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Tuesday, May 27, 2008
[vinnomot] The High Court's advice for seeking justice to the Almighty Allah
We are very disappointed to learn that The High Court's advice for seeking justice to the Almighty Allah as the Appellate Division barred the High Court from hearing any bail petitions under the Emergency Powers Rules and was yet to deliver the full verdicts detailing the grounds for such a stand of the highest court. Seeking bail in a graft case, the High Court bench of Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Ataur Rahman Khan on Monday advised petitioner's counsel to seek justice to the almighty Allah saying that the hands of the judges were tied and they cannot go by the oath they took under the constitution. It is well observed by the nation that the High Court bench uttered the words with deep shock and the lawyers at the highest judiciary had nothing to do but to lament, seeking bail to the Almighty Allah.
The Supreme Court's recent judgements that imposed a complete bar on seeking bail, even in the High Court, in the cases under the Emergency Powers Rules. Then how a Dhaka court Wednesday granted former army chief Gen (retd) Mustafizur Rahman bail till June 2 in MIG-29 warplane purchase graft case?If the Supreme Court fails to take the route of conciliation rather than confrontation, it will be leading the nation to nowhere as envisaged by the judges. If the apex court fails to do so, then the long expected independent judicial system to tied hands of judges could be transformed into a roadmap to wilderness.
Gopal Sengupta
Canada
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[vinnomot] Fwd: Invitation to attend press conference from the CFI metro NYC
Austin Dacey wrote:
From: "Austin Dacey"
To: "Jahed Ahmed"Subject: Study of Indian scientists' religious and ethical worldview to be released by Center for Inquiry
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 11:56:15 -0400
Dear Jahed,
Please pass along my personal invitation to this press conference, open
to the public, on June 5 at 11am at 777 UN Plaza (44th St and 1st Ave)
Best wishes,
Austin
_____________________ ____
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Austin Dacey, PhD
Representative to the United Nations
Center for Inquiry
+1 (212) 504-2937
adacey@centerforinquiry.net
INDIAN SCIENTISTS EMBRACE BIOTECHNOLOGY AND AYURVEDIC MEDICINE
SIMULTANEOUSLY, NEW STUDY FINDS
**First-of-its-kind national survey of over 1,000 professional
scientists reveals a diverse picture of belief and opinion amid dramatic
cultural richness**
New York, NY (May 7, 2008) -- A major new survey of Indian scientists'
opinions and attitudes regarding religion, ethics, and society will be
released at United Nations Plaza on June 5, 2008, where lead researchers
will present a summary report of key results.
Among other intriguing findings, the study shows that only 8 percent of
Indian scientists express ethical reservations about genetic engineering
and stem cell research, while 90 percent somewhat or strongly agree with
the teaching of traditional Ayurvedic medicine in university degree
courses.
The groundbreaking sociological study is the first in a series,
Worldviews and Opinions of Scientists, which aims to explore the
worldviews and opinions of science professionals in various non-Western
societies. This international academic research project is conducted by
the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture at
Trinity College (ISSSC), in Hartford, Connecticut under the direction of
Professors Barry Kosmin and Ariela Keysar.
Prof. Keysar noted that "Secularism has a unique meaning in India. A
vast majority of scientists perceive secularism as tolerance for various
religions and philosophies and this is reflected in their approach to
scientific issues."
Other survey questions cover topics such as Reasons for Becoming a
Scientist, Status of Women, Scientific Literacy in India, Opinions
Regarding Evolution, Ethical Constraints on Science, Belief in God,
Belief in Miracles, and Spirituality.
The ISSSC study survey of 1,100 Indian scientists was designed in
consultation with Dr. Meera Nanda, author of Prophets Facing Backwards,
and conducted in cooperation with the Center for Inquiry-India, for
which the distinguished scientist Dr. P.M. Bhargava serves as a chief
adviser.
Prof. Kosmin explained that "India was chosen because of its increasing
scientific importance on the global scene and its special constitutional
commitment to 'develop scientific temper'."
A summary report of the survey will be released at a press conference
and seminar on June 5, 2008 at 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (lunch will be served)
at 777 United Nations Plaza, 44th St. & 1st Ave., 2nd Floor.
The Worldviews and Opinions of Scientists series is conducted in
cooperation with the Center for Inquiry, a non-governmental organization
in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of
the United Nations. The Center is an international educational network
concerned with the scientific outlook and its intersection with public
policy and development. Online at www.centerforinquiry.net.
###
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[vinnomot] Re: [notun_bangladesh] Re: [Dahuk]: CTG is totally naked now After the statement of the four oldest journalist s of the country
Who killed Parliaments Speaker( or Dy. Speaker)Shahed Ali, nation need to know?
Where is our historian ? Why they failed to mention this unfortunatec event of our history?
Who was personally responsible for the murder of Shahed Ali at the Parliament Bhobon ?
____________
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Re: [vinnomot] Chief Justice
Preasidnt Iyazuddin Ahmed did not violate the rule by appointing Justic Ruhul Amin as Chief Justice of Bangladesh. It is not mandatory to appoint seniormost Judge as Chief Justice.
Justice Ruhul Amin is an honest person without any party affiliation and respectable to all concerned.
____________
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Re: [vinnomot] Re: Government rules on marriage
Bangladeshi Diplomat Miss Ismat Jahan who was appointed by current military backed CTG has strong 'Mamur Jor', therefore rules has been changed to satisfy her needs. Afterall personal interest superceded national interest in this case.
____________
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[vinnomot] Fact check: Clinton and the 1992 campaign
Fact Check: Clinton and the 1992 campaign
by Ann Sanner AP news 7 minutes ago
Hillary Rodham Clinton often says her husband wrapped up the Democratic presidential nomination in June 1992 in defending her decision to press ahead until the last primary votes.
Sixteen years ago, six contests in June did give Bill Clinton the necessary delegates for the nomination, but he had essentially won the nomination in March 1992.
Several Democrats have called on the New York senator to exit the race as she faces diminishing odds of becoming the party's nominee. With only three primaries left, Barack Obama is 48 delegates shy of the 2,026 needed to secure the nomination at the convention. He has 1,978 delegates to her 1,780.
Clinton says it is not unusual for candidates to continue to campaign until June, using Bill Clinton as an example.
THE SPIN:
Responding to a question on Friday from the Sioux Falls Argus Leader editorial board about calls for her to drop out, Clinton said: "My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right?"
The former first lady has used the argument before.
In a March interview with Time magazine, she said: "Primary contests used to last a lot longer. We all remember the great tragedy of Bobby Kennedy being assassinated in June in L.A. My husband didn't wrap up the nomination in 1992 until June, also in California. Having a primary contest go through June is nothing particularly unusual."
She also made the claim at a campaign stop in Houston on March 4, the same day as the Texas and Ohio primaries. "My husband didn't get the nomination wrapped up until June (in 1992). That has been the tradition," she said.
THE FACTS
While Bill Clinton did not effectively clinch the nomination until the June 2 primaries in 1992, he had held a commanding lead over his Democratic challenger Jerry Brown since his March 17 wins in Illinois and Michigan.
Clinton's closest rival, Paul Tsongas, left the race two days after Clinton's Midwest victories. Brown stayed in despite trailing Clinton by more than 800 delegates.
Shortly after, Democratic leaders had all but declared Bill Clinton their contender for the fall election. Clinton was so far ahead, that Paul Tully, the Democratic Party political director at the time, told The Associated Press in a March 19, 1992 article: "The fat lady is doing a sound check."
Clinton was just 86 delegates short of the majority coming into the six-state primary finale in June that included California. He surpassed that amount to wrap up a nominating process that started with the Iowa caucus on Feb. 10.
This year's contests began much earlier than previous election years.
Clinton and Obama have been competing since the Iowa caucus on Jan. 3. The nominating contests end June 3 when voters head to the polls in Montana and South Dakota.
___
By Ann Sanner.
Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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[vinnomot] Khaleda not produced in court & The new chief justice...From The Daily News
After more than seven and a half months of imprisonment, Khaleda Zia has still not been produced in the court on the scheduled date.
In 2007, the judiciary was separated from the executive. But if the current and future governments continue to fail to produce accused persons before the judge, it would be difficult to apprehend how many years it would take for us to get a good judicial environment.
Saif Tinku
Dhaka The new chief justice
President Iajuddin Ahmed has appointed MM Ruhul Amin as the next chief justice (CJ), superseding Justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim, the most senior member of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court after the incumbent chief justice. We thought this caretaker government won't go for superseding practice like the past political governments, especially when the nation is always against superseding of judges, particularly when this government is a neutral caretaker government.
Gopal Sengupta
Canada
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[vinnomot] Silencing the Truth to T-Shirt
Silencing the Truth to T-Shirt
At the meeting, the Mayor took an understandably scary and compromising position. The Green councilors took a brave stand in support of free speech and they also revealed to the meeting, a few dirty tricks went on earlier behind the close doors regarding this affair. The crowed were angry, constructive and decisive. However, some Jewish group was dirty behind their spoken polished words at the meeting. They spoke about violence on "both sides" and failed to support the banning of the exhibition in public beside their role behind the back doors! Penultimately, the council would like to go ahead with future exhibitions with the assistance and consultation of both sides!! At one stage, I made an attempt to say something. However, the poor Mayor was scared of me and she did not allow me to speak despite the public demand. I suppose, she was worried about my T-Shirt rather than me!
As soon as the agenda item regarding the cancelled exhibition was over, the Zionist groups started to leave. In order to understand the real motive behind the spoken words, I went outside the chamber door and started to distribute The Truth is Stranger is Than Fiction and unmasked the real story.
One Zionist woman told me, "you should be inside gas chamber".
My response was, "I knew you are a love child of Adolph Hitler".
The other one told me, "I like to spit you .. ".
I said to her, "you are revealing your true Zionist face i.e. brutal, intolerant and extreme".
One person who knows me well and read me extensively, said to others, "pardon Faruque because he is not White" (paraphrasing to avoid insanity and profanity). During that exchange one member of public expressed his dissatisfaction over the racist remark.
Another one said, "why don't you join with Osama blow yourself up … "
I replied, "Zionism is worse than Nazism and Osama is not even charged by anyone, let alone found guilty of anything. So why don't you condemn Zionism?"
One genuine and decent Palestinian activist told me, "could you kindly change your T-Shirt because it is not helping us". I told him, "while I sympathise with you. However, you must know the actual messages of Zionism Is Incompatible With Any Civilised Society, Ugly Judaism Is Incompatible With Any Religion, Islam is Incompatible with Democracy and Crazy Faruque. I don't think the Zionists are above the law and they don't have any right to terrorise rest of the world and therefore I am going to speak the language they understand".
Do you know the reason of the commotion? The T-Shirt mentioned in The Truth and Reality at the Sydney APEC Rally!
The Truth is Stranger is Than Fiction
Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ was condemned by some "good" people because that movie was violent and gruesome, although based on true event! However, the same people never condemned those groups who conspired to murder Jesus at
Similarly, the longest running concentration camps with a stamp of infinity are located inside occupied
Amazingly, some of the evidence of the Israeli genocide, wholesale murders and tortures are intolerable to some chardonnay socialists and they are incapable to handle the brutality and horror of those cruelties! Therefore, they have conspired to shut down the Palestinian Photo Exhibition at Leichardt,
Surprise! Surprise, they also find children playing in mothers' cradle, schoolyards or backyards as "extremists"
Email: union_faruque@
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
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[vinnomot] Best shoora yet!+End all occupation!+Women leaders+Boycott+Obama's shame+NATO murders verified
New Trend ahead of the curve:New Trend Magazine
newtrendmag.org
Biggest Islamic web site in the USA.
blog.360.yahoo.com/newtrendmag for blog. Email: butshikan@msn.
newtrendmag.org /ntma1220 for previous issue.
Phone: 443-869-5233.com . Subscription for printed edition: $10 for 3 months. Mail check to: New Trend, P.O. Box 356, Kingsville, MD 21087.
Disclaimer: Views expressed are not necessarily shared by the editors. New Trend does not endorse violence of any kind. Information on news or views related to violence is for analysis and understanding, not for endorsement. New Trend is against racism, classism, gender superiority, Zionism and Imperialism.
The Qur'an and the authentic Hadith are our foundation.
All views are welcome but only a selection can be published owing to high volume of mail. Anyone criticized in New Trend has the right of reply up to 300 words.
Jamada al-Awwal 21,1429/ May 27, 2008, #31
May 22, 2008: The cases brought by the so-called "Child Protection Services" against the polygamist sect in Eldorado, Texas, turned out to be fake and have been dropped. The stories about child molestation were a tissue of lies. In the process, the Texas police and government snatched more than 400 children from their mothers and held them outside their homes for more than a month. The children have probably been traumatized for the rest of their lives by this experience of state terrorism. Many of the children have still not been returned to their mothers. DNA tests were carried out as if the entire community was a bunch of criminals. This is the Soviet Union all over again.
In a country where teenage pregnancy is widespread, millions of youths have sexually transmitted diseases [STDs], fornication, adultery and homosexuality are glorified, oppression reached its height when people following a non-conformist sect lost their children on claims of child molestation.
How much thought control is enforced by the mass culture can be judged from the fact that New Trend was the only publication which condemned the violation of the rights of the polygamist sect. No one has the right to take children away from mothers simply because someone claims they are being mistreated.
Organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center are playing a dirty role not unlike that of the ADL.
--------------------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -------
International Islamic Conference for Peace and Awareness: First Four Endorsers: www.JAM4PEACE.org
August 16, 2008. Baltimore, Maryland.
1. Ramsey Clark, leader of the anti-war movement in America. New York City
2. Syed Munawar Hasan, Secretary General, Jamaate Islami Pakistan. A top Islamic leader and peace activist. Karachi, Pakistan
3. Dr. Mohamed Khazaly Jabbie, Conakry, Guinea, West Africa. [Imam of mosque near the Haram in the holy city of Makka for many years.] Ph.D in Islamic Jurisprudence from Ummul Qura University, Arabia.
4. Sis. Hadayai Majeed, 1000 Peace Women Across the Globe, Atlanta, Georgia.
To register and for more information, contact Br. Aziz at: www.JAM4PEACE.org
Seating is limited. There won't be any registration at the door.
Donations are needed urgently. This is a people's movement, not a money based group.
--------------------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Jamaat al-Muslimeen [News] [Next 6 items]
PO. Box 10881
Baltimore, MD 21234
Best Shoora yet: Thanks to the Greensboro team
The actual meeting of the National Islamic Shoora of Jamaat al-Muslimeen was held on May 24, for 9 hours, but it began indirectly on May 23 with the khutba of the Ameer of Jamaat al-Muslimeen, Br. Kaukab Siddique, at the Islamic center in Greensboro known as the ICT. [Scroll down for main points of revolutionary khutba.]
Thanks go to the host, Imam Badi Ali and his team, Br. Hamed and others, in solving the transportation issues of delegates arriving from across the country. Then on the day of the Shoora itself, Halal food was provided to the delegates and good arrangements were made for Salat [which was led by Dr. Abdulalim Shabazz].
The Shoora meeting was presided over by Br. Kaukab Siddique. The program ended with a brief but comprehensive du'a from the Qur'an by Dr. Shabazz.
A medallion with green and yellow ribbons [symbolic of Palestinian resistance] was given to Shoora participants: It shows a map of Palestine with the words in Arabic: "From beneath the misery and suffering emerges the new victorious generation." On the back it says in English: "Palestine! We will return."
Scroll down for the RESOLUTIONS passed by the Shoora central committee based on the day long discussion.
--------------------- --------- --------- -------
Recognition of the Extraordinary Achievements of Women Leaders: Sis. Ashira Na'im and Nadrat Siddique
The following awards were made given by Imam Badi Ali during the Shoora meeting:
Special Service Award for Community Work
To: Ashira Na'im
From: Jamaat al-Muslimeen International
For Outstanding community service for masjid, school and women's rights
-------------
Award to Honor an Outstanding Muslim Woman.
To: Nadrat Siddique
From: Muslims for a Better North Carolina
For: Her lifetime of struggle for the human rights of the downtrodden and the oppressed.
--------------------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Outstanding Formal Presentations Video Taped for Countrywide Distribution
Sis. Karen English, Secretary General of Jamaat al-Muslimeen presented a paper on the Campaign to Boycott Businesses which Support Israel. She documented the support for Israel coming from Coca Cola, Starbucks, McDonalds, Nestle, Home Depot and others. She has prepared an exhaustive list of companies doing business with Israel. She also documented the passive attitude and zero opposition of CAIR, ISNA, MAS, MANA etc towards Israel, from their own web sites.
Imam Warith Deen Umar, one of the most distinguished Imams in America, the guest speaker for the occasion, introduced his brilliant new book, Jews for Salaam, and outlined his struggle against the Zionist establishment. His book breaks new ground on how to make peace with the Jews without recognition of Zionism. His powerful presentation enthused the shoora members and his books sold like hot cakes.
Dr. AbdulAlim Shabazz, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics, with an Endowed Chair in his name at Grambling University in Louisiana, presented an unforgettable paper on the Education of the Oppressed. He documented the issue of "Race" and explained how the concept of race was originated and used to divide, exploit and destroy human beings. Dr. Shabazz is the philosopher of Jamaat al-Muslimeen and an intellectual giant of the Muslim world. He challenges the established wisdom about race and demolishes long held views on White Supremacy.
All three presentations will be made available countrywide and internationally by Jamaat's new but highly advanced technological team led by Br. Aziz.
--------------------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -----
Jamaat al-Muslimeen's Organizational Developments: Hispanic Activist Takes Oath of Islamic Allegiance
The Shoora discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the new Jamaat al-Muslimeen city organizations.
Jamaat al-Muslimeen Philadelphia led by Br. Aquil is progressing rapidly, gathering support and setting up an institution.
To join the Philadelphia Jamaat, write or call:
Jama'at al-Muslimeen in Philadelphia:
PO Box 5396
Philadelphia, PA 19142-0396
(267) 349-6065
Jamaat al-Muslimeen Brooklyn, led by Br. Abu Talib, is in its formative stages and needs financial and other help to be able to move forward.
Jamaat al-Muslimeen Baltimore, led by Sis. Ashira, is doing well and runs a masjid with two Imams. Juma salat is held regularly at 1.30.
Jamaat al-Muslimeen Brownsville, Texas, is being discussed and inshallah will be energized by the next item in this list.
Hispanic Activist Takes Islamic Oath of Allegiance:
During the Shoora meeting, the Jamaat's oath of allegiance was administered to Br. Sulayman Solano, a famous Islamic activist and Da'wa communicator, by Br. Kaukab. The importance of the rapidly increasing Latino/Latina population is no secret. We must support this burgeoning new power. Br. Solano's role is very important.
The oath indicated that Jamaat al-Muslimeen teaches allegiance to the highest principles of Islam and not to a leadership cult or towards feeding any individual ego. The oath includes acceptance of the following:
*The Qur'an and the authentic Hadith are the foundation of our decision making process.
sisterhood, honesty, truthfulness are essential.
--------------------- --
Please copy and distribute
Jamaat al-Muslimeen's Resolutions: All Occupation Must End: No Dialogue with Israel: Peaceful Resistance to Zionist Control of USA
EDUCATION, UNDERSTANDING and ORGANIZATION Will Make Change Possible, inshallahBased on the Jamaat's Shoora meeting, the central committee passed the following resolutions:
Basic Principle: ALL OCCUPATION must end, be it the occupation of Palestine by Israel, of Iraq by the U.S., of Afghanistan by NATO, of Kashmir by India, of Somalia by Ethiopia, of Chechnia by Russia.
1. The collective imprisonment of the people of Gaza is a crime against humanity. We urge that the clamp down be ended unconditionally.
2. Israel is an illegal and illegitimate entity. We call for global unity to defeat Israel. Groups engaged in trying to gain authority under Israeli occupation are violating the rights of the people. There cannot be ANY NEGOTIATIONS with Israel, either DIRECT or INDIRECT, because Israel is an occupier.
3. In Iraq, the use of the Qur'an for target practice by U.S. troops is a challenge to the entire Muslim world. This war against Islam is a violation of freedom of religion. We urge the Muslim world to stand up in defense of the Qur'an. The shooting of the Qur'an is a part of the overall hate campaign against Islam as seen in the cartoons from Denmark, the desecration of the Qur'an in Guantanamo Bay and the ongoing abuse of Islam in the U.S. media under various guises.
4.U.S. Muslims and all politically aware people should join the boycott of businesses which support Israel, such as Coca Cola, Starbucks, Nestle's and McDonald's. Owing to U.S. ECONOMIC subservience to Zionism, China is threatening to move ahead of the U.S. We need to improve America's economy by disengaging it from wasteful and non-productive activity.
5. The rising prices of essential goods all over the world, particularly in Africa, Haiti, Pakistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh are connected to the global exploitation of the poor and the downtrodden and are related to the tremendous expense of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the constant flow of resources to Israel.
6. The repeated bombing of Pakistani villages by the U.S. is a violation of international law. Pakistan's Islamic potential is attracting this aggression.
7. U.S. Muslims, with the exception of a tiny minority, are one with the Muslim world. The idea that U.S. Muslims are supporters of the White House and the Pentagon must be rejected.
8. The Qur'an and the authentic Hadith are the only genuine and effective basis for the unity of America's Muslims. Our problems will not be solved by either the Democrats or the Republicans.
9. Racism, the exploitation of women and the corporate-Zionist control of the media are three basic problems in America which the Islamic movement must tackle.
10. We condemn police atrocities in New York, Washington, DC and other cities and we urge Muslims to stand with the victims of the police.
--------------------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ------
Outreach to Arab-Americans
Self-Criticism is Essential for Victory of Islam. Cooperation with Oppressors is Forbidden [Dr. Siddique's Khutba in Greensboro, NC]
On May 23, 2008 at the invitation of Imam Badi Ali, in Greensboro, North Carolina, the Juma' Khutba was given by Dr. Kaukab Siddique. About 500 people were in attendance, mostly Arab- Americans and Sudanese with a sprinkling of Indians and Pakistanis. Here are the main points of the khutba
Texts: "O my people! This life of the present is nothing but temporary enjoyment. It is the Hereafter that is the Home that will last. One that works evil will be repaid the same way, and one that works a righteous deed, be one male or female, and is a believer, will enter the Gareden of Bliss:Therein will they have abundance without measure." [The Qur'an 40:39-40]
"... No Arab is superior to a non-Arab, nor is a non-Arab superior to an Arab - A white is not superior to a black nor a black superior to a white, except in Allah-conscious behavior..." Prophet Muhamad, pbuh, Hadith in Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal.
* We live in a society which lacks haya [sexual modesty]. Exploitation of women has become the norm here. As Muslims we must honor women and reject the objectification of women by the media as if they are bodies and vehicles of male gratification.
Muslim self-criticism is essential for us to survive the negative influences of American society. Unless we fight back with the teachings of the glorious Qur'an and the sublime Hadith, we too will be affected by the latent racism, sexism and materialism of this society.------------
, the establishment of the terrorist entity known as Israel, we must pledge to boycott businesses which support Israel. --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --
Afghanistan
200 Civilians Murdered by NATO in first 4 months of 2008
Statement by Professor Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
Kabul, May 15
[In his report, Prof. Alston, after visiting various areas of Afghanistan, commented on the ongoing killing of Afghan civilians by NATO forces [called "international forces" in the report]. He also has a segment blaming the Taliban but it is unreliable because he did not meet the Taliban and listened only to their enemies. The comments on NATO are very much to the point because he got the facts from them about their activities. NATO has angrily rebuked Alston and the U.S. media simply CENSORED his report although he tried to excuse NATO by saying that the killings are NOT "intentional." How he knows that is not clear. --Editor, New Trend]
[Excerpted.]
"The international forces in Afghanistan should take seriously the principles of accountability and transparency, the importance of which they so frequently proclaim in other contexts. They should have no particular reluctance to adhere to these principles. I have seen no evidence that the international forces present in Afghanistan commit widespread intentional killings in violation of human rights or humanitarian law.
But the international military forces have reportedly killed as many as 200 civilians, often in joint operations with Afghan security forces, in the first four months of this year. The majority of these were the result of air strikes or close air support. In many cases, these attacks appear to have been lawful, though tragic. The killings by the international forces that most frequently raise issues under international human rights and humanitarian law are those that occur during surprise night-time raids and those that occur when soldiers fire at vehicles or passers-by that they (wrongly) suspect of being attackers. But the response of the international forces combines great seriousness of intent and adherence to the applicable law with a surprisingly opaque and unsatisfactory outcome.
In a few instances, this opacity may be intentional. For example, there have been a number of raids for which no state or military command appears ready to acknowledge responsibility. I inquired into one such raid while I was in Kandahar. In January 2008, two brothers were killed in a raid in Kandahar City which was led by international personnel. The victims are widely acknowledged, even by well-informed Government officials, to have had no connection to the Taliban, and the circumstances of their deaths are suspicious. However, not only was I unable to get any international military commander to provide their version of what took place, but I was unable to get any international military commander to even admit that their soldiers were involved. I also looked at raids in both Kandahar and Nangarhar provinces that involved international forces accompanied by Afghan forces. The identity of the international forces has yet to be fully clarified. While I received credible information that the Afghan forces were, in the case of Nangarhar, the Shaheen Unit working with armed international personnel and, in the case of Kandahar, Afghans working with international forces out of the Ghecko military base, I never received a definitive answer as to how they fit into anyone's chain of command. Based on my discussions, there is no reason to doubt that at least some of these units are led by personnel belonging to international intelligence services. The Minister of Defense, the head of NDS and ANA commanders confirmed that they do not fall under their command. I will explore this issue in greater depth in my report, but let me say for now that it is absolutely unacceptable for heavily-armed internationals accompanied by heavily-armed Afghan forces to be wandering around conducting dangerous raids that too often result in killings without anyone taking responsibility for them. Most failures of accountability and transparency are more prosaic, but these ordinary failures are also troubling. In speaking with relatives or witnesses, I would ask which of the international forces carried out the killing. Even those who had tried to follow up their cases at PRTs and other military bases often did not know the answer to this question. Getting clarification from the international forces is like entering a maze. I experienced this maze myself. One ISAF commander explained that while he could confirm whether a particular operation was conducted by conventional ISAF troops and then clarify which national contingent they belonged to, he would have to pass the case up the chain of command to clarify whether it had been conducted by ISAF special forces, and that I would have to ask the commander in charge of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) to determine whether and which coalition forces were responsible.
The situation is even worse when it comes to the accountability of individual soldiers. As is well known, the responsibility for prosecuting crimes committed by members of the international forces in Afghanistan belongs to their sending country. If an Australian commits an unlawful killing, responsibility for investigating and prosecuting that incident lies with the Australian Government; if a Norwegian commits an unlawful killing, responsibility for investigation and prosecution lies with the Norwegian Government. What is less well known is that no one in Afghanistan tracks the outcome of investigations and prosecutions. I met a witness in Jalalabad who lost family members in the well-known 4 March 2007 incident in which soldiers responded to a suicide attack on their convoy by shooting at a number of people over the next 20 kilometers of road. He was surprisingly open-minded about the responsible soldiers being tried by their sending country, but he was angry that he had not been provided with any information as to whether the soldiers involved had come before a court martial, whether they had been convicted or acquitted, and whether there were ongoing proceedings. Then I visited the regional commander, and he didn't know either. He explained that his unit had arrived in Afghanistan and that accountability for incidents involving the previous unit was its responsibility and that it had taken all the relevant files when it left the country. To his credit, he recognized that this was a problem. Another regional commander with whom I spoke suggested that it was not such a problem whether the status of investigations and prosecutions could be tracked because compensation was the main concern. As he correctly noted, the bottom line is that those wishing to know the final outcomes of any prosecutions should read the local newspapers in all of the troop-sending countries. This is a wholly unsatisfactory situation.
The international forces operating in Afghanistan have a responsibility to make sure that there is a coherent, unified system of accountability which Afghans and others can follow. However messy this system may be on the inside, composed as it must be of multiple mandates and of disparate national military justice systems, it is essential that those pieces add up to a coherent whole. Affected individuals should be able to go to a military base operating under any mandate, and receive prompt straightforward answers to questions such as: who were the international forces who raided my house last night? Or, I believe my brother was unlawfully killed by a soldier from the international forces; has he been put before a court martial?
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Our America
Barack Obama's Shameful and Blatant Support for Zionism and Israel: Admits that American Jews Saved him from the Rev. Wright Problem
[Jeffrey Goldberg's interview with Obama appeared in the May 12 issue of The Atlantic magazine. Obama revealed his deep, "spiritual," support for Israel and all that it stands for. He admits that relations between Jews and African Americans have frayed but he is personally devoted to Zionism. NT does not have permission to publish the entire interview but here are excerpts allowed under the law for non-profit reasons.]
"Obama: I think the idea of Israel and the reality of Israel is one that I find important to me personally. Because it speaks to my history of being uprooted, it speaks to the African-American story of exodus, it describes the history of overcoming great odds and a courage and a commitment to carving out a democracy and prosperity in the midst of hardscrabble land. One of the things I loved about Israel when I went there is that the land itself is a metaphor for rebirth, for what's been accomplished. What I also love about Israel is the fact that people argue about these issues, and that they're asking themselves moral questions.
Sometimes I'm attacked in the press for maybe being too deliberative. My staff teases me sometimes about anguishing over moral questions. I think I learned that partly from Jewish thought, that your actions have consequences and that they matter and that we have moral imperatives. The point is, if you look at my writings and my history, my commitment to Israel and the Jewish people is more than skin-deep and it's more than political expediency. When it comes to the gut issue, I have such ardent defenders among my Jewish friends in Chicago. I don't think people have noticed how fiercely they defend me, and how central they are to my success, because they've interacted with me long enough to know that I've got it in my gut. During the Wright episode, they didn't flinch for a minute, because they know me and trust me, and they've seen me operate in difficult political situations.
The other irony in this whole process is that in my early political life in Chicago, one of the raps against me in the black community is that I was too close to the Jews. When I ran against Bobby Rush [for Congress], the perception was that I was Hyde Park, I'm University of Chicago, I've got all these Jewish friends. When I started organizing, the two fellow organizers in Chicago were Jews, and I was attacked for associating with them. So I've been in the foxhole with my Jewish friends, so when I find on the national level my commitment being questioned, it's curious.
Goldberg: Why do you think Ahmed Yousef of Hamas said what he said about you?
BO: My position on Hamas is indistinguishable from the position of Hillary Clinton or John McCain. I said they are a terrorist organization and I've repeatedly condemned them. I've repeatedly said, and I mean what I say: since they are a terrorist organization, we should not be dealing with them until they recognize Israel, renounce terrorism, and abide by previous agreements.
Goldberg: Were you flummoxed by it?
BO: I wasn't flummoxed. I think what is going on there is the same reason why there are some suspicions of me in the Jewish community. Look, we don't do nuance well in politics and especially don't do it well on Middle East policy. We look at things as black and white, and not gray. It's conceivable that there are those in the Arab world who say to themselves, "This is a guy who spent some time in the Muslim world, has a middle name of Hussein, and appears more worldly and has called for talks with people, and so he's not going to be engaging in the same sort of cowboy diplomacy as George Bush," and that's something they're hopeful about. I think that's a perfectly legitimate perception as long as they're not confused about my unyielding support for Israel's security.
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