The Nobel Peace Preacher

Araya Human Rights Organization

منظمة الراية لحقوق الانسان

Arayahro@yahoo.ie
4th Jan 2010

The Nobel Peace Preacher Who Gives Food With One Hand And Kills Innocent Civilians With The Other

For a Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to a Head of State he has to have done a good act and save lives. The person awarded has to have at least been consistent throughout the whole year in his efforts to spread peace and end destruction where he has the control to do so.
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has been described as “an alarming picture of chronic hunger. 70 percent of children lack iodine, which can cause mental disabilities. A lack of vitamins and proper nutrients means much of the population has poor eyesight. Stunted growth is widespread. A quarter of Afghan children die before the age of five and nearly 2 percent of women die while giving birth” 1
Sending 30,000 troops is a major escalation of the problem of the Afghan region. This escalation will dive the whole region into more poverty, malnutrition, destitution, homelessness and refugees and will only contribute to the world’s problems and unsolved puzzles such as Palestine, Iraq, and now Afghanistan. Could Mr. Obama bring the sincerity of his ancestors in Africa and teach the Western world that military intervention will only augment the problems.
Almost 100,000 US troops, plus alliance troops already there will outnumber the Afghani fighters, and will force the Taliban to take on a nationalistic holy war against the foreign troops on the Afghani soil. We remind Obama, the solicitor, of the human rights of the Geneva Convention that no one should occupy others’ land, and he should already know the right of resistance against occupied troops.
Obama’s predecessor put America in the most awkward position, which have depleted the country’s resources and rendered the US economy weak.
Araya Human Rights Organisation would like to see Obama rectifying the mistakes of his predecessor, not inflaming them.
Administration
Ref:
1. UN fights hunger in Afghanistan
By ALFRED de MONTESQUIOU
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iPkvpYyC5-P6uGi3wlEe8wtpDLTwD9CNG28O2

€10 Million: Shannon Security Bill for US Troops

Events for Gaza this Week & 10 Million Spent on Shannon Security.
Contents
€10 Million: Shannon Security Bill for US Troops
Events for Gaza This Week

€10 Million: Shannon Security Bill for US Troops
ALMOST €10 million has been spent in just three years on protecting US troops passing through Shannon airport on their way to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Department of Justice figures show the cost of providing Garda security at the airport was €8.6m between 2006 and 2008. This includes €2.8m on Garda overtime, more than €1m in expenses and subsistence claims by the gardaí and €4.8m in salaries.
During the same period, the cost of army patrols at the airport was €964,702, according to Defence Minister Willie O’Dea, bringing the total cost of security at the airport to close to €10m.
The latest figures show more than 243,000 US troops passed through Shannon airport in 2009 – or 665 per day. This brings to more than one million the number of military who used the airport en route to US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since the start of 2006.
Sinn Féin’s Caoimhghín O Caoláin said the cost to the taxpayer is a "disgraceful situation" and something that should be properly debated in the Dáil.
He said the use of Shannon was "totally and absolutely opposed by the overwhelming majority of Irish people who do not accept the legitimacy of the war in Afghanistan".
The movement of troops is estimated to have been worth around €7m to the airport in 2009.
Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said it is too early to say if there will be any impact on the airport caused by the recent decision by US President Barack Obama to deploy an extra 17,000 troops to Afghanistan in 2010.
Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said the annual bill of more than €3m was justified.
"The deployment of Garda resources is based on an assessment by the Garda authorities of the measures necessary to ensure the safety and security of personnel, staff, passengers and property at Shannon airport," said Mr Ahern.
Anti-war protesters claim the use of Shannon airport by US troops undermines Ireland’s neutrality. But the Government argues that the missions are being carried out under a UN mandate.
The Irish Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) has criticised the Government’s response to the escalation of US military personnel numbers in Afghanistan.
PANA chairman Roger Cole said Ireland has become a "vassal state" of the "American empire".
"These wars must be stopped now, and the termination of the use of Shannon airport by the US troops is a key step towards peace and economic stability," he added.
PANA held the first anti-war demonstration at Shannon airport in 2002 and has been involved in many protests since then.
Mr Cole said: "While it is the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Pakistan that have suffered most from the wars of the American empire and its vassal states like Ireland, the ordinary American family is being impoverished by its militarist neo-liberal agenda."

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, January 04, 2010
Read more: http://irishexaminer.ie/home/10m-shannon-security-bill-for-us-troops-108931.html#ixzz0bkmMxUcc
Events for Gaza This Week
The IAWM is asking all its members to support this event organised by the IPSC. Please try to come along and pass on the message.
Children’s Rally: Remember the Children of Gaza - DublinIsraeli Embassy, 122 Pembroke Road, Dublin 4Wednesday, 6th January 2010, 2.30pm
Please join us on 6th January at 2.30pm at the Embassy of Israel to remember the children of Gaza who were killed and injured. We will read the names of the 318 children and our thoughts and prayers will be with them and their families. The children will be asked to hang the name of a Gazan child on the Gaza Remembrance Tree (see http://www.indymedia.ie/article/95272 for more info) and lay a pair of children’s shoes (provided by us) on the ground outside the embassy.
During international armed conflicts, children are afforded protection under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), including the Geneva Convention. Children are also protected under international human rights law and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). IHL provides general protection for children as persons taking no part in hostilities and special protection as persons who are especially vulnerable during war and armed conflict.
Last Christmas (Dec 08-Jan09), we all watched in horror the deadly Israeli attacks on Gaza in which 1,415 Palestinians were killed (including 318 children) and over 5,000 injured. On average, 13 children were killed each day of the offensive.
The 6th January 2009 witnessed the highest number of child deaths – 8 children were killed in the attack near al-Fakhoura School in Jabalya refugee camp and dozens of civilians (including many children) were killed in the military operations inside the Tal al Hawa neighbourhood in the south of Gaza city.
Since then, because of the illegal Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, the 1.5 million people of Gaza have been unable to rebuild their lives. No homes or schools have been rebuilt. Most children have no textbooks or school supplies. The water and sewage systems have not been repaired. People are still dying for lack of medical care. We call for justice for the men, women and especially the children of Gaza. Please publicise this event further if you can. This is an opportunity to show your solidarity with the people of Gaza and attract media attention to the ongoing siege of the beleaguered coastal strip
For more info contact Freda at events@ipsc.ie
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(Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign)

Remember the Children of Gaza!
Palestinian right institute

Palestinian right institute and Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign invites you to participate in the Children’s Demo at Israeli Embassy
(Wednesday 6th Jan at 2:30 pm)
(6thof Jan is the day the UN school in Gaza was bombed. It is also the day of the highest casualties of children).
Idea is to have children (and adults, but lots of children) form a human chain around the Embassy. This would be a media stunt / photo opportunity, and also a chance to close down the Embassy for the day. --