#Chain 45 – As we wind down 2011

A message from the Great Translation Chain founders.

Can we hope for better world peace in 2012? This is surely the time, with more and more people raising the awareness of global plights, for mere words to strike a chord in the hearts of those capable of making real and life changing decisions in order that we reduce the suffering of many communities and individuals worldwide. So far this year we have covered, along with numerous sites such as ours, countless stories of unnecessary suffering that would normally go unnoticed. Although our work is far from over we would like to take this opportunity to thank all that have generously given their time in order to cross the boundaries very often imposed by language. Thanks to the benevolent giving of translations in support of the humane stories covered so far, we have managed to reach the hearts of many across the globe.  We hope to continue this work well beyond 2012. We hope in the future to also cover more remote stories with your help; your voice is important to us, our readers and everybody involved. In the meantime we would like to extend our wishes of peace and good fortune to all. Special thanks to: The Great Translation Chain team The Jubilee Campaign Women’s Rights Without Frontiers Operation Safe Humanitarian News And the many others carrying out fantastic humanitarian work.

#Chain 37 – Blackouts in Uganda Healthcare

Orginal article source English

ARUA – The healthcare crisis in Uganda’s West Nile region deepens as a consequence of weeks of power blackouts according to parliamentarians and medical staff.Fatalities increase, patients pay to fuel their own ambulances, operations are cancelled and some travel as far as 11km just to sterilize equipment. The region is not connected to the national grid & relies on sole power supplier West Nile Rural Electrification Company Ltd (WENRECo), whose main generator broke down in September. Affected residents are so appalled with the services of WENRECo that they have called for its contract to be revoked, although it is not due to end until 2023. According to one local, operations had been cancelled and hospital staff were often forced to travel as far as 11km for vital sterilization of instruments. The referral hospital serving 2.8 million people across 8 regions does have a generator but says it has used its 3 month allocation in just one. How they will survive the other two months is going to be a big challenge. One resident remembers how she had to have a caesarean section during a blackout – her stitches had to be removed and re-done. Now expecting her third child, the thought of returning to hospital makes her apprehensive. With only ten percent of 10% of Ugandans having electricity & in rural areas as little as 3%; the efficiency of companies such as WENRECo is vital so that healthcare does not fail completely. Read the original article source

#Chain 36 Threat to withdraw aid and still “No Rainbow over Nigeria”

Article source English – adapted from many online sources

Back in November it was reported that The Nigerian Senate had passed a bill banning same-sex marriages & calling for sentences of up to 14 years for anybody convicted of homosexuality and 10 years for anybody “aiding and abetting” same sex unions. Despite Britain threatening to stop aid to the country, backed by Mr Cameron, the bill will go to the nation’s House of Representatives to be signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan.In most countries within Africa homosexuality was made illegal on the remnants of sodomy laws introduced during colonial eras and spurned on by cultural beliefs.Certain leaders within Africa have referred to homosexuality as a type of “madness” and in turn have threatened young people, taking this path, with severe punishment.With human rights issues having a long way to go in Africa, groups supporting gay and lesbian rights believe this bill will escalate the already growing violence against people because of their sexual orientation.December 8, it was reported that Mr Gay Namibia had been physically assaulted and left in hospital for twenty-four hours after being beaten with a bottle – Out-Right Namibia (ORN) said it “strongly condemns the homophobic attack.” It goes without saying that with the backing of the law people will feel justified into carrying out such bloody minded homophobic attacks.

#Chain 26 – Avec les Grecs, K.-O. debout

Le texte suivant est notre nouvelle contribution pour attirer l’attention sur les conséquences des plans d’austérité du point de vue du peuple et non des économistes « distingués ».

#Chain 16 – Lies, damned lies and statistics in Mexico’s drugs war?

After posting #Chain 11 “Mexico’s survivors are fighting back” we had a few mails sent to us denouncing the facts contained within the article. We were asked to take the chain down – of course we did not.

Our next Chain speaks for itself, surely it cannot all be lies?

Chain #11 – Mexico’s survivors are fighting back

Since time immemorial, Mexicans have argued that if it were not for US demand for illicit substances, Mexico would have a manageable drug problem. That Americans are hypocrites because they support prohibitionist & costly drug enforcement policies – yet, through the specious fallacy of medical marijuana, are legalizing drugs without saying so.

These points are the equivalent of believing that flowers and fruit would thrive in the desert if only it rained. They would, but it won’t!