RadioActive 11/30/06

Producers/hosts: Meredith DeFrancesco and Amy Browne

After 22 years of work, indigenous people were poised to finally see the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Adopted by the Human Rights Council in June of this year, the UN General Assembly was expected to vote and adopt it early next month.

Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US, however, have expressed opposition to the declaration and on Tuesday were joined by the block of African countries in voting to table a full General Assembly vote until later next year.

The declaration would be a tool to address issues including genocide, displacement, self determination, intellectual property rights, collective rights, environmental issues and the right to maintain cultural traditions.
The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues says
opposing nations were concerned with articles addressing land and resource ownership, and the request that indigenous people give “free prior and informed consent?? for development and resource exploiting projects.

We interviewed Les Malezar, Chairperson of the Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus at the UN yesterday…

For more info: The Indigenous Working Group, www. iwgia.org

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WERU Powerful Peace Special 11/30/06

Producer/host: Sonia Turanski

Topic: “Women in World Religions: Discrimination, Liberation & Backlash”, a recorded speech by Professor Rosemary Radford Ruether, Feminist Theologian

Differing treatment of women in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Comparitive areas of discrimination for women in the world religions.
Comparitive areas of advancement for women in the world religions.

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RadioActive 11/23/06

Producers/hosts: Amy Browne and Meredith DeFrancesco
Contributor: Eric Olson
Topic: Bob St. Peter, Resident Steward of the Good Life Center in Harborside, Maine, speaking at the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine’s annual Harvest Supper in Bangor, October 2006, produced by Eric Olson and originally a podcast on his website www.peacecast.us
FMI on the Good Life Center and the Nearing’s legacy: www.goodlife.org

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Indigenous Voices 11/21/06

Producers/hosts: Rhonda Frey and Meredith DeFrancesco

Guests: The Honorable Judge Gary Growe, Chief Judge at the Penobscot Nation; The Honorable Judge Rebecca Irving, Chief Judge at the Passamaquoddy Reservations in Sipayik and Indian Township

Topic: Tribal Courts in the State of Maine

How does the tradition and culture play a role in the hearing and adjudication of these cases? What roles do the tribal courts play in criminal and civil cases? What about cases involving non-tribal members?

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