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Category: NGOs

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Amnesty Media Awards 2025: Finalists and host announced

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Full list of finalists across 10 categories announced

    Jolyon Rubinstein announced as host

    ‘It’s an honour to host the Amnesty International Media Awards 2025. Especially in what will be the final year before journalists are officially designated as enemies of the state – what a send-off!’ – Jolyon Rubinstein

    Amnesty International UK has announced the full list of finalists for the 2025 Amnesty Media Awards today.

    The 10 awards categories celebrate outstanding human rights journalism over the past year and applaud the courage and determination of journalists who have shone a light on human rights issues in their work.

    Each category was judged by a panel of prestigious journalists and media workers, including Ayshah Tull (Channel 4 News), Paul Murphy (Financial Times), Stuart Ramsay (Sky News), Lindsey Hilsum (Channel 4 News), Alex Crawford (Sky News), Claire Newell (Daily Telegraph), Catherine Philp (The Times) and Ollie Stone-Lee (BBC Radio 4).

    Amnesty International is also pleased to announce actor, writer and director Jolyon Rubinstein as the host for the Amnesty Media Awards 2025 award ceremony – taking place at the BFI Southbank on Wednesday 4 June 2025 – where the winners will be revealed. The ceremony will also be live-streamed.

    Jolyon said:

    “It’s an honour to host the Amnesty International Media Awards 2025. Especially in what will be the final year before journalists are officially designated as enemies of the state – what a send-off! But with protests banned, billionaires calling the shots, and international law in tatters, what’s left to talk about? Don’t worry, though—under my stewardship, any award speech veering into ‘politically correct wokery’ will be swiftly cut off, and I promise I’ll mansplain and bluster my way through the night, blissfully unaware of what’s really going on, as only a white man can. How very 2025 of me!”

    FULL LIST OF FINALISTS

    Broadcast Feature

    BBC Current Affairs for BBC Two

    ·       Dead Calm: Killing in the Med?

    BBC News & Current Affairs, NI

    ·       Spotlight: I Am Not OK

    Channel 4

    ·       Kill Zone: Inside Gaza

    Channel 4

    ·       The Cranes Call

    Broadcast Investigation

    Airwars

    ·       The Killings They Tweeted

    BBC Eye Investigations

    ·       Settlements Above the Law

    BBC Scotland / BBC Two

    ·       Slavery at Sea

    Channel 4 News

    ·       Tortured and Abused at Sde Teiman

    Broadcast News

    Channel 4 News

    ·       Settlers in the West Bank: A Year on the Frontline

    ITV News / ITN

    ·       The White Flag

    Sky News

    ·       Sky News investigates Hind Rajab’s killing

    The Guardian

    ·       Inside the war on kush: The drug ‘mixed with human bones’ taking over Sierra Leone

    The Gaby Rado Award for New Journalist

    Aidan Tulloch

    ·       The Times

    Misbah Khan

    ·       The Bureau of Investigative Journalism

    Ornella Mutoni

    ·       The Guardian

    Sophie Neiman

    ·       New Internationalist

    Nations and Regions

    BBC Northern Ireland

    ·       Spotlight: Katie – Coerced and Killed

    BBC Northern Ireland / BBC Sounds

    ·       Assume Nothing: Murder at the Stables

    The Ferret

    ·       Saving lives in Toronto’s toxic drug crisis

    UTV

    ·       Fighting For Care

    Photojournalism

    Alixandra Fazzina

    ·       The Financial Times

    Hugh Kinsella Cunningham

    ·       The Telegraph Magazine

    Kiana Hayeri

    ·       The Guardian

    Tommy Trenchard

    ·       Geographical Magazine

    Radio & Podcasts

    BBC News

    ·       Locked Up and Abused at School – Britain’s ‘Calming Room’ Scandal

    BBC Radio 4

    ·       Our Whole Life is a Secret

    ITN / ITV News

    ·       The Trapped

    Novel & Wondery

    ·       Kill List

    Written Feature

    BBC News

    ·       Gaza Medics

    Financial Times

    ·       How extremist settlers in the West Bank became the law

    Financial Times

    ·       The Smuggler’s Daughter and Other Tales From The Gulf of Aden

    The Economist’s 1843 Magazine

    ·       Life and death in Putin’s gulag

    The Guardian & Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism

    ·       ‘An incredible loss for Palestine’: Israeli offensive takes deadly toll on journalists

    Written Investigation

    SourceMaterial

    ·       ‘Don’t look back or we’ll shoot’

    The Guardian

    ·       The IPP scandal

    The Guardian

    ·       The brutal truth behind Italy’s migrant reduction: beatings and rape by EU-funded forces in Tunisia

    The Independent

    ·       Russia told Ukrainians with disabilities they were visiting the seaside – but they were kidnapped and disappeared

    Written News

    Big Issue

    ·       Refugees still flee war-torn Ukraine every single day. This is what their journey to safety is like

    Financial Times

    ·       FT investigation finds Ukrainian children on Russian adoption sites

    The Guardian

    ·       Mazyouna’s face was ‘ripped off’ when a rocket hit her home. Israel has refused to allow her evacuation

    The Telegraph

    ·       Children pull skulls from mass graves in Syrian killing field

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Myanmar earthquake: MSF teams are in Mandalay and Shan state News Mar 31, 2025

    Source: Doctors Without Borders –

    In response to the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit Myanmar on March 28, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams made up of medical, logistics, and water and sanitation staff are assessing affected areas in Mandalay and southern Shan state. The full scale of the damage and medical needs is still unknown due to communication blackouts and the difficulty of reaching the hardest-hit areas amid ongoing conflict. 

    In Myanmar, the earthquake hit Sagaing, Mandalay, Naypitaw, and Shan state. Tremors were also felt in Thailand, Bangladesh, China, and Laos. More than 2,056 people have been killed in Myanmar, with 3,900 injured and at least 270 still missing. The quake caused widespread damage to infrastructure and buildings. Aftershocks are increasing the risk of further collapse and complicating rescue efforts. Residents also report experiencing fear and facing difficulty accessing safe shelter due to the current political situation. 

    Overview

    Myanmar earthquake impact

    • Schools, mosques, monasteries, government offices, and 1,000-bed Naypyitaw Hospital have been affected.
    • Yangon-Mandalay highway as well as Innwa and Dokhtawaddy bridges are reported to be damaged or collapsed.
    • The number of destroyed homes is still unknown.
    • Power outages have affected the entire country, including Yangon, with phone and internet services also disrupted. 

    Challenges amid ongoing response

    Given the scale and intensity of the earthquake, the impact on people who require emergency trauma care for crush injuries can be devastating. This type of lifesaving assistance is an urgent need in the initial 72 hours after a disaster. We’re also concerned about people made vulnerable as a result of losing access to shelter, health care, and drinking water. Prompt medical aid efforts are crucial to control the spread of waterborne, vector-borne, or endemic diseases.

    A massive scale-up of assistance to prevent further loss of life and suffering is urgently needed. 

    Further, health care facilities need stable power and clean water supplies to provide life- and limb-saving surgeries and deliveries. Damaged facilities may require urgent repair, temporary support structures, or replenished stocks of supplies that were lost or destroyed. Patients who rely on daily treatment to manage chronic conditions like HIV, tuberculosis (TB), diabetes, and hypertension will need close monitoring.

    To enable an effective response, swift access to affected areas and timely approval of essential supplies and personnel are critical. 

    Destruction in Mandalay on March 31. | Myanmar 2025 © MSF

    A rapid scale-up is needed in Myanmar

    Our medical humanitarian staff in Myanmar and in neighboring countries are preparing to respond at scale to the needs of affected communities. Communication is ongoing with all relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, reaffirming our commitment and capacity to scale up quickly and support ongoing response efforts in Mandalay, Naypyitaw, and all other areas impacted by the earthquake.

    MSF ready to assist in Myanmar following powerful earthquake

    Read more

    As the scale of the destruction becomes clearer, a massive scale-up of assistance to prevent further loss of life and suffering is urgently needed. Responding to an emergency of this scale is beyond the capacity of any one organization. All people impacted by the earthquake, no matter where they live, need access to lifesaving medical humanitarian assistance.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Hungary: Arrest and surrender Netanyahu to the International Criminal Court

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Victor Orbán to host Benjamin Netanyahu in Hungary on Wednesday

    Following an investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant

    ‘Powerful leaders, like Netanyahu, accused by the ICC of war crimes and crimes against humanity, must no longer enjoy the prospect of perpetual impunity’ – Erika Guevara-Rosas

    Responding to reports that Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán plans to host Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Hungary on Wednesday, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International’s Head of Global Research, Advocacy and Policy, said:

    “Prime Minister Netanyahu is an alleged war criminal, who is accused of using starvation as a method of warfare, intentionally attacking civilians and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.

    “As a member state of the ICC, Hungary must arrest Netanyahu if he travels to the country and hand him over to the Court. Any trip he takes to an ICC member state that does not end in his arrest would embolden Israel to commit further crimes against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    “Netanyahu’s reported visit should be seen as a cynical effort to undermine the ICC and its work and is an insult to the victims of these crimes who are looking to the Court for justice. Hungary’s invitation shows contempt for international law and confirms that alleged war criminals wanted by the ICC are welcome on the streets of a European Union member state.

    “Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary must not become a bellwether for the future of human rights in Europe. European and global leaders must end their shameful silence and inaction, and call on Hungary to arrest Netanyahu during a visit which would make a mockery of the suffering of Palestinian victims of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, its war crimes in other parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and its entrenched system of apartheid against all Palestinians whose rights it controls.

    “Amnesty International calls on the ICC Prosecutor to investigate and prosecute all Israel’s crimes. Hungary should equally do so by applying universal jurisdiction principles. Powerful leaders, like Netanyahu, accused by the ICC of war crimes and crimes against humanity, must no longer enjoy the prospect of perpetual impunity.

    “The ICC was established to ensure accountability for victims of genocide and other crimes under international law, and so that crimes which shock the human conscience would ‘never again’ be accompanied by impunity. In ‘bringing power to justice’, the ICC is now facing a global backlash from powerful leaders seeking to undermine the international rule of law and stamp out the prospect of accountability for the most powerful.”

    ICC arrest warrants

    In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as al-Qassam brigades commander Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    Since then, leaders from ICC member states France, Germany, Italy, Hungary and Poland have stated or implied that they would not arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he travelled to their respective countries. The United States has also enacted sanctions against the ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan.

    A cornerstone principle of the ICC’s founding Rome Statute is that all individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants must be arrested and surrendered to the Court without recourse to immunity when they are within the jurisdiction of ICC member states, including on their territory.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Hungary: Arrest and surrender Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to the International Criminal Court

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Responding to reports that Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has invited and plans to host Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Hungary on Wednesday, Erika Guevara-Rosas the head of Global Research, Advocacy and Policy of Amnesty International said:

    “Prime Minister Netanyahu is an alleged war criminal, who is accused of using starvation as a method of warfare, intentionally attacking civilians and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.  As a member state of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Hungary must arrest him if he travels to the country and hand him over to the Court. Any trip he takes to an ICC member state that does not end in his arrest would embolden Israel to commit further crimes against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    “Netanyahu’s reported visit should be seen as a cynical effort to undermine the ICC and its work, and is an insult to the victims of these crimes who are looking to the Court for justice. Hungary’s invitation shows contempt for international law and confirms that alleged war criminals wanted by the ICC are welcome on the streets of a European Union member state.

    “Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary must not become a bellwether for the future of human rights in Europe. European and global leaders must end their shameful silence and inaction, and call on Hungary to arrest Netanyahu during a visit which would make a mockery of the suffering of Palestinian victims of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, its war crimes in other parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and its entrenched system of apartheid against all Palestinians whose rights it controls.

    “Amnesty International calls on the ICC Prosecutor to investigate and prosecute all Israel’s crimes. Hungary should equally do so by applying universal jurisdiction principles. Powerful leaders, like Netanyahu, accused by the ICC of war crimes and crimes against humanity, must no longer enjoy the prospect of perpetual impunity.”

    “The ICC was established to ensure accountability for victims of genocide and other crimes under international law, and so that crimes which shock the human conscience would “never again” be accompanied by impunity. In ‘bringing power to justice’, the ICC is now facing a global backlash from powerful leaders seeking to undermine the international rule of law and stamp out the prospect of accountability for the most powerful.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: EU/Central Asia: Authorities must safeguard civil society space for genuine progress

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Protecting human rights and safeguarding civil society in Central Asian countries must be at the heart of the first ever EU-Central Asia Summit, scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on 3-4 April, Amnesty International said today.

    “Central Asia stands at a pivotal moment as the European Union seeks to deepen its political and economic engagement with the region. Long-term progress depends not only on diplomacy, investment and trade – it also requires respect for human rights and space for civil society to develop and operate freely and without fear,” Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said.

    Long-term progress depends not only on diplomacy, investment and trade – it also requires respect for human rights and space for civil society to develop and operate freely and without fear

    Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director

    “The overall situation in the region remains concerning. Authorities maintain tight control over the media and civil society, suppress dissent, peaceful assembly, and freedom of association, and consistently fail to carry out human rights due diligence – that is, they do not take adequate steps to identify, prevent, and respond to potential human rights violations linked to their actions, laws or policies.”

    Earlier this month, Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in which it agreed to use the ECtHR’s rulings as guidance in Kazakhstan’s domestic legal system. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan is seeking to strengthen the role of the Ombudsperson’s office, critical for ensuring that state bodies do not use their powers to curtail human rights, and Uzbekistan has achieved visible progress in addressing the issue of forced labour in the cotton industry.

    However, even in countries demonstrating positive steps, recent trends are disturbing. In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, authorities routinely suppress the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and crack down on independent media.

    Several Central Asian governments have adopted legislation and policies under the guise of protecting “traditional values” that restrict human rights and target marginalized groups. In Kyrgyzstan, a law modelled on Russia’s “foreign agent” legislation has since 2024 imposed onerous requirements on foreign-funded NGOs, leading to closures and self-censorship. Authorities across the region have also used similar rhetoric to justify violations of the rights of LGBTI people, who face discrimination, lack of protection from violence and restrictions on their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

    Across Central Asia, Eastern Europe and in the European Union (EU), government responses to concerns about national security or public morality have led to increased repression

    Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director

    “Across Central Asia, Eastern Europe and in the European Union (EU), government responses to concerns about national security or public morality have led to increased repression. Wherever “foreign agent” legislation has been enacted, it has led to the stigmatization of NGOs, the intimidation of activists and the slow suffocation of a vibrant civil society,” Marie Struthers said.

    “If Central Asian governments and the EU, its institutions and national governments are truly committed to human rights, the path forward lies not in stifling civil society but in empowering it – by committing to human rights due diligence, fostering open dialogue, building trust between the state and the public and ensuring a safe environment for civil society to thrive. The European Union and Central Asian governments must ensure that human rights remain a core pillar of their enhanced cooperation.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Trump’s gutting of RFA hits press freedom – and helps its opponents – across Asia

    Source: Amnesty International –

    By Montse Ferrer, Deputy Asia-Pacific Director at Amnesty International

    In 2020, North Korean authorities reportedly executed a fishing boat captain by firing squad in front of 100 of his colleagues. His crime: secretly listening to Radio Free Asia (RFA), the US government-funded news outlet that has an estimated 50 million-plus listeners across Asia-Pacific.

    We only know about the fisherman’s fate because RFA broke the story, based on interviews with sources inside North Korea, including the law enforcement official who confirmed it. RFA was one of the only global media outlets, if not the only one, to have the resources and access to uncover the facts.

    But today, someone tuning in to RFA from the seas around the Korean peninsula – or anywhere else – is more likely to find dead air. President Trump’s executive order to close the station down, along with sister broadcasters Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Marti covering Cuba, and stations broadcasting into the Middle East, is extinguishing cherished connections with the outside world for millions of people in “closed” countries. In many cases, their only connection.

    VOA was established in 1942 with a mandate to combat Nazi propaganda. RFA followed in 1994, initially triggered by the Chinese government’s censorship of the bloody Tiananmen crackdown five years earlier.

    In the Asia-Pacific of 2025, RFA’s core purpose remains just as relevant.

    Chinese authorities, like those in North Korea, continue to firewall their people from the global internet, while feeding them a dedicated diet of state media propaganda. They are both, along with Myanmar and Viet Nam, in the bottom 10 the global press freedom index. Cambodia and Laos place only slightly higher.

    Until now, the most accessible alternative to state media for many people in these countries was RFA and VOA. The irony of President Trump now denouncing these outlets as “radical propaganda” will not be lost on the listeners and readers who have relied upon it for independent reporting for decades.

    Not that Trump’s decision is without support in Asia.

    The Beijing state newspaper Global Times reveled in the news that VOA had been “discarded by its own government like a dirty rag”. Meanwhile, Cambodia’s former ruler Hun Sen hailed the order as a “big contribution to eliminating fake news”.

    Fake news. The catch-all truth denier popularized by President Trump himself, now being gleefully parroted back to him by unlikely US allies around the globe.

    VOA has been bundled in with Trump’s many perceived enemies in the “radical” or “liberal” media, but this executive order appears at odds with his administration’s supposedly hawkish approach on China and foreign policy in general.

    Consider, for example, that it was federal funding which enabled RFA to report on human rights violations by the Chinese government in China’s Uyghur region, information which has in turn played a key role in the way civil society and Uyghur communities have successfully pushed for stronger US policies on China. Only this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions on Thai officials who facilitated the deportation of 40 Uyghur men to China, where they are at risk of torture and enforced disappearance. Five other Uyghur refugees are still facing the same risk; despite threats to their existence, RFA and VOA continue to cover their stories.

    The US President’s decision to pull the plug on one of the key outlets uncovering human rights violations across Asia, and not least crimes against humanity in China, hints at a certain incoherence in White House thinking. That Trump has surrendered a tried-and-tested tool of soft US power decades in the making, a brand trusted by overseas audiences amid the ongoing battle for ideas, can only be good news for those who RFA’s reporting sought to combat. It also creates an information vacuum that other ambitious, well-resourced governments could seek to fill to their own ends. Is it any wonder the celebrations are ringing out in Beijing?

    As for the Trump administration’s proclaimed advocacy for free speech, there are similar contradictions.

    RFA has often been one of the few journalistic voices reporting on stifled stories: from air strikes in Myanmar, to state-linked corruption in Viet Nam, to the killing of activists in Laos. Its shutdown will have an immediate impact in places where governments employ authoritarian policies to maintain control over the news and the narrative. Places where freedom of expression – and that of the press – is suppressed to quash any dissent. Places where there is no independent media, and where VOA and RFA are the lifeline that can tether listeners to reality and the outside world; one that exists beyond state propaganda.

    Listeners like the North Korean fisherman, who reportedly confessed to enjoying RFA’s broadcasts for more than 15 years, the open sea acting as his buffer against detection.

    Not only will those listeners be deprived of independent journalism; we will all be deprived of hearing their stories. Like the tree that falls in the forest with no one to hear it, the fisherman shot dead by the firing squad will now go down without a sound.

    This article was originally published by The Diplomat

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: People affected by violence and cholera in South Sudan arrive exhausted in Ethiopia

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    • In South Sudan’s Upper Nile state, people are affected by violence and cholera, causing them to seek safety across the border in Ethiopia’s Gambella region.
    • MSF teams are on both sides of the border, providing critical care to people.
    • Urgent support is needed to provide safe water, implement widespread cholera vaccination campaigns, and reinforce treatment capacity for both cholera patients and trauma cases. 

    A humanitarian crisis is rapidly unfolding on both sides of the South Sudan–Ethiopia border, as escalating violence, displacement and a widespread cholera outbreak are pushing communities to the brink, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns.

    Clashes between government forces and armed groups, which initially began in Upper Nile state, South Sudan, now risk spreading to other parts of the country. Across the border, Ethiopia’s Gambella region is experiencing the effects of this violence. According to the United Nations, approximately 10,000 displaced people have crossed into Ethiopia since the beginning of March.

    “We have already witnessed how this violence has fuelled the spread of cholera in several areas, but a larger, escalating conflict could push the entire country into an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” says Zakaria Mwatia, MSF head of mission in South Sudan. “We urgently call on all parties to the conflict to ensure the protection of civilians, healthcare workers, and medical facilities, and to grant unhindered access for humanitarian and medical assistance, in line with international humanitarian law.”

    A map of MSF’s response on both sides of the border in March 2025.

    South Sudan has been grappling with cholera outbreaks across the country since last year. The latest wave, which began in Upper Nile state, is now spreading further into neighbouring Jonglei state, the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, and across the border into Ethiopia’s Gambella region, where MSF teams are working to treat patients amid the surge in cases.

    In Upper Nile state, MSF is treating people wounded in the violence and supporting cholera treatment facilities in Ulang, Malakal and Renk counties. In Jonglei state, MSF is responding in Lankien as well as in Akobo, where a 100-bed cholera treatment unit set up by MSF in Akobo County hospital has treated over 300 patients in just over two weeks. MSF is also responding in Pibor town in the Greater Pibor Administrative area. Since the beginning of March, MSF teams have treated over 1,000 cholera patients across South Sudan and received over 30 patients wounded in the violence.

    Ruach Riek Chuol was admitted to MSF hospital in Ulang with injuries he sustained in the violence. “My goods and property for my business were all burned inside the house,” he says. “Everything was destroyed in the fire, including the house where I was.”

    In Ethiopia’s Gambella region, MSF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, has treated over 560 cholera patients since the start of the response in early March, in its cholera treatment centre and units in Mattar, Moan and Burbeiye with a capacity of 100 beds. MSF is also running oral rehydration points and conducting water, sanitation, and hygiene and community-based activities including door-to-door cholera awareness and water purification efforts, reaching over 5,000 people across multiple locations. In addition to cholera treatment, MSF teams have also provided medical care to 160 patients wounded in the clashes in South Sudan. 

    A cattle market in close to MSF’s cholera treatment unit in Ethiopia’s Gambella region. Ethiopia, March 2025.
    Metasebia Teshome/MSF

    “I came here because back home in Nasir, people are being killed,” said a South Sudanese mother who recently arrived in Burbeiye, Ethiopia. “There was nothing to eat, and when we arrived at the areas where we took respite, my kids became sick. There were no health facilities that we could run to.”

    The situation is rapidly deteriorating as thousands fleeing violence in South Sudan are crossing the border to seek safety. In Wanthoa Woreda, a new encampment in Burbeiye has emerged almost overnight, with over 6,500 new arrivals reported by local administrators — many of them women, children, and the elderly, arriving after days of travel. 

    “The displaced people are arriving in Gambella with little more than what they can carry,” said Joshua Eckley, MSF head of mission in Ethiopia. “Our teams are responding to the cholera outbreak and providing care to those arriving exhausted and in poor condition. There are significant needs, and without additional support, the situation could worsen.”

    This crisis comes at a time when South Sudan and Ethiopia are facing major reductions in donor funding, including the recent USAID cuts. While MSF does not accept funding from the US government, the cuts in the humanitarian and health assistance would severely reduce capacity of other organisations to respond to such crises.

    “In places like Akobo in Jonglei state, the cholera response has been highly impacted by funding cuts, including closure of critical health services,” says Mwatia. “A number of mobile clinics have already shut down following US funding cuts, and some organisations that supported health facilities, including cholera treatment units, have suspended all activities. This is part of a broader trend across the country.”

    The healthcare system in South Sudan suffers from chronic underfunding, shortages of skilled health staff, medicines and supplies, and has limited capacity to respond to emergencies. The country, already struggling to meet its own medical and humanitarian needs, is further burdened by the arrival of over one million people fleeing war in neighbouring Sudan. Urgent support is needed to provide safe water, implement widespread cholera vaccination campaigns, and reinforce treatment capacity for both cholera patients and trauma cases. 

    “Disruptions in cholera treatment services, combined with reduced actors’ capacity to support oral vaccination campaigns, heighten the risk of further spread,” says Mwatia. “We urge donors to allocate emergency funds for emergency response in South Sudan and neighbouring Ethiopia amid this escalating crisis.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Myanmar: Military must urgently allow full access to humanitarian aid for earthquake victims in all areas

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Earthquake epicentre in area already ravaged by military air strikes and years of fighting

    Military has long denied aid to areas where resistance groups are active 

    Lack of information and images a stark reminder of junta’s crushing of press freedom

    ‘Human rights must be at the centre of all relief efforts, and there must be no discrimination in aid provision’ – Joe Freeman

    Responding to reports of widescale damage from a 7.7-magnitude earthquake reported in central and other parts of Myanmar, Joe Freeman, Amnesty International’s Myanmar Researcher, said:

    “This earthquake could not come at a worse time for Myanmar. More than three million people remain internally displaced from armed conflict that has raged since the 2021 military coup. Over a third of the population will need humanitarian assistance this year. At the same time, the impacts of US aid cuts on humanitarian services in the country are just starting to bite.

    “In a country where the military has banned many media outlets and internet access is restricted, we may not have a clear picture of the extent of damage and loss for some time. That there appear to be more images and information coming out of Thailand than the epicentre in Myanmar is a startling reminder of the military’s crushing of press freedom since the 2021 coup.

    “Central Myanmar, which is believed to be the epicentre of the earthquake, has been ravaged by military air strikes and clashes between resistance groups and the military. Myanmar’s military has a longstanding practice of denying aid to areas where groups who resist it are active. It must immediately allow unimpeded access to all humanitarian organisations and remove administrative barriers delaying needs assessments.

    “All parties to the armed conflict should be prioritising the needs of civilians whose lives have been upended in this disaster and ensuring that they have unfettered access to aid.

    “Human rights must be at the centre of all relief efforts, and there must be no discrimination in aid provision. Amnesty International is calling particularly for the protection of those with specific needs, including children, older people, people with disabilities, and women and girls in vulnerable situations.”

    View latest press releases

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: MSF ready to assist in Myanmar following powerful earthquake News Mar 28, 2025

    Source: Doctors Without Borders –

    A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday March 28, with tremors felt across Myanmar and Thailand. The epicenter was close to Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city. The full scale of damage is unknown, but early reports state more than 100 people were killed and hundreds injured.

    Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams working in Myanmar and Thailand are safe and accounted for. 

    Paul Brockmann, MSF’s operations manager for Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Malaysia gave the following statement. 

    “Our medical humanitarian staff in Myanmar and neighboring countries have the capacity to respond at scale to the needs of affected communities as soon as authorities facilitate swift and unhindered access for teams to do assessments and provide medical care.

    Given the scale and intensity of the earthquake, the impact on people could be devastating, particularly for those who require immediate lifesaving assistance due to trauma injuries. We’re also concerned about those who will be vulnerable after losing shelter, access to general health care, and safe drinking water, which is crucial to control the possible spread of waterborne diseases.

    To enable an effective response, swift access to affected areas and timely approval of essential supplies and personnel are critical.

    Paul Brockmann, MSF operations manager for Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Malaysia

    The ability to deploy assessment teams and, ideally, surgical capacity, are critical in the first hours and days after any earthquake if we hope to respond with life and limb-saving surgical care for people injured.

    To enable an effective response, swift access to affected areas and timely approval of essential supplies and personnel are critical.”

    MSF in Myanmar

    MSF has been working in Myanmar since 1992, with focus on providing HIV and tuberculosis care, emergency responses to national disasters and conflict, as well as support to the persecuted Rohingya population in Rakhine state. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Myanmar: Urgently facilitate access to humanitarian aid for earthquake survivors

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Responding to reports of widescale damage from a 7.7-magnitude earthquake reported in central and other parts of Myanmar, Amnesty International’s Myanmar Researcher Joe Freeman said:

    “This earthquake could not come at a worse time for Myanmar. More than three million people remain internally displaced from armed conflict that has raged since the 2021 military coup. Over a third of the population will need humanitarian assistance this year. At the same time, the impacts of US aid cuts on humanitarian services in the country are just starting to bite.

    “In a country where the military has banned many media outlets and internet access is restricted, we may not have a clear picture of the extent of damage and loss for some time. That there appear to be more images and information coming out of Thailand than the epicentre in Myanmar is a startling reminder of the military’s crushing of press freedom since the 2021 coup.

    “Central Myanmar, which is believed to be the epicentre of the earthquake, has been ravaged by military air strikes and clashes between resistance groups and the military. Myanmar’s military has a longstanding practice of denying aid to areas where groups who resist it are active. It must immediately allow unimpeded access to all humanitarian organizations and remove administrative barriers delaying needs assessments.

    “All parties to the armed conflict should be prioritizing the needs of civilians whose lives have been upended in this disaster and ensuring that they have unfettered access to aid. Human rights must be at the centre of all relief efforts, and there must be no discrimination in aid provision. Amnesty International is calling particularly for the protection of those with specific needs, including children, older people, people with disabilities, and women and girls in vulnerable situations.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Pregnant women face miscarriage and delivery complications in Darfur, Sudan

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    With only a few health facilities still functioning in Darfur, Sudan, pregnant women face harrowing journeys to seek care. Insecurity, checkpoints, and unaffordable or unavailable transportation force them to undertake day-long treks on foot or by donkey, often resulting in delivery complications, miscarriage or death.

    Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) runs activities in 10 out of Sudan’s 18 states, and has been witnessing the grave toll that the war has taken on women and their health in Darfur and across the country.

    The MSF health promotion team talks to patients at the Murnei hospital waiting area in West Darfur. Sudan, January 2025.
    Belen Filgueira/MSF

    In West and Central Darfur, many women who live in remote areas give birth at home, relying on traditional methods. The scarcity of healthcare facilities, the distance they have to travel, the insecurity on the road, and the price of transportation, often result in women seeking healthcare only after they face complications, putting both their lives and the lives of their babies at great risk.

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 70 per cent of health facilities in conflict-affected areas like Darfur are barely operational or completely closed, leaving millions without access to critical care amid one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history.

    “One mother gave birth at home, and couldn’t remove the placenta, then she was bleeding, so they rushed her to the hospital,” says Wendemagegn Tefera Benty, MSF project medical referent at Zalingei hospital in Central Darfur. “The family had to carry her, and after one day of walking, when they reached [the hospital], she had already passed away because of the bleeding.”

    The ongoing conflict in Sudan has a profound impact on the health of pregnant women and their babies, particularly in terms of preterm deliveries. It has left people unemployed and disrupted access to food and clean water. As a result, many pregnant women arrive at hospitals malnourished, which directly affects the health of their babies, often leading to preterm birth and malnourishment. After these babies are born, they are frequently admitted to observation units to ensure their survival and wellbeing. 

    “The biggest difficulty is how to manage to bring food to my children,” says a maternity patient at Murnei hospital, in West Darfur. “I was working a lot when I was pregnant and that is maybe why my baby was born weak. Access to healthcare was also difficult but MSF helped.”

    The MSF-supported Zalingei hospital is the only referral hospital available for specialised healthcare services for an estimated 500,000 people. There is no other health facility managing deliveries in the area. In the operating theatre at Zalingei hospital, our teams perform over 40 emergency caesarean section operations per month. 

    Afaf Omar Yahya experienced severe abdominal pain in her home as her pregnancy was about to come to term. Due to the lack of transportation in Darfur, she had no choice but to travel for hours on a donkey to reach Zalingei hospital. Upon her arrival, the doctor informed her she had suffered a miscarriage, and she needed to undergo an emergency caesarean section. 

    Marim Ahmed Ali holds her newborn baby while nurse Fatima Zacaria Abdalshfe inserts a cannula in his ankle at Murnei hospital in West Darfur. Sudan, January 2025.
    Belen Filgueira/MSF

    “Losing the baby was the greatest heartbreak for me,” says Afaf, while recovering at the maternity ward.

    Women from across Darfur share similar experiences, but the situation shows no signs of improvement.

    “Most of the complications we receive are caused by post-home delivery and anaemia during pregnancy,” says Virginie Mukamiza, midwife activity manager at Zalingei hospital. 

    Pregnant women seek medical care when they have post-partum bleeding or sepsis. 

    “Most health facilities in Darfur are now mere empty buildings,” says Osanatu Sento Bangura, MSF midwife activity manager at the MSF-supported Murnei hospital in West Darfur. “There’s no staff, no medications, nothing at all. Before the war, people had access at least to basic healthcare centres near their homes. Now they have to rely on big hospitals that are far away.”

    Many of these situations could have been prevented with antenatal consultations and adequate referral systems from basic healthcare facilities, but most of them have been either out of service since the onset of the war, or rely on humanitarian aid, which is widely unavailable, to deliver services.

    Twelve days after giving birth at home, Sameera visited the Romalia mobile clinic, in a remote area of West Darfur, to have both her and her baby checked. Upon arrival, she was running a high fever and had infected wounds in her arm. Following the home delivery, she had experienced terrible abdominal pain. Her brother gave her an injection to bring down her temperature, but injured her arm. She was in pain and couldn’t hold her baby properly. After conducting several tests, our teams at the clinic discovered an infection in her arm. They promptly disinfected and dressed the wound and prescribed treatment.

    The war’s far-reaching effects threaten to trap women and girls in a never-ending cycle of malnutrition, declining health, and maternal death. 

    We reiterate our call to drastically scale up the provision of lifesaving humanitarian aid and access to healthcare in Darfur. Warring parties must grant unhindered access for aid delivery and ease the obstacles that are preventing people from reaching healthcare. The full engagement of donors must be ensured to increase a sustained funding to boost the humanitarian response.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Federal Election a decade-defining opportunity for change: Greenpeace

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    SYDNEY, 28 MARCH 2025 – As Australians prepare to go to the polls on May 3, Greenpeace Australia Pacific has called on all parties to deliver policies that will address the climate and nature crisis, and deliver a safe and prosperous future.

    “We are calling on politicians to secure a better future for Australians by delivering credible solutions to the cost of living crisis, and the dire situation facing our climate and environment,” David Ritter, CEO, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said. 

    “As climate disasters cost Australians billions of dollars, heatwaves push temperatures to deadly highs with increasing frequency, and volatile gas prices wreak havoc on energy bills, it is clear that fossil fuels are harming our cost of living, health, and safety. 

    “Australia is also in an ecological crisis, with one of the world’s highest rates of extinction and deforestation, and devastating bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef. A healthy environment is at the foundation of our society—everything else depends on it. The loss of our natural heritage is not only a source of grief for nature-loving Australians, but a threat to our stability as a country. 

    “As all parties on the campaign trail pledge to address the cost of living crisis and deliver a better Australia for future generations, the credible policies will be the ones that protect nature and accelerate the transition towards cleaner, safer renewable energy,” said Mr Ritter. 

    Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s election asks include: 

    • A rapid transition to clean, affordable renewable energy and a faster phase out of coal, oil, and gas 
    • Laws that effectively protect nature, and provide independent oversight to make sure that development doesn’t go too far and destroy our precious, irreplaceable places. 
    • Enshrining greater protection for our oceans against threats like fishing, pollution, oil drilling and much more.

    Mr Ritter added: “Greenpeace is determined to ensure a safe and secure energy future for all. We’re alarmed by the Coalition’s plans to ‘approve a bucket load of gas’ and fast-track gas developments without due process. These would be a disaster for our climate, and precious places like Scott Reef. 

    “Peter Dutton’s nuclear energy plans are dangerous, expensive ploys that only prolong the use of coal and gas in our energy system, and bring the risk of a nuclear waste accident or meltdown into our communities. 

    “We are halfway through a critical decade for action on climate change, and urgent action is needed to protect our precious, life-sustaining environment. Australians deserve, and demand, elected leaders who will steer us towards a safe, thriving future for generations to come.”

    —ENDS—

    For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Vai Shah on 0452 290 082 or [email protected].

    Greenpeace Australia Pacific is a global independent campaigning organisation that uses peaceful protest and creative confrontation to expose environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: “Greedy, dangerous and desperate”: deep sea mining frontrunner turns back on Pacific for mining approval

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    SYDNEY, Friday 28 March 2025 — Greenpeace has slammed deep sea mining frontrunner The Metals Company (TMC) as ‘greedy, dangerous and desperate’ after it announced plans to bypass procedure at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) by applying for a mining licence under the US mining code, effectively turning its back on its Pacific sponsoring states.

    The announcement rocked the ISA in its penultimate day, with TMC due to have its mining application agenda item heard early Saturday (AEST). TMC’s decision to use the United States’ Deep Sea Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA) encourages an undermining of – and could be in breach of – international law[1].

    Shiva Gounden, Head of Pacific at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said the move was a “kick in the guts” for the Pacific and threatens multilateralism.

    “TMC is showing its true colours – greedy, dangerous and desperate. It’s crystal clear that TMC has never cared about economic prosperity or jobs for the people of Nauru, Kiribati or Tonga, nor did it ever care about addressing the climate crisis. TMC has only ever cared about one thing: filling its own pockets with money made at the expense of our Pacific lifeblood – the ocean. The Pacific is not a commodity; the deep sea mining industry is pushing to exploit Pacific resources and communities for profit – it can’t keep happening.

    “This move risks leaving Nauru, Kiribati and Tonga high and dry, and is an insult to multilateralism. TMC has been trying to pressure the international community to meet its demands at the ISA, pressuring and manipulating Pacific governments with the promise of a brighter, greener future. Now the facade has crumbled, and TMC leaves behind a trail of broken promises.

    “Deep sea mining is in trouble. TMC may be taking the first chance it gets to turn its back on Nauru, and is taking any avenue to push through their desperate and dying agenda, in this case, even if it could breach international law. Desperation breeds deceit, and TMC has never been more desperate.”

    Currently, 32 countries have backed a moratorium or precautionary pause on deep sea mining, including Tuvalu, Palau, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, Vanuatu and Samoa. Australia has not.

    Gounden added: “This isn’t the end of the road. What TMC has proven is that where there are cracks, there is crawlspace, and it has highlighted the need for a moratorium or precautionary pause.

    “The decision on the future of the ocean must be a process that centres the rights and voices of Pacific communities as the traditional custodians, not neocolonialist corporations. We are most effective when we work together, and the Pacific Ocean is calling for us to stand united now.”

    The ISA will meet for its final day today, where it is still expected to discuss what governments could do if TMC still puts in an application to the ISA without any rules in place.

    Leaders will have a crucial chance to show their support for ocean protection by supporting a moratorium on deep sea mining at the UN Ocean Conference, which will be held in Nice, France, just a few weeks before the ISA July Assembly. 

    —ENDS—

    For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Kimberley Bernard on +61 407 581 404 or [email protected]

    Photos available in the Greenpeace Media Library

    Notes to Editor

    [1] The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 has 170 parties, which are the vast majority of all States. It is known as the constitution for the oceans. After the United States and others had various issues with the concluded convention and concluded a further Agreement (Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982) which is known as the 1994 Agreement which was specifically about deep-sea mining – Part XI of UNCLOS. The United States has signed the 1994 Agreement, and most countries agree that UNCLOS is customary international law, so the US is still bound by UNCLOS and particularly Part XI. UNCLOS has numerous crucial parts, addressing maritime boundaries, the freedom of navigation, management of fisheries, pollution, environmental protection and marine scientific research as well as deep-sea mining.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Russia: Anti-war activist Maria Ponomarenko’s prison sentence extended in escalating repression

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Reacting to the Shipunovsky District Court ruling to extend the six-year sentence of Maria Ponomarenko, Russian journalist and anti-war activist, for speaking out against Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Natalia Zviagina, Amnesty International’s Russia Director, said:

    “The Russian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Maria Ponomarenko. Sentencing her to six years imprisonment for merely speaking out against the war, condemning the Russian bombing of the drama theatre in Mariupol, and mourning the loss of innocent lives was already unconscionable. Extending that sentence under spurious charges of attacking two guards – clearly a smokescreen to punish her for not changing her views and for standing up for justice – represents a new low in the authorities’ treatment of Maria.”

    Extending that sentence under spurious charges of attacking two guards – clearly a smokescreen to punish her for not changing her views and for standing up for justice – represents a new low in the authorities’ treatment of Maria

    Natalia Zviagina, Amnesty International’s Russia Director

    “Since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian authorities have routinely and brazenly used tactics to silence dissent, using spurious charges to imprison critics on politically motivated grounds. The Russian authorities must stop the war against Ukraine, stop the repression of their own people, repeal the ‘war censorship’ legislation and release all those imprisoned under it.”

    Background

    On 27 March, the Shipunovsky District Court granted an additional one year and 10 months to Maria Ponomarenko and ordered her to undergo outpatient psychiatric treatment upon her release. Taking into account the partial concurrence of sentences, the 22-month sentence will not be automatically added to Maria Ponomarenko’s previous term of imprisonment, meaning her combined prison term is less than seven years and 10 months.

    Maria Ponomarenko is a journalist with the online RusNews media and an activist from Barnaul, Altai Krai. On 15 February 2023, she was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment under Article 207.3 of the Russian Criminal Code (“disseminating knowingly false information about the Russian Armed Forces”). The charges stemmed from her social media post about the bombing of the drama theatre in Mariupol, where hundreds of civilians were reportedly sheltering.

    She is serving her term in penal colony IK-6, in Shipunovo, a village 175 km from Barnaul. Throughout her imprisonment, she has faced ill-treatment, including solitary confinement in a punishment cell (SHIZO) – a harsh, cramped and isolating detention unit used to break prisoners’ spirits through severe restrictions and deprivation – where she had been placed multiple times on spurious grounds, and denied adequate health care, including for her deteriorating mental health.

    In November 2023, just months after Maria Ponomarenko’s transfer to IK-6, the authorities initiated another criminal case against her. This time it was under Article 321(2) of the Russian Criminal Code, for allegedly attacking two male penal colony officers, charges she firmly denies. Her additional criminal prosecution continues the trend whereby the Russian authorities impose additional penitentiary sanctions on those who are imprisoned on politically motivated charges, as the case of Aleksei Gorinov, another powerful anti-war voice, demonstrates.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Pakistan: Systematic attacks and relentless crackdown on Baloch activists must end

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Responding to the unlawful detention and harassment of Baloch activists in Quetta and Karachi over the past week in Pakistan, Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, said:

    “The Pakistani authorities’ relentless crackdown on Baloch activists over the last week and continued detention of several protesters and Baloch activists, including Mahrang Baloch, Sammi Deen Baloch, and Bebarg Zehri, speaks of a systematic attack on the rights of Baloch community. Amnesty International is concerned by reports from family members that Mahrang and Bebarg – who is a person with disabilities, are not being given access to medical assistance despite their health severely deteriorating during custody.”

    “The weaponization of the legal system, through multiple bogus First Information Reports (FIRs) and preventative detentions under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, despite activists being granted bail, is a gross violation of their right to due process and fair trial. It shows wanton disregard by the law enforcement agencies for the rights of Baloch people under Pakistan’s Constitution and the country’s obligations under international human rights law.”

    The Pakistani authorities’ relentless crackdown on Baloch activists over the last week and continued detention of several protesters and Baloch activists, including Mahrang Baloch, Sammi Deen Baloch, and Bebarg Zehri, speaks of a systematic attack on the rights of Baloch community.

    Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International

    “Pakistani authorities must immediately release all Baloch activists being detained simply for exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Amnesty reiterates its call for a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into the use of unlawful force during the 21 March peaceful protests and ensure those responsible are held to account and the violations are effectively remedied.”

    BACKGROUND

    Baloch activists, Bebarg Zehri and his brother Hammal Zehri, were taken by Counter Terrorism Department officials from their home in Quetta on 20 March 2025 following a press conference by the Baloch Yakjethi Committee (BYC) at the Quetta Press Club over their long-standing demand is for justice for families of victims of enforced disappearances. During a protest by BYC on 21 March calling for their release, three protesters were killed through use of unlawful force by law enforcement as per reports from local activists. Mobile network signals were completely shut down in the lead up to and following the protest.

    Central leader of the Baloch Yakjethi Committee, Mahrang Baloch, along with 17 other protesters, was detained the next day. Mahrang and Bebarg remain under preventative detention under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO), with separate terrorism charges also brought against Mahrang.

    On 24 March, at least six activists, including Sammi Deen Baloch a key leader in BYC, were detained for disregarding a blanket ban on assemblies in the city, following a protest in Karachi in Sindh province.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Serbia: BIRN journalists targeted with Pegasus spyware 

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Two journalists from Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), an award-winning Serbian network of investigative journalists, were targeted with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware last month, a new Amnesty International investigation reveals.   

    Journalists Bogdana (not her real name) and Jelena Veljkovic received suspicious messages on the Viber messaging app from an unknown Serbian number linked to Telekom Srbija, the state-telecommunications operator. 

    Suspecting that their smartphones were being targeted by a spyware attack, they approached Amnesty International’s Security Lab, whose forensic analysis confirmed their suspicions.  

    “We discovered that the text messages contained hyperlinks to a Serbian language domain name which we have determined with high confidence to be associated with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware,   

    Donncha Ó Cearbhaill, the Head of Amnesty International’s Security Lab.

    This is the third time in two years that Amnesty International’s Security Lab has found NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware being used against civil society in Serbia. In November 2023, Amnesty International, Access Now, SHARE Foundation and Citizen Lab documented how two Serbian civil society members where targeted by a zero-click spyware attack, which Amnesty International later attributed as Pegasus attack attempts.   

    On 14 February 2025, Bogdana received a message on Viber with a link to a news article and a message asking: “Do you have info that he is next? I heard something completely different.” 

    At the time she was working on an article about foreign investments and state-linked corruption cases. The previous day she had met sources for her story including individuals close to the government. 

    Bogdana did not click the Pegasus infection link, and a forensic analysis of her device did not indicate that Pegasus spyware had been installed on her phone. Amnesty International’s Security Lab later found that, if clicked, the infection link redirected to a decoy page on a Serbian media website, a technique previously seen in a Pegasus attempt targeting a Serbian protest leader in July 2023. 

    NSO Group stated in a letter to Amnesty International that “all sales of our systems are to vetted government end-users”. Amnesty International believes that the continued use of Serbian language Pegasus infection domain names, and the targeting of Serbian civil society with a consistent methodology are indicative of these attacks being carried out by a Serbian state entity.  

    Bogdana said: “When I found out that the link on my phone was Pegasus, I was absolutely furious. This was the phone registered to my name, and I felt as if I had an intruder in my own home. This is an unnerving feeling…. I was extremely concerned about my sources who could be at risk because they communicated with me.” 

    Jelena Veljkovic received a similar Viber message to the one sent to Bogdana from the same Serbian phone number on 14 February and deleted it without clicking it. Amnesty International concluded that, based on the nature of the attempt, this was also a Pegasus 1-click infection attempt. 1-click attacks require action from the target to enable the infection of their device, typically the opening of a malicious link. 

    “When I found out that I was a target of a Pegasus attack, I was not particularly scared but found it quite unsettling. This was my private telephone, which I also use for work, and a virus like Pegasus, which is not selective at all and can access everything on one’s phone, can have repercussions on my family too. 

    “This was a targeted attack on investigative journalists – a form of pressure and a warning. Whether it was an attack on me personally or on BIRN, as a media outlet, I am not sure,  

    Jelena. 

    BIRN and its staff face frequent threats, harassment and Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation (SLAPPs), including by senior government officials, for their investigative journalism. Currently it is fighting four SLAPP suits, mostly filed by public officials, including the current mayor of Belgrade, or others with known links to the authorities. 

    Amnesty International shared its findings with NSO Group who responded saying: “We cannot comment on specific existing or past customers. Additionally, as a matter of policy, we are unable to disclose any information regarding our technical specifications, functionality or operational features of our products.” 

    Repeated attempts to engage the Serbian Security Information Agency (BIA, Bezbednosno-informativna Agencija) were unanswered. 

    These findings provide further evidence that Serbian authorities are abusing highly invasive spyware products and other digital surveillance technologies to target journalists, activists, and other members of civil society amid widespread student protests that have gripped the country since November 2024.  

    Serbian authorities must stop using highly invasive spyware and provide effective remedy to victims of unlawful targeted surveillance and hold those responsible for the violations to account. NSO Group must stop selling Pegasus and the use of its products in Serbia. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Russia: Anti-war activist Maria Ponomarenko’s prison sentence extended ‘under spurious charges’

    Source: Amnesty International –

    In 2023, Maria was sentenced to six years in prison for speaking out against the war in Ukraine

    An additional one year and 10 months has been added to Maria’s prison sentence

    Maria has faced ill-treatment including solitary confinement

    Extending the sentence is ‘clearly a smokescreen to punish her for not changing her views and for standing up for justice’ – Natalia Zviagina

    Reacting to the Shipunovsky District Court ruling to extend Russian journalist and anti-war activist Maria Ponomarenko’s six-year sentence, for speaking out against Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Natalia Zviagina, Amnesty International’s Russia Director, said:

    “The Russian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Maria Ponomarenko.

    “Sentencing Maria to six years imprisonment for merely speaking out against the war, condemning the Russian bombing of the theatre in Mariupol and mourning the loss of innocent lives was already unconscionable. Extending that sentence under spurious charges of attacking two guards – clearly a smokescreen to punish her for not changing her views and for standing up for justice – represents a new low in the authorities’ treatment of Maria.

    “Since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian authorities have routinely and brazenly used tactics to silence dissent, using false charges to imprison critics on politically motivated grounds. The Russian authorities must stop the war against Ukraine, stop the repression of their own people, repeal the ‘war censorship’ legislation and release all those imprisoned under it.”

    Jailed for highlighting Mariupol killings

    On 27 March, the Shipunovsky District Court added a further one year and 10 months to Maria Ponomarenko’s sentence bringing up to nearly eight years and ordered her to undergo outpatient psychiatric treatment upon her release.

    Maria Ponomarenko is a journalist with the online RusNews media and an activist from Barnaul, Altai Krai. On 15 February 2023, she was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment under Article 207.3 of the Russian Criminal Code (“disseminating knowingly false information about the Russian Armed Forces”). The charges stemmed from her social media post about the bombing of the theatre in Mariupol, where hundreds of civilians were reportedly sheltering.

    She is serving her term in penal colony IK-6, in Shipunovo, a village 175 km from Barnaul. Throughout her imprisonment, she has faced ill-treatment, including solitary confinement in a punishment cell, a harsh, cramped and isolating detention unit used to break prisoners’ spirits through severe restrictions and deprivation – where she had been sent multiple times on false grounds, and denied adequate health care, including for her deteriorating mental health.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: ‘An absolute dud’: Peter Dutton’s energy plan a fail for family budgets, our kids’ future, and our environment 

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    MELBOURNE, 27 MARCH 2025—Responding to Peter Dutton’s gas policy, announced tonight in his Budget Reply speech, Joe Rafalowicz, Head of Climate and Energy, Greenpeace, said: 

    Peter Dutton’s energy policy is an absolute dud for everyone except his mates – the fossil fuel lobby. It contains everything that would benefit coal and gas corporations, and absolutely nothing that would help household budgets, or stop the destruction of our ecosystems and climate. 

    Fast-tracking gas approvals, opening up new gas fields in our oceans and fracking the land, diverting money meant for clean energy to dirty gas, and stopping the construction of essential infrastructure to make renewable energy more affordable for Australians: these are all cynical measures designed to hamper the growth of affordable and clean renewable energy, while gas corporations continue to rake in profits.

    Wind and solar are already the cheapest form of energy in Australia, while gas is expensive, tied to volatile global markets for price, and wrecks the climate and our ecosystems. To truly reduce energy prices for Australians, Mr Dutton should be helping families buy home solar systems with batteries, and expanding the share of renewable energy generation, backed by storage.

    The Coalition’s nuclear plans are also nothing more than a risky, ok bad-faith delay tactic to prop up coal, oil, and gas, while holding back the rollout of renewable energy. Only the fossil fuel industry benefits from nuclear, while the rest of us pay the price for worsening climate damage, which is costing Australian taxpayers billions of dollars a year. 

    If Peter Dutton is serious about lowering bills for Australians, and wants the approval of the majority of Australians who love nature and are concerned about the climate, this absolute dud of an energy policy will not cut it. We call on Mr. Dutton to produce a real and effective energy and climate plan, based on cheap, clean renewable power. 

    For interviews, contact Vai – 0452 290 092 / [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Egypt: More than 30,000 demand release of student Oqba Hashad after nearly six years of arbitrary detention

    Source: Amnesty International –

    The Egyptian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Oqba Hashad, an Egyptian student who has been held in prolonged pre-trial detention for nearly six years solely as punishment for his brother’s human rights activism, Amnesty International said today. This demand is amplified by a significant surge in global support, evidenced by the nearly 33,000 petition signatures gathered by Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign demanding his freedom.

    Since his arbitrary arrest on 20 May  2019, the Egyptian authorities have subjected Oqba Hashad  to a catalogue of human rights violations, including enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment including beatings, electric shocks, and denial of adequate healthcare. The authorities have failed to provide Oqba Hashad with a functional prosthetic leg – his right leg was amputated above the knee following a childhood accident. While the prison administration began procedures to provide him with a prosthetic leg in February 2025, over a year after his family’s request, he has yet to receive it.  They have also refused to grant him specialized medical care, including access to antiseptics and sterilization tools needed for his stump.

    “Oqba Hashad has been the victim of a cruel and blatant miscarriage of justice. He should never have been detained in the first place let alone been forced to spend nearly six years unjustly behind bars. It’s high time for the Egyptian authorities to heed the calls from tens of thousands of people worldwide demanding his release, by putting an end to his agonizing ordeal and releasing him immediately and unconditionally,” said Souleimene Benghazi, Amnesty International’s Egypt Campaigner.

    Oqba Hashad has been the victim of a cruel and blatant miscarriage of justice.

    Souleimene Benghazi, Amnesty International’s Egypt Campaigner

    The Egyptian authorities have continued to indefinitely detain Oqba Hashad without trial, beyond the two-year legal limit for pre-trial detention, through the abusive practice of “rotation”. On 20 February 2024, a judge ordered his release, but instead, security forces subjected him to enforced disappearance from 22 February to 2 March 2024, before he was detained in a new case on similar charges of joining and financing a terrorist group.

    “The fact that Oqba Hashad was charged with fresh bogus charges instead of being released after the pre-trial detention limit is outrageous. This blatant manipulation of the legal system highlights the authorities’ contempt for international law. It also underscores the urgent need for the international community to press the Egyptian authorities to end this grave injustice once and for all,” said Souleimene Benghazi.

    Oqba Hashad’s prolonged and inhumane detention have taken a significant toll on his physical and mental health. The lack of a prosthetic leg has led to severe back pain and significantly impedes his mobility. Relatives have reported to Amnesty International a dramatic decline in his mental well-being.

    Background:

    Oqba Hashad’s case featured in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights annual global campaign which aims to raise awareness and demand justice for individuals whose human rights are under threat. A petition calling for Oqba Hashad’s release has garnered nearly 33,000 signatures, demonstrating the widespread concern for his plight. 

    During his detention Oqba Hashad was interrogated multiple times about activities of his brother, Amr Hashad, a human rights activist who left Egypt in 2019. Security forces had arrested Amr Hashad in 2014 in connection with his activism with the student union at Assiut University. He was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of “joining a terrorist organization, attempting to overthrow the government and inciting protests.” Amr Hashad has continued to document human rights violations in Egypt while in exile.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: South Korea/Israel/OPT: HD Hyundai machinery used in West Bank demolitions

    Source: Amnesty International –

    HD Hyundai machinery has been widely used in demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), according to new visual and testimonial evidence documented by Amnesty International Korea and local human rights groups.

    While the company denies their involvement, images and videos verified by the groups identified 59 Palestinian-owned homes, businesses and other structures that were demolished between September 2019 and February 2025 using machinery made by the South Korea conglomerate.

    These demolitions resulted in the forced displacement of approximately 250 Palestinians and damaged the livelihoods of hundreds of others.

    “It is imperative that HD Hyundai takes decisive action to immediately suspend distribution of its products in Israel and conduct heightened due diligence to ensure its operations, products or services do not perpetuate human rights abuses,” said Montse Ferrer, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director.

    For its investigation, Amnesty International Korea in collaboration with the Evidence Lab, Amnesty International’s digital investigations team, verified a total of 347 images and videos of demolitions obtained through partnerships with local organizations.

    Amnesty International Korea, in collaboration with the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, also gathered testimonies from victims whose homes and businesses were destroyed by HD Hyundai bulldozers in eight instances across the West Bank.

    One resident, a plumber named Yaaqoub Barqan, described how the Israeli military turned his home into rubble in July 2024.

    “About 30 armed soldiers arrived in military jeeps, along with three pieces of heavy equipment, including a Hyundai excavator. The excavator destroyed the house in less than 20 minutes. My wife fainted watching our home being destroyed and is still receiving psychiatric treatment,” he said.

    These findings follow research from March 2023 in which Amnesty International and Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) documented five instances where Israeli forces used excavators manufactured by Hyundai Construction Equipment (Hyundai CE) to raze Palestinian property that displaced at least 15 Palestinians in Masafer Yatta, an area south of the occupied West Bank where Palestinians live under imminent threat of mass expulsion.

    In March 2024, in a response to media inquiries, HD Hyundai claimed it had reviewed its dealer’s records and asserted that there were no sales records to government agencies, such as for demolition work in Israel, and that compliance regulations were followed.

    However, Amnesty International Korea’s latest research revealed at least 32 shipments of HD Hyundai heavy machinery to Israeli distributor EFCO were made between October 2021 and October 2023 along with 12 shipments of Hyundai Infracore equipment to Emcol Ltd, Hyundai Infracore’s major distributor in Israel.

    Amnesty International Korea first contacted HD Hyundai in March 2023, and then again in October 2024 and March 2025, to inform the company about the use of its machinery in unlawful demolitions in the OPT. On 17 March 2025, Hyundai Infracore, Emcol and EFCO were contacted.

    HD Hyundai XiteSolution, the parent company of HD Hyundai CE and HD Hyundai Infracore, responded on 25 March 2025 saying that it “has no involvement with activities in said conflict regions”. The company did not respond directly to questions posed by Amnesty International Korea. Emcol and EFCO did not respond.

    “HD Hyundai Group, like any corporate actor, must respect human rights throughout its operations. It must do more to guarantee that its machinery is not being used in the destruction of homes and livelihoods in the OPT, especially as demolitions are a key tool in upholding Israel’s system of apartheid,” Montse Ferrer said. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: 40 years since evacuation due to US nuclear tests, Greenpeace and displaced Rongelap community honour commitment to nuclear and climate justice fight

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    MEJATTO, MARSHALL ISLANDS, Thursday 27 March 2025 — Forty years since Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior evacuated the people of Rongelap to Mejatto Island due to decades of US government nuclear weapons testing, Greenpeace and the displaced Rongelap community have come together on the remote Pacific island to commemorate this significant moment in their shared histories.

    Cathy Joel, one of three women who were present at the commemoration and the few remaining survivors of the 1954 Castle Bravo bomb – the US government’s largest ever nuclear weapons test – and was part of the Greenpeace evacuation to Mejatto, described her terror: 

    “I didn’t expect that I would be here as part of this very important event. I was six years old when the bomb exploded and I was so afraid. My father tried to comfort me but I was so frightened he couldn’t calm me down. The explosion was so bright, there were so many colours, it frightened me as I had not seen them before. I couldn’t explain it but all I knew was that I was so scared. 

    “Three of us women are here [in Mejatto] and I was afforded the opportunity to speak on behalf of these survivors. I’d like to encourage all of you when looking at us, see us as a remembrance of what happened in 1954 when the bomb exploded. We encourage you to continue to stand together, be strong and live in harmony — that is our wish.”

    Called “Operation Exodus,” Greenpeace was tasked to relocate Rongelap’s entire population of 350 due to nuclear fallout from Castle Bravo, which rendered their home uninhabitable. In May 1985, over 10 days and taking three trips, the residents collectively dismantled their homes bringing everything with them, including livestock, and 100 metric tons of building material.

    Four decades later, the surviving Rongelap community is now spread across the Marshall Islands. Many travelled back to Mejatto for the commemoration, including those who were children during the evacuation, and prominent members of the Marshallese government. The Rainbow Warrior’s visit comes as Greenpeace entities were found liable for more than USD$660m in damages as part of a meritless SLAPP suit by fossil fuel giant Energy Transfer, aimed at silencing those fighting for justice and the right to peaceful protest. 

    Bunny McDiarmid, crew member during the 1985 Rainbow Warrior evacuation, and former Co-Executive Director of Greenpeace International from 2016-2019 said: 

    “Forty years ago, the people of Rongelap stood up to the United States when they refused to take proper accountability and responsibility for the damage it had done. After undergoing years of health impacts from exposure to radiation, Greenpeace answered a call to help evacuate them from their once rich, but now contaminated home island. We continue to stand with the Marshallese community – as we do with other communities that suffer displacement and colonial exploitation – in their fight for justice for the nuclear weapons legacy, and for the threats they are already feeling from climate change.

    “The bonds between Marshall Islands and Greenpeace are very strong and have stood the test of time. They say we rescued them from a contaminated Rongelap, but the reality is that they rescued themselves – the Marshallese are the strong and brave people who took their future into their own hands and continue to do so. We cannot relocate the world — it is only through standing and acting together that we will make the needed difference that saves us all. In the fight for justice, our voices will not be silenced.”

    First displaced by nuclear fallout, the people of Mejatto — and across the low-lying Marshall Islands — are facing ‘threats from all sides’ as the climate crisis accelerates impacts to their homes, livelihoods, and cultures. Mejatto has been in drought for three months with once predictable seasonal rain failing to arrive, increasing extreme heat impacting health and food availability, and coastal erosion eating away the land.

    The Rainbow Warrior is in the Marshall Islands as part of a six-week mission across the country with a team of nuclear specialists onboard conducting independent research to support the government in its ongoing fight for nuclear justice and compensation; and to reaffirm its solidarity with the Marshallese people — now facing further harm and displacement from the climate crisis, and the emerging threat of deep sea mining in the Pacific.

    -ENDS-

    Photo and video:

    • Photo and video from Mejatto, including the welcome ceremony, 40th commemoration, and Rainbow Warrior crew in solidarity with Greenpeace after the Energy Transfer verdict are available in the Greenpeace Media Library.
    • Archival footage and images from the evacuation that Greenpeace conducted in 1985 is available in the Greenpeace Media Library. 
    • Archival/historical content from the US nuclear weapons testing collected here (from Wiki Commons).

    For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Kate O’Callaghan on [email protected] or +61 406 231 892

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Dominican Republic: The fight against racism must be respected and protected by the authorities

    Source: Amnesty International –

    On 21 March, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Amnesty International calls on the Dominican authorities to comply with their international obligations to respect and guarantee the right to defend human rights without discriminating against those fighting structural racism in the country. In this regard, Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International, said:

    “The authorities must act decisively in the face of the increasing threats against those defending the human rights of Haitian migrants, Dominicans of Haitian descent affected by statelessness and Afro-descendants. Failure to do so could result in physical violence and the permanent silencing of a part of Dominican civil society.”  

    The authorities must act decisively in the face of the increasing threats against those defending the human rights of Haitian migrants, Dominicans of Haitian descent affected by statelessness and Afro-descendants. Failure to do so could result in physical violence and the permanent silencing of a part of Dominican civil society

    – Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International

    The Dominican authorities must end the anti-human rights discourse, practices, policies and decisions that sustain structural racism and have created an enabling environment for discrimination. This includes guaranteeing the right to nationality of Dominicans of Haitian descent who were made stateless in 2013 through judgment 168-13 of the Constitutional Court, and ending the racist migration policy based on the collective expulsions of Haitians and the racial profiling of black persons.

    The authorities must also refrain from making stigmatizing statements against Haitian migrants, Dominicans of Haitian descent and those who defend their rights. This includes ending denials and acknowledging the arbitrariness and human rights violations committed as part of a racist migration policy, as well as ceasing to put the blame on the Haitian migrant population for the deterioration of public services such as education and health.

    The lack of guarantees and protection measures to enable individuals to exercise their right to defend human rights, the context of attacks on defenders and an environment of structural racism result in indirect racial discrimination, as these conditions restrict access to justice for victims of racism and racial discrimination. The state has an obligation to adopt effective measures for protection, access to justice and reparation, and to cooperate with organizations to prevent racial discrimination.

    “The government’s racist policies have validated a climate of terror. In the bateyes – communities made up of Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent – fear of migration operations is prevalent. We have received painful testimonies from people who, despite having their documentation in order, are reluctant to seek medical care or go to work because of this fear,” said Ana Piquer, Americas director for Amnesty International.

    The government’s racist policies have validated a climate of terror. In the bateyes – communities made up of Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent – fear of migration operations is prevalent. We have received painful testimonies from people who, despite having their documentation in order, are reluctant to seek medical care or go to work because of this fear

    -Ana Piquer, Americas director for Amnesty International

    It is alarming that racist discourse has also increased in the media and on social media. This has led to a digital siege that is stigmatizing, discrediting and defamatory, and even includes threats against human rights defenders. Amnesty International has heard of cases where personal details have been published – a practice known as “doxing” –, which is not only a violation of privacy, but also a threat to the person’s physical integrity in a context of xenophobia and systemic racism. Women defenders have told Amnesty International that the messages they receive are usually misogynistic. There is at least one documented case of cyberattacks succeeding in disabling the website of a non-governmental organization.

    Since the end of last year, the Sociocultural Movement for Humanitarian and Environmental Work (MOSCTHA) and the National Commission on Human Rights reported attacks against their headquarters. The media and the Participación Ciudadana organization also reported similar incidents. As rallies that espouse and promote racist and xenophobic discourse multiply, racial justice defenders have expressed fears that the digital and verbal threats they receive may materialize into physical attacks.

    The authorities have also curtailed freedom of expression in public spaces on the basis of racial prejudice. On 8 March, police officers disrupted a public event to mark International Women’s Day because they confused a syncretic expression of Dominican national culture with a song in Creole. In addition to unjustifiably restricting the freedom of peaceful assembly of those present, their intervention constituted a violation of cultural rights based on racial stereotypes on grounds of language, reflecting the stigma against Haitian culture and those who are perceived to be allies of the Haitian population. The authorities should facilitate rather than restrict peaceful anti-discrimination events in physical public spaces, in line with the objectives stated by the organizers, and ensure that police operations are carried out free from racial bias.

    In this regard, Johanna Cilano, regional researcher for the Caribbean at Amnesty International, stated: “The government has an international obligation to protect any attack against human rights defenders, including those who oppose the Dominican Republic’s racist migration policy. Failure to do so sets a dangerous precedent for the freedom of expression of anyone in the country.”

    The government has an international obligation to protect any attack against human rights defenders, including those who oppose the Dominican Republic’s racist migration policy. Failure to do so sets a dangerous precedent for the freedom of expression of anyone in the country

    – Johanna Cilano, regional researcher for the Caribbean at Amnesty International

    Finally, these threats and attacks against human rights defenders must be investigated independently and impartially without discrimination, including an investigation into possible discriminatory motives. Only if the state acts, provides preventive protection measures and condemns these actions will there be any guarantee that they will not happen again. Amnesty International has received information regarding complaints lodged with the Attorney General’s Office and the National Police, which are allegedly not being investigated with due diligence, and progress whereon would depend solely on the efforts of the defenders involved.

    “President Abinader has the opportunity to take concrete steps to strengthen respect for critical voices and ensure an environment in which the defence of racial justice is protected. Moving in this direction would not only reaffirm the country’s commitment to human rights but would also prevent these violations from becoming normalized and affecting any individual who expresses views that differ from those who promote discrimination,” said Ana Piquer.

    President Abinader has the opportunity to take concrete steps to strengthen respect for critical voices and ensure an environment in which the defence of racial justice is protected. Moving in this direction would not only reaffirm the country’s commitment to human rights but would also prevent these violations from becoming normalized and affecting any individual who expresses views that differ from those who promote discrimination

    – Ana Piquer, Americas director for Amnesty International.

    Amnesty International urges the government of the Dominican Republic to adopt urgent and enhanced measures to guarantee the right to defend human rights without discrimination, especially for those fighting racial discrimination.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Ecuador: Justice has failed the Warriors for the Amazon, but their fight continues

    Source: Amnesty International –

    On 30 January 2025, Ecuador’s Constitutional Court dismissed an extraordinary action for protection brought by the “Guerreras por la Amazonia” (Warriors for the Amazon). This group of activists, supported by the Union of People Affected by Texaco’s Oil Operations (UDAPT), the “Eliminen los Mecheros, Enciendan la Vida” (Remove the flares, Ignite life) group and their own communities, won a court ruling in 2021 that ordered the elimination of gas flares in the Ecuadorian Amazon and reparation measures for violation of their rights to health and a healthy environment.

    The protection action brought by the Warriors was aimed at ensuring that the reparation measures ordered would be properly implemented, including through the removal of flares located close to population centres. Amnesty International submitted an amicus curiae to the Court, pointing out the ambiguous definition of “population centres” and the distance of the flares from such centres, which has allowed the Ecuadorian authorities to simply give the appearance of complying with the ruling.

    Although the Court acknowledged a lack of compliance with the ruling, it dismissed the action on grounds that “the right to due process in the guarantee of motivation was not violated”. Thus, the Warriors of the Amazon and their communities received neither justice nor meaningful reparations. Pablo Fajardo, from UDAPT and the “Eliminen los Mecheros, Enciendan la Vida” collective, stated: “The plaintiffs and the legal team supporting them have shown that the ruling of the Court of Sucumbíos has significant flaws and ambiguities, creating loopholes that have allowed the state, including the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition, to evade compliance with the ruling. With their decision, the judges of the Constitutional Court have only prolonged the violation of the constitutional rights of the plaintiffs and the people of the Amazon region.”

    The plaintiffs and the legal team supporting them have shown that the ruling of the Court of Sucumbíos has significant flaws and ambiguities, creating loopholes that have allowed the state (…) to evade compliance with the ruling. With their decision, the judges of the Constitutional Court have only prolonged the violation of the constitutional rights of the plaintiffs and the people of the Amazon region

    -Pablo Fajardo from UDAPT and the “Eliminen los Mecheros, Enciendan la Vida” collective

    Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International, also condemned the decision. “Due to the vagueness of the original ruling, this unfortunate decision by Ecuador’s Constitutional Court allows the state of Ecuador to continue operating gas flares, which will result in the rights of the Warriors for the Amazon and their communities going up in flames and suffocating in toxic gases, with millions more people being affected because of their contribution to climate change. The Ecuadorian Amazon is burning, and with every gas flare that continues to operate, the future grows darker for all.”

    Due to the vagueness of the original ruling, this unfortunate decision by Ecuador’s Constitutional Court allows the state of Ecuador to continue operating gas flares, which will result in the rights of the Warriors for the Amazon and their communities going up in flames and suffocating in toxic gases, with millions more people being affected because of their contribution to climate change. The Ecuadorian Amazon is burning, and with every gas flare that continues to operate, the future grows darker for all

    -Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International

    Despite the Court’s decision, the Warriors for the Amazon were defiant that they would continue to fight. “We will NOT falter, we will not give up, we will not be beaten. We will continue to fight for our future, for our life, for our land,” they declared.

    We will NOT falter, we will not give up, we will not be beaten. We will continue to fight for our future, for our life, for our land

     -Warriors for the Amazon

    Additional information:

    Despite a favourable ruling for the Warriors in 2021, gas flaring has not ceased. The activists brought an action before the Constitutional Court on 28 October 2021, in which they argued that the ruling was vague and imprecise, making it difficult to enforce. According to the ruling, gas flares near populated areas were to be removed within 18 months, and all others by 2030. Given the ambiguity in the ruling, the state company Petroecuador has discretionally established that any flares located more than 150 metres from any population centre need not be removed until 2030, despite evidence showing that harmful health and environmental effects are felt over a distance of up to 5,000 metres. The Warriors for the Amazon have expressed their objection to the decision of the Constitutional Court in a public statement, with the UDAPT supporting the activists in a separate statement.

    For further information or to arrange a meeting, please contact [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Pakistan: Opaque ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’ targeting Afghan refugees must be withdrawn 

    Source: Amnesty International –

    The Pakistani government’s plans to arbitrarily and forcibly expel Afghan nationals, including refugees and asylum seekers, as part of the opaque ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’ will only add to their plight, Amnesty International said today, ahead of the authorities’ 31 March deadline to oust Afghan nationals from the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The exact content of the Pakistan government’s ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’ used for deportations has never been made public, but it comes amid a campaign to wrongfully demonize Afghan nationals as so-called criminals and terrorists.  

    “The Pakistani government’s unyielding and cruel deadline, which is less than a week away, to remove Afghan refugees and asylum seekers from two major cities, resulting in deportation of many at risk, shows little respect for international human rights law, particularly the principle of non-refoulement. The opaque executive orders contravene the government’s own promises and repeated calls by human rights organizations to uphold the rights of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers,” said Isabelle Lassée, deputy regional director for South Asia at Amnesty International. 

    “It is disingenuous to frame Afghan refugees as a menace to the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The Government of Pakistan is only making a scapegoat of a community that has long been disenfranchised and fleeing persecution.” 

    It is disingenuous to frame Afghan refugees as a menace to the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The Government of Pakistan is only making a scapegoat of a community that has long been disenfranchised and fleeing persecution.

    Isabelle Lassée, Deputy regional director for South Asia at Amnesty International

    Risk of relocations and deportations 

    According to a government notification dated 29 January 2025, reviewed by Amnesty International, all Afghan nationals are required to leave the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi by 31 March —some due to be relocated to other cities within Pakistan and others to be deported back to Afghanistan.  

    Those holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, issued by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), are to be moved outside Islamabad and Rawalpindi by the deadline. Speaking to Amnesty, human rights lawyer Moniza Kakar pointed out that forcing Afghan refugees to relocate even within Pakistan is devastating for families. “Many PoR card holders are people who’ve been here for decades, asking them to relocate means you’re asking them to leave homes, businesses, communities and lives they’ve built for years,” she said. 

    Meanwhile, Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders are to be immediately and unlawfully deported to Afghanistan, along with other undocumented refugees and asylum seekers, in violation of the principle of non-refoulement as set out in international human rights law. Afghan refugees due to be resettled in a third country will also be moved outside the cities, far from foreign missions who had promised visas and travel documents, and risk deportation due to the increased difficulty in coordinating their relocation with missions such as the United States. 

    Lawyer Umer Gillani, who has challenged the government’s decision to deport refugees at the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court, said that “the official notification [for the 31 March deadline] has not been issued under any particular law, it is just an executive instruction. This is not just against fundamental rights, but also against plain black letter law.” 

    Demonization campaign amid conflicting directives 

    While the government has largely failed to give any rationale for its hardline stance against Afghan refugees and those seeking asylum, calls for their deportation have been frequently accompanied by the portrayal of refugees as ‘traitors’, terrorists, drug peddlers, and criminals by Pakistani media. “A significant portion of those involved in criminal and terrorist activities are among these illegal immigrants,” said Pakistan’s then interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar in November 2023. This signaling has been used as a pretext to impose restrictions on Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, leading to widespread discrimination and harassment, amongst numerous conflicting directives from government officials. 

    In January 2025, Minister of Interior, Moshin Naqvi, announced that no Afghan refugees would be allowed to stay in Islamabad without a no-objection certificate (NOC) – a notoriously difficult document to obtain. He gave no explanation for the legal basis of this requirement. Shortly afterwards, Amnesty International noted a surge in arbitrary detentions at the start of the year and 986 deportations were recorded in January by UN International Organization for Migration.  

    In another notification dated 7 March 2025, the Ministry of Interior again stepped-up pressure on Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, urging all “illegal foreigners” and ACC holders to “leave Pakistan voluntarily before 31 March 2025”. The notification was removed from the ministry’s website within hours, but a copy of the text was reproduced on the Joint Action Committee for Refugees (JAC-R) website which has also documented similar eviction notices beyond the capital’s twin cities.   

    In addition to these threats, Afghans living in Islamabad have also been subjected to racial profiling following statements by Pakistani officials, including the country’s interior minister, who have accused Afghan refugees of being involved in political unrest following protests by opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on 26 November 2024 in Islamabad. These developments became a precursor to the March 31st deadline. 

    We call on the authorities to immediately withdraw the ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’ and take corrective action in accordance with international human rights law.

    Isabelle Lassée

    “The Pakistani authorities are violating the rights of Afghan refugees with impunity, subjecting them to arbitrary decisions that are shrouded in secrecy, totally lacking transparency and accountability. Carrying out this brazen plan of expelling Afghan refugees and asylum seekers who have long resided in these two cities, will undo the years of hard work that the Afghans have put in rebuilding their lives in Pakistan,” said Isabelle Lassée. 

    “We call on the authorities to immediately withdraw the ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’ and take corrective action in accordance with international human rights law.”  

    Background: 

    Between September 2023 and February 2025, Pakistan forcibly deported at least 844,499 Afghan nationals back to Afghanistan where they are at real risk of persecution by the Taliban and an ongoing economic crisis. Many of those facing forced return to Afghanistan, including journalists, human rights defenders, women protestors, artists, and former government officials are at imminent risk of persecution and repression by the Taliban if forced to return to Afghanistan. 

    In January 2025, the government assured the Supreme Court of Pakistan that all Afghan refugees who have been registered in “any way” would not be “apprehended” nor “deported”. Earlier this month, the Islamabad High Court directed authorities to cease all harassment of PoR card holders. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Global: Leaders must unite to resist all who undermine the international legal order, in Ukraine and beyond

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Speaking ahead of Thursday’s summit in Paris, where a coalition of states bringing together leaders across Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Türkiye will discuss support for Ukraine and defense against Russian aggression, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said:

    “As European and other leaders come together to affirm their determination to defend Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression, Amnesty International calls on them to prioritize justice for Ukraine and center their proposals on human rights protection for all.  

    “Russia has perpetrated all manner of war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law in Ukraine, including deadly deliberate airstrikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure, the torture and enforced disappearance of Ukrainian civilian detainees and prisoners of war, and executions and killings of individuals in Russian captivity. It has also overseen the forcible transfer of children to Russia, the suppression of non-Russian identities and a campaign of harassment and intimidation to ensure compliance with Russian authorities in Crimea and other Russian-occupied territories.

    “We urge leaders at the summit to do all within their power and authority to put a stop to these heinous crimes, protect the people of Ukraine and uphold their rights to justice, accountability, and reparation. We call on the leaders to ensure that those most impacted by Russia’s war of aggression have their voices heard and their needs met.

    By failing to enforce international law anywhere, Europe’s leaders help weaken it everywhere.

    Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General

    “As the people of Ukraine and many others caught up in the world’s conflicts demonstrate daily, justice and freedom from oppression are secured though resistance that upholds human rights, shared values and a clear-minded vision for a better, more just future.

    “The coalition of European and other states must recognize that their stand for Ukraine is grounded on a broader vision: a vision for the freedom and human security of Ukrainians and all people the world over; a vision grounded in the promise of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Today’s leaders must defend those standards steadfastly, without fear or favour.

    “In this instance, it is the Russian authorities and Vladimir Putin that are the aggressors. But many world leaders, from Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump to Xi Jinping and Nayib Bukele, are actively undermining the international rule of law. We watch with alarm as increasingly authoritarian leaders are rising to power across the globe – and many of them finding comfort in Presidents Putin and Trump’s shared disdain for international law and willingness to sacrifice justice and victims’ rights.

    “European Leaders in particular must be alert to this ominous trend. They must reject the double standards that have become the hallmark of European international policy, painfully evident in its failure to protect the people of Gaza from Israel’s genocide. By failing to enforce international law anywhere, Europe’s leaders help weaken it everywhere.

    “Instead, Europe must build a different, broader and much stronger international coalition – one capable of withstanding not only Russia’s belligerent ambitions, but also of protecting human rights, and the multilateral and international legal order. Supporting Ukraine demands that they hold all governments to the same standards they apply to Russia. It demands too that they enforce the arms embargo to Sudan and rectify all instances of double standards. Persisting with a selective, inconsistent approach to international law will deprive the European leaders’ position of any international credibility.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Global: Leaders at Paris summit urged to defend international rule of law ‘without fear or favour’

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Leaders from Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Türkiye to meet tomorrow in Paris

    The coalition will discuss support for Ukraine and defense against Russian aggression

    Persisting with a selective, inconsistent approach to international law will deprive European leaders’ position of any international credibility

    ‘We watch with alarm as increasingly authoritarian leaders are rising to power across the globe’ – Agnès Callamard

    Speaking ahead of Thursday’s summit in Paris, where a coalition of states bringing together global leaders to discuss support for Ukraine and defense against Russian aggression, Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:

    “As European and other leaders come together to affirm their determination to defend Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression, Amnesty International calls on them to prioritise justice for Ukraine and center their proposals on human rights protection for all.  

    “Russia has perpetrated all manner of war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law in Ukraine, including deadly deliberate airstrikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure, the torture and enforced disappearance of Ukrainian civilian detainees and prisoners of war, and executions and killings of individuals in Russian captivity. It has also overseen the forcible transfer of children to Russia, the suppression of non-Russian identities and a campaign of harassment and intimidation to ensure compliance with Russian authorities in Crimea and other Russian-occupied territories.

    “We urge leaders at the summit to do all within their power and authority to put a stop to these heinous crimes, protect the people of Ukraine and uphold their rights to justice, accountability, and reparation. We call on the leaders to ensure that those most impacted by Russia’s war of aggression have their voices heard and their needs met.

    “The coalition of European and other states must recognise that their stand for Ukraine is grounded on a broader vision: a vision for the freedom and human security of Ukrainians and all people the world over; a vision grounded in the promise of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Today’s leaders must defend those standards steadfastly, without fear or favour.

    “In this instance, it is the Russian authorities and Vladimir Putin that are the aggressors. But many world leaders, from Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump to Xi Jinping and Nayib Bukele, are actively undermining the international rule of law. We watch with alarm as increasingly authoritarian leaders are rising to power across the globe – and many of them finding comfort in Presidents Putin and Trump’s shared disdain for international law and willingness to sacrifice justice and victims’ rights.

    “European Leaders must reject the double standards that have become the hallmark of European international policy, painfully evident in its failure to protect the people of Gaza from Israel’s genocide. By failing to enforce international law anywhere, Europe’s leaders help weaken it everywhere.

    “Europe must build a different, broader and much stronger international coalition – one capable of withstanding not only Russia’s belligerent ambitions, but also of protecting human rights, and the multilateral and international legal order. Supporting Ukraine demands that they hold all governments to the same standards they apply to Russia. It demands too that they enforce the arms embargo to Sudan and rectify all instances of double standards. Persisting with a selective, inconsistent approach to international law will deprive the European leaders’ position of any international credibility.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Yemen faces economic freefall and devastating aid crisis after a decade of conflict – Oxfam

    Source: Oxfam –

    A decade after a Saudi-led coalition intervened to restore the internationally recognized government of Yemen to power, the country remains deeply divided, facing economic freefall and a devastating humanitarian crisis, Oxfam said today. 

    Competing financial policies in the North and the South have caused economic collapse. Violations of human rights, the detention of humanitarian workers, and unacceptable conditions on aid imposed by the authorities in Sana’a have exacerbated suffering.  

    In the South, despite strong international support, the internationally recognized government has failed to provide basic services or stabilise the currency. Over the last 10 years, the Yemeni rial has depreciated by more than 90 per cent in government-controlled areas – pushing basics like food, water, and health care out of reach for most Yemenis. This inflation is only worsening – the rial lost 30 per cent of its value in February alone. 

    In the North, the Houthis have made it increasingly difficult and dangerous for the humanitarian community to operate and provide vital food, cash and other assistance. Their arbitrary and unlawful detention of Yemeni humanitarian workers and members of civil society has worsened the already difficult operating environment. Authorities should release all unlawfully held detainees, including Oxfam staff. 

    The environment of restriction and fear imposed by the Houthis, coupled with the US government’s freeze of foreign assistance funding and imposition of heightened legal risks, have caused many humanitarian organisations to wind down their operations, leaving millions of people without the means to survive and without access to education and health services. Families are facing higher prices and reduced humanitarian assistance. 

    “The last decade has been devastating for Yemenis, and we’ll only see these deadly consequences compounded without urgent action from authorities and the international community to allow the economy and the aid community to operate.” 

    Pauline Chetcuti, Head of Humanitarian Advocacy and Campaigns

    Oxfam International

    Pauline Chetcuti, Oxfam International’s Head of Humanitarian Advocacy and Campaigns said: 

     “Yemenis deserve – and have the right – to live in safety, have access to food, water, health care and to lead on a path towards a peaceful future.   

    “The last decade has been devastating for Yemenis, and we’ll only see these deadly consequences compounded without urgent action from authorities and the international community to allow the economy and the aid community to operate.” 

    Education and healthcare services have been decimated, leaving millions without critically needed support, and civil servants without salaries. Health facilities across the country have been significantly impacted by the conflict; just 40 per cent are now only partially functioning or completely out of service due to shortages of staff, funds, electricity, medicines, and equipment. 

    The war has destroyed much of Yemen’s critical infrastructure – the roads, bridges, markets, hospitals, schools, and private factories that powered Yemen’s economy. Though the frontlines have largely been frozen since the ceasefire in April 2022, competing monetary policies and the absence of a full political settlement have left more than 17 million people – nearly half of Yemen’s population – food insecure.  

    Yemeni families are facing higher prices and reduced humanitarian assistance stemming from the US government’s designation of the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The designation creates significant obstacles to life-saving humanitarian assistance and commercial imports of food and medicine. It also adds a barrier to the vital flow of remittances from Yemenis abroad to their families, which account for approximately a fifth of Yemen’s GDP; a vital part of Yemen’s social safety net. Yemenis need to see an end to the Houthis’ rights violations and international attacks, but this designation is unlikely to make that happen. Governments should support international accountability mechanisms for all parties to the conflict – and not penalise Yemeni families by cutting off lifesaving aid. 

    The decade of conflict has killed over 19,000 people and displaced nearly five million people, disproportionately women and children. These figures will only grow as more legal and security barriers are placed on the economy and the aid community.  

    Chetcuti said: “Regional and global powers should collaborate to support a genuine peace instead of supporting aligned factions and furthering their narrow political interests. Only through a Yemeni-led political process that includes women, youth, and civil society can Yemenis emerge from crisis and enjoy basic peace and security.” 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Time for Labor to rebuild shattered credibility on environment ahead of election, says Greenpeace

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    CANBERRA, 26 MARCH 2025—As the Prime Minister’s bill to weaken environmental oversight of the salmon industry and push a species closer to extinction passes into legislation today, Greenpeace Australia Pacific has urged Labor to rebuild its shattered credibility on the environment by taking a strong climate and nature agenda into its Federal Election campaign. 

    “The passage of the EPBC Amendment legislation, which imperils the endangered Maugean skate, gives special treatment to the polluting salmon industry and sets a dangerous precedent of allowing corporations to avoid scrutiny, is a rock-bottom moment for a party that once promised ‘no new extinctions’,” said Glenn Walker, Head of Nature, Greenpeace Australia Pacific. 

    “This ill-conceived decision by the Prime Minister to rush through this legislation, which comes weeks after Labor broke its promise to deliver strong nature law reforms in this term of government, has dealt a massive blow to Labor’s credibility on the environment. 

    “Australians overwhelmingly love nature, and want to see our precious places and wildlife protected. A healthy environment and safe climate underpin many critical issues facing the community, including cost of living, health, jobs, and the economy. 

    “We deserve and demand a government that takes nature protection seriously—and urge Labor to take very seriously the task of rebuilding its shattered credibility on nature as it gears up for an imminent election campaign. 

    “At a bare minimum, this looks like a time-bound commitment to deliver strong nature law reforms and establish an independent Environmental Protection Authority within the first 12 months of government, if re-elected. 

    “We also want to see strong ocean protection commitments, including a promise to ratify the Global Oceans Treaty within the first 100 days of government, and championing ocean sanctuaries in nearby international waters, including as a priority the Tasman Sea. 

    “Labor is entering an election fight against a Coalition that has promised to fast-track fossil fuel approvals, impose expensive and dangerous nuclear technology on Australians, and defang our environmental laws further. 

    “Offering Australians an ambitious and credible plan to protect our beloved environment, wildlife, and communities will not only rebuild trust with Australians, it will bolster Labor’s legacy for generations to come.

    – ENDS-

    For interviews, contact Vai at 0452 290 082 / [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Greenpeace responds to delay of North West Shelf decision

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Following a move by DCCEEW to push back the approval decision on Woodside’s application of its North West Shelf (NWS) project by two months, Greenpeace Australia Pacific has urged decisionmakers to use the additional time to thoroughly assess all available evidence, including very recent evidence about the project’s impact on Scott Reef.

    The following lines are attributable to Joe Rafalowicz, Head of Climate and Energy, Greenpeace Australia Pacific. 

    “Recently, Greenpeace Australia Pacific submitted a reconsideration request to the department, calling on the Environment Minister to assess Woodside’s NWS extension with all of the facts in front of her—including new evidence showing this project could devastate our environment, particularly Scott Reef.

    “Contrary to the attempts to downplay the scale and complexity of this decision by Woodside and the fossil fuel lobby, the North West Shelf extension project is an incredibly significant environmental decision, which will have impacts over 50 years. 

    “Woodside’s plans to extend the life of the North West Shelf gas processing facility are directly linked to its proposed Browse project, which entails drilling up to 50 gas wells near Scott Reef. These plans endanger threatened species like Green Sea Turtles and Pygmy Blue Whales, while also jeopardising fragile coral reef habitats with noise, light pollution, and the potential for oil spills.

    “If approved, the NWS extension is also expected to produce nearly 4.4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases, equivalent to over 11 times Australia’s annual emissions. This will worsen climate change, which is already having devastating impacts on WA’s reefs, forests, and communities. 

    “Rigorous assessment and due process are critical for a project like NWS and the other components of Woodside’s Burrup Hub, given their potential for serious and irreversible harm to the environment.”

    —ENDS—

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Trump vs. Plastic Pollution

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Underwater image of a turtle with plastic on his head. © Troy Mayne / Oceanic Imagery Publications

    In his first month back in the Oval Office, Trump made moves that sent shockwaves in the world of plastic pollution. First, there was the announcement of a 25% tariff on imported steel and aluminum, to which top global plastic polluter The Coca-Cola Company responded by announcing that they would produce even more plastic bottles to counter the increased price of aluminum cans. Then, there was the executive order to “bring America back” to plastic straws by ending federal procurement of paper straws. But perhaps the biggest blow came as unelected billionaire Elon Musk began efforts to dismantle the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the government agency in charge of managing coastal and marine ecosystems, which are heavily threatened by plastic pollution.

    While the paper straws announcement may have received far more media attention than it deserves, we cannot let such ridiculous symbolic distractions take our collective focus away from the most important issue here: the larger systemic crisis of dismantling key government institutions, such as NOAA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Park Service (NPS) among others, which protect the public good. Make no mistake, our efforts to end plastic pollution will continue no matter what obstacles lie ahead. In the absence of strong government leadership to enact effective policies that can address this crisis at the source, however, the battle to end plastic pollution has certainly gotten longer. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

    US Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD) at press conference to defend NOAA

    Take the Coca-Cola announcement. Instead of responding to the rising cost of aluminum by scaling up plastic bottles, Coke could seize this moment as an opportunity to shift a greater portion of its packaging away from single-use altogether and invest in expanding its existing refillable and returnable packaging portfolio. In 2023, the company reported selling 14% of its total beverage volume in reusable packaging already! Coca-Cola is uniquely positioned to scale up its existing reuse systems that already operate successfully around the world. Refillable Coke bottles are used widely in large country markets such as India, Brazil, Chile, the Philippines, and Mexico, among others.

    Similarly, Trump’s executive order about straws (unsurprisingly) misses the point. The debate between paper or plastic – whether it be straws, cups, or takeout containers – bypasses a much more important opportunity to move away from single-use disposable packaging altogether and expand reuse systems. Particularly in the case of packaging that comes into direct contact with food and beverages, both disposable plastic and paper alike have been found to contain harmful chemicals such as PFAS, phthalates, and bisphenols which are linked to a wide range of health issues. Arguing between paper or plastic is wasting precious time while we could be building large scale reuse systems that are better for the environment, human health, and the economy.

    Coca-Cola pioneered the reusable glass bottle system in the 1940s with great success. It knows full well how to operate large-scale reuse and refill systems using glass, which, unlike plastic, poses no health risks to consumers. PET plastic bottles shed microplastics and contain harmful chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, obesity, early puberty in children, reproductive health problems, and declining fertility. Chemicals in plastics cost Americans over $250 billion in annual healthcare. Coca-Cola is contributing to this public health crisis through its use of unsafe levels of antimony – a known carcinogen – and other chemicals in its PET plastic bottles.

    From household brand names like Coca-Cola to bulk packaging manufacturers, businesses are failing to seize the significant economic advantages that come with shifting to reusables (which has just been made easier than ever thanks to recent FDA changes to the federal food code). Unlike what the plastic industry would like us to believe, reuse systems can, in fact, be much better for business than single-use. Converting just 20% of global plastic packaging into reuse models could represent a $10 billion business opportunity, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Reuse: Rethinking Packaging report. The cost savings can be tremendous for even small businesses, which can save an average of $3,000 to $22,000 annually by transitioning from disposables to reusables. Even after accounting for upfront capital and labor costs, data from hundreds of case studies show that businesses that switch from single-use to reuse save money 100% of the time.

    The majority of American voters – Democrats and Republicans – want action to cut plastic pollution and protect our health. And literally zero Americans voted for Elon Musk’s takeover of the federal government. Musk’s DOGE agency has been wreaking havoc for weeks, slashing programs and firing workers who oversee essential services. NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is the latest victim as hundreds of employees were fired late February. The consequences of this may be dire for plastic pollution as well as broader oceans issues alike.

    Many Americans interact with NOAA every day, maybe without even realizing it. NOAA provides vital services including weather and tide forecasts, extreme weather alerts, as well as fisheries and water quality data that keep people safe and allow businesses to thrive. One of NOAA’s most essential services include weather forecasts, which keep Americans informed about increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events. In 2024, the USA’s hottest year on record, the cost for the U.S. of these disasters was at least $182.7 billion. NOAA’s timely forecasting saves lives and livelihoods. Losing NOAA’s essential services could result in even greater costs and higher loss of life following the ever increasing extreme weather events. Tourism, transportation, food, retail, and other businesses depend on NOAA to keep their doors open.

    NOAA Fisheries uses the best available science to ensure safe, healthy food and to protect endangered species. When US consumers go to the supermarket to buy seafood, at least 80% of which is imported, NOAA Fisheries’s Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) is the filter that aims to prevent seafood fraud or seafood tainted with forced labor from ending up in people’s shopping baskets. Americans want to know what they are buying and feeding their families, and they support more transparency and traceability in seafood. At this time, the US government should be expanding this program and strengthening the enforcement of import controls to prevent market access of goods produced by illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing or forced labor. This would also better protect American seafood producers from unfair competition that relies on labor abuses and environmental destruction to keep costs low.

    Thankfully, people are rising up in defense of NOAA, and Greenpeace USA is too. At a recent press conference organized by US Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD), climate and environmental advocates, scientists, and members of Congress, Greenpeace USA was there in solidarity – along with our life-sized sea turtle sculpture! Here she is front and center, despite the plastic straw in her nose and oil spill covering her shell, with a few new friends a sign that says it all: “Trump is polluting our democracy.” To take a stand in support of sea turtles and other endangered marine animals, add your name here to contact your Member of Congress to save NOAA’s programs that are critical to our oceans, coastal communities, and economies. If you represent an organization, you can also consider signing onto this letter to protect NOAA, joining the close to 500 other organizations from around the country. Together, our voices are stronger.

    MIL OSI NGO –