Appalled
I was appalled and disgusted with the lies and attacks in Barry Sheppard's article, "Democrats sabotage Nader-Camejo campaign" (GLW #595), on the Green Party, its processes and its candidates. You, along with the scum at Counterpunch, have not done your journalistic duty to check out the facts — proving that left journalists can be every bit the liars, perhaps even more so, as the corporate press. Thank you for making me realise the enemy is at both ends of the violent paradigm currently in power.
It is clear that Barry Sheppard was not at the convention. There were no dirty tricks before or during the convention except those by the Nader-Camejo campaign (NCC) and their supporters. They have tried many dirty tricks, most failing so far, including the salacious attacks by Nader-hired people like Todd Cretien and Forest Hill in certain of the so-called left press and attempts to steal the Green Party's ballot lines without any democratic process. The NCC is totally top down, not the Green Party. I thought journalists were to investigate charges before they started writing about them based on one bitter self-centred side?
I know this because I am on the national CC of the Green Party and was in on all the discussions and witnessed the many attempts to subvert the will of most in the party which was, by the way, perfectly willing to support Nader had he sought the party's nomination and won it in a fair race. But Nader refused to do so and instead sent his agents to try to subvert the process. I had no idea that Ralph Nader and Peter Camejo could be so crass and manipulative showing us a very dark side of their political ethic, one that the Green Party fortunately does not share.
Judging from this article, I think John Pilger better reassess his opinion of GLW. You do not represent the kind of journalistic integrity John has. I expect he would have looked into the charges and at least spoken with those being attacked with such bitter vitriol. Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, an appropriately opportunistic title considering your position, should come clean. Perhaps a better title would be Bitter Reds Weakly.
Howard Switzer
Linden, Tennessee [Abridged]
Refugees
On July 20 and 22, I wrote to immigration minister Amanda Vanstone to protest about the coerced actions to send some families from Villawood to Baxter and about the inhumane treatment of one detainee and her child.
I got a reply on August 13, listing the numbers of refugees settled in Australia. On August 24, I sent the minister the following reply: "I do not contest the numbers; I did not even mention them. Since I am unable to check any of the figures, it is not the point that I am making. What I am protesting about is the detention of asylum seekers.
"In Villawood I see a man who has been detained for seven years. He comes from a country in Africa where civil war has been raging for many years and the most disastrous refugee situation is happening at the moment. How come this man is still detained? What crime has he committed?
"What about the other detainees who have been detained for four years, and this includes children? Minister, please tell me what country, apart from dictatorships, detains refugees? Every time I visit Villawood, I meet fellow Australians visiting too. They say 'we are ashamed and we are trying to relieve the suffering of refugees'.
"What about those released on certain types of visa not allowing them to work or receive any kind of help? Where do they live, eat; do they survive on fresh air? The only help they receive is from the churches and members of the community.
"Last week you attended the opening of the new visiting area in Villawood where millions of dollars have been spent to improve security, the reception area and grass has been planted in the visiting yard.
"So far nothing has been done for the detainees' living area. What about the conditions of hygiene for detainees, when one finds a worm in his salad? Or like the time six to seven guards sat on a detainee in Baxter. I know of two detainees who are suffering due to this type of treatment.
"This cannot continue. It would be much cheaper to release the asylum seekers into the community, while processing their cases. The immigration detention camps should be closed."
Amina Daligand
Caringbah NSW
Cyprus
The Cyprus reconciliation process is moving forward as the Cyprus Republic government continues to provide measures to support the development of contacts and economic relations with Turkish Cypriots. Despite the obstacles, contacts between the two communities are increasing and efforts to promote a solution are continuing, encouraged by the Cyprus government's actions towards Turkish Cypriots.
The Cyprus government has announced a series of new measures regarding the movement of goods and public-use vehicles of Turkish Cypriots to the government controlled areas. The package of measures will exempt Turkish Cypriots from registering or paying VAT when they sell their merchandise in the southern part of the Republic and also grant, free of charge, a temporary driving license to Turkish Cypriots, as well as temporary road service to vehicles, which will be valid for one year.
In a recent statement, Cyprus government spokesperson Kypros Chrysostomides said: "The Greek Cypriot side had proven its intentions for a solution to the Cyprus problem and reunification of Cyprus by its policy to reduce military tensions and implement measures for collaborating and working together with the Turkish Cypriots."
The government spokesperson also stressed that the Greek Cypriot side was willing to show flexibility in efforts for a solution, but it could not backtrack from the ultimate goal, which was the overturning of the existing situation and the attainment of a "wise and just" settlement to the Cyprus problem. He further pointed out that the measures for Turkish Cypriots aimed at facilitating a settlement through the economic integration of the island and not at creating conditions for crystallising the division.
Cyprus' charge d'affaires to the UN, Andreas Hadjichrysanthou, in a letter to the UN General Assembly stressed that though technical in nature these measures, "still have valuable political ramifications, in that they are in line with and contribute to the successful implementation of the EU policy to facilitate the reunification of the island by encouraging economic integration... and the improvement of contacts between the two communities."
The EU reaction to the new measures has been encouraging and positive. These measures are in addition to other existing support procedures already in place that mostly serve Turkish Cypriots, but also assist the aims of bringing together the two communities and to improve cooperation. Like many others I hope these heartening initiatives continue to grow and deepen the trust and unity of the people of Cyprus.
Steven Katsineris From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, September 1, 2004.
Hurstbridge, Vic [Abridged]
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