DEATHS IN CUSTODY - APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA, ISRAEL, AUSTRALIA

The numbers indicate that Aboriginal deaths in custody have increased dramatically since the Royal Commission into Deaths in Custody handed down its findings over 20 years ago.

Apartheid South Africa's most famous death in custody was probably that of Steve Biko, highlighted by a book by Donald Woods and made into a film many years ago.

Apartheid Israel's deaths in custody continue apace, what with the mysterious death in a high security suicide-proof prison of Ben Zygier in 2010 - and he was Jewish.

But the very recent death of a Palestinian which the Israeli authorities said was from heart problems turns out to be murder and torture to rival some of Obama's recent efforts around the world and apartheid South Africa at its worst, with Australia doing quite well in the murder stakes in its prisons.

Autopsy reveals Arafat Jaradat died of extreme torture in Israeli custody

Feb 24, 2013 03 | Annie Robbins (in Mondoweiss)
Father of Arafat Jaradat, after identifying his son's tortured body, Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, Feb. 24,2013 (Photo: Yotam Ronen/Activestills.org)

Ma'an News reports Arafat Jaradat died of extreme torture.

Minister: Autopsy shows torture killed Jaradat:

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- An autopsy has revealed that Arafat Jaradat died of extreme torture in Israeli custody and did not have a cardiac arrest, the PA Minister of Detainee Affairs said Sunday.

At a news conference in Ramallah, Issa Qaraqe said an autopsy conducted in Israel in the presence of Palestinian officials revealed that 30-year-old Jaradat had six broken bones in his neck, spine, arms and legs.

"The information we have received so far is shocking and painful. The evidence corroborates our suspicion that Mr. Jaradat died as a result of torture, especially since the autopsy clearly proved that the victim's heart was healthy, which disproves the initial alleged account presented by occupation authorities that he died of a heart attack," Qaraqe said......

The minister said Jaradat had sustained injuries and severe bruising in the upper right back area and severe bruises of sharp circular shape in the right chest area..... evidence of severe torture and on the muscle of the upper left shoulder, parallel to the spine in the lower neck area, and evidence of severe torture under the skin and inside the muscle of the right side of the chest. His second and third ribs in the right side of the chest were broken, Qaraqe said, and he also had injuries in the middle of the muscle in the right hand...Palestinian Prisoners Society president Qaddura Fares added that the autopsy revealed seven injuries to the inside of Jaradat's lower lip, bruises on his face and blood on his nose...... no signs of bruising or stroke, the minister added.

.....

"Jaradat died due to torture and not a stroke or heart attack," he said, adding that those responsible must be sued either through Interpol or the International Criminal Court.

Jaradat's lawyer Kameel Sabbagh said he was tortured by Israeli interrogators. ......"When I entered the courtroom I saw Jaradat sitting on a wooden chair in front of the judge. His back was hunched and he looked sick and fragile," Sabbagh said in a statement Sunday.

"When I sat next to him he told me that he had serious pains in his back and other parts of his body because he was being beaten up and hanged for many long hours while he was being investigated..When Jaradat heard that the judge postponed his hearing he seemed extremely afraid....."

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION IS DISCRIMINATORY AND ENTRENCHES APARTHEID IN AUSTRALIA EVEN FURTHER!

In their scramble to put five different pieces of anti-discrimination legislation into one basic anti-discrimination law, the Australian Federal Government is further entrenching discrimination and apartheid.

Apartheid has been one of the basic modus vivendi of Australian politics since 1788, but it gets further entrenched with every government in every state and territory since that date.

In a country as rich and prosperous as Australia there is no excuse whatever for the Indigenous population to suffer the indignities, poverty, ill-health, lack of education and all the other diseases from which the poorest people in the world suffer.

Many people and groups have made submissions to the government's proposed changes to the legislation, but one of the groups which was given assurances by the prime minister from the outset was one of the religious lobby groups who were assured that the discriminations which they have perpetrated against certain groups in the communities would be allowed to continue as before and no legislation would be introduced to change those exemptions.

Oh, the hypocrisy coming from an atheist prime minister - and an unmarried one - to organisations which discriminate in employment against atheists and unmarried people, whether male or female!

All of these discriminatory practices might have some modicum of acceptability if these religious organisations paid taxes as most other organisations and indviduals are forced to do by legislation in order for public infrastructures to be financed.

But the horror of it all is that not only are there thses tax exemptions but many of the project carried out by the religious organisations receive government support funding.

The perfidy is endless and the government should be sxposed by the main stream media for its behaviour. But the main stream media is in thrall to its ownership and "friendship" with the conservative politicians - roughly about 95% of them,and so remains silent on the apartheid "anti-discrimination" proposals.

In South Africa, during the worst years of the apartheid government, every time they introduced more and more repressive legislation it was given titles such as "The equal Education" law and one knew straight away that the government was making laws which became worse and worse as "separate development" developed the country between 1948 and 1994.

Now the same process is well under way in Australia and the gay, lesbian, transgender and HIV communities can expect the worst outcomes from legislation which further enshrines inequality.

APARTHEID AUSTRALIA - INVASION DAY AND SOME HISTORY

Te following item comes from the City of Sydney and gives some of the history surrounding events on 26 January every year:

Click on this link to open the page: Invasion Day and some history - from City of Sydney