공지사항
-
- '노란봉투'캠페인/국제연대..
- no chr.!
437개의 게시물을 찾았습니다.
...The Insanity Is Going On, But Not Everything Is Lost!
While the battle about the Danish cartoons(http://blog.jinbo.net/CINA/?cid=4&pid=497) still is going on(Last weekend alone in Libya many 'protesters' were killed by police/please remember that in states such as Libya, Iran or Syria no rally or demo is allowed without the explicit permission by the 'authorities'... and then they're shooting at the 'protestors'... The government of Iran is preparing for a 'Scientific Holocaust Conference', one of the leading Iranian newspapers is calling for a 'Holocaust Cartoon Competition... And just some days ago influential Muslims in Pakistan and India offered Millions of Dollars for the killing of the Danish cartoonists...), a group of Israeli artists decided to strike back. But not by attacking, stoning or torching embassies of Muslim countries.. but by "defuse the hatred and fear... by the means of humor".
Read more about this(nice, just in my opinion..) story here:
Is anti-Semitic humor funny?
Israeli artist announces competition for anti-Semitic caricatures created by Jews; 'this will show the world how sane we are,' he believes |
A cheap provocation or an attempt to engender a sincere discussion of how caricatures influence society? This is a question that Amitai Sandy of Dimona Comix Publishing will soon have to answer as the sponsor of an Israeli competition of anti-Semitic caricatures.
Sandy, who has been following the recent Muhammad cartoon episode with astonishment (he says it went completely out of control), decided to respond with a small provocation of his own.
“We decided to respond to riots in which people are being killed in because of caricatures,” Sandy told Ynet. “We think the easiest thing to do is to laugh at others. It's much more challenging to find your own weaknesses."
"So we decided to set a personal example. Anti-Semitism is always current, so after the Danes laughed at the Moslems and the Moslems initiated a competition of Holocaust jokes, we thought that as long as we are dealing with stereotypes, let’s test our own limits. We want caricaturists and illustrators to submit Jewish anti-Semitic caricatures. It will be good to refresh our anti-Semitic resources,” he said.
Sandy admits that the initiative is provocative. But he also says provocations "enrich" our milieu.
"It's always surprising to discover that messages that appear extreme speak to a much wider than expected audience,” he said.
'Terms have been cheapened'
Sandy claimed he has a serious message that goes beyond being provocative
“It’s forbidden to censure cartoons and stupid to burn books, newspapers, or anything, because of them. This may sound a bit left-wing, but this is who we are. Just like the settlers have used the Holocaust for their purposes hundreds of times – from Amona 'pogrom' to the 'holocaust' of Gush Katif," he said.
"The terms have been so cheapened that we see no reason not to appropriate Jewish stereotypes ourselves,” he added.
Sandy created the logo for the competition from three Nazi caricatures, one of which he says appeared in a Yiddish newspaper.
“From research we did in preparation for a competition in Bet Ariela we learned that in the history of Jewish cartoons the number of images taken directly from Der Sturmer is not negligible”, he said. "Introspective Jewish cartoons have often provided material for anti-Semitic propaganda.”
The competition, which is open to Jewish artists worldwide, was officially announced on the website and the sponsors will accept caricatures, illustrations and short comic strips that “express hatred of Jews as insolently as possible.”
According to a statement to the press, prizes will also include matza baked with the blood of Christian children.
Palestine on brink as Hamas takes over
Hamas' new PLC speaker on Sunday
The militant group's government is beseiged by threats of boycotts from home and abroad
Conal Urquhart in Ramallah
Sunday February 19, 2006
The Observer
Israel has promised to enforce an economic blockade of Palestinian areas, while the European Union and America say they will withhold aid unless Hamas renounces violence and recognises Israel. Hamas also faces strong internal opposition, with some members of the Fatah party, which until the elections dominated Palestinian life, determined to obstruct the new government in every way they could.
At the meeting of the Palestinian Legislative Council in the government compound in Ramallah, Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, told Hamas it must form a government as quickly as possible, but laid down stringent conditions that contradict its declared aims. He said Hamas must respect all agreements made with Israel, which means the group must recognise Israel. Hamas calls for the destruction of the state of Israel in its charter and has rejected all previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements.
On a practical level, Hamas has accepted many of the President's principles. Apart from a few isolated incidents, it suspended military activities more than a year ago and its participation in government and elections implies recognition of the agreements - and the existence of Israel. However, it is reluctant to abandon its aggressive rhetoric or recognise Israel until the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.
Within an hour of the inauguration of the new parliament, the first divisions emerged. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza City, said it rejects negotiation while Palestinian territory is occupied. Hamas will propose Ismail Haniyeh, one of the Hamas leaders in Gaza, as Prime Minister. He said he hoped a compromise could be reached, despite conflicting views.
'We will deal with this difference in the political position... through dialogue and understanding, to preserve the national unity of the Palestinian people and promote the higher interests of our people,' he said.
In spite of the conciliatory rhetoric of Abbas and Haniyeh, the Palestinians face an extremely difficult task in bridging the positions of Hamas and Fatah. Although Hamas control 56 per cent of the seats, it won only 44 per cent of the vote, with Fatah receiving 42 per cent. According to Khalil Shiqaqi, a Ramallah-based election analyst, if Fatah had organised its candidates better it would have won a further 16 seats and the election.
Consequently, many Fatah members see the result as an aberration thrown up by the voting system rather than the will of the people. 'Some Fatah people are already talking about fresh elections tomorrow,' he added.
Last week the New York Times reported that Israel and the US had decided to isolate the new Hamas government and lay the ground for a political crisis which would lead to fresh elections.
In addition to the international opposition, there are a raft of measures available to Fatah to hold Hamas back. The President has an effective veto on any legislation and Fatah dominates the ministries of government and security agencies. Hamas is further constrained by Israel's control of the Palestinian territories and the importance of international donations to prop up an economy severely damaged by the effects of more than 20 years of conflict with Israel.
Nashat Aqtash, Hamas's media adviser during the elections, said he believed Hamas would be able to weather the initial storm and force Fatah to deal with its government constructively.
'Hamas had all its leaders deported by Israel in 1992 and imprisoned by the PA in 1996. Many of the leaders were assassinated by Israel. Despite this, it has continued to grow in popularity and strength. Either Fatah will get on the Hamas train or will disappear as a political force. The good people in Fatah have already been making contact to explore how everyone can work together,' he added.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1712974,00.html
Meanwhile the Israeli government said yesterday:
Please read more here:
Hamas: Decision to cut funds does not scare us
Haaretz
Hamas moves in and puts fate of pacts with Israel in doubt
IHT/NYT
Hamas Assumes Control of Parliament
Washington Post
And beside this latest developments everything else is going on like "usual":
IDF kills four in West Bank, Gaza
Jerusalem Post
While tomorrow the new elected Palestinian parliament will come together the first time and Hamas will possibly create the new government, the Israeli government, but also the US administration and the EU will prepare for a possible full boycott of the PA and the Palestinian territories.
Read more about it and the catastrophic consequences for the Palestinian population here:
Olmert mulls sanctions on Hamas-led PA
Sanctions may include ban on Palestinian workers entering country.(Jerusalem Post, 2.17)
PA minister: Economic siege will cause chaos
(Yedioth Ahronoth/Ynet, 2.16)
Ynet interviews Palestinian deputy finance minister who expresses hope international community, Israel will not go ahead with threats to curtail aid and divert tax rebates; warns economic siege will cause chaos
The security establishment on Thursday made a number of recommendations to the government about how to impose economic restraints on a Hamas-led government.
The recommendations included the curbing of fund transfers to the PA, the prevention of movement from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank, an effort to stop donations to the Palestinians, and a ban on the entry of Palestinian laborers starting this coming week.
What are the implications of these measures on the Palestinian economy? How would they influence the daily life of the Palestinians?
Ynet met Palestinian Deputy Finance Minister Saeb Bamiyeh to discuss these issues and many more.
The United States has declared that it will curtail aid to the Palestinian Authority should Hamas form the next government, European leaders are inclined to adopt a similar stance, and Israel is weighing a freeze of tax collection on behalf of the Palestinians. What will happen should these threats be adopted?
I expect the transfer of tax rebates and customs to continue. Israel is collecting the taxes because it is not ready to let us do so. Is the Israeli government planning to freeze the transfers and cause anarchy or to confiscate monies that belong to others? Will international donors want to punish the Palestinian people? I believe that both Israel and international donors will not rush to implement the threats. They will wait to see how things develop in Ramallah.
And should Israel freeze the transfer of tax rebates, what will happen?
It will be a catastrophe. The Palestinian Authority has a deficit of USD 650 million, some 13 percent of the GDP. The Authority depends on these funds. It is fighting every month to pay its employees. On the tenth of this month we received January’s salaries but if the Authority does not get the money there will be no salary for February.
The Palestinian government employs 150,000 people; about a third of the Palestinian workforce. If the Authority’s employees do not get paid, they will become unemployed and unemployment will reach 70 percent, probably the highest in the world. The Authority pays USD 100 million in salaries every month, over USD 1 billion a year. If the Authority stops paying salaries the Palestinian GDP will shrink by 12 percent and become lower than the average GDP in Africa.
Two thirds of the Palestinian population lives below the poverty line, surviving on less than NIS 1000 (about USD 110) a month per family. The average Palestinian eats one meal a day. Authority workers, the children and relatives they support amount to 1 million people. If the Authority collapses, nearly all Palestinians will live off less than few hundreds of shekels a month. The Palestinian economy simply won’t exist.
Our security establishment recommended the government curbs trade with the Palestinian Authority and many Israeli are calling on the government to scrap trade relations altogether. Should this happen what will be the implications for the Palestinian people?
Total chaos. The Palestinian economy is completely dependent on the Israeli economy. The Palestinian workforce produces more than 90 percent of products for the Israeli market and 80 percent of Palestinian imports are from Israel.
Hamas leaders have warned they are not concerned by threats to curtail aid. They say the Palestinians are willing to starve for its cause and the Palestinian Authority can tap Iran and Saudi Arabia for assistance.
I totally disagree with them. Even if Iran agrees to assist with billions of dollars we know that this money will be difficult to reach the PA. If they want to make political statements of this kind for political propaganda, they are more than welcome to do so. Hamas has to understand that we have no alternative but to cooperate with Israel. They have to learn to play within the rules accepted by the international community and they will do so.
Al-Jazeera, BBC, Reuters (2.13):
'Death or exile' for Nepal's king
|
The leader of
So...
..or so...
..the f.. shithead - a.k.a the
'king' - he must go!!
FOREVER!!
In what was believed to be his first interview for television, Prachanda told the BBC on Monday: "The king has taken steps that do not give any room for compromise. It would be correct to say that the path that he has taken is the road to hell."
King Gyanendra seized absolute power in
Prachanda, who has lived in hiding for more than 20 years, forged a loose alliance with the country's main political parties last year, aiming to topple the king and restore democracy.
The Maoists began an uprising in the west of
Royal threat
In the subsequent years of conflict, at least 12,500 people have been killed and the economy, heavily reliant on tourism, has been left in ruins.
Prachanda said in the interview: "I believe that it [
During the interview, filmed in an undisclosed location, Prachanda also blamed foreign interference for his group's failure to take the capital,
"When countries like the
'New plane' of leadership
"That is why we believe that in today's world it's not possible only to move forward militarily. Today's reality is to move forward both politically and militarily, with a balance of the two."
"If need be, and if necessary for the Nepali people, I am of course ready for it," he said. "But I also want to clarify that from the lessons of the 20th-century communist states we want to move to a new plane in terms of leadership where one person doesn't remain the party leader or the head of state."
U.S. drawing up plans for Iran attack
London-based Sunday Telegraph says American Central Command, Strategic Command planners were ‘identifying targets, assessing weapon-loads and working on logistics for an operation’; U.N. nuclear watchdog agency strips most surveillance equipment from Iranian nuclear sites
Associated Press(2.12)
U.S. military strategists are reportedly drawing up plans for an attack on Iran as a last resort to stop the Islamic republic from developing nuclear weapons.
In a front-page dispatch from Washington, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper in London said Central Command and Strategic Command planners were "identifying targets, assessing weapon-loads and working on logistics for an operation."
The planners are reporting to the office of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld with a view to having a military option if diplomatic efforts fail to put the brakes on Iran's suspected quest for nuclear weaponry.
"This is more than just the standard military contingency assessment," the Sunday Telegraph quoted a senior Pentagon adviser as saying. "This has taken on much greater urgency in recent months."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned Saturday that Tehran could quit the Non-Proliferation Treaty if it is forced by the West to limit its disputed nuclear program, which it insists is for civilian purposes.
Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency referred Iran to the UN Security Council after the oil-rich nation resumed its uranium enrichment program.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3214707,00.html
The German magazine Der Spiegel reported(2.12) also about the issue
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,400427,00.html
Meanwhile today's(2.13) Guardian(UK) published following article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,1708567,00.html
Thousands would die in US strikes on Iran, says study
· Report warns of effects of American or Israeli strikes
· Military operations would mean long confrontation
The report, Iran: Consequences of a War, written by Professor Paul Rogers and published by the Oxford Research Group, draws comparisons with Iraq. It says the civilian population in that country had three weeks to prepare for war in 2003, giving people the chance to flee potentially dangerous sites. But Prof Rogers says attacks on Iranian facilities, most of which are in densely populated areas, would be surprise ones, allowing no time for such evacuations or other precautions.
"Military deaths in this first wave of attacks would be expected to be in the thousands," he says. "Civilian deaths would be in the many hundreds at least, particularly with the requirement to target technical support for the nuclear and missile infrastructure, with many of the factories being located in urban areas."The death toll would eventually be much higher if Iran took retaliatory action and the United States responded, or if the US took pre-emptive military action in addition to strikes on nuclear sites.
Prof Rogers, of the University of Bradford's peace studies department, says: "A military operation against Iran would not ... be a short-term matter but would set in motion a complex and long-lasting confrontation. It follows that military action should be firmly ruled out and alternative strategies developed."
US and other western critics of Tehran say the government there is intent on securing a nuclear weapons capability. The Iranians deny this, saying they are pursuing civilian nuclear energy. The issue could still be resolved diplomatically, but both the US and Israel have said the option of air strikes remains open.
Prof Rogers says the aim of an attack would be to set back Iran's nuclear programme by at least five years. He says Britain could be drawn in as US aircraft would probably use UK bases.
He lists the expected targets as the Tehran Research Reactor, a radioisotope production facility, a range of nuclear-related laboratories, and the Kalaye Electric Company, all in Tehran, and facilities in Isfahan and Natanz.
"The new reactor nearing completion at Bushehr would be targeted, although this could be problematic once the reactor is fully fuelled and goes critical some time in 2006," he says. "Once that has happened, any destruction of the containment structure could lead to serious problems of radioactive dispersal affecting not just the Gulf coast but west Gulf seaboards in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates."
He adds: "All the initial attacks would be undertaken more-or-less simultaneously, in order to kill as many of the technically competent staff as possible, therefore doing the greatest damage to longer-term prospects."
Iran would be unable to prevent such an attack, as it has only limited air defences. But Prof Rogers says it has a large arsenal of responses. It could:
· withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty and pursue speedy development of nuclear weapons capability;
· encourage retaliatory action against Israel by the Lebanese-based Hizbullah group, which has missiles capable of hitting Haifa and several other Israeli cities;
· close the Strait of Hormuz, one of the main access routes for oil from the Gulf;
· send Iranian paramilitary units into states such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates;
· or order Iranian Revolutionary Guards to step up links with insurgents in Iraq.
Prof Rogers says a US or Israeli attack could also help al-Qaida by increasing the anti-US mood in the region and beyond.
A story every day happens there
under the Isreali occupation...
Published in today's(2.12) edition of Haaretz
"There will be a Vietnam here" | ||||
By Gideon Levy
| ||||
The children threw stones, the border policemen threw grenades. The result: an 8-year-old boy in intensive care with a serious head injury, anesthetized and on a respirator, his situation serious but stable | ||||
The Border Police come to the camp almost every day. The residents of the camp say that they provoke the children, they honk and they curse. The children throw stones at them. The border policemen throw grenades at the children, stun and smoke grenades. The thunder makes the walls of the houses tremble, the gas penetrates the crowded homes, suffocating their inhabitants, including many old and sick people, and many children. The residents place plastic sheets on their windows, but it doesn't help. |
...INSANITY!!
Today in Jerusalem, about 2,000 women, young boys and older men chanted "Bin Laden, strike again!" as they marched around the Dome of the Rock on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, trampling a homemade Danish flags. (Reuters, 2.11)
Wow, what a surprise!!
...and don't say that 2,000(Palestinian, or better muslim) women.. don't know what they're doing/chanting! They know it very well!!
20 persons reported killed in Nawalparasi clash (news update)
Map of Nawalparasi (File photo) |
Latest reports from Nawalparasi say at least 20 persons, including 15 security personnel and four Maoist rebels, were killed during fierce clashes at Rambhapur of Nawalparasi district along the Mahendra highway on Thursday.
Reports quoted Siddhi Charan Bhattarai, president of NGO Federation of Nepal Nawalparasi district unit, who led a group of rights activists that inspected the site of clashes as saying that at least 18 security personnel were killed and one dozen others were injured during the clashes that ensued after heavily armed rebels attacked security personnel who were trying to clear the highway blocked by the rebels.
At least four rebels were killed during clashes.
Asmita Chapagain, a 21-year-old young woman from nearby district of Rupanedhi, when she fell victim to landmine explosion laid down by the rebels. Three other civilians were also injured in the explosion.
The rebels have said they have taken one dozen security personnel into custody after the clashes. They said they have set on fire vehicles used by the security personnel and seized weapons from them.
Traffic is yet to resume along the highway and local people are terrified, according to reports. Local people said the bodies of security personnel were lying scattered near the site of clashes till this afternoon. They said security personnel were yet to secure the area.
Reports said the RNA has launched an aerial raid in the bordering area of Palpa suspecting that the rebels are using the nearby forest as hideouts.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Defense said Friday evening that three rebels and two security personnel were killed in the encounter. It did not provide details.
Traffic is yet to regime along a number of highways in the eastern and western Nepal even after the withdrawal of ‘Nepal bandh’ (the nationwide shutdown strike) by the Maoists effective from Thursday.
They had called a week-long strike beginning last Sunday to disrupt the municipal polls. nepalnews.com by/ia Feb 10 06
Rights situation in Nepal one of the worst in the world: Amnesty
While the CPN(M) is reacting positively to the requests of the seven main opposition parties to stop/call back the General Strike(bandh) the ruling regime is continuing with its policy of massive oppression/terror.
2.8, "Election Day"...
According to GEFONT and some bourgeois media just few people particiapated in the so-called municipal election, organized by the king and his collaborators.
Please read more here:
Maoists call back general strike (7:30 PM)
Maoists withdrew the seven day long bandh (general strike) with effect from Thursday, after four days of the bandh.
A press statement issued by the Maoists on Wednesday said they withdrew the bandh respecting the requests of seven political parties, different organizations and people of different walks of life.
Maoists announced week long bandh from Sunday to disrupt the municipal poll.
Maoists have described the municipal poll as total failure.
Maoists also expressed gratitude to all people who had contributed for the success of the bandh.
Maoists appealed the seven political parties, civil societies and intellectuals to initiate dialogue for finding out the outlet of the present crisis through the election of the constituent assembly.
The statement further said that they will announce future programmes along with the process of dialogue.
The bandh has been facing widespread criticism from all walks of life. nepalnews.com pb Feb 08 06
...RNA 'in action'
GEFONT
Very few voters turn up to cast their ballot
February 8th, 2006
Today the Royal Regime staged a drama of election ploy across the country for municipal elections. One of the Nepali Blogers Dinesh Wagle has written in blog- United We Blog! For Democratic Nepal entitled – "Deserted Voting Booths of Nepal" very interestingly on today's election drama.
"An elderly man looks for his name in a voters’ list pasted outside a voting center in Kathmandu. Royal Nepal government is organizing ultra-controversial municipal election today."
"I went around a few voting booths to see how the election process was going on. I saw no people but security personnel on all booths. They were staying idle with nothing to do. A voting center in New Baneshwor was exception. There were some people! And they were looking for their names on the voters’ list pasted on the wall outside the Cooperative Center."
"Deserted Road in downtown Kathmandu. Today is a double Nepal Banda in this troubled country. The week-long general strike called by Maoist rebels to foil the election is on its fourth day where as the government has banned driving in the city for today’s election purpose."
"Police and Army were imposing a strict NO ENTRY policy for the press."
http://www.gefont.org/summary.asp?flag=3&cid=50
Nepalnews
Over 130 activists arrested in Biratnagar, UML activist reported killed in Dang
Very few voters turn up to cast their ballot
Human rights activist arrested in Janakpur
Municipal polls: one suspected Maoist killed in Dhangadhi; over dozen arrested in Kathmandu
One armyman killed;10 civilians abducted in Dhankuta clash
eKantipur
Army opens fire at protestors in Dang, one killed, another injured
Over 150 arrested on the eve of polls
...and so on, and so on...
IHT/AP/Reuters
Violence and boycotts hinder election in Nepal
Al-Jazeera
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