Posts from — July 2011

Bahrain Regime Thugs to attack Peaceful Protesters next to released Mohammed Al Buflasa Home.
iReport – CNN 25 July, 2011

Bahrain faces a serious development in events at the first night the “International Committee” (to investigate human right violations) announced its kickoff in a press conference.

In the evening of 24th of July, the government released the first detainee in the protests that kicked off in Bahrain back in 14th February. A sunni protester, Mr, Mohammed Al Buflasa, who was kidnapped in the 17th of February just 2 nights after the protests started. Mohammed is an ex. military member who resigned few years back. He has ran for Parliment Elections before.

Al Buflasa was senteced for 3 months in jail, though he has not been released as his sentence ended. He has been prisoned in multiple locations as many unconfirmed reports, and for some time in solitary confienment. Many reports spread throughout his period in jail that he has been severly tortured.

A week ago, many unconfirmed reports were raising concerns that he had suicidal thoughts in prison.

Al Buflasa has grown up as a hero as he symbolizes that the protests in Bahrain are not sectarian driven. His name would be chanted alongside with a popular slogan “Brothers Sunni and Shia, this Land is not for Sale” in almost every gathering or a protest the pro-democracy would plan.

At the night of his released he was received in a huge crowd cheering him up and raising victory signs as he arrived home. He gave a brief speech from the roof of his home.

Moments later thugs led by an ex. MP (Mohammed Khalid – A pro-Government) carrying spades, swords, bongs and knives rallied towards the crowd cheering Al Buflasa. Many reports about serious injuries, nothing confirmed yet. Roads towards that location are blocked at the moment. Many reported seeing Ambulances rushing towards that area. Heavy tear gas was used to disperse the crowd next to Al Buflasa home (Pro-Democracy crowd).

Bahrain is the home of the US Navy Fifth Fleet, and a strategic alliance with US Government. …source

Lethal Non-Lethal Weapons: The Deadly Effects of Tear Gas in Bahrain
By marcowenjones On July 22, 2011

Tear gas, or CS gas, has become part of the daily diet of many Bahrainis who continue to take to the streets in pursuit of their democratic struggle. The use of this so-called ‘non-lethal’ crowd control weapon has become increasingly controversial, not least because it has potentially resulted in the death of 6 Bahrainis, including 6-year-old Mohammed Farhan. More recently, however, it is believed by many to have been responsible for the death of 47-year-old mother-of-two Zainab Juma, who died last Friday following demonstrations in Sitra. If we include the death of Ahmed Farhan, who was apparently killed when a stun grenade exploded right next to his head, then about one in six people have so far died in Bahrain as a result of these ‘non-lethal’ weapons. It makes sense then to explore the nature of these weapons, who sells them, who is affected by them, and how ‘ non-lethal’ they really are.

Who has died?

Of the approximately 40 people who have died so far, the following are thought to have died from tear gas inhalation; Zainab Hassan al-Juma (47) , Sayad Adnan Sayed Hassan (44), Zainab al-Tajer, Mohammed Farhan (6), Isa Mohammed Ali Abdulla (71) & Khadija Mirza Al-Abdulhai (50). Here we can see that those killed by tear gas are not just the very young or the very old. Indeed, tear gas seems to be responsible for the death of people of all ages and both sexes. I’ll stop short of saying it affects all demographics, since I think it is safe to say that most of the dead are neither the rich nor the privileged. So why is a supposedly ‘non-lethal’ technology so deadly. Well there are a number of reasons – including the misuse of tear gas, the fact that tear gas manufacturers have a poor quality control system, the variable concentrations used by different companies and also the fact that CS (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile) is a potentially lethal chemical.

Misuse

While CS is itself a deadly chemical, it is made more deadly when those who use it are either poorly trained, incompetent, or malicious. Indeed ‘the notion that such chemical irritants are nonlethal
is based on an assumption that they are used in accordance with manufacturers instructions and not in enclosed space (1)‘. While there is considerable evidence that security personnel in Bahrain do not use it properly, it was most striking last Friday when a riot officer was seen throwing a tear gas grenade into a house and onto its roof, something which directly contradicts the manufacturers guidelines. While it is hard to tell exactly what make that particulary grenade was, it would be safe to say it was either a Triple Chaser manufactured by Defense Technology/Federal Labs, or the Triple Action CS grenade sold by the ironically named ‘NonLethal Technologies‘. Incidentally, a Triple Chaser (so called because it breaks into three pieces when used) was thrown into the compound of Nabeel Rajab – Bahrain’s outspoken human rights activist. Footage of the effects of tear gas in Bahrain can be seen in this video, which shows a woman choking after it was fired into the narrow, enclosed streets of Jidhafs. Another video appears to show someone collapse after a sound bomb exploded right next to him.
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Defense tip – vulnerable windows can be protected with “mesh wire”

To protect your eyes and lungs from tear gas, get a gas mask with shatter-proof lenses. US M17 masks are good. Less obvious and cheaper than a gas mask is a bandana soaked in vinegar – or even carrying around a fresh lime with a hole in it so you can re-soak your banana in lime juice! Always have back-up and pre-soaked bandanas in a zip-lock bag. Just apply it to your mouth to breathe through when tear-gas starts coming at you.If you want to have armor of some type for defense, you can do-it-yourself.

An outer hard layer of cardboard or plastic with a soft inner shell of foam works well,bonded with duct-tape. However, it most important to cover your most easily damaged parts – your joints and necks. Joints can be covered in foam and then duck tape, and with padded gloves to defend your fingers. A rubber glove over the top of that will allow you to pick up hot tear gas canisters and throw them back.

Your neck can be defended in the back some hard shell that is connected to a helmet, or a scarf. Your head is definitely you’re the part of your body that needs the most
defense. Bicycle helmets are light but don’t protect the back of your head or face, so something like a football helmet (mask removed) or motorcycle helmet works well. Hardhats and hockey masks are cheaper – just make sure to attach with sturdy elastic.

Marching Tactics

Marches should have a clear starting point and an ending point. Marches can also be used as launches for more sketchy activity such as “break-away marches” to commence some direct action or Reclaim the Streets. Marches usually require tough banners, and these banners can be some of your best defense against police assaults while giving your march cohesion. Banners can be tough if they are made out of vinyl, not cloth or paper – and should be painted well in advance so the paint is dry. Banners linked with thick PVC piping (of at least in inch thickness on the top), available from any hardware store, can provide backbone that won’t break easily under police assault. PVC piping can be segmented and combined with various types of joints to make open square banners also. Tall banners (with eye slits or scouts) will defend you against projectiles such as rubber bullets but lower ones allow you to see where you’re going. Banners on the side are also important to protect the
flank, and since the police usually also come from behind back banners or puppets are useful. Flags with PVC poles also work well, and can be used defensively to poke the toes of oncoming opponents. Use banners to defend yourself against cops and their chemical attacks! …source Action Direct Manual – Sections HERE

Protection Against Riot Control Agents(RCA)

* Dispose of contaminated clothing properly.

* Riot control agents can sometimes cause severe respiratory distress in those with asthma. If you are asthmatic, you should let your companions know before riot control agents are released so that they can administer treatment and help you to safety. The use of asthma medications such as inhalers can help alleviate breathing difficulties resulting from exposure.

* Turn parts of the body that have been exposed to RCAs toward the wind (as long as you are upwind of the point of release). The wind will help carry the chemicals away from your body.

* Wash your body with castille soap before potential exposure to RCAs.

* If you want to keep clothes that have been exposed, seal them in a plastic bag and wash them with detergent in hot water. Always wash contaminated clothing separate from other clothes. Hang them outside to let them air out for 2 or 3 days before wearing again.

* If skin blistering occurs, treat as you would a second-degree burn. For relief of persistent skin symptoms, apply calamine lotion, Burows solution, colloidal oatmeal, or a topical corticosteroid.

* If you use a vinegar-soaked cloth in place of a gas mask, you may want to use it over a dust mask, since inhaling the vinegar fumes can be unpleasant.

* If pain in the throat makes breathing difficult, gargle with water. Spit out the water–do not swallow it. Do this only if you are able to do so without choking.

* In the event of a terrorist attack or military strike in which toxic chemicals are released, it is important to determine which chemicals have been used. While riot control agents are heavier than air, some other, more toxic, gases–hydrogen cyanide, for example–are lighter than air. Furthermore, the methods of treatment vary considerably depending on what chemicals the victims have been exposed to.

* Some people develop a heightened sensitivity to tear gas after one exposure, so that if they are exposed again, more serious health problems may result.

* If temporary blindness or impaired vision develops be careful moving about. Your natural instinct will be to run away as fast as you can, but if you can’t see clearly, you may injure yourself running into traffic or a stationary object.

* The mass panic that results in a group of people exposed to riot control agents can cause a dangerous stampede. Be careful not to lose your footing, or you may be trampled, especially since others may be partially blinded.

* If you are wearing a gas mask, make sure you know how to remove it quickly. If you are exposed to RCAs before you put your mask on, or if your mask is not functioning properly, you may vomit, and if you can’t get your gas mask off you could choke.

* Extended exposure to high concentrations of RCAs, such as that which may occur if they are released indoors, may cause long-term respiratory problems or death.

* Avoid touching exposed materials. Wear rubber gloves to handle contaminated clothes or when assisting an RCA victim.
…source

Police Tactics and How To Defeat Them
The local, state and federal governments have unlimited tax dollars to use to control crowds at demonstrations and insurrections. We must develop ways to combat these technologies, and although we are in reality in a fight against technology, it would be naive to think we can use spears against these maniacs. Therefore, we need to find ways to eliminate police tactics. The following information are some common used tactics and best effective ways to beat them.

Riot Cop Gear and Equipment
To crush protests, police departments all over the world have invented countless methods. Some are new, others only adaptations of battle tactics from the ancient times. Just as importantly, new and much improved equipment has been issued to riot police squads, making them nearly unstoppable. On the right you can see how a regular American riot cop looked like at Seattle. In most European countries, similar equipment is used, although full body armor is not standard yet, therefore Plexiglas shields are used.

Much like a renaissance knight, a modern riot cop is wearing full body armor, heavy boots and a large helmet completely encasing the head and neck. He is practically invulnerable even to the hardest punches and kicks, as well as moderately protected against fire. Armed with a long baton and those killer boots, he can attack aggressively and efficiently.

What makes such a riot cop really effective, though, is constant radio communication. As you can see from the picture, each cop has two radio sets, one in the helmet and another for backup. This allows the riot police to coordinate their moves and sweep the streets with ease. If extra firepower is necessary, they can fire tear gas, rubber bullets or even deploy armored vehicles and water cannons.

Police Tactics and Their Defeat

Anyone with some knowledge of history can clearly see that most crowd control tactics are simply copied from ancient warfare. Riot police fight much like a Macedonian phalanx would back in 330 BC. There are adaptations, of course, but the basic concept is the same, meaning that similar countermeasures that had caused the demise of the phalanx as a military unit would have a similar effect if deployed nowadays against the police.

Most of the time, riot police are deployed in a long line formation, usually standing in front of important buildings or blocking streets. When these line formations are present, they are usually just one man deep, especially when they stand to protect property (see picture). These line formations only work when each officer is standing side by side to eachother. When dealing with narrow paths and small sidewalks, large obstacles (barricades) will split these line formations and cause their entire formation to fall apart.
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Tear Gas Self Protection and Decontamination

The first thing to remember about exposure to these chemical weapons is that it is not the worst thing that could happen to you. The hype and fear surrounding them is enormous, but in reality, if you are careful and smart, you should survive it with little problem. This information is the result of conversations with experts and prior experience.

1. How They Are Deployed:

Tear gas and pepper spray can be sprayed from small hand-held dispensers or large fire-extinguisher size tanks. Pepper spray also comes in plastic projectiles which are fired at the chest to knock the wind out of a person, who then takes a deep breath of pepper from the burst projectile. Tear gas is most commonly deployed via canisters, which are fired into crowds, sometimes directly at people. It’s important that you know not to pick up the canisters without gloves as they are extremely hot. Be aware that the time it takes you to throw it will allow you to be heavily exposed.

2. How They Affect Humans:

Both tear gas and pepper spray are skin irritants, causing burning pain and excess drainage from eyes, nose, mouth and breathing passages. Pepper spray is more popular with authorities as an agent of control because of its immediate pain-causing qualities. It is harder to remove from the skin and has the capacity to cause first degree burns.

If you are exposed to either tear gas or pepper spray, you may experience:

* Stinging, burning in your eyes, nose, mouth and skin
* Excessive tearing, causing your vision to blur
* Runny nose
* Increased salivation
* Coughing and difficulty breathing
* Disorientation, confusion and sometimes panic
* Intense anger from pepper spray exposure is a common response; this can be useful if you are prepared for it and are able to focus it towards recovery and returning to the action. Channel your anger, release it from your system, avoid holding it in.

The good news is that the above effects are temporary.

Discomfort from tear gas usually disappears after 5-30 minutes, while the worst pepper spray discomfort may take 20 minutes to 2 hours to subside. The effects of both diminish sooner with treatment. Because pepper spray penetrates to the nerve endings, its effects may last for hours after removal from the skin.

3. Avoid Inaccurate & Dangerous Treatment Myths:

There are many myths about treatment and prevention. Much of this misinformation is potentially dangerous. Some of it, if applied, could greatly increase or prolong a person’s reaction to exposure, or at the very least provide a false sense of security.

4. When to Prevent Exposure:
For most healthy people, the effects of tear gas and pepper spray are temporary. However, for some people the effects can be long-lasting and life-threatening.

People with the conditions listed below should be aware of these risks and may want to try and avoid exposure. Please be aware that in intense actions such as police behavior can be unpredictable, and avoidance is not always possible. Those with the following health conditions should avoid entering crowds where there is risk of exposure to these substances.
Conditions:

* Folks with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, emphysema, etc. risk exacerbation, or permanent damage if exposed.
* Vulnerable people such as infants, the elderly, and the immune compromised, risk intensified and possibly life-threatening responses.
* Anyone with chronic health conditions or those on medications that weaken the immune system, (ie: chemotherapy, Lupus, HIV, radiation, or long-term corticosteroids such as prednisone) risk exacerbation of illness, intensified response and possible delayed recovery.
* Women who are or could be pregnant, or who are trying to get pregnant, may be at risk of spontaneous abortion, or increased risk of birth defects.
* Nursing mothers risk passing toxins on to their infant.
* Folks with skin conditions (ie: severe acne, psoriasis, or eczema) and eye conditions (i.e.: conjunctivitis or uveitis) risk an intensified response.
* People wearing contact lenses may experience increased eye irritation and damage due to chemicals being trapped under the lenses.

5. Protection:

* Avoid the use of oils, lotions and detergents because they can trap the chemicals and thereby prolong exposure. Wash your clothes, your hair and your skin beforehand in a detergent-free and unscented soap.
* We recommend using a water or alcohol-based sunscreen (rather than oil-based). If your choice is between oil-based or nothing, we advocate using the sunscreen. Getting pepper sprayed on top of a sunburn is not fun.
* We also recommend minimizing skin exposure by covering up as much as possible. This can also protect you from the sun, as can a big hat, baseball cap or bandana.
* Gas masks provide the best facial protection, if properly fitted and sealed. Alternatively, swimming goggles (with shatter-proof lenses), respirators, even a wet bandana soaked in vinegar over the nose and mouth will help.

6. What to DoWhen Exposed:

* STAY CALM. Panicking increases the irritation. Breathe slowly and remember it is only temporary. Educate yourself prior to going out, to know what to expect, and thereby reduce the likelihood of panicking.
* If you see it coming or get a warning, put on protective gear, if able, try to move away or get upwind.
* Blow your nose, rinse your mouth, cough and spit repeatedly. AVOID SWALLOING.
* If you wear contacts, try to remove the lenses or get someone to remove them for you, with CLEAN, uncontaminated fingers. AVOID WEARING CONTACT LENSES BEFORE GOING OUT.
* DO NOT RUB IT IN.
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Lawyers file ICC lawsuit over Bahrain
shiapost | July 22, 2011

A group of international lawyers have officially filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against the Bahraini regime for its violent crackdowns on peaceful anti-government protesters.

In the complaint that was filed on Wednesday, the lawyers have described the Manama regime’s systematic killing of peaceful protesters in the Persian Gulf country as a clear crime against humanity, a Press TV correspondent reported.

The group called on the ICC to deal with rights violation in Bahrain in a similar fashion as the international body did in the case of Libya.

The ICC recently issued arrest warrants for the Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi and his top aides, accusing them of committing crimes against humanity.

The complaint came as the Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on the same day condemning the Al Khalifa regime’s brutality, stressing, however, that the regime does not take international condemnation seriously.

Since mid-February, thousands of anti-government protesters have been waging protest rallies in Bahrain, demanding an end to the Al Khalifa dynasty.

In mid-March, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates deployed their military forces in Bahrain to assist the Manama regime in its brutal crackdown on popular anti-government protests.

Scores of protesters have been killed — many under torture — and numerous others detained and transferred to unknown locations during the regime’s brutal onslaught on protesters. …more

KSA deploys more troops in Bahrain
shiapost | July 23, 2011

Saudi Arabian troops in Bahrain (file photo)

Saudi Arabia has deployed more forces in Bahrain in an attempt to further help King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s crackdown on anti-government demonstrators.

The convoy of the Saudi armored vehicles arrived to the crisis-hit Bahrain on Saturday, Rasad News reported.

Meanwhile, a new footage has emerged showing the Al Khalifa regime’s continuing its brutal crackdown on the demonstrators.

The anti-regime protesters have been rallying in Bahrain since mid-February, demanding an end to the Al Khalifa dynasty, which has ruled the Persian Gulf country for over 40 years.

In mid-March, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates deployed their first batch of military forces to the Sheikhdom.

Scores of protesters have been killed — many under torture — and numerous others detained and transferred to unknown locations during the regime’s brutal onslaught on protesters.

Manama rulers have even engaged in arresting rights activists, opposition figures, journalists, former lawmakers, senior clerics, doctors and nurses.

According to Bahrain Center for Human Rights, a non-governmental organization, there are currently over 1,000 political detainees inside the country.

Additionally, both the United Nations Human Rights office and Amnesty International have criticized the Al Khalifa regime for its violations of international law by brutally cracking down on peaceful protesters and activists.

Bahraini activists say their protest campaign will continue until the nation’s demands are met. ..source

Iran hopes for end to ‘misunderstandings’
AFP/Tehran

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said yesterday that he hoped “misunderstandings” with Saudi Arabia could be resolved after a war of words erupted over its military intervention in Bahrain. Saleh said that Iran respected the sovereignty of Bahrain and hoped that a national dialogue launched by King Hamad after the March crackdown on Shia-led protests would bear fruit.

“We have no particular problem with Saudi Arabia and we regard it as an important country in the region that has influence in international affairs,” Salehi said in an interview with the official Irna news agency. “We have had friendly relations with Saudi Arabia for a long time. After recent events in the region there were differences of analysis and interpretation,” he said without elaborating. “I believe these misunderstandings can be resolved. I hope that we will find an acceptable way to continue consultations between our two countries.”

Salehi’s overture to Saudi Arabia came after a sharp downturn in relations in the months since Saudi-led troops intervened to help Bahrain put down the protests. Several Iranian officials and Shia clerics have spoken out against the intervention, drawing an angry response from Gulf Arab states.

Salehi inisted that Iran “respects the national sovereignty and independence of Bahrain and wants peace, stability and security in Bahrain.” “We think that the Bahrain issue needs to be settled between Bahrainis,” he said. “We have political relations with the government of Bahrain and we regard as positive the decision by the king of Bahrain to launch a dialogue with the people. We hope that this dialogue will allow a solution to be found.”

Iran received a formal protest note from the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) on Monday after senior Iranian cleric Ayatollah Ahmed Janati used a sermon at the main weekly prayers in Tehran on July 8 to criticise the Bahrain crackdown and dismiss the dialogue as a “ploy.”

Janati said that the protesters in Bahrain had done nothing more than call for “one person, one vote,” and hit out at the prosecution of doctors and academics for their part in the protests. GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Zayani said Janati’s comments were “provocative and false,” and constituted “blatant and unacceptable interference” in Bahrain’s internal affairs.

In a major blow to the national dialogue, Bahrain’s main Shia opposition bloc, the Islamic National Accord Association (Al Wefaq), which took a majority of the vote in the last parliamentary elections, announced on Sunday that it was pulling out, saying the talks were not aimed at achieving serious results. …more

Bahrain and Human Rights
By Anthony Newkirk, July 22, 2011

It is becoming painfully obvious that the United States is hostile to the “Arab Spring.” In Egypt, U.S. military aid programs remain in force, and in Yemen a “secret” U.S. war may be in the offing. In the United Arab Emirates plans may be afoot to develop a for-profit rapid reaction force (to crackdown, surely, on UAE citizens for “publicly insulting” their leader). The U.S. government continues to support the Israeli blockade of Gaza. But perhaps the quintessential example of U.S. reactionary policy is in the tiny Kingdom of Bahrain.

July 1 marked the beginning of a “National Dialogue” in Bahrain that King Hamad Isa bin Al Khalifa called to promote reconciliation in his strife-torn land. But it is unclear what the point of the National Dialogue is when the king is also attempting to silence Bahraini civil society. The country’s ongoing domestic conflict between an unpopular Sunni elite and a Shia majority came to a boil in February when mostly Shia Bahrainis began protesting against long-standing discrimination. The ruling family offers the pretext that over half of the country’s 500,000 citizens are under the thrall of Shia Iran. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been proclaiming that the United States will stand up for human rights in Bahrain and also ensure its status as a “major non-NATO ally.”
Send in the Marines

On March 16, one month after the demonstrations began, King Hamad imposed martial law and police attacked Pearl Roundabout, where most of the protesters were camped out. Two days earlier, at least 1,000 Saudi troops and 500 UAE police attached to the Peninsula Shield Force (PSF) entered Bahrain. Although part of the occupation force may have already left Bahrain after the official end of martial law last month, the PSF presence in Bahrain may last long-term in order to “protect its borders.”

A report recently issued by Human Rights Watch (HRW) details ongoing human rights violations, including torture, disappearances, and a systemic crackdown on the majority Shia. Such matters should be of grave concern to the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, which officially plays a key role in formulating U.S. human rights policy.

But the Obama administration sees the situation quite differently, regardless of Secretary of State Clinton’s statements about human rights and administration declarations about “the rule of law.” In this case, actions are a much more dependable guide to U.S. policy. On March 1, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps General James F. Amos informed the House Armed Services Committee that a Marine Expeditionary Brigade headquarters for operations in the Middle East and Africa had already been established in Bahrain. Both former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen visited Bahrain amid the protests. Bahrain, of course, hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet and is the naval headquarters of U.S. Central Command.

The administration’s actions suggest that it is closer to the perspective of such private sector representatives as S. Rob Sobhani, president of Caspian Energy Consulting. Sobhani, a member of the right-wing Committee on the Present Danger reconstituted in 2004, has characterized King Hamad as a “thoughtful and progressive leader” committed to “economic growth” and “stability.” …more

UK parliamentary panel calls for ‘end to torture and politically motivated arrests’ in Bahrain
Wednesday, 20 July 2011 – By RAY MOSELEY – Al Arabiya

A British parliamentary committee called on Wednesday for immediate action to ensure an end to torture and politically motivated detentions in Bahrain and accused Iraq of widespread human rights abuses, including torture and poor conditions in prisons.

The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee also said it plans to launch in inquiry in the autumn concerning aspects of British foreign policy and the Arab Spring.

In a report on human rights around the world, the committee said events of the Arab Spring should remind the Foreign Office that there are risks for the United Kingdom in failing to take a stronger and more consistent stance against rights violations by foreign regimes.

It said the committee was less confident than the Foreign Office that there is little conflict between Britain’s simultaneous pursuit of commercial interests and improved human rights standards abroad.

The Foreign Office, it recommended, should take a more robust and consistent position on human rights violations in the Middle East and North Africa. It said the Foreign Office should have treated Bahrain as a “country of concern” in its 2010 annual human rights report.

The committee welcomed the Bahrain government’s establishment of a commission to investigate recent events involving protestors but said: “We remain concerned that immediate action is needed to ensure an end to torture and politically motivated detentions.”

Human rights, it said, should be at the heart of Foreign Office work in implementing its so-called Arab Partnership program. The government recently announced a four-year, £110 million partnership fund to support political reforms, give economic aid and carry out public finance reforms. …more

The Criminalization of Palestinian Solidarity Activism by the US, Israel
By: Kevin Gosztola Friday July 15, 2011 5:50 pm

Earlier in the week, it was reported that Israel passed a law punishing people who advocate for a boycott of the settlements. The law is definitely not only a blow to freedom of speech in Israel but also another act of repression against Palestinian solidarity activism in Israel.

Also, this week the Committee to Stop FBI Repression put out a statement in solidarity with activists who have engaged in flotillas to Gaza. The group of antiwar and international solidarity activists, who have each been subpoenaed by the FBI to appear before a grand jury over the past months, all for exercising their civil liberties, condemned the State Department for seeking to make delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians a crime. They called out the State Department for “threatening arrests, trials, and lengthy prison sentences for Americans on board the solidarity boat named, “The Audacity of Hope.”

I spoke with Maureen Murphy, a journalist and Palestinian solidarity activist who has done work for Electronic Intifada. You can follow her on Twitter @maureen_70. First Part of Interview with Maureen Murphy

KEVIN GOSZTOLA: Israel has passed a law to punish those who are boycotting the settlements. I was wondering if you could provide some background and reactions to this development and what you think this means for people seeking to engage in Palestinian solidarity activism in Israel.

MAUREEN MURPHY: It’s worth putting this piece of legislation into the general context of the series of really draconian and politically motivated legislation that has been passed by the Knesset or is under consideration. Earlier this year, the Nakba law was passed, which basically penalized groups that observe a day of mourning regarding the establishment of the state of Israel, and that’s a direct attack on the Palestinian community.

There’s a bill that I think is still under consideration called the loyalty oath bill that will require civil society groups and individuals wishing to gain Israeli citizenship to pledge allegiance to the Jewish and democratic state. And then, there’s been a number of laws that are intended to dictate the curriculum that are used in Palestinian schools in Israel. So there’s a heightened and escalated number of laws that are being used to, one, attack the Palestinian community in Israel and, two, to penalize Israeli civil society, especially human rights groups which assisted with the UN fact-finding mission (better known as “The Goldstone Report”).

There’s been a number of these kinds of laws and, instead of allowing civil society to operate, with this new law, the boycott law, it’s effectively preventing civil society from holding the government accountable to international law. And it provides protection for the whole settlement project in the occupied West Bank by preventing people from being able to speak out about it and by muzzling and critics and human rights groups that document the settlement project in the West Bank.

I think it’s also worth noting that Israel has actively prevented or tried to prevent ties of direct solidarity between Israeli activists and Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip by making it illegal for Israeli citizen to enter certain parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. And, it’s also for years turned away and deported international solidarity activists or even people working for international development agencies or civil society groups, to prevent them from accessing and build relationships with Palestinians and outside observers from witnessing what’s happening on the ground. …more

…photo source and more photos

Explosion has rocked government HQ in Oslo, several injured
By Associated Press, Updated: Friday, July 22, 8:36 AM

OSLO, Norway — A loud explosion shattered windows Friday at the government headquarters in Oslo which includes the prime minister’s office, injuring several people.

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg is safe, government spokeswoman Camilla Ryste told The Associated Press. There was no immediate word on the cause of the blast

Witness Ole Tommy Pedersen was standing at a bus stop about 100 meters (yards) from the high-rise at around 3:30 p.m. (1330 GMT) when he saw the blast shatter almost all windows of the 20-floor highrise. He said a cloud of smoke is billowing from the bottom floors.

“I saw three or four injured people being carried out of the building a few minutes later,” Pedersen told The Associated Press.

Video shown by Norwegian broadcaster NRK showed most of the windows of the building had been blown out. The bottom floor appeared to be completely gutted. Shattered glass and debris littered a square in front of the building.

Nearby offices were evacuated including those housing some of Norway’s leading newspapers and news agency NTB. Some of them were also damaged.

An AP reporter who was in the NTB office said the building shook from the blast and all employees evacuated the building as the alarm went off. Down at the street he saw one person with a bleeding leg being led away from the area.

The government building houses the prime minister’s office and his administration. Several ministries are in surrounding buildings.

The blast comes as the Scandinavian country has grappled with a series of homegrown terror plots linked to al-Qaida, and six years after an uproar over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in neighboring Denmark.

Last week, a Norwegian prosecutor filed terror charges against an Iraqi-born cleric for threatening Norwegian politicians with death if he’s deported from the Nordic country.

The indictment centered on statements that Mullah Krekar — the founder of the Kurdish Islamist group Ansar al-Islam — made to various media, including American network NBC.

Danish authorities say they have foiled several terror plots linked to the 2005 newspaper cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that triggered protests in Muslim countries.

Last month, a Danish appeals court on Wednesday sentenced a Somali man to 10 years in prison for breaking into the home of a cartoonist who caricatured the Prophet Muhammad. …source

New cabinet sworn in amid protests
By RFI

New ministers in a sweeping reshuffle of Egypt’s cabinet took their oaths in front of the country’s military ruler on Thursday, as the prime minister sought to appease protestors over the pace of reform.

Roughly half of the ministers in the reshuffled cabinet are new.

The new team was meant to take office on Monday but the ceremony was delayed amid wrangling which led to Prime Minister Essam Sharaf’s brief hospitalisation with exhaustion.

Sharaf had hoped the new cabinet would mollify activists who have been camped out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square since 8 July, but they have rejected the new line-up, which retains several ministers they want sacked.

According to a list published on MENA, the official news agency, several controversial ministers kept their posts, including two appointed under ousted president Hosni Mubarak.

The protesters wanted Sharaf to replace Justice Minister Abdel Aziz al-Gindi, whom they accused of delaying trials of former regime officials, including Mubarak himself.

Activists have called for a mass demonstration on Friday, dubbing it the “Decisive Friday”, while hardline Islamist groups say they are organising a counter-demonstration for “stability.”

It will be the second cabinet to take office in the face of protests since a nationwide revolt overthrew Mubarak in February. …more

Bahraini Unrest Stirs Unease in Washington – by Stephen Lendman

After months of ruling Al Khalifa family crackdowns against nonviolent protesters, political opponents, human rights activists, medical professionals, independent journalists, and others wanting democratic change, reports suggest Washington may move its Fifth Fleet elsewhere.

According to the Australian and London Times, “Sources in Washington and the Gulf confirm (a) growing consensus” around the idea of relocating away from Bahrain because of unease over violence and instability.

On July 21, Hugh Tomlinson said:

“Politicians in Washington are concerned the navy’s continued presence a few kilometres from the centre of the capital Manama lends tacit support to Bahrain’s suppression of the opposition, amid allegations of systematic human rights abuses.”

Other concerns are that violence and instability may compromise base security. According to one source:

“There was talk on Capitol Hill about moving the fleet within days of the protests breaking out, and that increased in March and April as people realized that what was happening in Bahrain ran counter to our interests.”

In mid-March, however, Obama backed Saudi troops invading Bahrain guns blazing, attacking peaceful protesters, arresting opposition leaders and activists, occupying the country, denying wounded men and women medical treatment, and enforcing Al Khalifa family imposed martial law.

Earlier, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Bahraini human rights “deteriorated sharply in the latter half of 2010” with around 250 government critics detained and tortured, including 25 prominent activists. In addition, opposition publications and web sites were shut down, after months of street protests.

Moreover, a February 2010 HRW report concluded that from 2007 – 2009, authorities tortured and abused security suspects during interrogations. Officials denied the findings, but conducted no criminal investigations nor ordered disciplinary measures against alleged perpetrators. …more

Why Egypt Ditched the IMF
As Egyptians continue their struggle for social justice and full democracy, there’s one institution they don’t want involved: the International Monetary Fund.
Document Actions – by Mark Engler – posted Jul 15, 2011

On Friday, crowds of protesters returned to Cairo’s Tahrir Square, with independent trade unions calling for the country’s yet-unfinished revolution to continue. The unionists, according to Ahram Online, “stressed the need to achieve social justice, the prosecution of all corrupt figures of the old regime, and the establishment of a full democracy.”

That activists are keeping up street pressure for democratic reforms is a positive sign. And it follows on the heels of another one: the recent, surprise decision by the country’s interim leaders to spurn the International Monetary Fund. IMF economic “guidance” is not new to Egypt, but a hallmark of the Mubarak dictatorship. It is to their credit that Egyptians have thus far chosen to break with this past.

In late June, the BBC reported, “Egypt drop[ped] plans for [an] IMF loan amid popular distrust.” Despite the IMF’s insistence that it was offering financing on favorable terms, the story noted, “many Egyptians were unhappy, feeling it was a betrayal of the protest movement that had denounced the IMF as a tool of imperialism.”

From the beginning of the Arab Spring revolts, many progressive commentators have expressed concern that people in countries such as Egypt and Tunisia might win greater political freedoms but would have their nations’ economic policies hijacked by the international financial institutions. Walden Bello, for one, reflected on pro-democracy transitions in the Philippines, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, and bemoaned a sad pattern:

Even as traditional elites hijacked the resurgent parliamentary systems, the United States and the multilateral agencies subverted them to push through austerity programs that the authoritarian regimes they previously supported had no longer been able to impose on recalcitrant citizenries. It soon became clear that Washington and the multilateral agencies wanted the new democratic regimes to use their legitimacy to impose repressive economic adjustment programs and debt management policies.

In the past decade and a half, as the terrible economic track record of IMF-imposed structural adjustment in the 1980s and ’90s has come to light, neoliberal economic policies have come under assault, and the IMF’s power has substantially diminished. This was especially true prior to the major economic downturn that started in 2008, which, ironically, gave the fund something of a new lease on life. (Ironically, because drives for deregulation promoted by Washington Consensus economists did plenty to spur the crisis in the first place.) …more

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The Cost of the “War on Terror”
by Manlio Dinucci

What is the economic cost of the “war on terror” that the US launched ten years ago? The Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University (New York) has worked it out [1]. The invasions of Afghanistan in 2001 and Irak in 2003 together with the successive extension of military operations in Pakistan entailed an estimated cost of 4 trillion dollars.

In order to have an idea of what it represents, one need only think that it is the equivalent of three centuries of Afghanistan’s GNP and one and a half in that of Iraq’s.

The Institute’s team of over twenty researchers focused above all on direct military spending, constituted by the sums allocated for the war added by Congress to the Pentagon budget: 2 trillion dollars. That amount was not available in the public coffers. It was thus borrowed from banks and international organisations, which compelled the federal government to pay outrageously high interest (with taxpayer money): some 200 billion dollars in ten years. An additional 74 billion dollars were spent, under the guise of extraordinary aid, to back the puppet regimes brought to power in Iraq and Afghanistan. Moreover, the “war against terrorism” ran up a bill of some 400 billion dollars, spent on strengthening “homeland security”. To these expenses must be added the costs for assistance to the wounded and disabled by war: running at 32 billion dollars so far. This is only the tip of the iceberg: the veterans claiming compensation for injuries and disabilities are more than one million. It has been estimated that, in 30-40 years, their cost will jump from 600 billion to 1 trillion dollars. …more

US denies any plan to move Fifth Fleet from Bahrain
Omar Karmi – Jul 22, 2011

WASHINGTON // The US Department of Defence yesterday denied reports that it was considering moving its Fifth Fleet from Bahrain.

A spokesman, via e-mail, said there are no intentions to move the fleet and that reports suggesting otherwise “do not reflect the views of the Defence Department.”

A report in The Times newspaper in London yesterday said the US administration was mulling relocating the fleet in part because its continued presence in Manama could be seen as condoning the government crackdown on opposition parties.

The move, according to an unnamed source quoted by the newspaper, was first raised in February, when demonstrations gathered force. The idea has gained ground in recent months. The US military is reported to be against a move allegedly promoted by the US State Department.

However, a State Department official yesterday also denied the report, saying the US has “no intention to relocate the Fifth Fleet”.

There is no obvious alternative to Bahrain as the fleet’s host in the short term. In The Times’s report, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar were touted as the most likely alternatives, though it would take years before either had ports equipped to host a fleet of the size currently based in Manama.

The fleet comprises some 30 vessels and 16,000 US Navy personnel. It operates in the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and the east coast of Africa. …more

US, Israel one and the same: Netanyahu
shiapost | July 21, 2011

Israel’s prime minister has addressed the pro-Israeli Christians’ annual gathering in Washington, calling the United States and Israel one and the same.

Benjamin Netanyahu spoke via video link to Christians United For Israel (CUFI), which gathered in their thousands to reassert allegiance to Tel Aviv, Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz reported on Wednesday.

“When you support Israel, you don’t have to choose between your interests and your values; you get both,” he told the mostly-evangelical Christians in the gathering.

“Our enemies think that we are you, and that you are us. And you know something? They are absolutely right,” he said.

The US and Israel have each considered the other as its most strategic ally.

Washington has invariably stonewalled the United Nations’ actions against Tel Aviv. It also provides Tel Aviv with USD 3 billion in military aid each year.

Israel’s Ambassador to the US Michael Oren also addressed the attendees and admired the CUFI’s backing of Israel.

He compared the US support of Israel with British military officer Orde Wingate’s training of Jewish paramilitary units before Israel’s 1948 occupation of the Palestinian land.

The military action, after which Israel proclaimed existence, forced 711,000 Palestinians to leave their homeland. The number of Palestinian refugees is put at over 4.6 million, according to 2008 estimates.

In 1967 and during what became to be known as the Six-Day War, Tel Aviv went on to occupy and later annex the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, East al-Quds and Gaza Strip in a move not recognized by international laws.

Israel carried out a so-called withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, but has been keeping the coastal sliver under recurrent attacks. An all-scale Israeli offensive on Gaza at the turn of 2009 killed more than 1,400 Palestinians. …source

“No” to the Treachery Act… “No” to the Release of Perpetrators: Towards an independent judicial committee to establish transitional justice in Egypt | 19/07/2011

The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) welcomes the decision by Judge Mohammed al-Gharyani, the president of the Supreme Judicial Council, to appoint a committee to discuss a new law to ensure financial and administrative independence of the judiciary in accordance with international standards. This decision is considered a step forward in preparation for the second National Conference on Justice—which has not been convened since the first conference was held in 1986—with the goal of adopting a comprehensive strategy to advance the judiciary and the Egyptian legal system and to establish the pillars for the rule of law in the post-revolution society.

CIHRS believes that securing judicial independence and immunizing it against interventions from the executive is vital to dispel growing doubts about the possibility of fair and expeditious trials for former regime officials accused of involvement in the killing of demonstrators, grave human rights violations, and corruption. At the same time, however, CIHRS fears that the current course of legal accountability for criminal, economic, and political crimes committed by former regime figures puts the justice system itself at risk and threatens Egyptians’ aspirations for deterrent, fair punishment of perpetrators of these crimes as well as for justice for the victims. The delays and lax measures taken against those responsible for most of these crimes raise serious doubts about the potential for tampering with evidence, manipulating witnesses, and more.
CIHRS believes that both trying former regime figures as well as protecting the credibility of the judiciary require correcting the course of these trials and reshaping the justice system to meet the legitimate aspirations of the Egyptian people.

If the political will exists to hold the Mubarak regime accountable, those responsible for administering the affairs of the country must create an integrated system to receive complaints and criminal claims and establish a fund for compensation or reparation for damages as an attempt to correct the current course of affairs. They must also establish a cohesive system for legal and political investigations into decades of abuses – not just into what occurred in a few days between January 25 and February 2 – and issue credible reports about these investigations, including judicial recommendations to address these abuses and to prevent their recurrence.

CIHRS believes that accountability should not be limited to the killing of demonstrators during the Egyptian revolution but rather that it should extend to the systematic crimes of torture and enforced disappearance seen over at least the last 30 years as well as to the crime of referring civilians to exceptional or military courts, particularly considering that some of these civilians were sentenced to death and executed. The violations of Egyptians’ rights over the past decades ultimately required a popular revolution to confront them, but now an institutional revolution is needed to end such policies and practices and to guarantee that they will not be repeated. The problems and abuses of the past are too complex to be resolved through one traditional mode of action given the multiplicity of perpetrators, crimes, and victims. …more

Bahrain embarks on political sea change
Published: July 21, 2011 at 11:32 AM

MANAMA, Bahrain, July 21 (UPI) — The prime minister of Bahrain is granted more power over the state’s affairs, something a spokesman said represented “a radical shift” in the kingdom.

Bahrain in early July started a dialogue process meant to examine possible improvements in the political structure. The government earlier received praise for transferring some trials from a military tribunal to civilian courts.

The Sunni-led kingdom was condemned for its violent response to a Shiite uprising early this year,

Isa Abdul Rahman, a spokesman for the dialogue committee, said the elected Parliament was granted more authority in the government.

Rahman said the prime minister now has the right to choose members of his government. That government would then be vetted by members of Parliament who have the right to reject or approve the prime minister’s decisions.

“This decision represents a radical shift in the balance of power — between our democratically elected Parliament and our executive branch — further demonstrating Bahrain’s commitment to concrete reforms,” he said in a statement.

Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. U.S. and regional sources suggested to The Times of London that Navy officials were reviewing their presence there.

The source said U.S. lawmakers are concerned the military presence is seen as tacit support for Bahrain’s response to the Shiite uprising. …source

Interpol’s Red Notices used by some to pursue political dissenters, opponents
By Libby Lewis July 18, 2011

When Iranian political activist Rasoul Mazrae sought shelter from his own government, he fled, headed for Norway via Syria.

He was followed by a petition from Iranian officials that Interpol, the international police agency, list him as a fugitive. Despite the United Nations recognizing him as a political refugee , the same Syrian government that today is cracking down on its own dissidents used that Interpol alert to deport Mazrae to Iran in 2006.

Mazrae was jailed for two years. His family told a UN rapporteur he was tortured to the point of paralysis, had blood in his urine and lost all of his teeth.

Mazrae was sentenced to death, and human rights observers lost track of him. “We are not aware that his death penalty has been carried out, but we cannot be absolutely sure,” said James Lynch of Amnesty International.

What Syria and Iran used to go after Mazrae was an Interpol “Red Notice.” This system of notices, little known outside legal circles, is being exploited for political purposes by some of the 188 member nations that belong to the 88-year-old international police cooperation agency.

Interpol’s primary purpose is to help police hunt down murderers and war criminals, child sex offenders and wildlife poachers. But a five-month investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists shows a little-known side to Interpol’s work: In cases from countries such as Iran, Russia, Venezuela and Tunisia, Interpol Red Notices are not only being used for legitimate law enforcement purposes, but to round up political opponents of notorious regimes.

For countries that want to abuse Interpol, “it’s a way to extend their arm to harass opponents – political or economic,” said Kyle Parker , policy director of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, a human rights body of the U.S. Congress.

ICIJ analyzed a snapshot of Interpol’s Red Notices, published on December 10, 2010. It includes 7,622 Red Notices issued at the request of 145 countries. About a quarter of those were from countries with severe restrictions on political rights and civil liberties. About half were from nations deemed corrupt by international transparency observers.

…more