mintpressnews--2020-03-25--The BJP and Israel: Hindu Nationalism is Ravaging Democracy in India

It was only a matter of time before the anti-Muslim sentiment in India turned violent .
A country that has historically prided itself on its diversity and tolerance and for being ‘ the largest democracy in the world ’ has , in recent years , exhibited the exact opposite qualities – chauvinism , racism , religious intolerance , and , at times , extreme violence .
The latest round of violence ensued on February 23 , one day before U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Delhi on his first official visit to India .
Trump is a beloved figure among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) , which has ruled India since 2014 .
BJP , under the leadership of Narendra Modi , has wreaked havoc on Indian politics and foreign policy .
However , the damage that this ultra-nationalist movement has caused to Indian society is unmatched since the country ’ s independence in 1947 .
Under BJP rule , hatred for Muslims , a sizable minority of over 200 million , among other minority groups , has grown over the years to represent the core discourse of a movement that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Islamophobia bandwagon , which has grown exponentially since the September 11 , 2001 attacks on the United States , Hindu nationalists disguised their racist and chauvinistic ideology as part of a global ‘ war on terror ’ .
It was no surprise , then , to see Modi reaching out to like-minded Islamophobes , the likes of right-wing Israeli Prime Minister , Benjamin Netanyahu .
The seemingly unbreakable Modi-Netanyahu ‘ friendship ’ underlies a growing pro-Israel movement among Hindu nationalists .
Hindu nationalist ideologues and pro-Israel Zionists have long discovered a common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a collective sense of racial supremacy and intolerance for Islam and Muslims .
In fact , Israel has , in recent years , emerged as the common denominator between various ultra-nationalist and far-right groups in India and across the globe .
Strangely but tellingly , some of these groups are known for hostility towards Jews and outright antisemitism .
However , for these groups , the anti-immigrant , anti-refugee and anti-Muslim sentiments were far more pressing priorities than all else .
While Europe and North America have received a greater share of political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , countries like India , Burma , and China have largely been excluded from the discussion .
It is true that the discrimination and violence against China ’ s Muslim minority , the Uyghurs , Burma ’ s Rohingya population and India ’ s Muslims , have all received a relatively fair share of media attention and analysis .
However , the targeting of Muslims in these polities is largely perceived as provisional ‘ conflicts ’ that are unique to these areas , with little or no connection to global anti-Muslim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the truth .
For example , the fact that BJP politicians often refer to Muslim migrants in India as ‘ infiltrators and termites ’ mirrors the same dehumanizing lexicon used by Buddhist nationalists in Burma and Israeli Zionists in Palestine .
The likes of the Hindu Samhati movement , known for its anti-Muslim bigotry , has , therefore , become essential to this new global anti-Muslim brand .
And , according to the same disturbing logic , hating Muslims then becomes synonymous with loving apartheid Israel .
Hence , it was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of Hindu nationalists rallying in Calcutta in February 2018 in what was described by organizers as “ the largest pro-Israel rally ” in history .
But what took place in New Delhi in February was more ominous than any other previous display of violence .
Dozens of Indian Muslims were beaten to death and hundreds more were severely injured by mobs of angry Hindu nationalists .
While India is no stranger to mob violence , the recent bouts of bloodshed in that country are most alarming considering it is a rational outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ championed by the BJP and their supporters .
Particularly alarming were scenes of Indian security forces either watching the brutality against Indian Muslims unfold without intervening or objecting in any way , or worse , participating in the violence themselves .
While it is rightly argued that the anti-Muslim campaign in India was triggered by Modi ’ s Citizenship Amendment Act which ultimately aims at rendering millions of Muslims in India stateless , the ailment lies in the BJP itself – a purely xenophobic movement that exploits the grievances of the poor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It goes without saying that India ’ s Modi is a far cry from the India that was envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi or the country ’ s first Prime Minister , Jawaharlal Nehru .
Unfortunately , with Modi and the BJP in power , India will experience yet more tragic days ahead .
Flanked by equally racist and violent allies in Tel Aviv and Washington , Modi feels empowered to carry out more such sinister and discriminatory measures against the country ’ s vulnerable minorities , especially Muslims .
It is essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation in India , and that we understand the anti-Muslim politics and violence in that country within the larger global context .
India ’ s Muslims need our solidarity more than ever before , especially as the emboldened BJP and their chauvinistic leader seem to have no moral boundaries whatsoever .
Feature photo | Hindu nationalists gather in India ’ s capital to demand construction of a Hindu temple on the ruins of a 16th century mosque in northern Indian city of Ayodhya , Dec. 9 , 2018 .
Bernat Armangue | AP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Editor of The Palestine Chronicle .
He is the author of five books .
His latest is “ These Chains Will Be Broken : Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons ” ( Clarity Press , Atlanta ) .
Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs ( CIGA ) , Istanbul Zaim University ( IZU ) .
His website is www.ramzybaroud.net

It was only a matter of time before the anti-Muslim sentiment in India turned violent. A country that has historically prided itself on its diversity and tolerance and for being ‘the largest democracy in the world’ has, in recent years, exhibited the exact opposite qualities – chauvinism, racism, religious intolerance, and, at times, extreme violence.
The latest round of violence ensued on February 23, one day before U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Delhi on his first official visit to India.
Trump is a beloved figure among Hindu nationalists, especially supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has ruled India since 2014.
BJP, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, has wreaked havoc on Indian politics and foreign policy. However, the damage that this ultra-nationalist movement has caused to Indian society is unmatched since the country’s independence in 1947.
Under BJP rule, hatred for Muslims, a sizable minority of over 200 million, among other minority groups, has grown over the years to represent the core discourse of a movement that is ideologically and morally bankrupt.
Jumping on the Islamophobia bandwagon, which has grown exponentially since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, Hindu nationalists disguised their racist and chauvinistic ideology as part of a global ‘war on terror’.
It was no surprise, then, to see Modi reaching out to like-minded Islamophobes, the likes of right-wing Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The seemingly unbreakable Modi-Netanyahu ‘friendship’ underlies a growing pro-Israel movement among Hindu nationalists.
Hindu nationalists embrace Israel
Hindu nationalist ideologues and pro-Israel Zionists have long discovered a common cause, one that is predicated on a collective sense of racial supremacy and intolerance for Islam and Muslims.
In fact, Israel has, in recent years, emerged as the common denominator between various ultra-nationalist and far-right groups in India and across the globe. Strangely but tellingly, some of these groups are known for hostility towards Jews and outright antisemitism. However, for these groups, the anti-immigrant, anti-refugee and anti-Muslim sentiments were far more pressing priorities than all else.
While Europe and North America have received a greater share of political analysis regarding the rise of Islamophobia around the world, countries like India, Burma, and China have largely been excluded from the discussion.
It is true that the discrimination and violence against China’s Muslim minority, the Uyghurs, Burma’s Rohingya population and India’s Muslims, have all received a relatively fair share of media attention and analysis. However, the targeting of Muslims in these polities is largely perceived as provisional ‘conflicts’ that are unique to these areas, with little or no connection to global anti-Muslim phenomena.
But nothing could be further from the truth. For example, the fact that BJP politicians often refer to Muslim migrants in India as ‘infiltrators and termites’ mirrors the same dehumanizing lexicon used by Buddhist nationalists in Burma and Israeli Zionists in Palestine.
The likes of the Hindu Samhati movement, known for its anti-Muslim bigotry, has, therefore, become essential to this new global anti-Muslim brand. And, according to the same disturbing logic, hating Muslims then becomes synonymous with loving apartheid Israel.
Hence, it was not a complete surprise to see tens of thousands of Hindu nationalists rallying in Calcutta in February 2018 in what was described by organizers as “the largest pro-Israel rally” in history.
But what took place in New Delhi in February was more ominous than any other previous display of violence. Dozens of Indian Muslims were beaten to death and hundreds more were severely injured by mobs of angry Hindu nationalists.
While India is no stranger to mob violence, the recent bouts of bloodshed in that country are most alarming considering it is a rational outcome of a racist trajectory that has been championed by the BJP and their supporters.
Particularly alarming were scenes of Indian security forces either watching the brutality against Indian Muslims unfold without intervening or objecting in any way, or worse, participating in the violence themselves.
While it is rightly argued that the anti-Muslim campaign in India was triggered by Modi’s Citizenship Amendment Act which ultimately aims at rendering millions of Muslims in India stateless, the ailment lies in the BJP itself – a purely xenophobic movement that exploits the grievances of the poor and marginalized in India to maintain political power.
It goes without saying that India’s Modi is a far cry from the India that was envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi or the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Unfortunately, with Modi and the BJP in power, India will experience yet more tragic days ahead. Flanked by equally racist and violent allies in Tel Aviv and Washington, Modi feels empowered to carry out more such sinister and discriminatory measures against the country’s vulnerable minorities, especially Muslims.
It is essential that we educate ourselves further about the situation in India, and that we understand the anti-Muslim politics and violence in that country within the larger global context. India’s Muslims need our solidarity more than ever before, especially as the emboldened BJP and their chauvinistic leader seem to have no moral boundaries whatsoever.
Feature photo | Hindu nationalists gather in India’s capital to demand construction of a Hindu temple on the ruins of a 16th century mosque in northern Indian city of Ayodhya, Dec. 9, 2018. Bernat Armangue | AP
Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is “These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons” (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net


mintpressnews--2020-03-25--“At the Mercy of a Deranged Lunatic” – How Jair Bolsonaro Is Endangering Brazil During COVID–19

In what may be its darkest hour , Brazil is at the mercy of a deranged lunatic .
This is no exaggeration , wrote independent outlet Brasil Wire yesterday .
The country ’ s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro tested positive for COVID–19 on March 13 , his son Eduardo confirming it to Fox News .
The news came as no great surprise as 22 of the group who accompanied him on his visit to the United States also tested positive .
While in Washington , Bolsonaro embraced Donald Trump and other senior American figures and on Monday , Bolsonaro ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Brasilia with severe respiratory problems .
Despite testing positive for the virus , just two days later Bolsonaro held a rally outside the presidential palace where he shook hands with supporters , posed for photographs with them and called for the closure of the Supreme Court and Congress , something he has been threatening to do since his election in 2018 .
The president and his son denounced the media for publishing fake news about his health , simultaneously claiming he had tested negative and that he was impervious to the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ athleticism.
” As of Wednesday , Brazil officially has 2,274 confirmed cases of COVID–19 , but as testing kits are hard to come by , that number is certainly an underestimate .
And while the president holds large public rallies , regional leaders have acted more prudently .
Yesterday , the governor of Sao Paulo state ordered a generalized lockdown of 46 million people in his state , with all non-essential businesses closed .
The president condemned the move as a “ hysterical ” reaction .
Many other decisions by the president have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more worrisome .
There were around 10,000 Cuban doctors working across the massive country – primarily serving the poorest regions – at the time of his election .
However , he expelled them on the grounds that they were not truly medical professionals , but ideologically brainwashed “ terrorists ” training Brazilians in communism .
“ The Workers ’ Party sent about 10,000 costumed doctors to Brazil here , in poor places , to create guerrilla cells and indoctrinate people , ” he said last year .
Last weekend Secretary of Health Joao @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , Cuba has already sent many doctors to other countries , including Italy , Venezuela , and Nicaragua .
Ever since Workers ’ Party president Dilma Rousseff was impeached in 2016 , there has been a freeze in public health spending .
Faced with a central government that refuses to take action , Brazil ’ s criminal gangs , who control much of the country ’ s urban areas , have decided to pick up the slack , imposing curfews and lockdowns across their territory .
“ We want the best for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t do the right thing , organized crime will , ” read a communication from a powerful group of drug dealers in Rio de Janeiro .
That organized crime syndicates are behaving more responsibly than the central government has not been lost on the population .
However , quarantining or self-isolating in the slums is an impossible task for many .
The country ’ s slums , depicted in the 2002 movie City of God , are intensely overcrowded , with millions living in ramshackle buildings without the ability to isolate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolation .
We are talking about regions where people live in shacks , where there is no way to isolate themselves .
We are talking about a shack where , in one space , there is the kitchen , the living room and the bedroom .
Almost nobody lives alone .
There are at least two to three members in each family , living in a space that is the size of a room in a normal house , ” said one resident of the real City of God slum , where COVID–19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running water is also a grave concern , making washing hands and other basic hygiene extremely complicated and fraught with difficulty .
Thus , the extreme inequality in Brazil will prove a catalyst for the disease and an impediment to its eradication .
“ The irony is that the disease was brought to Brazil by plane , by the rich , but it is among the poor that it will explode , ” noted Paulo Buss , director of the Center for International Relations at Fiocruz , a public health research organization .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was elected in 2018 in a dubious election fraught with inconsistencies and fake news .
The runaway favorite , Lula da Silva from the Workers ’ Party , was arrested under false pretexts and jailed by a judge who would later become Bolsonaro ’ s Justice Minister .
Worse still , leaked documents later revealed that the judge was secretly working with the prosecution to ensure Lula ’ s conviction .
Brasil Wire describes the president ’ s ideology as , “ Somewhere between the Malthusian philosophies of Northern Conservatives , the corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genocidal instincts of Neo Nazis.
” The consequences of his election may be playing out in real time across the vast country of 209 million people .
Feature photo | A police officer stands in a small market as a local volunteer with a face mask distributes soap and detergent in an effort to avoid the spread the new coronavirus , in the Rocinha slum of Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , March 24 , 2020 .
Leo Correa | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

In what may be its darkest hour, Brazil is at the mercy of a deranged lunatic. This is no exaggeration, wrote independent outlet Brasil Wire yesterday. The country’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro tested positive for COVID–19 on March 13, his son Eduardo confirming it to Fox News. The news came as no great surprise as 22 of the group who accompanied him on his visit to the United States also tested positive. While in Washington, Bolsonaro embraced Donald Trump and other senior American figures and on Monday, Bolsonaro’s driver was rushed to a hospital in Brasilia with severe respiratory problems.
Despite testing positive for the virus, just two days later Bolsonaro held a rally outside the presidential palace where he shook hands with supporters, posed for photographs with them and called for the closure of the Supreme Court and Congress, something he has been threatening to do since his election in 2018. The president and his son denounced the media for publishing fake news about his health, simultaneously claiming he had tested negative and that he was impervious to the “little flu” because of his “athleticism.”
As of Wednesday, Brazil officially has 2,274 confirmed cases of COVID–19, but as testing kits are hard to come by, that number is certainly an underestimate. And while the president holds large public rallies, regional leaders have acted more prudently. Yesterday, the governor of Sao Paulo state ordered a generalized lockdown of 46 million people in his state, with all non-essential businesses closed. The president condemned the move as a “hysterical” reaction.
Many other decisions by the president have made the situation in Brazil all the more worrisome. There were around 10,000 Cuban doctors working across the massive country – primarily serving the poorest regions – at the time of his election. However, he expelled them on the grounds that they were not truly medical professionals, but ideologically brainwashed “terrorists” training Brazilians in communism. “The Workers’ Party sent about 10,000 costumed doctors to Brazil here, in poor places, to create guerrilla cells and indoctrinate people,” he said last year. Last weekend Secretary of Health Joao Gabbardo begged Cuba to return them. However, Cuba has already sent many doctors to other countries, including Italy, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. Ever since Workers’ Party president Dilma Rousseff was impeached in 2016, there has been a freeze in public health spending.
Faced with a central government that refuses to take action, Brazil’s criminal gangs, who control much of the country’s urban areas, have decided to pick up the slack, imposing curfews and lockdowns across their territory. “We want the best for the population. If the government won’t do the right thing, organized crime will,” read a communication from a powerful group of drug dealers in Rio de Janeiro. That organized crime syndicates are behaving more responsibly than the central government has not been lost on the population.
Gangs in the Rio de Janeiro favelas have enforced a lockdown from 8pm tonight. The statement reads: "If the government won't do the right thing, organised crime will" pic.twitter.com/dK0wtAR3KA — Andrew Cesare (@AndrewCesare) March 23, 2020
However, quarantining or self-isolating in the slums is an impossible task for many. The country’s slums, depicted in the 2002 movie City of God, are intensely overcrowded, with millions living in ramshackle buildings without the ability to isolate.
“It is impossible to remain in isolation. We are talking about regions where people live in shacks, where there is no way to isolate themselves. We are talking about a shack where, in one space, there is the kitchen, the living room and the bedroom. Almost nobody lives alone. There are at least two to three members in each family, living in a space that is the size of a room in a normal house,” said one resident of the real City of God slum, where COVID–19 has already reached.
The lack of running water is also a grave concern, making washing hands and other basic hygiene extremely complicated and fraught with difficulty.
Thus, the extreme inequality in Brazil will prove a catalyst for the disease and an impediment to its eradication. “The irony is that the disease was brought to Brazil by plane, by the rich, but it is among the poor that it will explode,” noted Paulo Buss, director of the Center for International Relations at Fiocruz, a public health research organization.
A close ally of Trump, Bolsonaro was elected in 2018 in a dubious election fraught with inconsistencies and fake news. The runaway favorite, Lula da Silva from the Workers’ Party, was arrested under false pretexts and jailed by a judge who would later become Bolsonaro’s Justice Minister. Worse still, leaked documents later revealed that the judge was secretly working with the prosecution to ensure Lula’s conviction. Brasil Wire describes the president’s ideology as, “Somewhere between the Malthusian philosophies of Northern Conservatives, the corporate eugenics of Wall Street, and the genocidal instincts of Neo Nazis.” The consequences of his election may be playing out in real time across the vast country of 209 million people.
Feature photo | A police officer stands in a small market as a local volunteer with a face mask distributes soap and detergent in an effort to avoid the spread the new coronavirus, in the Rocinha slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, March 24, 2020. Leo Correa | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-03-25--Venezuela’s Coronavirus Response Might Surprise You

Within a few hours of being launched , over 800 Venezuelans in the U.S. registered for an emergency flight from Miami to Caracas through a website run by the Venezuelan government .
This flight , offered at no cost , was proposed by President Nicolás Maduro when he learned that 200 Venezuelans were stuck in the United States following his government ’ s decision to stop commercial flights as a preventative coronavirus measure .
The promise of one flight expanded to two or more flights , as it became clear that many Venezuelans in the U.S. wanted to go back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unresolved due to the U.S. ban on flights to and from the country .
Those who rely solely on the mainstream media might wonder who in their right mind would want to leave the United States for Venezuela .
Time , The Washington Post , The Hill , and the Miami Herald , among others , published opinions in the past week describing Venezuela as a chaotic nightmare .
These media outlets painted a picture of a coronavirus disaster , of government incompetence and of a nation teetering on the brink of collapse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus response is not covered by the mainstream media at all .
Furthermore , what each of these articles shortchanges is the damage caused by the Trump administration ’ s sanctions , which devastated the economy and healthcare system long before the coronavirus pandemic .
These sanctions have impoverished millions of Venezuelans and negatively impact vital infrastructure , such as electricity generation .
Venezuela is impeded from importing spare parts for its power plants and the resulting blackouts interrupt water services that rely on electric pumps .
These , along with dozens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venezuela , have caused a decline in health indicators across the board , leading to 100,000 deaths as a consequence of the sanctions .
Regarding coronavirus specifically , the sanctions raise the costs of testing kits and medical supplies and ban Venezuela ’ s government from purchasing medical equipment from the U.S. ( and from many European countries ) .
These obstacles would seemingly place Venezuela on the path to a worst-case scenario , similar to Iran ( also battered by sanctions ) or Italy ( battered by austerity and neoliberalism ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venezuela took decisive steps early on to face the pandemic .
As a result of these steps and other factors , Venezuela is currently in its best-case scenario .
As of this writing , 11 days after the first confirmed case of coronavirus , the country has 86 infected people , with 0 deaths .
Its neighbors have not fared as well : Brazil has 1,924 cases with 34 deaths ; Ecuador 981 and 18 ; Chile 746 and 2 ; Peru 395 and 5 ; Mexico 367 and 4 ; Colombia 306 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Mexico , those governments have all actively participated and contributed to the U.S.-led regime change efforts in Venezuela . )
Why is Venezuela doing so much better than others in the region ?
Skeptics will claim that the Maduro government is hiding figures and deaths , that there ’ s not enough testing , not enough medicine , not enough talent to adequately deal with a pandemic .
But here are the facts : First , international solidarity has played a priceless role in enabling the government to rise to the challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will allow 320,000 Venezuelans to be tested , in addition to a team of experts and tons of supplies .
Cuba sent 130 doctors and 10,000 doses of interferon alfa-2b , a drug with an established record of helping COVID-19 patients recover .
Russia has sent the first of several shipments of medical equipment and kits .
These three countries , routinely characterized by the U.S. foreign policy establishment as evil , offer solidarity and material support .
The United States offers more sanctions and the IMF , widely known to be under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for $ 5 billion in emergency funding that even the European Union supports .
Second , the government quickly carried out a plan to contain the spread of the disease .
On March 12 , a day before the first confirmed cases , President Maduro decreed a health emergency , prohibited crowds from gathering , and canceled flights from Europe and Colombia .
On March 13 , Day 1 , two Venezuelans tested positive ; the government canceled classes , began requiring facemasks on subways and on the border , closed theaters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take-out or delivery .
It bears repeating that this was on Day 1 of having a confirmed case ; many U.S. states have yet to take these steps .
By Day 4 , a national quarantine was put into effect ( equivalent to shelter-in-place orders ) and an online portal called the Homeland System ( Sistema Patria ) was repurposed to survey potential COVID-19 cases .
By Day 8 , 42 people were infected and approximately 90 % of the population was heeding the quarantine .
By Day 11 , over 12.2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , over 20,000 people who reported being sick were visited in their homes by medical professionals and 145 people were referred for coronavirus testing .
The government estimates that without these measures , Venezuela would have 3,000 infected people and a high number of deaths .
Third , the Venezuelan people were positioned to handle a crisis .
Over the past 7 years , Venezuela has lived through the death of a wildly popular leader , violent right-wing protests , an economic war characterized by shortages and hyperinflation , sanctions that have destroyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempted military insurrections , attacks on public utilities , blackouts , mass migration and threats of U.S. military action .
The coronavirus is a different sort of challenge , but previous crises have instilled a resiliency among the Venezuelan people and strengthened solidarity within communities .
There is no panic on the streets ; instead , people are calm and following health protocols .
Fourth , mass organizing and prioritizing people above all else .
Communes and organized communities have taken the lead , producing facemasks , keeping the CLAP food supply system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 million families ) , facilitating house-by-house visits of doctors and encouraging the use of facemasks in public .
Over 12,000 medical school students in their last or second-to-last year of study applied to be trained for house visits .
For its part , the Maduro administration suspended rent payments , instituted a nationwide firing freeze , gave bonuses to workers , prohibited telecoms from cutting off people ’ s phones or internet , reached an agreement with hotel chains to provide 4,000 beds in case the crisis escalates and pledged to pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medium businesses .
Amid a public health crisis – compounded by an economic crisis and sanctions – Venezuela ’ s response has been to guarantee food , provide free healthcare and widespread testing , and alleviate further economic pressure on the working class .
The U.S. government has not responded to the Maduro administration ’ s request to make an exception for Conviasa Airlines , the national airline under sanctions , to fly the Venezuelans stranded in the United States back to Caracas .
Given everything happening in the United States , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the government is weighing the option of prioritizing the economy over the lives of people , perhaps these Venezuelans waiting to go home understand that their chances of surviving the coronavirus – both physically and economically – are much better in a country that values health over profits .
Feature photo | A man removes his cap as a soldier takes his temperature outside a food market as a preventative measure against the spread of the coronavirus in Caracas , Venezuela , March 19 , 2020 .
To enter the market , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken and disinfect their hands .
Ariana Cubillos | AP Leonardo Flores is a Latin American policy expert and campaigner with CODEPINK .

Within a few hours of being launched, over 800 Venezuelans in the U.S. registered for an emergency flight from Miami to Caracas through a website run by the Venezuelan government. This flight, offered at no cost, was proposed by President Nicolás Maduro when he learned that 200 Venezuelans were stuck in the United States following his government’s decision to stop commercial flights as a preventative coronavirus measure. The promise of one flight expanded to two or more flights, as it became clear that many Venezuelans in the U.S. wanted to go back to Venezuela, yet the situation remains unresolved due to the U.S. ban on flights to and from the country.
Those who rely solely on the mainstream media might wonder who in their right mind would want to leave the United States for Venezuela. Time, The Washington Post, The Hill, and the Miami Herald, among others, published opinions in the past week describing Venezuela as a chaotic nightmare. These media outlets painted a picture of a coronavirus disaster, of government incompetence and of a nation teetering on the brink of collapse. The reality of Venezuela’s coronavirus response is not covered by the mainstream media at all.
Furthermore, what each of these articles shortchanges is the damage caused by the Trump administration’s sanctions, which devastated the economy and healthcare system long before the coronavirus pandemic. These sanctions have impoverished millions of Venezuelans and negatively impact vital infrastructure, such as electricity generation. Venezuela is impeded from importing spare parts for its power plants and the resulting blackouts interrupt water services that rely on electric pumps. These, along with dozens of other implications from the hybrid war on Venezuela, have caused a decline in health indicators across the board, leading to 100,000 deaths as a consequence of the sanctions.
Regarding coronavirus specifically, the sanctions raise the costs of testing kits and medical supplies and ban Venezuela’s government from purchasing medical equipment from the U.S. (and from many European countries). These obstacles would seemingly place Venezuela on the path to a worst-case scenario, similar to Iran (also battered by sanctions) or Italy (battered by austerity and neoliberalism). In contrast to those two countries, Venezuela took decisive steps early on to face the pandemic.
As a result of these steps and other factors, Venezuela is currently in its best-case scenario. As of this writing, 11 days after the first confirmed case of coronavirus, the country has 86 infected people, with 0 deaths. Its neighbors have not fared as well: Brazil has 1,924 cases with 34 deaths; Ecuador 981 and 18; Chile 746 and 2; Peru 395 and 5; Mexico 367 and 4; Colombia 306 and 3. (With the exception of Mexico, those governments have all actively participated and contributed to the U.S.-led regime change efforts in Venezuela.) Why is Venezuela doing so much better than others in the region?
Skeptics will claim that the Maduro government is hiding figures and deaths, that there’s not enough testing, not enough medicine, not enough talent to adequately deal with a pandemic. But here are the facts:
First, international solidarity has played a priceless role in enabling the government to rise to the challenge. China sent coronavirus diagnostic kits that will allow 320,000 Venezuelans to be tested, in addition to a team of experts and tons of supplies. Cuba sent 130 doctors and 10,000 doses of interferon alfa-2b, a drug with an established record of helping COVID-19 patients recover. Russia has sent the first of several shipments of medical equipment and kits. These three countries, routinely characterized by the U.S. foreign policy establishment as evil, offer solidarity and material support. The United States offers more sanctions and the IMF, widely known to be under U.S. control, denied a Venezuelan request for $5 billion in emergency funding that even the European Union supports.
Second, the government quickly carried out a plan to contain the spread of the disease. On March 12, a day before the first confirmed cases, President Maduro decreed a health emergency, prohibited crowds from gathering, and canceled flights from Europe and Colombia. On March 13, Day 1, two Venezuelans tested positive; the government canceled classes, began requiring facemasks on subways and on the border, closed theaters, bars and nightclubs, and limited restaurants to take-out or delivery. It bears repeating that this was on Day 1 of having a confirmed case; many U.S. states have yet to take these steps. By Day 4, a national quarantine was put into effect (equivalent to shelter-in-place orders) and an online portal called the Homeland System (Sistema Patria) was repurposed to survey potential COVID-19 cases. By Day 8, 42 people were infected and approximately 90% of the population was heeding the quarantine. By Day 11, over 12.2 million people had filled out the survey, over 20,000 people who reported being sick were visited in their homes by medical professionals and 145 people were referred for coronavirus testing. The government estimates that without these measures, Venezuela would have 3,000 infected people and a high number of deaths.
Third, the Venezuelan people were positioned to handle a crisis. Over the past 7 years, Venezuela has lived through the death of a wildly popular leader, violent right-wing protests, an economic war characterized by shortages and hyperinflation, sanctions that have destroyed the economy, an ongoing coup, attempted military insurrections, attacks on public utilities, blackouts, mass migration and threats of U.S. military action. The coronavirus is a different sort of challenge, but previous crises have instilled a resiliency among the Venezuelan people and strengthened solidarity within communities. There is no panic on the streets; instead, people are calm and following health protocols.
Fourth, mass organizing and prioritizing people above all else. Communes and organized communities have taken the lead, producing facemasks, keeping the CLAP food supply system running (this monthly food package reaches 7 million families), facilitating house-by-house visits of doctors and encouraging the use of facemasks in public. Over 12,000 medical school students in their last or second-to-last year of study applied to be trained for house visits. For its part, the Maduro administration suspended rent payments, instituted a nationwide firing freeze, gave bonuses to workers, prohibited telecoms from cutting off people’s phones or internet, reached an agreement with hotel chains to provide 4,000 beds in case the crisis escalates and pledged to pay the salaries of employees of small and medium businesses. Amid a public health crisis – compounded by an economic crisis and sanctions – Venezuela’s response has been to guarantee food, provide free healthcare and widespread testing, and alleviate further economic pressure on the working class.
The U.S. government has not responded to the Maduro administration’s request to make an exception for Conviasa Airlines, the national airline under sanctions, to fly the Venezuelans stranded in the United States back to Caracas. Given everything happening in the United States, where COVID-19 treatment can cost nearly $35,000 and the government is weighing the option of prioritizing the economy over the lives of people, perhaps these Venezuelans waiting to go home understand that their chances of surviving the coronavirus – both physically and economically – are much better in a country that values health over profits.
Feature photo | A man removes his cap as a soldier takes his temperature outside a food market as a preventative measure against the spread of the coronavirus in Caracas, Venezuela, March 19, 2020. To enter the market, people are required to get their temperature taken and disinfect their hands. Ariana Cubillos | AP
Leonardo Flores is a Latin American policy expert and campaigner with CODEPINK.


mintpressnews--2020-04-16--Is American Exceptionalism Shaping Our Scientific Response to the Coronavirus?

( DavidSwanson.org ) — What ’ s the matter with science ?
By that , do I mean , why don ’ t we turn away from corrupt politics and religion and follow the way of science ?
Or do I mean , why have we allowed science to so corrupt our politics and our culture ?
I mean , of course , both .
We don ’ t need an uneducated jackass telling people how to control a viral pandemic because he ’ s a president .
At the same time , we don ’ t need corporate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the arrogant science of computer models to predict the course of a pandemic in a manner at odds with what has already happened in the actual world with this pandemic , not to mention past ones .
We don ’ t need politicians bought and paid for by oil companies telling us that the earth ’ s climate is doing fine .
But , of course , the oil companies bought and paid for scientists ( and university departments ) before they bought and paid for politicians .
Scientists are telling the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that war is good for them , that relocating to another planet is possible , and that a scientific solution to climate change will be here soon , not to mention that blissfully destroying the earth with all sorts of machinery developed by scientists is simply not to be questioned .
The Governor of New York has no qualifications whatsoever to decide how people should behave to save lives during a plague .
But mathematicians at RAND have absolutely no business telling politicians to base their foreign policy on nuclear deterrence , secrecy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the answer science or not science ?
Can ’ t you just put it in a tweet , for godsake ?
The answer is that public decisions need to be made on a basis of morality , independence from corruption , maximum information and education , and maximum democratic public control , and that one tool in acquiring information should be science — meaning not just anything with numbers or scientistic vocabulary or a scientistic source , but independently verifiable research into areas that have been selected on a basis of morality , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education , and maximum democratic public control .
Clifford Conner ’ s new book , The Tragedy of American Science : From Truman to Trump , takes us on a tour of what ’ s the matter with science .
He blames two chief evils : corporatization and militarization .
He addresses them in that order , creating the possibility that at least a few people not previously ready to question militarism will be by the time they reach the middle of the book — a book packed with wonderful examples and insights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conner takes us through numerous accounts of the corruption of science .
Coca-Cola and other sugar profiteers backed science that led the U.S. government to drive people away from fat , but not away from sugar , and straight toward carbohydrates — which made the U.S. public fatter .
The science wasn ’ t simply lies , but it was simply too simplistic to be a basis for guidance on the topic at hand .
Scientists developed new varieties of wheat , rice , and corn .
And it ’ s not that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they required huge amounts of fertilizer and pesticide , which poor people could not afford .
This poisoned the earth while concentrating big agriculture .
Even more farmers suffered when too much food was produced , which destroyed prices .
And people continued to go hungry because the main problem had always been poverty , not the type of wheat being grown .
Scientists developed GMO crops to require less fertilizer and pesticide , and to withstand increased use of herbicides used on weeds , thereby creating new problems while solving problems of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the primary problems in need of solution .
Scientists have simultaneously been paid to claim that GMO crops are safe for human consumption and produce more food , without actually providing evidence of either claim .
Meanwhile corporate-captive governments block the public from being able to know whether food in stores contains GMOs or not — a move that can only fuel suspicion .
Because science is a field of expertise that reaches a public that knows scientists have lied for a buck about cigarettes , diet , pollution , climate , racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and because it reaches us through highly distrusted government agencies and corporate media outlets , and because there ’ s always been a huge market for baseless , magical , mystical , and optimistic claims anyway , distrust of science is prevalent .
That distrust is often wrong and often right , but always partially to blame on the garbage people are presented with as science .
Tobacco is a story we think we all know already .
But how many know the origins of big tobacco ’ s lies in the nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 480,000 deaths a year in the United States are still caused by smoking , or that globally the figure is 8 million and rising , or that the tobacco industry still pays its scientific researchers 20 times what the American Cancer Society and American Lung Association combined spend on theirs ?
This is typical of many reasons to read The Tragedy of American Science .
My view , of course , is that once you make science American it ’ s doomed .
It needs to be human to have a chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of basing pandemic predictions on computer models rather than on the other 96 % of humanity .
It ’ s also part of denying the possibility of success for universal health coverage or workplace rights or required sick leave or a reasonable distribution of wealth .
As long as something has never worked in the United States , an American Science can deny its legitimacy , even if the rest of the world finds it successful .
Conner also finds for-profit pharmaceutical pain-profiteers to blame for the opioid crisis , not to mention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of good that could have been done had research been directed elsewhere .
One choice in science is what to research .
Melanoma and cystic fibrosis and ovarian cancer get funding , while sickle-cell anemia doesn ’ t .
The former mainly impact white people , the latter black .
Similarly , deadly viruses that only impact other countries are not a top priority — until they threaten the people who matter .
Beyond big money deciding the priorities of big medicine , Conner chronicles an array of methods used to produce the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( phony trials intended simply to introduce a drug to doctors ) , medical ghostwriting , predatory journals , and disease mongering .
Drug advertising is unique to the United States and New Zealand , and it ’ s part of the creation of diseases to fit drugs , as opposed to the development of drugs to fit diseases .
All such tails are only half the story .
The other half is war-making .
Conner traces the militarization of science from the Atoms for Peace pretense to today .
Over half of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past 50 years has been on war , including research into nuclear weapons , chemical weapons , biological weapons , “ conventional ” weapons , drones , torture techniques , and even imaginary weapons never scientifically found to work ( such as “ missile defense ” or “ brain washing ” ) .
While New York City suffers through coronavirus , it ’ s worth recalling that in the name of science in 1966 , the U.S. government released bacteria in the New York subways .
The bacteria that was released is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be deadly .
What do we need instead of the current state of affairs ?
Conner proposes 100 % public funding and control of all scientific research , with agencies like the EPA , FDA , and CDC free of corporate corruption .
He also seems to favor open global sharing of research , which would be our best hope against coronavirus and much else .
He also puts a spin on Grover Norquist ’ s madness with this : I don ’ t know whether 100 % public funding is possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conner regurgitating accusations of chemical weapons use by Syria without providing any evidence .
I ’ m not sure he ’ s right that stopping and reversing global warming would be a relatively simple step if we got science out of the hands of the military .
And I have a serious question about his take on military spending .
But I highly recommend this book and consideration of what I take to be its main message : science could have worked wonders if properly used ( and if a bit of military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and perhaps it still can .
Feature photo | Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , appears at a news conference about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House , April 9 , 2020 , in Washington .
Andrew Harnik | AP David Swanson is an author , activist , journalist , and radio host .
He is director of WorldBeyondWar.org and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org .
Swanson ’ s books include War Is A Lie and When the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DavidSwanson.org and WarIsACrime.org .
He hosts Talk Nation Radio .
He is a 2015 , 2016 , 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee .

(DavidSwanson.org) — What’s the matter with science? By that, do I mean, why don’t we turn away from corrupt politics and religion and follow the way of science? Or do I mean, why have we allowed science to so corrupt our politics and our culture? I mean, of course, both.
We don’t need an uneducated jackass telling people how to control a viral pandemic because he’s a president. At the same time, we don’t need corporate, for-profit, and ignorant media outlets using the arrogant science of computer models to predict the course of a pandemic in a manner at odds with what has already happened in the actual world with this pandemic, not to mention past ones.
We don’t need politicians bought and paid for by oil companies telling us that the earth’s climate is doing fine. But, of course, the oil companies bought and paid for scientists (and university departments) before they bought and paid for politicians. Scientists are telling the public that nuclear energy is the answer, that war is good for them, that relocating to another planet is possible, and that a scientific solution to climate change will be here soon, not to mention that blissfully destroying the earth with all sorts of machinery developed by scientists is simply not to be questioned.
The Governor of New York has no qualifications whatsoever to decide how people should behave to save lives during a plague. But mathematicians at RAND have absolutely no business telling politicians to base their foreign policy on nuclear deterrence, secrecy, and dishonesty.
So, is the answer science or not science? Can’t you just put it in a tweet, for godsake?
The answer is that public decisions need to be made on a basis of morality, independence from corruption, maximum information and education, and maximum democratic public control, and that one tool in acquiring information should be science — meaning not just anything with numbers or scientistic vocabulary or a scientistic source, but independently verifiable research into areas that have been selected on a basis of morality, independence from corruption, maximum information and education, and maximum democratic public control.
Clifford Conner’s new book, The Tragedy of American Science: From Truman to Trump, takes us on a tour of what’s the matter with science. He blames two chief evils: corporatization and militarization. He addresses them in that order, creating the possibility that at least a few people not previously ready to question militarism will be by the time they reach the middle of the book — a book packed with wonderful examples and insights into both new and familiar topics.
Conner takes us through numerous accounts of the corruption of science. Coca-Cola and other sugar profiteers backed science that led the U.S. government to drive people away from fat, but not away from sugar, and straight toward carbohydrates — which made the U.S. public fatter. The science wasn’t simply lies, but it was simply too simplistic to be a basis for guidance on the topic at hand.
Scientists developed new varieties of wheat, rice, and corn. And it’s not that they didn’t work. But they required huge amounts of fertilizer and pesticide, which poor people could not afford. This poisoned the earth while concentrating big agriculture. Even more farmers suffered when too much food was produced, which destroyed prices. And people continued to go hungry because the main problem had always been poverty, not the type of wheat being grown.
Scientists developed GMO crops to require less fertilizer and pesticide, and to withstand increased use of herbicides used on weeds, thereby creating new problems while solving problems of their own creation, and never addressing the primary problems in need of solution. Scientists have simultaneously been paid to claim that GMO crops are safe for human consumption and produce more food, without actually providing evidence of either claim. Meanwhile corporate-captive governments block the public from being able to know whether food in stores contains GMOs or not — a move that can only fuel suspicion.
Because science is a field of expertise that reaches a public that knows scientists have lied for a buck about cigarettes, diet, pollution, climate, racism, evolution, and so on, and because it reaches us through highly distrusted government agencies and corporate media outlets, and because there’s always been a huge market for baseless, magical, mystical, and optimistic claims anyway, distrust of science is prevalent. That distrust is often wrong and often right, but always partially to blame on the garbage people are presented with as science.
Tobacco is a story we think we all know already. But how many know the origins of big tobacco’s lies in the nuclear Manhattan Project? And how many know that 480,000 deaths a year in the United States are still caused by smoking, or that globally the figure is 8 million and rising, or that the tobacco industry still pays its scientific researchers 20 times what the American Cancer Society and American Lung Association combined spend on theirs? This is typical of many reasons to read The Tragedy of American Science.
My view, of course, is that once you make science American it’s doomed. It needs to be human to have a chance. American exceptionalism is not just part of basing pandemic predictions on computer models rather than on the other 96% of humanity. It’s also part of denying the possibility of success for universal health coverage or workplace rights or required sick leave or a reasonable distribution of wealth. As long as something has never worked in the United States, an American Science can deny its legitimacy, even if the rest of the world finds it successful.
Conner also finds for-profit pharmaceutical pain-profiteers to blame for the opioid crisis, not to mention for the failure to do the world of good that could have been done had research been directed elsewhere. One choice in science is what to research. Melanoma and cystic fibrosis and ovarian cancer get funding, while sickle-cell anemia doesn’t. The former mainly impact white people, the latter black. Similarly, deadly viruses that only impact other countries are not a top priority — until they threaten the people who matter.
Beyond big money deciding the priorities of big medicine, Conner chronicles an array of methods used to produce the desired science. These include seeding trials (phony trials intended simply to introduce a drug to doctors), medical ghostwriting, predatory journals, and disease mongering. Drug advertising is unique to the United States and New Zealand, and it’s part of the creation of diseases to fit drugs, as opposed to the development of drugs to fit diseases.
All such tails are only half the story. The other half is war-making. Conner traces the militarization of science from the Atoms for Peace pretense to today. Over half of U.S. government spending on scientific research over the past 50 years has been on war, including research into nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, biological weapons, “conventional” weapons, drones, torture techniques, and even imaginary weapons never scientifically found to work (such as “missile defense” or “brain washing”).
While New York City suffers through coronavirus, it’s worth recalling that in the name of science in 1966, the U.S. government released bacteria in the New York subways. The bacteria that was released is a frequent cause of food poisoning and can be deadly.
What do we need instead of the current state of affairs?
Conner proposes 100% public funding and control of all scientific research, with agencies like the EPA, FDA, and CDC free of corporate corruption. He also seems to favor open global sharing of research, which would be our best hope against coronavirus and much else.
He also puts a spin on Grover Norquist’s madness with this:
I don’t want to abolish the military-industrial complex. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub.”
I don’t know whether 100% public funding is possible. I don’t agree with Conner regurgitating accusations of chemical weapons use by Syria without providing any evidence. I’m not sure he’s right that stopping and reversing global warming would be a relatively simple step if we got science out of the hands of the military. And I have a serious question about his take on military spending.
But I highly recommend this book and consideration of what I take to be its main message: science could have worked wonders if properly used (and if a bit of military budgets were spent on something useful) and perhaps it still can.
Feature photo | Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, appears at a news conference about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, April 9, 2020, in Washington. Andrew Harnik | AP
David Swanson is an author, activist, journalist, and radio host. He is director of WorldBeyondWar.org and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org. Swanson’s books include War Is A Lie and When the World Outlawed War. He blogs at DavidSwanson.org and WarIsACrime.org. He hosts Talk Nation Radio. He is a 2015, 2016, 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee.


mintpressnews--2020-04-16--The Virus of Occupation: Israelis Have Taken To Spitting on Palestinians During Coronavirus

Now that we know that the deadly coronavirus can be transmitted through saliva droplets , Israeli soldiers and illegal Jewish settlers are working extra hard to spit at as many Palestinians , their cars , doorknobs , and so on , as possible .
If this sounds to you too surreal and repugnant , then you might not be as familiar with the particular breed of Israeli colonialism as you may think you are .
In all fairness , Israelis have been spitting at Palestinians well before the World Health Organization ( WHO ) lectured us on the elusive nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical need to apply ‘ social distancing ’ .
Indeed , if you Google the phrase ‘ Israeli spitting ’ , you will be inundated with many interesting search results , the like of “ Jerusalem Judge to Jews : Don ’ t Spit On Christians “ , “ Christians in Jerusalem want Jews to Stop Spitting on Them “ , and the more recent , “ Israel Settlers Spitting on Palestinian Cars Raises Concern over Attempt to Spread Coronavirus ” .
Interestingly , most of this coverage throughout the years has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media , while receiving little attention in Western mainstream media .
One could easily classify such degrading acts as yet another example of the Israelis ’ false sense of superiority over Palestinians .
But the deliberate attempt at infecting occupied Palestinians with the coronavirus is beneath contempt , even for a settler-colonial regime .
Two particular elements in this story require a pause .
First , that acts of spitting at Palestinians and their properties , by both occupation soldiers and settlers , have been widely reported in many parts of occupied Palestine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter of days , the Israeli army and settlers ’ cultures so swiftly adapted their pre-existing racism to employ a deadly virus as the latest tool in subjugating and harming Palestinians , whether physically or symbolically .
Second , the degree of ignorance and buffoonery that accompany these racist and degrading acts .
The power paradigm that has governed the relationship between colonial Israel and colonized Palestinians has , thus far , followed a typical trajectory , where Israel ’ s bad deeds often go unpunished .
Those racist Israelis who are deliberately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not only criminal in their thinking and behavior , but utterly foolish as well .
When Israeli soldiers arrest or beat up Palestinian activists , they are as likely to contract the coronavirus as they are to transmit it .
But , of course , Israel is doing much more to complicate , if not entirely hinder , Palestinian efforts aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus .
On March 23 , a Palestinian worker , Malek Jayousi , was tossed out by Israeli authorities at the Beit Sira military checkpoint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspected of having the coronavirus .
A video footage of the poor worker huddling near the checkpoint , after he was “ dumped like trash ” , has gone viral on social media .
As shocking as that image was , it was repeated in other parts of the West Bank .
Of course , the Palestinian workers were not tested for the virus , but had merely exhibited flu-like symptoms , enough to make Israel dispose of them as if their lives did not matter in the least .
Two weeks later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Qalqiliya , Rafi ’ Rawajbeh , told reporters that the Israeli army has opened several wastewater tunnels near the northern Palestinian city , with the aim of smuggling Palestinian workers back to the West Bank , without prior coordination with the Palestinian Authority .
Without testing hundreds of those smuggled workers , the PA , already operating with limited capacity to confront the disease , will find it impossible to contain the spread of the virus .
Palestinian claims of Israel ’ s deliberate attempt at worsening the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Geneva-based Euro-med Monitor , which , on March 31 , called on the international community to investigate the ‘ suspicious behavior ’ of Israeli soldiers and Jewish settlers .
During Israeli army raids on Palestinian homes , soldiers “ spat at parked cars , ATMs and shop locks , which raises fears of deliberate attempts to spread the virus and cause panic in the Palestinian society , ” Euro-Med stated .
Article 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention does not say anything about the need for members of the Occupying Power to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; most likely , because it is a given that such sordid behavior is completely unacceptable and does not require a separate textual reference .
However , Article 56 , as was recently emphasized by UN Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory , Michael Lynk , does require Israel , the Occupying Power , to “ ensure that all the necessary preventive means available to it are utilized to ‘ combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics.
’ ” Israel , however , is failing its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even the Israeli mayor of Jerusalem , Moshe Leon , has himself stressed the inequality in the official Israeli response to the spread of the coronavirus .
In his letter of April 7 to the Israeli Health Ministry Director General , Moshe Bar Siman Tov , Leon warned against “ the serious shortage of medical equipment at ( Palestinian ) hospitals in ( occupied ) East Jerusalem , particularly protective equipment and equipment to conduct coronavirus testing.
” Despite the severe shortages in East Jerusalem and West Bank hospitals , the situation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as Gaza ’ s Health Ministry has declared on April 9 that it has run out of its coronavirus test kits , which never amounted to more than few hundred , in the first place .
This means that the many Gazans who are already under quarantine will not be released any time soon , and that new cases will not be detected , let alone cured .
We have repeatedly warned in the last few weeks that this terrifying scenario was going to happen , especially as Israel is using the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palestinians and to barter potential humanitarian aid with political concessions .
Without immediate and sustainable intervention from the international community , occupied Palestine , and especially impoverished and besieged Gaza , could become a hotbed for COVID-19 for years to come .
Israel will never relent without international intervention .
Without being held accountable , even a deadly virus will never alter the habits of a vile military occupation .
Feature photo | Israeli soldiers wearing face masks and gloves against coronavirus stand in the streets in Jerusalem ’ s Old City , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ | AP Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle .
He is the author of five books .
His latest is “ These Chains Will Be Broken : Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons ” ( Clarity Press , Atlanta ) .
Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs ( CIGA ) , Istanbul Zaim University ( IZU ) .
His website is www.ramzybaroud.net

Now that we know that the deadly coronavirus can be transmitted through saliva droplets, Israeli soldiers and illegal Jewish settlers are working extra hard to spit at as many Palestinians, their cars, doorknobs, and so on, as possible.
If this sounds to you too surreal and repugnant, then you might not be as familiar with the particular breed of Israeli colonialism as you may think you are.
In all fairness, Israelis have been spitting at Palestinians well before the World Health Organization (WHO) lectured us on the elusive nature of the COVID-19 disease and on the critical need to apply ‘social distancing’.
Indeed, if you Google the phrase ‘Israeli spitting’, you will be inundated with many interesting search results, the like of “Jerusalem Judge to Jews: Don’t Spit On Christians“, “Christians in Jerusalem want Jews to Stop Spitting on Them“, and the more recent, “Israel Settlers Spitting on Palestinian Cars Raises Concern over Attempt to Spread Coronavirus”.
Interestingly, most of this coverage throughout the years has been carried out by Israel’s own media, while receiving little attention in Western mainstream media.
One could easily classify such degrading acts as yet another example of the Israelis’ false sense of superiority over Palestinians. But the deliberate attempt at infecting occupied Palestinians with the coronavirus is beneath contempt, even for a settler-colonial regime.
Two particular elements in this story require a pause.
First, that acts of spitting at Palestinians and their properties, by both occupation soldiers and settlers, have been widely reported in many parts of occupied Palestine.
This means that, within a matter of days, the Israeli army and settlers’ cultures so swiftly adapted their pre-existing racism to employ a deadly virus as the latest tool in subjugating and harming Palestinians, whether physically or symbolically.
Second, the degree of ignorance and buffoonery that accompany these racist and degrading acts.
The power paradigm that has governed the relationship between colonial Israel and colonized Palestinians has, thus far, followed a typical trajectory, where Israel’s bad deeds often go unpunished.
Those racist Israelis who are deliberately trying to infect Palestinians with the COVID-19 are not only criminal in their thinking and behavior, but utterly foolish as well.
When Israeli soldiers arrest or beat up Palestinian activists, they are as likely to contract the coronavirus as they are to transmit it.
But, of course, Israel is doing much more to complicate, if not entirely hinder, Palestinian efforts aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus.
On March 23, a Palestinian worker, Malek Jayousi, was tossed out by Israeli authorities at the Beit Sira military checkpoint, near Ramallah, after he was suspected of having the coronavirus.
A video footage of the poor worker huddling near the checkpoint, after he was “dumped like trash”, has gone viral on social media.
Widespread condemnation of inhumane Israeli treatment of this Palestinian worker. He was dumped on the side of the road by an Israeli military checkpoint near Ramallah after his Israeli employer suspected he could have #coronavirus. Malek is now receiving proper care.@ilo pic.twitter.com/qFR9xhE606 — PLO Department of Public Diplomacy & Policy (@PalestinePDP) March 24, 2020
As shocking as that image was, it was repeated in other parts of the West Bank.
Of course, the Palestinian workers were not tested for the virus, but had merely exhibited flu-like symptoms, enough to make Israel dispose of them as if their lives did not matter in the least.
Two weeks later, the Palestinian Governor of the occupied city of Qalqiliya, Rafi’ Rawajbeh, told reporters that the Israeli army has opened several wastewater tunnels near the northern Palestinian city, with the aim of smuggling Palestinian workers back to the West Bank, without prior coordination with the Palestinian Authority.
Without testing hundreds of those smuggled workers, the PA, already operating with limited capacity to confront the disease, will find it impossible to contain the spread of the virus.
Palestinian claims of Israel’s deliberate attempt at worsening the spread of the coronavirus in Palestine were further confirmed by the Geneva-based Euro-med Monitor, which, on March 31, called on the international community to investigate the ‘suspicious behavior’ of Israeli soldiers and Jewish settlers.
During Israeli army raids on Palestinian homes, soldiers “spat at parked cars, ATMs and shop locks, which raises fears of deliberate attempts to spread the virus and cause panic in the Palestinian society,” Euro-Med stated.
Article 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention does not say anything about the need for members of the Occupying Power to stop spitting at occupied and subjugated communities; most likely, because it is a given that such sordid behavior is completely unacceptable and does not require a separate textual reference.
However, Article 56, as was recently emphasized by UN Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory, Michael Lynk, does require Israel, the Occupying Power, to “ensure that all the necessary preventive means available to it are utilized to ‘combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics.’”
Israel, however, is failing its legal mandate, and horribly so.
Even the Israeli mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Leon, has himself stressed the inequality in the official Israeli response to the spread of the coronavirus.
In his letter of April 7 to the Israeli Health Ministry Director General, Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Leon warned against “the serious shortage of medical equipment at (Palestinian) hospitals in (occupied) East Jerusalem, particularly protective equipment and equipment to conduct coronavirus testing.”
Despite the severe shortages in East Jerusalem and West Bank hospitals, the situation in the besieged Gaza Strip is simply disastrous, as Gaza’s Health Ministry has declared on April 9 that it has run out of its coronavirus test kits, which never amounted to more than few hundred, in the first place.
This means that the many Gazans who are already under quarantine will not be released any time soon, and that new cases will not be detected, let alone cured.
We have repeatedly warned in the last few weeks that this terrifying scenario was going to happen, especially as Israel is using the coronavirus as an opportunity to further isolate Palestinians and to barter potential humanitarian aid with political concessions.
Without immediate and sustainable intervention from the international community, occupied Palestine, and especially impoverished and besieged Gaza, could become a hotbed for COVID-19 for years to come.
Israel will never relent without international intervention. Without being held accountable, even a deadly virus will never alter the habits of a vile military occupation.
Feature photo | Israeli soldiers wearing face masks and gloves against coronavirus stand in the streets in Jerusalem’s Old City, April 7, 2020. Ariel Schalit | AP
Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is “These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons” (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net


mintpressnews--2020-04-17--BJP Capitalizes on Coronavirus Fears to Take India’s Fascist Creep to the Next Level

Last week , 22-year-old Dilshad “ Mehboob ” Ali was dragged into a field on the outskirts of Delhi and beaten with sticks and shoes by an enraged crowd demanding to be told , “ who else is behind this conspiracy ?
” His attackers believed he was part of a “ corona Jihad : ” an evil plot by India ’ s Muslim minority to spread the disease and kill as many Hindus as possible .
Ali was dragged to a temple and told to convert to Hinduism before they would allow him to go to the hospital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ illustrative of a nationwide assault on the country ’ s nearly 200 million Muslims .
Ali is part of the Tablighi Jamaat movement , identified by the government as the main culprits in spreading the coronavirus across India .
Between March 13 and 15 , the movement hosted a convention in the Nizamuddin area of Delhi , attended by around 8,000 people from all over the country and Asia .
After some tested positive for COVID–19 , India ’ s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) government began demonizing them as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far killed 448 people , but is feared could rip through the country ’ s densely populated slums like wildfire .
Senior BJP politicians immediately sparked fears of a “ corona jihad.
” “ The central and state governments are leaving no stone unturned in the decisive fight against the COVID-19 , ” said Rajeev Bindal , president of the Himachal Pradesh BJP party .
“ But some people , including Tablighi Jamaat , members are moving like human bombs to thwart their efforts.
” Other BJP leaders claimed that Muslims were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were spitting on doctors and other healthcare workers .
“ It ’ s clear , their aim is to infect as many people as possible with coronavirus and kill them , ” tweeted Delhi politician Kapil Mishra .
Other BJP figures have called it a “ Talibani crime.
” Even fellow Hindus have not been spared by BJP bigotry .
A report from CNN highlighted how Dalits , the lowest-rung in the officially outlawed Hindu caste system , have been prevented from purchasing food and medicine .
Dalits are often considered inherently dirty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been refused access to shops and entry to certain neighborhoods by others invoking coronavirus fears .
While the government has initiated laws against spreading false information and social media has existing rules prohibiting hate speech , it becomes more difficult to enforce when senior political leaders themselves engage in it .
Nevertheless , it is clear from the torrent of Islamophobic fake news circulating on Twitter that it is doing far from enough to root it out .
The hashtag # CoronaJihad has trended for days , with fake news and hate speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been a dramatic increase in Islamophobic attacks and anti-Muslim sentiment .
Across India , Muslims are being barred from entering neighborhoods while in others Hindus face fines if caught fraternizing with them .
Others have been beaten with bats and lynched .
There has also been fake news aimed at infecting the Muslim population themselves , with videos circulating on TikTok and other platforms telling users that the virus does not affect Muslims and that they should not wear masks .
The wave of anti-Muslim violence has shocked many observers , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Modi came to national attention while chief minister of Gujarat State during the massive wave of anti-Muslim pogroms in 2002 that saw over 2,000 killed and 200,000 Muslims driven from their homes .
For a great many in India , the fact that he is widely considered its architect is a point in his favor .
He won re-election in an overwhelming landslide last year .
However , he has faced stiff opposition , primarily from India ’ s many religious minority communities , who see his explicitly Hindu nationalist agenda as dooming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse .
The last year has seen the country in upheaval following his controversial Citizenship Amendment Act ( CAA ) and National Registration Council ( NRC ) laws .
The CAA makes it easier for people fleeing persecution from India ’ s Muslim-majority neighbors to gain citizenship .
But the policy explicitly prevents Muslims and dalits from taking advantage of the law ; something critics say breaks India ’ s tradition of secularism .
The NRC is arguably much more nefarious .
The NRC is a new body overhauling Indian citizenship laws , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves and their ancestors , something hundreds of millions will surely be unable to do .
Without this documentation , the government is able to strip citizenship away from anyone it chooses , rendering large populations illegal overnight .
The policy has already been implemented in the northeastern state of Assam , where 1.9 million people – most of them Muslims – have been declared stateless and without rights .
The BJP government is currently building a network of detention centers , not unlike those on the U.S./Mexico border , to house the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In February , Giriraj Singh , a minister in Modi ’ s cabinet , sparked fury after he claimed that India made a big mistake not fully committing to genocide against the entire Muslim population upon the country ’ s founding in 1947 .
“ It was a big lapse by our ancestors that we ’ re paying the price for now .
If at that time Muslim brothers had been sent there and Hindus brought here , we wouldn ’ t be in this situation , ” Singh said .
The situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the anti-Muslim pogroms sweeping the country that killed 36 people .
If some hoped that a nationwide lockdown amid a pandemic that threatened everyone would dampen the flames of communal hatred and inspire a collective spirit that would transcend religion , that hope has been completely dashed .
India is accelerating down the track of religious strife , and the government itself is driving the vehicle .
Feature photo | A civic worker sanitizes an area as policemen stand guard after a protest against the extension of the lockdown , at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 , 2020 .
Rafiq Maqbool | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

Last week, 22-year-old Dilshad “Mehboob” Ali was dragged into a field on the outskirts of Delhi and beaten with sticks and shoes by an enraged crowd demanding to be told, “who else is behind this conspiracy?” His attackers believed he was part of a “corona Jihad:” an evil plot by India’s Muslim minority to spread the disease and kill as many Hindus as possible. Ali was dragged to a temple and told to convert to Hinduism before they would allow him to go to the hospital. Images of the incident went viral, illustrative of a nationwide assault on the country’s nearly 200 million Muslims.
Ali is part of the Tablighi Jamaat movement, identified by the government as the main culprits in spreading the coronavirus across India. Between March 13 and 15, the movement hosted a convention in the Nizamuddin area of Delhi, attended by around 8,000 people from all over the country and Asia. After some tested positive for COVID–19, India’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government began demonizing them as the source of the outbreak that has so far killed 448 people, but is feared could rip through the country’s densely populated slums like wildfire. Senior BJP politicians immediately sparked fears of a “corona jihad.” “The central and state governments are leaving no stone unturned in the decisive fight against the COVID-19,” said Rajeev Bindal, president of the Himachal Pradesh BJP party. “But some people, including Tablighi Jamaat, members are moving like human bombs to thwart their efforts.”
Other BJP leaders claimed that Muslims were carrying out “corona terrorism” and were spitting on doctors and other healthcare workers. “It’s clear, their aim is to infect as many people as possible with coronavirus and kill them,” tweeted Delhi politician Kapil Mishra. Other BJP figures have called it a “Talibani crime.”
Even fellow Hindus have not been spared by BJP bigotry. A report from CNN highlighted how Dalits, the lowest-rung in the officially outlawed Hindu caste system, have been prevented from purchasing food and medicine. Dalits are often considered inherently dirty by higher castes, so they have been refused access to shops and entry to certain neighborhoods by others invoking coronavirus fears.
While the government has initiated laws against spreading false information and social media has existing rules prohibiting hate speech, it becomes more difficult to enforce when senior political leaders themselves engage in it. Nevertheless, it is clear from the torrent of Islamophobic fake news circulating on Twitter that it is doing far from enough to root it out. The hashtag #CoronaJihad has trended for days, with fake news and hate speech abounding.
The upshot of the campaign has been a dramatic increase in Islamophobic attacks and anti-Muslim sentiment. Across India, Muslims are being barred from entering neighborhoods while in others Hindus face fines if caught fraternizing with them. Others have been beaten with bats and lynched.
There has also been fake news aimed at infecting the Muslim population themselves, with videos circulating on TikTok and other platforms telling users that the virus does not affect Muslims and that they should not wear masks.
The wave of anti-Muslim violence has shocked many observers, but not surprised them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to national attention while chief minister of Gujarat State during the massive wave of anti-Muslim pogroms in 2002 that saw over 2,000 killed and 200,000 Muslims driven from their homes. For a great many in India, the fact that he is widely considered its architect is a point in his favor. He won re-election in an overwhelming landslide last year.
However, he has faced stiff opposition, primarily from India’s many religious minority communities, who see his explicitly Hindu nationalist agenda as dooming them to becoming second-class citizens, or worse. The last year has seen the country in upheaval following his controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Registration Council (NRC) laws. The CAA makes it easier for people fleeing persecution from India’s Muslim-majority neighbors to gain citizenship. But the policy explicitly prevents Muslims and dalits from taking advantage of the law; something critics say breaks India’s tradition of secularism.
The NRC is arguably much more nefarious. The NRC is a new body overhauling Indian citizenship laws, requiring citizens to provide extensive documentation about themselves and their ancestors, something hundreds of millions will surely be unable to do. Without this documentation, the government is able to strip citizenship away from anyone it chooses, rendering large populations illegal overnight. The policy has already been implemented in the northeastern state of Assam, where 1.9 million people – most of them Muslims – have been declared stateless and without rights. The BJP government is currently building a network of detention centers, not unlike those on the U.S./Mexico border, to house the new population of “illegal immigrants.” In February, Giriraj Singh, a minister in Modi’s cabinet, sparked fury after he claimed that India made a big mistake not fully committing to genocide against the entire Muslim population upon the country’s founding in 1947.
“It was a big lapse by our ancestors that we’re paying the price for now. If at that time Muslim brothers had been sent there and Hindus brought here, we wouldn’t be in this situation,” Singh said. The situation he was referring to was the protests and the anti-Muslim pogroms sweeping the country that killed 36 people.
If some hoped that a nationwide lockdown amid a pandemic that threatened everyone would dampen the flames of communal hatred and inspire a collective spirit that would transcend religion, that hope has been completely dashed. India is accelerating down the track of religious strife, and the government itself is driving the vehicle.
Feature photo | A civic worker sanitizes an area as policemen stand guard after a protest against the extension of the lockdown, at a slum in Mumbai, India, April 14, 2020. Rafiq Maqbool | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-04-17--ICE is Deporting COVID-19 Positive Detainees from Private Immigration Prisons

Woken in the middle of the night and marched out of a crowded , quarantined group cell by prison guards to be deported .
That is the story of one D.C.-area man on Wednesday , inside of an ICA Farmville for-profit prison full of hundreds of undocumented immigrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) .
The unit is in the middle of a two-week lockdown due to a number of inmates showing symptoms of COVID-19 , yet that did not stop guards bursting in and taking the man , who has not been named due to fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deportation , recklessly endangering others in the facility .
The prisoner ’ s wife , a nurse in Washington , D.C. , condemned the actions .
“ As a nurse , I can ’ t believe ICE is willing to risk the safety of others by transferring somebody who is in quarantine , ” she said .
By continuing deportations of quarantined individuals during a pandemic , ICE is greatly increasing the risk of spreading the deadly virus that has already officially killed at least 34,522 in the United States , although the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is a massive public health and human rights failure , in addition to a violation of public trust , ” said Gaurav Madan , a core organizer with Sanctuary DMV , a volunteer organization helping immigrants in the D.C. area .
One of the major destinations for deportees is Guatemala .
On Tuesday , Guatemala ’ s Health Minister , Hugo Monroy , said that ICE is overwhelming it with planeloads of sick individuals , noting that 75 percent of deportees on one flight tested positive for COVID-19 .
Another flight on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the Guatemalan Immigration Institute .
This suggests that the United States , rather than treating sickly detained immigrants , is forcibly dumping them in their countries of origin , leaving them to deal with the problem .
The Guatemalan government asked the U.S. to send no more than 25 individuals per flight , but that request was initially ignored .
The unnamed man was only detained and taken to ICA Farmville two weeks ago .
He arrived amid a widespread and coordinated hunger strike by inmates denouncing the facility as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a suspected coronavirus outbreak .
ICE has so far refused to do so , claiming that no one has tested positive there .
Officially , only 100 detainees nationwide have tested positive .
However , as with everywhere else , testing is severely limited and authorities have already quarantined two whole dormitories at the facility , suggesting they suspect otherwise .
“ I ’ m in a panic , ” said one Salvadorian detainee , “ The virus is affecting everyone globally , but here in Farmville , we are panicking because we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything we can to leave , to be with our families , where we can be safe.
” Inmates are housed in large , group cells where social distancing is impossible .
Sanitary products like soap and disinfectant are in short supply , cellmates are forced to share bathrooms and sleep in bunk beds clustered together .
ICA Farmville opened in 2008 amidst protests from locals and has already gained a reputation for its unsanitary conditions .
Last summer detainees organized a “ meal strike ” due to an outbreak of mumps , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanitation .
The strike was brutally crushed by authorities and those inmates that were not suppressed are currently suing ICE over their treatment .
A number of elected Virginian delegates are pressuring ICE to release those in Farmville due to concerns over their safety .
“ These conditions are unacceptable and a threat to public health .
In such unprecedented circumstances , we have a responsibility to take every precaution we can to preserve the health and safety of all Virginias , including those who are undocumented , ” wrote Reps. Ibraheem Samirah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , it is highly unlikely that Immigration Centers of America ( ICA ) , who run the prison , will voluntarily comply : they are making too much money .
ICE pays them at least $ 120 per person per night – more than it would cost to house someone in a king room at the nearby Hilton Richmond Downtown .
Invoices seen by MintPress News show that ICA charged the agency $ 2.366 million in March 2017 , $ 2.206 million in February and $ 2.353 million in January for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain of immigrant communities , ” Madan added , “ It is an ongoing public health crisis .
The only responsible plan of action is to release everyone being held there and shut down the facility for good.
” Feature photo | Protesters call for officials to release people from jails , prisons , and immigration detention centers in response to the coronavirus , as they demonstrate outside City Hall in Philadelphia , March 30 , 2020 .
Matt Rourke | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

Woken in the middle of the night and marched out of a crowded, quarantined group cell by prison guards to be deported. That is the story of one D.C.-area man on Wednesday, inside of an ICA Farmville for-profit prison full of hundreds of undocumented immigrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The unit is in the middle of a two-week lockdown due to a number of inmates showing symptoms of COVID-19, yet that did not stop guards bursting in and taking the man, who has not been named due to fears about retaliation, out to process his deportation, recklessly endangering others in the facility.
The prisoner’s wife, a nurse in Washington, D.C., condemned the actions. “As a nurse, I can’t believe ICE is willing to risk the safety of others by transferring somebody who is in quarantine,” she said. By continuing deportations of quarantined individuals during a pandemic, ICE is greatly increasing the risk of spreading the deadly virus that has already officially killed at least 34,522 in the United States, although the true number is certainly higher. “This is a massive public health and human rights failure, in addition to a violation of public trust,” said Gaurav Madan, a core organizer with Sanctuary DMV, a volunteer organization helping immigrants in the D.C. area.
One of the major destinations for deportees is Guatemala. On Tuesday, Guatemala’s Health Minister, Hugo Monroy, said that ICE is overwhelming it with planeloads of sick individuals, noting that 75 percent of deportees on one flight tested positive for COVID-19. Another flight on Monday even included 16 unaccompanied minors, according to the Guatemalan Immigration Institute. This suggests that the United States, rather than treating sickly detained immigrants, is forcibly dumping them in their countries of origin, leaving them to deal with the problem. The Guatemalan government asked the U.S. to send no more than 25 individuals per flight, but that request was initially ignored.
The unnamed man was only detained and taken to ICA Farmville two weeks ago. He arrived amid a widespread and coordinated hunger strike by inmates denouncing the facility as a deathtrap and demanding to be released amid a suspected coronavirus outbreak. ICE has so far refused to do so, claiming that no one has tested positive there. Officially, only 100 detainees nationwide have tested positive. However, as with everywhere else, testing is severely limited and authorities have already quarantined two whole dormitories at the facility, suggesting they suspect otherwise. “I’m in a panic,” said one Salvadorian detainee, “The virus is affecting everyone globally, but here in Farmville, we are panicking because we have no security. We are trying everything we can to leave, to be with our families, where we can be safe.” Inmates are housed in large, group cells where social distancing is impossible. Sanitary products like soap and disinfectant are in short supply, cellmates are forced to share bathrooms and sleep in bunk beds clustered together.
ICA Farmville opened in 2008 amidst protests from locals and has already gained a reputation for its unsanitary conditions. Last summer detainees organized a “meal strike” due to an outbreak of mumps, a classic disease of overcrowding and poor sanitation. The strike was brutally crushed by authorities and those inmates that were not suppressed are currently suing ICE over their treatment.
A number of elected Virginian delegates are pressuring ICE to release those in Farmville due to concerns over their safety. “These conditions are unacceptable and a threat to public health. In such unprecedented circumstances, we have a responsibility to take every precaution we can to preserve the health and safety of all Virginias, including those who are undocumented,” wrote Reps. Ibraheem Samirah, Elizabeth Guzman and Kaye Kory.
NEW: I've just sent a letter, co-signed by @delegateguzman and @KayeKory, to #ICAFarmville and the ICE field office in Virginia. We're calling on those who oversee the ICA Farmville immigrant detention center to release those held inside amid a possible outbreak of COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/8sGuSvzhB3 — Delegate Ibraheem S. Samirah (@IbraheemSamirah) April 10, 2020
However, it is highly unlikely that Immigration Centers of America (ICA), who run the prison, will voluntarily comply: they are making too much money. ICE pays them at least $120 per person per night – more than it would cost to house someone in a king room at the nearby Hilton Richmond Downtown. Invoices seen by MintPress News show that ICA charged the agency $2.366 million in March 2017, $2.206 million in February and $2.353 million in January for their services.
“ICA-Farmville profits off the pain of immigrant communities,” Madan added, “It is an ongoing public health crisis. The only responsible plan of action is to release everyone being held there and shut down the facility for good.”
Feature photo | Protesters call for officials to release people from jails, prisons, and immigration detention centers in response to the coronavirus, as they demonstrate outside City Hall in Philadelphia, March 30, 2020. Matt Rourke | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.