Thursday, October 6, 2011

LIBYA WARNING 06/10/2011: YouTube removes VSMRK’s Truth on Libya reporting account

FROM: Controlled YouTube has removed one of the few Truth on Libya showing accounts after it revealed the results of NATO bombings on Sirte hospital.

If you click at VSMRK’s YouTube account address, as from today you’ll get the following screen and message:

This account has been terminated due to repeated or severe violations of our Community Guidelines and/or claims of copyright infringement.

Those “severe violations” exist of videos which were uploaded on October 5 and which showed the results of the heavy NATO bombings on the hospital of Sirte which has been repeatedly hit over the past few days during the indiscriminate bombardments on Libyan leader Gaddafi’s hometown. The videos showed part of the hospital being blackened by explosions and hit by bullets from the NATO-rebel forces as well as the numerous victims of the criminal NATO bombing and shelling, and included the following descriptions:

Red Cross reported that NATO Mercenaries were directly attacking Sirte hospital, Hichem Khadhraoui said that “Several rockets landed within the hospital buildings while we were there. We saw a lot of indiscriminate fire At the same time, NATO is stopping civilians from reaching the hospital by bombing roads, residential areas, causing hundreds of wounded civilians to die in the process. Khadhraoui reported that “other wounded or ill people cannot get to the hospital because of the fighting and NATO air strikes”.

and (quoting Libya’s spokesman Moussa Ibrahim who visited Sirte on September 26):

The hospital already had stopped working altogether because there is little water, the hospital lacks food and any sort of electricity, it lacks medicine and lots of medical equipment has stopped working. Above that the sewage system of Sirte stopped working so many streets are flooded at the moment, which is of course a ripe environment for diseases, referring to the World Socialist Web Site article The slaughter in Sirte.

One of the last videos VSMRK uploaded included an undated report by a rebel who has been caught by the Libyan army and who told of abductions and killings of Libyan civilians by NATO. Another video mentioned PressTV has become more and more a NATO tool.

During the passed few months the account of VSMRK has shown lots of demonstrations by the five million Libyans who have been protesting against the NATO aggression on Libya which has killed thousands of Libyan men, women and children. Those demonstrations as well as the results and victims of the NATO “humanitarian” bombing of Libya are not showed by the mainstream media and therefore must have been a reason for censorship by Zionist controlled YouTube.

NATO already has tried to cut off any kind of communication in an attempt to hide their criminal actions in Libya by bombing TV stations and phone lines. On the occasion of the anniversary of the Al-Fateh Revolution on September 1, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said about that:

They [NATO] cut off all communications because they can’t breathe. They fear my voice, to only hear me is already dangerous to the colonizers. Those colonizers and agents fear us communicating and being in touch with each other, which proves that the enemy is weak. If they weren’t weak they wouldn’t have bombed our TV and they would have allowed us to communicate with each other.

From: Eccleza.

Libya/War4Oil: Anti-Gaddafi Fighters Loot, Burn Homes In Sirte

ABU HADI, Libya -- After capturing this hamlet, a center for Moammar Gadhafi's tribe, revolutionary fighters have gone on a vengeance spree, looting and burning homes and making off with gold, furniture and even automobiles.

Anti-Gaddafi Fighters Loot, Burn Homes In Sirte Anti-Gaddafi Fighters Loot, Burn Homes In Sirte

Other fighters are trying to persuade them to stop and have sought to protect the tribesmen of the ousted leader. As a result, the rampage in Abu Hadi, a suburb of Gadhafi's home city of Sirte, has underscored a geographical split among the forces loyal to Libya's new interim government.

Most of those looting homes are unorganized, volunteer bands of gunmen from the city of Misrata, to the west, which was brutalized in a bloody siege by Gadhafi's forces during the nearly 7-month uprising against his rule. Trying to rein them in are revolutionaries from eastern Libya, which shook off Gadhafi's rule early and have since had time to organize their forces.

"The Misrata fighters came into the revolution with a sense of bitterness and anger," Breiga al-Maghrabi, an eastern fighter, said Wednesday. "They want revenge for what happened to them in Misrata."

"Look – it's Ali Baba," he told an Associated Press reporter as he cruised streets of Abu Hadi in his pickup truck. He pointed at a residential street where a number of revolutionaries walked out of a home with belongings in their arms. The looters loaded a white Chrysler on the back of a truck and drove away with it.

The capture of Abu Hadi earlier this week was a key step in the revolutionaries' weeks-long siege of Sirte, the most important of the pro-Gadhafi cities that are still holding out against Libya's new rulers. Abu Hadi lies to the south of Sirte, and with revolutionary fighters already on the eastern and western sides of the city – and the Mediterranean Sea lying on its northern side – that means Gadhafi loyalists inside Sirte are now trapped.

The loyalists in the city center have been putting up a powerful defense for three weeks now, and on Wednesday the two sides traded artillery, tank and mortar shelling. Still, a spokesman for the revolutionaries' Defense Ministry, Col. Ahmed Bani, vowed on Wednesday that its forces "will be able to completely dominate Sirte in the next few days."

Deputy Defense Minister Fawzy Abu Kataf said it would take two days of heavy shelling to uproot the remaining pro-Gadhafi fighters in the city. But he said revolutionary fighters were holding off on an all-out assault to allow residents to leave.

Abu Hadi, a center of the ousted leader's Gadhadhfa tribe 10 miles (16 kilometers) from downtown Sirte, was a ghost town. Streets were littered with bullet casings, and black smoke billowed from four homes that had been set ablaze by fighters. Many of the homes laid out in rows in the residential complexes had been broken into, with wooden doors busted, stoves and refrigerators overturned, baby clothes and homework strewn all over the floors.

Fathi al-Shobash, an eastern revolutionary, said that when he tried to stop Misrata fighters from raiding homes, they would push him away and say this was their time to treat the Gadhadhfas the way they were treated by their leader. Gadhafi drew heavily on the Gadhadhfa and other loyalist tribes for his military and other key parts of his regime.

"I came to sincerely fight for freedom and my one goal is to rid Libya of Moammar Gadhafi," said al-Shobash. "Why take it out on innocent people from his tribe?"

The tensions between east and west have begun to percolate on a national level as the interim government – set up by easterners – tries to solidify its authority after the fall of Tripoli and Gadhafi's ouster in late August. Already, some in the west have rankled at what they see as attempts by easterners to dominate.

Eastern Libya was the first to rise up in February and set up a quasi-state with a de facto capital in Benghazi, the country's second largest city. That gave them more time to organize their forces, creating a command structure and a degree of discipline in the ranks.

In contrast, western cities faced heavier crackdowns by Gadhafi's forces that kept them divided. Misrata was battered by a siege that was repelled after weeks of bloody street fighting. Western cities have formed brigades of volunteer fighters that have been criticized for being disorganized and acting like armed gangs.

"We ask them, 'Who is your commander,' and they say 'We don't have one,'" al-Maghrabi said of the western revolutionaries at Abu Hadi. "Many are just armed and running around taking out their anger on the homes here."

The tensions erupted at a checkpoint at an Abu Hadi roundabout held by Benghazi fighters. Scuffles broke out when a Misrata fighter refused to take orders from the Benghazi revolutionary.

"You divided the country, admit it – you divided it," the Misrata man shouted at the Benghazi fighter as other revolutionaries tried to pull them apart.

One Misrata revolutionary, Abdullah Faisal, denied men from his city were behind the looting, insisting eastern fighters had let a "fifth column" slip in.

Col. Bashir Abu Thafeera, who commands a brigade of eastern fighters at Abu Hadi, said the Misratans' thirst for vengeance was understandable, given the brutality of the Gadhafi siege of their city.

"They suffered a lot at the beginning of this revolution, and this is also the reaction of 42 years of oppression under Gadhafi," Abu Thafeera told the AP. He said many of the homes that were burned were believed to belong to Gadhafi loyalists who participated in the Misrata siege.

Still, he warned that the same looting could erupt in Sirte itself when it falls. He said eastern fighters would try to move into Sirte more quickly to take control to prevent looting and vengeance attacks.

Most of Abu Hadi's residents fled last week during the fighting before its capture. Families packed up what they could and set up a tent camp several miles away. Abu Thafeera said his troops were trying to ensure their safety so they could return.

One resident, Saada Gheit, came to look in on her home and found it looted. "They took my gold, raided my closets. I don't know why they are taking out their anger on us," she told the AP.

The 47-year-old Gheit and 10 other families have taken refuge in another house nearby. Gheit on Wednesday cooked a meal in a giant cauldron over a bonfire in the courtyard as children ran around nearby. She said her family car was packed with blankets and clothing in case they need to flee again.

"All we can do is run from place to place," she said. "They don't like Moammar Gadhafi, but what was our crime?"

By HADEEL AL-SHALCHI 10/ 5/11
04:31 PM ET
AP

Benghazi Oil-rich city of east bids for power in new Libya

Libya’s eastern city of Benghazi would risk fading back into obscurity after a six-month interlude as the seat of the revolutionary government were it not for one powerful asset: oil.

Benghazi residents are struggling to convert their wartime sacrifices into economic clout to restore the status of a city once deemed on a par with the capital, Tripoli, and rescue it from its relative obscurity in the Muammar Gaddafi era.

Under Gaddafi, Benghazi was at the mercy of Tripoli for its share of state funding, even though most of this is generated from nearby eastern oil fields. Libya’s economy is almost entirely reliant on oil and gas revenue.

Cradle of the anti-Gaddafi revolt, Benghazi had languished low on the deposed ruler’s list of spending priorities, which many see as punishment for a tradition of eastern resistance to his 42 years of one-man rule — and to Tripoli’s dominance.

“There’s a feeling of entitlement in Benghazi and they want rewards. They held the fort for six months and this came on the back of a period of repression,” said a Libyan oil industry source in the city where the interim National Transitional Council (NTC) set up its headquarters early in the revolt.

Youssef Mahmoud, an engineer at Jowef Oil, a subsidiary of the state National Oil Corporation (NOC), typifies the sort of grassroots resource regionalism that has the potential to shake up the North African country’s bedrock industry.

He heads a group of about 4,000 state oil workers called the Feb. 17 Oil Committee, and is lobbying Libya’s interim rulers for a “greater say in oil policy” that would be symbolised by moving NOC headquarters from Tripoli to Benghazi.

“Gaddafi took it (the NOC) to Tripoli because he wanted control. But where are the fields?” complained Mahmoud, jabbing his finger at a map of Libya, showing a large clump of black circles representing oil fields in the eastern Sirte Basin.

The east supplies more than 60 percent of oil exports and much of Libya’s untapped oil is thought to be in this region, including the virgin Kufra Basin near the Sudanese border.

Libya has Africa’s largest oil reserves.

Benghazi residents hope oil revenue, worth around $130 million a day at current Brent prices, can fuel an economic revival in the east, from cleaning up the streets to promoting new industries such as tourism.

“It’s not just oil, we have beautiful places,” said Ali, who works in a youth hostel in Benghazi.

Old postcards in hotel cabinets remind visitors of the city’s former charms. One shows the long, crescent-shaped Italian ‘Lungomare’, or seaside promenade, with its Doric columns and distinctive double-domed Catholic cathedral. Another pictures Juliana Beach full of happy, paddling children.

Today, seafront visitors encounter the near-ubiquitous smell of sewage and rusting carcasses of broken-down cars.

POINT OF NO RETURN

It may be hard for Libya’s new rulers to ignore Benghazi’s demands, given the role the city played in initiating the revolt against Gaddafi in February and spearheading a NATO-backed military campaign that has pushed his troops back to Sirte.

Eastern Libya’s many former revolutionary brigades will not want to see their region lose out in the post-Gaddafi era — although fighters from the Western Mountains and Misrata may be just as keen to turn their military exploits into political power.

Benghazi’s trump card, however, is oil.

“When armed local stakeholders, and perhaps militias, start saying this oil is on our territory, it becomes an emerging political risk,” said Henry Smith, Libya analyst at London-based consultancy Control Risks.

Besides the city’s well-documented political and military roles, the Benghazi-based Arabian Gulf Oil Company (Agoco) played a vital role for Libya in selling oil and buying fuel when international sanctions had incapacitated the NOC.

This inverted the relationship between the parent company and its subsidiary, perhaps irreversibly.

A senior NOC source said plans were in place to wrest control back from Agoco by mid-October, but added that the relationship between the two firms would likely have to alter.

“There will be a struggle for power. The NOC wants to go back to its old role and Agoco is saying that it supported the revolution so it wants a bigger say,” he said.

“It wants a commercial basis. Agoco wants to get some profits from the operations.”

In an indication of the simmering tensions, a source within Agoco referred to the NOC as “Bab al-Aziziya for the oil sector” — the name of Gaddafi’s fortified compound in Tripoli.

OLD AND NEW RIVALRIES

Healing the historical east-west rifts, and new ones that have emerged during the revolution, will be a key test for interim rulers in the factionalised and heavily-armed country.

Cultural divisions between Tripoli and Benghazi pre-date Roman times when Tripolitania and Cyrenaica were separate provinces. Libya’s Senussi kings were from the east and Benghazi was seen as Tripoli’s equal before army officers led by Gaddafi toppled King Idris in 1969.

Months of conflict have reinforced a sense of distance between Tripoli and Benghazi, 1,000 km apart.

Poor telephone links mean Libyans must dial internationally between the two cities. Gaddafi forces are still holding out in the coastal city of Sirte, impeding traffic on the main east-west highway and forcing travellers to fly via a NATO air corridor in the Mediterranean or to go by ship.

Benghazi’s ambitions for economic power in the new Libya may sound aspirational, but some politicians may be listening.
All three foreign leaders who visited Libya last month — French, British and Turkish — chose to visit the city.

“(French President Nicolas) Sarkozy has given a message by coming to speak in Benghazi. He is saying that Benghazi should not be ignored,” said Nasser Ahdash, head of the National Forum, a political group which has helped organise marches to back demands that Benghazi should be Libya’s economic capital.

In another nod to the eastern city, NTC leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil, from eastern Libya himself, has not yet moved to Tripoli from Benghazi. Initially, his foot-dragging was seen as linked to security concerns. Now it looks more political.

The NTC’s vice-chairman and spokesman, Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, said the move would not happen until Libya is fully “liberated” from Gaddafi and that the NTC would not abandon Benghazi.

“We will keep a base for the NTC. Benghazi is necessary.”

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Georgia Continues Military Build-Up On Abkhaz, South Ossetian Borders


Georgia ‘continues military build-up’ on Abkhaz, South Ossetia borders

Georgia is boosting its military potential at its borders with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said on Tuesday.

Speaking after a regular round of Geneva Discussions on security in Transcaucasia, Karasin said there was “continuing activity of sabotage and reconnaissance groups” in the breakaway republics, aimed at “destabilizing the situation” in border areas.

Such activities, he said, undermine the confidence building process between Georgia and its former republics.

He also added that the time had come for Georgia to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries and develop proper relations with them.

Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2008, following a five-day war with Georgia. The war began when Georgia attacked South Ossetia in an attempt to bring it back under central control.

October 4, 2011 | Russian Information Agency Novosti

Libya/War for oil: Life inside besieged Libyan city of Sirte is "unimaginable"

By Tim Gaynor

SIRTE | Tue Oct 4, 2011 2:36pm EDT

Oct 4 (Reuters) - Fleeing besieged Sirte, Ali Durgham couldn't stop the tears as he described how his father had been killed by a stray shell as he walked to the mosque with his brother.

"He died in my arms," Durgham said. "I buried him yesterday."

The young man's uncle is now in Sirte's Ibn Sina hospital -- but it, too, has been hit in the fighting, residents said.

"The hospital is being attacked with shells," Durgham said, echoing other people leaving the city. "It's filled with dirt. There's only three doctors who are working with patients."

Despite the shelling and a deeper push into the city by interim government forces ahead of what may be a final battle, he said he was determined to go back into Sirte on Wednesday to bring his uncle out.

The stories told by the people streaming out of Muammar Gaddafi's hometown, mostly recounted at checkpoints manned by anti-Gaddafi forces, provide a grim snapshot of life inside.

"It is unimaginable back there," Masoud Awidat, who had just driven out of the town in a car with a bullet-riddled windscreen and door, told Reuters.

"It gets worse every day. There's no food. There are fires, apartments are destroyed."

Terrified residents are sleeping in the streets and under stairs for fear that their roofs will fall in overnight.

People talked of two families whose cars had been hit by rocket propelled grenades as they tried to flee the city.

One man showed a piece of string holding up his trousers because he had not eaten for so long.

"These used to fit me," he said.

A Red Cross team who managed to deliver medical supplies to Sirte's hospital has reported that the city of about 100,000 people has no power. Civilians say many streets are flooded.

Sirte has been under attack for about three weeks, the target of a couple of all-out assaults and near-constant shelling by interim government forces and NATO air strikes.

"IT WILL BE LIKE GADDAFI SAID"

Pro-Gaddafi fighters inside are putting up fierce resistance and, NATO and some civilians say, forcibly recruiting locals to fight alongside them and preventing people from getting out.

"We reached the outskirts of the city but the militia stopped us from leaving," Awidat said of a previous attempt he made to leave. He managed to slip out on Tuesday morning.

"Where we live there are still families trapped," he said.

Sirte presents a conundrum for the ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) and for NATO, whose mandate in Libya is to protect of civilians.

The NTC must strike a balance between a prolonged fight that would delay their efforts to govern and a quicker but bloody victory that would worsen regional divisions and embarrass the fledgling government and its foreign backers.

Some civilians say pro-Gaddafi fighters are hiding in residential areas, raising fears of vicious street battles ahead.

"Sirte is not going to be like Tripoli," said NTC medic Mashallah Al-Zoy, referring to the relatively easy manner in which anti-Gaddafi fighters swept into the capital.

"It will be street-to-street, house-to-house, like (Gaddafi) said."

Some residents now cannot afford the scarce fuel they need to drive out to safety, the United Nations and aid groups say.

Residents said pasta and flour had become precious commodities.

NTC fighters, viewed with suspicion by many people leaving Sirte, have been handing out food and drinks at makeshift kiosks along the route.

"I haven't eaten bread in weeks," said Fathi al-Naji as he crammed a tuna sandwich into his mouth.

Some people leaving on Tuesday looked lost.

Three women and two men from Chad, who said they had lived in Sirte for years, wandered along a roadside not far from the town, with nine bewildered children but no belongings.

When asked how much longer he estimated food supplies in Sirte could last, one of the men answered: "what food?". (Additional reporting by Rania El Gamal in Sirte; Writing by Barry Malone; Editing by Andrew Roche)

Monday, October 3, 2011

Libya/Neo-colonization: New Libyan NTC regime torturing prisoners

A US human rights watchdog has called on Libya's new regime to stop its loyalists from rounding up suspected opposition forces and torturing and enslaving them.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned on Friday that militiamen loyal to the Nato-backed National Transitional Council have locked up thousands of people on suspicion of supporting former leader Muammar Gadaffi, including women and children - and none have been brought before a judge.

It said that some detainees reporting beatings and electric shocks had the scars to prove it.

HRW staff recently visited 20 detention camps in Tripoli and interviewed 53 inmates, including 37 Libyan citizens and 16 sub-Saharan Africans.

The investigators discovered that NTC-aligned gunmen had forced some dark-skinned Libyan people and migrants to do manual labour, including carrying heavy materials, cleaning and renovating buildings around Tripoli or on military bases.

Detainees who reported abuse said guards beat them, sometimes daily.

HRW did not to release the names of detainees and facilities for fear of reprisals against those interviewed.

A sub-Saharan African man identified only as Mohammed wept as he showed HRW investigators welts on his arms, back and neck from beatings by guards at a small detention camp.

And seven prisoners in two facilities, including women, said guards had subjected them to electric shocks.

HRW regional director Joe Stork said: "After all that Libyans suffered in Muammar Gadaffi's jails, it's disheartening that some of the new authorities are subjecting detainees to arbitrary arrest and beatings today.

"The NTC owes it to the people of Libya to show that they will institute the rule of law from the start."

The NTC is struggling to form a new government amid infighting over government posts and continued resistance to its rule in several towns.

  • Italian energy giant Eni has signed a deal to restart oil and natural gas plants under Italian management.

    The firm hopes to get natural gas, another mainstay of Libya's economy, flowing to Italy again through the Greenstream pipeline by October.

by Tom Mellen

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Florêncio da Conceição de Almeida, Ambassador to Italy presents credentials

 

Luanda/Angop – The Angolan extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ambassador to Italy, Florêncio da Conceição de Almeida, delivered his figured letters Thursday in Rome, to the Diplomatic Ceremonial chief of Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Stefano Ronca.

The ambassador Stefano Ronca said he is willing to help the “new” diplomat, and transmitted well-come greetings from the head of Italian diplomacy, Franco Frattini.

Stefano Ronca stressed also Italian interest in continuing “to supply” Italian companies working in Angola.

While congratulating his interlocutor by the reception, ambassador Florêncio de Almeida said that his mission will be based on “reinforcing political and economic cooperation between both nations”, as well as intensifying the contacts with the Italian private entrepreneur sector.

Florêncio da Conceição de Almeida, who was appointed last June, as ambassador to Italy is the ninth Angolan representative at that European nation.

Republic of Angola: Repatriation of Angolan refugees from Zambia suspended

Luena/Angop – The repatriation of Angolan refugees from the neighbouring Republic of Zambia is suspended since August this year for technical reasons, Angop learned Thursday in Luena, eastern Moxico province.

The information was released by Moxico provincial director of the Social Welfare Minisytry, Ana Filomena Chipoia.

The official said on the occasion her department is awaiting a notification from Zambia for the restart of the operation.

A total of 691 Angolan refugees returned home from Zambia in July this year.

Ana Filomena Chipoia said another more than 5,000 people wishing to return home from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC) have registered.

According to the official, the number of Angolans awaiting to return home from the above mentioned neighbouring countries is well above 5,000 people.

The above mentioned 691 that returned to Angola went to the provinces of Huambo, Bié (centre), Kuando Kubango, Huíla (south), Kwanza Sul (centre), Luanda (north) and Moxico (east).

Ana Chipoia said all logistic arrangements have been made for the reception of the refugees through the transit centres in the districts of Luau (for those returning from the DRC), Bundas and Sacassange (Zambia), near Luena.

Other centres have been set up in Bié and Huambo provinces.

Angola/Democracia: As consequências de manifestações negativas

Está em marcha em Angola uma clara tentativa de desestabilização da ordem pública com proporções que podem ser alarmantes no curto médio prazo. Este tipo de prática não é nova e são bem conhecidas as suas causas e os seus efeitos imediatos e de longo prazo.

manifestacao em angola O exemplo da Líbia é o expoente máximo que levou a um derrube de um governo e do que advém diretamente de um derrube com essa índole. É, portanto, um exemplo bom para nós, Angolanos, que devemos olhar para os outros países e tentar, a todo o custo, evitar situações semelhantes no nosso.

Ao fim ao cabo, de uma forma clara e pragmática, o que se sucede a um possível derrube de um governo? Aqui poderiam ser enumeradas milhares de consequências, mas vou apenas exemplificar com as mais evidentes e que mais impacto teriam, directamente, no nosso país.

O caso da Líbia, após o caos se ter instalado e se ter praticamente derrubado o governo, independentemente de quem está por trás ou não desse golpe, para mim o que mais importa é o que será a seguir. O que sucederá a partir de agora ao povo líbio e o que será do futuro do país? Um país praticamente destruído pelas armas, que ainda não se calaram, onde não existe lei nem ordem, onde claramente irá haver uma situação de fome e miséria entre o seu povo. A comunidade internacional, por mais vontade que tenha em intervir e em ajudar no relançamento da Líbia como país, isso será sempre doloroso para o seu povo. Nós em Angola temos isso bem visível aos olhos do nosso povo, de Cabinda ao Cunene, que sofreu com a guerra, durante o conflito e sofre, ainda hoje, com as consequências directas e indirectas desse triste facto.

No nosso país, esta tentativa de fazer praticamente o mesmo que se fez na Líbia, com as consequências evidentes e que estão à vista de todos, seria catastrófica do ponto de vista social, económico e político para todos nós. Iria novamente levar o nosso povo a ter de parar no tempo, para pegar em armas, levaria as nossas crianças a ter novamente de deixar de estudar, seja nas grandes cidades como fora delas. Isso levaria, novamente, ao caos, à desordem, a fome e à miséria no seio da família angolana.

Momento histórico

Angola está neste momento, considerado histórico não só por nós, mas também por muitos países estrangeiros, num período de paz, prosperidade e de progresso para o nosso povo. Angola está a reerguer-se de uma guerra sangrenta, um conflito de irmãos que devastou o nosso país. Foram destruídas escolas, hospitais, estradas, pontes, a nossa economia durante anos ficou estagnada, o país deixou de produzir. O ensino ficou parado também durante anos, fazendo com que exista, infelizmente, um número enorme de iletrados e analfabetos em todo o país.

No entanto, nos dias de hoje, com a liderança forte que existe no nosso país, com um governo forte e coeso, com programas e com ideias bem estruturadas e conhecidas por todos, com provas dadas a todos os níveis, o país está, novamente e felizmente, a "reerguer-se das cinzas". O povo angolano voltou a sorrir, foram reconstruídas e construídas de raiz muitas escolas para os nossos filhos, hospitais para todos nós, pontes, estradas, auto-estradas, portos e aeroportos que são úteis todos os dias para o relançamento da nossa economia, para produzir emprego em larga escala para todos os angolanos, independentemente da sua origem, do seu nível académico, existe possibilidade de trabalho para todos. O cenário, no entanto, não é paradisíaco. Mas é o cenário possível no pós-guerra, é o cenário que foi conseguido à custa do sangue de muitos dos nossos compatriotas que deram a sua vida em nome de uma Angola justa, moderna e desenvolvida que, não restando dúvidas, a todos deixa feliz e que todo o povo quer que seja um país exemplo para África e para o mundo. Será que num cenário destes podemos deixar que suceda, novamente uma situação idêntica, de caos, conflito e desordem? Onde a lei deixa de ser respeitada, onde tudo o que foi até agora feito, seja, mais uma vez, destruído ou posto em causa? Para que se quereria um cenário destes novamente? Qual o objectivo, ao fim ao cabo, de levar o país a uma situação catastrófica com consequências inimagináveis e de proporções negativas gigantescas para todos os angolanos?

A ideia que ocorre só pode ser a maldade, a falta de visão estratégica e o terrorismo puro e evidente. É isso que se quer, por parte de alguns indivíduos apoiados não se sabe bem por quem, instaurar em Angola. Quer-se desacreditar as instituições, a Polícia Nacional e os governantes.


Intimidação do povo

Estas manifestações, embora consagradas na Constituição da República, e muito bem, à luz do direito de todos de poderem expressar as suas ideias e opiniões, não estão, no entanto, a cumprir o seu papel como deveria ser. Sendo manifestações que se dizem pacíficas e ordeiras, deveriam um caminho, ter uma ideia, pelo menos uma, que nos mostrasse a razão pelo menos delas existirem. O que se vê é o terror que tentam causar entre o povo. O terrorismo, igual àquele que infelizmente assistimos em outros países através da televisão, é o que se pretende trazer para Angola. Chegou-se a pensar que iriam trazer exemplos bons do estrangeiro. Mas não é isso que se verifica, infelizmente, na prática. Está em curso, no nosso país, uma mega reforma das instituições públicas, uma revolução autêntica e a que todos nos orgulham ao nível do desenvolvimento sustentável a todos os níveis. Ninguém, nem mesmo no estrangeiro, pode negar este facto. Aliás, muito do que se tem dito ultimamente lá fora, sobre o nosso país é exatamente isso, de que o país está a desenvolver-se e que o seu povo encontrou finalmente a paz que tanto queria para poder evoluir, estudar, trabalhar e ter condições condignas de vida, que é do seu direito. Está consagrado na Declaração dos Direitos Humanos.

O povo Angolano não quer guerra. O povo angolano quer paz, quer ver a sua jovem Nação a desenvolver-se, a cada dia, fazendo uso das suas riquezas naturais, que muitos dizem ter sido obra de Deus, para dar alegria, paz, estabilidade e prosperidade às famílias. É isto que se tem verificado no país. De Cabinda ao Cunene, a cada dia que passa, algo mais é construído. Mais uma escola é erguida, mais uma criança aprende a ler, a escrever e será, no amanhã, quem nos irá ajudar a atingir níveis cada vez mais elevados de desenvolvimento e prosperidade.

Não tentemos partidarizar esta questão. O que importa é não permitir, de forma alguma, que alguém, seja lá quem for, de que nacionalidade for, traga às nossas fronteiras o terrorismo, o caos e a desordem. Não o podemos permitir. Temos assistido a vários apelos por parte de vários cidadãos, partidarizados ou não, para que o povo se mantenha vigilante. Esta vigilância que se pretende é uma vigilância pacífica, ordeira, nunca enveredando pela via da delinquência, da desordem, da falta de respeito. Não é isso que o povo quer.

Voltando ao caso da Líbia, já se ouvem relatos um pouco por toda a parte de violações dos direitos humanos, violações a crianças, raptos, falta de água, alimentos, etc. Também não é isto que o povo Angolano quer.


Apelo à unidade nacional

O apelo que é o objectivo final desta abordagem vai no sentido de pedir, desde os governantes ao cidadão comum, crianças, as nossas mamãs, aos mais velhos, de Cabinda ao Cunene, que se unam em torno da paz, da segurança e do desenvolvimento do país. Não deixar, jamais, que voltemos à desordem, às violações, às mortes, à destruição dos nossos campos de cultivo que voltaram a ser novamente replantados em prol de todos. É um apelo à angolanidade, ao sentido de ser angolano, ao nosso orgulho, como um povo ordeiro, um povo pacífico, acolhedor e tolerante. O Angolano tem e deve ser, como se diz e muito bem em vários órgãos de informação, um exemplo para África e para o mundo. O nosso país também pode ser, como são muitos outros países pelo mundo fora, rico, desenvolvido, onde todas as crianças têm acesso ao ensino, onde todos usufruem de água potável, de energia elétrica, de uma habitação condigna, de paz, de segurança, livre de miséria, da fome, de doenças que infelizmente ainda persistem mas que vão sendo combatidas. O povo angolano merece isso. Todos o merecemos.

Nunca nos podemos esquecer dos planos que estão em curso em todo o país, planos de desenvolvimento concretos que visam a melhoria das condições de vida das populações. Projectos de abastecimento de água um pouco por toda a Angola, até nas zonas outrora consideradas inacessíveis aos meios humanos, mas que hoje, graças às novas tecnologias, podemos lá chegar e garantir às populações que lá residem, ter direito ao seu pão, a água potável, a energia elétrica, a estradas novas, a hospitais, a escolas para os seus filhos, enfim, à dignidade humana! Será que estamos dispostos, enquanto Angolanos, a pôr tudo isto em causa? Será que queremos regredir, novamente, 30 anos no tempo? Voltar à miséria, à fome, à delinquência gratuita, aos estupros das nossas crianças, das nossas irmãs, das nossas mamãs? Será que queremos voltar a separar as famílias que, após anos longos de conflito, voltaram novamente a estar unidas? Unidas em torno da paz, do desenvolvimento e da prosperidade? Será que é isso que o povo angolano quer?

O cenário de crise económica e financeira que vive o mundo todo, onde já se fala inclusivamente de escassez de alimentos, só nos dá ainda mais que pensar. Nós temos, graças a Deus, terras aráveis, cultiváveis, muita água, não só subterrânea, como uma costa riquíssima em recursos marinhos, para todos, chuva na maior parte do ano que ajuda no cultivo dos mais variados alimentos, desde a batata, ao arroz, à cenoura, à alface, tomate, cebola, frutas como a manga, a goiaba, a laranja, a tangerina, tudo produtos que podem ser aqui cultivados e exportados em benefício do nosso povo, que o merece.

O povo angolano é um povo trabalhador, que quer ver o seu país ser nomeado como um país próspero, um país democrático, onde existe respeito pelos direitos humanos, onde existe respeito pelas mulheres, pelas crianças, onde há direitos e garantias para todos. É evidente que é um país novo, uma pátria jovem, mas que está, graças ao esforço de todos os angolanos, a desenvolver-se.

É possível acabar com a miséria, é possível acabar com a fome aonde ela ainda persiste, é possível fornecer com qualidade serviços sociais básicos a todo o país. Para isso basta o Governo continuar a apostar em programas concretos, sólidos e projectos sustentáveis.

Estes estão à vista de todos. Do norte ao sul do nosso país, por onde quer que passemos, vemos casas a serem erguidas, pontes a serem erguidas, hospitais a serem construídos e alguns até reconstruídos, escolas primárias a serem reabilitadas ou construídas de raiz, escolas secundárias, pólos universitários para que todos possamos frequentar o ensino, aprender a ler, a escrever e a tornarmo-nos naquilo que sempre sonhámos. Desde doutores, a médicos, enfermeiros, professores, engenheiros das mais diversas áreas, carpinteiros, eletricistas, cozinheiros, mecânicos, mestres de obras, ajudantes de obras, enfim, tudo o que nós sonhamos para nós e para os nossos filhos. Família angolana, tudo isso é possível. Mas em paz, em concertação social, em diálogo pacífico. Não tentemos politizar estas questões porque, em última análise, o que está em causa é a soberania do país. São as suas fronteiras, o seu mar, as suas riquezas que ficam em jogo. É o povo que sofre, somos todos nós, de Cabinda ao Cunene. Não são talvez aqueles que tentam por meios menos pacíficos lançar o caos, apelar à violência gratuita, até apelos ao roubo. Mais uma vez, não é isso que o povo angolano quer.


Vontade de trabalhar

Nunca é demais dizer, o que o povo quer, seja lá qual for a sua região, se é um cidadão de Cabinda, se é de Benguela, se é de Luanda, se é do Moxico, não importa, o povo quer paz, o povo quer trabalhar, o povo quer melhorar as suas condições de vida, a todos os níveis, com o trabalho, com honestidade e num cenário de paz, de tranquilidade. Nós, angolanos, temos uma polícia nacional capaz, com quadros especializados no combate à criminalidade. Estes sim têm a soberania para poder lutar, com armas, contra aqueles que tentam fazer da sua vida a desgraça dos outros. Contra aqueles que querem lançar a desordem, a desgraça que se calhar, nem eles próprios têm noção da sua grandeza e para onde isso nos pode levar.

Nunca é demais lembrar que a desordem social nunca foi boa. O Angolano tem isso na sua memória. A desordem só nos trouxe guerra, pobreza, desgraças de várias ordens. Todos nós choramos a morte de um ou de vários amigos, irmãos, tios, primos, pai ou mãe, que morreram em prol da paz e em prol do nosso futuro. Nunca nos esqueçamos disso. Todos temos a obrigação de honrar quem por nós lutou e quem por nós deu a vida nos campos de batalha para que Angola tenha um amanhã, uma esperança de vir a ser aquilo em que se está a tornar, num grande país, próspero, democrático e desenvolvido, para todos nós.

É esse o dever patriótico que devemos ter. Um dever de defender a nossa Nação, a nossa Pátria, mas nunca através das armas, nunca através da violência, nunca usando os mesmos argumentos daqueles que querem que regressemos ao tempo das armas, da guerra, da fome e da miséria. Devemos lutar através das palavras, através das eleições, através do voto, através dos debates que se organizam um pouco por todo o país onde todo o cidadão tem o direito de opinar, de expressar as suas dificuldades, as suas angústias, enfim, tudo o que quiser, mas, nunca nos esqueçamos, de forma pacífica, ordeira, em paz e em harmonia. Isto é o que nos caracteriza como sendo Angolanos.

É isto que nos deve orgulhar. As nossas conquistas, os nossos valores democráticos, valores morais e cívicos. A nossa hospitalidade para com quem quer vir procurar a sua felicidade no nosso país, tal como nós, por escolha ou por obrigação, também o fazemos nos países estrangeiros. É isto que se chama ser Angolano, ter orgulho em nós mesmos, naquilo que conseguimos juntos, de mãos dadas, alcançar.

Não podemos, sob nenhum pretexto descabido, permitir que tudo isso que conseguimos com lágrimas nos olhos, de um dia para o outro, seja posto em causa seja lá por quem for.


Juntos, conseguimos.

Paulo Quaresma (*) Licenciado em Relações Internacionais

Via | JA

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

White power - United States, Britain, France and NATO - Hands off Libya! And out of Africa!

The African Socialist International (ASI) condemns the present and historical barbaric assault on Libya, Africa from imperialist powers who are driven by the profit motive inherent in capitalism, pure and simple.

We condemn the United Nations (UN) as a tool of imperialism being used to ensure and protect neocolonialism in Africa.

 


U.S. bombs destroy home of Colonel Gaddafi, resulting in the deaths of his son and grandchildren

 

It was the United Nations that provided the legal and political cover for the attack on Libya.

It is NATO, under U.S. leadership that is formally carrying out the mission.

NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was formed during the era of colonial supremacy for the purpose of contending with the then-Soviet Union.

The fact that this North Atlantic treaty group has come together to attack Africa helps to expose the fact the the crisis of imperialism is generated in large part by the growing threat to colonial assets traditionally in the hands of white power.

The attack on Libya gives lie to the notion of sovereignty in Africa. Neocolonialism is the fundamental reality that defines the African state, even states attempting to exercise a modicum of independence like Libya.

Remember, neocolonialism is more than the attitude of the head of state or ministers of government.

It is an economic relationship that Kwame Nkrumah recognized as a necessary product of a divided Africa.

The attack on Libya reveals for all to see the vulnerability of any so-called independent African state to stand up alone to the military projections of the imperialist State, independent of the mobilized international African working class.

Libya is standing alone notwithstanding its financial contributions to various of the neocolonial heads of state whose favour Gaddafi courted in his efforts to unite the neocolonial club called the Africa Union (AU).

Not a single one of them has come to his aid although many of them are always available to carry out military missions in Africa to facilitate this or that imperialist foreign policy objective.

The ASI understands that the United Nations was created by white power imperialism and that it is incapable of serving the best interest of Africa and its people, no matter where on this earth we are located.

Our redemption and the peace we long for is only possible in a united and socialist Africa.

We reject UN Security Council seat/s for Nigeria or South Africa, or for the both of them.

These are neocolonial states which would only act in accordance with imperialist wishes and do the bidding of white power.

ASI Chairman, Omali Yeshitela, while addressing the Chinese and their collaboration with imperialism in his Political Report to the Fifth Congress of the African People’s Socialist Party, made this observation: “China also intends to transform its material conditions of existence, not through revolution to overthrow capitalism, but through joining imperialism at the trough.”

Indeed the black petty bourgeoisie leadership of Good Luck Jonathan in Nigeria, or Zuma and the African National Congress in South Africa, are begging to get to the blood-soaked imperialist trough, especially down in South Africa where ruthless anti-black war criminals are still being harboured, and who still have privilege.

The imperialists also hide behind the Arab league, a corrupted organisation of Arab neocolonial dictators who collaborate with the white settler colonial state of Israel.

This imperialist-led boot-licking organization has no legitimacy to decide when an African country should be attacked and its government replaced.

Libya’s stand against Israel must not go unnoticed. It is an important anti-imperialist, anti-zionist stance, as is the similar stand taken by Iran and Syria. The combined influence of Libya, Iran, Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah, etc. in the face of a weakened Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen and Algeria certainly is something that has loosened the metaphorical bowels of imperialism.

It is clear that the question of African unity is the most pressing question of our times.

It is a question that not only will determine the fate of Africa and African people worldwide, but it is a question that will determine whether a meaningful future is forthcoming, free of bosses and slaves, that when solved will chart the course for all of humanity.

If we want to stop all imperialists' bestial wars of aggressions, we must participate and accelerate the struggle for a socialist United States of Africa.

The African petty bourgeoisie and its African Union are of no use for Africa and African people.

Together with its counterpart, the Arab petty bourgeoisie and the Arab League cannot fight imperialism.

They are part and parcel of imperialism they have no interest in doing so. They are allies in an unequal partnership.

This aggression launched by US president Barack Hussein Obama under the pretext of saving civilians from Gadaffi’s army is packaged in a bundle of lies in the same way that US president George W Bush and British prime minister Tony Blair used to invade Iraq, then capture and lynch President Saddam Hussein.

They claimed Hussein was acquiring and developing weapons of mass destruction, which later were proved to be pure inventions of the US State Department and CIA.

Everyone already knows, however, that it is the US and its NATO allies that have all the weapons of mass destruction that constitute a threat to the world's existence.

One must pose the question: Why did the indebted and bankrupt British, French and US North American states attack Libya?

The answer: It is to prevent the shifting of power at the expense of Europe and North America.

The downfall of the AU, once championed by Colonel Muammar Gadaffi, will remain a powerless and treacherous organisation, because it is a Pan-Africanist vision that appeals to the heads of neocolonial states who are opposed to the emancipation and power of Africa and of the African workers.

The consolidation of the real shifting of the balance of power in favour of Africa and of the African world begins with the triumph of the African Internationalism of Omali Yeshitela, which is the development of the African Fundamentalism of Garvey, the Socialism of Nkrumah and the revolutionary work of Malcolm X, Patrice Lumumba and others; Yeshitelism recognises the necessity to organise into a single organisation of African workers and peasants from around the world to build the United States of Africa, which will end the power of white capitalists and their negro collaborators.

We cannot accept the French, British, US North Americans and others who continue to bamboozle us with lies about democracy and white people saving Africa.

Bourgeois elections anywhere are for the people with money. They are never the voice of the people, but the voice of people with money.

Most of us already know that Africans have no freedom in the west. A conference sponsored by the same UN in September 2001 in Durban, South Africa agreed that slavery and colonialism are crimes against Humanity. How can UN allow them to bomb Libya?

All charity money collected on behalf of Africans in Haiti is still in the hands of white NGO accounts for their own use.

In Libya, the rebels are already selling oil and setting up a central bank. A rebel movement setting up its own bank is a première in world history!

There are reports showing that Obama backed CIA covert actions against Libya before the bombing started.

British SAS were captured in Libya inn March and Western corporations made plans to sell Libyan oil just as they did for Iraq before the invasion occurred.

US president Obama has frozen $30 billion of Libyan funds earmarked for African Projects! And they are steadily bombing the people of Libya to save them.

And finally, our unity with Gadaffi’s government is not based on the inherent legitimacy of the government itself.

It is based on the fact that the imperialists are attempting to rescue themselves from a deep crisis where their political power is being threatened on every front with Libya.

In fact, the same thing is true with Syria.

We don’t validate the regimes.

We invalidate imperialism, although in the case of Libya, as we have said on more than one occasion, Gadaffi stands heads above most of the African cretins that pose as leaders and heads of state.

It is too late; Africans will never accept this invasion of our land. Reparations are still due us from the white world for hundreds of years of stolen black labour and African resources.

Death to Imperialism! Death to Neocolonialism!

Build the African Socialist international, the tool for a genuine unity of Africa and African people world wide.

Statement from African Socialist International, uhuruasi@aol.com, April 26, 2011, London, 07862294364, www.asiuhuru.org

African Socialist International

Libyan Islamists must have share in power, warns leader: “Islamists must not be marginalised”

Abdel Hakim Belhaj
Libyan Islamists must not be marginalised, says Abdel Hakim Belhaj,
leader of the Tripoli Military Council. Photograph: Francois Mori/AP

Libya's Islamist groups "will not allow" secular politicians to exclude or marginalise them in the intensifying battle for power in the post-Gaddafi era, the country's most powerful Islamist leader has said.

Abdel Hakim Belhaj, head of the Tripoli Military Council and founder of a jihadi group that was later disbanded, appears to be firing a shot across the bows of liberal, western-backed rivals after negotiations over broadening the rebel administration foundered.

"We must resist attempts by some Libyan politicians to exclude some of the participants in the revolution," Belhaj writes in the Guardian. "Their political myopia renders them unable to see the huge risks of such exclusion, or the serious ... reaction of the parties that are excluded."

More than a month since Tripoli fell to rebel brigades backed by Nato, the National Transitional Council (NTC) has failed to expand to be more representative, generating a sense of division and drift about the future that western diplomats and many Libyans admit is worrying.

It is now clear there will be no deal before the liberation of the whole country is formally declared. That requires the defeat of Gaddafi loyalists in the deposed leader's coastal hometown of Sirte, where heavy fighting continued on Tuesday. In Bani Walid, south of Tripoli, there is a stalemate. "Consultations have led to a decision to postpone the formation of a government until after liberation," NTC member Mustafa el-Huni said in Benghazi. The scale of the political challenge ahead is enormous in a country that has not held an election since 1952 and is just emerging from 41 years of dictatorship.

Belhaj – who was transferred to Libya with the help of the CIA and MI6 to serve seven years in Gaddafi's most infamous prison – was the head of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, which fought in Afghanistan until abandoning its jihadi ideas and disbanding in 2009. It then became the Libyan Islamic Movement for Change.

He is seen as the leader of the country's Islamist camp, his own and like-minded rebel brigades directly armed and financed by the Gulf state of Qatar, and his military council effectively controlling the capital. The Libyan national army, which includes many former Gaddafi officers, and answers to the NTC, looks like the junior partner.

Belhaj is close to Ali Sallabi, an influential cleric who lived in exile before returning after the start of the revolution in Benghazi. Sallabi angered many Libyans in a recent interview with Qatari-owned al-Jazeera TV in which he directly attacked Mahmoud Jibril, the NTC's prime minister-designate.

Jibril is a technocratic figure who did much to drum up western support for the Libyan rebels but he has emerged as the focus for bitter debates about the future.

Jibril is resented by some for his role in promoting economic development under the aegis of Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi, the former leader's son, who was embraced by the west as a reformer until the uprising.

Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the NTC head, had already acknowledged that "differences in views" had delayed a deal, which is also complicated by regional rivalries.

Misrata, which suffered badly during the uprising, is insistent that its position be recognised. "We are faced with the Libyan mentality that every tribe, every region, every city has a share in the new government," Jibril said.

One analyst in Tripoli said: "Jibril and others appear to be offering an expanded NTC with some extra ministerial posts, but those outside want something much more fundamental - a fully representative council which would then elect a transitional government."

Nato said on Tuesday that about 200,000 Libyan civilians were still threatened by Gaddafi loyalists, mainly in Sirte and Bani Walid. "Remaining Gaddafi forces refuse to recognise their defeat," said a spokesman. RAF Tornados were said to have been in action on both fronts on Monday, hitting ammunition stores, a psychological warfare centre and a firing position.

Ian Black in Tripoli | guardian.co.uk,

Sirte civilians accuse NATO of genocide: "They have hit all kinds of buildings: schools, hospitals"

CIVILIANS pouring out of the besieged city of Sirte accused NATO of committing genocide yesterday as revolutionary forces reinforced their numbers and prepared for a new attack on Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's home town.

Long lines of civilian vehicles were seen leaving after a night punctuated by NATO air attacks. Forces fighting for the National Transitional Council (NTC) added their own artillery and mortar rounds at regular intervals.

Civilians, many looking scared or sullen, said that conditions inside Sirte were "disastrous". They made claims which, if verified, offer a conundrum for Nato, which operates with a UN mandate on the need to protect civilian life.

"It has been worse than awful," said Riab Safran, 28, as his car was searched by revolutionary fighters. His family had been sleeping on the beach, he said.

"They have hit all kinds of buildings: schools, hospitals," he said, referring to NATO airstrikes.

He said he could not distinguish between NATO and NTC attacks but believed it was a NATO bomb that destroyed part of his home on Saturday. NATO said it hit a number of military targets including a rocket launcher, artillery, and three ammunition stores.

Another resident said: "NATO bombing is killing civilians. Where is the United Nations? Where is the Muslim world to stop this genocide of the people of Sirte?"

The man, who gave his name as Mohammed Ali Alum Sekily, said six members of his family had been killed, but declined to give details. An eight-day-old baby brought out in one car was born on the beach, the family said.

Some of those interviewed by The Times said that Gaddafi loyalists were forcing residents to stay in the city. Others said that residents were frightened of revolutionary fighters who were rumoured to be abducting women from cars trying to leave Sirte.

NTC fighters denied the charges. I saw them offering food and water to those queueing to leave.

Residents said that power and water had run out and petrol was 400 Libyan dinars ($A330) a gallon. The water shortage has produced an epidemic of diseases, according to medical staff at a clinic in the town of Harawa, 35km east of Sirte. However, Gaddafi loyalists appeared to have plentiful stores of pasta, oil, flour and ammunition, residents said. Loyalists used an open radio channel to taunt NTC fighters, insisting that the city would never be taken.

The NTC forces checked the identity papers of those leaving against lists of known Gaddafi security personnel and senior former government figures, and they detained a number of men.

Following their unsuccessful assault on Saturday, one commander said that the NTC leadership thought that the attack was badly co-ordinated.

"We don't want to lose people, we don't want another Saturday, this was a mistake," said Omran Al Awaib from the Tiger Brigade.

The attacking forces lost eight dead and 153 wounded as they tried to move up the main road into the city. But the hard-won gains were abandoned the same evening as NTC troops retreated, leaving a barricade of sand-filled shipping containers. It has now been dismantled by Gaddafi forces.

There was almost no fighting yesterday except for long-range artillery and mortars. NTC forces were finally able to link up with reinforcements pushing towards the city from Benghazi, completing their encirclement of Sirte.

An NTC commander said that a new offensive would begin in the coming days.

THE TIMES

  • Tom Coghlan
  • From:The Times
  • September 27, 2011 1:27PM

  • Monday, September 26, 2011

    "Gaddafi's billions" Where is money of Libyans? | Sarkozy | Obama | Cameron

    Central Bank of Libya, the rebels captured the Transitional National Council, announced the sale of 29 tons of gold. The bank undertook these measures to "provide citizens with wages." The new head of the Central Bank Ghassem Azzoz also poined out that the bank's assets were fully preserved during the war, nothing has been stolen! Nothing! And nothing has been removed!


    It is striking that as it turned out, "the corrupt tyrant" (as the "revolutionaries" had to admit, and this is worth a lot) was not tempted even by a gram of gold owned by the people. Not a gram!

    However, knowing about the Colonel what we, friends of Libya, learned about him over the past six months, there's nothing strange about it. Another thing is surprising. So let's talk about it.

    About a week ago, the so-called self-styled "friends of Libya" met in Paris to decide that once the capital of Libya Tripoli had been seized - it is a separate story by whom! - the Libyan people's money can be "unfreeze" and passed to the "democrats." Who are the "democrats" and why for the sake of "democracy" they had to kill thousands of Libyans - is also a separate story!

    In brief, in Paris they began to count and...

    When calculations were done, it turned out that on the frozen Libyan accounts there were only 15 billion. Out of the 89 or 130 ...

    Stop, the West mentioned also 170 billion! And claimed that the "tyrant" ( "what a bastard!" screamed all the politicians and everybody in the West, just to defame the lion of the desert! ) stole the money from the Libyan people!

    Western politics and Margelov who joined them started feeling uncomfortable, they had a talk behind closed doors and solemnly announced that they found other ten billion. 25 altogether! Out of 170 billion, frozen in March!

    Western politics and Margelov who joined them started feeling uncomfortable, they had a talk behind closed doors and solemnly announced that they found other ten billion. 25 altogether! Out of 170 billion, frozen in March!

    Moreover, even this amount was delivered to the "new" authorities of Libya not in the currency (the accounts were in dollars, euro, pounds and, in theory, were supposed to be returned in cash ) but they came in boxes with newly printed Libyan dinars. From London - as much as 40 tons!


    Read more: I can not be silent! I can stop to cry! [libyasos]

    Provas da acção desestabilizadora anti-democrática, por Justino Justo*

    Excelentíssimo Senhor Director do Jornal de Angola,
    Aceite os meus mais cordiais cumprimentos e os melhores votos de sucesso para si e para o Jornal que tão bem dirige.

    Por vezes, coíbo-me de trazer a público questões que têm ou tiveram a ver com a nossa “longa marcha”, por considerar que mais importante do que a nossa trajectória, é a paz que conquistamos, o momento em que estamos e o futuro que pretendemos para os nossos filhos e netos.
    Infelizmente, a minha vontade de falar de coisas boas choca algumas vezes com factos e práticas políticas negativas que, pela sua gravidade, não podem deixar de merecer o meu reparo e até a minha mais veemente repulsa.

    Definitivamente, o meu compromisso é com a consolidação da paz e o desenvolvimento do nosso país e tudo quanto faço alicerça-se na vontade de contribuir para impedir que aqueles que se dizem democratas mas que patrocinam a desordem e o desrespeito às pessoas e às instituições do Estado, possam continuar a desfilar a raiva que nutrem pelo facto de não serem poder e de o quererem conquistar a qualquer preço, nem que para isso se tenha de apelar aos amigos externos para que testem aqui o que de mais moderno tenham em meios de destruição de vidas e de infra-estruturas.
    Essa falta de ética na política, essa constrangedora falta de senso patriótico e a convicção de que nada de bom têm para nos oferecer, a não ser essa inverosímil falta de sentido de Estado e de desrespeito aos reais sentimentos nutridos pelo nosso povo (porque é visível que não têm nada de bom para nos apresentar, não têm capacidade criativa e muito menos vocação governativa), fazem com que, no estrito respeito pela minha consciência nacionalista e pelo que contribuí para que tivéssemos a Angola que hoje temos, venha, uma vez mais, a terreiro para denunciar o que me foi dado a saber sobre algumas orquestrações que têm vindo a ser maquinadas pelo Bloco Democrático.

    Recordem-se que em Julho de 2010 denunciei o que estava inscrito nas Teses que estavam a ser preparadas para o II Congresso da Juventude do meu Partido, a JURA . Passado um ano não retiro absolutamente nada, porquanto está provada a sua veracidade e se dúvidas subsistirem comparem o comportamento e as atitudes de alguns dos dirigentes actuais e o que está escrito naquele texto, cuja cópia entreguei à Direcção desse Jornal.

    Não reconheço, em mim, capacidades outras que não a de ser capaz de interpretar o que leio e de fazer algumas deduções lógicas. Adivinhar não é, nem nunca foi, o meu forte. Se fosse, teria redireccionado a minha trajectória política há muito mais tempo.

    Mas devo, aqui e agora, relembrar duas passagens daquelas “teses” apenas para avivar a memória dos que pretendem tapar o sol com a peneira e facilitar a percepção do que direi a seguir:

    1 – A JURA projecta como oportunidades, a “criação de factos” e/ou “o aproveitamento de situações que ocorram no país”, tais como “eventos políticos, sociais, económicos, culturais, desportivos, académicos, religiosos e naturais” (devem querer referir-se a calamidades de qualquer tipo), para “desgastar por todos os meios a imagem do Presidente da República”, “transferir o foco de contradições UNITA/MPLA para o Povo/MPLA, alimentando e acirrando contradições sociais e económicas entre o MPLA/Governo e o povo”, “mediante a propagação” de “denúncias permanentes” do “carácter fraudulento das eleições de 5 e 6 de Setembro de 2008, o golpe jurídico-constitucional de 21 de Janeiro de 2010” e a “ilegitimidade democrática do Presidente da República”, incitando a população a “perder o medo de manifestar-se”. Lembram-se?!

    2 – “Mobilização e enquadramento político de membros e dirigentes de partidos políticos, igrejas e outras associações extintas pelo sistema” e a “cooperação com todas as forças, movimentos sociais e políticos ávidos da alternância do poder”. Sobre esta questão reitero que: “Pensar que participei no processo de libertação e na luta pela democracia e ver o Partido – UNITA – continuar a agir como um “gang de malfeitores”, é algo que me constrange sobremaneira”. Enfim… Lembram-se?!

    Pois bem, a questão é que, de facto, a UNITA tem vindo a arregimentar para o seu lado os ex-FPD (hoje Bloco Democrático) usando-os como capa e pedra de arremesso, potenciando a sua capacidade inata para a crítica fácil e despudorada e a sua reconhecida capacidade para explorar tudo quanto de menos bom possa acontecer na acção governativa, seja por culpa dos actores políticos que estão no exercício do poder ou por fenómenos imputáveis à natureza. (Seria engraçado ver o Dr. Justino culpar o Executivo pelo facto do satélite ter caído no nosso território. Graças a Deus e para azar daquele político, o engenho caiu em outras paragens. Que alívio para o Executivo).

    Mas o Bloco Democrático não foi de modas e, alinhando na estratégia global, inscrita nas teses da UNITA, criou, antecipadamente, um “Gabinete de Crise” chefiado pelo seu Presidente, Justino Pinto de Andrade, coadjuvado por Filomeno Vieira Lopes, cuja missão essencial é: estabelecer contactos com os demais Partidos Políticos da Oposição, entidades internacionais, amnistia internacional, órgãos de apoio aos refugiados, bem como promover a participação de diferentes grupos nas manifestações a realizar.

    Qual a intenção? Então … dizem que nada têm a ver com a organização das manifestações e têm necessidade de promover a participação de pessoas? Com que objectivo?

    Continuemos. A coordenação do Gabinete será apoiada por diferentes grupos. Desde logo por uma Comissão de Relações Institucionais (RINS), com a mesma chefia e as mesmas tarefas, ou seja, Justino Pinto de Andrade e Filomeno Vieira Lopes.
    A Comissão de Comunicação (INFOCOM), integrada por Manuel Victória Pereira, João Amaral, Cláudio Fortuna e Branquima Afonso Kituma, tem a incumbência de: fazer colecta de informação, emitir boletins diários, convocar conferências para propagandear a preparação ou apresentar os
    resultados das manifestações (criando factos ou denunciando a acção das forças policiais, culpando o regime por tudo quanto aconteça), produzir relatórios de presumíveis ocorrências, alimentar o facebook e o youtube, criar artigos para divulgação em jornais e criar histórias e factos, sempre que possível, com presos e suas famílias.

    Significa isso que eles vão instigar alguns jovens para se rebelarem contra as instituições e depois fazê-los surgir na imprensa como mártires? Será que já perderam a noção do valor da vida dos jovens que eles põem, deliberadamente, em risco? Será que as famílias estão avisadas do “uso” que estão a dar aos seus filhos?

    Então qual a diferença entre estes senhores do Bloco Democrático e os Numas, Libertys, Muzembas, Chilingutilas, Chiwales, Samakuvas e outros? Alguns destes ainda sabem o quanto nos custou fazer a guerra e perdê-la. E estes senhores do Bloco Democrático? Sabem mesmo o quanto sofremos para poder estar onde estamos e dar alguma tranquilidade às nossas famílias?

    Sabendo do que estão a preparar para os nossos filhos e netos, criaram uma Comissão de Apoio Jurídico (APOJUR), integrada por Luís do Nascimento, Nelson Pestana “Bonavena”, Lisdália Paula e David Mendes (Mãos Livres – antigo dirigente de um Partido Político).

    Mandam os nossos jovens para a rua (não vi nenhum deles na manifestação e, muito menos, a promoverem a arruaça que mandaram realizar) e depois, se tiverem problemas com as autoridades, surgem os salvadores da pátria.

    Não está na hora da própria Ordem dos Advogados posicionar-se em relação a esses seus integrantes que põem em causa a imagem e credibilidade da classe e vilipendiam os valores humanos e os deveres de profissão? Para que serve a Ordem? Ou será que devemos entender a Ordem dos Advogados apenas como mais um sindicato corporativo cujo fim se delimita na defesa de direitos e interesses dos representados? Não é esse o meu entendimento. Por isso mesmo, reclamo uma maior intervenção da Comissão de Ética daquela Instituição. Estou certo ou errado?

    Para concretizar o atrás dito, o Bloco Democrático criou também uma Comissão de Relação com os Familiares daqueles que tiverem problemas com as autoridades. É coordenada por Francisco Guedes, e segundo eles, contactar as famílias ajuda a moralizá-las e contactar os presos permite alimentar a informação pública, dando a imagem de que se tratam apenas de vítimas do regime.

    Até quando as nossas famílias se vão deixar manipular por gente que põe, sem qualquer tipo de sentimento que não seja o do simples aproveitamento da sua ingenuidade, a vida dos seus próprios entes em risco? Até quando?

    A máscara do Bloco Democrático caiu definitivamente com a criação da Comissão de Mobilização, integrada por João Baruba, Pedro Candungo e Adão Ramos, cuja missão principal é arranjar jovens disponíveis para aderir às arruaças e propor acções a realizar no âmbito da tentativa de descredibilização da figura do Presidente da República e do seu Executivo.

    Para dar mais brilho à sua acção desestabilizadora, o Bloco Democrático criou uma Comissão de Apoio às Cadeias (APOCA). Julgo que queriam dizer “aos Presos”, porquanto a sua função principal é encaminhar comida e livros aos detidos e organizar grupos de visita para pressionar os órgãos do Estado, na tentativa de demonstrar a existência de arbitrariedades, desrespeitando, por completo, todos os regulamentos e regras que existam naquelas instituições prisionais.

    Ou seja, o próprio Bloco Democrático, sabendo da intenção com que promove as arruaças, criou todo um quadro organizativo para minimizar os efeitos nefastos da sua acção em relação àqueles que usam para os seus fins macabros.

    Com que moral estes senhores se arrogam ao direito de surgir como defensores de direitos humanos quando eles usam jovens inocentes e desprovidos de senso político, para seus fins desestabilizadores?

    Com que moral o senhor Justino Pinto de Andrade e os seus seguidores pretendem dar lições de democracia e de respeito pelos nossos concidadãos quando eles próprios, sem um mínimo de sentido humanitário, orientam jovens para destruírem bens públicos e de outros cidadãos que nada têm a ver com a sua raiva desmedida e o seu incontido desejo de um dia integrar o poder, qualquer que seja o preço a pagar? Com que moral?
    O quê que diferencia o comportamento do senhor Justino, do Numa ou do Makuta

    Nkondo? (que nunca vi nos mais de trinta anos que estou na UNITA, nem sei como surgiu como Deputado e a fazer ameaças que nos fazem lembrar os piores momentos da nossa trajectória. Aliás, espero bem que se continue a pressionar para organizarmos o próximo Congresso e resolvermos, definitivamente, algumas questões. Gente que não nos conhece, não sabe o que fizemos pelo país e suja o nosso passado, deve ser tirado a favor de outros que conhecendo bem o nosso ideário, possam fazer sobreviver o que de bom ainda temos).
    Mas, então qual é a diferença? Na minha opinião, nenhuma.

    O senhor Justino Pinto de Andrade, pessoa pela qual, mesmo sem conhecer, sempre nutri algum respeito, deixou de ser, pelo menos para mim, o analista político com alguma qualidade, embora nem sempre partilhasse dos seus pontos de vista, pela forma parcial e obstinadamente negativa como conduzia muitos dos seus raciocínios, para passar a ser mais um makutazito, sem qualidade e sem capacidade de se impor pela positiva.

    É triste ver como um patriota fervoroso na luta contra o colonialismo, se transformou num politiqueiro medíocre, despojado dos valores mínimos capazes de congregar vontades em torno de um projecto maior, onde o exercício democrático assenta na escolha popular e o poder político se conquista nas urnas. Que triste…

    Permitam-me o desabafo: “Senhor Justino Pinto de Andrade, para se ser democrata não basta parecer”. Ajude-se a si próprio. Repense nas prioridades para a melhoria da vida do nosso Povo e logo perceberá que a arruaça, a desordem e a confusão só servirão aqueles que, com isso, podem continuar a encher os bolsos com cifrões do nosso sangue.

    Com o reforço da nossa acção política, enquanto oposição, e a nossa união em torno do processo democrático, estaremos a contribuir mais e melhor em prol de Angola e do nosso povo.

    Sabemos que não ganharemos as próximas eleições, mas também sabemos que, unidos, podemos reduzir significativamente, o fosso que nos separa daqueles que hoje exercem, por direito, o poder político no nosso País.
    Sabemos das diferenças que nos separam, mas temos de ser capazes de perceber que os ventos árabes jamais soprarão em Angola e que, não obstante isso, a viragem é possível.

    A democracia é uma dádiva conquistada e é o único rumo capaz de nos permitir contribuir para termos amanhã, a Angola dos nossos sonhos de sempre.
    Espero, sinceramente, que o Pedro Seke, a Jeaneth Kalema e o Cláudio Fortuna, não precisem mais de perder tempo com listas de indivíduos presos por desrespeito ao próximo. Que os seus piquetes sejam usados para introduzir na internet informações sobre coisas boas que o Bloco Democrático tenha feito, ou queira fazer, a favor de Angola e do nosso Povo, incluindo sobre manifestações pacíficas para reivindicação de direitos constitucionalmente protegidos.

    Fica a minha promessa de voltar, dentro de dias, para trazer outros factos que permitam um melhor conhecimento sobre a insurreição com que se pretende brindar ao nosso Povo.

    Continuo a apelar às Instituições do Estado para que levem a sério as denúncias que vou fazendo. Conheço e respeito o serviço de inteligência, mas é bom perceber que a nossa experiência de vida pode constituir-se num filão de segurança e de prosperidade. Os que me conhecem do passado, sabem bem do que falo.

    A bem de Angola.

    24 de Setembro, 2011

    Justino Justo - Militante da UNITA

    Wednesday, September 21, 2011

    STOP US WARS AROUND THE WORLD - What can we do?

     

    The words that former Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara recently used concerning the war that he promoted in Vietnam can be applied to all of our interventionist military adventures: "We were wrong, terribly wrong." McNamara didn't appreciate the advice offered by another Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient, General David Shoup, and had him removed as Commandant.

      General Shoup said: I believe that if we had, and would, keep our dirty, bloody, dollar soaked fingers out of the business of these (third World) nations, so full of depressed, exploited people, they will arrive at a solution of their own. And if unfortunately their revolution must be of the violent type, because the 'haves' refuse to share with the 'have nots' by any peaceful method, at least what they get will be their own, and not American style, which they don't want and, above all, don't want crammed down their throats by Americans."

    And more recently Rummy didn't listen to Marine Corps General "They've screwed up" Anthony Zinni who said that invading Iraq was a strategic blunder.

      Years ago, General Butler said: "Looking back, Woodrow Wilson was re-elected President in 1916 on a platform he had "kept us out of war." Yet, five months later he asked Congress to declare war on Germany. . . What caused our government to change its mind so suddenly? MONEY."

    What can we do to stop the madness? First, fight recruiting and the coming draft. Studies for the Army show parents are the top obstacles to recruiting. "Opposition to . . . military service is increasing significantly among both moms and dads," says a study of 1,200 potential recruits by the firm Millward Brown. Another look at potential recruits, by GfK Custom Research, found that the biggest influences in candidates' decisions to join were mothers, named by 81% of respondents, followed by fathers, at 70%. "Reach the parents with the Army's new message, particularly moms," the study urges. But General Butler had another message.

      Smedley Butler said: "The government declares war. To say helplessly: As individuals we have nothing to do with it, we can't prevent it. But WHO ARE WE? Well, WE right now are the mothers and fathers of every able-bodied boy of military age in the United States. "WE" are also you young men of voting age and over, that they'll use for cannon fodder. And "WE" can prevent it. Now--you MOTHERS particularly. The only way you can resist all this war hysteria and beating tomtoms is by hanging on to the love you bear your boys. When you listen to some well-worded, well-delivered war speech, just remember that it's nothing but Sound. It's your boy that matters. And no amount of sound can make up to you for the loss of your boy."

    Various anti-recruit, anti-draft and anti-serve organizations are listed at the "links."
    It's important to end the current involvement, and even more important to prevent future ones. The war racket has been able to flourish and expand, for the benefit of corporations and not for the people, because our governmental leaders and representatives are not sufficiently constrained by the Constitution in its present form.

      Smedley Butler said: "If we really want to make it impossible to have our young men sent abroad to fight the wars of others, then let us by all means insist upon adding the Peace Amendment to the Constitution of the United States."

    The ongoing war in Iraq is a poster child for war is a racket for all of the reasons previously covered. Let's make sure that we end it and don't go there again. Our principal overseas bases in Germany and Korea are anachronisms which should have been shuttered long ago. Germany's standard of living is higher than ours and South Korea doesn't need us to defend their Hyundai and Kia auto export plants. And we need to recall the secret, provocative military units now operating under Presidential order in various countries around the world.
    We must change our national military policy from one which makes us the last imperial empire in the world to one which restores us to the family of nations who enjoy peace and prosperity. We'd be in accordance with the US National Defense Strategy, which states: "The United States and its allies and partners have a strong interest in protecting the sovereignty of nation states. In the secure international order that we seek, states must be able to effectively govern themselves and order their affairs as their citizens see fit. Nevertheless, they must exercise their sovereignty responsibly, in conformity with the customary principles of international law, as well as with any additional obligations that they have freely accepted. It is unacceptable for regimes to use the principle of sovereignty as a shield behind which they claim to be free to engage in activities that pose enormous threats to their citizens, neighbors, or the rest of the international community."
    The US Constitution has no provision for foreign military adventures. It provides only "for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions."
    We'd also be in accordance with the United Nations Charter, which disallows aggression.

      Chapter I, Article 2 of the United Nations Charter: All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.

    We need to put the priority back on the people rather than on war-racket profits. It would make us more secure by strengthening our domestic base, heartening our people and making us less disliked abroad.

      Smedley Butler said: "The United States is in no danger whatever of military invasion. Even the Navy and War Departments, which are always preparing for war, and the State Department, which is always talking about peace but thinking about war, agree on that. By reason of our geographical position, it is all but impossible for any foreign power to muster, transport and land sufficient troops on our shores for a successful invasion."

    We can do it and we will!

    Source

    TAKE PART IN THE E- MAIL CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE U.S./NATO WAR IN LIBYA !


    Promoted by Rete No War and U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice – Rome

    Take just a few easy steps to send e-mails to non-belligerent members on the UN Security Council, calling on them to take a stand against the military intervention and to support and promote a negotiated resolution/peace.

    Blackberry Tips and Tricks – All about Blackberry’s life


    The following tips and tricks have been compiled over the years (since I started using a model 950 in 1999) from many sources on the Internet, RIM tech support, user manuals, and from simply playing around with Blackberry handhelds. Some of these may or may not apply to your handheld. Just how useful you find them may depend on things like: the model of handheld you own, which carrier you use, the software version installed, how your handheld is configured, any IT policies in place, and of course your own personal preferences and needs. Although many of the following tips and tricks will still apply, owners of Blackberry handhelds that feature SureType keyboards (i.e. 7100 and 8100 series) should look for additional ‘tips and tricks’ that are specific to their handheld.
    Terminology
    On this site and other websites, you may see the words (with or without a space or hyphenation) 'thumbwheel', 'scrollwheel', 'trackwheel', or 'wheelbutton' used interchangeably. RIM has often called this special button (that can be clicked and rolled much like a wheel mouse) a "thumb-operated trackwheel" in their documentation.
    You may see the words 'ribbon' and 'home screen' used interchangeably.
    The Blackberry handheld is often simply referred to as the ‘handheld’. BB and HH are common abbreviation also.
    ALT key – Has half moon on top of it (or is orange on older models). Left side of keyboard below the ‘A’ key.
    CAP key – Bottom right key (AKA SHIFT key) next to the space key.
    SYM key – Can be used to enter less-often used characters in email messages, browser URLs, etc.
    In General
    1) Hold the ALT key while you roll the trackwheel to scroll horizontally in any field where you can enter or view text.
    2) Hold the ALT key while you roll the trackwheel to scroll through a field to view options. Pressing the space key may let you cycle through the options as well.
    3) Hold the CAP key while you roll the trackwheel to select multiple items in a list.
    4) Type the first letter of an item in an options list or menu to jump directly to that item.
    5) Type the first letters of a name or the initials separated by a space to find a contact in the Address Book screen.
    6) Press the 'C' key to compose a new message from the home screen or within Messages or Save Messages [Note: This option disappeared in newer firmware but can be added back via a third party app]. If 'Enable Quick Entry' is set to 'NO' (Calendar/Options), then the 'C' key can be used to create a new appointment/meeting request while in the Calendar. See the calendar section below.
    7) Rearrange the ribbon: In the Home screen (ribbon), hold the ALT key and click the trackwheel to bring up a menu. You can then select Move Icon, Hide Icon, or Show All. If you hide an icon, to show it again click Show all and it will appear with an X over it, bring up the menu on it and uncheck hide icon.
    8) The Blackberry display can be backlit to allow reading messages in low light conditions. To get the light to come on, hit the backlight button usually in the lower right of the keyboard. Newer models also have a backlit keyboard as well so you can see the keys as you type if needed. The light goes out automatically after a few seconds of inactivity. The latest models with current handheld software allow you to change the timeout value (up to 2 minutes) and the level of brightness (2 step).

    Note for C++ Model users: To get the display backlit, you need to press the ALT (orange) key quickly three times.

    9) Turning the radio off and back on when coverage is spotty and you've lost signal seems to help on some handhelds.
    10) Set Owner info and password protect your blackberry: Go to the Options menu, then to the Owner item, and enter your name, and additional information (such as an alternate phone number for you). Under Options menu, Security item, make sure you have ‘Password’ set to ‘Enabled’ and an adequate ‘Security Timeout’ value specified. [Note: these settings may be changed/enforced via an IT policy]When the security timeout kicks in (or you manually lock your device), the owner info you specified will be displayed on the handheld screen. If someone finds your lost handheld, this can give them enough information (and possibly an incentive if you include the word ‘REWARD’) to return the device to you.
    11) If you have password protected your Blackberry (you should!) in the previous tip: [Note: these settings may be changed/enforced via an IT policy] After five incorrect attempts at typing in your password, the password starts echoing (figuring you really need all the help you can get). After ten attempts, it performs a lobotomy on itself and almost all data is cleared. The Memo database, however, may be retained and visible. Note for older C++ Model users: This will wipe data AND applications requiring a complete reload!  Siemens SK6R users: Your handheld will need to be sent in for service!
    12) To support more than one signature: Wipe out your auto-signature in the Redirector of the Desktop Manager software, or on the Blackberry itself if using handheld software v4.0+ (Messages/Options/Email Settings/Use Auto Signature), and just use 'AutoText' to configure alternate signatures.  See the next tip on using AutoText.
    13) Use AutoText to help you compose messages with fewer key strokes:  From the home screen, go to Options, then AutoText. A lot of AutoText entries have already been created for you. You can modify or delete existing entries, and even add your own. Entire boiler-plate responses can be entered here! Custom signatures, favorite quote/taglines, etc. can be stored, and then recalled in a message just by typing a few characters (that you specify) and pressing the space key. If you every want to use those exact characters in a message (i.e. not have the text you type replaced with an AutoText entry), you can simply hold down the CAP key as you press the space key. If you forget to do this (or maybe you just didn’t know there was an AutoText entry defined with those characters), you can hit backspace and this will ‘undo’ the AutoText expansion/replacement. Some of the stock AutoText entries rely on special macros (which you can also use in your own entries). Some of these macros are not available on all handhelds.  See the ‘Composing a Message’ tips on down in the list for examples of stock AutoText entries that use these special macros.
    14) On blackberry models that include a phone, you can turn off the display of phone call logs in the Message list area. In the Home screen (ribbon), using the trackwheel and click the phone, click the trackwheel again and select options, Then Call Logging. Note that even with Call Logging turned off, you can still use the ALT-p and ALT-v shortcuts mentioned below to see the phone log and voicemail messages when needed.
    15) ALT-CAP-Backspace will reboot your Blackberry handheld.
    Messages
    While in the Messages list there are many shortcuts and often over-looked features that can aid you in reading, composing, and cleaning up your email (some of these work in tasks, memos, and appointments also).
    Searching/Filtering/Marking:
    ALT-i: show only incoming mail
    ALT-o: show only outgoing mail (messages you have sent - i.e. checkmark icon)
    ALT-p: show phone log messages (on handhelds that are also a phone)
    ALT-s: show SMS messages (on handhelds that support SMS)
    ALT-v: show Voicemail messages (on handhelds that are also a phone)
    ALT-d: (iDEN only) show a direct connect log in the message list
    ALT-m: show MMS messages (on handhelds that support MMS)

    Note: The ALT shortcuts above are just saved searches. Some of them may not be applicable to your device. You can create your own, or edit existing ones. Please see the Saved Searchestip below.

    ALT-u: Press this key combination to toggle a single message as Read or Unread. Note that there is currently no way to filter the message list to show only unread messages. You can press the ‘u’ key to jump to the next unread message (see Navigating below).
    h: toggle Hide Filed Messages setting on/off
    i: file currently highlighted message(s)
    s: go to the Search screen
    v: show Saved Messages
    Navigating:
    Escape: close message listing and return to home screen (ribbon)
    Backspace\DEL:  Delete the currently selected message(s)
    Spacebar: page down
    CAP + Spacebar: page up
    t: go to top of the message listing
    b: go to bottom of the message listing
    c: Compose a new message
    u: go to the next unread message
    e: go to the next delivery error message
    n: jump to next day of messages
    p: jump to previous day of messages
    r: reply to the currently selected message
    l: reply-all to the currently selected message
    f: forward the currently selected message
    j: go to the previous message in the thread (of the currently selected message)
    k: go to the next message in the thread (of the currently selected message)
    Saved Searches:
    Many people love to use the search hotkeys listed above (i.e. ALT-i), but few realize that these are just saved searches. These existing saved searches can be edited, and new one can be created, by following these steps:
    1) If not already in Messages, click Messages from the home screen.
    2) Click the trackwheel and then select 'Search' from the menu.
    3) If you are creating a new saved search from scratch, skip this step and move on to step #4. To edit an existing search, click the trackwheel and select 'Recall' from the menu. Select the saved search in the list, click the trackwheel and select 'Edit Search' from the list (note that here is where you can delete a saved search also). 
    4) Fill in, or change all the desired search critera.
    5) Click the trackwheel and select 'Save' from the menu. This is the final step if you are editing an existing saved search.
    6) If you are creating a new search, you will need to give your search a title and optional specify a shortcut key. Once you have done this, click the trackwheel and again select 'Save' from the menu.
    To get you started, I'll describe one of my first custom searches: I compose lots of messages every day on my Blackberry handheld. Often I have to stop short of sending a message, so I save it as a draft message that I can go back and finish later. Unfortunately many new messages may come in before I get a chance to go back and finish those draft messages. To make sure no draft message gets forgotten, I created a custom saved search to find them. To duplicate this, follow the steps listed above for creating a new saved search. At step #4, scroll down to the 'Show' field. Press the space key to cycle through the available values. Stop when you see 'Draft Only'.  This will be the only thing we change now (you can go back and refine it later if you like). Now continue on to step #5 to save the search. In step #6 I gave this saved search a title of Draft Messages and assigned the 'd' shortcut key to it  (so it can be invoked via ALT-d). This shortcut key assignment works fine for me as I use a VZW 8703e, but if you use a Blackberry handheld that supports direct connect calls (i.e. Nextel) , you will need to pick another letter. Once you click Save for the final time in step #6, the saved search will be executed. If at any time you want to interrupt this seach (or any search), press the escape key.
    Specifying where messages are deleted:
    With email reconciliation enabled, many people prefer to be prompted as to whether deleted messages are removed on the handheld only, or from both the handheld and their mailbox. To configure the handheld to prompt you as to which action to take when you delete a message:
    1) If not already in Messages, click Messages from the home screen.
    2) Click the trackwheel and then select 'Options' from the menu.
    3) ** Scroll down and click on 'Email Reconciliation' with the trackwheel. [Note: You many need to skip this step if your Blackberry has older firmware]
    4) Make sure ‘Wireless Reconcile’ is set to ‘On’.
    5) Change the option ‘Delete On’ to be ‘Prompt’.
    Deleting multiple messages at once:
    1) Hold down the CAP key and use the trackwheel to scroll up or down to select messages. Click the trackwheel and select 'Delete Messages'.
    2) Highlight a date (i.e. Tue, July 20, 2004) in the message list; hit the trackwheel and select 'delete prior'. All messages prior to that date will be deleted. Important Note: If you have your Blackberry configured to automatically delete messages from your mailbox on the server when you delete them from the Blackberry, using this trick will NOT cause the messages to be removed from your mailbox on the server. So this is a good way to clean out the messages on your blackberry without worrying about having them deleted on the mail server.
    Combine these with a searching/filtering tip to make it even more useful. Example:  To delete the last 5 outgoing messages (sent messages with a checkmark), press 'ALT' then the letter 'o' (for outgoing) this will show all of your sent messages. Then per the above tip, use the CAP key to select the last five messages. Click the trackwheel and select 'Delete Messages'.
    While in a Message
    Navigating:
    Enter or spacebar: scroll down a page/screen at a time
    ALT-enter or CAP + Spacebar: scroll back a page/screen at a time
    b: scroll to end of page
    t: scroll to top of page
    u: jump to closest unread message
    n: jump to next message
    p: jump to previous message
    Escape: close message and return to message listing
    Backspace\DEL: Delete the currently opened mesage
    r: reply to this message
    l: reply-all to this message
    f: forward this message
    s: search for a word in the message
    i: file current message
    q: toggle between friendly name and SMTP address for a selected address in the header (like 'Show Address' and 'Show Name')
    Selecting Text (OS v2.1+)
    There are a few ways to select text:
    1) Press the CAP key and then scroll the trackwheel to select. If you release the CAP key and scroll the trackwheel you will select entire lines. Press the CAP key again at any time to start selecting by character again.
    2) Hold down ALT key + CLICK the trackwheel (click it don't hold it down), release the trackwheel and then use it to scroll whole lines. You can press and hold the ALT key at anytime to start selecting by character again.
    3) Click the trackwheel and pick 'SELECT' from the menu. Scroll the trackwheel to select entire line. Click scroll wheel again and select copy.
    Cut/Copy: After selecting text, click the trackwheel and select 'Cut Selection' or 'Copy Selection'
    Paste: Click the trackwheel, and then select 'Paste Selection'.
    NUM/CAP Lock
    Turn on NUM lock:  Press CAP + ALT
    Turn off NUM lock: Press ALT or CAP
    Turn on CAP lock:  Press ALT + CAP
    Turn off CAP lock: Press CAP
    Composing a Message
    1) Press and hold a letter to capitalize it (with Key Rate enabled).
    2) Press the SPACE key twice to insert a period and capitalize the next letter.
    3) Press the SPACE key to insert the '@' and '.' characters in an Email field. The first time the space key is pressed while in an email field, an '@' character will be inserted, any subsequent uses of the space key will insert a period. Thus if the email address is: "first.last@domain.com" you will need to type the first period. To prevent this character substitution, hold down the CAP key as you press the space key, or press the backspace key after the fact to undo (this behavior is identical to that of using AutoText).
    4) Press and hold a letter key and roll the trackwheel to scroll through international/accent characters, equation symbols and other marks.
    5) You can insert certain information about your blackberry into email messages. For instance, typing "mynumber" (without the quotes) and pressing space will insert your Blackberry's phone number (If your blackberry is also a phone). Likewise typing "myPIN" (without the quotes) and pressing space will insert your Blackberry's PIN. For iDEN phones (Nextel/Telus), you can type "mydcid" (without the quotes) and press space to insert your DIRECT CONNECT number. These are simply AutoText entries that use macros. You can edit these or roll your own using the same macros. Example: I create Autotext entries for 'mycell' and 'myphone' to be the same as 'mynumber'.   
    Calendar 
    (with "Enable Quick Entry" set to 'No')
    n: Go to the next day, week or months (depending on view)
    p: Go to the previous day, week or month (depending on view)
    t:  Go to "Today" in the Calendar screen.
    g: Go to a specific date in the Calendar screen.
    a: Switch to Agenda view.
    d: Switch to Day view.
    w: Switch to Week view.
    Meeting Requests
    This tip is more a reminder for how to create Meeting Requests for conference calls in Outlook so that when recipients open the Meeting Request on their Blackberry, they can make the call (complete with conference/pass code) without manually dialing any numbers. In the location field use an x or ext between the number and the pass code.  Tag the # key on the end if needed.
    18665555555x12345#
       or
    18665555555ext12345#
    You can pad it out with spaces as much as you like and it still works:
    +1 (866) 555-5555 x12345#
    +1 (866) 555-5555    x    12345#
    +1 (866) 555-5555 ext12345#
    +1 (866) 555-5555    ext    12345#
    Now when a phone number in one of the above formats is clicked on the Blackberry, the number will be dialed and a popup will be presented to send the pass code.
    Battery
    The largest draw on a battery is the transmitter.  A few things that drain the battery:
    1) Frequent phone use.
    2) Being in fringe or no coverage areas will eat up your battery as it attempts to transmit. If you're in an area that is out of range, turn your handheld's radio off manually or use Options / Auto On Off to conserve battery life.
    3)  Third party applications that must communicate frequently to maintain state (like some IM clients).
    Heavy use of the backlight will also drain your battery.

    Note: Extended/high capacity batteries can be purchased for some of the blackberry handhelds.

    For the older C++ models that use AA batteries: Generally speaking (you can get higher rated ones) rechargeable batteries only last about half as long as standard alkaline battery. Energizer e2 Photo Lithium batteries tend to last the longest. However, they are more expensive and when they finally start to go, have another on hand because they drain quickly at that point.
    Geek Tips (All models)
    1) Rather than looking at the bars, you can change the display of the 'signal strength' to read in real numbers. While at the home screen (ribbon), hold down the ALT key while you type NMLL. The bars should change to read numbers. For the 'signal strength', if you are in the 100 area (that means -100 dBm), you will be transmitting at maximum power, and since coverage is hit and miss at this weak a signal, you may end up transmitting many times before the packets make it through. This might help explain any poorer than normal battery life. I consider anything at -90 to -50 excellent. To get the bars back: While at the home screen (ribbon), hold down the ALT key while you type NMLL again.
    2) Hold down the ALT key -AND- the CAP key at the same time, then press the letter 'h'. This brings up the "Help Me!" screen that lists version, app version, pin, imei, uptime, signal strength, battery level, file free, and file total.
    3) Hold down the ALT while you type LGLG. This brings up the event log where you can clear events (frees some memory), view them or copy the contents to mail to someone. You can also change the level of logging here.
    Old Geek Tips (older C++ models only)
    1) ON any C++ model (i.e. 85x and 95x models), hold down the ALT (Orange) key and type "DBON" to display battery and signal strength as numbers. ALT+DBOFF returns to bars. Note: Although this trick does not work on the new Java-based models, both values are displayed in Options, Status on those models.
    2) Hold down the orange ALT (orange) key -AND- the CAP key at the same time, then the letter 'b'. This will show you the 'Device Status' screen with extended battery info and other stuff. This tip should work from any screen.
    3) Hold down the ALT (orange) key -AND- the CAP key at the same time, then the letter 'r'. This will show you the 'Radio Status' screen. Clicking on some of the info opens up news windows. Pressing the letter 'p' while on the 'Radio Status' screen sends a packet to the network which will send your Blackberry an acknowledgement in return. This is useful if you are in a weak signal area and want to stop your Blackberry from searching for other sites. You can do this and your Blackberry might stay there long enough to let you send that message that you might normally be in a too weak of an area to send. Also, pressing the letter "b" on this screen will get you the same 'Device Status' screen as tip #2 above. This tip should also work from any screen.
    4) On a Blackberry that uses the Mobitex network (950 and 957 models) you may be able to switch towers. Go into the Radio Info screen as explained in tip #3. Type in REJ (which stands for Reject current tower). You won't see anything typed in, and sometimes this requires more than one try.
    Carrier Tips/Codes
    Verizon:
    Call ##000000 - CDMA Service Program Edit Screen
    Call *228 (option 2) - Update PRL OTA (Preferred Roaming List  - Over The Air).  The way to go.
    Call *22899 - Activate phone and update PRL OTA. No additional prompts. VZW customer support use to recommend this, but now it seems to not be a good option for phones.
    The Preferred Roaming List (PRL) is a list that a CDMA device (your Blackberry handheld in this case) uses when it attempts to locate and connect to cellular systems/towers. Your handheld can find and use a system not listed in the PRL, but it will try to use what is in the PRL first. Other connection issues aside, this can be a problem with data devices as when roaming you want to use a carrier that your provider has a data roaming (not just voice) agreement with [Note: similar issues exist with GSM/GPRS carriers and their roaming partners]. Because of issues like this it is often recommended that Verizon Wireless customers (and customers of other CDMA carriers) perform a PRL OTA update every couple of months; as the PRL is updated periodically to reflect new or updated information for other carriers which your provider has roaming agreements with, additional carrier frequencies being used in an area, and new cell towers (and new transmittion sites on exiting towers) added within your carriers own network.
    Nextel:
    After entering the 'Help Me!' screen (See Geek Tips). You can enter trace mode by typing: ZAML
    Mailbox Clean Up
    [Note: This section was written specifically for Blackberry handheld owners that use Outlook to access an Exchange server and have a BES account - others may still find some of the info useful]
    If your mailbox has size limits (Email quotas), you may be prohibited from sending (and in some organizations even receiving) any new email until you reduce the amount of email already present in your mailbox. Not being able to send an important email because your mailbox is full can be frustrating to say the least. Cleaning up your mailbox is generally much easier on a PC (where you may have better searching, sorting and archival tools), but you can do a lot of it from the Blackberry.
    Delete message that are no longer needed. These messages must not only be deleted on your handheld, but from your mailbox as well. To make sure you are deleting the messages on your mailbox, please review the ‘Specifying where messages are deleted’ aforementioned tip.  After deleting the messages, you can click the trackwheel and chose ‘Reconcile Now’ to speed up the process if needed, but please use this option sparingly as frequent use can degrade server performance. After deleting the messages, you may still need to remove them from your Deleted Items folder.
    To Purge/Empty Deleted Items:
    1) Go into Messages from the home screen.
    2) Click the trackwheel and then select 'Options' from the menu.
    3) ** Scroll down and click on 'Email Reconciliation' with the trackwheel. [Note: You many need to skip this step if your Blackberry has older firmware]
    4) Click the trackwheel again, and select 'Purge Deleted Items' from menu.
    Give this process a little time before trying to send another message. Remember that any item in your mailbox goes against your limit. If you still find that you are over your limit, you might have other items such as Tasks, Calendar, Contacts, etc. that you can delete.
    Notes On Wireless Reconciliation
    If messages deleted on the desktop are not deleted on the handheld, it can often be caused by one of following (assuming wireless email reconciliation is enabled on the BES and handheld):
    1) The messages have been moved to a PST or manually "hard deleted" in Outlook. A "hard delete" is done by holding down the shift key as you delete a message. Messages deleted in this manner bypass the "Deleted Items" folder. Messages must go to the "Deleted Items" folder AND stay there long enough for reconciliation to occur. Which brings up #2...
    2) Messages must stay in the "Deleted Items" folder long enough for wireless email reconciliation to occur. This can take some time. Outlook 2003+ in cached mode will add an additional slight delay to this as well. Wireless email reconciliation will not occur if messages are deleted and then the "Deleted Items" folder is immediately emptied (either by manually doing so or if "Empty the Deleted Items folder upon exiting" is checked in Outlook/Tools/Options/Other and the customer exits Outlook right after deleting messages).
    BES batch processing delays that may affect how quickly reconciliation is performed: The wireless email reconciliation feature implemented between a handheld and a BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES), processes requests in batches. As messages are handled (read, deleted, moved, etc.), these modifications are queued up and sent to the BES for batch processing. Batching delays the wireless synchronization of folders and message status while the information is being queued and the batches are being created. The batching process is designed to regulate the amount of wireless traffic the BES has to process so that it does not become inundated with requests that the worker threads need to process. Heavy wireless traffic from wireless email reconciliation, as well as other wireless features, can cause the performance of the BES to degrade and may result in noticeable delays in reconciliation.
    You can find more general usage tips in the User's Guide.
    Gerald W. Gaston
    Footnotes:
    ** Older versions of the handheld software may not have the sub-menu option mentioned (i.e. 'Email Reconciliation'). Simply skip over this step if possible or consult the documentation for your handheld.

    Copyright © 2004-2007 Gerald's Tools

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