Issues Home About Contact Us Issue 5 - January 2013 عربى
Editorial
Finding Alternatives
Land, whether in the rural or urban context, is the basic element of habitat for all of humanity. Its value is great, first of all, because it satisfies basic human needs. Seeing land through the human rights optic considers this element of habitat not as an object of acquisition or for its exchange value. Rather, More

Regional Developments
Morocco: For Whom the Land?
During the global economic and financial downturn, Forbes magazine published the financial wealth of the world’s richest royals, reporting that the sole monarch in the western Arab world actually doubled his personal wealth over the previous five years. While the food and mortgage crises spread to local consumers the world over, Morocco’s Mohammed VI accumulated $1 billion in 2008 from More

Transitional Justice in the Wake of the Arab Spring
Continuing waves of popular uprisings in "Arab Spring" countries over the past two years have given rise to the importance of transitional justice, where a successful democratization depends upon application of the principles of rights and fairness. This follows previous regimes’ involvement in systematic corruption, the grabbing of state resources of all kinds, particularly the looting of land and public More

Disputed Territories of Iraq
On 17 December 2012, a series of armed attacks inflicted death on 11 people in the disputed areas between Baghdad and the Iraqi Kurdistan semi-autonomous region. These acts followed the breakdown of negotiations between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the central Government of Iraq. At issue was Baghdad’s mobilization of its "Tigris Operations Command" to manage security for those More

Competing Visions and Priorities: Alternatives to Cairo 2050
The Egyptian people have long lived in the hope of achieving the minimum of a decent livelihood, self-reliance, adequate housing and food sovereignty. However, for decades now, a series of official attempts have dealt with the symptoms of impoverishment for the majority of the Egyptian people under in the terminology of “sustainable development.” However, a structural authoritarian technical and governance More

Palestinians Occupy E–1
On 29 November 2012, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 67/19, reaffirming the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and designating the State of Palestine non-member observer status in the UN. This decision was a pivotal victory in the continued struggle for Palestine’s independence, as it progresses in status from that of a disputed territory to a defined political entity among the More

Targeting Gaza Homes—again
The number of homes damaged in the attack on the Gaza Strip in November 2012 reached 10,000, including 120 homes destroyed completely. The total number of Palestinian family homes destroyed or seriously damaged reached 450. The attack on residences displaced 12,000 people during the hostilities, taking shelter in 14 UNRWA schools. Some 3,000 remain displaced and homeless because of damage More

Western Sahara: EU Fisheries Agreement back on the Table
Through the previous issues of Land Times, HLRN has explored issues related to the occupation of Western Sahara, including the long-standing refugee crisis in Algeria and the international legal issues surrounding the separation wall and the landmines that surround it. Recently, a new issue is threatening Western Saharan sovereignty and natural resources, as Morocco has begun to re-enter negations with More

Egyptian Peasants under the New Postrevolution Government
The successive agriculture ministers since the 25 January 2011 revolution reflect the desire and attitudes of the current majority political force in Egypt, al-Ikhwan al-Muslimīn (the Muslim Brotherhood) to control everything under what the liberal and other forces call akhwanat (brotherhoodification) of the state, its institutions and authorities. Current Prime Minister Hisham Qandil represents the Freedom and Justice Party, the More

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International Developments
A New Action Agenda on Food Insecurity
Addressing food insecurity in protracted crises, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) convened its 39th session of the Committee on Food Security (CFS) in Rome, 15–20 October 2012, preceded by a Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) Coordination   Committee    Meeting          , 11–12th       October, and the forum of the Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) on 13–14 October. The CSM, for its part, reviewed the draft More

World Bank’s Safeguard Policies Review
In July 2012, the World Bank began a process to review its environmental and social safeguard policies pertaining to development projects that the organization funds. This process, which is estimated to take two years to complete, is comprised of three phases. The first phase is currently underway, and thus far has resulted in the release of an approach paper detailing More

First African Land Forum
From 7-8 November 2012 the International Land Coalition (ILC), in conjunction with the  Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association of Cameroon (MBOSCUDA) held the First African Land Forum (ALF) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, under the theme: “Securing the land rights of indigenous people and rural communities.” According to the ILC, the ALF “brought together over 60 actors from throughout Africa to More

Local Authorities Forum - Free Palestine—in Brazil
“This special meeting is a precursor. It paves the way to a new understanding between the Holy Land Palestine and Brazil,” said Palestinian Ambassador to Brazil Mohamed Ibrahim Khalil al-Zebem. “Because this land is holy too, in a sense, by virtue of wise policy choices overcoming structural problems. You are natural partners in solidarity.” This message opened the Local Authorities Forum More

Networking to Build Human Rights City Charters
At Saint-Denis and Aubervilliers, France, on 11–12 December 2012, representatives from local authorities and civil society partners the world over came together in the 1st Meeting of Local Authorities for the Right to the City under the rubric of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) to reaffirm their commitment to the respect, protection and fulfillment of human rights at the More

HLRN @ WSF – Free Palestine
The World Social Forum – Free Palestine took place in Porto Alegre RGS, Brazil on 28 November–2 December 2012, convening social activists, trade unions, and other civil society organizations, including HLRN, to learn and strategize together in support of Palestine. The Forum coincided with the momentous International Day in Solidarity with the Palestinian People that, this year, coincided with the More

 

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