viernes, 29 de agosto de 2014
Syria: One in three million - Interactive - Al Jazeera English
Syria: One in three million - Interactive - Al Jazeera English
The number of Syrian refugees now exceeds three million - and the rate
continues to increase. How have Syria's neighbours handled the influx of
refugees? Click below to learn more:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2014/06/interactive-syria-lifeline-2014619125452612758.html
Activist Post: Wall Street Admits That A Cyberattack Could Crash Our Banking System At Any Time
Activist Post: Wall Street Admits That A Cyberattack Could Crash Our Banking System At Any Time
Wall Street banks are getting hit by #cyberattacks
every single minute of every single day. It is a massive onslaught
that is not highly publicized because the bankers do not want to alarm
the public.
America’s Creeping Into Syria Will Hang Itself in Ukraine | Global Research
America’s Creeping Into Syria Will Hang Itself in Ukraine | Global Research
The US’ justification for directly intervening in Syria however, only
further undermines the very “international norms” it claims to champion,
and opens the door for other nations it is menacing to use more direct
means to confront its agenda of global military aggression, including
along Russia’s border with Ukraine.
War is the new system of governance (and five other Gaza takeaways) | +972 Magazine
War is the new system of governance (and five other Gaza takeaways) | +972 Magazine
So, what have we learned from this Gaza war?
Now that the dust has settled, Noam Sheizaf offers six takeaways from the latest round of fighting.
A
mosque minaret rises among the ruins of Al-Nada towers after they were
destroyed by Israeli strikes in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, August
4, 2014. The towers had 90 flats. (photo: Activestills)
How Doctors See the Syrian Civil War - NYTimes.com
How Doctors See the Syrian Civil War - NYTimes.com
The New York Times looks at MSF's "The Reach of War" project, aimed at showing the human face of the crisis in Syria: http://nyti.ms/1tAsU91
Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 29 August 2014 | Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 29 August 2014 | Human Rights Watch
In today's Brief: Torture by rebels in #Ukraine; new #IslamicState atrocities in #Syria; US torture; #China "reform" & Hong Kong protests; accountability in #Thailand; disappeared in #Turkmenistan; good news from #Kyrgyzstan; #Indonesia's new president; and repression in #Burundi.
Russia-backed rebels in east #Ukraine torture civilians in detention & use them 4 forced labor http http://bit.ly/VRKUyt ppic.twitter.com/yw6z3d9Fmp
Pillay alarmed by killing of civilians in Ukraine -- DisplayNews
DisplayNews
Ukraine: New UN Human Rights Office report issued today documents wide array of serious human rights abuses: http://sm.ohchr.org/
Intense fighting, including the use of heavy weaponry by both sides, in
densely populated areas of eastern Ukraine, has increased the loss of
civilian life, with an average of around 36 people being killed every
day. At least 2,593 people have been killed in Ukraine between mid-April and 27 August 2014.
“Deliberate targeting of civilians is a violation of international
humanitarian law, and more must be done to protect them,” said UN Human
Rights Chief Navi Pillay.
“There is an urgent need to end the
fighting and violence in the eastern regions, before more civilians are
harmed or forced to flee, or face intolerable hardships trapped inside
the conflict zones,” she added.
Intense fighting, including the use of heavy weaponry by both sides, in
densely populated areas of eastern Ukraine, has increased the loss of
civilian life, with an average of around 36 people being killed every
day. At least 2,593 people have been killed in Ukraine between mid-April and 27 August 2014.
“Deliberate targeting of civilians is a violation of international
humanitarian law, and more must be done to protect them,” said UN Human
Rights Chief Navi Pillay.
“There is an urgent need to end the
fighting and violence in the eastern regions, before more civilians are
harmed or forced to flee, or face intolerable hardships trapped inside
the conflict zones,” she added.
CATALONIA -- Catalan leader warns Madrid on economy - FT.com
Catalan leader warns Madrid on economy - FT.com:
A senior leader of the Catalan independence movement has warned Spain that it faces a backlash from international investors – and renewed market pressure over its debt load – if it refuses to allow an independence referendum in the northern region.
The remarks by Oriol Junqueras, the leader of the Catalonia’s Esquerra Republicana party, mark a new escalation in the simmering conflict over the region’s political future. They are designed to raise pressure on Madrid by linking the independence debate directly to what the government of Mariano Rajoy regards as its principal achievement to date – lifting Spain out of recession and winning back the trust of international investors.
Spanish government debt
“The Spanish state has €1tn of debt. This debt will have to be paid with our taxes, so I don’t believe that the best way for the Spanish state to meet its financial obligations is to clash with its own citizens,” Mr Junqueras told the Financial Times in an interview.
Woman, Church and State - Matilda Joslyn Gage - Eagainst.com
Woman, Church and State - Matilda Joslyn Gage - Eagainst.com:
During the second wave of feminism in the 1960s and 70s a popular slogan was “not the church, not the state, women shall decide their fate”. Matilda Joslyn Gage would have approved. Vehemently anti-clerical, Women, Church and State was one of the first books to draw the conclusion that Christianity is a primary impediment to the progress of women, as well as civilization. Then, as now, religious doctrine was used as a justification for the dehumanization of women, depriving them of civil, human, economic and political rights, even denying them the right to worship alongside men. Gage reviews extensive evidence of this complex. From a 21st Century perspective it is both astounding how far we have progressed, and dismaying how little has changed.
Gage was one of the first writers to emphasize the ancient Matriarchy and the witch trials as key episodes of women’s history. Her statement that nine million people were killed during the witch trials has been widely quoted; more recent estimates range from 50 to 100 thousand, which does not lessen the horror.
Crashes of Convenience: MH17 Fully Exposed – The Shocking Truth About the Ukraine False Flag | Global Research
Crashes of Convenience: MH17 Fully Exposed – The Shocking Truth About the Ukraine False Flag | Global Research
When Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 went down on July 17, 2014, we were
immediately inundated with base propaganda trying to convince us that
the shootdown could be traced back to the Kremlin. But what was this
rush to judgement based on? What have we learned about the crash since
then? Why has MH17 completely disappeared from the news cycle? And who
really stood to benefit from the disaster? Find out the answers to these
questions and more in this week’s edition of The Corbett Report.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gWlAARb0fN4
jueves, 28 de agosto de 2014
FDA admits not knowing about existence of many food chemicals, let alone their safety - NaturalNews.com
FDA admits not knowing about existence of many food chemicals, let alone their safety - NaturalNews.com
The FDA now admits there are thousands of untested food additive
chemicals used across the food supply that may be incredibly harmful to
human health:
http://www.naturalnews.com/046623_food_chemicals_FDA_safety.html
The “Humanitarian War” against Libya: How the West Destroys Countries and Creates “Failed States” | Global Research
The “Humanitarian War” against Libya: How the West Destroys Countries and Creates “Failed States” | Global Research
Libya,
in addition to being a factor of stability and development in North
Africa, had used its investments to facilitate the emergence of
organizations that one day might have made the financial autonomy of
Africa possible: the African Investment Bank, based in Tripoli; the
African Central Bank, with headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria; the African
Monetary Fund, based in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
After having funded
and armed hostile tribal areas in Tripoli, which caused the “Arab
Spring” in Libya to assume from the outset the form of armed
insurrection, and thus provoking the government’s response, they waged a
war that destroyed the Libyan state in 2011: in seven months the
U.S./NATO Air Force carried out 10,000 attack missions, unleashing more
than 40,000 bombs and missiles.
Stingray Tracking Devices: Who's Got Them? | American Civil Liberties Union
Stingray Tracking Devices: Who's Got Them? | American Civil Liberties Union
Want to know who's tracking your cell phone signals using cell site simulators? Check out our Stingray map. https://www.aclu.org/maps/stingray-tracking-devices-whos-got-them
The Russians Are Coming Big Lies | Global Research
The Russians Are Coming Big Lies | Global Research
Putin said “Russia will do everything to promote this peace process if
it is launched, and in our view, this process needs to be launched as
soon as possible.” Why would Russia invade Ukraine hours after Putin
stressed the urgency of pursuing peace? For what benefit?
EU-US trade deal: slicing and dicing food safety | Friends of the Earth Europe
EU-US trade deal: slicing and dicing food safety | Friends of the Earth Europe
We wrote to EU Trade Commissioner De Gucht today warning that the EU-US
trade deal being negotiated was putting our food safety at reisk. A
leaked document showed that negotiators appear to be dismantling
Europe's food safety net in order to allow big business to make more
profits. Read more below:
http://www.foeeurope.org/eu-us-trade-deal-slicing-dicing-food-safety-280714
EU-US trade deal: slicing and dicing food safety
Fighting Ebola Today in Liberia - YouTube
Fighting Ebola Today in Liberia - YouTube
See new footage from MSF's Ebola treatment center in Monrovia, Liberia,
where the outbreak is spreading rapidly. MSF is scaling up it's response
to the outbreak, but there is a huge need for more to be done. http://youtu.be/dzWel8JQD3A - private Photo and video by Caroline Van Nespen/MSF
Azerbaijan: Investigate Brutal Attack on Journalist | Human Rights Watch
Azerbaijan: Investigate Brutal Attack on Journalist | Human Rights Watch
International medical experts consulted by the group said that Nasibov
had suffered trauma to his face, chest, and head and needs to be
monitored closely to detect dangerous deterioration.
CATALONIA -- 28.08.2014: Juristische Rückendeckung (Tageszeitung junge Welt)
28.08.2014: Juristische Rückendeckung (Tageszeitung junge Welt)
Legal backing
Catalonia: Constitutionalists approve referendum on independence
From Mela Theurer, Barcelona
Hundreds of Catalans have demonstrated Sunday at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin for the holding of a referendum in their home.
For the 9th November, a referendum is provided in the previously
belonging to Spain Autonomous Region, in which the people should decide
on the formation of an independent state.
So far, the implementation is blocked by the central government in
Madrid, which evaluates a vote on the independence of Catalonia as a
fraction of the Spanish Constitution.
At another score came in the last week of the "Consell de Garanties
Estatuàries" (CGE, Council for statuesque guarantees), a body of the
Generalitat, which monitors compliance with the provisions of the
Catalan Statute of Autonomy and other laws.
The judges represented there declared in its decision of 19 August,
that the law which is to decide in mid-September, the Parliament in
Barcelona, is lawful. The decision of the nine-member Council was, however, scarce.
While five of the lawyers, the 14 articles of the draft law on the
referendum as the legal norms of the Spanish state rated accordingly, in
several opinions expressed concerns from the other four. Consistent aimed their criticism that the goal of the referendum shall be the independence of Catalonia.
Nevertheless, the Catalan government is confirmed by the majority decision of the CGE.
The deputy Josep Rull of civil CiU with the perspective of a possible
ban of the referendum by the Spanish Constitutional Court, that such a
judgment would then be a political decision without legal basis.
The Popular Party PP, the Catalan wing of the Spanish governing party
of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, criticized that the CGE is not as
requested on the legality of the specified double question "Should
Catalonia become a state?" And "Shall this state be independent?
'Expressed .
The prospanischen »Ciutadans" (citizens) accused the government of
having exploited the CGE for their political goals in order to perform
an "illegal referendum" can.
Nevertheless, the law in the Catalan Parliament is expected to be rubber-stamped by a large majority.
The alliance is made for the CiU, the "Republican Left" (ERC), the Left
Alliance ICV EUiA and the radical left "candidate for the National
Unity" (CUP). Last November they had reached agreement on the question for the referendum and the November 9, 2014 set as the deadline.
The Catalan President Artur Mas (CiU), attempts since then with the
government in Madrid to reach an agreement on its implementation. The response of the PP remains a vehement No. Barcelona is now just relies on a formal legal way, in the context of the intended law is to hold a referendum.
The referendum on November 9 will be the culmination of a year-long campaign. In September 2009, there had been an unofficial referendum in the small community of Arenys de Munt.
This first referendum was followed by 605 more, at which a total of
more than 800,000 people involved, which voted overwhelmingly for
independence from Spain.
As a result, founded in March 2012, the "Assemblea Nacional Catalana"
(ANC, Catalan National Assembly) as a non-partisan grassroots movement
that now counts 51,000 members.
She organized large spectacular actions such as a 400 km long human
chain to the Catalan National Day on September 11 last year, in which
1.5 million people involved. For the coming 11 September, the ANC mobilized to a new mass rally in Barcelona.
Hundreds of thousands of people are then a giant "V" form, which
symbolizes the words' Voluntat "(Will)," Votar "(select) and" Via
"(road) is available.
Scottish Independence, “Better Apart” – Campaigning for the Referendum is Driving a Wedge Between Us All | Global Research
Scottish Independence, “Better Apart” – Campaigning for the Referendum is Driving a Wedge Between Us All | Global Research
The No side, or Better Together as it likes to be called (it was going
to change that to “No Thanks” but that seems to have been quietly
forgotten) focuses almost entirely on money – sorry – “economy”. It
produces some totally inane statements, such as “Pakistan is richer than
Scotland”. Do they really think that will persuade the Scots to stay
within the UK?
Fukushima radiation is affecting the health of the entire global ecosystem, scientist says - NaturalNews.com
Fukushima radiation is affecting the health of the entire global ecosystem, scientist says - NaturalNews.com
What is the real-life damage that Fukushima fallout is having on our planet's ecosystem? http://www.naturalnews.com/046620_Fukushima_radiation_global_ecosystem.html
Civil Society Condemns Immunity for Sitting African Leaders Accused of Serious Crimes | Inter Press Service
Civil Society Condemns Immunity for Sitting African Leaders Accused of Serious Crimes | Inter Press Service
A recently adopted protocol that extends criminal jurisdiction to the
African Court of Justice and Human Rights offers immunity for serious
crimes to serving heads of states and all senior government officials. bit.ly/1vnz9Pz
Some
of the Kenyans who were forcefully evicted from their homes in Rift
Valley during the 2007/2008 post-election violence. They are pictured in
a dated photo in a camp in Kiambu Central Kenya. Credit: Miriam
Gathigah/IPS
Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 28 August 2014 | Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 28 August 2014 | Human Rights Watch
#Russia invades #Ukraine (again); war crimes in #Syria; Yezidis in #Iraq; attack on journalist in #Azerbaijan; the endless 9/11 trial; mystery corpses on #Burundi/#Rwanda border; baby-trafficking scandal in #Niger; and the passing of a leading rights defender in #Egypt.
Kyiv, Western officials say Russia has launched stealth invasion in the Eastern Ukraine
http://mashable.com/2014/08/27/ukraine-southeast-russia/#:eyJzIjoiZiIsImkiOiJfNzQ2MDh1YTJtbnE0dzRvdyJ9 … pic.twitter.com/1Om7yxmyAC
Activist Post: Fed Vice Chairman Warns: Your Bank May Seize Your Money to Recapitalize Itself
Activist Post: Fed Vice Chairman Warns: Your Bank May Seize Your Money to Recapitalize Itself
The purported recovery may not be everything
that government officials and influential financial leaders have made it
out to be. Recent comments delivered by Fedl Reserve Vice Chairman
Stanley Fischer suggest that not only are global and domestic economies
still struggling, but the U.S. government itself is preparing financial
contingency plans in anticipation of another widespread economic event.
European Union and the Palestinians
http://www.eeas.europa.eu/statements/docs/2014/140827_02_en.pdf
European Union and the Palestinians
#EUPAL , #EU : S T A T E M E N T
on the ceasefire in #Gaza
"We welcome the #ceasefire agreement in Gaza that brings an end to the suffering and loss of life, particularly among civilians. The humanitarian situation in Gaza must now be urgently addressed and we call on the parties to respect the ceasefire.
We commend #Egypt's mediation efforts and urge the Israelis and #Palestinians
to seize this opportunity to negotiate a comprehensive and sustainable
agreement. Simply returning to the situation before the latest conflict
is not an option.
A sustainable agreement should address all
the root causes of the conflict and bring fundamental change to the
situation in Gaza. The socio-economic conditions should be improved by
ending the Gaza closure regime. The Palestinian government of national
consensus, under the leadership of President #Abbas, should exercise effective administration of the Gaza Strip. Hamas and other militant groups must stop all threats to #Israel. A durable
peace can only be achieved through the resumption of the Middle East peace process,leading to a two state solution.
The EU is ready to contribute, together with the international
community, to a lasting solution meeting the legitimate security,
humanitarian and socio-economic needs of the #Israeli and Palestinian peoples."
download statement :
Doctors play God in Syria’s ‘town of the Armageddon’ | Policy Review
Doctors play God in Syria’s ‘town of the Armageddon’ | Policy Review:
It was It was just over a year ago when I received a flood of Skype and Viber notifications from doctors in Syria, desperately begging for help from abroad as they struggled to deal with an overwhelming influx of patients gasping for breath and collapsing at hospital doors, writes Dr. Zaher Sahloul.
CDC Whistleblower ~ Vaccine-Autism Fraud Revealed - NaturalNews.tv
CDC Whistleblower ~ Vaccine-Autism Fraud Revealed - NaturalNews.tv
What is the link between the MMR vaccine and Autism? The fraud has been revealed: http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=D70057B0C777EC518DF2E1B73A630147
Davis City Council Tells Police To Have Plan For Getting Rid Of MRAP Military Vehicle In Next 60 Days « CBS Sacramento
Davis City Council Tells Police To Have Plan For Getting Rid Of MRAP Military Vehicle In Next 60 Days « CBS Sacramento
We can do this all over America.
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/08/26/davis-city-council-tells-police-to-get-rid-of-mrap-military-vehicle-in-next-60-days/
Israel lost the war in Gaza but the struggle for justice goes on | The Electronic Intifada
Israel lost the war in Gaza but the struggle for justice goes on | The Electronic Intifada
"The only way to stop the massacres is to escalate our work for justice."
Palestinians gather in the streets of Gaza City in celebration of the announcement of a permanent ceasefire on 26 August.
(Ezz al-Zanoun / APA images)
Alan Watts: The World of Man and Nature
Alan Watts: The World of Man and Nature:
Words from Alan Watts combined with breathtaking timelapse footage by two amazing photographers, and beautiful music by Carbon Based Lifeforms.
NSA Creates Google-Like Search Engine to Help Other Agencies Access Collected Phone, Email Records | Democracy Now!
NSA Creates Google-Like Search Engine to Help Other Agencies Access Collected Phone, Email Records | Democracy Now!
Thanks to a super-duper NSA search engine,
nearly two dozen other government agencies can search through 850
billion secret records of your phone calls, emails and Internet chats.
The Intercept made this graphic to help you get your mind around that number. Also, watch our interview with reporter Ryan Gallagher.
A new report by The Intercept news site reveals the National Security
Agency is secretly providing troves of data to nearly two dozen
government agencies using a "Google-like" search engine. Documents from
Edward Snowden provide proof that for years the NSA has made data directly available to domestic law enforcement agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI.
The search tool, known as ICReach, contains information on both
foreigners and millions of U.S. citizens who have not been accused of
wrongdoing. It is designed to share more than 850 billion records — that
is more than twice the number of stars in the Milky Way. We speak with
Ryan Gallagher, The Intercept reporter who broke the story. We also ask
Gallagher about his report on how the U.S. military has banned all
employees from reading The Intercept and has begun blocking the website
on work computers, purportedly because it has published classified
material. "That kind of policy in the age of Manning, in the age of
Snowden, just is totally archaic, and it doesn’t fit the modern world,"
Gallagher says. "You can have a situation where an intelligence analyst
in the government with a top-secret security clearance is in a position
that they can’t read public news reports."
CATALONIA -- Catalonia: the conflict is democratic, not nationalistic | catalan views
Catalonia: the conflict is democratic, not nationalistic | catalan views
In the last five years we have seen that the pro-independence
movement in Catalonia, one of the most productive regions of Spain, has
grown in a significant way. Some claim to see this as a sign of a lack
of solidarity or of nationalistic selfishness, not understanding the
real reasons which have brought us to this situation.
Catalonia has always led democratic reforms in Spain, and has
contributed in a big way to solidarity with the rest of Spain's regions
with its efforts. However, in 2010, after the verdict of the
Constitutional Court against our self-government, it became evident that
it was impossible to continue progressing towards a quasi-federal model
within the current Spain; in addition, we are going through an economic
crisis, which has especially affected the Mediterranean countries and
has put in danger the welfare of its citizens. Since then we have
suffered a continuous regression in our social and democratic rights,
with reactionary and re-centralising reforms from the Spanish
Government; attacks on self-government and the Catalan language and
culture; a territorial funding scheme which is profoundly unfair to
Catalonia which, far from being based on "solidarity", feeds on a model
of public money waste; and the impossibility of undertaking any reform
that untangles the situation.
Thus, pro-independence support becomes the answer to a failed model
that the two big majority parties in Spain do not want to change. By the
way, these two parties are increasingly irrelevant in Catalonia; two
distinct and more distant political systems are being consolidated,
adding a crisis of legitimacy and representativeness between the
citizens and those who decide their issues.
miércoles, 27 de agosto de 2014
Media conspiracy to bury CDC whistleblower story protects vaccine makers at the expense of human life - NaturalNews.com
Media conspiracy to bury CDC whistleblower story protects vaccine makers at the expense of human life - NaturalNews.com
Is the entire mainstream media conspiring to suppress the true story of a CDC whistleblower on scientific fraud? http://www.naturalnews.com/046628_CDC_whistleblower_media_conspiracy_vaccine_makers.html
Tikkun Daily Blog » Blog Archive » What Ella Baker Taught Us About Ferguson And Gaza
Tikkun Daily Blog » Blog Archive » What Ella Baker Taught Us About Ferguson And Gaza
Our own Dorothy Zellner, veteran of the U.S. civil rights movement, reflects on its lessons for today
"In
order for us as poor and oppressed people to become a part of a society
that is meaningful, the system under which we now exist has to be
radically changed."-- Ella Baker Credit: Creative Commons/Wikipedia
“Obese Intelligence”: The NSA Search Engine. “Over 850 Billion Records about Phone Calls, Emails, Cellphone Locations, and Internet Chats” | Global Research
“Obese Intelligence”: The NSA Search Engine. “Over 850 Billion Records about Phone Calls, Emails, Cellphone Locations, and Internet Chats” | Global Research
The NSA NEEDS 850 billion of our emails and
phone calls. BTW US activists and journalists are describing specific
KINDS of emails now missing from their inboxes and not bouncing back --
relating to specific projects or people.
I have tried to
warn Americans that there is no reason to think that the NSA will ONLY
"look" and not tamper. This is why I hope US business will lead the
fight to roll back NSA surveillance.
I often tell the anecdote of a
high-level Republican who warned me years ago that another senior member
of the Republican elite who objected to The War on Terror had his
electronic communications 'switched off' to the point that he went
bankrupt... http://www.globalresearch.ca/obese-intelligence-the-nsa-search-engine-over-850-billion-records-about-phone-calls-emails-cellphone-locations-and-internet-chats/5397876
In Pictures: Kashmir's spinning trouble - In Pictures - Al Jazeera English
In Pictures: Kashmir's spinning trouble - In Pictures - Al Jazeera English
Decades of conflict in Indian-administered Kashmir have produced
thousands of widows and "half-widows". Most of these destitute families
have been making their living by spinning normal sheep wool or Pashmina.
But the number of women spinners is dwindling as the government prices
for their goods does not match the rising cost of the trade: http://aje.me/1vQ4d84
A few decades ago, this much revered tool, which gave Kashmiri women some form of economic independence, was present in almost every household. But now only widows or destitute families practice the trade.
/Aarabu Ahmad Sultan/Al Jazeera
CATALONIA -- Sweden’s Greens back Catalan independence bid
Sweden’s Greens back Catalan independence bid
MEP Bodil Ceballos says the country should be prepared for Catalonia’s independence #VoteCatalonia #9N2014 #FriendOfCatalonia
Bodil Ceballos, MEP for Sweden’s Green Party, said her party supports a
referendum on Catalan independence and called on the Swedish government
to be ready for an independent Catalonia: ‘If Catalonia declares
independence, if it votes for independence, the Swedish people must know
how to respond so as not to hinder the prospects of the Catalan
people’.
Ceballos made these remarks during the launch yesterday
of ANC Sweden, the local chapter of Catalan pro-independence group
Assemblea Nacional Catalana (Catalan National Assembly), held in central
Stockholm.
CATALONIA -- Parties supporting self-determination vote collectively reaffirm their will to vote on November 9 - VilaWeb
Parties supporting self-determination vote collectively reaffirm their will to vote on November 9 - VilaWeb
Parties supporting self-determination vote collectively reaffirm their will to vote on November 9
They reaffirmed their unity of action and their will to vote even if the Constitutional Court was to ban the call
After the controversy of the last few weeks about whether the
independence consultation initially scheduled on the 9th of November
might be postponed if the Spanish authorities were to ban it, the 4
Catalan Parliament groups supporting this vote appeared together on
Wednesday and reinstated their commitment to such a consultation. They
reaffirmed their unity of action and their will to vote even if the
Constitutional Court was to ban the call, which will be based on the Law
on Consultation Votes to be approved by the Catalan Parliament in
September. Leading figures from the governing centre-right pro-Catalan
State coalition CiU, the left-wing independence party ERC, the green
socialist and post-communist coalition ICV-EUiA and the radical left and
independence party CUP emphasised that the "people had democratically
elected to decide on their collective future through the polling
stations". They were referring to the results of the last Catalan
Parliament elections, which were like a plebiscite on the right to
self-determination and the organisation of an independence vote. Back
then, with the highest turnout in years, 80% of the elected MPs promised
to support a legal self-determination vote.
In the last
year and a half, since Catalan elections were held in November 2012, the
Spanish Government has totally rejected to even talk about how such a
vote could take place and has made a restrictive interpretation of the
Constitution, saying such a vote was "illegal". After waiting months for
an agreement with Madrid, in December 2013 a two-third majority of the
Catalan Parliament approved the organisation of a self-determination
vote on the 9th of November, 2014. This left the
Spanish Government, chaired by Mariano Rajoy, enough time to react and
negotiate or propose an alternative. Rajoy has not done any of the two
options. In addition, in the last few months, Catalan representatives
have repeated that they are willing to review the exact day and question
of such a vote if the Spanish authorities wanted to sit and talk about
it.
The Spanish authorities have closed the negotiation door on numerous
occasions and they have even refused to work on finding a better
accommodation of Catalonia within Spain through a reform of Spain's
territorial model. The People's Party (PP) and Rajoy himself have
rejected several times the mild reform of the Constitution proposed by
the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), which does not even recognise
Catalonia as a nation. The last time the PP strongly rejected a
Constitutional Reform was this summer, when firstly its Secretary General María Dolores de Cospedal and later, Mariano Rajoy, closed the door to even discuss about it. In front of all this, Catalan
representatives have insisted they will not accept Madrid's blocking,
neither the PP's unilateral and uncompromising attitudetowards an
issue that has been on the table for years and on which the Catalan
people have given their explicit support through the 2012 democratic
elections.
In the last few weeks, as November approaches, and coinciding with
August summer holidays, there have been several voices within the CiU –
which runs the Catalan Government – who have proposed the possibility to
postpone November's vote, if the Spanish authorities were totally
against it. The most notorious one was the Catalan Vice President, Joana
Ortega. After
Ortega's words, the ERC, the ICV-EUiA and CUP representatives
complained loudly and insisted that November's vote had to take place,
even if the Constitutional Court was to ban it. They argued that the
right to self-determination was not "owned" by Spanish authorities and
they also stressed that the Constitutional Court was formed by people
directly appointed by Spain's two main parties: the People's Party (PP),
which runs the Spanish Government, and Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE).
The day after the quarrel, the President of the Catalan Executive, Artur
Mas, sent a unity message and insisted that if the Constitutional Court
bans the self-determination vote, the Catalan reaction will be agreed
among the parties supporting such a vote. He also insisted once again that "the only plan is to vote".
Catalans will "exercise the will of an entire people in the ballot boxes"
On Wednesday, in a round table discussion organised in the Catalan
Pyrenees, representatives from the CiU (Josep Rull), ERC (Gemma Calvet),
ICV-EUiA (Josep Vendrell) and CUP (David Fernández) stated that their
parties are fully committed to November's self-determination vote. On
that day Catalans will "exercise the will of an entire people in the
ballot boxes". In front of a hypothetical veto from the Constitutional
Court, they engaged in finding alternative formulas to put the ballot
boxes on the street, because "legality" and "democracy" are on their
side, despite what the Spanish authorities say, they stated. The
legality is based on the Catalan legal framework, developed during
decades of self-government and by a democratically-elected parliament.
Furthermore, there is a democratic mandate from the last Catalan
elections, pushing parties to organise a self-determination vote.
Besides, since "the road [toward the 9th of November] will
not be easy", they asked citizens to participate in the massive
demonstration scheduled on Catalonia's National Day (the 11th of
September), in order to pave the road towards the independence
referendum. In 2012 and 2013, massive pro-independence demonstrations
had already been organised on that day, respectively gathering 1.5
million and 1.6 million people, according to the Catalan Police.
The representatives of the 4 parliamentary groups supporting November self-determination vote (by A. Recolons)
CATALONIA -- Guide to September 11… 1714 - VilaWeb
Guide to September 11… 1714 - VilaWeb
A bit of history! #11S1714 #VoteCatalonia #9N2014 #Tricentenari
A bit of history! #11S1714 #VoteCatalonia #9N2014 #Tricentenari
What happened three hundred years ago on that date and what was its
significance? Who were the opposing sides? Why did Barcelona resist? How
did the siege end?
Viet Nam: Police beatings outside court amid crackdown on activism | Amnesty International
Viet Nam: Police beatings outside court amid crackdown on activism | Amnesty International
"Today’s verdict appears to be another attempt to punish peaceful activism in Viet Nam..."
Bui Thi Minh Hang is a well-known activist who has taken part in anti-China protests.
© AFP/Getty Images
WikiLeaks' Quito cables lay US interference bare | Green Left Weekly
WikiLeaks' Quito cables lay US interference bare | Green Left Weekly
WikiLeaks' Quito cables lay US interference bare | GLW
More: https://wikileaks.org/plusd/
Since Ecuador's president Lucio Gutierrez was ousted from power in
2005, relations between Ecuador and the United States have deteriorated
with the Andean nation’s increasing rejection of US hegemony.
The government of Rafael Correa, first elected president in 2006, has
embraced regional integration, moving closer to its neighbours ― in
particular Venezuela and Bolivia ― and further away from the US.
Economically, the Correa administration has pursued policies that
break with the neoliberal doctrines Washington had imposed on Latin
America.
Correa’s government also challenged US imperialism by closing the US
forward operating base on Ecuadorian territory at Manta and granting
political asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
In another sign of waning US influence, US Agency for International
Development (USAID) announced in May that it was leaving Ecuador.
Protesters defy tear gas in the uprising that
overthrew the corporate-friendly government of Lucio Gutierrez in 2005.
The US embassy's 'best efforts' were not enough to save his
administration.
Is criticizing Israel worse than murder at the University of Illinois? | The Electronic Intifada
Is criticizing Israel worse than murder at the University of Illinois? | The Electronic Intifada
University that fired Steven Salaita for criticism of Israel may continue to employ professor convicted of murder
Palestinians gather around a commercial center which was hit in an Israeli air strike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, 24 August.
(Abed Rahim Khatib / APA images)
Une nouvelle aristocratie née après 1981, par François Hollande (Le Monde diplomatique, avril 2007)
Une nouvelle aristocratie née après 1981, par François Hollande (Le Monde diplomatique, avril 2007)
François Hollande dans « Devoirs de vérité », p. 159-160 (en accès libre)
« Une haute bourgeoisie s’est renouvelée. On
est passé d’un patrimoine jusque-là détenu par l’actionnariat familial,
et transmis par héritage, à un actionnariat managérial qui s’est
lui-même autopromu, autorécompensé, auto-organisé et autosolidarisé. Or
il s’est trouvé par un fait de circonstance – mais qui n’est pas sans
conséquence sur le plan idéologique – que c’est au moment où la gauche
arrivait aux responsabilités, en 1981, que cette mutation profonde du
capitalisme s’est produite.
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