In search of Peace, we have to Criminalise War

It was an HONOUR, definitely an HONOUR, to be exhausted, to have blisters at my feet, to feel every part of my body aching, to not be able to eat because I had to run around here and there, because I was part of such a remarkable, exciting, interesting, inspiring and EXCELLENT event of the year, the PERDANA GLOBAL PEACE CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2007 - "Expose War Crimes, Criminalise War".

I know a lot of you out there, especially those I know personally, couldn't attend the event because it was held on working days and Profit-Making industry won't let people take leave to attend events like these. So I thought, I might as well share my experience here, as for sharing knowledge, experience and feelings have become my forte these days (though condemned and criticise, I don't care shit bout that).

The event have taken a whole 6 days of my life out off blogging. Yes. Indeed it had, and was a bit depressing in that sense. Nevertheless, I did manage to "curik" a few moments to run up the Secretariat Room and check the blog to see if anyone misses me. Hehehe. (It was worth the run, I might add).

Ms Cynthia McKinney, a former representative to the House of Representatives for the 4th District of Georgia addressed the forum during the Q&A session.

The event, took place in the Merdeka Hall, PWTC from Monday February 5th until Wednesday February 7th. Although I have been doing the job assigned since, February 1st, despite the holiday, have been coming to work, including Saturday and Sunday. I was at PWTC the whole day.

It was an incredibly informative forum (now I know that depleted uranium exist - okay, don't judge me!) and I learned hell a lot, and a lot of it was hell. Especially listening to "The Man in The Hood", Ali Shalah's testimony, of his hell experience in the Abu Ghraib prison, how the US Army treated the prisioners, god, WaAllahualam, only God knows how much he had suffered. What amazed me the most, is that he was able to read out the testimony, to tell the story (in Arabic, assisted with the English translation as subtitles), he didn't break down as everyone else brokedown and cried. When repeating the story, re-telling it over and over again would mean reliving the life he so much wanted to forget. But I told someone, that he was taken in the prison a normal man, now, he's the strongest man. But there's more coming ahead, the consequences and risk he'll be facing for exposing the truth. It is a scary thought but I have faith when I said he has become "the strongest man", he'll be able to face things that'll come his way.

The incredible turnout to witness the testimony of "The Man in The Hood", Ali Shalah.

There are a lot of things happening in the forum, the incredible individuals that I've met. It was totally a Global event. The speakers are so incredibly great, credible and eloquent in their respective field.

I think I enjoyed most are the ones from these speakers.

Ms Hana Bayaty, who talked about how we should actually support the resistance in Iraq to show how small powers, actually have powers to resist the so-called big powers. Ms Hana Bayaty is a writer and chief editor of Al Ahram Weekly for Iraq and also member of the executive committee for Brussels War Crimes Tribunal. I might just say, she is just so gorgeous, she doesn't look like an Iraqi, with her exotic Mediterranean beauty, one might mistaken her for an Italian lady.

Then, Dr. Christopher Busby, the scientific secretary to the European Committee on Radiation Risk who also edited the recommendations of the ECRR Committee 2003 and also and expert and author on DU. But what would make him memorable is the way he talk (since he is a scientist, one might not expect he would talk casually and freely), and of course, the peace song that he composed and sang in front of the 2000 peace activist who came during his session. He was bombarded with girls coming to him and asking for his autograph as if he's somekind of a rockstar. But a humble scientist, he said "you don't know how much this had boasted my ego".

And the last on my list would be Muhammed Umar, Chairman of the Ramadhan Foundation. A Palestinian who have resided in the United Kingdom. And I must agree with him, that all we want is integration. I quote him, "You can be 100% Muslim, 100% Catholic, 100% Jew or whatever, but what we all want is integration" (unquote).

There more great speakers, but since I was working in and out of the hall, I could really sit and enjoy their sessions. I did enjoy the knowledge I gained from Dr. Leuren Moret, who is a geosccientist and radiation specialist and had testified at the International Tribunal for Afghanistan in 2003 as expert witness on depleted uranium. She told me, she did the research on depleted uranium for 7 years, and 16 hours everyday during that period. Wow! Simply incredible I tell ya! And she was kind enough to have a picture with me and kissed me luck.

Dr. Leuren Moret, the warm and friendly French speaker with the Cosmic Freak

I had the pleasure of talking to a participant who came all the way from Dublin, Ireland. Valerie Shortland, a committee member of the Irish Anti War Movement who came here on the invitation of her friend, Mr. Ibrahim Mousawi, a Palestinian who is one of the expert witness on stand during the War Crimes Tribunal yesterday and also the editor-in-chief for Al-Intiqad & Al Manar TV. Valerie shared with me the progress of her movement, how they are petitioning in Dublin against the entrance of war aircraft in their sky territory (okay, I sound stupid, I don't know the exact term). Valerie right now is off to Bangkok, to join her daughter who volunteered in a government orphanage there, in search of one handicapped Thai orphan with means to sponsor him. I wish her the best of luck in her quest. She might not be able to save 200 children, but saving one would do enough than anyone else who questioned her intention and told her that saving one wouldn't help the situation in general.

The forum have been an eye opener, had encouraged me to work harder.

It is a blessing to just work around such aspiring and inspiring individuals.

I would also wish the best of luck for Tun Dr. Mahathir who have been nominated by the Congress of Bosnik Intellectuals and two Christian groups the Serb Civic Council from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Croat National Council for the Nobel Peace Prize.

As Ms Cynthia McKinney stated, "Kuala Lumpur is now, the capital for Peace".

So please, don't call this BodohLand anymore. If any of you would do that again, I'd advise you to find a smarter land to live in.

More information can be obtained at the Perdana Global Peace Organisation website and also news can be obtained at the newsroom of Perdana Leadership Foundation portal. In the PGPO website, they promised to upload the mp3 and lyrics for Dr. Christopher Busby's peace song.

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