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January 12th, 2009
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From Italy to Palestine: Vittorio Arrigoni writes from Gaza
Vittorio Arrigoni is an Italian human rights activist who is currently in Gaza, one of a number of activists who arrived with the Free Gaza movement. Vittorio (Vik) blogs at Guerrilla Radio [it], and also writes for the Italian newspaper Il Manifesto. His posts vividly describe what the people of Gaza are experiencing right now. In one, a doctor describes the effects of the white phosphorus shells Israel is accused of using: “He said that what was totally inexplicable was the total absence of eyeballs, which even in the case of trauma of that magnitude should stay in place, at least traces of them.”
In a post on January 8, also published at Il Manifesto, Vittorio writes:
“Prendi dei gattini, dei teneri micetti e mettili dentro una scatola” mi dice Jamal, chirurgo dell'ospedale Al Shifa, il principale di Gaza, mentre un infermiere pone per terra dinnanzi a noi proprio un paio di scatoloni di cartone, coperti di chiazze di sangue. “Sigilla la scatola, quindi con tutto il tuo peso e la tua forza saltaci sopra sino a quando senti scricchiolare gli ossicini, e l'ultimo miagolio soffocato.” Fisso gli scatoloni attonito, il dottore continua “Cerca ora di immaginare cosa accadrebbe subito dopo la diffusione di una scena del genere, la reazione giustamente sdegnata dell'opinione pubblica mondiale, le denunce delle organizzazioni animaliste…” il dottore continua il suo racconto e io non riesco a spostare un attimo gli occhi da quelle scatole poggiate dinnanzi ai miei piedi. “Israele ha rinchiuso centinaia di civili in una scuola come in una scatola, decine di bambini, e poi la schiacciata con tutto il peso delle sue bombe. E quale sono state le reazioni nel mondo? Quasi nulla. Tanto valeva nascere animali, piuttosto che palestinesi, saremmo stati più tutelati.”
A questo punto il dottore si china verso una scatola, e me la scoperchia dinnanzi. Dentro ci sono contenuti gli arti mutilati, braccia e gambe, dal ginocchio in giù o interi femori, amputati ai feriti provenienti dalla scuola delle Nazioni Unite Al Fakhura di Jabalia, più di cinquanta finora le vittime. Fingo una telefonata urgente, mi congedo da Jamal, in realtà mi dirigo verso i servizi igienici, mi piego in due e vomito.
At this point, the doctor bends towards one of the boxes, and opens it in front of me. Inside are mutilated limbs, arms and legs from the knee down or entire femurs, amputated from the injured who had come from the UN Fakhura School in Jabalia, more than 50 victims until now. Pretending I had an urgent phone call, I take my leave of Jamal; in fact, I head to the toilet, double up, and vomit.
Poco prima mi ero intrattenuto in una discussione con il dottor Abdel, oftalmologo, circa i rumors, le voci incontrollate che da giorni circolano lungo tutta la Striscia secondo le quali l'esercito israeliano ci starebbe tirando addosso una pioggia di armi non convenzionali, vietate dalla Convenzione di Ginevra. Cluster bombs e bombe al fosforo bianco. Esattamente le stesse che l'esercito di Tsahal utilizzò nell'ultima guerra in Libano, e l'aviazione USA a Falluja, in violazione delle le norme internazionali. Dinnanzi all'ospedale Al Auda siamo stati testimoni e abbiamo filmato dell'utilizzo di bombe al fosforo bianco, a circa cinquecento metri da dove ci trovavamo, troppo lontano per essere certi che sotto gli Apache israeliani ci fossero dei civili, ma troppo tremendamente vicino a noi.
Il Trattato di Ginevra del 1980 prevede che il fosforo bianco non debba essere usato direttamente come arma di guerra nelle aree civili, ma solo come fumogeno o per l'illuminazione. Non c'è dubbio che utilizzare quest'arma sopra Gaza, una striscia di terra dove si concentra la più alta densità abitativa del mondo, è già un crimine a priori. Il dottor Abdel mi ha riferito che all'ospedale Al Shifa non hanno la competenza militare e medica, per comprendere se alcune ferite di cadaveri che hanno esaminato siano state prodotte effettivamente da proiettili al fosforo bianco. A detta sua però, in venti anni di mestiere, non ha mai visto casi di decessi come quelli portati all'ospedale nelle ultime ore. Mi ha spiegato di traumi al cranio, con fratture a vomere, mandibola, osso zigomatico, osso lacrimale, osso nasale e osso palatino che indicherebbero l'impatto di una forza immensa con il volto della vittima. Quello che ha detta sua è totalmente inspiegabile, è la totale assenza di globi oculari, che anche in presenza di traumi di tale entità dovrebbe rimanere al loro posto, almeno in tracce, all'interno del cranio. Invece stanno arrivando negli ospedali palestinesi cadaveri senza più occhi, come se qualcuno li avesse rimossi chirurgicamente prima di consegnarli al coroner.
At the end of the post he says:
Recandomi verso l'ospedale di Al Quds dove sarò di servizio sulle ambulanze tutta la notte, correndo su uno dei pochi taxi temerari che zigzagando ancora sfidano il tiro a segno delle bombe, ho visto fermi ad una angola di una strada un gruppo di ragazzini sporchi, coi vestiti rattoppati, tali e quali i nostri sciuscià del dopoguerra italiano, che con delle fionde lanciavano pietre verso il cielo, in direzione di un nemico lontanissimo e inavvicinabile che si fa gioco delle loro vite. La metafora impazzita che fotografa l'assurdità di questa di tempi e di questi luoghi.
In a post on Janury 10, also published at Il Manifesto, Vittorio writes about visiting the hospital again:
All'ospedale Al Shifa ieri sono andato a trovare Tamim, reporter sopravvissuto ad un bombardamento aereo. Mi ha spiegato come secondo lui Israele sta adottando le stesse identiche tecniche terroristiche di Al Al-Qaeda, bombarda un edificio, attende l'arrivo dei giornalisti e dei soccorsi, quindi fa cadere un'altra bomba che fa strage di quest'ultimi. Per questo motivo a suo avviso si sono registrate molte vittime fra i paramedici e i reporters, gli infermieri attorno al suo letto facevano cenni di consenso. Tamim mi ha mostrando sorridendo, i suoi moncherini. Ha perso le gambe, ma è felice d' essersela cavata, il suo collega Mohammed è morto con in mano la macchina fotografica, la secondo esplosione lo ha ucciso.
In a post published on January 9, he explains the importance of the Rafah tunnels:
Il dentifricio, lo spazzolino, le lamette e la mia schiuma da barba. I vestiti che indosso, lo sciroppo per curarmi una brutta tosse che mi affligge da settimane, le sigarette comprate per Ahmed, il tabacco per il mio arghile. Il mio telefono cellulare, Il computer portatile su cui batto ebefrenico per tramandare una testimonianza dell'inferno circostante. Tutto il necessario per una vita umile e dignitosa a Gaza, proviene dall'Egitto, ed è arrivato sugli scaffali dei negozi del centro passando attraverso i tunnel. Gli stessi tunnel che caccia F16 israeliani hanno continuato a bombardare massicciamente nelle ultime 12 ore, coinvolgendo nelle distruzioni le migliaia di case di Rafah vicini al confine. Un paio di mesi fa mi sono fatto sistemare tre denti malconci, alla fine dell'intervento ricordo che ho chiesto al mio dentista palestinese dove si procurava tutto il materiale odontotecnico, anestetico, siringhe, corone in ceramica e ferri del mestiere, sornione, il dentista mi aveva fatto un cenno con le mani: da sotto terra. Non vi è alcun dubbio che attraverso i cunicoli sotto Rafah passavano anche esplosivo e armi, le stesse che la resistenza sta impiegando oggi per cercare di arginare le temibile avanzata dei mortiferi blindati israeliani, ma è poca cosa rispetto alle tonnellate di beni di consumo che confluivano in una Gaza ridotta alla fame da un criminale assedio.
He concludes the post by saying:
Gaza è tristemente avvolta nell'oscurità da dieci giorni, solo negli ospedali ci è concesso ricaricare computer e cellulari, e guardare la televisione con i dottori e i paramedici in attesa di una chiamata di soccorso. Ascoltiamo i boati in lontananza, dopo qualche minuto le reti satellitare arabe riferiscono esattamente dove è avvenuta l'esplosione. Spesso ci riguardiamo sullo schermo trarre fuori dalle macerie corpi, come se non bastasse averli visti in diretta. Ieri sera col telecomando ho scanalato sono una televisione israeliana. Davano un festival di musica tradizionale, con tanto di soubrette in vestiti succinti e fuochi artificiali finali. Siamo tornati al nostro orrore, non sullo schermo, ma sulle ambulanze. Israele ha tutti i diritti di ridere e cantare anche mentre massacra il suo vicino di casa. I palestinesi chiedono solo di morire di una morte diversa, che so, di vecchiaia.
The photograph above is courtesy of Free Gaza.
MENA: Israel and the Use of White Phosphorous in Gaza
The world is looking on in shock at the devastating photographs taken of Gaza victims - some of whom are deformed beyond recognition. Human Rights Watch is also calling upon Israel to stop the unlawful use of White Phosphorus in its war on Gaza.
From Egypt, Zeinobia writes:
It became something well known that Israel is using the phosphoric bombs. Just watching the images of the burns in the Palestinian dead bodies in the first week was enough to know that they are using the phosphoric bombs not even the cluster bombs we know that they used in Lebanon.
But of course as a simple blogger I could not know that the IDF is using Phosphoric bomb, at first I thought they were experimenting some new bombs on the poor Gazans then I thought of their favorite cluster bombs.
[…]
Even international newspapers like the Times spoke about the matter.Of course Israel denied that dangerous allegation of using internationally banned weapons against the citizens of Gaza. First of all it is targeting the so-called terrorists of Hamas and second these bombs are smoke bombs !!
They can say whatever they want but they can’t change the truth however they tried.
Smoke rising above Gaza after an Israeli attack. Photo credit: Amir Farshad Ebrahimi
According to Human Rights Watch:
On January 9 and 10, 2009, Human Rights Watch researchers in Israel observed multiple air-bursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over what appeared to be the Gaza City/Jabaliya area.
[…]
Human Rights Watch believes that the use of white phosphorus in densely populated areas of Gaza violates the requirement under international humanitarian law to take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian injury and loss of life.
[…]
Since the beginning of Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza on January 3, 2009, there have been numerous media reports about the possible use of white phosphorous by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF told both Human Rights Watch and news reporters that it is not using white phosphorus in Gaza. On January 7, an IDF spokesman told CNN, “I can tell you with certainty that white phosphorus is absolutely not being used.”
Palestinian Laila El-Hadad, whose parents are currently in Gaza, adds:
Residents in Gaza have been talking about an unprecedented amount of force being unleashed against them by the Israeli army- but they have also spoken about new kinds of weaponry. It comes as no surprise-Gaza has always been Israel's “testing ground” - from nerve agents used in Khan Younis in 2003 to Sonic Boom “phantom air raids”. Now, there is talk of cluster bombs, depleted uranium, and white phosphorus.
And these are only the ones people can identify. CNN correspondents stationed near the borders have also been talking about new kinds of explosions.
Norwegian medics say that some of the victims who have been wounded since Israel began its attacks on the Gaza Strip on December 27 have traces of depleted uranium in their bodies, according to Press TV.
There are also reports that the Israeli Army is using both cluster bombs in the northern part of the Strip, as well as White Phosphorus, an incendiary weapon used by the United States in Iraq (which would explain the large flare-like explosions unseen before in Gaza).
She also details her father’s description – as a doctor - of the injured people he examined in Gaza:
My father yesterday treated patients in Shifa hospital exposed to some of these ordnances. The description he gave was as follows:
“There were a series of bombs in a row, a large white halo, followed by white smoke which caused severe irritation and inability to breathe; the exposed areas become red, blistered all over the skin, and itchy.”
On a different note, another blogger, The Rag bag, quoted from Times Online states a few facts about the White Phosphorous bombs:
- White phosphorus: the smoke-screen chemical that can burn to the bone
— White phosphorus bursts into a deep-yellow flame when it is exposed to oxygen, producing a thick white smoke
— It is used as a smokescreen or for incendiary devices, but can also be deployed as an anti-personnel flame compound capable of causing potentially fatal burns
— Phosphorus burns are almost always second or third-degree because the particles do not stop burning on contact with skin until they have entirely disappeared — it is not unknown for them to reach the bone
— Geneva conventions ban the use of phosphorus as an offensive weapon against civilians, but its use as a smokescreen is not prohibited by international law
— Israel previously used white phosphorus during its war with Lebanon in 2006
— It has been used frequently by British and US forces in recent wars, notably during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Its use was criticized widely
Meanwhile, at the Egyptian-Gaza border town of Rafah, Egyptian blogger and human rights activist Nora Younis reports on Twitter:
Fiji floods: ‘Where is all this water coming from?'
Fiji’s bloggers have begun reporting on the weekend's serious flooding that has placed much of the Western Division of the country’s largest island under water. Debate within the blogosphere has also assessed the government’s capacity to deal with the situation.
Fiji’s military government declared a state of emergency and imposed dusk-to-dawn curfews in some parts of Viti Levu, Fiji’s main island, after torrential rain caused flooding reportedly three meters high that destroyed countless homes, at least one bridge and killed up to seven people. Monday, the government reported at least 9,400 people were being housed in schools used as temporary shelters.
That's not all. Looking forward, the government issued warnings about unsafe drinking water and the economic effects of crop damage and the hit the tourist industry could take.
Let’s start with a prayer for Fiji from the blog Babsiga.
When there are disrupting and unforgiving floods in many parts of Fiji it's an opportunity for neighbours to pull together, and they often do this in Fiji. In troubled times people can become generous and barriers put there by schemers and plotters are lowered. Others of course are opportunists and that's why two towns in Fiji have curfews at present to stop possible looting. Our prayers go out to all the people affected by the floods that occur in low-lying areas and near rivers. Meanwhile the politicking goes on and we pray for sensitivity, good sense, and good listening in the word-fests that are going on this month in relation to Fiji, a country of such possibilities and beauty.
Rizan’s Blog Page explores one method to solve the problem of Fiji’s rivers overflowing during periods of heavy rain.
Moving on, there has been heavy flooding in the Western side of Fiji. This is normal every time there is a huge downpour and then the river banks overflow bringing all the water into the West towns. I have a theory that dredging the rivers may just reduce the chances of the floods from happening every time we go into cyclone season. The negative economic costs easily outweigh the cost of dredging the rivers.
Staying with Rizan for a moment longer, he speaks of an unusual and dangerous tradition among youths in Fiji during floods.
Whats worse is the article in today's Fiji Times which mentions that Fiji is probably the only place in the world where people run towards natural disasters instead of away from them. This is very true. Whenever we have had flooding in Fiji, the television footage generally shows kids happily swimming in the flood while other people use boats and aimlessly trundle about as if there is nothing wrong. I would be extremely surprised if people did not bring out their surf boards and jet-ski's if we ever have a tidal wave hit our shores. Fiji is currently still in the cyclone season and we will definitely be seeing more rain and flooding as the days go by. The rain is a blessing for some and a bane for others. I personally see it as a useful thing because we've all been clamoring for rain for the past few weeks and months due to the heatwave which was going around. People were seen withering while others floated around comatose in lakes of sweat so the rain is really going to cool things down for us a bit.
From Anastasio Somoza's handling of a terrible earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua to US President George Bush's slow reaction to Hurricane Katrina, citizens around the world often gauge their government's effectiveness during times of natural disaster. More than a few bloggers in Fiji have asked why the government was so late responding to the crisis.
From Fiji Today, Peter Firkin asks the question to the country’s military government: So Where the Bloody Hell Are You?
When a country has a national disaster it is expected that all the resources available will be used to assist those in dire straits.
First lives must be protected and then possessions and infrastructure.
The current severe flooding in the west has resulted in loss of life but the people have been left to fend for themselves.
No disrespect to DISMAC [National Disaster Management Office] but they are under staffed and under resourced to cope with this size of emergency.
It was expected that the army would take this opportunity to show the positives in having a large standing army and fulfill the role of “protecting the people”.
This would have garnered support that is lacking for the regime and showing the army in a positive light.
This has not happened.
The army has remained with their bums on their seats while the country for the first time since the coup has had a need for them.
Where the bloody hell are you?
Commenter Sarote follows up:
I can tell you where the bloody hell the army is…they are looking out for themselves. The Army is NOT there to protect the people it is there to back a weak ass criminal called [Self appointed Prime Minister Frank] Bainimarama who pumps money and powers into them to make their lives really good because without the soldiers he is nothing just a waste of space….
From the Soli Vakasama blog site, this disaster is proof that the present government is not fit to run the country.
How will the treasonous illegal regime cope with the disaster that’s hit Fiji, or will it be a case of when the going gets tough the tough get going. Apart from the disastrous usurpation of the Nation and the complete incompetence in how to lead it, the floods, infrastructure and homelessness will be a test of their mettle.
We must thank the Lord that it wasn’t a full blown hurricane as the devastation would have been much worse.
Where is the contingency plan? If there is one, has it been updated?
Once again there was no implementation of an emergency situation and disaster evacuation, how to respond to one and how to set it in operation, whether it is for flooding or an out of control fire, by the illegal regime.
In a new blog, IG-Fiji, or Interim Government Fiji, which has been “created to monitor and refute allegations made by anti-government sites currently operating in Fiji” argues that anti-government bloggers are trying to blame the Bainimarama government for something outside its control.
We have once again been presented with a skewed view by RFN [Raw Fiji News] and SV [Soli Vakasama] today. On the SV site, we see that the bloggers are blaming the current govt. for the flooding and deaths. One can debate about the fault of the govt. until the cows come home but it surely must be acknowledged that tis govt. does not have the power to control the weather.
From the forum Fiji Board Exiles, real jack argues the government and the military has been working since the heavy rains began falling.
the cabinet has to agree to declare that so that the national emergency mobilisation programmes can come into play - what it means is that they can effectively deal with the situation - the Police, Army and the other arms of the State are now mobilised as part of DISMAC in order to coordinate the response - and the chain of command goes down from the DISMAC head office.
they already have started setting up “shelters” - and mobilised the supply of food and medicines to those locations.
there are also rescue units of the Police and army which are moving through the flooded areas evacuating stranded people to those evacuation points.
the army has mobilised with the police - they are out there - they have been in the field since two nights ago (Friday).
Raw Fiji News contends that the Fiji's military government may have created its own problems by engaging in a diplomatic row with New Zealand and Australia late last year.
Fiji’s bigger brothers, Australia and New Zealand are always the first to assist Fiji after a natural disaster but because of Frank’s hostile and childish behavior towards them, the two countries will not be able to release assistance funds to Frank’s regime. They will give some funds directly to NGOs like Red Cross and others to fund their relief efforts but again, their assistance will be limited and they will avoid pumping money into Frank’s coup coffers which they know will be used by the dictator for his own selfish means.
LoyalFijian asks why there is so much flooding and offers bad forecast for the future.
Just where is all this water coming from?
Inadequate maintenance of drainage, large scale felling of trees may be contributing factors, but at the end of the day, there has been so much rain, some flooding was inevitable.
As if it wasn't enough already, another tropical depression was forecast to be heading towards Fiji, potentially bringing more torrential downpours.
Japan: Hakenmura, the Temp Workers Village
Over 300 people spent their nights between New Year`s Eve and the 5th of January in a tent camp stationed at Hibiya Park in central Tôkyô, referred to as 年越し派遣村 (toshikoshi hakenmura, or lit. “New Year's Village for Temporary Workers”). The people staying in Hakenmura were temporary workers (派遣社員, haken shain): Japanese men and women of various ages, with working experience in several fields, who saw their contracts as temporary workers annulled in the last months (according to some estimates between last October and this March, 85,012 temp workers have been laid off), in part because of the effects of the global financial crisis, and in part because of bad administration of the legal system that governs temporary work [ja].
The causes mentioned above are those most often quoted by the traditional Japanese media. Some bloggers have highlighted others, however, pointing out that the high commission paid by companies to temp agencies should also be considered. Blogger Idaten Tasuke (韋駄天太助), for example, explaining the precarious conditions upon which the temp work system is based, stresses how Japanese media have pointed the finger at the social system without considering other elements that may be crucial in understanding the “laid-off temp workers” issue:
毎日メディアで派遣切りのニュースが報道されています。
切実な問題なのでしっかり報道して欲しいと思うが、自分より若い世代が住む場所も失い路上生活に身を落としてしまうのを見ているのは辛い。
しかしながら、メディアは問題にしっかり切り込んでいるのかと疑問も感じる。
[…]
メディアに違和感を感じるのは派遣契約を解除した企業に批判的だが（それはそれで良いのですけど）、何故に派遣会社の責任を問わないのか？
（私の接した情報が偏っているだけですかね？）
企業は派遣会社と契約しているのであって、派遣社員のAさんとは何の契約もしていない。
Aさんに時給何円払うかを決めるのは派遣会社であり、企業は派遣会社との契約で派遣会社に時間極めの人材派遣費用を払います。
(Is it perhaps only the case of the sources I consulted?)
The companies draw up a contract with those agencies, but they have no contract with the individual temporary workers.
It is the temp worker agency that decides how much Mr. A will be payed per hour, and the company pays personnel expenses to the temp agency for the time worked, according to a contract with that agency.
[…]
派遣会社はそれだけ取って、何をしてくれたかと言えば、派遣社員を企業に送っただけです。
[…]
派遣会社が何かトレーニングして送ってくれるかと言えば、そんなものはない。
これだけで(?)、派遣社員が企業に派遣されている限り、毎日（寝ていても？）売上が上がるシステムになっています。
企業が派遣社員を切るなと言われれば、じゃあ派遣社員を頼まないよという話になります。
ボロイ商売、いや、収益性の高いビジネスモデルの派遣会社が批判を受けないのは何故なのか？
派遣社員は安いから使っているのではなく（決して安くない）、ストレートに言えばいつでも契約を切れるから使っているのです。
[…]
Without any previous training or anything.
Doing nothing more than this (?), as long as the temp workers are sent to the companies, their turnover grows every day (even as they sleep). This is the system.
If companies are told not to fire temp workers, then they will simply not call on temp workers.
So why is it that this bonanza business — a highly lucrative business model, in fact — does not receive any criticism?
The reason why temp workers are employed is not because they are cheap (in fact they aren`t cheap at all) but, frankly, because their contract can be annulled at any time.
[…]
景気の良い時は、この奇妙な三角関係(?)はうまく機能します。
今回の問題は、同時期に大量に契約が解除され、派遣会社が派遣社員に次の派遣先を紹介できないという状況だからです。
セーフティネットを強く求められべきは、企業側ではなく派遣会社だと思うのですが、私の接したメディアは派遣先企業の社会的責任を問う声ばかりです。
However, this time around problems arose because many contracts were annulled all at the same time, and the temp work agencies are not able to introduce these workers to other companies.
I believe that if there is a lot of demand for a safety net, then it must be demanded of the temp work agencies, not of the companies. But the voices I've heard from the media have only questioned the social responsibility of temp agencies.
Similarly, Shino Kichi (篠キチ), basing his remarks on his past experience as a temporary worker, casts doubt on the nature of the debate that has arisen recently over the “temporary workers” issue:
派遣の問題であまり話題になってるのを見たことがないんですが、派遣会社が取ってる手数料って相当高い気がするんですよ。
トヨタやキャノンはどうか知りませんが、僕が派遣社員をスタッフとして採用したときは35％～40％くらい取られてました。[…]
これを低くすることって議論されないんでしょうか。
I don`t know about the cases of Toyota or Canon but, when I was hired as temporary staff, the agency used to get around the 35-40% [of the money that the company pays for the employment of a temp worker]. […] Why don`t they debate reducing that deduction [from the worker`s fee] ?
The night of the 1st January 2009 @ Hakenmura
Blogger at Canada de Nihongo (カナダで日本語) takes the reports on the life at the Hakenmura Village during the holidays as a starting point to emphasize the political responsibilities of those who let all this happen.
予想通り、日比谷公園の「年越し派遣村」には、想定していた人数の倍の３００人の派遣切りされた労働者が集まったそうだ。２００人分の食事しか用意していないということだったので、足りるのかなと不安に思っていたら、やはり、日比谷公園の施設はパンク状態となり、政府は、近くにある厚生労働省の講堂を解放せざるを得なくなったそうだ。
[…]
今回も、対応の遅れが目立った政府だが、黙っていたら、厚生労働省が「年越し派遣村」のために講堂を解放するどころか何の対策も取ろうとしなかっただろう。与党の政策の失敗で犠牲になった労働者なのに、派遣切りなんて他人事と思っている政府や与党の下心がよくわかる出来事だった。
At the “New Year's Village for Temporary Workers” 200 volunteers helped the organizers with the everyday management of the community, distributing food to the refugees or arranging for them accommodation for the night, etc. One of those volunteers recorded a diary of those days (with many pictures attached) at Tone Nikki (とね日記). On the 2nd of January he jotted down his personal impressions regarding coverage of the situation in the village by the Japanese media.
今日は民主党の菅直人さんもお見えになり、かなり長い時間を使って村民と直接話をしたり、メディアのインタビューに答えていた。[…] メディアは菅さんや「派遣村の村長」の湯浅さんなど有名人の撮影がメインだ。もっと村民や「委員」、ボランティアの状況をレポートすればよいのにと思った。カメラマンしか来ておらず、レポーターが来ていないからだと僕は思った。
Further on in the diary from that day, the volunteer reported a conversation with a young man, a friend of a Mr. T (a refugee he used to take care of), who explained to him the harsh situation of those who are in difficult circumstances, especially women.
Tさんの知り合いの青年（３０歳くらい？）とも話をした、派遣切りされかけた後、交渉の末に仕事に戻れたそうだが、彼はネットカフェ難民経験者である。彼によると若い女性にも同じ状況の人はたくさんいるそうで、その多くが性風俗産業に流れるか個人営業しているということだ。そしてそういう商売ができない人は明け方のマクドナルドやネットカフェにたくさんいるということだ。そこまでするんだったら親元に戻ったほうがいいのにと僕が言うと、彼は「戻れない人たちばかりなんですよ。ほとんどの女性がいろいろな事情を持っているから。」と教えてくれた。絶句。。。それじゃ逃げ場がない。
Israel: Construction Workers From Gaza
There's a myriad of posts on the war in Gaza in the Russophone blogosphere right now, with the whole spectrum of opinions well-represented by Israeli and non-Israeli bloggers alike.
The text (RUS) translated below, however, is not about the ongoing conflict. On Jan. 8, Tel Aviv-based LJ user leorer (Leonid Rabin) took a step aside and posted his notes on the six construction workers from Gaza he worked with in Ashdod for a year and a half in 1996-97 - “the first few years of [his] life in Israel”:
[…]
All of them are [fathers with many children]. Aged 40 or older. To get an Israeli work permit, a Gazan has to have no fewer than five children (it was considered that in this case he'd be working honestly instead of fooling around). Speaking of the issue of [high] birth rates in Gaza - for some reason, we here tend to forget that we've been stimulating these birth rates ourselves, including through measures like this one.
[The head of the Gazan construction team] has been working in Israel for about 15 years. They say he has built nearly half of [Rishon LeZion]. Two of those [seven men] who were shot by the “Jewish hero” [Ami Popper on May 20, 1990] used to work along with him. He was lucky himself: he got sick that day and didn't go to work, or else he would have been there, too.
As a child, he escaped from [Ashkelon] (which was called Majdal then). He said his parents owned a lot of land there and were respected people. Then, of course, there was a refugee camp, but he managed to get ahead there and ended up becoming [head of a construction team].
The second Gazan “old-timer” was the father of 12 children (that's more than the rest of them had), nicknamed [Ya-Hmar]. He got this nickname because he owned the best stud donkey in Gaza. Everyone took their female donkeys to him. But the income from that wasn't enough, so he worked at construction in Israel. While working, he yelled “yalla-yalla” every two minutes, urging everyone on, and his voice could be heard in all the neighboring blocks.
To my question of whether it was difficult to be raising 12 children, he once replied: “The more of them, the easier. They split into two teams and play football, are busy with each other all the time, don't bother us.”
[…]
This whole bunch lived somewhere around [Khan Yunis].
Now about a typical working day of these [Ivan Denisovichs].
Its most important feature was the passing of the Erez [machsom] (a checkpoint on the way into Israel). The machsom opened at 4 AM, and closed at 5 or 6 PM. That meant that at 5 AM, one had to be at the machsom, because passing through it took no less than an hour.
So, they wake up at around 3 AM. At 4 AM, they get into the car of the [team's head] à la a “big taxi” and ride to machsom. The ride takes no less than an hour, because inside the [Gaza Strip] there are also Israeli checkpoints where they stop you. Near the Erez machsom, they leave their car - they can't ride into Israel in it. Around 5:30 AM, if they are lucky, they pass through the machsom and get into an Israeli bus. These special route buses were taking Gazans from Erez all the way to Tel Aviv. Their drivers were also Gazans, but only especially trusted. Around 6 AM, the bus passed the “Ad Galom” intersection, the Gazans got out and walked to the construction site.
They had some three kilometers to walk. Along the way they [took some booty] - snatched clothes hanging out to dry, found women's footwear somewhere, a few times they dragged children's bikes to the construction site. To my question about how they managed to get the stolen goods through the machsom into Gaza, they said it was very easy. On the way back, no one was checking them, but it was impossible to bring a screw into Israel, as everyone was searched and undressed almost to the underwear.
Work began at 7:30 AM, and the Gazans had about an hour and a half to spare before that. Enough to gather whatever had been misplaced in the neighboring blocks as well as to make fire and have breakfast.
Entry into Gaza closed at 5 PM (and at 1 PM on Fridays), so they had to leave work no later than 3 PM, otherwise they would miss their bus. Those who didn't get registered on entrance and on exit, in the morning and in the evening, were losing their right to enter Israel. If you missed a bus, take a taxi or whatever, but at 5 PM you have to be in the [Gaza Strip].
From the Erez machsom they could ride home in the same car. At best, they were home at 6 PM. They ate dinner, prayed, and it was time for bed. Tomorrow, they had to wake up at 3 in the morning.
By the way, they say some Gazans didn't go home from Erez but slept right at the machsom on [the Gaza Strip] side, […] on the mattresses. They were saving time and energy this way. But not our guys - they were decent people, had to hug the wife and say hello to children.
About prayer, by the way. Prayer is sacred. A prayer rug was always with them, if not - any other would do. When the time came, every Gazan prayed regardless of where he was - at the construction site, at the machsom, on the road. The [head of the team] was the most religious.
In eight hours, a Gazan had [to do as much work] as everyone else did in ten hours, because if he failed to, […] it was more profitable to hire Romanians or any other gastarbeiter, who could work 10 or even 12 hours, could work overtime if necessary, and didn't have to get registered in the morning and in the evening at the machsom. And indeed, in these eight hours, a Gazan did as much as a Romanian did in 12 hours. All that after the way “there” and before the way “back” described above.
I and most other non-Gazans would break down after a week of such a schedule, but our Gazans lived like this for decades. Up until the day the [Gaza Strip] was shut down once and for all, and the life of people there grew even worse. […] Having seen all this, I understood even then that it was impossible to defeat these people or break them down. They can either be eliminated, or we can learn to live together with them. There are no other options.
Venezuela: Do the Actions of the Chávez Government in Support of Palestine Reflect the Views of the People?
In Venezuela, the conflict in the Middle East is a little closer to home due to the actions of the government of President Hugo Chávez. In addition to the explusion of the Israeli ambassador and other diplomatic personnel in Caracas, in what Chávez has called a “gesture of dignity”, there have been other moves by the government and its supporters indicating that Chávez has come out strongly in favor of Palestine and against the actions of Israel.
David Ludovic of the blog Historia No Prejuicios [es] (History, Not Prejudices) writes about three events that recently took place in Venezuela that clearly shows the government's views towards the conflict in the Middle East:
“El presidente de Israel debería ser llevado a la Corte Penal Internacional”. Este primer comentario del presidente Hugo Chávez durante la inauguración de un hospital en Caracas pareció ser una orden cumplida a cabalidad por su ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, que pocas hroas después emitió un comunicado en el que anunciaba la expulsión del embajador de Israel en nuestro país, Shlomo Cohén y de parte del personal diplomático acreditado.
Pocos minutos después, el comunicado era leído con júbilo en la Asamblea Nacional, cuyos diputados –ataviados con kaffes (tradicionales mantos árabes) y portando banderas representativas del movimiento palestino, discutían en ese mismo isntante un acuerdo en contra de las acciones militares de Israel en la Franja de Gaza originadas (recordemos siempre) como consecuencia por el permanente lanzamiento de cohetes Qassam desde esa región a poblaciones israelíes.
Finalmente, la mezquita principal de Caracas, en la zona de Quebrada Honda, también fue escenario de las protestas, aupadas por el gobierno. En ella se congregaron, además de los parlamentarios, otros representantes del gobieno, entre ellos el ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Nicolás Maduro.
A few minutes later, the communiqué was read with great joy in the National Assembly, whose deputies - dressed with keffiyeh (traditional Arab scarves) and waving flags representative of the Palestinean movement, debated an agreement against the military actions of Israel in the Gaza Strip (we always remember) as consequence for the continuous launching of rockets from that region towards the Israeli population.
Finally, in the main mosque in Caracas, located in the Quebrada Honda area, there was also a scene of protests supported by the government. There, in addition to parliamentarians, other government representatives gathered, including the Foreign Minister, Nicolás Madura.
Ludovic also adds historical context regarding Venezuela's relationship with the two sides over the past 50 years:
…luego de que Venezuela fuera uno de los países impulsores de la resolución AG/181 de la ONU, que establecía la creación de dos estados en la región, su entrada en la Organización de Países Exportadores de Petróleo (OPEP), la obligó a mantener relaciones “neutrales” o cordiales con ambas partes en conflicto. Con Israel, por sus relaciones de amistad e intercambio científico, militar, etc. Con el mundo árabe, por sus intereses económicos, fundamentalmente en lo relacionado al petróleo.
Esta situación, mantenida durante casi cincuenta años, se rompió con la llegada de Chávez al poder y sus intentos de fundar ” una nueva geopolítica”
… after Venezuela's role as a driving forcer of the UN resolution AG/181, in which it established the creation of two states in the region, its entrance into OPEC, forced Venezuela to maintain “neutral” and friendly relationships with both parts in the conflict. With Israel, out of friendship and because of the scientific and military exchange, etc… And with the Arab world because of economic interests, mainly related to oil.
This situation, maintained for almost fifty years had been broken with the arrival of Chavez to power and his plans to build a “new geo-politics.”
Photo of protest in support of Gaza in the city of Mérida, Venezuela by Jesus Molina and used under a Creative Commons license.
For the entire photoset of the protest against Israel, and in support for Gaza that took place in the city of Mérida, Venezuela, visit his Flickr set.
Despite these high-profile actions, Venezuelan bloggers maintain their own viewpoints on the crisis. Some think that the government does not speak for them when condemning the attacks of Israel, and seemingly condoning the behavior of Hamas. Others believe that Israel is correct in defending itself, demonstrating that some people's view differ than that of their government.
Eliodoro Niklaus ofEliodo Opina [es] thinks that his government does not speak for him, when Chávez states that Venezuela supports Palestine:
Como yo lo veo, hay un conflicto milenario entre el pueblo judío y el pueblo palestino. Y a finales del 2008, los palestinos (a través de las milicias del Hamas) atacan a Israel, lo que motiva a Israel a responder el ataque. (…) Yo no apoyo al Hamas ni al Hezbolá ni a Palestina. Así como tampoco apoyo a Israel en un conflicto absurdo que puede ser resuelto de otra manera.
Que los palestinos se podría decir que son los más débiles ante Israel, de acuerdo. Pero en todo caso Venezuela tendría que repudiar al conflicto con sus dos participantes. No apoyar a Palestina ni a Israel en un conflicto armado, y más bien buscar una conciliación o mediación en el conflicto…
As I see it, there is a millenary conflict between the Jewish and the Palestinian People. At the end of 2008, the Palestinians attacked (through Hamas military forces) Israel, which moves Israel to respond (…) I neither support Hamas, or Hezbollah, or Palestine, nor Israel in an absurd conflict that could be solved in another manner.
We could say that Palestinians are weaker than Israel, but in any case Venezuela should reject the conflict for both sides, not support Palestina or Israel in an armed conflict, rather than look for a settlement or mediation in the conflict.
The images of war are being seen on television screens across Venezuela, and brings the conflict closer to home. Martha Colemnares [es] sees a picture of young children dressed in military garb speaking out against Israel and says:
En la gráfica Niños de 5 y 6 años, disfrazados de terroristas y “programados” por Hamás para matar judíos. Y es indudable que A los medios de comunicación, organizaciones políticas, humanitarias y diversos políticos les es fácil condenar un bombardeo ante la opinión pública, porque eso los alinea con la imagen de un deseo humanitario de paz universal, pese a que no se lo exigieron al Hamas cuando atacaba cotidianamente a Israel.
In the image we see children of 5 and 6 years old dressed like terrorists and “programmed” by Hamas to kill Jews. There’s no doubt that to the mainstream media, political and humanitarian organizations, as well as some politicians, it is easy to condemn a bombing on the basis of public opinion, since that puts the condemnation in line with those who want world peace, even though they didn’t demand peace when Hamas attacked Israel on a daily basis.
Finally, Eduardo Casanova [es] writes that Israel “by invading Gaza, did nothing more than defend itself, and exercise its right for legitimate defense, but unfortuantely, that legitimate defense, caused death and pain to Palestinean men, women and children, who should not be subjected to that martyrdom” :
Nadie debe ponerse de parte de los unos o de parte de los otros, porque manifestarse de parte de Hamas es alentar el terrorismo y manifestarse de parte de Israel es aupar una guerra, y la guerra nunca es justa. Israel necesita la paz. El mundo necesita la paz. Una paz alentada y vigilada por el mundo entero. ¡Shalom Israel!
No one should be on one side or the other. To support Hamas is to support terrorism and to support Israel is to support war… and war is never fair. Israel needs peace. The world needs peace, a peace that should be encouraged and watched over by the whole world. Shalom Israel!
Links for Mon, 2009-01
I, Macedonian embeds the online Macedonian game “Hit the bastards” and writes: “I believe the game will be a true hit in Macedonia and in the whole region.” The game offers players to hit politicians with eggs, cakes and tomatoes. The game is also embedded in the Greek Political blog.
LJ user russos (RUS) re-posts pictures of the advertising in the Kyiv metro (22 photos, 3.5 MB).
“I have an idea: Why not create a multi-author English-language Maghreb/Sahel blog? There are enough general MENA/Arab Middle East blogs in this vain, but stupendously few blogs that bring together English-speaking bloggers, academics and political scientists specifically about North [west] Africa,” writes Algerian blogger The Moor Next Door.
Palestinians injured in the ongoing war on Gaza have been flown in to Morocco, where they are being treated at the Mohammmed V Military hospital, reports The View from Fez.
From Morocco, The View from Fez reports on a fire which killed three people and injured several others in a warehouse specialising in manufacturing ceramics.
Paul Goble of WindowonEurasia brings attention to a new organization - TIGR - to advance the interests of Russian motorists after protests against import tarifs on cars in the country's Far East.
Dare to be Different lists ten myth busters regarding the Sirasa TV attack controversy.
“Dead by the roadside,” writes Fungisai on Kubatana blog, “A pitiable sight of a young girl aged around six to seven years, seated by the roadside, with a huge black bungle lying on her thighs caught my attention. The young girl was seated in an awkward area, in the middle of nowhere, a place not meant for anyone to rest as it was bare with not even a tree for shade.”
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