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Colonialism

The History Of Hong Kong, Britain’s Colonial Legacy. Fast Forward To 2019

October 23, 2019 By Larry Romanoff, Globalresearch.ca , , , ,
The reason Hong Kong was seized by England, on orders of Queen Victoria, was that Sassoon needed a logistics, warehousing, and distribution base for his opium operations. Similarly, the founding of HSBC, an event requiring permission of the monarch, was for the handling and laundering of Sassoon’s drug money, an expertise in which the bank still specialises today. The standard narrative tells us the HSBC was founded by Scotsman Sir Thomas Sutherland, who wanted a bank operating on “sound Scottish banking principles”, but that’s historical Photoshopping.

Protectors Of Mauna Kea Are Fighting Colonialism, Not Science

August 29, 2019 Julianne Tveten, Fair.org , , ,
Thousands of Native Hawaiians and their supporters have been congregating since July 15 at the base of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano and mountain on the island of Hawaii. Known in Hawaiian as the kia’i, the protectors—a term the group prefers to “protesters”—seek to deter construction of the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), the largest telescope in the Northern Hemisphere. Business owners and state officials promise the telescope will provide jobs, educational opportunities and high-resolution astronomical imagery.

Puerto Rico’s Crisis Is Not Only Puerto Rican

August 19, 2019 Jesus Arboleya Cervera, Progreso Weekly , ,
In the rush to replace disgraced and discredited Governor Ricardo Rossello a  astruggle broke out questioning the appointment of Pedro Pierluisi as his replacement and on August 7 the Puerto Rico Supreme Court ruled Pierluisi was unconstitutionally appointed  and he was replaced by the Secretary of Justice, Wanda Vazquez making her the Puerto Rico’s third governor in five days. But this is not the most important aspect of such events. With a governor or without him, the whole world knows the United States is who really rules in Puerto Rico, that power which is now shaking as a result of its own contradictions.

Monroeism Is The Other Side Of Jim Crow, The Side Facing South

August 18, 2019 Frederick B. Mills, Council On Hemispheric Affairs , ,
This Forum of São Paulo of Washington DC marks a significant step forward in building North-South solidarity on behalf of economic and social justice throughout the hemisphere and respect for the sovereign equality of nations. The Forum comes on the heels of the defense of the Venezuelan Embassy by the Embassy Protection Collective. It takes place amid growing nationwide direct action by the NeverAgainIsNow movement and allies to shut down the concentration camps and restore dignified treatment of Central American refugees...

Notes From A Caribbean Colony In Turmoil

August 1, 2019 By Manuel Otero, Counterpunch.org , ,
From what I gather from the US press coverage, the recent events here have been portrayed as something close to a popular insurrection that got rid of an arrogant, inept and corrupt colonial governor. A note is added to the effect, a kind of wishful thinking, that if only Trump could be dispatched via similar methods. Colonial realities are seldom so simple, though. For one, the power struggles are different, in that these play out as what closely resemble real conspiracy schemes. Players are identified in terms of power blocks, such as the US military, Wall Street banks, or the US Navy in the more recent Vieques episodes.

End Colonialism, Support Self-Determination, Correct Historical Wrongs

July 29, 2019 Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers, Popular Resistance , , , ,
The results of centuries of US empire, which began with Manifest Destiny that crossed the North American continent and grew into a global empire, are coming home to roost in Puerto Rico and Hawaii. Puerto Ricans had an important victory last week with the resignation of Governor  Ricardo Rosselló after more than one million people protested to demand his removal. This was a powerful display of people power, but changing the head of state does not confront the real issues for Puerto Rico: ending colonialism and ensuring self-determination. There is confusion after Rosselló's resignation. The next in line has already resigned and Secretary of Justice Wanda Vázquez, who is in line after that, does not want the job.

Mauna Kea Protests Aren’t New. They’re Part Of A Long Fight Against Colonialism.

July 29, 2019 Maile Arvin, Truthout.org , , ,
Something big and beautiful is happening in Hawaiʻi. Currently, hundreds of Native Hawaiians and allies are camped at the base of Mauna Kea, a mountain located on Moku o Keawe, or Hawaiʻi Island. They are organizing to protect the summit of Mauna Kea from the construction of a proposed Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). This project has been in the works for years, and has drawn opposition from Native Hawaiians who object to the environmental and cultural impact of a massive 18-story, five-acre telescope complex on sacred land...

Colonialism Is What’s Wrong With Puerto Rico

July 24, 2019 Nellie Bailey and Glen Ford, Blackagendareport.com , , ,
Progressive Puerto Ricans hope the mass protests that have rocked the colonized island will result in more than just the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosello, said Daniel Vila, a veteran New York City activist. Some progressives ultimately want to force creation of a “government of national salvation,” encompassing all of Puerto Rico’s political tendencies. Others seek a constitutional convention to end the colonial relationship with the US.

By Not Investigating The U.S. For War Crimes, The International Criminal Court Shows Colonialism Still Thrives In International Law

April 19, 2019 Helyeh Doutaghi and Jay Ramasubramanyam, Theconversation.com , ,
On April 5, the United States revoked the visa of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, for her attempts to open an investigation into alleged war crimes committed by the U.S. in Afghanistan. A week later, judges at the ICC rejected Bensouda’s request to open a probe into U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. While rights advocates condemned this move as amounting to U.S. interference in the workings of the ICC, it’s more alarming than mere obstruction — and is rooted in the pre-existing hierarchy and embedded colonial structures in international legal order.

Pirates Of The Caribbean – Stealing Haiti’s Future By Repeating Colonialist History

March 1, 2019 Eleanor Goldfield, Occupy.com , , ,
As the world rightfully demands no sanctions, no coup and no war on Venezuela, another crime scene rife with US fingerprints demands our attention. Kevin Pina joins us to talk about the ongoing crisis in Haiti, the history and present of US involvement and the larger context we must grasp if we are ever to loosen this imperialist stranglehold. In short, colonialism didn’t die - it just put on a suit and tie.

Governments’ Failures On Climate Spur New Actions

November 25, 2018 Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese, Popular Resistance , , ,
There is a lot of enthusiasm for the new climate change effort in the UK, the Extinction Rebellion. Launched on October 31, the Extinction Rebellion calls for mass nonviolent, disruptive actions targeting the government for its failure to take appropriate action to address the climate crisis. On November 17, there were actions across the UK. Thousands of protesters shut down five major bridges in London. There were also solidarity actions in other countries. 50,000 people marched in Montreal, Quebec to tell their government it needs to take stronger action.

Democracy, Class And The Fight Against Recolonization

November 6, 2018 Staff, Tortillaconsal.com , , , ,
Having lost Eurasia, the US elites and their allies have focused much more attention on Latin America and the Caribbean in order to re-consolidate their absolute control of the region's resources. They work to destroy the movements and political leaders who defend impoverished majorities against the neocolonial agenda of the West. Western elites devote special attention, along with their local allies, to the elimination of all expression of international sovereignty. From within countries, they undermine and co-opt governments and institutions. From the outside, they deploy all kinds of financial, commercial, diplomatic and media aggression, in addition to the blatant military harassment.

Puerto Rico Tribunal Verdict: U.S. Is Guilty Of Crimes Against Humanity

October 30, 2018 Puerto Rico Tribunal. , , ,
New York, NY - Internationally recognized human rights activists and social movement leaders participated in the Emergency International People’s Tribunal on U.S. Colonial Crimes in Puerto Rico. The Tribunal was convened on Saturday, October 27, beginning at 9 am in New York City. The charges against the United States were leveled by prosecutor Dr. Augusto Zamora, an international lawyer from Nicaragua. He took a case on U.S. violations of Nicaraguan sovereignty to the International Court and won a judgment against the U.S. Testimony was offered in person and via recorded video messages by leading figures in the Puerto Rico independence movement and other social struggles.

In Latest Fit Of Censorship, Facebook Deletes Video Detailing Brutal Legacy Of Christopher Columbus

October 19, 2018 By Jon Queally, Commondreams.org , , , , ,
With nothing but a vague "violation of community standards" note and offering no ability to appeal the decision, Facebook has once again blocked a piece of critical journalism—this time a short documentary video depicting the brutal legacy of Christopher Columbus—from its global online platform. "Monbiot’s piece of video journalism was about the airbrushing of history; therefore, there is a great irony in the fact it has now been airbrushed from their platform." —Yannis Mendez, Double Down News.The short video—produced by Double Down Newsand titled "The true legacy of Christopher Columbus: 'Western Civilisation'"—features author and journalist George Monbiot recounting the infamous European explorer's history of subjugation and brutalization of the Indigenous people he encountered when he arrived in the so-called "New World" in the late 15th Century.

Time To Abolish Columbus Day

October 7, 2018 Bill Bigelow, www.zinnedproject.org ,
By Bill Bigelow for Teaching A People's History, Once again this year many schools will pause to commemorate Christopher Columbus. Given everything we know about who Columbus was and what he launched in the Americas, this needs to stop. Columbus initiated the trans-Atlantic slave trade, in early February 1494, first sending several dozen enslaved Taínos to Spain. Columbus described those he enslaved as “well made and of very good intelligence,” and recommended to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella that taxing slave shipments could help pay for supplies needed in the Indies. A year later, Columbus intensified his efforts to enslave Indigenous people in the Caribbean.
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