Around 30 attended the latest Vigil in the market place in Salisbury (a number of regulars were unwell). Gaza has disappeared from the news consumed as it is with the fires in California and various utterances of Elon Musk. But the violence still continues. The latest figures suggest around 46,000 are now dead the majority of whom are women and children. The Israelis say the figures are unreliable but they do not permit foreign journalists to enter Gaza. The Lancet in a fresh estimate of deaths think the figures are in the region of 55,000 to 78,000. A detailed analysis has recently been published.
We shall be present again next Saturday 18th January at 17:00 for half an hour.
Minutes of the group’s meeting this month are attached thanks to group member Lesley for preparing them. There are brief reports on the death penalty (full report in another post on this site) and refugees (ditto). Some our future activities are listed. If you are thinking of joining us the best way is to come along to one of our events and make yourself known. We are at the Saturday Vigils for example in the Market Square at 5pm. You would be very welcome.
Humanist sentenced to 24 years for blasphemy is released
January 2025
We are delighted to report that Mubarak Bala has been released from prison in Nigeria having been sentenced to 24 years for the ‘crime’ of blasphemy. Two members of the Salisbury Amnesty group attended a demonstration outside the Nigerian Embassy in London organised by the Humanists.
Mubarak, President of the Nigerian Humanist Association, was arrested under Sharia law in Kano state for peacefully expressing humanist beliefs on Facebook. He was denied access to his legal team and his family and at times feared for his life.
Humanists International and Humanists UK campaigned for his release and meetings were held with Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ministers, they staged a protest outside the Nigerian Embassy (pictured) and raised his case at the UN Human Rights Council. His case was raised on many occasions in parliament. The Nigerian Court of Appeal reduced his sentence to 5 years but the Humanists argued for his immediate and unconditional release. After four and a half years, he has now been released. He still fears for his life.
Twelve countries still have the death penalty for the so-called crime of blasphemy. Other countries will imprison such people. It encourages mobs to act violently against those who allegedly cause ‘religious offence’. The Humanists will continue to act for the repeal of all blasphemy laws.
While we continue to await the details of the government’s proposed Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the arrivals continue on small boats. The total for 2024 was 36,816 (compared to 29,000 in 2023, but lower than 2022). 69 migrants lost their lives in the Channel over the year. It is also noted that 270 claimants died while awaiting the results of their applications since 2015. The National Crime Agency is predicting large numbers of arrivals this year.
UK Government activity in the last month include a Home Office declaration that people smugglers will face immediate travel bans, social media blackouts and phone restrictions when caught. This morning (Thursday) the Foreign Secretary has joined in with a piece insisting that the FO is part of this push. How this will develop is unclear, but he speaks of using “our sharpest diplomatic weapons.”
There has also been a marked increase in the number of removals (voluntary or otherwise), amounting to 13,500 since the election, and the speeding up of the application process may have led to a loss of accuracy in the decision making. It is likely that talk of removing people “who have no right to be here” will increase.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian refugees, here under the visa scheme, are concerned that the 3 year visas will expire soon. They can be extended, but it is feared that the process may take so long that the right to remain will have gone before completion.
Charities the Refugee Council and Safe Passage have both produced reports in the last month. Safe Passage is primarily concerned with child refugees and is urging the government to provide safe routes and enable families to reunite without hindrance. The Refugee Council is campaigning for a “fair and humane asylum system” with a six-point plan including piloting a visa scheme for anyone seeking refuge in the UK and a hearing process that takes no account of the means by which applicants arrived here. It is not expected that the government will take these suggestions up.
As an international comparison, the number of boat arrivals on the Canary Islands in 2024 was 46,000. Spain has been following a comparatively liberal approach to immigration, but it is feared this may change.
As a tailpiece, an article on the experiences of those migrants who ended up on the now abandoned Bibby Stockholm can be read here.
Peace Vigil still going after a year of unceasing violence
January 2025
Another year and we held our 57th Vigil in Salisbury yesterday (4 January). A bitterly cold evening and snow threatened. Over 30 attended and we were pleased with some passers-by stopping to join us for a brief while.
The death toll is now around 46,000. It was reported that 6 infants died of cold.
Peace talks are set to resume, but they are unlikely to make much progress before President Trump takes office in a few weeks.
We are pleased to attach a video from yesterday made by Peter Gloyns;
.. and so does the fighting with a hospital destroyed this week
December 2024
The fighting still goes on in Gaza and the death toll is over 45,000 many of whom are women and children. This week, the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza was ordered to evacuate and has been largely destroyed by the IDF. It is claimed the hospital is a ‘terrorist hub’. There are reports of bombing next to the hospital denied by the IDF. As foreign media is denied access, the claims cannot be verified. The World Health Organisation said it was ‘appalled’ by the move and it does seem to be part of the undeclared plan to empty the area of all Palestinians. This is denied by the Israeli government.
We held our vigil again this evening (28 December) with over 30 in attendance. About 50 passers by took notice.
The prospects do not look good. Last weeks talk of peace talks do not look to be progressing well. Commentators are saying that Netanyahu has strengthened his position despite the court case. He has Donald Trump to look forward to who is pro-Israel and, importantly, pro the hard right in the Knesset. The new US Ambassador is very pro-Israel and speaks of the region in biblical terms.
President Biden commutes 37 out of the 40 prisoners on death row
December 2024
It is gratifying to be able to report some good news concerning the death penalty particularly at this time of year. Yesterday, 22 December, President Biden commuted 37 death sentences turning the sentences into life without the possibility of parole. This, which will be one of his last acts of his presidency, was widely welcomed in the States and elsewhere.
Biden has come some way from his time as a Senator when he championed a bill to widen the scope of the death penalty to a further 60 new offences. It is ironic that some of those who are having their sentences commuted – with a preponderance of Black people – were condemned as a result of his bill.
Part of the reason is the worry about when President-elect Trump takes office in a month or so. Trump put more people to death than the previous ten presidents combined. He is committed to the penalty and with a compliant Supreme Court, there will be little to stop him. Biden said: “In all conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted”.
These are Federal death penalty cases and it does not affect state actions.
Amnesty is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. The local group produces a monthly report on its use around the world.
Sources: The White House; BBC; NBC; ACLU; USA Today
Government restrictions on protest are damaging to our democracy
December 2024
A key part of our democracy is our ability to protest peacefully. We have a right to free speech and a right of assembly. The Conservative government passed several laws which restricted these rights but the new Labour government seems in no hurry to repeal previous legislation.
The public is in two minds about demonstrations. They object to the climate protestors and some are happy that they were jailed for throwing paint at pictures or obstructing the M25. In the last century, there was similar disquiet at the suffragettes who took actual violent action in their pursuit of their desire for votes for women. They were referred to as ‘terrorists’ and ‘anarchists’ in their day.
What is not understood or widely accepted is that governments are not too keen at having their policies objected to. They are able to force through poor or ill-thought through legislation by whipping or coercion of their MPs. If the public objects or points out inadequacies in their policies their instinctive reaction is to stifle them. Many reforms come about as a result of protest, rights for gay people for example. With the new legislation, they have given wider powers to the police to arrest or prevent such demonstrations. Forty people will be behind bars this Christmas, in already overcrowded prisons, for planning or taking part in protests either for climate change or Gaza. British police arrest environmental protesters at nearly three times the global average rate, research has found, revealing the country as a world leader in the legal crackdown on climate activism.
Public opinion is clearly influenced by the media which adopts a variety of different positions concerning protests. Some of the tabloids are keen to demonise climate protestors using words like ‘thugs’ or ‘eco zealots’. Some are happy to demonise those who are in support of Palestinians. Declassified has produced a video of a march in support of Palestine. The march was peaceful yet it was smeared by both the Times and Daily Mail. The latter suggested that it was sufficiently threatening for MPs to be frightened of leaving Parliament. The film shows this to be nonsense. There were two protestors and MPs were able to leave unmolested! Members of the public are seen strolling by. Police are stood about chatting. Orthodox Jews are present in support of the demonstration. This is but one example of our legacy media creating the impression of violent anti-Semites and anti-Israel protestors. It is interesting to note that the farmers held protests in London a week or so ago blocking roads with tractors. None were arrested and they were not demonised by the media.
Liberty are launching a campaign #WeProtest. They are on a mission to restore protest rights after years of decline, by making the case for how protest has made the UK a better place for everyone. We all have the right to speak out on issues that matter to us and our communities. Perhaps it’s saving your local library, or equal rights, or environmental justice. Whatever is important to you, you have the right to protest. This campaign is in partnership with the thinktank Demos.
Few reforms would come about without protests from the public. It is vital we retain that right.
Another detailed report into the disaster that is Gaza. Video of Vigil
December 2024
As if we need another report into the dreadful destruction that is Gaza. Médicins sans Frontières is an organisation that provides medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. Their teams comprise tens of thousands of health professionals, logistic and administrative staff, most of whom are hired locally. Their actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality. [Update: 23 December]. The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights has also published a report stating their belief that Israel is engaged in genocide in Gaza].
They have published a detailed report into the humanitarian disaster that is Gaza. As with previous reports by HRW, Amnesty and the UN, it consists of many pages of details concerning the destruction taking place there. The evidence is overwhelming. Whatever Israel suffered in the appalling attack on October 7th 2023, the wholesale demolition of huge chunks of the territory go beyond a reasonable response to the attack. As far as we are aware, there has been no Israeli government response to the report.
Systematic denial of humanitarian assistance
Part of their report says that MSF has witnessed 14 months of repeated attacks on civilians, the dismantling of essential civilian infrastructure including healthcare facilities, and a systematic denial of humanitarian assistance, seemingly underpinning Israel’s campaign to unravel the very fabric of society in Gaza. Over the first 12 months of hostilities, MSF staff themselves have endured 41 attacks and violent incidents, including airstrikes, shelling and violent incursions in health facilities, direct fire on its shelters and convoys and arbitrary detention by Israeli forces.
Eight MSF colleagues and many of their family members have been killed, many more have been injured. Medical personnel and patients alike have been forced to urgently evacuate health facilities on 17 separate occasions, often literally running for their lives. MSF has only been able to restart activities in three facilities.
MSF describes Israel’s actions in Gaza as “clear signs of ethnic cleansing.” 22 December
Throughout the offensive, Israeli forces have blocked essential items such as food, water and medical supplies from entering the Strip. They have either denied, delayed or instrumentalised humanitarian assistance, allowing insignificant quantities of aid into Gaza with a complete disregard for the actual needs and the level of suffering of the population. Gaza’s last remaining oncological hospital had to shut down as it ran out of fuel on 1 November 2023. MSF teams had to carry out surgery without sufficient anaesthesia. The consequences of these impediments are made even more harmful due to the uniqueness of a war being waged on a besieged area from which nobody can escape.
The report calls for an end of unconditional support by Western nations, for border crossings to be opened and aid supplies to resume and for Unwra to be allowed to operate. It also calls for an end to arms supplies.
Vigil
We reported yesterday on the 55th Vigil held in Salisbury. As we said, it was well attended with over 40 people there. There is a moving video of the event with a reference to the MSF report. With thanks to Peter Gloyns for permission to post the video and for producing it in quick time.
Over 40 attended the 55th Vigil this evening (21 December) in the days before Christmas. Over 45,000 are now dead in Gaza with thousands more unaccounted for. There are peace talks underway but how successful they will be remains to be seen. Without a Palestinian state being established and international pressure – including an arms embargo – on Israel to put a stop to the violence, a lasting peace looks unlikely.
This week, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published its report Extermination and Acts of Genocideclaiming that Israel is deliberately depriving Palestinians in Gaza of water. This was stated quite openly by the then Defense Minister Yoav Gallant when he talked of a ‘complete seige’ including depriving the territory of water. The report is detailed and the Israeli government was invited to respond. It says:
[…] Israeli authorities and military forces have matched these statements with actions. Israeli authorities and forces cut off the water supply piped into Gaza from Israel and later restricted the supply, cut off the electricity supply from Israel to Gaza that was needed to operate water pumps, desalination plants, and sanitation infrastructure within Gaza, and blocked and restricted the fuel needed to run generators in the absence of electricity. They have also blocked United Nations agencies and humanitarian aid organizations from delivering critical water-related materials and other humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, damaged, and in some cases, deliberately destroyed water and sanitation infrastructure, including where Israeli forces were in control of the area, and prevented repairs by blocking imports of nearly all water-related material. Some Israeli strikes have killed water utility workers as they were trying to make repairs, while others have destroyed the main water-utility warehouse in Gaza which housed spare parts, equipment, and supplies critical to water production.
This report is another in the sequence which shines a light on Israel’s action in Gaza and accuses them of genocide. It includes a report by Amnesty.
Readers may recall a quite disgraceful remark by Sir Keir Starmer in an LBC interview in October last year where he supported Israel’s right to cut off water supplies. He was questioned about the use of collective punishment which is against International Humanitarian law but did not respond. Spokesmen for the Labour Party tried subsequently to defuse the comments by saying that Sir Keir only meant Israel had a right to defend itself. The fact remains he made the remarks and did not withdraw them. It is clear now from the HRW report that Israel is using water as a weapon against the population.
After the Vigil, there was a short session Voices from Bethlehem where we sang a carol. Marina Barham is the cofounder and General Director of al Harah Theater in Bethlehem. They are not having Christmas celebrations for a second year as ‘our children in Gaza, Jenin, Tulkarm, Salfit and other places are under rubble’. Since the terrible attack of October 7th, last year, killing around 1,200 Israelis and taking 254 hostages, over 45,000 have died in Gaza. 20,000 have been children and 15,000 were women. Over 2 million have been displaced, some many times. She emphasised that the violence did not start on October 7th but has been going on for 76 years. More and more land is being confiscated on the West Bank.
