Today, over 24,000 children died around the world

Despite the fact that you rarely hear about this in headlines, it is a fact that well over 24,000 Children died today, and nearly everyday, around the world. They were killed by poverty, hunger, illnesses and diseases that can be easily cured and better yet easily prevented.

The well known fact seems to be easily forgotten in our busy society. A child dies every 3 seconds. That is a hard fact to swallow and we seem to ignore it daily. About 16-17 Children die every minute. 9 Million Children die every year. From 2000-2007, our world lost about 79 Million Children.

It is the equivalent to the Haiti earthquake taking place on a 10 day cycle, or the 2004 Asian Tsunami.

According to UNICEF:

1 million Children are deprived of one or more services essential to survival and development.

148 million under 5's are underweight for their age.

101 million Children are not attending primary schools.

22 million Children have no regular immunization from disease.

8.8 million Children died before their fifth birthday in 2008.

4 million new borns are dying within the first month of life.

2 million Children under 15 are living with HIV.

Over 500,000 woman die each year from causes related to Child birth or pregnancy.

Burma

Burma is currently ruled by a dictatorship, charged by the United Nations with "crimes against humanity, for its systematic abuses of human rights. It is one of thee most brutal dictatorships in todays world.

While the population go without healthcare, education and food, the regime spends the majority of its budget only on the military. A sad, but undeniable truth, is that one in ten children die before the age of five.

In 1990 the country held elections, in which 82% of the vote was won by the National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Aung San Suu Kyi has since been under House arrest and as of May 6th of this year the NLD have been banned by the Regime.

There are currently 2,100 political prisoners in Burma and NGO's and Human Rights groups have reported them tortured. Ko Mya Aye has been denied urgent medical treatment for a heart condition, as he lays in Taungyi Prison for leading a Student protest. Furthermore the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners estimated that 136 other prisoners are in bad health.

Men, Women and Children are in forced Labour, made to work for the Regime without pay. Many have suffered beatings, torture, rape and even murder. The International Labour Organisation committee on Burma said that Burma had made "totally inadequate" steps to change this.

The Regime is knowingly waging war on ethnic minorities. The Burmese Army have increased attacks on Karen civilians in Eastern Burma. On the 23rd of July the Burma Army soldiers burned 50 homes, a school and a church in the Dah Der village in the Mutraw District of the Karen state. 540 people fled into hiding. The Karens Women's Organisation has released a report documenting the horrors of the regime; crucifixion, burning people alive, raping and gang rape, burying women up to their heads, beating women to death and beheadings.

To find out more, and discover how you can help, visit http://www.burmacampaign.org

God Bless, Peace

The Current State of Ireland as a Nation

The Irish Free State is no more than a capitalist, power orientated, bear shaped hole in the world map. The constant Americanisation has done for Ireland what sins do for the soul.

The land of Saints and Scholars is no more as her morals are sold and squandered; those who align themselves with the proclamation of 1916 must feel like strangers on their own island, struggling to see where the desire for a workers orientated free Ireland died on the path along which the Celtic Tiger led us.

Her neutrality exists no more to be questioned, as US war planes fuel in Shannon to fly to decimate Iraq or wherever America deems fit next. Her abandonment of the dying people of Palestine, as they continue trade with Israel and refuse to throw out their ambassador, shows how quickly one can forget the help received from the likes of the Choctaw Tribes during An Gorta Mor.

After correspondence with the councillors of Dublin over the insane prospects of a state visit from an English Monarch I have come to finally accept that the people of the occupied territory have been cut lose, no longer considered an issue for Ireland. Seemingly our Irish citizenship is symbolic only of times gone by. The visit from the occupier is being warmly welcomed by those who are s'posed to represent the views of the people.

The welcoming of the English head of state, legitimises her claim of sovereignty over our island; it legitimises partition and it forgets the sons of Róisín who died for her freedom!

The Free State is a British state!

Anyone, who is revolutionary enough, to show a glimmer of hope, for an Ireland of which they can be proud, is painted as a dissident, living in the past and tarred with the same brush used against Ireland's armed rebels.

Yet there is hope, a candle still burning in the hearts of unfree or righteous men. It can be seen, placard in hand, marching the streets; for Palestine; for POWs; for workers; Yes the light is dim, but it burns!!

It may seem insane, but serious economic failure is probably the only future for Ireland. For people to turn to the left and rise up; to fight for the Ireland from tales of old.

Beidh Ár Lá Linn!!