Live reports from delegation to Palestine - please support the boycott policy

Fifth and last report from a delegation to Palestine and Israel by Sam Macartney, UNISON Scotland International Chair: Day 5: Went to Hebron and was not surprised by the number of Israeli solders surrounding this city.

A few hundred Israeli settlers have live in Hebron since 1982. There have always been some issues but this has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. Ever since Israel's settler building program has taken off, there has been many Palestinians murdered since the late 90's including a young 17 year old woman shot and left to die in February this year in front of a mosque.

It took two hours to get an ambulance. Israeli soldiers pulled her body behind a wall so the public wouldn't be upset.

Life for a Palestinian in Hebron is hard an cruel. There are now 400 hundred settlers protected by 3,000 Israeli soldiers. They must feel very safe.

If you feel I'm being tough on Israel and how its ethnic policies are impacting on Palestinians please come to Hebron.

Thanks for listening to my reports and please support the boycott policy because the Palestinian people deserve to live in their own country without fear and oppression.

Live reports from delegation to Palestine - illegal settlements, demolition and displacement

Fourth report from a delegation to Palestine and Israel by Sam Macartney, UNISON Scotland International Chair: Day 4 Jerusalem: Two scheduled meetings for today and a chance to see the illegal settlements which the Israeli government are helping to build and saying their not.

Furniture tossed on the street

UN you need to see a good optician. Illegal settlements spring up in East Jerusalem at a rapid pace. But these are not settlements. These are massive housing schemes with wall to wall shopping malls, schools and facilities which cover miles of stolen territory, while the Palestinians are forced to live in slum like conditions with no facilities and without proper construction guidelines.

Live reports from delegation to Palestine - unions, working conditions and learning

Third report from a delegation to Palestine and Israel by Sam Macartney, UNISON Scotland International Chair: Early start this morning to beat the traffic and the check points, yes there is wall to wall check points - makes a few people feel safe but many others living under occupation.

Sam Macartney at the
Yasser Arafat memorial

Reached Ramallah, and it felt good to be in a Palestinian city were people could smile a little, Our first meeting of the day was with DWRC (democracy and workers rights centre) who advised us of their continued fight to achieve right and safe working conditions for workers and families in Ramallah.

This group, with ties to some trade unions, assists many groups in the city and continues to help children who are forced into work even at the age of 12 to 14 years old. These children need help and support with employers who care nothing for age and exploit them daily.

Violence and harassment are common place with 12% of children spoken to stating they have been subjected to ill-treatment. Israeli employers seem indifferent to child protection laws.

Live reports from delegation to Palestine - UN and Kavla Oved

Second report from a delegation to Palestine and Israel by Sam Macartney, UNISON Scotland International Chair:  Day 3: Met with the UN representative this morning, (Rodger Dalton) also at the meeting was Lord Warner Labour peer, and two forgettable Tory MPs. They were getting to travel to Gaza while groups with a real interest an agenda are barerd.

Meeting with Kavla Oved workers' rights group

The meeting again confirmed the lack of interest by the majority of the UN nations, still no building material aloud to enter Gaza. The Israeli government have stated that building material can be used for terrorism. Meanwhile people live in tents. Some tents where supplied by UN countries who have no intention to ask for compensation from Israel for destroying them.

Live reports from UNISON delegation to Palestine

Sam Macartney, UNISON Scotland International Chair, reports from a delegation to Palestine and Israel: Day one arrived Tel Aviv. As expected I was pulled in by Israeli security, thankfully only questioned for 20 minutes then released. It seems my reputation precedes me!

Another Israeli checkpoint, Jerusalem

On the drive to Jerusalem Noel our driver pointed out the security the Palestine workers and people must face day in day out. Horrendous can't explain what this is like. The harassment and humiliation these people face is beyond words!

There are now walls around all Palestinian settlements with signs stating Jews must be aware that this area is dangerous. For them! So much for shared futures and villages, these truly are divisive structures.

Bhopal: Terrible hardship but incredible courage and kindness

#Bhopal30 This is the day 30 years ago when the Union Carbide industrial disaster claimed 25,000 lives, left 120,000 chronically ill and continues to maim subsequent generations.

The anniversary rally took place along with a march by all the families and supporters to the Bhopal plant walls.

An excellent rally was planned and policed by the Bhopal group and supporters and this was achieved with little or no police or army presence.

It was a very hot day and water was provided at many places along the route. The rally at the wall then burned effigies of Dow and Union Carbide.

Later the screening took place of a new movie about the disaster called 'A Prayer for Rain', featuring Martin Sheen. Many of the survivors and their families attended, some having never set foot in a cinema before.

I was very moved by the fragile condition of many, yet they came and sat through an event that must have brought back horrific memories to them all.

Presented to trade unions and NDOs by the delegation.

During my time here I have witnessed some terrible hardship and deprivation. But also some incredible courage and kindness.

Sam Macartney

Torchlight march and Bhopal Disaster Museum

#Bhopal30 From Sam Macartney and Scott Donohoe in Bhopal: Tuesday began with a national solidarity meeting with families and NGOs who support the campaign.Then a visit to the workplace of the women who have taken the fight to the courts and the Indian government. They have their own trade union now but they still haven't received justice for the disaster. Next we visited the new Bhopal People's Disaster Museum. This is a tribute to those that lost their lives and those who are still suffering. It was very harrowing but very moving.

We then joined with families, activists and campaigners on a torchlight rally to the old factory walls. This was incredible. Real torches steeped in paraffin were carried through the city for about two miles. See videos by Sanjay Verma here.

The torches were kept alight during the march by men refilling these wood and metal torches with fuel. In the darkness this was a fantastic sight but I can't see this catching on in Scotland due to health and safety concerns (that's a real shame).

Finally, the hunger fast starts at midnight tonight for 30 hours signifying one hour for every year that has passed since the disaster caused by Union Carbide.

Bill Kidd MSP has lodged the following motion in the Scottish Parliament.