Saturday, October 17, 2009

The War Mongers refuse the refugees

In England, Owen Bowcott (Guardian) reports, "The UK Border Agency is preparing to send the first, mass deporation flight returning failed asylum seekers to Baghdad and southern Iraq, according to a refugee organisation that monitors expulsions." The group is the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees. They're calling for mass action tomorrow and they quote Iraqi refugee Yousuf stating, "Iraq's not safe for me. I am Shia'a and a Sunni group is after me. The same group has killed both my brothers and now they're after me. The government here won't let me work, and then they give me just [35 pounds] a week to live on, but I've got friends here and I'm safe. Why would they send me back?" Tomorrow in London, there will be a demonstration at 5:00 pm at Communications House: "The Stop Deportation network and the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees call upon all groups, organisations and individuals opposed to this brutal action by the UK government to stand with us in calling for all deportations to Iraq to be stopped. Join us on the first public demonstration against mass deportations to Iraq this Wednesday, at 5pm, at the local immigration reporting centre, where many deportees are first arrested without prior warning whilst signing on (Communications House, Old Street, London, EC1)."

That's from Tuesday's snapshot. Gordon Brown's government -- which could never be mistaken for functioning or humane -- did send the refugees back. BBC reports that approximately 30 refugees are "being refused re-entry to Iraqi" allowing the UK to 'only' unload ten of them Thursday. Even so, the inhumane UK Border Agency announces it will be sending even more back.

It takes a lot of nerve to help destroy a country, to help launch an illegal war, as the UK did, and then to force Iraqis back into that blood bath? Never pretend it was just George W. Bush that wanted the Iraq War. Tony Blair wanted it, Gordon Brown wanted it, John Howard wanted it and they led it. And now the people of one of the country's who launched that illegal war are going to pretend not to notice as they force Iraqis back to the killing fields.

And let's not let Italy off the hook either. Italy supported that illegal war and it was Air Italy that flew the flight to Baghdad.

Rod Nordland and John F. Burns (New York Times) number the forced deported at 50 with Iraq only accepting 9 of them and they report:

Refugee advocates and Amnesty International said it was premature to send refugees back to central Iraq. "If Baghdad is now deemed safe," Sandy Buchan, a spokesman for Refugee Action said to the British newspaper The Guardian, "where on earth is deemed dangerous?"
The flight was the culmination of years of effort to expel Iraqi asylum seekers from Britain, most of whom had had their applications rejected but remained in Britain during a lengthy appeals process.

Amnesty International's London office issued "Asylum removals to Iraq put lives in danger, says Amnesty:"

Reacting to news reports that a plane carrying refused Iraqi asylum-seekers from the UK arrived in Baghdad yesterday (15 October), Amnesty International stressed that removals to southern and central Iraq are not safe and should not take place.
An Amnesty International spokesperson said:
'Given the reports of killings, bombings and other human rights abuses that continue to come out of Baghdad, it is hard to comprehend that the UK government considers it a safe place to return people.
'As far as we are concerned, removing someone to Baghdad, or elsewhere in central or southern Iraq, is likely to put their life in danger. Amnesty is opposed to all forcible returns to southern and central Iraq.
'Until the situation improves and it is safe to return to Iraq, these people should be offered some form of protection in the UK.'
Reports have stated that the plane carrying the refused Iraqi asylum-seekers was turned around upon arrival and returned to the UK with the people still on board.


Community sites have updated. If you go to Stan, Ann or Isaiah's site you see something like this:

Thomas Friedman is a Great Man
Bob Somerby, Hillary Clinton
1 day ago

Mikey Likes It!
Patrick Martin, American Dad
1 day ago

Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude
barbra's auction
1 day ago

Oh Boy It Never Ends
Offense should be spread around evenly
1 day ago

The Common Ills
Iraq snapshot
1 day ago

Cedric's Big Mix
Celebrity Whine
2 days ago

The Daily Jot
THIS JUST IN! LA BITCHY!
2 days ago

SICKOFITRADLZ
Dan Choi
4 days ago

Trina's Kitchen
Justice For Iraq
4 days ago

Ruth's Report
Lt. Dan Choi, Cali Bagby
4 days ago

Like Maria Said Paz
FSRN, the Idiot Maddow
4 days ago

Ann's Mega Dub
Help yourself to some self-help
4 days ago

Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills)
Carly Simon, Neil Young
4 days ago

Third Estate Sunday Review
Truest statement of the week
6 days ago

The World Today Just Nuts
Bully Boy's scary Christmas
1 week ago

That list is generated by Blogger/Blogspot. It's not correct. Thursday and Friday, community sites posted the following:



"Bully Boy Bush the destroyer"
"Bob Somerby, Hillary Clinton"
"Somerby on the cry of 'They fact checked!'"
"Chicken & Rice in the Kitchen"
"Did you see it coming?"
"Barbra Streisand's auction"
"Barbra's latest record"
"barbra's auction"
"glen nye, barbra streisand"
"World Food Day"
"Lt. Dan Choi"
"Post-9/11 GI Bill"
"House VA's Subcommittee on Health"
"TV and Barbra"
"Why Urvashi Vaid has nothing to say to me"
"Offense should be spread around evenly"
"How did that happen?"
"Alexander Cockburn hopes you're really, really stupid"
"Patrick Martin, American Dad"
"Afghanistan"
"Celebrity Whine"
"THIS JUST IN! LA BITCHY!"

In addition, Cedric's "Old love" and Wally's "THIS JUST IN! THEY GOT YOU, BABE!" just went up tonight. The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.










thomas friedman is a great man






oh boy it never ends
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