Dear Editor and Readers,


Before bringing you my Christmas-message, at first I want to comment the fact, that I was very shocked about the execution of the former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein

In the first place I object the death penalty strongly, being the ultimate violation of the right to life
In the second place, more practically, I object the death-penalty because of the always present risk of conviction of the wrong person
Undoubtedly you'll remember the case of the Guildfourd Four, four men, who were convicted in Great-Britain because of their alleged responsibility concerning a bombing assault in a pub in Guildfourd, by wich 5 people were killed and 65 were injured

They were sentenced to lifetime prison and released after 15 years prison, when was apparent, that they were innocent

What if they had sentenced to death..................
See also

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guildford_Four


International standards concerning a fair and independent trial

Further it came clear, that the trial against Saddam Hussein and his 7 co-accused didn't meet the international standards concerning a fair and independent trial


One of the violations of the international rules about a fair and independent trial was the governmental intervention in september 2006, removing, by the Iraqi prime-minister of a judge, which is an utter violation of the independence of the Court

Another serious violation was the fact, that not all dossiers concerning the trial were available to the lawyers, which excluded a good preparation in behalf of the defendants, violating their right to a fair trial

Another very serious and deplorable event was the killing of at least two lawyers of the defense, which is not only inhuman, but also raises a sphere of intimidation, excluding a fair trial, yet apart from the fact, that it's the duty of the Court to protect all judicial officials against possible intimidation and fysical attacks

It is clear:

Any conviction, stemming from an unfair trial is illegal

Of course I am aware of the multitude of serious violations of human rights, which have taken place under the responsibility of mr Saddam Hussein, but that's apart from the fact, that any human being has a right to a fair and independent trial and that, to my opinion, the life of nobody, regardless the committed crime, should be taken

I say, may he rest in peace

Underlying I sent you my Christmas-wishes, wishing you the best wishes for 2007

May the struggle against injustice continue

Kind regards

Astrid Essed

Amsterdam

The Netherlands

By this My Christmas/wishes




No place in the Inn, asylum in Egypt

''"And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn."

This story is as old as the world
It gives a vivid description of a poor Jewish couple, which has to travel to their birth-place, on the command
of the Roman occupier, which wanted a registration of every inhabitant in Judea [the present Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories]

Probably for a fiscal administration-system or out of ''security-measures''

Security measures............
Also a phenomenon of all times, which in the most cases is being used by governments, which are either using controversial police and ''Intelligence'' measures in their own country, or are occupying other countries, using the meaures as a form of repression

In this case, Judea had been occupied by the Romans

Also in those days the basic human rights of poor people were being violated

For them ''there was no place in the Inn''

The same story is also told in our days

For example I remember vividly the half frozen Chinese mother in the Northern part of the Netherlands, who was hiding with her 7 young children in december 2005 for the bitter cold at a bus-stop
When the police found them, they had hardly anything to eat

Expelled from the asylum-centre with a one way ticket to one of the Dutch deportation-centres

She had to leave the country immediately, this woman, who came to the Netherlands, probably being persecuted and in each case searching for a better life for herself and her children

A helpless woman in a foreign country, who could hardly read the letter the asylumcentre had handed her over and didn't know how to travel in the Netherlands

Those events should make people ''proud'' for being a part of ''Dutch democracy''

Law:

According to the strict articles of the Dutch immigration Law [which is by the way a violation of International Law, although the government will deny], the rules were not violated
Undoubtedly this was also the same case concerning the Roman occupation-law in Judea

However, the rules as such were not only inhuman and in the Dutch case also a violation of International Law, although the Dutch givernment will deny


So Mary was on her way to Bethlemen, on a donkey, in her last pregnancy-period

What a harsh and painful journey

Referring to this, I remember also the constant flow of African refugees, trying to reach Europe with only the clothes on their body, who often drown for the Spanish coast
The European government leaders barely have any interest in this group desperate people, considering their death as ''collateral damage''

That's the nowaday European ''human attitude'', which is a true utterance of 'Western civilisation''

This is the way rightlesspeople without papers are being treated

Coming to their place of birth there is no place for them to rest
The mother can find no place for the deliverance of her baby

The inkeeper, showing compassion, offer a restroom in a cold stable

Rethinking this story, the comparison can easily be made with the pregnant Palestinian women, who are not permitted to pass a checkpoint and are obliged to deliver their babies on the ground, with all medical risks for mother and child involved

''because there was no place for them in the inn."

Yes, injustice is universal

Therefore it is incomprehensible to me, that a thus horrible and also great story as Christmas is being made to a sentimental child-story of a ''Baby in a manger''

Anybody, who have ever entered a stable, knows how cold it is and how difficult it will be to deliver a baby, between the filthy smell of all sorts of animals, witb only the assistance of a husband

Great, horrible and amazing, but not ''sweet'' and ''sentimenal''


Asylum in Egypt:

But the suffering of the Family was not ended yet

Between a short period of time, the Family had to flee for their lives to Egypt, because the persecution of the newborn Child, by the State

Also in those days the rulers believed in the principle of ''collective punishment'' and massslaughters, since the Jewish King Herod, who was a puppet of the Roman occupator, had no moral problems at all, killing all newborn babies from Bethlemen to prevent the escape of the Child

Return to Judea was only possible after the death of King Herod

How many refugees and asylum-seekers are being deported in this timde, while their persecutors are still in power?
Are deported to countries and areas, which are at war?

According the International Law that is forbidden, but it is happening anyway

Being expelled mostly by leaders of the European ''christian'' democratic parties, who sing sentimentally about the ''Child in the Manger'', but anyway are expelling almost frozen mothers and barefoot children

Sending them back to the King Herods of the world


The Child, growing to Manhood, knew, because He Himself had faced the hell on Earth

The violation of the rights of poor people
The inhumanity
The hypocrisy of ''religious'' rulers, who were collaborating with the occupation-power
The system that neglected poor people ''for who was no place in the Inn''

He knew of the illegal asylum of His Family in Egypt, also occupied by the Romans

This Child is being daily symbolised in the children of asylumseekers in the Netherlands and Europe, who are without any rights
Who live in the insecurity of being deported
Who can be arrested and closed into a jail, despite the fact, that they are children and their parents didn't commit a crime

This Child, knowing this, called on people to give your fellow human being the same respect and humanity, as you would receive and giving your ''enemies'' a humane treatment

The meaning of Christmas:

Christmas is celebrating the Birth of this excluded, expelled and persecuted Child, that refused to accept the inhumanity regarding rightless people and the ''enemies''

Who called on people, to open the doors of respect and humanity concerning everyone, regardless descent, social status or committed crime


I think therefore, that the best way to celebrate Christmas is to remember the inhumanity of occupations over thd sworld, whethdr the Israeli of the Palestinian territories, the American in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Morroccon in the Western Sahara, the Chinese in Tibet, the British in Northern Ireland, etc, etc

To visit the detention-boats for ''illegal'' migrants in Rotterdam [in Dutch ''bajesboten''] condemning the human rights violations as detention without a limit, putting 6 ''prisoners'' in one small cell and the bad medical treatment

And especially emphasize on the fact, that those people are being detained without committing a crime

Or signing a petition against detention-centres for ''illegal'' migrants


EBI Vught

Another possibility is to visit the highly secured prison, located [although renewed] at the former German concentration-camp Vught
This prison is destined for dangerous criminals from the Dutch high criminal section and for terrorsuspects and convicted
Among else members of the so-called Hofstadgroup and the socalled group of Samir A are held in this prison

Although it is understandable that there are high level security measures, especially for the first group, human rights violations are not permitted

So the prisoners are constantly cuffed or blindfolded,, when led outside, contact with other prisoners is limited and there are no recreation and laborrights, which is a fundamental right of prisoners
Also the prisoners are not allowed to touch their visitors, except giving a hand, with as a consequence, that a man isn't able to kiss his wife or a father to kiss his children

Also it has been denied to a serious criminal to touch his old mother for the last time

I think, that is inhuman and also the Europan Court of Human Rights has condemned this prison regime

Also Mohammed B, who had killed Mr van Gogh dd 2-11-2004, is being held since his conviction in 2005 in total isolation from other prisoners, which is not only inhuman, but a violation of International Law

Yes, it is important to pay a visit to this prison, giving those people a sign of humanity

Of course I don't defend the serious committed crimes, but thd RIGHT of any human being to a humane treatment, regardless the committed
crime

Only when people can give a sign of humanity to those people, who were convicted by politics and society, long before their actual verdict, the real Message of Christmas will get real meaning

Peace on Earth

Peace is not just the absence of an armed conflict
To me, peace is starting with humanity and respect for everyone, regardless the person and the committment with human rights and equal economic relations in the world

And a humane asylumpolicy


A wise man once has said, that civilisation of a country is to bd measured to the way of treatment of the ''enemies'

According to me, that's the best description of the Christmas-thought


Best wishes and kind regards

Astrid Essed

Amsterdam
The Netherlands