Justifying the Unjustifiable
by Stephen Lendman
Navi Pillay is UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. She’s a reliable imperial tool. She betrays her mandate. She does so consistently.
She disgraces the office she holds. She twists vital truths irresponsibly. She substitutes misinformation rubbish.
She serves Western interests exclusively. She’s up to her old tricks again.
Her new report is titled “Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine.” It’s infested with lies. It whitewashes what’s most important to reveal.
On the one hand, it totally ignores fascist putschists usurping power. Imposing hardline rule. Governing lawlessly.
Targeting all opposition elements for elimination. Bearing full responsibility for nationwide violence. Especially in Eastern Ukraine.
Waging war on their own people. Murdering them in cold blood. Doing it with full US support. Planning much more ahead.
Intending sham May 25 elections. Holding fake national unity talks. Turning Ukraine into a fascist police state.
Pillay’s report didn’t surprise. It disgracefully pointed fingers the wrong way.
It reported “an alarming deterioration in the human rights situation in the east of the country, as well as serious problems emerging in Crimea, especially in relation to the Crimean Tatars.”
It covered the April 2 – May 6 period. It described “an increasing tendency in some critical urban areas for rallies of opposing groups to be held simultaneously, often leading to violent confrontations.”
It noted “repeated acts of violence against peaceful participants of rallies, mainly those in support of Ukraine’s unity and against the lawlessness in the cities and villages in eastern Ukraine.”
“In most cases, local police did nothing to prevent violence, while in some cases it openly cooperated with the attackers,” it said.
It bears repeating. Pillay’s report is infested with lies, damn lies, and shocking Big Ones. It accused victims of Kiev crimes.
It said “targeted killings, torture and beatings, abductions, intimidation and some cases of sexual harassment (were) mostly carried out by well-organized and well-armed anti-Government groups in the east.”
“The problem has been especially marked in and around the town of Slovyansk, in the Donetsk region, with a group called the ‘Slovyansk self-defence unit’ heavily implicated.”
“Journalists, bloggers and other media personnel either based in the region, or visiting, are facing increasing threats and acts of intimidation, including abduction and unlawful detention by armed groups.”
“The struggle for control of the media outlets, and who is able to broadcast where, continues inside Ukraine, particularly in the east.”
The report noted “numerous examples of harassment, intimidation and blocked broadcasting in eastern Ukraine and especially in Crimea, where a number of radio and TV stations have had to cease broadcasting altogether.”
Reunification made Crimea part of Russia. Crimeans near unanimously approved it.
Not according to Pillay. Her report claimed “legislation of the Russian Federation is being (force-fed) on the ‘territory’ of Crimea, at variance with UN General Assembly resolution 68/262.”
It lied about alleged Tatar persecution. None whatever exists. It turned truth on its head claiming:
- Tatar leaders are denied free movement;
- “cases of physical harassment;”
- “restrictions on Crimean Tatar media;”
- persecuting Muslims;
- delegitimizing and terminating “the work of the Parliament of the Crimean Tatars;”
- thousands of mostly Crimean Tatars “internally displaced in other areas of Ukraine.”
- closing Crimea’s Ombudsman’s office; and
- forcing Crimean-based NGOs to “operate under the law on foreign agents of the Russian Federation.”
Russia’s Foreign Ministry reacted sharply. It said Pillay’s report “actually justifies the criminal punitive operation in the southeast of Ukraine…”
It “conceals casualties among peaceful civilians…”
It irresponsibly blames “pro-Russian forces” for Kiev crimes. For horrific human rights violations.
For state-sponsored terrorism. For war without mercy. For murdering civilians in cold blood. For massacring them in Odessa.
For turning a blind eye to hard facts. For twisting them to fit Washington’s agenda.
For “carrying out a political order to whitewash” Kiev putschists’ crimes of war and against humanity.
Misreporting Odessa’s massacre was especially reprehensible. Kiev bore full responsibility. Victims were blamed for their crimes.
Neo-Nazi Right Sector thugs were unleashed. They had license to mass murder. They took full advantage.
They massacred around 300 Odessans. They did so in cold blood.
They trapped them inside Odessa’s Trade Union House (TUH) building. They were waiting for them inside.
They executed them at point blank range. They shot them in the back of the head. They strangled others.
They beat some to death. They threw people out of windows. They hacked some to death with axes.
They murdered a pregnant woman with an electric wire. She cried for help in vain. Women and children were massacred like men.
They set TUH ablaze on two floors to mask their crimes. Fire didn’t kill activists inside. Neo-Nazi hoodlums did.
Photographic evidence is damning. So are independent videos. They show mass murder by means other than fire and/or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Some bodies showed multiple gunshot wounds to the back of the head. Coverup and lies concealed what happened.
It bears repeating. Pillay’s report blamed victims for Kiev putschist crimes. It ignored their ongoing human rights abuses. It’s “delivered as Kiev’s official line,” said Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
It excludes “mention of any manifestation of aggressive nationalism and neo-Nazism in Ukraine.” It’s scandalous political propaganda.
It’s entirely one-sided. It turned truth on its head. It reads like bad fiction.
It exposes Pillay’s dark side. She’s complicit in high crimes of war and against humanity. She shames the office she holds.
“When the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights pronounced the Crimea referendum as ‘illegal’ following the suit of Kiev and its Western patrons, it seconded that it accepts a nation’s right to self-determination established by international human rights laws only when it is politically favorable,” said Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
Kiev’s war without mercy continues. Donetsk and Slavyansk regions are especially targeted.
Ukrainian forces attacked Russian journalists. They did so near Kramatorsk. According to reporter Oleg Sidyakin:
“We saw that machines were gone and the shooting stopped like half-an-hour ago. We tried to enter (Oktyabrskoe village) to find out what happened to locals, if they needed help, and if there were wounded among them.”
“But as we got closer to the outskirts of the village, we ran into an armored troop carrier with a Ukrainian flag on it and armed people in black uniforms.”
“We were going in a car with ‘TV’ stickers, indicating that were are press.”
“We stuck hands out of windows, but first there came one shot and then machine gun fire.”
“I had to make such decision because I could not put in danger the lives of a driver and a cameraman.”
RT International reported Kiev APCs firing on two Ruptly TV journalists. Their car was attacked near Kramatorsk.
APCs “came out of nowhere. (They) opened fire for no apparent reason,” they said.
Ruptly journalist Katica Djurovic tweeted “2 BTRs shoot at our car. We were on the main road and they came from small street. Guns made them think they have more traffic right @Ruptly”
A Russian TV Channel 5 crew was in the same car. It avoided it being struck.
The incident followed Ruptly’s crew attacked days earlier. Its journalist Fyodor Zavaleykov was shot in Mariupol.
He was filming at the time. He was seriously wounded. He was treated in Ukraine.
He was flown to Moscow for further care. He’s stable. He’ll survive. Others may not be as lucky.
Hardline fascist forces operate in Eastern Ukraine. They shoot to kill. They give no quarter.
Kiev putschists plan sham May 25 elections. The’ll mock legitimate ones when held. Results are largely predetermined. Fascist supporters are sure to win.
Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will head Washington’s observer team. She has blood on her hands.
She’s an unindicted war criminal. She was Clinton’s UN envoy and Secretary of State.
She believes NATO should intervene militarily regardless of international law restrictions.
She was criminally involved in America’s Balkan wars. She was complicit in genocide against Iraqi civilians.
She’s unapologetic. She called murdering over half a million Iraqi children a small price to pay.
Other US observers include International Republican Institute delegates. OSCE ones are coming. So are various pro-Western international organization representatives.
They won’t surprise. They’ll endorse what demands condemnation. They’ll call sham elections legitimate ones. They’ll lie saying so.
Alexis Tsipras is a Greek Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) European Parliament chairman aspirant. He debated other candidates on air. He was clear and unequivocal, saying:
“We should not accept and recognize the government of neo-Nazis in Ukraine.” He wants Ukrainians able to decide who’ll lead them.
In free, fair, open democratic elections. According to rule of law principles. Independently monitored.
“We in the EU should not give preference to changing borders, but must respect the position of the peoples, who had decided to create a Federation within the state,” he added.
He advocates East/West dialogue. He denounced military aggression. He called targeting Russia irresponsible. He prioritizes diplomatic conflict resolution.
He said EU nations must change to survive. They lack democracy. Their people don’t believe voting matters. Major parties reflect two sides of the same coin.
Monied interests run things. Kiev’s election will solidify hardline rule. They’ll legitimize the illegitimate. They’ll mock government of, by and for everyone equitably.
It’s strictly forbidden. Ukrainians will get fascist-imposed governance. They’ll have no say. How they’ll react remains to be seen.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
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