Yep.  It was a trap.  I saw it myself (and was old and chicken enough to avoid it). But don’t fret.  Someone said that day that “the NYPD is doing PR for the protesters.”  I’m begining to believe this is bigger than the NYPD “can possibly imagine.”

My report was posted with my photos below, but you should really read my friend Billy Wharton’s account of the October 1st Brooklyn Bridge march and the more than forty other stories by people who were there, collected nicely at The Guardian.

In the end, it makes no difference.  We know what Kelly and his men are up to.  Every “clever” NYPD attempt to discredit and destroy the Occupy Wall Street movement just seems to backfire, as I’m sure it will when they inevitably decide to forcibly clear Liberty Square

I’ll share what I sent out to my friends that evening from the middle of a joyous Liberty Square.

Liberty sq is amazing: these kids who’ve just been beaten by cops are gathered, focused inward, not at the cops scowling at them in a cordon/ Singing “we are unstoppable” over and over, smiling. It literally sends chills down my spine. One of the most life affirming things I have ever seen. [In Contrast] I walked down wall street, cops nervously guarding Trump tower. The cops were herding, swearing, beating, & arresting them And they are joyful, smiling, welcoming everyone.  The media wants to paint these people as hateful, privileged: come here and see #occupywallstreet

I’ve seen a lot of demos, marches and occupations, back to anti-nuke “Freeze” marches and Anti-Apartheid college occupations back in my teens.  I’ve never felt anything like this.

These Liberty Square occupiers are optimistic and feel their own power.  The cops and the press and the mayor may lash out at them, but the people in that square can see through it all.  You can feel down there that the press and politicians are on the backfoot, the rich %1 are hiding, and the cops just seem afraid: not of violence, but because they themselves feel they can’t contain what’s starting to emerge in that concrete park in the Financial district.

Related articles

• NYPD Arrests 700 #OccupyWallStreet Protesters On The Brooklyn Bridge (occupiedwallstreet.wordpress.com)
• Over 500 Protesters Arrested After Being Kettled On Brooklyn Bridge (crooksandliars.com)
• Occupy Wall Street protesters arrested on Brooklyn Bridge (destructionist.wordpress.com)
• Over 700 Arrests for #OccupyWallStreet Protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)
• Blow by Blow: Brooklyn Bridge “taken” by Occupy Wall Street * (wilderside.wordpress.com)
• #OccupyWallStreet: Searching for Hope in America | The Nation (thenation.com)
• US protesters rally to occupy Wall Street | The Stream – Al Jazeera English (stream.aljazeera.com)
• The NYPD: Spies, Spooks and Lies (nypdconfidential.com)

By the way, I made that image at top, thanks to Upsetter FC.  Use it, but don’t say you made it yourself.

Also btw, I remembered the quote wrong.

Arresting thousands of protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge? NYPD should get paid for doing #OccupyWallStreet's PR.

1 October 2011 3:53 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@allisonkilkenny

allisonkilkenny

As I write this, Saif Gaddafi is speaking to a Libyan people who have seemed to have already moved past his father’s regime.  His late and desperate attempt to scare his countrymen into rejecting a revolution which has engulfed his nation touched one element with which, seemingly, those opposing him might agree.  He blamed “crimes” on “Africans, paid by criminals” to kill Libyans.

There is a very widespread and dangerous trope being played upon when Libyans accuse Gaddafi’s crimes of being committed by “African Mercenaries”, hints of which are being picked up in the foreign media.

CNN has just prominently shown a Libyan woman, tear stained, crying out on the newly liberated streets of Egypt.  She calls for justice for her people, for the killing to end, begs Obama to intervene, and then repeats “Gaddafi is killing us with his Africans!”  She is not alone in arranging this revolution between the Libyan people on one side, and Gaddafi, his family, and dark-skinned “outsiders” on the other.

For the benefit of those unfamiliar with the use of a map, Libyans are Africans.  But Africans here means “black people” and there is a very long very pernicious racism in their part of the world towards “black Africans”, not unlike that in my part of the world.  When I see tweets like the following, I cringe.  I also see a history of fear and contempt slipping out in a time of unparalleled suffering.

Gadafi is ordering african mercenaries to break into homes in #Benghazi to RAPE Libyan women in order to detract men protesters! #Libya #Feb

20 February 2011 3:04 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@khalidAlotaibi

Khalid Alotaibi

In all honesty, I support the people of Libya’s righteous anger against the brutal Gaddafi regime.  It will not be going out on a limb at this point to say they will succeed, and that the entire region (including Tchad, Mali, & Niger) will be better off without Gaddafi’s almost constant destabilization of his African neighbors.

But like much of northern Africa, in Libya there is a long history of fear, hatred, and oppression based on skin color.  There is a distinct minority of “black” Libyans whose slave origins mean they are still regarded with contempt by some, as there is a large number of political and economic refugees in what is a relatively prosperous state.

#Libya @CNN @CBC. Confirmed the African mercenaries were raised in campus around Sabha and West Mountain since childhood as salves.

19 February 2011 11:14 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@AlMingar

MR KANADA

Foreign Fighters

And while oppression organized by skin color has a long history,  the Gaddafi regime has contributed a different angle to this prejudice: the foreign fighter.  Since the early 70s, Libya has offered aid, by degrees of openness, to revolutionary and opposition groups in most every corner of the world.  Begun as an extension of Soviet Cold War policy, Gaddafi’s involvement with foreign dissident groups — funded by the oil boom of the 1970s — has extended beyond ideology or geopolitics.  For those of us who remember the Cold War, it’s easy to see a degree of hysteria — almost equal to today’s anti-Islamist hysteria in the west — in the views current in the 1980s that Gadaffi was behind most every threat, from Belfast to Managua.   But to whatever small degree his support was really effective, most  every African nation has seen some of it’s citizens trained in Libyan camps.

Foday Sankoh, Charles Taylor, Moses Blah, Blaise Compaore trained in Libya.   Future Malian and Nigerien Tuareg rebels trained in Libya in the late 70s, recruited from refugees fleeing famine and oppression.  The band Tinariwen actually formed in one such camp.

Libya has developed a sophisticated infrastructure to support rebel groups, based around Tripoli’s “Al-mathaba al-alamiyya…” — “World Center for the fight against Imperialism Racism and Fascism“.  While support offered to leftist militants from Palestine, the Provisional IRA in Ireland, Nicaragua, and, the ANC fighting Apartheid South Africa,  may represent an ideology which matches the admirable title (at least to this leftist), most “Al-mathaba” operations have taken “anti-imperialism” to rather vaguely coincide with Gaddafi and the Libyan elite’s nationalist expansion.

The most famous local manifestation of this was surely the 1970s & 80s Tchadian war. Libya was early to bankroll FROLINAT  and it’s splits. The Soviets (most notably the GDR) helped early in this process, as part of a strategy against the undoubtedly neocolonial French supported government in Tchad.  But Libya had nationalist motivation, in particular the desire to expand control over the Uranium rich Aozou Strip. Gaddafi’s support at times made Hissène Habré and Goukouni Oueddei almost entirely creatures of Libyan policy.  Habré, now endlessly awaiting trial in Senegal for his brutality as Tchadian president, saw the flexibility of Gaddafi’s support, when Goukouni was in turn supported as insurgent leader against Habré’s government.  The U.S. backed Libyan dissidents were later set up in mirror image camps until ejected by a Tchadian ideological shift in 1991.

Since, Libya has most notably hosted Sudanese, Liberian, Sierra Leonian, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Tunisian, Egyptian, Tuareg, and Somali rebel groups. There is, in this, little discernible ideological continuity apart from a desire to maintain Libya as a player to be courted by leaders of every troubled nation in the area.

But note from the list above, dissidents hosted in the past by Gaddafi are as likely to be “white” Arabs as “Black Africans.”

RT @iyad_elbaghdadi: Reports that "African mercenaries" are from Chad, Niger, Uganda, Mali, and Burkina Faso #Libya #Feb17

19 February 2011 1:45 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@feld_art

Frank

RT @alithelady: RT @KCDalis: @samiyusuf African mercenaries infiltrate every city in Libya, carrying swords to kill. http://mtw.tl/lvjmgt

18 February 2011 1:10 pm via m.tweete.netReplyRetweetFavorite

@_iima

Halimatu Syadiah

Current numbers are even harder to discern.  Tchadian and Sudanese rebels must be the largest groups still in the country.  But even these are not huge contingents: a few hundred at most.  Some blurry photos and one video show two dozen yellow capped men identified as “African Mercenaries.” Little can actually be discerned from the photos, but assuming the poster is accurate, and these are “black Africans”, and they are working with the security forces, and they are armed, they might be wearing the yellow turbans favored by some Tchadian and Sudanese ethnic Zaghawa and some of the Darfuri Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels.  But that is a lot of ifs.

Foreign Migrants

Large numbers of “Africans” seen in Libyan cities are much more likely to be foreign workers and those trying to reach Europe.  Libya has alternated in support and oppression directed to refugees passing into their country from the south.  These are not all “Black Africans”, but include South Asians and others, many trafficked from Nigeria, through Niger via a brutal desert crossing.  West Africans are periodically outraged by news stories of migrants deported by force, or simply dumped in the desert by Libyan government.  More scandalous are stories of robbery, abuse, and even killing by criminal gangs and (less frequently, but more disturbing) by xenophobic Libyans. Many migrants are locked up in camps across Libya, kept in conditions unmonitored by outsiders.

This has played into some of the “African Mercenary” rumors of the last few days, with reports of ever increasing amounts paid to migrants by Libyan security forces to carry out crimes against civilians.

No one should doubt that there are dark skinned men in the Libyan security forces.  Despite the unspoken assumptions of some Libyans, most are surely their fellow Libyans.  There are also, undoubtedly, foreign born guerrillas under arms in Libya, or former fighters long ago enrolled in the security services.  But again, these cannot be a large number.

Who Pulls the Trigger?

Reports of “African Mercenaries” have become, since 17 February, a staple of Libyan revolutionaries’ news feeds.  We have seen reports, repeated as fact, that almost every time Libyans have been massacred by the state security forces, “Africans” have been to blame.  “Africans” are said to have been flown into Benghazi and Tripoli to protect them for the state, 1300 by one rumor.  A widely quoted report comes from a revolutionary in Ajdabiya  saying: “The regime has sent African forces into the city but we are here waiting in the square of the martyrs. Everyone here is ready to defend the city against the mercenaries. We’ve discovered that these African mercenaries are going to land at Zouitina airport. I can assure you that everybody here is ready to fight against these traitors and African mercenaries.”  Not that he has seen any, but he believes they are coming none the less.

RT @LibyanThinker: URGENT!!! From contact in the Army: So far, 1300 African Mercenaries have arrived in #Libya to date. Cant' the World .

19 February 2011 11:40 pm via iTweet.netReplyRetweetFavorite

@raulrodriguezxD

Raul Rodriguez

Photos and videos, many horrific, have been provided of a handful (I have seen five total) dead uniformed soldiers with varying degrees of dark skin.  This is hardly proof of the hysterical rhetoric built around thousands of black Africans raping women and murdering protesters.

More reports, including those showing troops attacking civilians, point to the Army and the internal security forces. The Security Battalions (‘Kataeb al Amn’) include forces directly under the command of Colonel Massud Abdul Hafiz al-Gaddafi. Not only are these groups well armed and trained, they are carefully chosen for loyalty and ideologically motivated. If there is any truth in the “African Mercenaries” rumors, Tchadians or other former foreign guerrillas, long ago integrated into these internal security forces, would be cause. But the Libyan military and security establishment is gigantic: 50,000 regular troops and almost as many reserves, bolstered by recent spending sprees on Russian and other western equipment. It strains credulity that a few hundred, even a few thousand, “black African” mercenaries would be able to enforce submission upon the Libyan people without the participation of these forces.

On twitter, users have dubbed stories of “African Mercenaries” “Confirmed” after Al Arabiya – and later Al Jazeera – reported as unconfirmed the same stories of “African Mercenaries” twitter users had earlier broadcast.  A news agency, I should remind readers, cannot “confirm” a story by reporting that you are saying it.  It would need multiple individual, reliable, first hand sources providing consistent stories of having seen the original event themselves.  We only have inconsistent third hand reports so far.

And this is not the first time recently we have heard such stories.

In Bahrain, where the military opened fire on unarmed protesters with assault riffles, anti-aircraft weapons, and helicopter fire, some locals have accused “Iraqi”, Pakistani” or other mercenaries of having infiltrated the army.  In the recent massacres on Guinea Conakry and Abidjan, victims have blamed Liberian mercenaries for having murdered and raped protesters.  Again and again, as here in Libya, we hear the cry that “no fellow countryman would do this!”  “Gaddafi couldn’t get Libyans to kill Libyans, so he brought Mercenaries”, not Arab mercenaries, not western mercenaries, but those people who resemble the “lowest”, most “foreign” of our fellow citizens.  There have, just today, been a couple of isolated reports that North Koreans were shooting protesters in Libya, but such reports have not gotten the traction that the “African Mercenaries” have.  I must ask why this is?

Flawed Evidence

Apart form those mentioned above, the photographic evidence for “African Mercenaries” include these photos on Flickr.

I cannot help but note some possible problems with images from Libya that are said to be of an identity card carried by a Guinean captured or killed in Benghazi.  The reports are the man was fighting with Libyan government forces against citizens. That there is no direct evidence linking the man on the card with violence might be the first question.

I am not an expert but I am tempted to refer to that old internet meme: “This picture is shopped, I can tell from some of the pixels…” Honestly, my observations are no proof either way, but it raises enough questions to suggest that someone better qualified in photographic forensics should look at these images.

A %600 blowup of the bottom of one of these photos (click for larger)

Note the circled areas in one section of one of the pictures I examined.

1) Unnatural distinct blur marks, the largest in a square shape.
2) Red stamp patterns that don’t conform consistently to the fold mark.
3) The text has been sharpened.  It is dark, consistent, and the background between letters is pixelated, different from the background in other parts of the card, which is smooth.  This may merely be artifacts of a sharpening attempt so the text was made legible.  Or it is an artifact from pasting.
4) This same text lines do not conform to the card where bent.  All such text lines are parallel to one another, where the other text is skewed..
5) Artifacts where the background bleeds through the fingers which are supposed to be in front of it.

All this said, A Guinean legally in Algeria would be expected to carry a consular id card.  Guinean and Canadian government sources confirm this type of ID is issued by Guinean embassies abroad.

NEW! #Gaddafi has given the African Mercenaries full freedom in raping Libyan women. #Libya

19 February 2011 7:57 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@LibyanThinker

The Libyan Thinker

Stabbed in the Back

Everything alleged by the photographer above may be true.  But I hesitate as these stories play into a natural combination of nationalism, existing social prejudices (of low class “slave” “Blacks”) and fears (of foreign looking immigrants, familiar to xenophobic discourse in Europe and America).  They are understandable, but should they go unchallenged in the lore of this revolution, the new Libya being build risks becoming a no less cruel and unjust place, if for a smaller part of its citizens, adjudged outsiders and traitors by their skin color.

African mercenaries now in #Benghazi #Libya sources in Libya say they're chasing and killing people with knives and swords. We only fear God

17 February 2011 10:26 am via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@AliLePointe

Jibreel

These phobias of the “other” neglect the horrible reality that Libyans have lived for the last four decades.  They have been oppressed, murdered, tortured and exploited by their fellow Libyans.  It has been said that ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.’ (A mangled false quotation of Edmond Burke, but I digress.)

The quote perhaps survives because it speaks to what Europe learned in the 20th century: oppressive states survive by fear and collusion.

The most dramatic example of this, the murder of 12 million Jews and others by Nazi Germany in the 1940s, provides some of the most despairingly stark lessons.  For decades, scholars sought some explanation, some psychological profile of those who carried out this mass murder.  I come back again and again to writers like Tim Mason, an historian of resistance and collaboration with the Nazis, and his despair in finding so much of the latter.  Or Chris Browning, whose book “Ordinary Men” showed those who took part in war crimes were neither born monsters, warped sociopaths, or cold ideologues, but victims of the pedestrian social pressures to conform, turned to the most extreme ends.

Libyans: your fellow citizens have enabled this regime to oppress you for so many years. You must come to terms with this in the aftermath of this revolution, or it will be no revolution at all.

But you have already learned the converse: you have the power to stop this oppression.  You are doing it now, and the world, awed by the bravery and audacity in the Arab world this year, stand now amazed by your fearlessness.

But Libyans, you do yourself an injustice with these fears directed at “Africans”. You, in more than one sense, are these Africans.  You cannot build a society of justice by until you learn this.

UPDATE 2011-02-21 23:49 EST

Please take a look at this VERY useful article focusing on color politics in Libya in the light of these events: Gaddafi is killing us with his Africans! by N. Thompson, published at “My Weku” Magazine, 2011-02-21 A useful look at the immigrant condition in Libya from 2000: Ethnic violence and mass deportations of immigrants in Libya By Trevor Johnson, WSWS 28 October 2000

And please read and support http://www.libyafeb17.com/ : sometimes hard to watch, but vital news from inside Libya, as the people try to get free.

Related articles

• Libya Must End Racism Against Black African Migrants and Others UN Watch Written Statement, UN Human Rights Council 13th Session, 16 February 2010
• Libya: ‘Beaten and deported to the Sahara’ Article translated from the Italian by Francesca Megna, published first on 18. Dec 2009 by :: fortresseurope.blogspot.com.
• Migrant Workers From Ghana Who Fled Libya Cite Racism Los Angeles Times
• Racism: Arab-Black African Relations in North Africa Noah Bassil, Khaldoun, 2008
• Losing Libya – Blog – The Arabist (arabist.net)
• Libyan troops defect amid crackdown – Aljazeera.net (news.google.com)
• Benghazi defies Gaddafi (independent.co.uk)
• Libya: US accuses Britain of legitimising Gaddafi (telegraph.co.uk)
• Tony Blair our very special adviser by dictator Gaddafi’s son | Mail Online (dailymail.co.uk)
• LENIN’S TOMB: Libya’s uprising (leninology.blogspot.com)
• Demonstrations in solidarity with the Libyan people February 19th, 2011 ” Enough!Khalas (enoughgaddafi.com)

One of the many menacing street parties of South Africa, from soccerphile.com. Chilling.

As I’ll be spending most of this month tied to a TV or radio, I’ve so far noted one shocking fact: The South African World Cup is not riven by crime, corruption, shoddy workmanship, or terrorism. In fact, things are going swimmingly, the stadiums operations and infrastructure are beautiful, and the only deaths among the 450,000 visitors have been from road accident and falling off a mountain while admiring the scenery.

There’s more realistic complaints about the football itself, especially after the South African side’s almost suicidally poor performances (not to mention a drought of goals, dashed expectations for most African sides, and disastrous English, Spanish, and French performances).  But even if rose gardens have not been delivered on the field or in terms of secondary development, so much of the press run up was so negative — even years of rumors that FIFA would move the cup at the last moment — that it may come as a shock how happy foreign fans are with what they’ve found in South Africa.

One report quotes a puzzled German fan.  Puzzled because, despite the foreign press hysterics, he can go to a local bar and discover “I’m the only white guy in the room but I feel very safe.”.

South African sports reporter Peter Davies has a wonderful piece entitled An Open letter to our Foreign Media friends, marveling at the gloom of foreign media outlets who quake in terror of “machete-wielding gangs roaming the suburbs in search of tattooed, overweight Dagenham dole-queuers to ransack and leave gurgling on the pavement.” But surprise! There’s no fear in walking the streets provided you don’t hang a wad of cash out your back pocket. There are also a surprising shortage of wild animal attacks and collapsing stadia. “For instance, you will find precious few rhinos loitering on street corners, we don’t know a guy in Cairo named Dave just because we live in Johannesburg, and our stadiums are magnificent, world-class works of art.”

Andrew Harding, the BBC’s Africa correspondent, writes about tourists having “had some preconceptions overturned” as England fans descended on Phokeng. While local worried about hooligans (there were none), visitors realized they may have been misled about the dangers of “black Africa”. “We stayed at Sun City, said a couple from Leeds, sitting at [a black African run] bar. We were worried about the crime. But now we just wish we’d come and stayed here.”

Football, eh?

That said…

There are real complaints about South Africa — suffering from gross inequality and rampant poverty — throwing this much money at a World Cup party.  I do agree.  But that’s all of capitalism, not just football.  And it’s not like they were really going to spend this money on poor folks.  At best this can be an opportunity to cross borders in solidarity, to share these struggles, both in Africa and abroad.  But I for one love sport, and the joy it brings.  While those who look after the rich alone will always screw the poor, football can be our weapon as well as ours.  Here are some links to the Poor People’s Movement and The Shack Dwellers Movement in South Africa, and social struggles around the World Cup, including the brilliant “Poor People’s Alternative World Cup.”

• A Short History of Abahlali baseMjondolo, the Durban Shack Dwellers’ Movement (Abahlali baseMjondolo)
  • “Upside Down World Cup”: Raj Patel on How South Africa Has Cracked Down on the Poor and the Shack Dwellers’ Movement Ahead of the World Cup
  • The First Poor People’s World Cup on African Soil from the website of the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign
  • South Africa: World Cup for All – (Durban Social Forum)
  • SOUTH AFRICA: Poor people’s movement draws government wrath (IRIN News)
• Riot police move in as World Cup pay protests spread (The Guardian)
• Thousands protest against World Cup spending (Mail & Guardian Online)
• World Cup in South Africa: Six red cards for FIFA (Links International Journal)
• South Africa’s World Cup is a disgrace (radical africa)
• South Africa’s World Cup fest not worth the coming hangover by Patrick Bond (ZCommunications)
• Back the people of South Africa, not the football teams (newstatesman.com)
• Raj Patel: Off-Side at the World Cup (huffingtonpost.com)

Other Related articles

• The World Has Embraced Johannesburg, Influx of Tourists “Simply Amazing” (bleacherreport.com)
• Thousands protest against FIFA, World Cup excess (g.sports.yahoo.com)
• Blatter hails African effort (skysports.com)
• What will South Africa look forward to after soccer spotlight dims? (mysanantonio.com)
• Nelson Mandela’s World Cup overshadowed by death of great-granddaughter in crash (telegraph.co.uk)
• Vuvuzelas Silenced As Bafana Boys Blow It (news.sky.com)
• Home cooked (theglobeandmail.com)
• South Africa could pay penalty for unions’ Cup action (reuters.com)
• Security guards strike at World Cup matches in South Africa (cnn.com)
• ESPNsoccernet: Soccer Defeat compared to Soweto uprising (m.espn.go.com)

Guinean's and supporters march in the streets of Manhattan following the September 28th killings.

Join the second march on the UN by Guineans and their allies in New York City, Thursday December 8th.  If you can’t make it, there are ways to get involved, including organizing solidarity events and extensive letter writing campaigns, so please do!

Kadiatou Diallo (Amadou Diallo‘s mother) and Norm Siegal of the NYCLU are lending their voices to this, in support of “Alliance Guinea” in America. Their Advocacy page asks: “Are you an elected leader or political activist? Join our advocacy action group. Email allianceguinea(at)gmail.com to get involved in any of these sub-committees.”   There is also a full list of ways you can help at http://www.allianceguinea.org/advocacy-what-you-can-do/ .

The US based rights group Alliance Guinea is organizing a march and protest demanding the military junta in Conakry, murderers of thousands of innocents and, be brought to justice.  Only last week it was reported that the Guinean military was employing South African and Israeli mercenaries, hired by a firm run by a US former West Point graduate and Morgan Stanley executive, to train ethnic militias.  The use of such divisions, long overcome in by most Guineans, could plunge the nation into a civil war like Yugoslavia  experienced in the 1990s, and create suffering across West Africa.  Demand the UN make sure the regime in Conakry knows they have no future in government, and their only hope is to hand over power to a civilian transitional authority immediately.

If you can’t make the Tuesday lunchtime march:

• Write a letter to your government and press demanding action, and

• Come to the “Musique contre la Violence” unity night in Harlem on December 9 at 8PM at Shrine in Harlem

Full release follows:

Pro-democracy march in NYC on Dec. 8

From: Alliance Guinea
http://www.allianceguinea.org

This is far from over – the latest news out of Guinea is a proposed deal that would have the CNDD junta heading a “national transition council” for up to 10 months and open the door for Dadis to stand in elections. At the same time, the UN is beginning the work of the international commission of inquiry into the crimes of September 28, but it’s clear that more international pressure against the military and support for the population is needed.

Here in New York Alliance Guinea has joined forces with the Guinean Forces Vives in the US and our friends Kadiatou Diallo and Norman Siegel of the Amadou Diallo Foundation to form the “September 28 Coalition for Justice and Democracy in Guinea.”

Together we are organizing a march and rally on Tuesday, December 8 from 11am – 3pm to demand justice for the crimes committed and support for a speedy and democratic transition to civilian rule in Guinea. At 11am we will gather in front of the Guinean consulate at 140 E. 39th St., marching then to 47th Street and rallying by noon at Dag Hammarskjold Park in front of the United Nations.
see http://www.allianceguinea.org Stay tuned for a list of expected speakers.

If you live far from New York and cannot join us in person, here are two things you can still do:

1. Make a donation – help us offset the cost of the rally (permits, transport, stage & sound system costs, etc.) through our new online giving button at http://www.allianceguinea.org  Check it out and pass the word – every gift counts!
2. Write a letter (again!) to your local newspaper or Congressperson/Member of Parliament and tell them about the march and how the latest news out of Guinea confirms the critical need for international pressure and support is critical to getting justice and preventing what could spiral into civil war. For sample letters and other tips, see http://www.allianceguinea.org/advocacy-what-you-can-do/
3. And if you are in the New York area and can’t make it during lunch hour on Tuesday, don’t miss for what is going to be an amazing “Musique contre la Violence” unity night in Harlem on December 9 at 8pm at Shrine in Harlem with some of the greatest masters of Guinean music living in America and guest speakers from the September 28 Coalition. (2271 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard, New York, NY 10030)

The situation in Guinea is just as dire as ever, and justice must be served and the military must go.

Need More details? see:

• Guinea: Bloody Repression Against anti-Junta Protesters (@ Indybay)
  http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/09/28/18623704.php
• On the brutal sexual violence perpetrated on September 28th (warning, disturbing images)
  http://hosive.agapeshack.com/2009/10/06/pause-horror-in-guinea/
• http://observers.france24.com/en/content/20091005-photos-women-stripped-naked-humiliated-posted-online-guinea-crackdown-abuse
• Blackstar Journal:  Ethnic cleansing in Guinea?  A detailed and disturbing letter from eyewitnesses to continued (October 21) violence and oppression aimed at opposition and ethnic groups
• http://blackstarjournal.blogspot.com/2009/10/ethnic-cleansing-in-guinea.html
• Human Rights Watch: Guinea: September 28 Massacre Was Premeditated
  http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/10/27/guinea-september-28-massacre-was-premeditated
• Friends of Guinea (US)
  http://friendsofguinea.blogspot.com/

ECOWAS and it's Nigerian representatives are playing rough.

On the 11th of November, the government of Niger confirmed the elections for it’s new parliament, boycotted by opposition and assailed as undemocratic from abroad. Two days before Finance Minister Zeine, who now serves at the will of the first President of the Sixth Republic, Tandja Mamadou, also announced the government budget for 2010. Like the August 18th unilateral transition from the semi-presidential Fifth Republic, this first budget of the Sixth Republic is a mixture of unchecked opacity and optimistic bluster.

Niger’s government announced it would spend some 735 billion CFA Francs (1.1 Billion Euros), up from 730 Billion FCFA the year before. Of course, 2009 saw hundreds of millions — no one is quite sure how much — being paid to the government of Niger for new foreign mining and oil contracts. Still, Niger says that they expect their internal tax revenue to increase to record levels and and their foreign supports budget to increase almost nine and a half percent, to 330 billion FCFA (505 million Euros). With projected internal tax and and contract revenue, of around 614 million Euros, the government has confidently promised to exactly cover their expenditures. These figures, with a projection of a %4.3 economic growth for the coming year — almost entirely based on exports of uranium — sound good enough.

Venture capitalists reading the regurgitation of such projections in outlets like Bloomberg News, might be fooled. Except that these figures are largely meant as propaganda. The independent Niamey Canard Dechaine paper asked the obvious question in response: “who are these foreign sources of income” who will make up half of the revenue in direct payments, and much of the contract revenue?

The constitutional coup of President Tandja has ground these foreign payments to a halt. The EU has frozen 180 billion Euros in direct payments for this year, and given a 30 day ultimatum for a return to constitutional government, before they cut off further funds. IMF organized funding for infrastructure projects, including support for the African Development Bank managed Kandadji Hydroelectric  Dam project, as well as for the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) fund, has not been reviewed since the beginning of September, and will likely be effected, especially as Kandadji funding was funneled through ECOWAS, an organization which has suspended all work with the government of Niger. Add the suspension of US and French non-humanitarian programs, and Niger has a rather large hole in its pocket, even if France continues to buy their uranium and China keeps investing in oil, mining, and infrastructure.

If more bad news were needed, the agricultural season was poor in parts of Niger, a nation where over eighty prevent of the population rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. While not a disaster, a June dry gap following the first rains caused some areas to have to replant, and millet yields are low. Couple that with the knife edge politically, Niger is in even worse shape.

Goods being confiscated at the Nigerian border with Niger

ECOWAS president Nigeria seems to be taking a hard line, regardless — or perhaps because of — that nation’s less than transparent 2007 presidential elections. President Yar’Adua has placed former General and President Abdulsalami Abubakar in the lead for the so called “Abuja I” consultations beginning this week. On the eve of these meetings, Nigeria arranged for a small demonstration of its strength. Border guards at the three main crossings south of Maradi, Zinder and Tahoua stopped all commercial transport for at least a day. Travelers were searched, and goods were impounded. The border between these neighbors cuts through the midst of Hausaland, and the major markets for goods from Niger — apart from those big exports by the government — are sold in the markets of Kano and Katsina. A flurry of denials as to who ordered such a closure followed, but the point was surely made.

The government delegation to Abuja, made up of PM Ali Badjo Gamatié and other high Nigerien officials who have been jetting around the ECOWAS states to plead their case for several weeks, arrived in Nigeria on the 10th. According to the Niamey press, the party which included three former Prime Ministers and several other high level minister, were met at the airport by no Nigerian delegation, and had to rent their own cars.  All experienced officials, the Nigerien  delegation included former Prime Ministers Mamane Oumarou, Cheiffou Amadou, Hamid Algabid, Seini Oumarou, current Press Minister Kassoum Moktar, former Press Minister Mohamed Ben Omar, longtime party leader Sanoussi Tambari Jackou,  and current Foreign Minister Aïchatou Mindaoudou.

At the Abuja Sheraton, they were made to sit a wait several hours by the Nigerians, and then General Abdulsalami refused to meet with the entire illustrious delegation, and insisted that the current Niger PM and Foreign minister be the only officials interviewed. The Foreign Minister’s meeting with the Nigerian Ambassador to Niger was reportedly repeated  halted while the Nigerian took calls on his mobile. Meanwhile a forty member Nigerien opposition delegation has arrived in Abuja as well, and both the EU and ECOWAS are demanding a compromise deal be done directly with the Nigerien anti-Tandja activists.

So here’s the big question: which side will be forced into a deal? On the surface there is no squaring the circle. The opposition will not accept the transition to the 6th Republic as legal, and the 5th Republic’s constitution was very clear that Tandja must leave power on 22 December.

The Nigerien opposition press has begun floating the answer: the 7th Republic. In this scenario, Tandja would become a figurehead President during an 18 month transition while an assembly of all stakeholders would be called to draft a new constitution, overseen by former President Mahamane Ousmane. Meanwhile opposition leader Mahamadou Issoufou would become head of government. If you think you’ve heard this before, you may be right. Military dictator Ali Saibou‘s failed 2nd Republic was edged out of power in much the same way, with him as figurehead, while a National Convention wrote a new constitution.

Ali Saibou

Will Tandja agree? I would be surprised. He’s shown a remarkable unwavering drive to remain in power at all costs, and there are clearly now powerful family and military cliques who are using Tandja as cover for their enrichment — or to simply stave off prosecutions which might follow a change of government.

The last Nigerien strongman, Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara, was overthrown in similar circumstances.

On the other hand, Tandja might be wise to follow in the footsteps of Ali Saibou. Saibou retired to his home village in 1993, and to the best of my knowledge is still there. The next Nigerien strongman to be removed from power, Colonel / General / President Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara left the presidency in two body bags following a 1999 coup. Tandja might be reminded that the murder of that president took place only days after a then Nigerian President, Abubacar Abdulsalami, led ECOWAS negotiators in meetings with Baré Maïnassara over his annulment of promised elections. And the coup leaders who put Baré Maïnassara in power and took him out remain in places of influence in Tandja’s clique as well.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Niger ‘must return to democracy’ (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Africa trade bloc suspends Niger (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Niger hits back over suspension (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Niger president claims victory (news.bbc.co.uk)

Free stickers, via IDollarNY.org

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is general election day here in New York City and across the waters in NJ.  If you can vote, use it to make a point.

I know all the debates about voting not changing anything, and while I tend to agree, I’m not asking you to overthrow capitalism with your vote.  It won’t do that.  But it is a splendid soapbox from which to shout, and it is a way to ensure the object with which those in power can hit you is as small as possible.

So here are my recommendations:

Vote Against Bloomberg

The 4th richest man in America and the 17th richest in the world, Bloomberg is a billionaire 16 times over.  He’s spending over $100 Million to finance a campaign that is illegal under NYC law, after we all voted twice for term limits.  Of course he got other politicians to annul this law.  I wonder how?

Bloomy has jumped UP the rankings, making billions more during his two mayoral terms.  And yet he’s cutting schools, health care, services, and raising only those taxes that hit the working poor hardest.

http://www.voterevbilly.org

In short, he’s a scumbag.  Tell him what you think by voting for Reverend Billy Tallen for mayor!

You don’t have to worry that Billy will win and be corrupted by power.  And Billy has always been the first at every little picket or protest, always offered solidarity, always been there for those fighting power.  You owe him one (if not several).

Vote Socialist for NJ Governor

Greg Pason, perennial candidate for the Socialist Party is running for governor.  I may be biased.  But the media driven acceptable choices are the fat Republican who loves George Bush, or the hairy Democrat who made billions as a unrepentant capitalist merchant banker, or the “independent” who’s really a Republican who just doesn’t hate everyone who’s not straight/white/rich as much as the first guy.

http://www.votepason.org/

Greg Pason is not going to win.  Again, if you think this is a question of revolutionary principles, you’ve gotten ahead of yourself.  This is a lifeline to those out there who’ve always been told that capitalism, free markets, and wage labor are the only choices there are.  I’ve seen the effect that Greg’s campaigns can have on people across the state.  People are so rarely reached by radical newspapers, protests, email lists, or punk rock fanzines.  New Jersey law gives an avowed anti-capitalist air time, mailings that go to every home in the state, and a platform bigger than any march you’ve ever put together.  Every vote Greg and other anti-capitalist candidates gets lends legitimacy to a future more just society.

And this society has gotten so used to abstention, that despite what you’re told, no power is threatened when you stay home.  They just think you’re too fat and happy to shift your ass.

So drag it out: you won’t find a better use for a vote, even abstention.

Vote for Debbie Rose for NY City Council

Next Left Notes Photo: Michelle Akyempong

If you’re lucky enough to live on Staten Island, you have the chance to vote for Debbie Rose for City Council.  After decades of grassroots activism, Debbie got out the vote and shocked the Democratic Party machine in the primaries, spanking the right wing Democrat Fred Flintstone look alike Ken Mitchell.  Now Debbie is a day away from being the first person of color to be elected from any Staten Island election.  Ever.

If that’s not reason enough, Ken Mitichell is storming back, using the Conservative Party ballot line (NYC politicians stand on, sometimes seemingly contradictory, multiple party lines) to try and win back his City Council seat.  The same seat he was gifted by the Democratic machine, with which he did zero, except voting against a law that would protect Abortion providers from harassment.

Is Debbie Rose going to change the world? Hardly.  But she’s good people, has always been loyal to her working class community and the struggles here against racism, police brutality, pollution and poverty. We need to give her a louder megaphone, and take it away from the idiots who hold it now.

So like I said, votes won’t make a revolution.  That’s up to the rest of us.  Your vote can make a point.  Use it.

Related articles:

• See another leftist set of recommendations at  Next Left Notes (nextleftnotes.org)
• Reverend Billy: New York’s Consumerism (huffingtonpost.com)
• Bloomberg Sets Record for His Own Spending on Elections (nytimes.com)
• New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg spending 15000 an hour on reelection bid (telegraph.co.uk)
• On Tuesday Your Vote is Really Going to Count (streetsblog.org)
• New Poll: Anybody But Bloomberg [Polls] (cityfile.com)
• Newark Mayor Backed Bloomberg, Then Got Funds (nytimes.com)

UPDATE 24 August: Nigerien Civil society activist Marou Amadou remains in arbitrary detention.  According to the BBC he has been beaten in custody.  Several other opposition activists arrested for protesting the coup remain in custody.  Police have attacked peaceful protests, most recently on 22 August in Niamey, at which several opposition leaders were arrested.  Also on 22 August Wada Maman, Secretary General of the “Front Uni pour la Sauvegarde des Acquis Démocratiques” (FUSAD), Board Member and Secretary General of the “Association Nigérienne de Lutte contre la Corruption” (ANLC), was detained by the military while waiting for a Niamey bus.  He is being held without charge or representation.

Please demand the release of these activists.
A sample letter, addresses, and statements by Nigerien and international rights groups are below.
Further links to background material follows sample letter and statements.

==Independent statement=====
PLEASE COPY, SIGN, AND EMAIL, PRINT OR FAX TO THE ADDRESSES BELOW. EMAILS ARE EASY BUT PAPER LETTERS AND FAXES MAKE A STRONGER IMPACT.

cc: missionduniger@gmail.com, webmestre@assemblee.ne, pneniger@gmail.com, ambanigeracanada@rogers.com, embassyofniger@ioip.com, ambassadeniger@hotmail.com
——sample letter——–

24 August 2009

To the honorable representatives of the Republic of Niger,

We deplore the recent wave of arrests by the government of Niger and the use of force to disperse peaceful protests.  We demand the immediate release of all political prisoners, an end to political prosecutions, and a return to the rule of law and respect for human rights.

Nigerien authorities must respect dissent and their own constitution.  The people of Niger have suffered too much since the struggle for democracy in 1991 to allow a handful of the powerful to return their nation to autocracy.

We support the rights of civil society and opposition groups to protest and assemble, and we support the general strike of the Nigerien labour confederations, the CDTN, CGSL-N, CNT, UGTN, UGSEIN, USPT, and the USTN.

We condemn the arrest of dissident journalists and the arbitrary closure of opposition press;

We condemn the arrests and use of force against peaceful protesters in on the day of the 4 August referendum, and in Niamey and elsewhere both before and after 4 August;

We condemn the use of force against those using peaceful civil disobedience on the day of the 4 August referendum in Illea and elsewhere on 4 August;

We condemn the arrests of opposition activists between 1 and 5 August, including:
*Zakari Oumarou, opposition leader, arrested and arbitrarily detained at Konni;
*Amadou Nomao, Deputy of the National Assembly, arrested and arbitrarily detained at Badaguichiri;
*Alhousseini Ousmane and Elhadj Idrissa Maïgoro, opposition members arrested at Tahoua;
*Dr. Douma, opposition member arrested at Ayorou;

We condemn the arrest between 4 and 11 August and arbitrary detention at Koutoukalé prison of opposition activist Monsieur Alassane Karfi;

We condemn the arbitrary detention by the Judiciary Police of President of the Front pour la Restauration de la Démocratie (FRD) Hamissou Moumouni;

We especially condemn the multiple arrests, unlawful detention at Koutoukalé prison and beating by FNIS (Ministry of Interior Paramilitary Police) of Marou Amadou, Vice Coordinator  of the  Collectif pour la Défense du Droit à l’énergie au Niger (CODDAE) and spokesperson of the FDD;

We condemn the unlawful detention at Koutoukalé prison beginning 22 August of  Wada Maman, Secretary General of the “Front Uni pour la Sauvegarde des Acquis Démocratiques” (FUSAD), Board Member and Secretary General of the “Association Nigérienne de Lutte contre la Corruption” (ANLC).

We condemn the prosecution of Abdoulaye Tiemogo, editor of a private satirical weekly, Le Canard Dechaine and the orchestrated campaign to silence those who question the financial dealings of those close to the President of Niger.

Rest assured that the people of the world stand by the people of Niger is their demands for democracy, rule of law, judicial Independence, and economic transparency.  The truth will come out, and the people of Niger will judge not only the behavior of their government, but those who failed to act in the defense of law.

With the deepest respect for your great nation,

Signed (Your Name)

=======Ends===========

Addresses:
=====================
TO: Ambassador of the Republic of Niger to the United States, S.E.M Toure Aminata Djibrilla Maiga

Embassy of the Republic of Niger
2204 R Street, NW,
Washington DC 20008

Phone: (202) 483-4224
Fax: (202) 483-3169
Email: embassyofniger@ioip.com, ambassadeniger@hotmail.com
Website: http://ambassadeniger@hotmail.com

—-
TO: Ambassador of the Republic of Niger to Canada, S.E.M Nana Aicha FOUMAKOYE

Embassy of Niger in Ottawa, Canada
38 Blackburn Avenue
Ottawa
Ontario K1N 8A3

Phone: (+1) (613) 232-4291 / 2
Fax: (+1) (613) 230-9808

Email: ambanigeracanada@rogers.com
Website: http://www.ambanigeracanada.ca

—-
TO: President of the Republic of Niger, Tandja Mamadou
Office of the President
Palais Présidentiel
BP 550
Niamey
Niger
Fax: + 227 20 73 34 30

email: pneniger@gmail.com
Website: http://www.presidence.ne/contacts.php

Secrétariat Directeur de Cabinet
Telephone:  + 227 20-72-24-72
Directeur de Cabinet Adjoint
Telephone:  + 227 20-72-36-67

—-
TO: Prime Minister of the Republic of Niger, Seini Oumarou;
Monsieur le Premier Ministre, Chef du Gouvernement ;
Email: webmestre@assemblee.ne
Fax : + 227 20 73 58 59

TO: M. Garba Lompo, Ministre de la Justice,
Fax : +227 20 72 37 77

TO: M. Albade Aboufa, Ministre de l’Intérieur,
Fax: + 227 20 72 21 76

TO: Mission permanente du Niger auprès de l’Union européenne,
Fax : + 32 2 648 27 84

TO: Ambassadeur M. Adani Illo, Mission permanente du Niger auprès des Nations unies à Genève,
Avenue du Lignon 36 (2ème étage), 1219 Le Lignon, Suisse.
Fax: +41 22 979 24 51.
Email: missionduniger@gmail.com

====END ADDRESSES=====

=======Transparency International Statement========
Anti-corruption leader arrested in Niger as civil society faces increased intimidation
Berlin, 24 August 2009

Transparency International (TI) is seriously concerned about the arrest in Niger, of Wada Maman, Board Member and Secretary General of TI chapter, the Association Nigérienne de Lutte contre la Corruption (ANLC)
*http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_08_24_niger_intimidation

=======Ends===========

=======Publish What You Pay statement===============

Action Alert: PWYP calls on the Nigerien government to end all forms of harassment against civil society leader Marou Amadou
Source: PWYP International – Action Alert
Date: 13 Aug 2009

http://www.publishwhatyoupay.org/en/resources/action-alert-pwyp-calls-nigerien-government-end-all-forms-harassment-against-civil-society

PWYP strongly condemns the transfer into police custody of Marou Amadou, president of the United Front for the Safeguard of Democratic Assets (FUSAD), coordinator of the Advisory and Orientation Committee for the Defence of Democratic Rights (CROISADE), and member of the Réseau des Organisations pour la Transparence et l’Analyse Budgetaire (ROTAB) – Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Niger.

According to ROTAB/PWYP Niger, Marou Amadou was discharged on Tuesday, 12 August 2009 after appearing before the Court of First Instance in Niamey, where he had been summoned for “inciting disobedience of defense and security forces” and “regionalist propaganda”, following his arrest on 10 August 2009 by the Nigerien Judicial Police.

PWYP condemns Marou Amadou’s forced transfer into police custody just hours after a court had ordered his release.

PWYP therefore demands that the discharge decision be respected and calls for the immediate release of Marou Amadou.

PWYP urges the Nigerien authorities to guarantee Marou Amadou’s physical and moral integrity.

PWYP calls on President Mamadou Tandja to ensure an end to all forms of harassment and intimidation against Marou Amadou and civil society activists in Niger, and to guarantee freedom of speech and of the press in accordance with the international human rights standards Niger has committed itself to.

Actions Required:

PWYP asks that you write to the Nigerien authorities, Nigerien diplomatic representatives and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your respective countries to draw their attention to your concerns and forward them this statement

=======Ends===========

=======Frontline Defenders Statement=======
Niger: Detention of human rights defender Mr Marou Amadou
2009/08/17
(Sample letter included)

http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/2128/action

=======OMCT Statement=======
*Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture
Relaxe et disparition forcée de M. Marou Amadou Niger 11 août 2009

http://omct.org/index.php?id=OBS&lang=fr&actualPageNumber=1&articleSet=Appeal&articleId=8737

====Ends=====

Further links:

*News Reports on the arrest of Marou Amadou
**http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5isewxWl32nJBbl2UP0n3QYpCKSYA
**http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2009-08-10-voa36.cfm
** BBC NEWS | Africa | Niger opposition figure ‘beaten’ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8197439.stm

* Transparency International Statement (22 August)

http://appablog.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/anti-corruption-leader-arrested-in-niger-as-civil-society-faces-increased-intimidation/

* Collectif pour la Défense du Droit à l’énergie au Niger (CODDAE) statement   (Francais)

http://coddae.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=92:declaration-de-presse-relative-a-larrestation-du-camarade-marou-amadou-pour-atteinte-a-la-surete-de-letat&catid=1:actualite&Itemid=50

*  Opposition decalration 11 August http://pnds-tarayya.net/news/news.php?id=41
DÉCLARATION DU 11 AOÛT 2009 La Coordination des Forces pour la Démocratie et la République (CFDR)  (Francais)

*  Opposition decalaration on 4 August arrests
http://pnds-tarayya.net/news/news.php?id=38  (Francais)

*NIGER-En réaction à l’arrestation du président du Fusad, Amnesty international exige la libération de Amadou Arou
le Quotidien (Senegal) 19 August.

http://issikta.blogspot.com/2009/08/niger-en-reaction-larrestation-du.html

* Areva/Niger: organisation exposing links between the French Uranium consortia and the government of Niger  (Francais) http://areva.niger.free.fr/

*Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders Annual Report 2009 – Niger

http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4a5f300dc.html

*Nigerien Labor Confederations joint 72 hour strike, 23 August

http://www.tamtaminfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2073:preavis-de-greve-generale-de-72-heures-&catid=44:politique&Itemid=61

*Nigerien news articles  (Francais)
*http://www.tamtaminfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2072:affaire-marou-amadou-le-proces-des-collectifs-associatifs&catid=44:politique&Itemid=61
*http://www.tamtaminfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1976:vague-darrestation-dans-les-rangs-des-opposants&catid=44:politique&Itemid=61
*http://www.tamtaminfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2005:-communique-de-presse&catid=44:politique&Itemid=61
*http://www.tamtaminfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2007:proces-marou-amadou-et-abdoulaye-tiemogo-des-militants-de-la-cfdr-copieusement-tabasses&catid=44:politique&Itemid=61

*Niger: Les manifestants de l’opposition dispersés par les forces de l’ordre, 22 August.  (Francais)

http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200908240223.html

*Niger: La matraque du colonel, 23 August. (Francais)

http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200908240166.html

*Updates in English:

http://www.tomathon.com/mphm/

Shooting Victim, Tehran.,
originally uploaded by misterarasmus.

An endless sea of Iranian students joined by regular folks, outraged by an oppressive regime which appeals endlessly to some historical legitimacy, long ago lost. Militia’s and plainclothes storming Tehran’s campus and shooting random protesters before running away. Does this sound familiar? The leadership better hope they can get reservations at the Shah’s old hotel.

The BBC’s extraordinary dashboard of electronic resources, from Twitter channels to video sharing to message boards, shows just how powerful each of us can be. Tehran is using it: a warning to all governments.

Julien Coupet, French situationalist shopkeeper, accused ringleader of “anarcho-autonomous” train saboteurs, and really insufferable pontificator, was finally released yesterday from a Paris jail, on remand.

He is still detained, in that he can’t leave the Paris area, and will probably be further harassed by prosecutors. That he’s done nothing illegal will likely mean that he will get to go home soon. His partner (romantic, literary, not “in crime”) was released several months ago without charge, as were the remaining seven in the weeks after their detention.

This is likely due to the fact there was absolutely no evidence of them having shorted electrical wires on several train lines.  At different ends of the country. During a strike. By rail workers who know how to handle rail infrastructure. But Coupat had set up a commune/corner store in the picturesque Central Massif village of Tarnac, and likely wrote some merciless books about, well, having read bits, its still hard to tell. But they said the state/capitalism/going to work was bad, and the current order was doomed. (DOOOMED!)  A premise neither original nor untrue,  they did include a fantasy about sabotaging rail lines.

Unfortunately, the Minister of the Interior (who’s since been sacked) had some idee fixe about something she’d named “anarcho-autonomous” terrorists.  It was a concept she’d invented, but some people thought it might be cool to pretend to be such people, I can only assume, in order to get laid. Then she had random people arrested.

A number of Coupat’s supporters remain under arrest for sabotaging things at a protest of his detention, and some for distributing fliers with private details of the “intelligence” official involved. Luckily a coalition of neighbors, activists, even the town’s mayor (a Communist) have been unwavering in their support for the original nine arrestees.  The coalition included Jose Bove, who I think is on the right side of every issue, including facial hair.

Even the press, after building itself into an foaming frenzy in the days after the rail disruptions, seem to have realized how unlikely to be terrorists these folks are. And it helped that the incidents themselves couldn’t be called terrorism by anyone — outside government — while keeping a straight face and without inserting the term in quotation marks.

Julien, shortly before his release, provided an interview to that most bourgeois of papers, Le Monde, in which he generally professed his innocence, as well as talking about Hegel. Then he got two new lawyers, and ten days later was released.

A similar translated postal interview on libcom.org gives the anglophone world a taste of this dangerous terrorist’s concerns.

Q. You come from a very well-to-do background, which oriented you in another direction. . .

A. “There are plebes in all classes.” (Hegel).

Q. Why Tarnac?

A. Go there, you will understand. If you don’t, no one could explain it to you, I fear.

Q. Do you define yourself as an intellectual? A philosopher?

A. Philosophy was born like chatty grief from original wisdom. Plato already heard the words of Heraclitus as if they had escaped from a bygone world. In the era of diffused intellectuality, one can’t see what “the intellectual” might make specific, unless it is the expanse of the gap that separates the faculty of thinking from the aptitude for living. Intellectual and philosopher are, in truth, sad titles. But for whom exactly is it necessary to define oneself?

Several lessons here:

1) Don’t talk crap about sabotaging things. It’s idiotic, especially as the police would rather arrest people who talk crap than investigate things.

2) Never underestimate the desire of those in charge to look like they’re doing something without actually doing any work. If this involves them sending their goons out to bust the heads of intellectuals, so much the better.

3) Show solidarity when people are under arrest, even if they did daft things to get there, but don’t do daft things yourself to make a point. The Clash song about “the British Army waiting out there weighing fifteen hundred tonnes” springs to mind here.

4) Once people like Julien Coupat are released, make fun of them mercilessly, while always remembering that we need a world in which people are free to be pompous blowhards, but not one that gives other pompous blowhards the right to arrest the merely annoying in the name of law, order, and the defense of rich folks.

P.S.: You can, of course, visit Julien Coupat’s Facebook page. If he’s a real situationalist, he’ll appreciate you posting Miley Cyrus videos on a much deeper level than you.

Regardless of what you may think of me, my opinions, or the people I speak of below, Israel is destroying itself. Based on a proposition so tenuous that it must be built with care and compassion from below, the dream that some Zionists had after the holocaust of a “new” state cut from the desert is gone. Rather, Israel has chosen to a military occupation of the homes of others for the last 30 years, kept them quiet by force and crafted a definition of citizenship which excludes all but new settlers to the land. Back in the good old days (in the history of the United States, for instance) famine, disease and the occasional massacre would have solved this problem in many fewer years. Modern press, human rights, and people being actually held to ideals they profess has so far prevented this, and more importantly will prevent this from happening quietly.

And so, as in the United States destruction of native peoples, Israel has become a genocidal state. I use that term without hyperbole and with much sadness. The recent press controversy of IDF graduation classes printing t-shirts with targets superimposed on pregnant Palestinian women which read “one shot two kills” or lined up on silhouettes of children with “jokes” about birth control are not simply tasteless or cruel. That no one complained before now in this citizen army points to a culture which, not for the first time, is seen wishing to exterminate an entire people who oppose them. How far Israelis have come from those Capra photos of stalwart young camp survivors building a new nation with arms still tattooed with serial numbers. Mythology or not, one image of itself as a defender of right — conveniently ignoring their Arab neighbors — has been replaced with a self image for the Jewish state that sees the murder of children in the womb as a solution to their definitional problems.

That is genocide. It would be merely alarmingly distasteful, but for the reality: the “facts on the ground” that elements of the Israeli state have been creating for decades. A slow motion removal of Palestinians by whatever means necessary. On which would take as much valuable land of even the 1967 occupation zone in slow, measured, deliberate, and inexorable steps. Couple this with the terrorism demonstrated recently at Hebron, where the stated purpose was to punish whole communities so badly that they would flee. Add on to this the revelations from members of the Israeli armed forces themselves of a culture of deliberate targeting of civilians for murder and their homes for exemplary destruction in the attacks on a caged Gaza this year. What other conclusion can I draw? Only the willfully blind will not see it.

But no matter what I say, Israel seems in no mood to heed the warning of its own citizens who have urged it rethink this occupation which destroys them from the inside even as it forges a Palestinian nationalism that will go to any length to survive. In fact — with the help of the United States — the project of draining the Palestinian lakes until the only fish left die flopping in the mud: this project remains. I fear that even should the world turn on this Israel’s leaders now, even should the United States do so, we are too far gone. Israel has defined itself as a nation bent on the removal of the Palestinians from their land: they may live, but they cannot be Palestinians. This is a project of the removal of a nation, and that is genocide.

So ignore the words of people like me. But should I and others shut up, your project remains, and that project, which cannot succeed in this era, that project will destroy Israel. What will replace it? As Israel has decided that it will accept the view of others, we outsiders can only pray for a land of all peoples living in harmony. Stranger things been built in that land.

• Testimonies on IDF misconduct in Gaza keep rolling in http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072811.html
• Israeli troops describe vandalism, humiliation and unnecessary deaths in Gaza campaign http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/world/Israeli-troops-describe-vandalism-humiliation.5096586.jp
• IDF soldiers ordered to shoot at Gaza rescuers, note says http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072830.html
• Israeli warplanes carry sonic booms over Gaza http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/22/content_11052867.htm
• Israeli troops violated medical ethics-rights group http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSLN277646
• Under attack: how medics died trying to help Gaza’s casualties http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/23/gaza-war-crimes-medics
• Palestinian brothers: Israel used us as human shields in Gaza war http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/23/gaza-human-shields-claim
• Cut to pieces: the Palestinian family drinking tea in their courtyard http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/23/gaza-war-crimes-drones
• Israeli war crimes allegations: what the law says http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/24/israel-war-crime-allegations-law
• Israeli soldiers used boy as shield, U.N. claims http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/23/1003922/report-israeli-soldiers-used-human-shields
• INTERVIEW-General links Israeli tactics to Gaza civilian toll http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLN608229
• UN accuses Israeli troops of Gaza human rights abuses http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5962905.ece
• The white flags of Gaza http://washingtonbureau.typepad.com/jerusalem/2009/01/the-white-flags-of-gaza.html

Post script: While my point above was that the national self image of the Israeli “project” has become one which demands the destruction of the Palestinian people, and is thus doomed, other current events in Israeli politics are damning as well. The rise of the secular far right in Israel is as dangerous to Jews as non Jews: perhaps more so. While I don’t believe those involved in the large Zionist project, as oppressive as it is, are fascists in any real ideological sense, the far right in Israel is. Let’s be clear: the Libermann’s and other far right politicians in Israel are ideologically identical to the NDP in Germany or the FN in France. They are militarist, blood and soil nationalists who demand an ethnic cleansing of their state as a way to purify it, and integrate people together in a single body under a single direction which will put the interests of “nation” above those of the market, classes, internal communities, or the outside world. They are fascists. That this is allowed in Israel is a sad statement of how far they have sunk.

Two recent events encapsulate the future we will see with such people in government: A Palestinian cultural festival marking the Arab League’s designation of Jerusalem as the capital of Arab culture for 2009, was broken up by police, who barged into a children’s parade and ended a soccer tournament.

Israel bans Arab culture day in Jerusalem

Israel ‘breaks up’ Arab events

Nearby, Israeli troops shut down the press conference of parents of an American protester previously shot in the head at a peaceful protest on the West Bank

Meanwhile, an Israeli far right party which has previously called for the expulsion of all Arab citizens of Israel was allowed to march through an Arab community, protected by police.

Honestly, can even Zionists not see that this is has spun horribly out of control?

Adding to the “everything the press tells you is a lie” file, here a a couple of articles of the (literally) criminal attacks on civilians in Gaza. First, despite the byline, this article on the “siege on Gaza” was written by Sara Roy before the recent Israeli bombing campaign, and right dates the siege from November 5, when the government of Israel cut off the last remaining food going into the tiny Palestinian territory.  Note: if you put a wall around a city, destroy the little farmland on its outskirts, and ban all trade in and out for 30 years, people become rather dependent on food aid.

By the way, that image to the left is a World Food Program map of Food insecurity in the Gaza Strip (2004).  The wee yellow bit — showing relative food security — was where there had been an Israeli settlement.  Things look much worse today.

If you put people behind walls, cut off their access to the outside world and then cut off their food for two months, I can’t think of a word other than genocide to describe the situation.  Now I can see folks who are perhaps rightly attached to Israel as a haven in the face of 2000 years of oppression and genocide blowing a gasket.  But I just said what everyone will be saying in the history books.  It’s well past time you realize that you’re not doing the Jewish people any favors by supporting a government and military that murders civilians and steals their land.  (And no, appeals to G_d don’t count.  Otherwise I’d be paying rent to the Mohawks, and I’d start a religion which promised me Aruba.  That’s not how adults get along)

Lotsa good people in Tel Aviv understand this (see reports on the anti-war demos there this week) so why otherwise good people in Brooklyn have trouble with it is beyond me.

Further, the governments of Israel has maintained a two pronged policy since 1947: establish facts on the ground by occupying land and make sure there is no Palestinian opposition.

The first is done with settlements and walls and “Military zones” and “national parks” and “buffer zones” and the occasional, random killing of people (see Hebron last month).  The second is done by making sure there is no Palestinian leadership that anyone would want to share a cubical with.  First, the Israelis did this by deporting people.  Second, they used to say “there’s no such thing as a Palestinian.  They’re Arabs making up a national identity because they hate Jews” I remember having government representatives tell me this with a straight face in the 1980s. They also used to say that “Arabs, because they are not as culturally advanced as Westerners, have no sense of national identity, but those in the Territories are being used as fodder by the King of Jordan to expand his territory.”  Why don’t they say this anymore? Because they got some new information and admitted an honest mistake? Or because the government and settlers don’t actually believe ANYTHING they tell the press or even the Israeli center left.  They KNOW this is a game of biding time, and they’d tell you Palestinians have gills and therefore are only occupying any dry land at all out of spite if they thought you would buy it.

But part of this process of ensuring that “there is no partner for peace” in more germane here.  The Israeli government funded (the then tiny, and even then evil) Hamas in the late 1970s and 1980s to really stick it to the PLO who were starting to look more acceptable when they stopped shooting athletes and hijacking airliners.  At the same time, the Israeli government had a policy of rounding up and expelling non-violent secular activists.  There was a whole Ghandian passive resistance group in the West Bank in the 1970s.  What happened to them?  Likud had them rounded up and deported, while releasing the founder of Hamas after serving one year of a life sentence for murder. Even Ehud Olmert was quoted in the Jerusalem Post last year saying: “Netanyahu established Hamas, gave it life, freed Sheikh Yassin and gave him the opportunity to blossom”.

So what is going on now is no “crisis” from the government of Israel’s point of view. Headlines in the US press like “Israel seeks to change rules of the game with Gaza assault” are profoundly ignorant.  This is standard operation procedure.  And until the US and the rest of the world tells Israel that their support is dependent upon the Israeli government immediately accepting the pre 1967 borders (no exceptions), this will go on and on and on and on.

• Reuters/Global Voices Blog roundup from Palestine: “In Gaza it’s 9/11 every hour, every minute, everywhere”
• If Gaza falls . . . Sara Roy (London Review of Books)
• “Hamas is a creation of Mossad (English translation)“   , L’Humanité (Summer 2002).; French original version: “Hamas, le produit du Mossad”, L’Humanité (December 14, 2001).
• The Tel Aviv Anti-War Demonstration.  Adam Keller,  The Other Israel, December-2008–January-2009 issue
• Not their war: Israeli media coverage of the Gaza onslaught has largely ignored the protests by peace activists.
  Chris Dalby. guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 31 December 2008
• Olmert, Netanyahu clash over Hamas and Golan Heights. SHEERA CLAIRE FRENKEL. Jerusalem Post, Feb 13, 2007
• Situation Map-Gaza Crisis. 31 Dec 2008. Source: UNOSAT

The latest news on the Tarnac arestees.  Four of the nine are released under the equivilent of bail, but still face possible charges.  They were held four four days of interogations, though the police still don’t seem to have any direct evidence against any of them.  Five (which the predictably frantic Le Figaro calls “The Hard Core” of situationalist students) remain in jail awaiting trial.  Le Monde has a surprisingly sensitive portrait of the ordeal of one of the four released, and identifies each of the arrestees.  The charges remain the same as those in the last post here.

Those facing the heaviest charges, and still detained are:

• Julien Coupat (34) accused ringleader
• Yldune L., 25, Archeolology Student
• Benjamin R., 30 , Poly Sci grad from the University of Rennes and former student of Development and environmental Sociology at the University of Edinburgh.
• Elsa H., 23  English Grad student arrested in Rouen,
• Bertrand D., 22 Sociology Grad student, also arrested in Rouen.

The four released but possibly facing lesser though serious charges are:

• Gabrielle H., 29 , a student nurse,
• Manon G., 25, a prize winning classically trained clarinetist,
• Aria T., 26, a Swiss actress known for her role in the sitcom Les Pique-Meurons.
• Mathieu B., 27, a former sociology student from the Parisien Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS).

While we await the trial, the SNCF workers rallied in Paris against rail priviatisation plans, staged a work stoppage, and forced the SNCF to back off of some of its more objectionable proposals. 

Le Figaro, who have been the most energetic in convicting these nine students without trial, was also caught out today Liberation, for photoshoping a picture of law-and-order Justice Minister Rachida Dati to remove the huge diamond encrusted ring from her iron hands: a ring reportedly worth a cool 15,600 Euros!