SC Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul Calls for Panel to Investigate Human Rights Violations in Jammu and Kashmir Since 1980s
New Age Islam News Bureau
12 December 2023
Justice
Sanjay Kishan Kaul. File | Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena
------
·
SC Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul
Calls for Panel to Investigate Human Rights Violations in Jammu and Kashmir
Since 1980s
·
'Muslim Children and Parents
Angry Over Nude Painting of 17th Century Picture of Diana and Actaeon at French
School'
·
US 'Concerned' About Reports
That Israel Used White Phosphorus in Lebanon Attack
·
Saudi Arabia Pledges to
Continue Efforts to Promote and Protect Human Rights
·
Hamas: No More Captive Swap
Until War Ends; Israeli Reports Aim to Relieve Pressure
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India
·
Archaeological Survey of India
Gets till Dec 18 to Submit Gyanvapi Mosque Survey Report
·
Give 5 Per Cent of Reservation
to Maharashtra Muslims in Education: All India Ulema Board
·
Chaos In Karnataka House Over
Zameer’s ‘Muslim Speaker’ Remark
·
Chargesheet Filed Against
Jaish-e-Muhammad Terror Module
·
Omar Abdullah's petition
seeking divorce from wife Payal Abdullah dismissed by Delhi high court
-----
Europe
·
‘I no longer feel at home
here’: German Muslims frustrated by Israel backing
·
Kate Connolly in Berlin
·
France, Belgium ‘concerned’
over high number of casualties in Israeli attacks on Gaza
·
Situation in Gaza
‘apocalyptic’, destruction greater than World War II Germany: EU’s Borrell
·
France says warship attacked by
Yemeni drones
------
North America
·
CAIR Condemns Israeli Execution
of Wounded, Unarmed Palestinian in West Bank
·
Muslim Community Still Reeling
After Confrontation at Pro-Palestinian Rally In Victoria
·
CAIR-SFBA Welcomes the Arrest
of Suspect in Hate Crime Targeting Muslim Community Member in Monterey
·
No Place for Hate in America
Against Jews, Muslims or Anybody Else: Biden
·
US' Harvard undergrads face
disciplinary action after taking part in pro-Palestine protests
·
Activists calling for Gaza
ceasefire protest in US Senate office building
·
Biden stresses ‘unshakeable
support' for Israel as Gaza death toll surpasses 18,000
------
Arab World
·
Gulf States Making Strides In
Advancing Human Rights, Says GCC Chief
·
Private intelligence firms say
ship was attacked off Yemen as Houthi rebel threats grow
·
Saudi project clears 733 Houthi
mines in Yemen in a week
·
Jeddah provides taste of Asia
with Ramen and Anime Festival
·
Cruise missile from Yemen
strikes tanker ship – US military
·
Saudi Arabia tops G20 in
tourism growth, emerges as second globally
-----
Mideast
·
Iran: Netanyahu Can Only
Survive Through Continuation Of War, Genocide
·
General strike observed across
West Bank, several countries in solidarity with Gaza
·
Palestinians hope a vote in the
UN General Assembly will show wide support for a Gaza ceasefire
·
Israel used US-made white
phosphorus bombs in Lebanon: Report
·
Four Palestinians killed in
Israeli raid on West Bank’s Jenin — Palestinian health ministry
·
Israel says two border
crossings to examine Gaza aid
·
Israeli Defense Chief Resists
Pressure To Halt Gaza Offensive, Says Campaign Will ‘Take Time’
·
Israel bombs UN school
sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza
·
Israeli doctor says hostages
were drugged, abused in Gaza
-----
Pakistan
·
Court Declares Plea Against
Imran-Bushra Nikah Admissible
·
Senate Panel Condemns Israeli
Atrocities
·
Imran had Afghans placed on
electoral rolls, alleges Zardari
·
Imran, Qureshi to be indicted
again in cipher case today
·
Conviction in Toshakhana case:
IHC reserves verdict on Imran’s plea
·
Alvi slams Indian SC decision
on Kashmir
-----
South Asia
·
"Taliban" Should be
Guided by What Afghans Want:Chargé d'Affaires of the US Mission to Afghanistan
·
UNSC Discuss Afghanistan’s
Situation Behind Closed Doors
·
Religious Scholars Urged to
Join the Fight Against AIDS and Support Vaccination Campaigns
·
Karzai’s Chief of Staff
Criticizes Iranian FM: Afghanistan shouldn’t become like Lebanon
·
WHO reports 2,513 acute
respiratory deaths in Afghanistan
·
Afghan migrants at risk of
dying in harsh winter without shelter: UN warns
·
Hanafi: Opportunities for
Investment Provided in Afghanistan
·
Afghanistan excluded from COP28
as climate impacts hit home
----
Southeast Asia
·
Agong Disappointed That US Vetoed
UNSC Resolution Urging Gaza Ceasefire
·
Synergizing with ministries to
boost Islamic economy literacy: KNEKS
·
Indonesia reaffirms support for
Palestine at UNHRC Headquarters
·
Rohingya face rejection in
Indonesia after surge of boat arrivals
·
Newly-appointed religious
affairs deputy minister Zulkifli Hasan has vast experience in Shariah, Islamic
finance
----
Africa
·
War-Torn Sudan Faces
'Catastrophe' As UN Runs Out of Funds
·
Nigerian President Tinubu: I
Won’t Lose Battle Against Bandits, Terrorists
·
ECOWAS sets up committee to
negotiate with Niger junta on return to civilian rule
·
As DR Congo gears up for
elections, displaced persons in conflict-torn east feel abandoned
·
Northern Reps plan N350m
lifeline for Kaduna bombing victims
·
EU announces $8.61M in funding
to support thousands who fled Sudan conflict
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/sc-justice-human-rights-kashmir/d/131303
------
SC Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul Calls for
Panel to Investigate Human Rights Violations in Jammu and Kashmir Since 1980s
Justice
Sanjay Kishan Kaul. File | Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena
------
12.12.23
R. Balaji
One of the judges on the constitution
bench that on Monday upheld the abrogation of Article 370 recommended the
establishment of a “truth and reconciliation commission” to investigate human
rights violations by “State and non-State actors” in Jammu and Kashmir at least
since the 1980s and recommend “measures for reconciliation”.
“In order to move forward, the wounds
need healing,” Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, second in seniority in the Supreme
Court, said in the epilogue to his separate but concurring judgment.
“This Commission should be set up
expediently, before memory escapes. The exercise should be time-bound. There is
already an entire generation of youth that has grown up with feelings of
distrust and it is to them that we owe the greatest duty of reparation.”
Justice Kaul, who hails from Jammu and
Kashmir, added: “What is at stake is not simply preventing the recurrence of
injustice, but the burden of restoring the region’s social fabric to what it
has historically been based on – coexistence, tolerance and mutual respect. It
is worth noting that even the partition of India in 1947 did not impair Jammu
& Kashmir’s communal and social harmony. In this context, Mahatma Gandhi is
famously quoted to have said that Kashmir was a ray of hope for humanity!
“The first step towards this is to
achieve a collective understanding of the human rights violations perpetrated
both by State and non-State actors, against peoples of the region. There have
been numerous reports documenting these incidents over the years. Yet, what is
lacking is a commonly accepted narrative of what happened, or in other words, a
collective telling of the ‘truth’.
“Internationally, the right of victims
of human rights violations to the truth is an end in itself. It encompasses a
structural investigation of the events and socio-political structures that led
to the atrocity, the particular circumstances of individual suffering, and an
authoritative reporting of the results of the investigation.
“Additionally, truth-telling provides an
opportunity for victims to narrate their stories, which facilitates an
acknowledgement from those responsible for perpetuating the wrongs, and from
society as a whole. This paves the way for reconciliation.
“While there are different ways of
achieving these objectives, truth and reconciliation commissions have been
particularly effective globally.”
Justice Kaul cited how South Africa had
set up a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate human rights
violations perpetrated under the apartheid regime. “It served as a means of
reckoning or catharsis for victims, and fostered peace-building,” he said.
He observed that the people of Jammu and
Kashmir had been victims of decades of conflict, starting with the invasion of
the Valley in 1947, and that political circumstances had not allowed redress to
the fullest extent.
He recalled that the second round of
insurgency originated in the latter part of the 1980s, culminating in the
migration of one part of the population of the state in 1989-90.
“It is something that our country has
had to live with and without any redressal for the people who had to leave
their home and hearth,” he wrote.
Justice Kaul said the situation became
so aggravated that the army had to be called in. The entry of the army “created
its own ground realities in their endeavour to preserve the integrity of the
State and the nation against foreign incursions. The men, women and children of
the State have paid a heavy price.”
He added: “During my travels home over
the years, I have observed the social fabric waning, and the consequences of
intergenerational trauma on an already fractured society. I cannot help but
feel anguish for what peoples of the region have experienced and am constrained
to write this Epilogue.”
As a “word of caution”, he said: “The
Commission, once constituted, should not turn into a criminal court and must
instead follow a humanised and personalised process enabling people to share
what they have been through uninhibitedly. It should be based on dialogue,
allowing for different viewpoints and inputs from all sides.
“This will facilitate a reparative
approach that enables forgiveness for the wounds of the past, and forms the
basis of achieving a shared national identity. Needless to say, the Commission
is only one of the many avenues towards the goal of systemic reform. It is my
sincere hope that much will be achieved when Kashmiris open their hearts to
embracing the past and facilitate the people who were compelled to migrate to
come back with dignity. Whatever has been, has been but the future is ours to
see.”
Source: telegraphindia.com
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'Muslim Children and Parents Angry Over
Nude Painting of 17th Century Picture of Diana and Actaeon at French School'
Diana and
Actaeon, the 1603 Giuseppe Cesari painting that sparked the row. Picture: Alamy
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12 December 2023
Kit Heren
Staff at a school in the town of Issou
are afraid for their safety in a period of heightened tension in schools after
two teachers were murdered by Islamist terrorists.
Samuel Paty was beheaded in 2020, in a
town just 12 miles from Issou.
Dominique Bernard was stabbed to death
by a Muslim man in the playground of his school in Arras, north-west France,
two months ago.
At the Issou school, a female French
teacher sparked an angry debate after showing pupils a 17th century picture of
Diana and Actaeon that features nude female figures, which is typical for that
style and period of painting.
Some Muslim children in the class turned
away, saying their religion meant they couldn't look at pictures depicting nude
figures.
Untrue rumours then spread that the
teacher had insulted Muslims and made racist remarks.
Parents complained to the school about
the teacher, and her name was published online alongside false rumours.
Staff walked out in response, and the
French education ministry sent officials to the school.
The teachers union SNES said that the
atmosphere in the school was similar to the situation around Mr Paty, when
claims about the civics teacher circulated on social media before his murder by
an 18-year-old Chechen refugee.
Sophie Vénétitay, the union head, told
BFMTV news: "We know well that methods like that can lead to a tragedy.
"We saw it in the murder of Samuel
Paty. Our colleagues feel threatened and in danger."
The teachers said the students had
admitted making things up, but that it was too late. "We’re dealing with
vindictive parents who prefer to believe their children than us," they
said.
Teachers at the school said discipline
was deteriorating anyway before the row, with fights and threats of rape among
students.
One said: "We feel we are clearly
in danger. We are supported by our direct superiors but not from higher
up," the Times reported. "This is a real call for help".
It comes after six teenagers were found
guilty in connection with the beheading of Mr Paty, who was accused of showing
his students a cartoon image of the prophet Mohammed.
Five of the six teenagers on trial, aged
between 14 and 15 at the time, stood accused of identifying the teacher to the
attacker and helping monitor his exit from school.
Another defendant, 13 at the time, was
found guilty of lying about the classroom debate.
She told her parents that Mr Paty had
asked Muslim pupils to leave the class before showing the images, but it later
emerged that she was not in the class and went on to tell investigators she had
lied.
The attacker himself, Abdullah Anzorov,
was shot dead by police soon after the incident.
Source: lbc.co.uk
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https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/france-teachers-strike-muslim-children-and-parents-anger-nude-painting/
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US 'Concerned' About Reports That Israel
Used White Phosphorus In Lebanon Attack
Israel-Gaza
War LIVE: Shells that appears to be white phosphorus from Israeli artillery
explode over Dahaira, a Lebanese border village with Israel, south Lebanon, on
Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
------
Dec 12, 2023
WASHINGTON: The United States is
concerned about reports that Israel used US-supplied white phosphorus munitions
in an attack carried out in southern Lebanon in October, US National Security
Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said on Monday
(local time).Speaking to reporters while en route to Philadelphia, John Kirby
said the US will be asking questions to get more details about it. He stressed
that the US provides material like white phosphorus to another military with
the full expectation that it will be used for legitimate purposes and in
keeping with the law of armed conflict.
Asked about reports claiming that Israel
used US-supplied white phosphorus munitions in October attack in Lebanon, Kirby
said, "We've seen the reports. Certainly concerned about that. We'll be
asking questions to try to learn a little bit more. I do think it's important
to remind that white phosphorus does have a legitimate military utility in
terms of illumination and producing smoke to conceal movements." "And
obviously, anytime that we provide items like white phosphorus to another military,
it is with the full expectation that it will be used in keeping with those
legitimate purposes and in keeping with the law of armed conflict. But we've
seen these reports. They're fresh. Just don't have any more on it right
now," he added.
Kirby made the remarks in response to
The Washington Post report that claimed that US-supplied white phosphorus
munitions were used in an October attack in southern Lebanon. The attack had
injured at least nine civilians in what a rights group says should be
investigated as a war crime, The Washington Post reported citing its analysis
of shell fragments found in a small village. A journalist working for The
Washington Post found remnants of three 155-millimeter artillery rounds fired
into Dheira, near the border of Israel. The rounds that eject felt wedges
saturated with white phosphorous that burn at high temperatures produce
billowing smoke to obscure troop movements as they fall haphazardly over a wide
area, The Washington Post reported.
Reacting to The Washington Post's
report, the Israel Defence Forces said that it "only uses legal
weaponry." It said that the shells used by the IDF do not contain white
phosphorus, which are legal as per international law, The Times of Israel reported.
"The main smoke shells used by the
IDF do not contain white phosphorus. Similar to many Western armies, the IDF
also has smoke shells that contain white phosphorus, which are legal according
to international law, and the choice to use them is influenced by operational
considerations and availability compared to alternatives," the IDF said.
"These shells are intended for
smokescreens, and not for an attack or ignition, and they are not legally
defined as incendiary weapons," it added, The Times of Israel reported.
The IDF said that under its existing
procedures, white phosphorus shells are not to be utilised in urban regions,
"except in certain exceptional cases." It said, "These
restrictions are in line with international law, and are even stricter than
[the latter]," The Times of Israel reported.
Since October 7, tension has flared
along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid exchanges of gunfire between
Israeli forces and Hezbollah. The tensions between two sides started amid
Israel's counter-offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, followed by
cross-border attack by terror group Hamas.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Saudi Arabia Pledges to Continue Efforts
to Promote and Protect Human Rights
Head of the
Saudi Human Rights Commission Hala Al-Tuwaijri participates in an event to
celebrate the 75th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (SPA)
------
December 11, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has pledged to
continue its efforts to promote and protect human rights by harmonizing
national legislation and practices with international human rights standards.
The voluntary pledge was made during an
event to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights at the headquarters of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva
on Sunday.
Other pledges included investing in the
Kingdom’s position and global influence to continue its vital role in settling
regional and international disputes, cooperating internationally to maintain
the basic pillars of the UN, and continuing to launch global human rights
initiatives such as the Initiative to Protect Children in the Cyber World and
the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives.
The head of the Saudi Human Rights
Commission Hala Al-Tuwaijri said the anniversary was a valuable opportunity to
review what has been accomplished over the past 75 years and draw lessons from
events in order to correct the course of human rights in an atmosphere of
constructive dialogue and respect for global and cultural diversity.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2424236/saudi-arabia
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Hamas: No More Captive Swap Until War
Ends; Israeli Reports Aim To Relieve Pressure
Photo: Fars
News
----
12 December 2023
The Palestinian Islamic Resistance
Movement Hamas says there will be no new captive swap with Israel until the
unrelenting aggression against the besieged territory stops.
In a press briefing in Beirut on Monday,
Osama Hamdan, Hamas representative in Lebanon and also a member of the group’s
politburo dismissed reports that said Israel is ready to resume contact with
mediators for the possible release of the remaining Israeli captives held in
Gaza.
“There will be no agreement on the
exchange of more captives for prisoners before the onslaught [against Gaza]
ceases. The Israeli media reports about the possibility of a new prisoner swap
[with Hamas] are meant to mislead the public opinion in the face of increasing
domestic discontent,” Hamdan said.
“No compromise is acceptable over the
blood of fallen Palestinians. [Israeli prime minister] Benjamin Netanyahu is
trying to escape from the regime’s internal conflicts, especially the crisis
with the families of the captives held in Gaza.”
Earlier on Monday, Israel’s Channel 12
television channel reported that the new prisoner exchange deal would be
carried out within the framework of a truce, and would include women still in
captivity, patients, the wounded, and elderly people.
It added that Israeli officials believe
that the chances of reaching a new prisoner swap deal with Hamas are not likely
next week, but Israel still believes in opening a new path.
Since November 24, Hamas exchanged 110
captives, including 80 Israelis, for 240 Palestinians illegally abducted by the
regime and kept in Israeli jails during a 7-day pause in the Gaza war.
The truce, meditated by Qatar and Egypt,
also allowed the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza after weeks
of Israeli attacks on the territory.
Israeli sources say Hamas still holds
137 captives after it carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm on October 7 in the
occupied territories, during which some 1,200 Israeli settlers and military
forces were also killed.
Palestine’s Hamas says it will release
Israeli captive only if its demands are met.
Hamas has repeatedly said that talks
over Israeli soldiers being kept in Gaza will be held at a later stage.
A spokesman of Hamas’s military unit,
who is known by his nom de guerre Abu Obeida, said on Sunday that the only way
for the group to release Israeli captives alive is for the Israelis and their
supporters to accept its conditions, including the release of Palestinian
abductees.
“Neither the fascist enemy and its
arrogant leadership... nor its supporters... can take their prisoners alive
without an exchange and negotiation and meeting the demands of the resistance,”
Abu Obeida said.
Hamas launched the surprise Operation
Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime’s
decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.
Since then Israel has begun an unprecedented bombing campaign of Gaza and
targeted civilians in the Strip.
The Israeli aggression has so far killed
at least 18,205 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and wounded
49,645 others.
Israel has also imposed a “complete
siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the
more than two million Palestinians living there.
Source: presstv.ir
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India
Archaeological Survey of IndiaGets till
Dec 18 to Submit Gyanvapi Mosque Survey Report
Dec 11, 2023
Varanasi: Varanasi District Judge Ajay
Krishna Vishvesha has given one more week to the Archaeological Survey of India
(ASI) and asked the agency to file the report of its scientific study and
survey of the Gyanvapi mosque on December 18.
This is the seventh extension granted to
the ASI by the District Judge’s court to complete the survey of the Gyanvapi
mosque to ascertain whether its stands atop a temple.
On Monday, standing government counsel
(Government of India) Amit Srivastava had moved an application before the court
mentioning that due to ill-health, the ASI’s Superintending Archaeologist
Avinash Mohanty, who had to submit the report, was unable to appear before the
court.
Through this application, the ASI sought
a week’s time to submit the report.
On November 30, while granting an
extension for the sixth time for 10 days to the ASI, the District Judge had
asked the agency to positively file the report in the given time and not seek
any more extensions.
On July 21, the court had ordered an ASI
survey on the plea of four women plaintiffs in Suit No. 18/2022.
As the ASI’s survey could not be
completed by August 4, it sought extension thrice on August 5, September 8 and
October 5. After the end of the study and survey at the Gyanvapi mosque, the
ASI on November 2 and 17 had moved pleas for another extension before it sought
another extension of three weeks on November 28 to finalise the report by
mentioning technical reasons consuming time and delaying the process.
After going through the ASI’s November
28 application for a sixth extension, the District Judge, in his November 30,
order mentioned, “After taking into consideration, the facts mentioned in the
application and circumstances of the case, I find it proper to grant 10 days
more to the ASI to file the report in the court. This court expects that within
the provided time, the ASI shall positively file the report and will not seek
further time.”
With these strict remarks, the district
judge had fixed December 11 for the hearing and disposal of the survey report.
— IANS
Source: muslimmirror.com
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-----
Give 5 Per Cent of Reservation to
Maharashtra Muslims in Education: All India Ulema Board
Dec 11, 2023
Mumbai: Coinciding with the crucial
Nagpur winter session of the Maharashtra legislature, the demand for
restoration of 5 per cent reservation to Muslims in education has gathered
steam yet again. Veteran social worker, activist and politician Saleem Sarang,
the national president of Wakf Wing of All India Ulema Board, led a mammoth
dharma, demanding the restoration of 5 per cent reservation in education to
Muslims.
The sit-in was held at the Yashwant
Stadium in the state’s winter capital of Nagpur.
Before the dharna, Salem, who was joined
by hundreds of activists, offered tributes to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the chief
architect of Constitution, at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur.
"Even after the Bombay High Court
has approved 5 per cent reservation in education for the Muslim community, it
has not been implemented in Maharashtra till date. It is dangerous for the
democracy of India that the government does not implement the reservation
approved by the court. Our demand is that this reservation should be
implemented as soon as possible,” Sarang said. Over the past few months, Sarang
has shot off letters to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy
Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, but has not received any
response yet.
Among those who took part in the
agitation include Maulana Naushad Ahmed Siddiqui, Allama Bunai Hasni, Sufi
Ahmed Raza Qadri, Principal Shabana Khan, Sheikh Faisal Iqbal, Haji Sohail
Patel Ashrafi, and Prof. Zeba Malik.
The demand comes ahead of the 2024 Lok
Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in Maharashtra.
On July 10, 2014, the then Governor K
Sankaranarayanan signed a notification paving the way for promulgating an
ordinance to implement the Cabinet's June 26, 2014 decision to provide 16 per
cent reservation for Marathas and 5 per cent for Muslim communities in jobs and
educational institutions. The Congress-NCP Democratic Front government headed
by Prithviraj Chavan was in power in the state at that point of time. The
Bombay High Court had okayed the reservation for education for Muslims.
“However, successive governments like
the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP-Shiv Sena government, the Uddhav Thackeray-led
Maha Vikas Aghadi government have not taken it ahead.Now we are requesting the
Maha Yuti government led by Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar and also the opposition
Maha Vikas Aghadi to ensure that
injustice is not meted out to Muslims and the quota be restored,” said Sarang.
Source: deccanherald.com
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https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/give-5-per-cent-of-reservation-to-muslims-in-education-ulema-board-2806130
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Chaos In Karnataka House Over Zameer’s
‘Muslim Speaker’ Remark
12th December 2023
Pramodkumar Vaidya
BELAGAVI: The Assembly on Monday
witnessed chaotic scenes with the Opposition members seeking the expulsion of
Minority Welfare and Waqf Minister B Z Zameer Ahemd Khan from the Cabinet over
his controversial remarks during the recent election campaign in Telangana.
Zameer had recently claimed that BJP
legislators in Karnataka were now forced to bow before a Muslim Speaker.
“UT Khader has been made Speaker. Now,
all senior BJP leaders in the house have to say Namaskar sir (bowing before the
speaker). All this was possible because of the Congress,” Zameer had said,
drawing sharp criticism from BJP and JDS.
The Opposition members alleged that
Zameer had insulted the Constitutional post by communalising it. However, not
budging from the tactics of the Opposition for disruption, Speaker U T Khader
ran the house amid the chaos.
The beginning of the Question Hour saw
Opposition members trying to grab the attention of the Speaker over Zameer’s
remarks. Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said it was unbecoming for the
minister to communalise the Speaker’s post. As Zameer is unfit to continue as a
minister, he should be expelled from the cabinet immediately, Ashoka demanded.
Though Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil tried to make a
clarification, the protesting members did not allow anybody from the treasury
bench to speak. So the Speaker adjourned the House for a while.
During the break, the Speaker held a
meeting with the Ruling and Opposition
members to reach a compromise, but BJP members did not budge.
When the House reconvened after 30
minutes, the Opposition members continued to protest in the well of the House.
Speaker Khader urged them to cooperate
to run the House smoothly and take part in an important discussion on the
reeling drought situation in the state and issues troubling North Karnataka. He
also questioned their priorities and said precious time of the House should not
be misused.
As the protesting members did not pay
heed to the Speaker’s request, the latter continued with the Question Hour amid
the pandemonium, which further infuriated the former and started sloganeering
against the minister and government. Ridiculing the remarks of Zameer,
Vijayapura City BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal charged that the Congress was
busy in appeasing Muslims.
Ashoka charged that the Congress leader
had asked JDS to remove the word ‘secular’ from its name. Then the Congress
should add an ‘M’ to its name, he said.
To keep the Muslims happy, the Congress is negating the disregard shown by its
minister towards the Constitutional post, he charged.
As neither the government nor the
Speaker budge to the Opposition, the proceedings continued without disruption
though the latter remained in the well throughout the day.
CM SUPPORTS ZAMEER
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah came in
support of minister Zameer and said neither he (Zameer) has shown disregard to
the Speaker’s chair nor made any unparliamentary remark against BJP members.
Denouncing disruption of the House by the Opposition, the CM said if they
wanted to discuss the issue let them give a separate notice as the government
was ready to reply. He requested the Opposition to withdraw the protest and
cooperate for the smooth running of the House.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2023/dec/12/chaos-in-house-over-zameers-muslim-speaker-remark-2640730.html
-----
Chargesheet Filed Against
Jaish-e-Muhammad Terror Module
December 12, 2023
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police
on Monday filed a charge sheet against a Jaish-e-Muhammad terror module in a
special NIA court here for trying to disturb peace and tranquillity in the
Union Territory, officials said.
The Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK)
of the J&K Police presented a charge sheet against Pakistan-based terror
handler Abdul Rehman, a resident of Momin Zafarwal village in the Narowal area
of Pakistan, along with his three associates in Kashmir valley, a police
spokesperson said.
The associates were identified as
Junaid-ul-Islam, a resident of Sail Awantipora in Pulwama, Sheikh Najmu Saqib
from Ganastan Sumbal in Bandipora, and Waseem Ferooz from Karimaabad in
Pulwama.
The charge sheet was also filed against
two juveniles before the Court of a Special Judge Designated under the National
Investigation Agency (NIA) at Srinagar in a case registered under various
sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
(UAPA), the spokesperson said.
The case was registered at a Counter
Intelligence Kashmir Police Station following credible input about Rehman and
Kashmir-based associates trying to carry out terror acts to disturb the peace
and tranquillity prevailing in the Union Territory with an ulterior motive of
challenging the sovereignty and integrity of India, he said.
Rehman, who has several aliases,
including Riyaz, Umar, Jigar, Ashfaq, and Luqman, and his Kashmir-based
associates were using covert communication applications to evade detection and
ensure the secrecy and anonymity of their activities, the spokesperson said.
An investigation was set into motion for
the logical conclusion of the case for judicial determination.
The probe revealed that the Pakistani
terrorist handler at the behest of the ISI had created a module of overground
workers (OGWs) and passed on directions to them via different covert encrypted
messaging applications for luring youths to take up arms against the
sovereignty of India, the spokesperson said.
The accused were primarily switching to
encrypted internet messaging platforms and other social media applications to
stay in touch with each other and receive instructions from handlers across the
border, he said.
The same was aimed to radicalise and
lure innocent youths towards terrorism, use them as couriers of arms/ammunition
and psychotropic substances and recruit more youth in terrorist ranks, carry
out terrorist acts in the length and breadth of the valley with an end
objective to disturb the peace, the spokesperson added.
This all was done by misusing social
media while maintaining secrecy with anonymity, the spokesperson said.
The handler sitting in Pakistan with
other accused people was continuously attempting to create new terror modules
by a variety of methods, including instigation, enticement and at times
combined with implied coercion to act as logistics and terror agents to further
terrorist and unlawful activities in Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesperson said.
During the investigation, it was found
that several youths after reading and observing the seditious material sent to
them by the handlers did not show their interest to work as OGWs and to further
radicalise the youths of the valley, he said.
The spokesperson said it was also found
that youths are lured by the idea of getting rewarded in paradise after
attaining martyrdom, besides money and glamour in this world.
As such, an appeal is made to youths of
Kashmir valley and their parents to keep a close watch upon their wards and
youth should also remain cautious not to fall in the trap of such incitements,
he added.
After thorough investigations, the case
has been proved against the four accused people, including the Pakistan-based
terror handler, and proceedings under section 299 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure (CrPC) have been initiated, the spokesperson said.
Source: ndtv.com
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------
Omar Abdullah's petition seeking divorce
from wife Payal Abdullah dismissed by Delhi high court
Dec 12, 2023
The Delhi high court rejected former
Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah’s plea seeking divorce from his estranged
wife Payal Abdullah.
The Delhi high court on Tuesday rejected
former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah’s plea seeking divorce
from his estranged wife Payal Abdullah.
The court was of the view that there is
no infirmity in the order passed by the family court and the allegations of
cruelty that were levelled were vague.
“No infirmity in the order of the family
court. Allegations of cruelty were vague. We find no merit in the appeal &
the appeal is dismissed,” a bench of justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and justice
Vikas Mahajan.
Abdullah has sought divorce from
estranged wife Payal Abdullah on the grounds that he was subjected to cruelty
by her.
On August 30, 2016, the trial court had
dismissed Abdullah's plea seeking divorce.
The trial court had said Abdullah could
not prove his claims of "cruelty" or "desertion" which were
the grounds alleged by him for the granting of a decree of divorce.
Earlier, the Delhi high court had
directed the National Conference leader to pay ₹1.5 lakh to Payal every month as interim maintenance. It also directed him to pay ₹60,000 each for the
education of his two sons every month.
The court’s order came on petitions by
Payal and the couple’s sons against 2018 lower court orders granting them
interim maintenance of ₹75,000 and ₹25,000, respectively, till the boys attained the
age of majority.
Omar Abdullah had submitted before the
high court that he was discharging his duty of maintaining the children and his
wife was consistently misrepresenting her actual financial position.
The court, in its order, had observed
that attainment of majority by a son should not absolve a father of his
responsibilities of maintaining his children and ensuring their proper
education, and that the mother cannot be the only one bearing the burden of
expenses for raising and educating them.
The court clarified the period of
compensation shall commence from the date when the children were enrolled in
their law college, and shall subsist till their graduation from there.
“This court is pained to note that in
such acrimonious proceedings, the parents tend to make their children their
pawns, sidelining their happiness in order to vindicate themselves,” remarked
Justice Prasad.
The court, however, rejected Payal
Abdullah’s request to increase, at this stage, the maintenance amount for the
purpose of payment of rent of her present dwelling.
“The learned Family Court has rightly
observed in the impugned order that the property owned by the wife, which is
located at Westend, New Delhi, is lying vacant. It is not only at the disposal
of Payal Abdullah for her to take up residence there, but is also available to
her for fetching rent out of it,” the court said.
Noting that the maintenance plea by the
petitioners was filed in the year 2016, the court asked the family court to
dispose it of as expeditiously as possible, preferably within 12 months.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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-----
Europe
‘I no longer feel at home here’: German
Muslims frustrated by Israel backing
Kate Connolly in Berlin
12 December 2023
Lobna Shammout was initially only
vaguely aware of the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October, because she had been
celebrating her 40th birthday. “The breaking news was crashing my phone, I
thought ‘please, not today’,” the Palestinian-German said. “When I finally checked
… each newsflash was worse than the one before.”
In the following weeks, as Israel
launched an all-out assault on Gaza in retaliation for the attacks, which
killed 1,200 people, Shammout has waited anxiously for news of her relatives
and friends in Gaza. Some have been killed, among the estimated 15,000
Palestinians who the Hamas-run health ministry says have lost their lives.
At the same time, Shammout, who runs a
care home for elderly people in Lügde, west Germany, has become a conduit for
information requested by her friends and colleagues seeking to understand the
conflict. (She says she gives them “the five-minute version”.)
And she, like many Muslims, has watched
with increasing frustration as Germany emerges as one of Europe’s most
unconditional backers of Israel’s strategy. The country’s political leaders
have spoken repeatedly and without apparent hesitation about Germany’s
Staatsräson, or reason of state, a principle that places support for Israel at
the core of national identity.
The vice-chancellor, Robert Habeck, said
in a video message: “The phrase ‘Israel’s security is part of Germany’s
Staatsräson’ has never been an empty phrase and it must not become one. It
means that Israel’s security is essential for us as a country,” adding that
Germany bore a “historic responsibility” as the perpetrator of the Holocaust in
which 6 million Jews were murdered.
“It was the generation of my
grandparents that wanted to exterminate Jewish life in Germany and Europe.
After the Holocaust, the founding of Israel was the promise of protection to
the Jews – and Germany is compelled to help ensure that this promise can be
fulfilled. This is a historical underpinning of our republic,” Habeck said.
Shammout understands this. But she also
feels it leaves little room for critics of Israel’s response to speak out or
feel represented by the German government.
“I respect Germany’s history,” Shammout
said. “I really understand the support for Israel as a state, as a safe place
for Jews, and saying ‘never again’ can the Holocaust happen. It’s a part of
being German. But when this historical responsibility is used as an excuse for
justifying massive human rights violations, for breaking international law,
then it saddens and maddens me and I do not accept this so-called Staatsräson.”
Since the Hamas attacks, Germany has
been in a state of heightened tension. While pro-Palestinian marches have been
banned in many towns and cities, others have been allowed to go ahead, with
strict guidelines. (The federal commissioner for human rights policy, Luise
Amtsberg, said: “Terrorism must not be celebrated. We have banned
demonstrations when they intend to incite antisemitism, and freedom of
expression must not be abused to propagate hate.)
In the meantime there has been a steep
increase in reports of antisemitic attacks targeting the country’s estimated
200,000-strong Jewish population. The Rias group, which tracks antisemitism,
said it recorded 994 incidents between 7 October and 9 November, an increase of
320% compared with the same period in 2022.
Last month, before a two-day annual
conference bringing together politicians, Muslim groups and representatives of
the Christian and Jewish communities, the interior minister, Nancy Faeser,
called on Muslim groups to clearly condemn the Hamas attacks and distance
themselves from antisemitism.
“I expect Muslim organisations to
clearly position themselves and uphold their responsibilities in society,” she
told German TV. They should condemn Hamas’s attack, “and not just with a ‘yes,
but’,” she added. “It must be quite clear we stand on Israel’s side.”
But many Muslims, part of the second
biggest religious group in Germany with 5.5 million people, say they are being
unfairly targeted. A large increase in Islamophobic attacks has also been
registered, and it is suspected that many more have gone unreported.
Scharjil Ahmad Khalid, an imam and
Islamic theologian, said extra security was in place at his Khadija mosque in
Pankow, northern Berlin. “Just as antisemitism attacks have grown, so too has
the animosity towards Muslims,” he said.
Numerous attacks on mosques have been
reported, including the depositing of burnt Qur’ans, pig cadavers and excrement
on their grounds or in their letterboxes. In Magdeburg, Muslim graves were
smeared with swastikas.
“Messages of hate are regularly posted
into our letterboxes, which state, most commonly, ‘you are not part of
Germany’, ‘Islam is not part of Germany, go back home’, ‘you’re responsible for
importing the antisemitism that is poisoning our country’. They have increased
in line with the negative reporting of the media … attributing the antisemitism
only to Muslims,” Khalid said. “There is a blanket of suspicion over us all.”
Khalid wrote a commentary in the
Berliner Zeitung arguing that the far right, in the ascendant in Germany
notably in the form of the anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland (AfD),
was far more likely to be behind antisemitic attacks than ordinary Muslims. The
piece led to a backlash on social media: why had an imam been asked to speak on
the issue, wondered some, and how could someone with an Arabic name speak for
the Germans?
“I was born and raised in Germany,”
Khalid said. “This is racist and deeply offensive.”
Other commentators, such as the
Berlin-based Jewish German-American author Deborah Feldmann, have raised the
suspicion that the conflict is being used by the far right, including the AfD,
as an excuse “to finally be able to say out loud ‘away with those immigrants’ …
and it makes me scared because it brings back memories of this time in which my
grandparents were forced to flee,” Feldmann told the broadcaster DLF.
Habeck, in his speech, addressed the
societal divisions, saying rightwing extremists were “holding back for purely
tactical reasons” from antisemitic attacks “in order to be able to agitate
against Muslims”.
For Derviş Hızarcı, the chair of Kiga, a
non-profit organisation set up to tackle antisemitism but which increasingly
finds itself dealing with Islamophobia as well, the widely circulated speech
“was good and helpful. But I would like to have heard him ask more questions
and offer more suggestions. Like, let’s have a critical reflection about things
that we might have ignored, about our mistakes.”
The rise of the far right and the
continual growth in support for the AfD were reasons for Germans to question
“whether we are actually as good at Vergangenheitsbewältigung as we thought we
were,” Hızarcı said, referring to the process of coming to terms with the past
that has been one of the main pillars of German postwar society.
“If people think it’s above all the
Shoah and our response to it that gives us our societal identity, this identity
is perhaps too weak if we lack an understanding of ourselves and our
responsibility towards everyone,” said Hızarcı, the son of Turkish Gastarbeiter
(guest worker) parents who came to Germany in 1969.
In November, before the introduction of
a fragile truce in Gaza, participants in a pro-Palestinian demonstration met
outside the chancellery in Berlin to demand an immediate ceasefire, a call
rejected by the chancellor, Olaf Scholz. (“That would mean ultimately that
Israel leaves Hamas the possibility of recovering and obtaining new missiles,”
he said on 12 November, calling instead for “humanitarian pauses”.)
Nazan, 48, a nurse born in Germany to
Turkish parents, said she had considered giving up her German passport over the
government’s position. “I no longer feel at home here,” she said.
It is a sentiment that Shammout, who has
a Palestinian father and a German mother, and whose grandfather was forced to
flee his home during the Nakba of 1948, knows all too well. “It hurts both
sides of me, the Palestinian and the German side,” she said.
Shammout has attended two
pro-Palestinian demonstrations in recent weeks and feels there are clear limits
on her freedom of expression. “We are not allowed to … say we want a free
motherland. We are restricted by police to use only a certain number of flags,”
she said.
“I do not support Hamas, and I
absolutely condemn the attacks, but I reserve my right to protest, to mourn our
dead.”
Shammout said friends had been stopped
in the street and told to remove their keffiyeh. She knows a Palestinian
student who was told by police she risked being charged with sedition and
losing her right to residency if she failed to remove a Palestinian flag from
her balcony.
“I was always proud of being a German
with Palestinian roots,” she said. “Now I’m starting to doubt my identity, like
a teenager.”
Source: yahoo.com
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------
France, Belgium ‘concerned’ over high
number of casualties in Israeli attacks on Gaza
Nur Asena Erturk
11.12.2023
France and Belgium expressed concern
over a high number of casualties in the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza
due to Israeli attacks.
"We are concerned over the ways how
military operations are conducted by Israel in Gaza, with a very high number of
casualties, and we are also very concerned over the humanitarian situation that
becomes very critical," French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said at
the doorstep of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.
She stressed the need for a
"long-term, durable truce that would lead to a cease-fire."
Colonna also expressed concern over the
Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.
Israel launched relentless air and
ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the
Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.
Israel resumed its military offensive on
the Gaza Strip on Dec. 1 after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with
the Palestinian group Hamas.
Nearly 18,000 Palestinians mostly
children and women have been killed and more than 49,200 others injured in
Israeli attacks on the besieged enclave since Oct. 7.
Belgium calls for 'humanitarian
cease-fire'
Belgium's Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib
also spoke about the "unsustainable" humanitarian situation in Gaza
and said: "We continue to plead for stopping immediately the hostilities
to allow a humanitarian cease-fire that, we hope, would lead to relaunch peace
negotiations."
Lahbib stressed the need for
"humanitarian corridors" to allow the delivery of aid in Gaza, and
also said that the violence was rising in the West Bank, where the average
number of attacks by extremist settlers on Palestinians rose from three to
seven per day.
"Belgium decided to take measures
and to deny entry to violent settlers in its territory," Lahbib said,
adding that she would continue efforts to deny access in the Schengen area too.
Israeli settler attacks against
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have soared to its highest level since
the escalation of the Israel-Gaza conflict on Oct. 7.
Extremists among the settlers have
committed over 300 violent attacks, killing at least nine Palestinians in the
past two months, according to the health authorities. Hundreds of Palestinians
were also forcibly displaced from their lands.
Source: aa.com.tr
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-----
Situation in Gaza ‘apocalyptic’,
destruction greater than World War II Germany: EU’s Borrell
12 December 2023
The European Union's foreign policy
chief has sounded a serious alarm about the extent of destruction caused across
the besieged Gaza Strip as a result of the Israeli regime's genocidal war on
the territory.
The situation in Gaza is
"catastrophic, apocalyptic," Josep Borrell said in Brussels on Monday
after chairing a meeting of the EU's foreign ministers.
"The destruction of buildings in
Gaza...is more or less or even greater than the destruction suffered by the
German cities during the Second World War," he noted, adding, "85
percent of the population is internally displaced."
Israel launched its devastating military
aggression against Gaza on October 7 following an operation staged by the
territory's resistance groups, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm.
Independent experts estimate that as
much as 40 percent of housing units in Gaza has been either damaged or totally
destroyed.
According to the United Nations, as many
as 1.8 million people have been internally displaced in Gaza, many living in
overcrowded UN shelters in the coastal territory's south.
Videos of the Sunday attack circulated
on social media showed blood in the school yard, and fire in the building.
The European official noted that the
Israeli genocidal war on Gaza has resulted in "an incredible number of
civilian casualties."
"Civilian casualties are between 60
and 70 percent of the overall deaths" based on Gaza Health Ministry's
figures, Borrell said, adding, "The human suffering constitutes an
unprecedented challenge to the international community."
More than 18,200 Palestinians, mostly
women and children, have been killed during the Israeli onslaught on Gaza so
far, while upwards of 49,600 others have been wounded. Thousands more are also
missing and presumed dead under the rubble.
Settler violence in West Bank
Elsewhere in his remarks, Borrell said
the European Union was "alarmed by the violence [against Palestinians] in
the [occupied] West Bank by extremist settlers."
He said he had presented a discussion
paper to the EU foreign ministers looking at "imposing sanctions against
extremist settlers in the West Bank," who have stepped up attacks against
Palestinian residents.
Borrell added that he would soon make
the discussion paper a formal proposal, which may include refusing visas to
extremist Israeli settlers..
Earlier this year, an international
human rights organization similarly warned about a "sharp increase"
in violent assaults by extremist settlers across the occupied Palestinian
territories "under the political cover" provided by the Israeli
regime.
An international human rights
organization has warned about a “sharp increase” in Israeli settler violence
against Palestinians across the occupied territories.
EuroMed Rights, a network of 68 human
rights organizations, institutions, and individuals based in 30 countries
across Europe and the Mediterranean region, said the number of settler attacks
in the first half of the current year had reached 1,148, "nearly equaling
the total number of attacks recorded in the [entire] previous year (2022),
which was 1,187."
Concluding his remarks, Borrell
condemned the Israeli regime's decision to approve 1,700 more housing units in
the occupied city of al-Quds, which Brussels considers a violation of
international law.
In a statement issued on November 3,
Michael Lynk and Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the United Nations special rapporteurs
on the situation of human rights in the West Bank and on adequate housing,
similarly denounced Israel’s plan to build the new settler units.
UN experts condemn Israeli settlements
in the West Bank and East al-Quds as “the engine of the occupation,” saying the
Tel Aviv regime’s illegal construction activities “trample”on human rights law.
The UN experts condemned Israeli
settlements as "the engine of the occupation," saying the Tel Aviv
regime’s illegal construction activities "trample" on human rights
law.
Source: presstv.ir
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------
France says warship attacked by Yemeni
drones
12 Dec, 2023
The French military has successfully
repelled an attack on one of its guided-missile frigates in the Red Sea, a top
official has said. The military noted that the attempted drone strikes were
launched from a Houthi-controlled region of Yemen.
Speaking to lawmakers in the French
Senate on Monday, Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu provided an update on
last weekend’s failed attack, stating that all hostile aircraft had been shot
down with guided munitions.
“Two drones coming from Yemen
deliberately targeted … our multi-mission frigate Languedoc, which was carrying
out a patrol in the Red Sea,” he said. “These were Aster 15 missiles, which
were launched in self-defense to destroy the two drones. This was done
[successfully] and therefore protected the boat and the crew alike.”
Although officials have so far stopped
short of citing the Houthi rebel group by name, the military previously said
the drones had been launched from the coast of al-Hodeida, Yemen, an area
controlled by the armed faction, which is formally known as Ansar Allah and has
ruled parts of the Middle Eastern nation since a 2014 uprising.
The Houthis have repeatedly vowed to
attack any ships the group believes to be aiding Israel amid the latest
conflict with Palestinian militants in Gaza, having already attacked, and
sometimes seized, a number of commercial and military ships transiting the Red
Sea.
Earlier this month, the US military said
one of its warships had come under attack in the region, while also refraining
from naming the Houthis. Nonetheless, the group later claimed responsibility
for the incident, pledging to continue such operations “until the Israeli
aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip stops.”
The Houthis also previously published
dramatic footage showing fighters seizing a cargo ship in the Red Sea, with
commandos seen descending onto the vessel from a helicopter and holding
crewmembers at gunpoint. The group claimed the craft was linked to Israel,
although West Jerusalem later denied any direct connection to the vessel.
In a statement published on Saturday,
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sare’e reiterated that the group would “prevent
the passage of ships heading towards the Zionist entity,” referring to Israel,
and demanded additional aid for Palestinians under Israeli bombardment.
The head of Israel’s National Security
Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, has accused the Yemeni rebel group of imposing a
“naval siege,” and said his country would take action should other nations fail
to do so. He added that Israel had urged both the United States and European
Union to take countermeasures, although it is unclear what the request
entailed.
Source: rt.com
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-----
North America
CAIR Condemns Israeli Execution of
Wounded, Unarmed Palestinian in West Bank
Ismail Allison
December 11, 2023
(WASHINGTON, DC – 12/11/2023) – The
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil
rights and advocacy organization, today condemned what it called the latest
“Israeli war crime of the day” after video surfaced reportedly showing Israeli
forces opening fire on a group of unarmed Palestinian civilians in the West
Bank, wounding one of them, and then approaching and executing him.
Video posted online allegedly shows the
Palestinian man, Rami Aboushi, shot dead after being wounded by Israeli forces
in the Al Far’a refugee camp in the West Bank.
“These daily war crimes carried out by
the far-right Israeli government targeting Palestinian civilians in the West
Bank are made possible by the Biden administration failure to take concrete
action against the Israeli military’s human rights abuses,” said CAIR National
Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “There would be a world outcry about
these crimes if the victims were any other people, but the continuing
dehumanization of Palestinians allows the crimes to pass in silence.”
He noted that last week, CAIR similarly
condemned the shooting of an unarmed Palestinian man in the West Bank.
Also recently, CAIR condemned both the
Biden administration’s use of emergency authority to allow the sale of about
14,000 tank shells to Israel without congressional review and the
“unconscionable” United States veto of a United Nations Security Council demand
for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
CAIR also condemned an Israeli attack on
another hospital in Gaza and said the Biden administration is actively
participating in Israel’s “ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Palestinian
people.”
The Washington Post confirms that
premature babies were left to die in a Gaza hospital after Israeli forces
ordered the building evacuated. CAIR previously called for UN and U.S. probes
of Israel’s actions after horrifying video showed the babies’ decaying corpses,
partially eaten by stray dogs.]
CAIR condemned another “war crime of the
day” – the slaughter of at least 50 civilians in airstrikes on two UN-run
schools sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel has killed almost 18,000
Palestinians, mostly women and children in Gaza in recent weeks. Many more have
been killed by Israeli occupation forces and illegal settlers in the West
Bank.
The Israeli government’s extremist
leaders have declared that there are no innocent civilians in Gaza, justified
cutting off water, electricity and other basic necessities because Palestinians
are ‘human animals,’ embraced an ancient biblical verse about the mass
slaughter of an entire city from animals to infants, demanded a million
residents of northern Gaza leave their homes or face death, and announced that
the aim of the bombing in Gaza was destruction rather than accuracy.
CAIR said a new report by Heritage for
Peace detailing Israel’s ongoing destruction of Palestinian cultural sites
shows its desire to entirely “eliminate Palestinian existence.”
Washington, D.C., based CAIR also
questioned whether Western leaders even regard Palestinians as “human” after
more than 700 women, children and men were massacred by Israel within just the
last 24 hours.
Previously, CAIR condemned the latest
“Israeli war crime of the day” after more than 100 men, women and children were
killed in the bombing of residential buildings hosting displaced families in
Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp.
CAIR also condemned the Biden
administration for giving the Israeli government the “green light” to resume
bombing Gaza and called on the United States to join other governments in
demanding the resumption of the ceasefire and negotiations to secure a just,
lasting peace.
[NOTE: More than 100,000 Americans have
used CAIR’s action alert to contact their members of Congress and call for an
end to the violence and the renewal of U.S.-led efforts to end the occupation.
SEE: Urge Your Members of Congress to Address Root Cause of Mideast
Violence]
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil
rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American
Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las
libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y
empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstados Unidos.
Source: cair.com
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-----
CAIR-SFBA Welcomes the Arrest of Suspect
in Hate Crime Targeting Muslim Community Member in Monterey
Ismail Allison
December 11, 2023
(SANTA CLARA, CA, 12/11/23) – The San
Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR-SFBA), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy
organization, today welcomed the arrest of a suspect on charges of vandalism and
hate crime targeting a Muslim individual in Monterey.
On December 3, the individual sitting in
his vehicle in the 300 block of Pine Street reported that the suspect, later
identified as Mikhail Faybyshev, approached and began scratching something into
the side of his vehicle then fled when he realized the vehicle was occupied.
Faybyshev was subsequently apprehended by the police, who said they had video
footage of the incident.
The Monterey Police Department has
stated that Faybyshev admitted to committing the crime and targeted the victim
because “they were Muslim.” As a result, Faybyshev faces charges of vandalism
and hate crime.
SEE: Monterey man arrested on suspicion
of anti-Muslim hate crime.
In a statement, Executive Director of
CAIR-SFBA Zahra Billoo said, “We welcome the arrest of the suspect and
appreciate the efforts of the Monterey Police Department in swiftly
investigating this alleged hate crime. Individuals who perpetrate acts of hate
must be held accountable for their actions. This sends a strong message that
our community will not tolerate such acts of bigotry.”
This crime follows another
hate-motivated incident on a Sand City beach, where a man vandalized a “Free
Gaza” sign created by three young Palestinians and is accused of having choked
the 13-year-old child in the group.
SEE: Man ruins “Free Gaza” message
written in Sand City dunes by local Palestinian women, police are investigating
Last week, CAIR issued updated civil
rights data showing that its chapters and offices across the country have
received a staggering 2,171 complaints over the past two months—a 172 percent
increase over a similar two-month period the previous year—as Islamophobia and
anti-Palestinian hate “spin out of control” amidst the ongoing genocide in
Gaza.
CAIR-SFBA reiterates its commitment to
combating bigotry, racism, and hate in all its forms and encourages those
experiencing acts of aggression, racism, and Islamophobia to contact its Civil
Rights Department at 408.986.9874.
CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR,
America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission
is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice,
and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
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-----
No place for hate in America against
Jews, Muslims or anybody else: Biden
Diyar Güldoğan
12.12.2023
US President Joe Biden warned Monday
against a rise in antisemitism around the globe as he marked Hanukkah, a Jewish
festival that lasts eight days.
"I also recognize you’re hurt from
the silence, and the fear and for your safety because the surge of antisemitism
in the United States of America and around the world is sickening."
"You know, we see it across our
communities, and schools, and colleges, and social media," Biden said at
the Hanukkah reception in the East Room of the White House.
The US is implementing "the first
ever" national strategy to combat antisemitism, he added.
"Let me be clear: There is no place
for hate in America against Jews, Muslims or anybody else.”
The reception came more than two months
after the Israeli military launched an offensive on the Gaza Strip following a
cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, claiming the lives of at
least 18,205 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis.
Separately, a group of Jewish protesters
gathered outside the White House demanding an end to Israel's attacks on Gaza
and called for a cease-fire.
US officials have recently been urging
Israel to "reduce civilian casualties" in the Gaza Strip.
Biden said he has had differences with
some of the Israeli leadership.
"I have known Bibi (Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) now for 51 years. He has a picture on his desk of
he and I when he was a young member of the Israeli service here, the foreign
service, and I was a 32-year-old senator.
"And I wrote on the top of it
‘Bibi, I love you, but I don't agree with a damn thing you have to say.’ It's
about the same thing today," he added.
Underscoring his commitment to provide
military assistance to Israel "until it gets rid of Hamas," Biden
said: "But they have to be careful. The whole world’s public opinion can
shift overnight. We can’t let that happen."
Source: aa.com.tr
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US' Harvard undergrads face disciplinary
action after taking part in pro-Palestine protests
Zehra Nur Düz
11.12.2023
Four undergraduate students at the US’
Harvard University are facing new disciplinary actions after leading or participating
in a pro-Palestine “week of action” late last month, the student newspaper of
the Ivy League school said Monday.
Hearings at the Harvard College
Administrative Board can result in students getting warnings, probations, or
required withdrawals, the Harvard Crimson reported.
Actions that hinder the “ability of
members of the university to perform their normal activities constitutes
unacceptable conduct and is subject to appropriate discipline,” the university,
located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said in a statement.
During a rally organized by a coalition
of pro-Palestine groups, Kojo Acheampong, one of the students facing
disciplinary action, said: “We understand that this university is trying to
attack students.”
“But we know that that’s not gonna stop
us,” he said, adding: “We will never, ever, ever let these attacks get in the
way of our solidarity with the Palestinian people.”
The November week of action included a
rally and a walkout.
In mid-November, eight undergraduates
affiliated with Harvard Jews for Palestine also faced hearings after taking
part in a 24-hour occupation of University Hall, the Crimson said.
The news comes as fallout continues from
last week, when three US college presidents – the University of Pennsylvania’s
Liz Magill, Harvard’s Claudine Gay, and the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology’s Sally Kornbluth – were grilled by a congressional committee on
antisemitic incidents on their campuses.
The heads expressed their commitment to
combating all forms of hatred and an increase in Islamophobia and hatred
towards Muslims.
For hours, they answered questions on
antisemitism, disciplinary activities against students, how universities
represent different opinions, and campus security.
Magill resigned on Saturday after days
of criticism and pressure following her comments at the congressional hearing.
Source: aa.com.tr
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----
Activists calling for Gaza ceasefire
protest in US Senate office building
December 12, 2023
WASHINGTON: Several dozen activists
calling for the United States to push for a permanent ceasefire between Israel
and Hamas briefly protested in a US Senate office building on Monday before
police ended the protest and took dozens into custody.
Groups, including the US Campaign for
Palestinian Rights and Jewish Voice for Peace organized the protest, which
called for the US government to divert funds to domestic priorities such as
affordable housing and childcare instead of further arming Israel with US
weapons.
One activist was arrested after he
climbed up onto a 51-foot (15.5 m) high black steel sculpture by artist
Alexander Calder. Others chanted “ceasefire now” and wore shirts with the
slogan “invest in life” as they linked arms.
A pro-Palestinian activist sits atop a
sculpture by Alexander Calder after hanging a Palestinian flag over the
structure in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington,
Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. (AP)
US Capitol Police said they arrested 51
people in total as a result of the demonstration. Reuters images show activists
engaging in civil disobedience in Hart Senate Office Building, part of the US
Capitol complex where many senators and committees have their offices.
“Funding more death and destruction of
human life...makes no one secure, and instead fuels hatred and continued war,”
Sandra Tamari, executive director of the Adalah Justice Project, one of the
groups involved in the protest. “The Senate must heed our urgent demand to stop
funding militarism and instead invest in life.”
The Gaza health ministry said 18,205
people had now been killed and 49,645 wounded in air strikes on Gaza since
Israel attacked the territory in retaliation for Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, which
led to the deaths of roughly 1,200 Israelis.
Source: arabnews.com
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-----
Biden stresses ‘unshakeable support' for
Israel as Gaza death toll surpasses 18,000
12 December 2023
US President Joe Biden has pledged
“unshakeable” support for Israel as the death toll from the occupying regime’s
genocidal aggression against the Gaza Strip surpasses 18,000.
Biden made the remarks during a ceremony
marking a Jewish holiday at the White House on Monday night, amid mounting
pressure on his administration over its provision of lethal weapons to Israel
at the height of the Gaza war.
He said that his “commitment to the
safety of the Jewish people, and the security of Israel, its right to exist …
is unshakeable.”
Washington will “continue to provide
military assistance to Israel until they get rid of Hamas,” he added, referring
to the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance group that conducted a historic
operation against the occupying entity more than two months ago.
The US president, however, called on
Israel to be “careful” and cautioned that public opinion could shift in the
Gaza war.
The Iranian foreign minister warns
Israel and the US that they would never be able to wipe out Hamas even if they
spend a decade more to fight the resistance group.
Biden also highlighted the work his
administration has done to secure the release of Israeli war prisoners, saying
he “personally spent countless hours” working with Israeli, Qatari and Egyptian
counterparts on both fronts.
He acknowledged differences between
himself and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the years and at
present.
During a week-long truce, Hamas released
105 war prisoners, including 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners. In exchange, Israel
released 240 Palestinian abductees.
Israel believes about 137 prisoners are
still being held in Gaza, while there are thought to be 7,000 Palestinians in
Israeli prisons, many detained without charge.
Israel waged the brutal war on Gaza on
October 7 after Hamas carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying
entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian
people.
Since the start of the offensive, the
Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 18,205 Palestinians, mostly women and
children, and injured 49,645 others.
Thousands more are also missing and
presumed dead under the rubble in Gaza, which is under “complete siege” by
Israel.
Source: presstv.ir
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------
Arab World
Gulf states making strides in advancing
human rights, says GCC chief
December 11, 2023
RIYADH: Gulf Cooperation Council
countries have made significant strides in advancing human rights and
protecting human dignity as a result of directives issued by the organization’s
leaders, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi said.
Albudaiwi was speaking on Human Rights
Day, observed annually on Dec. 10 to commemorate the adoption of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights by the UN General Assembly in 1948. This year marks
the 75th anniversary of its adoption, with the theme “Dignity, Freedom, and
Justice for All.”
The GCC secretary-general renewed his
call to the international community to intervene to stop the Israeli assault on
Gaza Strip, saying that Israel’s actions have resulted in killings,
displacement, and gross violations of international laws and conventions.
The international community should
condemn this aggression and destruction, and take steps to end the crimes
against humanity, and provide protection to the Palestinian people, he said.
Albudaiwi said that since the
establishment of GCC in 1981, leaders of the GCC countries “have shown great
interest and care for human rights issues.”
This interest has resulted in many
achievements in all areas “through the enactment of legislation and laws
supporting human rights.”
Article 2 of the GCC Human Rights
Declaration, adopted on Dec. 9, 2014, emphasizes equality in human dignity,
rights, and freedoms, stating that people should be treated equally before the
law, without discrimination based on origin, sex, religion, language, color or
any other factors.
Albudaiwi said that this statement is in
keeping with the theme adopted this year on Human Rights Day.
He highlighted the GCC’s pride in member
countries’ progress in civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights,
saying that they pursue an approach that integrates these rights in
constitutions and legislation, supported by measures to ensure they are
respected. These rights and freedoms are deeply rooted in Islamic Shariah, he
added.
Albudaiwi also underlined the GCC
countries’ commitment to expanding and safeguarding human rights in accordance
with the directives of the GCC countries’ leaders, and with the principles
outlined in the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This
commitment aims to achieve inclusive development within a framework of justice
and equality.
The Independent Permanent Human Rights
Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has condemned what it
describes as double standards in applying human rights norms globally in light
of the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip.
The IPHRC voiced its concerns after
joining worldwide events to mark Human Rights Day. The commission said that
after more than two months of Israeli aggression in Gaza, and more than 17,000
civilian casualties, the international community is failing in its
responsibility to act on credible accounts of war crimes being committed by
Israeli forces.
The commission voiced concern about
human rights violations affecting millions worldwide, and cited the
deteriorating conditions for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, persistent violence
and discrimination against Muslims in India, and the continued plight of
Palestinians and Kashmiris under oppressive regimes.
The IPHRC called for an end to double
standards in applying human rights norms globally, and reaffirmed its
commitment to promoting good governance, the rule of law, and safeguarding
fundamental freedoms.
Source: arabnews.com
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-----
Private intelligence firms say ship was
attacked off Yemen as Houthi rebel threats grow
12.12.23
A ship off the coast of Yemen in the Red
Sea has been attacked, private intelligence firms said Tuesday.
The attack on the vessel comes as
threats have increased from Yemen's Houthi rebels on commercial shipping in the
area over the Israel-Hamas war raging in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis did not
immediately claim responsibility for the attack, though rebel military
spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said an important announcement would be
coming from them soon.
The private intelligence firms Ambrey
and Dryad Global confirmed the attack happened near the crucial Bab el-Mandeb
Strait separating East Africa from the Arabian Peninsula.
Dryad Global identified the vessel
attacked as the Strinda, a Norwegian-owned-and-operated ship that had broadcast
it had armed guards aboard as it went through the strait. The ship's managers
did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Tuesday. The vessel,
an oil and chemical carrier, was coming from Malaysia and was bound for the
Suez Canal.
The US and British militaries did not
immediately respond to requests for comment. However, the British military's
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which provides warnings to sailors in
the Middle East, earlier reported a fire aboard an unidentified vessel off
Mokha, Yemen, with all the crew aboard being safe.
The coordinates of that fire correspond
to the last known location of the Strinda.
The Iranian-backed Houthis have carried
out a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and also launched drones and
missiles targeting Israel. In recent days, they have threatened to attack any
vessel they believe is either going to or coming from Israel, though there was
no immediate apparent link between the Strinda and Israel.
Analysts suggest the Houthis hope to
shore up waning popular support after years of civil war in Yemen between it
and Saudi-backed forces.
France and the US have stopped short of
saying their ships were targeted in rebel attacks, but have said Houthi drones
have headed toward their ships and have been shot down in self-defense.
Washington so far has declined to directly respond to the attacks, as has
Israel, whose military continues to describe the ships as not having links to
their country.
Global shipping has increasingly been
targeted as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to become a wider regional conflict
— even as a truce briefly halted fighting and Hamas exchanged hostages for
Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The collapse of the truce and the
resumption of a punishing Israeli ground offensive and airstrikes on Gaza have
raised the risk of more sea attacks.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Saudi project clears 733 Houthi mines in
Yemen in a week
December 11, 2023
RIYADH: Project Masam, a Saudi
initiative to clear land mines in Yemen, in the first week of December
dismantled 733 mines planted by the Iran-backed Houthi militia.
Overseen by the Saudi aid agency
KSrelief, the project’s special teams destroyed 618 unexploded ordnance, 110
anti-tank mines, four anti-personnel mines, and one explosive device.
The devices, which were planted
indiscriminately by the Houthis across Yemen, posed a significant threat to the
lives of innocent people, including children, women, and the elderly.
Project Masam is one of several
initiatives undertaken by Saudi Arabia on the orders of King Salman to help the
Yemeni people, clearing routes for humanitarian aid to reach the country’s
citizens.
The demining operations took place in
Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale,
and Saada.
A total of 424,527 mines have been
cleared since the start of the initiative in 2018, according to Ousama
Algosaibi, the project’s managing director.
These include 267,958 items of
unexploded ordnance, 142,223 anti-tank mines, 7,921 improvised explosive
devices, and 6,425 anti-personnel mines.
The project trains local demining
engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to
Yemenis injured by the devices.
Up to 5 million people are estimated to
have been forced to flee their homes since the beginning of the conflict in
Yemen, many of them displaced by the presence of land mines on their land.
Masam teams are tasked with clearing
areas as an immediate humanitarian priority. They clear areas such as villages,
roads and schools to facilitate the safe movement of civilians and the delivery
of humanitarian goods and services.
The project’s contract was extended for
another year in June at a cost of $33.29 million.
Source: arabnews.com
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------
Jeddah provides taste of Asia with Ramen
and Anime Festival
December 11, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Culinary Arts
Commission will launch on Wednesday a Ramen and Anime Festival in the Little
Asia zone in Jeddah, with the support of the Quality of Life Program.
The festival, which is part of the
Jeddah Event Calendar 2023 and will run until Dec. 17, will provide visitors an
opportunity to explore the culture of several Asian countries.
Visitors will be able to experience how
traditional dishes are prepared and buy souvenirs inspired by anime characters.
One zone of the festival will feature 15
daily performances of Asian-related shows, including some inspired by anime
movies.
There will also be 15 workshops on
culinary arts provided by elite local chefs.
A special zone for children has been set
up to show them how to make sushi with clay, learn Japanese calligraphy in
sand, and construct paper lanterns.
An outdoor cinema will show anime films
every day. Side events include a group of roaming performers dressed in
costumes based on popular anime characters.
The festival is part of the Ministry of
Culture’s plans to boost cultural ties with Asian nations.
Source: arabnews.com
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------
Cruise missile from Yemen strikes tanker
ship – US military
December 12, 2023
An anti-ship cruise missile launched
from Houthi-controlled Yemen struck a commercial tanker vessel, causing a fire
and damage but no casualties, the U.S. military said in a statement.
The attack on the tanker STRINDA took
place about 60 nautical miles (111km) north of the Bab al-Mandab Strait
connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at about 2100 GMT, a U.S. official
told Reuters.
A second U.S. official said the STRINDA
was able to move under its own power in the hours after the attack.
“There were no U.S. ships in the
vicinity at the time of the attack, but the (U.S. Navy destroyer) USS MASON
responded to the M/T STRINDA’s mayday call and is currently rendering
assistance,” the U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees American forces
in the Middle East, said in a statement posted on social media platform X.
The chemical tanker is Norway flagged,
and its Norwegian owner, Mowinckel Chemical Tankers, and manager Hansa Tankers
could not be immediately reached for comment outside office hours, Reuters
reported.
The Iran-aligned Houthis have waded into
the Israel-Hamas conflict – which has spread around the Middle East since Oct.
7 – attacking vessels in vital shipping lanes and firing drones and missiles at
Israel itself.
On Saturday, the Houthis said they would
target all ships heading to Israel, regardless of their nationality, and warned
international shipping companies against dealing with Israeli ports.
The STRINDA had loaded vegetable oil and
biofuels in Malaysia and was headed for Venice, Italy, data from shiptracking
firm Kpler showed.
It was not immediately clear whether the
STRINDA had any ties to Israel.
The group, which rules much of Yemen,
says its attacks are a show of support for the Palestinians and has vowed they
will continue until Israel stops its offensive on the Gaza Strip – more than
1,000 miles from the Houthi seat of power in Sanaa.
Source: ariananews.af
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Saudi Arabia tops G20 in tourism growth,
emerges as second globally
December 11, 2023
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia emerged as the
second fastest-growing tourist destination in the world, according to a report
of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Barometer.
The UNWTO report also showed that Saudi
Arabia ranked first as the fastest-growing tourist destination in the G20
countries.
The report is based on the figures
pertaining to the growth rate of international tourist inflow during the first
nine months of 2023, the Ministry of Tourism said, quoting the Barometer.
The report indicated that the recovery
rate of the tourism sector in Saudi Arabia reached 150 percent compared to pre
COVID-19 levels.
The Barometer showed that the highest
recovery rate recorded by international tourism in the Middle East at the
global level is 120 percent compared to pro-pandemic levels.
The recovery rate of the tourism sector
globally reached 87 percent compared to pre-coronavirus levels, the report
pointed out.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
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-----
Mideast
Iran: Netanyahu can only survive through
continuation of war, genocide
11 December 2023
Iran's foreign minister has once again
warned about the spillover of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza to the rest of the
region, saying the regime’s prime minister can only survive through continued
war and genocide.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the
comment in a Monday phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during
which the two sides discussed bilateral and regional issues, especially the
ongoing situation in the occupied Palestinians territories.
During the conversation, Iran's top
diplomat criticized the United States' recent vetoing of a United Nations
Security Council resolution, which demanded an immediate end to Israel's
genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip.
The United States has vetoed a UN
Security Council demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Israel’s
genocidal war on Gaza.
More than 18,200 Palestinians, mostly
women and children, have been killed during the war that Israel launched on
October 7 following an operation staged by Gaza's resistance groups, dubbed
Operation al-Aqsa Storm.
The US cast its veto against the
resolution on Friday in line with its unbridled military and political support
for Israel's brutal aggression, which has seen Washington providing the regime
with more than 10,000 tons of military equipment since the beginning of its
onslaught on Gaza.
The Israeli aggression has also been
followed by a regional drive in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon to target US
and Israeli interests in the region.
Israel says it has received over 10,000
tons of military equipment from the US since the start of the Gaza war.
Elsewhere in his remarks,
Amir-Abdollahian said the war has already spread across the region, adding, “If
[Israel’s] attacks on Gaza do not stop immediately, the region may see an
explosion at any moment and all [involved] sides may lose control.”
“Unfortunately, the American side does
not correctly understand the risk of further spillover of the war,” Iran's top
diplomat said, adding, “The survival of [Benjamin] Netanyahu, as a White House
ally, is only possible through continuation of war and genocide.”
Amir-Abdollahian warned that the
situation in the region would not remain the same if Israel's military
aggression on Gaza continued.
The Iranian foreign minister, meanwhile,
lauded China's constructive efforts aimed at establishing peace and stability
in the region.
China says the situation in Gaza affects
all countries around the world.
For his part, the Chinese foreign
minister lamented the US' vetoing of the Gaza ceasefire resolution at the
Security Council, saying, "Establishment of ceasefire and immediate
transfer of humanitarian aid [to Gaza] is of importance to China."
Wang also hoped that the forthcoming
meeting of the UN General Assembly would offer an opportunity for establishment
of ceasefire in the region.
Besides its incessant and indiscriminate
bombardment of Gaza, Israel has cut off the flow of basic supplies such as
water, electricity, medicines, and fuel into one of the world's most
densely-populated territories that houses over two million Palestinians.
"US veto of Security Council
resolution license for Gaza genocide"
Also on Monday, Amir-Abdollahian spoke
on the phone with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov concerning bilateral
and regional issues, including the latest developments related to Gaza and the
occupied West Bank, where the Israeli regime has been ramping up its attacks
against Palestinians.
The Iranian minister said by blocking
the Security Council's resolution, the US has actually granted the Israeli
regime a license to continue its genocide in Gaza.
He reiterated the necessity of putting
an immediate end to Israel's war crimes and transfer of humanitarian aid to the
besieged Palestinian territory.
Lavrov, for his part, laid emphasis on
the need for the continuation of international efforts to achieve ceasefire
across the occupied Palestinian territories, increase delivery of
humanitarian aid to Gaza, and facilitate
establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Source: presstv.ir
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------
General strike observed across West
Bank, several countries in solidarity with Gaza
12 December 2023
Shop owners have closed their businesses
across the occupied West Bank and several West Asian countries to heed a call
for a general strike in support of the Gaza Strip, which has been under an
unrelenting Israeli onslaught for more than two months.
The National and Islamic Forces, which
is an umbrella coalition for major factions in Palestine, had called for the
one-day strike in a statement on Saturday.
A coalition of Palestinian factions
calls for an international strike in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Acknowledging the call, shops, schools,
and government offices were shut across the occupied West Bank, including in
East al-Quds, on Monday.
Essam Abu Baker, who coordinates
Palestinian factions in the West Bank city of Ramallah, said the protest was
part of a global effort to put pressure on Israel to stop its aggression
against Gaza.
"The strike today is not only in
solidarity with Gaza, but also against the USA, which used its veto in the
Security Council against a truce," he said, referring to the US rejection
of a Gaza ceasefire resolution on Friday.
In Lebanon, public institutions, banks,
schools, and universities closed after the government decided on a nationwide
strike in support of Gaza and border areas in the country's south, which have
come under sporadic Israeli attacks.
Shops and restaurants closed in the
Jordanian capital Amman as well as in Zarqa to the country's northeast and in
Irbid in the north.
Jordanian businesses displayed banners
and stickers on closed shop fronts with such slogans as "I strike for
Gaza," and "Ceasefire in Gaza and an end of this genocide."
"This is the least we can do for their
bloodshed day and night. We must strike to end this injustice for people in
Gaza," some signs read.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi
says Israel is implementing a systematic policy of pushing Palestinians out of
Gaza through a war that has killed thousands of civilians.
The work stoppage was also observed in
Istanbul's western Esenyurt District, where many businesses are owned by
residents from the Palestinian territories, Syria, Yemen, and Iran.
Footage on Turkish social media showed
deserted streets with Palestinian flags billowing.
The Israeli regime launched its
devastating strikes on Gaza on October 7 following a surprise operation by the
territory's resistance groups, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm.
More than 18,200 Palestinians, mostly
women and children, have been killed since then while upwards of 49,600 others
have been wounded. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under the
rubble.
Source: presstv.ir
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------
Palestinians hope a vote in the UN
General Assembly will show wide support for a Gaza ceasefire
December 12, 2023
UNITED NATIONS: The Palestinians are
hoping that a vote Tuesday in the UN General Assembly on a nonbinding
resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire will demonstrate
widespread global support for ending the Israel-Hamas war, now in its third
month.
After the United States vetoed a
resolution in the Security Council on Friday demanding a humanitarian
ceasefire, Arab and Islamic nations called for an emergency session of the
193-member General Assembly on Tuesday afternoon to vote on a resolution making
the same demand.
Unlike Security Council resolutions,
General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding. But as UN spokesperson
Stephane Dujarric said Monday, the assembly’s messages “are also very
important” and reflect world opinion.
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian
ambassador to the United Nations, told The Associated Press on Sunday that the
defeated resolution in the Security Council was cosponsored by 103 countries,
and he is hoping for more cosponsors and a high vote for the General Assembly
resolution on Tuesday.
In the first UN response to the Gaza
war, the General Assembly on Oct. 27 called for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza
leading to a cessation of hostilities. The vote was 120-14 with 45 abstentions.
After four failures, the Security
Council on Nov. 15 adopted its first resolution after the outbreak of the
Israel-Hamas war, calling for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses” in Gaza
to address the escalating crisis for Palestinian civilians during Israel’s
aerial and ground attacks.
That vote in the 15-member council was
12-0 with the United States, United Kingdom and Russia abstaining. The US and
UK said they abstained because the resolution did not condemn Hamas’ Oct. 7
attack on Israel in which about 1,200 people were killed and 240 abducted, and
Russia because of its failure to demand a humanitarian ceasefire, which Israel
and the United States oppose.
As the death toll in Gaza has mounted
during Israel’s campaign to obliterate Hamas, calls for a ceasefire have
escalated, and on Friday the US was isolated in its support for Israel in the
Security Council, where the vote was 13-1 with the United Kingdom abstaining.
The Security Council meeting and vote
last Friday were a response to a letter from UN Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres, who invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, which enables a UN chief to
raise threats he sees to international peace and security. He warned of a
“humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and urged the council to demand a
humanitarian ceasefire.
Guterres said he raised Article 99 —
which hadn’t been used at the UN since 1971 — because “there is a high risk of
the total collapse of the humanitarian support system in Gaza.” The UN
anticipates this would result in “a complete breakdown of public order and
increased pressure for mass displacement into Egypt,” he warned.
Gaza is at “a breaking point” and
desperate people are at serious risk of starvation, Guterres said, stressing
that Hamas’ brutality against Israelis on Oct. 7 “can never justify the
collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”
Like the Security Council resolution,
the draft General Assembly resolution makes no mention of Hamas or the Oct. 7
attacks on Israel.
It expresses “grave concern over the
catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the suffering of the
Palestinian civilian population” and says Palestinian and Israeli people must
be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.
In addition to an immediate humanitarian
ceasefire, the draft demands that all parties comply with international
humanitarian law, “notably with regard to the protection of civilians,” and
calls for “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as
ensuring humanitarian access.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel used US-made white phosphorus
bombs in Lebanon: Report
11 December 2023
Israel used US-supplied internationally
banned white phosphorus munitions in an October attack in southern Lebanon,
according to a Washington Post investigation.
“A journalist working for The Post found
remnants of three 155-millimeter artillery rounds fired into Dheira, near the
Lebanese border with Israel, which wounded at least nine civilians and
incinerated at least four homes, residents said,” the newspaper said.
Lot production codes found on the shells
match the nomenclature used by the US military to categorize domestically
produced munitions, which show they were made by ammunition depots in Louisiana
and Arkansas in 1989 and 1992, the report said.
The light green color and other markings
– like “WP” printed on one of the shells – are consistent with white
phosphorous rounds, according to arms experts cited by the publication.
Photos and videos verified by
international rights groups and reviewed by The Post show the characteristic
ribbons of white phosphorus smoke falling over Dheira on October 16.
Israeli forces continued to shell the
town with white phosphorus munitions for hours, residents said, trapping them
in their homes until they could escape around 7 a.m. the next morning.
Residents now refer to the attack as the “black night.”
The US origin of the shells was verified
by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
Shortly after the October attack, Human
Rights Watch said it had verified footage taken in Lebanon and Gaza showing
multiple uses of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and
two rural locations along Lebanon’s border.
The same manufacturing codes also appear
on white phosphorus shells lined up next to Israeli artillery by the city of
Sderot, near the Gaza Strip, in an October 9 photo.
The Israeli regime increases its use of
banned munitions, including white phosphorous bombs, in Gaza.
The Crisis Evidence Lab at Amnesty
International said they corroborated the authenticity of videos and photos
depicting the utilization of white phosphorus smoke artillery shells in Dhayra
on October 16.
The rounds, which eject felt wedges
saturated with white phosphorous can stick to the skin, causing potentially
fatal burns and respiratory damage, and its use near civilian areas could be
prohibited under international humanitarian law.
Tirana Hassan, the executive director of
HRW, said US Congress “should take reports of Israel’s use of white phosphorus
seriously enough to reassess US military aid to Israel.”
The weapons are part of billions of
dollars in annual US military assistance to Israel.
Israel has killed nearly 18,000 people,
a huge number of whom children, in Gaza since October 7.
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Four Palestinians killed in Israeli raid
on West Bank’s Jenin — Palestinian health ministry
December 12, 2023
RAMALLAH: Four Palestinians were killed
on Tuesday in a drone strike during an Israeli raid on the occupied West Bank
city of Jenin and its refugee camp, the Palestinian health ministry and the
Palestinian official news agency WAFA said.
One other person was injured in the
attack on Al-Sibat neighborhood in the city of Jenin, WAFA reported.
Jenin hospital director told the agency
the Palestinians were directly targeted.
Israeli forces are encircling three
hospitals in the area, WAFA added.
Prior to this attack, the health
ministry reported that 275 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West
Bank since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by gunmen of the Islamist movement Hamas
operating out of Gaza.
Source: arabnews.com
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-----
Israel says two border crossings to
examine Gaza aid
December 12, 2023
JERUSALEM: Israel said Monday that more
humanitarian aid will enter Gaza as it announced two additional checkpoints for
examining relief supplies before dispatching them to the Palestinian territory
through Rafah gateway.
International aid organizations have
struggled to get supplies to desperate Gazans under Israeli bombardment, with
only the Rafah crossing in Egypt open.
No new direct crossings will be opened,
Israel stressed on Monday, but the Nitzana and Kerem Shalom crossings will be
used to carry out checks before sending the trucks through Rafah.
“This is being done to improve the
volume of security screenings of aid entering Gaza via the Rafah Crossing and
will enable us to double the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza,” the
army said on X.
UN humanitarian agency OCHA said Sunday
that around 100 trucks per day were bringing humanitarian supplies from Egypt
into Gaza since a week-long truce ended on December 1, compared with a daily
average of 500 before the war.
The additional checkpoints will screen
“trucks containing water, food, medical supplies and shelter equipment,”
according to a joint statement from the Israeli army and COGAT, the defense
ministry body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs.
It emphasised that “no supplies will be
entering the Gaza Strip from Israel,” only via Egypt.
The UN General Assembly will meet
Tuesday to discuss the humanitarian crisis, after the United States last week
vetoed a Security Council resolution for a cease-fire.
Heavy urban battles raged Monday in the
bloodiest-ever war in Gaza, with more than 18,200 Palestinians and 104 Israeli
soldiers reported dead.
Israel’s assault on Gaza was triggered
after Hamas, which rules the territory, launched a bloody attack on southern
Israel on October 7 that left 1,200 people dead, mostly civilians, according to
Israeli officials.
Source: arabnews.com
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--------
Israeli defense chief resists pressure
to halt Gaza offensive, says campaign will ‘take time’
December 12, 2023
TEL AVIV, Israel: Israel’s defense
minister on Monday pushed back against international calls to wrap up the
country’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip, saying the current phase of the
operation against the Hamas militant group will “take time.”
Yoav Gallant, a member of Israel’s
three-man war cabinet, remained unswayed by a growing chorus of criticism over
the widespread damage and heavy civilian death toll caused by the two-month
military campaign. The UN secretary-general and leading Arab states have called
for an immediate cease-fire. The United States has urged Israel to reduce
civilian casualties, though it has provided unwavering diplomatic and military
support.
Israel launched the campaign after Hamas
militants stormed across its southern border on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200
people and kidnapping about 240 others.
Two months of airstrikes, coupled with a
fierce ground invasion, have resulted in the deaths of over 17,000
Palestinians, according to health officials in the Hamas-run territory. They do
not give a breakdown between civilians and combatants but say that roughly
two-thirds of the dead have been women and minors. Nearly 85 percent of the
territory’s 2.3 million people have been driven from their homes.
In an interview with The Associated
Press, Gallant refused to commit to any firm deadlines, but he signaled that
the current phase, characterized by heavy ground fighting backed up by air
power, could stretch on for weeks and that further military activity could
continue for months.
“We are going to defend ourselves. I am
fighting for Israel’s future,” he said.
Gallant said the next phase would be
lower-intensity fighting against “pockets of resistance” and would require
Israeli troops to maintain their freedom of operation. “That’s a sign the next
phase has begun,” he said.
Gallant spoke as Israeli forces battled
militants in and around the southern city of Khan Younis, where the military
opened a new line of attack last week. Battles were also still underway in
parts of Gaza City and the urban Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, where
large areas have been reduced to rubble and many thousands of civilians are
still trapped by the fighting.
Israel has pledged to keep fighting
until it removes Hamas from power, dismantles its military capabilities and
gets back all of the hostages. It says Hamas still has 117 hostages and the
remains of 20 people who died in captivity or during the initial attack. More
than 100 captives were freed last month during a weeklong truce.
Gallant keeps a framed picture on the
desk of his spacious office with pictures of all the children taken hostage.
All but two are marked with small hearts, signaling their release from
captivity.
HEAVY FIGHTING
In central Gaza, an Israeli airstrike
overnight flattened a residential building where some 80 people were staying in
the Maghazi refugee camp, residents said.
Ahmed Al-Qarah, a neighbor who was
digging through the rubble for survivors, said he knew of only six people who
made it out. “The rest are under the building,” he said. At a nearby hospital,
family members sobbed over the bodies of several of the dead from the strike.
In Khan Younis, Radwa Abu Frayeh saw
heavy Israeli strikes overnight around the European Hospital, where the UN
humanitarian office says tens of thousands of people have sought shelter. She
said one strike hit a home close to hers late Sunday.
“The building shook,” she said. “We
thought it was the end and we would die.”
Gallant blamed Hamas for the heavy
civilian death toll, saying that the militant group maintains a network of
tunnels underneath schools, streets and hospitals.
He claimed that Israel has inflicted
heavy damage on Hamas, killing half of the group’s battalion commanders and
destroying many tunnels, command centers and weapons facilities.
Israeli officials have said some 7,000
Hamas militants — roughly one-quarter of the group’s fighting force — have been
killed throughout the war and that 500 militants have been detained in Gaza the
past month. The claims could not be independently verified. Israel says 104 of
its soldiers have been killed in the Gaza ground offensive.
The result, he said, is that in the
northern Gaza Strip, Hamas has been reduced to “islands of resistance” acting
on the whims of local commanders.
In southern Gaza, he said the situation
is different. “They are still organized militarily,” he said.
Gallant also said Israel has recovered
“hundreds of terabytes” of information about Hamas from computers its troops
have seized.
Despite the reported battlefield
setbacks, Hamas on Monday fired a barrage of rockets that set off sirens in Tel
Aviv, where Gallant’s office and Israeli military headquarters are located.
One person was lightly wounded,
according to the Magen David Adom rescue service. Israel’s Channel 12
television broadcast footage of a cratered road and damage to cars and
buildings in a suburb.
HARROWING JOURNEY
The UN humanitarian office, known as
OCHA, described a harrowing journey through the battle zone in northern Gaza by
a UN and Red Crescent convoy over the weekend that made the first delivery of
medical supplies to the north in more than a week. It said an ambulance and UN
truck were hit by gunfire on the way to Al-Ahly Hospital to drop off the
supplies.
The convoy then evacuated 19 patients
but was delayed for inspections by Israeli forces on the way south. OCHA said
one patient died, and a paramedic was detained for hours, interrogated and
reportedly beaten.
The fighting in Jabaliya has trapped
hundreds of staff, patients and displaced people inside hospitals, most of
which are unable to function.
Two staff members were killed over the
weekend by clashes outside Al-Awda Hospital, OCHA said. Shelling and live
ammunition hit Al-Yemen Al-Saeed Hospital, killing an unknown number of
displaced people sheltering inside, it said. It did not say which side was
behind the fire.
HARSH CONDITIONS IN THE SOUTH
With Israel allowing little aid into
Gaza and the UN largely unable to distribute it amid the fighting, Palestinians
face severe shortages of food, water and other basic goods.
Israel said it will start conducting
inspections of aid trucks Tuesday at its Kerem Shalom crossing, a step meant to
increase the amount of relief entering Gaza. Currently, Israel’s Nitzana
crossing is the only inspection point in operation. All trucks then enter from
Egypt through the Rafah crossing. Aid workers, however, say they are largely
unable to distribute aid beyond the Rafah area because of the fighting
elsewhere.
Israel has urged people to flee to what
it says are safe areas in the south. The fighting in and around Khan Younis has
pushed tens of thousands toward the town of Rafah and other areas along the
border with Egypt.
Still, airstrikes have continued even in
areas to which Palestinians are told to flee.
A strike in Rafah early Monday heavily
damaged a residential building, killing at least nine people, all but one of
them women, according to Associated Press reporters who saw the bodies at the
hospital.
The aid group Doctors Without Borders
said people in the south are also falling ill as they pack into crowded
shelters or sleep in tents in open areas.
Nicholas Papachrysostomou, the group’s
emergency coordinator in Gaza, said “every other patient” at a clinic in Rafah
has a respiratory infection after prolonged exposure to cold and rain. In
shelters where hundreds share a single toilet, diarrhea is widespread,
particularly among children, he said.
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-----
Israel bombs UN school sheltering
displaced Palestinians in Gaza
11 December 2023
Israeli warplanes have struck a school
sheltering displaced Palestinians in a populated refugee camp in the northern
Gaza Strip.
The complex, run by the UN Relief and
Works Agency (UNRWA), hosts hundreds of displaced people in the Jabalia refugee
camp.
Videos of the Sunday attack circulated
on social media showing blood in the school yard, and fire in the building.
Citing eyewitnesses, Anadolu news agency
reported several people were killed and wounded as “one of the classrooms in
the school was bombed by the Israeli army.”
The regime’s warplanes also targeted a
house in the refugee camp. 45 people were killed. Dozens were injured. Several
missing people are still under the rubble.
The southern city of Khan Younis was
also hit by a series of airstrikes and artillery shelling on several areas on
Monday.
The Al-Aqsa Hospital, located in Deir
al-Balah, alone announced it received at least 40 Palestinians killed by
Israeli airstrikes in the previous 24 hours.
In Rafah, the regime’s warplanes bombed
a residential apartment. Six people were killed. Most of them were children.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell
warns that the southern part of Gaza faces a ‘dark prospect’ amid Israel’s
relentless bombing campaign.
And in southern Gaza, Israeli forces
launched several attacks near the Amal Hospital in the morning, according to
the Palestinian Red Crescent.
“Occupation forces continued artillery
shelling… in the northern areas of the association’s headquarters, which
shelters 13,000 displaced people,” Red Crescent said in a message on X.
The regime stepped up its airstrikes on
the besieged Palestinian territory after the United States gave Tel Aviv the
green light on Friday to continue its war by vetoing a UN Security Council
resolution for a humanitarian ceasefire. The resolution was put forward by the
United Arab Emirates and backed by more than 90 UN member states.
Israel has brutally killed about 18,000
people in Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza health ministry, more
than 49,500 people have also been wounded.
President Joe Biden of the United States
and his team are now under fire for failing to prevent the genocide of
Palestinians.
President Mahmoud Abbas of the
Palestinian Authority said earlier the US veto made Washington “complicit” in
the war crimes of Israel in Gaza.
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-----
Israeli doctor says hostages were
drugged, abused in Gaza
12th December 2023
TEL AVIV (ISRAEL): Hostages hauled into
Gaza during Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel were drugged to keep them docile
in captivity and subjected to psychological and sexual abuse, a specialist said
Monday.
"I've never seen anything like
that" in 20 years of treating trauma victims, said Renana Eitan, director
of the psychiatric division of the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre-Ichilov.
"The physical, the sexual, the
mental, the psychological abuse of these hostages that came back is just
terrible," she added. "We have to rewrite the textbook."
The centre has received 14 ex-hostages
released by Hamas, some of whom reported being drugged, including with what
doctors believe were benzodiazepines, a class of depressants with a sedative
effect that includes drugs like Valium.
"They wanted to control the kids,
and sometimes it's difficult to control young children, adolescents. And they
know that if they drug them they will be quiet," she added.
"One of the girls was given
ketamine for a few weeks," she continued, referring to a powerful
dissociative anaesthetic known for giving the recipient a sense of detachment
from their environment.
"It's unbelievable to do this to a
child."
Eitan said some former hostages had also
described psychological torment at the hands of their captors.
One was told his wife was dead when in
fact she was still alive back in Israel, while children were separated from
their families and shown "brutal videos".
One patient said she and others were
held in total darkness for more than four days.
"They became psychotic, they had
hallucinations," Eitan said.
There were also reports of self-harm
among hostages in captivity, she noted, while some returnees had since
professed to have suicidal thoughts.
"But this is our mission, to make
sure that such things will not happen," she added.
Ichilov has also treated hundreds of
physically wounded patients, both victims of October 7 and soldiers injured in
the ensuing war in the Gaza Strip.
Soldiers can be airlifted to Ichilov
from the battlefield in about 15 minutes, according to Vice Chief of Trauma
Surgery Eyal Hashavia.
Dissociative states
Hamas's October 7 attack killed 1,200
people and saw another 240 taken hostage, Israeli officials say.
Under a one-week truce deal that ended
on December 1, 105 hostages were released from Gaza, among them 80 Israelis --
mostly women and children -- freed in exchange for 240 Palestinians jailed by
Israel.
At least 137 hostages are believed to
still be in Hamas captivity.
Israel responded with a massive ground
and air campaign to eliminate Hamas which has killed more than 18,200 people,
according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
Some former hostages continue to
experience dissociative states, Eitan said: "One minute they know that
they are here at Ichilov medical centre, and the next they think they are back
with Hamas."
There are plans to create a centre to
treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the national shock of the
October attack.
Eitan said the mental health toll was
staggering, with around five per cent of Israel's population -- some 400,000
people -- expected to suffer some symptoms of PTSD.
The extreme situation puts doctors in a
dilemma.
It is considered best practice not to
debrief a survivor on their ordeal immediately, but Eitan said there was also
an urgent need to know about the condition of other hostages.
"On one hand, we can't do the
debrief, but on the other, we need the information," she said.
Tomer Zadik, 24, has been receiving
treatment at Ichilov since being shot in the arm when Hamas fighters stormed
the Supernova music festival on October 7.
He described hiding for hours as he
listened to the voices of the attackers around him, before managing to escape
and reunite with a group of festival-goers and a few soldiers.
"The atrocities over there, words
really can't describe," he said, adding that he had nightmares about the
attack, though "less and less with time".
"They wanted to break us, not only
physically. They wanted to mentally break the whole nation of Israel," he
said."
Source: newindianexpress.com
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-----
Pakistan
Court declares plea against Imran-Bushra
nikah admissible
December 12, 2023
By Khalid Iqbal
ISLAMABAD: A civil court on Monday
declared admissible an illegal marriage case against former prime minister
Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
Following this decision, the court
issued notices to the parties, including Bushra Bibi, under Section 496-B. The
court ordered Bushra Bibi to appear in person on December 14.
The senior civil judge decided to hear a
case against Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, over their union, which a
complainant said was illegal and against Sharia. Khawar Manika, the ex-husband
of Bushra Bibi, appeared in court along with his lawyer, Rizwan Abbasi.
The couple also faces charges of
fornication. However, the court has indicated that it would demand two
eyewitnesses from the complainant.
The judge heard the arguments on the
admissibility of the case and reserved his decision, which he announced a few
hours later, declaring the case admissible. The judge issued notices to the
parties for December 14. The notices were issued under Section 496-B of the
Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the fornication clause in Pakistani law, which
carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a fine of Rs10,000. Imran
Khan and Bushra Bibi were originally accused of marrying within the three-month
iddat period that follows a divorce. However, Bushra Bibi’s former husband,
Khawar Maneka, has also accused them of fornication. Maneka’s lawyer, Rizwan
Abbasi, presented his arguments on Monday, stating that Section 296-B applied
to the case. He claimed that Khawar Maneka and his servant Latif were the two
eyewitnesses in the case. However, the judge said that the law was clear and
that two witnesses were required in addition to the complainant. The lawyer
insisted on presenting his argument and said the maidservant was also in the
house and could be produced as a witness. The court also asked about medical
evidence. The judge said that Maneka could not be half complainant and half
witness at the same time. The judge eventually reserved the decision, which he
handed down later. The court has instructed authorities to take Imran Khan’s
e-attendance for the case on the next hearing, as he is imprisoned in Adiala
jail.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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-----
Senate panel condemns Israeli atrocities
December 12, 2023
ISLAMABAD:The Senate Standing Committee
on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Monday unanimously passed a
resolution condemning the Israeli atrocities against the innocent Palestinians
including the children.
The committee met under the chairmanship
of Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri here at the Parliament Lodges.
The committee strongly condemned the
United States’ veto against the United Nations Security Council resolution
passed by the majority of the world nations for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The resolution also called for an
immediate humanitarian ceasefire. The committee strongly condemned the Israeli
atrocities and aggressive actions against the innocent Palestinians, including
elderly people, children, and patients in hospitals, urging the government to
take immediate action for the same.
The committee directed the ministry to
investigate the non-registered company, Fifth Pilar Takaful Ltd, involved in
the illegal booking of Hajj and Umrah.
The Hajj Organizers Association of
Pakistan (HOAP) chairman informed that the company was falsely claiming
affiliation with HOAP, and deceiving the public by promoting installment-based
Hajj, potentially contributing to a broader fraud scheme.
Source: tribune.com.pk
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------
Imran had Afghans placed on electoral
rolls, alleges Zardari
December 12, 2023
Kashif Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: PPP leader Asif Zardari on
Monday launched a scathing attack on Imran Khan, saying the former premier
supports Afghans because he had allegedly got them included in the voter lists.
The former president also hinted at the
possibility of a “little delay” in the elections, but said his party had no
problem with it.
Afghan citizens were registered as
voters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the past to facilitate PTI, Mr Zardari alleged
during an interview on Aaj TV.
“He [Imran Khan] supports Afghans
because he had made fake lists [of voters] and they [Afghans] had been declared
as Pakistani citizens,” he told anchorperson Asma Shirazi.
Says ‘a little delay’ in polls is
possible, but of no great consequence; asserts he can ‘also be a candidate for
PM’
Responding to a question, the PPP leader
disclosed that Election Commission was taking care of this issue, adding that
he had already directed his party to take up the matter with the electoral
watchdog.
He ridiculed Imran Khan for allegedly
supporting the opening of the offices of the banned Taliban and Lashkar Jhangvi
in the country and said the PTI leader was doing it to get political advantage.
In response to a query,
he dispelled the impression that PTI was
still popular in the country, adding the “ground realities are different from
perceptions.”
“There is sympathy as far as he [Imran]
is in jail, and not popularity,” Mr Zardari pointed out. He said PTI only
enjoys support of some lawyers and had no supporters to manage polling stations
even in one constituency.
The ex-president claimed that it was a
former director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) who was behind
the project of launching a cricketer in the politics.
He alleged that Mr Khan also had support
from foreign lobbies, adding that his ex-wife was still behind him and she had
been propagating the PTI founder as a popular leader through bloggers.
Mr Zardari harshly criticised Imran Khan
and even called him an “illiterate” person. He claimed that after submission of
the no-confidence resolution against Mr Khan in 2022, the PTI through a common
friend had approached him and offered him to share half of the PTI government’s
remaining tenure, which he refused, terming the move “too late”.
Delay in polls
In response to a question, Mr Zardari
hinted at the possibility of a little delay in the Feb 8 elections, but said
“elections will certainly be held”.
“It makes no difference if the elections
are delayed for another eight to 10 days, but not more than that,” said Mr
Zardari, when asked about the PPP’s possible reaction if the polls were
delayed. He, however, said that only the ECP had the constitutional authority
to fix the election date.
When his attention was drawn to a
statement of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman about the severe weather
conditions in some parts of the country, Mr Zardari said, besides bad weather,
the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) were also facing
security issues.
PM candidate
Answering a question, Mr Zardari said he
was also a candidate for the office of the prime minister with his son Bilawal
Bhutto-Zardari.
“Bilawal can be a candidate and I can be
a candidate too … and even Khurshid Shah presents himself as one of the
contenders,” the PPP leader said when pointedly asked “if Bilawal is not a
party candidate for the PM office”.
Mr Zardari claimed that PPP would win
“significant” number of seats in the National Assembly in the upcoming general
elections and would be able to play a decisive role in the election of the
prime minister.
He, however, said that the decision
would be made when the time came.
“In Karachi, we are the largest party.
We have won the election of the mayor which is not a small thing,” said Mr
Zardari.
The PPP leader once again called for a
consensus on charter of economy, stating that after the elections, all parties
should sit together and discuss the plan for the economic betterment of the
country.
Source: dawn.com
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Imran, Qureshi to be indicted again in
cipher case today
December 12, 2023
Umer Burney
Former prime minister Imran Khan and
ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will on Tuesday be indicted again in
the cipher case by a special court established under the Official Secrets Act.
This is the second time they are being
indicted— the first being on October 23 — in the case due to the previous
proceedings being scrapped by the Islamabad High Court.
The cipher case pertains to a diplomatic
document that the Federal Investigation Agency’s charge sheet alleges was never
returned by Imran. The PTI has long held that the document contained a threat
from the United States to oust Imran as prime minister.
At the first indictment, both Imran and
Qureshi had pleaded not guilty. The trial was being held at Adiala Jail and
four witnesses had already recorded their statements, with the fifth being
cross-examined when an Islamabad High Court division bench termed the
government’s notification for a jail trial “erroneous” and scrapped the entire
proceedings.
As a result of the judgment, the special
court started a fresh trial. Last month, Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat
Zulqarnain had ruled that the trial proceedings would continue at the Adiala
Jail but in an open court.
In the Dec 2 hearing, Qureshi had urged
the court to summon President Dr Arif Alvi so he could testify whether he had
assented to changes in the Official Secrets Act 1923.
During the previous hearing, PTI lawyer
Senator Babar Awan had said Imran wanted an “ex-army general and a US envoy” to
be summoned by the special court.
While the PTI lawyer had not named the
former military officer, media persons who attended the hearing had said Imran
mentioned ex-army chief retired General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
A day ago, the former premier had
challenged the process of his indictment in the cipher case in the IHC, urging
it to halt the proceedings till deciding on this petition.
The petition claimed that the
proceedings of Dec 4 were “liable to set aside” as they were “carried out
unauthorisedly and are illegal, unlawful, improper, incorrect”.
The former PTI chief, along with former
central leader of the party Fawad Chaudhry, is also set to be indicted in a
contempt case of the Election Commission of Pakistan tomorrow (Wednesday).
Today, the hearing began at the Adiala
district jail, where both PTI leaders were presented before Judge Zulqarnain.
The FIA’s special prosecutors Shah
Khawar and Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi were also present in the courtroom while
Barrister Salman Safdar appeared as Imran’s counsel and Barrister Taimur Malik
as Qureshi’s lawyer.
The FIR
According to the FIR, a case under
sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 r/w 34 PPC has been
registered against the former premier and former foreign minister.
They have been accused of wrongful
communication/ use of official secret information and illegal retention of
cipher telegram (official secret document) with mala fide intention, whereas
the role of the former PM’s aide Muhammad Azam Khan, former federal minister
Asad Umar and other associates involved will be ascertained during the course
of investigations.
It said Imran, Qureshi and their other
associates are involved in the communication of information contained in secret
classified document (cipher telegram received from Parep Washington dated March
7, 2022 to Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to the unauthorised persons
(i.e. public at large) by twisting facts to achieve their ulterior motives and
personal gains in a manner prejudicial to the interests of state security.
They held a “clandestine meeting” at
Banigala on March 28, 2022 to conspire to misuse the contents of cipher in
order to accomplish their “nefarious designs”, it alleged.
The accused, Imran, with mala fide
directed the former principal secretary Azam Khan to prepare the minutes of
said clandestine meeting by manipulating the contents of cipher message to use
it for his vested interest at the cost of national safety.
Moreover, the numbered and accountable
copy of cipher telegram sent to the PM Office was deliberately kept in his
custody by the former PM with mala fide intention, and was never returned to
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The said cipher telegram (official
secret document classified as such) is still in the illegal
possession/retention of the accused Imran.
The unauthorised retention and misuse of
the cipher telegram by the accused persons compromised the entire cipher
security system of the state and the secret communication method of Pakistani
missions abroad.
Source: dawn.com
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------
Conviction in Toshakhana case: IHC
reserves verdict on Imran’s plea
December 12, 2023
Awais Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court
(IHC) Monday reserved a verdict on former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
chairman Imran Khan’s petition seeking suspension of the trial verdict in the
Toshakhana case.
A two-member bench, comprising IHC Chief
Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, conducted the
hearing.
The Election Commission of Pakistan
(ECP) disqualified the PTI supremo for five years from holding any public
office. A trial court in Islamabad had then found the PTI founder guilty of
“corrupt practices” for concealing details of state gifts that he received as
prime minister and sentenced him to three years in prison.
In October this year, the former premier
challenged the trial verdict in the IHC, however, later he sought withdrawal of
the appeal since his petition in the same case was pending before the Lahore
High Court (LHC).
However, the IHC rejected his withdrawal
petition last week. During the hearing on Monday, Imran’s lawyer Latif Khosa
appeared in court while Advocate Amjad Parvez appeared on behalf of the
electoral body.
Imran’s lawyer, in his arguments, told
the court that he was refused to attend the hearing when he went to Adiala
jail. He said he has the right to be present on behalf of his client.
At this, Justice Farooq asked if he
contacted the judge of the court concerned in this matter. Khosa said that he,
including his staff, were stopped and ridiculed.
Justice Farooq told Khosa that he would
inform the registrar about this matter. The ECP’s lawyer then raised an
objection on the same plea filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC), saying that
they had learned about the petition challenging the ECP’s disqualification
notification.
Parvez said that the LHC’s single bench
had forwarded the matter to a five-member bench after hearing it. He requested
that this petition was not admissible in this court.
An appeal was filed on August 8 to
suspend the trial in the Toshakhana case and the verdict was announced on
August 28, said the ECP lawyer. He added that one month and eight days after
the verdict, a separate petition for suspension of the verdict was filed.
Established in 1974, Toshakhana -- a
Persian word meaning ‘treasure house’ -- is a department under the
administrative control of the Cabinet Division and stores precious gifts given
to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, and officials by heads of other
governments and states, and foreign dignitaries as a goodwill gesture.
It has valuables ranging from
bulletproof cars, gold-plated souvenirs, and expensive paintings to watches,
ornaments, rugs, and swords.
Under the rules governing Toshakhana,
government officials can keep gifts if they have a low worth, while they must
pay a dramatically reduced fee to the government for extravagant items.
The Toshakhana has been under a
microscope ever since the emergence of the allegations that Khan purchased the
gifts he received as prime minister at throwaway rates and sold them off in the
open market for staggering profits.
The 70-year-old
cricketer-turned-politician was accused of misusing his 2018 to 2022
premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during
visits abroad and worth more than Rs140 million ($635,000).
The gifts included watches given by a
royal family, according to government officials, who have alleged previously
that Khan’s aides sold them in Dubai.
Moreover, seven wristwatches, six made
by watchmaker Rolex, and the most expensive a “Master Graff limited edition”
valued at 85 million Pakistani rupees ($385,000), were also among the gifts.
A reference was forwarded by National
Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf to the Election Commission asking it to
probe the matter.
In October 2022, the electoral body
declared the former premier guilty of corrupt practices.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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-----
Alvi slams Indian SC decision on Kashmir
December 12, 2023
ISLAMABAD:Pakistani and Kashmiri
diaspora on Monday widely condemned denial of rights to Kashmiris, with
President Dr Arif Alvi rejecting the Indian Supreme Court’s decision to uphold
the revocation of the special status of the Indian Illegally-Occupied Jammu and
Kashmir (IIOJ&K).
He expressed dismay over the decision,
saying the Indian judiciary had succumbed to the fascist Hindutva ideology
giving decisions suited to the Indian government.
He added that such decisions could not
legitimise the occupation of IIOJ&K by India as the Jammu and Kashmir issue
was an internationally recognized dispute that remained on the agenda of the UN
Security Council for over seven decades.
While condemning the decision, the
president said that it was unfortunate that Indian courts had a history of
giving decisions against Muslims as in the cases of Babri Masjid, Samjhuta
Express, Hyderabad Mecca Masjid blast and Naroda Gam massacre during the 2002
Gujrat riots etc. He added that the verdict of the ISC could not change the
status of the IIOJ&K.
"Disappointed but not
disheartened," Omar Abdullah, a former chief minister and vice president
of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference party, posted on X. "The
struggle will continue. It took the BJP decades to reach here. We are also
prepared for the long haul."
Mehbooba Mufti, another former chief
minister and president of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party,
echoed those views. "The people of J&K are not going to lose hope or
give up. Our fight for honour and dignity will continue regardless. This isn't
the end of the road for us," she posted on X.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister for
Human Rights and Women Empowerment Mushaal Hussein Mullick strongly criticized
the Indian Supreme Court for shamelessly behaving like a ‘kangaroo court’ and
endorsing Modi’s unlawful decision on August 5, 2019.
“India should avoid pushing peaceful
Kashmiri youth to resort to alternative forms of resistance”, she said while
addressing an event commemorating International Human Rights Day organized by
Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI).
She highlighted that India has
established a grim record of the most severe human rights violations in IIOJK.
Mushaal lamented the lack of visual evidence of these violations, attributing
it to India’s stringent information and communication blockade.
In a separate video message, Mushaal
expressed concern about the implementation of “Jungle Law” in India.
Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani
rejected the decision by the Indian Supreme Court upholding the abrogation of
Article 370, diminishing the autonomy of IIOJK.
The Senate chairman, in a statement,
voiced serious concerns, describing the Indian Supreme Court’s ruling as a
“mockery of justice that runs contrary to established norms of morality and
lacks historical evidence”.
He raised questions about the
impartiality of the court, suggesting it might have been compromised by
Hindutva ideology, referring to the influence of what he termed “Hindutva
goons”.
Former prime minister of AJK and
President Muslim Conference Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan has said that the Indian
Supreme Court’s decision on the status of Jammu and Kashmir state injuriously
prejudices the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) clearly declared
disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir state thru its historic Resolutions
accepted and signed in UN by government of India as a party to the dispute.
“Pakistan is the other party in the
dispute registered as international dispute by the UNSC on Jan 1, 1948 on the
reference by India”, he said in a statement issued on Monday.
Sardar Attique further said that the
Indian supreme court’s decision militates against the UN Security Council’s
well considered historic declaration of disputed position of J&K. “Indian
supreme court has no jurisdiction over UNSC and cannot pass any opinion on a
this dispute under action in the UN,” he elaborated
Source: tribune.com.pk
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-----
South Asia
"Taliban" Should be Guided by
What Afghans Want:Chargé d'Affaires of the US Mission to Afghanistan
Mujeeb Rahman Awrang Stanikzai
December 11, 2023
Karen Decker, Chargé d'Affaires of the
US Mission to Afghanistan, urged the “Taliban” to be guided by what the Afghan
people want, saying that the international community must also “listen to what
the Afghan people say.”
In an interview with TOLOnews, on the
sidelines of the Doha Forum, Decker said that Afghanistan is the only country
in the world that “does not allow girls to go to school.”
She also said that the relationship to
focus on is the relationship between the American and the Afghan people “which
remains incredibly strong.”
Decker said the US is engaged with the
“Taliban leaders on a range of issues in a very pragmatic way in order to talk
to them about the issues like counter-narcotics, economic resilience and
recovery as well as the release of Americans who are "wrongfully
detained.”
She said that despite the closure of the
embassy in Kabul, all activities of the US mission for Afghanistan are
functioning.
“We do not have an embassy open in Kabul
right now. I lead the embassy in exile based here in Qatar. But we still have
all of the functions of an embassy,” she added, saying that a US team is also
based in Kazakhstan.
“There is no checklist for recognition
... I have already explained. That is not a process that has a list of
requirements attached to it. We are going to continue to focus on helping the
Afghan people. Part of that is supporting the Afghan women and girls on a range
of issues,” Decker said.
The US top diplomat for Afghanistan
highlighted the situation of Afghan women.
“I think we have to be honest about the
fact that Afghan women cannot work, Afghan girls cannot study and that is
unacceptable,” she added.
Decker said that the US is in talks with
Pakistani officials to make sure the Afghans have every
protection available to them under the
law and are treated with dignity and respect.
Source: tolonews.com
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-----
UNSC Discuss Afghanistan’s Situation
Behind Closed Doors
Mitra Majeedy
December 11, 2023
The United Nations Security Council held
a closed-door meeting on Afghanistan.
In the meeting hosted by Switzerland,
members of the council also discussed the assessment of the situation in
Afghanistan conducted by Feridun Sinirlioğlu, special coordinator of the UN for
Afghanistan.
Some Afghan women were also invited to
the meeting.
“On December 11, security council
members will hold a closed-door on the recommendation of the UN assessment on
Afghanistan, this time there will be a few Afghan women in the room, but we are
still concerned about the lack of transparency in this process. This is the
third closed-door meeting, the first was briefing by the special coordinator,
the second was a closed-door security council meeting,” said Heather Barr,
director of the Women's Rights Division at Human Rights Watch.
But the Islamic Emirate says that
Afghanistan should be seen as am opportunity and that countries should not
stand against Afghanistan.
The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate
said that such meetings do not bring any hope for opening diplomatic doors.
“Displaying Afghanistan’s situation as
worse than it is will not have a positive outcome. There is no hope that such
meetings will open any diplomatic doors for Afghanistan,” said Zabiullah
Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.
In the meantime, political analysts and
human rights activists are of the view that the policies of the Islamic Emirate
are crucial for engagement with the world.
“The report of Feridun Sinirlioğlu was
conducted based on a resolution of the UNSC. Now there is a follow up meeting
on that. The important issue is that if women’s rights to education and work
are protected in Afghanistan as in other Islamic countries, this will resolve
most of the problems of the country,” said Tariq Farhadi, a political analyst.
“Other meetings were not fruitful, we
hope that this will lead to the reopening of schools and universities for girls
and respect for the rights of Afghan people,” said Tafseer Sia Posh, a women’s
rights activist.
This comes as participants at the DOHA
Forum discussed restrictions on girls’ education in Afghanistan and urged
further investment on women’s education in the country.
Source: tolonews.com
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Religious Scholars Urged to Join the
Fight Against AIDS and Support Vaccination Campaigns
2023-12-11
KABUL (BNA): The Acting Minister of
Public Health, Dr. Qalandar Ebad, met with officials from the Ministries of
Hajj and Religious Affairs, and Vice and Virtue as well as other sectors to
discuss the strategy for combating AIDS and promoting vaccination campaigns.
He stressed the importance of the role
of religious scholars in raising awareness and supporting the Ministry of
Public Health in controlling AIDS and administering vaccines, including
COVID-19, polio, and other vaccines.
He also mentioned the achievements of
the Ministry of Public Health and the contribution of the country’s scholars in
this field.
The officials from the relevant
ministries expressed their willingness to cooperate and to mobilize the
honorable scholars to join the fight against deadly diseases through mosques,
seminars, and other facilities.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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------
Karzai’s Chief of Staff Criticizes
Iranian FM: Afghanistan shouldn’t become like Lebanon
Fidel Rahmati
December 11, 2023
The former Afghan president’s chief of
staff responded to recent statements by the Iranian foreign minister, saying
that in any country, all people should have a say in determining their destiny.
Karim Khurram, who worked for the former
Afghanistan president, said that having a good constitution can help achieve
this goal without causing conflicts among different ethnic groups and turning
Afghanistan into another Lebanon.
Khurram, the chief of staff of
Afghanistan’s former president during Hamid Karzai’s tenure, stated that Iran
would not favour such an approach for itself and should not impose it on
others.
He reiterated this statement on his
social media platform X, saying, “foreign diplomats should be careful with
their choice of words due to Afghanistan’s unique situation.”
Mr Khurram further emphasized that
“Taliban do not represent the Pashtuns.”
Earlier, Amir Abdollahian, Iran’s
foreign minister, stated during a speech at Tehran University that “Taliban and
Pashtuns are part of Afghanistan’s reality, not all of it.”
Iran’s foreign minister reiterated in
his speech at Tehran University that without the formation of an inclusive
government with the participation of all ethnic groups, stability in
Afghanistan would not be achieved.
He also emphasized that the Taliban are
not Daesh (ISIS) but are part of Afghanistan’s reality. These statements
sparked widespread reactions among Afghan people and politicians.
Source: khaama.com
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------
WHO reports 2,513 acute respiratory
deaths in Afghanistan
Fidel Rahmati
December 11, 2023
The World Health Organization, a leading
global health authority, recently released a concerning report about the state
of respiratory health in Afghanistan.
This report has shed light on the
alarming rate of acute respiratory diseases within the country, bringing
attention to a significant public health issue.
According to the WHO’s findings, since
the beginning of the year, Afghanistan has witnessed a staggering number of
deaths linked to acute respiratory diseases.
The total count stands at 2,513, a
figure that highlights the severity of the situation and the urgent need for
medical intervention and support.
A vast majority, precisely 82.2%, of the
deaths recorded are children. This high mortality rate among young individuals
points to the vulnerability of this age group and underscores the need for
targeted healthcare measures to protect them.
The scope of the issue is further
illustrated by the overall number of cases registered across Afghanistan. Since
January 2023, 1.2 million cases of acute respiratory diseases have been
reported. This number not only reflects the widespread nature of the problem
but also indicates a significant strain on the country’s healthcare resources.
The WHO report is a crucial call to
action for national and international health bodies. The high number of cases
and deaths, especially among children, necessitates immediate and effective
healthcare measures.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/who-reports-2513-acute-respiratory-deaths-in-afghanistan/
-----
Afghan migrants at risk of dying in
harsh winter without shelter: UN warns
Fidel Rahmati
December 11, 2023
The United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) has issued a warning that if adequate shelter is not provided
for migrants returning from Pakistan, there is a risk that they may lose their
lives due to the severe cold of winter.
On Sunday, the organization informed the
Associated Press through a published message that many migrants returning from
Pakistan are vulnerable.
According to the organization, among
these migrants are families who have lived in Pakistan for generations and have
never travelled to Afghanistan, meaning they may not have a home or family to
return to.
The organization’s report states that
80% of those returning from Pakistan are women, many of whom may experience
“distressing” conditions due to migration restrictions and challenges.
The United Nations High Commissioner has
emphasized that the cold weather at border crossings has made conditions
difficult for educational institutions, with many deported migrants enduring
minimal facilities at the Torkham border.
The report also notes that “many
returning Afghan migrants, including vulnerable women and children, might lose
their lives in the harsh winter if they lack sufficient shelter.”
The United Nations High Commissioner has
provided data that since early October, at least 500,000 Afghan refugees have
been deported from Pakistan or have voluntarily returned to their country.
Pakistan’s decision in early October to
deport 1.7 million “illegal” migrants has faced international reactions.
International aid organizations have
previously expressed concern about the difficult situation of migrants
returning from Pakistan, emphasizing that they are in a “permanent” state of
emergency.
Source: khaama.com
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-----
Hanafi: Opportunities for Investment
Provided in Afghanistan
Bibi Amina Hakimi
December 11, 2023
Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam
Hanafi in the meeting with the President of the Arifan Organization of Turkey,
and religious scholars and businessmen of that country, discussed investment in
Afghanistan.
Hanafi said in the meeting that
currently the field for investment in Afghanistan is prepared for everyone, and
the President of the Arifan Organization said that Turkey is ready for
investment in various sections in Afghanistan.
“We call on traders and investment to
come and invest in Afghanistan, the Turkish traders' meeting with Hanafi was
about how to invest in Afghanistan and Hanafi assured them about investment
here,” said Zabiullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.
The acting Minister of Industry and
Commerce also requested the establishment of a business center to solve the
challenges of businessmen in Turkey and Afghanistan in a meeting with the head
of religious scholars and some Turkish investors.
“The acting Minister of Industry and
Commerce, emphasizing the investment opportunities, said that the investment
provisions in Afghanistan are about 50% and the Islamic Emirate is committed to
cooperation and support for investors,” said Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad,
spokesman for the ministry.
Some economists said that to attract
investment in the country, it is necessary to provide banking facilities for
investors in the country.
“In Afghanistan, the country needs
domestic and foreign investment, most of the materials are imported from
outside Afghanistan, so foreign investors who want to start their activities in
Afghanistan in different sectors need a good banking system,” said Abdul Zahur
Mudabir, an economist.
Earlier, the Ministry of Mines and
Petroleum said that after the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate,
contracts worth seven billion dollars have been signed in the mining sector
alone.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186438
-----
Afghanistan excluded from COP28 as
climate impacts hit home
December 12, 2023
Humanitarian concerns have been raised
over Afghanistan being left out of United Nations climate negotiations for a
third year in a row, as the country grapples with worsening drought and floods,
Reuters reported.
Dozens of people were killed in
Afghanistan, one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change,
after heavy rains triggered flash floods that swept across drought-stricken
land earlier this year.
But the country is absent from the COP28
climate summit in Dubai, having been left out of such U.N. talks since the
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) took over Kabul in 2021.
No foreign government has formally
recognised Islamic Emirate leadership, and it does not have a seat at the U.N.
General Assembly.
Foreign officials have cited the IEA’s
restrictions on women as the reason for current isolationist policies,
particularly its barring of girls and women from high school and universities,
read the report.
However, some have questioned the
country’s continued exclusion. Humanitarian and international officials told Reuters
they made efforts this year to allow Afghan representatives to be able to
attend, coinciding with broader talks among foreign governments and
multilateral institutions on how to deal with the Islamic Emirate.
Though ultimately unsuccessful, “there’s
hope that maybe next year you might see engagement with Afghanistan in some
capacity again,” said Qiyamud Din Ikram of the nonprofit Refugees International
on the sidelines of the COP28 summit.
The U.N. Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC)’s COP Bureau, which is responsible for accrediting parties to
the annual summits, decided at a November 2022 meeting to defer a decision on
future Afghanistan representation.
The Islamic Emirate administration has
called its COP28 exclusion “regrettable”.
“Efforts were made to have the
representatives of Afghanistan participate in the 28th U.N. Climate Change
Conference…but no positive response was received,” said Rouhullah Amin, head of
climate adaptation at the country’s National Environmental Protection Agency
(NEPA).
A senior U.N. source said U.N. and other
international officials had made efforts in recent months to get NEPA officials
and other Afghan representatives present at COP28, Reuters reported.
The UNFCCC did not respond to a request
for comment on Afghanistan’s lack of participation at COP28.
In rural Afghanistan, women are
responsible for fetching water for their families, an increasingly difficult
task as the country struggles with drought.
Women make up many of the 20 million
Afghans facing severe food insecurity, exacerbated by declining food aid as
governments slash Afghanistan’s humanitarian funding.
Some nonprofits have said isolationist
policies can further hurt women, read the report.
Payvand Seyedali, Afghanistan’s country
director for nonprofit Women for Women International, said: “We don’t have the
luxury of not engaging with the de facto authorities in Afghanistan.”
The Islamic Emirate say they respect
women’s rights in line with their interpretation of Islamic law.
Others said Afghan women feel
disengagement is appropriate until the Islamic Emirate rolls back restrictions.
“Every time they see the Taliban [IEA]
being welcomed in foreign capitals, it sends a message that their (women’s)
rights do not matter to the rest of the world,” said Heather Barr of Human
Rights Watch.
The IEA’s takeover of government
institutions has also meant that Afghanistan is unable to access key U.N.
climate funds, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Reuters reported.
GCF spokesperson Stephanie Speck said
the fund no longer had a recognized focal point in Afghanistan following the
COP Bureau’s 2022 decision.
The GCF had approved nearly $18 million
for a sustainable energy project in Afghanistan before the IEA’s takeover. That
project has now been “put on hold to allow for a full review of current and
emerging risks”, Speck said.
Other proposals that the previous Afghan
government had been working on sought more than $750 million, including for
projects to improve irrigation and deploy rooftop solar panels in Kabul. They,
too, have been postponed, according to a NEPA document seen by Reuters.
Some have questioned the isolationist
approach to the Islamic Emirate. A report on Islamic Emirate engagement,
commissioned by the U.N. Security Council, concluded last month that “the
status quo of international engagement is not working”.
It recommended expanding international
cooperation on climate adaptation and response.
“Conversations with the Taliban [IEA] on
climate change adaptation could potentially be a confidence building measure,”
said Paul Klouman Bekken, Norway’s charge d’affaires for Afghanistan who
regularly meets IEA officials in Kabul.
Roza Otunbayeva, who heads the U.N.
mission in Afghanistan, called the situation “unsustainable.”
“It is time to think creatively, to
ensure that in one year’s time we are not approaching COP29 with yet another
statement on Afghanistan’s absence.”
Source: ariananews.af
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------
Southeast Asia
Agong disappointed that US vetoed UNSC
resolution urging Gaza ceasefire
11 Dec 2023
YANG di-PertuanAgong Al-Sultan Abdullah
Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah today expressed regret and disappointment
over the US veto of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) draft resolution
urging a ceasefire between the Zionist Israeli regime and Palestine.
Comptroller of the Royal Household of
Istana Negara Maj Gen Datuk Zahari Mohd Ariffin said that the use of the veto
by the US had thwarted the UNSC’s efforts to find a resolution to the conflict,
which has so far claimed the lives of over 17,000 Palestinians, with
approximately 70% being children and women, while more than 48,000 others have
been injured.
“The action seems to legitimise the
brutality of the Zionist Israeli regime against the Palestinian people, with
the killing of more civilians and the destruction of property, facilities, and
medical facilities in Gaza,” he said in a statement today.
He said His Majesty also expressed
support for the government’s stance through statements from Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, in
protesting and condemning the US move against the resolution calling for an
immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which was put forward by
the United Arab Emirates.
“Al-Sultan Abdullah also urged all
Malaysians to continue showing solidarity with the Palestinian people and
extend any form of humanitarian aid to alleviate their burden and suffering.
“His Majesty also called on all
Malaysians, regardless of race and religion, to join him in prayer according to
their respective beliefs, so that the conflict between the Zionist Israeli
regime and Palestine can be stopped immediately, and the Palestinian people are
protected, and their homeland is freed from the colonisation and oppression of
the Zionist Israeli regime,” he said.
Zahari said all mosques and surau in the
country were also encouraged to organise solathajat (prayer of needs) and
doaselamat to pray for the well-being of the people of Palestine.
The UNSC, consisting of 15 members,
failed to pass the draft resolution to urge a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza
last Friday after the US used its veto power.
13 members of the Security Council voted
in favour of the resolution, while the United Kingdom abstained. – Bernama,
December 11, 2023
Source: thevibes.com
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Synergizing with ministries to boost
Islamic economy literacy: KNEKS
Dec 12, 2023
Belitung, Bangka Belitung (ANTARA) - The
National Committee for Islamic Economy and Finance (KNEKS) is seeking synergy
with ministries and other institutions to devise a national strategy for
bolstering the people's literacy on Islamic economy and finance.
"We will map out programs of
ministries and agencies in the next two years to harmonize them. We are aiming
to integrate and streamline all of the relevant programs," KNEKS' Director
of Islamic Ecosystem Infrastructure, Sultan Hidayat, remarked in Belitung,
Bangka Belitung, on Monday (December 11).
According to Hidayat, the fragmentation
of existing programs has been responsible for hindering the efforts to boost
the people's Islamic economy and finance literacy. He remarked that numerous
institutions had been implementing their own literacy programs, thereby
resulting in uneven distribution of literacy targets.
Bearing that in mind, he stated that the
KNEKS held a discussion with planning bureaus of ministries and institutions to
map out their plans and programs in the next two years in the hopes of
achieving the optimal results of the existing literacy programs.
Hidayat then noted that the national
committee's initiative to formulate a national strategy was a follow-up to Vice
President Ma'ruf Amin's instruction to boost Indonesia's Islamic economy
literacy to 50 percent by 2025.
Based on a survey by Bank Indonesia in
2022, Indonesia's Islamic economy literacy index still stood at 23.3 percent.
"We aim to increase the score to 50
percent by the end of 2025. Indeed, this is a tall order, but we will make
all-out efforts to achieve the target," Hidayat stated.
He then expressed hope that the national
strategy would be signed and implemented prior to the shift of power next year.
"We hope that all ministries and
agencies will genuinely make use of the strategy," he remarked.
Earlier, VP Amin set the target of
Indonesia's Islamic economy and finance literacy reaching 50 percent.
He deemed the current score of 23.3
percent as not being ideal, considering that the country's Islamic economy and
finance have delivered numerous international feats.
"I have repeatedly said that it is
necessary to further boost the contribution of Islamic economy and finance to
the national economy. We need to focus on two key factors, namely literacy and
market share," he stated in Jakarta on October 1.
Source: antaranews.com
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-----
Indonesia reaffirms support for
Palestine at UNHRC Headquarters
Dec 12, 2023
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Foreign Affairs
Minister RetnoMarsudi reiterated Indonesia's support for Palestine during the
75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the United
Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Headquarters, Switzerland, on Monday.
"First, as an elected member of the
UNHRC, Indonesia reaffirms its commitment to strengthening political solidarity
and humanitarian support for Palestine, including by boosting its contribution
to the UNRWA threefold," she noted in the Foreign Affairs Ministry's
written statement here on Tuesday.
UNRWA stands for the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
The minister then stated that Indonesia
had committed to continuing the ratification process of the International
Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance while
adding that Indonesia had already ratified other main international human
rights instruments.
Indonesia is also committed to
protecting and respecting the rights of persons with disabilities, including by
solidifying the role of the National Commission on Disabilities (KND).
Furthermore, the minister echoed
Indonesia's commitment to implementing the National Strategies for Business and
Human Rights.
Related news: Indonesia urges
humanitarian aid to Gazans in Israel-Hamas conflict
In her speech, Marsudi also conveyed the
commitment of member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) as well as Timor-Leste to intensifying regional cooperation in human
rights.
"We are committed to enhancing
regional cooperation in human rights, including by implementing the ASEAN
Leaders' Declaration on the ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue adopted at the 43rd
ASEAN Summit," she remarked.
On the sidelines of her visit to Geneva,
Switzerland, Marsudi had the opportunity to discuss about Myanmar issues with
Thant Myint-U, Burmese visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge.
The minister and the scholar are
scheduled to serve as panelists at the "Round Table: The Future of Human
Rights, Peace, and Security" session on Tuesday, the second day of the
commemoration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 75th Anniversary.
On the same day, Marsudi will also
deliver a speech at a high-level event on the human rights situation in
Palestine before conveying statements at the Global Refugees Forum on the
following day.
A total of 16 heads of state and
government and 20 ministerial-level officials participate in the commemoration
of the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Source: antaranews.com
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-----
Rohingya face rejection in Indonesia
after surge of boat arrivals
DEC 11, 2023
PIDIE, Indonesia - Myanmar’s Rohingya
face a wave of hostility and rejection in Indonesia, where regional communities
say they are fed up with a spike in the numbers of boats carrying the
persecuted ethnic minority to their shores.
More than 1,200 Rohingya have landed in
Indonesia since November, data from the United Nations’ refugee agency (UNHCR)
shows, with at least 300 more arriving last weekend.
“There are still many poor people here,”
said Ms Ella Saptia, 27, a resident of Pidie in the province of Aceh, where
people have been sympathetic to the men, women and children among the Rohingya
refugees brought by dilapidated boats for years.
“Why should we take care of thousands of
Rohingya who cause many problems?” she added. “They have a bad influence. Some
of them escape, and engage in sex outside of marriage and drugs.”
A spokesperson for the Aceh government
did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In 2023 the refugees have encountered
animosity and threats that their boats will be turned back around.
Last week, protesters on Aceh’s island
of Sabang removed tents set up as temporary shelters for the Rohingya, images
broadcast on local television showed, and threatened to push their boat back to
sea.
Mr Babar Baloch, an Asia spokesperson
for the UNHCR, said the agency was “alarmed” by the reports, which could
endanger the lives of those aboard.
Arrivals tend to spike between November
and April, when the seas are calmer, with Rohingya taking boats to neighbouring
Thailand and Muslim-majority Indonesia and Malaysia.
“They are too many Rohingya in Aceh,”
said Ms Desi Silvana, 30, another of those living in the area. “This year there
are hundreds, even thousands that have come.”
About 135 Rohingya arrivals last weekend
have been moved to the office of the provincial governor after a community in
Aceh Besar district rejected them, media said.
It is unclear what has sparked the
backlash, which also featured on social media.
“I don’t want to pay tax if it is used
for Rohingya,” one user with the handle trianiwiji9 said on social platform X,
formerly Twitter. Another described the Rohingya as “parasites”.
In a statement on Dec 8, Indonesian
President Joko Widodo blamed the recent surge in arrivals on human trafficking.
He has promised to work with
international organisations to offer temporary shelter.
For years, Rohingya have left
Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are generally regarded as foreign
interlopers from South Asia, denied citizenship and subjected to abuse. REUTERS
Source: straitstimes.com
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Newly-appointed religious affairs deputy
minister Zulkifli Hasan has vast experience in Shariah, Islamic finance
12 Dec 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 — Zulkifli Hasan,
who has been entrusted to hold the Religious Affairs Deputy Minister portfolio,
has vast experience in Shariah and Islamic finance.
Born in Tanjung Malim, Perak on June 3,
1977, the senior lecturer at the Faculty of Syariah and Law, Islamic Science
University of Malaysia (USIM) holds various academic positions such as
legislation editor for the Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law; Shariah panel
for the Institute of Fatwa Management and Research, USIM and journal reviewer
for the International Journal of Business and Finance Research and
International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management.
He obtained his law and Shariah degree
from the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM), before completing
his Master of Comparative Laws (MCL) at the same university, before pursuing a
Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Durham, United Kingdom.
He is also a member of the advisory
editorial board of the Syariah Law Reports and the Global Islamic Finance
Magazine, as well as an academic adviser for Diploma in Takaful for Dar al
Hikmah College, Selangor.
Despite his many academic commitments,
Zulkifli is also active in community work, sitting as the deputy chairman of
the International Affairs Bureau of the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia
(ABIM).
In 2013, he represented Malaysia in the
prestigious Young Muslim Intellectuals in South-east Asia Programme in Japan
organised by Japan Foundation and in 2014, he was selected as a recipient of a
grant to conduct scholarly research at Fordham University, New York, United
States of America by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board,
through the Fulbright US-Asean Visiting Scholars Initiative.
In terms of industrial experiences, he
has worked extensively in the Islamic finance industry as an advocate and
solicitor, in-house counsel for Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad, member of the
Rules and Regulations Working Committee for the Association of Islamic Banking
Institutions Malaysia and member of the corporate governance working committee
for Awqaf South Africa.
Zulkifli is also actively involved in
the area of future studies and research and as a member of several professional
associations, such as the Malaysian Syarie Lawyers Society, the Association of
Syariah Advisers and the Malaysian Bar Council (Non-Practicing).
As a Shariah committee member of Affin
Islamic Bank and EXIM Bank, as well as a committee member for the Association
of Syariah Advisers, Zulkifli has vast experience in applied banking and
finance including takaful.
As an academic, he has published
numerous articles in various academic journals such as Malayan Law Journal,
Syariah Law Reports, International Review of Business Research, Journal of
International Banking Law and Regulation, International Journal of Islamic and
Middle Eastern Finance and Management, and Kyoto Bulletin of Islamic Area
Studies, and presented many papers in various conferences both local and
abroad.
His book entitled Shari’ah Governance in
Islamic Bank published by the Edinburgh University Press won the MAPIM Best
Publication in the category of social science in 2013, with his research
interests including corporate and Shariah governance and regulation in Islamic
finance. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Africa
War-torn Sudan faces 'catastrophe' as UN
runs out of funds
DEC 11, 2023
Of nearly 25 million people in need, the
United Nations has only been able to reach a fraction, according to the head of
the UN's humanitarian response in war-torn Sudan.
But assistance to even those four
million could soon stop, Clementine Nkweta-Salami told AFP in an interview, if
the chronic lack of funding continues.
The UN's humanitarian Coordinator for
Sudan says eight months into a conflict between rival generals that has torn
the country apart, the situation is "catastrophic".
Aid workers have called it the
"forgotten war".
On April 15, army chief Abdel Fattah
al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the
paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, turned their weapons on each other.
Two years after the former allies
co-engineered a 2021 coup sidelining civilians from power, their forces have
killed more than 12,190 people in their brutal struggle for power, according to
the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
That figure is only a conservative
estimate, however, with entire parts of the country completely cut off from the
world.
There are also "seven million
people displaced in Sudan, which is the highest displacement situation
globally," Nkweta-Salami said.
Yet despite the scale of the crisis, the
humanitarian response remains woefully underfunded.
"We've received only 38.6
percent" of the total $2.6 billion needed for 2023, Nkweta-Salami said.
"There will come a time when even
if we have (physical) access, we will not have the resources to enable us to
channel the relevant assistance that we need to do," she warned.
'Horrific mega-catastrophe'
Sudan, whose tragedy has been
overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, saw nearly all aid groups
disappear soon after fighting broke out -- their warehouses looted and workers
harassed or attacked.
"I have never, in all my years,
seen such a horrific mega-catastrophe with so little attention or resources to
reach people in their hour of greatest need," said Jan Egeland, secretary
general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, one of a handful of organisations
still providing vital aid across Sudan.
"Millions are trapped in the
crossfire, in ethnic violence, in bombardments, and we are simply not
there," he told AFP.
The gaps, Egeland and Nkweta-Salami
agree, are huge.
According to the UN representative,
"we are facing a population that is about 24.7 million people in need of
humanitarian assistance," or more than one in two Sudanese.
"To date, we've been able to reach
about four million and our goal is to hopefully reach around 18 million"
who face immense challenges with "health, water and sanitation, food and
malnutrition," she continued.
Only recently was the UN able to regain
limited access through Chad into areas of Darfur, Sudan's vast western region
where the UN has warned of "genocide".
On Sunday the official news agency SUNA
reported that Sudan's foreign ministry declared 15 UAE diplomats persona non
grata, demanding they leave Sudan "within 48 hours."
In recent weeks, pro-army demonstrators
and high-ranking officials loyal to Burhan have accused the United Arab
Emirates of supporting the RSF, descendants of Darfur's Janjaweed militia.
Source: africanews.com
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------
Nigerian President Tinubu: I Won’t Lose
Battle Against Bandits, Terrorists
December 12, 2023
Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja and Duku Joel,
Damaturu
We will not lose the battle against
insecurity. We will secure Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said yesterday.
Tinubu spoke at the palace of the Shehu
of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, in
Maiduguri,the Borno State capital.
The President was in Maiduguri, the
erstwhile epicenter of the Boko Haram insurgency to attend the annual Chief of
Army Staff Conference.
Maiduguri, the home town of Vice
President Kashim Shettima, is the headquarters of Operation Hadin Kai, the
military theater centre in the fight against insurgency.
Yesterday, the President unveiled fleets
of 107 palliative vehicles for Maiduguri metropolitan use.
The President also challenged the
military to remain apolitical.
Reflecting on the recent accidental
bombing in Kaduna, he sympathised with the victims, assuring them that the
Federal Government will not abandon them.
According to a statement by the Special
Adviser on Media and Strategy,
AjuriNgelale, the president promised to provide succour for victims of
insecurity in Borno State.
He said: “This is my most sacred
responsibility and the trajectory of the larger effort shown by the ratio of
victory over defeat has been sliding well in our favour since the new
administration assumed office.
Source:
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“We are not satisfied yet. We are not
satisfied until we reach the end of insecurity in Nigeria. “
President Tinubu said under his watch,
security would remain a top priority, adding that it will not be limited to
battlefield concerns.
He said: “We will provide better
amenities and benefits to our gallant armed forces and their families. We are
committed to this and this is factored into the 2024 budget. We will ensure
that our administration reflects the grateful heart of the Nigerian people in
the way we treat those who make the ultimate sacrifices.”
The President sympathised with the
families of victims of the bombing
inTudun Biri, Kaduna State, lamenting
that most of them tragically lost their lives while reciting the Shadada
during their observance of Maulud, a central statement of faith for practising
Muslims.
He added: “They were Nigerians of
profound faith and in the moment of the tragedy, they were reciting the
Shadada. God Almighty comforts their families as their nation grieves their
passage into glory. May their souls rest in eternal peace.”
The Vice President, who last week
visited Tundun Biri, the village hit during the bombing mishap, on behalf of
the President, announced the Federal
Government’s plan to rebuild the city at take care of the families of those
killed.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum
acknowledged the steady improvement in security, hailing the collaboration
between the security agencies and his government.
He said: “We have seen the close working
relationship between our state and the security agencies. The results are
speaking for themselves. We remain committed to the achievement of the Renewed
Hope Agenda in the fight against insecurity anywhere it exists in Nigeria.
“We thank you for your leadership, Mr.
President. We will continue to give all required support to the Nigerian Armed
Forces,” Governor Zulum said.
The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji El-Kanemi urged the President to fight the
infrastructure battle in areas that have
been ravaged by insurgency over the years.
He said: “We seek the revival of the
Lake Chad Commission to provide succour to the large communities in the Lake
Chad’s surrounding areas. We seek power projects and job creation initiatives
for our unemployed youths. Governor Zulum has been performing beyond what is
humanly possible but his resources are limited. Please assist him.”
Tinubu applauded the Shehu of Borno for
supporting Borno State government, the Federal Government in maintaining peace
and stability, promising to enhance the
involvement of traditional institutions in ensuring stability at the
grassroots.
Tinubu to soldiers: be non-partisan
President Tinubu charged the Armed
Forces to remain non-partisan, but vigilant in upholding democratic principles.
He promised to provide the necessary
support for the military to keep the troublers of the nation at bay.
The President declared that he will win
the battle to keep Nigeria safe.
President Tinubu, who acknowledged the
Army’s commitment to national security, emphasized their role as a guardian of
constitutional order during elections.
He said: “The professional conduct of
the Armed Forces during the elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states
underscores your role as a guardian of our constitutional order and democracy
precepts. In this regard, the Nigerian Army must remain completely non-partisan,
but vigilantly pro-democracy.
“We also note with great satisfaction
the many civilian-military projects across the country, some of which will be
commissioned during this Conference.
“These projects not only bring the
military and civilian population into closer affinity and mutual understanding,
they also serve the practical purpose of tangibly improving the living
conditions of the people.”
Citing the recent procurement of new
aircraft as a testament of his resolve to upgrade national defence capability,
President Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to advancing the
modernization of the military, with a focus on improving mobility,
communications, and offensive striking capabilities.
The President expressing the nation’s
gratitude for the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces, recalling his
earlier approval of N18 billion in Group Life Assurance benefits for families
of fallen heroes.
He also pledged government support for
the welfare of serving personnel and their families.
The Minister of Defence, Abubakar
Badaru, said the President’s new approach to empowering the force and enhancing
intra-military collaboration has boosted the morale of the Armed Forces.
He said: “Mr. President, you are a man
of your word. Your Renewed Hope agenda assured Nigerians of progress in the
fight against insecurity. The men of the armed forces are more committed than
ever before.
“They see the progress they are
recording. They know the damage they are inflicting on our enemies. They have
high morale. Our enemies do not because of your leadership. Thank you, Mr.
President,” the Minister stated.
Badaru pledged to sustain his support
for the military in the provision of infrastructure, assuring that the
administration will invest in their operational capabilities.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant
General TaoreedLagbaja, said the ongoing military operations in different parts
of the country had significantly weakened criminal elements and checkmated farmer-herders crises in various
parts of the country.
He said: ”Notwithstanding these
achievements, we know the importance of continuous evaluation and this
conference will be instrumental in formulating long-term strategies to bolster
our ability to carry out our constitutional responsibility in the year 2024.”
Tinubu inaugurates subsidy buses
President Tinubu inaugurated a fleet of
107 eco-friendly gas and electric vehicles in Maiduguri as part of Governor
Zulu metro transport initiative.
The scheme, which was meant to mitigate the effects of
fuel subsidy removal, comprises the conversion of buses and taxis to utilize
low-cost energy sources, and affordable transportation for citizens recovering
from the impact of the prolonged Boko Haram insurgency.
Zulum highlighted his administration’s
response to the presidential directive on subsidy removal, emphasizing the
massive investment in the mass transit scheme.
The diversified fleet includes
gas-powered coaster buses, Hummer buses, mass transit buses, and
electric-powered taxis.
President Tinubu hailed Zulum for keying
into the ”Hope Renewed,” agenda, praising his innovation and commitment to the
people.
Tinubu said he would leverage Zulum’s
foresight to establish an assembly plants, thereby boosting the economy at the
sub-national level.
Source: thenationonlineng.net
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ECOWAS sets up committee to negotiate
with Niger junta on return to civilian rule
DEC 11, 2023
**West African leaders met in Abuja,
Sunday (Dec. 10) for talks on their region which faces a deepening political
crisis, growing threats from jihadist wreaking havoc in the Sahel and criticism
of its leadership in some member countries. **
The political crisis in Niger was high
in the agenda.
A commission was set up to engage with
the nation's ruling CNSP to decide on progress towards a short transition and
other conditions for lifting sanctions.
"The authority decides to set up a
committee of heads of state made up of the presence of the President and head
of state of the Republic of Togo, the President and head of state of the
Republic of Sierra Leone, the President and head of state of the Republic of
Benin, to engage with CNSP and other stakeholders, with a view to agreeing on a
short transition roadmap, establishing transition organs as well as
facilitating the setting up of a transition monitoring and evaluation mechanism
to work for the speedy restoration of constitutional order," the president
of the ECOWAS commission said.
The announcement comes after Niger's de
facto ruler général Abdourahamane Tiani met with Togo's president Faure
Gnassingbé from whom he had requested mediation.
Conditions on lifting sanctions
After the July 26 coup, ECOWAS imposed
economic and financial sanctions santions on Niger. The President of the Ecowas
Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, outlined conditions for their lifting.
"The authority will progressively
ease the sanctions imposed on Niger. Failure by the CNSP to comply with the
outcomes of engagement with the committee, ECOWAS shall maintain all sanctions,
including the use of force and will request African Union and all other parties
to enforce the target assumptions on members of the CMSP and their
associate," Touray said.
In August, Niger's strongman General
Tiani vowed a return to civilian rule within 3 years, which ECOWAS slamed.
Speaking to Al Jazeera at the time, the
bloc's commissioner for peace and security said it was 'unacceptable.'
The door for diplomacy with Niger's
junta remained open but the bloc is not going to engage in drawn-out talks that
lead nowhere, Abdel-Fatau Musah, the ECOWAS commissioner for peace and
security, told The Associated Press in an interview on Aug. 23.
According to a Togolese source, general
Tiani is ready to negotiate on the duration transition and the fate of deposed
leader Mohamed Bazoum who is detained.
"Protecting democracy"
In his opening statement, Nigeria's
president Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of
Heads of State and Government urged West African leaders to prioritize good
governance for the people, as it serves as a catalyst for socio-economic
transformation and development.
‘"By providing good governance that
tackles the challenges of poverty, inequality and other concerns of the people,
we would have succeeded in addressing some of the root causes of military
intervention in civilian processes in our region," he said.
He emphasised that the goal of ECOWAS to
achieve a fully integrated region couldn't be realised without peace, security,
and stability saying; "the region, as far back as 2001, recognized
democracy as the only form of governance capable of fostering development,
inclusiveness and social well-being of our people."
The ECOWAS Chairman described the
attempt by some of the countries under military rule to float an Alliance of
Sahel States as a ‘phantom attempt to divert attention from our mutual quest
for democracy and good governance that will impact the life of our people.’’
On the recent disturbances in Sierra
Leone and Guinea Bissau, the ECOWAS Chairman asked fellow leaders to pay
attention to protecting democracy, reiterating ECOWAS’ zero tolerance to
unconstitutional changes of government.
Source: africanews.com
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------
As DR Congo gears up for elections,
displaced persons in conflict-torn east feel abandoned
DEC 11, 2023
Dani Rukara is one of the nearly seven
million Congolese who have been displaced within Africa's second largest
country.
According to the United Nations,this is
the highest number yet recorded in the country.
If the campaign for general elections is
in full swing in other regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in this
camp in Kanyaruchinya, in the North Kivu province, placards serve as reminder
of the December 20 general elections.
The displacement camps near the city of
Goma stand as a testament to Felix Tshisekedi's struggle to solve insecurity.
"Over the past five years, the
president has made a lot of promises. Some of them have been fulfilled, but
others have not," Rukara says.
"Now we hope that the new president
who is elected will be able to put an end to this war, which is becoming
unbearable, because our wish is to return to our villages."
The man fled his home of Rutsuchuru some
60 km north of Kanyaruchinya where M23 rebels are active. Voting will not take
place there nor in Masisi territory.
Right to vote
President Felix Tshisekedi, 60, who is
running for re-election, has promised to tackle rampant insecurity.
"As long as I haven't solved the
problem of security, I won't have succeeded in my mandate," he said on a
2021 visit to the east.
But after five years in power, the
situation in eastern DRC has only grown worse.
Thousands of civilians have been killed
and tens of thousands of women have been raped, according to figures from
research groups and humanitarian organisations.
This forced disenfranchisement is
painful to Deogracias Ntamuhanga.
"I have to vote, because I have the
right to. And I have to vote for someone who deserves it. Because in other
elections, we've elected people who don't deserve it, and today we're suffering
from a lack of security."
Esperance Nyiraneza is resigned:
"I'm angry because I won't be able to vote, but I'd like Tshisekedi, who
is here, to be able to stay, because it's thanks to him that we're here,
otherwise the M23 would already be here. And if it's not him, whoever is
elected should fight the M23 and force them to leave our villages so that we
can return, because we're not getting anywhere here. "
Rampant inflation is also hurting his
popularity in the region.
Much of eastern DRC is prey to armed
groups, a legacy of regional wars that flared in the 1990s and 2000s.
One of them, the M23, has seized swathes
of territory since late 2021, driving more than a million people from their
homes.
The DRC, several countries including the
United States, and independent United Nations experts accuse Rwanda of backing
the M23, a claim denied by Kigali.
Presidential candidates have hit the
campaign trail in eastern DRC, pledging to bring peace to the region.
Doctors Without Borders says that tens
of thousands of families are still fleeing violence in North Kivu.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/12/as-dr-congo-gears-up-for-elections-displaced-persons-in-conflict-torn-east-feel-abandoned/
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Northern Reps plan N350m lifeline for
Kaduna bombing victims
12th December 2023
Dirisu Yakubu with Agency report
The Northern Caucus of the House of
Representatives, on Monday, pledged the sum of N350m towards the rebuilding of
the Kaduna community accidentally bombed last week by the military.
This was as the Sultan of Sokoto and
President General of Jama’atuNasrul Islam, Dr Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, said the council would ensure justice for
victims of the bombed Tudun Biri.
The PUNCH reports that military air
strikes intended to flush out bandits from Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government
Area of Kaduna State, hit the wrong target, killing about 120 people and
injuring scores of others.
The Northern House caucus led by
Alhassan Doguwa, also announced the group’s intention to visit the area to
commiserate with families and survivors of the mishap.
The group condemned the incident and
pledged their readiness to assist the government in bringing life to normalcy
in the area.
Doguwa’s statement read, “The Northern
caucus is to provide for various developmental projects ranging from the
provision of health care facilities, blocks of classrooms, water boreholes and
a community town hall worth N350m to support the Federal Government efforts in
rebuilding the community.
“The caucus has pledged to follow up
with the Federal Government to ensure appropriate compensations for the victims
and the community as promised by the Federal Government. The caucus is poised
to provide the legal framework for the compensation, and also ensure that the
families of those who were killed are adequately captured in the compensation
scheme.
“The caucus appeals to the affected
community and the leaders to remain calm and law-abiding while thanking the
government and Governor of Kaduna State for keeping to their responsibility of
protecting law and order in the state,” the statement further read.
Also, the Sultan speaking at the annual
JNI conference in Minna on Monday, said, “As strong Muslims, we take it as the
will of Allah such things happened; we will look at what we can do to those who
were affected, and we will follow it up to see that justice is done.
“We are not looking for anybody, but we
want justice to be done. As Muslims we all felt sad about what happened,” he
said.
The Sultan said the JNI Conference was
to discuss events happening across the world affecting Muslims and Islam.
He called on the Federal Government to
pay attention to the Minna-Suleja and Minna-Bida roads, which are in deplorable
conditions.
In his address at the Minister of
Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, again expressed
President Bola Tinubu’s apology and sympathy over the unfortunate incident.
He said that the president had approved
the commencement of the FULAKO Initiative, which would facilitate the building
of houses, clinics, schools and veterinary hospitals as part of the non-kinetic
response to problems of banditry and kidnapping in the North.
He said the FULAKO Initiative was the
President’s humanitarian response to the effects of banditry in communities and
will be implemented in Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger and Benue.
Governor Umaru Bago of Niger said JNI
has remained a beacon of Islamic education and missionary work, contributing
significantly to the spiritual and intellectual growth of the society since
1962.
Bago represented by his Deputy, Mr
Yakubu Garba, said the state was committed to working with religious leaders to
create an environment that promotes peace and understanding.
Earlier, the Etsu Nupe, Dr Yahaya
Abubakar, who is also the JNI Chairman in Niger, said the mandate of the body
was to spread Islamic knowledge and unite the Muslim faithful.
Source: punchng.com
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EU announces $8.61M in funding to
support thousands who fled Sudan conflict
12.12.2023
The European Union announced €8 million
($8.61 million) in funding on Monday to support the integration and well-being
of thousands of people who have fled ongoing fighting in Sudan and found safety
in neighboring South Sudan.
The funding is part of €17 million
channeled through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the
International Organization for Migration (IOM) to the countries bordering
Sudan, including Chad and Ethiopia.
Timo Olkkonen, the EU ambassador to
South Sudan, said the war in Sudan is taking its toll on South Sudan and
neighboring countries.
He said this new funding reaffirms the
EU’s willingness to provide tangible support to host countries.
“The program aims at including refugees
and returnees in service delivery systems, while improving their livelihoods
and ensuring peaceful coexistence with host communities, in synergy with other
EU funded initiatives on forced displacement. It will improve living conditions
of those forced to flee, and at the same time contribute to security and
stability in the region,” Olkkonen told journalists in the capital Juba during
a ceremony marking the handover of the funding with the UN Refugee Agency and
the IOM.
UNHCR country representative
Marie-Helene Verney praised South Sudan for keeping its borders open for people
fleeing the conflict in Sudan.
She said the money will be used to
support displaced people to rebuild their lives.
“This contribution is a demonstration of
solidarity with South Sudan and the communities that are hosting refugees and
returnees,” said Verney
“Humanitarian action alone is not enough
to address the enormous needs, and the early engagement of development partners
such as the EU is welcome and needed to help people rebuild their lives and
restore their dignity and self-reliance,” she said.
John McCue, IOM South Sudan's Acting
Chief of Mission, said humanitarian support to the displaced population is
needed to restart their lives, adding that IOM and partners are calling for
more support to assist people affected by the Sudan crisis.
Eight months after fighting erupted,
Sudan is facing one of the fastest unfolding crises globally, with
unprecedented needs in such a short period.
Close to 5.7 million people – about one
in every nine people in the country -- have fled their homes since the conflict
between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) started in
mid-April. They have sought refuge within Sudan or in neighboring countries.
Some 420,000 people have crossed into
South Sudan since the fighting began on April 15. Among them there were 13,130
arrivals, with 93% coming through four points of entry in Upper Nile State in
South Sudan.
Source: aa.com.tr
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URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/sc-justice-human-rights-kashmir/d/131303