Living Under Surveillance by O'odham Ofelia Rivas

In her cornfield, wind damage from a low flying helicopter. Photo copyright Ofelia Rivas.
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Ofelia's corn before damage by the surveillance heliopter. Photo copyright Ofelia Rivas.

Living Under Surveillance

By Ofelia Rivas, Tohono O'Odham

Censored News

As a protector of the lands, I refuse to walk with my heart smashed on the ground. This life is now 24 hours, 7 days and all western 365 calendar days, under the real-time video Elbit System surveillance tower.

During my early morning walk to my traditional O’odham seeds garden during the quiet hours, the mechanical gears break the silence as the surveillance camera follows my movement in my yard.

The next disturbance is the border patrol trucks traveling at high speed on the eroded pavement.

Local Lithium Mining Deal was being Kept Secret when Paiute Shoshone Myron Dewey Made Final Warning

Lithium mining exploration now underway north of Tonopah, Nevada.

Local Lithium Mining Deal was being kept secret when Paiute Shoshone Myron Dewey made final warning 

Article by Brenda Norrell

Censored News

French translation by Christine Prat

TONOPAH, Nevada -- A massive lithium mining deal was being kept secret when Paiute Shoshone Journalist Myron Dewey made his final warning about lithium mining in Nevada. Dewey was killed in a head-on collision the day after he live-streamed and warned of the dangers of both the Navy's bombing range here, and lithium mining.

The company now admits that the lithium deal near Tonopah in Nye County was being kept secret and that lithium mining is considered gold, as the demand for lithium for batteries increases for electric cars, cellphones and laptops.

Paiute Shoshone Filmmaker Myron Dewey killed in car wreck after broadcasting live from Yomba bombing range

Paiute Shoshone Myron Dewey killed in car collision

The kill switch and the bombing range: Myron Dewey's livestream and the Wikileaks exposures

By Brenda Norrell

Censored News

Sept. 27, 2021

Updated Oct. 5, 2021

French translation by Christine Prat

https://chrisp.lautre.net/wpblog/?p=6696

While Paiute Shoshone Myron Dewey livestreamed from the bombing range of his childhood homeland in Yomba, in the Nevada desert on Saturday, September 25 -- the day before he died in a car collision on Sunday -- people around the world were reading of another exposure of the military in the Nevada desert.

It was the fact that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was targeted for kidnapping, and possibly assassination, by the CIA. Wikileaks exposed the fact that drone pilots at Creech Airforce Base in the Nevada desert had their fingers on the kill trigger, and were assassinating people around the world, without trial or jury, including children and news reporters, in reckless assassinations based on failed military intelligence.

Meanwhile, Myron was exposing the destruction from the Navy's bombing range in his homeland. In the ancestral land of the Paiute and Shoshone, in what is today known as Nevada, there are the scars, the poisons, the death trail, of the Nuclear Test Site, widespread radiation and cancer, and the reckless bombing practices and military games destroying sacred places.

Financing Border Wars: Elbit among 23 global profifeers and human rights abusers in new report

Border surveillance in Lukeville, Arizona. Financing Border Wars.


Elbit, G4S, Classic Air Charter, CoreCivic and GEO Group are among the corporations profiteering and abusing human rights of migrants and refugees on the U.S. southern border, new report reveals

By Brenda Norrell

Censored News

Elbit Systems is among 23 global companies listed as profiteers abusing the human rights of migrants and refugees around the world.

Elbit is currently constructing spy towers, integrated fixed towers, on the Tohono O'odham Nation, which allows the U.S. Border Patrol to stalk the most vulnerable O'odham, including women, children and elderly.

The Israeli defense contractor Elbit is protested globally because of its border security in Palestine.

The new report, "Financing Border Wars," details the push for border walls, drones and biometrics -- including iris scans and finger prints -- which violate the international human rights of migrants and refugees. The abuse includes tracking surveillance on phones and social media.

The border industry is directly linked to global arms sales, torture in prisons, and provides facial recognition from inside vehicles at the US Mexico border.

Reuters is providing ICE with information, the new report shows.

Australia, Europe and the United States are leading the global push to profiteer from the border surveillance and detainment of migrants and refugees.

'Financing Border Wars,' points out that divestment was an important strategy in ending Apartheid in South Africa, and is now making an impact toward ending reliance on fossil fuels and big oil.

Divestment could help halt the global human rights abuses by border profiteers, the report states.

Corporations profiteering from misery in Arizona

As previously reported by Censored News, G4S, based in the UK and Europe, operates the migrant detention buses on the Arizona border. G4S has been sued by inmates in London and Australia for abuse.

G4S staff has been employed in prisons in Palestine, Guantanamo, UK and Africa where inmates were victims of torture.

GEO Group operates private migrant prisons nationwide

In the new report, G4S and GEO Group are among the 23 corporations listed as border profiteers abusing human rights. Both are leading human rights abusers in detention and imprisonment, facing allegations of violence and abuse.


Core Civic, formerly Corrections Corporation of America, operates private for-profit prisons in the U.S. and is listed among the 23 profiteers.


Currently, the ICE contracted facility in Eloy, Arizona, has failed to provide COVID-19 safety, as the virus rampages through for-profit prisons, news reports reveal.
https://americanindependent.com/dhs-inspector-general-report-covid-safety-violations-ice-for-profit-prison-corecivic-immigration/



Wackenhut once employed security guards at Peabody Coal on Black Mesa. Then Wackenhut split into two companies for maximum profiteering from misery. Wackenhut Transportation gained the contract on the Arizona border to transport detained migrants. GEO Group now operates migrant prisons for profit nationwide. A second company, CoreCivic, which changed its name from Corrections Corporation of America, operates private migrant prisons for profit in Arizona. In Eloy, Arizona, the coronavirus has rampaged through the prison due to company failures. Both GEO and CoreCivic are listed in a new global report exposing 23 companies profiteering and violating the human rights of migrants and refugees. Read more at Censored News.

The report points out abuses by U.S. Border Patrol agents, who have killed migrants on the Arizona border, and poured out life saving water.

In Australia, migrants have been transported out of the country to Nauru and Papua New Guinea for processing.






Elbit's contracts, destruction and surveillance


The Israeli defense contractor Elbit is already operating spy towers on the Nogales, Arizona, border region, and tracking travelers with border tower surveillance.


Elbit's $145 million contract was granted by U.S. Homeland Security during the Obama administration in 2014 and then continued during the Trump administration.


The U.S. contract award was increased in 2019 to include the Tohono O'odham Nation and was celebrated in Haifa, Israel.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elbit-systems-us-subsidiary-awarded-additional-26-million-contract-to-provide-integrated-fixed-towers-system-in-arizona-300875139.html

The Tohono O'odham Nation government approved the spy towers on its sovereign land. The towers, however, continue to be opposed by traditional O'odham.

The Gu-Vo District opposed the spy towers by resolution, stating the construction would destroy O'odham burial places and violates the O'odham way of life.



Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems is now completing construction of a spy tower on the western portion in a remote O'odham community on the Tohono O'odham Nation. Photo copyright Ofelia Rivas. Wackenhut bus at Three Points, Arizona, under US contract to transport detained migrants. G4S in the UK now owns Wackenhut Transportation and the contract. Photo Brenda Norrell.


Classic Air is former CIA subcontactor

Classic Air Charter transports migrants for ICE. It is a former CIA subcontractor that provided rendition flights to destinations of U.S. torture.

Classic Air Charter, based in Florida, has been transporting migrants under U.S. contract from the Texas border; Mesa, Arizona and elsewhere.
https://documentedny.com/2018/07/13/former-cia-subcontractor-deports-immigrants-for-ice/

Currently, Classic Air Charter, under U.S. government contract, is arranging all deportation flights in the Americas -- including migrants and refugees who
are considered high risk and non-cooperative, according to news reports.
https://capitalandmain.com/classic-air-a-link-in-the-international-deportation-chain-forced-to-pay-back-wages-to-workers-0112

Migrants have been subjected to abuse and violence on these flights, the report states.




Facial recognition at US Mexico border


Among the abuses that the public has not been aware of is the vehicle facial recognition on the US Mexico border, carried out by cameras of the controversial Oak Ridge National Labs in Tennessee, the report reveals.

Oak Ridge is the top secret lab that began plutonium research in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project.


Reuters providing ICE with info
.


The report states:

A media multinational, Thomson Reuters is best known as the parent company of the press agency, Reuters. It is less well-known that its portfolio also includes legal and datacollection and analysis software and services.

Thomson Reuters has earned millions from contracts with CBP and especially ICE, in particular through its subsidiaries Legal West and Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS). Most of this comes from giving ICE access to databases with public and proprietary information, license-plate scanning data and real-time jail-booking data.

TRSS was contracted, for up to $3.4 million, to ‘help ICE monitor ‘possible threats’ against the agency’s officials’ ...

Reuters was exposed in an NBC investigation in 2018. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/tech-companies-quietly-work-ice-border-crisis-continues-n885176

Divesting

The new report reveals that in Europe, financers have pulled out of financing for both Elbit and G4S, and dis-invested, because of human rights violations.

'Financing Border Wars' reports that the Norwegian Pension Fund, Danske Bank and the French investment firm AXA, have halted financing for Elbit.





In 'Financing Border Wars,' the Transnational Institute, TNI, describes the human rights abuses and their corporate funders.

The report also describes corporate border abusers in Ireland and Italy -- as well as Lockheed Martin weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and UAE.

The report states:

The Smart Borders sector encompasses the use of a broad range of (newer) technologies, including biometrics (such as fingerprints and iris-scans), AI and phone and social media tracking. The goal is to speed up processes for national citizens and other acceptable travellers and stop or deport unwanted migrants through the use of more sophisticated IT and biometric systems. Key corporations include large IT companies, such as IBM and Unisys, and multinational services company Accenture for whom migration is part of their extensive portfolio, as well as small firms, such as IDEMIA and Palantir Technologies, for whom migration-related work is central. The French public–private company Civipol, co-owned by the state and several large French arms companies, is another key player, selected to set up fingerprint databases of the whole population of Mali and Senegal, reports TNI.

The most prominent examples of direct human rights abuses come from the corporations involved in detention and deportation. Classic Air Charter, Cobham, CoreCivic, Eurasylum, G4S, GEO Group, Mitie and Serco all have faced allegations of violence and abuse by their staff towards migrants.

The report investigates five key sectors of the expanding industry: border security (including monitoring, surveillance, walls and fences), biometrics and smart borders, migrant detention, deportation, and audit and consultancy services. From these sectors, it profiles 23 corporations as significant actors: Accenture, Airbus, Booz Allen Hamilton, Classic Air Charter, Cobham, CoreCivic, Deloitte, Elbit, Eurasylum, G4S, GEO Group, IBM, IDEMIA, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, Mitie, Palantir, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Serco, Sopra Steria, Thales, Thomson Reuters, Unisys.
The Vanguard Group owns shares in 15 of the 17 companies, including over 15% of the shares of CoreCivic and GEO Group that manage private prisons and detention facilities.

Other important investors are Blackrock, which is a major shareholder in 11 companies, Capital Research and Management (part of the Capital Group), with shares in arms giants Airbus and Lockheed Martin, and State Street Global Advisors (SsgA), which owns over 15% of Lockheed Martin shares and is also a major shareholder in six other companies.

Facebook

Facebook board member had contract with ICE to track migrants and their relationships, NBC news reported in 2018.

"Palantir, whose chairman, Peter Thiel, is one of nine members on the board of Facebook, took in more than $4.9 million from ICE on May 30, part of a $39 million contract that began in 2015. According to a government database search, the contract goes toward “operations and maintenance” of Falcon, Palantir’s proprietary intelligence database that tracks immigrants’ records and relationships."

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/tech-companies-quietly-work-ice-border-crisis-continues-n885176

Read the full statement: Financing Border Wars
https://www.tni.org/en/financingborderwars



Article copyright Censored News. Content at Censored News may not be used in any form without permission.

U.S. Refuses to Halt Imprisonment of Migrant Children, Denies Torture, in Response to U.N.

Photos: Migrant children in Texas prison. Native Americans hauling water in U.S. Protesters of U.S. torture and Guantanamo. Children hit during U.S. drone assassinations in Pakistan.

US denials: How to lie to the United Nations and avoid upholding human rights and international law

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News

The United States response to its Periodic Review by the United Nations is a lesson in how to lie, and avoid the truth.

It is the perpetual tap dance of U.S. politicians who refuse to be held accountable for torture, drone assassinations and the murder of civilians, the murder of migrants by US Border Patrol, the murder of blacks by racist white police officers, and a long list of daily human rights abuses within the United States.

Countries around the world expressed outrage over the U.S. human rights violations during the U.S. Periodic Review in Geneva in May of 2015. The United States executive branch has issued its written response to a long list of human rights violations expressed by the countries of the world.

US refuses to halt imprisonment of migrant children, and reunite families

The United States executive branch refused to agree to halt the imprisonment of migrant children, which continues in Texas prisons, and refused to admit this is a violation of international law. Further, the U.S. refused to guarantee the rights of migrant families to be reunited.

The U.S. executive branch said, reuniting migrant families is "not a right recognized under our domestic laws or in any international binding agreement."

The United States executive branch also refused to agree to pay reparations to victims of murder by US Border Patrol agents. The U.S. said it is a matter for the courts.

No guarantees of safe water and food for Indigenous and poor

Responding to the demand for safe water for Indigenous and migrants, the U.S. executive branch said it is not a party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Once again, when pressed to ensure to meet the needs of housing, food, health and education for the 48 million poor in the United States, the U.S. said it is not a party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

U.S Drone Assassinations and Murder of Innocent Civilians

When pressed to hold individuals responsible for torture, drone killings, and lethal force against African Americans, the U.S. denied it is carrying out torture in violation of international law. The U.S. said it continues to investigate and prosecute those responsible for lethal force against African-Americans.

The United States said it is complying with international law, following outrage from other countries over the targeted assassinations and killing of civilians with drones. The U.S. denied it illegally hold suspects without charges at Guantanamo.

Although countries pressed for the U.S. to pay compensation to innocent victims in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, including victims of drone strikes, the U.S. said it would only offer condolences, and ex gratia (voluntary) payments based on individual cases. The U.S. said it has no responsibility to compensate all the innocent victims of war.

In its denial of racial inequality and systematic racism in the United States, the U.S. government denied it targets persons of Islamic heritage in airports.

U.S. Death Penalty, Sexual Assaults in Military

Further, the United States refused to halt the death penalty, following pressure from other countries to do so.

The U.S. said it can not ensure redress of those sexually assaulted within the U.S. military by fellow soldiers, and this is a matter for the courts.

Climate Change

In regards to climate change, the U.S. refused to list concrete steps to eliminate greenhouse gases and pollution.

.

Inequality in the U.S.

After the countries of the world pressed the U.S. to end various forms of inequality, the United States said it can not realistically agree to guarantee equality within the United States. The U.S. said it "may never completely accomplish" equality for African-Americans, Muslims, Arabs, and indigenous persons.

The U.S. in Geneva in May 2015 Avoiding the truth

When the U.S. representatives were before the United Nations in May, the US did not reveal that it had carried out a systematic regime of spying on the American Indian Movement, Black Panthers and Chicano movements, by way of COINTELPRO, and that entrapment and provocateurs were used to silence and imprison activists in the US.

The US did not reveal the systematic abuse of Native American children in boarding schools, or the generations of kidnapping, torture and murder in US government boarding schools. The theft of Native American children continues today by social services and the sexual abuse continues in boarding schools and foster homes.

In Geneva in May, the Federation of Russia, Pakistan, China, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Korea, Ecuador and Mexico representatives gave passionate recommendations to the United States.

Pakistan urged the prosecution of CIA agents responsible for torture. Cuba also pressed for prosecution of those responsible for torture. Cuba also pressed for programs to reduce poverty in the US affecting 48 million people. Ecuador called for the prosecution of those responsible for torture and the use of drones for killing. Democratic Republic of Korea pressed for an end to racial discrimination and torture. Egypt called for an end to discrimination of Middle Easterners at airports.

Mexico pointed out the murder of its citizens by border immigration agents and the need for reparations. The Russian Federation quickly stated a long list of concerns and recommendations, including police arbitrary procedures, need to close Guantanamo, need to halt extrajudicial killings including drones, cruel treatment of adoptive children, and the racial profiling of Indigenous.

China pointed out the racial discrimination, spying, torture and abuse of blacks and Indigenous by the United States government.

The U.S. response to the Periodic Review is at: 
http://lib.ohchr.org/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/Session22/US/AdditionalInfo_US_22session.pdf

Previous article at Censored News:
Keith Harper, Cherokee, leads U.S. delegation in Geneva and defends U.S. human rights record as countries of world press concerns:
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/05/un-world-concerned-over-racial.html

Photos of U.S. torture: https://www.google.com/search?q=torture+US&rlz=1CAACAJ_enUS646US646&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjur8qWm9_NAhVBziYKHbS-ANkQ_AUICSgC&biw=1366&bih=631#imgrc=_

UN: World Concerned over Racial Discrimination in US

Keith Harper, member of the Cherokee Nation, opens address from US delegation to Human Rights Council today

Watch video below: 3 hours and 30 minutes:

http://webtv.un.org/watch/usa-review-22nd-session-of-universal-periodic-review/4229106421001

Countries of the world detail US human rights abuses -- while US officials paint a picture of OZ

By Brenda Norrell

Censored News

The world is watching, as evidenced in the concerns expressed from countries around the world during the UN Human Rights Council Periodic Review of the United States human rights record in Geneva today.

Racial discrimination; the need to eliminate the death penalty; excessive use of force by police toward minorities; hate crimes; inequality of pay for women; US torture; the need to close Guantanamo; executions by drones; spying and the need to protect children and youths top the list of US human rights concerns by the governments of the world.

The Russian Federation, Pakistan and Mexico expressed the most passion in their concerns over human rights violations in the US, including police profiling; assassinations with drones and the murder of migrants by immigration officers.

Pakistan urges prosecution of CIA officers responsible for torture.

Keith Harper, member of the Cherokee Nation and US representative to the Human Rights Council, opened the address of the US delegation to the UN Human Rights Council today, during the Universal Periodic Review of the US human rights record.

The US provided the UN with a fantasy version of how it
treats migrant children. Photo: Detainees sleep in a holding cell
 at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing facility, 
Wednesday, June 18, 2014, in Brownsville,Texas.
 (AP Photo/Eric Gay, Pool)

As the US attempted to defend its human rights record, Harper said that the US is not perfect, but it has made progress in Indigenous rights, particularly in the areas of Indian youths, domestic violence, and law enforcement.

At the start of this morning's review, one member of the US delegation claimed that the US has made changes to assure that torture will no longer be allowed. 

However, at the conclusion, another member of the US delegation from the Joint Chiefs of Staff assured the United Nations that everything done in Guantanamo was in accordance with domestic and international law. There was no admission of torture, kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. He assured he UN that everyone in Guantanamo was able to get a fair trial.

During the review, the US detailed its efforts to enforce laws that protect the public from excessive force by police.

Homeland Security's assurance that the US is protecting the rights of immigrants crossing the border, however, makes one want to click their heels together, for surely this is OZ. 

The US made extensive claims about benefits and services to migrant children, without mentioning the imprisoned migrant children in the US, in violation of international law, as shown in these photos.

i

Migrant children detained at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Nogales Placement  Center on Wednesday, June 18, 2014, in
Nogales, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, Pool)

The claims by the US of fair housing for people of color, the homeless, and veterans, is another venture in fantasy. 

The US also claims it has undertaken reforms in regards to sexual assaults in the US military. The US detailed an array of services available to soldiers being raped by fellow soldiers.

Further, the US attempts to make its drone strikes appear lawful. There was no mention of the number of citizens -- women and children -- murdered by US drone assassinations.

The United States made broad claims about protecting and supporting Native American rights, including the return of sacred items.

Many members of the predominately docile Human Rights Council seemed to believe that the United States has made great strides in guaranteeing the rights of Indigenous Peoples. The United States presented an array of cosmetic repairs, and typical public relations spin, without addressing the widespread atrocities being carried out across Indian country for grassroots people. 

There was no mention of Native American political prisoners. There was no mention of COINTELPRO targeting the Black Panthers, American Indian Movement and Chicanos. There was mention of the sterilization of Native American women in US government hospitals. There was no mention of the widespread abuse, kidnapping, rape and murder of Native American children in US boarding schools, or the fact that the theft of Native American children continues today illegally by social service agencies.

There was no mention of the fact that Homeland Security gave the contract to build US spy towers on the border to Israel's Apartheid contractor Elbit Systems in 2014, including the spy towers on the Tohono O'odham Nation.

The United States did not address how corporations are poisoning the air, land and water of Native Americans with coal-fired power plants and uranium mining. The US did not admit that corporations have built a prison-for-profit empire in the United States, and migrants, American Indians, blacks and Chicanos are imprisoned for profit, and denied their rights while incarcerated.

Chad's Awada Angui told the UN Human Rights Council that recent events have tarnished the image of the United States.

The US human rights atrocity that the representatives of the UN Human Rights Council were aware of was the fact that police in the United States are murdering unarmed black men.

During the review, the recommendations from countries included: The elimination of racial discrimination and excessive force in policing; halt to NSA spying; ensure the rights of women; the need to close Guantanamo; elimination of corporal punishment of children; the need to abolish the death penalty; the need to halt drone strikes; the need for access to abortions for victims of rape.

Mexico points out the deaths of migrants by immigration officials and the need for reparations. Honduras urges the US to protect the rights of immigrants, especially children.

Bolivia urges implementation of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and a halt to forced labor of migrants.

Montenegro is among the countries urging an end to the death penalty. 

New Zealand urges a moratorium on executions and an end to the death penalty.

Niger urges protections against hate crimes and hate speech.

Paraguay urges protection of migrants.

Portugal points out the cruel death by injections carried out by the US and the need for training for law enforcement. Portugal was among those urging new protections for migrants and the rights of the child.

Moldova expressed concern over the incarceration of youths in adult facilities, and the need to consult Indigenous Peoples in regards to decisions related to their lands and issues impacting them.

The Federation of Russia, Pakistan, China, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Korea, Ecuador and Mexico representatives gave passionate recommendations to the United States.

Pakistan urged the prosecution of CIA agents responsible for torture. Cuba also pressed for prosecution of those responsible for torture. Cuba also pressed for programs to reduce poverty in the US affecting 48 million people. Ecuador called for the prosecution of those responsible for torture and the use of drones for killing. Democratic Republic of Korea pressed for an end to racial discrimination and torture. Egypt called for an end to discrimination of Middle Easterners at airports.

Mexico pointed out the murder of its citizens by border immigration agents and the need for reparations. 

The Russian Federation quickly stated a long list of concerns and recommendations, including police arbitrary procedures, need to close Guantanamo, need to halt extrajudicial killings including drones, cruel treatment of adoptive children, and the racial profiling of Indigenous.

Senegal points out the need to improve the rights of immigrants.

Serbia points out the gender gap in the rights of women.

Singapore points out the need to eliminate hate crimes, including those based on religion.

Slovakia is among those urging the US to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Slovenia expressed concern over the lack of prosecution for those committing sex crimes within the US military.

Ireland urges the US to do more to protect its citizens from police brutality of African Americans and abolish death penalty.

In response, the US delegation said President Obama has ended the harsh rendition and torture program. 

The US denies it uses intelligence gathering for the suppression of dissent, and for business advantage. 

In both cases, the facts prove otherwise. The US has used spying to infiltrate, entrap and prosecute activists. It has also been exposed that the US intelligence gathering has been used for the purpose of insider business and trade knowledge.

Even Native Americans have been lured into the US massive spy network, as evidenced by the multi-million dollar US contract for domestic and international spying to Ho Chunk, Inc., in Nebraska, owner of the American Indian news website www.indianz.com

The US attempts to defend the US record of the imprisonment of people of color.

South Africa urged more measures to combat racial discrimination. Iran also urged the US to prevent racial discrimination and investigate claims of torture.

Thailand points out the need to protect the rights of migrants and prevent human trafficking.

Bosnia said it is encouraged by the US consultation with Native Americans.

Botswana expressed concerns over discrimination against women in the US.

Canada expressed concerns of those of forced trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Israel said the US needs to do more to eliminate racial discrimination and hate crimes.

Maldives urged the US not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.

In response, the US claims it is protecting the rights of migrant child workers. The US claims it is protecting migrant children from forced child labor.

The Illinois Attorney General makes passionate statements about protecting human rights in Illinois. Discrimination in home lending for people of color resulted in lawsuits and compensation. Twenty people on death row were exonerated. The death penalty was eliminated. Chicago police issued an apology to recent victims. Illinois provides low tuition for undocumented college students, she says.

The session was broadcast live on the web, making possible this coverage.


Brenda Norrell has been a reporter in Indian country for 33 years, beginning at the Navajo Times during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. After serving as a longtime staff reporter for Indian Country Today, she was censored and terminated by Indian Country Today. She created Censored News in 2006. Now in its 9th year with no advertising, grants or sponsors, Censored News is approaching 4 million pageviews.

brendanorrell@gmail.com

US lies to UN about spying on activists

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
Update: 'World concerned over racial discrimination in the US'
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/05/un-world-concerned-over-racial.html

The United Nations Human Rights Council reviewed the United States human rights record today. The US lied about its spying. The US responded that the US "doesn't collect intelligence to suppress dissents or to give U.S. businesses a competitive advantage ..."
In both cases, the facts prove otherwise.
It is a fact that the US spies on activists and stalks them, imprisons whistleblowers, and uses provocateurs and entrapment to jail activists. Further, the US uses intelligence gathering for business and trade insider knowledge.
During the Universal Periodic Review of the US Human Rights Council in Geneva, the response of countries proved that the world is watching.
Foremost, the US was pressed  by many countries to halt police violence toward ethnic minorities.
The United States admitted its failures in regards to civil rights, in response to the murder of unarmed black men by police. However, the US did not admit its role in torture and kidnappings in violation of the Geneva Conventions. The US did not justify its drone assassinations or its widespread prison-for-profit scheme, where corporations enrich themselves from the capture and imprisonment of migrants at the border, including women and children.
The United States did not explain COINTELPRO which targeted Black Panthers, American Indians and Chicanos. The US did not explain why it selected Israel's defense contractor Elbit Systems to build spy towers on the US border in Arizona, including spy towers on the Tohono O'odham Nation. Elbit is responsible for Apartheid security surrounding Palestine.
Further, the issue was not raised of the US ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) which has been arming the drug cartels in Mexico since 2005, in Project Gunrunner, Operation Wide Receiver and Fast and Furious. There was no mention of the hundreds of US Border Patrol agents and ICE agents arrested for drug smuggling and serving as "spotters" for the cartels to cross the border with their loads. The US did not discuss how US Border Patrol agents have committed rape, and the murder of teenage rock throwers.
Earlier, after the UN review of the United States human rights record in 2010, the United States rejected the recommendation to "Recognize the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples without conditions or reservations," as recommended by Bolivia.
After the review in 2010, the US accepted 171 recommendations and rejected 71.
As for denying the facts at the UN today about NSA spying regarding activists and spying to benefit US trade and business,

AP reports: Several countries including Brazil and Kenya voiced concern over the extent of U.S. surveillance in the light of reports about the National Security Agency's activities.

David Bitkower, a deputy assistant attorney general, responded that "U.S. intelligence collection programs and activities are subject to stringent and multilayered oversight mechanisms." He added that the country doesn't collect intelligence to suppress dissents or to give U.S. businesses a competitive advantage, and that there is "extensive and effective oversight to prevent abuse."

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/05/11/world/europe/ap-eu-united-nations-us-rights.html?_r=0
In fact, the US not only targets activists with spying, but also targets world leaders.
While Sec. of State, Hillary Clinton ordered US Ambassadors to collect DNA and iris scans on world leaders and activists from the Americas and Africa, as exposed by Wikileaks.
Indigenous activists in the Americas, including Mohawks and Mapuche, were targeted by US State Dept. spying. Bolivian President Evo Morales and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez were constant targets of US spying.
The US was questioned on the widespread imprisonment of migrants, including children, and drone assassinations.
http://www.dailysabah.com/americas/2015/05/11/us-admits-failure-of-commitment-to-civil-rights
The United States was not honest about its treatment of migrants. The U.S. delegation said that every effort is being made to protect their rights, including those to avoid the exploitation of children.
As Al Jazeera points out, international law bars the imprisonment of children for immigration purposes, and the US has not been held responsible for torture.

Border Drones are Big Flop, audit says

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
English and Dutch

TUCSON -- The border drones are a big flop, says a new audit. As homeless children sleep on the streets of America on freezing nights, the US is spending millions on worthless drones and spy towers that do not work. But that doesn't discourage the United States government from wasting more money, now billions, on drones and spy towers for the southern border which are worthless.

US spy tower on sovereign
Tohono O'odham land near Sells,
Arizona

After Homeland Security realized that the first spy towers on the Arizona border didn't work, what did they do? They funded another round of worthless spy towers. This time, the US gave the contract, not to a US company, but to Elbit Systems, the Israeli defense contractor responsible for the Apartheid security surrounding Palestine.

One stretch for worthless drones is the border south of Tucson. The drones are a common sight in the Tucson skies. They are the ones that look like fake planes. Meanwhile, the US is continuing to build surveillance towers, spy towers, on sovereign Tohono O'odham land. On the western side of the Tohono O'odham Nation, those US spy towers are pointed at the homes of traditional O'odham. The Israeli Apartheid company Elbit now has the contract.

Anyway, if you have the stomach for it, you can read below more about how much money the US is wasting on drones, as revealed in a new audit, and the two spy tower contracts. But don't worry, the war profiteers in Israel and the US are still making millions. Boeing made a billion on the first worthless spy tower contract.

Meanwhile, Israel's Apartheid security contractor Elbit is in San Antonio, Texas, working with the Brazilian Navy stationed there.

Common Dreams: Costly border drone program has failed, federal audit finds
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/01/07/costly-border-drone-program-has-failed-federal-audit-finds
Censored News: The billion dollar laugh: Arizona spy towers (2011)
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2011/12/billion-dollar-laugh-arizona-spy-towers.html
Apartheid Israeli company gets new spy tower contract (2014)
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2014/03/apartheid-israeli-company-receives-us.html

Thank you to Alice Holemans, NAIS, for the Dutch translation!

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Home » Nieuws » * DRONES AAN VS GRENS ZIJN GROTE FLOP, ZEGT NIEUWE AUDIT!

* DRONES AAN VS GRENS ZIJN GROTE FLOP, ZEGT NIEUWE AUDIT!

Door Brenda Norrell, Censored News: www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

Vertaald door NAIS: www.denaisgazet.be

Tucson- De drones aan de VS grenzen zijn een grote flop, zegt een nieuwe audit.

Terwijl dakloze kinderen in de vrieskou op de straten moeten slapen, spendeert de VS miljoenen dollars aan waardeloze drones en spionnentorens.

Maar dat ontmoedigt de regering van de Verenigde Staten niet om nog meer geld, nu miljarden te verspillen aan waardeloze drones en spionnentorens voor de zuidelijke grens.

Wat deed Binnenlandse Veiligheid nadat zij zich realiseerden dat de eerste spionnentorens op de grens met Arizona niet werkten? Zij financierden een volgende tour van waardeloze spionnentorens. Dit keer ging het contract niet naar een Amerikaans bedrijf, maar naar Elbit Systems, het Israëlisch beveiligingsbedrijf dat verantwoordelijk is voor de beveiliging van de Apartheid rond Palestina.

De grens ten zuiden van Tucson bestaat uit één lijn van waardeloze drones.

Dagelijks de drones in de lucht te zien is al ‘doodgewoon’ boven het grensgebied van Tucson.

Het zijn die drones die eruitzien zoals speelgoedvliegtuigjes.

Ondertussen blijft de VS surveillance torens bouwen op het soevereine Tohono O’odham land.

Aan de westkant van de Tohono O’odham natie staan deze spionnentorens gericht op de huizen van de traditionele O’odham.

De Israëlische Apartheid compagnie heeft hiervoor het contract helemaal binnen..

In de nieuwe audit wordt het duidelijk hoeveel geld de VS weggooit aan drones en de twee spionnentoren -contracten. Maar geen nood, de oorlogsprofiteurs in Israël en de VS maken nog steeds miljoenen winst.

Boeing had het eerste contract op zak en maakte hierop een miljard dollar winst.

Ondertussen is de Israëlische Apartheid veiligheid- aannemer Elbit is in San Antonio, Texas, waar ze samenwerken met de Braziliaanse Navy die daar gestationeerd is.

Common Dreams: Costly border drone program has failed, federal audit finds

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/01/07/costly-border-drone-program-has-failed-federal-audit-finds

Censored News: The billion dollar laugh: Arizona spy towers (2011)

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2011/12/billion-dollar-laugh-arizona-spy-towers.html

Apartheid Israeli company gets new spy tower contract (2014)

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2014/03/apartheid-israeli-company-receives-us.html

Drones over Tohono O'odham land

Border drone at Fort Huachuca, Ariz. Photo by Border Patrol

The most censored in Indian country: Drones, spy towers and the militarization of Indian lands

 

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News copyright
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

The use of drones on the border, and the militarization of Tohono O’odham sovereign land, heads the list of the most censored issues in Indian country. Tohono O’odham activists who fight the militarization of their lands, and abuse by Border Patrol agents, are oppressed by the elected Tohono O’odham government, and targeted and abused by the US Border Patrol.

Among the most secret issues are spy towers and drones. Currently, Tohono O’odham are reporting drones in the skies, but very little is known about these drones.

Censored News continue extensive research into the secrecy and militarization at the border.

 

Researching Tohono O’odham and drones, the first surprise is to see that the elected Tohono O’odham government scheduled a special session of the legislative council for a tour of the drones at Libby Army Airfield at Sierra Vista, Ariz., on Jan. 31, 2011. The purpose was a tour of Customs and Border Protection’s unmanned aircraft systems, also known as UAVs or drones.

Sierra Vista is where the Army Intelligence Center at Fort Huachuca is located, and the site of protests over its role in torture at Abu Ghraib and production of the torture manual of the School of Americas. The manual was made public in 1996, after decades of torture and assassinations by US trained military in Central and South America.

Already in the past month, two secret plans have been exposed by Censored News involving the Border Patrol on Tohono O'odham land.

Currently, the Border Patrol is scouting three Tohono O’odham districts to construct new spy towers, after the billion dollar boondoggle of the last border spy towers that did not work. The Tohono O’odham government approved by resolution the Border Patrol’s current visits to the districts. The Border Patrol is targeting 14 sites for new US spy towers on tribal land.

Censored News also exposed the fact that the Border Patrol is planning a massive new complex on Tohono O’odham land, in Pisinemo District, with housing for 32 agents, helicopter launch pad, horses and dogs. Further, more O’odham land would be seized for a transmission corridor to the north. The plan was kept secret from the public until the draft environmental impact statement was discovered the same day that public comments closed in September.

Thirteen months ago, on Sept. 14, 2011, the Tohono O’odham Nation gave preliminary support for this massive Border Patrol complex, without telling the public, as revealed in another council resolution. The Tohono O’odham Nation also gave permission for the US military to be involved in construction of the complex.

When it comes to drones, few subjects are wrapped in so much secrecy.

Testimony before Congress revealed that the Border Patrol operates the Predator B drones fly, primarily at night, and patrols the US/Mexico border. This includes the stretch between Yuma and Nogales, Ariz. The Tohono O’odham Nation is located between the two cities, on their traditional O’odham homeland.

One of the few public statements about the use of drones on Tohono O’odham land is a disturbing one.

The University of Arizona entered into a joint agreement with the Tohono O’odham Nation, for a project that supposedly focused on range land management. The agreement allowed the University of Arizona to collect a large amount of information on Tohono O’odham archaeology, cultural sites and geography.

The three year project included the university’s Dr. Hermann F. Fasel, professor at the UA Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Fasel headed the drone componenet of the project and the creation of a drone with a seven foot wingspan, supposedly for monitoring Tohono O’odham rangelands. The rangeland project also encouraged Tohono O'odham students to work for companies like Raytheon Missiles.

Equally disturbing is the fact that Dr. Fasel doesn’t just work for the university. Dr. Fasel is a military contractor who works with the US Air Force and private corporations, including Boeing.

In Tucson, at Davis Monthan Air Force base, soldiers operate the remote control killer drones that have been responsible for targeted assassinations and the killing of civilians in other countries. Meanwhile, Boeing received the contract for construction of the border wall in Arizona and the previous flopped spy towers. On Tohono O'odham land, Boeing was responsible for digging up the remains of O’odham on their land for the border vehicle barrier.

As for the drone maker, the rangeland project states Dr. Fasel is recognized for his pioneering research in Computational Aerodynamics and Fluid Dynamics.

“His research has been and is currently funded by Federal government agencies and private corporations.  Examples of these funding agencies include: the Department of Defense, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, NASA, Army Research Office, Office of Naval Research, Daimler Chrysler and the Boeing Company. Directly related to the proposed effort is his past development and flight testing of a UAV for the United States Air Force and this current participation in the development and flight testing of a long endurance UAV (also for the Air Force; in subcontract to The Boeing Company).  His UAV expertise will be crucial for developing and operating an UAV based system for on-demand aerial imaging for range land management,” the rangeland project states.

As previously reported by Censored News, the drone maker Advanced Ceramics entered into a joint venture with the Tohono O’odham’s San Xavier District, which borders Tucson. The business included the University of Arizona’s drone design program. Since that time, Advanced Ceramics has produced drones at a site on Tohono O’odham land close to the Tucson International Airport. The project, involving research for high temperatures and ceramics, was first accepted and then rejected by the Pascua Yaqui Nation, which considered the project too risky.

Tohono O’odham human rights activists continue to oppose the production of drones for the purposes of spying and targeted assassinations. Tohono O’odham say the violation of human rights, and taking of human life, violates the Him’daag, the sacred way of being.

 

Copyright Brenda Norrell/Censored News

brendanorrell@gmail.com

 Brenda Norrell has been a news reporter of American Indian news for 30 years. She began as a reporter for Navajo Times, during the 18 years she lived on the Navajo Nation, where she was also a stringer for AP and USA Today. After serving as a longtime reporter for Indian Country Today, she was repeatedly censored, then terminated by ICT, and began publishing Censored News, now in its seventh year.

 

The News, according to Twitter, July 2012

Twitter Photo: 'Mexico: Anonymous is here'

While the mainstream media is on life support, tweets break news in real time

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
Updated Monday, July 16, 2012

New! Skype bug is sharing your messages with random people:
http://gizmodo.com/5926311/skype-instant-messaging-is-sharing-conversations-with-random-contacts

If you’re not getting your news from Twitter, here’s some of the breaking news stories that you’re missing today.

Anonymous saving the Arctic
Anonymous continues its own Save the Arctic campaign by hacking Shell, Exxon, BP and other mining companies. They gave a shout out to Sweden Anonymous.
“We know we’re going up against the most powerful countries and companies in the world. But together we have something stronger than any country’s military or any company’s budget. Our shared concern for the planet we leave our children transcends all the borders that divide us and makes us - together - the most powerful force today.”

US drought, largest natural disaster, means Arizona crooks want to steal more Navajo water
The US has declared more than half of the US a disaster area due to drought. It is the largest natural disaster ever. It is another reason that most of Arizona, while watering lawns and golf courses in the desert, is trying to steal more Navajo water.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/us-natural-disaster-area-drought-150130308.html

US spies on its scientists, so FDA can continue dangerous scans for cancer
The US government continues to spy on scientists, journalists and anyone who gets the truth out. The New York Times exposed the fact that the FDA spied on its own scientists, reading their e-mails to journalists, President Obama, and more. The scientists were alarmed that the FDA ignored dangers of breast and colon cancer scanning equipment:
CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7414976n
New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/us/fda-surveillance-of-scientists-spread-to-outside-critics.html?_r=1

Military and Congress want to stop news leaks, to continue secrecy and crimes
Here’s a profound document you’ll want to read for yourself, posted by Wikileaks, regarding news links and targeting New York Times: ‘US Army Colonel statement calling for investigation into Julian Assange, atlso attacks Assange and Woodward.’
Testimony to Judiciary Committee, US House of Representatives:
http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/Hearings%202012/Allard%2007102012.pdf

Facebook is spy central
Just in case you’re still delusional about Facebook, there’s a couple of new articles. Facebook is spying on your chats, just to make sure you’re not planning a crime. Also, it will soon make public to the world the group pages you are visiting. As always, Facebook saves everything, even your private chats.

US ICE official at border sentenced, another assists drug cartels
The widespread corruption in US agencies at the border continues. The former intelligence chief of ICE, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has been sentenced for fraud. Also, in Nogales, south of Tucson, Reuters reports that a former ICE agent in Arizona was sentenced to 30 months in prison for accessing police databases and passing on sensitive information to family members with ties to Mexican drug cartels.
"Jovana Deas was accused of illegally obtaining and disseminating classified government documents while working as an ICE special agent in Nogales, Arizona, a city on the border with Mexico. She was also charged with obstruction and lying to investigators."
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-13/news/sns-rt-us-crime-usa-directorbre86c1b5-20120713_1_border-patrol-agents-customs-and-border-protection-ice-s-office

US drones overhead, US no longer uses drones solely for targeted assassinations
And finally, there's always news on drones on Twitter. The US isn't just using drones for targeted assassinations in other countries. Now in the US, police departments and universities are using drones to spy on you and track you: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/14/who-is-flying-drones-over-america/
Rabble wins today's headline award for this one: 'Obama's drone attacks and Tuesday death club'
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/gerry-caplan/2012/07/obamas-drone-attacks-and-tuesday-death-club?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rabble-news+%28rabble.ca+-+News+for+the+rest+of+us%29

Drones, Raytheon and Monsanto, poisoning Indian country
In Tucson, on Tohono O'odham land near the airport, the University of Arizona coopted the Tohono O'odham Nation into a drone making venture, which O'odham human rights activists protest. As with the other most detrimental corporations in Indian country, Advanced Ceramics changes names and owners, breaking it into parts, to avoid detection and accountability. Yes, that's the same Advanced Ceramics that the Pascua Yaqui Nation earlier cancelled the contract with.
This drone maker continues to be one of the most censored news stories in Indian country, along with the Raytheon Missiles factory located on the Navajo Nation's commercial farm, Navajo Agricultural Products Industries, NAPI, near Farmington, N.M., where farm crops are grown and sold for products including potato chips.
NAPI also boasts on its website of using Monsanto genetically-modified seeds. Monsanto seeds are now being protested and burned by most Indigenous communities around the world. Among the many hazards, is the fact that genetically-modified seeds -- through cross pollination -- will destroy traditional Native seed crops. --Censored News