Some Number 8 Fencing Wire in Gaza
The importance of a New Zealand focus
on the rebuild of Gaza.
International
aid
Passing the buck on Gaza
The new government is leaving it to the old government to carry the ball on Gaza. Both governments have dropped it. The 5Eyes formula of “Israel’s right to defend itself” does not extend any right to the indiscriminate bombing, and refusal to allow any water, food or fuel to innocents in Gaza.
No Iran Israeli War.
In spite of all the sharp intakes of breathe going on across media outlets, there will be no war between Iran and Israel. Here’s why.
The United Nations gives Trump the middle finger
The United Nations has responded to Donald Trump’s threat to cut aid funding if it voted to condemn America’s decision to recognise Jerisalem as Israel’s capital by overwhelmingly support the decision.
The great Taxpayers Union fraud and corruption discovery
The Taxpayer’s Union has shown a concerning inability to comprehend in its criticism of MFAT for supporting an aid initiative to address malnutrition in Africa.
Question…
On Aleppo.
Trump’s broad international challenges
Barak Obama is leaving Donald Trump a number of international crises to face. What will the Donald do and will he make America great again?
ISIS Crisis
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says our training mission to Iraq is undergoing a transformation. We were warned when the troops first went that the mission was always intended to be looser than Brownlee publicly claimed at the time. And so it has turned out to be.
Mission Creep
The military mission to Iraq is to be extended by another 18 months, much to nobody’s surprise. John Key has put the creep into the mission.
National tricky on climate change aid
TVOne has discovered that National’s preposed climate change aid spend announced at COP21 would result in a reduction in the amount spent compared to previous years.
In Our Back Yard – Manus Island and Nauru
As the photo claims, refugees are human beings. We can tell this from general expressions of resignation, desperation and misery.
But what about our own expressions of humanity?
Syrian refugees – National backs down
The backtrack is under way. Last week National was not budging on refugee numbers. Today they will announced an urgent passage allowing for the intake of more Syrian refugees. The focus groups have spoken. Update: and the announcement is for 600 new refugees over 3 years and $4,9 million in increased aid.
Syria and Internationalism
I wonder if the current public outpouring of sympathy for Syrian refugees is nought but a ‘fashion’, or whether it’s the beginnings of a renaissance for internationalism.
Happy Father’s day
For father’s day how about a gift of a donation to charities helping the refugees pouring into Europe?
National’s refugee backdown
In both England and New Zealand conservative Prime Ministers are looking to urgently backtrack from recent refusals to do anything further for refugees.
How much does New Zealand spend on refugees?
The Government is under increasing pressure to increase the number of refugees that it takes. Amnesty International’s proposal to double the number could be met by less than the cost of a flag referendum.
Key is relaxed about widespread refugee crisis
John Key has ruled out an emergency intake of refugees and claims that New Zealand is doing its bit and that bit is enough.
Kia ora Gaza
Native Affairs reporter Ruwani Perera and cameraman Jacob Bryant have been arrested by Israeli forces for being part of a peace flotilla wanting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. If Murray McCully wants to achieve peace in the Middle East he could start by demanding that they be released and that the delivery of aid to Gaza be allowed.
Why are we going to war?
National’s justification for going to war against ISIS suffers from two fundamental problems, it is supporting an Iraqi regime that is corrupt and working against the best interests of all of its people, and there is no plan to convert Iraq into a sustainable state.
NAct MPs: heckling from “their armchairs”
Today in speaking to John Key’s motion on the Typhoon in the Philippines, Russel Norman read out a statement that was spoken by Philippines climate negotiator Naderev “Yeb” Saño, who called for urgent action on climate change. Sounds of heckling could he heard from the comfort of the government benches. [update: Yeb Saño to Russel Norman]
Intervention. Now!
Widespread and ongoing poisoning of civilians demands decisive and immediate international action, so…
Kevin Rudd and the boat people
Kevin Rudd announced yesterday that boat people will not be allowed to apply for refugee status in Australia and instead will be shipped to Papua New Guinea and they will have to try their luck there. Tony Abbott thinks that the proposal is promising, Greens leader Christine Milne thinks it is ruthless and repugnant. It seems that Rudd will do and promise anything for power.
Pacific Renewables
There is a summit on renewable energy in the Pacific happening in Auckland. McCully acknowledges climate change, the PM focuses on investment opportunities, the EU hopes for clean energy to aid poverty reduction. What’s best for Pacific island communities?
Sunday Reading
My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. This week: torture, charter schools, economics and development.
McCully does a seagull
Murray McCully has been described as a “seagull Minister, one who flies in, squawks loudly, poops over everyone and flies away again.” Today in the House he squawked, pooped over his Chief Executive and flew away from any responsibility for the the restructuring of MFAT. John Key better get his knighthood soon. The wheels are starting to come off his government.
The refugees
National Contributes to Africa’s Misery
The Jackel draws attention to National’s cuts to aid spending. It’s politically easy for the Nats to slice a few mil here, a few mil there from money that doesn’t end up being spent in New Zealand, but it’s morally bankrupt. As famine once again strikes the Horn of Africa, we are failing in our moral duty and international commitments to help.
Go well
Forty two Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) workers left New Zealand this morning for Japan. Straight off the back of three hard weeks in the rubble of Christchurch, they are flying in to help out with an even bigger disaster.
In praise of resilient communities
We hear a lot of, frankly, trite comments in times of disaster about how the people affected are ‘tough’ and a special breed. People are people. But communities can be more resilient in the face of disaster if they have existing civil society organisations to rally around and help coordinate their actions. Canterbury Students’ Association is a perfect example.
Chasing poor ‘pirates’ pointless
Hard to imagine a bigger waste of money than sending a frigate to hunt fisherman who’ve turned to piracy because foreigners have illegally taken all their fish. How’s about we spend the money on aid to Somalia instead? Oh right. Can’t afford it says McCully. But vicariously playing the action hero hunting ‘evil pirates’, yeah, there’s cash for that.
Merry Christmas from NZ
A headline on Newsroom at time of writing: Christmas Aid Shock – A week before Christmas, thousands of the world’s poor receiving community development aid from Kiwi aid agencies are being told they will get no more money from the New Zealand Government.
McCully’s Autocratic Cronyism
McCully doesn’t believe in the tender process. Or accountability. Cronyism? Well, that’s a different story…
Aid shift – security not poverty the objective
The latest Guardian Weekly had two interesting and seemingly unconnected stories about major shifts in aid priorities on both sides of the world […]
Pakistan: Donate Now
The UN says the number of people suffering from the massive floods in Pakistan — an estimated 20 million — could exceed the […]