Sure, British Prime Minister David Cameron is traveling the Middle East selling weapons of death and yet he’s also giving this curious speech about allegedly backing democracy. So I presume he’ll be calling for immediate engagement with Hamas and Hizbollah, then? Britain has been guilty of a prejudice bordering on racism for believing that Muslims…
Showing all posts tagged human rights
Villawood guards blow whistle on abuses at detention centre
My following investigation appears in today’s edition of Crikey: Three security guards working at Sydney’s Villawood detention centre have exposed occupational health and safety breaches at their workplace, in exclusive interviews with Crikey. The three employees of MSS Security, one of the companies contracted by British multinational Serco in its management of asylum seekers, have…
Just another day in British democracy (by selling weapons to thugs)
And the West wonders why the Arab world regards its calls for democracy as hollow as Netanyahu’s love of freedom for Palestinians: David Cameron‘s efforts to promote democracy in the Middle East by becoming the first foreign leader to visit Cairo were overshadowed as it emerged that he will spend the next three days touring…
Just how many Afghans is Australia murdering in Afghanistan?
It’s called counter-insurgency but in many cases this is simply operations to train, capture and allow the subsequent torture (and/or murder) of supposed Afghan insurgents. A failed strategy that deserves exposure: Counterinsurgency, also known as COIN, is the main focus in Afghanistan. It is a partnered effort between Afghan government and coalition forces to bring…
“Winning” colonial wars the privatised way
There’s something morally and legally sick that in post 2003 Iraq (and to this day) privatised mercenaries are the way the Western states maintain their power in the country: A former British soldier potentially facing the death penalty in Iraq insisted that he remained anxious but hopeful as his case was adjourned last night. Danny…
What one person can say about Colombo’s brutality by not visiting
The recent campaign against the Galle Literary Festival in Sri Lanka, of which I was involved, was related to highlighting the gross human rights abuses in the country. It caused global discussion and forced both Colombo and the festival organisers on the defensive. “What? Us? Backing war crimes? Never!” Here’s Sri Lankan born writer and…
Here’s an idea; don’t sell weapons to any state that kills its own citizens (including Israel)
Today’s UK Observer editorial urges Britain not to sell weapons to autocrats. Good advice but no mention of course of the seemingly never-ending sale of deadly munitions to Israel in its daily war against the Palestinians: When it comes to approving the sale of arms to unpleasant regimes, as the cases of Bahrain and Libya…
Murdoch press likes race-baiting over asylum seekers
This is the front page story of today’s Sydney Daily Telegraph (surprised the lead isn’t about Lady Gaga or welfare mothers on crack robbing homeless men): Dozens of asylum seekers are on the run, with fears they are being supported by underground networks. Of the 47 people to have escaped last year, 12 had been…
Aboriginal intervention in Australia about allowing whites to control black lives
Australian independent journalist Austin G. Mackell travels to the north of Australia to examine the deleterious effects of the Northern Territory Intervention. Just the latest stage of white paternalism towards our first inhabitants: