Hey everyone,
After two years and 252 posts, I have decided to pull the plug on Counteract Now.
When I first started the blog, we had Howard and Bush in power, creating chaos and completely disregarding human rights. Now that they both have finally been removed from office, human rights has slightly improved.
I say slightly improved because both Rudd and Obama have on one hand done a lot to improve human rights and put measures in place to prevent those atrocities, but they also have continued policies from former administrations which completely disregard human rights in any shape or manner.
In the good column, Rudd has apologised to the stolen generation, removed mandatory detention and removed temporary protection visas.
Obama has given a timetable for the closure of Guantanamo Bay, the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and signed an executive order banning interrogation techniques such as waterboarding which is deemed to be torture.
However, Rudd has continued the Northern Territory intervention which has disabled the Racial Discrimination Act, and Obama has continued the CIA extraordinary rendition program.
So while there still are issues I can be discussing, I have found that I have very little time these days to give some very important issues, the analysis and reporting that they deserve.
This does not mean that I have not been following and commenting to myself on the issues that are going on in the world. Those close to me still hear me "go off" on these issues, but the time it takes for me to get on to the computer, and try and analyse and report on the issues in a clear and concise manner in a blog piece takes a lot of time that I currently do not have.
I would like to thank everyone who has read and commented on the blog. I really have appreciated all the feedback that I have received... even if it was from the ignorant right!
Well... I guess that's it. I think there is nothing else left to say except... keep counteracting when human rights are abused and don't ever feel afraid to speak your mind. A path is formed one pebble at a time, so don't ever feel that one voice cannot make a difference. If everyone accepted defeat, then we wouldn't live in a country with democracy, but one with a dictator.
Thank you and farewell for now.
- Beju -
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The End
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
China Rejects Human Rights Criticisms
In the annual human rights talks between the governments of Australia and China, China once again has dismissed their human rights abuses to the people of Tibet.
China's foreign affairs minister, Liu Jieyi, stated
It is not an issue about human rights or religious freedom or culture. I believe the Australian side is very much aware of the Chinese position on this issue. The important thing in understanding this issue is that we must base our opinions on solid facts.
If it's facts that China wants, how about we explore the history of the United Nations and their resolutions to help protect the people of Tibet from 1959 to the current day? How about International Parliamentary action against China due to flagrant abuses of human rights by the Chinese government? The Chinese government should stick with manufactured propaganda instead of facts!
Mr Liu went on to say that
China is a developing country and as such will of course face challenges in promoting social progress in China and in promotion of human rights
Just more of the same from the Chinese government. Talking about how they are making enormous strides in rectifying their human rights record, but fail to admit the atrocities they continue to commit.
- Beju -
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Bush Era Is OVER!
After 8 very painful years of George Walker Bush, I am very happy to say, that George Walker Bush's tenure as the President of the United States of America, IS OVER!!!
Here is a recap of the past 8 years of the George Walker Bush US Presidency.
- Beju -
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Hope For the First 100 Days of an Obama Administration
Amnesty International have released a new viral film outlining their goals for Barack Obama to reach in his first 100 days of his US Presidency. It will be interesting to see if Barack Obama stays true to his word.
For more information, go to http://obama100days.org/
- Beju -
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Human Cost Of War In Gaza
I'm not going to blog about which side is right in the Israeli/Hamas conflict in Gaza. Whether you believe that Israel has the right to defend itself or if you believe that Israel has used excessive force is in the end... inconsequential.
The people of Israel and the people of Gaza have had no say. The people of Gaza have not been able to leave Gaza because they have been barricaded by the Israeli army. All the people of Gaza could do was to seek sanctuary at United Nations special zones. This did not stop Israel from firing at the school claiming that rockets were fired from the school. This statement from Israel was quickly withdrawn. A withdrawal of the statement does not bring back those 40 innocent civilians.
To date, roughly 930 Palestinians have been killed and 4,280 wounded. Israel has 12 dead. It is believed that around 40 percent of the total dead were completely innocent.
If Israel wants to take out Hamas, then why don't they just declare war and do a ground offensive and ensure that only militants and government officials are attacked? Likewise with Hamas. If they want to take out the Israeli government, then attack the army and government officials only. Hopefully that way, they will take each other out, and the rest of the population can live in peace.
And for those who believe that the people of Israel and Palestine want war, well, propaganda is a powerful weapon in any war now isn't it?
- Beju -
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Howard Awarded US Medal of Freedom
In what must be the joke of the year, John Winston Howard, is to receive the US Medal of Freedom by the outgoing US President, George Walker Bush, in one of his final acts of his US Presidency.
White House press secretary, Dana Perino stated
The President is honouring these leaders for their work to improve the lives of their citizens and their efforts to promote democracy, human rights and peace abroad
Yes you are reading that correctly. John Howard is receiving an award for promoting democracy, human rights and peace.
The man who implemented the pacific solution which locked up men, women and children, attempted to screw over the average worker by implementing work choices, refused on numerous occasions to say sorry to the stolen generation and participated in an illegal war in Iraq is being compared with such people as Nelson Mandela in receiving the award.
Instead of receiving an award for human rights, John Howard, along with George Bush and Tony Blair should face the International War Crimes court in the Hague!
- Beju -
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Cheney Defends Torture And The War On Terror
Outgoing US Vice President of the United States, Dick Cheney, has defended the use of waterboarding and other "alternative interrogation techniques" approved by his office and has stated again that he believes that Guantanamo Bay should remain open until the war is over.
Cheney stated in an interview
I was aware of the programme, certainly, and involved in helping get the process cleared, as the agency in effect came in and wanted to know what they could and couldn't do.
And they talked to me, as well as others, to explain what they wanted to do. And I supported it.
The sheer arrogance of Dick Cheney here is unbelievable. Others have tried to bring war crimes charges against Dick Cheney and failed. Lets hope that in the new future, that Cheney can finally be sent to jail for the torturous techniques he authorised the CIA to use.
In another interview with a well known extremist right wing radio presenter, Rush Limbaugh, Cheney stated
Once you go out and capture a bunch of terrorists, as we did in Afghanistan and elsewhere, then you've got to have some place to put them.
If you bring them here to the US and put them in our local court system, then they are entitled to all kinds of rights that we extend only to American citizens. Remember, these are unlawful combatants.
Oh no.... heaven forbid we give other human beings on the face of this planet basic human rights!
They are not "unlawful combatants" or whatever term you want to come up with Dick, they are prisoners of war and are entitled under the Geneva Convention to a number of basic human rights that you and the rest of the Bush Administration have denied to them.
- Beju -
