We as Americans are blessed with many freedoms.  Other countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, and Rwanda are not as lucky as we are.  Rwanda has long suffered grave human rights violations.  They have suffered through genocide in the 90’s.  Human bodies covering the streets, women raped, and children killed.  Rwanda has come a long way since the genocide of 1994. However, there are still cases of human rights violations in Rwanda.  The Country Report on Human Rights Practices of 2012 reported that the Rwandan police and military have been accused of using electric shocks to torture civilians, starving and beating crime suspects.  Suspects are being held in prisons, jails, and safe houses without ever being charged for months.  Rwanda has been accused of backing M23 rebels from the east Congo.  In December of 2012, President Obama called Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, and made sure he warned him against supporting the M23 rebels.  Just last year there was a report from Amnesty International.  The report highlighted 18 cases of abuse and degrading behavior against civilians.  Freedom of speech is also extremely restricted in Rwanda.  Private media outlets have been closed down since 2010 and independent journalists were exiled. 

Fortunately Rwanda has had many improvements in the last 17 years.  Human rights are violations are still existent in Rwanda but genocide is just an awful memory.  Amnesty International has helped Rwanda identify and resolve their human rights violations.  For the sake of the people of Rwanda I hope that improvements continue and they are finally able to enjoy the right to live freely.      

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/Rwanda-on-the-spot-once-again-human-rights/-/2558/1760048/-/uysq8sz/-/index.html

http://www.rwandahumanrights.org/docs/UNHR-US-STATE-DEPT-REPRISAL-KILLINGS-RWA.pdf

In keeping with the story of Elian Gonzalez I wanted to bring up the topic of Communist Cuba.  There have been hundreds if not thousands of human rights violations.  Back in 2000 Secretary of State, Madeline Albright, accused Cuba of denying would be immigrants their exit visas.  They had already been granted their visa from the Unites States.  These actions have forced many Cubans to flee the country in very dangerous conditions.  People have been trying to escape the island and risking their lives for years because their right to live freely has been taken away by the communist government of Cuba. 

Religious freedom has also been restricted in Cuba.  Many priests and bishops have been exiled from he island of Cuba.  Religious freedom violations have tripled in 2012. There is one specific case regarding a Pastor Reutilio Columbie from the Shalom Christian Center.  The pastor was left with permanent brain damage because of a vicious attack he suffered after he filed a complaint because Communist Party officials, who had illegally confiscated a vehicle that was licensed and owned by the Shalom Christian Center. 

           Freedom of speech is practically non-existent on the island of Cuba.  The government maintains a monopoly on the media and what is put out on television and radio.  There is only limited internet access on the island therefore only a small amount of Cubans have access to independent published articles and blogs.  There have been cases where individuals who have tried to express their opinions have been physically assaulted or incarcerated or both by the Cuban government. 

The right to live freely is so important to our vitality as humans.  We are truly blessed that we live in a country where for the most part we have the right to live freely.  There are places like Cuba where there is absolutely no freedom. 

http://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012/world-report-2012-cuba    

         Another case that comes to mind when dealing with the issue of the human right to live freely is the case of Elian Gonzalez.  I know it is a bit outdated but the idea of denying a child a brighter future in the United States because of his legal status is ridiculous.  All of the commotion aside this is the story of a young 5 year old boy who’s mother and eleven other died on a raft on their way to Florida.  Elian was found floating on an inner tube about 3 miles off the coast of Florida.  He was transferred to the hospital and then given over to his uncle for temporary custody.  He was denied asylum in the Florida court and eventually was returned to Cuba with his father.  This incident is another case that most people would not think of when analyzing the issue of the human right to live freely.  However all of these incidents that I have discussed all have to do with the denial of the right to live freely.  I have chosen so far issues that have to do with immigration.  Does this constitute the denial of the right to live freely or is it just laws that have been put into place and need to be followed?  Therefore the rights of these immigrants are non-existent.   It is a touchy subject with many.  One side believes that they have the right to pursue a better life for themselves and their families.  The other side believes that the laws established in this country were established for a reason and need to be followed.  Who is correct?

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2011/03/01/vault.elian.gonzalez.cnn.html

       So in keeping with the immigration theme, I would like to take this in a different direction.  I recently read an article in CNN about an extremely successful woman living in Southern California, who happened to meet someone online.  Her name is Melanie Servetas.  She fell in love with a woman from Brazil.  The two decided that they wanted to live together.  Unfortunately for them, they are a gay couple and there are no immigration laws that favor same sex couples.  If they were a heterosexual couple they could get married and then Servetas’ wife could apply for residency.  However for Servetas and her partner there was no hope for them.  So Servetas decided to pick up and move to Brazil to be with the woman she loves.  Things haven’t worked out so well in Brazil.  Servetas lives fearful that her visa may expire and not be renewed, her business is mediocre at best, and she misses her life in Southern California.  She stays in Brazil because she cannot bear to live without her partner. 

            So for anyone reading this would you agree that all people have the right to live freely?  Servetas is a successful woman and contributing member of society but she is not allowed to live freely.  She is dealing with two separate issues, the immigration issue and the same sex marriage issue.  Servetas is not enjoying the right to live freely.

            The US Senate currently has two immigration cases before them.  One is in regards to DOMA, Defense of Marriage Act.  If DOMA is done away with, same sex marriages will also be recognized when it comes to immigration cases.  Also, Patrick Leahy, a Democratic senator from Vermont, filed an amendment to an immigration reform bill that would give gay couples equality in immigration issues.            

There are many similar stories.  Many couples are choosing to go north to Canada where there is more possibility for acquiring legal immigration status.  That however is a second option they would prefer to live in the United States but living freely is just not possible for them.

 http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/16/us/gay-rights-immigration/index.html?iref=storysearch