New Age Islam News Bureau
4
Jul 2020
•
Turkey Accuses France Of Committing Crimes in Libya
•
Delhi Riots Chargesheet: Nine of Those Killed in Northeast Delhi Riots Were
Forced To Shout ‘Jai Shri Ram’
•
Myanmar Finds Troops Guilty in Rohingya Atrocities Court-Martial
•
Islamists Give Widodo Fiery Taste of Things to Come
•
Pak Opposition Slams Imran Khan For Failed Diplomacy Over Kashmir
•
Turkey Begins Trial of Saudi Officials in Jamal Khasshoggi’s Case
•
OIC Condemns Houthis For Launching Drones Toward Saudi Arabia
•
Armed Men Kill 40 People in Brutal Attacks On Several Villages In Mali
---------
North
America
•
Police Surveillance Concerns US Muslims Amid Black Lives Matter Protest
Crackdown
•
US Says It Will Maintain Policy Of 'Active Neutrality' On Libya
•
US warns Haftar over Wagner group, oil supply in Libya
--------
Europe
•
Turkey Accuses France Of Committing Crimes in Libya
•
French ISIS extremist Tyler Vilus gets 30 years for Syria crimes
•
'Turkey included in Hungary's list of safe countries'
--------
India
•
Delhi Riots Chargesheet: Nine of Those Killed in Northeast Delhi Riots Were
Forced To Shout ‘Jai Shri Ram’
•
Clerics Issue Advisory Appealing Muslims To Pray Home, Even Ifthe Masjids Are
Open
•
It is time for India to speak about persecution of Muslims in China
•
PM Modi Condoles Death of Sikh Pilgrims in Pakistan Accident
•
Bengal bump hits Bangladesh ties
•
4 Pakistani terrorists among J&K’s most-wanted dirty dozen
•
Border not right place to make policy pronouncements: Salman Khurshid on PM
Modi's Ladakh visit
•
Pakistan using Ladakh standoff to push terrorists in J&K: Security expert
--------
South
Asia
•
Myanmar Finds Troops Guilty in Rohingya Atrocities Court-Martial
•
Kabul Police foil militants bid to detonate a remote-controlled bomb in the
city
•
Human Trafficking: Kuwait House committee lifts immunity of two MPs
•
Bangladeshi Nobel laureate says COVID-19 vaccine must be free from commercial
interests
--------
Southeast
Asia
•
Islamists Give Widodo Fiery Taste of Things to Come
•
Malaysia: Foreigners Still Not Allowed to Join in Prayers
•
Duterte’s anti-terror law seen as threat to peace in Mindanao
•
Mapim to hand over memorandum to PM on refugee issues
--------
Pakistan
•
Pak Opposition Slams Imran Khan For Failed Diplomacy Over Kashmir
•
CPEC to be completed at all costs, says Imran
•
PM, military review security challenges
•
Sindh govt to make public JITs of Uzair Baloch, Baldia factory fire
•
Policeman martyred in Karachi in targeted killing
--------
Mideast
•
Turkey Begins Trial of Saudi Officials in Jamal Khasshoggi’s Case
•
Iran's UN Envoy Calls for Lifting Sanctions amid Coronavirus Outbreak
•
Erdogan Rejects Criticism Over Turkey’s Hagia Sophia Landmark Move
•
Iran, Iraq Vow to Broaden Security Cooperation
•
Iran Calls for Developing Bilateral Ties with Belarus
•
Iran's Envoy: US Stance Vis-a-Vis UNSC Resolution 2231 Threatening Global Peace
•
Turkish court convicts Amnesty official, three other activists on terror charges
•
Seven suspects in the escape of Ghosn from Japan go on trial in Turkey
•
UN peacekeepers in Israel suspended over sexual misconduct caught on video
•
Over 320 LatAm figures call for sanctions on Israel over plans to annex West
Bank
•
Yemen welcomes UN report on Iran’s nuclear commitment under 2015 deal
--------
Arab
World
•
OIC Condemns Houthis For Launching Drones Toward Saudi Arabia
•
Iraqi Officials Irate as Saudi Daily Publishes Cartoon Against Ayatollah
Sistani
•
At least two dead as Lebanon’s economic crisis continues to take its toll
•
Iraq reinforces border posts to try to prevent advance of Turkish troops
•
Lebanon's talks with IMF are on hold until reforms begin: Finance minister
•
Arab Coalition destroys four Houthi drones launched towards Saudi Arabia
•
Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia says labs able to conduct 53,000 COVID-19 tests daily
•
Yemeni drones hit positions deep in Saudi Arabia
•
Iraq threatens to sever trade ties with Turkey over cross-border operation
•
Over 100 university students accuse Egyptian man of rape
•
Arab coalition destroys 4 Houthi drones targeting Saudi Arabia
--------
Africa
•
Armed Men Kill 40 People in Brutal Attacks On Several Villages In Mali
•
Turkey signs a military agreement with Libya’s GNA: Sources
•
Suicide car bomber hits checkpoint at Somalia’s Mogadishu port
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/police-surveillance-concerns-muslims-amid/d/122288
--------
Police
Surveillance Concerns US Muslims Amid Black Lives Matter Protest Crackdown
3
July 2020
There
are growing concerns over surveillance programmes as the US cracks down on
protests (AFP/File photo)
-----
The
killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis triggered the
largest protests over systemic racism and police brutality the United States
has seen in more than a generation.
Black
Lives Matter protests swiftly spread to more than 2,000 cities across all 50 US
states, despite Covid-19 restrictions. The brutal manner of his killing even
triggered rallies abroad, with demonstrations flaring in parts of western
Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
In
the US, law enforcement cracked down hard, using powerful surveillance tools to
track down protesters.
The
Department of Homeland Security deployed helicopters, planes and drones over 15
cities where demonstrators gathered, sparking widespread accusations that the
federal agency infringed on the privacy rights of demonstrators.
In
some cities, police officers even used facial recognition software on footage
from their body cameras to track people's movements.
For
Black Muslims on the front lines of the protests alongside African Americans,
the country's love affair with surveillance is not something new, having long
been a feature of everyday life for many.
Leeda
Osman, a college student in the New York metro area, told Middle East Eye that
her earliest memories of surveillance involved hearing clicking or tapping
noises whenever her father phoned family abroad.
Sarah
Farouq, who lives in San Diego, alleged she was subject to in-person
surveillance when someone she believed to be an undercover federal agent took
pictures of her and her friends.
Surveillance
is such a common aspect of many young Muslims' lives that some have resorted to
making memes to cope.
Farouq
has also fought surveillance in her community by speaking against the
controversial Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programme.
Launched
by the Obama administration, CVE is a government surveillance programme piloted
in Los Angeles, Boston, and Minneapolis - where it predominantly targeted
Somali youth.
While
the original CVE grants have run out, the Department of Homeland Security
recently launched Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention.
"[TVTP]
is an $80 million department under DHS that continues, expands, and depends on
the CVE framework in the US," Fatema Ahmad, executive director of the
Muslim Justice League, told MEE.
With
TVTP, DHS will repeat a $10 million grant programme to fund projects across the
country.
"The
CVE projects in each city typically focus on the most vulnerable in that region
- so refugees, Black Muslims, youth, Muslims seeking mental health support, and
low-income Muslims," said Ahmad.
With
TVTP essentially functioning as CVE 2.0, there are fears it will criminalise
poverty, mental illness, and, like its predecessor, overwhelmingly focus on
Muslims.
Pandemic
could force communities to CVE funding
Experts
warn this is particularly dangerous in the middle of a pandemic, when Black
people, including Black Muslims, have been found to be disproportionately
impacted by the disease.
Before
the pandemic, one-third of Muslims in the US lived at or below the poverty
line. Families may now be worse-off, as the pandemic results in the biggest job
losses since the Great Depression.
In
May, the Pew Research Center found one-third of American adults experienced
high levels of psychological distress due to the pandemic. And now the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, which has been one of the lead agencies in the
coronavirus response, is also set to be one of the government bodies reviewing
the awarding of TVTP grants thought likely to be used to surveil young Muslims.
"We
are definitely concerned that, given the economic impacts of the pandemic, many
institutions may be susceptible to applying for these grants or partnering with
law enforcement," Ahmad said.
"At
the same time, it is also absurd that so much would be spent on the oppressive
CVE framework when so many need financial support."
Farouq
has similar concerns, noting that community groups' reliance on CVE funding due
to the economic downturn prompted by the pandemic may "[create] a
dependence on federal funding with strings attached".
These
concerns are drawing from CVE's history. In cities such as Minneapolis, the
deeply disturbing history of surveiling Blackness is evident.
Mohamud
Awil Mohamed, a Minneapolis community organiser and chaplain, told The
Progressive magazine that, in his community, CVE was "marketed as a health
and human services programme... but in reality it was an extension of the
state-security apparatus".
State
mechanisms of control
In
two of CVE's three pilot cities, Somali and other East African youths were the
programme’s main targets, highlighting how anti-Black Islamophobia places Black
Muslims in vulnerable positions.
While
many CVE proponents argue that it has invested in necessary community
programmes such as tutoring, sports, and mentorship, activists maintain that
money carries a heavy price.
As
Kafia Ahmed, an organiser who grew up in Minneapolis, also told The
Progressive: "[These programmes] are all mechanisms of control. Why can't
we as communities get money for the express purpose of advancing our
communities?"
Young
Muslims may also be targeted by surveillance opportunism outside of TVTP, Osman
warned.
"My
concern for current and post-pandemic surveillance is that it will give
government officials an easier way to justify their actions on surveilling
innocent people," Osman said.
This
can be seen in the private sector, with surveillance businesses set to profit
from intrusive contact tracing and coronavirus detection systems promoted in
the name of public health.
"As
all surveillance does, [this] will deeply impact Muslim youth and communities
who are already heavily policed," Ahmad said.
"But
we don't need these tools to address public health measures; there are plenty
of methods of containing the virus that rely on supporting our communities
rather than further harming them."
The
pandemic's switch to online schooling carries its own concerns, too. Muslim
youths are already highly surveilled online, with CVE frameworks embedded
within popular social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.
"I,
personally, foresee the collaboration of campuses with spyware or tech
companies providing more access and info into students’ lives," Farouq
said.
"CVE
and [Preventing Violent Extremism] programmes have impacted students' campus
environment - but with this virtual transition, these programmes and
surveillance in general will seep into the homes of impacted youth."
Given
the growing protests and Muslims' roles in them, many young Muslims will be
subject to surveillance on multiple fronts.
"Being
a vocal voice in my community has always put me in a constant state of
fear," Farouq said.
"That's
exactly the purpose of these surveillance programmes. To instill fear in the
heart of communities and paralyse them from advocating for themselves or
dissenting from the unjust systems this country is grounded in."
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-surveillance-black-lives-matter-muslims-coronavirus-pandemic
--------
Turkey
accuses France of committing crimes in Libya
Enes
Kaplan
03.07.2020
Turkey's
ruling party spokesman on Friday accused France of committing crimes in civil
war-torn Libya.
-----
Turkey's
ruling party spokesman on Friday accused France of committing crimes in civil
war-torn Libya.
“France
has committed crimes in Libya,” said Omer Celik, spokesman for the Justice and
Development (AK) Party.
Celik
said as France’s crimes have surfaced with mass graves, it is posing as a human
rights defender to get away with the crimes by blaming Turkey.
Recalling
France’s colonial history, he said: “France is guilty.”
“[France]
cannot cover those mass graves by excessive attacks on Turkey or on our
president.”
Libya
has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in
2011. The country's new government was founded in 2015 under a UN-led
agreement, but efforts for a long-term political settlement failed due to a
military offensive by warlord Khalifa Haftar's forces.
The
UN recognizes the Libyan government headed by Fayez al-Sarraj as the country's
legitimate authority, as Tripoli has battled Haftar's militias since April
2019, a conflict that has taken over 1,000 lives.
After
the discovery of mass graves in areas left behind by retreating Haftar
militias, the UN and international jurists have expressed concern over possible
war crimes. While Turkey continues to support Libya’s internationally
recognized government, Haftar has been supported by Russia, France, Egypt, and
the UAE.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/turkey-accuses-france-of-committing-crimes-in-libya/1898434
--------
Delhi
Riots Chargesheet: Nine of Those Killed in Northeast Delhi Riots Were Forced To
Shout ‘Jai Shri Ram’
Saurabh
TrivediN
A
vandalised house during riots in north-east Delhi.
-------
NEW
DELHI:, JULY 02, 2020
Charge
sheet says more than 750 cases have been registered in connection with the
riots and the murders
Nine
Muslim young men, who were killed and their bodies thrown in a drain during the
February communal riots in northeast Delhi, were forced to shout ‘Jai Shri Ram’
before they were stripped, thrashed and bludgeoned to death.
A
total of 51 persons were killed in the riots that followed fierce protests
against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the proposed National
Register of Citizens (NRC) in the capital. More than 750 cases have been
registered in connection with the riots and the murders, a copy of the charge
sheet seen by The Hindu, said.
The
nine victims were identified as Mursalin, Aas Mohd, Aamin, Bhure Ali, Hamza,
Musharraf, Akil Ahmed, and Hashim Ali and his elder brother Aamir Khan.
In
their charge sheet, the Delhi Police have mentioned that these nine Muslim men
were murdered in the period from the evening of February 25 till late night on
February 26. Their bodies were recovered over a period of several days from the
Bhagirathi Vihar drain.
The
police arrested Lokesh Solanki, Pankaj Sharma, Ankit Chaudhary, Sumit
Chaudhary, Prince, Jatin Sharma, Himanshu Thakur, Vivek Panchal and Rishabh
Chaudhary, after confirming their involvement in connection with the nine
murders. All of them are in judicial custody.
WhatsApp
group
They
were part of a WhatsApp group “Kattar Hindut Ekta” that was created on February
25 to take “revenge” on Muslims. The creator of the WhatsApp group is still
absconding.
One
of the accused, Lokesh Solanki, on February 25, messaged in the “Kattar Hindut
Ekta” group: “Brother Lokesh Solanki this side from Ganga Vihar area if any
Hindu need any back up then do contact. We have men, arms and ammunitions. I
have just killed two Muslims in Bhagirathi Vihar area and thrown them in drain
with the help of my team.”
“Their
[attackers] modus operandi was, they used to catch the people passing through
the area and ascertain their religion by asking name, address and by their
document i.e. Identity Card and they were forcing them to call ‘Jai Shri Ram’
many times. The person who was not calling ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and carrying the
identity of Muslim identity, they were bluntly attacked and thrown into the
Main Ganda Nala [dirty drain], Bhagirathi Vihar, Delhi,” the charge sheet said.
A
Police Control Room (PCR) call on February 25 at Gokalpuri Police Station and
the caller mentioned: “Here Muslims are being killed and their vehicles are
being burned.” The caller, who was a Hindu, and an eyewitness in the case, was
traced during the investigation. The eyewitness himself was accosted by rioters
on February 24 and found that his motorcycle was missing after he managed to
free himself.
On
February 25, he went to the Gokalpuri Police Station to register a complaint
that his bike had been stolen. At about 4 p.m., while returning home from the
police station, he saw a large mob carrying stones, cudgels, sticks, swords and
iron rods on the Johripur pulia (bridge) shouting slogans like “Jai Sri Ram” and
“Har Har Mahadev”.
Muslims
targeted
They
were checking the identity of persons passing through and if any Muslim was
found, they were beating and throwing bodies in the drain after killing them,
the charge sheet said. Most of the people in the mob were wearing helmets or
had their faces muffled. He identified several rioters who were the part of the
mob, the charge sheet said.
Another
eyewitness, in his statement to the police, said that he was part of a crowd of
Hindu youth chanting “Jai Shri Ram” that brought out one person belonging to
the Muslim community from his house and beat him with sticks and stones. When
he died, they dumped his body in the drain.
A
Muslim man, who lost his shop and three vehicles in the riots, told the police
that about 200-250 people had assembled near the Johripur drain and were
raising slogans like “Jai Shri Ram”, “Hindu Ekta Zindabad”, “Jaago Hindu Jaago”
in favour of the CAA through loudspeakers. Since many of them were locals, he
knew them by name. All of them were carrying iron rods, sticks, lathis and
dandas, and were insisting that Hindus assemble and kick out Muslim people from
Bhagirathi Vihar, Delhi. They torched his shop located on ground floor of his
house. He somehow managed to save his family, he had said.
Chat
transcripts
WhatsApp
chat transcripts are also part of charge sheet where rioters were talking about
how many Muslims they had killed, offers for reinforcements were made, and
requests for arms and ammunitions were also placed on the chat group.
The
WhatsApp chat transcripts between the “Kattar Hindut Ekta” group members
clearly fell in the category of extra-judicial confessions and had been done
voluntarily, the charge sheet added.
During
the investigation, some more co-accused/suspects — Monty Nagar, Avdesh Mishra @
Sardar, Monu, Sahil @ Babu, Shekhar, Mongli, Baba and Tinku — were identified
but are yet to be arrested since their addresses could not be ascertained.
After their arrests, a supplementary charge sheet will be filed.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/nine-of-those-killed-in-northeast-delhi-riots-were-forced-to-shout-jai-shri-ram/article31973715.ece
-----
Myanmar
finds troops guilty in Rohingya atrocities court-martial
30
Jun 2020
Some
750,000 Rohingya fled to neighbouring Bangladesh with accounts of widespread
murder, rape and arson [File: Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
-----
Three
Myanmar military officers have been found guilty by a court-martial
investigating atrocities against the Rohingya in conflict-ridden Rakhine state,
the army announced.
The
rare action against members of the military on Tuesday comes as Myanmar faces
charges of genocide at the UN's top court over a brutal 2017 crackdown against
the Rohingya.
Some
750,000 mostly Muslim Rohingya fled to neighbouring Bangladesh during the
crackdown, carrying with them accounts of widespread murder, rape and arson.
Rights
groups accused security forces of committing atrocities in various villages,
including Gu Dar Pyin, where they alleged at least five shallow mass graves had
been found.
After
initially denying the allegations, the military started court-martial
proceedings in September last year, admitting there had been "weakness in
following instructions" in the village.
The
commander-in-chief's office announced on Tuesday that the court-martial had
"confirmed the guilty verdict", and sentenced three officers.
No
details were provided on the perpetrators, their crimes, or sentences.
Estimates
from survivors in Bangladesh put the death toll from the village in the
hundreds.
The
Myanmar government has largely supported the army's justification of the 2017
operations as a means of rooting out alleged Rohingya fighters.
Civilian
leader Aung San Suu Kyi admitted at the International Court of Justice in
December, however, that disproportionate force may have been used.
The
military has maintained that any atrocities were committed by a few maverick
individuals.
UN
investigators also found evidence of extrajudicial killings in other Rakhine
villages, Maung Nu and Chut Pyin.
The
army chief's office on Tuesday said a court of inquiry would "continue to
investigate" events at both villages.
In
2018, the military sentenced members of the security forces to a decade in
prison for the killing of 10 Rohingya in Inn Din village, but they were
released after serving less than a year.
Two
journalists who exposed that massacre were detained for more than 16 months
before they were pardoned following a global outcry.
The
state remains a flashpoint of ethnic and religious tensions, and the military
has been locked in battle since January last year with armed groups fighting
for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists.
Intensified
fighting over the weekend drew alarm from the UN on Sunday, which called for
both sides to respect international humanitarian law as thousands more
civilians fled their homes from artillery shelling.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/myanmar-finds-troops-guilty-rohingya-atrocities-court-martial-200630101738034.html
--------
Islamists
give Widodo fiery taste of things to come
By
JOHN MCBETH
JULY
3, 2020
JAKARTA
– Islamic hardliners have earned the ire of former president Megawati
Sukarnoputri by burning the flag of her ruling Indonesian Democratic Party for
Struggle (PDI-P) in protest over pending legislation establishing legal
guidelines for the country’s pluralist Pancasila state ideology.
Megawati,
a nationalist to the core whose life’s mission has been to keep alive the
legacy of her charismatic father, founding president Sukarno, has directed
party officials to take legal action against the so-called Anti-Communist
National Alliance for the June 25 flag-burning incident.
Analysts
say the lawsuit could make it an enduring issue and force President Joko
Widodo, also a PDI-P member, into another unwanted confrontation with the
Islamist movement at a time when he is dealing with the coronavirus pandemic
and trying to revive the nation’s moribund economy.
It
also may signal the opening shots of the 2024 presidential election campaign,
which again looks likely to pit Indonesia’s Muslim conservatives against a
nationalist coalition of PDI-P and the Great Indonesia Movement Party
(Gerindra) of Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto.
Prabowo
aligned himself with the Islamists in his failed presidential election bid last
year, but Widodo’s decision to bring him into the Cabinet brought about
reconciliation and gave the retired general a new lease on political life,
which he is so far embracing with gusto.
What
appears to have upset Megawati the most was that the party’s flag was set
ablaze alongside the banner of the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI),
crushed in a bloody 1965-66 purge that reportedly claimed the lives of 500,000
people, many of them innocent victims of personal vendettas.
Despite
scant evidence of a revival, the communist bogeyman has remained a source of
legitimacy by the military, which led the blood-letting, and a useful tool by
religious extremists to drum up support for its quest to turn Indonesia from a
secular into an Islamic state.
Conservative
diehards have long accused Widodo and his government of being closet
communists, using the country’s close economic ties with Beijing as tenuous
evidence that the president is doing the bidding of China’s Communist Party.
Widodo,
for his part, warned in his national day speech last August that new
communication technologies were threatening Pancasila and what he called “our
culture of politeness” and said they were contributing to a rise in
intolerance, radicalism and terrorism.
He
also issued a stern warning to civil servants and members of the military and
police that he wouldn’t tolerate anyone who betrayed the five principals of
Pancasila, namely the singularity of godliness (normally translated as belief
in one god), a just and civilized society, national unity, democracy and social
justice for all Indonesians.
A
week earlier, in a pointed attack on Islamic extremists, Megawati told the
PDI-P’s annual congress held in Bali that any movement which sought to replace
Pancasila with a religious caliphate posed a grave danger to Indonesian
society.
That
set the stage for the rollout of the Pancasila Ideology Guidelines Bill last
December, accompanied by a 100-page preamble which described it as a framework for implementing and evaluating
national development in the fields of politics, law, economics and social
affairs.
Although
it initially received the support of most of the ten political parties in
parliament, a rising tide of opposition, led by the moderate mass Muslim
organizations Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, forced the House leadership to
call a temporary halt to deliberations.
PDI-P
parliamentary leader Ahmad Basara later sought to cast the bill as a legal
umbrella to regulate the authority, duty and functions of the newly-formed
Pancasila Ideology Education Agency (BPIP), where Megawati heads the steering
committee.
“It’s
become a silly debate,” says former attorney-general Marzuki Darusman, who has
served on several United Nations’ fact-finding missions in recent years. “It’s
one of those things that you can’t really explain because it generates such a
knee-jerk reaction.”
The
BPIP was formed in 2018 in apparent response to the mass protests launched by
the conservative 212 Movement a year earlier that led to the downfall of
ethnic-Chinese Christian Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Purnama, a Widodo ally,
for alleged blasphemy.
What
angers Islamists is the new bill does not include the People’s Consultative
Assembly’s (MPR) Decree No 25, passed in 1966, which bans communism and is
routinely referenced as the ultimate benchmark in any public discourse on
Pancasila.
With
his power then fast eroding, Sukarno opposed the decree because it was an open challenge to his home-grown
ideology known as Nasakom, in which nationalism, Islam and communism were meant
to collaborate under a so-called “Guided Democracy” system.
Although
PDI-P’s framers left out the anti-communist provision because it did not fit
with the bill’s thrust, they have now agreed to include it. “It was
mishandled,” says Darusman. “The government was not alert and allowed it (the
debate) to drift.”
The
communist issue clouds what a large body of critics fear is an effort to
bureaucratize Pancasila, re-litigating history and allowing the legislation to
be used as a battering ram against those who don’t agree with its official
interpretations.
In
fact, the way it was abused during Suharto’s New Order rule was the reason why
Pancasila lost any appeal it had after he was finally forced from office in
1998. It is only with the rise of hardline Islam that it began to be seen in a
different light.
“Pancasila
is supposed to be all-embracing and inclusive and a genuine foundation for
civil discourse,” says one analyst. “But people on the radical fringes, on the
right and the left, can’t accept that. For them, it is about absolutism.”
That
also worries Darusman, looking back on decades as a human rights campaigner and
a progressive member of Suharto’s ruling Golkar party. “Incorporating Pancasila
into a law will bring it down from a state ideology and diminish its stature,”
he says.
BPIP
chief Yudian Wahyudi drew criticism in February when he told on-line portal
detik.com: “Minority groups want to
oppose Pancasila and appear as the majority. This is dangerous. If we’re being
honest, Pancasila’s biggest enemy is religion, not tribalism.”
In
a survey last August, pollster Cyrus Indonesia found that 70% of Indonesians
still accept Pancasila as the state ideology and a pillar of national unity.
Barely 5% of respondents favored a caliphate and 13% supported Islamic law, the
same number who consistently vote for sharia-based parties.
Political
sources say the Pancasila bill had its origins in Megawati’s broader push for
constitutional changes that would revive the Suharto-era State Policy
Guidelines (GBHN) and, more importantly, provide an opening for a return to
indirect presidential elections.
At
last year’s PDI-P congress, Megawati argued that the move is justified by the
turmoil surrounding last year’s hard-fought presidential election which she claims,
with a large measure of hubris, “almost tore apart the unity and integrity of
the nation.”
Political
insiders say the former president wants a return to an indirect election, not
so much to give her daughter House Speaker Puan Maharani a better chance at the
presidency, but because of fears that Islamic radicalism will gain critical
momentum at the lower levels of society.
Amendments
to the 1945 Constitution at the dawn of democracy in 1999-2002 abolished the
GBHN and also the previous system of electing the president in the MPR, the
highest legislative body formed by the House of Representatives (DPR) and the
Regional Representative Council (DPD).
Before
the MPR was stripped of much of its power, the GBHN was a set of political,
economic and social principles enacted every five years that had to be followed
by the central and regional governments.
As
unlikely as it may seem, critics say a return to the past would undermine the
decentralization process, the rule of law and even democracy itself, which most
academics feel is already sliding backward, in keeping with a trend noticeable
in other parts of the region.
https://asiatimes.com/2020/07/islamists-give-widodo-fiery-taste-of-things-to-come/
--------
Pak
opposition slams Imran Khan for failed diplomacy over Kashmir
03
JULY 2020
Islamabad,
July 3 (IANS) In a recent address to the Parliament, Prime Minister of Pakistan
Imran Khan said that foreign policy of his government is a success story,
claiming that the issue of Kashmir was raised at global platforms like never
before.
However,
the opposition parties slammed the Imran Khan led government for completely
failing in its diplomacy over Kashmir and compromising the Kashmir issue over
Afghanistan.
Bilawal
Bhutto Zardari, chairperson of Pakistan People Party (PPP) slammed the
government for trying to project the current foreign policy -- a success story.
"I
am surprised to see Prime Minister Imran Khan call his government''s foreign
policy as a success. The Kashmir issue has been completely compromised. Kashmir
is out of our hands now since August 5, 2019. And his government has done
nothing about it.
"India
became non-permanent member of UNSC with massive votes. And our government''s
foreign policy kept numb… became completely irrelevant in the matter. I ask how
and why did this happen when the so called successful diplomacy was
active?", he questioned.
Khwaja
Asif, senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) lashed out at the
government for its failure in gaining support from the international community
over the Kashmir issue and allowing it to slip the issue into India''s hands
deliberately.
"India
has taken over Kashmir today. It is gone from our hands. And that has happened
in the presence of Imran Khan-led government. India became part of the UNSC
non-permanent members with massive support. Those countries, who our government
claimed to be its allies on the Kashmir issue against India, sided clearly with
India. And this prime minister has the audacity to claim that his foreign
policy is a success. It is a slap, a failure, an embarrassment," he said.
Another
opposition member from PPP Sherry Rehman said that the Kashmir dispute is
"done and dusted today", courtesy to what she called
"incompetent government of Prime Minister Imran Khan".
Taking
to twitter, Senator Sherry Rehman slammed Prime Minister''s speech in the
Parliament, calling on the premier to stop destroying Pakistan. "Its not
only about inappropriate speeches in parliament. Who will stop your PM from
destroying Pakistan? Three more years and nothing may be left. Economy is
worse, debts r higher, mafias on the rampage, PIA being cannibalised, Kashmir
gone, what''s left?" the senator tweeted.
The
Imran Khan government is facing serious criticism from the opposition parties,
who are questioning its capability and competence to run the country.
Despite
of all these slamming, Imran Khan is consistent in his claims and praises for
his government and its policies on domestic matters, handling of coronavirus
pandemic and foreign policy, specially over Kashmir.
https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/pak-opposition-slams-imran-khan-for-failed-diplomacy-over-kashmir/1884816
--------
Turkey
begins trial of Saudi officials in Jamal Khasshoggi’s case
03
July 2020
A
Turkish court put 20 Saudi officials on trial in absentia on Friday for the
gruesome killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which sparked international
outrage and tarnished the image of Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler.
Khashoggi
was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018, when he went
there seeking papers for his marriage. Some Western governments, as well as the
CIA, said they believed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the hit
— an accusation Saudi officials denied.
Khashoggi's
fiancée Hatice Cengiz waited unknowing outside the consulate while, according
to prosecutors, he was suffocated and his body was dismembered.
The
indictment accuses two top Saudi officials, former deputy head of Saudi
Arabia's general intelligence Ahmed al-Asiri and former royal court adviser
Saud al-Qahtani, of instigating "premeditated murder with monstrous
intent."
It
says 18 other defendants were flown to Turkey to kill Khashoggi, a prominent
and well-connected journalist who had grown increasingly critical of the crown
prince.
The
defendants are being tried in absentia and are unlikely ever to be handed over
by Saudi Arabia, which has accused Turkey of failing to cooperate with a
separate, largely secretive, trial in Riyadh last year.
In
December, a Saudi court sentenced five people to death and three to jail for
the killing, but Khashoggi's family later said they forgave his murderers,
effectively granting them a formal reprieve under Saudi law.
Rights
campaigners hope that the Istanbul trial will throw a fresh spotlight on the case
and strengthen the argument for sanctions against Riyadh or the use of
universal jurisdiction, which could lead to the suspects' arrest if they travel
abroad.
"Justice
in these complex environments is not delivered overnight," Agnes
Callamard, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, told Reuters on
the eve of the trial.
"But
a good process here can build up what can happen in five years, in 10 years,
whenever the circumstances are stronger."
Cengiz
told Reuters this week she hoped the trial would reveal fresh evidence about
her fiancé's killing, in particular over how his body was disposed of. Turkish
officials have said the killers may have tried to burn his remains or dissolve
them in acid.
Zeki
Demir, a local technician who worked for the consulate, told the court on
Friday he had been called to the consul's residence, close to the consulate
itself, on the day of the killing.
"There
were five to six people there... They asked me to light up the tandoor (oven).
There was an air of panic," he said.
According
to the indictment, Demir also reported seeing many skewers of meat, and noticed
that the marble slabs around the oven appeared to have changed color as if they
had been cleaned with a chemical.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/03/628807/Turkey-Saudi-Arabia-Jamal-Khashoggi-trial
--------
OIC
condemns Houthis for launching drones toward Saudi Arabia
July
03, 2020
RIYADH:
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the Houthi militia for
launching four drones toward Saudi Arabia on Friday.
The
drones, which were laden with explosives, were intercepted and destroyed in
Yemeni airspace.
The
OIC’s secretary-general Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen said that the organization
supports the efforts of the Arab coalition.
He
added that the OIC stands with the Kingdom and any steps it takes to confront
Houthi terrorism.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1699476/saudi-arabia
--------
Armed
men kill 40 people in brutal attacks on several villages in Mali
04
July 2020
Unidentified
armed men massacred 31 civilians in simultaneous attacks on several Mali
villages this week, then killed nine soldiers responding to the assault as
violence surges in the country's conflict-wracked center.
A
Takfiri insurgency that erupted in the north of the vast West African country
in 2012 has swept to its center, inflaming ethnic tensions along the way.
Clashes
between the ethnic communities of Fulani, nomadic herders, and Dogon
traditional hunters have increased in recent months, with community-based
militias -- initially formed for defense -- now launching attacks.
Armed
uniformed men traveling in pick-up trucks attacked four Dogon villages on
Wednesday, one local official said by telephone, speaking on condition of
anonymity for security reasons.
The
attack left at least 30 dead, including women, children, and the elderly, while
others were missing, the official added.
"From
3 to 9 pm, nobody came to our rescue," said Youssouf Tiessogue, an elder
from Gouari, one of the villages attacked.
Deploring
the army's "inaction," he said: "It is always late and never
confronts the bandits even if we tell them where they are."
A
senior government official called the attacks "barbaric".
Officials
did not immediately blame any group.
A
military unit was dispatched to the area and helped bury 31 bodies on
Wednesday, army spokesman Colonel Diarran Kone told AFP.
On
Thursday, the army received information about a new attack and sent the unit to
Gouari, he said.
"When
it arrived at around 8 pm, the village seemed deserted, there were practically
no signs of life," he said.
"Just
at the entrance, the FAMa (Malian Armed Forces) walked into an ambush," he
said, adding that nine soldiers were killed and two wounded.
The
attacks were not far from the village of Ogossagou, where 31 civilians were
killed in February and 160 were butchered last year -- all Fulani.
Tit-for-tat
killing
Unrest
in central Mali has killed nearly 600 civilians this year, the United Nations
said last month.
Mali's
war erupted in 2012 when Tuareg rebels supported by armed Takfiris took over
the country's desert north.
The
rebels were then outmaneuvered by their Takfiri allies and the French military
intervened to force them back.
The
conflict has since traveled south, as well as spilling into neighboring Burkina
Faso and Niger, igniting a tinderbox of ethnic resentment and stoking fears for
the future of the fragile nation.
Armed
groups coming from the north found fertile soil in an area riven by
long-running land disputes, often between herders and farmers.
Central
Mali is now prey to tit-for-tat killings and routine Takfiri attacks. Hundreds
of thousands of people have been displaced.
A
Takfiri group active in the region led by radical Fulani preacher Amadou Koufa
has also increased suspicion of his ethnic group.
In
response to Takfiris, traditional Dogon hunters have formed so-called
self-defense groups, adding to the tension.
More
than 5,000 French troops, a regional G5 Sahel military cooperation deal and a
UN peacekeeper mission in Mali have not been enough to contain the violence.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/04/628846/Mali-Takfiri-terrorists-Dogon-UN
--------
North
America
US
says it will maintain policy of 'active neutrality' on Libya
02
July 2020
The
US will maintain a policy of “active neutrality” on Libya, the State Department
said Thursday after it announced that it had met with the Libyan National Army
(LNA) earlier in the week.
“The
US delegation stressed its opposition to all foreign interference in Libya and
discussed the imperative of an immediate ceasefire and return to UN-facilitated
security and political negotiations,” the statement read, revealing that a
virtual meeting was held between US officials and LNA representatives on July
1.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Turkey-backed
Government of National Accord (GNA) and the LNA have seen tensions rise in
recent weeks after Tripoli-based GNA has gained ground against the
Benghazi-based LNA, led by Gen. Khalifa Haftar and backed by countries
including Russia and Egypt.
“The
two sides affirmed that all Libyans should enjoy the protection of capable and
accountable security forces, free from the dangers posed by militias, non-state
armed groups, and foreign fighters,” Thursday's statement said.
While
the LNA briefed US officials on its commitment to the UN-facilitated dialogue,
the US warned that armed groups attempting to “spoil the political process”
risk international sanctions.
American
officials also voiced their opposition to the LNA’s affiliation with the Wagner
group, “a Russian Ministry of Defense proxy.”
Wednesday’s
meeting, the statement said, was in “keeping with US policy of active
neutrality on Libya,” following “US engagement regarding militias with GNA
representatives last week.”
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/north-africa/2020/07/03/US-says-it-will-maintain-policy-of-active-neutrality-on-Libya.html
--------
US
warns Haftar over Wagner group, oil supply in Libya
Beyza
Binnur Donmez
03.07.2020
The
US has warned the Libyan National Army (LNA) that its affiliation with a
Russian paramilitary force and perpetuation of the oil shutdown contradict the
interests of Washington and Libya.
"The
U.S. delegation emphasized that the LNA's affiliation with the Wagner group, a
Russian Ministry of Defense proxy, and perpetuation of the oil shutdown are at
odds with U.S. and Libyan interests, undermine Libyan sovereignty, and increase
the risk of conflict that could damage critical oil infrastructure," State
Department said Thursday in a statement.
Since
January, Haftar's forces under LNA banner have shut down oil facilities in the
central and eastern parts to damage the economy and put pressure on the
UN-recognized Libyan government.
The
statement came after a virtual meeting between officials of President Donald
Trump's administration and representatives of the LNA for addressing issues
related to militias across Libya.
It
underlined that both delegations reaffirmed a desire to de-escalate the conflict
and find sustainable solutions.
The
US delegation reaffirmed that armed groups that "attempt to spoil the
political process or engage in destabilizing acts must not be tolerated – and
risk international sanctions."
Washington
raised its opposition to all foreign interference in Libya and discussed the
imperative of an immediate ceasefire and return to UN-facilitated security and
political negotiations, according to the statement.
Since
April 2019, Haftar's illegitimate forces have launched attacks on the Libyan
capital of Tripoli and other parts of northwestern Libya, resulting in more
than 1,000 deaths, including civilian women and children.
However,
the Libyan government has recently achieved significant victories, pushing
Haftar forces out of Tripoli and strategic city of Tarhuna.
The
country's new government was founded in 2015 under a UN-led agreement, but
efforts for a long-term political settlement failed due to a military offensive
by warlord Haftar, who has been backed by France, Russian paramilitary group
Wagner, UAE and Egypt.
Full
report at:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/us-warns-haftar-over-wagner-group-oil-supply-in-libya/1898854
--------
Europe
French
ISIS extremist Tyler Vilus gets 30 years for Syria crimes
04
July 2020
A
French court on Friday handed a 30-year prison sentence to an extremist for
crimes committed in Syria between 2013-15 including overseeing the execution of
two prisoners while a senior figure in the Islamic State extremist group.
Tyler
Vilus, 30, who was found guilty on all charges, was also accused of belonging
to a terrorist group, heading a group of ISIS fighters and “aggravated murder.”
Public
prosecutor Guillaume Michelin earlier asked the court for a life sentence, with
no possibility of parole for 22 years.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Michelin
said Vilus “hasn’t changed one bit” since his time with ISIS.
“All
the steps in the accused’s journey are interlocked with the construction of the
caliphate,” said the prosecutor, referring to the Islamist-ruled area that IS
had at the time carved out in Syria and Iraq.
“It
is your responsibility to put a definite end to the bloodshed,” he told the
court.
But
the presiding judge said he wanted to give him “a glimmer of hope” so that he
could “evolve,” even though he could have been sentenced to life on being
convicted of all charges.
Investigators
believed Vilus was part of the “Al-Muhajireen” (the immigrants) brigade, a
squad that tortured and carried out summary executions, which he had denied.
However
the court found that Vilus supervised the executions as a member of the
religious police in the north-eastern Syrian town Ash Shaddadi, close to the
Iraqi border.
In
a 2015 video published by ISIS’ media department, a man alleged to be Vilus is
two meters away as two kneeling and blindfolded prisoners - one belonging to
the Free Syrian Army rebel fighters and the other a member of Bashar al-Assad’s
army - are executed with a bullet to the head.
His
arrest and trial were seen as a major coup for the French security services, as
Vilus is believed to have known many French extremists in Syria.
Vilus
had admitted to being in contact with the man French secret services believe is
the mastermind of the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, Abdelhamid
Abaaoud.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/07/04/French-ISIS-extremist-Tyler-Vilus-gets-30-years-for-Syria-crimes.html
--------
'Turkey
included in Hungary's list of safe countries'
03.07.2020
Hungary
has included Turkey in the list of safe countries to travel amid the
coronavirus pandemic, the Turkish foreign minister announced on Friday.
“Hungarian
foreign minister called me and said Turkey is in the list of safe countries and
they will not impose 14-day quarantine for Hungarian tourists coming back from
Turkey,” Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a joint new conference with his Ukrainian
counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.
Cavusoglu
and Dmytro, the first guest minister visiting Turkey’s southern resort city of
Antalya since the start of the novel coronavirus, held the news conference
following the eighth meeting of Turkey-Ukraine Joint Strategic Planning Group.
The
Turkish foreign minister also said that the UK also included Turkey in the list
of 59 safe countries for travel.
“Countries
are announcing Turkey as a safe country, when objective criteria are
considered,” he added.
On
Tuesday, EU members decided to lift travel restrictions initially for 15
countries, including Canada, Algeria, Tunisia, Serbia, Rwanda, South Korea and
Thailand, after a long debate among the member states.
The
EU’s decision drew criticism from Ankara, with Turkish officials stressing that
their country, which has successfully managed the pandemic process, should have
been included in the list.
Russian
annexation of Crimea
Noting
that Turkey and Ukraine are not only neighbors but also strategic partners,
Cavusoglu said boosting bilateral trade and things to be done after COVID-19
were discussed during the group meeting.
“We,
as Ukraine and Turkey, have very close cooperation in international arena,” he
said.
“We
support Ukraine’s border and territorial integrity in every platform,”
Cavusoglu stressed, and said Turkey does not and will not recognize the
annexation of Crimea.
Moscow
and Kiev have been at loggerheads since 2014 when Russia annexed Ukraine's
Crimean Peninsula after a referendum.
Turkey,
as well as the UN General Assembly, view the annexation as illegal.
Turning
to tourism between Turkey and Ukraine, Cavusoglu said the number of Ukrainian
tourists crossed 1.5 million mark over the past two years, and first foreign
tourist group to Turkey came from Ukraine this year amid the pandemic.
Best
measures for tourists
Kuleba,
for his part, said: “Turkey has taken the best measures for tourists. I saw
these measures myself.”
"We
are thankful to Turkey. They have taken all measures not only for flights, but
also for our tourists to spend a safe holiday,” he added.
He
also said the two countries want to double the trade volume by reaching a $10
billion target.
Full
report at:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/turkey-included-in-hungarys-list-of-safe-countries/1898957
--------
India
Clerics
Issue Advisory Appealing Muslims To Pray Home, Even If the Masjids Are Open
JULY
01, 2020
Hyderabad:
In the wake of the unprecedented Coronavirus disease, which has claimed
thousands of lives across the globe, including many in India, eminent Muslim
religious organizations and renowned clerics have appealed to the Muslim
community to stay indoors and offer Namaz at home.
Maulana
Jamal Ur Rahman of Deccan Madrasa Board; Khalid Saiful Rahmani, secretary All
India Muslim Personal Law; Raheem Uddin Ansari of Jamia Islamia Darul Uloom and
many more ulama and Maulana’s from the state had requested Muslims to pray in
their homes even the masjids are open.
Despite,
relaxed norms the cleric also urged Muslims to pray at home and seek Allah to
make the nation free from the deadly coronavirus soon.
Clerics
had appealed to Muslims to abide by the guidelines issued by the government in
the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Furthermore,
the clerics emphasized how staying home, keeping up with social distancing
norms and wearing of masks is essential and had urged people to do so.
Meanwhile,
3.86 lakh people in India were found infected with novel Coronavirus in the
month of June alone, putting the contry amongst the four worst-affected nations
in the world.
https://www.siasat.com/covid-19-clerics-issue-advisory-appealing-muslims-to-pray-home-1916902/
--------
It
is time for India to speak about persecution of Muslims in China
JULY
03, 2020
New
Delhi: – An investigation published this week by American news agency
Associated Press (AP) has drawn international attention, and condemnation of
China. The AP says it has found that the Chinese government is taking draconian
measures to slash birth rates among Uighurs and other minorities as part of a
sweeping campaign to curb its Muslim population in the far west region of
Xinjiang. The AP further says that Beijing, on the other hand, was encouraging
some of the country’s Han majority to have more children.
China
has denied the allegations as “baseless”. The Communist government is already
facing widespread criticism for holding Uighurs in detention camps. It is
believed there are about one million Uighur people and other mostly-Muslim
minorities detained in China, in what the government defines as “re-education”
camps.
The
latest revelation has prompted a global outcry with call for United Nations
probe into this “demographic genocide”. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on
China, a group of European, Australian, North American, and Japanese
politicians from across the political spectrum, demanded an independent UN
investigation.
From
India, none other than Rahul Kanwal, the high-profile news anchor of India
Today TV, has come forward to highlight the sufferings of Muslim minority in
China.
Today,
he ran an exclusive 20-minute programme based on AP investigation and a live
interview of a German scholar Adrian Zenz who specialises on Xinjiang
re-education camps. He is a senior fellow in China studies at the Victims of
Communism Memorial Foundation in Minnesota, US. Based on his own research, Zenz
gave a chilling account of the sufferings of Uighur women who are forced to abort
and even their uteruses are removed. He called on the world to take appropriate
measures to stop this. Kanwal’s programme also referred to Pakistani Prime
Minister Imran Khan who in his speech at the United Nations had lectured the
West on Islamophobia was but was keeping mum at Chinese atrocities against its
Muslim minority.
Fair
enough. A journalist must raise his voice whenever and wherever someone is
discriminated against. But it should not be selective. This is the same Rahul
Kanwal who just three months back became part of a campaign to demonise Muslims
in the wake of Tablighi Jamaat episode. He contributed by airing a concocted
story on three madrasas of Delhi NCR (National Capital Region) and falsely
linking them to Tablighi Jamaat. Later, a fact-check by Newslaundry revealed
that whatever claims he made was fake. He “stung” caretakers of the madrasas
and claimed that they were violating national lockdown rules. He told his
viewers that children were crammed into small rooms where no social distancing
norms were being followed. He also claimed that teachers had bribed police to
hid children from public glare.
Newslaundry
spoke with the three men stung by Kanwal as well as Delhi police officials and
found that Kanwal had fabricated the facts. The students of the Madrasas, all
from Bihar, were not hiding, they were rather stuck because of the lockdown
announced by the prime minister on short notice of just four hours. They had
train reservation for April 11, but because of the lockdown declared on March
24 and government directive for students to remain wherever they are, they had
no option but to remain in the madrasas.
Madrasas
are run on community donations and their students come from poor families. By
cornering them at a time of extreme distress he added to their miseries,
including endangering their lives. Because of anchors like Kanwal, Muslims
faced physical attacks and social boycotts throughout the country.
Full
report at:
https://www.siasat.com/it-is-time-for-india-to-speak-about-persecution-of-muslims-in-china-1917998/
--------
PM
Modi Condoles Death of Sikh Pilgrims in Pakistan Accident
Jul
3, 2020
NEW
DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday condoled the death of Sikh
pilgrims who were killed in an accident in Pakistan.
"Pained
by the tragic demise of Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan. My thoughts are with their
families and friends in this hour of grief. I pray that those pilgrims injured
recover at the earliest," Modi tweeted.
Pained
by the tragic demise of Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan. My thoughts are with their
families and friends in this h… https://t.co/qASx1lhw36
—
Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 1593779199000
At
least 19 Sikh pilgrims were killed and at least 8 people were injured after a
passenger bus they were travelling in collided with a passenger train on
Friday, reported Pakistani media citing officials.
The
coaster was carrying Sikh pilgrims, who were reportedly returning from Nankana
Sahib in Punjab, reported Geo News citing rescue officials. The accident took
place at a train crossing without a barrier
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/pm-modi-condoles-death-of-sikh-pilgrims-in-pakistan-accident/articleshow/76773035.cms
--------
Bengal
bump hits Bangladesh ties
Jul
4, 2020
NEW
DELHI: West Bengal is proving to be a major obstacle to India’s neighbourhood
policy.
A
decision by the Mamata Banerjee government to stop all goods from Bangladesh
through the Petrapole-Benapole border since March has resulted in serious
damage to bilateral trade and it came to a head on Wednesday with Bangladesh
refusing to allow Indian trucks to cross the border.
As
a result of Bengal’s actions, bilateral trade with Bangladesh dropped to $424
million in April-May, as compared to nearly $2 billion for the same period in
2019, with serious disruption to imports from Bangladesh. In the first five
calendar months of 2019 (Jan-May), it was $4.1 billion but in 2020, it is just
$2.9 billion.
Bangladeshi
traders and government have been expressing unhappiness for some time, which
spilled over on July 1 leading to Bangladesh stopping Indian trucks. Even so,
sources said, 106 trucks had been let through into Bangladesh.
No
exports from Bangladesh have been allowed to come via Petrapole-Benapole since
March 23, day before the lockdown was ordered. It briefly resumed on April 29,
but shut down again on May 2, following some local protests. Trade restarted on
June 7 and slowly the volume rose to around 250 trucks per day from around 24
aday. But it was all one-way trade with only trucks from India going to Bangladesh
but nothing being allowed to come from the other side.
Interestingly,
there has been no stoppage of goods from Bangladesh via Tripura, but only
through Petrapole-Benapole which accounts for about 70% of Indo-Bangla trade.
Sources here said Bengal even went so far as to stop trucks going to Nepal and
Bhutan via the state. In April, the home ministry asked the Mamata Banerjee
government to allow truck movement to these countries since they are landlocked
and depend on India for goods movement. This is also part of India’s global
commitments.
The
Centre had told Bengal its actions were in “clear violation of the MHA orders
issued under Disaster Management Act 2005 as well as well as Articles 253, 256
and 257 of the Constitution”.
On
the domestic front, this was also the time when the Centre and the Bengal
government were at loggerheads over the state’s handling of the Covid crisis.
Full
report at:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bengal-bump-hits-bangladesh-ties/articleshow/76778778.cms
--------
4
Pakistani terrorists among J&K’s most-wanted dirty dozen
Jul
3, 2020
SRINAGAR:
Security forces in J&K are going all out to track down a 'dirty dozen' of
most-wanted commanders of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Muhammad and
Lashkar-e-Taiba that includes four Pakistani terrorists, one of them a former
soldier, IGP (Kashmir) range Vijay Kumar told TOI.
Top
of the list is Pakistan-born Adnan Bhai alias Lambu, a Jaish operative said to
be as tall as his list of terror activities is long. Waleed Bhai, another of
the outfit's bomb-making experts, is also categorised as an "A++"
terrorist wanted for a series of terror attacks in south Kashmir. Former
armyman Ghazi Rashid, who is one of the newer terror imports by Jaish from
across the border, and Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Usman Bhai complete the
Pakistani quartet.
Usman
is said to be one of the two terrorists who opened fire on a CRPF patrol from
inside a mosque at Model Town in Sopore on Wednesday, killing a head constable
and a 65-year-old civilian who was passing by in a car with his three-year-old
grandson.
"We
have all the details of these A++ terrorists and efforts are on to get them
soon," IGP Kumar said.
Yousuf
Kantroo alias Isseh Kantur, whom the police files describe as Lashkar's
"operational head, mastermind, planner and main recruiter from
Budgam", is currently the only Kashmir-born terrorist in the A++ category.
The
other "local" names that are part of the list include Dr Saifullah
alias Gazi Haider, who took over as Hizbul Mujahideen's operational commander
in the Valley after his predecessor Riyaz Naikoo was killed in an encounter
with security forces on May 6. Hizb operatives Farooq Ahmad alias Farooq
Nullay, Ashraf Maulvi and Zubair Wani and Lashkar terrorists Sajjad Ahmad,
Ishfaq Dar and Nasir Ahmad are also on the security forces' radar.
Ishfaq,
who is from Shopian, was a constable with J&K Police posted in Rajouri till
2018. He deserted the force to join Lashkar and went on to become the outfit's
district commander in Shopian, where a series of terror attacks have taken
place in recent months.
Full
report at:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/4-pakistani-terrorists-among-jks-most-wanted-dirty-dozen/articleshow/76777389.cms
--------
Border
not right place to make policy pronouncements: Salman Khurshid on PM Modi's
Ladakh visit
Jul
3, 2020
NEW
DELHI: Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Ladakh on
Friday, Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said that border is not the
right place for making large policy pronouncements.
Speaking
to ANI, Khursid said, "If you go there to cheer up the spirit of soldiers
and applaud them for their bravery then it is completely ok, there is no
problem. But rest of things should be discussed here in the country not on the
border."
"Point
is that the border is not a good place for that, something government should
consider," he said.
Full
report at:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/border-not-right-place-to-make-policy-pronouncements-salman-khurshid-on-pm-modis-ladakh-visit/articleshow/76775889.cms
--------
Pakistan
using Ladakh standoff to push terrorists in J&K: Security expert
04th
July 2020
BENGALURU:
PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Ladakh is a clear “message to China and Pakistan
that India will give a fitting reply to anybody who challenges the country’s
sovereignty and intrudes in our territory,” said a security expert.
With
China engaging the Indian troops in Eastern Ladakh, Pakistan has intensified
terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir and is pushing terrorists and arms and
ammunition into Kashmir from its launch pads across the LoC.
“What
is happening on either side of our borders is clearly a joint operation of
China and its ally Pakistan,” he added.
This
year the forces have eliminated 128 militants till June 30, according to Dilbag
Singh, DGP, J&K. In June, 48 militants were killed.
“Pakistan
has intensified its terrorist operations and is also radicalising and arming
Kashmiri Muslim youth, who are joining the militant ranks for want of better
alternative and for mass identity and following,” said a source.
Full
report at:
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/jul/04/pakistan-using-ladakh-standoff-to-push-terrorists-in-jk-security-expert--2165203.html
--------
South
Asia
Kabul
Police foil militants bid to detonate a remote-controlled bomb in the city
04
Jul 2020
The
Kabul Police foiled militants bid to detonate a remote-controlled bomb in the
city, the Kabul Police Headquarters said.
According
to a statement released by Kabul Police, the militants had planted a
remote-controlled bomb on a roadside in Shewaki area located in the 8th
district of the city.
The
statement further added that the police forces managed to discover and defuse
the bomb before the militants manage to detonate it.
The
Kabul Police also added that the roadside bombs and other improvised explosive
devices often inflict casualties on ordinary civilians.
This
comes as the officials in Kabul Police Headquarter said earlier today that an
explosion ripped through a police vehicle in 11th district of the city,
wounding two people, including a civilian and a police officer.
https://www.khaama.com/kabul-police-foil-militants-bid-to-detonate-a-remote-controlled-bomb-in-the-city-08939/
--------
Human
Trafficking: Kuwait House committee lifts immunity of two MPs
July
04, 2020
Kuwait's
Public Prosecution decided to send two Kuwaiti officials to jail, while
Parliamentary Legislative Committee has lifted immunity of two MPs for
interrogation for their alleged involvement in human trafficking, money laundering
and bribery linked to Bangladesh MP Shahid Islam.
Arab
Times reported yesterday the Public Prosecution decided to send one official
from Kuwait's Manpower Authority and a former candidate of National Assembly
for 21 days to the central prison.
Meanwhile,
Parliamentary Legislative Committee has decided to lift the immunity of two
lawmakers suspected to be involved in the corruption scandal.
The
two MPs said they asked the committee to lift their immunity so they could be
interrogated by the public prosecution in order to clear their names, denying
that they had anything to do with the scandal, reports Kuwait Times.
Last
week the Public Prosecutor extended custody of Bangladeshi MP Shahid Islam
alias Kazi Papul for an additional 21 days by referring him to the central
prison to investigate charges against him.
A
well-informed source said that more surprises have cropped up with high profile
names in this case as marathon investigations continue to take place with the
accused and witnesses.
Shahid
Islam, lawmaker from Laxmipur-2 constituency, was arrested by Kuwait CID on
June 6 on charges of human trafficking, money laundering, bribery and visa
trading.
The
managing director and CEO of Marafie Kuwaitia Group, during interrogation,
admitted he bribed millions of dollars to Kuwaiti officials, but said it was
not his fault that he could not get contracts from the government agencies
unless he paid the bribes.
Migrants
alleged Shahid charged Tk 7 lakh to Tk 9 lakh for recruitment, but many have
been paid less than what was spelled out in their contracts charged for renewal
of work permits or were even not provided the jobs.
Full
report at:
https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/news/human-trafficking-kuwait-house-committee-lifts-immunity-two-mps-1924769
--------
Bangladeshi
Nobel laureate says COVID-19 vaccine must be free from commercial interests
July
04, 2020
DHAKA:
The only way to contain the coronavirus pandemic is to have COVID-19 vaccines
free from commercial interests, Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad
Yunus told Arab News in an exclusive interview, as over 100 statesmen,
academics, activists and religious leaders joined his campaign to declare
coronavirus vaccines a global common good.
“I
believe that, ultimately, the only way to definitively eradicate the pandemic
is to have a vaccine that can be administered to all inhabitants of the
planet,” Yunus said. “The effectiveness of the upcoming vaccination campaign
will depend on its universality. To ensure the availability of the vaccines to all
people on the planet almost at the same time, it has to be free from
ownership.”
Vaccine
research requires huge investments and many laboratories in the private sector
are engaged in it. Yunus urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to design an
action plan to put the vaccine into the public domain.
“To
do so we intend to make a global pharmaceutical social business operational as
soon as possible. I am looking for partners to help us achieve this goal,” said
the economist, who pioneered tiny loans for village entrepreneurs as a way to
fight poverty.
The
“Declare COVID-19 Vaccine a Global Common Good Now” campaign launched by Yunus
on Sunday has already gained the support of 19 Nobel Prize laureates, including
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Malala Yousafzai, Iranian political activist and
lawyer Shirin Ebadi, Poland’s first democratically elected president Lech
Walesa, British molecular biologist Sir Richard John Roberts, and former Soviet
Union president Mikhail Gorbachev.
Yunus
said he was expecting a huge response from global leaders to ensure that, in
the case of a COVID-19 vaccine, there would be consensus for free universal
access. He warned that this would not happen as long as the vaccine remained a
commercial product owned by companies.
“It
has to be freed from commercial interest. The polio vaccine was declared as a
common good, not owned by anybody. Why not (have) the corona vaccine follow the
same path?”
As
of Friday, 112 former presidents, prime ministers, business leaders, artists
and social activists joined his mission. Everyone can support the initiative
through the website www.vaccinecommongood.org.
Full
report at:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1699666/world
--------
Southeast
Asia
Malaysia:
Foreigners Still Not Allowed to Join in Prayers
July
04, 2020
PUTRAJAYA:
The permission to hold Friday prayers during this Recovery Movement Control
Order (RMCO) period has been expanded to suraus and halls deemed suitable for
the purpose.
In
fact, Religious Affairs Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri
Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri in a statement Friday, said mosques and Friday
surau permitted to hold Friday prayers are also allowed to maximise the use of
their areas while ensuring compliance with the latest standard operating
procedures (SOP) set by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Security
Council (MKN).
He
said all religious activities and lectures, as well as Dhuha prayers, Fardu Ain
and Quran reading classes, may also resume starting this week.
“As
such, the mosque and surau committees are to be held responsible for ensuring
full compliance of the SOP,” he said.
Zulkifli
said the committees were also advised not to lock the main gate of the surau
and mosques to enable members of the public, especially travellers, food
delivery riders or e-hailing drivers to perform the five daily prescribed
prayers.
The
Minister said all decisions were made upon the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan
Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah who had accepted
the resolutions of the 7th Special Meeting of the National Council for Islamic
Religious Affairs Malaysia (MKI) held on June 24.
He
said as the Federal Constitution provides for matters concerning Islam under
the jurisdiction of the states, the meeting also agreed to leave it to the
religious authorities in the states to consider the implementation of the
decisions.
Meanwhile,
foreigners are still not allowed to take part in congregational prayers in
mosques and surau, said Zulkifli.
He
said the ministry has to study reports from the authorities such as the Federal
Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) on the situation in mosques and
surau, before allowing foreigners to participate in congregational prayers.
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news/155274/foreigners-still-not-allowed-to-join-in-prayers/
--------
Duterte’s
anti-terror law seen as threat to peace in Mindanao
July
04, 2020
MANILA:
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday signed a controversial
anti-terrorism law, despite opposition and fears that it will worsen the
country’s human rights situation.
The
new law allows detention of suspects for up to 24 days without charge, and a
60-day surveillance with an allowable 30-day extension that can be conducted by
the police or the military against suspected terrorists.
Leaders
of the autonomous Bangsamoro government in Mindanao had urged Duterte to allow
Congress to “review and address the issue of vagueness, overbreadth, and other
concerns” related to some of the bill’s provisions, as they said the law would
bring further discrimination against Filipino Muslims.
Bangsamoro
Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim said he feared that among those
hardest hit once the anti-terrorism bill passed into law would be from
Bangsamoro.
Ebrahim
wrote to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament, saying that it was his
“moral duty” to speak out to ensure that the measures intended to address
terrorism would not be used as a means to “subvert the fundamental rights and
freedom” of individuals, in general, and to normalize abuse and discrimination
against the Bangsamoro, in particular.
Ebrahim,
who is also the chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which
used to be the nation’s largest separatist group, also said in his letter that
the bill had a vague definition of terrorism, surveillance of suspects,
interception and recording of communications, and detention without a judicial
warrant.
MP
Zia Alonto Adiong shared Ebrahim’s concerns.
“The
bill seeks to stabilize the peace and order situation not only for Mindanao but
for the whole country,” he told Arab News. “However, due to the vagueness of
some of its provisions, especially the outright dismissal of the
constitutionally guaranteed due process under the law ... it may create a
scenario where disarming the actual terrorist from gaining grounds may turn
into disarming the people of the very rights the Constitution provided for them
to protect themselves from abuse.”
Presidential
spokesman Harry Roque rejected the Bangsamoro leaders’ concerns.
“We
consider the concern that the bill would lead to abuse, especially to our
Muslim brothers and sisters, unfounded. Passing a class legislation against the
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, I would like to stress, would
not even cross the minds of the proponents of the said bill. This piece of
legislation is against terrorists and terrorism and not against a particular
regional/ethnic group.”
Roque
added that the president understood this better as he was from Mindanao and
would take into account the appeal of the Bangsamoro leaders when the proposed
bill reached his desk.
Hours
later, Duterte signed the bill into law.
“As
we have said the president, together with his legal team, took time to study
this piece of legislation weighing the concerns of different stakeholders,”
Roque told reporters, adding that the signing of the document demonstrated the
government’s “serious commitment to stamp out” terrorism.
Phil
Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, condemned the enactment
of the new anti-terror law. “Duterte has pushed Philippines democracy into an
abyss. The law threatens to significantly worsen the human rights situation in
the Philippines, which has nosedived since the catastrophic ‘war on drugs’
began four years ago.”
Full
report at:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1699681/world
--------
Mapim
to hand over memorandum to PM on refugee issues
01
JUL 2020
SHAH
ALAM: The Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (Mapim) will
hand over a memorandum to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin urging the
government to address the issues of refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia,
based on the Islamic approach.
Its
president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid (pix) said the memorandum would be handed over
to the prime minister next Monday.
“The
memorandum, among others, contains how Malaysia, as an Islamic country, should
manage refugees in the country according to the Quran.
“We
also urge the authorities not to allow any attempt to instil hatred and
mistreatment against the refugee,” he told a press conference, here today.
Mohd
Azmi called on relevant agencies to issue a directive to help prevent any abuse
against refugees and understand their plight.
Mohd
Azmi also called on the government to hold a dialogue with religious groups to
find the best way to address the refugee issue in Malaysia.
“Even
though Malaysia has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, as a Muslim nation,
it is our responsibility to help defend the rights of the oppressed.
Full
report at:
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/mapim-to-hand-over-memorandum-to-pm-on-refugee-issues-EI2648987
--------
Pakistan
CPEC
to be completed at all costs, says Imran
July
04, 2020
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Imran Khan vowed on Friday that the government would complete
the ambitious China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project at any cost and
pass its benefits to the nation.
“The
corridor is a manifestation of Pakistan-China friendship and the government
will complete it at any cost and bring its fruit to every Pakistani,” the prime
minister said at a meeting held to review progress on the CPEC projects.
Terming
the CPEC an excellent project for the country’s socio-economic development, Mr
Khan said the gigantic multi-faceted initiative would guarantee a bright future
for the nation.
Lauding
the performance of CPEC Authority, the prime minister said measures must be
taken to improve its working as well as capacity.
The
prime minister was briefed about the status of ongoing projects under the giant
initiative.
Federal
Ministers Asad Umar, Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar and Omar Ayub, Commerce Adviser
Abdul Razak Dawood, CPEC Authority Chairman retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa
and senior officers of the organisations concerned attended the meeting.
CPEC
is a collection of infrastructure and other projects under construction
throughout Pakistan since 2013. Originally valued at $46 billion, the CPEC
projects were worth $62bn as of 2017.
The
vast initiative is intended to rapidly upgrade Pakistan’s required
infrastructure and strengthen its economy by the construction of modern
transportation networks, numerous energy projects and special economic zones.
In
November of 2016, CPEC became partly operational when Chinese cargo was
transported overland to Gwadar port for onward maritime shipment to Africa and
West Asia, while some major power projects were commissioned by late 2017.
The
potential impact of the massive initiative on Pakistan has been compared to
that of the Marshall Plan undertaken by the United States in post-war Europe.
The initiative has entered a new phase after the coming into power of the
government led by Mr Khan.
Master
plans of cities
At
another meeting the prime minister directed provincial governments to upgrade
master plans of major cities to provide the best civic amenities to the populace.
Due
to ill-planned growth in major cities, the environment had deteriorated and
people were facing multiple problems, Mr Khan observed.
“As
a result of a mushroom growth, green belts are vanishing… Master plans should
be amended and upgraded keeping in view the changing circumstances.”
Prime
Minister Khan said the main objective behind incentives being given by the
government to the construction sector was to create job opportunities.
He
advised provincial governments to use the latest technology so that master
plans of major cities were upgraded as soon as possible.
The
prime minister said a roadmap should be devised within a week to give final
shape to the master plans.
The
meeting was attended by PM’s Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, Member
of National Assembly Khayal Zaman, chairman of the Naya Pakistan Housing
Authority and the housing secretary while provincial chief secretaries
participated through video link.
The
prime minister directed the authorities concerned at yet another meeting to
improve facilities in Panahgahs (shelters) for the poor.
He
gave these directives while presiding over a meeting on the government’s
flagship initiative — the Ehsaas programme.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1566867/cpec-to-be-completed-at-all-costs-says-imran
--------
PM,
military review security challenges
Baqir
Sajjad Syed
July
04, 2020
ISLAMABAD:
As Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday consulted his top military and
intelligence aides, the possibility of an imminent conflict with India appeared
to loom over Pakistan’s security agenda.
PM
Khan, the prime minister’s office said, “chaired a high-level meeting to review
the internal and external security situation”. The meeting was attended by
Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen
Nadeem Raza, Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff
Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid
Anwar Khan, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen Faiz Hamid and
Director General Military Operations Nauman Zikriya.
From
the list of the participants of the meeting, it looked very much like a
National Security Committee session except that it did not include Foreign
Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who has quarantined himself after contracting
Covid-19 infection, Adviser on Finance Hafeez Sheikh, and Special Assistant on
National Security — all of whom would have been part of a routine NSC meeting.
The
meeting took place in the backdrop of what FM Qureshi, in a telephone
conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during the day, described as
fast “deteriorating” regional security environment. The foreign minister blamed
“India’s belligerent posture and expansionist policies” for jeopardising
region’s peace.
The
India focused language of the media statement issued after the meeting clearly
pointed towards the aggravating situation at the Line of Control (LoC) being
the main agenda point of the session.
“The
meeting … resolved that sovereignty of Pakistan will be protected at all costs.
It was also resolved that Pakistan believes in peaceful co-existence with its
neighbours but we have both the will and the capacity to defend our people and
territorial integrity,” it said.
“The
meeting expressed serious concern over the continued human rights violation by
Indian forces in the IOJ&K and urged the international community to take
notice,” the statement added.
Pakistani
strategists fear that India, which has failed to restore normalcy in Occupied
Kashmir since its illegal annexation in August 2019, is being pushed towards a
conflict with Pakistan by a confluence of military, health and economic crises,
which have badly dented Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s standing at home.
Indian
troops were recently involved in a fatal clash with Chinese troops, the first
in 45 years, in which at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
The
flaring up of India-Nepal border conflict, and deteriorating economic
conditions because of Covid-19 could have infused frustration in Indian
leaders, who may act in desperation, it is feared.
Taking
on Pakistan, analysts believe, is an apparent choice for India in the current
circumstances as its government knows well that anti-Pakistan sentiment sells
well among its constituents. The Indian government had last year exited from
the military stand-off with a bloody nose after losing two fighter jets and one
of the pilots getting captured, yet the Bharatiya Janata Party presented it as
a success to its public and gone on to win elections.
They
again used the same Pakistan ploy after the loss of 20 soldiers to China last
month by asking Islamabad to halve its diplomatic presence in Delhi and
simultaneously cutting its high commission’s strength in Islamabad after
accusing officials of Pakistani mission in Delhi of espionage.
India
has, meanwhile, been building an environment for a conflict with Pakistan for
several months. It has regularly been accusing Pakistan of infiltration across
the LoC and publicising virtually daily clashes with Kashmiri freedom fighters
to mislead the world that it is faced with a terrorism problem.
There
has also been a dangerous arms build-up by India, security officials say as
they point to heightened threat of a conflict. India has lately also ordered
major defence acquisitions despite the Covid-19 situation in its country.
Mr
Qureshi told Mr Yi during conversation that Pakistan was exercising restraint
despite Indian provocations.
A
statement by Foreign Office said both foreign ministers “resolved to implement
consensus reached by the leadership of the two countries to deepen strategic
consultation and coordination at all levels so as to collectively promote
shared goals of peace and stability”.
Full
report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1566862/pm-military-review-security-challenges
--------
Sindh
govt to make public JITs of Uzair Baloch, Baldia factory fire
Imran
Ayub
July
04, 2020
KARACHI:
The Sindh government on Friday announced that it would make public next week
the joint investigation team (JIT) reports of three high-profile and much-publicised
cases, but challenged federal minister Ali Zaidi of the Pakistan
Tehreek-i-Insaf to show any name mentioned in the documents that may prove
involvement of top leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party in criminal
activities.
The
announcement came at a press conference of Chief Minister’s Law Adviser and
provincial government’s spokesperson Barrister Murtaza Wahab, who said that the
JIT reports of the Baldia factory fire incident, chief of outlawed Peoples Amn
Committee Uzair Jan Baloch and former chairman of the Fishermen Cooperative
Society Nisar Morai would be uploaded on the website of the home department for
public by Monday.
“But
it doesn’t end here,” he said. “Now it’s turn of Ali Zaidi to show any name of
PPP leaders mentioned in the report. The reports would be available on home
department’s website by Monday and I invite you all to go through the facts
carried in the reports. The truth is that our federal minister has consistently
been lying and it’s time for him to apologise and resign from his position.”
Only
last week, the provincial authorities had informed the Sindh High Court that
they had challenged its order to make public the three JIT reports before the
Supreme Court. This came in response to a petition of Mr Zaidi, seeking to make
public all three JIT reports. He had petitioned the high court in 2017 and
submitted that these JIT reports had contained startling disclosures about the
involvement of politicians in crimes such as murder and extortion.
Accompanied
by Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Irrigation Minister Sohail
Anwar Siyal, Barrister Wahab said that the PPP government was not under any
pressure, neither it wanted to score points on political grounds.
Ali
Zaidi’s resignation demanded
“Ali
Zaidi showed papers at the National Assembly and accused the Sindh government
of deliberately concealing the facts mentioned in the JITs,” said minister
Siyal. “He was claiming to have proofs that the PPP leaders including Asif Ali
Zardari had close ties with Uzair Baloch and the gangster executed several
crimes on the directives of the former president of Pakistan. I ask Mr Zaidi to
prove these allegations or apologise and resign from the seat of MNA.”
PTI
fears provincial govt may come up with ‘fake reports’
Answering
questions, Nasir Shah and Mr Wahab conceded that the alleged leader of a
criminal gang in Lyari had close ties with politicians when he was the most
feared man in the city. They demanded law enforcement agencies and relevant
authorities investigate those facts.
“We
all know Uzair Baloch was a close friend of Dr Zulfikar Mirza,” said Barrister
Wahab.
Dr
Mirza, once a key PPP leader and provincial minister, has long been estranged
from his former party.
“He
on public forums had admitted his connections with Uzair Baloch when he was
Sindh home minister. And who this Zulfikar Mirza is? Mr Ali Zaidi should ask
his cabinet colleague and ally in the government Dr Fehmida Mirza, [wife of
Mirza].”
About
the Baldia factory fire JIT report, Mr Shah, without naming any party or individual
though clearly alluding to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, asked the PTI minister
to check the rank and file of their allied parties and he would come to know
about the facilitators of the tragic incident.
‘PPP
can’t deny ties with Uzair Baloch’
On
the other hand, PTI leaders feared that the Sindh government could come up with
“fake JIT reports for face saving” and warned that any such move would lead to
a strong reaction from the people of Sindh.
Accompanied
by MPAs Raja Azhar, Kareem Bux Gabol, Jam Farooq Ahmed and other party leaders,
senior PTI leader and its parliamentary party leader in the Sindh Assembly
Haleem Adil Sheikh told a press conference that it was an irony that the people
who were rejected by the voters of their constituencies were demanding
resignation of an elected member and federal minister.
“We
are sure that they are going to make fake reports public in the name of JITs,”
he said. “It is an open secret that these people have patronised Uzair Baloch.
The PPP used to give election tickets from Lyari on the recommendations of
Uzair Baloch. This party used to create a law and order situation in Karachi
with the help of Uzair Baloch. History shows PPP footprints from Al-Zulfikar to
gangs in Lyari. The pictures of top leadership of the PPP with Uzair Baloch are
not fake.”
Governor
rule still a possibility
Despite
a clear message from Prime Minister Imran Khan against any possibility of
governor rule in Sindh, provincial PTI legislators and leaders insisted that it
was still a possibility.
About
a recent controversy regarding tax collection, he said: “Under the
constitutional framework, the provinces are bound to collect tax on behalf of
the federal government and if a province refuses to discharge this
constitutional obligation, governor rule be imposed there.
Full
report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1566873/sindh-govt-to-make-public-jits-of-uzair-baloch-baldia-factory-fire
--------
Policeman
martyred in Karachi in targeted killing
Imtiaz
Ali
July
04, 2020
KARACHI:
A policeman was martyred in a gun attack in Baloch Colony on Friday morning
when he was returning home after performing his night duty in Clifton, said
police.
They
added that Noman Ali was posted at Madadgar-15 at the Clifton base.
He
was riding a motorbike in police uniform and when he reached near his home in
Manzoor Colony No. 4, armed motorcyclists opened fire on him and fled.
He
sustained a critical bullet wound in his neck and was taken to the Jinnah
Postgraduate Medical Centre, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
The
victim was recruited in the Special Security Unit of police in 2016.
East
SSP Sajid Amir Sadozai told Dawn that the police were investigating the murder
from different angles. The police officer opined that it was too early to reach
any conclusion about exact motive for the killing.
Another
officer said that it appeared to be a targeted killing as the killers took away
the official pistol of the slain officer. They hit him on a vital part of his
body. Besides, there were no signs of any resistance. The investigators
collected three spent bullet casings from the crime scene fired from a 30-bore
pistol.
His
funeral prayer was held at the SSU Headquarters near Hasan Square, which was
attended by senior police officers.
Two
men shot dead
Two
men were shot dead while the wife of one of the victims was wounded in what was
stated to be a targeted killing in the Garden area late on Thursday night, said
police and hospital officials.
They
added that the victims were travelling in a car when armed motorcyclists opened
fire on their vehicle at Kashti Masjid near Dhobi Ghat.
The
victims sustained critical bullet wounds and were taken to the Dr Ruth Pfau
Civil Hospital Karachi, where doctors pronounced Mujeeb Rehman, 38, and Anas
Aamir, 25, dead on arrival, said police surgeon Dr Qarar Ahmed Abbasi.
Full
report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1566872/policeman-martyred-in-karachi-in-targeted-killing
--------
Mideast
Iran's
UN Envoy Calls for Lifting Sanctions amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Jul
03, 2020
Takht
Ravanchi made the remarks while addressing a UN Security Council meeting on
Thursday night to review the impacts of coronavirus on global peace and
security.
He
said, "Serious outbreaks of certain diseases with a high mortality rate,
entail security implications in conflict situations. One example is the impacts
of COVID-19 pandemic in the conflict situations in our region from Yemen to
Palestine to Syria.”
In
these countries, the virus has exacerbated the socioeconomic situations,
negatively impacted de-escalation efforts and peace negotiations, the envoy
added.
He
noted that in Yemen the inaction of the Security Council to confront the
foreign aggression against the country has emboldened the aggressors, so that
by taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have even escalated
airstrikes and tightened the siege against ports and airports which channel
humanitarian assistance to the people in need.
In
Palestine, Takht Ravanchi said, “the Israeli regime has continued over a
decade-long inhumane blockade against Gaza Strip even during the corona virus
outbreak leading to further deterioration of the already fragile humanitarian
situation.”
In
Syria, where the situation in many parts of the country was improving as a
result of the defeat of terrorists and restoration of the government’s control
over its territory, the COVID-19 has relatively slowed down the return of
displaced persons and reconstruction efforts, he continued.
Referring
to the illegal US sanction s against Iran, the Iranian envoy to the US
underlined that, “The Islamic Republic of Iran is fully aware as to how such
sanctions drastically hinder national responses of targeted countries in
effectively preventing the spread of the virus.”
Despite
strong international calls for their instant removal, including by the UN
Secretary-General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and some other
international dignitaries as well as many former and current statesmen and
stateswomen, MPs, religious leaders, academia, NGOs and civil society institutions,
these illegal sanctions continue to be used.
In
relevant remarks last month, Takht Ravanchi said the illegal US sanctions have
gone beyond the stage of economic and health terrorism, adding that they have
reached the stage of crime against humanity.
"It
is an undeniable fact that the continuation of UCMs, including illegitimate
sanctions, especially during this pandemic which has led to the consequent
death of innocent people, passes the redlines of “economic terrorism” and
“health terrorism” and reaches the level of a crime against humanity,"
Takht Ravanchi said speaking at the Webinar on “The Impact of UCMs on the
Global Fight Against COVID-19: Upholding the UN Charter, Promoting
International Cooperation and Ensuring No One is Left Behind in Times of
Pandemic.”
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990413000103
--------
Erdogan
rejects criticism over Turkey’s Hagia Sophia landmark move
03
July 2020
Turkey’s
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday rejected criticism over his
willingness to convert Istanbul's famed Hagia Sophia landmark into a mosque
despite international and domestic concern.
“Charges
against our country over Hagia Sophia are a direct attack on our right to
sovereignty,” Erdogan said.
Turkey’s
top court is considering whether the emblematic site and former cathedral can
be redesignated as a mosque, prompting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on
Wednesday to urge Turkey to keep the site in its current status as a museum.
The
Council of State convened on Thursday to evaluate the case brought by an
association to change the museum’s status.
The
court, known as Danistay in Turkish, must announce its decision within 15 days.
Hagia
Sophia was first constructed as a cathedral in the Christian Byzantine Empire
in the sixth century but was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest
of Constantinople in 1453.
Transforming
it into a museum was a key reform of the post-Ottoman authorities under the
modern republic's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
But
calls for it to serve again as a mosque have led to anger among Christians and
tensions between historic foes and uneasy NATO allies Ankara and Athens, which
closely monitors Byzantine heritage in Turkey.
Erdogan
said last year it had been a “very big mistake” to convert the Hagia Sophia into
a museum.
France's
Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the sixth-century Hagia Sophia museum
originally built as a Christian cathedral in Istanbul must remain open to all.
"A
symbol of tolerance and diversity, this place must remain open to all," a
French Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
France’s
appeal comes after the spiritual head of the world’s Orthodox Christians warned
that converting Istanbul’s sixth century Hagia Sophia back into a mosque would
sow division.
Full
report at:
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/03/Erdogan-rejects-criticism-over-Turkey-s-Hagia-Sophia-landmark-move-.html
--------
Iran,
Iraq Vow to Broaden Security Cooperation
Jul
03, 2020
During
the meeting, the two sides underlined the need to implement the already signed
military and defense agreements, urging the need to promote further cooperation
in these areas.
Al-Haidar,
also Head of the Security and Defense Committee in the Iraqi parliament,
appreciated Iran’s support for Iraq during that country's fight against ISIL
terrorist group, and said that it was an example of brotherliness between Iran
and Iraq.
The
Iranian military attaché voiced his country's continued support for the Iraqi
nation and government.
In
a relevant development last week, Moradian also had a meeting with Iraqi
Defense Minister Juma Anad Saadoun and discussed ways to expand military and
defensive cooperation.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990413000292
--------
Iran
Calls for Developing Bilateral Ties with Belarus
Jul
03, 2020
In
his message to Makei on Thursday, Zarif underlined the deepening of friendly
relations between Tehran and Minsk.
In
his message, the Iranian foreign minister also congratulated the National Day
of Belarus to Makei, as well as government and people of Belarus.
While
wishing good health and evermore success to his Belarus counterpart, Zarif
stressed the need to take advantage of many opportunities and capacities in
bilateral relations.
In
a relevant development on Thursday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer
Qalibaf in a message to Chairman of Belarusian House of Representatives
Vladimir Andreichenko underlined his country's interest in the further
bolstering of ties and cooperation with Belarus in all fields.
Qalibaf
thanked Andreichenko for his congratulatory message on the Iranian speaker's
election, and said that Iran and Belarus enjoy friendly relations.
He
emphasized the need for dialogue between the two parliaments.
Qalibaf
stressed the importance of developing bilateral relations in various fields,
expressing the hope that economic cooperation between the two countries would
expand based on mutual interests.
Full
report at:
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990413000130
--------
Iran's
Envoy: US Stance Vis-a-Vis UNSC Resolution 2231 Threatening Global Peace
Jul
03, 2020
"The
US approach to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is bold in
unilateralism, bleak on improving UNSC peace seeking function and pure humbug
in reflecting Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA)," Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini tweeted on Thursday.
“Not
only the US illegally withdraw from the JCPOA, it is also punishing others for
not imitating the same," the Iranian ambassador to Islamabad said.
The
envoy added that the US significant non-performance to UNSC/Res2231 is a
manifestation of "threat to international peace" that needs UNSC
determination.
"Economic
Terrorism of the US that has imposed huge economic and non-economic detriments
to Iranian nation, ought to be indicted,” he pointed out.
Ambassador
Hosseini went on to say in spite of being under most robust inspection regime
of IAEA Iran is still introduced non cooperative by those European who are
vociferous in rhetoric but devoid in action for cooperation! how fair them!
“Being
still committed to its obligations-15 of IAEA reports vouch for it. Iran call
upon international community, especially JCPOA singers to respect Res2231 and
its provisions,” said the ambassador.
In
relevant remarks last month, Iranian Government Spokesman Ali Rabiyee deplored
the US and Israel for meddling in the International Atomic Energy Agency's
affairs, saying that the IAEA should keep its independence.
“We
warn that using political criteria in dealing with the tasks and rights of countries
in the IAEA will result in nothing but the breakdown of trust and the growth of
instability in the global arena,” Rabiyee told reporters in Tehran.
He
also warned the IAEA Board of Governors against falling under Washington and
Tel Aviv’s pressure.
Rabiyee
criticized politicization of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s reports
on Iran’s nuclear activities under the influence of the United States and the
Israeli regime, reiterating that the Islamic Republic carries out a peaceful
transparent nuclear program.
“We
firmly emphasize that we are meeting all our international commitments, as
confirmed by the 17 positive reports of IAEA in recent years, and we are
carrying out most transparent activities,” he said.
Rabiyee
said that the Islamic Republic of Iran has given the highest level of access
that a country can give to the IAEA, adding, “We have always been prepared to
provide the Agency with the necessary access to (to our facilities) in
accordance with previous valid agreements and international regulations.”
He
noted that Iran will continue its measures according to the same routine and
requirements, calling on the IAEA to set its requests within the framework of
the body’s statutes.
Full
report at:
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990413000199
--------
Turkish
court convicts Amnesty official, three other activists on terror charges
03
July 2020
A
Turkish court sentenced a former executive of Amnesty International Turkey to
more than six years in jail and convicted three other rights activists on
terrorism-related charges on Friday, the rights group said.
Amnesty
Turkey said on Twitter that seven other defendants, who were detained three
years ago during a crackdown following a 2016 attempted coup, were acquitted in
a case which fueled concern over Ankara’s human rights record.
“This
is an outrage. Absurd allegations. No evidence. After three year trial Taner
Kilic convicted for membership of a terrorist organization,” Amnesty
representative Andrew Gardner wrote on Twitter as the verdict emerged on the
former honorary chairman of Amnesty Turkey.
Three
other rights activists were sentenced to two years and one month in jail. Peter
Steudtner, a German national, and Ali Gharavi, a Swede, were among the seven
acquitted.
Ten
of the defendants were detained while they participated in a workshop on
digital security held on the island of Buyukada, off the coast of Istanbul, in
July 2017.
The
prosecution alleged that the gathering had been a secret meeting to organize an
uprising and foment chaos. It alleged they had links to the network of US-based
cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of engineering the 2016 coup attempt
against President Tayyip Erdogan.
Full
report at:
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/03/Turkish-court-convicts-Amnesty-official-three-other-rights-activists-on-terror-relat.html
--------
Seven
suspects in the escape of Ghosn from Japan go on trial in Turkey
03
July 2020
Seven
suspects went on trial in Turkey on Friday over their alleged involvement in former
Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn’s dramatic escape from Japan to Lebanon via Istanbul
at the end of last year.
Ghosn,
once a titan of the global auto industry, had been arrested in Japan in late
2018 and charged with underreporting his salary and using company funds for
personal purposes, charges he denies.
The
ousted chairman of the alliance of Renault, Nissan Motor Co and Mitsubishi
Motors Corp had been awaiting his trial under house arrest in Japan when he
made a dramatic escape in December to Beirut, his childhood home.
An
executive from Turkish private jet operator MNG Jet and four pilots were
detained in early January soon after Ghosn’s escape and charged with migrant
smuggling, a sentence carrying a maximum sentence of eight years in jail.
They
appeared in white protective overalls, masks and gloves as a measure against
the coronavirus, as the court in Istanbul began hearing their defense. Two
flight attendants, charged with failing to report a crime -- a charge carrying
a sentence of up to one year -- were also there.
The
first defendant to speak was a pilot on the Osaka-Istanbul flight, Noyan Pasin,
who denied the charge.
Prosecutors,
in their indictment, had said MNG Jet operations manager Okan Kosemen -- who is
one of the seven on trial -- knew before the Osaka flight that Ghosn would be
on board and would transfer to Beirut.
Kosemen,
who also pleaded not guilty, said in court on Friday he was only told via phone
about Ghosn’s presence mid-flight from Osaka and cooperated under duress.
The
prosecution said Kosemen used WhatsApp to communicate with pilots before,
during and after the Osaka-Istanbul flight, using terms like “luggage” and
“consignment” to refer to Ghosn.
The
five other suspects also deny the charges, according to the indictment.
Saga
shakes auto world
According
to the indictment, Kosemen told prosecutors a price of $175,000 was agreed for
the flight with a Lebanese broker and paid into MNG Jet’s bank account.
At
the time of the incident, MNG Jet said Kosemen acted without the knowledge of the
company and it had filed a criminal complaint for the illegal use of its
aircraft.
Japan
has formally asked the United States to extradite two Americans - a former
Green Beret and his son -- who also stand accused of helping Ghosn flee Japan.
They were arrested in Massachusetts in May.
The
Ghosn saga has shaken the global auto industry, at one point jeopardizing the
Renault-Nissan alliance which he masterminded, and increased scrutiny of
Japan’s judicial system.
Renault
and Nissan have struggled to recover profitability following his tenure, during
which both automakers say Ghosn focused too much on expanding sales and market
share, leading to falling margins.
Full
report at:
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/03/Seven-suspects-in-the-escape-of-Ghosn-from-Japan-go-on-trial-in-Turkey.html
--------
UN
peacekeepers in Israel suspended over sexual misconduct caught on video
04
July 2020
The
United Nations has suspended two male staff members of its peacekeeping
operation in the Middle East without pay after an initial inquiry found they
had engaged in sexual misconduct in the Israeli-occupied territories.
The
UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services launched the investigation after an
18-second video clip was shared widely on social media last month, showing a
woman in a red dress straddling a man in the back seat of a UN-marked vehicle,
while another man dozes in the passenger seat as the vehicle drives down a
coastal boulevard in Tel Aviv.
“Two
male international staff members who were in the UN vehicle in Tel Aviv have
been identified as having engaged in misconduct, including conduct of a sexual
nature,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres,
said in a statement.
Dujarric
said the video involved staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision
Organization (UNTSO), which provides military observers to monitoring missions
in south Lebanon and the occupied Golan Heights.
Given
the seriousness of the allegations, Dujarric added, the two were placed on
administrative leave without pay, pending the conclusion of the investigation
by the UN’s internal investigations office.
There
have been frequent allegations of sexual misconduct by UN peacekeepers in
recent years, placing the forces under scrutiny over such claims.
In
2019, there were 175 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse against UN
staff members, a report said.
Of
those allegations, 16 were substantiated, while 15 were unsubstantiated. All
other claims are still being investigated.
Full
report at:
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/04/628857/UN-peacekeepers-in-Israel-suspended-without-pay-over-sexual-misconduct-caught-on-video
--------
Over
320 LatAm figures call for sanctions on Israel over plans to annex West Bank
04
July 2020
More
than 320 distinguished figures from Latin America including former political
leaders have signed a statement, calling for imposition of sanctions against
Israel over its controversial plans to annex large parts of the occupied West
Bank and Jordan Valley.
The
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement announced that the statement,
underwritten by former Brazilian presidents Dilma Rousseff and Lula da Silva,
former Bolivian president Evo Morales, former Ecuadorian president Rafael
Correa and Argentine Nobel Peace Prize laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, was part
of a South African initiative to unify efforts from all over the world for the
punitive measures.
The
statement also calls for the re-activation of the UN Special Committee against
Apartheid in order to put an end to the Tel Aviv regime’s apartheid policies
against Palestinian people in the occupied lands.
“The
proposed annexation of Palestinian territory by Israel is not only an offense
against international law and a threat to peace; it is an attack against women
and men who fought against colonialism and apartheid,” Brazil’s former foreign
minister Celso Amorim, a signatory to the statement, said.
Mandela
foundation urges action by European leaders
Separately,
the Elders founded by South African anti-apartheid figure Nelson Mandela in
2007 said in letters to the leaders of France, Germany, Britain and the
European Union that they should insist to Israel that annexation would have
negative political and economic consequences for bilateral and regional relations.
The
Elders — led by former Irish President Mary Robinson with Mandela’s widow Graca
Machel and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as co-chairs — said
annexation “is fundamentally contrary to the long-term interests of both the
Israeli and the Palestinian peoples.”
They
said annexation “will not dampen future Palestinian demands for rights and
self-determination, but destroying hopes in a [so-called] two-state compromise
will increase the risks of future violence in one of the most combustible areas
in the world.”
The
Elders called on EU leaders to consider suspending the 27-nation’s Association
Agreement with Israel if annexation goes ahead in any form.
They
also recalled the United Kingdom’s “historical and abiding responsibility” as
the colonial power in pre-1948 Palestine.
Palestinians
believe Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to annex one-third of
the already illegally occupied West Bank, including parts of the strategic
Jordan Valley, is only a formality and a de facto Israeli occupation of their
land has been under way for many years.
“Israel's
annexation plan has been in process since 1967,” Salah Khawaja, coordinator of
an anti-occupation campaign called the Popular Committee to Resist the Wall and
the Settlements, said.
“Israel
has since built settlements and the wall. And so, annexation has been ongoing
for a long time,” he added.
July
1 was set by Netanyahu to start annexation of parts of the West Bank, but Tel
Aviv failed to launch the scheme on the set date amid differences between
Netanyahu and key members of his cabinet, whose consent the White House says is
needed for the annexation to go ahead.
Netanyahu’s
office announced that he will continue to discuss the plan with the US
administration.
Full
report at:
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/04/628851/Over-320-LatAm-figure-call-for-sanctions-on-Israel-over-plans-to-annex-West-Bank
--------
Yemen
welcomes UN report on Iran’s nuclear commitment under 2015 deal
July
04, 2020
DUBAI:
Yemen’s internationally recognized government on Friday welcomed the UN
Secretariat’s report on Iran’s implementation of its nuclear commitments which
the global body endorsed through Resolution 2231 in 2015.
In
a statement Yemen’s Foreign Ministry emphasized the “necessity of stopping all the
violations of the Iranian regime” and it blamed Tehran for “transferring
ballistic missiles and other arms to Yemen’s Houthis – the rebels use them to
kill Yemenis and attack Saudi Arabia.”
The
foreign ministry also warned the continued Iranian armament of Houthis will
undermine the efforts by the UN peace mediator and others to achieve peace in
Yemen, state news agency Saba New reported.
Arab
leaders earlier condemned the Iran-backed Houthi militants’ launch of
booby-trapped drones aimed towards Saudi Arabia. Three drones were intercepted
and destroyed by Arab coalition forces in Yemeni airspace while another was
shot down in Saudi territory, Arab coalition spokesperson Col. Turki Al-Maliki
said on Friday.
“These
attacks show how the Houthi militia lack the political will to cease
hostilities or engage in a serious peace-making process for Yemen,” Arab League
Secretary General Ahmad Abul Gheit said in a statement, adding the militants
were undermining stability and peace in the war-torn country.
The
Arab Parliament likewise strongly condemned the Houthi militia’s ‘cowardly
attacks.’
Full
report at:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1699736/middle-east
--------
Arab
World
Iraqi
officials irate as Saudi daily publishes cartoon against Ayatollah Sistani
04
July 2020
Iraqi
officials have condemned the publication of an offensive cartoon of prominent
Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in a Saudi-owned newspaper, saying
the depiction stems from the failure of Riyadh's Takfiri plots.
Hadi
al-Ameri, secretary general of the Badr Organization, which leads the Fatah
(Conquest) Alliance at the Iraqi parliament, said in a statement on Friday that
the Riyadh regime had once again insulted the religious authority and crossed
red lines by the blasphemous cartoon at the Saudi-owned London-based daily
Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.
The
image underestimates the feelings of millions of Shia, Sunni and Christian
Iraqis who are aware of Ayatollah Sistani's role in preserving the country's
national sovereignty against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, al-Sumaria TV
network quoted Ameri as saying.
He
noted that the cartoon shows the Saudi regime's intention to continue its
suspicious schemes and hostilities against all those seeking to maintain Iraq's
unity.
Takfirism,
the trademark of many terror outfits, is largely influenced by Wahhabism that
is the radical ideology dominating Saudi Arabia and freely preached by its
clerics.
Meanwhile,
Iraqi lawmaker and Fatah spokesman Ahmed al-Asadi said the Saudi daily's move
shows that targeting religious authorities still dominates the kingdom's
mentality.
In
a post on his Twitter account, Nasr al-Shammari, spokesman for Harakat
Hezbollah al-Nujaba group, stressed that the anti-Shia stance adopted by Saudi
Arabia, the US and Israel is not strange.
The
Saudis are those who have unjustly shed the blood of Muslims, he wrote, adding
that the insult to the Iraqi cleric proves Riyadh's bitter feeling as its
Takfiri conspiracies were defeated by the religious authority's wise and firm
measures.
Ali
al-Asadi, chairman of Nujaba's political board, emphasized that the main reason
behind the offensive cartoon was Ayatollah Sistani's fatwa (religious decree)
that led to the establishment of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) or
Hashd al-Sha’abi.
In
June 2014 – when Daesh unleashed its campaign of terror and destruction in Iraq
– Ayatollah Sistani issued a religious edict (fatwa) and called on his
followers to rush to the national army’s help in the fight against the Takfiri
outfit.
The
fatwa helped bring together Shia fighters, Sunni tribesmen as well as Christian
and Izadi volunteers under the umbrella of the PMU to reverse Daesh’s gains and
ultimately end the terror group’s territorial rule in Iraq in late 2017.
Elsewhere
in his remarks, Ali al-Asadi called for the closure of Asharq al-Awsat's office
in Iraq.
Back
in May, Saudi-funded TV channel MBC insulted late Hashd al-Sha'abi commander
Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. He was assassinated in a US drone attack in January
along with top Iranian anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem
Soleimani.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/04/628853/Iraq-Ayatollah-Ali-Sistani-cartoon-Saudi-Arabia
--------
At
least two dead as Lebanon’s economic crisis continues to take its toll
03
July 2020
At
least two deaths by suicide were reported in Lebanon on Friday as the country’s
economic crisis continued to take its toll.
The
cost of living in the country has spiraled in recent months as the value of the
Lebanese lira has collapsed against the dollar. The government on Tuesday
raised the price of a 900g loaf of bread for the first time in 8 years, from
1,500 to 2,000 Lebanese Lira.
Prices
of imported goods have shot up. Local media reported on Thursday that a man in
Beirut had robbed a pharmacy at gunpoint, demanding diapers and medicine.
Supermarkets across the country have had their shelves emptied as people stock
up before the Lira loses yet more of its value.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“We
all know that [the deaths are] related to the economic situation, there’s no
doubt about that,” said Lea Zeinoun, Executive Director of Embrace, Lebanon’s
emotional support, and suicide prevention hotline.
The
organization has seen calls increase from around 200 per month to 500 or 600
since last December, Zeinoun said. “We only expect it to get worse at this
point. With today’s news a lot of people have been reaching out to us,” she
added.
There
is little prospect of a quick solution to Lebanon’s crisis. The Government has
been discussing a bailout package with the IMF since May, but with the latter
demanding major reforms there has been little progress. Finance Minister Ghazi
Wazni said Friday talks were on hold.
Some
hoped a potential bailout, coupled with the reopening of the airport at the
beginning of July, might cause the Lira to rally. However, it continued to
trade at around 9,000 to the dollar on Friday, four times its official market
rate of 1,500.
Forty-eight
percent of Lebanese were estimated by the World Bank to be living below the
poverty line in 2019, with that number predicted to rise significantly by the
end of 2020. Poverty, said Dr. Tima El Jamil, a clinical associate professor of
psychology at the American University of Beirut, is a major risk factor for
mental illness.
Lebanon,
like many countries around the globe, has also been dealing with the impact of
COVID-19. The government imposed a lockdown in mid-March in a largely
successful attempt to prevent the spread of the disease. The upshot, said El
Jamil, was a “severe” impact on people’s mental health as a result of the fear
and the social isolation associated with the disease and the lockdown.
“On
top of that we have the incredible uncertainty about Lebanon’s future, its
safety, its economic sustenance. That uncertainty and unpredictability and lack
of a sense of control is greatly impacting people’s wellbeing,” she added.
Full
report at:
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/03/At-least-two-dead-as-Lebanon-s-economic-crisis-continues-to-take-its-toll.html
--------
Iraq
reinforces border posts to try to prevent advance of Turkish troops
03
July 2020
Iraqi
troops were enforcing positions along the border with Turkey, officials said on
Friday, to prevent Turkish forces from advancing deeper into Iraqi territory
after two weeks of airstrikes as Ankara continues to target Kurdish rebels in
northern Iraq.
Security
officials said Ankara has established at least a dozen posts inside Iraqi
territory as part of a military campaign to rout members of the Kurdistan
Worker’s Party, or PKK, who Turkey says have safe havens in northern Iraq. The
airborne-and-land campaign, dubbed “Operation Claw-Tiger,” began June 17 when
Turkey airlifted troops into northern Iraq.
Since
then, at least six Iraqi civilians have been killed as Turkish jets pound PKK
targets, and several villages in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region have been
evacuated.
The
invading Turkish troops set up posts in the Zakho district in northern province
of Dohuk, about 15 kilometers inside Iraqi territory, said the officials,
speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the military operations.
Zerevan
Musa, mayor of Darkar, said there were five Turkish posts close to his town,
including two on the nearby Mt. Khankiri. He said Turkish airstrikes have hit
Sharanish and Banka villages in the area.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app
“We
demand from both sides, the Turkish government and the PKK, to keep their fight
away from us,” said Qadir Sharanshi, a resident from Sharanshi village. He said
his village has been hit several times.
Iraqi
border guards erected two posts along the Khankiri range, said Brig. Delir
Zebari, commander of the First Brigade of the Iraqi Border Guards, tasked with
securing a 245-kilometer (153-mile) stretch of border territory.
Speaking
from the brigade base, he told The Associated Press that his troops’ task is to
“eliminate attacks on civilians in the area."
Turkey
regularly carries out air and ground attacks against the PKK in northern Iraq.
It says neither the Iraqi government nor the regional Iraqi Kurdish
administration have taken measures to combat the group. The recent incursion
into Iraqi territory has drawn condemnation from Baghdad, which has summoned
Ankara’s ambassador to Iraq twice since the campaign was launched.
Turkey
maintains that until the Iraqi government take actions against the PKK, it will
continue to target the Kurdish group, considered a terrorist organization by
Turkey, the United States and the European Union for its decades-long
insurgency within Turkey.
Turkey’s
latest campaign poses a dilemma for the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in
northern Iraq, which relies on Turkey for oil exports through a pipeline
running from Iraq’s Kirkuk province to the Turkish port of Ceyhan.
Kaiwan
Kawa, a 30-year-old store owner displaced with his family from the area, said a
Turkish airstrike last month struck his mini market in the village of Kuna Masi
in Sulaymaniyah province. The airstrike targeted a pickup truck with PKK
members who had stopped by his store to buy some eggs.
At
least one of the fighters was killed, his body torn to pieces, Kawa said.
Kawa’s
wife, Payman Talib, 31, lost a leg in the bombing while their 6-year-old son,
Hezhwan, had shrapnel wounds to the head. Doctors say it’s too dangerous to
remove the shrapnel.
Full
report at:
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/03/Iraq-reinforces-border-posts-to-try-to-prevent-advance-of-Turkish-troops.html
--------
Lebanon's
talks with IMF are on hold until reforms begin: Finance minister
03
July 2020
Lebanon's
Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni said on Friday that talks with the International
Monetary Fund are on hold until economic reforms begin and an agreement on the
Lebanese side on a common approach for calculating losses, Reuters reported
Wazni as telling the local al-Joumhuria. The state official said he will remain
in contact with the IMF until negotiations resume.
“What
is being worked on today is defining the losses and their size in all sectors,”
Wazni said. “We must come up with a unified approach agreed upon with all
political forces and in coordination between the government and parliament.”
“...We
must agree as soon as possible.”
Lebanon
entered into talks with the IMF in May as part of a last-ditch effort to save
its fast-sinking economy and has not seen a crisis of this scale since the end
of its 15-year civil war in 1990. But talks have been rocky as there have been
disagreements over the size of losses, with the government, central bank,
commercial banks, and Members of Parliament unable to come to a decision.
A
parliamentary fact-finding committee said on Wednesday losses in the system
were between a quarter and half the amount set out in a government recovery
plan that was submitted to the IMF.
The
IMF has said the government’s numbers appear to be about the right order of
magnitude.
The
economy has rapidly deteriorated since mid-2019, and now inflation has seen the
value of the local currency plummet and the purchasing power of Lebanese sink.
Unemployment and hunger are on the rise as poverty rates grow steadily.
The
country has for years failed to make reforms that were required for donors to
receive international aid. This time, foreign governments, including the US,
and lending agencies have warned that there will be no aid unless reforms are
made across a number of sectors.
Recently,
the secretary general of the Finance Minister Alain Bifani who was on the team
negotiating with the IMF resigned, saying he was protesting the way leaders
were handling the crisis. Before that, another member of the negotiation team,
Henri Chaoul, resigned saying he saw no real will to reform. In an interview
with Al Arabiya English, Chaoul said “Literally no one is doing their job.”
Full
report at:
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/03/Lebanon-s-talks-with-IMF-are-on-hold-Finance-minister.html
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Arab
Coalition destroys four Houthi drones launched towards Saudi Arabia
03
July 2020
The
Arab Coalition intercepted and destroyed four explosive-laden drones launched
by the Iran-backed Houthi militia towards Saudi Arabia, the coalition’s
spokesperson Colonel Turki al-Maliki said on Friday.
The
drones were destroyed in Yemeni airspace, he added.
The
coalition’s forces are highly efficient when it comes to addressing Houthi’s
threats and thwarting them, according to al-Maliki.
“The
Joint Forces Command will undertake and implement all necessary measures to
protect civilians and civilian objects in accordance with the customary
international humanitarian law,” he added.
Friday’s
attack is the latest attempted assault by the Houthis who have violated their
part of the ceasefire 4,276 times in 45 days, al-Maliki said on Thursday.
Full
report at:
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/07/03/Arab-Coalition-destroys-four-Houthi-drones-launched-towards-Saudi-Arabia.html
--------
Coronavirus:
Saudi Arabia says labs able to conduct 53,000 COVID-19 tests daily
04
July 2020
Saudi
Arabia’s Ministry of Health said labs across the Kingdom are now able to
conduct over 53,000 COVID-19 tests daily as part of efforts against the novel
coronavirus pandemic, officials announced in a statement.
The
capacity to conduct tests at the beginning of the pandemic could not exceed
more than 1,000 tests per day, the ministry added in a statement on Friday.
The
spokesman for the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health, Dr. Mohammed Al-Abdulaali,
had indicated that there was a fear cases would pass the 200,000 mark by the
end of April, but that preventive measures contributed to milestone not being
crossed until three months later.
Coronavirus
cases in Saudi Arabia officially surpassed the 200,000 mark on Friday after
4,193 new infections were detected in the last 24 hours.
Most
of the cases were found in Dammam, where officials recorded 431 new cases. Al
Hufof recorded 399 new infections, while Riyadh recorded 383. The rest of the
new cases were reported in cities and provinces around the country.
Full
report at:
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/coronavirus/2020/07/04/Coronavirus-Saudi-Arabia-says-labs-able-to-conduct-53-000-COVID-19-tests-daily.html
--------
Yemeni
drones hit positions deep in Saudi Arabia
03
July 2020
Yemen’s
army says its drones have hit targets in southwestern Saudi Arabia, following warnings
that retaliatory attacks would hit deep in Saudi territory if the kingdom did
not stop its aggression against the impoverished nation.
The
spokesman for Yemen’s Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, said in a
tweet that the Yemeni Air Force had conducted “a massive operation” on the
southwestern cities of Khamis Mushait and Najran at noon on Friday.
He
said that the military used Qassif K2 drones in the operation.
The
spokesman added that “the control room of Najran airport, and weapons warehouses
in King Khalid air base in Khamis Mushait, and other military positions” had
been targeted in the attack.
Saree
on Thursday emphasized that legitimate retaliatory attacks would continue as
long as the Riyadh regime and its allies pressed ahead with their war on and
blockade of Yemen.
“We
will continue to target military and sovereign institutions that are
spearheading the [military] aggression against our people at the depths of
Saudi Arabia,” Saree said on Thursday night.
Last
week, Yemeni Armed Forces conducted large-scale attacks on the headquarters of
the Saudi Defense Ministry and general intelligence agency as well as King
Salman Air Base in the capital, Riyadh, and in the Najran and Jizan regions.
Saudi
Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating war on Yemen
in March 2015 in an attempt to subdue an uprising that toppled a regime
friendly to Riyadh.
The
US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit
conflict-research organization, estimates that the war has claimed more than
100,000 lives over the past five years.
Full
report at:
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/03/628828/Yemen-drone-attack-Saudi-Arabia
--------
Iraq
threatens to sever trade ties with Turkey over cross-border operation
03
July 2020
Iraq
has threatened to cut off its trade ties with Turkey in protest at Ankara’s
ongoing cross-border operation in the country’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan
region against hideouts of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group.
“Turkey
has interests in Iraq as the annual trade balance between Baghdad and Ankara
stands at more than 16 billion dollars annually. There are also hundreds of
Turkish commercial insinuates operating inside Iraq. The Iraqi government will
take actions against all these interests if urgent need arises,” spokesman for
the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed al-Sahaf, said in an exclusive
interview with local Kurdish-language Rudaw television news network on Thursday
night.
Sahaf
further noted that the Iraqi government has a wide array of options to stop the
Turkish offensive and demand compensation for the loss of civilian lives.
“We
enumerated such options when Turkish Ambassador Fatih Yildiz was summoned to
the Iraqi Foreign Ministry [on June 18]. We have mentioned the possibility of
resorting to the United Nations Security Council and calling for an emergency
special session. We would also approach Arab foreign ministers and ask them to
hold an emergency Arab League meeting… Other options, especially with regard to
economic relationship and trade exchange, are also on the table. All these
options are being weighed, and the decision not to implement them depends on a
sovereign and diplomatic action expected from Turkey. We have so far been
coordinating to produce a political solution and adhering to the principles of
good neighborliness,” the senior Iraqi official pointed out.
Sahaf
underlined that unilateral actions, such as Turkey’s military offensive, will
not help the combat against terrorism and will only exacerbate border tensions,
calling on Turkish authorities to stand committed to bilateral security and
intelligence coordination.
The
Turkish military launched its ground campaign, dubbed Claw-Tiger Operation,
against PKK positions in the Qandil Mountains as well as Sinjar and Makhmur
districts of northern Iraq on June 17. Claw-Eagle Operation, the air campaign,
had begun two days earlier.
The
PKK militants regularly clash with Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated
southeast of Turkey attached to northern Iraq.
A
shaky ceasefire between the PKK and the Turkish government collapsed in July
2015. Attacks on Turkish security forces have soared ever since.
Turkish
ground and air forces frequently carry out operations against PKK positions in
the country as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.
Full
report at:
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/03/628804/Iraq-threatens-to-sever-trade-ties-with-Turkey-over-cross-border-operation-
--------
Over
100 university students accuse Egyptian man of rape
MOHAMED
AL-SHAMAA
July
03, 2020
CAIRO:
A 22-year-old Egyptian man has been accused via social media of sexually
assaulting and harassing more than 100 females over the course of several
years. Egyptian authorities are being asked to open an investigation into the allegations.
The
accusations originated from a group of around 100 female students at the
American University in Cairo (AUC), who used their Twitter accounts to accuse
the man — who was previously a student at the university — of sexual harassment
and abuse as well as blackmail.
AUC
said the man, whom Arab News has chosen not to name, left the university in
2018 and stressed that it is committed to maintaining a safe environment for
all members of the university’s community and does not tolerate sexual harassment.
One
woman claimed that the man had molested her and her sister when they were
between the ages of 13 and 14, and threatened to publish fabricated images of
them if they did not do as he asked.
Another
student said the man had harassed, chased and threatened her and that he said
he would tell her family that she had slept with him — she denies having done
so. She wrote that he wanted to blackmail her into submitting to his demands.
One
woman claimed the man has a history of predatory sexual behavior dating back to
when he was a child, and said he had repeatedly moved schools because of
complaints about his harassment of female students. The same person claimed the
man’s father used his social influence to ensure his son was able to transfer
between schools both in Egypt and overseas so he could complete his education.
She
said that when the man arrived at AUC he continued to harass and assault women.
After befriending them, she claimed, he would assault them at his family’s
villa. He allegedly photographed some of these assaults and would use the
pictures to blackmail the women into submitting to further abuse.
Earlier
this week a group of women created an Instagram account called assaultpolice,
through which they have so far collected 150 accusations against the man and
testimonies from victims of his alleged assaults. They have also collected
texts and voice messages that the man allegedly sent to some of his victims.
As
social media users called for the man to be arrested, it emerged that rumors of
a rapist at AUC had surfaced among the university’s internal social media
groups. At the time, some claimed that the man concerned was undergoing
treatment for mental illness and that such claims could push him to commit
suicide.
After
those claims surfaced, the man apparently transferred to university in
Barcelona. Some have said that the man’s father threatened the women making the
accusations, but that they contacted his new university and sent screenshots of
the threats they had received, leading to his suspension from that university.
On
Friday, accusations that the same student had also raped a young man emerged.
According
to some Egyptian media outlets, the security services have opened an
investigation into the case.
MP
Mohamed Fouad has submitted a request to the attorney general asking him to
follow up on the case, and has also asked the public prosecution to look into
the accusations.
Fouad
also asked the National Council for Women (NCW) to look into the story and to
provide psychological and legal support to the victims of the man’s alleged
harassment, extortion and rape.
The
NCW, headed by Maya Morsy, issued a statement saying that it would follow up on
the issue and calling on the concerned authorities to investigate the matter
and take the necessary measures.
Full
report at:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1699566/middle-east
--------
Arab
coalition destroys 4 Houthi drones targeting Saudi Arabia
July
03, 2020
RIYADH:
The Arab coalition intercepted and destroyed four explosive-laden drones launched
by the Houthis in the direction of the Kingdom on Friday.
The
drones were destroyed in Yemeni airspace, Saudi Press Agency quoted Arab
coalition spokesperson Col. Turki Al-Maliki as saying.
He
added that the coalition has efficient capabilities and is able to address such
threats and foil them immediately after they are launched from Houthi
controlled areas.
The
coalition takes all necessary measures to protect civilians and civilian
facilities in accordance with international law, Al-Maliki continued.
The
Arab coalition launched a military operation against the Houthi targets on
Wednesday after continuous targeting of the Kingdom by the Houthi militia with
drones and ballistic missiles.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1699411/saudi-arabia
--------
Africa
Turkey
signs a military agreement with Libya’s GNA: Sources
04
July 2020
Turkey’s
defense minister and military chief signed a military agreement with the
battalions fighting on behalf of the Government of National Accord (GNA) which
controls Tripoli on Friday to ensure Ankara's interests in Libya, sources
confirmed.
The
sources said that the military agreement guarantees protection of Turkey's
interests in Libya and allows for Ankara’s direct intervention in the country.
Turkish
Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Chief of General Staff Yasar Guler discussed
"military and security cooperation" with the head of the Government
of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj and military officials, the GNA said in a
statement.
The
newly signed deal also includes the establishment of a Turkish military force
and base in Libya, the sources added.
Sources
also confirmed that the agreement provides immunity for Turkish forces in Libya
against any prosecution and gives Turkish officers in Libya a diplomatic status
to ensure their immunity.
The
GNA and the Libyan National Army have seen tensions rise in recent weeks after
Tripoli-based GNA gained ground against the Benghazi-based forces led by
General Khalifa Haftar and backed by countries including Russia and Egypt.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/north-africa/2020/07/04/Turkey-signs-a-military-agreement-with-Libya-s-GNA-Sources.html
--------
Suicide
car bomber hits checkpoint at Somalia’s Mogadishu port
July
04, 2020
MOGADISHU:
An explosion shook parts of the Somali capital of Mogadishu early on Saturday
as a suicide car bomber drove into a checkpoint just outside the port,
witnesses said, but police made no immediate comment on casualties.
“Metal
debris fell all over us inside the port and we heard gunfire,” said a port worker
who sought anonymity for security reasons. “Security forces have surrounded the
area.”
The
blast shook the ground, said Mohammed Ali, a shopkeeper in the area. At the
city’s Madina hospital, a nurse, Halima Nur, said it had received five people
injured in the blast for treatment.
Somalia
has been mired in conflict since 1991, when clan warlords overthrew dictator
Siad Barre and then turned on each other.
Full
report at:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1699761/world
--------
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