Petition Tag - peace

In SriLanka, the Tamils and Sinhala lived peacefully together on the same island but as two separate kingdoms. Once the British took control of SriLanka, they dissolved both kingdoms and made both groups live together. However, once the British gave control back to the people of SriLanka, the Sinhala took political power and have continously been attempting to eliminate the Tamils through various methods. Legislatures were used to discriminate against Tamils, but not allowing the Tamil lanugage to be an official language of the nation, and by causing great devastation tot he Tamil Communitites.

Many peace talks, rallies, petitions and similar actions were carried out by the Tamils, but it was not until the Sinhalese government began to murder, rape and torture Tamils while ignoring their pleas for justice, did the Tamils take up arms in order to defend themselves. The LTTE is fighting for the liberation of Tamils, and have only been fighting for the justice they deserve and seek. Currently, the LTTE are and SriLankan government are at peace, but the President, Chandrika, is doing all she can in order to destroys the peace. She is not willing to cooperate, and is only trying to delay the peace talks by ignoring to listen to the LTTE.

LTTE, with the help of Noweigan Government have been able to form their own temporary government system in the land in which they control. The LTTE have set up Immigration offices, Judicial Offices, Police Stations, an entire government system withing a few years. They succeed alot in very little time, and have good control, and show that they have the power to be patient, resourceful, and able to form a stable government.

Because the SriLankan government is unwillingy to cooperate and negotiate with the LTTE, and because both parties are on hostile ground with a mediator, we ask that the Canadian Government, who are well known to solve problems and reach a common goal of peace, to hold the peace talks between the LTTE and Srilnakan Government here in Canada. And we ask that the Canadian Government be the mediator and assist both parties to come to a peaceful resolution.

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"The world rests on three things: on justice, on truth, and on peace. And all three are one, for where there is justice, there is also truth, and there is peace."

-Talmud, Ta'anit, 4:2

Cynthia McKinney paid a price for speaking the truth. As a Representative of the United States Congress, she had the conviction and courage to state what so many of her colleagues think privately but are hesitant to say publicly: Israel's 37-year-old military occupation of the Palestinian people in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem is wrong and that ending this occupation is a prerequisite for there to be peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Like the rabbis of the Talmud, Ms. McKinney understands that the strands which bind together peace and justice are inseparable. Israelis cannot expect to live in peace and security while their government is engaged in a land grab and degrading military occupation that denies their neighbors, the Palestinians, their individual human rights and their collective right of self-determination.

Ms. McKinney's willingness in Congress to question Israel's military occupation of the Palestinians earned her the ire of some Jewish American organizations. These institutions demonized Ms. McKinney both before and during her 2002 Democratic primary race and political action committees aligned with them pumped substantial funds into the election campaign of her challenger, Denise Majette. Flush with funds and the support of Republicans who "crossed over" and voted for her in the Georgia primary to punish Ms. McKinney for her critical analysis of the Bush Administration's "war on terror", Ms. Majette won her primary election and one of Congress' most important voices was stilled temporarily. However, Ms. McKinney is undaunted by this defeat and is seeking to reclaim her seat in the House of Representatives in 2004.

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The 400 block of Castle Street in Baltimore City is in need assistance from the mayor's office to help restore peace to the neighborhood. Several residents have moved in and out of 417 N. Castle St. The residents have all been constant eyesores to the block. We the neighbors of the 400 block of Castle St. are tired of the nuisance and total lack of respect for privacy and structure.

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The cowardly heads on the United Nations Security Counsel threaten the stability of the Entire Middle East, as well as countless lives of the international coalition bent on rebuilding Iraq, by not supporting the rebuilding process. Not only will they not support any effort to help the coalition help the Iraqis, the UN sends the message to Iraqis and Arabs alike that the allies are the 'enemies'.

Behind this madness sits France, Germany, and Russia, who are bent on protecting there own hidden records of arms shipments to Iraq and lucrative oil deals, instead of doing the right thing. It no longer matters if you supported this war effort, the goal now is to bring peace and stability to the region, and route out the terrorists! The coalition needs help, help the UN won't give! Because of the cowardliness of the UN Security counsel, the following have happened;

2 November: 16 US soldiers die as Chinook helicopter downed
27 Oct: Red Cross and other buildings in Baghdad bombed, more than 30 killed
12 Oct: Baghdad Hotel bombed, six dead
9 Oct: Police station in Baghdad bombed, 10 killed
29 Aug: Mosque near Najaf bombed, dozens dead including Shia Islam's top cleric in Iraq
19 Aug: UN headquarters in Baghdad bombed, 23 killed including head of mission
7 Aug: Jordanian Embassy bombed, 14 killed

The UN was in Iraq for a short time, but withdrew after a Bombing at there headquarters! Remember that peace isn't free, and not let this situation be another Mogadishu! Let us convince the UN that helping Iraq is the right thing to do, which it Is!

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Why do we support a man who launches pre-empted attacks on poor countries based on unreliable information and then leaves them to cope alone. Give us the youth of the world a chance to live our lives in peace without war.


It can be done if we all want it!!
Peace is not only possible, it is inevitable.

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Violence does not create justice.
War does not create peace.
PURE against war.

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Just a petition for those that are for war and sick of pple protesting against it when they know nothing of why we are doing this.

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Stop the war! I love peace. Bush wants a new war for petrol!! Stop bush stop usa!!

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Georege Harrison has contributed to the world, not only through music, both solo and as a Beatle, but through concerts for human rights, Bangladesh, money for charities of all types and of course contributions to music and film. George was a man of peace, which he promoted to the end! We say Knight George Harrison!!

He was a great contribution to music, film, life and PEACE!

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Join us in the heart of Africa.
Gulu, Northern Uganda.

Where almost half a million people live in displaced persons camps.

Where the "Lord's Resistance Army" (LRA) have abducted over 12,000 children during the past 16 years. Who are treated as slaves, forced to become child soldiers, sexual slaves and labourers.

Where the rebel Lord's Resistance Army murders in their attempt to set up a fundamentalist state based on the Ten Commandments
--by breaking the Fifth -"Thou shalt not kill."

Where starving people share the little they have with their neighbours to keep them alive. Those who have enough food for two meals a day give one of those meals to someone who has nothing.

Where right now the crops lie unharvested in the fields and mass starvation threatens a once proud and free people.

Where Aid agencies must often withdraw and people live daily in fear.

Where each year the Governments of Sudan and Uganda, The UN and various other bodies discuss peace but sixteen years into the conflict there is no peace.

Wherethe plight of the people is ignored by the international media.

Northern Uganda is bordered by Southern Sudan, where oil is the major attraction for the international community. The people of Southern Sudan and Northern Uganda have become pawns in an International oil grab.

Where people from Sudan seek refuge among the refugees because of the war in their country.

At a time when billons of dollars are being spent on arms and the military, people are starving to death. While the developed world decides which country to wage war against next, these people are ignored. Through this petition we plea for aid and support for the Acholi people, a forgotten people.

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Protect Alternative Tamil Opinion & Democracy During the Ceasefire

Introduction

We welcome the ceasefire commencing 25.12.2001 between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE, in order to bring an end to the war caused by the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka.

People of all ethnic communities are yearning that both parties should continue to extend this ceasefire and hold talks in a responsible manner and with mutual understanding in order to bring a lasting solution to the ethnic problem.

But the LTTE which declared that it was going to cease hostilities from the midnight of 24th December 2001, has committed over 20 human rights violations since the date of its declaration. These violations include murders, abductions, extortions and attacks. But to date, nobody has either expressed concern or criticised the LTTE.

Current Violations by the LTTE

In the Batticaloa District, the LTTE has rounded up certain villages and has forcibly taken away a number of children for arms training. The LTTE has also burnt over 30 houses in the uncleared areas that were vacated by Tamil families who fled in order to safeguard their young children from being taken away by the LTTE.

The LTTE has even taken letters of consent from parents to the effect that they would hand over their children who are now below eight years, when they reach the age for arms training.

In the Jaffna District, the LTTE has started imposing taxes on all commodities. Because of this taxation, the prices of all essential items have increased by at least 15% in Jaffna.

All these incidents show that despite the ceasefire, the LTTE is threatening normality and the lives of the ordinary people living in the North and East.

Previous Ceasefires

When we look back at our past experiences, the Tamil and Muslim people and those who are democratic-minded have welcomed the prospects of ceasefires and peace talks. At the same time, they have been anxious about the terrible experiences that have taken place during those ceasefires and immediately following their breakdown.

In particular, it is undeniable that the LTTE has made use of the situations resulting from ceasefires to intimidate, imprison and kill those who dissent from the LTTE or disagree with its political views.

The reason for such killings is that the ceasefires declared so far have been viewed as those between the armed forces and the LTTE. They have not affected the behaviour of the armed forces towards the Tamil and Muslim people in the Northeast, or the behaviour of the LTTE towards the Tamil and Muslim people living in the Northeast. None of the previous ceasefires have included any clause to safeguard the democratic rights of the ordinary Tamil and Muslim people living in the Northeast and the rights of those who do not wish to live under the rule o the LTTE.

It is due to this reason that the LTTE was able to make use of this period to kill ordinary Tamils and Muslims, or violate their human rights without any hindrance. The Governments, which agreed to ceasefires with LTTE in the past, not only ignored these killings and other violations by the LTTE, but also did nothing to protect these people from the threat of the LTTE, nor take any action to inquire into those killings and punish those who have committed them.

Past Experiences

On 21st September 1989 Dr. Rajani Thiranagama was killed in Jaffna.

During the ceasefire period between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE from 1989 to June 1990, the LTTE had killed hundreds of Tamils in the Eastern Province for their connections with the non-LTTE groups and also those whom they considered as their opponents. Independent Human Rights groups have documented details of those killed.

When the IPKF started withdrawing from the North and East, the LTTE went in to those areas and arrested hundreds of Tamils whom they thought, had acted against them. These incidents had taken place in Amparai, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Vavuniya Mullaitivu, Mannar, Killinochchi and Jaffna Districts.

LTTE even checked the trains and other modes of transport, which came from Jaffna, Batticaloa and Trincomalee and abducted those Tamils on whom they had suspicion. Their whereabouts are not known to date.

Even in Colombo, with the help of the Government Forces, the LTTE arrested those whom they thought were their opponents, took them away, chained in state-owned and privately-owned buses plying between Colombo and Jaffna, and forced them out of the buses at Omantai and Murikandy in the Vanni. The fate that befell them is not known even to date.

And it was during a ceasefire, that the LTTE killed TULF leaders A.Amirthalingam and V.Yogeswaran, and seriously injured M.Sivasithamparam. They also killed Member of Parliament Sam Tambimuttu and his wife, outside the Canadian High Commission in Colombo.

Minister Gamini Dissanayake was killed during the period of exchange of letters relating to a ceasefire with the Government.



Our Demands

The NGOs and the INGOs who have been committed to peace in Sri Lanka and have worked to promote democracy and human rights in the country must pay particular attention to the violations of human rights that continue to take place during ceasefires.

While we agree that all necessary steps should be taken to continue this ceasefire between the Government and the LTTE, we request the government of Sri Lanka and those countries which are paying attention to the ceasefire and political developments in Sri Lanka to ensure that the LTTE does not violate the human rights of the ordinary Tamils and Muslims and those who express views not to the liking of the LTTE.

We urge the Government of Norway that has been engaged in facilitating the talks to pay particular attention to this matter and take necessary action.

We call upon the Government of India, which has always shown a genuine interest and concern for the Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka, to guide and encourage the Governments of Norway and Sri Lanka in this regard.

The Governments of the USA, UK, Canada and Australia which had banned the LTTE in their own countries and are pushing for the success of the talks between the Government and the LTTE, should maintain their pressure on the LTTE not to violate the rights of the other Tamils and Muslims.

We call upon all the democratically elected Members of the Parliament of Sri Lanka to take up as their duty the protection of the democratic forces within the Tamil and Muslim community and pressure the government to act appropriately in this regard.

Because representatives elected by the Tamil and Muslim people have often been killed in the past, we ask all Members of Parliament to pay attention to this concern. In particular, we draw attention to the constant threat to their lives faced by the fifteen members of the Tamil National Alliance and other Tamil and Muslim Members of Parliament from the Northeast.

As the government and the Tigers are taking preparatory steps to workout a long-term ceasefire agreement and begin peace talks we would stress that particular attention be paid to the above concerns.
The right to life, and other fundamental rights and freedoms are inherent in all human beings. These rights cannot be taken away by governments or any groups to fulfill their own agendas.

01.02.2002
For all contacts: matodmatod@hotmail.com

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All Sri-Lankans should live in peace and harmony. We need to live in peace and we have a right to be heard.

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This is a call for developers not to build on the site of ground zero where so many people lost their lives. Instead a park dedicated to peace should be set-up with waterfalls,statues, benches and paths dedicated to the victims and their families.

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Escalation of violence continues in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian territories. Arafat has asked for peace-keeping troops and UN observers to be brought to the region. Sharon has objected. The violence on both sides continues to escalate, and peace is nowhere in sight.

UN Peace Keeping Troops and Observers must be brought in to restore peace in the region before more innocent young Palestinians and Israelis die.

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The whole world realized how destructive terrorism
could be after the September 11th attack. The paradise
island of Sri Lanka had been experiencing similar
attacks for the last 18 years resulting untold
hardship to all the ethnic groups, but the world never
paid any attention to the reality for so long enabling
LTTE terrorists to get stronger day by day. Though
late and a major damage is done, the UK government did
identify terrorist organizations which are operating
from the British soil and banned them following the US
footsteps. Obviously notorious LTTE was included in
the list of terrorist groups banned in the UK
completely destroying the claim of LTTE being a group
of freedom fighters and labeling them as terrorists
rightly so, due to the activities they have been
involved in the past. While all the peace loving Sri
Lankans would like to pay gratitude to the UK
government and its officials who took the first step
of fighting against terrorism, there are a lot more
work needs to be done. It is a very well known fact
that the LTTE operates several offices and some of
their key personalities are still based in the UK
providing them a safe heaven to plan, raise funds and
carry out more and more barbaric attacks against
humanity. The only way to stop them from doing so is
by closing all their offices and arresting the LTTE
leaders including their theoretician Dr. Anton
Balasigham and Mrs. Balasingham, who is an Austrian.
It should be noted that Mr. Balasingham holds a
British passport that is being heavily used to gather
international terrorist momentum. In addition to
arresting and charging him on terrorism counts, he
should be charged by immigration authorities for
illegally leaving the UK soil and entering other
countries. The most recent case being his entry into
the war zone in Sri Lanka and returning to the UK via
Thailand by illegal means. All the other LTTE front
organizations and their leaders also should be treated
the same way before it is too late. As shown in the
recent past, community unrest is popping up in the UK
and it will not take a very long time for the LTTE to
start a separatist movement in the UK along with
similar claim in Canada.

Once again, the leader of the LTTE terrorists Mr.
Velupillae Prabakaran is trying to side step and buy
more time until the dust settles of the US attacks by
claiming that he is "willing" to consider a settlement
short of a separate state. Even though the media has
given a vast coverage to that statement we should not
forget the fact that it is a very ambiguous statement
and he has never kept his proclaimed commitments in
the past. To start with, he purposely used the word
"willing" in his statement, which does not have any
binding. At the beginning of the Norwegian peace
efforts he committed to start peace talks without any
pre-conditions but later started putting up one
condition after the other. So the only way forward is
to shrink his international network by closing all the
front organizations and arresting leaders operating
openly. In that sense the UK government is better
equipped than any other EU members to lead from the
front. It should be noted that if Afghanistan is
guilty of harboring Mr. Osama Bin Laden and his Al
Quaida network, the UK government and other
governments in the world who keep a blind eye to the
LTTE activities in their own backyards are also guilty
of the same crime. Of course Sri Lanka is not a super
power but how can anyone justify over 62,000 deaths in
Sri Lanka in addition to infrastructure damages worth
hundreds of billions of dollars?. After all, the core
issue of discrimination is not only confined to the
Tamil community. Each and every citizen of Sri Lanka
except a select few multi millionaires are
discriminated regardless whether he or she is
Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim or Burger. The only way out
is a complete destruction of the LTTE terrorism with
the assistance of the international community and a
free and fair political culture in which every Sri
Lankan can live in dignity.

We urge the UK government to proceed to the next step
of fighting against terrorism by arresting the leaders
and closing terrorist networks particularly the LTTE
which is the largest such group operating on the
British soil.

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Dear Peace Lovers,

At the time of independance, Ceylon (Now called as Sri Lanka) Sri Lanka had Asia's best economy. It was spoiled by Selfish politicians and their racism. "Sri Lanka" has used education as a vicious arm and poisoned innocent Sinhalese peoples hearts by justifying brutal crimes and racist activities against Tamils and making trouble using innocents e.g July 1983 and Bandarawella.

The SL Army has committed countless rapes and murders of innocent Tamil civilians, bombed Tamil villages and so on, leading to a national disaster. Please vote for humanity and agaist the SL Government's Organized terrorism.

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Septemeber 11, 2001.

World Trade Center.

Pentagon.

Pennsylvania.

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Following on from the horror which occurred in the United States on Tuesday 11th September & the subsequent day of mourning declared by both the United States & the European Union, I have set up this online petition to call on all world leaders to declare a public holiday to honour all victims of terrorism worldwide, not just the ones in the United States. From the Omagh bombing to random acts of terrorism in Middle Eastern countries to the World Trade centres, terrorism attacks us all.

We should have a day to honour the dead & injured. A day of peace if you will that enable people to think about their auctions. Please sign the petition, please do not make bogus signings etc.

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My Name is Edward Goldstone. I am just one of many fathers who has had to say goodbye to their child. The last time I saw my son was July 9, 2000. This is due in large part to a court system that has large biases in custudy cases that give more rights to mothers as a parent. More often than not, the courts note only the father's income, rather than their ability to love and care for their child.

On December 22,1999, at the Abbotsford Courthouse, I was given legal visitation rights to see my son, and was required to pay a monthy child maintenance. Since then, in breach of the law, his mother has taken him and disappeared, denying me the right to see my boy, Austin. With the aid of private investigator, I have searched for my son's mother and grandmother with no success. I continue to pay monthly maintenance. Family Maintenance Program (which I volunteered to pay her through) knows where they are but doesn't have authorization to tell me.
Although she is deliberately breaking the law, the authorities can do nothing to stop her. This is due to the omission of a peace officer clause. Without this clause the police can't help me, essentially the court order means nothing. I am trying to get Dads' voices heard. Both parents should be given joint custody (providing the child is not in any danger) and a peace officer clause be included, to make the order inforceable.

I would like your help to put pressure on the Canadain Government to change these out-dated laws. You could help greatly by signing this petition. Its time for dads to have equal rights as parents!

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Seperatist L.T.T.E. movement is waging a war for a seperate state in the Nort/East of Sri Lanka for Tamil minority rights. It has bled this once Paradise Island to the brink of complete anarchy.

The EU led by the Norwegians with the full backing of the U.S. and the Indian governments started a peace process between the government and the rebels, only to be thwarted by various interested factions, depriving the large sector of silent peace loving Sinhales, Tamils and the Muslims to live in harmony.

This petition is to revive the peace process, a cantonal system as a model of devolving power sharing.

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Dear Excellencies,

I am writing you in response to your criticism over the Government of Macedonia's latest action against the Albanian terrorists (i.e. as you refer to them as "armed rebels and extremists"). Your "disappointment" on how the latest crisis around Aracinovo was handled, had particularly provoked me to express MY bitterness and deep disappointment regarding the following:

1. I am very disappointed to hear that your excellencies have been disturbedby the fact that the Government of Macedonia had to take decisive action against armed groups who threaten the people of Macedonia and use weapons as a tool to legitimize themselves and their actions (often later acting as "the victims themselves"); furthermore, I am equally disappointed by the actions of the Swedish security forces (Sweden is currently presiding
with the EU) against peace protesters in Gothenburg during the EU Summit in mid-June.

2. I am very disappointed that your Excellencies have not taken into consideration the fact that all parties involved in the process of reconstructing Kosovo have failed to restore a lasting peace, law and order in the neighboring Yugoslav province of Kosovo, which permanently produces negative consequences for the peace and stability of the whole region(including the Republic of Macedonia).

3. Furthermore, I am very disappointed and disturbed to see lack of willingness by your respective governments to build multiethnic Kosovo, as previously pledged.

4. Many Macedonian citizens (despite of their ethnic or religious affiliation) are stunned by the fact that international humanitarian
organizations are vigorous only when it comes to helping unfortunate ethnic Albanians and neglecting the others in need.

5. I am alarmed to find out that you have FINALLY been disturbed by the crisis in Macedonia and kindly ask you to go back in time and figure out when was the exact and right time for you to be really upset!

6. I am disappointed to realize that you think it is the Macedonian
Constitution that generates the current crisis. I would kindly refer you to the Constitution of the neighboring Republic of Albania and ask you to read all of it (including its Preamble).

7. I am very disappointed that all of you failed to employ due diligence as you have done so during the peak of the current crisis and "discover" that there is no "Slav" majority - rather ethnic Macedonians and that there is no one third ethnic Albanian population in Macedonia - rather 22,9% according to the 1994 census, conducted (believe it or not) by The Council of Europe itself and its ICOM (International Census Observation Mission) in Macedonia led by Mr. Robert McMurray of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Certain Media based in your respective countries are still insulting a greater majority of the population by naming them "Slavs" which does not correspond to their true ethnic affiliation. We have never heard an affirmative comment from them talking about "citizens of Macedonia" if nothing else.

8. I am very disappointed that my country's name is still FYROM, thanks to your "proved" interest in defending and promoting fundamental human rights and freedoms (among those let me remind you about the freedom of expression and self-determination). In addition, I am insulted by the fact that the EU mission in Skopje represented by Mr. Teixeira is named the "Delegation of the European Commission to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, FYROM, Skopje"!

9. Let me remind you that you still have an ongoing obligation and a pledge to protect Macedonia and its borders particularly the volatile one with Kosovo), made in the eve of the NATO intervention against Yugoslavia. Kosovo's well being cannot be constructed on behalf of the misery of its neighbors, just for the sake of "showing its success story" which so far exists not.

10. I am very disappointed that some of your envoys are beginning to "shoulder" and chit chat with those who undeniably want the partition of my country. If that indeed is your last word on Macedonia also, then let us not waste more time and lives and let the demarcation begin immediately, rather than pressure for continuation of a political dialogue containing ridiculous
bargaining over rights and powers which involves parties who per se have no legitimate right to negotiate on such issues exclusively. If you all truly want the stability and the peace in this region your missionaries would at the moment be assisting the government rather than act as a "taxi-service" to all those who came in uninvited, to kill, threaten, block water supplies and force civilians to leave their homes and properties just because they do not fit into their xenophobic scenario and "cause".

11. Dear Excellencies, it is true Macedonia has little money to buy weapons and rockets, but when it comes to defending our values and freedom such money is well spent to our minds. Loyal citizens do not fear legitimate security forces. Criminals do!

12. Let me in the end express my hope that you will reconsider your position toward Macedonia and its certainly "imperfect" Government and convey a clear message of support to those of us who act and work toward further democratization and the European prospective of Macedonia. All those inspired by the "freedom fighters" clearly demonstrated fear and disbelieve in the European integration itself. I guess your Excellencies this is the last chance for you to decide are you going to give a credit to those who would rather stand on the demarcation line, than to those committed to pursue the way of the integration toward Europe, without alternatives and preconditions and no matter how hard and challenging it is.

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The Orlando sentinel in Florida are trying to get Dale Earnhardt's autopsy photos released to the public and the family and fans are trying to stop this.

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The United Nations needs a rapid deployment volunteer force(paid by UN peacekeeping budget) that is properly trained in peace making and peace keeping. This force should be available on call in days after a conflict is recognized as needing attention to stop the war. A 6,000 member UN force that is rapidly deployed could save millions of lives with minimal expenditure.

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