Barbaric Pakistan Lynching: At Condolence Meet PM Imran Khan Says Won't Tolerate Violence In The Name Of Religion
New Age Islam News Bureau
08 December 2021
People light oil lamps next to laid roses to express
their condolences to the people of Sri Lanka, following the lynching of the Sri
Lankan factory manager, in Karachi, Pakistan [Akhtar Soomro/Reuters]
------
• Clerics of Different Religious Schools of Thought
Visited the Sri Lankan High Commission to Express Condolence on the Tragic
Killing of Priyantha Kumara
• Mosque Leading to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Painted 'Saffron' In Varanasi Ahead Of PM Narendra Modi's Visit
• Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs to
Muslims: "Give Up Building At Mathura's Krishna Janmabhoomi"
• Twenty Bangladesh Students Sentenced To Death for
Brutal Murder of Abrar Fahad, 21, Who Criticised the Government on Social Media
Pakistan
• Violence in Islam’s Name Won’t Go Unpunished: PM
• 'Ashamed': Pakistan grapples with fallout from mob
killings over blasphemy
• Man, who tried to save manager from mob, dedicates
honour to deceased, Sri Lankan nation
• Pakistani Hindu families stranded in India return
after months
--------
India
• Muslims Perform Last Rites of Elderly Kashmiri
Rajput Hindu in Kulgam
• Aurangzeb Donated Lands for Kamakhya Temple in
Guwahati, According To the Guwahatiplus.Com
• Muslim Council Rejects Clerics’ Namaz Deal; Muslims
Will Continue Juma’ah Prayers At All the 37 Sites Agreed Upon In 2018
• In First Delhi Riots Conviction, Man Found Guilty of
Setting Fire to Muslim Woman's Home
--------
South Asia
• Taliban’s provincial governors directed to resolve
problems of those seeking asylum abroad
• Lankan Minister Demands Apology From Pakistan's
Defence Minister For Insensitive Remarks On Lynching
• Taliban writes to Afghan missions globally to fall
in line, gets tepid response
• Bangladesh mantri seeks Teesta issue resolution,
return of Rohingya
• Hunger could kill more Afghans than all the bombs
and bullets of the past two decades, warns US think tank
• Afghanistan’s central bank receives second package
of humanitarian cash
• Afghan Taliban fighters now man urban checkpoints
--------
Europe
• Suspect In Killing Of Saudi Journalist Jamal
Khashoggi Arrested In France
• Bosnia arrests five former Muslim soldiers for war
crimes against Serbs
• UK abandoned supporters as Afghanistan fell to
Taliban, whistle-blower tells Parliament
• Iran nuclear draft proposals ‘not a reasonable
basis’ for deal: France
• 'Turkey should enjoy EU funding for Green Deal'
--------
Mideast
• Iran’s Top Security Official Warns of US Plot to
Revive ISIL, Create New Crisis
• CBI Governor: Iran's Access to Forex Resources
Facilitated despite US Economic Terrorism
• President Rayeesi: Gas Swap Deal with Azerbaijan,
Turkmenistan to Make Iran Regional Transit Hub
• Iranian Envoy: Unilateral Coercive Measures Should
Exclude Cultural Properties
• Israel announces completion of ‘smart fence’ around
Gaza Strip
• Dutch appeals court rejects Palestinian’s case over
Israeli airstrike in Gaza
--------
Southeast Asia
• Jobless Man Fined For Insulting Remarks On Islam,
Ex-Minister
• Transport minister: No more requirement for liquor
licence to sell alcohol following orders by MOF to Customs
• Malaysia records 66 more Covid-19 deaths, including
nine brought-in-dead
--------
Arab World
• UAE weekend change: Is UAE the first Arab or Islamic
country to approve Friday as an official working day?
• Organisation of Islamic Cooperation can benefit from
Egypt’s prestigious Islamic institutions: Sisi
• US Senate approves $650 million sale of missiles to
Saudi Arabia
• Iraqis who helped ADF fight Islamic State say they
have been abandoned by Australia
• Motorcycle Bomb Kills 4 in Iraq, Official Blames
Islamic State
• Around 400 Iraqi migrants flown back to Erbil from
Belarus
• Gilgamesh tablet stolen during Gulf war returned to
Iraq in formal ceremony
• Saudi Arabia: Citizen arrested in France not tied to
Khashoggi case, should be freed
--------
Africa
• Algeria Grants $100 Million to Palestinian
Authority: Ennahar TV
• Sudan’s deal a clean slate for Hamdok but lost
opportunity for real change: Analysts
• UN says 30 percent of Sudan’s people will need aid
next year
• UN chief names US diplomat Stephanie Williams to run
Libya mediation
--------
North America
• US Imposes Sanctions on People in Iran, Syria and Uganda,
Citing Rights Abuses
• Once-bustling Afghan Embassy in US down to few
diplomats
• US Navy seizes two caches of Iranian arms in Arabian
Sea destined for Yemen’s Houthis
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/barbaric-pakistan-lynchingimran-violence/d/125923
--------
Barbaric Pakistan Lynching: At Condolence Meet PM
Imran Khan Says Won't Tolerate Violence In The Name Of Religion
People light oil lamps next to laid roses to express
their condolences to the people of Sri Lanka, following the lynching of the Sri
Lankan factory manager, in Karachi, Pakistan [Akhtar Soomro/Reuters]
------
Dec 07, 2021
The government will not tolerate violence in the name
of religion, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday, warning those
who commit such acts will not be spared by the authorities. The comment came
days after the barbaric lynching of a Sri Lankan factory manager in Pakistan by
an Islamist mob.
On Tuesday, authorities organized a condolence meeting
at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad. During the event, Khan also
praised Malik Adnan, a colleague who tried to save the life of the Sri Lankan
national. The incident has brought embarrassment to the country, he said.
“I am certain our youth will remember the way Adnan
stood up to those monsters,” he said.
The premier said the Holy Prophet brought peace and
justice to Arab society, adding that the first welfare state was established by
the Holy Prophet.
“People are killing in the name of the Holy Prophet,”
Khan was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune. Pakistan, he said, has now
decided to "put an end to such incidents". He further added blasphemy
accused rot in jails because lawyers and judges were scared to listen to the
cases.
“Judges refuse to hear blasphemy cases, we know that.
Then who will defend these accused,” he said.
Islamic clerics from different schools of thought also
issued a joint statement on Tuesday condemning the incident.
"It was an inhumane act, and to accuse someone of
blasphemy without proof is not in accordance with the Shariah," Chairman
Council of Islamic Ideology Qibla Ayaz was quoted as saying by Dawn. He also
met the Sri Lankan High Commission to Pakistan Mohan Wijewickrema.
"This tragedy caused anger worldwide as the mob
brutally killed a man and later burned his body," he said, adding the
incident against “the teaching of the Holy Quran, the Constitution as well”
There was no place for extremism and violence in Islam,
he said, urging scholars to play their due role in uprooting the menace.
Source: South Asia Monitor
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Clerics of Different Religious Schools of Thought
Visited the Sri Lankan High Commission to Express Condolence on the Tragic
Killing of Priyantha Kumara
(Photo courtesy: The Nation)
----
By Asim Yasin
December 08, 2021
ISLAMABAD: The Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council and
SAPM on Religious Harmony and Middle East, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood
Ashrafi, along with Ulema and Mashaykh of different religious schools of
thought visited the Sri Lankan High Commission here on Tuesday to deplore and
express condolence on the tragic killing of Sri Lankan national Priyantha
Kumara in the Sialkot incident. They declared the incident as a clear violation
of Pakistani laws, including the Quran and Sunnah, the Constitution and
democracy.
"The Ulema of different religious schools of
thought have announced unanimously to observe 'Condemnation Day' on Friday,
10th December, 2021 all over the country against the tragic incident of
Sialkot," said Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council and SAPM Hafiz Muhammad
Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, while talking to the media here on Tuesday along with
the leadership of different religious schools of thought. Besides SAPM Ashrafi,
the delegation comprised Chairman Council of Islamic Ideology Dr. Qibla Ayaz
and Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Abdul Khabeer Azad and other Ulema. The
delegation was led by Wifaqul Madaris Al-Arabia President Mufti Taqi Usmani.
Ashrafi said a 'Condemnation Day' would be observed
across the country on Friday against the tragic incident of Sialkot. Also
during the Friday congregations, religious scholars will educate the public on
Blasphemy Laws and ask them to abide by the law of the land. The Ulema's visit
to the Sri Lankan High Commission is a clear message to extremists and
terrorist elements that no violation of the law is acceptable, he said.
"We will not allow anyone to use religion for their personal gain,"
he said, adding the premier had made it clear that "hooliganism" in
the name of religion will not be tolerated anymore. "No one will be
allowed to torch someone to death or burn houses [...] for how long will people
from the Christian community go to jails?" the special representative
asked.
Chairman Council of Islamic Ideology Dr Qibla Ayaz
said the Sialkot tragedy has caused global outrage, also in Pakistan. “This
incident is starkly against the teachings of the Holy Quran, the Constitution
and laws of Pakistan and the reprehensible act has brought shame to the people
of Pakistan." He said the strictest-possible legal action must be taken
against the miscreants. There was no place for extremism and violence in Islam,
and urged scholars to play their due role in uprooting the menace. Dr Ayaz said
Ulema fully support the decision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to award
Tamgha-i-Shujaat to Malik Adnan, who had tried to shield Kumara from the
violent mob.
Speaking on the occasion, President Wifaqul Madaris
Al-Arabia, Mufti Taqi Usmani, said the delegation conveyed its heartfelt sorrow
over the barbaric incident to the Sri Lankan high commissioner, the victim’s
family and people of Sri Lanka. Mufti Usmani said, "The incident has
shaken the entire nation to its core. Pakistan and Sri Lanka are friendly
countries and this tragic incident is a shared grief.” Mufti Usmani demanded
due punishment to the culprits involved in this heinous act of barbarism. He
also expressed the hope that the Government of Pakistan would compensate the
victim’s family "even though there can be no real compensation [for the
loss of a life]."
Former federal minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi said that we
are saddened by this tragedy and the religious scholars will play their role in
bringing the culprits to justice. Senator Professor Sajid Mir said no amount of
condemnation of the Sialkot incident was enough. "We are with Priyantha's
family and express our solidarity with the friendly country of Sri Lanka."
Hanif Jalandhari termed the incident as highly reprehensible. Allama Arif
Wahidi, Shia Ulema Council of Pakistan, said that we are representing the whole
nation here and we condemn this extremism. "This is an enmity with
Pakistan and Islam." Others in the delegation included Allama Ameen
Shaheedi, Sahibzada Hamid Raza etc. On the occasion, a joint statement issued
by the religious scholar called the Sialkot incident a "violation of the
Constitution of Pakistan and Islamic laws, which caused great humiliation to
the country".
Speaking on the occasion, Sri Lankan High Commissioner
Wijewickrama said it was tragic to see the brutal attack on Priyantha
Diyawadana by an extremist mob and termed it a very sad and tragic incident.
“We appreciate the sympathy of the people of Pakistan and such incidents should
not happen anywhere in the world, including Pakistan,” he said.
The high commissioner said he was satisfied with the
measures taken by the Government of Pakistan in dealing with the issue for
taking stringent action against the culprits. He said that already a number of
culprits had been rounded up and were behind the bars. The high commissioner
said Pakistan and Sri Lanka were both friendly countries and this incident will
not affect the relations between the two friendly countries. "The
relationship between the two countries dates back to the independence of Sri
Lanka and Pakistan," he said and thanked the delegation for expressing
condolence with the people of Sri Lanka and the victim’s family.
Earlier, the Ulema delegation laid flowers at the
memorial, adorned with portrait of the deceased Sri Lankan manager.
Source: The News Pakistan
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Mosque Leading to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Painted
'Saffron' In Varanasi Ahead Of PM Narendra Modi's Visit
Representative image. Credit: iStock Photo
----
08th December 2021
VARANASI: A mosque on the road leading to the Kashi
Vishwanath temple here has been painted "saffron" by the authorities
ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expected visit on December 13,
according to a masjid committee panel member.
There was no immediate comment from the authorities
over the claim but an official had earlier said all buildings on the road are
being given an uniform colour, which is "light pink".
After an objection was raised by members of the Muslim
community, the mosque located in the Bulanala area is being repainted white
again.
Mohammad Ejaz Islahi of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid
Committee said, "The mosque was first white in colour. It was painted
saffron. The masjid committee was not consulted."
He alleged that is was done under a "conspiracy"
and they submitted their objection to the Kashi Vishwanath temple office.
Efforts were also made to raise the objection before
the district magistrate but he could not be met, Islahi said.
"Later, the administration understood this and
the mosque is being painted white," he added.
Sunil Verma, Secretary of the Varanasi Development
Authority (VDA) and the Chief Executive Officer of the Kashi Vishwanath temple,
had earlier said the buildings on the road leading to shrine are being given an
uniform colour.
Most structures in the area are made of sandstone,
which is of "light pink" colour, he had said.
The buildings of the area are being painted with this
theme, he had added.
Source: New Indian Express
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Minister
of State for Parliamentary Affairs to Muslims: "Give Up Building At
Mathura's Krishna Janmabhoomi"
Mosque
Near Temple In Mathura Should Be Given To Hindus: UP Minister
-----
December
07, 2021
Ballia
(Uttar Pradesh): Uttar Pradesh minister Anand Swarup Shukla has said Muslims
should hand over a mosque close to a temple at the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi in
Mathura to Hindus, referring to it as a “Safed Bhavan” (white structure).
In
provocative remarks on Monday, he said while the court had resolved the Ayodhya
issue, the “white structures” in Varanasi and Mathura hurt Hindus.
"A
time will come when the white structure in Mathura that hurts every Hindu will
be removed with the help of the court,” Mr Shukla, the minister of state for
parliamentary affairs, told reporters Monday evening.
“Dr
Ram Manohar Lohia had said that the Muslims of India would have to believe that
Ram and Krishna were their ancestors and that Babar, Akbar and Aurangzeb were
attackers. Do not associate yourself with any building built by them," he
added.
The
minister said, "The Muslim community should come forward and hand over the
white structure located in the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi complex in Mathura to
Hindus. Time will come when this work will be completed."
He
said on December 6 (1992), ‘karsewaks' had removed a “blot on Ramlalla” and now
a grand temple is being constructed there. He was apparently referring to the
demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya by Hindutva mobs.
Asked
about the conversion of former Shia Waqf Board chairman Syed Wasim Rizvi to
'Sanatan dharma' (Hinduism), he said Muslims should follow and do "ghar
wapsi" (return to Hinduism).
"All
Muslims in the country are converted. If they see their history, they will find
that 200-250 years ago they converted to Islam from Hinduism. We will like all
of them to do 'ghar vapasi',” he said, hailing Mr Rizvi for his
"courageous" step.
Source:
ND TV
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Twenty
Bangladesh Students Sentenced To Death for Brutal Murder of Abrar Fahad, 21,
Who Criticised the Government on Social Media
Police
escort one of the 20 convicted university students, out of a court in Dhaka.
Credit: AFP Photo
----
Dec
8, 2021
DHAKA:
Bangladesh sentenced 20 university students to death on Wednesday for the
brutal 2019 murder of a young man who criticised the government on social
media.
The
battered body of Abrar Fahad, 21, was found in his university dormitory hours
after he wrote a Facebook post slamming Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for
signing a water-sharing deal with India.
He
was beaten with a cricket bat and other blunt objects for six hours by 25
fellow students who were members of the ruling Awami League's student wing, the
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
"I
am happy with the verdict," Fahad's father Barkat Ullah told reporters
outside court after the verdict. "I hope the punishments will be served
soon."
Prosecutor
Abdullah Abu told AFP that the remaining five perpetrators were sentenced to
life imprisonment.
All
those handed death sentences were between 20 and 22 years old and attended the
elite Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology alongside Fahad.
Three
of the defendants are still at large while the rest were in the courtroom.
A
lawyer for the defendants said the sentence would be appealed.
-
'Highest punishment' - Fahad had put up a post on Facebook that went viral
hours before his death.
In
it, he criticised the government for signing an accord that allowed India to
take water from a river that lies on the boundary the two countries share.
Fahad
had been seen in leaked CCTV footage that went viral on social media walking
into a dormitory with some BCL activists.
About
six hours later, his body was carried out by the students and laid on the
ground.
The
BCL has earned notoriety in recent years after some of its members were accused
of killing, violence and extortion.
In
2018, its members allegedly used violence to suppress a major anti-government
student protest.
Those
protests were sparked by anger over road safety after a student was killed by a
speeding bus.
Protesters
have called for the attackers to be harshly punished and for the BCL to be
banned.
Hasina
vowed soon after the attacks that the killers would get the "highest
punishment".
Death
sentences are common in Bangladesh with hundreds of people on death row. All
executions are by hanging, a legacy of the British colonial era.
In
August, a court sentenced six Islamist extremists to death for the brutal
murders of two gay rights activists.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
Violence
in Islam’s name won’t go unpunished: PM
DECEMBER
8, 2021
Prime
Minister Imran Khan Tuesday said anyone found involved in cruelty by using
religion, especially the name of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), will not
be spared.
“The
message of Holy Prophet (PBUH), who was declared by Allah Almighty as
Rehmatul-Lil-Alameen, is based on humanity and justice,” he said while
addressing a condolence reference held here at the PM Office to express
solidarity with the family of Priyantha Kumara, who was lynched by a mob in
Sialkot last Friday, as well as the government and people of Sri Lanka.
Imran
said the message of humanity and justice given by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was
the characteristics of a human society as against the inhumane world where rules
like “might is right” and “survival of the fittest” were applied.
Imran
also awarded Malik Adnan – the person who tried to save the Sri Lankan factory
manager from the mob attack during the ‘shameful’ Sialkot incident – with a
certificate of appreciation and said Malik Adnan had made the whole county and
nation proud. The condolence was attended among others by the Sri Lankan high
commissioner to Pakistan, federal ministers, Members of Parliament, Ulema,
artists and civil society representatives.
Imran
said Prophet (PBUH), who united the people, including the warring Arab tribes,
spread the message of Islam through love and peace and not through the sword.
“With
only 1,400 casualties, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) dominated the whole Arab in 10
years. Prophet (PBUH) brought the message of love, which was based on humanity
and justice,” he remarked. The prime minister said a human being was valued in
the society of humans and the weaker segments were taken care of, adding, the
Holy Prophet (PBUH) established the world’s first welfare state in Medina and
upheld justice.svg%3E
“People
here are killed in the name of religion and use the name of Prophet (PBUH)”, he
mentioned and regretted that when someone was accused of something [like the
Sialkot incident], even lawyers and judges hesitate to plead or hear such a
case. The prime minister, however, maintained that after the tragic Peshawar
Army Public School (APS) incident in December 2014, the whole country united
against extremism and terrorism and the war against terrorism was won.
“Now
the whole of Pakistan has decided that Sialkot-like incidents should not be
repeated,” he stressed. The prime minister told the gathering that the traders
of Sialkot had collected $100,000 for the family of late Priyantha Kumara and
salary of the late Sri Lanka citizen will also be regularly paid to his family.
Imran
Khan mentioned his decision of establishing Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Authority and
said its objective was to gather religious scholars at one platform and make
the country’s youth fully aware of the life and achievements of Prophet (PBUH).
“All
of us are the lovers of Holy Prophet (PBUH). But we have to prove it by
following and adopting his way of life. For that purpose, we have to read
history, his life and Seerat and hold debates at colleges,” he added.
The
prime minister said that people, especially the youth, were required to know
why Allah Almighty declared Holy Prophet (PBUH) as His “Beloved” and why
Michael Hart, an American author, kept the Holy Prophet (PBUH) at number one in
the list of 100 most influential persons in history.
Regretting
that how people in Pakistan were used to giving “edicts of infidelity”, Imran
Khan mentioned that once the holy Prophet (PBUH) showed his anger and did not
talk with a Sahabi, who killed an infidel in a holy war even after he (the
infidel) recited Kalma Tayyaba.
Describing
the Sialkot incident as “shameful”, he said Pakistan was the only country in
the world which was created in the name of Islam.
“I
am receiving a lot of messages from the overseas Pakistanis, who feel ashamed
of the Sialkot incident,” he remarked.
The
prime minister said 9 million expats had to face embarrassment after such
incidents in their homeland, which was created in the name of Islam.
Imran
Khan paid tribute to Malik Adnan and said his brave action and effort to save
Priyantha Kumara had strengthened the confidence of people in humanity.
“You
(Malik Adnan) will Insha Allah be rewarded with Tamgha-e-Shujaat on March 23,”
he added.
The
prime minister while mentioning an English quotation “one moral man is an army”
said moral strength was more powerful that the physical strength.
Source:
Daily Times Pakistan
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://dailytimes.com.pk/851793/violence-in-islams-name-wont-go-unpunished-pm/
--------
'Ashamed':
Pakistan grapples with fallout from mob killings over blasphemy
Dec
7, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
A shocking and deadly mob attack on a Sri Lankan factory manager accused of
blasphemy in eastern Pakistan last week prompted days of soul searching as the
man's remains were flown to his home country.
The
violence, which was condemned by rights watchdogs including Amnesty
International, also drew intense responses from politicians, celebrities and
journalists on social media.
"Ashamed!!
Sick to my stomach!!," actress Mahira Khan wrote on Twitter shortly after
the lynching.
Sri
Lankan national Priyantha Kumara was assaulted by a mob of hundreds of people
before being dragged into the streets and set on fire last Friday in Sialkot,
Pakistan, where he helped run a sports equipment factory. Workers at the
factory accused him of desecrating posters bearing the name of Islam's Prophet
Muhammad.
Several
gruesome video clips shared on social media showed a mob beating the prone
victim while chanting slogans against blasphemy.
Many
in the crowd made no attempt to hide their identity and some took selfies in
front of the burning corpse.
The
killing raised alarm over the potential for accusations of blasphemy to fuel
crowd violence in Pakistan, coming just weeks after at least seven policemen
were killed in clashes with the radical TLP movement, which has built its
identity on fighting what it sees as blasphemy.
Mob
killings over accusations of blasphemy are frequent in Muslim-majority
Pakistan, where the crime can carry the death sentence.
Other
politicians and the country's powerful military also released statements
condemning the attack.
"Mob
violence cannot be acceptable under any circumstance as (the) state has laws to
deal with all offences," said Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari on
Twitter.
The
victim's body was returned to Sri Lankan officials over the weekend and then
flown to his home country.
Punjab's
police said arrests were continuing.
"In
the last 12 hours, police have arrested seven more key figures, including one
involved in planning an attack on a Sri Lankan manager," they said in a
statement.
Some
politicians and activists argued that broader societal and political change was
needed, beyond legal consequences for those involved.
"Arrests
should of course be made, but there has to be a clear appraisal of why mobs
feel the impunity," said Senator Sherry Rehman, a member of the opposition
Pakistan People's Party (PPP).
In
an editorial entitled "Horror in Sialkot", leading newspaper Dawn on
Sunday criticised Pakistan for "appeasing religious extremists."
"Once
again, we are reminded how far this nation has descended into the abyss,"
the editorial said.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Man,
who tried to save manager from mob, dedicates honour to deceased, Sri Lankan
nation
December
8, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
Malik Adnan, the underling at a production unit in Sialkot, who tried unsuccessfully
to save the life of Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan national and the business’
general manager, from a violent mob that killed the latter last Friday,
dedicated the honour bestowed on him by Prime Minister Imran Khan to the
deceased and the people of Sri Lanka.
Footage
of the incident shared on social media showed Adnan attempting to calm down the
charged mob, and later shielding Kumara when the matter escalated — but in
vain.
Some
among the crowd could be heard chanting slogans while Adnan tried to shield
Kumara with his body who clung to the man’s legs.
But
the mob, comprised of the unit’s employees, later overpowered Adnan and dragged
the manager out on the road before torturing him to death.
“My
passion that day was to somehow save the Sri Lankan citizen. I wanted no such
incident to happen that would tarnish the name of the country,” Adnan wrote on
Twitter.
Taking
stock of his act of bravery, Prime Minister Khan announced his government will
confer Tamgha-i-Shujaat on Adnan.
Talking
to APP, Adnan said that in a situation like the one he found himself in, one
should always stand with the oppressed.
“Today,
I am very proud [of how the nation has responded to the incident] and my
message to the nation is that whenever you encounter such a situation, always
stand with the oppressed,” he said.
Adnan
said he was thankful to everybody for the way the nation stood with him after
the Sialkot incident.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Pakistani
Hindu families stranded in India return after months
December
7, 2021
Pakistani
Hindu families, who had gone to the neighbouring country in hopes of becoming
Indian citizens but were unable to do so despite staying in India for several
years finally return to Pakistan on Tuesday, after being stranded for months.
The
families were stranded near the Attari-Wagah border for months. For the past
three months, these people had been living under the open sky near the Attari
border of India and were provided food by the locals.
The
families, numbering more than 100 people, were unable to return to Pakistan
despite necessary preparations being completed for the reception at the Wagah
border and could not cross due to Covid-19 related border closure.
A
Pakistani Hindu man whose wife had a baby in December, was told by the
immigration authorities to get a birth certificate and travel documents of the
child since he was born in India.
The
family was sent back to India in order to obtain travel documents from the
Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
According
to Pala Ram, 97 Pakistanis stranded at the border include 47 children, six of
whom were born in India and were less than a year old. Apart from Pala Ram,
another Pakistani citizen, Laga Ram, gave birth to a child named Bharat. Laga
Ram went to Jodhpur, India in 2020 to visit her brother.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
India
Muslims
Perform Last Rites of Elderly Kashmiri Rajput Hindu in Kulgam
DECEMBER
07, 2021
Setting
an example of communal harmony and brotherhood, local Muslims in the Begam
village of south Kashmir’s Kulgam came together to help perform the last rites
of their Hindu neighbour who died on Tuesday.
Lajwanti
Devi, a resident of Begam village in Kulgam district was a Kashmiri Rajput
Hindu and died at the age of 75 late evening after a brief illness.
The
Muslim neighbours joined hands to carry out all the formalities for the
deceased woman’s last rites, in line with the cremation practices of Kashmiri
Pandits.
From
setting up the cremation pyre to the last minute details of carrying the
earthen pot to the cremation ground, local Muslims did them besides carrying the
body for the final journey.
“She
was one of us. We never thought of her as a Hindu. We arranged everything
needed for the cremation,” said Abdul Rashid Khanday, adding, “She has been
living here among us for many years. They were part of our society and celebrating
every festival with us," he added.
Source:
News18
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Aurangzeb
Donated Lands for Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, According To the
Guwahatiplus.Com
Dec
08, 2021
NEW
DELHI: An AIUDF MLA has triggered a controversy by claiming that Mughal emperor
Aurangzeb had donated lands for the famed Shaktipeeth Maa Kamakhya temple in
Guwahati.
Aminul
Islam, the AIUDF MLA of Dhing assembly constituency, said the Mughal emperor
had actually donated land for the Kamakhya Temple located atop the Nilachal
Hills in the state capital, according to the guwahatiplus.com.
Aurangzeb
had donated lands to several hundred of temples in India, he donated 178
hectares of land to the Jangamwadi temple in Varanasi. Aurangzeb’s land grant
to the Kamakhya temple is still on display at the British Museum,” the AIUDF
MLA claimed.
It
may be noted that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb is known for his brutality against
Hindus and ordering attacks on Hindu temples during his reign.
Reacting
to the AIUDF MLA’s controversial comment, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa
Sarma said that his government will not tolerate such statements.
“MLA
Sherman Ali is now in jail. If he makes such statements again, Aminul Islam
will have to go to jail too. Under my government, statements against our
civilization and culture will not be tolerated,’’ Sarma said.
Source:
Zee News India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Muslim
Council Rejects Clerics’ Namaz Deal; Muslims Will Continue Juma’ah Prayers At
All the 37 Sites Agreed Upon In 2018
DECEMBER
08, 2021
‘The
community will continue to offer prayers at all the 37 sites agreed upon in
2018’
A
day after the Gurugram Imam Sangathan in a meeting with right-wing groups and
the administration agreed not to hold namaz at 20 designated places, the
Gurgaon Muslim Council submitted a memorandum to the office of Deputy
Commissioner on Tuesday, rejecting the proposal as “fraudulent”. It also
demanded setting up of a committee for an amicable solution to the controversy
over offering of Namaz in the open.
The
council, in the memorandum, said the Muslims would continue to offer Jumma
Namaz at all the 37 sites agreed upon in 2018, and demanded that the district
administration ensure law and order was maintained.
The
delegation comprised members of the Gurgaon Muslim Council and several imams,
including Mufti Mohammad Saleem Qasmi, president, Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind,
Gurugram, and Muslim Ekta Manch chairman Hazi Shahzad Khan.
“We
have come in large numbers along with the imams to show that those who were
part of the agreement yesterday [on Monday] were just a handful of people and
not true representatives of the community,” said Gurgaon Muslim Council member
Altaf Ahmed. Mr. Khan said those present in the meeting on Monday were not even
residents of Gurugram.
The
memorandum said the meeting between the imams and Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh
Samiti leaders was “absolutely fraudulent and illegal”, which was held
“secretly and in a suspicious manner”. The document said the submission of the
Gurgaon Muslim Council to the office of Deputy Commissioner that “Muslims in
general do not trust Muslim Rashtriya Manch or a handful of maulvis, and they
are not the voice of genuine and reasonable Muslim citizens of Gurugram, has
once again been ignored”.
Source:
The Hindu
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/muslim-council-rejects-clerics-namaz-deal/article37890544.ece
--------
In
First Delhi Riots Conviction, Man Found Guilty of Setting Fire to Muslim
Woman's Home
DECEMBER
08, 2021
New
Delhi: In the first conviction among a slew of cases relating to the Northeast
Delhi riots of February 2020, a man was convicted on Monday for being part of a
riotous mob that set a Muslim family’s house on fire.
The
court of additional sessions judge Virender Bhat convicted Dinesh Yadav alias
Michael for being a member of an unlawful assembly, rioting, arson, house
trespassing, and robbery.
As
per the prosecution, Yadav was an “active member of the riotous mob” and
actively participated in vandalising and setting on fire the house of a
73-year-old woman named Manori near Bhagirathi Vihar on the night of February
25, 2020. Manori had alleged that a mob of around 150-200 rioters attacked her
house when her family was not present and looted documents such as the sale
deed, jewellery and even a buffalo.
Curiously,
the three victims, including the complainant Manori, were declared hostile
during the trial and denied that they had told the police that the house had
been vandalised, ransacked and looted by the violent mob in their presence.
While
the court admitted that “the evidence on record does not indicate that the
accused had directly committed the offences involved in this case”, it said
section 149 (member of unlawful assembly guilty of common offence) of the
Indian Penal Code (IPC) engraft the principle of “constructive liability”. This
means that a person would be guilty of an offence though he may not have
directly committed it because as a member of the unlawful assembly, “he had shared
the common object with the other members to commit such an offence”.
“The
accused stands convicted for offences punishable under sections 143 (member of
an unlawful assembly), 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting armed with
deadly weapon), 457 (house tresspass), 392(robbery), 436 (arson) of IPC read
with section 149 (member of unlawful assembly guilty of common offence) of Ithe
PC,” the judge stated in the order and listed the matter for order on sentence
on December 22, according to news agency PTI.
The
maximum punishment under these sections entails a jail term of up to 10 years.
“It
is great to share that the first conviction order has been issued today in
respect of North-East Riot Cases,” Sanjay Kumar Sain, DCP northeast district
said in a press statement.
In
July, another judge had pronounced the first judgment in the Delhi riots case,
acquitting a man of rioting and dacoity charges and noting that the prosecution
had “miserably failed to prove its case“.
More
than 50 people, a majority of them Muslims were killed in the Delhi riots in
late February 2020. More than 700 people were injured and property worth crores
of rupees was vandalised and looted during the rioting. According to report, so
far, chargesheets have been filed in 361 out of 758 riots cases and charges
have been framed in 67 cases.
What
unfolded during the trial
The
prosecution examined 13 witnesses during the trial, while Yadav denied all the
charges against him and claimed he was false implicated in the case.” The
accused has chosen not to lead any evidence in his defence,” the court noted,
according to Bar and Bench.
Judge
Bhat’s order also noted that the testimony of the complainant Manori shows that
she had not seen or identified any of the assailants who had vandalised her
house. She deposed that because of the communal riots in the vicinity of her
house, she and her family members left the house at around 4 pm on February 25,
2020 to stay with one of their relatives. After four days, they were called by
the police and found that their house was completely burnt and a buffalo and
calf had been taken away by unknown persons.
She
deposed that she can not identify any of the rioters who might have set fire to
her house as she was not present at the time of the incident. “She was declared
hostile at the request of the [special public prosecutor (SPP)] and in the
cross-examination conducted by the [SPP], she denied having stated to the
police that her house had been vandalised, ransacked and looted by the violent
mob in her presence,” the order says.
Similarly,
witnesses Arif and his brother Ashiq, whose house had also been set ablaze and
looted by the rioters, deposed that they cannot identify any of the rioters.
They were also declared hostile and denied that the incident had taken place in
their presence.
“Even
though these victims … had not identified any of the rioters in the mob yet
their testimonies establish the fact that their houses had been trespassed into
after breaking open the locks, vandalized, robbed and then set on fire by a
violent mob. Therefore, the offences … were committed by the persons comprising
the mob,” the court said.
The
prosecution then said that two police officers, constable Vipin and head
constable Sanoj, are the eyewitnesses to the incident. The court said that
their deposition clearly establishes the fact that the Yadav was part of the
mob which had attacked, looted and set ablaze the house of the complainant.
Police
officer Vipin deposed that on February 25, 2020 at about 11 pm, he and Sanoj
and other police officers were on riot controlling duty in the area of
Bhagirathi Vihar. He saw about 200-300 rioters armed with lathis, dandas
(sticks) and stones.
“They
saw that the rioters were identifying the Muslim persons, segregating them and
beating them. The vehicles belonging to Muslims were put on fire and thrown in
[the] nala. He further deposed that rioters were putting on fire the houses in
E block. He deposed that from amongst the rioters, he identified the accused
Dinesh Yadav @ Michael as he knew him prior to the incident,” the order says.
In
the cross-examination, Vipin admitted that he did not see the accused taking
away the buffalo of the complainant nor enter the house to commit robbery or
set it on fire.”In further cross-examination, he admitted that he had not seen
the accused [threatening the] complainant or her two grandchildren. He also
admitted that he did not see the complainant and her two grandchildren fleeing
from the house after any threat to their life given by the accused and his
associates,” the judge wrote.
The
deposition of police officer Sanoj was also on similar lines – that he
identified Yadav as being part of the mob but did not see him commit the
offences in the case.
At
this point, the counsel for the accused argued that no active role has been
attributed to his client by the two witnesses, which “clearly indicates that
the accused was only a bystander and did not share the object of the unlawful
assembly”. The defence also argued that the accused resides in the vicinity of
the spot where the incident occurred and therefore, “his presence on the road
in the area during the riots was natural”. The deposition of these two
witnesses establishes “the innocence of the accused and is liable to be
acquitted”.
The
judge noted that though it is true that the accused had not taken any active
part in vandalising, looting or setting the house of the complainant on fire,
“it cannot be said that he was only a bystander or a passive spectator”.
The
deposition of the police officers shows that the accused was amongst the
rioters who were identifying Muslims, beating them and setting ablaze the
houses in E Block of Chaman Park. The accused was also carrying a danda at
that time, the court noted.
The
court relied on the Supreme Court’s judgment in State of UP vs Kishan Pal
(2008) to show that once membership of an unlawful assembly is established “it
is not incumbent on the prosecution to establish whether any specific overt act
has been assigned to any accused”. The top court had said:
“In
other words, mere membership of the unlawful assembly is sufficient and every
member of an unlawful assembly is vicarious[ly] liable for the acts done by
others either in the prosecution of the common object of the unlawful assembly
or such which the members of the unlawful assembly knew were likely to be
committed.”
Source:
The Wire
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://thewire.in/law/delhi-riots-conviction-man-guilty-setting-fire-muslim-woman-house
--------
South Asia
Taliban’s
provincial governors directed to resolve problems of those seeking asylum
abroad
08
Dec 2021
In
a recent decree, supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Mullah
Hebtullah Akhund directed all the provincial governors of Afghanistan to solve
the problems of those who are fleeing Afghanistan and seeking asylum elsewhere.
A
statement released by the spokesperson’s office of the Islamic Emirate of
Afghanistan reads that people who are going abroad are facing various problems
both on the way and in refugee camps.
The
statement further reads that Afghan refugees confront the problems of security,
ethical degeneration, and other humanitarian issues.
“Some
inflammatory programs endanger belief, ethics, and spiritual values. Afghans
are mostly made to fabricate anti-Islam documents to gain citizenship. People
who must utilize their ability and professionalism inside Afghanistan, go abroad
and do some inferior jobs.” Reads the statement.
Hence,
the statement directed all provincial governors and religious scholars to meet
these people and resolve their problems.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Lankan
minister demands apology from Pakistan's Defence Minister for insensitive
remarks on lynching
Dec
7, 2021
COLOMBO/ISLAMABAD:
Sri Lanka's Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Weerasekara on
Tuesday demanded an apology from Pakistan's Defence Minister Pervez Khattak for
his insensitive remarks on the lynching of a Sri Lankan national by a frenzied
mob in Punjab province.
Khattak
on Monday said the ghastly lynching of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana
at the hands of a mob in Sialkot should not be linked to the Pakistan
government's recent decision to lift the ban on the hardline Islamist party,
the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), saying even "murders take
place" when young people get emotional.
The
senior Pakistani minister's remarks came amid countrywide outrage after a mob
comprising hundreds of protestors tortured to death the Sri Lankan factory
manager over blasphemy allegations and then burnt his body on Friday.
Reacting
to Khattak's remarks, Weerasekara said Pakistan's Minister of Defence must
apologise to the people of Sri Lanka for those remarks, Sri Lanka's News1st TV
channel quoted the country's public security minister as saying.
In
a shocking incident on Friday last, supporters of TLP attacked a garment
factory in Sialkot in Pakistan and lynched its general manager Diyawadana, 49,
before setting his body on fire over allegations of blasphemy.
Meanwhile,
a leading Pakistani newspaper on Tuesday criticised defence minister Khattak for
his remarks, saying it can "only be interpreted as a pathetic
justification for murder."
"Such
a statement from a federal minister should come as a shock, but unfortunately,
we are accustomed to our public officials being in denial about the realities
of extremism and violence in the country," the Dawn newspaper said in an
editorial.
"Mr
Khattak's remarks are deeply problematic. They create an impression that such
killings are somehow a 'normal' part of growing up in a country where religion
can be used to justify crime," it said.
Instead
of asking the journalist who was quizzing him to change this mob mentality, it
would have served the minister better to have recalled that, in fact, he is a
member of government who actually has the power to influence large sections of
the population, it said.
"It
may be an alien idea to Mr Khattak, but he should have roundly condemned this
incident and reflected on why our society has become so brutalised, instead of
ascribing this heinous crime to youthful passions," the editorial added.
The
Pakistan government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan recently lifted a ban on
the TLP after signing a secret agreement with it after which its chief Saad
Rizvi and over 1,500 activists accused of terrorism were released from jail.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Taliban
writes to Afghan missions globally to fall in line, gets tepid response
Dec
07, 2021
Taliban
has written to Afghan missions globally asking them to regularly give inputs
and details even as the group tries to takeover the remnants of the previous
Afghan government.
The
group hasn't got much of a response from Afghan missions globally who continue
to provide basic services including consular access. The Afghan missions have
been working in coordination and consultation with each other since the fall of
Afghanistan to the Taliban in August.
An
understanding has been achieved that unless the people of Afghanistan give
recognition to the Taliban, not much of response can be expected from them to
the group's demand. It includes the continuation of Afghanistan's tricolour
flag instead of the Taliban flag.
So
far the Taliban regime hasn't been recognised by any country including the
group's closest supporter like Pakistan. The international community has urged
the formation of an inclusive government involving women and significant
representation of minorities like Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras.
In
fact, the United Nations credentials committee has not accepted Taliban's
nominee Suhail Shaheen as the Taliban government's envoy to the UN. It means
the Afghan envoy Ghulam M. Isaczai, who was appointed by former President
Ashraf Ghani continues to represent his country.
What
the Taliban has sought is more time for governance and has asked the United
States for a period till March to conclude consultations on the further
announcement on inclusive government, however, given the Taliban's pre-August
actions it might be seen as a delaying tactic.
The
pre-August period had witnessed talks in Doha between Taliban and the Afghan
representatives even as on the ground the group still on the United Nations sanctions
list continued to mount an offensive. There are increasing worries over Afghan
missions globally running out of cash. It means cost-cutting has been underway
in many missions.
Meanwhile,
resistance is also taking shape and the plans of the Afghan government-in-exile
is still under process. Leaders like Salahuddin Rabbani, Abdul Rashid Dostum,
Sayaf, Muhammad Mohaqiq, Ustad Khalil, Masoom Stanekzai, Karim Khalili, Hanif
Atmar, Rahmatullah Nabil are in talks in Turkey even as many of the countries like
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan have debarred political activities but
resistance continues to exist in some form.
Source:
WIO News
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Bangladesh
mantri seeks Teesta issue resolution, return of Rohingya
Dec
8, 2021
NEW
DELHI: Bangladesh foreign minister A K Abdul Momen called for speedy resolution
of the Teesta water sharing issue. He also asked India to build a road between
‘Mujibnagar’ in India to Dhaka.
Bangladesh
also asked India to ensure the return of Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar
before they became a huge security problem for the region. Foreign secretary
Harsh Shringla reviewed bilateral relations with his counterpart Masud bin
Momen on Tuesday, kicking off a two-day visit to Bangladesh, in preparation for
the first visit by President Ram Nath Kovind, who is expected to be in Dhaka on
December 16.
A
press statement by its foreign ministry said Bangladesh had asked for “early
signing of the Teesta water sharing agreement and equitable comprehensive water
sharing agreement for other common rivers” during the foreign minister’s
meeting with Shringla on Tuesday. Shringla is expected to call on PM Sheikh
Hasina on Wednesday as well as transport minister and leader of Awami League,
Obaidul Quader.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Hunger
could kill more Afghans than all the bombs and bullets of the past two decades,
warns US think tank
Anwar
Iqbal
December
8, 2021
A
US-based think tank has called on the international community to ease
restrictions on Afghanistan to avoid "state failure and mass
starvation", according to a report issued on Monday.
“International
actors must ease restrictions to avoid state failure and mass starvation in
Afghanistan," said the report issued by Washington-based transnational
think tank, International Crisis Group (ICG).
It
warned that hunger and destitution in the wake of the Taliban's takeover could
"kill more people than all the bombs and bullets of the past two
decades".
ICG
projected that up to one million Afghan children could die of starvation this
winter if not helped, urging the US, Europe, and other donor nations to find
ways to keep Afghanistan from imploding without endorsing the Taliban regime.
Other
relief agencies have also warned that providing only humanitarian aid to
Afghanistan was like a band-aid at best and that economic engagement with
Afghanistan was necessary to prevent a collapse of the Afghan state,
ICG,
other think tanks and relief agencies have asked for a “humanitarian-plus”
approach to prevent the collapse of the Afghan state. The suggested
“humanitarian-plus” initiative includes providing salaries for doctors and
teachers, sending hospital supplies and restoring electricity.
The
report includes a statement by a UN health official in Afghanistan who warned
that “stopgap solutions” will run out of money in early 2022.
“It
is misleading to suggest that financial support to teachers, health care or
food security workers in state institutions is somehow not entirely
humanitarian,” the UN official argued.
But
the report noted that a United States' diplomat disagreed with the suggestion,
saying “funding with ancillary benefits to the Taliban government remains out
of bounds.”
The
report pointed out that “the principal arbiter of Kabul’s economic relationship
with the world remains the United States” and the Biden administration was
“searching for, and not yet identifying, assistance options that will entirely
circumvent the country’s Taliban rulers”.
Other
donors, the report added, were waiting for signals from Washington. ICG
identified three main points of leverage that gave “the US an outsized role in
shaping the policies of Western donors toward the Taliban regime: frozen
assets, sanctions and influence in multilateral settings”.
The
US holds most of Afghanistan’s $9.4 billion in overseas assets — a major form of
US leverage over a government whose central bank held few reserves locally and
depended on US cash shipments.
Taliban
officials told ICG that they were “negotiating” with the US for access to the
frozen assets, but US officials said their conversations with the Taliban on
the topic had been brief, as they “bluntly informed” the Taliban that the
assets will stay out of their reach.
Noting
that the US and its allies wielded substantial influence at the International
Monetary Fund and World Bank, the report said that “the donors must decide
whether [and how] to continue supporting the basic services financed by
international aid for the past twenty years.”
US
response to appeal
Responding
to the appeal, the US State Department said while Washington was willing to
provide more humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, it was not yet willing to
establish economic ties with the Taliban regime.
“If
the Taliban are looking for a deeper relationship with the international
community, including the US, it’s their conduct that we will look to in terms
of devising what that might look like,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price
told reporters in Washington.
Urging
the Taliban to respect human rights, educate women and girls and work for a
more inclusive setup in Kabul, the US official said those were not
preconditions for continuing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Afghanistan’s
central bank receives second package of humanitarian cash
07
Dec 2021
Afghanistan’s
central bank-De Afghanistan Bank- in a statement on Tuesday, December 7 said
that they received a second package of cash in humanitarian aids to the bank.
The
bank did not close the exact amount of money though, the statement reads that
the money was delivered to Afghanistan International Bank (AIB) through the
central bank of Afghanistan.
The
cash in humanitarian aid by the UNAMA comes as Afghanistan’s local currency is
at its lowest point ever against the US dollar.
It
is said that the lack of a dollar has caused the local currency (Afghani) to
lose its value and ultimately made the prices of food ingredients to be double.
De
Afghanistan Bank in the statement said that the problem of the banking system
and local currency will soon be resolved and banks will deliver their best
services to people.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/afghanistans-central-bank-receives-second-package-of-humanitarian-cash-98697/
--------
Afghan
Taliban fighters now man urban checkpoints
Dec
8, 2021
HERAT:
Afghanistan, Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan more than three and a half
months ago amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops, their fighters have
changed roles, from insurgents fighting in the mountains and fields to an armed
force running the country.
Many
Taliban foot soldiers now have new jobs: manning checkpoints on the streets and
carrying out security patrols in and around Afghan cities and towns. Last
month, several Taliban fighters posed for portrait photographs for The Associated
Press on nighttime patrols and at checkpoints in the western city of Herat.
One
of them, 21-year-old Ahmad Wali, was on patrol in the village of Kamar Kalagh,
north of Herat. A student in an Islamic religious school known as a madrassa,
he said he joined the Taliban because he believed in the teachings of the Quran
and was against the American presence in his country and against the previous
Afghan government, which was widely criticized for corruption.
Now,
he said, he is very busy with his new responsibilities providing security in
the area he was assigned to. He hopes both he and his country will have a
bright future, and said he was "99% sure" better days will come for
all people in Afghanistan.
After
the Taliban takeover in mid-August, Afghanistan's already dilapidated and
aid-dependent economy careened into full-blown crisis. The international
community has withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in financing that the
country of 38 million people relied on. Billions of dollars in Afghan assets abroad
have been frozen.
Afghanistan's
banking system has been largely cut off from the world, and the new Taliban
rulers have been largely unable to pay salaries, while jobs across the economy
have disappeared.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Europe
Suspect
in killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi arrested in France
Dec
8, 2021
PARIS:
A suspect in the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was arrested
Tuesday in France, according to a French judicial official.
The
official said the suspect was being held on the basis of a Turkish arrest
warrant. He requested not being named in accordance with the French justice
system's customary practices.
French
radio RTL said the Saudi national, Khalid Aedh al-Otaibi, was arrested at the
Roissy airport near Paris as he was trying to board a flight to Riyadh.
Al-Otaibi
was one of over a dozen Saudi officials sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2018
over Khashoggi's killing and dismemberment at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul
in 2018.
He
was also mentioned in the declassified US intelligence report that said Saudi
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ``approved'' the operation that killed
Khashoggi. The report used an alternate English transliteration of his last
name.
The
Saudi Embassy in Paris said the arrested man ``had nothing to do with the case
in question,'' and said the embassy expects his immediate release. It noted
that Saudi Arabia already held a trial over the killing, though it was behind
closed doors and the verdicts were criticized by rights groups and others for
not holding to account or finding guilty anyone responsible behind organizing ,
ordering or overseeing the operation that killed Khashoggi.
French
authorities were on Tuesday evening verifying the suspect's identity.
The
director of media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Christophe Deloire,
welcomed the news.
"Sometimes
governments close their eyes about people who are pursued by justice in another
country. I note with satisfaction that there was an arrest, and the police
didn't close their eyes this time," he told The Associated Press.
Al-Otaibi
"is someone we have been following for a long time," Deloire said.
RSF has lobbied multiple governments to seek justice for Khashoggi's killing,
and filed a lawsuit in Germany for crimes against humanity over the case.
There
was no immediate comment from Turkey over the arrest.
French
media report the suspect is going to be notified about the arrest warrant by a
prosecutor on Wednesday. He can accept or refuse to be transferred to Turkey.
If he refuses, a judge will decide whether he remains in custody pending the
review of the case and a possible extradition process, which could take months.
The
arrest comes as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman continues his first
regional Gulf tour since the killing. He traveled Tuesday from Oman to the
United Arab Emirates.
The
prince met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
Macron said they notably had talks about human right issues.
Hatice
Cengiz, the fiancee of Jamal Khashoggi, said in a statement the arrest of the
suspect, if confirmed, is ``a very significant first step for justice for
Jamal...Justice must be allowed to take its proper course... Most importantly,
those who executed the plan must not be used to shield those much higher up who
gave the order for Jamal's brutal killing, including the Crown Prince himself.
They must also be arrested and prosecuted.''
"If
this is all true, this is the first step that should continue until justice is
served and until the person who ordered the killing also faces justice,"
said Abdullah Alaoudh, director of Gulf issues at DAWN, a US-based organization
envisioned by Khashoggi before his murder to support democracy and rule of law
in the Arab world. Alaoudh's own father, well-known Islamic scholar Salman
Aloudah, is among those detained in the kingdom since 2017 under the crown
prince. He was arrested shortly after a tweet perceived as not supportive of
the Saudi embargo against neighboring Qatar at the time-a spat that has since
ended.
The
arrest comes as the crown prince works to move away from the stain on his
reputation internationally and woo back big name Western investors and
celebrities.
Human
rights activists have urged celebrities and sports stars to boycott events in
Saudi Arabia, arguing they serve to distract from the country's crackdown on
critics and that such events happen only with approval of the crown prince.
Just this week alone, the kingdom hosted its first ever Formula One race with
pop star Justin Bieber performing despite Khashoggi's fiancee plea for him to
not participate in protest. Meanwhile, stars like Hillary Swank and Catherine
Deneuve were photographed on the red carpet Monday for the kingdom's inaugural
Red Sea International Film Festival in Jiddah.
Last
year, Turkey began trying 26 Saudi nationals in absentia over Khashoggi's
murder after Saudi Arabia refused to extradite them and after Turkish officials
dismissed a trial against some of the suspects that was conducted behind closed
doors in Riyadh.
In
the last hearing in November however, the court in Istanbul requested that the
Ministry of Justice contact authorities in Saudi Arabia to determine whether
they had been sentenced there to avoid them from being tried over the same
offense.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Bosnia
arrests five former Muslim soldiers for war crimes against Serbs
07/12/2021
Five
former Bosnian Muslim soldiers have been charged with war crimes against Serb
civilians during the 1990s war.
The
suspects are accused of killing at least eight civilians in Sarajevo, the
country's prosecutor's office said.
The
group is also suspected of crimes against at least 100 victims, including
unlawful imprisonment, torture, abuse, forced labour, and inflicting bodily and
mental harm.
The
crimes were allegedly committed in a school and prison set up by Bosnian forces
in a building in the Hrasnica suburb.
The
arrests were made in cooperation with authorities in neighboring Serbia, where
some of the survivors now live.
More
than 100,000 people died during the 1992 to 1995 conflict in Bosnia, including
thousands of Bosniak Muslims.
War
broke out when the Bosniak-led government declared independence from Serb-led
Yugoslavia, triggering a rebellion.
Source:
Euronews
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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UK
abandoned supporters as Afghanistan fell to Taliban, whistleblower tells
Parliament
December
07, 2021
London:
Britain’s Foreign Office abandoned many of the nation’s allies in Afghanistan
and left them to the mercy of the Taliban during the fall of the capital,
Kabul, because of a dysfunctional and arbitrary evacuation effort, a
whistleblower alleged Tuesday.
In
devastating evidence to a parliamentary committee, Raphael Marshall said
thousands of pleas for help via email were unread between 21 August and 25
August. The former Foreign Office employee estimated that only 5 percent of
Afghan nationals who applied to flee under one U.K. program received help. He
said that at one point, he was the only person monitoring the inbox.
“There
were usually over 5,000 unread emails in the inbox at any given moment,
including many unread emails dating from early in August," he wrote to the
Foreign Affairs Select Committee, which is investigating Britain's chaotic
departure from Afghanistan. “These emails were desperate and urgent. I was
struck by many titles including phrases such as ‘please save my
children’."
Marshall
said some of those left behind had been killed by the Taliban.
As
the Taliban took power in August, the United States, the U.K. and other
countries rushed to evacuate Afghans who had worked with Western forces and
others at risk of violent reprisals.
Britain
managed to airlift 15,000 people out of the country in two weeks, and the
government says it has since helped more than 3,000 others leave Afghanistan.
But
an Afghan Resettlement Scheme announced by the government in August with the
goal of bringing another 20,000 people to Britain has yet to get underway.
Former
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who was moved from the Foreign Office to become
Justice Secretary after the crisis, defended his actions.
“Some
of the criticism seems rather dislocated from the facts on the ground, the
operational pressures that with the takeover of the Taliban, unexpected around
the world," he told the BBC. “I do think that not enough recognition has
been given to quite how difficult it was.”
Tom
Tugendhat, a Conservative lawmaker who heads the foreign affairs committee, said
Marshall's testimony “raises serious questions about the leadership of the
Foreign Office.” The committee is due to quiz senior Foreign Office civil
servants later Tuesday.
The
Taliban stormed across Afghanistan in late summer, capturing all major cities
in a matter of days, as Afghan security forces trained and equipped by the U.S.
and its allies melted away. The Taliban took over Kabul on 15 August.
Source:
Firstpost
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Iran
nuclear draft proposals ‘not a reasonable basis’ for deal: France
07
December ,2021
Proposals
submitted by Iran at talks in Vienna last week aimed at reviving the 2015
nuclear deal fall well short of what is needed, France said on Tuesday, adding
time was running out with Iran’s atomic drive making worrying progress.
“The
proposals presented by Iran last week do not constitute a reasonable basis that
is compatible with the objective of a rapid conclusion while respecting the
interests of all,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement.
It
expressed “disappointment” that the talks failed to move forwards, after
diplomats agreed on Friday to pause the discussions for several days to allow
consultations in capitals. It is not clear when they will resume.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“None
of the delegations present – apart from Iran – wanted the negotiations to
restart on this basis,” the ministry said.
“Time
is running out then because – five and a half months after Iran halted
negotiations – they still have not really resumed,” it added.
There
was added urgency because “Iran is continuing its nuclear program at an
extremely worrying direction,” it said.
The
United States warned after the talks that it would not allow Iran to “slow
walk” the negotiations, which seek to revive the 2015 accord that has been
moribund since president Donald Trump walked out of it in 2018.
His
successor Joe Biden has said he is ready to re-enter the agreement so long as
Iran meets key preconditions including full compliance with the deal, whose
terms it has repeatedly violated by ramping up nuclear activities since Trump
walked out.
Iran’s
foreign ministry said Monday it was ready to resume nuclear talks based on the
draft proposals it submitted, accusing Western powers of stalling the
negotiations.
Israel,
which has never ruled out military action against the Iranian nuclear program,
urged world powers to halt the talks.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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'Turkey
should enjoy EU funding for Green Deal'
Gökhan
Ergöçün
07.12.2021
Financing
from the international community is key for making the transition to a green
economy, said a top Turkish diplomat on Tuesday, adding that as an EU
candidate, Turkey should be able to enjoy some of the funding provided to other
candidate countries.
Speaking
at the 12th Bosphorus Summit in Istanbul, Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk
Kaymakci said Turkey is closely following developments on the EU’s Green Deal,
announced earlier this year.
The
two-day summit, organized by the International Cooperation Platform (ICP),
started on Monday.
“When
we talk about the Green Deal, we’re not (just) talking about the environment,
it’s as related to trade as it is related to industry,” said Kaymakci. “We need
to have sustainable green transport, which is also about energy policies.”
Some
countries can finance Green Deal projects themselves, but the green transition
is not only in Europe, but everywhere, and of course Turkey is also trying to
evolve, he stressed.
Telling
how the Turkish government adopted a Green Deal action plan, Kaymakci said
Turkey is focusing on such important elements as carbon border adjustment
mechanisms.
On
Turkey’s long-sought update to its 1995 Customs Union with the EU, he said this
is also related to the Green Deal, as free trade pacts with third countries
would help the bloc to adopt climate action and sustainability policies.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/turkey-should-enjoy-eu-funding-for-green-deal/2441109
--------
Mideast
Iran’s
Top Security Official Warns of US Plot to Revive ISIL, Create New Crisis
2021-December-7
The
US is outraged by the collapse of the ISIL in Syria and Iraq and the victory of
the Resistance Front and it is now seeking to create new crises in the region,
Shamkhani said in meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad in Tehran
on Tuesday.
He
also cautioned that the conspiracy of creating a security crisis in Syria is an
American-Zionist plan which will cause dangerous consequences and harm the
region’s security.
The
occupation of Syria by any country will perpetuate insecurity and spread the
scope of violence, Shamkhani said.
He
strongly condemned the constant invasion of the Zionist regime against Syria.
Shamkhani
also pointed to the strategic relations between Iran and Syria in political and
security fields, stressing that the two countries should expand strategic
relations in all fields.
He
also announced Iran’s readiness for the expansion of relations between the two
countries.
Mikdad,
for his part, appreciated Iran’s all-out support for the Syrian people, saying
that the two countries began a new chapter of cooperation, especially in
economic fields since the defeat of the terrorism front and the creation of
relative stability in Syria.
He
also called the illegal presence of the US in Syria a violation of sovereignty
principle and aggression to the territorial integrity of Syria, adding that the
US is seeking to revive terrorism to prevent permanent stability in the
country.
Mikdad
also described the continuation of the Zionist regime’s vicious measures in the
region and recurring invasions to Syria as an overt example of terrorism and
provocative action, saying that military aggression and oppressive sanctions
cannot disrupt the Syrian people’s will in resisting coercion of the enemy.
He
referred to the potentials of the two countries and the Syrian people's
interest in the Iranian products, and called for the further presence of
Iranian private and state companies in Syria.
In
relevant remarks on Monday, Mikdad said that his country attaches special
importance to the development of trade and economic relations with Iran, and
called for the removal of sanctions against both states.
“Syria
pays special attention to strengthening trade relations with Iran. We welcome
any efforts to end the sanctions. We welcome any cooperation with Iran in
Syria,” Mikdad said in a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart
Hossein Amir Abdollahian in Tehran.
He
also called for the removal of all sanctions against Iran and Syria.
Elsewhere,
Mikdad referred to Israel’s attacks against Syria, and said, “These attacks
against Syria will not remain unanswered.”
“I
assure you that Syria is responding to these aggressions in various ways,
including by prosecution of remnants of terrorist groups many of whom are
supported by Israel,” he added.
“The
Israelis should know that Syria enjoys power to respond to their attacks,”
Mikdad warned.
The
Syrian foreign minister also held a meeting with Iranian President Seyed
Ebrahim Rayeesi in Tehran on Monday.
During
the meeting, he conveyed the message of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
and invited President Rayeesi to visit the country, saying, "Syria is
determined to activate all capacities for cooperation with the aim of growing
Tehran-Damascus relations in the interest of the two nations."
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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CBI
Governor: Iran's Access to Forex Resources Facilitated despite US Economic
Terrorism
2021-December-7
"The
CBI and the government had earmarked or enabled access to some $36 billion for
the purpose of imports into Iran since the start of the calendar year in
March," Salehabadi said.
"We
are in a very good condition with regards to the flow of foreign currency into
the country and my forecast is that the situation will take a turn for the
better in the near future,” he added.
The
current CBI rules require exporters, including those selling petrochemicals to
foreign customers, to bring back their proceeds to an integrated forex trading
system known as NIMA.
The
system imposes a price cap on forex trade to make it possible for importers to
obtain foreign currency at prices lower than the unofficial market.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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President Rayeesi: Gas Swap Deal with Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan to Make Iran
Regional Transit Hub
2021-December-7
"We
had problems with Turkmenistan for five years, so following this visit, the
relations between the two countries were considered, as well as the issue of
Iran's transit and the issue of gas swaps between Iran, Turkmenistan and
Azerbaijan. It turned out that this issue could raise Iran as a regional hub
and transit route," President Rayeesi said.
"For
example, in Turkmenistan, we had a meeting with economic activists who have
been working there… so I promised them to follow the revival of the gas
contract so that their work would continue,” he said.
A
trilateral agreement to swap 1.2 to two billion cubic meters of Turkmenistan’s
natural gas to the Republic of Azerbaijan via Iran was signed in Ashgabat in
the presence of President Rayeesi and his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev.
According
to the agreement which was initially signed by oil ministers of the involved
countries on the sideline of the ongoing ECO Summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
will sell five to six million cubic meters of natural gas to the Azerbaijan
Republic each day.
This
gas will be swapped to Azerbaijan through Iran's soil and the contract which
has no ending date will be implemented as of December 25, 2021.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Iranian
Envoy: Unilateral Coercive Measures Should Exclude Cultural Properties
2021-December-7
“Cultural
properties should not be subjected to any confiscation or law enforcement
action as well as unilateral coercive measures as they are a common heritage of
humankind,” Takht Ravanchi said, addressing the UN General Assembly on “return
or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin” on Monday.
The
full text of the Iranian envoy’s remarks are as follows:
Allow
me to express my appreciations to the Secretary-General and the
Director-General of UNESCO for the report contained in document A/76/321. I
also wish to commend the Government of Greece for its able leadership to
facilitate draft resolution A/76/L.17 entitled “Return or restitution of cultural
property to the countries of origin”. My delegation would also like to take
this opportunity to reemphasize the prominent role of UNESCO in the fight
against the illicit trafficking of cultural property and encourage the
reinforcement of its efforts for returning or restitution of cultural objects
to the countries of origin.
Mr.
President,
Cultural
properties, while truly considered as a common heritage of humankind,
contribute to shaping cultural and national identity of countries of origin and
are a testament to their civilizations, values and cultures. Ownership of
cultural property is an inalienable human right of the people of their soil.
Consequently, the international community shares a common responsibility as
well as legal and ethical obligation to not only preserve and protect cultural
property but also secure its return to the countries of origin.
The
deprivation of cultural properties from its countries of origin by whatever
means, forms or justifications and based on any general principles of international
law, natural law, conscience or human values, is unacceptable and illegal.
Therefore, the obligation to return cultural properties to countries of origin
neither necessarily emanates from international legally binding instruments nor
is limited to their State parties.
In
the same vein, the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing
the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property
neither legitimizes any removal of cultural property from its countries of
origin before the entry into force of this Convention nor exonerates any
states, including its parties, from the obligation to restitute or return the
cultural objects stolen or illegally exported before the entry into force of
the Convention to the countries of origin.
However,
my delegation believes that since its entry into force, the 1970 Convention
needs to be reconsidered in line with the relevant developments. This includes
the articulation of the non-retroactive application of the Convention as well
as the recognition of possession of cultural property by the people of their
soil subjected to archaeological, ethnological or natural science missions’
eviction from the countries of origin. Such eviction took place during a period
of international relations when most of the origin countries were under
colonial domination and political influence of foreign powers and due to
various reasons, including the lack of development and access to knowledge,
were not cognizant of great values of their cultural properties.
Furthermore,
cultural properties should not be subjected to any confiscation or law
enforcement action as well as unilateral coercive measures as they are a common
heritage of humankind.
Mr.
President,
The
illegal international cross-border movement of cultural objects is still an
ever-increasing concern for countries of origin, including my Country. As the
Secretary-General indicates in his report, “… threats to movable cultural
heritage have continued to increase and have taken new forms.” In addition to
the traditional main catastrophic causes leading to the illicit trafficking of
cultural properties, such as conflicts, occupation and foreign interventions,
trafficking and trade through the illegal market by terrorist groups with the
aim to financing terrorism has emerged as one of the main vehicles for the
trafficking of cultural properties that has been exacerbated in recent years,
especially after the creation of DAESH and Al-Qaeda. My delegation expresses
its satisfaction with the inclusion, in the draft resolution before us today,
of its proposal on countering the financing of terrorism through the illicit
trafficking of cultural properties and the obligations of States to return
those items to the countries of origin, as indicated in “The United Nations
Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy: seventh review”.
In
this regard, we also wish to alert the international community regarding
illegal excavations and threats facing the cultural heritage in Palestine,
especially the Al-Aqsa mosque, by the occupying regime of Israel and its
attempts to destroy and change its functions. While this act constitutes a
flagrant violation of international law, it will lead to the escalation of the
already volatile situation in the Middle East that itself is the result of the
prolonged occupation of Palestine.
Mr.
President,
The
Islamic Republic of Iran is of the view that only through international
cooperation, we can combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property and its
return or restitution to the countries of origin. In this context, our proposal
on the establishment of a Joint Action Plan by countries of the Ancient
Civilization Forum as well as countries of origin that are victims of the
illicit trafficking of cultural property will help coordinate and consolidate
efforts to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural objects and its return or
restitution to countries of origin.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Israel
announces completion of ‘smart fence’ around Gaza Strip
07
December ,2021
Israel
on Tuesday announced the completion of a sensor-equipped underground wall on
its side of the Gaza border, a counter-measure developed after Hamas militants
used tunnels to blindside its troops in a 2014 war.
Israel
went public with the project, which also includes an above-ground fence, a
naval barrier, radar systems and command and control rooms, in 2016.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“The
barrier, which is an innovative and technologically advanced project, deprives
Hamas of one of the capabilities it tried to develop,” Israeli Defense Minister
Benny Gantz said, according to a defense ministry statement.
“(It)
places an ‘iron wall,’ sensors and concrete between the terror organization and
the residents of Israel’s south,” he said of the project, which beefs up an
existing border fence.
The
ministry said the barrier, which includes hundreds of cameras, radars and other
sensors, spans 65 kilometers (40 miles) and that 140,000 tons of iron and steel
were used in its construction, which took 3.5 years to complete.
It
said the project’s “smart fence” is more than 6 meters (20 feet) high and its
maritime barrier includes means to detect infiltration by sea and a
remote-controlled weapons system. The ministry did not disclose the depth of
the underground wall.
Gaza
also has a 14-kilometre-(8.7-mile)-long border with Egypt, which has also
clamped down on crossings, citing security concerns. Since 2013, Egyptian
forces have demolished smuggling tunnels while Hamas, on its side, has stepped
up patrols.
Israel
and Hamas have fought four wars since the Islamist group seized control the
coastal Gaza Strip in 2007 from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Dutch
appeals court rejects Palestinian’s case over Israeli airstrike in Gaza
07
December ,2021
A
Dutch appeals court ruled on Tuesday that Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz
cannot be held liable in a case brought by a man who lost six relatives in a
2014 airstrike in Gaza.
Ismail
Ziada, a Dutch-Palestinian man, lost his mother, three brothers, a
sister-in-law, a young nephew and a friend in the strike during Israel’s
Operation Protective Edge targeting Gaza.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Ziada
had appealed against a ruling by The Hague district court in January 2020 that
it had no jurisdiction under international law in the case, which named Gantz
and a former Israeli air force chief.
“Dutch
courts are not competent here to judge the claim. The (lower) court rightly
decided that,” The Hague appeals court said.
“High-ranking
military personnel have carried out official policy of the state of Israel,
which renders a judgment on their actions moribund.”
The
court added that it was “not blind to the plaintiff’s suffering.”
Israel’s
defense minister since last year, Gantz was the chief of general staff of the
Israeli defense force (IDF) at the time of the airstrike on the Bureij refugee
camp in Gaza on July 20, 2014.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Southeast Asia
Jobless
man fined for insulting remarks on Islam, ex-minister
December
6, 2021
KUALA
LUMPUR: Two people were taken to court today accused of making insulting
remarks about religion. An unemployed man was fined RM8,000 for remarks against
a former minister which insulted Islam, but a woman claimed trial to a charge
of insulting Christianity.
The
jobless man, Lim Eng Seng, 44, pleaded guilty to posting the remarks last year
against Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, then minister for religious affairs in the
Prime Minister’s Department while he was holding a live press conference on
Facebook.
Judge
MM Edwin Paramjothy ordered Lim to serve six months in jail if he failed to pay
the fine, Bernama reported.
He
was charged with consciously making and initiating offensive communications
against the former minister with the intent to annoy others through the NTV7
Facebook page on May 14, 2020.
The
prosecution said a police report had been lodged about the posting, claiming
the comment had insulted Islam. The press conference was held to announce that
Muslims will be allowed to perform Friday prayers beginning May 15, 2020 after
the first movement control order was eased.
At
the same court, a woman claimed trial to a charge of posting offensive comments
against Christianity in March this year.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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Transport
minister: No more requirement for liquor licence to sell alcohol following
orders by MOF to Customs
07
Dec 2021
BY
R. LOHESWAR
KUALA
LUMPUR, Dec 7 — The Royal Customs Department will cease enforcement of liquor
licences for sales of alcoholic beverages in retail outlets following orders
from the Ministry of Finance (MOF), Putrajaya announced today.
Transport
Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong confirmed the matter in a statement saying he
had spoken with Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz who
confirmed the orders were sent on November 23, 2021.
“MOF
had issued an official letter to instruct the Customs Department to cancel the
implementation of making liquor licences compulsory for selling alcoholic
drinks,” he said.
The
MCA president said this is since the MOF had in 1977 authorised the mentris
besar and chief ministers in each state to handle this matter through the
Licensing Board under their respective local governments.
“The
Customs Department is part of the Licensing Board of each state and it had no
power to instruct restaurant coffee shops to apply for liquor licences,” he
said.
“Therefore
MOF had cancelled the circular issued on April 7, which requested business
owners to apply for liquor licences from the Customs Department before December
31.”
Wee
also asserted that Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country where
non-Muslims have the right to consume alcoholic drinks, and this matter must be
respected.
Source:
Malay Mail
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Malaysia
records 66 more Covid-19 deaths, including nine brought-in-dead
08
Dec 2021
BY
KEERTAN AYAMANY
KUALA
LUMPUR, Dec 8 — The Health Ministry (MoH) has recorded another 66 deaths due to
Covid-19 as of 11.59pm yesterday, including nine people who died before being
brought in to hospitals.
This
brings the death toll from the disease here to 30,718 people.
The
national death rate now stands at 16 deaths per 1 million, based on data from
the past two weeks.
In
the same period, Terengganu had the highest death rate of 48 deaths per 1
million people, followed by Perak with 27, and Kelantan with 24.
Other
states and Federal Territories with a rate higher than the national figures are
Negri Sembilan with 22 deaths per million people, and Perlis at 20, as well as
Kuala Lumpur, at 17.
Meanwhile
Selangor had a rate of 12 deaths per million people.
Taking
into account all Covid-19 deaths in the same two-week period, 60.3 per cent
were of those who were fully vaccinated, 3.3 per cent partially vaccinated and
36.4 per cent unvaccinated.
A
total of 74.9 per cent of people who died were aged 60 and above. Another 24.4
per cent were aged between 30 and 59, while 1.7 per cent were aged between 18
and 29.
There
were no deaths involving those aged 17 and under in the pas two weeks.
Meanwhile,
97.5 per cent were Malaysians, with 57.9 per cent comprising males.
New
infections by state
The
latest update on CovidNow shows that there were 4,936 new Covid-19 cases
recorded yesterday, up to 11.59pm.
Source:
Malay Mail
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Arab World
UAE
weekend change: Is UAE the first Arab or Islamic country to approve Friday as
an official working day?
December
07, 2021
Tawfiq
Nasrallah
Dubai:
UAE announced on Tuesday that it will transition to a four-and-a half-day
working week, with Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday forming the new
weekend. All Federal government departments will move to the new weekend from
January 1, 2022.
The
authorities added that with this move, the UAE has become the first nation in
the world to introduce a national working week shorter than the global five-day
week.
Is
the UAE the first Arab or Islamic country to approve an amendment to the weekly
work system to make Friday an official working day?
Source:
Gulf News
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Organisation
of Islamic Cooperation can benefit from Egypt’s prestigious Islamic institutions:
Sisi
Farida
Elserty
7
Dec 2021
This,
the president said, would be done with the aim of presenting the Islamic world
to the international community in accordance with the principles of true
religion, and refuting the negative ideas spread by extremist and terrorist
organisations and entities, according to a statement by the Egyptian
presidency.
El-Sisi
made the remarks at a meeting in Cairo with Hussein Ibrahim Taha,
secretary-general of the OIC, who assumed the post on 17 November.
El-Sisi
welcomed Taha in Cairo and stressed Egypt’s full support for him in his
mission, taking into consideration all the challenges facing the Islamic world
at various levels.
Taha,
who reviewed the work plan of the OIC during the meeting, had expressed his
keenness to meet El-Sisi at the beginning of his term to hear his vision and
assessment on all issues related to the Islamic world.
The
OIC secretary-general also expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by
Egypt to enhance solidarity among Islamic countries and support the role of the
organisation, the statement said.
The
meeting also witnessed a review of the developments of some regional crises,
where the secretary-general hailed Egypt's efforts to reach political
settlements for all the crises in the region.
Source:
Ahram Online
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/445965.aspx
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US
Senate approves $650 million sale of missiles to Saudi Arabia
December
8, 2021
The
US Senate on Tuesday rejected a bill banning the sale of 280 advanced
medium-range “air-to-air” missiles to Saudi Arabia.
62
deputies voted in favor of the resolution, 25 against the deal approved by the
US State Department, which includes 280 AIM-120C-7/C-8 advanced medium-range
air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM) and 596 LAU launchers. 128), as well as
containers, support equipment, spare parts, and engineering and technical
support provided by the US government and contractors.
Last
November 19, three members of the Senate announced that a group of members of
the Senate opposes the first major arms deal to Saudi Arabia during the Biden
administration, against the background of Riyadh’s involvement in the Yemeni conflict.
The
White House announced that it strongly opposes a Senate resolution blocking the
proposed sale of medium-range air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia.
The
White House said in a statement that it “strongly opposes a Senate resolution
that would block the proposed sale of 280 medium-range air-to-air missiles to
Saudi Arabia.”
Source:
ABNA24
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Iraqis
who helped ADF fight Islamic State say they have been abandoned by Australia
Ben
Doherty
7
Dec 2021
Two
dozen Iraqi nationals who served alongside Australian soldiers battling Islamic
State say they have been abandoned in their homeland, living in fear of militia
groups who have sworn retribution against anyone who assisted foreign forces.
“The
threat is real and there will not be a ‘warning’ or anything like that,” said
one former interpreter, Mohammed, who has gone into hiding.
“The
militias are criminals. They have killed people who worked with foreign forces
before … if they catch me or any of us, there will not be a second chance.”
In
2019, the Guardian reported more than 60 ADF interpreters were caught in a
bureaucratic limbo – told they were ineligible for resettlement or unable to
apply for visas from inside Iraq – as their country roiled under sectarian
violence.
However,
some were subsequently able to get out.
In
mid-2020, former interpreters were invited, in an email from Australia’s
defence department, to confirm their interest in applying through Australia’s
dedicated Iraq Locally Engaged Employee (LEE) scheme.
At
least 35 of those interpreters have since been granted visas to resettle in
Australia: 30 have already moved.
But
25 say they remain stuck in Iraq, their applications to Australia stalled, and
with no response from the Australian government for more than a year.
No
interpreters who have worked for Australia have yet been killed, but most have
had to move out of Baghdad, or away from their family homes for fear of
reprisal attacks as Iranian-backed militias continue to threaten and attack
anyone viewed as having connections to the West. Militants launched an
exploding drone attack on the Iraqi prime minister’s house last month.
The
Guardian is aware of at least one interpreter who, after waiting several months
for a response from Australia, abandoned his application, and sought a visa to
the US. He was granted a protection visa to resettle in America by himself, and
is trying to apply for his family to join him. Another was forced to flee over
Iraq’s borders with his family. In hiding in Turkey, he described his exile as
“the worst days of my life”.
The
interpreters have provided photos of themselves serving alongside Australian
comrades – which the Guardian has chosen not to publish for security reasons –
as well as employment notices, contracts, and multiple glowing references from
coalition military leaders, including officers from Australia’s Task Group
Taji.
Mohammed
– who is remaining anonymous for his own safety – served the ADF’s Task Group
Taji, training Iraqi soldiers between 2016 and 2018 in Baghdad and west Iraq.
He
said he “formed very strong relationships with almost all the Aussies and Kiwis
and Americans”.
“I
have continuing friendships with a lot of them.”
Mohammed
has been forced to move out of Baghdad with his wife and family, fearing
militant attacks.
“Most
of us had to change our residence and move to a less populated area or an area
with fewer militias … to give ourselves and our families the best chance of
surviving.
“Thanks
to Covid-19, I can cover my face so no militia member could recognise me. It
sounds ironic that a virus is saving my life.”
Islamic
State militants killed three civilians and 10 soldiers in an attack in Iraq’s
autonomous Kurdish region in the country’s north this month. Mohammed said
Islamic State remained a potential threat in southern Iraq, but a secondary
one.
“Daesh
is a minor problem at the moment, the real danger are the Iranian-backed
proxies and militias, they live among us, they eavesdrop and hunt anyone who
worked with coalition forces.”
The
Iran-backed groups have vowed revenge for the US drone-strike assassination of
Maj Gen Qassem Suleimani, the head of Iran’s Quds force, at Baghdad airport in
2020.
Another
interpreter, Saif, said those remaining in Iraq were “suffering from the
political and economic crises that Iraq is going through: hunger, lack of job
opportunities, chaos, instability, ongoing conflicts between the parties and
the threats we face”.
After
being emailed by defence over the LEE program, applicants were re-vetted, and
some interpreters were then issued with approval letters by defence, with which
they applied to the department of home affairs for an “in-country special
humanitarian visa” subclass 201, granted to people who face persecution in
their home country.
The
Guardian has spoken with a number of those who have moved to Australia in 2021.
One says “it has literally saved our lives”.
But
those left waiting indefinitely are in an “ambiguous” situation, Mohammed says.
The
last email he received from the Australian government was more than a year ago.
“They
never came back to us, neither with negative nor positive answer, no
explanation at all. We have been so proactive and sent a number of follow-up
emails but alas no reply.
“We
tried to email the embassy but they informed us they can not do anything
without the referral of the defence. We have worked hard to the last day of the
mission, so there is no reason to leave us behind.”
Australia’s
LEE scheme for Iraq was established in April 2008, when the Rudd government
announced 600 places additional to the government’s humanitarian visa quota
would be reserved for “locally engaged employees”, including interpreters, from
its Iraq operations, acknowledging that they had been “targeted” by insurgents
for their connection to western forces.
A
Home Affairs official said this week the 600 places had been almost entirely
filled. Iraqi LEE candidates are required to have been individually “certified”
by the minister of their employing Australian government agency “as being at significant
risk of harm due to their employment”.
“Visa
applications from certified LEE are afforded the highest processing priority
within the humanitarian program but applicants must still meet rigorous health,
character and national security requirements. Depending on individual
circumstances this may take a significant period of time.”
In
correspondence with the interpreters, the department of defence has said
interpreters “will generally be required to apply within six months of ceasing
employment with the Australian Defence Force”.
“Should
you not apply within this timeframe, your application will only be considered
under this policy in exceptional circumstances.”
Source:
The Guardian
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Motorcycle
Bomb Kills 4 in Iraq, Official Blames Islamic State
December
07, 2021
BASRA,
IRAQ —
A
bomb killed four people in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Tuesday, the
first such attack in years in a part of the country that has enjoyed relative
stability, and a senior official said Islamic State militants were suspected of
carrying it out.
The
blast, near a major hospital in the predominantly Shi'ite Muslim city, was
caused by a motorbike rigged with explosives, the military said in a statement,
citing preliminary information.
There
was no immediate claim of responsibility.
"The
blast carries fingerprints of Daesh (Islamic State)," Basra Governor Asaad
al-Edani told reporters.
Bomb
attacks in the Basra area been rare - the last major one was in 2017, and
claimed by Islamic State. The authorities have kept a tight grip on the area
where the bulk of the OPEC member's oil is produced and exported.
Policemen
were collecting body parts from a minibus that was badly damaged by the blast,
a Reuters witness said. The street was covered with broken glass and blood. The
governor announced three days of mourning.
"Today
and after this terrorist act, the people of Basra must definitely be cautious
and careful. Basra became unsafe today," said Mohammed Ibrahim, a car
mechanic whose workshop was near the blast site.
Police
and hospital sources earlier told Reuters that 20 people had been wounded, in
addition to the four fatalities.
Source:
VOA News
Please
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https://www.voanews.com/a/iraq-basra-motorcycle-bomb/6342797.html
--------
Around
400 Iraqi migrants flown back to Erbil from Belarus
07
December ,2021
A
new flight returning around 400 Iraqi migrants that had hoped to cross into
EU-member Poland from Belarus left Minsk on Tuesday, authorities said.
It
will be followed by the first repatriation flight to Damascus that will take
Syrian nationals home on Wednesday.
Thousands
of migrants have been camped in Belarus for weeks, often in bitter conditions,
hoping to cross the Polish border and enter the European Union.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
An
Iraqi Airways flight departed Minsk National Airport for Erbil – the main city
in Iraqi Kurdistan – at 11:07 GMT, the airport said.
A
total of 417 passengers, including two small children, had registered for the
flight.
More
than 3,000 Iraqi migrants have been flown back since repatriation flights began
in mid-November from the ex-Soviet state, with many showing injuries from the
freezing cold.
Several
thousand more migrants remain in Belarus, including at a logistics center at
the Bruzgi checkpoint of the Belarusian-Polish border.
Most
of the Iraqis stranded on the border said they had spent their savings, sold
valuables and even taken loans to escape economic hardship in Iraq and start a
new life in the EU.
On
Wednesday, the first flight bringing Syrian migrants home is set to depart
Minsk for Damascus at 00:30 GMT.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Gilgamesh
tablet stolen during Gulf war returned to Iraq in formal ceremony
07
December ,2021
A
small clay tablet dating back 3,500 years and bearing a portion of the Epic of
Gilgamesh that was looted from an Iraqi museum 30 years ago and recently
recovered from the United States formally returned to Iraq on Tuesday.
The
$1.7 million cuneiform tablet, known as the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, is one of
the world’s oldest surviving works of literature and one of the oldest
religious texts. It was found in 1853 as part of a 12-tablet collection in the
rubble of the library of Assyrian King Assur Banipal.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
tablet was looted from an Iraqi museum during the 1991 Gulf War.
Officials
believe it was illegally imported into the United States in 2003, then sold to
Hobby Lobby and eventually put on display in its Museum of the Bible in
Washington.
Federal
agents with Homeland Security Investigations seized the tablet from the museum
in September 2019. A federal judge in New York approved the forfeiture of the
tablet in July this year.
On
Tuesday, the tablet was handed over to Iraqi authorities in a ceremony at
Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the presence of UNESCO officials as well
as Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Hassan Nadhem, Iraq’s minister of
culture, tourism and antiquities.
“We
were able to recover about 17,926 artifacts from several countries, namely
America, Britain, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands,” Hussein said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Saudi
Arabia: Citizen arrested in France not tied to Khashoggi case, should be freed
08
December ,2021
Saudi
Arabia’s embassy in France demanded French authorities immediately release a Saudi
citizen who was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the 2018 murder of
Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“In
reference to what was circulated in the media about the arrest of a Saudi
citizen suspected in the case of Jamal Khashoggi, the Embassy of Saudi Arabia
in France would like to clarify that what was circulated is incorrect, and that
the person arrested has nothing to do with the case in question,” the embassy
said in a statement.
The
embassy also called for the detained Saudi’s immediate release.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“The
embassy would also like to confirm that the Saudi judiciary has issued verdicts
against everyone who was proven to have participated in the case of Jamal Khashoggi
and they are currently serving their given sentences,” the embassy added.
Agencies
had earlier in the day quoted French sources as saying French authorities
detained a Saudi citizen at an airport in Paris before he was about to board a
flight to Riyadh.
Khashoggi
was a Saudi journalist who was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in
2018.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Africa
Algeria
grants $100 million to Palestinian Authority: Ennahar TV
06
December ,2021
Algeria
has agreed a grant of $100 million dollars to the Palestinian Authority (PA),
Ennahar TV reported on Monday.
Algerian
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced the grant after a meeting with
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is visiting the North African country.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Sudan’s
deal a clean slate for Hamdok but lost opportunity for real change: Analysts
07
December ,2021
The
deal signed between Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and General
Abdel-Fattah Burhan allows the PM to get rid of a previous government that
caused him “headaches” in the past and start anew, but the deal was a lost
opportunity to do more than restore the status quo, analysts told Al Arabiya
English.
Hamdok
signed a political agreement with Burhan on November 21, ending the coup
launched by the military on October 25. But analysts question what that deal
really means for the future of Sudan.
Here’s
what analysts told Al Arabiya English:
A
new cabinet
The
political agreement allows Hamdok to form an independent cabinet of
technocrats, until an election can be held in July 2023.
Analysts
find that the deal between Hamdok and Burhan is an opportunity for the PM to
clean house in the cabinet and appoint new ministers who would be more
cooperative in implementing changes to the government, its policies and
projects.
“The
infighting of the former civilian government was a headache for Hamdok,” said
Theodore Murphy, Director of the Africa Program at the European Council on
Foreign Relations.
“The
coup was a terrible catastrophe but if there is any silver lining to be wrung
out of it, I think that Hamdok’s calculus was that it gave him an excuse to
disperse of the difficult people in his constituency who were making his life
difficult,” Murphy added.
Sudan
has suffered from an ailing economy, widespread shortages of essential goods
such as fuel, bread and medicine, incredibly high inflation and a society that
was hard hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
Implementing
reforms to better manage the country under Hamdok has not been very successful
and the government’s efforts did not appease the general public.
“I
think Hamdok thought [the deal] would improve his situation. The status quo
before wasn’t great for Hamdok, because his political constituency, his
cabinet, his ministers, there was a lot of infighting, there was a lot of
difficulty,” Murphy said.
Hamdok’s
office said in a statement last month that the PM denied having any “personal
interest” in signing the deal and had stressed in multiple interviews that it
was only for “national interest” and to “stop bloodshed”.
Why
only Hamdok reinstated?
The
reinstatement of Hamdok did not reverse the coup. The military retains overall
control and the appointment of a technocratic government further dismisses the
political parties and the pro-democracy protesters.
Analysts
question why only Hamdok was reinstated from the previous government in the
deal with the military.
“The
agreement is a deal only between two figures: General Burhan and Hamdok,”
Murphy said.
“The
fact that he is the only one allowed to make that decision combined with the
fact that his democratic constituency, the protest movement, has discarded him,
that’s the more worrying part,” Murphy added.
“You
don’t have to worry that the military – Burhan – is going to pull a fast one on
Hamdok. I think what’s more worrying is what’s the understanding between Hamdok
and Burhan.”
Yezid
Sayigh, Senior Fellow at Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center believes
the deal means the military “successfully asserted their political dominance in
terms of setting the pace and direction of the transitional process.”
“Hamdok
apparently felt unable to resist this assertion. Maybe he judged the US and EU
to be insufficiently committed to forcing the generals to retreat, but in all
cases, he made a strategic misjudgment,” Sayigh added.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UN
says 30 percent of Sudan’s people will need aid next year
06
December ,2021
Thirty
percent of Sudan’s population will need humanitarian aid next year, the UN
warned in a report Monday, saying the rate is “the highest in a decade.”
It
blamed Sudan’s economic crisis and the Covid pandemic, floods and disease and
the fact Sudan, one of the world’s poorest countries, also hosts millions of
refugees and internally displaced people or IDPs.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
UN Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said 14.3 million of
Sudan’s population of 47.9 million, including both citizens and refugees, will
require humanitarian assistance next year.
This
is about 800,000 more people than this year, the report said, adding that “the
number of people in need in Sudan in 2022 is the highest in the past decade.”
More
than half of the vulnerable population are women and children.
Sudan
has nearly three million IDPs after decades of conflict, including in the
western region of Darfur where fighting from 2003 left 300,000 dead according
to the UN.
The
country also hosts nearly 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers, 68 percent
of them from South Sudan which seceded in 2011.
Sudan
has been grappling with political turbulence that worsened following the April
2019 ouster of president Omar al-Bashir after mass protests against his rule.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UN
chief names US diplomat Stephanie Williams to run Libya mediation
06
December ,2021
UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday appointed US diplomat Stephanie
Williams to lead mediation efforts in Libya after his special envoy quit just
weeks ahead of planned elections in the war-torn country.
UN
special envoy on Libya, Jan Kubis, is due to step down on Friday. Guterres had
informally suggested veteran British diplomat Nicholas Kay as a replacement,
but Russia said it would not support Kay, according to diplomats. The 15-member
UN Security Council, operating by consensus, must approve a new appointment.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Guterres
named Williams as his special adviser, which does not require council approval.
Williams was the acting special envoy on Libya after Ghassan Salame quit in
March 2020 because of stress and before Kubis was approved in January 2021.
Kubis,
who has been based in Geneva, said last month there was a need for the head
envoy to be based in Libya’s capital Tripoli and he resigned “to create
conditions for this.”
Williams
“will lead good offices and mediation efforts and engagements with Libyan
regional and international stakeholders to pursue implementation of the three
intra-Libyan dialogue tracks - political, security and economic - and support
the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya,” UN spokesman
Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
Libya
descended into chaos after the NATO-backed overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar
Gaddafi in 2011. In October last year, the two major sides in Libya’s civil war
- the internationally recognized Government of National Accord and Khalifa
Haftar’s eastern-based Libyan National Army - agreed a ceasefire.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
North America
US
imposes sanctions on people in Iran, Syria and Uganda, citing rights abuses
07
December ,2021
The
United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on more than a dozen people and
entities in Iran, Syria and Uganda, accusing them of being connected to serious
human rights abuses and repressive acts.
In
an action marking the week of the US Summit for Democracy, the Treasury
Department said in a statement it was targeting repression and the undermining
of democracy, designating individuals and entities tied to the violent
suppression of peaceful protesters in Iran and deadly chemical weapons attacks
against civilians in Syria, among others.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“Treasury
will continue to defend against authoritarianism, promoting accountability for
violent repression of people seeking to exercise their human rights and
fundamental freedoms,” Andrea Gacki, director of the Treasury’s Office of
Foreign Assets Control, said in the statement.
Washington
blacklisted two senior Syrian Air Force officers it accused of being
responsible for chemical weapon attacks on civilians and three senior officers
in Syria’s security and intelligence apparatus, according to the statement.
In
Iran, the United States designated the Special Units of Iran’s Law Enforcement
Forces and Counter-Terror Special Forces, as well as several of their
officials, and Gholamreza Soleimani, who commands Iran’s hardline Basij
militia. Two prisons and a prison director were also blacklisted over events
that reportedly took place in them.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Once-bustling
Afghan Embassy in US down to few diplomats
06
December ,2021
One
of the last diplomats representing Kabul’s toppled government in Washington has
implored the US not to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of
Afghanistan, pointing to the radical group’s suppression of women and human
rights violations.
The
Afghan government, led by deposed President Ashraf Ghani, collapsed on August
15 after Ghani fled the country and the Afghan security forces failed to
prevent the Taliban from taking over.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
But
the diplomats at the Afghan Embassy in the US refuse to acknowledge the Taliban
and have rebuffed all of the group’s attempts of opening lines of
communication, Deputy Chief of Mission Abdul Hadi Nejrabi told Al Arabiya
English in a recent interview.
“We
are definitely not in contact with Kabul, with the Taliban. We are also not
interested in maintaining any relations with the Taliban; we don’t recognize
them,” Nejrabi said from an near to empty embassy in Washington.
Nejrabi
pointed to the members of the “so-called acting cabinet,” which includes
several individuals blacklisted by the United States.
After
turning down a Zoom invite with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister following
the takeover, Nejrabi said he and his colleagues continue to receive emails
from Taliban officials trying to establish contact.
“Sanctions
are imposed on most of them … that are now holding high-ranking positions in
Taliban government,” he said.
Counterterrorism
sanctions on the Taliban continue to make engaging in financial transactions
with them illegal.
The
UN has also sanctioned multiple members of the Taliban. Earlier this week, the
group’s attempts to occupy Afghanistan’s seat at the UN failed.
This
was their second attempt, but the UN deferred the decision, and diplomats have
said another vote on the matter may not take place until the 2022 General
Assembly.
No
US recognition of Taliban, yet
As
for the US, Nejrabi said he does not believe any recognition of the Taliban is
imminent.
“We
don’t expect that the US government would recognize the Taliban very soon
because the US government and [the] international community have their
conditions for recognition,” he said, pointing out women’s rights, access to
education, and not going after former members of the collapsed Afghan security
forces.
Despite
the Taliban vowing to change its behavior, based on the group’s own
interpretation of Islam and Sharia, Nejrabi said the proof already showed the
truth. Over the weekend, the US and other Western nations blasted the Taliban
after Human Rights Watch and other organizations said “summary killings and
enforced disappearances of former members of the Afghan security forces” had
been documented.
In
the last month alone, the Taliban has ordered television channels to stop
airing shows with women actors while also demanding that female TV journalists
wear a hijab while on air.
“They
are not responsible people, and their actions are different… than whatever they
are saying the media. And whatever they are doing currently in Afghanistan is
very different,” Nejrabi said.
Taliban
is Pakistan’s proxy
Nejrabi
was clear about his views when asked if diplomats from Pakistan, China or
Russia had reached out to him or other diplomats to push the premise that the
Taliban be recognized as the Afghan government.
The
three countries have been at the fore of trying to convince the international
community to recognize the Taliban as the new government.
The
three countries have not tried to contact diplomats of the former government.
“But,
yes, they are advocating for the Taliban. And, you know, the Taliban is a proxy
of Pakistan,” Nejrabi said, blaming the current situation in Afghanistan on
Pakistan and its intelligence services.
Nejrabi
also hit out at Qatar for its support of the Taliban.
Washington
will be diplomatically represented by Qatar in Afghanistan after a deal between
the US and Doha last month.
Moving
forward with no budget
So,
what can the Afghan diplomats in Washington do without a government and how
much longer do they have?
“Providing
consular services to Afghan refugees,” he said. “They need consular services
and a lot of documentation so they can file with immigration authorities [in
the US],” Nejrabi said.
Nejrabi
and only a handful of diplomats remain at the embassy.
Adela
Raz was appointed to become Afghanistan’s next ambassador to the US. Shortly
after she arrived in Washington, Kabul fell to the Taliban, and she was unable
to present her credentials to US President Joe Biden.
Having
no budget and no government to report back to, the remaining diplomats at the
embassy are working for free and paying their own bills. They haven’t been paid
in over two months, Nejrabi said.
“The
thing is, it’s not about the budget… And I don’t have any financial resources
to keep paying our diplomats. So, we are just here to serve those people that
are really in support and of consular services, which are very important for
the resettlement.”
He
estimates that more than 85,000 Afghan refugees have fled to the United States
since the chaotic withdrawal ordered by the White House ended a 20-year
military presence in Afghanistan.
US
officials have not delivered any messages that would force Nejrabi and his
colleagues to vacate the embassy.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
US
Navy seizes two caches of Iranian arms in Arabian Sea destined for Yemen’s
Houthis
08
December ,2021
The
US Navy seized two large caches of Iranian weapons from two vessels in the
Arabian sea which Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) intended to
ship to the Houthi militias in Yemen, the US Justice Department said on
Tuesday.
The
caches contained 171 surface-to-air missiles and eight anti-tank missiles, as
well as approximately 1.1 million barrels of Iranian petroleum products. The
petroleum products were seized from four foreign-flagged tankers in or around
the Arabian Sea while en route to Venezuela.
The
Justice Department said Tuesday’s seizure represent the US “largest-ever
forfeitures of fuel and weapons shipments from Iran.”
The
US government sold the seized petroleum products for $26.7 million and directed
that amount to the US Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund.
“The
actions of the US in these two cases strike a resounding blow to the Government
of Iran and to the criminal networks supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice
Department’s National Security Division.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
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