Ik heb met verbijstering kennisgenomen van de recente nieuwsinformatie, bevestigd door Britse en Amerikaanse legerwoordvoerders. Britse en Amerikaanse troepen zouden bij hun luchtaanvallen op diverse Iraakse steden waaronder Bagdad, Basra, al-Hillal en Najaf, gebruik maken van de zogenaamde clusterbommen. Volgens het Verdrag van Ottawa betreffende landmijnen zijn deze verboden vanwege het grote risico voor de burgerbevolking.
In tegenstelling tot de zogenaamde precisiebommen zijn deze clusterbommen samengesteld uit een groot aantal kleinere projectielen. Bij ontploffing worden deze kilometers de ruimte in geslingerd met een zeer verhoogde kans op een groot aantal burgerslachtoffers.
Bovendien is er een gerede kans dat zij niet ontploffen, wat een groot gevaar met zich meebrengt. Ze kunnen gaan fungeren als landmijnen, die nog jaren later kunnen ontploffen en vervolgens leiden tot vele slachtoffers onder de burgerbevolking.
Met deze wapens wordt een onverantwoord risico genomen wat betreft de levens van de Iraakse burgerbevolking. Volgens de 4e Conventie van Genève is het bewuste gebruik van de bommen, of andere wapens die een verhoogd risico voor de burgerbevolking inhouden, een oorlogsmisdaad. Tevens is het een ernstige inbreuk op de algemeen aanvaarde menselijke normen en waarden, die zijn vastgelegd in de Universele Verklaring van de Rechten van de Mens. Astrid Essed
OPPONENT [Onder mijn reactie]
De heren (zowel Hoessein als Bush) hebben gekozen voor oorlog. Dit valt niet meer terug te draaien.Laten we de gedachte nu eens varen dat er sprake kan zijn van een “schone” oorlog zonder burgerslachtoffers.Het is zaak om e.e.a. zo spoedig mogelijk te klaren.Ik vind dan ook dat clusterbommen een legitiem middel is om bovengenoemde doelstelling te realiseren. Aart Valstar
Reacties uitgeschakeld voor Astrid Essed op Nu.nl over het gebruik van clusterbommen in de Irak oorlog [2003]
Ik heb met verbijstering kennisgenomen van de in bepaalde politiek-militaire kringen geuite verontwaardiging tegen de aanhouding van een inmiddels uit voorlopige hechtenis ontslagen Nederlandse militair….Amsterdam Astrid Essed10 januari 2004, 00:00
Hun verontwaardiging is erop gebaseerd, dat hierdoor onzekerheid zou kunnen ontstaan bij de Nederlandse militairen over de al dan niet toelaatbare geweldstoepassing.
In de eerste plaats is dat geen rechtvaardiging om niet over te gaan tot de aanhouding van een militair, die ervan verdacht wordt een burger op grote afstand in de rug geschoten te hebben, hetgeen een oorlogsmisdaad is volgens het Internationaal Recht.
In de tweede plaats geeft de vierde Conventie van Gen als internationale regelgeving betreffende de bescherming van burgers in oorlogs- en bezettingstijd een juridisch kader voor het toegestane geweld.
Een van de grondregels is dat militaire acties, die tegen burgers gericht zijn, streng verboden zijn, tenzij er sprake is van een bijzondere situatie.
Dan mag er na het lossen van waarschuwingsschoten gericht geschoten worden, maar uitsluitend als er sprake is van een levensbedreigende situatie, hetgeen volgens het Openbaar Ministerie niet het geval was.
Uiteraard moet de schuld van de betrokken militair nog worden vastgesteld. In dit verband vind ik echter het door deze verontwaardiging gehouden impliciete pleidooi voor straffeloosheid een bedreiging voor de Nederlandse en internationale rechtsprincipes.
Reacties uitgeschakeld voor Volkskrant/De Gevaarlijke Pen van Astrid Essed/Ingezonden Stuk/2
Actievoerders in Groot-Brittannië zijn dinsdag 14 juni 2022 op de weg gaan liggen bij een detentiecentrum waar vandaan vluchtelingen weggehaald dreigen te worden, afgevoerd eerst naar het vliegtuig en dan gedeporteerd naar Rwanda. Door hun lig-actie proberen ze die deportatie daadwerkelijk tegen te houden. Het is de tweede keer binnen ene handvol dage dat in Groot-Brittannië de solidariteit met vluchtelingen zo’n confronterende, uitdagende vorm aanneemt van een directe actie. Het is geweldig om te zien, en het is te hopen dat dit soort voorbeelden steeds meer worden nagevolgd.
Wat is er aan de hand. In april van dit jaar heeft de Britse regering een afspraak gemaakt met de regering van Rwanda. In ruil voor 140 miljoen euro en een boel goodwill bij de Britse regering,(1) zou Rwanda vluchtelingen opvangen in de tijd die de Britse autoriteiten uittrokken om over hun asielaanvraag te beslissen, Rwanda is dus omgekocht om als een soort van Ter Apel – in Nederland aanmeldcentrum voor vluchtelingen – te fungeren. Heel veel mensen vinden het een schande. Mensen zijn in dat land natuurlijk helemaal niet veilig, ook in Rwanda is sprake van foltering en dergelijke.
Er zijn dus protesten, en via rechtszaken zijn al flink wat deportaties van vluchtelingen tegen gehouden. Maar de regering wil doorzetten en per se vandaag een vlucht naar Rwanda zien plaatsvinden. En een zaak voor het Britse Hooggerechtshof om dit hele deportatieplan te torpederen draaide uit op een naar resultaat. Rechter Jonathan Swift noemde het plan ‘in het publieke belang’. Wat de rechterlijke macht kon de deportatievlucht – inmiddels een prestigezaak voor de regering van Boris Johnson – dus doorgang vinden.(2)
Maar wat betreft actievoerders dus niet! Gisteren waren er flinke aantallen demonstranten bijeen bij het kantoor van de minister van binnenlandse zake Priti Patel. Vandaag gingen mensen dus verder dan protesteren. In en tweet lees ik dat ‘enkele activisten van Stop Deportations de weg buiten het Colnbrook dententie centrum geblokkeerd (hebben)’(3). Daarmee versperren ze de weg voor bussen waarmee vluchtelingen afgevoerd zouden worden. Het is te hopen dat meer actievoerders zich bij deze dappere solidaire mensen voegen. Het is te hopen dat het lukt om deze hele deportatievlucht te voorkomen. En het is te hopen dat het verzet zich zodanig uitbreidt dat het hele plan om vluchtelingen naar Rwanda af te voeren zodanig in het honderd loopt dat de regering gene andere keus heeft dan het kwalijke beleidsvoornemen te laten varen.
De actie tegen de deportatievlucht naar Rwanda komt enkele dagen na een succesvolle solidariteitsactie in de Londense wijk Peckham. Daar pakte de immigratiedienst een persoon uit Nigeria op om die te deporteren. De verblijfsvergunning van de man zou zijn verlopen. Wat daar ook van waar is, het is geen argument om mensen aan te houden en te deporteren. Dat vonden buren en buurtbewoners duidelijk ook. Mensen sloegen alarm en kwamen in actie.
Al snel was er een klein groepje van deze solidaire mensen aanwezig, net als trouwens een politiebus en een zwik agenten om de deportatie door te zetten. Initiatieven als Lewisham Anti- Raids en Southwark & Lambeth Anti-Raids (4)– netwerken die snel alarm kunnen slaan als er een immigratieraid plaatsvindt en mensen in de buurt bijeen kunnen brengen voor actie, en daarmee dus een deportatie dreigt – waren en zijn behulpzaam om snel alarm te slaan zodat er snel een protesterende menigte stond.
Gaandeweg groeide het aantal mensen dat op het alarm af kwam tot er rond de tweehonderd mensen ter plekke waren. De politiebus met de Nigeriaanse man kon niet wegrijden, de deportatie was daadwerkelijk geblokkeerd! De politie probeerde actievoerders weg te krijgen met ruw geduw en akelige agressie.(5) Maar tegenover het grote aantal mensen en hun solidaire vastbeslotenheid zette de politie niet door. Vijf uur duurde het, maar uiteindelijk haalde het gezag bakzeil. Onder luid gejuich liet ze de Nigeriaanse man gaan. De politieagenten vertrokken, uitgejouwd door de menigte: ‘Don’t Come Back To Peckham!’(6) De solidariteit had gewonnen!
Dit zijn het soort acties die iets uithalen. Het zijn juist daarom ook het soort acties waar de staat ongetwijfeld afschrikwekkende antwoorden op zoekt, want die staat wil kunnen deporteren naar believen. Het is namelijk niet de eerste keer dat het mensen door middel van directe actie lukt een deportatie tegen te houden. Vorig jaar, 13 mei 2021 om precies te zijn, slaagde een soortgelijke menigte in Manchester er in om een soortgelijke deportatie te doen stranden. Toen betrof het twee mensen uit India. Bij die actie zijn drie mensen hardhandig gearresteerd en aangeklaagd wegens ‘vergrijpen’ tegen de ‘openbare orde’. In augustus volgt een rechtszaak tegen deze moedige mensen, die inmiddels al de ‘Kenmure Street Three’ worden genoemd, naar de plek van de succesvolle actie. Ze eisen nu dat de strafzaak geschrapt wordt, en zoeken steun en getuigenissen.
Het is te hopen dat ze dit gevecht winnen. Deze mensen deden en doen wat nodig is en brachten actieve solidariteit in de praktijk. Precies wat de blokkeerders bij Colnbrook wederom proberen. Hopelijk lukt het ook daar om deportatie daadwerkelijk te doen stranden. En hopelijk bouwen we netwerken van solidaire mensen steeds effectiever op, zodat ook in de toekomst deportatie van mensen op de vlucht steeds moeilijker uitvoerbaar wordt.
JULIAN ASSANGE ARRESTED/ATTACK ON THE FREEDOM OF PRESS WIKILEAKS HOPE FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE POWER POLICY OF SUPERPOWER USA AND THEIR ALLIES
FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND PRESS/ FIRST AMENDMENT UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. – Wikipedia
In the race between secrecy and truth, it seems inevitable that truth will always win”
Rupert Murdoch
“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” ~George Orwell
This world is full of injustice. Julian Assange is in jail, while top American and allies war-criminals are free to go
Wise woman
What was feared by many adherents of whistleblower site Wikileaks has come to reality.
Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks, has been arrested by the British police, after he voluntarily surrendered [1]
O fficially this arrest was on behalf of the Swedish Justice, which had issued an European Arrest Warrant agianst him with charges of alleged rape and molestation of two Swedish women[2]
On request of the Swedish police Interpol also issued an International Arrest Warrant against him [3]
However it is clear, that this arrest is motivated by the political interests of the USA and their allies, considering the spectacular revealings of Wikileaks and the American political hysteria, from extreme right wing death treaths and hunting Assange down ”like a terrorist”, [4] till governmental plans to prosecute him [5]
Also State Secretary of Defense mr Gates called the arrest of Assange ”good news” [6]
Releasement on bail :
Initially it seemed, that Swedish Justice appealed against the decision of the UK Court [dd 14th december] to grant bail to Assange. [7]
Mr Stephens, solicitor of Assange, spoke of the ”continuing vendetta by the Swedes” [8]
Later however rumour spread, that the British prosecution had appealed However, Assange is released on bail now [9]
IN DEFENSE OF THE POWERLESS :
Wikileaks, which has been founded by Assange, is an international new media with a whistlerblower function, revealing otherwise unavailable documents and thus exposing injustice, committed by States, especially Superpower the USA and their allies [10]
As a new medium, Wikileaks has won several prices, as in 2009, Amnesty International’s UK Media Award [in the category ”New Media”] for the 2008 publication of “Kenya: The Cry of Blood – Extra Judicial Killings and Disappearances” [11]
RELEASED DOCUMENTS
What has infuriated the US and allies are the released documents about US and alles warcrimes and scandals about secret diplomacy This happened in close cooperation with The New York Times, The Guardian and Der Spiegel, which publicized them
And although Assange has been arrested, the releasements go on
An overview:
Video in US killings in Iraq:
”Exposing warcrimes is not a crime!” Bradley Manning Support Network
In April 2010, Wikileaks posted video from an American airstrike on Badghdad [2007] [12] in which Iraqi civilians and journalists were killed by US forces, including a Reuters journalist and his driver, on a website called Collateral Murder [13]
A courageous American soldier with a conscience, Sgt Bradley Manning, is supposed to have leaked it
He now possibly faces a trial and a yearlong prison sentence [14]
Afghan war-logs
In July the same year, Wikileaks released Afghan War Diary , a compilation of more than 76,900 documents about the War in Afghanistan [15], not previously available for public review.
Iraq war-logs
In October, Wikileaks released a package of almost 400,000 documents called the Iraq War [16] in coordination with major commercial media organisations [17]
As well as the Afghan as Iraq war-logs documents showed shocking details about American and allied warcrimes as torture practices
The moat horrifying however is the total American indifference for Afghan and Iraqi civilian lives
US Embassy Cables
In November, Wikileaks began releasing US State Department diplomatic cables [18]
Those are the most important revelations, internationally known
However, already in 2007 Wikileaks disclosed the ”Standard Operation Procedure for Camp Delta”, a guideline for the American military, how to handle prisoners in Guantanamo Bay [19]
Shocking details were the detention [by arrival] of prisoners in an isolation cell [in the Manual called ” the’Brhaviour Managment Plan”] ’to make them more ”cooperative” for interrigations
Placing in isolation was litterary meant to ”ENHANCE AND EXPLOIT THE DISORIENTATION AND DISORGANISATION BY A NEWLY ARRIVED DETAINEE” [20] In other words: Cruel and inhumane treatment
Lack of access to the Red Cross:
The manual also revealed, that some of the prisoners were denied access to the Red Cross
Also on arrival, the prisoners were denied basics and access to a Qu’ran [21]
CREDIBILITY: REACTIONS OF STATES AND HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Although it is impossible for the common civilian to control the hundred and thousands of document on their credibility, a clear confirmation is been showed in the website ”Collateral Murder, where the video proof of the US attack in Iraq, where 13 civiilians were killed, is clear [22] Besides, this Iraq document and thousands of others have been controlled by a team of journalists, who work with Wikileaks
Also the close cooperation with quality papers like the New York Times, Der Spiegel and The Guardian, which have their own investigative journalists, confirms the credibility
The Guardian has since then published all Wikileaks documents in her paper [23]
Credibility is also shown by the aggressive and hostile reactiions of several States, especially the USA, which seek to prosecute Assange on the ground of an old ”Espionage Act” , which is ridiculous, since a native Australian and not in American government service, he can’t be a ”spy”
This American use of the Espionage Act to silence critics is not new: Many critical intellectuals, journalists, film producers and pacifist religious figures were prosecuted. [24]
Human Rights Watch has emphasized her concern about the planned US prosecution in a letter to president Obama, that prosecitung Assange is a violation of the freedom of press and expression [25] But despite the furious reactions of governing States, no charge on the ground of defamatiion or slander [the socalled libel suit] has followed
THE ”RAPE” CASE
”There’s something rotten in the State of Denmark” Hamlet, Shakespeare
Let’s make this clear: Nobody is above the Law
When there is really substantial and hard evidence, that Assange should have raped this women, he should be prosecuted and, by enough proof, condemned after a fair trial
However, there are clear indications, that this whole case is politically motivated
That would not be the first or the last time:
Using rape and sexual contact as a political or personal means is as old as Mankind
In the Old Testimony the wife of Potiphar accused Joseph, son of Patriarch Jacob, than slave in Egypt, of rape, when he refused to be intimate with her [26]
Whistleblower Vanunu, who exposed Israel’s nuclear power, was trapped by a gallgirl and so was abducted by Israel, which led to a yearlong imprisonment [27]
From the very start, this real or alleged ”rape case” had some strange and clumsy aspects, which make the whole case look fishy
After two Swedish women, in press called ”Miss A” and ”Miss W” went to the police with accusations about rape and molestation, at 21 august Swedish police opened an investigation against Assange [28] Within hours, Stockholm’s chief prosecutor Eva Finne, reviewed the case and dropped the rape investigation, saying there was insufficient evidence to suggest rape [the charge on molestation, a far lesser crime, had been maintained] [29]
However, despite the dropping of the case, at 1 september, Swedish Justice reopened the rape case again [30] At least that sounds very strange
But there were more fishy elements on this case
Accompanied with the European Arrest Warrant, Interpol issued an International Arrest Warrant against Assange [30 november], which is highly out of proportion, seen the charges against him Then, on request of the British Serious and Organised Crime Agency, Sweden issued a new Arrest Warrant because of incorrectness of the earlier one [31]
Allegations of the women:
Without going into details, at least some of the allegations of the women were dubious
For example:”Miss A”
Despite her accusations ”Miss A” organised a party for the same man whe accused of rape and molestation
And moreover: Even after her alleged ”rape” or ”molestation” she let him stay in her appartment [32]
Timing
Not long after the revelations of Wikileaks Afghan war logs, the rape accusations of Miss A and W followed
What is a better moment for slander against Wikileaks and his founder, seen American hysterical reactions?
Assange himself commented on Twitter ”The charges are without basis and their issue at this moment is deeply disturbing.” [33]
Of course there is no proof for a political set-up, but overviewing the strang behaviour of Swedish Justice, the out of propiortion Interpol Arrest Warrant, the initially ”wrong” Swedish Arrest Warrant, the contradictional story of the women involved and the ”timing” of the charges, raise a serious doubt and show political intrigue.
OPERATION PAYBACK CYBERATTACKS ON LARGE CORPORATIONS, CUTTING OFF WIKILEAKS OF FINANCIAL MEANS
PAMPHLET OF ANONYMOUS
WE ARE ANONYMOUS. WE ARE LEGION
Several corporations now have been involved in the censoring of Wikileaks
The censoring of free speech and free information
The censoring of a free world
Amongst these corporatiions are MasterCard, VISA, PayPal, Amazon- some of the largest corporations in the world
We, the people, will make a stand, no matter how large these corporations are
We, the people, won’t budge for government pressure We, the people, won’t fall for bribery and corruption We, the people, won’t submit to this attempt by our so-called leaders to protect their own interests and power
We, the people, will fight back. We will not forgive. We will not forget Expect us
Apparently due to American political pressure, large corporations like Mastercard, Visa, Paypal, Amazon and the Swiss Bank cutt of the financial means of Wikileaks [34]
Later the Bank of America joined [35]
Due to this cutting off of financial means, Assange was obliged to sell the rights of his autobiography for his legal fight in Sweden and to keep the website afloat [36]
As a reaction, a group of hackers [socalled ”hacktivists”] of the Group ”Anonymous” systematically attacked and attacks large corporations like Mastercard, Visa, Paypal and Swiss Bank,to protect the right to free information [37]
Also the office of Mr Borgstrom, the laywer of the two women who accused Assange of socalled ”rape” has been under attack [38]
Dutch authorities arrested and later released a Dutch 16 year old, in connection with the Cyberattacks Also a Dutch man [19 year old] had been arrested [and later released] in connection with an attack on the Dutch public prosecution office, in connection with the arrest of the 16 year old [39]
Cyberattacks:
Attacks on the laywer of the two Swedish women are unacceptable, since any person has a right to a laywer, however controversial his or her case
However, although somewhat extreme, the Cyberattacks on the financial corporations which cut off Wikileaks, are legitimate resistance, since Mastercard and co are supporting American government policy against Wikileaks, violating freedom of press
In this respect and given the American hatred policy against Wikileaks, also attacks on American governmental organisations is legitimate.
Anonymous is an important weapon in the struggle for Wikileaks freedom of press
Also the Also UN Commissioner of Human Rights, mrs Pilay, has criticized websites, that have refused to host Wikileaks, as an attack on the freedom of expression of Wikileaks [40]
EPILOGUE
The arrest of Assange is directly connected with the American political interest to stop the revelations of Wikileaks at all costs
Therefore it is an attack on the freedom of press and the freedom of expression
Journalism feels that, by working together with Wikileaks and saving material, as The Guardian and other papers do
But there’s more at stake:
Whole Internetjournalism may be treathed
When Assange is to be extradited to Sweden and in the horrorscenario, that Sweden extradites him to the USA [41], after British consent [42], there is more to it than a probably unfair US trial
From that moment all critical Internetjournalists, who write unpleasant truths about the US and human rights violating allies, can be prosecuted, persecuted and intimidated
The freedom of press and speech, consolidated in the first Amendment of the American Constitution, will be a dead letter.
However, most bizarre point: Real or alleged American warcriminals are free to go, while the messengers are shooted at [42]
BUT US AND ALLIES, MAKE NO MISTAKE
Their dirty secrets will always be unmasked and Wikileaks, or a successor, will go on
To defend the victims of US power policy
Astrid Essed Amsterdam The Netherlands
NOTES
[1]
ARTICLE JULIAN ASSANGE THE AUSTRALIAN DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER FOR REVEALING UNCONFORTABLE TRUTHS 8 DECEMBER 2010
”At 9.15am last Tuesday a thin, white-haired figure left the Frontline Club, the west London establishment dedicated to preserving freedom of speech, and voluntarily surrendered to police.”
Source:
THE GUARDIAN WIKILEAKS BACKLASH: THE FIRST GLOBAL CYBER WAR HAS BEGUN 11 DECEMBER 2010
”Assange, a 39-year-old Australian, had earlier handed himself in to British police after Sweden had issued a European Arrest Warrant for him. Assange, who denies the allegations, will remain behind bars until a fresh hearing on December 14.”
Source:
REUTERS WIKILEAKS FOUNDER ASSANGE REFUSED BAIL BY UK COURT 7 DECEMBER 2010
” US At torney General Er ic Holder said officials were pursuing a “very serious criminal investigation” into the matter. Yet while Mr Assange has widely acknowledged his role in disseminating classified documents, legal experts say US criminal statutes and case law do not cleanly apply to his case. US espionage law has been used to prosecute US officials who provided secrets to foreign governments or foreign spies who pursued US secrets. But Mr Assange, an Australian citizen, former computer hacker and self-described journalist, did not work for the US government, has no known links to foreign governments, and operates on the internet, by all accounts far from US soil”
SOURCE:
BBC NEWS BARRIERS TO POSSIBLE US ASSANGE PROSECUTION 8 DECEMBER 2010
” US Attorn ey General Eric Holder said officials were pursuing a “very serious criminal investigation” into the matter. Yet while Mr Assange has widely acknowledged his role in disseminating classified documents, legal experts say US criminal statutes and case law do not cleanly apply to his case. US espionage law has been used to prosecute US officials who provided secrets to foreign governments or foreign spies who pursued US secrets. But Mr Assange, an Australian citizen, former computer hacker and self-described journalist, did not work for the US government, has no known links to foreign governments, and operates on the internet, by all accounts far from US soil”
SOURCE:
BBC NEWS BARRIERS TO POSSIBLE US ASSANGE PROSECUTION 8 DECEMBER 2010
” There is a Sweden-US extradition treaty, signed in 1961, which provides a legal foundation for extraditions between the countries. But there is still discretion for Sweden to refuse extraditions for “political offences” or where the suspect has reason to fear persecution on account of their membership of a social group or political beliefs. The treaty also specifies the offences which qualify for extradition, and espionage is not one of them. If the treaty doesn’t apply, there would still be scope for the country to agree to his extradition to the US – Swedish law permits extradition more generally to countries outside Europe, but this could only take place after the current rape proceedings were concluded.”
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN JULIAN ASSANGE’S EXTRADITION WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? 8 DECEMBER 2010
” 4.1 8pm: Speaking outside the court, Ken Loach said it was “good news” that Assange had been granted bail.
Clearly, if the Swedish government opposes bail it will show there is some vindictiveness beyond this case. It will show there is some political element that goes beyond the case.”
Source:
THE GUARDIAN JULIAN ASSANGE GRANTED BAIL/LIVE UPDATES 14TH DECEMBER 2010
”WikiLeaks has won a number of awards, including the 2008 Economist magazine New Media Award.[10] In June 2009, WikiLeaks and Julian Assange won Amnesty International’s UK Media Award (in the category “New Media”) for the 2008 publication of “Kenya: The Cry of Blood – Extra Judicial Killings and Disappearances”,[11] a report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights about police killings in Kenya.[12] ”
”David Schlesinger, Reuters editor in chief, said Tuesday that the video was disturbing to watch “but also important to watch.” He said he hoped to meet with the Pentagon “to press the need to learn lessons from this tragedy.”
Source:
THE NEW YORK TIMES AIRSTRIKE VIDEO BRINGS NOTICE TO A WEBSITE 6TH APRIL 2010
”David Schlesinger, Reuters editor in chief, said Tuesday that the video was disturbing to watch “but also important to watch.” He said he hoped to meet with the Pentagon “to press the need to learn lessons from this tragedy.”
Source:
THE NEW YORK TIMES AIRSTRIKE VIDEO BRINGS NOTICE TO A WEBSITE 6TH APRIL 2010
” US Attorn ey General Eric Holder said officials were pursuing a “very serious criminal investigation” into the matter. Yet while Mr Assange has widely acknowledged his role in disseminating classified documents, legal experts say US criminal statutes and case law do not cleanly apply to his case. US espionage law has been used to prosecute US officials who provided secrets to foreign governments or foreign spies who pursued US secrets. But Mr Assange, an Australian citizen, former computer hacker and self-described journalist, did not work for the US government, has no known links to foreign governments, and operates on the internet, by all accounts far from US soil”
SOURCE:
BBC NEWS BARRIERS TO POSSIBLE US ASSANGE PROSECUTION 8 DECEMBER 2010
””The fact that one prosecutor dismissed the charges against Assange and another picked them up afterwards, makes the case look fishy. The prosecuting authorities should have acted more expeditiously and speedily.”
Source:
THE GUARDIAN JULIAN ASSANGE FURORE DEEPENS AS NEW DETAILS EMERGE OF SEX CRIME ALLEGATIONS 18 DECEMBER 2010
”Assange’s supporters point out that, despite her complaints against him, Miss A held a party for him on that evening and continued to allow him to stay in her flat.
Source:
THE GUARDIAN 10 DAYS IN SWEDEN: THE FULL ALLEGATIONS AGAINST JULIAN ASSANGE 17 DECEMBER 2010
MAIL ONLINE SUPPORTERS DISMISSED RAPE ACCUSATION AGAINST WIKILEAKS FOUNDER JULIAN ASSANGE…BUT THE TWO WOMEN INVOLVED TELL A DIFFERENT STORY 29 AUGUST 2010
WEARING OF THE GREEN/LONG LIVE A UNITED IRELAND/DOWN WITH BRITISH COLONIALISM!
Dear Readers Here you can hear and read the beautiful Irish Resistance Song againstthe century long brutal British oppression and colonialism, which not onlyoppressed and humiliated the Irish people, but also tried to destroy theirlanguage and culture!It makes me furious to watch, that till nowadays Northern Ireland, which is the rightful part of Ireland and an invention of British colonialism, is still oneof the last remnants of the British colonial Empire.
FINAL And let’s not forget this.When speaking about British colonialism, always the oppressed colonies in Africa and Asia were centres of the attention and with right, but much less Ireland.Never forget that the British colonialism started just there. SO: DOWN WITH THE PRO COLONIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTHERN IRELAND!NORTHERN IRELAND MUST BE PART OF IRELAND AGAIN!THE IRA [1] WAS RIGHT ABOUT THAT!And for me:I support any progressive Irish movement, which wants to fight for aUnited Ireland! I hope to see the Day, that Northern Ireland is united with the rest ofIreland againIt’s a question of Justice! ASTRID ESSED [1] WIKIPEDIAIRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY
The following is the celebrated song which created such intense excitement throughout Great Britain, and for the incorporation of which in his piece, Mr. Bourcicault’ play of “Arrah na Pogue,” had to be withdrawn from the London stage.
I.
Oh, Paddy, dear, an’did you hear the news thats goin round?
The shamrock is forbid by law to grow on Irish ground.
No more St. Patrick’s day well keep, his color cant be seen,
For there’s a bloody law agin the wearin of the green.
I met with Napper Tandy, and he tuk me by the hand,
And he said, how’s poor ould Ireland, and how does she stand?
“She’s the most distressful country that ever you have seen,
They’re hangin men and women there for wearin of the green.”
II.
Then since the color we must wear is England’s cruel red,
Sure Ireland’s sons will neer forget the blood that they have shed.
You may take the shamrock from your hat and cast it on the sod,
It will take root and flourish there, though under foot ’tis trod.
When the law can stop the blades of grass from growing as they grow,
And when the leaves in summer time their verdure dare not show,
Then I will change the color I wear in my corbeen,
But till that day, plaze God, I’ll stick to wearin of the green.
III.
But if at last our color should be torn from Ireland’s heart,
Her sons with shame and sorrow from the dear ould soil will part.
I’ve heard whisper of a country that lies far beyant the say,
Where rich and poor stand equal in the light of freedom’s day.
Oh, Erin, must we lave you, driven by the tyrant’s hand,
Must we ask a mother—s welcome from a strange but happier land,
Where the cruel cross of England’s thraldom never shall be seen,
And where, thank God, we’ll live and die, still wearin of the green.
END OF THE SONG
Reacties uitgeschakeld voor Wearing of the Green/Long live a United Ireland!/Down with British colonialism!
Armenian civilians, escorted by armed Ottoman soldiers, are marched through Harput (Kharpert), to a prison in the nearby Mezireh (present-day Elâzığ), April 1915.
”Whilst many seek to pin the blame on the inevitable result of decades of oppression in under-privileged communities, the causes of the riots are swept under the rugs looted from Carpet Right. Inequality is at the heart of this. As long as the police see themselves as above the law, young people will take it into their own hands.”JODY MCINTYRE/FROM BRIXTON TO TOTTENHAM
WE ARE NO LONGER WILLING TO PUT UP WITH POLICE BRUTALITY OR RACISM
ALONDRA NELSON OP TWITTER
SAMENVATTING:
In tegenstelling tot de mainstream media zijn de rellen in Engeland geen ”pure vernielzucht” of ”moreel verval”, maar het gevolg van regeringsbezuinigingen, die vooral de arme wijken treffen, jarenlange sociale achterstelling en vaak onbestraft gebleven politiegeweld
De methodes het vernielen en plunderen zijn verkeerd, de gevallen doden zonder meer onacceptabel, maar de woede om de achterstelling en het jarenlange politiegeweld is gerechtvaardigd
Het is het verzet van de genegeerden, vernederden en niet-gehoorden, zoals Martin Luther King ooit heeft gezegd 1
Demonstranten bij Heathrow protesteren tegen het uitzetten van asielzoekers naar Rwanda REUTERS
