My letter to Jean-Claude Juncker on the proposed EU Army!

Dear Jean Claude Juncker, the President of European Union Commission and former Prime Minister Luxembourg; you had a moment of glory or you might thought so honourable Jean-Claude.

I am just a member of EFTA by default as a Norwegian citizens and since my country isn’t a Member State; I’m sure in your opinion my opinions doesn’t exists because the ones that matters are the citizens inside the Union. Still, I want to write to you as citizen of the world and worried about you Napoleon complex and hereditary idea of stronger federalism of Europe. This happens in the same week the underlings of you doesn’t’ want to be accountable in the European Parliament; this are the Member States who has Members of European Parliament (MEPs). So with this in mind are these the men and woman who should be responsible for deciding warfare in the name of the Europeans when we can’t know how much they spend on the taxpayer’s funds while representing their states in the Union?

Well, I know I am trading waters now and sound a bit strange, but the hesitation on the matter is the inaccurate faith you have in the EU and their institutions. The general European is not there with you as the disregard for the daily life of European feels estranged from the boulevards of Brussels where you are stationed unless you commute from Luxembourg. That is not for me to judge. What I will more judge is the idea of a European Army!

European Army is setting the precedence that the 28 Member State’s will comply and accept to donate and keep the strengthen defence and military upkeep through the Union. That is also to connect the defence budgets and the military equipment production stronger in the EU. That must be put into the calculation. Not only keep a solidified borders as the Commissioners fear the Islamic Terrorism and the refugee crisis to the levels that Europe needs a bigger and wider army. That is controlled by the unaccountable MEPs and EU Head of States, the Consilium that will order this giant army.

A unknown giant army that will base by the 28 member states and put a prerogative of the federal state controlled by Brussels, as they already have issued currency, bills and now a Army. So the missing piece for you is the army and king. Honourable Jean-Claude you are acting with spite and fear if you enforcing the idea of an European Union Army and Defence. That is not the sign of peace or collaboration Europe needs. Especially with the ways that Cyprus and Greece economy has been liberated and sold to foreign investors while the taxations are slimming even more with the policies from the Central Institutions of the EU.

With those acts of spite and diligent betrayal of common sense in the banking industry of Greece and Cyprus; not even saving but bailing out with the whole-sale of nations. That coming with effect of the Brexit recently, you want the unaccountable MEPs to run an Army from Brussels. Do you know how insulting that is the European people and citizens, Jean-Claude?

Can’t you just take control of the Eurovision Song Contest or something; make sure the trade-laws and negotiations between Member States are following the guidelines of the Brussels accords. The Union you currently abide to is a currency-union, free-movements of people and goods and ‘universal’ policies that they have to follow no matter which country you live in. In that sense an army is needed, but that gives powers to Union and something Europe not seen before.

We have had the NATO that many of the current members of Union are obliged to serve and follow the codes of the agreement. As much as the European States has co-operated in military unifications it’s been training and peace-operations that many of the Member States has participated in.

If you think it is healthy to have a giant army directed from Brussels than the powers of the Union is more giant multi-national state, federalism and centralized in Belgium than people might express wishes for. Europeans want their states to have power and keen that their representatives have power and accountability within their domain; if the Brussels thinks it is good idea to take the guns and ammunitions from Madrid, Prague, Vienna and Copenhagen. Than they will have to ask what their own armies are supposed to do? How are the pecking orders of the EU General and Danish General? Are the orders from Brussels trumping the ones of Stockholm?

An European Army is the answer to fatigue and gesture of complex gravitas as the European Member States deserves their sovereign and rights to defend themselves within the military alliances and military benefits the nations. If the EU thinks it is wise to counter this and control it centrally than they can initially take over all powers and make a EU Police. Then all of the law’s and orders will controlled by the Brussels under the new federal jurisdiction of EU Commission and the Consilium. That in the end will be voted over by the unaccountable MEPs in EU Parliament. So they can decide if the army need to invade or guard Gibraltar or Guernsey from the Pirate Bay.

Let’s be clear Jean-Claude Juncker, the one man in Europe with clearly a Napoleon complex! It’s time to whine down and take a beer. It is time to render the times of not-so much peace in Europe and wonder what the EU has lost. What powers the EU has taken in times of Peace and less hostility. What kind of powers the centralized Brussels decrees are burdening the towns and villages of Europe that you never will put your foot in Mr. Jean-Claude.

The Army you propose to counter foreign invaders is absurd and worrying. The EU Army will only be beneficiary for a un-elected aristocrats who will use it to silence criticism and the citizens who disobey the command of Brussels. It will not be a defence organization that can be sustainable to keep greater powers out. This army will only cause frictions and be a power that can be used in Neo-Colonial affairs for the former European Empires to control their former colonies. This will not be an army for peace; it will create more bloodshed in the names of spoiled rich EU observers and their elites. Is that what you want Jean-Claude?

Your EU Army will not be a tool for peace, but for rivers of blood, for loss of lives and loved ones. For the concern of foreign dignitaries and their allies; this create a hatched hiccup of world order and the destination unknown as the EU Parliament who will obey the command of their leaders will send their citizens to wars for resources at one point or another as recessions and market-crash’s happen once in-while. It is just a matter of time before a legit war intervention becomes an excuse to export needed minerals to Europe. That is what the Army will be for right, Jean-Claude?

You should first implement the Federalism fully before pledging the idea and dream of multi-national army those bounds of future conquests and current problems as they want to have fortified walls and gates of Europe. If the EU Commissioners start to think of the EU as Rome Empire than he has also lost the plot as the twist and turns of the vague Union; if he wants the weak Union to grow stronger there needs more trust between Berlin, Prague and other capitals nota army to silence the ones who disobey. Does he want to be emperor… new royal lord of Europe instead of a possible statesmen; the greed of a man who forgot the principals and dynamic of Europe as he sits in the bureaucracies of Brussels. Peace.

Opinion: MEP’s arrogance over accountability for their expenses shows the lack of integrity from Brussels!

It comes this day and times when giant organizations, Multi-National Organization that are having the oversight of most of the European Nations under the Umbrella of European Union, where the elected men from each nation represent the values of each nation in the European Parliament. In this perspective the European Union and the European Parliament should be more open and more transparent. This they should think about, especially in a time where the Parties and People grow tired of the arrogance of Brussels and the bureaucracy made in the Belgian capital.

So when the news coming out that the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) doesn’t have the guts or heart to put it into paperwork to show the citizens through the media their benefits for representing the Member States. MEP is lucky to be there and represent the nations of the Union. They should be giddy for the accessibility for representing people and with the low turnout to the elections the marginal rate of the population caring about their seats. They should honour that minority even more. Instead they are showing arrogance. They are showing blistering ignorance for justice and accountability. Why should all the citizens pay taxes and show their income to the states. As they can be searched for online by all citizens, but the ones representing them in the European Parliament cannot show their salaries and benefits? Seriously are you that high on the pedestal that you cannot absorb the injustice by keeping that at bay?

You MEP are a public servant if you represent the Pirate Party, UKIP or any kind of Green Party who has seats in the Parliament. All of you represent the European citizens and their member states. You are there on behest of the European People and the Member State you come from. You are not of noble blood or royal family. You are elected by the people in rigid ballot election in your home country.

If the MEPs we serious about representing their citizens they would have no trouble disclosing this information as the citizens are the ones that in the end are paying their salaries through the taxes. MEPs are not above the citizens they are there on the behalf of them. Still, when they get defensive and take it court for something that should be natural for them to do!  

The MEPs has to respect the people as they are in the hands of the people. They are not there for the EU Commission or EU Parliament President; they are there for the German, Dutch, Spaniards, Portuguese, and Italian etc. The Citizens have the right to know their bills and their pay for representing them.

If the MEPs wants to be representing them than it is time to show them what they think their worth and how much the citizens of Europe has to raise to keep the upkeep of the European Parliament. The arrogance and ignorance of their duty has to stop. If they want to be taken serious and justify their role in Europe and decide to make changes in the best interest of the continent; not like now when it seem it is more a personal pride to get there and stay there than actually work for the greater good. If so can please the EU Commission just whine down the Parliament and only the Consilium or the European Council that has the Head of State from the Member States who could just make all decisions instead of the Representatives in the unaccountable and not trustworthy Parliament in Brussels; is that what the MEPs trying to do or want us to believe?

If so, good riddance we will not miss you and your accountability, as you cannot even open up about how much we facilitate for your time sitting in Belgium for all of Europe. Is that so much trouble are you so much compensated that you are worried about the backlash that you will look like a greedy Scrooge instead of a Public Servants as you are expected to be? Is the plane tickets and paid allowances together with the salaries too big to defend?

If so than you should fix that as you have the legal and opportunity to take back the high pay and allowances as you are the one behind the legal framework and representatives. That is if you have heart and not just greed to compensate with fortunes for working for the commons.

MEPs you are disgusting if you think you can eat taxpayer’s money without accountability. You are like dictators and authoritarian leaders who disrespect their commoners while you are the ruling regime on the hill and let everybody in slopes; the ones who gets the shade and rainwater has to pay for the MEPs for their luxury. MEPs are in service for the ones in slopes of the hill, even if they run everything from the top of it. They could not have the Parliament if it weren’t for citizens. MEPs should humbly beg for forgiveness and be accountable. With taking this to court you are officially a disgrace to democracy and to the people of Europe.

Members of European Parliament shouldn’t fear showing their expenses, they secretariat and whatever else they can bill on the taxpayer’s. MEPs show disrespect and doesn’t deserve the honour of being honourable when they cannot even show how much money the use. The Euros they use to facilitate their days in Brussels. MEPs shouldn’t act like Kings and Queens; they are ordinary men and woman elected to represent citizens not Lords and Royals of old!

Time to be accountable and transparent; you can’t be that than you shouldn’t represent anyone else than yourself. Peace.  

OSIEA assessment: on Human Rights and the ‘Rise of Development State’

Another day, another report; today I came over an interesting planning report for the OSIEA, that they made a draft for in March 2016. It shows the OSIEA views on the current affairs and how they preserve their work in the East African Region. With that in mind, I will let their written words speak for themselves.

But before doing so I will show what the OSIEA says about themselves and their organization:

“The Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa (OSIEA) works through two strategic priority areas critical to addressing open society challenges in the region: 1) participation of citizens and 2) human rights” (…) ”A “constitutional moment” is sweeping Eastern Africa. Ongoing constitutional review and implementation processes in Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan, and South Sudan offer an opportunity to debate and institutionalize the values that underpin an open society. The engagement of citizens as active participants can build national ownership to advocate for and uphold a system to prevent arbitrary government and guarantee rights” (OpenSocietyFoundations.org).

With that in mind this is their consideration about the status of Human Rights, Democratic values and such in the East African Nations, also what they plan to focus on in the coming time in the region.

Important quotes from the Draft Report:

“Civic space is fast closing.  New and existing laws and bureaucratic requirements are being enforced to severely restrict civic space.  Civil society organizations are increasingly vulnerable to criminal and civil sanctions for a whole range of minor violations. Human rights actors, and activists, are increasingly at risk of being silenced, and there are few that dare to speak out forcefully.  Governments and political elites are de-legitimizing human rights work, for example on international justice and grave crimes.  Human rights activists and organizations are typified as unpatriotic, pursuing the agenda of their ‘western’ donors, and out of touch.   At the same time, civil society, often new and or younger actors, are claiming new spaces for activism, such as the online space, although still facing pushback” (OSIEA, 2016).

“Rise of the ‘developmental state’. Even though they are failing to provide development to the citizens, regimes in the region are popularizing  the ‘developmental state’;  the proposition is that government’s primary focus should be to deliver developmental goods- education, health, security, infrastructure, etc.- and that democracy can come later. Citizens are being asked to prefer ‘development without liberty’.  It is autocratic leaders making this argument, not the people, who see it for what it is- a smokescreen for dictatorship”.

“States are weakening, becoming more authoritarian, and smarter. States are increasingly losing their monopoly on the use of violence also as terrorism becomes a daily realty and insurgent groups become more active in the region.  States are heavily increasing spending on security to the detriment of public goods.  The response of the weakening states is increased militarization and surveillance of citizens, clampdown on dissenting voices, economic blackmail of critics, and lack of respect for the rights particularly of suspects accused of security related crimes.  Government critics are at higher risk of being labeled supporters of terrorism to silence them. The fight against terrorism is becoming a convenient excuse for authoritarian rule. Regimes are becoming smarter by co-opting civil society language, demanding for evidence base of reports and proposals, accepting without conviction and movement, and managing through public relations.  There is more militarization of internal political disputes”.

OSIEA Focus in each country:

Tanzania: “OSIEA’s programming in Tanzania will mainly focus on [constitutional and legal reforms, electoral reforms, natural resource governance, anti-corruption, right to information, protection of human rights defenders, disability rights, LGBTI, food security, and heath and rights]”

Kenya: “  In Kenya, OSIEA’s priorities include [protection of civic space, protection of human rights defenders, anti-corruption, international justice and grave crimes, counter terrorism and countering violent extremism, food security, disability rights, LGBTI rights, and health rights.]”.

Uganda: “OSIEA’s priorities are [protection of civic space, protection of human rights defenders, anti-corruption, international justice and grave crimes, natural resource governance, counter terrorism and countering violent extremism, food security, disability rights, LGBTI rights, and health rights.]”.

South Sudan: “OSIEA will focus on [international justice and grave crimes, protection of human rights defenders and journalists, protection of civic space, constitutional and legal reforms, access to justice, food security, and maternal health, etc.]”.

Sudan: “OSIEA will focus on [civic engagement, legal and constitutional reforms, international justice and grave crimes, documentation and advocacy on human rights, protection of civic space, protection of human rights defenders and journalists, disability rights work etc.]”.

Burundi: “OSIEA will focus on [protection of civic space, protection of human rights defenders, legal and constitutional reforms, and international justice and grave crimes]”.

Rwanda: “OSIEA will focus on [support for independent and critical voices, protection of human rights defenders and journalists at risk, documentation and advocacy on human rights, land reform, food security, women rights programming, LGBTI rights, and devolved governance]”.

Somaliland: “We see openings around [promotion of human rights principles, freedom of information and expression, equality and non- discrimination especially for women, media policy, land and oil governance, higher education, protection of human rights defenders, and food security.]”.

 

With all of this in mind, the picture and snap shot of reality from OSIEA isn’t a pleasant one as the addressing of the current situation show the fall of liberty, civil society and more power to the government for the sake of development. This happens as a shaken decision from the Authorities to secure the power and take away liberties to the citizens and Civil Society Organizations (CSO). The Authoritarian governments are on the rise using smart methods to silence the opposition and the ones that question them.

The draft report proves the importance of organizations like this that has grants and programs to support other CSO and NGOs in the region. As their mission cannot only be carried out by themselves.

What the Governments of East Africa would think about reading these comments on their actions would feel disgraced by their assessment therefore the draft might redrafted and rewritten to have a more hopeful choice of words to fit the program and not show as much disregard for the governments where the OSIEA tries to work and grant other organizations money. Peace.

Reference:

OPEN SOCIETY INITIATIVE FOR EASTERN AFRICA (OSIEA) – ‘2017-2020’ [Draft for Board Discussion, March 2016]