Writer
Stuart Rees
<div id="qt"> <div>Stuart Rees AM is Professor Emeritus at the University of Sydney & recipient of the Jerusalem (Al Quds) Peace Prize.</div> <div> <div></div> </div> </div>
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Assange decision welcome but sullied by legal chicanery
The British judge’s ruling that Julian Assange cannot be extradited to the United States is welcome, but it comes after the charade called justice in which British authorities held an unconvicted person in a top security prison and made his defence as difficult as possible. Continue reading »
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Cancelling Brexit, the only remedy for a disastrous decision
No deal Brexit looms. Britain will be leaving the EU. Nationalist Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises the use of the Royal Navy to protect British fishing boats and to keep foreign vessels out, even though the EU emphasized inclusiveness. There’s no place for friendly sentiments among ethnocentric Tories. Continue reading »
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Replacing Cruelty to Refugees with Aspirations from 1948
If politicians re-learn the principles which dignified the rule-based order, launched in 1948 with passing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, this should affect the chances that 2021 will not see a repeat of the cruelties of 2020. Continue reading »
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Reveille for Timor, apology from Australia: Courage or Cowardice in Public Life
In common with other countries, Australian rejuvenation after the Covid pandemic depends not only on a vaccine, but also on a language for humanity, as in advocating the return of human rights principles and displays of courage in public life. Continue reading »
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Morrison’s selective attitude to human rights
Article 1 of the UN Charter declares objectives to promote and encourage respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion. But the Morrison government ignores the abuses of its friends, does not care about the ‘without distinction’ principle, and thereby undermines claims to champion Continue reading »
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Apologising to Shaoquett Moselmane – a touch of courage needed
Courage to say sorry to anyone wrongly offended is an invaluable quality in personal relations and in the cement which builds a dignified civil society, but courage and dignity is still absent in the treatment of NSW Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane. Continue reading »
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Slaughter in France, abusive power, the significance of satire
Slaughter in Paris and Nice by Islamist extremists raises the issue whether it is worth risking discussion of actions taken in the name of a religion, let alone re-asserting the value of satire. Continue reading »
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Shaoquett Moselmane, Dan Oakes and Julian Assange: what price justice? What about the media?
Under the guise of a phenomenon called security, currently interpreted as ‘suspect any pro-China sentiment’, or ‘don’t reveal murder by US forces’, sinister theatrics play across Australia. These reveal Shaoquett Moselmane MP as one victim, ABC journalist Dan Oakes another, and in London’s Belmarsh security prison sits Julian Assange. Continue reading »
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Downer on Palestine: to the Manor Born
The powerful prey mercilessly on the vulnerable and the mainstream media let them get away with it. Continue reading »
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P&I ISSUES in Stuart Rees’ Cruelty or Humanity , Bristol: Policy Press 2020
Regarded by international jurist Richard Falk as ‘A road map for humanity’ and by Noam Chomsky as ‘a wonderful guide to the challenges we face’, Stuart Rees’ ‘Cruelty or Humanity‘ identifies world-wide threats to freedom and democracy and displays the humanitarian alternatives. Continue reading »
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Overcoming Fatalism: Victoria, The Congo and Yemen
Scapegoating Victoria suggests indifference to global issues. A touch of internationalism could replace the hand wringing pity which has been compounded by partisan attacks on Premier Andrews. Continue reading »
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Police state governance and the civil liberties of an MP
In disdain for human rights and to display power, governments deploy police forces to harass or arrest citizens, and then justify their actions with claims about the influence of foreign forces.And it’s happening right now in Australia. Continue reading »
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Border openings, vaccine illusions and a log jam of proposals
Even before a Covid-19 vaccine arrives Coalition politicians, limited by their assumption there is no alternative to capitalism, are recommending the resurrection of Reagan and Thatcher policies to treat everyone and everything as a commodity. Continue reading »
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Words matter – poets can change the World!
Responses to the mayhem caused by the destruction of Beirut will have much in common with the aftermath of Covid 19: long term recovery from devastation coupled to an opportunity to build societies so different from those which preceded the explosion and the virus. Continue reading »
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Make peace not war, the language of military strategists
Politicians, defence strategists and media enthusiasts for the armed forces will use words from the Defence Strategic Update proposal to spend $270 billion on weapons for the military. Via the language of non-violence, it is also valuable to convey other ways of thinking. Continue reading »
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United States and Australia, so little in common ?
Australia identifies with and supports US democracy, yet values and dominant modes of thought in America have produced a form of governance so dysfunctional that Australians should question their assumptions about the two countries’ similarities. Continue reading »
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Drop the xenophobia and Cold War tactics – respect Shaoquett Moselmane’s rights
A healthy civil and democratic society depends on citizens’ ability to weigh up diverse views, to re-frame issues and to consider the dangers when powerful people make claims without any obvious evidence. Continue reading »
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A Politics of Deceit: Israel/US Annexation of Palestinian Lands
In response to Israel’s intention to annex up to 30% of the West Bank, respect for truth by all the parties involved, Israeli, Palestinian, US, European and Australian, has been replaced by calculations about the benefits of deceit. Continue reading »
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Pathology of a Dictatorship: Lessons from the Philippines
Over six thousand kilometres to the north of Australia, a dangerous pandemic is spreading and needs to be contained. President Duterte of the Philippines is consolidating his dictatorship with an Anti-Terrorism Bill which defines terrorism so broadly that free speech can be prosecuted and any dissent punished. Continue reading »
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Authoritarian cultures in Hong Kong, the US and Australia.
Authoritarianism as a way to govern has been embraced in democracies and by dictators. It rests on assumptions that leaders know best, dissent should be suppressed, democracy derided, free speech stifled, control made effective by violence and secrecy. Continue reading »
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Cowardice as a principle of foreign policy, what on earth are they thinking?
In relation to Israel’s decades of military occupation of Palestinian lands, a cowardice spreading pandemic has infected Australian politicians and public servants. Recent symptoms are evident in the Australian government’s submission to the International Criminal Court (ICC) that an investigation of Israeli war crimes in Palestine should not take place. Continue reading »
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Character Assassination as Journalism & Politics
The notion common humanity presupposes regard for respect, dignity, tolerance, thoughtfulness, generosity and support for non-violence. Recent attacks against the Assistant President of the NSW Upper House, Moslem Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane, displayed none of those qualities. Continue reading »
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Socialism, Language and Values for Post Corona World.
New words and phrases, lockdown, self-isolation, flattening the curve, have been coined to explain ways to cope with Covid-19. Language to promote the traits of a post corona society is also needed. Continue reading »
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An End To Global Capitalism
The raiding of supermarket shelves shows the influence of capitalism at its worst: competition, selfishness, exploitation by the successful raiders at the expense of those who could not compete or decided not to. Continue reading »
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Learning from a crisis
Sickness and deaths from the corona virus present challenges to save lives, but could also prompt discussion about different ways to live. Continue reading »
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Copyright Laws: Corporate Greed, Legal Farce
The operation of Copyright Laws amounts to a giant con, a legal farce and an opportunity for corporate greed. Continue reading »
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‘Trump’s ‘Peace Plan’, A Concoction of Humiliation, Cruelty, Illegality’
The world is being asked to believe that cruelties and illegalities amount to a feasible Trump plan for peace between Palestinians and Israelis. Continue reading »
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Politics determines ICC investigation of Israeli war crimes
After five years of procrastination, the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor has announced an investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. From Palestinians’ perspectives that may sound encouraging, but the rules of international law will be no match for politicians’ fascination with violence as the way to Continue reading »
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Julian Assange, A Court of Star Chamber, Cruelty Beyond Belief
In the 15th century, King Henry VII of England established a Court of Star Chamber. Operated by Privy Counsellors and judges, it developed a reputation for arbitrary power leading to cruel and unusual punishments. There was no due process and no rights of appeal for the accused. Continue reading »
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Israelization of more than water in NSW
On November 21, the Zionist Federation of Australia awarded the Jerusalem Prize to the Prime Minister for his friendship and support of Israel. Scott Morrison used the occasion to praise the Israeli government and repeat his attacks on the deliberations of the United Nations. Israel is expert in stealing water from the Palestinians. Continue reading »
