U.S. Prison System

all

Partial sources online: "‘Incarcerated Workers’ stage nationwide prison labor strike 45 years after 1971 Attica riot," Sept. 10, 2016, RT; "Chelsea Manning announces hunger strike over treatment in prison," Sept. 9, 2016, Reuters Canada; "US inmates launch nationwide prison protests," AFP Sept. 10, 2016, Bankok Post; "2 arrested during ‘Slave labor’ protest downtown," Koin & News staff, Sept.9, 2016, KOIN 6; "Inmate work stoppage at Alabama prison comes on 45th anniversary of deadly Attica riot," Haley Townsend Rhinehart, Sept. 9, 2016, WIAT CBS42; "In Sunset Park, Protesters Call for 'Prisoner Liberation'," John V. Santore, Sept. 9,2016, Sunset Park Patch (Brooklyn); "Live Updates from the National Prisoner Strike," ongoing , Mask.

September 8, 2016

Standing Rock, North Dakota : Governor Jack Dalrymple has called up the North Dakota National Guard as police backup, awaiting the decision of U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, September 9th, on the legality of the Dakota Access company's pipleine construction and the company's tactics (previous). The Standing Rock Sioux tribe is affected but hasn't given its permission (required by international treaties), as evidenced by the thousands who have gathered to stand with this Band's pipeline protest. The Guardsmen on standby number about a hundred. Dave Archambault, Standing Rock Sioux Chairman, insists those gathered must remain non-violent. The Army Corps of Engineers which gave permit to the Dakota Access Company project, is mythic in its challenges to common sense. It is notably faulted for its flood management protection of New Orleans. Among other assets the Army Corps of Engineers owns and operates 609 dams (Wikipedia). Each stripped a local population of its lands. Currently, native peoples at least under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, have some protection from corporate abuse and its sanction by the State:

Article 32, 2. States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with the indigenous peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free and informed consent prior to the approval of any project affecting their lands or territories and other resources, particularly in connection with the development, utilization or exploitation of mineral, water or other resources.

Partial sources online: "North Dakota National Guard to provide backup to law enforcement ," Caroline Grueskin and Blair Emerson, Sept. 8, 2016, Bismarck Tribune; "Tribe challenging pipeline has some advantages in courtroom ," Josh Funk, AP; 'Breaking: North Dakota National Guard to provide backup to law enforcement . What's next? the US Cavalry??' Jennifer Tsun, September 8, 2016, Eaglewatch listserv; "More Tribes Head to Standing Rock on Canoe Paddle Down Missouri River," Sept.8, 2016, Democracy Now!

September 7, 2016

Standing Rock, North Dakota : on Sept. 2nd the BBC reported the gathering of Native peoples at the Red Warriors Camp, in the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. By September 6th the number was estimated at five thousand from all through the States, gathered in protest of the Dakota Access LLC pipeline (a 4 state, 3.8 million dollar project) about to be placed upstream under the Missouri River. Dakota Access is part of Energy Transfer Partners, Dallas Texas. The pipeline bulldozers have already created a scar across the landscape and are currently entering Native ancestral burial grounds. Pipeline Security guards have held the non-violent protesters away from the bulldozers with the use of dogs and pepper spray, before leaving the area. In videos of the incident protestors are unarmed. Several were bitten. During August over 20 Native Americans were arrested. For the first time in a very long time all Sioux tribes are in agreement and supporting the encampment which is also supported by other Native bands and many others. Due to proximity of the upriver crossing any mishap during the pipeline's use would irreparably damage the land and water. A major access road to the encampment has been blocked by law enforcement. The Standing Rock Sioux have taken the Army Corps of Engineers to court for granting the company license to do what it's doing without permission of the Native peoples. A judge will rule on the "legitimacy" of the pipeline, September 9th. The Dakota Access Pipeline route is currently planned to carry crude oil from North Dakota, through South Dakota, Iowa, to Patoka Illinois. Location maps [access:< http://www.daplpipelinefacts.com/about/route.html >]. Partial sources online: "Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Condemns Destruction and Desecration of Burial Grounds by Energy Transfer Partners," Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Sept 4, 2016, Indian Country; "Life in the Native American oil protest camps," Sept. 2, 2016, BBC News; "Fwd: Urgent! Standing Rock ND: 'Protectors' Under Seige; 2+ Miles of Sacred Sites Destroyed!" Jenifer Tsun, Sept. 5, 2016, eaglewatch; "Oil Pipeline Protest Turns Violent in Southern North Dakota," James Macpherson, Sept. 5, 2016, AP.





gerald and maas permission to reprint image by george maas

September 1, 2016

U.S. : Heather Ann Thompson's Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy, (Pantheon) was released August 23rd. - Dr. Thompson is a Professor of History in the Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Michigan and remains on the Faculty of Temple University. Noted by The New York Times as a "superb work of history" the book makes clear that 33 Attica prisoners and 9 hostages were killed by bullets from the security personnel who took over the prison by force September 13, 1971. The order was given by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. Despite the State's efforts to hide its responsibility for massacring unarmed prisoners, Dr. Thompson presents evidence of the specific murders by law enforcement which began weeks of brutalization of prisoners, torture and terrorization..... (Continue "Arrogance, Impunity and Attica," by J.B.Gerald)

August 3, 2016

The Hague : amid the 2590 pages of its recent verdict finding Radovan Karadzic guilty with a forty year sentence, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) quietly found Slobodan Milosevic innocent of Bosnian war crimes. There was no ICTY press release on this issue which can be regarded as an attempt to hide the ruling to avoid the Court's embarrassment. One witness against Milosevic was in Western government pay. The principal prosecution witness admitted to being tortured to provide false witness against him. The Court's unanimous judgement of innocence was discovered by journalist Andy Wilcoxson, and published on a Milosevic memorial page July 18th. The article became widely available through an August 1 reprint in Counterpunch. Karadzic's trial reveals that Milosevic attempted to mitigate Karadzic's policies. Milosevic's egalitarian perspective and the Court ruling directly contradict a world wide media campaign against him which allowed the persecution of a leader who correctly took the NATO community nations to court for genocide during their attack and bombing campaign against his country. Milosevic died from a sophisticated poisoning in the ICTY's prison before his trial could be adjudicated. See previous. Partial sources online: "ICTY Exonerates Slobodan Milosevic for War Crimes," InSerbia with agencies, Jul 24, 2016, inserbia / Aug.3, 2016, Global Research; "Hague Tribunal Exonerates Slobodan Milosevic for Bosnia War Crimes Ten Years Too Late," Andy Wilcoxson, July 18, 2016, www.slobodan-milosevic.org; "The Exoneration of Milosevic: the ICTY’s Surprise Ruling," Andy Wilcoxson, Aug. 1, 2016, Counterpunch; "Milosevic exonerated, as the NATO war machine moves on," Neil Clark, Aug. 2, 2016, RT; "'Milosevic to NATO was the new Hitler, a new Serbian Nazis'," [Sic], Sputnik, Aug. 1, 2016, b92, "On Crimes of Power: the Bombing of Yugoslavia, 1999," John Bart Gerald, August 1, 1999, serendipity.

"'To Entertain You,' Boris Kovac with La Campanella Orchestra" [access:< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfWjLjbOogU&list=RDWfWjLjbOogU#t=2 >]

Ottawa : the Trudeau government has opened an inquiry on the missing Aboriginal women in Canada (ie. why are so many Aboriginal women murdered), appointing five to an 'independent of the government' commission: Justice Marion Buller, Michèle Audette, Qajaq Robinson, Prof. Marilyn Poitras, Brian Eyolfson. The investigation will not have the power to bring charges against RCMP and Provincial law enforcement. Mandated to investigate causes of violence within the system and the underlying historical causes, the Commission could finally address the issue of genocide. However funding for the Inquiry, initially budgeted at forty million dollars has risen to 53.8 million plus a 16.17 million dollar increase for victim services over four years. Previous: 1 2. Partial sources online: "About the commissioners," current, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada; "Marion Buller, B.C. First Nations judge, to lead MMIW inquiry," Catharine Tunney, Kathleen Harris, Aug. 3,2016, CBC News; "Ottawa launches inquiry into missing, murdered indigenous women ," Gloria Galloway, Aug. 3, 2016, The Globe and Mail; "On Missing Aboriginal Women," J.B.Gerald, Aug. 27, 2013, nightslantern.ca.

July 12, 2016

Poland : a video made by Amnesty International Poland recording refugees and Europeans meeting for the first time - "Look Beyond Borders - 4 minutes experiment" [access:< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFnB4Sa4Ewg&feature=youtu.be >].

U.S. : the 2014 suicide rate of veterans decreased slightly to twenty per day, down from 22 per day in 2013. The rate for female veterans was almost two and a half times that of women in the general population. Older veterans were at the highest risk. The ACLU reports that Foreign born veterans, some in service since Vietnam, who have been charged with misdemeanors were being deported; their military service was not being taken into account. Stars and Stripes notes that every night almost 50,000 vets sleep in the streets. Military Times reports a 70,000 disability claims backlog in the Veterans Administration system, an improvement from 2013 when the backlog reached over 600,000. In 2015 the number of veterans receiving VA disability benefits reached 4.2 million. Partial sources online: "VA puts latest estimate of veteran suicides at 20 per day," AP, July 7, 2016, Yahoo! news; "ACLU says US deporting 'untold number' of military veterans," Feliks Garcia, July 6, 2016, The Independent; "One reason so many veterans are homeless? They can't afford lawyers," Martha Bergmark and Ellen Lawton, July 8, 2016, Stars and Stripes; "VA disability backlog tops 70,000 — 7 months after it was supposed to be zero," Leo Shane III, July 10, 2016, Military Times.

Free all political prisoners.

July 2, 2016

Newfoundland - historical note : "One More Will Stand" - Shanneyganock [access:< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPe30VErAzM >].

June 22, 2016

Syria : The United Nations "Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic" has released a new report, “'They came to destroy': ISIS Crimes Against the Yazidis," to deal specifically with the horrific treatment of Yazidi peoples by ISIS. Much of the evidence concerns Sinjar of northern Iraq, but many of ISIS captives are kept in Syria. The Commission’s report substantiates evidence of a genocide in progress against the Yazidi people in Iraq and Syria, limiting the scope of its inquiry to this one minority (more: "ISIS as a Mirror").

Previous: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

June 14, 2016 Germany Brazil Peru Rhode Island Canada Israel/Palestine Montreal

Germany : on June 2nd the German Bundestag accurately, formally and bravely declared the Turkish attempt to exterminate the Armenians in 1915, a genocide. Israel and the United States have not. 1.5 million Armenians died. Partial sources online: "Germany just voted to recognize the Armenian genocide. Turkey is furious," Zack Beauchamp, June 2, 2016, Vox World; "Erdogan: Armenia 'genocide' used to blackmail Turkey," June 3, 2016, Al Jazeera.

Brazil : Dilma Rousseff's replacement as President places Brazil under the control of a financial sector with sure ties to Wall Street. The new Finance Minister carries dual U.S./ Brazilian citizenship while the newly appointed head of Brazil's Central Bank carries dual Israeli / Brazilian citizenship. Ms Rousseff as a workers' president was not able to counter the damming the Amazon continuing the historical progression of genocide against Brazil's Amazon Indians. The interim government is trying to revoke recent measures by Rousseff's government made to protect Indigenous lands, including the Kawahiva people ("The Last of the Kawahiva," [access:< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLgdJfn9B5Y >] ). The new house of government representatives is said to be entirely "white"; the death rate for Afro-Brazilians is one fatality every 23 minutes. If Rousseff is permanantly replaced by impeachment the pro-tem President plans neo liberal austerity measures (as encouraged by the IMF). Partial sources online: "Brazilian Indians protest plan to “undo” land rights progress," June 2, 2016, Survival; "Brazil's president announces austerity measures to deal with $48B budget deficit," APMay 25, 2016, Fox News Latino; "Wall Street Behind Brazil Coup d’Etat," Prof Michel Chossudovsky, June 1, 2016, Global Research; "Brazil's new president Temer unveils austerity measures," May 24, 2016, Deutsche Welle.

Peru : in a hairline close vote between Keiko Fujimori and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski the runoff (see previous) election for President is ceded to Kuczynski. Fujimori's campaign carried the implicit threat of the state terrorism nourished by her father; he is currently in prison as a convicted war criminal yet uncharged for the massiveness of his crimes against the people. The leftist candidate, Veronika Mendoza, pushed from the ballot by the U.S. friendly, is a congresswoman from Cuzco, a region which paid heavily for the elder Fujimori's successful military obliteration of the Shining Path (still listed by the U.S. as a "terrorist group"). To avoid another Fujimori in office she endorsed Kuczynski who has spoken of her as a "half-red who has never done anything in her dog’s life” (The Guardian). While Kuczynski went to Oxford and Cambridge Fujimori supporters control the Congress. Partial sources online: "Peru: Left Announces There Will Be No Deal with New Government," June 13, 2016, Telesur; "Kuczynski ahead in Peru election, but will he be able to govern?," Dan Collyns, June 7, 2016, theguardian.com; "Son of Holocaust Survivor Wins Peru Elections by Slim Margin," Associated Press, June 10, 2016, Haarez; "Peru Keeps Driving Right," editorial, June 13, 2016, The Wall Steet Journal; "Peru’s New President Knows Leprosy, Coups and Terrifying Escapes," Ethan Bronner, June 13, 2016, Bloomberg.

Rhode Island : the Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives have voted to require genocide education in the State's schools. Curriculum provided by Rhode Island's Department of Education is required for public middle schools and high schools, as well as private and charter schools. The program starting in 2017 is reported to include discussion of the Holocaust, genocide of Armenians, Cambodians, Iraqis, Rwandans, and the people in Darfur. The Providence Journal notes similar legislation in "California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania." Partial sources online: "RI First New England State to Mandate Genocide and Holocaust Education," June 10, 2016, armenian weekly.com; "Bill mandates students study horrors of genocide," Alisha A. Pina, June 6, 2016, Providence Journal.

Canada : Canada's Waterless Communities: Shoal Lake 40 [access:< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHOJ0c2izbo >].

Israel / Palestine : citing independent political reasons Catherine Hall, the British historian and feminist, withdrew her acceptance of the prestigious Dan David research award in Israel . The 225,000 pound (over 400,000 Canadian dollars) prize was offered jointly by the Dan David Foundation and University of Tel Aviv. Her field of expertise is colonial history. The award money will instead go to young students across the world. Partial sources online: "Famed feminist British historian refuses prestigious Israeli award," May 23,2016, Islamic News Daily; "British historian Catherine Hall rejects £225,000 Israeli award for 'political' reasons," Gabriel Samuels, May 24, 2016, The Independent; "Cash prize refused by UK historian to fund TAU researchers of all backgrounds," Staff, May 26,2016, The Times of Israel.

Montreal : the trial of the killers of Salvatore Montagna has revealed the advanced technology of contemporary assassination, and a lack of human rights protection for members of groups portrayed as "criminal." "Criminals" was one of the categories the Third Reich consigned to concentration camps. A "power vacuum" and turf war is generally blamed for Montreal's ongoing violence toward, as previously noted, targets of almost exclusively Italian descent, usually elders, and with alleged links to the Mafia. Often little evidence links them to crimes. Salvatore Montagna, born in Canada, deported from the U.S. for refusing to testify against his associates, then living under surveillance in Montreal, was murdered Nov. 24, 2011. Attempting to protect the sophistication of RCMP electronic intelligence gathering, the killers were allowed to plead to lesser charges. However RCMP surveillance revealed at the trial enabled the media to report conversations between assassins as they planned the victim's murder and monitored its execution. Once the murder was completed, plotters and accomplices were arrested with little choice but to plead guilty. Canadian media have not been able to question RCMP complicity in the murder while the surveillance clearly indicates the crime in progress. Despite long standing heavy surveillance of the victim and assassins, no move to protect the intended victim is evident. Further background: 1 and 2 and 3. Partial sources online: "Montreal Mafia: Secret messages tell the story behind a high-profile killing," Paul Cherry, June 11, 2016, Montreal Gazette; "Six men plead guilty to conspiracy to murder Mafioso Salvatore Montagna," Paul Cherry, March 30, 2016, Montreal Gazette; "Murder and rivalry: The intercepted BlackBerry messages of the mob," Tu Thanh Ha and Les Perreaux, June 11, 2016, Globe and Mail.

May 13, 2016 New York Canada U.S.A.

New York City

Canada : this May Canada announced it fully accepts the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In November 2010 Canada expressed support for the Treaty without full acceptance. Use of Indigenous land by resource corporations requires Indigenous approval and historically the government is deeply entrammeled by corporate resource exploitation at home and abroad. The U.N. Declaration's 46 articles are not stated as law, but as "a standard of achievement to be pursued...." Canada's new commitment binds the nation to honouring Indigenous rights and shifts the ground for negotiations to Indigenous favour. Partial sources online: United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish), General Assembly A/RES/61/295, Oct. 2, 2007, United Nations [access:< https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N06/512/07/PDF/N0651207.pdf?OpenElement >]; "Canada officially adopts UN declaration on rights of Indigenous Peoples," May 10, 2016, CBC News.

United States : on March 11th the first of two riots in 3 days broke out at W. C. Holman prison in Alabama . According to MIC Network the cause of problems is that Holman is a "hellhole," also known as "the House of Pain," and "Slaughter Pen of the South." As of May 7th, 250 inmates in Elmore and Holman prisons were on strike against inhumane conditions. Starting April 4th inmates of four Texas prisons struck for an end to human rights violations and to prison slavery. The news was suppressed. Prisons placed in lockdown give some indication of the extent of the strike: "Jester III, Dalhart, and Beto, partial lockdowns at Coffield and Allred, and a confirmed order for lockdown at Michael" (as of April 16, Support Prisoner Resistance). By April 11th, seven Texas prisons were affected. By April 27th eight Texas prisons were in lockdown. A large majority of prisoners are forced to work without pay. Three of Michigan 's prisons were faced with food strikes in March. The actions protest conditions of confinement and strengthen prisoner unity. About 1000 of 1300 prisoners at Kinross Correctional Facility refused meals on March 20th and 21rst. On March 26 to 28 about 800 prisoners refused meals at Chippewa Correctional Facility. On April 12th about 660 prisoners refused meals at Cotton Correctional Facility.

In commemoration of the Attica prison uprising of 1971, U.S. prisoners are calling a nationwide strike for September 9th, 2016, to shut prisons across the country and end prison slavery. The prisoners' "Call to Action Against Slavery in America" [access: < https://iwoc.noblogs.org/post/2016/04/01/announcement-of-nationally-coordinated-prisoner-workstoppage-for-sept-9-2016/ >] makes no call for violence. It calls on prisoners to stop working as slaves. It calls for convict solidarity between races, ethnic groups and genders. It makes no threat of violence against guards or prison administration. It asks for outside support.

Partial sources online: "What You Need to Know About Holman, the Brutal Alabama Prison Where 2 Riots Just Broke Out," Zak Cheney-Rice, March 17, 2016, Mic Network Inc.; “'This Was About Unity': a Wave of Protest Spreads though the Michigan Prison System," April 20, 2016, It's GoingDown; "Who’s behind unpaid prison labor in Texas?" Aaron Cantu, April 27, 2016, Support Prisoner resistance; "Inmate strikes continues at 2 Alabama prisons," May 7, 2016, WVTM 13; "Texas Inmates Protest ‘Inhumane’ Conditions," Robin Young, Erica Gammill, April 12, 2016, here & now; "Tipping Point in Texas Prison Strikes? New Wave of Lockdowns, Threats," April 16, 2016, Support Prisoner Resistance; "Announcement of Nationally Coordinated Prisoner Workstoppage for Sept 9, 2016," IWW Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee.

May 1, 2016 Belgium Peru Canada Israel/Palestine Syria/Iraq

Belgium : all residents of Belgium are to be issued iodine pills, said to be a precautionary measure in case of dirty bomb attack by ISIS. Iodine helps counter the effects on the thyroid of radiation. The Government of the Netherlands plans similar measures. Among seven reactors, Belgium's two forty year old Doel nuclear reactors have been placed back online, updated to last until 2025. Partial sources online: "Belgium Residents To Get Iodine Pills In Case Of Nuclear Incident," Katrina Pascual, May 1, 2016, Tech Times; "All Belgian residents issued with iodine tablets to protect against radiation," Matthew Holehouse, April 28, 2016, The Telegraph; "Two oldest Doel units cleared for restart," Dec. 23, 2015, World Nuclear News.

Peru : Peru is about to undergo a runoff election June 5th for its presidency between the two successful money market candidates who forced out the left wing candidate in the first round of voting. At their victory Peru's stock index made its largest gain since 2008. Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is a former World Bank employee and finance minister. Keiko Fujimori, the 40 year old former congresswoman with a nearly two-to-one lead going into the runoff, has staunchly defended her father, a previous president Alberto Fujimori, currently in prison for white collar crimes but more exceptionally crimes against humanity (death squad murders). Responsible for application of a program sterilizing as many as 300,000 Indigenous women without their informed consent, charges of genocide have been raised against Alberto Fujimori. Some worry that another Fujimori in power would drive the country towards becoming a Narco-State. 250 million dollars of drug money is alleged laundered in Peru last year, with the drug trade covered by illegal resource developers. TeleSur alleges that of 21 "narco-congress" members recently elected 14 are of Keiko Fujimori's party. Partial sources online: "Two pro-business candidates make Peru runoff, markets rise," Ursul Scollo and Mitra Taj, April 11. 2016. Reuters; "Drug Traffickers Laundered $250 Million in 2015: Peru Official," Quenton King, April 28, 2016, Insight Crime; "Peru Could Turn into a 'Narco State,' Says Expert," April 27, 2016,TeleSur; "5 Relatives of Peru’s Fujimori Wanted for International Arrest," Aug. 3, 2015, TeleSur.

Canada : (see previous) suicides continue in First Nations communities. The Toronto Star has pointed out that essentially nothing has been done in response to declarations of emergency by Aboriginal communities suffering from extreme rates of youth and adult suicide, as well as lack of clean drinking water and reasonable habitation. The Canadian system of Aboriginal 'management' promotes good intention on paper and through declarations by Liberal politicians. Canada's Human Rights Tribunal has ordered the government provide services to the children of First Nations. The Department of Indigenous Affairs was ordered to report back in two weeks that an appropriate policy is in place. The Toronto Star lists 38 states of emergency as active for First Nations communities in Ontario, yet none since 2014 for Quebec. A genocide warning continues. Partial sources online: "Tribunal orders federal government to ensure services for Aboriginal kids," Kristy Kirkup/The Canadian Press, April 26, 2016, CBC News; "5 more Attawapiskat youth attempt suicide in 'spiralling situation'," April 16, 2016, CBC News; "A First Nations cry for help gets little government attention: Star investigation," Allan Woods, April 25, 2016, The Toronto Star.

Israel / Palestine : the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel has registered protest against INOGS, the International Network of Genocide Scholars, which plans to hold its annual conference in Jerusalem. PACBI asks people of conscience to boycott the conference due to Israel's violations of international law. In the U.S. and Canada it is difficult for academics among others critical of Israel. INOGS may have called a conference in Jerusalem to bring under public consideration the genocidal aspects of Israeli policy. U.S. and European University programs as well as heavily funded NGO's addressing issues of genocide rarely include genocide warnings necessary for Gazans and all Palestinians. My own position is that selective application undermines the power and affect of the Genocide Convention and its intended ability to prevent mass atrocities. PACBI's statement of protest alleges the INOGS conference is sponsored by "five deeply complicit Israeli academic insitutions," and the PACBI statement attempts to counter the impunity of Israel's extra-judicial killings and increasing overt racism. A member of INOGS I respect the boycott and urge any who attend to confront the realities of Israel's policies. Partial sources online: "Palestinians call for boycott of genocide conference in Jerusalem," Rania Khalek, April 27, 2016, The Electronic Intifada; "Boycott the International Network of Genocide Scholars (INoGS) Conference in Occupied Jerusalem!" PACBI statement, March 16, 2016, Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel ; "Israel’s new justice minister considers all Palestinians to be ‘the enemy’," Ishaan Tharoor May 7, 2015, Washington Post; "Israel's Lawless Death Penalty Without Trial Buoyed by Cheers of the Masses," Gideon Levy, Oct. 11, 2015, Haaretz; "Genocide Warnings & Updates: Israel," J.B.Gerald, ongoing, nightslantern.ca.

Syria / Iraq : the Catholic Church with John Kerry and the U.S. State Department are finding ISIS guilty of genocide in territories where it gains control. The government of the UK has so far refused to acknowledge that a pattern of ISIS atrocities against Christians and Yazidis is genocide, declaring the decision one to be made by the courts rather than political bodies. This position is currently favoured by Canada. It is a welcome attempt to depoliticize an issue which risks tactical use to further the interests of aggressor nations attempting to use the Convention on Genocide as an excuse to invade de-stabilized areas. The extreme degree of ISIS atrocities finds little parallel in modern warfare except in techniques of terrorization of civilian populations to control areas destabilized by CIA and DIA covert programs. With NATO and U.S. policy having destroyed without just provocation the nations of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, (with almost exclusively Muslim populations) a case remains available charging Western leaders with the genocide of national groups or the religious groups of Muslims. For a legal case concerning genocide against the peoples of Iraq see Narration of Facts by the Ad Hoc Committee for Justice for Iraq. After the loss of millions of Muslims, non-combattants, not in warfare or on the battlefield but civilian casualties, and the displacement of millions represented in part by the current "refugee crisis" in Europe, it's impossible to exclude NATO and Euro-American interests from consideration as proponents of genocide. ISIS actions against Christians, Yazidis and other minorities could be considered as reactive rather than aggressive. ISIS atrocities are both unjust and criminal but under an objective court could be interpreted as an armed response to genocide. In Iraq the safety of its ancient Christian community was sacrificed when 'Christian' America's bombs and missiles bombed the country 'into the stone age.' Partial sources online: "UK Reluctant to Call Daesh Crimes Genocide Despite MPs' Unanimous Vote," Tania Kader Hussein, April 27, 2016, Sputnik; "UN Security Council: Golan Heights Doesn’t Belong to Israel," Jason Ditz, April 26, 2016, antiwar.com.

March 28, 2016

Canada : the "at risk" status of First Peoples, does not mean they’re at risk of being uncomfortable. It means they could die. It is a way to talk about the failure of the Canadian government's responsibility for Aboriginal peoples, without imputing intention for the deaths. Americans consider the proving of "intention " necessary for charges of genocide, and the American interpretation of the Convention on Genocide is often adopted by less powerful nations... (continue reading "Canada: why aren't conditions of life for First Peoples a national emergency?")

The Hague , a note in addition to the previous posting: the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia announced its verdict against Radovan Karadzik on the anniversary of the day, March 24,1999, when NATO began its campaign to bomb the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's infrastructure, civilians as well as military targets without U.N. approval. Source online: "Serbia, Russia accuse UN court after Karadzic verdict,"Jovan Matic, AFP, March 25/26, 2016, Rappler.com; "Legitimacy of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia," current, Wikipedia..

March 24, 2016

The Hague : the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia finds Radovan Karadžic guilty of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and has sentenced him to 40 years in prison. The former Bosnian Serb leader is convicted of legal responsibility for genocide at Srebrenica,1995, in the mass execution of 8000 Muslim men and boys. He's also held legally responsible for the siege of Sarajevo. Evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity presented to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia was overwhelming. Pleading innocent Karadžic claimed that individual soldiers and civilians who committed the crimes were responsible for them. He is found not guilty of genocide in the clearing of Muslims and Croatians from Bosnian villages held by the Serb military. Karadžic, once a psychiatrist, defended himself but with court appointed legal assistance. Defense attorney Peter Robinson of Santa Rosa California told The Guardian he didn't consider it a fair trial. Robinson has stated "Defending somebody like Karadžic at these international tribunals is pretty much like trying to stop a moving train.” He finds the Court proceeds under a double standard, to the disadvantage of less powerful countries while sparing the powerful. Robinson points out that if Obama's policies of arming dissidents in Syria were held to the same standards the Court applied to Karadžic, the U.S. President would be found guilty. The ruling will be appealed. 94 suspects on the Serbian side have been charged by the ICTY, 29 Croats and 8 Muslims. See previous. Partial sources online: "Radovan Karadzic sentenced to 40 years in prison for Bosnian war crimes," AP, March 24, 2016, CBC News; "Karadzic guilty of Bosnia genocide, jailed for 40 years," Thomas Escritt and Toby Sterling / Reuters International, May 24, 2016, SWI swissinfo.ch; "Radovan Karadžic sentenced to 40 years for Srebrenica genocide," Julian Borger and Owen Bowcott, March 24, 2016, The Guardian; "Radovan Karadžic's lawyer expects guilty verdict over war crimes," Matthew Weaver, March 18, 2016, The Guardian.

March 19, 2016

The former Yugoslavia : an article by Christopher Black at Global Research re-examines the death of Slobodan Milosevic in a holding cell of the International Criminal Tribunal at the Hague, where the head of the prison was reporting to the Americans. Black, an attorney, points out that Milosovic's self defense and the ineptness of the prosecution turned the trial in Milosevic's favour early on. It would be difficult to find him guilty. Black points out that the trial was necessary to NATO's justification of its bombing and destruction of Yugoslavia. He notes NATO's in-house investigation, the Parker Report, 'clears' NATO but doesn't explain traces of poison in Milosevic's system at death, nor why he was refused medical treatment necessary to keep him alive. No one mentions the President of the former Republic of Yugoslavia's charges of genocide at the International Court of Justice against all NATO countries, supplying evidence in the details of targeted infrastructure within his country. The U.S. evaded prosecution through lack of accession to the International Court. Canada pleaded lack of intention. Milosevic's charges were put on hold indefinitely and have apparently died with Milosevic. Background: "On Crimes of Power: the Bombing of Yugoslavia, 1999" . Partial sources online: "Ten Years Since the 'Extrajudicial' Assassination of Slobodan Milosevic. NATO's Responsibility." Christopher Black, March 13, 2016, Global Research; "Yugoslavia, Interrupted: A European Success Story Ruined by NATO Invasion," InSerbia with agencies, Feb 24, 2016, InSerbia.info.

Guatemala : Ríos Montt was initially charged with genocide in 2013; his trial started once again (previous) on March16, 2016, amid further attempts by his lawyers to delay. At this point Ríos Montt has been found unfit to stand normal trial for reasons of dementia and can be found innocent or guilty but not punished for the murder of 1771 Txiles, Indigenous Mayans of Quiche. Among other deaths resulting from the impunity of Guatemala's right wing controls, between 1976 and 1983 thirteen Catholic priests (from the U.S., Guatemala, the Philippines, Belgium, Italy, and Spain) were assassinated in Guatemala. Fr. Stanley Rother from a farm in Oklahoma is currently proposed as a candidate for beatification. Serving the Tz'utujil (Mayan) people and under death threat for speaking out he was murdered by a death squad in his church rectory, 1981. Background. Partial sources online: "Ex-Dictator Ríos Montt's Genocide Trial Opens in Guatemala," AP, March 16, 2016, abc news; "Guatemala: Ríos Montt Judgement Scheduled for Wednesday," March 15, 2016, Telesur; "Vatican panel calls Fr. Sanley Rother a martyr," Tom Gallagher, July 13, 2015, National Catholic Reporter.

March 12, 2016 ~ notes

As a young woman in Iran, in a broken marriage her son went to live with his father and she adopted a child of lepers. She died at thirty-two driving her car into a wall to avoid ramming a school bus. A poem from the Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzad, "I called you from the dark," [access:[ < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVADnkrsarQ >].

In the early 1980's the Argentine writer Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges spoke at a PEN American Center gathering in New York and at dinner I was sitting next to him on one side, and a distinguished professor of Spanish was sitting on the other. At some point during the meal the waiter came by and presented us with newly filled glasses. It was hard to hear this generosity in the din of us all talking and eating. It was hard to know how deeply blind Borges was and my Spanish wasn't good enough to explore the subject gently, when suddenly the professor reached out and substituted Borges's nearly empty glass with the newly filled one. For some reason I immediately intercepted and put the old one back again so Borges as he reached out did not find suddenly a full glass instead of his nearly empty. The professor said to me in English "What did you do that for!" He was an old friend and so I was embarrassed and could say nothing as he explained the mixup to Borges. Borges just grinned at me as though he wasn't blind at all. When Peron's government came to power in Argentina Borges who worked as a librarian was reassigned to work as an inspector of chickens. When he asked why, they answered what did he expect for supporting the allies in WWII. His sister, the artist, Norah Borges, and his mother were jailed for protest against Peron. Borges became president of the Argentine Society of Writers, which Peron closed down when Borges refused to hang portraits there of Peron and his wife Eva. Historically the closing presents a kind of tribute to all Argentinian writers capable of resisting popular government: during contemporary wars and war crimes governments have never threatened to close North American PEN centres. A tribute to Borges is found at "Buenos Aires - Las Calles de Borges" [access:< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvDbQQgKil4 ]. In much of the video Borges is replaced by an actor whom for many views I was almost sure was Borges....

A compendium of U.S. "Social Movement Prisoners" from Denver Anarchist Black Cross is available at [access:< https://denverabc.wordpress.com/prisoners-dabc-supports/political-prisoners-database/ >].

February 25, 2016 U.S. political prisoner updates Tom Manning Albert Woodfox Russell Shoatz Mumia Abu-Jamal Leonard Peltier Imam Al-Amin Seth Hayes Sekou Odinga Dr. Mutulu Shakur Judith Clark

U.S. : "The torture of U.S. political prisoners: some updates"

February 24, 2016 Yemen Canada Vatican City Zimbabwe

Yemen : (previous). On Feb. 16th, the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, expressly warned of the cost in lives and the losses of human and humanitarian rights engulfing the people of Yemen. In a joint statement with Jennifer Welsh, the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, the Special Advisers warned of the violence overflowing into Saudi Arabia and other neighbouring countries. Neither the responsibility for the conflict nor the issue of genocide is directly mentioned in the warning. Genocide Warning for the national group. Partial sources online: "Statement by Adama Dieng, special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and Jennifer Welsh, Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, on the situation in Yemen," Press release, Feb. 16, 2016, United Nations, apprec. INoGS.

Canada : in the case of Omar Khadr whose freedom on bail was granted by a Canadian judge, the decision was appealed by the Harper government attempting to put him back in prison. Both the Courts and Canadians are aware of the Canadian intelligence establishment's crime of complicity in Khadr's torture. The new Liberal government has withdrawn the government's appeal and Khadr will remain free while a challenge to his case is decided in the U.S.. Also underway, Omar Khadr's suit against the Canadian government for not protecting him as a child and citizen despite knowledge of U.S. crimes against him (20 million dollars). If the suit is successful it may face claims by U.S. courts which have allowed a blinded soldier and widow of a U.S. soldier killed in action allegedly by Khadr, to sue, most recently for 134 million dollars, which was then awarded by a Utah judge. The two already won a U.S. civil court suit against Khadr's father's estate for 102 million dollars. While such claims may be collectible under U.S. dominated law common sense suggests neither suit is valid. In principle the cases and awards offer to all victim families the economic liabilty U.S. soldiers might incur by following orders. To point: if Khadr wins his case against the Canadian government, the millions could go to the U.S. military circles responsible. An alternative perspective: transfer of such large sums between military parties should make them suspect of a collusion between U.S. and Canadian government agencies to use the torture of a minor child for profit. No one speaks of Omar Khadr's entire family which was demonized and damaged by Canadian media for being true to the themselves and their beliefs. Khadr's sister tried to defend her brother to the press. Current bail conditions forbid Omar Khadr to speak to either his mother or sister. A January 31rst article in The Toronto Star suggests Khadr's sister Zaynab is being held in custody in Turkey. Canada mustn't treat her with the same complicity it treated two of her brothers imprisoned at Guantanamo. Born in Ottawa, she is thought to be living in the middle east, married with children, and although the Canadian consul is informed, there's no 'news' of her or sureness that she has any rights at all amidst the extrajudicial detention common in Turkey. Partial sources online: "Justin Trudeau and the Omar Khadr case," Michael Friscolanti, Feb. 16, 2016, Maclean's; "Omar Khadr to stay out on bail after federal government drops appeal," Feb.18, 2016, CBC News; "Omar Khadr sued by soldier’s widow and blinded soldier," The Canadian Press, May 22, 2014, thestar.com; "Widow and ex-soldier injured in Afghanistan move for final judgment on $134M suit against Omar Khadr," Colin Perkel, The Canadian Press, May 17, 2015, National Post; "U.S. judge awards $134-million in suit against Omar Khadr," AP, July 3, 2015, The Globe and Mail; "Omar Khadr's sister Zaynab detained in Turkey," Michelle Shephard, , Peter Edwards, Jan. 31, 2016, thestar.com; "Omar Khadr's sister detained in Turkey," Postmedia Network, Feb. 1, 2016, Ottawa Sun.

Vatican City : affirming the absolute value of the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," on Feb. 21, 2016 Pope Francis requested the abolishment of the death penalty, globally. The United Nations protocol for the abolition of capital punishment (Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Aiming at the Abolition of the Death Penalty of, Dec. 15, 1989) is available for signing by the 113 nation states which have not done so. Currently 82 nations are State Parties to the treaty with 3 signatories. Having spoken previously against the "hidden death penalty" of life imprisonment, Pope Francis called for improvement of prison conditions and respect for the human dignity of all prisoners. Partial sources online: "Pope Francis: Abolish the death penalty worldwide," Reuters, Feb. 22, 2016, Religion News Service "Pope Francis Calls for Worldwide Ban on Death Penalty During Year of Mercy," Thomas D. Williams, PhD., Feb 22, 2016, Breitbart

Zimbabwe has in its Constitution abolished the death penalty for women and minors under the age of twenty-one. At the 9th International Meeting of the Ministers of Justice in Rome Feb. 22nd, Zimbabwe's Vice-President Mnangagwa assured eradication of the death penalty in all Zimbabwe's laws, noting Zimbabwe had accepted the UN Human Rights Council's recommendation that it sign the the Second Optional Protocol (above) ( "Zim to eliminate death penalty — Mnangagwa," Feb. 23, 2016, The Herald ).