Sunday, August 31, 2008

For Tibet!

The "Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty" and the "Italian Radicals" joined officially the nonviolent initiative promoted by the Tibetan Government in exile.

FOR TIBET!

The “Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty” and the “Italian Radicals” joined officially the nonviolent initiative promoted by the Tibetan Government in exile. For the first time, the Tibetan authorities in exile in Dharamsala, India, have suggested to the Tibetan diaspora, to the Tibetan living in China and to all the supporters of their struggle, an extraordinary, coordinated mobilization. On Saturday, August 30th anybody who wants show his own support for the Tibetans and for the Dalai Lama Nonviolent struggle, have been encouraged by the Tibetan Prime Minister, Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, to observe a symbolic 12-hour long fasting. The Fasting shall be observed from 7/8 a.m. till 7/8 p.m. for 12 hours. The President of the Tibetan Government in Exile asks to observe fasting, silence, meditation and prayers, but he also encourages to spread information to support the cause of Free Tibet, to urge the choice of a dialog and the need to say the truth on a regime which, for 60 years, has been occupying and repressing the so called “ Roof of the world”.
This morning, trough a letter signed by Marco Pannella, Marco Perduca, Matteo Mecacci and Maurizio Turco, the Nonviolent Radical Party informed the President Samdhong Rinpoche, located in Dharamsala that the Radicals will give their support, once again, to the Tibetan authorities by adhering to their initiative.
By adhering, the leaders of the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty stressed the importance of the active nonviolent initiative, promoted and coordinated for the first time by the top democratic leaders of the Tibetan Government in exile in India , and they reiterated their willingness to support their proposals for autonomy. Furthermore, they reaffirmed the opportunity to make public, preemptively, the plan which is going to be submitted to the Chinese Authorities by a delegation which will be sent in October to Beijing from the Dalai Lama.

We ask you, this time, to join not only us, but the whole Tibetan Community.

http://www.radicalparty.org/appello_tibet/form.php?lang=en

Friday, August 22, 2008

Monday, August 18, 2008

Stop Russian aggression! Sign the petition.

Russia decided to invade a sovereign democratic Georgia. Russia is bombing georgian cities, airports, railway, stadiums, civilian blocks, and everything that can be leveld to the ground. While international community stands by, thousands of civilians are wounded and dieing from blasts comming from Russian tanks and air force. Russia has INVADED a democratic sovereign country!

Immediate action is required to Stop Russia. United States, European Union, United Nations and others must do everythin to stop this disaster as soon as possible. There is no time to stand by. Please sign the petition and inform everyone of the current events that are taking place.

Please be informed and alert: Russian government controlled media is spreading missinformation about the events that are taking place in Georgia, claiming that they are supporting peace, and Georgians are to blame. Do not be fooled by the tricks of the russian television.

http://www.stoprussia.org/

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Sign the petition for Georgia's affiliation with NATO!

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
NATO Secretary General
Dear Mr. Secretary General,

We, citizens of Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and other countries, strongly ask you to convoke an extraordinary session of the NATO Council with the aim of affiliation Republic of Georgia as a member of NATO already in the nearest days or weeks. As you surely know Georgia is a democratic European state which seriously suffered from the direct and unexampled during almost a century (since 1920) straight military aggression of Russian Federation.

We are convinced that any delay in the Georgia’s affiliation with NATO represents a real danger for safety of this country that we love and about safety of which we worry very much.

Sincerely, –
Alex Moma, Russia
Nikolay Baev, Russia
Serge Konstantinov, Russia
Pavel Nikulin, Russia

For adding your signatoure, please, indicate your name, surname and country, and\or city here: http://community.livejournal.com/politics_free/719092.html (there this statement is in Russian also).

Please, distribute this link above more widely.
Thank you.

Monday, August 11, 2008

My friends, please, translate it in your native languages and distribute it. Thank you.

TIBET: message from Marco Pannella to the Tibetan militants on a thirst-strike in India.

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"Unfortunately, I just saw the news today that was announced on August 4 that a number of marchers on their way to Tibet have undertaken a thirst and hunger-strike.”
In our urgency, we have sent this message to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile.
We invite all to translate this message into Tibetan, Chinese, Uyghur, Montagnard, Cechen, Laotian, Vietnamese, Birmese and Esperanto (and any other languages) and to forward it.
Dear Comrades in the struggle for hope and idealism,
I just read that you have reached the fourth or fifth day in a thirst-strike in your effort to give voice, body and strength to your response of nonviolence, that is, the love of truth, because even those who may allude to the use of violence is reached by your hope and faith and an affirmation of the life-choice of freedom and compassion.
I wish to beg of you to never forget, today and always, that nonviolence means risking life not death. Every death is a defeat, every death in our struggle as well as those which are certain from life’s inertia represent a painful defeat for us.
We must absolutely avoid falling into the temptation of hurling our bodies as a weapon against our “enemy.” The distorted use of nonviolence, especially in the West, has led to this error where striking out with our own bodies against our aggressors transforms them into murderers. We must know and remember that every martyr, each martyr has a human cost matched by that of the assassin that we have inadvertently created. The opposite is true, however, of our honourable pacifism but never passivity, armed with nonviolence and compassion.
Despite my very different personal history, I feel that, more and more, Tibetan Buddhism under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, is perhaps our greatest spiritual, that is to say vital treasure. For me, it is what is meant when we refer to “soul.”
I am also convinced that His Holiness the Dalai Lama can or could have made political mistakes with his government. At least as far as I can discern from his own statements regarding reforms that he has imagined over the last ten years for a liberated Tibet, not only from its violators, its occupiers, but also regarding the harmonious balance between science and nature in respect to the Earth, politics, and Humanity.
I think I understand, as I’ve had the honour and love of being heard and listened to by Him even in criticisms, that even this Master remains well aware that understanding and acting on prophetic signs are steps to be taken with the gentlest, most cautious care and love.
With these thoughts, with this struggle like that carried out by us at the Nonviolent Radical Party with our comrades and our Uyghur, Mongol, and Montagnard comrades and those oppressed peoples in Vietnam, Laos, Birmania, Chechnya, and North Korea, we are all beginning to better understand that the struggle for Tibet, along with all the others in the territories of the far East and those not so far, is also a conscious struggle for a Free China.
Our very force excludes caving in to desperation, to anger, to scourn and the blindness of rage, to cruelty, to the violence of the powerful, for millenium the embodiment of madness induced by the impotence provoked by illusions of violence. These are the thoughts at the heart of our Party and you inspire us. You have our gratitude and you are our hope, even though you may lose hope yourselves sometimes, and, for this, now and tomorrow, I will continue to lay myself out besides you and implore you: never choose death, never die for a lack of prudence and hope, for anger and hate against those who oppress you and want your deaths, the end of what we are and for what we hope.
Even in a thirst-strike, we are responsible for all good and all bad, of all life and all death, with which we will ultimately create. I await your reply with faith, love and strength. For today, for these hours and these days so common, but also for the rest of our lives and our nonviolent struggle. I truly hope that this reaches all of you, without exception, alive, and with this opportunity to grow together in the strength of the truth and nonviolence.

http://www.radicalparty.org

Georgian ambassador had a speach in the UN.

Mister President, distinguished members of the Security Council. Let me express gratitude for you for this chance to address Security Council. Today’s special session of the Security Council is elaboration(?) on grave escalation of the situation in Tshenvali region of Georgia. First of all, I will reflect on recent events that have led to this tragic deterioration.

On August 1, at about 8 AM Tbilisi Time pickup vehicle of the Georgian police officers was hit by two remote control devices. As a result of that attack 5 Georgian policemen were severely wounded. The central authorities decided not to retaliate in order to not to escalate the situation.

On August 2, 6 civilians and one Georgian policeman were injured after the shelling of Georgian villages in South Ossetia conflict zone overnight. The seven Georgian controlled villages came under intense fire from the South Ossetian separatists with large caliber mortars. Georgian law enforcement shot back defensively for some time but then received an order to cease fire in order not to escalate the situation.

On August 3rd, South Ossetian separatists’ government announced the evacuation of more than five hundred people including 400 children. However, Deputy Prime Minister of Russians North Ossetian Republic told the Interfax news agency that it was not an evacuation. Sending children to North Ossetia was part of prearranged summer camp program, as he explained. Russian media outlets started a massive propaganda campaign against Georgia.


On August 6, late, separatists opened mortar fire at Georgian populated villages of Eredvi, and other 4 villages. Georgian government forces fired back in order to defend the positions of civilian population. As a result of intense crossfire during the night two servicemen of Georgian battalion of joined peacekeeping forces were injured. Separatists’ regime also claimed several injured persons on their side. Despite the targeted attacks on a peaceful population and villages as well as on the Georgian police and the peacekeeping forces the central authorities decided not to respond through heavy exchange of fire in order not to injure the local population. Tem??? ???shvili, Georgian chief negotiator and Minister for Reintegration said in a late night television remarks on the August 6 that it was a position of Georgian government that only direct dialog with Tshenvali authorities would solve the deteriorating security situation. Mister Jacubosvili also stressed that ambassador at large Jury Popov would attend the talks as a facilitator. South Ossetia’s chief negotiator Boris Chuchev refused to take part in this negotiations.

On August 7, during the night intensive fire came from Ossetian villages from four different positions. Separatists’ authorities continued shelling Georgian law enforcement and peacekeeping units with mortars and artillery. The central authorities responded with limited fire in order to defend these positions. In the morning interview with the Russian news agency South Ossetian de-facto president Eduard Kokoity declared that if the Georgian government would not withdraw military forces from the region he would start “to clean them up”. The President Saakashvili in speaking with the journalists in the military hospital in Gory where he was visiting injured Georgian servicemen said that despite attacks on the Georgian villages Tbilisi was showing maximum restrain. President also called on Russia to recall its officials from South Ossetia who consider themselves as so called South Ossetian government. Temur Jacubashvili who visited the conflict zone in the morning of August 7 to meet with the representatives of separatist’s government. The stated minister met with Marat Kulahmetov the commander of the joint peacekeeping forces in Tshinvali. But again separatists refuse to negotiate with him. The chairman of the separatists’ republic Security Council Parankevich threatened the armed grouping of Cossacks from the North Ossetia were headed toward South Ossetia to fight against Georgian forces. Separatists resumed shelling of Georgian villages by 16:00 the same day. Three Georgian servicemen were injured after the South Ossetian separatist forces blew up an infantry combat vehicle belonging to the Georgian peacekeeping battalion. Georgian police responded by firing towards the separatists armed grouping in the respected villages, where two separatist militiamen were killed and two more wounded. Later the checkpoint of Georgian peacekeepers was bombed in Abnevi and several Georgian servicemen and civilians were killed. President Saakashvili said in a live televised address made at 7:10 PM that he had ordered the Georgian forces to ceasefire in South Ossetia. He said there were casualties both dead and many people wounded. Saakashvili said that he ordered to cease fire on purpose to offer again to South Ossetia secessionists’ regime to resume talks. Despite Georgian decision not to return fire the Georgian village of Avnevi came under fire from Ossetian militia men at about 8:30 PM. It can be said that the village is totally destroyed as the result of this attack. The South Ossetian separatists’ armed groupings fired Georgian control villages of Prici at about 10:30 PM last night. The attack left several people wounded on the Georgian side. The same separatists’ authorities opened fire at all Georgian positions around the South Ossetia capital Tshinvali at about 23:30 last night including the villages of Tamarasheni and Kurta. The police station in Kurta was destroyed totally as a result of this heavy fire.

Excellencies, I want to state very clearly. The Russian Federation security and defense agencies have control and direction of illegal separatists’ authorities and armed formations. Numerous high ranking Russian officers from among the ranks of peacekeepers as well as others from the Russian military officials’ intelligence and law enforcement are serving in senior roles in Tshinvali. This is a clear violation of Russia’s obligations to remain neutral instead they have become the party of the conflict. These Russian officers and individuals include

Mr. Jury Morozov, the Prime Minister, born in Russian Federation. Before his appointment in the government in the South Ossetia in 2005, he was occupying different positions in Bashkiria.

Minzaev. The Minister of Internal Affairs from 2005. Colonel of Russian police. In 2004 during the counter-terrorist operation in Beslan was leading FSB special unit Alfa.

Anatoliy Barankevich. From 2006 Secretary of National Security Council of South Ossetia. Colonel of the Russian military forces. He has participated in Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in both Chechen wars.

Boris Atoev. Chairman of Committee of State Security (analog of KGB) since 2006, previously was holding different positions in Soviet KGB. After accomplishment of mission in Afghanistan he was appointed in the central apparatus of FSB in Moscow.

Vasiliy Lunev, Minister of Defense Of South Ossetia since March 2008. General of Russian army.

Vladimir Kotoev. Head of the Government Protection Service from 2007, colonel of Russian Army, participating in Chechen and Bosnian wars.

Ale(?) Chebodarev. Head of the State Border Protection since 2005, colonel of Russian FSB.

These individuals were granted impunity by Russian Federation from being held responsible for atrocities they have been committing .

Excellencies, the government military action was taken in self-defense. After repeated armed provocations and with the sole goal to protecting civilian population and preventing from loses of lives of population coming from the various ethnic backgrounds. We believe every democratic country would have reacted in similar fashion to protect their own citizens. Government acted because the separatists not only defied the ceasefire but sharply escalated violence, killing several peacekeepers and civilians within the hours of the ceasefire. Additional illegal forces were and are entering Georgian territory from the Russia through the Rocky tunnel threatening even worse violence. The separatists were also continuing to threaten to attack other parts of the country outside the South Ossetian region allegedly with the foreign assistance which is flowing into that region. Russian peacekeepers told Georgian officials they are unable to control separatists. Security situation was deteriorating and violence increasing rapidly. The separatists were not heeded for any appeal for the direct talks. Georgian six negotiating solution in the conflict with international engagement are offer of autonomy along European standards still there. With international guarantees including an elected regional parliament, elected regional president, sheer (?) sovereignty and protection of South Ossetian identity, culture and language are still on the table. Until such a solution is agreed the region, we think, should be governed by the elected head of South Ossetian administration Dmitry Sanakoev, an ethnic Ossetian and former separatists’ leader. We invite Russia to constructively engage in an economic rehabilitation as well as to contribute to the agreed security arrangements of the region. Government immediate goals at this point are to restore peace and to facilitate the return of normal life for all regional residents and allow the return of refugees and peace. We stand ready to ensure adequate supply of water, electricity, food, emergency, services, medical care, and shelter. Separatists’ leaders will be allegeable for amnesty. Humanitarian organizations will have an access to the region and Georgian government already has allocated funding totally 2 million euros to immediate humanitarian and emergency needs of that region.
Excellencies, by verified reports, as well as we speak, now huge contingency of military personnel and equipment are illegally entering Georgian sovereign territory through the Rocky tunnel. Russian Federation’s republic of North Ossetia declared the mobilization of armed mercenaries to be sent to Georgia. There are disturbing signs that we are facing the calculated provocation to escalate the situation to justify preplanned military intervention from Russian side. So we demand from the Russian Federation to prevent transit of armed mercenaries to Georgia, to exercise their influence to the separatists’ regime to stop attacks on the civilian population and start negotiations. As in my last address to this high forum I want to reiterate call to international community to explicitly condemn continuous infringements of the Georgian sovereignty and territorial integrity by the Russian Federation. Despite this most recent escalation I want to emphasize the Georgian government once again calls and shows its readiness to immediately begin peace talks for resolving the conflict in the South Ossetia and calls on the separatist rebels to cease their military actions and come to negotiating table.
Thank you very much.