Settlement Reached for South African Gold Miners

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

 

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – A case between 4,365 South African miners and two major mining companies has come to an end after 12 long years. The two mining companies, Anglo American South Africa and AngloGold Ashanti settled the suite before it went to court for 500 million Rand ($32.5 million). The miners brought the suite because of a lung disease they had contracted while working in the companies’ mines.

Gold miner working near Johannesburg South Africa. Photo Courtesy: Reuters

Heading the case was Richard Meeran a lawyer from the UK, human rights firm, Leigh Day. Leigh Day first got involved in the case in 2012 and has followed through till its completion on Wednesday. However, much still remains to be done before sick miners receive their payouts.

 

Although 4,365 miners were included in the suite it is clear that not all of them will receive compensation. The money paid out by Anglo American and Anglo Gold will be put into a trust and paid out to all those who qualify. If one qualifies how much they will receive will depend on the severity of their silicosis and their age.

 

Meeran admits that he does not expect everyone in the class action to receive compensation. The law firm did its own sampling and estimates that just over half of the plaintiffs will qualify to receive payout. According to the structure of the trust all testing and payouts must be done within six years, but Meeran believed it should all be concluded in four.

 

The miners are all suffering from a condition known as Silicosis, a condition contracted from repeated inhalation of airborne dust particles. Complications of Silicosis can lead to severe respiratory disease, ultimately leading to death. The conditions created by mining are exactly the type lead to Silicosis. The two mining companies were not being sued because of creating unsafe working conditions but instead because they failed to provide the correct protective gear for their workers.

 

Although many human rights groups have been supportive of the settlement it may be that it does not go far enough. The deal did include a payout for affected workers but did not include an admission of liability for either company. This means that the settlement will be almost meaningless for any upcoming cases against the two companies for the same disease. One of these cases that could have bolstered by an admission of liability is currently in the South Gauteng High Court, South Africa’s superior court.

 

For more information, please see:

 

City Press – Silicosis claims: Anglo has to cough up nearly R500m – 6 March 2016

The Guardian – South African gold miners awarded £22m in compensation – 5 March 2016

SABC News – Multi-million rand silicosis settlement is a victory for human rights – 5 March 2016

Bloomberg Business – Anglo American South Africa, AngloGold Agree on Silicosis Deal – 4 March 2016

Seven Days For Syria – I AM SYRIA

7 Days For Syria: 

The wave of Arab unrest that began with the Tunisian revolution reached Syria on March 15, 2011, when residents of a small southern city took to the streets to protest the torture of students who had put up anti-government graffiti. The government responded with heavy-handed force, and demonstrations quickly spread across much of the country. As we reach the five year anniversary of the start of the uprising, it is still not too late to push our leaders to take action to help end the conflict, to assist the millions of those displaced from their homes—and to remind the Syrian people that they are not alone.

With that in mind, starting March 15th, I am Syria will be providing “Seven Days for Syria”—a set of small but significant things you can do to help, all easy to do and only a couple of clicks away. With more than 4.7 million Syrian’s in refugee camps, I Am Syria will be focusing this years 7 Days for Syria Campaign to help those displaced by the Syrian Civil War. 

Day 1:

I AM SYRIA

Seven Days for Syria Day One: Play and Share the I Am Syria Video 

with your Facebook and Social Media Networks. Doing so might hopefully engage others in the cause, encouraging them to do the same with their networks as well.

Day 2: 

If you are looking for a way to help Syrian refugees being resettled in your area, contact you local resettlement agency to donate or volunteer. There is no way for a citizen to host a Syrian Refugee family in your own home, but there are many ways you can help a local resettled family. Find a location near you here

Day 3:

Call your local governor or congressmen and tell them to share support for the resettlement of refugees in your district. Find your local congressmen here. Find your governor here. 

“I am a constituent from [City] and I support the resettlement of Syrian Refugees. I urge you to support refugees displaced by the Syrian Conflict. I am opposed to any legislation that would stop or halt the resettlement of Syrian families. Please represent me and your constituents who want to welcome Syrian families into the United States” 

Day 5:

Tweet to your favorite celebrity and tell them to speak out for the Syrian Refugees with this sample tweet.

“Use your power and influence to help the families displaced by the Syrian conflict and desperately need a new home @I_am_Syria”

Day 4:

Make a $20.00 donation to the International Recue Committee’s (IRC’s) Fund for Syrian Refugee Relief. The International Rescue Committee is marshaling a humanitarian response to help the thousands of people crossing Syria’s borders every day, as well as those trapped by the violence inside the country. We provide medical and other critical aid, help women and girls and ensure that all displaced Syrians have access to their legal rights.

Day 6:

Know a teacher who might be interested in making a difference?  Tell them about Teach Syria, a 40 minute Common Core-friendly lesson that provides the background knowledge and materials to engage their students in the Syrian refugee issue—and empowers them to take action.

Day 7:

We will end our campaign, we want to educate everyone on the Syrian Refugee crisis from those who work with refugee’s in one capacity or another. In addition to over 150 killed with scores injured, the attacks on Paris by ISIS were unfortunate in many ways. One outcome was the backlash against Syrian families being resettled in the United States by some officials in government. Syrian and other refugees should not be feared or demonized. After all, we are dealing here with hundreds of thousands of refugees as opposed to possibly a couple of dozen terrorist infiltrators. 

I Am Syria recently prepared a series of articles to help educate our viewers on what it is to be a Syrian Refugee and what conditions are like for those fleeing Syria. Our friends around the world helped contribute to our series by providing us their point of view and what they have experienced. Read a share our articles on social media and help spread our message to help Syrian families desperate and displaced by the Syrian conflict. 

Syria Deeply Weekly Update: Without Maps or Monitoring, Cease-fire Risks Ruin

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the weekly Syria Deeply newsletter. We’ve rounded up the most important stories and developments about Syria and the Syrians in order to bring you valuable news and analysis.

Without Maps or Monitoring, Cease-fire Risks Ruin

Four days into the temporary truce, the guns have largely fallen silent. But regime and Russian airstrikes against what they claim to be “terrorists” have continued. Syria Deeply spoke with Rami Khouri of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs on its chances of success.

Amid Violations, Syrians Skeptical of Cease-fire

The internationally brokered cease-fire had a rocky start. While the first 24 hours passed relatively quietly, Russian and Syrian government airstrikes picked up again on Sunday, with airplanes targeting towns and villages controlled by the Free Syrian Army across the country’s north.

What about the Detainees? Q&A with Wissam Tarif

With opposition groups threatening to boycott the rescheduled Geneva talks, and human rights groups hoping the cessation of hostilities will put pressure on the Syrian government to release prisoners early, the notorious detention centers remain inaccessible for inspection.

More Recent Stories to Look Out for at Syria Deeply:

• Aleppo’s Healthcare System Struggles to Survive: Q&A

• Kurdish Expansion is Changing Ankara’s Priorities

• My Life Outside Syria: Diary Entry 60

Find our new reporting and analysis every weekday at www.syriadeeply.org.

You can reach our team with any comments or suggestions at info@newsdeeply.org.

Nobel Prize Winner Says Obama Should Cancel Argentina Visit

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America 

Nobel Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel has called for Obama to cancel his visit to Argentina, scheduled for 24 March. Esquivel is just the latest in a series of prominent Argentines, including the president of the Madres de Plazo de Mayo Hebe de Bonafini to criticize the timing of the visit.

Nobel Prize Winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel. (Photo courtesy of TeleSur).

24 March of this year marks the 40th anniversary of the U.S.-backed coup, which led to a seven year dictatorship. The dictatorship lasted from 1976 to 1983, and about 30,000 people were killed or disappeared during that time period.

The date is a public holiday in Argentina known as the Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice. Events are held each year to commemorate the victims of the dictatorship.

Esquivel won the Nobel Prize in 1980 for his defense of human rights in Argentina. Obama and Esquivel have been in communication regarding human rights issues in the past.

Esquivel does not oppose to Obama visiting the country, only the timing of the visit. “I think it’s great (for Obama to come) . . . The question is when and how.” He says he plans to publish an open letter regarding the matter in the upcoming days.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri says the visit “signifies a recognition of a change that has taken place in Argentina, towards good relations with the world, relations which must be mature, intelligent and mutually beneficial.” Argentina is, according to Macri “aligned with the United States in defending human rights in the region.”

President Macri has met with several human rights organizations in Argentina to assure them that Obama’s visit will not take away from the commemoration of the day, but they are still opposed to the visit.

Noah Mamet, the U.S. ambassador to Argentina, said the date of the visit was set in order to combine the visit with Obama’s historic trip to Cuba, planned for 21-22 March.

 

For more information, please see:

The Argentina Independent – US President Barack Obama to Visit Argentina – 19 February 2016 

Agence France-Presse – Obama visit shows Argentina mending ties: Macri to AFP – 22 February 2016 

Associated Press – Argentine Nobel Prize Winner to Obama: Don’t visit March 24 – 3 March 2016 

Fox News Latino – Outrage grows in Argentina over Obama’s planned visit: It falls on coup anniversary – 3 March 2016

Latin Post – Why Former Argentine Nobel Peace Prize Winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel Does Not Want Obama to Visit Argentina on March 24 – 3 March 2016

TeleSur – Nobel Peace Prize Tells Obama to Cancel Trip to Argentina – 3 March 2016

Venezuela High Court Ruling Sparks Protest

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

 SAN CRISTOBAL, Venezuela – Students in San Cristobal engaged in protests and clashed with police on Wednesday. The movement followed Tuesday’s Venezuelan Supreme Court ruling that the opposition-controlled National Assembly could not review Court appointments.

The ruling specified that the National Assembly’s power of review was limited to the executive and does not extend to the judiciary. The Court said that any attempt by the Assembly to remove Supreme Court justices or review the appointments would be “overstepping [their] authority.”

13 Supreme Court nominations and 21 alternates were pushed through by outgoing lawmakers following the historical December 7th elections, where the socialist party lost for the first time in 17 years. The appointments were meant to fill spots created by judges that retired early. The current opposition-controlled National Assembly have cited the openings as evidence that judges were forced to retire.

Police and students clash in San Cristobal, Venezuela following Supreme Court ruling. (Photo courtesy of the BBC).

The Supreme Court is known for ruling in support of Maduro and his government’s policies, frustrating the National Assembly’s attempts to curb Maduro’s power. The Court has not ruled against Venezuela’s executive branch since Hugo Chavez won the presidency in 1999. Last month, the Court overturned the National Assembly’s decision to veto Maduro’s declaration of emergency powers in response to the worsening economic environment.

In response to the ruling, students from Catholic University took to the streets in San Cristobal, allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails and petrol bombs. Demonstrators wearing masks painted in the colors of the Venezuelan flag set up roadblocks in the city. San Cristobal was the site of the start of a series of anti-government protests in 2014 which left 43 people on both sides dead.

The National Asssembly has devised a three-part plan to oust Maduro and his supporters from power in the executive branch. Simultaneously, the Assembly will pursue a presidential recall referendum, a constitutional amendment to shorten presidential terms, and a campaign for Maduro’s resignation. Observers expect the opposition to formally announce the plan soon.

 

For more information, please see:

Associated Press – Venezuela’s Supreme Court bars congress from investigating judicial appointments – 2 March 2016

Agence France-Presse – Venezuelan opposition delays announcing plan to oust Maduro – 3 March 2016

Agence France-Presse – Venezuelan students clash with police over court ruling – 3 March 2016

Associated Press – Venezuela Opposition Picks Strategy to Oust President – 3 March 2016

BBC – Venezuela students protest against Supreme Court ruling – 3 March 2016 

Reuters – Venezuelan opposition hones in on strategy to end Maduro’s rule – 3 March 2016