THE G-20 IN PITTSBURGH
by Tom Over 9-23-09
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On Tuesday, Sept 22, activists from Philadelphia, New York City, Pittsburgh and other cities held a mock funeral procession to demand better policies for addressing the AIDS pandemic, a day ahead of the arrival of delegates for the G-20.
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The approximately 50 participants in the New Orleans-style funeral march drew a mix of interest, irritation, and amusement from onlookers in the business district of downtown Pittsburgh.
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At the head of the funeral march where pallbearers carried a cardboard coffin, a man shouted into a microphone while someone else carried a portable amplifier, “when people with AIDS are under attack, what do we do ?” and marchers shouted in unison, “fight back!”
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Amidst the early afternoon bustle of an weekday, the demonstrators repeated this call-and-answer and similar chants as the funeral march made its way around the perimeter of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the site of the G-20 Summit later this week.
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Erica Goldberg works with ACT UP Philadelphia. She said global health is not on the agenda of the G-20 Summit.
“One of the things that some of the G-20 nations have promised us is funding for the global fund to fight, TB, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. This is all really important, especially if we want to meet the United Nations’ Millennium goal of eradicating these diseases by 2015. As of right now, this won’t be met. We have to hold our leaders accountable. They are the ones making decisions for the poorer countries,” Goldberg said.
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She commented on the timing of the demonstration. “We wanted this to be the first thing they (the G-20 delegates) see. They’re coming here tomorrow. We’re holding them accountable. This needs to be on the agenda.”
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She said AIDS activists chose Sept 22, two days before the official start of the G-20 Summit, and one day before the arrival of the delegates, so as to not have to compete with other protests. Also, she said the AIDS activists figured there would be less of a chance of conflict with police if they staged their protest earlier in the week.
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“We hope that this will hit the papers tomorrow, that it’s the first thing they see when they walk in, that they have this on their conscience and know we’re not going away,” Goldberg said. She urges people to contact legislators about supporting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
“President Obama, as much as I love him, went back on his promise to fulfill the funding,” Goldberg said.
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She commented on how drug companies factor into all of this. “ Medication does not need to be this expensive. They can definitely lower their prices. We have big drug interests lobbying to prevent AIDS medication from getting” to developing nations.
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Goldberg said debt cancellation for developing nations is a factor that comes into play.
“When you don’t cancel debts of nations and they have to pay back loans to the IMF and the World Bank, they won’t have the funds necessary for getting AIDS medication, or they might get the medication but can’t pay the health professional because of their debt.
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She said vested interested motivated by huge profits stand in the way of doing a better job of addressing tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. “We have the power, the ability, and the medication.”
World News
Most of the billions of people on this planet have been in shock. They are as disappointed, as disgusted and horrified by what the Bush coup d'etat regime has been doing. But finally, the tide has turned, and now, the majority of Americans, according to the latest Newsweek poll, want George W. Bush replaced.
Throughout Europe, the middle east, and most of the third world, the people have been let down by America the Great. It has been replaced by America the oaf, America the bully, America the rapist, America the corrupt and America the dishonest thief.
So these billions of humans, awed by the super power of the US, are waiting, waiting for the good people of the US tto rescue the America they used to know from the clutches of the goons who have been screwing her up, to rescue the world from a USA gone mad and stupid.
Throughout Europe, the middle east, and most of the third world, the people have been let down by America the Great. It has been replaced by America the oaf, America the bully, America the rapist, America the corrupt and America the dishonest thief.
So these billions of humans, awed by the super power of the US, are waiting, waiting for the good people of the US tto rescue the America they used to know from the clutches of the goons who have been screwing her up, to rescue the world from a USA gone mad and stupid.
Just writing to tell you about one of the things that has made me feel
the worst here so far.
I have been staying almost every night for the past 6-7 weeks with the Abu Ayesh family in the Balata refugee camp (more info about Balata here: www.un.org/unrwa/refugees/westbank/balata.html). Their son Amer Ayesh performed an operation in 1948 near Quaqila 5 months ago in which 3 soldiers were killed. There are also 2 other families that live in this house.
Several days ago some neighbors had told the Ayesh family that they had seen soldiers looking into the men's room window where me and the two sons were sleeping at about 3 in the morning. This concerned us and we were ready for soldiers coming the next night, but nothing happened. The 2nd night all was quiet as well. It all went bad yesterday night.
I have been staying almost every night for the past 6-7 weeks with the Abu Ayesh family in the Balata refugee camp (more info about Balata here: www.un.org/unrwa/refugees/westbank/balata.html). Their son Amer Ayesh performed an operation in 1948 near Quaqila 5 months ago in which 3 soldiers were killed. There are also 2 other families that live in this house.
Several days ago some neighbors had told the Ayesh family that they had seen soldiers looking into the men's room window where me and the two sons were sleeping at about 3 in the morning. This concerned us and we were ready for soldiers coming the next night, but nothing happened. The 2nd night all was quiet as well. It all went bad yesterday night.
After all these years, it still amazes how Americans can remain so disconnected from the world events in which we play so central a role. I use the term "world events" loosely, since the US today seems to have lost even its historically tenuous connections with the reality of the rest of the world. We continue to call our baseball championships the World Series, oblivious to how quaint and naive, at best--or arrogant and self-absorbed, at worst--it has always seemed to the rest of the world. This has been the hallmark of Americans' role in the world--a curious blend of ubiquitous involvement paired with near-total ignorance.
As religious leaders and organizations from the United States of America,
we join the global call for the timely establishment of an international
tribunal for East Timor.
We remember the tragedies endured by the people of East Timor and have heard their cries for justice. We agree that an international tribunal is necessary to hold accountable those most responsible for the war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed throughout the 24 years of brutal Indonesian military occupation.
The initial years of Indonesia's illegal occupation saw the deaths of more than one-third of East Timor's pre-1975 population. The occupation ended in 1999 amid a wave of terror and violence unleashed upon civilians countrywide. The Indonesian military committed countless atrocities in East Timor, including torture, rape, forced sterilization, disappearance and murder. Justice for such egregious crimes cannot be denied without serious repercussions. Indeed, peace in East Timor and the rule-of-law in Indonesia have already been seriously compromised.
We remember the tragedies endured by the people of East Timor and have heard their cries for justice. We agree that an international tribunal is necessary to hold accountable those most responsible for the war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed throughout the 24 years of brutal Indonesian military occupation.
The initial years of Indonesia's illegal occupation saw the deaths of more than one-third of East Timor's pre-1975 population. The occupation ended in 1999 amid a wave of terror and violence unleashed upon civilians countrywide. The Indonesian military committed countless atrocities in East Timor, including torture, rape, forced sterilization, disappearance and murder. Justice for such egregious crimes cannot be denied without serious repercussions. Indeed, peace in East Timor and the rule-of-law in Indonesia have already been seriously compromised.
Call for International Tribunal, Regardless of Indonesian Court Verdicts
May 26, 2003 More than ninety leading religious leaders and organizations from across the U.S. released a statement today urging the U.S. government to support the establishment of an international tribunal for East Timor. The statement follows the last week's acquittal by an Indonesian court of former Indonesian military commander Brigadier General Tono Suratman for crimes against humanity committed in East Timor in 1999.
The religious figures called the Indonesian ad hoc Human Rights Court for East Timor a "sham" and said: "The U.S. and other governments must not pretend the Indonesian judicial process is in any way acceptable. We call on the U.S. Mission to the UN to actively work with its Security Council colleagues to pass a resolution establishing an international tribunal for East Timor. The world's powers must not again turn a blind eye to East Timor's suffering."
May 26, 2003 More than ninety leading religious leaders and organizations from across the U.S. released a statement today urging the U.S. government to support the establishment of an international tribunal for East Timor. The statement follows the last week's acquittal by an Indonesian court of former Indonesian military commander Brigadier General Tono Suratman for crimes against humanity committed in East Timor in 1999.
The religious figures called the Indonesian ad hoc Human Rights Court for East Timor a "sham" and said: "The U.S. and other governments must not pretend the Indonesian judicial process is in any way acceptable. We call on the U.S. Mission to the UN to actively work with its Security Council colleagues to pass a resolution establishing an international tribunal for East Timor. The world's powers must not again turn a blind eye to East Timor's suffering."
Unpopularity of US attack on Iraq notwithstanding, this war will go down in history as recrudescence of dangerous precedent of preemptive strike-- a norm in medieval time when fittest and strong never felt shy of devouring weak on one or other excuse.
However, fallout of this war were immediate for South Asia—home of two third world nuclear powers, India and Pakistan, who have fought three full scale wars in their half a century life, two among exclusively on Kashmir. Subsequently the most outstanding issue among the two countries remains of that of Kashmir--a sparsely populated, Muslim majority sate in northern India.
What now is feared most is that if the stage were set for another round, as it is not very unlikely in the given mood and geo-political setting, it would be nuclear one. That is why people in region or around the world want both countries to sit and talk peace.
However, fallout of this war were immediate for South Asia—home of two third world nuclear powers, India and Pakistan, who have fought three full scale wars in their half a century life, two among exclusively on Kashmir. Subsequently the most outstanding issue among the two countries remains of that of Kashmir--a sparsely populated, Muslim majority sate in northern India.
What now is feared most is that if the stage were set for another round, as it is not very unlikely in the given mood and geo-political setting, it would be nuclear one. That is why people in region or around the world want both countries to sit and talk peace.
Magdalena Emperatriz was kidnapped on May 31, 1982 during a counter-insurgency campaign carried out by the Salvadoran army. She was 15 days old. The campaign resulted in the killing of hundreds of civilians and the destruction of dozens of towns and hamlets as well as the abduction and disappearance of 54 small children.
In 1995, when Magdalena was 13 years old, she was located in an orphanage in San Salvador. The late Dr. Robert Kirschner, former director of the International Forensic Program of Physicians for Human Rights, identified the girl through an analysis of her and the putative father’s DNA. The two were finally reunited.
In 1995, when Magdalena was 13 years old, she was located in an orphanage in San Salvador. The late Dr. Robert Kirschner, former director of the International Forensic Program of Physicians for Human Rights, identified the girl through an analysis of her and the putative father’s DNA. The two were finally reunited.
The election of Mahmoud Abbas as new Palestinian Prime Minister with wide powers is not only a defeat for Chairman Arafat who wanted a Prime Minister with limited authority. By removing an important obstacle according to the U.S., it should also lead to Palestinian statehood and put a stop to a systematic and brutal policy of intimidation of Palestinian civilians by the Israeli government. These policies -which have increased in intensity since the last Intifada- have had a serious negative impact on Palestinians' health and quality of life, and will have serious consequences for the moral character of the State of Israel itself.
Systematic home demolitions, severe travel restrictions, curfews and blockading of towns are cruel occupation policies aimed at intimidating Palestinians and making them leave their lands. Since the start of Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands over 10,000 homes have been demolished, only 500 of which have been of people accused of security offenses.
Systematic home demolitions, severe travel restrictions, curfews and blockading of towns are cruel occupation policies aimed at intimidating Palestinians and making them leave their lands. Since the start of Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands over 10,000 homes have been demolished, only 500 of which have been of people accused of security offenses.
Mary Yoder is a Columbus native and member of the Columbus Mennonite Church. She currently serves as a member of the Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) in Hebron. CPT reports from around the world are available on this website
School patrol is part of CPT’s daily routine. From 7-8 AM 2000 children from K-8th grade descend on Tariquibnziad Street, going to various schools. At 11:00 AM another 2000 students descend the streets. Since IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) took over 3 large schools, including a brand new, state the art facility, Palestinian children on “T” Street are crowded into small spaces and have a shortened day for split sessions.
The army closes these schools approximately twice a week We are never told the reason. Some soldiers will say its for “security”. This past Spring, 2000 school computers in the West Bank were either smashed or stolen by IDF.
School patrol is part of CPT’s daily routine. From 7-8 AM 2000 children from K-8th grade descend on Tariquibnziad Street, going to various schools. At 11:00 AM another 2000 students descend the streets. Since IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) took over 3 large schools, including a brand new, state the art facility, Palestinian children on “T” Street are crowded into small spaces and have a shortened day for split sessions.
The army closes these schools approximately twice a week We are never told the reason. Some soldiers will say its for “security”. This past Spring, 2000 school computers in the West Bank were either smashed or stolen by IDF.
New York, Jan 1 (GIN) -- Under pressure from aid agencies and
mounting bad publicity, Swiss-based multinational Nestle has
dropped its demand for $6 million from the famine-stricken
Ethiopian government.
Nestle claimed the $6 million was owed by Ethiopia since the former regime lead by Haile Mengistu nationalized a livestock company owned by a Nestle subsidiary.
Ethiopia, in the middle of a ravaging famine that threatens millions of lives, had offered $1.5 million to cover the debt based on the assessed value of the company in 1975, the time of the nationalization. But Nestle rejected that amount, pushing for the value at the current rate of exchange between the dollar and the Ethiopian birr.
The World Bank, which had been negotiating on behalf of the Ethiopian government, reportedly expressed surprise at the hard line taken by the multinational which owns Nestle. "This $1m in our opinion is justifiable. But this is not the point of view of Nestle. They are trying to get as much as they can," said a World Bank spokesman in a published report.
Nestle claimed the $6 million was owed by Ethiopia since the former regime lead by Haile Mengistu nationalized a livestock company owned by a Nestle subsidiary.
Ethiopia, in the middle of a ravaging famine that threatens millions of lives, had offered $1.5 million to cover the debt based on the assessed value of the company in 1975, the time of the nationalization. But Nestle rejected that amount, pushing for the value at the current rate of exchange between the dollar and the Ethiopian birr.
The World Bank, which had been negotiating on behalf of the Ethiopian government, reportedly expressed surprise at the hard line taken by the multinational which owns Nestle. "This $1m in our opinion is justifiable. But this is not the point of view of Nestle. They are trying to get as much as they can," said a World Bank spokesman in a published report.