UN report: Israel violated international law during flotilla raid

Photo of Israeli soldier boarding the Mavi Marmara, by IsraelIMFA

Israeli forces intercepted a humanitarian aid flotilla on 31 May 2010 in a military mission that shocked the international community, including humanitarians and human rights activists around the world. The military mission left 9 people dead aboard the Mavi Marmara, a ship that was carrying humanitarian aid bound for Gaza. In its defense, Israel invoked the right to defend and secure its borders and condemned the attempt by the flotilla to break the Gaza blockade. Following the incident, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) ordered an investigation into the flotilla raid and an independent fact-finding mission was established by the Human Rights Council to investigate the incident.

On 22 September 2010, the fact-finding mission issued a report of the application of international law during the raid. The report concludes that Israel violated international humanitarian and human rights law during the interception of the aid flotilla in May.

In a vital part of the report (Part IV) which dwells on accountability and effective remedy, the mission notes that victims of the flotilla raid have the right to effective remedy and reparations, and hopes that Israel honors its obligations under international law and bring perpetrators of the violation to justice.

On 1 June 2010, in an article about Israel's right to defend and secure borders, I concluded that Israeli commandos used disproportionate force during the mission and should be held accountable for the lives lost during the interception of the aid flotilla. Israel is party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and therefore has a legal obligation under international law to hold perpetrators accountable and compensate victims of the flotilla raid.

It remains to be seen whether Israeli authorities will bring those responsible for the violation of humanitarian and human rights law during the flotilla raid to justice.

Read the complete 56-page report (in pdf) published on the Human Rights Council website, here.

A defiant Israel argues that the report is biased.

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Sweden: Surge in Xenophobia puts Sweden Democrats in Parliament?

Photo of a member of Sweden Democrats, 1996: Expo.

You've probably heard that Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna, SD) - a xenophobic, extremist, far-right political party won seats in parliament for the first time since the party was founded in 1988. The break through came in a historic parliamentary election held on September 19, 2010. Does this radical-right political gain represent a surge in xenophobia in Sweden?

Following the election, Sweden Democrats secured 20 out of the 349 seats in the Swedish parliament (Sveriges riksdag). 20 seats might sound negligible, but with only 20 seats, this party that describes itself as nationalist has become a key player in Swedish lawmaking.

I must confess - prior to Sunday's general election, I knew nothing about the ideology of Sweden Democrats. But after reading about the party, I'm convinced that this election signals a surge in xenophobia in Sweden.

Sweden Democrats make no secret of a xenophobic and discriminatory ideology which targets immigrants and ethnic minorities, including Sweden's Sami  people (an indigenous ethnic minority group in Sweden). I won't dwell on the SD ideology, but it is worth reiterating that most of the party's beliefs are outright discriminatory and extreme.

Like many observant people who have kept a close eye on recent events in Sweden, including an increase in "white power" groups and the anti mosque demonstration in Gothenburg - Sweden's second largest city, I'm not surprised that a party with racist roots has secured seats in the Swedish parliament.

A lot more has happened, but these two instances clearly signaled a surge in xenophobia in Sweden.

Many Swedes, immigrants and foreign students in Sweden have expressed concern about this victory for xenophobia. In an article highlighting the reaction of some voters, published on the BBC website, a Swede (my classmate at Lund University) living in Norrkoping wrote, "I'm sad... but I'm not altogether surprised." Another voter in Malmö wrote, "... I feel that we are no longer the tolerant country we once were."

On Facebook, I was moved by the reaction of a foreign student living in Sweden. Following the election, the student updated his Facebook status with the following words: "Now that the Extreme Far Right Nazist party (Sverige Democraterna) has been voted into parliament, i guess it's time for me to flee the country... eller hur???"

Sweden is already tough enough for immigrants, many of whom meet unprecedented obstacles in the quest for acceptance and integration into Swedish society. With Sweden Democrats in parliament, minority rights and the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers in Sweden will dwindle.

History links Sweden Democrats to neo-Nazis.

Only time will tell what the historic election of September 19, 2010 will do to Sweden's reputation of promoting and protecting principles of human rights and equality.

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Lady Gaga: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" video message

I'm not a big fan of Lady Gaga and I never thought I'd be writing about the popstar, but like I said in an earlier article - when celebrities use their star power to do more than entertain, they earn my admiration and respect. This explains why I recently became a fan of Ben Affleck, Isaiah Washington --- and now Lady Gaga --- whose recent video message to the U.S. Senate about the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy caught my attention.

The video was posted on YouTube on September 17, 2010 and as of this moment, it has registered 1, 303,113 views. The video message from Lady Gaga about the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy speaks for itself. WATCH...



I have newfound respect for Lady Gaga for standing up against injustice and inequality in the United States armed forces. Homosexuality remains a controversial topic and very few "straight" individuals have the audacity to publicly defend the rights of homosexuals.

It is true that I'm not trying to "agree with" or justify homosexuality. But it is also true that I'm an advocate for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and other significant human rights instruments that prohibit discrimination and unequal treatment of individuals. Article 2 of the UDHR states: "Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status..."

Where would you draw the line?

As Lady Gaga rightly pointed out in the video message - "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is discriminatory, unconstitutional and should be repealed.

Christiane Amanpour, one of my favorite news reporters and anchors once said, "it often takes high-profile people to remind the world of a massive injustice." Join Lady Gaga to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
*Photo: Lady Gaga official Site.

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