Hosted by Dr.G., Minister of Information of the Northbay MDS. Tune in Thursdays 4 to 5pm (PST), at 89.5FM in the northeast San Pablo Bay Area, or on a Smart Phone [link], Desktop U-stream [link], Live Mp3 (.pls) stream [link], Netbook [link]. Be a Community Journalist with our Community Journalist's Notebook [link]. Send news & info to [NorthbayMDS@) gmail.com]! Northbay Uprising News scripts [link]. Archived webpages at (archive.org) and at (archive.is) are available even if the original is taken down. News links are provided for educational purposes only, and do not constitute an endorsement of political tendencies, or, of foreign governments.
Please note that the FM radio broadcast for April 30th is being pre-empted for Jazz fest. We will return to liberating the airwaves 4 to 5pm, May 7th!
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May 2nd is International Day of Solidarity with the People of Novorossiya
* "Commemorating the Odessa Massacre: Appeal of the Initiative Group for Democracy and Internationalism in Ukraine" [https://archive.is/0prlS]
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InDIYpendent Media
Spotlight from the Northbay Uprising Media Collective
Support the Nu Afrikan Prison Movement- GEORGE JACKSON UNIVERSITY
Our broadcast will air tonight at 8:00 pm est - we invite you to study & learn with us
[www.blogtalkradio.com/georgejacksonradio]
We will examine Soledad Brother, Pg 177 - "It is surely past time for us to stand up and STOP trembling, grab the bull by the horns, and ride him till his neck snaps"
Take a look at all the current events across the nation, discuss the status of political prisoners, and tell you how to create a George Jackson University - in your town for prisoners - and political prisoners
Call in: (347) 826-7332
website: GeorgeJacksonUniversity.com
email: georgejacksonuniversity@gmail.com
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Viet Nam Victory - April 30, 1975 [http://www.freedomarchives.org/Viet%20Nam.html]:
April 30, 2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the victory of the people of Viet Nam over the US military. The Vietnamese national liberation struggle moved the entire world and is one of the most important historical events of the 20th century.
The people’s war waged by the people of Viet Nam, reaching a peak in the Tet Offensive of 1968, demonstrated that a united people, even in a poor and underdeveloped nation, could defeat the most powerful military and economic power on earth.
In an era when national liberation struggles surged in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the struggle of the Vietnamese people provided an inspiring example to solidarity movements around the world and inside the US. The movement against the war in Viet Nam in the US was inextricably tied to the early anti-imperialism of the civil rights/Black liberation movement, and many other movements of the 1960s and 1970s.
The victory of Viet Nam is a living example that holds lessons for the ongoing struggle against US imperialism today. We are creating this online tribute, much of it drawn from the Freedom Archives, to help illustrate and pass on these lessons.
"From 1964 to 1972, the wealthiest and most powerful nation in the history of the world made a maximum military effort, with everything short of atomic bombs, to defeat a nationalist revolutionary movement in a tiny, peasant country-and failed. When the United States fought in Vietnam, it was organized modern technology versus organized human beings, and the human beings won." - Howard Zinn from A People's History of the United States [http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/zinnimvivi18.html].
Poster 1: The Chican@ Moratorium marches against the Vietnam War played a decisive role in ending that conflict (poster: Malaquias Montoya)
Poster 2: Colonialists, International Traitors, Think Carefully Before You Take Vietnam (1978)
One of the most powerful and often understated components of the movement against the war in Viet Nam was the unprecedented wide-scale revolt inside all branches of the US Armed Forces that essentially led to the breakdown of the military’s ability to wage war—the US military in all branches became unmanageable. At its height, the GI movement involved nearly half of all enlisted personnel.
There were 300 antiwar GI newspapers, and many antiwar GI coffeehouses near bases throughout the US. For soldiers of color, who were predominantly fighting and dying on the front lines allegedly for “democracy” the contradictions were even greater, as activists inside the US struggled and sometimes died for a democracy that had so long been denied. On the battlefield itself, there were numerous incidents of rebellion, including “fragging”—the killing of officers by enlisted men. Even official statistics record hundreds of successful fraggings—and those only include incidents using explosives, not rifles or other means, nor the many threats of fragging that curtailed officer orders.By 1970, the US Army recorded 65,643 desertions, roughly the equivalent of four divisions. There were also many thousands of draft refusals and an active draft resistance movement, including demonstrations such as Stop-the-Draft Week in Oakland, California and the public burning of draft cards in many cities. Read more about the GI Movement
* "GI Movement, 1968-1973" section of the Antiwar and Radical History Project at Washington State University [https://archive.is/OurhK].
* "1961-1973: GI resistance in the Vietnam war" (2006-09-03, libcom.org) [https://archive.today/JPrNg], "1968-1972, Harass the Brass: Some notes toward the subversion of the US armed forces" (2001, libcom.org) [https://archive.today/jRCQs]
Poster 1: We will fight and fight from this generation to the next - 1969.
Poster 2: May 19, Birthday of Malcolm X and Ho Chi Minh, two great revolutionary fighters for social justice and national liberation.
"It became necessary to destroy the town to save it," - Unidentified U.S. Army major, Bến Tre, Viet Nam, February 7, 1968.
* "On Lynching and the Ku Klux Klan" by Ho Chi Minh - 1924 [https://archive.today/vDfKL]
* Interview with Vo Nguyen Giap about People's War and Diên Bin Phû [https://archive.today/QHdxZ]
“You will kill ten of us, we will kill one of you, but in the end, you will tire of it first”, - Hồ Chí Minh
Hồ Chí Minh
Anti-War Demonstrators
Bay Area Asian Coalition Against the War
Various Viet Nam sound clips and videos:
* Ho Chi Minh addressing the anti-war movement in English [http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/Ho%20English.mp3]. Ho Chi Minh led the anti-colonial struggles against the French and the US. He was the first President of modern Viet Nam, declaring independence on September 2, 1945.
* Madame Nguyen Thai Bình appeals to the US Congress (1972)[http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/Binh.mp3]. Madame Binh served as Foreign Minister of the Provisional Revolutionary Government and negotiated at the Paris Peace Conference. She has also been Vice-President, Minister of Education, and held other posts as one of the leaders of Viet Nam.
* Vietnamese Students (1972) [http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/VN%20Student.mp3]. Protest demonstration by Vietnamese students, including US representative of the National Student Union of South Viet Nam, protesting repression in the southern part of Viet Nam under the Thieu regime.
* Dao Interview (1976) [http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/Dao%20Interview.mp3]. One of the members of the Union of Vietnamese in the US, who were very active in the antiwar movement.
* Robert and Mabel Williams on Viet Nam [http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/R%20Williams%20Full.mp3]. Leaders of an armed self-defense movement against the Klan in North Carolina, the Williams were forced into exile, first in Cuba, then in China. For more on their story and struggle, see here [http://www.freedomarchives.org/RFW.html].
* H Rap Brown - selections from a speech in 1967 [http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/H%20Rap%20Brown.mp3]. H Rap Brown (now Imam Jamil Al Amin) was chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the 1960s.
* Huey Newton on the Black Panther Party and Viet Nam (1970)[http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/Huey%20on%20VN.mp3]. Huey Newton was a founder and first Minister of Defense of the Black Panther Party.
* Martin Luther King, Jr.: Why I Am Opposed to the War in Vietnam. (1967) [http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/MLK%20Vietnam.MP3]
* Geronimo ji Jaga on Viet Nam and Detroit [http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/G%20VN.mp3].
A leading member of the Black Panther Party in Los Angeles, Geronimo was a Viet Nam war veteran. He was falsely imprisoned for 27 years in a frame-up engineered by the FBI as part of their counter-intelligence (Cointelpro) program. For more, see here [http://www.freedomarchives.org/Geronimo.html].
* Chican@ Moratorium Speech on Viet Nam War [http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/Chicano%20M%20Speech.mp3]. The Chicano Moratorium was a broad-based coalition of antiwar Chican@ groups throughout the Southwest that organized a march of more than 30,000 in Los Angeles on August 29, 1970, in which four were killed by police. Rosalio Munoz speaks.
* Chican@ Moratorium Press Conference on Viet Nam War [http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/Chicano%20M%20Press.mp3]
* Native Americans on Viet Nam (1975)[http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/Native%20VN.mp3]. A solidarity statement that emphasizes anti-imperialist commonalities between the Vietnamese and Native American struggles. John McClain speaks for the Bay Area chapter of AIM.
* Attack the Water - Janice Mirikitani (1973)[http://freedomarchives.org/audio_samples/Viet/Janice%20Mirikitani.mp3]. A San Francisco poet who often read at antiwar events, and brought forth her childhood experience in the concentration camps in the US during World War II that imprisoned Japanese-Americans.
* Victory: Liberation Forces Tank entering Saigon - From BBC "War of the Flea" [https://vimeo.com/123241348]
* The Long Haired Warriors [https://vimeo.com/1160990]. They were soldiers, activists and tortured as prisoners of war. This a film trailer about Vietnamese women who struggled against American occupation and the South Vietnamese government during the war in Vietnam.
"The Spirit of Viet Nam is Stronger than U.S. Bombs" [https://www.facebook.com/events/846470932076911/]
May 2, Saturday, 9am to 6pm, at the MetWest High School, 314 E 10th St, Oakland, California 94606. RSVP here: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/intergenerational-teach-in-the-spirit-of-viet-nam-stronger-than-us-bombs-tickets-16383904700] Sliding scale donations will be accepted at the door. Free for youth 18 y.o. and under.
The war in Viet Nam was one of the most important historical events of the 20th century. It brings to light the heroic struggle of Vietnamese people against foreign aggression, particularly the United States of America.
The Viet Nam Victory Coalition (VNVC), formed in 2014, is hosting a Community Event: “The Spirit of Viet Nam is Stronger than U.S. Bombs” - a day-full of cultural, educational & powerful sharing to mark the 40th anniversary of the US military’s forced departure from Viet Nam and international struggle for self-determination in order to:
• Highlight the historical meaning and ongoing significance of people’s struggles for independence and against imperial domination.• Inform and continue to educate ourselves and all whom identified as a part of this history; and to explore its relevance to the present and future, and keep a breath on the current strategy of the US empire in Asia and abroad.
• Connect and celebrate our humanity with music, poetry, spoken word, and with dialogues and discussion, panels and workshops, and share our story.
To endorse & donate: vnvc2015@gmail.com. Co-Sponsors (updated 4/5/15): Anakbayan East Bay, APEX Express, Asian Pacific Environmental Network, Arab Resource and Organizing Center, Asian Americans for Peace and Justice, BAYAN USA, Chinese Progressive Association, East Side Arts Alliance, Freedom Archives, GABRIELA USA, Hella Organized Bay Area Koreans, Malcom X Grassroots Movement, Mass Bass, Migrante SF, Movement Generation, Teachers for Social Justice, Union of Vietnamese, Veterans for Peace SF Chapter 69, VietUnity, Xicana Moratorium Coalition
The Viet Nam Victory Coalition is an intergenerational and multiracial coalition of community organizers, activists, educators and artists. [https://www.facebook.com/vnvc2015].
We’re members of: BAYAN USA [https://www.facebook.com/bayanusapage] ; Chinese Progressive Association [https://www.facebook.com/cpasf] ; Freedom Archives [https://www.facebook.com/freedomarchives] ; Hella Organized Bay Area Koreans (HOBAK) [https://www.facebook.com/hobak510] ; Mass Bass [https://www.facebook.com/massbassmusic] ; Union of Vietnamese ; Veterans For Peace SF Chapter 69 [https://www.facebook.com/veteransforpeace] ; VietUnity [https://www.facebook.com/vietunity].
#SpiritofVietNam2015
1970 UC Berkeley Asian Studies poster “NO VACATION FROM THE WAR”
This poster was an organizing tool directed to students on summer break. It was a call to engage in political education, organize community events and promote an anti-imperialist Asian Anti-War perspective.
This effort was housed in the Ho Chi Minh House which was located at 2334 Bowditch. Students needing access to materials, films, and speakers for their community events could contact folks at the Asian Center which students renamed the Ho Chi Minh House.
ACTION HEADLINES!
Stories are reviewed and provided by Northbay MDS Committees and Affiliates
information collected by the
SOLANO PEACE, JUSTICE, AND FREEDOM COALITION
[SolanoPeaceJustice.blogspot.com], to end the USA's endless wars, in harmony with Principle 1 & 6 of International Law [archive.today/tmncz], and the 5 protocols of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) [archive.is/LhUTj].
* "WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? ON SALEH V. BUSH, THE CRIME OF AGGRESSION, AND EFFORTS TO CRIMINALIZE WAR" (2015-04-24, witnessiraq.com) [https://archive.is/15AYK]
* "US plans globally integrated military operations; The US plans to expand the forward deployment of its armed forces, which implies the permanent or temporary presence of its troops in the territories of more than 100 countries around the world" (2015-04-24, tass.ru) [https://archive.is/4z9aq]
* "Report Shows US Invasion, Occupation of Iraq Left 1 Million Dead" (2015-04-23, truth-out.org) [https://archive.is/HBA9D]
* "Sixteenth Anniversary of the Attack on Yugoslavia: Nish, No War Crimes Here" (2015-04-22, counterpunch.org) [https://archive.is/RYfWU] [begin excerpt]:
As a member of a delegation documenting NATO war crimes in 1999, I visited Nish, the third largest city in Yugoslavia. NATO attacked this appealing old city on forty occasions, destroying approximately 120 buildings and damaging more than 3,400.
On the night of our second stop in Nish, we attended a meeting with university professor Jovan Zlatich. During the NATO war, Dr. Zlatich served as commander of the city’s Civil Defense Headquarters. In his discussion of the bombardment of Nish, he focused particular attention on the use of cluster bombs. Nish had the misfortune of being the target of several CBU-87/B cluster bombs, a weapon designed to open at a predetermined height and release 202 bomblets. These smaller bombs burst in a furious repeating series of explosions, spraying thousands of pieces of shrapnel over a wide area. Cluster bombs are anti-personnel weapons. While causing relatively minor damage to structures, they inflict frightful damage on human beings.
According to Dr. Miodrag Lazich of the surgical department at Nish University Hospital, “Cluster bombs cause enormous pain. A person standing a meter or two away from the cluster bomb gets the so-called air-blast injuries, coming from a powerful air wave. The body remains mostly intact while internal organs like liver, brains or lungs are imploded inside. Parts of the exploding bombs cause severe injuries to people standing 15 to 20 meters away, ripping apart their limbs or hitting them in the stomach or head.” The starting speed of the explosive charge in a cluster bomb is more than three times that of a bullet fired from an automatic rifle. Consequently, as shrapnel strikes its victim, the combined kinetic energy and explosive power is capable of causing a wound up to thirty times the size of the fragment itself. Because the bomblets are dispersed, they can cover an area as large as three football fields with their deadly rain.
Dr. Zlatich showed us photographs of his city’s cluster bomb victims. We viewed page after page of civilians lying in pools of blood, and then – much worse, pre-autopsy photographs. What cluster bombs do to soft human flesh is beyond anything that can be imagined, and an anguished silence fell over the room as Dr. Zlatich flipped through the photos. Viewing such scenes was unbearable. Finally, Dr. Zlatich looked up at us and softly said, “Western democracy.”
[end excerpt]
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* "Defense secretary reaches out to tech, unveils 'innovation unit’" (2015-04-23, sfchronicle.com) [https://archive.is/T9YuN] [begin excerpt]:
Seeking to “rebuild the bridge between the Pentagon and Silicon Valley,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter Thursday asked for the tech community’s help in “rewiring the Pentagon” by upgrading its innovation and cybersecurity capabilities.
To do that, Carter wants to recruit tech talent by selling members of the younger generation on furthering the Pentagon’s mission — and not necessarily requiring them to embark on a military career. He also said the Pentagon will sink millions into creating a Silicon Valley-based Defense Innovation Unit X — with the X standing for “experimental.” The first-of-its-kind unit will partner with startups on cutting-edge technology.
“Threats to our security and our military’s technological superiority are proliferating and diversifying,” Carter said Thursday during a speech at Stanford University. “You may think some of this should just be left up to (the Department of Defense), but these challenges should concern us all.”
Carter, a former lecturer at Stanford, wants to refocus his department’s $72 billion research and development budget in different ways — namely through increased cooperation with Silicon Valley. He visited Facebook headquarters Thursday and is scheduled to meet Friday morning with tech leaders at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz with the hope of forging — and in some cases, mending — bonds with the community.
The military and the federal government often have competing interests with the tech world. Silicon Valley’s often libertarian entrepreneurs don’t want government to force them to divulge information. Civil libertarians are wary of government snooping.
Cooperating with the government will be challenging for many companies, particularly after former National Security Administration contractor Edward Snowden released documents detailing federal international surveillance operations in cooperation with foreign governments and some telecommunications firms.
“D.C. has been obsessed with public-private partnerships in cybersecurity for years — but any partnership involving network surveillance of our communications raises serious privacy and civil liberties issues — especially after the Snowden revelations,” said Lee Tien, senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “Yet the word 'privacy’ hardly appears in Secretary Carter’s remarks” on Thursday.
[end excerpt]
Ironically, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF.org) is a Navy funded organization.
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* "Making More Enemies than We Kill? Calculating U.S. Bomb Tonnages Dropped on Laos and Cambodia, and Weighing Their Implications" (2014-04-17, japanfocus.org) [https://archive.is/Hrgs2] [begin excerpt]: Decisive victory proved more elusive in regional conflicts of the postwar era, even when the U.S. continued to deploy massive bomb tonnages. During the Korean War of 1950-53, the U.S. dropped 635,000 tons of bombs and 32,000 tons of napalm, mostly on North Korea (footnote 7) And from 1961 to 1972, American aircraft dropped approximately one million tons of bombs on North Vietnam, and much more on rural areas of South Vietnam -- approximately 4 million tons of bombs, 400,000 tons of napalm, and 19 million gallons of herbicides (footnote 8).
On a per capita basis, Laos, with its much smaller and dispersed population, may have suffered a yet higher rate of aerial bombardment during 1964-73 – “nearly a ton for every person in Laos,” according to the New York Times (footnote 9). The late Fred Branfman, who learned Lao and worked with refugees displaced in the country in 1967-69, was one of the first to publicize the human toll of that secret U.S. bombing, in his 1972 Voices from the Plain of Jars: Life under an Air War. Branfman’s book was reprinted in 2013, with a foreword by Alfred W. McCoy that terms the Laos campaign “history’s longest and largest air war” (footnote 10). Meanwhile in 2008, anthropologist Holly High even suggested that the estimated tonnage of U.S. bombs dropped on Laos during the Second Indochina War needed dramatic upward revision:
The conventional history books usually place the total tonnage dropped over Laos at two million tonnes, making Laos the most heavily bombed nation on earth. This figure [ . . . has] become iconic in describing the destruction and loss wrecked on Laos. However, this tonnage tally has only ever been an estimate . . . Currently emerging evidence suggests that the actual figure may be more than two and a half times this figure, some 5.7 million tonnes (footnote 11).
However, six years later in the Journal of Vietnamese Studies (JVS), High revised back downward that suggested “actual figure” of 5.7 million tonnes of U.S. bombs dropped on Laos. She now confirms “the conventional figure of around two million tons" (footnote 12).
(footnote 7) Bruce Cumings, The Korean War, New York, Modern Library, 2010.
(footnote 8) James P. Harrison, “History’s Heaviest Bombing,” in The Vietnam War: Vietnamese and American Perspectives, ed. Jayne S. Werner and Luu Doan Huynh, Armonk, NY, M.E. Sharpe, 1993, 131-32.
(footnote 9) William Yardley, “Fred Branfman, Who Exposed Bombing of Laos, Dies at 72,” New York Times, Oct. 6, 2014 [https://archive.is/kkBEa]
(footnote 10) Fred Branfman, Voices from the Plain of Jars: Life under an Air War, Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, 2013, xiii.
(footnote 11) Holly High, “Violent Landscape: Global Explosions and Lao Life-Worlds,” Global Environment 1:1, 2008, 56-79, at 67, [https://web.archive.org/web/20150429231503/http://www.whp-journals.co.uk/GE/high.pdf]. High cites her source in note 35: “John Dingley, Senior Technical Advisor at UXO Lao, personal communication. This figure is based on US Air Force data provided to UXO Lao. Unfortunately, the data has many errors, and exact figures are still unclear.”
(footnote 12) Holly High, James R. Curran and Gareth Robinson, “Electronic Records of the Air War Over Southeast Asia: A Database Analysis,” Journal of Vietnamese Studies, 8:4 (Fall 2013), pp. 86-124, at 104, 110. This article first appeared in 2014 here [https://archive.is/EyCge]: note 26 cites a URL “accessed November 2013.”
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* " 'Operation Babylift’ exhibition opens at Presidio in S.F." (2015-040-27, sfgate.com) [https://archive.is/hTJnV]
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* "Series of Bay Area protests planned for May Day" (2015-04-28, sfgate.com) [https://archive.is/c9kvU]
* "May Day march at Port of Oakland to protest police killings" (2015-04-29, by Jack Heyman) [archive.is/WszGw]
STATEMENT TO THE BAY AREA LABOR MOVEMENT
A CALL TO ACTION!
April 22, 2015
The membership of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 10 has voted at its meeting on April 16, 2015 to call for a stopwork meeting on May 1st. It is fitting that on May Day, International Workers Day, Bay Area ports will be shut down to protest the racist police killing of mainly black and brown people. This is the first U.S. union to take such action. Local 10 took similar action on May Day 2008 to close Pacific Coast ports stopping all work to demand an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the first such anti-war union action in American labor history.
Every July 5, Bloody Thursday, the ILWU shuts down all West Coast ports to commemorate the killing of two strikers shot in the back by police during the 1934 maritime strike. That police murder provoked the San Francisco General Strike. Most recently the local has rallied and closed Bay Area ports to call for justice for the family of Oscar Grant, a young black man killed by BART police in 2009.
Today, Local 10, outraged by the recent escalation in police brutality throughout the U.S. that has resulted in the needless killing of innocent and unarmed minorities, has called for unions and workers to join our march from the port to Oakland City Hall.
WHERE: Port of Oakland, take Adeline St. to portside of overpass
WHEN: 9 AM May 1st March to City Hall @ 10 AM for 11:30 AM Rally
Stop Police Terror Committee
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* "Family of Guatamalan man shot and killed by SFPD plans to sue The City" (2015-04-22, sfexaminer.com) [https://archive.is/wqGSw]
Frank Lara of the ANSWER Coalition spoke to those gathered outside a town hall meeting on March 3 over the death of Amilcar Perez-Lopez, who was shot by police.
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EIGHT CLIMATE ACTIVISTS ARRESTED ON EARTH DAY AT THE PENTAGON
Members of the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance [NCNR] have been active in challenging U.S. invasions and attacks of Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries. Frequently NCNR members have been arrested, and then in court speak out against such U.S. policies. On May 23, 2013, for example, members of NCNR filed a criminal complaint with the U.S. attorney’s office in Alexandria, Virginia against the CIA’s use of drone strikes to assassinate people in various countries, including Pakistan. The citizen activists never received a response.
More than thirty activists gathered at the Environmental Protection Agency on EARTH DAY in a protest organized by NCNR. The purpose of the demonstration was to urge the EPA to challenge the Pentagon for its role in contributing to climate chaos, environmental destruction and threatening all life on the planet. A letter was sent to Gina McCarthy, EPA administrator, seeking a meeting with her or a representative to discuss what NCNR members perceive to be ecocide being committed by the Pentagon. Beth Adams, an activist from Western Massachusetts, expressed her grave concern for what is happening to Mother Earth. Ed Kinane, a peace activist from Syracuse, read a powerful statement by Patricia Hynes indicting the military enterprise as a global polluter. And Marsha Coleman-Adebayo's, an EPA whistleblower, told the crowd of her travails inside the agency which she detailed in her book “No Fear: The Whistleblower's Triumph Over Corruption and Retaliation at the EPA.” Eventually an EPA functionary came out to accept a copy of the letter sent to McCarthy. NCNR representatives were told a response would be forthcoming.
Later people gathered in Virginia for a march to the Pentagon. Then Hendrik Voss, an organizer from SOA Watch, delineated the awful role our government has played in supporting undemocratic governments in Latin America. For example, he highlighted U.S. support for the coup government in Honduras. Then Paul Magno, a D.C. peace advocate with forty years of experience, reminisced about all of the years protesting U.S. warmongering. Finally, a Pentagon official in the office of Ashton Carter, Secretary of Defense, came out to accept a copy of a letter sent to his boss requesting a meeting to discuss the Pentagon’s role in climate chaos.
However, while he accepted the letter, he could only promise it would be delivered to Carter’s desk. Since there was no indication that a meeting would actually take place, eight citizen activists refused to depart. They were moved to remain, as they perceived that the Pentagon is unwilling to end its activities which threaten the planet. All eight were arrested and charged with failure to obey a lawful order.
The Pentagon is the largest consumer of fossil fuels globally, has a nuclear arsenal that can destroy ALL LIFE on the planet, already used depleted uranium with lethal and drastic effects on human life and the environment in places like Iraq, and used chemical agents in Latin America in waging of the “war on drugs.” This war has destroyed livelihoods and inflicted lethal and life altering health effects on poor people in South America and brought profits to the large multinational corporations. The waging of and planning for war is destroying our planet!
The letter sent to Ashton Carter made this point: “As people of conscience, we are very concerned about the devastation that the U.S. military is causing to the environment. According to Joseph Nevins, in an article published on June 14, 2010 byCommonDreams.org, Greenwashing the Pentagon, ‘The U.S. military is the world’s single biggest consumer of fossil fuels, and the single entity most responsible for destabilizing the Earth’s climate.’” The activists still hope for a meeting with Pentagon officials to address the climate crisis.
NCNR citizen activists believe they have the right and a Nuremberg responsibility to highlight perceived illegal government operations. The arrestees, Steve Bush, from Virginia, Felton Davis and Trudy Silver, from New York City, Joy First and Phillip Runkel, from Wisconsin, Malachy Kilbride, Maryland, Max Obuszewski, Baltimore, and Manijeh Saba, New Jersey, are scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Alexandria on June 4. The planet is in grave danger. Unless the citizenry take further action to stop the Pentagon’s warmongering, Mother Earth is doomed.
"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs
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SOLANO PEACE & FREEDOM PARTY
[SolanoPFP.blogspot.com] Use the ballot for our own People's candidates and legislation, campaign for the future!
Hot new online tool! Digital Democracy Project (www.digitaldemocracy.org), a database of all legislative hearings with facial recognition and natural language processing technology to weave hearing footage into searchable transcripts accompanying the videos.
* "New technology makes Sacramento politics more transparent" (2015-04-24, sfchronicle.com) [https://archive.is/C3GF9] [begin excerpt]: The new website allows users to watch officeholders speak on screen then quickly access a search tool listing their major campaign contributors. When lobbyists speak, users can easily call up a list of their clients and issues. Users could theoretically share clips of these hearings with their social networks, creating an army of advocates who can make their voices heard without having to storm Sacramento. [end excerpt]
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TOWARDS REVOLUTIONARY SOLUTIONS
SOLIDARITY WITH THE NEW AFRICAN NATION!
* "African Americans cited for resisting arrest at high rate in S.F." (2015-04-29, sfgate.com) [https://archive.is/iX5H5]
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* "Rapper Scarface Emotionally Weighs In On Police Brutality: 'I Feel Like We're Being Hunted' " (2015-04-23, huffingtonpost.com) [https://archive.is/ATIrN]
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* White Power death-squads lynch New Afrikans in capitol of Kush District, terrorizing political targets including supporters of the Jackson Plan (2015-04-21) [https://archive.is/5wVfy]
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* "What The Police Turning Their Back On First Black Woman Mayor Of Parma Says About Race In America’s Small Towns" (2015-04-23, thedlhughleyshow.com) [https://archive.is/qnj4s]
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* "Rumors swirl after pics of teachers holding “Black Lives Matter” signs surface" (2015-04-21, fox2now.com) [https://archive.is/J2k6C]
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Rebellion of Baltimore!
Ras Ceylon writes, "The People of #Baltimore rising up demanding #JusticeForFreddieGray who was killed by bpd while being detained on 4/12/15 his back was broken while inside the police van and the name #FreddieGray is added to an ever growing list of victims of #policeterrorism!!! #Solidarity wit the community in #Bmore #BlackLivesMatter #BlackPowerMatters #PowertothePeople"
* "Justice for Freddie Gray! Jail Killer Cops! National Guard Out of Baltimore!" (2015-04-29, socialistorganizer.org) [archive.is/koBx8]
* "The Brutality of Police Culture in Baltimore" (2015-04-22) [web.archive.org/web/20150424151953/http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/the-brutality-of-police-culture-in-baltimore/391158/]
* "Hogan sends 32 Maryland state troopers to Baltimore protests" (2015-02-23, baltimoresun.com) [web.archive.org/web/20150424051807/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/blog/bal-hogan-to-send-troopers-to-help-keep-peace-during-gray-protests-20150423-story.html]
* "F**K You, F**K That, and F**k CNN! Baltimore Protester Grabs Reporter Mic" (2015-04-22) [youtube.com/watch?v=VVdfZhkvNHo]
* "Baltimore City Hall Flag Taken Down By Protesters, Desecrated and Burned" [facebook.com/THE.PATRIOT.NATION.REDUX/videos/479269448896688], as for the group who posted the video, Tea Party Patriots love the gawddam flag so much, but a campaign against police murder of Black folks is anti-American to these freaks.
* (2015-04-25, video by Colin Campbell) [facebook.com/RevNews/videos/499035456916688] Baltimore Justice for Freddie Gray action. About 30 minutes ago in West Baltimore. Resistance to Riot Police lines pushing people out from downtown. People respond with stones.
* "US Democrats Step Up Repression against Protests over Police Killing of Freddie Gray" (2015-04-27, World Socialist Web Site) [archive.is/MEZdZ]
* "Tensions Boil Over After Baltimore Police Call Protesters 'Lynch Mob' " (2015-04-23, commondreams.org) [archive.is/b1fVh]
* "2,000 National Guard troops fan out across Baltimore" (2015-04-28, armytimes.com) [archive.is/bidVo]
* "Baltimore police use flash bangs, pepper pellets to clear protesters after curfew" (2015-04-28, UPI newswire) [web.archive.org/web/20150522181812/http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/232381607]
* "Baltimore enforces night-time curfew, ‘essentially 24 hours per day’ for youth" (2015-04-29, rt.com) [archive.is/5kYVA]
* "More than 120 arrested as cops and Freddie Gray protesters clash in NY, and thousands demonstrate across US on third night of fury" (2015-04-29, dailymail.co.uk) [archive.is/ZOWNL]
Cat Brooks (2015-04-22):
I work for an organization that pairs volunteer coaches up with kids in low-income communities. A couple years ago, some folks decided cops would make great coaches. I of course protested but onward they went. Below is the e-mail I had to send to my bosses this morning. Wonder if I'll still have a job tomorrow. But #enoughisenough #silenceisconsent:
Hi team –
It is my sincerest hope that the ball is already rolling in this direction, but I am writing to say we need to immediately halt our work with the Baltimore Police Department.
The community that Freddie Gray is from is the same community we should be targeting for coaches. And that community has been suffering abuse at the hands of the BPD for a long while.
The community’s response to this tragedy is not just because Freddie Gray was killed.
The community’s response is because BPD has a long and horrid history of brutality and abuse in the Black community.
The Obscene Brutality of Police Culture in Baltimore: [http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/the-brutality-of-police-culture-in-baltimore/391158/]
All of you know I have had great concerns since we first began developing relationships with police departments.
We are going to be hard-pressed to find police departments with good track records in the communities we want to serve.
Cases of police abuse are not isolated incidents.
Every 28 hours a Black man, woman or child is killed by the police, a security guard or a vigilante. And that is only Black people.
There is an epidemic in this country. The system is broken. It does not work for the children – or the families – we are most concerned about.
And I do not believe that we can, in good conscience, continue to support pairing up the kids we say we care about with someone who is 4x more likely to kill them than help them once they turn 18.
Thank you for taking the time to read.
---
* "Racism Is Just As Imaginary As Climate Change! Your Florida Roundup" (2015-04-26, wonkette.com) [https://archive.is/oXiDS] [begin excerpt]: Let This Nice White Man Teach Y’all How To Be Black. David Morgan, the sheriff of Escambia County — an illiterate hickberg on the westernmost edge of the Panhandle that should really be part of Alabama, but we keep it because Alabama doesn’t want it either — is a white man who has some Very Deep Thoughts™ about racism and why it does not exist. You see, some white people voted for Barack Obama, so QED motherfucker! Also, The Blacks should not call themselves African-Americans, because Morgan does not call himself a Welsh-American, why can’t you be more like him? Just check out the video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBi3g-T306k]. [end excerpt]
---
* " ‘Lock them up in a cell’: Family of slain Louisiana man arrested for ‘sagging pants’ angry at police" (2015-04-25, rt.com) [https://archive.is/WDb4q]
---
* "Police Supporters Destroy Mike Brown ‘Memorial Tree’ " (2015-04-24, mintpressnews.com) [https://archive.is/iJvmr]
---
* "Chinese Communist Party Demands Obama Disarm Americans" (2013-01-29, teaparty.org) [https://archive.is/VbfZ3], written without irony, using false statistics concerning a "genocide" by China's government during the 1950s, it mentions how without guns the Chinese people can't defend against state-sanctioned murder, yet, the author (TeaParty.org), being the militant faction of the ruling Republican Party, supports state-sanctioned murders of New Afrikan people, and believes in upholding "tough on crime" legislation and under-education for lower-income families, trends referred to as the New Jim Crow. Ironic, also, that the author, being a vanguard for "White American" national culture, feels threatened by Black Panther legacy groups who are taking on armaments to defend against state sanctioned murder.
The cops don't fear for their lives from white men even when they point an AK47at them. Yet they kill us for running while black!
Video has surfaced of a Houston police officer confronting a man armed with an AR 15 rifle. The 25 minute exchange has sparked an internal investigation, according to a police spokesperson.
[https://www.facebook.com/12news/videos/10153183562094015]
What's the 3% he talking about?
[https://www.facebook.com/ThreePercenters]
[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=3%20percenters]
===*===*===
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* "Making More Enemies than We Kill? Calculating U.S. Bomb Tonnages Dropped on Laos and Cambodia, and Weighing Their Implications" (2014-04-17, japanfocus.org) [https://archive.is/Hrgs2] [begin excerpt]: Decisive victory proved more elusive in regional conflicts of the postwar era, even when the U.S. continued to deploy massive bomb tonnages. During the Korean War of 1950-53, the U.S. dropped 635,000 tons of bombs and 32,000 tons of napalm, mostly on North Korea (footnote 7) And from 1961 to 1972, American aircraft dropped approximately one million tons of bombs on North Vietnam, and much more on rural areas of South Vietnam -- approximately 4 million tons of bombs, 400,000 tons of napalm, and 19 million gallons of herbicides (footnote 8).
On a per capita basis, Laos, with its much smaller and dispersed population, may have suffered a yet higher rate of aerial bombardment during 1964-73 – “nearly a ton for every person in Laos,” according to the New York Times (footnote 9). The late Fred Branfman, who learned Lao and worked with refugees displaced in the country in 1967-69, was one of the first to publicize the human toll of that secret U.S. bombing, in his 1972 Voices from the Plain of Jars: Life under an Air War. Branfman’s book was reprinted in 2013, with a foreword by Alfred W. McCoy that terms the Laos campaign “history’s longest and largest air war” (footnote 10). Meanwhile in 2008, anthropologist Holly High even suggested that the estimated tonnage of U.S. bombs dropped on Laos during the Second Indochina War needed dramatic upward revision:
The conventional history books usually place the total tonnage dropped over Laos at two million tonnes, making Laos the most heavily bombed nation on earth. This figure [ . . . has] become iconic in describing the destruction and loss wrecked on Laos. However, this tonnage tally has only ever been an estimate . . . Currently emerging evidence suggests that the actual figure may be more than two and a half times this figure, some 5.7 million tonnes (footnote 11).
However, six years later in the Journal of Vietnamese Studies (JVS), High revised back downward that suggested “actual figure” of 5.7 million tonnes of U.S. bombs dropped on Laos. She now confirms “the conventional figure of around two million tons" (footnote 12).
(footnote 7) Bruce Cumings, The Korean War, New York, Modern Library, 2010.
(footnote 8) James P. Harrison, “History’s Heaviest Bombing,” in The Vietnam War: Vietnamese and American Perspectives, ed. Jayne S. Werner and Luu Doan Huynh, Armonk, NY, M.E. Sharpe, 1993, 131-32.
(footnote 9) William Yardley, “Fred Branfman, Who Exposed Bombing of Laos, Dies at 72,” New York Times, Oct. 6, 2014 [https://archive.is/kkBEa]
(footnote 10) Fred Branfman, Voices from the Plain of Jars: Life under an Air War, Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, 2013, xiii.
(footnote 11) Holly High, “Violent Landscape: Global Explosions and Lao Life-Worlds,” Global Environment 1:1, 2008, 56-79, at 67, [https://web.archive.org/web/20150429231503/http://www.whp-journals.co.uk/GE/high.pdf]. High cites her source in note 35: “John Dingley, Senior Technical Advisor at UXO Lao, personal communication. This figure is based on US Air Force data provided to UXO Lao. Unfortunately, the data has many errors, and exact figures are still unclear.”
(footnote 12) Holly High, James R. Curran and Gareth Robinson, “Electronic Records of the Air War Over Southeast Asia: A Database Analysis,” Journal of Vietnamese Studies, 8:4 (Fall 2013), pp. 86-124, at 104, 110. This article first appeared in 2014 here [https://archive.is/EyCge]: note 26 cites a URL “accessed November 2013.”
---
* " 'Operation Babylift’ exhibition opens at Presidio in S.F." (2015-040-27, sfgate.com) [https://archive.is/hTJnV]
===*===*===
BAY AREA SOLIDARITY
Updates on campaigns for for Peace, Justice, & Freedom across the greater Bay Area, Norcal, and Socal
* "Series of Bay Area protests planned for May Day" (2015-04-28, sfgate.com) [https://archive.is/c9kvU]
* "May Day march at Port of Oakland to protest police killings" (2015-04-29, by Jack Heyman) [archive.is/WszGw]
STATEMENT TO THE BAY AREA LABOR MOVEMENT
A CALL TO ACTION!
April 22, 2015
The membership of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 10 has voted at its meeting on April 16, 2015 to call for a stopwork meeting on May 1st. It is fitting that on May Day, International Workers Day, Bay Area ports will be shut down to protest the racist police killing of mainly black and brown people. This is the first U.S. union to take such action. Local 10 took similar action on May Day 2008 to close Pacific Coast ports stopping all work to demand an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the first such anti-war union action in American labor history.
Every July 5, Bloody Thursday, the ILWU shuts down all West Coast ports to commemorate the killing of two strikers shot in the back by police during the 1934 maritime strike. That police murder provoked the San Francisco General Strike. Most recently the local has rallied and closed Bay Area ports to call for justice for the family of Oscar Grant, a young black man killed by BART police in 2009.
Today, Local 10, outraged by the recent escalation in police brutality throughout the U.S. that has resulted in the needless killing of innocent and unarmed minorities, has called for unions and workers to join our march from the port to Oakland City Hall.
WHERE: Port of Oakland, take Adeline St. to portside of overpass
WHEN: 9 AM May 1st March to City Hall @ 10 AM for 11:30 AM Rally
Stop Police Terror Committee
---
* "Family of Guatamalan man shot and killed by SFPD plans to sue The City" (2015-04-22, sfexaminer.com) [https://archive.is/wqGSw]
Frank Lara of the ANSWER Coalition spoke to those gathered outside a town hall meeting on March 3 over the death of Amilcar Perez-Lopez, who was shot by police.
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EIGHT CLIMATE ACTIVISTS ARRESTED ON EARTH DAY AT THE PENTAGON
Members of the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance [NCNR] have been active in challenging U.S. invasions and attacks of Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries. Frequently NCNR members have been arrested, and then in court speak out against such U.S. policies. On May 23, 2013, for example, members of NCNR filed a criminal complaint with the U.S. attorney’s office in Alexandria, Virginia against the CIA’s use of drone strikes to assassinate people in various countries, including Pakistan. The citizen activists never received a response.
More than thirty activists gathered at the Environmental Protection Agency on EARTH DAY in a protest organized by NCNR. The purpose of the demonstration was to urge the EPA to challenge the Pentagon for its role in contributing to climate chaos, environmental destruction and threatening all life on the planet. A letter was sent to Gina McCarthy, EPA administrator, seeking a meeting with her or a representative to discuss what NCNR members perceive to be ecocide being committed by the Pentagon. Beth Adams, an activist from Western Massachusetts, expressed her grave concern for what is happening to Mother Earth. Ed Kinane, a peace activist from Syracuse, read a powerful statement by Patricia Hynes indicting the military enterprise as a global polluter. And Marsha Coleman-Adebayo's, an EPA whistleblower, told the crowd of her travails inside the agency which she detailed in her book “No Fear: The Whistleblower's Triumph Over Corruption and Retaliation at the EPA.” Eventually an EPA functionary came out to accept a copy of the letter sent to McCarthy. NCNR representatives were told a response would be forthcoming.
Later people gathered in Virginia for a march to the Pentagon. Then Hendrik Voss, an organizer from SOA Watch, delineated the awful role our government has played in supporting undemocratic governments in Latin America. For example, he highlighted U.S. support for the coup government in Honduras. Then Paul Magno, a D.C. peace advocate with forty years of experience, reminisced about all of the years protesting U.S. warmongering. Finally, a Pentagon official in the office of Ashton Carter, Secretary of Defense, came out to accept a copy of a letter sent to his boss requesting a meeting to discuss the Pentagon’s role in climate chaos.
However, while he accepted the letter, he could only promise it would be delivered to Carter’s desk. Since there was no indication that a meeting would actually take place, eight citizen activists refused to depart. They were moved to remain, as they perceived that the Pentagon is unwilling to end its activities which threaten the planet. All eight were arrested and charged with failure to obey a lawful order.
The Pentagon is the largest consumer of fossil fuels globally, has a nuclear arsenal that can destroy ALL LIFE on the planet, already used depleted uranium with lethal and drastic effects on human life and the environment in places like Iraq, and used chemical agents in Latin America in waging of the “war on drugs.” This war has destroyed livelihoods and inflicted lethal and life altering health effects on poor people in South America and brought profits to the large multinational corporations. The waging of and planning for war is destroying our planet!
The letter sent to Ashton Carter made this point: “As people of conscience, we are very concerned about the devastation that the U.S. military is causing to the environment. According to Joseph Nevins, in an article published on June 14, 2010 byCommonDreams.org, Greenwashing the Pentagon, ‘The U.S. military is the world’s single biggest consumer of fossil fuels, and the single entity most responsible for destabilizing the Earth’s climate.’” The activists still hope for a meeting with Pentagon officials to address the climate crisis.
NCNR citizen activists believe they have the right and a Nuremberg responsibility to highlight perceived illegal government operations. The arrestees, Steve Bush, from Virginia, Felton Davis and Trudy Silver, from New York City, Joy First and Phillip Runkel, from Wisconsin, Malachy Kilbride, Maryland, Max Obuszewski, Baltimore, and Manijeh Saba, New Jersey, are scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Alexandria on June 4. The planet is in grave danger. Unless the citizenry take further action to stop the Pentagon’s warmongering, Mother Earth is doomed.
"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs
===*===*===
SOLANO PEACE & FREEDOM PARTY
[SolanoPFP.blogspot.com] Use the ballot for our own People's candidates and legislation, campaign for the future!
Hot new online tool! Digital Democracy Project (www.digitaldemocracy.org), a database of all legislative hearings with facial recognition and natural language processing technology to weave hearing footage into searchable transcripts accompanying the videos.
* "New technology makes Sacramento politics more transparent" (2015-04-24, sfchronicle.com) [https://archive.is/C3GF9] [begin excerpt]: The new website allows users to watch officeholders speak on screen then quickly access a search tool listing their major campaign contributors. When lobbyists speak, users can easily call up a list of their clients and issues. Users could theoretically share clips of these hearings with their social networks, creating an army of advocates who can make their voices heard without having to storm Sacramento. [end excerpt]
===*===*===
Rebuild the Unemployed Councils! (2015-04-21):
In the late 70’s President Carter signed into law the Humphrey/Hawkins Full Employment Bill (“The Fair Trade and Balanced Growth Recovery Act Of 1979). Although officially law, the act was never implemented or funded. When Ronald Reagan came into power he of course, ignored it.The bill aimed at 3% unemployment and to put the Vietnam vets back to work. The bill also would have prevented many industries from going abroad and would have helped in rebuilding the infrastructure.
After President Obama came into office he could have issued an Executive Mandate, declared the Humphrey/Hawkins Bill law and funded the bill to keep unemployment from the 2008 crash from devastating the country. Of course he did nothing but bail out the rich and corporate elite. He could have prevented the crisis without even going to Congress.
Since the crash of 2008 the United States along with the rest of the world has suffered terribly and unnecessarily from the crisis that was allowed to happen knowingly, allowing the super rich to profit at our expense. The nation now is reaping more wealth for fewer than ever before. Wall Street is enjoying unheard of growth and profit while much of the country stagnates and withers on the vine.
For the last six years the Obama administration has done little or nothing to alleviate the suffering while the rich get richer and gives the national debt as a reason for the lack of action. “We’re broke,” exclaims Obama, while there is more wealth than ever. The lack of action as well has given the ring-wing political forces a basis to attack any plan for creating jobs. Inaction on the part of a Democratic President gets sighted as proof democratic forces have no viable plan or solution to put the country back to work. The DLC has allowed the right minority to win the argument for any massive federal job programs or social spending while increasing defense spending in every sector more than ever. Even when we had a rare “Democratic majority” in Congress they did nothing.
For the last six years,I would like to say, that we have collectively built a strong End Unemployment movement to create jobs and end the recession, while the governmental power structure has done little or nothing.
There have been a few attempts to start something with the unemployed and of course the 99 percenters. I did go to the We Are One demonstration in Washington in 2010 where there were 170,000 excited people. But where, might I ask, is the fightback now and what happened? Never, in people’s memory has there been so many unemployed and for so long since the 1930’s and the Great Depression.
The real question is what are we collectively going to do? We must focus on building a real worker’s movement. The opportunity in this nation to build a truly revolutionary movement and party to fight back for job creation and full employment is at hand. Realizing these things at home gives us the opportunity to be in solidarity with workers abroad as well. One worker at a rally of occupiers stated,”If I am unemployed I am patriotic but if I complain, I am a communist.” Where have we heard these type of comments before? How true are such positions due to unemployment and poverty while so few get so wealthy.
Written by Kelly McConnell, founder of the LA Council of Unemployed & Homeless
---
* "Can the courts liberate the Bank of Canada?" (2015-04-17, rabble.ca) [https://archive.is/NWvjw]
In the late 70’s President Carter signed into law the Humphrey/Hawkins Full Employment Bill (“The Fair Trade and Balanced Growth Recovery Act Of 1979). Although officially law, the act was never implemented or funded. When Ronald Reagan came into power he of course, ignored it.The bill aimed at 3% unemployment and to put the Vietnam vets back to work. The bill also would have prevented many industries from going abroad and would have helped in rebuilding the infrastructure.
After President Obama came into office he could have issued an Executive Mandate, declared the Humphrey/Hawkins Bill law and funded the bill to keep unemployment from the 2008 crash from devastating the country. Of course he did nothing but bail out the rich and corporate elite. He could have prevented the crisis without even going to Congress.
Since the crash of 2008 the United States along with the rest of the world has suffered terribly and unnecessarily from the crisis that was allowed to happen knowingly, allowing the super rich to profit at our expense. The nation now is reaping more wealth for fewer than ever before. Wall Street is enjoying unheard of growth and profit while much of the country stagnates and withers on the vine.
For the last six years the Obama administration has done little or nothing to alleviate the suffering while the rich get richer and gives the national debt as a reason for the lack of action. “We’re broke,” exclaims Obama, while there is more wealth than ever. The lack of action as well has given the ring-wing political forces a basis to attack any plan for creating jobs. Inaction on the part of a Democratic President gets sighted as proof democratic forces have no viable plan or solution to put the country back to work. The DLC has allowed the right minority to win the argument for any massive federal job programs or social spending while increasing defense spending in every sector more than ever. Even when we had a rare “Democratic majority” in Congress they did nothing.
For the last six years,I would like to say, that we have collectively built a strong End Unemployment movement to create jobs and end the recession, while the governmental power structure has done little or nothing.
There have been a few attempts to start something with the unemployed and of course the 99 percenters. I did go to the We Are One demonstration in Washington in 2010 where there were 170,000 excited people. But where, might I ask, is the fightback now and what happened? Never, in people’s memory has there been so many unemployed and for so long since the 1930’s and the Great Depression.
The real question is what are we collectively going to do? We must focus on building a real worker’s movement. The opportunity in this nation to build a truly revolutionary movement and party to fight back for job creation and full employment is at hand. Realizing these things at home gives us the opportunity to be in solidarity with workers abroad as well. One worker at a rally of occupiers stated,”If I am unemployed I am patriotic but if I complain, I am a communist.” Where have we heard these type of comments before? How true are such positions due to unemployment and poverty while so few get so wealthy.
Written by Kelly McConnell, founder of the LA Council of Unemployed & Homeless
---
* "Can the courts liberate the Bank of Canada?" (2015-04-17, rabble.ca) [https://archive.is/NWvjw]
===*===*===
SOLIDARITY WITH THE NEW AFRICAN NATION!
Black Power! Revive the Community! Defend the Nation!
* "African Americans cited for resisting arrest at high rate in S.F." (2015-04-29, sfgate.com) [https://archive.is/iX5H5]
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* "Rapper Scarface Emotionally Weighs In On Police Brutality: 'I Feel Like We're Being Hunted' " (2015-04-23, huffingtonpost.com) [https://archive.is/ATIrN]
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* White Power death-squads lynch New Afrikans in capitol of Kush District, terrorizing political targets including supporters of the Jackson Plan (2015-04-21) [https://archive.is/5wVfy]
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* "What The Police Turning Their Back On First Black Woman Mayor Of Parma Says About Race In America’s Small Towns" (2015-04-23, thedlhughleyshow.com) [https://archive.is/qnj4s]
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* "Rumors swirl after pics of teachers holding “Black Lives Matter” signs surface" (2015-04-21, fox2now.com) [https://archive.is/J2k6C]
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Rebellion of Baltimore!
Ras Ceylon writes, "The People of #Baltimore rising up demanding #JusticeForFreddieGray who was killed by bpd while being detained on 4/12/15 his back was broken while inside the police van and the name #FreddieGray is added to an ever growing list of victims of #policeterrorism!!! #Solidarity wit the community in #Bmore #BlackLivesMatter #BlackPowerMatters #PowertothePeople"
* "Justice for Freddie Gray! Jail Killer Cops! National Guard Out of Baltimore!" (2015-04-29, socialistorganizer.org) [archive.is/koBx8]
* "The Brutality of Police Culture in Baltimore" (2015-04-22) [web.archive.org/web/20150424151953/http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/the-brutality-of-police-culture-in-baltimore/391158/]
* "Hogan sends 32 Maryland state troopers to Baltimore protests" (2015-02-23, baltimoresun.com) [web.archive.org/web/20150424051807/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/blog/bal-hogan-to-send-troopers-to-help-keep-peace-during-gray-protests-20150423-story.html]
* "F**K You, F**K That, and F**k CNN! Baltimore Protester Grabs Reporter Mic" (2015-04-22) [youtube.com/watch?v=VVdfZhkvNHo]
* "Baltimore City Hall Flag Taken Down By Protesters, Desecrated and Burned" [facebook.com/THE.PATRIOT.NATION.REDUX/videos/479269448896688], as for the group who posted the video, Tea Party Patriots love the gawddam flag so much, but a campaign against police murder of Black folks is anti-American to these freaks.
* (2015-04-25, video by Colin Campbell) [facebook.com/RevNews/videos/499035456916688] Baltimore Justice for Freddie Gray action. About 30 minutes ago in West Baltimore. Resistance to Riot Police lines pushing people out from downtown. People respond with stones.
* "US Democrats Step Up Repression against Protests over Police Killing of Freddie Gray" (2015-04-27, World Socialist Web Site) [archive.is/MEZdZ]
* "Tensions Boil Over After Baltimore Police Call Protesters 'Lynch Mob' " (2015-04-23, commondreams.org) [archive.is/b1fVh]
* "2,000 National Guard troops fan out across Baltimore" (2015-04-28, armytimes.com) [archive.is/bidVo]
* "Baltimore police use flash bangs, pepper pellets to clear protesters after curfew" (2015-04-28, UPI newswire) [web.archive.org/web/20150522181812/http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/232381607]
* "Baltimore enforces night-time curfew, ‘essentially 24 hours per day’ for youth" (2015-04-29, rt.com) [archive.is/5kYVA]
* "More than 120 arrested as cops and Freddie Gray protesters clash in NY, and thousands demonstrate across US on third night of fury" (2015-04-29, dailymail.co.uk) [archive.is/ZOWNL]
Cat Brooks (2015-04-22):
I work for an organization that pairs volunteer coaches up with kids in low-income communities. A couple years ago, some folks decided cops would make great coaches. I of course protested but onward they went. Below is the e-mail I had to send to my bosses this morning. Wonder if I'll still have a job tomorrow. But #enoughisenough #silenceisconsent:
Hi team –
It is my sincerest hope that the ball is already rolling in this direction, but I am writing to say we need to immediately halt our work with the Baltimore Police Department.
The community that Freddie Gray is from is the same community we should be targeting for coaches. And that community has been suffering abuse at the hands of the BPD for a long while.
The community’s response to this tragedy is not just because Freddie Gray was killed.
The community’s response is because BPD has a long and horrid history of brutality and abuse in the Black community.
The Obscene Brutality of Police Culture in Baltimore: [http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/the-brutality-of-police-culture-in-baltimore/391158/]
All of you know I have had great concerns since we first began developing relationships with police departments.
We are going to be hard-pressed to find police departments with good track records in the communities we want to serve.
Cases of police abuse are not isolated incidents.
Every 28 hours a Black man, woman or child is killed by the police, a security guard or a vigilante. And that is only Black people.
There is an epidemic in this country. The system is broken. It does not work for the children – or the families – we are most concerned about.
And I do not believe that we can, in good conscience, continue to support pairing up the kids we say we care about with someone who is 4x more likely to kill them than help them once they turn 18.
Thank you for taking the time to read.
---
* "Racism Is Just As Imaginary As Climate Change! Your Florida Roundup" (2015-04-26, wonkette.com) [https://archive.is/oXiDS] [begin excerpt]: Let This Nice White Man Teach Y’all How To Be Black. David Morgan, the sheriff of Escambia County — an illiterate hickberg on the westernmost edge of the Panhandle that should really be part of Alabama, but we keep it because Alabama doesn’t want it either — is a white man who has some Very Deep Thoughts™ about racism and why it does not exist. You see, some white people voted for Barack Obama, so QED motherfucker! Also, The Blacks should not call themselves African-Americans, because Morgan does not call himself a Welsh-American, why can’t you be more like him? Just check out the video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBi3g-T306k]. [end excerpt]
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* " ‘Lock them up in a cell’: Family of slain Louisiana man arrested for ‘sagging pants’ angry at police" (2015-04-25, rt.com) [https://archive.is/WDb4q]
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* "Police Supporters Destroy Mike Brown ‘Memorial Tree’ " (2015-04-24, mintpressnews.com) [https://archive.is/iJvmr]
---
* "Chinese Communist Party Demands Obama Disarm Americans" (2013-01-29, teaparty.org) [https://archive.is/VbfZ3], written without irony, using false statistics concerning a "genocide" by China's government during the 1950s, it mentions how without guns the Chinese people can't defend against state-sanctioned murder, yet, the author (TeaParty.org), being the militant faction of the ruling Republican Party, supports state-sanctioned murders of New Afrikan people, and believes in upholding "tough on crime" legislation and under-education for lower-income families, trends referred to as the New Jim Crow. Ironic, also, that the author, being a vanguard for "White American" national culture, feels threatened by Black Panther legacy groups who are taking on armaments to defend against state sanctioned murder.
The cops don't fear for their lives from white men even when they point an AK47at them. Yet they kill us for running while black!
Video has surfaced of a Houston police officer confronting a man armed with an AR 15 rifle. The 25 minute exchange has sparked an internal investigation, according to a police spokesperson.
[https://www.facebook.com/12news/videos/10153183562094015]
What's the 3% he talking about?
[https://www.facebook.com/ThreePercenters]
[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=3%20percenters]
NORTHBAY COPWATCH
Domestic Security Agencies and private-sector partners
* "Pseudoscience in the Witness BoxThe FBI faked an entire field of forensic science" (2015-04-22) [https://web.archive.org/web/20150423131030/http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2015/04/fbi_s_flawed_forensics_expert_testimony_hair_analysis_bite_marks_fingerprints.single.html]
* "Portland man: I was tortured in UAE for refusing to become an FBI informant" (2015-03-16, theguardian.com) [https://archive.is/aFVtp]
from the Committee to
FREE 'EM ALL!
[PoliticalPrisonersUSA.blogspot.com] End the Drug War! Stop Jim Crow! Close the Torture Chambers!
** Become a Human Rights Pen Pal! [link]
* "Inside America’s Toughest Federal Prison" (2015-03-26, nytimes.com) [https://archive.is/9MK8b]
===*===*===
articles recommended by the
SAN PABLO BAY ECOLOGICAL PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION
Campaigns, info, and more [SanPabloBayEPA.blogspot.com]
* "Keystone on West Coast? Oil-sands crude could come to California" (2015-04-28, sfchronicle.com) [https://archive.is/pFgEe]
---
* "PG&E says prosecutors misled grand jury on San Bruno blast" (2015-04-28, sfgate.com) [https://archive.is/ZAJmT]
---
* "Watchdog or lapdog of Big Oil?" (2015-04-24, sfchronicle.com) [https://archive.is/GM7QW] [begin excerpt]: Jerry Brown perhaps should put his DOGGR to sleep. Not his family dog, Sutter, but DOGGR — the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources — the 100-year-old agency that’s been handing out permits for drilling in the Central Valley without records, oversight or enforcement of 21st century environmental laws. The federal government in 1982 transferred its power to California to monitor and regulate the 42,000 injection wells that dump toxic waste fluids into groundwater. That monitoring didn’t happen, a lapse that the feds say is shocking. The human carcinogen benzene has been detected in fracking wastewater at levels 700 times over federal safety standards. Health impact studies are inadequate, but Kern community hospital managers say the county has one of the highest cancer rates in the country, which is expected to double in 10 years. The preference of one experienced state official is to peel back DOGGR, move it to Cal EPA and turning it into a real regulatory agency instead of a lapdog for the oil industry. But Brown officials prefer the uphill task of reforming DOGGR from within, and have signaled they will veto any bill that brings the agency under state EPA jurisdiction. The Legislature is going along with his incremental approach, so far. The task will be daunting. The DOGGR mandate has been to drill, baby, drill, says state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara. DOGGR’s legal mandate calls for “increasing the ultimate recovery of underground hydrocarbons,” not determining whether drilling or fracking are sustainable and safe for aquifers or human health.
Many Sacramento insiders believe that Brown has made concessions to Big Oil in order to protect his considerable progress toward clean-energy goals while not confronting the industry the way he took on the nuclear lobby in the ’70s. That’s understandable, if it works. Now, however, his regulatory reputation needs rebuilding. What if his DOGGR won’t hunt? What if it’s beyond reform? What will the governor and Legislature do if facing open defiance from the powers that be in Kern on a range of issues from clean air and water to the protection of children’s health to environmental justice? With the drought on everyone’s mind, can he allow the state’s aquifers to be threatened by the carcinogenic wastewater of oil production?
The DOGGR scandal drills deeply into the foundations on which state politics are built.
[end excerpt]
* "Surge in Oklahoma Earthquakes Linked to Oil and Gas Waste Wells" (2015-04-21, nbcnews.com) [https://archive.is/dEuBP]
* "Study Links Swarm of Quakes in Texas to Natural Gas Drilling" (2015-04-21, AP newswire) [https://archive.is/4gxvA]
* "Fracking Led to Ohio Earthquakes" (2015-01-05, livescience.com) [https://archive.is/LCXJD]
---
* "Gulf Victims Suing BP Disaster's Compensation Czar" (2015-04-20, truth-out.org) [https://archive.is/NMF78]
Health and the Human Ecology
Monopolists enforce a regime that does not recognize the natural right to health and life
* " 'Independent' Study Finding that 'MMR Vaccine Not Linked to Autism', Published by Organization Working with Major Pharmaceutical Companies" (2015-04-23, by Brandon Turbeville and Heather Callaghan) [https://archive.is/ZRCkW]
* "FDA Database: 93% of Food Additives Aren’t Properly Studied" (2015-04-23, by Barbara Minton) [https://archive.is/Rwkfo]
NORTHBAY ENTHEOGENIC FREEDOM
[NorthbayEntheogen.blogspot.com]
* "Obama administration must end arbitrary sabotaging of California medical marijuana dispensaries" (2015-04-23, timesheraldonline.com) [https://archive.is/1zKLe]
* "Cannabis and fiscal sense" letter by Morgan Hannigan to the editor of the Vallejo Times-Herald newspaper (2015-04-17) [https://archive.is/nDTgw]
* "A new motto for Vallejo" letter by Lana Touchstone to the editor of the Vallejo Times-Herald newspaper (2015-04-17) [https://archive.is/OVkPh] [begin excerpt]: Osby Davis finally created his legacy as Mayor of Vallejo. It’s a new motto for our town: “Vallejo, the City of Bait and Switch.”
No wonder Vallejo has a reputation as being unfriendly to small businesses. The majority of voters chose to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in Vallejo. The dispensaries would pay a 10 percent city tax on their sales. With this encouragement, some people made the major investment of opening a dispensary in Vallejo providing medical marijuana products to physician-certified members and paying the 10 percent tax to the city. But then under Mayor Davis’ direction, the city was not allowed to develop policies for regulating this new business. Instead, the dispensaries were raided, harassed and sometimes shut down. Still the business owners continued trying to serve their cooperative members and pay the 10 percent tax. The mayor’s response was to forbid the city’s acceptance of these tax payments and to spend additional city tax revenue on hounding these dispensaries out of business. Is this even legal? [end excerpt]
* "Vallejo Patients’ Coalition: Our aim on MMDs" letter to the editor of the Vallejo Times-Herald newspaper (2015-04-17) [https://archive.is/V5t6v]:
The Vallejo Patients’ Coalition is a group of local citizens concerned over the Vallejo City Council’s attempt to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries.
Our mission is to influence the council on its attempt to properly regulate MMDs. Our goal is to make sure the patients’ needs are not overlooked. We aim to promote safe access to responsible medicine for the suffering patients in our community.
As attorneys between the city and the dispensaries duke it out, we want to make sure that the patients in the community get their say. We are concerned about under-regulation as well as over-regulation.
We support at least the 11 dispensaries that were issued business licenses as a result of the heavily supported 2012 ballot initiative, Measure C. We hope to see all of them remain open.
We support the future ballot initiative known as “The City of Vallejo Control and Regulate Medical Cannabis Act” and will be supplying boots on ground support needed to obtain the signatures required to gain proper ballot access.
For information on how to find out how you can help, please contact Lani Cleveland at (707) 797-7420.
[NorthbayEntheogen.blogspot.com]
* "Obama administration must end arbitrary sabotaging of California medical marijuana dispensaries" (2015-04-23, timesheraldonline.com) [https://archive.is/1zKLe]
* "Cannabis and fiscal sense" letter by Morgan Hannigan to the editor of the Vallejo Times-Herald newspaper (2015-04-17) [https://archive.is/nDTgw]
* "A new motto for Vallejo" letter by Lana Touchstone to the editor of the Vallejo Times-Herald newspaper (2015-04-17) [https://archive.is/OVkPh] [begin excerpt]: Osby Davis finally created his legacy as Mayor of Vallejo. It’s a new motto for our town: “Vallejo, the City of Bait and Switch.”
No wonder Vallejo has a reputation as being unfriendly to small businesses. The majority of voters chose to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in Vallejo. The dispensaries would pay a 10 percent city tax on their sales. With this encouragement, some people made the major investment of opening a dispensary in Vallejo providing medical marijuana products to physician-certified members and paying the 10 percent tax to the city. But then under Mayor Davis’ direction, the city was not allowed to develop policies for regulating this new business. Instead, the dispensaries were raided, harassed and sometimes shut down. Still the business owners continued trying to serve their cooperative members and pay the 10 percent tax. The mayor’s response was to forbid the city’s acceptance of these tax payments and to spend additional city tax revenue on hounding these dispensaries out of business. Is this even legal? [end excerpt]
* "Vallejo Patients’ Coalition: Our aim on MMDs" letter to the editor of the Vallejo Times-Herald newspaper (2015-04-17) [https://archive.is/V5t6v]:
The Vallejo Patients’ Coalition is a group of local citizens concerned over the Vallejo City Council’s attempt to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries.
Our mission is to influence the council on its attempt to properly regulate MMDs. Our goal is to make sure the patients’ needs are not overlooked. We aim to promote safe access to responsible medicine for the suffering patients in our community.
As attorneys between the city and the dispensaries duke it out, we want to make sure that the patients in the community get their say. We are concerned about under-regulation as well as over-regulation.
We support at least the 11 dispensaries that were issued business licenses as a result of the heavily supported 2012 ballot initiative, Measure C. We hope to see all of them remain open.
We support the future ballot initiative known as “The City of Vallejo Control and Regulate Medical Cannabis Act” and will be supplying boots on ground support needed to obtain the signatures required to gain proper ballot access.
For information on how to find out how you can help, please contact Lani Cleveland at (707) 797-7420.
===*===*===
UNITED STATES FASCISM WATCH
[UnitedStatesFascism.blogspot.com] Current trends among fascists, monopolists, and their vanguards.
* "Library lovers toss the book at Alameda County’s disposal system" (2015-04-23, sfchronicle.com) [https://archive.is/snM7R] [begin excerpt]: The idea that a public library system would toss out hundreds of thousands of books without rhyme or reason just doesn’t sound right. But that’s what appears to have happened in Alameda County’s 10-branch library system over the past two years. Watchdog activists believe the library has discarded almost 400,000 books from its shelves. County officials contend that the number is closer to 172,000 books, and they say many of these books are passed to friend-of-library groups for sales or are recycled. When users in Albany learned that thousands of books were tossed from that library branch over a two-year period, the county library system had some explaining to do. “The librarians are now choosing for us what we should read, and they say only newer books,” said Dorothea Dorenz, 67, a retired art teacher, voracious reader and library user who has taken up the cause. “We’ve lost the main role of the library: to educate the general public. Now they decide for us,” she added. [end excerpt]
---
* "Police “Coup” Prevents Newly-Elected St. Louis Area Mayor From Taking Office" (2015-04-26, countercurrentnews.com) [https://archive.is/Kdpb3], video (2015-04-27, FOX 2 St. Louis) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xzYRT21wkA]
* "Former Kinloch official says she was assaulted by police" (2015-01-23, fox2now.com) [https://archive.is/W9JnE]
* "Rough start for new mayor of Kinloch getting sworn in" (2015-04-21, fox2now.com) [https://archive.is/do6GL]
* "New Kinloch mayor blocked by police from entering city hall" (2015-04-23, fox2now.com) [https://archive.is/aFsWm]
The Police are loyal to the former Mayor Darrin Small, who seems to be given preferential treatment throughout his career as a public employee in Kinloch. Read [https://archive.is/4OgVc], and [https://archive.is/ZqIA0]
* "Mayor tries to lockdown Kinloch" (2014-01-28, stlamerican.com) [https://archive.is/HoKkR] [begin excerpt]: The interim mayor of Kinloch tried to lockdown the city hall and police department, at 5650 Jones Ave., today to address “corrupt practices” and “restore citizens’ trust” to the government. Interim mayor and alderwoman Theda Wilson said that the city manager and other city officials have been uncooperative in providing documents and financial information to the aldermen. In October, St. Louis County Circuit Judge Steven Goldman ruled that former mayor Darren Small had forfeited his office when he pleaded guilty to a felony count of failing to pay child support. The Kinloch Board of Aldermen then appointed alderwoman Theda Wilson to serve as interim mayor. However, City Manager Justine Blue said that Wilson was voted out of her office on Dec. 17. “Theda Wilson is not the interim mayor,” Blue said. “She just doesn’t want to accept that.” Wilson said Blue, who is Small’s cousin, called an emergency meeting soon after Wilson complained that the city’s police department “ignores her calls for service.” In a phone interview with the St. Louis American, Alderwoman Evelyn Carter said that Kinloch has another mayor and a “president” that replaced Wilson. [end excerpt]
---
* "Cities And States Paying Massive Secret Fees To Wall Street" (2015-04-17, ibtimes.com) [https://archive.is/I1bUC]
---
* "The Chamber Of Commerce Is Fighting Fiercely To Stop The Scourge Of Corporate Transparency" (2015-04-22, huffingtonpost.com) [https://archive.is/PwNyf]
---
* "NYT Lets Economic Pundit Disappear TPP’s Economist Critics" (2015-04-27, fair.org) [https://archive.is/FLWU7]
---
* "The Washington Post’s Longstanding Contempt for People Who Work for a Living" (2015-04-20, fair.org) [https://archive.is/4Nlw3]
---
* "How The Right Keeps Us Stupid: Bobby Jindal’s Budget Slashes College Funding By 82 Percent" (2015-040-23, addictinginfo.org) [https://archive.is/vdF1F]
---
* "How a Protest Against Money in Politics was Spun as a Story on Terrorism Doug Hughes wanted to deliver a message about campaign finance reform. Instead, the media and politicians used his story to talk about security at the White House and Capitol Building" (2015-04-23, therealnews.com) [https://archive.is/Vidi0]
* " 'It Was Worth Risking My Life, My Freedom': Campaign Reform Activist on Flying Gyrocopter to Capitol" (2015-04-22) [http://www.democracynow.org/2015/4/22/it_was_worth_risking_my_life]
---
* "Did Saudi Pressure Cause New York Times to Change Its ‘Negative’ Headline?" (2015-04-25, 21stcenturywire.com) [https://archive.is/LaB2v]
* "Doonesbury Cartoonist Garry Trudeau Attacked for Criticizing Charlie Hebdo" (2015-04-27, wsws.org) [https://archive.is/kkSEx]
===*===*===
GEOPOLITICAL NEWS
Provided by Northbay MDS Committees, and the 5th World News service [FifthWorldNews.blogspot.com], including Institutions of Self-Government not recognized by the United Nations. USA State Dept.'s legal statement supporting unilateral declarations of independence (2009-07) [.pdf link]: "The legal principle of territorial integrity does not prevent non-state entities from peacefully declaring its independence." Legal mandate set by the UN International Court (2010-07-22) [archive.today/mc6sX]: "No general prohibition may be inferred from the practice of the Security Council with regard to declarations of independence,” and “General international law contains no prohibition on declarations of independence."
Beginning International Worker's Day, 2015, we now include updates on the World Anti-Imperialist People's War, an ongoing campaign that affects global politics and is censored in news media.
* "Red and Internationalist May Day!" (2015) [https://archive.is/cdwwR] [begin excerpt]:
The People’s War in India, hitting directly at one of the major bastions of imperialism and reaction in the world, has roused great enthusiasm among the revolutionary masses all over the world and become a powerful internationalist rallying point. Together with the People’s Wars in the Philippines, Peru, and Turkey, it continues to undermine imperialism and shows the path to overthrow the system of exploitation and oppression of imperialism and the feudal reactionary forces and the construction of a new power and society.
Let us unite to stop imperialist and reactionary wars, to crush imperialism and reaction around the world!
Let us salute the martyrs of the people and revolution, let us support the struggle and free revolutionary and communist political prisoners around the world!
Let us support people’s wars until victory!
[end excerpt]
As the capitalist system of exploitation is protected by the process of the fascism, more people across the world are looking to the international organization of Maoist thought as it concerns economic liberation, a model of self-government that replaces exploitation with democratic control over land and energy, important to countless millions who are being kicked off their land for the sake of a capitalists' portfolio. Self defense of land and power, alongside nations across the world in an international union of vanguards, is affecting global alliances, and are united by works of Mao Tse-Tung, who was successful in two wars against the USA (in Korea, and Indochina) and initiated a global alliance of liberation campaigns during the 1960s, and this alliance has survived despite setbacks like the coup against Mao Tse-Tung that unseated his successor as Primer over the People's Republic of China in 1976. Today, as independent campaigns uncontrolled even by the current administration of China, the World Anti-Imperialist People's War, united by the legacy of Mao Tse-Tung, are capable of empowering self-sustaining economies outside the global economic regime, and many have continued to exist as self-governing entities for 20 years or more, encompassing millions with a cross section of urban and agriculture workers, intellectuals, and planners.---
WORLD FASCISM WATCH
Documenting the global economic dictatorship
* "For Nazi Industrialists And Hitler's Banker 'All Was Forgiven' " (2015-04-26, zerohedge.com) [https://archive.is/7vmBc] [begin excerpt]:
Consider the case of countless Nazi financiers and even Hitler's personal banker, Hjalmar Schacht. What do they all have in common? Aside from (or perhaps due to) practically all having walked through the secretive corridors of the Bank of International Settlements, the one truly disturbing common theme is that virtually all avoided any significant prosecution for their participation in the Third Reich. In fact, as the following excerpt clearly reveals, the basis of Germany's Fourth Reich, which in Adam LeBor's words, "would be a financial, rather than a military imperium" was the work almost exclusively of Nazi financiers and bankers. And, of course, America's backing and support of said Nazi bankers and industrialists. [end excerpt]The article link includes the entire text of Chapter Ten "All is Forgiven", which details the Bank of International Settlements and the Nazis, from the "TOWER OF BASEL: The Shadowy History of the Secret Bank that Runs the World" book by Adam LeBor.
* "Jewish financiers who pulled Hitler out of the ditch" / "several Jewish bankers are backing Herr Hitler" [https://archive.is/erXXW]
* [http://farmlandgrab.org], the global rush for farmland and peoples' struggles against it.
* "The World Bank’s long war on peasants" (2015-04-17, farmlandgrab.org) [https://archive.is/473GX]
* "William Shakespeare and the New World Order: “Hell is Empty and all the Devils are Here' " (2012-04-23, by Prof. Michel Chossudovsky) [https://archive.is/qYOCY]
* "Planning Chaos in the Middle East: Destruction of Societies for Foreign Money Control" (2015-04-27, Canadian Challenger interview with Prof. John McMurtry) [https://archive.is/aZJEX]
---
Weapons for a New World Order
* "Rise of robotic killing machines has a cautious world talking" (2015-04-23, sfgate.com) [https://archive.is/h3YEE]
A sample of current military weapons exhibiting various degrees of semi-autonomous lethality:
United States: X-47B flying wing by Northrup Grumman, being tested as part of a proposed fleet of drones on the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, which was dispatched last week to Yemen after high unrest there; Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles , use autonomous guidance algorithms for precision strikes; “ Crusher ,” a 14,000-pound off-road Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle developed at Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center for the Defense Department ; Phalanx , 20mm Gatling gun with a radar-guided anti-missile system
Russia: Skat (translated: Manta Ray), an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) shaped like a flying wing under development by aircraft-maker MiG; MRK-002-BG-57, or Wolf 2, a tank the size of a car, has its own Facebook page: [on.fb.me/1H8tP8S]
Israel: Harpy, “fire and forget” autonomous delta-winged missile to destroy radar emitters; Iron Dome missile/rocket/mortar interceptor system, initiated in 2011 and possibly hacked in 2014
UK: BAE Taranis, flying wing much like the X-47B and Skat, first flight August 2013, project team includes General Electric and Rolls Royce; Brimstone, “fire and forget” antitank missile, recently reviewed as fully autonomous
France: nEUROn, a flying wing in testing phase for “the high-level algorithms necessary to the development of the automated processes”
China: Sharp Sword, a UCAV flying wing whose maiden flight was November 2013
SKorea: Samsung SGR-AI sentry robot, turret mounted machine gun, has a YouTube promo complete with patriotic music at [bit.ly/1bdKc6u]
---
* "Did NASA Mistakenly Create a Warp Field?" (2015-04-25, sputniknews.com) [https://archive.is/Yxi08] [begin excerpt]: Space geeks are freaking out because NASA may have accidentally discovered a warp field, an avenue down which spaceships can travel faster than the speed of light – something that, to date, has only existed in science fiction. But in the 1990s, physicist Miguel Alcubierre proposed the idea of a wave that would cause the space ahead of a spacecraft to contract, while the space behind it expands. This distortion would create a warp bubble, in which a ship would travel while itself remaining stationary. The tremendous amount of energy required made it impossible to translate Alcubierre’s vision into reality, however. Building on his predecessor’s theories, Harold “Sonny” White of NASA’s Johnson Space Center made alterations that would significantly reduce the energy needs. Meanwhile, in the lab, NASA and other space programs were experimenting with the EmDrive, a thrust engine that would be able to move in space without the need for fuel. According to posts on NASASpaceFlight.com, a website devoted to the engineering side of space news, when lasers were fired through the EmDrive’s resonance chamber, some of the beams appeared to travel faster than the speed of light. If that’s true, it would mean that the EmDrive is producing a warp field or bubble. [end excerpt]
===*===*===A sample of current military weapons exhibiting various degrees of semi-autonomous lethality:
United States: X-47B flying wing by Northrup Grumman, being tested as part of a proposed fleet of drones on the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, which was dispatched last week to Yemen after high unrest there; Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles , use autonomous guidance algorithms for precision strikes; “ Crusher ,” a 14,000-pound off-road Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle developed at Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center for the Defense Department ; Phalanx , 20mm Gatling gun with a radar-guided anti-missile system
Russia: Skat (translated: Manta Ray), an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) shaped like a flying wing under development by aircraft-maker MiG; MRK-002-BG-57, or Wolf 2, a tank the size of a car, has its own Facebook page: [on.fb.me/1H8tP8S]
Israel: Harpy, “fire and forget” autonomous delta-winged missile to destroy radar emitters; Iron Dome missile/rocket/mortar interceptor system, initiated in 2011 and possibly hacked in 2014
UK: BAE Taranis, flying wing much like the X-47B and Skat, first flight August 2013, project team includes General Electric and Rolls Royce; Brimstone, “fire and forget” antitank missile, recently reviewed as fully autonomous
France: nEUROn, a flying wing in testing phase for “the high-level algorithms necessary to the development of the automated processes”
China: Sharp Sword, a UCAV flying wing whose maiden flight was November 2013
SKorea: Samsung SGR-AI sentry robot, turret mounted machine gun, has a YouTube promo complete with patriotic music at [bit.ly/1bdKc6u]
---
* "Did NASA Mistakenly Create a Warp Field?" (2015-04-25, sputniknews.com) [https://archive.is/Yxi08] [begin excerpt]: Space geeks are freaking out because NASA may have accidentally discovered a warp field, an avenue down which spaceships can travel faster than the speed of light – something that, to date, has only existed in science fiction. But in the 1990s, physicist Miguel Alcubierre proposed the idea of a wave that would cause the space ahead of a spacecraft to contract, while the space behind it expands. This distortion would create a warp bubble, in which a ship would travel while itself remaining stationary. The tremendous amount of energy required made it impossible to translate Alcubierre’s vision into reality, however. Building on his predecessor’s theories, Harold “Sonny” White of NASA’s Johnson Space Center made alterations that would significantly reduce the energy needs. Meanwhile, in the lab, NASA and other space programs were experimenting with the EmDrive, a thrust engine that would be able to move in space without the need for fuel. According to posts on NASASpaceFlight.com, a website devoted to the engineering side of space news, when lasers were fired through the EmDrive’s resonance chamber, some of the beams appeared to travel faster than the speed of light. If that’s true, it would mean that the EmDrive is producing a warp field or bubble. [end excerpt]
Canada, Quebec, & the federation of First Nations
* "Montreal woman convicted of posting anti-police graffiti on Instagram" (2015-04-23, ctvnews.ca) [https://archive.is/Cj1Es] [begin excerpt]: A woman who posted an image online of a senior Montreal police officer with a bullet in his head was convicted Thursday of criminal harassment. Jennifer Pawluck was charged in 2013 after snapping a photo of graffiti, which she didn't draw, and uploading it to Instagram, a photo-sharing social media site. Quebec court Judge Marie-Josee Di Lallo said she had no doubt the criteria necessary to find Pawluck guilty of harassment had been met. Cmdr. Ian Lafreniere, one of the city's mo
st visible police officers and the man whose face was on the graffiti, told Pawluck's trial the image shook him up, scared his children and caused his wife to stop working for several months. Pawluck, now 22, testified in late February she posted the snap without even knowing who Lafreniere was. She conceded the image was not "peaceful" in nature but that she'd sent it as a statement against police in general -- not one officer in particular. The judge expressed skepticism about Pawluck's claim on the identity issue, given her involvement as an activist during student demonstrations in 2012. Lafreniere is the main voice of the police force during major events and was very visible on TV during the highly charged student protests, which featured numerous clashes between authorities and demonstrators. His name was scrawled on the graffiti and his name spelled two different ways was among the hashtags added by Pawluck, including an anti-police tag .acab -- which stands for all cops are bastards. The judge said she felt the evidence presented was sufficient. "Seeing your face drawn, with a bullet in the head, one cannot help but feel threatened," Di Lallo said. "And this, even if you're a police officer." A smirking Pawluck left the courthouse repeating "no comment" as a friend shielded her from cameras. Her lawyer, Valerie De Guise, also declined to speak. [end excerpt]
---
* "Canadian Judge Grants Freedom to Omar Khadr, Once Held as Child at Gitmo The Canadian government, which news outlets note 'has consistently opposed any effort to free the one-time child soldier,' said it would appeal the decision" (2015-04-24, commondreams.org) [https://archive.is/lbStg]
===*===*===
Republic of Haiti
* "25 Years After April 20, 1990: As the Empire Adapts, So Must We" (2015-04-28, haiti-liberte.com) [https://archive.is/gdHYA] [begin excerpt]:
This week marked the 25th anniversary of the historic Apr. 20, 1990 march by over 150,000 Haitians across the Brooklyn Bridge (literally shaking it) into downtown Manhattan. The demonstration, which surrounded the Federal Building on lower Broadway, completely overwhelmed the New York City police, shutting down Wall Street and most other businesses in lower Manhattan. The size, militancy, and unexpectedness of the massive outpouring sent shockwaves through the U.S. political establishment.
The march was a protest against the Federal Drug Administration’s February 1990 recommendation that Haitians be restricted from donating blood because they were supposedly a high-risk group for AIDS.
After throwing off the yoke of the 30 year Duvalier dictatorship on Feb. 7, 1986, Haitians created another historic mobilization when the U.S. and Haitian ruling class tried to reestablish a neo-Duvalierist dictatorship by overthrowing President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on Sep. 30, 1991. On Oct. 12, 1991, a year and a half after the April 1990 march, some 100,000 Haitians again crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and tied up traffic in Manhattan for hours to protest the coup. That was the beginning of a three year mobilization, in Haiti and its diaspora, which forced the U.S. to return Aristide to Haiti (although in a cage) in October 1994.
But the empire, with its “laboratory,” has studied these Haitian uprisings and learned to disguise their tactics with more sophistication. Rather than an overt rollback, like that done by Napoleon in 1802, the FDA in 1990, or Cédras in 1991, they learned to disguise their counter-revolution in Haiti behind “the electoral process” and “international community assistance.” This was how they carried out the “electoral coup d’état” (as former Organization of American States Ambassador Ricardo Seitenfus calls it) of November 2010 and March 2011, which resulted in President Michel Martelly illegally taking power (the Haitian Provisional Electoral Council – CEP – never approved the election). Martelly then took his time in neutralizing Parliament, aware that he didn’t really need to do it (in fact, it was better to wait to do it) until near the end of his term, so he could kill two birds with one stone: have right-wing, pro-imperialist candidates win both the legislature and the executive with one mixed, rigged electoral process, one controlled CEP.
[end excerpt]
---
* "Outsourcing Haiti; How disaster relief became a disaster of its own" (2014-01-16, bostonreview.net [https://archive.is/ptvs5]
* "How the US Plan to Build Houses for Displaced Haitians Became an Epic Boondoggle" (2015-03-05, vice.com) [https://archive.is/NkeVp]
* "VICE on HBO Follows the Money in Haiti" (2015-04-24, cepr.net) [https://archive.is/ej3w1] [begin excerpt]: Vikram Gandhi, VICE on HBO correspondent travels to Haiti to see just what happened with the $10 billion in aid pledged after the earthquake that occurred more than five years ago. Gandhi goes to the site of a housing expo held in 2011. Organized by the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission led by Bill Clinton, the expo was meant to showcase model homes that could be built across the country. With more than a million made homeless, and hundreds of thousands of homes damaged or destroyed, providing new housing was seen as key to “building back better.”“If we do this housing properly, it will lead to whole new industries being started in Haiti, creating thousands and thousands of new jobs and permanent housing,” Clinton stated after the earthquake.But, as Gandhi shows, the expo never had the intended impact. Instead, the homes were abandoned and left to decay. Now, years later, the model houses have been occupied by residents, creating a new community in the rubble of the international community’s broken promises.Gandhi speaks with CEPR Research Associate Jake Johnston, who explains how the U.S.’ premier aid agency, USAID, had an ambitious plan to build some 15,000 houses. But while costs nearly doubled to over $90 million, currently only 2,600 are planned and only 900 have been built thus far. USAID is no longer involved in new housing construction. "Do we understand what aid is, for real? And is there really a system of accountability that is out there?" Mr. Gandhi told The Chronicle. "I think the answer is no, after being in Haiti and seeing how money was spent there." [end excerpt]
* "HBO's 'Vice' Report Slams Aid Efforts in Haiti" (2015-04-24, philanthropy.com) [https://archive.is/G4gRf]
* "Housing Exposition Exposes Waste, Cynicism" (2012-09-24, haitigrassrootswatch.squarespace.com) [https://archive.is/ryPut]
* "Haiti: Second USAID Contractor Suspended Following Caracol Housing Debacle" (2015-03-30, cepr.net) [https://archive.is/Iq4Rx]
---
* "Haiti’s economy held together by polo shirts and blue jeans" (2015-04-17, ft.com) [https://archive.is/5RFPg]
===*===*===
Republic of Cuba
Fidel Castro: "There are no fully pure regimes or systems. In Cuba, for instance, we have many forms of private property. We have hundreds of thousands of farm owners. In some cases they own up to 110 acres. In Europe they would be considered large landholders. Practically all Cubans own their own home and, what is more, we welcome foreign investment. But that does not mean that Cuba has stopped being socialist."
===*===*===
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
NEW AFRIKAN PEACE MOVEMENTRepublic of Haiti
* "25 Years After April 20, 1990: As the Empire Adapts, So Must We" (2015-04-28, haiti-liberte.com) [https://archive.is/gdHYA] [begin excerpt]:
This week marked the 25th anniversary of the historic Apr. 20, 1990 march by over 150,000 Haitians across the Brooklyn Bridge (literally shaking it) into downtown Manhattan. The demonstration, which surrounded the Federal Building on lower Broadway, completely overwhelmed the New York City police, shutting down Wall Street and most other businesses in lower Manhattan. The size, militancy, and unexpectedness of the massive outpouring sent shockwaves through the U.S. political establishment.The march was a protest against the Federal Drug Administration’s February 1990 recommendation that Haitians be restricted from donating blood because they were supposedly a high-risk group for AIDS.
After throwing off the yoke of the 30 year Duvalier dictatorship on Feb. 7, 1986, Haitians created another historic mobilization when the U.S. and Haitian ruling class tried to reestablish a neo-Duvalierist dictatorship by overthrowing President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on Sep. 30, 1991. On Oct. 12, 1991, a year and a half after the April 1990 march, some 100,000 Haitians again crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and tied up traffic in Manhattan for hours to protest the coup. That was the beginning of a three year mobilization, in Haiti and its diaspora, which forced the U.S. to return Aristide to Haiti (although in a cage) in October 1994.
But the empire, with its “laboratory,” has studied these Haitian uprisings and learned to disguise their tactics with more sophistication. Rather than an overt rollback, like that done by Napoleon in 1802, the FDA in 1990, or Cédras in 1991, they learned to disguise their counter-revolution in Haiti behind “the electoral process” and “international community assistance.” This was how they carried out the “electoral coup d’état” (as former Organization of American States Ambassador Ricardo Seitenfus calls it) of November 2010 and March 2011, which resulted in President Michel Martelly illegally taking power (the Haitian Provisional Electoral Council – CEP – never approved the election). Martelly then took his time in neutralizing Parliament, aware that he didn’t really need to do it (in fact, it was better to wait to do it) until near the end of his term, so he could kill two birds with one stone: have right-wing, pro-imperialist candidates win both the legislature and the executive with one mixed, rigged electoral process, one controlled CEP.
[end excerpt]
---
* "Outsourcing Haiti; How disaster relief became a disaster of its own" (2014-01-16, bostonreview.net [https://archive.is/ptvs5]
* "How the US Plan to Build Houses for Displaced Haitians Became an Epic Boondoggle" (2015-03-05, vice.com) [https://archive.is/NkeVp]
* "VICE on HBO Follows the Money in Haiti" (2015-04-24, cepr.net) [https://archive.is/ej3w1] [begin excerpt]: Vikram Gandhi, VICE on HBO correspondent travels to Haiti to see just what happened with the $10 billion in aid pledged after the earthquake that occurred more than five years ago. Gandhi goes to the site of a housing expo held in 2011. Organized by the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission led by Bill Clinton, the expo was meant to showcase model homes that could be built across the country. With more than a million made homeless, and hundreds of thousands of homes damaged or destroyed, providing new housing was seen as key to “building back better.”“If we do this housing properly, it will lead to whole new industries being started in Haiti, creating thousands and thousands of new jobs and permanent housing,” Clinton stated after the earthquake.But, as Gandhi shows, the expo never had the intended impact. Instead, the homes were abandoned and left to decay. Now, years later, the model houses have been occupied by residents, creating a new community in the rubble of the international community’s broken promises.Gandhi speaks with CEPR Research Associate Jake Johnston, who explains how the U.S.’ premier aid agency, USAID, had an ambitious plan to build some 15,000 houses. But while costs nearly doubled to over $90 million, currently only 2,600 are planned and only 900 have been built thus far. USAID is no longer involved in new housing construction. "Do we understand what aid is, for real? And is there really a system of accountability that is out there?" Mr. Gandhi told The Chronicle. "I think the answer is no, after being in Haiti and seeing how money was spent there." [end excerpt]
* "HBO's 'Vice' Report Slams Aid Efforts in Haiti" (2015-04-24, philanthropy.com) [https://archive.is/G4gRf]
* "Housing Exposition Exposes Waste, Cynicism" (2012-09-24, haitigrassrootswatch.squarespace.com) [https://archive.is/ryPut]
* "Haiti: Second USAID Contractor Suspended Following Caracol Housing Debacle" (2015-03-30, cepr.net) [https://archive.is/Iq4Rx]
---
* "Haiti’s economy held together by polo shirts and blue jeans" (2015-04-17, ft.com) [https://archive.is/5RFPg]
===*===*===
Republic of Cuba
Fidel Castro: "There are no fully pure regimes or systems. In Cuba, for instance, we have many forms of private property. We have hundreds of thousands of farm owners. In some cases they own up to 110 acres. In Europe they would be considered large landholders. Practically all Cubans own their own home and, what is more, we welcome foreign investment. But that does not mean that Cuba has stopped being socialist."
===*===*===
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Photos from the international action day for Venezuela in Italy (2015-04-19) [https://archive.is/ZxPW2], one of thousands of such events across the world.
===*===*===
[NewAfricaPeace.blogspot.com], with the Green Charter Committee, for Pan-Afrikan Solidarity and Liberation!
* [http://www.stopafricalandgrab.com/], a tragedy of epic proportions, a 21st century slavery under the guise of foreign investments is unfolding across Africa. The African people face an existential threat. With the enthusiastic support of some African governments, foreign countries and companies and wealthy foreigners are rapidly taking over the productive lands in Africa and turning Africans into refugees and slave laborers in their own homeland. Land grabbing is the contentious issue of large-scale land acquisitions; the buying or leasing of large pieces of land in developing countries, by domestic and transnational companies, governments, and individuals. While used broadly throughout history, land grabbing as used today primarily refers to large-scale land acquisitions following the 2007-2008 world food price crisis. By prompting food security fears within the developed world and newfound economic opportunities for agricultural investors and speculators, the food price crisis caused a dramatic spike in large-scale agricultural investments, primarily foreign, in the Global South for the purposes of food and biofuels production. Initially hailed by investors and some developing countries as a new pathway towards agricultural development, investment in land has recently been criticized by a number of civil society, governmental, and multinational actors for the various negative impacts that it has had on local communities. The target locations of most land grabs are in the Global South, with 70% of land grabs concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa. Other primary areas of note are in Southeast Asia and Latin America. "Land Grabbing in Africa: a Review of the Impacts and the Possible Policy Responses", a research funded by the Pan Africa Programme of Oxfam International, conducted by Tinyade Kachika, Senior researcher. The research highlights issue such as:
- The Rise of Land Deals in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Land Grabbing and Risk for Small Scale Farmers,
- Land Grabs: Another Yoke over Women’s Land Rights?
- Opportunity for Groups at Risk: The African Union’s Continental Standards on Land Question
Click here to view PDF document for Land Grabbing in Africa: a Review of the Impacts and the Possible Policy Responses [https://web.archive.org/web/20150319053303/http://www.oxfamblogs.org/eastafrica/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Land-Grabbing-in-Africa.-Final.pdf]
---
* "The US Hand in Libya’s Tragedy" (2015-04-21, consortiumnews.com) [https://archive.is/w9p2u]
---
* "How NATO Kills Africans in the Club Med" (2015-04-22, sputniknews.com) [https://archive.is/2SckD]
* [http://www.stopafricalandgrab.com/], a tragedy of epic proportions, a 21st century slavery under the guise of foreign investments is unfolding across Africa. The African people face an existential threat. With the enthusiastic support of some African governments, foreign countries and companies and wealthy foreigners are rapidly taking over the productive lands in Africa and turning Africans into refugees and slave laborers in their own homeland. Land grabbing is the contentious issue of large-scale land acquisitions; the buying or leasing of large pieces of land in developing countries, by domestic and transnational companies, governments, and individuals. While used broadly throughout history, land grabbing as used today primarily refers to large-scale land acquisitions following the 2007-2008 world food price crisis. By prompting food security fears within the developed world and newfound economic opportunities for agricultural investors and speculators, the food price crisis caused a dramatic spike in large-scale agricultural investments, primarily foreign, in the Global South for the purposes of food and biofuels production. Initially hailed by investors and some developing countries as a new pathway towards agricultural development, investment in land has recently been criticized by a number of civil society, governmental, and multinational actors for the various negative impacts that it has had on local communities. The target locations of most land grabs are in the Global South, with 70% of land grabs concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa. Other primary areas of note are in Southeast Asia and Latin America. "Land Grabbing in Africa: a Review of the Impacts and the Possible Policy Responses", a research funded by the Pan Africa Programme of Oxfam International, conducted by Tinyade Kachika, Senior researcher. The research highlights issue such as:
- The Rise of Land Deals in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Land Grabbing and Risk for Small Scale Farmers,
- Land Grabs: Another Yoke over Women’s Land Rights?
- Opportunity for Groups at Risk: The African Union’s Continental Standards on Land Question
Click here to view PDF document for Land Grabbing in Africa: a Review of the Impacts and the Possible Policy Responses [https://web.archive.org/web/20150319053303/http://www.oxfamblogs.org/eastafrica/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Land-Grabbing-in-Africa.-Final.pdf]
---
* "The US Hand in Libya’s Tragedy" (2015-04-21, consortiumnews.com) [https://archive.is/w9p2u]
---
* "How NATO Kills Africans in the Club Med" (2015-04-22, sputniknews.com) [https://archive.is/2SckD]
===*===*===
European Union (EU)
* "EU Steps Up Police and Military Operations against Refugees after Special Summit" (2015-04-24, wsws.org) [https://archive.is/TZg6M]
===*===*===
European Union (EU)
* "EU Steps Up Police and Military Operations against Refugees after Special Summit" (2015-04-24, wsws.org) [https://archive.is/TZg6M]
===*===*===
Republic of Latvia
* "Latvia Mulls Ghettos for Ethnic Russians" (2015-04-25, sputniknews.com) [https://archive.is/OQCQx]
===*===*===
Republic of Greece
* "Greek Bank Will Write Off Up To €20,000 In Debt For "Poverty-Stricken" Borrowers" (2015-04-23, zerohedge.com) [https://archive.is/hM25l]* "Greece's Piraeus Bank offers relief to poverty-stricken borrowers" (2015-04-23, reuters.com) [https://archive.is/g1lFU]
* "European Central Bank Squeezes Greek Banks, Tightening Access to Loans" (2015-04-21, nytimes.com) [https://archive.is/bvjx5]
* "Grexit Looks Inevitable. But Greece Will Need Moscow's Help" (2015-04-27, russia-insider.com) [https://archive.is/r54mZ]
===*===*===
Republic of Macedonia
* "Gas for Greece, Mayhem for Macedonia" (2015-04-22, sputniknews.com) [https://archive.is/x9GJJ] [begin excerpt]: At the exact same time that Greece has received a guarantee for billions of cubic meters' worth of Russian gas, Macedonia is being rocked by the threat of a renewed Albanian insurgency designed to offset Moscow’s pipeline plans. Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller announced that Russia will guarantee 47 billion cubic meters of gas a year to Greece via the Turkish Stream, which would then go onwards to supply the European market. While it's not yet specified exactly which path the pipeline will take from Greece to the EU, it's more than likely that it'll go through Macedonia en route to the former South Stream's envisioned Serbian hub, and thenceforth through Hungary, Austria, and beyond, just like Russia originally anticipated last year. There's one major obstacle to that strategy, however, and it's that the US is attempting to transform its failed Color Revolution in Macedonia into an Unconventional War to neutralize this geostrategic route, utilizing the specter of an Albanian terrorist campaign modeled off the Syrian template to achieve its destructive goals. [end excerpt]===*===*===
Last week, a man walked out to an unclaimed little bit of land between Croatia and Serbia, ran up a flag, and made a country: Liberland. And now tens of thousands have signed up for citizenship.
* Liberland bans all "communists" from becoming a citizen. Read the debate, initiated by a communist, with an official of Liberland, at [https://archive.is/u5ldh]
* "Welcome to Liberland: 250K Ask to Become Citizens of Newest European Nation" (2015-04-23, sputniknews.com) [https://archive.is/4QyFd]
[http://liberland.org/en/main/]
[https://www.facebook.com/liberland]
[https://www.facebook.com/moneyinliberland]
[https://twitter.com/search?q=liberland&src=typd&mode=users]
===*===*===
Republic of Ukraine
* "From Cyber To Psycho: How NATO Info Wars Kill In Ukraine" (2015-02-27, greanvillepost.com) [https://archive.is/MfVML] [begin excerpt]: It’s common knowledge and public record that the West has intensified its anti-Russian propaganda operations over the past year, but up until now, no direct link could be proven between its cyber warriors abroad and its assassins in Ukraine.
That all changed due to the latest revelation by RT [https://archive.is/5EJM1], which showed that the Mirotvorets online hit list was unsurprisingly registered by a Ukrainian agent of NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence (СCD-COE). This entity is based in Tallinn and responsible for waging information war against Russia and the resistant population still residing in Ukraine. RT reminds everyone [https://archive.is/HJhco] that the hit list published the information of Oleg Kalashnikov and Oles Buzina no more than 48 hours before they were assassinated, all to the unsurprising deafness of the Western mainstream media.
NATO-supported Mirotvorets functions as an online kill portal where the name, photo, address, phone number, and other personal information of so-called “enemies of the state” of Ukraine are published. Wannabe assassins eager to prove their loyalty to Kiev’s regime could then take ‘patriotic’ matters into their own hands by killing the individuals marked for death in the hit list. This mechanism of fear, intimidation, and, as already has been seen, actual murder doesn’t have an equivalent in any other war-torn countries, to say nothing of the peaceful and stable Russian Federation. It’s a postmodern creation thought of in the West, supported by the West, and designed to pursue the interests of the West, and it owes its inspiration to none other than the Nazi regime. Twenty-first century Ukraine is thus nothing more than a testing laboratory for its larger application in other forthcoming targeted states, and it’s presumable that NATO’s other global proxies, specifically ISIL and its associated terrorist hordes, will now start utilizing this political technology owing to its demonstrated lethality.
* "Oles Buzina on media censorship in Ukraine and why he quit his post as editor-in-chief of a popular newspaper" (2015-03-10) [https://archive.is/7jHpe] [begine cxerpt]: Yes, I wrote a resignation letter. No regrets there. As the Internet began releasing tidal waves of information regarding my resignation from the post of editor in chief of the Ukrainian newspaper "Segodnya" [‘Today’] (http://www.segodnya.ua/), the actual causes are explained below.
First of all, I do not agree with the CENSORSHIP in the newspaper where I worked. We all received orders from above (from the media group "Ukraine"), orders that rule OVER the newspaper and also OVER the chief editor. This order states, that you cannot criticize the "special status" of Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, which I learned only after taking office. He is UNTOUCHABLE, with which I categorically disagree. This is the actual "editorial policy" we had. I just did not want to adhere to it. In our newspaper it was also impossible to write about the many other "secrets." The fact that Petro Poroshenko factory increases its production in Russia, is one such example. A short note was left by the CEO of the newspaper, Vasily Potapov, regarding my initiation of this story, this was what was written on that note: "This story is no good". [end excerpt] Oles Buzina was killed a month after this blog entry was written in front of his house
* "Vatican clergy and Ukrainian nationalism" (2015-04-22, orientalreview.org) part 1 [https://archive.is/yAHI5], part 2 [https://archive.is/Rt98E]
* "EU Taxpayers Will Prop up Kiev Regime. But Where's the Aid for Donbass?" (2015-40-21, russia-insider.com) [https://archive.is/STeO7]
* "Ukraine Partnering with NATO…to the Surprise of No One" (2015-04-24, journal-neo.org) [https://archive.is/YuqmZ] [end excerpt]: Despite more than a year of claiming otherwise, the US-backed government of Ukraine is now openly acknowledging their close association with NATO. Although the rhetoric is carefully guarded so as not to admit that Ukraine has become a de facto NATO member, the inescapable fact is that it is in all but name. Remember back in 2013 and 2014 when those who railed against the US-NATO manufactured conflict in Ukraine – decrying Washington’s and Brussels’ belligerent policies as clear and unmistakable provocations – were called ‘conspiracy theorists’ for daring to suggest that behind the flowery language of ‘democracy’ and ‘liberal European values’ lay an insidious effort to bring Ukraine into NATO’s orbit? Remember how such voices (this author included) were described as ‘paranoid’ and ‘Putin propagandists’ while the United States’ handpicked successors to deposed President Yanukovich in Kiev were described as ‘patriots’ and ‘protectors of sovereignty’? Well, as it turns out, the conspiracy theories were incontrovertible facts, and the so-called ‘patriots’ were (and are) inveterate liars. [end excerpt]
* "US Military Supports Ukraine’s Neo-Nazi National Guard. Are US Forces Involved in Combat Operations?" (2015-04-23, by Prof. Michel Chossudovsky) [https://archive.is/H8m89]
* "Fearless Guardian: US Teaches Ukraine to Shoot Soviet-Era Grenade Launcher" (2015-04-23, sputniknews.com) [https://archive.is/yMCXj] [begin excerpt]: While Ukraine continues to claim that its officers will mostly learn “the skills, not weapons” the US military is using in operations worldwide, videos and pictures reveal quite the opposite: instead of these skills, it is the weapons the US paratroopers are teaching Ukrainians to use. Interestingly enough, they are mostly Russian-made guns. [end excerpt]
* "How and what US army going to train Kiev junta thugs" (2014-04-22, by Konstantin) [https://archive.is/avp8w]
* "US Training Nazis, Western Media Providing Cover" (2015-04-21, journal-neo.org) [https://archive.is/PhUah]
* "Inside Ukraine's Little-Known EU-Funded Prison Network; We look inside a mysterious prison complex in eastern Ukraine and the system of European Union-funded holding facilities it was meant to be a part of" (2015-04-24, sputniknews.com) [https://archive.is/o0V9v]
* "EU funded 'Donetsk Guantanamo' " [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TsJZoxnxU4]: New UA government started building these objects right away after they came to power in early 2014.
---
* "UFJP Statement Continues the Big Lie; War in Ukraine is not a “proxy” war!" (2015-04-19, by Kelly McConnell, chairperson of the Peace & Solidarity Commission, PCUSA, theworkerpcusa.wordpress.com) [https://archive.is/5aUdq]:
The civil war in Ukraine that has followed the illegal coup d’état one year ago is not a “proxy” war as the United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) has declared in its recent statement. What the record shows is amazing restraint by Russia and President Putin while provocations by fascists supported by the United States and NATO continue to escalate out of control.
Russia has provided humanitarian aid to the self-declared republics of Lugansk and Donetsk. They have allowed civilians escaping war to cross their borders. There is not one shred of evidence from satellites, aerial photography or other means to suggest that Russia has troops on Ukrainian territory. Yet UFPJ insists that Russia must be held equally responsible for what has transpired there, even though they have played no part in the conflict, and have done everything to stay clear of it.
Statements have emerged from the Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk that the Soviet Union started WW II by invading Ukraine and Germany. He said this on German T.V. Everyone knows the historical truth, and that the Prime Minister is a liar, and that the statement is a grotesque fabrication, a pathetic fantasy, insulting to anyone’s intelligence. Statements have been made that it was Russia and not the United States, which dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. For us though, the real tragedy is that the Ukrainians and Poles deny that it was the Soviet 60th Army that liberated Auschwitz.
Now UFPJ continues the ‘big lie’ by stating that the war in Ukraine is a “proxy” war in which the United States and Russia share equal responsibility. This is simply naïve. To ignore the massive buildup of NATO forces all along the Russian border, the constant war games, and other provocations is to ignore reality. We call upon you to seriously rethink the statement you have made publicly, and to denounce U.S. imperialism, the EU and NATO as being responsible for the trouble in Europe. The United States cannot sustain this war budget and provide services our people need. UFPJ needs to keep the focus of its peace efforts where it should be: fighting U.S. imperialism and war, not playing the dangerous game of blaming Russia for this crisis.
---
MEDIA WILL NEVER SHOW YOU: PROTEST AGAINST THE US INTERFERENCE IN KIEV TODAY. (2015-04-22) [https://archive.is/w0LvN]:
Today, hundreds of people gathered in front of the US embassy in Kiev to protest Washington’s interference in Ukraine’s affairs. People believe that the US started the war in Donbass, and is embroiling Ukraine with Russia. Protesters carried different placards “U.S. is grief of Ukraine”, “U.S. + weapons = War”, “U.S. policy is poverty for Ukraine”, “Shame!”, “USA, thanks for poverty”, “USA, thanks for war”, “We are not cattle” + photos of destructions, killed children and women of Donbass. People of Kiev made an attempt to block the road, but police officers pushed them back to the sidewalk. Dozens of protesters were detained by the police for no reason. Ukrainian media didn’t cover the protest. VIDEO: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4NbYjaNRJs]
---
* "Ukraine: Miners gather in Kiev as protests intensify" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T-6arKAr8E]. Thousands of miners gathered in front of the 'Energy Ministry of Ukraine' in Kiev, Thursday, to demand outstanding payments and to protest against job losses.
* (2015-04-22, Novorossia News): The Pension Fund of the DPR has refuted Kiev’s statement on paying out pensions to residents of the Donbas region, the Donetsk News Agency reports on Wednesday. Shortly before, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk told the Italian La Repubblica newspaper that Kiev allegedly continued to pay pensions to Donbas residents, "in spite of not receiving taxes from the region". "Yatsenyuk’s statements cannot be called otherwise than a lie," said Chairperson of the DPR Pension Fund Galina Sagaidakova. "Ukraine has not been paying pensions to our pensioners for 10 months. At the moment, the total debt amounts to dozens of billions of hryvnias." Kiev officially stopped paying out pensions and social allowances to residents of the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk on December 1, 2014, imposing an economic blockade on Donbas. In actual fact, the payments stopped much earlier, in the summer of the same year.
---
* "Kiev regime in fear of Ribbon of Saint George is forcing change the cover of magazine" (2015-04-24, NOVOROSS.info):
Kyiv authorities have forced women's magazine Elle change the cover, because coloring dress American actress Michelle Williams on the photo looked like Ribbon of Saint George which was banned by the Kiev authorities. On the eve in the Kiev center appeared advertising light boxes with a new issue Elle on the cover of which was Williams in a dress in yellow and black stripes. However, advertising was soon dismantled. Adviser to the Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Briginets got into a tantrum over "St. George" dresses. Users of social networks sarcastically commented incident. "They in any case wouldn't change the cover, whether it is in Russia! On the contrary! They would explode in noble indignation at the "bloody Putin's regime"! - Says Boris Mityashin from St. Petersburg" - writes"Politnavigator."
---
A mysterious form of graffiti has popped up across several Ukrainian cities over the past few days featuring the phrase "April 22. Wish grandpa a happy birthday." The code was immediately decipherable for the country's older generations: the 'grandpa' in question was 'Grandpa Lenin', and April 22 is the 145th anniversary of his birth.
* "Enigmatic Graffiti Covers Ukrainian Cities: 'Wish Grandpa a Happy Birthday' " (2015-04-22, sputniknews.com) [https://archive.is/zNJ7m]
---
* "America’s Libertarians’ Civil War Over Ukraine" (2015-04-22, by Eric Zuesse) [https://archive.is/OzJG2] [begin excerpt]: On the one hand, Andrei Illarionov of the Koch Brothers’ libertarian Cato Institute says that the first among “the crimes that have been committed or are being committed by the Kremlin — stealing Crimea” can be rectified only by rejecting “Russia’s aggression in Crimea,” which means to replace the current Russian government by “a free democratic state with the rule of law”: i.e., overthrowing it in order to establish that very thing, “a free democratic state with the rule of law.” He says that, “The issue of Crimea’s jurisdiction is within the competence of only one subject of international law — the owner of that territory, namely Ukraine. Only this subject, and no one else, has necessary legal rights to change this territory’s jurisdiction.” And, since Ukraine did not sell Crimea to Russia, Russia “stole” it from Ukraine. He sees the issue of Crimea as being not an issue of people, but of land: the land-area of Crimea, which Russia “stole” from Ukraine — that Russia stole the land and everything in it and under it and on it, including its residents. According to Illarionov, Crimea’s residents are simply human property there. [end excerpt]
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* "Monsters from the punitive battalion Azov crucified and burnt the militia" (2015-04-25) [http://novorossia.today/monsters-from-the-punitive-battalion-azov-crucified-and-burnt-the-militia-video-18/]: Unknown monsters in the military uniform, they introduced themselves as fighters of the nationalistic battalion Azov tortured the man, who was militiaman. They accused him in the separatism or for the compassion to the militia. They chose such type of the punishment that would be approved by their teachers from Nazi SS. The man was crucified and burnt. Nazis did not hide their voices at the video, and there is hope to find them. Video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QHvjkSyXUs].
* "UA govt "Donbas" battalion executes unarmed men in civil clothes" (2014-10-22) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdj7v_t5qHo]. Video found on Video Recorder of car captured by militias.
* " 'Pro-US Troops' of Ukrainian AZOV battalion executed man by burning on the cross" (2015-04-25, narodnieurasia.wordpress.com) [https://archive.is/Qe6qt], showing video-stills.
* Report on cruxifiction video (2015-04-24, by Konstantin) [https://archive.is/2ehC7] [begin excerpt]: In the internet appear video there Ukrainian fascists and foreign mercenaries from battalion "Azov" possibly executed man by burning on the cross. This happened possibly near village Shirokino (area of city Mariupol). Ministry of Defense of Donetsk republic didn't comment that video yet. In the internet with reference to KiberBerkut (hacker's group which exposing crimes of Kiev junta) was uploaded horrible video about possible execution of unknown man by Ukrainian fascists. Thugs in the video represented themselves as members of fascist battalion "Azov". With foreign accents [East or Central Europe accents for me] they said that thing which will happen later await anyone who contributes to separatism. Later in the video we see and hear how fascists with adhesive tape tied to a cross brutally beaten man. He tried to resist, but without success. Looks like fascists put microphone to body of victim, we can hear even internal sounds of victim's body. The man from the fear empties his intestines, we can hear it in the video. It is impossible to play, it wasn't staged. The man, because of the beatings, is in a semi-conscious state. We see same in the videos of ISIS, victims don't resist until begin of execution, because they were beaten till semi-conscious state before. We can see how fascist hit victim by stick to the groin, then victim moans. Then they set fire to the cross, and after the first cry of the victim video ends. But we got information that previously in Russian network "VKonakte" was published full video (duration 15 min). In that video man was burned on cross. This is another war crime of Ukrainian fascists, one of many.
UPDATE: We have now controversial information and opinions about this video. Some fascist unit "Misanthropic Division" pretend to be authors of this video. They said that video was staged in order to troll Russian media, see [https://archive.is/TXWo0]. Right now "Misanthropic Division" denied their connection to this video, see [https://archive.is/SMNAG], so video could be true. "Misanthropic Division" is part of battalion Azov (which reports to the Ukraine Ministry of Internal Affairs and is based in Mariupol).
* "Ukraine battalion "Donbas" torturing locals in Lisichansk" (2014-07-29, Kazzura) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xKuFC7ILnc]: Video taken from popular pro-government UA media "Hromadske TV" they don't mind showing it, they're proud of it. Sadists. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlH7wYzxCzQ]. "It would be quick death for him, let him die like a dog" as one of the fighters of the battalion said. PAY ATTENTION at the clothes of these men. They say that they caught them during fight (other guy says in car). But to rebels wear such clothes in fights? Just google which equipment militias have: camouflage, combat boots, vests. They say that he confessed, but they show how he humiliates himself by their command. They tortured those people. And I seriously doubt they were even militias.
* "Crimes of UA troops at Nyzhnaya Krynka" (2015-09-25, Kazzura) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qflec5dGv9M]: Several corpses of the civilians, including female bodies where found shot dead with tied hands at "Communarskaya" mine near Nyzhnaya Krynka -- at positions of government "Aydar" battalion
* "Klitschko awarded Konrad Adenauer Prize in Cologne" (2015-04-23, kiev.klichko.org) [https://archive.is/wf9Dj]
* "AZOV buddy and Mafia thug Vitali Klitschko awarded Konrad Adenauer Prize in Cologne Germany" (2015-04-26, narodnieurasia.wordpress.com) [https://archive.is/0IokO]
Konrad Adenauer was regarded as the foremost dissident against the Nazis within Germany, and his selection as Germany's first Chancellor after the defeat of the Nazi government was calculated to "prove" that the government replacing the Nazis was "de-Nazified", yet, facts remain that show how the USA protected and expanded a surviving faction of Nazis who had direct relations with corporations whose were dominated by capitalists in the USA (General Motors, GE, Ford, Standard Oil, etc.).
* Following adapted from "1945" (populistreview.wordpress.com) [https://archive.is/dTlhR]:
Hans Globke: a lawyer in Hitler’s Internal Ministry and close associate of Eichmann who authored the infamous Nuremburg race laws, the “Codex of Jewish Law” which legalized the expropriation and repression of the Jews, and other Nazi legislation. Globke remained in West Germany after the war as Chancellor Konrad Adenaur’s right-hand man (his past safely guarded by the C.I.A.) and used his position to help many former Nazi officials gain prominent posts in the government.
The defectors covered by this seditious treaty included the worst of Hitler’s ghouls:
Gen. Reinhard Gehlen: a cold-blooded, calculating, Nazi butcher who headed Hitler’s murderous Intelligence Organization for Eastern Europe and committed some of the most notorious crimes of the war. Gehlen endeared himself to the West by pledging his exaggerated assets to our anti-Soviet crusade while working to exacerbate East-West tensions and divert attention from the ODESSA Nazis. He was extremely close to Allen Dulles who gifted him a Swiss chalet when the General retired.
Gehlen’s Organization: “at least 100… SD and former Gestapo officers” according to documents released under the Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act, a description which falls far short of the mark. In fact Gehlen’s organization, overseen by a myriad of U.S. intelligence agencies after the war and directed under the auspices of the C.I.A. afterward (when Gehlen was code-named, Dr. Schneider), numbered closer to 4,000 spies, agents and transmission specialists who extended all across Eastern Europe. Gehlen’s Organization (code-named RUSTY) was our premier intelligence gathering apparatus during the Cold War and even when subsumed into the U.S.-German “7821 Composite Group,” provided the bulk of our intelligence on Soviet Russia from 1945-1953. It included the Ukranian émigré organization OUN which later became the ABN in Hungaray headed by Ferenc Nagy, former Nazi collaborator who also headed the C.I.A.-run Permindex Corporation in Rome which, coincidentally, had Clay Shaw (indicted for JFK’s assassination) among its Board of Directors. Gehlen’s apparatus was at all times under the command of U.S. Intelligence.
===*===*===
Union of People's Republics of NovorossiyaFor more info, with maps, and link, visit [NovorossiyaSolidarity.blogspot.com].
* "THE SOUTH FRONT YOUTUBE CHANNEL WAS DELETED" (2015-04-24) [https://archive.is/05YFh]
Ukraine Crisis News
* (2015-04-23) [https://youtu.be/KUWczsbJc_U]
RE: "US says Russia Air Defense systems inside Ukraine". Harfs statement about "Russian air defense" is quite alarming. What this likely means is that there will be more Air raids coming soon. She is also trying to implant a false narrative in the media ahead of these strikes so if any of these planes get shot down when they are bombing innocent civilians it will be Russia falsely pre-established as the aggressor.
* "The level of separatism in Ukraine on Tymchuk" (2015-04-26, warindonbass.ru) machine translation [https://archive.is/P8LnC]
* (2015-04-24, dan-news.info) machine translation [https://archive.is/tB5Yy]: The head of the DPR Alexander Zakharchenko has ordered to establish the DPR digital broadcasting channels beaming to the territory of Ukraine. “I have ordered to create digital broadcasting channels beaming to the occupied territory of Ukraine and beyond. People zombified by Western propaganda have to know the truth about the Donbass. Creating a digital broadcasting apparat should be a priority task of the DPR Union of Journalists,” – Alexander Zakharchenko said at the founding congress of the DPR Union of Journalists.
* (2015-04-23, dnr-news.com) machine translation [https://archive.is/XfO9X]: The DPR offered to create a center of innovative technologies for the systematization of science centers of the republic and their subsequent introduction into production. This initiative was made by the participants of the scientific-practical conference "Ways to preserve the scientific potential of the Donetsk People's Republic", which was held today in Donetsk. "We need to create the Donbass center of innovative technologies. The initiative group has already discussed this question. The challenge is to ensure by monitoring the situation, learn where innovation is required and who requires it. The center could help implement technology in enterprises where it is needed, "- said one of the keynote speakers, Dr. Theodore Bar'yakhtar. According to him, in particular, you can use a brand new scheme of work - to harness the potential of trade unions of the country. "We see that here in the Donbass, even in war research and production ideas are not stopped, - said to the participants, head of the executive committee of the political party" Rodina” Yevgeny Ivlev. – Even while resisting Ukrainian aggression, you never cease in these conditions to build a peaceful life. " According to him, in Russia there are professionals who can provide the most active promotion of scientific and industrial spheres in DPR.
* "DNR provides the country with its own electricity and do not buy it in Ukraine or in Russia" (2015-04-21, dan-news.info) [https://archive.is/JUI7L]: Donetsk People's Republic has complete self-sufficiency in electricity, Director of the Department of Electricity of the DPR Ministry of Coal and Energy Elena Styazhkina announced at a press conference yesterday. “At present, the DPR doesn’t buy electricity from Ukraine, even less so from the Russian Federation. The Starobeshevo and Zuevskaya thermal power plants (TPP) produce enough electricity for the purposes of the DPR. Every hour, the four units in these two TPPs generate about 1,000 MW/hour of electricity. This quantity is enough to cover all the needs of the population and enterprises in the country,” Elena Styazhkina said.
* Photo (2015-04-25, Novorossia News) [https://archive.is/ACG4L]: A maple parkway is transplanted in the city of Lughansk: 44 young plants in remembrance of 44 children killed in the town during Ukrainian shellings 2014-2015
* "Residents of the village of Oktyabrsky (DPR) graze cattle and maintain their gardens despite the sounds of gunfire and artillery" photos (2015-04-25) [https://archive.is/Ral0V]
* (2015-04-24, Novorossia News):
The International Musician Festival “Prokofiev’s Spring” is opened in Donetsk for the 18th time. The festival started with the Dmitry Shostakovich‘s Symphony №5 performed by the Donetsk Symphony Orchestra. A three-day musician performance is devoted to the Sergey Prokofiev’s birthday, a widely known composer born in Donbas. (The Shostakovich‘s Symphony №7 performed by Donetsk Symphony Orchestra - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmO9uR9w9tY)
* (2015-04-24): Today, on April 24, Donetsk People’s Republic marked the International Day of Youth Solidarity. A concert of the Russian and Donetsk rock singers, different master classes, food festival, performances of the Donbass young people, fairy of hand-made goods, mimes, basketball games, and many other things ... So much fun in Donetsk today!
* Rock'n'Roll in Donetsk, April 24th
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyhvLRKuMDg]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0GjPHQ2Evo]
* (2015-04-24, dan-news.info) machine translation [https://archive.is/Pzv9j]: Russian rock singer Yulia Chicherina doesn’t care that she browned off Ukrainian extremists because of her support for Donbass. “You have to take the criticism of these Ukrainian extremists ‘with a grain of salt’; they don’t like that I perform in Donbass. I’m not sorry that I lost this part of my audience. I'm wanted in Ukraine, but that doesn’t stop me from bringing love to the people of Donbass. I fell in love with this land. On 9 May, I’m going to give concerts in the DPR,” – Yulia Chicherina told the Donetsk News Agency. Yesterday, Yulia Chicherina performed at a rock festival put on by Novorossiya Rocks Radio, along with Vadim Samoylov, the frontman of Agata Kristi rock band, and the rock group 7B, along with DPR rockers. Today, the Russian rockers will perform at the “DPRok Festival” in the central square of Donetsk, to mark the International Day of Youth Solidarity.
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* "Sportswoman went out to the pedestal with the flag of the DPR" (2015-04-28, novorossia.today) [https://archive.is/586jw], video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut39-d21Ewc]: The sportswoman Olesya Ovcharenko who represented Ukraine at the world championship of hand-to-hand fighting went out with the flag of DPR. It was reported by the Ukrainian edition Obozrevatel (Observer). Olesya took part in the competition in Moscow and she took the second place. There has not been detailed information concerning the trainings in the team and how she was included to the team.
* "The DPR wins Silver!" photos (2015-04-24, southfront.info) [https://archive.is/yXi45]: Olesya Owcharenko took the 2nd place on the leg melee tournament in Moscow, which took place between the 17th and 18th of April. The young fighter who comes from Donetsk was set up for the Ukraine team. On the platform Olesya held the Donetsk People's Republic flag in her hands. In response, the crowd chanted "Novorossia".
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* "Bike ride in honor of the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Makeyevka gathered about 200 participants" photos (2015-04-26, dan-news.info) [https://archive.is/sie9T]: Over 180 people of Makeyevka took part in a bike ride under the motto “Thank you Grandpa for the Victory!” “There are two purposes why we organized this ride. The first one is to limber up after the winter. The second and the main purpose is to honor the memory and pay tribute to the soldiers who defended Donbass during the Great Patriotic War,” – Pavel Merenkov, Chairman of the Makeyevka branch of the non-governmental organization “Young Republic” said. At the end of the event, participants observed a minute of silence for the soldiers and officers who had died during the Great Patriotic War, and laid flowers at the Eternal Flame.
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* DPR Prime Minister Zakharchenko: "The beginning of the revival of the USSR" (2015-04-24, novorossia.su) [https://archive.is/OG0vT]
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* "Eyewitness Report from the Donetsk People’s Republic" (2015-04-25, by Webster G. Tarpley, Ph.D., TARPLEY.net – World Crisis Radio) [https://archive.is/rVDBu], listen to the radio show episode at [https://web.archive.org/web/20150428051444/http://tarpley.net/audio/WCR-20150425.mp3], with Reports from Reverend Edward Pinkney, British Parliamentary Candidate Stuart Hooper, and Michael Chiotinis in Athens. Topics covered include:
Wartime Revolution Against Neoliberals, Fascists, and Oligarchs in Donetsk-Donbass: All Banks Nationalized; Electricity, Coal and Infrastructure Under State Control; Shell and Hunter Biden Takeover Bids Rebuffed; World Leadership in Machine Tools for Mining Sought; State Sector Forming with Modern Supermarkets and Farm Cooperatives; Pensions and Social Benefits Paid by DPR; Dirigist National “Monetary Token” Readied; Expanded Reproduction, Family Formation and Population Growth Encouraged, with Goal of Three Children per Family and Education for Mental Capital; New State Is Product of Multigenerational Middle Class Mass Strike vs NATO-Backed Maidan Nazis; Kiev Incessantly Violating Minsk 2 Accord, Has Used Phosphorous, Cluster Bombs, and Most Likely Depleted Uranium; Poroshenko Guilty of Humanitarian Catastrophe;US Advisers Meddling Near Fighting Front; Washington Must Negotiate End of “Launch on Warning” Hair Trigger Nuclear Doctrine.
"The state will push” — Boris Alekseevich Litvinov, a relative of the Soviet-era diplomat, emeritus prime minister, and now key economic policy maker of the Donetsk People’s Republic, shown with the author in Donetsk, April 22, 2015. Litvinov told Halyna Mokrushyna of New Cold War.org last November: “We want to build a parliamentarian republic, based on the state’s ownership of land and its resources, of air and water spaces, a state?s strong control of economic process, and a socially oriented state.” In addition to formulating economic policy, Litvinov can be considered the Thomas Jefferson of his country, since it was he — aided in the drafting by colleagues Cherkashin and Purgin — who worked through the night of April 6 to 7, 2015 to compose the Declaration of Independence of the new People’s Republic of Donetsk. Thomas JeffersonIn contrast to the wildly false and defamatory portrayal of these events by Wikipedia (“The entity was declared on 7 April 2014 by a group of armed and masked militants …”), Litvinov and his associates — all leading intellectuals — carefully studied precedents in international law as they prepared for independence. Livinov has been working with two economic institutes in Moscow in developing his reform plans. The result may establish the DPR as one of the leading laboratories for anti-globalization and anti-IMF economic reform worldwide.The first state-owned supermarket in Donetsk, well stocked at reasonable prices. These new supermarkets, along with energy, agriculture, and other industries, are launching a revived state sector in a mixed economy. Photo 1 [https://archive.is/x9Qcy]; photo 2 [https://archive.is/mnP0z]; photo 3 [https://archive.is/XNaBU].
The new monetary token of the DPR, probably a precursor to a new currency which will replace the highly unstable Ukrainian hryvnia.
Donetsk, April 23, 2015: The Kiev regime had ostentatiously cut off pensions and other social benefits it owed to residents of the Lugansk and Donetsk regions. Kiev regime boss Poroshenko formally promised at the Minsk 2 accords to resume these payments, but so far has failed to do so. But now the DPR has stepped in to make the payments for April, using the nationalized bank branches formerly controlled by the oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi. Shown are pensioners and others lining up at a branch across from the Donetsk National University to get their checks. Photo 1 [https://archive.is/45NGL]; photo 2 [https://archive.is/tGs5q].
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* (2015-04-25) [https://archive.is/lg3xp]: 72 deputies of the DPR People’s Council have unanimously approved granting the world’s strongest teenage girl, 16-year-old Russian powerlifting champion Maryana Naumova the title of Merited Master of Sport of the Donetsk People’s Republic. “Maryana is a very brave girl who visited our Republic a few times. She is known all over the world and she globally promotes the Donetsk People’s Republic,” – Chairman of the DPR People’s Council Andrey Purgin stressed. In January, 2015, Maryana was stripped of all her previous titles by the Ukrainian government for visiting and providing humanitarian aid to the kids of Donbass.
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* (2015-04-24, lug-info.com) machine translation [https://archive.is/9ai9z], photos [https://archive.is/dkXcl]: A rally to honor the memory of the liquidators of the Chernobyl disaster was held in Lugansk today. The LPR authorities, residents of Lugansk, Chernobyl liquidators and their families laid flowers at the Chernobyl Stork monument in memory of the heroism and courage of all those who died in the line of duty. “We will aid the liquidators of the Chernobyl disaster. We have no right to forget their courage and their heroic work during the liquidation of the consequences. Next week we are meeting with the representatives of the LPR non-governmental organization “Chernobyl Union” to discuss the problems of this category of the citizens,” Chairman of the LPR People’s Council Alexey Karyakin said.
* (2015-04-24) photos [https://archive.is/Wt7Kw]: Residents of Donetsk, DPR authorities, Chernobyl liquidators and their families laid flowers at the monument to the victims of the Chernobyl disaster.
“On this day, we pay tribute to the liquidators of the Chernobul disaster, who are not with us anymore. We need to remember them and their courage. May they rest in peace... I wish good health to those who are alive,” – Vladimir Trubnikov, the head of the Donetsk city organization “Chernobyl Union” said.
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* "Retail margin for socially important goods was forbidden" (2015-04-25, novorossia.today) [https://archive.is/juvGa]: Authorities of the DPR freeze the retail margin for 30 the most significant provisions for citizens. It was reported by the Economic Development Minister of the DPR Evgeniya Samohina. In regard to the words of the Minister, the state joint committee of the regulation of trade retail margins for the socially important provisions of the first necessity was established in the republic. Video
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Ticket new Bus Route Moscow-Lugansk Nonstop
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* "Demonstration of Humanitarian battalion Ireland&UK and Mobius was in city Dublin, Ireland on April 19" photos [https://archive.is/31c4a]: There are short message from them, source: [https://www.facebook.com/groups/SaveDonbassPeopleFromUkrainianArmy.Ireland]: "Together with activists of all ages, many nationalities come together to voice their support for the people of Novorossia and commemorate those killed by Nazi Ukrainian regime. During last month dozen of opposition figures was killed by Kiev junta just for opposing regime that's killing its own people. One of murdered by Poroshenko's regime was famous writer, historian Oles Buzina. He was heart and soul of Ukraine and murdering him regime murdered Ukraine.
We the people will rise our voice again and again till we get heard. And we call on everyone to stand with us and say NO to Nazi regime in Ukraine and to support those opposing this regime! Thank you all who is with us! Together we will win!"
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* (2015-04-23, ren.tv) source machine translated [https://archive.is/cGFc9]:“Gazprom Gas Distribution Moscow” Ltd. fired a locksmith Grigory Krasnik, who is a fan of the Ukrainian nazi Azov battalion, after REN TV journalist Valentin Trushnin turned him over to the police. The reporter posted on Facebook that he noticed the logo of the Azov Battalion in Krasnik’s wallet, so, he decided to report him into the police. Trushin, who had recently returned from Donbass, wrote, “I caught a live Banderovets [term refers to supporters of the Ukrainian nazi Stepan Bandera]! Where do you think that I did so? Right here at home! Standing right in front of me in the queue at the shop, wearing Gazpom overalls, buying beer. I noted that he had an Azov Battalion logo in his wallet. I accosted him outside, and I asked him, ‘Are you a fascist? Are you a fan of the Azov Battalion?’ The guy cocked an attitude at me, saying, ‘Yeah, I’m a fan, so what?’ I let him know, ‘Nothing… but understand that I’m turning you over to the police’… and I did so. I asked the police to check if Grigory Krasnik fought in the Azov or not. Maybe, I overreacted, but I couldn’t be indifferent”.
As of the time of writing, “Gazprom Gas Distribution Moscow” Ltd. called REN TV on the day of the incident, saying that locksmith Grigory Krasnik called the company’s head of emergency dispatch and denied involvement in the incident, saying that he wanted to debunk his detractors. Then, he said that the young man on the photo in the wallet isn’t his picture. However, on the following day Krasnik admitted that Trushin hadn’t lied and had posted the truth on the social network. “Gazprom Gas Distribution Moscow” Ltd. released the following statement, “Grigory Krasnik admitted that Trushin told the truth. Recognising that giving false information undermined his credibility, Krasnik expressed a willingness to leave his job. We terminated his employment on his request”.
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* (2015-04-23, lug-info.com) machine translation [https://archive.is/1MJdh], photos [https://archive.is/lq29J]: A rally to honor the memory of the victims of the Armenian genocide was held in Lugansk today. The event was organized by the LPR Ministry of Culture, Armenian national-cultural society “Krunk”, Lugansk center of folk art.“At present, about 1,500 Armenians live in Lugansk. Due to the war in Donbass, some Armenians have fled to Russia or Armenia. But we try to commemorate this tragic date, we must not forget what happened 100 years ago,” – Artur Grigoryan, deputy chairman of the Armenian national-cultural society “Krunk” said.“We, people of the LPR, share the pain of the Armenian people, because we know how it hurts to lose loved ones. Over 40 countries of the world recognize the Armenian genocide. But Ukraine has not done it,” – Vasiliy Nikitin, deputy of the LPR People’s Council said.During the rally, people unveiled a commemorative stone in honor of the victims of the mass killing and deportation of ethnic Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during WWI.
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* (2015-04-24, Novorossia News): The OSCE mission forbids holding the Victory Parade on May 9 in Donetsk and they consider it as violation of the Minsk agreements. Authorities of the DPR reported to the organization about the course schedule of the event, they provided the route of the technique parade and guaranteed that it would be with no ammunition load. However, the observers considered this to be the violation of the Minsk agreement. The position of the OSCE has been already called in Donetsk “destructive” and “biased”, the Donetsk News Agency reports. [end report]
[comment from a Donetsk resident]] Seriously?!?! Ukraine is constantly and consistently shelling Donbass and nothing is said or done about these blatant violations. NAF wants to hold a parade, honoring the veterans of WW2 and OSCE considers this a violation?!? These baboons are useless puppets of the US and Europe. That's just a part of the whole trend for neglecting our Victory and equalizing nazism = communism.
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* "People's Council of LC adopted the Law 'On Martial Law' " (2015-04-24, lug-info.com) machine translated [https://archive.is/k69Ox]
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"Ghost" Brigade: Armored brigade Prizrak is now offically part of the LNR militia's 4th territorial defense battalion, under civilian authorities. They've been allowed to remain together as their original brigade.
Photo showing two NAF members, and a "wanted poster" meme of Public Enemy #1
* "Donbas Dispatch #7: Team Vikernes" (2015-04-24) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX-PW6_VeYY]: "Vikernes" is a pro-Russian rebel team made of French and Brazilian fighters. They are stationed at the Donetsk airport, near Pesky. Photo showing NAF volunteers (one on the right is from Brazil)
* " 'Vostok' brigade 'Krasnogorovka' recon-subversive team combat mission" (2015-04-24) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIVxfxmxGtA]
* "Militia positions at Spartak settlement" video [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ4R_FNgPdw]
* Novorossia militia use PTRD - Archive, Gorlovka (posted 2015-04-23)[https://www.facebook.com/SouthFrontEN/videos/702353316535843/]
* "Field exercises in the Lugansk Region, April 2015" (2015-04-21) [https://archive.is/hKRO2].
* "Novorossia's military drill" (2015-04-24, Novorossia News) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RTkVlFuWmM], pay attantion please to a moving car at 0:50 - 0:55!
Photos showing the Tank Battalion "August" undergoing field exercises.
* "LPR people's militia has restored over 80 armored vehicles captured during the battles near Debaltsevo" (2015-04-26, lug-info.com) [https://archive.is/10hdu]: “We have restored more than 80 armored vehicles - tanks, IFVs, APCs within a month-and-a-half after the liberation of Debaltsevo. Ukrainian army is constantly supplying us with military equipment. We have a lot of work to do. Our work doesn’t stop; we work day and night, we work around the clock. In Debaltsevo, we captured more than 300 armored vehicles, 80% of them are repairable. We use the equipment beyond repair as source of spares and assemblies for the repair of other damaged vehicles. It takes us anywhere from three days to two weeks to repair vehicles, depending on the degree of damage. Our techs had to learn the specifics on the job. Two or three months ago, we didn’t know how the specifics, but now we can repair anything - tanks, IFVs, APCs. We can repair powertrains, gearboxes, and clutches. All my men are former tractor drivers, mechanics, electricians, miners, and combine-operators. Some know electrical systems; others know mechanics. We don’t have any problems with spares, not now. We captured enough at Debaltsevo for any small and major repairs necessary. At the beginning of the war, we had didn’t have enough vehicles, but now we have something worthy to meet our opponents. You know, the Ukrainians use equipment produced during the Soviet era. It’s equipment produced in the time of the USSR. Did they build it to fight against the Soviet people? I don’t think so! They made it to protect the people. We will use it to protect the people. All of the armored vehicles that we repair go right into service with our forces,” – Vladimir Girchenko said.
* (2015-04-22): Donetsk mechanics have showcased the first Novorossian self-propelled robotic artillery gun "Cheburator". Enjoy! [https://www.facebook.com/SouthFrontEN/videos/701985443239297/]
* "Fights In Donbass 27.04.2015" [https://archive.is/Vrz4Y]
* (2015-04-23, lug-info.com) machine translated [https://archive.is/Ubkgp]. Ukrainian army shelled a car with civilians near Stanitsa Luganskaya, the LPR people’s militia reported to the Lugansk Information Center. The number of victims is being specified. UPD: No victims!
* (2015-04-23, lug-info.com) machine translated [https://archive.is/uZcI2]: Once again, the Ukrainian forces violated the ceasefire by firing on the LPR positions, official representative of the LPR people's militia told the Lugansk Information Center. “Today, at about 10.20, from Chistenkoe Lake near Schastye, enemy shelled the T-shaped crossroads near Khristovoe and Oboznoye with 120-mm mortars. There were five shots, but we suffered no losses or damages,” - representative said.
* "Ukrainian troopers have shelled the territory of the DPR 51 times over the past day" (2015-04-24, Novorossia News): “There is increase in number of shellings, the Ukrainian side 51 times violated the cease-fire over the past day. Punitive batallions again used heavy artillery,” the Donetsk News Agency cited an army spokesman as saying. While shelling, tank guns, armed vehicle guns, mortars, anti-tank guided missiles, grenade launchers, and machineguns were used, as well as heavy artillery weapons, as is reported. The settlements of Spartak, Shirokino, Zhabichevo, Yelenovka came under Ukrainian troopers’ fire, along with Donetsk airport, the coal mine October, and Volvo Centre, the spokesman noted.
* "The Donetsk People’s Republic registered 47 cease-fire violations by Ukrainian troops over the past 24 hours" (2015-04-23, Novorossia News): Ukrainian troops shelled the settlements of Spartak, Zhabichevo, Shirokino, Gorlovka, October, as well as the area of the Donetsk airport and Volvo Centre, the Donetsk News Agency quoted an army spokesman as saying. “Most of all Ukrainian rounds hit Zhabichevo and Shirokino. Four DPR militery are seriosly wounded,” the MoD reports Ukrainian troops used tank guns, armored vehicle guns, mortars, antiaircraft guns, grenade launchers, small arms and anti-tank guided missiles, as is reported. “About half of shellings occurs nights, so overnight we have registered 20 violations. I’d to mention that intensity of shelling amazes by stability over last 3 days. Number of Ukrainian violations don’t exceed 50,” the representative added.
* "Ukrainian troopers 32 times violated the cease-fire over the past day, the DPR Ministry of Defence reports" (2015-04-22, Novorossia News): “The settlements of the Republic were shelled from artillery 2 times (from kind of weapon which should be removed from the contact line if complying with the Minsk agreements). Also our territory was shelled from 82mm and 120mm mortars (20 times), from tank guns (5 times), from anti-tank guided missiles (1 time), from grenade launchers and machineguns (4 times),” the Donetsk News Agency cited an army spokesman as saying.
According to the MoD, there are civilian and militiamen casualties.
The settlements Spartak, Shirokino, Gorlovka, Zhabichevo, Yelenovka, and Nizhnielozovoye came under fire, as well as Donetsk airport and Volvo Centre, as is reported.
* (2015-04-23, Novorossia News): Ukrainian troopers fired a diesel locomotive at the railway stage Yelenovka – Yuzhnodonbaskaya, the DPR minister of transports, Semion Kuzmenko, reports on April 23. “[This morning] Ukrainian troopers fired from a grenade launcher a diesel locomotive at the stage Yelenovka – Yuzhnodonbaskaya. No casualties and injured. Now we try to drag the locomotive away from the scene,” the minister said. "We regard it as a terroristic act,” Kuzmenko claimed. “Everyone knew that railwaymen are riding the locimitive, not military. We will give to the OSCE all the documentary data on the terroristic act and demand explanations”
The stage Yelenovka – Yuzhnodonbaskaya remains a target for Ukrainian diversion: on April 20, the stage had been repaired after another, the forth, explosion of the railway. The Ministry of Transport repeatedly stated that the Ukrainian side tries to block a transport communication between the DPR and Ukraine at any cost. UPD The railwaymen are easily contused. The grenade hit ignited a fire in the locomotive which was put out by the railwaymen.
* (2015-04-23, dan-news.info) machine translated [https://archive.is/y6jPC], summary: Ukrainian army fired at a locomotive on the Donetsk Railway, the DPR Minister of Transport Semen Kuzmenko said. “This morning, Ukrainian forces fired an RPG at a locomotive on the Yelenovka-Yuzhnodonbasskaya line. There wasn’t any dead and injured; now, we’re attempting to tow the locomotive from the incident scene,” – he said.
* "UKRAINIAN PUNISHER FIRED DIESEL LOKOMOTIVES, TWO MACHINIST INJURED" (2015-04-24, novoross.info): In the Emergency Situations Ministry of Lugansk People's Republic reported that today Ukrainian soldiers fired from rocket-propelled grenades at two diesel locomotive on the stretch of Sentyanovka-Shipilova. "Today at 7.20 a.m. in the direction of Popasnjansky grenade fired two diesel locomotiv" - reported in the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Lugansk People's Republic. Two driver were injured badly damaged diesel locomotive and railway track.
---
* "Ukrainian Forces Open Fire on Humanitarian Aid Convoy" (2015-04-24, by Gleb Kornilov) [https://archive.is/TPN9e] [begin article]:
Ukrainian forces opened fire on Russian humanitarian aid convoy ‘Relief Fund Novorossiya’. One member of the convoy was killed, one wounded, six captured.
Yesterday our convoy consisting of 3 vehicles arrived in the Shirokino region, with humanitarian aid. The load consisted of food, medicines, seeds for crops, clothes for civilians. There were also 20 bulletproof vests and helmets for the members of the people’s militia to reduce the fatalities they are sustaining there. Among the members of the crew was journalist Boris Borisovich, who had intended to film a report on civilian life in Shirokino.
For reasons which are unclear, the convoy left the planned route, and ended up arriving at positions of the Ukrainian military, 27km southwest of Donetsk. The Ukrainian forces opened fire. As a result of this, 1 person was killed, and the rest were taken into captivity. Among these, 1 was wounded. A Ukrainian officer with the call-sign Captain Price has already written on his Twitter account “6 DPR separatists captured, 1 wounded, 1 killed” [https://archive.is/ZVwWF]. However he didn’t say a word that the convoy was humanitarian. All the members of the humanitarian aid convoy had the relevant documentation, and the lead car was marked up with our symbol, and Moscow registration plates. Moreover, Captain Price confirmed that our convoy didn’t return fire. And in photos and videos the man killed is without a bulletproof vest, or any firearms. This seriously calls into question the legitimacy of the Ukrainians opening fire.The process of negotiations with the Ukrainian forces has already begun. Since yesterday evening we’ve been doing all possible to rescue our guys alive and well. The call-sign of the man killed was Doc. He’d done a lot of good work in the sphere of humanitarian aid… may he rest in peace. We are still working to ascertain the name of the wounded.
We’ll report further news as soon as we have it. It’s necessary to make this information public to help our guys.
P.S. But the main issue remains why they changed route, and fell into a trap.
[end article]
---
* (2015-04-25, Novorossia News): Ukrainian Armed Forces’ officers use open communication lines to make contacts with the officers of the DPR military, in the course of which they ask to open fire at the highly controversial Azov ‘volunteer’ battalions, Eduard Basurin, the spokesman for the DPR Defence Ministry said."Commanders of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to provoke our servicemen for violations of the ceasefire regime," Basurin said. "These army men are asking the officers of the DPR defence forces to open mortar or artillery fire at the positions of the Azov battalion under the pretext that Azov is uncontrollable and mistreats the local population aggressively." Militia units have ignored these provocative appeals until now and continue ignoring them, he indicated. "It’s highly advisable for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to put things into order within their formations with the aid of their own means and capabilities," Basurin told the Donetsk News Agency.
* "Azov battalion acting as "third force" in Ukraine" (2015-04-25, southfront.info): The so-called "third force" in south-eastern Ukraine, whose presence was reported by OSCE monitors, are combatants from the Azov paramilitary battalion, Russia’s envoy to the OSCE Andrey Kelin told a meeting of the organization’s permanent council dedicated to the work of the monitoring mission in Ukraine. "We share the concern of the OSCE special monitoring mission over the subversive activities of the volunteer battalions in Shirokino and in the Donetsk airport area," the Russian Foreign Ministry quotes Kelin as saying. According to Kelin, "of special concern was the part of the report that cited opinions of senior officers of the Russian-Ukrainian Joint Centre for Control and Coordination that skirmishes near Donetsk had been provoked by a "third force." "In this case, it’s well known that that they were referring to the gunmen of the Azov voluntary battalion," Kelin added.
---
Fascist Ukraine agents infiltrated into the NAF, or who are at least able to influence members of the NAF, have spread divisive falsehoods designed to demoralize and even make the target turn against the Novorossiyan civiilian authority. For example, the following is collected from an online posting: "I agree with you but I just don't trust Plotnitsky. There's been a lot of accusations of corruption and collaborating with the ukop side. Time will tell. I trust President Alexander Zakharchenko much more. Zakharchenko is a much better leader. Plotnitsky looks like an old fashioned fat communist bureaucrat, from the wrong type of them, and there are a lots of accusations about him. I don't know what to think. Corruption is bad, but collaborating with UkraZioNazis is an other thing. I hope these things are not true. Both LNR and DNR must be strong and united now. But it kinda seems that DNR leadership is better."
---
According to this article [https://archive.is/cGFc9], REN TV [http://ren.tv] correspondant Valentin Trushnin was the one who first discovered the mine, which later found the bodies of hundreds of women , killed and raped near Donetsk. According to some reports, all the women were victims of men destroyer battalions.
A statement [https://archive.is/2owTQ] describes "Nearly 400 women aged 18 to 25 years have gone missing in Krasnoarmeysk, where the battalion quartered" Dnepr-1". 286 bodies of women were found around Kranoarmeysk raped", and that all of them were found bullet holes in the back of the head. Sources for the statement given at [https://archive.is/iuJjC], and at [https://archive.is/jm83A].
===*===*===
Federation of Russia
* "Russia is an 'evil empire' " morale meme for Novorossiya volunteers [https://archive.is/nvYPB]
The International festival-competition of Spanish dance will take place in Crimea on the 17th-22nd of August, 2015. The festival is organized with an advice and consent of Spanish Embassy cultural attaché, and will be held on the theatre stage of the oldest and beautiful Nikitsky Botanical Garden – a true pearl of Yalta and the Crimean coast. About 100 dancers from Spain, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and Malta are going to take part in the festival. Do you have sevillana, flamenco, estilizada or another Spanish dance? That’s perfect! Any team or dancer can participate! Professional jury, special prizes, sponsors of the festival are waiting for you. Open-air and chamber concerts, master classes, photo session in historic places, interviews and cultural program are to be planed also. To confirm participation – please fill out a form on www.alrojo.es by July 7!
PTV (Poland State Televisioni) showing the Crimea as part of the Federation of Russia
===*===*===
* "Russia, China and Iran to create a Eurasian 'Entente' " (2015-04-24, ria.ru) machine translated [https://archive.is/f7Ryy]
* "Did a Chinese-Russian-Iranian coalition opposing NATO debut in Moscow?" (2015-04-23, rt.com) [https://archive.is/97rap]
===*===*===
Arab Republic of Syria
* "President al-Assad to France 2 TV: France was a spearhead in supporting terrorism" (2015-04-21, sana.sy) [https://web.archive.org/web/20150423145631/http://www.sana.sy/en/?p=37034] [begin excerpt]:
Question 1: Good evening, Mr. President, I’d like to start straight forward. For most French, you are in a very large part responsible for the chaos going on in Syria, because of the brutality of the repression during the last four years. According to you, what is your part of responsibility?
President Assad: Actually, since the first few weeks of the conflict, the terrorists infiltrated the situation in Syria with the support of Western countries and regional countries, and they started attacking the civilians and destroying public places, public properties and private properties, and that’s documented on the internet, by them, not by us. So, our role as government is to defend our society and our citizens. If you want to say what you said is correct after four years, how could a government or president that’s been brutal with his population, killing them, and with the support from the other side of the greatest countries and political powers in the world, with the petrodollars in our region… how could he withstand for four years? Is it possible to have the support of your public while you are brutal with your public?
Question 2: In the beginning, there were tens of thousands of people in the street. Were they all jihadists?
President Assad: No, definitely not. But the other question is, if in the sixth day of the conflict, the first Syrian policeman was killed… how? By the peaceful demonstration? By the audio waves of the demonstrators? How? He’s been killed by terrorists. Somebody who took a gun and shot that policeman, so he’s a terrorist. It doesn’t matter if he’s a jihadist or not, because he killed a policeman.
[end excerpt]
===*===*===
Global Islamic Caliphate / Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL ; ISIS)
* "Exclusive: ISIS Gaining Ground in Syria, Despite U.S. Strikes" (2015-01-15, thedailybeast.com) [https://archive.is/D2MpB]
---
* "ISIS Video ‘Execution’ of Ethiopians in Libya Appears Fake" (2015-04-20, 21stcenturywire.com) [https://archive.is/VQBiN]
* The video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTSt2kUzOro]
* Frame-by-Frame analysis of the video shows heavy editing and fakery [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7AzOQFdigE]
* "Does ISIS really have SEVEN-FOOT tall executioners? Parts of grisly film showing beheading of 21 Christians were faked, claim experts" (2015-02-21, dailymail.co.uk) [https://archive.is/Gpf3t], also see this analysis from 21stcenturywire.com [https://archive.is/zH2TV]
---
* "Iraqi Volunteers Find Israeli Arms in ISIL Position" (2015-04-23, english.farsnews.com) [https://archive.is/qGOn9]
===*===*===
Towards a People's Republic of Kurdistan
* Armed wing of MLKP in Qandil [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG-Ru49HdW8]
===*===*===
State of Israel, occupied territories, international operations
* "Israel’s War against The Lancet: When Medicine and Politics Mix" (2015-04-25, globalresearch.ca) [https://archive.is/XJYPI]
* "Professors for Israel try to shut down Lancet" (2015-04-24, jonathan-cook.net) [https://archive.is/osN6f]
* "Lancet medical journal under attack for 'extremist hate propaganda' over its coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict" (2015-04-24, independent.co.uk) [https://archive.is/gmtQq]
* Hands off The Lancet [http://handsoffthelancet.com/], archived copy of the letter [https://archive.is/mavw5]
---
* "Israeli city revives historic mission to keep out Arabs; Established decades ago to ‘Judaise’ the Galilee, Upper Nazareth fights back as Arabs from surrounding communities try to buy homes" (2015-04-27, jonathan-cook.net) [https://archive.is/EB0vj]
----
* "GOP presidential hopefuls line up to kiss the ring in Vegas" (2015-04-23, sfchronicle.com) [https://archive.is/ZqOus] [begin excerpt]:
Looks like the smoke-filled room has returned to national politics. At least at a party starting Friday in Las Vegas hosted by a billionaire casino mogul that is attracting a parade of name-brand GOP politicians.
The Republican Jewish Coalition at the Venetian Hotel & Casino will draw a VIP crowd that includes GOP presidential hopefuls Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, along with former President George W. Bush, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio and GOP House leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield. They’ll all be there at the invitation — and to seek the blessing — of conservative billionaire mega-donor Sheldon Adelson, who dispensed $100 million to campaigns during the 2012 election cycle.
What’s known as the “Sheldon Adelson Primary” is expected to draw hundreds over three days and will feature poker and golf tournaments and plenty of speeches. But most of the action — talks by Bush and Romney, for example — will be behind closed doors, with media coverage limited to a three-hour window on Saturday morning.
Outside the media’s view, politicians will be rubbing elbows with Adelson, who has a fortune pegged at upward of $36 billion and was ranked last year as the eighth richest person on the globe by Forbes. His holdings include the Las Vegas Sands Corp., the Venetian Resort Hotel Casinos in Nevada and Macao, and the Israeli daily newspaper Israel HaYom.
[end excerpt]
---
* USA "AIPAC Sponsored “Fast Track Measures” on Behalf of Israel: Congressional Legislation Targets BDS Initiatives" (2015-04-28, by Stephen Lendman) [https://archive.is/jCitO]
AIPAC-promoted/anti-BDS measures were attached as amendments to House and Senate fast track legislation introduced earlier in April. Its purpose is to ram through Congress Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) bills global justice advocates call NAFTA on steroids – stealth corporate coup d’etats.
The House measure “discourage(s) politically motivated actions to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel and seek(s) the elimination of politically motivated non-tariff barriers on Israeli goods, services, or other commerce imposed on the State of Israel.”
The Senate amendment hasn’t been made public. Its provisions would apply to all trade agreements. It aims to criminalize efforts to boycott Israeli products and services. Nothing under international law prevents nations, businesses, groups or individuals from doing so.
On April 23, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) issued a statement saying:
It “strongly opposes proposed trade legislation intended to institutionalize support for the Israeli occupation and attempt to criminalize non-violent human rights boycotts of Israel.”
Legislative language “comes in response to growing grassroots support in the United States and across the globe for using boycotts, divestment and sanctions tactics as tools to further justice, equality, and human rights for Palestinians.”
“If passed, the legislation would reverse the long standing US policy of opposing the illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories by de facto recognizing all settlements as part of a ‘greater Israel.’ ”
“The proposed legislation would also mandate US government actions to track and penalize commercial boycotts, a violation of constitutionally protected political speech.”
“From South Africa to the grape boycott to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) tactics have been essential tools used to create a more just society.”
JVP’s Federal Policy Organizer Rabbi Joseph Berman explained:
“This legislation, which actually encourages illegal settlement building while strengthening the far right in Israel, shows that BDS is an increasingly powerful means to challenge Israel’s impunity when it comes to Palestinian rights. We urge Congress to reject this legislation.”
S. 619: United States-Israel Trade Enhancement Act of 2015
To include among the principal trade negotiating objectives of the United States regarding commercial partnerships trade negotiating objectives with respect to discouraging activity that discourages, penalizes, or otherwise limits commercial relations with Israel, and for other purposes.”
It “discourage(s) politically motivated actions by foreign countries, non-member states of the United Nations, international organizations, and affiliated agencies of international organizations, that are intended to penalize or otherwise limit commercial relations specifically with -
A. Israel;
B. persons doing business in Israel or in territories controlled by Israel (namely, Occupied Palestine and Golan); or
C. successor entities to persons described in subparagraph B.
---
* "Argentina: A Case Study of Israel’s Zionist-Wall Street Destabilization Campaign" (2015-04-27, by Prof. James Petras) [https://archive.is/SNv75] [begin excerpt]: The serious issues raised by the political use and gross manipulation of the horrors of the bombing of the Argentine Jewish Community Center shows how Tel Aviv (and its political assets in Argentina and the US) further Israeli power in the Middle East, in particular, by isolating and demonizing Iran. This is important at two critical levels, which this article seeks to highlight.
First of all, Israeli attempted to sidetrack the Argentine investigation, by involving some of its powerful Wall Street assets and influential pro-Israel lobbies (the Anti-Defamation League, AIPAC among others). Their purpose was to fabricate ‘evidence’ in order to implicate Iran in the crime and to manipulate their influential assets in Argentina, especially in this case, chief prosecutor Nisman and many of the leaders of DAIA, to accuse the Argentine government of complicity in an ‘Iranian cover-up’.
The second issue, raised by Israel’s intervention in Argentina’s investigation into the bombing, has wider and deeper implications: How Israel promotes its foreign policy objectives in various countries by grooming and manipulating local influential Jewish officials and community organizations. This furthers Tel Aviv’s goal of regional hegemony and territorial aggrandizement. In other words, Israeli political reach extends far beyond the Middle East and goes ‘global’, operating without any consideration of the dangers it inflicts on Jews in the ‘target countries’. To this end, Israel has been creating a worldwide network of Jews, which calls into question their loyalty to the polity of their home countries where they have resided for generations.
The Crisis of the Argentine Justice System: Unsolved Terrorist Crimes and Israeli Intervention -
After the anti-Semitic bombing of the Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, the Argentine judicial and legal system seriously bungled the investigation, despite collaboration from the US FBI and Israel’s Mossad. Argentina’s then President Carlos Menem was an ardent neo-liberal, unconditional backer of US foreign policy and strong supporter of Israel. His regime was still heavily infested with high-ranking police, military and intelligence officials deeply implicated in the seven-year bloody military dictatorship (1976-83) during which 30,000 Argentine citizens were murdered.
Among the victims of this ‘dirty war’ were hundreds of Argentine Jews, activists, intellectuals and militants who were tortured and murdered to the anti-Sematic taunts of their military and police assassins. During this same horrific ‘pogrom’ of Argentina’s committed Jewish activists, the state of Israel managed to sell tens of millions of dollars in arms to the junta, breaking a US-EU boycott. Notoriously, the conservative leaders of the DAIA and AMIA (Argentine-Israel Mutual Association) failed to defend the lives of Jewish activists and militants. After attending meetings with the junta, many conservative Jewish leaders would dismiss the concerns of the families of the disappeared and tortured Argentine Jews, saying: ‘They must have done something…’
The bungled investigation into the 1994 bombing included the arrest of right-wing police officials who were later released and the mysterious loss of vital forensic evidence. Accusations against various foreign regimes and organizations shifted according to the political needs of the US and Israel: First, the Lebanese group, Hezbollah, Israel’s main military adversary during its bloody occupation of southern Lebanon in 1990’s was touted as the responsible party.
A few years later, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, prior to the Israeli-backed US invasion of Iraq; then the Palestinians were trotted out, followed by Syria’s Baathist intelligence forces. After the total destruction of Iraq by the US ‘coalition’ and the decline of influential Arab states in the Middle East, the Israelis have settled on Iran as the ‘prime suspect’, coinciding with Teheran’s rise of as a regional power – challenging Israeli and US hegemony.
[end excerpt]
===*===*===
Ansarullah Revolutionary Government of Yemen ("Houthis")
* "Yemen – The mainstream narrative is grossly misleading" (2015-04-24, transnational.org) [https://archive.is/DRYXE]
* "Al-Qaeda's Air Force: United States And Saudi Arabia" (2015-04-24, by Brandon Turbeville ) [https://archive.is/yxQev]
* "Obama Urges Saudi Dictator Abdulaziz to Keep Attacking Yemen" (2015-04-24, washingtonsblog.com) [https://archive.is/Lz1jI]
* "Saudi Flip-Flops on Ceasefire as Yemen Continues to Collapse" (2015-04-23, 21stcenturywire.com) [https://archive.is/ISPr8]
* "Thousands of Saudi Forces Flee Bases" (2015-04-26, english.farsnews.com) [https://archive.is/wbFW0]: Almost 4,000 Saudi forces fled their border bases in anticipation of Riyadh's order for launching a ground assault on Yemen, European diplomatic sources said on Sunday.
"The intel gathered by the western intelligence agencies showed that the Saudi military forces have fled their bases, military centers and bordering checkpoints near Yemen in groups," diplomatic sources were quoted as saying by Iraq's Arabic-language Nahrain Net news website.
The European sources said that the Saudi forces' mass AWOL forced Riyadh to declare ceasefire and dissuaded it from launching ground attacks against Yemen.
Other reports also said that over 10,000 soldiers from different Saudi military units have fled the army battalions and the National Guard.
Experts believe that the Saudi army lacks strong morale to launch a ground invasion of Yemen and such an attack would be considered as a suicide for Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for 32 days now to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression has so far killed at least 3,005 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children.
Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.
Despite Riyadh's claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.
On Tuesday the monarchy declared end to Yemen airstrikes after four weeks of bombings, but airstrikes are still underway.
---
* "The US/Saudi Recruited Al Qaeda Terrorists in Yemen" (2015-04-26, by Stephen Lendman) [https://archive.is/wuo1m]
---
* "Yemen’s Shiite rebels are not Iran proxies: US intelligence officials" (2015-04-23, intelnews.org) [https://archive.is/Q6b8E]
* "Houthi arms bonanza came from Saleh, not Iran" (2015-04-23, middleeasteye.net) [https://archive.is/CoCX2] [begin excerpt]: News stories on Yemen in recent months have increasingly incorporated a sentence or even a paragraph invoking the accusation that Iran has been arming the Houthis and using them to gain power in the Gulf. The State Department’s principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Gerald Feierstein nourished that narrative in Congressional testimony last week depicting Iran as having provided “financial support, weapons, training and intelligence” to the Houthis. But the assumption that the Houthis have been looking to Iran to train their troops or supply their need for weapons ignores the most basic facts of their ascendance. The Houthis built up their military forces from virtually nothing to as many 100,000 troops today through a series of six wars with Yemeni government troops. In the process they have not only become much better trained, but have acquired a vast pool of arms from Yemen’s black market. A United Nations Experts’ report earlier this year cites estimates that Yemen is awash with 40 to 60 million weapons. The Houthis were also getting a continuing stream of modern arms directly from corrupt Yemeni military commanders from 2004 through 2010. The Houthis had forged an alliance by early 2014 with a far larger source of arms: former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. It was that alliance that propelled the Houthis into power last September.In the process, the Houthis acquired a new bonanza of weapons that had been provided by the United States over the previous eight years. According to Pentagon documents acquired under the Freedom of Information Act by Joseph Trevithick, the Defence Department had delivered about $500 million in military hardware to the Yemeni military from 2006 on. The gusher of new US arms included Russian-made helicopters, more than 100 Humvees with the latest armor packages, 100s of pickup trucks, rocket propelled grenades, advanced radios, night vision goggles and millions of rounds of ammunition. [end excerpt]
---
* "Russia 1,700 – America Zero: Number of Foreign Nationals Evacuated from Yemen" (2015-04-25, by Stephen Lendman) [https://archive.is/fLW5R]
---
* "US warship heads to Yemen to block Iranian weapons" (2015-04-21, AP newswire) [https://archive.is/0HDFJ]
* "Iranian Ships Turn Back From Yemen After Standoff" (2015-04-23, nbcnews.com) [https://archive.is/121KM]
* "Iranian warships join cargo flotilla near Yemen; questions raised over its direction" (2015-04-23, stripes.com) [https://archive.is/pA18K] [begin excerpt]: Spokesman Col. Steve Warren on Thursday would not say whether the convoy was headed to Yemen or had turned away, as some news organizations are reporting. FARS, the official Iranian news agency, reported that an Iranian destroyer and a helicopter-carrying warship had arrived in the Gulf of Aden to protect the country’s cargo ships. Warren said the Pentagon doesn’t know whether the Iranian cargo ships are carrying weapons. There has been no communication between the U.S. and Iranian vessels, he said. [end excerpt]
===*===*===* "Al-Qaeda's Air Force: United States And Saudi Arabia" (2015-04-24, by Brandon Turbeville ) [https://archive.is/yxQev]
* "Obama Urges Saudi Dictator Abdulaziz to Keep Attacking Yemen" (2015-04-24, washingtonsblog.com) [https://archive.is/Lz1jI]
* "Saudi Flip-Flops on Ceasefire as Yemen Continues to Collapse" (2015-04-23, 21stcenturywire.com) [https://archive.is/ISPr8]
* "Thousands of Saudi Forces Flee Bases" (2015-04-26, english.farsnews.com) [https://archive.is/wbFW0]: Almost 4,000 Saudi forces fled their border bases in anticipation of Riyadh's order for launching a ground assault on Yemen, European diplomatic sources said on Sunday.
"The intel gathered by the western intelligence agencies showed that the Saudi military forces have fled their bases, military centers and bordering checkpoints near Yemen in groups," diplomatic sources were quoted as saying by Iraq's Arabic-language Nahrain Net news website.
The European sources said that the Saudi forces' mass AWOL forced Riyadh to declare ceasefire and dissuaded it from launching ground attacks against Yemen.
Other reports also said that over 10,000 soldiers from different Saudi military units have fled the army battalions and the National Guard.
Experts believe that the Saudi army lacks strong morale to launch a ground invasion of Yemen and such an attack would be considered as a suicide for Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for 32 days now to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression has so far killed at least 3,005 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children.
Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.
Despite Riyadh's claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.
On Tuesday the monarchy declared end to Yemen airstrikes after four weeks of bombings, but airstrikes are still underway.
---
* "The US/Saudi Recruited Al Qaeda Terrorists in Yemen" (2015-04-26, by Stephen Lendman) [https://archive.is/wuo1m]
---
* "Yemen’s Shiite rebels are not Iran proxies: US intelligence officials" (2015-04-23, intelnews.org) [https://archive.is/Q6b8E]
* "Houthi arms bonanza came from Saleh, not Iran" (2015-04-23, middleeasteye.net) [https://archive.is/CoCX2] [begin excerpt]: News stories on Yemen in recent months have increasingly incorporated a sentence or even a paragraph invoking the accusation that Iran has been arming the Houthis and using them to gain power in the Gulf. The State Department’s principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Gerald Feierstein nourished that narrative in Congressional testimony last week depicting Iran as having provided “financial support, weapons, training and intelligence” to the Houthis. But the assumption that the Houthis have been looking to Iran to train their troops or supply their need for weapons ignores the most basic facts of their ascendance. The Houthis built up their military forces from virtually nothing to as many 100,000 troops today through a series of six wars with Yemeni government troops. In the process they have not only become much better trained, but have acquired a vast pool of arms from Yemen’s black market. A United Nations Experts’ report earlier this year cites estimates that Yemen is awash with 40 to 60 million weapons. The Houthis were also getting a continuing stream of modern arms directly from corrupt Yemeni military commanders from 2004 through 2010. The Houthis had forged an alliance by early 2014 with a far larger source of arms: former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. It was that alliance that propelled the Houthis into power last September.In the process, the Houthis acquired a new bonanza of weapons that had been provided by the United States over the previous eight years. According to Pentagon documents acquired under the Freedom of Information Act by Joseph Trevithick, the Defence Department had delivered about $500 million in military hardware to the Yemeni military from 2006 on. The gusher of new US arms included Russian-made helicopters, more than 100 Humvees with the latest armor packages, 100s of pickup trucks, rocket propelled grenades, advanced radios, night vision goggles and millions of rounds of ammunition. [end excerpt]
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* "Russia 1,700 – America Zero: Number of Foreign Nationals Evacuated from Yemen" (2015-04-25, by Stephen Lendman) [https://archive.is/fLW5R]
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* "US warship heads to Yemen to block Iranian weapons" (2015-04-21, AP newswire) [https://archive.is/0HDFJ]
* "Iranian Ships Turn Back From Yemen After Standoff" (2015-04-23, nbcnews.com) [https://archive.is/121KM]
* "Iranian warships join cargo flotilla near Yemen; questions raised over its direction" (2015-04-23, stripes.com) [https://archive.is/pA18K] [begin excerpt]: Spokesman Col. Steve Warren on Thursday would not say whether the convoy was headed to Yemen or had turned away, as some news organizations are reporting. FARS, the official Iranian news agency, reported that an Iranian destroyer and a helicopter-carrying warship had arrived in the Gulf of Aden to protect the country’s cargo ships. Warren said the Pentagon doesn’t know whether the Iranian cargo ships are carrying weapons. There has been no communication between the U.S. and Iranian vessels, he said. [end excerpt]
Islamic Republic of Iran
* "19 Reasons Why You Should Never Visit Iran" (2015-04-25, pulptastic.com) [https://archive.is/3EbOh]. For example, "Everyone lives in a mud shack" & "It’s basically just one big, dusty, hell-hole of a desert".
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Republic of Afghanistan / Islamic Republic Of Pashtunistan / Waziristan
* "30% of Afghan security forces involved in drug trade – Russian narcotics watchdog" (2015-04-23, rt.com) [https://archive.is/85p3U]
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Resources monetized at $6 trillion, including rare-earth minerals, industrial and precious metals & gems, natural gas
* " 'The War is Worth Waging': Afghanistan’s Vast Reserves of Minerals and Natural Gas; The War on Afghanistan is a Profit driven 'Resource War' " (2010-06-16, by Prof. Michel Chossudovsky) [https://archive.is/n2OAT]
* "U.S., Afghan Study Finds Mineral Deposits Worth $3 Trillion" (2011-01-29, bloomberg.com) [https://archive.is/FNPfM]
* "Summaries of Important Areas for Mineral Investment andProduction Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan" (2011-08-01, usgs.gov) [https://web.archive.org/web/20111003122243/http://afghanistan.cr.usgs.gov/nonfuel-report]
* "The future of Silicon Valley may lie in the mountains of Afghanistan" (2014-03-20, venturebeat.com) [https://web.archive.org/web/20140614073447/http://venturebeat.com/2014/03/20/lithium-afghanistan/]
* "Robber Barons Rising: The Potential for Resource Conflict in Ghazni, Afghanistan" (2014-02-18, stabilityjournal.org) [https://archive.is/0Yvnx]
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Commemorating the Saur Revolution in Afghanistan
Nasir Khan, April 27, 2015
Today is the anniversary of the Saur Revolution in Afghanistan. On 27 April 1978, the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan took over power. The socialist friends of Afghanistan are aware of the historic significance of this revolution in Afghanistan and for the people of the neighbouring countries. What happened to the Afghan Revolution and the revolutionaries is the story of the US intervention with the help of other US-friendly powers, such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, etc., and the American help to create and arm the so-called Afghan Mujahidin to wreak havoc in Afghanistan. In this way, the US and the Mujahidin were able to extinguish the candle of fraternity, social and political reforms, women's equal rights and people's power that the Afghan revolution had lit. After destroying the revolution, the US imperialism fought a 13-year long destructive war in Afghanistan against the same forces of religious fanaticism and Islamism that it had helped to create to use against Afghanistan and revolution’s Soviet backers. Now America is happy. It controls the destiny of Afghanistan with the help of its nominal rulers who are closely allied to Washington. But the Islamist Taliban are still there and are a potential threat to the political arrangement the US had chartered for Afghanistan.
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* "Facts are Sacred" book by Khan Abdul Wali Khan, a history of the creation of modern Pakistan
* "British Retreat from Waziristan" (1919) [https://archive.is/Xnj5N]
* Mula Pavanda was the first man who took practical steps against British occupation. He was a great social reformer as well as a great Pakhtun Sardar. His bold and charming personality impressed many people, including British officers of the time.
* Photo: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, with Gandhi
[http://pashtunistan.8k.com/PashtunistanEnglish.htm]
(1) Federation between the Republic of Afghanistan and the areas of interest for the Islamic Republic of Pashtunistan (including Baluchistan)
(2) Islamic Republic of Pashtunistan areas of interest (including Baluchistan)
(3) Islamic Republic of Pasthunistan that encompasses the entire jurisdiction of the Republic of Afghanistan, and all areas of interest to the Islamic Republic of Pashtunistan (including Baluchistan)
(4) Republic of Afghanistan that encompasses all areas of interest to the Islamic Republic of Pashtunistan (and Baluchistan)
(5) Map showing the Pashtun nation in the region known as Waziristan (Northwest Frontier region of the Republic of Pakistan)
* Maps showing the "heartland" of the Pashtun nation, (noted in pink) atop the jurisdictions of the Republic of Afghanistan (noted in brown), and the Republic of Pakistan (noted in green); Detailed demographic map showing enclaves outside the "heartland".
===*===*===
Baluchistan
* [http://www.thebaluch.com/]
* [http://www.crisisbalochistan.com/]
* Baloch Missing [http://balochmissing.com/main_view.php], This database reflects only a partial list of abducted and killed. It is sourced from bygwaah.com, other Baloch websites & social media. See homepage for sources.
* "Accession at gunpoint - The Historical account of Balochistan's accession to Pakistan" [https://archive.is/SqC5J]
* "Balochistan conference demands end to military operation; on May 28, 2012, the bodies of 8 Baloch are recovered from roadsides" (2012-05-26, crisisbalochistan.com) [https://archive.is/xQms7]
* "Baloch Americans set up International Solidarity Camp to Save Zahid Baloch outside US State Department" (2014-05-06, crisisbalochistan.com) [https://archive.is/AYlvc]
===*===*===
Towards a People's Republic of India
Defend the tribals, end land theft! [signalfire.org/category/maoists-india] [icspwindia.wordpress.com]
People’s War in India News Clippings
* (2015-04-29) [https://archive.is/YRW1p]
* (2015-04-28) [https://archive.is/cYtmW]
* (2015-04-27) [https://archive.is/zlkWA]
* (2015-04-25) [https://archive.is/4uHtL]
* (2015-04-24) [https://archive.is/tn5WM]
* (2015-04-23) [https://archive.is/LS2x0]
* "State Violating Fundamental Rights of Dr. G. N. Saibaba" (2015-04-23) [https://archive.is/llwVA]
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* "International Day of Support to the People's War in India" leaflet (2013-07-01) [https://archive.is/6yjvH]
* "The truth of a people’s war and the lies of the rulers" (2015-01) [https://web.archive.org/web/20150430041544/https://icspwindia.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pm-vol13no3-janmar2015.pdf]:
A massive operation termed as a ‘mega campaign for area domination’, involving the paramilitary, special commando troops and State forces from Chhattisgarh, Andhra, Telangana and Odhisha, was carried out in Sukuma, Bijapur and Dantewada districts of Chhattisgarh (falling in the Dandakaranya war zone) starting from November 2014. It was launched as part of the 3rd Phase of Operation Green Hunt, the Indian state’s war on the people. Replete with all the fare of the OGH – loot, burning down of houses, torture of adivasi and nonadivasi peasants, illegal arrests, fake encounters and fake surrenders – this encirclement and suppression campaign had the added viciousness of targeting the peasantry right at the time of the harvests. This caused great disruption in the lives of the adivasi peasants of Kunta, Jagerkunta and Kisataram. Yet, other than this havoc and destruction imposed on the masses, the campaign was a mega failure. The Indian state’s troops failed to locate and engage with the PLGA. Meanwhile, the PLGA not only succeeded in evading the enemy, it kept a constant track of their movement, probing for weak points, with the support of the masses. And the result came in the form of the Kasalbad attack of December 1st on the CRPF. 14 enemy troops were wiped out and 15 injured. The PLGA fighters seized a number of automatic weapons, including grenade launchers.
This daring action, carried out not far from a very large force, was a big blow to the morale of the
Indian state’s troops. In a desperate attempt to cover up their abject failure, the Central and State
governments’ initially put out a story of Maoists using villagers as ‘human shields’ which prevented the CRPF from firing at will, thus forcing it to suffer losses. Home Minister Rajnath Singh accused the Maoists of being cowards. All of this was dutifully reported by the media. But the truth was out soon. CRPF survivors revealed how they had let down their guard since the area was supposed to be ‘cleared’, how they were encircled and attacked, and how the PLGA combatants came close and made sure that each one of their bullets counted. There was not a word about any ‘human shield’. In fact a few days later reports came of villagers being caught and beaten up by the CRPF who accused them of aiding the Maoists. So much for the honesty of the Indian rulers and the concern of their troops for the people!
The lies of the government are very much part of the Low Intensity Counterrevolutionary strategy it follows. Reports about surrenders of Maoist cadres and PLGA combatants, regularly put out by the reactionary state and duly echoed by the media, is another leg of this strategy. In many instances these have been staged managed. Persons who had backed out of the revolutionary movement years before are picked up and forced to act out a ‘surrender script’ under threat of arrest and imprisonment. This is part of the psychological war component of the Indian state's 'war on the people'. As pointed out by Gudsa Usendi, spokesperson of the CPI (Maoist) Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, it has an ugly monetary side too –– the loot of public money through embezzlement of the ‘head price’ of the ‘surrendered. Most probably as a fall out of the disgust this has generated, some sections of the media have started to expose ‘fake surrenders’. Thus the Indian Express reports, “Between June 1 and November 28, a total of 377 alleged Maoists are reported to have surrendered in the Maoistdominated Bastar division, 155 in November alone. A scrutiny of police records and meetings with these “surrendered” Maoists show that at least 270 of the 377 are actually ordinary villagers or routine criminals not eligible to be termed “surrendered Maoists”. The police is hoisting cases on hundreds of villagers without their knowledge, declaring them 'absconders' and then threatening them with arrest unless they carry out tasks imposed on them. This formed the context for a massive protest by the masses in end February, lasting for days and including blockading of an important highway.
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* "Indian state ‘discovers’ red Naxal village" (2012-04-22, hindustantimes.com) [https://archive.is/ipdLs]: Helicopters were kept on standby for casualty evacuation; targets were chosen with care after studying satellite images and the troops were warned — the encounters would be fierce and the naxals could be in the hundreds, even thousands. After weeks of planning, security forces armed with automatic rifles, satellite phones and Swedish Carl Gustav rocket launchers made their very first foray into the dense Abujhmad jungle, straddling the two states of Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. Abujhmad, or ‘unknown hill’ — 6,000 sq km of thick forest — has not been surveyed since the British. As part of the operation, security forces had zoomed in on a map of the area with the help of Google Earth, on to a couple of structures they identified as a ‘naxal camp’. A plan was prepared to go in and take out the naxalites. The mission had a second aim — the stronghold had to be psychologically breached, since it is as much home to the naxals as it is a zone ‘liberated’ of all government control.
Primed for a fierce fight, weapons ready, the troops marched 70 km to the ‘naxal camp’.
What they found instead was a village with 15 to 20 thatched huts. The cluster of buildings the forces saw for the first time on Google Earth were homes of Muria tribals, now startled at the sight of armed men in uniform. “Nobody knew there was a village called Bodiguda,” S Elango, CRPF DIG (operations) exclaimed, of a village that had been discovered for the first time since Independence.
The nameless, faceless tribals — who have never seen or heard of electricity or water taps, schools or dispensaries, men or machines — have grown up believing the naxals are the government. The rebels bring them rice and medicines and take care of their daily needs. They’ve never seen transport or ration through PDS; what they are familiar with is the Red army.
The closest to civilization is a larger village — or town — called Behramgarh, 29 km away, which also has a police station but the tribals of Bodiguda seldom venture there.
The grand strategy — to control the naxal spread — is to clear, hold and develop. Last month’s security operation that took weeks of planning ended with a one-hour exchange of fire in the jungles. Two injured jawans, no naxal arrests, and yes, the discovery of Bodiguda.
Early this week, home minister P Chidambaram, speaking of the Red threat to chief ministers, said they did not have the upper hand because “there are not enough men, weapons and vehicles, not enough roads, and not enough… civil administration.” He could well have added another line — and some states don’t know of villages where our own live.
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* "Melinda Gates visits Maoist-hit village" (2015-04-20, indianexpress.com) [https://archive.is/JXFI8]
* "Corporate attacks on India’s peasants" (2011-11-22) [https://archive.is/ISQTP]
* "Odisha: Thousands of land grab protesters attacked by security thugs" (2012-03-02) [https://archive.is/0HouU]
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* "Arundhati Roy on the Maoist movement in India" (2011-11-17) [https://archive.is/XusBo]
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* "International Solidarity Actions" (2015-01)[https://web.archive.org/web/20150430041544/https://icspwindia.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pm-vol13no3-janmar2015.pdf]:
Following up the conclusions of the September 2014 International meeting held in Italy on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the formation of CPI (Maoist), the International Committee to Support People's War in India (ICSPWI) called for Days of Action on January 29, 30 and 31, 2015 against Operation Green Hunt, against Modi’s fascist regime, in defense of conditions and lives of political prisoners, and in support to the People’s War in India. January 29 was targeted against Indian companies and economic business Indian bourgeoisie/imperialism. January 30 for protests at embassies and consulates of India. January 31 for meetings in support to the People’s War in India. The International Days of Action were marked by vigorous initiatives in a number of countries.
The ICSPWI has noted, "among of the initiatives, we point out the importance of the actions took place in Sweden, where a small demonstration at the embassy has highlighted the need to struggle to free Saibaba, Hem, and other intellectuals…persecuted by the Government of India; the actions in Italy, that reached the workers in the North and South of the country, steel factories, yards, sectors of the logistics workers, to explain the role of Indian MNCs, from Mittal to Tata, etc., those who exploit Indian workers, who sponsor and take benefits from the Operation Green Hunt, the deportation of adivasis. These MNCs are tied to imperialism and on behalf of it are common enemies of workers in Italy and Europe as well as masses in arms in India. In the same way, the initiative in France is also important, where the campaign has seen the debut of a newly created organization, the Internationalist Red Collective, who joined committees and associations from different cities in France, that relaunched internationalism and strongly announced the will to carry forward a protracted campaign of support."
It observes, "the battle in support of People’s War in India and that against the operation Green Hunt and the suppression of human rights in India are complementary battles. It is right and necessary that in the struggle against the operation Green Hunt to have a front that goes far beyond the forces that support the people’s war, within and out of ICSPWI. This is the meaning of our unconditional support to a campaign for an International Delegation to India leading in the heart of the Palaces of the power of the Indian government the exposure and claim to STOP the Operation Green Hunt, STOP all forms of repression and violation of human rights in India."
* Archive [http://sanhati.com/liberation/] of Liberation, the monthly central organ of the undivided Communist Party of India (Marxist – Leninist) (CPIML), was first published in November 1967. Through intense state repression and terror perpetrated by various political parties, the monthly continued to be published except for a brief hiatus in the early 1970s.
* Photo showing Naxalbari city, 1967, where the Revolutionary People's Government is established.
* Introduction to the first issue of Liberation, 1967-11:QUOTATION FROM CHAIRMAN MAO TSE-TUNG: Therefore the united front, armed struggle and Party building are the three fundamental questions for our Party in the Chinese revolution. Having a correct grasp of these three questions and their interrelations is tantamount to giving correct leadership to the whole Chinese revolution. - "Introducing the Communist" (October, 1939)
LIBERATION appears at a time when India is in the throes of an acute economic and political crisis, when the class struggle within our country and outside grows sharper and sharper, when the imperialists and their stooges, aided by the Soviet revisionists, are waging a brutal, fascist war against the peoples in three continents. In India, the big- bourgeoisie, big landlords and their masters, the US and British imperialists, are bleeding the people white. To deceive the starving, super-exploited
people of this country the ruling classes seek to preserve the facade of parliamentary democracy and resort from time to time to the worst kind of chauvinism-a game in which revisionists and neo-revisionists have joined them. On the other hand, brutal, fascist attacks are being made on the working class and the peasantry and on the national minorities whenever they rise in revolt.
But the forces of liberation are marching from victory to victory all the world over. Seven hundred million Chinese people, who are in the van of the world-wide struggle for freedom, world peace and socialism, are building a socialist society with amazing swiftness. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution has swept away from the minds of the Chinese people the thoughts and habits alien to socialism and ensured a future which will not tolerate reversion to capitalism as in the first socialist state of the world.
The heroic Vietnamese people, applying correctly Mao Tse-tung's strategy and tactics of People's War, are dealing shattering blows to the most powerful of all imperialisms. The people of Southeast Asia have taken to the path or armed struggle against imperialism and its native stooges. Revolutionary storms are also blowing over Africa and Latin America. Within the USA , the citadel of world reaction, the Afro-Americans, supported by sections of poor whites, are
valiantly fighting to break the age-old fetters of slavery. Here, in India, an unprecedented revolutionary situation is fast developing. The brave peasants of Naxalbari, armed with Mao Tse-tung's thought, have raised the banner of revolt against feudal oppression, against the rule of the reactionary classes. For the first time in India's history, the revolutionary peasant movement led by the working class has been able to smash a weak link in the feudal-comprador bourgeois-imperialist chain despite all the terror unleashed by the rulers.
Naxalbari marks the beginning of a new era in India's history, the beginning of the end of the old regime of exploitation by imperialism and its parasites. The message of Naxalbari, the message of agrarian revolution led by the working class as the only path to complete national liberation and socialism, is spreading and dispelling from the minds of our peasantry and working class the gloom of despair and instilling into them a revolutionary consciousness and a revolutionary urge. Naxalbari
has smashed .the barrier, the barrier erected by revisionist politics to isolate the toiling people of India from the world revolutionary forces battling against imperialism and all reaction - in China, Vietnam, Burma and other countries.
It is Naxalbari which has given the revolutionary working people of India their rightful place as a contingent of the world revolutionary forces. Naxalbari has also torn the mask off the neo-revisionist
clique led by Ranadive, Namboodiripad, Sundarayya, and Co., and spells its doom. The perfidy of these neo-revisionist leaders like that of the Dangeites knows no limit. When the long-delayed social revolution is breaking out, they are acting as the last reserve of the reactionary ruling classes, which are now caught in the meshes of a deepening economic and political crisis. Hiding their real 'intentions under a cloak of left phraseology, they have discarded Marxism'and stepped forward to defend the old hated regime, but the revolutionary forces will no doubt cast them into the dustbin of history and march forward towards People's Democracy and Socialism.
LIBERATION dedicates itself to the noblest of all causes - the liberation of the toiling people. It dedicates itself to the cause of the Indian Revolution and takes the pledge to wage an uncompromising fight against the imperialists and native reactionaries including the revisionists and neo-revisionists.
LIBERATION sends its warmest fraternal greetings to the great Chinese comrades, the valiant Vietnamese comrades, the brave comrades in Burma, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Ceylon, the U. S. A and all other countries, who, guided by the thought of Mao Tse-tung, Marxism-Leninism of our era, are fighting relentless battles for national liberation, world peace and socialism.
Read more at [http://sanhati.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/opt_1_1_liberation_1968.pdf].
===*===*===
Republic of Nepal
* "Want to Help Nepal Recover from the Quake? Cancel its Debt, Says Rights Group" (2015-04-27, ipsnews.net) [https://archive.is/AzRj0]
* "China’s and India’s charity in Nepal has a hidden political agenda" (2015-04-28, qz.com) [https://archive.is/S2TK1]
* "The New York Times deploys to Nepal" (2015-04-29, wsws.org) [https://archive.is/atc1I] [begin excerpt]:
The latest focus of the Times attention is the earthquake-ravaged country of Nepal. It has invested substantial resources in the story, sending several correspondents to the isolated Himalayan capital of Kathmandu and devoting multiple pages of its print edition to the coverage.
An unwitting reader attributing this interest to the humanitarian sentiments of the Times editorial board would be making a political mistake. The newspaper’s record shows that it is highly selective as to which human tragedies elicit its feigned sympathy.
In Nepal, as in Iraq, Syria and Ukraine before it, the journalistic pursuits of the New York Times dovetail closely with the operations of the State Department, the CIA and the Pentagon.
In an article posted Monday, the Foreign Policy web site pointed candidly to what is really behind “humanitarian” interest in Nepal, both on the part of Washington and the Times .
Relief efforts by the US and other countries, particularly China and India, the article states, highlight “the role that disaster diplomacy can play in foreign affairs as countries project soft-power influence.”
It points out that Washington is an old hand at such operations, having utilized the 2004 tsunami and the 2013 typhoon that ravaged the Philippines to pursue the same aim of furthering US imperialist hegemony in Asia.
This “soft-power” side of Washington’s pivot to Asia goes hand-in-hand with the buildup of military forces for a confrontation with China, which in many areas has outstripped the US in terms of investment and trade.
Such is the case with Nepal, where China is by far the country’s biggest investor. Chinese corporations are building a $1.6 billion hydropower project there, as well as the country’s first eight-lane highway. Between 2010 and 2013, Nepal’s imports from China rose by 67 percent.
In the aftermath of the disaster, Beijing has pledged three times as much aid to Nepal as Washington has thus far offered.
Significantly, the first US aid has come from two US military special operations units that were already deployed for exercises in Nepal when the earthquake struck. The Pentagon is taking the lead for the bulk of the other aid that is to be sent.
In its voluminous coverage of the Nepalese disaster, the Times makes no mention of the geo-strategic interests that underlie the US response nor of the role played by the “pivot to Asia” and increasing confrontation with China that shape Washington’s policy toward Nepal. [end excerpt]
Towards a People's Republic of Nepal
* News portal in English [http://redstarnepal.com]
* Archive of publications issued by the Unified Maoist movement [https://archive.is/GblUc]
* People's War in Nepal: Reports from the Battlefield, Fall 1998 to Spring 1999 [https://archive.is/IsIpe]
* "Maoists Captured Dolpa district HQ" (2000-09-25) [https://archive.is/WM0XG]
* Nepal Tourism Research (compiled c.2005 by raonline.ch): Basic information [https://archive.is/AmgTZ], Maoist Allies [https://archive.is/hOush], Maoist insurgency and tourism page 1 [https://archive.is/FmuQf], page 2 [https://archive.is/za75F], page 3 [https://archive.is/purU4] "People's Goverment Tax" [https://archive.is/7ieoc], Maoist Rebels' Arms Supply Routes [https://archive.is/yKZA4]
* Map and reports compiled 2004 by anti-Maoists, [https://archive.is/26aqb], [https://archive.is/YHKau]
from [https://archive.is/4FGf0], written by a tourist who describes some of the horrible things attributed to the Maoists by the monopolist media, but who has no personal knowledge of, nor has met anyone who can personally witness for what is described.
* "After Long Struggle, Maoists Win in Nepal" (2008-04-14) [https://archive.is/jMIRs]
* "On the line and tactics of the Nepal Maoist movement-CPI (ML)" (2010-10) [https://archive.is/4B7zZ]
* "Finally, Comrades Carry the National Flag" (2010-02-14, blog.com.np) [https://archive.is/vBe5T] [begin excerpt]: While their leaders in the Constituent Assembly are working towards changing the national flag of Nepal angering millions of patriotic Nepalis all over the country, the Maoist guerillas yesterday not only carried and hoisted the Sun and Moon in a cantonment but also removed their party flag. The guerillas abandoned their party’s flag and opted for the national flag on an important day for them: the 15th anniversary of the People’s War in Nepal. The cantonment in Badaipur of Kailali district was decorated like a bride with the national flag and the People’s Liberation Army’s flag being hoisted at the distance of every 5 meters. The PLA had removed photos of the Maoist leaders as well.“If any thing obstructs the integration process or the overall development of the country, we are ready to abandon that,” said co-commander Jeevan. “We removed the party flag respecting concerns at some quarters that putting the party flag makes the PLA affiliated to the Maoist.”
Well, that’s the the whole truth. The PLA is still under Maoist control and they haven’t abandoned the Maoist philosophy and affiliation. The chief guest of the anniversary ceremony in this cantonment a central leader of the Maoist party. Politbureau member Lekh Raj Bhatta said that PLA was the strength of the Maoist party. “We are still under the party,” said co-commander Jeevan. “So, we haven’t abandoned party flag and photos of leaders formally.” [end excerpt]
Now disowned by not only the his former political party and the People's Liberation Army of Nepal, but also by the entire international network of the World Anti-Imperialist Alliance, the former Nepal Maoist Leader Prachanda upon taking office as Republic of Nepal Prime Minister began to institute an official policy for "Greater Nepal" and war with the Republic of India, a policy that reflects the pre-existing sentiments among upper class of Nepal and of the state military, segments of society who forced Prachanda to resign in early 2014 during an anti-Maoist campaign coordinated by the USA and the Republic of India.
* "Prachanda raises Greater Nepal Demand with full force" (2010-07-01, completenepal.wordpress.com) [https://archive.is/3gpGU]
In 1768, King Prithivi Narayan Shah the Great conquered the Kathmandu valley peacefully during Indra Jatra, a festival of Newars, when all the valley's citizens were celebrating and unwilling to defy the King. This event marked the birth of the modern nation of Nepal. In 1788 King incorperated Sikkim, and sent a military punitive raid into Tibet. Kangra in northern India was also occupied by the Nepal. In 1809, Ranjit Singh, the ruler of the Sikh state in the Punjab, had intervened and drove the Nepal army east of the Satluj river. At its maximum extent, Greater Nepal extended from the Tista River in the east, to Kangara, across the Sutlej River in the west as well as further south into the Terai plains and north of the Himalayas than at present.
* "From greater Nepal to fragmented Nepal?" [https://archive.is/Gn7dn]: King Prithivi Narayan Shah the Great integrated small states to Nepal and established greater Hindu Nepal. In the South, the East India Company was ruling, which alarmed the young king and decided to save Hindustan from the Christians. After completing his mission, the king had said, “Now, the real Hindustan is Nepal as the Hindustan is already ruled by the Christians”. During that time, Nepal was expanded from Tista River in the East to Ganga River in the South and Sutlaj River in the West. This was the map of greater Nepal. Later, the so-called Sugauli Treaty with the British rulers had downsized the territory from the previous size to the present map. A big portion of the Nepali territory was occupied by the British rulers. King Mahendra was a visionary leader. He had the vision that the hill areas from Kashmir to Burma could be a zone to counter India. But this plan didn’t materialize after his untimely death.
Greater (Complete) Nepal (greaternepal.com)
* "Major Indo-Nepal treaty goes ‘missing’ " (2008-06-19, thaindian.com) [https://archive.is/lyZ0s]
* "India Should Return the Nepalese Missed Land from 1816" (2010-06-04, completenepal.wordpress.com) [https://archive.is/T84D4]
* "Unified Nepal Nationalist Front (UNNF) handed over Greater Nepal Map to British Parliament" (2012-10-20) [https://archive.is/WUNFB]
* "About Greater Nepal" (greaternepal.org) [https://archive.is/aSQdv]
* "Greater Nepal In Quest Of Boundary" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPtx_QRZbfw], a Documentary by Manoj Pandit who has also directed many other burning issue movies like Dasdhunga, Badhshala etc. This Documentary reveals the fact about Greater Nepal which still legally belongs to Nepal but illegally occupied by india. Greater Nepal has extended territory which belongs to Nepal and only Nepal.
* Greater Nepal National Front (GNNF) [http://www.greaternepal.org/]
* "Greater Nepal Weekly Second Anniversary and Felicitation Program" (2014-07-12, bordernepal.wordpress.com) [https://archive.is/3aqbU]
What has happened in the campaign towards a People's Republic of Nepal?
Having begun the People's War in 1996, by 2008 the Marxist Leninst (Maoist) Revolutionary People's Army has won the war, and are offered a seat in a new government alongside their enemy, with a new federated army, but the People's Army is asked to disband as it is considered an "irregular army". The USA begins operations to enforce economic order and stability, including death-squad operations coordinated by the USA DHS, local allies, and private partners, for an enforcement of a new order for proper legal title for land "stolen by the communists for their supporters", land that was given to tenant farmers through a program democratic control for the people who worked the land, a process opposed by the allies of the USA within Nepal...
* "Red Star Interviews Comrade Gauarv" (2011-02-21) [https://archive.is/m8Rn8] [begin excerpt]:
CP Gajurel `Gaurav’ is Secretary of Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the single largest party in Nepal. Despite the fact that it is the largest party, a champion of national agenda at present and a party to the overall peace process, the other parties are against supporting it to lead the new government. Guarav says, "Definitely, India is trying to play a role of a Big brother and, in this sense, a guardian.India has its hegemonic attitude toward Nepal, which is unacceptable for us. In peace process, there is incessant interference from our southern neighbor. Due to this, the peace process is not moving smoothly. We neither expect nor accept any bossy role of the foreign powers because the peace process is the internal affair of our country, a homegrown process. Political parties of Nepal will decide its course and no external forces should try to play an unwelcome role." [end excerpt]
* "7 Point Agreement on Nepal’s PLA Integration" (2011-11-03) [https://archive.is/hacs5], read the agreement text at the link [begin excerpt]: This agreement is a disaster for the people of Nepal and their hopes for a revolutionary future. Bhattarai and Prachanda and other right-wing and reactionary parties in Nepal have decided to effectively liquidate the Maoist People’s Liberation Army, as well as the Young Communist League, another people’s fighting force. As Mike Ely and Eric Ribellarsi have argued, without a People’s Army, the people of Nepal will be unprotected from right-wing attacks, and the ravages of poverty, immiseration and displacement. They will be unprotected from India and Western imperialist nations have an interest in plundering Nepal’s human and natural resources. The gains that have been made by Nepal’s people and its revolutionary forces will also be in danger. [end excerpt]
* "Nepal revolutionaries speak: People’s Liberation Army will be reborn" (2011-11-04) [https://archive.is/MKLSf]
* "Stop U.S. Army counter-insurgency training of Nepal govt" (2011-11-12) [https://archive.is/1XuaF]
* "Kiran and Badal: Disbanding the PLA is a mistake" (2011-11-12) [https://archive.is/Ul71s]
* "Arundhati Roy: 'The people are under siege' " (2011-11-16) [https://archive.is/m7rsT]
* "Nepal’s Revolutionaries call for PLA to abandon army integration" (2011-11-17) [https://archive.is/dJumE]
* "Nepal: Revolutionary peasants refuse to return land" (2011-11-18) [https://archive.is/M3uWB] [begin excerpt]: One of the aims of the People’s War (1996-2006), was to provide “land to tiller,” or free agricultural land for peasants to farm individually or collectively. To accomplish this, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) helped peasants confiscate lands from feudal lords or rich landowners. This was especially necessary in the heavily-populated Terai region in Southern Nepal, where arable land is scarce relative to the population. However, according to the terms of the recent Seven-Point Agreement, peasants have been ordered to return much of this land. Peasants who are part of All Nepal Peasants Federation-Revolutionary are refusing to do so. [end excerpt]
* "Chinese movement in Nepal raises concerns for India's security establishment" (2012-11-27, intoday.in) [https://archive.is/NxxE4] [begin excerpt]: The increasing Chinese influence in southern Nepal is proving to be a big worry for India's security establishment. China is running study centers, promoting radio stations and pumping huge amounts of money in various projects to apparently further its anti-India campaign. According to the note, as many as 22 Chinese study centers have been identified in the Terai region of Nepal. [end excerpt]
* "US special forces on the ground in India, stationed in Nepal" (2012-03-05) [https://archive.is/7ClDY]
* "Nepal: More talk of splits in the UCPN(M)" (2012-03-19) [https://archive.is/val1W]
* "CPI(Maoist) 13-point list of demands" (2012-03-23) [https://archive.is/r38sX]
* "Kiran group forms united front against Bhattarai-led government" (2012-03-24) [https://archive.is/LruN9]
* "Nepal: Talk of regenerating rural base areas; 'Be Ready to Encircle Cities' – Thapa Tells Cadre" (2012-04-01) [https://archive.is/mpCxv]
* "Nepal: Baidya faction protests takeover of cantonments" (2012-04-10) [https://archive.is/RyY4G]
* "Nepal: When the enemy’s army enters the people’s base camp" (2012-04-12) [https://archive.is/AzFPe]
* "Nepal’s revolutionaries form new fighting force" (2012-05-07) [https://archive.is/YAEyh]
* "The ruling classes tremble: Maoists expand influence in Northeast India" (2012-05-15) [https://archive.is/84NBp]
* "Nepal: – A New PLA in Formation" (2012-05-30) [https://archive.is/dQTMT]
* "Leaders of oppressed groups join Nepal’s new Maoist party" (2012-06-21) [https://archive.is/kx4I2]
* "Chairman Kiran speaks on continuing the revolution in Nepal" (2012-07-20) [https://archive.is/eynaq]
* "Nepal’s Basanta: Re-evaluating Prachanda and his path" (2012-08-31) [https://archive.is/SwHdW]
* " 'I gave up PM's post to bring change' " (2014-05-28) [https://web.archive.org/web/20150429045146/http://redstarnepal.com/newsdetail.php?id=2794]:
Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Chairman and former Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' said he had quit the premiership as he tried to bring complete change in all sectors of the country at once after assuming the post.
"I was forced to resign as Prime Minister only nine months of assuming the post when I tried to carry out progressive works with great enthusiasm and ambition during my tenure after the establishment of republic in the country," he said and urged everyone to once again make efforts from their respective places to institutionalize the great political change that has taken place in the country.
The former Prime Minister was speaking at the inauguration function of the national congress of the Higher Secondary Teachers' Association Nepal (HISTAN) here today.
He said quality education could not be imagined of unless there is improvement in the teachers' service and facilities.
CPN-Maoist vice-chairman CP Gajurel called on the state to attach priority to the higher secondary education and increasing facilities to the teachers and students.
Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsingh KC said problem has arisen as the State has made minimal investment in the higher secondary education.
CPN (UML) leader Gangalal Tuladhar said he made provisions for postings for the higher secondary teachers when he was the Education Minister. He pointed out the need of reforms in the Education Act.
UML youth leader Rabindra Adhikari, member of the National Planning Commission Dr Yagya Bahadur Karki, HISTAN president Deepak Raj Subedi, vice-president of the Guardians' Association Nepal Keshav Puri and Under Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Bodhraj Niraula, among other speakers, dwelt on the problems faced by the teachers teaching at the higher secondary level and said they would extend support to address their problems.
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People's Republic of China
History & the Current Context [historyandcurrentcontext.blogspot.com/1979/10/peoples-republic-of-china.html]
Fidel Castro: "If you want to talk about socialism, let us not forget what socialism achieved in China. At one time it was the land of hunger, poverty, disasters. Today there is none of that. Today China can feed, dress, educate, and care for the health of 1.2 billion people. I think China is a socialist country, and Vietnam is a socialist nation as well. And they insist that they have introduced all the necessary reforms in order to motivate national development and to continue seeking the objectives of socialism."
* "Which way for China?" (2012-02-19, by Michael Roberts) part 1 [https://archive.is/VCq8d], part two [https://archive.is/xiJkO]
* "RI concerned about map in new Chinese passports" (2012-11-29, thejakartapost.com) [https://archive.is/TJYM2] [begin excerpt]: Made in China: A page from a Chinese passport, photographed in Kunming, Yunnan province on Friday, shows a Chinese map that includes an area in the South China Sea inside a line of dashes representing maritime territory claimed by China. The Philippines and Vietnam criticized China’s passports on Thursday, branding the new design a violation of their sovereignty. [end excerpt]
* "China to axe 64% of giant state-owned conglomerates – state media" (2015-04-27, rt.com) [https://archive.is/zM9iX]
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* Taiwanese-owned factory: "Lide shoe workers beaten and arrested during assembly in Guangzhou" (2015-04-22, chuangcn.org) [https://archive.is/9ZGSi]
* "Yet another shoe factory revolt: strike of 10,000 suppressed in Zhongshan" (2015-03-28, chuangcn.org) [https://archive.is/EYN8K]
* Japanese-owned plant: "At the sharp end of the workers’ movement in China: The Zhongshan Cuiheng strike" (2015-04-17, clb.org.hk) [https://archive.is/SFS5o]
* "Thousands of Steelworkers Strike For Higher Pay in Central China" (2015-02-10, clb.org.hk) [https://archive.is/EW2FE]
* "Chinese Officers Harshly Interrogated Women’s Rights Activist, Husband Says" (2015-04-27, nytimes.com) [https://archive.is/7BA4C] [begin excerpt]: A women’s rights activist, who was among five female advocates whose detention for over a month led to a global outcry, was harshly interrogated for eight hours by police officers in her hometown, Hangzhou, on Friday, her husband said on Monday. Mr. Sun also said that the police officers holding Ms. Wu and the other four women in a jail in western Beijing had threatened at one point to throw her in a men’s jail cell to have her gang-raped, according to an account from his wife. The Beijing police had also told her that her 4-year-old son’s future would be negatively affected by her detention, Mr. Sun said. Ms. Wu and her friends and colleagues in a women’s rights movement in China were detained in early March as they prepared to start a nationwide protest campaign against sexual harassment on public transportation. The campaign was supposed to have occurred around March 8, International Women’s Day, but it never took place. The detention of the women was emblematic of a wider crackdown on civic action and forms of civil society that Chinese officials under Xi Jinping, the head of the Communist Party and the country’s president, have been carrying out for more than two years. The women were first detained in the cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou, but all of them ended up in a detention center in the Haidian district in Beijing. [end excerpt]
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* "News that the People's Liberation Army Special Forces death over CIA agents stationed in Macau eligible for merit" (2015-04-26, Phoenix News) machine translation [https://archive.is/alMPL]
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* "China shocks world by genetically engineering human embryos" (2015-04-23, telegraph.co.uk) [https://archive.is/FjbqM]
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Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in northern Korea
Info collected by Juche-Buddhism Friendship Society, for Peace through Knowledge! [Juchebuddhism.blogspot.com]
North Korea allows foreigners to travel, do business, and interact with even isolated villages. Here's a man who writes about what he's seen. Read about his experience, this is the real North Korea!
You've never traveled there. This man has. He's a capitalist. He saw the regular people. Learn from him. [https://www.facebook.com/ACapitalistInNorthKorea] [http://www.a-capitalist-in-north-korea.com/] [http://northkoreacapitalist.tumblr.com]
CHANGING NORTH KOREA
Usually ignored or denied: North Korea is undergoing some startling developments & changes.
* "North Korea is undergoing some startling developments" (2015-04-02, businessinsider.com) [https://archive.is/gwA51]
“It is not sexy enough to write about the growth of private kitchen plots, or the emergence of private libraries in North Korea, or mobile phone culture. Journalists have no choice but to use clichés, even if some of them understand that the reality is rather different. This result is the reinforcement of stereotypes and brings with it a grossly simplified or even distorted worldview. The serious changes North Korea has experienced since the late 1990s have been largely overlooked by the media and general public – mainly because such information does not easily fit into the standard newspaper format which is designed to deal with events, not long-term trends.”
* "News media keeps missing the point on North Korea; Pursuit of catchy headlines, trendy stories ignores real long-term developments in the North – and elsewhere" (2015-04-07, nknews.org) [https://archive.is/w2V0o]
* "In North Korea, solar panel boom gives power to the people" (2015-04-22, reuters.com) [https://archive.is/8QZa5]
* "Pyongyang’s solar street lamps" (2013-02-11, KCNA) [https://archive.is/XLmDh]
* "North Korea launches online shopping site" (2015-04-02, northkoreatech.org) [https://archive.is/e0gEx]
* "North Koreans enjoy home-delivered cold noodles by mobile phone; Pyongyang offers cutting-edge customer service in an effort to revive its economy" (2015-04-02, nknews.org) [https://archive.is/iYTXu]
* "Okryu Children's Hospital" photos (2015-04-27) [https://archive.is/GvW05]
* Wosan tourism (by KTG DPRK Tours & Information, north-korea-travel.com) [https://archive.is/UoPQO]
* "North Korea: Sleepy port city pf Wonsan focus of tourism push" (2014-08-01, AP newswire) [https://archive.is/VKdVR]:
[photo caption] North Korean women talk over pots of burning charcoal for cooking seafood on a pier leading to Jangdok Island in Wonsan, North Korea. North Korea has been creating special zones across the country to try to boost tourism.
[begin article] Where do you go in North Korea if you’re in the mood for a barbecue by the beach, maybe some pier-side fishing, or a dip in the ocean? For many North Korean vacationers, it’s the sleepy port city of Wonsan, now the focus of one of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s most talked-about pet projects — a campaign to transform the country into a haven for tourism. That may seem far-fetched, since international sanctions and security restrictions make travel in the country difficult. But North Korea is targeting places like Wonsan for development projects — its new luxury ski resort at Masik Pass is just a short drive away — by creating special tourism zones across the country to accommodate foreign guests.
* "Wonsan to develop as tourist city" (2014-08, naenara.com.kp) [https://archive.is/JvfoN]
* "North Korea to build underwater hotel in East Coast city of Wonsan" (2014-07-21, nknews.org) [https://archive.is/vLzz3]
* "Orphanage in the city of Wonsan, newly built" photos (2015-40-26, KCNA) [https://archive.is/3MMW3]
* "Review: Samjiyon tablet" (2013-08-01, northkoreatech.org) [https://archive.is/rNefC] [begin excerpt]: So, how does the tablet stack up against the many Android tablets available in developed markets like the U.S.? Our tech-savvy tourist was well placed to make that distinction because of a job that affords regular access to many high-end Android tablets, like the Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Nexus tabs and Amazon Kindle. “I can honestly say that the Samjiyon is surprisingly impressive. In terms of responsiveness and speed, it can almost compete against the leading tablets out there. Tapping and launching apps feels fairly fluid, instantiating the camera is as fast as the world’s leading tablets, and there is no noticeable lag when playing games I’m familiar with, like Angry Birds.” If you believe the specs on the Samjiyon’s box, it’s got an 1.2GHz processor (which is more than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7″‘s 1.0GHz processor) and 1GB of RAM (the same as the Samsung). [end excerpt]
* "Samjiyon Android tablet debuts at Pyongyang trade fair" (2012-09-28, northkoreatech.org) [https://archive.is/9dkMX]
South Korean reports have estimated the total value of the North‘s mineral wealth at US$ 7 to 10 trillion (footnote 1). And this was before the largest so-called rare earth element (REE) deposit in the world was discovered in the north of the country, in Jongju, with 216 MT of REEs said to be “worth trillions of dollars” by themselves (footnote 2).
(1) “N.K. mineral resources may be worth $9.7tr" (2010-08-26, The Korea Herald) [https://archive.today/qiRWw]; “N. Korea possess 6,986 tln won worth of mineral resources: report” (2013-09-19, Global Post) [https://archive.today/tqQYB]
(2) “Largest known rare earth deposit discovered in North Korea”, (2013-12-05, Mining .com) [https://archive.today/D1Img]
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* "Dollar may be next screw for US to tighten on North Korea" (2015-04-09, AP newswire) [https://archive.is/huEM8]
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This is a long-term goal to not only beautify the landscape but, also, to increase the national wealth in timberland, and ecological cleanliness
* "DPRK begins forestry program 'to Cover the Mountains of the Country with Green Woods' " (2015-02-27, KCNA) [https://archive.is/QeBNE]
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* "DESPERATE NORTH KOREANS CAN’T GET ENOUGH CHOCO PIES" (2014-01-17, by Felix Abt) [https://archive.is/XBE5a]: The Western media had a feeding frenzy over this story-line with widespread coverage from the likes of CNN, TIME, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian and the Washington Times. (read the article, more comments follow).
* "Desperate North Koreans can’t get enough Choco-Pies" (2014-01-28, washingtontimes.com) [https://archive.is/ROFl5] [begin article]: Marshmallow pies have become so popular in North Korea that the nation’s most destitute are spending up to a day’s pay to snatch them up on the black market.The average North Korean reportedly makes between $100 to $200 a month, but they are paying up to $10 for South Korea’s Choco-Pies, which are very similar to Moon Pies in the United States. It is believed the North was first introduced to Choco-Pies via the Kaesong Industrial Complex - a South Korean factory that employed about 50,000 North Korean laborers, the Daily Mail reported. The South Korean companies were banned from paying their North Korean employees cash bonuses and instead rewarded them with treats like the Choco-Pies. One South Korean employer told CNN that his workers were ecstatic at the taste. “It was clear that the workers had gotten at least some idea of capitalism and that it wasn’t all bad,” he said. Black market values of the snacks soared after Pyongyang closed the Kaesong Industrial Complex, with some changing hands for up to $23, the Daily Mail said. Advocacy groups have even begun sending Choco-Pies to North Korea in balloons. An art exhibition opened up in New York this month called “The Choco Pie-ization of North Korea.” It’s meant to explore the “sad tragic story” of North Korea and what the Choco-Pies represent, the artist Jin Jo Chae told CNN. “Through this Choco-Pie, I found the potential from chocolate as an object that changes a society,” Miss Chae said. [end article]
(Felix Abt continues) “Desperate North Koreans without any sweets” seemed to be at the top of the international political agenda. But, as with much reportage, it didn’t let the facts get in the way of a good headline. For good or ill (depending on whether you have a sweet tooth or are more worried about the state of your teeth) North Korea’s factories have been churning out snack cakes of their own, in every way faithful to their Choco Pies ‘parents’ as captured here and with a myriad of sugary ‘cousins’ to pander for that insatiable Asian craving for the sweet and sickly.
NORTH KOREA’S NEW (SWEET) WEAPONS (by Felix Abt) [https://archive.is/MlOCB]: “We need nukes for our self-defense and calorie bombs for our well-being”, a North Korean jokingly told Felix Abt. And judging by this selection from one of the many impressively sugary arsenals that Abt saw in North Korea, they seem to be achieving at least half of this aspiration.
THE ICING ON THE CAKE FOR NORTH KOREA’S FOOTBALL FANS (by Felix Abt) [https://archive.is/mNMCx]: Over the years, North Korea’s national TV has greatly increased the air time given to international sporting events like the Olympic Games and worldwide football championships. In common with other Asian countries, North Koreans are fanatical about ‘the beautiful game’. To mark the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil, an enterprising industrial bakery came up with extravagant football cakes to literally ‘add icing to the cake’ of the enjoyment of local fans as they followed their favourite nations through the tournament. In his unselfish and unerring quest to acquire first-hand knowledge about all aspects of North Korean life, Felix Abt felt obliged to sample the cakes and can confirm that they taste delicious!
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PYONGYANG INTERNATIONAL MARATHON
Thousands of North Korean citizens crowded the streets and the stadium to watch participants from over 30 countries during the 42km race around the city.
“This year they seemed to be a lot more relaxed about letting foreigners loose onto the streets with cameras,” wrote Nyima Pratten, Managing Editor of Talk Magazine, who ran the marathon.
So loose in fact, runners are beginning to post their experiences of the marathon, including incredible GoPro footage from inside the race.
* "North Korea opens its doors to international visitors for Pyongyang Marathon" (2015-04-16, news.com.au) [https://archive.is/9DKXU]
TRAVEL WARNING, PART OF THE ONGOING KOREAN WAR DEFIED
Americans have just ignored the U.S. travel warning: the daughter of a Korean War veteran from the U.S. was 3rd best at the Pyongyang International Marathon
Whereas most countries don't have travel warnings for North Korea (Germany lifted its travel warning a few months ago) the U.S. State Dept. warns U.S. citizens against traveling to North Korea. The Korea War must go on - with other means (economic, psychological) - until the U.S. decides to do the same as in Cuba's case.
* "U.S. runners defy travel warning on North Korea" (2015-04-17, usatoday.com) [https://archive.is/O61hu]
THE WITCH-HUNT IS ON AGAIN
Those preferring cornering & throttling North Korea are resurrecting McCarthyism against those who prefer incremental change through engagement
* "The McCarthyist Rise Threatens the “Sympathizer” Plot to Liberate the Regime" (2015-04-11, thepeacewager.org) [https://archive.is/tqyHZ]
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* "Bias in reporting on North Korea by Western news media" (wikipedia.org) [https://archive.is/zIFwV]
* "WESTERN DPRK PROPAGANDA: THE WORST, OCCASIONALLY HILARIOUS, AND OFTEN RACIST, LIES" (2014-08-14) scroll-down to view the article at this link [https://archive.is/4j6RA], list of monopolist media headlines which turned out to be false:
FAMOUS SINGER EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD!
NORTH KOREANS FORCED TO GET KIM JON UN-STYLE HAIRCUTS!
FOOTBALL SQUAD TORTURED FOR LOOSING!
FOOTBALL TEAM WON 2014 WORLD CUP FINAL!
CANNIBALISM!
WOMEN BANNED FROM RIDING BICYCLES!
KIM JONG UN’S UNCLE FED TO 120 STARVING DOGS!
ARMY MINISTER EXECUTED WITH A MORTAR ROUND!
CRASHED DRONE OVER SOUTH KOREA!
80 EXECUTED FOR WATCHING FOREIGN FILMS!
and more...
* "Shin Dong-hyuk: What you need to know about the North Korean prisoner who admitted claims in bestseller Escape From Camp 14 were false" (2015-01-19, independent.co.uk) [https://archive.is/IZ2zY]
A fake website, with what are now known to be fake "news" articles, was online for a short while, designed to resemble the official DPRK news site. The fake website did not allow for online archiving, though its purpose was to provide documentation of everything evil about DPRK. It is theorized that the creators knew their articles were false and did not want an archive of their content. Read some of the headlines of the fake website in the screengrab below.
* "KCNA imposter website disappears" (2014-11-27, northkoreatech.org) [https://archive.is/yimH7]
The false articles are published by the monopolist media, so are construed as legitimate by thoughtful people who pay attention to the news, and are cited by monopolist media for public support for USA State Department operations.
* "Kick North Korea Out Of The U.N." (2010-07-16, forbes.com) [https://archive.is/BcM9J]
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* " `Land of the free' censors Korea" (MIM Notes 309 · October 15-31, fa2004)[https://archive.is/DOHXZ] [begin excerpt]:
Without any facts or references to facts, it is possible to assert in the United $tates as Cecil Adams does that northern Korea is maybe the worst prison-state in the world. Likewise, when northern Korean Kang Chol-hwan escaped to the "West," he threw out some made-for-TV and newspaper lines of the type that Amerikans eat up by reflex, Schwarzenegger-style. "If you don't want to believe us, go to the North [northern Korea--ed.]!"(3) If only it were so easy. Kang Chol-hwan said this despite the fact that it was illegal by Amerikan and southern Korean laws for Amerikans and southern Koreans to go to northern Korea. Southern Koreans had been invited repeatedly to visit the "North," only to face the threat of prison sentences and torture in the "South." So, for a propagandist to tell people to "go to the North" and "see for yourself" is just plain stupid. Maybe such a line "go see for yourself" was appropriate in one context somewhere in the Cold War, but repeating the slogan with assurance that it will conjure magic effects in other circumstances is reminiscent of the Pavlov dog. The Cold War weapons contractors receiving Pentagon largesse no doubt have the same Pavlovian response as Kang Chol-hwan and his intended Amerikan audience. They hope the incantation leads to massive profits on weapons systems somehow. The media and people have no reason to trust Kang Chol-hwan given the Amerikans' and southern Koreans' sorry record criminalizing travel to northern Korea. It was not until September 1999,(4) that the United $tates allowed its own people to take up trade, business and travel with northern Korea. Even commercial air flights to Korea were illegal. Then, bone-heads like Kang Chol- hwan who departed from northern Korea to southern Korea in 1992 wonder why no one believes the Amerikan story about Korea. The simple fact is that it was against the law for the citizens of the "land of the free" to go to northern Korea and many a southern Korean youth suffered torture or death for talking about the idea of visiting northern Korea. The difference between genuine Soviet dictatorships and the West is that Soviet dictatorships do not ban travel and then brag about having "freedom." Kang Chol-hwan had 238 pages of space to point out somewhere that the southern Koreans and Amerikans could not travel to northern Korea to "see for yourself" --thanks to Amerikan and southern Korean regimes. Nowhere did he actually inform his reader of that basic fact. In fact, when Kang Chol-hwan landed in southern Korea, the longest serving political prisoner in the world was still in prison in southern Korea--there since the Korean War. His crime for which he was still being held was refusing to renounce communism. That is all. Renounce it verbally and the prisoner Kim Sun-Myung would have gone free. Instead he served 45 years before his release and was lucky that his mother still survived to see him. When Kim Il Sung died in 1994, the U$ puppet regime arrested dozens of southern Korean students for wanting to visit northern Korea. The New York Times of July 15 1994 reported that prior to the arrests, there were still four people languishing in prison for visiting northern Korea before. Again, this was going on well after Kang Chol-hwan made his statement about just going to visit northern Korea. This is not to mention so-called cases of "espionage," when the only evidence was that a Korean visited northern Korea. Amnesty International took up that cause as well and opposed the torture by the U$ puppet regime. An example would be the case of Kim Chang-ho years after Kang Chol-hwan's defection and flippant remarks about visiting northern Korea.
In 1995, Yu Chong-sik received an extra three years tacked on to his 20 yearsentence served. The reason was praise of northern Korea according to Amnesty International.Kim Song-man received a death sentence commuted three years later for passing leaflets out to northern Koreans in Europe. His total sentence was 13 years served in the U.S.-puppet regime's prisons.According to Amnesty International,the U$ puppet regime may have fabricated a 1982 visit to northern Kore ato imprison Lee Jang-hyong for 14 year still 1998. His case was otherwise completely murky with no evidenc e available.Even today, after the lifting of many restrictions, the Treasury Department requires that U.S. citizens obtain permission before spending dollars in northern Korea.(5) As for Kang Chol-hwan, he went through a southern Korean control process. Even in 2003, higher-ranking defectors than Kang Chol-hwan face travel restrictions--by the southern Korean Yankee puppet regime. An October, 2003 report by anti-communists at the free korea.net said that Hwang Jang-yop had defected from northern Korea six years previously and still did not have the freedom to travel--even toor within the United $tates.(6) A German attempting to visit Hwang Jang-yop was denied--in the United $tates by the United $tates, not to mention other Koreans trying to visit Hwang Jang-yop.The anti-communists trying to "free"northern Korea to enjoy such "freedoms"admitted that the restrictions on Hwang Jang-yop were political--on account of his strategy of drawing attention to northern Korea's alleged "plight."The black market MIM cannot say it knows much about northern Korea. We know its political line,because we read it and we know the U$role in occupying Korea.With regard to the political line of northern Korea, it is too similar to Brezhnev's for us at MIM not to notice. Thus we suspect that northern Korea is not unique in the world and has gone the same corrupt way as the revisionist bloc led by Brezhnev against Mao. Specifically, the Kims leading Korea never endorsed Mao's theory of continuous revolution or the thesis on the bourgeoisie in the party in particular. In fact, we would cite Kang Chol-hwan as proof that the battle between socialism and capitalism is not over. Famine occurred at the same time as a huge increase in the black market, according to Kang Chol-hwan himself. The question then arises: did the black market and corresponding bourgeoisie in the party cause the famine or did the famine cause the black market? That's all presupposing there was a famine. Kang Chol-hwan says he does not know for sure how extensive hunger problems were and talks of figures ranging from one to three million people involved. The bourgeois critics want us to believe that socialism failed and produced a black market which is alleviating conditions instead of making them worse. In Kang Chol-hwan's book Aquariums of Pyongyang, there is actually no evidence to this effect. What we see instead is corruption of party officials followed by economic hardship. Kang Chol-hwan even admits that in the 1960s he was doing rather well materially and had reason to believe that it was even better in northern Korea than in southern Korea. In the 1960s, Kang Chol-hwan "had a refrigerator, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, and even the most sought after of all luxury goods: a color television set."(7) These facts lead us to wonder what would have happened had Kim Il Sung launched a struggle against the bourgeoisie in the party as Mao did. It's hard to know how much is true from reading Kang Chol-hwan, because this supposedly heroic defector admits that he made up stories about people in order to get them punished in northern Korea. If we decide to take him seriously at all about economics, then he points out that by the time police arrested his family, the police were taking 90% of the arrested family's wealth for themselves.(8) That would surely be the sign of capitalism, not socialism.
Even more directly, Kang Chol-hwan admits that he had sudden black market success at his prison camp and then the food situation seriously deteriorated for people. He does not say so, but MIM reads between-the-lines that the black market bourgeoisie like Kang Chol-hwan had succeeded in corrupting the system to such an extent that the people suffered. Kang Chol-hwan's grandmother came to see the regime as similar to Hitler's (9) but if so, it would be the class struggle by people like Kang Chol-hwan which made it so. His motto became "man's limitless capacity for vice."(10) As of 1987, Kang Chol-hwan said he found no evidence of starvation.(11) Instead, his family became ever bigger grafters. He admits he sabotaged the supply system of northern Korea without using the word "sabotage."(12) In echoes of China's Great Leap, when the worst starvation happened after the move to private responsibility systems in farming had already been completed, Kang Chol- hwan tells us that after he became a gigantic grafter and after peasants all abandoned collective farms and put their efforts into private plots,(13) famine came calling. If he and the peasants are indicative, then famine came about because of capitalism, not the earlier successes of the class struggle. "This wild trend toward privatization-- or appropriation, if you prefer--explains why peasants are now having an easier time procuring food than workers who live in small towns, where famine has struck hardest."(14) That sounds very typical of capitalist logic to us--not socialist planning which accounts for the city's right to eat while forcing those living on the land to work or be deported elsewhere. Things that Kang Chol-hwan found wrong only proved to MIM that his opponents were often correct. For example, while people were facing malnutrition, Kang Chol-hwan objected to the state's practice of discouraging use of land for cemeteries,(15) a problem also found in China. In any case, Kang Chol-hwan is only one persyn. MIM would never make a general statement about conditions in Korea based on him. We can only say that Kim Il Sung's line is too close to Brezhnev's for us to think that he avoided the fate of countries with that line implemented. If Kang Chol-hwan is right that: "It's clear: North Korea is a total sham. Officially, it outlaws private business, but in the shadows it lets it thrive,"(16) then MIM is right about the facts in northern Korea as well. It's exactly what a Maoist would expect from a situation where the alleged communist party does not lead a struggle against the bourgeoisie in the party.
Notes:
1. http://www.bostonphoenix.com/ boston/news_features/ other_stories/ multi-page/documents/03007197.asp
2. This is a basic fact of history. http:// www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/09/ 03/schwarzenegger.ap/index.html
3. Kang Chol-hwan & Pierre Rigoulot, Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag (New York: Basic Books, 2001), p. 224.
4. New York Times stored here: http:// www.globalpolicy.org/security/sanction/ nkorea/99-09-17.htm; the BBC admitted that southern Koreans only started allowing travel to the "North" in 1997. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/ 1998/09/98/korea_at_50/166604.stm ; U.S. restrictions on travel to Cuba are here: http:// www.commongroundtravel.com/assets/ pdf/travel-restrictions.pdf
5. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/ news/2003/07/15-iraq-warning.htm
6. http://www.freenorthkorea.net/ archives/freenorthkorea/000700.html
7. Kang Chol-hwan & Pierre Rigoulot, Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag (New York: Basic Books, 2001), p. 6.
8. Ibid., p. 39. On page 185 he admitted to telling stories to get people arrested for the purposes of revenge.
9. Ibid., p. 101. There would be some backing for this idea in northern Korea's favoring eugenics and Kim Il Sung's destruction of Stalin's theory of nation.
10. Ibid., p. 160.
11. Ibid., p. 161.
12. Ibid., p. 174.
13. Ibid., p. 175.
14. Ibid., p. 176.
15. Ibid., p. 102.
16. Ibid., p. 196
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* "Can the United States Own Up to Its War Crimes During the Korean War?" (2015-03-30, thenation.com) [https://archive.is/pYNXZ]
* "The U.S. war crime North Korea won’t forget" (2015-03-24, washingtonpost.com) [https://archive.is/ZGutJ] [begin excerpt]: “Over a period of three years or so, we killed off — what — 20 percent of the population,” Air Force Gen. Curtis LeMay, head of the Strategic Air Command during the Korean War, told the Office of Air Force History in 1984. Dean Rusk, a supporter of the war and later secretary of state, said the United States bombed “everything that moved in North Korea, every brick standing on top of another.” After running low on urban targets, U.S. bombers destroyed hydroelectric and irrigation dams in the later stages of the war, flooding farmland and destroying crops. Although the ferocity of the bombing was criticized as racist and unjustified elsewhere in the world, it was never a big story back home. U.S. press coverage of the air war focused, instead, on “MiG alley,” a narrow patch of North Korea near the Chinese border. There, in the world’s first jet-powered aerial war, American fighter pilots competed against each other to shoot down five or more Soviet-made fighters and become “aces.” War reporters rarely mentioned civilian casualties from U.S. carpet-bombing. It is perhaps the most forgotten part of a forgotten war. Since World War II, the United States has engaged in an almost unbroken chain of major and minor wars in distant and poorly understood countries. Yet for a meddlesome superpower that claims the democratic high ground, it can sometimes be shockingly incurious and self-absorbed. In the case of the bombing of North Korea, its people never really became conscious of a major war crime committed in their name. Paying attention in a democracy is a moral obligation. It is also a way to avoid repeating immoral mistakes. [end excerpt]
===*===*===North Korea allows foreigners to travel, do business, and interact with even isolated villages. Here's a man who writes about what he's seen. Read about his experience, this is the real North Korea!
You've never traveled there. This man has. He's a capitalist. He saw the regular people. Learn from him. [https://www.facebook.com/ACapitalistInNorthKorea] [http://www.a-capitalist-in-north-korea.com/] [http://northkoreacapitalist.tumblr.com]
CHANGING NORTH KOREA
Usually ignored or denied: North Korea is undergoing some startling developments & changes.
* "North Korea is undergoing some startling developments" (2015-04-02, businessinsider.com) [https://archive.is/gwA51]
“It is not sexy enough to write about the growth of private kitchen plots, or the emergence of private libraries in North Korea, or mobile phone culture. Journalists have no choice but to use clichés, even if some of them understand that the reality is rather different. This result is the reinforcement of stereotypes and brings with it a grossly simplified or even distorted worldview. The serious changes North Korea has experienced since the late 1990s have been largely overlooked by the media and general public – mainly because such information does not easily fit into the standard newspaper format which is designed to deal with events, not long-term trends.”
* "News media keeps missing the point on North Korea; Pursuit of catchy headlines, trendy stories ignores real long-term developments in the North – and elsewhere" (2015-04-07, nknews.org) [https://archive.is/w2V0o]
* "In North Korea, solar panel boom gives power to the people" (2015-04-22, reuters.com) [https://archive.is/8QZa5]
* "Pyongyang’s solar street lamps" (2013-02-11, KCNA) [https://archive.is/XLmDh]
* "North Korea launches online shopping site" (2015-04-02, northkoreatech.org) [https://archive.is/e0gEx]
* "North Koreans enjoy home-delivered cold noodles by mobile phone; Pyongyang offers cutting-edge customer service in an effort to revive its economy" (2015-04-02, nknews.org) [https://archive.is/iYTXu]
* "Okryu Children's Hospital" photos (2015-04-27) [https://archive.is/GvW05]
* Wosan tourism (by KTG DPRK Tours & Information, north-korea-travel.com) [https://archive.is/UoPQO]
* "North Korea: Sleepy port city pf Wonsan focus of tourism push" (2014-08-01, AP newswire) [https://archive.is/VKdVR]:
[photo caption] North Korean women talk over pots of burning charcoal for cooking seafood on a pier leading to Jangdok Island in Wonsan, North Korea. North Korea has been creating special zones across the country to try to boost tourism.[begin article] Where do you go in North Korea if you’re in the mood for a barbecue by the beach, maybe some pier-side fishing, or a dip in the ocean? For many North Korean vacationers, it’s the sleepy port city of Wonsan, now the focus of one of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s most talked-about pet projects — a campaign to transform the country into a haven for tourism. That may seem far-fetched, since international sanctions and security restrictions make travel in the country difficult. But North Korea is targeting places like Wonsan for development projects — its new luxury ski resort at Masik Pass is just a short drive away — by creating special tourism zones across the country to accommodate foreign guests.
* "Wonsan to develop as tourist city" (2014-08, naenara.com.kp) [https://archive.is/JvfoN]
* "North Korea to build underwater hotel in East Coast city of Wonsan" (2014-07-21, nknews.org) [https://archive.is/vLzz3]
* "Orphanage in the city of Wonsan, newly built" photos (2015-40-26, KCNA) [https://archive.is/3MMW3]
* "Review: Samjiyon tablet" (2013-08-01, northkoreatech.org) [https://archive.is/rNefC] [begin excerpt]: So, how does the tablet stack up against the many Android tablets available in developed markets like the U.S.? Our tech-savvy tourist was well placed to make that distinction because of a job that affords regular access to many high-end Android tablets, like the Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Nexus tabs and Amazon Kindle. “I can honestly say that the Samjiyon is surprisingly impressive. In terms of responsiveness and speed, it can almost compete against the leading tablets out there. Tapping and launching apps feels fairly fluid, instantiating the camera is as fast as the world’s leading tablets, and there is no noticeable lag when playing games I’m familiar with, like Angry Birds.” If you believe the specs on the Samjiyon’s box, it’s got an 1.2GHz processor (which is more than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7″‘s 1.0GHz processor) and 1GB of RAM (the same as the Samsung). [end excerpt]
* "Samjiyon Android tablet debuts at Pyongyang trade fair" (2012-09-28, northkoreatech.org) [https://archive.is/9dkMX]
South Korean reports have estimated the total value of the North‘s mineral wealth at US$ 7 to 10 trillion (footnote 1). And this was before the largest so-called rare earth element (REE) deposit in the world was discovered in the north of the country, in Jongju, with 216 MT of REEs said to be “worth trillions of dollars” by themselves (footnote 2).
(1) “N.K. mineral resources may be worth $9.7tr" (2010-08-26, The Korea Herald) [https://archive.today/qiRWw]; “N. Korea possess 6,986 tln won worth of mineral resources: report” (2013-09-19, Global Post) [https://archive.today/tqQYB]
(2) “Largest known rare earth deposit discovered in North Korea”, (2013-12-05, Mining .com) [https://archive.today/D1Img]
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* "Dollar may be next screw for US to tighten on North Korea" (2015-04-09, AP newswire) [https://archive.is/huEM8]
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This is a long-term goal to not only beautify the landscape but, also, to increase the national wealth in timberland, and ecological cleanliness
* "DPRK begins forestry program 'to Cover the Mountains of the Country with Green Woods' " (2015-02-27, KCNA) [https://archive.is/QeBNE]
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* "DESPERATE NORTH KOREANS CAN’T GET ENOUGH CHOCO PIES" (2014-01-17, by Felix Abt) [https://archive.is/XBE5a]: The Western media had a feeding frenzy over this story-line with widespread coverage from the likes of CNN, TIME, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian and the Washington Times. (read the article, more comments follow).
* "Desperate North Koreans can’t get enough Choco-Pies" (2014-01-28, washingtontimes.com) [https://archive.is/ROFl5] [begin article]: Marshmallow pies have become so popular in North Korea that the nation’s most destitute are spending up to a day’s pay to snatch them up on the black market.The average North Korean reportedly makes between $100 to $200 a month, but they are paying up to $10 for South Korea’s Choco-Pies, which are very similar to Moon Pies in the United States. It is believed the North was first introduced to Choco-Pies via the Kaesong Industrial Complex - a South Korean factory that employed about 50,000 North Korean laborers, the Daily Mail reported. The South Korean companies were banned from paying their North Korean employees cash bonuses and instead rewarded them with treats like the Choco-Pies. One South Korean employer told CNN that his workers were ecstatic at the taste. “It was clear that the workers had gotten at least some idea of capitalism and that it wasn’t all bad,” he said. Black market values of the snacks soared after Pyongyang closed the Kaesong Industrial Complex, with some changing hands for up to $23, the Daily Mail said. Advocacy groups have even begun sending Choco-Pies to North Korea in balloons. An art exhibition opened up in New York this month called “The Choco Pie-ization of North Korea.” It’s meant to explore the “sad tragic story” of North Korea and what the Choco-Pies represent, the artist Jin Jo Chae told CNN. “Through this Choco-Pie, I found the potential from chocolate as an object that changes a society,” Miss Chae said. [end article]
(Felix Abt continues) “Desperate North Koreans without any sweets” seemed to be at the top of the international political agenda. But, as with much reportage, it didn’t let the facts get in the way of a good headline. For good or ill (depending on whether you have a sweet tooth or are more worried about the state of your teeth) North Korea’s factories have been churning out snack cakes of their own, in every way faithful to their Choco Pies ‘parents’ as captured here and with a myriad of sugary ‘cousins’ to pander for that insatiable Asian craving for the sweet and sickly.
NORTH KOREA’S NEW (SWEET) WEAPONS (by Felix Abt) [https://archive.is/MlOCB]: “We need nukes for our self-defense and calorie bombs for our well-being”, a North Korean jokingly told Felix Abt. And judging by this selection from one of the many impressively sugary arsenals that Abt saw in North Korea, they seem to be achieving at least half of this aspiration.
THE ICING ON THE CAKE FOR NORTH KOREA’S FOOTBALL FANS (by Felix Abt) [https://archive.is/mNMCx]: Over the years, North Korea’s national TV has greatly increased the air time given to international sporting events like the Olympic Games and worldwide football championships. In common with other Asian countries, North Koreans are fanatical about ‘the beautiful game’. To mark the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil, an enterprising industrial bakery came up with extravagant football cakes to literally ‘add icing to the cake’ of the enjoyment of local fans as they followed their favourite nations through the tournament. In his unselfish and unerring quest to acquire first-hand knowledge about all aspects of North Korean life, Felix Abt felt obliged to sample the cakes and can confirm that they taste delicious!
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PYONGYANG INTERNATIONAL MARATHON
Thousands of North Korean citizens crowded the streets and the stadium to watch participants from over 30 countries during the 42km race around the city.
“This year they seemed to be a lot more relaxed about letting foreigners loose onto the streets with cameras,” wrote Nyima Pratten, Managing Editor of Talk Magazine, who ran the marathon.
So loose in fact, runners are beginning to post their experiences of the marathon, including incredible GoPro footage from inside the race.
* "North Korea opens its doors to international visitors for Pyongyang Marathon" (2015-04-16, news.com.au) [https://archive.is/9DKXU]
TRAVEL WARNING, PART OF THE ONGOING KOREAN WAR DEFIED
Americans have just ignored the U.S. travel warning: the daughter of a Korean War veteran from the U.S. was 3rd best at the Pyongyang International Marathon
Whereas most countries don't have travel warnings for North Korea (Germany lifted its travel warning a few months ago) the U.S. State Dept. warns U.S. citizens against traveling to North Korea. The Korea War must go on - with other means (economic, psychological) - until the U.S. decides to do the same as in Cuba's case.
* "U.S. runners defy travel warning on North Korea" (2015-04-17, usatoday.com) [https://archive.is/O61hu]
THE WITCH-HUNT IS ON AGAIN
Those preferring cornering & throttling North Korea are resurrecting McCarthyism against those who prefer incremental change through engagement
* "The McCarthyist Rise Threatens the “Sympathizer” Plot to Liberate the Regime" (2015-04-11, thepeacewager.org) [https://archive.is/tqyHZ]
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* "Bias in reporting on North Korea by Western news media" (wikipedia.org) [https://archive.is/zIFwV]
* "WESTERN DPRK PROPAGANDA: THE WORST, OCCASIONALLY HILARIOUS, AND OFTEN RACIST, LIES" (2014-08-14) scroll-down to view the article at this link [https://archive.is/4j6RA], list of monopolist media headlines which turned out to be false:
FAMOUS SINGER EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD!
NORTH KOREANS FORCED TO GET KIM JON UN-STYLE HAIRCUTS!
FOOTBALL SQUAD TORTURED FOR LOOSING!
FOOTBALL TEAM WON 2014 WORLD CUP FINAL!
CANNIBALISM!
WOMEN BANNED FROM RIDING BICYCLES!
KIM JONG UN’S UNCLE FED TO 120 STARVING DOGS!
ARMY MINISTER EXECUTED WITH A MORTAR ROUND!
CRASHED DRONE OVER SOUTH KOREA!
80 EXECUTED FOR WATCHING FOREIGN FILMS!
and more...
* "Shin Dong-hyuk: What you need to know about the North Korean prisoner who admitted claims in bestseller Escape From Camp 14 were false" (2015-01-19, independent.co.uk) [https://archive.is/IZ2zY]
A fake website, with what are now known to be fake "news" articles, was online for a short while, designed to resemble the official DPRK news site. The fake website did not allow for online archiving, though its purpose was to provide documentation of everything evil about DPRK. It is theorized that the creators knew their articles were false and did not want an archive of their content. Read some of the headlines of the fake website in the screengrab below.
* "KCNA imposter website disappears" (2014-11-27, northkoreatech.org) [https://archive.is/yimH7]
The false articles are published by the monopolist media, so are construed as legitimate by thoughtful people who pay attention to the news, and are cited by monopolist media for public support for USA State Department operations.
* "Kick North Korea Out Of The U.N." (2010-07-16, forbes.com) [https://archive.is/BcM9J]
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* " `Land of the free' censors Korea" (MIM Notes 309 · October 15-31, fa2004)[https://archive.is/DOHXZ] [begin excerpt]:
Without any facts or references to facts, it is possible to assert in the United $tates as Cecil Adams does that northern Korea is maybe the worst prison-state in the world. Likewise, when northern Korean Kang Chol-hwan escaped to the "West," he threw out some made-for-TV and newspaper lines of the type that Amerikans eat up by reflex, Schwarzenegger-style. "If you don't want to believe us, go to the North [northern Korea--ed.]!"(3) If only it were so easy. Kang Chol-hwan said this despite the fact that it was illegal by Amerikan and southern Korean laws for Amerikans and southern Koreans to go to northern Korea. Southern Koreans had been invited repeatedly to visit the "North," only to face the threat of prison sentences and torture in the "South." So, for a propagandist to tell people to "go to the North" and "see for yourself" is just plain stupid. Maybe such a line "go see for yourself" was appropriate in one context somewhere in the Cold War, but repeating the slogan with assurance that it will conjure magic effects in other circumstances is reminiscent of the Pavlov dog. The Cold War weapons contractors receiving Pentagon largesse no doubt have the same Pavlovian response as Kang Chol-hwan and his intended Amerikan audience. They hope the incantation leads to massive profits on weapons systems somehow. The media and people have no reason to trust Kang Chol-hwan given the Amerikans' and southern Koreans' sorry record criminalizing travel to northern Korea. It was not until September 1999,(4) that the United $tates allowed its own people to take up trade, business and travel with northern Korea. Even commercial air flights to Korea were illegal. Then, bone-heads like Kang Chol- hwan who departed from northern Korea to southern Korea in 1992 wonder why no one believes the Amerikan story about Korea. The simple fact is that it was against the law for the citizens of the "land of the free" to go to northern Korea and many a southern Korean youth suffered torture or death for talking about the idea of visiting northern Korea. The difference between genuine Soviet dictatorships and the West is that Soviet dictatorships do not ban travel and then brag about having "freedom." Kang Chol-hwan had 238 pages of space to point out somewhere that the southern Koreans and Amerikans could not travel to northern Korea to "see for yourself" --thanks to Amerikan and southern Korean regimes. Nowhere did he actually inform his reader of that basic fact. In fact, when Kang Chol-hwan landed in southern Korea, the longest serving political prisoner in the world was still in prison in southern Korea--there since the Korean War. His crime for which he was still being held was refusing to renounce communism. That is all. Renounce it verbally and the prisoner Kim Sun-Myung would have gone free. Instead he served 45 years before his release and was lucky that his mother still survived to see him. When Kim Il Sung died in 1994, the U$ puppet regime arrested dozens of southern Korean students for wanting to visit northern Korea. The New York Times of July 15 1994 reported that prior to the arrests, there were still four people languishing in prison for visiting northern Korea before. Again, this was going on well after Kang Chol-hwan made his statement about just going to visit northern Korea. This is not to mention so-called cases of "espionage," when the only evidence was that a Korean visited northern Korea. Amnesty International took up that cause as well and opposed the torture by the U$ puppet regime. An example would be the case of Kim Chang-ho years after Kang Chol-hwan's defection and flippant remarks about visiting northern Korea.
In 1995, Yu Chong-sik received an extra three years tacked on to his 20 yearsentence served. The reason was praise of northern Korea according to Amnesty International.Kim Song-man received a death sentence commuted three years later for passing leaflets out to northern Koreans in Europe. His total sentence was 13 years served in the U.S.-puppet regime's prisons.According to Amnesty International,the U$ puppet regime may have fabricated a 1982 visit to northern Kore ato imprison Lee Jang-hyong for 14 year still 1998. His case was otherwise completely murky with no evidenc e available.Even today, after the lifting of many restrictions, the Treasury Department requires that U.S. citizens obtain permission before spending dollars in northern Korea.(5) As for Kang Chol-hwan, he went through a southern Korean control process. Even in 2003, higher-ranking defectors than Kang Chol-hwan face travel restrictions--by the southern Korean Yankee puppet regime. An October, 2003 report by anti-communists at the free korea.net said that Hwang Jang-yop had defected from northern Korea six years previously and still did not have the freedom to travel--even toor within the United $tates.(6) A German attempting to visit Hwang Jang-yop was denied--in the United $tates by the United $tates, not to mention other Koreans trying to visit Hwang Jang-yop.The anti-communists trying to "free"northern Korea to enjoy such "freedoms"admitted that the restrictions on Hwang Jang-yop were political--on account of his strategy of drawing attention to northern Korea's alleged "plight."The black market MIM cannot say it knows much about northern Korea. We know its political line,because we read it and we know the U$role in occupying Korea.With regard to the political line of northern Korea, it is too similar to Brezhnev's for us at MIM not to notice. Thus we suspect that northern Korea is not unique in the world and has gone the same corrupt way as the revisionist bloc led by Brezhnev against Mao. Specifically, the Kims leading Korea never endorsed Mao's theory of continuous revolution or the thesis on the bourgeoisie in the party in particular. In fact, we would cite Kang Chol-hwan as proof that the battle between socialism and capitalism is not over. Famine occurred at the same time as a huge increase in the black market, according to Kang Chol-hwan himself. The question then arises: did the black market and corresponding bourgeoisie in the party cause the famine or did the famine cause the black market? That's all presupposing there was a famine. Kang Chol-hwan says he does not know for sure how extensive hunger problems were and talks of figures ranging from one to three million people involved. The bourgeois critics want us to believe that socialism failed and produced a black market which is alleviating conditions instead of making them worse. In Kang Chol-hwan's book Aquariums of Pyongyang, there is actually no evidence to this effect. What we see instead is corruption of party officials followed by economic hardship. Kang Chol-hwan even admits that in the 1960s he was doing rather well materially and had reason to believe that it was even better in northern Korea than in southern Korea. In the 1960s, Kang Chol-hwan "had a refrigerator, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, and even the most sought after of all luxury goods: a color television set."(7) These facts lead us to wonder what would have happened had Kim Il Sung launched a struggle against the bourgeoisie in the party as Mao did. It's hard to know how much is true from reading Kang Chol-hwan, because this supposedly heroic defector admits that he made up stories about people in order to get them punished in northern Korea. If we decide to take him seriously at all about economics, then he points out that by the time police arrested his family, the police were taking 90% of the arrested family's wealth for themselves.(8) That would surely be the sign of capitalism, not socialism.
Even more directly, Kang Chol-hwan admits that he had sudden black market success at his prison camp and then the food situation seriously deteriorated for people. He does not say so, but MIM reads between-the-lines that the black market bourgeoisie like Kang Chol-hwan had succeeded in corrupting the system to such an extent that the people suffered. Kang Chol-hwan's grandmother came to see the regime as similar to Hitler's (9) but if so, it would be the class struggle by people like Kang Chol-hwan which made it so. His motto became "man's limitless capacity for vice."(10) As of 1987, Kang Chol-hwan said he found no evidence of starvation.(11) Instead, his family became ever bigger grafters. He admits he sabotaged the supply system of northern Korea without using the word "sabotage."(12) In echoes of China's Great Leap, when the worst starvation happened after the move to private responsibility systems in farming had already been completed, Kang Chol- hwan tells us that after he became a gigantic grafter and after peasants all abandoned collective farms and put their efforts into private plots,(13) famine came calling. If he and the peasants are indicative, then famine came about because of capitalism, not the earlier successes of the class struggle. "This wild trend toward privatization-- or appropriation, if you prefer--explains why peasants are now having an easier time procuring food than workers who live in small towns, where famine has struck hardest."(14) That sounds very typical of capitalist logic to us--not socialist planning which accounts for the city's right to eat while forcing those living on the land to work or be deported elsewhere. Things that Kang Chol-hwan found wrong only proved to MIM that his opponents were often correct. For example, while people were facing malnutrition, Kang Chol-hwan objected to the state's practice of discouraging use of land for cemeteries,(15) a problem also found in China. In any case, Kang Chol-hwan is only one persyn. MIM would never make a general statement about conditions in Korea based on him. We can only say that Kim Il Sung's line is too close to Brezhnev's for us to think that he avoided the fate of countries with that line implemented. If Kang Chol-hwan is right that: "It's clear: North Korea is a total sham. Officially, it outlaws private business, but in the shadows it lets it thrive,"(16) then MIM is right about the facts in northern Korea as well. It's exactly what a Maoist would expect from a situation where the alleged communist party does not lead a struggle against the bourgeoisie in the party.
Notes:
1. http://www.bostonphoenix.com/ boston/news_features/ other_stories/ multi-page/documents/03007197.asp
2. This is a basic fact of history. http:// www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/09/ 03/schwarzenegger.ap/index.html
3. Kang Chol-hwan & Pierre Rigoulot, Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag (New York: Basic Books, 2001), p. 224.
4. New York Times stored here: http:// www.globalpolicy.org/security/sanction/ nkorea/99-09-17.htm; the BBC admitted that southern Koreans only started allowing travel to the "North" in 1997. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/ 1998/09/98/korea_at_50/166604.stm ; U.S. restrictions on travel to Cuba are here: http:// www.commongroundtravel.com/assets/ pdf/travel-restrictions.pdf
5. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/ news/2003/07/15-iraq-warning.htm
6. http://www.freenorthkorea.net/ archives/freenorthkorea/000700.html
7. Kang Chol-hwan & Pierre Rigoulot, Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag (New York: Basic Books, 2001), p. 6.
8. Ibid., p. 39. On page 185 he admitted to telling stories to get people arrested for the purposes of revenge.
9. Ibid., p. 101. There would be some backing for this idea in northern Korea's favoring eugenics and Kim Il Sung's destruction of Stalin's theory of nation.
10. Ibid., p. 160.
11. Ibid., p. 161.
12. Ibid., p. 174.
13. Ibid., p. 175.
14. Ibid., p. 176.
15. Ibid., p. 102.
16. Ibid., p. 196
---
* "Can the United States Own Up to Its War Crimes During the Korean War?" (2015-03-30, thenation.com) [https://archive.is/pYNXZ]
* "The U.S. war crime North Korea won’t forget" (2015-03-24, washingtonpost.com) [https://archive.is/ZGutJ] [begin excerpt]: “Over a period of three years or so, we killed off — what — 20 percent of the population,” Air Force Gen. Curtis LeMay, head of the Strategic Air Command during the Korean War, told the Office of Air Force History in 1984. Dean Rusk, a supporter of the war and later secretary of state, said the United States bombed “everything that moved in North Korea, every brick standing on top of another.” After running low on urban targets, U.S. bombers destroyed hydroelectric and irrigation dams in the later stages of the war, flooding farmland and destroying crops. Although the ferocity of the bombing was criticized as racist and unjustified elsewhere in the world, it was never a big story back home. U.S. press coverage of the air war focused, instead, on “MiG alley,” a narrow patch of North Korea near the Chinese border. There, in the world’s first jet-powered aerial war, American fighter pilots competed against each other to shoot down five or more Soviet-made fighters and become “aces.” War reporters rarely mentioned civilian casualties from U.S. carpet-bombing. It is perhaps the most forgotten part of a forgotten war. Since World War II, the United States has engaged in an almost unbroken chain of major and minor wars in distant and poorly understood countries. Yet for a meddlesome superpower that claims the democratic high ground, it can sometimes be shockingly incurious and self-absorbed. In the case of the bombing of North Korea, its people never really became conscious of a major war crime committed in their name. Paying attention in a democracy is a moral obligation. It is also a way to avoid repeating immoral mistakes. [end excerpt]
Towards a People's Republic of the Philippines
* "Philippines: Report from base area of the people’s war in Southern Mindanao" (2012-07-20)[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kENlLziUzCM]
===*===*===
Commonwealth of Australia
* "Australia: The Secret Country Again Wages War on its Own People" (2015-04-22, by John Pilger) [https://archive.is/ysQby]* "The message of Anzac: Put out more flags, or shut up" (2015-04-28, johnpilger.com) [https://archive.is/LL9Mx] [begin excerpt]: Australians celebrate the centenary of a criminal waste of life in the British imperial invasion of Turkey a century ago - in which Australians and New Zealanders, the "Anzacs", took part - rather than recognise unpalatable truths about the past and present.
Opportunistic politicians and journalists have turned this melancholy event into a death cult that puzzles foreigners. Federal governments have spent almost $400 million promoting it as a fake patriotism - more than Britain, France, Germany and Canada combined: countries that lost many more men in the 1914-18 bloodfest. Today, the military and venal militarism are virtually off-limits for real public criticism.
Why? Australia, a nation without enemies, is now spending $28billion a year on the military and war and armaments in order to fulfil a tragic, entirely colonial and obsequious role, now as Washington's "deputy sheriff" in the Asia-Pacific. [end excerpt]
---
In honor of those who sacrificed their all for freedom, adapted from a eulogy to an elder, by John Pilger (2015-04-28) [https://archive.is/LL9Mx]:
Following a week in Australia in which the words "heroes" and "heroism" bobbed on a tsunami of raw propaganda, a tribute is due to an unrecognised hero, Ray Jackson, who died on 23 April.
Ray spoke and fought for a truth which the powerful and bigoted hate to hear, see or read. He said this was a land not of brave Anzac "legacies", but of dirty secrets and enduring injustices that only a national cowardice could sustain. "Conformity is widely understood and obeyed in Australia," he wrote to me, "freedom is not."
I first met Ray in 2004 during the Indigenous uprising in Redfern, Sydney, that followed the violent death of a 17-year-old, Terence Hickey. Known as "TJ", he was chased by a police car, lost control of his bike and was impaled on an iron fence. The police denied they had caused his death. Not a single Aboriginal person believed them, least of all Ray, whose campaign for justice will not go away.
A Wiradjuri man, Ray was stolen from his mother at the age of two and given to a white family. The experience taught him about Australian genocide. A lifelong socialist, his speciality was his unflagging investigations into police thuggery towards Aboriginal people, especially the multiple deaths in police and prison custody that routinely go unpunished. Australia incarcerates black Australians at a higher rate than that of apartheid South Africa.
When Prime Minister John Howard decimated Indigenous institutions and funding, Ray took his files and videos to his single-bedroom flat and founded the Indigenous Social Justice Association. He fought for the memory of young Kwementaye Briscoe, left to die in a police cell in Alice Springs, and Brazilian Roberto Curti, tasered to death by police in Sydney. He was the champion of countless locked-up Iraqi, Iranian and Tamil refugees. "Never stop fighting for your freedom," he told them. Shaming official Australia, the French Government awarded him one of its highest human rights laureates.
===*===*===
Occupied State of West Papua
More info at [solanopeacejustice.blogspot.com/2013/03/solidarity-with-people-of-papua.html]
* "West Papua, The Secret War in Asia"
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kslNnhVCksw]
From Jayapura, West Papua. We are not Indonesian. We are West Papua, Melanesia. We want to be free people. We are not terrorists, we are just normal people. Indonesia always says we are terrorist and separatists because we want to be free. In West Papua we have legal right to self determination and de colonisation. [freewestpapua.org/resources]. Photo [https://archive.is/aUPTj].
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua - ULMWP [https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-United-Liberation-Movement-for-West-Papua-ULMWP/797595276949082]
And see [http://bennywenda.org/], website for ULMWP Leader.
* "Head of the Indonesian Police expressly forbids any West Papuans from supporting The United Liberation Movement for West Papua" (2015-04-16, ULMWP): Recently the Head of the Indonesian Police in the Asmat Region of West Papua told people that any socialization supporting the UPMWP is expressly prohibited. According to him "The (Indonesian) Police Chief has instructed the Police Chief in West Papua and all police in West Papua that all forms of activities held by the ULMWP in the whole of West Papua are strictly prohibited, because this is an organisation which is very dangerous to Indonesia and is talking about secession from Indonesia". We are appalled by the Indonesian Police Chief's comments and we will continue supporting the peaceful United Liberation Movement for West Papua which is working to unite all West Papuans and gain West Papuan membership of the Regional Melanesian Spearhead Group MSG.
* (2015-04-17): A decision on West Papua's bid to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group will be announced in July. West Papua must be given full membership at the Melanesian Spearhead Group, says the Pacific Freedom Forum. See the official information package issued for the MSG [https://archive.org/details/InformationPackageWestPapuaForMSG].
* "MSG summit in May to discuss West Papua bid" (2015-04-15, radionz.co.nz) [https://archive.is/hJEQg]
* "MSG urged to accept West Papua" (2015-04-13, solomonstarnews.com) [https://archive.is/8a6Vr]
---
April 29th. Global day of action.
We want free and open access to Papua for international journalists, humanitarian agencies and human rights organisations! Let the authorities know that the world is watching and standing in solidarity with Papuans. We ask that all demonstrators wear all-black clothing to protest the media blackout in Papua. Please help to spread the word about the demo via social media and by printing and distributing flyers.
* Perth, Australia protest details here: [https://archive.is/g6vtO]
* Darwin, Australia protest details here: [https://archive.is/wKqEd]
* New York, USA protest details here: [https://archive.is/NJJTF]
* London, UK protest details here: [https://archive.is/gu3k6]
* Edinburgh, UK details protest here: [https://www.facebook.com/events/332292910315339]
If you would like to hold a demonstration in your own city/country, please e-mail [campaigns@) tapol.org] for help in setting it up.
Also see the action at Cape Town, South Africa, on April 27th [https://archive.is/P9cUE]
Details of an event at Brighton University, UK, where Benny Wenda will be speaking to students, on April 30th [https://archive.is/UTYom]
* "Pan-Pacific solidarity for West Papua launching at protest" (2015-04-18, freewestpapua.org) [https://archive.is/RKtrR], photos [https://archive.is/nhua0]
* FREE WEST PAPUA action at Indonesian Embassy by the Pan African Conscioussness Renaissance (PACOR), photos (2015-04-23) [https://archive.is/az4lu]
* photo (2015-04-18): The Vanuatu Amicale's Football Club, in Suva, Fiji, competing for the Oceania Football Confederation Cup. Standing up for a Free West Papua.
* Free West Papua REPRESENT @ Fundraising for Vanuatu in Lelystad/the Netherlands, photos (2015-04-21) [https://archive.is/Cxqni]
* (2015-04-22): A Free West Papua awareness raising event was held yesterday in Hawaii. This photo and text is from We Bleed Black and Red [https://archive.is/LbQyH]: "Last night was beautiful and so full of heart. So much furious aloha for everyone who came and supported and put their soul into this raising of voices for supporting West Papua independence. Let's keep spreading the word to bring attention and to help end this occupation and all of this violence...."
Everywhere around the world there is more support growing for the freedom of West Papua!
---
* "Socialsation meeting of the United Liberation movement for West Papua" (ULMWP) (2015-04-23, suarawiyaimana.blogspot.co.uk), photos at [https://archive.is/GtmO0]: Yalimo, West Papua -
Despite continued threats from the Indonesian government hundreds of people of West Papua continue with peaceful socialisation and disscussion of ULMWP and application for West Papua to join the Melanesian spearhead group (MSG)
Yalimo, KNPB-News, socialization United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) for Yalimo region has been carried out. Hundreds of participants socialization that include government, church, customs and the whole society was running safely and smoothly.
Socialization ULMWP considered important, because this is a unity container or container in charge of coordinating all elements of the struggle for independence of West Papua.
Socialization is mediated by activist people of West Papua called West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Yalimo area.
---
Please sign this petition calling for West Papua to be opened up to international media. West Papuan students to deliver the Avaaz petition on 29th April as part of the global day of action to open access to West Papua - #OpenPapua.
To the Indonesian President [https://secure.avaaz.org/en/free_west_papua_2/]:
"We demand that you grant immediate freedom of the press in West Papua and cease the killings against the West Papuan people. We call on you to allow foreign journalists into West Papua and that they be free from harassment and intimidation by Indonesian troops."
Please get more people to sign the petition before this date!
Avaaz have been running a petition calling for open access to West Papua which has gained almost 50,000 signatures. As part of the global day of action calling for open access to West Papua, the Alliance of Papuan Students will deliver this petition to the Indonesian Government. Please help to make sure as many people as possible have signed the petition before this date, and get involved with demonstrating on the 29th April wherever you are!"
---
Lined up in a ditch like animals whilst Indonesian soldiers take 'trophy photos' of their victims. These people were accused of treason by the Indonesian government after flying the West Papuan morning star flag. They are serving 8 year sentences. This is the reality of daily life in West Papua, where over 500,000 innocent people have already been killed by the Indonesian regime. What will it take for the international community to act?
POLICE TORTURED CIVILIANS. Source [https://archive.is/jyaJd]: "Jubi noted in November 2010, the Jayawijaya Police Chief I Gede Sumerta Jaya has confirmed about the arrest. He said there were nine people who suspected as the members of “West Papua Revolutionary Army. The police arrested those people because they flapped the Morning Star around of Yalengga Village. The police later seized the flag and detained them. They have been sentenced 8 years prison on the charge of treason. They are Meki Elosak, Wiki Meage, Obeth Kosay and Oscar Hilago, there are Meki Tabuni, Ali Jikwa, Peres Tabuni, Wombi Tabuni and Toebaga Kilungga."
You can find out more about West Papuan political prisoners here.
[http://www.papuansbehindbars.org]
* "Indonesia to increase attacks against West Papuan civilians" (2015-04-16, updated 2015-04-23, facebook.com/freewestpapua): Leaked Indonesian intelligence files prove that the Indonesian government deliberately targets, murders and abducts West Papua civilians and that Indonesia regards unarmed West Papuan civilians as "the enemy". The murder, intimidation and abduction of peaceful West Papuan activists is part of official Indonesian strategy to kill those who want to be free.
A detailed 25-page secret report by a Kopassus task force in Kotaraja, Papua defines Kopassus’ number-one “enemy” as unarmed civilians. The civilians Kopassus target as being political are “much more dangerous than” any armed opposition since the armed groups “hardly do anything” but the civilians — with popular support — have “reached the outside world”
“Local pastors have been targeted. They kill them off and report them as separatists.”
Kopassus identifies the enemy with two kinds of actions: “the holding of press conferences” where they “always criticize the government and the work being done by the security forces” and the holding of private meetings where they engage in the same kind of prohibited speech.
* Download the documents at [https://archive.org/details/KopassusTaskForceSecretReport2011]
* "US-Backed Death Squad Files Surface" (2010-11-10, counterpunch.org) [https://archive.is/O1Sk1]
* "Papuan Police Chief says KNPB should be banned" (2015-03-24, scoop.co.nz) [https://archive.is/NfhnZ]
* (2015-04-22, Free West Papua Campaign):
Breaking news from Biak, West Papua. Indonesian police continue crackdown on the peaceful West Papuan self determination movement. Indonesian state has "banned" people talking about freedom. Today Chairman of the Peoples parliament Biak, Apollos Sroyer (pictured) is being held for questioning by Indonesian police.
This police action will not be able to stop the spirit of the people of West Papua to reach self-determination, because this right has not been implemented in a fair and dignified way for the people of West Papua.
Source: (2015-04-22, suarakritingfree.blogspot.co.uk) machine translated [https://archive.is/p91wf]
* "URGENT NEWS FROM WEST PAPUA - 23 MORE PEACEFUL POLITICAL ACTIVISTS ARRESTED" (2015-04-18) [https://archive.is/nJJGy]
6 PEACEFUL WEST PAPUAN ACTIVISTS ARRESTED (2015-04-17) [https://archive.is/VQgCn]:
DON A. L. FLASSY, ONES BANUNDI, MASJOHN SUEBU, LAWRENCE MEHUE, EYIAS AYAKEDING and DEKI PAHABOL were arrested in SENTANI on Tuesday, moments after arriving from Jakarta where they attended a meeting with the Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu. Photograph Via Herman Wainggai
The 6 have been charged with violations against articles 106, 108 (2), 53 (1) and 55 (1) of the Criminal Code on treason, which carry a penalty of life imprisonment, or 20 years in prison at the MINIMUM.
---
Breaking news from Merouke, West Papua. Indonesian security forces target prayer meeting of KNPB and peoples parliament.
Thursday 16 April. Increasing attacks by Indonesia against West Papuan civilians.
RAIDS AND STEALING TWO BOXES OF DONATIONS IN THE SECRETARIAT/OFFICE of KNPB/PRD Peoples parliament by Indonesian police in MERAUKE.
Merauke KNPBnews-Thursday (16/04/2015). Hours: 12: 00 WPB. Police disperse crew KNPB & PRD region of Merauke to perform worship of Thanksgiving Birthday KNPB the Merauke-04 on this day (16/04/2015)
Led by the head of the Merauke police field operations &, using car, 1unit mobile police truck & a number of motor vehicles. Some time later, two members of the special forces (KOPASSUS) came to Secretariat KNPB/PRD, looking for information.
Merauke KNPBnews-Thursday (16-04.2015) 7: 08: 00 WPB. Indonesian Police Merauke do examination of people who want to come to the Office KNPB Merauke as experienced by some of mama-mama, said Police briefly disband from here. Where you go, we'll come there, into the community. Mama mama then be afraid and then back home to their respective homes.
---
* "More Indonesian police threats against West Papuan civil groups" (2015-04-17) [https://archive.is/HQ1X5]:
Today at 15:45, armed Indonesian police forced their way into the peaceful civil resistance organisation, the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) office in Sentani.
They expelled the West Papuan activists and forbade them staying in their own office.
When the KNPB asked the Head of the Indonesian Police in Sentani, he told them "In a little while mobile police troops will come to evict and forcibly disband you, better you go home now than the mobile police come".
The KNPB were told that the Head of the Indonesian Police in the city does not want members of KNPB "siting and discussing, telling stories together, travelling together and holding meetings."
The KNPB have said they will remain focused on the agenda of The United Liberation Movement for West Papua - ULMWP, towards the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and will not be lost with the Indonesian police action.
* (2015-04-22) [https://archive.is/tzlrg]:
News from Merouke, West Papua. More Indonesian state intimidation of the West Papuan self determination movement. Indonesian police distribute leaflet in the community threatening people with 20 years in jail for treason if they support freedom.
Indonesian security forces threaten West Papuans in Merouke for the 2nd time this week.
In the content of the leaflet Indonesian police urge people to not join with KNPB (West Papua national committee), because KNPB is outlawed. Then the contents of the flyer there are some threats.
They say if people join in the activities of KNPB then the police will catch them and they will be charged with treason sentenced to 20 years in prison. Another inscription mentions that when people engage in meaningful KNPB activeties they will be shot, then they also say that the Organization KNPB underground because not listed by the Indonesian government and the people in it are not educated.
Terror and intimidation against the people and secretariat KNPB not only in Merauke, but in other regions against the KNPB continues to occur. Previously police of Indonesia prohibit KNPB and United Liberation movement for West Papua, ULMWP socialization in Merauke. Then the police Kaimana ULMWP socialization and catching 10 people. The same thing happened in the secretariat KNPB Sentani area-where the police went to the secretariat KNPB and forcing members of the disbanded KNPB secretariat.
Indonesia Police continue to do terror threats and Intimidation against KNPB in different parts of West Papua. This is done because the police are afraid to see socialize ULMWP conducted by KNPB because they fear there will be a big movement of people rise ahead of West Papua to the MSG.
---
Every Indonesian who claims that West Papua must remain Indonesian, should agree that Indonesia must remain Dutch
* (2015-04-20) News from Australia. The Australian government claims it has seen no evidence of genocide in West Papua. Please continue to write to the Australian government and provide them with the huge amount of evidence that is available.
This report from Yale university, USA details many of the massacres
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090227145157/http://www.law.yale.edu/documents/pdf/Intellectual_Life/West_Papua_final_report.pdf].
This paper from the griffith Law journal, Australia, argues that there is now enough evidence to prove the intent element of genocide [https://web.archive.org/web/20150330054955/https://www104.griffith.edu.au/index.php/gjlhd/article/view/578/539].
The neglected genocide. This investigation by the Asian human rights commission is the first such investigation into one part of the genocide 1977-78. Summary [https://archive.is/gW1Ky], full report [https://web.archive.org/web/20150427053247/http://freewestpapua.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/AHRC_TheNeglected_Genocide-lowR.pdf].
No one has ever investigated any of the mass killings and massacres in Teminabuan 1965, Arfak 1967, Paniai, 1967-69. Ayamaru 1966, Jayapura 1971, Biak-numfor 1974/5 All over West Papua 1969, Baliem valley 1981-84. Timika 1982, Border area with PNG 1985, Merouke 1986/87/88, Timika 1996 and 2000. Biak 1998. Wasior 2000, Wamena 2000, 2004, 2006 Jayapura 2006, 2010, 2012, Jayawijaya 2013, Panaii 2014, Yahukimo 2015 amongst many others.
"Leaked documents show that Indonesia regards unarmed West Papuan civilians as 'the enemy' " (2015-04-15) article [https://archive.is/IvqUz], documents [http://www.scribd.com/doc/41522587/Satgas-Ban-5-Kopassus-Triw]
Many other articles and documents can be found here.
[http://freewestpapua.org/resources/documents/]
"I received this letter back from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs today. Just goes to show how complicit or ill informed they are with what's happening in West Papua. How the hell can it be any more obvious as to what's going on there? Afraid to stand up for what is right and then come in too late as per East Timor when the Indos knew their game was up killing thousands and raising the city of Dili with fire. Prevention before cure, it just takes some good people with guts and authority to stand up, though it seems we have no one willing to do so in the Aus Gov"
---
* (2015-04-21, Free West Papua Campaign):
Last year, at the request of the Indonesian Embassy, the raising of the West Papuan national flag (Morningstar) was banned in the Netherlands on Veterans Day ,despite being raised every year by the Dutch Veterans.
Dutch Veterans fought and died under the flag and still want to raise it every year. Below is a letter from Free West Papua Campaign Netherlands Coordinator Oridek Ap to the Dutch Veterans who fought alongside West Papuans in the 1960s.
"More than 50 years ago, the Dutch politicians ordered the young Dutch soldiers to lay down their guns and to store the Morningstar flag in the closet. Now, after 50 years they Dutch New-Guinea Veterans are not allowed to remember their fallen comrades by raising the Morningstar flag. Every time you raise the Morningstar flag you give hope. We thank you for not forgetting the West Papuan people."
New article from Australia. As Anzac approaches and Australians and New Zealanders remember those who fought and lost their lives on Anzac Day, it is hoped we will also remember the unfree people of the Pacific region and in particular those who are still suffering from human rights abuses in the ongoing conflict in West Papua.
* "West Papua and Anzac Day – ‘Lest we forget’ " (2015-04-22, pacific.scoop.co.nz) [https://archive.is/f5gom] [begin excerpt]
Lest we forget: The Paniai massacre, 18 December 2014
Lest we forget: The assassination of Chief Theys Eluay:
West Papuans face ongoing human rights abuses, the exploitation of their natural resources with little or no benefit to themselves, the danger of becoming a minority in their own land and an HIV/AIDS epidemic.Joe Collins of the Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) said: “If the Australian government has ignored the plight of the West Papua people, the same cannot be said for the Pacific countries.“The growing support for West Papua by civil society and church groups continues to grow in the Pacific region and hopefully this support is being noted by the Pacific leaders, especially the MSG Leaders.“It is to ‘Bring West Papua back to the Melanesian family’.” [end excerpt]
* "Lest We Forget!" campaign from Australians for a Free West Papua [https://www.facebook.com/territoriansforafreewestpapua]: In the lead up to ANZAC day (in honor of soldiers from Australia, New Zealand And Company who died or were wounded in combat), we will publish photographs daily showing the mutual respect between West Papuan civilians and Aussie soldiers in WW2 in what was then known as Dutch New Guinea. The images will speak for themselves - Lest We Forget. The West Papuan people's contribution to World War 2 has never been rightfully recognised nor honoured. In World War 2, thousands of Australian troops, along with many thousands of US and Dutch allies were stationed throughout West Papua as part of the South West Pacific Area of WW2. There appears to have been a special bond between the Australian soldiers and West Papuan people. West Papuans allied themselves especially with the Aussie soldiers. They helped Australian soldiers - found them water, food, hunted fish for them, helped build them shelters and airfields, made them canoes, guided them them through dense jungle, taught them how to use local weapons, helped them hunt Japanese soldiers and even taught some Aussie soldiers their language. There were many Australian soldiers killed in West Papua in WW2 along with US allies who were buried in graves, often dug out with the aid of West Papuan people themselves. Papuans were living in a fearful time of bombings and military assaults on their lands in a war that was not theirs. It is not known how many West Papuan civilians died as a result of WW2 between 1943 and 1945.
[individual's comment] "How easily we (Australia) have forgotten them and now do nothing to save them from the genocide wreaked on them by the Indonesians. Shame on Australia. Shame, shame, shame. As a nation, we owe Indonesia nothing, but we owe West Papua so, so much."
Read the "Lest We Forget!" campaign mission statement [https://archive.is/GG2KC].
* "Gnrs. D. K. Holmes and J. V. Esley with indigenous Papuans" (1945, Argus Newspaper)
* "Indigenous Dutch New Guineans, Kayas, riding on the back of Army truck" (1945, Argus Newspaper)
* (1944-04-11) [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/016834/]. Dutch New Guinea. West Papuan 'Henry' and Aussie 'Robert Wynne' of Victoria swap weapons - a Papuan made bow and arrow and an Australian made Owen machine gun. The Australian War memorial collection often refers to West Papuan people as 'kaya-kaya'. This is a Papuan 'Marind' word that means 'friend' and this word was adopted by Australian soldiers in WW2 to describe the Indigenous people of Papua - our friends.
* (1944-04-11) [https://archive.is/ww2G5]. Dutch New Guinea. Private 'Ted' Thorogood of Mackay, Queensland and Sergeant 'Vernon' Lindsey of Georgia, USA, explain to 'Siami' of West Papua how a field telephone works.
* (1944, Argus Newspaper Collection, State Library of Victoria) Dutch New Guinea. Such is the generous nature of the people of West Papua. An Indigenous West Papuan woman offers a banana to a hungry Australian soldier Gnr. H. M. Seymnour, Australian Armed Forces.
* (1945, Argus Newspaper Collection, State Library of Victoria) Dutch New Guinea. Papuan kids using an army telescope with R. Wynne from Victoria.
* (1944-08-28) [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/OG1573/] Noemfoor Island, Dutch New Guinea. West Papuan kids share a ride with Aussie soldiers on a captured Japanese motorbike. Two Papuan kids are wearing Aussie soldiers slouch hats. Soldiers are Australian RAAF Kittyhawk squadron Sergent H C Peck from Grafton NSW, Flight Sergeant G. Bellamy from Hornsby NSW and Sergent H. Skelton from Coonamble NSW.
MANY AUSSIE SOLDIERS WERE VERY YOUNG AND SCARED IN THE BLOODY WAR. WEST PAPUANS CARED FOR THEM LIKE FAMILY.
* " 'Hullo Aussie!' Friendly Native Tribes" (1944-04-04, The West Australian newspaper, Perth, WA) [https://archive.is/eesnx] [begin excerpt]: Wherever you go in Dutch New Guinea where Australians are stationed, no Kaya Kaya will ever pass you without a wave of the hand and a wide, toothy grin and cheery - Hullo Aussie! He is deeply hurt if you fail to acknowledge his greeting. This is one of the first impressions you get when you reach this country and it is a real tribute to the Australian soldiers' easy capacity for holding the friendship of the natives. The Kayas are an unusually sensitive people and the slightest offence given to one is spread by grapevine telegraph to the rest. Yet after more than a year here the Australians are still "bagus," by which a Kaya means "good fella," but the Japanese are "tida baik" (no good) to the Kayas who have been in contact with them. Always out at posts on the fringe of headhunting country [history note: by 1944, the custom of headhunting in the Island of Papua had almost disappeared yet remained a common theme in Australian media], Australian youths and Kayas are on even closer terms. They teach each other their language and Kaya children scramble to wait on them. They wash their clothes, clean their boots and bring them papaws, pineapples, bananas, yams and prawns from the rivers. They even follow them round to light their cigarettes with fire- sticks. Australians, who have been among tribes only half emerged from the headhunting stage, tell you they are a trustworthy and likable people. [end excerpt]
WEST PAPUAN PEOPLE WERE RELIED ON TO BUILD VITAL AUSTRALIAN RAAF INFRASTRUCTURE IN WORLD WAR II. West Papuan labour was used extensively by the Australian army in WW2, although no records have been found to date by our research supporting the claim in the photo caption that says West Papuan people received a monetary wage. We doubt there was any weekly wage paid. We have found references to West papuan people being 'employed' but no other reference to a monetary wage has yet surfaced.
* (1944-05-14, Sunday Times newspaper pg.1, Perth) [https://archive.is/h04WF]: Kaya Kaya natives in Dutch New Guinea sit down to dig a trench during construction of an airstrip. They are supervised by Australian troops. The Kaya Kaya can rarely be persuaded to shovel standing up.
* [https://archive.is/D3rYR]: Dutch New Guinea. 12 April 1944. Sapper Dick Cullen of Bundaberg, Qld, and a native 'boss-boy' supervise the building of vast drains to dry out swamp areas and make them habitable for troops. The Kaya-Kaya natives dig in the mud with sticks instead of shovels. Native labour is used extensively by the Army, and they are paid a weekly wage.
* (1944-05) [https://archive.is/JiaXz]. Dutch New Guinea. West Papuan civilians doing all the work - making an airstrip at a captured air base.
* (1945, Argus Newspaper Collection, State Library of Victoria) Dutch New Guinea. Also see: [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/017046/]
===*===*===
Occupied State of West Papua * "West Papua, The Secret War in Asia"
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kslNnhVCksw]
From Jayapura, West Papua. We are not Indonesian. We are West Papua, Melanesia. We want to be free people. We are not terrorists, we are just normal people. Indonesia always says we are terrorist and separatists because we want to be free. In West Papua we have legal right to self determination and de colonisation. [freewestpapua.org/resources]. Photo [https://archive.is/aUPTj].
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua - ULMWP [https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-United-Liberation-Movement-for-West-Papua-ULMWP/797595276949082]
And see [http://bennywenda.org/], website for ULMWP Leader.
* "Head of the Indonesian Police expressly forbids any West Papuans from supporting The United Liberation Movement for West Papua" (2015-04-16, ULMWP): Recently the Head of the Indonesian Police in the Asmat Region of West Papua told people that any socialization supporting the UPMWP is expressly prohibited. According to him "The (Indonesian) Police Chief has instructed the Police Chief in West Papua and all police in West Papua that all forms of activities held by the ULMWP in the whole of West Papua are strictly prohibited, because this is an organisation which is very dangerous to Indonesia and is talking about secession from Indonesia". We are appalled by the Indonesian Police Chief's comments and we will continue supporting the peaceful United Liberation Movement for West Papua which is working to unite all West Papuans and gain West Papuan membership of the Regional Melanesian Spearhead Group MSG.* (2015-04-17): A decision on West Papua's bid to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group will be announced in July. West Papua must be given full membership at the Melanesian Spearhead Group, says the Pacific Freedom Forum. See the official information package issued for the MSG [https://archive.org/details/InformationPackageWestPapuaForMSG].
* "MSG summit in May to discuss West Papua bid" (2015-04-15, radionz.co.nz) [https://archive.is/hJEQg]
* "MSG urged to accept West Papua" (2015-04-13, solomonstarnews.com) [https://archive.is/8a6Vr]
---
April 29th. Global day of action.
We want free and open access to Papua for international journalists, humanitarian agencies and human rights organisations! Let the authorities know that the world is watching and standing in solidarity with Papuans. We ask that all demonstrators wear all-black clothing to protest the media blackout in Papua. Please help to spread the word about the demo via social media and by printing and distributing flyers.
* Perth, Australia protest details here: [https://archive.is/g6vtO]
* Darwin, Australia protest details here: [https://archive.is/wKqEd]
* New York, USA protest details here: [https://archive.is/NJJTF]
* London, UK protest details here: [https://archive.is/gu3k6]
* Edinburgh, UK details protest here: [https://www.facebook.com/events/332292910315339]
If you would like to hold a demonstration in your own city/country, please e-mail [campaigns@) tapol.org] for help in setting it up.
Also see the action at Cape Town, South Africa, on April 27th [https://archive.is/P9cUE]
Details of an event at Brighton University, UK, where Benny Wenda will be speaking to students, on April 30th [https://archive.is/UTYom]
* "Pan-Pacific solidarity for West Papua launching at protest" (2015-04-18, freewestpapua.org) [https://archive.is/RKtrR], photos [https://archive.is/nhua0]
* FREE WEST PAPUA action at Indonesian Embassy by the Pan African Conscioussness Renaissance (PACOR), photos (2015-04-23) [https://archive.is/az4lu]
* photo (2015-04-18): The Vanuatu Amicale's Football Club, in Suva, Fiji, competing for the Oceania Football Confederation Cup. Standing up for a Free West Papua.
* Free West Papua REPRESENT @ Fundraising for Vanuatu in Lelystad/the Netherlands, photos (2015-04-21) [https://archive.is/Cxqni]
* (2015-04-22): A Free West Papua awareness raising event was held yesterday in Hawaii. This photo and text is from We Bleed Black and Red [https://archive.is/LbQyH]: "Last night was beautiful and so full of heart. So much furious aloha for everyone who came and supported and put their soul into this raising of voices for supporting West Papua independence. Let's keep spreading the word to bring attention and to help end this occupation and all of this violence...."
Everywhere around the world there is more support growing for the freedom of West Papua!
---
* "Socialsation meeting of the United Liberation movement for West Papua" (ULMWP) (2015-04-23, suarawiyaimana.blogspot.co.uk), photos at [https://archive.is/GtmO0]: Yalimo, West Papua -
Despite continued threats from the Indonesian government hundreds of people of West Papua continue with peaceful socialisation and disscussion of ULMWP and application for West Papua to join the Melanesian spearhead group (MSG)
Yalimo, KNPB-News, socialization United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) for Yalimo region has been carried out. Hundreds of participants socialization that include government, church, customs and the whole society was running safely and smoothly.
Socialization ULMWP considered important, because this is a unity container or container in charge of coordinating all elements of the struggle for independence of West Papua.
Socialization is mediated by activist people of West Papua called West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Yalimo area.
---
Please sign this petition calling for West Papua to be opened up to international media. West Papuan students to deliver the Avaaz petition on 29th April as part of the global day of action to open access to West Papua - #OpenPapua.
To the Indonesian President [https://secure.avaaz.org/en/free_west_papua_2/]:
"We demand that you grant immediate freedom of the press in West Papua and cease the killings against the West Papuan people. We call on you to allow foreign journalists into West Papua and that they be free from harassment and intimidation by Indonesian troops."
Please get more people to sign the petition before this date!
Avaaz have been running a petition calling for open access to West Papua which has gained almost 50,000 signatures. As part of the global day of action calling for open access to West Papua, the Alliance of Papuan Students will deliver this petition to the Indonesian Government. Please help to make sure as many people as possible have signed the petition before this date, and get involved with demonstrating on the 29th April wherever you are!"
---
Lined up in a ditch like animals whilst Indonesian soldiers take 'trophy photos' of their victims. These people were accused of treason by the Indonesian government after flying the West Papuan morning star flag. They are serving 8 year sentences. This is the reality of daily life in West Papua, where over 500,000 innocent people have already been killed by the Indonesian regime. What will it take for the international community to act?POLICE TORTURED CIVILIANS. Source [https://archive.is/jyaJd]: "Jubi noted in November 2010, the Jayawijaya Police Chief I Gede Sumerta Jaya has confirmed about the arrest. He said there were nine people who suspected as the members of “West Papua Revolutionary Army. The police arrested those people because they flapped the Morning Star around of Yalengga Village. The police later seized the flag and detained them. They have been sentenced 8 years prison on the charge of treason. They are Meki Elosak, Wiki Meage, Obeth Kosay and Oscar Hilago, there are Meki Tabuni, Ali Jikwa, Peres Tabuni, Wombi Tabuni and Toebaga Kilungga."
You can find out more about West Papuan political prisoners here.
[http://www.papuansbehindbars.org]
* "Indonesia to increase attacks against West Papuan civilians" (2015-04-16, updated 2015-04-23, facebook.com/freewestpapua): Leaked Indonesian intelligence files prove that the Indonesian government deliberately targets, murders and abducts West Papua civilians and that Indonesia regards unarmed West Papuan civilians as "the enemy". The murder, intimidation and abduction of peaceful West Papuan activists is part of official Indonesian strategy to kill those who want to be free.
A detailed 25-page secret report by a Kopassus task force in Kotaraja, Papua defines Kopassus’ number-one “enemy” as unarmed civilians. The civilians Kopassus target as being political are “much more dangerous than” any armed opposition since the armed groups “hardly do anything” but the civilians — with popular support — have “reached the outside world”
“Local pastors have been targeted. They kill them off and report them as separatists.”
Kopassus identifies the enemy with two kinds of actions: “the holding of press conferences” where they “always criticize the government and the work being done by the security forces” and the holding of private meetings where they engage in the same kind of prohibited speech.
* Download the documents at [https://archive.org/details/KopassusTaskForceSecretReport2011]
* "US-Backed Death Squad Files Surface" (2010-11-10, counterpunch.org) [https://archive.is/O1Sk1]
* "Papuan Police Chief says KNPB should be banned" (2015-03-24, scoop.co.nz) [https://archive.is/NfhnZ]
* (2015-04-22, Free West Papua Campaign):
Breaking news from Biak, West Papua. Indonesian police continue crackdown on the peaceful West Papuan self determination movement. Indonesian state has "banned" people talking about freedom. Today Chairman of the Peoples parliament Biak, Apollos Sroyer (pictured) is being held for questioning by Indonesian police.This police action will not be able to stop the spirit of the people of West Papua to reach self-determination, because this right has not been implemented in a fair and dignified way for the people of West Papua.
Source: (2015-04-22, suarakritingfree.blogspot.co.uk) machine translated [https://archive.is/p91wf]
* "URGENT NEWS FROM WEST PAPUA - 23 MORE PEACEFUL POLITICAL ACTIVISTS ARRESTED" (2015-04-18) [https://archive.is/nJJGy]
6 PEACEFUL WEST PAPUAN ACTIVISTS ARRESTED (2015-04-17) [https://archive.is/VQgCn]:DON A. L. FLASSY, ONES BANUNDI, MASJOHN SUEBU, LAWRENCE MEHUE, EYIAS AYAKEDING and DEKI PAHABOL were arrested in SENTANI on Tuesday, moments after arriving from Jakarta where they attended a meeting with the Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu. Photograph Via Herman Wainggai
The 6 have been charged with violations against articles 106, 108 (2), 53 (1) and 55 (1) of the Criminal Code on treason, which carry a penalty of life imprisonment, or 20 years in prison at the MINIMUM.
---
Breaking news from Merouke, West Papua. Indonesian security forces target prayer meeting of KNPB and peoples parliament.
Thursday 16 April. Increasing attacks by Indonesia against West Papuan civilians.
RAIDS AND STEALING TWO BOXES OF DONATIONS IN THE SECRETARIAT/OFFICE of KNPB/PRD Peoples parliament by Indonesian police in MERAUKE.
Merauke KNPBnews-Thursday (16/04/2015). Hours: 12: 00 WPB. Police disperse crew KNPB & PRD region of Merauke to perform worship of Thanksgiving Birthday KNPB the Merauke-04 on this day (16/04/2015)
Led by the head of the Merauke police field operations &, using car, 1unit mobile police truck & a number of motor vehicles. Some time later, two members of the special forces (KOPASSUS) came to Secretariat KNPB/PRD, looking for information.
Merauke KNPBnews-Thursday (16-04.2015) 7: 08: 00 WPB. Indonesian Police Merauke do examination of people who want to come to the Office KNPB Merauke as experienced by some of mama-mama, said Police briefly disband from here. Where you go, we'll come there, into the community. Mama mama then be afraid and then back home to their respective homes.
---
* "More Indonesian police threats against West Papuan civil groups" (2015-04-17) [https://archive.is/HQ1X5]:Today at 15:45, armed Indonesian police forced their way into the peaceful civil resistance organisation, the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) office in Sentani.
They expelled the West Papuan activists and forbade them staying in their own office.
When the KNPB asked the Head of the Indonesian Police in Sentani, he told them "In a little while mobile police troops will come to evict and forcibly disband you, better you go home now than the mobile police come".
The KNPB were told that the Head of the Indonesian Police in the city does not want members of KNPB "siting and discussing, telling stories together, travelling together and holding meetings."
The KNPB have said they will remain focused on the agenda of The United Liberation Movement for West Papua - ULMWP, towards the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and will not be lost with the Indonesian police action.
* (2015-04-22) [https://archive.is/tzlrg]:
News from Merouke, West Papua. More Indonesian state intimidation of the West Papuan self determination movement. Indonesian police distribute leaflet in the community threatening people with 20 years in jail for treason if they support freedom.
Indonesian security forces threaten West Papuans in Merouke for the 2nd time this week.
In the content of the leaflet Indonesian police urge people to not join with KNPB (West Papua national committee), because KNPB is outlawed. Then the contents of the flyer there are some threats.
They say if people join in the activities of KNPB then the police will catch them and they will be charged with treason sentenced to 20 years in prison. Another inscription mentions that when people engage in meaningful KNPB activeties they will be shot, then they also say that the Organization KNPB underground because not listed by the Indonesian government and the people in it are not educated.
Terror and intimidation against the people and secretariat KNPB not only in Merauke, but in other regions against the KNPB continues to occur. Previously police of Indonesia prohibit KNPB and United Liberation movement for West Papua, ULMWP socialization in Merauke. Then the police Kaimana ULMWP socialization and catching 10 people. The same thing happened in the secretariat KNPB Sentani area-where the police went to the secretariat KNPB and forcing members of the disbanded KNPB secretariat.
Indonesia Police continue to do terror threats and Intimidation against KNPB in different parts of West Papua. This is done because the police are afraid to see socialize ULMWP conducted by KNPB because they fear there will be a big movement of people rise ahead of West Papua to the MSG.
---
Every Indonesian who claims that West Papua must remain Indonesian, should agree that Indonesia must remain Dutch
* (2015-04-20) News from Australia. The Australian government claims it has seen no evidence of genocide in West Papua. Please continue to write to the Australian government and provide them with the huge amount of evidence that is available.
This report from Yale university, USA details many of the massacres
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090227145157/http://www.law.yale.edu/documents/pdf/Intellectual_Life/West_Papua_final_report.pdf].
This paper from the griffith Law journal, Australia, argues that there is now enough evidence to prove the intent element of genocide [https://web.archive.org/web/20150330054955/https://www104.griffith.edu.au/index.php/gjlhd/article/view/578/539].
The neglected genocide. This investigation by the Asian human rights commission is the first such investigation into one part of the genocide 1977-78. Summary [https://archive.is/gW1Ky], full report [https://web.archive.org/web/20150427053247/http://freewestpapua.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/AHRC_TheNeglected_Genocide-lowR.pdf].
No one has ever investigated any of the mass killings and massacres in Teminabuan 1965, Arfak 1967, Paniai, 1967-69. Ayamaru 1966, Jayapura 1971, Biak-numfor 1974/5 All over West Papua 1969, Baliem valley 1981-84. Timika 1982, Border area with PNG 1985, Merouke 1986/87/88, Timika 1996 and 2000. Biak 1998. Wasior 2000, Wamena 2000, 2004, 2006 Jayapura 2006, 2010, 2012, Jayawijaya 2013, Panaii 2014, Yahukimo 2015 amongst many others.
"Leaked documents show that Indonesia regards unarmed West Papuan civilians as 'the enemy' " (2015-04-15) article [https://archive.is/IvqUz], documents [http://www.scribd.com/doc/41522587/Satgas-Ban-5-Kopassus-Triw]
Many other articles and documents can be found here.
[http://freewestpapua.org/resources/documents/]
"I received this letter back from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs today. Just goes to show how complicit or ill informed they are with what's happening in West Papua. How the hell can it be any more obvious as to what's going on there? Afraid to stand up for what is right and then come in too late as per East Timor when the Indos knew their game was up killing thousands and raising the city of Dili with fire. Prevention before cure, it just takes some good people with guts and authority to stand up, though it seems we have no one willing to do so in the Aus Gov"
---
* (2015-04-21, Free West Papua Campaign): Last year, at the request of the Indonesian Embassy, the raising of the West Papuan national flag (Morningstar) was banned in the Netherlands on Veterans Day ,despite being raised every year by the Dutch Veterans.
Dutch Veterans fought and died under the flag and still want to raise it every year. Below is a letter from Free West Papua Campaign Netherlands Coordinator Oridek Ap to the Dutch Veterans who fought alongside West Papuans in the 1960s.
"More than 50 years ago, the Dutch politicians ordered the young Dutch soldiers to lay down their guns and to store the Morningstar flag in the closet. Now, after 50 years they Dutch New-Guinea Veterans are not allowed to remember their fallen comrades by raising the Morningstar flag. Every time you raise the Morningstar flag you give hope. We thank you for not forgetting the West Papuan people."
New article from Australia. As Anzac approaches and Australians and New Zealanders remember those who fought and lost their lives on Anzac Day, it is hoped we will also remember the unfree people of the Pacific region and in particular those who are still suffering from human rights abuses in the ongoing conflict in West Papua.
* "West Papua and Anzac Day – ‘Lest we forget’ " (2015-04-22, pacific.scoop.co.nz) [https://archive.is/f5gom] [begin excerpt]
Lest we forget: The Paniai massacre, 18 December 2014
Lest we forget: The assassination of Chief Theys Eluay:
Lest we forget: Yustinus Murib
Lest we forget: Those arrested at peaceful rallies, many beaten and tortured
Lest we forget: The Biak massacre-6 July 1998
Lest we forget: The great challenges the West Papuan people faceWest Papuans face ongoing human rights abuses, the exploitation of their natural resources with little or no benefit to themselves, the danger of becoming a minority in their own land and an HIV/AIDS epidemic.Joe Collins of the Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) said: “If the Australian government has ignored the plight of the West Papua people, the same cannot be said for the Pacific countries.“The growing support for West Papua by civil society and church groups continues to grow in the Pacific region and hopefully this support is being noted by the Pacific leaders, especially the MSG Leaders.“It is to ‘Bring West Papua back to the Melanesian family’.” [end excerpt]
* "Lest We Forget!" campaign from Australians for a Free West Papua [https://www.facebook.com/territoriansforafreewestpapua]: In the lead up to ANZAC day (in honor of soldiers from Australia, New Zealand And Company who died or were wounded in combat), we will publish photographs daily showing the mutual respect between West Papuan civilians and Aussie soldiers in WW2 in what was then known as Dutch New Guinea. The images will speak for themselves - Lest We Forget. The West Papuan people's contribution to World War 2 has never been rightfully recognised nor honoured. In World War 2, thousands of Australian troops, along with many thousands of US and Dutch allies were stationed throughout West Papua as part of the South West Pacific Area of WW2. There appears to have been a special bond between the Australian soldiers and West Papuan people. West Papuans allied themselves especially with the Aussie soldiers. They helped Australian soldiers - found them water, food, hunted fish for them, helped build them shelters and airfields, made them canoes, guided them them through dense jungle, taught them how to use local weapons, helped them hunt Japanese soldiers and even taught some Aussie soldiers their language. There were many Australian soldiers killed in West Papua in WW2 along with US allies who were buried in graves, often dug out with the aid of West Papuan people themselves. Papuans were living in a fearful time of bombings and military assaults on their lands in a war that was not theirs. It is not known how many West Papuan civilians died as a result of WW2 between 1943 and 1945.
[individual's comment] "How easily we (Australia) have forgotten them and now do nothing to save them from the genocide wreaked on them by the Indonesians. Shame on Australia. Shame, shame, shame. As a nation, we owe Indonesia nothing, but we owe West Papua so, so much."
Read the "Lest We Forget!" campaign mission statement [https://archive.is/GG2KC].
* "Gnrs. D. K. Holmes and J. V. Esley with indigenous Papuans" (1945, Argus Newspaper)
* "Indigenous Dutch New Guineans, Kayas, riding on the back of Army truck" (1945, Argus Newspaper)
* (1944-04-11) [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/016834/]. Dutch New Guinea. West Papuan 'Henry' and Aussie 'Robert Wynne' of Victoria swap weapons - a Papuan made bow and arrow and an Australian made Owen machine gun. The Australian War memorial collection often refers to West Papuan people as 'kaya-kaya'. This is a Papuan 'Marind' word that means 'friend' and this word was adopted by Australian soldiers in WW2 to describe the Indigenous people of Papua - our friends.
* (1944-04-11) [https://archive.is/ww2G5]. Dutch New Guinea. Private 'Ted' Thorogood of Mackay, Queensland and Sergeant 'Vernon' Lindsey of Georgia, USA, explain to 'Siami' of West Papua how a field telephone works.
* (1944, Argus Newspaper Collection, State Library of Victoria) Dutch New Guinea. Such is the generous nature of the people of West Papua. An Indigenous West Papuan woman offers a banana to a hungry Australian soldier Gnr. H. M. Seymnour, Australian Armed Forces.
* (1945, Argus Newspaper Collection, State Library of Victoria) Dutch New Guinea. Papuan kids using an army telescope with R. Wynne from Victoria.
* (1944-08-28) [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/OG1573/] Noemfoor Island, Dutch New Guinea. West Papuan kids share a ride with Aussie soldiers on a captured Japanese motorbike. Two Papuan kids are wearing Aussie soldiers slouch hats. Soldiers are Australian RAAF Kittyhawk squadron Sergent H C Peck from Grafton NSW, Flight Sergeant G. Bellamy from Hornsby NSW and Sergent H. Skelton from Coonamble NSW.
MANY AUSSIE SOLDIERS WERE VERY YOUNG AND SCARED IN THE BLOODY WAR. WEST PAPUANS CARED FOR THEM LIKE FAMILY.
* " 'Hullo Aussie!' Friendly Native Tribes" (1944-04-04, The West Australian newspaper, Perth, WA) [https://archive.is/eesnx] [begin excerpt]: Wherever you go in Dutch New Guinea where Australians are stationed, no Kaya Kaya will ever pass you without a wave of the hand and a wide, toothy grin and cheery - Hullo Aussie! He is deeply hurt if you fail to acknowledge his greeting. This is one of the first impressions you get when you reach this country and it is a real tribute to the Australian soldiers' easy capacity for holding the friendship of the natives. The Kayas are an unusually sensitive people and the slightest offence given to one is spread by grapevine telegraph to the rest. Yet after more than a year here the Australians are still "bagus," by which a Kaya means "good fella," but the Japanese are "tida baik" (no good) to the Kayas who have been in contact with them. Always out at posts on the fringe of headhunting country [history note: by 1944, the custom of headhunting in the Island of Papua had almost disappeared yet remained a common theme in Australian media], Australian youths and Kayas are on even closer terms. They teach each other their language and Kaya children scramble to wait on them. They wash their clothes, clean their boots and bring them papaws, pineapples, bananas, yams and prawns from the rivers. They even follow them round to light their cigarettes with fire- sticks. Australians, who have been among tribes only half emerged from the headhunting stage, tell you they are a trustworthy and likable people. [end excerpt]
WEST PAPUAN PEOPLE WERE RELIED ON TO BUILD VITAL AUSTRALIAN RAAF INFRASTRUCTURE IN WORLD WAR II. West Papuan labour was used extensively by the Australian army in WW2, although no records have been found to date by our research supporting the claim in the photo caption that says West Papuan people received a monetary wage. We doubt there was any weekly wage paid. We have found references to West papuan people being 'employed' but no other reference to a monetary wage has yet surfaced.
* (1944-05-14, Sunday Times newspaper pg.1, Perth) [https://archive.is/h04WF]: Kaya Kaya natives in Dutch New Guinea sit down to dig a trench during construction of an airstrip. They are supervised by Australian troops. The Kaya Kaya can rarely be persuaded to shovel standing up.
* [https://archive.is/D3rYR]: Dutch New Guinea. 12 April 1944. Sapper Dick Cullen of Bundaberg, Qld, and a native 'boss-boy' supervise the building of vast drains to dry out swamp areas and make them habitable for troops. The Kaya-Kaya natives dig in the mud with sticks instead of shovels. Native labour is used extensively by the Army, and they are paid a weekly wage.
* (1944-05) [https://archive.is/JiaXz]. Dutch New Guinea. West Papuan civilians doing all the work - making an airstrip at a captured air base.
* (1945, Argus Newspaper Collection, State Library of Victoria) Dutch New Guinea. Also see: [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/017046/]
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research from the Committee for the Study of
HISTORY AND THE CURRENT CONTEXT
* "New World Order: The Founding Fathers" (2013-07) [https://archive.is/F7TNC], also see [http://firstworldwarhiddenhistory.wordpress.com/] [www.ww1hiddenhistory.co.uk/], [begin excerpt]: “One wintry afternoon in February 1891, three men were engaged in earnest conversation in London. From that conversation were to flow consequences of the greatest importance for the British Empire and to the world as a whole.”
So begins Professor Carroll Quigley’s book The Anglo American Establishment. It may read like a John Le Carre thriller, but this was no spy fiction. The three staunch British Imperialists who met in London that day, Cecil Rhodes, William Stead and Lord Esher, were soon joined by Lords Rothschild, Salisbury, Rosebery and Milner, men whose financial, political, and administrative powers set them apart. Some of these names may not be familiar to you, but that is a mark of the absolute success of this group. From the outset they insisted on secrecy, operated in secret and ensured that their influence was airbrushed from history. They believed that white men of Anglo-Saxon descent rightly sat at the top of the racial hierarchy and they fully understood the impending threat from a burgeoning Germany whose modern, expanding economy had begun to challenge British hegemony on the world stage.
The above named elites drew up a plan for a secret society that aimed to renew the bond between Great Britain and the United States and bring all habitable portions of the world under their influence and control. The U.S. had grown rapidly in self-esteem, wealth and opportunity since the declaration of independence in 1776, but Anglo-American connections remained strong and would embroil her in the long-term plan for one world government. The meeting in 1891 was, in effect, the birth of the New World Order cabal. [end excerpt]
* "A Secret London Treaty of April 26th, 1915 and Its Consequences" (2015-04-19, orientalreview.org) [https://archive.is/NYc6z]
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* "Holodomor cannot be termed genocide - PACE" (2010-04-28, rt.com) [https://archive.is/cvly2]
* "How reliable is Ukraine’s Holodomor history?" (2010-03-05, rt.com) [https://archive.is/j6HIf] [begin article]: The man who is in charge of the “historic providing” of Holodomor recognition - the great famine of the 1930s - has never gone into higher education. The news comes after the results of an ‘independent investigation” held by the Crimean police head and MP, Gennady Moskal, were announced by the Ukrainian Peoples’ Self-Defense movement press-service. Moskal has long been concerned with the biography of the country’s security service deputy head, Andrey Kislinsky, accusing him of trading in prostitution, but this time things have gone too badly and seriously for Kislinski. After a deputy’s enquiry, Moskal found out that Kislinsky – officially certified historian and professor of History – never graduated from the Kiev State University. More than that, he never even studied there, at least between 1994 and 2000 – the period Kislinsky was supposed to have been pounding the books. The University’s register boasts no student with such a name.
Moskal has demanded Ukraine’s government and the Prosecutor’s Office give their “assessment of Kislinsky’s using a fake document.” Kislinsky is now in charge of the Holodomor case, busy with discovering more and more proof of Moscow’s “genocide of the Ukrainian population.”
Meanwhile, it may turn out that Ukrainian claims have little to do with history. As quoted by the Russian Izvestia newspaper, Vladimir Kornilov of the Kiev branch of the Institute of CIS Countries has discovered why the official number of alleged Holodomor victims has significantly increased since the launch of Yushchenko’s campaign. According to Kornilov, the so-called “Book of Memory”, published in Ukraine’s regions, is full of falsifications. Instead of real victims of famine, one can find in the book alcoholics, different crash victims, and even those who weren’t alive in 1932-1933. [end article]
* "Rewriting Ukrainian history: truth or falsification?" (2009-04-03, rt.com) [https://archive.is/y0GWj] [begin excerpt]: The 1930s Holodomor famine claimed millions of lives across the Soviet Union. Ukraine has continuously stressed that it was a genocide inflicted by the Communist government in Moscow to wipe out its people.Now, attempts are being made to rewrite history to back up its claims.Andrey Merkulov is a deputy at Sevastopol’s city council. He describes how he found evidence that special services in his town were falsifying historical facts.“Here’s a photo by Dorothy Lang, shot in 1936 in Oklahoma. And here’s a photo by Fritof Nansen made in Russia’s Povolzhe region in 1921. But both of those pictures and other falsified photos were displayed at Sevastopol’s exhibition on the Ukrainian famine of 1932-1933,” Merkulov says, demonstrating aged photographs.
Andrey says that such contradictions are not limited to Sevastopol. What he and some media describe as a campaign to rewrite history has been present in Ukraine for several years now.Its goal, Merkulov says, is to accuse the Kremlin of wrongdoing backed by the highest echelons of power.“We go to the Ukrainian president’s official website. Click on the photo gallery. Click on public events. And we see this picture – Yushchenko looking at pictures of the Ukrainian famine of the 1930’s. But the picture he’s looking at is this one, also shot by Nansen in Russia’s Povolzhie region. It is written here: Famine in Russia.”Merkulov’s claims were backed by Ukraine’s national archive.“We have declassified all documents on the famine in Ukraine and there are only two genuine pictures from that time. The rest are very much distantly related and are not necessarily shot in Ukraine,” Olga Ginzburg the head of Ukraine’s State Archive told RT.This confession led to a formal apology by the SBU, Ukraine’s security service.“These pictures are not a part of our archive and were used by accident. There were four pictures which got there by accident,” Vladimir Vyatrovich from SBU archive explained.
In January 2009, the SBU, following Yushchenko’s decree, urged the national archives to declassify all documents related to repressions in Soviet times, but its head said that there was nothing to make public.Olga Ginzburg points out that the gesture was rather superfluous to begin with:“We have already declassified all documents long time ago. They have been studied for years.”The SBU lashed out at the archives for not doing their job, but some politicians see it as anger for failing to find evidence for an attack against Moscow.“There are no documents, proving that there was something like Kremlin’s genocide against Ukrainians. Simply because there was no genocide. And because there is a wish to portray Russia as Ukraine’s enemy. History is for scientists, but when special services try to deal with it, it leads to bad results,” says Vadim Kolesnichenko from the Party of Regions.
[end excerpt]
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UKGB once ruled 1/4 of the Earth as The British Empire, a global economic realm governed by holding companies based in the City of London, using public tax revenue to establish military and civil governments over hundreds of millions of people, and eventually was modified to become The British Commonwealth, which continued to serve as the basis for a global economic realm, but whose civil and military governments were decentralized and given "independence" under the UKGB Crown and economically dominated by the holding companies of the City of London.
The region of India, containing numerous nations, was part of the British Empire, but during the 1940s many nations united to end their status as dominated nations, and they succeeded... yet, somehow, the former British Dominion of India was held together under one government dominated by Jawaharlal Nehru, who kept it within the new British Commonwealth, and who was the lover of the wife of Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, see [https://archive.is/9giEz] and [https://archive.is/7aYDb]!
* "Jawaharlal Nehru Sold India's Independence" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlRFZPEoMUY]
* "Black truth of Indian Independence and Jawaharlal" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL7ZXXf8nAU]
* "Reality of Jawaharlal Nehru AND Fake Independence" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5NBeU-u1sU]
* "Netaji Vs Nehru: The Mysterious Death Of Subhas Chandra Bose" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jK22DJLPo0]
* Photo showing Nehru, in the center laughing, around the time he became leader of a united India. He is shown standing alongside Lord Mountbatten (the last Viceroy of India) and his wife.
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* "What the Example of the Soviet Union Shows" [https://archive.is/56vlJ]:
The writer traveled to the Soviet Union in April 1985, while the U.S.S.R. was still socialist. Moscow and Leningrad were visited with a two-week friendship society tour. It was like a pilgrimage for me—a trip to a land where the working class really was the ruling class.
Here was a country where the capitalists weren’t in charge. They had been expelled from power, driven out from government and the bureaucracy along with their stooges and hangers on. Their wealth, flowing from the ownership of factories and farms, had been seized. It was now the people’s property, administered by the socialist state, which used central planning to ensure that everyone’s needs were met.
Food, clothing, shelter—no one was wanting. Everyone was guaranteed a job. A job was a right. And if they couldn’t for whatever reason work, the government made sure people got an income. There were no landlords: Housing was made available to all. Paid vacations, relatively early retirements for both men and women, free education from kindergarten through graduate and professional school, it was in fact a veritable paradise for working people. Brand-new apartment buildings lined spotless boulevards on the outskirts of town. Bookstores were packed with people who had ample free time to develop themselves intellectually, unimpeded by the insecurity that exists throughout the capitalist countries of not knowing whether you will lose your job and with that the money needed to survive. There was no fear of losing your job. There were no money worries because food, housing, utilities, and other essentials were a human right unlike in the U.S. and the other capitalist countries. Protecting this all against the predatory capitalists of foreign nations (in particular the U.S.) who wanted to take it all away from the people was the mighty Red Army.
The Soviet Union generously and selflessly budgeted each year a significant portion of its own national income to fund other socialist and socialist-oriented countries in need of economic assistance. And it did so entirely in the spirit of mutual assistance, not because it took advantage of other nations economically, as imperialist countries do. It stood at the vanguard of the socialist countries, the national liberation movements, and the revolutionary working class of the entire world, because its deeds matched its words.
This society, a great socialist society, actually existed in the Soviet Union. Many of us alive today remember it, whether we personally went there or not. Its example serves as a beacon, like a lighthouse whose powerful illumination of clarifying theory and practice still guides the Communist parties of the world as they navigate around the shoals of the class struggle, charting paths to the revolution that will free us and for all from the capitalists.
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