Tequila leaves big envirnomental hangover (2)

Eight years after planting, the blue agave is ready for harvest. Its leaves are removed in order to extract the "piña", or heart of the plant, from the ground.

The pineapple-shaped hearts are set to bake 50 to 72 hours in brick ovens or steel tanks. The hearts soften and release the sugars used for fermentation.

In the fermentation process, the sugars are mixed with leavening, converting them into alcohol. The liquid is distilled twice, generally in stills made of copper or steel. The result is tequila, which can then be aged in oak barrels - "añejo" on the bottle's label indicates it has been aged.

In 1996, the Secretariat (ministry) of Environment and Natural Resources introduced standards for the degree of toxicity permitted in the waste and vinaza, which were to be adopted by the tequila industry in 2000. But none of the distilleries comply with all of the rules.

According to the standards, one liter of vinaza can generate no more than 150 milligrams of "biochemical oxygen demand" (BOD), a measurement of the quantity of the gas consumed in the biodegradation of the organic material in the water.

But each liter of vinaza emits about 25,000 milligrams of BOD, an indicator that permits measurements of water contamination.

According to the Jalisco State Environment Secretariat, only one of the 67 tequila factories there heeds the law on discharge of waste into rivers and lakes.

In 2007, the authorities conducted 197 inspections, found irregularities at 51 distilleries, and shut down two of them.

Due to increased tequila consumption within Mexico and abroad, the cultivation of blue agave has expanded to other regions.

"They are growing in a protected forest, invading several hectares, where it has replaced the encino trees," said Adriana Hernández, an activist with the non-governmental Save the Forest Committee, dedicated to protecting El Nixticuil forest.

El Nixticuil, declared a protected area in December 2005, extends across 1,850 hectares in the Jalisco municipality of Zapopán, 550 km from the Mexican capital.

The tequila industry has taken slow steps towards recognizing its polluting responsibilities. Some distilleries are neutralizing the acidity of the wastewater, and cool down the vinaza before discharging it, and produce compost from the agave pulp.

In 2010, two vinaza treatment plants are slated to begin operating.

In Hernández's opinion, there is no single solution to the environment problem. "The most common now is composting. In addition, they are trying to remove the oil coming from the cooked agave before distilling so that the vinaza is more environmentally friendly," said the researcher.

Tequila leaves big envirnomental hangover (1)

Tequila is causing a big environmental hangover in the lands where it is processed in central western Mexico, due to the constant dumping of highly acidic water to agricultural and water-source soils. Also, large quantities of untreated agave pulp go to waste.

Tequila, deeply absorbed into the national identity of Mexico, accompanies all types of family celebrations and national holidays. But many are unaware of the bitter taste the tequila industry leaves in the water and soil.

This liquor, which is about 38 percent alcohol (76 proof), comes from the fermentation and distillation of sugars from the blue agave (Agave tequilana weber), a plant with thick pointed leaves radiating out from a central point. It is native to Mexico.

Among the more than 200 agave varieties in this country, blue agave is the best for making tequila. Its Latin name refers to the German botanist, Franz Weber, who classified it in 1902.

The agave is grown in 180 municipalities in the western states of Jalisco, Nayarit and Michoacán, the central state of Guanajuato, and in Tamaulipas, in the east. This is the territory of the Tequila Denomination of Origin, established by the government in December 1974 to validate the legal status and quality of this liquor.

Mexico has 118 tequila factories and 715 brands. In Jalisco alone, considered the birthplace of tequila, the industry employs 38,000 people. From January to April, the factories produced 48 million liters, with about 40 million to be sold in Mexico and the rest for export.

But the tequila tradition and the business have environmental costs, particularly for water and soil.

To obtain one liter of tequila requires an input of at least 10 liters of water. However, the negative effect does not lie in the volume of water, "but rather the fact that the water is unlikely to be treated and will be discharged as industrial waste, in the ground and into streams and rivers. They are contaminated waters that contaminate more water," said José Hernández, a researcher with the University of Guadalajara and member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences.

For every liter of tequila bottled, the process generates five kilograms of agave pulp and seven to 10 liters of distillation waste, or "vinaza".

"The vinazas are acidic, they have an oil that makes the soil impermeable, and are hot when they are dumped. The acid is not recommended for agriculture; it should be neutralized. The oil makes the soil hard so it is useless for farming. And where the ground cracks, the vinaza filters into underground water sources," explained Hernández.

The indigenous peoples who lived in the region before the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors revered the agave for its many benefits. The plant represented Mayahuel, the Nahuatl goddess of fertility, whose 400 breasts fed an equal number of children.

As a distilled beverage, tequila emerged in the 16th century from the combination of the native raw material and a European fermentation process.

Brutal abuse of mentally disabled at a Texas school

A story broadcasted in the radio station KNX 1070 Newsradio informed that several mentally disabled residents at a Corpus Christy, Texas state school were forced to be part of a brutal “fight club” ran by night shift employees, who videotaped the sessions with their cellphones.

The videos were discovered by police in March when one of the school employees left his phone at a hospital and it was turned over to police. In an effort to find its owner, officers saw the disturbing videos.

A judge ordered the tapes released to an attorney suing the state on behalf of a former resident also forced into the "fight club."

"It happened for over a year and it happened for many nights out of the week," said the attorney, Bob Hilliard.

Hilliard's client, Armando Hernandez, says he was told he would "go to prison" if he did not fight.

Hernandez, who is mentally disabled, says he was fearful to even tell his mother of what was happening inside at night. "They say 'snitches get stitches,'" Hernandez told ABC News.

To read the full story, please visit http://www.knx1070.com/pages/4382401.php"

Congressional internships for disabled students open

The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) will offer, for the seventh consecutive summer, a congressional internship program for undergraduate students with disabilities.

Applications for the 2010 MEAF-AAPD Congressional Internship Program process will be open until January, 2010.

The internship program will:

• Allow students with disabilities to obtain first-hand knowledge of the legislative and political processes by working in congressional offices.
• Enable students with disabilities to acquire valuable work experience that will enhance their academic studies and career prospects.
• Demonstrate to members of Congress, their staff, and fellow interns the talents that students with disabilities can bring to a professional work environment.
• Introduce students to members of the Washington disability policy community and to national disability leaders through a series of seminars and special events such as the anniversary observance of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

As congressional interns, participants gain insight into congressional office operations, public policy development, and constituents' roles in the legislative and political processes. The internship program, administered by AAPD, was created in 2002 through a major grant from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation.

Here's how it works:

Eligibility:
Current college students with any type of disability are invited to apply. At the time of application, applicants must be enrolled as sophomores or juniors. They must have at least one more academic semester to complete, at the end of the summer internship. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.

How to Apply:
Please contact AAPD at (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY), to get information on how to obtain an application form. Applicants will need to email their resumes, references, and reference letters, in Microsoft Word format, to AAPD at internship@aapd.com.

Applications for AAPD’s summer internship programs open the fall prior to the program year and are accepted November through early January. Those selected for telephone interviews are notified in January and selected by March of the program year.

What Happens Next
• After reviewing all eligible applications, a group of finalists will be asked to participate in phone interviews.
• Eight (8) students will be selected for the congressional internship.
• The interns will begin their eight(8)-week internships with an orientation in Washington, D.C. to be held in late May 2010.
• Interns will receive a $1,500 stipend to be disbursed in three installments throughout the internship period.
• AAPD will arrange roundtrip transportation for each intern to arrive in Washington, D.C. in May and return home at the end of the summer.
• Accessible housing will also be provided, free-of-charge, to each intern.
• Students will work with congressional staff members to select a significant policy issue.
• Academic credit may be arranged; students must initiate this process.

Genes condicionan, no determinan discapacidades (2)

¿Y cómo influye el aspecto genético en el síndrome de Down?

"Este es un ejemplo de una enfermedad genética no hereditaria. Es genética porque se afectan los cromosomas, pero esta patología es un accidente biológico que ocurre durante la concepción, y eso no se hereda".

¿Qué aporta la genética para evitar o prevenir la discapacidad?

"La genética médica o humana está en sus comienzos. Sólo en los últimos 10 años estamos conociendo más los genes de los que dispone la especie humana en su aspecto molecular. Por ahora, una manera de hacer prevención genética es bastante antipática: evitar que nazcan niños con discapacidades graves a través del diagnóstico prenatal, que se indica generalmente en embarazos de riesgo. La pareja puede interrumpir el embarazo, evitando el nacimiento".

Entonces, por ahora, parece que la genética no aporta mucho para evitar la discapacidad.

"Por ahora no. Es una promesa".

Una promesa de perfección: ¿la gente vendrá más perfecta ?

"No, la gente no vendrá más perfecta. Creo que la genética contribuirá con mejores tratamientos para discapacidades porque se conocerá mejor cómo se producen algunas patologías y se podrá intervenir con métodos innovadores. También está la promesa de la terapia génica, pero creo que para eso falta mucho. La cuestión no es tan simple y no se reduce a cambiar un gen enfermo por uno sano, como a veces, en aras de la comprensión, se publica en los medios. Es que ninguna de las discapacidades depende sólo de factores genéticos. Con las mismas características genéticas, según el medio ambiente, un individuo puede ser feliz y sano o enfermo e infeliz. Por eso, si no supiéramos nada de genética, igual podríamos hacer muchas cosas por la salud de nuestros niños".

¿Por ejemplo?

"Controlar algunos factores que causan discapacidad: los accidentes; las infecciones, que dejan secuelas; una buena atención prenatal y del parto; la vacunación adecuada de la mamá para prevenir el síndrome de rubeola congénita; una alimentación materna suficiente para evitar el bajo peso, que es causa de discapacidad. Y no hay que olvidarse de que la discapacidad está definida socialmente, no biológicamente. Las personas con discapacidad nos dicen que sus principales dificultades derivan de las trabas que les pone la sociedad para integrarse. Ahí hay elementos de prevención: promover la aceptación de las diferencias, combatir los prejuicios y la discriminación".

Genes condicionan, no determinan discapacidades (1)

Un experto argentino en cuestiones genéticas dijo que los genes humanos condicionan, pero no determinan totalmente las discapacidades que los niños empiezan a desarrollar una vez que comienzan su formación como embrión en el útero de sus madres.

El pediatra Victor Penchaszadeh, director del Departamento de Genética Médica del hospital Beth Israel, de Nueva York, agregó que los factores ambientales pueden causar o evitar deficiencias fisicas o cognitivas.

Penchaszadeh, quien salió exiliado de la Argentina en diciembre de 1975, mencionó lo anterior en el marco del Primer Congreso Latinoamericano y Argentino de Discapacidad en Pediatria, que concluyo la semana pasada. Sus conocimientos en genética e identificación permitieron, entre otras cosas, hallar a niños desaparecidos, apropiados durante la ultima dictadura militar.

Penchaszadeh abandonó el pais bajo amenazas de muerte del comando paramilitar Triple A, creado por allegados de seguridad policial del ex-presidente Juan Domingo Perón. Ultimamente ha visitado la Argentina con relativa frecuencia, para estar al lado de su hijo Nicolás, y su primer nieto, quien está por nacer en estos días.

De causas y azares

“Alrededor del 50% de la discapacidad infantil tiene causas genéticas predisponentes", dijo Penchaszadeh. “Eso no quiere decir que el papá o la mamá tengan el mismo problema. La mayoría de las enfermedades genéticas son recesivas: si tanto el padre como la madre, aun siendo sanos, portan un gen recesivo y ambos genes, por azar, se juntan, pueden tener uno o varios niños con enfermedades genéticas. Por ejemplo, sordera o ceguera congénita, aunque los padres sean videntes y oyentes”.

¿Genético es igual a congénito?

"Congénito no alude a causa sino a cronología: significa que está presente en el momento del nacimiento, aunque no se detecte en esa instancia. La mayor parte de la patología congénita no es hereditaria: los efectos teratogénicos producidos en el feto por drogas, radiaciones o virus o el síndrome de alcohol fetal no se heredan, ocurren por factores ambientales durante el embarazo. En cambio, lo hereditario o genético es congénito: al nacer, tenemos todos los genes que heredamos de los padres, se expresen o no".

¿Cómo opera lo genético en las discapacidades más habituales?

"Hoy se conocen algunos genes que pueden predisponer para defectos en el cierre del tubo neural (el futuro sistema nervioso del bebe), que causan mielomeningocele o espina bífida. Uno de ellos se vincula con el metabolismo del ácido fólico. Por eso la suplementación previene del 50 a 55% de los defectos, pero no la totalidad. Sin embargo, existen otras causas ambientales que pueden desembocar en la misma patología. Por ejemplo, inadecuada nutrición, exposición a tóxicos, a infecciones".

Services for special students to receive new funds

The Obama administration has requested Congress for the next fiscal year to approve a package of about $268 million in grants that would help funding of programs for disabled students, English as a Second Language (ESL) students, students who are, or have been in foster care, and homeless students, to ease and improve their education in two-year community colleges and four-year universities.

These funds will be distributed to school and universities that qualify under special federal guidelines. These schools must have in place, or develop student support services (SSS) programs that help students with special needs in the retention, and application of concepts, and in matters that enable them to reach academic success.

The Department of Education will distribute these funds.

It’s estimated that the schools that qualify for these funds will receive between $220,000 and $360,000 each. All funds must be used in the development, or strengthening of specialized student services.

Programs in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), serving at least 120 students, health sciences, teacher preparation SSS project with at least 140 students each, and programs for disabled students with at least 100 students, will receive no less than $1,500 per pupil. Similarly, programs with at least 140 ESL students will receive the same projected funding per pupil.

The address to request an application package is: U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 7000, Washington, DC 20006-8510. Contact: Deborah Walsh. The telephone is (202) 502-7600. Deadline to apply is Dec. 7, 2009. The applications will be reviewed no later than Feb 4, 2010.

Terminos sobre discapacidades sensoriales

A continuación encontrarán una serie de terminos ligados a discapacidades sensoriales y/o auditivas:

Acusia: Pérdida de la audición.

Bilingüe: Persona que habla o domina dos lenguas.

Calidad de vida: Se define como la relación del individuo y sus posibilidades de satisfacción.

Código: Es un conjunto de signos y reglas que permiten formular y comprender un mensaje.

Código no lingüístico: Es aquel que no necesita el uso del lenguaje oral o verbal.

Comunicación: El acto de expresar y compartir ideas, deseos y sentimientos.

Deficiente Auditivo: Persona que tiene pérdida parcial de la audición.

Discapacidad: Se entiende por discapacidad toda restricción o ausencia de la capacidad de realizar una actividad en la forma o dentro del margen que se considera normal para un ser humano, producida por una deficiencia, y se caracteriza por excesos o insuficiencias en el desempeño y comportamiento en una actividad normal o rutinaria, los cuales pueden ser temporales o permanentes, reversibles o irreversibles, y progresivos o regresivos. Representa una objetivación de la deficiencia y por tanto, refleja alteraciones al nivel de la persona

Hipoacusia: Disminución del sentido de la audición. Puede ser debida a trastornos en el oído externo y medio (hipoacusia de conducción) o en el oído interno y la vía nerviosa auditiva (hipoacusia neurosensorial).

Intertribal: Entre tribus.

L.S.V.: Lenguaje de Señas Venezolanas.

Lenguaje: Cualquier sistema de signos destinados a la comunicación.

Lenguaje de señas: Lenguaje basado basa en gestos visibles regulados por reglas gramaticales.

Multimpedida: La persona que puede presentar una o más discapacidades.

O.N.U: Organización de las Naciones Unidas.

Sensorial: perteneciente o relativo a las sensaciones.

SORDO (con mayúscula): persona que utiliza una lengua de señas como modo de comunicación primario y se considera perteneciente a un grupo específico de personas (la Comunidad Sorda).

Sordo (con minúscula): Aquella persona con deficiencia auditiva que no se identifica con la Comunidad Sorda y participa en la cultura y en la comunidad mayoritaria (la oyente) únicamente a través de la utilización de sistemas de comunicación orales.

*Obtenidos del organismo Lengua de Señas Argentina (LSA).

Funds released to help poor with winter bills

In an effort to help low income, disabled and elderly people to pay utility bills during the winter season, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that more than $2.6 billion will be released to states, tribes and territories under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of HHS, announced the release of the funds. California will receive $50,040,993. The state of New York will receive the largest amount, totaling $359,452,627.

"By releasing this money now, we are helping to provide needed assistance to millions of Americans who otherwise might not be able to afford heat this winter," Sebelius said. "This program helps to offset seasonal energy costs for low income families, leaving more of their income to use for other necessities.”

LIHEAP helps eligible families pay the costs of heating and insulating their homes in the winter, and cooling their homes in the summer. HHS is releasing a large allocation of LIHEAP funds now in order to ensure that states have resources available to support their energy assistance programs as the weather turns colder, Sebelius said.

"Each year LIHEAP helps more than five million low income households deal with energy costs," said Carmen Nazario, assistant secretary for children and families. "We will continue to work with states, tribes and territories to assure their heating assistance programs work effectively."

Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance should contact their local, or state LIHEAP agency. Rosa Chapman is the director of Region IX, based in San Francisco. Region IX encompasses California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa.

If interested in this program, resident of Region IX can call (202) 260-6424

Social Security improves on case hearings

Despite the current economic downturn, and for the first time in several years, the Social Security Administration has reduced its number of pending disability appeal hearings, which allowed nearly 38,000 additional applicants to receive benefits.

Michael J. Astrue, commissioner of Social Security, said that during last fiscal year the backlog of hearings amounted to 760,813 cases. In 2008-2009, the pending claims were 722,822, an improvement of 37,991 cases. The average processing time for the cases improved to 491 days from 514 days.

“Our backlog reduction plan is working, and progress is accelerating,” Astrue said. “Even in the face of a significant increase in our workloads as a result of the worst recession since the Great Depression, we have reduced the hearings backlog for nine consecutive months.”

Astrue said the additional funding received from President Obama and Congress, earmarked in the stimulus package approved in February, was paramount to reduce backlogs of pending hearings.

The agency hired 147 new administrative law judges, who handle lots of appeal hearings. Social Security added 850 new staff members to support the judges’ work, and plans to hire 226 additional judges next fiscal year. The agency also opened three national hearing centers in Albuquerque, N.M, Baltimore, Md, and Chicago, Ill.

These centers process backlogged cases, and help in the handling of current and scheduled hearings. The agency also plans to open four satellite offices next year. One will be located in Anchorage, Ala. This office will begin to operate within the next few months.

This year, Social Security targeted 166,838 cases that were 850 days old or older, and almost processed them all. In 2010, the agency will focus again to speed up processing on files 825 days old, or older, Astrue said.

In addition, the agency averaged 570 cases finished per available administrative law judge this year. It amounts to 2.28 cases each judge disposed every day.

Obama announces changes in employment for disabled

President Obama announced that his administration is taking several steps to ensure there is fair and equal access to employment, particularly for the 54 million people in this country living with disabilities.

The announcement, issued on Oct. 5, came during National Disability Employment Awareness month.

"My administration is committed to ensuring that all Americans have the chance to fulfill their potential and contribute to our nation," President Obama said. "Across this country, millions of people with disabilities are working or want to work, and they should have access to the support and services they need to succeed.”

The president said the federal government, as the nation’s largest employer, and its contractors, can lead the way by implementing effective employment policies and practices that increase opportunities and help workers achieve their full potential.

“We must also rededicate ourselves to fostering an inclusive work culture that welcomes the skills and talents of all qualified employees. That’s why I’ve asked the responsible agencies to develop new plans and policies to help increase employment across America for people with disabilities.”

The following are some of the steps the Obama administration will take:

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) will collaborate to sponsor and organize a day long federal government-wide job fair for people with disabilities. The fair will take place in early spring 2010.

In addition to the job fair, the OPM, the ODEP, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Department of Defense's Office on Computer and Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP), will provide workshops throughout the day on a variety of topics including the schedule A hiring waiver and the right to the provision of reasonable accommodations including information on assistive and communications technology.

OPM will develop training on schedule A for federal human resources specialists, hiring managers and selective placement coordinators that will be easily accessible. It will include on line training.

EEOC and the Department of Justice's Civil Rights division will hold four town hall meetings throughout the nation to share information about the ADA Amendments Act proposed regulations and to gather comments on them. All town hall meetings will consist of two sessions: one for disability advocates and one for the employer community. These sessions will be completed by Nov. 20. The four locations are Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and New Orleans.

The Department of Justice will release a video that will identify and respond to a number of common myths held by employers about workers with disabilities.
OPM will create and lead a task force comprised of representatives from key federal departments and agencies that have developed and implemented model practices for recruiting, retaining and advancing employees with disabilities.

The task force will report on the innovative practices agencies use to encourage the employment of individuals with disabilities.

The report will identify and promote successful practices for conducting outreach, recruiting, hiring qualified candidates, successful accommodations, and providing opportunities for career advancement at all levels.

Scholarships program for disabled students launched

The organization American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) is offering several scholarships worth about $1,000 each for high school graduates and graduate-bound students to attend four-year universities and graduates schools across the nation.

All applicants must be high school graduates, or bachelor's degree recipients, have documented disability and provide documentation of their disabilities.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal residents living in this country. They need to be enrolled in, or accepted by, an accredited US four year university or graduate school on a full-time basis.

Preference will be given to students majoring in public health, disability studies, health promotion or a field related to disability and health, and all the topics that can be included in disability policy and disability research.

The mission of the American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) is to contribute to national, state, and local efforts to promote health and wellness in people with disabilities and identify effective intervention strategies that reduce health disparities between people with disabilities and the general population. AAHD accomplishes its mission through research, education and advocacy at the national, state and community level.

In 2008, AAHD launched the "Disability and Health Journal" (DHJ), the first peer reviewed, scientific, scholarly and multidisciplinary journal that focuses on health promotion and wellness for people with disabilities. Royalties from the DHJ will fund the first year of the AAHD scholarship fund.

In 2009, AAHD created the AAHD scholarship program. As this is the first year of the scholarship program, funds are limited. Scholarships will be competitive. The AAHD board of directors scholarship committee will evaluate each of the applicants and make a decision.

The first AAHD scholarship award will be on December 2009. The scholarship committee will determine how many scholarships will be awarded each year, and the amount of each scholarship.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM CRITERIA

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant must provide a Personal Statement (maximum 3 pages-double spaced), including brief personal history, educational/career goals, extra-curricular activities, and reasons why they should be selected to get the AAHD scholarship. This Statement must be written solely by the applicant.

Applicant must provide three letters of recommendation (one must be from a teacher or academic advisor).

Applicant must provide an official copy of high school transcript as well as college transcript (if applicable).

Applicant must agree to allow AAHD to use their name, picture and/or story in future scholarship materials.

Please mail applications to:
AAHD, Att: Scholarship Committee, 110 North Washington St., Suite 328J, Rockville, MD 20850 (301) 545-6140. To download an application, visit http://www.aahd.us. Only completed applications will be considered. They need to be postmarked by Nov. 15, 2009.

Please e-mail Roberta Carlin, AAHD executive director at rcarlin@aahd.us, or call (301) 545-6140 ext. 206 if you have any questions.

HUD offers $20 million for accessible housing, independent living

Hoping to strengthen independent living and services for the disabled, elderly, and non-elderly legal residents, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has offered $20 million in grants to owners of multi-family housing developments to support the hiring of service employees and to increase the number of units accessible for the elderly and the disabled.

HUD is making these grants available through its service coordinator program. The program will support the hiring of service coordinators to help frail and at-risk elderly individuals and persons with disabilities access health care, meals and other critical support services.

“HUD is helping to provide older Americans and those with disabilities with safe, affordable housing. These grants will help provide the services they need to allow them to remain in their homes, connected to their communities and friends, rather than face unnecessary institutionalization,’’ said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.

The service coordinator program funding covers service coordinators salaries and fringe benefits, training, quality assurance, and relevant administrative expenses. Service coordinators assess resident needs, identify and link residents to appropriate services, and monitor the delivery of services.

Services involve activities of residents' daily living (ADLs), such as eating, dressing, bathing, grooming, transferring, and home management. A service coordinator may also educate residents about what services are available and how to use them, and help residents build informal support networks with other residents, family, and friends. The service coordinator may not require any elderly or disabled family to accept the supportive services.

These grants will be awarded to owners of privately owned multifamily housing developments that receive money from HUD to house low-income individuals. The owners or their management companies will use the funding offered today to either hire or contract service coordinators with backgrounds in providing social services, to the frail elderly and people with disabilities, and to assist their residents with special needs.

Owners of Section 202, Section 8, Section 221(d)(3) below-market interest rate, and Section 236 developments may apply for funding. Eligibility for grant funding is limited to those developments designed for the elderly and persons with disabilities, including any such building within a mixed-use project originally designed for them or where the owner gives preferences in tenant selection with HUD approval.

Type of assistance
HUD provides funding through three mechanisms at this time: (1) a national competition with other properties for a limited amount of grant funding, (2) the use of the development's residual receipts or excess income, or (3) budget-based rent increases or special rent adjustments.

HUD will award grants to approximately 100 applicants. Applications are due on or before Nov. 5, 2009.

Eligible customers
Service Coordinators can serve residents who are elderly or have a disability. "Elderly" is defined as age 62 or older. "Disabled" is defined three ways: 1) has a disability as defined in Section 223 of the Social Security Act; 2) has a physical, mental, or emotional impairment expected to be of long, continued, and indefinite duration that impedes the individual's ability to live independently, or 3) has a developmental disability.

Funding status
In Federal fiscal year 2006, HUD awarded 75 grants for a total of $12,105,849. These grants serve 78 developments, with a total of 6,038 units.

Target sued for unlawful employee treatment

A labor discrimination lawsuit filed in Los Angeles claims Target Stores. Inc., unlawfully denied reasonable accommodations to an employee with disability impairments, and substantially reduced his work hours due to his medical conditions.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed the lawsuit on Aug. 24. The EEOC establishes that Target subjected his employee at the chain’s Foothill Ranch location, in southern Orange County, to discriminatory practices on the basis of disability when it failed to notify his job coach and parents of any individual meetings involving work issues and job performance, as they requested.

The disabled worker was unable to fully communicate with others without the assistance of a job coach because of his cerebral palsy, and limited intellectual functioning.

Hence, the disabled employee was compelled to attend these in-person meetings alone, even though the job coaches and his parents have made several requests to be present in the meetings. Target hired the employee with full knowledge of his disabilities and needs for reasonable accommodations, wrote the EEOC.

The EEOC filed its lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, after it failed to reach an out of court settlement. Target's alleged conduct violates Title I of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and Title I of the Civil Rights Act of 1991.

Anna Y. Park, EEOC Los Angeles office district regional attorney, said the retail chain store knew well in advance it was dealing with an employee with a disability, and failed to provide assistance as required by the ADA and the 1991 Civil Rights Act.

“What is particularly disturbing here is that Target already knew this employee was disabled and needed assistance with communicating during in-person meetings,” said attorney Park. “Target’s failure to provide a reasonable accommodation denied him equal benefits and privileges of employment. Despite his disabilities, the employee in this case was qualified and motivated to work, but Target denied him an equal opportunity to succeed in the workplace.”

Target’s corporate offices are located in Minneapolis, Minn. It operates more than 1,700 stores in 49 states in the country, including more than 240 Super Target outlets. Target currently hires about 351,000 employees.

Region receives ARRA grants for local public transportation

A series of 50 grants for public transportation totaling $1.2 billion were awarded on Aug. 13 by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, as part of the nation’s stimulus economic package signed on February by President Barack Obama. The southern California region will receive $95.4 million.

These grants are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and aim to improve and refurbish old and worn buses, purchase paratransit units and new buses, and increase security in dozens of buses, trains, and urban train depots of cities and towns across the country.

Locally, the cities that will benefit are Lompoc, San Diego, Claremont, Commerce, and the Southern California Regional Rail Authority. In Claremont, two 25-foot long buses to transport disabled riders will be purchased with $124,728.

“The Recovery Act was put in place quickly to rescue the economy from the worst recession since the Great Depression and rebuild it for a stronger future,” said LaHood. “Rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure is a key part of that prescription for strength. It creates jobs today and builds a better, more sustainable economy moving forward.”

Since the president signed ARRA into law, grants totaling more than $4.2 billion have been made available for transit improvements throughout the nation.

“These funds are creating jobs now while investing in the future of our transit systems,” said Peter Rogoff, an administrator with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). “The public’s demand for transit service continues to grow, and these dollars will help meet that need.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation has made $48.1 billion available for highway, road, transit, bridge, and airport construction and repairs nationwide. Of that, $23.9 billion already has been slated to fund nearly 7,500 approved projects in cities, entities and most states.

In southern California, this is how the grants will be spend:

• City of Lompoc: $1.3 million to purchase one 40-foot replacement coach, two American with Disabilites Act vans, four 30-foot replacement buses, security improvement and safety equipment.

• Southern California Regional Rail Authority: $21.9 million to fund safety and capacity improvements on the Metrolink system; positive train control on the Metrolink System.

• City of Commerce: $581,682 to purchase one 35-foot low-floor bus and transit management software.

• City of Claremont: $124,748 to purchase two 25-foot paratransit buses.

• San Diego Association of Governments: $73 million to fund construction of the multi-modal transit center, rail electrification, track improvements and a bridge replacement; design and construction of the trolley wayside and trackway modifications including stations to support new low-floor vehicle operations on the Blue Line.

EEOC files lawsuit for wrongful firing of disabled

A woman who was unlawfully fired because of her disability by Aveva Drug Delivery Systems Inc., a Florida manufacturer of medical patches, received the aid of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), agency that filed a lawsuit against the company for wrongful termination.

The EEOC lawsuit, filed in Miami Aug. 3, states that Aveva Drug Delivery Systems discriminated against an employee with a disability who receives dialysis treatments for her disease called ‘End Stage Renal Disease’. The employee, a 50-year old woman, carried a catheter in her arm used for dialysis treatment. She injured her arm at work, and required medical treatment and a leave of absence.

Aveva fired the woman after she came back from the leave of absence related to the treatment of her arm and disability, the EEOC filed.

“Too many employers still discriminate against individuals with disabilities based on myths, fears or stereotypes,” said Jacqueline McNair, director of the EEOC’s Miami district office. “We brought this lawsuit because the underlying purpose of the ADA is to eliminate employment discrimination for individuals with disabilities who are qualified to do the job. Employers must remember that disability does not mean inability.”

This conduct violates Title I of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), McNair said. EEOC filed the lawsuit after first attempting to reach a settlement with Aveva out of court.

Aveva Drug Delivery Systems develops, researches, and manufactures patches that, attached to the human skin, help smokers to stop consuming cigarettes.

Nora E. Curtin, regional attorney for EEOC, said employers should learn disabled employees have a right to keep their jobs if they need prompt medical attention.

“Workers with disabilities should not have to choose between keeping their jobs and getting medical treatment. Employers must treat disabled employers with dignity and respect and not discard them as liabilities.”

Obama firmará en ONU tratado pro discapacitados(2)

Al ser consultados sobre su decisión de no firmar el tratado en 2006, funcionarios del gobierno de George W. Bush (2001-2009) respondieron que la ADA "es la ley que mejor protege los derechos de los discapacitados en el mundo".

"Creemos que la forma más constructiva de proceder es que cada país persiga este objetivo mediante medidas concretas locales", añadieron. Aun así participaron en las negociaciones.

"Durante casi una década, Estados Unidos quedó afuera de los nuevos tratados que se negociaban y de los existentes que ganaban apoyo internacional", indicó Amon, de HRW. "Con la firma de la CDPD, este país comienza a reafirmar su liderazgo internacional en materia de derechos humanos".

Con ésta decisión, Obama cumple una promesa electoral.

"La firma de la CDPD favorecerá un enfoque más enérgico e integral en Estados Unidos que permitirá hacer frente a las miles de injusticias que sufren las personas con discapacidades", subrayó James Felakos, de ACLU.

Burkina Faso y Haití se convirtieron el jueves en los últimos países en firmar la CDPD.

El tratado protege los derechos de unas 650 millones de personas con discapacidades, que constituyen 10 por ciento de la población mundial y la minoría más grande del planeta.

La cifra aumenta permanentemente con el crecimiento de la población mundial y su envejecimiento, según la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), lo que vuelve más significativa la firma de Estados Unidos.

El Protocolo Facultativo de la Convención fue suscrito por 83 países. Éste abre la posibilidad de denunciar ante el Comité sobre los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidades, de 18 miembros, violaciones a la CDPD después de haber agotado todos los recursos nacionales.

El tratado contribuyó a cambiar la percepción sobre las personas con discapacidades, señaló Jorge Ballestero, vicepresidente del comité especial que redactó durante cuatro años la Convención antes de que fuera adoptada por la Asamblea General, el 13 de diciembre de 2006.

"Antes de la Convención, la discapacidades solía ser considerada una enfermedad, pero ahora nos damos cuenta de que es una interacción entre cierta condición y la sociedad", explicó. "Ésta debe ayudar a eliminar la discapacidades mediante la accesibilidad, la no discriminación, la protección y el respeto de los mismos derechos para todos".

La comunidad internacional ansiaba que Estados Unidos suscribiera los tratados de derechos humanos para que su papel en la materia fuera más importante en el concierto mundial.

"Nada pudo ser más significativo para la celebración por la ADA, una de las leyes más importantes en materia de derechos civiles, que el anuncio del presidente Obama", subrayó Deborah J. Vagins, de ACLU.

"Todas las personas, en Estados Unidos y en el mundo, merecen igualdad de oportunidades, independencia económica y una plena participación en la sociedad", remarcó.

Obama firmará tratado en ONU pro discapacitados(1)

El presidente de Estados Unidos, Barack Obama, firmará una convención a favor de las personas con discapacidades, el primer tratado internacional sobre derechos humanos que suscribe este país en más de una década.

El anuncio fue hecho el viernes 24 de Julio al celebrarse el 19 aniversario de la aprobación de la Ley sobre Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (ADA, por sus siglas en inglés). Una vez que el presidente suscriba el tratado, éste será enviado al Congreso legislativo para su ratificación y su posterior promulgación.

Será el cuarto convenio internacional suscrito por Estados Unidos y el primero en este siglo.

Obama tiene previsto firmar la Convención sobre los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidades (CDPD) esta semana cuando visite la sede de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) en Nueva York.

Organizaciones de la sociedad civil nacionales e internacionales aplaudieron el compromiso de Obama con los derechos humanos.

"Es un gran día para los derechos de las personas con discapacidades y un avance para el movimiento de derechos humanos de Estados Unidos", señaló el director de la Unión por las Libertades Civiles Estadounidenses (ACLU), Jamil Dakwar.

"Con la firma de la CDPD, Obama colocará de vuelta a Estados Unidos en el camino de la promoción y la defensa de los derechos humanos en el ámbito nacional e internacional", remarcó. "Este es un país muy importante como para quedar al margen de un asunto tan vital".

La organización de derechos humanos Human Rights Watch (HRW), con sede en Nueva York, también aplaudió la decisión de Obama y consideró que el convenio internacional contribuye a la plena inserción social de las personas con discapacidades.

"Es un gran triunfo para las personas implicadas y para los activistas que trabajaron duro para lograrlo", señaló Joe Amon, director del programa de derechos humanos y salud de HRW.

La CDPD fue adoptada por la Asamblea General de la ONU en 2006 y abierta a la firma de los estados miembros el 30 de marzo del año siguiente. Fue suscrita enseguida por 82 países. En la actualidad, 140 naciones la firmaron y 61 la ratificaron.

Los signatarios del tratado deben prohibir toda forma de discriminación contra las personas con discapacidades y "promover la accesibilidad y el trabajo" para garantizar su pleno goce "de los derechos sociales, económicos y culturales", según la ACLU.

La CDPD tiene ocho disposiciones centrales que incluyen la prevención de la discriminación, la accesibilidad, el derecho a la educación, a la salud, a la participación y al voto.

Estados Unidos es uno de los pocos países que no ha suscrito el convenio y el único de la Organización del Tratado del Atlántico Norte (OTAN).

Barreras legales a los delitos de odio(2)

También se incrementaron los delitos contra judíos, afroestadounidenses, asiáticos y originarios de las islas del Pacífico.

"Demasiadas veces, cuando se cometen atroces crímenes contra personas por sus discapacidades, estos delitos no se reportan o no son juzgados como tales, aun cuando las circunstancias claramente muestran que la víctima fue atacada" por su condición, dijo el presidente de la Asociación Estadounidense de Personas con Discapacidades, Andrey Imparato.

Según el Centro Sureño de Derecho y Pobreza, una organización sin fines de lucro, el año pasado estuvieron activos 926 grupos de odio en este país, cuatro por ciento más que en 2007.

Además del debate inmigratorio, la recesión económica y la elección de Barack Obama como el primer presidente negro del país son factores que habrían contribuido a la proliferación de estos grupos.

Autoridades informaron que Obama recibió más amenazas de muerte que ningún otro candidato presidencial.

"Muchas comunidades negras han visto un pico en los delitos de odio, e incluso cuando hay leyes para proteger a víctimas del odio, algunas no son suficientes", afirmó la presidenta del Consejo Nacional de La Raza, Janet Murguia.

"Este proyecto de ley le dará al gobierno federal jurisdicción para juzgar delitos de odio en estados donde la actual ley es inadecuada. Al aprobarlo, el Congreso enviaría un fuerte mensaje de que los actos de intolerancia son inaceptables", añadió.

Los críticos del proyecto dicen que va en contra de los derechos a libre discurso y a libre asociación.

Sin embargo, la directora de la Oficina Legislativa en Washington de la Asociación Estadounidense de Libertades Civiles, Caroline Fredrickson, señaló que apoya el proyecto de ley "porque protege tanto los derechos civiles como los de libertad de discurso y de asociación".

"Hemos descubierto en nuestra experiencia que pelear por más fuertes protecciones a los derechos civiles y a la libertad de discurso y asociación son cosas que van de la mano", añadió.

Mientras se rumorea que el gobierno de Obama restringirá el derecho a portar armas, informes indican que cada vez más personas compran pistolas. Según el FBI, hubo 1,2 millones de solicitudes más de compra de armas entre noviembre de 2008 y febrero de 2009 que en el mismo periodo del año previo.

Por otra parte, se filtró un informe de inteligencia interna alertando sobre grupos extremistas que buscan nuevos reclutas, en medio de la crisis financiera.

Barreras legales a los delitos de odio(1)

Líderes de varias organizaciones religiosas y de derechos humanos de Estados Unidos pidieron la aprobación de un proyecto de ley para fortalecer la protección ante delitos de odio.

La Ley para la Prevención de Delitos de Odio y su Aplicación Local, es apoyada por más de 300 organizaciones defensoras de las libertades civiles y grupos religiosos.

Estos "son delitos contra todos nosotros, delitos contra nuestras comunidades", afirmó el director del Centro de Judaísmo Reformado para la Acción Religiosa, el rabino David Saperstein.

El proyecto de ley habilita la intervención de las autoridades federales y autoriza al Departamento de Justicia a investigar y juzgar la violencia contra una persona por razones, comprobadas o denunciadas, de raza, color, religión, origen nacional, género, orientación sexual, identidad de género o discapacidad.

Provee también a las autoridades locales más recursos para combatir estos delitos y le concede al gobierno federal jurisdicción en estados donde la ley actual es inadecuada.

Actualmente, un delito de odio sólo merece atención fuera de las fronteras estaduales si la víctima participaba de alguna actividad patrocinada por el gobierno federal, como integrar un jurado o asistir a una escuela pública.

"La violencia contra las personas por lo que son, lo que adoran o el color de piel que tienen es la antítesis de lo que entendemos por nación", afirmó Wade Henderson, presidente de la Conferencia sobre Derechos Civiles, que apoya el proyecto de ley.

El texto, que sus partidarios impulsan desde hace una década, había sido previamente añadido a otra legislación y aprobado en forma preliminar por ambas cámaras del Congreso, pero luego eliminado en los comités que lo analizaron.

Los delitos de odio siguen siendo un problema en Estados Unidos, según la más reciente información del Buró Federal de Investigaciones (FBI). Los ataques a personas de origen latinoamericano crecieron en 2007 por cuarto año consecutivo, mientras que los dirigidos a homosexuales aumentaron casi seis por ciento.

Honduras: Élites culpables de fragilidad democrática(2)

Además, el Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA) analizó la situación en Nicaragua, con la presencia de Insulza y de representantes de México.

También desde el mismo país, los gobiernos integrantes de la Alianza Bolivariana para los Pueblos de Nuestra América rechazaron el golpe en el marco de una reunión convocada de urgencia y en la cual participó el propio Zelaya. Honduras es miembro de estos dos bloques, al igual que, por supuesto, de la OEA, cuya Asamblea General se reúne este martes.

Simpatizantes de Zelaya, especialmente de integrantes del izquierdista partido de Unificación Democrática (UD), quemaron llantas y montaron una vigilia en los alrededores de la sede del gobierno.

Bertha Oliva, del no estatal Comité de Familiares Detenidos-Desaparecidos en Honduras (Cofadeh), dijo que como parte de las secuelas del golpe al menos 14 dirigentes populares están siendo amenazados al trascender que existen órdenes de captura en su contra.

La canciller Patricia Rodas fue una de las detenidas y en la noche del 28 expulsada hacia México. Fue retenida por varias horas en la base militar aérea Hernán Acosta Mejía, aseguró el presidente de Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, desde Managua, donde finalmente recaló la funcionaria.

A su vez, el Movimiento de Mujeres por la Paz "Visitación Padilla" hizo sentir su voz de protesta ante cualquier "confabulación que se realice entre los grupos o clases sociales para romper el estado de derecho que hemos venido construyendo durante largos años; bien o mal, pero es un esfuerzo del pueblo", dijo Gladys Lanza, coordinadora de esa organización de la sociedad civil.

Para los analistas consultados es factible entender el rol de los militares en estas crisis en Honduras, pero no así el de los partidos políticos. "Si jugaron a un golpe cívico-militar, de qué partidos democráticos hablamos. Parece entonces que carecemos de actores sociopolíticos democráticos y eso es preocupante para la sociedad y el país en general", dijo Sierra.

Todo indica, prosiguió, que falló toda la institucionalidad creada en los últimos 27 años. Honduras instaló a mediados de los años 90 el Foro Nacional de Convergencia, para dar espacio al diálogo político, que reúne a los más representativos sectores sociales, políticos y económicos. Pero ante el enfrentamiento entre los poderes Ejecutivo y Legislativo, "esta instancia nunca funcionó, no se pronunció, se invisibilizó y esa es una crítica fuerte que debemos hacer".

El diputado Toribio Aguilera, del Partido de Innovación y Unidad Social Demócrata (PINU/SD), dijo que "ha sucedido un hecho lamentable, fue algo doloroso para la democracia, pero necesario".

"El ex presidente no dejó opción porque se trataron y plantearon todas las salidas, pero él quiso seguir violando la ley, y nadie está por encima de la ley ni de la Constitución", justificó.

Según el mandato legislativo del domingo 28 de junio, Micheletti ejercerá la presidencia de Honduras por seis meses y deberá garantizar los comicios generales para noviembre.

Honduras: Élites culpables de inestabilidad democrática(1)

El golpe de Estado perpetrado en Honduras el 28 de junio muestra que la democracia recuperada en 1982 aún sigue cercada por la alianza militar con el poder económico-político tradicional, según analistas. Las condenas y rechazos al derrocamiento de Manuel Zelaya parten desde todo el continente americano.

"La época de inestabilidad de los años 70 y 80 con regímenes militares parece no haber sido superada como pensamos, al ser nuevamente una alianza cívico-militar la responsable de este retroceso democrático con la salida del presidente Zelaya", dijo el historiador Rolando Sierra, de la estatal Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras.

La historia de los golpes militares en Honduras ha estado marcada por la connivencia de sectores políticos vinculados a los históricos partidos Liberal y Nacional, con más de un siglo de existencia.

El golpe se ejecutó el mismo día en que se debía realizar una consulta popular informal para que la ciudadanía hondureña respondiera si estaba a favor o en contra de instalar una Asamblea Constituyente para reformar la ley fundamental de elecciones presidenciales, y que, en caso de ganar, su integración se elegiría en simultáneo a las elecciones generales que estaban previstas para noviembre.

El Congreso legislativo, opositor en casi su totalidad, declaró que la convocatoria violaba la Constitución y sostuvo que Zelaya quería la reforma para poder aspirar a la reelección, hoy vedada. También la justicia, el Tribunal Supremo Electoral, la Fiscalía del Estado y la Procuraduría General de la República habían dictaminado en igual sentido.

Zelaya, quien asumió el gobierno en 2006 como líder del Partido Liberal pero a poco de andar se enemistó con sus correligionarios y quedó apoyado por izquierdistas y organizaciones sociales y de derechos humanos, fue sacado de su casa en la madrugada del domingo por un centenar de efectivos militares y puesto en un avión de la fuerza aérea rumbo a Costa Rica.

Tras la expulsión de Zelaya del país, el Poder Legislativo lo sustituyó por quien hasta ese momento era el presidente del cuerpo y por tal el siguiente en el orden de reemplazos, Roberto Micheletti, también liberal pero enfrentado al mandatario derrocado.

"Parece que no fuimos capaces de llegar a otros estadios de mayor democracia, se tuvo que llegar al golpe de Estado y ello demuestra que seguimos siendo una democracia frágil y lo que estamos viendo es que estamos volviendo al pasado", apuntó Sierra.

El ambiente se caldeo cuando Zelaya removió de su cargo a un alto jefe militar, quien se nego a formar parte del dispositivo de seguridad y supervisión de la consulta popular. La Suprema Corte de Honduras le ordenó a Zelaya no removerlo de su puesto, lo que Zelaya ignoró.

A su vez, la socióloga Mirna Flores, comentó que "no se le puede dar salida a un conflicto político con las armas, esas eran las salidas del autoritarismo". "Estamos frente a una crisis del sistema de partidos políticos, donde los dirigentes no aceptan la más mínima apertura a la ampliación de espacios democráticos", añadió.

Honduras es visto hoy como la "antidemocracia de la región, porque lo acontecido revive la historia de los tristemente golpes militares en América Latina", acotó Flores.

Retail stores ignore possible disabled employees

A study conducted by Rutgers University in New Jersey concluded that in the retail trade sector of many American corporations exists discrimination and shortsightedness when hiring practices of people with disabilities take place.

The document is titled “An Overview of U.S. Corporate Practices in the Employment of People with Disabilities: Spotlight on the Retail Trade Sector." It indicates the rates of hired people with disabilities in relationship with hired regular employees remain “unaceptably low.”

Despite campaigns launched by corporations to attract customers with disabilities, improve productivity and reduce turnover and absenteeism, and to build better public perceptions, many retailers have failed to develop programs to lure possible employees with disabilities, the study finds.

“While the majority of top U.S. retailers have diversity programs and efforts in place, their visible activities devoted to including people with disabilities varies, or are invisible to the public,” the study concludes. “There is considerable room for improvement in promoting and realizing employment for people with disabilities in the retail industry.”

Amongst the inclusive companies are Best Buy, CVS/Caremark, The Home Depot, Walgreens and WalMart. Kroger, the parent company of Ralphs and Food 4 Less is a non-committal corporation, while Costco, Lowes, Safeway, Sears Holding and Target were categorized as "absent" of specific programs targeting employment of people with disabilities.

The study indicates corporations that lack these programs should learn from progressive companies that have developed them. They should make people with disabilities visible, open their markets to the disability community, promote their success, and draw programs for the disabled focused on the retail industry.

The document was written in coordination with the John J. Hendrich Center of Workforce Development.

Support grows for black awareness in Argentina(2)

In spite of this, their influence remained alive. But towards the end of the 19th century, when the foundations of the Argentine nation were laid, key figures like President Domingo Sarmiento (1868-1874) threw the doors of the country open to white European immigrants and disdained the contribution of black and indigenous peoples.

According to Miriam Gomes, head of the Cape Verdean Mutual Aid Society of Dock Sud, a district near the port of Buenos Aires, the recent influx of African immigrants, since the 1990s, has had the effect of holding up a mirror for the descendants of earlier arrivals to see themselves, an experience they had been denied for centuries.

That is why, lately, the score or so of Afro-descendants' organizations in Argentina, in Buenos Aires and in the country's provincial cities, are trying to emerge from the shadows and proclaim their cultural values, or rediscover them if they have lost all contact with their roots.

"Some people look shocked when we tell them that their kinky hair might mean they have black ancestors," said Victoria Díaz of the Cape Verdean Society . She said that some time ago, a blond white man who had information about a possible African ancestor was surprised when this was confirmed.

The organizations are also trying to shed light on African contributions to typical expressions of national culture, including traditional dances like the tango, the milonga, or the chacarera, as well as candombe. There are also African influences in literature, cuisine, religion and the language.

"In Argentina, the word 'quilombo' means a complete mess, something disorganized or poorly put together, but for us the Quilombo of Palmares is our pride and joy," said Bonga, referring to a settlement of former slaves who escaped from Brazilian plantations during Portuguese colonial rule.

As part of their bid for heightened recognition, the communities held the first "Black Argentina" Festival in Buenos Aires in late May, with performances by music and dance groups, a display of musical instruments, and tables with information about the different Afro-descendants' organizations in the country.

Gómes is in charge of a project titled "Support for the Afro-Argentine Population and Its Grassroots Organizations", aimed at making their work more visible. The project's goal is to foster unity among the descendants of enslaved Africans and Cape Verdeans who arrived in the late 19th century, and recent black immigrants from Africa, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru and the Caribbean.

These communities are not represented in the media or the educational system, Bonga said. "We only appear in school plays as vendors of candles and pastries," she complained, about celebrations of the country's independence in which black people are portrayed only in the servant roles forced on them in colonial society.

Support grows for black awareness in Argentina(1)

Argentina’s small black community, ignored by historical constructions that have traditionally focused on the influence of European immigration, is now fighting for recognition of its contribution to culture in the Argentine capital.

"We are fighting for visibility, for recognition of our contribution to culture, and to resist the prejudice that associates black people only with entertainment and carnival," said Diego Bonga, a musician and luthier of Angolan and Congolese ancestry, and an active member of the Afrocultural Movement in Buenos Aires.

Bonga was born in Uruguay, where "candombe," a musical genre of African origin, is part of the national identity. In the last few decades a wave of Afro-descendants from neighbouring Uruguay, mainly Montevideo, arrived in Buenos Aires, and their drumming has contributed to raising the visibility of black people in Argentina.

The Afrocultural Movement, which emerged in the late 1990s, offers workshops in dance, candombe, capoeira (an Afro-Brazilian blend of martial arts and dance), and making musical instruments, and has a video library and a games room. But for months now it has been threatened with eviction. Its premises, formerly an abandoned factory, are now being claimed by the owners.

Legal action taken by the members of the Movement extracted a commitment from the Buenos Aires city government to provide alternative premises for their activities, which have been declared of cultural interest by the city parliament. Meanwhile they have suspended classes and packed up their equipment in boxes.

"Our culture cannot be learned at a university. We need these spaces in order to preserve it. The centre we created is unique, all the representatives of African culture in Argentina meet here," Bonga said. The Culture Secretariat's promised solution has still not materialised.

Black peoples’ presence and contribution to national culture have been systematically denied by official historiography. There is also a widespread perception that there are no people of African descent in Argentina, where 97 percent of the population describe themselves as white.

However, the latest scientific research has shown that more than half of the population has at least one Amerindian ancestor, and that the average genetic structure of the Argentine population contains a European contribution of around 78 percent, an indigenous contribution of between 16 and 19 percent, and an African contribution of between 2.5 and four percent.

In 1810, when the territory that is now Argentina ceased to be a colony of Spain, black people made up 30 percent of the population of Buenos Aires, and in some provinces they were the majority, as in Córdoba in the centre, Catamarca in the west and Tucumán in the north.

This very significant population, descended from Africans brought over as slaves in colonial times, was decimated when black soldiers served as cannon fodder in the War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870), in which Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay virtually devastated Paraguay, which lost one million of its then 1.3 million people.

The yellow fever epidemic that killed off about eight percent of the population of Buenos Aires, apparently introduced by soldiers returning from the war, caused ravages particularly among Afro-descendants, who lived in overcrowded conditions without any sanitation.

HUD reports record number of housing discrimination cases

Despite advances achieved within the last five months regarding fair housing opportunities in this country for low income people and individuals with disabilities, a record 10,522 complaints were filed in fiscal 2008, according to a report released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The report, produced by Congress each year, indicated that 44% of the complaints were produced by persons with disabilities. Thirty-five percent, or 3,699 of the complaints alleged discrimination based on race.

"Despite progress, housing discrimination continues in America. We must put a stop to it and stand up for anyone who is unlawfully denied a home of their own," said John Trasviña, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "Fighting against housing discrimination and affirmatively furthering fair housing are twin priorities of HUD and the Obama Administration."

The report also indicates legal actions HUD conducted to find monetary relief and housing for people subjected to illegal discrimination. Fines were imposed, and education programs were forced upon entities charged with discrimination.

• For example, HUD obtained A $20,000 settlement for a mother who was denied the opportunity to rent a house because she had a child.

• A $40,000 settlement for a family with a disability that was denied a reasonable accommodation for their child. In addition, $2,500 was donated to an autism group and another $2,500 to an early childhood development center.

In addition, the report also shows the importance of the partnership between HUD and its independent fair housing groups, and state and local housing agencies.

"HUD has an array of weapons to combat housing discrimination," said Trasviña. "Most important are the partnerships with state, local and other agencies, private fair housing organizations and responsible industry officials who, together with HUD are on the front lines to advance fair housing and fair lending policies."

People who believe they are the victims of housing discrimination should contact HUD at 1 (800) 669-9777 (voice), (800) 927-9275 (TTY). Additional information is available at www.hud.gov/fairhousing.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all types of housing transactions. The Act defines persons with a disability to mean those individuals with mental or physical impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities.

The term mental or physical impairment may include conditions such as blindness, hearing impairment, mobility impairment, HIV infection, mental retardation, alcoholism, drug addiction, chronic fatigue, learning disability, head injury, and mental illness.

The term major life activity may include seeing, hearing, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, caring for one's self, learning, speaking, or working. The Fair Housing Act also protects persons who have a record of such an impairment, or are regarded as having such an impairment.

Current users of illegal controlled substances, persons convicted for illegal manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance, sex offenders, and juvenile offenders are not considered disabled under the Fair Housing Act, by virtue of that status.

The Division's enforcement of the Fair Housing Act's protections for persons with disabilities has concentrated on two major areas. One is insuring that zoning and other regulations concerning land use are not employed to hinder the residential choices of these individuals, including unnecessarily restricting communal, or congregate, residential arrangements, such as group homes.

The second area is insuring that newly constructed multifamily housing is built in accordance with the Fair Housing Act's accessibility requirements so that it is accessible to and usable by people with disabilities, and, in particular, those who use wheelchairs.

There are other federal statutes that prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is enforced by the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division.

Arrestos en México ligados a políticos con narcos(2)

Uno de los pocos que permanece detenido desde 2001 es Mario Villanueva, del PRI, quien gobernó el estado caribeño de Quintana Roo entre 1993 y 1999 y fue señalado por más de 20 testigos como protector de narcotraficantes.

Santiago Castillo espera que las recientes detenciones de alcaldes y de funcionarios sea el inicio de una limpia en la política mexicana.

El PAN por ejemplo, comete errores logisticos. Postula a diputado a Virgilio Mendoza, un ex militante del PRI que fue alcalde en Manzanillo, Colima, cargo del que fue destituido por mala administración del dinero público.

Otro de los candidatos del partido oficialista es Juan Blanco, ex alcalde de la ciudad norteña de Chihuahua, contra quien hay un proceso judicial abierto por peculado y cohecho. También están postulados por el PAN, Oscar Anguiano, acusado de atropellar a un niño de tres años al conducir en estado de ebriedad por una zona del distrito de Puebla, y varios que son parientes de gobernadores estaduales, entre ellos un hermano del gobernador de Baja California, otro del gobernador de Guanajuato, la hermana del gobernador de Aguascalientes y la esposa del gobernador de Querétaro.

En el PRI, el asunto es similar, o hasta peor. Hay varios candidatos a diputados por el estado sureño de Oaxaca que han estado vinculados a actos de represión contra movimientos sociales, como Jorge Franco y Elpidio Concha.

Además está como candidato el ex alcalde de la capital de Oaxaca, Manuel Esesarte, contra quien la fiscalía general tiene abierta una investigación por peculado, falsificación de documentos y uso indebido de atribuciones. También se postulan varios hijos de políticos de la vieja guardia del PRI.

El izquierdista PRD lanzó como candidato a Mario Moreno Conrado, un ex alcalde del estado de México, quien ha sido acusado por la fiscalía general y testigos de pertenecer a una banda de secuestradores.

Otro candidato de esta agrupación es Domingo Rodríguez, un ex presidente municipal de una población del estado de San Luis Potosí. La legislatura de ese distrito local inhabilitó en 2007 a este político por un año para ocupar cargos públicos por irregularidades financieras cometidas en su administración municipal.

Tanto el PAN, el PRI como PRD postularon además a viejos políticos y ex funcionarios públicos de gobiernos pasados.

"Algunos de los nombres que aparecen en las listas (de candidatos) son de personas asociadas con la corrupción, el narcotráfico y pésimos ejercicios de administración o gobierno en el pasado y, sin embargo, nada de eso les impide aparecer ahí como distinguidos miembros de sus partidos", señaló Luis Rubio, director del no gubernamental Centro de Investigación para el Desarrollo.

Las campañas electorales, que por ley son financiadas exclusivamente con dinero del Estado, iniciaron formalmente a inicios de Mayo.

El independiente Instituto Federal Electoral ha exhortado a los partidos a vigilar que entre sus candidatos no haya personas vinculadas al narcotráfico, tras aclarar que entre sus atribuciones no está la investigación exhaustiva de los antecedentes de los postulados. Todas las encuestas coinciden en que hay un marcado desinterés ciudadano frente a las elecciones de julio y que a ese tenor es muy probable que el día de las votaciones acudan menos de 35% de los 77.4 millones de ciudadano habilitados para sufragar.

El PRI lleva una ligera delantera en los sondeos, seguido de cerca por el PAN y en un lejano tercer puesto el PRD.

"La noticia de que hay varios alcaldes coludidos con el narcotráfico desaliente aún más el interés ciudadano, la distancia entre la población y los políticos se ensancha", dijo Santiago Castillo de la UAM.

Arrestos en México ligados a políticos con narcos(1)

Se disipan algunas de las nubes que tradicionalmente ocultaron en México la relación entre política y narcotráfico. La penultima semana de Mayo fueron detenidos 10 alcaldes del estado central de Michoacán y 17 funcionarios, claves en temas de seguridad del gobierno de ese distrito, por sus presuntos vínculos con las mafias.

Los alcaldes detenidos militan en los tres principales partidos mexicanos: el gobernante Acción Nacional (PAN) y los ya conocidos el Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) y de la Revolución Democrática (PRD).

En cuanto a los funcionarios del gobierno estadual, entre los detenidos están una ex secretaria de Seguridad que fungía como asesora del gobernador Leonel Godoy, quien milita en el PRD, un fiscal de alto rango, el comandante de la llamada Policía Ministerial, el director del Instituto Estatal de Formación Policial y el subsecretario de Seguridad Pública.

Las aprehensiones de las últimas horas constituyen una acción policial inédita por la cantidad de involucrados, pero el resultado "no me sorprende demasiado", dijo Javier Santiago Castillo, politólogo y maestro universitario de la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM).

La relación entre narcotráfico y política, "está cada vez más clara", sostuvo Santiago Castillo.

Las detenciones en Michoacán, realizadas por la policía federal, se registraron horas después de que autoridades del gobierno de Felipe Calderón informaran que se capturaron a miembros de un grupo de narcotraficantes y secuestradores denominado "La Familia", que opera en ese estado y el de México, vecino a la capital del país.

El politólogo de la UAM advirtió que es muy posible que entre los más de 6,000 candidatos a las elecciones del 5 de julio existan personas vinculadas con el narcotráfico al igual que lo estuvieron al parecer los alcaldes detenidos en los dos últimos días. "Es muy difícil evitar la contaminación de la política", cuando los vendedores de drogas en México tienen tanta fuerza y dinero, consideró Javier Santiago.

Desde el inicio de la administración del presidente Calderón, en diciembre de 2006, una ola de violencia ligada al narcotráfico cubre a México. Sólo de enero a marzo se registraron 1,600 asesinatos vinculadas a la lucha entre y contra las mafias.

Además, han quedado expuesta la corrupción de numerosos funcionarios. En 2008 un promedio mensual de 426 policías de diferentes rangos fueron destituidos o arrestados por sus nexos con el crimen organizado, entre ellos el ex jefe de la Subprocuraduría de Investigación Especializada en Delincuencia Organizada, el jefe en México de la Interpol (Policía Internacional) y el coordinador de la Policía Federal.

Las dirigencias de los partidos políticos niegan tener cualquier vínculo con los narcotraficantes y aseguran haber sometido a todos sus candidatos a un estricto examen.

En julio se elegirán 500 diputados nacionales y a otras 1,128 autoridades en 13 estados entre ellos gobernadores, alcaldes y legisladores locales.

Entre los candidatos a los diferentes cargos hay varios que tienen antecedentes de corrupción y otros que llegaron a postularse por el hecho de tener vínculos familiares con viejos dirigentes políticos o con ex funcionarios.

El historiador Lorenzo Meyer, del Colegio de México, considera que el crecimiento del crimen organizado y la contaminación de la política con esos grupos tienen origen en los gobiernos del PRI, que gobernó México de 1929 a 2000 y que a su entender toleró el crecimiento de los narcotraficantes.

En los últimos 20 años, bajo gobiernos del PRI y del PAN, las detenciones de figuras importantes del poder político o empresarial por delitos de corrupción o de cuello blanco han sido hechos excepcionales.

En México, el PRI desea el poder otra vez(2)

Emilio Gamboa, líder del bloque del PRI en la cámara baja, fue colaborador del ex candidato presidencial Francisco Labastida, derrotado por el ex presidente Vicente Fox en el 2000.

En los dos últimos años, los triunfos electorales del PRI han sido una constante. El partido tricolor --por la bandera mexicana, verde, blanca y roja-- ganó más del 62% de las 1,675 alcaldías y diputaciones locales que estuvieron en juego en 19 de los 32 estados de México.

Hoy gobierna 18 estados, habitados por 56 % de los 104 millones de personas que viven en este país, y tiene mayoría en 19 de los 32 congresos legislativos locales.

Pero aun ocupa el tercer lugar en las dos cámaras del parlamento federal, con 139 de sus 628 escaños, superado por el PRD, con 153, y por el PAN, con 258. El resto se reparte en partidos menores.

Para Chabat, parte de la resurgencia del PRI se explica porque no desmontó sus estructuras corporativas del pasado, tanto en el ámbito sindical como en las organizaciones campesinas nacionales y estaduales. Además, es un partido que tiene todavia una gran red organizativa del país. Pero sus prácticas de acarreos, compras de votos, favoritismos y compadrazgos aun se cuestiona.

En materia de lucha contra la corrupción, “los gobiernos del PAN se han ido con las inercias heredadas del PRI”, pero “será muy difícil terminar con ella, pues se ha metido hasta los huesos de nuestra cultura”, sostuvo Chabat.

”Gran parte de la violencia que hoy vemos con el narcotráfico es producto de la tolerancia con que el PRI manejó ese tema cuando fue gobierno”, dijo Chabat.

En los últimos 20 años, bajo gobiernos del PRI y del PAN, las detenciones de figuras importantes del poder político o empresarial por delitos de corrupción o de cuello blanco han sido hechos excepcionales.

Uno de los pocos que permanece detenido desde 2001 es Mario Villanueva, del PRI, quien gobernó entre 1993 y 1999 el estado caribeño de Quintana Roo y fue señalado por más de 20 testigos como protector de narcotraficantes.

En 2007 se cometieron casi 200 millones de actos de corrupción con los servicios públicos, entre los que se destacan sobornos a policías para evitar infracciones, según una estimación del último informe del capítulo mexicano de la organización Transparencia Internacional. El dato es una proyección basada en encuestas a unas 15,000 personas.

Hace casi dos décadas, el periodista brasileño-británico Alan Riding señaló, luego de trabajar en México y conocer al PRI, que la corrupción era el aceite que permitía el funcionamiento de la sociedad en este país.