Human rights groups criticize Negroponte News
Human rights groups criticize Negroponte

[JURIST] Human rights groups criticized Bush pick for intelligence director nominee John Negroponte [official profile] Friday, stating the current US ambassador to Iraq has a record of supporting human rights violations. Critics allege that during his role as ambassador to Honduras in the early 1980's, Negroponte dramatically underplayed human rights problems by backing Contra rebels and supporting Honduran military units that carried out kidnappings and killings. A spokesperson for Human Rights Watch [official website] stated Negroponte "looked the other way" when evidence of rights violations were brought to his attention. This is not the first time Negroponte has met opposition on his record in Honduras. In 2001 human rights groups challenged his nomination to Ambassador to the UN. Negroponte denies all allegations. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.