Jeremy Corbyn, Tony Blair and the ghost of the Iraq war

Must read, today in The Guardian:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/aug/05/tony-blair-could-face-trial-illegal-iraq-war-jeremy-corbyn?CMP=twt_gu


Iraq war inquiry

Tony Blair could face trial over 'illegal' Iraq war, says Jeremy Corbyn

Corbyn, the Labour leadership frontrunner, claims Chilcot report may lead to ‘consequences’ for former PM over decisions made during 2003 invasion

Nicholas Watt Chief political correspondent

Wednesday 5 August 2015 07.13 BST

 Tony Blair arriving at Basra airport in Iraq in December 2004 for meetings with senior military officers. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

Tony Blair should stand trial on charges of war crimes if the evidence suggests he broke international law over the “illegal” Iraq war in 2003, the Labour leadership frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn has said.

Corbyn called on the former prime minister to “confess” the understandings he reached with George W Bush in the run up to the invasion.

Asked on BBC Newsnight whether Blair should stand trial on war crimes charges, Corbyn said: “If he has committed a war crime, yes. Everybody who has committed a war crime should be.”

The veteran MP for Islington North was a high-profile opponent of the war and became a leading member of the Stop the War coalition. He said: “It was an illegal war. I am confident about that. Indeed Kofi Annan [UN secretary general at the time of the war] confirmed it was an illegal war and therefore [Tony Blair] has to explain to that. Is he going to be tried for it? I don’t know. Could he be tried for it? Possibly.”

Corbyn said he expects the eventual publication of the Chilcot report will force Blair to explain his discussions with President Bush in the runup to the war.

He said: “The Chilcot report is going to come out sometime. I hope it comes out soon. I think there are some decisions Tony Blair has got to confess or tell us what actually happened. What happened in Crawford, Texas, in 2002 in his private meetings with George [W] Bush. Why has the Chilcot report still not come out because – apparently there is still debate about the release of information on one side or the other of the Atlantic. At that point Tony Blair and the others that have made the decisions are then going to have to deal with the consequences of it.”

On Newsnight, Corbyn made clear that he is opposed to British involvement in air strikes against Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria. Prime minister David Cameron is hoping to win parliamentary support to extend Britain’s involvement in the aerial bombing of Isis targets from Iraq to Syria.

Corbyn said: “I would want to isolate Isis. I don’t think going on a bombing campaign in Syria is going to bring about their defeat. I think it would make them stronger. I am not a supporter of military intervention. I am a supporter of isolating Isis and bringing about a coalition of the region against them.”

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Read more:

Iraq inquiry: 

Cameron to demand Chilcot name publication date

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ESCALE IMAGINAIRE A SAINT-NAZAIRE ET VALPARAISO

Avec mon article pour Toute la Culture - au menu : musique et street art...

[INTERVIEW]

LES ESCALES DE SAINT-NAZAIRE METTENT VALPARAISO À L’HONNEUR

4 août 2015 Par Melissa Chemam

http://toutelaculture.com/musique/world-music/interview-les-escales-de-saint-nazaire-mettent-valperaiso-a-lhonneur/

Les Festival Les Escales de Saint-Nazaire tiendra sa 24ème édition les 7 et 8 août prochain, comme chaque année, dans la zone portuaire de la ville. Après Istanbul l’an dernier et Tucson, Arizona, il y a deux ans, cette année la ville invitée de ce festival dédié aux brassages culturels est la cité chilienne de Valparaiso. Plus d’une vingtaine d’artistes, musiciens et graffeurs, y sont attendus, dont les Chiliens DJ Nakeye et La Robot de Madera, mais aussi la chanteuse israélienne Yaël Naïm ou encore le jazzman tunisien Dhafer Youssef. 

Entretien avec Jérôme Gaboriau, le programmateur du festival

« L’île dite du Petit Maroc est entourée par les eaux, un bassin, l’estuaire de Saint-Nazaire et l’océan », explique Jérôme Gaboriau. « Cela en fait un lieu très poétique, invitant à découvrir les cultures qui ont fait escales au cours des siècles dans le port, c’est tout le sens du Festival ».

Valparaiso, capitale culturelle du Chili, est au cœur de la programmation de cette édition 2015, avec tout ce qu’elle révèle de la culture en plein renouveau du pays d’Amérique latine, où de nombreux artistes revisitent les traditions anciennes voire oubliées, à l’aune du récent boom économique et aidée par la distance historique. « Notre plateau d’invités est unique en Europe et notre but est d’exposer la diversité musicale et artistique de la ville », précise Jérôme Gaboriau. Le groupe traditionnelLa Isla de la Fantasia côtoiera les performances des dernières stars du hip-hop chilien comme DJ Nakeye.

Outre la diversité musicale de la ville, les Escales présentent aussi l’incontournable vitalité de l’univers du graffiti, en plein essor à Valparaiso, où la ville est recouverte de murales multicolores. Les graffeurs Inti et La Robot de Madera sont arrivés du Chili vendredi dernier pour entamer une immense fresque sur le port qui sera dévoilée vendredi 7 août.

Parmi les artistes des autres continents, notons la présence des musiciens maliens Salif Keita et Cheick Tidiane Seck & Amadou Bagayoko, du joueur d’oud tunisien Dhafer Youssef et de l’orchestre du Bal de L’Afrique Enchantée ainsi que du groupe de percussionnistes ukrainiennes Dakhabrakha, qui ont promis de faire passer un message politique, alors que les deux navires de guerres français commandés par Poutine et construits à Saint-Nazaire sont finalement restés au sol du fait de la crise entre l’Ukraine et la Russie…

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Deadly Milestone as Mediterranean Migrant Deaths Pass 2,000 (IOM)

From the International Organisation for Migration:

Deadly Milestone as Mediterranean Migrant Deaths Pass 2,000

Migrants rescued in the Channel of Sicily. © IOM/Francesco Malavolta 2015

Italy - Over 2,000 migrants have died so far this year trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe, confirming this as the deadliest route for migrants in search of a better life. In the same period last year, 1,607 migrants perished. A total of 3,279 lost their lives in 2014.

As in 2014, the overwhelming majority died in the Channel of Sicily on the Central Mediterranean route connecting Libya and Italy, where unseaworthy vessels used by smugglers and traffickers significantly increase the likelihood of tragedies occurring.

Statistics suggest that the Central Mediterranean route is far more dangerous than other routes.  While Italy and Greece have this year experienced similar inflows of migrants (approximately 97,000 and 90,500 respectively), the death rates are very different. Approximately 1,930 people lost their lives trying to reach Italy, but only about 60 died trying to reach Greece.

The latest tragic loss of life which took the total number of deaths past 2,000 took place last week when a total of 19 people lost their lives in the Channel of Sicily. The remains of 14 of the migrants were brought to the Sicilian port of Messina on July 29 by the Irish Navy Ship Le Niamh. They were part of a larger group of 456 people rescued at sea.

According to IOM staff in southern Italy, who interviewed the survivors, the engine of the boat in which they were travelling overheated and the drinking water on board had to be used to cool it. Fourteen migrants subsequently died of heat exhaustion and thirst.

“It is unacceptable that in the 21st century people fleeing from conflict, persecutions, misery and land degradation must endure such terrible experiences in their home countries, not to mention en route, and then die on Europe’s doorstep,” said IOM Director General William Lacy Swing.

Despite these tragedies, IOM recognizes the extraordinary efforts of maritime forces in the Mediterranean, who continue to save migrants at sea on a daily basis. Loss of life has been greatly reduced in recent months and this is largely due to the enhancement of the Triton operation, which can now count on more vessels patrolling international waters, where most migrants run into difficulties.

Approximately 188,000 migrants have been rescued in the Mediterranean so far this year and IOM strongly supports the continuation of this level of response. The organization believes that more migrants will attempt to reach European shores as the summer progresses, and the 200,000 mark will be reached very soon.

Meanwhile, in a related and equally tragic event, media yesterday reported the death of a 27-year-old Moroccan man, who suffocated when hidden in a suitcase. He was in the trunk of a car on a ferry travelling from the Spanish North African enclave of Melilla to southern Spain.

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Link: http://www.iom.int/news/deadly-milestone-mediterranean-migrant-deaths-pass-2000

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Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.

Incantation

'Incantation'

(Everywhen)

My love

Your light

Incantations

Struck stars

Like tears fall

The sequence ends

Downtime

God speed

Everywhen

We concede

The sequence ends

And begins

Everything

You think you know

Everything

You think you know

You think you know

Blood ties

Blood ties

The sequence ends

Three paintings from 3D - circa 1990-93

Three of the most beautiful paintings from 3D taken from his fascinating book '3D and The Art of Massive Attack':

'Happy Eater', from 1990:

'Naked Lunch', from 1993:

Famous and impressive 'In Baghdad', from 1993 too:

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More about the book:
http://melissa-on-the-road.blogspot.fr/2015/07/3d-and-art-of-massive-attack-by-robert.html

           
The Vinyl Factory is proud to present 3D and the art of Massive Attack by Robert Del Naja aka 3D. Spread across 300 pages, the 12" x 12" hardback book takes a look at the visual identity of the band that have sold over 11 million records worldwide.

3D, whose artwork has come to define the iconic style of the band, has compiled and designed the book himself using original artifacts and images from a personal archive. Featuring 280 illustrations and images and an in-depth interview with the artist, this is the definitive visual history of Massive Attack.

3D and the art of Massive Attack is available to order from the VF online shop, and from all good book shops.

Paris summertime...

...and street art :

‪#‎Paris9‬ ‪#‎summer‬ ‪#‎bluesky‬ and ‪#‎heat‬...

‪#‎LoveMe‬ ‪#‎graffiti‬ ‪#‎Paris3‬ ‪#‎streetart‬ ‪#‎summer‬ ‪#‎bluesky‬

‪#‎Paris18‬ ‪#‎JardinEole‬ ‪#‎Spiritual‬ ‪#‎graffiti‬

Most faithful mirror...

"Most faithful mirror

Fearless on my breath

Teardrop on the fire

Fearless on my breath

You stumble in the dark

You stumble in the dark"...

We're all Migrants... And Humans. And some of us are Artists too.

A lot is happening today... Though I should concentrate and work more! I still want to share a few links:

About Calais' tragic migrant situation, from the wonderful website OKAYAFRICA/

http://www.okayafrica.com/news/calais-france-migrants-the-new-jungle-phil-le-gal-photos/

POSTED JULY 31, 2015 BY ALYSSA KLEIN 0 COMMENTS

These Are The Faces Of Migrant Life In The ‘New Jungle’ Of Calais

Reactions

All photos courtesy of Phil Le Gal / The New Continent

Just over 20 miles from Dover, the northern port city of Calais is the closest French town to
England. The site is home to another chapter of what the New York Times referred to this
week as a painful drama playing out across Europe. According to the World Policy Institute, between 3,000 to 5,000 migrants, largely from East Africa and the Middle East, live
in the city’s resource-scarce camps, often lacking proper shelter and medical services. Many
of these migrants seek to flee for Britain each night by stowing away on UK-bound trucks and ferries.

What do you think?

The crisis in Calais escalated this week, when thousands of migrants entered the high-traffic
Channel Tunnel on July 27 and 28, reports WPI. One Sudanese migrant was killed in an
accident, making him the ninth person to die in an attempted tunnel crossing since June.

Read more and see the beautiful portrait pictures here:

http://www.okayafrica.com/news/calais-france-migrants-the-new-jungle-phil-le-gal-photos/

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Another link from the same website about a beautiful exhibition currently taking place in NY:

http://www.okayafrica.com/news/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner-richard-taittinger-gallery-nyc-african-artists-exhibition/#slide1

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And ain't we all migrants?
Acclaimed filmmaker Raoul Peck will soon start the shooting of his film about Karl Marx

Up Next for Raoul Peck: 'The Young Karl Marx'

News from the European Film Market continues to pour in, as I sort through for anything
of interest to this blog... like this one.

Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck is now attached to direct "The Young Karl Marx," a period
drama on the shaky friendship between Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels - the German
intellectual titans and fathers of Marxism - charting their completion of the Communist
Manifesto. 

In what is described as quite an ambitious project, the film will star German actors, August
Diehl as Marx, and Alexander Fehling as Engels.

Read more here: http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/up-next-for-raoul-peck-the-young-karl-marx-a-james-baldwin-documentary-20150209

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Last but not least, still related, beautiful discovery: American painter Dariuz Labuzek,
inspired by a Caribbean theme... 

Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya Bermuda, Bahama,
come on pretty mama, Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go

Dariusz Labuzek
United States

Painting
Size: 36 H x 36 W x 1 in

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What do you think?

Music for Palestine!

Belle initiative:

DES MUSICIENS EN PALESTINE... DU 9 AU 17 AOÛT 2015

Du 9 au 17 août, quatre musiciens volontaires de l’Orchestre de chambre de Parisse rendent en Palestine (Ramallah/Beit Jala) pour participer auprès de jeunes musiciens palestiniens à la session d’orchestre et au stage d’été de l’association Al Kamandjâti. Etienne Cardoze, violoncelliste, Bernard Chapron, flutiste, Hélène Lequeux et Mirana Tutuianu, violonistes, encadreront les jeunes musiciens d’Orchestra Ramallah, avant de se produire à leurs côtés. L’Orchestre de chambre de Paris défend, parmi ses missions, l’engagement en faveur des publics les plus éloignés de la musique classique, au travers différentes actions de proximité, d’insertion professionnelle, d’éducation et de solidarité. C’est dans le cadre de cet engagement solidaire que l’orchestre renouvelle cette année sa collaboration avec l'association Al Kamandjâti. Une mission réalisée avec le soutien de la Délégation générale aux relations internationales de la ville de Paris et de l'Institut Français. -- La solidarité avec des publics éloignés ou empêchés est une des composantes du programme d’utilité sociale développé par l’Orchestre de chambre de Paris. Les actions solidaires prennent forme avec différentes initiatives en France ou à l’étranger. En France, l’orchestre est partenaire de la mission Vivre ensemble et de l’association nationale Cultures du cœur. A l’étranger, les musiciens interviennent en Palestine à l’occasion d’ateliers de formation de jeunes musiciens ou en Israël auprès de jeunes élèves présentant de graves difficultés d’insertion. -- Lien : http://www.orchestredechambredeparis.com/orchestre-citoyen/solidarite/