Welcome to NYIHA MEDIA, Where Independent Thinkers Connect!

Afro-Costa Rican National Bureau Concerned by Manifestations of Racism by Myrna Ivette Pierre Dixon 05/03/13

The Afro-Costa Rican National Bureau reminds the State of Costa Rica about the recommendation made by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination of the United Nations in 2007, formulated in the following terms:

 “The Committee notes with concern that racial discrimination continues to be viewed  in Costa Rica as a minor infraction punishable by a fine, despite the fact that the Committee recommended in 2002 that Costa Rica’s criminal legislation should be amended to make the penalty commensurate with the gravity of the offence.  The Committee again urges the State party to amend its criminal legislation so as to bring it into line with the Convention. The State party should define each element of the criminal behavior listed in the relevant paragraphs of article 4 of the Convention as an offence and increase the penalty in proportion to the gravity of the offence.” 

The Afro-Costa Rican National Bureau in this context:

  • Urges the State of Costa Rica to adopt necessary and urgent measures, such as formulation of a National Action Plan Against Racism, Xenophobia, Racial Discrimination and Related Intolerance, creating effective public policies for implementation.
  • The State of Costa Rica should formulate a National Policy on Human Rights. We urge you to comply with your international obligations and effectively apply the observations and recommendations regarding national legislation, so that we can avoid any situation where a person is immune from a crime and for any type of future situations that may arise.
  • Calls upon the Government and the State of Costa Rica to organize and strengthen training and human rights education through an approach that is anti-racist, anti-xenophobic, anti-sexist, that would be used for civil servants, security personnel and police, including personnel serving in the administration of justice, in the educational system, as well as authorities in health and fitness.
  • Urges all social, sports, human rights, media, private and public sector organizations, among others, and also individuals, to double their efforts in this fight, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the value of cultural and ethnic diversity, paying attention to the negative effects of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related discrimination and intolerance.

OPEN LETTER TO UN HIGH-LEVEL PANEL 05/19/13

-While all national governments clearly need to do more for the realization of human rights and social justice, the panel report should recognise that the capacity of governments to deliver is constrained by three main global barriers:

a. Climate change that threatens livelihoods and survival, especially of the most vulnerable who had nothing to do with creating the problem.
b. Deregulated global finance that creates volatility, promotes capital flight and tax evasion and threatens real economies with repeated, devastating crisis.
c. Unfair global trade regime that discriminates against developing countries and abusive investment agreements that give corporations the privilege to sue governments in international tribunals when health, environment or human rights regulations affect their profits.

1. For the Post 2015 framework to succeed accountability mechanisms must be universal, rights-based, and provide full and timely remedies to affected communities. Governments, international financial institutions, development actors and corporations should be held to account through multilateral, legally binding mechanisms.
As all of these issues are based on existing international agreements and commitments, to not take them into account would be a scandal and would be detrimental to development and social justice goals. We would therefore expect that you would not associate yourself with an outcome that does not include them.

To sign please send emails to the following accounts:Sarah Boukhari (sarah.boukhari@annd.org), Hanan younis (hanan.younis@annd.org)Ana Claudia Zeballos (anaclau@item.org.uy)

Social Watch (socwatch@socialwatch.org)


Our Mission Statement

1. The Organization is dedicated to public education and awareness about human rights using courses, film events and post-screening discussions.

2. The Organization employs local, global and long-distance communications to promote education and cultural diversity of future leaders.


3. The Organization fosters public understanding of world cultures.


4. The Organization develops creative content in global news, and media arts and culture to highlight human and civil rights of migrants crossing borders.

 

 

Celebrating Phagwa or Holi in Trinidad and Tobago by Dr Kumar Mahabir 3/26/13

Special songs such as chowtals are rendered, accompanied by two major instruments - the dholak[small hand drum] and majeera [small cymbals]. The music is fast-paced and extremely infectious. Pichakaree songs are performed only at the celebrations organised by the Hindu Prachar Kendra. This musical genre is a mix of Hindi and English ballads invented mainly as a response to the derogatory calypsoes about Hindus, and Indian in general, sung during Carnival. The name pichakareee is derived from the syringe-like device used to dispense abeer during the celebration. There are competitions for chowtal and pichakaree performances at separate venues. Chowtal contestants compete in choirs (“bands”) while pichakaree performers compete as individuals. Pichakaree contestants compete in designated classifications such as the festive category, or the social and political category.

The Kendra has also introduced Makhan Chor, a sport which was the pastime of Lord Krishna when he was alive in India 5000 years ago. In this game, a human pyramid is formed with the strongest person at the bottom and the lightest at the top. The objective of the game is to reach a pot tied 18 feet above the ground. While the history of this game seems farfetched, it is meant to recreate the exploits of Lord Krishna himself. With his friends, he used the same strategy to attain butter that was hung high in a jar by his mother to deter the eager child from stealing it.

The Kendra has also introduced Ranga Barase [community dance in a shower of colours] and Bachon Ka Khel [exciting novelty games for children]. Another Kendra’s recreational activity is the sada roti-eating competition in which children compete in consuming roti with sweetened cow’s milk. The roti is held at head-height by a string and a clean plastic sheet is laid below to collect falling pieces. The contestant who finishes eating first becomes the winner. Children also participate in Rang Ka Gulaal, the powder-blowing competition.

Phagwa is also a time when Hindus, who have studied the legend of Hiranya-kashipu and William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, meditate deeply on the similarities between the two stories. The similarities are too peculiar and numerous to dismiss as sheer coincidence. Both Hiranya and Macbeth were over-ambitious kings who turned into tyrants. Each plotted the murder of someone once held dear and close to him.

King Hiranya planned the murder of his own son, Prahalad. Similarly, General Macbeth murdered his king, Duncan, and usurped the throne.

Hiranya and Macbeth were both granted a boon of invincibility by supernatural beings. Hiranya was promised by Lord Brahma that he would not be killed by man or animal, in the day or night, indoors or outside, and on earth or in space. Eventually, he was slain by the avatar, Narasimha, in the incarnation of a man with a lion’s head. Hiranya was defeated at twilight (when it is neither day nor night), on the threshold of a courtyard (neither indoors nor outside), and on the avatar’s lap (neither earth nor space).

NYIHA MEDIA, Parkwest Finance Station

P.O.BOX 20744 New York NY 10025