Gail Cartmail blog

Suits for peace

There seems to be an emerging consensus between trade unions globally about the crucial importance of stress testing nuclear energy installations. Apparently it is ‘common knowledge’ in Japan that nuclear energy companies lie about safety.

Wisdom with hindsight is cold comfort to workers and citizens in Japan faced with the crisis of the earthquake, the tsunami and a nuclear power station described today as “out of control”. 

Gaza, dashed hopes

Last week I attended a meeting about Gaza organised by Lambeth and Southwark Palestine Solidarity Campaign. The speakers were keen to get across the terrible conditions being endured by Palestinians in Gaza. The focus for the discussion was the report ‘Dashed Hopes, continuation of the Gaza Blockade’. 

They stressed that Gaza is a human rights catastrophe. Deprivation would be eased immediately if Israel lifted the blockade that prevents Palestinians rebuilding their lives after the military action against them just over two years ago.

Another mother mourns

Many years ago I had a holiday in Tunisia. It was Christmas and in a gesture to European tourists the hotel had garnished potted palms with wads of ‘snow-like’ cotton wool. 

I remember warm days, cool nights, and wonderful spicy, fragrant street food. 

Although I was very young and holidaying on a shoe string budget, it wasn’t hard to work out that just having the money to take a holiday set us apart from the Tunisians .

Not much seems to have changed several decades later. 

In the name of God?

At the time of writing this blog US Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is fighting for her life, having survived a murder attempt at a political meeting in Arizona.

The gun attack left six dead, including a nine year old girl and 12 injured.