Was it a changing point in the history of Pakistan?

Was it a changing point in the history of Pakistan? – A Pakistani writes

December 19, 2014 by The Speaker Editors

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To see our motherland free, to see it hold its head among the nations, to see its sons and daughters be respected everywhere, to see its worthy mighty past engaged in building a yet mightier future. Isn’t this worthy working for, worth living for and worth dying for? -Annie Besant

Knowing how it feels to be held hostage by terror, how it feels to be surrounded by pain, and seeing the aftermath of such chaos, I’m sure of one thing. Life will never be the same for those in Peshawar.

Listening to news about 20-40 people being killed every few days in Balochistan or some other city that doesn’t interest us probably has no affect on our senses any more, but this attack truly has shaken us all out of our reveries.

The Taliban, the self proclaimed fighters of faith, are the same people who attack our markets, mosques and churches. An attack on school-children, however, is venturing far beyond any recognizable boundaries of humanity. Retaliation against their pursuers by lashing out at their children is cowardice of the worst kind.

It was months after the Parade Lane attack in 2009 that one could find signs of life on the streets, or even feel alive. This APS attack is many many times worse: it has left a scar on our hearts that is much more deep. 16/12, will always be a dark dark day.

It was a direct attack on the army as said by the leader of the TTP (Mullah Fazlullah). It left hundreds of children and a few member of the SSG and quick reaction forces being severely injured.

Was it a changing point in the history of Pakistan?

Due to this incident for the first time in this decade the government and the army officials are on the same page. The prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif has ordered the destruction of these ferocious animals and has also ordered prosecutions of all the Taliban that are presently enjoying their lives in the jails of Pakistan. This is a major step towards progress as now people are safe from the danger that these people would eventually escape as they did after the attack on the prison of Peshawar. It also marks the first time that the media has openly declared India and the USA as the main culprits behind this attack. The previous dictator of Pakistan General (Retired) Pervaez Musharaff in an interview to an international channel has declared all the countries related to the US are providing the breeding facilities to terrorist. It has also been proven that the Modi government has been funding the Taliban since their start as said by Hamid Mir (a professional journalist) in an interview to a local Indian channel.

The Newspapers of Pakistan are another proof that the media has decided to confront the wrongdoers. Pakistani citizens have also been deeply moved by this incident and have shown great determination of unity and of killing these Pests.

It is also the first time that the families are demanding revenge instead of money. Their blood does not need luxury but instead it needs a guarantee. Guarantee of the future of their generation, guarantee that they will not have a dark day in their lives again.

A proof of this is the family of Mubeen Shah Afridi a student of class 9th who is all over the news. Who was truly a jewel in Pakistan’s crown of success after scoring 3rd position in the federal board. Instead of crying and remembering him his family has decided to use his account for aggravating the feelings of the affectees against the Tehreek Taliban Pakistan. Another prove is the son of Lt Col Shabbir who has vowed to remove every essence of the Taliban from his mother land.

There have been a series of rallies across Pakistan mainly in Peshawar that have portrayed Unity,Endurance and Courage. The world has seen many nations turn the tables of their future. Is this the new beginning for Pakistan? Will they be able to unite and erase the footsteps of destruction?This is an answer that only time will tell. UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL.

Efforts of these children will always be remembered in our hearts and minds. Their efforts will never go astray.

Letter by Armaghan Naveed

New Chinese dams threaten to damage Cambodia’s fishing industry

December 19, 2014 by The Speaker Editors

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Southeastern Asia’s rivers and lakes will be dramatically affected if China builds the dozens of dams already planned for construction. These dams would divert the water that supplies its countries with much of its population of fish, the regions primary source of food.

With it’s population of over 1.2 billion, China’s energy needs are constantly growing. They believe they’ve found a solution in hydroelectric power, utilizing the many rivers that begin in the Tibetan Plateau in the western part of the country. In fact, they already have more than half the number of dams in the world, and that number is expected to rise quickly over the coming years.

While China is creating its much needed power, downstream the effects of these dams are wreaking havoc on the fish populations in Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries. This is critical to the millions of people in the region who depend on the fishing industry to survive. As Youk Senglong, program manager at the Fisheries Action Coalition Team (FACT) states, “Community livelihoods depend on fish. The villagers fish every day for their income–they really worry about dams.”

Cambodia’s Tonle Sap lake, the largest in Asia, is thought to have the world’s largest number of fish in the world. However,the lake is fed directly by the Mekong River, which is having it’s flow diverted by the dams upstream. A decrease in the number of fish would have a huge impact on the diet of the population, as the average Cambodian consumes 63 kilograms of fish annually versus 16 for the rest of the world. Other livestock doesn’t account for nearly the amount of protein obtained from fish, says Eric Baran, a scientist at World Food. “Cambodia is a country where fish production is three times higher than pig production and 20 times higher than chicken production. If Cambodia loses fisheries, it will take decades for the livestock or aquaculture sectors to catch up,” he said.

Since studies generally underestimate the numbers of harvested fish in rivers that would be impacted by future dams, their construction is more easily given a green light, says Simon Funge-Smith, senior fisheries officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. He also said that the value of human life pales in comparison to the need to build the dams. “Dam projects typically undervalue fish and their role in nutrition and food security. It’s hard to attribute dollar values to a healthy child or normal development–until you lose it.”

By Brett Scott

Kenyan Parliament hears 100 amendments amid brawl, passes new draconian laws

December 18, 2014 by Morris Cerullo

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Chaos erupted as the August House passed the security bill Wednesday. The Legislators engaged in a war of words and exchanged blows as the proceedings went on. Even so, the speaker and his deputy were not safe. The speaker got a taste of bottles that were thrown at him. Even as the House blazed in a war of words, one Member of Parliament literally poured water on the deputy speaker so as to cool down the temperature.

The rowdy legislators disrupted the morning session that saw the parliament take a break for about two hours. The opposition engaged the House in singing, “Bado mapambano,” a song that translates as “Struggle continues.” Indeed the struggle continued till at the close of the day’s business–not, however, barring the speaker and the ruling coalition from passing the security laws. The ruling coalition that boasts the numbers in the House used its tyranny well and slid by the laws that the opposition and human rights activists have condemned as draconian.

Wednesday’s day’s and night’s proceedings can be identified as one of the most acrimonious sessions ever witnessed in the August House since 1963 independence. The passage of the contentious security laws on Wednesday night could just have renewed the war between the ruling alliance and the opposition. The government side had its way as the members of parliament threw a ring around the House speaker, Hon. Justin Muturi, so as to shield him from opposition legislators who unsuccessfully attempted to scuffle the process.

The speaker read each of the 100 amendments amid deafening noise and declared them as endorsed. The draconian legislation is now part of Kenyan law, and the opposition has vowed to move to the courts. Orange Democratic Movement Secretary General Hon. Ababu Namwamba in his own words said that the manner in which the bill was passed was an advance warning of how dangerous the same laws would be executed. He went ahead to say, “Parliament buildings have been turned into military barracks to demonstrate indeed that they are prepared to turn Kenya into a police state.” Deputy minority leader, Hon. Jakoyo Midiwo, on his part weighed in and said, “I have never seen, even in movies, a mace being taken out of the House through the back door. It means it is evil. It is a government wanting to pull a fast one and in an evil way.”

The speaker actually acted clueless on ways of dealing with the rowdy members of parliament. The manner in which the laws were passed indeed confirms that the laws are draconian. The laws that president Uhuru has critically campaigned for may see the nation get back to the old Moi era in which people were tortured by the police and the government. The heavy military presence outside the parliament buildings indeed proved a point. It was for the first time that people were refused access to the public gallery. The opposition senators were mistreated outside the House and one of them was even arrested or a few minutes. The mace in the House was under a tight security with it being guarded by about ten sergeants at arms. The divided House could have lost rip and the citizens’ trust, going by what those citizens watched broadcasted live on television channels in the country.

Analysis by Morris Cerullo

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Man lost at sea for 12 days

December 18, 2014 by The Speaker Editors

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Danger lurks within each moment of our lives. Coupled with a lack of awareness and a stroke of bad luck, simple recreational activities could easily spiral down into a monumental disaster. Take a one-man fishing trip, for example.

67-year-old fisherman Ron Ingraham spent twelve days out in the rocky seas, exposed to the elements and harsh weather, with at least a couple hundred miles between the boater and his home in Hawaii, before the Coast Guard found him on Dec. 9 after he had made a last resort distress call from his makeshift radio.

Ingraham was found atop Malia, his 25-foot sailboat. He was described as weak, dehydrated and hungry, with almost no food and water supplies left, his boat with a broken mast but, much to everyone’s relief, he is alive and uninjured.

Recounting Ingraham’s tale, he set off alone on Nov. 27 from Molokai going to Lanai, a trip that he is more than capable to be doing. Unfortunately, weather conditions did not cooperate with him, forcing his ship to be taken by the water and him to make his first distress signal.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, they had responded to his initial mayday call and launched a search effort, spanning an area of over 12,000 square miles and 59 flights with the Navy. However, with no results being produced, the search had to be called off at the time, only to be picked back up again when Ingraham’s second distress signal came twelve days later, designating his location to be around 64 miles south from Honolulu.

The crew of the Hawaii-based destroyer ship, Paul Hamilton, immediately responded to the Coast Guard’s directions to pick him up, as they were 14 miles away from where he was. They arrived half an hour later and gave him shelter until the Coast Guard arrived and took Ingraham–along with his boat in tow–back to land.

When asked how is was that he managed to survive for so long on his own, Ingraham said that he was fighting for his very life, eating the raw fish that he caught.

“I was way out there, and I was out of water, but I hydrated on fish,” Ingraham would say as he explained that he lived off from the moisture that his catches provided.

Currently, Ingraham is taking time off from his life as a fisherman as he plans to reunite with his 43-year-old son, whom he had not conversed with in 15 years.

By Antonio Torrijos

US-Cuba relations opens a new chapter

December 17, 2014 by The Speaker Editors

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In what is being called an “historic shift” in U.S.-Cuba relations, talks of normalizing diplomatic relations are being explored for the first time since they were severed in 1961, more than half a century ago.

Included in the process of normalizing relations would be the opening of a U.S. embassy in Cuba’s capital Havana, as well as the easing of financial restrictions and travel ban for U.S. citizens, and efforts to push through the reduction or complete halt in the 54-year-old trade embargo.

Cuban President Raul Castro was quoted as saying he “welcomed” the open dialogue while U.S. President hailed the talks as a “new chapter” in U.S.-Cuba relations.
The talks which were brokered between Canada and the Vatican, have been over a year in the making, and the official announcement follows a development over a tentative prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Cuba.

The exchange involved the release of Alan Gross, a U.S. contractor held in Cuba on charges of “subversion” for trying to bring internet service to a Jewish community group in Cuba, and the release of three of five Cubans held in the U.S. on charges of spying on Cuban exiles in Florida while attempting to infiltrate U.S. military bases.

The “Cuban-Five” as they came to be known were apprehended in 2001 and have been held for 13 years while Alan Gross was held in Cuba for five.

President Obama in his coordinated address with President Castro said his release allows the U.S. to “cut loose the anchor of the past.” President Obama also admitted that the policy of “isolation” had failed in achieving what the U.S. had set out to do a half century ago, which was effectively deteriorate the Communist regime there.

Upon his release Alan Gross addressed the public by saying that he welcomed the shift in policy, and that it pains him to see the Cuban people hurt by “mutually belligerent policies.” Alan Gross added that “It was crucial to know I was not forgotten.”

President Castro echoed this sentiment saying that he has on “many occasions” been prepared to “hold a respectful dialogue with the government of the United States based on sovereign equality.”

Proponents of the renewed talks say the normalizing of diplomatic relations is the first step in throwing to the waste side an outdated policy of the Cold War era that only hurt the Cuban economy at the expense of its citizens. Meanwhile families who were split by the travel ban can finally be permitted to be reunited with their loved ones.

Critics of the shift, including U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, himself a refugee of Cuba, has said the move shows President Obama is trying to “appease rogue regimes at all costs,” and that any vote on funding a U.S. Embassy in Havana will be a “struggle.”

Rubio added “This president has to be the worst negotiator we’ve ever had in the White House.”

A big advantage to the shift in U.S.-Cuba policy could be handed over to the economies of both the U.S. and Cuba, as the further reduction or complete elimination of trade restrictions could foster U.S. agribusiness in exporting billions of dollars worth of goods a year. It is estimated that under President George W. Bush, $4.7 billion in exports were made to Cuba under relaxed restrictions implemented by President Clinton, and it is projected that number could skyrocket considering Cuba imports 80 percent of its food.

Proponents of the shift say it is a win-win for the economies of both nations.

By John Amaruso

134th Tibetan self immolates

January 26, 2021December 16, 2014 by The Speaker Editors

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Outside a police station in Amchok, Tibet today, a 33-year-old man self immolated in protest of Chinese rule.

The man, one Sangye Khar, self immolated during a time of celebration in Tibet which had been marked by self immolations in the past, and his body was carried away by Chinese military police. Tibetans nearby protested the removal of the body, and the situation was reported to be tense, according to the International Campaign for Tibet.

The action took place on an anniversary celebrated by Tibetans: a religious festival commemorating the death of the founder of a particular school of Tibetan Buddhism called Gelugpa (Yellow Hat), to which both the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama belong.

The festival celebration was attended by masses of pilgrims–as well as camouflaged military troop–at Lhasa’s Jokhang temple.

Since 2009, at least 134 Tibetans have self immolated in protest of Chinese authority in Tibet, counting Sangye. All told, 140 people have self immolated for the cause. China has ruled Tibet since conquering it in 1959. Speaking in favor of their exiled spiritual high leader the Dalai Lama, as well as sharing words and singing or listening to songs that voice a desire for independence or greater autonomy from Chinese rule, are among the crimes for which Tibetans are regularly sentenced to multi-year jail terms.

Many of these political prisoners have died of torture in prison.

Three other Tibetans had self immolated on the same day of the year in 2012.

The most previous two self immolations in Tibet also took place outside police stations.

Sangye hailed from Khyungri Thang villiage in Amchok, Sangchu, Kanlho, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. He is survived by two daughters.

More details were unavailable due to the media restrictions imposed by the Chinese government on Tibetans.

Photos: International Campaign for Tibet

Canadian industry jobs on the rise–in green energy sector–as oil and gas prices slump

January 26, 2021December 16, 2014 by The Speaker Editors

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As gas prices plummet and many O&G workers face unemployment in the upcoming year, a new report has charted the transition from oil and gas to green energy in Canada. Better prospects for jobs–sun, wind and water are more widely distributed across the nation than oil fields–and clean energy business opportunities exist in many areas that have so far not been exploited, according to Clean Energy Canada, which undertook the research. Communications Director James Glave explained some of the details about when and how the fast-approaching energy revolution will happen, as well as about the remaining questions–and challenges–of the new frontier.

“Canada-wide, working class citizens travel to oil and gas areas to work in industry. Looking at the two energy industries–oil and gas and clean energy–what is their future with regards to employment,” James Glave, communications director at Clean Energy Canada, told The Speaker.

Glave commented specifically on the future of Canadian employment in the two markets–oil and gas and clean energy.

“Oil and gas jobs are inextricably tied to the physical locations of fossil-fuel deposits; resource sector families have long struggled with the separation of loved ones, who travel to and from work in often-remote camps,” said Glave.

“While renewable-energy project sites are similarly often also located in remote sites–as an example, I’d cite the Forest Kerr run-of-river project in remote northwestern British Columbia–clean-energy resources such as wind, sun, and water are distributed widely across the country. Opportunities exist for building and maintaining clean-energy generation from coast to coast to coast. Further, beyond putting iron in the ground, the opportunities to innovate clean energy products and services–for example, energy efficiency control software–exist anywhere, but to date have largely centred around clean tech ‘clusters’ in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax.”

Clean Energy Canada’s report, “Tracking the Energy Revolution: Canada,” found that people working for green energy companies already outnumber those who work in the so-called tar sands. In the last five years, $25 billion has been invested in the sector, and green energy work has risen 37 percent.

Capacity and sales are up as well. Solar, wind, river and biomass plant power is up 93 percent since 2009, and electric vehicle sales doubled one year (2012-2013), to list just two notable examples from the organizations findings.

However, there is no real choice between the two sectors. The future of energy is clean, and it is really a matter of when and how, according to Glave.

“The transformation of Canadian and global energy systems is inevitable,” he said. “As to when, the answer is some combination of what is possible and what is necessary.”

He spoke of Canadian energy potentials.

“On the what’s possible side, we turn to the work of Stanford University’s Mark Jacobsen. His team’s work demonstrates that on a global basis, it is possible to produce all new energy with wind, water, and solar by 2030, and possible to replace all existing energy with these sources by 2050. ‘Barriers to the plan are primarily social and political, not technological or economic,’ he writes ‘The energy cost in a wind, water and sun world should be similar to that today.’ We don’t yet have the modelling in place to confirm what specifically this means for carbon-rich Canada, but we do know that we need a plan to manage this transition to minimize economic and employment disruption.”

“As for the necessary date, the United Nations Environment Programme recently pegged it at 2070. That is the year by which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirms that the world must cut net CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion to ZERO if humanity is to avoid ‘severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems.’ By the end of this century, ALL greenhouse gas emissions–including methane, nitrous oxide and ozone, as well as CO2–must fall to net zero or even go negative, the UN says.”

Glave provided some analysis on what Canadians should be aware of with regard to the funding of the clean energy revolution.

“Canada’s fossil fuel sector has generated and continues to generate tremendous wealth,” noted Glave. “Other oil-rich nations, particularly Norway, have done an excellent job of setting aside proceeds from oil revenues; Norway now has a near-trillion-dollar nest egg that will likely help that nation with this inevitable economic transition. Canada has not done this, though our polling suggests that strong public support exists for such an idea. It’s going to be tough to catch up and embrace a Norway-style at this late date, so the funding will likely be some combination of financing from the growing private-sector investment and targeted public support–the same kind that got the oil sands off the ground many years ago.”

References:

Stanford

The Guardian

Shinzō Abe and Abenomics to return for a third term In Japan

December 15, 2014 by The Speaker Editors

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For Japan’s Premier Shinzō Abe, Abenomics, a three point economic strategy to revive Japan, will be the first task he has to attend to after his landslide victory in the Lower House election was announced on Monday this week.

Abe’s conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and New Kōmeitō Party, its junior ruling coalition member, swept the election by winning 326, a whopping two-thirds of the 475 seats, recording a low voter turnout nonetheless.

Despite winning the election by a landslide, only 52.66 percent of the population was recorded at the polling turnout. This is 6.66 points down from the previous election in 2012 which saw the LDP return to power ending rival Democratic Party of Japan’s first term in power. Political analysts noted that a lack of strong opposition parties, not support for Abe won him this election.

At the conference in the LDP headquarters in Tokyo, a triumphant Abe said, “We will keep prioritizing the economic agenda. We will spread (the benefits) of economic recovery to all across the country.” In order to boost Japan’s potential for growth in the future, Abenomics, the three “arrow” economic policy of more fiscal spending, structural reforms and aggressive monetary easing is what Abe promised to pursue as he announced his victory at the press conference on Monday afternoon.

The landslide victory for Abe, is an indication of the presence of few rivals internally that will challenge him at the LDP’s presidential election next year. For Abe, who has led the country as its prime minster since his second win in 2012, this win is an augury of his possible third term as the island nation’s returning leader.

The National Diet or Kokkai, Japan’s bicameral legislature is expected to hold a special session on Dec. 24 re-electing Abe for his third term, following which he will have to choose his new Cabinet. The public broadcasting network Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK) reports that Abe intends to retain his Cabinet as is, although he made no comments on it, only deferring it to the future when pressed about the issue.

In his argument on Sunday, Abe believed that re-electing his coalition meant that voters endorsed his security policies for Japan, even though they are linked to a somewhat controversial reinterpretation of the pacifist Constitution. A long-held ambition, Abe is likely to call a national referendum on revising the Constitution, although it is in his best interest to tread softly on the issue. For his part, the premier pledged to enact the right of collective self-defence in the Diet session in January saying, “Of course voters gave support (to the planned security bills). We will carry out what we have promised.”

After an independent candidate joined the LDP late on Sunday, the total count came to 291 while the New Kōmeitō recorded 35 seats, and the others made up the rest. The next challenge for Shinzō Abe, will be the Upper House election in summer 2016, a move that will aid Abe in his quest to pursue amendments in the Constitution although, the charter has to be initiated by a two-thirds majority vote in both the Lower and Upper houses, before it is given the stamp of public approval in a national referendum.

Analysis by Rathan Paul Harshavardan

Sources:

The Japan Times – Breakdown of the Seats

Flickr Image Source

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Channel 4 report leads to arrest of twitter user @ShamiWitness

September 1, 2015December 14, 2014 by The Speaker Editors

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Pro-ISIS tweeter Mehdi Masroor Biswas aka @ShamiWitness is a 24-year-old man believed to be the person operating under the handle and followed by many jihadist fighters according to officials who arrested Biswas in Bengaluru city, India on Saturday.

Biswas’ Twitter account had a record 17,700 followers before it was shut down following a report by Britain’s Channel 4 News. A quick search reveals another account @ShamiWitness, who describes himself as having “Studied and became a qualified cyber-sheikh, Unemployed, Twitter 24/7, Dawla fanclub and it’s apostasy if you hate Dawla!” The handler is followed by 199 users, tweeted 18 times, the last time on Nov. 18 and contains extremist propaganda.

The offensive tweets on the previously deleted account linked to [email protected], included messages praising fallen jihadists as martyrs of the faith, information for would-be recruits and footage of executions.

L R Pachuau, the police director general for the Bengaluru police in a press conference credited “credible intelligence inputs” that led to the arrest of the junior executive who works for a food conglomerate. In the early hours of Dec. 13, a team raided Biswas’ one-room apartment and seized his laptop, phone and other documents for evidence.

Of Biswas at the conference, Pauchau revealed that the millenial worked at an office in the day and spread his social media propaganda via Twitter, at night. He “ferociously” tweeted late at night after gathering information from various TV and web 2.0 news sites discussing anything related to ISIS or activity by the terrorist outfit in the Iraq and Syria region.

Particularly close to English-speaking terrorists, Biswas became the source of “incitement and information” for the youth interested in joining ISIS. Pauchau says, “ Through his social media propaganda, he abetted [Isis] in its agenda to wage war against the Asiatic powers.”

For now, the Indian police have arrested Biswas on charges of assisting war against the state. Following his arrest Biswas, who denies any wrongdoing, was quoted saying, “I’ve not harmed anybody, I haven’t broken any laws of the country, haven’t waged any war against the Republic of India … I’ve not waged any war against any allies of India.”

Channel 4 also quoted Biswas saying that he would leave everything and join the ISIS if it were not for his family who financially depended on him.

Dr. Mekail Biswas, a retired assistant engineer of the West Bengal State Electricity Board and a homeopathy practitioner believes that this is a case of mistaken identity and labeling Muslims as terrorists. He says, “You know being Muslim, we are easily identified as terrorists,” said Dr Mekail Biswas. “The days are so hard now. But I can tell you that my son … has done nothing wrong. If he has landed in trouble it is because some enemy is after him.”

By Rathan Paul Harshavardan

Russia criticizes US for aiding fight in Eastern Ukraine – “Ukraine Freedom Support Act”

January 26, 2021December 12, 2014 by The Speaker Editors

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The United States has almost completed the passing of the law that will provide Ukraine with $350 million in military support–including US military equipment–to continue its fight against Russia and pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine. Russian foreign ministry official representative Alexander Lukashevich commented on the “openly confrontational character” of the US’s assistance to Ukrainian fighters. The US actions were, he said, a source of “deep regret.”

The US Congress passed the legislation unanimously Thursday, and if US President Barack Obama signs the bill into law, America will assist Ukraine in its fight against Russian and pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine with $350 million in military aid. Additionally, 20 million dollars will be made available for the support of democratic institutions in Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

The US will supply anti-tank weapons, surveillance drones, ammunition, counter-artillery radar and communication equipment.

The Ukraine Freedom Support Act also authorizes new sanctions on Russia. Giants Rosobornexport and Gazprom–the state’s arms exporter and natural gas producer–will bear the brunt of the new sanctions.

Further, Moldova and Georgia will receive special status as partners outside NATO.

“Approved by both houses of the US Congress without discussion and appropriate voting, the law ‘Ukraine Freedom Support Act’ is a cause of deep regret due to its openly confrontational character,” said Lukashevich.

“Again, the US capital has leveled against Russia unfounded accusations and threatens us with new punishments. This mix of Ukrainian and Syrian conflicts, to foment which the United States had a hand–and even the INF Treaty–the observance of which in Washington, to put it mildly, raises questions.”

The ministry spokesperson criticized America for one the one hand promising Kiev authorities weapons to continue military operations in the Donbass, and on the other hand simultaneously openly denouncing their intent to use non-governmental organizations to influence the political process in our country.”

Image: CSPAN

An Israeli soldier writes: The Judean hills are burning

December 14, 2014December 11, 2014 by The Speaker Editors

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In this enthralling account of the streets of the Holy Land, written by the hand of an Israeli Defense Forces soldier who took part in the most recent war in Gaza, we are provided with a visceral and beautiful account of the land and conflict at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian struggle.

The Judean hills are burning. The hills spotted with lichen-encrusted boulders, the odd olive tree daring to grow on slopes so steep even the goats rarely climb them; the ancient stone terraces and the small farms and villages dotting the landscape are ablaze. A smoky haze lies over the earth there, carrying with it the stench of burning rubber and trash from the Arab villages. Even tourists can easily tell the Arab villages from the Jewish ones; the Arab ones are drab concrete, utilitarian, lacking glass in the windows for the most part, except for the mansions higher up on the hills, which wouldn’t look out of place in Greenwich CT, as opposed to the Jewish villages and towns which are full of date palms and flowers, beautiful homes with red roofs and strong walls. The other way to tell is the gates. The Arab villages have a sign in front in Hebrew, Arabic and English stating that the area is extremely dangerous and you are risking your life by entering, therefore entrance is illegal for Israeli citizens. The Jewish villages have strong gates, two layers of fences with barbed wire, and armed guards. In the Jewish villages, the air is clear and clean, as high as a thousand meters above sea level, the wind easily whistles through clothes, but there are playgrounds for the children, synagogues, community centers, sports centers, outdoor gyms free of charge, and many even have their own fire departments and ambulances. The Arab villages are choked with black and blue smoke, partially from the Arab custom of burning trash in order to dispose of it, and partially from the riots.

As part of their resistance to Jewish “occupation” Arab villages and towns regularly stage riots. These are not demonstrations or protests, but violent attacks. There are no slogans chanted, no demands, and no goals other than to cause damage and attract attention. Young men from the villages carry out the riots. The youths are usually free because there are not enough jobs in the Arab villages, and complications with entering Israel via proper checkpoints prevent many from gaining employment, leading to general unrest and discontent. Every Friday there is the standard riot, which varies by village; however in general youths anywhere from 12-25 flock to certain areas to congregate in groups of up to 300 in order to present more of a threat. In these situations the police force and the army both handle the riot and are quite used to them. They are standard, we know what to expect, and how long it will last, when the Arabs break for prayers and lunch. We even know who brings the lunch!

What is happening now is different. There are many smaller riots, which start randomly more or less. Often organized by text messages or whatsapp groups, these are almost like flashmobs in that they start so quickly. Generally, the first step for them is to pour some gasoline over a few old tires, light them on fire, and roll them towards the soldiers. Of course, they won’t reach the soldiers, but they make for good photographs, as the thick black smoke from the tires dramatizes the scene. Once the tires have been lit, the riot can begin. The youths (all male of course) begin shouting, but they are not shouting things like “Free Palestine” or “End the Occupation.” They are shouting obscene things about the soldiers’ mothers and sisters, mixed with threats to rape said mothers and sisters. The soldiers, knowing what is coming, get thick, strong riot shields. The rocks start flying. Rock throwing is apparently an honored Palestinian childhood pastime. They enjoy dropping boulders on passing cars from cliffs, causing crashes and not a few deaths, throwing rocks at passing cars, once again causing crashes and not a few deaths, throwing rocks from a moving car as it passes another car, exponentially increasing the speed and power, and most frequently, throwing rocks at soldiers. Normally, a thrown rock at a soldier isn’t that much of an issue. Most Palestinians are not professional baseball pitchers, and so with a shield and good reflexes it is fairly easy to avoid a rock thrown by hand. The Palestinians have of course realized this and begun using slings in order to increase the speed of a launched stone to the point where it is barely visible. Anyone who knows basic physics knows that speed is far more important than mass when it comes to calculating energy, and so an increase in speed means a massive increase in damage if the rocks hit (interesting anecdote, I actually had a fractured tailbone from being hit with a rock in a riot… very unpleasant I must say).

If the soldiers were to leave the area in order to escape the danger from the rocks, the Palestinians would move on and throw rocks at passing cars, endangering both Arab and Israeli civilians (note that this is not conjecture, but proven to happen nearly every time). Therefore, they must disperse this riot, this danger to themselves and to civilians. However, the IDF operates on a humane basis and has extremely strict rules on morality and the use of all force, especially deadly force. Therefore, soldiers in those areas use riot control weapons such as rubber bullets, beanbag rounds, and CS gas. These are less than lethal options in order to end the confrontation without anyone being seriously hurt. Unfortunately rioting is an old tradition among these communities, and so they have developed ways to escape the effects of tear gas and have learned to deal with rubber bullets. The conflict continues and continues and all throughout, the Palestinians scream threats and promises of pain while the soldiers remain mostly quiet. There is usually a prayer break every so often, during which the women of the village bring snacks and refreshments, and also extra rocks that they have collected in the days prior to the current riot. The army must respect these prayer breaks because not respecting them would be breaking the IDF code of conduct instructing soldiers to respect the religions and beliefs of others. When the rioters are finished praying, they begin the riot again with renewed energy and determination and then slowly trickle away, leaving the hard core of ten or so older boys, one of whom is usually arrested, held for 24-48 hours on charges of assaulting a soldier/police officer, and promptly released without charge. If a civilian or soldier is injured badly, the one arrested can face up to a week in jail. Upon the release of one of these criminals, there is usually a riot in that village to celebrate. They stage a riot to celebrate. That right there tells us a great deal about the mentality and about how much they truly understand. These riots are not protests; they are not attempts to change the allegedly dismal situation they perceive themselves to be in. These riots are excuses for boys to let off steam and try to make themselves feel better by hurting others. The situation is akin to a small peasant seeing a massive, mighty dragon sleeping peacefully and attacking it out of boredom, knowing that his efforts are completely futile and he will never win. The peasant is too narrow minded, frightened and ambitious to see that the dragon could be reasoned with, or even just left to slumber.

By Josh Green

Josh Green is currently serving as a combat soldier in the IDF, and was active during the most recent war in Gaza.

Germany is top destination for migrants

March 8, 2015December 11, 2014 by Annalisa Dorigo

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New figures released by the OECD this month show that permanent migration flows in OECD countries, while still below their pre-crisis level, have nevertheless started to rebound. Figures indicate some 4.4m extra permanent migrants in 2013 compared to 2012.

The small (1 percent) increase is mainly attributable to a rise in free-movement migration (for a definition, click here ), which in 2012 generated an extra 10 percent migrants, most of which moving between EU states, and of which Germany saw the largest in-flows, receiving almost a third of all free movement migrants.

And while Germany has seen its fourth consecutive annual rise in permanent migration flows in 2013, on the other side flows to the US, Italy, Portugal and Spain have seen a decline.

Family migration however, although also on the decline since 2008, continues to provide the bulk of the migratory flux into the OECD, albeit with reduced numbers into Italy, Spain, the US, the United Kingdom and Belgium. The OECD report also shows a decrease in labour migration by 12 percent compared to 2012, and in the European Economic Area alone an almost 40 percent decrease between 2007 and 2012.

Asylum seekers have also risen in 2013 compared with 2012 figures, with the Syrian conflict the main reason for a 20% increase. Indeed some 560,000 new asylum claims were made in 2013, the bulk of them to Germany, which alone received about 110,000 of them.

The report highlights there are some 115m immigrants in the OECD, equivalent to 10 percent of its total population. At 10% of all flows, China is the greatest sending country, followed by Romania at 5.6 percent and Poland at 5.4 percent.

Of interest is also that 70 percent of migrants are highly educated , 30 percent of which are university educated, but that university educated immigrants are less likely to be in work than their native counterparts and when employed, they are 50 percent more likely to be overqualified, clearly indicating a great waste of economic potential.

Indeed these findings are also in line with those of another study , which found that although the educational level of new arrivals to Germany is now higher than that of the natives, immigrants are still a less likely to be employed in high paying sectors than the natives, and more likely to be overqualified for their jobs.

By Annalisa Dorigo