Chile: Apology For Sterilizing HIV-positive Women In Moment Of ‘reproductive Justice’

Saturday, 28 May 2022
Article: UN News

The head of the UN agency leading the fight against HIV/AIDS, welcomed on Friday a public apology from Chile on a landmark case of involuntary sterilization of women living with HIV.

“This settlement is a significant moment for women around the world who have been fighting for reproductive justice for decades,” said UNAIDS chief Winnie Byanyima.

President Gabriel Boric Font issued the apology as part of a settlement resulting from a case brought before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) by a Chilean woman who was sterilized without her consent shortly after giving birth in 2002.

“We welcome the recognition of international accountability in this emblematic case of human rights violations that women living with HIV and their reproductive autonomy have long suffered,” said Luisa Cabal, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Shocking surgery

When Francisca – a young woman from a rural town in Chile – turned 20, she and her partner received the happy news that they would be welcoming their first child.

During a routine prenatal test, she was diagnosed with HIV.

Taking all the appropriate measures to minimize the risk of HIV transmission, she gave birth to an HIV-negative boy that November.

However, during the caesarean section the surgeon decided without consent, to sterilize her.

“Coercive sterilization of women living with HIV is a violation of women’s most fundamental human rights,” underscored Ms. Byanyima.

Making a case

The Center for Reproductive Rights and the Chilean organization Vivo Positivo took Francisca’s case to IACHR in 2009 along with those of other HIV-positive women who documented that they were pressured to undergo surgical sterilization.

In another case, after giving birth, Daniela was told that she would transmit HIV to her newborn with a hug or kiss. She said in interviews that this was how she understood what discrimination was.

Long road to justice

After more than a decade of international litigation and IACHR’s studying the case, the State signed a settlement agreement accepting responsibility and committing to redress the violations and take measures to ensure these acts would not happen again.

UNAIDS intervened in this case with a brief that informed the IACHR on the health guidelines and human rights standards that each country must follow to respect, protect and guarantee the human rights of people living with HIV.

“It vindicates a journey of more than 10 years, both for Francisca and the organizations that accompanied her, in her quest for justice,” said Ms. Cabal.

Public contrition

During an official ceremony, broadcast live on social media, President Boric apologized to Francisca “for the serious violation,” the denial of justice, and for the long time she had to wait.

“It hurts to think that the State…is responsible for these cases. I pledge to you…that while we govern, we will give the best of each one of us as authorities so that something like this will never happen again and certainly so that in cases where these atrocities have already been committed, they will be properly redressed,” he said.

The Associate Director of Legal Strategies for Latin America and the Caribbean for the Center for Reproductive Rights, Carmen Martinez, read Francisca’s statement saying that she could not have led the struggle in her own name as it would have “closed endless doors,” for her.

“To this day, people who carry HIV are still looked down upon with contempt as if it was our decision to become infected. However, I want to believe with conviction that this will change.”

Stigma and discrimination prevail

HIV-related stigma and discrimination not only impact the health, lives and well-being of those living with or at risk of HIV but also hinder the response by limiting access to broader sexual and reproductive health and other health services.

UNAIDS continues its work to ensure that governments invest in preventing and responding to violations linked to the intersectional discrimination against people living with HIV.

“Unfortunately, this practice is still happening in many countries and efforts to stop it and bring justice to more women must be stepped up,” said the UNAIDS chief.

© Scoop Media

Mexico Energy Regulator Fines Spain's Iberdrola $467 Million

May 28, 2022
Agence France-Presse

The Iberdrola Tower building is seen behind the Guggenheim Bilbao museum, on Feb. 21, 2012, in the Northern Spanish Basque city of Bilbao.

MEXICO CITY —

Mexico's energy regulator fined Spanish firm Iberdrola $467 million for improperly selling electricity to third parties in violation of domestic "self-supply" laws, a document published Friday said.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) said Iberdrola "was obliged to generate electricity exclusively to satisfy the self-sufficiency needs of its partners... and not to sell, resell or by any legal act dispose of capacity or electricity," according to the document.

Mexico's "self-supply" contracts require private electricity generators to only provide energy to the specific partners listed at the time of the contract's signing.

Private generators' surpluses may be sold to the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), which holds a monopoly on the transmission and distribution of electricity to end consumers.

The CRE document argues that the violations occurred at Ibedrola's branch in the northern industrial city of Monterrey, between Jan. 1, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2020.

The fine comes at a tumultuous time for Mexico's power industry, as President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador tries to bring it back into the public sector.

Mexico's Congress rejected a constitutional reform bill in April that would have strengthened the role of the state in electricity generation, a key measure of the left-wing Mexican president that has been publicly criticized by the United States.

That reform would have reversed a 2013 move to privatize Mexico's electricity sector and given more power to the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) over the private sector and foreign companies.

Beijing says UN human rights chief Bachelet experienced 'real Xinjiang'

28-May-2022
CGTN

Beijing said the visit by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has achieved "positive and concrete results," specifically with first-hand experience of "a real Xinjiang."

"People who have visited Xinjiang all found that the Xinjiang they saw is completely different from the one demonized in the Western media," Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said during a press briefing on Saturday regarding Bachelet's trip this week. She visited Guangzhou in the southern province of Guangdong and northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

In Xinjiang, Bachelet had conversations with people from various communities, including ethnic minorities, academics, and representatives of different social sectors. She also had a face-to-face conversation with religious personnel on how the rights of religious freedom of Muslims are respected and guaranteed by law.

In Guangzhou, Bachelet had "a close-up view of China's whole-process democracy at the community level," according to Ma.

"At the elderly care center and rehabilitation facility for people with disabilities, she saw how high technology helps facilitate the rights protection of specific groups," Ma said. "At Guangzhou Internet Court, she learned about world-leading practices of the judicial protection of human rights in the digital world."

According to Ma, Beijing gave the high commissioner a comprehensive introduction on the path, philosophy and achievements of China's human rights development.

The visit also strengthened China's cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Ma added.

China attaches great importance to the UN human rights affairs and stands ready to contribute to advancing the international human rights cause, Ma stressed.

Read more:

Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu briefs the media on the visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to China

Reuters
May 28, 2022

China: UN visit falls short of addressing crimes against humanity in Xinjiang

Responding to the end of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet’s six-day visit to China, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnes Callamard said:

“The time has come for the OHCHR to publicly acknowledge the scale and gravity of human rights violations being committed by the Chinese government. The High Commissioner should release the long-awaited report on Xinjiang and present the findings at the next meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in June.

“Failure to release a report that sufficiently addresses crimes against humanity in the region would amount to a betrayal of the victims and their families. This continued lack of urgency puts the credibility of the High Commissioner’s Office at stake.

“The High Commissioner’s visit has been characterized by photo opportunities with senior government officials and manipulation of her statements by Chinese state media, leaving an impression that she has walked straight into a highly predictable propaganda exercise for the Chinese government.


The High Commissioner’s visit has been characterized by photo opportunities with senior government officials and manipulation of her statements by Chinese state media, leaving an impression that she has walked straight into a highly predictable propaganda exercise for the Chinese government. Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General

“The High Commissioner instead should condemn the ongoing gross human rights violations and seek accountability, truth and justice.

“Bachelet acknowledged that she received appeals from Uyghurs abroad regarding their missing family members believed to be detained and said she raised them with the Chinese authorities. Her office must follow up on these cases and insist that authorities guarantee detainees rights and means to maintain regular contact with family members, including those living overseas.

“Given the various restraints imposed, including COVID-19 restrictions, Bachelet has rightly acknowledged that this visit was not an ‘investigation’. But she should push for it to be a springboard to more meaningful actions and investigations by independent human rights experts in the near future.

“While Bachelet said a working group on human rights, including on business and human rights, counter-terrorism and human rights, and rights of minorities will be established between the UN and Chinese authorities, no clear goals and timeline have been shared. These cannot be a substitute for urgently establishing an independent international mechanism to investigate crimes under international law and other serious human rights violations in Xinjiang, with a view to ensuring accountability, including through the identification of suspected perpetrators.

“The High Commissioner must call on the Chinese government to immediately dismantle all remaining internment camps, release the people arbitrarily detained in them and in prisons, and end the systematic attacks against Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.

Background

A team led by High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet spent six days in China including two days in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where Amnesty International has documented systematic arbitrary detention, torture and persecution of Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities.

On Saturday, 28 May, the High Commissioner held a virtual press conference in Guangzhou where she spoke about her mission to China. She met with government officials, the business community and members of civil society. In regard to Xinjiang, she spoke about how counter-terrorism measures should not result in human rights violations and need to be subjected to independent oversight. She also mentioned linguistics, religious, cultural and education rights in Tibet and other human rights issues.

During Bachelet’s visit to China, national state media quoted her as saying she “admired China’s efforts in… protecting human rights”. The OHCHR later issued a clarification of Bachelet’s words, which did not praise China’s human rights record.

Since September 2018, when the High Commissioner first sought access to Xinjiang “in light of deeply disturbing allegations of large-scale arbitrary detentions of Uighurs and other Muslim communities”, numerous organizations have published further detailed and well-corroborated information on the situation. In June 2021, Amnesty International launched a comprehensive report documenting how China’s crackdown against predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in Xinjiang amounted to serious human rights violations, including crimes against humanity.

Based on dozens of testimonies, the report described a “dystopian hellscape” encompassing grave violations against detainees, systematic state surveillance of millions of people, and efforts to root out the religious traditions, cultural practices and local languages of the region’s Muslim ethnic groups.

Amnesty International launched an international campaign, initially focusing on more than 70 individuals, calling for the release of all people arbitrarily detained in camps and prisons, and for the closure of the internment camps. Just this month Amnesty has collected details of a further 40 missing or detained individuals as news of Bachelet’s visit prompted more families to come forward seeking justice for relatives in Xinjiang who have disappeared and are believed to be detained.

The OHCHR has already compiled its own report on human rights violations in Xinjiang, which Bachelet said was being “finalised” last year. It has not yet been made public, despite repeated requests from almost 200 NGOs, including Amnesty International.


Statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet after official visit to China

28 May 2022

A broadcast quality video available at https://vimeo.com/714742493

Good evening and thank you all for joining me here today. This press conference has to be virtual, given the COVID-19 restrictions in place. But I hope this means that those of you who may otherwise not have been able to travel here from different parts of China have been able to join.

Let me start by thanking the Government of China for its invitation. For the first time in 17 years, a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has been able to travel to China and speak directly with the most senior Government officials in the country, and other interlocutors on key human rights issues, in China and globally. I appreciate the Government’s efforts in making this visit happen, particularly the arrangements for my virtual meeting with President Xi Jinping.

I was also able to meet with State Councilor Wang Yi, the Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, and with senior officials on public security, justice, ethnic affairs and human resources, the State Procuratorate, and the Governor of Guangdong Province. I also met with the All China Women’s Federation. During my two days in Kashgar and Urumqi, I met with a range of officials, including the Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), the Governor and the Vice-Governor in charge of public security, among others. I visited Kashgar prison and the Kashgar Experimental School, a former Vocational Education and Training Centre (VETC), among other places.

In addition, I was able to interact with civil society organisations, academics, and community and religious leaders and others inside and outside the country. In advance of my visit, my Office and I met virtually with a number of civil society organisations that are working on issues relating to Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and other parts of China. My visit has also been informed by the work of the UN human rights mechanisms on China over many years, and the preparatory work done by my office and my advance team that arrived in China on 25 April.

I should state from the outset what this visit was – and what it wasn’t. This visit was not an investigation – official visits by a High Commissioner are by their nature high-profile and simply not conducive to the kind of detailed, methodical, discreet work of an investigative nature. The visit was an opportunity to hold direct discussions – with China’s most senior leaders – on human rights, to listen to each other, raise concerns, explore and pave the way for more regular, meaningful interactions in the future, with a view to supporting China in fulfilling its obligations under international human rights law.

Considering China’s significant role in multilateralism, the visit was an opportunity for me to also discuss several other regional and global issues, where China can use its leverage to bring political solutions.

To those who have sent me appeals, asking me to raise issues or cases with the authorities - I have heard you. Your advocacy matters and my visit was an opportunity to raise a number of specific situations and issues of concern with the Government. I will continue to follow up on such issues and instances of concern on a sustained basis.

It would be presumptuous of me to try to encapsulate the full complexity of this vast country’s human rights situation in one statement but allow me to highlight the key topics we were able to discuss at length.

Poverty alleviation and the eradication of extreme poverty, 10 years ahead of its target date, are tremendous achievements of China. The introduction of universal health care and almost universal unemployment insurance scheme go a long way in ensuring protection of the right to health and broader social and economic rights. China’s efforts in support of the multilateral 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, both at home and internationally, are also valued. We stressed the importance of advancing gender parity and appropriate geographical distribution.

Over the years, there have been important legislative and judicial reforms. On gender equality, I welcome revision of the Law on Protecting Women’s Rights and Interests, which should bring about several improvements for protection of women’s rights. I also commend the recent reform of the Civil Code that introduced provisions on sexual harassment as well as the anti-domestic violence law that provides for restraining orders to protect women and children at risk. Of course, as in every country, implementation is key, so it will be important for the authorities to be vigilant in that regard and respond to concerns about how the law is applied in practice. I would like to see more women at all levels of political representation, and have encouraged businesses to create the conditions for more women at the top as well.

I welcome China’s stated aim of ensuring quality development, closely linked to strengthening the rule of law and respect for human rights. This is formulated in the Human Rights Action Plan of China and other policy documents. My team had in-depth discussions on how national legislation and practices must reflect international human rights laws and standards, particularly in relation to law enforcement and judicial procedures, and we look forward to continuing to share our expertise with the Government and judiciary.

The commitment in the Human Rights Action Plan of China to enforce more rigorous procedures for reviewing capital sentences and implement a more stringent mechanism for reporting and reviewing death penalty cases is also welcome. It is important to issue data on the death penalty, and I do hope China will join the growing international momentum towards abolition of the death penalty.

In my discussions with senior officials, the themes of development, peace and security arose in every meeting. Of course, for development, peace and security to be sustainable, it needs to be inclusive and rooted in protection of human rights.

I share the concerns of a number of UN human rights mechanisms about laws and policies to counter terrorism and radicalism and their application.

Violent acts of extremism have a terrible, serious impact on the lives of victims, including those tasked to protect the community. But it is critical that counter-terrorism responses do not result in human rights violations. The application of relevant laws and policies, and any mandatory measures imposed on individuals, need to be subject to independent judicial oversight, with greater transparency of judicial proceedings. All victims must be able to seek redress.

In the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, I have raised questions and concerns about the application of counter-terrorism and de-radicalisation measures and their broad application – particularly their impact on the rights of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities. While I am unable to assess the full scale of the VETCs, I raised with the Government the lack of independent judicial oversight of the operation of the program, the reliance by law enforcement officials on 15 indicators to determine tendencies towards violent extremism, allegations of the use of force and ill treatment in institutions, and reports of unduly severe restrictions on legitimate religious practices. During my visit, the Government assured me that the VETC system has been dismantled. I encouraged the Government to undertake a review of all counter terrorism and deradicalization policies to ensure they fully comply with international human rights standards, and in particular that they are not applied in an arbitrary and discriminatory way.

Before coming to China, I heard from some Uyghur families now living abroad who have lost contact with their loved ones. In my discussions with the authorities, I appealed to them to take measures to provide information to families as a matter of priority.

I also share the concerns of UN human rights mechanisms about legitimate activities by lawyers, human rights defenders and others being penalized under the national security framework. UN human rights bodies have found the system of Residential Surveillance constitutes arbitrary detention and have called for its repeal.

My interactions with NGOs in China were also enriching. There is important work being done to advance gender equality, the rights of LGBTI people, of people with disabilities and older people, among others.

China has a tradition of grassroots engagement, and I cannot overstate how important this is. Broadening the space for meaningful participation and advocacy by civil society is crucial to strengthen participation and the freedom of expression.

On the Tibet Autonomous Region, it is important the linguistic, religious and cultural identity of Tibetans be protected, and that Tibetan people are allowed to participate fully and freely in decisions about their religious life and for dialogue to take place. I discussed education policies in the Tibet Autonomous Region and stressed the importance of children learning in their own language and culture in the setting of their families or communities.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has long been respected as a centre for human rights and independent media in the region. It is important that the Government there do all it can to nurture – and not stifle – the tremendous potential for civil society and academics in Hong Kong to contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights in the HKSAR and beyond. The arrests of lawyers, activists, journalists and others under the National Security Law are deeply worrying. Hong Kong is due to be reviewed by the UN Human Rights Committee in July, as a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

I have called on China to also ratify the Covenant, which it signed in 1998.

China’s recent ratification of of the two International Labour Organization Conventions (29 and 105) on forced labour, once deposited, will be a welcome and an important starting point for protecting fundamental principles and rights at work. Beyond ratification, it will now be important to build a broad-based system, encompassing not only on labour inspection and enforcement, but prevention and due diligence. Civil society actors – including business, trade unions, NGOs and the media – also have an important role to monitor compliance and highlight gaps. I encouraged China to engage constructively with ILO.

I was also able to engage with representatives of China’s business community, and am encouraged to see Chinese companies and sectors embracing human rights standards for their operations and supply chains.

Given the many intersecting global crises facing the world today, including climate change, threats to peace and security and instability in the global economic system, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, China has a very important role to play as a key contributor in multilateral and regional fora.

We agreed to establish regular engagement between the UN Human Rights Office and the Government of China, including through an annual senior strategic meeting for discussion of issues of respective interest at national, regional, or global levels.

We also agreed to establish a working group to facilitate substantive exchanges and cooperation between my Office and the Government through meetings in Beijing and in Geneva, as well as virtual meetings. This working group will organize a series of follow-up discussions about specific thematic areas, including but not limited to development, poverty alleviation and human rights, rights of minorities, business and human rights, counter-terrorism and human rights, digital space and human rights, judicial and legal protection and human rights, as well as other issues raised by either side.

This will allow for structured engagement of my Office with China on a number of human rights issues. This is especially important as my Office does not have a country presence. The working group will also provide a space for us to bring to attention of the Government a number of specific matters of concern.

The Government has also stated that it will invite senior officials from the Office to visit China in the future.

I spoke to everyone I met in China – regional and national officials, civil society, academics, diplomats and others – with candour, with a sincere desire to make progress on the promotion and protection of human rights for all. I hope we can build on this open and frank approach to carry forward these exchanges in a meaningful and impactful way.

FORWARD TO THE PAST

Johnson to Restore Imperial Measures to Lure UK Voters: Mirror

BACKWARDS TO THE FUTURE

Sara Marley, Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) -- Boris Johnson plans to reintroduce imperial measurements to try to attract UK voters who favored Brexit in seats the Conservatives risk losing, the Mirror reported.

British shops will be allowed -- but not required -- to sell products in pounds and ounces, with an announcement expected from the UK prime minister linked to Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee celebrations next week, the newspaper said, citing government insiders it didn’t name.

The UK leader faces challenges including difficult elections in two parliamentary districts and a deepening cost-of-living crisis. More MPs have called for Johnson’s resignation, though not yet enough to pose a serious threat. Johnson still faces a parliamentary inquiry into whether he lied over the pandemic parties.

The UK adopted the metric system on a mostly voluntary basis from 1965 and it became a legal European Union directive in 2000 for certain products. Beer is still sold in pints, and most road signs are in miles.  

©2022 Bloomberg L.P.

Glasgow archaeologists dig for lost treasures from 1988 garden festival

The festival’s floating tap, which remains lost. Photograph: Donald Whannell

The hunt is now on for missing exhibits from the event that helped to transform a post-industrial city

Eve Livingston
Sat 28 May 2022 

How does an operational railway, an entire rotunda or indeed a three-metre-tall working sculpture of a floating tap manage to go missing? For five months over the spring and summer of 1988, each enjoyed a home on Glasgow’s riverside alongside hundreds of other rides, attractions and exhibits, as part of the city’s garden festival. But then, in the mists of time, they disappeared.

Now an online project appealing to the public and an archaeological dig, which starts this weekend, will attempt to uncover the whereabouts of these long-lost objects.


Many Glaswegians recall with nostalgia specific rollercoasters, installations and artworks. The memories of that summer led Lex Lamb, from nearby Greenock, to begin the arduous process of tracing and documenting the festival’s features.

His website, “After the Garden Festival…”, already lists more than 270 objects and 180 images, alongside information crowdsourced from the public and archival research.

A giant teapot and cup were among hundreds of attractions at the festival. 

Photograph: Image Scotland/Alamy

Meanwhile, archaeologists from the University of Glasgow, with the support of Glasgow City Heritage Trust, have begun digging at the site.

“The scope of archaeology is not defined by a period of time having passed but rather by a set of techniques,” explains Dr Kenny Brophy, senior lecturer in archaeology at the university and excavation leader. “Memories fade and written records are often incomplete, so an archaeology of the recent past is a great way to fill out our understanding of why things happened as they did, or document things that were simply never documented.”

Taking place on the disused Govan dockyards on the south bank of the River Clyde, the garden festival was seen as symbolic of Glasgow’s transformation from a post-industrial city synonymous with poverty and crime to a global cultural hub. The 120-acre site was opened by Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and attracted millions of visitors from Scotland and beyond. Two years later, in 1990, Glasgow was named European City of Culture.

“The festival, alongside other major events, brought Glasgow to its international prominence,” says Thierry Lye, chair of the New Glasgow Society, which exists to raise the city’s profile and protect its heritage. “This project will not only bring nostalgia to people who visited; it is a reminder to future generations and new Glaswegians that Glasgow is an ambitious city with pride.”

Claire Duffy, now 42 and still living in Glasgow, vividly recalls visiting the festival multiple times, on trips with school and the Brownies and alongside her family. “It was probably Glasgow’s greatest ever summer,” she laughs. “We’d never seen anything like it: rollercoasters, rides, weird sculptures everywhere you looked. The whole city was there and everyone was laughing and joking.”

Crowds greet Princess Diana, in blue, on a tram at the festival. 

Photograph: Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy

Clearest in most visitors’ memories is probably the festival’s centrepiece, the Coca-Cola rollercoaster, which is still in operation at Pleasurewood Hills theme park in Suffolk. Other attractions have also been traced: a sculpture of a floating head by the artist Richard Groom was found abandoned in an Ayrshire boatyard last year, while the Clydesdale Bank Tower now sits on Rhyl seafront, in north Wales. But many remain missing or are the subject of “red herring” sightings –a floating tap spotted at a Cairngorms park, for example, has been ruled out by the project as the festival’s missing sculpture.

The archaeological team have their sights set on more modest discoveries, uncovering in their first days on-site construction materials, coins and the festival’s ground-cover membrane.

“This is not Stonehenge and these are not treasures in the traditional sense,” says Brophy. “But even the smallest of discoveries in archaeology can generate a direct connection to the actions of a person in the past and that connection can be magical.”

For Lex Lamb’s part, “I purchased and ate a bratwurst from a festival stall, which felt like a highly continental and sophisticated thing to do in the Glasgow of 1988,” he recalls. “I’d like to see one of those symbolic bratwurst trays emerge from the mud.”

Tanks will win you battles. Just don’t leave them alone like Russians did in Ukraine

The obituary of the tank has been written many a time. But it has bounced back and continued to dominate the modern battlefield.

LT GEN. A.K. SINGH (RETD)
28 May, 2022 

A file photo of the Indian Army's T-72 Ajeya MK2 tanks.

The tank has maintained its place as the centrepiece of the 20th-century battlefield ever since its introduction to overcome the trench warfare in World War I. They came into their own during World War II, mainly as part of manoeuvre warfare and the deep battle, symbolised by the Blitzkrieg and the vast enveloping manoeuvres in Operation Barbarossa. But the tank also proved its mettle in the attrition-oriented warfare as witnessed at Stalingrad and Berlin.

The armour’s effectiveness was greatly enhanced when used as part of a combined arms team comprising mounted infantry, self-propelled artillery, air defence and engineers supported by requisite logistics. Air and helicopter support always proved crucial on the modern battlefield.

Post-World War II, mechanised battles were mainly fought between unequal adversaries, be it Korea, Vietnam, Arab-Israeli or the Gulf wars. Only in the India-Pakistan conflicts were the adversaries evenly matched, with Indians proving their superiority in hard–fought battles at the tactical level.

Threats to the tank have kept pace, especially after the introduction of shoulder-fired guided missiles in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. As the tank advanced technologically, so did these missiles, reaching their peak in recent years with the tandem warhead fire and forget anti-tank missiles, fired from multiple platforms, including helicopters and armed drones. As for tanks, they too have been upgraded and mounted with many countermeasures, including active protection systems, both for soft and hard-kill of incoming missiles.

The inter se battle between the tank and the anti-tank missile continues, one getting the better of the other. Multiple factors such as battlefield environment and training of the crew influence the outcome. However, on the 21st-century battlefield, as seen in recent conflicts in Syria, Armenia-Azerbaijan and now Russia-Ukraine, the tank has taken some knocking, and this has raised questions on its preeminent role on the modern battlefield.

These are the emerging facts from the Russia-Ukraine conflict:

With massive superiority, especially in tanks, Russia launched a four-pronged offensive with the main focus on Kyiv, both from the north and northeast.

After making swift progress over hundreds of kilometres on a very vast front, and reaching the outskirts of Kyiv, the offensive stalled.

Largely confined to the roads, the sight of long Russian armour columns stalled and ambushed was indeed a disturbing sight.

Ukraine’s success in stalling the Russian offensive was largely based on small teams, equipped with most modern shoulder-launched missiles like the Javelin (provided by the US and other NATO countries), who skillfully used the ground and took advantage of poor Russian tactics, to inflict heavy losses and large delays on the advancing columns.The unarmed drones for scouting and the armed Bayraktar TB2 drone, which carries up to four laser-guided munitions have also played a significant role.

The use of shoulder-launched, surface to air missiles like Stinger took a toll on Russian helicopters, including attack helicopters and inhibited the Russians from using the airspace effectively.

Maintenance and logistics issues also plagued the Russian forces and contributed to their slow progress, after the initial success.

Operational and tactical lessons

It will be incorrect to take all published news reports and footage coming from the battlefields of Ukraine at face value because apart from information, they also carry a fair mix of misinformation and disinformation. A balanced analysis can be only undertaken once the Russian side is more forthcoming.

Having said that, it can be summarised that the Russians were surprised by the stiff resistance from Ukraine. The early spring thaw and resulting Rasputitsa prevented the Russian manoeuvre through the countryside and confined them to roads, where the Russian armour became vulnerable to tank ambushes and hit and run raids.

But it’s incredulous how the Russians, who are the masters of the combined arms concept, did not follow it, leaving their tanks most vulnerable. The tank is most effective when operating as part of the combined arms team, with infantry covering its vulnerable flanks, artillery providing speculative and covering fire and air defence, electronic warfare and engineers shaping the battlefield. A similar mistake was committed by the Armenians who left their tanks isolated and vulnerable to drones of Azerbaijan.

 Air cover for the stalled Russian tank column was also not very visible

The tank remains the most potent weapon on the battlefield, but is also vulnerable to multiple threats, both from the ground and air. And these threats get magnified whilst operating in close-country and built-up areas.

It should also be remembered that tanks and Infantry are the only instruments that can capture ground and hold it. Attack is the most challenging operation of war and penetration of enemy defences requires the shock and awe effect of tanks and massed artillery. Therefore, writing obituaries for the tank is rather premature, though its employment has to be part of a combined arms team to cater for the numerous threats on the modern battlefield.

Also read: Fate of Russian armour in Ukraine not encouraging but premature to write off the tank

Technology lessons for the future

The Main Battle Tank (MBT) is an appropriate mix of mobility, firepower and protection. If you enhance one, there is a corresponding dilution in the other two capabilities. The Russian tanks (which are also the mainstay of the Indian Army) are medium tanks in the category of 45-50 tons, and have effective firepower and mobility with lesser protection compared to western MBTs. The Russians have addressed this through a combination of better armour and addition of reactive and active armour protection systems. Surprisingly, whilst some ‘Shtora’ active protection systems were seen on the Russian tanks, the more advanced ‘Arena’ and the latest ‘Afghanit’ systems mounted on the latest T-14 Armata tank were not fielded. These latest systems are also designed to cater for the top-attack threat posed by missiles like Javelin.

To the trinity of mobility, firepower and protection, the tank now needs to adopt survivability and adaptability as key parameters. The survival strategy has to focus on avoiding detection/acquisition, and if hit, prevent penetration for a catastrophic (K) kill. The tank should also be capable of adapting to a varying combat environment across the spectrum of conflict.

With the complexity of the battlefield increasing by the day, an updated “Battlefield Management system (BMS)” has become an imperative for tanks and mechanised formations. What is needed is a system of systems that networks multiple weapon platforms to optimise the combined arms effect. This should include both manned and robotic platforms.

As far as the drone threat is concerned, it has to be tackled as part of the combined arms team response. Starting with an intelligence appreciation of the adversary’s drone capabilities, air and artillery strikes on likely operating bases, air defence and electronic warfare protection and finally the active protection system of the tanks. The importance of vanguard reconnaissance forces in the front and on the flanks has again become important.

In the competitive market of tanks, where the Russian tanks have earned a great reputation, one can also see a subtle effort to do down their reputation by competitors from the West. It will be wise to see through such attempts.

Properly equipped and handled by well-trained crews, the tank still remains the most potent weapon system on the battlefield, albeit as part of the combined arms team. The Russians went away from their own teachings on the deep battle and the combined arms concept and paid the price.

Also read: Russian forces’ actions in Ukraine show a dilemma like Indian Army’s in 1948 Hyderabad ops

Lessons for India

With a large tank fleet of Russian origin (T-72 and T-90), there are important lessons for India, both tactical and relating to technology. Of course, we must endeavour to harmonise these with Russia, as they would be evaluating the lessons first hand.

While a modernisation programme is already underway for the Indian armour, certain aspects may be reviewed in light of the lessons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

An active protection system needs to be acquired on priority. In fact, during the induction of the T-90 tanks in 2000-01, we in the trial team had strongly recommended the then available active protection system ‘Shtora’ be included. It was, however, dropped due to cost considerations. We now have a chance to acquire one of the latest available systems, but this has to be undertaken on priority. In addition, a BMS system for the tanks is becoming imperative. This should be taken up on priority for the Strike Corps. Empowerment of the upcoming Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) with both the scout and armed drones should be a priority. The air defence needs to be modernised and restructured to cater for the very potent drone threat our mechanised forces are likely to face on the future battlefield.

Tank’s here to stay

The obituary of the tank has been written many a time. But it has bounced back and continued to dominate the modern battlefield. Recent conflicts, especially the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, have highlighted many lessons for the future operational employment and effectiveness of the tank. These include technological modernisation to cater to the more potent and aggressive threats that have emerged, particularly the armed drones and fire-and-forget top attack missiles. Equally important is the training of crews and dynamic operational and tactical concepts.

Apart from its devastating physical capabilities, the shock and awe effect that can be produced by tanks is yet to be replicated by any other weapon system. The tank is here to stay. The onus remains on the Indian Army to provide the mechanised forces with the wherewithal needed for the 21st-century battlefield.

The author is a former Army commander and lieutenant-governor. With over 40 years on tanks, the author is one of the few who has trained with both the Warsaw Pact and NATO at the height of the Cold War. Views are personal.

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New software enables different robots to communicate with each other and building infrastructure

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat examining a Temi-Bot, one of the robots used by CGH. PHOTO: CHANGI GENERAL HOSPITAL/FACEBOOK

Wong Shiying

SINGAPORE - When Changi General Hospital (CGH) first started using robots in 2015, it had to build dedicated lifts that the robots could communicate with to move to different floors on their own.

But with the hospital aiming to grow its army of robots, including those that transport patients or deliver items, building new lifts specifically to cater to the many brands of robots is no longer feasible, said CGH chief executive Ng Wai Hoe.

"When we first started using robots, they needed a separate track or system. But as the hospital grows, we can't have different robots requiring different lift systems, for example, to operate," he said.


On Saturday (May 28), a new robotic software, RoMi-H, was launched to provide a common "language" for robots to interact with building infrastructure, such as lifts.

Short for robotics middleware for healthcare, RoMi-H is aimed at enabling robots and building infrastructure to communicate with each other, by adopting a recently launched national standard for such communication.

This way, each time the hospital buys a new robot, it can be programmed to communicate with the existing lifts or automated doors.

RoMi-H was developed by CGH's Centre for Healthcare Assistive and Robotics Technologies, the Integrated Health Information Systems, and engineering firms Hope Technik and Open Source Robotics.

Its development was supported by the Ministry of Health and the National Robotics Programme.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who gave a speech at the launch, noted how the fast pace of adoption of industrial robots worldwide - having doubled over the past five years - has introduced challenges in coordinating how they operate in dynamic environments.

Singapore is the second most automated country in the world, after South Korea, with more than 600 industrial robots per 10,000 workers, he added.

"Imagine robots on the move - they not only have to avoid colliding into one another, they also have to avoid the many people, some pushing prams, wheelchairs and carts, walking along the same corridors," he said.

This was what prompted the development of RoMi-H to allow safe and efficient integration of robots in buildings, DPM Heng added.

RoMi-H also allows robots made by different manufacturers to interact with one another so as to operate more seamlessly in a building 

This would come in handy at CGH, for example, where more than 50 robots help with various tasks including surgery and food delivery.

Apart from navigating around people, robots equipped with RoMi-H are also taught to give way to other robots performing more urgent tasks.

For instance, a robot transporting a sick patient would take priority over a droid delivering linens.

"To put it simply, it is a code of conduct in a virtual world that would allow robotic systems of different uses to coordinate and prioritise (their functions) in a seamless fashion," said Professor Ng.

RoMi-H has been trialled at CGH in the last few years and has also been tested at Covid-19 treatment facilities, such as the one at Singapore Expo, since March this year.

The hospital plans to begin implementing RoMi-H in most of its robots and infrastructure by the end of 2022.

The developers are now looking to take this technology to other hospitals and industries beyond healthcare.

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Illegal monitoring of the Kurdish associations in Germany

Since 1994, information belonging to Kurdish organizations in Germany has been unlawfully exchanged with the intelligence and security directorate.


ANF
BERLIN
Saturday, 28 May 2022, 

Illegal monitoring of the Kurdish associations in Germany

Since 1994, information belonging to Kurdish organizations in Germany has been unlawfully exchanged with the intelligence and security directorate.

ANF
BERLIN
Saturday, 28 May 2022

Information on associations having a majority of foreign members is submitted to the Federal Administration Office in Cologne in accordance with a "law on associations" passed in Germany in 1966. "As required by law," the names and addresses of the associations' board of directors, as well as their statutes, are sent to the Federal Administration Office.

Until now, this department has received information from around 15 thousand associations. This technique, which involves profiling all organizations with immigrant members, is not employed for associations with a majority of German members.

With a proposal submitted to the Federal Assembly in 2020, the Left Party, one of the 2020 opposition parties, demanded that the law be changed, saying "End the marginalization of immigrants." However, both the government and opposition parties voted against the Left Party's motion, with votes from the CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP, and AfD.

THE DECISION REGARDING KURDS IS NOT FOUND

Since 1994, the Federal Administration Office has transmitted information about Kurdish associations to the country's internal intelligence agency, the Constitutional Protection Organization, and the Security Directorate. It has been revealed that information on 209 Kurdish organizations has been exchanged with intelligence and security services over the last three years.

In a statement issued in 2019, Stephan Mayer, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior at the time, noted that Kurdish associations were being monitored due to the PKK ban, and that "this is an obligation.” However, there was no bylaw requiring the automatic exchange and monitoring of information belonging to Kurdish associations with intelligence and security organizations.

IS THE INFORMATION SHARED WITH MIT?

Mahmut Özdemir, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, who was asked by Left Party Deputy Gökay Akbulut if they had “the circular from 1994", said that "We have been unable to find the requested circular." Following this answer, federal parliamentarian Akbulut declared that security units monitoring and profiling Kurdish associations is unacceptable and should be stopped immediately.

It is also unclear whether information gathered about Kurdish associations and organizations in practically every German city is shared with the Turkish intelligence MIT. While the Scholz government said last April, "Information belonging to foreign associations was not shared with foreign intelligence services," there are several severe doubts regarding this. Because it had previously been revealed that German security forces shared investigation files on Kurdish and other Turkish socialist movements with the Turkish state through "security cooperation" agreements.

Al Jazeera says it will go to ICC over killing of Palestinian journalist


By Associated Press

 May 29, 2022

The Al Jazeera news network says it will submit a case file to the International Criminal Court on the killing of reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead earlier this month during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank.

The Qatar-based network and the Palestinian Authority have accused Israeli soldiers of deliberately killing her.

Israel rejects those allegations as a “blatant lie." It says she was shot during a firefight between soldiers and Palestinian militants, and that only ballistic analysis of the bullet - which is held by the PA - can determine who fired the fatal shot.

An AP reconstruction lent support to witnesses who say the veteran Palestinian-American correspondent was killed by Israeli fire, but any final conclusion may depend on evidence that has not yet been released.

Palestinians visit the site where veteran Palestinian-American reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed, in the West Bank city of Jenin, May 18, 2022. The Al Jazeera news network says it will submit a case file to the International Criminal Court on the killing of reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead earlier this month during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed, File) (AP)

Al Jazeera said late Thursday it has formed an international legal team to prepare a case dossier to be submitted to the ICC. The court launched an investigation into possible Israeli war crimes last year. Israel is not a member of the ICC and has rejected the probe as being biased against it.

Al Jazeera said the case file would also include the Israeli bombing of the building housing its offices in Gaza City during last year's war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, “as well as the continuous incitements and attacks on its journalists operating in the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Israel said the building - which also housed the Gaza office of The Associated Press - contained Hamas military infrastructure, but has not provided any evidence. The AP was not aware of any purported Hamas presence in the building and condemned the strike as “shocking and horrifying.” No one was hurt in the strike, which came after an Israeli warning to evacuate.

“The Network vows to follow every path to achieve justice for Shireen, and ensure those responsible for her killing are brought to justice and held accountable in all international justice and legal platforms and courts,” Al Jazeera said.

Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while covering an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank town of Jenin early Wednesday. (Twitter)

Israel says it cannot determine whether Palestinian militants or its own soldiers fired the fatal shot unless the PA hands over the bullet that killed Abu Akleh for ballistic analysis. The PA has refused to cooperate with Israel in any way, saying it doesn't trust Israel to investigate itself.

The PA announced the results of its own probe on Thursday, saying Abu Akleh was deliberately killed by Israeli forces and that there were no militants in the area. Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz rejected the findings, saying “any claim that the IDF intentionally harms journalists or uninvolved civilians is a blatant lie,” referring to the Israeli military.

Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al Khateeb, in announcing the results of the probe, said the bullet that killed her was an armor-piercing 5.56 mm NATO round and that it appeared to have been fired by a Ruger Mini-14 semiautomatic rifle.

The Israeli military declined to comment on whether the gun described by the Palestinians matches one the military has previously identified as having possibly fired the fatal shot. It also declined to say whether the army uses the Ruger Mini-14 or whether any were in use during the May 11 raid in which Abu Akleh was killed, in the West Bank town of Jenin.

Israel has publicly called for a joint investigation with the PA, with the participation of the US The State Department said this week that neither Israel nor the PA have formally requested its assistance. Each side is in sole possession of potentially crucial evidence, and neither is likely to accept any conclusions reached by the other.

Israel claims no Israeli soldier 'deliberately' shot at Shireen Abu Akleh after internal investigation

The New Arab Staff
28 May, 2022

Israel's military and leaders initially said it was 'likely' that Shireen Abu Akleh, a veteran reporter for Al Jazeera, was killed by Palestinian gunmen.


Israeli military chief Aviv Kochavi on Friday shared results of an internal investigation into Shireen Abu Akleh's killing [AFP via Getty]

Israel's military has claimed that an internal investigation has found that no Israeli soldier deliberately fired the shot that killed Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh earlier this month.

The claim - which contradicts eyewitness accounts, a probe by the Palestinian Authority, and journalistic investigations - was made in a video statement posted by the Israeli military to Twitter on Friday evening.

"No IDF soldier deliberately fired at a journalist. We investigated this. That is the conclusion, and there is no other," Israeli military chief Aviv Kochavi said in the statement.

Abu Akleh was shot dead on 11 May while reporting on an Israeli military raid on the Jenin refugee camp, in the occupied West Bank.

Israel's military and leaders initially claimed that Abu Akleh, a veteran reporter for Al Jazeera, was killed by Palestinian gunmen. They soon backtracked on that claim, instead saying that they could not conclusively determine whose gunfire killed the veteran US-Palestinian journalist.

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Grief and Anger: The killing of Shireen Abu Akleh

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Hugo Goodridge

Shortly after the killing, Israel had asked for the Palestinian Authority to hand over the bullet removed from Abu Akleh's body to conduct a forensic examination.

The PA denied Israel's request for the bullet, saying it did not trust Israel would conduct a fair investigation after it had spread "false narratives" over Abu Akleh's killing.

Israel also offered that Palestinian and US officials could be present during the examination.

However, this week, State Department spokesman Ned Price said he was “not aware of any request for assistance” from either side. And when asked during a press briefing Wednesday — two weeks after Abu Akleh’s death — if the US had been asked to participate or act as an observer, he stood by his previous answer.

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Shireen Abu Akleh: Beware of passive mourners

Perspectives
Hebh Jamal
23 May, 2022

Following the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, political figures in the US expressed ‘outrage’ and offered their condolences, but this means nothing in the face of their continued support for Israel which includes considerable aid, writes Hebh Jamal

Some US politicians spoke out against the death of Shireen Abu Akleh, but many are critical of their calls for investigations given their continued support for Israel. [GETTY]

“When I arrived in Jenin, I did not expect to relive this overwhelming feeling” Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh wrote last October.

“Jenin is still the same inextinguishable flame that is home to fearless young men who are not intimidated by any potential Israeli invasion” she said. “In Jenin, we met people who have never given up hope; they have not allowed fear to infiltrate their hearts and have not been broken by the Israeli occupation forces.”

Tragically, it was under a similar Israeli invasion in the same occupied Jenin that she spoke about, that Shireen Abu Akleh fell to an Israeli sniper that targeted her and her Al Jazeera colleagues. Abu Akleh was covering an Israeli army raid on the Jenin refugee camp when she was shot in the face by a single bullet, despite wearing a press vest and helmet.

Producer Ali al-Samudi was also shot in the back.

In a statement, Al Jazeera said Abu Akleh was “assassinated in cold blood.”

Shireen’s death sent shockwaves all across the Arab speaking world, specifically amongst Palestinians throughout the diaspora who grew up watching Shireen’s groundbreaking and uncensored coverage of the Israeli occupation.

''Beware of passive mourners who believe there needs to be a rationalisation of Israel’s violence, especially when they vote to provide the means for that violence. An example is an individual like Secretary Antony Blinken, while claiming that he is “troubled” by Israel’s actions, is more than happy to staunchly and unconditionally vote to provide arms and aid to the settler colonial state.''

I was in my father’s house here in New York, with Al Jazeera in the background, as usual, when he stood up in utter shock at the breaking news announcement.

“I can’t believe it,” he said. “They killed a hero.”

Abu Akleh’s death garnered thousands of condolences, even from outspoken pro-Israeli individuals.

Senator Ben Cardin, a senior Democrat and outspoken backer of strong US-Israel ties, said he was “disturbed” by the killing of Abu Akleh.

“Abu Akleh’s death is an attack on a journalist who was wearing her press gear,” he said in a statement. “No journalist should be killed while simply doing their job. I strongly condemn her death and call for an independent and thorough investigation into the incident.”

“The killing of American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is a horrific tragedy,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a staunch supporter of Israel, wrote on Twitter.

“A thorough, objective investigation is needed now. Congress is committed to the defence of press freedoms worldwide and protection of every journalist, particularly those in conflict zones” she said.

Even the US State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, said that he was “heartbroken” over the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh and claimed that they “strongly condemned her killing.”

“We call for an immediate and thorough investigation and full accountability.” Price said. When a journalist questioned whether an Israeli military-led investigation would be considered credible, Price stated that the Israelis “have the wherewithal and the capabilities to conduct a thorough, comprehensive investigation.”

We need to be sceptical of the intentions from what I want to call, passive mourners. Although many of us are mourning the loss of a national icon, we must be alert of both-sides rhetoric that is dominating the narrative surrounding Abu Akleh’s death.

All of a sudden Democratic politicians, liberal organisations, and newspaper editorials are condemning the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh without mentioning exactly who they are condemning, and calling for an investigation that Palestinians can guarantee is far from impartial.

Israel's legal system is a farce. Palestinians under Israeli control in the West Bank are tried in military courts- as opposed to civil courts where their Jewish counterparts are tried in-and the odds of a fair trial are stacked against them. Not only are the trials conducted in Hebrew with little translation usually lasting only 10 minutes, but the rights of defendants are not properly articulated, forcing the great majority to plead guilty and accept plea bargains.

In an Israeli military court, the testimony of a soldier can be enough to send even a minor to prison. Over 99 percent of the trials of Palestinians in Israeli military courts ended in convictions (or 25 acquittals out of 9542). How Israel’s legal system treats occupied Palestinians tells an obvious story that their allegiance is not with the truth.

Let’s also not forget Israel’s immediate reaction to Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing. They were quick to deflect blame by posting a decontextualised video confirming it was indeed Palestinian gunmen in Jenin who shot our beloved journalist, and not Israeli soldiers.

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Sam Hamad

There was no investigation, no effort to right a wrong, only a last ditch attempt to deflect blame.

Al Jazeera journalists’ eye witness accounts that told the world that it was Israeli soldiers who killed Shireen were enough.

Not believing victims of Israeli violence is not new for Western political pundits. It is instead more appropriate to assign character assassinations in their effort to logically explain Israel’s actions- a colonial state that the West desperately wants to believe is democratic.

On April 5, 2018, the world lost another journalist by Israeli snipers: Yasser Murtaja. Murtaja was covering the second Friday protests during Gaza’s Great March of Return when he was shot in the abdomen, despite him wearing a flak jacket clearly marked with the word ‘press’ on it.

The Jerusalem Post reported on Murtaja’s death with the horrid headline: Journalist or terrorist? Who really was slain Gazan Yaser Murtaja? The article reported on Israel’s security officials that labelled Murtaja as a Hamas operative. While the author concedes that Israel presented no proof to its claims, it ends with the author asking the dishonest question of “who was Yaser Murtaja?”

Palestinians, once again, need to prove their own humanity even after death.

When Israel killed Shireen, then raided her home hours after her death, or even attacked her burial proceeding, Palestinians understood this was the cost of being a voice of Palestinian resistance.

Israel criminalises Palestinian bodies in life and in death, deploying its colonial violence throughout every point of Palestinian life. Israel sees even dead Palestinians as agents of resistance against the occupation.

Beware of passive mourners who believe there needs to be a rationalisation of Israel’s violence, especially when they vote to provide the means for that violence. An example is an individual like Secretary Antony Blinken, while claiming that he is “troubled” by Israel’s actions, is more than happy to staunchly and unconditionally vote to provide arms and aid to the settler colonial state.

Shireen Abu Akleh was murdered because she is Palestinian. Her death signified once again that no one is safe from Israel’s state sponsored violence. It affirmed to the world that for Israel, respecting the slain Palestinian would set a precedent in humanising their existence when alive.

We do not need the condolences of enablers, we need an end of US aid to Israel- for only a free Palestine could have prevented the death of the Palestinian national hero, Shireen Abu Akleh.



Hebh Jamal is a Palestinian American journalist based in Germany.
Follow her on Twitter: @hebh_jamal
Have questions or comments? Email us at: editorial-english@alaraby.co.uk
Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.

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