Gary McKinnon, Asperger Syndrome, obsession with UFOs, and the wounded pride of Empire

by Jim Gordon

Update, November 28, 2009.

The most recent decision by the Home Secretary to allow the extradition of Gary Mackinnon to the United States is not surprising. The absence of ethical content and responsible moral control in the decisions of the current government, its wholesale capitulation to the demands of the United States that US security concerns give carte blanche for political and military pressures, and that country’s now expedient assertions about the importance of international law, come together against the ironic and morally tragic exposure of US and UK complicity that now forces seasoned diplomats, facing public enquiry, to openly question the legality and legitimacy of the war in Iraq.

I have little to add to the reflections I offered in August. Except this. I am ashamed of the failure of the UK government to protect its own citizen. I am ashamed of the lack of moral courage and legal wisdom on the part of the Home Secretary and the Government which, if they are now over a barrel because of a bad law, were the very Government that drove through its approval. Either way, Gary Mackinnon should not be the one to bear the cost of ill conceived legislation enacted by a supine legislature administered by a domesticated administration.

Gary Mackinnon’s mother asks the right question – if her son’s Asperger’s condition and his current distress, which no one denies, do not constitute a fundamental threat to his well-being such that it compromises his human rights, then what in fact does? “How does a British citizen claim asylum in his own country?” is one of those twisted legal questions that exposes the nonsense of the Home Secretary’s position. Rightly, this country does not send people away if they face a credible theat of serious harm abroad. We have had no medical report published by the Home Office indicating Gary Mackinnon’s health will withstand the trauma of extradition. The impact of edxtradition, trial and sentence on a person with autism whose sense of self and the world is so fundamentally different, is so obviously severe that it would rightly be called inhumane. At which point I want to repeat here my post from August 1, and stand by each word of it.

…………………………………………………..

Disquiet. Unease.
A persistent mood of ethical anxiety.
Discomfort like toothache of the conscience.
Awakening suspicion that something is wrong.
Hard to place and hard to ignore anger.
An inner resistance to saying nothing.

1. No one denies that Gary McKinnon hacked into US computerised defence systems.
2. Computer hacking is bad enough. But to compromise high level national security systems is by any standards a matter of serious concern. In most cases it is also a matter of criminal intent and is rightly treated as such by the relevant legal and judicial systems. (Perhaps the vulnerability of such high level computer systems to attack from an amateur UFO researcher in the UK raises questions of incompetence or negligence which are themselves definable as criminal).
3. Extradition is an important legal process of national co-operation and of reciprocal help between nations in ensuring that it isn’t possible for people to escape justice by virtue of living in another country. But for a nation to give up its citizens to another such laws need to be secure, fair, reciprocal and reviewable to avoid anomalies and injustice.
4. National security is the top of the agenda concern for the Unitred States for reasons that are obvious; the 9/11 attack and the determination to secure again the safety of the homeland, and as its inevitable corollary, the widespread hostility to the US and the UK amongst many Muslim countries and communities, many of the radicalised, following the Afghanistan and Iraq invasions by US and UK troops backed by other non Muslim nations.

So for Gary McKinnon to breach the supposedly elaborate security hardware and software of the Pentagon and other defence facilities, with their lauded military standard fail-safe systems, at such a sensitive time, raises questions that are both worrying and embarrassing for the United States and its global reputation. Somebody needs to pay.

Add now to these observations the equally undisputed fact that Gary McKinnon is a person with Asperger syndrome, obsessive about UFOs, and that his patterns of behaviour are classic expressions of a condition that essentially defines his way of relating to the world. Then ask what questions this raises about the legal and moral implications of a decision to extradite him to the United States, to stand trial for actions he does not deny, but which are explained by a pre-existing condition that is by definition related to compulsive behavioural patterns, and when the likeliest outcome is an inevitable and long jail sentence.

And this because the UK has a treaty with the United States intended to ensure co-operation in dealing with serious crime and terrorist threats, but which was intended for people with ambitions to kill, not persons with an autistic spectrum disorder. Add to this that UK Judges, charged with upholding the law, while acknowledging the severe impact of extradition on this man’s mental health, which they themselves admit may be life-threatening, suggest nevertheless it would not be a breach of his human rights to extradite him to the United States. I find it profoundly ironic that Judges appointed to uphold law, including international and human rights law, take at face value “assurances of appropriate care”, on the very same day it is reported that evidence about whether or not the CIA and british Intelligence knew of or were involved, directly or indirectly, in the mistreatment and alleged torture of a British citizen, could not be heard in a UK court, on the direct intervention of Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State. Human rights indeed! I am not reassured by the cynical ambiguity of the term “appropriate care” for someone who has so embarrassed the might of the United States, and whom the US sees as a continuing security threat.

I’m not arguing that Gary McKinnon should not face up to the consequences of what he did. He himself recognises that. But given his condition, there are issues of justice here that are deeper than the desire to put on trial, convict, sentence and make the public power statement that seems to be so important to the US authorities pursuing this extradition. The law is not there to serve the political interests of Empire, as instruments of power at the disposal of the state. Justice fundamentally involves using just laws justly, and for the purposes they were intended. Justice, and therefore moral and legal accountability, takes into consideration a person’s capacities, intentions and ability to recognise how personal acts have social consequences. The proper administration of justice requires the law to take into account the reality of a person’s medical condition and the impact of that condition, in this case autism, on a person’s recognition of boundaries and the overall context of their actions – or why not arrest and try persons with Tourette syndrome for using obscene language in public space? As David Cameron said yesterday, in the application of law, justice is not incompatible with compassion in our ways of dealing with people. That is particularly important in a world where compassion now seems to be massively discounted, and hard edged “justice” understood as legal retribution is considered a high value virtue. Mercy does not undermine law, it enhances its authority, demonstrates its value to the community, and quality assures its expression for the public good.

What I miss in the judgement of the judges, and in the reiterated refusal of the Home Secretary to allow a trial in the UK, is the moral courage to discern more deeply, the mature wisdom to decide more humanely, and thus to raise our respect for the law as that which serves us fairly and well. Under this present Government, for all its hyped up claims about making our country more secure, our own citizens are considerably less safe. In the political and cultural background, can be heard the remorseless grind of the machinery of Empire, armoured and determined that those who threaten it will feel the full force of the law. Even when a particular law is badly framed, inadequately qualified and increasingly recognised as open to political manipulation.

That’s why I’m suffering from

Disquiet. Unease.
A persistent mood of ethical anxiety.
Discomfort like toothache of the conscience.
Awakening suspicion that something is wrong.
Hard to place and hard to ignore anger.
An inner resistance to saying nothing.

I have posted in various places articles relating to the below disgrace. The article below highlights power and authority, the consequences of such structures and also the refusal to be accountable to anyone other than themselves…..

Dublin Abuse Report and the Catholic Herald

by Augustine of Canterbury Dublin Abuse Report and the Catholic Herald

The report from the investigation into the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin is a truly shocking read. One priest abused over 100 children, 46 priests were investigated in the report. What is perhaps even more shocking is that all of this was hushed up by the Irish state and Roman Catholic Church who were more interested in the reputation of the church than justice for the victims. Indeed it would appear that the authoritarian structure of Irish Roman Catholic Church meant that the abuse was kept out of the public eye for many years.

The lesson to be learnt;- authoritarian structures like to keep problems, failures and abuses quiet because they don’t like to face tough questions from outside. Authoritarian structures just can’t handle internal or external criticism. Open structures tend to keep the discipline of explaining to the wider world their problems and failures and are less likely to hide abuse. Authorities structures can look good but be rotten underneath; open structures can look chaotic but are hiding nothing, what you see is what you get.

Let those with ears to hear understand ………

And talking of keeping quiet;- the Dublin Abuse report is a major piece of international news, a major church news story and yet Damian Thompson has tweeted on every other subject today except Dublin and the Catholic Herald silent on the issue. Apparently it’s fine to heavily criticise Rowan Williams and the Church of England, at length on every possible occasion and it’s fine to report every small piece of non-news from Rome in triumphalist terms, but when it comes to admitting that everything isn’t perfect in the Roman Catholic Church they have absolutely nothing to say. Shame on you.

These are police posts numbers in Alphabetical Order Nairobi lines are in bold. My source is Kenya police website

If you need to report a crime you might want to read my blog post on navigating the Kenya police procedures here, or if it is not urgent you can also report a crime online  here

Adungosi Police Station 055-22419
Ahero Police Station 057-821008
Amagoro OCPD 055-54409
Arror Police Station 053-22286

Bahati Police Station 051-52299
Bamburi Police Station 041-5485316
Baricho Police Station 060-21732

Baringo OCPD Office 053-22227
Bondo OCPD’s Office 057-52009
Bookers OCPP 056-641020
Bungoma Hotline 055-30555
Bura Police Station 046-62229
Burubru 020-787404
Buruburu 020-787038
Buruburu OCPD  020-783584
Buruburu Police Station 020-786878
Busia Hotline 055-22133
Butere OCPD Office 056-620222
Butere Police Station 056-620004

Capital Hill Post 020-2721692
Central PPO Office 061-2030885
Changamwe Police Station  041-433700
Cherangani Police Station 054-30034

Chesikaki Police Station Chesikaki 25
Chuka Police Station 064-630002

Diani Police Station 040-2229
Eldoret Police Station  053-2032900
Elementaita Police Post 050-2030026
Elwark Police Station 046-4151000
Embakasi OCPD 020-823200
Embu Hotline 068-30100
Funyula Police Station 055-63209

Garbatulla Police Station 064-20682
Garissa Hotline 046-2000
Gatundu Police Station 067-74212
Gilgil Police Station 050-4228
Githumu Police Station 060-44132
Githunguri Police Station 066-65009
Griftu Police Station Griftu 2

Gucha OCPD Office 058-30394

Hardy Police Station 020-891225
Hola Police Station Hola 046-62004
Homa Bay Hotline 059-22444

Homabay OCPD Office 059-22258

Igoji Police Post 064-22432

Ijara OCPD Office 046-62006
Ijara Police 046-62440

Jamhuri Police Post 020-565621
Jogoo Police Station 020-557766

Jogoo Police Station 020-557632/557959
Juja Police Station 067-52176

Kabati Police Station 060-72223
Kabete 020-632222
Kabras Police Station  Malaba 9
Kahawa Sukari 067-812099
Kahuro Police Station 060-41002
Kakamega OCPD Office 056-31486
Kanangop Police Station 065-35015

Kandara Police Station 060-44419
Kangema Police Station  060-322002

Kaptembwa Police Station 051-213228

Kapsokwony Police Station 054-21400
Kapsowar Police Station 053-361507

Kaptagat Police Station 053-2033675
Karatina Police Station 061-72222
Karen Police Station 020-882538

Kariene Police Station 064-51435
Karuri Police Station 066-41222

Kasarani Police Station 020-8563222

Kasarani DCIO 020-8564335
Kasarani OCPD 020-8560756
Kasarani Police Station 020-8564310
Keiyo Hotline 053-42666
Keiyo OCPD Office 053-42088
Kenyatta Police Post 020-2724614
Kericho OCPD Office 052- 30658

Kericho POLICE Station 052- 20222

Keroka Police Station 058-520064
Kiambu Hotline066-22111
Kianyaga Police Station 060-751002
Kibwezi Police Station 044-350002
Kiganjo Police Station 062-86022
Kigumo Police Station 060-44409
Kigumo Police Station Hse 060-44503
Kiirua Police Station 064-41002

Kijabe Police Station 066-64480

Kijipwa Police Station 041-32211

Kikuyu Police Station 066-32022

Kileleshwa 020-560533

Kilgoris 058-5122009

Kilifi OCPD Office 041-522368

Kilimani D/OCPD 020-2728885

Kilimani OCPD 020-2710392

Kilimani Police Station 020-2721683

Kilome Police Station 044-322280

Kilome Police Station 044-322002

Kimende Patrol Base 066-64014

Kimilili Police Station 055-21018

Kiminini Police Station 055-44044

Kinango Police Station Kinango 15

Kipipiri Police Station065-72435

Kipkabus OCPP 053-720464

Kiriani Police Post 060-51096

Kirinyaga OCPD Office 060-21266

Kisumu OCPD’s Office 057-23594

Kitale Hotline 054-30777

Kitui OCPD Office 044-22055

Koru Police Station 057-51478

Kuria OCPD’s 057-52853

Kwale OCPD Office 040-4075

Kwhisero OCPP 056-620227

Kyuso Police Station Kyuso 3

Lamu OCPD Office 042-633120

Lanet Police Station 051-850043

Langata OCPD 020-603694

Lari Police Station 066-74235

Likoni Police Station 041-451222

Lolgorian Police Station 051-23237

Luanda Police Station 054-251087

Lugari OCPD Office 053-53333

Lugari OCPP 053-2031015

Lungalunga Lungalunga 15

Lwala Police Station 057-520485

Madogo Police Station 046-2372

Magumu Police Post 065-32916

Makongeni 020-558277

Makueni Hotline 044-33000

Makupa Police Station  041-491605

Malaba Police Station 055-54038

Malakisi Police Station 055-30507

Malindi Hotline 042-31555

Malindi OCPD Office 042-31348

Malindi Police Station 042-20486

Mandera OCPD Office 046-52003

Maragua Hotline 060-313339

Maragua OCPD Office 060-64026

Maragua Police Station 060-42002

Marakwet Hotline 053-361500

Marakwet OCPD Office 053-5122086

Mariakani Police Station 041-33004

Marigat Police Station 053-51007

Masalani 046-62013

Mathare 020-3764118

Mathare 020-3762698

Matunda Police Station 053-72172

Maua Police Station 064-21022

Mbaraki Depot 041-316168

Mbooni Police Station Mbooni 22

Menengai Police Station 051-343333

Merti Police Station Merti 2

Meru Central Hotline 064-31222

Meru North OCPD Office 064-21127

Meru South OCPD Office 064-630017

Migwani Police Station044-822464

Mikinduri Police Station Mikinduri88

Milangine Police Station Milangine 22

Modogashe Police Station 046-3054

Moi’s Bridge Police Station 054-72006

Molo OCPD Office 051-5122086

Mombasa Central Police Station  041-225501

Mombasa Headquaters 041-222121

Mombasa Urban OCPD Office 041-230706

Moyale Police Station 069-2014

Msambweni Police Station 040-52002

Mt Elgon OCPD Office 054-21843

Mtitu Andei Police Station 044-30507

Mukurwe-Ini Police Station 061-60028

Mumias Police Station 056-641010

Muranga Hotline 060-31188

Muthaiga Police Station 020-3762611

Mweiga Police Station 061-55002

Mwingi OCPD Office044-822196

Mwingi Pabx 044-822032

Mwingi Police Station 044-822146

Nairobi Central OCPD 020-220117

Nairobi Central Police Station 020-225685

Nairobi Industrial Area 020-557284

Naivasha 050-2030025

Naivasha OCPD Office 050-2020288

Nakuru Hotline 051-2217417

Nakuru Hotline051-40000

Nakuru Hotline051-30666

Nakuru Police Station 051-2216597

Narok OCPD Office 050-22127

Narok Police Station 050-22201

Naromoru Police Station061-62003

Nchiru Police Station 064-66409

Ndaragwa Police Station065-32078

Ndaragwa Police Station065-32280

Ngomongo 020-803340

Ngubi Patrol Base066-41582

Njabini Police Station 065-32459

Njoro Police Station 051-61106

Nkubu Police Station064-51002

Ntumu Police Station 064-22063

Nyahururu Police Station 065-22052

Nyahururu Police Station065-22722

Nyali Police Station 041-477555

Nyamira Hotline058-6144488

Nyamira OCPD 058-6144035

Nyamira Police Station 058-6144029

Nyandarua Hotline065-32555

Nyando OCPD 057-821167

Nyeri Hotline 061-2030555

Ol Joro Orok Police Station 065-22919

Ol Kalou Police Station 065-72003

Othaya Police Station 061-52004

Oyugis Police Station 059-31035

Pangani Police Station 020-6760142

Pap Onditi Police Station  Pap Onditi 9

Parklands Police Station 020-3742238

Parklands Police Station 020-3746115

Port Victoria Police 055-63409

Rachuonyo Hotline059-31200

Rachuonyo OCPD’s Office 059-31284

Rhamu Police Station 046-52454

Riruta Pol.Station 020-560921

Ruiru Police Station 067-54260

Runyenjes PoliceStation 068-62002

Rweno Police Post 066-60092

Saba Saba Police Post 060-42463

Sagana Police Station 060-46002

Salama Police Station 044-322469

Serem Police Station 054-41565

Sericho Police Station 064-3502

Shauri Moyo 020-652124

Shauri Moyo 020-652125

Siaya 057-321078

Siaya D/OCPD 057-321080

Siaya Hotline 057-321666

Siaya OCPD’s Office 057-321077

Solai Police Station 051-52492

Sololo Police Station Sololo 2

Spring Valley 020-4181245

Subukia Police Station 051-52024

Sultan Hamud Police Station 044-52001 T

Taita Taveta OCPD Office 043-30303

Taita Taveta Police Station 043-5352224

Tambach Police Station 053-42450

Tana OCPD Office046-62083

Taru 040-2502

Taveta Police Station 043-5352222

Teso Hotline055-54444

Thika Hotline 067-31000

Thika Police Station 067-31652

Thika Police Station 067-21074

Thindigua Patrol Base 066-513366

Tigania Police Station 064-66255

Tigoni Police Station 066-73222

Timau Police Station 064-41002

Tot Police Station 053-21069

Trans-Mara OCPD 053-2345

Turbo Police Station 053-53007

Ukwala Police Station 057-34409

Vihiga OCPD Office 054-51193

Voi Police Station 043-31220

Wajir OCPD Office 046-421505

Wajir Police Station 046-421196

Wanguru PoliceStation 060-48002

Watamu Police Station 042-32286

Webuye Police Station 055-41044

Wundanyi Police Station 043-42002

Yala Police Station 057-335235

Taking Back Democracy

The fact that the board exam for my nursing license (a.k.a the rest of my life) is looming closer is on the back burner yet again. I don’t want to be a nurse forever, but helping people is a beautiful thing and maybe my extremely convoluted plan to end up working for an environmental NGO here or in Chicago will work, so I can juggle nursing AND volunteering… So back to the point, and yes there is a point. At 22, I should know better than to dilly dally with such an event as the board exam, but there’s a good reason behind this distraction.The board exam is three days from now, but I find myself anxious and distraught over an entirely different matter. The recent political killings in my country are too much for me to ignore.

Living in a country where politics go hand-in-hand with skepticism and distrust, I’ve sometimes let my myself go numb with indifference. I don’t deny it – once or twice in my life, I’ve shrugged and thought, “That’s the way it goes here.” Like clockwork though, I would immediately scold myself. How can I be so blase about something so crucial to my beliefs and way of life? I believe in freedom, truth, democracy, free speech, and so on. Politics & governance affect all these.

Politics in my country has always left me yearning for a change. Now, because of what happened in Maguindano, that yearning has morphed into an utmost necessity. It’s been a long time coming, this need for a change. We’ve clamored heartily for it in the past, and even staged revolutions for it, but never in my lifetime has it meant so much for me as it does now.

To hear of such atrocities done stirs a passion in me. I hope that is true with most people, especially young people my age. Political killings have always happened, and most of the time we are helpless to fight it, but now we’ve come to a turning point in which we have this chance to take back our democracy. We live in a world that gives truth to the saying “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” If journalists, bearers of the truth & defenders of free speech, can be so easily eliminated, what hope do we have? Well, we have each other for one thing.

Politics in the Philippines is so immensely frustrating and painful, but we can’t let ourselves forget that we are still a democracy of the people, by the people and for the people. We are the movers and shakers, not the politicians. Politicians are in office because we have chosen them not to have power or wealth but to serve the Filipino people. Our government exists because we see fit for it be there.  A government cannot exist without a people to govern. That is why, if we stand strong and demand justice, it will not be denied us.

So with everything that has come to pass, we must not falter . In unison, we must rise up and cry for justice for those who have fallen. No more apathy, no more turning a blind eye. It is the very least we can do so that our Filipino brothers & sisters who have died in the pursuit of equality & whilst upholding democracy will not have died in vain.

It has been a year since the event happened…the memories are still fresh in our minds… But what has it yielded… People are making the day as if it’s a martyrs’ day.. and if it is what have we don’t to salute and grieve over those who lost their lives this day last year??

 Have you given them the justice..?? do you think only mourning helps??

 Some say wear white for peace…some say wear black for mourning..?? wat is this is this a fight against terrorism or one those innumerable days that cards industry like Archies market on..??

 The people responsible for this are yet to face the judgment… they are given a treatment that is definitely not befitting to what they have done… and wat is the response to all this??

We are a peace loving nation… this is our culture… patience, tolerance, submissive ness… blah blah blah…

 Cmon… you can’t pull off a Munna bhai act with these people – send them a bunch of flowers and say “Get Well Soon Mamu…!!!”

Fine wateva… these are a just few lines of moi explaining my inner tumult and anger… 2 cents of the hubbub in my mind…sorry if this sounds like a controversial piece,… but I’ve had it since morning…

It’s been a year

Some still in fear

For others its just

 another day, mere

They came they blew

They killed and slew

Yet they face no penalty

 Though many hearts bid Adieu

Exactly a year later

And we aint no better

He‘s but to face a sentence

Yet every whim of his we cater

Wen we ask the folks

For answers, we coax

Abt punishment we ask

To they who rule us poor blokes

Only facts do we portray

Law for all goes the same way

ut he’s a terrorist we protest

But now he’s in India, they say

Another year gone

And yet no judgment is drawn

We’re left to move on and on

Won’t we ever have a dawn??

How many more such events

How much more tolerance

Haven’t we learnt anythin frm the past

Why so much pretence

This is our so called tradition

No fights no ammunition

No aggression, just plain ol’

Patience and submission

FIRST I HAVE TO GRIPE- WHY ISN’T THERE AN ONLINE SUPPORT SERVICE FOR VICTIMS  OF DOMESTIC ABUSE?

I don’t know how Kenya can say it is serious about dealing with the vice when its the no. 1 crime affecting over 80% of women, yet it’s virtually impossible to find out where to get help, or how to report an incident of domestic abuse.

Here’s what I know about what to do- let me know what you think as I’d love to  produce a poster and plaster a checklist on every single police station in Kenya

1. CALL THE POLICE 999 (landline) 112 (Cell)

You can try to call the police Kenya Police emergency no is 999 (landline) or 112 (mobile phone).

PUT THESE NUMBERS IN YOUR CELL NOW

You can also try your local station – Kenya Police Stations Hotlines are listed here

2. REPORT AT NEAREST POLICE STATION OR SUB STATION/COMMUNITY STATION

When you get there tell them you want to report a crime.

I’ve no idea if the Gender Desk or Childrens Desks actually work but generally you go to the one guy who has the OB or Observation Book. He gives your case a number, asks you a few questions and you should keep a receipt of that report.

The officer taking your report will not volunteer information – you have to ask. These guys are qualified but if you are confused ask to see the OCS (Officer in Charge of Station – who generally is quite professional)

Well if you’ve been injured you need a P3 form from the Police station – you can download P3 Forms and Abstract Forms from the Police website here in advance

LOSS OF PROPERTY

Note The Abstract form is issued by the Police whenever a person reports loss of property.

It is filled giving details of the lost property. The Officer Commanding Police Station(OCS), must sign and rubber-stamp the filled form and an official receipt issued.

NB. Once this form is filled,it must be taken to the nearest Police Station for necessary assistance.

IN THE CASE OF PERSONAL INJURY

You must get the P3 Form - the Medical Examination Report

The Kenya Police Medical Examination form, popularly known as P3, is provided free of charge at our police stations. It is used to request for medical examination by a Medical Officer of Health, in order to determine the nature and extent of bodily injury sustained by a complainant(s) in assault cases.

Part I of the form must be filled by the Police Officer requesting medical examination.

Part II must befilled by a Medical Officer or Practitioner carrying out the examination giving medical details.

Section B of this form should be completed in all cases of assault, including sexual while section C is completed in cases alleged sexual offeces ony.

This form is a government document and must be returned to the police for use in adducing evidence in court.

Once the P3 form is filled in at the police station, the complainant is escorted by a police officer to a medical officer or practitioner for examination.

The form becomes an exhibit once produced in court.

MAKE A STATEMENT

Accompanying your initial Abstract should be a full statement from you of what happened. This can be done later the same day or next day AT THE POLICE STATION

Any abuse, injury or damage to property is a criminal case. It is different from a civil case (but you can also pursue a civil case in parallel – I’m not  a lawyer but would appreciate guidance on this).

If you need someone to be arrested you must tell the police immediately. Kenyan law classifies any assault, injury or damage to property as violation of the penal code.

The police will arrest the offender and charge them, hold them til processed (finger prints etc), set a bail if it’s a bailable offense, is and give them a date in court usually within 2 weeks. From what I’ve been told, the Government prosecutor will take charge in criminal cases. Ie. the Victim is represented by Govt Prosecutor. The person charged gets to plead, after which there’s a mention then a hearing.

Having someone charged for domestic abuse is a process and no wonder most women drop or don’t bother to even report domestic abuse cases.

(BTW I think we have a domestic abuse law in Kenya – it’s either assault or some other crime.)

And intoxication shall not constitute a defence to any criminal charge. Women or men who charge their spouses with domestic violence are actually charging them with Assault and there’s a 5 year jail sentence for that.

Most men know that women will not go so far as reporting the case – but the truth is that once it’s reported you can drop it if you decide. If you don’t you have nothing but the possibility of further assault.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just walk away?

NO!!!

Forgetting about what it does to us, me, you or any victim, to our bodies,  just think for a moment about what it does to our minds, our spirit and how it messes up our children, sisters, parents, friends for life to see us take the beatings.

Why you should report spouse abuse

• Having the incident on record in case it happens again in future
• You can use the case to leverage a mediated approach in exchange for dropping criminal charges which carry hefty penalties.
• Reduced probability of further abuses – Men don’t like having a record
• Doing what’s right for you and your kids/dependents family friends etc.

Disadvantages of reporting a spouse abuse case

• Dealing with the Police can be time consuming – these guys are experts in the runaround (most women drop cases which might explain why the police don’t take them seriously in the first place)
• Responsibility if the abuser goes to jail (most women are too kind to mean men)
• Ending a relationship - most people end relationships once it’s gotten so bad that police are involved. Some think it’s better to deal with problems before they become violent. You can get help and counseling (see below)
• Your case can become public – some people and especially relatives find this embarrassing and shameful

The Center for Gender Violence at Nairobi Womens Hospital in Hurlingham

Kenyatta Hospital

Nairobi Place – for counseling and treatment of alcoholism and other substance abuse addictions

For men who are abused or who can’t get access to traditional help the SAFE website may provide options

For women, children and men – we need a site like Narika in Asia which is a volunteer run a help line that one can can call to find out what to do, get counseling, access information like where’s the closest shelter, share stories and generally get help.

You can download most Kenyan laws here

If you have any relevant resources to share leave a comment or tweet me @paulakahumbu

I’ve noticed that over the past couple of months, I have used to this blog not only as a place to vent my frustrations and hurt but also as a tool to help me accept things that are happening and ultimately move on from it.  It’s been my salvation when at 3am in the morning my head is whirring and I need to talk to someone.  Ridiculous I know, after all the laptop can’t talk back to me right?
No, but it does reflect. 

It forces to me to look at my own thoughts, in black and white, and truly understand and admit to myself how I feel.

 There’s been a lot of anger on this blog, and I’m not completely devoid of any anger now although I do think that I’m not as angry as I was seven weeks ago.  At the time I needed somewhere to just go crazy, because I was trying so hard to be the better person and not scream at him for what he did.  My god, I wanted to. 
A lot of my friends and family are puzzled as to why I didn’t literally attack him, scratch his eyes out so to speak, but I knew if I did I wouldn’t stop… I would have seized every emotion and impulse I had at the time, and I would have torn him to pieces.  I was genuinely scared that I had the potential to physically harm somebody, even worse that I wanted to. On top of all of this, I knew if I attacked him then it would, in some way, justify what he did.  I didn’t want to give him that.
So I did what I knew I did best, I wrote.  There are pages and pages of short stories, journals, poems, lyrics, proverbs and the occasional big letter scribble of ‘I FUCKING HATE YOU, YOU LYING CHEATING TWAT!’ stacked away in some box that I can’t bring myself to open again.  It helped.  It’s still helping.  It’s my way of coping with everything, almost like a self counselling strategy that my mind seems to have created.
I also started blogging again, and more often, becoming a new routine in my week to replace the time I would have spent with him.  Also, if I’m completely honest, I was very aware that he checks my blog (still now) and I think it was my way of expressing just how much anger and hurt I had felt towards him without me screaming and attacking him. 

So, you’re probably wondering what’s brought me here this time?
I’ve just confessed this is my ‘go-to’ point when I’m feeling particularly blurgh (sorry, couldn’t think of a better word), so what has happened now? 
I was perusing my photos on facebook, looking for a photo of my brother and myself, when I happened to accidentally scroll onto a picture of myself and my ex in happier times.  I paused, I looked, I wasn’t bothered… until I noticed that he had detagged himself from it.  I couldn’t resist looking at other photos of us on the site, and found that he had done the same for every photo of a similar nature. 
I have to be honest, as I always am on here, it bloody hurt.  To add to the hostility between us, the history between us and the mountain of issues that were never addressed, it now seems that he does not want to be associated with me in any way, shape or form.
It’s almost like he is removing me.  That sounded melodramatic, I didn’t mean it in the sense of removing me from his life because he is quite welcome to do that (I have) but more as if he is denying my very existence and our relationship all together.  After everything.

He has detagged and detached himself from me.

I don’t know if he is doing this to move on, or to please his new girlfriend, or to be hurtful (in which case, mission success) but he kind of needs to know there will come a time when we meet again.  It’s a small town.  You can’t run away from your feelings forever, I learnt that the hard way.
I can almost see him reading this now, scoffing at certain things and saying ‘what?!’.  After everything, he still sees this as my way of personally attacking him, making him seem this evil and vindictive person.  However, this blog is not about him, granted he pops up a LOT in the content of the blog but as I said earlier, its my therapy.  It’s about me, don’t be so self-centred as to think it’s about you!
I don’t know what else is to come, but I know there’s more mile stones to reach.  The next one will probably be Christmas, my first without him and our silly traditions, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it – I’m sure you’ll get a blog out of it!

Until the next issue guys x

…the banks won!  after years of mugging people who were obviously not in a position to be paying fines, the justice system of the UK legalises it.  more proof that nobody cares about what’s right but more what’s in it for them….

Love one another

By Maggi Dawn

I was talking to a man a couple of days back, a priest I’ve known since we were both contemplating ordination. He told me a story about how some years ago he’d overheard some senior priests at a big Cathedral bash, talking about the “new” women priests. They were trying to decide whether it was better actively to put enough pressure on until they couldn’t bear it and left, or whether it would be more effective to cut them dead, look through them as if they didn’t actually exist. “Has that ever happened to you?” asked my friend.

Sad to say, my experience over the last sixteen years includes arriving at theological college to find a piece of paper under my door with extremely unpleasant and unprintable comments about how women were not welcome “here”; being treated as invisible by some male priests at nearly every large Church festival I’ve attended since being ordained; and offering consecrated wafers to people at Communion rail only to have them stand up and walk away instead of receiving communion from me. I survived one co-ordinated campaign to remove me from office, and another incident when a male priest spread malicious lies about me in an attempt to discredit me. Nasty, and undeserved, but true.

So it rang plenty of bells in my head when I read this quote this morning, written by another priest:

“We are actually hated within our own family, who have no real desire to help us, but will seek to hurt us if we stay and hurt us if we go. Pray God that this fear is entirely unfounded.”

These words, though, were not written by a woman priest, but by Fr Ed, an Anglo Catholic priest writing in response to the news that another male priest who is contemplating taking up a Catholic Ordinariate hs had the very unpleasant experience of a threatening phone call and some graffiti posted on his church notice board.

I think Fr Ed’s comments put the spotlight neatly on the most important issue: that regardless of which wing of the Church you live in, or which strand of Christian belief you subscribe to, this is reprehensible behaviour, every bit as bad as the bullying that women priests have had to encounter. The point isn’t really whether this or that opinion is right or wrong. There are some Anglo Catholics who cannot accept women bishops under any circumstances; there are many more Anglicans (including catholic Anglicans) who feel that refusing women bishops undermines their integrity. It’s easy enough for everyone to think that their understanding of orthodoxy is more orthodox than someone else’s. But it’s a foundation of Christian theology that Christians should love their friends and their enemies. Treating people as if they are invisible, spreading lies, threatening phone calls – these are not the actions of love, and whatever the provocation, they are unacceptable.

Now the rich Federal Conservative Tory MP Gerald  Keddy, who represents the riding of South Shore-St.Margaret’s, had been asked by a reporter whether he was employing migrant workers on the Christmas tree farm he runs with his family . Keddy said he didn’t, but that he wouldn’t criticize others for doing so because local people won’t do the work.  “Nova Scotians won’t do it — all those no-good bastards sitting on the sidewalk in Halifax that can’t get work,” The Federal Conservative Tory MP Gerald Keddy has apologized for saying unemployed Haligonians are “no-good bastards” because they won’t work on Christmas tree farms.  “These comments were insensitive”. `I would like to offer a sincere apology for remarks I made regarding the unemployed in Halifax,” “In no way did I mean to offend those who have lost their job due to the global recession, nor did I mean to suggest that anyone who is unemployed is not actively looking for employment.”

 But what did he now mean?

We are all sorry he got elected in the first place too//

Special unit will investigate possible police misconduct The Cape Breton Post SYDNEY — Nova Scotia Justice Minister Ross Landry says the province will set up an independent unit to investigate serious incidents of possible police misconduct. Landry said up to seven investigators will be employed by the unit, which will bring greater accountability and transparency to investigations involving police. Nova Scotia is consulting police agencies, interested groups and the other Atlantic provinces to develop a model for the unit, the Nova Scotia Department of Justice said Tuesday. Bob Purcell, a department official, said the unit which could be in place by spring 2010 will investigate incidents in which a person has been killed or injured by police. The investigative unit may also be responsible for probing similar incidents involving sheriffs or corrections officers in custody situations, although that has not yet been decided, said Purcell, executive director of the Department of Justice’s public safety and security division. The justice minister’s announcement received a guarded welcome Tuesday from a spokesman for the Wagmatcook First Nation band council, which has been demanding the long-awaited release of a report into the RCMP shooting death of a resident almost a year ago. Brian Arbuthnot, band director of operations, said he has not seen any details about how the investigative unit will operate but said it sounds like a positive step. John Simon died in a Baddeck hospital about three hours after being shot by an RCMP officer at a home on the reserve on Dec. 2. Last month, officials from the band council held a press conference in Halifax to air their concerns about delays in the release of a Halifax Regional Police investigative report on the death. Arbuthnot said an independent unit could possibly complete investigations and issue reports more quickly, but he noted on the other hand, there are many factors to consider in any shooting death.  The public prosecutor’s office also plays a role, he noted. “I don’t want to sound too pessimistic about it. I think it makes sense to do it but I guess they say the proof is in the pudding and let’s see where it goes from here.” Chief Myles Burke of the Cape Breton Regional Police Service said right now, police departments in Nova Scotia dealing with a serious incident involving one of their own typically call on other departments to do an investigation. “While I will say it worked, some of the challenges it has for the chiefs are you still have that question for the public dealing with accountability and independence,” said Burke, who has conducted such investigations. “And there is a very significant cost to the municipal units in relation to these investigations. They are very expensive and they are time-consuming.” The Nova Scotia Chiefs of Police Association supports the path the province is taking and Burke said personally supports it. Burke said the issue of whether investigations would proceed more quickly is questionable considering that investigators must sometimes wait for lab reports   http://www.capebretonpost.com/index.cfm?sid=305804&sc=145

and does that inlude the bad RCMP?

AND WHAT NEXT CAN WE EXPECT?

Extract from ‘The Hiding Place’:

“It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there – the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie’s pain-blanched face.

He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. “How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein.” he said. “To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!”

His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.

Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.

I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me Your forgiveness.

As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.

And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.”

Well, can’t say I’m surprised. You’ll find the story here:

EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling

That’s awfully gosh darn interesting.

You know, my only problem with modern science is that it is fueled by money, not so much natural curiosity. The money gives it a vector… a direction. Sometimes it gives it a skew, and that’s the point at which it ceases to be science at all. It’s scientific blasphemy, where in some fit of “1984″ hysteria, 2+2=5.

Personally I think we are going through a warming trend maybe, but I seriously doubt that it’s man-made. Our contribution to the atmosphere through emissions is minuscule at best. Time will indeed show this to be the biggest scam of our era.

The saddest part of it is that there are a lot of really well-intentioned people out there that are genuinely concerned about our ecosystem, as are we all, I think. Nobody wants to have our kids drink sludge. So sad, though, that so many people have followed this red herring when we could be working on more productive measures.

             Deeming anything as bad or wrong in my life is a judgement call.  Have I done this?  Yes, quite often.  When my peace or joy or plans get disturbed by some other person, place or thing it feels natural to vent and gripe about the injustice of it all.  But when I look back on my life, at the big picture, I get a new perspective on the perceived “wrongs” in my life.  The things that felt most wrong in my life turned out to be the greatest catalysts for change in me.  Sometimes I need more than a mere tap, I need a great big push from the universe to get me back on track.  

              Today I view my life as a spiritual path of healing and growth; a letting go process leading to more freedom and love than I ever imagined possible before certain people, places and things went drastically “wrong” in my life.  Coming from this perspective I can find more than acceptance, but even gratitude for my troubles, great and small.  I am called always to seek the lesson; what do I need to learn, what am I clinging to, needing,  forcing, resisting, expecting, controlling, fighting and not allowing, accepting, releasing, loving, and trusting God with?  Gratitude is just a heart shift away.

Injustice enough
Complains, but nobody does
Initiative, peeps.

Frenchy

Cécile Hennion, correspondante du quotidien Le Monde, nous fait part d’une affaire non médiatisée au Liban, celle de la condamnation à mort d’un ressortissant libanais originaire du Akkar, en Arabie Saoudite. Son tord, celui d’avoir présenté une émission de télévision au Liban, émission de voyance, genre Madame Soleil. Son autre tord, selon l’article, citant le propre frère de la victime,

“C’est parce qu’il s’appelle Ali, pense son frère Mehdi. Il est chiite avec un nom chiite et il avait un visa iranien sur son passeport.”

Ali Hussein Sbat est donc condamné à la peine capitale, divisant également les autorités libanaises:

“Cette étrange affaire embarrasse les autorités libanaises, elles-mêmes divisées entre sunnites et chiites, alors que l’Arabie saoudite est un “parrain” très influents au Liban.”

Nous touchons ainsi le fond de l’Histoire, celui des antagonismes historiques entre sunnites et chiites, des chocs de civilisations entres musulmans et chrétiens.

Une autre information, cette fois-ci des confidences du Magazine, nous fait part d’une autre nouvelle inquiétante, celle de la cause des dernières attaques contre les chrétiens du Liban par le mufti du Mont Liban, le fameux Jouzou. Ce dernier, doit-on encore le rappeler, appelait justement à égorger les chrétiens, considérés comme infidèles durant la guerre civile. Il recevrait, selon le Magazine, des fonds de Pays du Golfe pour financer des groupuscules islamistes et notamment dans le Akkar, décidément région maudite pour les non-sunnites. L’objectif de ces groupuscules seraient de sauver les prérogatives du premier ministre -sunnite au Liban également-, estimant que le retour du Général Aoun, en 2005, son accord avec le Hezbollah en 2006 et aujourd’hui les amendements proposés pour le renforcement des prérogatives de la Présidence de la République nuisent aux sunnites libanais. On comprendra alors mieux ses dernières paroles, refusant que “les sunnites puissent être dirigés par un Président Maronite”, ou appelant encore les maronites à l’exil en Syrie, mettant dans l’embarras également les Saad Hariri et les autres Fouad Saniora.

Mais la question n’est pas là, il s’agit du rôle que jouent ces pétro-monarchies, pour ne pas nommer l’Arabie Saoudite dans la déstabilisation du Liban. Des ressortissants saoudiens du groupe terroriste du Fatah al Islam, souvenons-nous, ont été rapatriés à la demande de Riad et cela continue encore aujourd’hui. Le Fatah al Islam est accusé des meurtres de Pierre Gemayel, Eido, du caporal Eid, du général Francois el Hajj et qui sait de combien d’autres victimes?

Il faut rappeler ici qu’un des anciens ministres de l’intérieur saoudien avant les attentats du 11 septembre 2001, était un proche d’Al Qaida. Le fils de son prédécesseur lui, a été visé par un suppositoire explosif. Il faut rappeler que Ben Laden lui-même avait dit s’être inspiré de Beyrouth en feu lors de l’invasion israélienne de 1982 pour le World Trade Center. Il faut rappeler que les islamistes au Liban ont tenté une première fois d’établir un émirat islamique au Nord Liban en 1984. Il faut ensuite se souvenir que certains dirigeants libanais soutenaient ouvertement l’arrivée d’une coalition hétérogène en Syrie après l’attentat visant Rafic Hariri, coalition composée de Khaddam, ancien vice-roi du Liban sous Hafez el Assad et bourreau de Hama et Frères Musulmans, eux également à Hama mais de l’autre coté.

Aucune nouvelle des islamistes de Nahr Bared, du moins officiellement, les autorités judiciaires libanaises semblent les avoir oubliés, comme elles oublient d’ailleurs le cas d’Ali Hussein Sbat, alors que certains se targuent d’être dans les bons papiers du roi Abdallah d’Arabie Saoudite.

Koweït, Yémen, où rebelles Houtis se font bombarder par l’Arabie Saoudite, guerre par procuration comme le qualifie le Colonel Français Jean Louis Dufour, interpellation de chiites à Bahrein en 2007, voir en Arabie Saoudite même, certains analystes estiment qu’il s’agit avant tout d’une confirmation entre croissant chiite et sunnite, l’Égypte ou Moubarak parle d’une 5ème colonne chiite, les régimes traditionnels arabes, eux soutenus par les USA et pas vraiment démocratiques se sentent menacés par des minorités chiites, accusées alors d’être soutenues par l’Iran.

Une carte de la répartition des religions au Moyen-Orient ne peut que nous convaincre que la plupart des conflits actuels dans la région est avant tout d’origine religieuse comme au Yémen, en Irak, voir dans les zones pétrolifères saoudiennes et les pays du Golfe, et le Liban est mal placé en cela, puisqu’il s’agit d’un pays de minorités dans un environnement globalement sunnite.

Peut être que certaines monarchies, face à des minorités religieuses dans leur propre pays, veulent exporter “la menace chiite” vers le Liban sous des couverts électoraux, comme le dénonçait Walid Joumblatt après les élections législatives de 2009, qualifiées de sectaires et voulant aujourd’hui ouvertement éviter un conflit “inter-musulman” sans toutefois en dire plus. Et cela, Ali Hussein Sbat en paye peut-être le prix.

PS: Ce billet traite de l’Arabie Saoudite et non de l’Iran. L’Iran est un sujet par lui-même qui pourra être traité ultérieurement.