[Peace] Fwd: [HumanRights] Tunisia and reshaping the Arab world

Fri Jan 21 10:43:40 CST 2011

Some remarks by Mazin Qumsiyeh…

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Mazin Qumsiyeh" <mazin at qumsiyeh.org>
> Date: January 16, 2011 1:46:48 PM CST
> To: Mort Brussel <brussel at illinois.edu>
> Cc: Human Rights Newsletter <humanrights at lists.qumsiyeh.org>
> Subject: [HumanRights] Tunisia and reshaping the Arab world
> 
> Here in Palestine, we face a relentless assault not only on us and our lands
> but on truth, on decency, on nature, on dignity, and, dare I say, on God.
> Israeli authorities are working overtime to transform the Holy City of
> Jerusalem from a multi-ethnic and multi-religious city to a distorted vision
> of what Zionists think Judaism is about (supremacy, ethnic purity, tribalism
> etc). They will be debating in the next few days a project for an additional
> 1400 "housing units" near Gilo colony.  The land targeted belongs to the
> village of Al-Walaja and the Town of Beit Jala. The Negev village of
> Al-Araqib was also just demolished for the 9th time*. More home and business
> demolitions were carried out in Jerusalem and the Jordan valley. Taking
> lands from Christians and Muslims, destroying over 2 million trees and
> countless homes and businesses are not just war crimes but crimes against
> humanity. We must continue to challenge these destructive policies and
> demand the international community bring those responsible to justice.
> Please write to media, politicians, and all others (the internet allows you
> to get hundred of emails very quickly for decision makers).**
> 
> I think the empire's hold on the Arab World has begun to unravel and I think
> we see in Tunisia the first spark of a revolution that will reshape the Arab
> world for the better and spell the end of repression. In 1948, the insertion
> of Israel in the Middle of the Arab world was designed to dominate the area,
> keep the people disjointed, disunited and ruled by (Western-appointed)
> dictators.  In 1953, the US and Britain engineered the coup that removed the
> democratically elected government of Mousaddeq and placed the brutal Shah in
> power in Iran.  These moves worked for many years because people in the Arab
> world let them happen and offered limited resistance.  Things have been
> changing.  In retrospect, the year 1973 was pivotal as for the first time
> two Arab countries decided to fight to take back their stolen lands.
> Unfortunately, the US chose to save its monstrous creation from having to
> return all the stolen lands (and Sadat was willing to walk a separate line).
> Then came the nonviolent people's revolution in Iran which got rid of the
> Shah in 1979. Since then Israel and its benefactor has attempted in vain to
> crush any Arab resistance by might.  Fom their invasion and occupation of
> Lebanon to invasion and occupation of Iraq, these evil forces attempted to
> keep the lid on Arab democracy and keep their hegemony.  Arab dictators were
> useful tools in implementing these destructive policies.  But many of us
> have long argued that these shenanigans will and must come to an end.  
> 
> As people around the world evolved beyond dictatorship and racism, we in the
> Arab world will too.  After all, why should people in Latin America (some
> that used to be called banana republics) be able to say NO to the
> neo-liberal and neo-colonial systems while we in the Arab world could not?
> Why should Iran and Turkey be able to say NO to violations of International
> law and NO to hegemony while we in the rich Arab world stay silent?  The
> directions may be coming from Tunisia.  I have visited Tunisia twice and
> have many colleagues and friends that hail from Tunisia's beautiful towns
> and villages. My single largest scientific collaborator is a Tunisian
> scientist living in Paris.  I have commented on the similarity that
> Palestine and Tunisia has in geography, topography, climate, and village
> life.  Tunisians used popular resistance methods I discussed in my recent
> book on Palestine to get rid of a corrupt leader who had hung on to power
> for over 23 years.  But there are other Arab leaders who have been in power
> even longer.  It is time for real change, a change not to replace one face
> with another but to begin to form truly democratic institutions throughout
> the Arab world.  Our demands include democracy, transparency (including
> totally free and critical press), plurality, and justice.  We have enough
> natural and human resources to build new vibrant societies.  All we have to
> do is muster the will to free our minds.  Those of us who have done so and
> shed their inhibitions should also begin to discuss and ORGANIZE for the day
> after (after Zionism and after imperialism).  We have to begin to examine
> how we may repair the damage caused by the corrupt systems and build a
> better future.
> 
> *
> http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9407&Itemid=
> 56 
> ** for 50 actions you can do, visit
> http://www.palestinejn.org/resources/resources-for-activism-  
> --------------------------
> Tunisia's Revolution Was Twitterized by Firas Al-Atraqchi
> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/firas-alatraqchi/tunisias-revolution-was-t_b_8
> 09131.html 
> 
> Eitan Bronstein's insightful letter about why he set up Zochrot, an Israeli
> group that tries to bring attention to the ethnically cleansed Palestinian
> villages in the "Jewish state"
> http://zochrot.org/index.php?id=866 
> 
> Boycott wins accumulate: Now Vanessa Paradis has cancelled her concert in
> Israel
> Merci Vanessa ! Et merci à toutes celles et tous ceux, dans tous les pays,
> qui se sont mobilisés pour lui faire entendre la voix de la justice et de la
> paix !
> Video of action: http://www.europalestine.com/spip.php?article5793   
> more at http://www.europalestine.com/spip.php?article5792 
> 
> Pebble People by Cindy Sheehan
> "Our problems stem from our acceptance of this filthy, rotten system."
> Dorothy Day 
> http://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/2011/01/pebble-people-by-cindy-shee
> han.html 
> 
> Gabrielle Giffords, Tom Hurndall and Palestinian Children: Shot in the Head
> by Alison Weir http://counterpunch.org/weir01142011.html 
> 
> Jerusalem situation
> http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=457 
> 
> Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
> A Bedouin in Cyberspace, a villager at home
> http://www.qumsiyeh.org   
> http://www.pcr.ps   
> 
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