Chavez's Speech at the 61st United Nations 20/09/2006

http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/gastatement20.shtml
"Representatives of the governments of the world, good morning to all of you. First of all, I would like to invite you, very respectfully, to those who have not read this book, to read it.
Noam Chomsky, one of the most prestigious American and world intellectuals, Noam Chomsky, and this is one of his most recent books, 'Hegemony or Survival: The Imperialist Strategy of the United States.'" [Holds up book, waves it in front of General Assembly.] "It's an excellent book to help us understand what has been happening in the world throughout the 20th century, and what's happening now, and the greatest threat looming over our planet.
The hegemonic pretensions of the American empire are placing at risk the very survival of the human species. We continue to warn you about this danger and we appeal to the people of the United States and the world to halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over our heads. I had considered reading from this book, but, for the sake of time," [flips through the pages, which are numerous] "I will just leave it as a recommendation.
It reads easily, it is a very good book, I'm sure Madame [President] you are familiar with it. It appears in English, in Russian, in Arabic, in German. I think that the first people who should read this book are our brothers and sisters in the United States, because their threat is right in their own house.
The devil is right at home. The devil, the devil himself, is right in the house.
"And the devil came here yesterday. Yesterday the devil came here. Right here." [crosses himself] "And it smells of sulfur still today."
Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the president of the United States, the gentleman to whom I refer as the devil, came here, talking as if he owned the world. Truly. As the owner of the world.
I think we could call a psychiatrist to analyze yesterday's statement made by the president of the United States. As the spokesman of imperialism, he came to share his nostrums, to try to preserve the current pattern of domination, exploitation and pillage of the peoples of the world.
An Alfred Hitchcock movie could use it as a scenario. I would even propose a title: "The Devil's Recipe."
As Chomsky says here, clearly and in depth, the American empire is doing all it can to consolidate its system of domination. And we cannot allow them to do that. We cannot allow world dictatorship to be consolidated.
CHAVEZ (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): The world parent's statement -- cynical, hypocritical, full of this imperial hypocrisy from the need they have to control everything.
They say they want to impose a democratic model. But that's their democratic model. It's the false democracy of elites, and, I would say, a very original democracy that's imposed by weapons and bombs and firing weapons.
What a strange democracy. Aristotle might not recognize it or others who are at the root of democracy.
What type of democracy do you impose with marines and bombs?
The president of the United States, yesterday, said to us, right here, in this room, and I'm quoting, "Anywhere you look, you hear extremists telling you can escape from poverty and recover your dignity through violence, terror and martyrdom."
Wherever he looks, he sees extremists. And you, my brother -- he looks at your color, and he says, oh, there's an extremist. Evo Morales, the worthy president of Bolivia, looks like an extremist to him.
The imperialists see extremists everywhere. It's not that we are extremists. It's that the world is waking up. It's waking up all over. And people are standing up.
I have the feeling, dear world dictator, that you are going to live the rest of your days as a nightmare because the rest of us are standing up, all those who are rising up against American imperialism, who are shouting for equality, for respect, for the sovereignty of nations.
CHAVEZ (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Yes, you can call us extremists, but we are rising up against the empire, against the model of domination.
The president then -- and this he said himself, he said: "I have come to speak directly to the populations in the Middle East, to tell them that my country wants peace."
That's true. If we walk in the streets of the Bronx, if we walk around New York, Washington, San Diego, in any city, San Antonio, San Francisco, and we ask individuals, the citizens of the United States, what does this country want? Does it want peace? They'll say yes.
But the government doesn't want peace. The government of the United States doesn't want peace. It wants to exploit its system of exploitation, of pillage, of hegemony through war.
It wants peace. But what's happening in Iraq? What happened in Lebanon? In Palestine? What's happening? What's happened over the last 100 years in Latin America and in the world? And now threatening Venezuela -- new threats against Venezuela, against Iran?
He spoke to the people of Lebanon. Many of you, he said, have seen how your homes and communities were caught in the crossfire. How cynical can you get? What a capacity to lie shamefacedly. The bombs in Beirut with millimetric precision?
CHAVEZ (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): This is crossfire? He's thinking of a western, when people would shoot from the hip and somebody would be caught in the crossfire.
This is imperialist, fascist, assassin, genocidal, the empire and Israel firing on the people of Palestine and Lebanon. That is what happened. And now we hear, "We're suffering because we see homes destroyed.'
The president of the United States came to talk to the peoples -- to the peoples of the world. He came to say -- I brought some documents with me, because this morning I was reading some statements, and I see that he talked to the people of Afghanistan, the people of Lebanon, the people of Iran. And he addressed all these peoples directly.
And you can wonder, just as the president of the United States addresses those peoples of the world, what would those peoples of the world tell him if they were given the floor? What would they have to say?
And I think I have some inkling of what the peoples of the south, the oppressed people think. They would say, "Yankee imperialist, go home." I think that is what those people would say if they were given the microphone and if they could speak with one voice to the American imperialists.
And that is why, Madam President, my colleagues, my friends, last year we came here to this same hall as we have been doing for the past eight years, and we said something that has now been confirmed -- fully, fully confirmed.
CHAVEZ (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I don't think anybody in this room could defend the system. Let's accept -- let's be honest. The U.N. system, born after the Second World War, collapsed. It's worthless.
Oh, yes, it's good to bring us together once a year, see each other, make statements and prepare all kinds of long documents, and listen to good speeches, like Abel's (ph) yesterday, or President Mullah's (ph). Yes, it's good for that.
And there are a lot of speeches, and we've heard lots from the president of Sri Lanka, for instance, and the president of Chile.
But we, the assembly, have been turned into a merely deliberative organ. We have no power, no power to make any impact on the terrible situation in the world. And that is why Venezuela once again proposes, here, today, 20 September, that we re-establish the United Nations.
Last year, Madam, we made four modest proposals that we felt to be crucially important. We have to assume the responsibility our heads of state, our ambassadors, our representatives, and we have to discuss it.
The first is expansion, and Mullah (ph) talked about this yesterday right here. The Security Council, both as it has permanent and non-permanent categories, (inaudible) developing countries and LDCs must be given access as new permanent members. That's step one.
CHAVEZ (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Second, effective methods to address and resolve world conflicts, transparent decisions.
Point three, the immediate suppression -- and that is something everyone's calling for -- of the anti-democratic mechanism known as the veto, the veto on decisions of the Security Council.
Let me give you a recent example. The immoral veto of the United States allowed the Israelis, with impunity, to destroy Lebanon. Right in front of all of us as we stood there watching, a resolution in the council was prevented.
Fourthly, we have to strengthen, as we've always said, the role and the powers of the secretary general of the United Nations.
Yesterday, the secretary general practically gave us his speech of farewell. And he recognized that over the last 10 years, things have just gotten more complicated; hunger, poverty, violence, human rights violations have just worsened. That is the tremendous consequence of the collapse of the United Nations system and American hegemonistic pretensions.
Madam, Venezuela a few years ago decided to wage this battle within the United Nations by recognizing the United Nations, as members of it that we are, and lending it our voice, our thinking.
Our voice is an independent voice to represent the dignity and the search for peace and the reformulation of the international system; to denounce persecution and aggression of hegemonistic forces on the planet.
CHAVEZ (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): This is how Venezuela has presented itself. Bolivar's home has sought a nonpermanent seat on the Security Council.
Let's see. Well, there's been an open attack by the U.S. government, an immoral attack, to try and prevent Venezuela from being freely elected to a post in the Security Council.
The imperium is afraid of truth, is afraid of independent voices. It calls us extremists, but they are the extremists.
And I would like to thank all the countries that have kindly announced their support for Venezuela, even though the ballot is a secret one and there's no need to announce things.
But since the imperium has attacked, openly, they strengthened the convictions of many countries. And their support strengthens us.
Mercosur, as a bloc, has expressed its support, our brothers in Mercosur. Venezuela, with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, is a full member of Mercosur.
And many other Latin American countries, CARICOM, Bolivia have expressed their support for Venezuela. The Arab League, the full Arab League has voiced its support. And I am immensely grateful to the Arab world, to our Arab brothers, our Caribbean brothers, the African Union. Almost all of Africa has expressed its support for Venezuela and countries such as Russia or China and many others.
CHAVEZ (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I thank you all warmly on behalf of Venezuela, on behalf of our people, and on behalf of the truth, because Venezuela, with a seat on the Security Council, will be expressing not only Venezuela's thoughts, but it will also be the voice of all the peoples of the world, and we will defend dignity and truth.
Over and above all of this, Madam President, I think there are reasons to be optimistic. A poet would have said "helplessly optimistic," because over and above the wars and the bombs and the aggressive and the preventive war and the destruction of entire peoples, one can see that a new era is dawning.
As Sylvia Rodriguez (ph) says, the era is giving birth to a heart. There are alternative ways of thinking. There are young people who think differently. And this has already been seen within the space of a mere decade. It was shown that the end of history was a totally false assumption, and the same was shown about Pax Americana and the establishment of the capitalist neo-liberal world. It has been shown, this system, to generate mere poverty. Who believes in it now?
What we now have to do is define the future of the world. Dawn is breaking out all over. You can see it in Africa and Europe and Latin America and Oceanea. I want to emphasize that optimistic vision.
We have to strengthen ourselves, our will to do battle, our awareness. We have to build a new and better world.
Venezuela joins that struggle, and that's why we are threatened. The U.S. has already planned, financed and set in motion a coup in Venezuela, and it continues to support coup attempts in Venezuela and elsewhere.
CHAVEZ (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): President Michelle Bachelet reminded us just a moment ago of the horrendous assassination of the former foreign minister, Orlando Letelier.
And I would just add one thing: Those who perpetrated this crime are free. And that other event where an American citizen also died were American themselves. They were CIA killers, terrorists.
And we must recall in this room that in just a few days there will be another anniversary. Thirty years will have passed from this other horrendous terrorist attack on the Cuban plane, where 73 innocents died, a Cubana de Aviacion airliner.
And where is the biggest terrorist of this continent who took the responsibility for blowing up the plane? He spent a few years in jail in Venezuela. Thanks to CIA and then government officials, he was allowed to escape, and he lives here in this country, protected by the government.
And he was convicted. He has confessed to his crime. But the U.S. government has double standards. It protects terrorism when it wants to.
And this is to say that Venezuela is fully committed to combating terrorism and violence. And we are one of the people who are fighting for peace.
Luis Posada Carriles is the name of that terrorist who is protected here. And other tremendously corrupt people who escaped from Venezuela are also living here under protection: a group that bombed various embassies, that assassinated people during the coup. They kidnapped me and they were going to kill me, but I think God reached down and our people came out into the streets and the army was too, and so I'm here today.
But these people who led that coup are here today in this country protected by the American government. And I accuse the American government of protecting terrorists and of having a completely cynical discourse.
CHAVEZ (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): We mentioned Cuba. Yes, we were just there a few days ago. We just came from there happily.
And there you see another era born. The Summit of the 15, the Summit of the Nonaligned, adopted a historic resolution. This is the outcome document. Don't worry, I'm not going to read it.
But you have a whole set of resolutions here that were adopted after open debate in a transparent matter -- more than 50 heads of state. Havana was the capital of the south for a few weeks, and we have now launched, once again, the group of the nonaligned with new momentum.
And if there is anything I could ask all of you here, my companions, my brothers and sisters, it is to please lend your good will to lend momentum to the Nonaligned Movement for the birth of the new era, to prevent hegemony and prevent further advances of imperialism.
And as you know, Fidel Castro is the president of the nonaligned for the next three years, and we can trust him to lead the charge very efficiently.
Unfortunately they thought, "Oh, Fidel was going to die." But they're going to be disappointed because he didn't. And he's not only alive, he's back in his green fatigues, and he's now presiding the nonaligned.
So, my dear colleagues, Madam President, a new, strong movement has been born, a movement of the south. We are men and women of the south.
With this document, with these ideas, with these criticisms, I'm now closing my file. I'm taking the book with me. And, don't forget, I'm recommending it very warmly and very humbly to all of you.
CHAVEZ (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): We want ideas to save our planet, to save the planet from the imperialist threat. And hopefully in this very century, in not too long a time, we will see this, we will see this new era, and for our children and our grandchildren a world of peace based on the fundamental principles of the United Nations, but a renewed United Nations.
And maybe we have to change location. Maybe we have to put the United Nations somewhere else; maybe a city of the south. We've proposed Venezuela.
You know that my personal doctor had to stay in the plane. The chief of security had to be left in a locked plane. Neither of these gentlemen was allowed to arrive and attend the U.N. meeting. This is another abuse and another abuse of power on the part of the Devil. It smells of sulfur here, but God is with us and I embrace you all.
May God bless us all. Good day to you.
(APPLAUSE)

I'm a slacker....

Why is it so difficult for me to keep in touch with my friends? Most of my childhood friends are all over the world. Spread out further than I can reach with my pocket. But they are still my friends who I love and love me. When it comes right down to it, I’m so busy just getting through small things that happen, getting through my routine, dealing with obligations and duties (which I do the minimum of I must admit) the days gone, and their never seems to be any time. That’s what happens, but it does not mean that I really cant make the time… and if u get right down to it, it just seems that there isn’t much to say. My life’s boring, nothing is happening and there isn’t much to say. After all is that the sort of thing my friends would like to hear from me… the daily grind. Well I suppose interesting things that happen could be written up… but what i tend to write is about whats happening in my life, and whats not, and how I’m doing, and how I’m not. Such a summary really doesn’t have much space for a routine boring life, right. I should mail and keep in touch shouldn’t i… its so terrible not too. You tend to drift apart and then there is even less to say. Then u get an even smaller summary version.

Ahhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so bad at these things… I mean.. I don’t know why… I procrastinate on meeting friends and family who are here close by as well. Well they are not too close to heart… but I shouldn’t be like that should i. I should take my obligations more seriously and just do it.
I suppose when it comes right down to it,... I just need to do it and be more responsible.
… sigh!

International standards of reporting Vs responsible reporting

well everything seems to be happening here now... too much for anyone's liking. the most recent being yesterdays bombing (2 claymore mines) in Colombo (Green path road just before the liberty roundabout) targeting the Pakistani high commissioner returning from a Pakistan day celebration. he survived with some damages to his vehicle but SL security forces in his convoy died totalling 7. its getting tougher and tougher here. latest release by the tigers claim that they will target civilians in Colombo if the govt does not stop its attacks. schools are now closed for 2 weeks further to retaliation of a bombing of a 'possible' LTTE training camp. LTTE claim that school students had been having a 2 day first aid camp, while govt maintains that it was a training camp, and that the LTTE must have moved in some of its child soldiers prior to the attack.
well we do know that the LTTE have child soldiers in their thousands. and they do have to be trained somewhere. was this something like that? if it really was a firstaid camp - who was conducting it? ICRC/UNO? who? who were the supervising adults? whats the conflicting stories about an orphanage vs childrens firstaid camp.. questions to ponder i suppose

the aid worker story is controversial at best. as per the best knowledge available LTTE retreated on friday late night, while govt pulled in early morning sat. its difficult to say if they had been killed before or aft either movement. independent investigations are being carried out.
- no one can out rightly carry a story claiming one side did it.

what really irks me about all this is the highly biased international 'reporting' or propaganda that takes place. i mean look at this story in the 'The Independent'... "Srilanka accused of killing civilians and aid workers" !!! comeon. the headlines are sensational and misleading! of course it says accused - but that's not the impression given and the story itself is highly biased, with facts about the govt being sieved out to make it appear like this is solely the govt responsibility. even stations like BBC are ridiculous reporting agencies that cannot be trusted to report the news. today their main headline is the closure of the local schools, while the Pak ambassador bombing story is sidelined to a para within this story. and i need not add that the content in the story is also highly biased. same in the Independent. what is with these British newspapers?

i can understand local reporting being biased, but its disgusting that the 'international' media cannot undertake responsible reporting - their standards are simply ridiculous. i'v written to the bbc, but they wont print my comments! ha ha ha!

alot more triangulation of info is now needed if we are to be able to sift out the real news. the local stations should be able to give better details than the international ones, and since u no that they are biased u can factor it in.

anyway, pardon my emotions getting the best of me - its just wrong what is happening - reporters (ranked before lawyers in my mind!) feeding each others weaknesses and emotions, twisting everything up to make the most sensational story - and in turn jeopardising chances this (or any) country has of solving its problems...

ranting and raving

Isnt it really sad when people move away? i'v been in this situation a number of times, some where i have left, others have left, i didnt want to leave, had to leave.. all sorts of combinations. its terrible, heartbreaking. i want to say i hate it, but i know i dont.. coz such amazing things tend to happen. you grow up, broaden your horizons, meet new people, see new places, new experience etc.. the list goes on. theres so much that we learn and grow and ... like i once said... change its constant, and i hate it!
seriously.. its pretty terrible when it happens too fast to handle. and its terrible when its too slow... so slow that you feel like nothings happening in your life- its a drag! ahhhghg! how do you strike a proper balance? actually... u cant. life just gives it to you the way it wants and theres nothing u can do but suck it all in! but what you can count on is - that if you really want it to slow down- it will go faster. and if you want it to go fast - it will slow to a crawl.
terrible isnt it. almost as bad as murphy's law.

anyway getting back to people leaving - o it sucks! i mean u are so used to them being a constant influence, and then they up and vanish. now while i'm complaining... i'm feeling really guilty coz there are so many people who are here, but i have lost touch with, simply coz i dont have the time, cant be bothered, etc. thats terrible isnt it? i mean these are still people that i feel are my friends, and i was really close to at one point of time. what prevents me from picking up the phone and calling them? well... to be really truthful... i just dont have much to say. i mean... nothings happening that much really. well on a macro scale there isnt. so not much to fill them in on. on a micro scale there is always lots - some of which tend to be the ramblings in my head. but yeah.. uno day to day problems and issues, scattered with a few good things that only i care about. so i mean, really, what do i talk about? uno substantial stuff.. not chit chat. i doubt anyone wants to come and take a sneak peak at the mess in my head and the moutains and creating with mole hills! sometimes i do, bore the hell out of my poor friends with all this detail... then they tend to avoid me i think. actually why have meaningful conversations with people... most of them dont really want to, they just want to have a good time. so maybe after this.. i should just keep inviting people out for coffee and catch up a bit while having a good time and thus distracting myself from the chit chat! actually tho i complain so much... doesnt necessarily mean i dont like chit chat.. i probably is that i'm just not good at it. ha haha!
its the heat i tell u, its the heat!

Change anyone?

What do u think about people who all of a sudden change?.. turn over a new leaf… turn their lives upside down, themselves inside out.. whatever. U get the picture right? Yeah.. so what do u think? Scary isn’t it. Kind of makes u feel like, ‘hey, did I really know that person’! and this of course is apart from the fact that u’r thinking, “holy mother of god!!!!!!! when did this happen???????? and just when u think u know someone.....tsk tsk tsk...”
And I’m not just talking about some tomboyish girl wanting to wear a skirt – not implicating anybody here :D I’m talking about people just turning their life around some guy/ girl or the new ‘hep/nerd’ friends, or society/ club they joined, or the new job they got.
Do u think it could be the heat?
Actually to be truthful… change is kinda good. I know its cliché but it is after all the only constant thing in life. So how do we handle it. I for example am really bad at it. I love my routine, everything’s timed and planned, and I rarely stray from it, and only… kicking and screaming. I like to know what’s in store, what to expect, where to go, what to do, i like stability - for example i really cant do much travelling around, a small stint and i need to get back to my haven… plus i need sometime to myself, to think and ponder about stuff, and basically time to myself to recharge myself.
I don’t like the uneasiness or queasiness of uncertainty. It unnerves me. I suppose in essence I change and grow (I’m really big on growth..!) but I suppose in essence I’m still the same little naïve wide eyed kid I used to be. People will tell u that half the time I have this dazed look on my face… I think that’s coz if I’m in my routine… theres not need for me to concentrate, and there are so many fantastic places to go (in my mind).
I’m a bit of a dreamer I suppose…

Apples and Wine...

a little tired of the seroius melodramatic stuff... time to chill .. eh?
for all the women out there... check the one below!

Women are like apples on trees. The best ones are at the top of the tree. Most men don't want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt. Instead they sometimes take the apples from the ground that aren't as good, but easy. The apples at the top think something is wrong with them, when in reality, they are amazing. They justhave to wait for the right man to come along, the one brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree.

Now Men.......Men are like a fine wine. They begin as grapes, and it's up to women to stomp the shit out of them until they turn into something acceptable...

:D

eh...
dont apples also get stomped on to make cinder?
:o