conflicts

Israeli fruit now contaminated with depleted uranium - Thousands of Israelis are now preparing to leave the Jewish StateNot just oranges, but figs, grapes, avocados ... everything in the food chain is now contaminated by DU oxide particles blowing in from Iraq. One alpha particle in your gut or lungs is equivalent to having an X-ray every 15 minutes ... cancer and other diseases follow quickly.This comes to me direct from an Israeli teacher friend who has just returned to Holland. She also told me that thousands of families in Israel are now preparing to leave Israel, with many in contact with the diaspoara in America, Europe, Canada and Australia.It looks like the end of the road for Israel, folks. Let's welcome the Jews back to Holland, America or wherever, and hope none of them bring any DU with them. At least we have the hospitals with good anti-cancer facilities.http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message273841/pg1

The "gains" in Iraq are "fragile and reversible". But ".... Afghanistan may now come to overshadow even that bitter and costly conflict,"  is how Paul Rogers ends one of his articles on Afghanistan.

Over 1000 years ago, for some centuries, the Arabs were militarily invincible. In any war or battle between them and any European power, it was a forgone conclusion that the Arabs would win. At that time there appeared a saying which has persisted to this day: "La'dat al tho'ban - wala harb al Afghan." 

Translation: "Better the bite of a venomous snake, than an Afghan war."

In spite of Western superior chnology and self-agrandizement, I have seen nothing that contradicts this wisdom after seven years of war.

  

The criticism of the Arab League concerning the ICC charges against president Bashir  is not only unfounded, but also morally rejectable

Human rights of  civilians in any conflict, are universal, whether it concerns Palestinians, Darfurians or any other civilians in the world

The Arab League should keep that in mind

 
 
Foreword:
 
 
Dear Editor and Readers,
 
I have learned with concern about the critics of the Arab League, concerning the recent request [dd 14-7] of the ICC prosecutor, Mr L.M. Ocampo, to the ICC,  for an arrest warrant against the Sudanese president, Mr O Bashir.
 
See for the League-criticism:
 
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20080720/FOREIGN/488464583/1043
 
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsMaps/idUSL1633478620080716
 
The charged crimes are genocide, crimes against humanity and war-crimes in the regio Darfur [1]
 
Not only the judicial argumentation of the Arab League regarding the ICC procesutor steps is invalid, more seriously is, at least to my opinion, the morally rejectable point of view of the League, thus bagatellising the war-crimes in Darfur
 
I agree  with the Arab League point of view regarding the Israeli violations of the human rights of the Palestinian civilians,  but defending the human rights of the Palestinians, and neglecting  the human rights of the Darfurians, is measuring with a double standard
 
Human rights should be appliable to all human beings, wherever in the world, regardless of the conflict
 
In underlying I will refer as well to the argumentation of the Arab League, as to the backgrounds of the Darfurian conflict

Also I will pay attention the present situation of the Darfurian humanitarian crisis

Kind regards
 
Astrid Essed
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
 
 
A

THE ARAB LEAGUE POINT OF VIEW REGARDING THE ICC CHARGES AGAINST PRESIDENT BASHIR
 
 
 
In a resolution following the crisis meeting, dd 19-7 [concerning the ICC charges], the Arab foreign ministers have emphasized on the fact, that the Sudan national justice should have  the mandate to proceed real or alleged war-crimes in Darfur.
 
The resolution also criticised Mr Moreno-Ocampo's "unbalanced stance" for asking ICC judges to issue a warrant against a sitting head of State, for the first time in the history of the ICC.
 
Before commenting the argumentation of the League, I first give a summary of the jurisdiction-mandate of the ICC:
 
MANDATE OF THE ICC:
 
The ICC Mandate is based on the Statute of Rome [dd 1998], which forms the consolidation of the judicial authority  of the ICC [2]
 
 
1  Concerning the crimes to be prosecuted:
 
The jurisdiction of the ICC, concerns only the most serious crimes, namely
genocide, crimes against humanity and.war-crimes
Those referred crimes, as well their definition, are described in the articles 5 untill 8, of the Statute of Rome [3]
 
Also the ICC has the jurisdiction about ''crimes of aggression'', but there is no international consent about the definition of this crime yet [4]
 
2 Concerning the persons to be prosecuted:
 
Concerning the above named serious crimes, every national of a country, which has ratified the Statute of Rome, can be persecuted, not only  for direct responsibility [by committing the crime personally], but also for giving the military or political orders
 
Explicitly stated in article 27, Statute of Rome, there is no immunity whatsoever regarding the political or military status, which implies, that also leading politicians like ministers or Heads of State can be charged
 
I quote article 27, nr 1, Statute of Rome
 
''This Statute shall apply equally to all persons without any distinction based on official capacity.
In particularly, official capacity as a Head of State or Government, a member of a Government or parliament, an elected representative or a government official, shall in no case exempt a person from criminal responsibility under this Statute, nor shall it, in and of itself, constitute a ground for reduction of sentence'' [5]
 
3 Principle of non-retroactivity
 
In her jurisdiction, the ICC follows the principle of non-retroactivity, which implies, that committed serious crimes before 1-7-2002 (the official date of the entering of force of the Statute of Rome) can´t be prosecuted by the ICC
 
However, since the to be prosecuted war-crimes in Darfur have been committed after this period, this charging is fully legitimate
In fact, the Darfur crimes from which Mr Bashir is accused of, took place in Darfur, from 2003 [6]
 
 
4 Principle of complementarity
 
According to the Rome-Statute,, the ICC has a jurisdiction, that is ''complementary'' to the national judicial systems
This "principle of complementarity," as it is known, gives states the primary responsibility and duty to prosecute the above named crimes [war-crimes, genocide or crimes against humanity
 
Only when the national judicial system is not willing, or unable to proceeds, the ICC steps in. [7]
 
B

COMMENTS ON THE ARGUMENTATION OF THE ARAB LEAGUE:
 
1 Heads of State
 
The argumentation of the League was partly based on Mr Bashir being a sitting Head of State
 
However, resuming the ICC Mandate, a national can be prosecuted, regardless of his or her political status
Article 27 of the Statute of Rome is referring explicitly to the lack of immunity of Heads of States.
It doesn''t matter either, whether it is ''the first time in the history of the ICC'', that a sitting Head of State shall possibly will be prosecuted, fact is, that it is permitted according to the ICC Mandate
 
2 Prosecution of war-crimes by the Sudanese judicial system
 
The other argumentation of the League, that war-crimes in Darfur should be prosecuted by the Sudanese judicial system, makes no sense also
 
Although it is true, that the ICC will not act, if a case is investigated or prosecuted by a national judicial system, it is obvious, that the national judicial system must be either willing or able to investigate or prosecute
 
However, since the Sudanese judicial system is failing to prosecute war crimes and other crimes in Darfur, the ICC has the jurisdiction to prosecute
 
REGARDING THE FAILING OF THE SUDANESE JUDICIAL SYSTEM:
 
In 2005, the  International Commission of Inquiry established by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1564 published the findings of its three-month investigation of crimes in Darfur.
The report "strongly recommended" that the Security Council refer the situation in Darfur to the ICC, noting that "the Sudanese justice system is unable and unwilling to address the situation in Darfur." [8]
 
In respect with the above named conclusions of the International Commission, the Security Council referred the Darfur situation to the ICC for further investigation
 
After the ICC confirmation dd 6-6-2005, that the Darfur-case would be investigated, the very following day [dd 7-6], the Sudanese government announced the establishment of the Special National Criminal Court for Darfur, a new tribunal to begin proceedings immediately in collaboration with state prosecutors in Darfur.
 
However, it became clear, that the Sudanese investigations after war-crimes in Darfur turned out to be a charade
For example, military and attacks on Khor Abeche [dd 2005], Marla and other villages, were  not be taken to court because, according to the State procecutor and other officials, the identity of the perpetrators remained unknown.
 
This wasn't based on true fact findings at all, since there were public accusations against certain militia leaders [who supported the Sudanese army] and the Sudanese military [9]

 
REGARDING THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENTAL TOLERANCE FOR WAR-CRIMES:
 
Since then, the  Sudanese government has  made it even more difficult to prosecute soldiers implicated in war crimes or crimes against humanity.
On August 4, 2005, President Bashir signed an amendment to the People's Armed Forces Act, which conferred immunity from prosecution on any"officer, ranker or soldier" who committed crimes in the course of his duties, unless the prosecution was permitted by the "General Commander or whoever authorized by him." [10]
 
 
It may be clear, that since the Sudanese justice-system is as well unwilling, as unable to prosecute the committed war-crimes in Darfur, the referred crimes have been committed since 2003, and heads of State, sitting or not, have no immunity whatsoever before the ICC, the objections of the Arab League against possible ICC prosecution are invalid [11]

An example also is the unwillingness of the Sudanese government, to deliver to the ICC, two Sudanese leaders with an ICC arrest warrant, namely The State Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Mr A. Haroun and the Janjaweed leader, Mr A. Kosheib, without any further Sudanese judicial investigation or prosecution [12]

THE ARAB LEAGUE TOLERANCE FOR WAR-CRIMES
 
However, to me,  the most shocking aspect of  the Arab League critics is not the judicial discussion, but its apparent bagatellising of the Darfur war-crimes and crimes against humanity,

C

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS OF BOTH PARTIES TO THE CONFLICT

SUMMARY: 

AIRBOMBINGS, MASS-SLAUGHTERS, SEXUAL ABUSES, ETNICAL CLEANSINGS AND RECRUITMENT OF CHILDSOLDIERS:
 
To state it shortly, in the region Darfur, since 2003, the Sudanese governmental troops, with the military assistance of the  Arab so called ''Janjaweed militia'',  tries to suppress an insurgency by the African rebel groups, the SLA/M and the JEM 
 
However, in nearly all cases, this battle isn't directed against the rebel groups themselves, but against the civilians of the three tribes, which are of the same ethnic descent as the rebelgroups,  namely the  Fur, Zaghawa and Masalit
 
According to International Humanitarian Law, any military action, which is consciously directed against the civilian population, is a war-crime
 
Since 2003 untill the first half of 2008, more than 200.000  Darfurian civilians have been killed by as well government troops and the governmental supported Janjaweed militia,  and their villages burnt down

Thousands of women and children have been raped and 2.5 million civilians of the region’s estimated population of 6 million, have been expelled from their homelands.

220.000 have fled to the neighbouring country Chad, which also plays a part in the conflict

Also in Chad, the refugees were attacked and raped by the Janjaweed-militia and the Sudanese governmental troops, which were supported by Chadian rebels [against the Chadian government]

Despite the presence of the AMIS [Peacekeeper power of the African Union] and her successor the  UNAMID [UN Assistance Mission in Darfur], for the protection of civilians in Darfur and the EUFOR and MINURCAT, for the protection of civilians in Chad, human rights violations and war-crimes continue

AMIS Peacekeepers and humanitarian aid workers have also been military attacked.

As well as the Sudanese military, as the rebelgroups have hindered  food and medicine concoys for the civilian population.

Besides the Sudanese authorities, also the rebel groups are responsible for serious war-crimes, like abduction of and other attacks on civilians and, humanitarian aid workers, interference with humanitarian convoys and other distribution of humanitarian assistance and the recruitment and use of child soldiers [13]

For all clearity

Darfur is lying in the West of Sudan 

See also

http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/darfur/map.htm

 
D

THE DARFUR HUMANITARIAN CONFLICT

FOREWORD:
 
 
 
1 No religious conflict:
 
At first it must be clear, that the Darfur crisis isn''t a religious one, since all conflictsparties, as well as the Darfur civilians, are muslims.
However, according to documentations of Human Rights Watch [www.hrw.org], during government army attacks on different parts of Darfur in 2003 and 2004, al least 62 mosques were destroyed [14]
 
2 About the ethnical side of the conflict:
 
In the newsmedia often is referred to the socalled ''African-Arab'' conflict
At least this is an oversimplification.
Although the attacked Darfur civilians are stemming from three tribes, who are of African descent, as well as the attacking government troops, as the goverment-linked Janjaweed militia, are clearly a mixture of African and Arab descent
 
Besides,  there are also many larger Arab communities in Darfur who have have not participated in the conflict and are living at peace with  their neighbours,  [15]
 
However, the Arab and African tribes can be roughly distinguished in three major aspects, their partly mixed descent, tending to be more ´´Arab´´ or ´´African´´ (with all nuances by intermarriage), their language and their occupation
 
The majority of the African tribes don't speak Arabic at home, in contrary with the real or claimed Arab tribes
And althought there is an overlap, the African tribes are mostly farmers, while the Arab tribes are shepherds
 
This distinction in occupation forms the original roots of the conflict [16]
 
Although however it is a simplification to call it an etnical conflict, by consciously supporting the greatly Arab etnical militia and her policy of ''Arabisation'', the government is intensifying the etnical side of the conflict [17]
 
 
HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS:
FROM FARMER-NOMADS CONFLICT INTO A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
 
The origins of the Darfur-conflict are rooted in the usual conflct between [Arab] nomads and [African] farmers, due to their economically different lifestyle, resulting for example in trampling the fields of the farmers, by the cattle of the herds
 
Although in the past, often the disputes were resolved through negotiation between traditional leaders on both sides, in the second half of the 80''s the conflict intensified by the continuing drought [dryness], as well the political interference of the Sudanese government
 
Due to the dryness and desertification, an influx of Arab nomads emerged and systematically, attacks on the land and fields of African farmers of especially the tribes of the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa, took place
To make the story more complicated, also the non-Arab Zaghawa nomads [not all Zaghawa were farmers] at times joined the Arab nomads, attacking the lands of the Fur [18]

1 The interference of the Sudanese government and the further intensifying in the nineties:
 

However, the basis of the present humanitarian crisis in Darfur is being laid by the interference of the present Sudanese government, neglecting the rights of the Darfur African farmer-population and advantaging the Arab nomad-tribes
 
Coping with a yearlong comflict with the SPLA/M rebels of the  South of Sudan [19], succeeding Arab-Sudanese governments, which have always waged a policy of Arabisation, recruited militia's out of Arab nomads tribes, to restore order in the South, by which atrocious human rights violations against the civilian population took place, which were also aggravated by oilintedrests [20]
 
From this political point of view, it was hardly suprising, that  the Sudanese government, in order to to restore order in Darfur, also recruited from Arab tribes, to form militia
On this way, the Janjaweed militia was formed, which was descending from the very Arab nomad-tribes, which were attacking the African farmers.
 
Moreover, a wide-reaching 1994 administrative reorganization by the government of President Bashir in Darfur gave members of Arab ethnic groups new positions of power, which the African [farmer] tribes Masalit, like their Fur and Zaghawa neighbors, saw as an attempt to undermine their traditional leadership role and the power of their communities in their homeland.[21]
 
The humanitarian consequences were, again, a new  influx of Arab tribes at the end of the  nineties, which escalated the conflict between the Arab nomads and the African farmers
More than 186 African villages and at least one  Arab village were burned, hundreds of civilians, most Africans [but also Arabs] were killed and more than 5000 African civilians were expelled from their living areas [22]
 
The reaction of the Sudanese government was to bring in military forces in an attempt to restore order and also appointing  a military man responsible for security overall, with the power to overrule even the West Darfur state governor.
A reconciliation conference held in 1999 agreed on compensation for Masalit and Arab losses.
This agreement provided that nomadic tribes would not commence movement southward until February 28 of each year, that everyone would be allowed access to water sources, and that state authorities would provide security and obtain resources for longer term development of water projects.[23]
 
However, this was only on paper, since the conflict only escalated, not in the least place by the governmental support for -Arab militia attacks on Masalit villages and the arrests and torture of many Masalit intellectuals
During the attacks, also a number of Arab chiefs and civilians were killed
[24]

2 Resistance: The rise of the rebel groups:
 
It is no suprising, that as a reaction on all the attacks on the African villages, as well the governmental preference for the Arab nomad-tribes, out of the Masalit, Fur and Zaghawa [the attacked African communities], two rebel groups were formed, the Sudan Liberation Army [SLA/M] and the Justice and Equality Movement [JEM]
 
The military confrontation with the Sudanese government and the governmental supported Arab Janjaweed militia, would start early 2003
 
E

THE PRESENT HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

FROM 2003 TILL 2008

THE CIVILIAN POPULATON PAYS THE HUMANITARIAN PRICE

 
From february 2003, the conflict intensified in Darfur, when SLA and the JEM waged a rebellion against the Sudanese government, attacking  governmental troops and the governmental formed militia
 
As a reaction, governmental troops and militia's [especially the Janjaweed] started an attack, which was in most cases not directed against the rebellion groups, but against the civilian population, which belonged to the same ethnic group as the rebels [namely the Fur, Zaghawa and Masalit]

1 Human rights rules
 
According to International Humanitarian Law, by any military attack, a strict distinction between combatants [military and fighters] and non-combatants [civilians] must be made
Any deliberate attack on civilians or civilian goals is a war-crime [25]
 
When there is an overlap situation [the presence of fighters in a village or city], military, attackers must take all preparations to protect the civilian population
The socalled indiscriminative attack [attacking fighters in a civilian area, without any protections for the civilians] is not permitted

It is obvious, that human rights rules against the protection of the civilian population must be followed by all conflictsparties, whether a regular army, a militia or a rebellion group

In this conflict however, all conflictsparties are guilty of large human rights violations and warcrimes

2 Sudanese military and governmental supported militia attacks:

Aerial bombings, raping, masslsaughering and etnical cleansings

The civilian population was targetted through a combination of indiscriminate and deliberate aerial bombardment

In many cases in the villages and cities was no rebel presence at all

Fields were burned [the socalled scorched earth” tactic] which bereaved people from their means of existence, and the civilian population were denied access to denial  to humanitarian assistance [26]

Especially the Janjaweed-militia, but also governmental troops are responsible for systematically burning of villages, destruction of poperty, murder and torture of villagers and raping of thousands of women and girls, not only from the Fur, Zaghawa, Masalit, but also from the Berti, Tunjur, and other non-Arab tribes. [27]

Especially the raping is systematically denied by the Sudanese government [28]

Another grave crime is the ethnic cleansing of the civilian non-Arab population [29]

From 2003 untill 2008, more than 2,5 million civilians are expelled from their homelands, and internaly displaced to other parts of Sudan.

This is  greatly the work of the Janjaweed militia''s

More than 200.000 civilians fled to the neigbouring country Chad and stay there in refugee-camps

Even there they were are are  attacked by Sudanese governmental troops, and especially by the Janjaweed militia

Ethnic cleansings, massslaughers and mass-rapings are crimes against humanity

3 Demasking Sudanese governmental denial of militia support

At several occasions, the Sudanese government has denied her support of the Janjaweed militia, which are one of the head responsibles for the atrocious war-crimes, as mass-slaughters, rapings and etnical cleansings

However, documents from as well Human Rights Watch as other sources show convincingly the committment  between the government and the Janjaweed militia.[30]

4 War-crimes and human rights violations by the rebel groups [SLA and JEM]:

Not only the Sudanese government and the Janjaweed militia, also the rebelgroups are responsible for war-crimes against the civilian population like abduction and direct military attacks on civilians and interference  with humanitarian convoys and other distribution of humanitarian assistance;

They are also seriously violating the rights of children by the recruitment of children under the age of eighteen in the fighting forces. [31]

THE CHADIAN CONNECTION 

THE CHAD BORDER:

NO SAFE REFUGEE HAVEN FOR THE DARFURIAN CIVILIANS

 

The border of neigbouring country Chad, where the Darfurian people  fled to, always has been a troubled place, since Chadian rebels against their government, were hiding there, harrassing the civilian population

It is obvious, that this was no safe  refugeeplace  for the Darfurian civilian population at all, which was intensified by the regular attacks by the Sudanese military and Janjaweed militia, crossing over the border 

Besides massslaughter, sexual abuses against the Darfurian civilian population took place [32]

Tensions between the Sudanese and Chadian governments:

Moreover, there were traditionally tensions between the

Sudanese and Chadian governments, supporting the rebellion-groups against the opposite government

Humanitarian events in Chad 2005-2007

Early 2005, the number of millitary attacks on civilians as well in Darfur as in Chad were decreased, partly due to a temporary cease of fire between the Sudanese government and the rebel groups

Another reason was lying in the fact, that a great majority of villages were already  destroyed and the inhabitants expelled [33] 

However, the situation deteriorated late 2005,  since  Chadian rebels backed by the Sudanese government established bases in Darfur and began carrying out attacks across the border

This resulted in as well military attacks against the Chadian government, as well  joined Janjaweed and Chadian rebel attacks on as well the Chadian civilian population as the Darfurian refugees [34]

The most recent attacks were in March 2007, when at least 200 were killed in a village near the border with Sudan. Hundreds more were killed in attacks on more than 70 villages in November 2006 [35]

International reaction:

In September 2007 the United Nations Security Council approved a hybrid European Union (EU)/UN civilian protection mission for eastern Chad comprised of EUFOR, a 3,700-strong European Union military force, and MINURCAT, a UN humanitarian operation tasked with training police and improving the judicial system.  

FROM 2005-2008:

THE REBEL GROUPS

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND CHANGING ALLIANCES:

I have already mentioned the war-crimes and human rights violations of the rebelgroups, like abduction of and other attacks on civilians and humanitarian, aid workers, the interference and blockade of  humanitarian convoys and other distribution of humanitarian assistance, and the recruitment and use of child soldiers

However, also in their resistance against the Sudanese government, there was no unity, since there were changing alliances and splittings up of the parties

In november 2005, the SLA split into two factions and once again  following the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) in May 2006.

Especially there were clashes between the SLA Minawi fighers [who had undersigned the treaty of 2005 with the Sudanese governments] and the other rebel-groups, which has caused a refugee stream of thousands of civilians [36]

In the present situation [april 2008] , there are some two dozen splinter factions of the SLA and JEM.  

2004 till  2008:

AMIS AND UNAMID AND THE LACK OF COOPERATION OF THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT:

Despite the Sudanese allegations, there has been always a lack of cooperation with peace-keeping forces, regarding the protection of the civilians in Darfur

Since 2004, the AMIS [the African peacekeeping military power] has not only been constantly obstructed by the Sudanese authorities, also as well as the Sudanese military, as the rebel-groups, have attacked the AMIS troops several times

Despite that, the number of troops was to small to guarantee protection of the civilians

Dd 1-1-2008, the AMIS was transmitted in the UNAMID, a joined African Union and UN peacekeeping mission, after the passing of UN Security Council Resolution 1769, with which Sudan reluctantly consented in july 2007.

The Unamid Mandate has a maximum capacity of  26.000 soldiers

At dd 31-12-2007, already 9000 soldiers [from the former AMIS] were present

However, since either the Sudanese government or the various rebel-groups are really cooperating with UNAMID, the humanitarian situation of the Darfurian people stay precarious

Also in the past few months, several times, UNAMID and humanitarian aid workers have been shot

Dd july 2008, seven UN peacekeepers have been killed and twenty two were injured, being ambushed by a local militia group

Another obstacle for UNAMID is the unableness to operate on a largescale territory.

Therefore, effective protection of the civilian population can´t be guaranteed

At 1-8-2008, the peacemission UNAMID is prolonged for a year [37]

FROM 2008:

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

After a further detoriation for the civilian population in 2006 and 2007, the human rights situation even has deteriorated in 2008

I have already named the lack of cooperation of the Sudanese government and the rebelgroups with the UNAMID and the attacks on the UNAMID soldiers and even humanitarian aid workers

Between January and April 2008 four humanitarian workers were killed in Darfur, and 102 humanitarian vehicles were hijacked, while 29 drivers contracted by World Food Program to deliver food aid were missing

During the same period at least 14 humanitarian premises were attacked by armed persons and four humanitarian compounds were destroyed and looted. At least 100,000 people are currently cut off from humanitarian aid, and many more are accessible only by helicopter.  

CONTINUED SUDANEASE WAR-CRIMES AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

The Sudanese government continued its aerial bombings on civilian areas and the Janjaweed militia have intensified their attacks against the civilian population

FEBRUARY 2008

A horrible example is february 2008, when government forces and allied militia carried out a series of coordinated attacks on three villages in West Darfur.

Governmental troops were bombing,  backed up by Janjaweed militia on horseback.

 The Janjaweed followed up the bombing with burning, looting, rape and killing.

At least 100 civilians died as a result of these attacks, and at least 10 women were raped or sexually assaulted.

In the following weeks, clashes occurred between government forces and JEM and the SLA in the nearby Jebel Mun area. Government forces targeted civilians, some being sought out in their hiding places and shot.  

2008 HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND WAR-CRIMES BY REBEL AND EX REBEL-GROUPS:

In 2006, the then SLA rebel leader Mr Minawi signed the Darfur Peace Agreement with the Sudanese government, thus seperating from the SLA

However, there have been clashes between still active SLA- Minawi fighters andother  rebel groups, which have  caused the expulsion of many civilians, especially of people from Korma and Tawila, to various camps in the area.  [38]

AFTER MAY THE 10 TH:

SUDANESE GOVERNMENTAL MASSARRESTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

After an attack on may the 10th on Ondurman [a part of the city Khartoum] by the rebelgroup JEM, the Sudanese authorities arbitrarily arrested hundreds of men, women and children.

Not only those arrests were arbitrary [which is forbidden according International Law], because there were no specific charges, also the strong impression were given, that they were arrested solely, because they belonged to the etnic group of the JEM, descending from Darfur, which makes the arrest discriminatory

Also the arrest of the children is, regarding the arbitrary character and the fact, that the arrest of children should be the last resort, in contrary with the Convention of the Rights of the Child

Also the detention conditions were bad, torture had been applied and people have been ''dissappeared'' or held ''incommunicado'' [detention in total isolation, without any access to the outside world, even not to a lawyer]  [39]

LATE JULY, SUDANEASE UNFAIR TRIALS, LEADING TO DEATH SENTENCES:

Also in respect with the JEM attack on Ondurman, Sudanese special Anti-Terrorism Courts have sentenced to death 30 real or alleged rebels, after an unfair trial, by which the rights of the defendants have been violated [40]

 

F

ICC INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING PRESIDENT BASHIR:

SUDANESE GOVERNMENTAL LOBBYING FOR IMPUNITY

ROLE OF THE AFRICAN UNION:

In reaction on the announcement of the ICC warrant request, the Sudanese government has launched a diplomatic campaign to persuade the United Nations Security Council to suspend the investigation.

The government has also suggested that it will respond to an ICC warrant by retaliating against civilians and peacekeepers in Darfur.  

Of course it is obvious, that the Security Council should not yield to such a blackmail of the Sudanese government, that has the international obligation to respect the human rights of civilians and humanitarian workers

Yet the African Union, convinced by the Sudanese government, has asked the Security Council to defer ICC proceedings for twelve months, referring to article 16, Statute of Rome [41]

Yet apart from this morally rejectable step, a postponement of the ICC proceedings by the Security Council, could lead not only to impunity of the Sudanese government, also it would open the way for impunity for other governments and Statesmen, who violate human rights

EPILOGUE:

Overviewing the yearlong human rights violations, war-crimes and crimes against humanity against the Darfurian civilian population, it is clear, that the critic of the Arab League regarding ICC investigations to a possible warrant against the Sudanese president Bashir, is as well out of place as morally rejectable

Further it is to be hoped, that the Security Council  will refuse the African request for postponing the ICC investigations regarding president Bashir

Also the ICC prosecutor should keep in mind, that investigations must be started against the rebel-groups concerning war-crimes and  human rights violations against the Darfurian civilian population, 

So that justice in Darfur can be done

Astrid Essed

Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Statute of Rome:

http://www.icc-cpi.int/library/about/officialjournal/Rome_Statute_120704-EN.pdf

Press release Human Rights Watch

http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2008/07/14/sudan19335.htm

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/07/18/sudan19400.htm

http://www.hrw.org/doc?t=africa&c=darfur

[1]

http://www.icc-cpi.int/press/pressreleases/406.html

[2]

The Statute of Rome

http://www.icc-cpi.int/library/about/officialjournal/Rome_Statute_English.pdf

[3]

http://www.icc-cpi.int/library/about/officialjournal/Rome_Statute_English.pdf

[4]

See article 5, 2, of the Rome Statute

http://www.icc-cpi.int/library/about/officialjournal/Rome_Statute_English.pdf

[5]

http://www.icc-cpi.int/library/about/officialjournal/Rome_Statute_English.pdf

http://hrw.org/campaigns/icc/qna.htm

[6]

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/07/14/sudan19335.htm

[7]

http://www.icc-cpi.int/about/ataglance/faq.html#faq4

[8]

http://www.un.org/News/dh/sudan/com_inq_darfur.pdf

and

http://hrw.org/reports/2005/darfur1205/8.htm#_Toc121546243

and the complete Human Rights Watch report:

http://hrw.org/reports/2005/darfur1205/

[9]

http://hrw.org/reports/2005/darfur1205/8.htm#_Toc121546243

http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article8971

[10]

The decree reads:
 
Temporary Decree, People's Armed Forces Act 1986, Amendment 2005
Seeking Permission to Institute Criminal Procedures Against Any Officer, Ranker or Soldier
There shall not be taken any procedures against any officer, ranker or soldier who committed an act that may constitute a crime done during or for the reason of the execution of his duties or any lawful order made to him in this capacity and he shall not be tried except by the permission of the General Commander or whoever authorized by him.
Made under my signature August 4th 2005, Omer Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir 
 
This source is derived from:

http://hrw.org/reports/2005/darfur1205/8.htm#_ftn190

See

http://hrw.org/reports/2005/darfur1205/8.htm#_Toc121546243

[11]

http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/ij/sudan0606/

[12]

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/02/23/darfur15402.htm

[13]

http://www.hrw.org/reports/ 2005/darfur1205/2.htm#_ Toc121546209

http://www.hrw.org/english/ docs/2004/05/05/darfur8536.htm

http://hrw.org/englishwr2k8/ docs/2008/01/31/sudan17759.htm

[14]

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0504/appendixc.pdf

http://www.hrw.org/english/ docs/2004/05/05/darfur8536.htm

[15]

http://www.hrw.org/english/ docs/2004/05/05/darfur8536.htm

[16]

http://www.hrw.org/reports/ 2004/sudan0404/3.htm#_ Toc68525371 

[17]

Promoting the Arab culture at the cost of the local African tribal culture and customs

It was, however, no religious conflcts, since all Darfurians, African or Arab, are muslims 

[18]

http://www.hrw.org/reports/ 2004/sudan0404/3.htm#_ Toc68525371

[19]

In contrary with Darfur, the conflict in Southern Sudan had a rstrong religious character and was also intensified by the oill company policy of expelling the native population from their homelands, with assistence of the Sudanese governmental troops and militia

http://www.hrw.org/reports/ 2004/sudan0404/3.htm#_ Toc68525371

under 4: See

http://www.hrw.org/reports/ 2004/sudan0404/3.htm#_ftn4

[20]

Regarding oli-interests in the South:

http://www.amnesty.org/en/ library/asset/AFR54/001/2000/ en/dom-AFR540012000en.html

http://www.hrw.org/reports/ 2003/sudan1103/

[21]

http://hrw.org/reports/2004/ sudan0504/4.htm#_Toc71531689

[22]

http://hrw.org/reports/2004/ sudan0504/4.htm#_Toc71531689

[23]

http://hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0504/4.htm#_Toc71531689

and

http://hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0504/4.htm#_ftn9, under 9

[24]

http://hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0504/4.htm#_Toc71531689

[25]

http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/668BF8

[26]

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0404/4.htm#_Toc68525375

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0404/4.htm#_ftn17

Journalists and members of humanitarian helporganisations were threatened and intimidated and the access of medicins and auxiliary goods for the civilian populations had been blocked by the Sudanese authorities

[27]

http://hrw.org/reports/2008/darfur0408/

[28]

http://hrw.org/reports/2008/darfur0408/6.htm#_Toc194408679

[29]

Etnical cleansing is the expulsion of a population out of their homeland or living area

According to International Law, this is a crime against humanity

[30]

http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/07/19/darfur9096.htm

Under one in underlying link is described:

''See among others, Human Rights Watch reports: Darfur in Flames: Atrocities in Western Sudan, Vol.16, No.5 (A), April 2004; Darfur Destroyed: Ethnic Cleansing by Government and Militia Forces in Western Sudan, Vol.16, No. 6(A), May 2004; Report of the High Commissioner on the Situation of Human Rights in the Darfur region of the Sudan, E/CN.4/2005/3, U.N. Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, May 3, 2004; Darfur: Too Many People Killed for No Reason, Amnesty International, February 3, 2004. ''

See underlying link:

http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/07/19/darfur9096.htm#1

under 1 is describes

[31]

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2005/darfur1205/2.htm#_Toc121546209

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0404/2.htm#_Toc68525358

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0504/9.htm#_Toc71531717

[32]

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0404/2.htm#_Toc68525358

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0504/9.htm#_Toc71531717

[33]

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0404/3.htm#_Toc68525373

http://hrw.org/backgrounder/africa/darfur0505/

http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/05/05/darfur8536.htm

[34]

http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/05/05/darfur8536.htm

[35]

http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/05/05/darfur8536.htm

http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/africa/chad0206/

[36]

http://hrw.org/englishwr2k8/docs/2008/01/31/sudan17759.htm

[37]

http://hrw.org/englishwr2k8/docs/2008/01/31/sudan17759.htm

[38]

http://hrw.org/reports/2007/sudan0907/

http://unamid.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=55&ctl=Details&mid=376&ItemID=196

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_African_Union_Mission_in_Darfur

[39]

http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/05/05/darfur8536.htm

[40]

http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/k2crc.htm

http://hrw.org/reports/2008/darfur0608/

[41]

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/06/25/sudan19200.htm

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/08/06/sudan19549.htm

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/08/15/sudan19626.htm

Do you think its right that money raised for Children in Need, is given to fund Terrorists, and terrorist propogander?

This is on top off the fact that, the majority of the money raised was given to ethnic groups, as was clearly shown on the Children in need website, the list of recipients was hurriedly removed though, after the the press published the list

 

.

Children in Need's chief Executive David Ramsden told Newsnight: I'm incredibly concerned that we did make an award to Leeds Community School over nine years ago Photo: PA

Some of the cash could also have been used to fund the propaganda activities of the suicide bombers who killed 52 people in July 2005, according to an investigation by BBC 2’s Newsnight.

The programme reported that £20,000 from Children in Need was handed over to the Leeds Community School, in Beeston, Yorkshire between 1999 and 2002.

The school, which also received large sums from other public bodies, was run from premises behind the Iqra Islamic bookshop which the gang used as a meeting place and an opportunity to radicalise others.

One former worker described those that attended the bookshop as a kind of “brotherhood.”

Both Mohammed Sidique Khan, the leader of the bombers, and Shehzad Tanweer, the Aldgate bomber, were trustees of the bookshop and Sidique Khan also worked for a Saturday club at the associated Leeds Community School.

Sidique Khan ran outward bound adventure courses in north Wales which were used to recruit and radicalise young Muslim men.

Both the bookshop and the school were registered charities – the bookshop claimed, on Charity Commission submissions, that its aim was “the advancement of the Islamic faith”, while the school’s aim was said to be to “advance the education…of Pakistani and Bangladeshi” pupils.

They handed out DVDs and books about Bosnia and Chechnya and held Arabic classes in a back room, attended by Jermaine Lindsay, who went on to become the Kings Cross bomber.

They also produced a leaflet in the wake of September 11 blaming the attacks on a Jewish conspiracy.

A flavour for the books was revealed when police raided the home of Khalid Khaliq last year and found much of the remaining stock from the bookshop.

Titles included Zaad-e-Mujahid [essential provision for holy fighters] and The Absent Obligation, a book about jihad [holy war] as well as 250 copies of a booklet called the War on Terrorism, the Final Crusade.

Khaliq, 34, a close friend of Sidique Khan, is currently serving a 16-month sentence for possessing a document useful for terrorism.

The Conservatives said that charities and other public bodies had to be careful that they were not exploited by potential terrorists trying to raise money.

Patrick Mercer MP said: “It is very easy to lambast ‘Children in Need’ for this. But the terrorists will use anything to raise money for their cause so we have to be extremely careful about approaches from groups which may be fronts for terrorism.

“We must never be complacent about that terrorists operate. Worthy causes can be misled by potential terrorists.”

Glyn Gaskarth, policy analyst at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, added: “It beggars belief that a charity promoted at licence fee payers’ expense paid money to dubious organisations without ensuring they did not have extremist links.

“People imagine their money goes to genuine good causes, not to organisations apparently frequented by fanatics.

“There needs to be proper checks and balances in place to make sure no other grants are being given to places peddling extremist views.”

Children in Need’s chief Executive David Ramsden told Newsnight: “I’m incredibly concerned that we did make an award to Leeds Community School over nine years ago.

“Any allegation that any funding we’ve given to any project has been misused and not used to change the lives of disadvantaged children and young people makes me concerned and very sad.

“We take the trust that the public puts in BBC Children In Need and the fact that they provide us with their finding extremely seriously and I’m incredibly concerned.

“I can reassure the British public that we are very careful in who we fund and this allegation is a very rare one for us but one that causes a great deal of concern.”

Last night Mr Ramsden said: “The small grants made by BBC Children In Need to Leeds Community School were given in good faith in 1998 and 1999.

“Although this is a serious matter, we have not seen any evidence that the money they received was used for terrorist activity. If BBC Children In Need has been a victim of fraud in this case, it will be a matter for the police.

“BBC Children In Need distributes more than £30m in grants every year, benefiting children and young people in the UK. CIN exercise the utmost care in distributing the public’s money.”

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2586236/BBCs-Children-in-Need-funded-77-terrorist-propaganda-says-Newsnight.html

BBC 'took terrorist trainers paintballing'

The BBC funded a paintballing trip for men later accused of Islamic terrorism and failed to pass on information about the 21/7 bombers to police, a court was told yesterday.

Mohammed Hamid, who is charged with overseeing a two-year radicalisation programme to prepare London-based Muslim youths for jihad, was described as a “cockney comic” by a BBC producer.

The BBC paid for Mr Hamid and fellow defendants Muhammad al-Figari and Mousa Brown to go on a paintballing trip at the Delta Force centre in Tonbridge, Kent, in February 2005. The men, accused of terrorism training, were filmed for a BBC programme called Don’t Panic, I’m Islamic, screened in June 2005.

The BBC paid Mr Hamid, an Islamic preacher who denies recruiting and grooming the men behind the failed July 2005 attack, a £300 fee to take part in the programme, Woolwich Crown Court was told.

It was alleged that Mr Hamid told a BBC reporter that he would use the corporation’s money to pay a fine imposed by magistrates for a public order offence.

Nasreen Suleaman, a researcher on the programme, told the court that Mr Hamid, 50, contacted her after the July 2005 attack and told her of his association with the bombers. But she said that she felt no obligation to contact the police with this information. Ms Suleaman said that she informed senior BBC managers but was not told to contact the police.

Ms Suleaman told the court that Mr Hamid was keen to appear in the programme. She said: “He was so up for it. We took the decision that paintballing would be a fun way of introducing him.

“There are many, many British Muslims that I know who for the past 15 or 20 years have been going paintballing. It’s a harmless enough activity. I don’t think there is any suggestion, or ever has been, that it’s a terrorist training activity.”

The court was told previously that Mr Hamid taunted police on his return from an alleged terror training camp in the New Forest where exercises included somersaults, pole-vaulting and paintballing.

Ms Suleaman said she was not aware that Ramzi Mohammed and Hussein Osman, two of the July bombers, had joined Mr Hamid at the Tonbridge paintball centre on July 3, 2005.

Ms Suleaman said that Mr Hamid was agitated after the July attack. She said: “I think he was worried that perhaps the men might call him because they were on the run at the time. I think he was very, very shocked about the fact that the men he knew were accused of this.”

Duncan Penny, for the prosecution, asked Ms Suleaman if she had told Mr Hamid to go to the police or contacted the police herself. Mr Penny asked: “Here was a man who told you that he knew those individuals who, as I understand it, were still at large for what on the face of it was the attempted bombings of the transport network a fortnight after it happened, and he was telling you he had some knowledge of them? There was a worldwide manhunt going on, wasn’t there?”

She replied: “I got the sense that he was already talking to the police. I referred it to my immediate boss at the BBC. I wasn’t told that there was an obligation. In fact it was referred above her as well. It was such a big story.” She added: “I don’t think it’s my obligation to tell another adult that he should go to the police.”

Mr Hamid had told her he had not spoken to Muktar Said Ibrahim, the ringleader of the 21/7 plot, since October 2004 and there was no suggestion that Mr Hamid knew anything about the attempted attack.

Phil Rees, who produced the show, told the court that he was impressed by Mr Hamid’s sense of humour while looking for someone to appear in the documentary. He said: “I think he had a comic touch and he represented a strand within British Muslims. I took it as more like a rather Steptoe and Son figure rather than seriously persuasive. I saw him as a kind of Cockney comic.” Mr Rees, who now works for the Arabic TV station al-Jazeera, gave Mr Hamid a signed copy of his book Dining With Terrorists.

Mr Hamid is charged with Mr al-Figari, 42, Mr Brown, 41, Kader Ahmed, 20, and Kibley Da Costa, 24. Atilla Ahmet, 43, has admitted soliciting murder.

Mr Hamid denies providing weapons training, five charges of soliciting murder and three of providing training for terrorism. The other men deny a series of charges related to training.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article3001102.ece

 

Brief background

Georgia came into being (again) after the collapse of the Soviet
Union in 1991.

The states of South Ossetia and Abkhazia gained de facto independence
after the 1991-2 war, although their independence is not formally recognised in
the UN.

The majority of South Ossetians are ethnically distinct from Georgians and identify with the
people of North Ossetia. A referendum in 2006 (turnout 95%) is reported as
resulting in 99% endorsement for de facto independence. More than half
of South Ossetians are reported to have chosen a Russian passport.

Abkhazia is ethnically mixed, with only 28% Georgians.

Initiation

At present the Georgians and Ossetians accuses each other of
initiating the conflict: what is clear
that rapid escalation is taking place, and that civilians are dying and being
displaced in significant numbers.

Strategic Factors

There is an oil pipeline running through Georgia, conducting
oil from Asian wells to Europe.

The Georgian leadership has aspirations to join the EU and
NATO, which have been encouraged by those organisations.

Russia has an historical fear of encirclement, and is
opposed to having NATO bases in Georgia as well as in the Czech Republic and
Poland.

Separatist aspiration lies behind one in three of the present
conflicts happening in the world in 2008.

Implications for Policy

1
We join the calls for ceasefire and negotiations for a just
and stable peace.

2
We note again the presence of an oil interest in an area of
conflict, which underlines the urgent necessity of breaking our economies from
dependence on oil.

3
We note with regret that the expansionist policies of NATO are
one of the contributing factors.

4
We reaffirm that the will of the people is the basis of
democracy, and if it is clearly the will of the people that they should be
independent from their present state, or transfer to a different state, this
will should be allowed to be developed in a peaceful and orderly way.

5
We call on the UN to address the problem of separatism from a
systemic point of view and to draw up a legal and political framework that will
enable secessions to be negotiated peacefully.

 

Annexe - dealing with separatism in a rational way.

In 2008 there are some 36 wars and conflicts taking place on the planet. Their
causes are, roughly speaking: Separatist 14, Ideology 7, Dictator/political 9,
War on Terror 5, Corporations 2, Drugs 2, Warlordism 2, Ethnic/tribal 2.

Prevention is better than cure. At least two of the classes of conflicts - separatism and
dictators- given above are susceptible to UN action.

The development of dictators can be inhibited and remedied by means of the Index of
Human Rights in the UN, whereby countries that are sliding towards dictatorship
can be identified, exposed, and subjected to a set protocol of statutory
measures.

Approximately one third of current wars are “separatist”, arising from the desire of a group
of people to be independent of, or to have autonomy within, the state that they
are currently ruled by. These account for more than one in three of current
conflicts and wars.

Since separatism provides the pretext of such a significant causes of conflict, it
deserves detailed historical and political study. What is the outcome of these
movements? Are they on the increase? Wikipedia lists no less than 113
separatist movements worldwide. Are they all destined to turn into armed
struggles?

Clausewitz' famous aphorism was that “War is the continuation of politics by other means”.
This should be now updated to “War is the continuation of politics by
irrational and inhumane means”, but whatever form of words is used, it is clear
that politicians have a duty to agree some rules and protocols on separatism.

Democracy should have a bearing on the matter. If it is truly the will of the people of a
region that they should not be governed by their present rulers, then
politicians should give attention to their desires. Each case will have its
unique features, but these also are capable of being classified. Several
questions need to be asked.

Does the majority of the people truly seek independence or autonomy, or is it simply
the desire of an unrepresentative political group? This question can be
answered by referendum. In a repressive
state, the people might be able to petition the UN, or a regional body such as
the OSCE, directly to indicate their wishes.

Is the separate state economically capable of looking after itself? This can be a
matter for study, but in principle any people that afford to go to war can
surely afford to look after themselves in peacetime, given that war is such a
ruinously expensive business. It is sometimes the case that the secessionist
state is sitting on some natural resources that the main state wishes to enjoy.
For instance, Scotland was only granted its own assembly when its oil fields
had been substantially exploited.

Can the state defend itself? This question again contains its own answer in the
case of secessionist conflicts. Guarantees can be given by neighbouring states,
as in the case of Andorra, although this is an ambivalent state of affairs,
since the guaranteeing state is likely to be the state from which independence
is sought.

Can the new state rule itself? There are many options that lie between full
integration with a larger state and full independence. Regional assemblies,
cultural autonomy, and cantonisation are some of the options available.

These are all matters susceptible to study, discussion and negotiation. The
negotiations may well be difficult and protracted, but talk is always
preferable in human and financial terms than violent conflict. In the end, it
is in the interests of the main state to agree a degree of autonomy rather than
to wage a war that results in the end with alienation of territory and people.

There is clearly a case for the United Nations to set
up a framework for discussion and resolution of separatist aspiration, and also
to provide diplomatic and logistical help both for areas where separatist
conflict is ongoing, and where there is a clear separatist sentiment that has
not yet turned to violence.

The Truth Behind the Rwanda Genocide starts to Emerge. ICTR Defence Lawyers Straight Up on US/UK 'Regime Change' in Africa and Coverup. New Developments. Must read!

http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9314

http://www.truthout.org/article/uns-louise-arbour-under-fire-over-rwanda

Virtually no mainstream reporting of this story so please spread the news widely!

WASHINGTON - An international smuggling ring that sold bomb-related parts to Libya, Iran and North Korea also managed to acquire blueprints for an advanced nuclear weapon, according to a draft report by a former top U.N. arms inspector that suggests the plans could have been shared secretly with any number of countries or rogue groups.

http://nukes.notlong.com  

 

In Gaza today a home  blew up killing seven members of Hamas and a 4-month old baby. The house was being used as a bomb factory. Carelessness by the occupants caused the explosion.  This is one of many similar accidents in Gaza                                                                                                           

The 60th anniversary of Israel: Nothing to celebrate

Remember the Naqba

Dedicated to the anonymous Palestinian victims of the Israeli etnic cleansings in 1948 and 1967

They can´t speak for themselves anymore

So I will

It´s my moral and christian duty

Kind regards

Astrid Essed

Amsterdam

The Netherlands

The 60th anniversary of Israel: Nothing to celebrate

Remember the Naqba

"The Arabs will have to go, but one needs an opportune moment for making it happen, such as a war."

Part of a letter of the zionistic-Israeli politician David Ben Gurion, to his son, dd 1937

See for picture of Palestinian refugees:

http://www.palestineremembered.com/Articles/General/Story1649.html

Dear Editor and readers,

According to my opinion, there is no reason whatsoever to celebrate the 60 anniversary of the State of Israel [1]

while i was watching aljazeera tv in arabic, their was an interview with rabbist called david wize as i think, he speaks much about his jewish group natur karta, and so they are very close to most of us palestinians and that is an answer to TT and jo and others here in OD who thinks we hate jewish for only their relegion. The true jewish relegion is fair and our struggle is with zionism .

Do u know about that jewish group ?

To every reasonable mind breathing with the winds of pragmatism and the philosophy of multilateralism, must do appreciate the fact that Mr Jimmy Carter's current role- of encouraging the dynamics of m

The Independent carried an article on a group formed in Israel of ex-IDF soldiers who wish to speak out about how the force has treated Palestinians, particularly those in Hebron.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/our-reign-of-terror-by-the-israeli-army-811769.html

Compared to the politics of today, the spring of 1968 seems like a period of unbridled optimism: young people took to the streets for a better world and 'utopian' and 'radical' were not yet dirty words. But while many of those young radicals are now establishment figures in politics, media and business, the world they sought has not come about.

In the UK channel 4 showed the docu-drama "Battle for Haditha" followed by a documentry, looking into the facts surrounding the incident, on More 4. I wondered if anyone here saw this or if it has been shown in the USA. I would be interested to hear what other's thought about the programme and also what they think about the resulting outcome of the case against the Marines (originally 8, then 4, then 3, then 1, then 0) who committed this alleged massacre. On the basis of the factual evidence alone and the later admissions of some of the marines, the acts were war crimes, but a not-exactly-independent court marshall ruled there was insufficient evidence. General James "Mad Dog" Mattis (I jest not) who made this decision was subsequently promoted. The only reason the incident was ever revealed was because Time magazine got hold of the story and uncovered the cover-up.

No electricity, people are going hungry, no bread, and no medicine and lots of things that are missing. people are out in the streets now calling for the world to end the starvation and siege. It might be that people's only option is to break out the borderline and go to Egypt and get food. It's scary here. no bread, no water at home where I am. I have some leftovers biscuits from two days ago. but my laptop batteries will be flat soon. I will find a new agency from those who have electricity generators to recharge my laptop and keep online, if you don't hear from me this is why. Again, I fear Israeli warplanes will bomb the people in the streets. people are in lines trying to find bread. I never seen this in all my 23 years life!´ Mohammed Omer

Much has been written about who desires peace and who desires war in Palestine. One indicator is the way in which Palestinian children are being raised.

Photo essays of palestinian summer camps turned junior jihad training grounds have been around for decades.

Hamas television currently airs a childrens program titled "Pioneers of Tomorrow". The program features an eight-year old Palestinian girl and her friends. They include a Mickey Mouse lookalike that preached jihad. He left the program under international outrage. He was replaced by a large bee character who was supposedly killed by the Israelis. The current ball of fur is a large rabbit that eats jews.

link 1

link 2

Many Palestinian apologists seem to make the argument that the thousands of unguided rockets fired into Israel (threatening combatants and non-combatants alike) are not really terrorism since there are so few direct casualties. Israel on the other hand, does not deliberately target noncombatants and has refined technology to limit collateral damage and casualties. I came across a great article (from Reuters of all places) that was exactly on point. Excerpts below.

http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSL04275771

[quote]
Israel hones air strikes, but civilians not immune