A SAD TIME FOR CANADA

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday November 14, 2002 12:22 by Jason J. Bowman - commonsensefirst commonsensefirst at yahoo dot com Allitson, ON CANADA

A call for unity and justice

Please take the time read this letter from Canada.

Hello,

On April 4, 2002, I wrote the following letter and sent it via e-mail to every Canadian Senator, Member of Federal Parliament, and media that I could readily find an e-mail address for. Despite hundreds of recipients, I had only two respondents:
Joe Clark, M.P., and Svend Robinson, M.P.

Paul Bondwick, my Federal M.P., is among hundreds of others who have yet to even acknowledge receipt of my correspondence. I find this arrogant ignorance both disgusting and alarming.

Mr. Robinson left Canada shortly after my letter was sent and responded with an extraordinary account of what he observed while in Palestine. Now Canada has been specifically identified by Usama bin Laden as a target for action. Precious Canadian lives have already been lost by our useless association with a disgusting U.S. foreign policy. Citizens from all around the world including Nelson Mandela and most of the civilized world are demanding in unison that our world leaders let common sense prevail.

Israel is currently in violation of hundreds of United Nations Resolutions, including more than fifty Security Council Resolutions.

The United States and Britain gave Saddam Hussein biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction as well as nuclear capabilities. I’m neither going to try to understand why this true fact remains secret, nor am I able to determine what the Bush family’s plans for Iraq truthfully are; there is currently too much deliberate and malicious deceit for anyone, in my opinion, to arrive at the truth.

What I do know, is that my father never met his father because his Lancaster Bomber was seen shot down over the English Channel in the early days of the second great war against Germany. My father had only been just conceived.

I also know that King George sent a letter to his mother expressing his sincere condolences over her new husband’s supreme sacrifice for freedom.

I know too, that the hell war has left my entire family living with, and indeed far too many other Canadians as well, shall never again be something I will permit to happen to others. At the end of the great war that robbed my father’s father of his life, my father and his mother of theirs, and millions of others across the earth, the United States dropped the first and only nuclear assault on a human population. I mean it when I say that such repugnant indignity towards humanity ought to be the worst war-crime recorded in human history.

And while Americans prepare for this new holocaust, so many continue to remain silent. My grandfather gave his life. Surely citizens can engage this situation regardless of their opinion and be counted.

I expect that this letter will solicit at least an acknowledgment.

Sincerely,

Jason J. Bowman
Alliston, ON
commonsensefirst@yahoo.com

Subject: A SAD DAY FOR CANADA

Please take a minute to review this short letter. The
situation is dire and the people of Canada need to
know what is going on. Please take the time to verify
the facts (audio & videotape)for yourself. There are
even telephone numbers of witnesses in Palestine who
you can call if you wish.
-------------------------------------------------------

April 4, 2002

Please refer to the following news that has been
reported by Independent Media this week regarding
Israel's current military campaign of brutality in
Palestine.

If this information can be verified, why are Canadians
not being told what is really happening in their world
on the CBC? Perhaps Canadian voters have not demanded
that our Federal Government cease diplomatic relations
with Israel over this grotesque and macabre
destruction of the Palestinian people because
CANADIANS ARE NOT BEING TOLD WHAT IS REALY HAPPENING?

As we sit and watch our television sets tonight while
George W. Bush's "strong words to Israel" are repeated
endlessly, we will not see the demolished Churches and
Mosques that have recently been destroyed or damaged.
We will not even hear about the hundreds if not
thousands of men, woman and children who are huddling
in corners of their homes or tents while the Israelis
continue to shell them. We will neither cry for the
mass graves of mangled Palestinians, nor will we weep
for hungry children who are crying in the dark
tonight. This entire repugnant situation disgusts me
to such an extent that I am no longer intend to keep
quiet about it. If the staff at the CBC are not
attempting to verify Israeli actions in Bethlehem,
than at least they ought to have the dignity to report
on the facts as eyewitnesses in Bethlehem are
reporting them. How many mass graves must be filled
with Palestinians before the world will hear their
cry? How can anyone who calls them self a human,
ignore such gross disregard for human dignity? Where
are the U.N. observers as Palestinians are left to
bleed to death without medical attention in the
streets and families are being sadistically denied the
means by which to bury their own murdered children?
Perhaps if the CBC and other news media reported the
ugly truths more often, then there would eventually be
less ugly truths in our world to hide from.

Egypt is the only country to have come close to
reacting appropriately to this delicate and explosive
situation. I would consider myself proud to be an
Egyptian today. I wish I could say the same thing
about being Canadian.

Wake-up!

Jason Bowman
Alliston, ON e-mail: commonsensefirst@yahoo.com

Please visit www.indymedia.org for full stories and
pictures.

-------------------------------------------------------
ATTACHMENT:
_________________

The historical turning point in the Palestinian
intifada and global state of war continues to
escalate. Israel has now invaded Ramallah, Qalqilya,
Beit Jala and Bethlehem in the Palestinian
territories. Palestinian armed & civil resistance is
intensifying, international activists in Palestine are
taking unprecedented actions to prevent Israeli
violence and worldwide solidarity protests are
occurring. Continuous updates are being posted to
Palestine IMC as the situation develops. Concerned
hackers are asked to come to the defense of Jerusalem
IMC.

FROM IMC-PALESTINE:

APRIL 1: As IDF troop movements increase in and around
Bethlehem, a protest of 150 internationals was
attacked with live gunfire. Eight people are injured,
one is seriously injured. Several Indymedia workers
have been wounded. Continuing updates and video as it
becomes available at Palestine IMC.

APRIL 2 11:20PM Bethlehem, Palestine: IDF has bombed
the mosque at Manger Square, 5 dead, atleast 30
wounded - all civilians. IDF is preventing ambulances
from entering the scene. 300 people, including
families, fighters and journalists, are being held
prisoners in the three churches of the square. IDF
threatens to bomb them if they do not surrender.

APRIL 2 3:00PM Palestine: Battles continue to rage
throughout Bethlehem. Palestinian resistance is
striking against IDF tanks. A church has been
destroyed and a priest has been killed by IDF. See
Palestine IMC for in-depth coverage of what is
happening right now.

APRIL 2 3:30AM Palestine: Israel has moved to
re-occupy Bethlehem and the camps nearby. Indymedia
workers at Deheishe refugee camp are now sending out
updates and photos. IDF is also shelling a government
building with 400 people in Ramallah. News as it
happens at IMC-Palestine.

APRIL 3 11:30PM Bethlehem, Palestine: The first
ambulance allowed into Bethlehem was able to retrieve
6 corpses. The second medical team was blindfolded,
tied, and undressed by the army, including the driver,
nurse and a wounded person inside the ambulance. The
IDF soldiers made them lie down on the floor for one
hour and then arrested them, seizing the ambulance.
Wounded Palestinians remain in the churches at Manger
Square, waiting for the IDF to admit ambulances and
other humanitarian aid. Non-stop intense clashes are
taking place all over the city.

APRIL 4 Bethlehem, Palestine: Though Israel denies it
is attacking the Church of the Nativity we have
received confirmation from inside the church and from
witnesses in its vicinity that the IDF has recently
shelled the building, shattering some of its windows.
Earlier this morning it was reported that IDF snipers
were firing on the church. We also have reports that
the 40 to 50 priests and nuns in the church are not
being held hostage, as claimed by an IDF spokesman
(see CNN article below), but are remaining there in
order to care for the wounded Palestinians who have
been deprived of emergency medical care by the IDF.