Royally Sick of It

Am I the only one who is nauseated by this royal wedding? It often feels like it. I not sure what sickens me more, the swill fed about it being so great for the country or the way the vast crowds of cooing royalist sycophants are bending down to lap it up.
Is the country in such a bad state that the only thing that can cheer us up is the marriage of two strangers?
Who are these strangers? The groom, famed for being born to long line of inbreds and despots, and the bride, a perfect nobody until she was shoved into the spotlight and under noses of anyone who could be brainwashed into giving a toss.
That's right, I am a Republican, a snarling, cynical, joyless killjoy. At least that is what what most dew-eyed Royalists would have you think.
But I am happy to celebrate Britishness or Englishness and I will be the first to wax lyrical to anyone who will listen about the numerous virtues of our little island.
Unquestioning acceptance and celebration in all of Britain's institutions however is not to love your country.
If I did not care for the Britain, I would not care for the Royal wedding either way, but as it stands I cannot stomach it.
Is this it? Is this the best of Britain in the 21st century?
Mumbling masses fawning over the vestiges of the antiquated undemocratic monarchy like dribbling serfs.
After all that so many have sacrificed to give us freedom from absolute power, can we not do better than this?
What I find most unpalatable it the constant nonsense we are fed about it being part of our tradition and identity. The monarchy holds us back, though charming its history and beguiling its pomp, it is at best a novelty at worst a barrier to a true democracy in England.
Royalty is a part of Britain's history but so is slavery and brutal repression. Accept it but move on.
Monarchy never cared for a free England, we have a greater heritage in rebels like Wat Tyler and John Lilburne, revolutionaries like the The Levellers, The Abolitionists and The Suffragettes.
Britain deserves to be more than a Kingdom.
Lets rid ourselves of this outmoded and dangerous nonsense called Royalty, let England and Britain move on. It would un-British not to do so.

A Voice for the Tamils

With both Sinhalese and Tamil interests to consider, the issue of international intervention in Sri Lanka has been a divisive one. Many governments have opted for the simpler option of stern words over effectual action, focusing their attentions instead on more politically unifying issues like the economy and the recent flu pandemic

 Now, the Sri Lankan government is more eager than ever to obtain a decisive victory over the rebel Tamil Tigers in a war that has continued, on and off, for over a quarter of a century. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTT), who once held sway over large swaths of the island, are now pinned down to a narrow strip of coastline in the Northeast, in the Vanni district. However, with so many innocent civilians caught in the crossfire, the government’s intensified efforts could potentially result in a humanitarian disaster of horrifying proportions.

 Caught between a rock and a hard place, thousands of innocent Tamils are being killed or injured on a daily basis. The controversial decision by Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, to expel the international media and the UN from the region has meant that the true scale of civilian suffering has been hidden from view. The only hope for the Tamil people of northern Sri Lanka has been to look towards their more vocal and empowered relatives in the West - the Tamil Diaspora.

 In the past weeks a grass roots movement of British Tamils has taken the initiative and forced their campaign into the public gaze. A movement formed of organisations like the British Tamil Forum has spread by way of the Internet and the Tamil communities and mobilized a whole generation of displaced British Tamils.

 31 year old Kieran Arasaratnam, an investment banker in the city, is an part of a self-empowered generation of educated young British Tamils who are now seeking to bring their own solutions to the tragedy that is unfolding in Vanni. His amazing story echoes that of many Tamils of his generation born into the war.

 In January 1991, Kieran, a 13 year old Tamil boy, arrived in Heathrow airport alone and in seek of asylum. Not knowing a word of English he had no possessions but the clothes he wore. Kieran was the latest of thousands to flee the civil war in Sri Lanka during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Before he was even in his teens Kieran had to endure more misery than most do in a lifetime, including the death of his 16 year old brother, Kumar, at the hands of government soldiers.

 One of the most defining campaigns for the British Tamils like Kieran is the Mercy Mission to Vanni which has been set up by a coalition of charities. Their hope is to send a ship to Sri Lanka from the U.K. carrying 400 tonnes of medicine and food with the aim of bringing humanitarian relief. The campaign has garnered wide support from the Diaspora Tamils both in the U.K and abroad.

 However the campaign has faced some opposition and Sri Lankan government has accused them of bringing supplies to the Tamil Tigers. Tim Martin from ACT NOW, one of the charity groups organising the Mission to Vanni explained some of the obstacles the they are having to deal with, “We have had to keep the date of launch a secret because we still concerned about the possibility of sabotage. The government has said before they may attack the ship if they think we are aiding the Tamil Tigers, which is absurd. Now they want to charge import tax on the aid we are bringing in. Once we get there we still have to find an organisation that we can rely on to distribute the aid where it is needed."

 On 29 April ACT NOW organised an event to obtain the signatures of 14 MPs on a special Scroll appealing to the President of Sri Lanka to allow the ship-borne consignment to reach its intended goal. This was second such event after an initial launch ceremony was held at the Royal Horse Guards Hotel in March of last year. Actress Joanna Lumley who is well know for her campaigning in support of Gurkha veterans also signed the scroll, she said: "my heart is with the Tamil people."

Another high profile supporter of the Mission is recording artist Mathangi 'Maya’ Arulpragasam aka M.I.A. who like Kieran, had fled the country as a child. In a statement on the Mission to Vanni she said, “The Tamils have less rights than the animals in Sri Lanka.There is limited food because the government banned the aid agencies and there is no education because the trapped civilians only have one option and that is to make it to the government-run internment camps. We cannot ignore these genocidal conditions.”

 On 9th April, Kieran climbed to the summit of the world’s tallest freestanding mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, in a bid to raise money for the mission and highlight the plight of Tamil civilians. An inexperienced climber, Kieran managed to complete the treacherous 19,330 feet hike before he headed back to London to speak at a Tamil rally a mere 24 hours later. In a speech in front of 250, 000 of his fellow Tamils in Hyde park he said: “I cannot sit and do nothing anymore. I did this for my people and the International Community needs to wake up. Justice will be served.”

 Having lived in London for almost 18 years Kieran, like many, has found a new home in the U.K, “It is beautiful country that accepts you for who you are. The U.K has given me my life, given me aspirations, given me a home. This is my home.” But Kieran still admits that when he had to be tragically torn from his family and homeland a part of his heart had been left behind with his people, “I am part of a community which is the Tamil people, they are very special people and are in enormous suffering right now and I want help as much as possible. I feel my responsibility is to all down trodden people. You wouldn’t stand and watch your neighbours house being burnt down would you? Of course not, you would try to help. You would fight to put out the flames”.

 When asked about his thoughts of the LTTE, a organisation which are currently proscribed as a terrorist organisation by 32 countries, including the U.K. , Kieran was eager to make the distinction between his campaign and that of the LTTE, “I’m not supporter of the LTTE. This about the innocent people suffering from a civil war. However without support from the international community the LTTE still remain the sole representatives of the cause of Tamil minority.”

 On The Mission of Mercy to Vanni Kieran says, “One of nicest things about the campaign is the response we are getting. When I was unpacking some of the stuff that people had sent, one box had packed enough for one family to last a week. There was a note written by a child that said, “Don’t worry, we are here for you, we will not let you down”, things like it really inspire you to carry on”.
 When I asked about what drove him to do what he did he said: “Ever since the day my brother died I’ve told myself I am lucky to be alive, I tell myself I’ve been given this opportunity to live and I will achieve as much as I can and try to contribute something in this life.
 “With the economic recession, the environment and the war on terror the world has a lot on it’s plate so it is hard for Tamil people to be heard. But the Tamil people need a voice and I want to make sure I am one of those voices.”


Nagano Glows Red

Last Saturday it was Nagano’s turn to play host to this year’s controversial Olympic Torch Relay. For the preceding weeks the event had been anticipated with much trepidation. This has mainly been due the city’s famous buddhist temple, Zenkoji, opting to withdraw from festivities on the basis of security and the worsening situation in Tibet. Since temple officials refused to host the relay as a starting point it has been the target of phone calls, vandalism and even death threats. This, plus reports of chinese exchange students organising large scale gatherings in the city, has helped helped ferment a sour preamble to the event. Fearing possible clashes 3000 police had been sent to provide security.

On arriving in the city as the relay set off from its starting point, the station was already thronging with supporters and protesters. But overwhelmingly it was the red flag that was most prominent as the chinese supporters arrived in large groups of Chinese students and ex-pats alike. Many of the supporters where grasping huge bed-sheet sized flags that towered over the groups of people headed for the park. It seemed the Chinese had come well equipped with an array of stickers, banners, flags and t-shirts, some being handed out freely to other supporters. The pro- Tibetan supporters on the other, with the exception of organisations such as Reporters Without Borders seemed mostly to come quite independently and in much smaller groups. As oppose to the Chinese students most Pro- Tibetan protesters came with home-made signs and flags, as many handed out Tibetan flag decorated paper cranes to passers by.

Emboldened by their sheer numbers, many of the Chinese I spoke to (most of whom spoke fairly decent Japanese) were in a boisterous and jovial mood. “We’ve come to support China and promote peace”, a young man told me, “I’m very excited to be here” . The less celebratory, pro-Tibetan protesters in contrast seemed quite passive. This was until I came across a group of roughly one hundred angered protesters marching towards Wakasato park from the station. Though they hadn’t all necessarily come with a completely united purpose, the particular group I came across contained a small but rather vocal contingent of hardline nationalists who openly voiced their resentment to the large Chinese presence in the city. One protester even carried a sign that said in English, “Divide China” followed by “Get Out!” in Japanese. The majority of pro-Tibetan protesters however emphasized the importance of civility.

I approach one middle aged man from Tokyo carrying a sign with a gruesome picture of a bloodied prostate figure reading, in Japanese, “Get out of Tibet!, China is a nation that slaughters it people”. I asked him what his feelings were about the supporters who came and he told me, “We are furious, we have only come here in groups of four or five but all of these Chinese exchange students that have come here in large groups organised by the Chinese embassy. This is Japan. We are enraged. But”, he was quick to add, “there is to be no violence, this is not about violence”. Shortly afterwards, a van full of chinese supporters (waving flags out of there windows) pulled up next to them, chanting in chinese, “China, China, China!”. The man I had been speaking to then engaged the van pointing and shouting into the window followed by other angry protesters. However, uniformed police in dark suits were close on hand to quell the situation and ordered the van to move on. Later as I followed the group towards the park I saw a few scuffles, as a man swathed in the Hinomaru (the flag of Japan) had a push-and-shove scuffle with a group of young Chinese students. Compared to Nagano station, the area approaching the park was heavily guarded, so few encounters were allowed to develop into full blown confrontations. Nearer the station however, an anxious policeman informed me, the fights had come to more serious blows. He seemed slightly nervous.


As I arrived back at Wakasato Park I spoke to a young women, an onlooker from Niigata Prefecture. She told me about her discomfort concerning the large groups of Chinese protesters. “I’m not sure”, she said, “Why do they need to come here in these big groups if not to cause a disturbance?”. Chinese supporters had almost doubled their numbers since earlier that morning as they held the central part of the park, surrounding the stage where the flame was to be lit. The Pro-Tibetan protesters on the other hand had been herded by the police into the southern corner of the park shouting, “Free Tibet!” in English.

As the Chinese crowd in the center became larger, they became louder. This seemed to represent both a rally of support and a nationalist protest. I could not help but notice how rare it was to glimpse a supporter holding an olympic flag. It was clear that the flag of the People’s Republic was holding prominence as portable stereos blared out the Chinese national anthem. The feelings of many people seemed to be summed up as I approached a rain-soaked pro-Tibetan protester departing from the area after the ceremony. “It’ s interesting” he said, “ that the Japanese police kept us Japanese people out and only Chinese people with Chinese flags could get into the centre to see the ceremony. The Japanese people with Tibetan flags couldn’t get close enough to see the flame or the ceremony. I just don’t understand. They seem to think the Olympics are only for the Chinese. I care about the Olympics but I also care the Tibetan people”. As the protesters walked away from the empty park they no longer seemed angry, just saddened.

China’s Convenient War On Terror

Without a doubt the “war on terror” has been America’s greatest contribution to the world in the 21st Century. For the majority of mankind, September 11th and the subsequent crusade that proceeded has been a nightmare. A humanitarian disaster.
However, for many for the callous political elite around the world its has been a great gift. An ideological blank check for the larger nations to consolidate their influence. A veritable vampiric orgy of blood, money and power. This “war on terror” has provided the pretense for wholesale domination and intimidation. Whether it is America with Iraq, Israel with Palestine or Russia with Chechnya, the war against the muslim world has been given a renewed impetus.

The war on terror has now even extended beyond the steppes of central asia all the way to Beijing. In China’s halls of power, politicians are also attaching the bumper-sticker “war on terror” label to age old conflicts in the Xinjiang region. As in many other countries, those who struggle for sovereignty or autonomy are now considered terrorists.
Much like Tibet, Xinjiang previously enjoyed independence and then faced subsequent domination by communist China in years following the second world war. The cynical Chinese communist party has now made the claim that those fighting against the Chinese imperial ambitions in Xinjiang have been aided or supported by Al Qaida. But the truth is that Al Qaida’s rather brief but noisy twenty year history is little comment on a struggle that has persisted for more than a hundred years. The only difference between Tibet and Xinjiang is fact that the latter is a largely Muslim minority, and therefore somehow, not to be given same degree of international attention. Campaigning for a free Tibet is a nobel cause, but to ignore the struggle of the Xinjiang province reveals a grave hypocrisy or possibly even Islamaphobia.

Beijing Olympics: Successful PR or a Revealing Spotlight?

When Beijing was awarded the Olympics back in 2001 it marked the beginning of a new atmosphere of hope. For the Chinese there is a feeling that a new era is beginning. To the Chinese the Olympics marks a chance to show a strong, progressive, international China to the world. International observers have also felt this hope. Hope that the increased spotlight will put pressure on the communist government to improve human rights in China. Many continue to maintain this faith but recent events have proved such optimism is not necessarily universal.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recently rejected criticism of their decision to award Beijing the Olympics. IOC commission chief, Giselle David has stated that, "(The Olympics) will allow the world to take a look at Beijing and the wider Chinese society. We see that as positive - and think it will engender a stronger understanding.” Indeed the world has been taking a closer look at Beijing. Yet, some do not feel the there has been enough improvement. What’s more, on the flip-side, such international scrutiny may exacerbate Beijing’s oppressive nature . With increased international focus, the communist regime is even more motivated to silence it's dissenters. In the run up to the games there have been reports of greater stops being put on media freedom and an increase in arrests and forced evictions².

The most contentious issues with the Chinese government in recent months have undoubtedly been Darfur and Tibet. Many have critised China’s dealing of arms to Sudan and inactivity regarding the crisis in Darfur. This was the root of China’s first Olympic snubbing when director Steven Spielberg withdrew as creative advisor for the Olympics. Speilberg is just one of many influential voices in Hollywood criticizing China on this issue.

More recently, the people of Tibet have decided to seize the opportunity to use the Olympics to bring publicity to their plight. Furious protests have erupted and frantic politicians in Beijing have angrily cast the Dalai Lama as being the orchestrator behind events. The Dalai Lama maintains he does not not condone violence but refuses to criticise the uprising, which has been the first of this magnitude in over twenty years. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives, has since challenged Beijing to provide evidence to this claim.

So far the protests in Tibet have been the biggest threat to a smooth Olympics for China. Feelings of previously dormant resentment have bubbled to the surface both home and abroad. Already protests have interrupted the torch lighting ceremony in Greece and even murmurs of boycott have been coming from French president Nicholas Sarkozy among others. China have recently attempted to satisfy international critics by inviting a limited group of previously banned journalists to Tibet. Is it too late to make amends? Either way China is now a country with enough clout not to be regarded out of hand by America, which continues to lend its support to the Olympics.

But taking a more optimistic stance perhaps the IOC was right. The Olympics may possibly be a positive catalyst for change in China. However there is a good chance it will not be the kind of change the autocrats in Beijing had in mind. There is a possibility that the greater international attention and events in Tibet will embolden dissenters. Just as they had in 1989 when thousands of protesters gathered in Tiananmen square.

Desperate to avoid such a possibility, Chinese premier Wen has insisted the Olympics are not about politics.. But the Olympics are, and always will be, about politics. As lovely as may seem, the Olympics is isn’t just about sportsmanship and world peace. If you really think that, I’ve got a lovely piece of sea-front property to sell you in Tibet.

¹http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/7233924.stm
²http://www.asianews.it/index.php?art=1919&l=en
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2008/02/06/china17986.htm

Eco- Pirates call it a day.

The Sea Shepherd Society this week has finally decided to end their campaign of sabotage against the Japanese Whaling fleet and it’s flagship the Nisshin Maru. As the season draws to an end, they will be setting new coordinates for another mission aboard their vessel the Steve Irwin. It’s been an emotional month which has seen a deterioration of ties between Japan and Australia, and thanks to the additional efforts of Sea Shepherd, opinions on the matter have become far more polarized than they were at the start of the season. Though as far as Sea Shepard is concerned it was a success, claiming they have prevented the capture of an estimated 500 whales, but to what ends and at what cost?

Tensions have rose to a state of fever pitch on both sides of the whaling debate these previous weeks, with accusations firing back and forth as the violence has escalated. First came attacks with bottles of various chemicals and butter acid being hurled from the Steve Irwin, which then precipitated further action later when the Japan coast guard (which had come in aid of the fleet) was forced to retaliate with non-lethal flash-bangs or stun grenades. Soon after Sea Sheperd leader Paul Watson made to somewhat surprising claim that he was the target of a failed murder attempt by Japanese coast guards. These claims have since adamantly denied by the Japanese government and largely ignored in general.

The skipper of the Steve Irwin Paul Watson is also the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a kind of maritime animal liberation front, which formed after Watson split with Greenpeace in the 1970’s on the basis of their non-violent policies. Greenpeace have since been eager to distance themselves from Sea Shepherd who pride themselves on their tally of sunken ships and rarely shy away from putting human lives in danger for the sake of our cetacean friends, earning themselves the label of “eco-terrorists”.

However despite harsh criticism from groups such as their supposed allies Greenpeace, Paul Watson is convinced his mission is just and moral, attempting to evoke, by force, an Australian court order (ruled on the same day) upon Japanese whaling ships acting within the guidelines of international agreements . However the Australian government has also denounced Sea Shepard, with recent calls of condemnation from Foreign Minister Stephan Smith.

In their crusade to push the animal rights agenda forward, Sea Shepherd only seem to have hindered the debate against whaling, undermined international law, undermined Japanese sovereign liberties and isolated the Japanese who, quite rightly, feel they have been unfairly singled out as one of several whaling nations. The negative attention Japan has received has been vastly disproportionate when compared to the inhumanities perpetrated by many other industrial nations on a regular basis (including Australia). Even more disturbingly it has stoked some racist sentiments and attempts to demonise the Japanese. One only needs to browse Facebook to see a whole array of groups bearing titles like “F*ck off Japan” which are peppered with even more racial platitudes on their discussion boards. Yet, oddly enough there has little hue and cry over our european cousins in Norway and their planned whale hunt this year. The quota of which is 1,052 minke whales for the 2008 season. Instead Paul Watson and his crew will go to protest Canadian seal clubbers this month, but I doubt we will here much from the public or media to demonise the Canadians who, unlike the Japanese whalers, only kill for the fur trade.