Category: politics

When events like the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt occur, for a moment the politicians and media are stunned enough to allow a different kind of thinking to emerge, the kind of thinking that acknowledged that underneath all the “business as usual” behaviour of the world’s peoples, the yearning for a world based on solidarity, caring for each other, freedom, self-determination, justice, non-violence and yes, even love and generosity, remains a potent and unquenchable thirst that may be temporarily repressed but never fully extinguished. Full article.

Now Mubarak and his cronies have switched to direct confrontation and the risk of a full-scale bloodbath – after more than 300 people have already been killed – presumably as a prelude to demands that the army take control to keep the “two sides” apart.

It’s the latest and potentially deadliest of the regime’s counterattacks against the tide of popular pressure for change. First there was the withdrawal of police from the streets, orchestrated looting and armed provocations apparently staged to scare people into submission with the threat of chaos and social breakdown.

The manoeuvres at the top of the regime have transparently been choreographed in Washington. Mubarak’s declaration on Tuesday night followed hard on the heels of a visit from the Obama administration’s envoy, Frank Wisner, a paid lobbyist of the Egyptian government, who was reported to have “urged” the Egyptian president not to stand again.

Full article.

It’s too late for the US government to play broker as it seems to be seeking to do. And it’s too late for Mubarak to maintain power. The struggle is in the hands of the people of Egypt, and the view from the streets of Cairo is that the struggle will go on.

Hours after Mubarak’s speech, US President Barack Obama, who has stood staunchly behind Mubarak, addressed the world. Obama said it was not the role of the United States to choose the leaders of another country. However it is billions of dollars’ worth of US aid that has helped the dictatorship build the repressive state security apparatus that prevents the Egyptian people from exercising their self-determination.

Full article.

If they get Democracy they will elect extremists”: The implication that democracy is not to be trusted in the hands of “certain” nations, people and religions is offensive, racist and ignorant. You do not claim to value human rights, democracy and freedom and then make exclusions based on race, nationality and religion. Don’t say this shit. (from “A Guide: How Not To Say Stupid Stuff About Egypt”)

Human Rights Watch confirmed several cases of undercover police loyal to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s regime committing acts of violence and looting in an attempt to stoke fear of instability.

Peter Bouckaert, the emergency director at Human Rights Watch, said hospitals confirmed that they received several wounded looters shot by the army carrying police identification cards. They also found several cases of looters and vandals in Cairo and Alexandria with police identification cards. He added that it was “unexplainable” that thousands of prisoners escaped from prisons over the weekend.

Full article.

Jordan’s Royal Palace says the king has sacked his government in the wake of street protests and has asked an ex-army general to form a new Cabinet. Full article.

Let us take our cue from our brave sisters and brothers who are resisting injustice in Egypt and Tunisia and Yemen, in Iraq and Palestine, and Lebanon and Afghanistan and let us never stop working towards freedom and a life with dignity for oppressed peoples in the Middle East as well as here at home. Let it be known that we too are not afraid. Full article.

Right now, CNN gives us world news from a U.S. perspective and the BBC gives us world news from an English perspective,” says Rasenberger, who worked on American distribution deals for AJE. “This channel gives us world news from a truly global perspective.” Full article.

some context – how revolution happens.

un-believe-able! so who’s the champion of democracy again? read full article here.

Just like our sisters and brothers in other parts of the world, we will need new voices, perspectives, and modes of communication to rethink our nation’s values, its policies, and its relationship to the global community at this crossroads moment in American and world history. The age of relying on expert opinion is coming to a spectacular demise. Full article.