Pope Benedict XVI Should Resign, This Pope Has Fallen!
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Pope Benedict XVI should resign now, or he must endure squirms of contempt from the whole world over this unfolding pandemic of sex abuse by Catholic Church priests.
Abuses which occurred with knowledge of this pope, even when he was the doctrinaire chief enforcer on matters of faith and sins, in the words of Maureen Dowd of The New York Times, in a must read article by her, which was published on Sunday March 28, 2010. The New York Times has provided excellent service to the world public, on these sex crimes, the newspaper has done so through features, opinion pieces and a robust editorial as well.
If Pope Benedict XVI was the chief executive officer of a secular organization, he would be under arrest by now. This is so, given the fact that there are clear indications that he was aware of the crimes and played prominent roles as the church’s enforcer, in condoning and concealing these sex abuses.
These disgustingly scandalous crimes against children by the Catholic Church will bankrupt the church. It will be the last straw which breaks the camel’s back. The Catholic Church by engaging in rackets, have abused public trust and the public has accordingly lost faith in the Catholic Church’s ability to police and regulate itself and its marauding pedophile priests worldwide. The Catholic Church condoned and concealed these repugnant and reprehensible crimes against innocent children. Parents worldwide must now be fearful in entrusting their children to Catholic Church priests for catechism, Sunday School etc, the fear of pedophile priests and those who cover-up the sex abuse rackets, is the beginning of parental wisdom. Imagine that parents now have to worry about their children’s safety, inside the Catholic Church and the danger? Catholic Church pedophile priests and those who protect and shield their sex abuses! Whatever happened to the idea of churches as sanctuaries?
Sex abuse pandemic perpetrated by pedophile priests of the Catholic Church and the subsequent cover-up by top echelons of the Catholic Church exposes the church’s extreme hypocrisy. The Catholic Church cover-up of these sexual abuses surely identical with the actions of a crime gang engaged in a criminal rackets as a cartel. The Catholic Church has thus, robbed itself of any moral authority. The Pope Benedict and the Catholic Church have always engaged in moral absolutism and puritanical hypocrisy, all these must now come to an end. The holier than thou and moral grandstanding and sanctimonious lies must now stop.
It is quite a surprise to millions Catholics in New York City, that Archbishop Dolan mounted a spirited defense of Pope Benedict XVI a couple of days ago. It is a surprise that Pope Benedict himself have been quoted as referring to these egregious sexual assaults, as merely rumors and gossips, spread by others, rumors and gossips, intended to intimidate him and the Catholic Church! Nothing can be further from the truth and the reality of this sex crimes by pedophile Catholic Church priests in America, in Austria, in Germany, in Ireland, and in Italy, Netherlands, and apparently, across other nations worldwide.
But where is the outrage against those who were supposed to be men of God? And yet, they made careers out of sexually assaulting, sexually abusing and criminally molesting innocent, defenseless and vulnerable members of our society? Why is it that not many more people are demanding accountability, punishments and penalties for priest who have been in breach of the most sacred of sacred trusts? Is it not indefensible and most depraved to sexually assault and molest children? These heinous criminal acts worldwide, without exceptions.
It does take a great deal of arrogant audacity, and tone-deaf heedlessness, for the pope and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church to refer to this sex abuse pandemic as mere rumors and gossips! This, even though, the pope and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church ignored and disregarded the now very clear evidences of repeated warnings of the wide ranging complaints against pedophile Catholic Church priests and nothing was done. It must be clear to all by now, that the pope and the Catholic Church, in all of this, are still in denial and more interested in employing spin doctors, hoping that this goes away and the public is deceived yet again.
The pope and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church she be awarded the highest prize as hypocrites, full of sanctimonious preachment of moral certainty, while actively engaged prurient criminal sexual abuses and making victims of innocent children which were entrusted to them worldwide. And as if these crimes were not unpardonable in themselves, there were the additional depravity of covering up these crimes and papering over them. Children who were victims, children who were incapable of giving consent or valid permission or authority, were compelled by the Catholic Church helmsmen, to sign oath of secrecy and oath of nondisclosure, all these, in order to shield and protect pedophile priests engaged in criminal sexual behaviors.
The Catholic Church shielded and protected pedophile priests who were repeat offenders! It is the case that criminals and those who harbor them, protect and hinder prosecutorial efforts, are just as bad as the criminals themselves. The Catholic Church has for decades been engaged in aiding, abetting, connivance and collusion with pedophile priests who should have been tried and jailed for their crimes.
Billions of people across the world are sickened by the unfolding and revelatory details of the widening sex abuse of children worldwide. There are a multiple levels of disgust and dismay in all of these depravities of some priests in the Catholic Church. First is the heinous crime of sex abuse by predatory pedophile priests in the Catholic Church. Then the second phase, which is the elaborate cover-up by the “leadership” of the Catholic Church. Justice have been denied victims of these sex abuse worldwide, and this was made possible by the cover up afforded offending priests by the hierarchy.
Pope Benedict insist on blaming others in the Catholic Church, he does not accept responsibility and he does not seem capable of saying that the buck stops with him, even though the bulk of the child sex assaults, sex abuse and child molestation occurred on his watch as Catholic Church chief of ethic and disciplinarian or so-called enforcer of Catholic orthodoxy
Puritanical Catholics are notorious worldwide for forbidding and prohibiting women rights to abortion. The Catholic Church is also known for its retrograde and retrogressive “rule” against the ordination of women as priests and women preaching morality. In recent times, the multinational conglomerate which is also known as the Catholic Church, stridently opposed Health Care Reform Law in America, as the Catholic Church is insisted on a more stringent and more extreme anti abortion language in the law, in order to forbid and prohibit women abortion rights and access. The Catholic Church did this, despite the fact 200,000 deaths, needless deaths, occur in America annually, due to lack of health insurance and until the Health Care Reform Law bring full health care coverage to all, 40 million Americans have remained without health care insurance coverage. And many Americans have been compelled to bankrupted or filed bankruptcy as consequence of health care bills incurred and endured by mere fact of ill health misfortunes
The Catholic hierarchy opposition to abortion rights have never made any sense to logical persons. Why be against right to abortion? Abortion is essentially a personal matter and it is frequently determined by personal circumstances. Circumstances such as whether there was incest, rape, or some other emotional trauma. Then there are other situations such as whether there are adequate material wherewithal or financial means and resources, as well as physical and emotional well being or stability for nurturing a child that is borne. After all, childbearing and rearing is an awesome responsibility. And as it is, the Catholic Church have not done good business of looking after children entrusted to them, in loco parentis, and yet, the Catholic Church’s sense of doctrinal orthodoxy, impel them to shrill-shout against anyone, who may for personal reasons seek abortion.
It is clear now, that the Catholic Church have been engaged in worldwide child abuses and sex exploitation, and yet, they wanted more children borne, just so perhaps, women can continue to give birth to boys to maintain steady supply of boys to predator priests and their twisted and warped pedophilia sex crazed gangs worldwide? The thought of sex by these priests, with little boys, innocent children, makes anyone squeamish and disgusted. Imagine if any of these victims were your innocent child or relative?
Pope Benedict XVI and the entire leadership of the Catholic Church must be judged and measured by their treatments of the weakest persons in our society. In this respect therefore, treatments meted upon children, for instance, the hearing impaired children who were sexually abused in Milwaukee stands out like a sore thumb added to this, is the fact that the Catholic Church have historically relegated women and demeaned and devalued women... Women remain outside of the Catholic Church hierarchy, there is no Cardinal Elizabeth, or Bishop Janet and at the rate at which the Catholic Church is speeding backwards into the medieval periods in doctrinal attitudes of the current pope, there will never be a female pope, at least most probably not in my life time
The catholic church hierarchy permitted the metaphorical and literal "screwing" of children, the most vulnerable and defenseless in all populations. And Pope Benedict see criticisms flowing from these heinous criminal acts and the massively elaborate cover up by the Catholic Church are mere gossips or rumors by those who are putting the Catholic Church’s feet to the fire!
Those who are inclined to defend the pope and the Catholic Church should remember that priests supposed “men -of-God” but in this sexual abuse romps, these priests have actually turned out to be consummate pedophile and adept at pedophilia, celibate priests who engaged in sex with minors, campaigners against homosexuality, who in actually preyed on boys as preferred sexual victims of sexual assaults and molestations
Catholic Church arcane and archaic orthodoxy have pilloried divorcees and have forbidden those who have gone through divorce, from remarriage. Divorce, it must be borne in mind, is a form of bereavement or personal grief in itself, here again, the Catholic Church engages in multiplying and prolonging human agonies, by forbidding divorcees from remarrying, thereby, imposing further hardship or hard times
The Catholic Church is loudly against homosexuals, gay and lesbian, transgender sexual intercourse between adults and yet, the same loudly celibate merchant of asexual life, were in the meantime, actively pursuing and wallowing in vile defilement of little boys worldwide, even though this is universally a criminal act, quite unlike any form of sex by two consenting adults, same sex or not. The Catholic Church have for hundreds of years, preached against sex as taboo. And yet, these pedophiles in the Catholic Church have been busy for hundred years having illegal sex... with helpless, hapless and defenseless children
Sex with children is not only immoral, irreligious and depraved, it is actually criminal worldwide. And yet, the puritans amongst us, the Catholic Church priests, were busily sexually assaulting children, which is the most heinous of all crimes by any measure and in every culture
Having sex with children has to be the worst sorts of depravity. Sexually abusing children is twisted and warped sexual immorality. And this is what very many Catholic Church priests in Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Italy and America etc have done. This is what the helmsmen of the Catholic Church, including the current pope, have covered up for decades! Unfortunately, during these several decades, victims suffered and more innocent children were exposed to sexual assaults, sexual abuses and molestations. And yet, these pedophiles priests were left in circulation with pat on their backs and slap on the wrists, with winks and nods transfers, and more transfers, instead of defrocking the Catholic pedophiles or even reporting them to the authorities for prosecution and penalties and punishments?
The Catholic Church and its pedophile priests have engaged in blatant criminal sex enterprises worldwide for far too long without retribution, penalties and punishments. The criminally decadent immorality involved in these sexual abuses of innocent children is so horrendous, that Sodom and Gomorrah now sounds like some spiritual experience or picnic, when compared with the pandemic of pedophilia in the Catholic Church worldwide. Pope Benedict have issued terse and tepid apologies. There is no forthright damnations and denouncements against the pedophile priests and those who condoned and concealed their criminal behaviors for decades. Instead, Pope Benedict is more concerned with himself and the fate of the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict devalues and demeans the pains and sufferings of these thousands of victims of the Catholic Church’s criminal actions, by referring to criticisms as merely gossips and rumors!
There is really nothing to say in defense of the Catholic Church hierarchy. The Catholic Church is supposed to be a worldwide religious organization and yet, it has managed to have protected rapists of the worst type... rapist of children, and as Christopher Hitchens recently wondered publicly, why should the pope and the Catholic Church demand that we give or allow some sorts of wiggle room for rapists? And in and he is right, and quite frankly, these are rapists of the worst types, rapist of innocent, trusting children
It quite difficult still, to understand why Pope Benedict XVI and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church condoned these rapes, sexual abuses and sexual assaults of children in America, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Ireland etc. It is quite difficult to fathom the excuse for the elaborate cover up, which in itself exacerbated the rapes and sexual abuses.
More and more revelations have been unfolding, and apparently, these sex crimes against the most vulnerable of world citizens, went on, worldwide and for so long, while the Catholic Church hierarchy defended pedophile priests, pedophile priests were constantly transferred instead of being defrocked or prosecuted and jailed!
Imagine for a minute that any one of these children, victims of Catholic Church sex violence and collusion, connivance and long cover-up were my children, relatives? Also think of the fact that the children were forced to sign oaths of secrecy and nondisclosure... as the Catholic Church swept the sexual violence against children under the carpet?
The entire world should demand the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. The world must not shy away from announcing to Pope Benedict that the papacy days of papal infallibility is over and that he, Pope Benedict has fallen. Pope Benedict should resign or be shunned as a symbol rapes, sexual assaults, child molestations and elaborate and massive cover up of heinous crimes of sex abuse directed against children worldwide.
The world ought to be demanding accountability, penalties and punishments. This is so, especially considering that these crimes were perpetuated by the very sanctimonious hierarchy of the very religious asexual and pretentious religious organization, the Catholic Church... an organization which remains stridently and vehemently opposed to the ordination of women as priests worldwide. And in particular, because, the Catholic Church is a religious organization, which have for far too long harangued and harassed every person, persons and groups about sexual “purity” and the Catholic Church remains against homosexual sex and as it remains anti gays and lesbians, and essentially homophobic!
The Catholic Church hierarchy have managed through sex crimes to ruin the lives of so many children. So many children, some, who are now grown up adults, but, who continue to bear the scars of sexual assaults, molestations, sex abuse that was clearly pervasive and went on for decades! We are talking about hundreds of thousands of rapes committed against children worldwide by “men-of-God“! This is about the hundreds of thousands of lives ruined before their primes.
These are heinous crimes and cardinal sins, committed by those who should know, those who ought to know! Where then is our collective outrage? Where is the Catholic Church’s hypocritical claim to moral certainty? Where is our claim to fairness or justice for these multitudes of victims of the crimes committed by the Catholic Church and covered up? Where indeed is our collective outrage against Pope Benedict and the Catholic Church for these crimes?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Pope Benedict XVI Lack Moral Authority To Sanctimony
Pope Benedict XVI Lack Moral Authority To Sanctimony
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Pope Benedict XVI and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church deserves worldwide condemnations for the failure and wanton neglect to act.
They failed to act, again, and again and again in connection with this pandemic of sex abuses and molestations of children which is now revealed. Data, evidences, facts which are thoroughly documented have revealed wide ranging sex abuse of children in America, Germany, Ireland, Italy and quite likely, these sexual exploitation of innocent hapless children occurred worldwide!
This pandemic of sexual abuse and exploitation of children by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church is evidently still unfolding. The length and breadth of sex abuse of children by Catholic Church priests is clearly predominant a practice in many nations across the world. The unfolding torrid tales of lewd criminal sex abuse of children by these priests are just mind boggling depravity.
Sex abuse of children by priests of the Catholic Church, and the breathtaking deceit, the attendant or subsequent prodigious efforts at cover-up by the Catholic Church helmsmen, have lasted for decades. But, finally, the dam broke! And it is now time for the Catholic Church to fully reveal the details of their sins and prurient criminal activities. And instead of continuing desperate attempt to spin and engage in more desperate acts of cover-ups, it is time the Catholic Church hierarchy to fess up.
And put a sock on the Catholic Church’s historical sanctimonious preachment of morality regarding sex as taboo, whether heterosexual or homosexual as in gay, lesbian and transgender sex, and then, the Catholic Church archaic, antiquated and medieval or unreasonable and irrational attitude regarding the contentious issue of women’s rights to abortion
Pope Benedict XVI failed to act to stop and prevent sex abuse of innocent children by Catholic Church priests. The pope failed to act to stop and prevent these sex abuses even upon becoming intimately familiar with a series of revelations of the existence of the predator-priests in the Catholic Church who molested children, while under the direct doctrinal and disciplinary supervision of Pope Benedict XVI prior to become the pope and ever since.
Even now, the release of names and the criminal behaviors of Catholic priests, still remain shrouded in secrecy and extorted oath of silence only similar to Mafia modes of operation. The Catholic Church is still only reluctantly revealing and admitting the criminality of priests within the Catholic Church who have been shield from criminal responsibilities for far too long
This current pandemic and scandalous criminal acts of sexual abuse of children, puts in focus, the pretentious celibacy culture of the Catholic Church which requires its hierarchy to be sexually repressed males. It is the denial of human nature in favor outdated Catholic dogmas.
200 hearing impaired defenseless children in Milwaukee were sexually abused by a Catholic priest while Cardinal Ratzinger was minding the store as the authority in charge in the Vatican, whose scheduled duty it is to discipline erring priests. Pope Benedict XVI should resign, the criminality under his watch, before his papacy, have been excessive and worse, there have been criminal efforts, to cover-up the original sins!
Priests in Berlin and other parts of Germany were engaged in sexual abuses and child molestations when the man who would be pope, had the duty and schedule to impose order and he did not. Pope Benedict have similarly been reluctant and rather slow to admit and reveal these sex abuse pandemic which have now unfolded despite the Catholic Church best efforts at continuing concealments.
It is now known, that Catholic priests in Ireland were engaged in, you guessed it, sexual abuse and child molestations and once again, his “holiness” was slow to act. He had refused and neglected to impose penalties and punishments which could have acted as deterrence, especially in the face of repeat offenders who engage in sexual abuses and were merely moved from parish to parish and yet, to another parish
In every other life situations, in view of the above, someone in the pope’s capacity and having neglected to play his roles at every turn, would be adjudged having woefully failed after a pattern after pattern of wanton neglect to enforce the rules which would have prevented the number and durations of the egregious sexual abuses and molestations by catholic priests in America, Italy, Ireland, Germany etc
Pope Benedict XVI with clear history and pattern of neglect, condoned sexual abuse and molestations of children by Catholic priests. This pope fostered and enabled child molesters by refusing to enforce the rules each time he was presented with evidences and facts of Catholic priests in Europe and America who were predators preying on innocent and defenseless children in Italy, Ireland, Germany and the United States
Pope Benedict XVI is now known to have had clear knowledge, evidences, facts and pertinent information regarding damning sexual abuse of children by catholic priest across continents and yet, the pope neglect to sanction these criminals within the pope’s religious organization and the pope eventually ascended to the top of the same organization within which he, while in lower hierarchy, did not provide good moral or religious leadership. The pope in essence protected wild, wayward and terrible child abuser who took advantage of innocent and defenseless children, among these children, the hearing impaired!
Pope Benedict XVI had pertinent and salient information and therefore specific knowledge of sexual abuse of children within different nations. The pope looked the other way, when these sad cases were reported to him. He in effect allowed sex abuse and molestation of children to fester in various parishes and several synod and he in effect gave his ecumenical blessings to sex abuse of children by never imposing sanctions and punishments through defrocking and or prosecution of catholic priests who took advantage of innocent children worldwide
Pope Benedict was in effect the police officer or the Sherriff or prosecutor, with specific, detailed information and knowledge of crimes committed and continuously being committed by criminal elements within his domain, and many of the offenders, were repeat offenders, and yet, did nothing. This sorts of conniving, and colluding police officer, Sherriff, or prosecutor, now got elevated to the highest rank to head police, Sherriff or prosecutorial organization, which now faces extraordinary scandalous pandemic of all these crimes committed by the criminals whose identity and proclivities were always known to this same person who is now the head of the organization.
Pope Benedict XVI is this sorts of police, Sherriff and prosecutor. Pope Benedict was thoroughly familiar with sexual abuse of children by catholic priests in Germany, in Italy, in Ireland, and in the Untied States or worldwide. And he did nothing, then he became as pope, the head of the Catholic Church, papal reverence, perks and all, and look what the world have got in the bargain! Why did the Catholic Church elevate Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to the pope and leader of the church, despite his pattern of refusing and neglecting to stem the tide and then the deluge of sex abuse of children by Catholic Church priests under his supervision, for years, before he became the pope? Those who voted him in as the pope knew these sordid tales of sex abuses which the pope could have stopped or prevented with actions. What did they know and when did they know it and why did they look the other way as thousands of children were abused sexually by Catholic Church priests who the then cardinal refused to defrock?
The Catholic Church has constituted itself as bastion of oppressions directed at innocent, defenseless and helpless children. What with these massive cover-ups which too place in so many nations, in this still widening and exploding pandemic of sex abuse and child molestations worldwide? What with the recent efforts by the Catholic Church in America as it colluded with ultra conservatives and retrogressive forces in their efforts to derail the Health Care Reform law? Had the Catholic Church succeeded with the other retrogrades, their efforts would have ensured the continued denials of access to health care to about 40 million poor and hapless Americans.
The world must measure the worthlessness of the Catholic Church with its opposition health care for the poor, it continuing refusal to ordain women worldwide as priests and this scandalous pandemic in which the Catholic Church and Pope Benedict XVI highest hierarchy deceived the entire world and covered-up pervasive and permeating abhorrent sexual exploitations of minors in Germany, Ireland, Italy and in the worst of the cases, the sex abuse directed against the more than 200 hearing impaired children in Milwaukee, in the United States!
The Catholic Church is one of the richest entities in the world, it is in fact a multinational conglomerate and it is now clear, that it covered-up the criminal actions of many of its top “executives”, and that the Catholic Church’s present chief operating officer or CEO, Pope Benedict XVI, who was regularly informed and frequently aware of these heinous crimes, chose to ignore and refuse to impose penalties or punitive and corrective measure. It is the case, that Pope Benedict was clearly aware of these sex abuses and with information and knowledge, chose to do nothing.
The spin doctors in St. Peters Basilica of the Vatican cannot obfuscate or obscure these deliberate policy of making sex abuse victims swear to oath of secrecy, and it so heart wrenching that these victims were mostly children, who cannot and could and should not be assumed to have the capacity to give informed consent or permission to the Catholic Church as it was in effect demanding that these child-victims, deny themselves of compensation or any form of action against the Catholic Church which protected those who assaulted, molested and ruined the lives of these same children
It will be recalled that Pope Benedict XVI, the erstwhile Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was touted as a doctrinal, keeper of the faith and flame who will preserve catholic orthodoxy and religious traditions etc it is now time to question whether his selection and ascendancy was the benefits from the protection racket which the man who would be pope provided to all these child sex crazed priests in so many nations worldwide. It is logical to wonder and ask, what the trade off and quid pro quo or benefits were, which were conferred on Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger on his climb and ascendancy to papacy?
The man who would be pope, clearly had an established pattern of not exacting punishments or penalties on sexual abusers and molesters of children in the catholic priesthood. Catholic priests in America, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and worldwide it would seem, indulged themselves in the criminal enterprise of sex with children. These priests and those who supervised them, were excused, and spared of punishments and penalties or any retributions by the man who is now the pope. Pope Benedict XVI endeared himself to child molesters engaged in sex abuse and the sexual exploitation of children.
The pope was the patron protector of child molesting gangs of catholic priests and their conniving and colluding bishops in America, Germany, Ireland and Italy etc. Pope Benedict XVI does appear to the biggest single beneficiary of this sex abuse and child molestation racket in the catholic church worldwide!
It does appear that the pope owes ascendancy to the protection which he provided to fiendish sexual abusing child molesting catholic priests and their equally culpable supervisory bishops and this interconnection and overlapping mutual protections explains why sex abuse and child molestations in the catholic church went on endlessly, ceaselessly and pervasively for so long and in too many nations as the world now knows! The pope and the entire hierarchy of the catholic church should be ashamed for their hypocrisies and for condoning these sex abuses directed at the world’s weakest citizens, innocent children!
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Pope Benedict XVI and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church deserves worldwide condemnations for the failure and wanton neglect to act.
They failed to act, again, and again and again in connection with this pandemic of sex abuses and molestations of children which is now revealed. Data, evidences, facts which are thoroughly documented have revealed wide ranging sex abuse of children in America, Germany, Ireland, Italy and quite likely, these sexual exploitation of innocent hapless children occurred worldwide!
This pandemic of sexual abuse and exploitation of children by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church is evidently still unfolding. The length and breadth of sex abuse of children by Catholic Church priests is clearly predominant a practice in many nations across the world. The unfolding torrid tales of lewd criminal sex abuse of children by these priests are just mind boggling depravity.
Sex abuse of children by priests of the Catholic Church, and the breathtaking deceit, the attendant or subsequent prodigious efforts at cover-up by the Catholic Church helmsmen, have lasted for decades. But, finally, the dam broke! And it is now time for the Catholic Church to fully reveal the details of their sins and prurient criminal activities. And instead of continuing desperate attempt to spin and engage in more desperate acts of cover-ups, it is time the Catholic Church hierarchy to fess up.
And put a sock on the Catholic Church’s historical sanctimonious preachment of morality regarding sex as taboo, whether heterosexual or homosexual as in gay, lesbian and transgender sex, and then, the Catholic Church archaic, antiquated and medieval or unreasonable and irrational attitude regarding the contentious issue of women’s rights to abortion
Pope Benedict XVI failed to act to stop and prevent sex abuse of innocent children by Catholic Church priests. The pope failed to act to stop and prevent these sex abuses even upon becoming intimately familiar with a series of revelations of the existence of the predator-priests in the Catholic Church who molested children, while under the direct doctrinal and disciplinary supervision of Pope Benedict XVI prior to become the pope and ever since.
Even now, the release of names and the criminal behaviors of Catholic priests, still remain shrouded in secrecy and extorted oath of silence only similar to Mafia modes of operation. The Catholic Church is still only reluctantly revealing and admitting the criminality of priests within the Catholic Church who have been shield from criminal responsibilities for far too long
This current pandemic and scandalous criminal acts of sexual abuse of children, puts in focus, the pretentious celibacy culture of the Catholic Church which requires its hierarchy to be sexually repressed males. It is the denial of human nature in favor outdated Catholic dogmas.
200 hearing impaired defenseless children in Milwaukee were sexually abused by a Catholic priest while Cardinal Ratzinger was minding the store as the authority in charge in the Vatican, whose scheduled duty it is to discipline erring priests. Pope Benedict XVI should resign, the criminality under his watch, before his papacy, have been excessive and worse, there have been criminal efforts, to cover-up the original sins!
Priests in Berlin and other parts of Germany were engaged in sexual abuses and child molestations when the man who would be pope, had the duty and schedule to impose order and he did not. Pope Benedict have similarly been reluctant and rather slow to admit and reveal these sex abuse pandemic which have now unfolded despite the Catholic Church best efforts at continuing concealments.
It is now known, that Catholic priests in Ireland were engaged in, you guessed it, sexual abuse and child molestations and once again, his “holiness” was slow to act. He had refused and neglected to impose penalties and punishments which could have acted as deterrence, especially in the face of repeat offenders who engage in sexual abuses and were merely moved from parish to parish and yet, to another parish
In every other life situations, in view of the above, someone in the pope’s capacity and having neglected to play his roles at every turn, would be adjudged having woefully failed after a pattern after pattern of wanton neglect to enforce the rules which would have prevented the number and durations of the egregious sexual abuses and molestations by catholic priests in America, Italy, Ireland, Germany etc
Pope Benedict XVI with clear history and pattern of neglect, condoned sexual abuse and molestations of children by Catholic priests. This pope fostered and enabled child molesters by refusing to enforce the rules each time he was presented with evidences and facts of Catholic priests in Europe and America who were predators preying on innocent and defenseless children in Italy, Ireland, Germany and the United States
Pope Benedict XVI is now known to have had clear knowledge, evidences, facts and pertinent information regarding damning sexual abuse of children by catholic priest across continents and yet, the pope neglect to sanction these criminals within the pope’s religious organization and the pope eventually ascended to the top of the same organization within which he, while in lower hierarchy, did not provide good moral or religious leadership. The pope in essence protected wild, wayward and terrible child abuser who took advantage of innocent and defenseless children, among these children, the hearing impaired!
Pope Benedict XVI had pertinent and salient information and therefore specific knowledge of sexual abuse of children within different nations. The pope looked the other way, when these sad cases were reported to him. He in effect allowed sex abuse and molestation of children to fester in various parishes and several synod and he in effect gave his ecumenical blessings to sex abuse of children by never imposing sanctions and punishments through defrocking and or prosecution of catholic priests who took advantage of innocent children worldwide
Pope Benedict was in effect the police officer or the Sherriff or prosecutor, with specific, detailed information and knowledge of crimes committed and continuously being committed by criminal elements within his domain, and many of the offenders, were repeat offenders, and yet, did nothing. This sorts of conniving, and colluding police officer, Sherriff, or prosecutor, now got elevated to the highest rank to head police, Sherriff or prosecutorial organization, which now faces extraordinary scandalous pandemic of all these crimes committed by the criminals whose identity and proclivities were always known to this same person who is now the head of the organization.
Pope Benedict XVI is this sorts of police, Sherriff and prosecutor. Pope Benedict was thoroughly familiar with sexual abuse of children by catholic priests in Germany, in Italy, in Ireland, and in the Untied States or worldwide. And he did nothing, then he became as pope, the head of the Catholic Church, papal reverence, perks and all, and look what the world have got in the bargain! Why did the Catholic Church elevate Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to the pope and leader of the church, despite his pattern of refusing and neglecting to stem the tide and then the deluge of sex abuse of children by Catholic Church priests under his supervision, for years, before he became the pope? Those who voted him in as the pope knew these sordid tales of sex abuses which the pope could have stopped or prevented with actions. What did they know and when did they know it and why did they look the other way as thousands of children were abused sexually by Catholic Church priests who the then cardinal refused to defrock?
The Catholic Church has constituted itself as bastion of oppressions directed at innocent, defenseless and helpless children. What with these massive cover-ups which too place in so many nations, in this still widening and exploding pandemic of sex abuse and child molestations worldwide? What with the recent efforts by the Catholic Church in America as it colluded with ultra conservatives and retrogressive forces in their efforts to derail the Health Care Reform law? Had the Catholic Church succeeded with the other retrogrades, their efforts would have ensured the continued denials of access to health care to about 40 million poor and hapless Americans.
The world must measure the worthlessness of the Catholic Church with its opposition health care for the poor, it continuing refusal to ordain women worldwide as priests and this scandalous pandemic in which the Catholic Church and Pope Benedict XVI highest hierarchy deceived the entire world and covered-up pervasive and permeating abhorrent sexual exploitations of minors in Germany, Ireland, Italy and in the worst of the cases, the sex abuse directed against the more than 200 hearing impaired children in Milwaukee, in the United States!
The Catholic Church is one of the richest entities in the world, it is in fact a multinational conglomerate and it is now clear, that it covered-up the criminal actions of many of its top “executives”, and that the Catholic Church’s present chief operating officer or CEO, Pope Benedict XVI, who was regularly informed and frequently aware of these heinous crimes, chose to ignore and refuse to impose penalties or punitive and corrective measure. It is the case, that Pope Benedict was clearly aware of these sex abuses and with information and knowledge, chose to do nothing.
The spin doctors in St. Peters Basilica of the Vatican cannot obfuscate or obscure these deliberate policy of making sex abuse victims swear to oath of secrecy, and it so heart wrenching that these victims were mostly children, who cannot and could and should not be assumed to have the capacity to give informed consent or permission to the Catholic Church as it was in effect demanding that these child-victims, deny themselves of compensation or any form of action against the Catholic Church which protected those who assaulted, molested and ruined the lives of these same children
It will be recalled that Pope Benedict XVI, the erstwhile Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was touted as a doctrinal, keeper of the faith and flame who will preserve catholic orthodoxy and religious traditions etc it is now time to question whether his selection and ascendancy was the benefits from the protection racket which the man who would be pope provided to all these child sex crazed priests in so many nations worldwide. It is logical to wonder and ask, what the trade off and quid pro quo or benefits were, which were conferred on Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger on his climb and ascendancy to papacy?
The man who would be pope, clearly had an established pattern of not exacting punishments or penalties on sexual abusers and molesters of children in the catholic priesthood. Catholic priests in America, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and worldwide it would seem, indulged themselves in the criminal enterprise of sex with children. These priests and those who supervised them, were excused, and spared of punishments and penalties or any retributions by the man who is now the pope. Pope Benedict XVI endeared himself to child molesters engaged in sex abuse and the sexual exploitation of children.
The pope was the patron protector of child molesting gangs of catholic priests and their conniving and colluding bishops in America, Germany, Ireland and Italy etc. Pope Benedict XVI does appear to the biggest single beneficiary of this sex abuse and child molestation racket in the catholic church worldwide!
It does appear that the pope owes ascendancy to the protection which he provided to fiendish sexual abusing child molesting catholic priests and their equally culpable supervisory bishops and this interconnection and overlapping mutual protections explains why sex abuse and child molestations in the catholic church went on endlessly, ceaselessly and pervasively for so long and in too many nations as the world now knows! The pope and the entire hierarchy of the catholic church should be ashamed for their hypocrisies and for condoning these sex abuses directed at the world’s weakest citizens, innocent children!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Homophobia in Nigeria, Uganda, Malawi And Over-sexed South Africa
Homophobia in Nigeria, Uganda, Malawi And Over-sexed South Africa
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Why is it so important for Nigeria, Uganda and now, Malawi to squander public resources in the repression of homosexuals and lesbians citizens within these African nations? It is just astonishing that some African nations focus on the persecution of homosexuals, gays and lesbians, instead of the more important focus on continental development.
Why is it that political and religious leaders in these nations seem to see or interpret homosexual and lesbians sexual preferences and practices as if more of existential threats and or, inimical to the pursuits of health, wealth and happiness than say, malaria, AIDS, unemployment, unclean water, broken and decrepit public infrastructures?
I am a heterosexual male and I do not believe that my sexual preference makes me remarkable.
Besides, I also believe in the Human Rights of all persons regardless of such persons’ sexual preferences. I, We, Nigerians, Ugandans, South Africans, Malawians, Americans or anyone for that matter, do not have to have the same sexual interests or preferences as a basis or predicate for advocating the rights of others, others, who are unlike us.
I strongly believe that Nigerians, South Africans, Ugandans and Malawians and others, should be able to advocate the rights of homosexuals and lesbians citizens amongst us, even if we are decidedly heterosexuals. Just the same way in which we may be able to recognize the rights of others to practice their choice of preferred religion, even if we ourselves are of a different religious faith or are faithless, agnostic or atheists ourselves. We ought to be able to accept homosexuals, gays and lesbians without making value judgments or some sorts of dogmatic and judgmental moral condemnations of gays and lesbians, based upon or predicated on our moral certainty or religious “superiority”
I am quite at a loss when I listen the vehemence and stridency, with which some Nigerians, some South Africans, some Ugandans, some Malawians etc, talk, discuss, and in fact, attack gays and lesbians within our nations.
Why is it, that, in the midst of greater challenges, such as suffocating abject poverty, and pervasive-permeating wants in these nations, and yet, some of us, manage to squander our time and efforts, in addressing sexual choices made by grown men and women with mutuality of sexual interests and with affections, derived of knowing and informed consent, permission and mutual authorizations!
I am certainly at a total loss, as to why for instance, Uganda now notorious worldwide, for contemplating the death penalty or capital punishments for persons engaged in gay and lesbian sexual intercourse?
How about the death penalty for those public officials, who demonstrate gross incompetence and or unrivaled ineptitude?
Why would Uganda not start with prescribing the death penalty for corrupt public officials? How about it, if Uganda prescribes public execution for those public officials who mismanage the economies of these African nations? Why the unfounded fears for gays and lesbians?
Why would these African nations not focus punishing those who mismanage public resources? Why would those African nations, who hypocritically pretend to be so “morally” upright and concerned with what sorts and forms and styles of sex , and or sexual habits of the Africa citizens? The majority of the economies of the nations on the African continent are perilously close to implosion.
These African nations have no economic growth, they are in fact close to moribund, or nearly comatose and yet, these nations are wasting valuable time on debates about gays and lesbians? When in fact, there are many pressing and very desperate situations of hardships and sufferings on the African continent?
President Joseph Zuma of South Africa angled and schemed to be president and he became one, and now, his cavorting with some women and his peculiar treatments of some other women, is quite likely ending up as his signature issue and his legacy. Meanwhile, 20 years have passed since majority rule and the “death” of formal Apartheid minority rule in South Africa and the economic and social fortunes have not changed for the majority of South African citizens! Unfortunately, in the midst of all these abject poverty, continuing racial inequalities, and lopsidedness in the distribution of land and economic power and wealth in South Africa, President Zuma is mired in the matters of sexual lusts? President Zuma irresponsibly takes additional “wife” and a woman half Mr. Zuma’s age as the president of South Africa wishes to nullify the infamous rocking of the cradle by Tony Randall?
The majority of South Africans are wallowing in poverty and dire economic depression. The majority of South Africans are left to wonder what the dividends of democracy and post Apartheid South Africa is worth to them, and yet, all that they see, is the obscene and untamed sexual appetite of the septuagenarian Mr. Zuma lustily pursuing multiple skirts? After all the efforts made nationwide by the hitherto marginalized majority of Black South African, and the hard won victory which led to Black majority government in South Africa, why is it acceptable for Mr. Zuma to be squandering and missing opportunities to do right by the long suffering South African Black majority?
Why is President Jacob Zuma so content, satiated and constipated and seemingly unaware of the suffering and hardship which remain all to common in South Africa? Why is President Zuma able to allow himself distracted with lusts and the irrelevancies of sexual pleasures? Where is the fire in his belly and the desire to do good for the majority of South Africans? Why is Mr. Zuma’s emphasis not about common good and the public good of all South Africans? Why is President Zuma engaged in the worse than useless luxury and indulgence in sexual pleasures as if he were a teenager? Where are the fiery and fierce freedom fighters of South Africa who wanted to liberate South Africa? What a waste of opportunities? Why have power for power’s sake? Why has Mr. Zuma fought for so long to procure power and then, he has forgotten power’s real purpose beyond his personal perks and sexual pleasures?
Why is sexual pleasures suddenly so important in African politics anyway? Why is the debate and brouhaha about gays and lesbians beclouding the urgent, extremely urgent needful work of economic, social and political development in many African nations? Why is democracy, the rule of law, due process, constitutionalism and all elements of continental advancement relegated to the back burners? Why is the frivolities and sexual pleasures, heterosexual, homosexual or gay and lesbian sexual pleasures now front and center, and substitutes for political and economic reforms which are sorely lacking on the continent?
I have wondered for years, why was it so important for Mr. Nelson Mandela to divorce Winnie Mandela? And why Mr. Mandela could not overlook Winnie Mandela’s sins, whatever they were, just as he was uncommonly humane and magnanimously forgiving towards those who tormented him for 27 long tortuous years?
Why if Mr. Mandela had focused on land redistribution while he was president of South Africa? After all, 27 years of imprisonment in the hands of brutal minority and illegal regime of South Africa, made South Africa Mr. Mandela’s life work and Mrs. Winnie Mandela played pivotal and prominent roles in all of that. Mr. Mandela could have made further sacrifice and let Winnie be, whatever her matrimonial transgression during the incarceration of Mr. Mandela.
Why have Mr. Mandela, Mr. Thabo Mbeki and now Mr. Jacob Zuma neglected to focus on addressing and redressing the disparities and lopsidedness of political and economic power distribution in South Africa? Why has land redistribution in South Africa dealt with? Have Black political leaders in South African been afraid of being labeled and tarnished in the same ways as President Mugabe of Zimbabwe? President Mugabe obviously fell out of favor, after his partners to the pre-independence Lancaster House Agreement neglected to follow through with promises to fund and support land redistribution, and proceeded to castigate Mr. Mugabe, who for public purpose and his personal cover as well, belatedly, pursued land redistribution in Zimbabwe, where one percent of the white minority controlled ninety five percent of the entire land of Zimbabwe.
Why are too many political leaders of African nations engaged in the frivolities of sexual pleasures and amorous distractions and orgasmic plateaus, when the general state of affairs of human condition is abysmal dismal?
In the midst of metaphorical earthquake measuring 10.6 on Richter scale , earthquake of economic, political and social devastation in many African nations, why is so much time being wasted on bodily pleasures of heterosexual sex, gay and lesbian sex or any sexual pleasures at all? Africa, our house is on fire, and why is sexual pleasures of any type the centerpiece of continental Africa’s public debate?
What reasonable person focuses on sexual pleasures in the middle of an earthquake? What reasonable person focuses on sex in the middle of the economic, political and developmental devastation in Africa?
Why is it, that any sexual pleasures, and the morality and immorality about it, have now subsumed important public policy debates regarding sustainable economic and political development of the African continent? Why is the fixation on sexual pleasures in its varieties and the varieties and forms of it and sexual preferences become a fodder and cover, for ineptitude of public officials across the African continent?
Why this seeming clueless fixation on sexual pleasures whether heterosexual or homosexual?
Perhaps all political leaders in African nations should be required to forswear off sex and be celibate, but with the sex abuse epidemic in the Catholic Church in Ireland, Germany, Italy, and the United States etc, asking African leaders to forswear off sex and become celibate is portentous of the Catholic affliction?
But we must still, what have sexual pleasures, and sexual preferences got to do with the provision of clean water, full employment, steady electric power supply, electoral and constitutional reforms and provision of reliable public infrastructures across the nations of Africa? Our continent continue to suffer image devastation. Our continent continue to be left behind the rest of the world developmentally while too many of our leaders are focused on sexual pleasures!
Why have the focus on whether citizens of Africa plateau in heterosexual, gay and lesbian orgasms become substitute for proper focus on the priorities of economic and political development, progress and advancement of the continent of Africa?
What has orgasm got to do with the grinding poverty and the urgent answer to poverty, the urgent and needful development of Africa?
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Why is it so important for Nigeria, Uganda and now, Malawi to squander public resources in the repression of homosexuals and lesbians citizens within these African nations? It is just astonishing that some African nations focus on the persecution of homosexuals, gays and lesbians, instead of the more important focus on continental development.
Why is it that political and religious leaders in these nations seem to see or interpret homosexual and lesbians sexual preferences and practices as if more of existential threats and or, inimical to the pursuits of health, wealth and happiness than say, malaria, AIDS, unemployment, unclean water, broken and decrepit public infrastructures?
I am a heterosexual male and I do not believe that my sexual preference makes me remarkable.
Besides, I also believe in the Human Rights of all persons regardless of such persons’ sexual preferences. I, We, Nigerians, Ugandans, South Africans, Malawians, Americans or anyone for that matter, do not have to have the same sexual interests or preferences as a basis or predicate for advocating the rights of others, others, who are unlike us.
I strongly believe that Nigerians, South Africans, Ugandans and Malawians and others, should be able to advocate the rights of homosexuals and lesbians citizens amongst us, even if we are decidedly heterosexuals. Just the same way in which we may be able to recognize the rights of others to practice their choice of preferred religion, even if we ourselves are of a different religious faith or are faithless, agnostic or atheists ourselves. We ought to be able to accept homosexuals, gays and lesbians without making value judgments or some sorts of dogmatic and judgmental moral condemnations of gays and lesbians, based upon or predicated on our moral certainty or religious “superiority”
I am quite at a loss when I listen the vehemence and stridency, with which some Nigerians, some South Africans, some Ugandans, some Malawians etc, talk, discuss, and in fact, attack gays and lesbians within our nations.
Why is it, that, in the midst of greater challenges, such as suffocating abject poverty, and pervasive-permeating wants in these nations, and yet, some of us, manage to squander our time and efforts, in addressing sexual choices made by grown men and women with mutuality of sexual interests and with affections, derived of knowing and informed consent, permission and mutual authorizations!
I am certainly at a total loss, as to why for instance, Uganda now notorious worldwide, for contemplating the death penalty or capital punishments for persons engaged in gay and lesbian sexual intercourse?
How about the death penalty for those public officials, who demonstrate gross incompetence and or unrivaled ineptitude?
Why would Uganda not start with prescribing the death penalty for corrupt public officials? How about it, if Uganda prescribes public execution for those public officials who mismanage the economies of these African nations? Why the unfounded fears for gays and lesbians?
Why would these African nations not focus punishing those who mismanage public resources? Why would those African nations, who hypocritically pretend to be so “morally” upright and concerned with what sorts and forms and styles of sex , and or sexual habits of the Africa citizens? The majority of the economies of the nations on the African continent are perilously close to implosion.
These African nations have no economic growth, they are in fact close to moribund, or nearly comatose and yet, these nations are wasting valuable time on debates about gays and lesbians? When in fact, there are many pressing and very desperate situations of hardships and sufferings on the African continent?
President Joseph Zuma of South Africa angled and schemed to be president and he became one, and now, his cavorting with some women and his peculiar treatments of some other women, is quite likely ending up as his signature issue and his legacy. Meanwhile, 20 years have passed since majority rule and the “death” of formal Apartheid minority rule in South Africa and the economic and social fortunes have not changed for the majority of South African citizens! Unfortunately, in the midst of all these abject poverty, continuing racial inequalities, and lopsidedness in the distribution of land and economic power and wealth in South Africa, President Zuma is mired in the matters of sexual lusts? President Zuma irresponsibly takes additional “wife” and a woman half Mr. Zuma’s age as the president of South Africa wishes to nullify the infamous rocking of the cradle by Tony Randall?
The majority of South Africans are wallowing in poverty and dire economic depression. The majority of South Africans are left to wonder what the dividends of democracy and post Apartheid South Africa is worth to them, and yet, all that they see, is the obscene and untamed sexual appetite of the septuagenarian Mr. Zuma lustily pursuing multiple skirts? After all the efforts made nationwide by the hitherto marginalized majority of Black South African, and the hard won victory which led to Black majority government in South Africa, why is it acceptable for Mr. Zuma to be squandering and missing opportunities to do right by the long suffering South African Black majority?
Why is President Jacob Zuma so content, satiated and constipated and seemingly unaware of the suffering and hardship which remain all to common in South Africa? Why is President Zuma able to allow himself distracted with lusts and the irrelevancies of sexual pleasures? Where is the fire in his belly and the desire to do good for the majority of South Africans? Why is Mr. Zuma’s emphasis not about common good and the public good of all South Africans? Why is President Zuma engaged in the worse than useless luxury and indulgence in sexual pleasures as if he were a teenager? Where are the fiery and fierce freedom fighters of South Africa who wanted to liberate South Africa? What a waste of opportunities? Why have power for power’s sake? Why has Mr. Zuma fought for so long to procure power and then, he has forgotten power’s real purpose beyond his personal perks and sexual pleasures?
Why is sexual pleasures suddenly so important in African politics anyway? Why is the debate and brouhaha about gays and lesbians beclouding the urgent, extremely urgent needful work of economic, social and political development in many African nations? Why is democracy, the rule of law, due process, constitutionalism and all elements of continental advancement relegated to the back burners? Why is the frivolities and sexual pleasures, heterosexual, homosexual or gay and lesbian sexual pleasures now front and center, and substitutes for political and economic reforms which are sorely lacking on the continent?
I have wondered for years, why was it so important for Mr. Nelson Mandela to divorce Winnie Mandela? And why Mr. Mandela could not overlook Winnie Mandela’s sins, whatever they were, just as he was uncommonly humane and magnanimously forgiving towards those who tormented him for 27 long tortuous years?
Why if Mr. Mandela had focused on land redistribution while he was president of South Africa? After all, 27 years of imprisonment in the hands of brutal minority and illegal regime of South Africa, made South Africa Mr. Mandela’s life work and Mrs. Winnie Mandela played pivotal and prominent roles in all of that. Mr. Mandela could have made further sacrifice and let Winnie be, whatever her matrimonial transgression during the incarceration of Mr. Mandela.
Why have Mr. Mandela, Mr. Thabo Mbeki and now Mr. Jacob Zuma neglected to focus on addressing and redressing the disparities and lopsidedness of political and economic power distribution in South Africa? Why has land redistribution in South Africa dealt with? Have Black political leaders in South African been afraid of being labeled and tarnished in the same ways as President Mugabe of Zimbabwe? President Mugabe obviously fell out of favor, after his partners to the pre-independence Lancaster House Agreement neglected to follow through with promises to fund and support land redistribution, and proceeded to castigate Mr. Mugabe, who for public purpose and his personal cover as well, belatedly, pursued land redistribution in Zimbabwe, where one percent of the white minority controlled ninety five percent of the entire land of Zimbabwe.
Why are too many political leaders of African nations engaged in the frivolities of sexual pleasures and amorous distractions and orgasmic plateaus, when the general state of affairs of human condition is abysmal dismal?
In the midst of metaphorical earthquake measuring 10.6 on Richter scale , earthquake of economic, political and social devastation in many African nations, why is so much time being wasted on bodily pleasures of heterosexual sex, gay and lesbian sex or any sexual pleasures at all? Africa, our house is on fire, and why is sexual pleasures of any type the centerpiece of continental Africa’s public debate?
What reasonable person focuses on sexual pleasures in the middle of an earthquake? What reasonable person focuses on sex in the middle of the economic, political and developmental devastation in Africa?
Why is it, that any sexual pleasures, and the morality and immorality about it, have now subsumed important public policy debates regarding sustainable economic and political development of the African continent? Why is the fixation on sexual pleasures in its varieties and the varieties and forms of it and sexual preferences become a fodder and cover, for ineptitude of public officials across the African continent?
Why this seeming clueless fixation on sexual pleasures whether heterosexual or homosexual?
Perhaps all political leaders in African nations should be required to forswear off sex and be celibate, but with the sex abuse epidemic in the Catholic Church in Ireland, Germany, Italy, and the United States etc, asking African leaders to forswear off sex and become celibate is portentous of the Catholic affliction?
But we must still, what have sexual pleasures, and sexual preferences got to do with the provision of clean water, full employment, steady electric power supply, electoral and constitutional reforms and provision of reliable public infrastructures across the nations of Africa? Our continent continue to suffer image devastation. Our continent continue to be left behind the rest of the world developmentally while too many of our leaders are focused on sexual pleasures!
Why have the focus on whether citizens of Africa plateau in heterosexual, gay and lesbian orgasms become substitute for proper focus on the priorities of economic and political development, progress and advancement of the continent of Africa?
What has orgasm got to do with the grinding poverty and the urgent answer to poverty, the urgent and needful development of Africa?
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Israel Is An Outlaw And Lawless Nation, Like No Other!
Israel Is An Outlaw And Lawless Nation, Like No Other!
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Israeli nation is currently engaged in lawless, illegal and outlawed actions. Israel has operated in this ill manner frequently, all too often and without consequences and at the expense of Israel’s Arab and Persian neighbors since the 1948 creation and imposition of Israel on Arabs and Persians.
Israel has frequently engaged in plethora of actions which have been declared illegal and outrageous by the United Nations, the United States and the European Economic Union or the EEU-EEC and yet Israel continues with full speed ahead, to indulge in egregious actions which affronts all treaties, protocols and conventions
Israel literarily and metaphorically dictates American foreign policy towards Israel, Arabs, Persians and the entire Middle East, Persian Gulf Region. And American entanglements in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and to a large extent, Afghanistan, are inspired and motivated by America quest to support and “defend” Israel at all costs and even when it is not in America’s best strategic interests, measured whether in both short and long terms. The unthinking rush to support Israel at all costs, have resulted in the squanders of blood and treasure by America and that seem to continue without vigorous public debate by a plurality of Americans
A few weeks ago for instance, Vice President Joseph Biden was on an official visit to Israel, and upon his arrival there, Mr. Biden promptly announced that US policy on Iran and nuclear is because nobody can come between the US and Israel safety and security. And as if on cue and following a script, Mr. Biden, a sitting American vice president received a crude undiplomatic slap in the face; even Israeli press and media were caught off guard in surprise as Israeli government announced the start of construction of additional 1600 houses in East Jerusalem. Israeli Newspapers reported in screaming headlines, “Israel Slaps America In The Face Again And Embarrasses Vice President Biden
The question which should be asked is, but why is America smiling? Only a fool or buffoon would smile upon being slapped in the face, and America is no fool or buffoon, so why is America still smiling and encouraging Israel’s truancy, intransigence and recalcitrance in dealings with Palestinians, Arabs and Persians?
On Monday March 22, 2010, Mrs. Clinton effusively addressed American Israel Public Affairs Committee or AIPAC during which she loudly proclaimed America’s support for Israel as rock solid, this, even despite weeks of diplomatic row and public reaction over the uncouth and undiplomatic behavior by Israel, while VP Biden was Israel’s visitor and guest.
Israel is unrepentant, adamant and arrogant and yet, Mrs. Clinton attends AIPAC and Obama meets with Netanyahu and Senator George Mitchell is promptly dispatched to assure and reassure Netanyahu and then lunch with Obama
Mrs. Clinton glowingly states her personal commitment and entire administration's heads over heels love for Israel; this attitude of effusively loving and hugging the wrongdoer, is exactly why Israel is power drunk, adamant and arrogant and hence, peace continues to elude Israel and Palestine and the entire Middle East... American engages in lopsided underhand deals with Israel at the expense of everyone else... The Americans have over and over shown that their are not an honest peace broker or dispassionate arbiter in the dispute between Israel and her Arabs and Persian neighbors
Israeli citizens married to Arabs are not allowed to live in Israel, because Israel want to keep its population free of Arabs… similar to miscegenation laws in Jim Crow America and Apartheid South Africa and this is ethnic cleansing (married and cannot live together for a whole year) men 35 women at 25 can get 6 months repeat extensions of stay, and such citizens are not allowed to work and have medical insurance this is a practice against right to love and raise family
Maintaining Israel as Jewish state and preventing Israel from becoming subsumed by Arabs populations, but bear in mind that the land where Israel is, is originally Arab, imagine the irony of the keeping a Jewish nation clear of Arabs and ethnic pure for Jews and cleanse of Arabs? Were any other nation on earth to engage in this practice by Israel, such nation would be accused of ethnic cleansing in search of ethnic and religious purity, which runs counter to a modern democratic state of a plural or multicultural type. Israel does have Jews, Arabs, and migrant workers from Asia and Africa
Israel killed a young and unarmed female American citizen but why is America smiling? Would America have smiled had these actions been undertaken by Palestine, Iraq or Iran or North Korea?
Biden goes and say, Mrs. Clinton restates that US and Israel has deep relationship blah blah blah
All this, even as Israel insists it will not change plans to expand settlement in East Jerusalem Netanyahu reaffirms plans to build 1600 houses with a blatant insult to VP Biden as Israel announced these settlements expansion as a banner greetings during the VP visit to Israel.
Israel have been emboldened over the years by formidable support by America and Europe. Israel is continually fortified by the United States which donates $5 billion dollars cash every year in financial aid, as well as supply to Israel advanced weapons and weapons technologies, while Arabs and Persians are denied the same or similar accoutrements and facilities
This historical advantage have been enjoyed by Israel and the expense of its Arabs and Persian neighbors and this have ensured a lopsided stacking of the deck in favor of Israel and have caused Israel to develop a mindset of itself as beyond reproach and beyond rebukes and any person, entity or nation which dares to buck the trend, is quickly harried, barraged and badgered with charges of being anti Semite, anti Jews and being anti Israel. Israelis and Jews worldwide who attempt redefine the narrative between Israel, Arabs and Persians to the middle and to a modicum of fair and balance debate, is labeled, castigated and attacked as was witnessed this week by J Street activists who were attacked and lampooned, for daring to criticize the arrogant and suicidal policies of Israel
Gutturals pronouncements by Netanyahu directed at Arabs and Persians which received guffaws and hilarities from AIPAC conference attendees in Washington DC on March 22nd, 2010, a conference which was earlier addressed by Mrs. Clinton, the United States Secretary of State. Israel reserves the option and will exercise such option against Iran. Netanyahu again spoke to AIPAC gloatingly and giddily and arrogant self contentment or even constipation
In the midst of all these, Israel PM reaffirms and stands firm, reasserted Israel right to build anywhere they want. These were the choice words and terms which were liberally deployed and used throughout American print and electronic media. It is as if everyone is preconditioned to used same words, terms and preconceived notions of Israel’s assumed superior right over Palestinians, Arabs and Persians.
In the face of criticism and condemnations which have greeted the planned expansion and the building of more Jewish settlements on Palestinians land and territories, many Israelis and Jews around the world have mounted spirited defense of the very obviously wrongheaded policies of Israel. The mayor of Jerusalem, who is not a Christian, resorted to biblical defense of Israel land grabs, the mayor stated that the city of Jerusalem is mentioned in the bible 663 times and not once in the Koran, but if everyone went by the bible and by the Koran and where the world was 2000 or 3000 ago, the world would be in chaos
The mayor of Jerusalem told a BBC interviewer that Jews pray for Jerusalem 3 times a day. He went on to add that Jews are not occupying since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, but instead he insists that Jews are merely formalizing the reunification of Jerusalem from separation in biblical times, this is clearly an absurdum and most ludicrous!
All settlement activities must stop because they are illegal, and someone ought to drum this into the heads of Israeli political leaders and their supporters and enablers here in America; the bulk of Israel conducts regarding Palestine, Arabs and Persian neighbors are illegal, says UN, EEC, UK, US etc
These nonsensical biblical based arguments and references to Palestinians quarters and neighborhoods as Judea and Samaria are exercises in obfuscations. This was perfected and was frequently done or practiced by Ariel Sharon, the Israeli former military general and prime minister, and this entrenched attitude defeats every platitudes ever uttered in the name of peace talks or negotiations
The mayor of Jerusalem summoned illogic to becloud the solid evidence and facts of Palestinians’ ownership of their land and nation, as the mayor stated that Shalem is short form Hebrew word which means home, and Jerusalem, means home and that the whole of Jerusalem will be controlled and dominated by Jews, because Jerusalem is different from any city in the world, and no split is acceptable
British Turkish Roman occupied Jerusalem and they never claimed it, only Jews have ever claimed it and but belongs to Jews… Jerusalem is not a settlement, it Jewish capital? This is biblical gobbledygook and those who are hiding this spurious biblical arguments are disingenuous and dangerously inimical to peace. Jerusalem is heart and soul Jews and so it will be forever says Mayor of Jerusalem, but if we must follow the bible suasion to which Israeli politicians now heavily relies, the bible does say Jesus Christ return will be setting her symbolic feet on the soil of Jerusalem, does it mean that the next intractable internecine wars would be between Jews and Christians? Israel is enabled by her supporters, to arrogantly and adamantly, insist that Jerusalem is sacred ground and goes back 3,000 biblical certainty have been for Jews and Jews
Britain has expelled an Israel diplomat in connection with assassination of HAMAS leader, in which 12 British Passport were used, there is clear evidence that Israelis were involved in the passport swap and forgeries according to the serious crime branch of the British law enforcement apparatuses. Israeli diplomat in Britain is facing pressure over the use of British citizen passports to engage in forgeries and murder of a HAMAS helmsman. Israel has used 12 British passports in the past and Israel had assured Britain and yet, Israel repeats such crime. Germany, Ireland, Australia also had their passport used by Israel in murders
Here are some of the very many actions which Israel have taken against its Arabs and Persians neighbors of which Israel have merely received criticisms with smiles, winks and nods. It is public knowledge that there is no other nation on earth which can get away with half of all the egregious illegalities that have been ramped up by Israel
1. Israel deports children of migrant workers who have lived in Israel for decades in ethnic cleansing, as Israel excuses and justifies its actions on the very tenuous ground of keeping Israel “pure” as Jewish religious nation.
2. Israel unilaterally takes properties of Arabs and reallocate land to newly arriving Jewish settlers on lands that are undisputedly the proper properties of Palestinians in Palestinian territories and nation as contemplated by the so-called two states solution of Israel and Palestine coexisting side by side. Netanyahu compared continued expansion in East Jerusalem to doing same in Tel Aviv, he pretends ignorance of the volatile nature, the utter provocation and inflammatory nature of Israeli recent land-grabs in Palestine.
3. Israel recently took a large swath of Palestinian Arab territory and declared it as an Israel religiously relevant site and as a matter of course, Israel expect Palestinians to go away quietly
4. Israel with a population of about 5 million, receives more foreign aid than ten poorer nations on earth put together, and Israel squander these monies on erecting stone and steel apartheid walls against children, women and the elderly, all in the name of security for Israel, instead of actually examining the root causes of Palestinian resistance which arises from Israel’s land grabs and occupation and manacling of Palestinians on their on land
5. Israel is notorious worldwide as the champion and progenitor of nations which surreptitiously clandestinely procure nuclear weapons. Israel have aggressively promoted and marketed a patented nonsense also known as “strategic ambiguity” which is the idea of saying no and yes whenever asked pointed questions as to having or not having nuclear weapons and such capabilities. And so, Israel is one such nation with undeclared nuclear weapons, nuclear capability and without nuclear inspections as Israel is not a signatory to IAEA nuclear nonproliferation treaties. And yet, Israel and supporters of Israel are quick to cry hypocritical crocodile tears, over Iran nuclear ambitions, as was Iraq before Iran.
6. Strategic Ambiguity as a term and mode of operation copyrighted by Israel was employed again recently, as Israel refuses to confirm or deny the daring assassination of a HAMAS leader in broad daylight in Dubai in which Israeli MOSSAD signature and fingerprints were seen by many observers worldwide. Britain is threatening to expel an Israel diplomat out of London because Britain linked Israel’s Intelligence Services as fraudulently and illegally procuring passports of several British citizens in the assassination project and operations which were carried out in Dubai.
In effect, Israel engages in targeted killings, state sponsored terrorisms, assassinations, invasions and occupations, land-grabs and territorial conquest only identical with medieval crusades and colonialism of more than 300 years ago. And yet, some are content to pretend that Israel does no wrong and that reactions from Palestine, Arabs and Persians are unreasoned, unthinking and motivated by the search of virgins and religious bloodbath and bloodlusts?
7. Israel killed Amy Currie of Seattle an American who was in a peaceful protest... imagine if another nation other than Israel had killed an unarmed American engaged in peaceful protest?
The so-called roadmap to peace between Israel and Palestine has since been shredded by the ineptitude of President George W. Bush administration. There are too many actions by Israeli government which ensures total collapse of any pretense of peace talks negotiations, there are too many road blocks which makes basic daily life miserable for Palestinians and there are still thousands of Palestinians prisoners in Israeli prisons.
There are these outrageous and alarming, suffocating actions which stifles and stymies political and economic growth and stability in Palestine, including excruciating Israeli military blockade and the United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Kim Moon, and fourteen months later, the blockade is still in place even as UN Secretary General visit’s the areas. Mr. Ban Ki Moon condemns Israel East Jerusalem
Netanyahu despite all this, get a private meeting and express pass to the White House to meet with President Obama. This is happening, soon after the slap in the face meted out to VP Joe Biden by Israel during Mr. Biden recent visit to Israel. This slap in the face subsequent provocative statements by Mr. Netanyahu before leaving Israel for a visit to the US and further provocative and inflammatory statement by Netanyahu since arriving the US and in particular, while addressing AIPAC, ought to act as a wake up call for America. But instead, Netanyahu earns a coveted invitation to see Mr. Obama again. And as a precursor, Mrs. Clinton effusively proclaims that her relationship with Israel and is the same with entire Obama administration and all of America and she said proudly, it is forever, with such money back guarantee why should Israel alter or modify their behaviors?
Israel should be encouraged to engaged in more responsible behavior in the Middle East and to be more respectful in her relations with the United States which Israel has taken for granted. Israel continues to receive billions in US foreign aid dollars every year. Israel receives military hardware and software from the United States, which are not similarly available to Palestine, Arab and Persian nations, and yet, Israel shows or demonstrates very little respect or care what the United States thinks of Israel’s domestic and foreign policies, in fact, Israel has spied on the United States and other nations in western Europe so many times. And on Tuesday, March 23rd 2010, British Foreign Secretary Mibrand advised British citizens to be mindful and watch their passports if visiting Israel in view of Israel’s theft of several passports of British citizens for assassination enterprise in Dubai. Britain has formally expelled an Israeli diplomat from London.
Former United States President Jimmy Carter has forthrightly described current American policy on Israel-Palestine peace negotiations and peace as fumble and stumble and I suspect this as a deliberately calibrated policy. Why else would VP Biden endure that recent humiliation during his visit to Israel, and then, there is this stampede soon thereafter t coddle and embrace Israel, Netanyahu and AIPAC by Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama?
The benign contempt of AIPAC for Clinton, the applause for her when she praised Israel and the loud silence when she chastised Israel for her arrogance and insults to Biden and Netanyahu unapologetic comments before and since arriving in the US ominously demonstrates where the lever of control is.
The more than 7000 American Jews in a three day conference with casts of speakers, who were speaking in favor of Israel were testament to who pulls that power lever and who controls American foreign policy and why America appears heading for a self-destructive path in support of Israel.
American Jews with dissenting opinions are marginalized and ignored and muted and this was again made clear in Washington DC during these several days of AIPAC conference.
The truth of the matter is that, American Jews and all supporters of Israel, including the Secretary of State Mrs. Clinton, and President Obama himself, need to show Israelis tough love and tell them bitter truths.
Bitter truths, including the need for Israel to aspire to conduct itself as a mature nation and to get out of the gory, sordid business of targeted killings, assassinations, arrogant land grabs, unilateral invasions and occupations of other nations, arbitrary seizures, confiscations and or demolitions of properties of Palestinians, desist from imposing punishing blockades and ethnic cleansing based on whether a person in Israel is Jewish or not etc. Israel should learn to follow the norm, treaties, conventions and protocols and refrain from illegalities and lawlessness. Israel should stop being an outlaw nation.
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Israeli nation is currently engaged in lawless, illegal and outlawed actions. Israel has operated in this ill manner frequently, all too often and without consequences and at the expense of Israel’s Arab and Persian neighbors since the 1948 creation and imposition of Israel on Arabs and Persians.
Israel has frequently engaged in plethora of actions which have been declared illegal and outrageous by the United Nations, the United States and the European Economic Union or the EEU-EEC and yet Israel continues with full speed ahead, to indulge in egregious actions which affronts all treaties, protocols and conventions
Israel literarily and metaphorically dictates American foreign policy towards Israel, Arabs, Persians and the entire Middle East, Persian Gulf Region. And American entanglements in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and to a large extent, Afghanistan, are inspired and motivated by America quest to support and “defend” Israel at all costs and even when it is not in America’s best strategic interests, measured whether in both short and long terms. The unthinking rush to support Israel at all costs, have resulted in the squanders of blood and treasure by America and that seem to continue without vigorous public debate by a plurality of Americans
A few weeks ago for instance, Vice President Joseph Biden was on an official visit to Israel, and upon his arrival there, Mr. Biden promptly announced that US policy on Iran and nuclear is because nobody can come between the US and Israel safety and security. And as if on cue and following a script, Mr. Biden, a sitting American vice president received a crude undiplomatic slap in the face; even Israeli press and media were caught off guard in surprise as Israeli government announced the start of construction of additional 1600 houses in East Jerusalem. Israeli Newspapers reported in screaming headlines, “Israel Slaps America In The Face Again And Embarrasses Vice President Biden
The question which should be asked is, but why is America smiling? Only a fool or buffoon would smile upon being slapped in the face, and America is no fool or buffoon, so why is America still smiling and encouraging Israel’s truancy, intransigence and recalcitrance in dealings with Palestinians, Arabs and Persians?
On Monday March 22, 2010, Mrs. Clinton effusively addressed American Israel Public Affairs Committee or AIPAC during which she loudly proclaimed America’s support for Israel as rock solid, this, even despite weeks of diplomatic row and public reaction over the uncouth and undiplomatic behavior by Israel, while VP Biden was Israel’s visitor and guest.
Israel is unrepentant, adamant and arrogant and yet, Mrs. Clinton attends AIPAC and Obama meets with Netanyahu and Senator George Mitchell is promptly dispatched to assure and reassure Netanyahu and then lunch with Obama
Mrs. Clinton glowingly states her personal commitment and entire administration's heads over heels love for Israel; this attitude of effusively loving and hugging the wrongdoer, is exactly why Israel is power drunk, adamant and arrogant and hence, peace continues to elude Israel and Palestine and the entire Middle East... American engages in lopsided underhand deals with Israel at the expense of everyone else... The Americans have over and over shown that their are not an honest peace broker or dispassionate arbiter in the dispute between Israel and her Arabs and Persian neighbors
Israeli citizens married to Arabs are not allowed to live in Israel, because Israel want to keep its population free of Arabs… similar to miscegenation laws in Jim Crow America and Apartheid South Africa and this is ethnic cleansing (married and cannot live together for a whole year) men 35 women at 25 can get 6 months repeat extensions of stay, and such citizens are not allowed to work and have medical insurance this is a practice against right to love and raise family
Maintaining Israel as Jewish state and preventing Israel from becoming subsumed by Arabs populations, but bear in mind that the land where Israel is, is originally Arab, imagine the irony of the keeping a Jewish nation clear of Arabs and ethnic pure for Jews and cleanse of Arabs? Were any other nation on earth to engage in this practice by Israel, such nation would be accused of ethnic cleansing in search of ethnic and religious purity, which runs counter to a modern democratic state of a plural or multicultural type. Israel does have Jews, Arabs, and migrant workers from Asia and Africa
Israel killed a young and unarmed female American citizen but why is America smiling? Would America have smiled had these actions been undertaken by Palestine, Iraq or Iran or North Korea?
Biden goes and say, Mrs. Clinton restates that US and Israel has deep relationship blah blah blah
All this, even as Israel insists it will not change plans to expand settlement in East Jerusalem Netanyahu reaffirms plans to build 1600 houses with a blatant insult to VP Biden as Israel announced these settlements expansion as a banner greetings during the VP visit to Israel.
Israel have been emboldened over the years by formidable support by America and Europe. Israel is continually fortified by the United States which donates $5 billion dollars cash every year in financial aid, as well as supply to Israel advanced weapons and weapons technologies, while Arabs and Persians are denied the same or similar accoutrements and facilities
This historical advantage have been enjoyed by Israel and the expense of its Arabs and Persian neighbors and this have ensured a lopsided stacking of the deck in favor of Israel and have caused Israel to develop a mindset of itself as beyond reproach and beyond rebukes and any person, entity or nation which dares to buck the trend, is quickly harried, barraged and badgered with charges of being anti Semite, anti Jews and being anti Israel. Israelis and Jews worldwide who attempt redefine the narrative between Israel, Arabs and Persians to the middle and to a modicum of fair and balance debate, is labeled, castigated and attacked as was witnessed this week by J Street activists who were attacked and lampooned, for daring to criticize the arrogant and suicidal policies of Israel
Gutturals pronouncements by Netanyahu directed at Arabs and Persians which received guffaws and hilarities from AIPAC conference attendees in Washington DC on March 22nd, 2010, a conference which was earlier addressed by Mrs. Clinton, the United States Secretary of State. Israel reserves the option and will exercise such option against Iran. Netanyahu again spoke to AIPAC gloatingly and giddily and arrogant self contentment or even constipation
In the midst of all these, Israel PM reaffirms and stands firm, reasserted Israel right to build anywhere they want. These were the choice words and terms which were liberally deployed and used throughout American print and electronic media. It is as if everyone is preconditioned to used same words, terms and preconceived notions of Israel’s assumed superior right over Palestinians, Arabs and Persians.
In the face of criticism and condemnations which have greeted the planned expansion and the building of more Jewish settlements on Palestinians land and territories, many Israelis and Jews around the world have mounted spirited defense of the very obviously wrongheaded policies of Israel. The mayor of Jerusalem, who is not a Christian, resorted to biblical defense of Israel land grabs, the mayor stated that the city of Jerusalem is mentioned in the bible 663 times and not once in the Koran, but if everyone went by the bible and by the Koran and where the world was 2000 or 3000 ago, the world would be in chaos
The mayor of Jerusalem told a BBC interviewer that Jews pray for Jerusalem 3 times a day. He went on to add that Jews are not occupying since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, but instead he insists that Jews are merely formalizing the reunification of Jerusalem from separation in biblical times, this is clearly an absurdum and most ludicrous!
All settlement activities must stop because they are illegal, and someone ought to drum this into the heads of Israeli political leaders and their supporters and enablers here in America; the bulk of Israel conducts regarding Palestine, Arabs and Persian neighbors are illegal, says UN, EEC, UK, US etc
These nonsensical biblical based arguments and references to Palestinians quarters and neighborhoods as Judea and Samaria are exercises in obfuscations. This was perfected and was frequently done or practiced by Ariel Sharon, the Israeli former military general and prime minister, and this entrenched attitude defeats every platitudes ever uttered in the name of peace talks or negotiations
The mayor of Jerusalem summoned illogic to becloud the solid evidence and facts of Palestinians’ ownership of their land and nation, as the mayor stated that Shalem is short form Hebrew word which means home, and Jerusalem, means home and that the whole of Jerusalem will be controlled and dominated by Jews, because Jerusalem is different from any city in the world, and no split is acceptable
British Turkish Roman occupied Jerusalem and they never claimed it, only Jews have ever claimed it and but belongs to Jews… Jerusalem is not a settlement, it Jewish capital? This is biblical gobbledygook and those who are hiding this spurious biblical arguments are disingenuous and dangerously inimical to peace. Jerusalem is heart and soul Jews and so it will be forever says Mayor of Jerusalem, but if we must follow the bible suasion to which Israeli politicians now heavily relies, the bible does say Jesus Christ return will be setting her symbolic feet on the soil of Jerusalem, does it mean that the next intractable internecine wars would be between Jews and Christians? Israel is enabled by her supporters, to arrogantly and adamantly, insist that Jerusalem is sacred ground and goes back 3,000 biblical certainty have been for Jews and Jews
Britain has expelled an Israel diplomat in connection with assassination of HAMAS leader, in which 12 British Passport were used, there is clear evidence that Israelis were involved in the passport swap and forgeries according to the serious crime branch of the British law enforcement apparatuses. Israeli diplomat in Britain is facing pressure over the use of British citizen passports to engage in forgeries and murder of a HAMAS helmsman. Israel has used 12 British passports in the past and Israel had assured Britain and yet, Israel repeats such crime. Germany, Ireland, Australia also had their passport used by Israel in murders
Here are some of the very many actions which Israel have taken against its Arabs and Persians neighbors of which Israel have merely received criticisms with smiles, winks and nods. It is public knowledge that there is no other nation on earth which can get away with half of all the egregious illegalities that have been ramped up by Israel
1. Israel deports children of migrant workers who have lived in Israel for decades in ethnic cleansing, as Israel excuses and justifies its actions on the very tenuous ground of keeping Israel “pure” as Jewish religious nation.
2. Israel unilaterally takes properties of Arabs and reallocate land to newly arriving Jewish settlers on lands that are undisputedly the proper properties of Palestinians in Palestinian territories and nation as contemplated by the so-called two states solution of Israel and Palestine coexisting side by side. Netanyahu compared continued expansion in East Jerusalem to doing same in Tel Aviv, he pretends ignorance of the volatile nature, the utter provocation and inflammatory nature of Israeli recent land-grabs in Palestine.
3. Israel recently took a large swath of Palestinian Arab territory and declared it as an Israel religiously relevant site and as a matter of course, Israel expect Palestinians to go away quietly
4. Israel with a population of about 5 million, receives more foreign aid than ten poorer nations on earth put together, and Israel squander these monies on erecting stone and steel apartheid walls against children, women and the elderly, all in the name of security for Israel, instead of actually examining the root causes of Palestinian resistance which arises from Israel’s land grabs and occupation and manacling of Palestinians on their on land
5. Israel is notorious worldwide as the champion and progenitor of nations which surreptitiously clandestinely procure nuclear weapons. Israel have aggressively promoted and marketed a patented nonsense also known as “strategic ambiguity” which is the idea of saying no and yes whenever asked pointed questions as to having or not having nuclear weapons and such capabilities. And so, Israel is one such nation with undeclared nuclear weapons, nuclear capability and without nuclear inspections as Israel is not a signatory to IAEA nuclear nonproliferation treaties. And yet, Israel and supporters of Israel are quick to cry hypocritical crocodile tears, over Iran nuclear ambitions, as was Iraq before Iran.
6. Strategic Ambiguity as a term and mode of operation copyrighted by Israel was employed again recently, as Israel refuses to confirm or deny the daring assassination of a HAMAS leader in broad daylight in Dubai in which Israeli MOSSAD signature and fingerprints were seen by many observers worldwide. Britain is threatening to expel an Israel diplomat out of London because Britain linked Israel’s Intelligence Services as fraudulently and illegally procuring passports of several British citizens in the assassination project and operations which were carried out in Dubai.
In effect, Israel engages in targeted killings, state sponsored terrorisms, assassinations, invasions and occupations, land-grabs and territorial conquest only identical with medieval crusades and colonialism of more than 300 years ago. And yet, some are content to pretend that Israel does no wrong and that reactions from Palestine, Arabs and Persians are unreasoned, unthinking and motivated by the search of virgins and religious bloodbath and bloodlusts?
7. Israel killed Amy Currie of Seattle an American who was in a peaceful protest... imagine if another nation other than Israel had killed an unarmed American engaged in peaceful protest?
The so-called roadmap to peace between Israel and Palestine has since been shredded by the ineptitude of President George W. Bush administration. There are too many actions by Israeli government which ensures total collapse of any pretense of peace talks negotiations, there are too many road blocks which makes basic daily life miserable for Palestinians and there are still thousands of Palestinians prisoners in Israeli prisons.
There are these outrageous and alarming, suffocating actions which stifles and stymies political and economic growth and stability in Palestine, including excruciating Israeli military blockade and the United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Kim Moon, and fourteen months later, the blockade is still in place even as UN Secretary General visit’s the areas. Mr. Ban Ki Moon condemns Israel East Jerusalem
Netanyahu despite all this, get a private meeting and express pass to the White House to meet with President Obama. This is happening, soon after the slap in the face meted out to VP Joe Biden by Israel during Mr. Biden recent visit to Israel. This slap in the face subsequent provocative statements by Mr. Netanyahu before leaving Israel for a visit to the US and further provocative and inflammatory statement by Netanyahu since arriving the US and in particular, while addressing AIPAC, ought to act as a wake up call for America. But instead, Netanyahu earns a coveted invitation to see Mr. Obama again. And as a precursor, Mrs. Clinton effusively proclaims that her relationship with Israel and is the same with entire Obama administration and all of America and she said proudly, it is forever, with such money back guarantee why should Israel alter or modify their behaviors?
Israel should be encouraged to engaged in more responsible behavior in the Middle East and to be more respectful in her relations with the United States which Israel has taken for granted. Israel continues to receive billions in US foreign aid dollars every year. Israel receives military hardware and software from the United States, which are not similarly available to Palestine, Arab and Persian nations, and yet, Israel shows or demonstrates very little respect or care what the United States thinks of Israel’s domestic and foreign policies, in fact, Israel has spied on the United States and other nations in western Europe so many times. And on Tuesday, March 23rd 2010, British Foreign Secretary Mibrand advised British citizens to be mindful and watch their passports if visiting Israel in view of Israel’s theft of several passports of British citizens for assassination enterprise in Dubai. Britain has formally expelled an Israeli diplomat from London.
Former United States President Jimmy Carter has forthrightly described current American policy on Israel-Palestine peace negotiations and peace as fumble and stumble and I suspect this as a deliberately calibrated policy. Why else would VP Biden endure that recent humiliation during his visit to Israel, and then, there is this stampede soon thereafter t coddle and embrace Israel, Netanyahu and AIPAC by Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama?
The benign contempt of AIPAC for Clinton, the applause for her when she praised Israel and the loud silence when she chastised Israel for her arrogance and insults to Biden and Netanyahu unapologetic comments before and since arriving in the US ominously demonstrates where the lever of control is.
The more than 7000 American Jews in a three day conference with casts of speakers, who were speaking in favor of Israel were testament to who pulls that power lever and who controls American foreign policy and why America appears heading for a self-destructive path in support of Israel.
American Jews with dissenting opinions are marginalized and ignored and muted and this was again made clear in Washington DC during these several days of AIPAC conference.
The truth of the matter is that, American Jews and all supporters of Israel, including the Secretary of State Mrs. Clinton, and President Obama himself, need to show Israelis tough love and tell them bitter truths.
Bitter truths, including the need for Israel to aspire to conduct itself as a mature nation and to get out of the gory, sordid business of targeted killings, assassinations, arrogant land grabs, unilateral invasions and occupations of other nations, arbitrary seizures, confiscations and or demolitions of properties of Palestinians, desist from imposing punishing blockades and ethnic cleansing based on whether a person in Israel is Jewish or not etc. Israel should learn to follow the norm, treaties, conventions and protocols and refrain from illegalities and lawlessness. Israel should stop being an outlaw nation.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Haitian Benefit Gala Fund Raiser Held In New York
Haitian Benefit Gala Fund Raiser Held In New York
Written by Paul I. Adujie
The ides March, the first day of Spring, the season of renewal and rebirth is upon us, and so it was that on Saturday the 20th of March 2010, Haitians and friends of Haitians across nationalities, colors and culture, came together in the continuing efforts for relief, reconstruction and rebuilding of Haiti, in the aftermath of the most devastating earthquake in human history which occurred in Haiti on January 12, 2010 an event which led to the death of more than 200,000 Haitians.
There have been remarkable outpouring of support since then, but sadly enough though, the work is not done.
Relief, reconstruction and rebuilding Haiti must continue. The recovery of Haiti and her future is at stake.
And so, on March 20, 2010, a mammoth crowd of people attended a major public event which was held to raise funds in the support of victims of the earthquake in Haiti which occurred about two months ago. It was an evening of songs and entertainment.
It was deeply moving to be witnessed to patriotism and nationalism in songs in dedications. Haitians and Haiti are still standing proudly, despite the recent traumatic experience in Haiti. It is rather easy, it should be easy, now not to love Haiti, a cynic could plainly ask and argue rightly so, that there is nothing left of the shell shocked, stunned and traumatized people and nation of Haiti worthy of any love, but Haitians still stand tall and proud and full of love for one another and Haiti and I find this fact most inspiring and reassuring. And in this, there is a message therefore, for all suffering peoples of the world.
Though the immediate emergency relief efforts for Haiti may have waned and the press, and hence the general public, may be shifting attentions, this event New York City on March 20, 2010, demonstrated the importance of the huge needs which remains in Haiti. The tremendous needs of the earthquake victims cannot be emphasized enough. These human needs in Haiti range from the very basic essentials of every day life of water, food and shelter etc. Shelter in particular remains scarce in the face of the earthquake aftermath which have left thousands of Haitians homeless and in dire circumstances.
These dire circumstances are being exacerbated by the rainy season which is now upon us in Haiti. Many Haitians are still without basic human needs since the earthquake. Most of all, a great majority of the earthquake victims are living without the flimsy sheets and sticks which were provided to some, by emergency rescue and relief workers who acted as first responders, post earthquake worldwide efforts. And now, even those victims with flimsy sheets and sticks shelters, are now having to contend with yet, another force of the unforgiving nature by way on torrential downpour of rains and rainstorms which are now upon the island nation
The continuing needs in Haiti are just extraordinary. It spans from the basic daily living challenges to the longer term needs of rebuilding and reconstructing pubic infrastructures. A front page article, featured in The New York Times on March 20, 2010 exemplified these large expanse of needs and gaps which remain to be filled, including the near total collapse of the healthcare system, the general medical care as well as the psychiatric or mental care. All these in a nation with meager resources. All these in a nation in which citizens are still stunned and shell shocked from the earthquake, either from personal loss or the trauma of having witnessed the extraordinary losses which were incurred by other fellow citizens.
Amidst adversities piled upon adversities, Haitians remain the most resilient human group which anyone can find on earth. Haiti and Haitians have all through history, had their fair and even unfair share of calamities and catastrophes. Haiti have been the unfortunate recipients of foreign interventions, invasions and occupations and sundry manipulators, who have taken turns in manacling Haiti and Haitians and what would have been the regular pursuit of health, wealth and happiness.
France for instance is notorious and infamous for extorting an exacting and punitive exorbitant monetary, material and psychological value from Haiti, because Haitians dare to demand to be free. Free from political and economic strictures which were placed on Haitians and Haiti solely on racial superiority of white over black and or the French over hapless continental Africans who were bundled into the Caribbean and the so-called new world.
The government of the United States took over the mantle of oppression and subjugation against Haitians from where the French stopped or left off. The plight and predicaments of Haitians have followed a pattern ever since. The United States feared that a newly freed nation made up of freed Africans would spur and give the impetus to revolts by enslaved Africans on the soil of the United States, and since then, the United States have maintained a discriminatory race-based policy of oppression and subjugation as the US feared the inspiration which a resurgent and politically independent Haiti could hold for enslaved Africans on the US soil.
Haiti have been invaded, occupied and manipulated ever since. The abject poverty and political instability which have dominated Haiti was genuinely intended, it was manufactured, orchestrated and choreographed by those who were motivated by racial superiority and therefore, needed to annihilate any scintilla of hope for freedom and redemption by enslaved Africans whether in Haiti or the United States itself and the pattern has continued for 200 years!
Resilience borne of sturdy persistence and indefatigable nature and spirit are traits common with peoples of African descent. These are the traits which enabled African Americans to succeed in America against incredibly great odds. These are the traits, qualities and attributes which sustained victims of Apartheid regime in South Africa until majority rule was attained only recently.
Haitians and Haiti have been dealt the unluckiest hand or ill luck of the draw. Haitian and Haiti have endured ravages and decimations of slavery, then colonialism, the punishment of extortion exacted by the French, then foreign intervention, occupation and manipulations. As all these were not hard enough, the Gods joined in the devastations wrought upon Haitians and Haiti. Political instability became an expectation and so was high rate of unemployment and poverty, kidnapping and plethora of violence, all these, in a nation once prosperous. A nation which once was awash in wealth and self sufficiency. A nation which once exported surpluses from a thrived timber and wood industry, meat and animal husbandry, agriculture and food production which included abundance of rice etc.
This same nation is now pulverized and pauperized and literally and metaphorically on her knees! This same nation is now frequently ravaged by a multiplicity of disasters. In 2008 there were a series of severe Hurricanes. Then, there were mudslides and on January 12 2010, a cataclysmic earthquake followed path of previous disasters. It is as if men and the Gods are intent annihilating, decimating and ravaging Haiti in order to cause Haitians to be completely dispirited and defeated.
The world saw how Haitians shared the barest minimum with fellow Haitians. Haitians post earthquake, dying of extreme thirsts, were observed sharing sixteen ounce bottle of water with other Haitians who were equally dying of thirst and dehydration, it was the equivalent of sharing what you do not have enough of sufficiency of, or sharing half of nothing with your equally deprived neighbor!
The good news is that, despite all these tales of woes and regardless of all these gory and traumatic recurring experiences without a single breather or respite, Haitians are still proud, Haitians are still standing tall. All good people of the world are supporting these indomitable Haitians and Haiti to rebuild
The more that the world learns and knows about Haitians and Haiti, the more the world would be assured and reassured, that Haitians and Haiti are made of sterner stuff.
This point has been made clear again and again, Haitians remain history’s trail blazers in Haiti and in the Diaspora, be it here in America or in Canada or France. This resilient nature and spirit of Haitians, this tenacity of purpose is once again demonstrated and replicated in the responses by Haitians, and friends of Haitians motivated by Haitians, to continue to support Haiti in the relief, reconstruction and rebuilding efforts post earthquake.
And it the large crowd at the sold out benefit gala concert of Saturday March 20, 2010 is any measure of these efforts, efforts which have taken place, and many more still planned and being replicated everywhere. Haitians and Haiti are surely on the way back to Haiti’s rightful place as the first nation, a nation of freed peoples of African descent, a nation unbowed, a nation prosperous and made sturdy with wealth, and above all, a nation bound to reclaim her rightful place and her glory
Haitian Jazz On Broadway presented a Jazz for Humanity benefit concert in aid to earthquake victims in Haiti and it fe Charddavoine, Mushy Widmaier, Melanie JB Charles, Ginou Oriol, Obed Jean Louis, Felina Backer, Lamarr Re'nee and special guest was the Grammy Award winner Dave Valetin
The event was coordinated by Dawn Stith and Sonja Blackwell
Please continue to support Haiti relief, reconstruction and rebuilding. Support Haitians and Haiti for the long haul
Written by Paul I. Adujie
The ides March, the first day of Spring, the season of renewal and rebirth is upon us, and so it was that on Saturday the 20th of March 2010, Haitians and friends of Haitians across nationalities, colors and culture, came together in the continuing efforts for relief, reconstruction and rebuilding of Haiti, in the aftermath of the most devastating earthquake in human history which occurred in Haiti on January 12, 2010 an event which led to the death of more than 200,000 Haitians.
There have been remarkable outpouring of support since then, but sadly enough though, the work is not done.
Relief, reconstruction and rebuilding Haiti must continue. The recovery of Haiti and her future is at stake.
And so, on March 20, 2010, a mammoth crowd of people attended a major public event which was held to raise funds in the support of victims of the earthquake in Haiti which occurred about two months ago. It was an evening of songs and entertainment.
It was deeply moving to be witnessed to patriotism and nationalism in songs in dedications. Haitians and Haiti are still standing proudly, despite the recent traumatic experience in Haiti. It is rather easy, it should be easy, now not to love Haiti, a cynic could plainly ask and argue rightly so, that there is nothing left of the shell shocked, stunned and traumatized people and nation of Haiti worthy of any love, but Haitians still stand tall and proud and full of love for one another and Haiti and I find this fact most inspiring and reassuring. And in this, there is a message therefore, for all suffering peoples of the world.
Though the immediate emergency relief efforts for Haiti may have waned and the press, and hence the general public, may be shifting attentions, this event New York City on March 20, 2010, demonstrated the importance of the huge needs which remains in Haiti. The tremendous needs of the earthquake victims cannot be emphasized enough. These human needs in Haiti range from the very basic essentials of every day life of water, food and shelter etc. Shelter in particular remains scarce in the face of the earthquake aftermath which have left thousands of Haitians homeless and in dire circumstances.
These dire circumstances are being exacerbated by the rainy season which is now upon us in Haiti. Many Haitians are still without basic human needs since the earthquake. Most of all, a great majority of the earthquake victims are living without the flimsy sheets and sticks which were provided to some, by emergency rescue and relief workers who acted as first responders, post earthquake worldwide efforts. And now, even those victims with flimsy sheets and sticks shelters, are now having to contend with yet, another force of the unforgiving nature by way on torrential downpour of rains and rainstorms which are now upon the island nation
The continuing needs in Haiti are just extraordinary. It spans from the basic daily living challenges to the longer term needs of rebuilding and reconstructing pubic infrastructures. A front page article, featured in The New York Times on March 20, 2010 exemplified these large expanse of needs and gaps which remain to be filled, including the near total collapse of the healthcare system, the general medical care as well as the psychiatric or mental care. All these in a nation with meager resources. All these in a nation in which citizens are still stunned and shell shocked from the earthquake, either from personal loss or the trauma of having witnessed the extraordinary losses which were incurred by other fellow citizens.
Amidst adversities piled upon adversities, Haitians remain the most resilient human group which anyone can find on earth. Haiti and Haitians have all through history, had their fair and even unfair share of calamities and catastrophes. Haiti have been the unfortunate recipients of foreign interventions, invasions and occupations and sundry manipulators, who have taken turns in manacling Haiti and Haitians and what would have been the regular pursuit of health, wealth and happiness.
France for instance is notorious and infamous for extorting an exacting and punitive exorbitant monetary, material and psychological value from Haiti, because Haitians dare to demand to be free. Free from political and economic strictures which were placed on Haitians and Haiti solely on racial superiority of white over black and or the French over hapless continental Africans who were bundled into the Caribbean and the so-called new world.
The government of the United States took over the mantle of oppression and subjugation against Haitians from where the French stopped or left off. The plight and predicaments of Haitians have followed a pattern ever since. The United States feared that a newly freed nation made up of freed Africans would spur and give the impetus to revolts by enslaved Africans on the soil of the United States, and since then, the United States have maintained a discriminatory race-based policy of oppression and subjugation as the US feared the inspiration which a resurgent and politically independent Haiti could hold for enslaved Africans on the US soil.
Haiti have been invaded, occupied and manipulated ever since. The abject poverty and political instability which have dominated Haiti was genuinely intended, it was manufactured, orchestrated and choreographed by those who were motivated by racial superiority and therefore, needed to annihilate any scintilla of hope for freedom and redemption by enslaved Africans whether in Haiti or the United States itself and the pattern has continued for 200 years!
Resilience borne of sturdy persistence and indefatigable nature and spirit are traits common with peoples of African descent. These are the traits which enabled African Americans to succeed in America against incredibly great odds. These are the traits, qualities and attributes which sustained victims of Apartheid regime in South Africa until majority rule was attained only recently.
Haitians and Haiti have been dealt the unluckiest hand or ill luck of the draw. Haitian and Haiti have endured ravages and decimations of slavery, then colonialism, the punishment of extortion exacted by the French, then foreign intervention, occupation and manipulations. As all these were not hard enough, the Gods joined in the devastations wrought upon Haitians and Haiti. Political instability became an expectation and so was high rate of unemployment and poverty, kidnapping and plethora of violence, all these, in a nation once prosperous. A nation which once was awash in wealth and self sufficiency. A nation which once exported surpluses from a thrived timber and wood industry, meat and animal husbandry, agriculture and food production which included abundance of rice etc.
This same nation is now pulverized and pauperized and literally and metaphorically on her knees! This same nation is now frequently ravaged by a multiplicity of disasters. In 2008 there were a series of severe Hurricanes. Then, there were mudslides and on January 12 2010, a cataclysmic earthquake followed path of previous disasters. It is as if men and the Gods are intent annihilating, decimating and ravaging Haiti in order to cause Haitians to be completely dispirited and defeated.
The world saw how Haitians shared the barest minimum with fellow Haitians. Haitians post earthquake, dying of extreme thirsts, were observed sharing sixteen ounce bottle of water with other Haitians who were equally dying of thirst and dehydration, it was the equivalent of sharing what you do not have enough of sufficiency of, or sharing half of nothing with your equally deprived neighbor!
The good news is that, despite all these tales of woes and regardless of all these gory and traumatic recurring experiences without a single breather or respite, Haitians are still proud, Haitians are still standing tall. All good people of the world are supporting these indomitable Haitians and Haiti to rebuild
The more that the world learns and knows about Haitians and Haiti, the more the world would be assured and reassured, that Haitians and Haiti are made of sterner stuff.
This point has been made clear again and again, Haitians remain history’s trail blazers in Haiti and in the Diaspora, be it here in America or in Canada or France. This resilient nature and spirit of Haitians, this tenacity of purpose is once again demonstrated and replicated in the responses by Haitians, and friends of Haitians motivated by Haitians, to continue to support Haiti in the relief, reconstruction and rebuilding efforts post earthquake.
And it the large crowd at the sold out benefit gala concert of Saturday March 20, 2010 is any measure of these efforts, efforts which have taken place, and many more still planned and being replicated everywhere. Haitians and Haiti are surely on the way back to Haiti’s rightful place as the first nation, a nation of freed peoples of African descent, a nation unbowed, a nation prosperous and made sturdy with wealth, and above all, a nation bound to reclaim her rightful place and her glory
Haitian Jazz On Broadway presented a Jazz for Humanity benefit concert in aid to earthquake victims in Haiti and it fe Charddavoine, Mushy Widmaier, Melanie JB Charles, Ginou Oriol, Obed Jean Louis, Felina Backer, Lamarr Re'nee and special guest was the Grammy Award winner Dave Valetin
The event was coordinated by Dawn Stith and Sonja Blackwell
Please continue to support Haiti relief, reconstruction and rebuilding. Support Haitians and Haiti for the long haul
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Nigeria People’ Parliament Courtesy Of Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum
Nigeria People’ Parliament Courtesy Of Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum or NDLF, held a resoundingly successful public event at LaGuardia Marriott Hotel on Saturday March to discuss Nigeria’s political future, it was presided over by Dr. Adegboyega Dada the chairperson and Mr. Bukola Oreofe, the executive director and general coordinator of Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum respectively. The event witnessed vigorous and vibrant debates among Nigerians across the United States, and it lasted beyond the originally scheduled and allotted time
The event was well attended by notable Diaspora Nigerian intellectuals and it was titled the people’s parliament, and business was conducted with all parliamentary accoutrement of proper procedures and of an actual parliament anywhere in the world. I have never seen anything like it! I have attended previous events organized and hosted by Nigeria Liberty Forum during which I presented position papers on Nigerian national issues and or challenges, but the format.
Matters of urgent national importance were tabled and discussed, amongst which were, constitutionalism, democracy, resource control, environmental pollution, active participation and engagement in political and constitutional processes by Nigerian citizen, voting rights by Diaspora Nigerians, including the most effective ways within which Nigerian abroad can positively impact the lives of Nigerians in Nigeria and the general conditions on ground in Nigeria, and much more were tabled and discussed, with resolution passed and committees set for further dialogue and actions.
The proceedings began with the election of Professor Okey Ndibe as the speaker of the Nigeria People’s Parliament, and Pastor Laolu Akande a journalist and The Guardian Newspapers bureau chief, as the deputy speaker. A clerk was also elected, the clerk, whose name, I cannot immediately recall. The leaders of NDLF assured the parliament that the clerk took copious records of all of the Nigeria People’s Parliamentary proceedings.
There were those, however, who were advocating, what in my view, were extreme positions.
There were certainly those who wanted us to declare ourselves as a shadow government or government of Nigeria in exile, and therefore a substitute to the current government of Nigeria for Nigeria, but this was voted down by the majority of those in attendance
There those for instance, who also opined that Nigeria currently does not have a legitimate constitution and government, arguing that the drafters of the constitution did not reflect proper democratic process and true representation, as the erstwhile constituent assembly members were not necessarily elected representatives of the electorate.
The Constituent Assembly were merely appointed by the then military government, and hence, one of the participants described the current Nigerian constitution as merely from the pocket of the former military head of government who handed over power to the civilians in 1999. Whereas, the proper view and my preferred view, is that the constitution and the government have arisen from imperfect processes, requiring more work, through constitutional amendments, electoral reforms and fine tuning of the entire constitutional and democratic process. Nigeria currently does have a defacto, dejure constitution and a government with legislative, executive and judicial branches. And the National Assembly is actually undertaking a review of the constitution and electoral laws in pursuits of needful reforms.
During these proceedings by the Nigeria Peoples Parliament, many issues were proposed and voted upon, amongst which were issue citizenship, ethnicity, nationhood, constitutional amendments, law reforms and electoral reforms, ways to tackle corrupt practices, the establishment of local and police, resource control and resource allocation, the environmental impact of oil exploration and prospecting, immunity clause, security votes, the role of Nigerians in Diaspora in Nigeria’s development and much more.
Nigerians in the audience displayed the usual notable swaggers and superb intellects at our very best, in debate substance and style. There were sundry agreements, and disagreements of course, but, all in all, the debate were cordial and conducted in decorous manner. It was a profound and poignant reminder, that when and if, all Nigerians put aside those negative denominators of ethnic, religious, regional and sectional differences, there are indeed capable Nigerian brains who are able to solve our national challenges effectively and efficiently.
This parliamentary session was an eye-opener for me on a personal level. I met some participants in person for the first time, among these persons were persons with whom I have sparred and have had strident and vehement disagreements on matter of intellectual. Professor Bolaji Aluko traveled all the way from Washington DC and Professor Okey Ndibe traveled all the way from Connecticut, Dr. Warbiko traveled all the way from Boston, and there were attendees who announced themselves as participants from Michigan, California, Texas, and from other places, far and wide across the United States.
Many other Nigerians attended this event, notable among them were, in Omoyele Sowore of Sahara Reporters, Rudolf Okonkwo a New York City based writer and frequent contributor to debates of Nigerian national issues at Nigerian related websites, including the Nigerian Village Square and Kwenu. Towards the end of the day’s events, I heard it whispered that Rudolf Okonkwo’s lovely wife, had prepared a feast of pounded yam dinner to which Professor Okey Ndibe and others were invited, but the invitation was not extended to me and on this ground, I finally have a legitimate grudge against Dr. Damages!
Also in attendance at the Nigeria Peoples Parliament, was gentleman whom, I have only known as Tonsoyo at the Nigeria Village Square , he also traveled into New York City to attend the Nigeria Peoples Parliamentary session and it was the first time that we were meeting in person, event though we have debated each other vigorously for so many years at the Nigeria Village Square! Nigerians merely have philosophical disagreements as to the methods, procedures and perhaps, the quickest route to Nigeria’s best national and strategic interests, there is surely no doubt that we all want and desire, what is best for Nigeria, even if we may differ on the best and fastest road to all these.
It is was nice to finally meet Tonsoyo and others, with whom I have debated and sometimes disagreed on sundry issues. It is the case and it must be stated, that Nigerians love Nigeria, even despite loud disagreements. Imagine for instance, that the Nigeria Peoples Parliamentary session was so well attended, despite the treacherous weather, windy torrential rainstorms. The bad weather which blanketed New York City and most North East region since Friday could have been a good reason or justification for not attending this event, even for residents of New York City. Anyone can then, only just have to imagine, the plight, predicaments and therefore, the commitment and determination of those attendees from Washington DC, Boston, Michigan, Connecticut, California etc who had to incur travel and hotel expenses and, or, drove in, bracing the bad weather, all this, in the name of Nigeria’s best interests!
The huge attendance despite the torrential rains which did not impede attendance, and the vibrancy of contributors debates and vigorous engagements between participants, was testaments to the dedication, commitment and passions of Nigerians in the Diaspora toward Nigeria. There are clearly more common grounds than differences between Nigerians on national issues which affect us all.
The maiden session of the Nigeria Peoples Parliament ended with many resolutions passed and many decisions made. There were working committees established to analyze, examine and evaluate many issues in more details, and of particular note, is the Niger Delta intractable issues.
It was also agreed that members of the general session and working committees shall continue discussions and conversations through teleconferences and through emails and other forms of digital media, even as subsequent parliamentary session was tentatively scheduled for June 2010, the June event will be organized by the Nigerian Democratic Liberty Forum. NDLF it was, which provided the fulcrum and wherewithal for this epoch making event in the first instance and they deserve our applause and gratitude
Nigeria really should lack nothing, what with 150 million citizens at home and abroad,150 million citizens, amongst whom are the most talented, the most creative and the most intelligent and most the brilliant minds in the whole world? It is time for us to put our distractions aside and get to work for Nigeria
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum or NDLF, held a resoundingly successful public event at LaGuardia Marriott Hotel on Saturday March to discuss Nigeria’s political future, it was presided over by Dr. Adegboyega Dada the chairperson and Mr. Bukola Oreofe, the executive director and general coordinator of Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum respectively. The event witnessed vigorous and vibrant debates among Nigerians across the United States, and it lasted beyond the originally scheduled and allotted time
The event was well attended by notable Diaspora Nigerian intellectuals and it was titled the people’s parliament, and business was conducted with all parliamentary accoutrement of proper procedures and of an actual parliament anywhere in the world. I have never seen anything like it! I have attended previous events organized and hosted by Nigeria Liberty Forum during which I presented position papers on Nigerian national issues and or challenges, but the format.
Matters of urgent national importance were tabled and discussed, amongst which were, constitutionalism, democracy, resource control, environmental pollution, active participation and engagement in political and constitutional processes by Nigerian citizen, voting rights by Diaspora Nigerians, including the most effective ways within which Nigerian abroad can positively impact the lives of Nigerians in Nigeria and the general conditions on ground in Nigeria, and much more were tabled and discussed, with resolution passed and committees set for further dialogue and actions.
The proceedings began with the election of Professor Okey Ndibe as the speaker of the Nigeria People’s Parliament, and Pastor Laolu Akande a journalist and The Guardian Newspapers bureau chief, as the deputy speaker. A clerk was also elected, the clerk, whose name, I cannot immediately recall. The leaders of NDLF assured the parliament that the clerk took copious records of all of the Nigeria People’s Parliamentary proceedings.
There were those, however, who were advocating, what in my view, were extreme positions.
There were certainly those who wanted us to declare ourselves as a shadow government or government of Nigeria in exile, and therefore a substitute to the current government of Nigeria for Nigeria, but this was voted down by the majority of those in attendance
There those for instance, who also opined that Nigeria currently does not have a legitimate constitution and government, arguing that the drafters of the constitution did not reflect proper democratic process and true representation, as the erstwhile constituent assembly members were not necessarily elected representatives of the electorate.
The Constituent Assembly were merely appointed by the then military government, and hence, one of the participants described the current Nigerian constitution as merely from the pocket of the former military head of government who handed over power to the civilians in 1999. Whereas, the proper view and my preferred view, is that the constitution and the government have arisen from imperfect processes, requiring more work, through constitutional amendments, electoral reforms and fine tuning of the entire constitutional and democratic process. Nigeria currently does have a defacto, dejure constitution and a government with legislative, executive and judicial branches. And the National Assembly is actually undertaking a review of the constitution and electoral laws in pursuits of needful reforms.
During these proceedings by the Nigeria Peoples Parliament, many issues were proposed and voted upon, amongst which were issue citizenship, ethnicity, nationhood, constitutional amendments, law reforms and electoral reforms, ways to tackle corrupt practices, the establishment of local and police, resource control and resource allocation, the environmental impact of oil exploration and prospecting, immunity clause, security votes, the role of Nigerians in Diaspora in Nigeria’s development and much more.
Nigerians in the audience displayed the usual notable swaggers and superb intellects at our very best, in debate substance and style. There were sundry agreements, and disagreements of course, but, all in all, the debate were cordial and conducted in decorous manner. It was a profound and poignant reminder, that when and if, all Nigerians put aside those negative denominators of ethnic, religious, regional and sectional differences, there are indeed capable Nigerian brains who are able to solve our national challenges effectively and efficiently.
This parliamentary session was an eye-opener for me on a personal level. I met some participants in person for the first time, among these persons were persons with whom I have sparred and have had strident and vehement disagreements on matter of intellectual. Professor Bolaji Aluko traveled all the way from Washington DC and Professor Okey Ndibe traveled all the way from Connecticut, Dr. Warbiko traveled all the way from Boston, and there were attendees who announced themselves as participants from Michigan, California, Texas, and from other places, far and wide across the United States.
Many other Nigerians attended this event, notable among them were, in Omoyele Sowore of Sahara Reporters, Rudolf Okonkwo a New York City based writer and frequent contributor to debates of Nigerian national issues at Nigerian related websites, including the Nigerian Village Square and Kwenu. Towards the end of the day’s events, I heard it whispered that Rudolf Okonkwo’s lovely wife, had prepared a feast of pounded yam dinner to which Professor Okey Ndibe and others were invited, but the invitation was not extended to me and on this ground, I finally have a legitimate grudge against Dr. Damages!
Also in attendance at the Nigeria Peoples Parliament, was gentleman whom, I have only known as Tonsoyo at the Nigeria Village Square , he also traveled into New York City to attend the Nigeria Peoples Parliamentary session and it was the first time that we were meeting in person, event though we have debated each other vigorously for so many years at the Nigeria Village Square! Nigerians merely have philosophical disagreements as to the methods, procedures and perhaps, the quickest route to Nigeria’s best national and strategic interests, there is surely no doubt that we all want and desire, what is best for Nigeria, even if we may differ on the best and fastest road to all these.
It is was nice to finally meet Tonsoyo and others, with whom I have debated and sometimes disagreed on sundry issues. It is the case and it must be stated, that Nigerians love Nigeria, even despite loud disagreements. Imagine for instance, that the Nigeria Peoples Parliamentary session was so well attended, despite the treacherous weather, windy torrential rainstorms. The bad weather which blanketed New York City and most North East region since Friday could have been a good reason or justification for not attending this event, even for residents of New York City. Anyone can then, only just have to imagine, the plight, predicaments and therefore, the commitment and determination of those attendees from Washington DC, Boston, Michigan, Connecticut, California etc who had to incur travel and hotel expenses and, or, drove in, bracing the bad weather, all this, in the name of Nigeria’s best interests!
The huge attendance despite the torrential rains which did not impede attendance, and the vibrancy of contributors debates and vigorous engagements between participants, was testaments to the dedication, commitment and passions of Nigerians in the Diaspora toward Nigeria. There are clearly more common grounds than differences between Nigerians on national issues which affect us all.
The maiden session of the Nigeria Peoples Parliament ended with many resolutions passed and many decisions made. There were working committees established to analyze, examine and evaluate many issues in more details, and of particular note, is the Niger Delta intractable issues.
It was also agreed that members of the general session and working committees shall continue discussions and conversations through teleconferences and through emails and other forms of digital media, even as subsequent parliamentary session was tentatively scheduled for June 2010, the June event will be organized by the Nigerian Democratic Liberty Forum. NDLF it was, which provided the fulcrum and wherewithal for this epoch making event in the first instance and they deserve our applause and gratitude
Nigeria really should lack nothing, what with 150 million citizens at home and abroad,150 million citizens, amongst whom are the most talented, the most creative and the most intelligent and most the brilliant minds in the whole world? It is time for us to put our distractions aside and get to work for Nigeria
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Are You A Citizen Of Nigeria Or Merely A Settler Or Indigene Of A Locale?
Are You A Citizen Of Nigeria Or Merely A Settler Or Indigene Of A Locale?
Again, another carnage has occurred. Again, Nigerians were busily maiming and murdering Nigerians
Again, it must be clear that there are other carnage waiting to happen. Again, it will not be a happy event, but, it will recur nevertheless.
Again, there are no real solutions in sight, nonetheless, recurrence of vengeance and revenge and a continuation of these murderous cycle looms in the horizon, just ahead of us
Again, these recurrences are so predictably routine, because there have been not certainty of punishment and worse, there have been a focus on the symptoms of this disease instead of the causes or pathogens.
Again, there will be the usual silly cosmetic superficial, ad hoc and time wasting reactive-perfunctory deceitful palliatives, driven by expedient ineptitude and motivated by fear
Again, political charlatan, Christian charlatans, Muslim charlatans and ethnic charlatans etc, will engage in nonsense discussions and punditry, regarding the unnecessarily magnified distinctions, differences and dichotomies between the “indigenes” and the “settlers” Berom and the Fulani and the Hausa and the “Southerners” and “Northerners” all these persons with different appellations and labels, who are really nothing more than what they really are, Nigerian citizens! And it is that easy and so simple
And yet, future carnage similar to the now very mundane and routine slaughters of Nigerians by fellow Nigerians in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria will repeat and recur in Jos, in Bauchi, in Maiduguri and pretty much anywhere else in Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas, unless of course, precise actions are taken by Nigeria’s political leadership, at all strata and levels of government, and that is, at the local, state and federal.
Political, religious and ethnic opportunists have always exploited the mutual suspicious between Nigerians who are in abject poverty, in hardship, desperation shared in common by the average Nigerian regardless of ethnicity, religion, region and linguistic groups. When I think of the human condition in Nigeria, I think of a purpose beyond myself and my immediate personal life, a purpose, a common purpose for us all. But, I often wonder how or what a majority of Nigeria’s political, business, religious and cultural leader feel about patriotism and nationalism, Nigerians, Nigeria?
Nigerians should be forthright and upfront in denouncing those who frequently exploit benign ethnic, religious and regional differences among citizens of Nigeria to serve the selfish interests of a few.
Ultimately, the issues which are the root causes of what has now become the routine carnage in Jos, must be addressed. And these issues primarily remains the fluidity of Nigerian citizenship. The definition of citizenship of Nigeria and the enforcement of full citizenship rights remains very fluid and in flux.
Mutual suspicions amongst, and between Nigerians of our various national component parts, between our diverse ethnic, religious, linguistic groups is the bane of our development and sundry national challenges. It is common knowledge, public knowledge, that national important issues crucial to our national development, progress, advancement and greatness of nation, are debated through the vagaries of negative denominators. Our national direction therefore remains concave, opaque , confused and convoluted.
Debates of national issues, are too often slanted, colored and skewed and seen, through deceptive prisms of ethnic, religious, regional and linguistic loyalties, and as a consequence, Nigeria is loses the benefit of our superb intellect in problem solving.
Nigerians continue to pretend as if unemployment is not a national issue? And as if unsteady electricity supply and noising from noisy generators is not a national problem by way of environmental pollution and fiscal and financial stresses? And corruption has not religion, ethnic group or language group, corruption is not even a Nigerian word! Nigerians seem to continue to pretend that the poor state of our public infrastructure is ethnic? And that inadequate funding for Nigeria’s health care system and the education sectors are regional problems, even when Mr. Umaru Musa YarAdua and prominent Nigerians from all regions, religions and ethnicity, frequently seek medical care overseas? Even when Nigerian parents from all geographic zones frequently send their children overseas as our schools go deprived of resources?
Mutual suspicious among and between Nigerians, and the devaluation of the worthiness of the fullness the citizenship of fellow Nigerians based on ethnicity, religion, region and linguistic group differences, is the reason why Nigerians currently endure political and constitutional crises, regarding Mr. Umaru Musa YarAdua’s where-about, condition of health physically-mentally, and his continued fitness and suitableness to continue as our national symbol and president of our nation and conversely, whether his replacement as constitutionally mandated, becomes and or, is interpreted as a usurpation of a “turn” but when will it be the “turn” of Nigerians and Nigeria? The turn to serve Nigeria national interests?
Nigeria is a plural, secular, multicultural, multi-religious, multi-regional and multilingual nation and as a result, it is crucial to always emphasize and stress the importance of national unity in our diversities, diversities which is a source for potential greatness of our nation. There should be healthy competition for the allocation of resources, undertaken without marginalization of any component part of Nigeria.
I have in the past, and, on several occasions, argued that the definition and redefinition of Nigerian citizenship is the root cause of mutual suspicion and conflicts in Nigeria. These carnage to which have now become routine, are culminations of mutual suspicious and conflicts, which arises from the unnecessarily loose definition and enforcement of full citizenship rights for Nigerians.
In my view, lasting and enduring solution to mutual suspicions and conflicts culminating in violence and carnage, is the definition of full Nigerian citizenship, which must be valid and have constitutional and legal enforcement in all of the 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria, including the 36 federating states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria.
It is rather simplistic and disingenuous to blame religious intolerance or ethnic hatred or anything else, including the quality of the air in Jos, the flowers or Shere Hills or Hilltop breezes of the plateau as reasons why Nigerians of various background are now frequently at each others' throats.
It must be realized that these mutual suspicions and conflicts are not peculiar to Jos. These mutual suspicions and conflicts are present everywhere in Nigeria and in the past, have reared their ugly heads with deathly murderous consequences.
Nigeria, to end internecine conflagrations, must ensure a definition, a redefinition of the meaning of full citizenship. What does it mean to be a full citizen of Nigeria? What is my citizenship worth outside of the home state of my parents and grandparents and great grandparents? And what if my mother is from Kaduna and my father is from Nnewi?
Nigeria will need to abolish the nonsense dichotomies and unnecessary emphasis usually placed on a Nigerian citizen’s state of origin. There need to be a better determination of citizenship and it should be limited to a set of criteria which determines full Nigerian citizenship and so long a citizen is determined to be constitutionally and legally a Nigerian, her citizenship should and must be afforded and accorded equal protection, full faith and credit throughout Nigeria.
What is the use of a national currency which does not command equal respect as a common legal tender throughout such nation? Nigerians can imagine a situation in which our national currency the Naira, varies in value across local government areas and across state lines, and across ethnic and religious divisions!
And yet, that is exactly how Nigerian citizenship is currently treated, regarded and disregarded and devalued, depending on multiple variables of our ethnic, religious, linguistic and other variables of our national diversities in Nigeria!
Why is it, that a majority of Nigerians cannot see the illogicality and idiocy, in regarding an Hausa-Fulani person who has lived in Jos for 100 years, and this Hausa-Fulani person, whose great grand parents have also lived in Jos, being labeled and in fact, castigated with the offensive appellation of “settler”?
Why is it, that a majority of Nigerians cannot see the illogicality and idiocy, in regarding a Berom person who has lived Kano for 100 years, and this Berom person, whose great grand parents have also lived in Kano, being labeled and in fact, castigated with the offensive appellation of “settler”?
Why is it, that a majority of Nigerians cannot see the illogicality and idiocy, in regarding a Igbo person who has lived Kaduna for 100 years, and this Igbo person, whose great grand parents have also lived in Kaduna, being labeled and in fact, castigated with the offensive appellation of “settler”?
And why is it that a majority of Nigerians are not publicly condemning the present situation in Nigeria, in which an Hausa-Fulani lady must be made to feel like less than a Nigerian because she lives in Shagamu?
And why is it that a majority of Nigerians are not publicly condemning the present situation in Nigeria, in which an Yoruba lady must be made to feel like less than a Nigerian because she lives in Maiduguri?
And why is it that a majority of Nigerians are not publicly condemning the present situation in Nigeria, in which an Igbo lady must be made to feel like less than a Nigerian because she lives in Ibadan?
Why should an Hausa-Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba person etc feel inferior or unsafe anywhere in Nigeria, based on her ethnic or linguistic group and unsafe, merely because she or her great grand parents relocated from the area in Nigeria where her ethnic and language group is predominant?
Why are we surprised when these lopsidedness in the fleeting value and importance of full Nigerian citizenship changes from town to town, from state to state, from region to region, from religion to religion and from language group to language group etc?
Why are Nigerians acting surprised whenever these mutual suspicions, and conflicts, violence and carnage surface and resurface routinely, as they do in Nigeria?
Why is it that we seem, as if in self-deceits and delusions, we pretend to address the symptoms instead of the root causes of our national disease inherent in the devaluing of the citizenship of fellow Nigerians? Why do we devalue the full citizenship and Nigerian-ness of fellow Nigerians based on their heritage, religion or linguistic group and then, we proceed to assume all will be well?
Why is it, that we are clearly aware of these dichotomies, disparities, lopsidedness and diminutions of full citizenship of fellow Nigerians, based solely, on their travel patterns across our national geographic space and across our land and yet, we are shocked and stunned when the consequences of these discrimination and segregation, seething for generations and leading to more seething rages, then finally boils to the surface and into full-blown carnage, violence and warfare?
Permanent solution to these segregation and discrimination and their attendant violent consequences, which now routinely boils to the surface, is to ensure that all citizens of Nigeria feel equal value, equal benefit, equal protection and equal entitlements under the constitution and the laws of Nigeria, wherever a Nigerian citizen may be or may travel and may chose to live, work or vacation throughout Nigeria, regardless of such Nigerian’s ethnic, religion, regional or linguistic group or heritage.
This equal value and equal benefit of full citizenship for all Nigerians, will enhance labor mobility and promote and advance the right to travel, which are currently limited and or compromised by the realization of the devaluation of Nigerian citizenship across state lines, ethnic lines, regional lines, religious lines or linguistic lines. Why should Nigerian full citizenship lose value with movements or travels?
Solutions to carnage and preventing future revenges, vendettas and vengeance, requires rapid responses in apprehending culprits, subjecting offenders and the guilty to full extent of the law by way of punishments and penalties. And additionally, providing compensation and relief to the displaced and dislocated and then, engage in the full measure, of enthroning equal value and benefits of full citizenship to all Nigerians thorough Nigeria, even if such Nigerians are nomadic and are liable to move and relocate from the nooks and crannies of Nigeria often and frequently, whether as herdsmen, traders or middle class professionals.
A Nigerian citizen from anywhere in Nigeria, should vote and be voted for nationwide! A qualified Nigerian who meets all constitutional and legal requirements, and determined by the electorate to be suitable, should be able to seek any public office throughout Nigeria, regardless her religious, ethnic, regional and linguistic origins or such other multiple variables of her parents, grandparents and great grandparents! After all, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California is not an American born, he was born in Austria, arrived America as an adult, and he is now the governor of America’s most populated state with 35 million people and with an economy, the fifth largest in the world! So, why can’t Abubakar be the elected civilian governor of Anambra state, and Bola the elected governor of Katsina state and Chima be elected of Oyo state respectively? So long as they are competent, qualified and suitable persons
Being a citizen of Nigeria and being Nigerian, should carry equal value, benefits, entitlements, rights , duties, obligations, responsibilities and protections for all Nigerians throughout the world, more particularly, throughout Nigeria. Nigerians should stop treating “other” Nigerians as if the “other” Nigerians are required to have visas, work-permits and import-licenses, in order to travel, work or do business across ethnic, religious, regional and linguistic lines
The time to define, redefine and enforce full citizenship for all Nigerians is now.
Please Google other similar articles listed below by the same author
1. Nigerian Citizenship Should be Redefined
Published in June 2004
2. Nigerian Citizenship Should Be Redefined NOW!
Published in August 2009
3. Those Hausa People! Those Igbo People Those Yoruba People! Etc
Published in June 2009
4. The Benefits of Nigerian Unity And Perils of Disintegration
Published in 2003
5. Nigeria Advances Or Ethnic Warriors Terrorist Prevails
Published in 2009
Again, another carnage has occurred. Again, Nigerians were busily maiming and murdering Nigerians
Again, it must be clear that there are other carnage waiting to happen. Again, it will not be a happy event, but, it will recur nevertheless.
Again, there are no real solutions in sight, nonetheless, recurrence of vengeance and revenge and a continuation of these murderous cycle looms in the horizon, just ahead of us
Again, these recurrences are so predictably routine, because there have been not certainty of punishment and worse, there have been a focus on the symptoms of this disease instead of the causes or pathogens.
Again, there will be the usual silly cosmetic superficial, ad hoc and time wasting reactive-perfunctory deceitful palliatives, driven by expedient ineptitude and motivated by fear
Again, political charlatan, Christian charlatans, Muslim charlatans and ethnic charlatans etc, will engage in nonsense discussions and punditry, regarding the unnecessarily magnified distinctions, differences and dichotomies between the “indigenes” and the “settlers” Berom and the Fulani and the Hausa and the “Southerners” and “Northerners” all these persons with different appellations and labels, who are really nothing more than what they really are, Nigerian citizens! And it is that easy and so simple
And yet, future carnage similar to the now very mundane and routine slaughters of Nigerians by fellow Nigerians in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria will repeat and recur in Jos, in Bauchi, in Maiduguri and pretty much anywhere else in Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas, unless of course, precise actions are taken by Nigeria’s political leadership, at all strata and levels of government, and that is, at the local, state and federal.
Political, religious and ethnic opportunists have always exploited the mutual suspicious between Nigerians who are in abject poverty, in hardship, desperation shared in common by the average Nigerian regardless of ethnicity, religion, region and linguistic groups. When I think of the human condition in Nigeria, I think of a purpose beyond myself and my immediate personal life, a purpose, a common purpose for us all. But, I often wonder how or what a majority of Nigeria’s political, business, religious and cultural leader feel about patriotism and nationalism, Nigerians, Nigeria?
Nigerians should be forthright and upfront in denouncing those who frequently exploit benign ethnic, religious and regional differences among citizens of Nigeria to serve the selfish interests of a few.
Ultimately, the issues which are the root causes of what has now become the routine carnage in Jos, must be addressed. And these issues primarily remains the fluidity of Nigerian citizenship. The definition of citizenship of Nigeria and the enforcement of full citizenship rights remains very fluid and in flux.
Mutual suspicions amongst, and between Nigerians of our various national component parts, between our diverse ethnic, religious, linguistic groups is the bane of our development and sundry national challenges. It is common knowledge, public knowledge, that national important issues crucial to our national development, progress, advancement and greatness of nation, are debated through the vagaries of negative denominators. Our national direction therefore remains concave, opaque , confused and convoluted.
Debates of national issues, are too often slanted, colored and skewed and seen, through deceptive prisms of ethnic, religious, regional and linguistic loyalties, and as a consequence, Nigeria is loses the benefit of our superb intellect in problem solving.
Nigerians continue to pretend as if unemployment is not a national issue? And as if unsteady electricity supply and noising from noisy generators is not a national problem by way of environmental pollution and fiscal and financial stresses? And corruption has not religion, ethnic group or language group, corruption is not even a Nigerian word! Nigerians seem to continue to pretend that the poor state of our public infrastructure is ethnic? And that inadequate funding for Nigeria’s health care system and the education sectors are regional problems, even when Mr. Umaru Musa YarAdua and prominent Nigerians from all regions, religions and ethnicity, frequently seek medical care overseas? Even when Nigerian parents from all geographic zones frequently send their children overseas as our schools go deprived of resources?
Mutual suspicious among and between Nigerians, and the devaluation of the worthiness of the fullness the citizenship of fellow Nigerians based on ethnicity, religion, region and linguistic group differences, is the reason why Nigerians currently endure political and constitutional crises, regarding Mr. Umaru Musa YarAdua’s where-about, condition of health physically-mentally, and his continued fitness and suitableness to continue as our national symbol and president of our nation and conversely, whether his replacement as constitutionally mandated, becomes and or, is interpreted as a usurpation of a “turn” but when will it be the “turn” of Nigerians and Nigeria? The turn to serve Nigeria national interests?
Nigeria is a plural, secular, multicultural, multi-religious, multi-regional and multilingual nation and as a result, it is crucial to always emphasize and stress the importance of national unity in our diversities, diversities which is a source for potential greatness of our nation. There should be healthy competition for the allocation of resources, undertaken without marginalization of any component part of Nigeria.
I have in the past, and, on several occasions, argued that the definition and redefinition of Nigerian citizenship is the root cause of mutual suspicion and conflicts in Nigeria. These carnage to which have now become routine, are culminations of mutual suspicious and conflicts, which arises from the unnecessarily loose definition and enforcement of full citizenship rights for Nigerians.
In my view, lasting and enduring solution to mutual suspicions and conflicts culminating in violence and carnage, is the definition of full Nigerian citizenship, which must be valid and have constitutional and legal enforcement in all of the 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria, including the 36 federating states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria.
It is rather simplistic and disingenuous to blame religious intolerance or ethnic hatred or anything else, including the quality of the air in Jos, the flowers or Shere Hills or Hilltop breezes of the plateau as reasons why Nigerians of various background are now frequently at each others' throats.
It must be realized that these mutual suspicions and conflicts are not peculiar to Jos. These mutual suspicions and conflicts are present everywhere in Nigeria and in the past, have reared their ugly heads with deathly murderous consequences.
Nigeria, to end internecine conflagrations, must ensure a definition, a redefinition of the meaning of full citizenship. What does it mean to be a full citizen of Nigeria? What is my citizenship worth outside of the home state of my parents and grandparents and great grandparents? And what if my mother is from Kaduna and my father is from Nnewi?
Nigeria will need to abolish the nonsense dichotomies and unnecessary emphasis usually placed on a Nigerian citizen’s state of origin. There need to be a better determination of citizenship and it should be limited to a set of criteria which determines full Nigerian citizenship and so long a citizen is determined to be constitutionally and legally a Nigerian, her citizenship should and must be afforded and accorded equal protection, full faith and credit throughout Nigeria.
What is the use of a national currency which does not command equal respect as a common legal tender throughout such nation? Nigerians can imagine a situation in which our national currency the Naira, varies in value across local government areas and across state lines, and across ethnic and religious divisions!
And yet, that is exactly how Nigerian citizenship is currently treated, regarded and disregarded and devalued, depending on multiple variables of our ethnic, religious, linguistic and other variables of our national diversities in Nigeria!
Why is it, that a majority of Nigerians cannot see the illogicality and idiocy, in regarding an Hausa-Fulani person who has lived in Jos for 100 years, and this Hausa-Fulani person, whose great grand parents have also lived in Jos, being labeled and in fact, castigated with the offensive appellation of “settler”?
Why is it, that a majority of Nigerians cannot see the illogicality and idiocy, in regarding a Berom person who has lived Kano for 100 years, and this Berom person, whose great grand parents have also lived in Kano, being labeled and in fact, castigated with the offensive appellation of “settler”?
Why is it, that a majority of Nigerians cannot see the illogicality and idiocy, in regarding a Igbo person who has lived Kaduna for 100 years, and this Igbo person, whose great grand parents have also lived in Kaduna, being labeled and in fact, castigated with the offensive appellation of “settler”?
And why is it that a majority of Nigerians are not publicly condemning the present situation in Nigeria, in which an Hausa-Fulani lady must be made to feel like less than a Nigerian because she lives in Shagamu?
And why is it that a majority of Nigerians are not publicly condemning the present situation in Nigeria, in which an Yoruba lady must be made to feel like less than a Nigerian because she lives in Maiduguri?
And why is it that a majority of Nigerians are not publicly condemning the present situation in Nigeria, in which an Igbo lady must be made to feel like less than a Nigerian because she lives in Ibadan?
Why should an Hausa-Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba person etc feel inferior or unsafe anywhere in Nigeria, based on her ethnic or linguistic group and unsafe, merely because she or her great grand parents relocated from the area in Nigeria where her ethnic and language group is predominant?
Why are we surprised when these lopsidedness in the fleeting value and importance of full Nigerian citizenship changes from town to town, from state to state, from region to region, from religion to religion and from language group to language group etc?
Why are Nigerians acting surprised whenever these mutual suspicions, and conflicts, violence and carnage surface and resurface routinely, as they do in Nigeria?
Why is it that we seem, as if in self-deceits and delusions, we pretend to address the symptoms instead of the root causes of our national disease inherent in the devaluing of the citizenship of fellow Nigerians? Why do we devalue the full citizenship and Nigerian-ness of fellow Nigerians based on their heritage, religion or linguistic group and then, we proceed to assume all will be well?
Why is it, that we are clearly aware of these dichotomies, disparities, lopsidedness and diminutions of full citizenship of fellow Nigerians, based solely, on their travel patterns across our national geographic space and across our land and yet, we are shocked and stunned when the consequences of these discrimination and segregation, seething for generations and leading to more seething rages, then finally boils to the surface and into full-blown carnage, violence and warfare?
Permanent solution to these segregation and discrimination and their attendant violent consequences, which now routinely boils to the surface, is to ensure that all citizens of Nigeria feel equal value, equal benefit, equal protection and equal entitlements under the constitution and the laws of Nigeria, wherever a Nigerian citizen may be or may travel and may chose to live, work or vacation throughout Nigeria, regardless of such Nigerian’s ethnic, religion, regional or linguistic group or heritage.
This equal value and equal benefit of full citizenship for all Nigerians, will enhance labor mobility and promote and advance the right to travel, which are currently limited and or compromised by the realization of the devaluation of Nigerian citizenship across state lines, ethnic lines, regional lines, religious lines or linguistic lines. Why should Nigerian full citizenship lose value with movements or travels?
Solutions to carnage and preventing future revenges, vendettas and vengeance, requires rapid responses in apprehending culprits, subjecting offenders and the guilty to full extent of the law by way of punishments and penalties. And additionally, providing compensation and relief to the displaced and dislocated and then, engage in the full measure, of enthroning equal value and benefits of full citizenship to all Nigerians thorough Nigeria, even if such Nigerians are nomadic and are liable to move and relocate from the nooks and crannies of Nigeria often and frequently, whether as herdsmen, traders or middle class professionals.
A Nigerian citizen from anywhere in Nigeria, should vote and be voted for nationwide! A qualified Nigerian who meets all constitutional and legal requirements, and determined by the electorate to be suitable, should be able to seek any public office throughout Nigeria, regardless her religious, ethnic, regional and linguistic origins or such other multiple variables of her parents, grandparents and great grandparents! After all, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California is not an American born, he was born in Austria, arrived America as an adult, and he is now the governor of America’s most populated state with 35 million people and with an economy, the fifth largest in the world! So, why can’t Abubakar be the elected civilian governor of Anambra state, and Bola the elected governor of Katsina state and Chima be elected of Oyo state respectively? So long as they are competent, qualified and suitable persons
Being a citizen of Nigeria and being Nigerian, should carry equal value, benefits, entitlements, rights , duties, obligations, responsibilities and protections for all Nigerians throughout the world, more particularly, throughout Nigeria. Nigerians should stop treating “other” Nigerians as if the “other” Nigerians are required to have visas, work-permits and import-licenses, in order to travel, work or do business across ethnic, religious, regional and linguistic lines
The time to define, redefine and enforce full citizenship for all Nigerians is now.
Please Google other similar articles listed below by the same author
1. Nigerian Citizenship Should be Redefined
Published in June 2004
2. Nigerian Citizenship Should Be Redefined NOW!
Published in August 2009
3. Those Hausa People! Those Igbo People Those Yoruba People! Etc
Published in June 2009
4. The Benefits of Nigerian Unity And Perils of Disintegration
Published in 2003
5. Nigeria Advances Or Ethnic Warriors Terrorist Prevails
Published in 2009
Monday, March 8, 2010
Gender Equality Agenda And Women Rights Human Rights 100 Years On
Gender Equality Agenda And Women Rights Human Rights 100 Years On
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Lawcareer@gmail.com
New York, United States
Women Rights Are Human Rights. This is so simple and self-evident, and yet, it is not what is practiced worldwide
Worldwide, women continue to suffer disproportionately from abuses and denials of basic human rights, sadly so.
Women suffer disproportionately more than the rest of the world’s population, whether at a time of peace or at time of war. In essence, women suffer, in peace time and at war times. Women suffer from physical-mental abuses and brutalities, horrors and displacements and dislocations at times of war and social upheavals, as well as denial and deprivations of economic and political powers and opportunities at times of peace. Even at earthquake aftermaths as well. Women disproportionately suffer worldwide, relatively and comparatively, women suffer more
Women are frequently denied the opportunities to be allocators and managers of resources. Women are too often denied opportunities to be facilitators and accelerators of human development. This is because, women worldwide have had the odds stacked against them in matters of access to political and economic power. Women have been perennially denied formal education and skills acquisition opportunities, compared to men worldwide.
The position and condition of women in the world is rather illogical and counter intuitive, given the super-majority of female versus male population worldwide. Any business entity or enterprise and corporation or firm which aspires for profitability, cannot and should not disregard the contribution through productivity and profits, the potentials of more than half its workforce.
Sadly however, the contributions through productivity and profits of women, which constitutes more than half the world population are frequently disregarded and discounted by a majority of governments on earth.
Since 1910 when women gathered in Copenhagen to hold a Conference on Women, in an effort to discuss the plight and predicament worldwide, there have been some incremental steps to elevate women and issues which affect women human rights more particularly, due to gender. And even now, gender equality is still aspirational.
Since the epochal events of 1910 and 1911, Women Day has been celebrated annually and this 2010 is the 100 years of attempts to bring focus and needful attention to human issues with particular impacts and effects on women worldwide. After these 100 years, the world is still far from gender-neutral or fair and balanced for women
The month of March is celebrated as Women Month every year in most countries and the March 8th 2010 will be marked by the United Nations in New York City as International Women Day.
The Secretary of State for the United States, Mrs. Hilary Rodham Clinton, has selected several foreign women for recognition and awards, for their efforts in advancing the rights of women in their home countries. The State Department under Mrs. Clinton as Secretary of State has been vehement in rejecting the oppression of women, discrimination against women and brutalities and horrors, including rapes, which are too frequently directed against women.
I commend Mrs. Clinton and her Department for these efforts. But, it is rather troubling to note that most of the women in Mrs. Clinton’s award list are from nations which the United States consider hostile or unfriendly, such as Iran, North Korea and Zimbabwe etc. And without diminishing the accomplishments of the women on Mrs. Clinton’s list, the nations from which some of these women were selected, are just too conveniently on the front-burner of US criticisms!
This, even though, women face inequalities, oppressions, discrimination and gender motivated injustices in so many nations, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Kuwait etc nations with which the United States have excellent diplomatic and trade-business relationships, and yet, the US have not used such relationships to encourage, nudge or even pressure Saudi Arabia to allow women to drive cars, vote and be voted for at elections! Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait etc with very cozy-warm and fuzzy relationship with the US and yet, they have nothing near acceptable record on gender equality agenda or women human rights or any pretension to democracy! But the US continues to embrace them and do business with them. The emphasis being on “doing business” strange-bedfellows we will be right in describing these sorts of expediencies, shortsighted policies, US with Arabia Kuwait?
On the other hand, it is public knowledge or an open secret, the fact the US and Iran and North Korea have had unending debate and verbal diplomatic scuffle over right to nuclear energy and weapons which are apparently sought, pursued and being attained by Iran and North Korea, while the US remain stridently opposed to possession of nuclear capability by both Iran and North Korea.
It wondered aloud therefore, whether Mrs. Clinton is employing and co-opting women issues as a tool of pressure against the usual ‘suspects’? In essence, women issues and gender equality agenda, as lofty and commendable as they are, have become another weapon in the arsenals of pressures by the US against nations the US consider unfriendly and in pursuit of policies to which the US is vehemently opposed and wishes to upturn, subvert and defeat? Is Mrs. Clinton mixing gender equality agenda with current US foreign policy which target hostile actions directed at Iran and North Korea?
We may not compare “regime-change” to “gender equality agenda” but, one wonders why women issues in say, Iran, North Korea and Zimbabwe, receives more attention or singular attention, in comparison to the equally abysmal and dismal plights and predicaments of womenfolk in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Kuwait, just to name a few. Is the lot of women in Vietnam actually better than those of North Korean counterpart? Are the conditions and lives of women in Pakistan much better than the women neighbor counterparts in Afghanistan and China? I think not! Mrs. Clinton is acting with one hand, and I, in turn, must clap for her with one hand; and clearly, such will be ineffective on her part and mine, acts or claps with both hands are more effective, human.
Battles against gender inequalities and injustices must be engaged in by all and with both hands in view of the fact that gender inequalities, injustices and disparities occurs worldwide 24/7 hours-days and 365 366 days of the year. Ad-hoc, knee jerk and episodic or selective application of the rules will not do!
I take the view that the plights, predicaments and conditions of women worldwide are not acceptable and should and must change. There should be honest and universal standard, albeit, with minor variations in view of some peculiar local circumstances. The activism, the advocacy and vigorous pursuit of human rights for women, should not be beclouded by the very narrow and parochial expediencies of particular nations, in denigration to the interests of other nations, and for that matter, the very human rights for women which should be the front and center of gender equality agenda campaigns. The continuing precarious conditions of women worldwide, which is lopsided in comparison with the conditions of men worldwide, must be frontally addressed employing holistic approach and universal or global standard in defining and solving challenges which women worldwide still face.
Please Google other Gender Equality Agenda Essays by the same author are as follows:
1. What Is True Democracy In The World With Women Excluded?
July 2003
2. Infertility Is Always Women s Fault?
November 30 2004
3. Gender Equality Agenda & Obasanjo’s Presidency
May 02 2006
4. Women Public Toilets and Gender Equality Agenda
August 2008
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Lawcareer@gmail.com
New York, United States
Women Rights Are Human Rights. This is so simple and self-evident, and yet, it is not what is practiced worldwide
Worldwide, women continue to suffer disproportionately from abuses and denials of basic human rights, sadly so.
Women suffer disproportionately more than the rest of the world’s population, whether at a time of peace or at time of war. In essence, women suffer, in peace time and at war times. Women suffer from physical-mental abuses and brutalities, horrors and displacements and dislocations at times of war and social upheavals, as well as denial and deprivations of economic and political powers and opportunities at times of peace. Even at earthquake aftermaths as well. Women disproportionately suffer worldwide, relatively and comparatively, women suffer more
Women are frequently denied the opportunities to be allocators and managers of resources. Women are too often denied opportunities to be facilitators and accelerators of human development. This is because, women worldwide have had the odds stacked against them in matters of access to political and economic power. Women have been perennially denied formal education and skills acquisition opportunities, compared to men worldwide.
The position and condition of women in the world is rather illogical and counter intuitive, given the super-majority of female versus male population worldwide. Any business entity or enterprise and corporation or firm which aspires for profitability, cannot and should not disregard the contribution through productivity and profits, the potentials of more than half its workforce.
Sadly however, the contributions through productivity and profits of women, which constitutes more than half the world population are frequently disregarded and discounted by a majority of governments on earth.
Since 1910 when women gathered in Copenhagen to hold a Conference on Women, in an effort to discuss the plight and predicament worldwide, there have been some incremental steps to elevate women and issues which affect women human rights more particularly, due to gender. And even now, gender equality is still aspirational.
Since the epochal events of 1910 and 1911, Women Day has been celebrated annually and this 2010 is the 100 years of attempts to bring focus and needful attention to human issues with particular impacts and effects on women worldwide. After these 100 years, the world is still far from gender-neutral or fair and balanced for women
The month of March is celebrated as Women Month every year in most countries and the March 8th 2010 will be marked by the United Nations in New York City as International Women Day.
The Secretary of State for the United States, Mrs. Hilary Rodham Clinton, has selected several foreign women for recognition and awards, for their efforts in advancing the rights of women in their home countries. The State Department under Mrs. Clinton as Secretary of State has been vehement in rejecting the oppression of women, discrimination against women and brutalities and horrors, including rapes, which are too frequently directed against women.
I commend Mrs. Clinton and her Department for these efforts. But, it is rather troubling to note that most of the women in Mrs. Clinton’s award list are from nations which the United States consider hostile or unfriendly, such as Iran, North Korea and Zimbabwe etc. And without diminishing the accomplishments of the women on Mrs. Clinton’s list, the nations from which some of these women were selected, are just too conveniently on the front-burner of US criticisms!
This, even though, women face inequalities, oppressions, discrimination and gender motivated injustices in so many nations, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Kuwait etc nations with which the United States have excellent diplomatic and trade-business relationships, and yet, the US have not used such relationships to encourage, nudge or even pressure Saudi Arabia to allow women to drive cars, vote and be voted for at elections! Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait etc with very cozy-warm and fuzzy relationship with the US and yet, they have nothing near acceptable record on gender equality agenda or women human rights or any pretension to democracy! But the US continues to embrace them and do business with them. The emphasis being on “doing business” strange-bedfellows we will be right in describing these sorts of expediencies, shortsighted policies, US with Arabia Kuwait?
On the other hand, it is public knowledge or an open secret, the fact the US and Iran and North Korea have had unending debate and verbal diplomatic scuffle over right to nuclear energy and weapons which are apparently sought, pursued and being attained by Iran and North Korea, while the US remain stridently opposed to possession of nuclear capability by both Iran and North Korea.
It wondered aloud therefore, whether Mrs. Clinton is employing and co-opting women issues as a tool of pressure against the usual ‘suspects’? In essence, women issues and gender equality agenda, as lofty and commendable as they are, have become another weapon in the arsenals of pressures by the US against nations the US consider unfriendly and in pursuit of policies to which the US is vehemently opposed and wishes to upturn, subvert and defeat? Is Mrs. Clinton mixing gender equality agenda with current US foreign policy which target hostile actions directed at Iran and North Korea?
We may not compare “regime-change” to “gender equality agenda” but, one wonders why women issues in say, Iran, North Korea and Zimbabwe, receives more attention or singular attention, in comparison to the equally abysmal and dismal plights and predicaments of womenfolk in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Kuwait, just to name a few. Is the lot of women in Vietnam actually better than those of North Korean counterpart? Are the conditions and lives of women in Pakistan much better than the women neighbor counterparts in Afghanistan and China? I think not! Mrs. Clinton is acting with one hand, and I, in turn, must clap for her with one hand; and clearly, such will be ineffective on her part and mine, acts or claps with both hands are more effective, human.
Battles against gender inequalities and injustices must be engaged in by all and with both hands in view of the fact that gender inequalities, injustices and disparities occurs worldwide 24/7 hours-days and 365 366 days of the year. Ad-hoc, knee jerk and episodic or selective application of the rules will not do!
I take the view that the plights, predicaments and conditions of women worldwide are not acceptable and should and must change. There should be honest and universal standard, albeit, with minor variations in view of some peculiar local circumstances. The activism, the advocacy and vigorous pursuit of human rights for women, should not be beclouded by the very narrow and parochial expediencies of particular nations, in denigration to the interests of other nations, and for that matter, the very human rights for women which should be the front and center of gender equality agenda campaigns. The continuing precarious conditions of women worldwide, which is lopsided in comparison with the conditions of men worldwide, must be frontally addressed employing holistic approach and universal or global standard in defining and solving challenges which women worldwide still face.
Please Google other Gender Equality Agenda Essays by the same author are as follows:
1. What Is True Democracy In The World With Women Excluded?
July 2003
2. Infertility Is Always Women s Fault?
November 30 2004
3. Gender Equality Agenda & Obasanjo’s Presidency
May 02 2006
4. Women Public Toilets and Gender Equality Agenda
August 2008
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