my occupied territory

January 26, 2007

Senator Rips Gonzalez on Extraordinary Rendition

What you will see in the video below is the best example for why we need to have a Democratic majority in Congress when we have a Republican in the White House. This is the way our system of checks and balances should ideally work. Knowledgeable representatives questioning those in power and defending the rights of the citizens they represent.

I've previously blogged about the case of Canadian citizen Maher Arar who was arrested while traveling through the US, unjustifiably suspected of terrorist involvement, and subsequently flown to Syria, his country of birth. There, Syrian officials tortured him for months on end without any proof that he had been even remotely involved in "terrorist activity." The US sent him to Syria knowing fully well that he would be tortured there. They did so under an American policy known as extraordinary rendition, where suspected terrorists are sent to countries to be questioned using illegal torture methods, some of which are Egypt, Syria, Morocco, and some Eastern European countries. You can read more about the this reprehensible policy in my previous posts. Maher was finally flown back to Canada, where the government opened an investigation into the rendition. The results of the investigation showed that Maher Arar was completely innocent of the claims the US had made, that he should not have been sent to Syria, and that the Canadian intelligence officials had wrongly indicated he may have been involved in terrorist activity. The Canadian government apologized to Arar, and today announced that he would receive $10.5 million for his ordeal. The Canadian government also asked the US to start its own investigation into why he was sent to Syria.

"I wish I could buy my life back," he [Arar] lamented Friday after Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the money and formally apologized for his hellish ordeal in a Syrian prison. "That's my biggest wish." Arar said no amount of cash can compensate for the 10 months he suffered in a tiny concrete cell, the agonizing torture sessions he endured, or the years he struggled under the damning label of suspected terrorist.

During a Senate Judiciary Hearing this week on Justice Department Oversight, Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy grilled Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez on the reasons why the US sent Arar to Syria instead of Canada, indicating that the US knew that he would be tortured there. Gonzalez fumbled a lame answer telling the senator that he would provide him with more information on the case in a week, privately. Senator Leahy did the right thing to question the Attorney General on this policy which he said has put our relations with close allies at risk.

Thank you, Senator, for speaking truth to power, for being the voice of many Americans who are against this dispicable policy, who are against torture in all forms, who are against the Bush administration's policies that place our lives at risk, and that taint the America that we all would hope is a beacon of freedom and justice instead of a safe haven for repression. You have given us hope that such injustices cannot go on forever without someone speaking out against them.

Below is the full video of the exchange between the senator and the attorney general. There is a shorter CNN clip here. Also, the strong statement Senator Leahy made before the questioning can be found here.

You can write a note thanking the Senator for his strong words and defense of our civil rights by clicking here or sending an email to senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov.

[Technorati tags: Leahy, Gonzalez, Maher Arar, extraordinary rendition]

Labels: Arab world, Bush administration, civil rights, human rights, Islam in America, terrorism, torture, US, war on terror

January 4, 2007

Iraq, After the Gallows

The world is still recovering from the hangover of Saddam's execution (no pun intended). With the leaking of a cell phone recording of the full hanging, more questions have been raised, and more people are angry with the way the cold blooded dictator was put to death. I've been following the reaction of the blogosphere in general, and the Iraqi blogosphere in particular, as well as other editorials in major newspapers around the world.

A great summary of the reactions of Iraqi bloggers to the hanging is provided by Iraq Slogger. While most of them agree that Saddam should have been put to death, nearly all condemn the way the execution was handled and indicate that such a shameful process does not bode well for the future of Iraq. Click here to read the full summary. (h/t Healing Iraq)

Sami - Iraqi Thoughts I am still shocked even after watching hours of TV. Its funny how as I grew up this was the man I hated most in my life and have always wanted him killed but for some reason the feelings of joy were not what I expected.

Iraq Pundit- Saddam has long been a dead man walking, and I don't care about him or whatever hell he has gone to. My concern is how his well-deserved execution will affect the continuing crisis in Iraq.

Dr Fadhil Badran (Iraq4Ever)- The assassination of Saddam Hussein has killed the last hope of peace in Iraq.

Treasure of Baghdad Although I expected it, I was shocked when I heard it. I felt I want to cry but my tears were mixed, tears of happiness and sadness at the same time. Memories of my life under Saddam flashed back in my mind like a train moving fast.

Meanwhile in Iraq, the killings and kidnappings have not stopped. Iraqi Konfused Kid provides a heart wrenching account of his friend's ordeal in attempting to save the lives of his brothers who have been kidnapped by militias. It's a must read.

But by far one of the best editorials I have read about the execution is Ghada Karmi's piece in the Guardian:

It was always clear that Saddam's fate was sealed from the moment US forces "got 'im", in Paul Bremer's tasteless phrase. He was to be used as a trophy of a mindless and catastrophic war, to redeem America's dented image. But it was also essential to stop him revealing secrets about the west's past enthusiasm in supporting and arming his regime. Hence he was tried on the relatively minor charge of killing 148 people in the village of Dujail, after a plot to assassinate him. Far better to put him away safely for that rather than risk his exposing western hypocrisy, treachery and double-dealing.

Also, today's New York Times editorial, "The Ugly Death of Saddam Hussein" hits the right note:

Saddam Hussein deserves no one’s pity. But as anyone who has seen the graphic cellphone video of his hanging can testify, his execution bore little resemblance to dispassionate, state-administered justice. The condemned dictator appeared to have been delivered from United States military custody into the hands of a Shiite lynch mob...

Most Americans, whatever their view of the war, understand that the rule of Saddam Hussein brought a murderous curse and untold suffering upon the Iraqi people. Mr. Hussein has now gone to his grave. But the outrageous manner of his killing, deliberately mimicking his own depraved methods, assures that his cruelty will outlive him.

Labels: Bush administration, democracy, human rights, Iraq, Politics, terrorism, US, war

October 12, 2006

And in the Occupied Palestinian Territories...

The Israeli Occupying Forces took the lives of eight Palestinians and wounded at least ten others Thursday morning. Three of the dead were Hamas activists while the rest were unarmed innocent bystanders. A teenage boy and his father were killed in the attack. Later in the evening, an Israeli missile killed an unidentified 13 year old girl and another man in the Shijaia neighborhood in Gaza City.
[Aljazeera, Maan News, Reuters]

Clearly, Dr. Rice's visit to Israel was a step in the right direction.

A wounded Palestinian woman reacts after her son was killed by an Israeli missile in the Shijaia neighbourhood in Gaza October 12, 2006. An Israeli missile fired from an unmanned drone killed two Palestinians including a young girl and wounded more than 10 others in the Shijaia neighbourhood in Gaza City on Thursday, local residents and hospital staff said. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem (GAZA)

A Palestinian woman carries a child wounded by an Israeli missile strike in the Shijaia neighbourhood in Gaza October 12, 2006. An Israeli missile fired from an unmanned drone killed two Palestinians including a young girl and wounded more than 10 others in the Shijaia neighbourhood in Gaza City on Thursday, local residents and hospital staff said. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem (GAZA)

Palestinians gather round the debris of destroyed houses targeted by an Israeli missile attack in the Jabalia refugee camp, north of Gaza City. Six Palestinians, including a teenage boy and three Hamas militants, have been killed by Israeli fire in the Gaza Strip as troops mounted a fresh incursion as part of a four-month offensive.(AFP/Mohammed Abed)

Relatives of Palestinian boy Sohaeb Qdeh, 13, mourn near his body following an Israeli air strike in Abbassan, near Khan Yunis, in the Gaza Strip. Five Palestinians, including the 13-year-old boy, were killed in an air strike supporting an Israeli army incursion into the Gaza Strip(AFP/Said Khatib)

[technorati tags: Palestine, Gaza, Israel, IDF]

Labels: human rights, humanitarian disasters, Israel, Palestine, terrorism, US

October 11, 2006

Meanwhile in Iraq...

The threat letters are everywhere...

"Warning.. Warning.. Warning. To the worshippers of the Sajjad mosque: Beware of coming near this mosque, or your fate will be death. Woe to the unjust. Death to transgressors. Damn you, lackeys of the occupiers."

"Warning. Warning. Warning. To the Palestinian traitors who allied themselves with Wahhabis, Takfiris, Nawasib and Ba’athist Saddamists, especially those who inhabit the Dar Al-Shu’oun area: We warn you that we will eliminate you all if you do not leave this area entirely within 10 days."

"As a result of the criminal and sectarian behaviour of what is called (the disgraceful) Jaish Al-Mahdi and (the treacherous) Badr forces by killing, kidnapping and deporting the Sunni community (at Mahmoudiya, Rashidiya, Sha’ab, Shu’la and Hurriya), as well as violating the honour of Sunnis and plundering their possessions, the organisation has decided, Inshallah, to return the strike twofold and treat them the same (an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth). It has been decided to deport you from Sunni areas, including Ghazaliya, within 24 hours, or otherwise your heads will be cut off, the same as your militias act with members of the Sunni community. He who has warned is henceforth excused." [Healing Iraq]

The "secterian violence" continues...

Iraqi police found 60 bodies dumped across Baghdad in the 24 hours until Tuesday morning, all apparent victims of sectarian death squads, a grim reminder of the spiraling communal bloodshed that has killed thousands.
A bomb placed under a car near a Sunni mosque in the southern Baghdad district of Doura exploded at midday, killing 10 people, police said. [Reuters]

Yet another Republican Senator on Iraq:

It seems to me the situation is simply drifting sideways," Warner told reporters after completing his eighth trip to Iraq. "It was a markedly different trip from ones before. We just did not have the freedom and ability to travel where I have been before." [Chicago Tribune]

While our young Americans are dying for Bush...

The US military is suffering one of its worst weeks since the invasion. Fourteen US troops have been killed since Monday. The military says that's the highest three-day total so far. A military spokesperson attributed the deaths to a record number of bomb attacks on US troops. Meanwhile a new poll by the veteran advocacy group VoteVets.org has found nearly two thirds of troops who've fought in Iraq and Afghanistan believe the military is overextended. [Democracy Now]

In Iraq, school is out...

Iraq's school and university system is in danger of collapse in large areas of the country as pupils and teachers take flight in the face of threats of violence.
Professors and parents have told the Guardian they no longer feel safe to attend their educational institutions. In some schools and colleges, up to half the staff have fled abroad, resigned or applied to go on prolonged vacation, and class sizes have also dropped by up to half in the areas that are the worst affected. [Guardian Unlimited]

In Baghdad, no family is spared...

The brother of Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president was assassinated yesterday by gunmen who broke into his home, the third of the politician's four siblings to be slain this year. Sunnis blamed Shi'ite militias and demanded a crackdown to stop the sectarian violence raging in the capital.
Iraqi authorities, meanwhile, arrested the head of the mess hall at a base where as many as 400 mainly Shi'ite policemen suffered food poisoning during a Ramadan meal in what may have been the first known attempt by insurgents to carry out a mass poisoning against police. [Boston Globe]

But in Washington, a "Day of Celebration" is in the works...

Tucked away in fine print in the military spending bill for this past year was a lump sum of $20 million to pay for a celebration in the nation’s capital “for commemoration of success” in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Not surprisingly, the money was not spent.
Now Congressional Republicans are saying, in effect, maybe next year. A paragraph written into spending legislation and approved by the Senate and House allows the $20 million to be rolled over into 2007.
The original legislation empowered the president to designate “a day of celebration” to commemorate the success of the armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, and to “issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe that day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.” [NYTimes]

And there you have it folks. This is Iraq. Not Condi's Iraq. Not Rumsfeld's Iraq. Not Bush's Iraq. Not Fox News' Iraq.

[technorati tags: Iraq, war, Bush, John Warner, civil war]

Labels: Bush administration, human rights, Iraq, Politics, terrorism, US, war

September 12, 2006

Syria Foils Terrorist Attack on US Embassy

The time of this incident appears to be coinciding with the 5th anniversay of 9/11. Whether it is the work of Al-Qaeda is still not clear, but in my view highly unlikely because it does not appear to have been conducted with the same scale and precision that Al-Qaeda attacks are characterisitic of.

Three armed men have been killed and one wounded after they attacked the US embassy in Damascus in what Syria has called a terrorist operation.

The men approached the embassy compound on Tuesday morning and then attempted to blow up a car outside, according to Syrian television. [link]

The AP reports that Syrian Ambassador Imad Moustapha made comments to CNN indicating that an Al-Qaeda offshoot group named Jund al-Sham has been responsible for previous attacks in Syria although no one has yet claimed they are directly responsible for this attack.

Secretary of State Rice thanked Syria, a country the State Dept considers a sponsor of terrorism and a part of the "Axis of Evil", for protecting the US embassy and its staff.

[technorati tags: Syria, terrorism, US]

Labels: Arab world, Politics, terrorism, US

September 11, 2006

On Nine-Eleven

I just finished watching the "docudrama" on ABC, The Path to 9/11. I don't intend to review this movie today, but watching it along with the rest of the media attention focused on the events of September 2001 forces each one of us to reflect on that day and the five years since then. For me, the attacks came at a critical point in my life, my senior year in high school, and its aftermath would shape my college life and career as no other events could.

Like most people, I remember exactly what I was doing when I heard about what happened. I remember how I felt and how the people around me felt. I cannot forget those moments of shock, confusion, and fear that came over me on that day. I remember the school I attended, a private Arabic/Islamic school, had to be evacuated immediately. We stayed home for a week fearing some crazy lunatic would blow up the school after receiving many threats. I remember seeing the first images of the towers online, then getting in my car and listening to reports already speculating about bin Laden's responsibility. Of course, from the beginning I had prayed the terrorists would not be Arabs or Muslims, but hearing bin Laden's name put everything in perspective. I remember coming home and watching the towers fall over and over again, and crying my eyes out for hours.

For my parents and grandparents and others from their generations, 9/11 does not have the same impact as it did on my generation. They have witnessed Arab-Israeli wars, the Cold War, and other major events that had a great impact on history. For a 17 year old at the time, nine-eleven is a defining moment in their lives. For a 17 year old Arab and Muslim girl living in the suburbs of Washington D.C., nine-eleven is a much more defining moment. It is a time when we might question our identity, our allegiances, and our people.

This is the age when American teens head off to college to begin a life on their own, independent of their families. They are given the freedom to explore and discover what is out there, the good, the bad and the ugly. I grew up knowing a lot about what went on around me and asking even more questions. I knew of the Intifadas, of the Berlin Wall, of Bosnia, of Iraqi sanctions. I wasn't a sheltered teenager by any means as my parents encouraged my interest in world affairs. I wanted to be a journalist to write about all the political happenings in the world.

It was not only the 9/11 attacks that began to shape my worldview as I entered the doors of university, but more so the events that followed. The aftermath and the consequences of the terrorist attacks are imprinted in my memory just like the events of 9/11/01. I cannot forget the day Kabul fell, the day Bush announced the invasion of Iraq, and the day Baghdad fell. I remember the fear my community lived in in the months after the attacks. Everything is political here when you are this close to D.C. This is not small town America.

In the months to come, friends would be profiled, others would be arrested without charge, searched without warrants, and some convicted without evidence. Justice is a word that would no longer have much weight in my dictionary. The PATRIOT Act would make it an illusive hope.

As I watched the movie, I wondered how long I would have to feel this hopelessness. As much as I would like to think I'm an optimistic person, the reality of today continues to slap me in the face. I had hope in the anti-war protests before the Iraqi invasion. The millions of people around the country and around the world who stood up and said no inspired me. The Muslims around the world who lit candles and prayed for the 9/11 victims reassured me that this was not the end. There is still some good out there. But today, you'd be hard pressed Muslims who would only remember 9/11 without remembering the rape of Iraq. Still fresh in their memory is the burning and the destruction in Lebanon. The starving children of Gaza.

Will anything I say or do even make a difference? Where do these people come from anyway like Zawahiri and Atta? They address me as a Muslim and tell me to take revenge on America. I want to take revenge on them for making 9/11 a defining moment in my life instead of a more positive event that I could always remember. I feel sorry for the young ones out there that might listen to them and act upon what they hear. I also feel sorry for the young American soldiers in Iraq who are acting upon what they hear from Bush and Rumsfeld. I fear that they will throw away their lives for what they think is a good cause, just like the young Muslims out there who might think that flying themselves into buildings is for a good cause. They are no longer able to think for themselves, to reflect on their actions, and the consequences of those actions. They alone will be held accountable, but they simply do not understand how their actions will impact the lives of millions of people around the world.

Again, will anything I say or do even make a difference? I am student of international politics, conflict resolution, and Middle East studies. Will any of this help if another war is about to be unleashed? If another terrorist attack is about to take place?

I can only pray that my limited yet hopefully uncorrupted knowledge and practice of Islam will make a difference somehow. I'm not going to be just another American or just another young Arab easily recruited by politicians and terrorists alike. I am my own person, I was granted a brain to reflect with and a body to use to make a difference in this world.

I will do just that, with all the power I have and the rest is up to Him.
We all should.

Labels: Islam in America, media, personal, Politics, terrorism, US

June 28, 2006

"Summer Showers"= "Self Defense"

It does not appear that things will calm down anytime soon in the Holy Land. Not that they've been calm for the past weeks, where dozens of Palestinians have been killed and injured by the IOF. Nevertheless, the situation has escalated after Palestinian resistance fighters attacked an Israeli army post killing three soldiers and capturing another. The IOF started the invasion of Gaza last night by destroying bridges and knocking out power to more than 1.4 million Palestinians in the Strip. As usual, Israel likes to flex its muscles and show off its fire and man power in the face of Palestinian resistance fighters. To add to the drama affect, Israel felt the need to cross the border into Syria as well.

Aljazeera is reporting that Israeli war planes hovered over a palace belonging to Syrian President Bashar Assad. An interview with an IOF spokesperson confirmed the news, saying that members of Hamas living in Syria will be targeted if the captured Israeli soldier is not released. AP also has the story.

The Syrian spokesperson said that their air defense forces scared the Israeli planes away:

"Two Israeli military planes circled with dawn at a low height, near our shore. The air defense forces opened fire at the planes and they split up and left the area." This was Syria's official version of the event, which was broadcast on Syrian television.

In the message, Syria denied any ties or responsibility to the kidnapping of soldier Gilad Shalit in Gaza. "These aggressive operations form a provocation and are unjustified. If their goal is to place responsibility for the kidnapping of the Israeli soldier on the political leadership of Hamas (in Damascus – R.N.) – then Israel is making a scandalous mistake that is crossing the boundaries of logic," the source said.

Not wanting to catch anyone by surprise (god forbid), the White House had this to say:

Q: Does the United States support what Israel is doing in Gaza?
MR. SNOW: Let me be -- I'm going to be very precise on this, because, as you know, these things are reported carefully. The hostage-taking and the attacks by Hamas last weekend have precipitated the current events in Gaza. As we have said since the attack, Hamas should release and return the kidnapped Israeli soldier immediately. It's the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority to stop all acts of violence and terror. Hamas has done the opposite: It's been complicit in perpetrating violence, terror and hostage-taking. Israel has the right to defend itself and the lives of its citizens. In any actions the government of Israel may undertake, the United States urges that it ensures that innocent civilians are not harmed, and also that it avoid the unnecessary destruction of property and infrastructure. All parties ought to take every measure to restore the security situation in Gaza.

Q: And do we think that the Israeli response has been appropriate and within the limits that you're talking about?

MR. SNOW: I'm not going to characterize further than what I've told you. There's your statement of position.

Q: But, Tony, the Israelis have bombed a power plant -- that harms innocent civilians. Haven't they, like, clearly gone beyond what you've just described here?

MR. SNOW: Again, I'm not going to get into operational details here. Let's just point out once again, you have the Israeli -- the Israeli forces are trying to reclaim somebody who is kidnapped and is being held hostage in Gaza, and they are doing what they can to return him. It would be a lot easier if the Palestinian Authority and if Hamas simply returned the kidnapped soldier. I am not going to get into rendering judgment on any of the operational details of what's going on there.

Q: Palestinian leaders have called this "collective punishment." Is it, or isn't it?

MR. SNOW: Again, I will just simply refer to it. I'm not going to get into the midst of the characterizations. I'll repeat, the Palestinian Authority could make this very simple -- they could return the kidnapped soldier. And the most important thing is to try to restore some semblance of security as rapidly as possible, and we hope both sides will cooperate in that.

Mr. Snow, it is very simple, like you said. The Israeli government could simply return the 9,000+ kidnapped Palestinians currently rotting in Israeli jails. Simple enough, right?

[technorati tags: Israel, IDF, terrorism, Palestine, Gaza, US, White House, Syria, human rights, resistance, occupation, international law]

Labels: human rights, Israel, Palestine, terrorism

June 14, 2006

An Israeli Cover Up at the Gaza Beach?

Israel continued its rampage in the Palestinian occupied territories killing 9 more civilians including two brothers younger than eight years and their father. Of course the deafening silence of the international community in the aftermath of the Gaza beach attack only encouraged the IOF to continue its policy of targeted assassinations on "militants" and unarmed civilians. At the same time, Israel has nearly concluded its "investigation" of the murder of civilians picnicking at a Gaza beach earlier in the week. As expected, the blame never falls on Israeli forces who have rejected a call for an international, independent investigation into the deaths of Huda's family members.

Human Rights Watch has issued a press release calling for an independent investigation into the beach killings. HRW has sent researchers and experts to investigate the scene, interview eyewitnesses, and assess the damage. Their experts have questioned the Israeli army's findings, noting the various discrepancies in the results of their investigation.

Both the Independent and Guardian have articles on the subject with more details (h/t Umkahlil & Angry Arab).

But the official interpretation was strongly challenged by a former Pentagon battle damage expert who has surveyed the scene of the beach explosion. He said yesterday that "all the evidence points" to a 155mm Israeli land-based artillery shell as its cause.
Marc Garlasco, who worked in war zones including Iraq and Kosovo during his seven-year stint in the US Department of Defence, called for an independent investigation into the killings after concluding that shell fragments and shrapnel from the site, the size and distribution of the craters on the beach, and the type of injuries sustained by the victims made Israeli shelling easily the likeliest cause.

Garlasco's visits to victims of the attack in Gaza showed that most injuries sustained were in the upper parts of the body, nearly ruling out the possibility that they could be caused by a Hamas planted land mine, as some have suggested.

Mr Garlasco who accompanied a small group of journalists to the Beit Lahia beach, pointed to three separate craters, each covered in a whitish powder, which he said were fresh, one of which was at the spot where witnesses agree the fatal blast occurred, and the two others separated it from it by about 120 and 250 yards. Mr Garlasco added: "It would be a really ridiculous coincidence if there is active shelling and then suddenly an IED [improvised explosive device] goes off."

Chris McGreal from the Guardian also reports on the claim that a Hamas land mine was the cause of the explosion:

The military now says that it fired six shells on to and around the beach where Huda Ghalia's family died, with one of them falling about 100 yards away, but by coincidence a mine planted by Hamas exploded in the same area at the same time. The military backs its claim with analysis of aerial photographs, shrapnel and what it is says is intelligence that Hamas has mined Gaza beaches to stop Israeli forces landing, although it is not known to have used such a tactic before.

However, a denial of responsibility for the death of Palestinians or a superficial investigation is not a rare occurrence for the IOF. In fact, those officers who committed these atrocities might even be compensated! Don't believe me?! It's happened before: an Israeli army officer who poured dozens of bullets into the body of a 13-year Iman al-Hamas in Gaza was acquitted, compensated, and even promoted in the IOF.

HRW produced an excellent report in June 2005 entitled "Promoting Impunity: The Israeli Military's Failure to Investigate Wrongdoing" in which it sites various accounts of atrocities committed by the IOF that were either not investigated at all or were not independently or impartially investigated. Quoting the report:

Between September 29, 2000, and November 30, 2004, more than 1600 Palestinian civilians not involved in hostilities, including at least 500 children, were killed by Israeli security forces, and thousands more were seriously injured.⁸ The IDF informed Human Rights Watch that as of May 10, 2004, it had criminally investigated just seventy-four alleged cases of unlawful use of lethal force, less than 5 percent of the civilian deaths in nearly four years of what is commonly known as the al-Aqsa intifada, or uprising.⁹

I wouldn't be surprised if Israel got away with the beach killings. Nothing Israel does surprises me anymore, unfortunately. Neither does the silence of the international community, in particular that of the superpowers or the world as well as the leaders of the Arab and Muslim world. Oh, but wait, the US did break the silence! The State Department said Israel has a right to defend itself...you know, against Huda and her siblings.

[technorati tags: human rights, Gaza, Palestine, IDF, Israel, terrorism]

Labels: human rights, Israel, terrorism

June 9, 2006

"Yaaaabaaaaa!!!"...Another Israeli Atrocity

Her screams are still ringing in my ears, more than 9 hours after I first saw the footage of the Palestinian girl crying for her father. They had been picnicking on the beach. What other activity could be more peaceful than parents taking their children on a picnic at the beach? Out of nowhere, the shells hit the children making sand castles and enjoying the day with their family. Within minutes, the joyous outing had turned into a fatal one, with blood covering the sand and the bodies spread out across the targeted area.

I cannot get her voice out of my head. Her screams pierced through my body and soul as she began to fathom the fate of her father lying lifelessly in front of her. "Yaaaabaaaa" means "Daaaaddyyyy". Her Daddy is no more. Her Mommy is no more. Her siblings are no more.

(this is my recording of the AlJazeera report on the incident)

Oh, and by the way, it was an "accident".

Link to video
[technorati tags: human rights, Gaza, Palestine, IDF, Israel, terrorism]

Labels: human rights, Israel, terrorism

December 13, 2005

another day in the war on terrorism

Secret CIA prisons in Europe were investigated by the Swiss on behalf of the Council of Europe. Nothing new here, secret detentions, rumors of torture, no oversight, prisoners in legal black holes...all administered by the US.
President Bush's PR team is just amazing. Can't wait for more info to emerge on this through the EU's investigation.

Labels: terrorism

December 12, 2005

Racist Violence in Aussieland

Did I ever mention how much I love the media? of course, the US media has a special place in my heart, but the international media is getting close too. I love the way they twist things around and use vague or absolutely inaccurate language to portray events related to Muslims and Arabs. The dispicable attacks in Sydney on anyone who looks remotely Arab are being portrayed as a "reaction to" or "revenge for" an alleged attack of two lifeguards by Arabs in the area. Whether the riots were directly in response to that, or they were just waiting to explode and this gave them an excuse for it, there is no proportionality in this issue, and I hate when things are taken out of context and called retaliations.
i would like to see how far the affects of this drunken racist mob go around Australia and if this is a sign of simmering tensions, despite government rejections of that claim. an investigation on who is inciting this should reveal more information about the origins of this violence.

Labels: terrorism

December 8, 2005

air marshalls

I found the story about the bi-polar man who was shot to death by a federal air marshall because he claimed to have a bomb very disturbing today. I realize and fully understand that these individuals are there to protect passengers, however, I cannot help but wonder if there are certain regulations that guide their actions in such circumstances... are they supposed to fire at anyone who claims they have a bomb? do they attempt to debilitate the person by shooting at his feet or any other location that might not be immediately fatal? I can only judge the situation based on what I am hearing from the news, and it's probably a much different situation when you are in charge of security and some man runs around saying he has a bomb. However, even this claim has not been independently corroborated by other passengers... they said his wife was running after him saying that he needed medication and was mentally ill. Should the marshalls have listened to her and risk that this could be some sort of fake scenario? But then again, assuming that they were terrorists who really had bombs, why would they act out something like that? I would assume they would just blow themselves up, without warning.

A "routine" investigation is being conducted, the White House said today. This even should be an eye opener for air marshalls and their trainers. A similar situation occurred in the summer when British police forces shot and killed a Brazilian man in the subway system after the 7/11 attacks in London. When this involves the loss of an innocent and sick man's life, I believe more than a "routine" investigation should be conducted, and one that is independent of government influence.

Labels: terrorism

November 24, 2005

Israeli occuation = barrier to education (among other things)

Not only does the IDF prevent farmers from getting to their land, laborers from getting to their jobs, families from seeing each other, it also hinders and in many cases prevents students from getting to their schools and

universities as well as teachers and professors from reaching their students. The IDF continuously intimidates and threatens students who need to cross checkpoints. Not to mention the Apartheid Wall which is also a major obstacle to education.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

The continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian land is a serious violation of the human rights of students as it is an obstacle in their pursuit of knowledge.

Labels: terrorism

November 23, 2005

11/9 in Amman...what do we do?

The events are not on the front pages anymore...the wedding doesn't make headlines in the evening news. But the reality of the situation still exists. Bombs still go off in crowded police lines in Iraq, and who knows where it will be next...
When I first heard about the bombings in Amman, I was really surprised. Unlike in other places, like Bali or Sharm el-Sheikh where there were previous similar events, Jordan has been very quiet, despite the fact that it's surrounded by the worst current conflicts in the ME and two of the most oppressive regimes. Israel/Palestine and Iraq. Saudi Arabia and Syria. And now Syria has some "drama" too. Stupid to think that something like this wasn't about to happen, really.

When it happens to your country, though, it's different. Even for me, and I'm not an apologetic person when it comes to targeting civilians; I've been angered by all the previous random terrorist attacks and never believed they were justified. But it was in Jordan, my uncle works close to one of the hotels. It could've been my cousin or friend... It didn't hit me as hard as 9/11 since I live 20 mins away from the Pentagon, but it hit me hard. I'm human, and we all tend to relate more to "our people" whether it's in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, cultural group, age group, etc.

Let me break down the feelings...

Anger: at the perpetrators mainly. at the government for failing to protect its citizens. at those individuals, many from my own country, who gave excuses for previous terrorist attacks.

Sadness: for the victims. for the state of our world. for the lack of peace and security in almost every corner of the universe. whether from terrorism, hunger, occupation, unemployment, disease, homelessness....

Frustration: because the perpetrators kept getting away. the real bad guys kept lurking somewhere in the background. this was not relieved that much after the would-be bomber was caught. we don't know what she told the police, if they have any evidence to catch zarqawi, what they will do to her, etc.

Cynicism: at the protests that occurred in the streets of Jordan. Not that I don't agree with their condemnation of terrorism and Zarqawi...but because this strong reaction was not seen when similar attacks took place in the region and elsewhere.

But then again, did Americans really give a damn about terrorist attacks before 9/11? Did the majority of the population know about or care to give a damn about the atrocities committed (directly and indirectly, overtly and covertly) by the US government and other allies of the US? Since when did we care about Afghan women and their oppression by the Taliban?

I immediately came the realization that from the horrors of the attacks, something good may emerge. Maybe Jordanians, and other Muslims and Arabs, will begin to realize that there are some terrorists who are blinded by their ideology of ignorance. The last person I want to sound like is Bush or one of his henchmen. I don't want to say, "we told you so. terrorism is blind. you should always condemn it. they hated you because of your freedoms" or some BS like that.

BUt really, we need to do some serious self-reflection. Where did this Zarqawi come from? and OBL? and his followers? and the 9/11 hijackers? How were they brainwashed and convinced? Did their leaders use Islam to justify their actions, and if so, how could a sane person fall for that?

I seriously believe that we as Muslims need to take a closer look at our communities, we need to stay blaming others, and we need to take the initiative to solve our own problems. Muslims are not infalliable, nor will they ever be. And just because there may be some bad apples in the bunch doesn't mean we can't weed them out. The key component is US, WE, not THEM. We need to take care of our own internal issues. If we have individuals who interpret the Quran without much knowledge of it, who have their own agendas, who have personal interests, who may think that they are all-knowing about Islam, then we need to question them. How are they reaching our children? Why are they pushing their extremist ideas on to them? Why is it that we can't be responsible for what our teens listen to, who they interact with, who preaches to them? Parents need to be more active. I want a grassroots kind of change. I don't want the Jordanian police to be spying in mosques and kicking out 'controversial' imams. I don't want the US to be providing help with intelligence to the Jordanian government. This will not end terrorism. It will not end Islamic fanaticism. We need to bring the change from with in.

No, I"m not calling for an 'Islamic revival' or 'revolution'. What I'm taking about is something that is so simple that it can't even be called revolutionary. We need to think.
Think about what we are told, question what we are taught. Not for the sake of questioning, but for the sake of not blindly following.

It's so hard to say what I think. We can't just accept the authority that tells us what Islam is. Each of us has been endowned by God with the necessary brain power to rationally interpret the Quran which is the source of laws and human regulations within Islam. Yes, we need some help. We need to read books to tell us the context of verses. To elaborate on them. Of course. I'm not rejecting or condemning the Islamic scholars who dedicated their lives to the study of religious texts. However, we need to not just follow one individual blindly. I read an interpretation, I should realize that it's simply that, an interpretation. A human being's interpretation. There are other human beings who interpret, and even though I can't read all of them, I shouldn't just take one for granted. I should make more of a personal effort to understand the Quran, the religion that tells me not to kill and murder and terrorize. It's my responsibility. I will be held accountable. And when I do something against it, I will be held for that, not the "imam who told me."

Some people will say, don't question, it's haraaaaam. Wrong. First of all, saying this is haram and that is not, that's a problem within itself. Questioning for the hell of it, for wasting a person's time and energy, that's messed up. I say don't question, but reflect on what you hear, what you read. Make an effort to find out for yourself what it means. But also use the knowledge of those who have studied these texts for ages. Use both.

Use common sense. Indiscriminate murder doesn't make sense. Whether it's committed by an individual, an organization, or a state. Wrong is wrong.
Murder is wrong.
Oppression is wrong.

MY hope is that Jordanians learn from this event. Learn not to blindly follow religious or political authority. Protesting and cussing out Zarqawi ain't gonna solve it. Loving the king and waving his picture ain't gonna solve it. It takes individual committment and community involvement. We need to bring back the essence of Islam, peace.

Wassalamu Alaikum (peace be with you).

Labels: human rights, Jordan, terrorism