HEADLINES
* Green Party condemns Israeli attack on Freedom Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza
* Caroline Lucas elected the UK's first Green Party Member of Parliament
* Green Party candidate takes the lead in Colombia's presidential elections
Israeli Navy attacks Freedom Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza
The israeli attack on unarmed human rights activists left 9 dead and at least 50 wounded.
May 31, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party of the United States condemns the attack by the Israeli navy on Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ships in international waters near Cyprus, which have left 9 human rights activists dead and at least 50 wounded.
"The attacks on the aid boats is a criminal act of piracy and a deliberate provocation," said Dr. Justine McCabe, co-chair of the Green Party's International Committee (http://www.gp.org/committees/intl).
"We demand immediate action from the US, including emergency orders from President Obama to cut off all aid to Israel. The policies of the US regarding Israel and Palestine up to now have convinced Israel that it can act with impunity in committing massacres and massive human violations against Palestinian civilians. These illegal and atrocious actions now include the murder of other countries' citizens in international waters," added Dr. McCabe, who recently returned to the US from Haifa, where she participated in a coalition of over 400 Jewish and Palestinian Israelis and internationals who met to promote the growing call for the one democratic state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
To read the entire press release, click here.
For reliable news updates:
- UK Guardian
- BBC
- Al Jazeera English
- Democracy Now!
First Green Elected to UK Parliament!
The election of the first ever Green to Parliament represents a historic moment.
WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party of the United States congratulates Caroline Lucas and British Greens on Ms. Lucas' election to the House of Commons on May 6. Ms. Lucas, the first Green Member of Parliament, will represent Brighton Pavilion.
"The election of the first Green to the British House of Commons is cause for celebration among Greens in the US and for everyone who wants to see a new direction in politics and an end to the stranglehold of the pro-war pro-corporate old parties," said Cynthia McKinney, the Green Party's 2008 nominee for President of the United States and former member of the US House of Representatives from Georgia. "If Greens can win a seat in the UK, we can win one or more seats in Congress here in America."
While Ms. Lucas is the only Green Member of Parliament, the Scottish Green Party holds two seats in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood and there are two Green members in the London Assembly. 13 Green city councilors serve in Brighton and Hove.
"Caroline's victory was not achieved by watering down the Green message, but by standing for it firmly by advocating economic fairness, social justice, and environmental well-being, showing that voters will support a truly Green alternative when presented with the option. With this in mind, we support Caroline's call for a referendum on enacting proportional representation for the UK, so that the Green Party's true level of support can be realized," said Mike Feinstein, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. Mr. Feinstein contributed a foreword to Ms. Lucas' book 'Green Alternatives to Globalisation' (Pluto Press, April 2004, http://www.plutobooks.com/display.asp?K=9780745319322&.
For more, see www.carolinelucas.com.
Colombia’s surging ‘Green Wave’
Green Party candidate Antanas Mockus takes the lead in Presidential Elections
"¡Con educácion todo se puede!"
If your source of news is limited to the Canadian [or the American] press, you probably haven’t heard the Colombian Green Party has surged from the margins to take the lead in Colombia’s upcoming Presidential elections. The implications are large. If Green candidate Antanas Mockus maintains his lead, he would become the first Green Party head of government ever.
Since the beginning of the campaign in March, Mockus has rocketed from 9 percent to 39 percent. He currently leads Juan Manuel Santos by 12 percentage points going into the first ballot.
Read the entire article here.
More about Antanas Mockus:
Official campaign website in Colombia
Mockus's profile
The Miracle of Bogotá
Greens Elected in Record Numbers to European Parliament
Ulrike Lunachek, Austrian MEP
July 2009
Since 1979, Greens in Europe have won seats in national parliaments with growing frequency starting with Switzerland (1979), Belgium (1981) and West Germany (1983). Today there are over 250 European Greens holding seats in 17 national parliaments. What has marked almost all of their elections over the last 30 years is that Greens are trusted on issues of the environment and also on peace and social justice; but not the economy. In this year’s European elections however, against the backdrop of the world’s worst global economic crisis since the 1930s, this has begun to change and Greens are being seen by more voters as having a credible economic approach.
On June 4th-7th, elections to the 736-seat European Parliament (EP) were held in 27 countries. Greens received more than 10 percent in seven of them, up from four in the last EP elections in 2004, and won 46 seats overall, up from 35 in 2004 (when the EP had 785 seats). While the 2009 European elections saw the rise of some fringe right wing, xenophobic parties and anti-EU parties, among the existing EP parliamentary blocs, the Greens were the only one whose proportion of seats increased, from 5.5 percent to 7.1 percent. Read more.
Israelis intercept Gaza aid ship
Update
July 6, 2009
Cynthia McKinney and three other U.S. citizens were transferred from the Israeli prison at Ramale to Ben Gurion airport in Israel, the standard site for deportations. This information came originally from Mairead Maguire, the Irish Nobel laureate and was confirmed by the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, which is sending representatives to the airport. Maguire was told that the authorities would return to take her next, but she stated she is concerned about the fate of the remaining prisoners from Yemen, Jordon, the UK, Scotland, Palestine and Denmark, and may refuse to be released until all are released. Cynthia McKinney is scheduled to arrive in New York tomorrow.
For a powerful video about the Gaza 21 and current conditions in Gaza, click HERE.
Israelis intercept Gaza aid ship
BBC News
June 30, 2009
Israeli forces have boarded a ship trying to carry aidand pro-Palestinian activists to the Gaza Strip in defiance of Israel's blockade of the territory.
The 20 passengers include former US congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Nobel Prize winner Mairead Maguire. The activists also include some Britons, campaigners said.
Ms McKinney described it as "an outrageous violation of international law", as the boat was on a humanitarian mission and was not in Israeli waters.
The Israeli military said the boat was trying to enter Gaza illegally.
The US-based Free Gaza Movement has breached the blockade five times since August 2008. Two other attempts by the activist group were stopped by Israeli warships during Israel's three-week military offensive in Gaza in December and January. Israel keeps a tight hold on Gaza, which is ruled by the militant Palestinian group Hamas.
The Israeli military said the passengers and crew of the Greek-registered ship Arion would be handed over to immigration authorities in Ashdod, and its humanitarian aid cargo would be taken to Gaza by road after a security check.
"An Israeli navy force intercepted, boarded and took control of the cargo boat Arion... as it was illegally attempting to enter the Gaza Strip," a military spokesman said.
Reconstruction
The British Foreign Office said on Tuesday it was aware of the situation and was trying to clarify the facts.
"We would be concerned if the stories of the Israeli Navy boarding the boat in international waters were true," a spokesman said. "We have made it clear to Israel that we are very concerned for the safety of British nationals."
The mission is the latest by the Free Gaza Movement, which has renamed the ferry Spirit of Humanity.
"This is an outrageous violation of international law against us. Our boat was not in Israeli waters, and we were on a human rights mission to the Gaza Strip," said Ms McKinney in a statement.
"President [Barack] Obama just told Israel to let in humanitarian and reconstruction supplies, and that's exactly what we tried to do. We're asking the international community to demand our release so we can resume our journey."
On Monday, a report by the International Committee of the Red Cross described the 1.5 million Palestinians living in Gaza as people "trapped in despair", unable to rebuild their lives after Israel's offensive.
Donors have pledged $4.5 billion for reconstruction and rehabilitation in Gaza following the 22-day offensive which left more than 50,000 homes, 800 industrial properties and 200 schools damaged or destroyed, as well as 39 mosques and two churches.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2009/06/30 21:34:59 GMT
© BBC MMIX
More information at FreeGaza.org.
WAR GAMES COMING TO THE NORTH COAST
On April 7, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted to send a strongly worded letter to the Navy requesting extension of the public comment period with hearings in Eureka and full public notification. Despite support from US Senator Barbara Boxer, the Navy has not responded.
Although Mike Thompson voiced opposition to expansion of the North West Training Range Complex (NWTRC), there is still no mention of it on his web site.
Air Force fighter jets have been sighted flying up the valley along Highway 36 into the Sacramento Valley. The jets flew low enough to evade radar detection, terrifying livestock and risking injury.
To read the Supervisors’ letter, click here.
For more information about the NWTRC, click here.
To read John Driscoll's story in the Eureka Times-Standard, click here.
Israel-Palestine truce must include end of Israeli occupation and observance of international law
TV image of white phosphorus being dropped on Gaza.
It is with great sadness that Humboldt Greens join human rights organizations throughout the world in condemning Israel’s attack on Gaza. Fully one third of US foreign aid goes to Israel in the form of Apache helicopters, F16s, and countless other weapons that are used to support an occupation declared illegal by the World Court and has, in just twenty days, massacred over 1,300 innocent Palestinian civilians in “self-defense,” a violation of the Arms Export Control Act of 1976.(1)
We are deeply disappointed by the near unanimous passage by Congress of the Resolution in Support of Israel, a resolution riddled with inaccuracies and omissions. (2) Although Israel has declared a unilateral ceasefire, the war on Palestine is far from over.
Israel’s bombing of Gaza was inexcusably disproportionate and clearly an act of genocide. The Humboldt Green Party joins with the Green Party of the United States in calling for an end to US military aid to Israel and supports the movement for international boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel until Israel ends the occupation, obeys international law (including Geneva Conventions and the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights), and guarantees full human rights for Palestinians.(3)
1. www.grassrootsonline.org
2. www.masudblog.com
3. www.gp.org
WITHOUT JUSTICE, THERE CAN BE NO PEACE
Kaitlin Sopopci-Belknap voted President of Humboldt County Municipal Water District
January 15, 2009
Eureka 
Lifelong Green, Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, is the first woman to be elected President of the Humboldt County Municipal Water Board.
Kaitlin, the youngest and most progressive member of the Board, faced an uphill battle when she was first elected four years ago on a platform of democratic representation of Eureka's Division 1. Her commitment and integrity won her re-election with 61.6% of the vote in 2008 and the respect of her colleagues on the board, who voted unanimusly on Thursday to ask her to serve as Board President.
Kaitlin's foremost concern now is protection of local control of Humboldt County's water. The rich water resources of the north coast face an on-going threat of export and privatization, as exemplified by the "Mad River Water Grab" of 2003. With global warming and desperately declining fisheries, water now competes with oil as one of the most sought-after resources in the world.
To get involved, contact Kaitlin at
sopoci-belknap@hbmwd.com.
More information can be found at:
Humboldt County Municipal Water Board
Mad River Water Grab
Greens offer six big steps for economic recovery
Greens support workers occupying a factory in Chicago after layoff: bailout money isn't being used to help working Americans
WASHINGTON, DC (December 10, 2008) - Green Party leaders said today that the incoming Obama Administration and Congress should take six major steps to reverse the financial meltdown and restore financial security for Americans.
The steps include a Green public works program, aid for state and muncipal governments, expansion of mass transit, Single-Payer health care, a peace dividend gained by ending the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, and an end to the wasteful war on drugs.
Green Party candidates running for local, state, and national office in 2008 promoted many of these ideas even before the crisis precipitated. In September, Cynthia McKinney published a ten-point list of solutions and reforms in response to the Wall Street meltdown, titled "Seize the Time" (http://votetruth08.com/index.php/learn/mckinney-messages).
Greens expressed support for United Electrical Workers union members occupying a Republic Windows and Doors plant in Chicago after the plant was shut down and they were laid off with three days' notice and told they had no assurance of receiving severance and unused vacation pay. The company's creditor, Bank of America, received $25 billion from the government's financial bailout package. Greens said that the bank's actions, including refusal to allow Republic to give workers 60 days notice (as required by law), demonstrates how bailout money isn't being used to assist working Americans facing financial hardship.
Click HERE to read the Six Steps.
Louisiana Congressional Candidate Honored for Commitment to Humanity
Malik Rahim: 2008 Thomas Merton Award
PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA (November 14, 2008) -
Thomas Merton, philosopher and noteworthy catholic author and theologian once said, "We must make the choices that enable us to fulfill the deepest capacities of our real selves." Even though he died 40 years before last night's award ceremony, honoring Malik Rahim for his work; one might have imagined that Thomas Merton said those words with Malik in mind."
Malik Rahim is the Green Party candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Louisiana's District 2.
Miles Dinnen, spokesperson for the Thomas Merton center explained the choice that they made this year when selecting their honoree: "This year, we honor longtime housing and prison activist Malik Rahim. Malik gained publicity as a community organizer in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when he stayed in New Orleans to assist the community and co-founded the Common Ground Collective."
Read the press release.
To Learn more about Malik Rahim, visit
www.votemalik.com
Green Party SF Supervisor helps introduce San Francisco 'Clean Energy Act' ballot measure
SAN FRANCISCO (July 22, 2008) - A November ballot measure that would create a groundbreaking clean energy standard that has power giant PG&E "scared" - according to San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, a longtime Green Party member - was presented here today by environmental and social justice organizations.
The San Francisco Clean Energy Act will enable San Francisco to take community control of its energy future and adopt clean electricity mandates for the City of 51 percent by 2017, 75 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2040, said Mirkarimi, an original sponsor of the measure.
Read the Press Release
CYNTHIA MCKINNEY AND ROSA CLEMENTE GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES
2008
It took only one round of votes to elect Cynthia McKinney the 2008 Presidential Candidate of the Green Party. On July 12 in Chicago, Green Party members gathered from around the world to celebrate this historic event and welcome Cynthia’s vice presidential running mate, Rosa Clemente. This is the first time in American history that two women of color have run for the highest offices in our country – an opportunity to inspire and activate not only those who have fought for years for truth, justice, and accountability in government, but also an opportunity to awaken and inspire those who have felt disempowered and given up on electoral politics altogether.
To read more, click here.
For more information, visit:
www.gp.org
www.runcynthiarun.org
COLOMBIAN GREEN LEADER INGRID BETANCOURT RESCUED
Colombian Green Party leader Ingrid Betancourt was rescued from captivity on July 2, 2008, after being held hostage for six years by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Ingrid founded the Green Oxygen Party in 1994, establishing a new political force committed to peace, women's empowerment and a fairer society. She was elected as Colombia's first Green Senator in 1998, and in 2002, she ran for the presidency. Dedicated to non-violence, she was campaigning in the country's demilitarized zone to appeal for peace when she was kidnapped by the FARC. The Green Party of the United States wholeheartedly welcomes Ingrid's release. Her indomitable spirit and commitment to justice have inspired us and millions of people worldwide.
To learn more, click here.
