The Shame of Europe – Racism and Euro 2012

editorial by Penny Dreadfull 8 June 2012 

On the 31st of May 2012 on BBC2, I watched the jaw-dropping panorama documentary, Euro 2012: Stadium of Hate with Chris Rogers of the BBC, who spent a month documenting the horrifying behaviour of racism in Poland and the Ukraine. I’ve actually been too gobsmacked by what I witnessed to write about it untill today. But, write I must.

To be honest, I didn’t realise that I lived in such a bubble that I didn’t know this kind of hatred and racism went on in other countries. I thought that racism was mainly carried out in American southern states in the middle of the night with sneaky racists, KKK, and skin-heads burning crosses in lawns, tying up some poor soul and dragging him behind their pickup trucks, and, least of all, calling people the hateful “N” word, among some other things I’d rather not mention. Now I see, that as much as it may seem we have moved ahead, we are still stumbling our steps. And some, such as the football fans in Poland (the Polish Ultras) and the Ukraine, have stopped moving alltogether. Football fans there shout racial slurs, make racial signs such as the Nazi salute (as well as wearing swastikas, iron crosses, and other signs of hatred and racism on their shirts), and attack fans of their own favourite teams – if they are black, Asian, and Jewish. The Policja just look the other way.

When Chris Rogers interviewed a man (whose name I did not catch) whom said that “the fans were pointing at other fans, not giving the Nazi salute”, even though clearly the Polish fans were saluting and shouting “Zieg Hiel” whilst Chris was filmed sitting in the stands as this was going on. The fans were also shown physically attacking a group of Asian fans (whom coincidentally were cheering for the team of their attackers!). In all cases, the banners and shirts of the fans were shown to be marked heavily with racist signs and words.

This is terrifying, especially since Poland and Ukraine will be hosting footballers from other countries for the Euro 2012. Of course, UEFA (United European Football Association) says there will be “zero tolerance” for racism, but the catch phrase “zero tolerance” is just another one of those lipservices we perform but have no idea how to put into action. Particularly when faced with entire countries full of racists.

As the Dutch national team are training in Krakow, already the black team members are being attacked with monkey chants.

“Until now, the threat of racism at these championships has been limited to co-host country Ukraine and this development is deeply unwelcome to Poland” – The Independant (theindependant.co.uk) I beg to differ. Poland was the first of the host countries that Chris Rogers filmed and I would say from what I witnessed the Polish Ultras are among the most racially threatening people on Earth.

Mark Van Bommel, Captain of the Dutch team, said that he “would take this (monkey chants) up with UEFA”, yet as reported on the BBC News today the Dutch team now say that they will not be making a complaint to UEFA. It seems UEFA isn’t really backing the teams as UEFA president Michel Platini warned that any player who left the field of play in protest over racist abuse from the stands would receive a yellow card. Yet Platini also confirmed referees have been instructed to halt matches at Euro 2012 if a player was taunted with racist chants. (theindependant.co.uk)

The former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell last week told supporters to avoid the tournament because of the threat of racism and violence. Ukraine’s Euro 2012 director Markian Lubkivsky said Campbell’s remarks were “insolent”. Clearly, Lubkivsky isn’t black, nor could he understand what Sol Campbell has suffered at the hands of racist fans as he himself was racially abused by fans in 2008. Those fans were arrested. Campbell watched the footage filmed by the BBC along with Chris Rogers during the documentary. Needless to say it was painfull for him. Now, he is being attacked once again for warning supporters against going to Euro 2012 as they “could come back in a coffin”. I wholeheartedly agree with him

Campbell does not believe Poland and Ukraine deserve to host the competition, which begins on 8 June, because of the problems that still persist in those countries:

“I think that they were wrong, because what they should say is that if you want this tournament you sort your problems out,” he said.

“Until we see a massive improvement, that you have sorted [it] out, you are never going to get the tournament. You do not deserve these prestigious tournaments in your country.”

In response Uefa he said: “Uefa’s zero-tolerance approach to racism is still valid both on and off the pitch and ultimately the referee has the power to stop or abandon a match should racist incidents occur. (guardian.co.uk)

Our bodies may be in the 21st century but our minds are clearly still in the 19th century. Regardless of the feelings of the Polish and Ukraine fans, they should be at least mature enough to put it aside for this great event and welcome the people who come to cheer the teams. Ah, but if a modicum of maturity were present in their minds, they probably wouldn’t be racists to begin with. So, they bite the hands that feed them, as I am sure hosting the teams is a bit of help to their economies. Sadly, rather than punishing these countries for their behaviour by stopping their participation, UEFA will allow these countries to continue hosting. I only hope that Sol Campbell’s words aren’t prophetic and that all attendees go home in one piece and safely.

　

　

 

Why Wasn’t Dr. Shakil Afridi Protected by the U.S.?

Dr. Shakil Afridi has been recently sentenced to 33 years imprisonment for his alleged role in helping the U.S. find Osama Bin Laden by running a fake vaccine program in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Why was he not protected by the U.S. from the beginning? Why wasn’t Dr. Afridi taken out of Pakistan immediately following Operation Neptune’s Spear? He put his life on the line to give America the World’s Most Wanted and he was left alone to try and flee Torkham border on his own, then being sentenced on 23 May, 2012.

He could have been, should have been given new identity and flown out with military troups then and there, then given American citizenship. End of.

Here it is 1 year after Bin Laden was found, and it seems a little too late that U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton says Pakistan has no justification for imprisoning Dr. Afridi. That Rep. Dana Rohrabacher has asked President Obama to intercede on Dr. Afridi’s behalf (and has also introduced two bills to Congress, one of which to make Dr. Afridi a naturalised American citizen (he should have been for the last year!) and to give him the Congressional Medal of Congress (I suppose that is supposed to keep him safe in a Pakistani jail, where I doubt he’ll make 33 years). And now we’ve cut aid to Pakistan by $33 million. Now that’s really hurting them. Especially since U. S. purportedly wants to lift Pakistan’s 2012 total aid to $3.4 billion from the $2.96 billion Congressional Research Service says has been requested for 2012. (Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2011/05/11/did-pakistan/#ixzz1vtkLDJs0).  Do the maths.  It’s a drop in the bucket comparatively.

One million for each year he is to be held in prison. That’s what he’s worth for finding the man whom was responsible for more than 3,000 Americans being brutally murdered on 11 September 2001 by Bin Laden. Not directly, but all the same.

One million per year to do something that President Bush couldn’t do in 8 years, and that President Obama may not have been able to do without Dr. Afridi’s help.

I do hope that the faint cries from Washington do some good for Dr. Afridi. But, I would ask you, regardless of where you live, America, Britain, France, Ireland, wherever, please for humanity’s sake do something. Write letters, protest, do something.

 

Was Abdel Baset al-Megrahi wrongly convicted of being responsible for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing?

Was Abdel al-Megrahi wrongly convicted? I believe so. Unlike the rest of America, I can not in good faith say this man was responsible in any way for the Lockerbie bombing after seeing the compelling evidence brought to light on Aljazeera English News by way of the assessment of the Scottish Criminal Case Review Commission (SCCRC). What I do believe is that he was blamed because he had a familiar face. People have died in prison for less, they have died by execution for less.

What has not escaped my notice, first and foremost, is that Tony Gauci, the Maltese shop owner whose claim that al-Megrahi had purchased clothing from him in his shop on 7 December 1988, the clothing proven to be in the luggage on the Lockerbie flight, because of a magazine photo which identified al-Megrahi as a ‘possible’ suspect. Obviously, with al-Megrahi’s face planted in his mind, it would be the one Tony Gauci picked when faced with al-Megrahi in an identity parade. What is also compelling is that the American government paid Tony Gauci $2 million as his reward in chosing al-Megrahi. Would $2 million persuade you to choose a person with whom you were not entirely sure of? Did Tony Gauci have a choice? Think about that one a bit.

The Lockerbie Bombing 23 years ago was indeed the worst terrorist attack prior to 9/11. It was senseless and stupid and I was so horrified when it happened. In those days, I still believed somewhat that governments and the judicial system were nearly infallable and if they said they had the right man, then they surely must have done. But, I was young. I have seen too much and have grown to understand much better that nothing in this world is perfect…especially if it is born of human. However one thing I do hope that over these years I have grown better at is forgiveness and understanding. Abdel Baset al-Megrahi is dead. I watched him on his death-bed video. He didn’t have the appearance of a man who was hiding anything. Sincerely, what would he have to lose with the truth at that point? His life? He was probably in so much pain that death would have been welcomed. I could not help but have tears in my eyes, feeling very badly for another person whom had been unnecessarily imprisoned just because governments and their people wanted results, and quickly and used Tony Gauci to achieve that end. A little late, yet no less neccesary, the SCCRC have brought many new proofs to light that could have exonerated al-Megrahi 23 years ago. Perhaps, if everyone had put a bit more energy into finding the facts then, a life held 23 years away from loved ones due to imprisonment would have been free and the real people responsible for Lockerbie would be imprisoned.

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, I am sorry. Rest in Peace.