Over 700 immigrants drowned ...

Tuesday, April 28, 2015



More than 4,000 dead in the earthquake in Nepal ... Emergency due to Calbuco volcano eruption in Chile ... And the ineffective, unsupportive and complicit International Community

No, it is not with the present lack of solidarity how these tremendous challenges will be solved, mitigated or prevented.  They urgently require joint efforts, with a detailed preparation in order to act quickly, effectively... and timely!

The solution of the terrible and lethal problem of desperate emigrants, dying of hunger and abandonment... will be not solved with meetings of the European leaders. It is not preventing them from entering but facilitating them to live with dignity in their hometowns. This was considered at the United Nations some decades ago, establishing the great United Nations Program for Development (UNDP) whose purpose was precisely to promote endogenous development which would benefit both natives and foreigners. But international cooperation became exploitation and aid was substituted by loans granted under draconian conditions. Later, the neoliberalism substituted the United Nations by groups of the most prosperous countries on earth (G-6, G-7, G-8 ... G20) and were the "markets" rather than the Nation-States that took the reins of common destiny in hand.


No, this is not how we should proceed. It is not what we owe to our brothers who suffer these immense tragedies. It is rebuilding the ethical principles and fully exercising the responsibilities of all worlds’ citizens and their representatives in governments, refounding a multilateralism able to act with great determination and efficiency, that the world could transit through the paths of a new era.

If a “turning point” is not quickly promoted in current trends, the social inequalities and shamelessness will not only increase but the own habitability of the Earth will be harmed with a total intergenerational irresponsibility. It is this and not another "welfare" that should worry us. We live blinded by the immediacy and now it is time to take off for a flight towards the future that our descendents fully deserve.

There are many things that cannot be accepted to continue as "unavoidable". It cannot be to lack the mechanisms to enable prompt implementation of international law; it cannot be tolerated the impunity of the traffickers of all kinds ; it cannot be that less than one hundred people possess a richness higher than half of humanity; it cannot be that large economic consortiums are who decide instead of democratic governments ...

No, it cannot be that in Nepal the international assistance should be improvised with admirable and heroic people who show their solidarity in such an extent of extraordinary heroism when, as has been proposed repeatedly, should exist within a refounded United Nations, a global center of coordination of local and regional institutions specifically prepared to act on different natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, etc.) or man-made, so the kind of assistance and attention is reached, with the modern technology, rapidly and efficiently.

No, it cannot be that when so many human beings (80% of humanity in a progressive gradient of scarcities) live on minimum conditions for a decent life, huge amounts in arms and military expenditures continue to be invested.

I insist on it, because it is an everyday stimulus for me. It is unacceptable that millions of dollars are daily invested on security of the most prosperous when thousands of persons are dying of hunger.

Ladies and gentlemen representatives of the various European States: reflect and quickly change the current lines of action. Otherwise, it is not foreseeable that the citizens, who can now speak freely, keep distracted and obedient.

The solution is genuine education at all levels



Education to be "free and responsible" as proclaimed in the Constitution of UNESCO, which says in its preamble that humanity must be guided by "democratic principles."  Education to act upon one’s own reflections and not upon the dictates of others or of anything.

Education that the PISA reports mislead with training, skills and abilities.

True education is to be independent (but not "indifferent" as Prof.  Ángel Gabilondo will point out, because he knows what it is and what involves, in different degrees, promoting efficient educational processes).

Education for all throughout life. All students, all educators. Now, longevity is an immense treasure of knowledge and wisdom, usually unexplored.

Our hope is every human being able to create.  Due to this, philosophy and artistic education should be always promoted to favor the invention of the future.

"It is better an example than a hundred sermons." This should be known by the ones who represent "We, the peoples", and consider that education is the responsibility of school and teachers when it is everyone's responsibility, starting with the most “visible”, the most politically involved.

In the digital era, with the ability to express ourselves, with the possibility of knowing what is happening around the world, and the woman finally participating in the decision-making, genuine education is the priority and the solution.

Before long, human beings will stop being invisible, frightened, silent and impassive and the transition from subjects to full citizens will take place at last, after centuries of anonymity and irrelevance.

The world citizens will be able to "change of course and ship", as José Luis Sampedro quoted. Only with education, science, culture and communication, the reins of destiny will be in one’s own hands and not upon others. Only then “equality, liberty and justice” will be achieved, quoting Gabilondo again.

Complicit silence

Monday, April 20, 2015



When we remain silent rather than raise our voice, in a popular outcry against the immense injustice against the excesses of big power groups, against the growing disparities that lead many human beings to live -and die- in the endless misfortunes, in extreme poverty ... we are committing a crime of silence, being complicit, -"complicit silence" as lucidly defined by Pope Francis- of inhuman indignities that go against all ethical values and, above all, its basis: the equal dignity.

Ignorance cannot be adduced ... because now we know what is happening worldwide. Now the neighbor is not necessarily close. Now it is necessary to raise the voice, to claim ... because, at last, "the peoples" -as the Charter of the United Nations starts- have the progressive possibility to express freely.


When we consider as aninexorable side effect" of the current economic system hundreds of migrants risking their lives (and losing it, very often) because in their countries of origin die of abandonment ... complicit silence.

When we see that most countries are reducing their contributions assigned to promote sustainable and human development rather than increasing them... complicit silence.

What does the World Bank do "for reconstruction and development"? And what do the IMF and the European Central Bank? ... What is their immediate response to the horror of more than 700 people drowned trying to reach the borders of the countries that should help them and that have substituted cooperation by exploitation? In Spain, we have reduced in the last four years from 0.51% of GDP to 0.09. It is not  attending to more "summits" and Eurogroup meetings, specialists in debt and risk premiums, but announcing the rapid transfer of funds both nationally and internationally (United Nations Program for Development, UNDP) that the present situation could be improved. In other case... complicit silence.

When FAO warns us of thousands of people who are dying of hunger every day, mostly children of one to five years old, while 3 billion dollars a day are invested in weapons and military expenditures... and we do not react demanding a radical change in a corrupt system that changed ethical values by stock markets and substituted the United Nations by plutocratic groups (G6, G7, G8 ... G20) ...  complicit silence.

When Oxfam reports that 85 people have a wealth equivalent to half of humanity (approx. 3,300 million of human beings) and we continue impassive accepting the increasing gap in such a painful way (and dangerous) between marginalized and the prosperous)... complicit silence.


When we continue tolerating trafficking of all kinds by mafias who act with complete impunity at supranational space, while tax havens are becoming saturated by dark advantages of deplorable activities, and we do not demand an urgent re-foundation of a United Nations System provided with the capability and means for international justice to act quickly and effectively ... complicit silence.

When we tolerate that the Republican Party of the United States continues keeping death penalty and executions in States that rules, giving a very bad example on retentionist countries (only now 25% remains!); and has opposed the International Criminal Court and has not signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and the World Trade Organization has been placed out of the United Nations; and have led the invasion of Iraq based on lies; and with "greed and irresponsibility" have promoted the current production relocation ... complicit silence.

When we have witnessed, outraged but not involved, that after sixty years of repeated opposition to conclude a peace agreement with Palestine (which was about to be reached with Isaac Rabin, who was assassinated), and see how Israeli settlements are increasing in the West Bank ... and how are bombarded in the Gaza Strip in a disproportionate and deadly reaction, hospitals and schools of the United Nations...; and when the Prime Minister Netanyahu, for electoral purposes and disobeying the repeated Resolutions of the UN, expresses that will not recognize the Palestinian State ... complicit silence.




When we know that environment deterioration processes are being produced and that several may become irreversible, seriously compromising the future habitability of the Earth ... and we do not denounce, and we continue being silent ..., complicit silence.

When in Europe, so wisely established in 1950 by politicians such as Robert Schumann - "Europe should be invented" the guidelines of a monetary union, which has not been preceded by an economic and political union are accepted... and the peoples have not raised the voice when markets had the shamelessness to appoint directly, without polls, the governments of Italy and Greece, the cradle of democracy ..., complicit silence.

When obediently satisfy debts and simultaneously accept the legal gadgets that allow fiscal discretion and that help to conceal evasion ... complicit silence.

When...

When ...

Now, for the first time since the beginning of time the world's citizens know progressively what happens and can express themselves freely; now the woman, the cornerstone of the new era that is coming, can gradually be involved in decision-making, we should strongly promote the ending of  commercial laws and plutocracy and its substitution by one based on the " democratic principles "(established in the Constitution of UNESCO) and with the re-founded United Nations, provided by a weighted voting but without veto, with an Assembly General of 50% of States and 50% of civil society seeking radical changes which demand respect and conscience.

This is not only to express "horror" to the 700 victims who only yesterday produced mercantilist lack of solidarity and blindness. It deals with implementing urgently the priorities established by the United Nations (food, water, health, environment, education and peace).

The public outcry will enable the transition from a secular culture of imposition, domain, violence and war to a culture of encounter, dialogue, reconciliation, alliance and peace.

The time for silence is over. Pope Francis and President Obama could lead the mobilization that the majority of people on Earth dream.

From force to the word, the great historical turning point is coming if we raise our voices and stop keeping complicit silence.

Short news for long reflections:

Monday, April 6, 2015



(list of news published in “El País” on April 3, 2015)

1. "A key step towards nuclear pact"

- "Iran and the balance of power in the Middle East"

-"Netanyahu indicates that the agreement is a threat to Israel" ... next, as expected, the ultraconservative Republican John Boehner, Chairman of the US Congress, which, as the vast majority of Republicans, thought that, as in the case of Iraq, the best solution was the war.

From the "Axis of evil" to agreement, from the Republicans of Bush to Democrats of Obama, from war to peace.


2. The Foster Tower, 324 million for the rental: "Bankia has earned 324 million Euros in 2014 for the rental of the Foster Tower building owned 100% of the company through its subsidiary Torre Norte Castellana to a group of Luxembourg investment, who allocated the asset to be the new CEPSA headquarters”.

This is the current economic system! Do you understand now? Do you understand the relationship between macro and micro economics?

3. "The effort of the rich countries against the global warming  ‘is just moderate’”

- "A total of 32 developed countries, which are responsible for nearly 80% of emissions of greenhouse gases in the industrialized world have already submitted their plans for the UN to mitigate climate change ... The target set by the scientists would be a reduction of between 40 and 70% of emissions by mid-century compared to 2010 and 80 to 90% compared to 1990 "... This is what should be fulfilled strictly, according to the unavoidable intergenerational responsibilities. To ensure the habitability of the planet and a decent life for all human beings (in the ecological quality there are no classes, affecting everyone equally), requires with special urgency the reestablishment of a United Nations System that has the moral and legal authority to avoid reaching no returning points in such serious issues as the ecological legacy.

xxxxxxx

Three news on the same day that should make us react in social networks expressing our opinion. By the way, at election time, would not it be nice to think that some of the programs are taking seriously the urgent environmental problems?