World Palestine Newswire Archive

In the light of other campuses facing evictions of activists, the occupation at Cambridge's Law Faculty continues apace.

Dear Everyone
I am really sorry to be writing with this information to send to any of you about this but I am writing because knowledge of events can help prevent killing and atrocities in countries like Gaza and Sri Lanka. I am writing as just rejecting news black outs (censorship) can help people who are being killed, tortured or suffering from other forms of devastation.

As an example of news black outs used to organise mass killing - The successful news black out of the Nixon (Kissinger led) and Callaghan Governments, who were working in conjunction with the Chinese allowed secret US B52 bombardment on twice the level of Hiroshima in Cambodia. This laid the path for the asian hitler Pol Pot to be born. The people of Cambodia then suffered mass starvation when our own Government along with others including the International Red Cross refused to put together a humanitarian and food aid programme after the torture and destruction of the country's agriculture and civil society by the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot. At this time, journalist John Pilger produced an award winning documentary which told us what had happened and this helped the people of Cambodia enormously.

We as citizens of the world can prevent this happening in our time by simply being aware of what is happening to our fellow citizens across the world and telling our friends and refusing to accept news black outs on our own supposedly free news network. Please could everyone read about what the press is not telling us about what is happening in Gaza and Sri Lanka as you will be amazed about the impact this has.

1 The BBC is censoring Gaza aid appeals and selectively broadcasting. UN buildings as well as schools and hospitals have been destoryed and 89% of Gaza’s 1.5 million residents have received no humanitarian aid since Israel began its assault (see media lens news below for further information)
2 The Sri Lankan Government is waging a war of Genocide against Tamil people using cluster bombs. In the last month alone, Tamil groups say that 300,000 people have been displaced through internal continuous bombardment. Furthermore, cluster bombs are being used. Cluster bombs rain down deadly bomblets on an area the size of a football field with six bombs falling in every 1,000 square feet. Similarly to Cambodia bodies of people killed and tortured are being found on the river Jaffna and many other awful atrocities are taking place. I do not have any further information on what is happening in Sri Lanka but I understand this website has been created for those who may want to know more. please see www.tyo-uk.org for more information. The black out in Sri Lanka extends to NGOs and even the UN Human Rights Council

I would also be grateful if people would consider passing this information on but understand if you do not feel you can. I am not asking people to donate as I know the Tsunami aid money was not used to help victims and the audit systems have still not told us how this money was administered by the Disaster Emergency Committee. I would not donate to anyone other than Médecins Sans Frontières who refused to accept Tsunami money after the emergency work was concluded. Indeed, Naomi Klein has documented the use of aid money on what she calls the Disaster Economy but

Thank you in advance and sorry for disturbing any of you.

Peace and love
Bal

The situation
After an 18 month blockade of Gaza and three weeks of heavy shelling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is now completely overwhelming.

Thousands of people are struggling to survive with many having lost their homes and most down to their last supplies of food and only limited amounts of fresh drinking water.

A demonstration will be held to protest against the BBC's decision not to broadcast an appeal for aid to the people of Gaza. It is being organised by the Disasters Emergency Committee - an umbrella group for some of the big charities. Politician Tony Benn discusses why he will be attending the protest outside BBC Broadcasting House.

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7848000/7848670.stm

We are a group of teachers and employees at Quebec colleges and universities who stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and with the people of Gaza who have suffered through the Israeli siege as targets of Israel’s brutal military attack. It will take more than ceasefires to bring a just and lasting peace in Palestine and Israel. We are acting in response to an appeal for support issued January 2, 2009 by the Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees. In the wake of the Israeli bombing of the Islamic University of Gaza, the Federation of Unions has urged academics around the world to support a boycott of Israeli academic institutions.

"Freedom or death," is the popular Palestinian mantra. These are not simply words, but a rule by which Palestinians live and die. Gaza is the proof and Israeli leaders are yet to understand.

Photos from the march from Ellesmere Green to Devonshire Green held on Saturday 24th January 2009 to protest against Israel's Attack on Gaza.

Yesterday and Tomorrow
Saturday 24th January by Ewa Jasiewicz

We're like trees, we have our roots and they allow us to grow, little by little, we grow up and then they cut us down. But, whatever they throw at us, whatever they do to us, we are still here and we will still be here – Om Bassim, Jabaliya Camp, January 2009

This afternoon a small but significant number of actvists turned up at The Market Square in Cambridge to show their solidarity with the Cambridge University students currently occupying the Law Faculty.

‘SEVER TIES WITH WAR CRIMINALS’ SAYS GROUP

13 January 2008: Carrying a giant eviction order and a mock padlock, the broad anti-war group, Stop the War Coalition-Philippines, went to the Israeli embassy today to symbolically order its closure.

The U.S.-Israeli “ceasefire” is an effort to continue to pursue these criminal aims. For one, there are reports that many Israeli troops will not immediately leave Gaza. Israeli military forces continue to surround Gaza, and Israel and Egypt continue to imprison the people of Gaza and control all access in an out. So the starvation of Gaza will probably intensify as a result of this “ceasefire.”

Currently there is a something of a low level power struggle going on inside the Law Faculty between the Proctors, other building staff and the occupying students.

Some first pic, of the vote to occupy, a talk from Iraqui trade unionist, and the Proctor's visit. More info on:
 http://cambridgegazasolidarity.blogspot.com

Supporters of the Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign leafleted people outside Sheffield's train station on the evening of 23rd January 2009. Tomorrow there is march from Ellesmere Green to town, details follow.

This Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Center www.imemc.org, for January 11th 2009 through to January 23ed 2009.

American perceptions of Palestine are warped by Israeli propaganda transmitted as fact by corporate media. Israel, the United States and only a handful of other nations thwart “the international consensus for peace” in the region called for in UN Resolution 242. Hamas did abide by a cease fire with Israel “and even arrested members of militant groups who did fire a handful of rockets” in the period before the latest conflagration.

Join us!

Gaza is full-scale war but just the latest bloodstained episode in Israel's six-decade reign of terror against Palestinians. Their ordeal continues in the West Bank and Gaza under siege, still attacked, and, as always, betrayed by the dominant media.

Viva Palestina!

Lifeline for Gaza aid convoy leaving on Saturday 14 February 2009

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contact:  http://www.vivapalestina.org, email  ghada@vivapalestina.org or call 07958 450 867

Leeds University has been occupied!