Among the silence of the press and taking advantage of the ignorance of most of the population Western governments are doing something that will one day be seen by our descendants in the same way we now see the slave trade. A shame without justification. Western governments imprison thousands of people who haven't committed any crime. Hundreds of others are left to die at sea and in deserts. http://inaltreparole.net/en/resistance/illegalimmigrants281009.htmlAmong the silence of the press and taking advantage of the ignorance of most of the... more
"Humanitarian access remains very restricted," the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) wrote in its latest report.
150,000 people flee South Waziristan as Pakistan begins bombing campaigns in that region, UN expects that number to rise above 250,000
South Waziristan has become a global hub for militants who were launching increasingly brazen bomb attacks in Pakistani cities. The United States and NATO are fighting the Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan"Humanitarian access remains very restricted," the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination... more
We must admit that Italian politics has made some real miracles. Berlusconi certainly didn't keep his historic promise to create one million jobs, now Italy just lost at least one million, but he did a miracle for sure. He manages to stay in power for years with the sole purpose of defending his private interests, doing absolutely nothing useful for the country. Even the Italian left has made its miracle.We must admit that Italian politics has made some real miracles. Berlusconi certainly... more
Alex Boye's highly anticipated new video showcasing new single "Crazy for You" from upcoming album "Happy Daze". Featuring some of the best musicians in the nation...
We bringing it back y'all..
...SO GET ME A CLOAK!!
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey — Turkey on Tuesday hailed the "surrender" of Kurdish rebels in support of plans to end a 25-year conflict as thousands greeted militants released after more than 24 hours of questioning.
Rebel commanders insisted that they were not giving up arms yet and would fight on to achieve their rights a day after a 34-strong "peace group" of militants and sympathizers came in from Iraq carrying a list of proposals to end the violence.
Prosecutors initially released 25 of the group -- most of them Turkish Kurdish refugees -- pending trial on charges of links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and asked a court to put five others under formal arrest on similar charges, Muharrem Erbey, a lawyer following the proceedings, said.
The judge, however, also released them pending trial, he told AFP, adding that the four children who came with the group were not questioned.
"Welcome peace ambassadors! Kurdistan is proud of you!" chanted thousands of Kurdish demonstrators waiting outside the border area as the group, including rebels dressed in combat fatigues, climbed aboard a bus to travel to Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast.
The rebels made V-signs for victory as people lined along the road applauded them.
Speaking earlier in the day, Interior Minister Besir Atalay welcomed the group's arrival as a boost to Ankara's two-pronged plan to expand Kurdish freedoms and keep the PKK under military pressure.
"We expect these (surrenders) to continue. Let me underline that the (PKK) fighters in the mountains see that their way is a dead-end," Atalay was quoted by the Anatolia news agency as saying.DIYARBAKIR, Turkey — Turkey on Tuesday hailed the "surrender" of Kurdish rebels in... more
Today in Rome the greatest italian anti-racist demonstration up to now led 200,000 people to the streets, from Piazza della Repubblica to the stage in Piazza Bocca della Verità. A demonstration to say no to the Security decree that criminalizes immigrants, no to rejections of refugees, illegal under any rule of international law, not to the Centers for Identification and Expulsion where innocent people can be kept in jail for up to six months.Today in Rome the greatest italian anti-racist demonstration up to now led 200,000... more
A rare heart-warming story out of Afghanistan... take a look.
This summer, Brave New Foundation supporters did something extraordinary: in response to one of our videos, you gave $15,000 to Afghan refugees in need of food and blankets.
This is video shows what a difference a couple thousand people can make.
Brave New Foundation is asking you sign their petition to Congressional hearings on the war. When they reach 100,000 names, they'll bring it to the Capitol.
Amazing pictures from the BBC of Menik Farm, the refugee camp in Sri Lanka currently housing over 240,000 Tamils.
This is just one of the camps in the country housing Tamil refugees who fled the fighting in the country's north earlier this year.
(This photo is not from their set, but is from Menik Farm. Click through for their photos.)
The question for these refugees is how soon will the government let them return to their homes and villages?Amazing pictures from the BBC of Menik Farm, the refugee camp in Sri Lanka currently... more
A 50 years old woman who earns a living with acupuncture and massage is a risk to national security? Another woman of 45 years with a husband and two adult children, is a danger to italian citizens?
These are the stories of "illegal" immigrants detained without trial, without reason and without any conviction in the identification and deportation centers (Cie), for a period of up to 6 months.A 50 years old woman who earns a living with acupuncture and massage is a risk to... more
As Sri Lanka's civil war came to an end earlier this year, camps in the north of the country overflowed with refugees fleeing the fighting. The camps, though they're only to be temporary, have drawn criticism from human rights groups for their conditions and for the fact that some of them will not let refugees leave. Now, after massive flooding in August, officials are rushing to get the camps ready for monsoon season:
"In August, sudden storms flooded many of the vast camps, submerging toilets and contaminating water. Thousands of makeshift homes were also damaged in the rainfall. Now the Sri Lankan government says it is rapidly installing drainage systems in the camps ahead of the monsoon. About 10% of refugees have been allowed to leave, and the government says it intends to resettle most of the others by the end of this year."
The camps are helped in great part by international funding - but some critics abroad are less than enthused with the Sri Lankan's government reluctance to allow refugees to return to their homes or villages. The UK has recently announced its intention to withdraw all but emergency funding for the camps, saying that about 70% of the inhabitants could leave.
"The announcement came after the UK Development Minister Mike Foster visited the biggest camp at Menik Farm. He said 70% of people should be able to leave and stay with host families. Refugees say conditions are poor, with inadequate drinking water and drains, and illness due to the hot conditions. Many are pleading to be allowed home."
The government's treatment of the Tamil refugees is a cause of concern for international observers, particularly after the devastating end to the civil war. Will Sri Lanka come through on its promises to treat the refugees humanely and restore civil government to the formerly rebel-controlled regions?
As a part of our upcoming Vanguard season, Mariana van Zeller reports from Sri Lanka on the civil war. Make sure to check it out.As Sri Lanka's civil war came to an end earlier this year, camps in the north of the... more
I write to you, America, as a Muslim-American who is frustrated at seeing both sides of my identity spreading myths about each other. In part one of this two part article, I address America from a Muslim perspective. In part two, which will follow in the coming weeks, I shall write to the Muslim community, from an American perspective.
Dear America,
Our world today is assaulted with myriad headlines describing rising extremism and terrorism, and political instability in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Middle East. Despite the plethora of bad news, most recently we have seen a day of hope marked by the end of Ramadan, where Muslims from all nations, social classes, and sects openly united in the spirit of humility, brotherhood, thankfulness, and peace.
As human beings, you and me have a tendency to let the negative marginalize the good and the true. But in this Ramadan the unity and the message of peace and humility that nearly a billion Muslims have exhibited should not go unnoticed, nor should it be underestimated.
America, even though you are part of us (Muslims) and we are a part of you, you often fear and misunderstand the one thing that unites the billion of us around the world is peace, love, and spiritual strength. You fear our religion, Islam. I write the following to not accuse anyone or apologize on behalf of any group. In part one of this article, I speak to you America, as one Muslim who is part of the majority of Muslims standing against the Ahmedinijads, Bin Ladens, and Taliban and Al Qaeda. These men have stolen my voice... our voice. The actions of a violent minority have for too long trumped the selfless and righteous actions of the moderate majority who do good in the name of Islam.
Firstly, Muslims are not a violent people and Islam is not a violent religion. I fear you overlook the fact that the faith of Muslims has been monopolized by the corrupt despots of Muslim countries and Muslim extremists. And it is the extremists whose power is bolstered by a media that has paralyzed the voice of the Muslim majority, who in fact abhor violence and terrorism.
It can be confusing even to me because on one side we only see Muslim extremists on the TV preaching hate in the name of Islam and we barely hear the majority. As I will touch on in part two of this article, Muslims have even marginalized themselves. But America, Muslims are a community of over a billion people, most of whom live in poverty within developing countries governed by oppressive, abusive, authoritarian regimes. These very regimes remain bunkered against an alienated group of extremists who are taking to the gun instead of a potentially rigged ballot. It is our mothers and daughters and sons who are being killed on a daily basis by either violent extremists or botched missile attacks by NATO. We are against violence and terrorism America, be it from Muslim extremists or NATO bombs. We are against violence because it is we who are the primary target of most terrorist attacks today. And while we may disagree with your military actions and policies, we look up to the principles that make up America... I speak of the freedom to be critical of yourself as a society and government; the opportunities awarded by the most comprehensive education system in the world; and your effortless ability to adapt in an ever transforming world.
Many ministers of the Berlusconi government do everything to be bad, up to the point of insulting the opposition. It's a typical sign of the states that are sliding towards dictatorship to see people with institutional responsibilities that seek to intimidate and threaten half the country, the half that didn't voted them. It's also a typical sign of guilty conscience. These ministers know that their policies are weak, and try to deflect attention with verbal violence.Many ministers of the Berlusconi government do everything to be bad, up to the point... more
On Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to jump-start the Mideast peace process. It remains to be seen whether this will be a substantive meeting or a photo opportunity, but one thing is clear: the question of what to do with the millions of Palestinian refugees is still on the backburner.
The refugees have been demanding to return to their original homes in what is now Israel for the past 61 years, but Tel Aviv insists that will never happen, because it would mean the end of the Jewish majority in the country.
In the meantime, the 58 refugee camps spread throughout the region are constant reminders that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is far from resolved.
In New York for a special series of programmes as world leaders gather for the UN general assembly Riz talks to the head of the UN agency in charge of Palestinian refugees, UNRWA Commissioner-General Karen AbuZayd.On Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud... more
“So why did the Israeli government boycott the commission? The real answer is quite simple: they knew full well that the commission, any commission, would have to reach the conclusions it did reach.”
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The important points come near the end: that the rather conservative findings of the report (and its acceptance of Israel’s dubious right to self-defense–dubious because Gaza is effectively occupied), have acted as a "bombshell" in Israel because Goldstone calls for action, and because the report contributes to the fraying of Jewish support for Israel and to the "Legitimacy War" that Israel has been losing in the eyes of the world. "A historic contribution" to the Palestinian struggle for justice, Falk concludes.
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Uri Avnery (Israeli peace activist, and former Knesset member), “On the Goldstone Report” 19 Sept 2009
Richard Goldstone, former judge of South Aftica’s Constitutional Court, the first prosecutor at The Hague on behalf of the International Criminal Court for Former Yugolavia, and anti-apartheid campaigner reports that he was most reluctant to take on the job of chairing the UN fact-finding mission charged with investigating allegations of war crimes committed by Israel and Hamas during the three week Gaza War of last winter. Goldstone explains that his reluctance was due to the issue being “deeply charged and politically loaded,” and was overcome because he and his fellow commissioners were “professionals committed to an objective, fact-based investigation,” adding that “above all, I accepted because I believe deeply in the rule of law and the laws of war,” as well as the duty to protect civilians to the extent possible in combat zones. The four-person fact-finding mission was composed of widely respected and highly qualified individuals, including the distinguished international law scholar, Christine Chinkin, a professor at the London School of Economics. Undoubtedly adding complexity to Goldstone’s decision is the fact that he is Jewish, with deep emotional and family ties to Israel and Zionism, bonds solidified by his long association with several organizations active in Israel.
Despite the impeccable credentials of the commission members, and the worldwide reputation of Richard Goldstone as a person of integrity and political balance, Israel refused cooperation from the outset. It did not even allow the UN undertaking to enter Israel or the Palestinian Territories, forcing reliance on the Egyptian government to facilitate entry at Rafah to Gaza. As Uri Avnery observes, however much Israel may attack the commission report as one-sided and unfair, the only plausible explanation of its refusal to cooperate with fact-finding and taking the opportunity to tell its side of the story was that it had nothing to tell that could hope to overcome the overwhelming evidence of the Israeli failure to carry out its attacks on Gaza last winter in accordance with the international law of war. No credible international commission could reach any set of conclusions other than those reached by the Goldstone Report on the central allegations.
In substantive respects the Goldstone Report adds nothing new. Its main contribution is to confirm widely reported and analyzed Israeli military practices during the Gaza War. There had been several reliable reports already issued, condemning Israel’s tactics as violations of the laws of war and international humanitarian law, including by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and a variety of respected Israeli human rights groups. Journalists and senior United Nations civil servants had reached similar conclusions. Perhaps, most damning of all the material available before the Goldstone Report was the publication of a document entitled “Breaking the Silence,” containing commentaries by thirty members of the Israel Defense Forces---continued below“So why did the Israeli government boycott the commission? The real answer is quite... more
The United Nations nuclear assembly voted on Friday to urge Israel to accede to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and place all atomic sites under the world body's inspections, in a surprise victory for Arab states.
The resolution, passed narrowly for the first time in nearly two decades, expresses concern about "Israeli nuclear capabilities" and calls on the International Atomic Energy Agency chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, to work on the issue.
The Middle East resolution, sponsored by Arab states, was backed by 49 votes to 45 against in a floor vote at the IAEA's annual member states conference. The vote split along Western and developing nation lines. There were 16 abstentions.
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Its about time... the worlds starting to wake up to Israels arrogance .The United Nations nuclear assembly voted on Friday to urge Israel to accede to the... more
In a landmark decision, Britain’s trade unions have voted overwhelmingly to commit to build a mass boycott movement, disinvestment and sanctions on Israel for a negotiated settlement based on justice for Palestinians.
The motion was passed at the 2009 TUC Annual Congress in Liverpool today (17 September), by unions representing 6.5 million workers across the UK.
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Its growing every day. Israel needs to change her way, not yesterday-today.
“Non-violence is not inaction. It is not discussion. It is not for the timid or weak… Non-violence is hard work. It is the willingness to sacrifice. It is the patience to win.” César Estrada Chávez (1927 – 1993) was an American labor leader, and civil rights activist.In a landmark decision, Britain’s trade unions have voted overwhelmingly to commit... more
French immigration minister Eric Besson has announced he will clear the makeshift tents in Calais known as the jungle. This report by Onyeka Igwe, reveals the true hell of the Calais ‘jungle’ and the incredible journeys migrants have made to get there. Besson claims clearing the ‘jungle’ is a humanitarian action, but this report tells a different tale and makes the case for Open Borders. Besson’s disgraceful initiative to preserve UK border controls is guaranteed to provide further hell for the aspirant young migrants whose only crime is wanting to make a better life for themselves. Besson is not offering migrants accommodation but is promising repatriation. Humanitarian? We don’t think so.
This report is produced by WORLDwrite.French immigration minister Eric Besson has announced he will clear the makeshift... more
In a document published by The Israel Project entitled “The Israel Project’s 2009 Global Language Dictionary”, Dr Frank Luntz unmasks a modern-day propaganda campaign that would have made Napoleon and Machiavelli proud. He writes:
There is NEVER, EVER, any justification for the deliberate slaughter of innocent women and children. NEVER. The primary Palestinian public relations goal is to demonstrate that the so-called “hopelessness of the oppressed Palestinians” is what causes them to go out and kill children. This must be challenged immediately, aggressively, and directly.
The emotional appeal to saving children works, but the appeal is based on two lies:
(1) that Palestinians generally (not only suicide bomber extremists) are the ones who kill children, while Israelis (not individual extremists, but Israel's armed forces) never slaughter Palestinian children.
(2) The second falsehood is that the Palestinians have a public relations goal that must be challenged when, in fact, the Palestinians have proven to be hopeless and goalless when it comes to public relations. Unlike Frank Luntz, the Palestinians have no effective PR voices. They can't even get their ambassador in the UK to speak out to the British public about Israel’s lies and propaganda.
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Americans AND the world needs to take note. If we allow this lobby to regain their power in America, the wold loses. Just look at their campaign...excerpts are within this information at the link as well as a rightful and truthful analysts.
Lets do away with the rhetoric and hate towards people. If the right and Israel really wants peace, they would have a better attitude. Peace has always been in Israels hands, but if it is not benefiting Israel, they figure who needs peace when war and killing gives us more.In a document published by The Israel Project entitled “The Israel Project’s 2009... more
Here's the 500 plus page report coming from the United Nations. Skim it and refer to what interests you. You'll find out that Israels indictment here is much more serious than the indictment against Palestine. Israel committed some grave humanitarian crimes, amounting to far more serious war crimes than Palestine is charged with.
Now we know the lobby and the far right will post here and are going to say bias, lies, etc when in fact, the world knows the truth about Israel. Every day more and more people find out and demand justice. Every day more and more corporations and countries and colleges are divesting AWAY from Israel. Its pretty clear who is the evil party.
Israel will face the music in the International Criminal Courts and hopefully pay the ultimate price handed out by justice.
Many more news stories on this, my post is just one example.Here's the 500 plus page report coming from the United Nations. Skim it and refer to... more
Based in San Francisco, Jews For a Free Palestine (JFFP) is an organization of nominally Jewish activists who support what they call "Palestine liberation solidarity efforts." In conjunction with its partner organization, Renounce Aliyah, JFFP says: "[W]e denounce the continued racist and inhumane policies of the Israeli government. There can be no safety for Jews internationally as the Israeli government continues in the role of occupier and oppressor, while falsely claiming to represent us all."
JFFP protested side-by-side with such groups as International ANSWER, United For Peace and Justice, Al-Awda, the International Solidarity Movement, If Americans Knew, the Muslim Students' Association of the U.S. and Canada, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Jews for a Free Palestine calls on Jews to actively oppose U.S. economic aid to Israel, and to "affirm the Palestinian Right of Return." JFFP places the number of Arabs who ought to be granted this "Right of Return" to Israel at 5 million.
More pictures at the link.
Couldn't have said it better: FREE PALESTINE!Based in San Francisco, Jews For a Free Palestine (JFFP) is an organization of... more
