Suppressed news archivessuppressed news archive 2009
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some video links
Augusta Georgia: "Nuclear Notes: the Savannah River Watershed," by J.B.Gerald
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February 27, 2010
Switzerland: Muammar al-Gaddafi of Libya has suggested a holy war on Switzerland. Switzerland recently voted against any new construction of minarets, a symbol of the Islamic faith. The strange ban was passed by popular vote at the urging of the Swiss Peoples Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei ~SVP) under Christoph Blocher, former Swiss Minister of Justice & Police and financier industrialist, which mobilized provincial aspects of popular sentiment into a campaign against immigrants and foreign influence, a right wing agenda appearing throughout Europe. See the Jobbik party in Hungary. Der Spiegel notes similar anti-immigrant / anti foreigner prejudice against Germans in competition with German-speaking Swiss for economic information and jobs. German speaking areas of Switzerland supported the ban of minarets by 70%. This is problematic for Swiss in that the ban violates human rights of religious freedom and undermines the country's historical neutrality; as the centre of the International Red Cross which administers the Geneva Conventions, and Geneva based host of the UN Human Rights Council, impediments to corporate and fascist agendas are weakened. The minaret ban is currently on appeal at the European Court of Human Rights. Europe tends to tease Islamic immigrant communities with the Danish cartoons, the current Sarkozy / French difficulties with burqas, - in northern France a fast food chain observing Muslim dietary laws was shut down, all mild examples compared to programs of physical violence against Algerians in France in the 1960's. Historically, vast numbers of immigrants from Europe to the Americas suggest European difficulties with nonconforming groups. Without justice for Islamic states at International law, Gaddafi's suggestion relies on a religious commonality. While media suggest that his lack of patience with Switzerland may be a result of his wife's and a son's arrest in 2008, the portrayal of Gaddafi as an irrational or self-serving leader is a facet of psywar previously used against Mugabe, Aristide, and in the villainization of Saddam Hussein. Gaddafi's argument with the Swiss will encourage transfer of Islamic nation investments from Swiss banks, possibly to Libyan banks. Partial sources: "Gaddafi calls for jihad against Switzerland," Mark Tran, Feb. 26, 2010, guardian.co.uk; "Swiss face 'holy war' with Gadhafi's Libya," Bradley S. Klapper ~AP, Feb. 26, 2010, The Washington Post; "UN deplores Gaddafi call for anti-Swiss 'jihad'," Feb. 26, 2010, BBC News; "Gaddafi says Switzerland 'infidel, obscene' state destroying mosques," Reuters, Feb. 25, 2010, World Bulletin - Turkey; "Swiss minaret ban may irk some Muslim bank clients," Lisa Jucca and Martin de Sa'Pinto Reuters, Nov. 30, 2009, CFA Institute: "Swiss minaret ban may signal new right-wing surge," Sam Cage, Nov.30, 2009, Reuters / Valentin Flaurand; "Unwelcome Immigrant: Bank Data Spat Fuels Anti-German Sentiment in Switzerland," Mathieu von Rohr, Feb. 26, 2010, Spiegel Online; "After burqa, France protests Halal meat," Feb. 19, 2010, oneindia news.
Canada, France, U.K., Sweden: B'Nai Brith of Canada has found an 11% increase in anti-semitic incidents across Canada 2009, with 59% increase in Montreal, and a slight decrease in Toronto. In France, during 2009, anti-semitic incidents doubled, while in Great Britain there was a 55% increase. The percentages rose sharply during Israel's invasion of Gaza. In Malmo, Sweden, with a Jewish community of 700 in a city of 300,000, overt harrassment of Jews is reported on AOL news, with 30 families relocating. A fifth of the town's population is Muslim and Muslim radicals are most heavily blamed for the incidents, then neo-nazis, then left-leaning politicians who reject both anti-semitism and zionism. Partial sources: "2009 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents," League for Human Rights of B’nai Brith Canada, 2010 [access:< http://www.bnaibrith.ca/ >]; "Study finds anti-Semitism on the rise," Daniel Dale, Feb.25, 2010, thestar.com; "Anti-Semitism up sharply in France, Britain," Feb. 11, 2010, j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California., "Anti-Semitism Is on the Rise in Sweden," Theunis Bates, Feb. 26, 2010, AOLNews; "Anti-Semitic incidents at record high in U.K.," Chris Dade, Feb. 5, 2010, Digital Journal.
February 23, 2010
U.K: Amnesty International founded in 1961 with particular concern for "forgotten prisoners," has come under attack for its association with Moazzam Begg, former Guantanamo detainee whose website, cageprisoners.com [access:< http://www.cageprisoners.com/index.php >], keeps track of political prisoners in the U.S. "war on terror." The website is invaluable due to its concern with those denied protections of Geneva Conventions and international laws against torture, particularly iri light of initial U.S.Guantanamo policies which kept prisoners' names secret (see previous). The primary Canadian website which includes Muslims in its concern for political prisoners, Sumoud [access:< http://sumoud.tao.ca/ >] is currently only available with technical difficulties. Confronting crimes of government, Amnesty became a political force and a likely target for infiltration, data collection, and government agendas. Attacks on Amnesty risk damaging the principles it defends. In England Gita Sahgal, of Amnesty's gender unit, attacked her organization for its European initiative of working with Mr. Begg in seeking countries to accept Guantanamo prisoners found innocent. The Times Online misreported in her favour an Amnesty chief's response to the attack ("Second Amnesty chief attacks Islamist links"). Writer Salmon Rushdie (see previous), still amongst us after years of suffering terrible threats, accused Amnesty of "moral bankruptcy" for supporting cageprisoners.com (see nightslantern's political prisoners links). Other recent challenges to reason: a U.S.Justice Department investigation found two lawyer architects of the Bush torture programs acting ethically; a U.S. court dismissed a case for damages by the families of two Guantanamo detainees driven to "suicide"; two Canadian courts denied compassionate justice to Muslim defendants during the decimation of Muslim civilian populations abroad ( 1, 2); the Canadian Prime Minister shut down Parliament during investigation of his government's responsibility for torture of Muslim detainees and denied a Muslim citizen his Charter Rights; a four centuries old mosque minaret in Meknes Morocco collapsed as the imam started his sermon; in France the mosque at Sorgues was vandalized by the painting of racist epithets - the sixth incident of mosque vandalizing in France this year. In a variant display of fascism, an anti-racism rally in Athens, asking for second generation Greek citizenship, was attacked and beaten by extremists in black hoods - 44 of whom were arrested. Etc.. Partial sources: "Second Amnesty chief attacks Islamist links", Feb.14, 2010, Times Online; "Hatred and Another Agenda: A Response by Moazzam Begg," Feb. 19, 2010, cageprisoners.com; "Letter to the Sunday Times," Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Director, Feb.18, 2010, cageprisoners.com; "Amnesty International,"Wikipedia; "Rushdie attacks Amnesty's 'moral bankruptcy'," Hasan Suroor,Feb. 22, 2010The Hindu; "U.S. court dismisses suit over Guantanamo suicides," Feb. 17, 2010, Reuters; "Vindicating John Yoo: Bush lawyers are found to have acted ethically, unlike their accusers,"Feb.22, 2010, Wall Street Journal; "400-years Moroccan mosque minaret collapses at Friday prayer, kills two," Reuters. Feb.19, 2010, World Bulletin Turkey; "Mosque vandalised with racist graffiti in France," Reuters, Feb.19, 2010, World Bulletin; "Greece holds 44 over attack on anti-racism rally," Feb. 21, 2010, World Bulletin.
February 21, 2010
Iraq: the Obama administration has re-branded the U.S./ Coalition war against Iraq, "Operation New Dawn." The phrase risks threatening Iraq's people with a broader application of the U.S. "Operation New Dawn (Äl Fajr)" against Fallujah in 2004, which began obliteration of the city and its civilian population. For ongoing effects on the people of Fallujah see previous. Partial sources: "Exclusive: War in Iraq to Be Given New Name," Jake Tapper (ABC), Feb.18, 2010, uruknet.info; "Investigators focus on Marines in Falluja civilian deaths," July 5, 2007, CNN.com; "Operation New Dawn," Cindy Sheehan, Feb.20, 2010, OpedNews.com.
The Netherlands: Dutch Parliament has brought down its government in order to refuse continuation of a 2000 element military force as part of the ongoing occupation of Afghanistan (see "Afghanistan" genocide warnings). A government committee recently found the 2003 invasion of Iraq illegal, and political support by the Netherlands misled. The Netherlands position concerning the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide finds the U.S. not a party to the Convention on Genocide due to U.S. "Reservations and Declarations" which refuse to place international law before U.S. authority. According to The New York Times U.S. troop numbers in Afghanistan will rise from 75 thousand to 98 thousand this summer. Partial sources: "Status as at 21-02-2010 01:47:59 EDT," Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, United Nations Treaty Collection [access:< http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-1&chapter=4&lang=en >]; "Dutch Government Falls Over Stand on Troops," Nicholas Kulish, Feb 20, 2010, The New York Times; "Dutch Cabinet quits over Afghan troops," Vaiju Naravane, Feb. 21, 2010, The Hindu; "Dutch government falls over Afghanistan mission," Feb. 20, 2010, Xinhua, English.news.cn.
Poland: Jurist reports that relatives of victims in the Katyn massacre of 1940, have been joined in their lawsuit at the European Court of Human Rights, by the Polish government.
Historical note: in 1939 while Poland was losing to the Nazi German invasion, the Soviet Union invaded. France and England bound to Poland by treaty did not act. Members of Poland's officer class and civilian establishment were interned as political prisoners. Russian ethnic groups were gathered into the Soviet, German ethnic groups turned over to the Nazis and nationalist Poles were under Beria's orders, approved by the Politburo and signed by Stalin (Wikipedia), marked for death. In 1940 about 22,000 officers, NCO's, police, officials, the intelligentsia, landowners, priests, doctors, lawyers were slaughtered in the Katyn Forest, prisons, and where they could be found. The Soviets ceded the area to Nazi forces, regaining it in 1943 and subsequently blamed evidence of the Katyn Forest Massacre on the Nazis. Roosevelt suppressed information on Soviet responsibility for the massacre to maintain the Allied effort. Heavily suppressed by all governments, particularly in Soviet Poland and the Soviet Union the instance of mass murder and cultural genocide found no admissable recourse in any court until the May class action suit noted above, some 70 years later. The Katyn Forest Massacre is often confused with the March 22,1943 Khatyn massacre, the destruction of a Byelorussian village and its people by Nazi forces which killed 2,230,000 people of Belarus in the three years of Nazi occupation.Similarities of both massacres to the fate of civilian society in Iraq and of the peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan, may discourage discussion within a perspective of genocide. Partial sources: "Poland government joins suit against Russia for 1940 Katyn massacre," Zach Zagger, Feb. 18, 2010, Jurist; "Katyn massacre," Wikipedia; "Khatyn massacre," Wikipedia; "Russia's Putin invites Tusk to Katyn massacre event," Feb. 4, 2010, BBC; "Hillary Clinton to open Katyn exhibit?" Feb. 9, 2010, Polish radio external service; "Katyn Massacre," Encylopedia Britannica eb.com.
Quebec: Said Namouh, 37, a legal landed immigrant from Morocco since 2003, was sentenced February 17th in a Quebec Court, to life imprisonment, the maximum sentence allowed under Canadian law.The severity of the sentence is mitigated by eligibility for parole in ten years. Namouh was convicted of conspiring to set off a car bomb in Austria, and participating in and facilitating terrorism, and extortion in editing a video that threatened Austria and Germany if they didn't withdraw troops from Afghanistan. The media reports no evidence that any act of violence was committed, or any evidence that Said Namouh was capable of violence. Namouh's claim that he didn't advocate violence was rejected by the judge. Namouh's work as a film editor for "The Global Islamic Front" portrayed as Al-Qua'ida's propaganda organ, and contributions to internet chatrooms, are presented as evidence. Chatroom notes and volatile jihadist materials gathered on Namouh's computer drives were analyzed for the Crown by Rita Katz, director of "SITE Intelligence Group," a private monitor of Muslim fundamentalist websites which supplies data to US field military and government. A veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces whose father was hung in Iraq as an Israeli spy, she claimed among the defendant's targets, OPEC in Vienna, the U.N., government officials, a soccer tournament. In harmony with the trials of the so-called "Toronto 18" Namouh was tried and judged as a Muslim. The judge suggested at sentencing that the defendant was not sorry, and that the severity of the sentence would show that Canada was no "safe-haven". The sentence will be appealed. Ed.note: Because evidence as presented by press accounts of the trial stresses his participation in "propaganda" efforts by groups denied recourse to justice at international law, the severity of the sentence threatens freedom of expression, and could suggest that the courts are being used in a campaign against a religious group. See previous. Media accounts make no mention of NATO's ongoing crime against the country of Afghanistan. Partial sources: "I'm not violent: convicted terrorist," Sue Montgomery (Montreal Gazette), Nov.14, 2009, Calgary Herald; "One of 'the spokesmen for al-Qaeda': Crown," Graeme Hamilton, Feb.1, 2010, National Post; "Trial begins for Quebec man accused in foreign bomb plot," Feb 2, 2010, CBC news; "Said Namouh Convicted in Canada," feb 10, 2009, Global Jihad Net; "Quebec terror suspect linked to BBC journalist kidnapping, trial hears," Graeme Hamilton, Feb. 02, 2009, National Post; "Quebec man sentenced to life in jail for terror activity," Irwin Block (Montreal Gazette), Feb 17, 2010, Calgary Herald; "Quebec man gets life in prison for terrorist plot," News Staff, Feb 17, 20010, TV News; "Canadian terrorist handed life sentence," Les Perreaux, Feb. 17, 2010, Globe and Mail; "Que. man to appeal bomb plot sentence," Canadian Press, Feb. 18, 2010, CBC news;"'Where do you draw the line'," Graeme Hamilton, Feb. 20, 2010, National Post.
Europe: Voice of America reports that officials from "Central and Middle" European countries, previously communist states, find the growth of far-right parties a threat to Roma, Jews, and other minorities. Hungary is a principal concern where the Jobbik party is preparing to advance in the parliamentary elections this April. VOA finds Jobbik's platform "euroseptic". See previous, etc.). Hungary's Supreme court has banned Jobbik's paramilitary guard which plans to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (Strasbourg). The right wing is also gaining strength in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia. In the Czech Republic (see previous, and previous, etc.), The Prague Daily Monitor reports a poll finding Czechs against having Israeli neighbours - 40%, Arab neighbours - 60%, Roma neighbours - 75%. The poll assesses that 70% of Czechs have a positive attitude toward "Jewish culture". In Italy (see previous, and previous), on Holocaust Remembrance Day Pope Benedict XVI clearly objected to the slaughters at Nazi Germany's concentration camps, while portions of Italy's Jewish Community are at odds with his plans to make Pope Pious XII, leader of the Church as European countries sacrificed Jews, Roma, the handicapped, gays, petty criminals, political prisoners and others to the fascist death machine, a saint. In Romania where Roma are forcibly and poorly relocated in violation of their rights, 24% of the population but 75% of the Roma, live in poverty. In the U.K. the conservatives (Tories) are planning restrictive measures for encampments of "Gypsies and Travellers," while in Northumberland, Gateshead, Middlesbrough 2 million pounds is being allocated to settle caravans in specially approved areas. Partial sources: "Poll: Most Czechs against Arabs, Roma as neighbours," CTK, Feb. 13, 2010, Prague Daily Monitor; "Officials Warn: Extremist Parties Threaten Eastern Europe's Stability," Feb. 14, 2010, VOAnews.com; "Jobbik loses legal battle to keep paramilitary Hungarian Guard," Dec. 17, 2010, World Jewish Congress; "Tories to crack down on Traveller sites," Emily Twinch, Feb 16, 2010, Inside Housing; "Special sites developed for Travellers," Adam Jupp, Feb.16, 2010, JournalLive.co.uk. "Vatican: Pope remembers Nazi slaughter," Jan.27, 2010, Adnkronos e-news; "Concern over forcible evictions of Roma people in Romania," Jan.31, 2010, Ekklesia.
Iraq: in the north, where Paulos Faraj Rahho, archbishop of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Mosul was found dead two weeks after being kidnapped in 2008, 40 Christians in Mosul were killed during the past two months. The auxiliary bishop states "We do not know who is behind these attacks" (Adnkronos). 700,000 Chaldean Christians remain in Iraq's Chaldean community which numbered 1 million before the U.S. / U.K. invasion of 2003. Sources: "Iraq: Senior cleric deplores Christian killings in north," Feb. 16, 2010, Adnkronos International.
February 14, 2010
Valentine's Day:
Christy Moore and Declan Sinnott "No Time for Love" [access:< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHcDWOAIj2o >]
Dock Boggs "New Prisoner's Song" [access< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAE-lXkOyLE >]
Melina Mercouri ~ Mikis Theodorakis, "the judge" [access:< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN05Bj_wycw >]
Haiti: Jean-Bertrand Aristide is still denied return to Haiti where the people elected him President. "No, I didn’t resign. What some people call resignation is a new coup d’état or a modern kidnapping. ...Because they broke the constitutional order by using force to have me out of the country ...." President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to Amy Goodman, March 2004 / Feb. 10, 2010, Democracy Now!. In response to a Security Council request the United Nations is sending 2000 more troops to join its contingent of 7000, and 1500 more police to join its force of 2100. The U.S is reducing its military force in Haiti from 20,000 to 13,000. For the militarization of aid to Haiti see Coalition Against the Arms Trade: http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/65/InvAID.htm . See previous. Partial sources: "Extra UN troops and police pledged for Haiti," Edith M Lederer (AP), Feb. 11, 2010, Seattle Times; "US reduces troop numbers in quake-hit Haiti," AFP, Feb. 14, 2010, France 24.
Spain: the Brussells Tribunal has issued a "Statement on the Closure of the Legal Case for Iraq in Spain, filed against four US Presidents and Four UK Prime Ministers for War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide in Iraq" (for "introduction to the legal case" and press release see [access:< http://brusselstribunal.org/LegalCaseSpain070210.htm >]). Filed October 6, 2009 (see previous) the case was rejected by the Spanish judge and the motion for additional time to appeal was also rejected. The Brussells Tribunal has called for "coordinated action" to begin to assure justice for the millions of Iraqi victims killed or destroyed in the aggression and genocide by the U.S., U.K, and Coalition starting with the Gulf war invasion, 1991. In another Spanish case, Judge Baltazar Garzón has begun a criminal investigation into alleged torture of Guantanamo detainees and primarily the Spanish citizen Ahmed Abderraman Hamed. The case would implicate US officials such as John Yoo and Jay Bybee. William Pepper and the ACLU among others have joined the prosecution. See previous. Partial sources: "Judge Garzon beginning investigation of suspected Guantanamo torture," Dwyer Arce, Jan. 31, 2010, Jurist; "U.S. Lawyers point to Bush for the tortures," Pere Rusingol ( Publico), May 9, 2009, WordPress.com; "Torture Lawyers on Trial ?" David Cole, Feb. 11,2010, The Nation.
Uruguay: the former President of Uruguay, Juan Maria Bordaberry, was sentenced on February 10th to thirty years in prison for betraying the Constitution (leading to a military dictatorship) and for political murders. Partial sources: "Uruguay ex-president sentenced to 30 years in prison over 1973 coup ," Brian Jackson, Feb. 11, 20010,Jurist; "Uruguay's ex-ruler Bordaberry jailed for 30 years," Feb 11, 2010, BBC News.
U.S.: an early genocide warning for Muslim peoples in the United States. The "Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide" stresses the prevention of genocide ahead of prescribing recourse and manner of punishment... To continue see "When the 'War on Terror' Becomes Genocide." [Also at serendipity.]
Canada: despite the Supreme Court order to rectify government's violations of Omar Khadr's human rights Stephen Harper's government will let Omar Khadr face trial in an illegal court, at an illegal prison camp, with illegally obtained evidence, where a Canadian citizen was deprived of his rights under the Geneva Conventions. The Prime Minister's lack of respect for the Court (see previous) shows some parallel to his lack of respect for a Parliamentary demoracy and for the Canadian Forces risked to war crimes and prosecution by ordering the turning over of detainees in Afghanistan to alleged torture. Khadr's older brother, Abdullah Khadr, is fighting extradition to the U.S which wants to try him in Boston on charges related to terrorism. Corrected [A Canadian citizen, Abdullah Khadr was arrested in Pakistan after the U.S.placed a 500,000 reward for his capture; Pakistan refused to send him to the States but returned him to Canada . His brother Abdurahman] Khadr was released from Guantanamo by agreeing to cooperate with the CIA, but on assignment escaped home to Canada. Partial sources: "Canada government will not seek Khadr repatriation," Megan McKee, Feb. 5, 2010, Jurist; "Ignoring Supreme Court's Khadr ruling, Ottawa won't request repatriation," Kirk Makin, Feb. 3, 2010, Globe and Mail; "Final arguments in Abdullah Khadr extradition set for April," Noor Javed, Jan. 25, 2010, thestar.com; "Abdullah Khadr,"Wikipedia; "Abdurahman Khadr," Wikipedia.
February 4, 2010
Historical note
In the fight against fascism 67 years ago, the story of a young woman called a terrorist by the forces invading her homeland: "Comrade Zoya" [access:< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hE6q739_qQ >].
Ottawa: the Supreme Court of Canada, refuses to back the Federal Court's request that Harper repatriate Omar Khadr. Media coverage of the ruling is presented as a victory for the Prime Minister (under the ruling the Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, head of Canada's intelligence services and Commissioner of the RCMP are no longer violating a Federal Court order). ie.: "Canada Needn’t Seek Return of Terror Suspect Khadr," Joe Schneider & Alexandre Deslongchamps, Jan. 29, 2010, Bloomberg.com; "Ottawa not obliged to help Omar Khadr: court," Jan. 29, 2010, Reuters; "Supreme Court won't force Ottawa to repatriate Khadr," Janie Tibbetts Canwest, Jan. 29, 2010, National Post; "Citation: Canada (Prime Minister) v. Khadr, 2010 SCC 3," Jan. 29, 2010, Judgements of the Supreme Court of Canada; etc.. The decision is made during the Prime Minister's arbitrary closing of Canada's Parliament (see previous, and previous). What is suppressed is that the Supreme Court confirms that the Federal Court, although it erred in its specific remedy, was right: the violations of Khadr's rights are violations of fundamental justice and international law (the ruling mentions only the superficial injustices), and the government must rectify them ( English and French language links to Canada's Charter Rights and War Crimes Act are featured at our law directory). What the Crown and Canada's legal and Human Rights establishments avoid saying is that the violations of Khadr's Charter Rights are prosecutable crimes under Canada's War Crimes Act.. Because domestic recourse exists and is not being exercised, because the highest Court's fidelity to tradition and law recognizes an outrageous crime yet denies human justice to the victim, because the Canadian media aren't able to resist a corporate government agenda, because Canadian Security Certificate detainees are Muslims and after massive public humiliation are found to be innocent or without proven guilt, because Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq in 1991 are/were aggressive wars destroying Islamic civilian populations, because targeting and entrapment (the Toronto 18") of young Muslims was preferred to assuring them legal recourse to protest the crimes against Islam, as the "war on terror" becomes a corporate international campaign against Islamic peoples, and as denial of mercy and denial of rights becomes dehumanization, I'm placing an early genocide warning for Muslims in Canada...-ed. 2009 updates on Omar Khadr : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. For Lawyers Against the War's ongoing efforts to bring Khadr home, see the LAW archive . Night's Lantern political prisoners pages first noted Omar Khadr in July 2005 among other reports of Guantanamo detainees. Entries throughout "Guantanamo Camp 2004 ~ 2005 ~ 2006 ~ 2007", "Guantanamo Camp 2008", and "suppressed news" archives (see below) reveal a US and Canadian ongoing crime against a Muslim Canadian citizen placed beyond minimal protections of the Geneva Conventions. Attacked and wounded as a child by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, tortured to obtain information in return for treatment, tortured in Guantanamo, raised in shackles without an education, about to be tried in a court upholding military crimes, and up for transfer from Guantanamo to a prison in Illinois, the tragic Americanization of Omar Khadr continues.
US.: Howard Zinn, honest American historian, died January 27, 2010 at the age of 87.
Haiti: Jean Bertrand Aristide, deposed by a U.S. takeover with United Nations cover, is still refused the right to return to his people. While militaries and relief agencies begin to distribute food and medical care to some, most Haitians remain unfed and uncared for in what may be the preview of a Haiti reconstructed for profit. "Red zones" of the poor are being passed over ("Security 'Red Zones' in Haiti Preventing Large Aid Groups from Effectively Distributing Aid," Amy Goodman, Jan. 22, 2010, Democracy Now!) . The generosity of people throughout the world is bent by using humanitarian aid, food and water, as a corporate political weapon. Aside from the media machinery of fund raising and the official assistance, there are individual rescue and medical workers helping the victims directly. In the U.S. 12,000 nurses ready to go immediately to Haiti were ignored by the government ("Michael Moore on Haiti," Michael Moore and Amy Goodman, Jan. 26, 2010, Democracy Now!). In the U.S. and Canada, why aren't there international emergency brigades of rescue workers, doctors, nurses, to respond to disasters immediately and without guns ? In Canada the Mackenzie-Papineau Memorial Fund & Friends of the Mac-Pap Battalion, Int'l Brigades currently accepts donations to be used entirely for support of Cuban medical personnel at work in Haiti (see previous). Ref.: The Canadian Network on Cuba "Cuba for Haiti" campaign [access:< http://www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/>]. - ed..
Historical note on international brigades:
Christy Moore - Viva La Quince Brigada [access:< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qypb3JIZN4 >]
Among the International Brigades which went to Spain to fight fascism were the Abraham Lincoln Battalion and from Canada the Mackenzie - Papineau Battalion.
The Night's Lantern "genocide warnings" page is updated
Ottawa: at one o'clock PM January 23rd, there were about 2500 people gathered in front of Parliament to state disfavour for Prime Minister Harper's proroguing of Parliament. Under the Harper Conservative government "proroguing" comes to mean shutting down (temporarily) the Parliament of a people's democracy, to the political advantage of the Prime Minister. The gathering was notable for its modesty and seriousness, the sunny afternoon, almost no police presence. Rallies across the country were well attended. For readers outside Canada it helps to understand that Canadians don't vote directly for a prime minister but rather for members of Parliament...[previous]
Washington, D.C.: on January 22nd 150 members of Witness Against Torture completed a 12 day "Fast for Justice" to end imprisonment at Guantanamo and torture. On January 21rst, 42 men and women submitted to arrest on disorderly conduct charges, for stating that torture is an unacceptable crime. The arrests occurred on the capitol steps and at a memorial inside commemorating the three Guantanamo "suicides" recently revealed as murdered (The Guantanamo "Suicides": a Camp Delta sergeant blows the whistle," Scott Horton, Jan. 18, 2010, Harper's Magazine). Witness Against Torture gatherings are nonviolent with orderly lines of men and women in orange jumpsuits and black hoods. These separating themselves from the continuing crimes of government, receive little media attention but leave their indelible impression. Previous 1 2 3 4 5. Partial sources: "Police Arrest Anti-torture Protesters at Capitol," Ilana E. Strauss, Jan.22, 2010, Infozine; "42 Arrested at U.S.Capitol in Day of Action to Denounce Obama's Broken Promises on Guantanamo, America's Broken Laws, and the Breaking of Lives by Torture," Witness Against Torture, Jan. 21, 2010, Witness Against Torture mailing; "Fast for Justice Kicks off Tomorrow," Jan 10, 2010, Witness Against Torture mailing.
January 22, 2010
Ottawa: this week Mohamed Harkat, held on a Canadian Security Certificate since 2002, imprisoned in solitary confinement for 43 months, freed to house arrest and wearing an ankle monitor, continues his plea before the Federal Court of Canada to have the Security Certificate which holds him, quashed. The Security certificates against Adil Charkaoui and Hassan Almrei have been revoked. The Security Certificate mechanism as applied was found illegal by the Supreme Court, then adapted by the Harper government to give an appearance of complying with the Court's intent. It is increasingly evident that the secrecy required by Security Certificates was necessary to cover lack of sound evidence. “How many more lives will have to be destroyed before this madness ends"- Sophie Harkat (apprec. Mohammed Adam, Canwest) before once again entering court to help free her husband. Partial sources: "Solidarité avec Mohamed Harkat : Suivi," Francine Dumas, Jan.21, 2010, email announcement; "Fwd: [Harkatjustice] Important-Court]," Jan 17, 2010, nowar-paix listserv; "Sophie Harkat pleads for abolition of Canada's security certificate regime," Mohammed Adam, Jan. 15, 2010, The Ottawa Citizen; "Accused terrorist Harkat not violent: CSIS," Mohammed Adam, Jan. 18, 2010, Canwest ~ canada.com; "Solidarité avec Mohamed Harkat : 18 janvier 2010 et autres," Francine Dumas, Jan.12, 2010, email announcement; "La justice canadienne s’interroge sur le cas de l’Algérien Mohamed Harkat soupçonné de terrorisme," Hakim Arous, Jan. 12, 2010, TSA, Tout sur l'Algérie; "Harkat challenge of security certificate goes to court," Jan.15, 2010, CBC News.
Background: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
* January 21, 2010
The Hague, Netherlands: on January 19th American lawyer and professor, Francis A. Boyle (Iraq and the Laws of War) presented a request to the Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, for the arrests of six former officials of the U.S. government, charging them with the "extraordinary rendition" of a hundred people, and warning any Obama administration officials of charges if they continue a policy of forced disappearances. The officials directly charged are: "George W. Bush, Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenet, Condoleezza Rice, Alberto Gonzales." While the US. doesn't subscribe to the I.C.C., with no recourse available under the Obama administration and since many of the victims are citizens of countries which subscribe to the I.C.C., the crime would fall under I.C.C. authority. See "enforced disappearances", previous. Partial sources: this news is almost entirely suppressed in North American and global media; "ICC Complaint Against Bush, Cheney et al," Francis A. Boyle, Jan. 20, 2010, Lawyers Against the War listserv; "International Arrest Warrants Requested," press release: afterdowningstreet.org, Jan. 20, 2010, Scoop - Independent News NZ; "ICC: Complaint Filed Against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld et al," Jan 20, 2010, [acess:< www.unobserver.com/layout5.php?id=7110&blz=1 >].
. Haiti: the chance for Haiti to regain autonomy, to rebuild its own culture and communities, is passing with the denial of Jean Bertrand Aristide's right of return to Haiti. In response to the catastrophe the Haitian people are suffering in community a lack of humanitarian aid, and slowness in distribution of water, food, medical supplies and anaesthetic, alleviated by civilian and small nation efforts, while US and UN militaries in great force have so far attended to "security" (this seems to be better managed by the victims) more than the people. See previous. Partial sources: "Group: 20,000 Dying Daily from Lack of Surgery," Jan. 20, 2010, Democracy Now!; 6:00 PM News, Jan. 21, 2010, CBC News; "Haiti earthquake: rescue teams lose hope as cries from the rubble fall silent," Rory Carroll and Peter Beaumont, Jan. 20, 2010, guardian.co.uk.
. US: the U.S.Supreme Court has denied Mumia Abu-Jamal a new sentencing and the case is returned to a lower court which may re-sentence him to life or uphold the death penalty. On death row, solitary, since 1982, Abu-Jamal has become a voice of the oppressed people well beyond U.S. borders. The racism apparent in his initial conviction and the court system mocks the history of American struggles for justice and equality. For some background. Partial sources: "Court Tosses Ruling to Set Aside Death Sentence," Jan. 21, 2010, Courthouse News Service; "A Supreme Court blow to anti-death penalty icon Mumia Abu-Jamal," Warren Richey, Jan. 19, 2010, The Christian Science Monitor; "Supreme Court Tosses Re-Sentencing for Mumia Abu-Jamal," Jan. 20, 2010, Demoracy Now!.
. Canada: on January 23rd Canadians across the country will protest the Harper government's proroguing of Parliament. See previous.
. January 17, 2010
Haiti: see previous. The media's wide coverage of the Haitian people's terrible suffering is not suppressed news. However militarily related information is inreasingly controlled. The disaster found the population helpless and Haiti is totally reliant on aid structures of foreign interests. Canadian, French and US. planes continue to evacuate their surviving citizens, with a report that the U.S. is monopolizing the runway since taking military control of the airport. A French plane with a hospital was not allowed to land ("Anger at US builds at Port-au-Prince airport," Deborah Pasmantier, Jan. 16, 2010, Agence France Presse ~ Google news ). 400 doctors from Cuba were in Haiti, and medical teams from Canada, Venezuela and China arrived early. On the 16th a Canadian ship was anchored waiting for a way to land humanitarian cargo. Despite U.S. military control of access to the disaster zone and substantial military / humanitarian commitments the U.S. did not field the necessary medical / rescue teams in the first 72 hours to save trapped victims. By January 17th there are inreasing reports of "looting" as survivors forage for food and water.
Context: elected President Jean Bertrand Aristide, deposed by a US., French, Canadian alliance, remains exiled by force in South Africa and asking to return to his people. His majority Lavalas party was recently denied participation in Haitian elections.The U.N. has provided an occupying military force to cover what was basically a U.S. takeover of Haiti. The occupation remains a crime but without legal recourse. See also, previous 1 2 3 4 and "another massacre has occurred in Haiti (2005)".Information about the duration of the initial shock is missing from news reports and government press releases, which makes it harder to be sure the catastrophe is a natural disaster; ie.: the shock of underground nuclear tests has a much shorter time duration than earthquakes. There are non-official reports suggesting an initial shock duration of seconds.Historical note: There are some similarities to China's Sichuan earthquake of 2008: both victim population groups were outside the NATO economy; about 200,000 ([estimates: the death toll in Haiti is currently lower and rising; the Sichuan toll varies widely acording to source]) died in each catastrophe; neither region was recently earthquake prone; in both earthquakes the epicenter was about 10 kilometers deep; both earthquakes were about 7 (Haiti: 7 - Sichuan: 7 and 7.9) magnitude; both areas of destruction were essentially symmetrical. The China earthquake may have damaged some Chinese nuclear laboratories / facilities so there was non-government conjecture that a nuclear detonation may have initiated the Chinese quake, or use of HAARP (radio waves from satelite). Both catastrophes were responded to as military rather than medical emergencies.Partial sources: "Oil in Haiti - Economic Reasons for the UN/US occupation," Ezili Danto, Oct 13, 2009, open salon; "Sichuan Earthquake," May 6, 2009,The New York Times; "China earthquake kills thousands," Mark Tran, Elizabeth Stewart, May 12, 2008, guardian.co.uk; "Canadians flee Haiti as death toll nears 200,000," Jorge Barrera `Canwest, Jan. 16, 2010, canada.com; "344 Cuban Medics Treat Earthquake Victims ," Cuba Support Group Ireland, Jan. 16, 2010, Global Research; "Canadian military relief arrives in Haiti," Jan. 14, 2010, UPI.com; "Nuclear Explosion Occurred Near Epicenter of the Sichuan Earthquake, Expert Says," Wu Weilin, June 3, 2008, Epoch Times [unverified]; "Looters scramble for scarce food, water," Steven Edwards and Jorge Barbera (AFP), Jan. 17, 2010, Ottawa Citizen.
Haiti: in response to the earthquake of January 12th and ongoing tragedy, both Canada and the U.S. have rapidly sent military forces to Haiti; CBC news reports seem not to stress the sending of medical units and food for the people. The U.S. and Canada are promising substantial financial aid. The Haitian prime minister suggests as many as a hundred thousand deaths, and there is an outpouring of contributions meant for the Haitian people from Canadians and Americans. Areas not considered by media: geologic data to explain the shallow earthquake (approximately 15 [correction: 10 to 13] kilometers deep). Since nuclear testing began in the 40's incidence of earthquakes has doubled; there is evidence testing and use have weakened the earth's crust and slightly shifted the earth's axis (See "www.ratical.org : #1. Nuclear Bomb Tests & Their Relationship to Earthquakes Planetwide. Silicon Graphics. 1992. #2. Bomb Tests & Earthquakes Section: British, German, Japanese & Canadian studies & Shigeyoshi Matsumae, President Tokai Univ. Yoshio Kato, Dept. of Aerospace Science. #3. Killer Quakes & Bomb Tests Section," footnote to "Apology To The Earth For Nuclear Bombs and War," Mary Hamer, M.D, Jan 4, 2010, countercurrents.org). The shallow depth of the epicentre, thought to be reachable by drilling (as in the Russian Kola Peninsula boring project) might not discourage those researching nuclear detonation triggers for earthquakes and tsunamis. Lack of warning for the Haiti earthquake is puzzling: it's likely NASA has the capacity to anticipate earthquakes through Interferometric-Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), satelite equipment able to determine earth crust movement to within 1mm a year, and low-frequency magnetic signal technology among other early warning system signals ("Anticipating Earthquakes," Aug. 11, 2003, Science @ NASA). The devastation is contained neatly within Haiti's border with the Dominican Republic's two-thirds of the island: the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism reports no difficulties and all facilities open. The destruction of so many Haitians and much of Haiti's infra-struture, as a "poor" nation, reminds of the merciless bombardments of Iraq and loss of so many people. There is some parallel to what happened to Haiti's democracy when U.S., French, and Canadian administrations deposed elected Haitian President Aristide.
Malaysia: Al-Jazeera (English) has reported attacks on 4 Christian churches in rising tensions between the Islamic majority and Christian community. The government had banned non-Muslim use of the word "Allah" for God, although in large areas one word denotes the other. The ruling was overturned and the matter is in court. Partial sources: "Malaysian churches attacked," Jan. 8, 20010, Al-Jazeera "Churches Attacked in Malaysian dispute," Seth Mydans, Jan. 8,2010, New York Times>.
Ethiopia: genocide warning for the Oromo people, the largest population group of Ethiopia numbering up to 30 million people; the Oromo Support Group has claimed that with support of Western governments the government of Ethiopia engages in practices consistent with genocide against the Oramia and other peoples of southern Ethiopia. US.military assistance and sales to the government of Ethiopia were about forty million dollars in 2002-2006. [unverifiable phrase deleted]. The US supported Ethiopia's invasion of Somalia begun in December 2006. See previous 1, 2, 3, 4. Currently to the south of Somalia the UN recently shut down food relief operations due to continuing resistance by Al-Shabab with its roots in the Somalian government forced out by the U.S / Ethiopian invasion. The U.S. military command for Africa (AFRICOM) currently based in Stuttgart Germany is meeting pan-African resistance to relocation in Africa despite recent offers of hosting by Liberia and Morocco. Partial sources: "Genocide against the Oromo people of Ethiopia? Western influence," Dr. Trevor Trueman, Oramia Support Group "Violence, fear and confusion: welcome to the Horn of Africa," Peter Beaumont, Jan. 10,2010, guardian.co.uk; "Somalia in Obama's Agenda: Fresh Interests," Mohamed Yusuf Abshir, Jan. 12, 2010, IslamOnline.net "Africom - Latest U.S. Bid to Recolonise Continent,"Tichaona Nhamoyebonde, Jan. 13, 2010, Blacknet.co.uk; "UN suspends food aid to southern Somalia," Scott Baldauf, Jan. 5, 2010, Christian Science Monitor; "US Military Assistance to Ethiopia and Ethiopia’s Gross Human Rights Abuses / End Game," Alemayehu G. Mariam, June 2, 2009, gadaa.com.
Netherlands: the Committee on Inquiry appointed by the Dutch government, found the US.and British invasion of Iraq in 2003, not justified by U.N. Security Council resolutions and so against international law, and against policies of a Dutch Parliament not appropriately informed when the country's political support was obtained. Protestors throughout the world understood the invasion more simply as the crime of aggression. See also Lawyers Against the War letters from 2002. See also Francis Boyle's Iraq and the Laws of War. Partial sources: "Conclusions of the Committee of Inquiry on Iraq ," Jan. 12, 2010, Committee of inquiry Iraq [access:< http://www.onderzoekscommissie-irak.nl/#pagina=849 ]; "Dutch Inquiry says no legal basis for Iraq War: echoes LAW articles," Jan 12, 2010, Lawyers Against the War; "Iraq invasion violated international law, Dutch inquiry finds ," Jan 12, 2010, Citizens for Legitimate Government.
January 12, 2010
winter soldier [access:< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akm3nYN8aG8 >]
Global: a military anti-insurgent tactic initially traced to the U.S. School of the Americas, enforced disappearance is increasingly used in the "war on terror" as a population control. Terrorization and disappearances of individuals and groups of poor are followed by political takeover with corporate access to a region's resources. The Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons in Kashmir alleges that 10,000 were "disappeared" by Indian security forces in the Kashmiri Separatist revolt, as unmarked graves for 1700 were recently discovered. In India the government's current "Operation Green Hunt" is threatening and with what seems to be a news blackout, pursuing, huge military operations against "Maoist rebels" indistinguishable from poor people throughout central India. In Pakistan, according to Defense of Human Rights of Pakistan 10,000 persons remain "disappeared" since the start of the US "war on terror." The names of 369 "enforced disappearances" are acknowledged as suspects turned over to the U.S.. North Americans are more familiar with the disappearances of students, radicals, union leaders, by School of the Americas trained cadre throughout South and Central America. Over 300 officials have been convicted in Chile, and 55 in Argentina so far in investigations of actions from the 60's and 70's. See Peru; see Guatemala; see Chile; see Argentina 1 and 2; see the Vanished Gallery ~ Desaparecidos and Memoria Viva on our links page. See also: School of the Americas Watch. Partial sources: "The issue of 10,000 disappeared persons haunts Pakistan governent," Abdus Sattar Ghazali, Jan 9, 2010, OpEdNews.com; "Argentina's 'disappeared:' Justice at last or reneging on amnesty?" Sam Ferguson, Dec.24, 2009, Christian Science Monitor; Families of Missing Persons Protest in Indian Kashmir, Dec.18, 2009, New Tang Dynasty Television.
January 8, 2009
Gaza: around midnight and in the early hours of January 8th, Israel bombed food tunnels in a heavily populated area. The tunnels bring food and necessary goods into Gaza which has remained under seige.The air strikes follow the arrival in Gaza of a caravan of activists carrying emergency medical supplies. Starting in England the caravan accompanied by British MP George Galloway, was delayed in Egypt where a number of activists were wounded by police actions. Other air strikes against urban centres and refugee camps are reported but slow to be veri fied. North American media are not yet carrying news of Israel's actions. Partial sources: "Breaking News: All of Gaza under attack now," Jan. 8, 2010, Desertpeace; "Breaking News: 3 civilians killed in Gaza as Israel strikes food-tunnels," via Ayman Quaider and Sameh A. Habeeb, Jan 8, 2010, The Palestine Telegraph.
Canada: amid media observations such as "Introducing Canada's Minority Dictatorship" (Globe and Mail Jan. 8, 2010), Prime Minister Harper maintains his proroguing (shutdown) of Parliament until March 3rd as normal procedure. Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff has claimed Liberal Ministers of Parliament will be back at work January 25th, discussing among other things Afghan detainees. Polls show that Canadians generally reject Harper's efforts to silence Parliament. A facebook group has so far a hundred thousand signers protesting the Conservative government's contempt. See previous Partial sources: "Harper has 'crazy way' of running democracy: Ignatieff," Jan. 8, 2010, CBC News; "Majority blasts PM's shutdown," Jan. 8, 2010, thestar.com.
Africa: the failure of the Copenhagen talks (see previous) risks African countries, Bangladesh and others to catastrophe. Revelations of this cost of industrial production, and ongoing U.S. wars, have not been addressed by wealthy nation governments. If governments hosting military and industrial production continue to contribute to the foreseen destruction of entire peoples, this will be resisted internationally. Wealthy country governments have previously risked application of the Convention aganst Genocide in response to attempts to destroy peoples of resource rich areas.
Oliver Mtukudzi, "Mutavara", historical note: Zimbabwe [access:< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg-nV7M0UyE >]
Letta Mbulu, "Amakhamandela (Not yet Uhuru)," South Africa... [access< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Js95topeKI ]
Canada: Canadian media are presenting a low key steady reminder that the Prime Minister has shut down Parliament to avoid investigation of his government's role in alleged war crimes. See previous.
Elliott Brood, "The Valley Town" [access:< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLYvOe10lEw >]
Nuclear Waste Management Organization, charged by the Canadian government with long term spent nuclear fuel management, is believed to be attempting a multi-billion dollar nuclear storage site in the Ignace area of northwest Ontario. With programs of 'education' about the benefits of the nuclear industry, the promise of jobs, and a history of furthering profit, the government is attempting to woo First Nations people of the area. There are Nishnaabe communities, as well as lakes and waterways throughout the region. In Nunavut, environmental protections written into the land claims agreement are considered a failure. In 2007 uranium exploration was allowed by the Nunavut Planning Commission. While there are First Nations groups refusing uranium exploration, mining and storage, a united and unequivocal First Peoples' stand against, is lacking. U.S. difficulties with waste storage / radiation saturation - ie. the Savannah River Site in South Carolina - suggest increasing pressure on Canada as a receiver site for radioactive waste. "No Olympics on Stolen Native Land," the banner of protest to the Olympic Games in Canada, as the Torch travels from Province to Province, explores a fault line in the government's understanding of stewardship. Partial sources: "Snow Job in North Western Ontario Ignace Looks at Storing Nuclear Waste: We Look at the Madness of Nukes," Kittoh, Dec 29 2009, Eagle Watch #23; "Editorial: Nunavut’s Radioactive Issue," Dec. 28, 2009, Nunatsiaq News, apprec. Eagle Watch #24; recommended: Miningwatch Canada.
Editor's note: While some First Peoples try to protect earth and water others bargain land and water rights to corporate exploitation. The mining, processing and storage of uranium damage the earth forever. The agreements profit both parties while ultimately destroying portions of humanity. The "legality" of rights bargained between two parties while affecting humanity and its future, is questionable. Occupation of a territory by one nation or tribe over the course of history can never legally forfeit the rights of all life to earth and sea. The rights of all life cannot be negotiated. Within this perspective uranium mining for example, is understood as a crime.La Frontera", Lhasa de Sela, who died at 37, January first in Montreal, of cancer [access:< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka2t4uA8VKA >]
2009 2008 2007 2006 1995 - 2005 is-it-fascism law
Environment 2005-2009
A branch that comes from violence will not take root;
for a blighted root is on sheer rock, like reeds by the
banks of a river, which are dried up before any grass; but
kindness, like eternity, will never be cut off, and faithfulness
will be established forever - from Ben Sira
(Dead Sea Scrolls Bible, Abegg et al)
This account is against forgetfulness.
