Galloway on the UNESCO Controversy

If you read this blog you might be wondering if my sense of priorities are a bit unorthodox, for example why would a man who supports justice for the Palestinians at the time of an historic milestone on that journey (UNESCO membership) would I instead make a post about an infamous but no longer relevant Paramilitary group that arguably set back the Palestine Liberation movement? well two reasons really first I was genuinely pleasantly surprised at how good that documentary was in investigation and explanation, and I know that there are a lot of other bloggers out there whom can give a more informed or passionate account then I can and I don't really want to be repetitive.

Anyway George is one of those people whom has done a better job of explaining the UNESCO situation and since I like his radio show (a lot hence his own tag) and its been a while I thought this would be good opportunity to share.

Nicaragua vs Honduras

Nicaragua's Elections expected to grant the Sandinista party Leader Daniel Ortega a renewed mandate to Govern.


FSRN's coverage of the upcoming elections and the parties election platforms.




Yes Nicaragua has come along way since the 1980's. Though defying the powerful alliance of the United States Honduras and Iran(!) assorted drug cartels and random mercenary groups coalescing into the "Contra's" (No relation to the video game) was no easy task. But now in the aftermath of the Cold War and new spirit of independence sweeping Latin America Nicaragua has prospered by electing the Sandinista's back into power.



Meanwhile over the border in neighbouring "democratic" Honduras that enjoys a very close relationship to United States things aren't quite so inspiring.




Corruption and violence have boomed, Peasants are once again being driven off there lands and the suppression of independent media are common place. And this all started when former President Zelaya simply suggested the possibility of a referendum reforming Presidential term limits. A constitution I should add that was drafted by the countries old military Junta whom like many of there counterparts in the Continent saw that there time was fast running out and tried to ensure as much of the old ways of business were entrenched as possible. One Term Presidents in the long run benefit the wealthy whom can afford to bankroll several candidates and sustain a long term campaign strategy more then the urban poor and rural Campesinos.

Haitian Cholera Epidemic Worsens

Sadly despite it being nearly two years since the devastating earthquake collapsed what passed for infrastructure in Haiti -after decades of Dictatorial nepotism under Papa Doc and Baby Doc and Western friendly economic "restructuring" gutted everything-, and yet sadly Haitians are still suffering one calamity after another. Cholera a water-borne infection has been plaguing the survivors since the tremors subsided, and has occasionally flared up over the year but since late October it seems to have flared to epidemic proportions.

From Medicins Sans Frontiers (Doctors without Borders)

"Since the first cases of cholera were identified in October 2010, more than 465,000 Haitians have fallen ill and more than 6,500 people have died, according to Haiti’s Ministry of Health. While the ongoing rainy season is facilitating the further spread of the disease, international organizations involved in health care, water provision, and sanitation services are withdrawing from the fight against cholera in Haiti, despite the significant and urgent needs."

Part of the reason why international aid organisations despite undertaking a serious commitment to Haiti in terms of money resources and manpower is that once again due to the downtrodden relationship Haiti has with its rich neighbours (USA, and Canada) and old "friend" France means that very little has been done to build a more robust state on the ruins of the old regime capable of looking after its own citizens.

"While ensuring that Haitians’ urgent needs for cholera care are adequately met, international aid agencies should do more to assist the Haitian government in rapidly integrating proper cholera treatment into healthcare facilities and in implementing prevention plans. MSF has been working to transfer management of the healthcare facilities it has been supporting back to the Ministry of Health."

MSF donation page https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/donate/?t=o

A History of Black September and Palestinian Paramilitary groups

The Film Archive has posted up another excellent documentary from the 1970's this time detailing the history of the Palestinian terrorist group Black September, its foundation its structure its aims (if it has any) and its relations with other Palestinian liberation groups. Despite the emotive issue being discussed and the graphic nature of some of the imagery the reporter keeps a cool head and does his best to investigate the flesh and bones of the group and the issue that it spawned.


It starts off discussing the 1970 plane hijackings by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in Dawson's field Jordan and how that act despite being bloodless proved to be one challenge to many to the Jordanian Monarchy. In response Martial law was declared and bloody campaign against not just the PFLP but all Palestinians living in Jordan gave rise to an even more radicalised group of Palestinians which eventually coalesced into Black September.


Then of course it recaps all the attacks which Black September claimed responsibility for including the infamous Munich Olympics siege in 1974 and its bloody aftermath. What I found very interesting is rather then just stick with visceral scenes of blood and explosions the program expands the topic. At the 11 minute mark It asks Palestinians themselves what they think groups like Black September mean to them and what they will accomplish, and he gets a varied and interesting response.

One of the scholars interviewed makes the point that the reason why terrorism is perceived as an attractive option for Palestinians is that back when Palestine was still a British mandate Jewish liberation groups such as the "Lehi" or Stern gang and developed terrorist tactics and too great effect. What does the reporter do when he hears this? instead of dismissing it like I think many reporters would do today, he investigates it gets in touch with former members of the Jewish terrorist groups and at 13 minutes in asks them questions. At first I assumed the interview would be the usual journalist asks questions that imply hypocrisy and the interviewee gets emotional and believes its different when "they" do it. But no the first speaker a former Leader of Stern fully admits what he did was terrorism, that the nature of the conflict between Palestine and Israel is the same as the one he fought against the British, and that yes Palestinian terrorist groups lead at least a few of there tactics from copying earlier Jewish terror groups. He also says that Golda Meier at the time Israel's Prime Minister is wrong in her assertions that there is no such thing as a Palestinian, because the British said the same thing about the Israeli's when the issue of the Palestinian mandate was debated. He is however very keen to stress that he doesn't approve of terrorism against civilians, but we should ask why was he part of a group that among other things blew up hotels and train stations. The second Israeli talked sadly is very much in the typical "it isn't comparable, we were right they are wrong" mould.

It then wraps up describing the then current rocky situation in neighbouring Lebanon where many Palestinians found sanctuary after being expelled from Jordan. All in all this 20 minute documentary is a high watermark in journalism and is a fascinating insight into a turbulent chapter in this sadly ongoing struggle between two entrenched peoples.



The above is a wanted poster given out by British police in the 1940's for Jewish terrorists guilty of murder.

Video Download Link.

Afghanistan in the 1970's

I thought this old documentary though blatantly biased and short would be of interest to some who have been appalled by Afghanistan's bloody recent history. Its from 1973 and aside from an outdated pronunciation of the Pashtun Tribes is an interesting look into a time when Afghanistan was relatively speaking at peace* and was slowly building its way to modernity.

Prince Daoud the establisher of Afghanistan's Republican days came to power in a coup aided the Afghan Army Officer Corps and by the Pro-Soviet Communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) specifically the Parcham faction. And whilst officially improving Soviet-Afghan relations Daoud was not above getting funding from other quarters. Afghanistan had since the establishment of the USSR been considered like Eastern Europe to be client state of Moscow by the West, since it shared a direct land border with the USSR trying to force the issue wasn't really an option if the West wished the Cold War to remain Cold. However Daoud soon lost interest in his Parcham friends and isolated them from government, he also allowed himself to be courted by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan perhaps the most Anti Soviet nations in the Middle East at the time. Indicating to Moscow that he wished to break from the Soviet Union and embrace other hostile powers.

Happily for the Soviet Union the issue resolved itself in April 78 when Daoud tried to mobilise the Army to destroy the PDPA and secure the home front. This backfired for two reasons, 1) the PDPA's other faction Khalq lead by future Presidents Taraki and Amin had been hard at work recruiting military units to there cause as they'd been expecting a crackdown for sometime.
2) Even the Military Officers and units who hadn't been recruited by Khalq were as the documentary makes clear trained in the Soviet Union meaning they either where sympathetic to the PDPA or thought a close alliance to the USSR must be maintained so rebelled and by the 27th of April stormed the Presidential palace and killed him.

That event became known as the Saur Revolution and heralded the rise of the PDPA and the establishment of the Democratic People's Republic of Afghanistan. A year later Islamist groups threatened by the DRA's modernisation drives (the first time Soviet forces engaged the "Mujihadeen" once in retaliation for a riot in Herat that involved the butchering of two hundred civilian technical advisers and was sparked by the governments announcement that females were to be taught in schools too) would cause so much trouble for the DRA that the Soviet Union believed the only way to prevent its total disintegration and threaten its own Asian Soviet Socialist Republics was to intervene directly in December of 79.

The rest as they say is history.


Video download link

* Afghanistan has never really enjoyed complete peace, due to both the broken up terrain lack of roads and vibrant and diverse ethnic framework ensured even during the times free of major military campaigns there were always banditry, and clashes with remote tribes.

Miss K!m

Good day everyone, you remember an earlier blog post about a documentary about the Occupy movement needing funding? well good news it reached its target and filming has begun you can see a few snippets of there activities here.

Anyway I've found another project that I think is worthy of contributing towards and thought I'd try and spread the word a little. And even better news this time its a play! and an autobiographical one too. The video above was produced to explain the project in detail and the projects page. In short its the very.... disquieting retelling of the plays Korean American creator and star Gina Kim's sad history of sexual abuse, by her Uncle no less. To make the matter worse her family were aware and dismissed and covered up the whole thing. The play has been created with the intention of not only letting Miss Kim come to terms with her past but also explore the complexities of the issue and raise awareness of the unpleasant reality of familial sexual abuse.

The sites project page lists of the following disturbing fact.

"FACT: 90% cases of sexual abuse are committed by someone the survivor knows personally."

Of course most people and children are aware of the danger of trusting dodgy strangers, (though in school they never bothered to tell us perhaps wisely what a stranger would want with a kid leaving us with the idea they wanted to kidnap us for money) but the disturbing issue of abuse within the family or at least from people close to the family is often left unspoken. Of course no one with a family wants to think about it since you would be holding those you love and trust but we should at least be capable of keeping an open mind should the possibility occur and not just keep silent.

That is why I've pledged money towards the project and why I think its important others do. I know there has been a long standing con routine involving fake projects ; we just have to watch the original Producers film to et an idea of just how old. But thanks to Kickstarters rather smart set up the risk of funding a project are small, you contribute as much or as little as you wish, the transfer doesn't activate until the deadline is reached and the project has reached its estimate and most projects over a number of rewards (usually credits) for those willing to give the project ago.

RIP Ka Roger

Committed Revolutionary Gregorio "Ka Roger"* Rosal died aged 64 after a series of heart attacks.



It was announced a few days ago (October 15th) in the Philippines that spokesman and senior member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)and its armed wing the New Peoples Army (NPA) Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal had passed away aftering a series of Heart attacks. The announcement was itself delayed (He died on 22 June 2011) to allow time for the CPP (an outlawed political party) to contact his daughters and break the news to them before public announcements.

Ka Rogers demise has received outpourings of grieve from many in the Philippines. The National Democratic Front of the Philippines(a coalition of left wing parties, unions, progressive churches and civil rights groups) released a statement which can be read in full here.

"The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) renders the highest tribute to Ka Roger, who loved and served the masses for more than forty years. The NDFP conveys its most heartfelt condolences to his children, his siblings, and other members of his family, and to his many comrades and friends."

Ka was imprisoned by the hated Marcos Dictatorship in 1973, and was after he and nine other prisoners escaped from prison that he made his way to the countryside to join up with the Guerrilla army of the NPA (established in 1969) which following the Sino-Soviet split had broken from the old Moscow aligned Communist party and had begun implementing Maoist ideology** whilst at the same time building a Peoples Army against the oppressions of the pro Washington government in Manila

"After his incarceration under the Marcos dictatorship in 1973 and his daring escape together with nine other comrades later that year, Ka Roger joined the revolutionary armed struggle and became an organizer of various guerilla fronts in the Southern Tagalog Region and also part of the Bicol region."

In 1993 he became the official Spokesperson of the CPP essentially making him the parties foreign affairs correspondent as well. There were several quite important shifts in position during his time as spokesman, in 1995 the CPP publicly supported same sex relationships and in 2002 the NPA had its first same sex marriage between members. Beating the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell in America by Six years.

Though the NPA peaked in the 1980s both it, the CPP and the NDFP continue to be a large thorn in the side of the government (regardless who gets to be its official "leader") and as a result like all threats to Washington aligned governments have been added to the dreaded list of Foreign Terrorist Organisations (currently number 9 below ETA but above Continuity IRA) this is despite two quite important factors; one the NDFP of which the CPP and NPA are members implements the Geneva convention. And two as that article states the government of Philippines is guilty of gross human rights abuses and war crimes.

"The International Committee of the Red Cross, the Amnesty International, the International Commission of Jurists and other respected international human rights organizations have extensively documented since the 1970s the gross human rights violations perpetrated by the military, police and paramilitary forces of the GRP and involving the forced displacement of millions of people, ethnocide against minorities, indiscriminate bombardments and strafing, massacres, assassinations, summary executions, torture, illegal detention of tens of thousands of people and wanton destruction of property and the people's livelihood. In the human rights class suit against the Marcos estate in the US Federal District Court in Hawaii, there is the documentation of at least 10,000 victims of torture, murder and involuntary disappearance."

And then there was the recent use of IED's by the Philippine military.

Its a shame Georgio Rosal passed away before he got to see the Philippines he fought so hard for but in the end I'm sure he could take solace in the knowledge that through his efforts and the hard work of the CPP and New Peoples Army prevented the corrupt government of the Philippines from having its way, and just maybe there sacrifices will pay off in the near future.


* Sometimes spelt Ka Rodger.
** For the uninitiated Maoist parties differed from the Soviet Communists in that they were more interested in the rural peasantry, more open to Guerilla warfare and completely against any relations
 with the West.