April 22, 2002
The Editor,
The Boston Herald
Boston.
Dear Editor,
HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIPLOMATIC POLITICS--TRUE VICTIMS
I wish to commend your newspaper on the issue of modern day slavery in Sudan perpetrated by the Moslem majority in the north on the predominantly Black African minority Christians and traditional religious worshipers in the south ("JP minister: Helping free slaves in Sudan an inspiring mission"-- article and "Today's slaves at issue"-- editorial, dated April 16th and 20th, 2002 respectively.
Through your many editorials and articles over the years, your Paper has consistently exposed the hypocrisy of many human rights activist groups including the United Nations Human Rights Commission itself. The United Nations Security Council is yet to pass a resolution to condemn the Government of Sudan on the issue of slavery and appoint a monitoring team to ensure that this shameful practice is discontinued. Ironically, Sudan is a current member of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. The U.N. Human Rights Commission selectively cite International Law and Geneva Conventions are often only when alleged breaches of Human Rights are committed by any of the "should know better" democratic governments. The Western Democracies commonly cited are United States and Israel who are easier to blame countries as scapegoats. It does not matter which of their respective two Parties in each country is in powerl It is just anti-Americanism and anti-Israel politics at the U.N., pure and simple. The use of the U.S. vetoes at the U.N. Security Council are at times used to expose the U.N’s hypocrisy, bias and moral bankruptcy. At times also, Israel is betrayed by her strongest ally which is Israel to keep the diplomatic blame game alive. These two United Nations' member countries are therefore more often than not targeted for the alleged breaches on the issues of self-determination, religious plurality, and commitment of war crimes. Those terrorist groups and oppressive Governments who deliberately target civilians in conflicts for the many breaches of the basic human rights principles under the United Nations Charter are absolved..
Oppressive military, theocratic, party or monarchy dictatorships are therefore allowed to burry their Human Rights abuses while same governments shamefully accuse the United Nations of being bias and applying double standard against them. In some circumstances the blatant bias of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions are vetoed by the United States in defense of its only democratic ally in the Middle East which is the State of Israel. However many are allowed to pass through abstentions in the Security Council by United States when the U. S. Administration is caught between the moral defense of Israel and economic interest of its dependence on Middle East oil. Many other bias Resolutions are at times moved to the General Assembly to be approved by majority vote counts of member countries to avoid the U.S. veto in the Security Council.. Some are also either later repealed or their implementation stalled due to conflicting interests of members countries. The mockery of many of these Resolutions, however, become very clear when the United Nations' true double standard of absolving the dictatorship regimes is exposed with the actual historical facts and events on the ground.
The United Nations Security Council just passed unanimous resolution to send a monitoring team to Jenine Refugee Camp in the West Bank to investigate what crimes were committed in Israel's war against the Hamas terrorist group in the West Bank and suicide bombings of Israeli civilians. This Resolution could not stand on its own merit and test of fairness to be implemented. It was consequently rejected by both the Palestinians and the Israelis and now abandoned but left its indelible mark on the many other previous stains of its anti-Israel bias at the United Nations. The various charges of massacre of hundreds of innocent Palestinian civilians and bull-dozing of homes had no factual truth on the ground in the combat between Israel Defense Force and Palestinian Militants in bomb-making houses, some with booby-traps, detonating to kill anybody who dared to enter them. News reporters and the International Red Cross staff could not go into the Camp during the period of the fighting even though the Israel Defense Force had been charged for preventing them in visiting the area of the gun battle. Ordinary civilians had already been ordered to leave the area by the Israelis to avoid civilian casualties. The so-called forces of resistance had decided to stay to fight a gun battle with the Israeli soldiers. Who uses what level of force to be excessive or acceptable in such a combat is a judgement by the international community and Human Rights groups by ignoring the basic objective of win or lose in any armed conflict . More often than not, this bias against the State of Israel is always used to weaken the resolve of Israel’s self-defensive war against terrorism. This in turn limits the capacity of democratic States to defend and protect their civilians, promote freedom as well as preventing the loss of innocent civilians lives against groups and States determined to use violence to pursue their cause.
There is higher presence of news reporters, peace and Human Rights activists as well as members of the International Red Cross staff per capita concentration in Israel and the disputed territories of West Bank and Gaza than anywhere in the world. Furthermore, millions of dollars of international assistance are sent annually to the West bank and Gaza over the many years of the Arab-Israeli conflict with most of the assistance directed to finance the same militants involved in terrorism for the purchase of weapons. These external groups are united and engaged in various forms of humanitarian and self-righteous campaign of moral propaganda war against the State of Israel. At times they expose their own blatant lies and contradictions below the level oh human intelligence and borders on the lines of Anti-Semitism with the complicity of the so-called international community. Unfortunately, the desired interest to protect and defend the Human Rights for those waging terror and suicide bombings against innocent Israeli civilians and their own civilian population at parties, shopping malls, motorways, and restaurants ambiguous. This also limits the world's attention, its human and financial resources to help thousands if not millions of other victims of human atrocities in many other parts of the world.
Consequently, this misplaced diplomatic approach raises the demands and appeasement for those engaged in violence for their political and religious objectives. This in turn help to focus more attention on the terrorist as they wage their propaganda, while increasing their resources in the form of assistance and creating further incentives for more terrorism. This is the mockery of diplomatic politics in the pursuance of Human Rights agenda and the elusive commitment to alleviate world poverty and human misery in the 21st Century. Posterity is yet to pass its judgment for any lessons we wish to draw from these events as we continue to be blind-folded by ignoring these evil forces of terrorism.
The causes of freedom, Human Rights and justice cannot therefore be pursued through the lens of diplomatic expedience. Voting blocks in the form of regional, organizational or religious blocks make it convenient for activists to concentrate their actions along the lines of priorities of interests of those voting blocks. These priorities often disregard the plight of actual victims of Human Rights abuses, poverty and human misery as those Governments and groups who are directly responsible are absolved by the defaulting silence on their human rights abuses and killings of innocent civilians. This is the fate of the slave victims of the Black Africans in southern Sudan and other victims of human atrocities of the violent conflicts in many parts of Africa. Their conditions are often raised at diplomatic Summits, Conference Halls and Peace Conferences often attended by the same perpetrators as heads of States or rebel groups with no references or accountability for their breaches of International Law as they hypocritically accuse the democratic Governments of breaching the rules for which they are directly responsible.
Meanwhile, the same diplomatic politics continues to be pursued in an elusive global peace based on Human Rights protection and the application of International Law in the Middle East and in the Balkans while the very groups and Governments disrespecting these rights and International law continue to blame the international community for the violent conflicts they perpetrate upon themselves. Many known terrorist groups and Governments sponsoring them are still untouchable and some are even being prodded to join the democratic Governments for peace conferences and negotiations for the resolutions of ever evasive peace process in the Middle East. This blind-folding of our eyes at the sight of evil is not enough. The protracted Arab-Israeli conflict has always been the result of the fatal romantic attraction to the exploration of the ways to appease the evil in a clothing of beautiful bride. Diplomatic politics in the Middle East is yet to draw the lines between human progress in peace and democracy as opposed to terrorism, oppression, and human misery under Oppressive Regimes and Terrorist Groups. This has been the paradox of the conflict of civilizations. Which side will prevail will depend on the nature of coalition forces as well as drawing hard and thin lines between universal principles of human freedom as opposed to terror and oppressive systems of governance. In any conflict where this hard thin line is not drawn, the conflict is unduly protracted. Peaceful resolutions are interpreted differently by two different systems of human principles of law and order, trust and mistrust, love and hate, leadership responsibility and mismanagement, collective and absolute powers. When these factors are ignored, each can be a cannon of a fatal bullet to any peace agreement.
Human intelligence and people of good will, however, continue to explore the nature of diplomatic politics and Human Rights activism which in turn creates political tension straining the democratic process in other wise freedom-minded countries. This human desire for peace and justice arises out of the convictions of good human principles. However, these good human principles are confused with our respect for relative morality,and respect for other cultures, Religions and other systems of governance. This is based on our belief in the hope that over time, principles of good governance will be respected by those who rule by terror, oppression, and disregard for human progress. Empirical evidence brought about by the improvement in mass information exchange and technology is however increasing the human knowledge on some of these illusive assumptions of human progress. Free access to historical, political, economic, cultural and religious documentaries which draw clear lines between rhetoric and reality in the diplomatic politics and Human Rights activism as well as differences between effective and ineffective systems of governance are easily available to expose the dangers of bad governance and leadership. The failure of the diplomatic politics and Human Rights activism is our reluctance to emphasize and highlight on common moral principles. We have instead created a moral equivalence in deciding the good and the evil based on relative or comparative moral judgment for the good and bad governance, democracy and dictatorship, terror and self-defense, true oppressors and the oppressed, as well as true victims of human misery and politicized victims.
Support or excuses for hate and violence as a result of being victims of oppression and the so-called occupation in an unresolved Arab-Israeli conflict of wars whilst the voices of actual victims of poverty and human misery are silenced undermines our human civilization and global peace. The diplomatic political strategy of calming or pacifying the groups and Governments which use hate and threats of violence to back their demands and political objectives has been tried for over 60 years since the partitioning of the British Mandate of Palestine between the Arabs and the Jews in 1947. After each major war the granting of concessions and appeasement have been provided to the Arabs The latter has been using propaganda of lies, exaggerations and contradictions as tools to back their ultimate intentions to destroy the State of Israel which the international community still refuses to perceive as real intentions. The moral basis to use violence to pursue their cause by both the terrorist groups and Governments in the Middle East are never confronted in the international community. They are either completely ignored or even supported and encouraged. Ignorance is therefore no more an excuse as these diplomatic failures and their consequences are now very clear. Passing UN Resolutions to justify the hate-mongering politics in the Arab world has been counter-productive. The status-quo of Resolutions, Human Rights reports and diplomatic strategies have not being working in the Middle East. More innocent lives in hundreds of thousands are being lost in wars and factional conflicts in many other parts of the world year after year. No lessons are being drawn from the past and present for the success in defeating human evil of terrorism and building progressive societies in global peace for better future.
Almost 8 months after the highest fatality of innocent civilians by terrorist attack on U.S. soil on September 11, 2001, most of the terrorist groups like the al Qaeda, Hezbullah, Islamic Jihad, Abu Sayyaf and many others including their financial networks like Barakaat are still in operation in many countries with the same Governments harboring and sponsoring them. The September 11 terrorist attack was a wake up call on the international community's avowed commitment to rid the world of terrorism. Prior to this tragic incident, many similar ones but on smaller scales had been happening from the 70's through the 80's and 90's and now there is still the potential to carry these terrorist activities far into the 21st Century. Meanwhile, diplomatic politics and the international community are bugged down on the definition of terrorism, the root cause, who are the perpetrators and who are the victims. International conferences and regional blocks of countries are therefore without consensus on the diplomatic squabbles on the following issues:
1. The acceptable international laws applying to the dismantling of the terrorist
groups when terrorism itself cannot be defined universally and no U.N. Security
Council Resolution has never been passed to condemn or identify the acts of
terrorism and thoseknown groups of perpetrators or their State Government
sponsors and supporter.
2. The acceptable degree level of military force which can be used to
dismantle these groups and their bases, as well forcing them to comply
with the universal human rights as enshrined in the United Nations' Universal
Human Rights Charter.
3. The unachievable objective of eradication of poverty while attributing it
as the root cause of terrorism. This makes combating terrorism an illusionary
dream.
4. Removing oppressive and sponsors of terrorist groups whilst these Governments
are in the coalition to fight the terrorism.
5. Building democratic institutions in those areas where terrorist groups operate
with same countries being suspicious of outside influence to modernize their societies.
6. Using unilateral or bilateral initiative and the conflicting responses of various
Governments due to their conflicting national, political and economic interests
of the groups countries in the United Nations.
These above gray areas are the indecisive areas of diplomacy where real-politik undermines our resolve to eradicate terrorism. The terrorist groups and the oppressive Governments have well-educated
intellectuals who exploit these inherent contradictions. Their sympathizers also base their actions and derived self-righteous moral authority to support them politically, religiously and financially based on these diplomatic loop holes..
The present application of International Law, respect for Human Rights, criticisms and condemnations which are reserved for democratic Governments and their civilians, the very victims, through guilt compound the hate which emboldens the perpetrators of terrorism. The are the very groups and Governments who do not respect these same very basic human principles. Democratic and emerging democratic Governments and their democratically minded Non-Governmental Organizations are not made to preach the virtues of freedom, liberty and pursue of happiness in tranquility. These voices are reduced to sound bites or pushed on the sidelines of thick lines of rhetoric from the vocal voices of victimhood to embolden their determination to pursue their violent struggle to destroy our civilization. At the same time the voices of actual victims of oppression and human misery are equally silenced in most of the oppressed societies. The diplomatic language of hate and pursuance of political and religious goals through violence therefore become very clear and vocal for those who wish to see the evil in the eyes. Free loving people at one stage or the other are therefore either forced to confront this evil risking their lives on the streets of the capital in many of these countries, again with no support from the very Human Rights groups or more democratic countries.. Thus creating the cycle of violence or be intimidated into submission to evil.
Alternatively, therefore, the lessons of good governance, pursuing peace through peaceful negotiations, leadership responsibility and political stability are the only means to an end for peace, economic progress, as well as social and political justice. Human development indicators of countries and societies reflect on countries with success stories and those are the ones embarking on their internal pursuance of common sense of governance without internal contradictions of pursuing peace and justice while sponsoring terrorist groups, waging wars and oppressing its citizens. These are the obvious lessons some progressive non-governmental organizations have learnt and are applying them at the grass-root levels of many countries in Africa and Latin America. Whether the cup is half-full or half empty is a matter of whose voice is being heard whether it is out of rural town in the jungle of Africa or the politicized Gaza Strip in the Middle East.
Felix Amankona Diawuoh
Executive Director -Boston Chapter
The Free Africa Foundation,
Milton. MA 02186
(617) 698-2730
April 22, 2002
Friday, May 28, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
THE UNITED NATIONS, THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY.
THE UNITED NATIONS, THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To reinforce his intention to work more closely with the United Nations after the tensions of President Bush’s tenure, Mr. Obama plans to restore the ambassador’s post to cabinet rank, as it was under President Bill Clinton, according to Democrats close to the transition.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/us/politics/01rice.html
Oppose the nomination of Dr. Susan Rice as representative to the United Nations
An open letter to Senator John Kerry, Foreign Relations committee of the U.S. Senate, 7 December,2008
Victor Manfredi
Research fellow
African Studies Center
Boston University
manfredi@bu.edu
December 2008
http://people.bu.edu/manfredi/OpposeRiceNomination.pdf
For the U.N., a clean break
December 02, 2008
If former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John R. Bolton went to Bizarro World, his counterpart there would be Susan Rice. Inhabitants of DC Comics' fictional planet are the polar opposites of their earthly doubles, and it's hard to imagine anyone who would represent a clearer break with the Bush administration's foreign policy strategies than Rice, whose selection as U.N. ambassador was announced Monday by President-elect Barack Obama.
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/dec/02/opinion/ed-realists2
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
My Comments:
It is unfortunate that a sword is being pushed through the heart of true world peace. The twisted diplomacy at the United Nations and the soon to be Obama Administration in favor of world dictators, Rogue Regimes and terrorist groups will continue to distort the realities and ignore the plight of people under oppression yearning for freedom from their oppressive Governments. This twisted diplomacy is underscored by two major U.S Newspapers, New York Times and L/A Times, in their editorials I have posted above. Both Papers have attempted to create a new image of United States foreign policy. According to both Newspapers, the U.S. was being opposed at the UN because of its so-called “unilateralist”. Bush Administration’s UN Ambassador, John Bolton, adopted a diplomatic strategy to expose the weakness of the UN in enforcing basic Human Rights. He with the backing of the Bush Administration also applied stronger diplomatic pressure on the leaders oppressing their own citizens as means to stop violent conflicts and Human Rights abuses for democratic freedom and peaceful world.
With the nomination of Susan Rice, considered to be multilateralist by the Mainstream media which is a coded word for doing, to replace John Bolton as U.S. Ambassador is to relieve pressure on the world dictators and Human Rights abusers. This approach also fails to recognize the hard truths and realities of U.S. foreign policy. The Mainstream media would be serving American public better if a brief reflections of the ant-Americanism and Anti-Israel politics at the UN in favor of rogue regimes, dictators and Islamic terrorists groups had been confronted. These realities and roles played by the U.S. Ambassadors to the U.N. could be exposed under the various U.S. Administrations. The personalities of these Ambassadors and their willingness to co-operate or not co-operate with the other diplomats at the U.N. did not and will not win the love and co-operation from the majority of the Oppressive member Nations of the UN, whether it was Andrew Young(under Carter), Jeanne Kirkpatrick(under Reagan), Thomas Pickering(under Bush I.)Madeleine Albright(under Clinton) or John Bolton(under Bush II).
I doubt if Susan Rice can make a difference unless President-elect Obama will give up the major American foreign policy objective of spreading freedom, liberty and world peace through diplomacy which has always been preferable but military force used if no other options are feasible. This last resort has resulted in huge finacial and material costs on American people including sacrificing the lives of America's sons and daughters. The rest of the world therefore owe American people the Godly responsibility of gratitude and it is not the other way round. Some us from most of the other Developing Countries are also beneficiaries of USAID in financial and technical training never mentioned by the very educated elite in most of these countries. We shall see how President-elect Obama and his nominated UN Ambassador, Susan Rice if confirmed, will translate the bumper stickers of platitudes into foreign policy pragmatism and hope United States will paid the long overdue gratitude by the rest of the world. I will, however, not count on it.
Felix A. Diawuoh
The Free Africa Foundation.
Colorado Springs.
07/12/08
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To reinforce his intention to work more closely with the United Nations after the tensions of President Bush’s tenure, Mr. Obama plans to restore the ambassador’s post to cabinet rank, as it was under President Bill Clinton, according to Democrats close to the transition.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/us/politics/01rice.html
Oppose the nomination of Dr. Susan Rice as representative to the United Nations
An open letter to Senator John Kerry, Foreign Relations committee of the U.S. Senate, 7 December,2008
Victor Manfredi
Research fellow
African Studies Center
Boston University
manfredi@bu.edu
December 2008
http://people.bu.edu/manfredi/OpposeRiceNomination.pdf
For the U.N., a clean break
December 02, 2008
If former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John R. Bolton went to Bizarro World, his counterpart there would be Susan Rice. Inhabitants of DC Comics' fictional planet are the polar opposites of their earthly doubles, and it's hard to imagine anyone who would represent a clearer break with the Bush administration's foreign policy strategies than Rice, whose selection as U.N. ambassador was announced Monday by President-elect Barack Obama.
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/dec/02/opinion/ed-realists2
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
My Comments:
It is unfortunate that a sword is being pushed through the heart of true world peace. The twisted diplomacy at the United Nations and the soon to be Obama Administration in favor of world dictators, Rogue Regimes and terrorist groups will continue to distort the realities and ignore the plight of people under oppression yearning for freedom from their oppressive Governments. This twisted diplomacy is underscored by two major U.S Newspapers, New York Times and L/A Times, in their editorials I have posted above. Both Papers have attempted to create a new image of United States foreign policy. According to both Newspapers, the U.S. was being opposed at the UN because of its so-called “unilateralist”. Bush Administration’s UN Ambassador, John Bolton, adopted a diplomatic strategy to expose the weakness of the UN in enforcing basic Human Rights. He with the backing of the Bush Administration also applied stronger diplomatic pressure on the leaders oppressing their own citizens as means to stop violent conflicts and Human Rights abuses for democratic freedom and peaceful world.
With the nomination of Susan Rice, considered to be multilateralist by the Mainstream media which is a coded word for doing, to replace John Bolton as U.S. Ambassador is to relieve pressure on the world dictators and Human Rights abusers. This approach also fails to recognize the hard truths and realities of U.S. foreign policy. The Mainstream media would be serving American public better if a brief reflections of the ant-Americanism and Anti-Israel politics at the UN in favor of rogue regimes, dictators and Islamic terrorists groups had been confronted. These realities and roles played by the U.S. Ambassadors to the U.N. could be exposed under the various U.S. Administrations. The personalities of these Ambassadors and their willingness to co-operate or not co-operate with the other diplomats at the U.N. did not and will not win the love and co-operation from the majority of the Oppressive member Nations of the UN, whether it was Andrew Young(under Carter), Jeanne Kirkpatrick(under Reagan), Thomas Pickering(under Bush I.)Madeleine Albright(under Clinton) or John Bolton(under Bush II).
I doubt if Susan Rice can make a difference unless President-elect Obama will give up the major American foreign policy objective of spreading freedom, liberty and world peace through diplomacy which has always been preferable but military force used if no other options are feasible. This last resort has resulted in huge finacial and material costs on American people including sacrificing the lives of America's sons and daughters. The rest of the world therefore owe American people the Godly responsibility of gratitude and it is not the other way round. Some us from most of the other Developing Countries are also beneficiaries of USAID in financial and technical training never mentioned by the very educated elite in most of these countries. We shall see how President-elect Obama and his nominated UN Ambassador, Susan Rice if confirmed, will translate the bumper stickers of platitudes into foreign policy pragmatism and hope United States will paid the long overdue gratitude by the rest of the world. I will, however, not count on it.
Felix A. Diawuoh
The Free Africa Foundation.
Colorado Springs.
07/12/08
Sunday, February 14, 2010
My Debate With African Yahoogroup On The UN Courting Dictators And Terrorist Groups
RE: [Mwananchi] Amid Turmoil at Home, Iran Eyes Seat on Top UN Human Rights Body
From: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com on behalf of FELIX DIAWUOH (fad57@msn.com)
Sent: Sun 2/14/10 3:00 PM
To: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
Lil Joe,
I appreciate your efforts in trying very hard to keep up with me in making sense out of your non-sense. I have been debating with you for years to make sure our lines of differences and agreements will be very clear. The real politics at the United Nations as I perceive it is revealed in this piece I sent to Boston Herald and was published in 2002. I have re-posted it below. Almost 8 years later and with changes in many democratic Governments of the world, most of the Oppressive Regimes and their terrorist groups have the same leaders with their rhetoric and violent operations unchanged. It is very clear that we are at war, declared or undeclared, for good governance to stop political oppression and terrorism. You are on wrong side of this battle and the worst is that either you do not know it or you refuse to know.
Felix.
............................
April 22, 2002
The Editor,
The Boston Herald
Boston.
Dear Editor,
HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIPLOMATIC POLITICS--TRUE VICTIMS (3)
I wish to commend your newspaper on the issue of modern day slavery in Sudan perpetrated by the Moslem majority in the north on the predominantly Black Africans minority who are Christians and traditional religious worshipers in the south ("JP minister: Helping free slaves in Sudan an inspiring mission"-- article and "Today's slaves at issue"-- editorial, dated April 16th and 20th, 2002 respectively.
Through your many editorials and articles over the years, your Paper has consistently exposed the hypocrisy of many Human Rights activist groups including the United Nations Human Rights Commission itself. The United Nations Security Council is yet to pass a resolution to condemn the Government of Sudan on the issue of slavery and appoint a monitoring team to ensure that this shameful practice is discontinued. Ironically, Sudan is a current member of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. The U.N. Human Rights Commission's selective application of International Law and Geneva Convention which are often cited only when these alleged breaches are committed by any of the "should know better" democratic Governments or the easier to blame countries as scapegoats. The United Nations' member countries are therefore selectively targeted for the alleged breaches on the issues of self-determination, religious plurality, commitment of war crimes for deliberately targeting civilians in conflicts and many other breaches of the basic Human Rights principles under the United Nations Charter.
Oppressive military, One Party, Monarchy or Theocratic dictatorships are allowed to burry their Human Rights abuses while same Governments shamefully accuse the United Nations of being biased and applying double standard against them. In some circumstances the biased United Nations Security Council Resolutions directed at Democratic countries are vetoed (fairly or unfairly) but many are allowed to pass through abstentions mostly in the Security Council. Many other biased Resolutions are also moved to the UN General Assembly to be approved by majority vote counts the mostly Authoritarian Regime. Some are also either later repealed or their implementation stalled due to conflicting interests of the members countries. The mockery of many of these Resolutions, however, become very clear when the United Nations' true double standard of absolving the dictatorship Regimes is exposed with the actual historical facts and events on the ground.
The United Nations Security Council just passed unanimous resolution to send a monitoring team to Jenine Refugee Camp in the West Bank to investigate whether crimes were committed in Israel's war against terrorism and suicide bombings of innocent civilians. This Resolution could not stand on its own weight and test of fairness to be implemented and is now abandoned but has left its indelible mark on the many other previous stains of its anti-Israel bias. The various charges of massacre of hundreds of innocent Palestinian civilians and bull-dozing of homes had no factual truth on the ground in the combat between Israel Defense Force and Palestinian Militants in bomb-making houses, some with booby-traps, detonating to kill anybody who dared to enter them. News reporters and the International Red Cross staff could not go into the Camp during the period of the fighting even though the Israel Defense Force had been charged for preventing them in visiting the area of the gun battle. Ordinary civilians had already been ordered to leave the area. The so-called Forces of Resistance had decided to stay to fight a gun battle with the Israeli soldiers. Who uses what level of force to be excessive or acceptable ii such a combat is a judgment by the international community and Human Rights groups to condemn Israel Defense Force. More often than not, this judgment is used to weaken the moral and military resolve of self-defensive war against terrorism. This in turn limits the capacity of democratic States to defend and protect their freedom as well as preventing the loss of innocent civilians lives against groups and States determined to use violence to pursue their cause. This is what emboldens the Islamic terrorist groups in the global terrorism
There is a higher presence of news reporters, Peace and Human Rights activists as well as members of the International Red Cross staff per capita concentration in Israel and the disputed territories of West Bank and Gaza than anywhere in the world. These groups are united and engaged in various forms of humanitarian and self-righteous campaign of moral propaganda war against the State of Israel. At times their blatant bias against the State of Israel is below the level of human intelligence and borders on the line of Anti-Semitism. Unfortunately, the special interest in protecting and defending the Human Rights of those waging terror and suicide bombings against innocent Israeli civilians at parties, shopping malls, motorways, and restaurants. This special attention to Palestinian rights also limits the world's attention, its human and financial resources to help thousands if not millions of other victims of human atrocities in many other parts of the world, especially in Africa.
Ironically, this misplaced diplomatic approach raises the demands for appeasement of those engaged in violence for their political and religious objectives. Focusing more attention on appeasing those engaged in violence also provides more financial creates further incentives for more terrorism. This is the mockery of diplomatic politics in the pursuance of Human Rights agenda and the elusive commitment to alleviate world poverty and human misery in the 21st Century. Posterity is yet to pass its judgment if there are any lessons we would wish to draw from these events as world leaders continue to be blindfolded by ignoring the evil forces of terrorism.
The causes of freedom, Human Rights and justice cannot therefore be pursued through the lens of diplomatic expedience. Voting blocks in the from regional, organizational or religious unions make it convenient for activists to concentrate their actions along the lines of priorities of interests of those voting blocks. These priorities often disregard the plight of actual victims of Human Rights abuses, poverty and human misery as those governments who are directly responsible are absolved by the defaulting silence on their actions. This is the fate of the slave victims of the Black Africans in southern Sudan and other victims of human atrocities of the violent conflicts in Africa. Their conditions are often raised in Summits, Conference Halls and Peace Conferences often attended by the same perpetrators as heads of States or rebel groups with no references to their accountability for the breaches of International Law.
Meanwhile, the same diplomatic politics continues to pursue an elusive global peace based on Human Rights protection and the application of International Law in the Middle East and in the Balkans while the very groups and governments disrespecting these rights and International law continue to blame the international community for the violent conflicts they perpetrate upon themselves. Many known terrorist groups and governments sponsoring them are still untouchable and some are even being prodded to join forces for peace conferences and negotiations for the resolutions of the ever evasive peace in the Middle East. As if this blindfolding of our eyes at the sight of evil is not enough, the protracted Arab-Israeli conflict has always been fatal romantic attraction and always exploring ways of appeasing the evil in a clothing of beautiful bride.
Diplomatic politics in the Middle East is yet to draw the lines between human progress in peace and democracy as opposed to terrorism, oppression, and human misery. This has been the paradox of the conflict of civilizations. Which side will prevail will depend on the nature of coalition forces as well as drawing hard and thin lines between universal principles of human freedom as opposed to terror and oppressive systems of governance. In any conflict where this hard thin line is not drawn, the conflict is unduly protracted. Peaceful resolutions are interpreted differently by two different systems of human principles of law and order, trust and mistrust, love and hate, leadership responsibility and mismanagement, collective and absolute powers. When these factors are ignored, each can be cannon of a fatal bullet to any peace agreement.
Human intelligence and people of good will however continue to explore the nature of diplomatic politics and human rights activism. This human desire for peace and justice arises out of the convictions of good human principles. However, this good human principle is confused with our respect for relative morality, respect for other cultures, religions and systems of governance. This is based on our belief in the hope that over time, principles of good governance will be respected by those who rule by terror, oppression, and disregard for human progress. Empirical evidence brought about by the improvement in informational technology is however increasing the human knowledge on some of these illusive assumptions of human progress. Free access to historical, political, economic, cultural and religious documentaries which draw clear lines between rhetoric and reality in the diplomatic politics and Human Rights activism as well as differences between effective and ineffective systems of governance are easily available to expose the illusions of bad governance and leadership. The failure of the diplomatic politics and Human Rights activism have therefore been the result of the relative morality for the good and bad governance, democracy and dictatorship, terror and self-defense, true oppressors and the oppressed, as well as true victims of human misery and politicized victims.
Support or excuses for hate and violence as a result of being victims of oppression or occupation in an unresolved Arab-Israeli conflict of wars whilst the voices of actual victims of poverty and human misery are silenced undermines our human civilization and global peace. The diplomatic political strategy of calming the groups and governments which use hate and threats of violence to back their demands and political objectives has been tried for over 50 years since the partitioning of the British Mandate of Palestine in 1947. After each major war the granting of concessions and appeasement have provided them the propaganda tool and perceived moral basis to use violence to pursue their cause. Ignorance is therefore no more an excuse. It is rather the diplomatic failure of passing wrong UN Resolutions to justify the hate mongering politics in the Arab world. Furthermore, while some Resolutions, Human Rights reports and diplomatic strategies have not being working in the Middle East, more innocent lives in hundreds of thousands are being lost in wars and factional conflicts in many other parts of the world year after year. No lessons are being drawn from the past and present for the success in defeating human evil of terrorism and building progressive societies in global peace for better future.
Almost 8 months after the highest fatality of innocent civilians by terrorist attack on U.S. soil on September 11, 2001, most of the terrorist groups like the al Qaeda, Hezbullah, Islamic Jihad, Abu Sayyaf and many others including their financial networks like Barakaat are still in operation in many countries with the same governments harboring and sponsoring them. The September 11 terrorist attack was a wake up call on the international community's avowed commitment to rid the world of terrorism. Prior to this tragic incident, many similar ones but on smaller scales had been happening from the 70's through the 80's and 90's and now there is still the potential to carry these terrorist activities far into the 21st Century. Meanwhile, diplomatic politics and the international community are bugged down on the definition of terrorism, who are the perpetrators and who are the victims. International conferences and regional blocks of countries are therefore without consensus on the diplomatic squabbles on the following issues:
1. The acceptable International Laws applying to the dismantling of the terrorist groups when terrorism itself cannot be defined universally defined and no U.N. Security Council Resolution has ever been passed to condemn or identify the acts of terrorism and those known groups of perpetrators or their State Government supporters.
2. The acceptable degree level of military force which can be used to dismantle these groups and their bases, as well as forcing them to comply with the Universal Human Rights as enshrined in the United Nations' Universal Human Rights Charter.
3. The unachievable objective of eradication of poverty while attributing it as the root cause of terrorism. This makes combating terrorism an illusionary dream.
4. Stopping Oppressive Regimes from sponsoring terrorist groups whilst these governments are in the coalition to fight the terrorism.
5. Building democratic institutions in those areas where terrorist groups operate with same countries being suspicious of outside influence to modernize their societies.
6. Using unilateral or bilateral initiative in the UN and the conflicting responses of various Governments due to their conflicting national, political and economic interests in supporting the terrorist groups countries.
These above gray areas are the indecisive areas of diplomatic politics which the terrorist groups and oppressive governments continue to exploit. Their sympathizers are able also derive their self-righteous and moral authority to support the terrorist groups politically, religiously and financially. On one hand, the present application of International Law, respect for Human Rights, criticisms and condemnations are reserved for democratic governments and their civilians who are the targets of the hate and violence by the very terrorist groups and Oppressive governments who do not respect these very same basic human principles. On the other hand the democratic governments and the democratically minded Non-Governmental Organizations are not allowed to preach the virtues of freedom, liberty and pursue of happiness in tranquility to the Oppressive Regimes and their terrorist groups. These voices are reduced to sound bites or pushed on the sidelines behind the rhetoric of the vocal voices of victimhood and their determination to pursue their violent struggle to destroy our civilization. The voices of actual victims of oppression and human misery are equally silenced in most of the oppressed societies. The diplomatic language of hate and pursuance of political and religious goals through violence therefore become very clear and vocal for those who wish to see the evil in the eyes. Free loving people at one stage or the other are therefore either forced to confront this evil by military force thus creating the cycle of violence or be intimidated into submission to evil.
Alternatively, therefore, the lessons of good governance, pursuing peace through peaceful negotiations, leadership responsibility and political stability are the only means to an end for peace, economic progress, as well as social and political justice. Human development indicators of countries and societies reflect on countries with success stories and those are the ones embarking on their internal pursuance of common sense of governance without internal contradictions of pursuing peace and justice while sponsoring terrorist groups, waging wars and oppression its citizens. These are the obvious lessons some progressive non-governmental organizations have learnt and are applying them at the grass-root levels of many countries in Africa and Latin America. Whether the cup is half-full or half empty is a matter of whose voice is being heard whether it is out of rural town in the jungle of Africa or the politicized Gaza Strip in the Middle East.
Felix Amankona Diawuoh
Executive Director -Boston Chapter
The Free Africa Foundation,
Milton. MA 02186
(617) 698-2730
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: Mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
From: liljoe.radical@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 2010 12:16:30 -0800
Subject: Re: [Mwananchi] Amid Turmoil at Home, Iran Eyes Seat on Top UN Human Rights Body
I meant to say China was invaded by imperialist Japan.
On 2/14/10, Lil Joe wrote:
I didn't post anything about "the horror's world war II, an imperialist war in any case - capitalist governments waged war on each others countries. The governments of Germany and Japan, the same as of the US, Britain, France and the Kuomintang represented their own national bourgeoisie. The reason I didn't post the activities of the defunct governments of Japan and Germany is because those governments no longer exist and it was the Allies that made up the UN and are the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council. The United States uses the UN against its enemies - North Korea, Iran having nuclear capacity and bombs, while supporting US policies against them ignore US friends having bombs - in addition to Britain and France, also Israel, India and Pakistan having nuclear weapons. The photos show that US imperialism is however the only country to use these nuclear bombs.
It was Felix who raised the issue by his usual use of demagogic flowery rhetoric about the UN having lost its "moral conscience and common sense", whatever that means. I was actually posting the facts rather than rhetoric, rather than denouncing Iran I showed why by Felix rhetorical criteria the US should be thrown out the UN and excluded from any consideration of being on the so-called"'Human Rights Commission".
I didn't just post the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by US imperialism. I also posted articles showing US imperialist occupation forces behind the massacres of communists and trade unionists in South Korea, as well as innocent civilians including women and children in South Korea and South Vietnam. I posted information about US imperialism overthrowing the elected government in Iran and installing the repressive quisling government.
Communism never existed. However, the Soviet Union was invaded by imperialist Germany just as China was invaded by imperialist Japan. I did post on repressive 'third world governments' - e.g. the governments of South Korea, South Vietnam and Iran working with US imperialism massacring communists, trade unionists and civilians. The question is why is it that Felix and Ayittey never write about these, or denounce the Israeli terrorism and nuclear arsenal?
Lil Joe
On 2/14/10, FELIX DIAWUOH wrote:
Lil Joe,
You have intentionally posted these pictures from the archives showing the horrors of the WW II. Strangely, you excluded all the horrors and atrocities of the Nazi Holocaust and the Japanese occupation of China and Korea as well as the post-WW II atrocities committed in the Communist countries and other Third World countries. In order to get to the issues George and I are raising, what is your opinion? Make your case or shut up.
Felix.
From: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com on behalf of FELIX DIAWUOH (fad57@msn.com)
Sent: Sun 2/14/10 3:00 PM
To: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
Lil Joe,
I appreciate your efforts in trying very hard to keep up with me in making sense out of your non-sense. I have been debating with you for years to make sure our lines of differences and agreements will be very clear. The real politics at the United Nations as I perceive it is revealed in this piece I sent to Boston Herald and was published in 2002. I have re-posted it below. Almost 8 years later and with changes in many democratic Governments of the world, most of the Oppressive Regimes and their terrorist groups have the same leaders with their rhetoric and violent operations unchanged. It is very clear that we are at war, declared or undeclared, for good governance to stop political oppression and terrorism. You are on wrong side of this battle and the worst is that either you do not know it or you refuse to know.
Felix.
............................
April 22, 2002
The Editor,
The Boston Herald
Boston.
Dear Editor,
HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIPLOMATIC POLITICS--TRUE VICTIMS (3)
I wish to commend your newspaper on the issue of modern day slavery in Sudan perpetrated by the Moslem majority in the north on the predominantly Black Africans minority who are Christians and traditional religious worshipers in the south ("JP minister: Helping free slaves in Sudan an inspiring mission"-- article and "Today's slaves at issue"-- editorial, dated April 16th and 20th, 2002 respectively.
Through your many editorials and articles over the years, your Paper has consistently exposed the hypocrisy of many Human Rights activist groups including the United Nations Human Rights Commission itself. The United Nations Security Council is yet to pass a resolution to condemn the Government of Sudan on the issue of slavery and appoint a monitoring team to ensure that this shameful practice is discontinued. Ironically, Sudan is a current member of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. The U.N. Human Rights Commission's selective application of International Law and Geneva Convention which are often cited only when these alleged breaches are committed by any of the "should know better" democratic Governments or the easier to blame countries as scapegoats. The United Nations' member countries are therefore selectively targeted for the alleged breaches on the issues of self-determination, religious plurality, commitment of war crimes for deliberately targeting civilians in conflicts and many other breaches of the basic Human Rights principles under the United Nations Charter.
Oppressive military, One Party, Monarchy or Theocratic dictatorships are allowed to burry their Human Rights abuses while same Governments shamefully accuse the United Nations of being biased and applying double standard against them. In some circumstances the biased United Nations Security Council Resolutions directed at Democratic countries are vetoed (fairly or unfairly) but many are allowed to pass through abstentions mostly in the Security Council. Many other biased Resolutions are also moved to the UN General Assembly to be approved by majority vote counts the mostly Authoritarian Regime. Some are also either later repealed or their implementation stalled due to conflicting interests of the members countries. The mockery of many of these Resolutions, however, become very clear when the United Nations' true double standard of absolving the dictatorship Regimes is exposed with the actual historical facts and events on the ground.
The United Nations Security Council just passed unanimous resolution to send a monitoring team to Jenine Refugee Camp in the West Bank to investigate whether crimes were committed in Israel's war against terrorism and suicide bombings of innocent civilians. This Resolution could not stand on its own weight and test of fairness to be implemented and is now abandoned but has left its indelible mark on the many other previous stains of its anti-Israel bias. The various charges of massacre of hundreds of innocent Palestinian civilians and bull-dozing of homes had no factual truth on the ground in the combat between Israel Defense Force and Palestinian Militants in bomb-making houses, some with booby-traps, detonating to kill anybody who dared to enter them. News reporters and the International Red Cross staff could not go into the Camp during the period of the fighting even though the Israel Defense Force had been charged for preventing them in visiting the area of the gun battle. Ordinary civilians had already been ordered to leave the area. The so-called Forces of Resistance had decided to stay to fight a gun battle with the Israeli soldiers. Who uses what level of force to be excessive or acceptable ii such a combat is a judgment by the international community and Human Rights groups to condemn Israel Defense Force. More often than not, this judgment is used to weaken the moral and military resolve of self-defensive war against terrorism. This in turn limits the capacity of democratic States to defend and protect their freedom as well as preventing the loss of innocent civilians lives against groups and States determined to use violence to pursue their cause. This is what emboldens the Islamic terrorist groups in the global terrorism
There is a higher presence of news reporters, Peace and Human Rights activists as well as members of the International Red Cross staff per capita concentration in Israel and the disputed territories of West Bank and Gaza than anywhere in the world. These groups are united and engaged in various forms of humanitarian and self-righteous campaign of moral propaganda war against the State of Israel. At times their blatant bias against the State of Israel is below the level of human intelligence and borders on the line of Anti-Semitism. Unfortunately, the special interest in protecting and defending the Human Rights of those waging terror and suicide bombings against innocent Israeli civilians at parties, shopping malls, motorways, and restaurants. This special attention to Palestinian rights also limits the world's attention, its human and financial resources to help thousands if not millions of other victims of human atrocities in many other parts of the world, especially in Africa.
Ironically, this misplaced diplomatic approach raises the demands for appeasement of those engaged in violence for their political and religious objectives. Focusing more attention on appeasing those engaged in violence also provides more financial creates further incentives for more terrorism. This is the mockery of diplomatic politics in the pursuance of Human Rights agenda and the elusive commitment to alleviate world poverty and human misery in the 21st Century. Posterity is yet to pass its judgment if there are any lessons we would wish to draw from these events as world leaders continue to be blindfolded by ignoring the evil forces of terrorism.
The causes of freedom, Human Rights and justice cannot therefore be pursued through the lens of diplomatic expedience. Voting blocks in the from regional, organizational or religious unions make it convenient for activists to concentrate their actions along the lines of priorities of interests of those voting blocks. These priorities often disregard the plight of actual victims of Human Rights abuses, poverty and human misery as those governments who are directly responsible are absolved by the defaulting silence on their actions. This is the fate of the slave victims of the Black Africans in southern Sudan and other victims of human atrocities of the violent conflicts in Africa. Their conditions are often raised in Summits, Conference Halls and Peace Conferences often attended by the same perpetrators as heads of States or rebel groups with no references to their accountability for the breaches of International Law.
Meanwhile, the same diplomatic politics continues to pursue an elusive global peace based on Human Rights protection and the application of International Law in the Middle East and in the Balkans while the very groups and governments disrespecting these rights and International law continue to blame the international community for the violent conflicts they perpetrate upon themselves. Many known terrorist groups and governments sponsoring them are still untouchable and some are even being prodded to join forces for peace conferences and negotiations for the resolutions of the ever evasive peace in the Middle East. As if this blindfolding of our eyes at the sight of evil is not enough, the protracted Arab-Israeli conflict has always been fatal romantic attraction and always exploring ways of appeasing the evil in a clothing of beautiful bride.
Diplomatic politics in the Middle East is yet to draw the lines between human progress in peace and democracy as opposed to terrorism, oppression, and human misery. This has been the paradox of the conflict of civilizations. Which side will prevail will depend on the nature of coalition forces as well as drawing hard and thin lines between universal principles of human freedom as opposed to terror and oppressive systems of governance. In any conflict where this hard thin line is not drawn, the conflict is unduly protracted. Peaceful resolutions are interpreted differently by two different systems of human principles of law and order, trust and mistrust, love and hate, leadership responsibility and mismanagement, collective and absolute powers. When these factors are ignored, each can be cannon of a fatal bullet to any peace agreement.
Human intelligence and people of good will however continue to explore the nature of diplomatic politics and human rights activism. This human desire for peace and justice arises out of the convictions of good human principles. However, this good human principle is confused with our respect for relative morality, respect for other cultures, religions and systems of governance. This is based on our belief in the hope that over time, principles of good governance will be respected by those who rule by terror, oppression, and disregard for human progress. Empirical evidence brought about by the improvement in informational technology is however increasing the human knowledge on some of these illusive assumptions of human progress. Free access to historical, political, economic, cultural and religious documentaries which draw clear lines between rhetoric and reality in the diplomatic politics and Human Rights activism as well as differences between effective and ineffective systems of governance are easily available to expose the illusions of bad governance and leadership. The failure of the diplomatic politics and Human Rights activism have therefore been the result of the relative morality for the good and bad governance, democracy and dictatorship, terror and self-defense, true oppressors and the oppressed, as well as true victims of human misery and politicized victims.
Support or excuses for hate and violence as a result of being victims of oppression or occupation in an unresolved Arab-Israeli conflict of wars whilst the voices of actual victims of poverty and human misery are silenced undermines our human civilization and global peace. The diplomatic political strategy of calming the groups and governments which use hate and threats of violence to back their demands and political objectives has been tried for over 50 years since the partitioning of the British Mandate of Palestine in 1947. After each major war the granting of concessions and appeasement have provided them the propaganda tool and perceived moral basis to use violence to pursue their cause. Ignorance is therefore no more an excuse. It is rather the diplomatic failure of passing wrong UN Resolutions to justify the hate mongering politics in the Arab world. Furthermore, while some Resolutions, Human Rights reports and diplomatic strategies have not being working in the Middle East, more innocent lives in hundreds of thousands are being lost in wars and factional conflicts in many other parts of the world year after year. No lessons are being drawn from the past and present for the success in defeating human evil of terrorism and building progressive societies in global peace for better future.
Almost 8 months after the highest fatality of innocent civilians by terrorist attack on U.S. soil on September 11, 2001, most of the terrorist groups like the al Qaeda, Hezbullah, Islamic Jihad, Abu Sayyaf and many others including their financial networks like Barakaat are still in operation in many countries with the same governments harboring and sponsoring them. The September 11 terrorist attack was a wake up call on the international community's avowed commitment to rid the world of terrorism. Prior to this tragic incident, many similar ones but on smaller scales had been happening from the 70's through the 80's and 90's and now there is still the potential to carry these terrorist activities far into the 21st Century. Meanwhile, diplomatic politics and the international community are bugged down on the definition of terrorism, who are the perpetrators and who are the victims. International conferences and regional blocks of countries are therefore without consensus on the diplomatic squabbles on the following issues:
1. The acceptable International Laws applying to the dismantling of the terrorist groups when terrorism itself cannot be defined universally defined and no U.N. Security Council Resolution has ever been passed to condemn or identify the acts of terrorism and those known groups of perpetrators or their State Government supporters.
2. The acceptable degree level of military force which can be used to dismantle these groups and their bases, as well as forcing them to comply with the Universal Human Rights as enshrined in the United Nations' Universal Human Rights Charter.
3. The unachievable objective of eradication of poverty while attributing it as the root cause of terrorism. This makes combating terrorism an illusionary dream.
4. Stopping Oppressive Regimes from sponsoring terrorist groups whilst these governments are in the coalition to fight the terrorism.
5. Building democratic institutions in those areas where terrorist groups operate with same countries being suspicious of outside influence to modernize their societies.
6. Using unilateral or bilateral initiative in the UN and the conflicting responses of various Governments due to their conflicting national, political and economic interests in supporting the terrorist groups countries.
These above gray areas are the indecisive areas of diplomatic politics which the terrorist groups and oppressive governments continue to exploit. Their sympathizers are able also derive their self-righteous and moral authority to support the terrorist groups politically, religiously and financially. On one hand, the present application of International Law, respect for Human Rights, criticisms and condemnations are reserved for democratic governments and their civilians who are the targets of the hate and violence by the very terrorist groups and Oppressive governments who do not respect these very same basic human principles. On the other hand the democratic governments and the democratically minded Non-Governmental Organizations are not allowed to preach the virtues of freedom, liberty and pursue of happiness in tranquility to the Oppressive Regimes and their terrorist groups. These voices are reduced to sound bites or pushed on the sidelines behind the rhetoric of the vocal voices of victimhood and their determination to pursue their violent struggle to destroy our civilization. The voices of actual victims of oppression and human misery are equally silenced in most of the oppressed societies. The diplomatic language of hate and pursuance of political and religious goals through violence therefore become very clear and vocal for those who wish to see the evil in the eyes. Free loving people at one stage or the other are therefore either forced to confront this evil by military force thus creating the cycle of violence or be intimidated into submission to evil.
Alternatively, therefore, the lessons of good governance, pursuing peace through peaceful negotiations, leadership responsibility and political stability are the only means to an end for peace, economic progress, as well as social and political justice. Human development indicators of countries and societies reflect on countries with success stories and those are the ones embarking on their internal pursuance of common sense of governance without internal contradictions of pursuing peace and justice while sponsoring terrorist groups, waging wars and oppression its citizens. These are the obvious lessons some progressive non-governmental organizations have learnt and are applying them at the grass-root levels of many countries in Africa and Latin America. Whether the cup is half-full or half empty is a matter of whose voice is being heard whether it is out of rural town in the jungle of Africa or the politicized Gaza Strip in the Middle East.
Felix Amankona Diawuoh
Executive Director -Boston Chapter
The Free Africa Foundation,
Milton. MA 02186
(617) 698-2730
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: Mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
From: liljoe.radical@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 2010 12:16:30 -0800
Subject: Re: [Mwananchi] Amid Turmoil at Home, Iran Eyes Seat on Top UN Human Rights Body
I meant to say China was invaded by imperialist Japan.
On 2/14/10, Lil Joe
I didn't post anything about "the horror's world war II, an imperialist war in any case - capitalist governments waged war on each others countries. The governments of Germany and Japan, the same as of the US, Britain, France and the Kuomintang represented their own national bourgeoisie. The reason I didn't post the activities of the defunct governments of Japan and Germany is because those governments no longer exist and it was the Allies that made up the UN and are the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council. The United States uses the UN against its enemies - North Korea, Iran having nuclear capacity and bombs, while supporting US policies against them ignore US friends having bombs - in addition to Britain and France, also Israel, India and Pakistan having nuclear weapons. The photos show that US imperialism is however the only country to use these nuclear bombs.
It was Felix who raised the issue by his usual use of demagogic flowery rhetoric about the UN having lost its "moral conscience and common sense", whatever that means. I was actually posting the facts rather than rhetoric, rather than denouncing Iran I showed why by Felix rhetorical criteria the US should be thrown out the UN and excluded from any consideration of being on the so-called"'Human Rights Commission".
I didn't just post the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by US imperialism. I also posted articles showing US imperialist occupation forces behind the massacres of communists and trade unionists in South Korea, as well as innocent civilians including women and children in South Korea and South Vietnam. I posted information about US imperialism overthrowing the elected government in Iran and installing the repressive quisling government.
Communism never existed. However, the Soviet Union was invaded by imperialist Germany just as China was invaded by imperialist Japan. I did post on repressive 'third world governments' - e.g. the governments of South Korea, South Vietnam and Iran working with US imperialism massacring communists, trade unionists and civilians. The question is why is it that Felix and Ayittey never write about these, or denounce the Israeli terrorism and nuclear arsenal?
Lil Joe
On 2/14/10, FELIX DIAWUOH
Lil Joe,
You have intentionally posted these pictures from the archives showing the horrors of the WW II. Strangely, you excluded all the horrors and atrocities of the Nazi Holocaust and the Japanese occupation of China and Korea as well as the post-WW II atrocities committed in the Communist countries and other Third World countries. In order to get to the issues George and I are raising, what is your opinion? Make your case or shut up.
Felix.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Honduras' Democracy Being Undermined By President Obama And The U.N.
[Mwananchi] Honduran Cardinal's Statement
From: FELIX DIAWUOH (fad57@msn.com)
Sent: Mon 7/13/09 1:52 PM
To: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
I cannot remember of any U.S. Administration openly alligning itself with the so-called international community and disregarding a legitimate Constitutional process of a democratic country like Honduras.
The State of Israel may possibly be the next when the U.N. General Assembly proposes any of its usually anti-Israel and one-sided Resolutuions to isolate the Jewish State. President Obama will like the world to love America rather than America doing the right thing to spread freedom and democracy. U.S. pro-democratic freedom strategy with both material, finacial and human resouces, not guarantteing perfection, at least isolated some of the world's worst dictators in the past. This was what at times put the U.S. foreign policies at odds with the so-called international community opinion.
Meanwhile the same U.N. and the international community are at hands-off from the worst Oppressive Governments of the world and shamefully respect these Oppressive Regimes' internal sovereignty. Democratic freedom and Human Rights are being relatively defined and enforced rather than ensuring the compliance with the U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter by all member Nations of the U.N. The true victims are the millions of civilians being beaten, killed, imprisoned and opposition voices silenced in their attempts to be free in their own respective countries. Isolating Hoduras will not free these people uner oppression nor stop the true coup d'etats by definition in other member countries of the U.N.
Felix.
http://www.zenit.org/article-26380?l=english
ZE09070605 - 2009-07-06
Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-26380?l=english
Honduran Cardinal's Statement
"We Have the Right to Define Our Own Destiny Without Unilateral Pressures"
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, JULY 6, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the statement delivered Saturday by Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, archbishop of the capital of Honduras and president of the nation's episcopal conference, regarding the political unrest affecting the country for more than a week.
The translation was provided by the Honduran episcopal conference.
* * *
"Building from crisis"
1. Barely three weeks ago, in a General Assembly of this Episcopal Conference, we clearly expressed that social justice, dialogue and consultations within the legal framework are needs of our people to be recognized and respected.
2. Facing the situations of recent days, we have used the information found after searching competent instances of The State (Supreme Court of Justice, National Congress, Public Attorney's Office, Executive Branch, Supreme Electoral Tribunal) and many other civilian organizations. All of those documents show that all Honduran Democratic Institutions are operating and in place, and the execution of their mandate has occurred in strict adherence to law. All three branches of the State: Executive, Legislative and Judicial are within democratic legal boundaries, according to the Constitution of The Republic of Honduras.
3. The Constitution of the Republic and the justice administration organs have us conclude the following:
a. According to Article 239 of the Constitution of the Republic "whoever proposes the reform" of this article, "shall immediately cease performing the functions of his post, and shall remain disabled for the exercise of all public functions during a period of ten years". Therefore the referred person, at the moment of his capture, was no longer performing the duties of the Republic's Presidency.
b. On June 26th of 2009, the Supreme Court of Justice unanimously appointed a Natural Judge, who in turn expedited a warrant for the arrest of the citizen President of the Republic of Honduras, who was charged responsible for the following crimes: AGAINST THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT, HIGH TREASON, ABUSE OF AUTHORITY, AND USURPATION OF PUBLIC FUNCTIONS in detriment of the Public Administration and The State of Honduras; all the above stated as of the Prosecution Requirement presented to this Court on behalf of the Public Attorney's Office.
Learning from our mistakes to amend them in the future
4. "No Honduran Citizen can be expatriated neither surrendered to a Foreign State" (Article 102, Constitution of the Republic). All of us believe we deserve an explanation of the happenings of June 28.
5. On June 19 we expressed that we all are more or less responsible for a reality of social injustice. None the less, we still believe Honduras has been, and wants to continue being, a people of brothers and sisters living united in peace and justice.
a. That is why we deem necessary to hear all opinions, in such a way that a true dialog can be established among all sectors of our society, aiming to reach constructive solutions.
b. It is fundamental to respect the calendar proposed by the Supreme Electoral Court, guarantying free elections on November 2009.
c. It is necessary to globalize solidarity as a path to help us overcome injustice and inequity. The international community, with proper and accurate information about the situation of our country, can contribute to these purposes.
6. We make a special call
a. We invite all those who have, or have had, in their hands the conduction of our country to avoid being dragged by selfishness, vengeance, persecution, violence and corruption. You can always find the ways understanding and reconciliation beyond the interests of any group or party.
b. We exhort all social, economic and political groups to go beyond any emotional reactions and search for the truth. Today, more than ever, all social communicators must express their love for Honduras searching for the pacification and serenity of our people and leave aside all personal attacks in their search for the common wellbeing.
c. We invite the population in general to continue living in a state of respectful and responsible participation, understanding that we all can build, through honest work, a Honduras with more justice and solidarity.
d. We ask the Organization of American States to pay attention to all previous events occurring out of legality in Honduras, and not only to what happened on and after June 28. The Honduran people are also asking why you have not condemned the belligerent threats against our country. If the interamerican system limits itself to protect the democracy expressed in the urns but does not follow up on the performance of a good government, the prevention of political, economic and social crises, it is of no consequence to react late after they occur.
e. We manifest to the international community that we have the right to define our own destiny without unilateral pressures of any kind, and searching solutions that promote the common good. We reject all threats of the use of force or blockades of any kind that only produce suffering among the more deprived population.
f. We deeply thank all brothers and sisters from many countries who, through their solidarity, support and moral closeness, have furnished us with horizons of hope in contrast to the menacing attitudes of some governments.
7. Our current situation can serve us to help build and traverse a new path towards a new Honduras. The confrontation we are currently seeing should not further induce violence, but rather take us to a turning point on our way to dialog, consensus and reconciliation to strengthen us as a Honduran family advancing in our way to integral development for all Hondurans.
8. We exhort our population of believers to intensify their prayers and take fast in solidarity for the reign of peace and justice.
Tegucigalpa , July 4th , 2009
[Signed by Honduran bishops]
© Innovative Media, Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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From: FELIX DIAWUOH (fad57@msn.com)
Sent: Mon 7/13/09 1:52 PM
To: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
I cannot remember of any U.S. Administration openly alligning itself with the so-called international community and disregarding a legitimate Constitutional process of a democratic country like Honduras.
The State of Israel may possibly be the next when the U.N. General Assembly proposes any of its usually anti-Israel and one-sided Resolutuions to isolate the Jewish State. President Obama will like the world to love America rather than America doing the right thing to spread freedom and democracy. U.S. pro-democratic freedom strategy with both material, finacial and human resouces, not guarantteing perfection, at least isolated some of the world's worst dictators in the past. This was what at times put the U.S. foreign policies at odds with the so-called international community opinion.
Meanwhile the same U.N. and the international community are at hands-off from the worst Oppressive Governments of the world and shamefully respect these Oppressive Regimes' internal sovereignty. Democratic freedom and Human Rights are being relatively defined and enforced rather than ensuring the compliance with the U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter by all member Nations of the U.N. The true victims are the millions of civilians being beaten, killed, imprisoned and opposition voices silenced in their attempts to be free in their own respective countries. Isolating Hoduras will not free these people uner oppression nor stop the true coup d'etats by definition in other member countries of the U.N.
Felix.
http://www.zenit.org/article-26380?l=english
ZE09070605 - 2009-07-06
Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-26380?l=english
Honduran Cardinal's Statement
"We Have the Right to Define Our Own Destiny Without Unilateral Pressures"
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, JULY 6, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the statement delivered Saturday by Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, archbishop of the capital of Honduras and president of the nation's episcopal conference, regarding the political unrest affecting the country for more than a week.
The translation was provided by the Honduran episcopal conference.
* * *
"Building from crisis"
1. Barely three weeks ago, in a General Assembly of this Episcopal Conference, we clearly expressed that social justice, dialogue and consultations within the legal framework are needs of our people to be recognized and respected.
2. Facing the situations of recent days, we have used the information found after searching competent instances of The State (Supreme Court of Justice, National Congress, Public Attorney's Office, Executive Branch, Supreme Electoral Tribunal) and many other civilian organizations. All of those documents show that all Honduran Democratic Institutions are operating and in place, and the execution of their mandate has occurred in strict adherence to law. All three branches of the State: Executive, Legislative and Judicial are within democratic legal boundaries, according to the Constitution of The Republic of Honduras.
3. The Constitution of the Republic and the justice administration organs have us conclude the following:
a. According to Article 239 of the Constitution of the Republic "whoever proposes the reform" of this article, "shall immediately cease performing the functions of his post, and shall remain disabled for the exercise of all public functions during a period of ten years". Therefore the referred person, at the moment of his capture, was no longer performing the duties of the Republic's Presidency.
b. On June 26th of 2009, the Supreme Court of Justice unanimously appointed a Natural Judge, who in turn expedited a warrant for the arrest of the citizen President of the Republic of Honduras, who was charged responsible for the following crimes: AGAINST THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT, HIGH TREASON, ABUSE OF AUTHORITY, AND USURPATION OF PUBLIC FUNCTIONS in detriment of the Public Administration and The State of Honduras; all the above stated as of the Prosecution Requirement presented to this Court on behalf of the Public Attorney's Office.
Learning from our mistakes to amend them in the future
4. "No Honduran Citizen can be expatriated neither surrendered to a Foreign State" (Article 102, Constitution of the Republic). All of us believe we deserve an explanation of the happenings of June 28.
5. On June 19 we expressed that we all are more or less responsible for a reality of social injustice. None the less, we still believe Honduras has been, and wants to continue being, a people of brothers and sisters living united in peace and justice.
a. That is why we deem necessary to hear all opinions, in such a way that a true dialog can be established among all sectors of our society, aiming to reach constructive solutions.
b. It is fundamental to respect the calendar proposed by the Supreme Electoral Court, guarantying free elections on November 2009.
c. It is necessary to globalize solidarity as a path to help us overcome injustice and inequity. The international community, with proper and accurate information about the situation of our country, can contribute to these purposes.
6. We make a special call
a. We invite all those who have, or have had, in their hands the conduction of our country to avoid being dragged by selfishness, vengeance, persecution, violence and corruption. You can always find the ways understanding and reconciliation beyond the interests of any group or party.
b. We exhort all social, economic and political groups to go beyond any emotional reactions and search for the truth. Today, more than ever, all social communicators must express their love for Honduras searching for the pacification and serenity of our people and leave aside all personal attacks in their search for the common wellbeing.
c. We invite the population in general to continue living in a state of respectful and responsible participation, understanding that we all can build, through honest work, a Honduras with more justice and solidarity.
d. We ask the Organization of American States to pay attention to all previous events occurring out of legality in Honduras, and not only to what happened on and after June 28. The Honduran people are also asking why you have not condemned the belligerent threats against our country. If the interamerican system limits itself to protect the democracy expressed in the urns but does not follow up on the performance of a good government, the prevention of political, economic and social crises, it is of no consequence to react late after they occur.
e. We manifest to the international community that we have the right to define our own destiny without unilateral pressures of any kind, and searching solutions that promote the common good. We reject all threats of the use of force or blockades of any kind that only produce suffering among the more deprived population.
f. We deeply thank all brothers and sisters from many countries who, through their solidarity, support and moral closeness, have furnished us with horizons of hope in contrast to the menacing attitudes of some governments.
7. Our current situation can serve us to help build and traverse a new path towards a new Honduras. The confrontation we are currently seeing should not further induce violence, but rather take us to a turning point on our way to dialog, consensus and reconciliation to strengthen us as a Honduran family advancing in our way to integral development for all Hondurans.
8. We exhort our population of believers to intensify their prayers and take fast in solidarity for the reign of peace and justice.
Tegucigalpa , July 4th , 2009
[Signed by Honduran bishops]
© Innovative Media, Inc.
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Former President Rawlings Interview On BBC And Ghana's Democracy
RE: If you haven't, Read this Rawlings Interview
From: FELIX DIAWUOH (fad57@msn.com)
Sent: Tue 7/14/09 2:49 PM
To: npp-politics@googlegroups.com
Eric,
Thank you for bringing this news to our attention. I have posted the link to the full text of the interview below. The more we hear from the P/NDC's former and present leaders, the more we realize the importance of of the need to give our full support to help NPP regain power in 2012. Some harm may be done to Ghana in the next 4 years by the NDC Party, but Ghana is worth fighting for. Elections always have the unexpected consequences, a price we pay for democratic process. Please compare this former President Rawlings' interview transcript with that of the former President Kufour's which was also posted up here less than a week ago.
I hope President Obama will be able to see the on-going configuration of alliances between these self-acclaimed revolutionary or progressive Governments, being Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, Iran etc, etc.. They would abuse the very democratic process which brought them to power, then later deny same democratic freedom to their citizens while blaming other Governments.. These Governments and all terrorist groups use their anti-West/U.S/Israel rhetoric as their unifying slogan. They use the blaming game as common propaganda tool to entrench themselves in power and get away with their own Human Rights abuses and bad governance. The only problem is that President Obama believe in their political phisolosophy and rhetoric as he has been apologizing to them on behalf of his country, U.S.
The good news is that, Ghana's former President Rawlings who is now out with such distorted statements on our democratic achievement in Ghana is helping to re-activate the opposition to his prevous and the new Administration of the P/NDC by the Ghanaian public. The Ghanaian electorate is beginning to realize that the black spots on the leopard's skin are indelible even when painted over to look like a sheep skin.
http://www.modernghana.com/news/226920/1/interview-rawlings-speaks-to-bbcs-komla-dumor-on-t.html
As the people of Honduras were right to prevent their former President, Manuel Zelaya, to take their country on the same distorted democratic path, so are Ghanaians realizing the fight before us right now to stop the New Rawlings and his new NDC's Atta-Mills Government from recreating a distorted vision for Ghana.
Felix A. Diawuoh
Colorado Springs, CO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ebottah@hotmail.com
To: npp-politics@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: If you haven't, Read this Rawlings Interview
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:07:28 -0400
The man Rawlings is a fool. To him electoral wins that is "unstolen" are those won by NDC. That can come from only the mouth of a fool and undemocratic mindset. To say that democacy was at its best and highest form during the PNDC era sums up everything. How on earth such a fool got to rule Ghana for 19 years is the greatest mystery of the century. Ghanaians are too stoic for their own good.
Eric
From: FELIX DIAWUOH (fad57@msn.com)
Sent: Tue 7/14/09 2:49 PM
To: npp-politics@googlegroups.com
Eric,
Thank you for bringing this news to our attention. I have posted the link to the full text of the interview below. The more we hear from the P/NDC's former and present leaders, the more we realize the importance of of the need to give our full support to help NPP regain power in 2012. Some harm may be done to Ghana in the next 4 years by the NDC Party, but Ghana is worth fighting for. Elections always have the unexpected consequences, a price we pay for democratic process. Please compare this former President Rawlings' interview transcript with that of the former President Kufour's which was also posted up here less than a week ago.
I hope President Obama will be able to see the on-going configuration of alliances between these self-acclaimed revolutionary or progressive Governments, being Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, Iran etc, etc.. They would abuse the very democratic process which brought them to power, then later deny same democratic freedom to their citizens while blaming other Governments.. These Governments and all terrorist groups use their anti-West/U.S/Israel rhetoric as their unifying slogan. They use the blaming game as common propaganda tool to entrench themselves in power and get away with their own Human Rights abuses and bad governance. The only problem is that President Obama believe in their political phisolosophy and rhetoric as he has been apologizing to them on behalf of his country, U.S.
The good news is that, Ghana's former President Rawlings who is now out with such distorted statements on our democratic achievement in Ghana is helping to re-activate the opposition to his prevous and the new Administration of the P/NDC by the Ghanaian public. The Ghanaian electorate is beginning to realize that the black spots on the leopard's skin are indelible even when painted over to look like a sheep skin.
http://www.modernghana.com/news/226920/1/interview-rawlings-speaks-to-bbcs-komla-dumor-on-t.html
As the people of Honduras were right to prevent their former President, Manuel Zelaya, to take their country on the same distorted democratic path, so are Ghanaians realizing the fight before us right now to stop the New Rawlings and his new NDC's Atta-Mills Government from recreating a distorted vision for Ghana.
Felix A. Diawuoh
Colorado Springs, CO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ebottah@hotmail.com
To: npp-politics@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: If you haven't, Read this Rawlings Interview
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:07:28 -0400
The man Rawlings is a fool. To him electoral wins that is "unstolen" are those won by NDC. That can come from only the mouth of a fool and undemocratic mindset. To say that democacy was at its best and highest form during the PNDC era sums up everything. How on earth such a fool got to rule Ghana for 19 years is the greatest mystery of the century. Ghanaians are too stoic for their own good.
Eric
Sunday, June 28, 2009
British MP George Galloway's Infactuation With Palestinian Cause And Silent On Iranian Protesters
RE: [Mwananchi] Galloway @ AU (WDC) Sunday - FINAL arrangements for Viva Palestina Convoy!
From: FELIX DIAWUOH (fad57@msn.com)
Sent: Sat 6/27/09 12:46 PM
To: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com; adc@adc.org; amnestyyorkpa@comcast.net; bangla-vision@yahoogroups.com; muslimsofcentralpa@yahoogroups.com; dc_ccmo@yahoogroups.com; communications@daralhijrah.net; isghgroup@yahoogroups.com; irna1@juno.com; horizons@isna.net; info@isb.org; laborpartypraxis@yahoogroups.com; bouiebus@msn.com; info@mlcmd.org; mas4freedom@aol.com; news@mpac.org; newsviews@masnet.org; reportersnotebook@yahoogroups.com; news@soundvision.net; srclaramohammedschool_richmond@yahoo.com; ksiblani@arabamericannews.com; muslimjrnl@aol.com; editor@muslimlinkpaper.com; tristatemuslim@yahoo.com; wisdom@twf.org; wpc@igc.org; wbixclass@yahoo.com
Dear African Compatriots;
Isn't it ironic that this Israel-hated British MP, George Galloway, will be speaking for Hamas terrorist led Palestinians cause at this time in the current events of the world? I think these so-called Peace, Anti-War and Justice activist groups, the United Nations, Human Rights watchdogs, and the World Media have been operating on a flawed premises for the utopian world peace and justice. What have been lacking in their premises are human conscience, logic, reason and facts of history as guides to understanding the differences bewtween good and evil. By default these groups and the World Body of the United Nations are betraying the actual victims of oppression and violence in the areas where deaths, misery and poverty occur every day in silence.
Just recount on the events in Iraq where over 200 civilians are dead in suicide bombings in the past week, in Afaghanistan and Pakistan where the Taliban and Al Qaeda are still batlling with the democratic forces of freedom and equal rights for women rather than Sharia Law. In Iran, the Mullahs are cracking down and killing peaceful protestors as a result of flawed elections without shame.
Where are the demonstrations outside the Middle East by the so-called Peace and Justice, Anti-War and Human Rights groups protesting to support the freedom and democratic forces inside the most oppressive countries of the world? Are we losing the war for democratic freedom because of the infactuation by these international groups for the plight of the Palestians which have been their manrtra throughout the 60's. 70's, 80's, 90's and now in the decade of 2000 AD? Who wants more peaceful co-existence with its neighbors than Israel, considering the negotiations, appeasements and concessions offered to its committed enemies to destroy the only Jewish State in the Middle East? Will the human conscience prevail over hate in the Middle East as this human concience continues to battle between free thinkers and religiously motivated terrorist groups with Petro-Dollars financial support of their oppressive Regimes?
Please note that any crtique of this piece should also address why there has been silence on the part of these so-called Peace and Human Right groups on the victims of Darfur (hundreds of thousands being killed every year by the Sudanese Islamic Government- supported Jinjaweed Militia, the many avowed and known terrorist groups as well as the many other civil wars in Africa? Where are demontrations and speakers for the victims ot terror in the Western capitals except protesting against United Staes and Israel during Presdent George Bush Administration? Will the terrorizing of innocent civilians stop with the new President Barak Obama Administration and if not where do we go from here?
Unfortunately, we now have the President of United States who is not sure where he stands or does not have the political will to pursue between the forces of freedom and democracy versus Oppressive Governments and terrorist groups. Diplomacy, negotiations, and concessions are the weakest tools used in dealing with enemies of freedom and liberty throughout the modern history of the world at the expense of victims of terror and human rights violations.
Felix A. Diawuoh
The Free Africa Foundation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: adc@adc.org; AmnestyYorkPA@comcast.net; bangla-vision@yahoogroups.com; MuslimsofCentralPA@yahoogroups.com; dc_ccmo@yahoogroups.com; Communications@daralhijrah.net; isghgroup@yahoogroups.com; irna1@juno.com; horizons@isna.net; info@isb.org; Laborpartypraxis@yahoogroups.com; bouiebus@msn.com; info@mlcmd.org; Mas4freedom@aol.com; news@mpac.org; Mwananchi@yahoogroups.com; newsviews@masnet.org; RePortersNoteBook@yahoogroups.com; news@soundvision.net; srclaramohammedschool_richmond@yahoo.com; ksiblani@arabamericannews.com; MUSLIMJRNL@aol.com; editor@muslimlinkpaper.com; tristatemuslim@yahoo.com; wisdom@twf.org; wpc@igc.org; wbixclass@yahoo.com
From: peacethrujustice@aol.com
Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:25:35 -0400
Subject: [Mwananchi] Galloway @ AU (WDC) Sunday - FINAL arrangements for Viva Palestina Convoy!
THE PEACE AND JUSTICE FOUNDATION
11006 Veirs Mill Rd, STE L-15, PMB 298
Silver Spring, MD. 20902
Rajab 1430 AH
(June 27, 2009)
Assalaamu Alaikum
(Greetings of Peace):
British MP George Galloway will speak tomorrow (Sunday)evening in the Washington, DC, area at American University, in the School of Public Affairs (aka, Ward Circle Building) located at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016. The program is scheduled to begin at 7pm, insha'Allah. Please pass the word and plan to attend what will no doubt be a memorable event!
Please be advised that registration has now closed, for those interested in traveling to Occupied Palestine as part of the Viva Palestina-USA humanitarian relief convoy. Contributions, however, can still be made to the cause. (See detailed info below on travel arrangements and other related matters)
For those planning to be in or around the nation's capitol on Friday, July 3rd, be advised that the crisis in Occupied Palestine (and this very special humanitarian relief effort) will be part of the agenda for the human rights initiative that a coalition of Muslim and non-Muslim concerned citizens are holding in downtown Washington on that day.
A press conference and rally will be held outside of the DC Convention Center at 3pm, followed by an evening program at the Historical Society of Washington, DC, directly across from the Convention Center. (Seating for the evening program is limited, additional info will soon follow, insha'Allah.) Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at American University!
In the struggle for peace thru justice,
El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan
Director of Operations
The Peace And Justice Foundation
From: USA Viva Palestina
To: usconvoy@vivapalestina.org
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009
Subject: [usconvoy@vivapalestina.org] IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING VIVA PALESTINA TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
Dear Friends:
We’re in the last stages of processing the participant lists for the Viva Palestina USA convoy to Gaza! Our enthusiasm for this journey is hopefully matched only by your own as we near the departure date! Registration is now closed, but we need people to be donating and fundraising right up to the last minute. Every penny given prior to July 15th will count towards this convoy and we will collect your generous donations beyond that date for the next convoy!
We have a large delegation in excess of 220 people – a tremendous mark of success and of the degree of support for the mission - and we need that number of participants to be matched by a proportionately large amount of medical aid and vehicles.
We have been inundated in the past week with last minute registrations for the convoy and we are still processing that information. Many of you are writing and calling with questions about making final travel arrangements, to inquire about your status, or about the numbers of attendees, travel itinerary, etc. We are unable to respond to many of these inquiries until ALL of the applications have been processed and the final details of the convoy finalized, so please bear with us while we attend to those details. Additionally, for security purposes, limited information will be released about our travel and accommodation until closer to the date of our departure.
Our apologies if your communication has gone unanswered, but know that we are more than aware of the requests and are working hard to obtain answers to EVERYONE’S questions! However, in an effort to keep information and arrangements as organized and consistent as possible, please read the following updates closely:
INFORMATION ON WEBSITE
We have posted the previous listserv emails to the Viva Palestina webpage under the FAQ/Resources section. Many questions can be answered by reviewing those emails and by checking back frequently for new posts.
DONATIONS
Checks made out to IFCO - Viva Palestina in your possession need to be recorded by us AND by our fiscal sponsors, IFCO/Pastors for Peace, and next Friday is a public holiday! Please send them now by fastest post to our office:
Viva Palestina USA
West Polk St.
Suite 100-403
Chicago IL 60605-2085
ORIENTATION IN CHICAGO THIS WEEKEND!
All group leaders need to plan on attending the orientation in Chicago THIS weekend. We will have several sessions detailing information pertinent to the convoy and travel. We highly recommend one to two group leaders from every organizing area attend.
Please send the names, contact and travel information for each group leader attending from your area, and include whether transportation from the airport and/or accommodations are needed to fatima@vivapalestina.org immediately!
ORIENTATION IN NYC – JULY 3rd
We urge everyone to get to New York City on the afternoon of Friday, July 3 for registration and for a wonderful send-off event. We will meet at the historic:
House of the Lord Church
415 Atlantic Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11217-1702
Once there and registered, we will be dispersing a great deal of information – legal and logistical. There will also be a legal briefing by our friends from the National Lawyers Guild, who have volunteered their time. NLG will also be on standby from July 17 to July 20, upon our return to the US, should there be any issues at that stage.
Overnight accommodation for Friday, July 3rd, and Saturday, July 4th, is being arranged and provided by our supporters in NYC. Please feel free to make other arrangements, and communicate them to us and to your group leaders during registration. Be sure, however, to arrange your travel to the airport if you do separate from the larger group.
TRAVEL
Those who registered online with Viva Palestina USA prior to June 20th AND who identified that they were traveling FROM New York City, JFK Airport, TO Cairo, Egypt with the convoy on the weekend of July 4th on their application have received a separate email detailing their travel arrangements through one particular travel agent. IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE THAT EMAIL – sent earlier today - AND YOU SHOULD HAVE BASED ON THE CRITERIA JUST DETAILED, PLEASE EMAIL fatima@vivapalestina.org immediately. There will be at least TWO flights on which Viva Palestina convoy participants from NYC will be seated due to our large numbers but most of that group will be leaving JFK on the 4th and 5th of July.
Those who registered after June 20th and identified NYC as their departure city or who identified another city as their departure city or who have, either by prior agreement with us or in their application, arranged to travel separately due to extenuating circumstances, must make their own travel arrangements.
It is best for groups from particular areas to arrange for this purchase/travel IN A GROUP, if at all possible. To facilitate that and keep people both organized AND affordable, we have arranged for you to arrange and purchase tickets from: R. Crusoe & Son, 566 W. Adams St. #505, Chicago, IL 60661. Our gracious contact there is Katie Weber. Please send, via email to kweber@rcrusoe.com, your:
1) Contact information
2) City of departure
3) Desired date of departure
4) Desired date of return
You are welcome to make arrangements on your own or through your own agent, but we will need from you the details of the flight you are on and when it arrives in Cairo. This is necessary for us to deal with the relevant Egyptian authorities.
If you make alternate arrangements for travel (i.e. extended layover in another city, extending your stay in Cairo, traveling from Cairo to another city before returning to your departure city, etc.), note that Viva Palestina IS NOT responsible for you, your travel, or your arrangements once the majority of the convoy departs from Cairo on or around July 17th. Any legal, travel or personal issues upon your separation from the convoy are your own, though we will attempt to organize resources for foreseeable difficulties that severed travelers may encounter.
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS TO NEW YORK
If you choose to attend the orientation event on July 3rd and then fly from NYC to Cairo, arranging those domestic flights to and from NYC is your responsibility. Katie Weber, our agent at R. Crusoe & Son, can assist with booking domestic routes for groups traveling together and is also happy to deal with individual transportation needs, but may recommend booking certain domestic flights independently, as they may be more affordable and more easily accessible. You can contact her directly, but ONLY about the domestic flights or international flights that are NOT part of the block bookings we have secured through a separate agent from JFK to Cairo over the weekend of 4 and 5 July.
PAYMENTS
Payments to our agent, R. Crusoe & Son, for any flight arrangements may be made by credit card, or by check, if sent overnight to arrive on Monday, 29 July. Credit card details can be called in to (312) 218-0626 or sent via email to kweber@rcrusoe.com with:
1) Cardholder's name (as it appears on the card)
2) Credit card number,
3) Expiration date
4) Security code
Please identify that you are part of the Viva Palestina USA convoy. If you have not received confirmation of your payment or flight details, after sending in your payment information, please contact Katie at kweber@rcrusoe.com.
You will receive confirmation from an agent of the receipt of your payment and you will be issued with an e-ticket. Remember: Though most will leave on July 4th from JFK, due to our large numbers, some will leave on the same flight the following day. Several group leaders have been selected to assure your accommodations and travel arrangements are properly executed.
Also, for those who identified NYC as their departing location prior to June 20th, Viva Palestina paid a large deposit on seats to hold the reservation and to attempt to seat as many convoy participants as possible on as few flights as possible. If your organization has donations in its possession or has delegates attending with those arrangements, it is VERY important we recover that deposit, as it can be used to purchase aid! Late or non-payment will result in both them losing their seat on the flight and us losing a fair amount of funds that could be used for aid, and in both cases, the people of Gaza will be the ones who truly feel the loss!
ARRIVAL IN CAIRO
We have made arrangements for airport pickup for any larger groups arriving together who submit that information to us AS A GROUP. Details on alternate transportation will be given later or can be arranged by you once we release the hotel information.
ADMINSTRATIVE EXPENSES
Please bring with you the additional $100 in cash that we ask you to donate to cover the overall administrative costs of the convoy (on top of your personal travel expenses). We will collect it in NY or upon arrival in Egypt.
HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS
We are in the process of negotiating hotel reservations in Cairo and will provide all participants and group leaders with the NAME and ADDRESS of the hotel, along with all other pertinent details, by JULY 3rd, if not sooner, so that those who are arriving on different flights or who are meeting us in Cairo will be able to join the convoy in the days following.
INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT
We highly recommend you get an international driving permit. To do so visit the travel information site for the Department of State to obtain information regarding the application for an international Driving Permit or visit the AAA website to print the application form directly. The cost is $15 and we urge you to apply for one for driving privileges in Egypt, just to be on the safe side!
DECORATION OF VEHICLES
We are procuring large stickers with the Viva Palestina insignia to stick on the vehicles we are purchasing in Egypt. In addition, in many areas, individuals or organizations have specifically sponsored a vehicle. Some of those, for example, are in dedication to a family member or a village/town in Palestine.
We need you to send us those dedications - the exact wording in English and Arabic, where appropriate, as we are researching how best to get these dedications imprinted on nice stickers and to affix to the vehicles. (If anyone is in this type of business, please contact us immediately – usinformation@vivapalestina.org.) It is very important that the wishes of those who have sponsored with a particular dedication are respected.
DELEGATION/DELEGATE PICTURES!
We want to produce a publication for fundraising and commemoration after we return from Gaza – a virtual USA Convoy yearbook! To that end, we require from you a nice, print-quality image of yourself complete with your details: name, age, city/town where you live, and in 100 words (no more, please!) why you are undertaking this journey.
We intend these to form the opening pages, year book style, of the publication. Photos of your fundraisers, events, organizations, etc. can be sent as well. As soon as possible, before Monday of next week, send an email with your photos attached with "Delegate Photo" and your name in the subject line to usinformation@vivapalestina.org.
RECORDING YOUR VOYAGE
Nearly all of you will have digital cameras, video cameras, computers and other equipment. We want you to bring them and use it to record your journey. There will be internet facilities in Egypt and limited facilities in Gaza. You will be able to upload onto your blog - if you have one - onto the Viva website, onto other websites, onto Youtube.com and so on. In addition, we would like you to write down your thoughts of what you see in Gaza, what the people who you meet have to say, etc. This will be used on the website and in future publications.
There is no vanity about this: it is about ensuring that, whatever the coverage we get in the mainstream media, gets the word to as many places as possible. This is why you should be contacting the media in your area - TV, radio and press - to let them know you are going and to seek coverage. I know some of you have sent out local press releases. Please send us a copy so we can circulate to help others.
SECURITY
Though we do not anticipate any difficulties, to assure the utmost security, safety and comfort of everyone on this convoy, some information, such as hotel accommodations, exact time of arrival and departure, and itinerary details should NOT be shared publicly. Please use your best judgment and know that we are using ours. You will receive this information closer to the applicable time.
In sum, it is VERY IMPORTANT that we receive the following from you:
1. A FIRM COUNT OF THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ATTENDING THIS WEEKEND’S ORIENTATION IN CHICAGO, JUNE 27TH-JUNE 28TH, WITH ALL CONTACT INFORMATION, AND FLIGHT AND ACCOMODATION DETAILS.
2. ANY FUNDS GATHERED THROUGH YOUR DILIGENT FUNDRAISING EFFORTS AND EVENTS. PLEASE SEND THESE DIRECTLY TO OUR OFFICE:
47 West Polk St.
Suite 100 - 403
Chicago, IL 60605-2085
3. ALL PARTICIPANT’S FINAL TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS IF NOT ALREADY IDENTIFIED AS FLYING DIRECTLY FROM NYC TO CAIRO WITH THE JULY 4th WEEKEND CONVOY.
Much remains to be done and we ask for your confidence as we finalize details, your enthusiasm as the final days of fundraising and awareness-building approach, and your individual efforts to prepare your personal details for this journey.
In solidarity,
Viva Palestina USA
www.vivapalestina-us.org
usinformation@vivapalestina.org
From: FELIX DIAWUOH (fad57@msn.com)
Sent: Sat 6/27/09 12:46 PM
To: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com; adc@adc.org; amnestyyorkpa@comcast.net; bangla-vision@yahoogroups.com; muslimsofcentralpa@yahoogroups.com; dc_ccmo@yahoogroups.com; communications@daralhijrah.net; isghgroup@yahoogroups.com; irna1@juno.com; horizons@isna.net; info@isb.org; laborpartypraxis@yahoogroups.com; bouiebus@msn.com; info@mlcmd.org; mas4freedom@aol.com; news@mpac.org; newsviews@masnet.org; reportersnotebook@yahoogroups.com; news@soundvision.net; srclaramohammedschool_richmond@yahoo.com; ksiblani@arabamericannews.com; muslimjrnl@aol.com; editor@muslimlinkpaper.com; tristatemuslim@yahoo.com; wisdom@twf.org; wpc@igc.org; wbixclass@yahoo.com
Dear African Compatriots;
Isn't it ironic that this Israel-hated British MP, George Galloway, will be speaking for Hamas terrorist led Palestinians cause at this time in the current events of the world? I think these so-called Peace, Anti-War and Justice activist groups, the United Nations, Human Rights watchdogs, and the World Media have been operating on a flawed premises for the utopian world peace and justice. What have been lacking in their premises are human conscience, logic, reason and facts of history as guides to understanding the differences bewtween good and evil. By default these groups and the World Body of the United Nations are betraying the actual victims of oppression and violence in the areas where deaths, misery and poverty occur every day in silence.
Just recount on the events in Iraq where over 200 civilians are dead in suicide bombings in the past week, in Afaghanistan and Pakistan where the Taliban and Al Qaeda are still batlling with the democratic forces of freedom and equal rights for women rather than Sharia Law. In Iran, the Mullahs are cracking down and killing peaceful protestors as a result of flawed elections without shame.
Where are the demonstrations outside the Middle East by the so-called Peace and Justice, Anti-War and Human Rights groups protesting to support the freedom and democratic forces inside the most oppressive countries of the world? Are we losing the war for democratic freedom because of the infactuation by these international groups for the plight of the Palestians which have been their manrtra throughout the 60's. 70's, 80's, 90's and now in the decade of 2000 AD? Who wants more peaceful co-existence with its neighbors than Israel, considering the negotiations, appeasements and concessions offered to its committed enemies to destroy the only Jewish State in the Middle East? Will the human conscience prevail over hate in the Middle East as this human concience continues to battle between free thinkers and religiously motivated terrorist groups with Petro-Dollars financial support of their oppressive Regimes?
Please note that any crtique of this piece should also address why there has been silence on the part of these so-called Peace and Human Right groups on the victims of Darfur (hundreds of thousands being killed every year by the Sudanese Islamic Government- supported Jinjaweed Militia, the many avowed and known terrorist groups as well as the many other civil wars in Africa? Where are demontrations and speakers for the victims ot terror in the Western capitals except protesting against United Staes and Israel during Presdent George Bush Administration? Will the terrorizing of innocent civilians stop with the new President Barak Obama Administration and if not where do we go from here?
Unfortunately, we now have the President of United States who is not sure where he stands or does not have the political will to pursue between the forces of freedom and democracy versus Oppressive Governments and terrorist groups. Diplomacy, negotiations, and concessions are the weakest tools used in dealing with enemies of freedom and liberty throughout the modern history of the world at the expense of victims of terror and human rights violations.
Felix A. Diawuoh
The Free Africa Foundation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: adc@adc.org; AmnestyYorkPA@comcast.net; bangla-vision@yahoogroups.com; MuslimsofCentralPA@yahoogroups.com; dc_ccmo@yahoogroups.com; Communications@daralhijrah.net; isghgroup@yahoogroups.com; irna1@juno.com; horizons@isna.net; info@isb.org; Laborpartypraxis@yahoogroups.com; bouiebus@msn.com; info@mlcmd.org; Mas4freedom@aol.com; news@mpac.org; Mwananchi@yahoogroups.com; newsviews@masnet.org; RePortersNoteBook@yahoogroups.com; news@soundvision.net; srclaramohammedschool_richmond@yahoo.com; ksiblani@arabamericannews.com; MUSLIMJRNL@aol.com; editor@muslimlinkpaper.com; tristatemuslim@yahoo.com; wisdom@twf.org; wpc@igc.org; wbixclass@yahoo.com
From: peacethrujustice@aol.com
Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:25:35 -0400
Subject: [Mwananchi] Galloway @ AU (WDC) Sunday - FINAL arrangements for Viva Palestina Convoy!
THE PEACE AND JUSTICE FOUNDATION
11006 Veirs Mill Rd, STE L-15, PMB 298
Silver Spring, MD. 20902
Rajab 1430 AH
(June 27, 2009)
Assalaamu Alaikum
(Greetings of Peace):
British MP George Galloway will speak tomorrow (Sunday)evening in the Washington, DC, area at American University, in the School of Public Affairs (aka, Ward Circle Building) located at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016. The program is scheduled to begin at 7pm, insha'Allah. Please pass the word and plan to attend what will no doubt be a memorable event!
Please be advised that registration has now closed, for those interested in traveling to Occupied Palestine as part of the Viva Palestina-USA humanitarian relief convoy. Contributions, however, can still be made to the cause. (See detailed info below on travel arrangements and other related matters)
For those planning to be in or around the nation's capitol on Friday, July 3rd, be advised that the crisis in Occupied Palestine (and this very special humanitarian relief effort) will be part of the agenda for the human rights initiative that a coalition of Muslim and non-Muslim concerned citizens are holding in downtown Washington on that day.
A press conference and rally will be held outside of the DC Convention Center at 3pm, followed by an evening program at the Historical Society of Washington, DC, directly across from the Convention Center. (Seating for the evening program is limited, additional info will soon follow, insha'Allah.) Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at American University!
In the struggle for peace thru justice,
El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan
Director of Operations
The Peace And Justice Foundation
From: USA Viva Palestina
To: usconvoy@vivapalestina.org
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009
Subject: [usconvoy@vivapalestina.org] IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING VIVA PALESTINA TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
Dear Friends:
We’re in the last stages of processing the participant lists for the Viva Palestina USA convoy to Gaza! Our enthusiasm for this journey is hopefully matched only by your own as we near the departure date! Registration is now closed, but we need people to be donating and fundraising right up to the last minute. Every penny given prior to July 15th will count towards this convoy and we will collect your generous donations beyond that date for the next convoy!
We have a large delegation in excess of 220 people – a tremendous mark of success and of the degree of support for the mission - and we need that number of participants to be matched by a proportionately large amount of medical aid and vehicles.
We have been inundated in the past week with last minute registrations for the convoy and we are still processing that information. Many of you are writing and calling with questions about making final travel arrangements, to inquire about your status, or about the numbers of attendees, travel itinerary, etc. We are unable to respond to many of these inquiries until ALL of the applications have been processed and the final details of the convoy finalized, so please bear with us while we attend to those details. Additionally, for security purposes, limited information will be released about our travel and accommodation until closer to the date of our departure.
Our apologies if your communication has gone unanswered, but know that we are more than aware of the requests and are working hard to obtain answers to EVERYONE’S questions! However, in an effort to keep information and arrangements as organized and consistent as possible, please read the following updates closely:
INFORMATION ON WEBSITE
We have posted the previous listserv emails to the Viva Palestina webpage under the FAQ/Resources section. Many questions can be answered by reviewing those emails and by checking back frequently for new posts.
DONATIONS
Checks made out to IFCO - Viva Palestina in your possession need to be recorded by us AND by our fiscal sponsors, IFCO/Pastors for Peace, and next Friday is a public holiday! Please send them now by fastest post to our office:
Viva Palestina USA
West Polk St.
Suite 100-403
Chicago IL 60605-2085
ORIENTATION IN CHICAGO THIS WEEKEND!
All group leaders need to plan on attending the orientation in Chicago THIS weekend. We will have several sessions detailing information pertinent to the convoy and travel. We highly recommend one to two group leaders from every organizing area attend.
Please send the names, contact and travel information for each group leader attending from your area, and include whether transportation from the airport and/or accommodations are needed to fatima@vivapalestina.org immediately!
ORIENTATION IN NYC – JULY 3rd
We urge everyone to get to New York City on the afternoon of Friday, July 3 for registration and for a wonderful send-off event. We will meet at the historic:
House of the Lord Church
415 Atlantic Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11217-1702
Once there and registered, we will be dispersing a great deal of information – legal and logistical. There will also be a legal briefing by our friends from the National Lawyers Guild, who have volunteered their time. NLG will also be on standby from July 17 to July 20, upon our return to the US, should there be any issues at that stage.
Overnight accommodation for Friday, July 3rd, and Saturday, July 4th, is being arranged and provided by our supporters in NYC. Please feel free to make other arrangements, and communicate them to us and to your group leaders during registration. Be sure, however, to arrange your travel to the airport if you do separate from the larger group.
TRAVEL
Those who registered online with Viva Palestina USA prior to June 20th AND who identified that they were traveling FROM New York City, JFK Airport, TO Cairo, Egypt with the convoy on the weekend of July 4th on their application have received a separate email detailing their travel arrangements through one particular travel agent. IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE THAT EMAIL – sent earlier today - AND YOU SHOULD HAVE BASED ON THE CRITERIA JUST DETAILED, PLEASE EMAIL fatima@vivapalestina.org immediately. There will be at least TWO flights on which Viva Palestina convoy participants from NYC will be seated due to our large numbers but most of that group will be leaving JFK on the 4th and 5th of July.
Those who registered after June 20th and identified NYC as their departure city or who identified another city as their departure city or who have, either by prior agreement with us or in their application, arranged to travel separately due to extenuating circumstances, must make their own travel arrangements.
It is best for groups from particular areas to arrange for this purchase/travel IN A GROUP, if at all possible. To facilitate that and keep people both organized AND affordable, we have arranged for you to arrange and purchase tickets from: R. Crusoe & Son, 566 W. Adams St. #505, Chicago, IL 60661. Our gracious contact there is Katie Weber. Please send, via email to kweber@rcrusoe.com, your:
1) Contact information
2) City of departure
3) Desired date of departure
4) Desired date of return
You are welcome to make arrangements on your own or through your own agent, but we will need from you the details of the flight you are on and when it arrives in Cairo. This is necessary for us to deal with the relevant Egyptian authorities.
If you make alternate arrangements for travel (i.e. extended layover in another city, extending your stay in Cairo, traveling from Cairo to another city before returning to your departure city, etc.), note that Viva Palestina IS NOT responsible for you, your travel, or your arrangements once the majority of the convoy departs from Cairo on or around July 17th. Any legal, travel or personal issues upon your separation from the convoy are your own, though we will attempt to organize resources for foreseeable difficulties that severed travelers may encounter.
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS TO NEW YORK
If you choose to attend the orientation event on July 3rd and then fly from NYC to Cairo, arranging those domestic flights to and from NYC is your responsibility. Katie Weber, our agent at R. Crusoe & Son, can assist with booking domestic routes for groups traveling together and is also happy to deal with individual transportation needs, but may recommend booking certain domestic flights independently, as they may be more affordable and more easily accessible. You can contact her directly, but ONLY about the domestic flights or international flights that are NOT part of the block bookings we have secured through a separate agent from JFK to Cairo over the weekend of 4 and 5 July.
PAYMENTS
Payments to our agent, R. Crusoe & Son, for any flight arrangements may be made by credit card, or by check, if sent overnight to arrive on Monday, 29 July. Credit card details can be called in to (312) 218-0626 or sent via email to kweber@rcrusoe.com with:
1) Cardholder's name (as it appears on the card)
2) Credit card number,
3) Expiration date
4) Security code
Please identify that you are part of the Viva Palestina USA convoy. If you have not received confirmation of your payment or flight details, after sending in your payment information, please contact Katie at kweber@rcrusoe.com.
You will receive confirmation from an agent of the receipt of your payment and you will be issued with an e-ticket. Remember: Though most will leave on July 4th from JFK, due to our large numbers, some will leave on the same flight the following day. Several group leaders have been selected to assure your accommodations and travel arrangements are properly executed.
Also, for those who identified NYC as their departing location prior to June 20th, Viva Palestina paid a large deposit on seats to hold the reservation and to attempt to seat as many convoy participants as possible on as few flights as possible. If your organization has donations in its possession or has delegates attending with those arrangements, it is VERY important we recover that deposit, as it can be used to purchase aid! Late or non-payment will result in both them losing their seat on the flight and us losing a fair amount of funds that could be used for aid, and in both cases, the people of Gaza will be the ones who truly feel the loss!
ARRIVAL IN CAIRO
We have made arrangements for airport pickup for any larger groups arriving together who submit that information to us AS A GROUP. Details on alternate transportation will be given later or can be arranged by you once we release the hotel information.
ADMINSTRATIVE EXPENSES
Please bring with you the additional $100 in cash that we ask you to donate to cover the overall administrative costs of the convoy (on top of your personal travel expenses). We will collect it in NY or upon arrival in Egypt.
HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS
We are in the process of negotiating hotel reservations in Cairo and will provide all participants and group leaders with the NAME and ADDRESS of the hotel, along with all other pertinent details, by JULY 3rd, if not sooner, so that those who are arriving on different flights or who are meeting us in Cairo will be able to join the convoy in the days following.
INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT
We highly recommend you get an international driving permit. To do so visit the travel information site for the Department of State to obtain information regarding the application for an international Driving Permit or visit the AAA website to print the application form directly. The cost is $15 and we urge you to apply for one for driving privileges in Egypt, just to be on the safe side!
DECORATION OF VEHICLES
We are procuring large stickers with the Viva Palestina insignia to stick on the vehicles we are purchasing in Egypt. In addition, in many areas, individuals or organizations have specifically sponsored a vehicle. Some of those, for example, are in dedication to a family member or a village/town in Palestine.
We need you to send us those dedications - the exact wording in English and Arabic, where appropriate, as we are researching how best to get these dedications imprinted on nice stickers and to affix to the vehicles. (If anyone is in this type of business, please contact us immediately – usinformation@vivapalestina.org.) It is very important that the wishes of those who have sponsored with a particular dedication are respected.
DELEGATION/DELEGATE PICTURES!
We want to produce a publication for fundraising and commemoration after we return from Gaza – a virtual USA Convoy yearbook! To that end, we require from you a nice, print-quality image of yourself complete with your details: name, age, city/town where you live, and in 100 words (no more, please!) why you are undertaking this journey.
We intend these to form the opening pages, year book style, of the publication. Photos of your fundraisers, events, organizations, etc. can be sent as well. As soon as possible, before Monday of next week, send an email with your photos attached with "Delegate Photo" and your name in the subject line to usinformation@vivapalestina.org.
RECORDING YOUR VOYAGE
Nearly all of you will have digital cameras, video cameras, computers and other equipment. We want you to bring them and use it to record your journey. There will be internet facilities in Egypt and limited facilities in Gaza. You will be able to upload onto your blog - if you have one - onto the Viva website, onto other websites, onto Youtube.com and so on. In addition, we would like you to write down your thoughts of what you see in Gaza, what the people who you meet have to say, etc. This will be used on the website and in future publications.
There is no vanity about this: it is about ensuring that, whatever the coverage we get in the mainstream media, gets the word to as many places as possible. This is why you should be contacting the media in your area - TV, radio and press - to let them know you are going and to seek coverage. I know some of you have sent out local press releases. Please send us a copy so we can circulate to help others.
SECURITY
Though we do not anticipate any difficulties, to assure the utmost security, safety and comfort of everyone on this convoy, some information, such as hotel accommodations, exact time of arrival and departure, and itinerary details should NOT be shared publicly. Please use your best judgment and know that we are using ours. You will receive this information closer to the applicable time.
In sum, it is VERY IMPORTANT that we receive the following from you:
1. A FIRM COUNT OF THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ATTENDING THIS WEEKEND’S ORIENTATION IN CHICAGO, JUNE 27TH-JUNE 28TH, WITH ALL CONTACT INFORMATION, AND FLIGHT AND ACCOMODATION DETAILS.
2. ANY FUNDS GATHERED THROUGH YOUR DILIGENT FUNDRAISING EFFORTS AND EVENTS. PLEASE SEND THESE DIRECTLY TO OUR OFFICE:
47 West Polk St.
Suite 100 - 403
Chicago, IL 60605-2085
3. ALL PARTICIPANT’S FINAL TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS IF NOT ALREADY IDENTIFIED AS FLYING DIRECTLY FROM NYC TO CAIRO WITH THE JULY 4th WEEKEND CONVOY.
Much remains to be done and we ask for your confidence as we finalize details, your enthusiasm as the final days of fundraising and awareness-building approach, and your individual efforts to prepare your personal details for this journey.
In solidarity,
Viva Palestina USA
www.vivapalestina-us.org
usinformation@vivapalestina.org
Michael Jackson And Triumph Of Black Musicians
RE: [Mwananchi] Fwd. Did Michael Jackson want to be white?
From: FELIX DIAWUOH (fad57@msn.com)
Sent: Sat 6/27/09 2:15 PM
To: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
Rashid And George,
Thank you for bringing some human touch in the clueless world of media reporting and enertainment. As we all mourn for the passing away of another Black musical legend like Otis Redding, Sam Cook, Franco O.K. Jazz, Fela Ransome Kuti, James Brown etc.etc. and now Michael Jackson, many of us will thank God for giving us such great talented musicians of our Race. Music was their weapon for spiritual enlightenment, peace and harmony in the otherwise troubled world of violent conflicts, oppression, poverty and misery. Their music transcended Race, Religion, Gender and Politics. If God wanted them to be perfect, they would have come to us as Jesus Christ in purity.
However, they came as ordinary human beings with extrordinaly musical talents to cheer our souls and hearts.
As we all mourn for Michael Jackson's return to his eternity so suddenly, we should also reflect on the pains his bereaved family is going through. For his music and videos, thank God for the computer and DVDs technology we shall enjoy them for ever, like those ones of his predecessors who came into our hearts and souls and left us abrumptly.
Fela :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq7IPEJiRI8
Franco OK Jazz:http://www.kenyapage.net/franco/
Michael Jackson Moonwalk:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31573349#31573349
Michael Jackson As Human Being:
http://dennisprager.townhall.com/content/81c56ddf-a8d5-4de3-81fa-38d22b5ef001
Enjoy brothers and sisters.
Felix A. Diawuoh
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: Mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
From: kaliro45@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:58:13 +0000
Subject: Re: [Mwananchi] Fwd. Did Michael Jackson want to be white?
George,
I was a fan of TP Ok Jazz and Madilu system- Those guys God bless them - they brought Joy to many Africans.
Back to Jackoooo- May the Almighty bless his soul- The fact that he sacrificed his natural looks to make others like you and me happy showed that he valued people and he wanted to give a unique type of joy. He was not selfish!!!!!!!!!
Jackooo Thank you for bringing joy to us with your great Music- Dance - We shall all miss you.
RIP.
Rashid
http://www.madilusystem.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npsb76_Uje4
http://www.youtube.com/results?search=related&search_query=madilu%20system%20congo%20zaire%20ndombolo%20soukous%20rumba%20africa%20guitar%20afrobeat%20salsa%20reggae%20makossa%20lingala%20dance%20werrason&v=Npsb76_Uje4&page=2
From: FELIX DIAWUOH (fad57@msn.com)
Sent: Sat 6/27/09 2:15 PM
To: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
Rashid And George,
Thank you for bringing some human touch in the clueless world of media reporting and enertainment. As we all mourn for the passing away of another Black musical legend like Otis Redding, Sam Cook, Franco O.K. Jazz, Fela Ransome Kuti, James Brown etc.etc. and now Michael Jackson, many of us will thank God for giving us such great talented musicians of our Race. Music was their weapon for spiritual enlightenment, peace and harmony in the otherwise troubled world of violent conflicts, oppression, poverty and misery. Their music transcended Race, Religion, Gender and Politics. If God wanted them to be perfect, they would have come to us as Jesus Christ in purity.
However, they came as ordinary human beings with extrordinaly musical talents to cheer our souls and hearts.
As we all mourn for Michael Jackson's return to his eternity so suddenly, we should also reflect on the pains his bereaved family is going through. For his music and videos, thank God for the computer and DVDs technology we shall enjoy them for ever, like those ones of his predecessors who came into our hearts and souls and left us abrumptly.
Fela :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq7IPEJiRI8
Franco OK Jazz:http://www.kenyapage.net/franco/
Michael Jackson Moonwalk:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31573349#31573349
Michael Jackson As Human Being:
http://dennisprager.townhall.com/content/81c56ddf-a8d5-4de3-81fa-38d22b5ef001
Enjoy brothers and sisters.
Felix A. Diawuoh
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: Mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
From: kaliro45@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:58:13 +0000
Subject: Re: [Mwananchi] Fwd. Did Michael Jackson want to be white?
George,
I was a fan of TP Ok Jazz and Madilu system- Those guys God bless them - they brought Joy to many Africans.
Back to Jackoooo- May the Almighty bless his soul- The fact that he sacrificed his natural looks to make others like you and me happy showed that he valued people and he wanted to give a unique type of joy. He was not selfish!!!!!!!!!
Jackooo Thank you for bringing joy to us with your great Music- Dance - We shall all miss you.
RIP.
Rashid
http://www.madilusystem.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npsb76_Uje4
http://www.youtube.com/results?search=related&search_query=madilu%20system%20congo%20zaire%20ndombolo%20soukous%20rumba%20africa%20guitar%20afrobeat%20salsa%20reggae%20makossa%20lingala%20dance%20werrason&v=Npsb76_Uje4&page=2
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