Armenian Genocide (1915)

Vittorio (left) and Paolo Taviani on the set of "The Lark Farm." (Spiegel)

At the FebioFest in Prague, I am going to watch the film "The Lark Farm" by Italian directors Paolo Taviani and Vittorio Taviani about the disputed genocide of Armenians in Turkey at the start of WWI. Supposedly 1.5 million Armenians died, which was 3/4 of Armenian population in Turkey at that time...
More links below.

Czech article on this
Wikipedia
Genocide disputed
Genocide disputed 2


LA MASSERIA DELLE ALLODOLE: Genocidio armeno


Armenian genocide

PetrUhl - Human Rights as Whipping Stick

Czech journalist, political activist and politician Petr Uhl wrote an article on Tibet and how the current situation can be misinterpreted easily:

"Beijing should acknowledge that Dalai Lama is not pursuing independence, but he is asking for a dialogue. Even European and US right-wing parties have no interest in making this fact public. Freedom for Tibet and hanging up of Tibet's flag is understood by all as desire for independence. As in Kosovo. ...The matter is not human rights, or protection, but on the contrary weakening, and in this case of China..."

DV8 - To Be Straight With You

As suggested in a blog entry from 2006, DV8 started to work on a new performance, and now it is out! It premiered in Lloyd's country of birth, Australia, on 13th - 16th March, and there will certainly be more reviews coming!

Official info here: DV8's Artistic Director Lloyd Newson leads a multi-ethnic cast in a poetic but unflinching exploration of tolerance, intolerance, religion and sexuality.

DV8's new production is based on hundreds of hours of audio interviews collected throughout the UK with people directly affected by these issues. Incorporating dance, text, documentary, animation and film, twenty years on DV8 still refuses to be defined.

TheGuardian: Husak vs. Bush

Husak's Czechoslovakia and Bush's America is compared by the Guardian, inspired by Martina Navratilova's criticism of Bush (she is saying there is no difference between Husak's era in socialist Czechoslovakia and Bush's reign now, or Bush is even worse). The newspaper compares support of the presidents (Husak 15%; Bush 19-30%); health care (free; 16% without health insurance respectively); standard of living vs. freedom (low standard but want of freedom; high standard but no fight for freedom; , i.e. consumerism does not / does placate the population respectively); employment (full employment vs. recession and job loss); visa (similar approach - "arbitrary" vs. Patriot Act); torture (covert tool vs. officially sanctioned).

For me, growing up under Husak... this is quite incomparable (people did want consumerism and not everyone was ready to fight for their freedom and risk the future of their children, but I have no real experience of living in the US under Bush as Novotna does..). However, as for social rights, that seems a different story.

Guardian article here. Czech version here.
Other articles in Guardian when searching for "Husak" here.

Film: Lake of Fire

Lake of Fire trailer

A good film on the dilemmas of abortion and fundamental religious right members who go and kill "abortionists" - doctors carrying out abortion. I was shocked to see how many doctors were killed and how brutal and blind in views the pro-life side could be, what fundamentalism lies behind the anti-abortion propaganda. This film is not a 'black and white' depiction of abortions, but shows how complex / personal / political and dubious this question can be.
Another great film treating abortion is the Romanian "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days".



Official info about the film from ThinkFilmNY:
Ever since Roe v. Wade, the United States has been deeply divided on the issue of abortion. In that landmark case, an unmarried pregnant woman was refused an abortion in Texas and, with the ensuing judicial challenge, won American women the right to safe, legal abortions. Ever since, proponents and opponents have lined up on either side of the issue, launching verbal abuse -- and worse -- at each other. As the religious right has increased in size and power in the past decade, the issue has become even more divisive -- and violent.

Filmmaker Tony Kaye, best known for "American History X," has been working on LAKE OF FIRE for the past fifteen years and has made a film that is unquestionably the definitive work on the subject of abortion. Shot in luminous black and white, which is in fact an endless palette of grays, the film has the perfect esthetic for a subject where there can be no absolutes, no 'right' or 'wrong.' He gives equal time to both sides, covering arguments from either extremes of the spectrum, as well as those at the center, who acknowledge that, in the end, everyone is 'right' -- or 'wrong.'

With graphic images of termination procedures and their aftermath, Kaye endeavors to show abortion's physical and psychological reality -- to make clear what exactly is at stake. LAKE OF FIRE -- the film's title comes from one person's description of what awaits abortionists in hell -- is a brave film, even a monumental one. And whatever you believe now, you are certain to think differently after seeing it.

What's Happening in Tibet?

“Tibet will always have a deep impression on us. Please do support the Tibetans who are struggling for some freedom.” (Travellers to Tibet Steve and Ulrike / Phayul.com)

On the outskirts of Dharamsala - march to Tibet. (Photo by Tenzin Dasel / Phayul.com)

Monday, 10 March 2008 - about 300 monks from Drepung monastery (near Lhasa) trying to march to the capital to commemorate the unsuccessful uprising in 1959 against the Chinese occupation. About 70 people, mainly monks, detained following the protest. March stopped by police, now Drepung monastery sealed by military.
Tuesday, 11 March 2008 - about 600 monks from Sera monastery (Lhasa) trying to march in protest against the detentions from the previous day - stopped soon afterwards by the police controlling the monastery - police used tear gas, they were armed with electric prods, or had firearms.

Dharamsala, India - about 100 Tibetans living in India returning back to China in support of free Tibet - stopped by Indian police.
Kathmandu, Nepal - about 1,000 Tibetan exiles clashed with police while trying to march to the Chinese embassy to protest about the Olympic games.
Wednesday, 12 March 2008 - Lhasa calm, police controlling Potala palace and monasteries, all internet cafes "closed".

George Galloway - 6 Aug 2006 - SkyNews

An unforgettable interview, even after 2 years, with George Galloway on UK SkyNews about Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Hizballah and insightful memory and history, here and below.



Czech transcript here.

An interesting account on Galloway's impulse for his interest in the Palestinian question is given in his autobiography I'm Not The Only One.

AI: Palestinian homes demolished without warning

Bulldozer destroys Palestinians' property in Hadidiya, West Bank, 11 March 2008
© Amnesty International

AI report here.
Another 'buldozer' blog entry here.
See video about deliberate demolitions! - A document made by a group of volunteer Americans on real life conditions in Palestine -- Tobias - Life in Palestine Real Footage

Villains You Will Not See at OneWorld Human Rights Festival

Ondřej Slačálek, anarchist and political activist and scientist, comments well on the Czech OneWorld HR film festival. In this article, he points at the selectivity of the "dictators' advertisement", and in the anarchist magazine A-kontra he proposes other villains which would be in high competition as far as their criminal rate is concerned -- George W. Bush - USA, Hashim Thaçi - Kosovo, Islom Karimov - Uzbekistan, Joseph Kabila - Democratic Republic of Congo, Hu Jintao - China. In another article, he speaks about the controversial fact that human rights education organized in schools through the OneWorld organization is supported by the US government, which is not afraid to severely breach human rights, and whose president approves of torture, such as waterboarding or electric shocks!
Another article that looks behind the scenes of OneWorld and criticizes its cooperation with the US organization National Endowment for Democracy is written by Daniel Vesely.

Brussels: New court to try Israel for war crimes - More Details - Controversial?

Excerpts to add more about this news...


DemocraticUnderground.com writes (nick 'Scurrilous' in the discussion):
Arab MK to attend tribunal on 'IDF war crimes'

<snip>

"A conference of individuals and nongovernmental organizations is to convene in Brussels on Friday to discuss what organizers call "the crimes committed by the Israeli army in Lebanon." MK Said Nafa (Balad) plans to attend.

The conference has been promoted as "an international jury of conscience," and will take the form of a mock international court with prosecutors, witnesses and judges, organizers said in a statement.

No names of those planning to participate in the conference were made available by the organizers.

Speaking to The Jerusalem Post by phone from Belgium, Nafa said he was "invited as an observer to listen," and that he planned to raise the issues of the October 2000 riots in the Galilee (in which 12 Israeli Arabs and a Palestinian were killed) and home demolitions during the conference.

"The tribunal has no legal authority," Nafa said, but its "ruling" will be "declarative and aimed at influencing public opinion in the world. There's no doubt that the use of cluster bombs in Lebanon was a war crime, or at least a violation of the international conscience. Victims of the Lebanon war and of the siege on Gaza will testify at the tribunal, some who are experts on international law."

Israel's position would also be represented, Nafa said, but, "I don't know by whom."
The Knesset member said he decided to attend because of a decision by the Israeli-Arab leadership's Monitoring Committee to "turn to international tribunals" to circumvent Israeli courts. "Arab Israelis have no defense under Israeli national law," he said."

----------------
And on DemocraticUnderground.com there was also this reaction:

Its a phony court called International Citizens'Tribunal

Edited on Mon Feb-25-08 01:23 AM by Dick Dastardly Its only purpose will be to try, and convict, Israel, over and over again. They are against the existence of Israel An international citizen's tribunal on the crimes committed by the Israeli army in Lebanon Brussels, 22-23-24 February 2008 Endorse the Tribunal! An international citizen's tribunal on the crimes committed by the Israeli army in Lebanon will be held in Brussels, Belgium, on February 22-24, 2008. The International Action Center has endorsed this tribunal and the work of the Commitee of International Citizens that is organizing the tribunal. More information is below: To contact the organizers: Email: contact.tribunal@yahoo.fr Blog: http://www.tciccg.over-blog.com Proposal for setting up international citizen's tribunal on deeds committed by Israeli army & secret services in Lebanon & occupied Palestinian territories JUSTICE FOR LEBANON! Feb. 22-24, 2008, Brussels Int'l Jury Schedule The crimes committed by the Israeli army in Lebanon during the summer 2006 are a violent affront to the universal human conscience. These are criminal acts, as many people feel instinctively. They are different from the acts that take place in all armed conflict committed by the aggressor as well as by the aggressed. But feeling is not enough. The facts must be established. They must then be assessed in light of existing international law. This should be done with the detachment and rigor of a process that excludes any a priori conclusions, the results of which will convince all people of good will. The international community is not an autonomous political and juridical body. It is but a summation of positions adopted by a certain number of governments. In many situations it has proved incapable of applying existing law by distancing itself from geopolitical or ideological contingencies. This impunity has covered up the numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity that have been committed since the end of World War II. The unilateral attitude of the United States of America, like the double-speak of many European governments, make it necessary for those defending the law to take the place of failed political powers. The American administration is against any questioning of Israel’s role in acts committed in Lebanon. EU countries like Germany, Great Britain, Finland and France refuse to support a request formulated at the UN Human Rights Council to investigate the use by the Israeli armed forces of arms that are prohibited by international law. The systematic disinformation practiced by an overwhelming majority of the media deprives Western public opinion of balanced information. All this justifies an initiative by the citizens themselves. A group of citizens gathering human rights or ecological activists, humanitarian workers, jurists, political scientists, all friends of Lebanon, enjoying the support of more than 300 opinion leaders all over the world, is planning to organize, in Brussels (Belgium), on 22-23-24 February 2008, the meeting of an “international jury of conscience”. During the opening session, a statement of charge will introduce the process. It is based on a report issued by the Human Rights Committee of the Lebanese Parliament about the crimes committed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF – official name of the Israeli armed forces) between 12 July and 14 August 2006 in Lebanon. The following sessions will give the opportunity to testify to Lebanese victims and survivors, to Lebanese and foreign witnesses, to Lebanese jurists, to representative of international human rights organizations. The Israeli side will have the possibility to present explanations. The jury, formed by prominent magistrates from the 5 continents, will present conclusions. On Saturday evening, a roundtable will give the floor to international experts on Lebanon. Such an initiative requests funds. The organizing team has to buy flights tickets and to book hotel rooms for all the people coming from Lebanon but also for the 5 members of the jury. The renting of the rooms in the conference center and the fees for the translators have also to be paid. The total budget reaches 125.000 US dollars. Feel free to support a citizen’s initiative that must take place due to the lack of concern by official sides. Raoul Marc JENNAR & Leila GHANEM, co-organizers Hosting Bank account : URFIG, Bruxelles, IBAN : BE60 0682 3497 7170; BIC : GKCCBEBB, with this message : “support to the International Jury of Conscience Lebanon” http://www.iacenter.org/palestine/leb-trib-letter0208 / http://www.iacenter.org/palestine/leb_jury-sched0208 / The signatories http://www.iacenter.org/palestine/Leb_tribunalcall-0208 / More info http://tciccg.over-blog.com/article-4596412-6.html http://rtsf.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/56 / http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=52734 http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_26011.sht... http://www.petitiononline.com/un040806/petition.html A fake "international court" designed purely to vilify Israel Misozionistic people, those who loathe the very idea of Israel existing in any form and spend uncounted hours coming up with ways to show their hate, have come up with a new idea: "Let's set up an international tribunal whose only purpose will be to try, and convict, Israel, over and over again!" Sounds silly? Think again After much searching, I found the webpage of this group, in French. http://tciccg.over-blog.com / This group does not even have its own Internet domain, which means it might not even have $5 in support. It is on a blog site. It calls itself the "Tribunal citoyen international contre les crimes de guerre au Moyen Orient", the "International Citizens' Tribunal on war crimes in the Middle East." Its founder, Raoul Marc Jennar, makes no pretense of objectivity: The doctrine that underpins the State of Israel was incompatible with international law.