Syria and Yemen: The International Community must act now !!!

A lot have been said, heard and written on the crack down on protesters in Syria and Yemen. Every day, we are bombarded with the gory images of hapless civilians killed, maimed, imprisoned and so on, by the so-called military agents of these two ruthless leaders of the two nations. But I cannot come to terms with is the rationale behind this barbaric acts. Do they think killing, maiming, indiscriminately arresting and beating can soften people’s hearts? If they think so, then they are not students of history. The apartheid regime in South Africa fell to the peoples’ resistance and many more like that.

History has shown, time without number that the leader that fails to listen to the wishes of his people is doomed to perish. Where are the Mubaraks and Ben Alis of yesterday? The crackdown might elongate their hold on power for a short while; it cannot keep them there forever. It will also strengthen the cause of the revolution and harden the protesters’ minds and make them more resolute.

The international community should do more than sanctioning these ruthless leaders, or how can sanction be felt when they are sitting on billions of dollars of oil wealth, when they can have practically everything they want at the snap of fingers? Please we should not forget so soon that ‘Defending Democracy and Human Right was America’s reason for the invasion of Panama, also allegation of possession of WMD was enough for Iraqi invasion, and so many like that. But none of these nations carried out what I like to call annihilation of its own people on a daily basis like Yemen and Syria, and yet the international community is sitting back and allowing this insanity to go on.

What more do we need before we take decisive actions. What justification do we need for UN invasion on these nations that are crushing their people with armoured tanks and machine guns?

 Obama's Speech.(Speech): An article from: APS Diplomat News Service

Shocking Sentence: Jewish Court Condemns Dog To Death by Stoning

Wonders will never end, so they say. I cannot imagine a learned judge passing a non-sensical verdict like this, or what could be more absurd. Sentencing a dog to death by stoning; for what crime? The helpless dog wandered into the courtroom while proceedings were in progress and because it was thought to be a reincarnation (a silly superstitious belief) of a secular lawyer, was this sufficient reason to pass a death sentence on the poor dog? Shocking Sentence: Jewish Court Condemns Dog To Death by Stoning

Crude Oil: Blessing or Curse to Africa?

Prior to the discovery of Petroleum, most African countries depended on agriculture for their existence, be it subsistence or large scale farming. Crops like Cocoa, Coffee, Cotton et al, were produced on a large scale for exportation. Things were alright, because an average African man was a farmer and that implied that majority of the people were gainfully employed. 

And then, the so-called Black Gold was discovered in some parts of Africa, and things started to change, because of the huge money involved in oil business, people left their farms and went in search of what they considered a quicker and easier way to wealth. Instead of improving living standard, Petroleum brought to Africa War, Pollution, Corruption, Instability and Inflation e. t. c. many lives were lost, families separated due to war, Lands were polluted as a result of oil exploration and gas flaring, Poverty, inflation and unemployment are now the order of the day.

Every day, my heart is saddened for my Continent Africa… our Africa. We are blessed with so many natural resources and yet we suffer, but we live with dwindling hope of a better tomorrow, just like the biblical Jews waiting for the arrival of a messiah. We should not apportion blames to the west, although they contributed to the declining nature of our economy through the shady and corrupt foreign policies and greedy practices of their Oil firms like Shell, Chevron, and so on. We should blame our inability for proper management of the resources, inept government, lack of transparency and accountability, greedy and corrupt politicians.

Until we start to face and address our self-inflicted problems, we cannot enjoy the blessings that flow from the gifts of Mother Nature. The government, Public Office holders and Politicians should be open to debates and suggestions to sensitize people about the need to diversify to other areas of enterprise. Corruption should be tackled without fear or favour.

At what point did we get it wrong? What did we not avert our minds to? Crude oil is supposed to be some kind of blessing to our lands but it is now more or less a curse. Till date, some African Countries are still discovering oil. Should we be happy for them or should we roll out the burial drums? Will life be better in those countries? Only time will tell!

The 2000 Import and Export Market for Petroleum Bitumen, Petroleum Coke, and Bituminous Mixtures in South Africa (World Trade Report)

How to Outrun an Attacker - wikiHow

How to Outrun an Attacker - wikiHow

How to Tell the Difference Between Fear and Intuition - wikiHow

How to Tell the Difference Between Fear and Intuition - wikiHow

Private Manning: America practice what you preach

“Private Manning is in solitary confinement at the Marine Corps brig in Quantico, Va. For one hour a day, he is allowed to walk around a room in shackles. He is forced to remove all his clothes every night. And every morning he is required to stand outside his cell, naked, until he passes inspection and is given his clothes back.” I cannot believe this is happening in a free society like the United State of America, a nation that preaches democracy, respect of fundamental human right, freedom of speech, and respect for the rule of law to the world. A country that prides itself as the best in everything in the world.

I had erroneously believed that this type of treatment can only be heard of from third world countries of Africa and Asia. Putting a not-yet-convicted man behind bars for more than 48 hours is a crime against humanity, let alone being shackled. This has brought back to life, the gory memories of the slavery era. I thought America under Bush was bad, and that Obama was going to make a difference; but I guess I am wrong. It seems America has lost its values; it is only clinging on to its old glory.

The American government should respect Private Manning’s right to freedom and dignity of the human person, and stop treating him like he is a terrorist. They should also remember that he had served and defended his country when he believed he was fighting a just cause 

The War in Iraq: From the Front Lines to the Home Front (24/7: Behind the Headlines Special Editions)

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: The People’s Man

Our world today is proliferated with many great minds, but some have endeared themselves to the hearts of the general populace not only in their respective countries but all over the world, by the good and humanitarian work they do in order to make the world a better place to live in;. People like Mahatma Gandhi, Obafemi Awolowo, Nelson Mandela, et al. And it seems to me that there is a general pattern in life they tread to achieve the “People’s Man” status. (1) They were all fighting for one cause or the other; (2) They were harassed, beaten and imprisoned; (3) And they were easily and readily forgiving, to mention but a few of the qualities of these set of people.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has come a long way. From a humble background, a boy hawking on the streets of Istanbul to earn extra money, while in university studying Business Administration, he ventured into Politics by joining National Turkish Student Union (an anti-communist action group), he later joined the Islamist National Salvation Party in 1976 and he rose to the position of Chair for the Istanbul youth branch of the party. He became Mayor of Istanbul in 1994. His records during and after his tenure as Mayor of Istanbul earned him the UN-HABITAT Award. He was jailed in 1998 for reciting a poem the government considered to be anti-state. He has being the Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 to date.

What motivates me to write about him is not what he has been able to achieve but the humanitarian relief he is providing for the people of the neighboring war-torn Syria. The Syrian government tyrannically kills its people all for a mere expression of their wish. The right to freedom of expression that is internationally acknowledged is now a criminal offence in many Arab countries. But the world is blessed to have Erdogan in the midst of these cruel leaders to provide solace for Syrian people. Aside from openly criticizing the Syrian government, he opens his door and invites Syrians to take refuge in his country and also provides humanitarian relief for them.

Posterity does not fail to recognize any humanitarian effort, even if minute. The world sees and notices the huge responsibility Erdogan is putting on his shoulders. He has written his name on the sands of time. I congratulate him for his re-election; this goes to show that his people believe in him. He is a HERO.

Mexican drug cartel and their many vices

 

On a day like this that I don’t have anything to write about, I just devote time to reflecting on the events happening around the world. Things happening in the world today can turn the happiest of minds to a sadist; I am fed up with war, killing, Hurricane and many ugly incidents in the world. I wonder if we are not going to wipe off our race from the surface of the earth with this destructive direction we are headed. The Mexican drug cartel and their mode of operation particularly strike me as an interesting topic to comment on today.

 The fight against drugs is far from being over. The way and manner the Mexican drug Lords device means to fight and wrest control of every measure introduced to curb drug scourge, is so alarming. The recent arrest and seizure of locally made armored trucks used by the drug gangs by Mexican Army shows that these people ‘THE MEXICAN CARTEL’ will stop at nothing to achieve their goals, some months ago, it was a SUB MARINE. They have devised many ways in the past to be in business, but as the anti drug war gets intensified, they too keep changing their styles and fortify their arsenal. It is like the case of a hunter learning how to shoot without missing since the bird has learnt how to fly without perching.

Although the Calderon Administration's courage, initiative and success against the Drug Cartel have exceeded all expectations, more have to be done to win this battle. All world leaders should emulate the Mexican government and fight all the illicit drug traders in their different countries; charity, they say, begins at home. Thereafter we can talk about an international concerted effort in stamping the drug menace out.

Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed: A Judicial Indictment Of War On Drugs

Geoffrey Taylor!!! An opportunist of ‘weak’ International Law

Who is he anyway? To some quarters, he is just Professor Geoffrey Taylor, to some others, he is Lord Stubbington. But to most people he is an adorable and successful business man who established Shell companies. But investigation reveals that this man, Lord, Professor, Sir or whatever, Geoffrey Taylor is linked to various atrocities around the world, dirty business like arms dealing, connections with Mexican drug Lords and Russia’s largest tax fraud et al and yet he has “committed no offence” because of laxities in International Law.( http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/inside-the-shell-drugs-arms-and-tax-scams-20110514-1enkz.html). He, together with his cohorts, has exploited the lapses in the laws of the land to their benefit, amassing wealth and properties at the expense of the people.

Sovereignty, Jurisdiction, and many more legal terms that allow a nation to operate independently are hampering the true course of justice to take effect and catch up with the likes of Geoffrey. I can’t understand how someone can be linked to so many atrocities and yet he is still walking a free man.

Could anything be more substantial than this: linking him with the Mexican drug cartel? In my opinion, that is enough to put him and his cohorts behind bars. The world Police (The US) and the international community should do more than just putting his name on the papers that would eventually end on the shelf.

We need to make our laws stricter and allow Interpol to operate freely without impediment s, getting rid of people like this will mean a cleaner and better world.

Hamza al-Khateeb: Greatest inhumanity against Humanity

Tortured and killed: Hamza al-Khateeb, age 13 - Features - Al Jazeera English. "Now we see only tears in his eyes". This was the expression used by Hamza's cousin to tell the world about the state of mind of Hamza's bereaved father. Hamza al- Khaleeb, a 13 year old Syrian boy seized, tortured and killed by President Bashar al-Assad's security forces. How can one accept the death of a child, let alone, a brutal murder of a minor by those mandated to protect life and properties.

This barbaric killings must not go unpunished. The international community must act fast to put an end to this ruthless act of craziness. This is a crime against humanity in the highest order and must be treated accordingly. This was a young boy that did not even understand the need or reasons for the uprising. It was obviously his desire for an improved and better Syria that inspired or motivated him to join in the Protests. Now he shall never live to see the Syria of his dreams.

What Country destroys its future? What country has no respect for the lives of its citizens? Can somebody please tell me how these animals got to be leaders of our lands. Please tell me.