2006december 23, 2006, night's lantern: posting of new etching by julie maas, "because upstairs they are crazy," and new j.b.gerald poem, "an occupation."
december 22, 2006, iraq: according to current reports from reuters , iraq's red crescent (the country's equivalent of the red cross) has a staff of a thousand with 200000 vounteers in 18 provinces; its workers have been under increasing attack from forces of occupation; on dec.15th, the vice-president of iraqi red crescent publicly condemned three years of attacks on its offices as part of a u.s. campaign searching for terrorists; in a recent incident iraqi red crescent offices in fallujah were partially destroyed; its staff was held prisoner; several vehicles with internationally recognized neutral markings were burned; previous attacks by u.s. forces include actions against iraqi red crescent society headquarters in baghdad; on dec. 18, a portion of iraqi red crescent in baghdad closed entirely when 30 red crescent people were kidnapped from their offices by people in police uniform with guns; in iraq, the red crescent partners the international committee of the red cross (icrc), a primary caretaker of the geneva conventions; see below, fallujah ("iraqi red crescent accuses u.s. forces of attacks," stephanie nebehay, dec. 15, 2006, reuters ~ yahoo! news; "red crescent halts baghdad work after abduction," reuters, dec. 18, 2006, yahoo! news).
december 16, 2006, u.s.: excerpts from a poem by denise levertov (1923-1997), "news report, september 1991: u.s. buried iraqi soldiers alive in gulf war" (making peace, poems by denise levertov, ed. peggy rosenthal, new york: new directions bibelot, 2006 ~ recommended):
"What you saw was a
bunch of trenches with
arms sticking out."
"Plows mounted on
tanks."........"Schwartzkopf's staff
privately
estimated fifty to seventy
thousand killed
in the trenches.....
democracy now! is able to note house testimony clarifying the death toll of iraqis since the second invasion, as 650 thousand, generally ten times media statstistics ("authors of lancet study, middle east analyst juan cole testify at kucinich hearing on civilian casualties in iraq," interview, amy goodman et al, dec. 16, 2006, democracy now!). historical note
media coherence in keeping the truth of this matter from the people suggests a unified primary allegiance to financial and military controls, betraying the people's right and need to know.
fallujah: according to an inter press service report, on dec. 7th and 8th, in violation of geneva conventions american soldiers raided and closed an active hospital, fallujah general hospital, arresting and degrading its medical personel; the u.s. military conceded that "marines from regimental combat team 5" entered the hospital searching for enemy wounded ("u.s. troops raid falllujah hospital again," dahr jamail w. ali-al-fadhily, dec. 15, 2006, antiwar.com). kingston ontario: at kingston holding center mohammad mahjoub has been on hunger strike for twenty days; hassan almrei for nine days; mahmoud jaballah, nine days; please note: these detainees held without trial on canadian security certificates are particularly at risk due to previous, long, hunger strikes;see urgent.
december 14, 2006, nato's afghanistan: the failure to reconstruct afghanistan is giving over to the attempts at obliterating its resistance, its culture, its people; this will also come to damage our own cultures and people...; the senlis council (u.k.) report of sept. 5, 2006 clarifies a u.s. / nato failure through rates of infant mortality and death of mothers in childbirth, prison population increase, refugee increase (probably about 3 million currently) and deterioration of afghanistan since the taliban were overcome in 2001 ("afghanistan five years later: the return of the taliban," the senlis council [access dec. 13, 2006: http://www.senliscouncil.net/modules/publications/014_publication/];"canada / nato invasion of afghanistan sows destruction and misery," roger annis and ian beeching, oct. 9, 2006, global research; "canada engaged in colonial intervention in afghanistan," guy charron, aug. 7, 2006, world socialist web site); u.s. policy depriving taliban of geneva convention protections compromises canadian forces who cooperate, because canada subscribes to the international criminal court while the u.s. does not; in canada, the media is perception managing the war, limiting public understanding of the suffering of afghan people while portraying military programs as humanitarian; when defense minister o'connor (a former arms lobbyist) states canada is abiding by geneva conventions despite transfers of detainees to torture, he is risking canadians to committing war crimes; because geneva conventions can call leadership to accountability, there may be an effort to destroy geneva conventions; peter worthington writing in the toronto sun points out that the u.s., canada, the u.k., and australia would do better to do without the geneva conventions - "quit imposing restraints on ourselves"; he understands the u.s. is losing the war against terrorism but responds with a nightmare of his own ("veteran sun columnist suggests it's time to abandon geneva conventions,"peter worthington, nov.15, 2006, toronto sun; "toronto sun reporter recommends canada ditch the geneva conventions to win the 'war on terror,'" nov. 18, 2006, vancouver indymedia).
canada: to note here another right wing override of international law: the government is legally permitted to withhold from the people and press, a 10 page legal brief advising government on the propriety of extraordinary rendition, a c..i.a. practice which illegally moves prisoners about the globe for interrogation and torture; this is of canadian interest since the ghost planes are using canadian airports; according to the canadian press, foreign affairs is thinking it might be" legal"... ("'rendition' of terrorism suspects such as arar may be legal, canada says," jim bronskill, dec. 12, 2006, canadian press, with appreciation to l.a.w.).
caledonia update: according to a report by hazel hill, gary mchale continues to attempt escalating the land dispute at the land reclamation site; she reports that last weekend he was posting yellow ribbons in support of troops in afghanistan, all around the site with media coverage; he's attempting another rally there on dec.17th("mnn 6 nations corners canada: hazel's update," hazel hill, dec. 7, 2006, posted from orakwa dec. 10, 2006); trevor miller is added to "updates" of political prisoners.
peru: jorge del castillo, the prime mininster, has sent 1500 soldiers to contain a small force of shining path which has resumed operations in the andes ("troops dispatched to corral guerillas," martin arostegui, dec. 12, 2006, washington times); see november 30th. december 11, 2006, new orleans: democracy now! reports ("against residents' pleas, government to raze 4,500 new orleans homes, " "headlines," goodman & staff, dec. 8, 2006) demolition of government's 4500 low income rental units; this forces out predominantly lower income people of colour; the units are to be rebuilt by private developers.
washington d.c.: the federal times quotes the baker report (the iraq study group) recommendation : "if not enough civilians volunteer to fill key positions in iraq, civilian agencies must fill those positions with directed assignments...", u.s. government workers' first line of defense against being sent to a deteriorating war zone will be their unions; the report has also encouraged cross-agency training ("unions oppose 'draft' of federal workers to iraq," daniel friedman, dec. 8, 2006, federal times; "bipartisan panel urges agencies to order civilians to iraq," tom shoop, dec. 6, 2006, govexec.com).
afghanistan: to an international human rights day (dec. 10) audience, the president of aghanistan was brave enough to cry, faced with the u.s. and nato takeover of his country; the international herald tribune states he cried because he couldn't stop "the coalition from killing the children" or the terrorism ("karzai cries during speech, says afghan children are dying from terrorism and nato bombs," ap , dec. 10, 2006, international herald tribune); in canada, minority government prime minister harper has increased canada's military commitment from peackeeping to search and destroy missions in league with the u.s. and allied forces of occupation; the legality of canada's involvement remains a silent issue; see john mcnamer, march 16, 2006 , among others; with thought for the children of afghanistan, see dr. miraki's the silent genocide from america.
december 6, 2006, ottawa : breaking the rythm of canada's conservative media blitzes, st?phane dion, a reasonable new leader of canada's liberal party, on december 4th noted the harper government's "far-right-wing" character and policies as faults ("dion comes out swinging," juliet o'neill, dec. 5, 2006, ottawa citizen).
the cbc reports the resignation of giuliano zaccardelli, r.c.m.p. commissioner during the crimes against maher arar ("rcmp's embattled chief quits over arar testimony," dec. 6, 2006, cbc news). river with lights, poems, a gerald and maas ottawa 2005 publication unreviewed in canada, has received a good review from california-based swans commentary; gilles d'aymery praises the work's "exceptional territory"; the review with two works by non-collaborative u.s. vets is available at swans [access:< http://www.swans.com/library/art12/ga220.html >].
washington d.c.: the congressional quarterly online edition points out - "fine print in defense bill opens door to martial law," jeff stein, dec.1, 2006, cq.com; h.r. 5122/p.l. 109-364, the john warner national defense authorization act for the financial year 2007, signed by bush oct. 17, 2006, extends the president's mandate to declare martial law. december 5, 2006, mexico update: shortly after the equivocal installation of felipe calderon as mexican president, flavio sosa (see nov. 15) was arrested in mexcio city; two officials jailed in the murder of brad will, the new york indymedia journalist, were released: police claimed the two had fired into the crowds but could not have shot brad will; from unknown location an appo bulletin states it is well and active and alive in the hearts of the people and planning a coming together on december 10th at the monument to juarez (" police arrest appo leader flavio sosa," and "oaxacan judge releases two tied to brad will's death," headlines, goodman & staff, dec. 5, 2006, democracy now!; "the appo lives," ceappo, dec. 3, 2006, narco news bulletin & dec. 5, 2006, nowar-paix).
ecuador: rafael correa, an economist the liberal media describes as a "leftist," is elected president, 57% to 43%; he was running against the wealthiest ecuadoran in the country; correa received his phd from the university of illinois ("leftist economist correa officially named ecuador's president-elect," ap dec. 4, 2006, international herald tribune).
venezuela: hugo chavez is re-elected president with an over sixty percent majority, despite clear opposition from the u.s. ("venezuelan president hugo chavez celebrates re-election," dec. 6, 2006, voice of america [access"english.chosun.com]); the malaysia star headline notes "chavez's venezuela "red, really, red" after vote."
bolivia: under evo morales' mandate the bolivian senate has successfully followed the chambre of deputies in passing a new land reform bill which redistributes land to indigenous peoples ("bolivia passes sweeping land law," nov. 29, 2006, aljazeera.net).
chil?: noting a familiar pattern, deutsche presse-agentur reports that while general pinochet recovers in hospital from a heart attack this weekend, the court has ended his house arrest ("pinochet continues to recover, court frees him on bail," dpa, dec. 4, 2006, m&c news).
spain: with support of the church, the right wing popular party, and spain's military, the "law for the recovery of historical memory," put forward by the ruling socialist party of spain, betrays its promises to find some justice for the victims of franco in the days when his courts provided mass executions of his political opponents (the mass graves are still being unearthed); amnesty international among others has objected to the semblance of justice covering fascist jurisprudence ("spain: socialist party government betrays victims of franco's dictatorship," paul stuart, dec. 4, 2006, world socialist web site).
canada: an alleged russian "spy:" held on a security certificate as a threat to canadian national security, will return to russia without admitting that he is a spy; appearing in court in a case expedited by the judicial system, the suspect's deportation was agreed on, and the suspect's true name withheld from the public for the safety of his family... ("accused russian spy to be deported from canada," ctv.ca news staff, dec. 4, 2006, ctv.ca news); three muslim men held on security certificates remain in prison without bail or the opportunity to prove their innocence of unknown crimes, while their families are deprived of a principal wage earner.
vatican city: by unconfirmed report, pope benedict has added american henry kissinger to his circle of advisers; for half a cenury kissinger advised, instigated, furthered policies of war and the death of millions in vietnam, cambodia, iran-iraq, south america, central america, usually of poor people; kissinger is considered at risk of arrest outside the united states ("henry alfred kissinger," dec. 4, 2006, wikipedia; ie. "pol pot and kissinger," edward s. herman, zmagazine, sept. 1997 [access: http://www.zmag.org/zmag/articles/hermansept97.htm]; "neo-conservatism at the vatican? kissinger to become political adviser to pope benedict XVI," edward pentin, nov. 26, 2006, national catholic register) [correction dec. 6,2006: the vatican denies this and clarifies that on sept. 28th the pope met with kissinger, who is invited to speak at the vatican's pontifical academy of social sciences by its president, a u.s. law professor ("pope didn't ask kissinger to be advisor, vatican says," cindy wooden, dec. 4, 2006, catholic news service)].
geneva: a 153 page report for the u.n.human rights council found the indiscriminate use of cluster bombs by israel a war crime and wants the weapons banned; the report acknowledges indiscriminate attacks on civilians and medical facilities and suggests prosecution in israeli court, according to "cluster bomb use deemed 'war crime' by u.n. team," ap dec. 1, 2006, the jerusalem post [access: israel jpost.com]); among the report's findings: 900,000 people fled their homes in lebanon; idf's "disproportionate use of force against civilians;" israel's "direct attacks on medical and relief personnel;" "one third of the casualties and deaths were children" (there were officially 1191 deaths and 4409 wounded); the report found no justification for 30 attacks on u.n. personnel including the deaths of four u.n. unarmed observers (one was a canadian officer); however the report found hezbollah use of u.n.i.f.i.l. positions as "shields"; the damage to lebanon's civilian and economic infrastructure included 109 bridges and 127 factories; the oil spill and environmental destruction of the lebanese coast resulting from an attack on the jiyyah power plant is considered premeditated; the report does not confirm use of d.u. weapons; it considers israel's attacks on civilians "collective punishment"; there were 43 israeli civilian deaths, 997 wounded, 300,000 displaced; the report suggests the banning of cluster bombs and consideration of banning depleted uranium, and suggests consideration of reparations ("report of the commission of inquiry on lebanon pursuant to human rights council resolution s-21," a/hrc/3/2, 23nov. 2006, united nations general assembly); entries concerning israel's invasion of lebanon remain available in the bulletin board archives.
november 30, 2006, mexico update: there was physical dissent in the mexican national congress, where supporters of obrador have objected to whatis considered an unfair electon process; calderon has appointed as interior secretary, francisco ram?rez acu?a, known for his mistreatment of protestors at jalisco; in oaxaca there are reports of paramilitaries searching for the leaders of the popular assembly of the peoples of oaxaca, and beatings on arrest: also - 141 protestors were taken by helicopter to the prison in san jos? del rinc?n; these have not been allowed access to family, to lawyers, to doctors, to human rights workers, to the press; the current commander of the federal preventive police in oaxaca, general ardelio vargas, is already known for his contribution to police actions at atenco ("the 'coup d'etat' in mexico," al giordino, nov. 29, 2006, the narco news bulletin; "oaxaca: the end of tolerance," luis hern?ndez navarro, nov. 28, 2006,the narco news bulletin; "mexican lawmakers scuffle over calderon inauguration," and "calderon criticized for internal secretary appointment," headlines, nov. 29, 2006, democracy now!); see update on the re-arrest of luis echeverria for killings while he was interior minister.
chil?: retired general pinochet has been indicted once again by courts in his country which have protected him from punishment for the massacres of so many innocents.
peru: comrade artemio, current leader of the shining path previously led by the imprisoned abimael guzman, has asked for a general amnesty and political settlement from the peruvian govenrment in return for a truce; peru's current government has pledged the death penalty against rebels, and refuses to release the american lori berenson ("shining path leader offers truce," dan collyns, nov. 26, 2006, bbc news).
november 27, 2006: gerald and maas has re-posted [current] arguments with the thought police, essays, with drawings [taken down].
oaxaca update: on november 25 the appo reported that the "federal preventative police" and the state police have moved against the people at the centre of the city, killing two and taking forty prisoner ("offensive by the federal preventative police against the people of oaxaca: confrontation continues between the police and the appo in different parts of the city," the popular assembly of the peoples of oaxaca (appo),narco news bulletin); in a report filed to democracy now! late november 26th, john gibler reports 150 appo members detained during two days of confrontation between the people's assembly and the police; hundreds have been wounded; armed men are reported entering the local hospitals looking for the wounded; the state and federal police currently control the santo domingo cathedral where appo hopes to return in the morning ("police detain 160 uprising leaders in oaxaca, ten of thousands protest governor ruiz," john gibler to amy goodman, nov. 27, 2006, democracy now!).
iraq: the increase of civilian deaths in resistance actions within/against civilian populations of baghdad suggest a civil war in progress; this is strongly stated by nir rosen to democracy now! ("anatomy of a civil war: writer nir rosen on iraq's descent into chaos," nir rose with amy goodman, nov. 27, 2006): the u.s. is responsible for the civil war; the shia are in control of iraq; american forces are not particularly relevant; he warns of "a virtual genocide of the sunnis"(ibid.), as an end result of tensions exploited by the occupation.
historical note
Since Auschwitz we know what man is capable of. And since Hiroshima we know what is at stake. - Viktor Frankl [access: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Frankl].
november 24, 2006, mexico update: see "updates & genocide warnings" concerning a mexican government report on its policy of killing dissidents in the sixties and seventies while its presidents were paid by the c.i.a..november 22, 2006, palestine / israel: in a visit to beit hanoun louise arbour has told the people of palestine that "the world has not abandoned them"; in israel palestinian rockets struck the town of sderot near her convoy; there are reports of anger from israelis because ms. arbour has maintained israel's right to defend its people but within the limits of "international humanitarian law"; on november 15th the u.n.'s human rights council firmly denounced israel's actions in gaza, see below; on nov. 17th the u.n. general assembly in emergency session requested a fact-finding mission while "deploring israeli military actions in gaza"(ga/100534); the general assembly vote was 156 for, 7 against (including the u.s., australia, israel) with 6 abstaining (including canada) ("u.n.'s arbour visits gaza," sarah el deeb ap, nov. 20, 2006, toronto star; "arbour escapes injury in palestinian rocket attack, nov. 21, 2006, cbc news; "angry reception for u.n. human rights chief in sderot," nov. 22, 2006, euronews; "general assembly deplores israeli raids in gaza, sends mission to beit hanoun," nov. 17, 2006, un news centre).
mexico city: andr?s manuel l?pez obrador has been sworn in by his supporters as 'legitimate president' of mexico, before a hundred thousand people who were not afraid to stand openly despite the use of armed force against striking teachers and their allies in oaxaca; it is understood mexico's election results were ambiguous; obrador wishes to provide an alternative to the policies of big business and corporations destroying the common environment, people's lives and futures; the financial times reports that the peso is down because people aren't sure how much power calderon will have when he's inaugurated december 1; some interference is expected ("yes, he lost mexico's vote, so he's swearing himself in," james mckinley jr., nov. 21, 2006, new york times; "mexico peso weakens on political woes, stocks rally," jason lange, nov. 21, 2006, financial times).
montreal canada: the "russian" recently arrested by a canadian security certificate was represented in court, nov. 22nd; his lawyer has received a hundred pages of information about what his client is accused of; press reports say csis believes him to be a spy for the russian spy agency svr, and working canada for ten years; as a fellow spy to csis the man seems spared the degredation, humiliation, abuse, applied to five muslim men arrested on security certificates who still don't necessarily know their accusers or the evidence against them; in accounts of this arrest there is no mention of a weapon (nor was there at the arrest of muslim detainees separated from their families); arrest by security certificate seems a way to degrade rights which the people and government have previously agreed are the people's ("'he's a ghost,'" stewart bell and adrian humphreys, nov. 22, 2006, national post; "'spy' cased details emerge,"nov. 22, 2006, metro; "alleged russian spy seeks time to review case," nov. 22, 2006, cbc news).
november 21, 2006, sudan update, and a france and rwanda update (for previous see november 10th).
cambridge massachusetts, carr center for human rights policy : in a speech under the auspices of the carr center at harvard, u.s. general john abizaid said of iraq, "I think we are winning this fight" ("general tells cambridge crowd u.s. has not failed in iraq," charles sennot, nov. 18, 2006, boston globe); sarah sewall, current director of the elite center, replaced michael ignatieff as its director in february 2006; she was previously the clinton administration's "first deputy assistant secretary for peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance;" her focus is usually at the intersection of national security and the politics of human rights ("staff biographies, the carr center for human rights policy, jfk school of government harvard university, [access nov. 21, 2006: http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/cchrp/people.shtml]); michael ignatieff returned to canada after five years with the center (previously he was in london for a long time) and is currently attempting to gain control of canada's liberal party so that he might become the country's prime minister; the carr center is a good study for anyone trying to understand the habit of privilege; founding director samantha power is currently harvard professor of the "practice of global leadership and public policy", and with michael ignatieff is often noted as a proponent of military intervention (yugolsavia, iraq etc.) to solve the suffering of peoples...
november 17, 2006 canada: the cbc reports prime minister harper is encouraging the premier of vietnam to increase political and press freedoms (historically vietnam has shown itself partial to freedom and was the only country in the world to stop the cambodian genocide); an unidentified man is arrested in montreal as an alleged spy for russia and placed outside of habeas corpus and other basic human rights; he is held under a canadian security certificate; the media gives the victim's allegedly assumed name as "paul william hampel"; the toronto star notes a windfall for the security certificate mechanism which is currently under review at the supreme court ("harper urges human rights progress in talk with vietnam's pm," nov. 17, 2006, cbc news online; "alleged spy arrested in montreal," david ljunggren, nov. 16, 2006, reuters canada; "a handy boost for certificate," thomas walkom, nov. 17, 2006, toronto star; "ottawa moves to deport alleged russian spy," ctv.ca news staff, nov. 16, 2006, ctv.ca news); although the national media has made no overt protest the canadian charter of rights and freedoms remains absolutely clear (see http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/charter/index.htm); gerald and maas objects to security certificate arrests: this man, whether russian spy or canadian or american with a beautiful wife, is presumed innocent until proven guilty; how is a canadian security certificate arrest different from arrests made in countries without a charter of rights, where innocents disappear into police stations that never report to the public ? when one person is arrested on a security certificate it compromises everyone's right to due process.
november 16, 2006, oaxaca mexico update: the city of oaxaca has a new constitution put together by the state council of the popular assembly of the peoples of oaxaca, about three thousand people from november 10 to13th affirming human rights, equitable representation and plans for a future; in non-'media' reports, people remain confronted by federal troops, attacks by plainclothesmen, killings and disappearances ("oaxaca's appo forms permanent government, announces escalation of resistance," nancy davies, nov. 14, 2006, the narco news bulletin; "revving up the dirty war in oaxaca," george salzman and others, nov. 11, 2006, the narco news bulletin). november 15, 2006, oaxaca mexico, update: the miami herald carries a short study of flavio sosa, one of the grass roots leaders of oaxaca's challenge to federal troops, a member of the oaxaca people's assembly who foresees community empowerment on a national scale; the washington post reports that "youths" fire-bombed a oaxaca mcdonald's and previously a burger king; the bishop has refused people's assembly leaders sanctuary ("upheaval predicted in mexico," ioan grillo, ap, nov. 14, 2006, miami herald; "youths fire-bomb mcdonald's in oaxaca," rebecca romero, ap, nov. 12, 2006, washington post); see november 10th.
berlin: on november 14th papers were filed in germany charging "donald rumsfeld, george tenet, dr. stephen cambone, ricardo sanchez, geoffrey miller, walter wojdakowski, thomas pappas, alberto r. gonzales, jay bybee, john yoo, william james haynes II, david s. addington, barbara fast, marc warren," with war crimes and asking for investigation and prosecution; wolfgang kaleck of berlin has acted for the center of constitutional rights and many other co-plaintiff's (see partial listing at http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/GermanCase2006/extendedsummary.asp) ("background brief on the case against rumsfeld, gonzales and others filed in germany on november 14, 2006," nov. 15, 2006, center for consitutional rights, new york; "war crimes suit prepared against rumsfeld," amy goodman, michael ratner, and others, nov. 9, 2006, democracy now!).
historical note : lawyers against the war is requesting again of the german court the investigation and prosecution of donald rumsfeld and others for torture; law is a co-plaintiff in the german action; in canada the lawyers against the war appeal launched in bush torture case of january 2006, was rejected at the court of appeals in british columbia by a mechanism of canadian law which required the attorney general's consent for prosecution: it was a consent not granted (source: "law groups launch torture prosecution bid in germany against rumsfield and others; please distribute," nov. 12, 2006, lawyers against the war).
geneva: the u.n. human rights council has passed a resolution expressing "shock at the horror of israeli killing of palestinian civilians in beit hanoun while asleep and other civilians fleeing earlier israeli bombardment," and requiring the guilty be brought to justice; a fact finding mission will report by mid-december; "the resolution calls for immediate protection of the palestinian civilians in the occupied palestinian territory in compliance with human rights law and international humanitarian law;" canada voted against as did germany, netherlands, the u.k. and four others; france and switzerland abstained with four others; the u.s. isn't allowed a vote; 32 countries approved, among them russia, china, mexico, peru, south africa, saudi arabia, argentina and cuba ("council decides to urgently dispatch a high-level fact-finding mission to beit hanoun," 15 november 2006, media centre, office of the united nations high commissioner for human rights). sudan update: see genocide warnings and updates.
november 10, 2006 nicaragua: daniel ortega is winner of nicaragua's presidential elections ("sandinista ortega wins in nicaragua," nov. 7, 2006, the bankok post online;"headlines," amy goodman, november 8, 2006, democracy now !).
oaxaca mexico: the u.n.'s special rapporteur for the rights of indigenous peoples, rodolfo stavenhagen, is concerned with the "killling and wounding by gunfire of innocent victims, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, illegal searches and breaches of due process," oct. 27th, by paramilitary groups ("u.n. human rights experts reports human rights abuses in mexican crackdown on oaxaca," 31 oct. 2006, u.n. news focus); the teachers of oaxaca have been on strike for five months; president fox sent troops to retake the town which remains essentially in the hands of the people; following the murder of a new york indymedia journalist among others, hundreds of thousands of people have come into the town; the people want local governor ruiz to step down; governor ruiz does not want to step down ("protestors pour into violent city," frank jack daniel, nov. 6, 2006, reuters; "suspects in murder of indymedia journalist brad will on loose in oaxaca," amy goodman and john gibler, nov. 2, 2006, democracy now!); with little influence on the north, mexican teachers honour a tradition of teaching what the people need to know (see mendez etching [link removed]); as president-elect (by a suspect margin) calderon prepares to take office the massively popular leftist obrador has formed a parallel government.
u.s.a.: martin scheinin, the u.n.'s "special rapporteur on terrorism," has declared the military commissions act in violation of the geneva conventions; the act , passed by the house and senate, would allow the president to have anyone in the world arrested and held without charge; nov. 1, the center for constitutional rights in new york, with lawyers representing individual guantanamo detainees, challenged the military commissions act at the d.c. u.s. court of appeals ("u.s. military courts breach international obligations, u.n. rights expert warns," u.n. news centre focus, 27 oct. 2006, united nations;"u.n. expert on human rights and counter terrorism concerned that military commissions act is now law in united states," press release, 27 oct. 2006, united nations); on november 8, 2006, the u.s. secretary of defense donald rumsfeld resigned after a vote of no confidence by the armed service newspapers and u.s. congressional elections; showing some vague awareness of the enormity of a crime committed by the invasion of iraq, the nov. 4th army times ran an editorial, "time for rumsfeld to go;" courts in germany are to examine the feasiblity of indicting gonzales and rumsfeld among others for war crimes ("war criminals beware," jeremy brecher & brendan smith, nov. 20, 2006, the nation); a canadian action against bush for torture, was shelved by courts in vancouver citing bush'es immunity as a head of state (see lawyers against war ~ archive); rumsfeld's ouster may leave him vulnerable to prosecution for war crimes internationally; michael ratner, president of the center for constitutional rights is to reopen the case against rumsfeld and others, in germany, for torture; in an interview on democracy now ! michael ratner states rumsfeld is directly implicated in torture of guantanamo detainees, and germany's laws allowing universal jurisdiction should allow prosecution; the case is strengthened by the military commission act which attempts to give u.s. officials immunity from prosecution for war crimes; with domestic immunity in the u.s., german courts can't refer the matter to u.s. courts, a mechanism used previously ("war crimes suit prepared against rumsfeld," amy goodman and michael ratner, nov.9, 2006, democracy now!).
iraq: convicted by a court responsible to his country's occupiers, represented by lawyers who were on occasion murdered, saddam hussein is sentenced to death by hanging ( "iraq in turmoil," suleiman al-khalidi, nov. 4, 2006, reuters ).
historical note
the head of state in a previous country conquered by u.s. policy, slobodan milosevic of the former yugoslavia, while imprisoned at international court was found dead in his cell; these trials mock faith in international law or impartial justice; before his capture milosevic was able to bring charges of genocide against nato countries for the bombardments of his country, the bombing of churches and bridges, of civilian infra-structure and deaths of civilians; to the best of my knowledge these charges were not dismissed by the international court; saddam hussein has not been able to bring charges under international law for the destruction of the country and slaughter of hundreds of thousands of civilians since the u.s. and coalition opened war in 1990.
france: ignoring u.s. training of paul kagame, financing of his army, and u.s. africa policy in the anglophone invasion of rwanda which may have caused the genocide of 1994, the rwanda commission has accused france of implication in genocide; the french were involved with training the hutu army that attempted to defend the country ("french accused of complicity in genocide that killed a million in rwanda," linda melvern, nov. 5, 2006, the independent uk). geneva: the international committee of the red cross notes with sadness and "shock" the killing of two palestine red crescent society paramedics targeted by israeli defense forces in gaza, about nine in the evening, november 3rd, in beit lahiya ("icrc deplores the death of two palestine red crescent volunteers," nov.5, 2006, ); the small hospital at beit hanoun is nearly out of medical supplies after israeli snipers opened fire on people it identified as gunmen protected amid a crowd of 3000 women; israel has said it will allow "resupply as a humanitarian gesture"; france has asked the security council for an investigation -18 people were killed; the u.s. will likely block the request ("women shot dead in gaza mosque gun battle," tim butcher, nov. 4, 2006, the telegraph u.k.; "france demands independent probe of beit hanoun incident," yitzhak benhorin, nov. 9, 2006, ynet news; "olmert expresses regret: says 'technical error' killed 18 in gaza," nov. 9, 2006, cbc news). canada: the washington post reports u.s. ambassador david wilkins' claim that the northwest passage is an "international strait," even if owned by canada; canada believes it has sole jurisdiction ("dispute over nw passage revised: u.s. asserts free use by all ships; canada claims jurisdiction," doug struck, nov.6, 2006, washington post); canada generally believes it can take better care of the region (see august 19th).
historical note on freedom of expression in ottawa
juliet o'neill, as a reporter for the ottawa citizen, has consistently maintained its right of centre perspective amid editorial policies representing big money and conservative government; so the rcmp's confiscation of ms o'neill's work materials, and threats of criminal prosecution on the suspicion that she leaked classified information about the maher arar case, was/remains a puzzle: ms. o'neill's series on maher arar was as i remember weighted on the side of law enforcement (which was at the time rummaging through children's toy boxes in muslim neighbourhoods); assigned once to moscow, she was an unlikely candidate for hassles; on october 19th a canadian judge exonerated her entirely, striking down a portion of canadian law as applied after 9/11; now with the sureness that the crown will not appeal her case ms. o'neill is free but wronged and uncompensated; for previous postings on her difficulties see the bulletin board archives, january 21, 2004 and november 18, 2004 ("secret law ruled unconstitutional as judge quashes warrants," the canadian press, oct. 20, 2006, cbc online;"ottawa declines to appeal o'neill court ruling," meagan fitzpatrick canwest, national post; "ottawa won't appeal secrecy ruling," tonda maccharles, nov.4, 2006, toronto star).
october 29, 2006, a poem by langston hughes (selected poems of langston hughes, random/ vintage, 1959 /1974):
Green MemoryA wonderful time - the War:
when money rolled in
and blood rolled out.
But blood
was far away
from here -
Money was near.
october 28, 2006, ottawa: out of afghanistan peace rallies; poster [access:< http://www.nowar-paix.ca/oct28/doveposterforoct28.pdf >] (dove by julie.maas, design by g&m) ; local information: nowar-paix [access:< http://www.nowar-paix.ca >] (for cities across canada click on the canadian peace alliance).
september 18, 2006: victim countries as well as canada and its military personnel at risk in victim countries, as well as american, nato and israeli forces using depleted uranium weapons, must learn of suppressed information on its effects; for some years this site initially linked then posted mohammed daud miraki's reports on the effects of depleted uranium in afghanistan (see the silent genocide from america and "the perpetual death from america" ); recommended: this recent report summarizing effects of depleted uranium in iraq since 1991, notes u.s. and british occupying forces' refusal to release "statistics related to civilian casualties after the occupation," "refusal to clean up contaminated areas," and the coverup of health related data: [access:< http://www.brusselstribunal.org/DU-Azzawi.htm >] "depleted uranium radioactive contamination in iraq: an overview" (dr. souad n. al-azzawi, aug. 3-6, 2006, 3rd icbuw international conference hiroshima).
september 15,2006, ottawa: despite a rare public easement which forbids non-religious use of the property, the archbishop of ottawa is moving aheadwith attempts to close and sell saint brigid's roman catholic church; the church was built by irish labourers on saint patrick street in 1890, when they believed themselves unwelcome at the better appointed notre dame which has primarily addressed the french speaking community; the archbishop has threatened closing st. brigid's before ("options limited for historic st. brigid's, city official says," lee berthiaume, may 4, 2006, the ottawa citizen [see save saint brigid's at http://www.stbrigidottawa.com/id45.html]); parishioners have taken the issue to court ("st. brigid's fight heads to court: parishioners challenge archbishop's right to shut church," patrick dare, july 20, 2006, the ottawa citizen); notre dame church which partakes with the u.s. embassy and canada's national gallery in a temporal triumvirate of ottawa's architectural extremes was recently restored at great expense but needs parishioners.
when riches are from war, plunder, genocides
who would refuse to honour the poor ?we ask save saint brigid's church
patron saint of the poor
she healed lepers gave sight to the blind
fed the hungry any way she could
made miracles asked a place of mercy for peacemakers
it was honest labour built a church with her name
saint brigid of kildare, c.451-525 - j.b.gerald
september 4, 2006, quotations from chairman mao tsetung (peking, foreign languages press, 1972):
an army without culture is a dull-witted army, and a dull-witted army cannot defeat the enemy.letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend is the policy for promoting the progress of the arts and the sciences and a flourishing socialist culture in our land
august 19, 2006, canada:
north west passage: canadian forces training, sovereignty and surveillance exercises in the far north proceed without interruption or challenge - their "joint" character (see the aug. 13th) means simply the region's - "joint task force north" and its integration with other canadian forces and canadian services; the harper government has pledged increased military monitoring of canada's arctic ("joint and integrated cf operation in canada's eastern arctic," department of national defence press release, aug. 19, 2006, government of canada; "air, sea and land military exercise underway in eastern arctic," aug. 19, 2006, cbc news; "canadian forces head north to assert sovereignty over northwest passage," nathan vanderklippe, canwest - the gazette, canada.com network). ottawa: as a result of some ethical sense and careful research into the provenance of the salon de madame aron by edouard vuillard (fr), canada's national gallery is returning the painting to its pre-nazi owners, the lindon family in france ("national gallery returns nazi-looted paintings to french family," aug. 18, 2006, cbc arts).
mohawk nation news email reports that canadian hydro developers have placed their 13 storey windmills on native land (the haldimand tract), and six nations women title holders consider that fraud and theft under canadian law and international law and lacking in a sense of right and wrong; "the foundation of all societies is girded by the fact that the land is held by the indigenous peoples on behalf of everyone else" -kahentinetha horn ("barb! wake up! colonialism is dead! gone the way of the do-do," kahentinetha horn mnn , aug. 19, 2006, orakwa).
detroit: on aug. 17th federal judge anna diggs taylor ruled that bush's use of the n.s.a. to spy on u.s. citizens violates the constitution; she noted "there are no hereditary kings in america and no powers not created by the constitution"; the federal government has appealed for a hearing september 7th ("judge nixes bush's wiretapping program," tim harper toronto star aug. 18, 2006, hamilton spectator; "n.s.a. wiretapping ruled unconstitutional," amy goodman & staff, aug. 18, 2006, democracy now!). lebanon: in an interview with i.n.n. world report, douglas rokke, "former director of the u.s. army depleted uranium project," stated that in lebanon the israelis used u.s. provided d.u. weapons; he says "israel specifically requested GBU28's" which are 5000 pound d.u. bunker buster bombs, and that there were medical indications of cluster bombs with depleted uranium casings; he mentions the following effects of depleted uranium exposure: cancers, birth defects, neurological damage, kidney damage, rashes, damages to teeth and bones as uranium replaces calcium, contamination of the food and water supplies which become "unuseable for eternity;" he also said the military is told to lie about this internally and externally and the u.s., british, and israeli militaries do not follow their own directives to deal with the hazards; substantial depleted uranium dissemination makes an area unuseable forever ([access: http://www.innworldreport.net/archives/2006/08/16/index.html#}); bbc reports u..n. mine clearance services are slowed by injuries from israeli cluster bombs; the u.n. reports that the cluster bombs found were from "artillery shells," and the bbc article makes no mention of depleted uranium ("fears over cluster bomb clean-up," aug. 18, 2006, bbc news); for a strong objection to the past use of depleted uranium weapons in afghanistan, see dr. miraki's the silent genocide from america
august 18, 2006:
there's minimal euro-american media coverage of these issues: lebanon: a three person delegation from the world council of churches on return from beirut and jerusalem says israel's invasion of lebanon was pre-planned and waiting for provocation from hezbollah; they note destabilization of lebanon's current inter-religious harmony as a possible purpose of the war ("world council of churches: israel planned to destroy lebanon," eliane engeler, aug. 17, 2006, the jersualem post).
haifa: according to "jafar farah" of the "mossawa advocacy center for arab citizens of israel," 40% of israel's rocket casualties have been israeli arabs; more than 70% in targeted areas did not have shelters; there are no private or public shelters in most arab populated towns and cities; this was confirmed by a parallel report of "no protection whatsoever," from "susan nathan" in an arab trown of thirty thousand people ("no shelters, sirens for israel's arab citizens," amy goodman, aug. 14, 2006, democracy now!).
gaza update: acccording to the p.l.o. department of statistical quality control, from 28 june to 10 august israeli forces launched 768 actions against the gaza strip, 190 airstrikes, 3500 artillery shells; gaza hospital medical personnel report the deaths of 40 children, another 160 palestinians, and 600 injured ("israel launched 190 air raids, 3500 artillery shells on gaza in 44 days: report," xinhua, aug. 13, 2006, peoples daily online).
mexico: global exchange (san francisco) witnesses at 60 mexican voting stations found fraud or irregularities in each and the group has requested a total recount ("group claims members witnessed fraud In mexican election," aug. 17, 2006, kwtx.com; "group says fraud occurred during mexico's presidential vote," istra pacheco, aug. 17, 2006 ap,the mercury news).
august 13, 2006, nunavit : canada's prime minister harper reaffirmed canadian sovereignty in the north,at the start of what some media refer to as "joint" military exercises; he urged the u.s. to acknowledge canada's federal and caretaking claim to the northwest passage; the u.s. and european union have preferred to consider the northwest passage an "international transit waterway" ("harper asserts arctic sovereignty during trip to canada's north," carfly weeks, aug. 13, 2006, montreal gazette - canwest; "pm backs far north," aug. 13, 2006, calgary sun).
middle east update: israel's cabinet has overwhelmingly voted to accept the u.n.'s ceasfire, approved yesterday by lebanon; the ceasefire is to go into effect august 14th, 2006 (news source: "israel approves u.n. cease-fire pact," reuters, aug. 13, 2006, international herald tribune); meanwhile israel has placed thirty thousand troops inside south lebanon in a substantial attack ("huge israeli offensive launched," donald macintyre, aug. 13, 2006, the independent); the august 11 united nations office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs (ocha) press release states - from the lebanese higher relief council report: "1056 lebanese have been killed and 3600 wounded... the government of israel reports that 41 israeli citizens have been killed..."; lebanese higher relief council preliminary damage reports include: "7,000 private houses/apartments, 900 commercial facilities, 630 roads, 73 bridges, 72 overpasses and 23 fuel stations ... 29 airports, ports, water and sewage treatment facilities and electricity plants...[assorted:] transmission facilities...telecommunications infrastructure...water infrastructure"; also noted are the lack of of relief access, denial of relief access by israel defense forces, unexploded "cluster bombs" throughout the country; of the 40 thousand palestinians in south lebanon 20 thousand are thought to have escaped to the north and syria ("press release 1ha/1215: humanitarian factsheet on lebanon," aug. 11, 2006, united nations department of public information, ny).
geneva:
the most basic human right is the right to life: under no circumstances can anyone be arbitrarily deprived of his or her life...civilians must never be the object of a direct intentional attack...indiscriminate attacks are prohibited and civilians must not be used to shield military objectives from attack...when these legal obligations regulating the conduct of hostilities are violated, personal criminal responsibility may ensue, particularly for those in position of command and control... -louise arbour, u.n. high commissioner for human rights in an address to the u.n.human rights council, august 11, 2006, geneva.
on august 11, the human rights council by a vote of 27 to 11, with 4 abstaining, condemned "grave israeli violations of human rights," and are sending a commission of investigators to lebanon; mr. kellenberger, president of the international committee of the red cross recently returned from a visit to south lebanon attempting to persuade warmakers to comply with humanitarian law; "civilians are paying the price of conflict," he says, and the war's management is impeding red cross relief efforts ("u.n. rights council condemns 'israeli violations ' in lebanon; sends team to investigate," aug. 12, 2006, un news centre ~ un news service; "u.n. condemns targeting of civilians in m.e." [middle east], upi, aug.11, 2006, washington times; "u.n. urged to discuss hezbollah offenses," eliane engeler, aug.11, 2006, san francisco chronicle; "icrc president insists on improved access to southern lebanon," press release, aug. 10, 2006, international committee of the red cross; "high commissioner addresses human rights council special session on the situation in israel and lebanon," aug. 11, 2006, ohchr media centre).
mexico: obrador supporters are affirmed by evidence of miscount as the mexican recount proceeds; the opposition party, calderon's "pan,"discounts what is uncomfortable ("mexican foes tout trends in recount," colin mcmahon, aug. 12, 2006, chicago tribune).august 11, 2006, caledonia update: judge marshall has ruled that the six nations people at the encampment must leave the land as he has ordered; the ruling sidesteps negotiations in progress and raises difficulties of violence and force since first nations people are unlikely to vacate; their response was to put up barricades again; the province of ontario found the ruling unhelpful; through some intelligence and effort the province and six nations people find themsleves on the same side in preferring negotiations, to violence; the province has decided to appeal the ruling ("caledonia barricade back up after judge calls for talks to end," aug. 9, 2006, cbc news; "native protestors refuse to leave caledonia blockade," aug. 9, 2006, am640 toronto 24 hour newcentre; "ontario to appeal judge's order to halt caledonia talks," aug.9, 2006, cbc news).
lebanon: the u.n. security council has today unanimously approved a ceasfire, with a resolution placing 15 thousand u.n. troops in south lebanon beside the lebanese army as israel withdraws; lebanon and israel have signalled each will approve; fighting is likely to be intense until the ceasefire is effected ("security council okays mideast peace deal," nick wadhams ap, aug.11, 2006, san francisco chronicle; "u.n. security council approves ceasefire plan," dion nissenbaum and warren p. strobel, aug. 11, 2006, the tribune ~ sanluisobsipo.com ).
some notes on the invasion of lebanon
specifying the example of the israeli bombing of civilians in qaza july 28, the u.n.'s secretary general finds "patterns of violations of international law" in israel's attack on lebanon; relief convoys to the civilian population are effectively stopped ("annan says law is being broken," ed o'loughlin, august 9, 2006 sydney morning herald [access:http://www.smh.com.au]); in an emergency campaign for the united jewish communities - federations of north america israeli prime minister ehud olmert has called for support in a war against "iran and syria" which he claims are using hezbollah against israel; ("pm launches ujc campaign: this war fought by all jews," aug. 7, 2006, ynet news.com ); israel has taken over marjayoun and qlaiah, referred to as "christian towns" ("israelis seize christian towns," karamallah daher, august 10, 2006, the australian; "war with iran 'inevitable,' former israeli defense chief says," kenneth r. timmerman, august 9, 2006, newsmax.com).
mexico: with all but a single mexican major bank owned by foreign interests, lopez obrador's supporters blocked entrance to several, aug. 9th; the partial vote recount is underway; many faults could force a complete recount ("mexico leftists block foreign banks in protest," lorraine orlandi, aug.9, 2006, yahoo!news - reuters; "partial recount begins in mexico," aug.9, 2006, bbc news).august 10, 2006, ottawa
statement on the destruction of lebanonour response to the bombing of lebanon as it continues to kill civilians is shock at the crime; north americans with nothing at stake in the middle east, we look for some right and wrong, some reason, in this senseless destruction of ordinary people's lives; we ask more powerful groups to remind governments of their obligation to uphold binding treaties between nations, and to remind militaries that each man and woman remains legally responsible for his/her actions; we condemn the killings of lebanese civilians, the aggression against a nation, the military escalation of a low intensity conflict into attacks killing civilians on both sides; we ask for an immediate ceasefire in lebanon and israel, and the withdrawal of israel from lebanese territory; evidence of intentional targeting of civilians, ambulances, medical facilities, and disruption of relief efforts for civilians and the environment, should be documented and archived multi-nationally as crimes with no statute of limitations, by the ministry of justice in all countries where such crimes are illegal, and where such crimes are ignored then the people must remember. - gerald and maas
august 6, 2006, mexico city: mexico's federal electoral tribunal has refused a full re-count of mexico's vote requesting instead a re-count for less than ten percent of the polling places; official count currently gives conservative candidate felipe calderon a .6 % (point six percent) margin; obrador's supporters currently control the city centre ("leftist's supporters flood mexico's city center," associated press, aug. 6, 2006, msnbc news; "mexico won't do full recount," manuel roig-franzia -washington post, aug. 6, 2006, mercury news).
middle east: lebanon's president emile lahoud, states that israel wages "a war of starvation" against the civilian population of lebanon ("lebanon: israel wages war of starvation," ap, aug. 4, 2006, the state.com south carolina's homepage); reuters reports the bombing of five lebanon factories with the loss of 1300 jobs; the lebanese fear purposeful violent economic warfare ("lebanon: factories come under fire," irin, aug. 4, 2006, reuters alertnet); by destroying 4 lebanon bridges on a remaining serviceable road to syria, israel cuts off lebanon's civilian population from a means of leaving the attacked areas, and denies the u.n. a major route for transportation of emergency aid into the ravaged country; according to dawn (pakistan) the more than 150 recent air actions against lebanon claimed 60 civilian lives; hezbollah's rockets claimed three israelis ("israeli air strikes kill 60 civilians: four beirut bridges blown up," aug. 5, 2006, dawn; "israel warplanes destroy lebanon bridges," sam f. ghattas ap, aug. 4, 2006, yahoo! news); there are reports of israeli pilots intentionally missing targets and aborting missions in order to compy with their military code of conduct which says to spare civilians ...("israeli pilots 'deliberately miss' targets," inigo gilmore - the observer, aug. 6, 2006, the guardian).
north america: 40,000 military personnel have deserted since 2000, according to the pentagon which is likely to under-report desertion; the air force times states: "members of the armed forces are considered absent without leave when they are unaccounted for; they become deserters after they?ve been awol for 30 days" ("thousands of troops say they won't fight," ana radelat, gannet, aug. 5, 2006, air force times).
august 4, 2006, middle east: see picture - permission to use for leaflets/posters.
august 2, 2006, mexico city: unlike the u.s. where voters accept a president narrowly elected amid evidence of election fraud, or canada forced into u.s.military actions by a conservative minority government lacking in popular support, mexican presidential contender, andr?s manuel l?pez obrador, who - evidence of fraud suggests - may be the president of mexico, has called for "civil resistance," and for several days his supporters in the streets of mexico city have blocked business as usual (see "obrador takes risk with mexco protests," sara miller llana, aug. 2, 2006, christian science monitor).
ottawa: instead of demanding israel comply with international law and cease its massacre of lebanese civilians, canada's conservative government foreign affairs minister mackay has backed the israeli / u.s. position ("mackay calls hezbollah 'a cancer'," alan findlay, aug. 2, 2006, the calgary sun).
lebanon: israel has invaded lebanon, unilaterally, with a terrible arrogance that silences the privileged of countries that should have stopped the crime;a silence familiar to the bush administration, embraced by blair, has found its way to the new canada under conservatives who have taken over, and forfeits the commitment to international law and justice of those who fought fascism; - ed. (see "israel starts 30km push in lebanon," peter wilson and martin chulov, aug. 2, 2006, the australian); israel has burned raided and possibly destroyed dar al-hikma hospital at baalbek, amid helicopter landed force and air actions ("hezbollah guerillas captured, israel says: raid on hospital run by militants marks deepest ground incursion into lebanon," mark mackinnon and carolynne wheeler, aug.2, 2006, globe and mail); there are eyewitness reports of the intentional targeting of red cross vehicles and emblems during their attempts to help the civilian victims of israel's attacks ("lebanese red cross repeatedly targeted," dahr jamail, aug. 2, 2006, inter press service, antiwar.com); shrapnel found at the site indicates that weapons taking the lives of civilians in qana of lebanon include bombs made in the united states ("guardian: qana bomb made in the u.s.," foreign news desk, aug.1, 2006, zaman daily newspaper, zaman.com); the guardian (u..k.) notes that 35% of the 828 lebanese civilians killed, are children - ie. 290 ("'you go a bit crazy when you see little body after little body coming up out of the ground'," aug. 2, 2006, guardian unlimited) .
ontario: the six nations encampment at caledonia, a difficulty which the province of ontario has met with some respect, shows the tip of an iceberg:there are several recent "indian claims" to ontario and new york state, put forward by mohawk women title holders which touches a flawline in the culture of colonization and begins an attempt to heal north american cultures increasingly committed to genocide in domestic and foreign policy; - ed. (see news - mohawk nation news [access:< http://mohawknationnews.com/ >]).
restating their claim to southern ontario (and the land beyond), kanion?ke:haka women title holders, have asked the etobicoke board of education to stop selling six nations land and to vacate its illegally held premises , according to "notice of reposession of kanion'ke:haka/mohawk land known as 'outdoor education center' stolen by the etobicoke board of education - lot 1 concession 11 nottawasaga township on the 'haldimand tract,'" of august 1, 2006 ("women title holders repossess etoobicoke board of education land," aug. 1, 2006, email orakwa international indigenous ent.).by registered mail of on july 28, 2006, women title holders of the kanion?ke:haka nation sent canadian hydro developers inc.,of calgary alberta a "notice of seizure by six nations women title holders of 'melancthon wind farm' illegally built on 'haldimand tract' at the source of the grand river (ontario canada)" ("cool six nations women title holders serve notice of seizure," july 28, 2006, email orakwa international indigenous ent.).
july 29, 2006 women title holders of the kanion?ke:haka nation sent 407 international inc (maquerie infrasctucture of new york city) and many others including her majesty, band councils, and seven stock exchanges, an "objection to invasion of kaianereh'ko:wa/great law jurisidiction by european corporation 'ontario highway 407 etr' which bought the highway from the ontario government and demand for an investigation" ("women title holders file objection to ontario 407 etr highway," july 29, 2006, email orakwa international indigenous ent.)
on june 30, 2006 the women title holders of the kanion?ke:haka nation (mohawk of the six nations iroquois confederacy), served the state of new york and others with objection to ongoing genocide in the theft of six nations "land, resources, jurisdiction and identity;" a difficulty for the state of new york, canada, the u.s. and the u.n. as supporters of first nations rights, is that six nations argument is cogently presented and if law were applied with objective justice the claim might need be honoured by original parties of the treaties; the brief notes "9. our case involves genocide ? the deliberate attempt to destroy a people;" and "11. the rule of law is the antidote to genocide;" a difficulty for the u.s. is that aboriginal rights claim jurisdiction over all of new york state and beyond...("women title holders object to nys lands-into-trust scam," mohawk news service, july 30, 2006, orakwa international indigenous ent.).
august 1, 2006, new delhi: the international association of democratic lawyers (iadl) has unequivocally condemned israel's "crimes of aggression against civilians and war crimes, in violation of geneva convention iv, the icc rome statute and other international conventions;" demands an immediate ceasefire; condemns u.s.blocking of a ceasefire; urges "immediate deployment of a u.n. force to protect the civilian population of lebanon, the west bank and gaza" ("statement: iadl calls for an immediate unconditional ceasefire and condemns israel's state terrorism and crimes against lebanon," jitendra sharma & ms. jeanne mirer, international association of democratic lawyers, july 31, 2006, email lawyers against the war). vatican: calling for an immediate mideast cease-fire, pope benedict xvi said of the killing and destruction, "these facts demonstrate clearly that you cannot re-establish justice, create a new order and build authentic peace when you resort to instruments of violence" ("pope appeals for middle-east ceasefire," ap, july 30, 2006, the state.com (south carolina's home page).
editor's notes on israel's invasion of lebanon if israel is committing war crimes by invading lebanon and by its treatment of palestinians, are the u.s. and canada criminally complicit? is israel leading its allies into a regional war ? for a listing of "canadian military components used in israel's war against lebanon" see coalition to oppose the arms trade (coat) at http://coat.ncf.ca/lebanon2006.html; as for the u.s., in winning modern wars, retired general wesley clark quoted a pentagon peer's description of preparing for the invasion of iraq as a 5 year plan against iraq, syria, lebanon, libya, iran, somalia, sudan... ("the secrets clark kept," sydney schanberg, sept. 29, 2003, village voice news).
lebanon: another united nations unifl post was hit by israeli aircraft wounding two u.n. troops from india ("u.n. peacekeepers injured by israeli airstrike," july 29, 2006, msnbc news); unifl officers are witnessing attacks on civilians (ie. "unifil officers expect israelis to start leveling entire villages," nicholas blanford, july 29, 2006, the daily star); a small crowd broke into u.n. offices in beirut; with some property damage; no one was injured ("protesters break into u.n. building in beirut," july 30, 2006, reuters); the u.n. has not been able to demand an immediate ceasefire or stop the attacks on civilians; by july 28th 15 thousand americans and 11,500 canadians were evacuated from lebanon ("500 americans leave beirut on last ship," lauren frayer, july 28, 2006, ap); reuters "factbox" on evacuation as of july 28th reports the european union's estimate that a hundred to two hundred thousand third world country workers are left stranded in lebanon ("factbox: evacuation of foreigners from lebanon," july 28, 2006, reuters); the united nations estimates 800,000 displaced lebanese, while the army of israel says 500,000 israelis in the north are living in shelters ("500,000 israelis living in bomb shelters," kathy gannon ,ap july 29, 2006, san francisco chronicle); in lebanon doctors are reporting non-standard wounds and effects from israeli shells; there is evidence of plastic translucent fragments which do not show on xrays - there is evidence of plastic translucent fragments which do not show on xrays ("mysterious wounds from israeli shells," jennie matthew, july 28, 2006, agence france press); israeli airstrikes against lebanese civilians are still being reported to the international community ("deadly israeli airstrike sparks fury: israeli strike kills 56 people, Including 34 children; olmert says more time needed for offensive," kathy gannon, july 30,2006, abc news); the bbc notes the israeli pm olmert's "apology," for "the pain caused" but he refuses to stop the killing of lebanese civilians ("israel's pm rules out ceasefire," july 31, 2006, bbc news); israel's leadership seems psychologically unable to understand its war crimes in an attack that is deeply unacceptable; ctv news reports that israel's cabinet supports a wider war, while syria has raised its army's alert status ("israeli cabinet approves wider ground offensive," news staff, july 31, 2006, ctv.ca).
gaza : the u.k. independent reports that life is steadily being made unbearable in gaza where the residents are undergoing "collective punishment by the israelis" ("israel's secret war : the humanitarian disaster unfolding in palestine," anne penketh, july 29, 2006, the independent, u.k.); see convention against genocide article 2 c. protesting israel's bombing of israel, palestinian soldiers attacked u.n. offices in gaza, causing damages but without causing injuries ("palestinian gunmen storm u.n. compound in gaza city," july 30, 2006, reuters).
ireland & scotland: ireland has refused to allow u.s. planes to land transporting arms to israel; use of prestwick in scotland is protested in the scottish parliament and by some affirming international law ("protests grow as more planes land at prestwick on route to israel," torcuil chrichton and paul hutcheon, newsquest - sunday herald).
spain: a bill is moving successfully forward granting reparations to victims of franco's fascism and attempting to make up for public excesses particular to the fascist dictator; exhuming victims from mass graves is being encouraged ( "spain approves civil war reparations bill," mar roman, july 29, 2006, newsday).
u.s.: despite the supreme court's rejection of bush's torture tactics and violations of the geneva convention, a current draft of an administration proposal offers the miitary power to detain u.s. citizens indefinitely on false testimony or suspicion of a link to terrorists ("bush submits new terror detainee bill," anne plummer flaherty, july 28, 2006, forbes.com); causing civilian citizens to forfeit legal protections and legal standing could suggest the administration is realizing its liability for war crimes under international and american law.
geneva: the human rights committee of the united nations has ordered the united states to "to immediately abolish all secret detention" ("un rights body tells u.s. to shut "secret" jails," richard waddington, july 28, 2006, reuters); according to the voice of america sandra hodgkinson who is referred to as "the state department's deputy director of war crimes issues," disagreed with the committee's 'observations' (u.n. committee criticizes u.s. human rights record," lisa schlein, july 28, 2006, voice of america).
july 27, 2006, united kingdom: the legality of british participation in the u.s. invasion of iraq will be challenged in court; this ruling by top british judges is a victory for process and international law ("families of soldiers killed in iraq win right to challenge legality of going to war," richard norton taylor, july 27, 2006, the guardian, u.k.);if the court finds the invasion illegal, prime minister blair will be a war criminal and liable for prosecution; in north america recognition of a leader's guilt in war crimes usually leads to additional extra-legal controls by leadership; as the crime of the invasion of iraq and its ongoing genocide of iraqis became apparent, americans experienced 9-11, the bush and the bush congress patriot acts, loss of rights, loss of privacy, increased border control, round up of immigrants, illegal detention of muslims, and the appointments of officials such as gonzalez, bolton and negroponte (u.s. alternative: the bill of rights).
editor's notes on israel's invasion of lebanon (II)israel continues to attack civilian targets in palestine; continues attacks on civilian areas in the gaza where recent dead include a 3 year old girl, a 5 year old girl, an 8 month old girl, a disabled man, others, 7 of hamas and 1 jihad fighter ("sixteen killed in israeli attacks on gaza," elsa mclaren and agencies, july 26, 2006, timesonline); it is a war of aggression against lebanon where israel claims invasion is an attack on hezbollah in self defense; non-hezbollah targets are being struck; israel did not provide proportional response in its low intensity conflict with hezbollah; hezbollah's rockets fired into israel lack precision and risk killing civilians; israel continues to bomb targets of the lebanese civilian infra-structure, and continues to target lebanese medical vehicles and hospitals ("medics, injured civilians under attack red cross trucks in south lebanon targeted by pilots," christopher allbritton, july 25, 2006, san francisco chronicle; "civilians killed as israelis target ambulances," martin chulov, july 26, 2006, the australian); israel continues to bombard civilian areas of lebanon ("israel bombing breaks humanitarian law: u.n. official," tom perry, july 23, 2006,reuters / yahoo! news); as of july 27th 600 lebanese civilians are estimated killed, and 20 lebanese army and 35 hezbollah; israel has lost 33 soldiers and 19 civilians ("lebanon: 600 civilians killed," july 27, 2006, wcbs-tv new york); there are reports of israeli use of cluster bombs against lebanese ("israeli cluster munitions hit civilians in lebanon," july 24, 2006, human rights watch) and of white phosphorous weapons against lebanese ("war crimes warning as civilian deaths increase," james bone, july 26, 2006, timesonline) and of unidentified chemical weapons against lebanese ("belgian doctor: israel using chemical weapons," july 20, 2006, expatica news); israel has impeded relief aid by refusing safe passage to supplies ("aid door to lebanon closed, u.n. agencies say," obert evans, july 25, 2006, reuters alert net); israel has destroyed a u.n. peacekeeping mission in lebanon ("israel troops 'ignored' u.n. plea," july 26, 2006, bbc news / middle east; "israeli strike destroys u.n. post, kills 3," ap-, july 25, 2006, msnbc news); the .u.n. secretary-general kofi annan has said "i am shocked and deeply distressed by the apparently deliberate targeting by israeli defence forces" - ("canadian killed at u.n. post," carolynne wheeler, july 26, 2006, globe and mail); the wayne madsen report of july 26, 2006, explains the attack on the u.n. post as the result of its accummulation of data on "israeli atrocities committed against the civilian lebanese population" [july 26, 2006, access:http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/]; the report also finds the invasion of lebanon a joint israel and u.s. "operation" with "joint israeli and u.s. war rooms coordinating the u.s. supported israeli attacks on lebanon" (ibid.); democracy now! shares a moment of israeli's consul general, arye mekel, speaking of unifil (the u..n. peace keeping mission) collaboration with hezbollah ( "ahead of new confirmation hearings, un ambassador bolton blocks measure condemning lethal israeli attack on un," juan gonzalez, july 27, 2006, democracy now!); canada's press shows a particular concern for one of the targeted peacekeepers, canadian major paeta hess-von kruedener who is thought to be dead; his wife has asked the world to pray for his safe return ("wife of canadian u.n. observer prays for a 'miracle," july 27, 2006, cbc news); the cbc report notes canadian prime minister harper's comment about why were the troops placed in harm's way (the peacekeeping mission location was long established); israel has refused a joint investigation of the incident (ibid.); previously harper has publicly doubted israel's deliberate responsibility ("harper doubts u.n. post deliberately targeted," july 26, 2006, cbc news).
genocide warning
the u.s. senate immediately and unanimously supported israel's attack and the u.s. house of representatives has overwhelmingly supported israel's attack; with president bush's refusal to demand a cease fire, nearly a million civilians in lebanon are displaced; the bush administration and israel are cooperating in widening what may become a genocide of palestinian and islamic groups; among requests and pleas for a cease fire by many including most of europe, the u.s. continues to block an immediate cease fire ("u.s. opposes call for immediate cease fire," huseyin akkas, july 27, 2006, zaman online, turkey; "u.s./ u.k. block international effort for cease fire," staff, july 27, 2006, democracy now!); in iraq destruction of the national group continuesin a highly engineered killing ground, where responsibility rests primarily with the bush administrations.
july 23, 2006, ohchr geneva: according to a united nations press release of july 19, 2006, "high commissioner for human rights calls for protection of civilians and accountability in latest mideast crisis," louise arbour has clarified the state's obligation to protect civilians during war, with particular concern for the people of lebanon, israel and palestine:
"indiscriminate shelling of cities constitutes a foreseeable and unacceptable targeting of civilians.... similarly, the bombardment of sites with alleged military significance, but resulting in the killing of innocent civilians is unjustifiable... international humanitarian law is clear on the supreme obligation to protect civilians during hostilities... this obligation is also expressed in international criminal law, which defines war crimes and crimes against humanity... international law demands accountability; the scale of the killings in the region, and their predictability, could engage the personal criminal responsibility of those involved, particularly those in a position of command and control".
a growing humanitarian crisis from the lack of access to basic services is also noted with request for "secure passage of humanitarian assistance" ([july 23, 2006, access: http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/5AF0033D13E85EFEC12571B00061BFDE?opendocument]).july 20, 2006, lebanon: the majority of 50000 canadians and 25000 americans remain or await evacuation, as lebanon's civilian centres and civilian infrastructure are attacked by israeli bombardment; on january 18th the united states senate approved senate resolution 534, entirely supporting israel's attack on lebanon and condemning hamas and hezbollah; the congressional record notes president bush's letter requesting evacuation procedures for americans in lebanon facing a potential danger ("presidential report," senate, july 19, 2006, congressional record); the congressional record makes no mention of the ongoing low intensity conflict between israel and hezbollah, no mention of aggression against the nation of lebanon, no mention of the human value of each lebanese man woman and child, no mention of a continuing genocide against the lebanese national group, no caveat that u.s. law is broken by israeli use of u.s. weaponry targeting civilians; after the senate's approval, a similar resolution in the house presented by boehner-hyde-lantos will probably pass today despite mock dissent; an angus reid global poll shows that on july 16th 84% of americans want to stay out of it so there is a gulf between the bush congress/presidency/administration and americans; the europeans have already pulled their people and canada's prime minister has shown exceptional care; a worry is that false flag actions against canadians and americans may by used to provoke a wider war ("25000 americans in lebanon left by bush as sitting ducks for false flag provocations to drag us into world war III," webster g. tarpley, july 15, 2006, serendipity; "s.res.534 condemning hezbollah and hamas and their state sponsors and supporting israel's exercise of its right to self defense," u.s. senate, july 18, 2006, congressional record; "violence in the middle east," senate - mr. frist, july 19, 2006, congressional record; "israel exposes house split," patrick o'connor, july 20, 2006, the hill; "americans reject involvement in middle east war," angus reid consultants, july 20, 2006, angus reid global scan; "lebanon accuses israel of committing massacres," & "u.s. senate unanimously votes to back israel," headlines, july 19, 2006, democracy now!; "israel; violates u.s. law with attack on lebanon," thalif deen, july 18, 2006, inter press service [access: http://www.antiwar.com]); a defenceless nation, lebanon risks destruction without cause; amid bombardments approved of by the united states senate agence france press reports 40,000 canadians, 30,000 migrant workers from the phillippines, 25,000 u.s. citizens, 25,000 australians, 22,000 british nationals, 20,000 french, 10,000 bangladeshi workers, where evacuation is proceeding or requested; the swedes, germans, egyptians, russians, armenians, italians, with much smaller numbers are effectively evacuating ("list of countries evacuating nationals from lebanon," afp, july 19, 2006, political gateway); citizens of most third world countries are left to share the fate of the lebanese.
july 18, 2006, lebanon: with reports of a growing disaster for the entire civilian population of lebanon neither the u.s. nor canada has demanded that israel stop its destruction of another country; the ottawa citizen notes as many as "50,000 canadians may need rescue" ("thousands flee war zone," juliet o'neill, july 18, 2006, ottawa citizen); while the major powers attempt to extricate their citizens, those left behind with the lebanese people face what the u.n.'s jan egeland calls an "imminent humanitarian crisis;" reports of israel's targeting of infrastructure water and sewage, a hospital(jabel amel hospital in tyre), ambulances, homes, schools, and "lebanese civil defense units" at the port of tyre("humanitarian disaster unfolds in lebanon: u.n.," nicholas blanford / the times, london, july 18, 2006, ottawa citizen),suggest that ongoing hezbollah / israeli actions are being used as justification for the punitive destruction of lebanon and her people;israel's deputy prime minister reports over 1500 hezbollah rockets fired on israel between july 12th and 18th("peres: hizbullah fired 1,500 missiles into israel since wednesday," july 18, 2006 [access: http://web.naharnet.com/]).
northern ireland: as the u.s. and u.k. revise their extradition treaty, irish american interests note an insensitivity to human rights, in particular the absence ofthe "political offense exception," which has allowed some irish to start a new life in america; one of the believeable defenders of human rights in the u.s., prof. francis boyle, has asked foreign relations to reject the treaty ("push on for an extradition treaty hearing," ray o'hanlon, july 12 issue, irish echo online; "treaty 'unfair to irish-americans,'" alexander kliment and holly yeager, july 16, 2006, financial times ltd.); it is unlikely that a bush congress has the courage to deal justly with this issue.
july 17, 2006, caledonia update: in the interest of reconciliation, on july 13 six nations removed all remaining barricades around the encampment at douglas creek estates, while maintaining the propriety of possession ("last barricades removed,' cnw telbec, june 13, 2006, intercontinental cry).
venezuela: a dutchman has presented an advanced cogent account of the jfk assassination conspiracy, naming names, providing interviews, gaining a hold on the source of the orders; see: "secrets of dallas: the role of george bush in the jfk assassination-cum-coup !" by wim dankbear, june 29, 2006, vheadline.com [access: http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=62519] this contemporary assessment is available from "venezuela's electronic news" (see also "essay on state terrorism").
afghanistan: the cbc reports a large joint operation of canadian, british and american forces in afghanistan, in an assault on nearly 400 "suspected"taliban, ie, native afghan forces loyal to the previous, ie. taliban, government ("coalition forces begin major offensive in afghanistan," july 15, 2006, cbc news); the forces are no longer "peace-keeping," a mandate which initially allowed canadian participation, and are currently engaged in aggressive warfare in support of their government of choice.
lebanon: in response to israeli bombardment, attack and invasion of civilian areas of lebanon, canada and the united states prepare to evacuate their citizens trapped there ("canada to begin lebanon evacuation by midweek: harper," terry weber, july 17, 2006, globe and mail); to adhere to international law canada and the u.s. would first have to demand that israel cease attacking lebanon, bombarding its capital, murdering lebanese civilians and terrorizing people from any nation - 7 canadian civilians were killed yesterday ("canadian deaths provide grim postscript to g8 statement," randall palmer, july 16, 2006), instead of cooperating with israel's attack by evacuating canadian and u.s. civilians; 15 lebanese including children died from israeli bombing of refugees leaving marwaheen in southern lebanon; in beirut thousands of civilians are fleeing israeli bombing of the civilian infrastructure; hezbollah is reported firing rockets at israel ("civilians killed in israeli strike on southern lebanon," july 15, 2006, cbc news); supporting israel's position, canadian prime minister harper said the situation will worsen unless 3 israeli soldiers are released ('escalation is inevitable' unless israeli soldiers released: harper," july 15, 2006, 2006, cbc news).
june 30, 2006: new york city, for pictures and follow up on the june 26th protest against torture at the u.s. mission to the u.n., see witness against torture at http://www.witnesstorture.org/node; concerning the guantanamo detainees see also the night's lantern guantanamo page.
palestine: genocide warning : a million palestinians are trapped in gaza without egress as their society's infra-structure is attacked, polluted, destroyed, as they are subject to eventual death through collective punishment by israel (information source: "israel's appalling bombing in gaza, starving in the dark," viginia tilley, june 30, 2006 counterpunch, nowar-paix listserv); yesterday the u.n. advised that the inhabitants of gaza were three days from a "humanitarian crisis" ("un warns gaza nears humanitarian crisis," reuters, june 29, 2006, yahoo! news.htm).
june 29, 2006, united states: affirming the geneva conventions, the supreme court has ruled the guantanamo prison camp military trials illegal under both military and civilian law; this overturns a lower court decision by new bush appointee to the supreme court, judge roberts ("supreme court blocks war crimes trials for guantanamo detainees," ap, june 29, 2006, 13 abc.com , toledo; "u.s. supreme court quashes 'illegal' guantanamo trials," june 29, 2006, cbc news); affirming application of the geneva conventions to guantanamo detainees signals a return to the rule of law and places the bush administration and the chain of command for the prison camp at risk of eventual criminal prosecution.-ed.;
north dakota: three plowshares activists arrested in clown suits at the public disarming of a nuclear missile silo are charged with sabotage; see wmd here plowshares .
june 28, 2006, new york city: on monday 60 activists against torture marched to the u.s. mission to the united nations and called for the closing of guantanamo; 25 were arrested following a decision to stay at the mission until the prison camp is closed; three of the arrested took the names of men who recently died at the prison camp, their deaths reported as suicides by the pentagon; the press conference was called by witness against torture and sponsored by riverside church, rabbis for human rights and the center for constitutional rights; june 26th is united nations international day in support of victims of torture; among elders arrested was the durable and brave poet, fr. dan berrigan ("twenty-five arrested at the u.s. mission to the united nations saying no to torture, shut down guantanamo," press release, june 26, 2006 [access: www.witnesstorture.org/node]; "25 arrested at anti-gitmo protest," june 27, 2006, democracy now!).
u.s.: stating his desire not to become "a party to war crimes," on june 7th 2006 first lt. ehren watada publicly refused deployment to iraq; the army has tried to silence him and a legal confrontation is expected ("first army officer to resist publicly refusing to fight an illegal war," eric ruder, june 16, 2006, socialist worker online; "military attempts to stop lt. watada from speaking against illegal war," june 9, 2006, thank you [access: www.thankyou.org]).
caledonia update: according to its premier, dalton mcguinty, the province of ontario canada will pay the americans 12.3 million for the former henco property with guarantees of a great deal more for lost profits; mcguinty has asked the six nations people to leave ("mcguinty defends caledonia land deal," canadian press, june 22, 2006, toronto star); both the province and canada seem reluctant to address basic injustices brought into focus by this issue.
june 24, 2006: st. jean-baptiste day
julie maas insert for geometry by gerald (press backlist)june 21, 2006, north dakota, mandan hidatsa arikara nation: a priest and two u.s. veterans entered an e-9 missile silo and attempted to disarm it with household hammers and a sledge; from the "weapon of mass destruction here plowshares" press release of june 20, 2006 ("plowshares witness in north dakota," june 20, 2006, disarmnow@jonahhouse.org) - ref. www.jonahhouse.org . united nations: the u.s., australia and new zealand have declared aboriginal rights to "self-determination" outside of international law; canada is also refusing the current draft of the u.n. aboriginal treaty presented for vote at the un human rights council in geneva, finding this draft inconsistent with canada's land claims policy" ("canada opposes u.n. aboriginal treaty," june 20, 2006, cbc news).
roseau river manitoba: chief terrance nelson has announced the roseau river blockade of two rail lines june 29th 4 pm to 30th 4 pm; one north of dominion city the other north of letellier; both rail lines serve the u.s., north dakota, wisconsin, and run through traditional aboriginal land; an explanation will be presented june 29th midday at the roseau river community centre; in brief, treaty rights with the crown have not been honoured and principles of land entitlement have taken over a hundred years of patience; "over five hundred murdered and missing first nation women in canada; our people fill the jails and prisons in canada; over 50% of the people killed at the hands of police in canada are first nations people; over 6000 land claims in limbo..." ("roseau river railway blockade," chief terrance nelson, june 21, 2006, email "re: mnn 'liars club' meets in court re: 6 nations").
caledonia update: the government of ontario has 'bought' the particular land in dispute, from an american company; there is a reluctance to mention prices; at this point it is hard to verify kahentinetha horn's account that the company invested six million and wants up to sixty as well for what it might have earned; the actual amount paid by ontario should reveal what the province is paying the americans for; ontario has paid its towns people another million dollars of compensation; most of the suspects under warrant are not available ("ontario buys site of disputed caledonia claim," june 16, 2006, cbc news; "mnn "liar's club" meets in court re: 6 nations," kahentinetha horn, june 19, 2006, email mnn - orakwa); one of the suspects accused by the o.p.p. was arrested for a group defense action june 9th ("b.c. woman accused in caledonia violence arrested," june 17, 2006, cbc news).
june 15, 2006, caledonia update: the remaining six nations encampment barricades were taken down june 13th; this was done without enthusiasm; as a requirement for continuing negotiations the dismantling was a forced issue which mitigates "good intention" and suggests more demands without reciprocation will follow; the people are staying on the land; police presence has increased ; a number of incidents as a result of the [law enforcement] information gathering interface with six nations, have resulted in warrants for the arrests of seven encampment people; these are essentially for acts of self defense: the ontario provincial police charges are for "attempted murder, robbery, intimidation and causing bodily harm" ("press release, june 11, 2006, six nations haudenosaunee confederacy, orakwa); the seven submitted to the justice of clan mothers and confederacy chiefs; one of the incidents involved a united states alcoholo tobacco and firearms vehicle with two u.s. officers operating outside their jurisdiction and treaty rights, covered by an ontario provincial police person (ibid.); six nations has evidence that the u.s. a.t.f. has been operating covertly in this case since april 2nd ("six nations update june 13, 2006," june 14, 2006, orakwa international indigenous ent.); native protestors are said to have recovered from the atf vehicle lists of u.s. and canadian police operatives/informants/plans of law enforcement activities ("top secrets in native hands: undercover officers' names, classified csis information was in stolen suv," paul morse, june 13, 2006, hamilton spectator); dalton mcguinty, premier of ontario, has askedsix nations to hand over the protestors under warrant, so that negotiations might resume... ("mcguinty: 'not enough to resume talks,'" june 13, 2006,cd98.9 newsroom [access: six nations solidarity]); for general reference: six nations solidarity "updates" at http://sisis.nativeweb.org/actionalert/index.html#updates , and mohawk nation news. ]. may 30, 2006, caledonia update: the province is granting businesses in caledonia over half a million dollars of emergency funds ("caledonia businesses can expect more than $500,000 in provincial aid, levac says," john paul zronik, may 30, 2006, brantford expositor); six nations reports say david peterson (provincial appointee reporting to the province's minister responsible for aboriginal affairs) has ordered six nations people off the land by may 31, 2006; six nations communications was already disrupted this morning; some expect another oka crisis (1990) and use of the canadian army ("old oka polka to be danced at six nations," kahentinetha horn mnn, may 30, 2006,orakwa international indigenous ent.); i haven't been able to verify david peterson's ultimatum in the establishment press. -ed..
may 23, 2006, kashmir: suppressed news ~ 700,000 armed indian troops are occupying kashmir; 10,000 people have been disappeared there; the poor are labeled "terrorists" ("arundhati roy on india, u.s., empire and dissent," roy and goodman, may 23, 2006, democracy now!).
caledonia update: six nations people have removed their blockade; an early report today suggests that those called 'townspeople' instigating difficulties yesterday were unknown to actual residents of caledonia ("aboriginal protesters remove caledonia blockade," may 23, 2006, cbc news; "'bread and cheese fight' victoria day at six nations - who was being sucker punched ? ontario does not want to recognize six nations or any aboriginal title," kahentinetha horn, may 23, 2006,. mnn mohawk nation news ~ orakwa international indigenous ent.; "caledonia blockade dismantled," richard brennan, may 23, 2006, toronto star).
may 22, 2006, victoria day weekend, caledonia update ( the interests of townspeople, six nations people, provincial negotiators, and people of canada are essentially the same as the situation escalates):
monday, 4:10 pm: a report suggests police are acting as agents provocateuras an attempt to bring in the army ("6nations: is the army going to arrive ?" may 22, 2006, orakwa international indigenous ent.); first peoples have had several centuries to experience most of the options of the control.
4:09 pm: hamilton spectator confirms power outages in the area, and "disintegration" of a situation which seemed to be improving this morning ("caledonia in chaos after barricade comes down then quickly goes back up,"may 22, 2006, hamilton spectator).
3:20 pm: escalation; noted in a native report - six nations people are "behaving peacefully" in the face of 'townspeople' who are attacking and "threatening to kill the indians;" six nations response: tyendinaga - railway blocked and in the west 3 bridges ("six nations update: bread&cheese day ruined; q vicki rolling her grave," may 22, 2006, orakwa international indigenous ent.).
about 3 pm: report of increased police presence, pepper spray; 'townspeople' attack blockade; this may be police provocation to allow intervention (ibid., below).
2 pm: report of caledonian 'residents' attacks on natives and racial epithets that continue without police interference (ibid., below).
1 pm: a report that six nations lifted the argyll st. blockade 6 am, despite yesterday's 'resident' blockading of 6 busses of toronto supporters trying to reach the encampment, and of amublances trying to reach the hospital; "a car with a reporter and some women from six nations newspaper was surrounded by caledonian men and women; they smashed the windows; the ontario provincial police stood around shoulder to shoulder without moving, just watching...."; subsequent fighting with six nations people is ignored by police; six nations has reinstated its barricade ("help six nations; o.p.p. condone mob rule, 'all hell and shit has broken loose,' your help is urgently needed right now!" may 22, 2006, orakwa international indigenous ent.). sunday, a cbc 9:50 pm, report announced a delay in blockade removal since "residents" of caledonia had also placed a blockade not allowing first peoples to pass ("plans to remove caledonia blockade put on hold, may 21, 2006, cbc news);
a cbc 2:21 pm, report said that six nations has decided to lift its bockade, and the province has acceded to a development moratorium for a 218 hectare area ("caledonia blockade coming down on monday, reporter says," may 21, 2006, cbc news).
saturday: a six nations press report shows optimism for the evolving peace negotations;two letters from david ramsey ("native affairs") showed that the province intends to return to six nations the "burtch lands," and to provide on agreeable terms a land assessment of the douglas creek area; a third letter by ben levin ("deputy minister, education") affirms provincial concern forsix nations educational curriculum; this interpreted as the government's determination to pursue a peaceful, just, mediated settlement of grievances; possibly a change in direction for policy ("a trip of 3,500 miles begins with the first step & a good map; ontario preparing to return some land to six nations ---???" , kahentinetha horn mnn mohawk nation news, may 21, 2006, orakwa international indigenous ent.).
may 19, 2006, caledonia update: the canadian islamic congress has stated its support for the six nations land reclamation, citing empathy of canada's 750,000 muslims with those who have been denied their homelands; the public service alliance of canada (300,000 members) has stated its support for the six nations peaceful reclamation of lands ("islamic congress supports six nations land reclamation," may 17, 2006, "canadian islamic congress; psac stands in solidarity with six nations protesters," may 15, 2006, [access: http://www.psac-afpc.org/news/releases/2006/a26-0506-e.shtml] & orakwa international indigenous ent.). may 16, 2006, caledonia update: the cbc reports that natives have opened a lane for emergency vehicles and local people's passage through the blockade; a conservative mp has stated it cost the government 8 million dollars to "police" the otherwise peaceful standoff for the first 73 days - o.p.p. officers have enjoyed student residencies on macmasters university campus at reasonable rates; mohawk nation news says negotiator jane stewart's husband is a real estate developer of land the six nations considers theirs; the six nation's encampment's sunday update shows no change in its essential demands and policy, while encouraging honesty and the honour of the crown; there are reports that support is "being turned away at the borders" and being monitored by the o.p.p.: hazel hill's update ends with "please know that our solidarity is based on truth and justice for creation" ("caledonia blockaders open one lane for traffic," may 16, 2005, ; "$8 million policing bill at caledonia, mpp says," paul legall, may 11, 2006, the hamilton spectator; "sago from grand river," hazel hill, may 14, 2006, via kahentinetha horn, www.mohawknationnews.com, orakwa international indigenous ent.); supporters of six nations there to witness or protect the rights of first peoples and maintain the peace, have not asked the government for reimbursement of their expenses. may 11, 2006: on may 9th, canada was narrowly elected by the united nations general assembly to be one of the 47 members of the new human rights council; see may 11, genocide warnings & updates.
italy: giorgio napolitano, a deeply respected former communist and former italian resistance fighter, was elected president by the italian parliament ("former communist elected italy's president," sylvia poggioli may 11, 2006, morning edition, npr).
ottawa: the canadian security intelligence services report of 2004-5 stated the agency's belief that canada would be attacked by muslim fanatics; the cbc's lead paragraph suggests this as an imminent threat just announced by csis director jim judd ("attack in canada 'now probable': csis report," may 10, 2006, cbc news); the 'spin' is likely to make life less comfortable for canada's muslims.
* may 10, 2006, caledonia: for an update on the current situation, see [temporary] canada sends two female "agents of repression" and three "pacifiers" onto six nations (mohawk nation news).
may 6, 2006, ontario: with reference to canada's recent denial of refugee status to u.s. soldiers attempting to honour conscience and international law by seeking refuge here, cindy sheehan, the u.s. mother of a slain soldier, stated in a recent toronto address: "now it seems like greedy people in your country want to emulate everything that is wrong with the united states" ("anti-war crusader rips into harper," natalie pona, may 4, 2006, toronto sun); the canadian prime minister is pushing hard for a more permanent norad treaty arrangement, closer military and intelligence ties/cooperation with the u.s. ( "canadian prime minister harper defies ballistic missile defense critics," martin sieff, upi may 3, 2006, spacewar [access:http://www.spacewar.com/]) - as if to encourage those who presented the world with iraq's "weapons of mass destruction" and are attempting to make 'normal' the use of torture.
caledonia: a may 2 update from mohawk nation news reports a kkk flier, with a mississippi klansman , white sheets, referencing "the final solution" of the "indian problem;" the flier was reported as part of the preparations for townspeople activities for the last two fridays ("mnn 'over & over i'll be a fool for you': kkk at six nations," kahentinetha horn, may 2, 2006, mnn - orakwa international indigenous ent. ); as a former march marshal for king's people during selma, my experience with hassles by white racists, both the ugly and the literary, in both the u.s. and canada, is that 'the klan' never works on its own but where it exists at all is deeply infiltrated to the service of covert u.s. f.b.i. and military interests. -ed..
may 1, 2006, ottawa: happy may day.
caledonia: while canadian media note the differences at caledonia have moved into negotiations, the encampment remains subject to threat from the townspeople (rallies) and armed threat from police and military; there is no evidence that any of the six nations people are armed; doreen silversmith will present the clanmothers' land claim and reasoning to the "committee on economic, social and cultural rights," of the u.n. this week ("native land dispute to hit un," cp, april 28, 2006, canoe network ~ calgarysun.com)
new hampshire u.s.: citing the state motto, "live free or die," the state house of representatives has refused to cooperate with the federal real id act ordering rigid i.d. procedures for drivers licenses ("i.d. law stirs passionate protest in n.h.," david fahrenthold, may 1, 2006, washington post).
u.s.: a credible authority on u.s. covert actions explains recent fbi attempts to seize jack anderson's papers, as attempts by bush jr. to impound papers/evidence on bush sr.'s links to the events in texas november 1963; the source also affirms the link between bush sr. and de mohrenshildt (oswald's c.i.a. handler) ("fbi agents lied about what they wanted from jack anderson's papers," madsen, april 29, 2006, wayne madsen report [access: http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/]); madsen has a long memory, reliable in that I've never seen it contradicted. -ed..
pre-news may 1,2006, u.s.: immigrant groups have called for a day of general strike; there's a call for nonviolent civil resistance against the war and occupation in iraq, from fr. joe mulligan, s.j. and the global call; in new york, jonah house, witness against torture and others join in a call by clergy and laity concerned about iraq (calc-i) for an interfaith prayer service, 10 am, 777 un plaza, new york, and at 12 noon a march to say no-to-torture in front of the u.s. mission; calc-i info & nonviolence training april 30th, contact matt, daloisio@earthlink.net .
april 28, 2006, caledonia: early morning reports suggest a further police build-up; reports of white racism are dealt with tactfully and with forbearance in native reports; the cbc reports that police have advised store owners in caledonia to close early ("stores near caledionia protest advised to close early," april 28, 2006, cbc news ); however set against eachother, the interests of townspeople, of police and military, and of first nations people and friends, are essentially the same.
ottawa: at noon friday there was a gathering at the war monument of local people from concerned groups; gerald and maas was there in solidarity with the six nations nonviolent struggle to keep their own land; under a banner of "hands off six nations," about fifty people walked to the minister of indian affairs offices; speakers from among first nations people and non-native friends are making the point that what is happening to natives is part of a pattern affecting all of us; among issues raised: first nations people are growing in numbers with less land to sustain them; canada continues a colonialist pattern of threatening force to solve historical problems better suited to arbitration.
links for news updates:
six nations solidarity "updates" http://sisis.nativeweb.org/actionalert/index.html
autonomy * solidarity, "six nations caledonia resource page" http://auto_sol.tao.ca/
april 23, 2006, caledonia:
a sunday morning summary: there was another false alarm about 5 am that the police were going to invade again; an update suggests this may be part of a police psywar pattern; a false alarm threatening invasion last friday about 5 pm was instigated by police who did not then invade and declared a false alarm at 6pm; many particpant cell phones have became non-functional; most sources concede saturday was spent in negotiations; by 4:30 sunday morning the estimates of police are at 1000 o.p.p. and 250 r.c.m.p., considerably lower than on april 21; however there are again reports of canadian forces in the area; ground force deployment would signal a change of policy (sources: assorted emails, orakwa international indigenous ent.; "six nations update - how to survive a seige," horn, april 23, 2006 mnn mohawk nation news; "are military forces operating from hamilton airport in six nations standoff ?" anthony fenton and dru oja jay, april 22, 2006 canadian news - the dominion); there have been no further police incursions; with any military deployment against an unarmed group there would be a need for impartial witness, representatives of canadian human rights organizations and international law.april 21, 2006, caledonia:
urgent: an overwhelming show of force by canadian and provincial authorities has not weakened native resolve at the encampment; with the threat of arms, resistance is appearing in other areas; if six nations peoples and their friends and allies are attacked, if there is to be any repeat of the history of oka, who will be harmed but the people of canada ? if there is any loss of life, there is no taking it back, and each harming lasts for generations of all the people's memories; the situation requires canada's affirmation of her righteousness and good faith under international law. - gerald and maas
updates
12:10 pm: ontario provincial police and royal canadian mounted police numbers combined are reported as 2,500 to 3000, in perimeter about a mile back but around the people; there is the possibility that a 50 square mile area is monitored by authorities.
10:30 am: a report that the opp has changed to tactical gear from riot gear; tactical gear includes bullet proof vest, with weapon available.
10:05 am: report of an overwhelming display of force and ambulances, interpreted by the people as an attempt to terrorize them into submission.
9:10 am: report of 1000 opp presence, confirmed by chch-tv news; encampment requests people.
7:30 am: 20 vans w. weapons and mounties and additional ambulances, in place; phone communications partially disrupted; encampment request for more people and medical backup ("extreme high alert! police move in for the slaughter").
5:20 am: also need for supplies, medical supplies, runners, letters to government, alternative communications systems (communications disrupted); report of army involvement; report of two rail lines through their territory held by the mohawks of tyendinaga; report that the mohawk of kahnawake briefly held the mercier bridge; a first peoples statement: "we need negotiation, consent and peaceful coexistence; the six nations grievances are deeply rooted, complex and well documented, going back centuries" ("prepare for military oppression: oka blueprint brought out again").
3:26 am: continuing need for monitors, observers, cameras., 1000 opp and 200 rcmp present.
from april 20, 6:30 pm; report of an additional 200 rcmp brought into the area; six nations spokespeople are able to present a simple, clear and unadjudicated legal claim to the land, which has not been publicly answered by ontario or canada.
from april 20: correction: at least 12 people arrested.
(info source of updates: kahentinetha horn, mnn mohawk nation news,orakwa international indigenous ent.).
april 20, 2006, caledonia update (minimal previous media coverage): over 150 armed ontario provincial police with native mercenaries entered the six nations encampment at 4:20, and arrested 9; reserve people have helped discourage police presence; by 8:00 am; police, including two reported snipers are off the land; the people's action has extended to the main bridge in caledonia; confusion ("red alert ! red alert ! six nations - opp went in at 5:55 am thurs morning" email april 20, 2006 6:16 am, orakwa international indigenous ent.; ibid., 6:46 am; ibid., 8:05 am; "alert! six nations people take back the land," email april 20, 2006 9:09 am; ibid, 10:21 am, "10:05 am six nations people take back the land - 1000 opp and army coming in).
april 19, 2006, caledonia update: the six nations encampment expects to be raided soon and has asked for observers and concern; negotiations between six nations and ontario have stopped; the ontario provincial police has so far resisted moving in and attempting arrests; for local phone numbers see April 11 (source: "six nations on 'red alert' - tell canada 'don't use guns to negotiate'," april 19, 2006, orakwa international indigenous ent.; "six nations: supporters, stand by! talks break down: 'you only have hours left,' " horn, april 18, 2006, mnn / orakwa).
alaska: a new report from renewthevraorg in alaska maintains that the state insists on english language elections when "19 percent of its population is native and 80.5 percent of new native voters has difficulty comprehending english-only ballots" ("new report: voting rights acts protections stil needed in alaska," tyler lewis, april 17, 2006 civilrights.org).
nevada: the western shoshone are protesting the pentagon's planned 700 ton detonation at a nevada testsite june 2nd; the test , called "divine strike" by the pentagon may be in violation of existing treaties and testing agreements ("western shoshone oppose planned 700-ton detonation," brenda norrell, april 17, 2006, indian country ).
april 15, 2006, british columbia: the secwepemc are with reason, protesting use of their sacred mountains for a commercial ski resort; the resort is expanding on native lands and business sees the resort is an important resource for the 2010 winter olympics ("secwepemc protest sun peaks resorts use of recycled sewage wastes to make snow on their sacred mount," april 8, 2006, friends of grassy narrows).
caledonia update: the government of ontario is attempting to negotiate with the six nations band council (legitimacy questioned) and selected chiefs, without participation of protesting six nations people and allies; it is pointed out that objective arbitration would be better; drawing international concern the encampment recently received support from the popular indigenous council of oaxaca which extends its solidarity and affirms love for the earth, and encourages the federal government to assume its responsibilitites under international law (source: "dave general marches to colonial 'goose step' with canada and ontario on six nations people," kahentinetha horn, april 14, 2006, email mnn - orakwas international indigenous ent.; "oaxaca indians of mexico send support to six nations," april 15, 2006, ibid.).
april 11, 2006, caledonia ontario: the encampment notes 50 to 60 police cruisers and paddy wagons as well, at a nearby abandoned school, and is worried that an incursion will cause violence; phone numbers to reach organizers: 519-865-7722; 519-445-1351; 519-717-4292; 519-445-1719; 905-765-9316; phone numbers to contact authorities: o.p.p. brian haggith 905-772-3322; o.p.p. caledonia 905-765-2339; o.p.p. indian advisor jim potts 613-795-3907, r.c.m.p. london 519-640-7267, 519-756-7050, brantford-hamilton 905-572-2401 (source: "mnn alarm! opp ready to pounce on six nations," email of april 11, 2005, 10:24 am, orakwa international indigenous ent.);a six nations update mentions "2 van loads of men in army gear" last night on blossom ave.; police action is expected this week; six nations would ask the crown to provide henco with restitution for lands illegally sold to the company (source: "mnn opp build-up @ 6 nations update: 11:20 am. tue. apr. 11," email of april 11, 2006, 11:43 am, orakwa international indigenous ent.).
april 10, 2006, canada/afghanistan: see march 24, 2006, below; two canadian reports have warned the government of war crimes in its treatment of prisoners in afghanistan ("canadian soldiers may be subject to war crimes charges," dave pugliese, april 10, 2006, canwest / ottawa citzen); bush administration policy claims that american troops are not subject to the jurisdiction of the international criminal court.
the house of commons debate on afghanistan tonight found conservatives questioning the loyalty and historical record of the new democratic party; it reminds us of the early days of vietnam as the american people were led into a lie by a war machine with financial interest in the killing. -ed..
for suppressed information on depleted uranium: "the silent genocide from america" & "the perpetual death from america;" mohammed daud miraki is director of the afghan du & recovery fund at http://www.afghandufund.org/index.html.
caledonia ontario: the nonviolent protest/encampment continues in a protest that began february 28th ("natives build cookhouse on protest site in one day," daniel nolan, april 8, 2006, the hamilton spectator); see april 8, april 6, april 1, march 21.
new orleans: democracy now! reports that 6000 people arrested on various charges before katrina hit, remain in prison because there are no jury trials; lawyer and loyola professor bill quigley says "the constitution is not working in new orleans at this point; it wasn't working really that well before katrina, i mean, i have to be clear about that, but it?s not working at all right now" ("poor people, disabled people, people of color are not welcomed back to new orleans" - activists paint grim picture of struggling city," april 10, 2006, democracy now!); the report also carries news that one of the oldest slave and freed slave churches in the u.s., st augustine parish, was reopened at the insistence of its parishioners; next to the church "the tomb of the unknown slave," is a monument to the murdered and hidden dead; in funding the church again the archbishop (from boston) replaced the community's priest with a white priest who celebrated sunday mass under armed guard for the nonviolent congregation ("historic african-american new orleans church reopened after weeks of protests & rectory sit-in," april 10, 2006, democracy now!)
april 8, 2006, caledonia ontario: the cbc reports 250 residents were at the police station rallying for the removal of the native protest at douglas creek estates while the hamilton spectator reports 500; the o.p.p. is said to be "encouraging negotiations" (cbc); women title holders and traditional leaders support the native protest while the elected band council is not on side; the premier of ontario is trying to stay out of it; the haldimand mayor is in ottawa seeking help; the bureau of indian affairs says it isn't a lands claim issue ("native standoff is a provincial matter," carmela fragomeni, april 7, 2006, the hamilton spectator;"caledonia residents want police action in native occupation," april 6, 2006, cbc news); see previous entries.
april 6, 2006, "the haldimand tract," caledonia ontario: native women title holders and others standing unarmed in defense of six nations land rights are calling for solidarity and support: "we six nations onkwehonewe need solidarity support and rallies on wednesday april 12 or 17, 2006 to assert rotino'shon:ni land title on grand river & elsewhere" (april 6, 2006, orakwa international indigenous ent.); indian women title holders assert that canada and henco construction have violated their treaty rights, canadian law, international law, treaties, covenants and conventions; before this spring, reports of provincial and federal presence, incursions, shows of force against the mohawk resulted in an appeal for monitoring to address the expectation of another provincial or federal armed invasion; there is evidence that the province is waging psychological warfare against the people by the presence of plainclothes and armed personnel, helicopters, by the clearing and increase of hospital and prison space in the area (orakwa international indigenous ent., email releases of april, passim; see below).
gerald and maas affirms the human rights of six nations peoples and all their allies, their right to impartial arbitration of their grievances, their peoples' right to live free from fear, their human and ancestral rights to clean water and a healthy environment, and to caretaking lands which belong to them.
april 1, 2006, toronto: a call for an emergency rally against immigration raids is scheduled by ocap (ontario coalition against poverty) in toronto at 4 pm, the n.w. corner of dufferin grove park; immigrant raids against portugese, carribean & latin communities have demanded proof of status and detained entire families; some immigrants are afraid to leave home; families have been deported ("emergency rally against immigration raids & night march on rosedale,"press release, march 21, 2006, ocap); browsing tv channels for coverage of deportations this week, the deportees all have dark eyes and dark hair. highway 6, caledonia ontario, yellow alert: the u.s. company henco industries is attempting to develop / build on mohawk land within ontario; this is currently protested by six nations mohawk in caledonia; first peoples warrior societies are on yellow alert in response to warnings of possible confrontation from the police of ontario; the yellow alert press release notes past responsibilities of first nations warrior societies as: monitoring from home territories, responding to any bloodshed with blockades, and responding to any killing of native peoples with a halt to the canadian economy (sources: "yellow alert for warrior societies," terrance nelson, press release march 31, 2006: okiijida society; "canada croons 'i did it my {colonial} way'...", horn, march 30, 2006, mnn six nations; "urgent! sudden temperature change at six nations - canadian court order defends corporate squatters - o.p.p. to use guns to resolve constitutional issue," horn, march 29, 2006, mnn; & entry of march 21, 2006, below); the first people's position is committed to nonviolence unless opposing groups intentionally wound or kill; previously ontario broke faith under premier harris with the 1995 death of dudley george at ipperwash.
cambridge, mass: interviewed by amy goodman on democracy now! , noam chomsky clarifies the risk of 'america' becoming a failed state; he believes international law offers some hope; he also notes that under current policies, "the u.s. intelligence community regards the threat of a dirty bomb, say in new york, in the next decade as being probably greater than 50%" ("exclusive," goodman, march 31, 2006, democracy now! [access:http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/31/148254]); chomsky's views are usually both compassionate and fairly conservative; his new book is out april 4th, available from amazon : failed states: the abuse of power and the assault on democracy.
march 24, 2006, canada: canada's violations of international law in afghanistan are gradually being clarified; in the toronto star michael byers notes that international law is broken by canada's handing over prisoners to the u.s., particularly since current u.s. / cia techniques violate the convention on torture; although prisoners are currently transferred to afghan authority which koring in the globe and mail points out doesn't have an adequate record of protecting prisoners' human rights, prof. byers' point is the 1984 torture convention article 3, is broken and canada's responsibility for prisoners continues through any subsequent transfers; he is a professor of law at duke and the liu institute of university of british columbia and a former visiting professor at buchmann in tel-aviv and the university of cape town; the basic illegality in canada's contributions of military forces to war in afghanistan as well as in transfer of prisoners, is noted by john mcnamer (see below) who points out nato peacekeeping/stabilization troops are used for combat operations against international terrorism (sources: "why canada can't wash its hands of afghan detainees," michael byers, march 22, 2006, toronto star; "troops violate u.n. afghan mandate, international law, canada's leaders told by decorated war veteran," press release, march 23, 2006, jhnmcnamer@yahoo.ca ; "canada to hand suspects to kabul: move could make troops complicit in future torture, legal experts fear," paul koring, march 23, 2006 (from friday's globe and mail), globeandmail.com; "michael byers," cv [march 24, 2006 access: http://www.ligi.ubc.ca/collateral/images/uploads/cv_byers.pdf]; with appreciations to lawyers against the war).
israel: the jewish national front's baruch marzel remains unarrested after asking for israeli defense forces to assassinate uri avnery, founder of gush shalom and a leader of israel's peace movement; the criminal request for assassination grows out of israeli media elections coverage; gush shalom 's moderate position for reconiciliation is under extremist attack (sources: "incitement to murder," gush shalom [march 24, 2006 access: http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/index.html]; "baruch marzel: idf must assassinate left-wing activist uri avnery," nadav shragai, march 21, 2006, haaretz.com).
environment
march 21, 2006, canada: occupier-protestors at "douglas creek estates of caledonia" have been given until the 22nd to leave, by a judge reported to have real estate in the disputed area; the two sides are six nations and henco industries ("canada in contempt of international law at six nations," horn, march 20, 2006, mohawk nation news).
members of big trout lake first nation are blockading an exploratory drilling team operaton of platinex inc. in the northwest of ontario; with awareness of a large platinum deposit there is increasing pressure of corporate exploitation ("fw: taiga-info: kitchenuhmaykoosib inninuwug," harries, feb.28, 2006, nowar-paix).
grassy narrows first nation is accusing two huge logging companies of destroying the environment; the people are aware of soil erosion, abitibi's clear cutting, un-natural replantings, loss of trap lines, polluted water, high mercury levels in wildlife; abitibi's newsprint is used for the new york times , washington post and other u.s. outlets for making wars (sources: "grassy narrows warns weyerhaeuser, abitibi against destruction of homeland", canadian press feb, 28, 2006, [access:http://friendsofgrassynarrows.com]; "grassy narrows warns weyerhaeuser: "withdraw or face fierce campaign," feb. 28, 2006, nowar/paix fw:taiga-info: release).
march 17, 2006, montreal: march 18th, to rally for withdrawal of troops from iraq and afghanistan, and against joint u.s. canadian military policy - ?chec ? la guerre gathers at - 12:30 pm, dorchester square crossing, ren?-l?vesque - peel (subway peel); manifestation le 18 mars, 13 heures; ?chec ? la guerre, rassemblement carr? dorchester, ren?-l?vesque et peel (m?tro peel) 12h 30 ("objection de conscience," 17 mars, 2006, email, projet solidarit? irak).
march 16, 2006, ottawa: on march 18th there will be an international / global protest against the war in aghanistan, iraq and the threat of war in iran; canadian peace alliance notes events in 31 canadian cities, focusing on "troops out of iraq and afghanistan" and "let the war resisters stay" (canadian peace alliance [access: http://www.acp-cpa.ca/en/M182006.htm]); locally the rally is at the national gallery of art, 1:00 p.m.saturday afternoon; for information: nowar-paix [access:< http://www.nowar-paix.ca/ >].
gerald and maas asks for the end of canadian security certificates, which by denying right of habeas corpus, holding prisoners on secret evidence, refusing to charge and try, is acting outside international affirmations of the human rights with misuses of the law that may present an obstacle to canada's full participation in the united nations human rights council as approved by the u.n. general assembly march 15, 2006.
in a protest marginalized through lack of media coverage, john mcnamer, a canadian vietnam war vet, has presented canadian prime minister harper with legal objections to the canadian role in afghanistan; ie. canadian forces are reporting directly to u.s. troops, the canadianpeople and canadian parliament have not been asked, canadians are supporting illegal american actions outside the demands of the geneva conventions ("rule of law or 'rule of bomb'? : our military role in afghanistan legally indefensible, activist says," by mike youds, march 7, 2006, kamloops daily news ); under a minority government, from an election where the media avoided issues of foreign policy, the harper government is advancing american military interests in afghanistan.
march 3, 2006, canada: an ottawa think tank warns of "even deeper economic and security assimilation with the u.s." as the big business lobby canadian council of chief executives, and think tanks like the c.d. howe institute and fraser institute try to further corporate incursions into canadian health care, pensions and schools (fund raising appeal of feb. 23, 2006, the canadian centre for policy alternatives [access: www.policyalternatives.ca]).
albuquerque new mexico: u.s. president bush is violating the nuclear non-proliferation treaty in proposing "a new generation of nuclear weapons," according to greg mello of the los alamos study group in an interview with democracy now! ; he also points out that bechtel, washington international group, bwxt technologies and university of california will run los alamos, previously run by university of california ("u.s. enters new nuclear age as bush seeks funds for new generation of nukes," goodman & staff, march 2, 2006, democracy now!); by violating the nuclear non-proliferation treaty do the above companies become criminal organizations ?
washington, d.c.: to a noticeable lack of media coverage, on march first, catholic workers and allies in witness against torture (some of the same people who protested torture at the gates of guantanamo cuba) marched from the supreme court to the white house where art laffin, matt and amanda daloisio, tania theriault, susan crane, matt vogel, mark colville, brian kavanaugh, carmen trotta, jacqueline allen-doucot, alice gerard, bill frankel-streit, tom feagley, edith tetaz, jordan manuel, were arrested (no subject email, jonah house, march 2, 2006, disarmnow@jonahhouse; "15 arrested at white house protesting u.s. torture practices," mike ferner, march 2, 2006, electronic iraq); ferner's article includes this quote from one of the detainee's lawyers just back from guantanamo, christine husby: "soldiers would strap a prisoner to one of several specially-purchased metal chairs with six-point restraints, insert an oversized tube through his nose and purposely overfeed him, causing him to vomit, defecate and urinate all over himself, and then leave him strapped in the chair for hours like that;" (ibid.); that is a war crime; whether their protest was noticed or not these people who care were arrested for all of us refusing to accept u.s. criminal acts of torture.
historical note
pope john paul ii reminded us that practices such as these [acts of torture] are "'incapable of being ordered' to god" and therefore are "'intrinsically evil'" ("walk to visit prisoners," january-february 2006, catholic worker).
undisclosed: in federal court and by filings, on march 2nd u.s. justice department lawyers have refused any protection to a tortured detainee, either under mccain 's anti-torture legislation or the detainee treatment act of 2005 ("u.s. cites exception in torture ban: mccain law may not apply to cuba prison," josh white & carol d. leonnig, march 3, 2006, washington post); affirming the use of torture against anyone is a crime against humanity; if torture continues the military enforcers, the justice department and judge will be responsible / complicitous. africa: h5n1 strain of bird flue has appeared in three african countries, an entire continent with little means to resist it. ("all africa infected by bird flu," feb. 28, 2006, breakingnews.ie ireland).
february 24, 2006, near tooele county utah: the dugway proving grounds (u.s.army) recently ordered 4 fermentors and queried 5 more all for growing anthrax spores (capacity: 3500 liters); this alarms watchdog groups despite army program assurances that a benign form of anthrax is intended; in 2003 the same base advertized "for help brewing up paralysis-inducing botulinum toxin, as well as ricin, plague, rabbit fever, food poisoning, the horse disease glanders and all manner of nerve agents including the nazi-invented tabun and soman"; this article suggests defensive bio weapons are being developed for homeland security ("just testing: is the u.s. government making anthrax bombs in utah ?" ted mcdonough, feb, 23, 2006, salt lake city weekly); since the bush administration disavows international law , ie. jurisdiction of the international criminal court, the geneva conventions, application of the convention on genocide to itself without its approval, what guarantees are there that the fermentors won't be used for non-benign production ?
february 22, 2006, california: medical ethics; the death penalty in california was averted when qualified doctors refused to cooperate, finding the means of execution "ethically unacceptable;" republican governor schwarzenegger had refused clemency twice ("california to postpone execution indefinitely," carolyn abate, feb. 21, 2006, reuters;"questions over method lead to delay of execution," john broder, feb. 22, 2006, new york times); the increased sensitivity to medical ethics may be coupled with a concern for the legality of cruel and unusual punishment.
utah: a utah court has awarded families of several u.s. soldiers killed or wounded in the invasion of afghanistan, 102.6 million dollars from the estate of the canadian khadr family; omar khadr currently among those tortured at guantanamo, allegedly resisted a heavily armed attack by u.s. forces (source: "u.s. soldier wins suit against khadr estate," ap, feb. 19, 2006, toronto star); the men of the khadr family are alleged to have fought against the u.s. in a war zone; according to the precedent and principle of this ruling, families of each victim of u.s. bombings and incursions and aggressions in afghanistan, kosovo, and iraq, would be entitled to awards from individual u.s. military personnel.
february 17, 2006, united nations:
103. the united states government should revise the united states department of defense medical program principles to be consistent with the united nations principles of medical ethics.
- from situations of detainees at guantanamo bay, a report for the u.n. commission on human rights, february 15, 2006; there have been other serious objections to u.s. military medical ethics: dr. robert jay lifton, a u.s. psychoanalyst of war has found parallels between hitler's nazi doctors and those at guantanamo (democracy now! august 11, 2005) - see guantanamo updates; military ethics were found lacking in a 1994 senate veterans' affairs committee (rockefeller) report on fifty years of chemical biological warfare testing on service personnel and civilians without consent or knowledge ("hidden history of u.s. germ testing," "hotel anthrax," feb. 2006, bbc radio 4). haiti: despite mechanisms of disenfranchising the poor, on february 7th haiti elected rene preval; u.s. congresswoman maxine waters has called an attempt to steal the election part of an ongoing program by the country's elites in league with the bush administration ("averting election theft in haiti,"rep. maxine waters, feb. 17, 2006, alternet); aristide poster.
february 13, 2006, new york city: faithful to geneva conventions and the law, the u.n. human rights commission committee on arbitrary detention, will release in switzerland this week, its report requesting that the u.s. guantanamo prison camp be closed and the military officers and politicians responsible, be tried for torture ( "un inquiry demands closure of guantanamo," don coughlin, feb. 13, 2006, telegraph.co.uk ); the bush administration (and others) are currently attempting to remake the u.n.'s human rights commission; for news of u.s. christians threatened by the u.s. treasury department for trying to visit the camp, see guantanamo updates.
as haiti's votes are counted president elect preval may not have more than the required fifty percent to win, throwing the election into a run-off ("haiti poll may go to second round," feb. 12, 2006, bbc news).
the state of connecticut has instigated a health registry for its veterans hoping to verify for the v.a. a link between d..u. exposure and a high percentage with mystery illnesses leading to death ("soldiers face debilitating illnesses," feb.8, 2006, nbc30 connecticut news).
january 31, 2006, miami: p?re g?rard jean-juste arrived in miami jan.29th and was admitted to hospital; haitian rulers say he is still to face trial ("haiti frees ailing activist priest," charles, bachelet, daniel, jan. 30, 2006, miami herald.com; "haitian priest gerard jean-juste released from prison," goodman & staff, jan. 30, 2006, democracy now!).
january 27, 2006, haiti: p?re g?rard jean-juste remains ill and in prison; the false charges against him are being withdrawn slowly; he is imprisoned so he can't participate in an election he would win for aristide's lavalas party (aristide as the legitimate president of haiti, was kidnapped by the u.s. and transported to africa; see aristide, april 21, 2005, archive); this has put haiti's poor at risk; cit? soleil, a neighbourhood where over half a million supporters of aristide and his lavalas party live, subsists under the guns of u..n. forces; the people claim that u.n. forces are shooting civilians, and firing on hospitals (u..n. troops accused of attacking hospital in haiti," hip, jan. 20, 2006, news haitiaction.net); democracy now! reports the rulers of occupied haiti have announced that the cit? soleil will have no places to vote in the coming elections ("haitian government announces no voting stations for cit? soleil," goodman & staff, jan. 26, 2006, democracy now!); as the poor of haiti are returned to a condition of slavery by mandate of france, the u.s., canada and the u.n. mission, the haitian government's official taunting of the poor risks becoming a mechanism of mass murder.
urgent: we believe fr. jean-juste is in a medical emergency
and request his immediate release. - gerald and maas.
historical note
an article in the cuban newspaper granma implicates the bush family in the assassination of u.s. president john fitzgerald kennedy; both bush senior and nixon are affirmed as cia recruiters for anti-castro actions including the bay of pigs; noted in work by paul kangas (in the realist, 1990, and suggested previously), supported here, with corroborating evidence from cuban state security investigations, a number of cuban and american cia operatives for the bay of pigs, recruited by george bush [sr.] were present in dallas at the kennedy assassination; the kangas article names both hunt and sturgis as firing on the president, and the granma article includes sturgis's confession of inolvement in the assassination ("the bush family, the cuban mafia and the kennedy assassination," taladrid and baredo, jan. 13, 2006, granma internationalenglish edition).
january 13, 2006, ottawa: mid-election campaign, the cbc reports that bush assures the path of diplomacy in this dispute with iran over its nuclear development ("u.s. to use diplomacy with iran over nuclear plan," jan. 13, 2006, cbc news); the worry about u.n. actions is that u.s. policy in the middle east has previously claimed u.n. support in the bombing, invasion and destruction of much of iraq; there is an additional problem in that the u.s.cannot invade and destroy yet another islamic country without enforcing a pattern of genocide.
january 12, 2006, u.s.: the u.s. has warned iran again, as the bush administration gathers european support for u.n. actions... (?iran risking nuclear escalation: u.s.,? mackler, jan 11, 2006, herald sun); see ?nuclear war against iran,? by michel chossudovsky, at http://www.globalresearch.ca/ .
canada: in a news article calling the u.n. human rights commission ?discredited,? the ottawa citizen, claims canadian backing for a new u.s. ?recipe? for human rights as put forward by u.s. ambassador to the u.n., john bolton: a ?human rights council? (?u.s. calls for revamp of un human rights body,? steven edwards, jan. 12, 2006, ottawa citizen); the change would serve to disenfranchise nations with human rights difficulties such as zimbabwe, sudan, cuba, and favour countries where human rights violations are ignored by the media.
haiti: "democracy now," a u.s. source, reports that general bacellar, chief of the un peacekeeping operation in haiti was found dead on his balcony with a bullet wound to the head, jan. 7th ; noted as a "suicide" bacellar is said to have objected to the un plan announced jan. 6th, to invade cite de soleil, a centre of lavalas supporters; his replacement is chilean gen. eduardo aldunate herman, formerly a pinochet officer "trained at the school of the americas" ("head of un force in haiti dies of apparent suicide amid crackdown pressure," goodman & staff, jan. 9, 2006, "democracy now!"; gerald posting of jan.10, 2006, nowar-paix).
historical note
for anyone who isn't aware of the effects on afghan children of depleted uranium weapons, see genocide warnings and updates, June 14, 2004 : the effects on children, the severity of birth defects, the increasing widespread radioactive contamination, suggest the intentional destruction of local peoples; see two reports by dr. mohammed daud miraki : "the silent genocide from america," and previously, "the perpetual death from america."
urgent
january 6, 2006: israel's military was ordered to prepare for a strike against iran's nuclear facilities before the end of march ("israel readies forces for strike on nuclear iran," mahnaimi and baxter, dec. 11,2005, the sunday times ); the german magazine der spiegel reports u.s. plans to strike iran's nuclear weapons program facilities ("the u.s. and iran: is washington planning a military strike ?" dec. 30, 20-05, der spiegel online); both wayne madsen and michel chossudovsky are warning of preparations for nuclear warfare; the tactical nuclear weapons considered are from a third to six times the power of nuclear weapons used against japan, and despite arguments of "clean" nuclear weapons, once started radiological warfare can't be contained ("interview with michel chossudovsky," nordin, jan. 2, 2006, "brownbagger," co-op radio, cfro 102.7 fm, vancouver); a u.s. planned use of tactical nuclear weapons against iran could bring ecological holocaust to parts of asia subject to heavy fallout ("bush administration finalizes military attack on iran," madsen, jan. 2, 2006, wayne madsen report ); chossudovsky points out that nations of the world may stay silent for economic advantage and the spoils of war; use of nuclear weapons in iran could contaminate 70% of the world's oil supply, with radiation spread globally; the primary crime rests with the considered aggression against iran ; it is a crime to conspire to commit genocide; if nuclear weapons are used retaliation is likely; such action may be considered washington's sacrifice of israel in any escalation of a war; chossudovsky explains such madness as the normal functioning of a market driven economy when the military defers to the nuclear weapons makers ("interview with michel chossudovsky " ibid.); while canada is forced by domestic scandals into an election on january 23rd, no candidates have raised this issue; the concern is not being raised in the conventional press; there are canadian forces in afghanistan (a possible retaliatory target if iran is attacked); are canadians being perception-managed toward complicity ? u.s.: in response to bush's signing into law an amendment that ends rights of habeas corpus for guantanamo detainees, the new york times notes that the justice department is moving to apply this to about three hundred detainees with cases in court ("u.s. to seek dismissal of guantanamo suits," lewis, Jan.4, 2006, new york times); bush has maintained his right to permit torture, in a "signing statement" issued when signing the defense bill with mccain 's anti-torture amendment ("bush reserves right to order torture of prisoners," goodman jan.5, 2006, democracy now!; "bush could bypass torture ban," savage, Jan. 4, 2006, boston globe online); although the statement is not a legal document it defines presidential policy (see: "an imperial president ? bush claims right to ignore new law banning torture," goodman, gonzalez, horton, golove, jan. 6, 2006, democracy now!).
venezuela: by placing oil resources under state control chavez may be able to protect his people from the destabilization campaigns which have damaged other socialist countries ("venezuela takes over 32 privately operated oil fields," ap, jan.1, 2006, cnn newsworld); see the jan.6th update on sudan.
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