Stray Bullets - Death And Despair From Gaza To The DR Congo
Attack On Aid Flotilla To Gaza Sparks Protest:
An Israeli Commandos’ raid on an aid flotilla travelling to the Gaza Strip has sparked protests and outrage across the world. The attack on six aid-bearing ships attempting to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza ended in the deaths of nine civilians and 682 arrests; though nearly all of the activists have now been released. A number of demonstrations occurred across the UK: over 1000 activists marched to the Israeli embassy in London on Monday (May 31) and Saturday (June 5), and 150 held a service outside a war memorial in Brighton on Monday (May 31). 
Later in the week, Michael Oren, Israeli Ambassador to the USA, said that Israel will reject a proposed international commission to investigate the attack. Oren has said the ships were “too large to stop with non-violent means.” Post-mortem examinations have found 30 bullets in the victims' bodies - four bullets were found in one activist's head.
Week of Protests Against Deportation:
Numerous protests against deportation have occurred across the UK in support of the Week of Action Against the Deportation Machine. Groups ‘Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!’ and ‘No Borders London’ held protests outside two immigration reporting centres in London on Tuesday (June 1). No Borders South Wales organised a number of banner-drops in Cardiff city centre opposite the UKBA office on Wednesday (June 2). Stop Deportation presented Carlson Wagonlit Travel with a “Deportation Profiteer of the Year” award at its main offices in Potters Bar. The week ended with a demonstration in Parliament Square in London on Saturday (June 5).
Saudi Government to Investigate MTV Sin:
Saudi Arabia’s strictly Islamic police are investigating three Saudi youths for “openly declaring sin” on an MTV reality show. The documentary series ‘Resist the Power! Saudi Arabia’ featured a girl who said she disguised herself as a boy in order to ride a bicycle in the streets and a young man who talked about his attempts to break the country’s strict gender-segregation laws to meet his girlfriend for a date. An official court in Jeddah said the films were being investigated for the crimes of “openly declaring sin.”
Human Rights Activist Found Dead In DRCongo:
Floribert Chebeya, leader of DRCongo human rights NGO Voice of the Voiceless, has been found dead in the DR Congo capital, Kinshasa. Chebeya was a critic of the government and had received numerous threats from the police. According to the Washington Post, a group of Congolese rights groups believe John Numbi, inspector general of the National Police, was behind the death. Veronique Aubert, Deputy Africa Director of Amnesty International, said Amnesty was “stunned and appalled by the suspicious death of such a prominent and respected human rights defender.” Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said, “For more than 20 years, Chebeya had survived many death threats, arrests, and ill treatment due to his work as a human rights defender. He believed in the cause of human rights and was not afraid to pursue it against all odds.”
Bangladesh Unblocks Facebook:
According to the BBC, Bangladeshi officials have unblocked the country’s access to Facebook after a week of blocking the site in protest at drawings of the Prophet Mohammad that appeared on the website. Last month Pakistan also briefly blocked all access to Facebook in the run-up to “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day”, a contest planned by some users. Bangladeshi officials said Facebook had “hurt the religious sentiments of the country’s majority Muslim population” by carrying “offensive images” of Muhammad. The offending pictures have now been removed.
Words: Richard Lemmer
Photo: Flickr user russ_ell, of the pro-Palestine flotilla demonstrations in London.
A replica Glashutte watches