europe” region, it was decided to treat cases of obstacles for defenders in an regional analysis rather than in separate fact-sheets, with the exception of Turkey.   The cases presented in the regional analyses and country fact-sheets reflect activities of alert, mobilisation and support carried out by the Observatory on the basis of information received from member organisations and partners of FIDH and OMCT.   This Annual Report is not exhaustive insofar as it relies on information received and addressed by the Observatory in 2009. In some States, systematic repression is such that it renders impossible any independent or organised activity of defence of human rights.   In addition, some conflict situations also make it extremely difficult to isolate trends of repression that aim exclusively at human rights defenders. Situations that are not covered by country fact-sheets in this report are nevertheless referenced as much as possible in the regional analyses. Visit the related web page
	Can Australia afford not to be reconciled by Pat Dodson Australia   The momentum gained by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd"s historic "Sorry" speech seems to have dissipated in recent times, after a mixed response to the intervention from leading indigenous activists and community leaders. But, as we face increasing environmental threats in our region, the nation would be unwise to ignore indigenous knowledge in dealing with the major issue of our time.   "The Global Financial Crisis exposed the flaws of an unbridled capitalist system allowed to run rampant in the world. What must be learnt from that experience is that we cannot continue to live on this planet, with its finite resources, in an unsustainable manner. Just as importantly, we cannot continue to ignore the great potential that resides in the wisdom, culture, spirituality and knowledge of value systems that have sustained Indigenous communities for millennia.   If in 22 decades of European intervention, we have managed to destroy or damage almost every forest, almost every river and almost the entire landscape of the island continent of Australia, perhaps it is time to ask ourselves how the Aboriginal peoples managed to maintain the balance between sustaining our societies, feeding our people and living within our lands, sea and waters without destroying another species of bird, fish or animal for millennia.."   * Patrick Dodson is a Yawuru man from Broome, Western Australia. He was a former Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and former Commissioner into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Visit the related web page
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