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Africa News

Human rights experts begin Ethiopia tour

The experts are also expected to issue a statement after they conclude their Ethiopian visit, Xinhua news agency reported…reports Asian Lite News

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has disclosed that members of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia have started their first visit to the East African country.

The visit, slated from July 25 to 30, will be the Commission’s first-ever visit to the East African country since it was established by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council in December 2021, the OHCHR said on Monday in a statement.

The Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia is an independent body mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to, among other things, conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into allegations of violations and abuses of international human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law and international refugee law in Ethiopia committed since November 3, 2020, by all parties to the conflict in northern Ethiopia.

The OHCHR added that during their visit in Ethiopia, the members of the Commission will interact with a wide range of interlocutors. The experts are also expected to issue a statement after they conclude their Ethiopian visit, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday said the experts are in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, to discuss with Ethiopian government officials and other stakeholders to try to find mutually acceptable modalities for possible engagement with the government in discharging their mandate.

The rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which currently de-facto rules Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, and the Ethiopian National Defence Force backed by allied forces have been engaged in a conflict since early November 2020. The conflict left millions in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

In March this year, the Ethiopian government and the rebel group announced a humanitarian ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid into the conflict-affected parts of northern Ethiopia.

ALSO READ-Ethiopia kills 153 suspected rebels accused of massacre

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India News Obituary

Tribal rights activist Stan Swamy dies awaiting bail

He added that early on Saturday, the 84-year-old activist — hailing from Trichy in Tamil Nadu — had suffered a cardiac arrest and could not be revived…reports Asian Lite News.

Ailing octogenarian tribal rights activist Fr. Stan Lourduswamy — an arrested-accused in the sensitive Bhima-Koregoan case and awaiting bail on medical grounds — passed away here on Monday afternoon, officials said.

Swamy’s Senior Advocate Mihir Desai brought to the notice of the Bombay High Court judges Justice S. S. Shinde and Justice N. J. Jamdar of the development when his bail plea came up for hearing this afternoon.

“Its with a very heavy heart I have to inform you that Fr. Stan Swamy has passed away,” said Dr. Stanislaus D’Souza, the doctor treating him at a private hospital informed the court.

He added that early on Saturday, the 84-year-old activist — hailing from Trichy in Tamil Nadu — had suffered a cardiac arrest and could not be revived.

Shortly afterwards, the Jesuit Provincial of India said in a statement this afternoon: “With a deep sense of pain, anguish and hope, we have surrendered Fr. Stan Swamy, 84, to his eternal abode.”

Stan Swamy(IANS)

It said that ‘the author of life’, Fr. Swamy, whose mission was to work among the Adivasis, Dalits, and other marginalized communities so that the poor may have life and live to the full, with dignity and honour.

“On behalf of the Jesuits of India, especially the Jesuits of Jamshedpur Jesuit Province, I express my deepest condolence to the family members, friends, lawyers, well-wishers, and all those who stood by Fr. Stan and prayed for him during this moment of trial and suffering,” said the statement.

Fr. Swamy was arrested in October 2020 by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with his alleged role in the January 1, 2018 Koregaon-Bhima caste violence in Pune, and related issues which rocked the state and national politics.

Opposition parties and other leaders called out the “inhuman treatment” meted out to the activist after being arrested on charges of an anti-terror law. The octogenarian had been on ventilator support since Sunday, when his health conditions worsened and was being treated at the Holy Family Hospital in Mumbai following the court order of May 28.

Rights activist Shabnam Hashmi called Stan Swamy’s death “custodial murder” and said that the government has to be held accountable. “#StanSwamy passes away. Fr. Stan Swamy passes away as undertrial in state custody under fake charges under UAPA, NIA, sedition. This is not death, this is custodial murder. Government has to be held accountable,” she tweeted.

RTI activist and anti-graft crusader Anjali Bhardwaj also expressed the anguish in the same vein and called it an “institutional murder”. “With UAPA, the process is the punishment. The death of 84-year-old Father Stan Swamy should be recognised for what it is – institutional murder. RIP Father Stan,” Bhardwaj posted on Twitter.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor and Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren also tweeted about Stan Swamy’s death and demanded justice for the inhuman treatment against him. DMK lawmaker Dayanidhi Maran also said that they will be raising the issue in Parliament. “This is a sad state of Indian politics. We are going to raise this issue in Parliament to voice out that you cannot squeeze or mute the dissident voices of people. This is a democracy,” ANI quoted the MP as saying.

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-Top News UAE News

UAE braces for Ramadan

The UAE Ministry of Economy has adopted strategies to protect consumer rights ahead of the holy month of Ramadan 2021…reports Asian Lite News

The UAE Ministry of Economy announced on Sunday that price hike will not be allowed during the month of Ramadan.

The Ministry plans 420 inspection visits to outlets and markets nationwide before, during and after Ramadan, which is likely to begin on April 13 depending on the moon sighting.

The Ministry of Economy (MoE) has organized a media briefing on consumer protection measures in the UAE, especially the preparations and efforts that have been made ahead of the holy month of Ramadan 2021.

The media briefing covered a number of measures and preparations made by the Ministry and its strategic partners to ensure best practices for consumer protection throughout the year in general, and in Ramadan in particular.

The new Consumer Protection Law, No. 15 of 2020, which was issued last year further strengthened the UAE’s consumer protection landscape by ensuring the quality of products and service provided to the consumer.

These measures ensure the correct pricing of goods and preserve the health and safety of the consumer when purchasing the goods or upon receiving and using them. Furthermore, they encourage proper consumption patterns, as well as the adoption of the ideal regulatory and supervisory standards in the markets to ensure their stability and prosperity, establish a balanced relationship between merchants and consumers across various markets of the country including smart trade and online shopping platforms. Besides, they provide mechanisms dedicated to protecting consumers in unprecedented and emergency circumstances.

During the session, Marwan AlSboosi, Director of the Competition and Consumer Protection Department at the Ministry of Economy, reviewed a number of initiatives that the Ministry is working to implement in cooperation with its partners from various federal and local authorities and the cooperative and private sectors in all the emirates. These are designed to enable sound business practices, consumer protection and raise the consumer awareness in the country.

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AlSboosi explained that the Ministry of Economy, represented by the Competition and Consumer Protection Department, held approximately 29 meetings since the beginning of 2021 until now, targeting traders of rice, flour, sugar, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and juices and the like. These meetings were aimed at raising the level of communication and coordination with all suppliers and traders; exchanging information on markets that are exporting to the country; and reviewing their plans to ensure the availability of goods and meet the needs of the markets.

Dubai Lamcy Plaza(Wikipedia)

The discussions focused on preparations for Ramadan, ensuring stability of prices and preventing any unjustified price hikes. During the meetings, suppliers confirmed their commitment to addressing the needs of the local markets in terms of commodities and product requirements and taking the necessary measures to avoid any shortage of basic commodities throughout the year, especially during the Ramadan season.

He underlined that the relations between the Ministry and the suppliers of goods or sales outlets are long-term partnerships supported by mutual efforts for coordination and cooperation in a way that serves the interests of both parties. It helps maintain the availability of goods and ensure market stability and thus contributes to the balance of the national economy and serves the country’s strategic economic objectives.

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