For everyone’s convenience, I’ve shifted
the reminders / explanations about Sunday’s meditation-clearing
to this
post. I have a simplified blogiography of posts related to this work here,
a list of themes I have identified here,
and my changing the personality of oppressors and other world leaders post is here.
(Also, see here for some
investigation into evidence of the effectiveness of this type of work, which
shows variability [and mentions causes] and cycles in the
energetic/consciousness response … and also here and here are interesting.) A range of information on emotions is here,
and suggestions on how to work with emotions is here.
This
copy of a speech to one of the Parliament of World Religions also has
excellent, helpful insights on generational transmission of harm, the cost of
war, and ways to heal our hearts. This
post reminds us to be patient and persistent (and I like the comment about a sudden “shift” being just another form
of apocalyptic thinking).
The purpose of posting these news links is
not only to inform: it is also to stimulate a connection to nonBPM units that
need to be cleared and BPM units that
need to be strengthened. That only works if you don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by this, so take it
in small chunks if you need to, but remember to actively clear and heal!
… including yourself. Also, it is absolutely VITAL that this psychic / metaphysical /
spiritual work be performed non-violently and as is for the Highest Spiritual Good – which is
part of being BPM – on all levels and in all ways. Always
remember (see here): Do you fight to change things, or to
punish? See also here,
here,
here, here,
here,
and my comments about “authentic
presence” in this
post.
Also, in the same way that activists used
to argue that “the personal is political”, the energies we use and manifest in
our daily lives contribute to the larger soup of energies that influence world
events. If you want to, for example, improve the communication of nations,
improve yours. To help stop abuses of power, be always ethical in your conduct.
Want peace? Then work in an informed, understanding, intelligent and nuanced
way for peace in yourself and your life.
Finally, remember that many others are
doing this type of work – for instance, the Lucis
Trust's Triangles network (which has been running for many decades), the Correllian
Tradition's 'Spiritual
War for Peace' (begun in 2014, and the website was recently updated
to include many more activities; on that term, see also here
and here), the Hope, Peace, Love and Prosperity Spell
(also from the Correllian Tradition, in around 2007 or 2008), the Healing Minute started by the
late, great Harry
Edwards (held at 10Am and 10PM local time each day, and one can pay to
be officially registered. This also has been running for decades); the “Network
of Light” meditations; and
also see here and here –
even commercial organisations are getting involved (for instance, see here), and there are online groups (e.g. here
and here
– which I’m not members of, and thus do not know the quality of). No doubt
there are many others, so, if you don't like what I am suggesting here, but want to be
of service, there are many other opportunities for you.
(Please
note that I now specifically have a role for (absent) healers on Saturdays, as
explained in the Psychic Weather Report posts. Anyone who wishes to be
protector has a role every day :) , including – perhaps particularly - the
first permanent issue I list below. At all times, on all levels and in ways, BOTH must ALWAYS be
BPM in the way they perform such roles.)
Now, if
I am ever late getting my Psychic Weather Report up any week, the default plan is to build up energy in the “Shield of Hope” on Sunday, send energy to West Asia / the
Middle East on Monday, and then extend that to include Europe on Tuesday, the
USA on Wednesday, East and South East Asia on Thursday and Africa on Friday.
Now, the themes – short, medium and long term - that come
to mind for my work this week, after I review all this news, are (and no
apologies if this repeats the themes of any previous weeks – in fact, given the
size of this task, that is to be expected):
(a) based on my interpretation of information here and here with Saturn in Sagittarius contributing to finding an authentic balance (until 20th December, 2017), Uranus in Aries contributing to fresh and possibly radical starts (until some date in the Year 2018), and Pluto in Capricorn contributing to a transformation of power and business (and careers) (until some date in the Year 2024), conditions are ripe for a change for the better in world politics;(b) there is an enormous need to clear nonBPM energy – the thought forms, unattached energy and scars of the collective unconscious created by millennia of violence. This need includes rescuing those who have been trapped by that history, and healing the warped views, seemingly “inherent” biases, and other damage done by the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual violence committed on scales large and small in that timeframe;(c) viewing the overall emotional state of the world, this week we need more of the Mirror of Hathor;(d) the personal insecurity and fear (including fear of coping with difference, as well as fear of being something else) and socialisation towards homogeneity that underlies so much hate and intolerance in the world MUST be addressed – by BPM education and personal development, which must become part of “official” and unofficial education if the world is to settle into a better state of being;(e) the need for everyone in the world to know about the psychic fundamentals (in particular, knowing how to flame, ground and shield, do alternate nostril breathing, and look after their nonphysical health, strength and wellbeing) has been shown - terribly – this week;(f) the use of power – any sort, any context – must always be BPM accountable;(g) where problems exist, advocate for BPM responses and constructive solutions, be as BPM as one can be, and clear nonBPM units;I also take this opportunity to repeat that it is absolutely VITAL that this psychic / metaphysical / spiritual work be performed non-violently and as is for the Highest Spiritual Good – which is part of being BPM – on all levels and in all ways. Always remember (see here): Do you fight to change things, or to punish? See also here, here, here, here, here, and my comments about “authentic presence” in this post.
News and other
matters from this week include the following
(opportunities/good news are shown in green;
comments are shown in purple; WARNING: some of these
links may contain triggers around issues such as violence, sexual assault,
discrimination, etc).
- Permanent issue: may all actual and potential BPM [1] Leaders be kept BPM safe, including keeping them undetectable to the nonBPM and keeping all their Significant Others inviolable against being used for indirect psychic attack, and may they have all the BPM opportunities and assistance (so-called “good luck”) for them to be BPM effective at influencing the world’s direction, development and unfoldment, all as is for the Highest Spiritual Good;
- Permanent issue: may all humans recognise, irrespective of the appearance of difference, the essential shared humanness of other people, the inherent resilience, the dynamic power, the strength of BPM collaboration, and the opportunities of having a diverse, inclusive and welcoming population, and may all people choose fairness, when such decisions are before them;
- Permanent issue: may all humans choose to live modestly – to forgo outdoing others, or trying to have more than they need - for the sake of an easier, more manageable life, if they cannot do it for the sake of the planet;
- With regard to democracy, freedom and governance (e.g., here and here):
a call for people to care about voting; ethical considerations for those in the US Justice Department if Trump wins the US Presidency; a rebuttal of some of the economic myths associated with Britain leaving the European Union; a prediction by a former Tunisian President that political Islam will go the same way as nationalism, pan-Arabism and communism;
Tanzanian police have banned opposition parties from conducting planned nationwide protests for fear they could escalate into civil disobedience amid growing allegations that the President has been abusing his power; the UN has rued the “shrinking democratic space” in the Maldives; US presidential candidate Trump has shown his cluelessness by failing to acknowledge the homophobic motivations of the mass murderer in Orlando, Florida; a far right Australian group with a history of public events that became violent as its supporters and anti-fascists clashed is planning another event – and claiming to be tolerant; violence between students now in Papua New Guinea over whether or not to continue action against that nation’s Prime Minister; a British MP has been murdered, leading to a suspension of campaigning on the coming “Brexit” referendum. I can particularly appreciate that she lived on a boat;, but see here for an appreciation of the good work she did, and thus the loss that nonBPM forces who used the poor unstable man who murdered here have caused; concerns that a local Council’s new Code of Conduct impinges on democracy;
opposition protests in Kenya over electoral matters have been deferred; Tunisia is moving towards “criminalising discrimination” – which is a noble intention, but education to change people’s hearts and minds is also needed, and I have to ask if this will actually also include homophobia and transphobia; police in Papua New Guinea have arrested the anti-corruption officer who has been leading efforts to arrest that nation’s Prime Minister; another Brazilian minister has resigned, as a former president and vice-president of Guatemala are formally charged with corruption and money-laundering;
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) may be rethinking its love affair with neoliberalism – or at least a couple of aspects of that ideology; attempts for reconciliation and protection against neighbouring chaos in Tunisia; Tunisia has passed a gender parity law for forthcoming local elections; call for the European Union to make a stand against right wing populism; Muslim-Americans have repeatedly informed authorities of fellow Muslims they fear might be turning to extremism, law enforcement officials say, contrary to a claim by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump this week; the UN Secretary-General has expressed deep concern over the continuing political uncertainty in Haiti, and called on the National Assembly to urgently take a decision and determine a viable arrangement for provisional governance that can ensure the completion of the electoral process and a return to full constitutional order without further delays. He urged all stakeholders to act responsibly in the interest of their country and people, including by refraining from any incitement or resort to violence;
in the week of the Orlando mass murders, homophobia in the Australian election; a critique of (commercial) lobbying; the labour abuses and other problems caused by Australia’s poorly thought out free trade agreement with China – here and here; the mean-spiritedness of Australia with relation to aid and refuges; a critique of Australia’s relations with the USA and China; the main political parties ignore the independent candidates (one of whom is being opposed by commercial interests which support rampant polies) at their peril; a critique of proposals to cut company tax – and also here; economic management does not outweigh all other issues; the community activist group aka lobby GetUp is giving Australians a voice; a questioning of Australia’s current military commitments and the media and public silence on these; a questioning of the silence on social welfare/security in the election campaign; the head of the NBN has breached caretaker conventions – and does the lack of action show why this should possibly be more than just convention? Trying to define such matters and give them clout is, however, going to be fraught with difficulty – but the potential for abuse means the effort may be warranted; - With regard to violent extremism (aka, terrorism - e.g., Da’esh) (and, incidentally, I consider ALL people advocating hate or discrimination in
response to violent extremism to actively be doing the work of violent extremists. This PARTICULARLY includes those cretins [including in
the media, and Amnesty International] who use the acronym ISIS (see also here), which is actually the Greek name of the Egyptian Goddess Aset – and others (see also here and here) - and actively perpetuates the
patriarchal and sacrilegious evil that violent extremists are trying to
accomplish in this world – which will be countered, in part, by the sort of approach advocated by “Cure
Violence”,
and, in part, by addressing real and perceived disempowerment and acknowledging
the variety in what provides genuine, BPM fulfilment as a counter to fanaticism as a source of meaning. I also am
inclined, personally, to include here the last two millennia of neochristian
and colonialist social engineering, which has led to suppression of women,
child abuse, the Crusades, the Inquisition, etc, as violent extremism, but that
would take too much explaining. As a final point, I am deliberately avoiding
the use of specific names of violent extremist groups as much as possible to
reduce the publicity they get – I’m not a primary news source, and thus
consider I can do so: any names that are needed are in the articles I have
provided links to):
violent extremist attacks have occurred in Syria, the USA (in a homophobic [more on that aspect here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here – and see here about internalised homophobia] attack by a nasty wife-beating thug who worked as a security guard and wanted to be a police officer – a possibly similar attack in Indian may have been prevented), the Philippines, Libya, Somalia, Syria (2nd), India, France, Iran, may be being planned/prepared for/developing in the Western Sahara / Sahel, Benin, and actions have occurred against violent extremists in Bangladesh, Libya, Mali, Nigeria; a possible overreaction to violent extremism in Bangladesh; former violent extremists in Nigeria have urged the current lot to talk to the government; 40,000 people have been displaced by recent violent extremist attacks in Niger (UN daily briefing);
two human rights organisations have called upon the Sri Lanka government to ensure restorative justice to detainees of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and announce a moratorium on the application of the law; Bulgaria is moving towards banning face coverings; Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have objected to being linked to the funding of violent extremism – but their objections ring hollow when they ignore abuses and discrimination in their own nations to absurdly claim they are practising peace and tolerance – see here, here, here, here, here and here;
some thoughts about reactions to violence, triggered by the Orlando tragedy – see also here and here; a call to take female violent extremists seriously – which will also help with prevention of radicalisation; an assessment of “affiliates” of violent extremist groups which finds that their existence can actually be associated with a crumbling point of origin, and that may lead to problems elsewhere – particularly in Lebanon; there have been articles on the move to soft targets recently in the West – here and here, for instance – in response to the homophobic mass murder in Orlando, but such attacks have been happening elsewhere in the world for a long time now; the CIA ranks a particular violent extremist group as still significant, despite their losses; a violent extremist group is committing genocide against Yazidis, according to a report issued today by the independent international Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. The report by the Commission of Inquiry also determined that violent extremist’s abuse of Yazidis amounts to crimes against humanity and war crimes; recommendations for addressing violent extremism in Pakistan’s southern Punjab; - With regard to refugees: abuse of women on Nauru, where Australia has one of its refugee gulags; the United Kingdom has refuse to release information on sexual assaults because it might damage the commercial interests of the organisations running the facilities!!!; an Afghan refugee in Australia will address the United Nations High Commission for Refugees; Somali refugees in Kenya fear what will happen to them if they are forced to return to Somalia (and what happened to non-refoulement?); the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) released today its Projected Global Resettlement Needs for 2017, which states that 1.19 million people will need resettlement in 2017; dozens of refugees (including children) have died in the Sahara desert; the UN has given in to Kenya, and will return refugees to Somalia – see here and here;
- With regard to human rights and discrimination (including
associated violence / crime):
a mass murder has occurred in the USA in a homophobic (more on that aspect here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here – and see here about internalised homophobia) attack by a nasty wife-beating thug claiming allegiance to Da’esh – this shows the criminal culpability of all religious people (such as this idiot) who preach homophobia - see here for the community role Pulse played, and the community response. Also, those nations which have anti-LGBT laws have – quite rightly - been condemned for hypocrisy when they condemned this attack. Comfort dogs are being used; homophobia in Ukraine and Singapore; a call for Bangladeshi authorities to investigate attacks on secular writers, gay rights activists, and religious minorities, and identify and prosecute the perpetrators, but to immediately stop arbitrarily arresting people without proper evidence of a crime; the United Kingdom is moving towards gender-neutral uniforms in schools; relatives of seven Victorians who were murdered or sexually assaulted by convicted criminals on parole will sue the State Government; a magistrate has been severely reprimanded for incorrectly applying the law, acting against the public interest, and undermining the administration of justice; another bigoted Uber driver;
casual racism has led a lot of potential AFL players to leave (and I know the machismo has caused others to avoid football); a detailed legal assessment of the problems blocking acceptance of indigenous customary law in Australia; concerns over interference by bureaucrats in academic research which showed racism in public transport; steps towards reconciliation over the 1838 Myall Creek Massacre; Google is under fire for racist search results; large outdoor portraits are drawing attention to indigenous issues;
idiots in Qatar have arrested a Dutch woman after she was raped for “having sex outside marriage”; an appropriate response to the Stanford rape fiasco; a human rights activist has been rearrested in Bahrain; a ban on ads with negative body images on public transport in London; a call to prosecute those who murder women over marriage disputes in Pakistan; an interview with a Pakistani director who is “smashing stereotypes about Muslim women” – including with a documentary about female Bangladeshi police officers sent to Haiti; a critique of recent actions to stop murder of women over marriage matters in Pakistan;
bigotry in Russia, Poland, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Indonesia and the neochristian catholic church have led to rejection of measures – such as repealing anti-LGBT measures – that would assist in reducing the spread of HIV; residents of Côte d’Ivoire’s protected forests still live in fear of arbitrary evictions and have suffered extortion and physical abuse by forest conservation authorities; Bahrain is still allowing torture to occur; the UN Secretary-General has welcomed delegates to the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, one of the most widely ratified international treaties, with 164 ratifications, and he commended the delegates for their work, but said there is still much more to be done to fully implement the CRPD and make rights a reality for the more than one billion persons with disabilities around the world; the problems of internships; an excellent review of fatwas; - With regard to crime, judicial matters and policing: a mass murder has occurred in the USA in a homophobic attack by a nasty wife-beating thug claiming allegiance to Da’esh - who worked as a security guard and wanted to be a police officer – see here for a criminologist’s comments on the insane gun laws / attitudes in the USA (although ours appear to have been weakened [see also here] … as small steps towards improvements happen in the USA). Indian police in Mumbai are taking the threat seriously enough to start gathering intelligence on threats to the LGBT community (although stupidly claiming no problems at the moment …); Victoria Police has committed an act of culpability in relation to child abuse as heinous as any committed by the neochristian catholic church; a vigilante gun shooting in the USA (fortunately, none of the teenagers was killed); an analysis of the notorious “Stanford rape case” sentence and reaction; police have arrested children and their parents when they were out at night as the Philippines starts the president-elect’s implementation of the discredited (see here, here, here, here, here, here and here) “zero tolerance” policy; a jailed rapist is believed to be responsible – after he was released - for a revenge massacre in Mexico; a study shows that locally trusted, sustainable programs outperform broad institutional change efforts with regard to reforming and improving African police forces, and another paper looks at the potential use of technology to fill security gaps that criminals currently use on that continent; “Heroin – that scourge and emblem of the 1990s – never really went away. It just hid out for a while, its users ageing, while the moral panic moved elsewhere”; Indonesia about to resume executions; the problem of witness protection at the ICC; an interview with a Pakistani director who is “smashing stereotypes about Muslim women” – including with a documentary about female Bangladeshi police officers sent to Haiti;
- With regard to press aka the media, and freedom of expression (keeping in mind that claims of presenting “both sides” of a debate can be WRONG if the other side is RUBBISH –as is the case on LGBTIQ issues): Australian neoliberal biases about media;
- With regard to overcrowding and “modern” lifestyle issues (is YOUR smart phone free of conflict minerals and child labour? I was recently pleasantly to find IT
manufacturers now making at least some effort in this regard. Do you suffer from FOMO? Are you being duped by modern mantras? Does your AI use ethics? Does your corporation misuse
mindfulness as a distraction from working conditions? Do you understand
embedded emissions?):
cargo bikes; none of the meat alternatives to date have gone anywhere near reproducing the taste (which is not helped by cretins claiming the taste is all about fat): here’s hoping the latest batch of alternatives gets closer … ; on the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, the Secretary-General warned that the livelihoods and well-being of hundreds of millions of people are at stake due to desertification, land degradation and drought;
growth and change and technology in Dhaka, Bangladesh; a challenge to how we are approaching artificial intelligence; a seniors app in India (which I hope is adequately accessible – its creation based on extensive consultation suggests that it would be);
a mother has made a graphic appeal for people to vaccinate their kids; the downside of professional sport; - With regard to education: concerns over interference by bureaucrats in academic research which showed racism in public transport; the United Kingdom is moving towards gender-neutral uniforms in schools; problems for students in India with learning disabilities; a no-tech primary school has had “outstanding” success; a bureaucratic stuff up has stopped some Filipino kids going to school; criticism of the reliance on high pressure examinations in India’s education system; the importance of needs based funding;
- With regard to the conflict in Afghanistan (noting that Afghanistan was once a peaceful and modern society, even allowing women in miniskirts, before the Russian invasion – see here): despite the claims that this is “new”, this incident is actually a return to older forms of brutality that the Taliban have a history of using;
- With regard to Africa, the Africa
Center for Strategic Studies (and other sources) also has:
a musician has captured the mood of Sierra Leone about its problems;
politicians in Zimbabwe appear to be readying themselves for Mugabe’s death;
Nigeria will sack dozens of army officers for corruption; recommendations for reform of the Nigerian military;
border fighting between Eritrea and Ethiopia; Ethiopian security forces have killed more than 400 protesters and other people, and arrested tens of thousands more during widespread protests in the Oromia region;
tensions are rising between Gambia and Senegal, and violent conflict is looking likely;
the Seychelles have jailed Somali pirates;
Ugandan military officers have been arrested over an alleged coup; a call to investigate attacks on NGOs in Uganda; an interview with Uganda’s president Museveni (interesting comment that the African Union warned the West not to interfere in Libya); Uganda’s opposition leader fears for his life;
the Rwandan government is expected to appear at the African Court of Human and Peoples Rights, despite requesting to withdraw from the court’s special declaration that allows individuals and NGOs to sue governments; Rwanda has expelled hundreds of alleged Burundian spies;
a key Burundian opposition group is satisfied with mediation so far;
the UN Secretary-General has met with the President of the Republic of Guinea. The Secretary-General to encourage the Government to accelerate consolidation of peace and stability in the country, and stressed the readiness of the United Nations to accompany national stakeholders in the implementation of the agreement of 20th August 2015;
the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Mali has warned that the peace progress risks capsizing with the slow implementation of the peace agreement, and underscored the need to strengthen the capacity of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) so that it can rise to its ability to protect civilians and its staff, and highlighted the important role of regional organisations and a strengthened Malian security force which, he said, are critical to address to flow of terrorists in the region (UN daily briefing);
in the Central African Republic: the Board of Inquiry reviewing the circumstances surrounding the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic’s (MINUSCA) Joint Task Force operation conducted in August 2015 in Bangui, which resulted in several deaths and days of violence, has concluded that there were flaws in the planning and execution of the arrest operation; investigations into sexual abuses by UN peacekeepers are continuing (UN daily briefing); an attack on Ngaoundaye has resulted in looting, displacement of civilian population and the burning of houses. In response, MINUSCA peacekeepers have been deployed to the town, including to the local church, where 100 to 200 civilians have sought refuge (UN daily briefing);
China now owns more than half of Kenya’s external debt; more than 1,300 Central Africans, including nearly 900 children have arrived on the border between the Central African Republic, Cameroon and Chad (UN daily briefing);
a study shows that locally trusted, sustainable programs outperform broad institutional change efforts with regard to reforming and improving African police forces, and another paper looks at the potential use of technology to fill security gaps that criminals currently use; a paper indicates that ethnicity is an overused tool rather than a cause of conflict - inequitable access to power and resources, not an intrinsic hatred, is more significant, and a civic education strategy is required; an article on the African Union’s “Panel of the Wise”, and conflict prevention; - With regard to China and East and South East Asia: China is pressuring Pakistan to boost protection for its work on their economic corridor in response to protests, objections and valid concerns; a North Korean cyber attack has been thwarted; an assessment of Chinese thinking which finds it considers size matters (and outweighs human rights, justice, and law!), and that Tibet (already invaded), Xinjiang and the so-far free Taiwan might be next … ; US President Obama has met the Dalai Lama; a call for China to drop politically motivated cases against human rights lawyers;
- With regard to the Indian sub-continent, The Hindu and other sources
have:
alcohol abuse in India; the High Court has overruled censors, and directed a film about drug use in Punjab be released with only one cut, instead of the 89 the censors wanted; problems for students with learning disabilities; hospitals have been fined for refusing to treat poor people; a Hindu nationalist MP has been caught out lying about Hindus who – he claimed – had been forced to leave a city by Muslims; a seniors app in India (which I hope is adequately accessible – its creation based on extensive consultation suggests that it would be); three UN special rapporteurs have expressed alarm over the Modi government’s crackdown on NGOs, adding to growing international criticism of India’s stand on foreign funding of the voluntary sector; a flood protection plan is being prepared in a state recently hit by heavy flooding;
growth and change and technology in Dhaka, Bangladesh;
clashes at the Khyber Pass between Pakistani and Afghan forces; China is pressuring Pakistan to boost protection for its work on their economic corridor in response to protests, objections and valid concerns; China claims India joining the nuclear suppliers group (NSG) could lead to an arms race with Pakistan; - With regard to the conflict in Iraq (noting that Iraq was once a peaceful and prosperous society, before the USA / CIA backed revolution – see here): the internal divisions and hatreds amongst the “coalition” fighting violent extremists in Iraq; claims that violent extremists are mixing with civilians to try to flee Fallujah; a militia member who murdered 17 civilians trying to flee Fallujah has been charged with violent extremism offences; the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has said that more than 14,000 Iraqis have been displaced from Mosul; the needs and resilience of internally displaced people in Baghdad; the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean has arrived in Baghdad today to review first hand WHO’s response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Fallujah city, where more than 68,000 Iraqis have been displaced since last month and the UN is building refugee camps (UN daily briefing; UN daily briefing);
- With regard to the Libyan civil war: consideration by the West to lift bans so that Libyan forces can be trained and equipped; a call to rebuild Libya;
- With regard to the Russia (when is the ordinary, everyday Russian going to get a fair go, and not be crushed by powerful, self-serving idiots?): more moronic denial in Russia; Russia’s violent, racist soccer thugs – see also here, and here; Russian thugs have been threatening WADA officials; while speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia, the UN Secretary-General said that our shared challenge is to translate the promises of recent landmark agreements, including Agenda 2030 and the Paris agreement on Climate Change, into tangible gains for people. After urging Russia to use its tremendous scientific potential to move away from fossil fuels, he added that he was deeply concerned about the escalating pressures being faced by civil society, near and far. When civil society can play its full role, all of society benefits, he stressed, and Russian civil society can play an active role in both the design of reforms and their implementation; the UN Secretary-General met the Russian Foreign Minister to exchange views on the situation in Syria. The Secretary-General emphasized that the coming weeks were crucial in advancing a political process through intra-Syrian talks on the basis of his Special Envoy's “Mediator's summary”, particularly in view of the shared sense of urgency given the August deadline set by the ISSG co-chairs, and both agreed it was important to ensure a conducive environment for these talks by urgently addressing the situation on the ground;
- With regard to South and Central America: art has transformed a formerly violent neighbourhood in Mexico; an editorial on Venezuela’s problems, and the institutional fragility they have shown; an ex-government minister in Argentina has been arrested after he was allegedly seen trying to hide millions of dollars in cash in a monastery; the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has welcomed the significant and extremely courageous steps taken by the Guatemalan authorities in the fight against corruption and impunity over the past few weeks; according to the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) latest Regional Human Development Report, one in three Latin Americans who left poverty since 2003 (25 to 30 million people, part of a group of 220 million people [almost two in every five in the region] who are “vulnerable”) risk sliding back into poverty, but a new generation of public policies in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can boost resilience and prevent setbacks; amidst its chaos, Brazil has been welcoming Syrian refugees;
- With regard to Sudan and South Sudan:
Sudan and Russia have agreed to closer relations;
rival forces have clashed; controversy over an article falsely claimed to have been jointly written by the president and vice-president; the UN has urged leaders to fully implement the peace treaty (UN daily briefing); - with regard to the conflict in Syria: more air strikes; if Assad is using sarin, Russia MUST remove him; the lawyer who helped put notorious Liberian dictator Charles Taylor behind bars for war crimes is now focused on Assad’s war crimes; an inter-agency convoy has delivered food, health, nutrition, water, sanitation and other essential supplies for 33,500 people in hard-to-reach areas of rural Homs, and other aid deliveries have been made (UN daily briefing), and some other aid is getting through; hours after Russia allegedly called a temporary truce, Aleppo – which MSF says the world is ignoring - was hit with barrel bombs … ;
- with regard to the conflicts in Ukraine, particularly in the east: homophobia in Ukraine - again, in the week of the homophobic mass murders in the USA;
- With regard to West Asia / the Middle East,
the Middle
East Eye and other sources have:
Tel Aviv seems to be estranged from the rest of Israel; the Palestinian Museum is a beacon of hope; the Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs’ (OCHA) latest Annual Humanitarian Overview said that the needs in the occupied Palestinian territory continue to be driven by Israel's prolonged occupation and continued conflict, with deaths and injuries on both sides the highest since 2005, and 70,000 Palestinians still displaced from 2014; an assessment of the blocks to peace between Israel and the Palestinians; Israel has allegedly cut off water supplies to the West Bank during Ramadan; an organisation run by a blind Palestinian which wants Jewish people to better understand Arabs, and Arab society to better understand the disabled; a challenge to the current government has been announced by a former government minister who resigned because of concerns over extremism;
an act of revenge in Libya;
the abuse of domestic workers in Saudi Arabia is expected to get worse during Ramadan;
water shortages in Egypt are particularly severe for the poor;
a Canadian academic has been arrested in Iran; clashes with Kurds and violent extremists in Iran;
Bahrain plans to dissolve the main opposition group; - With regard to the war in Yemen: the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen has convened a meeting in Kuwait with the heads of delegations, with discussions focused on security and military issues, including the need to establish military and security committees to oversee any agreed upon security arrangements. He also welcomed the release of 130 detainees by Ansar Allah in Ibb, and urged the parties to release as many detainees as possible as soon as possible. He reiterated his strong condemnation of all unlawful arrests or detentions, as well as the bombing of houses; the United Arab Emirates has withdrawn its troops from Yemen; the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen has told reporters that the scale and intensity of the humanitarian situation in Yemen is bleak - 13 million Yemenis are in need of immediate life-saving humanitarian assistance, and people are dying of preventable illnesses because of the limited availability of even the most basic medical supplies - and by many measures it is continuing to get worse. He said that it is no exaggeration to say the economy is on the verge of total collapse (UN daily briefing);
- With regard to natural and other catastrophes: the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that at least 1.5 million people are in need of assistance in Mozambique due to El Niño induced drought; fires in the USA;
- With regard to peace and/or spirituality generally, and the occasional nice story: at the 10th anniversary of the Human Rights Council (HRC), the United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General said terrorists and violent extremists aim to undermine the values we together stand for – democracy and inclusion, individual liberty, human rights and the rule of law, and “we have much unfinished work and many new challenges ahead of us”. He called on the international community to continue to place the victims and the vulnerable at the heart of all our efforts; Vision of Humanity has released their 2016 Global Peace Index – and shows the world is a slightly less peaceful place overall, largely owing to some nations becoming much more violent, and that the cost of violence is over $13 trillion, or just over 13% of the gross world product; according to a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on fisheries in the drylands of sub-Saharan Africa, small, fast growing wild fish could be crucial allies in the race to end hunger in some of the world's most chronically poor and underfed regions; the UN Secretary-General has addressed the opening ceremony of the European Development Days, telling participants that every effort should be made to meet Official Development Assistance targets and that better links between development and humanitarian relief were needed; some obvious thoughts on the importance of not harming civilians in war – and some perhaps surprising (to military people) benefits; a review of the Tiananmen Square massacre suggests a small number of leaders was responsible for the violence – and the weakness of institutions contributed to that;
and from a range of other sites:
- the archaic and bemusing practice of “sworn virgins” in the Balkans;
Regular sources include the Daily Briefings
of the United
Nations, Human Rights Watch, the Global Centre
for the Responsibility to Protect, “War
on the Rocks”, the Early
Warning Project blog, the Justice in Conflict blog, the Political Violence at a Glance blog, the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, the International Crisis Group, the Middle East Eye, The Hindu, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, the BBC, Spiegel International, The Conversation, John Menadue’s blog, Wikipedia’s current events portal,
Wendell Williams’ blog, George Monbiot’s website, the Campaign Against Arms Trade, the “Cure
Violence” blog, the Inter Press Service Agency (IPS), the Lowy
“Interpreter” blog (which
occasionally has good links about what is happening in the Pacific), and
others.
No signature block for these posts.
