Grand Shia cleric warns of dangers of Wahhabism, terrorism in region
New Age Islam News Bureau
02 March 2021
Saying that Wahhabis have been focused on sensitive areas like Karabakh for many years, a top cleric warned Shia Muslims over danger of Wahhabism and Takfiri terrorist groups in the region.
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• Grand
Shia cleric warns of dangers of Wahhabism, terrorism in region
• Vast majority of terror victims are Muslims: scholar
• ‘Love
Jihad’ Bill Introduced in Madhya Pradesh Assembly
• Pakistani
court grants bail to Christian man in blasphemy case
• Irresponsible
Int’l troops withdrawal will lead to civil war
• LGBT
advocates hail Malaysian legal ruling
• Victims
of Syria chemical attacks file case against officials with French prosecutors
• US
warns of Al-Shabaab attacks in Kenyan airspace
• Biden
administration announces ‘recalibration’ of ties with Saudi Arabia
Europe
• Vast
majority of terror victims are Muslims: scholar
• Turkey's
Erdogan Rips 'Systemic Racism' in Europe, Blasts Islamophobia
• Bosnia
Herzegovina marks Independence Day
• EU
to send $114M in humanitarian aid to Yemen
• European
lawmakers protest Israel’s de facto annexation
• Turkish,
Croatian foreign ministers hold phone talk
--------
Mideast
• Grand
Shia cleric warns of dangers of Wahhabism, terrorism in region
• Iran
urges war enablers to stop selling arms used to kill innocent Yemenis
• Pandemic
forces Iran’s Intl. Quran Competition to go online
• US
remains ready to meet Iran on nuclear deal, not 'dogmatic' about how: State
Dept.
• Israel
Supreme Court: More non-Orthodox Jewish converts can become citizens
• UAE
advancing normalization by sending envoy to Israel: Hamas
• Yemeni
forces fire ballistic missile at targets in Saudi capital
• Ansarullah:
Stopping Saudi aggression, blockade best help for Yemen
• Gazans
express solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails
• Presence
of Takfiri terrorists in Karabakh ‘serious cause of concern’: Iran deputy FM
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India
• ‘Love
Jihad’ Bill Introduced in Madhya Pradesh Assembly
• 2
Rohingya Muslims held for illegally staying in India: Anti Terrorist Squad
• Why
it’s Congress vs Congress in Bengal over alliance with Muslim cleric’s outfit
• NIA
arrests four in Handwara narco-terrorism case
• SP
seeks 5% Muslim quota in education, non-implementation of NRC
• NIA
arrests 4 drug traffickers in Kashmir narco-terrorism case
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Pakistan
• Pakistani
court grants bail to Christian man in blasphemy case
• ‘Redline’:
Over 1,000 religious scholars regret propaganda against Saudi leadership
• Pakistan
needs legislation to meet three outstanding FATF benchmarks: Report
• Ancestral
Lineage of Hazaras: from Afghanistan to Pakistan
• Shahbaz
Bhatti: The legacy of Pakistan's modern-day martyr
• Job
opportunities for Pakistanis to rise: Qatar diplomat
• PTI’s
allies reassure support for Hafeez Shaikh in Senate poll
• Ministry
told to make arrangements for bringing special courts’ staff under IHC
• One
held in JUI-F leader, two others murder case in capital
--------
South
Asia
• Irresponsible
Int’l troops withdrawal will lead to civil war
• Afghanistan,
Turkey Celebrates 100 Years of Diplomatic Relations
• Khalilzad
meets Abdullah in Kabul to speed up peace process
• UN
rights chief calls for overhaul of security law in Bangladesh
• Khalilzad
meets President Ghani over ‘peace process’
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Southeast
Asia
• LGBT
advocates hail Malaysian legal ruling
• Jalaluddin
Rakhmat was victim of slander by takfiris: Indonesian professor
• ‘It’s
short-sighted to put the afterlife ahead of schooling
• Indonesian
Christians take swipe at Islamic textbooks
• Analysts:
With Amanah reps crossing to PKR, more may follow suit as party's position in
Pakatan weakened
• Apart
from the Orang Asal, who is not an immigrant?
• Indonesia
backtracks on allowing alcoholic drinks investments for foreign firms
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Arab
World
• Victims
of Syria chemical attacks file case against officials with French prosecutors
• Five
injured in Baghdad protest ahead of Pope visit to Iraq
• US
embassy in Riyadh condemns Houthi attack on Jazan
• Saudi
Arabia: Houthi military projectile fell in Jazan, injured 5 civilians
• Wife
of Australian facing deportation to Saudi Arabia fears Khashoggi fate
• Amid
criticism of inaction in Khashoggi case, US focusing on 'future Saudi conduct’
• US
failure to sanction MBS for Khashoggi killing ‘dangerous’: UN expert
--------
Africa
• US
warns of Al-Shabaab attacks in Kenyan airspace
• US
destroyer docks in Sudan for 1st time in 25 years, day after Russian ship
arrives
• Somali
premier appoints committees to probe clashes
• Why
is Ethiopia downplaying border conflict with Sudan?
• Somali
government warns COVID-19 situation is 'dire'
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North
America
• Biden
administration announces ‘recalibration’ of ties with Saudi Arabia
• Support
for Israel declining in UK, US, analyst says
• Pentagon
confirms one Iran-backed fighter killed in Syria, two more wounded
• US
wasted at least $2.4B in Afghanistan: Watchdog
• 170
lawmakers write to Biden: Press Turkey on rights, Erdogan strained ties with US
• Top
US diplomat calls on Iran-backed Houthis to halt offensive against Yemen’s
Marib
• Biden
wary of chiding MBS to ‘maintain power dynamic’: Analyst
• US
urges Saudis to disband Khashoggi murder force
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/grand-shia-cleric-warns-dangers/d/124436
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Grand Shia cleric warns of dangers of Wahhabism, terrorism in region
March 2, 2021
Saying that Wahhabis have been focused on sensitive areas like Karabakh for many years, a top cleric warned Shia Muslims over danger of Wahhabism and Takfiri terrorist groups in the region.
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AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Saying that Wahhabis have been focused on sensitive areas like Karabakh for many years, a top cleric warned Shia Muslims over danger of Wahhabism and Takfiri terrorist groups in the region.
Addressing the International Conference on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in a letter, Iranian top cleric Ayatollah Jaffar Sobhani said, "In recent centuries, Islamic lands have witnessed various events that have led to the disintegration of Islamic countries and some led to occupation by non-Islamic countries.”
The following is part of the message:
From the very first days that the borders of the former Soviet Union were opened to Iran, the Islamic Republic has always stood by the people of Azerbaijan and supported the cultural, scientific and religious interactions between the two countries.”
Now that the Republic of Azerbaijan has gained sovereignty over the occupied territories, I would like to remind you of the following points:
The Nagorno-Karabakh region has long belonged to the territory of Azerbaijan; its occupation is illegitimate, and the occupied territories must be returned to Islamic countries and parties must adhere to international treaties.
I was informed that Wahhabis have been investing in this sensitive area for years, be careful that this region does not become the center of Wahhabism and Takfiri terrorist groups.
As Shia religion in this region has a long history, enemies of Islam have focused on the region, and they are hostile for the religion and independence of this country, so beware of their conspiracies and mischief.
In liberated areas, treat Armenians with Islamic morality so that they are not bothered by you.
Support of the Leader clarified Iran position towards Karabakh
In this conference, the representative of the Leader of Islamic Revolution in the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz Sayed Mohammad-Ali Al-e Hashem also said, “From the beginning of Karabakh conflict, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Leader of Islamic Revolution sent a clear message to Muslims at the Great Hajj Congress that this war is one of the important events broke out in the Caucasus region.”
According to the Sayed Al-e Hashem, the support and statements issued by the Leader, some top Shia clergies, and Ayatollah A'rafi, have clarified the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
https://en.abna24.com/news//grand-shia-cleric-warns-of-dangers-of-wahhabism-terrorism-in-region_1119812.html
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Vast
majority of terror victims are Muslims: scholar
By
Mohammad Mazhari
March 1, 2021
TEHRAN
– Noting that most of the people who are victims of terrorism are Muslims, a
British professor of communication says that Islamophobic rhetoric makes
reconciliation and peace harder to attain.
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"The
vast majority of victims of these acts of terror have themselves been also
Muslims," Nicholas Cull says.
"Responding
to terror with exaggerated Islamophobic rhetoric rather than solid police
action plays into the hands of the extremists in the Middle East (West Asia)
and makes reconciliation and peace harder to attain," the scholar in the
USC Annenberg School for Communication tells the Tehran Times.
This
is the text of the interview:
Q:
After Trump came to power in 2016, it seems that the threat of far-right ideas
returned to European countries. How do you analyze this phenomenon?
A:
My feeling is that you have this the wrong way round. Trump came to power because of the same
impulse to return to extremes that pushed Europe to the right. I see this as a function of both the economic
downturn of 2008 and the destabilization caused by the emergence of widespread
social media, a mechanism that amplified the confirmation of existing ideas,
privileged extremes, and promoted conspiracies.
In a time of instability, people seek certainties either in a vision of
the future or in the idealization of the part. The rhetoric of the far-right
focused on an ideal past that they could also present as disrupted by an
outside influence. In many cases, the
rhetoric stressed a victim narrative and the extent to which a people had
suffered. Trump promised to make America
great again and rescue the U.S. from China and migrants; Brexit promised to
allow the U.K. to 'take back control' and rescue British people from
Brussels. The same pattern is repeated
with different visions by leaders promising to make Turkey, Hungary, Poland,
the Philippines, China, and a dozen other places' great again.'
Q:
What are the main reasons for opposition to immigrants or religious minorities
by right-wing parties?
A:
Migration to Europe has increased in recent years, and the overlap of an
anti-reaction to this migration with political difficulties in the Middle East
(West Asia) gave the far-right an ideal scapegoat in Muslims. It is true that there have been acts of
terror perpetrated by extremist people professing the Muslim faith. The tragedy is that the vast majority of
victims of these acts of terror have themselves been also Muslims. Responding to terror with exaggerated Islamophobic
rhetoric rather than solid police action plays into the hands of the extremists
in the Middle East (West Asia) and makes reconciliation and peace harder to
attain.
Q:
What does push people to turn to racist groups or parties in Europe?
A:
I am a great believer in the power of economics to drive extremes and the
observation of the Roman poet Ovid that 'in prosperity no altars smoke.' I
suspect that as and when prosperity returns, the extremes will recede. Of course, that is the moment to work for the
real reconciliation that can be a hedge against a return to extremes.
Q:
How can the world confront anti-Islamism?
A:
I think that there is a need to talk about all extremes in religion and
politics. We need to acknowledge the way
in which demonization of enemies is used to build political capital by leaders
who have a vested interest in perpetuating conflict. The most hopeful thing is when people can
connect with others like themselves but in other countries and
communities. This is the value of
cultural and educational exchanges. I
see great value in events like the Arabesque season at the Kennedy Center in
Washington DC or the Iranian art show at the British Museum, which shows the
region's beauty and heritage and disrupts the demonization.
Q: How do you see the future of Muslims in
Britain? What is the current status of Muslims in the country?
A:
I know that the headlines are always negative at the moment, but there are also
positive indicators of change. When I
was a boy, it was impossible to imagine some of the things we have today, like
Muslim members of parliament, Muslim ambassadors, Muslim lawyers, Muslim
entertainers, and sportsmen and women.
What would Uncle Napoleon say?
This is not a British trick but a sign of real change and of hope for
the future. A better, more inclusive
society and a more tolerant wider-world will require effort and patience. The first step must be to listen and not to
assume we know how the other side feels.
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/458678/Vast-majority-of-terror-victims-are-Muslims-scholar
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‘Love
Jihad’ Bill Introduced in Madhya Pradesh Assembly
Mar
2, 2021
Madhya
Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishtra speaks to the media. Photo:
Twitter/Narottam Mishra
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New
Delhi: The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh on Monday introduced in the
assembly a Bill that replaced an ordinance brought to check religious
conversions through ‘marriage or by any other fraudulent means’.
The
Bill replaced the ordinance, cleared by the cabinet in December and promulgated
in January, which had provisions of ten years imprisonment in some cases and a
hefty fine for violators.
Home
minister Narottam Mishra presented the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill,
2021, in the house. This is the first stage to enact a new law. Now the Bill
will be taken up for consideration.
“The
house has allowed it to be introduced. Now it is a house property. Members can
suggest amendments, they can study it for further action,” said a senior
official of the assembly secretariat.
Governor
Anandiben Patel on January 9, 2021 assented to the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of
Religion Ordinance, 2020, which penalised religious conversions through
fraudulent means, including those for the sake of marriage. The ordinance
penalised religious conversions by misrepresentation, allurement, use of threat
of force, undue influence, coercion, marriage or by any other fraudulent means.
Last
month, home minister Mishra had said as many as 23 cases were registered under
the ordinance within a month of it coming into force. He had said the highest
number of seven cases were reported in the Bhopal division followed by five in
Indore, four each in Jabalpur and Rewa, and three in the Gwalior division.
Many
other BJP-controlled states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka and
Gujarat, have either introduced similar Bills or have mulled them. Though these
laws ostensibly target ‘forced religious conversions’, they have been used to
target interfaith couples. It has been seen as an attempt to legitimise the
Sangh parivar‘s imagined conspiracy theory of ‘love jihad’, which claims that
Muslim men ‘lure’ Hindu women into wedlock for the purpose of converting them
to Islam.
https://thewire.in/government/love-jihad-bill-introduced-in-madhya-pradesh-assembly
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Pakistani
court grants bail to Christian man in blasphemy case
2
Mar 2021
Naseeb
Anjum, lawyer for Nabeel Masih, a Christian man convicted while still a
teenager in 2018 of blasphemy [KM Chaudary/AP]
----------
A
Pakistani court has granted bail to a Christian man convicted in 2018 while
still a teenager of insulting Islam by posting a picture of Islam’s holiest
site on social media, a defence lawyer said.
The
court order in the eastern city of Lahore came more than four years after
Nabeel Masih was arrested, at the age of 16, after a mob accused him of
committing blasphemy by sharing a picture of Kaaba in Mecca on Facebook.
According
to his lawyer, Naseeb Anjum, Masih was granted bail by the Lahore High Court.
It was unclear exactly when Masih would be freed.
Blasphemy
has long been a contentious issue in Pakistan. Domestic and international human
rights groups say blasphemy allegations have often been used to intimidate
religious minorities and to settle personal scores.
In
2018, Masih became the youngest blasphemy convict in Pakistan when the court
sentenced him to 10 years in prison. Since then, the British Asian Christian
Association has been supporting a legal battle for his release.
Anjum
said he will try to complete the paperwork to free Masih, now 20, quickly. “I
will continue this legal fight for his acquittal,” he added.
Ghulam
Mustafa Chaudhry, a lawyer for the man who levelled the original accusation
against Masih, confirmed that Masih was granted bail, but provided no further
details.
Juliet
Chowdhry, a trustee of the British Asian Christian Association, said in a
statement she was happy Masih would be freed but noted that he “has lost many
of his most important years of development”.
Chowdhry
said Masih should be compensated for his false conviction to help him restore
his life, and that the organisation would pursue this for him.
“We
call on Christians everywhere to pray for him as we continue the battle,” she
said.
A
Punjab governor was killed by his own guard in 2011 after he defended a
Christian woman, Aasia Bibi, who was accused of blasphemy.
She
was acquitted after spending eight years on death row and left Pakistan to join
her family in Canada after receiving threats.
Rights
activists say the stringent blasphemy laws have been used against the followers
of other religions as well as minority Muslim sects such as the Shia and Ahmadiya
in the Sunni-majority country.
The
laws are treated as sacred, but religious experts say there is no clear
definition of “blasphemy” in Islamic jurisprudence, nor is there agreement on
the punishment for it.
Since
the 1980s, nearly 80 people have been killed by individuals or angry mobs even
before their trials were concluded in courts.
Between
2011 and 2015, the latest period for which consolidated data is available,
there were more than 1,296 blasphemy cases filed in Pakistan.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/2/pakistani-court-grants-bail-to-christian-man-in-blasphemy-case
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Irresponsible
Int’l troops withdrawal will lead to civil war
01
Mar 2021
Tajikistan
condemns the continued rage of violence is concerning in Afghanistan and
pledged its support to anti-terrorism efforts in the country.
Afghan
Parliament speaker, Mir Rahman Rahmani met with Tajikistan President Emomali
and Foreign Minister Sirodjidin Muhriddin, both officials discussed bilateral
relations and that it will benefit the peace process in Afghanistan and the
region.
Tajik
Foreign Minister hopes for a prolonged peace in Afghanistan and added that
security in Afghanistan means security in central Asia.
According
to Rahmani a possible transitional setup to solve problems in Afghanistan was
not discussed and that ending violence in Afghanistan requires direct
involvement and cooperation of all neighboring countries in any type of peace
agreement without it peace cannot be ensured.
Parliament
Speaker said a hasty and irresponsible withdrawal of the international forces
in the country will pave the path for another civil war, and that Tajikistan is
concerned about violence along the Afghanistan and Tajikistan borders.
Both
Rahmani and Emomali discussed peace, trade, and issues of Afghan refugees,
Rahmani added.
This
comes as Nader Nadery member of the republic’s negotiating team and advisor to
the president tweeted, that After a year of US-Taliban agreement, the Taliban
pretended to make peace.
He
tweeted that “a year since Taliban pretended to make peace. 1523 Civilians
including civil society activists were killed since then. Our people are
outraged by this degree of violence. They want peace & an immediate
ceasefire. IRoA pursued this goal faithfully, Taliban are yet to show the same”.
Amid
the peace efforts not long ago but recently a magnetic IED targeted a vehicle
in Sheberghan city on Monday in Jowzjan province, security sources told media.
At
least one civilian is killed and three others are injured in the incident that
happened at around 11:45 pm before noon.
The
magnetic bomb exploded on a vehicle in the “Hazar family” area of Sheberghan
city.
https://www.khaama.com/irresponsible-intl-troops-withdrawal-will-cause-civil-war-6576577/
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LGBT
advocates hail Malaysian legal ruling
March
02, 2021
A
homosexual man’s victory in court in Malaysia could pave the way for greater
acceptance of LGBTQ people in the conservative Muslim-majority country where
homosexuality and transgenderism are seen as unnatural lifestyle choices that
violate key Islamic doctrines.
Same-sex
acts are illegal in the Southeast Asian nation, and a Muslim man, whose name
has not been released to protect his identity, filed a lawsuit after he was
arrested in 2018 in Selangor state on a charge of seeking to have homosexual
sex.
The
man denied the charges and in a ruling the Federal Court said the Islamic ban
on homosexual acts that authorities in Selangor used to charge the man violated
the constitution.
The
unidentified man, who is in his 30s, was detained during a raid on a private
residence by Islamic enforcement officials in Selangor along with 10 other men.
The Islamic officials charged them with “attempting to have gay sex” under a
section of the state’s Sharia law.
A
year later five of the men were convicted by a local court, which sentenced
them each to prison, six strokes of the cane and a fine.
Support
Asia's largest network of Catholic journalists and editors.
In
his high-profile legal challenge to the charges brought against him in
Selangor, one of the men argued that local authorities had no right to enforce
an Islamic ban on “intercourse against the order of nature” because gay sex was
already a crime under the country’s civil laws.
The
Federal Court agreed in a unanimous decision late last week.
Section
377 of the federal law code, which criminalizes same-sex relations, remains on
the book, as do several other punitive statutes about “unnatural” sexual acts,
but they are rarely enforced.
Local
religious authorities likewise criminalize same-sex unions according to
precepts of the Islamic law code and can be far more aggressive in enforcing
those laws.
“Federal
police tend not to share state religious officials’ zeal for invading the
privacy of Malaysian bedrooms,” Human Rights Watch said.
The
top court’s ruling against state religious authorities is seen as a victory for
gay and lesbian people facing harassment from local enforcers of Islamic law in
the country’s 13 states.
“This
is historic. [The ruling] is monumental for LGBT+ rights in Malaysia,” said
Numan Afifi, founder of the rights group Pelangi Campaign, which campaigns for
acceptance of same-sex unions
“We
want to live in dignity without fear of prosecution. Of course, Section 377 is
still there. It’s not the end but this is a beginning.”
International
human rights advocates have seen the court’s decision as a landmark ruling.
“In
the face of pervasive anti-LGBT discourse, law and policy, Malaysian activists
are taking steps to whittle away at institutionalized discrimination. The
Federal Court ruling is one small but significant step forward,” Neela Ghoshal,
associate director of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights program
at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
https://www.ucanews.com/news/lgbt-advocates-hail-malaysian-legal-ruling/91599
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Victims
of Syria chemical attacks file case against officials with French prosecutors
02
March ,2021
Lawyers
representing survivors of a chemical weapons attack in 2013 in Syria have filed
a criminal complaint against Syrian officials whom they blame for the deaths of
hundreds of civilians in an opposition-held area.
France
is home to thousands of Syrian refugees, and its investigating judges have a
mandate to determine whether crimes against humanity were committed anywhere in
the world.
The
case, which about a dozen people have joined, follows a similar one opened in
Germany last year. It offers a rare legal avenue for action against the
government of President Bashar al-Assad.
Attempts
by Western powers to set up an international tribunal for Syria have been
blocked by Russia and China at the UN Security Council.
“This
is important so that the victims have the possibility to see those responsible
being brought to justice and held accountable,” Mazen Darwish, who heads the
Paris-based Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), told
Reuters.
The
SCM filed the complaint along with two other NGOs: the Open Society
Foundation’s Justice Initiative and Syrian Archive.
France’s
intelligence services concluded in 2013 that a sarin gas attack on the Eastern
Ghouta region just south east of Damascus that killed 1,400 people had been
carried out by Syrian government forces.
The
Syrian government denies it has used chemical weapons against its own
civilians.
The
complaint is based on what the lawyers say is the most comprehensive body of
evidence on the use of substances such as sarin gas in Syria.
They
include testimonies from survivors and defectors, an analysis of the Syrian
military chain of command, and hundreds of items of documentary evidence,
including photos and videos.
“We
have compiled extensive evidence establishing exactly who is responsible for
these attacks on Douma and Eastern Ghouta, whose horrific effects continue to
impact survivors,” said Hadi al Khatib, founder and director of Syrian Archive.
An
UN-commissioned investigation to identify those behind chemical weapons attacks
in Syria concluded in 2016 that Syrian government forces had used chlorine and
sarin gas.
Darwish
said he expected another case to be opened in Sweden in the coming months.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2021/03/02/Victims-of-Syria-chemical-attacks-file-case-against-officials-with-French-prosecutors
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US
warns of Al-Shabaab attacks in Kenyan airspace
MARCH
02 2021
The
US government has issued a new warning to civilian airlines flying in the
Kenyan airspace to watch out for possible attacks by militant groups, in what
could heighten anxiety for the industry already weighed down by massive
financial losses due to travel restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The
US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) said the advisory is consistent with the
fact that Somalia-based terrorist group, Al-Shabaab remains in possession of
weapons capable of hitting aircraft at low altitudes of up to 25,000 feet —
putting at risk arrival and departure phases of flights, especially on the
popular aviation route through northeastern Kenya and Somalia.
The
air routes covered by the FAA warning include those connecting Nairobi and Far
Eastern countries like Dubai (UAE), India and China, among other destinations
serviced by major airlines.
Planes
plying the routes overpass eastern Kenya counties such as Garissa and exit into
neighbouring Somalia.
“The
Kesom (FIR) to Mogdu (FIR), which is covered by the warning is a shorter and
direct route from Nairobi to Far Eastern countries hence the reason airlines
prefer it,” an aviation consultant told the Business Daily on condition of
anonymity.
Whereas
airlines can choose alternative routes, they often opt for the shortest ones.
“The
alternative route is Nairobi (FIR), Addis (FIR) and Djibouti (FIR). It’s a
longer route hence more fuel is used, meaning more costs,” the expert added.
While
primarily active in Somalia, the terror group has recently shown its capability
and intent to conduct attacks targeting Kenyan government security forces,
civilians, and western interests in the country, including joint civil-military
airfields, mainly near Kenya’s eastern border with Somalia and in the coastal
region of Kenya adjacent to Somalia.
“The
January 5, 2020, complex attack on Camp Simba, which is co-located with Manda
Bay Airport (HKLU), destroyed or damaged multiple aircraft, demonstrating the
group’s intent and capabilities to target the aviation sector,” said the FAA in
a February 26, 2021 advisory.
In
neighbouring Somalia, Al-Shabaab has conducted multiple raids targeting civil
aviation, including indirect fire attacks on Aden Adde International Airport
(HCMM) and remote airfields where international troops are collocated.
The
US says the Al-Shabaab possesses or has access to, a variety of weapons,
including small arms, indirect fire weapons such as mortars and rockets and
anti-aircraft-capable weapons, including man-portable air defence systems
(MANPADS).
“Such
weapons present a risk to civil aircraft operating at low altitudes, including
during the arrival and departure phases of flight and/or to airports and
aircraft on the ground, especially at remote airfields located east of 40
degrees east longitude. Some MANPADS have the capability to reach a maximum
altitude of 25,000 feet,” said the US Aviation regulator.
Additionally,
the FAA said, Al-Shabaab is likely to target western civil aviation considering
a December 2020 incident in which the US Department of Justice announced the
opening of an indictment charging Kenyan-national Cholo Abdi Abdullah with six
counts of terrorism-related offences arising from his activities as an
operative of the Al-Qaeda-linked terror cell. This included conspiring to
hijack aircraft in order to conduct a 9/11-style attack in the US.
“This
thwarted attack demonstrates al-Shabaab’s continued desire to attack US
interests, potentially including civil aviation. The plot reinforces the United
States’ concerns about the risk to US civil aviation in eastern Kenya in the
Kenya-Somalia border region and the coastal region of Kenya adjacent to
Somalia,” said the US government.
Managers,
who spoke to the Business Daily on condition of anonymity, said they were
assessing the US warning and its impact on their operations.
Al-Shabaab
has publicly declared intent to conduct attacks in retaliation for Kenya’s
counter-terrorism operations in Somalia, which it conducts as part of the
African Union Mission (Amisom) and may be emboldened following the announced US
withdrawal of forces from Somalia.
Former
US President Donald Trump last December ordered the withdrawal of an estimated
700 American troops from Somalia by January 15, 2021, with the Pentagon saying
they would be repositioned to other parts of East Africa — likely Kenya and
Djibouti — and continue to carry out raids against the al-Shabaab and a smaller
cluster of Islamic State fighters from bases in neighbouring countries.
The
US Defence ministry said drone strikes — which have killed numerous senior and
midlevel al-Shabaab commanders as well as dozens of civilians — would continue.
https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/news/us-warns-of-al-shabaab-aircraft-attacks-in-kenya-3308970
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Biden
administration announces ‘recalibration’ of ties with Saudi Arabia
01
March ,2021
Joseph
Haboush
The
Biden administration announced Monday its so-called new approach to Saudi
Arabia, calling it a “recalibration” in order to make the bilateral
relationship more sustainable.
“We
seek a partnership that reflects our important work together, and our shared
interests and priorities, but also one conducted with greater transparency
responsibilities,” State Department Spokesman Ned Price said.
Monday’s
comments come after the US accused Saudi Arabia’s leadership of being implicit
in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia has since rejected
the report released by US intelligence and slammed the Biden administration for
violating its sovereignty.
The
US went on to sanction dozens of Saudi individuals for Khashoggi’s killing.
Price
recalled President Joe Biden’s policy moves since taking office, which have
included lifting sanctions on Iran-backed terrorist organizations and their
leaders, as well as halting arms sales to Riyadh.
Washington
also cut off support for “offensive operations” in Yemen.
Despite
the hardened US approach to Saudi Arabia under Biden - while it continues to
soften its stance on Riyadh’s archrival Iran - Price said the US “sees value in
sustaining our partnership” with the kingdom.
“Looking
ahead, Saudi actions will determine how much of this ambitious shared positive
agenda we can achieve. We are working to put the Saudi relationship on the
right footing, to move the region toward greater peace and prosperity,” Price
said.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2021/03/02/US-foreign-policy-Biden-administration-announces-recalibration-of-ties-with-Saudi-Arabia
--------
Europe
Turkey's
Erdogan Rips 'Systemic Racism' in Europe, Blasts Islamophobia
01.03.2021
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier engaged in a verbal rant on issues
related to Islam's status in Europe with French President Emmanuel Macron,
which led to the further deterioration of bilateral ties between the two
countries, as the duo has also been at odds over a number of geopolitical
issues.
Addressing
the nation on Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan focused his
attention on Islamophobic incidents in Europe, along with other issues such as
the country’s vaccination drive, coronavirus fight, etc.
Relations
between Turkey and France have hit an all-time low in recent months over
President Emmanuel Macron’s comments on Islam and controversial caricatures of
the Prophet Muhammad, apart from long-standing discrepancies between the two
countries on a number of political matters like the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Turkey’s oil and gas exploration bid in the Mediterranean, and others.
In
early October, Macron announced a programme to fight what he referred to as
"Islamist separatism". In his speech, the president said France,
which has the largest Muslim population across Europe, has to wake up to the
hazards of “Islamist separatism”, with the latter, he emotionally recounted,
holding its laws above all others, thereby creating a "counter-society".
The
government's plan was meant to address the interstate terrorism issue at large,
following the numerous terrorist attacks France has seen in recent years.
A
little more than two weeks after the president's speech, Samuel Paty, a
47-year-old school teacher, was beheaded in a Paris suburb by a Muslim
immigrant, who reportedly acted upon learning that the teacher had showed his
students caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad during classes on freedom of
speech.
The
caricatures were published by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2015 and
struck a raw nerve with the Muslim population across the world, and prompted a
series of terrorist attacks in France that left 17 people dead and dozens
injured.
Macron
strongly condemned the murder of Samuel Paty, which he described as a terrorist
attack, dubbing the teacher a hero and pledging to “continue to defend the
freedom that you taught so well”.
Macron’s
words in their turn landed in Erdogan’s crosshairs, spawning indignation – and
massive protests - well beyond Turkey, with
Muslim minorities in chorus accusing Paris of standing in the way of Islam.
Turkey
was the most vocal in urging for a boycott of French products, while President
Erdogan advised Macron to pass "mental checks" instead of commenting
on matters pertaining to Islam.
"What
is the problem of this person called Macron with Islam and Muslims?” Erdogan
asked during a meeting with his Justice and Development Party.
Paris
hit back in response, dubbing Erdogan’s statement as unacceptable and recalled
its ambassador to Turkey for consultations.
Yet,
Macron later moved to clarify his stance: while stressing he doesn’t personally
support the contentious caricatures, he urged to differentiate between Islam
and "Islamist terrorism".
"When
I decided to attack radical Islam … my words were distorted. By the Muslim
Brotherhood, quite widely, but also by Turkey, which has the ability to
influence a lot of public opinion, including in sub-Saharan Africa. I am not
attacking Islam, I am attacking Islamist terrorism", Macron told Al
Jazeera.
https://sputniknews.com/world/202103011082222248-turkeys-erdogan-rips-systemic-racism-in-europe-blasts-islamophobia/
--------
Bosnia
Herzegovina marks Independence Day
Kayhan
Gul and Talha Ozturk
01.03.2021
BELGRADE,
Serbia
Bosnia
Herzegovina on Monday marked the 29th anniversary of its independence.
Bosnia
and Herzegovina became independent from the former Yugoslavia when an
independence referendum was held on Feb. 29 and March 1, 1992.
Most
Serbs boycotted the referendum while 64% of the population voted for
independence.
The
results of the referendum were announced on March 6, 1992, and Bosnia and
Herzegovina was admitted to the UN on May 22, 1992.
Bosnia
and Herzegovina became an independent state, but had to suffer a bloody battle
for independence and the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives.
In
the country, where Bosniak Muslims make up more than half of the population,
the traces of the bloody war in 1992-1995 are still not completely erased. The
complex political structure of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the war,
does not allow the country to fully stabilize.
Recent
challenges
Bosnia
and Herzegovina's main objective is to become a member of the European Union.
The country made an official application to the EU in 2016 for membership, but
has not yet been granted the status of a "candidate country" for the
last five years.
Unable
to fulfill many EU demands due to its complex structure, Bosnia and Herzegovina
has been waiting for a long time in front of the EU gate. While the bloc puts
forward many decisions of the European Court of Human Rights against Bosnia and
Herzegovina as preconditions, the Bosnian authorities, unable to reconcile
themselves and change discriminatory laws, keep struggling.
NATO
membership, another strategic target of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been
impeded by the opposition of Serbs in the country.
It
is facing other significant issues such as unemployment, migration of its young
population to Western countries, and the rising number of immigrants in recent
years along with the novel coronavirus pandemic that has affected the whole
world since its emergence in December 2019.
The
country's economy was also badly damaged due to strict measures taken during
the first wave of COVID-19.
The
health system is also going through a hard time due to the pandemic.
Bosnia
and Herzegovina, with its strategic location in the middle of Europe, rich
natural resources, significant investment potential, and cheap labor force, is
often the victim of cumbersome bureaucracy due to its complex structure.
The
population of Bosnia and Herzegovina is 3,531,159, according to the last census
in 2013. Bosniaks constitute 50.11% of the population, Serbs 30.78%, Croats
15.43%, and citizens of other ethnic groups 3.68%. While 50.7% of the country's
population is Muslim, 30.7% is Orthodox, and 15.2% is Catholic.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/bosnia-herzegovina-marks-independence-day/2160839
--------
EU
to send $114M in humanitarian aid to Yemen
Agnes
Szucs
01.03.2021
BRUSSELS
The
EU announced Monday that it would send €95 million ($114 million) in
humanitarian aid to Yemen.
The
relief is meant to "address the most pressing needs of people in Yemen
amid record highs of child malnutrition, an imminent threat of famine and
renewed fighting," according to a statement by the European Commission.
According
to the bloc, at least 2 million children and a million pregnant women suffer
from acute malnutrition in the war-torn country.
The
number of people in Yemen exposed to famine is expected to triple in the first
half of 2021 to 47,000 from the current 16,500.
"New
EU funding will be essential in maintaining life-saving aid for millions of
people, exhausted after a disastrous year marked by fighting, COVID-19 and
further economic collapse," EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez
Lenarcic commented on the decision.
The
EU official also urged parties to the conflict in Yemen "to facilitate the
access of humanitarian organizations to those most in need and avoid further
civilian suffering."
Yemen
has been in violence and chaos since 2014 when Iran-backed Houthi rebels
overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa, and forced President
Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee the country the following year.
The
crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a
devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.
Tens
of thousands of Yemenis, including civilians are believed to have been killed
in the conflict, which has led to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises
with 3.65 million internally displaced and 20.7 million people in need of
immediate humanitarian aid.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eu-to-send-114m-in-humanitarian-aid-to-yemen/2160825
--------
European
lawmakers protest Israel’s de facto annexation
Rabia
Iclal Turan
01.03.2021
More
than 400 European parliamentarians called on foreign ministers of their
countries to stop Israel's de facto annexation of the West Bank and end “the
isolation of Gaza," In a joint letter.
Parliamentarians
from 22 European countries, including the Social Democrats, Greens, and Labour
Party members from the UK, France, Germany, and Sweden, addressed the EU
foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and foreign ministers of other European
countries, saying that the Joe Biden presidency in the US is an “opportunity to
address Israel-Palestinian conflict with renewed effort”.
“The
recent regional normalization agreements with Israel led to the suspension of
plans to formally annex West Bank territory,” said the 442 lawmakers who signed
the letter, pointing to the previous US administration.
The
joint letter underlined the rapid progressing of “de facto annexation,
especially through accelerated settlement expansion and demolitions of
Palestinian structures.”
It
added that the record number of demolitions of Palestinian homes in four years
was reported last year despite the pandemic.
“This
included the demolition of nearly an entire community in Khirbet Hamsa al-Foqa,
in what the UN described as the largest forced displacement incident in over
four years,” the parliamentarians said.
In
the letter, the parliamentarians also called on European countries to work with
the Biden administration, and other parties in the region to “prevent
unilateral action undermining the possibility of peace, advance the rights and
security of all people under Israel’s effective control and build conditions
that make a future negotiated agreement possible.”
“Active
European support for Palestinian reconciliation and elections across all the Palestinian
territory is vital, including as a basis for ending the isolation of Gaza,”
they added.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/european-lawmakers-protest-israel-s-de-facto-annexation/2160598
--------
Turkish,
Croatian foreign ministers hold phone talk
Serife
Cetin
01.03.2021
Turkish
foreign minister held a phone talk with his Croatian counterpart on his recent
visit to Croatia, diplomatic sources said on Monday.
Mevlut
Cavusoglu and Gordan Grlic-Radman followed up the issues discussed during
Turkish minister’s visit to Croatia, according to the sources.
On
Feb. 26, Cavusoglu paid a visit to the Balkan country for official talks. He
was received by Croatia’s President Zoran Milanovic and regional issues were
discussed.
During
his visit, Cavusoglu said they decided to advance the Turkey-Croatia-Bosnia and
Herzegovina tripartite mechanism to the leadership level.
Cavusoglu
also visited the Petrinja region, which was hit by magnitude-6.3 earthquake in
2020.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/turkish-croatian-foreign-ministers-hold-phone-talk/2160456
--------
Mideast
Iran
urges war enablers to stop selling arms used to kill innocent Yemenis
02
March 2021
Iran
has called on “war enablers” to commit to stop selling arms and ammunition that
are used just to kill innocent lives and further level the already destroyed
properties in the war-torn Yemen.
Iran's
permanent representative to the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva Esmaeil
Baghaei Hamaneh said on Monday the unlawful use of force against Yemen in clear
violation of the UN Charter and in defiance of the principle of
self-determination of people shall be reversed.
In
a statement read to the Virtual High-Level Humanitarian Event for Yemen,
Baghaei Hamaneh said that Iran appreciates any initiative made in good faith to
alleviate the immense pain and suffering of the Yemeni people who are being
brutalized under an imposed war of aggression that has turned Yemen into the
worst humanitarian tragedy on earth.
“Iran
has made concerted efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Yemen over the course
of the crisis, including during the current pandemic. Unfortunately, our
efforts have been hindered ineffective by the so-called Coalition,” he noted.
“As
Under Secretary-General Mark Lowcock has noted quite rightly, ending the war is
what is needed most to stop this catastrophe, and that's exactly what the world
knows very well.”
He
said the starving, bleeding Yemen is too weak even to cry.
“The
Yemeni crisis is allowed to be protracted for almost 7 long years with a
complete lack of empathy at the massacre of the innocents. For years, the world
public opinion has been blatantly gaslighted to mistake and misperceive victims
for offenders. It is high time that we called a spade a spade. Blame shifting
is not a solution,” he added.
“We
have to use this momentum to address the prime and single cause of this
shameful human tragedy. We need to appeal to the world's conscience to help
terminate the military intervention and ask the war's enablers, the arms
suppliers, to stop their complicity in war crimes and collective starvation of
the Yemenis,” Baghaei Hamaneh noted.
The
diplomat said addressing the humanitarian situation in Yemen requires a genuine
assessment of the underlying causes and an honest political will to work for
their removal.
“Financial
contributions to fund basic humanitarian aids are very much appreciated but it
should not be used as a cover-up by certain contributors that are the chief
cause of this humanitarian disaster, in the first place, to carry on with their
campaign of bombardment and military aggression. Cessation of blockade and
facilitation of access to humanitarian assistance across the country should be
prioritized in pair with immediate cessation of military intervention,” he
added.
He
finally noted that Tehran looks forward to continuing its efforts, including in
consultation with the UN special envoy and other stakeholders, for the
resolution of this bloody conflict.
Saudi
Arabia, accompanied by its allies including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has
been leading a war against Yemen since March 2015 with the aim of bringing the
former pro-Riyadh government back to power.
The
war has been accompanied by an all-out siege of the impoverished country. It
has killed tens of thousands of Yemenis and resulted in the world’s worst
humanitarian crisis.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/02/646374/Iran-yemen-war-innocent-arms
--------
Pandemic
forces Iran’s Intl. Quran Competition to go online
March
1, 2021
Fifty-seven
finalists from 26 countries will be competing in the contest, which will open
on Saturday, director of the competition Hamid Majidimehr said in a press
conference on Monday.
The
competition will be available on different platforms, while the IRIB Quran
Channel will broadcast the competition live.
The
primary stage of the competition went online last year with 411 participants
from 67 countries in different fields of recitation, memorization and
interpretation out of whom 122 found ways into the semi-final stage, he said.
“Moreover,
in January, the semifinalists had competed under the supervision of a jury
panel consisting of individuals from Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Indonesia,
Sudan and Tunisia, who will also judge the finalists,” he added.
The
director of the organization Hojatoleslam Seyyed Mehdi Khamushi, also attending
the conference, said that the awards of the 37th edition have increased
compared to the previous editions.
“Respecting
Quran as the book of thought and action, as well as honoring Quran reciters and
memorizers, and achieving happiness among the Muslim nations are among the
other major goals of the competition,” he said.
He
also added that establishing proper fields to achieve solidarity and unity
among Muslim nations will be other goals of the competition, while the event will
help carry the message to the world that Islam and Quran are alive and that the
Islamic society is active and dynamic.
“The
International Quran Competition of Iran is the only competition in the world
which will be held online despite the pandemic,” he added.
“The
State Endowment and Charity Affairs Organization as the main organizer of the
event is ready to provide other organizations with the necessary knowledge to
hold the competition online inside and outside the country,” he concluded.
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/458661/Pandemic-forces-Iran-s-Intl-Quran-Competition-to-go-online
--------
US
remains ready to meet Iran on nuclear deal, not 'dogmatic' about how: State
Dept.
Tuqa
Khalid
02
March ,2021
The
United States remains ready to meet Iran but was not "dogmatic" about
how, after Tehran rejected EU-proposed talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal,
the State Department said on Monday.
“As
we have made clear, the United States is prepared to meet with Iran to address
the way forward on a mutual return to the compliance with the JCPOA. Resumption
of a compliance can’t happen without all sides discussing the details,” State
Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.
“We
are not dogmatic about what form that takes. What we are dogmatic about is the
underlined commitment… that Iran cannot be allowed to acquire a nuclear
weapon,” he added.
Washington
and Tehran are locked in a standoff over reviving nuclear talks.
Iran
said on Sunday it does not consider the time to be “suitable” for an informal
meeting on reviving the abandoned 2015 nuclear deal, proposed by European
powers and involving the US.
US
President Joe Biden’s administration has signaled to Iran its willingness to
return to talks to revive the nuclear deal former President Donald Trump abandoned
in 2018.
Biden
reversed Trump’s determination that all UN sanctions against Iran had been
restored. And the State Department eased stringent restrictions on the domestic
travel of Iranian diplomats in New York.
Yet,
Tehran demanded that all Trump-era sanctions on Iran be lifted before taking
any real action to return to the deal.
“There
has still been no change in US positions and behaviour yet,” Iran’s Foreign
Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said, adding that the Biden administration
has continued “Trump's failed policy of maximum pressure.”
Biden's
administration said it had no plans to take additional steps on Iran before
diplomatic conversation, all the while facing mounting pressure from Republican
lawmakers to not “give up leverage” and “appease” Tehran by lifting sanctions.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2021/03/02/Iran-nuclear-deal-US-remains-ready-to-meet-Iran-on-nuclear-deal-not-dogmatic-about-how-State-Dept-
--------
Israel
Supreme Court: More non-Orthodox Jewish converts can become citizens
01
March ,2021
Israel's
Supreme Court ruled on Monday on one of the most contentious issues regarding
Jewish identity in Israel, deciding to allow more non-Orthodox Jewish converts
to immigrate to Israel and become citizens.
The
country's "Law of Return" grants Israeli citizenship to any Jew from
anywhere in the world, though there have been disputes when it comes to those
who have converted to Judaism.
More
observant groups in Israel demand a strict Orthodox conversion while the less
stringent conservative and reformed movements say they offer a valid
alternative.
Until
now conservative and reformed conversions carried out overseas were recognized
for Israeli citizenship and those done locally were not.
The
Supreme Court, saying it was concluding a 15-year legal battle after the
government chose to sidestep the issue, ruled that non-Orthodox conversions in
Israel would be sufficient for citizenship as well. It did not say how many of
such conversions were typically carried out each year.
The
ruling only interprets the existing law, the court said, while parliament
"at any time can set a different arrangement in the law".
Interior
Minister Arye Deri, who is an ultra-Orthodox rabbi, called the court decision
"very unfortunate" and said he would work to amend the law so it only
allows conversions done according to strict Jewish law.
Opposition
leader Yair Lapid welcomed the ruling, saying, "We all need to live here
in mutual tolerance and respect."
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2021/03/01/Israel-Supreme-Court-More-non-Orthodox-Jewish-converts-can-become-citizens
--------
UAE
advancing normalization by sending envoy to Israel: Hamas
02
March 2021
The
Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has slammed the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
for sending an envoy to the Israeli-occupied territories, saying the move shows
Abu Dhabi is determined to insist on its “sin” of normalization with Tel Aviv.
Hamas
spokesman Hazem Qassem, in a statement released on Monday, reacted to news of
UAE envoy Mohamed Mahmoud al-Khajah delivering his credentials to Israeli
President Reuven Rivlin at a ceremony in occupied Jerusalem al-Quds earlier in
the day.
The
statement said the move reflected Abu Dhabi’s insistence on committing the
“national sin” of normalizing relations with the Tel Aviv regime.
“Normalization
will always encourage the Israeli Occupation to deny our Palestinian people’s
rights, and continue its crimes against all segments of the Arab world,” Qassem
said.
On
February 14, UAE’s Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum swore in his country’s first ambassador to the occupied territories.
Israeli
prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed agreements with Emirati Foreign
Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister
Abdullatif Al Zayani during an official ceremony hosted by ex-US president
Donald Trump at the White House on September 15 last year.
Palestinians,
who seek an independent state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, with East
Jerusalem as its capital view the deals as a betrayal of their cause.
Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas protested the normalization deals with Israel, saying
they will be fruitless as long as the United States and the Israeli regime do
not recognize the rights of the Palestinian nation and refuse to resolve the
issue of Palestinian refugees.
Abu
Dhabi claimed that the normalization deal with Israel served Palestine by
suspending an Israeli plan to annex more Palestinian lands.
However,
despite such a claim, the Israeli regime has significantly stepped up its
much-criticized land grab projects since its normalization deals with the UAE
and Bahrain — followed by Sudan and Morocco
The
UAE and Bahrain have dramatically slashed their financial assistance to the UN
agency for Palestinian refugees after the two Persian Gulf states agreed to
clinch US-brokered deals to normalize ties with Israel last August.
Israeli
Channel 12 television network, citing the Center for Near East Policy Research,
reported on February 5 that while the UAE funded the United Nations Relief and
Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) $53 million and
$51 million in 2018 and 2019 respectively, it provided the agency with a mere
$1 million last year.
The
report added that Bahrain had also cut funds, but did not provide any figures.
UNRWA confirmed the account.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/02/646387/Hamas-UAE-ambassador-Israel-normalization
--------
Yemeni
forces fire ballistic missile at targets in Saudi capital
02
March 2021
Yemen
has released footage of a large-scale ballistic missile strike against the
Saudi capital in retaliation for the devastating military campaign that the
Riyadh regime and its allies are waging on the country.
The
video, released by the media bureau of the Ansarullah movement, shows Yemeni
armed forces and allied fighters from Popular Committees firing a
domestically-developed Zolfaqar ballistic missile that struck King Khalid
International Airport, located 35 kilometers north of Riyadh, on Saturday.
The
spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a
press conference on Sunday that Yemeni army troops and allied popular fighters
had targeted the Saudi soil with 15 unmanned aerial vehicles and a ballistic
missile as part of “the 5th Operation of Balanced Deterrence.”
He
said sensitive positions and places in the Saudi capital Riyadh were struck
with a Zolfaqar ballistic missile and nine Sammad-3 (Invincible-3) combat
drones.
Saree
noted that six Qasef-2K (Striker-2K) combat drones had also hit designated
military targets inside Abha and Khamis Mushait cities in Saudi Arabia’s
southwestern province of Asir.
“As
long as the attacks and siege on our country [Yemen] continue, our operations
will continue and will be more extensive,” he added.
Yemeni
missile hits Saudi Arabia’s Jizan
Meanwhile,
the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported early on Tuesday that a missile
launched by Yemeni armed forces had struck the Jizan region of southwestern
Saudi Arabia.
The
spokesman for the Directorate of Civil Defense in Jizan, Colonel Mohammed bin
Yahya al-Ghamdi, claimed the projectile had fallen in a street, resulting in
the injury of five people.
They
included three Saudis and two Yemeni nationals, he said. They suffered moderate
injuries due to shrapnel and were transferred to hospital to receive medical
care.
‘Participants
in Yemen donor conference must first end arms sales to aggressors’
Separately,
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council, has
called on governments and donors taking part in a virtual donor conference
purportedly aimed at preventing large-scale famine in Yemen.
Houthi
wrote in a post on his official Twitter page that allocation of revenues raised
as a result of sales of weapons that kill Yemeni people does not stop famine in
the conflict-plagued country.
“Countries
taking part in the donor conference to raise millions of dollars for Yemeni
people would better take a stance compliant with their laws and stop sales of
weapons that are used against Yemeni people,” he noted.
“They
must also move to end their involvement in as well as logistical and
intelligence support for the [Saudi-led] aggression [against Yemen],” Houthi
said.
The
United Nations says Yemen has the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with 80
percent of the country’s 30 million people needing some form of aid or
protection. About 13.5 million Yemenis currently face acute food insecurity, UN
data shows.
Last
week, United Nations Unngder-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and
Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock said some 16 million people in Yemen
were going hungry and five million of those people were “just one step away
from famine.”
Some
400,000 children under the age of five are severely malnourished, he said.
“Those
children are in their last weeks and months,” he warned. “They are starving to
death.”
Saudi
Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched the war on Yemen in March
2015, with the goal of bringing the government of former president, Abd Rabbuh
Mansur Hadi, back to power and crushing the popular Ansarullah movement.
The
Yemeni armed forces and allied popular groups have gone from strength to
strength against the Saudi-led invaders, and successfully defended Yemen
against the aggression, leaving Riyadh and its allies bogged down in the
country.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/02/646380/Watch-Yemeni-forces-strike-sensitive-targets-deep-in-Saudi-Arabia-by-missile
--------
Ansarullah:
Stopping Saudi aggression, blockade best help for Yemen
01
March 2021
Stopping
Saudi Arabia’s war of aggression and its total blockade against Yemen is the
best help that the Yemeni nation could receive under the current circumstances,
says the spokesman for Ansarullah movement.
Mohammad
Abdul-Salam was speaking on Monday as the United Nations launched a conference
attended by representatives from more than 100 governments as well as donors,
hoping to raise 3.85 billion dollars to prevent famine in the country.
“I
implore all donors to fund our appeal generously today to stop famine engulfing
the country. Every dollar counts,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said
as the conference, co-hosted by Sweden and Switzerland, opened.
Abdul-Salam
said holding conferences on humanitarian aid to Yemen helps the aggressors
improve their image rather than help Yemen.
“Conferences
help aggressor states to identify themselves as obliging not hostile or
aggressor states which must end the siege and aggression,” the spokesman said.
Abdul-Salam
also underlined on his personal Twitter page that stopping the aggression and
lifting the blockade is the biggest help Yemen can ever receive.
“The
best services that the Saudi-led coalition provides to Yemen are nothing but
daily airstrikes, brutal siege, the blockade of oil products and the closure of
Sana’a International Airport, and the human consequences thereof.”
Abdul-Salam
blamed the Saudi-led coalition for all the crisis in Yemen.
أكبرمساعدةلليمنآتيةمنقبلدولالعدوانبماتقدمهمنغاراتيوميةوحصارجائرومنعالمشتقاتالنفطيةوإغلاقمطارصنعاءالدولي،ومانتجعنذلكمنكوارثإنسانية .
—محمدعبدالسلام
(@abdusalamsalah) March 1, 2021
The
UN, which describes Yemen as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, is
seeking to raise the 3.85 billion dollars from donors, including wealthy
Persian Gulf nations, after falling 1.5 billion dollars short of the required
3.4 billion last year.
Several
aid groups have warned of a "catastrophe" for Yemen if funding cuts
continue, adding that "severe aid cuts have deepened the suffering"
of people in Yemen.
The
war has taken a heavy toll on Yemen's infrastructure since March 2015,
destroying hospitals, schools, and factories.
According
to the United Nations, 80 percent of Yemen’s 30 million people need some form
of aid or protection. About 13.5 million Yemenis currently face acute food
insecurity, UN data shows.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/01/646355/Ansarullah-Saudi-aggression-Yemen
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Gazans
express solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails
01
March 2021
Ashraf
Shannon
Prisoner
rights activists and families of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons held
a sit-in inside the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in
Gaza.
They
protested to drum up support for thousands of Palestinian prisoners and
demanded an end to Israel’s inhumane treatment of Palestinian political
prisoners.
Some
five thousand Palestinian prisoners are held in 24 Israeli prisons and
detention centers.
Palestinian
prisoners see no end in sight to their suffering as around four hundred of them
are being held without charge or trial under the so-called administrative
detention where incarceration periods can be renewed indefinitely.
Many
Palestinian prisoners suffer from also chronic illnesses and are denied proper
medical treatment by Israel’s Prison Service who runs Israeli prisons. Dozens
of prisoners suffer from cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Palestinian
inmates are more vulnerable now with the absence of vital preventive measures
during the coronavirus pandemic.
Experts
say that the protection Israel enjoys from some countries like the United
States gives it the green light to continue to violate the rights of
Palestinian prisoners.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/01/646353/Gazans-express-solidarity-with-Palestinian-prisoners-in-Israeli-jails
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Presence
of Takfiri terrorists in Karabakh ‘serious cause of concern’: Iran deputy FM
01
March 2021
The
Iranian deputy foreign minister for political affairs says the presence of
Takfiri terrorists in Nagorno-Karabakh, the region of dispute between Azerbaijan
and Armenian, is a ‘serious cause of concern’ for the Islamic Republic.
In
an international meeting hosted by Iran on Monday, Abbas Araqchi said Tehran
was seriously concerned about the presence of terrorist groups there, adding,
however, that all parties involved in Karabakh developments have assured Iran
that such groups will have no standing in that region.
“Political,
economic and cultural relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the
Republic of Azerbaijan are at their highest level, and for us, the Republic of
Azerbaijan is a very important country in our neighborhood, and good relations
between the two sides will continue,” Araqchi stated.
The
senior Iranian diplomat underlined that during the latest conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia, Tehran was against the war and the occupation of the
territories of Azerbaijan.
Araqchi
said the Republic of Azerbaijan has been “one of the most important and
influential neighbors of Iran” particularly during the years of sanctions.
“In
the difficult period of sanctions, economic relations between Iran and the
Republic of Azerbaijan have continued without the slightest change.”
The
deputy foreign minister said Iran’s main position has been the liberation of
the occupied areas of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“We
are opposed to any change in the borders of the region and the threat to the
sovereignty of countries as well as any involvement of extra-regional
countries, and these concerns of the Islamic Republic of Iran have been
expressed to both sides.”
Back
in October 2020, the Iranian Foreign Ministry unveiled aspects of the Islamic
Republic’s initiative for the resolution of the conflict, saying the proposed
plan aims to promote “lasting peace.”
Karabakh
is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but it has been held by
ethnic Armenian separatists backed by Armenia since 1992, when they broke away
from Azerbaijan in a war that killed some 30,000 people.
In
late September 2020, heavy clashes were underway between Azerbaijani and
Armenian military forces over the disputed region. Both sides blamed each other
for initiating the fighting.
Azerbaijani
forces, backed by Turkey, gained the upper hand and retrieved large swathes of
land. Ankara denied accusations of sending mercenaries to the conflict.
Russia,
which is considered to be Armenia’s ally in the conflict, refused to take sides
militarily and brokered a ceasefire deal, sending thousands of Russian
peacekeeping troops to enforce the truce until the two warring sides were able
to diplomatically resolve the dispute.
The
fierce conflict came to an end in mid-November after Moscow brokered the
ceasefire, which leaves Baku largely in control of the territory.
Armenia
handed over disputed territories to Azerbaijan back then.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/01/646341/Iran-Araqchi-terrorists-Karabakh
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India
2
Rohingya Muslims held for illegally staying in India: Anti Terrorist Squad
March
2, 2021
UP’s
Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Sunday arrested two Rohingya Muslim brothers who
had allegedly been staying in India illegally and preparing fake identity
documents. Police claimed the accused were part of a gang, which used to bring
Rohingya Muslims to India illegally through Bangladesh-border and help them
settle in India after preparing fake identity proofs.
Those
arrested have been identified as Mohammad Farooque alias Hasan Mohammad and
Shahid alias Sahil Mohammad, said Additional Director General, Law and Order,
Prashant Kumar.
Police
claimed to have recovered passport, Aadhar card, pan card – which were prepared
with fake documents – and also cash Rs 5 lakh from their possession.
Police
said the arrested persons are residents of Myanmar and came to India nearly
four years ago through Bangladesh border. They were working in meat factories
in Uttar Pradesh.
According
to police, they recently got inputs that a gang works to bring Rohingya Muslims
to India illegally through Bangladesh border and get them registered at United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). After registration, the gang
helped them settle in different parts of the country after preparing several
documents such as passports and Aadhar cards through forged papers. These
people are later employed at meat factories.
On
the basis of information, police arrested Hasan from Noida and caught Sahil in
Unnao.
“Hasan
told that his son-in-law Zubair, who stays in Aligarh, is also from Myanmar. He
also said his mother Madeena Khatoon lives in Aligarh too,” said police.
Police
added that during questioning, Hasan confessed that he and his brother Shahid
used to bring Rohingya Muslims to India illegally through Bangladesh border.
Inspector
General, ATS, G K Goswamy said all information collected from the accused will
be verified during investigation. He added that police will seek their police
custody to collect more information from them.
The
accused have been booked for fraud and under the Foreigners’ Act.
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/2-rohingya-muslims-held-for-illegally-staying-in-india-anti-terrorist-squad-7210165/
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Why
it’s Congress vs Congress in Bengal over alliance with Muslim cleric’s outfit
Prabhash
K Dutta
March
2, 2021
Can
the Congress remain secular if it allies with a Muslim cleric’s outfit in the
upcoming West Bengal election?
This
question has led to an open spat between two of the seniormost Congress leaders
Anand Sharma and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in full public view on Twitter.
That
Muslim cleric is Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui, a young preacher from the influential
house of Furfura Sharif of Bengal. The irony is Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury just had
an almost public fight with Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui at an election rally in
Kolkata’s most famous maidan, Brigade Parade Ground, on February 28 — a day
before Anand Sharma and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury fought over the “core ideology”
of the Congress.
The
First Fight With Cleric
At
the Brigade Parade Ground, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was given a short shrift on
the stage shared by Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui and the Left leaders including Biman
Bose. The Left leaders halted Chowdhury’s speech to announce the arrival of
Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui on the stage.
Adhir
Ranjan Chowdhury didn't want the announcement to be made and then refused to
continue with his speech. He finished his speech only after Biman Bose’s
intervention. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui did not seem to
go well together.
When
it was the turn of Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui, popularly called “Bhaijan” by his
supporters, to address the crowd, he announced: “I want to tell all those who
love me from the Brigade Ground here, wherever the Left Front puts up
candidates, we will guard our motherland with our blood. We will oust the
Bharatiya Janata Party and its B-team the Trinamool Congress.”
He
did not stop there. “One can ask me, why I am talking only about the Left and
not the Congress. Let me make one thing clear. I have come here to seek a
share, not beg,” said Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui to buttress the narrative that the
Congress used Muslims as vote bank.
How
It Became Congress Vs Congress
It
began with Anand Sharma invoking the “Gandhian and Nehruvian secularism” to
question Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury-led Bengal Congress’s decision to fight the
upcoming West Bengal Assembly election alongside the “communal” outfit, the
Indian Secular Front founded recently by Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui.
Adhir
Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress’s floor leader in the Lok Sabha, shot back at Anand
Sharma questioning his knowledge of the party’s politics telling him to “know
your facts Anand Sharma”. He said the ISF is in alliance with the Left, which
is leading the coalition in Bengal and not with the Congress, which has a
separate alliance with the Left Front.
Objecting
to Anand Sharma’s “choice” to call Left-Congress-ISF coalition “communal”,
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accused him of “only serving” the BJP. The Congress-Left
alliance and the TMC are already braving the charge of “Muslim appeasement” by
the BJP in Bengal where it senses a realistic chance of winning the assembly
election.
It
is the same charge that the BJP has levelled against the Congress in all Lok
Sabha and assembly polls in recent years. The BJP’s narrative seemed to have
gained roots, as veteran Congress leader AK Antony said after the 2014 debacle
of the party.
“People
have lost faith in the secular credentials of the [Congress] party. They have a
feeling that the Congress bats for a few communities, especially minorities,”
Antony had said. Antony headed a committee to examine the reasons for the
Congress’s humiliating defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
Alliance
with the ISF has revived the fear of earning “Muslim appeasing” party tag in a
section of the Congress leaders. Anand Sharma is part of the group, G-23, that
has been demanding an overhauling of the Congress organisation including a fair
election for the post of the party president.
Anand
Sharma’s scathing attack on Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury came close on the heels of a
meeting of G-23 in Jammu, where its leader Ghulam Nabi Azad praised Prime
Minister Narendra Modi for not forgetting his roots. From the same stage, another
dissident Congress leader, Kapil Sibal said the Congress was weakening.
Another
Reason Why Congress Is Fighting Itself In Bengal
West
Bengal has a unique electoral history. It was with the Congress
post-Independence. Then the Left came in 1977. The Congress never won power
again. In 2011, the Left was replaced by a forceful Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool
Congress. Now, it is the BJP that is trying to do what Mamata did to the Left.
The point is Bengal does not vote for a party it has once voted out.
This
explains the restlessness among the Opposition parties to find a winning
formula through alliances and electioneering of any kind and every kind. The
victory of Mamata Banerjee in 2011 happened in alliance with the Congress. That
gave the Congress a hope that it could win back the state.
In
2016, it allied with the Left against Mamata Banerjee. The BJP was not yet a
formidable force in Bengal. Mamata Banerjee crushed the alliance. Bengal
reposed its faith in Didi.
In
the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress and the Left fought separately. The BJP
was riding on pro-incumbency Narendra Modi wave in the polls. Mamata Banerjee
faced the first serious electoral challenge in Bengal. The BJP emerged as the
principal rival in Bengal. The Congress survived the combined TMC-BJP poll
onslaught by winning two seats but the Left drew a naught.
Come
2021, the BJP is taking Mamata Banerjee head on. Going by 2019 parliamentary
polls, the TMC and the BJP have a combined share of about 84 per cent. This
leaves little electoral scope for the rest of the rivals including the Congress
and the Left.
They
have come together in what appears to be a battle for survival, more critical
for the Left than the Congress. But the Congress is fighting another battle
within. The battle is who the real Congress is.
The
battle is going on within the Congress since 2019 but in Bengal, it is the
alliance with Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui’s ISF that has fuelled the simmering fire.
https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/west-bengal-assembly-polls-2021/story/why-it-s-congress-vs-congress-in-bengal-over-alliance-with-muslim-cleric-s-outfit-1774674-2021-03-02
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NIA
arrests four in Handwara narco-terrorism case
Mar
2, 2021
SRINAGAR:
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested four suspected drug
traffickers from Srinagar over their alleged involvement in the Handwara
narco-terrorism case, in which 21kg heroin and over Rs 1 crore cash were seized
last year from members of a drug syndicate operating in J&K. Two more
accused are yet to be arrested.
“Investigation
revealed they were involved in cross-border smuggling of heroin in huge
quantities from Pakistan and were supplying the drug in J&K and other parts
of India. Proceeds of the sale were used to fund terror activities of
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Kashmir Valley. The accused also communicated
regularly with LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen operatives using encrypted chat
platforms,” an official said.
The
arrested were identified as Altaf Ahmed from Ganderbal, Showkat Ahmad Parray
from Bandipora, Mudasir Ahmad Dar from Shopian and Amin Allaie alias Hilal Mir
from Anantnag, an NIA spokesperson said in a statement. “The four were produced
before the court of the chief judicial magistrate, Srinagar, and put on transit
remand for three days,” the spokesperson added.
“Handwara
Police initially registered a case in June last year after seizing Rs 20 lakh
along with 2kg heroin were from the SUV of one Abdul Momin Peer during a
routine check of vehicles at Handwara’s Kairo Bridge,” the NIA spokesperson
said. Later that month, the agency took over the case and filed a chargesheet
at a special NIA court in Jammu last December against six accused including
Peer, four of whom were arrested on Monday.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/nia-arrests-four-in-handwara-narco-terrorism-case/articleshow/81280649.cms
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SP
seeks 5% Muslim quota in education, non-implementation of NRC
March
1, 2021
Putting
pressure on the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Samajwadi
Party legislators Abu Asim Azmi and Rais Shaikh on Wednesday sought a
resolution to be passed in the state Assembly, ensuring five per cent
reservation for Muslims in education and an assurance that the Citizenship
(Amendment) Act, 2019, and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will not be
implemented in the state.
“Soon
after this government came to power, minister Nawab Malik on the floor of the
House promised five per cent reservation for Muslims in education. It has been
over 18 months since the formation of this government, but none of the MVA
leaders ever seem to talk about or draft policies that would benefit the
minority community,” said Shaikh. He added that the MVA government needs to
pass a resolution in the Assembly about Muslim reservation and
non-implementation of the NRC in the state.
The
Samajwadi Party had been part of a pre-poll alliance that was stitched together
by NCP Chief Sharad Pawar in the 2019 Assembly elections. The party, which at
present has two MLAs, subsequently decided to support the MVA government after
the Congress-NCP alliance joined hands with the Shiv Sena.
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/sp-seeks-5-muslim-quota-in-education-non-implementation-of-nrc-7209938/
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NIA
arrests 4 drug traffickers in Kashmir narco-terrorism case
MAR
01, 2021
The
NIA on Monday arrested four drug traffickers in Kashmir for their alleged
involvement in smuggling heroin in huge quantities from Pakistan and supplying
it in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country, an official said.
Altaf
Ahmed Shah of Ganderbal, Showkat Ahmad Parray of Bandipora, Mudasir Ahmad Dar
of Shopian and Amin Allaie of Anantnag have been arrested from Srinagar, he
said.
They
have been arrested in connection with the case pertaining to the seizure of 21
kg heroin and ₹1,35,89,850 cash from the
members of a drug syndicate operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
The
case was registered in June last year in Kupwara.
During
the checking of vehicles in Kupwara, accused Abdul Momin Peer's Hyundai Creta
was intercepted by the police. During a search of the vehicle, ₹20 lakh and two kg heroin were seized.
After
the NIA took over the investigation, it filed a charge sheet against the six
accused in the special NIA court in Jammu in December last year.
Besides
cross-border smuggling of heroin, the accused were in regular contact with
operatives of proscribed terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and
Hizb-ul-Mujahideen through encrypted chat platforms, the NIA official said.
The
proceeds of sales were being used to finance the activities of LeT in the
Kashmir Valley, he said.
The
arrested accused were produced before the CJM court in Srinagar and have been
taken on transit remand for three days, the official said, adding that further
investigation in the case is continuing.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/nia-arrests-4-drug-traffickers-in-kashmir-narco-terrorism-case-101614608364465.html
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Pakistan
‘Redline’:
Over 1,000 religious scholars regret propaganda against Saudi leadership
February
28, 2021
A
convention of more than 1,000 religious scholars and clerics from all over
Pakistan on Sunday adopted a resolution, endorsing the stance of the government
of Pakistan and the Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia over the US intelligence
report regarding the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
"Saudi
Arabia has met the requirements of justice in the case of Saudi citizen
Khashoggi. The peace, security and stability of Saudi Arabia are dear to every
Muslim. Pakistan and the Muslim Ummah will not accept any step against the security,
stability and defence of Saudi Arabia," the convention said, in a
statement, which was presided over by Special Aide to Prime Minister on
Religious Harmony and Middle East and Central Chairman of Pakistan Ulema
Council Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi.
The
convention — held at Al-Hamra Hall in Lahore — was of the opinion that the
Islamic world loves Saudi Arabia and its leadership and regretted baseless
propaganda against the Saudi leadership.
Addressing
the convention, Ashrafi said that the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relationship is
based on faith and for us, targeting Harmain Al-Sharifain and its leadership is
a "red line".
Read
more: US in delicate balancing act as Saudi prince spared sanctions
He
said that all issues of religious seminaries relating to registration, bank
accounts and others would be resolved before the new academic year.
Ashrafi
claimed that the blasphemy law is not being misused in the country, assuring
all the minorities that their rights will be protected as per the Constitution.
"We want to make it clear to the world that the law of blasphemy is the
protector of human lives," he added.
The
PM's aide invited the opposition parties to work with the government to solve
the problems of the people. "We invite the political and religious parties
of the opposition to come together and play a role to transform the country on
the pattern of the state of Medina."
He
said that the premier, by resolving the issue of Muslim community in Sri Lanka,
has made the Pakistani nation proud in the Islamic world.
An
edict was also presented at the convention from Darul Afta Pakistan regarding
the coronavirus vaccine, which said that it is legal to administer the vaccine.
"No baseless propaganda should be made regarding the coronavirus
vaccine."
The
clerics, while addressing the convention, stated that the success of Operation
Radul Fasad is an explicit testimony of the struggle of the nation and
Pakistan's security forces against terrorism, adding that National Action Plan
(NAP) should be fully implemented in letter and spirit.
They
said that the security, stability and sovereignty of Saudi Arabia are very dear
to the Muslim Ummah, adding that Pakistan is against foreign interference in
all “Islamic Arab countries”.
They
said that the kingdom has ensured all the legal requirements of justice on the
issue of Khashoggi.
The
clerics said that the rights of minorities living in Pakistan will be protected
at all levels. "Forced conversions and forceful marriages have nothing to
do with Islam and those who do so bring Islam and Muslims into disrepute."
The
convention announced that from March 1 to March 30, the country-wide stability
Pakistan conventions, conferences and congregations will be held on the theme
of "One Nation One Destiny" with respective topics of peace,
brotherhood and moderation.
A
resolution adopted during the convention called for an immediate meeting of the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address the growing problems of
the Muslim Ummah.
Another
resolution welcomed the decision to call a ceasefire on the Line of Control
(LoC) as a result of talks between the military leadership of Pakistan and
India.
Expressing
full solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people, another resolution said
that Kashmir and Palestine are the most important issues of the Muslim Ummah.
"The
United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the world must play
an effective and immediate role in resolving the Kashmir and Palestine
issues."
The
convention was attended by more than 1,000 leading religious scholars and
clerics from across the country.
Among
key note clerics and religious scholars who addressed the convention include
Maulana Asad Zakaria, Allama Abdul Haq Mujahid, Qazi Matiullah Saeedi, Maulana
Asadullah Farooq, Maulana Haq Nawaz Khalid, Maulana Obaidullah Gormani, Allama
Tahir-ul-Hassan, Maulana Muhammad were present on the occasion. Shafi Qasmi,
Maulana Hanif Usmani, Pir Asad Habib Shah Jamali, Maulana Muhammad Asghar
Khosa, Maulana Noman Hashir, Maulana Tahir Aqeel Awan, Maulana Abu Bakar Sabri,
Maulana Anwar-ul-Haq Mujahid, Shabbir Yusuf Gujjar, Maulana Abdul Malik Asif,
Maulana Aslam Siddiqui, Maulana Aseed-ur-Rehman Saeed, Maulana Abdul Hakim
Athar, Qari Zubair Zahid, Maulana Islamuddin, Qari Muhammad Aslam Qadri, Qari
Shams-ul-Haq, Maulana Hassan Ahmad Hussaini, Maulana Muhammad Khurshid Nomani,
Maulana Fahimul Hassan Farooqi, Maulana Abdullah Haqqani, Maulana Abdullah
Rashidi, Mian Rashid Munir, Maulana Asim Shad, Maulana Abdul Waheed Farooqi,
Maulana Abu Bakar Hamza, Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Abid, Maulana Obaidullah
Gormani, Maulana Izhar-ul-Haq Khalid, Sahibzada Hamza Tahir-ul-Hassan, Maulana
Saadullah Ludhianvi, Maulana Anis-ur-Rehman Baloch, Maulana Abdul Al-Rashid,
Maulana Muhammad Shakeel Qasmi, Mufti Mohammad Omar Farooq, Maulana Abdul
Ghaffar Shah Hijazi, Maulana Tanveer Ahmed, Maulana Mohammad Ahmed Maki,
Maulana Mohammad Ashfaq Potafi, Maulana Kaleemullah Muawiyah, Maulana
Aziz-ur-Rehman Muawiyah, Maulana Aziz Akbar Qasmi, Maulana Saadullah Shafiq,
Hafiz Mohammad Tayyab Qasmi, Maulana Hussain Ahmad Darkhasti, Mufti Iqbal
Usmani, Maulana Yasir Alvi, Qari Abdul Rauf, Maulana Matool Mahar, Hafiz
Muhammad Talha Farooqi, Maulana Zubair Khatana, Maulana Aqeel Zubair, Qari
Aziz-ur-Rehman, Maulana Atif Iqbal and others.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2286811/redline-over-1000-religious-scholars-regret-propaganda-against-saudi-leadership
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Pakistan
needs legislation to meet three outstanding FATF benchmarks: Report
02nd
March 2021
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan will have to make further legislation on at least two counts to meet
three outstanding benchmarks of the 27-point action plan of the global money
laundering and terrorist financing watchdog FATF before the new June deadline,
a media report said on Tuesday.
The
Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) placed Pakistan on the grey list
in June 2018 and asked Islamabad to implement a plan of action to curb money
laundering and terror financing by the end of 2019 but the deadline was
extended later on due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The
new deadline was set by the FATF last month.
Pakistan
has been scrambling in recent months to avoid being added to a list of
countries deemed non-compliant with anti-money laundering and terrorist
financing regulations by the FATF, a measure that officials here fear could
further hurt its ailing economy.
The
Dawn newspaper reported that the government will have to submit an updated
report within a month to the FATF on the progress on legislation and other
steps to be taken to address the outstanding concerns.
Since
the government had changed almost three dozen laws over the past year to meet
the FATF requirements, there should not be any hurdle in the way of making two
more amendments, the report said.
Presiding
over a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) on Anti-Money
Laundering, Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh asked the Financial Monitoring
Unit (FMU) and chairman of the FATF Coordination Committee and Industries and
Production Minister Hammad Azhar to immediately finalise the timelines for
additional legislation in consultation with agencies of the federal government
and the armed forces.
The
deadlines should be reasonable to be shared with the FATF and all agencies and
stakeholders should act in close coordination to meet the deadlines well in
advance, the report said.
It
was observed that Pakistan had made progress over the past two years and was
being appreciated by the international community, but at the same time it did
not send a good message when international commitments and deadlines were
missed repeatedly, it said.
The
NEC was informed that Pakistan had to update the Paris-based global watchdog on
financial crimes on the way forward and its timelines on the basis of
observations of FATF plenary and shortcomings pointed out by the FATF assessors
within 30 days.
The
additional legislation has to cover some weaknesses in the existing framework
that limited the authorities from taking action, including imposing sanction or
apprehending those acting for or on behalf of designated terrorist entities or
individuals and prosecuting targeted persons and entities or those working for
them, within certain deadlines.
The
three outstanding action points include demonstrating that Terrorism Financing
(TF) investigations and prosecutions target persons and entities acting on
behalf or at the direction of the designated persons or entities and
demonstrating that TF prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and
dissuasive sanctions.
Thirdly,
Pakistan has to demonstrate effective implementation of targeted financial
sanctions against all designated terrorists, specifically those acting for or
on their behalf, the report said.
An
official statement said FMU Director General Lubna Malik briefed the committee
on the overall progress achieved on the FATF action plan and outlined efforts
under the way for the remaining targets to be achieved in due course of time.
She
said Pakistan had received support for making strides vis-a-vis an exigent
action plan given by the FATF.
Sources
said the meeting was also informed that reasonable progress had already been
achieved on one out of three remaining points, but two areas that required
additional legislation would be time-consuming.
Acknowledging
the progress demonstrated by the relevant stakeholders, finance minister Shaikh
called for expediting efforts to fulfil the requirements in the remaining
areas.
"The
strict adherence to timelines would culminate into the successful completion of
the FATF action plan,” he said.
In
February last year, the FATF gave Pakistan, which missed 13 targets, a
four-month grace period to complete its 27-point action plan against ML&TF
committed with the international community.
In
its third plenary held virtually in June, the FATF decided to keep Pakistan in
the grey list as Islamabad failed to check the flow of money to terror groups
like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
With
Pakistan's continuation in the 'grey list', it is increasingly becoming
difficult for the country to get financial aid from the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Union,
thus further enhancing problems for the nation which is in a precarious
financial situation.
If
the FATF in its meeting finds that Pakistan has failed to meet its requirements,
there is every possibility that the global body may put the country on the
'Black List' along with North Korea and Iran.
The
FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to combat money
laundering, terrorist financing, and other related threats to the integrity of
the international financial system.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/mar/02/pakistan-needs-legislation-to-meet-three-outstanding-fatf-benchmarks-report-2271059.html
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Ancestral
Lineage of Hazaras: from Afghanistan to Pakistan
February
27, 2021
By
Asad Wajeed
While
the origins of Hazaras are much debated, opinions differ when it comes to the
ancestral lineage of Hazara community. According to some historians, Hazaras
are the original inhabitants of Hazarajat (now central Afghanistan).Among
Hassan Pouladi, Prof. Shah Ali Akbar, Fletcher, and Abdul HaiHabibi, J. P.
Ferrier who was a renowned French scholar was the first who argued based on his
explanations of the Greek historian Quintus Curtius about the battles of
Alexander the Great and his travels to these areas, now Afghanistan that
Hazaras were native inhabitants of Afghanistan since the time of Alexander the
Great and have not migrated from any other places to this land.
Whereas,
according to some, Hazaras have Mongolian ancestry under Genghis Khan. This
notion that Hazaras have Mongolian origin takes its origin in the 19th century
when European came to Afghanistan, and they distinguish people with Mongolian
featured faces among other Caucasian faces. Hazaras were originally represented
by the word ‘Ozala’ or ‘Hosala’ which, with the passing of time became
‘Hazara’. The very word ‘Hazara’ then was used to refer to the counting system
in the armed forces of Genghis Khan i.e. ‘hazara’ that meant thousand, which
comprised one level of the troops.
Yet,
few opinionate, Hazaras have Persian and Turko-Mongolian ancestry. According to
a report they descended from Genghis Khan’s Army that mixed with Persian and
Turkic locals whom as a result of conflict had been settled in now Hazara
inhabited areas of Afghanistan.
Nevertheless,
some think, Hazaras have ancestral lineage with theKushan Dynasty that goes
back two millennia when Bamiyan in Afghanistan was home to the largest statues
of ancient Buddhist civilization. Patrons of this idea highlight the similar
facial features of Hazaras to those of Buddhist murals and statues in the
region. Whilst, some of the Hazaras believe that they are the descendants of
one of the sons of Noah.
Although,
all the above mentioned theories might differ when it comes to ancestral
lineage of Hazara community, but they have one thing in common and that is the
land of Hazaras which now constitute parts of Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
People of Hazaras settled in the mountainous regions of central Afghanistan as
early as the 19th century, with the majority of their inhabitants living in
Hazarajat (the land of Hazara), which is situated in the rough central
mountainous core of Afghanistan with an area stretch over 50,000 sq.km.The
Hazaras speak a dialect of Persian (Dari dialect) that is called Hazaragi.
Hazaragi was one of the two largest languages of Afghanistan. Hazaragi includes
many Mongolian and Turkic words, which also maintains the theory that they have
Mongolian ancestry.
Afghanistan
is a multi-ethnic country with almost 8 major and 10 minor different ethnic
groups; among major ethnic groups are Pashtun, Tajiks, and Hazaras etc. Hazaras
were once the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan and constituted approximately
67% of the total population, but today their population hardly makes up around
9% of Afghan population. The reason for their massacred lies in their off
target political action when they backed the wrong candidate in the accession
struggle in the late 19th century, that had changed the life of Hazaras and
their role in Afghan politics and ultimately in Afghan government.
Reports
from the 20th century depict that arm forces of Afghanistan made pyramids out
of Hazaras heads after some of the massacres, as a form of warning to the
remaining Hazaras, yet this could not be regarded as the last savage and
barbaric government repression of the Hazaras. Towards the end of 20th century
during the rule of Taliban in Afghanistan, government specifically targeted the
Hazaras for persecution and even genocide. This brutal history of persecution
of Hazaras in Afghanistan resulted in killing more than half of their
population with some migrating to neighboring countries like Pakistan and Iran.
Whereas,
according to historical evidence migration of Hazaras from Afghanistan to
Baluchistan province, Pakistan took place about 150 years ago, initially due to
economic purposes. But mass migration of Hazara population took place in the
late 19th century, mainly due to their persecution and targeted killing at the
hands of different afghan rulers and Taliban government that forced them to
migrate to Pakistan, and so they settled here.
In
Pakistan, the estimated number of people of Hazara community is between 0.6-0.9
million, living and residing in different parts of the country including
Karachi, Parachinar, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Hyderabad, also in different parts of
GilgitBaltistan and Punjab. In Baluchistan province, the bulk of Hazara
population are residing in Quetta and other parts of Baluchistan such as
Sanjawi, Much, Zhob, Harnai, Loralai, and Dukki, where their population makes
up around 0.4-0.5 million.Unfortunately, along with their migration, the Hazara
community brought with them the history of their persecutions based on their
ethnicity, religious orientation of sect and also their ethnically unique
facial curvatures, and so, their tenure of oppression at the hands Taliban and
other terrorist organization like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah Sahabah, al-Qaeda
and other Sunni radical militants organization that also includes ISIS in its
list is on-going in Pakistan.
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2021/02/27/ancestral-lineage-of-hazaras-from-afghanistan-to-pakistan/
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Shahbaz
Bhatti: The legacy of Pakistan's modern-day martyr
Benedict
Rogers
March
02, 2021
Ten
years ago today, I woke up and, as usual, switched on the radio and turned on
my computer. Within seconds I received the news that I had long feared and
expected, though hoped would never happen: the assassination of my friend
Shahbaz Bhatti.
For
over five years from 2004 to 2009, I worked side by side with Shahbaz. Not a
week went by without a phone call, often several, and almost daily email
exchanges.
He
was then a young and courageous Catholic grassroots activist, the co-founder of
the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance. We traveled together in Pakistan several
times, and on one occasion we missed a bomb in Islamabad by just five minutes.
We had been in a meeting with others in the Marriott Hotel over dinner and had
left moments before the explosion.
On
another occasion, we sat together with a seven-year-old Christian girl who had
been brutally raped and tortured. Shahbaz was helping her and her family
because nobody else would.
The
experiences I had the privilege — and heartache — of sharing with Shahbaz
created a deep bond between us. I will never forget a night in 2007 when a
Christian community in Charsadda in the North-West Frontier Province faced a
deadline for an ultimatum they had been given by extremists: convert to Islam
or face the consequences.
I
had been advocating to the international community for some assistance or
protection for this community, with little success. As the deadline approached,
I sat alone in my home in London thinking about this beleaguered community and
the potential danger awaiting them. As the clock ticked, I went back and forth
in my mind as to whether I should phone Shahbaz. For some while I went from
thinking “well, he’s busy, and he will update me if there’s any news, I
shouldn’t bother him” to “I should give him a call to check in and express my
concern”. My ridiculous mental meanderings got me nowhere, so I dialed his
number. Within seconds he answered, down the clearest of lines, and told me he
was in Charsadda, which I didn’t know.
What
he told me next has stayed with me forever. “Ben, thank God you called,” said
Shahbaz. “The community is terrified. They are expecting an attack at any
moment, and they think no one in the outside world knows or cares. The mere
fact that you called means I can reassure them that there is one person out
there who does know, who does care, who is praying and who is speaking out and
trying to help: one who cares enough to telephone to find out how they are.
That will give them strength and encouragement.” And in fact, miraculously, the
expected attack never came.
Shahbaz
moved from frontline activism to full-time politics, being elected to the
National Assembly in 2008. Within a few months, he was appointed Pakistan’s
federal minister for minorities affairs. But his motivation was always and
unwaveringly the same: to help advance human rights, especially for Pakistan’s
minorities and for the poorest and most marginalized.
It
was the first time that ministerial position was held by someone who truly
wanted to make a difference, was serious about reform and who was so widely
respected rather than being a tokenistic minority representative. The respect
in which he was held was illustrated by the fact that it was the first time the
position he held had ever been given cabinet rank.
Shahbaz
made the most of his almost three years as a minister, in the way he made the
most of everything. He fought for the rights of people of all faiths, for women
and for a coalition to stand against extremism and intolerance. In his final
months he was making headway, building relationships with Islamic clerics,
visiting mosques, addressing large gatherings of religious leaders and bringing
people together.
In
October 2009, Shahbaz came to London to address the annual conference of
Christian Solidarity Worldwide. As usual, his first request was for prayer. He
summed up his life’s vocation in these words: “I live for religious freedom,
and I am ready to die for this cause. We have a commitment to bring a change in
the lives of people. We will bring a change in the life of those who are living
in darkness, we will bring a change in the lives of those who don’t have a
hope, and we will bring a smile on the faces of those living under severe
harassment and victimization …”
He
continued: “This is the key objective of my life — to live for those who are
voiceless, who are suffering. We need to change the plight of those who are
living in the darkness of persecution, victimization, and that is the
commitment we made, to bring justice for those who are denied justice.”
Shahbaz
challenged head-on the “forces of intolerance”, promising that, in unity with
others, “we will not allow you to capture our country”. He called on his
audience to join with him in this struggle: “Let’s pledge that we will work
together to promote harmony and tolerance. We will bridge the gaps among
different faiths. We will strengthen this world with the message of peace and
tolerance.”
At
the heart of Shahbaz’s work, particularly as minister, was an effort to reform
or repeal Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws, which have been so widely
misused with such disastrous consequences for many.
But
it was this campaign that in the end cost Shahbaz his own life. On March 2,
2011, he was assassinated — gunned down in broad daylight on his way to work.
Four months before his murder, he recorded an interview with the BBC for
broadcast in the event of his death. He said: “These Taliban threaten me. But I
want to share that I believe in Jesus Christ, who has given his own life for
us. I know what is the meaning of the Cross and I am following the Cross. I am
ready to die for a cause. I am living for my community and suffering people,
and I will die to defend their rights.”
The
day after Shahbaz’s murder, I wrote an op-ed titled “Yesterday, Pakistan lost
its Martin Luther King”. I truly believe that. Over the years I have written
many articles in his memory, including one headlined “Behold a martyr for
religious freedom”.
My
friend Shahbaz is indeed a modern-day martyr. A cause for his beatification has
been started and I hope it will be recognized soon. In the meantime, his
personal Bible is on display in the Basilica di San Bartolomeo all’Isola in
Rome, in a commemoration to modern-day martyrs, and every single time I go to
Rome — without fail — I make a point of going to the Basilica to spend a few
moments in prayer and reflection in front of my friend’s Bible. It’s an
absolute priority, and a pilgrimage, for me.
Every
time I kneel in front of my friend’s Bible and his picture, I pray for
Pakistan, I pray for other places of persecution and religious intolerance, I
pray for religious freedom and human rights for everyone, everywhere, I pray
for peace and justice, and I redouble my commitment to continue the fight for
which Shahbaz lived and died — the fight for freedom and human dignity.
The
best way to honor Shahbaz on this 10th anniversary is to renew our efforts to
defend the rights of every single human being to live freely and in peace.
Tributes to and reflections on the life of Shahbaz Bhatti — such as a remarkable
memorial held today bringing incredibly distinguished world figures together —
are wonderful and right and proper. But they will only have real meaning if
they result in us all working to continue the fight for which Shahbaz gave his
life. Let’s turn his vision and his legacy into our reality.
Benedict
Rogers is a human rights activist, writer and senior analyst for East Asia for
the international human rights organization CSW. He is the author of six books,
including “From Burma to Rome: A Journey into the Catholic Church”, which
features the story of Shahbaz Bhatti. The views expressed in this article are
those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official editorial
position of UCA News.
https://www.ucanews.com/news/shahbaz-bhatti-the-legacy-of-pakistans-modern-day-martyr/91595#
--------
Job
opportunities for Pakistanis to rise: Qatar diplomat
March
2, 2021
KARACHI:
Qatar Consul General Mishal M Al-Ansari on Monday said that Doha has plans to
increase employment opportunities for Pakistanis to over 300,000 in the coming
years from the current 150,000.
Addressing
members of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), he said that
the number of companies with 100 per cent ownership of Pakistanis have
increased significantly.
He
said that LNG agreement between Pakistan and Qatar was a great milestone while
both the countries are already working on many joint ventures in defence
production, JF-17 aircraft project, defence training, food, agriculture and
other industries.
Mr
Al-Ansari said that despite terrible conditions due to coronavirus “we are
fully prepared for FIFA World Cup 2022 and many mega infrastructure projects
have been completed.”
https://www.dawn.com/news/1610217/job-opportunities-for-pakistanis-to-rise-qatar-diplomat
--------
PTI’s
allies reassure support for Hafeez Shaikh in Senate poll
March
2, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
Allies of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) held a significant meeting
late on Monday night, at which they exhibited unity among their ranks and vowed
to win the crucial Senate elections scheduled for March 3.
The
meeting of the PTI-led coalition partners ended speculation that the Muttahida
Qaumi Movement (MQM) is tilting towards the opposition and will support
Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in
the Senate election from Islamabad.
The
meeting was held at the residence of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) leader
Zubaida Jalal and attended by representatives of all the coalition partners,
including the PTI, MQM, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Grand
Democratic Alliance (DGA).
All
the parties reassured their support for Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez
Shaikh, who is contesting the Senate poll for a seat from Islamabad. His
one-to-one contest is with Mr Gilani, a joint candidate of the opposition
Pakistan Democratic Movement.
After
the meeting, the leaders of the allied parties held a joint press conference
and pledged to vote for the finance minister on March 3.
Speaking
on the occasion, Mr Shaikh said the Senate election was important for the
future of the country and, therefore, the coalition partners were united. “We
are all together to meet the basic challenge that there must be honest and
capable leadership in the country, which does not indulge in money-making
business but strives for the betterment of the people,” he said.
When
asked if he would leave the country in case of defeat in the election, he said
his family had been in politics and public service in Pakistan for the last 70
years and he would serve the country if given a chance for doing so in the
future as well.
“We
do not give weightage to fake news; it is an honour for me, my friends, my
family and the country that I am associated with a world renowned university
and that I have given service to 22 countries while working for the World Bank.
The World Bank office is located in America and, therefore, I went there for
work. If (the bank had an) office in Lahore I would be here to work,” he added.
MQM
leader and federal Minister for Information Technology Syed Aminul Haq said his
party was fully supporting Dr Shaikh and that all the coalition partners were
united. He accused the PPP-led Sindh government of “threatening” lawmakers to
seek their support for opposition candidates in the Senate election.
Meanwhile,
Mr Gilani has written a letter to all MNAs, including Prime Minister Imran
Khan, seeking their support for his election on the Senate seat from Islamabad.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1610213/ptis-allies-reassure-support-for-hafeez-shaikh-in-senate-poll
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Ministry
told to make arrangements for bringing special courts’ staff under IHC
Malik
Asad
March
2, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed the Ministry of Law and
Justice to make arrangements for bringing the staff of special courts under the
administrative control of the IHC in a month.
IHC
Chief Justice Athar Minallah also sought details about facilities for the
proposed lawyers’ complex.
Hearing
a petition filed by senior advocate Chaudhry Mohammad Akram against the
‘uncongenial environment’ at the district courts and special courts, Justice
Minallah directed the federal government to complete the formalities for the
construction of the state-of-the-art Judicial Complex. Besides the law ministry
was instructed to submit a plan “regarding the facilities it intends to
establish on the separate vacant five acres for the use of litigants and
lawyers.”
Current
administrative setup violates principle set by SC on separation of executive,
judicial branches, Chief Justice Minallah observes
The
court noted that the planning and execution of the Lawyers Complex project will
be subject to compliance with the Capital Development Authority Ordinance 1960
and regulations.
The
Ministry of Law and Justice Division will ensure that before the next date of
hearing, the administrative arrangement of the staff working in the special
courts is brought in consonance with the principle of separation of the
executive and judiciary, the court ruled, adding the federal government will
either improve the working conditions at the accountability courts and other
special courts established at the Federal Judicial Complex to the satisfaction
of the respective registrars or arrange alternative buildings in order to put
an end to violation of fundamental rights of the litigants.
The
court expected that the law ministry would share and consult with the Islamabad
Bar Council its proposed plan for establishing facilities for litigants and
lawyers on the five-acre vacant plot earmarked for this purpose.
Secretary
Law Raja Naeem Akbar said he had visited the Federal Judicial Complex to assess
the administrative difficulties faced by judges of the special courts.
The
court observed that the administrative arrangement relating to the staff of
special courts was in violation of the principle and law laid down by the
Supreme Court regarding separation of the executive and judicial branches of
the state.
The
court noted that two five acre plots had been allotted for construction of
separate judicial complexes for the District West and East, respectively. One
of the plots is vacant while on the other the IHC has been temporarily
established.
Keeping
in view the existing number of courts, construction of a judicial complex on
the vacant plot will be sufficient to meet the requirements at this stage.
The
secretary Ministry of Interior informed the court that pursuant to directions
given by the prime minister, the federal government had given top priority to
the establishment of the judicial complex at the vacant plot so that the
district courts could be shifted there from F-8.
He
said the project would be completed in the shortest possible time, addi9ng a
committee will be constituted having representatives from all concerned
departments so that the construction of the judicial complex was not delayed.
Justice
Minallah observed that the appallingly deplorable conditions at the district
courts speak volumes about the apathy and convoluted priorities of the
executive branch of the state for the last four decades.
The
district courts are the most important tier of the judicial branch.
“The
actual stakeholders of the judicial branch are people, litigants and victims of
state failures. The role of the bench and the bar is to serve them. It is a
constitutional obligation of the executive branch of the State to ensure that
the actual stakeholders are able to exercise the right to meaningful access to
the courts. This right has been denied to the people and litigants in disregard
to the constitutional mandate under Article 37 of the Constitution,” the court
order said.
Further
hearing in the case was adjourned till March 30.
Woman
lawyer granted bail
A
division bench of the IHC on Monday granted post-arrest bail to Nazia Bibi
Advocate detained for storming the Chief Justice Block on Feb 8.
A
division bench, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar
Kayani, granted her the bail against Rs50000 surety bonds.
Sardar
Latif Khan Khosa, the counsel for the lawyer, argued that the detained lawyer
had a suckling baby. The counsel said she was behind bars after the incident
and the infant was severely feeling her absence.
The
state counsel did not oppose the bail. He, however, opposed the grant of bail
to Naveed Hayat Malik Advocate.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1610194/ministry-told-to-make-arrangements-for-bringing-special-courts-staff-under-ihc
--------
One
held in JUI-F leader, two others murder case in capital
March
2, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
The capital police arrested a man on the charge of murdering three people,
including a leader of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), in Bhara Kahu on Saturday.
JUI-F
Union Council 6 Emir Mufti Ikramur Rehman, his son Samiur Rehman and
Habibullah, a student, were gunned down near a mosque.
Police
registered a case against three people in response to a complaint lodged by
Qari Karamatur Rehman, brother of Mufti Ikram, the police said.
Mufti
Ikram was Khateeb and Imam of the mosque and was also running a seminary
attached to the mosque.
The
preliminarily police investigation showed that a teacher of the seminary had a
monetary dispute with the mufti. Both had quarrelled and the teacher, a native
of Orakzi Agency, had left the seminary a month ago.
On
suspicion, the investigators collected details of the teacher and arrested him
by using modern techniques.
Police
Media Director SP Amjad Farooq confirmed the arrest of the suspect and said
efforts were in progress to trace his two accomplices. He said the murder
weapon was yet to be recovered.
The
suspects used a Kalashnikov to kill the three persons, as the investigators
have recovered empties of the SMG from the spot, the SP said.
When
contacted, Mufit Shafiur Rehman, a spokesman for JUI-F, told Dawn that the
suspect was a teacher at the seminary run by Mufti Ikram.
“They
did not have the kind of dispute which could result into bloodshed,” he added.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1610193/one-held-in-jui-f-leader-two-others-murder-case-in-capital
--------
South
Asia
Afghanistan,
Turkey Celebrates 100 Years of Diplomatic Relations
01
Mar 2021
When
Ataturk passed away in 1938, Afghanistan was the only country to officially
declare mourning of one-week with flags half-mast- Photo: Social Media
Afghan
and Turkish officials on Monday celebrated the 100th anniversary of diplomatic
relations between Afghanistan and turkey on Monday in Kabul.
Haneef
Atmar Afghan foreign Minister said, Turkey had key role in Afghanistan’s
reconstruction, political consensus and launched joint anti-terrorism efforts
after 2001
Atmar
hoped turkey will maintain its brotherly and sincere cooperation with
Afghanistan’s peace efforts.
MoFa
in a statement said Turkey has made comprehensive contributions to Afghanistan
on a bilateral level and through UN and NATO missions.
“Turkey’s
development assistance program for Afghanistan is currently one of the largest
assistance programs towards a country,” MoFA said in a statement
“As
we celebrate the centennial of the establishment of our diplomatic relations,
we wish to further develop our cooperation in every aspect in this special
year; hope that the ongoing violence in Afghanistan comes to an end and lasting
peace and calm will prevail in the country,” Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs stated.
Oğuzhan
Ertuğrul, Turkish ambassador to Afghanistan had reportedly hoped for peace and
an end to violence.
“Developments
in Afghanistan are closely related to security and stability in our region.
We’re closely following the situation in friendly and brotherly Afghanistan. We
wish success for the peace process that aims to end the conflict which has been
ongoing for more than 40 years in this country,” Tolonews quoted Ertuğrul.
Turkey
and Afghanistan signed an alliance agreement on March 1, 1921, and Afghanistan
officially recognized the Turkish Grand National Assembly and Ankara’s
government.
Turkish
Embassy was the first diplomatic mission in Kabul and this friendship,
brotherhood, and sisterhood was promoted through time.
Anadolu
news on 16th of December 2020 reported that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan
submitted a motion to the parliament at end of 2020 to extend military
deployment in Afghanistan for further 18 months as part of NATO’s support
mission.
“Turkey,
which has deep friendship and brotherhood ties with Afghanistan, has always
backed the unity, integrity, and independence of Afghanistan,” the motion read.
Turkey
has about 1,200 soldiers stationed in Afghanistan as part of the NATO mission.
https://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-turkey-celebrates-100-years-of-diplomatic-relations-54354255/
--------
Khalilzad
meets Abdullah in Kabul to speed up peace process
March
2, 2021
WASHINGTON:
The US special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, held discussions on
Monday with a senior Afghan official in Kabul over ways to accelerate the peace
process, before heading to Qatar, where negotiations with Taliban representatives
are going on.
US-brokered
peace talks between the Afghan government and the militant group began in
September but progress has slowed down and violence has risen, while there is
also uncertainty over whether international forces will pull out troops by May
as originally planned.
The
State Department said in a statement on Sunday that Khalilzad and his team were
visiting Kabul and Qatar. It said the US diplomats would also visit other
regional capitals as part of a mission aimed at working towards “a just and
durable political settlement and permanent and comprehensive ceasefire”.
It
did not provide dates or other details of where they intended to go, though
Pakistan is a neighbour with keen interest in how the Afghan conflict plays
out.
US
envoy is also expected to visit regional countries
On
Monday, Khalilzad discussed the peace process with Abdullah Abdullah, the
chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation, and he was
also expected to meet other Afghan officials.
“Development
of the peace process, accelerating the process and the assessment of the Doha
peace agreement by the US new administration were the main topics of
discussion,” said Fraidoon Khwazoon, a spokesman for Abdullah.
President
Joe Biden’s administration is conducting a review of a February 2020 deal
struck between the Trump administration and the Taliban to determine whether to
stick by a deadline to withdraw the remaining 2,500 US troops from Afghanistan,
and end America’s longest war.
The
Taliban’s deputy leader Sirajuddin Haqqani made a speech on Friday, broadcast
on the group’s media channel with excerpts posted on Twitter, warning the
United States against going back on a commitment to withdraw.
“Today...
we have the technology to use drones, we have our own missiles. This time if
the Mujahideen resume fighting the enemies, it would be something they have
never seen before. They will wish the battlefield was like in the past,” he
said, referring to Taliban fighters.
US
and European officials have said the Taliban have not fulfilled commitments
they made in an accord reached with the United States in Doha a year ago, that
set up the move towards peace talks involving the Afghan government.
The
Taliban have largely denied responsibility for a rash of attacks in Afghanistan
since beginning talks with the government in September.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1610211/khalilzad-meets-abdullah-in-kabul-to-speed-up-peace-process
--------
UN
rights chief calls for overhaul of security law in Bangladesh
March
2, 2021
UN
High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has called for a review of
a digital security law used against opposition figures in Bangladesh.
“There
needs to be an overhaul of the Digital Security Act under which Ahmed was
charged, and all those detained under this Act for exercising their rights to
freedom of expression and opinion must be released,” Bachelet said.
Bachelet
also urged the government of Bangladesh to ensure its investigation into the
death in custody of writer Mushtaq Ahmed is prompt, transparent and
independent.
“The
government must ensure that its investigation into Ahmed’s death is prompt,
transparent and independent, and that any allegations of ill-treatment of other
detainees are also immediately investigated,” Bachelet said
Ahmed
was detained in May under a tough digital security act that opponents say
undermines freedom of speech after he criticised the government's handling of
the coronavirus pandemic.
Jail
authorities said Ahmed died on Thursday after passing out at a high-security
jail outside of Dhaka.
He
had not been suffering from a major illness, according to prison chief Mohammad
Ghiasuddin.
The
High Commissioner also expressed serious concern at allegations that another
man detained on similar charges, cartoonist Ahmed Kishore, has been subjected
"to torture or other ill treatment."
What
is the controversial digital security law?
Bangladesh
saw another day of protests on Sunday following the death of the prominent
writer, with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets.
Bangladesh's
Parliament passed the Digital Security Act, DSA, in late 2018 after several
major instances of deadly sectarian violence sparked by posts on social media,
but the wording is vague and its provisions broad.
It
criminalises engaging in "propaganda" against the "spirit"
of the 1971 Bangladeshi war of independence, the national anthem, the flag and
the nation's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of the current prime
minister.
Those
falling foul of the law face hefty fines and lengthy jail sentences, even life
imprisonment for certain repeat offences. Arrests can be made without a
warrant.
How
often is the law used?
Citing
data from Bangladesh's Cyber Crime Tribunal, Amnesty International says nearly
2,000 cases have been filed under the DSA, with journalists particular targets.
Last
year at least 10 editors of national and regional dailies and online news
platforms faced legal charges under the DSA following critical reporting on
leaders of the ruling Awami League party, according to Amnesty.
Others
falling foul include people like Ahmed, a successful crocodile farmer who
became a vociferous critic of the government.
He
was arrested in May along with several others including rights campaigner Didar
Bhuiyan and Ahmed Kabir Kishore, a cartoonist.
According
to rights group Article 19, which monitors press freedom in many countries,
"freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of the media are
being severely violated under the Digital Security Act."
Rights
groups say arrests have increased since the coronavirus pandemic.
A
firm hand at the wheel
Bangladesh's
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, 73, has ruled the country with a firm hand since
coming to power in 2009 in a landslide election victory.
She
has used her power to settle some old scores, with several army officers
accused of killing her father and much of her family in 1975 executed.
At
least five Muslim leaders and a senior opposition leader have also been
executed for war crimes.
Rights
groups raised questions about the fairness of the trial.
Hasina's
main political opposition has been hobbled, with thousands of its activists
behind bars on what they say are trumped-up charges.
Her
ailing arch-rival Khaleda Zia was jailed for corruption charges that the
opposition says are politically motivated.
Last
March she was let out for medical treatment.
Hasina
was easily re-elected in 2014 and 2018, and both votes were clouded by allegations
of irregularities.
Earlier
this year an Al Jazeera documentary alleged close links between Hasina's inner
circle, the military and organised crime.
The
government denied the claims and a court ordered the programme removed from the
internet.
https://www.trtworld.com/asia/un-rights-chief-calls-for-overhaul-of-security-law-in-bangladesh-44629
--------
Khalilzad
meets President Ghani over ‘peace process’
01
Mar 2021
President
Ashraf Ghani met with US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad on Monday, the
Presidential Palace (ARG) said in a statement adding that both sides discussed
the next steps in the peace process and emphasized the importance of expediting
efforts.
US
special envoy met with President Ashraf Ghani On Monday, both sides have
discussed upcoming steps in the peace process and stressed over expediting
efforts towards the peace talks, Presidential Palace stated.
Khalilzad
also promised that US will effectively play its role in ensuring an enduring
peace in Afghanistan, ARG said in the statement
This
comes as Abdullah’s office in a released statement on Monday said that Khalilzad and Abdullah “discussed peace talks, the review of the
Doha peace agreement by the new US administration, the acceleration of the
peace process, the second round of talks between Afghans in Doha, reduction in
violence, and ways to advance peace talks and achieve lasting peace in
Afghanistan,”
US
special representative Khalilzad arrived in on Monday and to discuss the peace
process with Abdullah Abdullah head of HCNR and other officials
US
department stated that Khalilzad “will resume discussions on the way ahead with
the Islamic Republic and Afghan leaders, Taliban representatives, and regional
countries, whose interests are best served by the achievement of a just and
durable political settlement and permanent and comprehensive ceasefire”.
Abdullah
Abdullah also tweeted that he discussed the peace process and the current
review of the US-Taliban deal with former Trump’s administration by Biden’s
leadership.
“As
always pleased to meet HE Zalmay Khalilzad & his accompanying delegation.
We discussed the peace process, talks in Doha, the US current review & the
steps forward. We reiterated our call for an immediate end to violence &
the acceleration of the peace talks,” Abdullah wrote on Twitter.
https://www.khaama.com/khalilzad-meets-president-ghani-over-peace-process/
--------
Southeast
Asia
Jalaluddin
Rakhmat was victim of slander by takfiris: Indonesian professor
By
Mohammad Mazhari
March
1, 2021
“As
is the case in many parts of the world, the Shia’s emergence was met with
negative reactions from takfiri groups linked to Saudi Arabia,” Professor Otong
Sulaeman tells the Tehran Times.
“Dr.
Jalaluddin Rakhmat and the Shia community in Indonesia often become victims of
persecution and slander by the takfiris,” Sulaeman laments.
“This
phenomenon has been increasing in recent years along with the Syrian conflict,”
notes Sulaeman, a member of Sadra Islamic Philosophy College in Jakarta.
Following
is the text of the interview:
Q:
How do you evaluate Dr. Jalaluddin Rakhmat's position, personality and
contributions in developing Islamic thought in Indonesia?
A:
In the 1980s, youth in the Muslim world experienced a period of Islamic
awakening. Indonesian youths at that
time were very passionate about studying Islamic teachings and philosophy.
Books written by intellectuals from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, including
Iranian writers such as (Ali) Shariati and Morteza Motahari, were widely
translated and read. On campuses, students regularly hold regular discussions
to discuss Islamic teachings and principles.
The
young Jalaluddin Rakhmat was one of four or five prominent Muslim thinkers in
Indonesia at that time. He wrote many articles published in national media. He
also delivered scientific speeches, which many students attended.
In
my opinion, Dr. Jalaluddin Rakhmat had two outstanding qualifications. First,
he was professional in presenting excellent speeches and writing skills so that
readers or listeners enjoy his writings and lectures. People know Dr.
Jalaluddin as a very talented orator and writer. His speeches and writings were
able to touch the heart and excite the mind. The second qualification was his
ability to introduce a new approach to understanding Islam. He called it an “alternative
approach”. A collection of his speech on this new approach has been published
in a book entitled “Islam Alternatif” (Alternative Approach). The book was very
well known and widely read by Indonesian youth and is still circulating today.
In
that book, Dr. Jalal wrote about Islam as the source of compassion, Islam and
liberation of the oppressed, Islam and community development, and Islam and
science. In the last chapter, he explained about Shia teaching school and the
Islamic Revolution of Iran. In this chapter, he encouraged people to be
open-minded and accept the differences between many mazaheb (school of
thoughts). According to Dr. Jalal, having an opinion and passing it on to
others is allowed in Islam. What is forbidden is turning differences of opinion
into sectarianism and disunity. The speeches and writing of Dr. Jalal have made
significant contributions to the spread of moderate and intellectual Islam in
Indonesia.
Q: What were his achievements as a researcher
and academic?
A:
Dr. Jalaluddin Rakhmat was a man who had spent his entire life devoted to the
development of science. He had taught at Padjadjaran University in the faculty
of communication. He wrote tens of books and almost all of them were best
sellers. Most of these books are related to Islamic thought, from the
interpretation of the Quran, mysticism, the study of hadith, to the explanation
of prayers. Some of the others are related to education, communication science,
and psychology. His book, entitled “Communication Psychology”, has become a
compulsory book taught in psychology and communication faculties in
universities in Indonesia. Apart from being an Islamic thinker, Dr. Jalal is
also known as an expert in communication science.
Q: How do you describe his relations with the
Islamic Revolution in Iran? What was the impact of the Iranian Revolution on
Indonesian Muslims?
A:
As I said earlier, in the 1980s, youths in the Muslim world, including
Indonesia, experienced an Islamic awakening era. Many Islamic thinkers viewed this phenomenon
as the impact of the Iranian Islamic Revolution. At that time, the translation
of the books of Imam Khomeini, Rafsanjani, Ali Shariati, Motahari, and
Tabatabai were among the bestselling books in Indonesia. The university
students discussed these books; along with the books of Muhammad Abduh,
Jamaluddin Al-Afghani, Rasyid Ridha, etc.
Muslim
scholars in Indonesia provided their views about the revolution in the form of
writing and speeches. However, in my opinion, the best explanation regarding the
Iranian Islamic Revolution is that of Dr. Jalaludin Rakhmat. As I mentioned
earlier, in his legendary book “Alternative Islam”, he describes the Shia and
Wilayatul Faqih system, which became the basic ideology for the Iranian Islamic
Revolution and the formation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. When the Iranian
Islamic Revolution began to receive attacks from takfiri groups, in the form of
slander and baseless accusations, Dr. Jalaluddin always provided his defense.
Q:
Please tell us about his approach towards other religions and dialogue between
the religions?
A:
Dr. Jalaluddin was one of the intellectuals who consistently called for the
importance of dialogue between religions and various sects. He did this not
because he was part of a minority group but because he believed that dialogue
was one of Islam's most important teachings. He believed that when the
tradition of dialogue to resolve differences fades away, the pillars of our
nation will collapse.
Dr.
Jalaluddin himself repeatedly gave speeches in seminars that were attended by
various religious figures and schools of thought. That is why the commemoration
of Dr. Jalal's death was also attended by minority figures in Indonesia who
gave testimony about Dr. Jalal's efforts to fight for the protection of
minorities.
Q:
Could you tell us about the coexistence of different religions and sects in
Indonesia? Is there any takfiri or extremist ideologies there?
A:
The nature of Islam in Indonesia is a peaceful Islam. History shows that Islam
entered Indonesia without the slightest bit of war or conquest. This situation
continues today. The two largest Islamic organizations in Indonesia, namely
Nahdahatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, are moderate organizations. Indeed, as is
the case in many parts of the world, the emergence Shia was met with negative
reactions from takfiri groups linked to Saudi Arabia.
Dr.
Jalaluddin Rakhmat and the Shia community in Indonesia often become victims of
persecution and slander by the takfiris. This phenomenon has been increasing in
recent years along with the Syrian conflict. However, in general, takfiri
groups are the minority in Indonesia. The majority of Indonesian Muslims reject
their ideology, which is considered contrary to our state's principles.
Q: How do you assess Indonesian Islamic
scholars' contribution to Islamic world?
A:
I should mention that Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country in the world. Our
population is more than 270 million people, and 80% of us are Muslim. So, there
are more than 200 million Muslims in Indonesia. I think, with this huge number,
it is inevitable that the development of Islam in Indonesia has an impact on
the Muslim world. In Indonesia, many Muslims have essential roles in social,
political, and economic fields. Although Indonesia is not an Islamic state, the
Indonesian state's basic principles, called "Pancasila", are the
essence of Islamic teachings, namely monotheism, humanity, unity of the people,
democracy, and justice.
Islamic
scholarship is quite well developed in Indonesia. We have universities that
specifically teach Islamic sciences in various fields, from philosophy, law,
education to economics. However, the studies conducted by Islamic scholars in
Indonesia still need to be improved so that their thoughts can contribute more
widely to the Islamic world.
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/458672/Jalaluddin-Rakhmat-was-victim-of-slander-by-takfiris-Indonesian
--------
Indonesian
Christians take swipe at Islamic textbooks
Ryan
Dagur
March
02, 2021
Christians
in Indonesia have called on the government to scrap or revise Islamic religious
textbooks that allude to the Bible, saying religious studies in schools should
not touch on doctrine but focus on moral values to avoid misunderstandings.
Reverend
Gomar Gultom, chairman of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia, said the
national ecumenical body has written to the minister of religious affairs, as
the person in charge of religious textbooks for junior and senior high schools,
to work with the Ministry of Education and Culture, the publisher, to resolve
the issue.
"Dogmatic
religious lessons in the public sphere will only create segregation and can
even create enmity. That is why religious education in the form of teachings
should be carried out in a private space, such as among families and in houses
of worship — not in schools,” Gultom said in a statement on March 1.
In
an Islamic textbook for senior high school students, it mentions the Bible
having “undergone changes and revisions by human hands,” different from the
original Gospel that was revealed by God to the Prophet Isa, the name for Jesus
among Muslims.
"The
original Bible contains true and real information, namely the commandments of
God so that people can interpret and not associate him with anything,” it said.
Support
Asia's largest network of Catholic journalists and editors.
The
textbook is criticizing the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, according
to the ecumenical body, adding that it also mentions the Gospel of Barnabas.
Gultom
said that although it is part of Islamic teachings, it should not be included
in the religious education curriculum.
"When
the state formulates a religious education curriculum by incorporating
religious dogma or teachings, it is moving into theology, something that is
very absurd," he told UCA News.
Amid
efforts to build harmony, such religious subject matter becomes a serious
obstacle, he added.
"In
Christianity and Islam, there are points of convergence and differences, and if
we are not careful in managing them, it could hinder efforts to achieve such
harmony," he said.
Father
Vinsensius Darmin Mbula, chairman of the National Council of Catholic
Education, said religious textbooks should focus on universal values and be
careful about things that can trigger conflict.
"Even
if we talk about things which are considered to be related to other religions,
the emphasis should be more on how to build bridges to create a spirit of peace
and harmony," he told UCA News.
Religious
Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said he had formed a team to review that particular
book.
Maman
Fathurrahman, head of the Curriculum Center at the Ministry of Education and
Culture, said his department tries to always uphold the spirit of unity and
integrity as well as tolerance among religious believers.
"We
welcome the input from Christians, including the hope that religious studies
will prioritize the study of ethics and universal values of religion," he
said.
However,
Tengku Zulkarnain, a Muslim cleric and former deputy secretary-general of the
Indonesian Ulema Council — the highest Muslim body in the country — warned the
government not to rush into revising textbooks blindly and said it must
consider any changes carefully.
He
said in a tweet that differences in religious views were normal, including the
way other Abrahamic religions like Judaism and Christianity view the Quran.
https://www.ucanews.com/news/indonesian-christians-take-swipe-at-islamic-textbooks/91608
--------
Analysts:
With Amanah reps crossing to PKR, more may follow suit as party's position in
Pakatan weakened
01
Mar 2021
BY
DANIAL DZULKIFLY
KUALA
LUMPUR, Mar 1 — The recent crossover of several Amanah leaders to PKR is a
clear indication of the Muslim progressive party's overall weak position within
the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition which spells out a possible crisis of
leadership, political analysts said.
Universiti
Teknologi Malaysia geostrategist Prof Azmi Hassan pointed out that Amanah was
given a generous seat allocation in the 14th general election by DAP and PKR.
Azmi
said given the current situation, Amanah could be in “real danger” of being
allocated a smaller seat allocation running up to the coming 15th general
election (GE15) if it remains with the PH coalition.
“They
are too dependent on DAP and PKR and I think come GE15, most of the seats will go
to DAP and PKR and not Amanah.
“I
think the representative from Amanah ... it's not that they abandoned the party
but they joined another ally which is PKR as it will gather more lucrative
seats in the coming GE15.
“The
crossover although within the same consortium despite differing parties just
demonstrates how weak Amanah is currently. They only got lucrative seat
allocations in GE14 because DAP and PKR allowed it but I don’t think this will
be the situation in GE15. DAP and PKR will try to get most of the seats for
their own representatives,’’ he said.
Azmi
said despite PH’s supposed projection that all of its component parties are
equal in decision making, the fact is that PKR and DAP remain the key
decision-makers.
“So
this shows within Pakatan, PKR and DAP will call the shots and looking at the
current political decision, Amanah will accept the decision made by the DAP and
PKR even though it will try to portray that these three parties have an equal
voice. But in reality, Amanah lacks real grassroots support. They don’t have
that.
"So,
the latest crossovers of representatives from Amanah to PKR means Amanah is in
real danger of getting lesser seats in GE15, if they remain in Pakatan,’’ he
said, not discounting the fact that there could be more crossovers from Amanah
representatives to other parties.
Senior
fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs Oh Ei Sun said it
won't come as a surprise if more Amanah representatives join other political
parties, including the Perikatan Nasional coalition.
He
said this can happen if party leaders fail to effectively present and press the
party’s Muslim progressive narrative.
“It
is no secret that Amanah has a rather weak national leadership which is unable
to effectively articulate its brand of progressive political Islam. And as long
as they remain so, they should not be surprised to see some of their members
leaving for greener pastures, perhaps even across the grand political
divide," he said.
Last
week, three Johor Amanah assemblymen Amanah joined PKR over alleged
dissatisfaction with their former party’s state leadership.
The
trio include Senggarang assemblyman Khairuddin A. Rahim, Muhamad Said Jonit
(Mahkota) and Faizul Amri Adnan (Serom).
Khairuddin
had said that their change of parties was kept low-key to prevent any
misunderstanding between the two sides.
Political
analyst Kartini Aboo Talib Khalid agreed and said the crossover is a clear
indication of Amanah's weakened position ahead of the coming general election.
“I
think the real reason is money and human resources. To face a general election,
you have to be strong in resources [capital, human being to prepare for all the
groundwork].
“It
is not about lack of leadership but insufficient resources to wheel the
existentialism of the party itself. Amanah is a splinter party, floating with
no root to stay put and no strong foundation to beat PAS,’’ he said.
However,
the crossover will surely strengthen PKR, said Kartini.
“Amanah
represents the Malays; if they decided to join PKR to strengthen the party for
the sake of the Malays vote, they could do that. I don't see the reason for not
doing that,’’ she said.
Commenting
further, Oh said that moving forward, PH should look into creating an
anti-party hopping law within its own coalition, as practiced by Barisan
Nasional.
“It’s
surprising that Pakatan component parties do not have some sort of
anti-mutual-frogging pact in place, as Barisan does. In any case, it also
appears that neither Amanah nor PKR would like to make a big deal out of this,
but prefer instead to sweep the matter under the carpet at least for the time
being.
“Come
next general election, Amanah would of course demand to contest at least the
same number of seats, PKR would morally have to concede to that.
“In
the next GE, it may actually be politically wise for PKR to change some of its
own progressive-looking candidates in more conservative constituencies in favor
of these newly joined reps, as the latter would perhaps present a more
conservative outlook, having previously come from a religious party. But that
would of course in turn trigger another round of power struggle in Johor PKR,’’
added Oh.
Last
year, two Selangor assemblypersons from Amanah — Mohd Fakhrulrazi Mohd Mokhtar
(Meru) and Ahmad Mustain Othman (Sabak) — also joined PKR.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2021/03/01/analysts-with-amanah-reps-crossing-to-pkr-more-may-follow-suit-as-partys-po/1953683
--------
Apart
from the Orang Asal, who is not an immigrant?
February
27, 2021
It
was refreshing to hear Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar say that Johor
appreciates the role played by the Chinese community in developing the state since
the beginning of the Johor Sultanate in the 16th century.
He
said the Chinese were invited to Johor as “guests” by his forefathers to help
develop the state and were not pendatang (immigrants). They were invited to
Johor to open the land and cultivate plantations.
“They
are the ‘Bangsa Johor’ – just like the Malays, Indians and others, who are all
Malaysians,” he stressed.
Obviously,
the Johor Sultan is as sick as most of us are over the charade that continues
to play out in the communalist politics of this country over who is Pribumi and
who is Pendatang. Already the Umno vice- president is calling on Malays to
unite for the approaching 15th general election (GE15).
Certainly,
the sultan’s forefathers invited the prominent Chinese commercial capitalists
who in turn organised indentured labourers (they were called coolies) to work
in the plantations and other enterprises.
Those
towkays who stayed on in the country were immigrants. Why were they not? Any
wealthy person who decides to emigrate to another country as an investor would
also be an immigrant in that country if he or she decides to stay in that
country.
As
the Malayan economy expanded at the turn of the 20th century, the services
sector also expanded, and more immigrants came.
My
grandfather first came to Singapore at the turn of the 20th century because of
the hard times in China at the time. He tried to make a living selling fruits
among other things until he decided to come over to Batu Pahat.
He
must have been quite enterprising for he went on from the rice trade to found
the Batu Pahat Bank, which according to the late Prof Khoo Khay Kim in an
article in The Star in the 1980s (The Bankers of Batu Pahat), was the first
bank to open outside Kuala Lumpur.
He
was also president of the Batu Pahat Chamber of Commerce during his prime. The
present Johor Sultan’s grandfather, Sultan Sir Ibrahim Sultan Abu Bakar
honoured him with an SMJ title. Still, he was an immigrant in Malaya at the
time since he did not return to live in China.
There
are many examples of Chinese entrepreneurs who came to Malaya from humble
beginnings. The boss of Hwa Tai, the publicly listed biscuit company started as
a labourer carrying sacks of rice for a shop in Batu Pahat.
The
boss of the China Press newspaper, Zhou Ruibiao, was a rag-and-bone man who
went round collecting bottles to recycle. There are countless other examples of
immigrants who helped to develop the country.
Malaysians
will also remember the Umno general assembly in 2010 when the top Umno leaders
were poking fun at each other’s immigrant backgrounds. The Umno bigwigs who
were on stage were goaded for their Bugis, Achinese and other foreign origins.
Of
course, the grandfather of the biggest Umno bigwig at the time was an immigrant
from Kerala, India.
The
Bumiputera, immigrant conceptual trick
But
by some “conceptual trick”, these political bigwigs are defined as Malays no
matter their ancestral origins (whether they are from Indonesia, Kerala,
Pakistan or the Middle East) and therefore qualify as Bumiputeras who are
entitled to special privileges in this country.
It
so happened that in the same week as the 2010 Umno general assembly, the Galas
by election in Kelantan was in full swing and the papers highlighted the fact
that in the historic Kampung Pulai in the constituency, a Hakka Chinese
community had been living there for 500 years and yet amazingly they still did
not have titles to their land. Why?
Because
they are considered “immigrants”, that is they had not been granted titles to
their land, apparently because they had not “assimilated” by converting to
Islam and sloughing off their immigrant stigma.
There
are more than 500 Chinese new villages in the country with a population of some
two million and many face this problem. They have existed for more than 70
years ever since the Emergency.
During
every election, a few households will be dished out land titles in the same way
that citizenship is occasionally dished out to a handful of elderly residents.
The boss of the Yongdaohu restaurant, where I frequent, only recently got his
Malaysian citizenship after living in this country and paying taxes for more
than 50 years.
Are
these Chinese and Indian Malaysians asking for special privileges? No, they are
only asking for the simple birth right that accompanies having been born in
this country and for having lived and contributed to this country through so
many years.
The
citizenship issue was a ruse to divide the anti-colonial forces.
The
citizenship issue was thrown into the independence struggle to put the anti-colonial
forces on the defensive – viz who are the pribumi (indigenous people) and who
are the pendatang (immigrants) and therefore not qualified for citizenship,
except through stringent conditions.
Victor
Purcell, who served as a colonial officer, wrote: “But up to independence, the
fact remained that Malayan born or Muslim immigrants from Indonesia were
‘subjects of the rulers’ and automatically Malayan citizens, whereas the
Chinese, Indians, etc, had to satisfy certain conditions of the law in order to
become citizens.”
I
have been monitoring this rather contrived controversy since the 1970s and
never fail to be bemused by the antics of leaders of Malay-based parties. On
Nov 8, 1983, then Umno culture minister Anwar Ibrahim referred to non-Malays in
Parliament as the “new immigrants”.
After
his 1998 sacking by Dr Mahathir Mohamd, he finally recanted his foolish past.
Mahathir also referred to non-Malays as immigrants on Nov 21, 1985. And during
the rather contrived controversy between Umno and MCA over this issue toward
the end of 1986, an “eminent historian” even suggested:
“Malaysian
Chinese are still considered ‘immigrants’ but can become ‘pribumis’ (indigenous
people) if they are able to assimilate Malay customs and religion (Islam).”
Somehow,
the eminent historian overlooked an elementary point of logic – namely, how
could a non-pribumi become a pribumi simply by assimilating when the latter is
strictly a historical category?
He
unwittingly exposed the fact that the pribumi/pendatang distinction is rooted
in political ruse and has nothing to do with historical justification.
The
obsession with ‘race’
Since
the anti-colonial struggle, politicians of Malay-based parties have been
obsessed with race. It is not surprising when there is so much at stake for them
in terms of economic largesse especially after the New Economic Policy was
implemented in 1971.
Mahathir’s
Malay Dilemma is rooted in that paradigm. This obsession with race has little
currency in the anthropology or sociology disciplines, not to speak of human
rights in the international community. Sir Roland Braddel, former president of
the Council of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, and once legal
adviser to Umno, has pointed out:
“There
is, strictly speaking, no such thing as the Malay race; there are Malay people,
the Malay culture and the Malay language, etc.” (The Study of Ancient Times in
the Malay Peninsula and Straits of Malacca, MBRAS, 1980:3)
Serious
scholars of history, anthropology and ethnography are not concerned with the chauvinistic
question of “who was here first?” just to please racists and communalists.
They
are more concerned with holding a humanistic and enquiring attitude. The
racists may like to know that the concept of race used by geneticists and the
like has no relevance to the political differences between people. There is no
concept of dominance (ketuanan) or subordinance (kehambaan) as far as the
rights of citizens are concerned in a democratic country.
As
history is our witness and as the fat cats who cream the largesse of the NEP
also know, Malays are also immigrants to this country, while the Orang Asli
have the sole claim to the epithet “original people” or Orang Asal. But alas,
do they enjoy “Bumiputera” special privileges?
The
Sultan of Johore is sensitive to the fact that Non-Malays have been referred to
as immigrants or pendatang because their citizenship status in this country has
been continually questioned by communalist politicians for so long.
Thus,
even though the Chinese had settled in Kampung Pulai, Kelantan, and Malacca for
some 500 years; in Perak, Penang, Singapore since the 19th century or longer,
only 500,000 Chinese and 230,000 Indians held citizenship in 1950. (Federation
of Malaya Annual Report, 1950:24)
This
represented merely a fifth of the total Chinese population even though by 1947,
more than three-fifths of the Chinese and one-half of the Indian population in
Malaya were locally born. (1947 Census, 1949:29)
A
speech by Tan Cheng Lock, then senior Chinese representative on the Legislative
Council of the Straits Settlements on 19 October 1932 is rather revealing:
“I
look in vain for any tangible sign or indication of any active interest,
practical sympathy, and encouragement that has been shown by the government of
late towards the Straits-born Chinese who have formed a continuous colony in
this country for more than 500 years, and the locally-born Chinese subjects of
the Protected Malay States who have made this country their home.
“On
the contrary, these loyal subjects of Malaya are, practically speaking, not to
be allowed in future to own and cultivate rice lands in this country of their
birth though foreigners from Sumatra and Java are granted that privilege…” (R.
Emerson, “Malaysia”, 1964:513)
At
the time, according to “A Report on the 1931 Census” compiled by C.A. Vlieland:
“Only
a negligible fraction of the Malay population consists of descendants of
pre-19th century immigrants … more than half of it has less than 50 years’
prescriptive right to the title ‘owners of the soil’. The Malays are in fact
merely immigrants of generally longer standing than the other migrant races
represented in the peninsula and are in no sense an autochthonous population.”
From
the foregoing, it is clear the Pribumi/Pendatang distinction is an elaborate
charade designed and played out by communalists since colonial times.
So,
let us take the recent refreshing call by the Sultan of Johore to stop
referring to non-Malays as pendatang in a positive spirit and reaffirm that the
status of nationality and citizenship has the crucial implication that every
citizen is equal in the eyes of the law.
It
does not matter in the least whether citizens have been recently naturalised,
or that their forefathers came here centuries ago; whether they were invited by
Sultans or came as refugees or indentured labourers to escape the hard times in
their original lands.
“For
all our languages, we can’t communicate
For
all our native tongues, we’re all natives here
Sons
of their fathers dream the same dream
The
sound of forbidden words become a scream
Voices
in anger, victims of history
Plundered
and set aside
Grown
fat on swallowed pride…”
(‘Natives’
by Paul Doran)
Kua
Kia Soong is the adviser to Suaram.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2021/02/27/johor-sultan-really-appreciates-role-played-by-chinese-in-developing-state/
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Indonesia
backtracks on allowing alcoholic drinks investments for foreign firms
MARCH
2, 2021
JAKARTA,
March 2 (Reuters) - Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo on Tuesday reinstated a
ban on new foreign investment in the manufacturing of alcoholic drinks, just a
few weeks after agreeing to relax restrictions as part of a broader effort to
attract investors.
The
world’s biggest predominantly Muslim country banned new foreign investment in alcoholic
beverages in the 1990s, but the president issued a regulation last month that
would have permitted it in provinces where Muslims are not the majority of the
local population.
However,
the regulations were still met with criticism from Islamic groups.
“After
hearing input from ulemas ... I hereby declare that the presidential regulation
pertaining to opening new investments in the industry of alcoholic beverages
revoked,” Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, said in remarks
broadcast on television.
Indonesia
allows sales of alcohol in bars and supermarkets in most parts of the country,
with beer and wine accounting for the majority of the local revenue.
Aside
from alcohol, the president did not refer to other parts of the regulation,
which relaxes restrictions on foreign ownership.
The
regulation replaced a so-called “negative investment list”, covering businesses
restricted for foreign investors, with a new “priority list” offering
incentives.
Sectors
like land transportation, ship vessel traffic information systems and flight
navigation are among those opened to foreign firms under the regulation.
(Reporting by Stanley Widianto and Tabita Diela; Editing by Martin Petty)
https://www.reuters.com/article/indonesia-economy-investment/indonesia-backtracks-on-allowing-alcoholic-drinks-investments-for-foreign-firms-idUSL3N2L01TD
--------
Arab
World
Five
injured in Baghdad protest ahead of Pope visit to Iraq
01
March ,2021
At
least five people were injured on Monday when Iraqi security forces wielding
clubs broke up a street protest in Baghdad's central Tahrir Square, security
and hospital sources said.
Pope
Francis plans a March 5-8 visit to Iraq despite deteriorating security in some
parts of the country which has seen the first big suicide bombing in Baghdad
for three years.
About
200 people protested in Tahrir Square in a reaction to security force violence
against protesters in the southern city of Nassiriya on Friday that left at
least eight demonstrators dead and some 250 injured.
Several
hundred people also rallied in the southern port city of Basra on Monday in
solidarity with the Nassiriya protesters, according to a Reuters witness.
Street
clashes in Nassiriya erupted on Feb. 2 and continued for about a week as
security forces fired to disperse protesters trying to storm the provincial
government building using rocks and Molotov cocktails.
Protesters
were demanding the removal of the governor and justice for the killings of
protesters since a wave of popular unrest over endemic state corruption, poor
public services and high unemployment began in 2019.
Later
on Friday, Nassiriya's regional governor stepped down and Prime Minister
Mustafa al-Kadhimi appointed a successor and formed a committee to investigate
the killings.
Nassiriya's
protesters on Sunday suspended rallies for 72 hours to give the government a
chance to meet their demands including investigations of members of security
forces who fired on demonstrators and a prosecution of the former governor.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2021/03/01/Five-injured-in-Baghdad-protest-ahead-of-Pope-visit-to-Iraq-
--------
US
embassy in Riyadh condemns Houthi attack on Jazan
Tamara
Abueish
02
March ,2021
The
United States embassy in Riyadh condemned on Tuesday the attack launched by the
Iran-back Houthi militia on the southwest city of Jazan in Saudi Arabia.
The
US called on the Houthis to stop targeting innocent civilians and to engage in
diplomatic talks.
“The
US Embassy condemns last night’s Houthi attack on Jazan, which injured several
civilians. We wish the victims a speedy and full recovery. We call on the
Houthis to stop attacking innocent civilians and to engage in the diplomatic
process to end this conflict,” the embassy said in a statement on Twitter.
The
Iran-backed militia had launched a military projectile missile towards the
Jazan region in the early hours of Tuesday, located in the southwestern part of
the Kingdom near the Yemeni border, the Saudi Civil Defense said.
At
least five people were injured in the attack when the missile fell in a public
street. Three Saudi Arabian citizens and two Yemenis were transferred to a
hospital for treatment.
The
Houthis have been intensifying their attacks on Saudi Arabia for months now,
launching ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones towards the Kingdom and
civilian objects.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2021/03/02/US-embassy-in-Riyadh-condemns-Houthi-attack-on-Jizan-
--------
Saudi
Arabia: Houthi military projectile fell in Jazan, injured 5 civilians
Tuqa
Khalid
02
March ,2021
Saudi
Arabia’s civil defense said on Tuesday a military projectile launched by
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia fell in the Kingdom’s southern Jazan region,
injuring at least five civilians.
The
Saudi authorities said the projectile fell in a public street, and the injured
were three Saudi citizens and two Yemenis who were transferred to a hospital
for treatment.
The
projectile's debris damaged two houses, a grocery store, and three civilian
cars.
The
Arab Coalition has reported in recent weeks increased aerial attacks launched
by Houthis in Yemen towards civilian areas in the Kingdom.
The
Jazan attack comes two days after the Arab Coalition said it had thwarted a
ballistic missile attack by the Houthis on the Saudi capital Riyadh, and destroyed
six armed drones launched towards cities in the kingdom’s south.
Riyadh
said a Houthi drone attack caused a fire in a civilian aircraft at an airport
in Abha mid-February.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2021/03/02/Saudi-Arabia-Houthi-military-projectile-fell-in-Jazan-injured-5-civilians
--------
Wife
of Australian facing deportation to Saudi Arabia fears Khashoggi fate
01
March 2021
The
wife of an Australian-Saudi citizen facing deportation to Saudi Arabia says she
fears her husband could meet a similar fate as the murdered dissident
journalist, Jamal Khashoggi.
Australia’s
SBS News reported on Monday that Usama Al-Husaini, 42, was awaiting extradition
to Saudi Arabia after being detained in Morocco three weeks ago.
Husaini,
who taught at a Saudi university before becoming a businessman, was visiting
his newborn child in the African country when he was arrested by security
forces four hours after his arrival on February 8, his wife said.
“We
confirm that Moroccan authorities will put Dr. Usama Al-Husaini to trial on 3
March, then he'd most probably be deported to Saudi Arabia, where the real
danger lies,” human rights group Prisoners of Conscience tweeted on Sunday.
“The
issue is really urgent and there is [a] threat upon his life. We reassert that
he has no relation to any political opposition activity,” it added.
However,
according to local media, Husaini has been targeted by the Saudi regime for
allegedly participating in an anti-Riyadh “activity of public opposition.”
Husaini
is reportedly being held at a prison in the town of Tiflet in northwestern
Morocco.
“I
am afraid that my husband will be handed over to the Saudi authorities,” his
wife said, adding, “[H]is fate will be like that of Jamal Khashoggi,” referring
to the Washington Post columnist who was killed by Saudi agents in Turkey in
2018.
A
long-awaited US intelligence report on the brutal killing of the Saudi
journalist was released by the US government last week. The damning assessment
confirmed that the kingdom's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman not only
approved, but also, most likely personally ordered the grisly assassination.
Khashoggi’s
fiancée called on Monday for the Saudi prince, known in the media as MBS, to be
punished following the US intelligence report.
“It
is essential that the crown prince... should be punished without delay,” Hatice
Cengiz said on Twitter. “If the crown prince is not punished, it will forever
signal that the main culprit can get away with murder which will endanger us
all and be a stain on our humanity.”
Khashoggi,
who was a US resident, was killed and dismembered by a team linked to the crown
prince in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in November 2018.
The
administration of President Joe Biden imposed sanctions on some of those
involved - but not bin Salman himself. The Saudi government, which has denied
any involvement by the crown prince, rejected the report's findings.
“Starting
with the Biden administration, it is vital for all world leaders to ask
themselves if they are prepared to shake hands with a person whose culpability
as a murderer has been proven," Cengiz said.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/01/646315/Saudi-Morocco-Khashoggi-Australia
--------
Amid
criticism of inaction in Khashoggi case, US focusing on 'future Saudi conduct’
02
March 2021
The
United States has attempted to push back against criticism of inaction
vis-à-vis Saudi Arabia in the case of the state-sponsored murder of Saudi
dissident Jamal Khashoggi by saying it will be watching Riyadh’s “future
conduct.”
“We
are very focused on future conduct and that is part of why we have cast this
not as a rupture, but as a recalibration” of US-Saudi relations, US State
Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Monday, referring to the
decision to declassify US intelligence confirming the role of Saudi Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the murder of Khashoggi.
Price
said Washington had urged Riyadh to disband the Rapid Intervention Force, which
“exists to defend” Mohammed and “answers only to him,” according to the
declassified US intelligence. Seven out of the 15 members of the hit squad that
killed Khashoggi hailed from that force.
The
US spokesman added that Saudi Arabia had also been urged to adopt
institutional, systemic reforms and controls to ensure that anti-dissident
activities and operations “cease completely.”
“We
are urging Saudi Arabia to take additional steps — to lift travel bans on those
released, to commute sentences and resolve cases such as those women’s rights
activists and others,” he said.
The
administration of US President Joe Biden declassified a report of the
intelligence on Friday, assessing that “Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad
bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi
journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”
Khashoggi,
a former advocate of the Saudi royal court who later became a critic, was
killed and his body was dismembered by the hit squad inside the Saudi consulate
in Istanbul on October 2, 2018. He had entered the premises to collect
documents for his planned marriage with his Turkish fiancée, Hatice Cengiz.
The
Washington Post, where Khashoggi was a columnist, had already reported in
November that same year that the CIA had concluded Mohammed had personally
ordered the murder.
The
Biden administration imposed sanctions on several Saudi individuals involved in
the murder but refused to punish the crown prince, who Washington itself said
had ordered the murder.
That
refusal has sparked wide criticism.
‘Amoral
murderer’
Biden’s
Democratic allies in Congress have called for tougher action, with Senator Ron
Wyden — who led the push to declassify the report — calling the prince “an
amoral murderer responsible for a heinous crime.”
“There
should be personal consequences for MBS — he should suffer sanctions, including
financial, travel and legal — and the Saudi government should suffer grave
consequences as long as he remains in the government,” Wyden said, using
Mohammed’s initials to refer to him.
In
a statement posted on her official Twitter account on Monday, Cengiz, Khashoggi’s
fiancée, also said the Saudi crown prince had lost legitimacy after the
publication of the report, stressing that he “should be punished without
delay.”
Agnes
Callamard, the United Nations (UN)’s special rapporteur on extrajudicial,
summary and arbitrary executions, also decried the US inaction against MBS as
“extremely worrisome.”
Amid
the outcry, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki merely said on Monday that
Washington reserved the right to impose sanctions on Mohammed.
Riyadh
on Friday rejected the US report’s findings, repeating a previous assertion
that Khashoggi had been murdered by a “rogue” group.
On
Monday, Saudi Arabia’s UN ambassador Abdallah al-Mouallimi said the US
intelligence report had presented no firm evidence.
“The
report… is based on could’ve, should’ve and would’ve and does not rise to
anywhere close to proving the accusation beyond reasonable doubt,” al-Mouallimi
said in a Twitter post.
“The
Prince courageously accepted moral responsibility, presented the accused to the
justice system, and pledged to reform the intelligence organizations. Case
closed!” he claimed.
The
Saudi crown prince has denied any involvement in Khashoggi’s assassination, but
has said he bears responsibility because it “happened under my watch.”
Last
September, a Saudi court issued jail sentences against eight people for the
killing of Khashoggi, in a ruling denounced by a UN expert as “parody of
justice.”
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/02/646381/Amid-criticism-of-inaction-in-Khashoggi-case,-US-says-%E2%80%98focused-on-future-Saudi-conduct%E2%80%99
--------
US
failure to sanction MBS for Khashoggi killing ‘dangerous’: UN expert
01
March 2021
Washington’s
attitude in having named Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the one who
ordered and directed the murder of opposition journalist Jamal Khashoggi but
stopping short of imposing sanctions against him is “extremely dangerous,” says
an expert with the United Nations.
A
declassified US intelligence by the Office of the Director of National
Intelligence on Friday revealed that MBS, the crown prince by his initials, had
approved the brutal assassination.
The
publication of the report has heaped pressure on President Joe Biden to make
good on his campaign promises to realign Saudi ties after critics accused his
predecessor, Donald Trump, of giving Saudi Arabia a pass on gross human rights
violations.
“It
is extremely problematic, in my view, if not dangerous, to acknowledge
someone’s culpability and then to tell that someone ‘but we won’t do anything,
please proceed as if have we have said nothing’,” said Agnes Callamard, the UN
special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, on
Monday.
“That
to me is an extremely dangerous move on the part of the USA,” she further told
a Geneva news conference.
Callamard
said what had been declassified “appears to be very little indeed and that’s
disappointing,” adding that she had expected more material evidence in the
intelligence report.
Khashoggi,
a former advocate of the Saudi royal court who later became a critic of bin
Salman, was killed after being lured into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul,
Turkey, on October 2, 2018, and his body was dismembered by a Saudi hit squad.
The
Saudi government initially claimed Khashoggi left the consulate on that day,
but Riyadh later said – allegedly after a thorough investigation into the case
– it had reached the conclusion that he had been killed by a “rogue” group and
not by direct order from the crown prince, who is seen as the de facto ruler of
the kingdom.
Despite
official denials by Riyadh, some Western governments, as well as the CIA, said
they believed MBS ordered the assassination, which caused an international
uproar against Saudi Arabia.
“There
are many things that the US government can do. The one thing it cannot do - it
cannot do - is to be silent and take no action on their findings,” Callamard
said.
On
Saturday, Biden said his administration would make an announcement on Saudi
Arabia on Monday, but a White House official suggested later that no significant
new steps were expected.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/01/646357/MBS-Khashoggi-report-Biden-UN
--------
Africa
US
destroyer docks in Sudan for 1st time in 25 years, day after Russian ship
arrives
Tuqa
Khalid
01
March ,2021
The
US guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill arrived in Port Sudan on
Monday for a scheduled visit, a day after a Russian frigate entered the
Sudanese port.
The
arrival of the American destroyer in Sudan marks increased bilateral military
engagement after a thaw in diplomatic relations between the two countries. The
USS Winston S. Churchill is the first US Navy ship to enter Sudan in over 25
years.
“Together
with Sudan’s civilian-led transitional government, we are striving to build a
partnership between our two armed forces,” said Rear Adm. Michael Baze,
director of maritime headquarters, Navy Africa, US Sixth Fleet.
“We
look forward to fortifying our friendship through increased interactions at sea
and ashore,” he added.
This
visit will provide an opportunity for the Sudanese and US military leaders to
engage in talks to further explore opportunities to work together and establish
a basis for a relationship committed to security and stability in the region,
the US Navy said in its statement.
The
US removed Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and signed an
agreement to provide Sudan with a $1 billion bridge loan to clear the $1.2
billion it owes the World Bank in arrears, after Khartoum signed the “Abraham
Accords” to normalize ties with Israel.
Russia
and Sudan
The
US ship’s arrival in Port Sudan, a strategically important city on the Red Sea
that serves as Sudan's main port, comes a day after the Russian warship,
“Admiral Grigorovich” frigate, entered the Sudanese port where Moscow plans to
build a naval base on the country’s Red Sea coast.
The
Russian naval facility’s capacity will be capped at 300 military and civilian
personnel and four ships, including nuclear-powered vessels, according to the
details published on the Russian government's website.
Moscow
has in recent years turned its eyes to Africa as it renews its geopolitical
clout. Sudan has a strategic location bridging the Horn of Africa, the Gulf,
and North Africa.
It
has wooed Sudan with military and civilian nuclear cooperation, signing a deal
between the countries' armed forces in May 2019 set to last seven years.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/north-africa/2021/03/01/US-destroyer-docks-in-Sudan-for-1st-time-in-25-years-day-after-Russian-ship-arrives
--------
Somali
premier appoints committees to probe clashes
Mohammed
Dhaysane
02.03.2021
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
Somali
Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble appointed two committees late Monday to
investigate clashes on Feb. 19 between government forces and opposition
protesters in the capital Mogadishu.
The
committees will also work on ensuring that peaceful protests are held on March
6 as agreed by Roble and opposition presidential candidates in their second
meeting at Aden Adde International Airport earlier in the day.
Opposition
presidential candidate Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame said at a press conference
after the meeting that the opposition will organize the protest and the
government will maintain security.
He
said the opposition hopes the new committees will find out what happened on
Feb. 19 when government forces and opposition security personnel clashed near
Somalia's presidential palace.
At
least four people were killed, including soldiers, according to security
sources.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/somali-premier-appoints-committees-to-probe-clashes/2161263
--------
Why
is Ethiopia downplaying border conflict with Sudan?
Sadik
Kedir Abdu
01.03.2021
In
the wake of the Adwa victory celebration of its 125th anniversary, the colonial
crisis has been creating a long-lasting scar in Africa in general, Ethiopia in
particular, although the country has succeeded in a battle against colonial
power Italy.
Actually,
the current border issue between friendly countries Ethiopia and Sudan traces
to the unfair and cruel deal of partitioning Africa during the Berlin
conference. Even the etymological definition of both countries refers to the
same cultural roots. However, the divide and rule system by the then colonial
powers installed time bombs in different parts of Africa, including the Ethiopia-Sudan,
and Ethiopia-Somalia borders which have been disputed for decades.
Therefore,
to understand the recent conflict between Ethiopia and Sudan, one should know
the border delimitation and demarcation process during the colonial periods.
Though
Ethiopia is an independent nation, it has been subject to various colonial
agreements to keep the country in the current shape. According to media
reports, the current conflict arises from two significant reasons: Ethiopia's
request for hard demarcation around the border and Sudan's nulling of the
colonial treaties of border delimitation.
The
Ethiopia-Sudan border was not studied well during the delimitation process.
Starting from emperor Yohannes IV (ruled from 1837-1889) of Ethiopia,
negotiations and talks about the border have been started.
However,
the treaty signed by emperor Minilik II (ruled from 1889-1913) in 1902 with
Britain led to the rough delimitation of the border. So Britain by then was not
ready to confront Ethiopia due to rebellion in colonized Sudan.
Ethiopia,
winning the Adwa Victory over Italy (a major battle between Ethiopia and Italy
due to Italy's unfair desire to babysit Ethiopia and the announcement of the
country as its colony using the fraudulent Wuchale treaty 17th article that says
all Ethiopian communications to the external world should be carried out
through Italy), was considered a threat by Britain if it will support the
Sudanese rebels. Hence, the treaty allowed Ethiopia to get whatever it desired.
Long story short, the border is roughly delimitated on a map without any
significant marks on the real ground that disputed for more than a century.
Recently,
the Ethiopia-Sudan border conflict has become a major agenda in Horn and North
Africa. Surprisingly, Ethiopia is playing it with a slight ignorance by not
taking aggressive measures for the Sudanese advancement around the Fashaga
triangle.
In
this article, we specifically try to go through why Ethiopia is not turning the
agenda page to this decades-long border issue reignited by Sudan. There are
multiple speculations raised on this issue. This article will discuss the major
ones and concludes in alignment with the one that is approximate to not only
the politics but socio-economic and cultural demography of both countries.
Firstly,
keeping in mind that Ethiopia has been in an internal operation, some reports
say that the border issue is ignored due to the security power shift to the
internal affairs in northern Tigray, which was carried out by Ethiopian armed
forces.
According
to a Foreign Policy magazine report, Sudan has been showing interest in
supporting the battle between the Ethiopian government and Tigray's TPLF
(Tigrian People's Liberation Front) to use the timing to advance around the
border. The Ethiopian government also accuses Sudanese security forces of using
the opportunity by creating an issue in the disputed area. The other major
point that might be considered is the Sudanese internal state fragility. It has
not been three years since Sudan passed a military coup that led to the
replacement and imprisonment of former President Omer Hassan al-Bashir.
After
Abdullah Hamdok became the new president, Sudan was somehow relieved from the
constant protests. But recently, people are staging protests in the capital
Khartoum, denouncing paramilitary units and the closure of detention centers.
Therefore, some scholars believe that the border issue was raised to divert the
internal agenda to an international one. Aware of this, Ethiopia is downplaying
the situation and giving diplomacy a fair chance.
Al-Fashaga,
an approximately 100 square mile area, is not a recent issue. But the
catalyzation of the issue also seems to have an association with the Grand
Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiation process. Sudan was the ally of Ethiopia
during the process but turned out to turn back with Egypt after Ethiopia moved
to fill the dam reservoir's first phase.
Therefore,
the other speculation is the Egyptian lobby on the Sudanese government. When
Sudan inflame the issue again, Egypt was expressing its all-out support against
Ethiopia. In fact, Egyptian media reports have also given a glimpse of a
military drill with the Egyptian army in Sudan. Inferring from this, Ethiopia
has strongly believed that Egypt lobbied the issue to sabotage ongoing
tripartite negotiations about the Nile dam.
When
talking about the border issue, it has not been a major confrontation area
between the two counties. Diplomacy and friendly relations were kept at the top
of all problems and solved in such a manner.
Nevertheless,
it seems a little tougher this time due to military raids and due attention
from Sudanese and Arab world media.
Ethiopia
insists that the issue should be solved through diplomacy, but to work out on
this, Sudan should pull back to where it was before Nov. 6, which refers to the
start of a military advancement by Sudan to the disputed border.
On
the other hand, Sudan stressed that its border was crossed by Ethiopian
militias and raided border securities.
With
a 994-mile long shared border, Ethiopia and Sudan have so many common cultural
and socio-economic values that would not allow war spirit. When it is traced
back to colonial treaties, the border has been kept in diplomatic ways without
hard demarcation. So that makes the recent flaming of the agenda that has a
strong reference to an external lobby.
Besides,
Ethiopia, instead of directly being involved in the border issue, has advanced
the agenda of filling the reservoir of the GERD for the second time, which
Ethiopian officials believe nullify Egypt's lobby to engage Sudan and Ethiopia
in the border issue to buy time.
Hence,
added to the above two reasons, the third one is playing a major role in the
catalyzation of the situation.
Ethiopia
has chosen to go in a silent tone focusing on GERD. If speculations are true,
then by the coming six months, it will get an answer after Ethiopia fills the
dam in the July and August rainy season. If not, then the issue will get
another picture that might affect the horn of Africa significantly.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/opinion-why-is-ethiopia-downplaying-border-conflict-with-sudan/2160783
--------
Somali
government warns COVID-19 situation is 'dire'
Mohammed
Dhaysane
01.03.2021
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
The
Somali health minister on Monday has warned that the COVID-19 situation in the
Horn of African country is "dire" and called for strict adherence to
health measures in fighting the disease.
"The
situation is dire but we are confident that with the rollout of vaccines in the
near future we will be able to manage this second wave," Dr. Fowzia Abikar
said in a statement issued on Monday.
The
first outbreak she said was managed largely thanks to a lockdown and closure of
all schools and universities.
"We
have again submitted and advised for these same restrictions and measures.
Regardless we advise all parents to NOT send their kids to school and follow
the health guidelines," she added.
Health
ministry officials told Anadolu Agency over the phone that the country will
receive 1.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the coming weeks.
Somalia
recorded eight deaths and 266 new cases after 1,807 samples were tested over
the last 24 hours.
The
country's total number of COVID-19 cases now stands at 7,257, recoveries at
3,808, and fatalities at 239.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/somali-government-warns-covid-19-situation-is-dire/2160417
--------
North
America
Support
for Israel declining in UK, US, analyst says
02
March 2021
The
“traditional” support for Israel in the West, particularly in the US and the
UK, is declining, suggests a political analyst.
In
an interview with Press TV on Monday, journalist and pro-Palestinian activist,
Asa Winstanley, also noted that Tel Aviv spares no efforts to pressure the
Western countries to pursue it policies.
“Support
for Israel in the United States declines every year,” he said. “Israel deploys
a wide range of pressure on governments in the United States and in Britain
to… make sure this kind of ideological
hegemony continues. And it's particularly vulnerable in European countries and
Britain because the public support for the Palestinians has really risen.”
Winstanley
was commenting on recent remarks by David Miller, a professor of political
sociology at the University of Bristol, who slammed the Zionist regime for “an
assault on [Britain’s] public sphere.”
“Meaningful
conversations about anti-Black racism and Islamophobia have been drowned out by
a concerted lobbying campaign targeting universities, political parties, the
equalities regulator and public institutions all over the country,” Miller
wrote.
Miller
asserted that he is under pressure by the Israeli lobby, which aims to sack him
from the university, where he teaches political sociology with a focus on
“corporate and state power, lobbying tactics and Islamophobia.”
At
least 200 academics from the United Kingdom and the United States signed a
petition defending the British university lecturer after called some pro-Israel
students on his campus “pawns” of “a violent, racist, foreign regime engaged in
ethnic cleansing.”
As
Palestine’s popularity rises in the West, the Zionist regime is resorting to
more and more lobbying in an attempt to silence anyone speaking truth to power.
“So,
in order to kind of stop the rot, as they see it, they deploy a wide range of
lobby groups in the UK and Europe and America to pressure public institutions
to carry out policies that are supportive of Israel,” Winstanley said.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/02/646372/David-Miller-palestine-us-uk-israel-asa-winstanley
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Pentagon
confirms one Iran-backed fighter killed in Syria, two more wounded
Joseph
Haboush
01
March ,2021
One
Iran-backed fighter was killed and two more were wounded during last week’s
airstrike carried out by the United States, a Pentagon official said Monday.
Pentagon
Spokesman John Kirby said, “it was likely one militia member was killed,” and
two more were wounded.
Last
week, US forces used two fighter jets to drop seven precision-guided munitions
on two Iranian proxies along the Syria-Iraq border. The Pentagon said the
strikes destroyed nine facilities near the Al-Boukamal border.
“We'll
continue to assess ... and if that changes, we'll certainly let you know,”
Kirby said during a press briefing.
The
US does not know the nationality of the fighter killed.
Kirby
was asked if intelligence may have been leaked ahead of the operation, Kirby
said: “We have no indication of that.”
Responding
to reports that the strike had no “real operational effect” on the militias,
Kirby said the attack was designed to do two things. “To remove that compound
from their utilization of it as an entry control point from Syria into Iraq and
to send a very strong signal that we’re not going to tolerate attacks on our
people and our Iraqi partners,” he said.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2021/03/01/US-foreign-policy-Pentagon-confirms-one-Iran-backed-fighter-killed-in-Syria-two-more-wounded
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US
wasted at least $2.4B in Afghanistan: Watchdog
Beyza
Binnur Dönmez
01.03.2021
Washington
has wasted billions of dollars since 2008 on buildings and vehicles that were
abandoned or destroyed in Afghanistan, a report by US government watchdog
revealed Monday.
The
Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, reported
that about $2.4 billion in assets of the $7.8 billion "were unused or
abandoned, had not been used for their intended purposes, had deteriorated, or
were destroyed."
While
more than $1.2 billion was being used as intended, the SIGAR said only $343.2
million worth of buildings and vehicles "were maintained in good
condition."
"The
fact that so many capital assets wound up not used, deteriorated or abandoned
should have been a major cause of concern for the agencies financing these
projects," Special Inspector General John F. Sopko said in the report. "Nonetheless,
the agencies continued with a 'business as usual' approach with their
reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, resulting in at least $2.4 billion in
U.S. taxpayer funds being wasted on capital assets."
Nothing
that the watchdog did not inspect all US-funded capital asset projects in
Afghanistan, Sopko said the actual amount of waste is "almost certainly
higher."
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-wasted-at-least-24b-in-afghanistan-watchdog-/2160938
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170
lawmakers write to Biden: Press Turkey on rights, Erdogan strained ties with US
Tuqa
Khalid
01
March ,2021
More
than 170 US House of Representatives signed a bipartisan letter sent to
Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging President Joe Biden’s administration
to press Turkey on human rights abuses and accused Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan of straining Washington-Ankara ties.
“We
ask that you aim to address the troubling human rights abuses taking place
under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey has long been a key United States
ally. Unfortunately, President Erdogan has strained the relationship between
our nations,” said the letter, dated February 26 and made public on Monday.
Erdogan
said on February 20 he wanted to strengthen Turkish-US ties under the Biden
administration on the basis of “win-win” and that the common interests of
Turkey and the United States outweighed the differences.
The
Turkish leader’s speech struck a much softer tone when compared to Ankara’s
recent rhetoric on the US since Biden took office.
Ties
between the two NATO allies have been strained over a host of issues. In
December, the United States sanctioned Turkey for its purchase of Russian S-400
defense systems, while Ankara has been infuriated by US support for the Kurdish
YPG militia in Syria, which it considers a terrorist organization.
Ankara
has called on Washington to end its support for the YPG and accused it of
siding with militants who it says executed 13 Turks in northern Iraq this
month, while the US has criticized Ankara over human rights and freedoms.
The
US lawmakers said: “President Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party
have used their nearly two decades in power to weaken Turkey’s judiciary,
install political allies in key military and intelligence positions, crack down
on free speech and free press, and wrongfully imprison political opponents,
journalists and minorities.”
“While
it is in our mutual interest for the United States and Turkey to remain
strategic allies and repair the rifts between us, we believe changes to
President Erdogan and his party’s behavior are vital to seeing that
relationship restored. We hope that the State Department under your leadership
and the Biden administration more broadly will elevate human rights and
democratic backsliding concerns in our bilateral relations,” they added.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2021/03/02/170-lawmakers-write-to-Biden-Press-Turkey-on-rights-Erdogan-strained-ties-with-US
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Top
US diplomat calls on Iran-backed Houthis to halt offensive against Yemen’s
Marib
01
March ,2021
US
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Saudi Arabia and the
government of Yemen are “committed and eager” to find a way to end the war in
Yemen and called on the Iran-backed Houthis to do the same.
Speaking
after a visit to the region by his Yemen envoy Tim Lenderking, Blinken told a
UN humanitarian aid pledging conference: “He reports that the Saudis and the
Republic of Yemen government are committed and eager to find a solution to the
conflict.”
Blinken
called on the Houthi militia to cease the cross-border attacks and military
offensives that he said had prolonged the war.
Saudi
Arabia has repeatedly been targeted by missile attacks claimed by the Yemeni
rebels.
“The
necessary first step is to stop their offensive against Marib, a city where a
million internally displaced people live, and to join the Saudis and the
government in Yemen in making constructive moves towards peace,” he said.
The
battle for Marib has threatened camps for internally displaced people who have
fled there during the six-year war.
Around
140 sites have sprung up in the region to provide basic shelter for the
displaced, who number up to two million, according to Yemen’s government.
The
United Nations has warned of a looming humanitarian disaster if the fight for
Marib continues, saying it has put “millions of civilians at risk.”
During
the donor conference, Blinken said aid alone would not end the conflict. “We
can only end the humanitarian crisis in Yemen by ending the war ... so the
United States is reinvigorating our diplomatic efforts to end the war.”
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2021/03/01/US-Secretary-Blinken-calls-on-Iran-backed-Houthis-to-stop-offensive-against-Marib
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Biden
wary of chiding MBS to ‘maintain power dynamic’: Analyst
01
March 2021
The
Biden administration is wary of reprimanding the Saudi crown prince for
authorizing the murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi to
“maintain the power dynamic”, says a political analyst.
Helen
Buyniski told Press TV that the US State Department “wants leverage to be able
to exert pressure on Riyadh”, and if they punish Mohammad bin Salman, they
would “lose that leverage.”
“The
declassified document that purports to prove MBS authorized the killing says
nothing the US and other governments didn’t already know,” she said, adding
that the US intelligence is notorious for using weasel words like “highly
likely” when it lacks proof to back its claims.
The
US journalist and political commentator said the Biden administration is under
tremendous pressure at home with public opinion overwhelmingly opposed to the
US-facilitated Saudi war crimes in Yemen.
“This
pseudo-aggressive posturing allows Biden to look tough while nothing actually
changes policy-wise,” Buyniski said, hinting that the report on Khashoggi’s
murder is merely an eyewash.
“The
Biden administration is essentially giving MBS a very public slap on the
wrist,” she asserted, “It’s doubtful this will impact any of the two countries’
dealings in private, and their fundamentally cooperative relationship is
unlikely to change.”
The
analyst said the US announcement on ending support to the Saudi-led devastating
war in Yemen is “riddled with holes” with members of the US Congress seeking
answers on how the administration plans to “distinguish between offensive and
defensive military, intelligence and logistical support in determining which it
can supply to Saudi Arabia.”
On
the need to adopt “tough measures” against the notorious Saudi crown prince,
the analyst noted that he is presently behaving in line with US’ expectations –
“continuing to buy American weapons, using them to terrorize Yemen, and make
nice with Israel.”
“By
not acting now to punish MBS, Biden retains a bargaining chip he will be able
to use later if the crown prince decides he’s no longer willing to have his
country exploited as Washington’s most reliable supplier of terrorists or have
the value of Saudi oil reserves pumped and dumped by vulture capitalists,”
Buyniski said.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/01/646338/US-Biden-administration-Saudi-Arabia-MBS-Jamal-Khashoggi-Murder-Washington-Riyadh
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US
urges Saudis to disband Khashoggi murder force
Michael
Hernandez
01.03.2021
WASHINGTON
The
US on Monday said it has urged Saudi Arabia to disband a unit of its Royal
Guard that answers directly to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and was
implicated in the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
State
Department spokesman Ned Price disclosed the diplomatic call publicly for the
first time after the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) said in
long-anticipated report that seven individuals within the 15-member hit squad
sent to Istanbul in 2018 to "kill or capture" Khashoggi were from the
group.
"We
are aware of a network known as the Rapid Intervention Force, a unit of the
Saudi Royal Guard, that has engaged in counter-dissident operations including
the operation that resulted in the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi," he
said.
"We
have urged Saudi Arabia to disband this group and then adopt institutional,
systemic reforms and controls to ensure that anti-dissident activities
operations cease, and cease completely," he added.
In
addition to carrying out anti-dissident activities, the force is also bin
Salman's personal protective detail.
While
it has taken steps such as blacklisting the group and a former top intelligence
official, the Biden administration has faced criticism for not sanctioning bin
Salman after the DNI implicated him directly in Khashoggi's murder.
The
White House earlier Monday sought to diffuse criticism, arguing in part that
the US does not sanction the heads of state of government with whom it has
diplomatic relations.
While
it is exceedingly rare for the US to sanction a world leader with whom it has
ties, it is not without precedent.
Among
them are Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Nicaraguan President Daniel
Ortega, Myanmar's de facto leader Min Aung Hlaing and Zimbabwean President
Emmerson Mnangagwa.
White
House spokeswoman Jen Psaki also pointed to US national interests in explaining
why bin Salman was not designated.
"Global
diplomacy requires holding countries accountable when needed, but also acting
in the national interests of the United States," she said.
Released
on Friday, the DNI's unclassified report concluded that the Kingdom's de facto
ruler "approved" the operation in Istanbul to "capture or
kill" Khashoggi, based in part on his "control of decisionmaking in
the Kingdom, the direct involvement of a key adviser and members of Muhammad
bin Salman's protective detail in the operation, and the Crown Prince's support
for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, including
Khashoggi."
"Since
2017, the Crown Prince has had absolute control of the Kingdom's security and
intelligence organizations, making it highly unlikely that Saudi officials
would have carried out an operation of this nature without the Crown Prince's
authorization," it added in an executive summary.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-urges-saudis-to-disband-khashoggi-murder-force/2161175
--------
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