Tord Steiro is a Mondo reader in Norway, and writes:
Regarding the tragedy we are now living through. Let me clarify a few facts:
1. The organization targeted in Utøya is AUF – the Labour Party’s youth organization. In recent years, this organization has been increasingly critical of the Labour Party’s alleged ‘pro-Israel’ line. Hence, a stand in solidarity with Palestine is present. However, there are many such stands on the island, during the camp. West-Sahara is usually present, and so is anti-war activists. NPA – Norwegian Peoples Aid, is usually there too, together with the usual bunch of domestic political causes. Perhaps especially the central labour union, LO. This was a political gathering for youth members in the Labour Party, and not in any way a gathering focusing on I/P issues. Except that they would be on the agenda together with any other interesting political issue.
2. The pictures on Spengler are wrong. [http://spengler.atimes.net/viewtopic.php?t=17351&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight&sid=5dc81da376cc189913bee85754fbe7bc] Fair enough, the picture featuring the stand and the minister of foreign affairs Mr. Støre are real enough, while the picture of the [Gaza] boat is misplaced. It was taken last year, at the youth camp of the socialist youth. A youth organization to left of AUF. Hence, the following passage:
The main activity at the Utoya Island Meeting were mock “Break the Israel blockade” games. One event was Palestinian aide boats would try to break the Israel blockage. Whoever gets through first wins. The sign says “defeat the blockade” (opphev blokkaden – Gaza)
Is obviously wrong.
3. The gunman is a strong advocate for Israel, and stands behind much of the same rhetoric as we hear from the other usual suspects in the Zionist camp. The gunman looks at multi-culturalism as the greatest threat to Europe, and advocates in favour of segregated nation states.
And, for the record, it is appalling to see how the international media spun the Islamic terror card. The police kept denying Islamic terrorism from the very beginning, and we had very clear witness description of the gunman early Friday evening. The police stressed that they had solid evidence to connect the two incidents from early Friday morning. Yet, still, the international media played the ‘blame-the-Muslims’ circus for hours – even days. De facto supporting the gunman’s point of view.
Nevertheless, these incidents are sending shock waves through Norway and Scandinavia, and people are rallying behind the ideals of multi-culturalism. Islamophobes are finding themselves in a dark place, and there are no obvious ways for them to get out of it. People connect them to the killings, and the attack on democracy. Islamophobes, not Islam, is the major threat to our way of life.
Steiro serves as a programme coordinator for the NGO FORUT, coordinating its projects in Malawi. He is active in the centrist liberal party (Venstre) and has visited the West Bank twice.
