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Gaza: Where Have All The Activists Gone?

I have always thought that those who resort to violence or those who go as far as exploding themselves are sick and inhuman. But now I know how it feels to have nothing to lose but your worthless life. I know how it feels to be so desperate that you literally cry from disappointment when you actually wake up in the morning, and to spend the night before asking God for a last favor … to take your life because you’re just too cowardly to take it yourself. #‎Gaza‬ is no longer a city or a territory. It is a disease. It is an unbearable pain, an un-treatable wound. Gaza is the opposite of life, but at the same time far beyond death.

This is the Facebook post to which I woke up yesterday, written by Maisam Morr, one of the few Gazans who typically serve as my “rocks” – resilient spirits who never give up, and keep my hope alive that we can beat back the grinding, dehumanizing force that is the Israeli occupation. She is the one who dreamed up the Rubble Bucket Challenge (the Palestinian response to the ALS ice bucket), and who – in the midst of the unremitting “gray” of the destruction that is Gaza – asked for a pink laptop for her birthday. And yet now, she was succumbing.

The breaking point for Maisam was the announcement Sunday that Israel had closed its two crossings into Gaza for all but the most critical humanitarian aid, in response to the firing of a single rocket fired. No injuries or property damage resulted, and no groups in Gaza claimed responsibility or credit. According to Maisam, “almost all Gazans swear that it is some sort of a trick (a planned trap) to open another front with Israel.” F16s are now flying low over Gaza again, as if on cue.

According to news reports, Israel had not decided how long the crossing would be closed. “It will depend on the security situation.” There’s that code phrase…”security situation” – a cover for just about any action Israel chooses to take, and which no one in the international community (in the West at least) is courageous enough to challenge. (Update: the crossings re-opened today, and Palestinian officials said 330 truckloads of goods, as well as one of cement, would be allowed in. Seriously? ONE truckload of cement? In a way, I think that’s how Israel uses closures – as a device to make Gazans happy for crumbs when they come.)

Meanwhile, in the wake of the Oct. 24 attack on an army checkpoint in the northern Sinai that killed 31 soldiers, Egypt has emulated Israel. It declared a three-month lockdown in the area, including a dawn-to-dusk curfew, and indefinitely closed the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s only non-Israeli-controlled bridge to the outside world. Meanwhile, Egypt is demolishing an estimated 800 homes housing 10,000 residents to set up its own buffer zone along the border with Gaza (546 yards wide, 8 miles long). As with the Israeli rocket, no group claimed responsibility, yet the Egyptian government has been quick to implicate Hamas and other Gaza-based “terror groups.” In addition to slamming its doors shut to thousands of Palestinians seeking medical treatment or opportunities to study abroad, the Egyptian government canceled indefinitely the indirect talks between Israelis and Hamas on a long-term truce.

“My dearest Egypt,” wrote Maisam on her blog. “You treat me like an infectious disease. You see me as a threat to your national security while all I ever wanted is to protect my life, my dignity and my very being. Forgive me for being so selfish and so blind for I simply cannot understand how come my call for freedom collides with your mighty security. Only few years ago, I thought we fought a shared enemy but it looks like that I AM the enemy.”

Abu Marzouk, deputy chairman of Hamas’ political bureau and a member of the Palestinian reconciliation delegation, describes the closures as collective punishment, in contradiction of all understandings, agreements and international law, and adds that it will be impossible to sit idly by. And can you blame him? Since the ceasefire was announced on Aug. 26, two Palestinian rockets were shot by unknown parties. Israel, however, has violated it 19 times by shooting at fishermen and farmers, and opened the crossings on an extremely limited basis – far less than implied by the spirit of the ceasefire terms. (It doesn’t help that Israel wants the “civilian nature” of every project to be verified by Israeli and U.N. officials.) See my blog post for a complete listing of ceasefire violations and an overall status report.

Yet, Nicole Ganz, spokeswoman for the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, says the Palestinian Authority has yet to file a complaint. And the international activist community? It sometimes seems it takes a war to mobilize us in mass numbers as well – which explains why we’re all focused on Syria and Iraq, with barely a mention or attempt to push back on the daily deteriorations in Gaza and the West Bank.

“During the war, I was getting messages all the time from foreigners who wanted to help, who promised to help me get out for a bit after it was over,” recalls Maisam. “But now..nothing. Even during the war, I never felt like I wanted to die. This is new to me. I guess we’ll just keep breathing until we stop.”

Source: http://mondoweiss.net

November 6, 2014
Singaporeans Extend Help to Cheated Vietnamese

The situation of Vietnamese tourist Mr Pham Van Thoai, 28, has exploded online, inciting many Singaporeans to come forward with donations — which now amounts to more than $10,000.

The Vietnamese tourist was on holiday with his girlfriend in Singapore and decided to buy the iPhone 6 for her at Mobile Air in Sim Lim Square.

He is reportedly a factory worker with a monthly income of $200 and took months to save up for the phone as his girlfriend’s birthday present. To his surprise, he was asked to fork out another $1,500 on top of the original $950 charged — for the one-year warranty package. He was told that he did not pay up, he could not leave with the phone.

He then tearfully begged for a refund but was not given one.

CASE officers were called in subsequently and the couple got back a refund of $400.

A crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo was set up on Nov 4 by Gabriel Kang, who aimed to raise US$1,000 to help Mr Pham buy an iPhone for his girlfriend.

In just 2 days, It has now reached a total of more than US$10,000.

With the excess money, Gabriel hopes to give an all-expenses paid dream trip back to Singapore for Mr Pham and his girlfriend — which had been ruined previously.

According to Shin Min Daily News, on Nov 5, a kind female manager known as Ms Liang, 38, has already given Mr Pham $550.

She hopes to remedy the situation, showing them that Singapore is not a terrible place.

Lianhe Zaobao reported that Mr Pham has accepted the $550 and has already bought the new phone for his girlfriend.

He expressed that he does not wish to accept any more help.

“I lost $550. So I will accept only $550 donated by kind people. Nothing more. I’m grateful for all your kindness but I do not want to take more than what I’ve lost,” he told the Chinese newspaper.

Mobile Air also made headlines recently for refunding a woman $1,010 in coins, which included one-cents and five-cents.

Locals have also tried to get justice by exposing the Sim Lim shop owner, Jover Chew, online.

Source: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg

November 6, 2014
Ng Eng Hen Justifies $25,900 English Language Course for PLA Officer

SINGAPORE: Officers from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) participate in exchanges with other militaries for staff college courses.

The staff college courses attended are useful to establish good relationships with the militaries of other countries, and understand their perspectives, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Wednesday (Nov 5). When incidents occur, they can also be very useful resource persons on the ground.

“So for these reasons, militaries all over have for many years exchanged officers to each other’s courses to establish better ties,” he said.

Dr Ng said this in response to a question from Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Lina Chiam. Mrs Chiam had asked about a tender that had been called to provide an English Language course for an officer from China’s People’s Liberation Army.

Dr Ng noted that the language of instruction can pose a problem for officers who attend courses run by other militaries, and language proficiency is important if the officers are to benefit from the course.

“For some foreign officers who attend SAF’s military courses, we have to help them gain language proficiency so that they can benefit from their time here,” he said, adding that Singapore’s military officers spend time gaining language proficiency when they go to other countries for the same purpose.

Dr Ng said that one officer from the People’s Liberation Army required a personalised 360-hour English Language course. The Defence Ministry had put out a tender on the Government’s e-procurement portal, and awarded the contract to the lowest offer that met the requirements. This came to S$25,900, which amounted to about S$70 per hour.

Dr Ng emphasised that this was in strict compliance with the Government’s regulations.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

November 6, 2014
French Company Produces Halal Test-Kits

PARIS: A French start-up is hoping to take a slice of the multi-billion Halal food market with a device allowing diners to find out within minutes whether a dish contains pork.

Capital Biotech has received orders from as far afield as Turkey, Chile and Indonesia for its “Halal Test” which tests within 10 minutes whether a food contains pork meat, forbidden for Muslims and Jews.

Launched only a fortnight ago, the company has won nearly 100,000 (US$135,000) in orders, a “surprise” according to co-founder Jean-Francois Julien.

The company acknowledges that the test, a one-use device costing 6.90 euros (S$11.16), does not constitute a complete “Halal” test, which also requires information about how the animal was slaughtered. But it “allows you to dispel a one-off doubt, for example when you are on holiday or when a new “Halal” product hits the market,” said Julien.

To use the device, the cautious diner mixes a small amount of food with hot water and inserts a small strip into the mixture. The strip tests for pork proteins and takes less than 10 minutes.

France’s five million Muslims (the largest population in Europe) have been hit with food scandals – in 2011, “Halal” sausages were discovered to contain pork – and want to be sure they are not eating forbidden food, said Abbas Bendali from marketing firm Solis.

Capital Biotech believes however that 70 percent of its sales will eventually come from professionals who want a quick way of testing whether food is suitable for non-pork eaters.

Bendali said the cost of the device would inevitably deter individuals “at a time of economic crisis.” “It’s difficult to invest seven euros to test a bowl of pasta that costs three,” he said. Muslims are more reassured by “a genuine Halal certificate,” he said.

A FIRST, BUT CAUTION

But the firm is not limiting itself just to pork, hoping to make itself the firm of reference for tests on all types of food allergies. It intends to launch soon a range of tests for soya, egg or almonds – all potential allergens – in ready meals.

The firm will then roll out tests for gluten, peanut or milk. In the long-run, the start-up plans to extend its quick-fire testing to pharmaceutical products. However, Faycal Bennatif, marketing director of the world’s top biological analysis group Eurofins, told AFP it was not down to the consumer to perform quality tests on food products.

In the wake of the horsemeat scandal that rocked Europe last year, Eurofins has been inundated for requests to test meat products but has not developed a quick-fire test. “We work with DNA sequencing in the lab which is not at all the same method,” said Bennatif, adding he was “dubious” as to how efficient the new quick tests were.

Capital Biotech’s “Halal tests” do not require authorisation to be launched on the market, estimated at 5.5 billion euros (US$6.8 billion) in France alone, although authorities will examine the reliability of the testing method.

Expert in allergens, Jocelyne Just said the tests were a “first” but should be treated with caution “in the sense that a patient can be allergic to one food form but not another, for example to raw milk but not pasteurised.”

As for Capital Biotech, the start-up already has its eye on the next market by securing domain names for “kosher tests”.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

November 6, 2014
MOM Not Doing Enough to Police Credentials of Foreigners Seeking to Work In Singapore?
Yesterday (4 Nov), NCMP Gerald Giam from WP posed a question in Parliament about Govt’s plan to check on the credentials of foreigners coming to work in Singapore, in light of recent cases of FTs using fake degrees to obtain Employment Pass (EP) to work in Singapore.

Specifically, Mr Giam asked:

To ask the Minister for Manpower what are the Government’s plans to facilitate credential checks on foreigners coming to work in Singapore in light of cases of foreigners on employment passes who are revealed to have used false credentials.

Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin replied that the EP eligibility framework is based on a range of factors, such as the applicant’s:

salary level

qualifications

experience

This is to help identify individuals that are likely to possess expertise and capabilities to contribute to the Singapore economy, Mr Tan said.

“Hence, possessing acceptable qualifications alone does not guarantee that the EP application will be approved. Conversely, not possessing acceptable qualifications does not automatically rule one out of being eligible for an EP,” he added.

Mr Tan said that in 2012, MOM tightened the legislation and increased penalties for making false statements or submitting false documents in support of work pass application, including those relating to academic qualifications. Offenders may be fined up to $20,000 and/or imprisoned up to two years.

“Since 2012 to the first half of 2014, we have successfully prosecuted about 150 foreigners for false credentials. All were sentenced to imprisonment terms and subsequently had their work passes revoked and were barred from working in Singapore,” he said.

Mr Tan also revealed that MOM has taken a risk-based approach to improve and strengthen the credential checks, including:

supplementing checks with third-party overseas screening agencies

verifying the authenticity of certificates directly with the issuing educational institution

requiring the applicant to upload proof of diplomas and higher qualifications authentication

“MOM will take strong actions against those who make false declarations in work pass applications. If members of the public know of such offences, they should report the matter to MOM,” Mr Tan added.

Yang Yin’s EP approved in 2009

One of the high profile cases featured in the media recently was Yang Yin, a former PRC tour guide who eventually became a PR and grassroots member in Singapore.

The Chinese media earlier reported that Yang had allegedly obtained money from 82-year-old widow Mdm Chung Khin Chun to procure a fake degree in China (‘Yang alleged to have bought fake degree for S$4,000‘).

An acceptance letter supposedly from the “University of Financial and Trade Beijing China” (北京财经贸易学院) showing that Yang was apparently “accepted” by the university to study for a bachelor’s degree in 2006, was produced:

He was said to have graduated later in July 2009 (‘PRC Yang “graduated” from unknown university in 2009‘).

The Chinese media also reported that the said university cannot be found in the official university listing from China’s Ministry of Education.

TRE also searched the Internet using the university’s name (北京财经贸易学院) and found many interesting entries. One of them was a question posted on a Chinese forum in November 2012, asking if it is too expensive to buy a degree from the said university for CNY8,000 (S$1,600) [Link]. Other postings said the university does not exist [Link].

And then, there was a news article published in July this year, exposing a list of 150 fake universities in China [Link]. 北京财经贸易学院 is listed as one of them:

Yang set up a company in 2009 with Mdm Chung and obtained his EP to work and stay in Singapore. According to ACRA records [Link], the company, Young Music & Dance Studio, only has a paid-up capital of $10,000.

To qualify for an EP in 2009, the foreign PMET had to be paid at least $3,000 in salary. At the time when Yang’s EP was approved, MOM was under the purview of Minister Gan Kim Yong.

MOM said it’s investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, Yang has been slapped with 11 charges (‘‘Foreign talent’ Yang Yin slapped with 11 charges‘) on 31 Oct. He was accused of falsifying the accounts of Young Music & Dance StudioPte Ltd between 2009 and 2014 while being a director of the company.

Court papers stated that Mr Yang had “wilfully” falsified receipts of payment to Young Music and Dance Studio, when there were no such payments. He was said to have created fictitious receipts reflecting payments for “painting” and “piano classes”. The payments range from $1,000 to $5,500. In other words, he is alleged to have created fictitious revenue for the company so as to pay his monthly salary “legally” in order to support his EP.

Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com
November 6, 2014