By Stephen Kopko

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

GEORGIA, United States – Today the residents of Atlanta, Georgia will vote for a new mayor. This runoff election follows the November 4 general election that did not yield a clear winner. Mary Norwood, a white city council woman and Kasim Reed, a former African American state senator are the candidates competing for the mayoral office.

In 1973, Maynard Jackson became Atlanta’s first African American mayor. Since that election, Atlanta has elected only African Americans to its mayoral office. Norwood is the first serious non-African American contender to the office since the election of Jackson. 

Racial tensions are apparent in this mayoral election. In 2000, African Americans accounted for sixty-one percent of Atlanta’s population. In 2007, African American’s accounted for fifty-seven percent of the population. In the November 4 election, Reed and another African American candidate split the African American vote. This split allowed Norwood to gain the most votes in the November 4 election. However, Norwood did not receive a majority of votes to win the election. According to data acquired after the general election, Norwood received fifty-eight percent of her votes from Atlanta’s three predominately white districts.  Reed received fifty-seven percent of his votes from predominately African American districts. 

Similar to the general election, political pundits and political organizers believe that race will be a predominant factor in the runoff election. According to Michael Owens, a political science professor at Emory University, African Americans and whites have different views on the qualifications and issues that the new mayor needs to address. In August, two Clark University professors wrote a memo concerning the strategy of keeping African Americans in the mayoral seat. 

Despite the racial factor involved in the runoff election, some people believe that race is becoming less of a factor in voters selection of the next mayor of Atlanta. For example, Reverend Harrison Anderson, an African American, stated that he would be voting for Norwood. He cited Norwood’s commitment to help the poor and her visits to the poorer community in which he preaches as the reason for his vote. 

For more information, please see:

MSNBC – Race a Factor in Atlanta Mayor Vote – 1 December 2004

Atlanta Journal Constitution – Voting Along Racial Lines Mayor’s Race – 6 November 2009

Christian Science Monitor – Atlanta Mayoral Race 2009 Results are Murky on Race in Politics – 4 November 2009

By William Miller

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

OTTAWA, Canada – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will visit China on Wednesday, December 2 for the first time in his four year administration. Harper’s administration has been critical of China’s human rights record and until recently has ignored relations with the country. Economic concerns are now compelling him to improve relations with the emerging super power. Although Harper has said this will not affect Canadian values, some fear that Canada will become too soft on human rights issues in China.

China has a poor international image on human rights. Beijing has long claimed that they are trying to establish a democratic society, but arbitrary arrests, torture, oppression, and pervasive internet censorship are still common place. China also consistently defends other countries with equally bad human rights agendas.

Harper’s administration initially took a harsh view on China’s human rights record and did little to promote economic relations with the country. Harper himself has said he would not sell out Canadian values for the almighty dollar when referring to China. Members of his own cabinet have called China “a godless, totalitarian country with nuclear weapons aimed at us.”

Recently, however, Canada has been looking to improve economic relations with China as China is now projected to be the strongest economy in the world by 2050. Canadian Ministers have been more willing China in the last year including Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon who has visited the country three times. Liberal politicians once in the minority are now being called on more often for their expertise in establishing relations with China.

Human rights groups have been showing concern that Canada will now begin to overlook the pervasive human rights issues in China. The Chinese Human Rights Defenders, a Hong Kong based human rights organization sent a letter to Harper urging him to push the human rights agenda during his visit. Although they support Canadian relations with China, they have stressed that Canada should not forget their values on the subject of human rights. Demonstrations are also scheduled in both Montreal and Ottawa to urge Harper to stand up for human rights in China and Tibet during his visit.

For more information, please see:

Globe and Mail – A More Sophisticated Engagement With China – 30 November 2009

Toronto Star – Will Values Be Baggage as Harper Heads to China? – 30 November 2009

Canadian Press – Harpers long, Winding Road To China – 29 November 2009

Canada Views – Ottowa and Montreal Rise Up For Tibet – 29 November 2009

By Stephen Kopko   

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

MISSISSIPPI, United States – Governor Haley Barbour has proposed to merge three of Mississippi’s historically black colleges into one beginning in the year 2011. The merger is part of the Governor’s plan to decrease costs amidst new budget negotiations. 

Under the Governor’s plan, Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State would be merged into Jackson State, the state’s largest historically black college. Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley state are located approximately one hundred miles from Jackson State. Their campuses would remain but under new names. 

Governor cited many different reasons for merging the three colleges into one. Mississippi has eight colleges and universities for approximately two million, nine hundred thousand people. Barbour stated that the residents of Mississippi can not afford that many institutions of higher education. According to Barbour, the merger would save Mississippi around thirty five million dollars. The savings would come from cuts to administrative costs and eliminating academic duplication. 

Many groups and state legislators are opposed to the Governor’s plan. The presidents of the historically black colleges are unanimously opposed to the proposal. Jackson State University president Dr. Ronald Mason stated that “Mississippi needs historically black colleges because we traditionally serve the underserved.” Some Mississippi state legislators stated that they will not support the proposal. They believe that all Mississippi universities should be subject to the same scrutiny in regards to cuts or mergers.  Representative Adrienne Wooten said, “I only know there are certain universities that are having to come forward and prove why they should remain open.” 

The Obama administration has also questioned Barbour’s proposal. John S. WIlson, executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities believed that cost savings should not be a goal. According to Wilson, the goal of the state should be improving the campuses’ capacity to educate more students. Wilson also believed that the Governor’s proposal may hurt the White House’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020. 

For more information, please see:

MSNBC – Proposal to Merge Black Schools Draws Fire – 22 November 2009

WJTV, Jackson, MS. – School Chiefs Oppose Merging Black Universities – 18 November 2009

AFRO – Proposal to Merge HBCUs Draws Fire – November 2009

By Brenda Lopez Romero
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America desk

MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Last Saturday afternoon, estimates of over 40,000 people demonstrated against and for the government and the bid for reelection President Daniel Ortega.  Local press reported that at least one person died and unknown number was injured when the opposing demonstrators meet each other on the streets. 

Rafael Anibal Luna Ruiz, Sandinista supporter, died in the northern city of Ciudad Dario from wounds when he was hit with stones thrown by Liberal supporters.  The secretary of the Liberal opposition party reported that three of its members were injured when two buses were attacked by alleged Sandinista stone-throwers and indicated she would file a complaint with the police. 

The opposition is party members of the Sandinista and Liberal groups.  They marched to support their position in favor or against Ortega.  The Liberal party demonstrators say they protest the harassment of the current Sandinista government and the Nicaraguan Supreme Court order that will permit Ortega to run for reelection in 2011.  Dora Maria Tellez, former Ortega organizer but now lead the opposition said, “the only way for the government to change, as it has been shown in all these years, is for the people to go to the streets.”   On the other side Sandinistas marched to celebrate the judicial victory and their party’s election victory in the midst of allegations of fraud.  Sandinista supporter insist the Ortega government is acting on country’s behalf.

Ortega served as president from 1985-90, after leading the guerrilla movement that ousted Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979.  Then, he had three unsuccessful campaigns until he won the presidency again in 2006.

For more information, please see:

Voice of America News – Thousands March in Rival Nicaraguan Rallies – 25 November 2009

CNN – Thousands march for, against Nicaraguan government – 22 November 2009

Latin America Tribune Herald – One Dead, Several Injured in Nicaragua Protests – 22 November 2009

By Brenda Lopez Romero
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America desk

MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Last Saturday afternoon, estimates of over 40,000 people demonstrated against and for the government and the bid for reelection President Daniel Ortega.  Local press reported that at least one person died and unknown number was injured when the opposing demonstrators meet each other on the streets. 

Rafael Anibal Luna Ruiz, Sandinista supporter, died in the northern city of Ciudad Dario from wounds when he was hit with stones thrown by Liberal supporters.  The secretary of the Liberal opposition party reported that three of its members were injured when two buses were attacked by alleged Sandinista stone-throwers and indicated she would file a complaint with the police. 

The opposition is party members of the Sandinista and Liberal groups.  They marched to support their position in favor or against Ortega.  The Liberal party demonstrators say they protest the harassment of the current Sandinista government and the Nicaraguan Supreme Court order that will permit Ortega to run for reelection in 2011.  Dora Maria Tellez, former Ortega organizer but now lead the opposition said, “the only way for the government to change, as it has been shown in all these years, is for the people to go to the streets.”   On the other side Sandinistas marched to celebrate the judicial victory and their party’s election victory in the midst of allegations of fraud.  Sandinista supporter insist the Ortega government is acting on country’s behalf.

Ortega served as president from 1985-90, after leading the guerrilla movement that ousted Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979.  Then, he had three unsuccessful campaigns until he won the presidency again in 2006.

For more information, please see:

Voice of America News – Thousands March in Rival Nicaraguan Rallies – 25 November 2009

CNN – Thousands march for, against Nicaraguan government – 22 November 2009

Latin America Tribune Herald – One Dead, Several Injured in Nicaragua Protests – 22 November 2009