CatalàEnglish Site map Back to main page

News

• Date: 29/09/2008

  Ecuador’s new constitution marks progress in the collective rights of indigenous peoples

  

  Quechua and Shuar languages become official without being granted the same status as Spanish · New constitution redefines the Ecuadorian ‘state’, which is now ‘pluri-national’ and ‘multicultural’, opening the way for further decentralization and greater autonomy for indigenous peoples · Wide support for the constitution in referendum, with over 65% of voters in favour.

• Date: 27/09/2008

  Linguistic rights closer to being recognized by UN

  The Ninth Session of the UN Human Rights Council closed last week · For the first time in the Council’s history an official speaker presented the case for a Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights · On Friday, coinciding with the European Day of Language, the President of CIEMEN, Aureli Argemí, outlined the progress in linguistic rights that has been made so far in 2008.

• Date: 26/09/2008

  Putin keen to blur the boundaries between Russia and South Ossetia

  Russian Prime Minister wants to eliminate “restrictions and formalities” at border-crossings · South Ossetian and Abkhaz Presidents call on Belarus to formally recognize independence · Georgia believes Russia has already annexed the two breakaway Caucasian republics

• Date: 23/09/2008

  Uncertain future for nationalist coalition in Flanders

  

  Pro-independence party N-VA withdraws support for Belgian Federal Government and the party’s only minister in the Flemish Government resigns · N-VA says it has lost confidence in the ability of the country’s leaders to solve the current political crisis in Belgium through devolution and constitutional reform · Leaders of Francophone parties say they are committed to ‘serious’ dialogue and that the federal government will not determine the future of the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde district.

• Date: 22/09/2008

  Brittany combines festival and protest march

  

  On Saturday Nantes hosted the Festimanif, which combined a protest march with a trade fair and various cultural activities · More than a dozen organizations supported the event, which called for devolution and a new law to protect Breton language and culture · The historical region of Brittany is split between two different administrative regions.

• Date: 19/09/2008

  Turkey’s main Kurdish party attempts to avoid ban

  

  Democratic Society Party (DTP) representative asks court not to ban his party from Turkish politics · Turkey’s Chief Prosecutor believes the only Kurdish party with seats in the Turkish Parliament is ‘a focal point of separatist activities’ with links to the PKK and wants it shut down.

• Date: 18/09/2008

  Bolivian Government and opposition parties begin talks to resolve current crisis

  

  Clashes between pro-indigenous Government supporters and their opponents have led to dozens of casualties in the past week · One of four prefects calling for greater autonomy for departments has been arrested, allegedly responsible for the deaths of at least 15 members of the indigenous population · Most Latin American governments support Bolivian President Evo Morales.

• Date: 18/09/2008

  35% of Catalans want independence according to new report

  NEWS IN BRIEF. A report drafted by the Centre for Sovereignty Studies suggests support for independence has increased in the last eighteen years

• Date: 17/09/2008

  Aureli Argemí presents the case for a Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights in Geneva

  

  The President of CIEMEN and member of EBLUL attends a plenary meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva to ask ambassadors to approve a declaration on ‘the human right of every individual to speak his or her own language’ · Catalan and international organization presented a draft resolution three months ago.

• Date: 16/09/2008

  European Union holds first ever Roma summit

  Diplomats from EU member states, representatives of Romani communities from across Europe, and human rights organizations discuss the main problems faced by the Roma · The summit comes two months after an EU report concluded that the Roma ‘continue to face discrimination and social exclusion’.