Human Rights
The recent conviction of Desi Bouterse, the former president of Suriname, has sparked a passionate and divisive debate within the country. For many, the verdict represents a long-overdue moment of justice and symbolizes a significant step in confronting unchecked power and addressing a traumatic chapter in Suriname's history. The ruling offers a sense of closure and relief to victims’ families and those affected by the past atrocities, both within Suriname and among its diaspora, writes Fausia S. Abdul in Global Voices. (See last week’s Just Caribbean Updates.)
Stand Up for Jamaica, an organization focused on prison systems, urges Jamaican legislators to reconsider the implications of a proposed mandatory 20-year sentence for children convicted of capital murder. They acknowledge the importance of justice and accountability but emphasize that the current proposal overlooks the complexities surrounding juvenile offenders. (Petchary’s Blog)
The US Department of State recently released religious freedom designations, listing several countries, including Cuba, for severe violations of religious freedom. Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, highlighted these designations, emphasizing the US's commitment to promoting religious freedom globally. (Caribbean Global News)
The rampant gang violence in Haiti disproportionately affects women and girls, who often bear a significant burden of gender-based violence (GBV) in the conflict-ridden environment. Consequently, there is an urgent need for the international community, particularly Kenya and its partners involved in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) operation, to recognize and address the gendered dimensions of the crisis. (The Global Americans)
The Gender Observatory of Alas Tensas (OGAT) together with the Feminicide Observatory of Yo Sí te Creo en Cuba (YSTCC) have counted 84 feminicides in Cuba between January and December of this year. (In Cuba Bora)
Public Security
The situation in Trinidad and Tobago remains dire in terms of crime, particularly violent incidents. The start of 2024 saw a series of disturbing events, including multiple murders and shootings. These incidents included targeted killings linked to gang affiliation, fatal shootings of women, and a double murder at a market. (Global Voices)
Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw has initiated an investigation into a viral video circulating on social media, purportedly showing a 4-year-old child acting as a conductor on a public service vehicle in Barbados. She expressed concern over the video, stating that such behavior is inappropriate for a child and inconsistent with Barbadian values. (Barbados Today)
Decolonisation and Reparations
The Puerto Rico Status Act aims to grant Puerto Ricans the opportunity to determine their political future, marking a historic step towards self-determination for the territory, of significant importance in addressing the long-standing issue of the island's political status, argues Rachel Lee in The Global Americans.
Research by historian Hannah Durkin reveals transatlantic slavery persisted beyond 1867, despite the widespread assumption that the trade had ended by then. Newly discovered evidence documents instances of slave ships landing in Cuba in 1872, challenging historical narratives that had previously asserted an earlier end to the transatlantic slave trade. (The Guardian)
The Caribbean and the World
Two documentaries by journalist Liz Oliva Fernández seek to show the devastating impact of U.S. sanctions against the island: “We’re talking [about] an empire like the United States that not only stops Cuba having normal relations with the United States, but also stops it having normal relations with the rest of the world.” (Guardian)
Climate and Environmental Justice
Belize is challenged by the encroachment of Guatemalan cattle ranchers into protected areas. The incursions of these ranchers, who are suspected of having ties to powerful individuals and possibly narco-trafficking operations, have significant implications for Belize's ecosystem and territorial integrity, according to the Caribbean Investigative Journalism Network.
“It is imperative to acknowledge that the Caribbean stands out as particularly vulnerable to the catastrophic and compounding effects of climate change, as well as considering the pressing need to strengthen national and regional mechanisms to protect and restore biodiversity while enhancing sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth”, states the report Safeguarding Caribbean Biodiversity published in Global Americans.
“In 2023— the hottest year in recorded history— the escalating threat posed by climate impacts on food security compounded the global cost-of-living crisis, intensifying challenges already faced by vulnerable countries, low-income consumers and jeopardizing global nutrition levels”, explains for Forbes Daphne Ewing-Chow, a Barbadian writer specialized in food and agriculture.
The Caribbean island of Gardi Sugdub in the San Blas archipelago, home to nearly 1,300 members of the Indigenous Guna community, faces an existential threat due to rising sea levels. Over 100 years of inhabiting this island will soon force its residents to relocate, becoming some of the first climate change refugees in the Americas. (BBC)
Dr. Richard N. Amenyah, UNAIDS's regional director, encouraged young participants to use their skills for sustainable development in their countries, at the recent Caribbean Youth Summit. (Caribbean News Global)
The initiative by the Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Transport in collaboration with the Renewable Energy Sector Development Project (RESDP) and the Pitons Management Area (PMA) office aims to survey and delineate the boundaries of the Pitons Management Area and establish a green buffer zone. This significant undertaking is crucial for preserving the character and integrity of the PMA, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its natural beauty and ecological significance. (Caribbean Global News)
“Of the total emissions savings that could be achieved by the pledges, around a quarter is already included in government NDCs, around a quarter is additional and achievable, and around half is unlikely to be achieved without further action to improve the initiatives”, estimates a new report by Climate Action Tracker.
Climate Analytics Caribbean has developed a proposal for a Regional Goal on Adaptation for the Caribbean. The proposal aims to raise the visibility of adaptation in the Caribbean, quantifies and fills adaptation gaps and needs including finance, capacity and technical assistance, and enables collective review of progress on adaptation through more effective climate governance processes and practical adaptation actions at the local, national and regional levels.
Economics and Finance
“Addressing debt alone will not bring about full liberation from neo-colonial domination. Debt is just one tool in a whole arsenal that global north governments, institutions, and corporations have at their disposal to maintain their power and profit in our global systems, from unfair international tax, financial, legal, and trade rules, to intersecting structures of oppression including racism, cis-heteropatriarchy and ableism”, according to a new report The Colonial Roots of Global South Debt written by Tess Woolfenden.
Culture
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is currently hosting "Life Between Islands: Caribbean-British Art 1950s-Now," an exhibition organized by the Tate Britain. Running until April 1, 2024, the showcase delves into the artistic, political, and existential representation of the Caribbean diaspora in the UK. (Repeating Islands)
The 2024 International Film Festival of Rotterdam has an intriguing selection of Caribbean films this year, showcasing diverse themes and narratives from the region. These films cover a wide range of themes and narratives, delving into post-apocalyptic worlds, complex relationships, historical legacies, identity, and social movements. (Repeating Islands)
“Culinary Colonialism, Caribbean Cookbooks, and Recipes for National Independence” delves into the rich tapestry of Caribbean culture and identity through the lens of cookbooks and culinary traditions. It showcases how Caribbean women, and a few men, utilized cookbooks not just as repositories of recipes but as tools for cultural resistance, autonomy, and national identity. (Repeating Islands)
Opportunities
The International Court of Justice has extended the deadline for written statement submissions in its advisory opinion on the Obligations of States regarding Climate Change. At the request of the United Nations General Assembly, the ICJ will determine the existing financial liability of countries for their contribution to climate change. The updated timeline extends the final timeline to mid-2024. (Forbes)
A virtual consultation composed of several questionnaires aims to collect public comments on the draft Plan of Action on Human Rights Defenders on Environmental Issues in Latin America and the Caribbean elaborated by the coordinators of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Human Rights Defenders on Environmental Issues has opened. The consultation process will run from 3 November 2023 to 14 January 2024 until 23:59 Santiago time (UTC-3). Participate.
Climate Tracker together with Open Society Foundations, are launching the Climate Tracker Caribbean’s Journalism Awards, an opportunity to highlight and showcase amazing climate journalism in the Caribbean. The submission period is from 10th of January 2024 to 31st January 2024. Apply.