UN Condemns UK 87

 in Uncategorized by

Trenchant criticism of the UK by the United Nations over its human rights record would have been major news in the pre-Blair days. One of Blair’s “achievements”, which in the 1990s I should have thought impossible, was to win the acceptance by the public and the media of the practice of torture and other gross abuses by the state.

Ian Cobain continues his dogged work on the subject, and everyone should read his report. The lack of prominence accorded to it on the Guardian’s website is telling. I should acknowledge that for some reason Ian has conceived a serious dislike of me; he remains one of the few mainstream journalists worth reading. Pilger, Fisk, Oborne, Cockburn, Cobain, Milne – that’s about it for those I look forward to reading.

I am speaking today at a rally for Bradley Manning outside the US Embassy. I was reflecting, that when I leaked a few secret telegrams on UK complicity in torture, despite many threats the government did not prosecute me under the Official Secrets Act because they did not want the publicity. Today, under the Justice and Security Act, I would be tried in secret, would have still been in jail now, and anybody who reported the facts of the case would have suffered the same fate.

Allowed HTML - you can use: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

87 thoughts on “UN Condemns UK”

1 2 3
  • Someone

    Dreoilin

    I think I know one of the names, I think we will find out its an all male affair/affairs ?, there again I couldn’t possibly comment.

  • Jives

    David Cameron having a fling with George Osbourne?

    Ooooft!Perish the thought…:.)

  • Dreoilin

    “It is understood that the Prime Minister was told of the relationship – which does not involve anyone serving in the Cabinet – within the past few weeks.”

    Liam Fox?

  • Flaming June

    When Cherie B.Liar’s dulcet tones came on the World Service just now (speaking of the need to empower women) I thought of the women who have survived her husband’s war mongering, switched her hypocritical self-aggrandisement off and got up.

    This just came in on an e-mail. Over 4,000 Palestinian people live in the Aida camp on a tiny patch of land in Bethlehem right up against the wall.

    ‘Israeli forces shoot, injure Bethlehem teenager
    Published yesterday (updated) 01/06/2013 21:12

    BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian teenager in Bethlehem late Friday, medics said.

    Rashid Darwish, 17, from Aida refugee camp, sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen after Israeli soldiers stationed at a military watchtower near the separation wall opened fire.

    Medics transferred the teenager to Beit Jala hospital where he was undergoing surgery late Friday. Hospital officials described the teenager’s injuries as critical.

    An Israeli military spokeswoman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.’

    http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=600923

    I note only a fraction of the evil being done by the US/UK/Zionist entity axis. It is no surprise that US leaders/psychopaths speak of war for a hundred years as their weapons become more devilish. In this case, one bullet from an Israeli gun will probably kill this lad as there will likely be vessel injury which the doctors in Beit Jala hospital will struggle with.

    I sometimes open the bulletin from Leslie Bravery of NZ. It is derived from the Palestine Monitoring Group and there are dozens of unprovoked incidents of ‘Israeli’ violence and oppression every day. It has got worse. It is a war and the UN is utterly silent about the Zionist atrocities aside from the odd crocodile tear. And the Bowens are silent too.

  • Flaming June

    Last night I was looking at Mercer to see if he had connections to Israel. Not current but all here in black and white.

    1. Réalité EU: Front group for the Washington based Israel Project?

    Spinwatch Investigation: by Tom Mills and David Miller, 30 October 2009

    Realite EU – Not actually based in the EU at all

    Spinwatch has uncovered evidence that an apparently London based organisation offering expertise on Iran to journalists and politicians is a covert propaganda operation run by a pro-Israel organisation in the United States.

    The organisation, which is called Réalité-EU, has direct connections to the Israel Project, a hardline pro Israel organisation based in Washington DC. Both Réalité-EU and the Israel Project also appear to be connected to a Jewish organisation – B’nai B’rith International, which is also active in pro Israel campaigning

    Réalité-EU was at one time linked to the former Shadow Security Minister Patrick Mercer, raising further concerns about the Conservative MP’s links to individuals and groups involved in exaggerating and even fabricating domestic and international threats for personal and political ends. These activities have previously been reported by Spinwatch as well as other sources.

    http://pulsemedia.org/2009/10/30/realite-eu-front-group-for-the-washington-based-israel-project/

    2. Friends of Israel Initiative: The neoconservatives’ eastern front

    ‘Dore Gold also spoke at the House of Commons more recently in October last year, again focusing on Iran and its supposed threat to the western world.[4] He was invited to speak by Patrick Mercer MP who as the Conservative’s Shadow Security Minister developed connections with a number of dubious figures involved in fabricating terror threats and spreading alarmist propaganda on Iran.’

    http://pulsemedia.org/2010/07/20/friends-of-israel-initiative-the-neoconservatives-eastern-front/

    12 matches of his name within this latter.

  • Flaming June

    Milord Laird and the Fiji sting.

    Cash for questions: Lord Laird caught up in sting that forced Mercer to resign
    Lord Laird told the Panorama undercover team that he would help start an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Fiji.

    12:07AM BST 02 Jun 2013

    He indicated that he would use the promise of a trip to Fiji as a “bribe” in order to get people to join the APPG.

    Lord Laird transcript:

    Undercover Reporter 1: Are we talking about getting… this is a, a… a chip to get us people on the APPG? Is that what you mean?

    Undercover Reporter 2 CN: Or to help out, I guess…?

    Lord Laird: It’s a bri… I’ll deny having said this, but it’s a bribe.

    Undercover reporter 1F: Right.

    LL: Like, the sort of thing I can say to these guys “look, you put that question down now, I thought you were interested in Fiji, would you like to come down to it, you know, I believe it’s quite nice.” But that’s why I can say that.

    Related Articles
    House of Lords drawn into cash-for-questions lobbying scandal
    02 Jun 2013
    Lord Laird caught seeking ‘monetary reward’ for political influence
    01 Jun 2013
    House of Lords drawn into cash-for-questions lobbying scandal
    01 Jun 2013
    Patrick Mercer investigation puts parliamentary groups under scrutiny
    01 Jun 2013
    Exposed: deal that sank cash for questions MP Mercer
    31 May 2013
    How the deal was sealed with Patrick Mercer
    31 May 2013

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/uk-politics-video/10093946/Cash-for-questions-Lord-Laird-caught-up-in-sting-that-forced-Mercer-to-resign.html

  • CheebaCow

    Jeremy Scahill and Matt Taibbi are both mainstream-ish journalists I look forward to reading. I’m also a fan of Greenwald, be he just seems to write op-eds rather than doing investigative journalism.

  • Flaming June

    Cunningham, also named with another NuLabour place person in the Lords, Mackenzie, has previous.

    ‘Former cabinet minister Lord Cunningham absolved in sleaze inquiry

    The Guardian, Wednesday 22 July 2009

    A House of Lords disciplinary panel today rejected allegations that the former Labour cabinet minister Lord Cunningham broke anti-sleaze rules of conduct. After 15 months’ investigation, the panel decided Cunningham was not required to declare in a public register his paid work for the City of London Corporation. He acts as an adviser to the corporation, receiving £36,000 a year for working an estimated three hours a week. After the panel’s investigation began last year, Cunningham voluntarily declared the consultancy as he was “keen to co-operate to resolve the issue”.’

    Now three Lords caught in ‘cash for access’ sting: Ex Labour minister Jack Cunningham ‘wanted £144,000 for lobbying’ as two other peers are linked to fake solar energy firm
    Lord Laird has referred himself to watchdogs over his contact with fake lobbying company set up by undercover journalist
    Lord Mackenzie and Lord Cunningham also implicated in scandal
    ‘Make that … £12,000 a month’ Cunningham alleged to have asked reporter
    It follows resignation of the whip of Patrick Mercer MP over the sting

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2334558/Now-Lords-caught-cash-access-sting-Ex-Labour-minister-Jack-Cunningham-wanted-144-000-lobbying-peers-linked-fake-solar-energy-firm.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

    All denied.

  • Richard

    A good list of journos, three of whom, Fisk, Pilger and Obourne I always like to read. To it I would add Hitchens. He writes well, develops his arguments properly and his travellogues are often always of interest. In particular, though, his piece on the bloody balls-up in Syria this morning is right on the money. I would recommend it to all here.

  • Flaming June

    Q&A: Israel Treats the Bedouin Like “People in a Box”

    Lucy Westcott interviews EID JAHALIN of the Jahalin Association

    UNITED NATIONS, May 30 2013 (IPS) – For thousands of years the Bedouin people have made their home in the desert of what is now Israel. But for almost the last six decades, the Bedouin have been on the move, repeatedly relocated to make room for Israeli settlements.

    As the Bedouin fight to be recognised as an indigenous people by Israel, Eid Jahalin, 49, who lives in the desert near the Jerusalem area, is advocating for them. Jahalin believes that “land without people” is Israel’s sole focus, while the Bedouin’s vast knowledge about living in the desert, practiced over centuries and crucial to preserve with climate change looming, stands to be lost.

    “Many children, some eight and younger, have diseases after being born next to the garbage dump.” – Eid Jahalin

    IPS correspondent Lucy Westcott spoke to Jahalin, who was in New York City and the United Nations for the first time, about the current state of the Bedouin and how their relocation impacts climate change.
    /..
    http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/05/qa-israel-treats-the-bedouin-like-people-in-a-box/

  • Flaming June

    Ecuadorian minister to meet with Julian Assange
    A senior Ecuadorian government minister is to visit London on the eve of the first anniversary of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s dramatic arrival at the country’s embassy.

    1 June 2013

    Ricardo Patino, Ecuador’s Foreign Minister will meet with Mr Assange at the embassy in London, and has offered to hold talks with Foreign Secretary William Hague to try to reach an agreement over Mr Assange’s future.

    The Australian has been inside the embassy since June 19 last year and has since been granted political asylum.

    He is wanted for questioning in Sweden over sexual allegations by two women – which he denies.

    Mr Assange fears he will be extradited to the United States for questioning over publication by WikiLeaks of confidential information if he travels to Sweden.

    An Ecuadorian government spokesman said: “On Sunday 16th June Ricardo Patino, Ecuador’s Foreign Minister, will be visiting London in order to meet with Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy, on the eve of the first anniversary of Mr Assange in our diplomatic premises.

    “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador has informed UK authorities that Mr Patio will be in London and has offered to meet with Foreign Secretary William Hague to discuss the case of Julian Assange.”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/10093161/Ecuadorian-minister-to-meet-with-Julian-Assange.html

    ~~~

    Cannot find any reports in the corporate media on the protest for Bradley Manning held outside the US Embassy yesterday.

  • doug scorgie

    Fedup
    1 Jun, 2013 – 11:17 am

    “* THRUSH Technological Hierarchy for the Removal of Undesirables and the Subjugation of Humanity”

    “The arch-enemy of United Network Command for Law and Enforcement”

    Showing your age there Fedup!

  • doug scorgie

    Cryptonym
    1 Jun, 2013 – 4:17 pm

    “General assembly should vote to kick out US, Israel and UK and other psycho regimes.”

    Yes they should but they can’t.

    Such a move would have to be authorised unanimously by the Security Council which includes…the USA and the UK.

  • me in us

    YouTube up now of Craig speaking yesterday at the Bradley Manning rally in London:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7-dP_ckWi0

    Transcript

    CRAIG MURRAY: Thank you very much. Thank you. I’m sorry to be here so late after most people have gone, but first of all my feet broke down and then the train broke down. So between them I had some trouble getting here. But I very much wanted to make sure I did get here because I wanted to take this chance to express my support and solidarity with Bradley Manning just before the start of his trial. I know that I’ve got very good friends of mine like Dan Ellsberg and Ray McGovern in the States who are going to be in the position to be, you know, getting closer physically and offering more support, but I think all around the world it’s very important that people like ourselves show our support and our tremendous appreciation for what Bradley Manning did and what Bradley Manning continues to do. Because – [applause, whistles – “Bravo! Bravo! Dan Ellsberg”] – Because truth is a universal concept, and the ability of government to bury the truth is a universal problem. And it’s not people like Bradley Manning who reveal the truth who are the criminals, it is the politicians who seek to hide the truth. They are the criminals. [“Yes” – “Yes” – applause, whistles]

    You know, in this country we’ve seen – we saw just last week where Abdel Belhaj, the Libyan who was, together with his pregnant wife, a victim of extraordinary rendition organized by this country and by the United States and was deported to be tortured in Libya by the then Gaddafi regime, and that was done by Jack Straw and by Mark Allen and MI6 in collaboration with the CIA. He is taking a civil case to sue them for what was done to him and to his wife, and now under the new Justice and Security Act, which should be better called the Injustice and Insecurity Act, that trial is going to be held in secret so nobody will be allowed to know what Jack Straw did in having him deported. And the difficulty is that there is a parallel universe happening here. There’s a universe in which all of us live, in which informed people live, in which those who access independent media, who access the Internet live, where we all damn well know what Jack Straw did. Then there’s the official world where it’s supposed to be a secret and the mainstream media just don’t report what is really happening. And the truth is denied, and we live in this strange video game world of nonreality.

    You know, some people, I believe organized through Indymedia, but a ComRes poll was taken. They commissioned a standard political polling organization to take an opinion poll on what people know about the Iraq war. And they discovered that – and this is only last week – 59% of the population of the United Kingdom believe that less than 10,000 people died in the war in Iraq. Can you imagine that? Fifty-nine percent of the people of this country believe that less than 10,000 people died in the Iraq war. And that is because of the incessant and incredible propaganda which people have pumped out at them day after day by the mainstream media and because most people sadly are not motivated to dig and discover the truth. They accept what they see. They accept what they are given by the masters of the political and media scene.

    People like Bradley Manning have tried to break through that by getting out a whole flood of information on the truth, but we need more of it. This world needs more whistleblowers, not less, because the truth [applause] is still not fully penetrated. This world now needs whistleblowers more than ever.

    In the United States President Obama has now prosecuted more whistleblowers than every other president of the United States put together. There is – [“– Obama!”] – an absolute [“Shame on them”] – Yeah, there’s an absolute war against whistleblowers going on in the United States, and what’s happening with people like Bradley Manning, my friend Thomas Drake, for example, people are being accused of treason, of crimes against the state, of aiding the enemy, and you can only say the only way Bradley Manning was aiding the enemy is if the enemy is truth. And the enemy is truth for people like Obama. [applause] For the politicians who run this corrupt society, truth is the enemy which they are fighting.

    It depends on all of us. You know, I myself in a much, much smaller way than Bradley Manning, but I myself blew the whistle on torture and extraordinary rendition almost 10 years ago now [applause]. I released some diplomatic telegrams revealing the truth about torture and extraordinary rendition – [“Kidnapping”] – and the government didn’t sue me, didn’t prosecute me – they threatened again and again that they would take me to court and prosecute me under the Official Secrets Act, but they didn’t do that because they were scared of the publicity, because they didn’t want more publicity for the truth. So, that’s why I’m not in jail today. If it were to happen now, if a new Craig Murray were to release from the Foreign Office documents today about torture and extraordinary rendition, they would be prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act because under the Security and Justice Act that prosecution would be in secret. It would be a secret trial. They’d be jailed in secret and anybody who published anything about it would also be jailed, because we are moving deeper and deeper into this dark security state. We are living in a very, very dangerous age when the powers of the state to intrude upon ordinary people are getting stronger and stronger, all in the name of this fake concept of the War on Terror, and all with the idea that we have to be deprived of our liberties in order to keep us safe. That’s not true. They want to deprive us of our liberties in order that they can take our resources, take our money and feed the military-industrial complex which pays the politicians [applause], and that is what this prosecution is really about.

    Ladies and gentlemen, we have to support Bradley Manning. We have to support truth. We have to support justice, because this is a universal fight for all of mankind, and I am delighted to be with you here in London to be our little part of it. Thank you very much indeed.

    [applause]

    Thank you again from America

  • Cryptonym

    Thanks Me In US for the excellent transcript, always appreciated by many like me, in far-flung parts of the UK, who’d have liked to have been there too and were there in spirit.

1 2 3

Comments are closed.