The beat goes on as sarmachars continue resisting.
Friday, September 01, 2006
سرمچار
Nawab Akbar Bugti was extrajudicially assisinated by Pakistani forces last week. Bugti had campaigned for years for the gas-rich province of Baluchistan to be given greater autonomy and a larger share of natural resources.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon forced to resign
Israel's Justice Minister Haim Ramon is handing in his resignation on Sunday after being charged with indecent assault for allegedly having forcibly kissed an 18-year-old female soldier in a government office.
This is the same individual that said the following during Israel's war on Lebanon, "In order to prevent casualties among Israeli soldiers battling Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon, villages should be flattened by the Israeli air force before ground troops move in", and "all those in south Lebanon are terrorists who are related in some way to Hezbollah." He was obviously unaware of the old and frail, the poor, and those without cars and fuel that were forced to remain in southern Lebanon.
Well, Justice Minister of Israel, that's what you get for thinking with your penis.
This is the same individual that said the following during Israel's war on Lebanon, "In order to prevent casualties among Israeli soldiers battling Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon, villages should be flattened by the Israeli air force before ground troops move in", and "all those in south Lebanon are terrorists who are related in some way to Hezbollah." He was obviously unaware of the old and frail, the poor, and those without cars and fuel that were forced to remain in southern Lebanon.
Well, Justice Minister of Israel, that's what you get for thinking with your penis.
Monday, August 14, 2006
As the dust settles, can we see winners?
Many people are of the opinion that Hizballah came out victorious since the War with Israel began on July 12. They say that:
- Israel's month long campaign did nothing to hamper Hizballah's ability to fire into Israel, which was openly evident yesterday when Hizballah fired 250 rockets;
- Israel spent tremendous military effort into this war - costing it US$1 billion/week for four weeks (a minor blow);
- Israel has lost major political capital in the world's eyes because the world sees in the Qana massacre and the 1,170 dead Lebanese (mostly civilian), the brutality of the Israeli military and government;
- Israel has made more enemies now than it ever had in the Arab and Muslim world and even outside;
- The belief that Israel is the strongest army in the Middle East has been shattered, increasing despair among Israelis, and increasing its neighbours' will to challenge Israeli policy;
- According to certain Jewish lawyers in Tel Aviv, this War will prove to be the beginning of the decline of the State of Israel as we know it. He estimates it won't happen tomorrow, but that this War will be the start of a long decline.
All relevant points, with which I mostly agree. Nevertheless, in this war I don't believe there were winners. There were only losers.
The UN and its Security Council showed their impotence in being unable to act in time; Lebanon lost over a thousand of its people, its infrastructure and economy; Israel lost financially, militarily and in morale; the world has lost because of our society's inability to prevent the madness, death and destruction of war from ruling and defining our lives. Our world's bloody history has failed to teach us that collective good and cooperation is our ultimate goal as human beings. Not ethnic goals. Or religious goals. Or political goals.
As the dust settles, I can see no winners in this War.
Only losers.
- Israel's month long campaign did nothing to hamper Hizballah's ability to fire into Israel, which was openly evident yesterday when Hizballah fired 250 rockets;
- Israel spent tremendous military effort into this war - costing it US$1 billion/week for four weeks (a minor blow);
- Israel has lost major political capital in the world's eyes because the world sees in the Qana massacre and the 1,170 dead Lebanese (mostly civilian), the brutality of the Israeli military and government;
- Israel has made more enemies now than it ever had in the Arab and Muslim world and even outside;
- The belief that Israel is the strongest army in the Middle East has been shattered, increasing despair among Israelis, and increasing its neighbours' will to challenge Israeli policy;
- According to certain Jewish lawyers in Tel Aviv, this War will prove to be the beginning of the decline of the State of Israel as we know it. He estimates it won't happen tomorrow, but that this War will be the start of a long decline.
All relevant points, with which I mostly agree. Nevertheless, in this war I don't believe there were winners. There were only losers.
The UN and its Security Council showed their impotence in being unable to act in time; Lebanon lost over a thousand of its people, its infrastructure and economy; Israel lost financially, militarily and in morale; the world has lost because of our society's inability to prevent the madness, death and destruction of war from ruling and defining our lives. Our world's bloody history has failed to teach us that collective good and cooperation is our ultimate goal as human beings. Not ethnic goals. Or religious goals. Or political goals.
As the dust settles, I can see no winners in this War.
Only losers.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Voces Latinas Radio Interview - 1610 AM Toronto
In 30 minutes I'll be doing a radio interview with Sandra Farias of Voces Latinas AM 1610, a Spanish radio station based in Toronto. We'll mostly be talking about the War in Lebanon.
I'm unsure if we're airing live but tune in to find out when the interview will air.
I'm unsure if we're airing live but tune in to find out when the interview will air.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Monday, July 31, 2006
Israel's war crimes, massacres and blatant breaches of international law continue unhindered in Lebanon and Gaza
An HRA press release / July 31, 2006
Israel's military assault on Lebanon continues to violate international humanitarian law as Israel pushes forward an agenda awash in unabated violent massacres and war crimes. US diplomacy has only complied with these war crimes through granting Israel impunity, thereby giving Israel the impression that it has permission to continue. Finally, it is plain to see that the international community has failed miserably in its duty – to ensure the protection of innocent civilians during time of war.
Israel's latest assault on Lebanon was Sunday morning's massacre in Qana – which killed 28 civilians (initial reports said 60, but the new numbers are more accurate), the majority of whom were children. With this massacre, Israel's war on Lebanon has entered a new phase. This war crime is also testament to the UN Security Council's failure to impose an immediate ceasefire to ensure the protection of civilians and to halt war actions. Furthermore, if following the massacre all that is made is a verbal condemnation, then Israel can only interpret that as being a green light to assault more civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The massacre in Qana has brought the death toll to over 750 in Lebanon, the majority of who are civilians. In addition, as Israel's crimes of collective punishment in Gaza continue, more than 160 Palestinians, also chiefly civilians, have been killed. The Arab Association for Human Rights (HRA) makes an urgent appeal to the international community to act towards an immediate cessation of violence and for Israel to comply with its obligations to international law.
Lebanon: Since the start of Israel's military assault of Lebanon on July 12, over a third of the casualties in Lebanon have been children. Furthermore, Israel's bombardment of Lebanon has given rise to over 700,000 refugees. Civilian infrastructure and institutions have been deliberate targets of Israel's aerial attacks – airports, ports, power stations, roads and bridges have all been hit. As casualties mount, there is an increasing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, particularly in the south.
Gaza Strip: In addition to the 160 Palestinians killed since June 25, at least 700 civilians have been wounded by Israeli army gunfire. In addition, Palestinian ministries and educational institutions have been destroyed, as has the plant that supplies nearly 50% of Gaza's electricity. Bridges, roads, dozens of homes, and hundreds of dunams of agricultural land have also been destroyed. Furthermore, 27 elected Palestinian ministers, including eight cabinet ministers have been detained without charge.
The United Nations Security Council is the UN's most powerful body whose chief responsibility is the 'maintenance of international peace and security'. However, despite its numerous meetings following the crisis, it has been unable to enforce a ceasefire, much less condemn Israel's blatant violations of international humanitarian law, including the killing of four UN observers.
The European Union also has a special role to play in the crisis because of the Association Agreements it has signed with Israel and Lebanon. Article 2 of this Agreement contains a human rights clause that states, 'Relations between the parties shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles'. Furthermore, the EU-Israel Action Plan clearly stresses 'Common values of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law and basic freedoms'. Surely, Israel's targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and its refusal to negotiate do not fall in line with these shared values.
The HRA believes that the failure of the UN Security Council to protect civilians in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip at a time when serious humanitarian crises face the two populations raises serious questions from civil society engaged in promoting international law and human rights principles, about the credibility of institutions and agreements that fail to stop war crimes against civilian populations. The failure of the EU to use existing agreements (Action Plan, Association Agreement) clearly resulted from a lack of political will by certain member states. This failure undermines the EU's credibility and its position in the region.
Through our work in the community, we receive clear signals that the EU and UN's failure to act and to apply agreements to protect civilians during war has been interpreted as having succumbed to the political interests of powerful states. This sends the negative message that these agreements will never be enforced to stop the daily human rights violations and discrimination that our community faces. This is viewed as a step backward, as people will look for alternatives outside the current system, which will only lead to more violence in the region.
The HRA strongly condemns Israel's war crimes and gross violations of international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and the Fourth Geneva Convention. We stress that Israel should not be allowed to stand above international standards and law.
We thereby urgently call on the EU and UN to firstly, take clear positions condemning the current breaches of international law; and second, to activate the existing mechanisms (Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention) for an urgent and immediate international ruling to impose a ceasefire and to enable effective transfer of humanitarian aid to the needy. Third, given recent developments it is increasingly urgent that the UN establish an international commission for enquiry into the war crimes committed by Israel since its assault on Lebanon began on July 12.
In this moment, the want for international action is dire; at stake are not only the lives of innocent civilians but also the credibility of humanitarian morals and international values that have been held ransom by the belligerent forces of international politics and war machines.
Israel's military assault on Lebanon continues to violate international humanitarian law as Israel pushes forward an agenda awash in unabated violent massacres and war crimes. US diplomacy has only complied with these war crimes through granting Israel impunity, thereby giving Israel the impression that it has permission to continue. Finally, it is plain to see that the international community has failed miserably in its duty – to ensure the protection of innocent civilians during time of war.
Israel's latest assault on Lebanon was Sunday morning's massacre in Qana – which killed 28 civilians (initial reports said 60, but the new numbers are more accurate), the majority of whom were children. With this massacre, Israel's war on Lebanon has entered a new phase. This war crime is also testament to the UN Security Council's failure to impose an immediate ceasefire to ensure the protection of civilians and to halt war actions. Furthermore, if following the massacre all that is made is a verbal condemnation, then Israel can only interpret that as being a green light to assault more civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The massacre in Qana has brought the death toll to over 750 in Lebanon, the majority of who are civilians. In addition, as Israel's crimes of collective punishment in Gaza continue, more than 160 Palestinians, also chiefly civilians, have been killed. The Arab Association for Human Rights (HRA) makes an urgent appeal to the international community to act towards an immediate cessation of violence and for Israel to comply with its obligations to international law.
Lebanon: Since the start of Israel's military assault of Lebanon on July 12, over a third of the casualties in Lebanon have been children. Furthermore, Israel's bombardment of Lebanon has given rise to over 700,000 refugees. Civilian infrastructure and institutions have been deliberate targets of Israel's aerial attacks – airports, ports, power stations, roads and bridges have all been hit. As casualties mount, there is an increasing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, particularly in the south.
Gaza Strip: In addition to the 160 Palestinians killed since June 25, at least 700 civilians have been wounded by Israeli army gunfire. In addition, Palestinian ministries and educational institutions have been destroyed, as has the plant that supplies nearly 50% of Gaza's electricity. Bridges, roads, dozens of homes, and hundreds of dunams of agricultural land have also been destroyed. Furthermore, 27 elected Palestinian ministers, including eight cabinet ministers have been detained without charge.
The United Nations Security Council is the UN's most powerful body whose chief responsibility is the 'maintenance of international peace and security'. However, despite its numerous meetings following the crisis, it has been unable to enforce a ceasefire, much less condemn Israel's blatant violations of international humanitarian law, including the killing of four UN observers.
The European Union also has a special role to play in the crisis because of the Association Agreements it has signed with Israel and Lebanon. Article 2 of this Agreement contains a human rights clause that states, 'Relations between the parties shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles'. Furthermore, the EU-Israel Action Plan clearly stresses 'Common values of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law and basic freedoms'. Surely, Israel's targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and its refusal to negotiate do not fall in line with these shared values.
The HRA believes that the failure of the UN Security Council to protect civilians in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip at a time when serious humanitarian crises face the two populations raises serious questions from civil society engaged in promoting international law and human rights principles, about the credibility of institutions and agreements that fail to stop war crimes against civilian populations. The failure of the EU to use existing agreements (Action Plan, Association Agreement) clearly resulted from a lack of political will by certain member states. This failure undermines the EU's credibility and its position in the region.
Through our work in the community, we receive clear signals that the EU and UN's failure to act and to apply agreements to protect civilians during war has been interpreted as having succumbed to the political interests of powerful states. This sends the negative message that these agreements will never be enforced to stop the daily human rights violations and discrimination that our community faces. This is viewed as a step backward, as people will look for alternatives outside the current system, which will only lead to more violence in the region.
The HRA strongly condemns Israel's war crimes and gross violations of international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and the Fourth Geneva Convention. We stress that Israel should not be allowed to stand above international standards and law.
We thereby urgently call on the EU and UN to firstly, take clear positions condemning the current breaches of international law; and second, to activate the existing mechanisms (Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention) for an urgent and immediate international ruling to impose a ceasefire and to enable effective transfer of humanitarian aid to the needy. Third, given recent developments it is increasingly urgent that the UN establish an international commission for enquiry into the war crimes committed by Israel since its assault on Lebanon began on July 12.
In this moment, the want for international action is dire; at stake are not only the lives of innocent civilians but also the credibility of humanitarian morals and international values that have been held ransom by the belligerent forces of international politics and war machines.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Scholar Ghazi Falah free but Lebanon siege continues
The Shin Bet (Israeli General Security Service) and police today released without charges Professor Ghazi Falah, an Israeli-Canadian geographer (of Palestinian descent) detained three weeks ago on suspicion of spying for Hezbollah.
Falah was held for the first 18 days of his detention without permission to consult a lawyer, and was questioned by security sources for more than 12 hours straight without break or sleep.
In the meanwhile, Israel's breaches of international humanitarian law continue with its latest massacre in Qana, Lebanon. Atleast 54 dead, among them 34 children. How much longer?
Falah was held for the first 18 days of his detention without permission to consult a lawyer, and was questioned by security sources for more than 12 hours straight without break or sleep.
In the meanwhile, Israel's breaches of international humanitarian law continue with its latest massacre in Qana, Lebanon. Atleast 54 dead, among them 34 children. How much longer?
Friday, July 28, 2006
Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon assuming a lot these days
Haim Ramon. Being probed. I'm assuming ofcourse.
Haim Ramon, Israel's Justice Minister, seems to be assuming a lot these days.
Following international talks in Rome on Wednesday about Israel's brutal assault on Lebanon, when the international community stopped short of calling for an immediate truce, Haim Ramon made an assumption. He assumed that Israel had received "a green light from the world... to continue the operation". The US wasn't too pleased.
Back at home, Haim is making other assumptions.. about how certain women wish to get down with him. He is alleged to have forcibly kissed an employee of another government ministry on the mouth about two weeks ago at a party in Tel Aviv. Israel's Minister of Rough Justice is currently being probed by the police.
I'm assuming that it will be a non-invasive probing and will likely result in him receiving a promotion.
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