There is a welcome new addition to Richmond Street and to Manchester’s Gay Village. The Parlour is a fab new watering hole bringing a little Northern Quarter retro chic into The Village.

The bar is a former hairdressers that has been kitted out with decor reclaimed from a former Salford pub, which now forms the heart and soul of the The Parlour. While the ceiling is plastered with posters and if you can’t find your favourite one there the Parlour-ettes will pin in up.

The Parlour are also doing their bit for charity mate by hosting a tea party for AmnesTea (on behalf of Amnesty International) on the 10th of December 2009. So if you need to put your feet up after heading out for some Christmas shopping then drop in.

Amnesty International USA has written a open letter to the President Obama to raise several issues regarding human rights violation in India’s neighboring coutires as well India. The full text is following as below :

- Penseur21 -

November 18, 2009

The Honorable Barack Obama,
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

On behalf of Amnesty International USA, I urge you to candidly address human rights concerns in India during your upcoming meeting with the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh and to press him to make substantive improvements. Prime Minister Singh will be the first leader to receive a state visit at the White House after you became the President. While you are honoring him with this state visit, Amnesty International urges you not to forget the plight of women, men and children who are facing numerous human rights abuses in India and to make public statements emphasizing that human rights are central to US-India relations.

Your meeting with Prime Minister Singh in the White House represents an opportunity for you to directly communicate your concerns about human rights in India. While you discuss economic cooperation and civilian nuclear partnership with the Indian Prime Minister, it is vital that you also raise human rights concerns affecting millions of Indian citizens. Amnesty International strongly urges you to include human rights concerns in India in your joint communiqué with the Indian Prime minister Manmohan Singh and to address human rights concerns during your joint press conference with Prime Minister Singh.

Even though India is the world’s largest democracy, serious and disturbing human rights abuses are ongoing, including rape, extrajudicial executions, deaths in police and military custody, torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, arbitrary arrests, and dowry deaths. The Government of India not only fails to prevent these abuses, but also shelters members of security forces from facing justice. People living in several of the northeastern states of India and in Kashmir, religious minorities, those belonging to the lowest social order called “Dalits”, and indigenous communities called “adivasis” face the brunt of these abuses. Other socially and economically marginalized groups including women face discrimination at the hands of the police and criminal justice system. Although laws were passed to address some of these human rights abuses, serious concerns remain about the implementation of such laws.

Some of the specific contexts in which mass abuses were or continue to be committed include:

Mass killings of Sikhs: Over three thousand Sikhs were massacred when the governing Congress Party incited mob violence targeting Sikh civilians in reaction to the 1984 assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. Scores of women were gang raped and some were burnt alive. After two decades, a judicial commission concluded that members of the governing Congress Party were involved. Twenty five years have passed since the massacre, but only a few have been brought to justice for this mass killing.

Mass killings of Muslims: In 2002, over 2,000 Muslims were massacred in Gujarat as a reaction to a train fire that killed 59 Hindus. This train fire was blamed on Muslims. Hindu mobs allegedly incited by state Bharatiya Janata Party members went on a killing spree targeting Muslims. Several hundred Muslim women and girls were gang raped and some were burnt alive. Pregnant women and children were also targeted. After nine years, very few individuals have been brought to justice.

Bhopal tragedy: Several thousand people have died and many more continue to die from a 1984 gas leak at Union Carbide’s pesticide plant in Bhopal in 1984. Twenty five years have passed since the leak occurred, but the plant site has not been cleaned up and toxic wastes continue to pollute the environment and ground water. Tens of thousands continue to live with debilitating illnesses. Despite numerous efforts, survivors continue to be denied adequate compensation, medical help, rehabilitation, and justice.

Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958: The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 has remained in effect in “disturbed areas,” including Kashmir and large parts of the northeastern states of India for over forty years. This act is a major contributor to mass human rights abuses in these areas of India. This law protects Indian security forces from prosecution by requiring permission to prosecute from India’s Central Government–permission which is rarely given. As a result, security forces often take the law into their own hands and commit mass human rights abuses against the civilians. This law has facilitated grave human rights abuses, including “disappearances,” rapes, extrajudicial executions, and deaths resulting from torture.

Northeastern States: One of the areas “hidden” from international attention is the region of northeast India. Numerous abuses are taking place in this area, largely facilitated by the above-mentioned Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958. Security forces kill, rape, “disappear” and commit other gross human rights abuses with virtual impunity.

Kashmir: The Indian side of Kashmir is another area where Indian Security forces commit mass human rights abuses with impunity. Once again, the abuses are facilitated by the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 and other similar laws. The civilian population of Kashmir has paid a high price for the conflict. Thousands have disappeared over the years.

Abuses against “Dalits”: India’s caste system involves a social hierarchy in which individuals are considered to be born into a particular caste in which they remain throughout their lives. Outside these caste categories are the “untouchables”, now commonly known as “Dalits”, whose occupations — sweepers, tanners, sanitation workers, etc — are viewed as “polluting” the community. Nearly 200 million people in India belong to this category. This system has been called India’s “hidden apartheid.” Abuses against “dalits” are numerous and take many different forms, including: parading of naked Dalit women through the streets, socioeconomic discrimination, killings, arson-burning of Dalit communities, gang rape, bonded labor, denial of land rights, and many more. The police and the criminal justice system also discriminate against Dalits. Though important strides have been made, much remains to be done.

Abuses against “Adivasis”: The indigenous communities called adivasis face immense pressure from dam and mining development projects and settlements. Adivasis face socioeconomic discrimination as well as discrimination by the police and the criminal justice system.

Mr. President, Amnesty International urges you to secure a meaningful commitment from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to improve India’s human rights situation. It is essential that human rights be treated as an important issue like trade and civilian nuclear partnership.

At a minimum, we urge you to press Prime Minister Singh to take the following steps:

Chhattisgarh: Ensure protection of civilians in ongoing and proposed military actions against Maoists-Naxalites in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and other states. Stop harassing and arresting human rights defenders. Maoists must also end their violence against civilians.

Kashmir/Manipur: End impunity and make armed forces personnel accountable for human rights violations. In particular repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Manipur and other parts of the North Eastern States and Kashmir where imposed. Ensure that any replacement act is in line with international human rights standards.

Justice: Bring to justice those involved in the mass killings of Sikhs and Muslims.

Bhopal: Ensure establishment of the promised empowered Commission on Bhopal for the rehabilitation of Bhopal Gas victims, with adequate resources and capacity. In conjunction with the companies involved (including US based Dow Chemical), the Government of India should ensure effective measures to address the long-term impacts of the Bhopal gas leak, including proper clean-up and remediation of the factory site, medical care, regular supply of adequate safe water for the affected communities, and economic rehabilitation.

And with regard to India’s foreign policy:

Mr. President, we also urge you to discuss India’s International role and to urge India to use its close relationships with Burma and Sri Lanka to:

Burma: Urge Prime Minister Singh to engage with the Burmese authorities to end serious and systematic human rights violations and to release over 2,100 political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi.

Sri Lanka: Urge Prime Minister Singh to follow up on the promise made by the Sri Lanka Government to India that it would release the IDP’s within six months. Six months have passed, but still there are tens of thousands of civilians detained in military run internment camps. Secure access to an estimated 12,000 people (including children) suspected of links to the LTTE who have been detained. They have been denied access to ICRC and legal counsel.

Mr. President, we urge you not to miss this opportunity to speak for those whose rights have been violated in India. They need your help.

Sincerely,

Larry Cox
Executive Director

source : http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20091118003&lang=e

This from Amnesty International:

Myanmar must end arrests of activists and continue aid after Cyclone Nargis

24 November 2009

International donors meeting in Bangkok this week should pressure the Myanmar authorities to end harassment of activists trying to help survivors of Cyclone Nargis, and ensure sufficient aid reaches those affected, Amnesty International said on Tuesday.

In late October, the Myanmar authorities arrested at least 10 political activists and journalists for accepting relief donations from abroad, sources inside the country told Amnesty International.

Their whereabouts is unknown and it is not clear whether any charges have been brought against them.

The ten —whom Amnesty International considers prisoners of conscience— were among at least 41 dissidents arrested last month as part of a broader crackdown by the Myanmar government.

“The authorities are denying Nargis survivors assistance they desperately need and have a right to receive,” said Benjamin Zawacki, Amnesty International’s Myanmar Researcher.

The most recent crackdown precedes the 25 November meeting of the ASEAN Tripartite Core Group (TCG), which was established in May 2008 to monitor, coordinate and facilitate international aid to areas hit by Cyclone Nargis. It comprises high-level representatives from ASEAN, the Myanmar government, and the United Nations.

“More than 18 months after the cyclone, the survivors still require critical support from the international community,” said Zawacki.

Extra funding is still needed to provide new houses, cyclone shelters, livelihood programmes, water and sanitation facilities, education facilities, and health services to hundreds of thousands of people in Myanmar, international agencies say.

The TCG’s three-year project for post-cyclone recovery efforts has a projected cost of US$691 million, but only $125 million has been committed.

“Leaders meeting in Bangkok must ensure that the required aid is forthcoming and reaches those who need it,” Zawacki said. “The international community should increase its donations and demand transparency, accountability, and non-discrimination in the distribution of aid.”

Seven people arrested in late October are members of the local Lin Let Kye (Shining Star) programme, formed in May 2008 and devoted to relief and social activism: Ka Gyi, Zaw Gyi, Lai Ron, Shwe Moe, Aung Myat Kyaw Thu, Paing Soe Oo, and Thant Zin Soe, who is also the editor of Foreign Affairs Weekly. Three others who had made donations to humanitarian efforts, Thet Ko, Myint Thein, and Min Min, were also arrested.

Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar on 2 and 3 May 2008, and left 140,000 people dead or missing.

In October the US pledged to fund US$10 million through international NGOs for Nargis-related recovery programs, while the EU committed to funding 35 million Euros (US$51.5 million) for the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust (LIFT) fund, aimed at improving human security in Myanmar. Funds of US$326 million have been committed so far in the original 2008 Myanmar Flash Appeal, out of the US$477 million requested.

Veröffentlicht auf International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
http://www.iranhumanrights.org/2009/11/doctor-death/
(Bei Weiterveröffentlichung bitte Link zu diesem Post angeben)

(November 25, 2009)

In einem Brief an Iranische Regierungsbehörden haben Menschenrechtsorganisationen ihre tiefe Besorgnis über den kürzlich bekannt gewordenen verdächtigen Tod des Arztes Dr. Ramin Pourandarjani zum Ausdruck gebracht, der in der Haftanstalt Kahrizak gearbeitet hatte und Berichten zufolge dort Zeuge von schweren Menschenrechtsverletzungen wurde.

In Kahrizak wurde eine große Zahl von Demonstranten festgehalten und angeblich gefoltert und schlecht behandelt. Mindestens vier Gefangene starben in der Einrichtung. Iranische Behörden versprachen, die schlechte Behandlung von Häftlingen in Kahrizak zu untersuchen, bis heute sind jedoch keine öffentlichen Stellungnahmen über die strafrechtliche Verfolgung der Verantwortlichen erfolgt.

Amnesty International, Ärzte für Menschenrechte und die Internationale Kampagne für Menschenrechte in Iran haben die Behörden dazu aufgerufen, eine unabhängige Untersuchung von Pourandarjanis Tod nach internationalen Standards zu gestatten.

Der vollständige Wortlaut des Briefes:

Seine Exzellenz Ali Larijani
Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami
Baharestan Square
Teheran, ISLAMISCHE REPUBLIK IRAN

Seine Exzellenz Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi
Staatsanwaltschaft Teheran

Eure Exzellenzen,
wir, die unterzeichneten Menschenrechtsorganisationen äußern respektvoll unsere tiefe Besorgnis über den Tod des 26jährigen Dr. Ramin Pourandarjani. Wir begrüßen die Ankündigung des Büros Eurer Exzellenz Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi, dass eine Untersuchung seines Todes stattfinden wird. Wir drängen mit Nachdruck darauf, dass diese Untersuchung gründlich, unvoreingenommen und unabhängig erfolgt. Wir drängen auch darauf, dass Sie sicherstellen, dass international anerkannte Forensiker eingeladen werden, um diese Untersuchungen zu unterstützen. Wir möchten Sie respektvoll darauf aufmerksam machen, dass die Forensik-Spezialisten von Ärzte für Menschenrechte bereit sind, bei der Untersuchung zu helfen.

Die Leiche von Dr. Ramin Pourandarjani wurde am 10. November in einem Zimmer der Zentrale der Teheraner Polizei aufgefunden. Während Polizeichef General Esmaeil Ahmadi-Moghaddam mitteilte, dass Dr. Pourandarjani Selbstmord begangen habe und ein Brief bei seiner Leiche gefunden wurde, der darauf hindeutet, dass er unter Depressionen litt, hatten offizielle Stellen zunächst gesagt, er habe im Schlaf einen Herzinfarkt erlitten, später hieß es, er sei an den Folgen einer Vergiftung gestorben. Dr. Pourandarjanis Vater, Reza-Qoli Pourandarjani, sagt, er habe am Vorabend des Todes seines Sohnes mit ihm gesprochen, und sein Sohn habe keinen depressiven Eindruck gemacht. Wie er Associated Press gegenüber sagte, sei ihm von den Behörden zunächst mitgeteilt worden, dass sein Sohn sich bei einem Autounfall ein Bein gebrochen habe und dass für eine Operation sein Einverständnis als Vater benötigt werde. Als er von seiner Heimatstadt Tabriz aus nach Teheran kam, stellte Reza-Qoli Pourandarjani fest, dass sein Sohn tot war.

Dr. Pourandarjani hatte im Rahmen seines Militärdienstes etwa einmal pro Woche in der Haftanstalt Kahrizak gearbeitet. Iranische Behörden haben zugegeben, dass es in Kahrizak Misshandlungen gab. Mindestens drei Menschen starben an den Folgen der Folter dort, darunter Mohsen Rouholamini, der Sohn eines Top-Beraters von Präsidentschaftskandidat Mohsen Rezaei, der Berichten zufolge zwei Wochen nach seiner Verhaftung am 9. Juli an Herzstillstand und Lungenblutungen starb. Seine Leiche wies Zeichen schwerer Folter auf. Im Juli ordnete der Oberste Führer Ayatollah Ali Khamenei die Schließung der Haftanstalt Kahrizak an.

Als Teil seines Dienstes behandelte Dr. Pourandarjani Häftlinge in Kahrizak, die gefoltert worden waren. Er wurde von einer parlamentarischen Sonderkommission befragt, die die Vorwürfe über Misshandlungen während der Unruhen nach der Wahl untersuchen sollte. Vor seinem Tod erhielt Dr. Pourandarjani Berichten zufolge Drohungen, die ihn davon abhalten sollten, über die Misshandlungen zu sprechen, deren Zeuge er in Kahrizak geworden war. Ebenfalls Berichten zufolge wurde er gezwungen zu bescheinigen, dass ein Häftling an Meningitis starb. Uns sind auch Berichte bekannt, dass die parlamentarische Sonderkommission im Zuge ihrer Ermittlungen auch den Tod von Dr. Pourandarjani untersuchen wird.

Wegen der ungewöhnlichen Umstände seines Todes glauben wir, dass eine absolute Transparenz der Untersuchungen unerlässlich ist und dass seriöse und unabhängige Experten eingeladen werden sollten, um die Integrität der Untersuchungen sicher zu stellen. Wir möchten Sie respektvoll an die Verpflichtungen der iranischen Regierung erinnern, die sich aus internationalem Recht ergeben, demnach mögliche Folterungen oder außergerichtliche Tötungen untersucht werden müssen. Wir drängen darauf, dass jede Untersuchung von Dr. Pourandarjanis Tod in voller Übereinstimmung mit den Grundsätze der Vereinten Nationen für die wirksame Verhütung und Untersuchung von außergerichtlichen, willkürlichen und summarischen Hinrichtungen. erfolgt.

Wir möchten nochmals unsere professionelle Unterstützung durch Ärzte für Menschenrechte anbieten, deren Kontaktdaten Sie unten finden.

Amnesty International
Elise Auerbach, AIUSA, +1-773-225-7516, aiis@uchicago.edu

International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
Hadi Ghaemi, Director, +1-917-669-5996, hadighaemi@iranhumanrights.org

Ärzte für Menschenrechte
Stefan Schmitt,
Director, International Forensic Program, +1-617-301-4226, sschmitt@phrusa.org

Anm. d. Übers.: da die E-Mail-Adressen angegeben sind, kann man den Initiatoren für diesen hervorragenden Brief und ihre Initiative danken…

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported today that along with Amnesty International and Physicians for Human Rights, it sent a letter to Iranian authorities demanding an investigation into the death of Dr. Ramin Pourandarjani, a 26-year-old physician at the Kahrizak detention center, “who reportedly witnessed grave human rights violations there.”

Iranhumanrights.org:

“Scores of protestors were detained and held at Kahrizak, where they were allegedly tortured and ill treated.  At least four detainees died in the facility. Iranian authorities have promised to investigate the ill treatment of detainees at Kahrizak but to date, no public announcements about the prosecution of those responsible have been made.”

Pourandarjani had been working at Kahrizak once a week as part of his military service, treating detainees who had been tortured. Some reportedly died of their abuses in the facility. Before his death, Dr. Pourandarjani “reportedly received threats to prevent him from revealing the abuses he had witnessed at Kahrizak.” He was also said to “have been forced to certify that one detainee had died of meningitis.”  (Our readers will remember that detainee was Mohsen Roholamini, the son of an aid to the conservative presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaei. Parleman news reported in August that the coroner’s office of Tehran announced that he did not die from meningitis, leading to the conclusion that he had been killed in Kahrizak.)

Amnesty and ICHRI describe the suspicious circumstances behind the doctor’s death:

“Dr. Ramin Pourandarjani’s body was discovered in a room at Tehran police headquarters on 10 November. While the Chief of Police, General Esmaeil Ahmadi-Moqaddam, has said that Dr. Pourandarjani, committed suicide and that a letter found near his body suggested that he had been depressed, officials had initially said he had suffered a heart attack in his sleep and later that he had died of poisoning. Dr. Pourandarjani’s father, Reza-Qoli Pourandarjani, said he had spoken to his son the night before his death and that he did not appear to be depressed. He told the Associated Press that he had initially been informed by the authorities that his son had broken his leg in an accident and that his [the father's] consent was needed for surgery. However after travelling to Tehran from his home in Tabriz, Reza-Qoli Pourandrarjani discovered that his son was dead.”

by Mukul Sharma, for The Hindu, November 24, 2009.

Since the 1970s, shareholders have used their power as stock owners to press companies for changes on a wide range of social, environmental and human rights issues.

Corporate governance — the need for widening the scope of shareholder democracy and rights, investor protection and information disclosure — has been rightly emphasised in the context of the proposed new Companies Bill (The Hindu, November 8, 2009). However, the actual role of shareholders needs to be expanded. Shareholder democracy must include the working and responsibilities of investment companies, including banks, mutual fund companies, brokerages and insurance/annuity companies.

Rights disclosure norms should not be limited to select areas — like information on payout to directors — and should include labour and labour unions, diversity and discrimination in employment, land acquisition, eviction and impact on local communities and environment. Shareholders’ rights and democracy are not about demonising companies. There is no such thing as a perfect company. Likewise, there is no such thing as a company that is doing everything wrong. Shareholders’ rights should be about empowering them to encourage companies to improve…(continue reading)

STOP STUPAK Speak Out!
Our Bodies, Our Lives, Our Right To Decide!
Type:
Causes – Protest
Network:
Global
Date:
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Time:
12:00pm – 2:00pm
Location:
Wexner Plaza, The Ohio State University
Description
**Please Help Spread the Word!!**
*Community Activists Welcome!*

Columbus-OH– A student rally demonstration in protest of Representative Stupak and his anti-choice amendment is scheduled for Wednesday, December 2, assembling at noon at The Ohio State University in the Wexner Plaza.

Saturday November 11, 2009, the House of Representatives voted and passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.P.3962), landmark legislation intended to ensure that millions of Americans have accessible, affordable health care. Unfortunately, the members of the House adopted an amendment to this otherwise laudable bill, which, if enacted, would effectively ban private abortion coverage for millions of women in the United States.

Throughout and this process women’s health has been repeatable put on the line and these students of The Ohio State University are asked to speak out. Birth Control and abortion are integral aspects of women’s health care needs. Health care reform should not be a vehicle to obliterate a woman’s fundamental right to choose.

The Stupak Amendment goes far beyond the abusive Hyde Amendment, which has denied federal funding of abortion since 1976. The Stupak Amendment, if incorporated into the final version of health insurance reform legislation, will:
• Prevent women receiving tax subsidies from using their own money to purchase private insurance that covers abortion;
• Prevent women participating in the public health insurance exchange, administered by private insurance companies, from using 100 percent of their own money to purchase private insurance that covers abortion;
• Prevent low-income women from accessing abortion entirely, in most cases.

Students in Columbus call on the Senate to pass a health care bill that respects women’s constitutional protected right to abortion and calls on President Obama to refuse to sign any heath care bill that restricts women’s access to affordable, quality reproductive health care

Photo by Eranga Jayawardena for the Associated Press.

This via email today from Amnesty International:

Beginning December 1^st, Sri Lanka’s government will respond to the calls for action that 50,000 of you made over the past few months – they will finally unlock the camps!

This past weekend, government officials announced that all restrictions placed on innocent civilians trapped unlawfully behind barbed wire fences will be lifted.

In just one week, internally displaced Sri Lankans will be free to come and go as they please. We are relieved that this nightmare will finally be coming to an end for some 130,000 people, who remain in the camps today. Thanks to all of your emails, postcards and the thunderous international outcry, Sri Lanka’s government could not hide this crime in the shadows any longer.

While we are heartened by this recent turn of events, we are still sobered by a few unrelenting facts:

• Lack of information: Many of the displaced have not received any information about the choices available to them once they are freed. How can they be expected to decide whether to return to their home villages or resettle in another part of the country if they don’t know what resources will be available to them once they arrive?
• Humanitarian access: It is extremely important that the government facilitate assistance by humanitarian organizations and allow the displaced to gain access to necessary government services and infrastructure, including education, medical and social welfare facilities. It is imperative that the displaced receive food, water and shelter as they re-establish their homes.
• Incommunicado detentions: Around 12,000 persons (including children) suspected of links to the Tamil Tigers are being held by the government without charge in incommunicado detention, separately from the internally displaced. They should be promptly charged with a recognizable criminal offense and given fair trials in civilian courts, or else released.

Rest assured that we will not stop fighting until each of these points have been met. We will keep you posted until human rights are fully restored throughout Sri Lanka. Thank you for your action and commitment. Together, we’ve unlocked the camps of Sri Lanka.

Join Amnesty International by following this link:  http://www.amnesty.org.

Perhaps it was easier for Herman and Peterson’s article Vulliamy’s Smears at Counter Punch, Monthly Review, and Media Lens to link to a blog that receives little attention from its creator because they just might pass under the radar in that manner or perhaps it was due to the post’s Google rank, but either way it has come to the point where I cannot ignore the attempt to dismiss the valid issues that Ed Vulliamy raises in his open letter.  Also, I am perplexed that Herman and Peterson would go so far as to have everyone believe that through my blog Vulliamy’s Open Letter to Amnesty International was started and further circulated.  I doubt that my semi-moribund blog, which receives occasional spurts of informational CPR, has that much influence. 

More importantly though, the real issues within the letter are being circumvented with ad hominem attacks and fallacies as well as being used to propagate revisionist views.  Through this analysis (and another to follow) I hope to dispel some of these fallacies and revisionist views and hope that some common ground or resolve can finally be reached.

First, let us discuss the issue of Brockes’ Guardian article that Ed Vulliamy refers to in his open letter.  While it is true that article was retracted and The Guardian issued an apology to Chomsky for the misrepresentation within the article, the issues regarding Chomsky’s support of revisionist views and his opinion that Ed Vulliamy was “probably wrong” in regards to the Trnopolje have not been dispelled by Chomsky in his formal complaint to The Guardian (however, it should be noted that Chomsky did object to the whole article based on the one misrepresentation that he does defend).  Nor are the issues solely based on the Brockes’ article, but are also based on Chomsky’s own confirmations about defending Johnstone’s free speech. 

Certainly, Chomsky has the right to defend Johnstone’s freedom of speech.  He has the right to agree with her and reflect that agreement in his public opinions, which he certainly does as will be demonstrated later.  However, Chomsky cannot be afforded the luxury of having opinions that go both ways.  In Chomsky’s formal complaint, located on Chomsky’s own site, he states:

“In the open letter, readily available on the internet (and the only source), I went through the charges one by one, checked them against the book, and found that they all ranged from serious misrepresentation to outright fabrication. I then took — and take — the position that it is completely wrong to withdraw a book because the press charges (falsely) that it does not conform to approved doctrine. And I do regret that “I didn’t do it strongly enough,” the words Brockes managed to quote correctly. In the interview, whatever Johnstone may have said about Srebrenica never came up, and is entirely irrelevant in any event, at least to anyone with a minimal appreciation of freedom of speech.”

Further, The Guardian states in its own retraction:

“Both Prof Chomsky and Ms Johnstone, who has also written to the Guardian, have made it clear that Prof Chomsky’s support for Ms Johnstone, made in the form of an open letter with other signatories, related entirely to her right to freedom of speech.”

 Interestingly, Chomsky’s own site which offers several hyperlinks in his reprint of the Brockes’ article offers no link to the “readily available on the internet” open letter which is at the heart of the issue.  It is 2009, 4 years later, and through extensive digging I came up with no open letter defending Johnstone on my own, but was forwarded this link.  These are some highlights with my commentary from what I am told is the formal complaint to Ordfront (italics bold: Chomsky; italics: commentaries; normal font: Samaha):

 “I have known her for many years, have read the book, and feel that it is quite serious and important.”

In my personal opinion that statement goes above and beyond defending Johnstone’s freedom of speech and is an introduction to endorsement of Johnstone’s work which is highlighted in other portions.

“(1) ‘According to her it cannot be a matter of genocide when women and children are spared. But to me it is obvious that genocide and crimes against humanity have been committed in Srebrenica…’”

“Reference is apparently to Johnstone’s statement (p. 117) refuting the claim that the charge of “genocide” is demonstrated by the fact that the Serbs who conquered Srebrenica offered safe passage to women and children. In response to this absurd claim, she writes: “However, one thing should be obvious: one does not commit `genocide’ by sparing women and children.

I do not see how her entirely appropriate comment justifies the charge in (1)”

Can someone explain to me how Johnstone’s comment does not justify the charge in (1)? It certainly appears to me that Johnstone is at the very least insinuating genocide denial and that Chomsky’s referral to Johnstone’s quote as “appropriate comment” has the appearance of supporting that insinuation. 

Furthermore, I am not aware of any definition of genocide that exempts an action from genocide because one gender was spared.  Instead, an act of genocide has taken place if one gender of the target population is specifically targeted for extermination and the other is left alone.  The reason for this is: if one gender is eliminated procreation amongst the target group is hindered which is part of a systematic plan and recognized by the UN.  Furthermore, Lemkin, who coined the word genocide further details that complete destruction of a group does not need to take place.  This faulty logic of genocide being exempt because women and children have been spared has been attempted at the Krstic genocide trial and has failed.  The court has ruled that the females and children being spared has no bearing on whether or not genocide took place.

 “3) ‘Johnstone asserts that more effort has gone into exaggerating the number of dead than into identifying and caclulating the actual number of victims, that there was never any real wish to find out how many were killed and who they were. She suggests that several thousand hade fled and survived.’”

“I read that section too. I am aware of no evidence — of course, meaning evidence available to her at the time she wrote — that the statements she actually made in this regard (as distinct from those attributed to her) are incorrect.”

Chomsky should have the academic integrity to distinguish the actual statements that Johnstone made as opposed to the statements that were “attributed to her”.  We should keep in mind that these statements are made in November of 2005.  If Johnstone has suggested that thousands fled and survived, then the onus is upon Johnstone to prove those allegations since during the time of her writing thousands of bodies had already been discovered in mass graves.  Evidence and trials have already established the contrary.  At this point it is not a matter of innocent until proven guilty since a record of the event has been established.  The burden of proof lies with Johnstone – it is simply not acceptable to place this burden of proof on others and reflects poorly on the academia that insists otherwise.

“’… the revisionist author Diana Johnstone, foreground figure in the slander-convicted magazine “Living Marxism”. She insists that the Serb atrocities – ethnic cleansing, torture camps, mass executions – are western propaganda. That is also what Slobodan Milosevic and his ilk profess. Thus the Ordfront left is suddenly travelling in the same compartment as postcommunist fascism.’”

(…)

“But putting that aside, let’s now consider his reasoning. Johnstone argues — and, in fact, clearly demonstrates — that a good deal of what has been charged has no basis in fact, and much of it is pure fabrication. For van Reis, this is outrageous.”

Again, this certainly appears to be a clear endorsement of Johnstone’s revisionist views.

“A final comment on “genocide.” People are free to use the term “genocide” as they please, and to condemn Racak and Srebrenica, say, as genocidal if they like. But then they have a simple responsibility: Inform us of their bitter denunciations of the incomparably worse “genocide” carried out with the strong backing of the US and UK at the very same moment as Racak. Say, the massacre at Liquica, with perhaps up to 200 civilians murdered, one of many (unlike Racak), in a country under military occupation and hence a grave war crime (unlike Racak), and in this case simply a massacre of civilians, without even a pretext of resistance (again unlike Racak).”

This is circumstantial rhetoric that has no place within the defense of freedom of speech.  More so, I find it extremely disturbing that an academic would use sarcasm by saying that the term “genocide” can be used liberally, to refer to Racak and Srebrenica as  “say, as genocidal, if they like”, implying otherwise, and then refer back to “200 civilians” and imply that Liquica does qualify as a genocide. 

Mr. Chomsky, I have lost friends and family due to Serb aggression on Bosnia and I am not an academic, however I have always been careful in the way I use the term genocide in terms of the aggression that took place on the Bosnian population.  This is not a term to be taken lightly, nor is it a term that should lose all meaning due to academic inclinations or political tactics.  Perhaps the 200 civilians that were killed in Liquica qualifies as a genocide, to be honest I am not informed of the matter to the same extent that you are informed, but myself and the whole of Bosnia are aware of the over 8,000 that lost their lives at Srebrenica.  Perhaps you feel the need to incorporate Srebrenica into your global power and media package, but realities usually have no perfect boxes to fit into.  Instead we are left to sorting the pieces and trying to make sense of it all.

Certainly, the examples and quotes provided here demonstrate that the issues Ed Vulliamy presents in his Open Letter to Amnesty International are valid regardless of the lack of citations and quotations within his letter.  It should also be noted that I do not believe that the letter was intended to read as a new media format with hyperlinks. 

To conclude part I, Chomsky claims to be simply defending freedom of speech on one hand and supporting revisionist views on the other; this is problematic.  Perhaps though, common ground lies in the very issue of revisionist views.  Chomsky clearly demonstrates his own dislike of misrepresentation and fabrications in his own open letter to the Guardian regarding the Brockes article.  In this case though, the accuracy or inaccuracy puts history at issue, which in turn discourages or facilitates future atrocities on the Bosnian population.  I can’t imagine that anyone would want to facilitate another “massacre” (quotes are mine for emphasis – I consider the worldview of Srebrenica as genocide to be acceptable).

Although, I feel that the issue of Trnopolje, one of many camps of the war, and the ITN/LM/Knightly fiasco brought up by Herman and Peterson with all of its misrepresentations and fabrications is a red herring which has repeatedly been debunked and is irrelevant to the issue of Amnesty International inviting Chomsky to speak at a human rights event – I will focus on the issue for the purposes of personally recording the continued propagation of these fallacies, along with the facts that disqualify the argument for my blog in part II.

Erhältlich im Media Markt ist auch der Sampler “Reggae Jam Vol. 1″, welcher zwar weder offen homophob noch indiziert ist, wohl aber Musiker aus dem Genre der von uns so betitelten “Hassmusik” supportet. Neben kommerziell auch sehr erfolgreichen Musikern wie Shaggy oder UB40 finden sich auf der Zusammenstellung also auch Stücke von Beenie Man und Buju Banton.

Zusammen mit  Musikern wie Capleton und Sizzla gehören Beenie Man und Buju Banton zur Speerspitze menschenverachtender Musik. 

Unter anderem im Rahmen der Stop Murder Music Kampagne wurden Beenie Man´s Lieder wegen offener Antihomosexualität kritisiert. Sie enthalten laut Amnesty International USA Zeilen wie: „I’m dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays“ („Ich träume von einem neuen Jamaika, wo sämtliche Schwulen hingerichtet werden“). Er wird unter anderem vom deutschen Lesben- und Schwulenverband als Mitverursacher für eine Hetzkampagne gegen Schwule in Jamaika verantwortlich gemacht, die zu einem schwulenfeindlichen Klima beitrage, dessen Auswirkungen bis zu brutalen Morden reichten, da der in seinen „Songs offen zum gay bashing (Schwulenklatschen) und gar zur Tötung schwuler Männer [aufruft]“^.

Als Reaktion auf diese Kritik, die unter anderem in den USA zu Konzertabsagen durch MTV und Virgin führte, wiesen seine Konzertveranstalter auf Beenie Mans Unterschrift unter den so genannten Reggae Compassionate Act hin, mit der er sich von homophoben Liedtexten distanziert hätte. In Jamaika bestritt Beenie Man im Juli 2007 diese Selbstverpflichtung (“And mi neva sign it, yuh hear sah.”) und erklärte zugleich, dass es keinen Bedarf an homophob motivierte Gewalt und Morde gebe, aber dass er einen „schwulen Lebensstil“ nicht unterstütze, weil er diesen für unheilvoll halte: „We don’t need to kill dem. We just need fi tell the people dem the right ting because I not supporting a gay lifestyle because it’s not wholesome to me.“ Manche Beobachter in der jamaikanischen Presse sehen in seiner Aussage, es sei nicht nötig, Schwule zu töten, die Aussage, es sei “falsch”, dies zu tun.

Buju Banton veröffentlicht Stücke wie Boom Bye Bye, in dem es heißt:

The world is in trouble

Anytime Buju Banton come

Batty boy get up and run

ah gunshot in ah head man

Tell dem crew… it’s like

Boom bye bye, in a batty boy head,

Rude boy nah promote no nasty man,

them hafi dead.

Batty Boy ist eine Ausdrucksweise der Jamaikanischen Kreolsprache (Patois), die einen homosexuellen Mann beschreibt. In Boom Bye Bye fordert Banton also die regelrechte Hinrichtung (Schuss in den Kopf) homosexueller Menschen. Auch in jüngerer Zeit, als geplante Konzerte in Deutschland bekannt wurden, kam es zu Protesten, Konzertabsagen und einer Kampagne des LSVD (Lesben- und Schwulenverband in Deutschland e.V.).

Auch nach Druck seines Labels entschuldigte Banton sich nicht für diesen Text und reihte sich neben zum Beispiel Bounty Killer und Beenie Man in die Liste der Autoren homophober Lyrics ein. In Folge dessen engagierte sich Banton allerdings für die Benutzung von Kondomen. Ein entsprechender Tune findet sich mit Willy Don’t Be Silly dann auch auf dem 1993 auf Mercury veröffentlichten Longplayer Voice of Jamaica, mit dessen Erscheinen auch die Stiftung Willy ins Leben gerufen wird, die sich um HIV-positive Kinder kümmert.

Nach dem Tod eines engen Freundes, der 1995 bei einer Schießerei ums Leben kam, wandelte sich Banton vom Jungkünstler mit offensiven Texten zu einem bekennenden Rastafari, der sich in seinen Liedern von Slackness- und Gunlyrics abwendet und zunehmend spirituelle und gesellschaftliche Umstände thematisiert.

Buju Banton kann sich bis heute nicht gänzlich der Kontroverse vor allem um Boom Bye Bye entziehen, da er – ungeachtet verschiedener Proteste – in Jamaika noch immer teilweise homophobe Texte singt. Außerdem wird er beschuldigt, fortgesetzt und tatkräftig in die seiner Meinung nach durch seine Religion gerechtfertigte Diskriminierung homosexueller Männer einzustimmen.

Nach vehementen Protesten u.a. deutscher Schwulen- und Lesben-Organisationen gegen seine Battyman-Tunes wurde 2004 die Hälfte der in jenem Jahr angesetzten Auftritte in Deutschland abgesagt.

2006 meldete er sich nach 2-jähriger Pause mit dem Album Too Bad zurück. Mit Too Bad findet Banton zurück zu seinen musikalischen Wurzeln: Es ist sein erstes reines Dancehall-Album seit 1993 und wurde für den Grammy unter “Bestes Reggae-Album 2007″ nominiert.

Die Bundesregierung prüfte 2008 eine Indizierung seiner Platten.

مسلسل ضحك وزير التعليم على الشعب المصرى 6

مسلسل ضحك وزير التعليم على الشعب المصرى 6

مسلسل ضحك وزير التعليم على الشعب المصرى 6

مسلسل ضحك وزير التعليم على الشعب المصرى 6

I’ve been somewhat concerned lately about how my perspective might affect the decisions of potential transfers; after all, I am just one person. What I can say with confidence about transfers in general, however, is that almost every single transfer I know is deeply involved in both Tufts and community outside of it.

I was contacted today by a reporter from the Daily wanting to ask me about the extracurricular activities of transfer students. Rumors have been floating around that the article is meant to be about transfers not being active at Tufts, though I’ve been unable to find any more information about that.

Frankly, I disagree and was vaguely offended by the notion that transfers are inactive & don’t do anything on campus. The process of transferring is a difficult one, one that takes a lot of thought and consideration; I know very few transfers who would transfer to a school where they (likely) pay more tuition just to sit around in their rooms. The character of a transfer has to be motivated one, someone who is always looking to improve themselves and get as much as they can out of their opportunities. If you’re lazy, you don’t go through the trouble of doing applications again, finding professors to write recommendations, etc.

I think this is an important post to make, as there are people who are doing so much more than I am. For example, I know transfers who:

• Are part of the Timmy Foundation, going to Guatemala!
• Do work with BUILD; one friend is going to Guatemala this winter break
• Started an Amnesty International chapter here
• Working with the Daily
• Give tours with the admissions office
• Have acted in plays
• Are taking on internships outside of Tufts
• And much, much, much more!

The point being- I’m just one person and one voice from a really diverse group of transfer students. Everyone has a different story. One friend took a gap year and spent six months in France, another transferred twice, and yet another one took a year off to work for One Laptop Per Child. I can’t claim to speak for all transfers through this blog, but I think the below is accurate:

Transfer students are just as, if not more, active on campus than any Tufts student who entered the university as a freshman! Don’t underestimate transfers, they’ll surprise you

Still there are countries that punish internet free expression. Join us, fight with us.

Amnesty International, in questa campagna dell’agenzia cilena Unitas/RNL, punta il dito contro le nazioni che non ammettono la libera espressione su Internet.

Per farlo utilizza l’emoticon che, a differenza di come siamo abituati a conoscerlo, piange ed è segregato, imbavagliato, sotto interrogatorio.

Campagna non ardita, ma sicuramente memorizzabile da parte degli utenti che, come noi (finché si può), vivono il web come territorio dove poter scambiare liberamente opinioni e notizie.

Joy

]]> http://consciousventures.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/celebrity-causes-using-fame-to-promote-an-issue/ Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:32:35 +0000 Conscious Ventures http://consciousventures.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/celebrity-causes-using-fame-to-promote-an-issue/

Celebrities have long endorsed products, and now many are using their fame to promote issues and causes. Shortly after becoming household names, many actors, singers and athletes establish charitable foundations in their names. They use their star power to increase public awareness of everything from diseases to political issues.

TV personality Rosie O’Donnell established the For All Kids Foundation, which gives grants to support the social and intellectual development of underserved kids. The foundation has awarded $10.2 million since 1997, much of it to established child care programs. eBay hosts a charity auction to benefit the foundation with the sales of celebrity items.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research hopes to find a cure for the disease by 2010. Television and film actor Fox, who suffers from Parkinson’s, wants his foundation to increase public awareness of the disease and raise funds for research.

U2 lead singer Bono has been involved in many issues throughout the years and supports the work of Greenpeace, War Child and Amnesty International. His latest project is Project Red, a partnership with several large corporations to increase awareness of AIDS in Africa.

Daytime talk queen Oprah Winfrey used her celebrity to power Oprah’s Angel Network. With viewer donations, the network has built 200 homes for Habitat for Humanity and sent 150 students to college. Oprah also gives a weekly “Use Your Life Award” to a local hero who improves the lives of others.

The National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance was co-founded by Today host Katie Couric. The group hopes to educate the public about the cancer, which is treatable if detected early.

The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation supports research to develop treatments and a cure for paralysis resulting from spinal cord injuries. Reeve serves as chairman of the board and the foundation has raised millions of dollars for individual research grants and programs to enrich the lives of people with disabilities.

After directing the Oscar-winning “Schindler’s List,” Steven Spielberg established the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. The group’s mission is to chronicle eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust. Spielberg is also chairman of the Starbright Foundation, which works with seriously ill children.

As more athletes achieve celebrity status, they are also promoting their causes and issues. Soccer sensation Mia Hamm set up her foundation to raise money for bone marrow disease research and programs for young women in sports. The Mark McGwire Foundation For Children works to prevent child abuse. The Tiger Woods Foundation works to help children accomplish life goals.

Many athletes promote awareness of diseases. The Mario Lemieux Foundation raises money for Hodgkin’s disease research. Buffalo Bills quarterback Doug Flutie and his wife Laurie established the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, in honor of their autistic son. The Lance Armstrong Foundation helps people survive and manage cancer.

Beginning as a vehicle to help sufferers of HIV/AIDS, the Magic Johnson Foundation now awards scholarships and grants to inner-city students and communities as well. Basketball superstar Michael Jordan set up the James R. Jordan Boys & Girls Club and Family Life Center in honor of his late father.

Source: Givespot