"Hell on Earth": Guantanamo; Human Rights Groups on Vetrayal of Gaza
EconomicDemocracy Coop
A Somali man just released from Guantanamo described his time at the
US military prison as “hell on earth.” Mohamed Saleban Bare was one of
twelve Guantanamo prisoners released over the weekend. Bare told
Agence France Presse “Some of my colleagues in the prison lost their
sight, some lost their limbs and others ended up mentally disturbed.
I’m OK compared to them.” Bare was first detained in Pakistan and then
transferred to a series of US military prisons. He said, "At Bagram
and Kandahar, the situation was harsh, but when we were transferred to
Guantanamo the torture tactics changed. They use a kind of
psychological torture that kills you mentally.” The words of Mohamed
Saleban Bare.
Human Rights Groups: International Community Has Betrayed People of
Gaza
A group of sixteen human rights and humanitarian organizations have
accused the international community of betraying the people of Gaza by
failing to end the Israeli blockade. The report argues that Israel’s
blockade on Gaza is a form of “collective punishment.” Israeli
authorities have allowed only forty-one truckloads of construction
materials into Gaza since the end of its three-week invasion last
January. Thousands of such deliveries are needed to repair homes. The
report was released to coincide with the first anniversary of the
Israeli attack that killed more than 1,400 Palestinians.
Egypt Threatens to Block Gaza Freedom March
Egypt has rejected a request to allow international activists to cross
the border into Gaza later this week as part of the Gaza Freedom
March. Over 1,300 activists from forty-two countries are set to
participate in the march. In a statement organizers of the march said,
“Our efforts and plans will not be altered at this point. We have set
out to break the siege of Gaza and march on December 31 against the
Israeli blockade. We are continuing in the same direction.”
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/12/22/headlines#5
For more on the Freedom March, listen to voices which are almost
always blanked out by the maisntream/corporate media in the U.S. --
the Israeli peace movement. Stories on other aspects of the
"collective punishment" illegally and brutally carried out by the
Israeli government:
1)Water reached Palestinians - activists broke through army cordon
This Saturday morning, September 26, the IDF declared the area of the
Palestinian villages in the South Hebron Hills to be "a closed
military zone" in order to prevent the entry of a Water Convoy
organized by Israeli peace movements - but nevertheless, the activists
managed to break through the military cordon and pass the convoy as
planned. The Water Convoy included about a hundred activists who
arrived in buses from Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem as well as in private
cars and large water tankers carrying about 25 tons of water.
"The inhabitants of the South Hebron Hill are in a worse situation
than the rest of the West Bankers. They are not at all connected to
water pipes, the army is deliberately filling up their wells, and
their only way to obtain water by tankers arriving from far. Water,
therefore, is for them very expensive, 50 to 60 Shekels (US$16-19) per
cubic meter, as compared to some 4 shekel for an Israeli who gets it
delivered to his tap. And, these Palestinians already live below the
poverty line. Moreover, the army is making difficulties and
deliberately blocking roads in order to prevent arrival of the
tankers.
"In fact, we have here a deliberate effort to make life so difficult
so that they will leave the South Hebron Hills, making it possible to
annex the area to Israel "free of Arabs" - as is the declared desire
of the particularly aggressive and extremist settlers who have
established themselves throughout this area The Thirst Policy of the
government against the Palestinians in general and these South-
Hebroners in particular is highly despicable, racist and inhuman.
http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/events/1253993832/
2) More on the Gaza Freedom March specifically
What is the purpose of the Gaza Freedom March?
Dec. 27 will mark the first anniversary of the Israeli attack and
invasion of the Gaza Strip. And although the Israeli tanks have left,
the complete closure of the borders continues. The Gaza Freedom March
will show the residents of Gaza that the international community of
citizens has not forgotten them, and will call worldwide attention to
the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Through this effort and other
activities, we hope to force the leaders of our governments to tell
Israel “enough is enough; open the borders!”
How likely is the march to be successful in achieving its objectives,
since so many other demonstrations, etc. have not had an impact?
No one event or activity will end the siege of the Gaza Strip or the
Israeli occupation overall. However, we believe we are at a critical
juncture in global public opinion, with citizens and governments
becoming increasingly critical of Israeli policies. The tipping point,
when Israel is forced to open the borders and allow self-determination
for the Palestinians, is within reach. Thus, we are designing the
march and its accompanying activities to have maximum impact on
decision makers in the United States, Egypt, Israel and countries
around the world by: a) generating media coverage, b) educating
participants so they can spread the word in their home communities and
c) pressuring the countries that are enabling the collective
punishment of the citizens of the Gaza Strip.
Who are the organizers? Do they support/promote any particular
“solution” to the Israel/Palestine conflict?
The International Coalition to End the Illegal Siege of Gaza is an
umbrella group of individuals and organizations that share the goal of
bringing an end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip. Members and/or
endorsers include groups such as CODEPINK: Women for Peace, Fellowship
of Reconciliation, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East,
and Medical Aid for Palestine. Individual endorsers include author
Alice Walker, Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire and Dr. Patch
Adams. For a complete list, visit here.
The coalition is non-partisan and does not take any stand for or
against any political party or “solution” to the overall conflict
between Israelis and Palestinians. These issues are for the people of
Palestine to decide.
Are there any celebrities or other “notables” who will be
participating in the march?
We have an illustrious roster of endorsers to date – including Howard
Zinn, Gore Vidal, Arun Gandhi, Naomi Klein, Syrian actor Duraid Lahham
and (Finnish filmmaker) Aki Kaurismaki – and we are expecting many
more to sign on. We are encouraging as many of them as possible to
join us in the Gaza Strip. Definitely committed to marching so far are
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Alice Walker; Syrian actor Duraid
Lahham; MAP (Ministere des Affaires Populaires), a popular French
band; activist and former Japanese ambassador to Lebanon Naoto Amaki
(who will be leading a delegation of eight); and Walden Bello,
novelist, activist and member of the Philippine National Assembly.
On the morning of Dec. 31, an estimated 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza
will join with the international delegation to participate in a rally
and 5-km (3-mile) march from Iazbat Abu Drabo -- a community in which
nearly every building was destroyed, including several houses with
civilians still inside -- to the Erez border crossing into Israel (or
as close to it as we are allowed without tempting violence in
response). The rally will feature hip hop music (including a song
written especially for the march) and commentary on the impact of the
siege by farmers, fishermen, merchants and others. Upon reaching Erez
crossing, balloons, kites and/or flags will be flown to express
solidarity with Palestinians and Israeli peace activists on the other
side.
http://www.gazafreedommarch.org/article.php?id=5061#1
What exactly will occur in this march?
Stan de SD
wrote:
> “Hell on Earth”: Released Somali Man on Guantanamo
>
> A Somali man just released from Guantanamo described his time at the
> US military prison as “hell on earth.”
Hopefully that will teach him not to hang around with Islamokook
terrorists next time.