The forcible transfer of Palestinians is a war crime

The state of Israel  is currently attempting to raze to the ground the  villages of Khan al-Ahmar  and Avu Numar which is home just around 2,000 Bedouins  but the impact of their removal would be long lasting.People who live in these villages threaten no one. Their crime is to have homes on land that Israel wants, in order to expand the illegal settlements of Kfar Adumim and Ma'ale Adumim.. In what many see as state sponsored theft, a theft that will cut the West Bank in two making a contingous Palestinian state no longer possible,  and the prospects of a  two-state solution still more remote., and  is yet  another testament to Israel's culture of impunity that allows it to continue endangering the very existence of the Palestinian people on their land  and to commit further grave violations of international law.
On Wednesday bulldozers demolished nine homes and three farm buildings in Abu Nuwar and clashed with Bedouin residents in Khan al-Ahmer. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society Israeli police injured 35, of whom 4 were hospitalised. Amit Gilutz of human rights organisation B'Tselem said ;No military order or court ruling can make the transfer of these residents lawful or moral. Forcible transfer of Palestinian communities is a war crime, and all who are involved in approving or implementing it bear personal liability." https://www.btselem.org/
Amnesty International have said  that Israels continuing policies of settling Israeli civilians in the Occupied Palestinian territories, wantonly destroying property, and forcibly transferring Palestinians living under occupation violates the Fourth Geneva Convention are war crimes listed in the statute of the International Criminal Court. Since 1967, Israel has forcibly evicted and displaced entire communities and demolished more than 50,000 Palestinian homes and structures.
Meanwhile the top Palestinian political bodies have accused the United States of giving the green light to Israel. Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and the EU's acquiescence pushed the Israeli government to advance its annexation plans which affect  vast occupied areas of vital importance for Palestine. http://mondoweiss.net/2018/07/demolishing-jerusalem-netanyahu/"
Furthermore, building permits are nearly impossible to obtain for Palestinians in Israeli controlled areas of the West Bank and despite Israel pledging to resettle the residents, one of the alternative locations is near a garbage dump in the nearby Palestinian town of Abu Dis which Bedouin villagers say the location is  unsuitable for their way of life. Israels's actions are not isolated, but part of a systematic plan to take the whole of Palestine from the rivers to the sea.
At the same time companies with headquarters in the UK are directly supporting the destruction of Palestinian homes, companies like CAT and JCB  who continue to profit from illegal activity and directly contribute to ongoing war crimes, whilst aiding and abetting the criminal activities of the Israeli government.
It's time for the UK government to step up and hold complicit companies to account over their involvement and to end its complicity in Israel's systematic violation of Palestinian rights.At the same time Israel must be held accountable for its grave violations of the International Humanitarian Law, UN resolutions and the human rights of the Palestinian people I would urge you after reading this to ask your MP to suspend arms exports to Israel

https://www.waronwant.org/ask-your-mp-suspend-arms

DONNY TAKES A TRIP by Fake News Corp

Fake News Corp is an alliance of disparate souls who wanted to manifest their opposition to the ‘alt-President of the USA’ in a rousing song. We can’t stop him coming to England but we do not welcome him. We disapprove of his racist, abusive, divisive activities and we object to his fascistic, bully-boy gang members.

Whilst he travels freely to England he attempts to restrict the movements of others, whether from Mexico, South America or the Middle East. Alt-POTUS is a self-confessed abuser, a charity fraudster and a graceless lying bully. He has no manners and is dangerously happy in the company of the despots and dictators he admires so much.

This song and this video are available free to anybody who wants them for non-commercial use. It would be great if you would consider donating to one of the charities linked below or to one of your choice. We have created this work in order to add our voice to the millions of voices speaking out against greed, corruption, violence and cruelty, and speaking up for peace, cooperation, equality and truth. Download the MP3 here: https://allthemadmenrecords.bandcamp....
 
This song and this video are available free to anybody who wants them for non-commercial use. It would be great if you would consider donating to one of the charities linked below or to one of your choice.

We have created this work in order to add our voice to the millions of voices speaking out against greed, corruption, violence and cruelty, and speaking up for peace, cooperation, equality and truth.
Download the MP3 HERE

TRUMP IS COMING 13TH JULY.

Join the carnival of resistance HERE

Black Lives Matter HERE

Politifact – US fact-checking website HERE

Full Fact – UK’s independent fact checking charity HERE

SARI – Stand Against Racism and Inequality HERE

Full list of image and video copyright accreditation to follow asap.

LYRICS:

Intro
No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA
Resist, resist
Resist the white supremacists
Resist, resist
Resist fascists

Verse 1
We can learn from history
Hitler lost and Mussolini
Franco left no legacy
And there is no Confederacy
Someone’s got their eye on you
From Pennsylvania Avenue
There’s Nazis in the White House too
It’s Donny and his fascist crew

Chorus 1
Resist, resist
Resist the white supremacists
Resist, resist
Resist fascists

Verse 2
The man to represent the dumb
The racists and intolerant ones
Every white man with a gun
Out many comes the one
Bend the knee reveal the shame
It’s a zero sum racist game
Bullies on the street again
Donny gives the poor the blame

Chorus 2
Resist, resist
Resist the white supremacists
Resist, resist
Resist fascists

Verse 3
Racist, liar, tax cheat, deadbeat,
Draft-dodger, Russian agent, sex offender
Fake news, fake press, fake university,
Fake hair fake tan fake fucking charity

Chorus
Resist, resist
Resist the white supremacists
Resist, resist
Resist fascists

Break chant
You are not welcome here

Break spoken section
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses
yearning to breathe free.”
And lo it shall come to pass,
As we receive them unto us
We will incarcerate and humiliate them,
We will demonize, degrade and demoralize them
We will heap blame upon their shoulders
Burdens on their backs
And a price on their heads
A price they can never afford

Even though we will employ them on pitiful wages
House them in low rent slums
And anaesthetise them with bad TV and bad drugs

Send us your Mexican cleaners,
Send us your Filipino houseboys
Your East European sex workers
And lo, will we use them, abuse them,
Hold them in contempt and confuse them
They will be held in suspicion at all times
And held in custody at others
And when we can no longer exploit them
We will arrest and deport them

America, home of the slave
And the land of the wealthy
God bless America

Chorus

Resist, resist
Resist the white supremacists
Resist, resist
Resist fascists

No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA

Resist, resist
Resist the white supremacists

No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA

Resist, resist
Resist fascists

Resist, resist
Resist the white supremacists
Resist, resist
Resist fascists

PLEASE SHARE ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AS YOU SEE FIT, TO HELP SHINE A LIGHT ON THE HARD STRUGGLE AGAINST THE FORCES OF FASCISM IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

The arrival of the world's no 1 racist on our shores is a serious threat, and many are rightly asking why there is no money for nurses when Theresa May can find the magic money tree to foot the bill for a £5m golfing trip for Trump in Scotland. It really shows her priorities and sense of values.Together on July 13th we will be putting on a massive united show of opposition to him, against his politics of racism, war, sexism and hate.
If we come together, and get hundreds of thousands of people on the streets, we will be the reception the world sees. Our message of global solidarity against bigotry, racist borders and corporate greed wills  drown out the mainstream, pompous welcome. If you can't make it to London , find your nearest local protest here https://www.stoptrump.org.uk/events/

Cardigan and North Pembrokeshire Amnesty Group : AmnesTea / Freedom to Express Yourself.

Reminder about our ANNUAL AMNESTY ANNUAL AMNESTEA this year at Clynfyw Care Farm, Abercych, SA37 OHF Sunday, July 8th 2.00 - 5.00pm with tea and cake, plant sale, bookstall, Jewllry Sale, Farm tours, live music and poetry reading. Indoors if wet, outdoors if dry, please spread the word, come with your friends1 Cakes needed and plants please. Travel directions to Clynfyw, From Newcastle Emyn go to Cenarth take turning on left just before the bridge to Cenarth follow to the end off the road. Turn right up hill towards Boncath. Clynfyw is a little way on that road, clearly marked on your left. From Cardigan, over bridge in Cenarth, first turning on your right. From other directions see facebook page.
Come for a relaxing day and fun afternoon, bring your friends, and help raise money for Amnesty International human rights work around the world.Every year hundreds of supporters do exactly this, and last year raised over £17,000 for vital research and campaigning work. It's amazing how much a humble cup of tea can achieve. Just as Amnesty is about people coming together to defend human rights, AMNSTEA is a chance for friends to share good food and support human rights, whilst having some fun at same time. Hope to see you there. 

https://www.facebook.com/events/214732922647282/ 


Also please go and see our beautiful exhibition at Small World Theatre where we are hosting Freedom to Express Yourself. This exhibition is free of charge to view during office opening times: Tuesday-Friday, 10.00am-4.30pm.May 23d to July 27th.
This is the blurb.
"Amnesty International has partnered with top artists and designers to create a beautifully illustrated notebook that celebrates our right to freedom of expression. Previous Children’s Laureates Sir Quentin Blake and Chris Riddell, Turner Prize-winner David Shrigley, Lord of the Rings artist Alan Lee, and best-selling journal author Meera Lee Patel, are just a few of the artists that have produced new artwork for the notebook, basing their creations on pivotal quotes from some of the most important human rights thinkers and activists of the past two centuries, including Malala Yousafzai, Mahatma Gandhi, Bob Marley and Harper Lee. Full of inspiring ideas, the notebook has plenty of empty space for readers to express themselves with their own creative drawings, musings, to-do lists and doodles."

http://smallworld.org.uk/cy/event/freedom-to-express-yourself-exhibition/2018-07-10/ 

As the NHS turns 70, remember to keep fighting for it.

Today many people will be marching to celebrate Nye Bevans legacy that came into the world 70 years ago  on 5 July 1948, when he opened Park Hospital in Manchester at a time of rationing and shortages, when we were nearly bankrupt, a jewel  that the war generation left us with, a proud legacy, for us to all to continue to share. It offered for the first time a free healthcare system for all, and has since  played a vital role in caring for all aspects of our nations health. For the first-time doctors, nurses, opticians, dentists and pharmacists all worked under one organisation, free at the point of use, which has since  played a vital role in caring for all aspects of our nations health, that has been the envy of the world,  currently fiecely defended by people as their fundamental social right.
This right now in jeapordy at moment because the NHS is being transformed into a skeleton, for profit service, modelled on the US healthcare market,and as as a result of chronic underfunding, a massive expansion of the private sector into healthcare provision, and a demoralised, underpaid workforce have combined to put the NHS in grave danger and the result of  of the privatisation policies of successive  governments has put  it constantly under threat.
But today is the perfect opportunity today to appreciate the achievements of one of the nation’s most loved institutions, and acknowledge the vital role the service plays in our lives, and to recognise and thank the extraordinary NHS staff – the everyday heroes – who are there to guide, support and care for us, day in, day out. It wouldn’t be possible to run a 7-day NHS, caring for millions of people day-in-day-out without the hard work and dedication of its staff. Despite all the adversity that’s thrown at them: poor pay, bursary cuts, hospital parking fines and staff shortages to name a few; they continue to become stronger and relentlessly keep delivering fantastic healthcare to the nation .
The NHS  here in Wales employs close to 72,000 staff which makes it Wales’ biggest employer. I can never forget the compassion they gave to my dear departed, my dad, who himself served for 30 years. the staff always managing to keep their spirits high, never once showing any dereliction of care, dedicated, compassionate people under increased pressure, some of whom are resorting to food banks to get by. As the Tory's and their rotten hearts seek to dismantle it,  we should not forget Nye's words who said " It will last as long as their are folk with enough faith to fight for it."
We  cannot reach the day again where people make a profit out of our sickness. On its birthday we should also join the call for fair pay for all NHS staff . We  must not reach the day again where people make a profit out of our sickness . The NHS continues to be  a shining example of how a caring society can create good and safe care, making such a great contribution towards social and health equality, remember we paid for it, so it is owned by us, it is our precious commodity our national treasure that must suvive, we must do all that it takes, to tear the vultures hands from it. We must continue to keep fighting for it, put people before profit, allow it to keep providing free and universal world-class care far into the future.

 Tonight, some essential viewing, a film poem by Owen Sheers, with a great cast, including Michael Sheen

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0b7x2nt/the-nhs-to-provide-all-people

Wild Swimming (After Poppit beach/ Traeth Popit)

After much hibernation
I returned to a favourite place,
Submerged myself in its waters
Enjoyed a fine summers day,
After heaviness my body grew light.
before golden sunset, and full moon called,
found peace and calm to restore sanity
As my body moved in the ocean,
Arms outstretched, tasted sense of freedom,
On my back, body felt warm and tranquil
In  serenity, mind drifted in restful space,
As the world went silent for a while
Its weight no longer carried me,
In the distance the sound of laughter
Warm  healing air, released contentment,
Moving through patterns of light and shade
Thoughts felts at ease, as lapping waves soothed,
This tranquil place felt like magic
I feel I could have basked there forever,
Today thoughts keep on swimming
Feeling recharged, heart not currently sinking.

Stop arming Turkey! / Support the Cardiff arms fair defendants

On the 3rd of July, three activists, one who is a member of the Kurdish community in Wales and a British Kurdish Solidarity Network member, another BKSN member, and a member of the Anarchist Federation are facing charges of aggravated Trespass (" failing to leave land") for protesting at the Cardiff Arms Fair ( DPRTE) against weapon sales to the dictatorial Turkish state.
Prime minister Theresa May has long championed arms sales to Turkey, but by arming Turkey, the UK government and companies like BAE and Airbus are complicit in human rights abuses, and in the massacre of hundreds of people in Afrin. As reported recently in the Independent, Turkey have hired former ISIS fighters for the invasion of Afrin, War crime allegations against the Turkish military and their hired jihadist mercenaries include the mutilation of corpses of women fighters, the use of chemical gas, and the deliberate targetting of  civilians. There are regular reports of kidnapping, rape and torture, abduction, forced religious conversion, and the indiscriminate shooting of refugees.
British weapons bought at Cardiff arms fair are likely to be used not only to suppress the Kurdish struggle for autonomy in Turkey, but also against the US - backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) spearheading the fight against Islamic State in Syria. Turkey has used and will continue to use these weapons against the Kurds both within its borders and in Syria.
In Rojava and Northern Syria, people are organising themselves in networks of grassroots assemblies and co-operatives, using the model of Democratic Confederalism, which emphasises direct democracy, feminism and ecology, and a multi-ethnic society without discrimination based on religion, compare this to the Turkish Government, which has been repeatedly criticised by the European Court of Human Rights for the issues raised above, alongside enforced dissapearances and the mass imprisonment of journalists and politicians.
It is important to keep speaking out against the UK government's support for fascist regimes and their attacks on the people of Kurdistan.

https://www.facebook.com/events/591963254510191/

Westminster "betrayal" as ministers reject Swansea Bay tidal lagoon

In a  historical disgraceful shameful betrayal and crushing blow to the people of Wales, the UK Government has rejected plans for the world's first ' green energy ' tidal power scheme in the UK, saying that the Swansea Tidal Lagoon project in Swansea Bay would be too expensive. This follows their decision to give nuclear energy the green light and giving the Heathrow Expansion the go ahead, which will be a disaster to air pollution and climate change.
The project had been described as a "pathfinder" project, with plans for a further lagoon between Cardiff and Newport. The developers 'Tidal Lagoon Power' had wanted subsidies similar to nuclear power to build  the £1.3 billion scheme.Yet almost 18 months after the government had commissioned a review and called the lagoon a "no regrets policy the Business Secretary Greg Clark said it now "does does not demonstrate value for money" and Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns saying the scheme "just did not stack up."
It is mildly put such a shortsighted move, despite the fact that public support for the lagoon was unquestionably in favour. People seeing the benefits in both environmental and economic terms that would have been hugely significent for Wales, putting  my country firmly on the world stage and would have also created a much needed  2,000 jobs in the process, giving a huge boost to the economy..A missed opportunity,that  people are now greeting  with  justifiable anger, as my nation suffers again, because of the tories refusal to give the project the go-ahead, in what shows clearly there lack of desire to invest in renewable power, a decision that will surely come back to bite us all in the behind down the line, serving to illustrate their contempt and  continuing neglect and lack of interest in Wales.
Responding to the news, Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart said the UK Government has made a huge mistake, saying that "As a pathfinder project Swansea would pave the way for an entirely new industry where Wales and the UK would be a world leader. The UK Government has spent 18 months on this decision and after all that time they have made the wrong call.They are removing nearly £2bn of investment from Swansea and South Wales,"
There have now been calls for Mr Cairns to resign with Plaid Cymru tabling a motion of no confidence against him following the decision.

No words needed .... but

For me the Royal family represent inequality, a dynasty that has no place in the modern world , above though we see  Theresa May fawning in open deference while Brtain is going through a time of national economic and social stress , due to Brexit, austerity, incoming roll out of Universal Credit and so on.
The Prime minister performed this awkward unusually low dip as she shook the Duke of Cambridge's hand to welcome him during a visit to a newly built Defence and National  Rehabilitation Centre last Thursday in Nottinghamshire. I find it  unbelievable that one human being would publicly and shamelessly debase themselves in this manner. Theresa May curtsying, grovelling more like, to Prince William is one of the most cringeworthy, nauseatingly, obsequious spectacles I have seen for a while, and is simply an affront to human decency. How can human beings indulge in this humiliating behaviour with a straight face, heaven knows.
Others might point out that she was just showing some basic chivalry, protocol and respect, but have we not  in the modern age, moved on from these outdated monarchist hangups. I personally look forward to a society in the future where we can all look into one another's eyes as equals, whatever our positions in life.

Lowkey ft Kaia - Ghosts of Grenfell 2

After a five year hiatus in 2017, Lowkey returned to the mic with a personal tribute on the Grenfell disaster,https://teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.com/2017/08/lowkey-ghosts-of-grenfell-ft-mai-khalil.html  who  many have said could have been avoided  with proper construction practices. Above is his powerful sequel  to remind  our government that victims of this avoidable tragedy are still fighting for justice.
The tale of Grenfell is a tale of two Kensingtons. It is the story of how scores of poor people were left to perish, in a block riddled with fire and safety problems and disrepair, just meters away from some of the wealthiest streets in the country.
And if this alone does not  make you cry, then  listen to the following.Simply beautiful.Does music have the capacity to heal?

Yousra & Johara - Fire in Grenfell

My own initial response https://teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.com/2017/06/for-grenfell-tower-poem.html

And some further reflections,https://teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.com/2018/06/grenfell-tower-fire-one-year-on.html

rehouse the survivors, prosecute those rsponsible, Justice 4 Grenfell  💚

Halfway there (Happy Summer Solstice)

(happy summer solstice, to all out there, heddwch /peace, blessed be)

Surging through veils
to enhance, to heal,
recharge, renew, reveal
time to celebrate
through spirit, mind, and heart,
the turning of the seasonal wheel,
under the influence
of a bright shining moon,
swirl in peace for awhile
solitary or in company,
kiss goodbye to the last shades of spring
pay homage to forces of nature we trust,
marking new beginnings
as earth's darkness returns to light
radiant sun returns with dawn
and summertime is reborn.