January
25
2012
Mark Trahant
BY MARK TRAHANT
Presidents are required to be optimistic.The American people expect it — and reward those politicians who know their lines. President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Tuesday night followed The Script (so much so that Republicans released a video dismissing the president’s consistent rhetoric as more of the same).
“The state of our Union is getting stronger. And we’ve come too far to turn back now,” the president said. He promised “to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.”
The president said the “defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive … no debate is more important.”
That is the rub. That is where the president’s optimism hits the side wall in a country divided. One side of our body politic is consumed by a deep distrust of anything that smacks of government, even when government actions are in our best interest.
We need to make the case for government investment. Putting money into programs and policies that will reward society. I would put education at the top of that list.
We have, as a nation, a demographic advantage over many other nations. The United States has a higher fertility rate than that of Russia, Germany, Japan and well above that of China, Italy, Singapore and most of eastern Europe. We have a young, growing working population.
But to execute that advantage we need to do improve higher education.
At the very moment we need a better educated work force, we are making it more difficult for young people to succeed in college. As the president put it: “When kids do graduate, the most daunting challenge can be the cost of college. At a time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit card debt.”
This is a crippling problem for young people. Just over a year ago when I was on my Kaiser Family Foundation fellowship I talked to medical professionals — doctors, dentists and nurses — who said the type of practice they were planning was dictated my their debt load. I heard many young doctors talk about what it was like to owe hundreds of thousands of dollars. I’d like to see more loan forgiveness programs, focusing on the areas of health need such as rural medicine.
The president called on Congress to limit interest rates on student loans, increase student aid and work-study. He also asked states to make education a higher priority in their budgets. I love that idea … but it shows the complexity of these problems. States cannot add more money into education until the country reduces its health care spending.
The president talked about restoring a manufacturing sector in this country. I suppose that could happen, only on a limited scale. But I don’t think we are ever going to have the type of factories and jobs that once built our middle class. But we can have a nation that, on the whole, is more creative, better educated and prepared for the challenges ahead.
But before any of this happens we have to get over this notion that all government spending is bad. It’s time to invest in young people.
Mark Trahant is a writer, speaker and Twitter poet. He is a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and lives in Fort Hall, Idaho. Trahant’s recent book, “The Last Great Battle of the Indian Wars,” is the story of Sen. Henry Jackson and Forrest Gerard.
December
28
2011
(Press release from Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign, an all-volunteer organization incorporated in Washington State. For more information: www.SeaMAC.org)
This just in from SeaMac:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12/28/2011
Contact: press@SeaMAC.org
Carla Curio (206) 450-0706
Peter Lippman (206) 285-2154
SEAMAC BRINGS BACK ISRAELI WAR CRIMES AD
Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign (SeaMAC) will publish a large ad with the slogan ISRAELI WAR CRIMES: YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK on December 28 in both The Stranger and Seattle Weekly. The ad commemorates Israel’s assault on Gaza in December 2008, as well as the censoring of SeaMAC’s “Israeli War Crimes” bus ad last year by King County Metro.
The half-page ad will run for two weeks in each newspaper. The ad repeats the slogan and design of SeaMAC’s bus ad that was censored by King County Metro last year.
The dates of the bus ad last year and the newspaper ads this year were chosen to observe the anniversary of Israel’s three week military offensive against the captive population of Gaza which began on December 27, 2008, and resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 Palestinians — most of them non-combatants and more than 300 of them children. The language of the ad is based on investigations by Amnesty International, the United Nations, and other human rights groups, which found evidence of war crimes committed by Israel during the assault on Gaza. Numerous other war crimes by Israel have been documented during the long occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. The ads also draw attention to the $30 billion promised to the Israeli military by the U.S. government over a 10-year period, which is part of the U.S. government’s one-sided financial, military, diplomatic, and political support for Israel.
King County first approved and then censored SeaMAC’s bus ad on December 23, 2010. King County Metro then twice revised its advertising policy to prevent any “public issue advertising expressing or advocating an opinion, position or viewpoint on matters of public debate about economic, political, religious or social issues”. In spite of that policy, King County Metro has since accepted advertisements for the Mormon religion and a labor rally, as well as a recent ad that said “Buy American”.
“It’s hard to see how King County has been unbiased or ‘viewpoint neutral’ when they have continued to run other political and religious advertisements while censoring ours,” said SeaMAC volunteer Edward Mast.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Washington is representing SeaMAC in a lawsuit against King County for breach of contract and for violating SeaMAC’s First Amendment right of free expression. The trial was scheduled to begin in federal court on October 31. King County lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, and a federal judge granted King County’s motion on October 10. SeaMAC has filed an appeal with the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Another SeaMAC ad, with the slogan EQUAL RIGHTS FOR PALESTINIANS, was accepted and put up on billboards in April 2010 by Clear Channel Outdoor, a private firm. Clear Channel then censored SeaMAC’s ads. Clear Channel had also run other controversial ads which caused public outcry, including an ad that advocated laboratory testing on live animals.
“Why should criticism of Israel be singled out for silencing?” says Peter Lippman, another SeaMAC volunteer.
SeaMAC’s print ads about Israeli war crimes are part of a series that began last August in Seattle Weekly and The Stranger. The ongoing series draws attention to Israel’s policies of segregation and apartheid, as well as the treatment of Palestinian child prisoners and Israel’s attempt to impose a non-viable fake state on Palestinians living under Israel’s illegal military occupation.
SeaMAC’s complete series of print ads can be viewed at SeaMac.
December
11
2011
This just in from Intercontinental Cry, an all-volunteer online journal founded in 2004 and dedicated to providing reports, videos and action alerts on the most pressing Indigenous struggles.
The Latin America Mining Monitoring Programme is organizing an Open Letter to Peruvian President Ollanta Humala regarding the recent shootings of protesters in the region of Cajamarca, Peru.
As documented in the following video by LAMMP, some 10,000 people had been gathered near the proposed Conga gold mine when police opened fire on the unarmed crowd, injuring up to 18 people.
Following the attack, the government of Peru denied that any bullets were fired. Then, on December 4, it declared sixty days of martial law in the region, suspending basic civil liberties and allowing security forces to break up meetings and arrest protesters at will.
Despite the aggressive measures by Peru, the mostly Indigenous protesters have vowed to continue pursuing their non-violent opposition to the mine.
Please take action now by joining the Open Letter to President Humala of Peru pasted below. Please write to info@lammp.org to add you name to the current list of signatories:
Open Letter to President Humala
President Ollanta Humala Tasso
Despacho Presidential
Jiron de la Union s/n 1 cdra
Lima
Peru
We, the undersigned individuals and institutions of several continents, committed to the movements for world justice, environmental protection and sustainable development, write to express to our deepest concern regarding events currently unfolding at the Yanacocha mine in Peru, owned by US company Newmont, with participation of the World Bank.
On 24 November tens of thousands of Peruvian citizens initiated a protest against the development of the Yanacocha mine at the Conga site. The protesters claim current plans for the mine will destroy the surrounding environment and fresh water supplies affecting a population of approximately 100 000.
On 27 November a report produced by the environment minister Mr Ricardo Giesecke identified severe failings in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approved by the previous administration in relation to the Conga site. We understand Mr Ramiro del Pino, responsible for the government department which approved the EIA, was a former executive of the Yanacocha mining company. Despite these shortcomings and appearance of impropriety, the government of Mr Humala has not sought to review the mine plans and has dispatched security forces to the Conga site.
On 29 November the security forces opened fire on unarmed protesters approaching mine installations. Up to 18 protesters reportedly received gun shot wounds. Between 8 and 30 policemen were injured. The government has so far failed to admit the extent of the civilian casualties and the use of live ammunition. Following the shooting the Yanacocha mine announced it would suspend its operations.
On 4 December the government declared sixty days of martial law or “state of emergency” in the region of Cajamarca. This measure suspends civil liberties and allows security forces to break up meetings and arrest protesters at will. On 6 December Mr Wilfredo Saavedra and five other protest leaders were detained without warrant or charges being laid. Protesters have vowed to pursue peaceful opposition to the mine.
The above situation has created an imminent risk of large scale violence. The circumstances bear a distressing resemblance to the string of recent incidents surrounding extractive industry protests, including the Bagua shootings of June 2006 in which at least 34 protesters and police officers were killed. Such conflicts ultimately entrench antagonisms and frustrate the interests of all concerned.
As the world follows the events at the Yanacocha mine in the following days, we respectfully urge you Mr Humala to consider the following measures: 1) to honor Peru’s commitments to the rule of law and human rights by recognizing and compensating the victims of the 29 November shootings 2) to guarantee the ongoing physical safety of protesters in the Cajamarca region including the right to justice and humane treatment upon detention 3) to properly address environmental concerns raised by the Conga mine and enforce corresponding requirements on the Yanacocha company.
November
28
2011
BY MARK TRAHANT
(Mark Trahant is a writer, speaker and Twitter poet. He is a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and lives in Fort Hall, Idaho. Trahant’s recent book, “The Last Great Battle of the Indian Wars,” is the story of Sen. Henry Jackson and Forrest Gerard.)
Mark Trahant
I wrote at the time: “When President Obama reached the podium at the Interior Department last week nearly every person in a seat lifted a cell phone to take a picture. Row after row of glowing screens captured that moment. But that photo-op is no longer enough. A year ago it was a big deal to meet. But a year from now it will only be a big deal if there are success stories that add jobs, improve the health or educational opportunities for young Native Americans.”
Here we go again. Tribal leaders are in Washington this week for a variety of meetings including the White House Tribal Nations Conference.
But the Big Deal is not there. There are fewer success stories in Indian Country than a year ago. We can’t point out new jobs, a better health care system or increased educational opportunities. In fact as the federal budget crunch hits, all of these indicators will trend worse.
But President Obama is not the problem. The real Big Deal is that Washington is going through a government-wide transformation and the president has limited power to either shape or stop the radical redesign of all-things-federal. But the president is not alone. The Republicans in Congress also have limits. As do the Democrats. That means there is no clarity in how to proceed — and the debate goes on and on without resolution.
But the policy of contraction — the shrinking of the federal government — is set to occur no matter what.
The failure of the supercommittee requires automatic budget cuts to begin in 2013. There will be no room for discussion about which programs work (or don’t) because the budget will be slashed by blind percentages. (The only plus: At least it’s a year away.)
This month Congress will fight over a temporary budget. One of those limits of power: Neither side has the votes to enact a traditional budget. So the government is funded by a Continuing Resolution, one that expires December 16. Congress will have to vote to extend that date or shut down the government. Again.
A great example of the deep divide is the impact of government spending. Republicans have been saying for months that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 did not work because we still have high unemployment. But the Congressional Budget Office released estimates that counter that claim. CBO said unemployment was at least .2 to as much as 1.3 percent lower because of the stimulus funding. It also said the federal spending was a net positive addition to the economy. (A study last year by the National Congress of American Indians highlighted nine examples of how the act worked in Indian Country.) But the data won’t change any minds. Those that believe government is essentially evil will continue to press for less.
Taxes will continue to be another dividing line — especially over the next few days and weeks. The Bush income tax cuts expire at the end of the year unless Congress does something to extend those rates. By the same measure, payroll tax cuts and unemployment benefits must be extended by the end of the year. Most of us pay more in payroll taxes than we do in income taxes. The Republicans tend to favor income tax cuts and Democrats will back extending payroll tax cuts and longer unemployment benefits. This is important because neither side has the votes to do anything on its own. So the likely choice is both or none.
Ideally, both in the Congress and at the White House meeting, there will be a transition plan put into place for Indian Country before the 2013 budget cuts. That plan could include flexibility in how federal dollars are spent, transition funding to make the coming cuts less painful, or perhaps, even, trying a few new ideas.
Then, a year from now there might not be new Indian Country success stories to swap. But at least there will have been an effort to prevent tragedy.
November
21
2011
BY MARK TRAHANT
(Mark Trahant is a writer, speaker and Twitter poet. He is a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and lives in Fort Hall, Idaho. Trahant’s recent book, “The Last Great Battle of the Indian Wars,” is the story of Sen. Henry Jackson and Forrest Gerard.)
A simple statement from the two co-chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. “After months of hard work and intense deliberations, we have come to the conclusion today that it will not be possible to make any bipartisan agreement available to the public before the committee’s deadline.”
And, they continued, “despite our inability to bridge the committee’s significant differences, we end this process united in our belief that the nation’s fiscal crisis must be addressed and that we cannot leave it for the next generation to solve. We remain hopeful that Congress can build on this committee’s work and can find a way to tackle this issue in a way that works for the American people and our economy.”
But let’s be clear about this statement, the committee, and Congress itself. This represents a failure to govern. There is a structural inability to make difficult choices about what the country needs to do to finance its operations. The so-called super-committee is no different than the country and its citizenry. We are divided, locked into a struggle with significant differences about what to do next.
Some of us believe that we should balance two competing ideas: We should invest in jobs. Now. Again. And keep doing that until everyone who wants a jobs has access to one. Then, and only then, the government should begin a long-term strategy of rethinking promises made through entitlement programs.
The other view says cut government now. Shrink government, period. Don’t raise a single dime in new taxes — and let the economy grow again (after it crashes).
Now we will read over the coming weeks and months about the tragedy of automatic budget cuts as the real numbers surface. Some will complain about how much smaller our military must become. Others will note the deep unfairness in cutting domestic programs that serve people who are at the lowest end of the economic spectrum. The president has already promised to veto any bills that try to get around the automatic budget cuts.
But the real problem, the much bigger issue, is that this exercise represents a failure to govern. Congress could not reach a decision last summer, so it passed on extraordinary powers to the so-called super-committee. Before that the administration passed on its authority to a bipartisan committee charged with coming up with a financial plan.
So failure becomes the norm in our political discourse, we are defined by our inability to forge consensus.
I live in rural Idaho and listen to local talk radio. The people who call the station cannot understand, let alone appreciate, any differences about how other citizens approach these difficult fiscal issues. It’s the same in the Blue Cities, only opposite. That divide makes it nearly impossible to acknowledge areas of common ground. This is not new in our history. Divides this great were present before the election of 1812 (some call the second revolution) before the civil war and before Prohibition was incorporated into the Constitution.
Take health care. If we really want to fix the deficit in a way that will last, we need to reduce the cost of health care. We cannot afford to spend $7,538 per person when the rest of the industrial world spends under $4,000. Or, looking at it another way, we cannot compete in a world economy where we spend16 percent of our Gross Domestic Product on health care when France pays 11.2 percent or Japan 8 percent.
We need to make health care sustainable. That’s how we fix our budget. If we do this one thing, our budget problems will shrink into a manageable form. But we cannot even agree on the baby step we took last year with the Affordable Care Act. Perhaps that should be the only issue we debate during the 2012 election because it’s the only way to really get the cost of government under control.
November
20
2011
This just in from Intercontinental Cry, an all-volunteer online journal founded in 2004 and dedicated to providing reports, videos and action alerts on the most pressing Indigenous struggles.
November 19, 2011
The Government of Manipur is in the process of burning down hundreds of floating huts (Khangpokshang) belonging to the Meitei Peoples in the Loktak Wetlands of Central Manipur. The Government blames the Indigenous Peoples of polluting the Lake; however, the Meitei say that any pollution there is really from the Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project. Nearly 200 floating huts have already been burnt. The remaining 1,132 huts face a similar fate.
Cross-posted from climate-connections.org
The Government of Manipur, a provincial government of the Government of India has unleashed a reign of state terror by burning down floating huts (Khangpokshang), built over Phumdis (floating vegetation mass) belonging to the fishermen living in Loktak Wetlands in Central Manipur from November 15, 2011 and is still continuing. The deliberate arsoning process was carried out by personnel of the Loktak Development Authority and the Manipur Police forces in accordance with a government notification issued by Loktak Development Authority on 11 November 2011. Nearly 200 floating huts have already been burnt so far till 17 November and the remaining 1,132 floating huts are to meet similar fate. There are about 5,000 family members living in all these floating huts in localities like Khuman Yangbi, Nambul Machin and Karang Sabal within the Loktak Lake.
The burning down of the floating huts is in accordance with the provisions of the much controversial Loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006, in particular Article 19 and 20 of the Act, which divides the 236.21 sq km Loktak Lake into two zones – a core zone comprising 70.30 sq km, which is a ‘no development zone’, or ‘totally protected zone’, and a buffer zone of other areas of the lake excluding the core zone. A vital aspect of this division is the ban on building huts or houses on phumdis inside the lake, planting athaphum, or engaging in athaphum-fishing in the core area, which will adversely affect over 10,000 people living in phumdi huts, as well as others dependent on Loktak Lake.
The arsoning of nearly 200 floating huts has led to displacement of nearly 950 community members so far who has been living in these floating huts for generations. The number of affected community is still increasing as the arsoning spree is continuing. The affected family members including women, children and elderly are seeking refuge at Ningthoukhong Makha Leikai community hall in Bishenpur District, Manipur. The fishing gears and nets of the communities, the only survival means to catch fish from the Loktak wetlands were also burned and these has left the community in further dire situation and will impact on the communities to freely carry out daily chores of livelihood activities which they follow since time immemorial. Many of the children can no longer go to school. With the winter already setting in Manipur, the displaced villagers are facing much inconveniences.
Each household was offered 40,000 Indian Rupees (approx 900 USD) as compensation before burning down their huts. However, most of the villagers rejected this payment as the amount is too meager and cannot compensate their livelihood and survival means. And moreover, there is no process to rehabilitate the affected villagers and their right to free, prior and informed consent has not been sought. Rather, the arsoning of the huts is a forcible process with the Manipur police commandoes threatening and intimidating the affected villagers before burning their huts. And in many cases, the police also forced the displaced family members to burn their own huts.
The arsoning and destruction of floating huts and livelihood of the indigenous people dwelling in Loktak Lake constitute a serious violation of the “right to life”, “right to adequate housing” as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and also the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Right. The failure to take the consent of the affected communities also constitute a serious forms of discrimination targetting the marginalized communities and also violated the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination.
Affected peoples in several occasions had been raising vehement opposition to the introduction of the Act, which they fear would break the age-old bond between the lake and its people. Indigenous peoples depending on the Loktak Lake for survival continue to demand complete scrapping of the Loktak Protection Act, 2006.
DEMANDS
Urge upon the Government of India to:
Call for immediate suspension of burning of the remaining floating huts at Loktak lake
Allow and support the affected villagers to rebuild their floating huts in the phumdis for all those whose houses are being burnt and destroyed.
Adequate resettlement for affected fishermen near the lake with their free prior and informed consent so as to enable them to catch fishes and depend on the Loktak wetlands for their survival.
Adequate compensation for the loss of properties of affected villagers, such as fishing gears and equipments.
Revoke the Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006 as this act has been formulated without the participation and consent of the affected communities and this act has failed to address the root cause of the persisting and increasing problems of Loktak Lake caused by the Ithai Barrage of the Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project.
Review Loktak Multipurpose Project and consider decommissioning of the Ithai Barrage in accordance with the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams
Recognize indigenous peoples’ community rights over their land and resources and their right to define their development priorities using their land and resources.
Implement indigenous peoples Right to Free Prior and Informed Consent before introducing any mega development policies and projects in Manipur in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Stop all forms of displacement of indigenous peoples in the name of protection of wetlands and thereby should not lead to extinguishment of their survival and livelihood.
State should stop militarization of indigenous peoples land and using the military and law enforcing agencies in the pretext of promoting development projects in their territories without their consent
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS BY FAX OR EMAIL TO:
The Prime Minister of India,
South Block, Raisina Hill,
New Delhi,
India-110 101.
Telephone: 91-11-23012312.
Fax: 91-11-23019545 / 91-11-23016857.
Dr. P. Chidambaram
Home Minister
Griha Mantralaya
Room No. 104, North Block
Central Secretariat, New Delhi 110001
INDIA
Fax: +91 11 2301 5750, 2309 3750, 2309 2763
E-mail: hm@nic.in
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission of India
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg
New Delhi-110001 INDIA
Fax: +91 11 23340016
E-mail: chairnhrc@nic.in
Mr. Y Joykumar Singh
Director General of Police
PHQ Imphal Manipur
795001 Imphal, Manipur INDIA
Fax + 91 385 2223829
E-mail: dgp.mnp@hub.nic.in
Mr. Okram Ibobi Singh
Chief Minister of Manipur
New Secretariat Building
Bapupara, Imphal, Manipur
INDIA, Fax + 91 385 2451398
E-mail: cmmani@hub.nic.in
November
4
2011
(This just in from the Institute for Public Accuracy, an organization that gains media access for those whose voices are commonly excluded or drowned out by government or corporate-backed institutions.)
The group U.S. Boat to Gaza — http://ustogaza.org — has just released a statement that begins: “Canadian and Irish ships, the Tahrir and the Saoirse, sailing with Freedom Waves to Gaza have been illegally boarded by the Israeli military in international waters, about 50 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza, around 9:30 am EDT. The IDF [Israeli Defense Forces] spokesperson confirmed that the vessels were taken to the port of Ashdod, and the passengers were taken into custody by the Israeli police. Although the IDF spokesperson claimed they took ‘every precaution to ensure the safety of the activists,’ Freedom Waves to Gaza organizers have been unable to communicate with the ships since soon after the vessels were approached by Israeli warships earlier this morning.”
U.S. coordinator of the group, Jane Hirschmann said today: “Had the passengers been permitted to proceed to Gaza rather than being stopped on the high seas by armed force, there would have been no threat to their safety. The IDF’s statement is like the mugger promising to escort his victim home safely.” The group states: “The Canadian boat Tahrir confirmed that the Israeli navy had contacted them asking for their destination at around 7 a.m EDT to which Ehab Lotayef, an activist on board the ship, replied ‘The conscience of humanity.’ When the Israelis again demanded to know the destination of the ship Lotayef replied ‘The betterment of mankind.’ … Passengers on the boats are citizens of Canada, Ireland, the U.S., Australia, and Palestine. The U.S. citizen on the Tahrir is Kit Kittredge of Quilcene, Washington. She is a massage therapist and emergency medical technician.” The passengers of the boats are now apparently being detained by the Israeli military.
Currently in Cairo, Robert Naiman is policy director of Just Foreign Policy. He intended to sail on the Canadian boat Tahrir, but was blocked when the Turkish authorities limited the number of passengers allowed on (the boat sailed from Turkey). Naiman said today: “As the Red Cross has clearly stated, the blockade of Gaza’s civilians is illegal under international humanitarian law. And as long as the blockade remains, civilians of other countries will continue to challenge it.” Naiman recently wrote the piece “Shalit Is Free. Lift the Siege of Gaza Now.”
November
3
2011
(Press release from Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign, an all-volunteer organization incorporated in Washington State. For more information: www.SeaMAC.org)
Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign (SeaMAC) has filed an appeal with the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the recent federal court decision to dismiss SeaMAC’s lawsuit against King County for canceling a contract with SeaMAC to run ads on twelve Metro buses.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Washington will continue to represent SeaMAC in the appeal.
“We’re unhappy that a jury will not be allowed to examine the evidence, but ACLU’s legal team has decided that there is a very good case to be made that the dismissal was improper and should be overturned,” said Mark Eichinger-Wiese, a volunteer with SeaMAC.
“King County censored SeaMAC’s free speech while protecting the free speech of those who want to silence SeaMAC’s message. Criticism of Israel should not be singled out for censorship, especially when based on evidence from the United Nations and international human rights groups,” said Edward Mast, another SeaMAC volunteer.
The bus ads, reading “Israeli War Crimes: Your Tax Dollars At Work,” were examined, approved, and accepted by King County and Metro officials. SeaMAC signed a contract and paid the full cost in advance, and the ads were printed and scheduled to run for four weeks starting on December 27, 2010. The date was chosen because it was the second anniversary of Israel’s three-week military offensive against the captive population of Gaza in 2008-9, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 Palestinians — most of them non-combatants and more than 300 of them children.
The language of the ad was chosen to reflect the fact that investigations by Amnesty International, the United Nations and others found evidence of war crimes committed by Israel during the assault on Gaza. Other war crimes have been documented during Israel’s long occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
At the last minute, on December 23, 2010, King County reversed course, cancelled the contract, and refused to run the ads. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Washington is representing SeaMAC in a lawsuit against King County for breach of contract and for violating SeaMAC’s First Amendment right of free expression. The trial was scheduled to begin in federal court on October 31. King County lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, and a federal judge granted King County’s motion on October 10.
An appeal to the Ninth District Court typically takes twelve months or more to reach oral argument before a panel of three judges. If the panel grants the appeal, the case will go back to trial in before a six-person jury.
October
28
2011
The WPSR medical delegation in front of the wall near East Jerusalem.
By Gerri Haynes
(Gerri Haynes, a former president of Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, has been sending back reports from inside blockaded Gaza. As she did three times before, Gerri organized a team of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. Eighth and last in the series.)
This morning, we met with a representative of the Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions. Driving through Jerusalem, we could see again the effects of the Separation Wall and the inequities of services provided on each side of the “Green Line.” Disputes over land and the right to build continue – it seems there is a long way to go to reach peace between the peoples of this land.
In the afternoon, members of our group toured the water facilities of Bethlehem, observing the ways provision of water to Palestinians is controlled or limited. And in the evening, we heard from a hydrologist in Bethlehem – learning more about the distribution of water resources between Israel and Palestine. Water use by settlers is four to five times that available for use by Palestinians.
We were treated to another delicious meal at Wi’am and listened to Rafiq and Lucas Zoughbi, joined by their cousin Larry, as they jammed in the Wi’am Garden – and so we head for security at Ben Gurion to fly back to the U.S.
Thanks for reading this blog!!
Rafiq and Lucas Zoughbi, joined by their cousin Larry, jam in the Wi’am Garden (Photo by Bob Haynes),
October
27
2011
Gerri Haynes, right, and the other members of the WPSR medical team navigate the intricate security system on the Gaza border (Photo by Bob Haynes).
By Gerri Haynes
(Gerri Haynes, a former president of Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, is sending back reports from inside blockaded Gaza. As she did three times before, Gerri organized a team of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. Seventh in the series.)
Early this morning, we boarded a van for the border between Gaza and Israel. Leaving Gaza is complex. We bid farewell to the great people who helped make our stay possible, then drove north and east to Erez, the only passage between Gaza and Israel for people.
Passing to Israel took about two hours. First, on the Gaza side, two stops are required for passport checks. Then, with baggage on a cart pushed by a Palestinian, there is a long walk (1/3 mile?) through a linear cage to the first step into the Israeli side. There, after a door denying return to the Gaza side closes, a camera surveys people and bags and a disembodied voice provides direction to move through two sets of doors or turnstiles to the next section of the crossing.
With many more bags than people, we gradually moved up a long, wide corridor to another set of doors and turnstiles. Slowly, we fed our baggage through a turnstile and encountered a human being. This gentleman directed us to place all of our electronic gear into one large flat plastic bin. Then we waited for about one hour as Palestinian patients and businessmen filtered around us and through the next set of doors.
When our turn came, our gear and opened suitcases were placed on a conveyor belt and moved up and out of site. We then passed through another set of doors, approached a full-body scanner, waited in line for each persons turn to be scanned, completed the scan, entered an area of small individual cubicle and waited while our scans were analyzed by personnel visible on the building’s second floor. When we were released from the cubicles, we entered a room where plastic bins were moving slowly around on an elevated a square of rollers. We retrieved our electronic gear and moved through another door to the luggage inspection stands. Here, gloved human beings were going through each piece of luggage – the contents scrambled and then returned to us to be re-packed.
Finally, we passed through passport control and moved away from the building, across roads, down a sidewalk, through another turnstile and down a set of stairs to a parking lot where the driver of a van waited to take us to Bethlehem.
I recount this long process to demonstrate that each person leaving Gaza does so with difficulty. Joining us in this passage were sick children and heart-broken adults. Palestinians leaving Gaza must go through an arduous vetting process before passage is even a possibility and a mother (young fathers are seldom allowed to pass) completing this arduous journey with a sick child faces daunting obstacles.
The land between Erez and up to Bethlehem is beautiful. The political landscape is visible in the development and population of the land, but the land itself is lovely. In the afternoon, we drove the long, dangerous road through the Valley of Fire to Ramallah. Without special permission, Palestinians are not allowed to drive the direct (shorter, faster, safer) route to Ramallah through Jerusalem.
Mustafa Barghouthi (Photo by Bob Haynes).
Returning to Bethlehem, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner, prepared by the sister-in-law of our friend, Zoughbi Zoughbi. Zoughbi is the tireless director of Wi’am, the Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center. He and two of his sons, Lucas and Rafiq, accompanied us to Ramallah. It was late when we bid farewell to our hosts and their other guests. Zoughbi parted from us, saying that he was needed to facilitate the resolution of another conflict in Bethlehem. His days are always long.
Tomorrow, we will tour East Jerusalem, gather more data on water in preparation for a presentation by members of our group to the American Public Health Association meeting in Washington DC, and then return to Tel Aviv for our flights from this land.
This beautiful land (Photo by Bob Haynes).