OCCUPY WALL STREET 73 ARRESTS - March 19, 2012
Monday, Mar 19, 2012 3:00 AM 22:13:38 PDT
An Occupy Wall Street demonstrator is arrested in Zuccotti Park after a march to celebrate the protest's sixth month, Saturday, March 17, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (Credit: AP)
Arrests galvanize Occupy
Allegations of brutality at an OWS anniversary rally spur solidarity marches and fuel calls for a general strike
An Occupy Wall Street demonstrator is arrested in Zuccotti Park after a march to celebrate the protest's sixth month, Saturday, March 17, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (Credit: AP)
Topics:Occupy Wall Street, NYPD
It’s been six months since Occupy Wall Street first inserted itself into public space and consciousness, so writers and pundits this past week have clamored to quantify and assess the movement: What has Occupy achieved? What next for Occupy? This semi-anniversary has prompted a demand for Occupy’s Greatest Hits.
It is important to note the homes saved from foreclosure by Occupy actions; the policies and mainstream political conversations that Occupy has influenced, both directly and indirectly; the growth in awareness about income inequality, police brutality and racism; as well as the port shutdowns and short-term disruptions to consumer and corporate activity Occupy has notched on its many belts. But any articles aiming to sum up the Occupy effect will miss the point. The temptation for writers is to historicize — to churn out articles, books and anthologies about “what really happened” and what it all means. It’s tempting because it sells and it sells because, well, it feels like something did change since last September and, for a small number of us, at least, the world feels different now that there is Occupy.
There is, however, no linear historical construction of the past six months that could do justice to the diffuse assemblage that is Occupy. There’s no adequate explanation for why, for example, on Saturday, it was beautiful to go back to one of the dreariest slabs of concrete that lower Manhattan has to offer and find nearly a thousand other bodies — dancing, chanting “a-anti-anti-capitalista,” catching up and dashing off into spontaneous street marches to mark six months since the first occupation of Zuccotti Park.
There were 73 arrests at the OWS six-month anniversary gathering — a number of them violent as police surged in to clear the small park of the almost 300 protesters who filled the space just before midnight. One young woman, a long-term Occupy supporter named Cecily McMillan, 23, suffered a seizure after NYPD officers aggressively tackled her (cracking her ribs) and put her in plastic handcuffs. Others arrested in Zuccotti tweeted about injuries inflicted by police on Saturday night. Jesse Myerson described some of the worst police action in the park on TruthOut: “I watched the police break up the group by punching protesters about the head, repeatedly stomping on shoulders and arms, grabbing throats, dragging protesters by the hair and clawing at their faces,” he noted.
Once the space was cleared and guarded by barricades, a march of evicted protesters spilled into lower Manhattan, snaking up through SoHo to Union Square, taking opportunities to run off the sidewalks into the streets before cops on scooters could catch up. “If they get too close, just hit them,” I heard one officer on a scooter tell another as a crowd moved through them at an intersection. Numerous marchers were arrested, including one young man (an OWS street medic) who was shoved so hard into a glass door by police that the impact of his skull cracked the glass. Photographer Stephanie Keith caught this image moments after the incident:
And, just like the early Occupy days, police repression has galvanized further action: Solidarity marches were called by Occupy Wall Street, L.A., Oakland, Chicago, Boston and more on Sunday evening in response to the New York arrests. A few dozen people are also attempting to launch an occupation (albeit without tents) at Union Square in New York; 20 Occupy supporters spent the night there Saturday. Which points to the other reason why assessing and quantifying the Occupy movement at this six-month point is mistaken — as the unified cries of “spring is coming” and “now’s the time for general strike” in Zuccotti Park on Saturday suggested — it’s just about to kick off.
It is important to note the homes saved from foreclosure by Occupy actions; the policies and mainstream political conversations that Occupy has influenced, both directly and indirectly; the growth in awareness about income inequality, police brutality and racism; as well as the port shutdowns and short-term disruptions to consumer and corporate activity Occupy has notched on its many belts. But any articles aiming to sum up the Occupy effect will miss the point. The temptation for writers is to historicize — to churn out articles, books and anthologies about “what really happened” and what it all means. It’s tempting because it sells and it sells because, well, it feels like something did change since last September and, for a small number of us, at least, the world feels different now that there is Occupy.
There is, however, no linear historical construction of the past six months that could do justice to the diffuse assemblage that is Occupy. There’s no adequate explanation for why, for example, on Saturday, it was beautiful to go back to one of the dreariest slabs of concrete that lower Manhattan has to offer and find nearly a thousand other bodies — dancing, chanting “a-anti-anti-capitalista,” catching up and dashing off into spontaneous street marches to mark six months since the first occupation of Zuccotti Park.
There were 73 arrests at the OWS six-month anniversary gathering — a number of them violent as police surged in to clear the small park of the almost 300 protesters who filled the space just before midnight. One young woman, a long-term Occupy supporter named Cecily McMillan, 23, suffered a seizure after NYPD officers aggressively tackled her (cracking her ribs) and put her in plastic handcuffs. Others arrested in Zuccotti tweeted about injuries inflicted by police on Saturday night. Jesse Myerson described some of the worst police action in the park on TruthOut: “I watched the police break up the group by punching protesters about the head, repeatedly stomping on shoulders and arms, grabbing throats, dragging protesters by the hair and clawing at their faces,” he noted.
Once the space was cleared and guarded by barricades, a march of evicted protesters spilled into lower Manhattan, snaking up through SoHo to Union Square, taking opportunities to run off the sidewalks into the streets before cops on scooters could catch up. “If they get too close, just hit them,” I heard one officer on a scooter tell another as a crowd moved through them at an intersection. Numerous marchers were arrested, including one young man (an OWS street medic) who was shoved so hard into a glass door by police that the impact of his skull cracked the glass. Photographer Stephanie Keith caught this image moments after the incident:
And, just like the early Occupy days, police repression has galvanized further action: Solidarity marches were called by Occupy Wall Street, L.A., Oakland, Chicago, Boston and more on Sunday evening in response to the New York arrests. A few dozen people are also attempting to launch an occupation (albeit without tents) at Union Square in New York; 20 Occupy supporters spent the night there Saturday. Which points to the other reason why assessing and quantifying the Occupy movement at this six-month point is mistaken — as the unified cries of “spring is coming” and “now’s the time for general strike” in Zuccotti Park on Saturday suggested — it’s just about to kick off.
Another Arrest Sunday At Protest Of The Heavy Handed 73 Arrests Yesterday At OWS
Members of Occupy Delaware Decry Arrests at OWS: Occupy Delaware Activist Arrested in NYC
Six-Month OWS Anniversary Demonstration Was Protected by Restraining Order
Occupy Delaware Activist Arrested in NYC
Members of Occupy Delaware decry the arrests of activists in New York City’s Zuccotti Park as illegal and a sign that the one-percent who dominate political life in America are pushing for a confrontation. Protected by a Court Order, activists, including Michael Moore, re-occupied the park, now renamed Liberty Plaza, and organized a General Assembly, the movement’s model of leaderless democratic deliberation. Around 11 p.m., police moved in to clear the park, arresting “scores” of persons (according to the NY Times).Witnesses insist that young cadet police officers tried to follow their orders with restraint, but those higher in the chain of command began seizing and beating demonstrators arbitrarily. One activist, Cecily McMillan, had a seizure after being pushed to the ground and handcuffed. She was later taken to the hospital. Occupy Delaware takes these events as a sign that the police, who as members of the ninety-nine percent are sometimes sympathetic to the movement, are being incited by Wall Street bankers’ desperate to forestall the #AmericanSpring.
In response to these heavy-handed arrests, a #SolidaritySunday march was organized on Sunday, March 18th. While taking part in this march, Occupy Delaware activist Timothy Kyle was arrested. Kyle was later released with a “desk ticket.”
There are signs that the one percent is pushing the same repressive policies locally. Wilmington City Council tried to pass an ordinance restricting demonstrations by labor, peace, and social justice organizations, but it was withdrawn after public outrage. Then Occupy Delaware activist Stephen Cottrell was arrested arbitrarily and unnecessarily at the March Sheriff’s sale.
Occupy Delaware insists on the First Amendment Rights of all Americans and calls on the citizenry to join them in the #AmericanSpring.
Occupy Delaware comprises a broad variety of voices. Anyone in Delaware who is fed up with a national agenda that is rigged in favor of the wealthiest one percent at the expense of the other ninety-nine percent is welcome to participate. Occupy Delaware does not endorse political candidates or parties.
You can see the arrest of Kyle in this video – advance to minute 45.
Occupied Wall Street Journal article on crack-down: http://occupiedmedia.us/2012/03/zuccotti-park-raided-barricaded-on-6-month-anniversary/
Occupy Delaware Webpage: http://www.occupyde.org
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/occupydelaware
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OccupyDE
Occupy Delaware Mission Statement: http://www.occupyde.org/mission-statement/
Declaration of the Occupation of New York City (Occupy Wall Street):
http://occupywallst.org/forum/first-official-release-from-occupy-wall-street/.
Occupy Camps and the Homeless:
Why Occupy Camps Became Homeless Camps
When discussing Occupy with others almost everyone says the same thing: "I agree with what occupy is trying to do in principle but I don't like the defecation on police cars and all that other disgustion homelessness behavior."
My friend Ginger said it quite well so I am sharing hew writing with you. To me the most important part of her piece is towards the end, so I have copied that portion again at the beginning of her piece. She sums up that the fact that the homeless people who gravitated to Occupy Camps all over the country are the same homeless that agencies who deal with the homeless and their problems are not equipped to deal with.
It is an unfair critique of Occupy to expect us to be able to care for the people that soup kitchens, warming rooms, hostiles, missions and churches turned away.
" #1 - We're not just working with the homeless and unemployed population. We are working with some of the most violent, most dysfunctional, most mentally unstable population in the city. We are working with those people who get kicked out of other shelters and other social service agencies. Some of those people get kicked-out of their programs as a direct consequence to a violent attack. And their next step is move to the Occupy camp.
#2 - We are working with less resources than any of the social service agencies in the city. Resources in the sense of stability, training, emotional and psychological boundaries, accountability, personal protection... "
Occupy's Identity Crisis
by the gingerA note for the continuity of this blog: I started out in Food Group. I got frustrated, and burnt out, and pulled back. Only to get pulled into Camp Safety a week later, in an effort to spread my secret subversive agenda of love & compassion in the most direct way I could find.Occupy Seattle is going through an identity crisis.
Occupy [insert American city] is likely also going through the exact same identity crisis. So here's the thing... Occupy Wall Street started out as a very specific and focused protest against corporate greed. "Yes! Yes, I can get behind that!" we all said. "I want to do it too!" we all said.
In Seattle, we jumped in feet first, with all of the passion and enthusiasm of a population truly fed up with The Way Things Are. But "End Corporate Greed" quickly morphed and grew into "FIX ALL OF THE THINGS RIGHT NOW" and "BUILD OUR NEW SOCIETY WITHIN THIS OCCUPATION / TENT CITY". Holy shit. That's a big shift.
All of a sudden, not only were we engaged in an ideological protest... but we turned ourselves into a homeless shelter. Accidentally, unintentionally, without really thinking through what it means to preform that sort of service work. Idealists among us (and really, who among Occupy organizers is not an idealist???) talked about visions of inclusiveness, and healing the harms in our society, and meeting each person where they're at to participate in a movement that belongs to all of us... As we moved into the camp at SCCC, we tried over and over again to pass community agreements through the General Assembly that would govern our community and inform acceptable conduct. But those community agreements were flouted and disregarded by activists and hangers-on alike ("oh, that rule applies to those assholes over there, not to me. I'm peaceful..."). Anyone and everyone wandered into our camp with all manner of addiction, dysfunction, and mental instability.
And it was a clusterfuck. It was the wild wild west, and Lord of the Flies. And one-by one, committed activists packed-up their tents in fear and frustration, and a desperate need to sleep in a safe and restful space. They left behind empty spaces to be filled by those with addiction, dysfunction, and mental instability. They left behind a crew of organizers and activists (many of whom are also homeless), who just couldn't quit. Who were so obsessively focused on trying to make the camp at SCCC work that many of us lost site of the Bigger Picture of what we are trying to accomplish. And also those of us who desperately tried to work with this camp, such as it was, and figure out how to keep moving towards that Positive Vision... And those of us who were willing to take the risk, to open ourselves up to the trauma of others, hoping to serve and help those with addiction, dysfunction, and mental instability. Because we carry with us a vision of the new world we want to create, and that new word is based on inclusion and healing and community support... and creating that new world starts with healing the harms we see before us because we cannot leave that trauma behind us or sweep it under the rug. We must face it head-on and see its source within ourselves.
But there are some very harsh realities of the Existing World that we failed to consider...
#1 - We're not just working with the homeless and unemployed population. We are working with some of the most violent, most dysfunctional, most mentally unstable population in the city. We are working with those people who get kicked out of other shelters and other social service agencies. Some of those people get kicked-out of their programs as a direct consequence to a violent attack. And their next step is move to the Occupy camp.
#2 - We are working with less resources than any of the social service agencies in the city. Resources in the sense of stability, training, emotional and psychological boundaries, accountability, personal protection...
#3 - Social service agencies all have rules, boundaries, and social agreements that limit their populations to those who can step up to them. This is not a tool that they use for oppression; it is a survival mechanism. Any healthy community includes rules, boundaries, social agreements, and consequences for breaking those agreements. We want to create a new paradigm of community governance that focuses on healing and inclusion... But in the meantime, we must protect ourselves from the overwhelming needs of a population that is drowning. Just as a drowning person will flail in desperation and pull an unskilled lifeguard down into death with them, this population of homeless is pulling Occupy down with them in a desperate and very human attempt to grasp onto any support they can find. OS is beginning to realize this and pull back from it. And to many, it feels like tragic betrayal and abandonment.
#4 - Compassion includes boundaries and consequences. It is not compassionate or healing to enable violent and addictive behavior.
#5 - We cannot serve ALL THE NEEDS ALL AT ONCE. As we continue to grow - continue working to build the new world we all envision - our work is to focus on affecting systemic change; holding politicians and leaders and corporate moguls accountable for the oppression of us all. In the process we want to model our future community, but that is a delicate balance. Occupy Seattle needs to preform the same self-care that all of our burnt-out organizers so desperately need. To find our emotion/psychological center, to be grounded and focused and open to seeing the whole big-picture vision of what we are moving towards. To understand the limits of our resources, and understand exactly what roll we intend to play.
So here is the heart of our identity crisis:
Are we a social service agency, or are we a GLOBAL MOVEMENT FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE AND REVOLUTION? Okay, maybe I have a bias about which choice I think we need to make... I think we already know the answer. And we're not really making a choice to take one and reject the other. I am making observation: a Global Movement For Systemic Change and Revolution has many faces. It exists everywhere and nowhere. It is an internet meme, and it is your neighborhood council, and it is your direct action network, and it is a general strike, and it is non-violent gorilla warfare. It is an occupation of foreclosed homes, and it is protesters in the middle of your city every day reminding you and the 1% that THIS SHIT IS NOT RIGHT.
It may also be a community of activists sleeping in tents, some of whom don't have another home to go to. It could also be a new tent city or a new ecovillage, built to model our Positive Vision; built to help serve those whom the system has abandoned. And if some of us within the Occupy Movement choose to pursue that project, let us choose it consciously, with open eyes and open hearts and with the support and knowledge of the social service community that has come before us.
Let us make conscious choices about the work we take on and the paths we choose to walk.
Evidence Of Election Fraud Of GOP Delegates - Ron Paul: Help Document Election Fraud
There is evidence of vote tampering of delegates in Maine, Nevada, and Washington by local GOP members who support
Romney, Santorum, or Gingrich.
Seattle GOP caucus member attempted to block Ron Paul Delegates from being selected for the State Party Convention
The 36th GOP Precinct Caucus on March 17,2012 held at the Seattle Pacific University:
Just moments before the vote to select delegates, caucus member Lisa Chin, said to be working in the capacity of an observer by Chairman Glenn Avery, walked out of the building with the "bubble sheets" and bubble sheet counter used for voting.
Lisa Chin has not made herself available for an explanation but it certainly appears that she tried to prevent the Ron Paul supporters from winning the delegate count.
Prior to the vote occuring each of the four condidates was represented in a speech. Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Mitt Romney had a luke warm response from small groups of their supporters after each speech.
Clearly more than half of the 250 or so GOP members roared with applause, shouts and whistling in support of Ron Paul after the Ron Paul speech. This is when Lisa Chin left the building with the blank ballots and ballot counting machine. Presumably she is a Romney supporter.
The ballot issue was resolved and after being there for nine hours instead of the estimated 3 or 4 hours the delegate vote count re-affirmed what the audience support reflected in the beginning of gthe meeting, Ron Paul recieved all 21 delegates and all 21 alternates from the 36th Precint to go to the State GOP Convention.
After the first vote was all 21 delegates for Ron Paul, many caucus members, mostly Romney supporters also walked out to try to prevent a quarum as required for the alternates vote. There were still over 125 or so Ron Paul supporters there so a quarum was achieved and Ron Paul also swept up all 21 alternate delegates.
These sort of shady tactics used by Lisa Chin and others within the party, the news media, and the other three candidates themselves to block Ron Paul is actually a very strong indicator of his strength. Mainstream media rarely mentions Paul and would have you believe it's a two person race when it is not. Ron Paul got less time than the other candidates during debates, CNN reversed the colors of it's charts during the Maine caucuses to falsely appear that Gingrich was ahead of Ron Paul when in actuality Ron Paul was ahead of Gingrich.
None the less, Ron Paul continues to garner ever increasing support from the people, especially young people and on-line. Several U.S. States are new to the caucus system (such as Washington State) and there has been some confusion with many people about how to get invoolved once they realize that Washington didn't have a primary so they could not simply cast a vote for Ron Paul. If this confusion created by a recent transition from primary to caucus didn't exist, Ron Paul's showings in "official" polls would be much stronger. Even with these handicaps to Ron Paul and young voter support, Ron Paul continues to gain in popularity.
There is one more point I would like to make about Ron Paul supporters. I am active in the Ron Paul campaign and I am active in the Occupy Movement. I have had many, many discussions with people from both camps and what stands out in every conversation is that both Occupy supporters and Ron Paul supporters are saying the exact same things and are in virtual agreement on nearly every single issue.
I believe that due to the courruption of money in government that "party affiliation" has become an illusion of choice, but if you want to play ball, you have to play by the current rules. I truly believe that of you Occupy to be sure to register to vote today and get involved in the GOP for Ron Paul. We must work both within the system and outside the system at the same time to create the changes that are needed.
Just moments before the vote to select delegates, caucus member Lisa Chin, said to be working in the capacity of an observer by Chairman Glenn Avery, walked out of the building with the "bubble sheets" and bubble sheet counter used for voting.
Lisa Chin has not made herself available for an explanation but it certainly appears that she tried to prevent the Ron Paul supporters from winning the delegate count.
Prior to the vote occuring each of the four condidates was represented in a speech. Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Mitt Romney had a luke warm response from small groups of their supporters after each speech.
Clearly more than half of the 250 or so GOP members roared with applause, shouts and whistling in support of Ron Paul after the Ron Paul speech. This is when Lisa Chin left the building with the blank ballots and ballot counting machine. Presumably she is a Romney supporter.
The ballot issue was resolved and after being there for nine hours instead of the estimated 3 or 4 hours the delegate vote count re-affirmed what the audience support reflected in the beginning of gthe meeting, Ron Paul recieved all 21 delegates and all 21 alternates from the 36th Precint to go to the State GOP Convention.
After the first vote was all 21 delegates for Ron Paul, many caucus members, mostly Romney supporters also walked out to try to prevent a quarum as required for the alternates vote. There were still over 125 or so Ron Paul supporters there so a quarum was achieved and Ron Paul also swept up all 21 alternate delegates.
These sort of shady tactics used by Lisa Chin and others within the party, the news media, and the other three candidates themselves to block Ron Paul is actually a very strong indicator of his strength. Mainstream media rarely mentions Paul and would have you believe it's a two person race when it is not. Ron Paul got less time than the other candidates during debates, CNN reversed the colors of it's charts during the Maine caucuses to falsely appear that Gingrich was ahead of Ron Paul when in actuality Ron Paul was ahead of Gingrich.
None the less, Ron Paul continues to garner ever increasing support from the people, especially young people and on-line. Several U.S. States are new to the caucus system (such as Washington State) and there has been some confusion with many people about how to get invoolved once they realize that Washington didn't have a primary so they could not simply cast a vote for Ron Paul. If this confusion created by a recent transition from primary to caucus didn't exist, Ron Paul's showings in "official" polls would be much stronger. Even with these handicaps to Ron Paul and young voter support, Ron Paul continues to gain in popularity.
There is one more point I would like to make about Ron Paul supporters. I am active in the Ron Paul campaign and I am active in the Occupy Movement. I have had many, many discussions with people from both camps and what stands out in every conversation is that both Occupy supporters and Ron Paul supporters are saying the exact same things and are in virtual agreement on nearly every single issue.
I believe that due to the courruption of money in government that "party affiliation" has become an illusion of choice, but if you want to play ball, you have to play by the current rules. I truly believe that of you Occupy to be sure to register to vote today and get involved in the GOP for Ron Paul. We must work both within the system and outside the system at the same time to create the changes that are needed.
Maine Caucus / Romney, Gingrich, Santorum, Fox News = Vote Fraud
Results were tallied with 16.3% of votes not yet counted and Fox News swapped colors on thier broadcast map between Ron Paul and Gingrich so that it falsely appeared that Gingrich was ahead of Ron Paul when in fact Ron Paul placed a very close second behind Romney.
There are still 16.3% of the votes to count. It is so close that Ron Paul may be the Real Winner in the State of Maine.
Romney, Santorum, and gingrich tried to steal Maine from Ron Paul. They cannot be trusted, just listen to them and you will see for yourself.
Election Fraud - An American Tradition
Election Fraud is global corporate bribery. U.S. politicians like to "over see" foreign elections on the premise that our government is perfect and honest and therefore qualified to approve "fairness."
We over see elections wherever we have troops. Wherever we have troops there is oil. George Bush beat Al Gore to the Whitehouse over allegations of election fraud in Florida, the same state his brother Jeb Bush was Governor. If that doesn't smell like Tuna rotting on a dock in the Florida sun I don't know what does.
There has already been allegations of complicancy between the Republican Party and the Media regardeing ron Paul delegate counts in the Maine Caucuses and it should be obvious to everybody that main stream media ignores Ron Paul, he gets less time during debates, less coverage on nightly news, he is not even given face time to set himself apart from the other candidates. Why?
Why? because he could win and become President and the rest of those old boys will be thrown out with the trash. Nobody agrees entirely with another and with that understanding people will change parties to vote for Ron Paul. People who never voted before will vote for Ron Paul. If Ron Paul failed to get the Republican Nomination he would continue to run as an Independent, Green, or Libertarian.
There are two reasons Ron Paul hasn't shown better in the delegate counts: Fraud, and most of his supporters have yet to join the Republican party and become delegates in this time of Caucuses instead of Primaries, but it is not too late if you act now.... otherwisw we will all have to write him in.
Now is the time to decide if you will write in Ron Paul if necessary, or write in Anonymous instead. Meanwhile, the other three Republican candidates are embroiled in a quagmire of ethics violations, religious tunnelvision, and off shore wealth that each obviously only benefit a few special interests and not the people as a whole society.
Obama signed the NDAA which makes every person on the planet is vulnerable to indefinite imprisonment without a trial or due process, made the assasination of U.S. citizens legal, and made free speech a felony if it is done within several city blocks of a politicians appearence. Obama's actions are like a turd in the corner of the room that fouls every other thing he does.
Election Fraud: Russian Protests : New York Daily News
Protests remained peaceful;
less than 100 arrested nationwide
Saturday, December 10 2011, 1:07 PM
Mikhial Metzel/AP
Demonstrators shout during a mass rally to protest against alleged vote rigging
in Russia's parliamentary elections in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011.
Tens of thousands of people poured onto the streets of Russia's capital to protest what they claim was a rigged parliamentary election. “The falsifications that authorities are doing today have turned into a big theater, with clowns like in a circus,” Moscow demonstrator Alexander Tromifov told the Associated Press. As many as 50,000 people showed up to protest in Moscow, the BBC reported, making it the largest Russia has seen since the fall of the Soviet Union — and the first time Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has had to deal with a mass uprising. Smaller protests took place in cities across the country, including St. Petersburg where about 10,000 turned out to a protest.
The protests remained peaceful, and the police response was uncharacteristically lighthanded. Less than 100 people across the country were arrested, according to the Associated Press.
In addition to a new election, the protest's organizers demanded the resignation of the head of the election commission, new election laws, and freedom for political prisoners, The Guardian reported.
“Everyone is sick of living under this regime which forbids freedom of expression,” a protester told CBS News. “We are against the lies and bankrupt politicians.”
Putin has dismissed popular anger over the election, blaming US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for planting the idea that the vote was rigged in order to destabilize his government.
The protests follow reports from election monitors and Russian citizens that Putin's party, United Russia, engaged in widespread ballot stuffing. Earlier this week, current President Dmitry Medvedev promised an investigation into the allegations of fraud.
Putin has held top positions of power in Russia's government since he became President 12 years ago. He served as President of Russia from 2000 to 2008, before becoming Prime Minister — and he's seeking a third presidential term this spring.
The protests remained peaceful, and the police response was uncharacteristically lighthanded. Less than 100 people across the country were arrested, according to the Associated Press.
In addition to a new election, the protest's organizers demanded the resignation of the head of the election commission, new election laws, and freedom for political prisoners, The Guardian reported.
“Everyone is sick of living under this regime which forbids freedom of expression,” a protester told CBS News. “We are against the lies and bankrupt politicians.”
Putin has dismissed popular anger over the election, blaming US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for planting the idea that the vote was rigged in order to destabilize his government.
The protests follow reports from election monitors and Russian citizens that Putin's party, United Russia, engaged in widespread ballot stuffing. Earlier this week, current President Dmitry Medvedev promised an investigation into the allegations of fraud.
Putin has held top positions of power in Russia's government since he became President 12 years ago. He served as President of Russia from 2000 to 2008, before becoming Prime Minister — and he's seeking a third presidential term this spring.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/russian-protesters-streets-alleged-election-fraud-article-1.989677#ixzz1gjpzLoGy
The Saudi Arab Spring Nobody Noticed
Amnesty (International) says the (Saudi) government has drafted an anti-terror law that would effectively criminalise dissent as a “terrorist crime” and allow extended detention without charge or trial. Sound Familiar people? Just like Obama did to americans in the U.S. No coincidence that the U.S. and Saudi Governments are "oil buddies."
~cleanelectric
The Saudi Arab Spring Nobody Noticed
December 8, 2011
~cleanelectric
The Saudi Arab Spring Nobody Noticed
| by Russ Baker | |
Hear the one about the Arab Spring in Saudi Arabia that nobody noticed?
No, this is not a joke. It is a real situation—and a cautionary example of what happens when Western governments and their media are more favorable to some “revolutions” than others.
With the Syrian regime, long out of favor with the West, we heard about the uprising from the beginning. The drumbeat has grown dramatically, along with Western condemnations and moves to isolate the regime for its crackdown on dissent.
In the case of Libya, run by the fiercely independent and eccentric Qaddafi, much of the world’s press credulously rushed to print every rumor about regime excesses, many of them never verified and seemingly untrue. (For more on that, see this and this and this.) The press portrayed the rebels as heroes, and featured almost daily coverage. As NATO launched a creeping intervention which ended with wall to wall bombing, the media accepted its claim that the intervention was to stop Qaddafi from harming or further oppressing his people.
The media quickly took to—and stayed with— the uprising in Egypt, one of the poorest countries in the region, where the West lost an ally but quickly found a new collaborator in a similarly-inclined military junta.
In the case of the mother of all petro-allies, Saudi Arabia, however, protests have been met with near silence by the media and no expressions of sympathy for the dissenters by Western governments.
THE SAUDI STRUGGLE
Here’s the background: On November 21, government troops opened fire on demonstrators in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, killing at least four and injuring more. Given the general paucity of demonstrations in a country where dissent is dealt with fiercely, the unrest and violence seemed a highly newsworthy development.
The next day, the Middle-East-based Al Jazeera English, the “best” Western source of news from the region, punted. Instead of getting direct eyewitness accounts that might anger the Saudi leadership (close allies of the Emir of Qatar, who owns Al Jazeera), the network used an old trick. It quoted a Western news agency, the French outfit Agence France Press, which merely reported the Saudi government’s version of events. (For more on blatant inconsistencies in how Al Jazeera covers different uprisings in the region, see this WhoWhatWhy article)
Two days after Al Jazeera, the Associated Press had its own report, also based on the Saudi spokesman. The article did note “a series of clashes between police and protesters in the country’s Shiite-dominated eastern region, starting in the spring.” It noted:
The Interior Ministry previously blamed what it described as “seditious” residents, saying they attacked security forces with guns and firebombs with the backing of a foreign enemy — an apparent reference to Shiite power Iran.The ministry statement Thursday said the deaths in the new unrest were the result of exchanges of fire since Monday with “unknown criminals,” who it said fired on security checkpoints and vehicles from houses and alleyways.
The purported context comes in the final paragraph:
There is a long history of discord between the kingdom’s Sunni rulers and the Shiite minority concentrated in the east, Saudi Arabia’s key oil-producing region. Shiites make up 10 percent of the kingdom’s 23 million citizens and complain of discrimination, saying they are barred from key positions in the military and government and are not given a proportionate share of the country’s wealth.
The salient point in Saudi Arabia, however, is not really ethnic discrimination, which exists throughout the world. It is the story of the avarice and brutality through which one extended family dominates a country.
In Libya, the uprising was dominated by a distinct tribal opposition, yet it was quickly characterized as representing broad national sentiment, with a kind of nobility and inevitability. Not so (up to now) with reporting on the Saudi protests. In truth, dissatisfaction with the Saudi royal family is hardly limited to the Shiites, and the levels of anger are probably as great and perhaps greater than that felt by the average Libyan toward Qaddafi.
ANOTHER VIEW
Those wanting a closer look at what is going on in Saudi Arabia can go to the site Liveleak, where there’s highly disturbing video accompanied by this text: “Qatif—Firing live bullets at the demonstrators November 21, 2011: Video shows the brutal style Saudi security forces in dealing with the demonstrators by firing live bullets.” Another source is a blog called “Angry Arab News Service,” which features video in which a large and vocal group in Qatif are apparently chanting “Death to the House of Saud”:
That kind of material seems to warrant worldwide attention. And with that, we might reasonably expect the protests to grow. But the coverage has not come, nor the greater uprising.
New York Times
Who’s to blame? Everyone, really. But based on its claim to be the gold standard, we focus on the New York Times. According to a search of the database Nexis-Lexis, the Times ran nothing at all on Qatif until Sunday November 27, when it featured a survey of turmoil throughout the region. A reference to Qatif was buried deep toward the end of the piece, where it would go almost unnoticed.
Yet the Times should have realizing that it was looking at a pattern. After all, the paper did cover a previous incident in Qatif—back in March. It was a single article, with a Beirut dateline.
Saudi police officers opened fire at a protest march in a restive, oil-rich province on Thursday, wounding at least three people, according to witnesses and a Saudi government official.
[Snip]
Witnesses described the small protest march in the eastern city of Qatif as peaceful, but an Interior Ministry spokesman said demonstrators had attacked the police before the officers began firing, Reuters reported.
[Snip]
The clash with protesters in Qatif, located in a heavily Shiite region, underscored longstanding tensions in Saudi society: there is a sense among the Shiite minority that it is discriminated against by a government practicing a zealous form of Sunni orthodoxy.
No emphasis on the self-dealing, greed and barbarity that characterize the Saudi dictatorship. Ironically, that was when demonstrations in Libya were all over the news, with constant emphasis on Qaddafi’s infamy. Here are some New York Times headlines from Libya in the Spring:
Time’s Up, Qaddafi (an opinion piece)
THE REAL STORY
So, what’s the real story in Saudi Arabia? December brought a report from the human rights group Amnesty International, covered as follows by BBC:
Saudi Arabia accused of repression after Arab SpringAmnesty International has accused Saudi Arabia of reacting to the Arab Spring by launching a wave of repression. In a report, the human rights group said hundreds of people had been arrested, many of them without charge or trial.Prominent reformists had been given long sentences following trials Amnesty called “grossly unfair”. So far unrest has largely been confined to the Shia minority in the east of the country.….In its 73-page report published on Thursday, Amnesty accuses the Saudi authorities of arresting hundreds of people for demanding political and social reforms or for calling for the release of relatives detained without charge or trial.The report says that sinceFebruary, when sporadic demonstrations began – in defiance of a permanent national ban on protests – the Saudi government has carried out a crackdown….Since March, more than 300 people who took part in peaceful protests in Qatif, Ahsa and Awwamiya in the east have been detained, Amnesty says. Most have been released, often after promising not to protest again. Many face travel bans.Last week 16 men, including nine prominent reformists, were given sentences ranging from five to 30 years in prison. Amnesty said they were blindfolded and handcuffed during their trial, while their lawyer was not allowed to enter the court for the first three sessions.“Peaceful protesters and supporters of political reform in the country have been targeted for arrest in an attempt to stamp out the kinds of call for reform that have echoed across the region,” said Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa director, Philip Luther.[Snip]Amnesty says that the government continues to detain thousands of people on terrorism-related grounds. Torture and other ill-treatment in detention are widespread, it says – an allegation Saudi Arabia has always denied.[snip]Amnesty says the government has drafted an anti-terror law that would effectively criminalise dissent as a “terrorist crime” and allow extended detention without charge or trial.Questioning the integrity of the king would carry a minimum prison sentence of 10 years, according to Amnesty.[snip]“Rather than deal with legitimate demands, the government is taking the easy route and blaming everything on a conspiracy by the Iranians,” said the activist, who asked not to be named for fear of repercussions.
The takeaway from the Amnesty report is that demonstrators have been active in Saudi Arabia just as long as in Libya and elsewhere, and as consistently—and, as elsewhere, have been dealt with harshly by their government. Somehow, though, this is not deemed a sufficiently important story to cover.
Could it have something to do with Saudi Arabia’s indispensability as an ally and supplier of oil? In which case, traditional news reporting standards do not apply?
And did anyone ask the US government, so quick to condemn Qaddafi for his crackdown on demonstrators, if it had any reaction to the Saudi crackdown on demonstrators? Doesn’t look like it.
Meanwhile, what of this scapegoating of Iran for what seems to be authentic Saudi dissent? How does this dovetail with the overall western effort to characterize Iran as behind every nefarious act, even the ludicrous-sounding plot announced months ago by the White House, in which the Iranians were purportedly trying to recruit Mexican drug gangs to kill the Saudi ambassador to the US?
What of the buildup to an attack on Iran, through the rightwing government of Israeli prime minister Netanyahu— decried even by the heads of Israel’s own intelligence agencies as unjustified and dangerous?
How much of this larger play is about keeping the Saudi royal family in power, and taking care of the Western oil industry, and the “western way of life”?
Consider Libya vs Saudi Arabia. Two oil producers, one unpredictable and unreliable, one tight with the West. Heavy coverage of dissent in one, almost none in the other.
SAUDIS AREN’T WAITING
Saudis know better than to wait for the establishment media to get into the act. One outlier that tends to be ahead of the pack, McClatchy Newspapers, just ran a piece on how Saudi dissidents are turning to YouTube to get their message out. Though Saudi Arabia’s high standard of living is a chestnut in media coverage, the dissidents highlight the disparities in the Kingdom in a homemade video:
One Saudi man he interviews has 11 children to feed and a net monthly income of $1,200, half of which goes to rent. The family has enough money left over only for flour and one meal a day. The imam at the local mosque reveals that in order to raise money for the household, the parents are sending out young sons to sell drugs, and the women engage in prostitution.[snip]While the film doesn’t explicitly explain the “Monopoly” of its title, a leading Saudi human rights activist said in an interview that it comes down to one thing: “All the land is owned de facto and de jure by the royal family.”
The article notes that uprising hasn’t begun yet—in part because of apathy.
But how much is apathy, and how much is Saudis realizing that no one will come to their aid if they risk throwing off their shackles? They cannot count on the handy boost the West gave to revolutions in nearby countries. Nor can they count on the Western media, which brays about its independence and initiative, but, increasingly, shows neither where the West’s precious oil supplies are involved.
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/11/chants-death-to-house-of-saud-in-qatif.html
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/11/chants-death-to-house-of-saud-in-qatif.html
Russ Baker is an award-winning investigative reporter with a track record for making sense of complex and little understood matters-and explaining it to elites and ordinary people alike, using entertaining, accessible writing to inform and involve. he is Editor in Chief of www.WhoWhatWhy.com
Global Research Articles by Russ Baker
Tunisia: Uprising Drives Iron-Fisted Ruler From Power
The Tunisia uprising began one year ago today. — After 23 years of iron-fisted rule, the president of Tunisia was driven from power Friday by violent protests over soaring unemployment and corruption.
The riots started after an educated but jobless 26-year-old committed suicide in mid-December when police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he was selling without a permit. His desperate act hit a nerve, sparked copycat suicides and focused generalized anger against the regime into a widespread, outright revolt.
TUNIS, Tunisia — After 23 years of iron-fisted rule, the president of Tunisia was driven from power Friday by violent protests over soaring unemployment and corruption. Virtually unprecedented in modern Arab history, the populist uprising sent an ominous message to authoritarian governments that dominate the region.
The office of Saudi King Abdullah confirmed early Saturday that ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his family had landed in Saudi Arabia, after several hours of mystery over his whereabouts. "As a result of the Saudi kingdom's respect for the exceptional circumstances the Tunisian people are going through, and with its wish for peace and security to return to the people of Tunisia, we have welcomed" him, the statement said.
Tunisians buoyant over Ben Ali's ouster faced uncertainly, however, about what's next for the North African nation. The country was under the caretaker leadership of the prime minister who took control, the role of the army in the transition was unknown, and it was uncertain whether Ben Ali's departure would be enough to restore calm.
The ouster followed the country's largest protests in generations and weeks of escalating unrest, sparked by one man's suicide and fueled by social media, cell phones and young people who have seen relatively little benefit from Tunisia's recent economic growth. Thousands of demonstrators from all walks of life rejected Ben Ali's promises of change and mobbed Tunis, the capital, to demand that he leave.
The government said at least 23 people have been killed in the riots, but opposition members put the death toll at more than three times that. On Friday, police repeatedly clashed with protesters, some of whom climbed onto the entrance roof of the dreaded Interior Ministry, widely believed for years to be a place where the regime's opponents were tortured.
With clouds of tear gas and black smoke drifting over the city's whitewashed buildings, Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi went on state television to announce that he was assuming power in this North African nation known mostly for its wide sandy beaches and ancient ruins.
"I take over the responsibilities temporarily of the leadership of the country at this difficult time to help restore security," Ghannouchi said in a solemn statement on state television. "I promise ... to respect the constitution, to work on reforming economic and social issues with care and to consult with all sides." The prime minister, a longtime ally of the president, suggested that Ben Ali had willingly handed over control, but the exact circumstances were unclear.
In a string of last-ditch efforts to tamp down the unrest, Ben Ali dissolved the government and promised legislative elections within six months – a pledge that appeared to open at least the possibility of a new government. Before his removal of power was announced, he declared a state of emergency, including a curfew that was in effect Friday night and was to be lifted at 7 a.m. Saturday.
Isolated bursts of gunfire broke a general quiet in the evening. But overnight, in a sign that Ben Ali's departure hadn't fully restored calm, plainclothes police were seen hustling some people off the streets of Tunis: One was clubbed, another was dragged on the ground.
European tour companies moved thousands of tourists out of the country. Foreign airlines halted service to Tunisia, and said the country's airspace had been temporarily shut down.
Ben Ali's downfall sent a potentially frightening message to autocratic leaders across the Arab world, especially because he did not seem especially vulnerable until very recently.
He managed the economy of his small country of 10 million better than many other Middle Eastern nations grappling with calcified economies and booming young populations. He turned Tunisia into a beach haven for tourists, helping create an area of stability in volatile North Africa. There was a lack of civil rights and little or no freedom of speech, but a better quality of life for many than in neighboring countries such as Algeria and Libya.
Ben Ali had won frequent praise from abroad for presiding over reforms to make the economy more competitive and attract business. Growth last year was at 3.1 percent. Unemployment, however, was officially measured at 14 percent, and was far higher – 52 percent – among the young. Despair among job-seeking young graduates was palpable.
The riots started after an educated but jobless 26-year-old committed suicide in mid-December when police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he was selling without a permit. His desperate act hit a nerve, sparked copycat suicides and focused generalized anger against the regime into a widespread, outright revolt.
The president tried vainly to hold onto power. On Thursday night he went on television to promise not to run for re-election in 2014 and slashed prices on key foods such as sugar, bread and milk.
Protesters gathered peacefully Friday in front of the Interior Ministry, but six hours after the demonstration began hundreds of police with shields and riot gear moved in. Helmeted police fired dozens of rounds of tear gas and kicked and clubbed unarmed protesters – one of whom cowered on the ground, covering his face.
A few youths were spotted throwing stones, but most demonstrated calmly. Protesters were of all ages and from all walks of life, from students holding sit-ins in the middle of the street to doctors in white coats and black-robed lawyers waving posters. "A month ago, we didn't believe this uprising was possible," said Beya Mannai, a geology professor at the University of Tunis. "But the people rose up."
"My first reaction is relief," said Dr. Souha Naija, a resident radiologist at Charles Nicole Hospital. "He's gone. ... I finally feel free."
"They got the message. The people don't want a dictator." However, she voiced concern for the future because, officially at least, Ben Ali vacated power only temporarily. "It's ambiguous," she said.
Nejib Chebbi, a founder of the main legal opposition party, said the dramatic developments do not amount to a coup d'etat.
"It's an unannounced resignation," Chebbi said by telephone. To declare a permanent absence of a head of state, such as in a coup, elections would have to be held within 60 days, he said. "So they declare a temporary vacating of power."
U.S. President Barack Obama said he applauded the courage and dignity of protesting Tunisians, and urged all parties to keep calm and avoid violence. Arabs across the region celebrated news of the Tunisian uprising on Twitter, Facebook and blogs. Thousands of tweets congratulating the Tunisian people flooded the Internet, and many people changed their profile pictures to Tunisian flags.
Egyptian activists opposed to President Hosni Mubarak's three-decade regime looked to the events in Tunisia with hope. About 50 gathered outside the Tunisian Embassy in Cairo to celebrate with singing and dancing. They chanted, "Ben Ali, tell Mubarak a plane is waiting for him, too!"
Meanwhile, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists reported that three journalists detained in Tunisia had been released: bloggers Azyz Amamy and Slim Amamou, who were arrested on Jan. 7, and Radio Kalima correspondent Nizar Ben Hasan, who had been taken from his home Tuesday.
CPJ called for the release of journalist Fahem Boukadous, who it said is serving a four-year prison sentence for his coverage of 2008 labor protests. Earlier Friday, swirling speculation about Ben Ali's location had reached such a fevered pitch that the governments of France and Malta – just two of several countries where he was speculated to be heading – put out statements saying they have had no requests to accommodate him. One French official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the French government did not want Ben Ali there.
Ghannouchi is a 69-year-old economist who has been prime minister since 1999 and is among the best-known faces of Tunisia's government. He did not say anything about a coup or about the army being in charge.
Ben Ali, 74, came to power in a bloodless palace coup in 1987. He took over from a man formally called President-for-Life – Habib Bourguiba, the founder of modern-day Tunisia who set the Muslim country on a pro-Western course after independence from France in 1956.
Ben Ali removed Bourguiba from office for "incompetence," saying he had become too old, senile and sick to rule. Ben Ali promised then that his leadership would "open the horizons to a truly democratic and evolved political life." But after a brief period of reforms, Tunisia's political evolution stopped.
Ben Ali consistently won elections with questionable tallies: In 2009, he was re-elected for a fifth five-year term with 89 percent of the vote – and that was the lowest official percentage of any of his victories. Before that vote, he had warned opponents they would face legal retaliation if they questioned the election's fairness.
U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks have called Tunisia a "police state" and described the corruption there, saying Ben Ali had lost touch with his people. Social networks like Facebook helped spread the comments to the delight of ordinary Tunisians, who have complained about the same issues for years.
Under Ben Ali, most opposition parties were illegal. Amnesty International said authorities infiltrated human rights groups and harassed dissenters. Reporters Without Borders described Ben Ali as a "press predator" who controlled the media.
There is little precedent in the Arab world for a ruler being ousted by street protests. In Sudan in 1985, a collapsing economy and other grievances sparked a popular uprising, although the government was eventually ousted by a military coup.
The closest parallel in the broader Middle East comes from Iran – which is not an Arab nation – where mass demonstrations helped topple the shah and usher in the Islamic Republic in 1979.
Tunisia's giant neighbor Algeria saw huge protests before it was shaken by a military coup in 1992, with a five-man leadership put in place after the army canceled the nation's first multiparty legislative elections, which a Muslim fundamentalist party was poised to win. The party, the Islamic Salvation Front, became a vehicle for popular dissent.
There were also massive demonstrations in Lebanon in 2005, dubbed the "Cedar Revolution," but those were directed against Syrian influence in the country and not the Lebanese government per se. The protests led to the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon and the resignation of Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister and fresh elections. Al-Qaida's North African offshoot appeared to try to capitalize on the Tunisian unrest, offering its support for protesters this week. There has been no sign of Islamic extremist involvement in the rioting.
Nicolas Garriga and Oleg Cetinic in Tunis, Angela Doland, Greg Keller and Jamey Keaten in Paris and Hadeel Al-Shalchi in Cairo contributed to this report.
Middle East , Tunisia , Tunisia Revolution , Tunisia Riots , Tunisia Uprising , World News
The office of Saudi King Abdullah confirmed early Saturday that ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his family had landed in Saudi Arabia, after several hours of mystery over his whereabouts. "As a result of the Saudi kingdom's respect for the exceptional circumstances the Tunisian people are going through, and with its wish for peace and security to return to the people of Tunisia, we have welcomed" him, the statement said.
Tunisians buoyant over Ben Ali's ouster faced uncertainly, however, about what's next for the North African nation. The country was under the caretaker leadership of the prime minister who took control, the role of the army in the transition was unknown, and it was uncertain whether Ben Ali's departure would be enough to restore calm.
The ouster followed the country's largest protests in generations and weeks of escalating unrest, sparked by one man's suicide and fueled by social media, cell phones and young people who have seen relatively little benefit from Tunisia's recent economic growth. Thousands of demonstrators from all walks of life rejected Ben Ali's promises of change and mobbed Tunis, the capital, to demand that he leave.
The government said at least 23 people have been killed in the riots, but opposition members put the death toll at more than three times that. On Friday, police repeatedly clashed with protesters, some of whom climbed onto the entrance roof of the dreaded Interior Ministry, widely believed for years to be a place where the regime's opponents were tortured.
With clouds of tear gas and black smoke drifting over the city's whitewashed buildings, Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi went on state television to announce that he was assuming power in this North African nation known mostly for its wide sandy beaches and ancient ruins.
"I take over the responsibilities temporarily of the leadership of the country at this difficult time to help restore security," Ghannouchi said in a solemn statement on state television. "I promise ... to respect the constitution, to work on reforming economic and social issues with care and to consult with all sides." The prime minister, a longtime ally of the president, suggested that Ben Ali had willingly handed over control, but the exact circumstances were unclear.
Isolated bursts of gunfire broke a general quiet in the evening. But overnight, in a sign that Ben Ali's departure hadn't fully restored calm, plainclothes police were seen hustling some people off the streets of Tunis: One was clubbed, another was dragged on the ground.
European tour companies moved thousands of tourists out of the country. Foreign airlines halted service to Tunisia, and said the country's airspace had been temporarily shut down.
Ben Ali's downfall sent a potentially frightening message to autocratic leaders across the Arab world, especially because he did not seem especially vulnerable until very recently.
He managed the economy of his small country of 10 million better than many other Middle Eastern nations grappling with calcified economies and booming young populations. He turned Tunisia into a beach haven for tourists, helping create an area of stability in volatile North Africa. There was a lack of civil rights and little or no freedom of speech, but a better quality of life for many than in neighboring countries such as Algeria and Libya.
Ben Ali had won frequent praise from abroad for presiding over reforms to make the economy more competitive and attract business. Growth last year was at 3.1 percent. Unemployment, however, was officially measured at 14 percent, and was far higher – 52 percent – among the young. Despair among job-seeking young graduates was palpable.
The riots started after an educated but jobless 26-year-old committed suicide in mid-December when police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he was selling without a permit. His desperate act hit a nerve, sparked copycat suicides and focused generalized anger against the regime into a widespread, outright revolt.
The president tried vainly to hold onto power. On Thursday night he went on television to promise not to run for re-election in 2014 and slashed prices on key foods such as sugar, bread and milk.
Protesters gathered peacefully Friday in front of the Interior Ministry, but six hours after the demonstration began hundreds of police with shields and riot gear moved in. Helmeted police fired dozens of rounds of tear gas and kicked and clubbed unarmed protesters – one of whom cowered on the ground, covering his face.
A few youths were spotted throwing stones, but most demonstrated calmly. Protesters were of all ages and from all walks of life, from students holding sit-ins in the middle of the street to doctors in white coats and black-robed lawyers waving posters. "A month ago, we didn't believe this uprising was possible," said Beya Mannai, a geology professor at the University of Tunis. "But the people rose up."
"My first reaction is relief," said Dr. Souha Naija, a resident radiologist at Charles Nicole Hospital. "He's gone. ... I finally feel free."
"They got the message. The people don't want a dictator." However, she voiced concern for the future because, officially at least, Ben Ali vacated power only temporarily. "It's ambiguous," she said.
Nejib Chebbi, a founder of the main legal opposition party, said the dramatic developments do not amount to a coup d'etat.
"It's an unannounced resignation," Chebbi said by telephone. To declare a permanent absence of a head of state, such as in a coup, elections would have to be held within 60 days, he said. "So they declare a temporary vacating of power."
U.S. President Barack Obama said he applauded the courage and dignity of protesting Tunisians, and urged all parties to keep calm and avoid violence. Arabs across the region celebrated news of the Tunisian uprising on Twitter, Facebook and blogs. Thousands of tweets congratulating the Tunisian people flooded the Internet, and many people changed their profile pictures to Tunisian flags.
Egyptian activists opposed to President Hosni Mubarak's three-decade regime looked to the events in Tunisia with hope. About 50 gathered outside the Tunisian Embassy in Cairo to celebrate with singing and dancing. They chanted, "Ben Ali, tell Mubarak a plane is waiting for him, too!"
Meanwhile, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists reported that three journalists detained in Tunisia had been released: bloggers Azyz Amamy and Slim Amamou, who were arrested on Jan. 7, and Radio Kalima correspondent Nizar Ben Hasan, who had been taken from his home Tuesday.
CPJ called for the release of journalist Fahem Boukadous, who it said is serving a four-year prison sentence for his coverage of 2008 labor protests. Earlier Friday, swirling speculation about Ben Ali's location had reached such a fevered pitch that the governments of France and Malta – just two of several countries where he was speculated to be heading – put out statements saying they have had no requests to accommodate him. One French official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the French government did not want Ben Ali there.
Ghannouchi is a 69-year-old economist who has been prime minister since 1999 and is among the best-known faces of Tunisia's government. He did not say anything about a coup or about the army being in charge.
Ben Ali, 74, came to power in a bloodless palace coup in 1987. He took over from a man formally called President-for-Life – Habib Bourguiba, the founder of modern-day Tunisia who set the Muslim country on a pro-Western course after independence from France in 1956.
Ben Ali removed Bourguiba from office for "incompetence," saying he had become too old, senile and sick to rule. Ben Ali promised then that his leadership would "open the horizons to a truly democratic and evolved political life." But after a brief period of reforms, Tunisia's political evolution stopped.
Ben Ali consistently won elections with questionable tallies: In 2009, he was re-elected for a fifth five-year term with 89 percent of the vote – and that was the lowest official percentage of any of his victories. Before that vote, he had warned opponents they would face legal retaliation if they questioned the election's fairness.
U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks have called Tunisia a "police state" and described the corruption there, saying Ben Ali had lost touch with his people. Social networks like Facebook helped spread the comments to the delight of ordinary Tunisians, who have complained about the same issues for years.
Under Ben Ali, most opposition parties were illegal. Amnesty International said authorities infiltrated human rights groups and harassed dissenters. Reporters Without Borders described Ben Ali as a "press predator" who controlled the media.
There is little precedent in the Arab world for a ruler being ousted by street protests. In Sudan in 1985, a collapsing economy and other grievances sparked a popular uprising, although the government was eventually ousted by a military coup.
The closest parallel in the broader Middle East comes from Iran – which is not an Arab nation – where mass demonstrations helped topple the shah and usher in the Islamic Republic in 1979.
Tunisia's giant neighbor Algeria saw huge protests before it was shaken by a military coup in 1992, with a five-man leadership put in place after the army canceled the nation's first multiparty legislative elections, which a Muslim fundamentalist party was poised to win. The party, the Islamic Salvation Front, became a vehicle for popular dissent.
There were also massive demonstrations in Lebanon in 2005, dubbed the "Cedar Revolution," but those were directed against Syrian influence in the country and not the Lebanese government per se. The protests led to the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon and the resignation of Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister and fresh elections. Al-Qaida's North African offshoot appeared to try to capitalize on the Tunisian unrest, offering its support for protesters this week. There has been no sign of Islamic extremist involvement in the rioting.
Nicolas Garriga and Oleg Cetinic in Tunis, Angela Doland, Greg Keller and Jamey Keaten in Paris and Hadeel Al-Shalchi in Cairo contributed to this report.
Middle East , Tunisia , Tunisia Revolution , Tunisia Riots , Tunisia Uprising , World News
(pics) Politicians: Stupid Is What Stupid Does
"A vote for me is a vote for you. ....
...and if you believe that listen to Newt."
This is what Newt thinks of people:
"84 ethics violations? Who the fuck cares?
They are all a bunch of stupid idiots anyway."
"I am a better liar than the others. I am a shell game master!
I keep my money in the Seychelles.
O.K. you got me there, it's all really in the Camans."
"It's my turn to be on top!"
"You Slut !! Birth control is for whores !! "
(but Vicoden is OK)
...so my wife is
A: on the pill
B: I am impotant
C: I am gay
Drill Baby Drill !!!
"I love it when you talk dirty."
Occupy Together
Goldman Sachs Exec Quits, Claiming Firm Is Morally Bankrupt
By David Schepp , Posted Mar 14th 2012 @ 9:46AM
In what may become a textbook example of how to burn a career bridge, a soon-to-depart Goldman Sachs employee has sounded off in an op-ed in The New York Times, warning that the investment bank's culture is little more than a toxic stew of greed that bears little resemblance to its once illustrious past.
In what may become a textbook example of how to burn a career bridge, a soon-to-depart Goldman Sachs employee has sounded off in an op-ed in The New York Times, warning that the investment bank's culture is little more than a toxic stew of greed that bears little resemblance to its once illustrious past.
Greg Smith (pictured), who serves as head of the firm's U.S. equity derivatives business in Europe, is leaving the firm today after 12 years with the Wall Street icon. As Smith writes, his departure is being driven by what he says is a shift in leadership style that no longer places clients' interests ahead of the firm's.
In his piece, Smith pulls no punches, holding current CEO Lloyd Blankfein and President Gary Cohn accountable for losing hold of the firm's once cherished culture that valued clients' interest above all else and helped make Goldman Sachs the world's premier investment bank.
"[T]he interests of the client continue to be sidelined in the way the firm operates and thinks about making money," Smith writes. "I truly believe that this decline in the firm's moral fiber represents the single most serious threat to its long-run survival."
The Goldman Sachs of today not only places little concern in the needs of its customers, says Smith, who is based in London, but internally mocks them.
"I don't know of any illegal behavior, but will people push the envelope and pitch lucrative and complicated products to clients even if they are not the simplest investments or the ones most directly aligned with the client's goals? Absolutely. Every day, in fact."
Of course, not everyone believes Smith's rant was simply a polemic written by a well-intentioned albeit disgruntled employee.
As conservative opinion writer David Frum tweeted: "Nice of NYT to give Mr. Smith such a prominent ad for his new financial firm," apparently referring to a new venture Smith is embarking on.
Many other voices across Twitter weighed in. Robert Peston, business editor for the BBC, wrote: "This attack on Goldman Sachs from resigning exec is astonishing. The damage to the firm could be pretty serious."
Investment manager and media contributor Prashant Agrawal tweeted that Smith's column is "about to become the most famous #quit letter ever."
Others were more whimsical, such as this from Slate political reporter Dave Weigel, who tweeted: What I learned today: There's a job opening at Goldman Sachs. #dollardollarbills"
What's the potential fallout from Smith's rant? In The New York Times' own reporting on Smith's column, it observes, "The way he resigned from Goldman Sachs, and what he had to say, could reignite a debate over how much Wall Street has changed in the wake of the financial crisis."
Next: With Bonuses Slashed, Wall Street Is In Crisis
In his piece, Smith pulls no punches, holding current CEO Lloyd Blankfein and President Gary Cohn accountable for losing hold of the firm's once cherished culture that valued clients' interest above all else and helped make Goldman Sachs the world's premier investment bank.
"[T]he interests of the client continue to be sidelined in the way the firm operates and thinks about making money," Smith writes. "I truly believe that this decline in the firm's moral fiber represents the single most serious threat to its long-run survival."
The Goldman Sachs of today not only places little concern in the needs of its customers, says Smith, who is based in London, but internally mocks them.
"I don't know of any illegal behavior, but will people push the envelope and pitch lucrative and complicated products to clients even if they are not the simplest investments or the ones most directly aligned with the client's goals? Absolutely. Every day, in fact."
Of course, not everyone believes Smith's rant was simply a polemic written by a well-intentioned albeit disgruntled employee.
As conservative opinion writer David Frum tweeted: "Nice of NYT to give Mr. Smith such a prominent ad for his new financial firm," apparently referring to a new venture Smith is embarking on.
Many other voices across Twitter weighed in. Robert Peston, business editor for the BBC, wrote: "This attack on Goldman Sachs from resigning exec is astonishing. The damage to the firm could be pretty serious."
Investment manager and media contributor Prashant Agrawal tweeted that Smith's column is "about to become the most famous #quit letter ever."
Others were more whimsical, such as this from Slate political reporter Dave Weigel, who tweeted: What I learned today: There's a job opening at Goldman Sachs. #dollardollarbills"
What's the potential fallout from Smith's rant? In The New York Times' own reporting on Smith's column, it observes, "The way he resigned from Goldman Sachs, and what he had to say, could reignite a debate over how much Wall Street has changed in the wake of the financial crisis."
Next: With Bonuses Slashed, Wall Street Is In Crisis
Indonesia : Higher Fuel Prices : Citizens and Government Dissagree
Pertemuan Cikeas Belum Capai Putusan Soal BBM
Rabu, 14 Maret 2012 23:40 WIB
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BOGOR -- Hampir empat jam pertemuan para petinggi partai koalisi di Cikeas, tetapi tak ada keputusan pasti mengenai kesepakatan dalam mengusung kenaikan harga BBM. Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono menjelaskan pertemuan tersebut sifatnya memberikan penjelasan kepada partai koalisi dan menerima masukan dari partai-partai yang ada.
"Pertemuan tadi terjadi dengan konstruktif disamping saya dan pemerintah menjalaskan tentang perekonomian terkini dan kenapa dilakukan policy respon dan rencana-rencana tentang APBN-P. Saya juga berikan kesempatan kepada pimpinan parpol untuk menyampaikan pandangan dan rekonmendasinya," katanya Rabu malam sekitar pukul 22.30.
Pandangan dan usulan dari semua parpol koalisi dinilainya baik dan konstruktif. SBY juga menginginkan agar semua pihak menjalankan konstruksi dan menyelamatkan perekonomian Indonesia dari tekanan yang ada.
Namun, ia menegaskan forum yang dilakukan tidak menggantikan forum yang diamanatkan UU, yakni pembahasan di DPR. "Jadi sekali lagi, keputusan tidak pada forum konsultasi ini. Tapi pada UU yang berlaku," katanya.
Meskipun demikian, lanjutnya, pemerintahan yang dibangunnya adalah pemerintahan yang dibangun bersama parpol. "Jadi bagaimana pun ada misi bersama parpol untuk merumuskan kebijakan yang baik dan setelah diputuskan nanti dikawal dan diamankan agar berjalan dengan baik," katanya.
Dalam pertemuan tersebut, semua Ketua Umum serta Sekjen partai koalisi hadir disamping menteri-menteri terkait. Tampak dalam konferensi pers, Wapres Boediono, Menko Perekonomian Hatta Rajasa, Mensesneg Sudi Silalahi, Menteri ESDM Jero Wacik, Menteri Keuangan Agus Martowardojo. Ketum Partai Golkar Aburizal Bakrie, Ketum PPP Suryadharma Ali, Ketum PKB Muhaimin Iskandar, Presiden PKS Lutfi Hasan Ishaq, ketum PD Anas Urbaningrum, Sekjen PD Edhie Baskoro
Translation to English:"Pertemuan tadi terjadi dengan konstruktif disamping saya dan pemerintah menjalaskan tentang perekonomian terkini dan kenapa dilakukan policy respon dan rencana-rencana tentang APBN-P. Saya juga berikan kesempatan kepada pimpinan parpol untuk menyampaikan pandangan dan rekonmendasinya," katanya Rabu malam sekitar pukul 22.30.
Pandangan dan usulan dari semua parpol koalisi dinilainya baik dan konstruktif. SBY juga menginginkan agar semua pihak menjalankan konstruksi dan menyelamatkan perekonomian Indonesia dari tekanan yang ada.
Namun, ia menegaskan forum yang dilakukan tidak menggantikan forum yang diamanatkan UU, yakni pembahasan di DPR. "Jadi sekali lagi, keputusan tidak pada forum konsultasi ini. Tapi pada UU yang berlaku," katanya.
Meskipun demikian, lanjutnya, pemerintahan yang dibangunnya adalah pemerintahan yang dibangun bersama parpol. "Jadi bagaimana pun ada misi bersama parpol untuk merumuskan kebijakan yang baik dan setelah diputuskan nanti dikawal dan diamankan agar berjalan dengan baik," katanya.
Dalam pertemuan tersebut, semua Ketua Umum serta Sekjen partai koalisi hadir disamping menteri-menteri terkait. Tampak dalam konferensi pers, Wapres Boediono, Menko Perekonomian Hatta Rajasa, Mensesneg Sudi Silalahi, Menteri ESDM Jero Wacik, Menteri Keuangan Agus Martowardojo. Ketum Partai Golkar Aburizal Bakrie, Ketum PPP Suryadharma Ali, Ketum PKB Muhaimin Iskandar, Presiden PKS Lutfi Hasan Ishaq, ketum PD Anas Urbaningrum, Sekjen PD Edhie Baskoro
The Meeting Has Not Yet Achieved The Verdict About Cikeas BBM
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 11: 40 WIB
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BOGOR--nearly four-hour meeting of the coalition party officials in Cikeas, but no definite decision on the agreement in carrying the increase in fuel prices. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono described the meeting is giving an explanation to the parties of the coalition and receive input from existing parties.
"The meeting was going on with me and my Government's constructive addition to menjalaskan about the current economy and why do policy response and plans about the BUDGET-P. I also give an opportunity to the leadership of the political party to convey views and rekonmendasinya, "he said Wednesday night at about 22.30.
The views and proposals of all the political parties of the Coalition dinilainya good and constructive. YUDHOYONO also wanted to keep all parties run construction and save the economy of Indonesia from the pressure.
However, he stressed that the forum does not replace the forum mandated Act, namely the discussion in the House. "So again, no decision on this consultation forum. But on the LAW in force, "he said.
Nevertheless, he continued, the Government is to build a Government that was built along the Centre. "So how ever there is a joint mission of the Centre to formulate good policies and after it was decided later escorted and secured to run well," he said.
In the meeting, the Chairman and the General Secretary of the all party coalition present besides the Ministers concerned. It looks in the press conference, Vice President Boediono, Coordinating Minister for the economy Hatta Rajasa, Secretary of State, Minister of MINERAL RESOURCES Silalahi Jero Wacik, Minister of finance Agus Martowardojo. Ketum Golkar, Aburizal Bakrie Suryadharma Ali Ketum PPP, PKB Muhaimin Iskandar Ketum, President of MCC Lutfi Hassan Ishaq, Anas Urbaningrum ketum PD PD Edhie Baskoro, Secretary General
(pics) Forced Fossil Fuel Consumption = War For Profit = Money in Politics
Bush 9/11 Inaction from NewsFocus on Vimeo.
http://www.911truth.org/
LIBYA
RICK SANTORUM
NATURAL GAS BURN OFF
EGYPT
OIL SPILL
NIGERIA
BP, HALIBURTON
DEEPWATER HORIZON DISASTER
PALESTINE
TOXIC COAL SLURRY SPILL
SAN BRUNO NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION
DESTROYED NEIGHBORHOOD
KILLED 8
SYRIA
COAL FIRED ELECTRICITY PLANT
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
CHEVRON OIL TANKER
CONDALEEZA RICE
GEORGE BUSH ABOARD AIRCRAFT CARRIER
STEAMING TO IRAQ
CONDALEEZA RICE ABOARD AIRCRAFT CARRIER
STEAMING TO IRAQ
Our Military, Our politicians, and "our" oil. Looks Pretty Mickey Mouse to the rest of the world.
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ELAINE GANLEY and BOUAZZA BEN BOUAZZA 01/14/11 11:53 PM ET Associated Press