I had intended to focus on women's rights this week but I am so wildly angry about the slaughter of innocents in Gaza that I am forced to keep putting the information out there about what is going on and what is being done in our name. The US voted no against the ceasefire and was the only country to do so, more on this below. The suffering war victims are so often women and their children just going about their daily lives trying to make ends meet. Hamas is a people's government for the people, by the people. This is why I believe that the rest of the "civilized world" is against Hamas, not because of a few bombs, but because the government feels a certain responsibility toward its people to provide for their needs. They are a democratically elected government setting an example of good government, heaven forbid that this notion should catch on in the world.. As I heard someone quote today: "Terrorism is the war of the poor, war is the terrorism of the rich"
My thoughts are also with the people of Fiji suffering under a deluge of floods, 9000 homeless at last count.
Tell Every Child.
Tell every child they have a purpose on this planet,
May the birthright of every child be to have a wise caretaker,
Who understands the fine line between discipline,
And the breaking of a spirit, and how to mend one,
And the need for understanding and freedom of expression-
Without fear of physical attack,
...To know their bodies,
And when touch and substance are harmfull,
And when touch and substance is beautiful!
...The birthright of every child should be enough food, sleep,
Shelter, nurturing and access to nature.
...For the great spirit of the child grows in the garden of complete love,
Giving seed to a sure sense of self,
And a fearless child becomes a wise and loving elder,
And every child becomes a wise and loving elder,
And every child that flourishes with love, respect and encouragement
Gives roots to a future without limitations on love,
...And may the child in you glow like a light all your life.
Gaza Video - Lives of Children &
Women Lost - Humanitarian Tragedy
Direct Link to Video - Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/01/200916123126787790.html
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http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29495&Cr=gaza&Cr1=">www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29495&Cr=gaza&Cr1=
UN Security Council Overwhelmingly Calls for Immediate Gaza Ceasefire
8 January 2009 – The United Nations Security Council tonight overwhelmingly called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza leading to a full Israeli withdrawal, the unimpeded provision throughout Gaza of food, fuel and medical treatment, and intensified international arrangements to prevent arms and ammunition smuggling.
Fourteen of the Council’s 15 members voted in favour, with only the United States abstaining.
The resolution, presented by the United Kingdom and adopted as Israel’s offensive moved into its 14th day, emphasized that Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations must be protected, voiced grave concern at the heavy civilian casualties and the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and condemned all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism.
The Israeli operation has so far killed 758 people in Gaza, of whom 257 were children and 56 women, with 3,100 wounded, 1,080 of them children and 452 women, according to Palestinian reports cited as credible by UN officials.
Full Article Link: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29495&Cr=gaza&Cr1=
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http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/A4E74697C2FA32DCC125753C003C5F91?opendocument
UNITED NATIONS
Press Release
COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD
OPENS FIFTIETH SESSION
Committee on the Rights of the Child
12 January 2009
Committee Chairperson expresses deep concern over grave violations which children are exposed to in Gaza
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this morning opened it fiftieth session, adopting its agenda and programme of work, and hearing an address from Jane Connors, the Chief ad interim of the Human Right Treaties Branch of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Opening the meeting, Yanghee Lee, the Committee Chairperson, expressed deep concern over the grave violations children were currently exposed to in Gaza and called on all parties to abide by human rights and humanitarian law. It was being reported that, currently, one third of the fatalities – 257 – and the number of injured – 1,080 – were children. The Committee urged compliance with Security Council resolution 1860, which required an immediate ceasefire.
Full Article Link: http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/A4E74697C2FA32DCC125753C003C5F91?opendocument
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http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/ViolenceMustStop.aspx
UN Human Rights Council Adopts Resolution on Human Rights Violations in Gaza
In a resolution adopted 12 January, the Human Rights Council decided to dispatch an urgent independent international fact-finding mission to investigate violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in the Gaza Strip.
The 47-member Council adopted the resolution, with 33 voting in favour, 1 against and 13 abstentions, as it concluded its ninth special session which discussed “the grave violations of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory including the recent aggression in the occupied Gaza Strip”.
The resolution called for an “immediate cessation of Israeli military attacks throughout the Palestinian Occupied Territory, in particularly in the Occupied Gaza Strip that have resulted, thus far, in the killing of more than 900 and the injury to more than 4000 Palestinians, including a large number of women and children.
It also called for an “end to the launching of the crude rockets against Israeli civilians that resulted in the loss of 4 civilian lives and some injuries.”
The “urgent independent international fact-finding mission”, to be appointed by the President of the Human Rights Council, is “to investigate all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law by the occupying power, Israel, against the Palestinian People throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in the occupied Gaza Strip, due to the current aggression,” the resolution stated.
In her address to the special session 9 January, High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that “the situation is intolerable. The ceasefire called for by the UN Security Council must be implemented immediately. The violence must stop.”
She stressed unequivocally that international human rights law must apply in all circumstances and at all times, and strongly urged the parties to the conflict “to fulfil their obligations under international humanitarian law to collect, care for and evacuate the wounded and to protect and respect health workers, hospitals, and medical units and ambulances.”
“Accountability must be ensured for violations of international law,” said the High Commissioner, who suggested that the Council should consider authorizing a mission to assess violations committed by both sides in the conflict in order to establish the relevant facts and ensure accountability.
“I remind this Council that violations of international humanitarian law may constitute war crime for which individual criminal responsibility may be invoked,” she said.
The High Commissioner also called on the parties to the conflict to allow the deployment of independent human rights monitors in both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory to document any violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. She urged that Special Procedures mandate holders be granted unrestricted access to Gaza and the West Bank.
In its resolution, the Council also requested Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon “to investigate the latest targeting of UNRWA facilities in Gaza, including schools, that resulted in the killing of tens of Palestinian civilians, including women and children.”
In order for a special session to be convened, the support of one-third of the membership of the Council (16 members or more) is required. A total of 32 Council members have expressed their support for holding the special session.
The special session took place following a request by Egypt, on behalf of the Arab Group and the African Group, Pakistan, on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and Cuba, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.
This is the ninth special session of the Human Rights Council. The Council’s previous special sessions related to Lebanon, Darfur, Myanmar, the global food crisis, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
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