We will not forget: More than a year after Sri Lanka launched its final offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels, pressure continues to mount for an international tribunal into alleged war crimes. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon plans to appoint a panel of experts to look into a tribunal, something the Sri Lankan government says…
Showing all posts tagged human rights
The rules of the real propaganda game
“(A)nyone who is deeply moved by one set of tragedies while ignoring, and even justifying, those on the other side, in reality is not genuinely touched by either. It’s just an arm of their propaganda.” – Mark Steel, ”˜What’s Going On?’, Simon & Schuster, 2008, p.25
MIA uses her Tamil heritage to make a point
A very strong new video by Tamil MIA, Born Free, shocks the senses. And rightly so: If singer/rapper M.I.A.’s purpose was to get people talking about her new single “Born Free,” she succeeded. The Sri Lankan-born artist debuted the graphic video on Monday. Immediately, fans took to social media to debate its scenes of military…
This is the real face of Israel: intolerant and insular
A democracy in name only and a growing tendency towards fascism. Zionism grows uglier by the day: More than half of Jewish Israelis think human rights organizations that expose immoral behavior by Israel should not be allowed to operate freely, and think there is too much freedom of expression here, a recent survey found. The…
When are we going to read about Israel’s backing of Zionist terrorism?
The issue of “incitement” is often a convenient distraction in the Middle East. Israel accuses the Palestinians of brain-washing their children to hate Jews and Israelis. Of course, and far less discussed, is the mainstream Zionist hatred of Palestinians and their civil and human rights. Palestinians are expected to accept Israel as a Jewish state…
Should there be limits on online advertising (including for women and children?)
We all love the internet and can’t live without it (or am I just speaking about myself?) but this kind of reality takes off the utopian glow: Craigslist, one of the most popular Web sites in the United States, is on track to increase its revenue 22 percent this year, largely from its controversial sex…
What fascists do to defenders of justice
A warning to any international lawyers who try and address history’s wrongs. You will pay a price, usually by those most closely associated with the original sin: The crowd gathered outside Madrid’s national court was loud and angry. “The world has been turned upside down,” they cried. “The fascists are judging the judge!” Some carried…
Sydney Morning Herald ignores war crimes in Sri Lanka and urges a visit
Sri Lanka has launched a global campaign to attract tourism. The war is over, we are told, and peace has broken out. If only this was true. Here’s the reality; a police state that murders and imprisons its opponents. Alas, like many in the corporate media, the Sydney Morning Herald today ignores any human rights…
When corporate media falls asleep, human rights groups can fill the breach
It’s easy to forget that human rights groups often provide far more investigatory muscle than most mainstream news services. Over to you, Global Witness: The Dutch Supreme Court has overturned a 2008 ruling by the Court of Appeal which cleared businessman Guus Kouwenhoven of charges of involvement in illegal arms deals and war crimes during…
Tamils vote for independence — and will vote against Labor
My following article appears in today’s Crikey: Australia’s Tamil community want an independent homeland in Sri Lanka. And they want respect from a Federal Government here that is now denying visa applications to their people. Last weekend saw thousands of Australian Tamils vote on the Vaddukoddai Resolution in a show of support for an independent…