UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH
GENDERED INJUSTICES We look at systemic gendered abuse of justice in the case of Reina Maraz and a recent report on UK policing
RENT CRISIS
Young, Paperless and Power write about their experiences and demands as undocument young people living in Ireland
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Dublin Tenants Association speak to Comhlamh about why they are organising in the midst of Ireland’s housing crisis
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ACTION FOR GLOBAL JUSTICE. December 2016 | Published By Comhlámh | ISSUE 100
www.comhlamh.org
Demonstration against CETA and TTIP earlier this year in Brussels| Photo Credits: Wikimedia
SIAN COWMAN Democracy Center Bolvia
A winter of discontent JILL MC ARDLE Comhlámh Member It’s been an eventful autumn for CETA, a comprehensive trade deal between the EU and Canada. The deal, has been signed by the European Council and has made its way to the European Parliament, to be voted on in just a couple of months. If it is passed, CETA will proceed to the final stage of ratification where it will be put before all national (and some regional) parliaments of the EU. Campaigners fought hard to prevent CETA’s signing, and their work bolstered opposition in some states that nearly derailed the Council’s plans. The toughest resistance came from the parliament of Wallonia, a
Francophone region of Belgium, who refused to give the go ahead for Belgium to sign until their concerns were heard. Their resistance almost caused the EU-Canada summit to be called off, and it only went ahead after several days (and nights) of intensive negotiations, ending with Wallonia announcing they had won important safeguards. Unfortunately, campaigners across the EU agree that the concessions won will not be enough to protect public services, preserve our most important social, environmental and labour standards or protect the right to regulate of states. This is because they did not succeed in actually re-opening the text of CETA itself. Instead, the EU and Canada issued a smorgasbord of additional
declarations, which, they claimed, “clarified” the text in ways that should allay concerns. But campaigners have consistently argued that the problems of CETA are the provisions and clauses contained in text. So long as these remain, mollifying add-ons will make little difference.
This narrative is disingenuous, unhelpful and misses the point entirely. If the EU is facing an existential crisis, if its capacity to act in the best interest of its citizens is in question, the answer is fairer policies, greater transparency and more respect for democracy. The EU has failed on all these counts with CETA, a deal that shores up rights for corporations while undermining those of governments and citizens.
“They need our support in this, and our solidarity. There is no middle ground in the debate.”
Still, a huge amount of thanks is owed to this small region that withstood formidable pressure to fight for a better deal. Instead though, we have seen Wallonia portrayed as a radical, rogue region holding the EU hostage. This smear is part of a broader narrative that aims to vilify CETA’s opponents for fighting with the EU at a time when the West seems to be under existential threat.
The Wallonian case makes the EU’s democratic failure clear. Paul Magnette’s parliament is so far one of the only parliaments in the EU to continued on page 2
The combined effects of climate change and the Pacific climate cycle El Niño have caused devastation across Latin America. Colombia has had its worst drought in nearly two decades. Peru declared a state of emergency because of El Niño at the end of 2015. Tens of thousands of people had to be evacuated in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay because of flooding last December. These harsh climatic events are felt especially by indigenous peoples, women, and people who farm the land. Bolvia is suffering its worst drought in 25 years. A recent report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) says: “Temperatures in the region have risen by 0.5C (0.9F) in the period 1976 to 2006, and the people of La Paz and El Alto can observe evidence of climate change in the form of the shrinking snowline in the mountains above them.” Recently the goverment introduced water rationing for the first time which has brought mass protest out on to the streets. Cochabamba department is the worst affected In the mid-range Andes with many valles – valleys – climatically suitable for growing many types of vegetables and fruit, it is one of the bread baskets of the country. Many farmers have lost high proportions, or all, of their crops. People, rural and urban alike, are frantically drilling wells. The new wells are sparking conflict as other nearby wells begin to dry up due to the heavy demand. It’s a problem that requires long-term solutions. At the moment the country is struggling with such a devastating lack of water that short term solutions are taking precedence – and this scenario is repeating across the continent.