On November 20 we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child. Every year countless parades are held to celebrate the violations that have been overcome.

But often we fail to recognize those violations that still occur, not only in developing nations, but right here in the developed and modernized nations. The United States and Canada are not exempt because of their standing on the world stage, however violations in these two countries are often overlooked because of their reputations.

In addition, the horrible conditions in which kids live in developing nations can no longer be overlooked, especially 20 years after the document was drafted.

Listen here for some issues that affect children that you may not have known about.

It’s definitely time for action.

I’m back! Sorry for being gone so long, really, it wasn’t my fault. I rarely say anything negative about Apple, but this time, they really screwed me. The hard drive of my two-year-old MacBook failed and thus I was rendered technologically impaired for a while. I still am, the Book will be returned to me, with a brand new 160GB HD on Monday. At least the new HD is free, but the old one is fried and all my shit is gone.

Anyway, this isn’t a tech blog or a blog where I complain about my own life so, let’s get back to it.

Of course, even when I’m not blogging, I’m keeping up with current affairs and international news as much as one can without a computer and with an iPhone. After a while, reading news on that tiny screen gives you a headache, but I really had no alternative so I powered through.

One of the big stories right now is the UN gathering in New York and the G-20 Summit in, of all places, Pittsburgh. I heard on NPRthis morning that Pittsburgians (?) are very excited to welcome leaders of all the nations, and are celebrating Oktoberfest a little early by sampling beers from about half of the 20 attending countries. Also, Moammar Gadhafi’s horrendously long, pointless, disorganized and disrespectful speech about how the Security Council has too much power of the other nations of the UN (which actually is a good point, he just didn’t say it too well) was a big story.

The ideas (more liberal and less insane) behind what Gadhafi said connect well with what Dr. Juan Cole, a history professor at the University of Michigan, said at Ryerson last night. ‚ He spoke about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the history and the future, to a diverse audience. Diverse not only by race and culture, but age as well.

Dr. Cole spoke about citizenship and how his colleague, Margaret Somers, defines citizenship in her new book (a definition borrowed from former Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren) as the “right to have rights.” We all have basic human rights, of course as guaranteed by universal declarations and the Lockean theory that everyone, as human beings, is entitled to the necessities of life and liberty. However, without a state or government or body to enforce these rights and protect them when they are violated, they are always out of reach.

Even in established nations, like Canada, some people have fewer rights than others, and therefore, as Dr. Cole put it, less citizenship. Aboriginals for example, cannot enjoy the same rights and protections from prejudice that others value. In the Jim Crow era, African-Americans were less valued as citizens, tricked out of voting by having to pass ridiculous literary exams, some of which required knowledge of Latin to pass, of all things.

Just as the peoples of some states are not, in reality, able to take advantage of some rights, so the members of the UN, those not on the Security Council, are not able to enjoy full membership.

The Security Council is necessary, but the power it has over other nations (vetoes and such) may be too much. There are more than five countries that could contribute to protecting the world, not just the U.S., China, Russia, France and the UK. There are ten elected non-permanent members; however they do not hold veto power.

More countries with strong economies and functioning democracies should be added to the council.

I, in no way, support Gadhafi and his psychotic behavior. But when dumbed down and explained properly, perhaps the SC could be a little more open to deserving nations, which, of course,‚ doesn’t include the Gadhafi-run Libya.

At this moment, in some war torn country in Africa or the Middle-East, a child, brother, sister, mother or father is being forced to flee their home for safety. They run, as fast as they can, taking only what they can carry away from those who want to do them harm. They may never be able to return.

On June 20, we honor these people, their courage and quick-thinking in situations of extreme peril and terror. In 2000, the United Nations General Assembly decided the need for an international refugee day was imminent. To show solidarity with the plight of African refugees, they decided to have World Refugee Day coincide with African Refugee Day.

The day is extremely important, especially now. Along with several African nations, countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan are seeing their citizens run for solace, finding it in countries in Europe and North America.

Sometimes, they can’t even get out of their country, forced to make refugee camps, large open spaces equipped with just tents for shelter, their homes. The conditions are dirty and unsanitary. Debilitating diseases and illnesses spread quickly.

Recent wars in Pakistan and Sri Lanka have displaced millions of people. In Sri Lanka, many are still living in poorly kept refugee camps. In Pakistan, many will never be able to return, their homes destroyed by Taliban forces.

It is hard to comprehend, perhaps for many in North America, what it truly would feel like to have to flee your home to protect yourself or your family.

Imagine a war is taking place right outside your door. Opposition forces enter your home to use it as shelter against their enemy, killing you if you try to protect it, giving you just a short window to flee.

But war isn’t the only problem for refugees. Extreme poverty and governmental neglect can make surviving in your home country nearly impossible.

How can the children of Uganda, where it was recently discovered countless kids are being used and are at risk of becoming child soldiers or child laborers, leave? Today is not only a day to honor those who made it out, but also those who need to leave.

Events to honor the distressed are being held around the world. A dance event in Nairobi. A mini-marathon in northern Sri Lanka. A concert in Washington D.C. A symposium in Tokyo.

Take a minute today to research and learn more about the world’s refugees and the conflicts they face. Donate. Attend an event. Help our world’s refugees.

North Korea has fired more missiles just hours after the UN unanimously condemned yesterday’s underground nuclear test and the testing of three short-range missiles, the BBC reports.

The two short-range missiles, one ground-to-air and one ground-to-ship, were fired off east coast bases, south of Kilju, where yesterday’s nuclear test took place.

International diplomats are currently drafting a series of sanctions to be placed on North Korea, a country whose public is already quite poor.

North Korea again cited continued “hostile policy” from the U.S. as the reason for testing their nuclear arsenal.

“Our army and people are fully ready for battle… against any reckless US attempt for a pre-emptive attack,” said a piece by KCNA, the government’s official news outlet.

North Korea has also stated that South Korea’s recent decision to join the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), a U.S. led initiative of more than 90 nations to intercept ships suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction, constitutes an act and declaration of war, another possible cause for the missile test.

Late Monday, President Obama spoke with leaders in both Japan and South Korea to assure them the U.S. is committed to protecting north-east Asia and Asia-Pacific from any threats by North Korea.

CBC reports UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is urging North Korea to engage in talks with its Pacific neighbors and the U.S. if it wishes to remain part of the international community.

“The only viable option at this time for North Korea to remain as a responsible member of the international community is to return to the dialogue table,” Ban told reporters at a Helsinki news conference.

Stick with Blast for developments.

Very rarely does victory resemble defeat. In Sri Lanka, while government officials celebrate triumph and some citizens light firecrackers in the street, more than 250,000 displaced Tamils are trapped in tiny, dense relief camps in northern Sri Lanka waiting to hear whether or not they can return home. What kind of victory is this?

Yes, the fighting has ended and lives will now be spared. But these men and women deserve better treatment from their own government.

The LTTE used civilians as shields against government fire in the civilian populated “safe zone”. The region’s name bears no resemblance to its true nature, as both the army and the LTTE used that area to fight each other, killing an UN-estimated 6400 civilians.

But many got away and sought refuge in poorly kept relief camps away from all the fighting. The fighting has now ended, but the displaced remain in dense captivity.

Though the civil war and violent conflict in Sri Lanka has come to a halt, a new conflict has risen from its ashes. A humanitarian conflict, pitting humanitarian relief agencies against a government complicit in the killing of its own civilians, guilty of firing into a safe zone, ignorant of the aid so desperately needed by its own people and somehow, seemingly unaware of the toll the war has had on the entire world.

The LTTE and the government have put civilians in a horrible place and because of them more than 250,000 have been displaced and thousands killed. The incipient attitudes of both the Tigers and the government have caused so much disruption that humanitarian organizations now must repopulate and rebuild a whole region. They must relocate a whole population while simultaneously providing them with the supplies and aid necessary for them to come somewhat close to their previous way of life.

The UN and relief agencies like Oxfam are trying to access relief camps to provide the displaced with supplies and aid, but the Sri Lankan government has placed restrictions on the areas, denying vehicular access. The government says they’ll relocate the displaced by year’s end.

But the Tamil diaspora, especially here in North America, is pretty sick of these promises. Now that the war has ended, they want relief for their people and they want it now. Their protests have disrupted large western capitals (like Toronto) and their resolve is one that hasn’t been seen in long. Many Tamils are especially angry at Canada, home of the largest population of Tamils outside Sri Lanka, for displaying so much apathy even now that the war has ended. Vigils and protests still occur weekly in downtown Toronto.

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon made his way to Sri Lanka last night, traveling with 20 reporters who were previously banned from many war-torn regions in the country. He said, according to the AFP, he was “deeply moved” as his plane flew over the desecrated, stripped and people-less landscape.

Ban will press for unrestricted access to relief camps so aid can be quickly and efficiently supplied to the displaced and homeless. He will argue his case to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.

Good luck.

According to the Sri Lankan government and photos of a pale-faced Velupillai Prabhakaran, the LTTE has been defeated and all peace will be restored to Sri Lanka’s embattled civilian population. That’s obviously an exaggeration of the truth.

Perhaps the LTTE has been defeated once and for all. They have suffered major hits over the past 25 years but never have they completely collapsed. A high-ranking Tamil and former member of the LTTE (a long while ago, when they were non-violent and a group of just about 20, she said) said this morning on CBC radio (a major radio station in Canada run by our public broadcasting corporation) that she believes the majority of Tamils are sick of the Tigers and will not take part in a resurgence of the group, at least not any time soon. She believes the conduct of the LTTE has been particularly destructive to the well-being of the Tamil Diaspora over the years, especially now, when so many civilians have died and so many have been displaced.

We don’t know for sure if Prabhakaran is dead or if the Tigers have been defeated. Yes, the army showed photos of Prabhakaran’s corpse, eyes wide open, however, this is the same government that has been complicit in the killing of civilians. And because journalists and media have been banned from the region, we only have government accounts. Since when do we trust politicians to be truthful and not doctor images? Maybe Prabhakaran is dead and I’m being overly suspicious or cautious, but there is that possibility that it isn’t him.

One thing we know for certain is that neither peace nor humanitarian aid will be handed willingly to the displaced, injured and horrified citizens of the war-torn region. International bodies are hesitant to step foot in Sri Lanka. This lack of civilian aid and international apathy is the new topic for Tamil protesters.

The UN secretary general had condemned the army and the LTTE for ignoring the safety of civilians, the group the two bodies are supposedly trying to protect from each other. However, the government in Sri Lanka is not seeking a political victory. An all-out, definitive military triumph is the only thing that will please them, and it is the wrong thing for them to be pursuing.

The LTTE is trying to secede with the Tamils, but it’s causing so many civilian deaths, which can be blamed on both the LTTE and the government. Both blame each other and without reporters in the region we can only speculate.

Before their defeat, the LTTE were backed and cornered into a spot chock-full of civilians. By leaving the area they would die. By staying the civilians would die too.

So instead of sparing civilian lives, they stayed and civilians died as the LTTE and the government tread over the carcasses of their own people to kill each other. Neither cared much for their surroundings.

Now that it is over, there are scores of political options behind which the international community can voice their support. But the UN wants to allow reporters in to the region and chase a phantom political solution that, at this time, has no hope of being achieved.

Since 1977 have the Tamils been officially asking for a separate Tamil Eelam. They won’t throw that away now just because the LTTE has been stripped to the bone.

They may not back the reincarnation of the Tigers for some time, but they will rise again to fight for their independence from an oppressive government. Violence hasn’t worked, peaceful protest and requests haven’t worked and elections haven’t worked. But the downfall of the LTTE could spark a new generation of Tamils to demand their freedom.

The way they go about it is up to them.

TORONTO – It’s a bitter, windy March morning. A few dozen Tamil students gather downtown, big brilliant red flags draped over their shoulders, brown clipboards in the hands of a few of the protest leaders.

These students have been tirelessly demonstrating their anger over the conflict in Sri Lanka for more than a month. A few of the attendants at the back of the pack look nervous, some look unhappy to be here. Some look defeated.

“Babe, how long do you want to stay for? It’s fucking cold outside” says one of the younger looking male students to his girlfriend.

“Shutup and listen” she says, annoyed either by his words or the meaning behind them. She looks ready; ready to protest for the welfare of her people, to go home with the feeling she contributed to her home country’s wellbeing. She’s wearing a crimson jacket to match the flag tied around her waist. The contrast of her red lipstick against her dark skin makes her stand out from the rest.

Her boyfriend looks like he just rolled out of bed. His hair is flat, his shoelaces undone and his jacket half-zipped. He rolls his eyes as the leader of the group begins to shout the slogan, “We want freedom! We want justice!” which he mouths but doesn’t actually say.

As the group walks down a busy Toronto street, big buildings towering over their small group, cars beep in approval. For every honk some cheer, but as the honks become more frequent, the cheers become less.

After a few blocks, the group looks cold; many didn’t anticipate the wind. They stop chanting and only a few – the gloved protestors – are left waving flags. The girl with the red lipstick looks disheveled, the wind has jumbled her once tidy hair and her red lipstick now bares a faint shade of icy blue.

Her companion, the tired young man, looks worn-out just like his jacket, which was definitely made for a warmer climate. He leans in beside his girlfriend, who hasn’t said a word to him since their arrival. He hands her a granola bar from his bag, which she takes with a smile. They look at each other and, before joining hands, yell out “We want freedom! We want justice!”

The rest of the protestors quickly remember why they are here, and begin shouting out “We want freedom! We want justice!” They carry on for the rest of their route with a new found enthusiasm, something not seen since the early stages of protesting. All thanks to the tired young man.

The conflict in Sri Lanka has been going on for sometime, and even with repeated calls from the UN to the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers to halt so those caught in the crossfire can leave, it continues. According to the UN, more than 200,000 have been caught in the violence, but the conflict goes largely unreported by major news media.

It’s of much importance, and is no small civil conflict. It deserves more attention.

Even though we all know Israel officially crossed the line a long time ago, attacking the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Gaza cements their status as being absolutely out of their minds.

Israel’s military fired shells at the agency on Thursday, because, they claim, Hamas militants were firing on them from near the compound and then ran inside to take cover.‚ 

The solution? Strike UN headquarters…

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon said that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told him the strike was a “grave mistake,” the New York Times reports. The secretary general, who visited Israel on Thursday to try and press for a ceasefire, told media he expressed “strong protest and outrage” toward Israel.

Christopher Gunness, a spokesman for the Relief and Works Agency, told media that Israel had been provided with the coordinates for all UN facilities in Gaza, which could signal another attack forthcoming.

This strike came as Israeli military push further into Gaza, forcing thousands of residents to frantically flee their homes.

Many other buildings were hit in the city’s center, including a building housing several media organizations.

This isn’t the first time Israel has attacked a UN facility in the 20-day offensive. Earlier, a shell landed just outside a UN school in Norther Gaza, killing at least 40 Palestinians.

Israel, in a feeble attempt to justify the deaths, said that they were being fired at from just a yard away from the school, and that one of their retaliation strikes fell “off the mark,” the New York Times reports.

On a more positive note,‚ Egypt‚ has confirmed major breakthroughs in their attempt to pass an interim ceasefire that could now be less than a week away. Amos Gilad, a senior Israeli defense official, went to‚ Egypt‚ recently to further the talks, according to the New York Times.

The death toll in Gaza has officially surpassed 1000.

Eighteen days and no end in sight. On Sunday Israeli troops pushed further into Gaza, as Israeli officials said they were closing in on accomplishing‚ their‚ objective of breaking Hamas, the New York Times reports.

Nearly 1000 Palestinians have been killed (including almost 300 children) and more than 4000 have been injured by the attacks‚ perpetrated‚ by Israel’s military forces.

The UN recently approved a resolution to condemning Israel for “mass violations of human rights of the Palestinian people.” ‚ Hear hear.

The resolution also accuses Israel of‚ targeting‚ civilians and medical facilities, something Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has categorically denied since launching the offensive.

President Bush recently called for Hamas to stop attacking Israel in order for a “sustainable ceasefire” to come into place. Bush hasn’t been exactly secretive when expressing his support for Israel,‚ however‚ his reluctance to condemn their actions (minus saying that they should be mindful of “innocent folks”…) is pretty‚ appalling.

Israel’s disregard for Palestinian civilians is obviously‚ disappointing. So much for the concept of moral‚ universalism. Protecting civilians should be a number one priority for them if they truly‚ believe‚ the war should be waged on Hamas and Hamas alone.

Israel is blasting Gaza to pieces, and saying their target is only Hamas and they want to make sure‚ civilian‚ deaths are minimal? Unbelievable and disgusting. Almost 400 women and children are dead and Israel says they are closer to reaching their goal than ever before.

Accomplishing a goal by these means is no victory. Israel has created a humanitarian disaster in Israel that has escalated to a point that is out of proportion with the damage that Hamas has inflicting on Israel.

I haven’t written in a while because I’ve been settling back into university life here in Toronto.‚  A lot has happened since my last post, especially in Gaza.

A couple of days ago a ceasefire was announced so aid could be given to the scores of injured civilians in Gaza. The UN came in to give aid, but announced today that they would pull out workers after some were killed by Israel airstrikes and tank fire.

One member of Unrwa, the UN’s top aid agency, was killed and two were injured by Israeli tank fire. The UN says the movements of the truck had been cleared with Israeli military and authorities.

Unrwa spokesman Chris Gunness says the suspension of aid will continue until “the Israeli authorities can guarantee our safety and security.” He also said the decision to suspend aid comes with “great regret.”

Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said, in response to Guiness’s words, that Israel is in high favor of the UN’s aid. Sure.

It’s pretty outrageous that they’d fire at aid workers, who were clearly distinguishable as such, with no real reason, especially after they’d cleared their movements with the military.

The UN recently called for an immediate ceasefire, a statement the U.S., France and the UK oppose.‚  The three superpowers wanted the UN to make a weaker statement, the BBC reports. Taking a real stance, especially one against Israel would be way too risky for any of the three countries.

Arab foreign ministers have said that anything less than a binding resolution to the conflict between Israel and Hamas would not do any good.

That’s something I’ve been stressing for a while, the UN just calling for them to stop killing Palestinians isn’t going to stop anything. Though a public call for a ceasefire is obviously necessary, we all know it won’t solve the conflict.

Nearly 800 Palestinians have died since Israel launched its offensive 13 days ago.

On a more local note, the 48 Canadians that were formerly trapped in Gaza are safe now.

As Israeli jets hammer Hamas targets and Hamas militants launch rockets to Israel, Palestinian officials have confirmed more than 277 deaths and hundreds of injuries, CNN reports.

But now, even with all of these deaths, there is no end in sight. ‚ The U.N. has called for an end to the violence, however Hamas shows no signs of slowing down. Ditto for Israel.

Israel has deployed military personnel and tanks around Gaza, but none inside Gaza. Israel has shown no signs of planning ground operations to infiltrate Gaza, however it’s highly unlikely that they aren’t looking into it.

It’s certain that many children in Gaza City are very terrified and are most at risk. ‚ Their parents cannot provide for them and they must fend for themselves, something that is near impossible in a place that is being pounded by jets and rockets.

The U.N. is trying hard to pressure the countries to end the violence, but with the history these two countries have, it’s hard to see how any amount of pleading will convince them to put an end to the violence.

‚ The U.N. knows, like everyone else, that the conflict is much deeper here, one that they can’t solve so quickly. ‚ Demanding an end to the violence will not work.

The Red Cross and the World Food Programme are providing aid in Israel.

So far, 110 rockets have been launched by Hamas into Israel.

Even though this does not need to be said, hopefully this violence ends soon.

At least 40 humanitarian and human rights workers have been killed in Somalia since the beginning of the year, according to Amnesty International.

UN and UNICEF workers are among the dead. ‚ The identiy of the attackers is unknown, however some killings have been attributed to armed opposition groups affiliated with the Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS).

The rest of the deaths have been attributed to local criminal gangs, AI reports. ‚ 

“International leaders must establish a mechanism, such as an International Commission of Inquiry, to investigate these killings, kidnappings and beatings and bring those responsible to justice,” said David Copeman, AI’s Somalia campaigner.

Most recently, the deaths have been carried out by one or more gunmen, between the ages of 15 and 25. ‚ 

The deaths of these workers puts countless Somali lives at risk, since an estimated 3.25 million residents, almost half the population, will need food aid by the end of this year. ‚ Without workers, how will they get food?

Aid workers now face restrictions on their programs, especially those which transport food and medical aid into towns. ‚ Now, because of all the violence, aid‚ organizations‚ are beginning to pull out of Somalia.

The country is in bad shape. ‚ African Union workers‚ want‚ to pull out as soon as possible,‚ Ethiopian‚ troops are‚ spilling‚ into the country and killing civilians and countless children are without necessary medical aid.

Things tend to get worse before they get better. ‚ But how much worse can Somalia afford to get before it gets better?

Hopefully Copeman’s suggestion goes through. ‚ An international body for investigations would help not only Somalia but places like Zimbabwe, too.