Yesterday Harry wrote that he’d be interested to find out more about the British Helsinki Human Rights Group after reading its *ahem* unusual take on what’s happening in Ukraine.
So did Guardian columnist David Aaronovitch. Read his damning findings here.
Founded in 1992, the BHHRG sends observers to elections and writes reports which – along Laughlandish lines – almost invariably dispute the accounts given by better known human rights organisations. This stance has led to the BHHRG being criticised by the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (established in 1976) as preferring “the role [is to take] PR flak for a new breed of authoritarian rulers in Europe” to the business of actually monitoring abuses.
Aaronovitch’s research uncovers the fact that Laughland is a regular contributor of articles to Sanders Research Associates – a “risk consultancy”. Here’s the principal of that organisation on Laughland’s writings:
“John Laughland’s series of articles [showing that] the attack on Iraq is just the southern offensive of a larger campaign to tighten the noose on Russia.”
Just part of an anti-Russian conspiracy ? Well I suppose it makes a change from those who say the Iraq war was all about oil.
There’s worse though….
“What is less well understood are the risks that the unravelling political compact in Israel poses for the United States and Great Britain, whose political processes, intelligence services, military, media and financial establishments are so thoroughly enmeshed with Israel’s.”
Last word to Aaronovitch:
Read that last sentence again and then ask yourself: in what way are Britain’s media and financial interests “thoroughly enmeshed” with Israel’s?
