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Following the United Nations’ recent approval of Resolution 2046 threatening the nations of Sudan and South Sudan with sanctions [1], the success of international attempts at conflict aversion in the region appear to be in question. Hostilities between the two nations have climaxed since South Sudanese forces captured the region of Heglig, an oil-producing site 70 kilometers into Sudanese territory [2]. South Sudanese forces have also maintained a presence in the long disputed border region of Abyei in Southern Kordofan, where Juba has recently vowed to withdraw its personnel from [3]. Although Khartoum has agreed to comply with the United Nations resolution, it has vowed to continue military operations against South Sudan’s troops as long as they remain within the territory of Sudan, “Sudan has declared its commitment to a United Nations resolution calling for an end to military operations, but the other side’s troops still remain on our territory; they have occupied two districts and have not stopped their hostile actions” [4].

As Juba denies Khartoum’s claims of occupying Sudanese territory, South Sudan’s newly released official map includes the Heglig region and six areas that are “contested and occupied” by Khartoum [5]. Amid the escalating regional tension, China has recently offered South Sudan an $8 billion development package set to allocate funds for road construction, hydropower, infrastructure and agricultural projects following South Sudanese President Salva Kiir’s visit to Beijing [6]. China has traditionally been a key partner to the government in Khartoum, but has steadily increased its influence in South Sudan since its independence in 2011, primarily through investments via state-owned Chinese oil companies China National Petroleum and Sinopec. As inflation rates in Sudan reportedly rise to 21% following increased military expenditure since clashes erupted with Juba in late March 2012 [7], China’s extensive economic engagement in the region offers the leverage needed to potentially play the role of a mediator in the Sudanese conflict.

The emergence of South Sudan as an independent state came at a heavy price for Khartoum, as an estimated 85% of the country’s oil production came under Juba’s control. Although South Sudan holds a majority of oil reserves, Juba has relied on the Greater Nile Oil Pipeline for its oil exports, a pipeline operated by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) extending to Port Sudan on the Red Sea via Khartoum [8]. Under a barrage of economic sanctions, Khartoum sought to implement oil transit fees for the use of the Greater Nile Oil Pipeline, by charging Juba around $36 per barrel; Juba holds over $11 billion in oil transit debt and has refused the figures proposed by Khartoum, prompting Juba to suspend its oil production [9]. Juba has accused its northern neighbor of launching air strikes on its territories, while both sides also accuse each other of backing rebel militia, claims that Khartoum has denied [10]. Following the fiery rhetoric espoused by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir describing Juba’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement as “insects,” Bashir now concedes, “We look with wisdom and foresight to well-established relations between us and the people of South Sudan” [11].

As a climate of uncertainty persists beneath irresponsibly bellicose exchanges, the implementation of a campaign to unseat Omar al-Bashir and bring down the government in Khartoum has long been underway. A recent Op-Ed published in The New York Times by Dr. Gérard Prunier entitled “In Sudan, Give War a Chance” reflects a predominately Western political school of thought which favors the prospect of full scale war to bring about regime change in Sudan. Prunier laments, “The international community has called for a cease-fire and peace talks, but the return of violence is not necessarily a bad thing,” before concluding “an all-out civil war in Sudan may be the best way to permanently oust Mr. Bashir and minimize casualties” [12]. Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir is the first sitting head of state to be charged with genocide by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity conducted in Sudan’s western Darfur region; ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo accuses Bashir of keeping millions of refugees in an environment resembling a “gigantic Auschwitz” [13].

Violence and infighting in Sudan has traditionally been a product of tension along ethnic lines, more so than religious differences. Although the modern Sudanese state has been divided along ethno-religious lines with the religiously Islamic and ethnically Arab government in Khartoum split from the ethnically African and religiously Christian government in Juba, tribal minorities such as the ethnically African and religiously Islamic Fur and Zaghawa groups in Sudan’s western Darfur region have long demanded reparations for the marginalization they’ve experienced from Khartoum [14]. In a recent report issued by Amnesty International entitled “Sudan: No End to Violence in Darfur,” the organization attributes China, former Soviet Union countries and Belarus for selling arms to the Government of Sudan. Amnesty International’s report omits any mention of Israel, who has reportedly provided heavy military logistical support to the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Darfur’s most powerful armed rebel group [15].

Although the United Nations does not recognize the conduct of the Sudanese government in Darfur as “genocide” [16], mass media campaigns publicizing the alleged violence in Sudan have been embraced by celebrity personalities such as George Clooney. TIME magazine warns of the increased prospects for genocide in South Kordofan’s Nuba Mountains region, as rebels affiliated with South Sudan’s ex-rebel militia, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) take up arms against Khartoum once again [17]. Clooney has recently partnered with John Prendergast of The Enough Project to produce a promotional video depicting ethnic Nuba villagers displaying English language placards calling for the establishment of a “No-Fly Zone” and the prosecution of Omar al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court [18]. The Enough Project was co-founded by US State Department Distinguished Service Award recipient John Prendergast and launched in 2007 under the Center for American Progress [19], an organization sponsored by billionaire investor George Soros and Peter Lewis of Progressive, a Fortune 500 insurance company, among others [20]. John Podesta, who heads the Podesta Group, a Washington lobbying firm representing the interests of weapon-manufacturers Lockheed Martin and oil conglomerates such as British Petroleum [21], also chairs the Center for American Progress [22].

In 2006, the Sudanese government barred 20,000 UN troops from running peacekeeping operations in Darfur, as then-Presidential Advisor Mustafa Osman Ismail argued that the UN mandate’s goal was the implementation of “regime change” in Khartoum [23]. The sources of weaponry and covert assistance received by rebel groups in Sudan are rarely a subject of speculation among religious and political organizations who have long supported the international campaign to pressure Sudan. In 2007, the American Jewish World Service and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum launched a “Save Darfur” coalition, which gained the support of adherents to intervention in Iraq, such as right-wing evangelical Christian groups and major organizational affiliates of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) [24]. According to The Jerusalem Post, the Save Darfur coalition launched a high-profile advertising campaign that included full-page newspaper ads, television spots and billboards calling for the imposition of a no-fly zone over Darfur with financial assistance the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan, United Jewish Communities, UJA-Federation of New York and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs [25].

While the blame for violence in Sudan is laid squarely on Khartoum’s shoulders, Israeli-led foreign elements have contributed to the training, financing, and arming of rebel militias and forces opposed to the Sudanese government within Sudan. Since 1969, Israel has reportedly trained recruits, shipped weapons, and offered support to South Sudanese SPLA rebels [26]. Prior to South Sudan’s independence, Israel relied primarily on a flight route to Entebbe, Uganda to supply SPLA with weapons [27], however Tel Aviv now transfers missiles, military equipment, and even mercenaries to Juba quite openly [28]. As Israel covertly operates in East Africa immune from international criticism following their bombing of Sudanese convoys in 2009 [29], the influence of Israeli think tanks such as The Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies (IASPS) toward the creation of AFRICOM, the US Africa Command, remains a significant indication of the foreign policy directives being taken by Tel Aviv and Washington in Africa [30].

The Sudan exists as sub-Saharan Africa’s third largest oil producer with over 6.6 billion barrels of proven oil reserves [31]; an estimated 85% of those reserves have been ordained to Juba, in the Republic of South Sudan [32]. As China exists as Sudan’s largest trading partner by purchasing 40% of Sudan’s oil with the excess majority largely designated to Asian markets [33], reordering and monopolizing Sudan’s vast oil fields and mineral wealth is the capital incentive behind the unwavering support for the secession of South Sudan shown by US, EU, and Israeli officials. Members of the Sudanese opposition and various rebel separatist groups often visit Tel Aviv, Sudan’s main SPLA opposition even opened an office in Israel to promote its “policies and vision” in the region [34]. In reflection of Israel’s active support for the Southern opposition, South Sudanese citizens were seen waving Israeli flags during their Independence celebrations in July 2011 [35]. For the likely guarantee of support, the South Sudanese government in Juba applied for IMF membership in April 2011 before it had even officially gained independence from Sudan [36].

As Israel and Washington offer their support to the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in Darfur and various rebel militias opposed to the Sudanese government, China’s interests in the region come under direct attack from these very rebel groups, most prominently in JEM’s October 2007 attack on the Greater Nile Petroleum Company in Defra, Kordofan [37]. The World Bank has recently warned that South Sudan may collapse by its two-year anniversary, due to the ramifications of halting production of at least 75% of the regional oil in frustration with Khartoum’s claims on oil-transit debt and revenue [38]. Apparently, authorities in Juba are either unprepared politically for independence or lacking the appropriate guidance to effectively manage its internal affairs. In a recent meeting between Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping and Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti, China urged the warring neighbors to settle their differences and negotiate [39].

As China would prefer to align with its traditional approach of non-interventionist diplomacy, Beijing has an opportunity to exploit its influence in the region to not only further its own interests, but to defer criticism from parties loyal to Washington who credit China with sponsoring bloodshed through its business interests [40] and political positions [41]. By pursuing the role of a mediator, China can preserve its interests by overseeing negotiations on trade regulations, citizens rights, demarcation and territory status between the neighboring Sudans’. As Juba depends on oil exports for 98% of its income [42], it must negotiate with Khartoum to settle its debts and agree on a mutual per-barrel fee for its use of the Greater Nile Oil Pipeline, as construction of a new pipeline from oil fields in South Sudan to a theoretical end point at the Kenyan port of Mombasa would take years to construct. While the current US Vice President Joseph Biden once called on the US to exert military force against Sudan [43], it remains crucial for the leaders of both Sudanese nation states to come to an agreement regarding the status of the Heglig region and other disputed areas claimed by both sides, lest peacekeeping forces internationally administer these contested zones.

Any attempts at imposing an arms embargo throughout the Sudan would be entirely disregarded by both sides, which are already adequately armed. While attempts to rally public support behind Western intervention in Sudan rely on emphasizing the human rights violations of Khartoum, claims of 6,000 people being slaughtered by Gaddafi used to justify NATO intervention in Libya remain unverified [44]. Given the distinct ethno-religious differences of South Sudanese society and long history of striving for autonomy, their existence as a nation state is warranted. It is irresponsible to deny both Khartoum’s unwarranted and brutal treatment of civilians within its territory and the US-Israeli policy of inflaming national and regional antagonisms in Sudan by arming rebel militias, to the benefit of corporations seeking to control and develop oil fields and mineral deposits.

While the allied powers in Washington and Tel Aviv would prefer to advocate aggressive policy to ensure against the survival of the regime in Khartoum, the institutional influence of Russia and China in the UNSC provides an opportunity for emerging powers to exert an alternative model of non-aggressive crisis aversion. China may thinly support future economic sanctions on the Sudans in hesitation to involve itself in the domestic issues of other nations, however Beijing could best exercise its influence by urging Khartoum to meet with tribal leaders to guarantee a ceasefire and develop a true federal system that would allow for local autonomy. As the Sudanese leadership in Khartoum projects itself as an Islamic nation, it should recall the final great address of the Islamic Prophet at Mount Arafat, who called for the rejection of social distinctions based on ethnicity and color.

By Nile Bowie

@ Global Research, May 8, 2012

Nile Bowie is an independent writer and photojournalist based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; he regularly contributes to Tony Cartalucci’s Land Destroyer Report and Professor Michel Chossudovsky’s Global Research Twitter: @NileBowie

Notes

[1] U.N. Resolution Threatens Sanctions Against Sudan and South Sudan, The New York Times, May 3, 2012

[2] Sudan mobilises army over seizure of oilfield by South Sudan, The Guardian, April 11, 2012

[3] South Sudan police to withdraw from Abyei, Sudan Tribune, April 29, 2012

[4] Sudan refuses to stop fighting with South Sudan, Russia Today, May 5, 2012

[5] New official S. Sudan map to include disputed border region, Russia Today, May 5, 2012

[6] China ‘offers South Sudan $8bn for projects’, Al Jazeera, April 29, 2012

[7] Sudan inflation up by 21% in Q1 2012, Sudan Tribune, May 4, 2012

[8] Focus on diplomacy and Sudan, APS Diplomat News Service, August 15, 2008

[9] Sudan inflation up by 21% in Q1 2012, Sudan Tribune, May 4, 2012

[10] Bashir says wants warm relations with South Sudanese, Chicago Tribune, May 6, 2012

[11] Ibid

[12] In Sudan, Give War a Chance, The New York Times, May 4, 2012

[13] Omar al-Bashir charged with Darfur genocide, The Guardian, July 10, 2010

[14] The Peoples of Darfur, Cultural Survival, 2010

[15] Sudan: Israel arming Darfur rebels, PressTV, February 2, 2009

[16] U.N. report: Darfur not genocide, CNN, February 1, 2005

[17] Darfur Redux: Is ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ Occurring in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains? TIME, June 14, 2011

[18] George Clooney Witnesses War Crimes in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains, Enough Project, March 14, 2012

[19] About Us, Enough Project, 2012

[20] John Podesta, Shepherd of a Government in Exile, The New York Times, November 6, 2008

[21] Hired Guns: The City’s 50 Top Lobbyists, Washingtonian, June 1, 2007

[22] John Podesta, Center for American Progress, 2012

[23] Sudan says AU can stay in Darfur but not under UN, Sudan Tribune, September 4, 2006

[24] Darfur Advocacy Group Undergoes a Shake-Up, The New York Times, June 2, 2007

[25] US Jews leading Darfur rally planning, The Jerusalem Post, April 27, 2006

[26] Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), Global Security, 2012

[27] Israeli weapons ‘bound for rebels’ in southern Sudan: Arms may be destined for SPLA fight against Khartoum, The Independent, March 19, 1994

[28] Report: Israelis arming South Sudan with missiles, YNet News, April 5, 2012

[29] U.S. Officials say Israel Struck Sudan, The New York Times, March 26, 2009

[30] AFRICOM: Control of Africa, VoltaireNet, 2012

[31] BP Statistical Review of World Energy, British Petroleum, June, 2008

[32] The secession of South Sudan, Tehran Times, July 11, 2011

[33] Oil for China, Guns for Darfur, BusinessWeek, March 14, 2008

[34] Sudan’s SPLM reportedly opens an office in Israel – statement, Sudan Tribune, March 5, 2008

[35] Israeli Flags at South Sudan Independence Celebrations, Al Jazeera, July 9, 2011

[36] South Sudan formally applies for IMF membership, Sudan Tribune, April 21, 2011

[37] Darfur rebels spurn Chinese force, BBC, November 2007

[38] South Sudan Experiment Headed Toward Failure, OilPrice, May 08, 2012

[39] China / Politics   Xi pushes for Sudanese talks, China Daily, February 29, 2012

[40] China defends arms sales to Sudan, BBC, February 22, 2008

[41] Hillary Clinton lambastes ‘travesty’ of UN veto on Syria, MSNBC, February 5, 2012

[42] Juba could face blackout in days – minister, Sudan Tribune, March 29, 2012

[43] Biden calls for military force in Darfur, MSNBC, April 11, 2007

[44] Israel and Libya: Preparing Africa for the “Clash of Civilizations,” Centre for Research on Globalization, October 11, 2011

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Foreign Ministry: US Administration Continues Blatant Interference in Syrian Affairs and Open Support for Terrorists

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – An official source  at the Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said that the US administration is continuing its blatant interference in the internal affairs of Syria, its open support for terrorists, covering up terrorists’ crimes, distorting facts about Syria at the UN, and extorting countries and the international community to beleaguer Syria.

The source said that this was made clear in recent escalatory statements within the past few days which coincided with an escalation carried out by terrorists across Syria who murdered scores of innocents, with the most malicious of these statements being the one made by a spokesperson of the US Department of State in 11/6/2012 in which she voiced her country’s concern over the situation in several Syrian cities.

In these statements, the spokesperson voiced concern over the possibility of a new massacre taking place in al-Haffeh, and the source noted that this is actually cause for concern over the possibility of armed groups committing such a massacre as indicated by phone calls between armed groups and their leaderships in Turkey.

The source stressed that these US statements twist facts and falsify what is happening and encourages terrorists to commit more massacres and violence across Syria, stressing that US spokespersons ignore the armed groups’ attacks of al-Haffeh and their assaults on their people, burning of public establishments, vandalism of schools, disruption of exams, and forced eviction of citizens from their homes. Instead, they cover for them and carry out media misdirection for the benefit of the terrorists under various pretenses.

The source affirmed that those who support armed groups and provide them with funds and weapons and cover up their crimes are directly complicit in the shedding of Syrian blood, no matter what statements they make.

The source said that the plan of UN Envoy to Syria Kofi Annan demanded the cessation of violence by all sides, but the armed groups backed by the US and its pawns in the region who voiced doubts over this plan since the beginning had been working to breach the articles of this plan.

The source said that the preliminary agreement between Syria and the UN signed in 19/4/2012 states that the Syrian government has the right to use its forces to maintain security and order and uphold the law, and it stipulates for the cessation of all aggression by the armed groups and relevant elements against the Syrian Army and against state buildings and infrastructure and public services.

The source stressed that this agreement obligates armed groups to cease all illegal actions including assassination, abduction, vandalism and carrying arms, yet the US side and the armed groups who are not oblivious to these commitments have refused to carry out any of them ever since the observers arrived in Syria.

The source went on to say that the Syrian government upheld its responsibility towards its people and its commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity as per the UN Security Council resolution no. 2042, and that the Syrian government only performed its duties in preserving the security and safety of its citizens.

The source stressed that the Syrian government reiterates its commitment to Annan’s plan and its readiness to uphold its commitments and responsibilities in compliance with the tasks it shoulders, and that the Syrian government will not allow armed groups and those who support them inside and abroad to attack, threaten or prevent the international observers from fulfilling their duties.

The source concluded by affirming Syria’s commitment to the security and protection of its people until stability and security is restored across Syria.

Armed Terrorist Group Kidnaps Passengers of Two Busses in Homs, Authorities Pursue Fleeing Terrorists in al-Haffeh

PROVINCES, (SANA) – An armed terrorist group on Tuesday kidnapped the passengers of two busses on al-Qusseir –al-Jousieh road in Homs countryside.

SANA reporter quoted a source at Homs Governorate as saying that the armed group intercepted two busses carrying citizens at al-Salehieh town crossroads and kidnapped them towards al-Jouseih town.

Authorities Pursue Fleeing Terrorists in al-Haffeh

Meanwhile, the authorities continued persuasion of the rest of the terrorists who committed vandalism acts and sabotaged public and private properties in al-Haffeh city in Lattakia.

An official source told SANA that a number of terrorists were killed and others wounded in the process, adding that a number of terrorists were apprehended.

The source added that two personnel were martyred and several others injured.

4 Terrorists Killed While Preparing Explosive Charge in Deir Ezzor

Four terrorists were killed while they were preparing an explosive charge in a house in al-Jbaila area in Deir Ezzor.

SANA reporter quoted an official source as saying that one of the charges exploded while under preparation.

The source added that one of the house’s walls collapsed and fell on a Kia Rio car, causing the death of the child Rana Dahham al-Khilywi and the injury of several citizens.

Authorities Clear Hreitan and Surrounding Area in Aleppo Countryside of Terrorist Groups

Following attacks by armed terrorist groups on citizens and their attempts to spread chaos in Hreitan area and its surroundings in Aleppo countryside, the authorities intervened and clashed with the terrorists, restoring security and tranquility to the area and clearing it of terrorists.

An official source in the province told SANA’s correspondent that the clash with these groups resulted in the deaths of a number of terrorists, some of them non-Syrians of Arab nationalities, while others were injured or arrested.

The authorities also confiscated a large amount of weapons used by these terrorists groups.

Two Terrorists Killed While Transporting Explosive Device in Damascus Countryside

An explosive device went off while two terrorists were transporting it in a car in Douma, Damascus Countryside.

An official source informed SANA that the two terrorists were killed immediately and were blown to pieces.

Three Citizens Injured in Explosive Device Blast in Hama

Three citizens were injured from the shrapnel of an explosive device blast near Ein al-Lawzeh roundabout in Hama city.

An official source in the province told SANA reporter that an armed terrorist group detonated an explosive device by remote control targeting the bypassing civilians’ cars, which resulted in the injury of three citizens in a small truck.

The citizens are Saheeb Mohammad al-Yousef al-Othman, Rajab Jema’awi al-Othman and Fouad Hassan Dalloul al-Falah, the source added.

It said that the blast caused damage to the truck and another car that belongs to citizen Mohammad Nour Abdel Kareem, adding that the injured were admitted to Hama National Hospital.

Authorities Kill and Wound Number of Terrorists in Homs

The authorities in Homs confronted armed terrorist groups which attacked citizens and law-enforcement forces in al-Nizaryieh town in al-Qseir countryside, near the Lebanese borders.

A source in Homs province said that the clash resulted in killing and wounding a number of gunmen.

Terrorist Infiltration Attempt through Tal Kalakh Foiled

Yesterday, the authorities foiled an infiltration attempt by armed terrorist groups across the Lebanese territories near the towns of Halat and Idlein in Tal Kalakh countryside.

A source in the province of Homs told SANA reporter that the competent authorities clashed with these groups and killed some of their members while the others escaped towards the Lebanese territories.

Thirty-Six Army, Law-enforcement and Civilian Martyrs Paid Final Tribute

PROVINCES, (SANA) – On the music of the ‘Martyr’ and the ‘Farewell’, the bodies of 36 martyrs from the army and law enforcement forces on Tuesday were escorted from the military hospitals of Tishreen in Damascus, Zahi Azraq in Lattakia and the Military Hospital of Aleppo to their final resting place.

Solemn funeral processions were held for the martyrs who were targeted by armed terrorist groups while they were in line of duty.

The martyrs are:

­           Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Yousef Shiha from Lattakia.

­           Second Lieutenant Ali Nour Eddin Suleiman from Tartous.

­           Second Lieutenant Anas Izzo Hamada from Hama.

­           Chief Warrant Officer Ali Waheeb Obaida from Lattakia.

­           Sergeant Major Abdul-Razzaq Hassan from Lattakia.

­           Sergeant Major Suhyb Nour Eddin Ahmad from Homs.

­           Sergeant major Sarout Khaddour from Hama.

­           Sergeant Major Hassan Hamad al-Hussein from Deir Ezzor.

­           Sergeant Ali Mohammad Amami from Lattakia.

­           Sergeant Husam Younes Mahfoud from Hama.

­           Corporal Ahmad Habib Hammoud from Lattakia.

­           Corporal Dya’a Hussein al-Abdullah from Damascus Countryside.

­           Corporal Andre Suleiman al-Akhras from Damascus Countryside.

­           Corporal Abdul-Wahab Hussein Mohammad from Aleppo.

­           Corporal Dureed Ali Dayoub from Lattakia.

­           Private Mohammad Bahjat Ali from Tartous.

­           Private Ali Hafez Bekdash from Lattakia.

­           Conscript Khalaf Jouma al-Ahmad from Raqqa.

­           Conscript Tareq Ali halloum from Lattakia.

­           Conscript Ali Dawood al-Fireeh from Deir Ezzor.

­           Conscript Ziad Abdul-Hussein al-Allo from Aleppo.

­           Conscript Mahmoud Mohammad Allo from Hasaka.

­           Conscript Mahmoud Ahmad Noah from Damascus Countryside.

­           Conscript Issam Ali Awwad from Damascus Countryside.

­           Conscript Nizar Khaled Abdul-Khaleq from Damascus.

­           Conscript Shihab Ahmad al-Nasser from Quneitra.

­           Conscript Moayad mahmoud Hayyanah from Quneitra.

­           Conscript Ibrahim Mohammad Hilal from Aleppo.

­           Conscript Ahmad Bahjat al-Issa from Idleb.

­           Conscript Alaa Riad al-Rihayel from Quneitra.

­           Conscript Shadi Yousef Yassouf from Aleppo.

­           Conscript Tamer Ouad al-Misetef from Hama.

­           Conscript Mohanna Zaydan al-Ali from Idleb.

­           Conscript Khidr Ramadan al-Hmaidan from Deir Ezzor.

­           Policeman Wessam Mohammad Ibrahim from Lattakia.

­           Civilian Mohammad Mahmoud Issa from Tartous.

The martyrs’ families and relatives called for firmly confronting the armed terrorist groups that have been committing criminal and sabotage acts in implementation of foreign agendas to undermine Syria’s national and pan-Arab role.

They expressed pride in the martyrdom of their sons, stressing their readiness for martyrdom in defending the homeland whenever duty calls.

Lavrov: Moscow Prepared to Host International Conference on Syria, Insists Upon Iran’s Participation

MOSCOW, (SANA) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow is prepared to host on international conference on Syria, stressing that Iran’s participation in this conference is necessary.

In statements to journalists on Tuesday, Lavrov said that the Russian initiative on holding this conference is part of the efforts to implement the UN Security Council resolutions on adopting the plan of UN Envoy to Syria Kofi Annan.

He noted that the conference proposed by Moscow is fundamentally different from the conferences of the so-called “friends of Syria” group, stressing that Russia posed specific and clear principles for holding this conference.

Deputy of Mood… Statements by Media about outbreak of civil war in Syria have not been issued by General Mood or observers

DAMASCUS, (SANA)-Following statements by a number of mass media attributed to Head of the UN mission in Syria General Robert Mood about the outbreak of a civil war in Syria and the Syrian government’s loss of control on several Syrian areas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates inquired the office of Mood in Damascus where his deputy Martin Grifith underlined that these statements have not been issued by Mood or any of the international observers in the country.

A number of media institutions attributed statements to Mood that Syria entered a civil war. They also claimed that Mood had stated that the Syrian government lost control on wide areas.

UN Observers’ Car Runs over Three Civilians in Lattakia

LATTAKIA, (SANA) – A UN observers’ car on Tuesday ran over three residents in Lattakia countryside while they were trying to explain their suffering due to the acts of the armed terrorist groups.

The civilians are Amer Mohammad Zamzam, Mustafa Hikmat Kamel and Issam Ma’rouf Mahmoud, two of them are in critical condition.

Mustafa Kamel, said that he was among the people who gathered at a point between al-Sheer and Set-Kheiris villages on Lattakia-Aleppo highway when members of the UN delegation, who refused to listen to the citizens’ demands, kept on moving across the gathered crowds, causing several bruises to Kamel’s body and creating an atmosphere of panic among people.

In turn, Amer Zamzam said that the UN observer team rejected talking to the people and drove their car rashly, injuring me in the leg and causing a car to turn over.

The doctor who supervised the treatment of the injured citizens, Anas Adel Raad, said that the injured showed clear marks of abrasions, bruises and a stretching of hamstring and ankle muscles.

A delegation of the UN observers met Governor of Lattakia.

Continuing their tours, a UN observer delegation visited al-Midan neighborhood and the Police Station there. Afterwards, the delegation members inspected the site of the two terrorist bombings which hit the region.

A UN observer delegation visited Harasta in Damascus Countryside while another delegation visited Homs – Talbeiseh – al-Rastan road and Taldao town in Homs countryside.

Information Ministry: Terrorist Attack against al-Ikhbaria Channel in al-Haffeh Aimed at Stopping National Media from Conveying Facts to Public Opinion

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The Ministry of Information stressed on Tuesday that the terrorist attack against al-Ikhbaria channel by armed terrorist groups is an attempt to stop national media from conveying the truth of events to the public opinion.

The Ministry added in a statement that the Syrian TV channels which are relating the reality of terrorism targeting the Syrian people with all its spectrums and components have become the target of terrorists on the ground.

The Ministry expressed best wishes for al-Ikhbaria channel’s cameraman and reporter in Lattakia to recover quickly, stressing that the bullets of terrorism will only boost the determination of journalists to carry out their mission which is conveying the facts objectively and responsibly to the public opinion.

Syrian Human Rights Network Condemns Attack against al-Ikhbaria Team as Crime against Media and Freedom of Expression

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The Syrian Human Rights Network on Tuesday condemned the attack against the Syrian al-Ikhbaria channel’s reporter and cameraman while performing their duty in al-Haffeh city in Lattakia.

The Network considered the attack as another crime against media and the freedom of expression and a violation of the principles of the human rights.

It said that it is a desperate attempt to silence the voice of the right and a clear evidence on the role of the free national media and the Syrian al-Ikhbaria channel in revealing facts and exposing the misleading media campaign against Syria.

Iran Reiterates Rejection of Foreign Interference in Syria’s Affairs

TEHRAN, (SANA) – Iran reiterated its rejection of all forms of foreign interference in the Syrian internal affairs, stressing that the crisis in Syria should settled by the Syrians only.

Spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ramin Mehmanparast, on Tuesday stressed that Syria is implementing reforms, adding that the plan of the UN envoy Kofi Annan should be supported by all countries.

He highlighted that Iran supports all efforts exerted with the aim of restoring security and stability to Syria as a way to start dialogue between the government and the opposition.

As for the Iranian nuclear file, Mehmanparast stressed Tehran’s readiness to hold negotiations with the 5+1 group, considering that the success of discussion depends on the group’s constructive cooperation with Iran.

Iranian Defense Minister Calls for Preventing Foreign Interference in Syria’s Internal Affairs

Iranian Defense Minister, Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, called on Tuesday for preventing foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs and supporting reforms.

Vahidi added in a statement that some sides are seeking to bring about chaos and unrest in Syria; however, reforms are still taking place.

He said, “I believe that all sides, particularly the Syrian people, should back reforms in their country,” adding that the western countries should not interfere  in Syria’s internal affairs.

He pointed out that Iran does not interfere in the internal affairs of Syria.

145 Citizens Involved in Recent Events Turn Themselves In

HOMS, (SANA) – 145 citizens who were misled and got involved in the recent events in the country and whose hands are clear of the Syrian blood handed themselves and their weapons in to the authorities in Homs and Homs Countryside on Tuesday.

The citizens were released to go back to normal life after pledging not to take up arms again or take part in vandalizing public and private properties.

Blood Donation Campaign in Appreciation of the Sacrifices of Homeland’s Defenders

DAMASCUS, (SANA)- ‘The Youth of Love and Peace’ group and the Syriac Mar Afram musical band on Tuesday carried out a blood donation campaign under the title ‘The Syrian Blood Is Precious’ to stress the Syrians’ commitment to national unity and their steadfastness in the face the conspiracy targeting their homeland.

The participants in the campaign, which was conducted at the Blood Bank in Damascus, expressed their readiness to provide all forms of help to confront the challenges facing Syria, considering that donating blood honestly reflects the cohesion of the Syrian people.

“Such campaigns express the Syrians’ love for their country and appreciation of the Syrian Army’s sacrifices for the sake of defending its unity, stability and sovereignty,” said Governor of Damascus Countryside, Hussein Makhlouf, during his participation the campaign.

“This is the least we can do to help save the life of whoever needs this blood of the civilians and the military who have been targeted by the armed terrorist groups,” Makhlouf added.

Dr. Bassam, Hassan Eid, Chief Doctor at the Blood Bank Department, said the participation of the volunteer youth groups in blood donation campaigns stems from their patriotic sentiment and high sense of responsibility and the unity of the Syrian blood.

Participating in the campaign, Azzam Abbas, Dalya Nassr and Raghdaa Mahmoud considered it their and every Syrian’s duty to do whatever that can be done to contribute to preserving their country along with ‘the homeland’s defenders’, saying that blood donation is a national and moral duty.

“I’m ready to offer my blood and soul for the brave Syrian military who are the symbol of genuine Arab resistance,” said Diyala Natafji.

There are lies, more lies and then there is the media. Take the BBC, for instance. As Britain’s national state broadcaster, it is duty bound to provide impartial news coverage – after all, it is the ordinary person who funds it. However, the question to be asked is why folk should pay for a ‘service’ that consistently misleads or lies in order to secure compliance for state-corporate policies?

As the west acts to destabilise and intervene to topple Iran’s ally Syria, it is worth looking back to the reporting on events in Libya last year because we can expect more of the same this time around. The BBC and other mainstream media’s reporting on the Libyan conflict was disgracefully one-sided. This comes as no surprise, though, given the pious narrative the media and the BBC in particular puts forward at the best of times, which implies the British government and NATO are essentially civilising forces in a barbaric world.

During times of war, this narrative becomes even more strident. Picture a different world for a moment, one in which the African Union (AU) had intervened in British affairs on the back of the street riots last year in the UK, in order to ‘protect’ rioters and then ‘liberate’ them from an oppressive regime. With a bit of arm twisting, it managed to get a UN resolution to implement a no fly zone over Britain.

The AU media then embed themselves with the British ‘rebels’, who had been illegally armed with weapons from AU countries, or its allies elsewhere, in order to overthrow the corrupt Cameron regime. The media report the conflict from the rioters-cum-rebels’ point of view, fail to seriously question the legitimacy of the conflict – indeed, tacitly support it – and jump on every utterance from British PM David Cameron with sneering contempt to portray him as an irrational maniac.

As Cameron and his cronies flee for their lives, AU countries’ TV channels show images from inside his home and those of his millionaire government associates to highlight the opulent lifestyles they indulged in. The message is implied that all such riches were robbed from the ordinary people of Britain by Cameron and his ilk through the system they presided over. Finally, as a no-fly zone policy morphs into a killing campaign from the air, the deaths caused are largely underreported or downplayed.

Substitute NATO for the AU, Gadhafi for Cameron and Libya for Britain, and you get the picture concerning the hypocrisy the mainstream media in Britain has indulged in. It is a media that portrayed those involved in the street riots in a wholly negative light, and a media which glorifies the unjust opulence and the corporate tyranny that has wrecked the economy. Yet, when it comes to events abroad, when it suits, members of the mainstream media all too readily trip over themselves to praise violent uprisings and rant against perceived injustice, tyranny and leaders who live in opulence.

Peel back the veneer of ‘objectivity’, and the media’s record on the Libyan conflict is laid bare.

How many times did broadcasters fail to focus on the role of western special forces and intelligence agencies before and during the conflict or where Libyan rebels were getting their arms from in the face of a UN sanctioned arms embargo on Libya?

How many times did broadcasters question NATO’s legal and moral right to attack Libya?

And how many times did broadcasters question mission drift, whereby a path for Libyan rebels into the heart of Tripoli was blasted from the air, courtesy of a massive NATO bombing campaign?

A compliant, toothless media too often rolled over, peddled the notion of a widespread popular uprising and tended to focus merely on the processes of intervention, rather than the legality or morality of the whole affair. The same is happening now with Syria.

The mainstream media could have done a lot worse by focusing on a news item that was largely (if not completely) ignored, that of the 200 prominent African figures who accused western nations and the International Criminal Court of “subverting international law” in Libya. The UN has been misused to militarise policy, legalise military action and effect regime change, according to University of Johannesburg professor Chris Landsberg. He says it is unprecedented for the UN to have outsourced military action to Nato in this way and challenges the International Criminal Court to investigate Nato for “violating international law.”

Many ordinary people rely on mainstream sources for their ‘news’, which, apart from a brief allusion to oil now and then, forwarded the notion that NATO’s involvement in Libya was perfectly legitimate because it was about removing a crazy man from power who was oppressing his own people. Like the west cares about the plight of ordinary people! The rich and powerful corporations that run the west have complete contempt for their own populations, never mind those in far away places.

The portrayal of the Libyan conflict and now the Syrian one along with the absence of reporting on western intelligence and special forces involvement on the ground is a damning indictment of a self congratulatory media that continually back slaps itself for being ‘impartial’ and ‘free’. It’s been damning indictment of western ‘democracy’ too, which continually sets out to fool its people of the need to topple regimes under the outright lie of ‘humanitarian interventionism’ in order to disguise imperialist intentions.

By Colin Todhunter

12 June, 2012

@ Countercurrents.org

Colin Todhunter : Originally from the northwest of England, writer Colin Todhunter has spent many years in India. He has written extensively for the Deccan Herald (the Bangalore-based broadsheet), New Indian Express and Morning Star (Britain). His articles have on occasion also appeared in the Kathmandu Post, Rising Nepal, Gulf News, North East Times (India), State Times (India), Meghalaya Guardian, Indian Express and Southern Times (Africa). Various other publications have carried his work too, including the London Progressive Journal and Kisan Ki Awaaz (India’s national farmers’ magazine). A former social policy researcher, Colin has been published in the peer-reviewed journals Disability and Society and Social Research Update, and one of his articles appears in the book The A-Z of Social Research (Sage, 2003).

Three weeks after he was dismissed as president of the Vatican bank and with a secret dossier he wrote now in the hands of Italian investigators, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi is said to be afraid for his life.

Depending on who you believe, Mr Gotti Tedeschi, 67, is either an “erratic” manager who neglected his duties, or pathologically disturbed, or the victim of an internal power struggle as the Vatican’s bank labours under a culture of secrecy.

In an apparent attempt to discredit him, a letter from a psychotherapist detailing the banker’s mental health was leaked to an Italian newspaper on Saturday. The Vatican expressed regret for the leak.

Last week, prosecutors from Naples and Rome questioned Mr Gotti Tedeschi after police searched his home in Piacenza and office in Milan and seized copious documents and a personal dossier.

According to reports, the latter was to be passed to three trusted figures, including Pope Benedict’s personal secretary, “in the event that something happens to me”.

Already shaken by the leak of confidential documents that led to the arrest of Pope Benedict’s butler as a suspected mole last month, the Vatican has reacted with alarm. It issued a statement expressing its concern about events surrounding Mr Gotti Tedeschi and reminded Italian prosecutors to respect the Vatican’s sovereign immunity.

The Vatican also emphasised that Mr Gotti Tedeschi’s dismissal on May 24 from the Institute of Public Works (IOR), as the bank is formally known, was because of his lack of competence and not – as claimed by the ex-banker – because of opposition he encountered in trying to implement transparency reforms.

Mr Gotti Tedeschi – a conservative Catholic, veteran banker and lecturer in ethics in finance – was brought into the IOR in 2009 as the bank sought to put its affairs in order after its entanglement in various scandals in the 1980s and 90s.

A veteran observer and friend of Mr Gotti Tedeschi confirmed reports that he feared for his life – not unjustly, the person said, given the bank’s murky history and mysterious death 30 years ago of Roberto Calvi, former chairman of Banco Ambrosiano, a bank partly owned by IOR that collapsed as a result of fraudulent bankruptcy. Mr Calvi – the so-called “God’s banker” – was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge in London, a presumed victim of the Mafia.

The friend, who asked not to be named, described Mr Gotti Tedeschi as a “candid” and respected figure who became caught up in events beyond his control.

A similar analysis was given by a person in the Italian judiciary, who also asked not to be named. He said Mr Gotti Tedeschi appeared to be “very worried” during questioning last week, although he did not request official protection.

According to media reports, among the seized papers are documents by Mr Gotti Tedeschi relating how he ran into trouble with internal “enemies” when he requested information on IOR accounts linked to Italian politicians, businessmen, state officials and fronts for mafia bosses.

Paolo Cipriani, IOR director-general and reportedly one of the alleged “enemies”, denied the existence of such accounts in an interview with Corriere della Sera, Italy’s leading daily. Mr Cipriani said that when he presented the lists of IOR account holders to demonstrate this, Mr Gotti Tedeschi replied: “I don’t want to know. It is better not to know.”

Both Mr Gotti Tedeschi and Mr Cipriani were put under formal investigation by Rome prosecutors in 2010 in connection with the bank’s suspected breach of Italian anti-money laundering norms.

Funds totalling €23m from two suspicious transactions were frozen but later released. The investigation continues. The two men, who both deny the accusations, have not been charged.

The Naples prosecutors who ordered the search of the ex-banker’s premises last week justified their actions as being part of a separate investigation of suspected bribery involving Finmeccanica, the state-controlled defence group.

They said they were looking for documents that Mr Gotti Tedeschi might have received from his close friend, Giuseppe Orsi, the group’s chief executive. Mr Orsi, who denies the bribery allegations – involving sales of helicopters to India – said the claim was “absurd”.

However, Vatican observers suspect the Naples investigators were more interested in the activities of the IOR and had been frustrated by the apparent lack of progress or will demonstrated by their Roman colleagues to pursue the money laundering probe.

A Italian government official, who asked not to be named, described the IOR as a “bank under siege” – both from the Italian judiciary but also from the Bank of Italy as it cracks down on money laundering by means of banks, including those used as intermediaries. JPMorgan this year closed an IOR account in Milan used for transfers, reportedly under pressure from Italy’s central bank.

It remains to be seen how recent events will affect the Vatican’s efforts – in response to international pressure – to be accepted into the “white list” of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force, which lists states according to their compliance with standards on money laundering and terrorism financing. That was supposed to be Mr Gotti Tedeschi’s ultimate goal as IOR president.

Carl Anderson, secretary of IOR’s lay supervisory board, which recommended Mr Gotti Tedeschi’s dismissal last month, was quoted by Reuters as saying the bank would continue to do everything necessary to reach the “white list” standard.

The board’s nine-point memo elaborating on Mr Gotti Tedeschi’s alleged managerial incompetence makes no reference to the transparency issue.

However, it notes his “failure to provide explanation for the dissemination of documents last known to be in the president’s possession” – a statement that has fed speculation that the Vatican feared embarrassing disclosures.

The memo, which was made public by the Knights of Columbus, the influential US Catholic fundraising organisation headed by Mr Anderson, ends by noting Mr Gotti Tedeschi’s “progressively erratic personal behaviour”.

This was followed by a report in Italy’s daily Il Fatto quoting a letter from a psychotherapist and stress expert employed by the IOR, who suggested Mr Gotti Tedeschi had demonstrated a behavioural disorder while being observed at the bank’s Christmas party.

Mr Gotti Tedeschi, who was quoted as saying after his dismissal that he was remaining silent out of respect for Pope Benedict, has declined to comment since.

By Guy Dinmore in Rome Vatican city

12 June 2012

@ The Financial Times

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus, which takes over the presidency of the European Union on July 1 has been swept up in the vortex of the European debt crisis. It is expected that the island republic will be forced to apply for a loan from the euro bailout funds. This would mean that following on the heels of Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain, Cyprus would be the fifth of the 17 euro area countries to take money from the bailout fund.

The rating agencies Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s downgraded the country to junk status last week. They justify the downgrading by the close links between Cypriot banks and Greek finance houses. A large proportion of all claims by Cypriot banks are on Greek debtors. By the end of the month, the country’s second largest bank, the Laiki Bank, needs an injection of 1.8 billion euros to meet the requirements of European Banking Supervisors. This sum represents about 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

According to the Financial Times, Cypriot banks have at least 22 billion euros in outstanding private and corporate loans in Greece. Three billion euros in bank assets have already been written off in a debt cutting exercise. Any withdrawal of Greece from the euro would mean the complete collapse of banks in Cyprus.

Cyprus’ economy is closely linked to that of Greece. The country conducts a fifth of its trade with Greece, and a quarter of foreign investments come from its neighbor. It is now in its third consecutive month of recession, and this year, economic output is expected to shrink by 1.6 percent.

The Cypriot Finance Minister Vasso Shiarly has described the situation as “extremely urgent”. The application to the euro rescue fund will not be limited to the banks. “If one turns to the support mechanism, then one takes into account all the facts, including the requirements which could arise in the future,” the minister declared. “Accordingly, what is necessary is a full application, which covers not only current circumstances and the recapitalization of the banks, but also future needs.”

Cyprus will also attempt to get money from other sources. Last year it received a bilateral loan of 2.5 billion euros from Russia, and there are rumors that it is negotiating with China about a cash infusion.

While the economy of Cyprus represents a small part of the euro zone—just 0.2 percent of the total—the island is situated in an important strategic position in the eastern Mediterranean. It lies less than 200 km from the Syrian coast and is home to an important British military base. At the same time, significant Turkish military units are stationed in the north of the divided island.

The Russian (and possible Chinese) financial assistance for Cyprus is undoubtedly bound up with their own strategic interests in the region. The UK and in particular, Turkey, have been in the forefront of those calling for a military intervention against Syria, with Russia and China adamantly opposed to such a step.

Financial aid to Cyprus is a controversial issue in the European institutions. A European Commission spokesman told the media on Monday that the commission was confident that Cyprus could deal with its problems alone. Compared to the financial demands of other European countries such as Greece and Spain the sums required to stabilize the banking system in Cyprus would be comparatively small. But EU officials fear that a loan to the country could send the wrong message to other ailing states.

The EU is also worried that the government of President Dimitris Christofias will not pursue austerity measures with the ruthlessness demanded by Brussels. Christofias, who has governed for four years, is a member of the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL), which emerged from the island’s Stalinist Communist Party.

The AKEL unconditionally supports the austerity measures demanded by the European finance elite. Last year, his government voted along with all other parties in parliament for the recapitalization of the Laiki Bank using government funds. “A bankruptcy would have disastrous consequences for the banking system and also for the entire economy,” was the justification given by an AKEL spokesman for the measure.

Christofias has sought to dampen down social opposition with occasional rhetorical attacks on EU austerity measures. “When the first austerity measures were introduced in Greece,” he said recently, “the country’s debt amounted to 115 percent of gross domestic product. After two years of austerity, the debt rose to 165 percent, that’s saying something.”

The opposition right-wing parties and the Social Democrats are calling for European funding and a radical austerity course. Assistance from the European bailout fund would be the best solution, declared the conservative MP Christos Stylianidis: “The government should seek out an EFSF loan to ensure that the reputation of Cyprus as a finance center is not harmed. We must send a clear signal that we are ready to subject ourselves to strict financial discipline.”

President Christofias had already reshuffled his cabinet following rumors of an application for aid to Brussels. The spark for the government crisis was a devastating accident in the port city of Limassol. Explosions took place at ammunition depots killing 13 people and destroying much of the nation’s energy infrastructure. The necessary repairs will cost two billion euros, about ten percent of annual economic output.

The AKEL’s concerns about political turmoil and social unrest are not unfounded. Unemployment and poverty have risen continually since the outbreak of the economic crisis. During 2008, the official unemployment rate was 3.6 percent; by 2010 it had risen to 6.5 percent. Youth unemployment is nearly 20 percent. The situation is even more dramatic in the breakaway northern part of Cyprus where unemployment is estimated to be more than twice as high as in the south.

The EU austerity package adopted by the government last year froze wages in the public sector and cut other social benefits for employees. In December, thousands of public employees went on strike against the cuts.

The AKEL is the largest and most influential party in Cyprus, with a long tradition of suppressing popular opposition and implementing reactionary policies in the interest of Western powers.

Founded in 1941 as a successor to the Stalinist Communist Party, it made a pact with various right-wing forces and called for the so-called Enosis, the annexation of Cyprus to Greece, on the basis of nationalism. After independence from the Britain in 1960, the AKEL had continuous representation in parliament and supported various bourgeois forces.

In the mid-1990s it campaigned for the island’s admission into the EU and supported the policies of right-wing governments until eventual accession in 2004. In the elections of 2008, Christofias prevailed against his conservative challenger and immediately after taking power assured Brussels that his government would do everything possible to shift the burden of the economic crisis onto the backs of the population.

By Markus Salzmann

13 June, 2012

@ WSWS.org

In Palestine, I saw the most beautiful;

بياع باب العمود

Awestruck, I forget to ask his name

or even take his picture

But, if dignity has a name, it will be his

If purity has a form, it will be his eyes

He sold very few ka’ak كعك بسمسم that day

The leftover pile was hard and dry

When I asked the price, eager to sell, he said: “one shaykel each, instead of three”

“Give me four, please and keep the change” I said

Blushing

“I cannot accept that, mama” he said

“Mama, I am your son, how do you want me to do that?” he said

“But you hardly sold anything, my son” perplexed I replied

“Allah is the Provider, don’t worry mama;

We worry not, some days are good and others not;

But we’re always grateful no matter what;

Welcome to Al-Quds, I am your son mama”

he said with a heart-melting smile

Eyes moist, heart-wrenched, wonder struck

Leaving my soul behind

I walked away

In the eyes of a Jerusalemite child, I saw the face of my beloved

In Palestine, I saw the most beautiful;

عائلة الوهباني

If nobility has a name, it will be theirs

If kindness has a form, it will be their eyes

Seven sisters, three brothers, a mum and a dad and an orange farm

Shoved away by some “chosen” few

A tiny room in Ramleh town became their home

Their farm confiscated, turned into a prison

Some years past by

The boys and girls grew up, got married

and had children of their own

The children spoke of justice,

They sang for freedom and Liberation

Infuriated, the “chosen” few threw them in prison

which was once their orange farm

The children smiled and said:

“Our hearts, our souls, our blood… we sacrifice for you, our beloved”

In the eyes of Ramleh children, I saw the face of my beloved

In Palestine, I saw the most beautiful;

محمد بركات

If majesty has a name, it will be his

If heroism has a form, it will be his eyes

His name is very common in Palestine

But he is no ordinary man

Before Muhammed, I stood in silence

Before Muhammed, I bowed down

Captive in his Homeland

Captive in his village

Captive in his body

Borders, barbed-wire, checkpoints, walls and a wheelchair

Is all what’s around

But

“Disabled without Borders” is his child

His wings flutter above and touch the sky

In his wheelchair he travels the world

Telling the story to those who care

In the eyes of quadriplegic Muhammed, I saw the face of my beloved

In Palestine, I saw the most beautiful;

عائلة أم صبحي

If elegance has a name, it will be hers

If grace has a form, it will be her eyes

Um Subhi was her name

Mother of four

One pearl and three gems

One princess and three knights

Every knight had his share

In the dungeons of the “chosen”

Their bodies tasted torture

Yet in their hearts angels whispered

Compassion, tenderness and eloquence

Their actions spoke of wonders

Courage, altruism, steadfastness and modesty

Zenith of moral splendour

In the eyes of Um Subhi family, I saw the face of my beloved

My beloved has many faces

My beloved is beautiful

BUT

One spooky night while in slumber

Nightmare-ogres found their way out

From all four corners they crept in

Marching beasts of wrath and doom

Spewing terror… gathering decadence

Tightened grip of monstrous tentacles

Bashing and lashing to squeeze her life out

My beloved still resisting while people are asleep

Deep inside her soul rivers of mercy flow

kindness still grows and dignity stands tall

My beloved has many faces

My beloved is beautiful

By Nahida the exiled Palestinian

13 June, 2012

@ Uprooted Palestinians

Nahida is a Jerusalem-born Palestinian refugee living in exile for over 42 years. She was forced to leave her homeland, Palestine at the age of seven during the six-day war. She is a mathematician by profession. She has published two books- I Believe in Miracles, and Palestine, The True Story. Email: nahidaexiledpalestinian@gmail.com

I’m going to toss this medal today for the 33,000 civilians who have died in Afghanistan that won’t have a monument built for them.

Brock McIntosh, Army National Guard, deployed to Afghanistan

I’m giving back my medals for the children of Iraq and Afghanistan . May they be able to forgive us for what we’ve done to them .

Steve Acheson, U.S. Army Iraq war vet

Chicago: On May 20, more than 40 vets—men and women, from different branches of the military—made a dramatic statement to the world.

Veterans of America ‘s so-called “war on terror” courageously tore off their medals and denounced what they represent: “Global War on Terror Service Medals,” “Operation Iraqi Freedom Medals,” “National Defense Medals,” “Good Conduct Medals,” “Expeditionary Medals.” They spoke from the heart about why they were rejecting these “cheap tokens,” given to them, as one vet put it, “in an attempt to fill the void where our conscience used to be,” and repudiating what they had done to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan . They talked of the children. The women. The innocent. The destruction. The pain. The sorrow. The hurt. The lies. In a message that now must be spread, these vets hurled their medals toward where the leaders of NATO, the U.S.-led military alliance, were meeting and plotting their next bloody moves.

This action, organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), culminated a spirited march by more than 5,000 people—Occupiers, antiwar activists, students, and many others—from all over the country who had come to Chicago to protest NATO’s May 20-21 summit, its ongoing war in Afghanistan, and its military aggression across the globe. Joining the vets in leading the march and rally, under the theme “Honor the Dead, Heal the Wounded, Stop the Wars,” were women from Afghans for Peace—representing the Afghan people, the victims of the U.S.-NATO invasion and occupation.

This was a powerful, significant action. These veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have directly experienced—and participated in—the horrors and crimes being committed by the U.S. around the world. It took gut-wrenching reflection and enormous courage for them to face, then come together to call out painful truths of what they’d seen, done and been part of—in direct opposition to the empire of carnage they’d once served.

What these men and women did on this day was a call not just to other vets and military personnel, but to everyone in the U.S. and millions around the globe: Wake up. Muster the courage to face the truth—your rulers are committing horrific atrocities and towering crimes around the world. They’re cloaking it in bald-faced lies. They’re doing it in our names, enlisting us to carry it out. Think about the people of the world! Don’t go along! Stand up! Speak out!

Adding to the significance of this action was the unity expressed between the vets and those who they had been taught to treat as “the enemy.” Suraia Sahar of Afghans for Peace told Democracy Now!, “It’s the first time an Afghan-led peace movement is now working side by side with a veteran-led peace movement. And so, this is how—this is the beginning of something new, something better.”

And how did the media in this self-proclaimed land of democracy and free speech cover this? Largely with silence. These cheerleaders for America ‘s blood-soaked military and predatory wars were not going to allow veterans—who they claim to honor and cherish—to puncture their post-911 narrative of the U.S. as the “victim,” the “good guys” fighting “terror” with harsh truths from the front lines—especially not when their empire is facing daunting problems and perilous waters ahead.

Rejecting the Accolades of Unjust War

The vets’ action in Chicago was consciously modeled on the 1971 anti-Vietnam War “Dewey Canyon III” protest organized by Vietnam Veterans Against the War, which brought hundreds of veterans to Washington , DC to throw their medals back at Congress. (For an account of Dewey Canyon III, see vvawai.org/archive/sw/sw31/pgs_35-44/dewey_canyon.html)

In Chicago , Alejandro Villatoro, an Army veteran, told the crowd, “Nowhere else will you hear from so many who fought these wars about their journey from fighting a war to demanding peace.” Then he began, “Some of us killed innocents. Some of us helped in continuing these wars from home. Some of us watched our friends die. Some of us are not here, because we took our own lives. We did not get the care promised to us by our government. All of us watched failed policies turn into bloodshed. Listen to us, hear us, and think: was any of this worth it?…. We tear off this mask. Hear us.”

Then vet after vet mounted the stage to give their stories, moving personal testimonies about why they came to march and why they were throwing back their medals. There was a sense these vets were regaining their humanity and forging a new morality in the course of facing agonizing truths, standing up, speaking out, and refusing to be silent. One vet said, “I stole the humanity of Iraqis and lost mine.” Another talked of how now he can “live by my conscience rather than be a prisoner of it.” There were comments about the importance of integrity, and about learning from our mistakes and joining together. Seven months after being severely wounded in a police attack on Occupy Oakland, Iraq veteran Scott Olsen threw back his medals, his presence an example of courage and moral certitude.

A cornerstone of the testimony was facing the impact U.S. wars had on the peoples of Iraq , Afghanistan and other countries in the region. Iraq war vet Scott Kimball said, “I’m turning in these medals today for the people of Pakistan , Iraq , Palestine , and all victims of occupation across the world.” Steven Lunn, an Iraq combat veteran, stated, “This medal I’m dedicating to the children of Iraq that no longer have fathers and mothers.” Greg Broseus said, “I’m here to return my medals because I cannot stand in solidarity and peace with my brothers and sisters in Iraq and Afghanistan as long as I wear them.” One vet who took part in the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan in the U.S. Navy simply said: “I apologize to the Iraqi and Afghani people for destroying your countries.”

Members of Afghans for Peace added their own searing indictments. Samira Sayed-Rahman said, “…The Afghan people have had enough. They are sick and tired of being nameless, faceless beings, sick and tired of being treated as collateral damage, sick and tired of 11 long years of this war with no end in sight. We don’t want another Abdullah whose fingers were chopped off and used as trophies of war, we don’t want another Fatima who has had her face burned by acid for trying to get an education, we don’t want another Najeeb and his entire family being killed in a drone strike, we don’t want another little five-year-old Zainab left to fend for herself as she watches as her mother is raped by forces while her father has the barrel of a gun shoved in his mouth, we don’t want our country burnt to ashes over and over again for NATO’s bombs….” (afghansforpeace.org/archives/2646)

“This war needs to be stopped”

Revolution recently talked to two vets who threw their medals back that day about how this moment had come together, what it meant to them and other vets, and its overall impact.

Army vet Raymond Knaeble told us, “It was a special moment. It brought hope for all the vets and active duty to bring awareness that war is an illegal occupation—not about peace but violence against peace, war of aggression and torture. It was very personal, I was proud to earn the medals but it was all based on lies, not truth. It wasn’t about bringing freedom to people but killing innocent people. I wasn’t in Afghanistan but I’m in solidarity with all the people in Iraq , Afghanistan , and Pakistan .

“Many of us broke into tears, it was such a moment,” he continued. “We can’t change the past but we want other people to know that this war needs to be stopped. We have a war right here to bring these politicians to justice. They’re war criminals. Lots of the vets were in Iraq and Afghanistan so they saw it firsthand. The military lies to the soldiers and puts us on medication that can be worse than street drugs, and they’re told to kill whoever they see. Lots of soldiers have committed suicide because we have a conscience. The soldiers want to come home. They ask, why are we here?”

John Anderson, Marine Corps, who was deployed to Iraq two times, 2007-2009, and threw back his “Global War on Terrorism” and “Iraq Campaign” medals, said, “You lose yourself in the military. This was reclaiming my own person. It was a powerful emotional release when I saw my medals flying toward NATO. And I got more of a sense of peace with myself. It had a profound effect. When we left the stage, we all walked to a park. Everyone kept to themselves for 10-15 minutes, just processing.

“A lot of veterans who are not as politically conscious feel a sense of, like my buddy in Tennessee , an attitude of—I don’t want to think about the ramifications of what we did. They realize it wasn’t okay, but it’s hard to come to terms with it. My guys see me and felt a sense of validation and empowerment.” Anderson said he has had mainly, overwhelmingly, positive responses. A Marine vet at the school he attends said the May 20 action was “so cool.”

* * * * *

All quotes from veterans, except those interviewed by Revolution , from Democracy Now! video and transcriptions of May 20 action: “Memorial Day Special: U.S. Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan Return War Medals at NATO Summit,” May 28, 2012 . http://www.democracynow.org/2012/5/28/memorial_day_special_us_veterans_of

See also: “IVAW and Afghans for Peace Lead Historic March on NATO: Veterans Hurl Global War on Terror Medals towards NATO Summit As Thousands Cheer,” Jose Vasquez, May 23, 2012 , at Iraq Veterans Against the War website, ivaw.org.

http://www.ivaw.org/blog/ivaw-and-afghans-peace-lead-historic-march-nato-veterans-hurl-global-war-terror-medals-towards-nato

By Larry Everest

13 June, 2012

@ Countercurrents.org

Larry Everest is a correspondent for Revolution newspaper (revcom.us), where this article first appeared and author of Oil, Power & Empire: Iraq and the U.S. Global Agenda (Common Courage 2004). He can be reached via www.larryeverest.org

With only a week remaining to the sensitive, determining talks between the top negotiators of six world powers and Iran over the latter’s nuclear program, some wicked, corrupt forces from here and there are trying their best to deliver a lethal blow to Tehran and weaken the chances of a successful, productive agreement between the two sides which, during the past years, have interacted with each other in a fluctuating atmosphere of trust and mistrust.

Iran and the members of P5+1 consisting of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany held a fresh round of talks in Istanbul earlier on April 14 after a 15-month-long break and agreed upon the preliminary details for further talks to resolve the misunderstandings and come to a comprehensive and thorough conclusion. All sides hailed the talks as constructive and positive and said that there’s room for inclusive agreement in spite of some minor differences and disparities.

Subsequently, Iran and the P5+1 held another round of talks hosted by Baghdad on May 23 and May 24 to investigate, in depth, the ways of coming to a mutual understanding and realizing the agenda planned in Istanbul talks. This time, the two parties engaged in more serious and detailed talks and some theoretical differences leaked out; however, they again expressed hopes that the disputes might be settled in a diplomatic and peaceful manner. China and Russia praised the bilateral efforts of the negotiating parties aimed at clearing up the misunderstandings as Iran and P5+1 agreed to hold another set of talks in the Russian capital Moscow on May 18 and 19.

Now, some one week ahead of the decisive talks in Moscow, Iran seems completely resolved and enthusiastic to take part in a full-fledged, serious dialogue with P5+1 and put an end to the artificial, erosive controversy over its nuclear program which has brought with itself several rounds of biting economic sanctions and hard-hitting threats of military strike.

Iranian officials have signaled that they are ready to provide convincing evidence that Tehran’s nuclear program is solely designed for peaceful purposes and that contrary to the claims laid by the United States and some of its allies, there’s no military dimension in this program. At the same time, high-ranking Iranian officials stated that they are eager to participate in the Moscow talks with goodwill so as to allay the concerns of the other side and demonstrate that they are not after the failure of the negotiations. For example, on June 10 and during a meeting with the former president of the Austrian National Council, Werner Fasslabend, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi expressed hopes that the Moscow talks will yield satisfactory results if the both parties abide by their obligations and adhere to the policy of mutual trust and respect.

Salehi cleared that Iran has always obeyed international rules and regulations and has brought its nuclear program under the IAEA safeguards and should be entitled to the civilian use of nuclear technology.

However, it seems that there are some individuals or certain groups who benefit from the failure of the nuclear talks and prolongation of standoff over Iran’s nuclear program.

As reported by Egypt’s Ahram Online, the U.S. ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro told a Tel Aviv security conference, “We don’t intend on continuing talks for talks’ sake. The window (for diplomacy) is closing.”

AFP, also, quoted an anonymous P5+1 diplomat who expressed his lack of hope for the success of Moscow talks: “I increasingly struggle to see a way where this doesn’t end in tears.”

The disappointing scene, however, was unfolded when the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman who represents the U.S. in P5+1 immediately traveled to Israel after the conclusion of Baghdad talks on May 24 to brief the Tel Aviv politicians on the results of talks with Iran. Although the Israeli officials rebuffed the American envoy and refused to meet her and listen to her report on talks with Iran, the very attempt of her visiting Israel just one day after the termination of Baghdad talks was a portentous and ominous gesture which showed that the United States considers as vital the stance of Israel over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Another upsetting news was that the U.S. Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, David Cohen, who is popularly known in his country as Barack Obama’s “sanctions czar” for his unrelenting efforts to convince Iran’s trading partners to curb their trade with the country, traveled to Israel on June 5 for negotiations with high-ranking Tel Aviv officials over the upcoming Moscow talks with Iran.

“The sanctions are having an impact on Iran, but I also recognize that more needs to be done. And we are intent on doing more,” Cohen told Israel’s Army Radio upon arriving in Tel Aviv.

“If we don’t get a breakthrough in Moscow there is no question we will continue to ratchet up the pressure,” Cohen told Haaretz. “The important point for the Israeli public to understand and for the Iranian leadership to understand is that if we are not able to make progress on the diplomatic track there is additional pressure that can be brought to bear on the pressure track,” he added.

Interestingly, Cohen is a member of the U.S. negotiating team in the P5+1.

At the same time, the Israeli media which have been long trumpeting for a much-loved war with Iran, reported with utmost hilarity and happiness that the negotiations between representatives of Iran and the UN atomic watchdog in Vienna which were held parallel to the Iran and P5+1 talks have failed and borne no significant results.

On June 12, the Israeli paper Yediot Ahronot claimed that the talks between Iran and IAEA in Vienna have failed to make any progress and caused “disappointment” for the United States and the “international community.”

“Lack of progress in talks between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency is disappointing and it shows Tehran’s continued failure to abide by its commitment to the UN nuclear watchdog,” it wrote.

The Israeli paper also quoted Robert Wood, the acting U.S. envoy to IAEA as saying that “yesterday’s outcome highlights Iran’s continued failure to abide by its commitment to the IAEA, and further underscores the need for it to work with the IAEA to address international community’s real concerns.”

Such unpremeditated and reckless statements in only one week to the negotiations in Moscow while Iran has expressed its readiness to engage in talks without any preconditions and on equal footings show that there are some groups or people who take advantage of a possible failure in the talks, and Israeli lobby dominating the U.S. Congress and mainstream media is certainly one of them.

Why should the members of the U.S. negotiating team travel to Israel one after another while Israel has nothing to do with Iran’s nuclear program and is itself already accused of depositing an arsenal of some 200 nuclear warheads?

Unquestionably, Israel is the first and foremost entity which will be content with a failure in negotiations between Iran and P5+1 in Moscow. They are afraid of the possibility that the nuclear standoff be resolved diplomatically, the sanctions on Iran be lifted and Tehran get the upper hand in talks and find its position in the region and the world fostered and strengthened.

The best policy for P5+1, if they want a progress in the talks, is to dissociate themselves from the Israeli lobby and take into consideration the mutual benefit of Iran and themselves. Of course a diplomatic and peaceful resolution to Iran’s nuclear program will be a win-win game while Israel, without any doubts, will be the only loser.

By Kourosh Ziabari

13 June, 2012

@ Countercurrents.org

Kourosh Ziabari is an Iranian journalist