Middle East peace process – NSW ALP Conference resolution

The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane and  The Hon. Bob Carr have Been working on this resolution to recognise Palestine as the NSW Labor Party Policy platform. They have been successful and now it has been followed by Queensland Branch of the Australian Labor Party. 
It is creating a tremendous movement across Australia. We  hope that They will be able to carry this at the National Labor Conference.
**
ALP Conference applauds the last Labor government for its commitment to a two-state solution in the Middle East and specifically:

• voting to enhance Palestinian status in the General Assembly;

• restating the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is occupied territory;

• opposing Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land; and

• joining the world community in branding settlements illegal under international law. 

NSW Labor recognises a Middle East peace will only be won with the establishment of a Palestinian state. 

The state of Palestine should be based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps and with security guarantees for itself and Israel. 

NSW Labor welcomes the decision of the Palestinian Authority to commit to a demilitarised Palestine with the presence of international peacekeepers, including US forces. 

If, however, there is no progress to a two-state solution, and Israel continues to build and expand settlements, a future Labor Government will consult likeminded nations towards recognition of the Palestinian state.

Moved: Bob Carr

Seconded: Janelle Saffin

**
Middle East peace process – Gaza – Queensland ALP Conference resolution
This Conference welcomes the United Nations’ designation of 2014 as the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and supports the enhanced Palestinian status at the United Nations General Assembly.
Deploring the injustice of Israel’s disproportionately brutal response to the firing of missiles from Gaza, Conference supports an end to rocket attacks by Hamas and an end to Israeli incursions, which have led to the unconscionable deaths and injuries of many innocent civilians.

Conference joins the international community in calling for an enduring ceasefire and the end of the blockade of Gaza.

ALP Conference applauds the last Labor government for its commitment to a two-state solution in the Middle East and specifically:

• voting to enhance Palestinian status in the General Assembly;
• restating the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is occupied territory;
• opposing Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land; and
• joining the world community in branding settlements illegal under international law.

QLD Labor recognises a Middle East peace will only be won with the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The state of Palestine should be based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps and with security guarantees for itself and Israel.

QLD Labor welcomes the decision of the Palestinian Authority to commit to a demilitarised Palestine with the presence of international peacekeepers, including US forces.

If, however, there is no progress to a two-state solution, and Israel continues to build and expand settlements, a future Labor Government will join 132 like minded nations in conferring diplomatic recognition of the Palestinian Authority.

Moved: Wendy Turner
Seconded:  Duncan Pegg

I was amazed and I could not believe what I read in your message to his Beatitude Patriarch Beshara El Raii in the time of Pope Francis ... both keen advocates of the truth and fairness...

Is it right that your legitimate case is still pending, despite the passage of more than a quarter of a century? 

Is it conceivable that your rightful case is still on the shelves in a country which claims to hold the cradle of all laws? 

Is it possible that your honorable case is undermined and belittled in the country of honor and dignity? 

Is it possible that the injustice which distressed you and your family was caused and propagated by those who were supposed to protect you?

Along with about seventy lawyers who defended and advocated for your stolen rights and by whom? ..... And despite their shameful deeds... we, from the other part of the world…Australia ... the country that values and highly respects its teachers…we cry out to His Beatitude and Eminence Patriarch El Raii whom we long to meet very soon, during his first visit to Australia ... and he will undoubtedly listen to our just and legitimate plea from afar ... 

Our dearest and beloved teacher ... You are forever in our minds.... We love you and we ask God to prolong your life and to grant you good health and lots of needed energy ... with our most sincere greetings to you, to Lady Georgette and to all the 

family...

                                                                                        Raymond

 Researcher on Christians in Lebanon.

                               I am an Australian,  although Celtic and a pensioner, and thus not like our current leader whom Monash students love. Abbott is our fellow-Australian. But unlike him I pray that Scotland will free itself forever from England in the imminent referendum.  Our England-born Prime Minister Anthony Abbott, though, has used the name of our multi-ethnic country to advise Scots to reject the statehood now very close to them.  “As a friend of Britain, as an observer from afar, it's hard to see how the world would be helped by an independent Scotland”.  

                                   It may at any rate help the Scots wrest back for good their national languages Lallans --- and the Gaelic which is now the medium, after forty years of unremitting Anglo-Saxon ridicule and race-hate as Scots built, of a full-scale modern university.  Contribute to the world?  In Australia --- certainly.  The rich Gaelic culture that independent Scotland will pen will be for us Celts here also.  And after Scotland gives the English their marching orders back to the provenance-homeland of the minds even our Anglo ultras here may just start taking Scots-Australians and Irish-Australians a bit seriously, at last, also.

                                   Anglomorph Australian culture continues to despise Celts although muting the race-hate it bellowed before 1945 . An example is the article  “Clan Turnbull again at odds with Tony Abbott, this time over Scottish independence”, published by Tony Wright in _The Australian_ of August 19, 2014.

                                      Wright’s article applied images from Scotland’s language and history to shrink Turnbull down to a mirthful porcelain Celtic gnome in an English city garden of narrow dimensions.  “Malcolm the Turnbull rejoices in the knowledge that the very name Turnbull comes, at least in legend, from a wild act of courage that saved the life of the Scottish King, Robert the Bruce, only a year after Bruce had led his forces to victory over the English at the Battle of Bannockburn during the First War of Scottish Independence in 1314.  Malcolm's distant ancestor, a fellow named William of Rule, is credited with wrestling a charging bull and turning it away from Robert the Bruce in 1315” --- hence the name and coat-of-arms of Malcolm’s family, “a wild fighting mob from the Scottish borders”.  Was Malcolm Turnbull one more Scots mad-bull who must charge everything English again when he conducted the movement to abolish the English monarchy in Australia, Wright wondered. 

                                    When Scotland is independent, Scots- and Irish Australians will cop less taunt-humor from those who distort the liberal, integrative essence of Anglo-Saxon culture to hint that we Celts ineluctably can never amount to much that could be positive here in our shared beloved country, Australia.

His lips approached her's and gave her a kiss. He moved back cautiously looking for her reaction. Angel kissed him back and slowly pressed him down on the ground allowing her feelings to roam freely. Her lips caressed him passionately and hungrily igniting beastly wants within her. Nigel wrapped his arms around her as his lips worked diligently down her neck adoring every inch of its snowy whiteness. She was so beautiful and the more she surrendered herself to him the more she fed his will to love her. He had so much love for her locked within himself since a long time but the dark circumstances tore them away from each other with no mercy on their pending sentiments. But what was happening right now was beyond his control. He turned her around on the grounds bathing her clothes and long red hair with the warm eternal sands of the Pharaohic desert. He unbuttoned her shirt and buried his face between her firm ample breasts hurling her into heavens of ecstasy. She gasped and shuddered as she felt his lips caress every inch of her breasts fueling her passions. Her head tilted backwards enjoying the pleasures the moments bought making her catch a glimpse of the sphinx with the tip of her eyes. Suddenly something sparked in her head as unusual. She sat up ushering Nigel to move away. Nigel backed away reluctantly panting, "What is going on honey? Did I do something that annoyed you?"

Angel buttoned her shirt quickly and stood up speechless making Nigel go edgy, "Please Angel Don't do this to me!" 

"Nigel wake up and look." Nigel stood thunderstruck as he looked towards the sphinx. Its' mouth was wide open. 

Angel pointed with panic, "And that oasis wasn't here at all." Nigel's eyes moved towards the dancing palm leaves and pond of water that was covered with small ripples from the gentle winds that glided by. The traveler's sanctuary mysteriously rested by at a short distance surrounded by four mature date palms. Two camels stood by drinking from its waters while a man sat underneath one of the palms resting and playing a pipe. 

*****

Colonel David Smith and Captain Tracy Lukas watched with dread the scenes that were playing in front of them at the movie theater. Never before had any member of the police force at NYSD met such a death, not even during the most lethal undercover assignments. Lieutenant Diana was one of the best agents available at their offices with a huge record of achievements and medallions decorating her portfolio. Her records contained three successful undercover assignments where the police were able to capture active figures in the drug trafficking world. Having her cover blown was truly stunning and her death more distressing than anything they ever expected. Much lied unexplained and most probably will remain so as Diana's last reports contained nothing ominous foretelling the events in the film. 

The one minute film soon ended blanking the huge screen in front of them and leaving behind a chilling quiescence. A choking sensation engulfed Tracy while her mind stormed with the images of her colleague's hysterical cries and anguished convulsing body as the vicious beasts feasted on her. "Dear Lord, the amount of terror and pain that the poor woman must have felt during this torture," She thought. "And the sickening mind that even took the trouble of making montage for this disgusting one minute film and sending them a sound enabled copy. It was terrible." 

David wasn't doing any better. His heart raced wildly with panic as the scenes left their powerful effects on him as well. He read the message quickly and knew the consequences very well that were involved if they interfered any further. This was not a psycho's job nor was it the doing of a serial killer that his agents were tracking. This was a lethal message to the entire NYSD to back off or else. It was also obvious to him that they weren't up against any common mafia that would fret and scare easily by the surveillance of police to their operations. Their enemies were giants that will crush them in their wake if they annoyed them any further. 

David rose from his seat and walked through the isles heading to the back of the auditorium. He climbed up a spiral staircase that led to the projector's room. Within seconds' hank, his nephew of 23 years and technician in charge, turned on the lights and met him with a terrified pale face. His blond hair rose an inch above his head and his six foot body shivered as he shook hands with David, "I'm sorry hank but I had no way of knowing what was going to be on that tape."

Hank's jittery voice explained, "The difference between what I place on the machine and your film is that your film is fucking real Dave." Tears rolled down his blue eyes as he began rewinding the film reel. 

"Sorry hank again. Our line of work is never pleasant especially when the criminals we seek are powerful. Guns and blood are a way of life to us not because we want them, but because they are forced on us."

"Who the hell are those guys?!"

"I don't know till now. But I won't let go of things easily before I find out. Thanks Hank for letting us use the theater facilities, and don't forget this is classified info. Please don't let anyone know about the film."

Dave picked up the film reel and descended the stairs. His forty five years of age and massive experience in the field gave him an immediate perception to whom to ask for assistance. It was just so risky to deal with these bullies alone. He had to call Chase and ask him for his input. Although he hasn't spoken to him for three long years he was ready to put his difference with him aside in order to nail those bastards for good. His colleague's blood will not go in vain. He headed towards Tracy whom was still seated silently in the back row of the auditorium with a petrified face looking at the huge blank movie screen.

Tracy's mind was totally captivated by guilt and the countless memories she shared with Diana during their brief work period on the case. She was her superior that assigned her with the undercover assignment. The glows of hope that radiated from her eyes and the confidence she possessed when she accepted the case. She took secretarial classes especially for the job so she can be convincing enough for the vacancy announcement at Sugar World Investments. Rivers of tears flowed unendingly from her eyes exhausting her and her conscience to great levels as the nights they spent together analyzing the information that Diana was able to obtain from her work surfaced endlessly in her mind. It was entirely her fault. That was so naïve of her to do. Tracy entered into a frenzy of crying and shuddering as David approached her. 

"Calm down Tracy." He embraced her warmly, "Honey we can do nothing about it. She is dead. What has happened has happened. We can't change the past. But we can do a lot in the future to fully terminate their operations." Her crying began to ease up and turn into light sobs. David looked at her beautiful heart shaped face and black eyes that sparkled behind her tears. Her lengthy six foot one inch body was irregularly shaking with tension and her tan Mexican complexion was depressed from her extensive crying. He stroked her short black hair that barely touched her shoulders several times and continued promising, "We will do what we can to catch those bastards and avenge Diana's death. I promise you that. Be the stout woman that I know you are Tracy. If its one thing they fear, it's our inner strength." 

Tracy looked back at her boss managing a small smile, "I know chief. But it's just I assigned her with the case. I assigned her to spy on an organization that I knew nothing about. I just feel so responsible."

"No it's not our fault. We had no idea about what was going to happen. The decisions we make are not easy but as long as we do them out of our duties and intentions to stop crime then they are always right."

"You are right chief. I will be fine."

"I'm going to Chase's office."

Tracy wiped the tears from her eyes as she answered surprised, "Chase? Oh boy that guy stormed out of your office like a thunderbolt the last time you two discussed something together."

"Believe me we need the pleading of an entire army of saints and all the help we can get from everyone to pull this job."

"No David. I don't think this it is a good idea. They will put our force on the shelf like they attempted to do the last time and handle the entire situation alone."

Both headed towards the theater entrance while David continued explaining, "Look I promise I won't let this happen. But I need them in ASAP. Tracy, the film was sent to us as a warning. Those people are very powerful and know what they are doing. I can't handle them alone. I was actually relying on you to talk to him first about this and then maybe things will be a bit easier for me to handle with him."

Tracy can still remember the events of the Vincenzo Drug Massacre and the big scandal it caused to the GBI's prestige. It took the local court houses in New York two years to rule Vincenzo Lupino guilty of Drug Trafficking and the court events were flaming material for gossip by the entire American media. It began at a five star restaurant called Dine At Vincenzo's at Down Town Manhattan and ended at the busy harbors of the Hudson. Vincenzo's classy restaurant that he inherited from his father Luigi Lupino was managed by him and his two brothers, Carlo and Leonardo. However it was in reality the secret pick up grounds of big amounts of heroine that were shipped into New York via the sea. The police's attention got drawn to the premises through a telephone call they received at two in the morning reporting a shooting inside the restaurant. A unit arrived immediately to the reported location but found the restaurant closed. The owners were summoned and an inspection to the location found nothing referring to any violent actions. However a secret surveillance of the restaurant unearthed a lot of suspicious movements during the early dawn hours. As time elapsed a huge drug trafficking cross country mafia came to the NYSD's awareness with a lot of influential names involved. In due time David found out that the GBI were on the lookout for the same mafia and orders came that the NYSD should only assist them in their surveillance chores. During the course of the coming weeks the decision was made to raid one of the expected shipments at harbor and arrangements were made by the GBI accordingly. However David with his experience saw a possibility to try to avoid bloodshed with the heavily guarded mafia and shipping crew. He attempted to convince Chase to raid the restaurant instead of the harbor. For David, if the restaurant raid succeeded and Vincenzo came down, the rest of his connections were bound to come down with him. Chase saw otherwise and wanted to heavily hit the mafia's business crippling them for a while with his sudden raid, and which will also bring Vincenzo with charges. A rough discussion happened in David's office resulting in a huge chasm between him and Chase with no solution to the problem. Chase stormed out of the office insisting on his point of view and gave his orders for his men. Soon enough the vessel arrived with its multi ton cargo and docked at the busy New York piers of the Hudson. The GBI stealthily waited till the sinister midnight operations took place and then stormed the Italian docks clashing with the heavily guarded mafia members. All the GBI agents were massacred and the ship desperately stormed out of the harbor during the clash heading for international waters. Chase whom was in his office nervously waiting for his men's telephone calls to update him on operations received the news with shock several hours later. However attempting to save the face of his bureau and his operations he immediately reported the news to the NYSD harbor patrols and the ship was eventually stopped before it left the American waters. A careful long inspection of the cargo revealed the secretly hidden illegalities and Vincenzo was arrested along with his brothers the next day. The media rattled with the GBI that got heavily hit and the news of the failed operations. The big names that eventually came down with the Lupinos filled the headlines and news broadcasts. Within due time the court gave each of the brothers a fifteen year imprisonment sentence. 

The humid warm air of Mid Town Manhattan met David and Tracy as they exited the theater and headed towards their Impala. A loud hooting of a transatlantic liner navigating at the Hudson harbors sounded in the backgrounds as the streets of this lively business sector of Manhattan bustled with cars and pedestrians. David turned on the motor and steered the car down West Side Highway as a second hooting filled the atmosphere once again but this time inciting a certain feeling of anxiety within Tracy. Somehow her mind was attempting to link it to something inside her, "Dave the liners…there is something about the horns of the liners."

"What about them Tracy."

"I really don't know. A strange feeling rose inside me when I just heard there hooting." Tracy suddenly realized that David wasn't headed to NYSD headquarters. "Where are we going Dave?"   

"You will know in due time. Just keep your weapons loaded."

Steadily the handsome skyscrapers that dominated the grounds around them began shrinking into shabby constructions. The sanity of the Down Town district transformed into filthy worn out streets and clustered housing blocks. The attire of the pedestrians walking in the streets and neighborhoods shifted one hundred and eighty degrees as poverty and hardship characterized the area they were in that was sandwiched between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. To them as NYSD they were driving through a section connected to the slums and was situated on their maps at the Lower East Side of Manhattan. But it became clear to Tracy that it was the Lower East Side of hell as she gulped hard and clutched her gun.

The dilapidated multi-story buildings with their aging structures and paint lined consecutively on both sides of the streets while the quality of cars hurled back decades in age. Teenage mobs surfaced here and there, with some running away at the sight of their police car. Obviously not everybody welcomed them signaling her to be ready for emergencies. The patrols that drove through the area told her of this place's crime and mafia history when the immigrants to New York were new comers here. Neutralizing drug operations in these sectors weren't easy as the different mafias ravaged the streets back then trafficking and selling their illegalities. Powerful struggles used to erupt with the police forces as they tried to bring order to the area and a lot of brave agents sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. Nevertheless despite the efforts the early mafias gave birth to more organized secret networks challenging the NYSD's policing potential and patience. But deep inside she knew that the bad always fears the power of the good, that evil fears the clean heart of the sacred because it knows that the clean heart always wins. There was always a way.

David parked in front of a bakery with commotion near it. The baker suddenly stormed out of his shop fighting with children that were annoying him and the customers walking into the store. Tracy couldn't resist giggling a little bit as one of them gave him a middle finger at something he said and ran away with his friends leaving him shouting. 

"A very feisty one in deed Dave." She commented.

He smiled and replied, "He probably didn't give him anything for free." His eyes scanned the lines of shops on both sides of the two way street they were in. It was full of stores, pedestrians and cars resembling a main commercial shopping center. Supermarkets, butcheries, restaurants, barbers and hardware stores dominated the ground levels around them with apartment flats rising above them for several levels. Suddenly David's eyes focused on something. 

"What is it Dave?" Tracy tried to look towards what he was focusing on.

"Tracy you stay here and keep your gun ready for immediate use." He opened his door but only to find Tracy rushing out of the car and circling towards him. "I'm not leaving you without backup here Dave. At least we can guard each other if anything goes wrong."

She gave her Afro-American boss a pleading look. He was a colonel with extensive experience in his line of work. A well built six foot and a half muscular giant with biceps that completely filled the short sleeves of the police shirt he was wearing. He had short abundant frizzy hair and an oval shaped face with black eyes and thick eyebrows that dominated his facial features. He smiled back and stated, "I’m just afraid at what might happen with the car if we both leave."

Tracy replied disappointed, "OK Just be careful Dave. It's enough we lost Diana."

"That is what I'm here for. If it's related to drugs it is tied to this area Tracy. We are in the Italian neighborhoods. There is an addict and dealer that was arrested four years ago that lives here. He was chased for refusing to stop when a police unit followed him for speeding. The units succeeded in cornering him and he was eventually arrested. A big amount of cocaine was found in his car. However despite deserving a longer sentence he got only four years because of a deal that the DA office struck with him for information about a big drug case. I know if there is anyone whom can give me something to start on, it's him. He lives here." Dave pointed to a beige colored building that was at a short distance to their right. 

"Check your walkie-talkie. If anything goes wrong, I will be up there within seconds Dave." Dave checked his device and replied, "It's working. Don't worry."

Dave stepped out of his car and headed towards the building's entrance. A twenty foot narrow cool entrance that lead to a flight of stairs met him. Big roaches roamed the broken mailboxes that were hung on the wall to his left while the dusty floors crackled underneath his feet as he walked through eyeing the catastrophic premises. The walls flushed with big spots of black and brown of varying depths from the worn out paint that once covered the decaying structure. The wooded flight of stairs squeaked as he climbed it to the first floor that wasn't any better than the building's entrance. Four apartments to the right and four to the left lined the narrow cool corridor. They were numbered from one to eight, apartment one on his left and two being at the opposite side. As he was walking towards apartment number five where Mario lived his ears focused in on something. He smiled as he heard lengthy female groans in the backgrounds. They gradually got louder as his steps took him to the apartment he was after. Finally stopping at Mario's doorstep the woman's ecstasy cries matured filling the entire atmosphere of the long hall. A disturbed tenant struck the walls that divided his apartment form Mario's screaming out in an Italian accented English, "HEY TELL THE BITCH TO KEEP HER LEGS CLOSED. I WANT TO SLEEP!!!" The tenant began cursing in Italian and opened the door. He paused for a second's time as he saw David and his rank that was displayed on his white police shirt. With a wide grin he said, "Good Morning sir" and closed the door.  

The woman's screeching and "YESES" that thundered from the apartment muffled David's "Good Morning," as he replied. "Never mind," he thought and pounded the door with his palms three times. The Woman's voice ceased and a mad voice yelled from inside, "…THE FUCK DO YOU WANT!!!" David kept his silence and knocked again twice. The mad voice continued, "IF THIS IS NOT GOOD I'M GOING TO…" suddenly the door jarred. A Caucasian gentleman having an average height, black hair and wearing only black trousers took a peek. He slammed the door immediately in David's face. David kicked the door open and ran into the apartment. A scarcely furnished small living room containing only a red couch set and TV met him. To his right was a small corridor leading into another room. He dashed through it to find a bedroom. A naked woman with pretty looks and big breasts that was lying in bed screamed as she saw David running into the room. She covered herself with a bed sheet and exclaimed, "I have legal papers! I'm legal!"

"Where the fuck did he go?!!!" 

She pointed towards an open window that accessed a steel fire escape system. David peeked through the window and spotted Mario brisk down towards the ground floor. He jumped outside of the window and stormed down the steel steps, his boots releasing rapid tick tocks as he worked the steel structure. He touched down on the ground and dashed after Mario whom was about twenty feet away turning around the corner of the beige building heading towards the main market. David took a mad dash through the back alley and turned the corner after him. His big strides brought him very close to Mario but Mario dashed through the streets surprising the cars and making them brake suddenly. Tire screeching and wild honking filled the air as Mario dodged madly between the cars trying to avoid being creamed by their alarmed drivers. Within seconds he was on the opposite end of the street shuffling between the pedestrians. David making use of the jammed traffic ran after him firing a warning shot in the air. The pedestrians all ran away into safety placing Mario in full view of David. Noticing his vulnerable position he dashed into another alley between the buildings. Tracy hurried out of the car looking around for the source of the commotion while David dashed into the alley Mario entered seconds ago. David stopped panting and breathing heavily as his colleague caught up with him and asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yes." But when I'm through with this bastard he won't be alright. The street noise resumed behind and filled the ambiance around them again. Tracy followed after David as he walked down the alley that was approximately eighty feet long. It had a big closed gate at its end making it impassable. A foul smell arose as they treaded its narrow path that was filled with puddles of water from leaking drainages and lousy water pipe systems from the building flats around them. A rectangular huge steel garbage dump overflowing with debris and flies rested at a distance to their left making Tracy's stomach turn as they came near it. It was almost the size of their Impala. David suddenly managed a peek as it was shoulder high to him. Soon a menacing smile drew across his face. He situated himself on one of its small sides and crouched down placing his hands underneath it as it was resting on a four legged platform. Tracy gasped as she saw his massive muscles form and swell on his arms. Within seconds the titanic container began lifting off of the floor. David released a load husky groan as the structure lifted more in the air. Soon it tilted over his head and rested on its other side with a huge batter. The garbage heaved down from it filling the floor around. 

Mario rolled down with the dump and sat with a horrified face looking at the cops that hovered over him. He released a loud "What do you want from me?" and attempted to run away but David grabbed him and hurled him back between the dump, "You just never quite do you Mario."

"There is nothing in my apartment. You have nothing against me."

David grabbed him by his shirt, pulled him up and brought him close to him. His legs were totally suspended in the air. Tracy rattled with fear as she saw David's eyes shoot spears of anger at Mario who had a pale face as he bellowed out, "I have rights you know!!! This is police brutality!!!"

"Mario who do you report to these days."

"No one. I'm not doing business anymore."

Tracy pleaded, "David let him go!!! This might not be a good idea!!!"

David ignored Tracy's words and shook Mario violently, "I want some answers from you. There is a new guy these days in the market. Does General William Canons ring any bells!!!"

Mario began crying as he answered, "I don't know any Canons."

"Listen to me you cheap vagabond. I'm not at some interrogation table at the NYSD." David brought him down and withdrew his gun. He pointed it at his head making Mario scream, "I'll tell you!!!"

"I CAN KILL YOU AND WITH THE AREA I'M IN THE POLICE COMMISSIONER WILL BELIEVE ANY REASONS FOR DOING SO!!! WHEN YOU HAVE A MAN OF MY RANK INVESTIGATING SOMETHING THAT MEANS THERE IS NO FUCKING OR PLAYING AROUND!!! SPEAK BEFORE I BLOW YOUR BRAINS TO SMITHEREENS!!!"

Tears rushed down Mario's eyes as he cried and shook with fear. He answered in a hysterical voice, "I know a guy who buys his stuff from a middle man that reports to someone called Bruno. The word is that these guys are big timers and are more powerful than the mafias around here a thousand times with big connection in the government. Their dough is the best. It's shipped by sea from South America. How and when I don't know. I swear I haven't been in the business for a while that is why!!! Please you have to believe me!!! This is all that I know!!!" A massive sweat attack filled his forehead as he begged David.

"What is the middle man's name?!" 

"He appears and disappears like a ghost. You can't find him. He finds his guys!"

"I DON'T BUY THIS BULLSHIT MARIO!!! I’M KILLING YOU!!!"

David placed his gun between Mario's legs and fired a warning bullet that made him grab his groins and yell hysterically, "PLEASE I TOLD YOU WHAT I KNOW!!!"

Tracy snapped back at David, "Don't put your career into risk for this filthy piece of garbage. Please let him OK!"

David looked at Tracy and replied, "This filthy piece of garbage is going to tell us how these guy operate a little bit!" he looked back at Mario and asked, "The next bullet is the real one!" David repositioned his gun towards Mario's groins making him cry and plead, "OK!!!OK!!! But will you let me go!!!"

"START TALKIN TO FIND OUT!!!"

"The swaps take place at a place Bruno owns called Hiero…" Suddenly Mario's head shook violently. Their spirits danced with horror as they saw part of his head crack open and the soft flesh splash on their faces and uniforms. A sniper’s shot ended the life of their Italian friend. Someone didn’t want him alive anymore. 

A delegation of MCC NSW, consisting of the Office Bearers, attended to NSW Parliament House on Thursday 14 August 2014 and presented its credentials to the Hon Victor Dominello, Minister for Citizenship and Communities.  

The delegation was led by the Chair of MCC Dr Anthony Pun, OAM and included Raymond Arraj (Secretary-General), William Seung (Vice-Chair) and David Dawson (Vice-Chair).

Despite a heavy and tight schedule in Parliament, Mr Dominello was able to spare some time welcoming the delegation.  At the meeting, Dr Pun briefed the Minister about the MCC NSW stating “our organisation has adopted the slogan ‘for a Multicultural NSW’ and as a membership-based organisation, we would collaborate and complement the work of those NGOs which are organisation-based. There are however unmet needs in the community that the MCC is able to address and particularly, outreaching to the West of Sydney and to new & emerging communities.  

Dr Pun added: “there has been no voice in the community for some time and the MCC NSW would assist in regenerating a loud and clear voice on issues affecting the community”.

MCC wishes to thank the Minister for his time in meeting with the delegation at Parliament House and this constitutes the beginning of warm and close working relations with the Government in community affairs.

Dr Anthony Pun, OAM, Chair

I'm not blind, I can see

What is happening to me

If I were blind, I still could feel

To find out what you're doing, I will

I can feel you in my heart

'Cause I loved you from the start

There's nothing that could change my way

What you've done, I can say

You can't hide, neither can you run

By my heart, you'll get undone

I'll take you back, I'll be your friend

Don't need my life to have amends

I will forgive you, I'll never forget

Without you, I'll lose my bet

Repair my heart with your tears

Love me and hold me as you please

I need you to understand

But don't do what you've done again

1.  (C)   Ambassador Rice spoke with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon three times on May 4 to discuss concerns over the Board of Inquiry's report on incidents at UN sites in December 2008 and January 2009.  Rice called the Secretary-General to register concern about the scope of the report.  She cited in particular recommendations 10 and 11, saying it set a bad precedent if the report of a Board of Inquiry expands beyond its terms of reference.  Given that those recommendations were outside the scope of the Board's terms of reference, she asked that those two recommendations not be included in the summary of the report that would be transmitted to the membership.  The Secretary-General said he was constrained in what he could do since the Board of Inquiry is independent; it was their report and recommendations and he could not alter them, he said. 

2.  (C) Ambassador Rice urged the Secretary-General to make clear in his cover letter when he transmits the summary to the Security Council that those recommendations exceeded the scope of the terms of reference and no further action is needed.  The Secretary-General said his staff was working with an Israeli delegation on the text of the cover letter. Ambassador Rice asked the Secretary-General to be back in touch with her before the letter and summary are released to the Council. 

3.  (C) Ambassador Rice spoke with the Secretary-General two additional times.  In the second conversation, she underscored the importance of having a strong cover letter that made clear that no further action was needed and would close out this issue.  Secretary-General Ban called her after the letter had been finalized to report that he believed they had arrived at a satisfactory cover letter.  Rice thanked the Secretary-General for his exceptional efforts on such a sensitive issue. 

Rice 

“Peace and Freedom for Palestine”...When he signed his book for me, he wrote the unforgettable strengthening words [...] “I felt these encouraging words which I usually use in my arts become more meaningful, more motivational and more inspirational than ever.”            Marcelle Mansour

George Gittoes’ exhibition "Vincent & The Snow Monkey" together with his book of “George Gittoes I Witness” were opened and launched on Thursday 31 July at the Art Equity, Sydney;  works that George painted while at the Yellow House Jalalabad. In 2011, Gittoes established the Yellow House in Jalalabad, south Afghanistan in homage to Van Gogh. For Van Gogh, the Dutch artist was the inspiration for the legendary Yellow House collective based in Sydney's Potts Point in 1971, of which Gittoes was a part.

George Gittoes is an Australian renowned artist, photo journalist, and filmmaker. He is considered as an outstanding social realist artist who has spent more than three decades creating documentary arts. His arts inspiration comes from conflicts and upheaval around the world. He has worked in Europe, Africa, Central America Far East, Asia Pacific, Middle East and other places which were all troubled with war. George Gittoes has set up his art on mobile studios and creates works in both traditional and digital mediums. In Gittoes’ own words he is doing this because he wants “to portray the effects on the environment of war, international disasters and heavy industry” and “he goes alone into a different kind of human wilderness – Rwanda, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza ..Etc– not to contemplate nature, but the basics of humanity..." 

George Gittoes was awarded OAM (1997), the Centenary Medal (2001) and he was given an honorary Doctorate in Letters by the New South Wales in (2009). 

I was fortunate to get acquainted with George Gittoes’ work when I previously attended his art exhibitions that I covered in the An-Nahar Arabic newspaper in1994. I was impressed with his rich volumes of drawings, paintings and handwritten documents which he created to bring awareness of crisis in the Middle East such as Lebanon, Iraq and Gaza.

Today, I was also happy to attend the opening of "Vincent & The Snow Monkey” exhibition. "The art story was created by George Gittoes while he was filming some larks for a documentary about the boys who sell ice-cream on the streets of Jalalabad. George Gittoes came across the vendor Noor Gul, who is a poor man– earning $3 a day from selling ice creams – and who has extraordinary resemblance to Vincent Van Gough. According to Gittoes; “Noor Gul has the red hair, blue eyes and the angular cheekbones of an Afghan warrior class, and is a dead ringer for Van Gogh as the artist painted himself.... If you look at the photographs of Vincent taken when he was alive, he doesn't look like his portraits.'' says Gittoes, who wears his beard and hair long for his security inside Afghanistan. ''Vincent invented the imagery of himself. He painted himself to look like a Buddhist monk. The strange thing is Noor Gul looks more like Vincent's creation than Vincent himself.''

Gittoes filmed Gul's recognition of his likeness in van Gogh's portraits that hang on the walls of the Yellow House compound. Gittoes says on the eve of the exhibition opening. ''I gave [Gul] the same respect as if I was painting Julian Assange or Nelson Mandela. He is so like Vincent.''

This is an extract from Ralph Hobbs, the owner and Director of Art Equity: “The power of Vincent's vision has pulsated like liquid adrenalin through Australia's most extraordinary artist, George Gittoes. An impossible man to pigeonhole, Gittoes' multi-media approach has seen him acknowledged as one of Australia's finest draftsmen and painters. His paintings, photography, films and diaries have documented so much darkness in the world, from Gaza to Iraq, Africa to Afghanistan. Gittoes has witnessed so much in his life, too much pain for most of us to bear yet he has never lost hope....He sees hope where there is none and like Vincent, Gittoes is the patron to the underdog; the tough man with a heart of gold and a message of love. He is making art to change the world and will die making sure that it does. The works in this exhibition titled Vincent and the Snow Monkey are the basis of three intertwined themes that can be seen as metaphors for our world.”

Gittoes’ large abstracts are full of the beauty of nature; his ‘Starry Garden’ was painted with the Vincent and Monet on the artist’s mind. Gittoes' monkeys (Van Gogh portraits) are metaphors for the artist that express humanity, morality and meaning that bring viewers back to the 1888‘s Vincent in Arles and another 2000 years to the era of Jalalabad, Sufism, and Buddhism.  

I felt really privileged to meet with the Artist George Gittoes after a number of years. When he asked me about my relatives who are still living in Gaza under the horror of the current war, he was about to cry, showing empathy towards them for he remembers when he met in Gaza 2002 while creating his documentary work. Gittoes humbly expressed his deep sorrow about what currently happens in Gaza and wished to be there documenting history at this terrible time, but he is committed to go back to Afghanistan soon. When he signed his book for me, he wrote the unforgettable strengthening words: “Peace and Freedom for Palestine.” I felt these encouraging words which I usually use in my arts become more meaningful, more motivational and more inspirational than ever. A kind of precious words that revive my soul in the midst of the brutality of war crisis that Gaza has been living since 8 July 2014. I greatly appreciate George Gittoes as a remarkable personality for he is an artist of world peace and humanity in the first place.

The Exhibition ended with a beautiful piece of music and a peaceful Sufi song titled “Starry Starry Night” performed by Helen, the Afghani vocalist, then refreshments and Champaign were served. The event was very successful for George Gittoes which was celebrated with artists, friends, journalists, and potential buyers. 

“Vincent & The Snow Monkey” runs from July 31 to August 14, Level 1, 66 King Street Sydney

Marcelle Mansour