Human
rights violated by climate change … and by the UN
Climate Change Convention in Copenhagen!
The UN Climate Change Convention
in Copenhagen presents itself to the world as if it were truly
tackling the major global crisis of climate change, with thousands
of government delegates and even a hundred or so presidents and
heads of state joining the meeting.
However, the most powerful
countries – which are those most responsible for climate
change – have been twisting negotiations in order to derail
any binding agreement and to impose a top-down agreement with
very low carbon reduction targets –
more based on carbon offsets than on real carbon cuts. The trend
of northern countries has been to wriggle out of their emission
reduction commitments, to marginalise southern countries and to
silence criticism or alternative voices.
At the same time, civil society
groups demanding real solutions to the global problem of climate
change have been excluded from their already marginal participation.
In response, thousands of people
from all over the world took to the streets of Copenhagen demanding
real and just solutions to climate change, with banners and placards
around the idea: “Climate Justice means System Change not
Climate Change”.
The huge and peaceful demonstration
that took place on December 12, ended with more than 918 people
arrested.
On Monday 14, hundreds more
were arrested following a public meeting addressed by Canadian
journalist Naomi Klein.
On Tuesday 15, Tadzio Mueller,
a spokesperson for the group Climate Justice Action, was arrested
by undercover police officers following a press conference at
the Bella Centre (petition to release Tadzio Mueller: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Tadzio/petition.html).
On Wednesday 16, the NGO Friends
of the Earth had their accreditation revoked in a so called "surgical
removal”.
On that same date, thousands
of protesters marched toward the UN climate summit with the stated
goal of transforming the talks into a People’s Assembly
and to call for climate justice. Police made over 200 arrests.
Meanwhile, inside the Bella Center, hundreds of people staged
a walkout to try and meet the marchers outside but were met with
a heavy police response (reported by Democracy Now! at http://tiny.cc/IDlfq ).
On Thursday 17, hundreds more
protesters were arrested and there have been numerous reports –including
video-taped evidence- of police brutality and the extensive use
of batons, pepper spray and tear gas.
Not only people’s rights
are being swept. As Bolivian President Evo Morales said in his
speech at the climate summit: “Our Mother Earth is treated
as if she were a thing without life, as if she didn’t have
rights.”
See videos in English at:
Democracy Now!: http://www.democracynow.org/
The Guardian: http://tiny.cc/7cJB2
The Independent: http://tiny.cc/du48A
More information on Copenhagen
available at: http://www.wrm.org.uy/COP15/cop15.htm
