NDP, BDS and The Canadian Boat to Gaza

Although a certain part of me is screaming "now is not the time". . .  because we have a federal government that is launching a serious attack on working people, the poor,  and families, I know many of you will be saying - Margaret Anne - we should be sticking together now. . . nevertheless,  I am compelled to do the following. . .

Since I could vote,  I have worked for, voted for and donated to the NDP.  I have run as a candidate provincially and federally, for the party. I will continue to vote for them (what choice do I have, other than withdrawing from the process??) and will even remain a member, but today, I have cancelled my monthly automatic donations (PACs) to both the provincial and federal NDP.

I figure there is little point in doing so, unless I publicize why - so this is my post today.

I have cancelled my PACs (automatic monthly donations) over Gaza, Palestinians generally, the Canadian Boat to Gaza and the Nova Scotia Trade Mission to Israel.  I will be explicit and I hope educational in the following.

First the province -- in the news yesterday I heard that Premier Dexter is "leading a Trade Mission to Israel this fall."  I could hardly believe it but I looked it up and sure enough they are actually promoting it on the government website.

Now, here's the thing - there is an International Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement.  According to the website:   http://www.bdsmovement.net/bdsintro

For decades, Israel has denied Palestinians their fundamental rights of freedom, equality, and self-determination through ethnic cleansing, colonization, racial discrimination, and military occupation. Despite abundant condemnation of Israeli policies by the UN, other international bodies, and preeminent human rights organisations, the world community has failed to hold Israel accountable and enforce compliance with basic principles of law. Israel’s crimes have continued with impunity.
In view of this continued failure, Palestinian civil society called for a global citizens’ response. On July 9 2005, a year after the International Court of Justice’s historic advisory opinion on the illegality of Israel’s Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), a clear majority of Palestinian civil society called upon their counterparts and people of conscience all over the world to launch broad boycotts, implement divestment initiatives, and to demand sanctions against Israel, until Palestinian rights are recognised in full compliance with international law.

There are National and International groups helping to enforce and expand BDS in countries around the world.    In Canada there is   http://www.independentjewishvoices.ca/   and  http://www.cjpme.org/  and,  in particular I draw your attention to: http://ijvcanada.org/ijv-vji-statements-enonces/letters-to-the-press/nova-scotia-should-not-be-choosing-sides/  which is specifically about the Premier's trip to Israel and why it is wrong.   I found it compelling enough to take this action - it says in part:

At a time when the world community is working to resolve the situation, when Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups are increasingly vocal and suffering for it, when even U.S. President Barack Obama has challenged Israel’s policies, Nova Scotia should not be going the other way. Sometimes, friends need to tell friends they are wrong and back it up with action. And if Nova Scotia cannot, or will not, do this, it should step to the side and stop making things worse.

I encourage others to cancel your PAC (not your membership/critical support)  and let the provincial NDP in N.S. know why . . .   Would you pay for a government that supported South African Apartheid or segregation in the U.S.?  I didn't think so - if you support this Trade Mission - you are on the wrong side!!!!

Federally, I was appalled to find Jack Layton telling the people risking life and limb on the Canadian Boat to Gaza; like anti-apartheid work in S.A. or freedom riders (some of whom died) in the U.S. . .   that they should abandon this mission and work through "international channels and organizations". . .    Uh?  WTF?

 You can find info on the Tahrir - the Canadian Boat to Gaza - here.

I also enjoyed this video:

Gaza Island from Albino Squirrel Channel on Vimeo.


There have been U.N. resolutions and investigations and reports and they all condemn the actions of Israel for mass punishment of Gaza, breaking International Law at sea,  and in the building of illegal settlements, taking over Palestinian land, and a myriad of injustices done daily to Palestinians in Israel and the West Bank.  I was made to pay attention when the shelling began in late 2009 - remember Operation Cast Lead - the massacre of Gazan women and children?  Gaza ia a little strip of land - bordering Egypt, Israel and the Mediterranean.
It is about 40 km long and about 6-12 km long - smaller in space than many cities.  There are over 1.5 million people live in the Gaza Strip and there is no legal way in or out for most people.   In Operation Cast Lead Israel  began shelling this imprisoned population killing over 1400 Palestinians, over half of them women and children.  At this point I got active in Palestinian support work.  It was like putting people in prison and then shooting at them.   After that Israel will not led all aid in . . .   there is a crazy list of prohibited materials not just building materials like concrete and rebar but also foodstuffs and toys that are randomly prohibited.   Business cannot be carried on and it is the only country in the world where 70% of the population lives on humanitarian aid.



All this condemnation comes from the U.N., it is true,  but then nothing. At some point, "the people" and not governments (since they apparently will not)  have to stand up and say - "We are not going to permit this anymore"!  I am not well organized enough (and have family and work commitments) but in my heart I am on that boat to Gaza. . .     I was on the Mavi Marmara in spirit and felt the repercussions - what if it had been me?

If you had a way to defend people wouldn't you take it?  The NDP press release from June 9th says:

• Statement on Gaza flotillas

  June 9, 2011

  In difficult situations of conflict, it is important to respect people’s right to peaceful protest, and the protection and safety of all parties involved must be a priority.
  Earlier this week, I met with the Israeli Ambassador and urged the government of Israel to lift the blockade of Gaza. I also indicated that it was not New Democrat policy to support the flotilla but reiterated New Democrats’ concern for the safety of protesters and urged that the utmost caution be used.

This is not enough, not strong enough -- perhaps there are some international "niceties" being observed here - but to say that . . .  well we don't think they are doing the right thing ("New Democrats do not support the Flotilla") and we'll ask them to reconsider going?  Safety may be a priority but this has no teeth - so I guess the NDP is OK with letting those Canadians stand up for an (they agree) illegal blockade, on their own with no support, not even a "good on ya", for taking this on. 

So join the BDS movement - educate yourself about Gaza,  the issues of Palestinians generally and the injustices and violence done to them by the "western" and friendly state of Israel.     You can start with: 
http://www.icahd.org/?page_id=76  and some of the Canadian sites/links above.

And then, maybe we can get the NDP leadership onside on this issue -- they should be on the side of the angels.   Check out this letter to Jack Layton from one of the Canadians - David Heap - who will be travelling on that flotilla to break the blockade (an illegal blockade I might add, which Jack Layton says he agrees is illegal) but cannot support the Boat or support the Canadians who will be on it. In part Heap says:

Those opposed to justice will always try to intimidate those who stand on the side of the oppressed: our work must always be to face these risks nonviolently and not give in to intimidation. These risks are greatly reduced (though not eliminated) by solidarity: we are safer when we walk with others on a picket line, and we will be safer on the Canadian Boat to Gaza because of the many Canadians who have contributed to our campaign and who will be following our progress towards Gaza.

Will you stand with us, and with them? Or will you stand on the sidelines of history?
Pulitzer-winning author Alice Walker, who will be on the U.S. Boat to Gaza, has called our Freedom Flotilla the "Freedom Ride of this era”.

So my money will be going to the Canadian Boat to Gaza and not to the NDP.   It is painful but it had to be done.

Sunday musings

Great article by Antonia Zerbisias about Ottawa's approach to women and the request (I did not hear about this anywhere else) for as she says:

Funding for more than 20 established organizations that have helped women make great strides has been yanked by Status of Women Canada.

Nobody has explained the cuts.

That’s why, next Wednesday, both current minister Rona Ambrose and former minister Helena Guergis have been summoned to a special meeting of the House of Common’s Standing Committee on the Status of Women to explain their funding decisions and criteria.

“The committee does not believe that it has the data it requires to assess whether the department is funding appropriately according to its mandate,” says committee chair Hedy Fry, who was SWC minister in the Chretien government.

Women's groups cuts, equality for women cut as a goal and nobody to do the explaining. . . thank you to the committee for trying to bring some light to this . . .

Zerbisias provides further info about the cuts and what is being funded - bibles, bible colleges - this is scary changes to policy:

Consider the silence from the Conservatives on continued funding by Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, which helps women and girls in 174 countries.

Meanwhile, CIDA announced $357,146 for the Prince Albert, Sask.-based Chakam School of the Bible Inc. to build a school in Sudan.

Then there’s the $495,600 CIDA grant to Wycliffe Bible Translators of Calgary, which works so that aboriginal people in far-flung corners of the world can read the scriptures in their native languages.

“It’s okay to translate the Bible,” says Demers. “But there are aboriginal women here who are dying.”

In fact, adds Demers, groups seeking CIDA funding are being told to leave the phrase “gender equity” out of their grant applications.

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Also thinking about Gaza today and the flotilla of ships on their way to hopefully break the seige of Gaza. See this article on Al Jazeera . . . Imagine 1.5 million people trapped in a prison strip of land, with no employment, not enough calories and no way to "escape" and no where to escape to. . . I cannot understand why there is not a huge outcry about Israel's policy of collective punishment of all of the people of Gaza. This piece says in part:

Ultimately Israel is faced with two questions: does it continue its policy of collective punishment and prevent the flotilla from entering Gaza until Gazans succumb to Israeli demands? Or does it allow the aid to enter and attempt to demonstrate to the world that Israel does in fact respect human rights?

Unfortunately neither of these options bode well for the Israelis, option one for the obvious public outcry that will spill out as a result of 800 people stranded in the water. And although option two would be smarter from a public relations perspective, it would be an indirect admission by Israel that its policy of collective punishment and continued siege is flawed, not to mention illegal.

It seems Israel only has a few days left before it is to make up its mind on what could be one of its toughest tests yet. And it is posing these questions that make the Freedom Flotilla so significant.

I have been and supporting the International BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement, boycotting Chapters and MEC (formal boycott's although I am not sure that I agree with the decision to boycott MEC) and informally products made in Israel and O Solo Mio shoes since about half their stock id from Israel. See this new article about the success of the Cultural BDS movement.

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Also musing this morning, about Internet privacy and whether to stay on Facebook. I have started blogging more (here - www.musingsfromtheshore.blogspot.com), tweeting, (ma_mchugh) and emailing people so that I am not so dependent on facebook. I feel like if I remove myself entirely from FB I am going to miss out on knowing about events and even keeping up to date with news outside the mainstream. . . but I do not want to be participating in the data mining (I am not too worried about my own data - go ahead and try to use my Palestinian Solidarity or feminist rants to sell me something personally!) as I am a large FB user - posting and reading other's posts more than once a day.

Lots of links to thoughtful discussion on FB and its challenges and also on Google, who are in trouble for collecting our data though they say they have not used it. I am in kind of future shock especially on what info corporations have on me - the issue is articulated in the Times Online:

Facebook’s privacy policy is now 5,830 words long, more than the US Constitution. “Our online selves are not just stuff for databases, they are part of us. Facebook has no real respect for its customers,” said Milan.

So far the charge has been led by the technorati. Danah Boyd, a Microsoft researcher and top tech blogger, wrote: “The battle that is under way is not a battle over the future of privacy and publicity. It’s a battle over choice and informed consent. It’s unfolding because people are being duped, tricked, coerced and confused into doing things where they don’t understand the consequences.

“Facebook keeps saying that it gives users choices, but that is unfair. It gives users the illusion of choice and hides the details from them ‘for their own good’.”

Other influential techies, including Cory Doctorow, co-editor of the weblog Boing Boing, have already quit Facebook. More worryingly for the firm, the controversy is getting increasing attention in Washington DC.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (Epic), an advocacy group, has asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Facebook changes that have meant more information is made public by default and also shared automatically with other websites.

Lots of other discussions about this. I am looking at torproject.org and chi.mp as replacements although not entirely, of course - they do different things. . . - and of course this blog which will allow me to only post once a day to FB - until I decide whether to get out entirely.

Another interesting article can be found on the Economist site - yup everyone is now worried. . .

As the Economist says:

Facebook’s problem is more fundamental. True, the social network has some of the most extensive privacy controls on the web, but these have now become so complex—and are tweaked so often—that even privacy experts find them bamboozling. The company also has a powerful incentive to push people into revealing more information. Facebook generates most of its revenue from targeted advertisements based on users’ demography and interests, so the more data users share publicly the more money it can mint from ads. It may well be betting that users are now so hooked that they are unlikely to revolt against a gradual loosening of privacy safeguards.

The worst thing is Facebook’s underlying prejudice against privacy. Sign up and it assumes you want to share as much data as possible; if not, you have to change the settings, which can be a fiddly business. The presumption should be exactly the opposite: the default should be tight privacy controls, which users may then loosen if they choose. If Facebook fails to simplify and improve its privacy policy, it will justly risk the wrath of regulators—and many more Facebook suicides.

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Lastly I was very impressed with an article on Racism in Nova Scotia found in the Globe and Mail this weekend. . .

Picture from the Globe and mail article linked above. . .