A PhD, a Journalist, a Civil Services Aspirant and a Driver, all Muslims with No Criminal Record - Booked for Terror near Hathras
New
Age Islam News Bureau
10
October 2020
©
Provided by The Indian Express
-----
• Indian Muslims Most Content In World, Accept the Superiority Of Hindus To Stay Here: RSS Chief Bhagwat
•
Emmanuel Macron Welcomes Freed Muslim French Humanitarian who was in Jail for
Four Years in Mali
•
Islamabad Asks Delhi to Adopt Model of Peace, Development
•
Afghanistan and Turkmenistan Inks Strategic Partnership Agreement
•
Indonesian Defense Minister to Visit US after 20-Year Ban over Human Rights
Abuses
•
Lebanon’s Sunni Leader Hariri Urges Revival of French Plan to End Crisis
India
•
A PhD, a Journalist, a Civil Services Aspirant and a Driver, all Muslims with No
Criminal Record Booked for Terror near Hathras
•
Indian Muslims Most Content In World, Accept the Superiority Of Hindus To Stay
Here: RSS Chief Bhagwat
•
2 terrorists killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district
•
Full support for peace in Afghanistan, Jaishankar to Abdullah Abdullah
•
Pakistan targets civilian areas along LoC, IB in unprovoked ceasefire violation
•
‘ISI approached Navlakha in US, sought help to find spies’
•
Bihar elections: Muslim forum to appeal people to vote for ‘right candidates’
--------
Europe
•
Emmanuel Macron Welcomes Freed Muslim French Humanitarian who was in Jail for
Four Years in Mali
•
UK terrorist watched Daesh videos in jail before trying to kill guard
•
Dutch court convicts six men of plotting massive jihadi attack
•
EP seeks sanctions on Saudis over Khashoggi murder
•
Germany reports 188 Islamophobic crimes in 3 months
--------
Pakistan
•
Islamabad Asks Delhi to Adopt Model of Peace, Development
•
Pakistan to block social media app TikTok for 'immoral' content: Sources
•
Imran Khan's defiance against opposition parties, sedition charges against
so-called PM of PoK
•
Ministry disapproves of two-finger test, seeks its discontinuation
•
PHC orders police to ensure repatriation of 10 Afghan children 'smuggled by
Taliban' into Pakistan
--------
South
Asia
•
Afghanistan and Turkmenistan Inks Strategic Partnership Agreement
•
Six Afghan security force members killed in Taliban attack, 15 taken captive
•
Bangladesh Clergy Sex Abuse: The Price of Negligence, Ignorance and Cover-Ups
•
ASF Repulse Taliban Attack in Faryab
•
Maidan Wardak: Key Taliban Commander Killed in a ‘Joint Security’ Operation
•
World Food Programme Wins 2020 Noble Peace Prize
--------
Southeast
Asia
•
Indonesian Defense Minister to Visit US after 20-Year Ban over Human Rights
Abuses
•
Philippines Captures Suspected Indonesian Would-Be Bomber
•
Indonesian Muslim and union groups to fight new jobs law in court
--------
Arab
world
•
Lebanon’s Sunni Leader Hariri Urges Revival of French Plan to End Crisis
•
Arab Coalition intercepts, destroys Houthi drone targeting southern Saudi
Arabia
•
Saudi air defenses shoot down Houthi drone
--------
Mideast
•
Rouhani Calls for Human Rights Advocates to Condemn US Sanctions On Iran
•
Crackdown on Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party raises concerns among opposition
•
In Yemen, children begin classes in the ruins of war
--------
Africa
•
Sudan Peace Deal with Rebel Groups Will Cost $7.5 Bln, Says Minister
•
Libyan delegations meet in Malta for peace talks
•
Nigeria: Police chief condemns attack on personnel
--------
North
America
•
US Military Blindsided By Trump's New Afghan Troop Withdrawal
•
Trump says will resume campaign rallies on Saturday despite COVID-19 infection
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/a-phd-journalist-civil-services/d/123104
--------
A PhD, a Journalist, a Civil Services Aspirant and a Driver, all Muslims with No Criminal Record Booked for Terror near Hathras
Oct
10, 2020
©
Provided by The Indian Express
-----
AGRA: Siddique Kappan has been a journalist for nine years, covering north India for a Malayalam-language news site. Masood Ahmed was preparing for his civil services exam; Atikur Rehman for his PhD. On Monday, the three of them, along with an embroiderer-turned-driver, Mohammad Alam, were on their way to Hathras to meet the gang-rape victim's family when they were detained at Mathura. Their families, away in Malappuram, Bahraich, Rampur and Muzaffarnagar, told on Friday they cannot understand how they were locked away as terror threats.
"He
had never even been involved in a brawl. No criminal record. Suddenly, he gets
booked for terror," said Atikur's brother Mateen Ahmed, a farmer from
Muzaffarnagar. Mateen said Atikur had a congenital heart ailment and needed
constant medical attention. "On October 1, he had gone to Delhi for
treatment at AIIMS ... Four days after that, I got a call. He had been arrested."
Back home, his wife worries, helplessly, about his heart problem.
A
similar concern is "killing" Kappan's wife. "I am worried about
his diabetes. Stress will make it worse," Rehanath told TOI through a
translator. For an entire day, she had not known her husband had been arrested.
"It was only on Tuesday that some friends told me." She could not
make sense of what had happened. "Neither he nor anyone in our family has
any political ties." For now, she is keeping it together for his 90-year-old
mother and three children. "He is a journalist. If he was going to
Hathras, it was to report," she said.
Masood's
brother, Monis Khan, said he would have stopped them had he known they were
travelling to Hathras. Monis lives in Noida, a younger brother is still
studying, a sister is married and their father Shakil Ahmad runs a small lock
and key repair shop in Bahraich. "We are simple people. He has never done
anything illegal. We never saw him misbehave with anyone," he said. Masood
cleared NET after a diploma in mass communication in 2016 and Masters in public
administration from Jamia Millia Islamia last year. He was preparing for his
PhD.
Driver
Alam's mother, Naeem Jahan, 50, said she came to know about the arrests when
some people came to her house in Rampur on Monday evening, asking about her
son. "The next day, his photo was all over TV. Neighbours started
asking." She and her husband, Laiyak Pehalwan, roll beedis for a living.
Their son, she said, had moved to Delhi 10 years ago after trying his hand at embroidery.
He got married in 2018 and lived in Delhi with his wife. "He was just
taking passengers ... I don't even know where he is, how he is."
All
four are now in a temporary prison, awaiting Covid-19 test results, after which
they will be moved to the district jail in Mathura, a senior police official
said. They have been charged with sedition and under the stringent UAPA, among
other sections related to funds diversion, disturbing peace and tampering of
evidence.
In
Delhi, Campus Front of India, the student wing of Popular Front of India, said
members Atikur and Masood, along with Kappan and Aalam, were arrested
illegally. "The police's lies on 'sectarian violence', 'fundraising' and
'carrying dangerous literature' are baseless and nonsensical."
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/no-criminal-record-but-booked-for-terror-kin-of-man-held-near-hathras/articleshow/78583686.cms
--------
Indian
Muslims Most Content In World, Accept the Superiority of Hindus to Stay Here:
RSS Chief Bhagwat
October
10, 2020
File
photo of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. | IANS
-----
Asserting
that people from all faiths have stood together whenever it has been about the
essence of India, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said that Indian Muslims are the most
content in the world.
"Most
content Muslims are only in India," Bhagwat said and wondered if there is
any example world over wherein a foreign religion that ruled over the people of
a country still exists there.
"Nowhere.
It is only in India," he said in an interview to 'Vivek', a Hindi magazine
based in Maharashtra.
Unlike
India, Pakistan did not give rights to followers of other religions and it was
created as a separate country for Muslims.
"Our
Constitution did not say that only Hindus can stay here; hereafter only Hindus
will be heard here; if you want to stay here, then you have to accept the superiority
of Hindus. We created a space for them. This is the nature of our nation, and
that inherent nature is called Hindu," he said.
He
also said any kind of bigotry and separatism are spread only by those whose
self-interest gets affected.
Citing
that many Muslims fought in Mewar king Maharana Pratap's army against Mughal
emperor Akbar, Bhagwat suggested that in India's history people from all faiths
stood together whenever there was an attack on the country’s culture.
Elaborating
his views, the head of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological
mentor of the ruling BJP, said Hindu has nothing to do with whom does one
worship. Religion should be connecting, uplifting, uniting everyone in one
single thread.
"Whenever
the devotion for India and its culture awakens and feeling of pride arises for
the ancestors, the distinctions between all religions disappear and people from
all faiths stand together," Bhagwat said.
Talking
about the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Bhagwat said it is not meant for mere ritualistic
purpose, the temple is a symbol of national values and character.
"The
reality is that temples were destructed to crush the morale and values of the
people of this country. That is why Hindu society from a long wished to
reconstruct the temples. Our life was corrupted, and we were humiliated by
destructing the temple of our ideal Shri Ram. We want to rebuild it, enhance it
and therefore, this grand temple is being constructed,” he said.
The
'bhoomi pujan' ceremony for the Ram temple in Ayodhya was performed in August,
after the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title
suit paved the way for its construction.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/indian-muslims-most-content-in-world-accept-the-superiority-of-hindus-to-stay-here-rss-chief-bhagwat-1730197-2020-10-10
--------
Emmanuel
Macron Welcomes Freed Muslim French Humanitarian who was in Jail for Four Years
in Mali
Felix
Tih
09.10.2020
France
President Emmanuel Macron, right, stands as Sophie Petronin, center, a French
aid worker held hostages for four years by Islamic extremists in Mali, is
greeted by relatives upon her arrival at the Villacoublay military airport near
Paris, Friday Oct. 9, 2020. Sophie Petronin was released with three other
hostages from Mali and Italy this week. Before leaving Mali's capital, she said
she was doing well and wanted to return to Mali to resume her humanitarian work
with malnourished children and orphans.(Gonzalo Fuentes, Pool Photo via AP) THE
ASSOCIATED PRESS
-----
A French humanitarian worker who was freed this week in Mali after four years in captivity has revealed she is a Muslim, French media reported on Friday.
Sophie
Petronin arrived at Villacoublay airport, southwest of Paris on Friday, where
she was welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron.
In
a Twitter post, Macron said he and the French people were delighted to see
Petronin. ''Welcome home!" he said.
“My
greatest joy today is knowing that my assistant was able to continue working
without me. For Mali, I will pray, implore Allah's blessings and mercy, because
I am a Muslim. You say Sophie, but you have Mariam in front of you,'' Petronin
was quoted by French daily Le Point as saying.
The
75-year-old humanitarian worker was kidnapped by an armed group in northern
Mali's Gao region in December 2016. Seven months later she appeared in a video
published by the group calling itself Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
Before
her abduction, since 2004 Petronin had run the Swiss charity Association Aid in
Gao.
The
former hostage said she intends to return to Mali to ensure the humanitarian
group she was working for and which takes care of young children on site
continues its mission.
She
was freed on Thursday alongside Malian opposition leader Soumaila Cisse and two
Italian nationals, Father Pierluigi Maccalli and Nicola Chiacchio.
According
to the Malian press, more than 100 terrorists have been freed in exchange for
the hostages.
Her
release came after a military junta ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and
promised to win the war against terrorism in Mali.
Despite
the presence of French and UN peacekeeping forces in Mali, armed groups are
still very active in the West African country.
Al-Qaeda
in the Islamic Maghreb has claimed responsibility for recent attacks and
kidnappings in West Africa.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/freed-french-humanitarian-reveals-she-is-muslim/2001631
--------
Islamabad
asks Delhi to adopt model of peace, development
10
Oct 2020
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan has asked India to abandon its outmoded ‘Chanakya doctrine’ and adopt
the 21st century model of regional peace and development.
Responding
to the Indian Air Force chief’s recent statement about India’s readiness for a
“two-front war” with China and Pakistan, Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez
said at a press briefing here on Friday that such provocative statements were a
true reflection of the RSS-BJP mindset, a dangerous mix of extremist ideology
and hegemonic designs.
“It
is ironic that certain senior Indian political and military leaders continue to
make a career out of issuing provocative statements against Pakistan at the cost
of putting regional peace and security as well as India’s own security at
risk,” he remarked.
The
spokesman said that while making such braggadocio, the Indian Air Force chief
must not forget India’s defence limitations, so embarrassingly exposed to the
world, first during its misadventure in Balakot and more recently in Ladakh.
“India
must not underestimate the resolve of Pakistani nation and the preparedness of
our armed forces against any ill-conceived misadventure by India,” he added.
About
the China-India tension, Mr Hafeez said India’s belligerent posture and
expansionist policies were imperiling regional peace and stability. “We have
closely observed border face-off between China and India. We believe disputes
in the region should be resolved through peaceful means and through agreed
mechanisms rather than resorting to unilateral, illegal and coercive measures,”
he noted.
Answering
a question about an article published in an independent US-based Foreign Policy
Magazine endorsing Pakistan’s position that India is a state sponsor of
terrorism, he said Pakistan had been consistently sensitising the international
community regarding India’s involvement in terrorism to destabilise Pakistan
and the region.
“Recently,
we have seen many international endorsements, which vindicate Pakistan’s
consistent position that India is a state sponsor of terrorism,” he said,
adding that the US magazine’s report further exposed the true face of India —
the so-called largest democracy in the world.
“India’s
belligerent posture and expansionist policies are imperiling regional peace and
stability,” he said, adding that Pakistan had already shared with the
international community incriminating evidence regarding Indian intelligence
agency RAW’s involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan.
“The
international community must take immediate cognisance of India’s use of
state-terrorism as a tool to destabilise the region,” he stressed.
In
reply to a question about Kulbhushan Jadhav case, the FO spokesman said it was
utterly surprising that India continued to repeat the questions that had
already been answered. He pointed out that Pakistan had already provided two
unimpeded and uninterrupted consular accesses to India and offered a third one.
He
said it had also been clarified to India that only those lawyers could appear
before courts in Pakistan who had the licence to practice law in this country,
adding that this was in line with legal practice in different jurisdictions,
including India.
“As
for the demand for provision of relevant papers, it has been conveyed to the
Indian side that a duly appointed lawyer can collect the relevant papers from
the office of the Attorney General for Pakistan. It appears that India is
actually afraid of the difficult questions which it will need to answer during
the review and reconsideration process.
“Rather
than trying to abuse the legal process, India would be well advised to act as a
responsible state and cooperate with the Pakistani courts to give effect to the
ICJ (International Court of Justice) judgement,” the FO spokesman said.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1584236/islamabad-asks-delhi-to-adopt-model-of-peace-development
--------
Afghanistan
And Turkmenistan Inks Strategic Partnership Agreement
By
Mohammad Haroon Alim
10
Oct 2020
Acting
foreign minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar and Turkmen Ambassador to Kabul Ovezov
Hoja signed the ratification documents regarding the strategic partnership
between the two countries.
Atmar
defined Turkmenistan as a “good, friendly and brotherly neighbor”, according to
the released statement on Friday, October 9.
“Expansion
of political, economic and security relations with the region and neighboring
countries, including Turkmenistan, is one of the priorities of the foreign
policy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan”, the statement quoted
Atmar.
Turkmen
Ambassador, Ovezov, reiterated on the importance of cooperation, strengthening
regional ties, economic cooperation, and regional trade and transit.
This
comes as earlier, a trilateral meeting of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and the
United States was held in the participation of representatives of the
governments of the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan on October 8th, 2020.
Through
the video teleconference, the parties discussed mutual issues of concern
including political, economic, and security matters.
According
to the statement, the three nations intended to the following issues:
Commit
to engage in greater joint cooperation in support of regional security,
economic growth, and development, call on other nations to support Afghan
peace.
Preserve
and build upon the gains in democratization and human rights made by Afghans
over the past 19 years.
Improve
security cooperation and intensify joint efforts to combat cross-border
threats.
Identify
and support opportunities to increase people-to-people ties between
Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and the United States of America.
Promote
women’s meaningful inclusion, participation, and protection across all of the
work they do to advance peace, security, and economic growth in the
region.
Promote
trade between Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and the United States of America by
reviewing legal restrictions on trades and increasing efficiency of customs
procedures under the existing Central Asia TIFA.
Coordination
on Transport extension, TAPI, TAP projects, and their implementations.
Increase
humanitarian engagement between the people.
Promote
women’s equality and economic empowerment, and engagement in dialogues to
explore new opportunities, renew support for shared goals and projects.
https://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-and-turkmenistan-inks-strategic-partnership-agreement-98876/
--------
Indonesian
defense minister to visit US after 20-year ban over human rights abuses
October
09, 2020
JAKARTA:
Indonesia’s Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto has been invited to visit the
US next week, in what would mark the end of a travel ban imposed on him by the
US two decades ago.
Subianto,
a former commander of the Indonesian Army’s special forces, was invited to the
US by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper for talks on bilateral defense
cooperation, following their phone conversation in August. His visit is
scheduled for Oct. 15-19, the minister’s spokesman confirmed.
“Defense
Minister Prabowo Subianto will accept the US government’s formal invitation
conveyed by the US defense secretary, Mark Esper,” the spokesman, Dahnil Anzar
Simanjuntak, told Arab News in a written statement on Thursday.
“In
accordance with the nonaligned, active foreign policy and without being
involved in a military alliance with any country, Defense Minister of
Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, has been actively engaging in defense diplomacy to
various countries including the United States,” he said.
According
to a readout from the US Department of Defense, issued by the US Embassy in
Jakarta on Aug. 4, the Subianto-Esper phone discussion covered military
cooperation in the wake of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic,
maritime security, defense acquisitions, and military exercises, and said that
both Esper and Subianto “conveyed their desire to meet in person soon.”
Subianto
and Esper had met in person earlier on the sidelines of an Association of
Southeast Asian Nations defense ministers’ meeting in Bangkok in November 2019.
Experts
see the invitation as Washington’s inclination to overlook allegations of past
human rights abuses by leading figures in the Indo-Pacific region.
“It
is a way for Trump’s administration to show the countries they are engaging
with that the US will not be meddling much in those countries’ domestic
affairs,” Suzie Sudarman, an American studies lecturer at the University of
Indonesia, told Arab News.
“Subianto
is now a public official, representing a country that has the possibility to
procure US defense products. If the visit results in a deal, Trump will have
something to say about securing a deal to enhance his ‘America First’ and ‘Make
America Great Again’ slogans,” she said. She added that it is unlikely that
Subianto would experience the same treatment as former Indonesian military
chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, who was barred from boarding a US-bound plane in
October 2017 despite an official invitation from his US counterpart.
According
to Sudarman, with his family background, Subianto has always been inclined to
the US, which makes him somewhat “acceptable” there, despite rights abuse
allegations. His visit is also considered “less risky” for Trump’s image ahead
of the US presidential election.
Along
with other members of the Indonesian special forces (Kopassus), Subianto had
been barred from the US over the disappearances of political activists and
deadly riots amid protests in Jakarta, which in 1998 led to the fall of his
then-father-in-law, former President Suharto, who ruled Indonesia for over
three decades.
Subianto
was forced to retire early from the military following regime change and went
into self-exile in Jordan, with whose King Abdullah he is friends.
The
US ban to engage with Kopassus was lifted in 2010.
An
executive of Subianto’s Gerindra Party, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, said in October last
year that the three-star general was no longer barred from visiting the US upon
his appointment as defense minister.
Subianto,
whose Gerindra Party was Indonesia’s main opposition party in last year’s elections,
was appointed defense minister in October 2019. In 2014 and 2019, he was
President Joko Widodo’s competitor for the country’s top office.
Since
he took the post, Subianto has been on state visits to numerous countries,
including China, France, Turkey, Japan, Russia and the UAE.
Riefqi
Muna, a foreign policy researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, told
Arab News that Subianto’s US visit as minister was just “a matter of time” as
Indonesia and the US have always had good defense cooperation.
“I
hope he brings home some good news that Indonesia can have better access to
modern military equipment and opens the door for our military officers to train
in the US,” Muna said, adding that it is likely that Indonesia’s planned
purchase of the US-made F-35 fighter jets would be among the issues discussed
by Subianto and Esper.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1746586/world
--------
Lebanon’s
Sunni leader Hariri urges revival of French plan to end crisis
NAJIA
HOUSSARI
October
09, 2020
BEIRUT:
Lebanon’s leading Sunni Muslim politician, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri,
has called for the restoration of a French plan to lift the nation out of its
worst financial crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.
France,
which has led foreign aid efforts, has tried to rally Lebanese leaders to
launch reforms to tackle the crisis. But they have failed to agree on a new
government — the first step in the French roadmap — and drawn a rebuke from
French President Emmanuel Macron.
Lebanon
urgently needs foreign cash to get out of a financial crisis that has slashed
the value of the currency since last year.
Talks
on a new cabinet hit a logjam as politicians wrangled over ministerial posts,
with Iran-backed Hezbollah and its ally Amal demanding that they name the
finance minister.
Hariri
said that he would only return as prime minister — a post he has held three
times — if there was agreement by Lebanon’s fractious parties on securing an
International Monetary Fund deal.
His
coalition government was toppled a year ago by huge protests by Lebanese
furious at an entrenched ruling elite that has overseen a state riddled with
graft and drowning in debt.
“I
call on political parties to think well so as not to waste this chance. French
President Macron’s initiative still stands and we can still enact it,” Hariri
said in a TV interview late on Thursday. “If we let it fail, it would be a
crime.”
Hariri
said: “There are currently two or three projects in the country. The project
undertaken by Hezbollah and the Amal Movement is linked to abroad. There is a
project that wants to get the country out of this crisis and to free itself
from the parties and it is based on the fact that Lebanon comes first.”
He
added: “How do you watch your back if three quarters of the Lebanese people are
hungry? There is an economic collapse, and the conspiracy is against the
people. No one is conspiring against Hezbollah. Everyone in Lebanon and the
international community knows that Hezbollah’s weapons exist, and these weapons
have regional repercussions. In order to solve this issue, you have to solve
the regional problem.”
Hariri
warned that he feared civil strife as the crisis spirals. It has fueled unrest
in a country where divisions have run deep since the war, which was fought
along sectarian lines by factions still dominating Lebanese politics.
“What
is happening in terms of carrying arms and what we are seeing in terms of
weapons’ displays in the street means the collapse of the state,” he said.
Hariri
warned: “If a government supported by Hezbollah is formed, absolutely no one
abroad will give Lebanon a single penny. We will be repeating the same
problem.”
President
Michel Aoun will hold consultations with lawmakers next week to pick a new
prime minister, in a bid to reach a breakthrough on naming a new government.
Presidential
spokesman, Rafik Shalala, told Arab News: “There is no comment, neither
negative nor positive, on what Hariri has proposed.”
Sources
close to the presidency said: “President Aoun considers that Hariri’s proposal
has stirred the pot.”
Hariri’s
media adviser, Hussein Al-Wajh, told Arab News: “Hariri said he is a natural
candidate for premiership. His main message is to revive the French initiative
for it is the sole opportunity available to stop the collapse.”
Foreign
donors have made it clear that there will be no fresh aid unless Lebanese
leaders launch reforms to tackle graft and improve governance, and engage in
IMF negotiations.
IMF
talks stalled this year over a row among Lebanese government officials, bankers
and political parties about the vast scale of financial losses.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1746456/middle-east
--------
India
2
terrorists killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district
Edited
by Prashasti Singh
Oct
10, 2020
Two
terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and
Kashmir’s Kulgam district, police said.
“Kulgam
Encounter Update: 2 unidentified terrorists killed. Operation in progress,”
Kashmir Zone Police tweeted. .
Based
on inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area, security forces
launched a cordon and search operation on Friday night. The operation is now
over, a police official said, adding that the search operation turned into an
encounter after militants fired upon a security forces party, who retaliated.
The
identity and group affiliation of the terrorists is being ascertained, he
added. One M4 Rifle and one Pistol were recovered.
On
October 7, three terrorists were killed by the security forces in an encounter
in the Sugan Zainapora area of Shopian district.In a similar incident, two
terrorists were killed in the Samboora area of Awantipora district on September
27.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/2-terrorists-killed-in-encounter-in-jammu-kashmir-s-kulgam-district/story-ks8mAw9gzZboTOmomCRUoI.html
--------
Full
support for peace in Afghanistan, Jaishankar to Abdullah Abdullah
Oct
09, 2020
Afghan
negotiator Abdullah Abdullah rounded off his talks with the Indian leadership
on the Afghan peace process with a meeting on Friday with external affairs
minister S Jaishankar, who said India remains committed to peace and stability
in Afghanistan.
Since
he arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday, the chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council
for National Reconciliation has met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, National Security
Adviser Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and army chief Gen
MM Naravane and briefed them on the peace process and the talks between the
Afghan government and the Taliban in Doha.
After
the meeting on Friday afternoon, Jaishankar tweeted that he and Abdullah had a
“good discussion on our bilateral cooperation and regional issues”. Jaishankar
added: “Welcomed his insights and perspectives on recent developments. As a
neighbour, India remains committed to peace, prosperity and stability in
Afghanistan.”
Abdullah
said in a tweet that he and Jaishankar had “exchanged views on the
#AfghanPeaceProcess, bilateral relations, & regional support for peace
efforts. He assured me of India’s full support for peace in Afghanistan.”
Abdullah’s
visit is part of an outreach to key countries in the region to seek support for
the negotiations in Doha. Before travelling to India, he visited Pakistan last
week for talks with the civil and military leadership. Abdullah told the
Pakistani leaders that a message about reducing violence and showing greater
flexibility in negotiations should be communicated to the Taliban.
At
their meeting on Thursday, PM Modi assured Abdullah of India’s continued
backing for the Afghan peace process. Abdullah also said Modi had assured him
that India will back any settlement acceptable to the Afghan people.
However,
Abdullah said at an event organised by a think tank on Thursday that a
premature withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan will have consequences,
especially if the Taliban don’t deliver on commitments to prevent the use of
Afghan soil by groups such as al-Qaeda and Islamic State.
He
made the remarks shortly after US President Donald Trump tweeted that he
planned to pull out all American troops from Afghanistan by Christmas, months
ahead of the earlier deadline of May 2021.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/full-support-for-peace-in-afghanistan-jaishankar-to-abdullah-abdullah/story-GVuBoC3UO6vrBrGG4bAUYM.html
--------
Pakistan
targets civilian areas along LoC, IB in unprovoked ceasefire violation
Oct
10, 2020
JAMMU:
Pakistani troops violated ceasefire overnight by unprovoked firing and mortar
shelling on civilian areas along the Line of Control and International Border
in two sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.
Indian
troops retaliated befittingly to silence the Pakistani guns, they said, adding
there was no immediate report of any casualty.
“At
about 1:30 am, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with
small arms and intense shelling with mortars, targeting civilian areas along
the LoC in Makote sector of Poonch. The Indian Army retaliated befittingly,” a
defence spokesman said Saturday morning.
A
police official said the heavy shelling caused fear and panic among the border
residents.
The
shelling stopped around 4.30 am, the official said.
The
official also said Pakistani rangers targeted forward areas along the IB in
Hiranagar sector of Kathua district and they kept firing intermittently for
five hours.
The
firing from Pakistani side of the IB started around 11.45 pm Friday and
continued till 4.40 am Saturday, the official said, adding the Border Security
Force (BSF) retaliated strongly.
Meanwhile,
a 40-year-old woman, Hamida Bi, was injured in Pakistani shelling on civilian
areas in Qasba sector of Poonch on Friday, the official said, adding her
condition was stated to be “stable”.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pakistan-targets-civilian-areas-along-loc-ib-in-unprovoked-ceasefire-violation/articleshow/78585608.cms
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‘ISI
approached Navlakha in US, sought help to find spies’
Oct
10, 2020
NEW
DELHI: Lawyer-activist Gautam Navlakha, one of the eight accused chargesheeted
in the Koregaon Bhima-Elgar Parishad case, was allegedly approached by senior
officers of Pakistan's spy agency ISI during one of his trips to the United
States, seeking his help to recruit agents in India, NIA sources told on
Friday. However, there were no details of Navlakha's response.
Though
the official statement put out by the NIA on Friday mentioned that Navlakha's
"links with Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) also came to the fore"
during investigation, it did not give further details.
NIA
sources said ISI officers had allegedly met Navlakha in the US and purportedly
sought his assistance. "NIA has material evidence in this regard," an
officer claimed.
The
NIA did not reveal the timing of the US visit when this alleged approach was
made by "senior ISI officers". There were also no details of
Navlakha's response to the approach.
An
officer said the "material evidence" regarding Navlakha's meeting has
been submitted to the court. "The chargesheeted accused will have the
opportunity to contest the same during the trial," the officer added.
It
is normal practice for investigating agencies to confront the accused with
evidence before submitting it in court. The NIA, in its statement on Friday,
said Navlakha's role and involvement in an alleged CPI (Maoist) conspiracy had
come up in secret communications with the outfit's cadres.
"He
was assigned the task to unite intellectuals against the government. He was
part of some fact-finding committees and was assigned the task to recruit
cadres for guerilla activities of CPI (Maoist). His links with Inter-Services
Intelligence (ISI) also came to the fore," it said.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/isi-approached-navlakha-in-us-sought-help-to-find-spies/articleshow/78584023.cms
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Bihar
elections: Muslim forum to appeal people to vote for ‘right candidates’
October
10, 2020
Former
JD(U) MP Ali Anwar, now the president of All India Pasmanda Muslim Mehaz, an
apolitical forum for OBC Muslims, said the forum would appeal to people to vote
for the “right candidates” from non-NDA parties.
The
forum has convened a meeting of its functionaries from across the state in
Patna Saturday. A pamphlet of the forum begins with “Kahin Bihar UP ki tarah na
ho jaaye”, cautioning people against letting Bihar “go the UP way”, and appeals
to them to “vote not with closed eyes, but with open eyes”.
Anwar
told The Indian Express, “We have been raising voice for Pasmanda (backward)
Muslims for several years under the forum, which attracted attention of Lalu
Prasad and Nitish Kumar in past.”
Anwar
had fallen out with JD (U) months before the expiry of his Rajya Sabha term two
years ago and joined ranks with former MP Sharad Yadav, who had fallen out with
Nitish. “Our people can neither vote for BJP nor for JD (U). Though we are not
specifying any non-NDA party, we would tell our supporters to vote for right
candidates, who have shown promise to work for development.”
https://indianexpress.com/elections/bihar-assembly-election-2020-schedule/bihar-elections-muslim-forum-to-appeal-people-to-vote-for-right-candidates/
--------
Europe
UK
terrorist watched Daesh videos in jail before trying to kill guard
October
09, 2020
LONDON:
A convicted terrorist in the UK who tried to hack a prison guard to death
watched and transcribed smuggled extremist propaganda videos in the months
leading up to the attack.
Brusthom
Ziamani, 25, wore a fake suicide vest and used a makeshift knife during the
attack on a prison guard in January this year.
He
admitted to obtaining a memory card while in prison that had Daesh propaganda
videos on it.
Ziamani
was already serving a 19-year sentence for plotting to behead a soldier in
2015, and was on Thursday sentenced to life with a minimum of 21 years for the
January attack and for obtaining extremist material.
Investigators
found a four-page “martyrdom note” in his pocket, which featured comments from
Daesh propaganda videos, after he was restrained following the attack.
He
had used his cell’s DVD player to watch smuggled propaganda videos, and had
transcribed at least one lecture by an Al-Qaeda preacher while in jail.
The
Times newspaper reported that Ziamani had previously plotted to kill
non-Muslims while in jail.
He
is said to have converted to Islam after a youth spent as a practicing
Jehovah’s Witness, and was radicalized following a stint committing violent
robberies as part of a London gang.
According
to The Times, a former inmate that encountered Ziamani in jail said he “knew
everybody. They all loved him. He was like a hero to everybody: the
drug-dealers, the murderers, the gang-members, the robbers, the thieves. He had
charm.”
Ziamani
is said to have presided over “Shariah courts” within the prison, and at one
point ruled that two young Muslim inmates should be punished with beating for
drinking alcohol.
His
case is likely to further fuel concern that the UK’s prisons serve as a hotbed
of radicalization and extremism.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1746556/world
--------
Dutch
court convicts six men of plotting massive jihadi attack
October
8, 2020
THE
HAGUE, Netherlands — A Dutch court convicted six men Thursday of plotting a
large-scale jihadi attack on a public event and sentenced them to prison terms
ranging from 10 to 17 years.
Rotterdam
District Court said in a statement that the men were planning to open fire with
AK-47 assault rifles at a festival and to detonate a car bomb in late 2018. They
also wanted to wear explosive vests and detonate them when police arrived.
However,
intelligence agencies tipped off police and an undercover operative was able to
infiltrate the gang and ultimately thwart their preparations before any attack
took place. The suspects were arrested by heavily armed police in September
2018.
The
ring leader, a man of Iraqi descent, was sentenced to 17 years. The names of
the defendants weren't released in line with Dutch privacy rules.
The
gang "wanted to hit the civilian population and the police in the
Netherlands with a bloody attack with a large number of innocent victims,"
the court statement said. "Thanks to the timely intervention of Dutch
government services, they were not able to carry out their plans."
https://www.stripes.com/news/europe/dutch-court-convicts-six-men-of-plotting-massive-jihadi-attack-1.647879?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1598032_
--------
EP
seeks sanctions on Saudis over Khashoggi murder
Omer
Tugrul Cam
09.10.2020
BRUSSELS
The
European Parliament (EP) urged the European Council on Thursday to impose
sanctions on Saudi Arabians responsible for the murder of Saudi journalist
Jamal Khashoggi.
The
EP resolution of Oct. 8, 2020 on the situation of Ethiopian migrants in
detention centers in Saudi Arabia passed with 413 votes in favor against 49
opposing. 233 MEPS abstained.
The
resolution asked the European Council “once again to adopt the EU human rights
sanctions mechanism […] and to ensure that, swiftly upon its adoption, EU-wide
targeted sanctions are applied to those responsible for the murder of
journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”
The
EP also “reiterated its call for an end to exports to Saudi Arabia of
surveillance technology and other equipment that can facilitate internal repression.”
The
MEPs demanded that European Council, European Commission and member states
downgrade EU institutional and diplomatic representation at the upcoming G20
Leaders Summit in Riyadh to “avoid legitimising impunity for human rights
violations and ongoing illegal and arbitrary detentions in Saudi Arabia.”
Khashoggi,
59, a columnist for The Washington Post and a US resident, was killed and
dismembered by a group of Saudi operatives shortly after he entered the
country's consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on Oct. 2, 2018.
Riyadh
offered conflicting narratives to explain his disappearance before
acknowledging he was murdered in the diplomatic building in a "rogue
operation".
Earlier
September, the Riyadh Criminal Court commuted death sentences handed down last
year to the accused into prison terms of up to 20 years. The Saudi trial
process was widely criticized.
The
parliament also urged the immediate release of political prisoners, human and
women's rights activists, calling on the Saudi authorities to conduct an
independent investigation into allegations of human rights violations.
Meanwhile,
the resolution emphasized that it rejects the “inhuman and degrading treatment”
of Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia and condemned the violation of their
human rights.
It
urged that migrants, including many children, must be released immediately
after receiving medical care and called on the Saudi authorities to ensure that
every person entering Saudi Arabia from Yemen is “transferred to an appropriate
reception centre that meets international standards” regarding food, medical
and health services.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/ep-seeks-sanctions-on-saudis-over-khashoggi-murder/2000981
--------
Germany
reports 188 Islamophobic crimes in 3 months
Ayhan
Simsek
08.10.2020
BERLIN
German
police recorded 188 Islamophobic crimes in the second quarter of this year, the
country's Interior Ministry has said.
At
least 15 mosques were attacked between April and June, and dozens of Muslims
were physically assaulted or verbally harassed on the street or in a public
place. Nine of them were injured in these attacks.
The
ministry released the latest figures in response to a parliamentary question by
the opposition Left Party.
While
criminal investigations were opened against several suspects, no arrests were
made so far, the ministry confirmed.
Nearly
40 of the Islamophobic crimes were recorded in Germany’s capital Berlin.
Germany
has witnessed growing racism and Islamophobia in recent years, fueled by
propaganda of neo-Nazi groups and the far-right opposition Alternative for
Germany (AfD) party.
A
country of over 80 million people, Germany has the second-largest Muslim
population in Western Europe after France. Among the country’s nearly 4.7
million Muslims, 3 million are of Turkish origin.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/germany-reports-188-islamophobic-crimes-in-3-months/2000327
--------
Pakistan
Pakistan
to block social media app TikTok for 'immoral' content: Sources
Oct
9, 2020
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan has decided to block social media App TikTok for failing to filter out
"immoral" content, three top government officials said on Friday.
A
formal announcement to this effect will be made in a few hours, the officials
said.
"We
have been asking them repeatedly to put in place an effective mechanism for
blocking immoral and indecent content," one of the top officials directly
involved in the decision told Reuters.
"The
platform, however, hasn't been able to fully satisfy Pakistani authorities. The
decision has been taken to block TikTok for accessing in Pakistan," he
said.
In
July, Pakistan's telecommunications regulator issued a "final
warning" to the short-form video app over explicit content posted on the
platform.
TikTok,
owned by China-based ByteDance, has been caught in a firestorm globally due to
security and privacy concerns. It has already been blocked in India and it
faces scrutiny in countries from Australia to the United States.
TikTok
was not immediately reachable for comment on the matter.
The
decision was taken after Prime Minister Imran Khan took a keen interest in the
issue, said a second official in Pakistan, adding that Khan has directed the
telecom authorities to make all efforts to block vulgar content in the
conservative Islamic republic.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/pakistan-to-block-social-media-app-tiktok-for-immoral-content-sources/articleshow/78574415.cms
--------
Imran
Khan's defiance against opposition parties, sedition charges against so-called
PM of PoK
09th
October 2020
ISLAMABAD:
Ahead of a major opposition rally, the Pakistan government has slapped sedition
charges against Raja Farooq Haider, so-called Prime Minister of
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), former Khan's predecessor Nawaz Sharif and
daughter Maryam Nawaz.
On
October 5, the Lahore police registered sedition charges along with several
other serious charges against Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and 41 other
leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) on the complaint of a citizen,
Badar Rasheed, a resident of Khursheed Park of Shahdara.
The
complainant had alleged Sharif of giving "hateful speeches" while
addressing the All Parties Conference (APC), and his party's Central Working
Committee (CWC) and Central Executive Committee (CEC) on September 20 and
October 1, against the state, its institutions and the nation as well.
He
further alleged that the party's senior leaders who attended the meeting
supported the hateful speeches.
Citing
the FIR, Dawn reported that the complainant has alleged that the purpose of
calling these meetings and the speeches of the former PM and PML-N leaders was
to endorse the policy of India aimed to get Pakistan declared 'a rouge state'
and to keep its name on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force
(FATF).
Following
the filing of the sedition charges, a Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir slammed
Imran Khan and said, "PM @ImranKhanPTI always claimed to be an ambassador
of Kashmiris but look at this FIR registered by Punjab police they booked
elected PM of AJK @farooq_pm under treason charges along with @NawazSharifMNS
and three retired Lt Generals of Pak Army."
Later,
Raja Farooq Haider's name was removed from the FIR.
"We
will strike off the name of Raja Farooq Haider from the FIR at the
investigation stage. However, the investigation against others nominated in the
case will proceed as per law," Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hasan
Chohan told Dawn.
On
the role of registration of sedition charges on Haider, the Minister said,
"No...we have no role in its registration as police registered it on a
complaint of a citizen."
https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2020/oct/09/imran-khans-defiance-against-opposition-parties-sedition-charges-against-so-called-pm-of-pok-2208098.html
--------
Ministry
disapproves of two-finger test, seeks its discontinuation
Nasir
Iqbal
10
Oct 2020
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government has disapproved of the two-finger test (TFT) — an old
method of examining sexual assault survivors — and recommended that it should
not be part of any medico-legal examination report in rape/sexual assault
cases.
The
Ministry of Law and Justice has intimated the Additional Attorney General at
Lahore, Chaudhry Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan, about the recommendation. He will now
inform the Lahore High Court about the federal government’s stance.
The
court is seized with two public interest litigation petitions which have
challenged the TFT. One petition was filed by Shaista Pervez Malik, a PML-N
member of the National Assembly, while the other by a group of women’s rights
activists, academics, journalists and advocates. They are Sadaf Aziz, Farida
Shaheed, Farieha Aziz, Farah Zia, Sarah Zaman, Maliha Zia Lari, Dr Aisha Babar
and Zainab Husain.
The
petitioners contended that the TFT was disrespectful, inhumane and violated
women’s fundamental rights.
At
a previous hearing last month, the Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical
Education Department and the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department had
observed in their submissions to the court that the TFT had limited evidentiary
value vis-à-vis determination of virginity and, therefore, should be struck off
the protocol of medico-legal certificate (MLC).
The
Lahore High Court is expected to resume the hearing in the first week of next
month, but in the meantime, the law ministry has come out with its response on
the issue. It will be placed before the court during the next hearing.
The
court sought the ministry’s response after going through a statement by the
World Health Organisation.
In
a statement, the law ministry observed that the TFT was an inconclusive test.
In addition, the manner in which the test was conducted violated Article 14 of
the Constitution which lays down that human dignity and the privacy of home
must be respected under all circumstances and that the right to privacy would take
precedence over any other inconsistent provisions of the law.
The
law ministry recalled how Article 151(4) of the Qanoon-i-Shahadat Order of 1984
allowed an accused to challenge the character of a rape victim in his defence.
But through Section 16 of Act No XLIV of 2016, Article 151(4) was omitted and a
logical conclusion of this action was that the two-finger test and the manner
in which it was carried out amounted to challenging a victim’s character. This
cannot be permitted, the ministry added.
Through
their petitions, the movers had sought a declaration that these practices
constituted a violation of women’s fundamental rights, including the rights to
life, privacy, dignity, bodily integrity, access to justice, protection from
cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, and freedom from discrimination.
The
petitioners further contended that this test nurtures myths and inaccuracies
about female anatomy by ignoring the prevalence of different forms of sexual
violence against women and children.
The
petition regretted that the test was still rife in the country despite calls
for its revocation by healthcare professionals and human rights organisations
the world over.
“The
continued use of TFT and hymen tests does not lead to any evidence that should
be considered relevant to a trial and is aimed solely at drawing conclusions
about the character, morality, chastity, social standing, past sexual activity
and credibility of women who have been victims of these crimes,” it said.
The
petition pointed out that the Human Rights Watch, UN Human Rights Organisation
and the World Health Organisation have called for the elimination of the TFT.
The WHO has declared virginity testing “is unscientific, medically unnecessary
and unreliable”.
The
petitioners called upon governments to take measures to ensure physical and
mental health of all women undergoing medico-legal examination and to adopt
scientific methods of investigating claims of rape and sexual assault.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1584231/ministry-disapproves-of-two-finger-test-seeks-its-discontinuation
--------
PHC
orders police to ensure repatriation of 10 Afghan children 'smuggled by
Taliban' into Pakistan
Sirajuddin
09
Oct 2020
The
Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday directed authorities to give the custody of
10 Afghan children, who were smuggled into Pakistan, to the Afghan consulate
and ensure they are reunited with their parents.
The
bench also told authorities to gather information about the children and submit
it in the court.
The
case, which was heard by PHC Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth, was regarding 10
children who, according to police, were brought to Pakistan illegally and were
enrolled in a seminary in the Akora Khattak town in Nowshera.
The
court was hearing an application filed by an Afghan refugee cardholder, who
said that he had brought the children, who are his relatives, to Akora
Khattak's refugee camp. According to the applicant, the children had been taken
away by a seminary and the administration had refused to let him see the kids.
Police
told the court that the children had been brought to Pakistan illegally and had
no valid documents. The applicant, too, could not explain how he brought the
children to Pakistan after which the court ordered police to arrest him and
investigate the matter thoroughly.
When
asked why they were brought to Pakistan, the children — all of whom are aged 10
or under — said they were in the country to get religious education.
The
bench was told that the children could not speak Pashto or Urdu and a
translator was brought in the courtroom. The translator told the court that
"it seemed as if the children have been brainwashed. They answer each
question together."
The
chief justice asked authorities how the children were smuggled into the country
without agencies being alerted.
"Children
were brought here from Afghanistan and no one knows about this. What are the
agencies doing?" Justice Seth asked. He told police to investigate how and
why the children were brought to Pakistan.
The
court also told authorities to take the representatives of the seminary into
custody and probe the matter further. The chief justice also ordered
authorities to find out if there are more Afghan children enrolled in
seminaries in Pakistan and whether they have valid documents.
The
Afghan consulate's office bearer Abdul Hameed Jalili, who was in court today,
told DawnNewsTV that the children hailed from Afghanistan's Badakhshan
province, which is under Taliban control. He said that the children had been
sent to Akora Khattak by the Taliban illegally to be enrolled in a seminary for
religious education.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1584134/phc-orders-police-to-ensure-repatriation-of-10-afghan-children-smuggled-by-taliban-into-pakistan
--------
South
Asia
Six
Afghan security force members killed in Taliban attack, 15 taken captive
9
October 2020
Kabul
[Afghanistan], October 9 (ANI): At least six Afghan security forces were
killed, six others were wounded, and 15 others were taken captive by the
Taliban after the group attacked a security checkpoint in northern Kunduz
province on Wednesday night, a security source said, TOLOnews reported.
The
incident took place at 8 pm (local time) in the Imam Sahib district, the source
said.
"The
Taliban also stole a humvee vehicle of the security forces and some weapons
after the attack," he said, as quoted by TOLOnews.
The
Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack. (ANI)
https://in.news.yahoo.com/6-afghan-security-force-members-002259414.html?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1598032_
--------
Bangladesh
Clergy Sex Abuse: The Price of Negligence, Ignorance and Cover-Ups
Rock
Ronald Rozario
October
10, 2020
Church
leaders in Bangladesh are perhaps relieved that a series of brutal gang rapes
in the country have overshadowed and shifted public and media attention from
the arrest of a priest on allegations of raping a minor girl.
Father
Prodip Gregory, 41, a parish priest in Rajshahi Diocese, was arrested by police
on Sept. 29, a day after the elder brother of the girl sued him.
He
is the first Catholic priest from the minority Christian community to be
arrested for rape. If found guilty, he will be the first priest to serve a jail
term for rape.
Bangladesh’s
rape law defines sexual intercourse with anyone under 16, even if consensual,
as rape, with a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
The
case garnered heavy media coverage in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, where people
hear cases and punishment of Muslim clerics for rape now and then, but never
about Christian clergy.
This
shocking spotlight on the Church over alleged rape is a result of negligence,
ignorance and cover-ups and public outbursts from many latent cases of
sinfulness by clergy for decades.
Cover-ups
and shooting the messenger
The
Bangladesh Church has many dedicated, honest and holy clergy and religious
serving people selflessly as models in their respective communities.
But
there are also clergy (also religious) in various places who are clericalist,
careerist and immoral. They are no less sinful than pedophile and fake celibate
clergies in Europe, the Americas, Australia and various parts of Asia who
caused irreparable damage to the Church.
However,
the global fallout over sexual and child abuse, and even a number of cases
against priests and a bishop in neighboring India, didn’t bear lessons.
In
Bangladesh, every region inhabited by Catholics has such problems. There were
cases of priests being confronted and assaulted by people for alleged immoral
acts with women and girls.
Yet
very few people have the guts to speak up or seek redress, fearing a backlash
from church officials. In most cases, the priests are quickly transferred to
other places with little to no reprimanding. Save for a few cases, church
officials have been highly successful in covering up immoral and even criminal
acts of the clergy.
For
example, Father Gregory was accused of sexually abusing a minor girl at a
church-run hostel in Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Naogaon district about a
decade ago.
He
was suspended from the priesthood and sent to another diocese for
"sanitization" before reinstatement. On the other hand, the family of
the victim was somehow managed and the issue was hushed up.
This
time he has been suspended from priestly ministries. Local media reported that
church officials sought to silence the victim’s family with promises of
compensation through an out-of-court settlement or arbitration. The family
rejected the deal, sought legal justice and the beans were spilled.
Arbitration
is a popular dispute resolution method but not legally permitted for serious
crimes like rape and physical attack. A good number of church leaders and
clergy are in the dark about the legal perimeters of such issues, and many take
for granted that by the virtue of clericalism they are above the law.
Victim
blaming, shaming and intimidation are rife in most cases and vilification of
the media for reporting the messy affairs is common.
In
2011, Father Bernard Tudu, a Catholic priest in Rajshahi, was arrested and sent
to jail for allegedly brokering an out-of-court settlement over the rape of
14-year-old Serafina Mardi by nine men. The Santal girl committed suicide
following social ostracism by her alleged rapists.
In
2015, UCA News reported that Father Patras Hembrom, a priest from Dinajpur
Diocese, faced a court case from a woman for allegedly having an affair for
years with the promise of marriage. Later the priest managed to flee to India
to avoid legal action and the diocese suspended his priesthood.
In
2018, UCA News reported that Father Walter William Rozario, who went missing
before Pope Francis’ visit in 2017, had been accused by police of having
illicit relations with women and girls and embezzling church funds.
In
each case, church officials accused journalists of being anti-Church and
non-credible. In fact, the media has only intended to bring to light the hidden
truth for a better Church.
Those
cases were warnings for church leaders, but they were only ignored and
forgotten.
An
image crisis
Despite
being a tiny minority forming less than half a percent of Bangladesh's
population of more than 160 million, Christians are held in high regard for
their significant contributions to education, healthcare and social development
thanks to great work by Christian missionaries in past centuries.
That
long-held good image of Christians has taken a hit over Father Gregory’s case.
Bangladeshi Christians at home and abroad reacted angrily, online and offline.
On Christian Facebook groups, people demanded exemplary punishment for the
priest and even for his alleged backers.
Church
leaders have been harshly accused of covering up many cases of immoral
activities by clergy and criticized for not clarifying the Church’s position
officially through press statements or conferences. Some Muslims accused the
entire Church of being hypocritical with no moral credibility.
If
church leaders could visit those groups, they should have felt disgusted and
ashamed of what people think and say about them.
It
is unclear why church officials didn’t adopt a crucial “regret and reform”
policy to restore public image. If Pope Francis can apologize to people for
clergy sex abuse, why not local bishops?
This
loss of control and mishandling of the situation reveals the Church has yet to
adopt an effective crisis management and communication mechanism for such
crisis.
Code
of conduct
Pope
Francis has made significant attempts to restore the global Church’s image
after it was tainted by clergy sex abuse, including the formation of the
Pontifical Council for Protection of Minors, strong guidelines for zero
tolerance of child abuse and urging local churches to have a code of conduct
for clergy.
The
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh promulgated a code of conduct for
clergy in 2014, created a child protection desk and adopted a child protection
policy.
Among
other things, the code of conduct notes: “They [priests] do not engage in
sexual harassment or in physical, sexual or emotional abuse of anybody. Any
charges against a priest regarding sexual abuse of minors will be taken
seriously. If the fact is proved true, compassion will be shown to the victims
and help will be sought for the priest. Victims will be aided in any way
necessary. The priest will not be allowed in situations where such behavior
could be repeated.”
Father
Gregory’s alleged immorality and unreported similar cases bring forth the
question whether those efforts have really made any difference.
The
latest case needs to serve as a great lesson for the Church in Bangladesh.
Church leaders in their dioceses should enforce the code of conduct for clergy
and form a commission headed by the bishop in each diocese to figure out and
act promptly against any unruly and immoral clergy who could cause a similar
crisis in the near future.
In
the case of Father Gregory, the Church must not try to influence the legal
justice system by any means. Since it has become a media hot cake, any such
attempt would backfire and destroy whatever credibility the Church has today.
The
Catholic Church has made many great achievements over the centuries. Church
leaders should make every effort to clean up any dirt to keep up this
hard-earned pride and image.
https://www.ucanews.com/news/clergy-sex-abuse-the-price-of-negligence-ignorance-and-cover-ups/89822
--------
ASF
Repulse Taliban Attack in Faryab
By
Mohammad Arif Sheva
09
Oct 2020
FARYAB,
Afghanistan – Afghan Security Forces repulsed Taliban attack Thursday night in
Qesar district of Faryab province, local authorities confirmed.
Abdul
Karim Yourish, spokesman for the local police, said at least 23 Taliban
insurgents have been killed and further 17 wounded.
Meanwhile,
four Afghan forces were killed and further one injured during clashes with
Taliban in the area, Yourish added.
The
attack that lasted until midnight Thursday was warded off by Peoples Uprising
and Afghan Security Forces, according to the spokesman.
Taliban
did not immediately comment on the incident.
https://www.khaama.com/asf-repulse-taliban-attack-in-faryab-987655/
--------
Maidan
Wardak: Key Taliban Commander Killed in a ‘Joint Security’ Operation
By
Mohammad Haroon Alim
10
Oct 2020
The
Ministry of Interior (MoI) has announced that a prominent Taliban commander has
been killed in Maidan Wardak province.
Interior
Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian said, that on Friday night, a senior Taliban
commander, including two of his associates were killed by joint security forces
on their way to another province.
According
to Arian, the Taliban commander was named “Awal Khan”, who intended to travel
to Paghman district of Kabul city from Maidan Wardak province to carry out
terrorist acts.
The
Taliban have not yet commented on the incident.
https://www.khaama.com/maidan-wardak-key-taliban-commander-killed-in-a-joint-security-operation-986766/
--------
World
Food Programme Wins 2020 Noble Peace Prize
By
Mohammad Arif Sheva
09
Oct 2020
The
Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020
to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger and its
contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas.
Chairwoman
of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Berit Reiss-Andersen revealed the 2020
laureate at the Nobel Institute in Oslo Friday.
“The
world is in danger of experiencing a hunger crisis of inconceivable proportions
if the World Food Programme and other food assistance organisations do not
receive the financial support they have requested,” the Committee said in a
press release Friday.
According
to the release, the committee emphasized that providing assistance to increase
food security not only prevents hunger but can also help to “improve prospects
for stability and peace”.
“With
this year’s award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to turn the eyes of the
world towards the millions of people who suffer from or face the threat of
hunger,” the statement read. “The World Food Programme plays a key role in
multilateral cooperation on making food security an instrument of peace, and
has made a strong contribution towards mobilising UN Member States to combat
the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.”
Meanwhile,
the World Food Programme conveyed its “deepest thanks” to the Nobel Prize
committee for such an honor, saying peace and zero hunger go hand-in-hand.
“Deepest
thanks @NobelPrize for honouring the World Food Programme with the 2020
#NobelPeacePrize,” said WFP in a tweet. “This is a powerful reminder to the
world that peace and #ZeroHunger go hand-in-hand.”
The
World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization
addressing hunger and promoting food security. In 2019, the WFP provided
assistance to close to 100 million people in 88 countries who are victims of
acute food insecurity and hunger.
https://www.khaama.com/world-food-programme-wins-2020-noble-peace-prize-87654/
--------
Southeast
Asia
Philippines
Captures Suspected Indonesian Would-be Bomber
10th
October, 2020
Philippine
forces on Saturday captured a suspected Indonesian would-be suicide bomber who
the army believes was involved in a “very imminent” plot to attack a southern
town, officials said. Army troops and police arrested Rezky Fantasya Rullie
with two Filipino women, who were suspected to be the wives of Abu Sayyaf
militants, in a house in southern Jolo town in Sulu province where they found
an explosive vest and bomb components, the military’s Western Mindanao Command
said.
The
military also announced that Rullie’s husband Andi Baso, who is wanted in the
Philippines and Indonesia for his alleged involvement in bomb attacks, had been
killed in an Aug. 29 clash near Sulu’s Patikul town.
Philippine
troops have intensified a manhunt for would-be bombers in the restive south
following nearly simultaneous suicide attacks by two women militants that
killed 15 people and wounded 75 others in August in Jolo town in the country’s
worst extremist attack this year. The two women who carried out the Aug. 24
suicide attacks In Jolo were the wives of Abu Sayyaf militants who had died,
reflecting how extremism has involved families in some cases.
At
least eight other foreign militants in Sulu and southern Maguindanao province
were being hunted by government forces. They include militants from Indonesia
and Egypt, Sobejana said. Rullie was involved in a “very imminent” plot to
carry out a suicide attack in Jolo before her arrest, Sobejana said without
elaborating, adding that Indonesian authorities were aware of Philippine
efforts to locate and capture Indonesian militants in the southern Philippines.
Rullie’s
parents were a militant couple who Philippine authorities said staged a suicide
attack that killed more than 20 people and wounded more than 100 others during
Sunday Mass in the Jolo cathedral in the predominantly Muslim province of Sulu,
the military said.
Her
partner Andi Baso had been blamed for a 2016 explosion that killed a child and
wounded three others in a church in the Indonesian province of East Kalimantan.
Sobejana said he was killed in a gunbattle with troops in Sulu in August and a
DNA test was being done to confirm if a body recovered by troops was that of
the Indonesian militant.
Rullie
was arrested with two other women, including Inda Nurhaina, who the military
said is the wife of Abu Sayyaf commander Ben Yadah. Yadah, who is known by his
nom de guerre Ben Tatoo, is one of the main suspects in the 2016 beheadings in
Sulu of two Canadian tourists who were taken hostage by ransom-seeking Abu
Sayyaf gunmen. Yadah remains at large and has been linked to recent kidnappings
in Sulu.
The
United States and the Philippines have separately blacklisted the Abu Sayyaf as
a terrorist organization for bombings, kidnappings for ransom and beheadings.
It has been weakened by battle setbacks, surrenders and factionalism but
remains a national security threat along with a number of smaller armed groups
associated with the Islamic State group.
https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/rest-of-the-world-news/philippines-captures-suspected-indonesian-would-be-bomber.html
--------
Indonesian
Muslim and union groups to fight new jobs law in court
9th
October 2020
JAKARTA,
October 9 (Reuters): Indonesian President Joko Widodo came under increasing
pressure to repeal his new controversial jobs law on Friday, with union and
Muslim groups preparing to challenge it in court and some regional leaders
publicly opposing the legislation.
The
president, widely known by his popular name Jokowi, defended the law, saying
demonstrations that have seen thousands of people across the world's
fourth-most populous nation take to the streets in sometimes violent protests
this week were fuelled by disinformation in social media.
Jokowi
says the "omnibus" jobs creation bill, passed into law on Monday,
will boost Indonesia's ailing economy by cutting red tape and attracting more
foreign direct investment. Protesters say the law undermines labour rights and
weakens environmental protections.
The
KSPI labour group, among the organisers of three-day protests and national
strikes that ended on Thursday, is preparing to lodge a case against the law in
the Constitutional Court, the group's president Said Iqbal said in a statement.
Nahdlatul
Ulama, Indonesia's biggest Muslim group with millions of followers, would also
challenge the law in the court, it said in its official Twitter account.
Clashes
erupted in some cities on Thursday, including in the capital Jakarta where
protesters burnt public transport facilities and damaged police posts.
At
least six provincial governors have said they would pass on protesters' demands
to the president or publicly opposed the law.
Repealing
the law would prevent further clashes "that could create prolonged
instability amid a pandemic and an economic recession", West Kalimantan
Governor Sutarmidji said in a statement.
In
a televised address, the president said Indonesia urgently needed to create
more jobs for its young population, adding that the law would also help those
laid off during the coronavirus pandemic.
"I've
emphasized we need the Job Creation Law ... because every year there are 2.9
million young people entering the labour market," Jokowi said.
Police
detained more than 3,800 people nationwide during rallies that have at times
turned violent this week, including students, workers and unemployed people,
spokesman Argo Yuwono said in a news conference.
There
were smaller protests on Friday in several cities on Java and Sumatra islands,
according to local media.
Trade
union KSBSI called on its members to launch another wave of protests from Oct.
12 to 16, while some other labour groups are set to consolidate their next move
over the weekend, union leaders said.
https://morungexpress.com/indonesian-muslim-and-union-groups-to-fight-new-jobs-law-in-court
--------
Arab
world
Arab
Coalition intercepts, destroys Houthi drone targeting southern Saudi Arabia
Ismaeel
Naar
10
October 2020
The
Arab Coalition has intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by the
Iran-backed Houthi militia targeting the southern regions of Saudi Arabia early
on Saturday, according to a spokesperson.
The
spokesman for the Arab Coalition forces Col. Turki al-Maliki said that the
joint coalition forces managed Saturday morning to intercept and destroy a
booby-trapped drone launched by the Houthi militia in a systematic and
deliberate manner to target civilians in the southern region.
An
exact location of where the drone was destroyed had not been made available yet
in the statement released on the Saudi Press Agency.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/10/10/Arab-Coalition-intercepts-destroys-Houthi-drone-targeting-southern-Saudi-Arabia
--------
Saudi
air defenses shoot down Houthi drone
October
10, 2020
RIYADH:
Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed a armed drone launched from Yemen
toward the southern part of the Kingdom, a spokesman for the Arab coalition
supporting Yemen's legitimate government said on Saturday.
In
a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Col. Turki Al-Maliki said
the drone was shot down early Saturday, but gave no further details.
Yemen's
Iran-backed Houthi "terrorists" have been launching missile, drone
and rocket strikes targeting civilian centers in Saudi Arabia for the past few
years.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1746741/saudi-arabia
--------
Mideast
Rouhani
calls for human rights advocates to condemn US sanctions on Iran
09
October 2020
Iran’s
President Hassan Rouhani on Friday dismissed new US sanctions as unable to
break the Islamic republic’s “resistance” and said Washington has already done
all it can to pressure Tehran.
US
President Donald Trump’s administration imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran’s
banking sector on Thursday by designating 18 major Iranian banks to “stop
illicit access to US dollars.”
For
all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“The
Americans have so far done all they could against the great nation of Iran,”
Rouhani said, according to his official website.
“They
cannot break the resistance of the Iranian nation with these inhumane” actions,
he added.
According
to Rouhani, the US administration is following “domestic aims” by such
“political-propaganda attempts.”
The
sanctions are part of Washington’s policy of “maximum pressure” against Tehran
aimed at reining in the Islamic republic.
They
were reimposed after Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew the US from a landmark
accord with world powers and Iran, which limited the Islamic republic’s nuclear
program in exchange for international sanctions relief.
The
US says that transactions involving humanitarian goods such as food and
medicine are exempt and that sanctions are “directed at the regime.”
Rouhani
said the sanctions are “attempts to create serious obstacles in fund transfers
for medicine and food” and called them “cruel, terrorist and inhumane”.
He
also called on the world’s “human rights advocates” to condemn the move.
“All
countries witness that America’s attempts are completely against international
laws and regulations, and in the time of the coronavirus are against human
rights,” Rouhani said.
Iran
has been struggling to contain the Middle East’s worst Covid-19 outbreak since
February, with the virus so far killing more than 28,000 and infecting over
492,000 in the country.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/10/09/Rouhani-calls-for-human-rights-advocates-to-condemn-US-sanctions-on-Iran
--------
Crackdown
on Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party raises concerns among opposition
October
09, 2020
ANKARA:
The latest crackdown on Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP)
has raised concerns about the government’s underlying motives and the risk
posed to opposition parties.
Four
members of the HDP — including Sevin Alaca, the co-mayor of the eastern
province of Kars — were arrested on Oct. 8 in relation to protests in 2014,
bringing the number of recent arrests over the incident to 16.
Those
arrested are accused of encouraging anti-government protests in southeastern
provinces in October 2014 in reaction to the Daesh siege of Syria’s mainly
Kurdish border town of Kobane. Demonstrators allegedly claimed that the Turkish
government failed to protect Kobane against Daesh.
Some
view the recent arrests as an attempt by Turkey’s ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) to weaken the HDP, which gained 13 percent of the votes
in the last general elections.
Talking
to Halk TV on Oct. 7, HDP’s co-chairman Mithat Sancar claimed that the
political cost to the government of shutting down the HDP would be too great,
but that it is trying to ensure the party cannot function properly.
“The
Constitutional Court has been under more and more pressure in recent days and
it is being threatened,” he said. “Thus, we would not be surprised by the
closure of the HDP. But the government does not want to take this path for now
because this would have a political cost and would trigger reactions from both
global and domestic spheres. That is why the government can adopt a less costly
method by making the party a de facto ineffective one.”
Berk
Esen, a political analyst from Sabanci University in Istanbul, told Arab News
there are several reasons why the government would not simply close down the
HDP, the main one being that it does not want to create a precedent for party
bans, which have hurt the Islamist movement in the past. In 2008, the AKP was
on trial and threatened with closure, and its leaders have always promised to
oppose banning political parties.
Banning
a party would likely incur a severe backlash against the Turkish government
from the European Union, Esen added. A committee from Sweden’s Left Party,
including its chairman, paid a visit to the HDP headquarters in Ankara on Oct.
6 and expressed concerns about the silencing of the HDP, which they considered
“a big loss” for the country.
“Keeping
the HDP open but severely weakened allows the government to retain the image of
a democratic regime in Turkey, even though the political system no longer
satisfies even the minimal democratic requirements,” Esen said.
Esen
added that the HDP also serves as a rallying point for the alliance of the
ruling party and its partner, the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)
and helps to keep ultra-nationalist voters behind President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s administration.
“Moreover,
the government does not need to close down the party to limit its operations.
It has already appointed caretaker administrators to most HDP-controlled
municipalities and arrested hundreds of party officials, including its former
leader,” he said.
In
the 2019 local elections, the HDP — Turkey’s third-largest party — won 65
municipalities throughout the country, but only six of its 65 mayors remain in
office, with the rest removed under terror-related charges and their positions
taken up by government-appointed bureaucrats.
“The
HDP has taken a huge hit from the government’s crackdown and faces enormous
organizational challenges in the months ahead. At this point, its resistance
remains primarily at the ballot box, where its loyal voters continue to support
it,” Esen said.
For
Sinem Adar, an associate at the Center for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS) in the
German Institute for International and Security Affairs, the latest crackdown
on the HDP matches a general trend that has been apparent since Turkey’s June
2015 elections: A systematic attack on Kurdish political representation by
Erdogan’s party and the MHP.
“This
trend has included a variety of methods, such as the removal of parliamentary
immunity from Kurdish MPs, their criminalization and systematic exclusion from
political processes, and — last but not least — the replacement of elected
mayors by government-appointed trustees,” she told Arab News.
“Nationalist
factions within the security apparatus became a part of this trend after the
failed coup attempt in 2016. In light of the developments in Northern Syria,
with Turkish military interventions, the ruling class is determined to suppress
Kurdish political representation and participation,” she continued.
There
are widespread concerns among other opposition parties, too, that what happened
to the HDP might also happen to them.
“We
need to stand up against all injustices, regardless of which party, who is
experiencing them,” Hasan Subasi, a lawmaker from IYI (Good) Party said on Oct.
6 during a televised speech, adding that a Turkish parliament without the HDP
would not represent Turkey and would be “anti-democratic.”
According
to Adar, violating the political rights of the members of the HDP is a tactic
that the government has been using to drive a wedge between the HDP and the
opposition parties, particularly the main opposition party, the Republican
People’s Party (CHP). “After all, the March 2019 elections have clearly shown
that the Kurds have become king-makers,” she said.
Adar
said the crackdown could also be part of the government’s divide-and-conquer
tactics when it comes to the CHP itself.
“The
CHP is known to include various factions that might not necessarily agree with
one another on how the Kurdish question should be addressed. The systematic
suppression of the HDP can also be a means to (stoke) existing differences
within the CHP,” she said.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1746631/middle-east
--------
In
Yemen, children begin classes in the ruins of war
October
10, 2020
TAIZ:
With its walls pounded by artillery, roofs torn open and concrete beams in
shreds, Al-Wehdah school lies in ruins as students return for the first day of
Yemen’s school year.
At
the school near Taiz, the third-biggest city in a country shattered by years of
war between the government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels, there are no doors or
windows, let alone desks.
Instead
the students use old exercise books to jot down their lessons, as they sit in
makeshift classrooms with a handful of teachers brave enough to join them under
crumbling ceilings.
Yet
in a country where nearly a third of children don’t go to school at all, these
are the lucky ones.
Al-Wehdah
school was hit in a 2016 airstrike.
Ali
Sultan, a parent of one of the students, points out to AFP a warning sign in
red letters written on a perimeter wall.
“Beware
of Mines,” it reads.
The
school is located in the middle of a minefield, that was partially cleared to
allow the students to return.
“We
were faced with a difficult choice, either leave them at home or face the risk
of bringing them here to study in this rubble,” Sultan said.
Children
first returned to the school the year after the strike.
“We
have been through very difficult times,” Sultan said, referring to the fighting
in the southwest city, which is held by government forces but besieged by
Houthi fighters.
In
Taiz city alone, 47 schools were “totally destroyed in the fighting,” said
Abdel Wassae Chaddad, provincial director of education.
“As
far as destruction is concerned, we got the lion’s share,” he said.
Chaddad
said he was forced to close those schools and tell students to go to any other
that could accommodate them — even if they were also in poor shape.
Some
children have to walk long distances to get there.
In
Jamila Al-Wafi’s classroom, instead of a blackboard, she writes out the day’s
lessons in pencil on a supporting beam.
The
students, seated on the floor, follow her attentively. They make notes
carefully in their exercise books.
Once
the lesson is over, they slide down a collapsed roof that serves as a staircase
from the classroom down to the ground floor.
“We
have 500 students,” said Wafi, dressed in black and with her face covered,
pointing to the neatly presented boys and girls, who study in separate classrooms.
“We
call on the whole world and the business community to save the school,” she
said. “It could collapse at any moment.”
In
the courtyard, the children do some light exercises to start the day, and then
queue up quietly waiting for classes to begin.
Two
million of Yemen’s 7 million school-age children do not get to go to school at
all, according to the UN.
More
than 2,500 schools have been put out of commission.
Two-thirds
have been damaged in attacks, while others are used by the army, as shelters
for people forced from their home by the fighting, or simply closed in a
country with few resources.
The
conflict pits the Houthi rebels, who control the capital Sanaa, against a
government which is backed by an Arab coalition.
The
war has killed tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, and resulted in
what the UN has described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Some
3.3 million people have been displaced from their homes and 24 million, or more
than 80 percent of the population, are in need of aid, according to the UN.
For
the teachers and students of Al-Wehdah School, the alternatives are very
limited, Wafi said.
“We
will continue the work, despite the great danger, if we can prevent a lost
generation of students who lack education,” she said.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1746701/middle-east
--------
Africa
Sudan
peace deal with rebel groups will cost $7.5 bln, says minister
09
October 2020
Sudan’s
landmark peace deal with rebels that seeks to end decades of war will cost $7.5
billion, the finance minister has said -- a vast sum for the poverty-stricken
nation.
Under
the October 3 deal between Khartoum and a coalition of rebel groups, the
government pledged to fund major development projects in areas ruined by years
of war, including in the western Darfur region.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app
“The
implementation of the peace plan requires at least $7.5 billion over 10 years,”
Heba Mohamed Ali Ahmed said, according to Sudanese media reports on Friday.
Ahmed
made the announcement a day earlier during a discussion with governors and
local officials.
Sudan’s
economy is in crisis, laid low by long years of civil war under Bashir’s rule,
US sanctions and the 2011 secession of the oil-rich south.
Last
month, the government declared a state of emergency to avert a further
downturn.
The
peace deal covers a number of tricky issues, from land ownership, reparations
and compensation to wealth and power sharing and the return of refugees and
internally displaced people.
Under
the agreement, the government is set to pay $300 million immediately for
reconstruction in Darfur, Ahmed said, followed by payments over the next decade
totaling $1.3 billion.
“The
finance ministry must create an environment favorable to investment in order to
encourage the domestic and international private sector to invest in
less-developed regions,” she added.
Sudan’s
rebels are largely drawn from minority groups that fought marginalization under
the regime of toppled president Omar al-Bashir.
Economic
hardship, which triggered the protests that led to the ouster of Bashir in
2019, remains a huge challenge.
“The
success of a peace plan depends entirely on how to solve the basic problems
that have caused war and conflict,” Ahmed said.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/10/09/Sudan-peace-deal-with-rebel-groups-will-cost-7-5-bln-says-minister
--------
Libyan
delegations meet in Malta for peace talks
Zehra
Nur Düz
10.10.2020
Delegations
from the Libyan Supreme Council of State and the Tobruk-based House of
Representatives met Friday in Malta as part of ongoing Libyan talks, according
to Maltese media.
Libyan
politicians said a solution is “close” following the talks, according to the
Times of Malta.
Libyan
Supreme Council of State member Abdulaziz Taher Hariba told the newspaper that
there was nothing better than having Libyans meeting to find solutions for
their problems.
"Interference
from other parties can make the problem more complicated,” he said.
Underlining
that there is hope from the meeting, Musab al-Abid, a member of the Tripoli
parliament said: “Foreign interference is the main issue of Libyan conflicts”.
Foreign
Minister Evarist Bartolo said his wish is to see peace and stability in Libya.
“Libyan
politicians need to work together to plan how to build Libya afresh,” said
Bartolo.
The
delegations signed a draft agreement Tuesday on criteria for appointments for
positions of sovereignty.
The
ceremony took place after the second round of talks in Morocco wrapped up.
Due
to the division in the country between the East and West, most sovereign
institutions, if not all, have become divided, with two heads.
On
Aug. 21, the Libyan government announced a truce and ordered the military to
stop operations against warlord Khalifa Haftar's militias.
The
army, however, has since reported several breaches of the cease-fire by
militias.
Diplomatic
efforts have been underway in recent weeks to resolve the conflict following
victories by the army against Haftar’s militias.
Libya
has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in
2011.
The
Government of National Accord was founded in 2015 under a UN-led agreement, but
efforts for a long-term political settlement have failed due to a military
offensive by forces loyal to Haftar.
The
UN recognizes Fayez al-Sarraj's government as the country's legitimate
authority as Tripoli has battled Haftar's militias since April 2019 in a
conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/libyan-delegations-meet-in-malta-for-peace-talks/2001766
--------
Nigeria:
Police chief condemns attack on personnel
Felix
Tih
09.10.2020
Nigeria's
police chief on Friday condemned protesters for attacking police personnel and
damaging police operational vehicles, according to a statement.
Mohammed
Abubakar Adamu said the incidents in Delta state have led to the death of one
policeman, while another sustained a serious gunshot injury.
He
said the protesters carted away one service AK-47 rifle with 25 rounds of live
ammunition that was with the deceased at the time of the incident.
Adamu
also warned that the “force will no longer tolerate any attack on its personnel
or any member of the law enforcement community by any individual or group
protesting under any guise.”
Protesters
in Nigeria have been demonstrating for several days against the country’s
controversial Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit and besieged its
headquarters.
Protested
chanted “EndSARS” and poured red paint on the street in front of the building –
a symbolic reference to the alleged killings by SARS officers.
In
a report on Tuesday, Amnesty International said that authorities have failed to
tackle the impunity enjoyed by SARS, whose brutality and corruption are
“becoming increasingly brazen.”
“Last
weekend, the Nigerian police announced yet another ban on routine patrols by
SARS and other tactical squads of the Nigerian police, the fourth such ban in
four years, amid growing anger over harassment and abuse by officers,” said the
rights group.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/nigeria-police-chief-condemns-attack-on-personnel/2001012
--------
North
America
US
military blindsided by Trump's new Afghan troop withdrawal
Oct
9, 2020
WASHINGTON:
The US military was blindsided Thursday by President Donald Trump's assertion
that all US troops will be out of Afghanistan by the end of the year, with US
officials saying they are not aware of such a plan and have gotten no actual
order to accelerate the more gradual pullout they've been executing.
Trump's
comments, laid out in a confusing progression of comments and a tweet, alarmed
Pentagon and State officials who fear that putting a definitive date on troop
withdrawal could undercut negotiations to finalize a peace deal between the
Taliban and the Afghan government. They also fear a hasty withdrawal could
force the US to leave behind sensitive military equipment. And they continue to
stress that the Taliban has still not met requirements to reduce violence
against the Afghans, a key element of the US withdrawal plan.
The
Taliban welcomed Trump's announcements, which started with a tweet Wednesday
saying "we should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and
Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas.'' He reinforced early
withdrawal plans Thursday morning, in a Fox Business Channel interview that
understated the number of troops currently in Afghanistan.
"We're
down to 4,000 troops in Afghanistan. I'll have them home by the end of the
year. They're coming home, you know, as we speak. Nineteen years is enough.
They're acting as policemen, OK? They're not acting as troops," Trump
said.
Multiple
US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive troop
details, said they know of no plan for either new deadline. Instead, they
pointed to comments Wednesday by National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, who
told an audience in Las Vegas that "as of today, there are under 5,000 and
that will go to 2,500 by early next year.''
US
officials said troop numbers have not yet been reduced to 4,500, but will hit
that goal in November as planned. The military has also consistently said that
counterterrorism troops would remain in Afghanistan for some time to deal with
al-Qaida and Islamic State threats.
A
senior Trump administration official said Trump, with his tweet, laid down a
marker Wednesday on US troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and since he is the
commander in chief, the rest of the administration will follow his lead. The
official also spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of
troop withdrawals.
This
is not the first time, however, that Trump has upended military policies or
troop withdrawal plans with an abrupt tweet, only to be persuaded to adjust his
thinking or give the military more time to execute a more deliberate approach.
Trump's demand to pull all troops out of Syria, for example, was eventually
changed, and there are still less than 1,000 forces there.
Even
before Trump's latest pronouncement, the White House has refused to allow US
negotiators to base troop withdrawals on the signing of a peace deal between
the Afghan government and the Taliban. Instead, American diplomats and military
officials were able to say only that withdrawals would be based on conditions
on the ground, meaning a measurable reduction in Taliban attacks, rather than
any resolution to the country's long-running internal conflicts.
"What
we need to see is that they're not going to allow al-Qaida to base there,''
said Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command, in a September interview
with NBC News. "And that has just not yet been demonstrated to my
satisfaction."
McKenzie
and other military officials have also said that the drawdown must be done
responsibly, and that moving faster will make it more difficult to get
sensitive and critical American military equipment out of Afghanistan.
"We're
not going to leave anything behind that somebody could use against us in
another time and another place. So that's actually a huge logistics effort and
it is continuing now,'' McKenzie said last month.
NATO
Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, asked about Trump's comments Thursday, did
not say whether he had been alerted to the new deadlines. Instead, he said NATO
and all allies will coordinate their efforts and "make decisions based on
the conditions on the ground, because we think it is extremely important to
continue to be committed to the future of Afghanistan."
America's
exit from Afghanistan after 19 years was laid out in a February agreement Washington
reached with the Taliban. That agreement said US troops would be out of
Afghanistan in 18 months, provided the Taliban honored a commitment to fight
terrorist groups, with most attention seemingly focused on the Islamic State
group's affiliate in the country.
Taliban
spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed welcomed Trump's tweet as a positive step for the
implementation of the US-Taliban agreement. The Taliban, he said, are
"committed to the contents of the agreement and hope for good and positive
relations with all countries, including the US, in the future.''
The
Taliban and the Afghan government-appointed negotiating team are holding peace
talks in Doha, Qatar, but progress has been painfully slow.
Washington's
peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met Thursday in Pakistan with Gen. Austin Miller,
commander of US forces in Afghanistan, and Pakistan's Army Chief of Staff Gen.
Qamar Jaaved Bajwa. Pakistan has helped shepherd the Taliban to the negotiating
table and its role is seen as critical for lasting peace in Afghanistan.
Khalilzad
has been keen to get both sides _ particularly the Taliban _ to sign on to a
reduction in violence at least while the Qatar negotiations are underway and
until a permanent cease-fire can be negotiated.
It's
likely Miller and Khalilzad were seeking the help of Pakistan's powerful
military to press the Taliban, who have insisted on fighting Afghan security
forces even as talks are taking place. The insurgents have kept a promise from
February not to attack US and NATO troops.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/us-military-blindsided-by-trumps-new-afghan-troop-withdrawal/articleshow/78569319.cms
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Trump
says will resume campaign rallies on Saturday despite COVID-19 infection
09
October 2020
US
President Donald Trump has announced plans to return to the campaign trail on
Saturday even though he has not fully recovered from COVID-19.
"I
think I'm going to try doing a rally on Saturday night if we have enough time
to put it together," Trump told Fox News on Thursday.
The
president, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 last week, said he was considering
holding a rally in Florida on Saturday and then another in Pennsylvania the
following day. Both are key battleground states that Trump carried in 2016.
However,recent
polls show the Republican incumbent is trailing Democratic nominee Joe Biden
narrowly in Florida and more substantially in Pennsylvania.
The
New York Times reported that Trump was “angry at the state of the race” and has
been imploring his aides to allow him to resume campaign events as soon as this
weekend.
The
Trump campaign is worried that there is little time and few if any
opportunities left to change the trajectory of the race, especially now that
the president has canceled next week’s virtual debate.
"It's
incredible what's going on. I feel so good," Trump said of his recovery.
However,
the president conceded he had not taken a second COVID-19 test since being
diagnosed a week ago, meaning he could still be positive. During the interview
with FOX News, Trump paused multiple times to clear his throats.
Violation
of CDC guidelines
In
a memo released Thursday evening, White House physician Sean Conley said he
anticipated “the president's safe return to public engagements" on
Saturday.
That
timeline is a shift from earlier in the week, when Conley said he would not
stop worrying about Trump's health until he made it to next Monday without
complication.
By
resuming campaign rallies, Trump will be flouting Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) guidelines that individuals should quarantine for at least
10 days after they first become symptomatic.
White
House officials have dismissed concerns that Trump returning to the campaign
trail will risk further spreading the virus, arguing the president will be at a
safe distance from the crowd.
However,
Trump could put Secret Service agents and other staff accompanying him at risk
if he is still contagious. Several senior White House aides have already tested
positive in the wake of the president’s diagnosis.
‘Worst
pandemic response ever’
Trump
has been widely criticized for his handling of the novel coronavirus which has
killed more than 215,000 Americans, by far the largest death toll of any
country in the world.
"I
think we've got about the worst response to this pandemic that you could
possibly have," said Dr. William Foege, who served as CDC director from
1977 to 1983, in an interview with NPR.
He
faulted the White House for not allowing the nation's public health agency to
apply its vast knowledge to the pandemic response. "It felt to me like
President Trump had his knee on the neck of the public health community holding
them down so that they could not actually do their work."
Foege
made the remarks in the wake of a scathing letter he penned to Robert Redfield,
in which he urged the current CDC director to stand up to President Trump’s
abuses.
The
letter, which was sent on September 23 and published by USA Today this week,
warned Redfield that former and current CDC officials were starting to lose
confidence in his leadership.
"At
the moment, they feel you accepted the White House orders without sufficient
resistance," Foege wrote.
The
former CDC director said he was frustrated that the Trump administration’s
erratic response to the pandemic has led to many unnecessary deaths.
The
situation in the US "is a slaughter and not just a political
dispute," he wrote.
"We
have 75 years of experience at CDC on how to handle outbreaks," he warned.
"And we've learned a lot of lessons. And it appears to me that every one
of those lessons has been violated."
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/10/09/635973/US-Donald-Trump-campaign-COVID-infection--
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