Source: Human Rights Information and Training Center

Dozens of common citizens have been killed by Yemeni forces since the Youth Revolution broke out in February 11, according to the Human Rights Information and Training Center, national focal point of Social Watch in this arab country.

 By Roberto Bissio

Environmentalists, economists, feminists and social activists from all over the world, after many years of criticizing governments are now calling for States to be strengthened as the only way to save the planet, threatened by a whole series of crises in climate, water, food and finances. On Monday, March 7th, sixteen members of the self-appointed Reflection Group on global development perspectives formulated a call to “change the mindset" about environmental and economic problems.

The United Nations, the Arab League and the international community in general must intervene to stop the massacre that Bahrain demonstrators and activist are currently suffering, warned this Wednesday the local civil society organizations. The Bahraini opposition considers the Saudi and Emirates military contingents as occupation forces. Eurostep, the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND) and Social Watch asked the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, to call Bahraini authorities for an immediate end to the violence.

Urgent Appeal to Change the Mindset
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development - Rio 2012, must change the dominant mindset by:
Restoring public rights over corporate privileges, Taking equity seriously, Rescuing nature.

If supporting dictatorial regimes like Tunisia and Egypt has been seen as the way to maintain Europe’s security, current events demonstrate the fragility of such strategies, warned three major civil society networks in a letter to Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. In neglecting the interests of ordinary citizens, this strategy was never sustainable. Sustainability can only be assured by genuine democratic processes, according to the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND), Eurostep and Social Watch,

Statement to the participants of the international conference on the Southern Mediterranean hosted by the EU High Representative (23 February 2011)

Letter to the EU High Representative (3 February 2011) urging the EU to respond to the popular demands in the region for true inclusive democracy.