I am delighted that a new canpaign has started today against the state enforced child slavery in the uzbek cotton industry, especially as this campaign originates in Germany, where a significant portion of society appears to have finally woken up to the reality of the German government’s appalling complicity in the Nazi style regime and atrocities of Karimov.
However in the UK it remains the case that since the coalition government came to power, there has not been one single government statement on the human rights atrocities in Uzbekistan or – even more damning of our sham democracy – one single statement or question from New Labour.
Fred
I agree no justice system is perfect but that of former USSR is possibly the worst one. Only people like Gulnara Karimova and similar to her who have access to state apparatus will have upper hand ALWAYS in legal systems like this. US and British Law might not be perfect but at least you can argue and sometimes win arguments in court and what is even more important is that the order of the court is followed. The cases I know of can be of good example both here in Russia and in Uzbekistan.
It is true that US legal system is not and does not have to be global and US legal authority is not and must not be global but in this particular case my heart lies with them. Russian law is so corrupt and so bendy that I have no trust in it.
It might be good argument in support of universal law. But then it is also something that is quite impossible to achieve in the world of national states where some of which are run by corrupt authorities.
“It might be good argument in support of universal law. But then it is also something that is quite impossible to achieve in the world of national states where some of which are run by corrupt authorities.”
We had a chance of universal law through the United Nations, America’s “might makes right” attitude saw an end to it. I defy anyone to look at the list of American vetoes of UN resolutions and tell me America has any regard whatsoever for justice or democracy.
America ruined any chance of a world wide justice system and now they are declaring themselves dictators to the world.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of any particular case America does not have the right to judge it.
“I take it that you never been forced to leave the place you were born in or lived for the long time and established connection with.”
Uzbek, you’re right, I was not forced to leave, but when I sold up my house and cycled half round the world, I gave much away, sold much cheap and took perfectly good property to the tip because I had to dispose of it somehow. I’m starting to build up possessions again now, probably more than what is good for me. There is something liberating in getting rid of the shackles that bind you to one spot. The difference of course is that it was my decision to part with my possessions.
The few things I took with me were largely light and of sentimental value, but it was not possible to protect everything from theft, and there were several blatant attempts to make more bulky things fall off the back of my bike. I carried a computer and tent. One of the precious things that went missing was a silver and enamel darts’ medallion my father won in 1941 in the Rotherham individual darts’ championship. He had it inscribed with my mother’s name. Such a memento is irreplaceable, not for its intrinsic value, but because it was a little piece of family history that will mean nothing to future generations or even the person who stole it from me, but because it meant something because I had inherited it from my late parents. When things are gone they are gone.
I was on a ‘paper-trail’ following some of the routes by which the papermaking process came to England. The earliest known paper-mill in England was operating in 1495 which in Europe was late. My journey was taking me to Samarkand, because I have an interest in the hand-made paper industry, and papermaking came into the west via the Silk Road. I only got as far as the Azerbaijan border where I was waylaid by a stomach-bug, possibly picked up in Tbilisi, unless it was due to cold from the driving sleet between Tbilisi and the border, with no cafes or food-shops en route. One day, if I can get fit again, I should like to complete my journey to Samarkand by bike.
No, I have never been forced to leave my home, but for those it happens to I am sure it must be tragic. You will never hear me bigging up the US judicial system, or the UK judicial system, and particularly not that of Uzbekistan. Nearly 800 prisoners, some are still there and all are Muslims, have been incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay in the west’s war on Islam. Only one has been tried and convicted. Six have died there. Adnam Latif died in September last year aged only 36 having spent a third of his life there. Theresa May has sent British subjects Babar Ahmad and Talha Ahsan and three others to face solitary confinement in US supermax prisons, in cells constructed of 75.5 square foot of concrete with a three inch window, thin mattress, and only one hour of exercise a day. If success can be based on conviction these supermax prisons are successful. According to John Pilger 98% of detainees ‘plea bargain’ to get a lighter sentence. That means they confess to something they did not do because of the daily torture. No I don’t big up the US.
Possessions can weigh you down. At least we have our freedom. So does the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic group. Be thankful for that freedom. And fight for those who have had their freedom taken away from them. It is a precious commodity, worth much more than any books.
Fred
Please do not even start me on UN.
Firstly be aware that UN despite sounding as United Nations and uniting representatives of most of the nations in one large building does not actually represent those nations. It was initially created with sole purpose as to divide the world between 5 great powers within 2 superpower camps. Those 5 powers until now have privileged rights and all others reduced to the 2 second class status. The whole point of UN during cold war was to be an arena where 2 conflicting superpowers could speak to each other and rely on formal (but mostly unnecessary) support from the rest.
After end of cold war UN lost its primal purpose. There were no longer 2 camps. There was one camp and one system dominated the world. So the nation dominated in this dominated system decided to drop whole 2 camps idea.
And even during cold ward in the best UN years it never represented any small or medium nation. The problem is that it had no authority on its own. Whole authority was in hands of selected 5. All others needed to balance their interests within the interests of those selected 5.
Is this universal justice you could rely on?
My view of the universal justice is that which represents all and represents them equal. But justice as you might know needs to be enforced or otherwise it will not work. How could you enforce justice without putting it at risk of it being dominated by one or few parties.
“If success can be based on conviction these supermax prisons are successful.”
In America success is measured by how much money something makes, they are remarkably successful.
Like the privately owned children’s homes that pay judges and prosecutors to drag crying screaming children away from their parents.
“Is this universal justice you could rely on?”
We had a chance, we had the opportunity, we could have brought civilization to the world. The psychopaths in charge wouldn’t let it happen.
Which is all the more reason not to trust them now.
A harrowing example of US judicial system.
http://alhittin.com/2013/01/17/death-of-a-prisoner-the-tragic-return-home-of-a-guantanamo-bay-detainee/
John Goss,
You said it. Nobody forced you to flee. You decided to sell your possessions but some of us (or most) have families, relatives and attached to them and to the place they live in. And when out of the blue you face dilemma to leave this all and escape the least you can think of is packing everything accurately and making sure nothing is left. Especially if you are not aware of where your joinery will take you and who you meet on your way. It is dramatic. Possessions you leave behind still remain yours (at heart) despite physically being taken by others. It is dramatic too.
I agree that freedoms is the most precious thing. But it cannot be obtained all over the world overnight. It has to be earned, fought for and sometimes even bought.
US legal system and especially that of Guantanamo is horrible thing. Something like this has been happening in Russia and its colonies over the centuries. And if corrupt American legal system does try to bring some clarity to corrupt Russian legal system I support it. I would have done the same if it was vice versa. I support everything that brings trouble to those who abuse freedom.
It’s not just the legal system of the US that is in need of reform. It is its wanton wars on the Middle East and North Africa and soon probably Central Africa together with its supercilious belief in being always right even when it is clearly in the wrong, and the UK’s complicity in this.
https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Falklands_and_Chagos_-_A_Tale_of_Two_Islands
Can anyone in Central London find out how Barbara Tucker is? In these sub zero temperatures, she must be in a bad state especially without food and drink. Are Boris Johnson, Cameron and the Met going to have her death on their hands?
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/parliament-square-peace-protester-stages-hunger-strike-8438307.html
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/01/05/281959/uk-activist-enters-day-10-of-strike/
These are the latest reports I can find and they are a fortnight old.
Manifest Destiny manifests itself in US foreign policy since its inception. But it seems that the world is moving towards bipolarity again. So American dominance is living its last years. Still arguably but it was much smoother than the era of European balance of power politics.
“These are the latest reports I can find and they are a fortnight old.”
Here you go Mary, a report out today.
http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/01/hunger-strike-day-21-366-days-without-shelter-2539642.html
Thanks Fred. Poor soul and so brave. I can only hope she gets some cover and blankets and survives. It is hard and uncomfortable to sit in the (relative) warm and write about her predicament.
Wikispooks,
I have contacted Dimitri using his PGP key. I have asked him to kindly furnish more details of the apparent demise of his friend and translator Vadim Alexandrovski who may have been murdered.
An insight into the background of Dimitri can be gained here:
http://911-truth.net/!_10-Feb-2011_Gordon_Duff_interviews_Dimitri_Khalezov_DON'T_MISS_IT!.mp3
Dimitri had conversations with former Mossad agent Mike Harari who was part of an Israeli propaganda team tasked with formulating responses to journalists investigating the demise of the World Trade Center.
Mark Golding, I’m getting a 404 error message from the link you posted at 4.43 p.m.
John Goss
You need to copy whole link including !.mp3 bit
Mary
That proves that peaceful protests on such vital issues as war and peace are ineffective even in such civilised society like this one. It might take many more casualties until blood thirsty at the top are pushed to change their policy.
The most important here is that people (or better call them electorate) are more concerned with their day to day economics (jobs, mortgages, schools, healthcare) than with something that is taking place thousand miles away. Plus military service is not compulsory here, so only tiny minority of servicemen’s families are directly involved in conflicts. It is this in scope of biased mainstream media that creates atmosphere of ignorance with foreign policy issues.
Uzbek in the UK I do not consider that this country (it cannot be called a society and the democracy is illusory) which constantly wages offensive wars for resources and domination can be called ‘civilised’. I was born in WWII when my father’s generation fought against fascism. Where are we now 70 years on?
Thanks Uzbek.
Thanks for the link Fred I shared it on Facebook and created a thread on the Pink’Un here were they just removed a thread entitled ‘freedom of speech’.
Barbara must be absolutely frozen by now.
I’m also getting the 404 error message Mark G.
Mark G 4.43
I lost contact with Dimitri about 12 months ago. Our email correspondence was encrypted but came to an abrupt end. Things moved on and I have not tried since. If you do manage to establish contact, please let me know. He has an interesting history.
My PGP key is available on Wikispooks here
Thanks Wikispooks – Here is the Dimitri link again Nevermind in condensed form:
http://bit.ly/W50aEU
Anthrax used against American senators to enforce the ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction Lie.
Here Dimitri attempts to explain these long forgotten 2001 biological attacks using anthrax bacterium:
http://911-truth.net/911_Anthrax_Attacks_Dimitri_Khalezov_English.pdf
N.B. The Ames strain of anthrax was developed in Britain at the Porton Down military establishment. Dr David Kelly who worked at Porton Down was fully aware of the ‘weapons grade’ anthrax we supplied to Saddam Hussein. Sadly that knowledge I believe ‘marked his card’ after he broke the ‘careless talk’ covenant, spoke to journalists and exposed the ‘dodgy dossier’ as the blatant lie it was.
A modern-day folk-song: “Bugger the Bankers”
http://www.buggerthebankers.com/
Mark Golding, I’ve posted the ‘Anthrax Attacks’, which forms a very enlightening read, on a Dr David Kelly related site. Thanks.
Which site John?
btw Anthrax is very topical tonight if you have been watching Silent Witness. I did not see the first two parts but as a concert I was going to attend tonight was cancelled, I have been watching Part 3. Quite confusing when you don’t know what happened before!
The title must be a play on the phrase – Truth is Stranger Than Fiction.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pzqcm
!
I see from the credits that the forensic advisor is Dr Stuart Hamilton. He is the deputy chief forensic pathologust in the East Midlands Forensic Patholology Unit. A rather weird combination between BBC drama and the state forensic service? Would Dr Keith Simpson, famous for his meticulous work, have had similar involvements if he was around now?
http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/emfpu/staff
On Algeria, Hillary Clinton has been saying this –
US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton told reporters that the “utmost care must be taken to preserve innocent life” in the handling of the crisis.
No irony there then.
She does not look a well woman. She had rather a greenish tinge unless it was the lighting.
Excuse my typos in the previous comment on pathologists.
Patholology
pathologust
!!
Many of the regular commenters here believe in the rights of children and in the imperative need – duty – to protect children.
This is evident from numerous posts in which : American drone attacks which indiscriminately kill children (and others) are, rightly, condemned; in connection with the Savile case, the sexual abuse of children has attracted much comment and the likely cover-up at different levels and in different ways has been vehemently denounced (to the point of naming the one or the other individual believed to have been involved); and the very existence of this thread and the dozens of posts it has attracted (not all O/T, of course)signals concern with the children of Uzbekistan.
Curious, therefore, that no-one has felt impelled to mention (how about you, Mary, who likes mentioning so many faits divers..?), never mind condemn, the phenomenon of the sexual grooming and abuse of young, vulnerable girls by gangs of Asians, the latest of which is cureently standing trail at the Old Bailey for their activities in Oxford.
I know that this particular offence isn’t one carried out by the Americans, or the great and the good on the UK, or for that matter by individuals with 182 company directorships, but would anyone nevertheless like to join me in expressing revulsion at the activities of these Asian gangs? Would anyone, I wonder, share my view that the perpetrators should, after they have served their sentences, be deported to the country(countries) whence they or their forefathers came so that they could practice their bestial predilections on young girls of their own country and religion?
Mary, at 15h14 today, says that the UK cannot be considered a civilised country.
In order for me and others to better evaluate her point of view, could Mary please name a country or two which she does consider civilised?
Thanks in advance.