Courtesy:http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21569.htm
Anarchy In The UK
(and the birth of SGS - STOP GAZA SLAUGHTER)
By Yvonne Ridley
December 28, 2008 "Information Clearinghouse" -- THE murderous military
campaign which has been unleashed by Israel has provoked people across the
world to demonstrate, rally and protest in their hundreds of thousands.
Soon the movement will turn into millions as more ordinary, decent citizens of
the world show their disgust at the barbarism of Israel ... and the cowardly
silence of our own leaders.
This is no longer a political issue, or a Middle East issue. It is a case of
what is right and what is wrong, and what is decent and what is inhumane.
And ordinary people are now taking the initiative because they can no longer
rely on their political leaders to show any of the human qualities demanded of
them including strength, integrity or compassion.
British people, normally reserved and controlled, brought anarchy to the
streets of upscale Kensington yesterday as they stormed barracades and pushed
past police to head towards the Israeli Embassy in London.
There was more anarchy in Scotland as our friends over the Border vented their
spleen over the war crimes and massacre carried out by Israel.
And unless British Prime Minister Gordon Brown gets some lead in his pencil,
the anarchy will continue.
I am normally a law-abiding citizen, but the anger and shame I felt drove me to
join those who tore down the barriers on Saturday.
Gordon Brown is the very man who lectured us about what it is to be British.
Well let me turn the tables on this pathetic, self-serving man who does not
deserve to lead our country.
Being British is about fair play, justice and humanity ... standing up for the
underdog in the face of bullies.
Brown, like other leaders around the world, simply looked the other way as the
Israeli military jackbooted its way through the blood dripped gutters once
trawled by the Nazis to kill, massacre and maim.
In the final days of December 2008 Gordon Brown will be remembered for acting
like one of the silent cowards who hangs uncomfortably on the edge of the
schoolyard as the bully kicks and thumps the little, weak child.
And that feckless fool David Milliband is no better. While Brown told
journalists he was “deeply concerned” over Israeli actions, the British Foreign
secretary urged Israel to abide by its “humanitarian obligations”.
And it was their weasly words which was directly responsible for the
lawlessness which erupted in the streets of London on Saturday, and I’ll tell
you why.
I was outraged and ashamed by the weakness shown by Milliband and Brown and
called my good friend Ghada Razuki. We have both been to Palestine and we have
both been to Gaza and we were both repelled by the pathetic reaction of our
government.
So we decided to launch SGS - Stop Gaza Slaughter - and call for a rally. We
began hitting the phones. Many organised groups were already planning a
demonstration for the Sunday and they urged us to wait.
One told me: “You do not have police permission”. Almost choking with rage, I
responded: “Permission? Permission to demonstrate and march and exercise my
democratic right to protest? This is Britain! And did Israel ask anyone for
permission to bomb Gaza?”
But Ghada did call the police and inform them that we were planning a demo - in
truth I thought around 30 of us might turn up to respond, but it seems that we
were not the only ones who were outraged by the silence of Messrs Brown and Co.
“I thought you said only 30 were going to turn up, there must be 3,000 here
now,” said one police officer. I just shrugged my shoulders and said I had no
idea a few text messages, FaceBook and a blog could have resulted in such a
turnout.
In truth I am sure many who arrived in Kensington on Saturday would have come
anyway. But what happened was pure ‘people power’ and this is what happens when
you have a leader who commands little or no respect.
When the people lead, the leaders will follow and I think in the next few days
Brown’s advisers will tell him that what the British people want is a real man
who will stand up to the bullies.
And if he doesn’t there will be more anarchy and it will get worse. This is
neither a threat nor a promise - just a prediction.
If Brown wants to survive politically, he will have20to join us when we
demonstrate on Saturday, January 3 - opposite the British Parliament. He needs
to show us he is really man enough to lead this country.
And on the subject of Saturday’s demonstration - police permission is
apparently being sought. I have some advice for the Metropolitan Police: “Do
not try and stop the democratic right of every person in Britain to
demonstrate.”
I am going to be there - with or without police permission. And if they want to
arrest me and lock me up then so be it.
Has it now become a crime to demonstrates against war crimes? Crimes against
humanity are being carried out by Israel and I refuse to be silent.
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ABDUL WAHID OSMAN BELAL
