The latest from Dahr Jamail, "Censorship:"
At long last, the culminating session of the World Tribunal on Iraq is upon us. As a witness providing testimony, like the other witnesses I’m being interviewed by many outlets. Today, one of them was by reporters for one of the larger newspapers in Turkey, the Yeni Safak Newspaper.
I’ll leave the reporters nameless, for reasons you’ll soon see.
The newspaper has been translating various articles of mine into Turkishand running them, particularly those concerning the most recent Fallujah massacre. The report who was interviewing me today told me that the former American consulate here, Eric Edelman, asked the Prime Minister of Turkey to pressure his paper to not run so many of my stories.
"Why did he do this," I asked him.
"Edelman said it was the wrong news," he told me with a smile.
Turns out Edelman also asked that articles by Robert Fisk and Naomi Klein not be run so often in Yeni Safak either.
He smiled at me while he watched the wheels turning in my head before I smiled back and said, "That makes me very happy, it means I'm doing my job as a journalist."
Let's note that the New York Times isn't covering this thus far:
June 24, 2005
Istanbul, Turkey
Friday-Sunday, June 24-26, 2005
World Tribunal on Iraq - Culminating Session
Dahr Jamail will be presenting at the culminating session of The World Tribunal on Iraq - a worldwide initiative to examine and establish the truth in relation to the war and occupation of Iraq, in order that it may contribute to movements for peace, human rights and justice. The WTI is comprised of various sessions held around the world, each focusing on different aspects of the aggression against Iraq (sessions already held include Brussels, London, New York, Copenhagen, Mumbai, Hiroshima, Tokyo, Stockholm, Seul, Berlin) culminating in a Final Session in Istanbul, June 24-26, 2005.
www.worldtribunal.org
Event Press Release:
Bush and Blair are Called to Justice at Different Embassies Around The World
17 May 2005
At various Embassies around the world today, representatives of the World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI) delivered law summons and letters inviting US President Bush and UK Prime Minister Blair to the culminating session of the World Tribunal on Iraq to be held in Istanbul between 23-27 June, 2005.
The letter of invitation is signed by leading international figures including Corrine Koumar, Denis Halliday, Prof. Richard Falk, Ken Coates and Hans von Sponeck (1).
In several Capitals around the world including Istanbul, Brussels, Tokyo and Lizbon the Embassies of the United States and the United Kingdom were the targets of the WTI representatives delivering law summons reading "Mr. Bush you are being called to attend the World Tribunal on Iraq in Istanbul".
The activists also presented letters to the Embassy officials (2). In addition, letters were also sent by post in New York, Stockholm, Manila and Amsterdam to the US and UK officials.
In Istanbul, following the giving of the letter to a US Embassy official who came out to meet the group, Ms. Hilal Kuey, the spokesperson for the WTI in Turkey, said "Since the US administration does not recognize the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UK government has used its power to avoid being prosecuted for an illegal and illegitimate war, the citizens of the world have undertaken an initiative to reclaim justice. The world is calling for Bush and Blair to be held accountable for the crimes committed in Iraq."
The World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI) is a worldwide undertaking to reclaim justice. It aims to record the severe wrongs, crimes and violations that were committed in the process leading up to the aggression against Iraq, during the war and throughout the ensuing occupation, that continue to be widespread to this day. The project consists of commissions of inquiry and sessions held around the world investigating various issues related to the war on Iraq, such as the legality of the war, the role of the United Nations, war crimes and the role of the media as well as the social, political, environmental and cultural devastation.
On June 23rd to the 27th 2005, at the start of the third year of the occupation of Iraq, the culminating session will take place in Istanbul. This session will reach a decision following an examination of the results of the previous sessions as well as new reports and testimonies, while evaluating the implications of the aggression against Iraq for the world at large.
"We ask Mr. Bush and Blair to present their case in front of the jury of concience in Istanbul. We believe that the Istanbul hearing bears the responsibility of culminating a process already initiated, and of initiating a process yet to be imagined." concluded Mrs. Kuey.
For more information please contact, Tolga Temuge, international media coordinator, tolga.temuge@worldtribunal.org
Notes:
1-The letter is signed by the following people;
Richard Falk - Prof. of International Law, University of Santa Barbara,
Ken Coates - Chairman, Bertrand Russel Peace Foundation, former European Parliament Member
Baskin Oran - Prof. of International Relations, Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Ankara
Nadje Al-Ali - Dr. of Social Anthropology, University of Exeter
Joel Kovel - Prof. of Social Studies, Bard College
Denis J. Halliday - Former Assistant UN Secretary General 1994-1998, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq 1997-1998
Jayan Nayar - Dr. of Law, University of Warwick
Hans von Sponeck - Former UN Assistant Secretary-General and UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq (1998-2000)
Haifa Zangana - writer, painter and human rights activist.
Johan Galtung - Prof. at Peace Research Institute, University of Hawaii.UN Advisor.
Corrine Koumar – Sociolog, Secretary of General El-Taller international
And let's not hold our breath waiting for the New York Timid to pick up on it.
Dahr Jamail's next speaking engagement:
July 27, 2005
Auburn, California
Event: Dahr Jamail Speaks in Auburn, CA
Date: Wednesday, July 27th
at 7:30pm.
Doors open at 7:00 pm
Location: Sierra Foothills Unitarian Universalists building,
190 Finley Street
(at Orange, across from the Placer High School parking lot)
Auburn, CA.
Contact: Scott at 530-878-1566 or scottj@jps.net
And as we noted Wednesday:
Stop the Happy Talk by knowing the difference between myth and reality. Familiarize yourself with Dahr Jamail's report ("Iraqi Hospitals Ailing Under Occupation") before Matt Lauer gets another chance to do his dramatic sigh and say, "It sure is nice to have some good news to report." (This just in, he's still balding. While that would have been fine for his trained profession of weather man, it doesn't play well for "anchor." Which may explain his apparent desperate need for "good news.")
This is an important report. If you haven't read it yet, please make the time to. Also share it with your friends. The mainstream media is completely disinterested in this report. All the more reason you should read it yourself.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
