2009
In contrast to the fable about the three pigs and the wolf, in El Salvador the doors are closed for those who see their homes torn apart by natural phenomena as the storm Ida, after first having been denied solid construction materials. The resulting experience of impotence and lack of support aggravate the consequences of natural catastrophes for mental helath. Read the article by Nelson Salinas here (in Spanish) or here (in Norwegian).
On 15th september, in the middle of the tense Mapuche conflict, the most important international instrument on indigenous peoples' rights came into force in Chile. Read the article here (in Spanish only).
- Utelating av forskingsresultat, tilsynelatande mangel på eksakt kunnskap, komplettert med store dosar rasisme, gjorde at urfolk i Amazonasstroka i Peru kom svært dårleg ut i tidlegare tider, og no i 2009 syner det seg, igjen, at ein kvit, middelaldrande mann frå middelklasse i Peru har middelmådig politisk teft og manglande innsikt i og oversyn over store delar av landet han styrer, skriv Birgen Agvik i denne artikkelen. Les artikkelen her.
What groups and interests have caused the present political crisis in Honduras? Are the legal arguments against president Zelaya valid? Read the article here (only in Spanish)
History has come back to haunt Honduras. On Sunday 28 June the army took control of the Presidential Palace and sent president Manuel Zelaya to Costa Rica. While the international community codemns the military coup, the Honduran Congress has appointed a new president. Elin Cecilie Ranum, program coordinator at the Norwegian NGO The Development Fund is presently in Tegucigalpa, and has written an article for NorLARNet. Here in Norwegian and here in English.
NorLARNet presents two articles that, from different perspectives, give the background for the violent clashes between police and indigenous protesters on 5th June. Jorge Balarezo, Peruvian lawyer living Norway, discuss the different initiatives taken by Peruvian governments to promote development in the Amazon: in Spanish or in English (abbreviated version). Anders Krogh from the Rainforest Foundation Norway writes about the indigenous movements’ response to the present government’s initiatives in relation to the Amazon: in Norwegian or in Spanish.
These are links to other articles that might be of interest, from: Council on Hemispheric Affairs, El País, Americas Program - in English and Spanish and an article by president Alan García from 2007.
After the assesination of lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg on May 10th Guatemala has experienced one of the worst political crises in recent history. The day after the killing a video was made public, showing the lawyer accusing president Alvaro Colom of ordering his death. Read the article here (in Norwegian) or here (in Spanish).
Since wining the elections, Mauricio Funes has indeed shown decisive leadership. Read the article here.
The fifth Summit of the Americas was celebrated as the start of a new era in the traditionally strained relationship between the United States and Latin America. But how much has really changed in the relations between the two parts of the continent? This was discussed at a seminar organized by Norwegian Peace building Centre (Noref) and the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. last week, with around 30 experts on international politics and inter-American relations.
It is not possible to fully understand the drug trafficking phenomen in Mexico without taking in to consideration the specific characteristcs of the political regime, Dr. Carlos Antonio Flores Pérez writes in this article. Flores Pérez was in Norway in April as NorLARNet's guest and he gave lectures in Oslo and Bergen. Read the article here (in Norwegian) and here (in Spanish).
A NorLARNet associate reports from Mexico City about the difficulties in interpreting what is the real situation of the spreading disease. Read the report here.
The sentence of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori to 25-year of imprisonment has great legal significance, as it is the first time in history that a former state leader is extradited to his country of origin in order to be prosecuted for human rights violations. På norsk her. In English here.
Previous financial crises have led to dramatically reduced economic growth and increased poverty in Latin America, and there is a great fear that this crisis may be even worse. But what distinguishes this crisis from previous ones is that the Latin-American governments themselves quickly have responded with measures to meet the crisis. Many things have happened since the Asia crisis in Latin-America. På norsk her. In English here.