An interesting few days
On Saturday 21st January, a group of us took part in a (not very
widely publicised and not very well attended) march in support of nine
Shaker Aamer who has a British wife and
four British children and whose application for British citizenship was in
process when he was captured in
Bisher AI-Rawi a refugee from
Jamil at-Banna a refugee from
Omar Deghayes a refugee from
Ahmed Errachidi who has lived in the
Binyam Mohammed a refugee from
government had
its way the same would probably be true over here.
Jarnal Kiyemba who grew up in
Ahmed Ben Bacha a refugee from
Abdulnour Sameur from
Doesn’t this roll
call makes you proud to think of our great country, refuge for the oppressed
and ill treated?
I found the speakers from detainees’ families particularly moving. I noticed in particular that many of them were not asking for release of their loved ones just because they want them back. They were asking for proper process. If these men have committed crimes, they said, produce the evidence and prosecute them. Don’t make people moulder indefinitely. And then, a few days later, another triumph for democracy and free
speech. Palestinian democracy which for some reason is viewed differently
from the ordinary sort as practised in – say – the Let’s see, one reason is that they have |
weapons and use violence in pursuit of their political aims. Now
what other nearby democracy [religious and selective branch] shows no sign of
giving up its weapons or stopping their regular use in inhuman and oppressive
ways? Violence …. These comments come over as hypocrisy when made by
governments that are regular user of violent methods. US …. Also, Hamas have to abandon their party
line of not recognising the right of point. Hamas have to recognise the various UN Resolutions on this matter. Hear, hear, UN Resolutions should be respected. All of them. As always, the acid test is not what governments and politicians say. It is what they do. The old adages of Alcoholics Anonymous come to mind. “We judged ourselves by our intentions. Others judged us by our actions.” I’ve always loved that one, and it is an excellent test in most areas of life. |