SAOIRSE32

Al Jazeera
15 January 2009

**See also Israel shells hospital, UN compound

Children are bearing the brunt of Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) has said.

More than 300 children have been killed and hundreds more wounded in Israel’s aerial and ground assault, Ann Veneman, Unicef’s executive director, said in a statement released on Wedneday.

More than 300 children are among the hundreds of Palestinians killed in Israel’s offensive [AFP]

She said: “Each day more children are being hurt, their small bodies wounded, their young lives shattered. This is tragic. This is unacceptable.

“They are bearing the brunt of a conflict which is not theirs.

“As fighting reaches the heart of heavily populated urban areas, the impact of lethal weapons will carry an even heavier toll on children.”

Lost childhood

Veneman said the war and bloodshed in Gaza would cause long-term psychological damage to children.

“The crisis in Gaza is singular in that children and their families have nowhere to escape, no refuge. The very thought of being trapped in a closed area is disturbing for adults in peace times,” she said.

“What then goes through the mind of a child who is trapped in such relentless violence?”

Israel has said that it is trying to minimise civilian casualties as it targets Hamas fighters and their infrastructure, but Palestinian children are being subjected to harrowing experiences.

“I saw the soldier standing next to the shop. I looked for my mum and then he shot me. One bullet him my hand and the other went through my back and out through my stomach,” Samar, a young girl, told Al Jazeera while recovering from her wounds at a Gaza hospital.

Amal, another young girl, wailed: “We have nothing to do with this, we don’t fire rockets, we don’t know what this war is about.”

More than 40,000 pregnant women and their unborn children were also believed to be at risk because Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals were unable to take them in.

Traumatised

Dr Walid Sarhan, a Jordanian psychiatrist, said that if nothing is done to help traumatised children Gaza would begin to see advanced cases of psychiatric problems.

“The main one would be post-traumatic stress disorder, which is expected to rise 60 or 70 per cent among children,” he said.

“Also they will have behavioural and emotional problems. They will have difficulties returning to school, going on to achieve in school, and this will not be in small numbers.”

Mark Regev, an Israeli government spokesman, said that thousands of children in southern Israel were also suffering because of Palestinian rocket fire.

“Two weeks before this crisis started I went down south with my prime minister, Mr Olmert … and he was given letters from fourth graders I believe, children who are nine and 10-years-old, who their entire lives have been on the incoming end of these Hamas rockets,” he told Al Jazeera.

“You have a whole generation of Israeli children who are unfortunately suffering similar trauma.”

IAIS
01/13/09 06:53 EST

Days after a Northern Ireland Catholic man was kicked to death by a sectarian mob in 1997, the police had evidence that a fellow officer protected one of the killers from prosecution, a public inquiry heard today.

Mr Robert Hamill (25), a father of two, was kicked to death in the Co Armagh town of Portadown after a night out with friends. His partner gave birth to their daughter three months later. His attackers allegedly called out ‘Die you Fenian bastard’ as they assaulted him.

The police are facing claims that officers at the scene failed to protect Mr Hamill and later frustrated the investigation.

The opening session of the inquiry today heard that within two weeks of the killing police had names for those involved in the murder, plus evidence that a Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) reserve constable Robert Atkinson warned one of the killers to dispose of clothes worn in the attack and updated him on the investigation.

The Inquiry’s lead counsel Ashley Underwood QC today outlined the details of the case, as members of the murdered man’s family listened to proceedings in Belfast’s Interpoint Center.

Mr Underwood recounted how Mr Hamill was attacked while an RUC Land Rover with four armed officers was parked nearby within sight of the attack, but the father-of-three suffered serious head injuries and died 11 days later in hospital.

But he added: ‘By May 10, 1997, the RUC had the identities of a number of Protestants who were said to have murdered Mr Hamill. Further, it had evidence that one of the reserve constables in the Land Rover, Mr Atkinson, had protected one of them, by telling him to get rid of his clothing and by keeping him updated about the investigation.”

However no one has been convicted of murdering Mr Hamill and only one person was convicted of affray arising out of the attack on him. Reserve constable Atkinson was eventually charged in relation to a conspiracy arising out of the alleged tip-offs that he gave, but was not prosecuted.’

Human rights watchdog the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) is monitoring the hearings.

It is anticipated that the final report will be submitted to the British government by June next year.

IAIS
01/14/09 12:01 EST

Northern Ireland Catholic Robert Hamill died as a result of widespread brain injuries caused by punching, kicking and stamping, the inquiry into his death has been told.

Lead counsel Ashley Underwood QC said the post mortem report revealed Mr Hamill had sustained brain injuries similar to those caused by a car crash.

Robert Hamill died 11 days after being attacked by a loyalist mob in Portadown in April 1997.

Public hearings in the inquiry into his murder began on Monday.

The inquiry will examine allegations that four RUC police officers watched as the 25-year-old was attacked and failed to intervene.

It will also examine whether the police were in any way responsible for Mr Hamill’s death, as well as claims that police officers tried to obstruct the investigation into the murder.

The inquiry was established more than four years ago and to date has cost almost GBP£19m (USD$32m).

Since then, lawyers have interviewed more than 230 possible witnesses and gathered over 20,000 documents.

The inquiry team has said it hoped to present its final report to the secretary of state by June next year.

My friend Sharon from 1169 and Counting, located at both 11sixtynine.blogsome.com and 1169andcounting.blogspot.com, has asked me to share with you this important announcement. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend! If you visit this original link, you will find many more explanatory and educational resources:

‘TO THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD. GREETINGS…!’

90th Anniversary of An Céad Dáil Éireann

(the First Dáil Éireann)

A Lecture on this subject will be held on Tuesday 20th January 2009, at 7.30pm, in Wynn’s Hotel, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1. The Clár (Programme of Events) is as follows:

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7.45pm - Cathaoirleach (Chairperson), Des Dalton, will open proceedings.
8pm - Reading of the Declaration of Independence, as Gaeilge agus i mBéarla, by Tomás Ó Clérigh agus Richard Walsh.
8.15pm - Reading of An Scéal Ó Dháil Éireann Chum Saor-Náisiún an Domhain (the Address to the Free Nations of The World) in English and French (Appel aux Nations), by Róisin Hayden agus Séan Ó Bradaigh.
8.30pm - Reading of the Democratic Programme of Dáil Éireann by Séamus Ó Súilleabháin.
8.45pm - Lecture on the First Dáil Éireann by Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, Uachtarán (President), Sinn Féin Poblachtach.
10pm - Questions from the floor followed by a social hour.

An Clár for the 90th Anniversary Lecture.

On January 21st , 1919, the First Dáil Éireann met in the Mansion House, Dublin. The Declaration of Independence , the Address to the Free Nations of the World and the Democratic Programme of Dáil Éireann were read. On Tuesday, January 20, 2009, Republican Sinn Féin will host a lecture by Ruairí Ó Brádaigh to commemorate the anniversary. Republicanism is currently under threat from revisionist historians, politicians and the media so it is imperative we bring the truth to the people. It is through people like you that we can do this. We hope to see you on Tuesday night, January 20th 2009 at 7.30pm in Wynn’s Hotel in Dublin City Centre. All Welcome!

Thanks!
Sharon