[8:55]. Our family moved to Canada from the States after about thirty years as victims of what we think was COINTELPRO: covert government persecution. We never got to know why. We never got to know why I was falsely arrested four times without warning or cause. Or why the police death threats were never investigated. We never got to know who could slip the locks on our homes and take papers and I.D., over an extended period in several states, once leaving a broken lockpick in the door. We never got to know who banned each of us from our careers. We never got to know who cut the brake cables, or punctured the gas tank, or knocked out the starting motor, on days I had to drive to Freedom-to-Write Committee meetings, or how they knew I was going. In another state during a "national emergency" our legally parked car was impounded by the police. We never got to know why. We never got to know who bumper followed us down country roads or why. We never got to know the names of the strangers who assaulted me, several in National Guard uniforms, once a volunteer fireman who tried to run the car off the road. We never got to know why our mail for years in all locations was damaged or disappeared. The children were raised without the security and privacy of their home. So although Bill C-51 doesn't allow actual rape and murder to be used against out of favour citizens, the bill could allow destruction of an individual's, family's, or tribe's
, at the discretion of salaried people with no morals and no oversight. In the U.S. activists have died from mysterious car accidents, plane crashes, heart attacks, strokes, and other easily induced medical conditions. - John Bart Gerald with Julie Maas.
February 15, 2014
Dominican Republic: on September 23, 2013 the Supreme Court stripped the citizenship of as many as 300,000 people of Haitian ancestry (see
nightslantern.ca Dec. 15, 2013). Protest by human rights organizations of the Americas and the U.N. was met by the government's assurance that the disenfranchised would be able to apply for naturalisation, and in September 2014, Law 169/14 was passed allowing Dominicans of Haitian ancestry to remain citizens if they had birth certificates registered between 1929 and 2007. However many possibly most of Haitian ancestry born in the country were poor enough not to have registered birth certificates. They were given until Feb. 1, 2015, to ask for residency permits, one stage in the process of naturalisation. When the deadline expired, of 110,000 estimated as qualified, 6937 (
Latin American Herald Tribune) had applied. Media sources now refer to the number of "migrants" affected as in the tens of thousands. A non-media report attributes the low number of applicants to applicants being detained at government offices, then driven in trucks to the Haitian border and deported. Currently the Haitian government and economy are disintegrating. Many earthquake refugees still live in camps: the lands for building are being retained by the wealthy. Haitians are trying to enter the Dominican Republic which strengthened its U.S. trained border forces in January. As confirmed by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights the DR Government's stripping of citizens' citizenship because of their race was illegal. Yet the policy is maintained. Challenged in court, on Feb. 11th the Constitutional Court supported the government's "Plan to Regularize Foreigners" and Law 169/14. The society's treatment of those of Haitian ancestry is deeply racist and should be considered within the context of the Convention on Genocide. The Dominican Republic has a history of genocide: under Trujillo during six days of 1937 the army murdered 35,000 Haitians within the country. Beyond the concern of the government, four Dominican journalists, BolÃvar DÃaz, Huichi Lora, Amelia Dechamps, Roberto Cavada, writing in support of the human rights of those with Haitian ancestry, have taken a nationalist to court for death threats against them. Demonstrations against people of Haitian ancestry have called for their expulsion and "death to traitors." A man of Haitian ancestry who shined shoes for a living was recently found hung in a city park. A
genocide warning continues for people of Haitian ancestry in the Dominican Republic. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Thousands Of Dominicans Woke Up This Week Without Citizenship In Any Country," Roque Planas, Feb. 3, 2015,
The Huffington Post; "Haitians seek relief in Dominican border town but find security crackdown, " Renee Lewis, Jan. 23, 2015,
Al-Jazeera; "Internal Exile: The Plight of Dominicans of Haitian Descent," Liliana Gamboa, Laura Bingham, Jan. 13, 2015,
World Politics Review; "AI: Thousands at Risk of Expulsion from Dominican Republic," Feb. 13, 2015,
Latin American Herald Tribune; "Thousands of stateless in Dominican Republic risk deportation: rights group," Anastasia Moloney, Jan. 31, 2015,
Reuters; "High Court bolsters Dominican Republic’s alien regularization plan," Feb. 12, 2015,
DominicanToday.com; "Dominican Republic’s New Naturalization Law Falls Short," Press release, June 3, 2014,
Open Society Foundations; "Dominican Journalists Claim Death Threats For Covering Citizenship Debate," Roque Planas, Feb. 12, 2015,
Huffington Post[/SIZE]
February 11, 2015 [SIZE=-1]
Turkey Belgium Kashmir[/SIZE]
Turkey: on February 5th after 13 years of imprisonment, house arrest and persecution (
background) Sami al-Arian was deported from the U.S. to freedom in Turkey. The illegality of government prosecutors in depriving him of Constitutional, civil and human rights, the injustice of his detention in solitary confinement even after a jury refused to find him guilty of the government's charges, terrorized Muslim Americans and all struggling for human rights. In an exclusive interview with
Democracy Now! al-Arian offers an explanation from the relative safety of Turkey: once a Professor at South Florida University and a leader of the Palestinian community his advocacy for Palestinians was successful. He was invited to the White House, met with numerous U.S. political leaders, and attempted to parley the rights of Palestinians (among other Muslims and Arabs) to be spared from the illegal use of secret evidence against them, in return for supporting George W. Bush's bid for Presidency. He was able to deliver crucial Muslim community support to Bush in a close election. After Bush's victory, on requesting the Justice Department honour the bargain al-Arian was told to call a meeting of Muslim / Arab community leaders in Washington where the Government would pledge to honour its commitment. Scheduled for September 11, 2001, the destruction of the World Trade Centers cancelled the meeting while providing President Bush with the presence / support of the Arab leaders gathered in Washington. Afterward, al-Arian was attacked by a right wing Fox pundit touching off al-Arian's persecution by the Justice Department. He was effectively, illegally, silenced. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Exclusive Interview: Sami-al-Arian, Professor Who Defeated Controversial Terrorism Charges, Is Deported from U.S.," by Murtaza Hussaid & Glenn Greenwald, Feb. 5, 2015,
The Intercept; "Exclusive: Deported Palestinian Scholar Sami Al-Arian on His chilling Post-9/11 Prosecution," Juan Gonzalez, Amy Goodman, Sami Al-Arian, Laila Al-Arian, Feb. 6, 2015,
Democracy Now!.[/SIZE]
Belgium: a petition, "Stop Torture: Accountability: Yes – Impunity: No," initiated by Hans von Sponeck and Denis Halliday at the
BRussells Tribunal, asks those responsible for the cruel and unusual treatment applied captives in CIA camps around the world, be held accountable, prosecuted. Noting as the UN's Ben Emmerson said "“torture is a crime of universal jurisdiction” the petition appeals first to the U.S. Government and Attorney General.
To sign [access:<
http://www.brussellstribunal.org/article_view.asp?id=1954 >] Recommended.
Jammu and Kashmir: the military presence throughout the country, increasing opposition to Kashmir nationalism by the occupiers, resistance by youth, the year after year of Indian occupation with Indian security force levels now claimed to be at 700,000 personnel (
counterpunch.org), estimates of 70,000 predominantly civilian Kashmiri casualties since 1989, reports of exceptional brutality by Indian forces, massacres, mass rape, torture, atrocities, mass graves, suggest that the Indian Army of occupation should be subject to a UN Human Rights Council investigation. In the Pakistan occupied portion of Kashmir the people want total independence from both India and Pakistan. China claims a mostly uninhabited third portion. Religious divisions assure the people's lack of power and the region's lack of autonomy. In Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir where Hindus have favoured India, separatist groups are supported by Pakistan and are held responsible for the ethnic cleansing of Hindu Pandits. India's failure to build the autonomy of Kashmir non-violently raises an inevitable
genocide warning for Kashmiris. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Genocide In Kashmir: India’s Shame," Andre Vltchek, Feb. 8, 2015,
counterpunch.org; "Kashmir's stone workers reeling under dire poverty as traditional architecture loses popularity," Feb. 9, 2015,
I am India of Srinagar; "Kashmiri separatist urges Muslim families to produce more kids," Express News Service, Feb. 9, 2015,
The Indian Express; "Kashmir: The Untold Story of Indian Occupation," Tara Dorabji, Dec. 28, 2011,
Project Censored; "Kashmir Solidarity Day Celebrated in Washington," Feb. 10, 2015,
Pakistan Christian Post.[/SIZE]
February 5, 2015 [SIZE=-1]
Israel/Palestine the Armenian Genocide Canada[/SIZE]
Israel/Palestine: so the inquiry will not be derailed or delayed, Prof. William Schabas has resigned as head of the UN Human Rights Council's investigative committee looking into allegations of Israeli and Palestinian war crimes during Israel's "Operation Protective Edge" (See
"The Mourning Hasn't Begun"). Israel alleged "bias" on the grounds that the Canadian professor of law once gave a legal opinion to the PLO. The Senegalese lawyer and former UN Rapporteur (on racism), Doudou Diene, and Mary McGowan Davis, a New York judge, remain on the committee which Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu has asked be shut down. Judge Davis, now appointed chairman, is likely to be attacked for her role in the 2008 Goldstone committee's report which alleged war crimes against Israel's "Operation Cast Lead."
Reuters has reported that Israel is lobbying nations to cut financial support for the International Criminal Court (see
previous). Palestine becomes an active ICC member April 1, 2015. While Israel considers both the ICC and the UN's Human Rights Council politically biased it doesn't offer alternative venues to consider allegations of impunity. For instance,
Muslim News reports Israel's destruction of a thousand meter water pipe, the source of water for the town of Yezra; West Bank Israeli settlers receive 4 times the water permitted Palestinians. An ongoing
genocide warning for Palestinians. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Gaza conflict: Schabas quits UN inquiry over bias claims," Feb. 3, 2015,
BBC News; "William Schabas, Canadian leading Gaza-Israel UN probe, resigning," Thomson Reuters, Feb 02, 2015,
CBC News; "US Judge McGowan Davis to replace Schabas as head of UN Gaza inquiry," Itamar Eichner (
AP), Feb. 3, 2015,
ynetnews.com; "UN Replaces Schabas with Goldstone Report Judge," Ari Yashar, Feb. 3, 2015,
Arutz Sheva 7; "Exclusive: ICC backers defy Israeli call to cut funding to war crimes court," Thomas Escritt and Anthony Deutsch (
Reuters), Jan. 27, 2015,
Yahoo! News; "Palestine: Israeli forces destroy 1,000 Meter water pipe," IMEMC , Jan. 30, 2015,
The Muslim News.[/SIZE]
Turkey: 2015 marks the hundredth year since the genocide of the Armenian people by the Ottoman government of Turkey. While executed separately the genocide of Armenians (1.5 million) coincided with the government's genocide of Greeks (.5 million) and Assyrians (.25 million). The victims were Christians. A consistent justification for government policies and actions was the victim groups' supposed sympathy for Russia, and the slaughters were extended to armed forces personnel of the minority groups accused of being in league with Russia. To better understand the issue of genocide and what it meant to the Armenian people: recommended -
1915 AGHET - The Armenian Genocide (In English) NDR 2010[SIZE=-1][access:<
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLyrpaTKCCE >]. Amid general sources: "Centenary of Armenian genocide," Dr. Edward Horgan, Jan. 5, 2015,
The Irish Times.[/SIZE]
Historical note: pre-dating international law enforcement, some minimal concept of justice was attempted by the subsequent Turkish government. It court martialed The Committee of Union and Progress which had controlled the government and promulgated the genocide. Three of the genocide planners who escaped as WW1 ended were sentenced to death in absentia, among them former Ottoman Interior Minister Talaat Pasha who had ordered the arrest of Armenian intellectuals and leaders. Refusing to accept impunity, The Armenian Revolutionary Federation formed "Operation Nemesis." Its leader Shahan Natalie, gathered a list of 200 responsible for the genocide and these became targets. As part of "Operation Nemesis," on a Berlin street in broad daylight, March 15, 1921, Soghomon Tehlirian shot and killed Talaat Pasha. Tehlirian was immediately arrested and charged with murder. At his trial testimony revealed portions of the crimes against Armenians. The jury found Tehlirian innocent.
Canada: believing the use of solitary confinement as punishment to be cruel and inhumane, the
Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the
Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies have petitioned the government in Superior Court to challenge its use.
Jan. 19th in British Columbia the
John Howard Society and
British Columbia Civil Liberties Association opened a lawsuit against the government to stop use of solitary confinement. The December edition of the Ontario
Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, "Inmate Information Guide for Adult Institutions," makes no mention of any rights for the prisoners held in solitary. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Ottawa faces new challenge on solitary confinement," The Canadian Press, Jan. 27 2015,
The Globe and Mail; "Ontario broke solitary confinement promise, lawyers say," Amy Dempsey, Jan. 28, 2015,
thestar.com; "Second legal challenge launched over solitary confinement in prisons," The Canadian Press, Jan. 27, 2015,
thestar.com.[/SIZE]
January 26, 2015 [SIZE=-1]
war resisters experiments sr. megan rice kathy kelly phil africa[/SIZE]
Canada: the War Resisters Support Campaign calls January 25 through January 31, "
Let Them Stay Week 2015." Despite what the people and Parliament want, the Harper government continues trying to force U.S. war resisters out of the country. The War Resisters Support Campaign asks Canadians to let the current Minister of Immigration, Chris Alexander, know ~ War Resisters are Welcome Here.
Previous. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Let Them Stay Week, January 25-31* STOP THE DEPORTATIONS!" Jan. 21, 2015,
War Resisters Support Campaign; J. Maas drawing
Lectures for Nonconformists, J.B.Gerald, 1983.[/SIZE]
and
U.S., experiments: evidence continues to be released exposing the use of native children as subjects/victims of medical experiments.
APTN has noted use of First Nations infants in the 1930's and 40's trials of tuberculosis vaccine, pointing out Aboriginal TB rates were cut in half during the early 30's by simple improvements in living conditions. Vaccines were seen as more cost-effective than improving living conditions. The TB tests on Aboriginal children lasted from 1933 to 1945 with nearly a third of the test group dying from other effects of poverty. Recent research at the University of Guelph finds government researchers knowingly withheld food in some cases and essential vitamins in others from Aboriginal children and peoples in nutritional experiments during the 40's and 50's. In North America of the 20th Century government's crimes against Aboriginal peoples were a clear indication of contempt for the lives of all poor people.
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Several examples: U.S. Prof. Martino-Taylor at St. Louis Community College shows that in the 50's and 60's the U.S. Army sprayed communities of predominantly "low-income persons of color" of St. Louis (as well as Minneapolis), with zinc cadmium sulfide mixed with radium 226, in radioactive “fluorescent particle tracer experiment(s)". A follow up study was agreed upon for Winnipeg Canada by agreement of the Ralph M. Parsons Company and Canadian Defence Research Board in May 1953. U.S. examples of direct medical experimentation on children include the intentional infecting with hepatitis of disabled children at Willowbrook State School on Staten Island New York (1950's-70's) where up to 6000 disabled children were denied their basic rights to humanity. It closed in 1987. And from 1946 to 1953 the intentional feeding of radioactive isotopes to childen with disabilities at the Walter E. Fernald School in Waltham Massachusetts, by Harvard and MIT scientists. Fernald wasn't closed until 2014 (
Wikipedia). Despite prior crimes, post WWII medical or military medical experimentation should be judged under the standards of the Nuremburg Code and Geneva Conventions. [SIZE=-1] Partial sources online: "'Against Their Will' looks at children used for tests," Dennis Rosen, July 8, 2013,
The Boston Globe; "Revealed: Army scientists secretly sprayed St Louis with 'radioactive' particles for YEARS to test chemical warfare technology," Emily Anne Epstein, Sept. 29, 2012,
Daily Mail Online; "The Manhattan-Rochester Coalition, Research on the Health Effects of Radioactive Materials, and Tests on Vulnerable Populations Without Consent in St. Louis, 1945-1970," Lisa Martino-Taylor, 2011, <
University of Missouri-Columbia[access:<
http://media.proquest.com/media/pq/...JkYpQkVLduNg7sJyV0k=#page=4&zoom=auto,-13,747 >]; "Behavior of Aerosol Clouds Within Cities," Leighton / Sanford Univ. & Diltman / Parsons Co. "Joint Quarterly Report April - June 1953,
Chemical Corps, U.S. Army unclassified:15 Nov. 1963; "First Nation infants subject to "human experimental work" for TB vaccine in 1930s-40s," July 24, 2013,
APTN; "'Not Even Human' How Canadian Govt. Abused Aboriginal Children in TB Experiments," ICTMN Staff, July 28, 2013,
Indian Country; "Hungry Canadian aboriginal children were used in government experiments during 1940s, researcher says," Andrew Livingston / Bob Weber Canadian Press, July 16, 2013,
thestar.com.[/SIZE]
Brooklyn New York: as reported by the
Daily News, Sr. Megan Rice is serving a 35 month sentence for sabotage and destruction of government property. She has been transferred to Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, a "gymnasium-size" room housing 112 women prisoners who eat, sleep, toilet, shower there, without outside recreation space. A member of the
Transform Now Plowshares, Sr. Rice (now 84) and her slightly younger co-activists Michael Walli and Gregory Boertje-Obed, entered Oak Ridge nuclear facility June 2012 for a symbolic action
(cutting a hole in the fence, writing, pouring their blood, hammering on stone). Michael Walli is serving 62 months FCI McKean, Pennsylvania, and Greg Boertje-Obed 62 months at USP Leavenworth (Kansas). From prison Sr. Rice writes her supporters of her co-prisoners' joyful creativity and celebration at Christmas and Kwanzaa which help cope with the unjust sentences and prison conditions.
Background> [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "EXCLUSIVE: 84-year-old activist nun imprisoned in Brooklyn jail hellhole for breaking into nuclear facility, exposing security flaws," Linda Stasi, Jan. 19, 2015,
The New York Daily News; "~ from MDC Brooklyn by Sr. Megan Rice, imprisoned nuclear disarmament activist." Sr. Megan Rice, et al, Dec. 10, 2015,
The Nuclear Resister.[/SIZE]
Lexington Kentucky: on Jan. 22nd Kathy Kelly started a three month sentence at Federal Medical Center Lexington, for trying to deliver a loaf of bread and letter of protest to the drone commander of Whiteman Air Force Base (Missouri). She told the judge in Jefferson City Missouri, " We have a right to claim our right not to kill." She was found guilty of trespassing.
Nightslantern carries her
"Banning Child Sacrifice: A Difficult Choice?" in her March 9, 1998 letter from Iraq. She has shared the life of the Iraqi people under the bombings and continually placed herself among the victims of America's crimes. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Kathy Kelly begins 3 month sentence on January 23 at FMC Lexington for drone resistance," Jane Stoever, Jan. 22, 2015, The Nuclear Resister; "A Future in Prison," Kathy Kelly, Jan. 23, 2015,
The Nuclear Resister.[/SIZE]
Dallas Pennsylvania, State Correctional Institution: William Philips Africa was a husband, father, original member of the MOVE community and a prisoner who was not proven guilty in a just court.
Background. After sudden removal to a medical facility where he was held incommunicado five days he was
returned to SCI Dallas where he died. In part due to the rapidity of the illness, and isolation from communication, MOVE considers the death suspicious as was the 1998 death in
prison of Merle Austin Africa. A community based religious organization at peace with animals, the environment,
respecting all life, MOVE experienced extreme persecution from police and authorities since its founding in 1972. Nine MOVE members were sentenced to from 30 to 100 years for the alleged murder of one police person. There is more than reasonable doubt of their guilt. The officer died of one bullet in the back during a free-for-all police raid on the MOVE residence. As in the case of Mumia Abu Jamal who subsequently reported the police bombing of another MOVE residence which killed John Africa the movement's founder among others, there seems to be a political, law enforcement and judiciary consensual conspiracy which allows the system's betrayal of justice to continue and overcome any common sense. See also
previous. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Phil Africa of MOVE dies under suspicious circumstances in Pennsylvania prison" Ramona Africa, January 12, 2015,
SF Bay View;
ON A MOVE [access:<
http://onamove.com/ >]; "Phil Africa ¡Presente!" Betsey Piette January 13, 2015,
Workers World.[/SIZE]
January 19, 2015 [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Canada Imam Jamil Al-Amin Netherlands Palestine Guantanamo[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]
USA: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a paid holiday for state employees in all states. Alabama celebrates "Robert E. Lee / Martin Luther King Birthday". Dr. King's birthday was January 15th. There is increasing evidence of the federal government's role in Dr. King's assassination (
ref. "Essay on State Terrorism" 2001), much of it revealed by the ongoing work of attorney William Francis Pepper.[/SIZE]
Editor's note: "In ‘65 I was a people’s march marshal from Selma to Montgomery, and among those with arms linked around King having to protect him suddenly because there was hostility from the crowd watching as we walked into Montgomery, and the Justice Department and National Guard men were suddenly not there to protect him or us. Puzzled, I looked into King’s face but I think he understood immediately; he seemed mildly flustered at the hatred but just nodded toward the Capitol building up ahead – not frightened, there was a feeling, like when the sand goes through an hourglass. Decades later there’s evidence that King was in the crosshairs of a U.S. Special Operations team during the March, and avoided death by chance stepping out of view. It’s difficult to re-examine Memphis assassination materials, and the F.B.I.’s lethal campaign against him, without realizing Dr. King’s helplessness in sharing his understanding of truth." - John Bart Gerald [SIZE=-1](excerpt from a letter, Dec. 6, 2014).[/SIZE]
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Canada: The John Howard Society and British Columbia Civil Liberties Association have opened a lawsuit against the Federal government to stop the use of solitary confinement in Canada's prisons. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Rights groups sue Ottawa over solitary confinement in prisons," Sunny Dhillon, Jan. 19, 2015,
The Globe and Mail; "John Howard Society, BCCLA sue Ottawa over solitary confinement," Jan. 19, 2015,
CBC News.[/SIZE][/SIZE]
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North Carolina: ADX Florence in Colorado is known as one of the 10 worst prisons in the world. A New York judge
recently sentenced a disabled Imam, Abu Hamza al-Masri to life-without-parole there, despite the conditions of his extradition to the U.S. from England. Abu Hamza seems to fill a slot left vacant by the American imam and political prisoner
Imam Jamil Al Amin. In mid-July Al-Amin also serving a sentence of life without parole, was moved to Butner Federal Medical Center, North Carolina for cancer treatment. Al-Amin had spent 23 hours a day in 'no touch' solitary confinement since he was moved to ADX Florence from Georgia's Reidsville prison in 2007. Imam Al-Amin, born Hubert Gerold Brown, aka H. Rap Brown, the Sixties chairman of the
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee - allied with Dr. King's
Christian Leadership Conference, as well as the Black Panthers, remains a leader of those who care for peace with justice. He was a long time target of COINTELPRO and eventually convicted of killing a policeman, a charge / circumstance frequently applied to community leaders of the Sixties and Seventies, repeatedly uncharacteristic of the men themselves. Believing Al-Amin innocent of the charge, and with increasing evidence of government complicity and police participation in the murders of Dr. King, Black Panthers, and Kennedys, the trials of all longterm political prisoners convicted of self defense and police killing should be re-examined, specifically: Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin,
Mumia Abu Jamal,
the MOVE 9,
Tom William Manning,
Jaan Laaman,
Leonard Peltier,
Sundiata Acoli, among others.
More background. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Free Imam Jamil Al-Amin!" Editor, July 8, 2014,
Workers World; "Political Prisoner Imam Jamil Al-Amin in Declining Health, Urgently Needs Medical Care," Bruce A. Dixon, July 9, 2014,
Black Agenda Report; "Imam Jamil Al-Amin (H. Rap Brown) transferred to Butner Federal Medical Center, N.C." July 18, 2014,
SFBay.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1][SIZE=+1] [/SIZE][/SIZE]
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The Netherlands: Geert Wilders is the right wing Minister of Parliament who acquired political power through insulting and deriding Islam and Muslims, while enjoying police protection. He was made welcome in Canada to share his views on Islam under the Harper government in May 2011 as Canada prepared to join NATO's destruction of Libya.
1 2. According to press accounts on March 19th he addressed supporters in The Hague with something like do you want Moroccans in town ? His crowd chants "fewer" several times, and Wilders says well he'll take care of that. As a result, 5000 people sued him and the Dutch Prosecutor's office found Wilders' alleged threat against Moroccan immigrants actionable for inciting hatred. The Dutch Prime Minister condemned Wilders' remarks which Wilders has not retracted. Wilders' right wing Party for Freedom lost ground in May elections, but is doing very well after the
Paris 'shootings'. A current election would show his Party for Freedom the largest in the country. Consistently, extreme bias against any one minority group provides a severe warning to others, for example
France, or Nazi Germany. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "PVV leader Geert Wilders will be prosecuted for inciting hatred (update)," Dec. 18, 2014,
DutchNews.nl; "Paris attacks boost support for Dutch anti-Islam Wilders," Jan. 11, 2015,
worldbulletin; "Geert Wilders defends ‘fewer Moroccans’ chant, quotes Martin Luther King," Dec.8, 2014,
DutchNews.nl; "Netherlands: Wilders' Party for Freedom in fourth place," CTK, translated by Gwendolyn Albert , May 24, 2014,
romea.cz; "Netherlands: 5 000 people sue Wilders over anti-Moroccan remarks," CTK, con, translated by Gwendolyn Albert, April 4, 2014,
romea.cz.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]
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Palestine: (
previous) January 16th the International Criminal Court announced it's opening a preliminary probe of alleged Israeli war crimes against the people of Palestine including crimes against Gaza during Israel's 2014
"Operation Protective Edge." With an inadequate understanding of the English language, the U.S. State Department called the prosecution's decision a "tragic irony," while the Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called the decision "scandalous."
Background.
Genocide warnings. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "ICC to probe possible war crimes in Palestine," Jan. 16, 2015,
Al Jazeera; "US condemns ICC war crimes probe of Israel as 'tragic irony'," AFP, Jan. 17, 2015,
Mail Online.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1][SIZE=+1] [/SIZE][/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1][SIZE=+1]
Guantanamo:
Democracy Now's interview of the former Guantanamo prison guard Joseph Hickman, and Seton University Law Professor Mark Denbeaux, discusses the probability and evidence of CIA responsibility for (murder of) three Guantanamo prisoners whose deaths were listed as suicide. What accumulating evidence indicates is that Guantanamo, despite public pressure and politicians' promises, remains open because it's of use as a laboratory, with Muslim prisoners as subjects / victims. Overt evidence of experimentation is usually presented as an exception, ie. reports on the forced feeding of long term hunger strikers noted in a sworn statement by Army Col. John Bogdan, the commander of the prison guards from June 2012 to June 2014 (
Miami Herald). As early as October 2009, the journalist Thierry Meyssan reported correctly in
Odnako (Russia), Guantanamo's primary use as a psychological
conditioning centre rather than an interrogation centre; his work suggests that Guantanamo is the tip of an iceberg covering the interrogation or 'conditioning' of possibly 80,000 victims on 17 U.S. navy ships with flat bottoms and three tiered holds for cells, placed in international waters to avoid consideration under domestic laws. These are not mentioned in the Feinstein Report on CIA torture, and are rarely noted in the press as "ghost detainees" with very few traceable identified examples (
nightslantern). Public acceptance of Guantanamo's crimes may be used eventually to cover the mass incarcerations, indoctrination, interrogations, recruitment, torture, killing of unlisted prisoners or former prisoners. According to
Jurist a Pentagon report released Nov. 18, 2005, admits to the detention of 80,000 worldwide since the World Trade Center 2001. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Did Gitmo 'Suicides' Cover Up Murder? U.S. Sgt. Speaks Out on Deaths & Prison’s Secret CIA Site," Goodman
et al, Jan. 15, 2015,
Democracy Now!; "Guantánamo ‘experiment’ didn’t break hunger strike but gets judge’s attention," Carol Rosenberg, Oct. 8, 2014,
Miami Herald; "Torture report shows al-Qaeda not involved in 9-11," Thierry Meyssan, trans. Roger Lagassé, Dec.31, 2014,
Axis of Logic; "US accused of holding terror suspects on prison ships," Duncan Campbell and Richard Norton-Taylor, June 2, 2008,
The Guardian; "80,000 US detainees since 9/11, alleged CIA secret prisons spark concern," Andrew Wood, Nov. 19, 2005,
Jurist.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=+1]January 12, 2015 [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
Guatemala Cuba France England Palestine New York California CAR Ethiopia [/SIZE][SIZE=+1]
Guatemala: the trial of José EfraÃn RÃos Montt charged with genocide scheduled to begin January 5th was postponed again when one of the judges was challenged for lack of impartiality. It is unclear when the trial will resume. Previously RÃos Montt's conviction for genocide was overturned by extraordinary means and the trial reverted to pre-conviction status at the point when the judge was challenged for not tolerating attempts by RÃos Montt's lawyers to derail the trial.
Telasur addresses one of the trial's underlying hazards: a recent Amnesty International report links murders of Guatemala's Maya to Canadian mining interests. Lawsuits are currently being heard in Canada against HudBay Minerals Inc. for killing, wounding , gang rape of anti-mining activists by HudBay's subsidiary GNC ("Guatemala: Mining in Guatemala: Rights at Risk," 2014, Amnesty International Ltd. [access:<
http://www.amnesty.ca/sites/default/files/mining-in-guatemala-rights-at-risk-eng.pdf >]). The Amnesty report doesn't question the right of corporations to plunder native lands, but does link human rights difficulties (ie. atrocities) to the corporate failure to consult and follow Indigenous decision making as mandated by the
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The RÃos Montt genocide of Maya villagers falls into the pattern of killing the land's people so the resources can be stripped. The trial's other sticking points: the conviction of RÃos Montt would open the door to prosecute the current President of Guatemala and others who were proactive or complicit; the previous conviction threatened the traditional m.o. for mining and resource stripping of the Americas and was defiantly answered by illegal mining security practices at the time of the earlier trial; a re-conviction will implicate the Americans and Israelis who trained, supplied and may eventually be held accountable for the slaughter. Each failure of the judicial system enforces a threat against the Mayan peoples and a
genocide warning continues. Background on the 2013 trial of RÃos Montt:
"Guatemala: a brave judiciary," "Masks of investment: a trial in Guatemala," "Good vs. evil in Guatemala," "Genocide denial in Guatemala.". [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Postponement of former Guatemalan dictator's genocide retrial causes dismay,"
AP. Jan. 5, 2015,
theguardian.com; "Rios Montt Guatemala genocide retrial suspended," Jan. 5, 2015,
BBC News .[/SIZE]
Cuba: the remaining three Cuban agents imprisoned in the United States, Ramón Labañino, Geraldo Hernández,
Antonio Guerrero were freed December 17th and returned to their families in Cuba. The arrangement was part of a prisoner exchange and release agreement. Fernando González and René González of the Cuban Five were previously released.
Background. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Release of Cuban Five Opens New Chapter in Cuba-U.S. Relations," Richard Fidler, Jan 4, 2015,
The Bullet. "Cuba’s Five Heroes ? Free At Last!" Jan. 10, 2015,
Friends of the Cuban Five, Toronto.[/SIZE]
France: the reported murder of twelve workers at
Charlie Hebdo, and a series of corollary murders including the killing of police and killing of suspects by police and army forces, has received saturation coverage in the global press and alternative media, and brought about the largest demonstrations by the French people since liberation from Nazi occupation. While concerned primarily with murders of cartoonists, an economist, and bodyguard at
Charlie Hebdo the action included hostage taking at a kosher supermarket with five deaths. According to the
Toronto Star the tragedy was explained to the hostages by the gunman as retaliation for France's policy of murdering civilians in Mali and Syria, implicating the citizens who voted for the murderers. There's no overt indicaton of hate speech or anti-Semitism in the attacker's words as quoted.
Nightslantern's previous objections to
Charlie Hebdo's publication of a cartoon sexually deriding the prophet Mohammad appear at
"On Psywar against the Innocent", believing it unwise, and a betrayal of French Muslim immigrant trust in their host people. We continue to object to the use of civilian communications workers (
Charlie Hebdo, Salmon Rushdie) in psywar and agit-prop operations serving state agendas. The November 14, 2014 issue of the chic fashion magazine,
Elle, ran glamour photos of Ukrainian women among the fascist / criminal paramilitaries fighting the people in the East Ukraine. In other French news the mayor of Champlan, near Paris, refused burial to a Roma child, maintaining that burial space priority be given to taxpayers. The child was buried in the ancient nearby commune of Wissous. A
genocide warning for Roma in France continues. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Success of French terrorists opens questions about country’s intelligence, security agencies," Roste DiManno, Jan. 10, 2015,
thestar.com;"Rupert Murdoch: All Muslims ‘Must Be Held Responsible’ Until Jihadism Is Eliminated," Erica Hellerstein, Jan. 10, 2015,
thinkprogress; "French Fashion Weekly Glamorized Ukraine Nazi Fighter," New Cold War.org, Dec. 31, 2014,
Russia Insider; "Roma baby refused burial in France," Jan. 3, 2015,
BBC News.[/SIZE]
England: an Iraq war (2003) inquiry report by Sir John Chilcot may cause Tony Blair to face trial for war crimes. Publication of the report and its availability to the House of Lords is being delayed although the report is completed. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Tony Blair 'could face war crimes charges' over Iraq War," Christopher Hope, Jan. 6, 2015,
telegraph.co.uk; "‘Blair may face war crimes charges’ – Liberal Democrat peer," Jan. 7, 2015,
RT; [/SIZE].
Palestine: Palestine has subscribed to the International Criminal Court, to take effect on April 1, 2015. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated to the press that Israel will not permit its military to be tried at the ICC. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Israel 'won't let its soldiers be dragged to the ICC': PM,"
AFP, Jan. 4, 2015,
Mail Online; "State of Palestine will join the International Criminal Court on April 1: UN chief,"
AP, Jan 6, 2015,
CTV News.[/SIZE]
New York: Abu Hamza al-Masri (aka Mustafa Kamel Mustafa) a disabled and half-blind former Imam in London, known for his incendiary speech was extradited to New York City to stand trial for allegations of terrorism. He was found guilty of conspiring to set up a training camp for jihadis in Oregon, for giving a cellphone to hostage takers in Yemen, and calling for a Jihad in Afghanistan. With some repetition these became 11 charges encompassing his words and possible intentions. He pleaded innocent to all eleven charges. His lawyers attempted to introduce Scotland Yard documents as evidence to the court that Abu Hamza had worked in cooperation with English authorities; the US Judge barred the evidence. May 19, 2014 Abu Hamza was found guilty by a jury at the US District Court for Southern New York. On January 9, 2015 he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. New York Courts previously sentenced Imam Sheik Abdel-Rahman, severely disabled by blindness, to 65 years. Neither cleric committed a crime of physical violence or presents a physical danger. Because Abu Hamza's actions don't warrant the sentence, because the sentence is a response to his thinking and freedom of expression, because the trials of Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman,
Aafia Siddiqi,
Lynne Stewart (Abdel- Rahman's lawyer),
Dr. Rafil Dhafir, reveal deep injustice in procedure, verdict and sentencing, Abu Hamza is added to nightslantern's list of political prisoners. Placed in ADX Florence (Colorado) a supermax facility despite the Imam's disabilities (ADX prisons are known for "cruel and unusual punishment") Abu Hamza's extradition to the US should not have been allowed by the European Court of Human Rights. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Abu Hamza al-Masri," current,
Wikipedia; "Hamza trial: Imam ‘secretly worked with MI5 to keep streets of London safe’ ," David Usborne, May 7, 2014,
The Independent; "Abu Hamza sentenced to life in prison on US terrorism conviction," Nicky Woolf, Jan. 9, 2015,
The Guardian.[/SIZE]
California: on January 8, 2015,
Eric McDavid was released after serving 9 years of a twenty year sentence. The government admitted it had withheld evidence from his attorneys. The release involved a plea agreement where the prisoner confessed to conspiring to destroy a forest service genetics facility in order to gain his freedom. The withheld evidence strongly suggested that McDavid was entrapped if not controlled by an FBI informant.
Background. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Convicted 'Eco-Terrorist' Freed Amid Evidence Dispute," Sudhin Thanawala (AP), Jan 10, 2015,
ABC News. "Foothills man released from prison after judge overturns eco-terrorism conviction," Jan.8, 2015,
KCRA.com.[/SIZE]
Central African Republic: the UN commission of inquiry (Judge Bernard Acho Munu of Cameroon, Fatima M'Baye of Mauritania, Jorge Castaneda of Mexico) finds
no proof of genocide occurring in CAR's civil war, where crimes against humanity are traced to both anti-Balaka Christian and Muslim Seleka forces. Christian forces are faulted for ethnic cleansings. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "UN Finds No Genocide in CAR Conflict," Jan. 8, 2015,
VOA News; "UN: Ethnic Cleansing of Muslims in Central African Republic," Cara Anna (AP). Jan. 8,2015,
ABC News.[/SIZE]
Ethiopia: in an area of heavily suppressed news
MWC News reports that the drones which assassinate suspected terrorists in Yemen and Somalia are based in this country, a firm U.S. ally in the war on terror. The Ogaden National Liberation Front continues to resist unacceptable government practices which include banning media and international witness from Ogaden where the government is committing atrocity crimes. A recent civilian report alleges the rape and torture of women prisoners. Ongoing
genocide warning for the Ogadeni, among others. [SIZE=-1]Partial sources online: "Ogaden Report," UNPO, January 2015,
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization; "State Terrorism in Ogaden, Ethiopia," Graham Peebles, Jan. 8, 2015,
MWC News; "Ethiopia: 'Humanitarian Crisis' for Ogaden Living Near Ethiopia's Oil Fields," Ed Mckenna, Feb.23, 2014,
AllAfrica .[/SIZE]
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This account is against forgetfulness.
