Episode 36 - On a Move!

From Wisconsin to the Gulf States to Palestine and back to Philadelphia.

Radio Against Apartheid on West Philadelphia's community radio station, WPEB 88.1 FM. Amplifying voices for justice and equality in the Middle East.
 

Featuring a riveting spoken word piece by Amal Kassir on Syria and music by John Legend.
 

DJ Ev Daddy reports on the murder of 6 Sikh worshipers in Wisconsin over the weekend and the arson attack on a mosque in Joplin, Missouri on Monday.
 

A report from Vijay Prashad at Counterpunch.org on the pro-democracy protests in the Gulf States of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates and the violent crackdown by United States-supported governments.

Excerpt:

The power of the Gulf sovereigns is increasing, although the sovereigns are less stable. The people have already been through the stages of al-mithaq (the pact) and al-hiwar (the dialogue). Far more is wanted. Night descends. The mukhabarat [political police] and the mutaween [religious police] are on the move. There is gunfire. There are shrieks. There is silence.

Violence and murders at the border of Egypt, Gaza, and Israel on the Sinai peninsula. First, an attack on Sunday afternoon left 16 Egyptian soldiers killed, and at least 8 attackers dead. Then, on Wednesday, Egyptian air strikes in the Sinai killed at least 20.

The assaults have led to the closing of the Egyptian border with Gaza, and the Egyptian authorities sealing off the tunnels leading to Gaza, further strangulating the Palestinian people of Gaza as they struggle with the Israeli siege.

Hunger strikes continue in Palestinian prisons, with Samer Al Barq on his 78th day of hunger strike and Hassan Safadi on his 48th day of hunger strike. Both are in critical condition and are in desperate need of medical attention and relief from Israeli prison conditions and abuse.

Also on hunger strike are Ayman Sharawna and Samer Al-Issawi, on days 38 and 7 respectively

Matt Graber reports on the Rise for Syria fundraiser on Saturday, August 4, which raised over $31,000 for food and medical aid to the people of Syria. The fundraiser was organized by Philly for Syria (who joined us on last week's show) and Helping Hand USA.

Violence in Syria continues with 167 people killed on Wednesday, August 8. The people need our thoughts and support. You can give to Helping Hand USA and Islamic Relief to help the people of Syria.

Bassam Haddad, George Mason University professor and co-editor of Jadaliyya.com, offered a prescient analysis of Syria on PBS Newshour on Monday.

Excerpt:

What a lot of the reporting I think has been ignoring, especially from the West, is that Syria is falling apart not just as a regime, but as a country. And that is actually the biggest tragedy that I think is being shoved aside, in favor of focusing on cliche-ish things such as dictatorship and democracy in a situation where even if the Assad regime falls we are looking at a very, very tough process of reconstructing the country.

 

Finally, Wednesday, August 8, 2012 marked the 34 anniversary of the assault on the home of MOVE activists in the Powelton Village neighborhood of West Philadelphia that led to the conviction of 9 activists for the murder of one Philadelphia police officer (known as the MOVE 9). We played an interview with Ramona Africa from 2008 on the program Art Fennell in 2008, recounting the story of MOVE, including the assault in 1978 and the subsequent bombing of West Philadelphia by Frank Rizzo and the Philadelphia Police Department in 1985.

To find out more about the MOVE 9 and to get involved in the campaign for their freedom, go to their supporters' website at OnaMove.com.