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STORY about Direct ActionGovernancePeace/War posted on October 9, 2012 by Michael Lessard
L'ex-député du NPD, Jim Manly, vogue vers le blocus de Gaza! (oct. 2012)
![[photo: Jim Manly et sa conjointe Eva en conférence de presse.]](http://montreal.mediacoop.ca/sites/mediacoop.ca/files2/mc/imagecache/bigimg/je-statement-300x253.jpg "[photo: Jim Manly et sa conjointe Eva en conférence de presse.]")
[photo: Jim Manly et sa conjointe Eva en conférence de presse.]
Also posted by Michael Lessard:
Also in Peace/War:
L'ex-député du NPD, Jim Manly de Vancouver, voguera très bientôt sur un bateau vers Gaza pour rendre visible le blocus militaire imposé contre la population civile tout entière. Il a pris un avion vers l'Italie le 3 octobre 2012.
Le blocus de Gaza, qui bloque par ailleurs l'unique port maritime menant pourtant à des eaux internationales, dure depuis plus de 5 années. Israël fait obstruction, par la force armée, aux importations et exportations civiles normales. Seuls certains produits peuvent se rendre à Gaza; le plus souvent des produits israéliens. Même l'UNICEF se voit interdit d'y importer des matériaux nécessaires à la construction d'école. Gaza dépend aussi totalement de l'électricité et des carburants fournis par Israël et ne peut accéder à ses réserves de gaz sous la mer avoisinante. Le seul commerce volontaire se fait par des tunnels à la frontière égyptienne, qu'Israël souhaiterait fermer.
Ce blocus est déclaré illégal et nuisible à la population civile par les agences onusiennes et par la communauté internationale, mais la députation actuelle du NPD préfère se taire par crainte de choquer une partie de l'électorat canadien qui appuie fanatiquement toute décision du gouvernement israélien. Durant la course à la chefferie du NPD, malgré mes correspondances bilingues à l'ensemble des huit candidatures à ce sujet, seul M. Mulcair a répondu, sauf qu'il n'a pas dit un mot au sujet du blocus.*
Une nouveauté dans la lutte pour les droits humains de cette population civile
Un navire est en train d'être construit à Gaza pour que ce dernier puisse tenter, dès que possible, d'exporter des denrées civiles d'origine palestinienne. Autrement dit, aucun navire n'est resté à Gaza et il leur est impossible d'y retourner.
Cette action en 2012 est nommée L’Arche de Gaza (Gaza's Ark)
- Michaël Lessard, article indépendant et gratuit (utilisation libre).
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* NPD et les faits humains de Gaza: puis-je appuyer M. Mulcair s'il ne peut dire mot ?
- Michaël Lessard, 11 mars 2011. Publié en ligne sur: Média Coop de Montréal; Presse-toi à gauche; courriels aux candidatures à la chefferie du NPD; réseaux sociaux.
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Comments
NDP blockade of Gaza : as a human rights activist, I must leave
( Quebec City, October 23, 2012 )
I joined the NDP in 2003 as it was the only party in Canada that had the moral courage to denounce the blockade imposed upon the entire civilian population of Iraq. This criticism was also supported by the UN and UN agencies, but the US and UK were able to maintain the blockade (1990-2003) via the UN Security Council.
The situation concerning the NDP now is much worse then I could have imagined. I have tried, for a few years now, to simply have MPs recognize that the mere words "blockade" and "Gaza" have not been spoken by the NDP for years now. I politely and publicly urged the NDP to, at some point, in some way, denounce the blockade of Gaza. Nothing more.
I am not even asking, at all, for a clearer stance on the occupation quagmire nor to take sides (ie. as an external actor, our role is to bring peace, not take a side as such). Beyond the occupation and other issues, the international community is united in the call to stop a blockade imposed upon a civilian population. It is recognized as an act of war amounting to collective punishment and the UNICEF has often denounced the situation. Whereas NDP members know this and agree, the NDP caucus has refused, for years now, to denounce the blockade of Gaza at some point or in some way.
It is strange and mindboggling. My simple demand that the NDP remind the people and government of Canada, once a year, about the ongoing blockade of Gaza is met with odd reactions from MPs in Quebec. I am seen as a bad member who dares criticize his party publicly. The situation has reached an extreme level of absurdity, with odd rationalizations from MPs and their employees to explain the silence. After many years, where I expressed this simple demand and criticism, only once or twice a year, I must conclude that the silence on this issue is a voluntary and objective fact.
Since being a member seems to signify for many that I should only criticize publicly other parties, I will cancel my membership as of today. This is not a sudden decision. I have discussed this issue for years within the NDP, but any public criticism is not well met.
Mr Manly's action, and my own action of leaving, were made necessary after years of total silence and denial. I have never received any message of understanding, or even an expression of care for the civilian population of Gaza. This has been made apparent once more, as the NDP spokeperson only asked Israel to treat with respect Mr. Manly and asked that both sides show restraint. Not a word about the blockade.
I do not serve any party or government; I only wish to serve the dignity and human rights of all people.* Somehow, oddly, I have been made to feel I cannot do this as a member of a political party.
- Michaël Lessard
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* which of course includes denouncing crimes committed against people in Israel.