So much news tonight — no time to list it all.Thanks to C. Cantoni, Gaia, Insubria, JD, Rolf Krake, TV, VH, Vlad Tepes, and all the other tipsters who sent these in. Headlines and articles are below the fold.
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Ex-CIA Expert: Obama Took Millions in Illegal Foreign Donations
A Newsmax investigation of Obama/Biden campaign contributors, undertaken in conjunction with a private investigative firm headed by a former CIA operations officer, has identified 118 donors who appear to lack U.S. citizenship.
Some of these “red flag” donors work for foreign governments; others have made public statements declaring that they are citizens of Cameroun, Nigeria, Pakistan, Canada, and other countries.
A Newsmax sampling of about 3,400 donors also found hundreds more who showed “yellow flags” such as not having used a Social Security number or a known U.S. address. Most U.S.-born citizens are issued Social Security numbers at birth or by the time they enter kindergarten.
Under federal law, only U.S. citizens or permanent residents may donate to federal political campaigns. It is illegal for the campaigns to accept money knowingly from foreign donors.
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Eyewitness to the Ayers Revolution
In an interview from the 1982 documentary No Place To Hide that recently surfaced, Grathwohl discussed what the Weathermen intended to do after overthrowing the U.S. government, including what they would do with those Americans who refused to embrace communism.
I asked, “Well what is going to happen to those people we can’t reeducate, that are diehard capitalists?” And the reply was that they’d have to be eliminated.
And when I pursued this further, they estimated they would have to eliminate 25 million people in these reeducation centers.
And when I say “eliminate,” I mean “kill.”
Twenty-five million people.
I want you to imagine sitting in a room with 25 people, most of which have graduate degrees, from Columbia and other well-known educational centers, and hear them figuring out the logistics for the elimination of 25 million people.
And they were dead serious.
Twenty-six years later, I caught up with Larry Grathwohl, and asked him about the Weathermen, their leaders then and now, and what he thinks about the relationship between Bill Ayers and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
FCC Probe Signals Democratic Attack Machine
A Federal Communications Commission investigation of on-air military analysts is providing a glimpse of what Democrats and an Obama administration will do to critics once they capture Washington.
The FCC has sent letters to some of the nation’s most prominent military analysts — some of them pro-President Bush and pro-war — suggesting they may have broken the law when they appeared on television stations to comment on and explain the war on terrorism.
The FCC investigation raises the question of whether a Democrat-controlled Congress and White House next year will investigate — and perhaps criminalize — all sorts of actions taken by the Bush administration. Obama is leading in all presidential polls, while Democrats are set to greatly increase their hold on the House and Senate.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Obama is Pure Socialist
Sen. Obama has complained recently that he is being called a socialist.
In fact, he joked that the McCain camp might call him a communist because he used to share his peanut butter sandwiches in elementary school.
Of course, the senator cannot be accused of being a communist because he shared sandwiches during his elementary school years. A true communist would not share the sandwiches but instead would confiscate all the sandwiches in the lunch room for distribution among the party members.
In order to remain politically correct, I will use the “duck” instead of “socialist” so as not to offend anyone.
It is clear that Obama quacks like a duck. His off-the-cuff reply to Joe the plumber, noting that his planned tax increases are aimed at “sharing the wealth,” is a classic duck line that comes directly out of duck policy. Karl Marx wrote the book on duck politics and redistribution of wealth is a primary duck goal. ….
Another duck policy is to fly away from danger instead of confronting it head on. Obama’s duck national defense policy is based on cutting the military in favor of funding domestic welfare programs. Obama has pledged to cut future weapons purchases such as the F-35 joint strike fighter.
Ironically, several of America’s key allies, such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Israel, are depending on the U.S. to develop the F-35. The U.S. Air Force and Navy expect to phase out 30-year-old aircraft in favor of the advanced stealth jet. Nothing would please America’s enemies more than seeing the F-35 canceled.
Obama has also made it very clear that he will cancel our national missile defense program, despite the rapid development of long range weapons around the world that can strike America and our allies. Again, our allies across the globe are depending on the U.S. to help develop a real defense against ballistic missiles.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Red Alert Tip: Two Quotes From the Obama-Khalidi Videotape
…I received a tip from a person who has provided useful, accurate and unique data from LA before (e.g., “All six of CNN’s ‘undecided voters’ were Democratic operatives”). Take it for what it’s worth, but I believe this person is on target.
Saw a clip from the tape. Reason we can’t release it is because statements Obama said to rile audience up during toast. He congratulates Khalidi for his work saying “Israel has no God-given right to occupy Palestine” plus there’s been “genocide against the Palestinian people by Israelis.”
It would be really controversial if it got out. That’s why they will not even let a transcript get out.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Robert Spencer’s Radical Agenda
by Hira Ahmed
Last Thursday, the President of Stony Brook University’s The Patriot, Alex Chamessian, introduced the paper’s invited guest speaker, Robert Spencer, a man whose views many may not agree with but should still be respected for what they are. Spencer approached the podium, thanking Chamessian for the introduction and added that his lecture was on Jihad (an Arabic word meaning “for struggle”) was not a compilation of his views, but rather “truth,” that could not be disputed. This was the first sign of one-sidedness in Spencer’s lecture, which by the end of his rant, began to sound like full-fledged bigotry.
Spencer, an author of several books on Islam and a contributing writer for FrontPage magazine, conducted an hour-long speech about how Islam’s fundamentals and the teachings of its prophet Muhammad, preach destruction of Western values, ideals, and culture. Needless to say, the lecture quickly began to sound like a post-9/11 President Bush speech, with the added adornment of hijacked quotes from the Qu’ran and Hadith (the sayings and teachings of Muhammad).
Spencer, who was very quick to quote the Qu’ran in substantiating his biased arguments, is not a scholar in the field; he has not received any formal education in Islamic studies, nor is he fluent in Arabic. He does, however, have a Master’s degree in Christianity. These two traits may seem menial to anyone who is self-taught in any subject or ability, but they have an immense impact on an individual’s understanding of people and a faith.
Firstly, Arabic is widely known to be a nuanced language that is often lost in translation. Secondly, one who seeks to self-educate in a field bears the responsibility of selecting literature that is well balanced. Considering the virulent words of Spencer about Islam, it is evident that he was learning about Islam with an agenda. But most importantly, on the subject of hijacking quotes from religious doctrine, such can be done with any religious book.
The wrongdoings and atrocities committed by everyone in all of Western civilization for the past 2,000 years could be attributed to the sayings and teachings of Christ and the Bible, if the attempt was made. However, it is understood that the failures and crimes of people in Western society were a reflection of their own failure to adhere to the teachings of Christ, rather than a reflection of Christ and Christianity itself. In the same way, many Muslims around the world have committed wrongdoings, both in and not in the name of God, but they too should not be a reflection of Islam and Muhammad.
Spencer’s website, jihadwatch.org, features an article called “Saudi Calls for Interfaith in Context,” in which King Abdullah’s efforts to engage in interfaith dialogue, which even right-wing Israeli politician Ehud Barrak responded to optimistically, were criticized. The criticism isn’t what is surprising about the article, though, it is the repeated “typo” Saudi Sheik, Adbul Rahman Barrak’s name as “Barack.” In fact, there is even a link to an article on arabnews.com that correctly spells his name. This cheap, subliminal ploy to associate Obama with Arab culture is a testament to Spencer’s extremist agenda.
Spencer is a caricature of himself and the ignorant people who read things the way they want, rather than challenging themselves to develop a thorough understanding of the subject. His efforts to protect America from Islam’s alleged goal to destroy the West — while its followers take a break from being honest, charitable citizens of their society who are good to their neighbors — are nothing but transparent. Spencer takes advantage of mainstream America’s ignorance about Islam and Islamic history, and spreads politically incorrect propaganda instead. I don’t know what is more appalling, that a university newspaper would compromise its respect and credibility to invite such a bigot, or that his audience would ever take him seriously. The real service to America would be to condemn such hatred towards Islam.
Spencer and I do agree on one thing, we live in a wonderful country that gives faux-scholars like him a forum to speak in and express his hateful ideas, but we also live in a country in which we have infinite knowledge and differing views at our disposal. When we encounter hateful people as Spencer who prey on our impressionability we should challenge them, not by engaging their bias, but rather by becoming knowledgeable individuals.
| — Hat tip: Rolf Krake | [Return to headlines] |
Possible Solution to Cultural Conflict in Canada. Halaloween!
As various Canadian agencies work hard to disintegrate all Canadian traditions culture and common bonds in the name of tolerance and diversity an idea occurred to me. Why not make it inclusive instead of exclusive. Lets create Halaloween. Women can walk the streets in their burkhas (with their husbands brothers or fathers of course) Threatening people who try and give them candies.
Kids can go as suicide bombers and knock on doors with the traditional cry of Alahu snackbar or ‘death to the infidels.’ If there are any pork products in any of the candies they can pull the cord…
| — Hat tip: Vlad Tepes | [Return to headlines] |
Energy: Spain, Fraud Suspected on Wind and Solar Power
(by Paola Del Vecchio) (ANSAmed) — MADRID, OCTOBER 24 — The suspicion is that behind Spain’s boom in alternative energy, an enormous fraud is being played out in order to obtain millions in government subsidies. It is for this reason that the ministry of Industry and the National Energy Commission (CNE) have decided to open an investigation that calls for the inspection of all wind and solar installations on the Iberian Peninsula. The investigation, reported by the media today, is only administrative for the moment, but it is not excluded that there will be penal implications. The objective of the inspections is to determine if the installations are effectively producing electricity, which is what the managers say in order to receive government money. The CNE, on its own initiative, already began the inspections in the last few days of some wind energy ‘parks’ to verify the production of the electricity that was declared. But it has now been charged by the Ministry of Industry to make the same checks at solar energy establishments, which have popped up like mushrooms since 2007. Both cases have the same problem: more installations are registered in regional records than those that appear to be functioning through checks on the electricity grid. The ministries, however, note that it isn’t a given that these are phantom establishments. They can also be installations that haven’t started regular functioning as yet, even if the date of start-up is all but secondary. On September 30, in fact, the new decree regulating solar energy sector funding came into effect. The decree reduces the generous subsidies set out by the previous bill on power plants by 35%, in an attempt to contain the exponential growth in number recorded for solar energy, and a source of overpriced energy for consumers. The boom began in 2007, in connection with the announcement of the cut in benefits. And now shape has been given to suspicion that some energy producers might have accelerated the registration process at authorities, able to make decisions autonomously, in order to benefit from the previous rules of the game, which handed out 45 eurocents per kilowatt, compared to the 35 eurocents per kilowatt laid out by the new law. The Industry ministry counted 2,200 megawatts of photovoltaic electricity presumably operating, with the right to receive the benefit until the September 30, to which were added about another 1000 authorisations from autonomous communities, that had until October 29 to supply their definitive listings. Practically, ministerial sources point out, almost twice the 2,000 megawatts they initially estimated. The inspections are to certify that the installations are really working and that they are found in the locations listed on the licenses. There is even the suspicion that some solar ‘parks’ are moved to different locations to receive the benefits twice. The inspections will take place primarily in the regions of Castilla-La Manca, Castilla y Leon, Valencia, Navarra, Murcia and Andalusia, as they have the most units installed. CNE will investigate the windmills produced at the end of 2007 too, as they have had a tendency to function at very reduced capacities. In this case, like the first, subsidies were lowered by the decree of May 2007.(ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Immigration Now ‘Structural’ Says New Report
Rome, 30 Oct. (AKI) — There are now four million legal immigrants living in Italy — twice the number recorded in 2000 — and immigration is becoming a “structural” phenomenon, according to a new report by two Catholic charities. The report was presented in Rome on Thursday by Catholic charities Caritas and Fondazione Migrantes.
Italy’s immigrant population is growing at an annual rate of at least 350,000 people a year, and is playing an indispensable role in the Italian economy. But speakers at the conference said the country needs to do far more to welcome and integrate immigrants.
Piergiorgio Saviola from the Fondazione Migrantes drew parallels between current immigration to Italy and the mass emigration of Italians especially after World War II, when over 300,000 people annually left the country to escape poverty and encountered “contempt and humiliation” in their adopted countries.
“We should draw on our 150-year-long experience of being immigrants and respect foreigners,” said Saviola.
Franco Pitau, who co-ordinated the 2008 report, said that the current rate of immigration was “becoming structural”.
Over half of legal immigrants — or 56 percent — live in the industrial northern regions of Lombardy, Veneto, Piemonte and Emiglia Romagna, 12.1 percent in the central Lazio region surrounding the capital, Rome, and 8 percent in Tuscany, according to the report.
“Immigration is a national matter of fact, affecting the wealthy Lombardy region and the poor region of Sardinia,” Pittau noted, adding that Romanians form the largest immigrant group (close to 900,000), followed by Albanians (436,300) and Morocco (398,500).
Many legal immigrants are working as domestic assistants, in the building sectors, in factories and in agriculture. But increasing numbers are working in the transport sector, in bars, hotels and offices in “a sign of the need for immigrant manpower,” noted Pittau.
Immigrants have a much higher rate of employment (73 percent) than Italians (61 percent), and contribute 9 percent of Italy’s gross domestic product. Contrary to popular misconceptions, immigrants pay their way, contributing in 2007 over 3.7 billion euros in taxes, said Pittau.
“Immigrants are contributing to Italians’ pensions and Italy’s future is unthinkable without them,” said Pittau.
Italy’s national statistics institute, ISTAT, has forecast that by 2050, immigrants will make up 18 percent of Italy’s population, compared with 6.7 percent currently and there will be 22 million pensioners.
“Yet in Italy, there is so much fear of foreigners, something unjustified when you think how immigrants are contributing to the country’s wealth,” he said.
Instead of branding immigrants as responsible for rising crime in Italy, individual criminals and the criminal organisations operating in the country need to be identified, he argued.
From 2001-2005, the proportion of crimes committed by immigrants (both legal and illegal) rose from 17.4 percent to 23.7 percent, while the number of legal immigrants in Italy increased from 1.33 million to 2.6 million, according to the report.
Giuseppe Merisi, Bishop of Lodi and President of Caritas Italiana praised the rigourous gathering of statistics on immigration “as a safeguard against factiousness”.
“We should not deny the risks to security, but nor should we exaggerate these,” he said. “Italy can do more to welcome and integrate immigrants.”
Pittau called for concrete measures to aid immigrants, including the streamlining of visas and permits of stay application procedures, as well as those enabling immigrants to bring members of their families to join them in Italy
Despite the global economic downturn affecting Italy and other countries, Italy’s integration fund is a mere 5.1 million euros, compared with 300 million euros in Spain and 750 million euros in Germany, Pittau noted.
Integration has reached its best level so far in Italy, said Labour Minister, Maurizio Sacconi. But he warned that economic recession could place under severe strain the country’s “multi-ethnic society” and generate “a growing risk of intolerance” towards immigrants.
While the government will endeavour to bolster economic output and growth, Italy could see long-term unemployment that may jeopardise work prospects for immigrants and affect “the most vulnerable groups”, he said.
“Italy needs realistic, more effective immigration policies that involve training and selection in countries of origin and transparent immigration channels,” he said.
Sacconi said that he would take into account the worsening economic outlook when deciding how many immigrants to admit to Italy for the period 2007-2009.
Over 700,000 applications were made in 2007, he noted. “We cannot waste scarce resources, and must concentrate these on the acquisition of the Italian language, on housing and on regular employment,” he concluded.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Slovenia Rejects Brussels Criticism of Toll Payments
(ANSAmed) — LJUBLJANA, OCTOBER 29 — Slovenia today rejected criticisms by the European Commission over the introduction of tickets for motorway tollbooths, in effect since 1st July, maintaining that “the current system in no way represents discrimination against motorists who do not live in Slovenia”, but are in transit. The Ljubljana Government announced today. In the “first caution” in Ljubljana written at the beginning of October, Brussels stated that the tickets penalised European citizens using Slovenian motorways (411 km in total) only sporadically, once or twice a year, given that the system “does not provide short-term tickets, between seven and ten days”, but only for a minimum of six months at a cost of 35 euros, or yearly, costing 55 euros. Tourists coming from Austria and Germany, Croatia, Greece and Turkey were especially displeased with this last summer, as were Croatians who have to go through Slovenian territory to reach any EU country. The Commission asked Ljubljana to introduce short-term tickets. The Slovenian Government maintains that this is not a violation of the principle of free movement of persons and goods, or indirect discrimination based on nationality, and used the example of Slovenian citizens who “use motorways only occasionally”. The Centre-Left coalition which is to form the new Government in the next few days under Boris Pahor let it be known however that “the new executive will take into consideration the introduction of short-term tickets”, thus ending the dispute with Austria and Croatia who went to the European Commission in order to avoid court proceedings. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Spain: No to Referendum; We Shall Not Give Up, Ibarretxe
(ANSAmed) — MADRID, SEPTEMBER 12 — “We respect the ruling, but we shall not resign ourselves” was the comment made by head of the Basque government Juan Jose Ibarretxe regarding the ruling of illegitimacy issued by the Constitutional Court in relation to the law on Basque referendum on self-determination, news agency EFE reported. In his statement, Ibarretxe defined the court’s ruling as “democratic disregard”. In turn, Basque councillor for justice, Joseba Azkarraga, assured today that “the process does not end with the decision of the Constitutional Court nor of the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg,” which he confirmed the Basque government will resort to, after the rejection to the project for referendum on the “right to decide” of the Basque people. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Elderly Man Foils Jewellery Raid
The bravest OAP: As everyone else watches, an elderly man foils jewellery raid by unmasking hammer-wielding hoodie
A gutsy poppy-wearing pensioner foiled a raid on a jewellery shop when he ripped the balaclava off a hoodie wielding a sledgehammer. The elderly man wrestled the robber and unmasked him, shocking the offender and his accomplice so much that they discarded their weapons and fled empty-handed.
The man, who appeared to be in his 70s or 80s, was the only person who intervened despite a crowd of 50 onlookers standing by. The have-a-go hero moved forward as the two attackers pounded the reinforced windows of the Richmond branch of Ernest Jones up to 20 times yesterday afternoon in the busy shopping area of George Street.
Witnesses said the pair were so stunned by the intervention they ran off.
The pensioner then smiled at the crowd before casually getting on the bus…
| — Hat tip: VH | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Passports Will be Needed to Buy Mobile Phones
Everyone who buys a mobile telephone will be forced to register their identity on a national database under government plans to extend massively the powers of state surveillance.
Phone buyers would have to present a passport or other official form of identification at the point of purchase. Privacy campaigners fear it marks the latest government move to create a surveillance society.
A compulsory national register for the owners of all 72m mobile phones in Britain would be part of a much bigger database to combat terrorism and crime. Whitehall officials have raised the idea of a register containing the names and addresses of everyone who buys a phone in recent talks with Vodafone and other telephone companies, insiders say.
The move is targeted at monitoring the owners of Britain’s estimated 40m prepaid mobile phones. They can be purchased with cash by customers who do not wish to give their names, addresses or credit card details…
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Croatia: Murdered Journalists, Possible Emergency Measures
(ANSAmed) — ZAGREB, OCTOBER — Croatia has been profoundly shaken by the terrorist attack last night which claimed the lives of Ivo Pukanic and Niko Franjic, leaders of the weekly political journal, Nacional. Both the press and politicians are now talking about “terrorism by organised crime”, “emergency measures” and the “halt of Croatia’s journey towards becoming part of the European Union”. “There is no need to decree a state of emergency”, said the prime minister, Ivo Sanader, this morning at the end of an unexpected meeting of the National Security Council, but “there will be some special steps taken to assist in the fight against organised crime and corruption”. The decision to introduce an “anti-mafia” had already been made two weeks ago following the death of a young female lawyer whose father was the lawyer of an ex-General accused of having ties with the Croatian mafia. The press in Zagreb is unanimous today in its condemnation of the killing of Ivo Pukanic, journalist and leader of Nacional, and his close colleague, Niko Franjic. “Terrorism!” is the sole word on the front page of the national newspaper, Jutarnji list, claiming that initial indications already point to “the victory of organised crime and yet another defeat for the State”. On this same theme, another newspaper, Vecernji list, leads with: “Crime takes over”. In the meantime, the Police has made it known that the magistracies of almost all the Balkan countries are taking part in the investigations. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
EU-Croatia: Slovenia Halts Zagreb’s Adhesion
(ANSAmed) — BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 30 — Slovenia has slowed down once again Croatia’s process for joining the EU, after the fishing controversy which was resolved some months ago. At the adhesion conference today which should have opened four new chapters in the adhesion Treaty, just one was closed, temporarily, due to a veto by Ljubljana which has a dispute with Zagreb over borders. Dossiers for regional policy, justice, liberty and security, environment and the free circulation of capital remain waiting to be opened, despite strong pressure from the French Presidency which was hoping to give them the go-ahead today. “Croatia has no intention allowing bilateral problems interfere with the process of adhesion to the EU and we expect the member states to do the same” said chief negotiator Vladimir Drobnjak at the end of the meeting with EU representatives. Slovenia justified its veto by saying that the current Government is not in a position to take decisions on foreign matters, as it is an executive which is working on day-to-day business while it waits for the change of government following September’s elections. Slovenia and Croatia, two former Yugoslavian republics have still not reached agreement over land and sea borders after independence in 1991. The documents sent by Zagreb to Brussels for opening the four chapters refer to Croatian laws which jeopardise the setting of these borders. The reason why Ljubljana refuses to sign. Croatia has opened 21 chapters so far, 4 of which are already closed, and it is set to become the twenty-eighth EU member state. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Building the European Empire
By Alexandra Colen
Six years ago, when Belgian Minister Louis Michel addressed the Belgian Foreign Affairs Committee, on November 12, 2002, he explained that the EU intended to incorporate the whole of North Africa and the Middle East, but also Russia. In other words, the entire northern half of Asia as far as Vladivostok, is to be incorporated into the EU.
If that happens, Sarah Palin will be seeing Europe from her window instead of Russia.
At the time, many thought that Mr Michel was voicing his own dream of a political Utopia. Today, however, it seems that this dream is under construction. On October 13th, the EU granted Morocco an “advanced association status.” http://www.ansamed.info/en/news/ME01.@AM67082.html It is the first special association status granted by the EU to a third country and it is meant to be a step towards fully integrating Morocco in the EU.
From now on, the Moroccan minister of Foreign Affairs will be allowed to participate in the EU Foreign Affairs Council of Ministers and in other EU institutions such as Europol, the European Police Office, and Eurojust, the EU body dealing with judicial cooperation. Israel is said to be the next candidate to obtain a “special association status” with the EU…
| — Hat tip: TV | [Return to headlines] |
Education: Five New Schools in East Jerusalem With EU Funds
(ANSAmed) — BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 21 — The European Commission together with Save the Children Sweden and the Faisal Husseini Foundation celebrated today the renovation of five schools in East Jerusalem, through funding provided by the European Union (EU). The renovation of all five schools under the Comprehensive School Upgrading project included the upgrading of electricity networks, sanitation facilities, sewage systems, carpentry and mechanical works and general classroom conditions (paint, floors, and ceilings). The project also provided the schools with new school equipment that included computers, fax, and copy machines, in addition to school management software. Furthermore, the schools are benefiting through educational support that includes extracurricular classes and training for teachers, support to headmasters in school vision development, and training for teachers and school counselors with a focus on learning disabilities and other special needs. The schools, Al Nahda, St. Dimitri school, St. Tarkmanchatz Secondary School, Dar Al Awlad, and Al Doha, are located in the Old City of Jerusalem and its surrounding area. The project is part of an ongoing 2 million euro programme, financed by the European Union, to help improve the infrastructure and provision of services to the people of East Jerusalem.(ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy-Turkey: Fini, Preferential Relationship With Ankara
(ANSAmed) — ANKARA, OCTOBER 31 — “The preferential relationship with Turkey is for Italy a vital reference to a country that represents a fundamental bastion of stability and democracy in a complex and difficult international setting”. So stated Gianfranco Fini, Speaker of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, attending the closing ceremony of the European twinning ceremony with the Turkish Great National Assembly. “The fight against terrorism and the commitment for the sake of peace and development at the bilateral level and in multilateral bodies represent the fundamental objectives that inspire a common view of international politics”. Fini, who spoke with Koksal Toptan, the Speaker of the Turkish Great National Assembly, at his side, noted “bilateral relations between the (Italian) Chamber and the Turkish Parliament had never been so intense and fruitful before”. This parliamentary cooperation, he said, reflected the relationship between “two great Nations linked by centuries of history and very intense political, cultural and economic relations”. Both belong to the Mediterranean region and moreover they share a call to be a ‘bridge’ between different cultures, “relevant more than ever today”. Referring to the project of setting up an Italian-Turkish Unversity in Istanbul, the Italian House Speaker strssed that “economic relations with Turkey represent a strategic option for Italy”. These relations ranged from the manufacturing industry to energy and services and included the level of small and medium size enterprises. Therefore, they do represent “a very solid reality”. “The Italian Parliament and the Turkish Parliament — Fini said — have a lot to say to each other since they both play a major role in guaranteeing in any circumstance national unity by menas of the dialogue among their different components.” “They do, therefore — he concluded — a smimilar ability to act as a bridge between the different institutions also at a critical time for political life. We will walk side by side along the road taking Turkey, engaged in the necessary reforms, toward the European Union, to finish the historical design which Atatruk started by founding the Republic right here in Ankara 85 years ago”. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
PNA: EU to Provide Better Access to Water
(ANSAmed) — BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 28 — Residents in five municipalities will have better access to safe water with the construction of new water distribution networks, funded by the European Union. The Palestinian Water Authority, which will oversee the project, has now awarded all contracts for this improvement scheme, using a 4 million euro contribution from the European Union, provided through its PEGASE mechanism. The networks will be built in Kufr al Deek and Beit Dajan (Nablus district) and Beit Furik and Burqin (Salfeet District). The total length of both networks is 28.1 km. A 1,500 m3 water reservoir will also be built in the Idna Municipality, in the Governorate of Hebron. The three contracts will provide safer water to 54,144 residents.(ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Egypt: Defense Abandons Harassment Victim, ‘She is Israeli’
(ANSAmed) — ROMA, OCTOBER — An Egyptian harassment victim, who made history as being the first ever to bring the man who harassed her to court and to actually win a verdict, was abandoned by her own lawyer over “carrying an Israeli passport”. Three days after the culprit was sentenced to 3 years in jail for groping the young woman in the street, defense attorney Naglaa al-Imam lashed out at her client after finding out that she carries an Israeli passport, Egyptian independent daily al-Masry al-Youm reported, as quoted by alrabiya.net. Explaining reasons for turning against her client and switching over to represent the harasser in the appeal, Imam said she “investigated about Roshdi and found out that she was born in Jafa, north of Tel Aviv, and that her father still lives there”.Imam further told the paper that during a TV interview the woman said “Israel was a respectable country” when asked whether sexual harassment also takes place there. The woman, a young film directer, was harassed by a truck driver in the Cairo district of Heliopolis. According to the verdict, while walking with a friend of hers, Gibril approached her and grabbed her breasts till she fell to the ground. In an unprecedented step, Roshdi insisted on taking him to court, thus bringing about the first harassment ruling in the history of Egyptian judiciary. In October 21, Cairo Criminal Court sentenced Gibril to 3 years in jail with hard labor and a fine of 5,001 Egyptian pounds. The trial turned into a demonstration by women and human rights activists who condemned the humiliation Egyptian women are subjected to in the street and their fear of disgrace. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Gaza Rocket Strikes Israel; Cargo Crossings Closed
Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have fired a rocket into southern Israel in violation of a 4-month-old truce, but the strike did not cause any injuries or damage. The Israeli Defense Ministry has responded Thursday by snapping shut cargo crossings into Gaza until further notice.
Hezbollah Palestine, a little-known group, has claimed responsibility. It first emerged last week when it claimed responsibility for an Oct. 21 rocket attack. Rocket barrages from Gaza have largely ceased since Israel reached a truce with militants in the territory in June…
| — Hat tip: VH | [Return to headlines] |
Israel-Egypt: Lieberman, Mubarak Can Go to the Devil
(ANSAmed) — JERUSALEM, OCTOBER 29 — The leader of an Israeli opposition party has unleashed a hornet’s nest protest and dismay among Israeli Government circles after affirming that Egypt’s President Hosny Mubarak “can go to the devil” for his long-standing refusal to visit the Hebrew state. In a speech delivered to the Knesset, Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Russian-speaking Israel Beitenu party (right-wing opposition), used the following turn of phrase: “Our leaders go repeatedly to Egypt to meet President Mubarak, while he refuses to come here on an official visit as President of Egypt. Any leader having a modicum of dignity would have made these meetings conditional on their being reciprocated”. “If (Mubarak) wants to speak to us, he should come here. If he doesn’t want to come, let him go to the devil”. >From the office of President Shimon Peres, who met Mubarak just a few days ago at Sharm El-Sheikh, came the note that Lieberman’s choice of words was “inopportune” and did not reflect the relations existing between the two countries. Foreign Ministry sources stated that Lieberman’s pronouncements “are ill-chosen”. Political sources cited by public service radio called them “superfluous”, stressing at the same time “the strategic importance” that relations with Egypt have for Israel. Across the whole of his 27-year presidency of Egypt, Mubarak has always avoided visiting Israel in an official capacity; his only visit, lasting a few hours, was to attend the funeral of assassinated Premier Yitzhak Rabin, in November 1995 in Jerusalem. (ANSAmed).
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Mideast: Gaza, Dozens of Hamas Car Bombs Ready to Attack
(ANSAmed) — TEL AVIV, OCTOBER 27 — The military leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip were preparing a bold attack at Israel and getting ready dozens of car bombs, the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot prominently reported today. Hamas, according to Israeli intelligence sources, aimed at breaking through the border, seize Israeli soldiers or civilians, either dead or alive, and take them to the Gaza Strip. The purpose of this action was reportedly to be able to negotiate with Israel an exchange and win the release of members of the armed wing of Hamas, currently jailed in Israel. The newspaper reported the ‘Nusseirat Squad’ of the armed wing of Hamas recently simulated an attack including the seizure of Israeli troops. A total of 44 militants took part in the exercise. The daily reported Hamas’ military strategists decided also to resort to race motorcycles in their attacks, taking the hint from Lebanon’s Hezbollah. These motorcycles were smuggled into Gaza recently trough illegal tunnels dug into Egypt’s Sinai. Israel’s intelligence reported Sunday they seized a Hamas militant who planned to drug and seize an Israeli soldier along the border between Israel and Egypt and take him prisoner to Gaza. (ANSAmed).
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Mideast: Keshev, If Peace Collapsing Media Partly to Blame
(ANSAmed) — MILAN, OCTOBER 28 — “The Israeli media is partly responsible in the collapse of the peace process”: is the opinion of Yizhar Béer, director of Keshev, the Israeli centre responsible for monitoring the sector and producing research and reports on the use of language in newspapers in Middle Eastern countries. An excess of ‘patriotism’ in periods of military crisis and an exaggerated simplification regarding the complexity of the conflict: these major defects were detected in Keshev’s work, today, working together with Palestinian centre, Miftah in a seminar in Milan. A problem, explained Beér, which is not absent in the Palestinian press either. The media on both sides, said Beér, has different sizes and impacts: “In Israel, the three top newspapers sell one million copies and are highly professional, for the Palestinians, sales amount to only tens of thousands of copies”. According to Lilian Feidy, secretary general of Miftah, who carries out work that is analogous to what is done by Keshev, says that low professional standards is one of the major problems. “We still have a long way to go — she explained-: mainly there is a lack of people who are interested in a career in journalism, due to low salaries. Those who have talent prefer to go and work for Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, or the Bbc”. “A group that is independent of political powers would be necessary — she underlined — which would be responsible for the sector through a complete reorganisation”. (ANSAmed)
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Mideast: Gaza, Gunfight Between Isrealis and Palestinians
(ANSAmed) — TEL AVIV, OCTOBER 31 — A harsh gun fight between Palestinian militiamen and Israeli paratroopers broke out this morning at dawn on the border of the Gaza strip, near the small Palestinian town of Abassan. This was reported by military radio. It is the second violation of the ceasefire in the last 24 hours. Yesterday, Palestinian militiamen fired a Qassam rocket towards the Israeli town, which exploded without injuring anyone. A group named ‘Hezbollah-Palestine’ claimed responsibility for that episode. In retaliation, Israel closed trade crossings to the Strip. A military spokesperson said about today’s incident that two anti-tank missiles were fired from the Gaza Strip on an Israeli patrol which was inspecting an area where a device has previously been planted. Israeli soldiers responded to the fire. There are no reported victims. There were also incidents on the West Bank, in Hebron, where army units demolished a building illegally build by Jewish settlers. In reaction, according to military radio, hundreds of settlers staged protests, during which they damaged Palestinian property. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Mideast: Gaza; Nobel Peace, Israeli Siege Against All Rights
(ANSAmed) — ROME, OCTOBER 31 — “There is nothing more illegal and immoral than collective punishment that is being applied against the Palestinians every day and in an indiscriminating way by the Israeli state”. From Gaza, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Northern Irish activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1976, spoke about the Gaza Strip to the Misna press agency as “a prison where a million and a half people live and die in extreme humanitarian conditions, where the majority of children suffer malnutrition, where there is not enough of anything, starting with medicine and food”. Mairead Corrigan landed in Gaza on Wednesday on board ‘Dignity’, a boat used by a group of 27 pacifists of the ‘Free Gaza’ movement to reach the coast of the Palestinian Territories leaving from the Cyprus port of Larnaca. “It was not the first time and we will repeat this undertaking”, the Nobel Peace Prize winner said underlining that there is a double objective: “To create awareness in the public and in the international community about the consequences of the Israeli siege; to open a concrete and stable corridor between Gaza and the external world”. On board ‘Dignity’ a metric ton of medicinal supplies were transported which were immediately transferred to a city hospital: “But it is only a palliative — Corrigan Maguire said to Misna — in front of the disaster caused by the siege; there are no spare parts for machinery, there is no medicine, electricity comes and goes, maintenance of structures is impossible. The truth is that here, people die amid the indifference of the international community and with the full responsibility of Israel”. During her stay in Gaza, the Northern Irish activist has met various representatives of Hamas and to the many people who define them as a “terrorist group” the movement that ‘governs’ the Gaza Strip since June of 2007, she responds saying that often one forgets one fundamental problem: “Hamas had won regular elections; rather than having taken power in Gaza with force, it is necessary to say that it was defrauded of its legitimate power that the Palestinian people had entrusted to it over all of the Territories. Despite this — she added referring to the recent release of a group of political prisoners affiliated with Fatah, the movement of the president of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas — the Palestinians are working to recreate an ancient union”. A year after the summit of Annapolis in America, which should have restarted meetings for the creation of a Palestinian state in a short period of time, Corrigan Maguire said to Misna that in Gaza there has not been any improvement since then: “Walking through the streets of the city, I have met many kids. One in particular struck me: asking me to take her away with me, she told me that whoever is born here already knows that they will not have a job, they will not be able to sustain themselves, and they will not have a life worthy of living. Whoever is born here, is already condemned and in my opinion, in the history of man, nothing like this exists or ever has existed”. Mairead Corrigan Maguire, has been involved with Palestine for a few years, in April of 2007, while she was participating in a demonstration against the construction of a wall between Israel and the West Bank, she was hit by a rubber bullet shot by a soldier from Tel Aviv. (ANSAmed).
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Amman Stock Exchange Loses 60% as Panic Hits Investors
(ANSAmed) — AMMAN, OCTOBER 27 — Amman stock exchange continued to bleed today as panic hit the local market, with investors describing trading as “massacre” when the index nose dived by 4.15%. Analysts said the market lost nearly 60% over the past few weeks as many investors were forced out of the market. “There is a big panic at the market due to what is going around the world,” said Walid Shawqi, a broker at Amman stock exchange. Trading rate has been rotating around JD 14 million (USD 20 million) with dumping on leading shares such as the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company, Arab Potash Company, Arab Bank, Jordan Steel Company, Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company, Royal Jordanian and others. Traders said lack of liquidity at the market is being felt strongly with only chance of revival is the return of large investment funds from abroad. Out of 160 companies which shares have been traded, prices of 10 companies rose, and of 147 declined. (ANSAmed).
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Death Penalty: Saudi Arabia; Beheaded, Beat Wife to Death
(ANSAmed) — RIYADH, OCTOBER 22 — A Saudi Arabian man guilty of having beaten his wife to death, was put to death yesterday with a traditional decapitation with a sabre in the city of Jizan in southern Saudi Arabia. Messa ben Qassem Dahesh killed his wife Aisha hitting her repeatedly in the head and body, reported official Saudi press agency Spa. His execution brings the total number of announced executions this year to 83. In 2007 the country made a record 153 executions compared to 37 in 2006. In Saudi Arabia, where “sharia” or Islamic law is practiced, executions are carried out by decapitation and capital punishment is imposed for rape, homicide, armed robbery, drug trafficking, and apostasy. (ANSAmed).
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Dubai Radio Fires DJ for Mocking God
A Dubai radio station fired a South African drive-time DJ for mocking religion and impersonating God on the air, the show’s management said last week. The Arabian Radio Network said in a statement Revin John had been “let go” over a sketch last Monday on Virgin Radio Dubai in which he quoted an article about a U.S. court throwing out a lawsuit against God.
John then pretended to act out a telephone conversation with God, prompting complaints from listeners of “diverse faiths and nationalities,” said a statement written in reponse to questions from The Associated Press. “He intended to be funny, not to offend anybody,” said Arabian Radio Network Chief Operating Officer Steve Smith. “However, what he did was highly offensive to the Muslim and Christian community in the UAE.”
Abdullatif al-Sayegh, chief executive of Arab Media Group, which operates the only Middle East outpost of Richard Branson’s Virgin Radio brand, said John was allowed back on air to apologize Tuesday, then was dismissed. John did not respond to a requests for comment.
[…]
Virgin Radio Dubai went on air earlier this year, playing mostly European and American pop music from Dizzee Rascal to Britney Spears. Its parent, Arabian Radio Network, is a division of Dubai-based conglomerate Arab Media Group, which operates more than a dozen radio and TV stations, including MTV Arabia.
Mariam Zarouni, a 20-year-old chemical engineering student at the American University of Sharjah, said she was so offended by John’s comments that she formed a group to protest the incident on the social networking Web site Facebook. It had 569 members by Wednesday evening. “When somebody crosses the line, then you have to defend your religion,” Zarouni said. “Honestly … how can he do this? We’re in a Muslim county. But even Christians would take offense to that. You can’t insult God.”
Dubai is the most liberal of the seven semiautonomous states that make up the United Arab Emirates, a conservative Muslim country overlooking the Persian Gulf. […] Yet tensions surface when the country’s many foreign residents breach the limits of what is considered acceptable here. The issue is particularly raw in the wake after two Britons received jail time this week after being convicted of having sex on a Dubai beach in July.
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Fatwa Gives Women the Right to Hit Husbands
A fatwa originating from Turkey has given women the right to strike their husbands in cases of self-defense.
Sheikh Mohsen al Obeikan, an adviser to the Saudi Ministry of Justice and a member of the Saudi Shura Council agreed with some Islamic scholars in Turkey and Egypt in this regard. “This [issue] is acknowledged by Islamic jurists and it has roots in Islamic Shariah, the Quran and the Hadith [Prophetic traditions],” said the Sheikh.
He referred to the following excerpts of the Quran: ‘The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree),’ [Surat Ashoura: 40] and ‘…whoever then acts aggressively against you, inflict injury on him according to the injury he has inflicted on you…’ [Surat al Baqara: 194]
Al Obeikan, who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat by phone, said women should only hit their husbands if they are defending themselves. Fethullah Gulen, a prominent religious figure in Turkey, ruled that it is within women’s rights to defend themselves by countering violence with violence, and that women should learn martial arts such as Karate, Judo and Taekwondo to defend themselves against violent husbands.
The fatwa has been met with controversy among the conservatives in Turkey as it may “stir up rebellion” within families.
| — Hat tip: VH | [Return to headlines] |
Jordan: Foreign Workers Suffer Serious Abuse, Says Rights Group
Amman, 30 Oct. (AKI) — Tens of thousands of domestic workers in Jordan live in appalling conditions and are forced to work up to 19 hours a day for nothing, according to human rights group Amnesty International. In a new report, Amnesty is calling on the Jordanian government to ensure that the current review of employment regulations guarantees workers’ rights and conditions and justice for those who suffer abuse.
“Abuse of women migrant domestic workers is widespread in Jordan, particularly economic exploitation,” the report says.
“Many are paid only part of their meagre wages or not paid at all, sometimes for years. One woman told Amnesty that she was owed nearly four years’ pay.”
Jordan has some 40,000 registered women migrant domestic workers. Many come from countries in South East Asia, including Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
According to recent Amnesty International research, the majority of these women are abused and exploited with little or no protection from the authorities.
Some also suffer from sexual abuse, but Amnesty says this is often hard to prove because there are usually no witnesses and minimal evidence. Those who do report an alleged crime may face jail themselves because they have ‘incorrect working papers’ or the employer files a counter claim.
In July 2008 the Jordanian Parliament amended the Labour Law.
Amnesty said one amendment stipulated that a separate regulation would be issued to define the terms of employment for migrant workers, including their working hours and rest periods. This regulation is currently being prepared by the government.
“We call on the Jordanian authorities to seize this golden opportunity to make the exploitative conditions currently faced by migrant domestic workers a thing of the past,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty’s deputy programme director for the Middle East and North Africa.
“Their actions should be bold enough to match the scale of the abuses.”
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Saudi Arabia Sues International Tobacco Agents
(ANSAmed) — JEDDAH, OCTOBER 21 — The General Court in Riyadh begin hearing today a lawsuit filed by the ministry of Health against agents of international tobacco companies in the Kingdom, demanding compensation of SR10 billion, (some 2 billion million euro) and an annual compensation of SR500 million (102 million euro) for the expenditures incurred on the treatment of smokers. “This is the first case filed by the ministry against agents of tobacco companies, demanding compensation for medical care,” said an official statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency. “The court was ready to look into the case at a previous date but the tobacco agents did not attend that session,” it added. In a previous statement on the issue, Health Minister Hamad Al-Manie said he was confident that his ministry would win the lawsuit since it provided statistics and medical data that showed how smoking destroys peoplés health and eats away at social spending connected with smoking-related medical treatment of citizens. The minister had met with representatives of tobacco companies in the Kingdom and informed them of the ministry’s plan to file a lawsuit. “Wéll go ahead with the lawsuit unless the tobacco companies paid the full amount of compensation ….. I will not and neither will the ministry forsake the rights of patients,” he said. Al-Manie lauded the government’s efforts to combat smoking, noting that a royal decree had been issued to ban smoking in all government institutions and buildings. He also said that the Saudi law prohibits tobacco companies from placing advertisements in local newspapers or television. He said anti-smoking clinics have been opened in various cities in the Kingdom as part of the ministry’s efforts to encourage smokers to give up the addiction. The ministry regularly organizes public programs that aim at creating awareness among Saudis and residents on the impact of smoking on a person’s health. A new law to combat smoking in public and workplaces has been drafted and is awaiting Cabinet approval. The law is significant as Saudi Arabia tops the list of tobacco importers, according to 2007 statistics. Iran is placed second, followed by Jordan, Turkey, Morocco and Egypt. (ANSAmed).
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Fr. Bernard Digal Dies, India Mourns Another Martyr of Orissa
Mumbai (AsiaNews) — Fr. Bernard Digal has died after a slow agony of more than two months. The religious, brutally beaten by Hindu fundamentalists the night of August 25, has died two months later, this evening at 9:25 local time, from the serious injuries he suffered in the assault.
On Saturday, October 25, a feverish Fr. Digal was taken to St. Thomas Hospital in Chennai, in Tamil Nadu; the doctors operated on him to remove a blood clot from his brain, caused by the beating on the night he was attacked. Yesterday, his lungs collapsed and he fell into a coma. This morning, the bishop of the diocese gave him the anointing of the sick; Raphael Cheenath, archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneshwar, was at his deathbed. The religious was given a respirator to keep him alive, but his body gave out.
Last September 10, we published an interview with Fr. Bernard Digal, given from the bed at the the Holy Spirit Hospital in Mumbai where he was hospitalized. During the interview, he told AsiaNews about the night of the attack and the violence he suffered. Fr. Bernard denounced “without bitterness, but also without sweetness” the brutality of the assault, following which “he remained unconscious and half naked in the forest for an entire night, until he was found by his driver.”
“Fr. Bernard has been given the martyr’s crown,” Raphael Cheenath, archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneshwa, tells AsiaNews. “Fr. Bernard succumbed to the merciless beatings from the Hinduvta extremists. The Kandhamal Christians now have a powerful intercessor in heaven, Fr. Bernard will now continue his work for our people from his heavenly home.”
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Indonesia: Radical Islamic Leader Jailed Over Violent Rally
Jakarta, 30 Oct. (AKI) — An Indonesian court sentenced the leader of a hardline Islamic group to 18 months in prison on Thursday for inciting violence at an interfaith rally in which dozens of people were injured in June.
Rizieq Shihab, leader of the Islamic Defenders’ Front, or FPI, is an outspoken critic of Ahmadiya, an Islamic sect that some Muslims consider heretical.
Thousands of Indonesians, including political leaders, artists and religious leaders, gathered in central Jakarta in June to urge tolerance for Ahmadiya, but the rally turned violent when Rizieq’s supporters beat women and the elderly.
“Defendant Rizieq Shihab has been proven beyond reasonable doubt guilty of inciting others to commit violence,” Judge Panusunan Harahap told a central Jakarta court.
In a separate verdict, the leader of the group’s military wing, Munarman, was sentenced for having lead the attack that injured 70 people.
There was a mixed reaction to Thursday’s verdict.
“The verdict shows that the government is serious in the war against the radicals,” Aleksius Jemadu, from Parahyangan di Bandung University told Adnkronos International (AKI).
However, Irsyad Zamjani, expert in Iislam from the Centre for Asian Studies in Jakarta, said the verdict was inadequate.
“I believe that the best choice would be to dissolve the FPI instead of punishing individuals,” he told AKI.
Founded in 1998 by Rizieq, FPI has won notoriety for violent raids on bars and nightclubs during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
After the war in Afghanistan began, the group organised campaigns against the United States. It has often claimed to be recruiting freedom fighters to send to Lebanon and Iraq to fight the US and Israel.
Supporters of the FPI have recently taken to the streets to protest against the pornography law, passed by the Parliament on Thursday, or to pressure the government to take action against Ahmadiyah.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Minorities Accuse Nepalese Government of Favoring Hinduism
With the beginning of the feast of Tihar, ethnic minorities in the country are raising their voices against the Maoist government of Prachanda. They are criticizing the favorable treatment shown toward Hindus, accusing: “In Nepal, secularism is only a declaration of intent.”
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) — There is a dispute in Nepal between the ethnic minorities and the government. Just after the beginning of celebrations for the Tihar — the second most important feast in the Hindu tradition (known in India as the Diwali) — the government headed by Maoist leader Prachanda is the target of biting criticism. In April of 2006, the country decided to move toward secularism, abrogating the constitutional declaration that since 1990 had defined it as a “Hindu kingdom.” Today, the calendar of Nepal guarantees three days of vacation during celebrations for Tihar. For the ethnic minorities, this is a betrayal of secularization, and an opportunity to call for greater attention for themselves, and fewer privileges for the Hindus.
Om Gurung, president of the federation of the Janajatis, the indigenous people of the country, states that “Nepalese secularism is nothing but lip service. We have not yet tasted what is secularism.” “The government,” says Gurung, “should also provide us more holidays, otherwise we will oppose this kind of prejudice.” Similar criticisms are being expressed by Krishana Bahadur Bhattachan, a sociologist and a member of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities: “When our children are compelled to celebrate Hindu festival because the government does not provide holidays during our festival, then how long do our festivals and culture exist? The Maoist government was expected to work in favor of minority groups, as the party had given many assurances. Now our hope is almost gone.”
In reality, vacation days have been included on the national calendar for the feasts of some of the many ethnic and religious minorities in the country. This has been done in the case of Christmas for the Christians, and of the Eid for the Muslims, the Chhat, for the inhabitants of the region of Terai, and the Loshar, for the Gurung of central Nepal. In all, there are seven new dates added to the ones already scheduled for Hindu festivities. But for the ethnic groups, this is too little compared with what is given to the Hindu faithful. In addition to the three days of vacation during the Tihar, known also as the feast of lights (in the photo, a moment in the celebrations), the government is granting them many others during the year. Especially glaring are the seven days given for the celebration of Dashain; for this occasion, the government also gives state employees a bonus equal to a month’s salary. The ethnic minorities consider this discriminatory, and are demanding more secularism as promised by Prachanda after his rise to power in April of this year.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Pakistan: Sick Wedding of Kids Aged 5 & 7
THE Muslim wedding of a seven-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl has been raided by police.
Cops arrested the Muslim cleric conducting the sick ceremony and the children’s parents in Pakistan’s largest city.
The cleric had not yet begun the ceremony of Mohammad Waseem, seven, and his bride Nishain Karachi, five — which was attended by 100 guests.
Pakistan law forbids marriage below the age of 18 — but some Muslim scholars say it is permissible if the bride and groom have reached puberty.
TV footage showed both children in traditional wedding clothes in the laps of policemen after the raid — the girl with tears running down her cheeks.
The parents said the wedding had been arranged to end an eight-year feud between the two families, according to a report on Express News TV.
Mr Mazhar said he had heard about similar cases in rural areas but “it is shocking to have this right in the centre of the city.”
The parents are due to appear in court tomorrow.
A Pakistan Human Rights Commission official Hina Gillani said the maximum possible punishment for the parents was one month in jail and fine of just over $10 (£6).
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The Indonesian Parliament Adopts Anti-Pornography Bill
MPs present voted unanimously for the bill. Opposition parties did not however participate in the vote. Dissent explodes in online forums. A Jakarta court sentences an Islamic fundamentalist leader to jail for fomenting clashes last June.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) — With opposition MPs absent, Indonesia’s parliament approved an anti-porn bill that was welcomed by supporters who loudly rejoiced with prayers to Allah. In online newspaper forums many ordinary citizens reacted angrily however, slamming what they consider a step backward for Indonesia and an “obscurantist” decision.
Today the lower house in Indonesia’s parliament approved the controversial anti-pornography bill, known in Bahasa Indonesia as Undang-undang Pornografi, Uu App. Since it was tabled it has been at the centre of intense discussions because it is seen as a step towards introducing Sharia law into the country’s legal system along the lines of Saudi Arabia.
In recent weeks human rights activists and representatives of political and religious minorities, including the Catholic Church, have strenuously objected to the law.
According to its critics, the law eliminates “cultural” differences and undermines “national unity”. As it stands it is all but an attempt by Muslim fundamentalists to introduce Islamic law into the country’s legal system.
The anti-porn law was approved almost unanimously but MPs for the Indonesian Democracy Struggle Party (PDIP) and the Christian-based Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) were not in the house in protest against the bill.
A supporter of the new law named Lasmiantini, a member of a group called Salima or Muslim Sisters, felt great about it.
“Inshallah, God willing, Indonesia shall finally see the rebirth of morality,” she said.
“We are happy,” she added, “because we won the battle to defend our children and it [the law] will also protect women.”
“Educational TV programmes” will be promoted “to improve moral values as the basis of society.
Pro-law activists said that the legislation can be improved to “avoid excesses”, denying at the same time that negative views were expressed “against the bill in some provinces.”
Meuthia Hatta, daughter of Mohammad Hatta, one of Indonesia’s founding fathers, noted that the law “does not violate the principles of freedom of expression” but instead protects people from the harm done by pornography.
“Our focus was on this aspect rather than on political squabbles with nationalist groups and NGOs,” said the minister of for Woman Empowerment.
In the meantime a court in Jakarta issued an important ruling in the fight against Islamic fundamentalism.
Judge Panusunan Harahap sentenced Habib Rizieq Shihab, head of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), to 18 months in jail for “fomenting clashes in Jakarta last 1 June between radical Muslims and moderates, who were demonstrating in favour of religious freedom in the country.”
At that time Muslim fundamentalists attacked moderate Muslims from the National Alliance for Religious Freedom (AKKBB), who were peacefully demonstrating in support of the Ahmadis, a small Muslim community (about half a million) who are considered heretical in several Muslim countries like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Police Chiefs Disarm Australian ‘Reservoir Dogs’ Squad Who Wore Black Suits, Sunglasses and Beat Up Criminals
Australian authorities have disarmed an armed robbery police squad that dressed in black suits and sunglasses and regularly beat up criminals. The Armed Offenders Squad in Victoria state modelled itself on the thugs from Quentin Tarantin’s film ‘Reservoir Dogs’.
The AOS acted as an unofficial force within the police, with members swearing allegiance to the squad and changing the police uniform to include a tie with two gold, intersecting revolvers. A poem written by a AOS member describes “a squad of men all as one, ready to fight until the job’s done”.
“When banks get robbed and policemen are shot. The hierarchy cries, ‘Who have we got’. Who can clean up this mess. Let’s call on the men from the AOS.” The poem complains of criminals lying and police being reprimanded for taking tough action, but says: “So long as there’s bad crooks, they’ll need us around, if they’re rid of us then crime will abound”.
A Office of Police Integrity report on the AOS, released this week, examined four decades of the squad’s history and found a disproportionate number of complaints against its detectives for using excessive force in arresting suspects.
In one case, a hidden camera in a police interview room filmed detectives bashing a suspect during an interview. The suspect was repeatedly slapped and kicked, pinned to the ground and hit with a telephone when he asked to call someone. The detectives then tell the suspect not to “bleed everywhere”.
The integrity report found the AOS, disbanded in September 2006, had an elitist subculture and an “us-vs-them” mentality that led them to take the law into their own hands.
Australian police forces have historically struggled with internal corruption and rogue officers. A report into Australia’s largest force in New South Wales state in 1997 found corruption was systematic and entrenched, with officers involved in the drugs trade and competing with criminals to commit crimes. It said the force had “rarely been free of corruption” in its 135-year history.
AOS detectives assumed a “noble cause” doctrine where the ends justified the means and bashing a criminal was a “community service”, said the integrity report. “Squad members became renowned for wearing black suits, white shirts, dark sunglasses and a team-issue black tie,” said the report. “The outfits imitate the costumes worn by a network of violent criminals in the film Reservoir Dogs.”
“The deliberate identification with Reservoir Dogs was reinforced when a well-known image from the film was used to advertise the squad’s annual social function, ‘Robbers Rock’.”
The report said replacing the AOS with a taskforce model had been positive. “Not only has there been a significant reduction in complaints against detectives working in the area, but arrest and conviction rates have also improved,” it said. But the AOS culture may still be alive within the Victorian police force. “I think there is nothing much in a name. Call it what you will, that is not going to solve the problem,” lawyer Gary Cooke told local radio.
| — Hat tip: VH | [Return to headlines] |
Immigration: Greece and Malta Hope for Cooperation
(ANSAmed) — ATHENS, OCTOBER 30 — The bilateral cooperation for immigration was at the centre of meetings today between the Greek and Maltese Interior Ministers, Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Carmelo Bonnici. “The countries of the Mediterranean region, particularly Italy, Malta Greece, and Cyprus — said Pavlopoulos — share common problems and their objective is that of promoting legal immigration, and at the same time adopting measures against illegal circulation, with the scope of protecting people and their rights”. Bonnici asked for a tighter collaboration between these countries to create “a framework of cooperation that could extend itself also to other countries like France and Spain” and added that the objective is that of continuing with the effort undertaken by the French President of the EU. Furthermore, Bonnici, according to press agency Ana-Mpa, has also underlined that illegal migration is a common problem for all four countries that, differently from others, is faced with an enormous request for asylum. “We want — said the Maltese minister — for the rest of European countries to recognise this burden and give us their support”. (ANSAmed),
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Immigrants: Rules Change for Reunions
(AGI) — Rome, 23 Oct. — There has been a change in rules for reuniting the families of foreigners living in Italy. Starting from November 5 new regulations will be enforced that will introduce, among other things, DNA examinations to be paid for by the requesting party if their are doubts on family relationships and establishing that reunions with spouses can only be requested if these are, not legally separated, and legal adults. Published in the official periodical of 21 October, the legislative decree states that reunion can be requested for children under 18, unmarried, but with the consent of the other parent (if they exist) while for adult children, the normative explains that the reunion can be requested if , the children — under the responsibility of the parent — are handicapped. For the reunion of parents, it can be requested only if they “don’t have other children in there country of origin”, or if they are parents “over sixty-five years of age” with other children unable to support them with “documented serious health motives”. As far as the DNA exam is concerned, the regulation explains that in the case that it is impossible to prove the relation for certain — through attestations of competent authorities in the country of origin — or there are supported doubts on the documents presented for the reunion, then the “diplomatic or consular representatives will have to release certifications” on the basis of the DNA exam “carried out at the expense of the interested party”. For every relative for which reunion is requested, legitimate earnings that cannot be below the increased social benefits of half the amount for every family member.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Switzerland: Museum Chief Sacked Over Crucified Frog
‘Surely this is not a work of art but a blasphemy and a disgusting piece of trash’
Corinne Diserens, the Swiss director of the museum in Bolzano, in the mountainous north-east of Italy, was dismissed after months of controversy over the bright green, bug-eyed amphibian, which is nailed to a cross and holds a frothing mug of beer and an egg.
She had refused to remove the work by the late German artist Martin Kippenberger despite protests from the Vatican that it was blasphemous.
She said the museum had a right to artistic freedom, and kept the frog on display as originally planned from May to September.
But a majority of the museum’s board of directors disagreed and instead dismissed her this week.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Libya-USA: USD 1.5 Bln for Terrorist Victims
(ANSAmed) — WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 31 — Libya has deposited USD 1.5 billion in a fund created to pay compensation to victims of terrorist attacks. The announcement was made by the US Department of State. The payment by Libya allows it to make an additional step forward on the path to normalize relations between Washington and Tripoli. The fund was created to pay damages to families of victims that died in the attack in 1988 in the skies over Lockerbie (Scotland) on a Pan Am jet and in an explosion in 1986 in the ‘La Belle’ discotheque in Germany patronized by Americans. Libyan agents were involved in both attacks. The same fund will have USD 300 million paid into it by the USA for Libyan victims of the American raid on April 14, 1986 that was an act of reprisal for the attack on the disco. The agreement between the two countries includes, after the payment of the funds, renouncing legal action in the US against Libya for the attacks and the complete normalization of relations between the countries. The State Department said it intends to distribute the Libyan funds to the families of the victims of the two attacks with the utmost haste. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
MIT Scientists Baffled by Global Warming Theory, Contradicts Scientific Data
Scientists at MIT have recorded a nearly simultaneous world-wide increase in methane levels. This is the first increase in ten years, and what baffles science is that this data contradicts theories stating man is the primary source of increase for this greenhouse gas. It takes about one full year for gases generated in the highly industrial northern hemisphere to cycle through and reach the southern hemisphere. However, since all worldwide levels rose simultaneously throughout the same year, it is now believed this may be part of a natural cycle in mother nature — and not the direct result of man’s contributions.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
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