4. Formal Letter to President Rajoy

Castelló d'Empúries, 10/05/2014 Dear M. President Rajoy: The reason why I write you this letter is to express my disagreement concerning your attitude in the Independence process of Catalonia. I understand that you, representing the Spanish Nation and defending the ideas and convictions of the Conservative Party, are against separations and divisions within this nation. But you cannot ignore that the main part of Catalonia want to be independent, want to be an own nation, as they already were 300 years ago. We are living in democracy and not in dictatorships as years before under Franco. This is one of the advances of our 21th century, the voice of the people is as important as their leaders. The attempt to make them cease is the beginning of the end. The recent examples of Ukraine shows that you cannot ignore them. If the main part of the people of a country or a region feels strong enough to be independent because there are totally in nonconformity with the rest of the country due to their identity, their traditions, their language and behaviours, nobody, not even you M. President can avoid that changes will be coming. Naturally you can go on with your attempts of intimidation, of strong rules and ignorance but in the end, this process will be ruled by a peaceful process of democracy. Nobody can be forced to be part of something which is totally against his convictions. And Catalan People have said: Enough! Honestly, I hope and wish that you start to understand the reasons of the Independence process of Catalonia and instead of ignoring it, you should participate in finding an acceptable solution for everybody. The Human Rights of the United Nations give us the right to defend our convictions. Thanks in advance for your attention, yours sincerely Xantal Solé Junker

Google images

2. News: Human Rights

Venezuela: Unarmed Protestors Beaten, Shot

Prosecutors, Judges Complicit in Rights Violations

MAY 5, 2014

Human Rights (Video)

The police and military of Venezuela abused of their authority by using unlawful force against anti-governmental protesters. 

Although the protesters were many peaceful and non-violent, the security forces punished them with violence, torture and even abuses against non-involved people for the demonstrations. 

They even tried to intimidate journalists who wanted to talk about it.

- In our country, the situation is not so extreme as in Venezuela but since Catalonia wants to be

independent, the governmental security force of Madrid tries to intimidate the protesters like

during the last manifestation in Barcelona.

However, we are far away from extremes like Venezuela or Ukraine...

The only way to change the situation is to go on with peaceful manifestations like the human 

chain of about 400km last September 2013. In case of injustice it is always necessary to make 

it public so all other countries are aware of it and helps you to prosper.

Google images

1. Human Rights

1)Human rights are rights we have simply for being human. They are basic rights which guarantee a peaceful and just together with other human beings.
2)The Human Rights were created 1948 by the United Nations and it was a result of the Second World War, to re-establish the peaceful coexistence of all human citizens.
3)There are 30 basic human rights: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 1. We are all free and equal. We are all born free. We all have our own thoughts and ideas. We should all be treated in the same way. 2. Don’t discriminate. These rights belong to everybody, whatever our differences. 3. The right to life. We all have the right to life, and to live in freedom and safety. 4. No slavery – past and present. Nobody has any right to make us a slave. We cannot make anyone our slave. 5. No Torture. Nobody has any right to hurt us or to torture us. 6. We all have the same right to use the law. I am a person just like you! 7. We are all protected by the law. The law is the same for everyone. It must treat us all fairly. 8. Fair treatment by fair courts. We can all ask for the law to help us when we are not treated fairly. 9. No unfair detainment. Nobody has the right to put us in prison without a good reason and keep us there, or to send us away from our country. 10. The right to trial. If we are put on trial this should be in public. The people who try us should not let anyone tell them what to do. 11. Innocent until proven guilty. Nobody should be blamed for doing something until it is proven. When people say we did a bad thing we have the right to show it is not true. 12. The right to privacy. Nobody should try to harm our good name. Nobody has the right to come into our home, open our letters or bother us or our family without a good reason. 13. Freedom to move. We all have the right to go where we want in our own country and to travel as we wish. 14. The right to asylum. If we are frightened of being badly treated in our own country, we all have the right to run away to another country to be safe. 15. The right to a nationality. We all have the right to belong to a country. 16. Marriage and family. Every grown-up has the right to marry and have a family if they want to. Men and women have the same rights when they are married, and when they are separated. 17. Your own things. Everyone has the right to own things or share them. Nobody should take our things from us without a good reason. 18. Freedom of thought. We all have the right to believe in what we want to believe, to have a religion, or to change it if we want. 19. Free to say what you want. We all have the right to make up our own minds, to think what we like, to say what we think, and to share our ideas with other people. 20. Meet where you like. We all have the right to meet our friends and to work together in peace to defend our rights. Nobody can make us join a group if we don’t want to. 21. The right to democracy. We all have the right to take part in the government of our country. Every grown-up should be allowed to choose their own leaders. 22. The right to social security. We all have the right to affordable housing, medicine, education, and child care, enough money to live on and medical help if we are ill or old. 23. Workers’ rights. Every grown-up has the right to do a job, to a fair wage for their work, and to join a trade union. 24. The right to play. We all have the right to rest from work and to relax. 25. A bed and some food. We all have the right to a good life. Mothers and children, people who are old, unemployed or disabled, and all people have the right to be cared for. 26. The right to education. Education is a right. Primary school should be free. We should learn about the United Nations and how to get on with others. Our parents can choose what we learn. 27. Culture and copyright. Copyright is a special law that protects one’s own artistic creations and writings; others cannot make copies without permission. We all have the right to our own way of life and to enjoy the good things that “art,” science and learning bring. 28. A free and fair world. There must be proper order so we can all enjoy rights and freedoms in our own country and all over the world. 29. Our responsibilities. We have a duty to other people, and we should protect their rights and freedoms.
30. Nobody can take away these rights and freedoms from us.

Google images

4) I didn't know that there is a human right for: 25. A bed and some food. I think that it is impossible – although wanted – that a country respects all these human rights because in theory it seems reasonable but in the reality, there are lots of cases which prove that a lot of these human rights are violated. For ex.: If you have the human right of bed and food, why are there so many homeless persons – in all countries – rich and poor countries – who sleep on the street and do not have anything to eat, no social system that protects them? The right of democracy? Look at countries like Ucraine of Russia – are they democratic? Do you have free opinion, right to express your opinion? A free and fair world – I think we are very far away from this topic – it is the dream of everbody of us but there is still so many injustice around the world, so many hunger, so many violence, so many torture...

ARTICLE 28 - VIDEO: FAIR AND FREE WORLD

VIDEO

- In this video there is no word I do not understand.

Canary Island first to be powered by just wind and water

The article is about a pioneer project of the EU on the Canary Islands. 

They installed wind and water turbines in order to get only power from them for the whole Island. 

The project starts to work in summer 2014 and costs around 54m€. They also want to install solar panels for heating and change petrol cars for electric cars.

I think that this is a good project because the common natural resources are getting lower and we need to change “our chip” in order to take profit from natural energy like wind, water and sun – at least in the countries where it is possible.

The Alt Empordà would be a good candidate for this project because in our zone we have plenty of sunshine and wind. Maybe somebody should think about it.

Google images

cliff = penya segat

to whip = fuetejar

reservoir = dipòsit

The Independent (news)

Cocaine use in Britain so high it has contaminated our drinking water, report shows

Analysis of drinking water in UK found a high level of pharmaceutics it, apart from rests of ibuprofen and other medicaments; they also found a high rate of cocaine and other drugs. 

Specialists explained that the use of cocaine has increased in the last years because it is easier to buy and it is cheaper than years before. 

The consume of cocaine in England is the highest of all Western Europe.

This news is a real surprise for me because I thought that England is a very strict country and English people seem to be correct and respect the laws.

But on the other hand, as I have known that the richest people of the world are living in UK maybe this is the reason for the higher consume of drugs because for them, taking cocaine is like taking coffee for us.

Google images

to assess – evaluar

exposures – exposicions

pain-killer - analgesic

The Independent (news)

Billionaire Britain: UK home to more than 100 billionaires

This article is about the increase of rich people on the UK. Great Britain seems to be an attractive place for some of the richest people of the world due to its culture, financial status and safety standards. 

Google images

The interesting thing is that these rich people are not only foreigners but also English business people. This is good for the English economy because it creates new jobs.

Seen from Spain, with our critical economy situation, people can feel envious and would like to be one of them. But reality in Spain is so different. You only can try to make the most of your life although it has nothing to do with these billionaires.

Apart from that it cannot be just that there are each time more rich people and in the Third World Countries children are still dying for hunger. But then we have to consider also the salaries of the football player which are not in relation to any normal job and the discussion would be a never-ending story. 

active trade – comerç actiu

to thrive – prosperar

entrepreneurs – empresaris

The Independent (news)

The European elections

Next Sunday it will be my first elections to be able to participate – I am very proud to take part of the political future of my Country. 

It is a first step, before the referendum in November, to see the reactions of the other European countries regarding the possibility to separate from their central governments, in this case the Independence movement of Catalonia, Scotland, etc.

It seems that I am very adult now although I also know that my vote is only a little drop on a stone. 

On the other hand, when you start being an adult you wish to be a child again, without so much responsibility, efforts and pressure of life.

Google images