UN International Day of Peace

Keen! If you are in the States, you can send a text message. Living anywhere else? You can send a message of peace online.

Goodness knows we could use some uplifting and peaceful thoughts these days. I could get in to a long speech about how our thoughts are energy and have a tangible impact on the world of matter - but I won't. At least not right now. Just go for it. Think peace for a little while. See how it feels.

Here's my first shot:

Peace will never be felt while we are divided. While one gender is treated as inferior, while the earth is taken for granted, and while we allow one group to suffer for the benefit of another. When we realize we are all one - then we will have peace. Create a compassionate world that cherishes peace, abundance, and diversity.

Blessings.

Stating a bit of the obvious...

In case you've missed it, Israel has closed the borders into Gaza meaning that no supplies (including humanitarian aid) have been entering the Palestinian territories for the past 5 days...

"Meanwhile, John Dugard, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, also released a statement on Friday saying that recent Israeli actions in Gaza violated international treaties.

“The killing of some 40 Palestinians in Gaza in the past week, the targeting of a Government office near a wedding party venue with what must have been foreseen loss of life and injury to many civilians, and the closure of all crossings into Gaza raise very serious questions about Israel’s respect for international law and its commitment to the peace process,” he said in a press release.

Mr. Dugard said the actions violated the strict prohibition in the Geneva Conventions on collective punishment and one of the basic principles of international humanitarian law – that military action must distinguish between military targets and civilian targets.

Mr. Dugard, who serves in an unpaid and personal capacity, reports to the UN Human Rights Council, which will hold a special session this Wednesday – at the request of the Group of Arab States and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) – to consider and take actions on “human rights violations emanating from Israeli military incursions in the occupied Palestinian territory,” including Gaza and the West Bank town of Nablus." (from the UN Daily Digest on 21 January 2008)

Violating international treaties? Violating the Geneva Conventions? Ya think? Dear, dear me oh my. I think it is time for this occupation to end.

The Genocide Olympics

Oh boy... it's been a long time since I've posted and I have very little time right now - I have to go grab lunch before the next session starts but I think I've found a new way to fight for something I care about. What do we know about a movement to have Canada boycott the 2008 Beijing Olympics which is lately receiving the moniker The Genocide Olympics. Mia Farrow has been super-active in this area and has done a great job raising awareness.

I'm at a Conference on the Prevention of Genocide this weekend - one of the speakers has already tried to chase me away from studying in this field - too depressing he says. I guess he won't be my PhD advisor. ;-P

My email to Stephen...

Dear Sir,

I am sorry to hear that your speech at the UN was not so well received but perhaps you can earn some points for Canada by bringing up this issue during your stay in New York.

There are hundreds of thousands of monks and pro-democracy believers, marching through the streets of Myanmar/Burma, demanding freedom from the oppressive military junta. Last time they tried this, thousands were killed. Please don't let it happen again.

Please say something to support them, please say to the UN that these people deserve our attention. They are desperate for democracy and they have suffered long enough.

Don't let your stated commitment to protecting and developing democracy in other countries ring hollow. Prove that you truly support the freedom of the soul and the body.

Please.

Something important is happening in Burma

If you dig through the National Post you can find it on Page A18. There are protests happening in 'Myanmar' or Burma as it was called before the military junta took over decades ago.

The revolt in 1988 was viciously put down by the military and thousands were killed.

Since the middle of August, there have been more and more protests.

Today there are 40-60,000 monks - that's right, monks - leading protests of civil leaders, students and others demanding democracy. Marching through the streets of Rangoon and other towns. Hundreds of thousands of people rising up and demanding democracy. Literally risking their lives for freedom. Literally, of course, because the government has promised to crack down on the marches. And when they say crack down they mean with bullets, not with flowers.

Visit avaaz.org for more information and to lend you name to a petition to the UN Security Council. While Ahmadinejad is mistreated in New York as the U.S. marches to war against Iran, this issue is ignored. While the U.S. and Canada pick and choose their targets (based on uncooperative governments, I suppose) the very real dictatorship in Burma has been unopposed for decades. DECADES!

To learn more about this issue and one of my favourite people on Earth, here's the link to Wikipedia for Aung San Suu Kyi.

If you have a bit more time, please send an email to Stephen Harper, he just happens to be in New York this week making an ass of Canada before the UN. Maybe he'll enjoy an email or two.

Pay attention - the monks are leading the way. It probably won't hurt to send them your prayers.

Canada's 'No' Vote

Okay, I confess - I'm still steamed about Canada voting NO to the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the UN.

Here are some worthy quotes (snipped from September 13, 2007):

In a statement released by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban described the Declaration’s adoption as “a historic moment when UN Member States and indigenous peoples have reconciled with their painful histories and are resolved to move forward together on the path of human rights, justice and development for all.”

{But, obviously Canada is not yet ready to reconcile our painful history which has become our disgraceful present.}

He called on governments and civil society to ensure that the Declaration’s vision becomes a reality by working to integrate indigenous rights into their policies and programmes.

{This is where we, as citizens, can make a huge difference - more to come, I promise.}

Ms. Arbour noted that the Declaration has been “a long time coming. But the hard work and perseverance of indigenous peoples and their friends and supporters in the international community has finally borne fruit in the most comprehensive statement to date of indigenous peoples’ rights.”

{How cool is she?! Yeah for Louise Arbour, the coolest Canadian at the UN, especially when Stephen Lewis is on vacation. For those who don't know, she is the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the UN.}

Ambassador John McNee of Canada said his country was disappointed to have to vote against the Declaration, but it had “significant concerns” about the language in the document.

The provisions on lands, territories and resources “are overly broad, unclear and capable of a wide variety of interpretations” and could put into question matters that have been settled by treaty, he said.

{grrrrr... Maybe if we had paid any attention to the promises we made in our treaties we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. Maybe if we hadn't lied to our treaty partners, almost right from the beginning and treated them as less than human, right from the beginning we wouldn't be here. Maybe if we hadn't tried to force them to assimilate this Declaration wouldn't be necessary. Maybe if our government had finally grown the courage necessary to rectify past mistakes this wouldn't be needed. But, of course, we still suck and that is why this Declaration is so important.}

Boo Canada.

Yeah for Indigenous Rights, Boo for Canada

Have I mentioned that Harper makes me feel kindof sick to my stomach. Here then we have a hooray! for human rights trumping the invested corporate interests of big business in Canada, which Harper so devotedly represents.

THE DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WAS OVERWHELMINGLY PASSED TODAY BY THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Yeah! Here is a report by the CBC. Notice that there were 4 countries who voted against the declaration: Canada (I am so embarrassed), Australia, the United States and New Zealand. Hmmm... I wonder what could have happened to make them vote 'No!'

You may or may not know (but now you will) that I am taking a Seminar on Indigenous Peoples in IR this semester. Here is my favourite quote so far from the textbook: "Our object is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is no Indian question, and no Indian department." This was said by Deputy Superintendent-General Duncan Campbell Scott in 1920 (Leslie and Haguire 1978:115 in Niezen "The Origins of Indigenism" 2003:31).

No, I guess we don't have anything to apologize for. Nothing at all.

Excuse me while I go curl up in a ball and weep.