The Third Estate Sunday Review focuses on politics and culture. We're an online magazine. We don't play nice and we don't kiss butt. In the words of Tuesday Weld: "I do not ever want to be a huge star. Do you think I want a success? I refused "Bonnie and Clyde" because I was nursing at the time but also because deep down I knew that it was going to be a huge success. The same was true of "Bob and Carol and Fred and Sue" or whatever it was called. It reeked of success."
Breaking: The senior cleric in #Iraq Ali #Sistani confirm its position on the need to respect Iraqi sovereignty & its political decision, rejection any breach of these principles by any side, Iraqis have complete freedom to express their opinions by peaceful means to achieve this
Al-Sistani add "there is necessity to achiev real reforms demanded by the people who paid a lot of sacrifices to achieve its. Dodging this matter will only lead to more suffering for citizens & extend the political and security instability in the country"
He add: "The formation of the new government took long time & exceeded the constitution period, so it is necessary for the all to cooperate to end this, it is an important step in the way of resolving the current crisis"
Can Michelle Carter's conviction set a precedent? Can we now jail all the Democrats and Republicans and plutocrats who have been successfully convincing humanity to commit mass suicide via fossil fuels?
Death toll exceeds 600 since October with 12 reported killings this week alone
Verified resumed use of live ammunition and deadly ‘smoker’ grenades to kill protesters
Ongoing wave of intimidation, arrests and torture
Chilling eyewitness testimonies and verified video analysis by
Amnesty International confirm that security forces have resumed their
campaign of deadly violence against largely peaceful protesters in
Baghdad and cities in southern Iraq, the organization warned today.
The crackdown on renewed protests from 20-22 January saw at least 10
people killed in Baghdad, Basra, Karbala and Diyala, according to the
Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights, while activists in Basra
reported two additional deaths yesterday. Scores have been injured and
arrested, with some subjected to torture and other ill-treatment in
custody.
The organization’s Crisis Evidence Lab verified videos
from several flashpoints in recent days, confirming live ammunition is
once again being used against unarmed protesters, and the first use of
deadly military-grade tear gas grenades observed since November.
“This worrying evidence signals that the Iraqi security forces have
resumed their lethal campaign of repression against protesters who are
simply exercising their rights to freedom of expression and to peaceful
assembly. This latest escalation is a clear indication that the Iraqi
authorities have no intention whatsoever to genuinely put an end to
these grave violations,” said Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty International’s
Middle East Research Director.
The use of lethal force to silence dissent must stop immediately. The
authorities have had months to change course away from violent
repression. Protesters have a right to expect that the security forces
protect – not arbitrarily kill and maim – them.
“The use of lethal force to silence dissent must stop
immediately. The authorities have had months to change course away from
violent repression. Protesters have a right to expect that the security
forces protect – not arbitrarily kill and maim – them.”
Live ammunition fired
Two young men interviewed by Amnesty International described chilling
scenes on 21 January along the Mohammed al-Qasim highway overpass in
Baghdad, around 1.2 km north-east of Tahrir Square, a focal point of the
protests since October.
One of the men described what
happened when security forces intervened: “[Three protesters] died
because they were shot in the head. Some of the protesters were on the
highway, there were clashes with the security forces. Security forces
used live ammunition against protesters to disperse them from the
highway, and in some cases, they grabbed protesters by their arms and
threw them off the overpass. The highway is about five to seven metres
above the ground.”
Amnesty International’s Crisis Evidence Lab
has geolocated and verified multiple videos depicting some of the
events along the highway overpass on 21 January. One of the videos
clearly shows multiple vehicles with the logo of an elite SWAT team that
reports to the Prime Minister.
Tear gas used to kill not disperse
Several videos from the Mohammed al-Qasim highway overpass show
masked, uniformed men launching tear gas grenades directly at
protesters’ heads at close range on 21 January. Amnesty International
previously documented how this tactic, using military-grade tear gas and smoke grenades
manufactured in Iran and Serbia, killed dozens of protesters in October
and November. Disturbingly, an Iraqi photographer captured one of the
assailants on video doing what appears to be a victory dance after firing at protesters below.
One of the protesters who was there on 21 January said:
“I
saw one of the anti-riot members shoot a tear gas canister at a boy’s
face. A very young boy. He was only one or two metres away when he
[anti-riot] shot him in the face. It was so shocking. Like an execution.
It was instant chaos. I thought he’s surely dead but he survived but is
in critical condition. Another boy died yesterday when a canister hit
him in the head but I did not see that with my own eyes.”
I saw one of the anti-riot members shoot a tear gas canister at a
boy’s face. A very young boy. He was only one or two metres away when he
[anti-riot] shot him in the face. It was so shocking. Like an
execution. It was instant chaos. I thought he’s surely dead but he
survived but is in critical condition. Another boy died yesterday when a
canister hit him in the head but I did not see that with my own eyes.
Multiple graphic videos shared on social media captured the
moments the victims of these attacks were bundled into tuk tuks and
ferried away from the scene.
According to video evidence and
eyewitness testimony, a young female paramedic who was assisting injured
protesters was detained by the security forces before being released
the next day.
Armed raid on residential neighbourhood
Following the violence in central Baghdad on 21 January, an
eyewitness told Amnesty International how, that evening, armed members
of the Presidential Guard chased protesters through the streets of
al-Dora, a residential and commercial neighbourhood several kilometres
south of the city centre.
A young man involved in the protests
there since October told Amnesty International: “The presidential forces
at the main checkpoint there received back-up. A truck full… They were
all armed now and started shooting in the air and chasing people. They
beat and dragged people away. Very young boys. We started running though
al-Tuma street. There are coffee shops there and a gym and people
started running into the shops. They chased them into the shops and
dragged them away. They also dragged away anyone in the shop who tried
to help the protesters. They started taking phones from people who were
filming and dragging away anybody who resisted handing the phone over to
them.”
The presidential forces at the main checkpoint there received back-up.
A truck full… They were all armed now and started shooting in the air
and chasing people. They beat and dragged people away. Very young boys.
We started running though al-Tuma street. There are coffee shops there
and a gym and people started running into the shops. They chased them
into the shops and dragged them away. They also dragged away anyone in
the shop who tried to help the protesters. They started taking phones
from people who were filming and dragging away anybody who resisted
handing the phone over to them.
The organization verified footage from al-Dora that corroborates
security forces firing live ammunition at fleeing protesters after
nightfall on 21 January.
Bloody crackdown in Basra
Activists in Basra described how security forces violently dispersed
the protesters, including by meting out severe beatings and firing live
ammunition, on 21 and 22 January.
One activist providing first aid to the protesters said: “The
security forces were using the harshest, dirtiest means to deal with
protesters, and the beatings continued for a long time until their
[protesters’] clothes were torn and some lost consciousness, then they
carried them to the back of the vehicles of the Shock Forces
[Basra-based security forces affiliated to the Ministry of Interior].”
The organization viewed photographic evidence of serious wounds across
the back of one protester, consistent with beatings that could amount to
torture. A video emerged on social media, apparently filmed near
Al-Maqal Police Directorate, in which detainees’ screams could be heard.
A protester in Basra told Amnesty International how the
violent crackdown had escalated in recent days as a range of different
security forces arrived to disperse the protests:
“They were
trying to disperse protests, they would even try to disperse any kind of
gathering with excessive force. I witnessed many cases where the
security forces were dragging people on the ground and beating them.
Some were underage, 14 or 15 years old tops. When the beaten protesters
would return to the main area of protests, they would have marks of
batons and sticks on their bodies.”
They were trying to disperse protests, they would even try to disperse
any kind of gathering with excessive force. I witnessed many cases
where the security forces were dragging people on the ground and beating
them. Some were underage, 14 or 15 years old tops. When the beaten
protesters would return to the main area of protests, they would have
marks of batons and sticks on their bodies.
He described intense violence from the security forces overnight on
21 and 22 January, using a variety of lethal and “less lethal” weapons:
“For the last two nights, it’s been the same pattern, the security
forces come around 11:00pm to 12:00 when there are fewer protesters and
begin shooting, it’s like they are coming just to kill us.”
Amnesty International verified videos showing the security forces firing
live ammunition in Basra, and one apparently wounded person being
carried along Dinar Street, on 21 January.
“This abhorrent pattern of deliberate killing, torture and repression must be stopped without delay,” said Lynn Maalouf.
This abhorrent pattern of deliberate killing, torture and repression must be stopped without delay.
“Thousands of Iraqis have been unlawfully killed, injured or
arbitrarily detained over the past four months. The Iraqi authorities
must urgently rein in the security forces, remove those responsible for
serious violations and initiate thorough, independent investigations
aimed at bringing accountability and redress for victims and their
families. The world is watching and expects no less.”
Data has proven that the rich have a longer life expectancy than the
poor in the US and UK. Now a new study shows that wealthy men and women
generally have eight to nine more years of “disability free” life after
age 50 than the poorest American and English adults.
The findings were published Wednesday in the Journals of Gerontology: Series A.
Iraq: Baghdad police use tear gas, live fire as protests rage
A months long protest has been taking place across Iraq. Might we start to really notice it in the US? We are the reason, grasp that, for the protests.
We started an illegal war, our government did, and tried to hide it behind a fig leaf of 'democracy.' The Iraqis have been devastated by our war. But they do want to control their own destiny, they want self-rule.
They've taken to the streets for that. They have put their own lives on the line. Any chance we might not just recognize that but use our own resources to amplify it?
Tear gas near #Baghdad's Tiyaran square today as security forces try to push back protestors from the highway. A 21-year-old protestor dead after being shot by #Iraqi security forces. With no movement on new government, protests escalating. Photo by @npr Ahmed Qusay.
Jim, Dona, Jess, Ty, "Ava" started out this site as five students enrolled in journalism in NY. Now? We're still students. We're in CA. Journalism? The majority scoffs at the notion.
From the start, at the very start, C.I. of The Common Ills has helped with the writing here. C.I.'s part of our core six/gang. (C.I. and Ava write the TV commentaries by themselves.) So that's the six of us. We also credit Dallas as our link locator, soundboard and much more. We try to remember to thank him each week (don't always remember to note it here) but we'll note him in this. So this is a site by the gang/core six: Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I. (of The Common Ills).
