"He who dares not offend cannot be honest" Thomas Paine

"The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater." -  Frank Zappa

"Liberty is meaningless where the right to utter one's thoughts and opinions has ceased to exist. That, of all rights, is the dread of tyrants. It is the right which they first of all strike down"  -  Frederick Douglass

"Liberty is not for these slaves; I do not advocate inflicting it against their conscience. On the contrary, I am strongly in favor of letting them crawl and grovel all they please before whatever fraud or combination of frauds they choose to venerate...Our whole practical government is grounded in mob psychology and.. the Boobus Americanus will follow any command that promises to make him safer." --H. L. Menchen

Afgan drug policy, ask uk 'bout china-india m-kay

Julia Gillard
Making the World a More Dangerous Place

By John Pilger

The day before Barack Obama arrived in Canberra last year to declare China the new enemy of the "free world", Gillard announced the end of her party's ban on uranium sales.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32846.htm

Israel's Formula For A Starvation Diet

By Jonathan Cook

This experiment in the manufacture of Palestinian despair is, it goes with saying, both illegal and grossly immoral.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32848.htm

Come Back President Carter!

By Alan Hart

What a tragedy it is that American presidents can only speak the truth when they are out of office.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32852.htm

 US Does Not Want Real Democracy in Middle East: Chomsky

By Randa Ali

Chomsky described both Israel and the US as rogue states that do not follow international norms because they are powerful enough to ignore them.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32856.htm

Obama Moves to Make the War on Terror Permanent

By Glenn Greenwald

Complete with a newly coined, creepy Orwellian euphemism - 'disposition matrix' - the administration institutionalizes the most extremist powers a government can claim.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32855.htm

UK Support For US Drones In Pakistan May Be War Crime

By Ian Cobain

The British government's support for US drone operations over Pakistan may involve acts of assisting murder or even war crimes, the high court heard on Tuesday.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32850.htm

With 60,000 dead, Mexicans Wonder Why Drug War Doesn't Rate in Presidential Debate

By Sara Miller Llana, Staff writer

"They talk about a humanitarian tragedy in Syria (30,000 deaths) and still don't say anything about Mex (some 60,000)."
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32854.htm

In Amerika There Will Never Be A Real Debate

Must Read - By Paul Craig Roberts

You would never know that US citizens can now be imprisoned and executed without due process.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32847.htm

Mom Found 'Guilty' By Court After Refusing TSA Pat Down On Daughter

By Steve Watson

A woman who stood up to TSA screeners and refused to allow them to grope her or her 14 year old daughter has been found guilty of "disorderly conduct"
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32853.htm

Remembering Russell Means
"I Am An American Indian Patriot"

Must Watch - Video Interview With Russell Means

"We live in a prisoner of war camp, that's why they call it a reservation"
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32849.htm

He's Behind You
How Colonel Gaddafi and the Western Establishment Created a Pantomime World

By Adam Curtis

Together the western elites and Gaddafi helped to lead us into a simplistic two-dimensional vision of the world - full of exaggerations and falsehoods. A fake bubble of certainty that has imprisoned us in the west - and is now preventing us from understanding what is really going on in the world outside.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32851.htm

Hard News  

   

9 killed, 25 injured in Afghan night raid operation: Most victims were civilians: Nine people were killed and 25 wounded in an overnight operation launched by Afghan and the NATO-led coalition troops in the western province of Ghor, a provincial official said Wednesday, adding that local residents said most victims were civilians, Xinhua reported.
http://is.gd/osqKlY

NATO kills four children in Afghan East - Karzai: The operation took place in the Baraki Barak district of Logar province on Saturday, a statement released by Karzai's office said, adding: "It resulted in the killing of four innocent children" who were tending to livestock.
http://is.gd/kj2OH7

US kills at least five people in Pakistan:: Two missiles hit the house and one struck a vehicle resulting in the death of four suspected militants. A woman was also killed in the strike, sources added. The official sources also said that three cows have also been killed as the house was completely destroyed.
http://is.gd/e2UHEZ

Afghanistan drones to be remote-controlled from Britain : Britain is doubling the number of armed RAF drones flying missions in Afghanistan. And for the first time, the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will be controlled by airmen at computer screens in the UK.
http://is.gd/tRguom

Kill-list 2.0: Obama's 'disposition matrix' maps out extrajudicial murders for years to come: US-led drone strikes - the targeted executions of suspected insurgents using remote-controlled, killing machines from tens of thousands of feet above the Earth - are not about to end.
http://is.gd/4UjNdA

Syrian government, "some rebels" agree to holiday truce: The Syrian government and some rebel leaders have agreed to a ceasefire during an upcoming four-day Muslim holiday, the U.N.-Arab League envoy to Syria announced Wednesday.
http://is.gd/ylNVpf

Russia says Syrian rebels have U.S. made shoulder-fired missiles: Syrian rebels have acquired portable surface-to-air missiles including U.S.-made Stingers, the Interfax news agency quoted Russia's senior general as saying on Wednesday.
http://is.gd/q5j1ov

Turks say no to Syria intervention if Assad "fall": A narrow majority of Turks is opposed to any intervention by their country in Syria if President Bashar Al-Assad's regime falls, according to a poll published Tuesday.
http://is.gd/CTSJ3p

4 Palestinians Killed: Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip, at least four Palestinians dead and several people in Israel and Gaza wounded.
http://is.gd/pRBFR8

Hamas to complain to UN over Israeli airstrikes: The government in Gaza will file a complaint with the United Nations over Israel's airstrikes, ministers said Wednesday, after a week of bombing left at least six Palestinians dead.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=531965

'No reason' to shoot Gaza fisherman, family says:
The family of a 22-year-old fisherman killed by Israeli forces says soldiers had no reason to kill him.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=531953

UN: Israel killed 2,300 & injured 7,700 people in Gaza under blockade: Israeli forces have killed nearly 2,300 Palestinians and injured 7,700 in Gaza over the last five years, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Thursday.
http://is.gd/jFh49k

Sudan claims Israeli jets blew up arms factory: Khartoum says four planes bombed the Yarmouk facility, sending exploding munitions into nearby residential areas
http://is.gd/m9IbF3

Sudan "knows how to retaliate" against Israel: Al-Jazeera video report: Sudan's information minister claimed it was the fourth such air strike by Israel, which has not been in Khartoum's good books since supporting anti-government rebels in the country's two-decade civil war. Sudan is talking darkly about relatiation.
http://is.gd/6AKz5o

In a world gone crazy:
GOP Rep Says Bombing Iran Would Not Be An Act Of War:
"If it is a very targeted strike, many would argue that that's short of war. And if it only seeks to go after their nuclear program, that is - we're not talking about invasions or naval engagements or troops on the ground, none of that. And this has been used by other - President Clinton used this tactic."
http://is.gd/O7lN5D

Concern Grows Among Iranians After US Debate Remarks: Iran was mentioned nearly 50 times during this week's U.S. presidential debate, more than Afghanistan, Iraq and even China. The fact wasn't lost on Iranians, many of whom watched the debate with interest and concern about the strained relations between the two countries.
http://is.gd/7qNGpR

Pro-government forces seize Bani Walid: An RT source has described violent images of militias destroying homes with heavy machinery.
https://rt.com/news/forces-seize-bani-walid-144/

Benghazi attack suspect killed in Egypt, 2nd suspect arrested in Tunisia; AP :
Alex Ortiz the suspect in Egypt, known only by his first name, Hazem, was killed after neighbors summoned police for a suspicious resident. The police came in and exchanged fire with the target. The man blew himself up in his apartment during the engagement with security forces.
http://is.gd/bAPvxi

'US knew of terror links within 2 hrs of Libya attack': Officials at the White House and state department were advised two hours after attackers assaulted the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11 that an Islamic militant group had claimed credit for the attack, official emails show.
http://is.gd/db7Fkv

Growing the Empire:
Bad News for Africa: 3,000 More U.S. Soldiers are on the Way: The United States plans to permanently station a U.S. Army brigade on African soil, beginning next year. Is this the start of something big - and ominous - or "only a benign creeping U.S. military presence in Africa?"
http://is.gd/usSCOr

Panetta: Cannot let al-Qaida hide in north Africa: Senior U.S. defense leaders are working with allies on a plan to deal with al-Qaida- linked militants in Mali and elsewhere in the North Africa region, with American assistance likely to center on intelligence and logistical support and not troops on the ground
http://is.gd/vn4qhl

War on Mali Islamists 'inevitable' as Europe agrees to act Islamists to tackle: The prospect of a war in northern Mali has taken a major step forward with European governments backing an international force to retake the region from Islamist groups
http://is.gd/aSyRBG

Ecuador 'very concerned about Assange's health': Ecuador is "very concerned" about the health of Julian Assange after the WikiLeaks founder lost a lot of weight while staying at the country's embassy in London, a foreign ministry official said while in Moscow.
http://is.gd/5I7NxU

U.S. on track to become world's top oil producer:U.S. oil output is surging so fast that the United States could soon overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest producer.
http://is.gd/9ssASV

Canadian Government Continues to Choose Dirty Energy Over Democracy: Op-Ed - When so many people oppose the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project, would government and industry resort to such extreme measures to push it through?
http://ecowatch.org/2012/dirty-energy-over-democracy/

Saudi Arabia Reveals Plans to Be Powered Entirely by Renewables : Governor Romney should visit Mecca, Saudi Arabia and learn about the planned utility-scale power plant that will generate electricity from renewables. Mecca, which hosts millions of pilgrims a year visiting Islam's most holy shrine, is working toward becoming the first city in Saudi Arabia to operate an entire power plant from renewable energy
http://is.gd/6ZP3x5

Now Piers Morgan's Mirror and The People accused of phone hacking :
Mr Morgan, who was sacked as editor after his newspaper was found to have used faked photographs of British soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners, denied any involvement in phone hacking after he was implicated during the Leveson Inquiry by high-profile figures such as Jeremy Paxman.
http://is.gd/gxgorT

Australia: One in 20 priests an abuser, inquiry told: AT LEAST one in 20 Catholic priests in Melbourne is a child sex abuser, although the real figure is probably one in 15, the state inquiry into the churches' handling of sex abuse was told yesterday.
http://is.gd/iQGkWo

GOP candidate's abortion gaffe: Pregnancy from rape 'intended by God': Republican Richard Mourdock suggested that a woman being impregnated by rape is "something that God intended to happen."
https://rt.com/usa/news/mourdock-rape-comment-gaffe-103/

Frightened men love Mitt Romney: These are the facts you don't want to know. This is the hard data that can make you cringe, that can despoil the soul and make you wonder at the sad state of the modern world, and gender politics, and the tragically deceived hearts of (ahem) men.
http://is.gd/dJpkB0

Why even President Obama won't champion social security: Although millions of middle-class Americans strongly support social security, big bucks campaign donors hate it. That's why.
http://is.gd/IhiWRS

ACLU Asking the Federal Government How It's Using Drones Inside the U.S: Today the ACLU filed Freedom of Information Act requests seeking records related to the federal government's domestic use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) - better known as drones - as well as plans for the future rollout of drones in the United States.
http://is.gd/0j7KAS

The Top 20 Airports for TSA Theft: Your suitcase has been tagged and whisked away for a TSA security check before being loaded onto a plane en route to your final destination. How safe are the belongings inside?
http://is.gd/aspOrY

Get ready for euro zone break-up - Faber : Video - Veteran investor Marc Faber predicts some countries will have to leave the euro zone within five years and warns the S&P could plummet 20 percent from its recent highs in 2013.
http://is.gd/dsJaVF

UKIP Nigel Farage - 'Bailouts' are a means for total subjugation to EU control : Video: UK Independence party leader Nigel Farage speaks in the European parliament October 2012
http://is.gd/8c1Axw

Federal Prosecutors Sue Bank of America Over Mortgage Program; In a civil complaint that seeks to collect $1 billion from the bank, the Justice Department took aim at a home loan program known as the "hustle," a venture that has become emblematic of the risk-fueled mortgage bubble. The complaint adds to a flurry of federal and private lawsuits facing Bank of America's beleaguered mortgage business.
http://is.gd/c2nu3L

Walmart legal troubles mount as Black Friday walkout looms : In the midst of worker strikes in several cities and the looming threat of a mass employee walkout on Black Friday (one of the busiest shopping days of the year), the world's largest retailer has been hit with a class action lawsuit affecting temporary workers in the Chicago area
http://is.gd/r0uHcH      

California, REDD, carbon trading and Indigenous Peoples

By Chris Lang, 25th October 2012

Last week, REDD-Monitor posted a press release about a delegation of indigenous people who travelled to California to protest about the inclusion of carbon trading in the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32). This post looks at some of the responses to this “No REDD Tour“.
The aim of this post is to help facilitate discussion about the issues. I’ll post the responses, followed by some of the issues that I think this discussion raises so far. Feel free to raise other issues in the comments below.
17 October 2012: Steve Schwartzman, EDF’s Director of Tropical Forest Policy, wrote that “it’s critically important for these policy makers to hear the great diversity of indigenous voices on the REDD+ issue.”
Schwartzman refers to a letter from 11 indigenous leaders written to CIMI (the Missionary Indigenous Council, a Brazilian NGO) in February 2012. The letter protests an affidavit sent by CIMI to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Acre. CIMI’s affidavit claims that indigenous people had been tricked into accepting carbon projects and REDD.
The letter from the indigenous leaders states:

We have at no point decided if we are for or against REDD projects. First we must inform ourselves and our communities of the opportunities and challenges. Both those in favor of and those against REDD must be serious and ethical in conveying correct information and establishing continued dialogue. Those in favor of REDD cannot promote it as something that can resolve all the problems of our communities; those against it cannot terrorize our peoples using western capitalism as a backdrop and creating a climate of distrust and fear based in suppositions and untruths.

Schwartzman refers to a statement made in Durban by the Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus, which includes the Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon basin (COICA). Schwartzman notes that the statement covers “a wide variety of issues including REDD+”. Here’s what the IP Caucus actually says on REDD:

In relation to mitigation and REDD+, indigenous peoples’ rights to land, territories and resources as well as their right to full and effective participation and to FPIC for all mitigation policies, programmes and actions that affect them must be ensured. Capacity building initiatives of indigenous peoples for mitigation must be supported with adequate finance and through appropriate technologies without conditions.

Schwartzman’s article concludes with the comment that,

The NGOs and indigenous peoples visiting California this week offer one set of perspectives on REDD+, but their views should be considered in the context of the spectrum of indigenous organizations currently engaged on these issues, many of whom view REDD+ quite differently.”

18 October 2012: Writing on Ecosystem Marketplace, Kelli Barrett and Selene Castillo also refer to the indigenous leaders’ letter to CIMI.
The article uses quotations from various people (some of whom are indigenous) to counter arguments that REDD could lead to a land grab. Laura Soriana, of the Yawanawa indigenous community, for example, says,

“I think that if REDD is done with respect to indigenous rights, first and foremost, respecting territorial rights, that this project is in control, in the power, of the indigenous community, it can really help their community projectsI think this would be a good opportunity.”

19 October 2012: Ecosystem Marketplace posted a statement from Tashka Yawanawa, Chief of the Yananawa people from Acre. He wrote:

“With all respect to you all, please stop trying to cause more division among indigenous peoples who either support or do not support REDD or any other projects. The time right now is not to discuss who is in favor and who is not. The time now requires wisdom to confront this dilemma that we are living in this millennium which affects us all.
“We are tired of anthropologists, environmentalists, church-related organizations, and other specialists speaking for us and using us for their self-interest. Please respect our self-determination to make our own decisions.”

24 October 2012: Friends of the Earth put out a press release urging officials not to include an REDD carbon credits in AB32.
José Carmelio Alberto Nunes (Ninawá), president of the Federation of the Huni Kui people of Acre, Brazil, says he and his wife have received anonymous phone calls warning them, “be careful what you say and who you talk to, or you may have an accident.”
Ninawá says,

“I think my coming to California threatens those interests that hope to make money from REDD. Anyone who speaks out against REDD in Acre is persecuted.
“If I am assassinated for resisting REDD and defending my land, other Ninawás will continue the struggle.”

Here is Ninawá’s presentation as part of the No Redd Tour, talking about the threats to people in Acre who speak out against REDD:

...................keeep fighting the good fight, with your minds as weapons!!..............

..................kosmicdebris...................................