Saudi Arabia was appointed to a key panel on UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)

F.Y.I. ~ In May of this year, Saudi Arabia beheaded eight (8) foreigners.

What else happened during the summer?

Saudi Arabia was appointed to a key panel on UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

"The hypocrisy behind this decision need hardly be stated. The Saudi government is unelected and run by one large family... it executes prisoners with particular relish, turning their executions into a public spectacle. Torture is routine in its prisons and offenders of certain crimes are flogged in public (Please Google: "Raif Badawi"). The denial of the right to drive is among the least of the abuses women suffer in the country.  Its vast wealth is used to acquire weapons at home and finance fundamentalist movements abroad which cause havoc in distant societies, transforming native forms of Islam into Wahhabism which bears little relation to the universal declaration of human rights."

*Fifteen (15) of the nineteen (19) 9/11 hijackers (patsies) were SAUDI.
*Osama bin Laden was protected - for years - by members of Pakistan's security apparatus in return for Saudi millions.

When self-proclaimed democratic governments participate in cordial relationships with despotic ones for purely economic reasons and they let those reasons lead them to knowingly turn a blind eye to the irrefutable and rampant Human Rights Abuses committed by the latter... Those moral compass-less governments Are Being Utterly Complicit In Those Human Rights Abuses!

Urgent Action Needed for Devastated Haiti In Aftermath of Four Stoms

I just caught a report on that aired on the Jim Lehrer News Hour (on PBS) about the conditions in Haiti - after it was ravaged three hurricanes.

Haiti is considered one of the poorest countries in the world, with a huge percent of the population living in absolute poverty. According to one source, 80% of the population are unemployed subsistence farmers and with no source of natural energy, most of the 8 million people living in Haiti resort to cutting down trees to make charcoal for cooking. This, along with the selling off of and harvesting of Haiti's trees for lumber exported to other countries, resulted in 95% of the country being deforested. (From: www.haitioutreach.org/)

Between September 1st and 7th of 2008, Haiti was devastated by several major storms: Just 14 days after Tropical Storm Gustav made landfall, Haiti was hit by Tropical Storm Hanna, followed by Hurricane Ike. Each of these storms brought heavy rainfall to the deforested and now unstable land. The floods unleashed by the torrential rains gushed, unimpeded, through the deforested hills. In the aftermath, rivers had overflowed their banks, lakes appeard where there previously were none, roads and bridges were washed away along with homes, crops, farm animals and people.

The struggle for survival was difficult and ongoing for many Haitians before these storms and now it is utterly desperate. Some towns and villages are, today, still flooded by hazardous and contaminated water or mud - that makes vehicle travel impossible and travel by foot dangerous. At least one village was discovered to have been been cut-off from aid for two weeks due to the road being washed away.

Do you remeber the devastation of Hurricane Katrina? Well imagine that kind of death and destruction times three. The storm-battered and struggling people of Haiti need the continued attention and assistance of the world.

Peace.
L.

(From: www.un.org/)


Despite the significant presence of international organizations - with plenty of experts and publications to show for it - the people of Gonaïves have yet to see much benefit. MSF urges international organizations and the Haitian government to immediately re-examine their emergency aid response, and to prioritize housing and nutritional support for the youngest of the flood victims.
view text
Photo Credit: Klavs Christensen (www.doctorswithoutborders.org/)

Appeal For Hurricane Relief in Haiti Badly Under-Funded, UN Aid Chief Says
27 October 2008

- Urgent action is required to respond to the "worst disaster in the last 100 years" to strike Haiti, the United Nations relief chief reported today, warning that aid agencies remain far short of the millions they need to help the country recover after four deadly hurricanes this year left 800 people dead and affected another 1 million.

Only 40 per cent of the $107 million flash appeal aimed at assisting the emergency relief effort has been pledged, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes told reporters in New York as he urged donors to contribute more humanitarian aid.

"Even that 40 per cent is nowhere near enough of what we're going to need for the next six months or so for people in Gonaïves, and Gonaïves is not the only place affected by any stretch of the imagination," Mr. Holmes said on his return from a two-day visit to Haiti, which was hammered by four successive storms in as many weeks from mid-August to mid-September.

"We will be putting out a revised appeal in the next couple of weeks to include more early recovery elements and not just the immediate humanitarian elements."

The Under-Secretary-General stressed that further funds will be needed to help Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere even before these storms, transition from relief to reconstruction and development and prevent the tragedy from repeating itself in the future.

Gonaïves, the hardest-hit city, is still a "dramatic and grim site" even six weeks after the last hurricane hit, said Mr. Holmes. Some 30,000 people are still taking refuge in city shelters, which are very often ill-equipped schools, and some of those who have gone back to their homes are camping on roofs and in courtyards.

There is a large new lake just outside Gonaïves, which did not exist before and now covers the bridge and roads leading to the city, and living conditions have been made even more difficult by huge amounts of mud and stagnant water.

"If urgent action is not taken on the disaster risk reduction front, then we're simply going to see more tragedies in the future," warned Mr. Holmes.

He said that this disaster will happen again if immediate work is not done on improving the ability to channel water from the surrounding hills, such as repairing and reinforcing river banks, reforestation of the affected areas so that the water does not flash flood and mudslide, and relocating the residents of the vulnerable districts of Gonaïves.

Mr. Holmes, who is also the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that an additional allocation from the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) would be released on top of the $4.3 million allocated over a month ago, bringing CERF funding to $10 million.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) also announced an agreement today to provide Haiti with a $10 million package to help boost the country's agricultural sector, whose harvest was decimated by the recent hurricanes.

Haiti is facing the double challenge of recovering from the series of hurricanes, which left an estimated $500 million in losses, and feeding its people who were already facing food shortages before the latest natural disasters hit the country, according to an FAO press release issued today.

An average 18 per cent annual increase in food prices over each of the past four years – affecting staples such as rice, maize, beans and oil – has resulted in widespread hunger, economic crises, as well as social and political unrest.

FAO has agreed on a rescue package with the Government to boost farming output in the current and upcoming agricultural season by supporting hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers – 80 per cent of the agricultural workforce – many of whom are severely under-nourished.

More than 240,000 farmers will receive an agricultural parcel consisting of vegetable seeds, cereal seeds, manioc, sweet potato and banana plants among other planting inputs.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a UN agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries, is funding the $10.2 million agreement as part of FAO's recently established Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP).

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Navi Pillay will also make a four-day visit to Haiti next week, when she plans to meet with President René Préval and other representatives of Government and civil society to discuss judicial reforms, and the extent to which economic and social rights are subject to legal jurisdiction.

"Why are 'They' So Angry at 'Us'(the U.S.)?"... Well... DUH!


(AFP Photo) A Palestinian mother and her 2 babies lay in the morgue in the Beit Hanoun hospital.


The recent Israeli "Military Offensive" (See "Massacre") in Gaza consisted mainly of shelling civilians... mostly women and children attempting to escape another unjustified, unsane and plain e-v-i-l Israeli massacre of Palestinians - a people whom the Israelis obviously don't consider to be human beings... (*based upon the ongoing and growing list of atrocities against/massacres of Palestinian civilians... After which Israeli "officials" always announce "an investigation into the terrible tragedy", which results in.... nothing, of course. And it never will. Israel sees nothing wrong with it's atrocities (see "phosphorus munitions used in beirut"). Israel's investigating itself for crimes against humanity (usually Arabs... Or, anyone who they percieve as standing in their way/standing up to them.) makes as much sense as when the White House had the CIA investigate the CIA for criminal activities, which led to findings of...Drum Roll, Please... "No Wrongdoing on the part of the CIA."... Gee! What a surprise! Not.)...

Hmmm.... What a coincidence!! (*I don't believe in coincidences.)
The Nazi's - whom the virtually the whole world recognizes as some of the most heinous criminals/murderers in modern history - had the same beliefs about Europe's Jews... and felt justified and remorseless about murdering them... just like Israel's government does about it's perpetual massacres of Palestinian civilians...

...O.K., say there was some mistake made....
Wait a minute... that's not possible... Israel is known to have some of the best-trained military personnel in the world... I could be generous and say, o.k., maybe once some crazy, unforseen procession of events led to one "accidental" tragedy... but, I've lost count of how many times this has happened.

These military personnel who are flying their state-of-the-art-of-killing fighter jets, helicopters; driving the tanks; participating in the shelling, etc. might tell themselves, "I am just following orders. My superiors told me to do it."... but that shite don't fly... and they've gotta know that for one simple reason...

..."I was just following orders." is the exact same lame ass attempt at an excuse the Nazi's gave for the vicious atrocities committed against/the unprecedented massacre of millions of European Jews.

That cowardly attempt at evading paying for one's heinous behaviour didn't fly at Nuremburg. It won't fly when the Israeli's finally face Justice. And I am absolute in my belief that it won't fly with The God of Abraham, either.

(*Think about it... if you were a kid growing up in Gaza... one who miraclously survived all the violence, or if you were a surviving parent or sibling or spouse of a victim... Would it be hard to encourage you to violence against Israel? Israel is likely planting the seeds for future terrorist acts by their own terrorist acts against them.)

My prayers go out to all victims (and their families) of Israel's illegal, immoral and over-the-top violence.
(And a pox on the perpetrators. May it be a Good lesson to them.)
-L.


From: The Guardian Unlimited


(*Oh, and a pox on this asshole, too.)AP Photo. John Bolton, United States ambassador to the United Nations, raises his hand to veto Arab-backed draft resolution condemning the Israeli military offensive in Gaza at Security Council meeting at the United Nations.

U.S. Vetoes Condemnation of Gaza Strikes


Sunday November 12, 2006 1:46 AM

AP Photo NYOH101

By JUSTIN BERGMAN

Associated Press Writer

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council draft resolution Saturday that sought to condemn an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip and demand Israeli troops pull out of the territory.

(*P)U.S.(*TULE) Ambassador John "Fcuk Diplomacy" Bolton said the Arab-backed draft resolution was ``biased against Israel and politically motivated.''

``This resolution does not display an evenhanded characterization of the recent events in Gaza, nor does it advance the cause of Israeli-Palestinian peace to which we aspire and for which we are working assiduously,'' he told the Security Council.

The veto unleashed a flurry of criticism in the Middle East.

``This decision by the U.S. government gives unlimited cover to commit more massacres of innocent Palestinians,'' said Ghazi Hamad, spokesman for the Hamas-led Palestinian government. ``This is a shame on the American administration, which says it is trying to promote human rights and democracy in the Middle East.''

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, however, the draft resolution would have aggravated the situation in Gaza because it contained ``inflammatory and unnecessary language.''

``We do not believe the resolution was designed to contribute to the cause of peace,'' she said in a statement.

In Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev agreed the draft was one-sided. ``It's good that it wasn't accepted by the Security Council,'' he said.

The draft received 10 votes in favor and four abstentions, along with the U.S. vote against. Britain, Denmark, Japan and Slovakia all abstained. The U.S. is one of five permanent members of the council that have the power to veto resolutions.

It was the second U.S. veto this year of a Security Council draft resolution concerning Israeli military operations in Gaza. The U.S. blocked action on a document this summer after Israel launched its offensive in response to the capture of an Israeli soldier by Hamas-linked Palestinian militants.

Palestinians strengthened calls for Security Council action after an early morning Israeli artillery barrage in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun killed 19 people Wednesday.

In an open session of the General Assembly on Thursday, Palestinian U.N. observer Riyad Mansour called the attack ``state terrorism'' and said the perpetrators should be held accountable under international law for war crimes.

Israel has expressed regret for the loss of life in Beit Hanoun but said it will continue operations to stop militants from launching rockets into Israel. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is scheduled to visit Washington on Sunday to meet with President Bush.

Qatar's U.N. Ambassador Nassir Al-Nasser warned in the Security Council meeting that the failure of the body to act on the draft would lead to more Israeli violence against Palestinians.

``Any lukewarm reaction or response on our part gives the impression we are shirking from our humanitarian responsibilities,'' said Al-Nasser, who sponsored the resolution on behalf of the Palestinians. Qatar is the only Arab nation on the council.

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said the veto ``will only increase the anger'' toward Israel, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit accused the Security Council of ``turning a blind eye to Israeli acts in Gaza.''

The Arab League was planning to hold an emergency meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday to decide how to respond the latest Israeli offensive.

The draft resolution had been weakened slightly in recent days to help improve its chances of passage. A section was added demanding the Palestinian Authority take immediate action to bring an end to violence, including the firing of rockets into Israel.

It also called for the U.N. secretary-general to establish a ``fact-finding mission'' to probe Wednesday's attack in Beit Hanoun, a step below ordering a full investigation.

In addition, it backed off calls for U.N. observers to be placed on the Gaza-Israel border, asking instead for the ``possible establishment of an international mechanism for protection of the civilian populations.''

In his remarks to the Security Council, Bolton said the draft was still too one-sided. He said it compared legal Israeli military operations with the firing of rockets into Israel - an act of terrorism. He called the fact-finding mission unnecessary and said the text failed to condemn the ruling Hamas party's refusal to renounce terrorism.

Both Bolton and Deputy British Ambassador Karen Pierce voiced support for returning to the internationally backed ``road map'' peace plan, which has been stalled for years.

But Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, said the fact that the council allowed the draft to go to a vote showed the world's frustration with the U.S. not involving other members of the so-called Quartet of Mideast mediators in recent decisions on Israel. The other members are the U.N., the European Union and Russia.

``They don't have a stake in the talks and they are more willing now to force our hand,'' he said. ``A lot of times the world has felt (the U.S.) has been too pro-Israel, but in this case, people are just fed up.''

---

Associated Press Writer Omar Sinan contributed to this report from Cairo, Egypt.