Human Rights

You Can't Handle the Truth

by Sheldon Rampton — July 24, 2005 - 1:41am

Lawyers for the Defense Department are refusing to cooperate with an order from a federal judge to release 87 secret photographs and four videotapes showing human rights abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The images reportedly depict abuses more shocking than any the public has yet seen. After viewing them last year, U.S.

Main Source: 
New York Times, July 23, 2005

Ethics Adviser Dumps On Shell

by Bob Burton — July 6, 2005 - 4:04am

Following the execution of Nigerian environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa and its attempt to dump the Brent Spar oil platform in the ocean, Shell appointed a dozen people to oversee its image overhaul. A decade later, Simon Longstaff, one of Shell's twelve and the director of Sydney's St. James Ethical Centre, lashed out at Shell. "The process we went through was thorough and exhaustive, but what concerned me was seeing the marketing arm of the company turn it into a PR exercise as soon as we had finished," he said.

Main Source: 
Australian Financial Review (sub. req'd.), July 6, 2005

GuantanaWiki

by Diane Farsetta — June 22, 2005 - 5:54pm

Online volunteers are "using collaborative wiki software to expedite the process of perusing thousands of pages of complex documents related to detainees held by the U.S.

Main Source: 
Wired News, June 22, 2005

Propaganda's War on Human Rights

by Sheldon Rampton — June 21, 2005 - 2:52pm

British public relations consultant Liz Harrop, who specializes in "public awareness activity for human rights campaigning organisations and humanitarian projects," has written a report that analyzes the relationship between war propaganda and human rights, focusing on the U.S. and British governments in relation to the Iraqi rabbit hole.

Main Source: 
Tiger Tail Communications

Singers Off-Key on Debt-Relief

by Laura Miller — June 20, 2005 - 6:51pm

The British journalist George Monbiot warns the dangers of the upcoming G8 summit in Scotland are not that the public protests will be dangerous, "but that they will be far too polite. Let me be more precise.

Main Source: 
The Guardian (UK), June 21, 2005

Biotech Industry Uses Fake Famine To Promote GM Food

by Laura Miller — June 20, 2005 - 4:43pm

" The PR exploitation of drought and hunger in Zambia shows that for the [genetically modified (GM) food] lobby there are no limits, even when it involves rewriting history and manufacturing crimes against humanity," GM Watch's Jonathan Matthews writes. In 2002, Zambia sparked a firestorm when it refused to accept U.S. donations of GM corn to offset a looming famine. The Zambia government had concerns about the safety of GM foods.

Main Source: 
Freezerbox.com, June 20, 2005

Still in the Torturers' Lobby

by Diane Farsetta — May 23, 2005 - 3:22pm

The London office of U.S.-based PR giant Hill & Knowlton signed a $600,000 contract with the government of Uganda, "to improve Uganda's stained reputation as a human rights abuser and democracy laggard." Foreign Minister Sam Kuteesa confirmed the contract, which calls for Hill & Knowlton "to improve Uganda's image with donors and to help blunt damaging reports from human rights watchdogs that have been highly critical of the government." In Uganda, political activity is "restricted" and planned elections

Main Source: 
Agence France-Presse, May 21, 2005

Involving the Community with Tasers

by Bob Burton — May 11, 2005 - 1:39am

The Senior Vice-President with Dittus Communications, Kevin Walker, believes that Taser International, which makes the Taser stun guns that have caused dozens of deaths in the United States alone, is misunderstood.

Main Source: 
PR Week (sub. req'd.), May 9, 2005

Terrorism's Up, But Who's Counting?

by Sheldon Rampton — April 24, 2005 - 4:28am

For the first time in 20 years, the U.S. government will not be publishing Patterns of Global Terrorism, a Congressionally-mandated report from the U.S. Department of State intended to provide a full and complete record of countries and groups involved in international terrorism. Last year, the Bush administration was embarrassed when the report tallied 175 significant terrorist attacks - the highest number in two decades, contradicting the administration's claim that it is winning the war on terrorism.

Main Source: 
Knight Ridder, April 15, 2005

How Indonesia Wins Friends and Influences U.S. Foreign Policy

by Diane Farsetta — February 3, 2005 - 7:07pm
  • Topics: Human Rights, Public Relations

    • "I hope that, as a result of our efforts, as a result of our helicopter pilots' being seen by the citizens of Indonesia helping them, that value system of ours will be reinforced," said Colin Powell, one week after the tsunami wrought havoc across South and Southeast Asia.

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