From mfoster at web.ca  Fri Aug  5 19:53:53 2005
From: mfoster at web.ca (Mary Foster)
Date: Fri, 5 Aug 2005 22:53:53 -0400
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] demenagement de la liste / list move
Message-ID: <012f01c59a32$1b516a90$07bc13cc@CPQ18145226471>

Block the empire Montreal external list has moved from yahoogroups to
resist. We have taken the opportunity to update email addresses.

This list is to share information about militarization and Canadian
imperialism - as well as resistance to these -  in Montreal. Same as before.

- To post to the new list, send your message to
blem-nouvelles at lists.resist.ca
- To subscribe, send a message to blem-nouvelles-subscribe at lists.resist.ca
- To unsubscribe, send a message to
blem-nouvelles-unsubscribe at lists.resist.ca

++++++++

La liste externe de Bloquez l'empire Montr?al a d?m?nag? ? resist de
yahoogroups. Au meme temps, on a fait une mise-?-jour des adresses
courriels.

Cette liste a pour but la diffusion des informations sur le militarisation
et l'imp?rialisme canadien, aussi que la r?sistance aux ces derniers, ?
Montr?al. Comme en avant.

- Envoyer une message ? la nouvelle liste : blem-nouvelles at lists.resist.ca
- Joignez-vous ? la liste :  blem-nouvelles-subscribe at lists.resist.ca
- Quitter la liste : blem-nouvelles-unsubscribe at lists.resist.ca




From mfoster at web.ca  Thu Aug 11 10:38:13 2005
From: mfoster at web.ca (Mary Foster)
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005 13:38:13 -0400
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] Canada Makes New "Killer" Copters for Iraq
	Occupation
Message-ID: <014001c59e9b$76236dc0$f12d54c7@CPQ18145226471>

From: "TASC" <tasc at web.ca>

> Learning to Kill: What Canadians' Tax Dollars Did on Their Summer
Vacation:
>
> Canada Manufacturing the New "Hunter, Killer, Survivor" Copters Bound for
> Iraq, Afghanistan
>
> It can not only "track its prey, it can move in for the kill." It
> features a 2,000 rounds-per-minute machine gun, Hellfire missiles, and
> space for up to 38 tubes of Advanced Precision Kill Weapons Systems
> (APKWS), which promise a "lower cost per kill" than the other leading
> brands.
>
> And it's being built right here in peace-lovin' Canada. The Bell
> Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter, advertised on the company's website as
> "Hunter. Killer. Survivor," is, according to a company news release, able
> to "provide the [U.S.] Army with exceptional mission versatility and with
> the flexibility to accomplish armed
> reconnaissance, light attack, troop insertion, and special operations
> missions with a single aircraft. The Bell ARH will also provide greater
> deployability, interoperability and survivability."
>
> The helicopters will be put together in the corporation's Mirabel,
> Quebec plant before being shipped to the U.S. for completion and delivery.
>
> Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters are an increasingly popular part
> of the war against Iraq for U.S. forces. According to an article in Flight
> International, March 16, 2004, the copters are part of an army overhaul of
> its strategic vision. The article quotes General Richard Cody, the U.S.
> army's deputy chief of staff for operations, as claiming that what is
> changing is "the army's propensity to fight more joint operations with
> helicopters more in the close fight supporting our ground manoeuvre forces
> for killing, reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition."
>
> The article also notes that the ARHs would replace the Kiowa
> Warrior copters which, despite the aircraft's limitations, have provided
> numerous "valuable" lessons on the advantage of using small aerial
gunships
> to support ground units.
>
> By now, it is hoped that Canadians are not terribly surprised by
> this latest in a decades-long corporate participation in U.S. wars.
Indeed,
> when those warrior gunships head in low and spray a wedding, market, or
> hospital with bullets, chances are those bullets ripping apart human flesh
> below are supplied by SNC-TEC, the Quebec-based military manufacturer
owned
> by multinational giant SNC-Lavalin. At their annual general meeting in
May,
> overshadowed by a noisy street protest, CEO Jacques Lamarre pleaded with
> reporters to call his product "ammunition," not "bullets."
>
> Chances are as well that in Basra and Baghdad, Kabul and Kandahar,
> machine guns and other rapid-firing weapons supplied by Kitchener,
> Ontario's Diemaco, Canada's "Centre of Excellence for Small Arms," are
> pumping out those SNC bullets at the rate of 800 rounds a minute.
>
> "This is not a sporting rifle, and war is not a sporting activity,"
> Harvie Andre, former Associate Minister of War, said in reference to the
> Diemaco C-7 Rifle.
>
> "If it can be said of a death-dealing weapon, [the C-7] appeared to
> have no vices when I fired it on the highly sophisticated indoor range at
> Diemaco...the C-7 fires around 800 rounds a minute," then military affairs
> reporter Ron Lowman told Toronto Star readers 1986.
>
> Meanwhile, Milton, Ontario's Northstar Aerospace is working to
> improve the efficiency of another U.S. Army killing machine, the Apache
> AH-64, that "will facilitate added horsepower without the penalty of added
> weight." Northstar is providing what it calls "Face Gear" technology,
> developed with research and development funding support from Technology
> Partnerships Canada, an agency of Industry Canada.
>
> Described by industry analyst Global Security as the world's "most
> sophisticated -- and expensive -- attack helicopter," the Apache has been
> used extensively in Afghanistan and Iraq, highly  praised for its deadly
> nature, and has been implicated in numerous civilian massacres in Iraq and
> Afghanistan.
>
> Bob Hunt, an Army aviation spokesman at the Redstone Arsenal, home
> of the Army Aviation and Missile Command in Huntsville, Alabama, praises
> Apache because with it, "You designate the targets, you shoot your
> missiles, and you turn around and leave. Push the button, shoot and scoot.
> Big advantages for survivability and lethality."
>
> And what is modern war without real-time surveillance, tracking,
> and targetting data provided by the space warfare geniuses at COMDEV, the
> Cambridge, Ontario based manufacturers who won yet another "unspecified"
> military contract in June worth $8.2 million  but "the name of the
customer
> and the satellite program involved cannot be named at this time,"
according
> to a company press release. COMDEV was also a corporate consultant to the
> Pentagon's Vision 2020 document, the hallucinatory wet dream of space
> warriors predicting the stationing of offensive weapons platforms in the
> heavens within the next 20 years.
>
> The latest profit-taking on the murder market, traditionally a
> strong suit of the Canadian business community (Korea and Vietnam did
> wonders for the industry, and the ongoing nuclear arms build-up provides
> mega profits for this country's shameful uranium mining and processing
> industry), provides a backdrop to an even larger part of Canadian
> complicity in worldwide warmaking: the provision of vast areas of this
> country for war training camps, as well as government-funded "advances" in
> killing technology.
>
> At "Defence and Research Development Canada," for example, Canadian
> scientists continue working feverishly on the burning question which also
> haunted the minds of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists: "how do we fit 70 tons
> of lethality [killing power] into a 20 ton package?"
>
> In Ottawa in June, a major exercise called Coalition Warrior
> Interoperability Demonstration (CWID) 2005 took place at the space warfare
> research centre at Shirley's Bay.
>
> "Managed by the U.S. Joint Forces Command and by the Defence
> Information Systems Agency, CWID 2005 focuses on global solutions for
> linking agencies and systems involved with homeland security and defence
> issues," according to a War Dept. press release. The 10-day exercise took
> place as Canadian General Ray Henault assumed duties as Chairman of the
> NATO Military Committee, thereby becoming NATO's highest-ranking military
> officer, charged with the task of figuring out where NATO can drop its
> bombs next.
>
> And every year, the NDP government of Saskatchewan proudly hosts
> one of the world's largest air warfare "training" exercises, teaching
young
> men and women to drop bombs from thousands of feet up.
>
> This year, the MAPLE FLAG XXXVIII "exercise" included many NATO
> nations as well as, for the first time, the war-crimes tainted Israeli Air
> Force. More than 5,000 warriors took part in the six-week training regime.
>
> "Maple Flag provides critically important air combat training for
> Canadians and our friends and allies," says Col. C.S. "Duff" Sullivan,
Wing
> Commander of 4 Wing Cold Lake in a War Department website puff piece. "The
> exercise continually strives to provide top-notch training that is
relevant
> and prepares military forces for the
> battleground of the future.  This year, for example, we introduced moving
> and time-sensitive targets, thus adding to the realism and challenge of
the
> exercise."
>
> Air crews took part in simulated 10-day "air campaigns" (the nice
> euphemism for bombing runs) employed over the "vast, unrestricted airspace
> and more than 640 targets of the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range (CLAWR)."
>
> Writes Lieutenant Sonia "Sonic" Dumouchel-Connock of the Maple Flag
> Public Affairs squad, "Exercise Maple Flag is one of Canada's
contributions
> to making NATO a strong, combat-capable and ready force.
>
>   "The range, the play area [that's right, kids, the "play" area!]
> with the ground-based threats and Red Air air-threats is very good
> training," says Capt. Jonas "Nero" Nerell, the aircraft commander of a
> Swedish Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft that participated in
> period two of the exercise.  "We don't have it in Sweden - which is why we
> come here to participate in MAPLE FLAG every year."
>
> In a May 12 release, "Sonic" Dumouchel-Connock notes that the Cold
> Lake Air Weapons Range (CLAWR) is "the place to go to conduct air combat
> training. Covering more than 1 million hectares, the CLAWR covers a good
> portion of northwestern Saskatchewan and northeastern Alberta-and is part
> of the larger 4 Wing Low Level Flying Area that spans from British
Columbia
> to Manitoba....The realism and abundance of targets has earned the range
> the label of 'world's largest Hollywood set'."
>
> Maple Leaf is but a part of the daily air testing that Canada hosts
> for U.S. military equipment. Canadian airspace has been designated for
U.S.
> training of its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program, enabling the Air
> Force to play with the concept of pilotless bombers which, if crashed, do
> not produce the politically sensitive need for a body bag.
>
> In 2004, Nova Scotia hosted testing of the U.S. Air Force V-22
> Osprey, which according to the Pentagon is "the most flexible, capable,
and
> revolutionary combat troop transport aircraft in the world. It will be the
> weapon of choice for the full spectrum of combat."
>
> "This war [Iraq] has definitely exposed the need for a V-22," U.S.
> Lt. Gen. Maxwell C. Bailey was quoted as saying at the time. And so Canada
> was more than happy to open up some airspace to help fill that need.
>
>   "It's fitting that this milestone was reached by Osprey No. 24 on
> our crucial icing detachment in Canada," said Col. Craig Olson, USAF, V-22
> Joint Program Manager.
>
> And so it should come as no surprise that, with a war budget in
> Canada rapidly approaching $20 billion annually (or $55 million a day),
> Canada's general's have developed a a freedom to shoot from the lip
without
> any concern about sntimental liberal backlash.
>
> Few would be unfamiliar by now with the bull-in-a-china-shop
> ravings of Canada's military head Rick Hillier, a soldier's soldier who
> reminded Canadians that " We are the Canadian Forces and our job is to be
> able to kill people."
>
> Hillier's comments received support from all political parties,
> including NDP leader Jack Layton, who found Hillier's foaming at the mouth
> an "appropriate response" rather than indicative of the  need for a quick
> psychological checkup or at least a rabies shot. The NDP was similarly
> acquiescent on the new Martin war economy budget.
>
> While Hillier's comments offended the sensibilities of liberal
> Canadians who prefer to think that the massive amount of money spent
> annually in this country is for nice things like water purification and
> handing out blankets (though how a CF-18 bomber is helpful in either is
> beyond comprehension), it is at least an acknowledgment of what the army
IS
> for. Indeed, few blinked a few years ago when former Canadian general
Lewis
> Mackenzie wrote in the Globe and Mail:
>
> "As much as Canadians would like to ignore the fact, the role of a
> soldier is to kill as efficiently as possible with the resources available
> once he is ordered to do so by his government. There are many sidelines to
> his profession that make us all feel warm and fuzzy...But they are all
> subordinate to one overriding responsibility, and that is to kill on
> demand."
>
> So what are we as Canadians to do after our summer of preparations
> to kill? Perhaps we once again need to look long and hard at our wartime
> economy. We continue to suffer from a crisis in homelessness (the homeless
> memorial in downtown Toronto has gone over the 400 mark), a crisis in
> poverty across the nation, especially on First Nations reserves,
> environmental pollution (5,800 premature deaths in Ontario each year from
> poisons in the air), long lists for childcare spaces, long health care
> waits, student debt, the list goes on.
>
> And yet, billions continue to go down the rathole of Canadian
> militarism. Excluding money spent on the hyper-paranoid souls at Emergency
> Preparedness Canada, excluding the paramilitary organizations like the
RCMP
> and major urban police forces, and excluding government subsidies through
> agencies such as Industry Canada, Canadians are currently forking out, on
> average, $47 million DAILY for the Canadian war machine.
>
> Perhaps it's time all of us, in all of our communities, tried to
> imagine a day without the War Dept. What would YOUR community be able to
do
> with $47 million? Imagine it, then make it happen. It seems it truly is
> time to look towards the kind of campaign that would demilitarize Canada.
> Imagine the signs that we could put at the border: "Welcome to Canada: One
> less place training and preparing for war. Have a peaceful trip."
>
> (report from Matthew Behrens of Homes not Bombs--Because Canada should
> build homes, not blow them up.)




From mfoster at web.ca  Fri Aug 12 12:39:13 2005
From: mfoster at web.ca (Mary Foster)
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 15:39:13 -0400
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] Sharon in Toronto - November 14
Message-ID: <020a01c59f77$86d0c280$db2d54c7@CPQ18145226471>

> Sharon in Toronto - November 14
> 
> Message from Ron Saba:
> 
> Dear Honorable Leaders,
> 
> On Monday November 14 at 8 pm, Ariel Sharon, viewed by people around 
> the world as a war criminal, is scheduled to speak at the United 
> Jewish Communities General Assembly in Toronto. Earlier that day, 
> Canada's Minister of Justice Hon. Irwin Cotler will be speaking at 
> the same event, thereby giving tacit Canadian Government support to 
> the crimes against humanity committed by Ariel Sharon.
> 
> In view of Ariel Sharon's long record of crimes against humanity and 
> in accordance with the statutes of Canada's Crimes Against Humanity 
> and War Crimes Act, I join all Canadians who respect human rights and 
> Canadian and International law in calling upon you to either deny 
> entry to Ariel Sharon or to arrest him pursuant to the aforementioned 
> Act. Anything less would make you as MPs and Canada as a nation 
> complicit in the crimes of Ariel Sharon.
> 
> This e-mail will be forwarded to human rights groups and law 
> societies around the world.
> 
> Respectfully
> 
> Ron Saba, Editor
> montrealplanet at hotmail.com
> Montreal Planet Magazine



From mfoster at web.ca  Mon Aug 15 05:16:31 2005
From: mfoster at web.ca (Mary Foster)
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2005 08:16:31 -0400
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] sunday: OPPOSE THE ISRAELI APARTHEID WALL
Message-ID: <004501c5a194$46e0b350$f92d54c7@CPQ18145226471>

[Please post and forward widely.]

-> OPPOSE THE ISRAELI APARTHEID WALL

-> EXPOSE THE GAZA DISENGAGEMENT SMOKESCREEN

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Awareness-raising picket in Montreal
SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2005
1pm-3pm
Corner of McGill College and Ste-Catherine
(metro McGill)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Picket will include flyers, speeches, and a replica of the Israeli Apartheid
Wall.

Organized and endorsed by the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine
(CJPP) and The International Solidarity Movement-Montreal (ISM).


Montreal-area activists will continue their campaign against Israel's
Apartheid
Wall this Sunday with an awareness picket in the heart of downtown Montreal.
The picket will include a replica of the Apartheid Wall. Montreal's action
will
be in solidarity with the ongoing resistance to the construction of the
Apartheid Wall in the towns and villages of Palestine itself.

Currently, three Montrealers are in occupied Palestine, participating in
actions against the wall organized by grassroots Palestinian organizations.
Members of Montreal's International Solidarity Movement (ISM) have
participated
in actions against the Wall, and for the free movement of Palestinians,
since
2002, with Montreal delegates witnessing actions in cities like Nablus and
Qalqilya, as well as villages such as Biddu, Jayyous and Bil'in.

While the removal of illegal Jewish-only settlements in Gaza captures
international headlines, the Israeli government continues to illegally
confiscate land in the West Bank, including around Jerusalem, with the
building
of the Wall. The international attention on the long-overdue removal of
Gaza's
illegal settlements has allowed the Israeli authorities to entrench their
settlements on the West Bank, as well as to draw attention away from the
daily
popular resistance by Palestinians to the Wall.

In May of this year, Uday Mofeed, 14, and Jamal Jaber, 15, were shot dead
while
protesting against the Wall in the village of Beit Liqya (see
http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/913.shtml). This past Friday, August 12,
500
villagers protested against the Apartheid Wall in Azzoun, where 9 youth were
shot with rubber-coated bullets by Israeli soldiers (see
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2005/08/13/azzoun-burns-2/). One youth, 16
year-old Siad, remains unconscious in a Nablus hospital.

Since construction of the Wall began in the summer of 2002, Palestinians
have
consistently resisted their further dispossession. If completed, the entire
Apartheid Wall network, including the Jordan Valley, will de facto annex
some
47% of the West Bank. The Wall isolates Palestinian communities into
bantustans, enclaves and military prisons, while cutting off villagers from
their fields and groves. The Apartheid Wall is part of a strategy of the
ethnic
cleansing of Palestinians by the Israeli state.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled the Apartheid Wall illegal on
July 9, 2004, and demanded its dismantlement. However, the Canadian
government
showed its complicity with the policies of the Israeli government by
abstaining
at a UN vote to condemn the illegal Apartheid Wall (150 nations voted to
oppose
the Wall).

Sunday's picket will be in solidarity with ongoing Palestinian resistance to
the Apartheid Wall, and will also endorse the four demands of the
Palestinian
Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign: 1) The immediate cessation of the
building of the Wall; 2) The dismantling of all parts of the Wall and its
related zones already built; 3) The return of lands confiscated for the path
of
the Wall; 4) The compensation of damages and lost income due to the
destruction
of land and property in addition to the restitution of land. According to
the
Grassroots Campaign: "These calls are firmly grounded in the context of the
struggle against Israeli Colonization, Apartheid and Occupation, and for
Palestinian rights and self-determination."

We further call on the Canadian government to adhere to the July 9, 2004 ICJ
ruling to dismantle the Wall by actively opposing the Apartheid Wall and
demanding compensation to those harmed by it.


--> For more information about the Montreal action against the Wall, or to
contact Montreal delegates currently participating in actions against the
Wall
in Palestine, please contact 514-848-7583 or e-mail ism-montreal at resist.ca

--> For more information about the Apartheid Wall and Palestinian resistance
to
it, consult:
http://www.stopthewall.org
http://www.palsolidarity.org
http://www.thewallmustfall.ca

---
ISM-MONTREAL
514-848-7583
ism-montreal at resist.ca
http://www.ismcanada.org




From bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca  Mon Aug 15 07:29:40 2005
From: bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca (Bloquez l'empire)
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2005 10:29:40 -0400
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] reunion de planification strategique de bloquez
	l'empire / Block the empire strategic planning meeting
Message-ID: <00f101c5a1a5$dbe8ccb0$f92d54c7@CPQ18145226471>

? la recherche d'une carri?re fascinante ? la hauteur de vos ambitions?
D'une vaste s?lection de missions et d'op?rations?
La r?union de planification strat?gique de Bloquez l'empire est pour vous !
Bloquez l'empire offre beaucoup plus que votre train-train quotidien !

Lundi le 12 septembre
de 19 heures ? 21 heures
au DIRA (2035, boul. Saint-Laurent)

Le collectif Bloquez l'empire songe ? entreprendre quelques projets
*int?ressants* au cours des prochains mois. Nous aimerions beaucoup que
vous fassiez partie de ces projets, ou ? tout le moins que vous nous
faites part de vos commentaires et suggestions, si vous ne pr?voyez pas
vous y impliquer.

Plus que jamais, les institutions que nous pr?voyons cibler sont
flagrantes. Qu'elles prennent la forme d'un nouveau contrat pour la
construction d'h?licopt?res militaires ? Mirabel, la production continue
de munitions par SNC-Lavalin, la rh?torique grossi?re de notre brillant
g?n?ral Hillier ? propos des forces canadiennes en Afghanistan, les
campagnes du recrutement militaire ou encore que ce soit l'ignorance et la
complaisance qui permettent le fonctionnement ininterrompu de la machine de
guerre montr?alaise.

Bloquez l'empire est le *seul* groupe anti-guerre radical de Montr?al, le
*seul* groupe qui cible les moteurs locaux de la militarisation et nous
trouvons qu'il est important d'appuyer activement ces efforts, tandis que
nous cherchons ? d?marrer de nouveau, sous un autre nom. Nous voyons notre
travail comme ?tant compl?mentaire ? celui de groupes tels que le
Mouvement de Solidarit? internationale (ISM), Action Haiti Montr?al,
Objection de conscience, le PASC, CLAC-Am?rique Latine, le Projet
Solidarit? Liban, Personne n'est ill?gal, IPSM, et d'autres qui agissent
en solidarit? aupr?s de communaut?s directement affect?es. Nous cherchons
ainsi ? exposer et ? perturber les ressources qui ? Montr?al sont mises au
profit de l'imp?rialisme canadien en Palestine, en Haiti, en Colombie, en
Irak, au Liban, ? travers le 'Turtle Island', en Afghanistan et ailleurs.

Nous organisons donc cette r?union afin de rassembler un nouveau groupe
actif, ainsi que pour solliciter des commentaires et des conseils sur les
strat?gies ? privil?gier et les ressources qui sont ? notre disposition
dans la construction d'une campagne efficace et viable pour effriter les
bases de la militarisation ? Montr?al. Et bien sur votre aide
pour nous trouver un nouveau nom!

SVP confirmez votre pr?sence: bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca.

**JOIGNEZ-VOUS ? NOTRE LISTE DE DIFFUSION (nouvelles et articles sur le
militarisation, actions de bloquez l'empire, etc.) :
blem-nouvelles-subscribe at lists.resist.ca.

=0O0=-=0O0=-=0O0=-==0O0=-=0O0=-=0O0=-==0O0=-=0O0=

Looking for a rewarding and challenging career, with a broad range of
exciting missions and operations? Come out to Block the Empire's strategic
planning meeting. Block the Empire offers more than an ordinary routine!

Monday, 12 September, 7 to 9pm
DIRA (2035 St. Laurent)

A few *interesting* projects are in the works for Block the empire and we
would love to have your involvement, or at least your input even if you are
not planning to be involved in the coming year. From a new contract to build
US military support helicopters in Mirabel, to ongoing production of SNC
bullets, to the "kill the bastards" rhetoric from our brilliant General
Hillier (about Canadian troops in Afghanistan), to the every day military
recruitment campaigns in Montreal and the ignorance
and complacency which permit the smooth functionning of Montreal's war
machine - the targets are tantalizing, obvious and compelling.

Block the empire is the *only* radical anti-war group in Montreal, the
*only* group targetting the local engines of militarisation, and it is
important that we get broad and active support as we launch a fresh start
under a new name. We see ourselves as complementing the work of solidarity
groups like ISM, Haiti Action Montreal, OCVC, la PASC, CLAC Amerique Latine,
Lebanon Solidarity Project, No one is illegal, IPSM and others by exposing
and disrupting the mobilisation of resources in Montreal for Canadian
imperialism in Palestine,
Haiti, Colombia, Iraq, Lebanon, Turtle Island, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

We're calling this meeting to pull together a new and active crew, as well
as to seek feedback and advice on strategies and resources to build a
sustainable and effective campaign to erode the base of militarisation in
Montreal. And of course to get your help in coming up with a new name!

Please confirm your presence: bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca.

** JOIN OUR NEWS LIST (news and analysis on militarisation, block the empire
actions, etc.):  blem-nouvelles-subscribe at lists.resist.ca.




From bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca  Thu Aug 18 08:54:32 2005
From: bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca (Bloquez l'empire)
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 11:54:32 -0400
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] DIMANCHE : Non au mur de l'apartheid israelien
Message-ID: <009901c5a40e$0a409830$21bc13cc@CPQ18145226471>

Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2005 20:09:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: ISM Montreal <ism-montreal at resist.ca>

[SVP diffusez dans vos r?seaux]

-> NON AU MUR DE L'APARTHEID ISRA?LIEN

-> LE RETRAIT DE GAZA EST UN ? SHOW DE BOUCANE ?

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Piquetage & sensiblisation ? Montr?al
DIMANCHE LE 21 AOUT 2005
De 13 heures ? 15 heures
Au coin des rues McGill College et Sainte-Catherine
(m?tro McGill)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Le piquetage incluera la distribution de tracts, des discours et une
maquette
du Mur de l'apartheid isra?lien.

L'action est organis?e et endoss?e par la Coalition pour la Justice et la
Paix
en Palestine (CJPP) ainsi que par le Mouvement de solidarit? internationale
(MSI).


Ce dimanche, des militantEs montr?alais continueront leur campagne contre le
Mur de l'apartheid isra?lien en organisant une ligne de piquetage et de
sensibilisation au coeur du centre-ville. La ligne de piquetage, qui
incluera
aussi une r?plique du Mur de l'apartheid, se veut une action en solidarit?
avec
la r?sistance continue face ? la construction de ce mur dans les villes et
villages de la Palestine m?me.

Pr?sentement, il y a trois militantes montr?alaises en Palestine occup?e,
qui
participent ? des actions contre le Mur organis?es par des groupes locaux.
Des
membres du Mouvement de solidarit? internationale (MSI) de Montr?al
participent
? de telles actions -- et luttent pour la libert? de mouvement des
PalestinienNEs en g?n?ral -- depuis 2002; des d?l?gu?Es montr?alais ont ?t?
les
t?moins de ces actions dans des villes telles que Qalqilya et Naplouse,
ainsi
que dans des villages tels que Biddu, Jayyous and Bil'in.

Tandis que le d?mant?lement de colonies ill?gales et exclusivement juives
continue de capter l'attention des m?dias ? travers le monde, le
gouvernement
isra?lien poursuit ses politiques de confiscation de terres palestiennes en
Cisjordanie, notamment dans la r?gion de J?rusalem, par la construction du
Mur.
Toute cette attention internationale sur le retrait fort retard? des
colonies
ill?gales de la bande de Gaza a permis aux autorit?s isra?liennes de
renforcer
d'une part les colonies de la Cisjordanie et, d'autre part, de faire oublier
la
r?sistance populaire et quotidienne des PalestinienNEs face au Mur.

Au mois de mai dernier, Uday Mofeed, 14 ans, et Jamal Jaber, 15 ans, ont ?t?
abattus alors qu'ils manifestaient contre le Mur dans le village de Beit
Liqya
(voir http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/913.shtml). Et vendredi dernier, le
12
ao?t 2005, alors que 500 villageoisEs manifestaient contre le Mur de
l'apartheid ? Azzoun, 9 jeunes ont ?t? atteints par des munitions enrob?es
de
caoutchouc tir?es par l'arm?e isra?lienne (voir
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2005/08/13/azzoun-burns-2/). Un de ces
jeunes, Siad, 16 ans, demeure toujours inconscient dans un h?pital de
Naplouse.

Depuis le d?but de la construction du Mur, en 2002, les PalestienNEs ont
constamment r?sist? ? cette poursuite de leur d?possession. Si compl?t?,
le r?seau entier du Mur de l'apartheid, incluant la vall?e du
Jourdain, aurait pour effet d'annexer de facto 47% de la Cisjordanie. Le
Mur isole les PalestinienNEs, contraint les communaut?s ? vivre dans des
esp?ces de bantoustans, enclaves ou prisons militaires, tout en coupant
les villages de leurs champs et plantations. Le Mur de l'apartheid fait
partie prenante de la strat?gie de nettoyage ethnique des PalestinienNEs
par l'?tat isra?lien.

La Cour internationale de justice (CIJ) a declare le Mur de l'apartheid
ill?gal lors d'un jugement rendu le 9 juillet 2004. Malgr? cela, le
gouvernement canadien a plut?t montr? sa complicit? avec les politiques du
gouvernement isra?lien en choisissant de s'abstenir lors d'un vote ? l'ONU
pour condamner le Mur (150 pays se sont oppos?s au Mur).

L'action de dimanche se veut une action en solidarit? avec la r?sistance
continue des PalestinienNEs face au Mur, et appuie aussi les quatre demandes
de
la Campagne contre le Mur de l'apartheid, soit :

1) La cessation imm?diate de la construction du Mur ;
2) Le d?mant?lement de toutes les portions d?j? construites, et de leurs
zones d?pendantes ;
3) Le retour des terres confisqu?es pour permettre le trac? du Mur;
4) Une compensation pour les dommages caus?s et la perte de revenus due ?
la destruction des terres et de la propri?t?, en plus du retour de ces
terres.

Selon la Campagne : ? Ces demandes sont solidement ancr?es dans le contexte
de
la lutte contre la colonisation isra?lienne, contre l'Apartheid et
l'Occupation, et pour le droits droits et l'auto-d?termination des
PalestinienNEs. ?

Nous demandons de plus au gouvernement canadien d'adh?rer au jugement de
la CIJ du 9 juillet 2004, de s'opposer activement au Mur de l'apartheid
isra?lien et d'exiger une compensation pour ceux et celles que ce Mur a
l?s?.

--> Pour plus d'information sur l'action de Montr?al contre le Mur ou pour
savoir comment contacter les d?l?gu?es montr?alaises en Palestine, veuillez
appeller au 514-848-7583 ou envoyer un courriel ? ism-montreal at resist.ca

--> Pour plus d'information sur le Mur de l'apartheid en Israel et sur la
r?sistance palestinienne face ? ce projet, consultez :

http://www.stopthewall.org
http://www.palsolidarity.org
http://www.thewallmustfall.ca

---
MSI-MONTR?AL
514-848-7583
ism-montreal at resist.ca
http://www.ismcanada.org




From mfoster at web.ca  Sat Aug 20 12:43:47 2005
From: mfoster at web.ca (mfoster at web.ca)
Date: Sat, 20 Aug 2005 15:43:47 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] Canadian soldier opens fire,
	disables Afghan taxi
Message-ID: <1068.64.230.103.51.1124567027.squirrel@flymail.web.ca>

Canadian soldier opens fire, disables Afghan taxi
Driver was trying to overtake convoy

CANADIAN PRESS
Aug. 19, 2005.


KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - A Canadian soldier opened fire today to disable a 
vehicle that was trying to overtake a military convoy, out of concerns
that it  might be a suicide attack.

It was the first time the Canadian Forces have fired shots since being
deployed  on their current mission to Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan.
Lt.-Col. David  Anderson, the Task Force Afghanistan chief of staff in
Kabul, said the incident  happened during a routine patrol.

The soldier who fired at the yellow-and-white taxi had warned off the
vehicle  several times, Anderson said. But when it tried to pass the
convoy, the soldier  let loose with four machine-gun rounds into the car's
engine, disabling the  vehicle.

No one was injured, officials said, although the convoy didn't stop to
check on  the driver out of concerns that it might have been a suicide
bombing attempt.

Afghan national police were informed of the incident but haven't said
whether  anyone complained about their vehicle being shot.

The rear vehicles in Canadian Forces convoys in Kandahar carry large signs
that  use local language and symbols to warn drivers to stay well back and
not to  pass military vehicles.

Anderson said the incident was well within Canada's rules of engagement
for the  Kandahar provincial reconstruction team mission.

Canada has about 250 soldiers in Kandahar. Another 700 Canadians are with
the  NATO security force in Kabul, the capital.




From bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca  Wed Aug 24 11:10:02 2005
From: bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca (Bloquez l'empire)
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 14:10:02 -0400
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] URGENT - Hunger striker may face death in
	Canadian prison
Message-ID: <02bb01c5a8d7$10e9f410$7a2d54c7@CPQ18145226471>

From: "Janet Cleveland" <janetcleveland at yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 1:58 PM
Subject: URGENT - Hunger striker may face death in Canadian prison


> HUNGER STRIKER MAY FACE DEATH IN CANADIAN PRISON
> HE NEEDS YOUR HELP TODAY
> Wednesday August 24, 2005
>
> Hassan Almrei is now on Day 63 of his hunger strike. He is
> emaciated and weakened, but his spirit has not yet been
> broken. The light flickers, but has not yet gone out.
>
> Hassan Almrei, a refugee, has been imprisoned in solitary
> confinement without trial in a Canadian prison for 4 years
> under a security certificate, and is under threat of
> deportation to Syria where he risks torture. He is
> demanding minimally decent conditions of detention; his
> main demand is the right to one hour a day of exercise
> outside of his cell. The Ontario government (this is a
> provincial prison) has callously refused to make the
> tiniest concession.
> In July, Alexandre Trudeau, Naomi Klein, Heather Mallick,
> Avi Lewis and other well-known personalities came forward
> to support Hassan Almrei's request for release on bail
> (decision still pending). Questioned about his motives,
> Trudeau stated "I presume he's innocent", adding that it is
> unacceptable that a person be imprisoned in Canada without
> being charged and without the right to a fair and public
> trial. Three of Hassan Almrei's prison guards also
> testified in his favour, stating that he is an
> 'honourable', 'trustworthy' and decent man. One guard even
> stated that he would have no hesitation to have Hassan as a
> neighbour, saying "I would trust him".
> This is Hassan Almrei's 6th hunger strike in four years. On
> previous hunger strikes he has asked for rights as basic as
> heating in his icy cell in winter, but had to go to court
> to obtain them. Almrei is waiting for a court date once
> again, but it may come too late.
>
> By way of comparison: in 1981, Bobby Sands and 9 other IRA
> prisoners on hunger strike died after periods varying from
> 46 to 73 days, after sustaining severe organ damage (e.g.,
> blindness). Several survivors of the strike remained
> permanently handicapped. In 1996, many Kurdish hunger
> strikers in Turkey died after periods of 65 to 69 days.
>
>  Please don't let this happen to Hassan Almrei. Please
> don't let the light go out.
>
> PLEASE WRITE OR CALL MONTE KWINTER, the Ontario minister,
> IMMEDIATELY to ask that Hassan Almrei's demands be met. A
> massive, immediate flood of calls, emails and faxes are
> needed in order to turn the tide.
>
> Mr. Monte Kwinter
> Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
> 18th floor, 25 Grosvenor Street
> Toronto, ON, M7A 1Y6
> Phone: (416) 325-0408
> Fax: (416) 325-6067
> Email: mkwinter.mpp at liberal.ola.org
>
> Here is a sample letter (feel free to copy)
>
> August 24, 2005
> Monte Kwinter
> Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
> Government of Ontario
> Object: Hunger strike of Hassan Almrei
>
> Dear sir,
>
> I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to meet
> the legitimate demands of Hassan Almrei, who has been
> detained without trial in an Ontario prison for four years
> and is now on a hunger strike to demand minimally decent
> conditions of detention. His main demand is for one hour a
> day of exercise outside of his cell.
>
> As of today (Wednesday, August 24), Hassan Almrei is on Day
> 63 of his hunger strike. Hassan Almrei was already in poor
> health before beginning his current hunger strike. He is at
> imminent risk of permanent, severe impairment, and very
> possibly, of death.
>
> By way of comparison: in 1981, Bobby Sands and 9 other IRA
> prisoners on hunger strike died after periods varying from
> 46 to 73 days after sustaining severe organ damage (e.g.,
> blindness). Several survivors of the strike remained
> permanently handicapped. In 1996, many Kurdish hunger
> strikers in Turkey died after periods of 65 to 69 days.
>
> Please intervene immediately to try to find a humane
> solution to this situation. You have the power, and
> therefore the moral responsibility, to resolve this crisis.
>
> As Canadians, we pride ourselves on respecting basic human
> rights. Please remain true to this fundamental value.
> Should Hassan Almrei die or be permanently handicapped, it
> would be to our lasting shame and dishonour as Canadians
> and as members of the human family.
>
> (signature)
> ***********************************************************
>
> You are also invited to CC Anne McLellan and Joe Volpe, the
> federal ministers responsible for security certificates,
> and to add a demand for a fair and public trial for all 5
> men currently detained on security certificates.
> Anne McLellan, Phone: (613) 992-4524 Fax: (613) 943-0044 or
> McLellan.A at parl.gc.ca
> Joe Volpe Phone: (613) 992-6361 Fax: (613) 992-9791 or
> volpej at parl.gc.ca
>
> CC correspondence to Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in
> Canada at tasc at web.ca or fax (416) 651-9770 or by mail to
> PO Box 73620, 509 St. Clair Ave. West, Toronto, ON M6C 1C0,
> or let us know that you have phoned Kwinter's office.
> Hassan Almrei needs to know that he is not alone, that
> there are people who care enough to take action. For more
> information: www.homesnotbombs.ca
>
>
> Janet Cleveland, Ph.D.
> Research associate
> Chaire de recherche du Canada en droit international des
> migrations
> Universit? de Montr?al
>
>




From bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca  Wed Aug 24 14:39:57 2005
From: bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca (Bloquez l'empire)
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 17:39:57 -0400
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] =?iso-8859-1?q?URGENT_-_gr=E9viste_de_la_fai?=
	=?iso-8859-1?q?m_en_danger_de_mort_dans_une_prison_canadienne?=
Message-ID: <030d01c5a8f7$52a63560$7a2d54c7@CPQ18145226471>

From: "Janet Cleveland" <janetcleveland at yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 2:12 PM
Subject: URGENT - gr?viste de la faim en danger de mort dans une prison
canadienne


> GR?VISTE DE LA FAIM EN DANGER DE MORT DANS UNE PRISON
> CANADIENNE - IL A BESOIN DE VOTRE AIDE AUJOURD'HUI
> Mercredi le 24 ao?t 2005
>
> Hassan Almrei en est au Jour 63 de sa gr?ve de la faim. Il
> est d?charn? et affaibli, mais il tient toujours. La
> lumi?re vacille, mais luit encore.
>
> Hassan Almrei, un r?fugi?, est en d?tention solitaire sans
> proc?s depuis quatre ans dans une prison canadienne en
> Ontario en vertu d'un certificat de s?curit? et il est
> menac? de d?portation vers la torture en Syrie, son pays
> d'origine. Il demande des conditions de d?tention
> minimalement acceptables, principalement le droit de sortir
> de sa cellule une heure par jour pour faire un peu
> d'exercice. Le gouvernement ontarien refuse obstin?ment de
> faire la moindre concession en vue de d?nouer situation.
>
> En juillet, Alexandre Trudeau, Naomi Klein, Heather
> Mallick, Avi Lewis et d'autres personnages publics se sont
> port?s cautions pour Hassan Almrei lors de sa demande de
> lib?ration sous cautionnement (toujours en d?lib?r?).
> Trudeau a d?clar? ? Je pr?sume qu'il est innocent ?,
> ajoutant qu'il est inacceptable qu'un individu puisse ?tre
> d?tenu au Canada sans avoir le droit ? un proc?s public
> juste et ?quitable. Fait exceptionnel, trois gardiens de
> prison sont venus t?moigner en faveur d'Almrei, affirmant
> qu'il s'agit d'un homme paisible, 'honorable' et 'digne de
> confiance'. Un des gardiens a m?me dit qu'il n'aurait
> aucune h?sitation ? avoir Almrei comme voisin, disant ? Je
> lui ferais confiance ?.
>
> Almrei en est ? sa sixi?me gr?ve de la faim en 4 ans, ?
> chaque fois pour demander des conditions simplement
> d?centes (par ex., du chauffage en hiver). ? chaque fois,
> le gouvernement ontarien l'oblige ? aller en cour. Almrei
> attend actuellement une date d'audience, mais cela viendra
> peut-?tre trop tard. Gravement amaigri et en ?tat de sant?
> pr?caire, Hassan Almrei ne peut plus tenir tr?s longtemps.
> Il faut agir vite.
>
> Pour fins de comparaison, citons le cas de Bobby Sands et 9
> autres prisonniers de l'IRA, morts au bout de 46 ? 73 jours
> de gr?ve de la faim en 1981, apr?s avoir subi des dommages
> graves ? des organes vitaux (par ex., la c?cit?). En 1996,
> des gr?vistes de la faim kurdes sont morts au bout de 65 ?
> 69 jours.
>
> Ne laissez pas Hassan Almrei subir le m?me sort. Ne laissez
> pas la lumi?re s'?teindre.
>
> SVP APPELEZ OU ?CRIVEZ AUJOURD'HUI ? Monte Kwinter, le
> ministre ontarien responsable, pour demander qu'il
> intervienne imm?diatement pour faire droit aux demandes de
> Hassan Almrei. Seul un effort concert? a des chances de
> r?ussir.
>
> Monte Kwinter
> Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
> 18th floor, 25 Grosvenor Street
> Toronto, ON, M7A 1Y6
> Phone: (416) 325-0408
> Fax: (416) 325-6067
> mkwinter.mpp at liberal.ola.org
>
> Voici un mod?le de lettre:
>
> August 24, 2005
> Mr. Monte Kwinter
> Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
> Government of Ontario
> Object: Hunger strike of Hassan Almrei
>
> Dear sir,
>
> I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to meet
> the legitimate demands of Hassan Almrei, who has been
> detained without trial in an Ontario prison for four years
> and is now on a hunger strike to demand minimally decent
> conditions of detention. His main demand is for one hour a
> day of exercise outside of his cell.
>
> As of today (Wednesday, August 24), Hassan Almrei is on Day
> 63 of his hunger strike. Hassan Almrei was already in poor
> health before beginning his current hunger strike. He is at
> imminent risk of permanent, severe impairment, and very
> possibly, of death.
>
> By way of comparison: in 1981, Bobby Sands and 9 other IRA
> prisoners on hunger strike died after periods varying from
> 46 to 73 days after sustaining severe organ damage (e.g.,
> blindness). Several survivors of the strike remained
> permanently handicapped. In 1996, many Kurdish hunger
> strikers in Turkey died after periods of 65 to 69 days.
>
> Please intervene immediately to try to find a humane
> solution to this situation. You have the power, and
> therefore the moral responsibility, to resolve this crisis.
>
> As Canadians, we pride ourselves on respecting basic human
> rights. Please remain true to this fundamental value.
> Should Hassan Almrei die or be permanently handicapped, it
> would be to our lasting shame and dishonour as Canadians
> and as members of the human family.
>
> (signature)
>
> ***********************************************************
> Vous pouvez envoyer une copie conforme ? Anne McLellan and
> Joe Volpe, les ministres f?d?raux responsables des
> certificats de s?curit?, en ajoutant une demande pour que
> les cinq hommes actuellement d?tenus en vertu de
> certificats de s?curit? aient droit ? un proc?s public
> juste et ?quitable.
> Anne McLellan, Phone: (613) 992-4524 Fax: (613) 943-0044 ou
> McLellan.A at parl.gc.ca
> Joe Volpe Phone: (613) 992-6361 Fax: (613) 992-9791 ou
> volpej at parl.gc.ca
>
> SVP envoyez une copie conforme ? Campaign to Stop Secret
> Trials in Canada par courriel ? tasc at web.ca ou par fax ?
> (416) 651-9770 ou par courrier ? PO Box 73620, 509 St.
> Clair Ave. West, Toronto, ON M6C 1C0.
>
>
>
>




From janetcleveland at yahoo.com  Fri Aug 26 16:23:34 2005
From: janetcleveland at yahoo.com (=?iso-8859-1?Q?Hassan_Almrei_comit=E9_d'appui?=)
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 19:23:34 -0400
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] EMERGENCY RALLY for Hassan Almrei //
	Manifestation d'urgence pour appuyer Hassan Almrei
Message-ID: <03ff01c5aa95$88033dd0$882d54c7@CPQ18145226471>

(francais plus bas. **svp diffuser. please circulate.**)

EMERGENCY RALLY to support Hassan Almrei on
Day 68 of his hunger strike in a Canadian prison

Monday, August 29, 12:00 noon
Riding office of Irwin Cotler, Federal Minister of Justice
4770 Kent Ave, Montreal (corner Victoria Ave., metro Plamondon)

By Monday, August 29, Hassan Almrei will be on Day 68 of his hunger strike
in a Canadian prison. Emaciated and weakened, he is at imminent risk of
permanent, severe impairment and, very possibly, of death.

Hassan Almrei has been imprisoned in solitary confinement without charge
since October 2001 under a security certificate. A refugee, he is under
threat of deportation to Syria where he risks torture. Hassan Almrei is
demanding minimally decent conditions of detention; his main demand is the
right to one hour a day of exercise outside of his cell. This is his 6th
hunger strike in 4 years. Government authorities have so far callously
refused to make the slightest concession.

==============================

Manifestation d'urgence pour appuyer Hassan Almrei
Au Jour 68 de sa gr?ve de la faim dans une prison canadienne

Lundi 29 ao?t ? midi
Bureau de circonscription d'Irwin Cotler, ministre f?d?ral de la justice
4770 avenue Kent, Montr?al (coin ave. Victoria, m?tro Plamondon)

Le 29 ao?t, Hassan Almrei en sera au Jour 68 de sa gr?ve de la faim dans une
prison canadienne. son ?tat de sant? est tr?s pr?caire. D?charn? et
affaibli, il court un risque imminent de subir des s?quelles graves et
durables, voire de mourir.

Hassan Almrei, un r?fugi?, est en d?tention solitaire sans proc?s depuis
octobre 2001 en vertu d'un certificat de s?curit? et il est menac? de
d?portation vers la torture en Syrie, son pays d'origine. Il demande des
conditions de d?tention minimalement acceptables, principalement le droit de
sortir de sa cellule une heure par jour pour faire un peu d'exercice. Il s'
agit de son 6e gr?ve de la faim en 4 ans. Les autorit?s gouvernementales
refusent obstin?ment de faire la moindre concession en vue de d?nouer
situation.

Hassan Almrei emergency support committee
Comit? de soutien d'urgence ? Hassan Almrei

================================================================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++PHONE IN APPEAL+++++++++++++++

HUNGER STRIKER MAY FACE DEATH IN CANADIAN PRISON
HE NEEDS YOUR HELP TODAY
Wednesday August 24, 2005

Hassan Almrei is now on Day 63 of his hunger strike. He is
emaciated and weakened, but his spirit has not yet been
broken. The light flickers, but has not yet gone out.

Hassan Almrei, a refugee, has been imprisoned in solitary
confinement without trial in a Canadian prison for 4 years
under a security certificate, and is under threat of
deportation to Syria where he risks torture. He is
demanding minimally decent conditions of detention; his
main demand is the right to one hour a day of exercise
outside of his cell. The Ontario government (this is a
provincial prison) has callously refused to make the
tiniest concession.
In July, Alexandre Trudeau, Naomi Klein, Heather Mallick,
Avi Lewis and other well-known personalities came forward
to support Hassan Almrei's request for release on bail
(decision still pending). Questioned about his motives,
Trudeau stated "I presume he's innocent", adding that it is
unacceptable that a person be imprisoned in Canada without
being charged and without the right to a fair and public
trial. Three of Hassan Almrei's prison guards also
testified in his favour, stating that he is an
'honourable', 'trustworthy' and decent man. One guard even
stated that he would have no hesitation to have Hassan as a
neighbour, saying "I would trust him".
This is Hassan Almrei's 6th hunger strike in four years. On
previous hunger strikes he has asked for rights as basic as
heating in his icy cell in winter, but had to go to court
to obtain them. Almrei is waiting for a court date once
again, but it may come too late.

By way of comparison: in 1981, Bobby Sands and 9 other IRA
prisoners on hunger strike died after periods varying from
46 to 73 days, after sustaining severe organ damage (e.g.,
blindness). Several survivors of the strike remained
permanently handicapped. In 1996, many Kurdish hunger
strikers in Turkey died after periods of 65 to 69 days.

 Please don't let this happen to Hassan Almrei. Please
don't let the light go out.

PLEASE WRITE OR CALL MONTE KWINTER, the Ontario minister,
IMMEDIATELY to ask that Hassan Almrei's demands be met. A
massive, immediate flood of calls, emails and faxes are
needed in order to turn the tide.

Mr. Monte Kwinter
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
18th floor, 25 Grosvenor Street
Toronto, ON, M7A 1Y6
Phone: (416) 325-0408
Fax: (416) 325-6067
Email: mkwinter.mpp at liberal.ola.org

Here is a sample letter (feel free to copy)

August 24, 2005
Monte Kwinter
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Government of Ontario
Object: Hunger strike of Hassan Almrei

Dear sir,

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to meet
the legitimate demands of Hassan Almrei, who has been
detained without trial in an Ontario prison for four years
and is now on a hunger strike to demand minimally decent
conditions of detention. His main demand is for one hour a
day of exercise outside of his cell.

As of today (Wednesday, August 24), Hassan Almrei is on Day
63 of his hunger strike. Hassan Almrei was already in poor
health before beginning his current hunger strike. He is at
imminent risk of permanent, severe impairment, and very
possibly, of death.

By way of comparison: in 1981, Bobby Sands and 9 other IRA
prisoners on hunger strike died after periods varying from
46 to 73 days after sustaining severe organ damage (e.g.,
blindness). Several survivors of the strike remained
permanently handicapped. In 1996, many Kurdish hunger
strikers in Turkey died after periods of 65 to 69 days.

Please intervene immediately to try to find a humane
solution to this situation. You have the power, and
therefore the moral responsibility, to resolve this crisis.

As Canadians, we pride ourselves on respecting basic human
rights. Please remain true to this fundamental value.
Should Hassan Almrei die or be permanently handicapped, it
would be to our lasting shame and dishonour as Canadians
and as members of the human family.

(signature)
***********************************************************

You are also invited to CC Anne McLellan and Joe Volpe, the
federal ministers responsible for security certificates,
and to add a demand for a fair and public trial for all 5
men currently detained on security certificates.
Anne McLellan, Phone: (613) 992-4524 Fax: (613) 943-0044 or
McLellan.A at parl.gc.ca
Joe Volpe Phone: (613) 992-6361 Fax: (613) 992-9791 or
volpej at parl.gc.ca

CC correspondence to Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in
Canada at tasc at web.ca or fax (416) 651-9770 or by mail to
PO Box 73620, 509 St. Clair Ave. West, Toronto, ON M6C 1C0,
or let us know that you have phoned Kwinter's office.
Hassan Almrei needs to know that he is not alone, that
there are people who care enough to take action. For more
information: www.homesnotbombs.ca


Janet Cleveland, Ph.D.
Research associate
Chaire de recherche du Canada en droit international des
migrations
Universit? de Montr?al

================
================
GR?VISTE DE LA FAIM EN DANGER DE MORT DANS UNE PRISON
CANADIENNE - IL A BESOIN DE VOTRE AIDE AUJOURD'HUI
Mercredi le 24 ao?t 2005

Hassan Almrei en est au Jour 63 de sa gr?ve de la faim. Il
est d?charn? et affaibli, mais il tient toujours. La
lumi?re vacille, mais luit encore.

Hassan Almrei, un r?fugi?, est en d?tention solitaire sans
proc?s depuis quatre ans dans une prison canadienne en
Ontario en vertu d'un certificat de s?curit? et il est
menac? de d?portation vers la torture en Syrie, son pays
d'origine. Il demande des conditions de d?tention
minimalement acceptables, principalement le droit de sortir
de sa cellule une heure par jour pour faire un peu
d'exercice. Le gouvernement ontarien refuse obstin?ment de
faire la moindre concession en vue de d?nouer situation.

En juillet, Alexandre Trudeau, Naomi Klein, Heather
Mallick, Avi Lewis et d'autres personnages publics se sont
port?s cautions pour Hassan Almrei lors de sa demande de
lib?ration sous cautionnement (toujours en d?lib?r?).
Trudeau a d?clar? ? Je pr?sume qu'il est innocent ?,
ajoutant qu'il est inacceptable qu'un individu puisse ?tre
d?tenu au Canada sans avoir le droit ? un proc?s public
juste et ?quitable. Fait exceptionnel, trois gardiens de
prison sont venus t?moigner en faveur d'Almrei, affirmant
qu'il s'agit d'un homme paisible, 'honorable' et 'digne de
confiance'. Un des gardiens a m?me dit qu'il n'aurait
aucune h?sitation ? avoir Almrei comme voisin, disant ? Je
lui ferais confiance ?.

Almrei en est ? sa sixi?me gr?ve de la faim en 4 ans, ?
chaque fois pour demander des conditions simplement
d?centes (par ex., du chauffage en hiver). ? chaque fois,
le gouvernement ontarien l'oblige ? aller en cour. Almrei
attend actuellement une date d'audience, mais cela viendra
peut-?tre trop tard. Gravement amaigri et en ?tat de sant?
pr?caire, Hassan Almrei ne peut plus tenir tr?s longtemps.
Il faut agir vite.

Pour fins de comparaison, citons le cas de Bobby Sands et 9
autres prisonniers de l'IRA, morts au bout de 46 ? 73 jours
de gr?ve de la faim en 1981, apr?s avoir subi des dommages
graves ? des organes vitaux (par ex., la c?cit?). En 1996,
des gr?vistes de la faim kurdes sont morts au bout de 65 ?
69 jours.

Ne laissez pas Hassan Almrei subir le m?me sort. Ne laissez
pas la lumi?re s'?teindre.

SVP APPELEZ OU ?CRIVEZ AUJOURD'HUI ? Monte Kwinter, le
ministre ontarien responsable, pour demander qu'il
intervienne imm?diatement pour faire droit aux demandes de
Hassan Almrei. Seul un effort concert? a des chances de
r?ussir.

Monte Kwinter
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
18th floor, 25 Grosvenor Street
Toronto, ON, M7A 1Y6
Phone: (416) 325-0408
Fax: (416) 325-6067
mkwinter.mpp at liberal.ola.org

Voici un mod?le de lettre:

August 24, 2005
Mr. Monte Kwinter
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Government of Ontario
Object: Hunger strike of Hassan Almrei

Dear sir,

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to meet
the legitimate demands of Hassan Almrei, who has been
detained without trial in an Ontario prison for four years
and is now on a hunger strike to demand minimally decent
conditions of detention. His main demand is for one hour a
day of exercise outside of his cell.

As of today (Wednesday, August 24), Hassan Almrei is on Day
63 of his hunger strike. Hassan Almrei was already in poor
health before beginning his current hunger strike. He is at
imminent risk of permanent, severe impairment, and very
possibly, of death.

By way of comparison: in 1981, Bobby Sands and 9 other IRA
prisoners on hunger strike died after periods varying from
46 to 73 days after sustaining severe organ damage (e.g.,
blindness). Several survivors of the strike remained
permanently handicapped. In 1996, many Kurdish hunger
strikers in Turkey died after periods of 65 to 69 days.

Please intervene immediately to try to find a humane
solution to this situation. You have the power, and
therefore the moral responsibility, to resolve this crisis.

As Canadians, we pride ourselves on respecting basic human
rights. Please remain true to this fundamental value.
Should Hassan Almrei die or be permanently handicapped, it
would be to our lasting shame and dishonour as Canadians
and as members of the human family.

(signature)

***********************************************************
Vous pouvez envoyer une copie conforme ? Anne McLellan and
Joe Volpe, les ministres f?d?raux responsables des
certificats de s?curit?, en ajoutant une demande pour que
les cinq hommes actuellement d?tenus en vertu de
certificats de s?curit? aient droit ? un proc?s public
juste et ?quitable.
Anne McLellan, Phone: (613) 992-4524 Fax: (613) 943-0044 ou
McLellan.A at parl.gc.ca
Joe Volpe Phone: (613) 992-6361 Fax: (613) 992-9791 ou
volpej at parl.gc.ca

SVP envoyez une copie conforme ? Campaign to Stop Secret
Trials in Canada par courriel ? tasc at web.ca ou par fax ?
(416) 651-9770 ou par courrier ? PO Box 73620, 509 St.
Clair Ave. West, Toronto, ON M6C 1C0.







From mfoster at web.ca  Sun Aug 28 18:00:48 2005
From: mfoster at web.ca (Mary Foster)
Date: Sun, 28 Aug 2005 21:00:48 -0400
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] EMERGENCY RALLY  // MANIF d'URGENCE
Message-ID: <003701c5ac35$4fe59fa0$692d54c7@CPQ18145226471>

from: "Comit? d'appui Hassan Almrei" <janet.cleveland at umontreal.ca>

(francais plus bas. **svp diffuser. please circulate.**)

EMERGENCY RALLY to support Hassan Almrei on
Day 68 of his hunger strike in a Canadian prison

Monday, August 29, 12:00 noon
Riding office of Irwin Cotler, Federal Minister of Justice
4770 Kent Ave, Montreal (corner Victoria Ave., metro Plamondon)

By Monday, August 29, Hassan Almrei will be on Day 68 of his hunger strike
in a Canadian prison. Emaciated and weakened, he is at imminent risk of
permanent, severe impairment and, very possibly, of death.

Hassan Almrei has been imprisoned in solitary confinement without charge
since October 2001 under a security certificate. A refugee, he is under
threat of deportation to Syria where he risks torture. Hassan Almrei is
demanding minimally decent conditions of detention; his main demand is the
right to one hour a day of exercise outside of his cell. This is his 6th
hunger strike in 4 years. Government authorities have so far callously
refused to make the slightest concession.

==============================

Manifestation d'urgence pour appuyer Hassan Almrei
Au Jour 68 de sa gr?ve de la faim dans une prison canadienne

Lundi 29 ao?t ? midi
Bureau de circonscription d'Irwin Cotler, ministre f?d?ral de la justice
4770 avenue Kent, Montr?al (coin ave. Victoria, m?tro Plamondon)

Le 29 ao?t, Hassan Almrei en sera au Jour 68 de sa gr?ve de la faim dans une
prison canadienne. son ?tat de sant? est tr?s pr?caire. D?charn? et
affaibli, il court un risque imminent de subir des s?quelles graves et
durables, voire de mourir.

Hassan Almrei, un r?fugi?, est en d?tention solitaire sans proc?s depuis
octobre 2001 en vertu d'un certificat de s?curit? et il est menac? de
d?portation vers la torture en Syrie, son pays d'origine. Il demande des
conditions de d?tention minimalement acceptables, principalement le droit de
sortir de sa cellule une heure par jour pour faire un peu d'exercice. Il s'
agit de son 6e gr?ve de la faim en 4 ans. Les autorit?s gouvernementales
refusent obstin?ment de faire la moindre concession en vue de d?nouer
situation.

Hassan Almrei emergency support committee
Comit? de soutien d'urgence ? Hassan Almrei

================================================================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++PHONE IN APPEAL+++++++++++++++

HUNGER STRIKER MAY FACE DEATH IN CANADIAN PRISON
HE NEEDS YOUR HELP TODAY
Wednesday August 24, 2005

Hassan Almrei is now on Day 63 of his hunger strike. He is
emaciated and weakened, but his spirit has not yet been
broken. The light flickers, but has not yet gone out.

Hassan Almrei, a refugee, has been imprisoned in solitary
confinement without trial in a Canadian prison for 4 years
under a security certificate, and is under threat of
deportation to Syria where he risks torture. He is
demanding minimally decent conditions of detention; his
main demand is the right to one hour a day of exercise
outside of his cell. The Ontario government (this is a
provincial prison) has callously refused to make the
tiniest concession.
In July, Alexandre Trudeau, Naomi Klein, Heather Mallick,
Avi Lewis and other well-known personalities came forward
to support Hassan Almrei's request for release on bail
(decision still pending). Questioned about his motives,
Trudeau stated "I presume he's innocent", adding that it is
unacceptable that a person be imprisoned in Canada without
being charged and without the right to a fair and public
trial. Three of Hassan Almrei's prison guards also
testified in his favour, stating that he is an
'honourable', 'trustworthy' and decent man. One guard even
stated that he would have no hesitation to have Hassan as a
neighbour, saying "I would trust him".
This is Hassan Almrei's 6th hunger strike in four years. On
previous hunger strikes he has asked for rights as basic as
heating in his icy cell in winter, but had to go to court
to obtain them. Almrei is waiting for a court date once
again, but it may come too late.

By way of comparison: in 1981, Bobby Sands and 9 other IRA
prisoners on hunger strike died after periods varying from
46 to 73 days, after sustaining severe organ damage (e.g.,
blindness). Several survivors of the strike remained
permanently handicapped. In 1996, many Kurdish hunger
strikers in Turkey died after periods of 65 to 69 days.

 Please don't let this happen to Hassan Almrei. Please
don't let the light go out.

PLEASE WRITE OR CALL MONTE KWINTER, the Ontario minister,
IMMEDIATELY to ask that Hassan Almrei's demands be met. A
massive, immediate flood of calls, emails and faxes are
needed in order to turn the tide.

Mr. Monte Kwinter
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
18th floor, 25 Grosvenor Street
Toronto, ON, M7A 1Y6
Phone: (416) 325-0408
Fax: (416) 325-6067
Email: mkwinter.mpp at liberal.ola.org

Here is a sample letter (feel free to copy)

August 24, 2005
Monte Kwinter
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Government of Ontario
Object: Hunger strike of Hassan Almrei

Dear sir,

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to meet
the legitimate demands of Hassan Almrei, who has been
detained without trial in an Ontario prison for four years
and is now on a hunger strike to demand minimally decent
conditions of detention. His main demand is for one hour a
day of exercise outside of his cell.

As of today (Wednesday, August 24), Hassan Almrei is on Day
63 of his hunger strike. Hassan Almrei was already in poor
health before beginning his current hunger strike. He is at
imminent risk of permanent, severe impairment, and very
possibly, of death.

By way of comparison: in 1981, Bobby Sands and 9 other IRA
prisoners on hunger strike died after periods varying from
46 to 73 days after sustaining severe organ damage (e.g.,
blindness). Several survivors of the strike remained
permanently handicapped. In 1996, many Kurdish hunger
strikers in Turkey died after periods of 65 to 69 days.

Please intervene immediately to try to find a humane
solution to this situation. You have the power, and
therefore the moral responsibility, to resolve this crisis.

As Canadians, we pride ourselves on respecting basic human
rights. Please remain true to this fundamental value.
Should Hassan Almrei die or be permanently handicapped, it
would be to our lasting shame and dishonour as Canadians
and as members of the human family.

(signature)
***********************************************************

You are also invited to CC Anne McLellan and Joe Volpe, the
federal ministers responsible for security certificates,
and to add a demand for a fair and public trial for all 5
men currently detained on security certificates.
Anne McLellan, Phone: (613) 992-4524 Fax: (613) 943-0044 or
McLellan.A at parl.gc.ca
Joe Volpe Phone: (613) 992-6361 Fax: (613) 992-9791 or
volpej at parl.gc.ca

CC correspondence to Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in
Canada at tasc at web.ca or fax (416) 651-9770 or by mail to
PO Box 73620, 509 St. Clair Ave. West, Toronto, ON M6C 1C0,
or let us know that you have phoned Kwinter's office.
Hassan Almrei needs to know that he is not alone, that
there are people who care enough to take action. For more
information: www.homesnotbombs.ca


Janet Cleveland, Ph.D.
Research associate
Chaire de recherche du Canada en droit international des
migrations
Universit? de Montr?al

================
================
GR?VISTE DE LA FAIM EN DANGER DE MORT DANS UNE PRISON
CANADIENNE - IL A BESOIN DE VOTRE AIDE AUJOURD'HUI
Mercredi le 24 ao?t 2005

Hassan Almrei en est au Jour 63 de sa gr?ve de la faim. Il
est d?charn? et affaibli, mais il tient toujours. La
lumi?re vacille, mais luit encore.

Hassan Almrei, un r?fugi?, est en d?tention solitaire sans
proc?s depuis quatre ans dans une prison canadienne en
Ontario en vertu d'un certificat de s?curit? et il est
menac? de d?portation vers la torture en Syrie, son pays
d'origine. Il demande des conditions de d?tention
minimalement acceptables, principalement le droit de sortir
de sa cellule une heure par jour pour faire un peu
d'exercice. Le gouvernement ontarien refuse obstin?ment de
faire la moindre concession en vue de d?nouer situation.

En juillet, Alexandre Trudeau, Naomi Klein, Heather
Mallick, Avi Lewis et d'autres personnages publics se sont
port?s cautions pour Hassan Almrei lors de sa demande de
lib?ration sous cautionnement (toujours en d?lib?r?).
Trudeau a d?clar? ? Je pr?sume qu'il est innocent ?,
ajoutant qu'il est inacceptable qu'un individu puisse ?tre
d?tenu au Canada sans avoir le droit ? un proc?s public
juste et ?quitable. Fait exceptionnel, trois gardiens de
prison sont venus t?moigner en faveur d'Almrei, affirmant
qu'il s'agit d'un homme paisible, 'honorable' et 'digne de
confiance'. Un des gardiens a m?me dit qu'il n'aurait
aucune h?sitation ? avoir Almrei comme voisin, disant ? Je
lui ferais confiance ?.

Almrei en est ? sa sixi?me gr?ve de la faim en 4 ans, ?
chaque fois pour demander des conditions simplement
d?centes (par ex., du chauffage en hiver). ? chaque fois,
le gouvernement ontarien l'oblige ? aller en cour. Almrei
attend actuellement une date d'audience, mais cela viendra
peut-?tre trop tard. Gravement amaigri et en ?tat de sant?
pr?caire, Hassan Almrei ne peut plus tenir tr?s longtemps.
Il faut agir vite.

Pour fins de comparaison, citons le cas de Bobby Sands et 9
autres prisonniers de l'IRA, morts au bout de 46 ? 73 jours
de gr?ve de la faim en 1981, apr?s avoir subi des dommages
graves ? des organes vitaux (par ex., la c?cit?). En 1996,
des gr?vistes de la faim kurdes sont morts au bout de 65 ?
69 jours.

Ne laissez pas Hassan Almrei subir le m?me sort. Ne laissez
pas la lumi?re s'?teindre.

SVP APPELEZ OU ?CRIVEZ AUJOURD'HUI ? Monte Kwinter, le
ministre ontarien responsable, pour demander qu'il
intervienne imm?diatement pour faire droit aux demandes de
Hassan Almrei. Seul un effort concert? a des chances de
r?ussir.

Monte Kwinter
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
18th floor, 25 Grosvenor Street
Toronto, ON, M7A 1Y6
Phone: (416) 325-0408
Fax: (416) 325-6067
mkwinter.mpp at liberal.ola.org

Voici un mod?le de lettre:

August 24, 2005
Mr. Monte Kwinter
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Government of Ontario
Object: Hunger strike of Hassan Almrei

Dear sir,

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to meet
the legitimate demands of Hassan Almrei, who has been
detained without trial in an Ontario prison for four years
and is now on a hunger strike to demand minimally decent
conditions of detention. His main demand is for one hour a
day of exercise outside of his cell.

As of today (Wednesday, August 24), Hassan Almrei is on Day
63 of his hunger strike. Hassan Almrei was already in poor
health before beginning his current hunger strike. He is at
imminent risk of permanent, severe impairment, and very
possibly, of death.

By way of comparison: in 1981, Bobby Sands and 9 other IRA
prisoners on hunger strike died after periods varying from
46 to 73 days after sustaining severe organ damage (e.g.,
blindness). Several survivors of the strike remained
permanently handicapped. In 1996, many Kurdish hunger
strikers in Turkey died after periods of 65 to 69 days.

Please intervene immediately to try to find a humane
solution to this situation. You have the power, and
therefore the moral responsibility, to resolve this crisis.

As Canadians, we pride ourselves on respecting basic human
rights. Please remain true to this fundamental value.
Should Hassan Almrei die or be permanently handicapped, it
would be to our lasting shame and dishonour as Canadians
and as members of the human family.

(signature)

***********************************************************
Vous pouvez envoyer une copie conforme ? Anne McLellan and
Joe Volpe, les ministres f?d?raux responsables des
certificats de s?curit?, en ajoutant une demande pour que
les cinq hommes actuellement d?tenus en vertu de
certificats de s?curit? aient droit ? un proc?s public
juste et ?quitable.
Anne McLellan, Phone: (613) 992-4524 Fax: (613) 943-0044 ou
McLellan.A at parl.gc.ca
Joe Volpe Phone: (613) 992-6361 Fax: (613) 992-9791 ou
volpej at parl.gc.ca

SVP envoyez une copie conforme ? Campaign to Stop Secret
Trials in Canada par courriel ? tasc at web.ca ou par fax ?
(416) 651-9770 ou par courrier ? PO Box 73620, 509 St.
Clair Ave. West, Toronto, ON M6C 1C0.






From bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca  Wed Aug 31 06:19:48 2005
From: bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca (Bloquez l'empire)
Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 09:19:48 -0400
Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] Jacques Lamarre named to the Order of Canada
Message-ID: <005701c5ae2e$b52c5fc0$1ebc13cc@CPQ18145226471>

Jacques Lamarre named to the Order of Canada


Canada's favourite war-profiteer was named to the Order of Canada. Lamarre
is the CEO of Canada's largest bullet manufacturer (SNC TEC is a division of
SNC Lavalin). A war-profiteer and an engineering firm, SNC profits from both
sides of occupation: the invasion and the "reconstruction", securing new
markets for profit-making for years to come. SNC joined in a bullet-supply
coalition to supply the US military when the Pentagon realised that US
forces in Iraq were going through far more ammunition than anticipated and
in danger of running out. Under the CANCAP programme, SNC provides
logistical support for Canadian military overseas missions; for example, it
built and runs the Canadian military base "Camp Julien" in Afghanistan and
supplies Canadian soldiers pacifying that far-too-often-pacified country.
SNC is also involved in a very broad range of engineering and privatization
projects globally, which have earned it the title of "Bechtel of the North".

The Order of Canada! Lamarre can be seen beside the Prime Minister in
several photos of Canada's "Team Canada" trade mission trips around the
world.