Category Archives: Fascism

Greek debt crisis: Photograph of elderly man collapsed outside bank reveals pensioner’s despair – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Recounting how he had gone from bank to bank in a futile attempt to collect his wife’s pension, Mr Chatzifotiadis said when he was told at the fourth “that I could not get the money, I just collapsed”.

Both he and his wife, like many Greeks in the north of the country, had spent several years in Germany where he “worked very hard” in a coal mine and later a foundry.

And it is from Berlin, which has been blamed by many in Greece for its hardline stance in demanding the government impose more austerity measures for fresh international aid, that Mr Chatzifotiadis is receiving his wife’s pension.

“I see my fellow citizens begging for a few cents to buy bread,” he said.

“I see more and more suicides.

“I am a sensitive person. I cannot stand to see my country in this situation.

“Europe and Greece have made mistakes. We must find a solution.”

via Greek debt crisis: Photograph of elderly man collapsed outside bank reveals pensioner’s despair – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

Greece and Spain helped postwar Germany recover. Spot the difference | Nick Dearden | Comment is free | The Guardian

the country’s creditors came together in London and showed that they understood how you help a country that you want to recover from devastation. It showed they also understood that debt can never be seen as the responsibility of the debtor alone. Countries such as Greece willingly took part in a deal to help create a stable and prosperous western Europe, despite the war crimes that German occupiers had inflicted just a few years before.

via Greece and Spain helped postwar Germany recover. Spot the difference | Nick Dearden | Comment is free | The Guardian.

The moral crusade against Greece must be opposed | Zoe Williams | Comment is free | The Guardian

On Saturday the Eurogroup broke with its tradition of unanimity, issuing a petulant statement “supported by all members except the Greek member”. Yanis Varoufakis, the Greek finance minister, sought legal advice on whether the group was allowed to exclude him, and received the extraordinary reply: “The Eurogroup is an informal group. Thus it is not bound by treaties or written regulations. While unanimity is conventionally adhered to, the Eurogroup president is not bound to explicit rules.” Or, to put it another way: “We never had any accountability in the first place, sucker.”

More striking still is this line of the statement: “The Eurogroup has been open until the very last moment to further support the Greek people through a continued growth-oriented programme.” The measures enforced by the troika have created an economic contraction akin to that caused by war.

via The moral crusade against Greece must be opposed | Zoe Williams | Comment is free | The Guardian.

Republicans Tread Carefully in Criticism of Confederate Flag – aka: cowardice

The challenge for Republicans has been great as they seek to broaden their party’s appeal while trying not to risk offending the conservative white voters who venerate the emblem.mf.gif

 

 

via Republicans Tread Carefully in Criticism of Confederate Flag.

David Cameron (aka: the 1% troll): British bill of rights will ‘safeguard legacy’ of Magna Carta | Law | The Guardian

In a speech at Runnymede Green King John Cameron will heap praise on the influence of Magna Carta worldwide in spreading freedom and the rule of law, and say every Briton should be proud of its influence. But he will stray into controversy by saying that “the good name of human rights has sometimes become distorted and devalued”.

He will say: “For centuries, Magna Carta has been quoted to help promote human rights and alleviate suffering all around the world. But here in Britain ironically, the place where those ideas were first set out, the good name of human rights has sometimes been distorted and devalued. It falls to us in this generation to restore the reputation of those rights – and their critical underpinning of our legal system. It is our duty to safeguard the legacy, the idea, the momentous achievement of those barons. And there couldn’t be a better time to reaffirm that commitment than on an anniversary like this.”

via David Cameron: British bill of rights will ‘safeguard legacy’ of Magna Carta | Law | The Guardian.

India – Police said to have set fire to journalist, causing his death

Reporters Without Borders is dismayed to learn that Indian journalist Jagendra Singh died on 8 June from the 60 percent burn injuries he received when police accompanied by a government official raided his home in Shahjahanpur, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, on 1 June

A well-known critic of Uttar Pradesh state government minister Ram Murti Verma, Singh had accused the police of deliberately setting fire to him during the raid. He died in a hospital in Lucknow, the state capital.

Singh named police inspector Sriprakash Rai as the person who set him on fire. Relatives and other eye-witnesses confirmed his version of the events.

Singh also accused Verma of subjecting him and his family to a “reign of terror” because of Singh’s investigative reporting and comments about him. Singh recently posted an article on Facebook about Verma’s alleged involvement in land seizures and illegal mining.

After he died, his family refused to cremate the body until the police registered their complaint. The police finally opened an investigation into suspected murder, criminal conspiracy and intimidation, provisionally detaining Verma, the police inspector and four other suspects the day after Singh’s death.

A police representative nonetheless denied Singh’s version, claiming that Singh set light to himself to avoid arrest. He did not say why the police wanted to arrest him.

We are shocked to learn of Jagendra Singh’s tragic death and we offer his family and friends our condolences,” said Benjamin Ismaïl, the head of the Reporters Without Borders Asia-Pacific desk.

We note that an investigation into this terrible crime has been opened and we hope it will be as thorough and as transparent as possible so that all the perpetrators and instigators are quickly identified.

Ismaïl added: “We also hope that the justice they receive will be exemplary. The most severe sentences must be passed on those found guilty. Their senior government positions or membership of the police should have absolutely no impact on the way the justice system functions in this case. The most severe sanctions must be taken against those who will be found guilty. ”

A journalist for more than 15 years, Singh worked for leading India dailies such as Amar Ujala, Hindustan and Swatantra Bharat before focusing on social networks.

Ranked 136th out of 180 countries in the <a href=”http://index.rsf.org/

via India – Police said to have set fire to journalist, causing his death.

Pssst! Everyone can see what you are doing… Grin – Erdogan targets Turkish press, takes on the Times, too | News | DW.DE | 05.06.2015

“It is obvious that anyone who disagrees with the government is declared an enemy of the state, and the government has used all its power and resources to make this happen,” said Ekrem Dumanli, editor-in-chief of Zaman newspaper, who was detained in December and who is now prohibited from leaving Turkey while his case remains pending in court.

via Erdogan targets Turkish press, takes on the Times, too | News | DW.DE | 05.06.2015.

No oil hunt in South China Sea without nod: Beijing to Delhi – The Times of India

“Any oil and gas exploration work should get approval first from China,” said a top official of China’s ministry of foreign affairs (MFA). The official added that pending the final settlement of territorial disputes in South China Sea, China would encourage “joint development” in the region.

The official made the remark in reply to a query from TOI in a recent meeting – facilitated by the US-based East-West Center – with a group of international journalists. The meeting took at a time of fresh acrimony between the US and China over Beijing’s reclamation and island building in South China Sea. According to US authorities, China has reclaimed 1,500 acres in the Spratly island chain in the past 5 months alone by dredging sand.

via No oil hunt in South China Sea without nod: Beijing to Delhi – The Times of India.