Indy Media Watch

Robert Mugabe is presently responsible for the bulldozing of homes belonging to Zimbabwean nationals. So far, this activity has included crushing two children to death.

Police have moved across Zimbabwe's urban areas, armed with bulldozers and sledge-hammers, destroying shacks and informal markets.
...
United States State Department deputy spokesperson Adam Ereli described the crackdown as a "tragedy, crime, horror - that the government of Zimbabwe is perpetrating on its people".

A few days ago, I commented on the hypocricy of the "International Solidarity Movement" who had used Indymedia as an outlet for wholly biased, one-sided and factually incorrect material (read: lies).

This organisation became famous for the death of one of its members, Rachel Corrie, killed opposing an Israeli bulldozer attempting to demolish terrorist smuggling tunnels. Obviously its members don't mind going toe-to-toe with bulldozers.

Or do they?

I would like to ask the ISM an open question:

Do any of the International Solidarity Movement's members plan, in the spirit of International Solidarity, to stand in front of Robert Mugabe's bulldozers?

Looking through my archives I can see this isn't the first time they've chosen their fights inconsistently.

I have emailed the ISM via the link on their webpage and await an answer.

Update:Unsurprisingly, the ISM have not responded. One of their lackies has however via the comments and I shall respond here in turn.

Hmmmm, as someone who has been to Palestine with the ISM,

Where? I wasn't aware of any such country or state at this point in time. Have you been to Never-Never land as well recently? How can you be taken seriously when you are so flawed in your basic political knowledge?

but who, like other ISMers cannot speak for ISM

It is interesting to see the ISM censors your opinion.

here are my thoughts as an individual.

Firstly, it seems that "Indy Media Botch" is none too rigorous in his sleuthing work.

Indy Media Botch? My how very witty. Jay Leno look out!

Thus, when he writes:

"Firstly, the group is called "International Solidarity Movement" yet their domain, pasolidarity.org suggests a rather one sided approach to "international". I'll come back to that thought."

You'd think he'd at least bother to go the URL, where he would learn that:

"The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles. Founded by a small group of activists in August, 2001, ISM aims to support and strengthen the Palestinian popular resistance by providing the Palestinian people with two resources, international protection and a voice with which to nonviolently resist an overwhelming military occupation force."

which would have saved a whole load of belly-aching about 'neutrality' - especially from one who so clearly is not a 'neutral'.

I did go to the URL. My question stands. If it is the Palestinian Solidarity Movement, why doesn't it call itself as such? Because people might infer bias there perhaps? The organization wouldn't be biased now would they?

AFAIK Zimbabwe is not an occupied land anymore, and the Zimbabweans have not asked a bunch of Internationals to go and be involved in non-violent direct actions against a non-existent occupier.

AFAIK, you don't know much about the situation there at all. Google for Robert Mugabe and see if the Zimbabweans, who have not blown themselves up by the way, deserve what they are getting. If your only concern is "occupation", then I wonder why your energy isn't directed towards China or Syria to name but a few occupiers who seem to have slipped right under the radar whilst Israel earns so much of your enmity. My question was also aimed at ISM members (such as yourself) and not neccessariily the organization itself. Do you plan to protest Mugabe as vocally as Israel, a democratic government that follows rule-of-law? [crickets chirping]

I have to say that I feel less than comfortable gracing this sad blog with any kind of answer at all.

Didn't stop you though did it? So I shall call you on what you wrote. I wonder how you even came across this posting. Did the ISM webmaster email you?

The ISM is grossly hypocritical. First, it is dishonest in its very name. Secondly (as it seems to ignore other countries), I refer you to an old post here where the Palestinian Authority was destroying Jewish homes. The ISM didn't stand in front of those bulldozers, and yet we hear so much about Rachel Corrie, who as I said earlier, was sent to her death by an organization you represent.

I wrote in another expose of the ISM's nefarious agenda

ISM co-founder George Rishmawi, a Canadian-Palestinian communist, gave the rationale for why the ISM recruits internationals "When Palestinians get shot by Israeli soldiers, no one is interested anymore. But if some of these foreign volunteers get shot or even killed, then the international media will sit up and take notice."

In other words, dead students make for good anti-Israel PR... Nice work by a Communist group. Your posting nickname "ISMista" tends to suggest a similarly foolish view. You really should do some sleuthing of your own and find out about the real effects of Communism. Try Hungary for starters. You should be warned however, there's no trendy Che t-shirts.

I don't know how you could have anything to do with such a group, unless, like some of the terrorists, you look forward to your own death with joy.

Unfortunately, you have drunk the ISM Kool-Aid. Like the very incident upon which that expression is based (Jonestown Massacre) I fear your naivety could ultimately result in your own harm. I would pity you, however it's really hard when you are so filled with hate. I will try however. If you simply loath Israel or Jews, at least be honest about it like Hamas or Al-Quaeda. If you are genuine about improving human rights however, the ISM (and Indymedia frankly) is not the answer you seek.