tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86259188378927224192024-03-19T15:29:13.662-07:00Abu Hasan ChanAbu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.comBlogger292125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-6892143570401670202011-06-13T06:32:00.000-07:002011-06-13T06:32:35.249-07:00Tun M wajar mohon maaf pada PAS, Anwar<a class="contentpagetitle" href="http://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/3713-tun-m-wajar-mohon-maaf-pada-pas-anwar">http://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/3713-tun-m-wajar-mohon-maaf-pada-pas-anwar</a> <br />
<a class="contentpagetitle" href="http://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/3713-tun-m-wajar-mohon-maaf-pada-pas-anwar"><br />
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<tr> <td valign="top"> <span class="small"> Ismail Hashim </span> </td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top"> <strong><img align="right" border="0" hspace="10" src="http://bm.harakahdaily.net/images/stories/berita/5mac/ng-swee-lim-dap-sekinchan.jpg" />SHAH ALAM, 9 Jun:</strong> Nasihat segera bertaubat Pengerusi DAP yang juga Ahli Parlimen Bukit Gelugor, Karpal Singh terhadap mantan Perdana Menteri, Tun Mahathir Mohamad dilihat sangat tepat pada masanya.<br />
Timbalan Setiausaha DAP Selangor, Ng Swee Lim <strong>(gambar)</strong> berkata, nasihat itu sewajarnya diikuti baik oleh Mahathir memandangkan beliau seorang perdana menteri selama 22 tahun yang banyak melakukan kesilapan.<br />
Menurut Swee Lim, Tun Mahathir mestilah menerima nasihat itu kerana sebagai seorang beragama Islam, beliau wajib percaya kepada konsep halal haram, dosa pahala dan syurga neraka.<br />
Katanya, jika Mahathir tidak menerima nasihat bertaubat itu, nescaya di akhirat nanti, beliau akan disiksa dengan azab pedih ekoran kesalahan besar yang dilakukan semasa hidup di dunia.<br />
“Antara kesalahan paling besar adalah memfitnah PAS dan menuduh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim melakukan liwat yang tidak dapat dibawa saksi yang adil dan mencukupi.<br />
Swee Lim yang juga Adun Sekinchan, Selangor berkata, sekiranya Tun Mahathir sudi bertaubat, maka selepas itu beliau hendaklah memohon maaf kepada PAS, Anwar serta keluarganya secara terbuka.<br />
“Saya seorang bukan Islam tetapi saya menerima konsep halal haram, dosa pahala dan syurga neraka apatah lagi agama Islam (Allah SWT) itu Maha Pengampun.<br />
“Semua orang pernah melakukan kesalahan, jangan berdegil, wajib dan sudah sampai masanya untuk beliau bertaubat serta memohon maaf sesama umat kerana jika enggan, ada bara api neraka menunggu di akhirat kelak,” tegasnya.<br />
Adun dua penggal itu berkata, Mahathir pernah menulis surat kepada Menteri Besar Kelantan, Tuan Guru Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz menghalang dilaksanakan Kanun Jenayah Syariah II dan hari ini, tiba-tiba beliau pula yang sukakan hukum Islam itu.<br />
Sekiranya masih tidak mahu bertaubat, Swee Lim berkata, tunggulah satu hari nanti Mahathir terpaksa menjawab di akhirat kelak kerana sebagai manusia biasa, tiada apa yang rakyat boleh lakukan terhadapnya.<br />
Dalam pada itu, Swee Lim berkata, apa yang dilakukan Mahathir adalah bertolak dari perasaannya yang kesunyian sekarang dan tidak dipedulikan lagi, lalu keluarkan berbagai kenyataan merapu.<br />
Terbaru, Mahathir mengulas keputusan pemilihan pimpinan PAS dalam Muktamar Tahunan ke 57 dari 3 hingga 5 Jun lalu yang disifatkannya sebagai kemenangan kepada Karpal.<br />
Ini ekoran tema ucapan dasar Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, Membangun Negara Berkebajikan yang pada Mahathir, PAS membuang perjuangan tegakkan Negara Islam yang ditentang Karpal.<br />
Bertindak balas dari jawapan itu, Karpal pula menasihatkan Mahathir agar segera bertaubat.<br />
Sementara itu, Tuan Guru Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz yang juga Mursyidul Am PAS berkata, pihaknya masih menyimpan surat ancaman daripada Mahathir sewaktu beliau menjadi perdana menteri yang menghalang Kelantan melaksanakan Kanun Jenayah Syariah II termasuk Hukum Hudud.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-10112008186205043302011-06-13T06:21:00.000-07:002011-06-13T06:21:04.177-07:00Qazaf jadi mainan politik jijik Umnohttp://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/3763-qazaf-jadi-mainan-politik-jijik-umno<a class="contentpagetitle" href="http://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/3763-qazaf-jadi-mainan-politik-jijik-umno"><br />
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<table class="contentpaneopen"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top"><span class="small"> Harakahdaily </span> </td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top"><b>KUALA LUMPUR, 13 Jun:</b> Umno tetap tidak mahu berubah dan menjadikan Islam sebagai mainan politik jijik mereka apabila mempertikaikan khutbah Jumaat Negeri Selangor yang bertajuk ‘Jenayah Qazaf adalah berdosa besar’.<br />
<img align="left" border="0" hspace="10" src="http://bm.harakahdaily.net/images/stories/harakahdaily/person/mp_PAS/mohd%20firdaus%20jaafar_2.jpg" />Ahli Parlimen Jerai, Mohd Firdaus Jaafar <b>(gambar)</b> berkata, qazaf dan hudud sama seperti sembahyang, puasa dan perintah-perintah lain yang terdapat di dalam Al-Quran adalah perintah Allah dan wajib dilaksanakan.<br />
Menurutnya, masjid merupakan tempat yang sesuai bagi menerangkan perintah Allah SWT walaupun sebenarnya menyampaikan dakwah tidak terhad hanya di masjid namun apabila menerangkan hukum Allah supaya umat Islam faham akan betapa besarnya dosa memfitnah dan mengaibkan seseorang kemudian dibawa sekali jalan penyelesaian sepertimana yang dituntut oleh agama dianggap politik, ini benar-benar menunjukkan yang Umno sememangnya jahil.<br />
Baru-baru ini, Ketua Pemuda Umno Selangor, Ungku Salleh Ungku Jamal dan Ketua Pemuda Umno Selayang, Datuk Sohaimi Shahadan mempertikaikan isi kandungan khutbah tersebut yang mana kononnya bermotifkan politik dan mempunyai maksud di sebaliknya.<br />
Firdaus menganggap tindakan Kerajaan Negeri Selangor memberikan kefahaman kepada rakyat akan dosa qazaf semasa khutbah Jumaat bertepatan dengan masanya memandangkan ketika itulah rata-rata umat Islam memenuhi ruang masjid berbanding dengan semasa kuliah-kuliah umum di waktu lain.<br />
Tambahan pula, katanya isu fitnah video seks sedang berleluasa ketika ini yang mana umum mengetahui siapa dalang di sebalik penyebaran video tersebut.<br />
Umno jelas tidak boleh membezakan antara politik dengan perintah Allah di mana hukum qazaf wujud sebelum wujudnya Umno di muka bumi ini.<br />
“Apakah menerangkan perkara-perkara wajib yang terkandung di dalam Al Quran salah?<br />
“Bukankah itu satu kewajipan bagi pemerintah bagi menjadikan rakyat berilmu dan tidak mudah ditipu?” soalnya.<br />
Menurutnya, Umno sememangnya suka jika rakyat dibiarkan hidup dalam keadaan jahil serta buta ilmu supaya rakyat mudah ditipu oleh Umno.<br />
Bagi Umno, ujarnya selagi rakyat buta maklumat dan ilmu, selagi itu mereka boleh terus berkuasa dan memperbodohkan rakyat.<br />
Kata beliau, sememangnya Umno tidak boleh dibiarkan lagi menjadi pemerintah di Malaysia ini.<br />
Mereka, katanya jelas bertopengkan agama demi meraih habuan politik.<br />
“Bagi mereka agama sekadar solat, puasa dan zakat, tidak lebih daripada itu sedangkan Islam syumul dan menjadi panduan kepada kehidupan kita,” katanya</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-19452170546266168302011-05-17T00:17:00.000-07:002011-05-17T00:17:39.834-07:00Ujian, Sumpah, Qadzaf & Mubahalah. Dr Wahbahhttp://www.abuanasmadani.com/?p=929<br />
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<h1 class="storytitle">Ujian, Sumpah, Qadzaf & Mubahalah. Dr Wahbah</h1><div class="meta">Posted by <a href="http://www.abuanasmadani.com/?author=1" title="Kiriman-kiriman oleh Abu Anas Madani">Abu Anas Madani</a> on 17 Mei 2011</div><strong>Ucapan Sheikh Dr Wahbah az-Zuhaily di Shah Alam.</strong><br />
<strong>Hakikat Ujian Kepada Orang Yang Beriman</strong><br />
<strong>Alhamdulillah, pada 14/5/2011 Sheikh Dr Wahbah az-Zuhaily telah sudi untuk menyampaikan syarahan di Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Shah Alam, Selangor. Syarahan yang bertajuk “Sumpah & Qazaf” itu telah bermula tepat jam 2.30 petang dan berakhir pada jam 4.00 petang. Tuan Guru Dr Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri telah dijemput sama pada majlis tersebut sebagai penterjemah syarahan</strong>. <a href="http://www.abuanasmadani.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wahbah-Bakri1.jpg" rel="shadowbox[post-929];player=img;" title="Dr Wahbah & Dr Al-Bakri"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-935" height="224" src="http://www.abuanasmadani.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wahbah-Bakri1.jpg" title="Dr Wahbah & Dr Al-Bakri" width="300" /></a><span id="more-929"></span><br />
Sebelum Sheikh Dr Wahbah az-Zuhaily memulakan syarahannya, beliau memohon kepada ALLAH Ta`ala agar kita semua diberikan kefahaman dalam agama, ditambahkan ilmu agama, diberi keberkatan dan dijauhi dari segala kejahatan.<br />
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Beliau mengingatkan para hadirin bahawa kehidupan di dunia ini penuh dengan bermacam-macam ujian. Ujian-ujian itu mungkin datang samada disebabkan oleh diri sendiri atau boleh juga disebabkan oleh perbuatan orang lain.<br />
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ALLAH `Azza wa Jalla telah menjadikan dunia sebagai tempat ujian dan fitnah bagi sekalian manusia. Sheikh Dr Wahbah telah memetik firman ALLAH dari surah al-Baqarah dari ayat 155 hingga 157 seperti berikut:<br />
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{وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الأمْوَالِ وَالأنْفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ }<br />
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“Dan sungguh akan Kami berikan cubaan kepadamu, dengan sedikit ketakutan, kelaparan, kekurangan harta, jiwa dan buah-buahan. Dan berikanlah berita gembira kepada orang-orang yang sabar,”<br />
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{الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ}<br />
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“(iaitu) orang-orang yang apabila ditimpa musibah, mereka mengucapkan, “Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilaihi raaji`uun”.<br />
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{أُولَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ}<br />
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“Mereka itulah yang mendapat keberkatan yang sempurna dan rahmat dari Tuhan mereka, dan mereka itulah orang-orang yang mendapat petunjuk.”<br />
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Dalam menuju mardhatiLLAH, manusia akan sentiasa diuji. Ia merupakan sunnatuLLAH hidup di dunia ini. Sheikh Dr Wahbah menasihatkan agar muslim janganlah terlalu berasa sedih dan gundah-gulana dengan ujian ini. Kerana melalui ujian-ujian inilah seseorang akan memperolehi pahala yang banyak, imannya akan bertambah dan darjatnya akan ditingkatkan di sisi ALLAH Ta`ala.<br />
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Melalui ujian-ujian ini juga, maka dapat dibezakan siapakah di kalangan hamba-hamba-NYA yang beriman, yang bertaqwa, yang munafiq dan yang fasiq.<br />
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Beliau seterusnya mengingatkan bahawa ujian dan fitnah yang menimpa setiap manusia adalah berlaku dengan keizinan dari ALLAH. Di dalamnya terdapat banyak hikmah yang manusia tidak tahu.<br />
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Datangnya ujian dan fitnah tidak akan merobohkan keimanan seseorang yang kuat Imannya kerana kekuatan imannya seumpama teguhnya sebuah bukit yang tidak dapat diganggu-gugat. Justeru, mempunyai keimanan yang teguh adalah aset utama seorang mukmin berhadapan dengan ujian dan fitnah.<br />
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Samada ujian itu datang dalam bentuk kecil atau besar, samada dipenjara, dicerca dan sebagainya, kebaikan tetap akan berlaku kepada orang yang beriman sekiranya dia bersabar dan memahami hakikat sebuah ujian. Hal ini ada disabdakan oleh Nabi sallAllahu `alaihi wasallam:<br />
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“<em>Memang sangat menakjubkan keadaan orang yang beriman itu, kerana segala urusannya sangat baik baginya dan untuk itu tidak terjadi kecuali bagi seseorang yang beriman di mana apabila mendapat kesenangan dia bersyukur, maka yang demikian itu sangat baik baginya. Dan apabila dia tertimpa kesusahan, dia sabar, maka yang demikian itu sangat baik baginya</em>.” (HR Muslim)<br />
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Jika kita kembali merenung sejarah-sejarah yang lalu, kita akan dapati bahawa ujian dan fitnah banyak menimpa ke atas orang-orang yang mulia dan utama di sisi agama. Para rasul, nabi, syuhada’, aulia’ dan ulama’ adalah golongan yang paling banyak menerima ujian dan besar pula fitnah yang menimpa ke atas mereka. Tentunya ini memberi isyarat kepada kita bahawa semakin tinggi darjatnya di sisi ALLAH, semakin hebat ujian yang diterimanya. Dan ini akhirnya menatijahkan ganjaran yang tiada tolok banding hebatnya dari ALLAH `Azza wa Jalla kelak.<br />
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Untuk memahami hakikat ini, orang-orang yang beriman mestilah jangan berhenti dari menimba ilmu agama, mendalami ilmu-ilmu agama dan berusaha untuk memahaminya. Kerana dengan ilmulah, seseorang akan disuburi dengan sifat taqwa, seterusnya dapat memberikan reaksi yang betul menurut kehendak agama terhadap apa yang berlaku di sekelilingnya. Ketahuilah orang yang paling taqwa iaitu takut kepada ALLAH ialah para `ulama’, iaitu orang-orang yang berilmu dan faham ilmu agama.<br />
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Fitnah dan ujian akan sentiasa singgah dalam kehidupan insan. Samada suka atau tidak suka ia tetap menjadi rencah dalam kehidupan dunia yang sementara ini. Yang menjadi nilaian di sisi ALLAH ialah bagaimana reaksi kita terhadap ujian itu. Sabarkah? Marahkah? Betulkah? Atau salahkah tindakan kita? Semuanya nanti akan dihisab oleh ALLAH Jalla wa A`la pada Hari Kebangkitan kelak.<br />
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Sheikh Dr Wahbah mengakhiri mukaddimah syarahannya dengan mengingatkan para hadirin bahawa pada setiap kesusahan ini, pasti akan mendapat kesenangan dari ALLAH Subhanahu wa Ta`ala. Justeru, sangka baiklah dengan ALLAH dan bersabarlah. ALLAH Ta`ala akan bersama dengan orang-orang yang sabar.<br />
Sengaja beliau memulakan syarahan tersebut dengan menyentuh perihal hakikat ujian dan fitnah, dan bagaimana peranan iman dan ilmu sangat penting dalam hal ini. Ini supaya para hadirin dipasakkan dengan asas yang betul dan tepat menurut kehendak agama ketika berhadapan dengan isu seumpama ini.<br />
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<strong> Sumpah, Qadzaf & Mubahalah.</strong><br />
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Selepas Sheikh Dr Wahbah az-Zuhaily menyampaikan tentang hakikat fitnah dan ujian serta peranan iman dan ilmu untuk berhadapan dengannya di dalam muqaddimah syarahan, beliau seterusnya memberikan tiga contoh peristiwa untuk menerangkan perihal tajuk yang diberi, iaitu:<br />
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1-Tuduhan zina yang dilemparkan kepada saidatina `A’isyah radhiAllahu `anha oleh kepala munafiqin, `Abdullah bin Ubay bin Salul.<br />
2-Tuduhan zina oleh seorang suami kepada isterinya.<br />
3-Mubahalah antara orang Kristian Najran dengan Nabi Muhammad sallAllahu `alaihi wasallam.<br />
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<strong>Tuduhan Zina</strong><br />
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Di dalam peristiwa pertama iaitu tuduhan zina terhadap saidatina `A’isyah radhiAllahu `anha oleh `Abdullah bin Ubay bin Salul, Sheikh menerangkan bahawa ALLAH telah menjelaskan terdapat sebelas ayat di dalam al-Quran, menetapkan bahawa mana-mana tuduhan zina terhadap orang lain yang terpelihara kehormatannya mestilah dikemukakan dengan empat saksi.<br />
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Jika pihak yang menuduh tidak dapat mengemukakan empat saksi, maka pihak yang menuduh ini dikira sebagai pendusta atau munafiq di sisi ALLAH Subhanahu wa Ta`ala. Nas secara qat`i telah mensyaratkan perlunya empat saksi dalam hal penuduhan zina seperti ini. Ia mesti dipatuhi.<br />
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Adapun tentang penggunaan teknologi moden seperti telefon bimbit, video dan sebagainya, ia tidak boleh diterima sebagai dalil dan saksi di dalam penghakiman syara` dalam isu seperti ini. Pihak yang menuduh, wajib mengemukakan empat saksi. Kegagalan mengemukakan empat saksi oleh pihak penuduh mengakibatkan si penuduh boleh dikenakan hukuman 80 kali sebatan dan dikira sebagai fasiq dan tidak beriman. Penyaksiannya tidak diterima selama-lamanya.<br />
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<strong>Mula`anah atau Li`an</strong><br />
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Di dalam contoh kedua, iaitu dalam peristiwa seorang suami telah menuduh isterinya berzina; walaupun secara asasnya seseorang mesti mengemukakan empat saksi apabila menuduh orang lain berzina, namun dalam hal ini si suami tersebut dibenarkan untuk bermu`alanah tanpa mengemukakan empat saksi.<br />
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Dalam kaedah Mula`anah sebagaimana difirmankan ALLAH dalam surah an-Nur di dalam ayat 6 hingga 9, si suami bersumpah dengan nama ALLAH sebanyak empat kali bahawa tuduhan beliau adalah benar. Pada sumpah kelima si suami menyatakan bahawa laknat ALLAH (laknatiLLAH) akan menimpanya jika dia menipu.<br />
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Jika si isteri yang dituduh itu menolak tuduhan suaminya, maka si isteri pula turut bersumpah dengan nama ALLAH sebanyak empat kali bahawa tuduhan suaminya itu tidak benar. Dan sumpah yang kelima si isteri menyatakan kemurkaan ALLAH (<em>ghadabALLAH</em>) akan tertimpa ke atasnya sekiranya dia berbohong.<br />
Apabila masing-masing tidak mahu mengaku salah dan saling laknat-melaknat, maka qadhi akan memisahkan mereka berdua. Mereka bukan lagi sebagai suami isteri. Dan mereka tidak boleh meruju` selepas itu atau kembali berkahwin selama-lamanya.<br />
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<strong>Mubahalah</strong><br />
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Sheikh Wahbah telah menerangkan bahawa pada zaman Rasulullah sallAllahu `alaihi wasallam, terdapat satu golongan Kristian dari Najran yang selalu berusaha mendatangkan rasa syak kepada ummat ISLAM. Dakwah dan hujah Nabi sallAllahu `alaihi wasallam tidak mahu mereka terima. Mereka telah mendakwa bahawa Isa `alaihissalam mempunyai sifat ketuhanan di dalam dirinya dan menyatakan bahawa merekalah golongan yang benar. Mereka tetap berdegil dengan pendapat mereka.<br />
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ALLAH Subhanahu wa Ta`ala telah menyuruh Nabi Muhammad sallAllahu `alaihi wasallam agar bermubahalah iaitu saling laknat-melaknat di antara pihak Nabi dan golongan Kristian dari Najran itu. Hal ini ada diceritakan di dalam al-Quran di dalam surah ali-`Imran, ayat 61. Selepas berfikir dengan panjang dan atas nasihat ketua paderi Kristian Najran tersebut, maka ajakan bermubahalah itu terpaksa mereka elakkan. Mereka risau jika Nabi Muhammad sallAllahu `alaihi wasallam ini benar-benar Rasul, maka akibat dari mubahalah itu nanti akan menyebabkan mereka dan keluarga serta keturunan mereka akan ditimpa bala bencana.<br />
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Walaupun mubahalah di atas adalah berkaitan aqidah, namun menurut Sheikh Dr Wahbah az-Zuhaily mubahalah juga boleh dilakukan di dalam hal selain aqidah. Mubahalah dibenarkan sekiranya pihak yang berselisih tetap berdegil dengan hujah masing-masing.<br />
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Jika ingin bermubahalah, kedua-dua pihak mestilah di kalangan orang yang adil dan tidak fasiq. Penyaksian orang yang fasiq tidak diterima di dalam ISLAM kerana mereka adalah orang yang menyeleweng dari ajaran ISLAM.<br />
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Penyaksian hanya boleh dilakukan oleh orang yang adil. Tiga ciri-ciri orang yang adil yang dinyatakan oleh Sheikh Wahbah ialah:<br />
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a-Tidak melakukan dosa besar.<br />
b-Tidak berkekalan melakukan dosa kecil.<br />
c-Tidak melakukan perkara-perkara yang mencarik maruahnya.<br />
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Sekiranya kedua-dua pihak yang ingin bermubahalah adalah adil, thiqah, taat kepada suruhan ALLAH Ta`ala, meninggalkan dari dosa-dosa dan selalu menjaga maruahnya, maka layaklah bermubahalah. Sekiranya tidak sekufu, maka tidak perlulah bermubahalah.<br />
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<strong>Isu Video Seks.</strong><br />
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Sheikh Dr Wahbah az-Zuhaily ditanya tentang bolehkah video dijadikan sebagai bahan bukti pendakwaan perlakuan seks? Beliau menjawab bahawa teknologi terkini seperti video tidak boleh digunakan, malah tertolak. Kerana banyak unsur penipuan boleh dimasukkan ke dalamnya.<br />
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<strong>Ditanya tentang DNA pula</strong>, beliau mengatakan bahawa bilangan pakar DNA yang terdapat di seluruh dunia sangat terbatas dan bilangannya terlalu kecil, malah mereka ini tidak boleh dipercayai. Menurut beliau lagi, Majma` Feqh Sedunia telah membuat keputusan bahawa kaedah DNA tidak diterima sebagai pembuktian penghakiman.<br />
<br />
Tambahan pula, pakar-pakar perundangan dan hakim seluruh dunia pun memang tidak menerima kaedah DNA sebagai bukti utama, ia hanyalah sekadar hal yang kecil dalam proses penghakiman. Jadi, adakah kita hendak terima kaedah ini, tanpa merujuk kepada nas-nas syara`???<br />
<br />
Sheikh Dr Wahbah az-Zuhaily kecewa dengan isu video seks yang tersebar di negara ummat ISLAM.<br />
Apabila Sheikh Dr Wahbah ditanya tentang isu video seks yang diwar-warkan oleh media dan dikaitkan dengan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pula, beliau dengan tegas menyatakan “<em>Ini adalah Syariat Syaitan!!! Adakah kamu mahukan Syariat ALLAH atau Syariat Syaitan??!!</em>! Jangan sekali-kali. Bahkan Syariat Syaitan ini kita patut letak di bawah kaki kita sahaja (pijak)!”<br />
<br />
Beliau berasa sedih dan kecewa dengan situasi ini, seterusnya mengajak agar semua ummat ISLAM merujuk kepada al-Quran. Janganlah dipercayai dengan isu yang digembar-gemburkan tersebut.<br />
<br />
Sebagai penyelesaian, hendaklah dilakukan islah menggunakan kaedah terbaik iaitu dengan merujuk kepada al-Quran. Usaha mengislahkan manusia agar kembali kepada ALLAH mestilah dilakukan dengan berterusan. Memahami nas-nas al-Quran sesuai dengan kehendak syara` adalah faktor penting untuk menjayakan usaha islah ini.<br />
<br />
Beliau seterusnya mengajak agar ummat ISLAM mengambil iktibar dari apa yang berlaku di sekeliling kita seperti gempa bumi, tsunami dan banjir besar. Dengan melihat dan merenung hikmah kejadian ini, akan mengakibatkan Iman kita bertambah kuat dan taqwa kepada ALLAH. Iman yang benar dan kuat adalah ibarat bukit yang kuat, yang tidak dapat dikalahkan. Masalah ummat ISLAM hari ini ialah iman mereka tidak penuh, tidak kuat dan hanya separuh-separuh sahaja sifatnya. Iman yang benar dan kuat adalah iman yang sentiasa bertambah dengan ketaatan.<br />
<br />
Semoga kata-kata dan nasihat Sheikh Wahbah az-Zuhaily ini dapat diambil iktibar yang banyak oleh kita semua.<br />
<br />
[Catatan Shahmuzir: Tulisan ini berdasarkan apa yang sempat saya catit dari terjemahan oleh Tuan Guru Dr Zulkifli al-Bakri dalam majlis tersebut. Mohon maaf jika ada kelemahan dan kesilapan dari catitan ini. Mudah-mudahan catitan ini bisa memberikan manfaat buat diri saya dan tuan/puan yang sudi membacanya].<br />
<br />
WAllahu Ta`ala A`lam…<br />
<br />
Syukran Akhi <strong>Shahmuzir</strong> yang menulis catatan ini; <a href="http://www.muzir.wordpress.com/">www.muzir.wordpress.com</a>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-89156543070496100892011-05-17T00:11:00.000-07:002011-05-17T00:11:08.655-07:00Menyabitkan Kesalahan Zina Dan Liwathttp://qalamcikgu.blogspot.com/2011/04/hukum-zina-menuduh-zina-dan-qazaf.html<br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Menyabitkan Kesalahan Zina Dan Liwat<br />
<br />
Kesalahan zina dan liwat sabit dengan iqrar [pengakuan] atau melalui saksi-saksi yang memenuhi syarat syaratnya.<br />
<br />
Iqrar [Pengakuan]<br />
<br />
Hadis riwayat Abu Hurairah r.a. (al-Bukhari, kitab al-Hudud):<br />
<br />
<br />
Dia menjawab: “Tidak. Sebenarnya saya telah berzina.”<br />
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Mengikut riwayat yang lain: “Setelah selesai sembahyang, dia (lelaki itu) datang lagi, lalu Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: “Tidakkah awak telah berwuduk dan telah bersembahyang? Dengannya Allah mengampunkan dosa.” Tetapi lelaki itu terus mengaku berzina dan mahu supaya disucikan dirinya dengan hukuman.<br />
<br />
Hadis riwayat Sulaiman bin Buraidah, daripada bapanya (riwayat Muslim, Kitab al-Hudud):<br />
<br />
Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: “Bersalinlah dahulu.”<br />
<br />
Wanita itu dijaga oleh seorang lelaki dari kalangan Ansar sehingga bersalin. Kemudian lelaki itu datang menemui Rasulullah s.a.w. memberitahu bahawa wanita itu telah bersalin. Baginda bersabda: “Kita tidak akan merejamnya dan membiarkan anaknya tidak dapat menyusu.” Lalu bangun seorang lelaki dari kalangan Ansar dan berkata: “Biar saya uruskan urusan penyusuannya, wahai Nabi Allah.” Lalu Rasulullah s.a.w. merejam wanita itu.”<br />
<br />
Kedua-dua hadis di atas diriwayatkan oelh para ulama hadis dengan riwayat yang sahih dan menjadi dalil dalam kes iqrar [mengaku] berzina. Para ulama telah menyimpulkan daripadanya hukum-hukum yang berkaitan dengan iqrar melakukan kesalahan zina dan liwat.<br />
<br />
Syarat-syarat iqrar<br />
<br />
* Orang yang membuat pengakuan itu hendaklah seorang yang baligh dan berakal. Tidak sah pengakuan orang gila, mabuk dan sebagainya, kerana sabda Rasulullah s.a.w. [Abu Daud: Kitab al-Hudud]<br />
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* Pengakuan hendaklah dilakukan dengan pilihan sendiri, tanpa dipaksa, sepeti dipukul, dibelasah, diberi bahan yang menghilangkan ingatan seperti dadah dan sebagainya. Maka tidak sah pengakuan orang yang dipaksa, kerana sabda Rasulullah s.a.w. [Ibn Majah: Kitab al-Talaq] :<br />
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* Iqrar [pengakuan] dilakukan secara lisan. Tidak diterima pengakuan dalam bentuk tulisan, pita rakaman dan sebagainya dalam perkara hudud.<br />
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* Iqrar hendaklah dilakukan berulangkali dalam perkara zina dan liwat, iaitu sebanyak empat kali, dalam majlis yang berasingan, seperti yang dilakukan oleh Rasulullah s.a.w. terhadap Ma’iz bin Malik.<br />
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* Iqrar itu dilakukan di hadapan hakim dan hakim pula menunjukkan sikap tidak senang dan berusahan supaya orang yang beriqrar itu tidak mengulangi iqrarnya, kerana bertaubat lebih baik daripada menyerah diri secara iqrar di hadapan pihak yang berkenaan, kerana inilah cara yang diajarkan oleh Rasulullah s.a.w.<br />
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Menarik Balik Pengakuan<br />
<br />
Seseorang yang mengaku melakukan zina dan liwat hendaklah diterima penarikan balik pengakuannya, walaupun sudah memenuhi syarat-syarat yang tersebut di atas, kerana Rasulullah s.a.w. menegur para sahabat baginda dengan keras kerana meneruskan hukuman terhadap Ma’iz bin Malik setelah dia melarikan diri ketika hukuman dijalankan.<br />
<br />
Apabila seseorang lelaki mengaku zina dengan seseorang perempuan dan perempuan itu tidak mengaku salah, maka si lelaki sahaja yang dihukum, kerana inilah keputusan yang dilakukan oleh Rasulullah s.a.w. seperti yang diriwayatkan oleh<br />
<br />
Saksi<br />
<br />
Firman Allah [an-Nisa’: 15] yang bermaksud:<br />
<br />
Firman Allah lagi [an-Nur:4] yang bermaksud:<br />
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Firman Allah lagi [an-Nur:13] yang bermaksud:<br />
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Orang yang menjadi saksi hendaklah memenuhi syarat-syarat berikut:<br />
<br />
1. Baligh lagi berakal. Oleh itu tidak boleh diterima tuduhan yang dilakukan oleh orang gila, kerana cakapnya tidak boleh diterima.<br />
2. Islam, sekiranya tuduhan dilakukan terhadap orang Islam, kerana kesedarannya terhadap perhitungan dosa pahala dan sebagainya. Di samping itu, perkara zina dan liwat ini termasuk dalam hukum hudud Islam yang dinaskan.<br />
3. Mempunyai pancaindera yang sihat. Tidak diterima saksi yang tidak jelas penglihatan, tuli dan bisu.<br />
4. Adil, yakni seseorang yang diketahui tidak melakukan mana-mana dosa besar, dosa kecil secara berterusan dan perkara-perkara yang menjatuhkan maruah, walau pun tidak berdosa.<br />
5. Lelaki, yakni dalam perkara hudud dan qisas. Oleh kerana zina dan liwat termasuk dalam perkara hudud, maka saksi wanita tidak diterima dalam perkara ini.<br />
6. Tiada tohmahan (kekeliruan yang menarik manfaat atau menolak mudarat), berkepentingan dan prejudis seperti menjadi saksi kepada bapa, anak atau majikannya, atau orang yang diketahui bermusuh dengan orang yang dituduh yang akan memburukkannya sahaja. Maka tidak boleh menerima penyaksian saksi yang ada kaitan dengan konspirasi politik dan sebagainya.<br />
7. Bilangan yang cukup. Pada tuduhan zina dan liwat, memerlukan empat orang saksi.<br />
8. Keempat-empat saksi melihat (perbuatan zina dan liwat itu) bersama-sama.<br />
9. Memberi keterangan dalam majlis (persidangan) yang sama.<br />
<br />
Keterangan saksi yang berlapis yang hanya menerima berita dari orang lain [hearsay] juga tidak boleh diterima.Saksi dalam tuduhan zina dan liwat bukan sahaja wajib memenuhi syarat-syarat tersebut tetapi juga hendaklah melihat kesalahan itu berlaku mengikut takrifnya secara jelas, yakni melihat anggota kemaluan yang melakukannya secara jelas.<br />
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Kesemua perkara tersebut menunjukkan bahawa tuduhan zina dan liwat, tidak boleh dilakukan secara sewenang-wenangnya.<br />
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Keterangan-Keterangan Yang Tidak Nyata<br />
<br />
Penggunaan kepakaran untuk menganalisa darah dan air mani [atau ujian DNA] bagi mensabitkan kesalahan jenayah huduh seperti zina dan liwat tidak dibenarkan oleh Islam, kerana ada syubhat [kekeliruan]. Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w. yang bermaksud:<br />
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“Hudud hendaklah ditolak (tidak dilaksanakan) dengan adanya syubhat [kekeliruan].”<br />
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Ketepatan analisa DNA boleh dipertikaikan kerana banyak kemungkinan-kemungkinan yang boleh menimbulkan keraguan<br />
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Begitu juga tuduhan tidak boleh disabitkan dengan gambar, pita video, kaset dan sebagainya yang bukan merupakan keterangan secara langsung.<br />
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Bersumpah<br />
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Tidak diharuskan bersumpah bagi mensabitkan jenayah hudud yang berkaitan dengan hak Allah, seperti zina dan liwat. Bahkan jenayah hudud dan qisas dalam perkara hak manusia juga tidak dibenarkan bersumpah menurut jumhur (kebanyakan) ulama kerana perkara hudud dan qisas yang berhubung dengan hak manusia juga dianggap menyerupai hak Allah.<br />
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Yang dimaksudkan dengan bersumpah di sini adalah sumpah mengikut hukum Islam dengan lafaznya yang ditetapkan, bukan seperti yang difahami oleh orang jahil yang mencadangkan supaya sumpah dilakukan secara menjunjung al-Quran, yang menyerupai sumpah yang dilakukan oleh penganut agama Kristian.<br />
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Syarat orang yang melakukan zina dan liwat<br />
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Orang yang melakukan kesalahan zina dan liwat itu pula hendaklah memenuhi syarat-syarat berikut:<br />
<br />
1. Baligh, yakni cukup umur mukallaf<br />
2. Berakal<br />
3. Secara pilihan dengan tidak dipaksa<br />
4. Mengetahui pengharaman zina dan liwat<br />
5. Tiada syubhah (seperti terkeliru atau tersilap kerana disangka isterinya)<br />
6. Berzina atau berliwat dengan manusia<br />
7. Melakukan perbuatan yang ditakrifkan sebagai zina atau liwat<br />
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Qazaf<br />
<br />
Perkataan qazaf dalam bahasa Arab bermakna melemparkan sesuatu benda umpama batu dan sebagainya. Seterusnya perkataan itu dikhususkan kepada melemparkan sesuatu yang buruk termasuk menggunakan perkataan yang keji terhadap seseorang.<br />
<br />
pula hanya mengkhususkannya kepada tuduhan zina sahaja, manakala tuduhan liwat di sisi mereka termasuk dalam perkara takzir.. dan Termasuk juga menuduh liwat, mengikut pendapat jumhur para ulama, di antaranya Mazhab Menurut istilah hukum syarak,<br />
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Qazaf termasuk dalam hukum hudud yang dinaskan di dalam al-Quran dan Hadis Nabi s.a.w. Perkara yang telah dinaskan, berada di luar bidang ijtihad para ulama, kerana haram meminda nas daripada Allah dan Rasul-Nya. Oleh itu, tidak boleh dinamakan hudud PAS atau hudud sesiapa. Sesiapa yang membuat kenyataan itu maka hukumnya berdosa kerana kenyataan yang dibuatnya itu berdasarkan kepada kejahilannya.<br />
<br />
Perkara tersebut menjadi perkara yang wajib diketahui oleh orang-orang Islam, kerana fardhu ain itu, bukan sahaja terdapat pada perkara yang wajib ditunaikan, tetapi termasuk juga pada perkara yang diharamkan kita melakukannya agar kita menjauhinya, meninggalkannya dan mencegahnya, Manakala mendalaminya secara detail hukumnya adalah fardhu kifayah.<br />
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Di kalangan ulama ada yang membahagikan tuduhan itu kepada dua cara:<br />
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1. Secara sorih [berterus terang] dengan menujukan tuduhan zina atau liwat kepada orang yang tertentu. Sekiranya tuduhan itu diakui oleh orang yang dituduh secara sukarela dan memenuhi syarat-syarat pengakuannya, maka hukuman hudud boleh dijatuhkan oleh hakim ke atas orang berkenaan.<br />
2. Secara sindiran. Seperti menafikan nasab daripada ayahnya mengatakan ‘awak bukan anak kepada si anu’ yang diketahui sebagai bapanya yang sebenar, atau ‘awak anak daripada hasil zina’ dan lain-lain tuduhan yang boleh difahamkan sebagai tuduhan zina atau liwat.<br />
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Hikmah Pengharaman Qazaf<br />
<br />
Tujuan pengharaman qazaf adalah bagi memelihara maruah manusia, yang menjadi satu daripada perkara yang sangat penting bagi manusia sama ada bagi diri, keluarga atau masyarakatnya. Maruah sangat bernilai dalam hidup dan mati seseorang, membezakan manusia dengan binatang dan menjadi sebahagian daripada harga diri sehingga tidak boleh dinilai dengan harta benda yang paling mahal. Islam telah menegaskan kewajipan mempertahankan maruah dengan meletakkan maruah mengatasi harta yang juga wajib dipertahankan.<br />
<br />
Demi menjaga maruah itulah, maka diwajibkan hukuman qazaf secara hudud yang ditetap oleh Allah dan Rasul-Nya s.a.w. supaya seseorang itu atau kumpulannya tidak boleh melemparkan tuduhan zina dan liwat ke atas seseorang yang lain secara sewenang-wenangnya.<br />
<br />
Syarat-syarat Qazaf<br />
<br />
Tidaklah mudah menentukan bahawa seseorang itu telah melakukan qazaf, kerana Islam mewajibkan syarat-syarat tertentu bagi orang yang melakukannya, orang menjadi mangsa dan tuduhan itu sendiri.<br />
<br />
Syarat-syarat bagi orang yang melakukan tuduhan itu adalah:<br />
<br />
1. Berakal. Tidak boleh diterima tuduhan yang dilakukan oleh orang gila, kerana cakapnya tidak boleh dipakai.<br />
2. Baligh, yakni sampai umur mukallaf yang boleh dipertanggungjawabkan perintah-perintah agama ke atasnya. Kanak-kanak yang belum baligh, tidak boleh dikategorikan tuduhannya sebagai qazaf.<br />
3. Tidak dipaksa. Tidak boleh menerima tuduhan yang dilakukan oleh orang yang dipaksa supaya melakukan tuduhan itu.<br />
4. Tidak dapat mengadakan empat orang saksi yang memenuhi syarat-syarat saksi mengikut hukum Islam<br />
<br />
Orang yang dituduh juga hendaklah memenuhi syarat-syarat berikut:<br />
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1. Berakal. Maka tidak sah menuduh orang yang tidak berakal. Oleh itu orang yang menuduh tidak boleh diambil tindakan qazaf<br />
2. Baligh. Maka orang yang menuduh terhadap orang yang tidak baligh, tidak boleh dikenakan hukuman had qazaf. Dia hanya dikenakan hukuman ta’zir.<br />
3. Islam, mengikut jumhur para ulama.<br />
4. ‘Iffah atau ihsan, yakni orang yang dituduh itu seorang yang diketahui kebaikan akhlaknya dan tidak pernah disabitkan melakukan zina.<br />
5. Orang yang ditentukan tidak berlaku qazaf dengan menuduh seseorang yang tidak ditentukan secara khusus.<br />
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Syarat tuduhan pula hendaklah tuduhan dalam perkara zina, menurut ijmak para ulama dan tuduhan dalam perkara liwat, mengikut pendapat jumhur para ulama. Sekiranya tuduhan itu dalam perkara yang lain seperti berjudi, minum arak, rasuah dan sebagainya, maka tidak dinamakan qazaf yang mewajibkan hukuman hudud, tetapi berpindah kepada hukum takzir yang terserah kepada budibicara pihak yang berkenaan untuk menentukan hukumannya.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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Mensabitkan Jenayah Qazaf<br />
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Kesalahan qazaf yang dijatuhkan hukuman had ialah apabila terbukti melalui dua cara:<br />
<br />
1. Iqrar daripada orang yang melakukan qazaf.<br />
2. Dua orang saksi yang memenuhi syarat-syarat saksi.<br />
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Hukum Hudud yang berkait dengan Qazaf<br />
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Terdapat kekhilafan di kalangan para ulama, adakah hukum qazaf berkait dengan hak Allah atau hak manusia?<br />
Mazhab Hanafi<br />
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Apabila ia menjadi aspek umum maka ia termasuk dalam hak Allah terhadap hamba-hamba-Nya.<br />
Mazhab Syafie dan Hanbali<br />
<br />
, dan ada yang berpendapat bahawa di dalam perkara qazaf ada kedua-dua hak tersebut. dan Hambali. Di antara mereka adalah, ada yang bersetuju dengan pendapat berselisih pendapat. Ada di kalangan mereka yang bersetuju dengan mendapat Manakala ulama dalam<br />
<br />
Mereka yang berpegang kepada pendapat bahawa qazaf itu adalah hak Allah, bermakna setelah perkara itu dibawa kepada pihak yang berkenaan [berwajib] maka ia tidak boleh dimaafkan lagi, yakni mangsa tuduhan tidak boleh memberikan pengampunan.<br />
<br />
Pengampunan hanya boleh diberi sebelum kes tersebut dibawa kepada pihak yang berkenaan. Manakala mereka yang menyatakan bahawa qazaf itu adalah hak manusia, maka mangsa tuduhan diberi hak untuk memberikan pengampunan kepada orang yang dijatuhkan hukuman kerana kesalahan melakukan qazaf.<br />
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Hak Tuduhan Qazaf<br />
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Mereka yang berpendapat bahawa qazaf termasuk dalam kategori hak manusia, mengatakan bahawa orang yang menjadi mangsa mempunyai hak pengampunan ke atas orang yang melakukan jenayah qazaf.<br />
<br />
Sekiranya orang yang menjadi mangsa qazaf masih hidup, maka hak membuat pendakwaan terserah kepadanya sendiri. Sekiranya ia telah meninggal dunia, maka hak tersebut berpindah kepada keluarganya yang terdekat, iaitu bermula daripada ayah hingga ke atas, kemudian berpindah kepada anak hingga ke bawah. Ia tidak berpindah kepada saudaranya yang lain, kerana perkara qazaf sangat berkait dengan maruah zuriat secara langsung.<br />
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Hukuman ke Atas Orang Yang Melakukan Qazaf [Menuduh Zina atau Liwat]<br />
<br />
Nas dan ijtihad para ulama yang berlandaskan roh syariat Allah yang maha adil, menunjukkan bahawa tuduhan yang menjatuhkan maruah seseorang seperti tuduhan zina dan liwat tidak harus dipermudah-mudahkan.<br />
<br />
Untuk membuat tuduhan itu, wajiblah mempunyai alasan dan hujah yang kukuh. Perkara-perkara yang diwajibkan ke atas pihak yang berkenaan supaya dilaksanakan ketika melakukan sesuatu tuduhan, membuktikan bahawa kewajipan memelihara maruah juga menjadi tanggungjawab kerajaan setelah ditegaskan bahawa ianya adalah kewajipan individu.<br />
<br />
Kesalahan tuduhan zina dan liwat amat besar, sehingga ia dimasukkan ke dalam jenayah yang dikenakan hukuman keras dan ditetapkan sendiri hukumannya oleh Allah SWT secara nas di dalam Al-Quran. Di akhirat pula ia dikira sebagai dosa besar yang disediakan azab yang pedih kepada pelakunya, sekiranya dia tidak bertaubat dan meminta maaf daripada mangsa tuduhan atau tidak menerima tindakan undang-undang Islam oleh pihak yang berkenaan.<br />
<br />
Hukuman di dunia<br />
<br />
Hukuman di dunia yang wajib dijatuhkan ke atas penjenayah qazaf oleh kerajaan Islam ditetapkan oleh Allah di dalam al-Quran.<br />
<br />
Firman Allah [an-Nur: 4] yang bermaksud:<br />
<br />
Hukuman terhadap penjenayah qazaf di dunia ialah:<br />
<br />
1. Disebat sebanyak 80 kali sebatan mengikut cara Islam<br />
2. Dihukum menjadi fasik dengan tidak diterima penyaksiannya dalam segala urusan, sama ada di mahkamah, ketika berjual beli, perkahwinan, melihat anak bulan Ramadan, Syawal dan lain-lain.<br />
<br />
Hukuman di Akhirat:<br />
<br />
Firman Allah [an-Nur: 23-24] yang bermaksud:<br />
<br />
Hukuman pada hari kiamat nanti lebih adil dan bijaksana. Allah Yang Maha Mengetahui tidak menghukum dengan sifat mengetahui-Nya sahaja, tetapi perbicaraan akan di ulang semula di mahkamah-Nya dengan bukti-bukti yang lebih terperinci. Ketika itu, anggota badan manusia, tangan dan kaki mereka akan menjadi saksi. Di samping itu terdapat catatan para malaikat, iaitu makhluk Allah yang paling baik dan suci, yang nalurikan dengan sifat sentiasa taatkan perintah Allah dan tidak sekali kali menderhakai-Nya.<br />
<br />
Mereka akan dikerah untuk menjadi saksi sehingga mulut para pembohong dan pendakwa yang pandai mengubah kata dan meminda catatan tidak mampu lagi untuk memutarbelitkan kenyataan yang sebenar.<br />
<br />
Dipetik dari artikel :<br />
Al Fadhil Datuk Seri Tuan Guru Hj Abdul Hadi Awang.<br />
Presiden PAS</span></div>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-30967651821894265832011-05-17T00:08:00.000-07:002011-05-17T00:08:33.940-07:00UMNO Memakai Syariat Syaitanhttp://wargamarhaen.blogspot.com/2011/05/sheikh-dr-wahbah-zuhaili-sumpah-laknat.html<h2 class="date-header"><span>Ahad, 15 Mei 2011</span></h2><a href="" name="4427084984280326129"></a> <h3 class="post-title entry-title"> Sheikh Dr Wahbah Zuhaili : Sumpah Laknat Eskay Syariat Syatain,Syariat Syaitan Patut Letak Dibawah Kaki!!! </h3><div class="post-header"> </div><h3 class="post-title entry-title"> </h3><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DDuTumG5lkmwK6bVQd478z1xfR3FOV_AJ8c_BI4DJioBMIhC71yCae7BX1FQyOvJQw0qbiIRgAoffFAaAj1LtuZ8zUFpwiHPpR7snACBWlx6jJi4r3IBA2Dez2-Cd22jGokVHn3SvcwH/s1600/_DSC4955.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DDuTumG5lkmwK6bVQd478z1xfR3FOV_AJ8c_BI4DJioBMIhC71yCae7BX1FQyOvJQw0qbiIRgAoffFAaAj1LtuZ8zUFpwiHPpR7snACBWlx6jJi4r3IBA2Dez2-Cd22jGokVHn3SvcwH/s1600/_DSC4955.JPG" style="height: 295px; width: 393px;" /></div><br />
Aku terima sms ini daripada temanku yang menghadiri muzakarah oleh Sheikh Dr. Wahbah Zuhaili, dan dalam smsnya tertulis:<br />
<br />
"Aku baru tamat bermuzakarah oleh Sheikh Dr. Wahbah Zuhaili , Yang diterjemahkan oleh Dr. Zulkifli Al Bakri.<br />
<br />
Secara rumusannya Sheikh kata ,hidup manusia banyak ujian , Allah nak tengok siapa yang beriman dan siapa munafik, Sheikh minta kita sabar.<br />
<br />
Sumpah mubahalah dalam bab jinayat adalah tidak sah ,biarlah sumpah seribu kali pun .<br />
<br />
Sheikh kata dalam kes Video seks dan sumpah Eskay ni fitnah semuanya , dengan tegas Sheikh kata ini semua syariat syaitan , syariat syaitan patut letak bawah kaki.<br />
<br />
Akhirnya Sheikh kata , dia kenal Anwar, Anwar ini seorang yang baik dan bersih Sheikh nasihat kepada Anwar supaya mengadu kepada ALLAH S.W.T dan jangan layan hal-hal yang remah ini."Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-47064355750677435512011-03-31T03:50:00.000-07:002011-03-31T03:50:35.792-07:00Salafis seek power in Egypthttp://english.aljazeera.net/video/middleeast/2011/03/2011330201517382483.html<br />
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">Banned from politics under Hosni Mubarak, the religious movement is trying to shape Egypt's future.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">30 Mar 2011 20:39</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" style="cursor: hand;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=2011330201517382483" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" style="cursor: hand;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" style="cursor: hand;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=2011330201517382483" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td class="DetailedSummary"> <div id="ytVideo"> </div>For a group that has never taken part in political life, the religious Salafi movement is now emerging as a new force in Egypt.<br />
As they establish a platform based on Islam as a system of governance, however, many secular and liberal activists fear the emergence of a religious state following their country's ousting of long-term leader Hosni Mubarak.<br />
Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr reports from Alexandria on the ideological battle to fill the vacuum left in the wake of Egypt's revolution.<br />
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</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-29793129930964802292011-03-29T07:09:00.001-07:002011-03-29T07:09:53.534-07:00<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr id="trHeadline"><td class="articleTitle" valign="top"><span id="DetailedTitle">A war of Western imperialism? </span> </td> </tr>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">Backing of Libyan rebels apparently aims to clean up West's image across the Arab world.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span class="byLine" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvByLine"> Ahmed Moor</span><span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">28 Mar 2011 13:09</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" style="cursor: hand;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=201132472924305721" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" style="cursor: hand;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" style="cursor: hand;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=201132472924305721" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong>Bombing Gaddafi is not a humanitarian gesture, but an attempt to spread goodwill across the Arab world directed at the West, Moor says [GALLO/GETTY]</strong></span></span></span></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>There is a lot about the Western intervention in Libya that could go wrong – and it remains to be seen whether bombing Gaddafi and his mercenaries is a good decision.<br />
However, large numbers of people around the world appear to support the objectives of the anti-regime forces. Also, the indigenous resistance movement – which requested help – would have been annihilated in the absence of those air strikes.<br />
George Bush’s legacy of destruction extends beyond the piles of brick, flesh and mortar that we have been tallying for a decade now in Iraq and Afghanistan.<br />
More than any other figure in the post-war 20th century, the last American president did more to erode the gains in legitimacy made by supranational institutions and their proponents.<br />
After the Iraq war, the United Nations began to be perceived as a US rubberstamp body – or worse – as a meaningless exercise in bureaucracy.<br />
The UN can only function legitimately through consensus (or consensus-lite) decision-making and it was clear that the US was strong-arming weaker states in 2003.<br />
George Bush and the neoconservatives hijacked the legitimate language of consensus-based intervention for their own ill use.<br />
So activists are not wrong to react cynically when they hear that language today; I don’t believe that bombing Gaddafi is a humanitarian gesture.<br />
But George Bush should not be allowed to delegitimise the mechanisms – which are distinct from the language – of global intervention in situations that offend human rights and dignity.<br />
Today, many people agree that the situation in Libya is horrifying. Furthermore, the Libyan rebels requested aid from the outside world.<br />
Those two conditions alone do not justify intervention but they are crucial components of a legitimate international decision to employ force. <br />
<strong>What is a successful intervention?</strong><br />
The question of what a successful intervention means is a very important one. At the very least, it means taking a back seat and supporting the rebels in the capacity that they desire.<br />
It also means not attempting to install a new government that’s pliant and subordinate to the West. Compromise on these two principles will quickly diminish the legitimacy of the campaign against Gaddafi.<br />
Many people have argued that the intervention is a Western imperialist project. Here, it is worth remembering that Western powers were already in control of Libya’s oil when the revolution began.<br />
Muammar Gaddafi was as much “our guy” as Hosni Mubarak. Condoleezza Rice personally visited Libya and met with Gaddafi in 2008.<br />
The following year Tony Blair pushed for the release of the Lockerbie bomber to secure a sweetheart deal with the Libyan regime (although it was Gordon Brown who did the releasing).<br />
Western powers would have been much better served by backing Gaddafi if oil was their object.<br />
There is an alternative imperialism argument: that the intervention is really a push to consolidate Western control over Libyan resources. But, without intervention the rebels would have most certainly been annihilated by Gaddafi’s superior forces.<br />
So why back the losing horse? How can Western powers be sure they can succeed in creating a more agreeable government? Would not they go with the devil they know, especially when he is already their devil?<br />
Finally, any government that takes shape in Libya in the future will have to address the basic issues that fueled the popular uprising there in the first place.<br />
Gaddafi is an imperial stooge and a new imperial government will ensure that the underlying conditions will not go away.<br />
<strong>Spreading goodwill, avoiding oil price spikes</strong><br />
So what’s motivating the Western powers into projecting their power into Libya? And why is the West not intervening in Bahrain or Saudi Arabia or Yemen?<br />
The potential benefit of successfully backing the rebels will be an increase in goodwill across the Arab world directed at the West. It is not clear if that is a realistic expectation, but it is one appears to motivate Western leaders.<br />
Meanwhile, the cost of attacking Gaddafi and his mercenaries in a limited way, and supplying the rebels with arms is relatively low. It is not clear if the cost is actually low, but it’s likely that it is perceived that way since the intervention is already underway.<br />
In Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the opposite is true. The American president Barack Obama will seek reelection, so it is in his interest to prevent the global economy from stagnating then shrinking.<br />
A successful revolution in Bahrain may destabilise Saudi Arabia which would drive the price of oil up which could cause the US economy to stall. It is just not a risk worth taking for him.<br />
Probably, fears of an insurgent Iran – legitimate or not – play into his calculations as well. That’s because most Bahrainis are Shias.<br />
Likewise, Yemen permits the Americans to pursue Al Qaeda affiliates in that country. That goes directly to Obama’s security credentials.<br />
If Yemen lapses, Obama will be accused, rightly or wrongly, of permitting terrorist sympathizers to take control in yet another Middle Eastern country. And the 2012 election campaign is already underway. <br />
Intervention in Libya could turn out badly in a many different and unforeseen ways. And imperialism and neoliberal “reforms” – which are a problem in that country – did not arrive with the revolution; they preceded it.<br />
We can aspire towards helping young Libyans reform their society to make it more democratic, just and anti-imperialist. But before they can do that they must survive Gaddafi’s pulverizing onslaught. And that’s something that the Western offensive gives them a chance of doing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-36014923107369264132011-03-23T05:33:00.000-07:002011-03-23T05:33:06.150-07:00Setback for Anwar in Malaysia sodomy trial<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">High Court decides to admit key DNA evidence against opposition leader, reversing earlier ruling.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">23 Mar 2011 05:24</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=20113234401213858" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=20113234401213858" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td class="DetailedSummary"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 33px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td><img border="0" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Images/2011/3/23/20113235373872621_20.jpg" /></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong>Anwar Ibrahim maintains there is a political conspiracy against him [AFP]</strong></span></span></strong></span></span></span></span></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>Anwar Ibrahim, the Malaysian opposition leader, has suffered a setback in his sodomy trial, as a court decided to accept the key DNA evidence that had been earlier rejected as inadmissible.<br />
The country's High Court, on Wednesday, said it would let prosecutors use the evidence in their bid to link Anwar to traces of semen found on his accuser, a 25-year-old former aide.<br />
The surprise reversal of the decision came after an appeal by the prosecution, and after the court had heard new testimony from police.<br />
"It is clear that [Anwar's] arrest was lawful and the detention was for a lawful purpose," judge Zabidin Mohamed Diah told a packed courtroom.<br />
"This court has no choice but to allow these items to be tendered [as evidence]. My earlier ruling in the matter is reversed," he said, but added that the court would not compel Anwar to provide a sample of his DNA.<br />
The court had previously ruled that DNA from a bottle, toothbrush and hand towel in Anwar's detention cell -taken without his consent - was obtained illegally, and was therefore inadmissible.<br />
<strong>Vital evidence</strong><br />
The evidence is a vital part of the prosecution's effort to prove that Anwar had sex with Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, his former aide. A chemist had testified that the DNA on those items matched that of semen discovered on Saiful.<br />
Anwar faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of sodomy, which is considered a crime in the Muslim-majority country.<br />
Yusof Zainal Abiden, the government prosecutor, had asked the High Court to review its earlier decision about the illegality of the DNA evidence.<br />
He urged the court to compel Anwar to provide his DNA as tests would show whether there was a match with the semen found in an internal examination on Saiful, who claims he was coerced into having sex with the politician at a Kuala Lumpur condominium in June 2008.<br />
Anwar has refused to voluntarily provide a DNA sample because he fears authorities will tamper with it.<br />
The opposition politician criticised the court's decision, insisting to reporters that authorities got the three items through "trickery and deception".<br />
<strong>'Political conspiracy'</strong><br />
Sankara Nair, Anwar's counsel, said the judge did not take all the facts into consideration.<br />
"We disagree with the decision because the judge says the arrest was legal but it wasn't just the issue of the arrest alone, it was also the violation of lockup rules and many other issues," he told the AFP news agency.<br />
"There has also been no evidence given by any of the police officers at the lockup that these items were actually used by Anwar," he added.<br />
Anwar maintains that the charges are part of a political conspiracy to remove him from politics.<br />
He is also struggling with new allegations of sexual misconduct after a sex video depicting a man believed to resemble him was leaked under mysterious circumstances on Monday.<br />
Anwar claims both the sodomy charge and the video were fabricated by the government to crush his political threat.<br />
Authorities deny any conspiracy. And police said they were investigating the video, which has not been publicly circulated.<br />
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</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-12608165348598693852011-03-20T04:53:00.001-07:002011-03-20T04:53:12.310-07:00Iran warns Libyans of West's "colonial" intentions<div class="yom-mod yom-art-hd"><div class="bd"><h1 class="headline"><br />
</h1><a href="http://www.reuters.com/" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Reuters" class="logo" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/FZN6924R0WZ__x92.x6.GA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9Zml0O2g9Mjc-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/logo/reuters/d0c3eb8ca18907492a4b337b5cec5193.jpeg" title="" /></a><cite class="byline vcard">By <span class="fn">Mitra Amiri</span> | <span class="provider org">Reuters</span> – <abbr title="2011-03-20T10:57:01Z">53 minutes ago</abbr></cite></div></div><div class="yom-mod social-buttons "><div class="bd"><div class="yui3-widget yui3-ymsb" id="yui_3_3_0_14_130062183049230"><div class="ymsb ymsb-print ymsb-retweet ymsb-mail ymsb-facebook yui3-ymsb-content" id="yui_3_3_0_14_130062183049239"><ul><li class="ymsb-module ymsb-facebook-module"><div class="ymsb-static"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbeta.sg.news.yahoo.com%2Firan-warns-libyans-wests-colonial-intentions-20110320-035701-590.html&t=Iran%20warns%20Libyans%20of%20West%27s%20%22colonial%22%20intentions%20-%20Yahoo%21" title="Share"><span>Share</span></a></div></li>
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</ul></div></div></div></div><div class="yog-col yog-5u"> <div class="yom-mod yom-art-related" id="mediaarticlerelated"><div class="hd"><h3>Related Content</h3></div><div class="bd"><ul><li class="photo first last"><a class="media" href="http://beta.sg.news.yahoo.com/photos/iran-warns-libyans-wests-colonial-intentions-photo-20110320-035701-936.html"><img alt="Iran warns Libyans of West's "colonial" intentions" height="119" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/9KxrEKyzZT.MZiy5Dd9l_g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTExOTtweG9mZj01MDtweW9mZj0wO3c9MTkw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2011-03-20T162703Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNP_2_India-557286-1-pic0.jpg" title="Iran warns Libyans of West's "colonial" intentions" width="190" /><span class="action enlarge ">Enlarge Photo</span></a>Iran warns Libyans of West's "colonial" intentions</li>
</ul></div></div></div><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1300620023_2">TEHRAN</span> (Reuters) - <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1300620023_3">Iran</span> warned Libyans on Sunday not to trust Western powers launching air strikes against Muammar Gaddafi's troops, saying their aim was to gain neo-colonial control over the oil-rich nation.<br />
Tehran has voiced support for the uprising against the Libyan leader, part of what it considers an "Islamic awakening" in the Arab world.<br />
But as a long-time foe of the United States which in recent years has invaded and stationed troops in two of its neighbours, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1300620023_1">Iraq</span> and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1300620023_4">Afghanistan</span>, Iran expressed deep suspicion over Western military intervention in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1300620023_0">Libya</span>.<br />
"The records and the actions of the dominant countries in occupying oppressed countries means their intentions in such moves are always in doubt," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast was quoted as saying by students' news agency ISNA.<br />
European and U.S. forces began bombing Libyan targets after a U.N. Security Council vote endorsed intervention aimed at protecting civilians at risk from Gaddafi's violent suppression.<br />
While Iran's position "is always to support the people and defend their legitimate demands", Mehmanparast warned Libyans against an eventual occupation by the Western countries which are claiming to protect them.<br />
"These countries enter usually with seductive slogans of supporting the people but they follow their own interests in ruling the countries and continuing colonialism in a new form," he said.<br />
While voicing support for demonstrators in the Arab world, and condemning government repression, Iran has crushed protests at home and jailed scores of demonstrators since 2009.Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-41144647044606013182011-03-11T08:31:00.001-08:002011-03-11T08:31:44.737-08:00Hundreds killed in tsunami after 8.9 Japan quake<div class="hd"> <h1 id="yn-title"><br />
</h1><div style="margin-bottom: 20px;"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Huge-Japan-quake-causes-tsunami-fires-landslide/ss/events/wl/031111japanquake"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/c/42/c42a840098beb6f84c191ac289884b43.jpeg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221);" /></a><div align="right" style="margin-top: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt;"><cite id="captionCite">Reuters/Kyodo</cite></div><cite align="left" class="byline">A massive tsunami engulfs a residential area in Natori, Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern Japan. <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Huge-Japan-quake-causes-tsunami-fires-landslide/ss/events/wl/031111japanquake"><span style="color: #0058a6;">More photos »</span></a></cite></div><a class="provider-logo ult-section" href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/brand/SIG=11f589428/**http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ap.org%2Ftermsandconditions" id="yn-prvdlink"> <img alt="AP" height="27" src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/nws/p/ap_logo_106.png" width="106" /> </a> <ul class="tools mod ult-section" id="top"><li> <div class="yui3-widget yui3-ymsb" id="yui_3_1_1_6_129986099511635"><div class="ymsb ymsb-facebook ymsb-retweet ymsb-mail ymsb-print yui3-ymsb-content" id="yui_3_1_1_6_129986099511644"><ul><li class="ymsb-module ymsb-facebook-module"><div class="ymsb-static"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fs%2Fap%2F20110311%2Fap_on_re_as%2Fas_japan_earthquake&t=Hundreds+killed+in+tsunami+after+8.9+Japan+quake+-+Yahoo%21+News" title="Share"><span>Share</span></a></div></li>
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</ul></div><div id="yn-story-related-media"> <div class="primary-media yn-style2"> <div class="ult-section yn-style1" id="yn-story-main-media"> <div class="photo-big" style="display: none;"> <a class="media media3s video" href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/ap_av/av_ap3_wl/7011628670baa9b5d8ffca0f67e676d0/40618014;_ylt=Asx9IQY0AKmPtXQLUxMNl3z9xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTE5c3Q5OGk1BHBvcwMxBHNlYwN5bl9yX3RvcF92aWRlbwRzbGsDcmF3dmlkZW9lYXJ0/*http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/24485372"> <img alt="Raw Video: Earthquake triggers tsunami in Japan" height="160" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20110311/videolthumb.2f5063143ffa049bb6d752bbb50ce531.jpg?x=213&y=160&xc=1&yc=1&wc=399&hc=300&q=85&sig=ucPNvMm6MZ496FE2od3Msg--" width="213" /> <span>Play Video</span> </a> <cite class="caption"> <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/video/world/ap">AP</a> – Raw Video: Earthquake triggers tsunami in Japan </cite> </div></div><div id="yn-story-minor-media"> <ul class="list2 list6 size1 ult-section" id="yn-story-related-links"><li class="ult-position first slideshow"> <a class="media media1" href="http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Huge-Japan-quake-causes-tsunami-fires-landslide/ss/events/wl/031111japanquake"> <img alt="Huge Japan quake causes tsunami, fires, landslide" height="50" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/rids/20110311/t/r2036600403.jpg?x=50&y=50&xc=23&yc=1&wc=87&hc=87&q=85&sig=yxx8AiCUkor6ScGQnsvEwA--" width="50" /> </a> <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Huge-Japan-quake-causes-tsunami-fires-landslide/ss/events/wl/031111japanquake"><strong>Slideshow:</strong>Huge Japan quake causes tsunami, fires, landslide</a> </li>
<li class="ult-position video"> <a class="media media1" href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/reutersav/av_reuters_all/919074ab486d441de138a2c6639324c3/40623457;_ylt=AqeMI8wgKvm3b1.PFvoniEz9xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTFiNzZjZjByBHBvcwM1BHNlYwN5bl9yXzNzbG90X3ZpZGVvBHNsawN2aWQtZWQtdGh1bWI-/*http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/24487849"> <img alt="Japan quake triggers giant tsunami" height="50" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/reuters/20110311/videolthumb.8ea0c2b046e371b0fd947d215fa4b3ee.jpg?x=50&y=50&xc=51&yc=1&wc=300&hc=300&q=85&sig=RrvbdaA6fOPZD2Q2WqqMAw--" width="50" /> <span>Play Video</span> </a> <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/reutersav/av_reuters_all/919074ab486d441de138a2c6639324c3/40623457;_ylt=AhGICOv4PcIkx20Gx8sprZ79xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTFhZnJqYzk1BHBvcwM2BHNlYwN5bl9yXzNzbG90X3ZpZGVvBHNsawN2aWQtZWQtbGluaw--/*http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/24487849"><strong>Video:</strong>Japan quake triggers giant tsunami</a> <cite><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/i/2704;_ylt=AtomJ0EZnIO6X0hVQp.MR3n9xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTFiYXZjM2E2BHBvcwM3BHNlYwN5bl9yXzNzbG90X3ZpZGVvBHNsawN2aWQtZWQtcHJvdmk-">Reuters</a></cite> </li>
<li class="ult-position video"> <a class="media media1" href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/afp_video/av_afp_disaster/8fb4c99f2ef7854f44cc9de21331b99c/40623391;_ylt=Arg6l6Ivneni1dsf5jlQGEn9xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTFiZW1vczI0BHBvcwM4BHNlYwN5bl9yXzNzbG90X3ZpZGVvBHNsawN2aWQtZWQtdGh1bWI-/*http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/24487437"> <img alt="People gather on Tokyo streets after massive quake" height="50" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/afp/20110311/videolthumb.93f77e77d3a2240cb4f1963aebe1e4bf.jpg?x=50&y=50&xc=91&yc=1&wc=230&hc=230&q=85&sig=6HSFQxb3a3g8B8ni6T2OpA--" width="50" /> <span>Play Video</span> </a> <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/afp_video/av_afp_disaster/8fb4c99f2ef7854f44cc9de21331b99c/40623391;_ylt=ApI_efGKYlKvKKUpJZWabX_9xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTFhanRoYjYwBHBvcwM5BHNlYwN5bl9yXzNzbG90X3ZpZGVvBHNsawN2aWQtZWQtbGluaw--/*http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/24487437"><strong>Video:</strong>People gather on Tokyo streets after massive quake</a> <cite><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/i/3077;_ylt=AiaGbyjjBSPsYaV4U5EuZlb9xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTFjdjR1Nm8yBHBvcwMxMARzZWMDeW5fcl8zc2xvdF92aWRlbwRzbGsDdmlkLWVkLXByb3Zp">AFP</a></cite> </li>
</ul></div></div><div class="secondary-media ult-section"> <div class="ult-section" id="yn-story-secondary"> <a class="media" href="http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Tsunami-waves-swirl-near-port-Oarai-Ibaraki-Prefecture-state-after/photo//110311/481/urn_publicid_ap_org_f2136cf16155477185bb223ad4077e48//s:/ap/20110311/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_earthquake"> <img alt="Tsunami waves swirl near a port in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture (state) after Japan was struck by a strong earthquake off its northeastern coast Friday, " height="292" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20110311/capt.f2136cf16155477185bb223ad4077e48-f2136cf16155477185bb223ad4077e48-0.jpg?x=213&y=292&xc=1&yc=1&wc=299&hc=410&q=85&sig=SFQgEIOsQ1p6GIJ2y.V8ZQ--" width="213" /> </a> <cite class="caption">AP – Tsunami waves swirl near a port in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture (state) after Japan was struck by a strong …</cite> </div></div></div><div class="byline"> <cite class="vcard"> By MALCOLM FOSTER, Associated Press <span class="fn org">Malcolm Foster, Associated Press</span> </cite> – <abbr class="recenttimedate" title="2011-03-11T08:11:23-0800">15 mins ago</abbr></div>TOKYO – A ferocious tsunami spawned by one of the largest earthquakes on record slammed Japan's eastern coast Friday, killing hundreds of people as it swept away ships, cars and homes while widespread fires burned out of control.<br />
Hours later, the tsunami hit Hawaii but did not cause major damage. Warnings blanketed the Pacific, putting areas on alert as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire U.S. West coast. In northeastern Japan, the area around a nuclear power plant was evacuated after the reactor's cooling system failed.<br />
Police said 200 to 300 bodies were found in the northeastern coastal city of Sendai, the city in Miyagi prefecture, or state, closest to the epicenter. Another 137 were confirmed killed, with 531 people missing. Police also said 627 people were injured.<br />
The magnitude-8.9 offshore quake unleashed a 23-foot (seven-meter) tsunami and was followed for hours by more than 50 aftershocks, many of them of more than magnitude 6.0.<br />
Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter. A large section of Kesennuma, a town of 70,000 people in Miyagi, burned furiously into the night with no apparent hope of being extinguished, public broadcaster NHK said.<br />
"The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.<br />
<div align="center"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Huge-Japan-quake-causes-tsunami-fires-landslide/ss/events/wl/031111japanquake"><b>Click image to see photos of quake, tsunami damage</b></a><br />
<div style="text-align: right; width: 242px;"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Huge-Japan-quake-causes-tsunami-fires-landslide/ss/events/wl/031111japanquake"><img height="345" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/rids/20110311/i/r2837351018.jpg" width="242" /></a><br />
<cite id="captionCite">Reuters/Kyodo</cite></div></div>The quake was nearly 8,000 times stronger than one that struck New Zealand late last month, devastating the city of Christchurch.<br />
"The energy radiated by this quake is nearly equal to one month's worth of energy consumption" in the United States, U.S. Geological Survey Scientist Brian Atwater told The Associated Press.<br />
The government ordered thousands of residents near a nuclear power plant in the city of Onahama to move back at least two miles (three kilometers) from the plant. The reactor was not leaking radiation but its core remained hot even after a shutdown. The plant is 170 miles (270 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo.<br />
Trouble was reported at two other nuclear plants as well, but there was no radiation leak at either of them.<br />
Japan's coast guard said it was searching for 80 dock workers on a ship that was swept away from a shipyard in Miyagi.<br />
Even for a country used to earthquakes, this one was of horrific proportions because of the tsunami that crashed ashore, swallowing everything in its path as it surged several miles (kilometers) inland before retreating. The apocalyptic images on Japanese TV of powerful, debris-filled waves, uncontrolled fires and a ship caught in a massive whirlpool resembled scenes from a Hollywood disaster movie.<br />
Large fishing boats and other vessels rode high waves ashore, slamming against overpasses or scraping under them and snapping power lines along the way. Upturned and partially submerged cars bobbed in the water. Ships anchored in ports crashed against each other.<br />
The tsunami roared over embankments, washing anything in its path inland before reversing directions and carrying the cars, homes and other debris out to sea. Flames shot from some of the homes, probably because of burst gas pipes.<br />
Waves of muddy waters flowed over farmland near Sendai, carrying buildings, some of them ablaze. Drivers attempted to flee. Sendai airport was inundated with thick, muddy debris that included cars, trucks, buses and even light planes.<br />
Highways to the worst-hit coastal areas buckled. Telephone lines snapped. Train service in northeastern Japan and in Tokyo, which normally serve 10 million people a day, were suspended, leaving untold numbers stranded in stations or roaming the streets. Tokyo's Narita airport was closed indefinitely.<br />
President Barack Obama said the U.S. "stands ready to help" Japan.<br />
Jesse Johnson, a native of the U.S. state of Nevada who lives in Chiba, north of Tokyo, was eating at a sushi restaurant with his wife when the quake hit. <br />
"At first it didn't feel unusual, but then it went on and on. So I got myself and my wife under the table," he told The Associated Press. "I've lived in Japan for 10 years, and I've never felt anything like this before. The aftershocks keep coming. It's gotten to the point where I don't know whether it's me shaking or an earthquake." <br />
NHK said more than 4 million buildings were without power in Tokyo and its suburbs. <br />
As night fell, Tokyo's streets were jammed with cars, buses and trucks trying to get around and out of the city. Pedestrians swarmed the sidewalks to walk home, or at least find a warm place to spend the night as the temperatures dropped. <br />
Tomoko Suzuki and her elderly mother stood on a crowded downtown corner, unable to get to their 29th-floor condominium because the elevator wasn't working. They unsuccessfully tried to hail a taxi to a relative's house and couldn't find a hotel room. <br />
"We are so cold," said Suzuki. "We really don't know what to do." <br />
A large fire erupted at the Cosmo oil refinery in the city of Ichihara and burned out of control with 100-foot (30-meter) flames whipping into the sky. <br />
"Our initial assessment indicates that there has already been enormous damage," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said. "We will make maximum relief effort based on that assessment." <br />
He said the Defense Ministry was sending troops to the hardest-hit region. A utility aircraft and several helicopters were on the way. <br />
Also in Miyagi prefecture, a fire broke out in a turbine building of a nuclear power plant, but it was later extinguished, said Tohoku Electric Power Co. <br />
A reactor area of a nearby plant was leaking water, the company said. But it was unclear if the leak was caused by the tsunami or something else. There were no reports of radioactive leaks at any of Japan's nuclear plants. <br />
Jefferies International Ltd., a global investment banking group, estimated overall losses of about $10 billion. <br />
Hiroshi Sato, a disaster management official in northern Iwate prefecture, said officials were having trouble getting an overall picture of the destruction. <br />
"We don't even know the extent of damage. Roads were badly damaged and cut off as tsunami washed away debris, cars and many other things," he said. <br />
The U.S. Geological Survey said the 2:46 p.m. quake was magnitude 8.9, the biggest to hit Japan since record-keeping began in the late 1800s and one of the biggest ever recorded in the world. <br />
The quake struck at a depth of six miles (10 kilometers), about 80 miles (125 kilometers) off the eastern coast, the agency said. The area is 240 miles (380 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo. Several quakes hit the same region in recent days, including one measured at magnitude 7.3 on Wednesday that caused no damage. <br />
A tsunami warning was extended to a number of areas in the Pacific, Southeast Asia and Latin America, including Japan, Russia, Indonesia, New Zealand and Chile. In the Philippines, authorities ordered an evacuation of coastal communities, but no unusual waves were reported. <br />
Thousands fled homes in Indonesia after officials warned of a tsunami up to 6 feet (2 meters) high, but waves of only 4 inches (10 centimeters) were measured. No big waves came to the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory, either. <br />
The first waves hit Hawaii about 9 a.m. EST (1400 GMT). A tsunami about 7 feet (2.1 meters) high was recorded on Maui and a wave at least 3 feet (a meter) high was recorded on Oahu and Kauai. Officials warned that the waves would continue and could get larger. <br />
Japan's worst previous quake was a magnitude 8.3 temblor in 1923 in Kanto that killed 143,000 people, according to USGS. A 7.2-magnitude quake in Kobe in 1996 killed 6,400 people. <br />
Japan lies on the "Ring of Fire" — an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones stretching around the Pacific where about 90 percent of the world's quakes occur, including the one that triggered the Dec. 26, 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami that killed an estimated 230,000 people in 12 nations. A magnitude-8.8 temblor that shook central Chile in February 2010 also generated a tsunami and killed 524 people.Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-90998941526408036442011-03-10T23:28:00.001-08:002011-03-10T23:28:43.716-08:00Islamists ready for their close-up?<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">After governments fall in secular Egypt and Tunisia, Islamist parties are poised to enter the political mainstream.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span class="byLine" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvByLine"> D. Parvaz</span><span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">10 Mar 2011 16:15 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=2011223113653846953" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=2011223113653846953" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong>Feminist Nawel el-Saadawi arguing in Tahrir Square that both sexes ought to be able to pray together in mosques [EPA]</strong></span></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>For several weeks, a global audience has been glued to computer and television screens, fascinated by the compelling sight of uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. In both countries, long-ruling dictators were ultimately deposed amid cries of freedom, accountability and democracy.<br />
This narrative of a long-suffering people finally toppling the head of the regime oppressing them is the stuff of Hollywood movie trailers, an epic billed as an irresistible story of human triumph. And Americans - even ones typically disinterested in foreign politics - certainly bought the ticket to see the show, with Facebook pages and rallies in several US cities showing that they supported protesters in Cairo and Tunis.<br />
And then, panic. With two secular presidents deposed - Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/spotlight/anger-in-egypt/#" target="_blank">Tunisia</a> and Hosni Mubarak in <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/spotlight/anger-in-egypt/" target="_blank">Egypt</a> - who would fill the power vacuum?<br />
The obvious answer for many seems to be, simply: The Islamists. And in the post-September 11 world, this has triggered a flopsweat of paranoia and discomfort.<br />
Glenn Beck, a high-profile Fox network commentator, said that the success of Islamist governments would spell the end of peace in Europe and capitalism in the US.<br />
"It is difficult to deny ... that radicals, Islamasits [sic], communists, socialists will work together against Israel, against capitalism, and they'll try to work together to overturn stability," <a class="internallink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWCrxygxO4c" target="_blank">said Beck</a> in a broadcast in February, charging that the uprisings in North Africa were also to blame for the <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/02/20112201564409366.html" style="color: #b18000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 4px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">pro-labour protests</a> in the state of Wisconsin.<br />
Also, Thursday marked the start of the US House of Representatives<a class="internallink" href="http://homeland.house.gov/hearing/hearing-%E2%80%9C-extent-radicalization-american-muslim-community-and-communitys-response%E2%80%9D" style="color: #b18000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 4px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> hearing</a> on "radicalised Islam", focusing on "theo-political" Islam. The hearing was centred on the testimony of Zuhdi Jasser, the founder of the American Islamic Forum of Democracy who <a class="internallink" href="http://www.npr.org/2011/03/08/134363384/Muslim-Leader-Supports-Radicalization-Hearings" style="color: #b18000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 4px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">told</a> NPR on Tuesday that the real danger is "the intoxicant" that is "the supremacism of political Islam".<br />
The <em>Daily Mail,</em> fretting about shuttering brothels in Tunisia, ran an <a class="internallink" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1360799/Sex-brothels-REAL-tyranny-threatening-Arab-world.html" target="_blank">article</a> on February 26 saying that, "faster than you could scream ‘Allahu Akbar’, hundreds of Islamists raided Abdallah Guech Street armed with Molotov cocktails and knives, torching the brothels, yelling insults at the prostitutes and declaring that Tunisia was now an Islamist state."<br />
Al-Nahda, Tunisia's leading Islamist party has <a class="internallink" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41670793/ns/world_news-mideast/n_africa/">issued statements</a> distancing itself from the fringe groups targeting bordellos and the recent slaying of a Polish priest.<br />
Tariq Ramadan, a professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford University, told Al Jazeera that there are two fundamental problems with how the West views the question of potential Islamist governments in Egypt and Tunisia.<br />
The first is that there is a perception that in Muslim countries, there are only two options for leadership: Dictators or radical Islamists. <br />
"So we portray the Muslim Brotherhood or al-Nahda as radical Islamists," said Ramadan, whose grandfather, Hassan al Banna, founded the Muslim Brotherhood.<br />
"The intrinsic dynamics and the trends within political Islam are not known, so we put all the people in the same box, in the same stream, and that's completely wrong. It's just to justify what has been the rhetoric of the dictators for years and accepted by the West. that, 'If it's not us, the dictators, then it's going to be them, the violent extremists.'"<br />
The other issue is that most Westerners can't grasp that while the movements in Egypt and Tunisia weren't Islamic revolutions, many of the protesters in those countries were "mobilised as Muslims" - some of them moderate, some of them conservative.<br />
"To be accepted in the West, we have to remove Islam from it ... this is where the West should get a better understanding of Islam," said Ramadan.<br />
"They (Muslim) want freedom as the West wants freedom. They want dignity as the West wants dignity. They want democratisation as the West is promoting democratising."<br />
Ed Husain, an expert on Islamist movements and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, told Al Jazeera that the US fear of Islamist states is hardly surprising, given that Washington has viewed the region through a very narrow lens for the past 30 to 35 years.<br />
"The US, and not just media, but the policy makers and others, view the Middle East through three prisms: One is of Israel, the second is of oil and the third is of terrorism," said Hussein.<br />
Then there's the question of how relatively secular societies would function under Islamist governments. There have been numerous media reports in outlets such as the <a class="internallink" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/18/AR2011021806962.html" target="_blank">Washington Post</a> and <a class="InternalLink" href="http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/01/23/134704.html" target="_blank">AFP news agency</a> on fears that freedoms associated with secular governments will be revoked under potential Islamist rule in Tunisia and Egypt.<br />
But what would change if the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt or the al-Nahda party in Tunisia swept the upcoming polls in those countries? Is that really even a likely outcome? And, if so, what sort of social changes would that spell out for those societies?<br />
<strong>These are the early days</strong><br />
To start with, the revolutions are far from over. In Egypt, there are still <a class="internallink" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0225/Egyptians-protest-in-Tahrir-angry-over-new-cabinet" target="_blank">protests</a> in Cairo's Tahrir Square and the country is still without a constitution - while in Tunisia <a class="internallink" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/15/us-tunisia-strikes-idUSLDE71D13W20110215" target="_blank">strikes</a>, protests and unrest continue to unfold as the pro-democracy movement calls for the election of a <a class="internallink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/03/20113405133628865.html" target="_blank">constituent assembly</a>.<br />
"This is all still playing out in real time ... from day to day, things seem to be rather fluid," Jonathan Schanzer, vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Al Jazeera.<br />
<table border="0" class="Skyscrapper_Body" style="float: right; width: 200px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong> </strong></span><strong>Polls: Americans and Egyptians</strong><br />
<em>According to a </em><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/09/us-usa-mideast-idUSTRE7184IK20110209?feedType=RSS"><em>Reuters/Ipsos</em></a><em> poll: </em><br />
*58 per cent of Americans worry Islamist governments would not back US interests.<br />
*32 per cent feel the US should unconditionally support democracies in the Middle East.<br />
<em>A 2010 Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project </em><a href="http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1874/egypt-protests-democracy-islam-influence-politics-islamic-extremism" target="_blank"><em>survey</em></a><em> showed:</em><br />
*Among Muslims in Egypt, 48 per cent felt that Islam "played a large role in their nation's political life".<br />
* 49 per cent said "it played only a small role."<br />
*59 per cent said they wanted a democratic form of government.<br />
</td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>"There are risks associated with both countries falling under a strong man - it would not be surprising to see that. What I think is heartening is that we are seeing real democratic, let's call them grass roots and green shoots. But ... it's important to stress that no one saw this coming - not the Egyptian intelligence, not US intelligence. It happened spontaneously. "<br />
Paul Salem, director of the Middle East Centre at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said it's far too early to know which direction the Muslim Brotherhood will go just yet. What's clear at this point, however, is that this was not the Muslim Brotherhood's revolution.<br />
This, he said, represents a "sea change" in the sense that "public opinion in the biggest Arab country, has stood up, and on Al Jazeera TV .. . that what they want, is a pluralist, liberal, democratic system which respects human rights, communal rights, pluralism, economic justice, accountable government - that's what they're about."<br />
In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood is finding its footing in post-Mubarak era and has yet to clarify where it stands on key issues. For example, in recent weeks it has alternately said that it would <a class="InternalLink" href="http://en.rian.ru/world/20110203/162433368.html" target="_blank">dissolve</a> Egypt's peace treaty with Israel and that it would <a class="InternalLink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12356922" target="_blank">honour</a> it.<br />
So it's clear that even within a single Islamist group - let alone among the many - there is a tremendous diversity of thought, between the various gradations of the moderate and the conservative as well as between the younger and older generations.<br />
But George Joffe, a research fellow at Cambridge University, where he specialises in the Middle East and North Africa, said that the process of participating in a democracy “domesticates ideologies”.<br />
"Currently, the Muslim Brotherhood is a gerontology, meaning that its leadership is very old. They are primarily concerned with doctrinal issues," said Joffe.<br />
"They don’t have a coherent project, which is why they’ve been outclassed by recent events."<br />
He said internal divisions will prompt the Muslim Brotherhood to form a political party - where doctrine will play less of a role - and move away from being a social movement, as it is seen now.<br />
<strong>The (secular) sky is not (yet) falling</strong><br />
If nothing, the recent events have shown us that while the Muslim Brotherhood is one of the most organised groups, it typically "accounts for 15 to 20 per cent of participants, no more," said Amina Elbendary, an assistant professor of Arabic and Islamic civilisations at the American University in Cairo.<br />
"Many of us believe that when fair elections are held, the Muslim Brotherhood will win considerable seats, and will play and important role ... once political parties can freely form, we will witness a plethora of parties."<br />
Salem figured that the odds of Islamist parties taking power in Egypt and Tunisia, particularly during the immediate transitional period are "low, although not negligible".<br />
"I think it's low for a number of reasons. First, is that the uprisings were not Islamist uprisings, so public opinion has staked out a fairly new and broad position for itself, which is quite different from the Islamist position," said Salem, who added that this was key, as over the past 30 years, it was "assumed that the Islamist position must be the public's position."<br />
This view has been partly reinforced with events such as Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, the 2005 Egyptian parliamentary elections, when the banned Muslim Brotherhood party made major gains, as well as the elections in Gaza the following year, when the Islamist Hamas party, won majority rule.<br />
But the Islamist parties weren't the primary driving forces in uprisings in the recent and ongoing uprisings.<br />
<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 33px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td><img border="0" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/imagecache/218/330/mritems/Images/2011/2/26/2011226131822797738_20.jpg" /></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong><strong> Tunisian protesters call for a secular state after the murder of a priest and verbal attacks on Jews [EPA]</strong></strong></span></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>"Secondly, in Egypt and in Tunisia, much of the regimes ... would favour participation in parliament and perhaps in government participation by Islamist parties, but they would not favour and would try not to allow an Islamist sweep."<br />
In order to consolidate the gains brought about by the removal of dictatorships, Islamist parties need to be "modest, or certainly, restrained" said Salem.<br />
Joffe suggested that an Islamist government in either North African country seems unlikey.<br />
“I would say in the short to medium term, there’s no chance of that occurring,” said Joffe, mostly because the “level of support is not sufficient. In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has less than 30 per cent support, and al-Nahda has been out of circulation for years.”<br />
He sees much of the talk of an Islamist takeover as paranoia, and says that those who say that Islamists states are a certainty in Egypt and Tunisia have “failed to observe that Islamist movements as such played no part at all” in the uprisings in those countries, which, he said, were the “consequence of the demonisation of political Islam as a systematic and existential threat”.<br />
But Husain said that the Muslim Brotherhood is bound to be the leading party in the short term, as it has over 80 years of history there, with the network and resources that come with it. <br />
The party, he said, is poised to do better than others.<br />
"There's a reason for people to be suspicious of the Muslim Brotherhood, but Mohamad Badia, a relative hardliner in the organisation, has already said that he's not interested in an Islamist government, but a civilian government," said Husain, adding that other members have also said they'd like to be part of a <a class="internallink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/201121161525971840.html" target="_blank">broader coalition</a>.<br />
While the Muslim Brotherhood has <a class="internallink" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/opinion/10erian.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=ESSAM%20EL-ERRIAN&st=cse" target="_blank">said</a> that it does not see Egypt with a Western-style democracy, the organisation has said that it embraces the idea of democracy, with Islamic tenets at its core.<br />
<strong>Why fear an Islamist state?</strong><br />
Within Tunisia, Rachid Ghannouchi, the leader of the al-Nahda party, was met not only with supporters at the airport in Tunis upon returning after spending 21 years in exile - he was also met with secularists, <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/01/2011130111220856971.html#" target="_blank">waving signs</a> that read, "No Islamism, no theocracy, no Sharia and no stupidity!"<br />
But Ghannouchi has compared al-Nahda to the Turkey's <span lang="tr">Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi - or </span>AKP party - which includes an Islamic faction but is not a hardline Islamist party. He also <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/2011233464273624.html#" target="_blank">told</a> Al Jazeera in no uncertain terms that his party "cannot be compared to the Taliban or Iran" and that he's "no Khomeini", referring to Ayatollah Khomeini, the spiritual leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.<br />
<table border="0" class="Skyscrapper_Body" style="float: right; width: 200px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>"I think this very narrow understanding of what's happening is to once again nurture a state of fear and mistrust towards all the opposition forces"</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;">Tariq Ramadan, professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford University</span><br />
</td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>"I think that for the Muslim Brotherhood, (al-)Nahda and others, the only way for us in the West or anywhere else to deal with them is to let them be involved in the political process and then to challenge them when it comes to policy and implementation," said Ramadan, who added that just as far-right parties are tolerated in Western governments, so should Islamist parties be in Egypt and Tunisia.<br />
"If you repress them, if you put them in jail, you are in fact nurturing the radicalisation that you don't want."<br />
Besides, said Ramadan, al-Nahda and the Muslim Brotherhood hardly represent extremist Islamic thought - they are in fact considered "beytrayers" by extremist groups, because both parties are "legalists and non-violent".<br />
Turkey is also the example both Salem and Joffe use to make the point that the idea of Islamist government does not run counter to the notion of individual rights. In fact, Joffe points out Turkey is negotiating to join the European Union, something that would be impossible without having a democracy and respecting human rights.<br />
Even though rights groups, such as the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women are <a class="internallink" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/world/africa/21tunisia.html?_r=1&src=twrhp" target="_blank">on guard</a> for any move to retrograde women's rights, Husain does not see a threat to women and minority rights in the country. He described Ghannouchi as a progressive, and said he'd sat in on meetings where the the al-Nahda leader went "out of his way to reprimand the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood for its rigidity".<br />
"Ghannouchi is a believer in a woman being a head of a state, so that's where he is, and he's years ahead of the Egyptian ... Muslim Brotherhood, who sometimes have very conservative tendencies."<br />
Still Husain also points out that the Muslim Brotherhood has a good relationship with Egypt's Coptic Christian community, although it has said in the past that it does not support the idea of a Copt becoming president.<br />
Joffe said that there's no chance of an Islamist party changing the status of women in Tunisia, when women's rights have made steady gains since gaining suffrage in 1956, but that Egypt is a different matter.<br />
"Egypt is a much more conservative society - the changes there may well be due to the patriarchal nature of men rather than to the Islamist movement itself," said Joffe.<br />
"That isn’t going to change, simply because of the nature of the political parties."<br />
Indeed, those particpating in International Women's Day rally in Cairo on Monday were met with groups of men opposing the march, some of whom shoved women, saying their activities were un-Islamic. But Joffe doesn't seem too concerned about a dawn of new, hardline governments, mostly because the Muslim Brotherhood is factionalising and that moderate factions will not tolerate the idea of trying to suppress women through law.<br />
Egyptian women have already started pushing back, working to find a way into the new government. And there are also reports published and broadcast in outlets such as <a class="InternalLink" href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/02/world/la-fg-egypt-women-20110203" style="color: #b18000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 4px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Los Angeles Times</a>and the <a class="InternalLink" href="http://www.cbc.ca/video/news/audioplayer.html?clipid=1789037372" style="color: #b18000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 4px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">CBC</a>which point to the role of women in the Egyptian uprising as <a class="internallink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/03/201138133425420552.html" style="color: #b18000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 4px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">a turning point</a> for women's rights there, empowering them to find a place in society, <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/02/2011217134411934738.html" style="color: #b18000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 4px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">shoulder-to-shoulder</a> with men.<br />
"There is a strong civil society in Egypt, which already, even before January 25, has pushed the Muslim Brotherhood to reformulate its ideas and concepts, especially with regards to women and minorities," said Elbendary.<br />
"It is inevitable that further pressures in the future will encourage the Muslim Brotherhood to develop their ideas and programme further."<br />
Ramadan said that what's become clear through the haze of the ongoing revolts is that Islamist groups are "not really in touch with what is happening in the society with the young generation. So the risk of a very traditional and conservative approaches is there". However, he said that it's up to the parties themselves to show, on the ground, that they respect equal rights for men and women, Muslim and non-Muslim alike.<br />
Schanzer too said there there are "signs that warrant optimism in both countries" and that if the people will it, they could push for constitutions that protect the rights of women and minorities while having an Islamist head of state.<br />
<strong>Coalitions and fringe movements</strong><br />
The Muslim Brotherhood and al-Nahda have said that they want to part of a coalition governments. In the case of Tunisia's al-Nahda movement, which Salem describes as a "softer" Islamic movement, this seems less contentious, as Ghannouchi's reputation is that of a progressive.<br />
<table border="0" class="Skyscrapper_Body" style="float: right; width: 200px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 13px;">"I don't think that the twitter, Facebook, tattoo generation of young Egyptians that essentially overthrew the Mubarak regime will sit around and wait for some fundamentalist regime to appear."</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;">Ed Husain, Council on Foreign Relations</span><br />
</td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>"I think that political groups that are part of the various political Islamic movements are inevitable partners in future democratic governments in Tunisia, Egypt and elsewhere," said Steve Clemons, the founder of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation.<br />
"Their ability to lead a government will be based upon their deal-making skills with other parts of that political system. And most importantly, I think that to be trusted to lead, they will need to show an ability to negotiate and compromise and to respect those who are part of the political minority. But they will definitely be in the equation."<br />
With its more conservative views and decades-long baggage, it may be hard to see how the Muslim Brotherhood could finesse being part of a coalition.<br />
"I think we are long overdue in seeing the Muslim Brotherhood and other parts of political Islam be given the chance to participate in democratic structures," Clemons told Al Jazeera, adding that making the group "feel that they are stakeholders, hopefully diminish radicalisation of some of their followers".<br />
Besides, the Muslim Brotherhood is well aware of how it is perceived, which, said Salem, is why they are not fielding a presidential candidate in the upcoming elections.<br />
Taking the Turkish model into account, Salem points out that in <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/20112671030650864.html#" target="_blank">aligning</a> itself with <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/02/2010219162148390306.html" target="_blank">Mohamed ElBaradei</a>, himself without a strong following in Egypt, the party might succeed in increasing its base.<br />
Husain, meanwhile, said he's concerned that once the Muslim Brotherhood has a parliamentary presence, other hardline groups will criticise them for being too moderate.<br />
"We saw this in Bangladesh, we saw this in Pakistan, we're seeing this in Indonesia ... we will see a greater contesting of Islamists trying to out-Islam one another - you know, who's more pure, who's more Islamic."<br />
In weighing the possibilities, Schanzer said that Egypt and Tunisia could, potentially, go in three different directions - they could revert back to military-backed dictatorships, could form democracies or Islamist government. They could also form combinations of the above.<br />
<strong>Hijacking a revolution</strong><br />
So it's not outside the scope of possibility that both Tunisia and Egypt might end up with Islamist governments. Given that the population in both countries is predominantly Muslim, would that be such a catastrophe?<br />
Though secular, Israel is considered a Jewish state, where only a Jew could be head of state, and in the UK, only a Christian could occupy that position. So if faith can play a role in statehood, then what would make an Islamist leadership in Tunisia and Egypt so alarming?<br />
"A lot Muslims do not want a religious-based government, let alone non-Muslims ... and in Egypt and Tunisia, one didn't get the sense of any sweeping sentiment at all, that these Muslims wanted an Islamist government," said Salem.<br />
But within Egypt, the fear of having an Islamist take-over is seen as "rather exaggerated, and has been for a number of years," said Elbendary, adding that while both Tunisia and Egypt have a history of Islamist political organisations "which have great grassroots support", that in Egypt the Muslim Brotherhood is "not the only power".<br />
Husain too said he doesn't think an Islamist government has a lasting chance in Egypt.<br />
"I don't think that the twitter, Facebook, tattoo generation of young Egyptians that essentially overthrew the Mubarak regime will sit around and wait for some fundamentalist regime to appear," said Husain.<br />
Schanzer is more circumspect on the issue, and said it's not clear how people would respond to the formation of a hardline Islamist government.<br />
"It depends what kind of system emerges," said Schanzer.<br />
"If it's a repressive system that brutalises people who come out in protest of their government, then I think it would take some time to amass the requisite forces to challenge the government again. I think it's important that we remember that the people of Egypt are both exhilarated and exhausted."<br />
<em><strong>Follow </strong><a class="InternalLink" href="http://twitter.com/dparvaz" target="_blank">dparvaz</a><strong> on Twitter.</strong></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-19381943600561086892011-03-09T02:44:00.001-08:002011-03-09T02:44:26.780-08:00Failing in Afghanistan successfully<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">Despite hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of troops, the US is unable to conclude its longest war.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> <!-- --> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span class="byLine" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvByLine"> Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera Senior Political Analyst</span><span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">07 Mar 2011 19:06 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong> The recent killing of nine Afghan children has put the spotlight on the US military's new aggressive methods [AFP]</strong></span></span><strong></strong></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>While we have been fixated on successive Arab breakthroughs and victories against tyranny and extremism, Washington is failing miserably but discreetly in Afghanistan.<br />
<br />
The American media's one-obsession-at-a-time coverage of global affairs might have put the spotlight on President Obama's slow and poor reaction to the breathtaking developments starting in Tunisia and Egypt. But they spared him embarrassing questions about continued escalation and deaths in Afghanistan.<br />
<br />
In spite of its international coalition, multiple strategies, hundreds of billions of dollars, and a surge of tens of thousands of troops, the US is unable to conclude its longest war yet or at least reverse its trend.<br />
<br />
Recent "reports" from the war front have been of two kinds. Some official or analytical in nature and heavily circulated in Washington portray a war going terribly well. On the other hand, hard news from the ground tell a story of US fatigue, backtracking and tactical withdrawals or redeployments which do not bode well for defeating the Taliban or forcing them to the negotiations' table.<br />
<br />
For example, while the US military's decision to withdraw from the Pech valley was justified on tactical need to redeploy troops for the task of "protecting the population", keen observers saw it as a humiliating retreat from what the Pentagon previously called a very strategic position and sacrificed some hundred soldiers defending it.<br />
Likewise, strategic analysts close to the administration speak triumphantly of US surge and hi-tech firepower inflicting terrible cost on the Taliban, killing many insurgents and driving many more from their sanctuaries.<br />
But news from the war front show the Taliban unrelenting, mounting counterattacks and escalating the war especially in areas where the US has "surged" its troops. And while the majority of the 400 Afghan districts are "calmer", they remain mostly out of Kabul's control.<br />
<strong>What success? </strong><br />
Those with relatively long memories recall the then defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld's claims that most of Afghanistan was secure in early 2003 and that American forces had changed their strategy from major combat operations to stabilisation and reconstruction project.<br />
But the Taliban continued to carry daily attacks on government buildings, US positions and international organisations. Two years later, the US was to suffer the worst and deadliest year since the war began.<br />
Today's war pundits are in the same state of denial. For all practical purpose, Washington has given up on its counterinsurgency (COIN) strategy devised under McChrystal and Petreaus.<br />
Instead, it is pursuing a heavy handed and terribly destructive crackdown that includes special operations, assassinations, mass demolitions, air and night raids etc that have led to anything but winning the country, let alone its hearts and minds.<br />
The killing of nine Afghan children last week - all under the age of 12 - by US attack helicopters has once again put the spotlight on the US military's new aggressive methods.<br />
The results are so devastating for the conduct of the war and to Washington's clients, that President Karzai not only distanced himself from the US methods, but also publicly rejected Washington's apology for the killings.<br />
Nor is the recruitment and training of the Afghan forces going well. Indeed, many seem to give up on the idea that Afghan security forces could take matters into their hands if the US withdraws in the foreseeable future.<br />
Worse, US strategic co-operation with Pakistan - the central pillar of Obama's PakAf strategy - has cooled after the arrest of a CIA contractor for the killing of two Pakistanis even though he presumably enjoys diplomatic immunity.<br />
Reportedly, it has also led to a "breakdown" in co-ordination between the two countries intelligence agencies, the CIA and the ISI.<br />
<br />
But the incident is merely a symptom of a bigger problem between the two countries. A reluctant partner, the Pakistani establishment and its military are unhappy with US strategy which they reckon could destabilise their country and strengthen Afghanistan and India at their expense.<br />
That has not deterred Washington from offering ideas and money to repair the damage. However, it has become clear that unlike in recent years, future improvement in their bilateral relations will most probably come as a result of the US edging closer to Pakistan's position, not the opposite.<br />
All of which makes one wonder why certain Washington circles are rushing to advance the "success story".<br />
<strong>Running out of options</strong><br />
The Afghan government' incapability to take on the tasks of governing or securing the country beyond the capital, and the incapacity of the Obama administration to break the Taliban's momentum does not bode well for an early conclusion of the war.<br />
To their credit some of Obama's war and surge supporters realise that there is no military solution for Afghanistan. Clearly, their claims of battlefield successes help justify the rush to talk to the Taliban.<br />
But it is not yet clear whether the presumably ongoing exploratory secret negotiations with the Taliban are serious at all, or will lead to comprehensive negotiations and eventually a lasting deal. The last "Taliban commander" Washington dialogued with in the fall turned out to be an impostor - a shopkeeper from Quetta!<br />
If the Taliban does eventually accept to sit down with Obama or Karzai envoys, the US needs to explain why it fought for 10 years only to help the group back to power.<br />
Secretary of state Hillary Clinton has begun the humiliating backtracking last month: "Now, I know that reconciling with an adversary that can be as brutal as the Taliban sounds distasteful, even unimaginable. And diplomacy would be easy if we only had to talk to our friends. But that is not how one makes peace."<br />
<strong>Facing up to the reality</strong><br />
The mere fact that the world's mightiest superpower cannot win over the poorly armed Taliban after a long decade of fighting, means it has already failed strategically, regardless of the final outcome.<br />
The escalation of violence and wasting billions more cannot change that. It is history. The quicker the Obama administration recognises its misfortunes, minimises its losses and convenes a regional conference over the future of Afghanistan under UN auspices, the easier it will be to evacuate without humiliation.<br />
Whether the US eventually loses the war and declares victory; negotiates a settlement and withdraw its troops, remains to be seen. What is incontestable is that when you fight the week for too long, you also become weak.<br />
All of which explains the rather blunt comments made in a speech at the end of February, by US Defence Secretary Robert Gates when he said "... any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the Middle East or Africa should 'have his head examined,' as General MacArthur so delicately put it."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-7057226976051272092011-03-07T16:04:00.001-08:002011-03-07T16:04:38.321-08:00Kalau tak pangkah BN, bantuan ditarik balik<h3 class="post-title entry-title"> <a href="http://idhamlim.blogspot.com/2011/03/kalau-tak-pangkah-bn-bantuan-ditarik.html"><br />
</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"> <span class="post-comment-link" style="float: right;"> </span> <div style="float: right;"> <script type="text/javascript">
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</script><iframe frameborder="0" height="20" scrolling="no" src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/button.js?url=http%3A//idhamlim.blogspot.com/2011/03/kalau-tak-pangkah-bn-bantuan-ditarik.html&style=compact&source=anupkayastha&o=http%3A//idhamlim.blogspot.com/&b=1" width="90"></iframe> </div><span class="post-author vcard"> 2:56 PM <span class="fn">DRS. KHALIL IDHAM LIM </span> </span> <br />
</div><br />
<span class="data-post"><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI4GRb53QxdG9MqDuVcRVlTChxyVSC0GvZS5EcxOs3ejnozavwhXWS0XgEEQlhaBamMYjg-w514K6ILiqVZdWtwqSpDxahD86hlutQbGhRXVwM8_PB3NPAPT3fT2FKH-2Io5o1V2Ev44/s1600/limau.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581230148997478322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI4GRb53QxdG9MqDuVcRVlTChxyVSC0GvZS5EcxOs3ejnozavwhXWS0XgEEQlhaBamMYjg-w514K6ILiqVZdWtwqSpDxahD86hlutQbGhRXVwM8_PB3NPAPT3fT2FKH-2Io5o1V2Ev44/s200/limau.jpg" style="float: left; height: 134px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>02 Rabiulakhir 1432H. [MOD] -<br />
<br />
Saya merupakan seorang warga Merlimau, Melaka yang bertugas di Sarawak. Saya sanggup pulang untuk Pilihanraya Kecil Dun Merlimau walaupun menelan belanja yang besar. Majikan saya bertanya kenapa saya perlu pulang ke Merlimau, bukankah ada undi pos? Saya jawab, “Maaf tuan, saya tidak yakin dengan undi pos.” Semangat berkobar-kobar kerana PRK tidak sama dengan PRU. Tentu banyak berubah wajah kampung saya.<br />
<br />
Tepat telahan saya, memang berubah sama sekali! Lori keluar masuk, polis bersimpang siur di jalan raya. Kampung yang dulu aman damai kini tidak ubah seperti medan pertempuran. Bendera berkibaran sehingga menyukarkan saya untuk melihat kenderaan sebelum melintas jalan. Begitu ‘panas’ keadaan di Merlimau sehingga berkobar-kobar saya memangkah kertas undi, dengan harapan calon pilihan saya juga calon pilihan warga Merlimau.<br />
<br />
Apabila keputusan PRK diumumkan saya jadi kecewa. Kecewa bukan kerana PAS tewas. Kecewa kerana orang kampung saya, orang Merlimau masih belum berubah, masih belum mahu berubah dan tidak mahu berubah. Pegangan saya dan keluarga tetap condong kepada PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat. Tetapi tidak dengan orang kampung saya.<br />
<br />
Mereka terlalu selesa dengan kebendaan, terlalu mudah disogokkan dengan harta benda, dengan jalan tar sekangkang kera, dengan biskut marie sepeket dua. Mereka tidak nampak bagaimana Ketua Menteri tercinta dengan lahap rakus menelan setiap sen ringgit yang terbang di depan mata.<br />
<br />
Saya cuma pulang untuk tiga hari, tetapi pelbagai kisah menarik yang saya dapat di kampung saya. Jiran saya seorang ibu tunggal anak 7, dengan pendapatan RM400 sebulan, disogokkan dengan jalan tar sehingga ke depan pintu rumah. Tetapi hanya ditabur dengan batu dan pasir, tar pula entah ke mana. Lain pula ceritanya dengan seorang ahli Umno totok, yang rumahnya di sebelah masjid.<br />
<br />
Sehari sebelum mengundi, rumahnya cantik ditar setiap pelosok halaman. Yang seorang lagi bukan setakat rumah, hingga ke rumah-rumah sewanya juga siap ditar. Ibu tunggal diberi sepeket biskut marie, sekilo gula, dan sekilo tepung gandum dengan pesanan, “Kalau kau tak pangkah BN, semua bantuan ditarik balik.”<br />
<br />
Seorang rakan saya merupakan petugas SPR yang juga pengundi, terpaksa menggunakan undi pos. Yang hairan bin ajaibnya, borang yang ditulis nama dan kad pengenalannya diarahkan supaya dimasukkan sekali dengan kertas undi. Jadi sesiapa pun boleh tahu siapa yang undi siapa. Sudah teluskah SPR?<br />
<br />
Teringat saya dengan seorang pelakon kelahiran Merlimau yang juga penyokong BN totok. Mungkin sedang berlakon atau mungkin nak menunjuk pada anak-anak dara di sekeliling; dengan nada bongkak dia menjerit,<br />
<br />
“Lagi-lagi sebut Allah, asyik nak minta tolong pada Allah je, bukannya nak usaha!” Na’uzubillah… bukankah segala usaha kita juga atas kehendak Allah? Semoga dia sempat bertaubat dan semoga kampung Merlimau yang saya sayangi ini tidak dilanda musibah dan mala petaka.<br />
<br />
Banyak lagi kisah pilihanraya Dun Merlimau ini, tapi pada petugas-petugas jentera pilihanraya tentu sangat maklum. Merlimau merupakan kubu kuat BN, orang-orang Merlimau sangat setia kepada BN. Memang kami tidak meletakkan harapan yang tinggi untuk kemenangan PAS di sini.<br />
<br />
Tapi untuk PRU13, saya berharap sesuatu boleh dilakukan kerana kami, sebagai pengundi Dun Merlimau ini amat mengharapkan perubahan. Mohon ahli-ahli Pakatan Rakyat di sini menyusun strategi untuk menghadapi PRU13. Kita perlu lakukan sesuatu untuk mengubah mentaliti pengundi bagi menjamin perubahan di masa akan datang. Insya Allah, karat BN di Dun Merlimau ini akan terhakis akhirnya.<br />
<br />
Pengundi Dun Merlimau </div></span>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-74440238658423391942011-03-05T08:13:00.001-08:002011-03-05T08:13:37.900-08:00Saudi Arabia bans protest rallies<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">Interior ministry vows to use all steps "to prevent attempts to disrupt public order" following recent Shia protests.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">05 Mar 2011 15:15 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=201135143046557642" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=201135143046557642" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong>King Abdullah unveiled $37bn in benefits for citizens after returning from abroad last week</strong></span></span><strong></strong></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>Saudi Arabia has banned all protests and marches following recent anti-government protests in the kingdom’s east, reports say.<br />
State television on Saturday quoted the interior ministry as saying that security forces would use all measures to prevent any attempt to disrupt public order.<br />
The ban on public demonstrations comes amid media reports of a huge mobilisation of Saudi troops in Shia-dominated provinces in order to quell any possible uprising.<br />
According to <em>The Independent</em>, a British newspaper, 10,000 security personnel are being sent to the region by road, clogging highways into Dammam and other cities.<br />
<strong>Shia protests</strong><br />
A restive Shia population has staged a series of protests in the kingdom’s east in the past weeks. Their grievances range from lack of equal economic and employment opportunities to detentions without trial.<br />
On Saturday, small protests were held in the cities of Hofuf and Qatif.<br />
The government of Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy without an elected parliament that usually does not tolerate public dissent, denies any discrimination against the Shia community.<br />
The authorities, however, are increasingly on edge following the anti-governmnent protests sweeping across the Arab world.<br />
Last week, King Abdullah returned to Riyadh after a three-month medical absence and unveiled $37bn in benefits for citizens in an apparent bid to insulate the kingdom from protests.<br />
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</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-12974926005213613052011-03-04T15:16:00.001-08:002011-03-04T15:16:48.492-08:00Pakistan buries Christian leader<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td><div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"><div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">Prime minister attends funeral in Islamabad of government minister killed after calling for changes to blasphemy laws. </div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"></div><div id="dvByLine_Date"><span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">04 Mar 2011 15:45 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"><div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"><div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=201134134914166140" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"><div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8625918837892722419&postID=1297492600521361305" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"><div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"><div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=201134134914166140" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"></div></td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><b>Yusuf Raza Gilani, left, said 'I consider this day as a black day. All the minorities have lost a great leader' [AFP]</b></span></span><b></b></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>Pakistan has buried Shahbaz Bhatti, a prominent Christian government <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/03/20113271659294319.html">minister who was assassinated</a> after he called for changes to the country's blasphemy laws.<br />
Around 2,000 mourners attended the funeral at an Islamabad church on Friday, including Yusuf Raza Gilani, the prime minister.<br />
Angry crowd had shouted "death for killers" ahead of the burial of Bhatti who was the country's only Christian minister and had challenged a law that stipulates death for insulting Islam.<br />
The two gunmen who shot Bhatti, 42, left leaflets desribing him as a "Christian infidel" and signed "Taliban al-Qaeda Punjab".<br />
"In Islamic sharia, the sentence for blasphemers to the prophet is just death," the pamphlet said.<br />
Gilani said: "I consider this day as a black day. All the minorities have lost a great leader. I assure you, we will try our utmost to bring the culprits to justice."<br />
Pakistan's blasphemy law sanctions the death penalty for insulting Islam or the Prophet Mohammed.<br />
Human rights groups say the law has been used to persecute Christians and other minorities.<br />
Bhatti’s killing is being seen as the latest sign of how violent religious conservatism is becoming more mainstream in Pakistan, a trend which could further destabilise the nuclear-armed US ally.<br />
<b>Second assassination</b><br />
Bhatti's murder was the second high profile assassination this year of a politician opposing the blasphemy law.<br />
In January, Salman Taseer, <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/01/201115135528691282.html">a provincial governor, was shot dead</a> by one of his bodyguards.<br />
In a sign of mourning, black flags fluttered above houses in Khushpur, Bhatti's mainly Christian home village, 290 km south of Islamabad. Men, women and children thronged the village cemetery for the burial.<br />
"These terrorists must be hanged publicly to stop them from committing such brutal crimes," Hina Gill, a member of the Christian Minority Alliance, said. Many Muslims were also present at Bhatti’s burial.<br />
"Shahbaz Bhatti has tried hard to promote inter-faith harmony but those who want to destabilise Pakistan have killed him," said Badruddin Chaudhry, a Muslim attending the funeral.<br />
Bhatti was travelling in his official car without a security escort when the gunmen opened fire on him near his house in Islamabad. He died on the spot after sustaining at least eight bullet wounds.<br />
A Rehman Malik, the interior minister, denounced the killing but said Bhatti himself was to blame for his death. <br />
<br />
"I think it was his mistake," Rehman Malik said, adding that Bhatti wanted to keep a low profile. "It was his own decision."<br />
<b>Mosque explosion</b><br />
In a separate incident, a bomb exploded in a mosque in the northwestern Pakistani town of Nowshera, killing at least nine people and wounding over 30, police and hospital officials said.<br />
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><b>Today's explosion occurs a day after a suicide blast that killed ten people [Reuters]</b></span></span><b></b></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>The blast took place when food was being distributed to the poor after Friday prayers.<br />
"We have received nine dead bodies and 28 injured, there is one child among the dead," Abdul Hameed Afridi, head of the Lady Reading hospital in Peshawar, the main city in the region, told the AFP news agency.<br />
Adil Khan, a Nowshera police official, said: "Many people had left the mosque after prayers. Otherwise losses would have been higher."<br />
Witnesses described scenes of panic, with the mosque's windows and doors blown out by the strength of the explosion and blood sprayed on the building walls.<br />
"I was distributing rice among the devotees when suddenly a huge blast occurred and I remember seeing people running and falling in panic," Suleman Shah, a jeweller, said.<br />
The blast follows a suicide car bombing near Peshawar on Thursday which claimed ten lives.<br />
Pakistan has seen a wave of suicide attacks in the past three years, many in the country's northwest frontier region with Afghanistan, where the Pakistan military is battling Taliban fighters.<br />
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</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-64516081934438528562011-03-01T04:03:00.000-08:002011-03-01T04:03:05.378-08:00We are not the enemy<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">An Arab Jew argues for bridging East and West with peace and justice for all.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span class="byLine" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvByLine"> Jordan Elgrably</span><span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">28 Feb 2011 12:11 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=2011225144939129529" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=2011225144939129529" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong>Palestinians living under Israeli rule have the same desire to recover their human and civil rights as others protesting against oppression across the region [GALLO/GETTY]</strong></span></span><strong></strong></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>If I were in a position to deliver a message to the people of the Middle East, including Israelis, I would proudly declare myself an Arab Jew and remind everyone that Jews have been an integral part of the Middle East mosaic for millennia. We are not the enemy, and often we speak the same languages - Arabic, Farsi, Turkish etc. Our ancestors have lived in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Iran, Turkey and even Afghanistan for hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years.<br />
Today most Jews of Arab/Muslim lands live outside the region, or in Israel where we have experienced a history of discrimination from European-origin Jews who believe that their cultures are superior to ours.<br />
<br />
I would tell the people of the Middle East that not all Jews support the occupation policies of Israel’s military and government; and I would insist that the historic expulsions of Palestinians from their homes, businesses and properties in 1948 and 1967 were illegal, inhumane and did not occur with our knowledge or blessing.<br />
<br />
Yitzhak Rabin and other Israelis have admitted in Hebrew-language documents that there was a deliberate policy of expulsion or ethnic cleansing of Arabs from their homes. And the military policies of the state of Israel since 1967, combined with the extensive building of settlements, have undermined so-called peace processes where good faith efforts are required of all participating parties.<br />
The peoples of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, not to mention Bahrain and Yemen, are indeed in a historic period. They are rising up against autocracy and repression, against oppression by the state, calling for new freedoms.<br />
Palestinians under Israeli rule in the West Bank have the same desire to live freely, to escape the oppression of occupation and recover their human and civil rights. They have a right to enjoy their independence.<br />
<br />
The original UN Partition Plan of 1947 proposed a state for Palestinians and a state for Jews. This is the time when all Arabs and all Arab Jews who support peace, justice and democracy should speak out and say 'enough' to state oppression. Stop building settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, end the siege of Gaza, apologise to the Palestinian people for the historic wrongs Israel inflicted during the 1948 Nakbah and let us enter a new era of peace as equals who take responsibility for our actions.<br />
Israelis and Palestinians and all reasonable people around the world have understood that there is no military solution to the conflict. Violence will never solve anything.<br />
<br />
As a country, Israel should be integrated into the mosaic of the Middle East. It is time to end the conflict that began with the belief that Arabs and Jews are historic enemies. This was never true, yet decades of brainwashing have many Jews believing that Arabs and Muslims hate Israel because we are Jews.<br />
<br />
Instead, we should realise that Arabs/Muslims are like people everywhere, who want the same human rights that Americans enjoy. Those rights must extend to the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories and to Israel's Arab citizens.<br />
<br />
If Israel wants to preach peace, it should walk the walk - apologise for its wartime mistakes and missteps, compensate its victims and reform its military and occupation policies, as well as laws in Israel that discriminate against non-Jews.<br />
In other words, let us help Israel get on the same page as Americans who could never live under the kind of oppression Palestinians experience on a daily basis.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-71871989213820404282011-02-26T05:02:00.001-08:002011-02-26T05:02:40.265-08:00Profile: Muammar Gaddafi<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">Oil-rich Libya's eccentric leader has held the country in a tight grip since he led a bloodless coup in 1969.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">24 Feb 2011 22:01 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=201122117565923629" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=201122117565923629" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong>Gaddafi is known as much for his eccentric clothing and female bodyguards as for his repressive rule [EPA]</strong></span></span><strong></strong></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>In power since 1969, Libya's Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is the longest-serving leader in both Africa and the Arab world.<br />
He led a bloodless coup toppling King Idris at the age of 27, and has since maintained tight control of his oil-rich country by clamping down on dissidents. The ongoing bloody uprising poses the most serious domestic challenge to his rule.<br />
Among his many eccentricities, Gaddafi is known to sleep in a Bedouin tent guarded by dozens of female bodyguards on trips abroad.<br />
Gaddafi was born in 1942 in the coastal area of Sirte to nomadic parents. He went to Benghazi University to study geography, but dropped out to join the army.<br />
After seizing power, he laid out a pan-Arab, anti-imperialist philosophy, blended with aspects of Islam. While he permitted private control over small companies, the government controlled the larger ones.<br />
He was an admirer of the Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser and his Arab socialist and nationalist ideology.<br />
He tried without success to merge Libya, Egypt and Syria into a federation. A similar attempt to join Libya and Tunisia ended in acrimony.<br />
<strong>Crushing dissident</strong><br />
In 1977 he changed the country's name to the Great Socialist Popular Libyan Arab Jamahiriyah (State of the Masses) and allowed people to air their views at people's congresses.<br />
However, critics dismissed his leadership as a military dictatorship, accusing him of repressing civil society and ruthlessly crushing dissident.<br />
To this day, the media remains under strict government control.<br />
The regime has imprisoned hundreds of people for violating the law and sentenced some to death, according to Human Rights Watch.<br />
<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 33px;"><tbody>
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong>At the UN General Assembly in 2009, Gaddafi accused the body of being a terrorism group like al-Qaeda [EPA]</strong></span></span><strong></strong></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>"Gaddafi, gradually as he took power, he used force and he used brutality," Mohammed al-Abdalla, the deputy secretary-general of the National front for Salvation of Libya, tells Al Jazeera.<br />
"In the 1970s against students, when he publicly hung students who were marching, demonstrating, demanding rights in Benghazi and in Tripoli and many other squares, and his opposition members abroad in the 1980s, including here in London and other places in Europe and in in Arab Middle East.<br />
"He executed, in probably the most brutal massacre that we saw, 1,200 prisoners in the Abu Salim prison who were unarmed, They were already in jail, he executed them in less than three hours."<br />
Mohammed al-Abdalla, the deputy secretary-general of the National front for Salvation of Libya<br />
Gaddafi played a prominent role in organising Arab opposition to the 1978 Camp David peace agreement between Egypt and Israel.<br />
Later shunned by a number of Arab states on the basis of his extreme views on how to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict among others, Gaddafi's foreign policy shifted from an Arab focus to an African focus.<br />
His vision of a United States of Africa resulted in the foundation of the African Union.<br />
<strong>Lockerbie bombing</strong><br />
In the West, Gaddafi is strongly associated with "terrorism", accused of supporting armed groups including FARC in Colombia and the IRA in Northern Ireland.<br />
Libya’s alleged involvement in the 1986 bombing of a Berlin nightclub in which two American soldiers were killed prompted US air attacks on Tripoli and Benghazi, killing 35 Libyans, including Gaddafi’s adopted daughter. Ronald Reagan, the then US president, called him a "mad dog".<br />
The 1988 bombing of the Pan Am flight over Lockerbie in Scotland is possibly the most well known and controversial international incident in which Gaddafi has been involved.<br />
For many years, Gaddafi denied involvement, resulting in UN sanctions and Libya’s status as a pariah state. Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, a Libyan intelligence agent, was convicted for planting the bomb. Gaddafi's regime formally accepted responsibility for the attack in 2003 and paid compensation to the families of those who died.<br />
Also in 2003, Gaddafi broke Libya's isolation from the West by relinquishing his entire inventory of weapons of mass destruction.<br />
In September 2004, George Bush, the US president at the time, formally ended a US trade embargo as a result of Gaddafi's scrapping of the arms programme and taking responsibility for Lockerbie.<br />
The normalisation of relations with Western powers has allowed the Libyan economy to grow and the oil industry in particular has benefited.<br />
However, Gaddafi and Lockerbie came back into the spotlight in 2009, when al-Megrahi was released and returned to Libya. The hero’s welcome al-Megrahi received from Gaddafi on his return was condemned by the the US and the UK, among others.<br />
In September 2009, Gaddafi visited the US for the first time for his his first appearance at the UN General Assembly.<br />
His speech was supposed to be 15 minutes, but exceeded an hour and a half. He tore up a copy of the UN charter, accused the Security Council of being a terrorism body similar to al-Qaeda, and demanded $ 7.7 trillion in <span class="Apple" style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font: small 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">compensation to be paid to Africa from its past colonial rulers</span></span>.<br />
During a visit to Italy in August 2010, Gaddafi's invitation to hundreds of young women to convert to Islam overshadowed the two-day trip, which was intended to cement the growing ties between Tripoli and Rome.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-31194305001237573982011-02-26T03:36:00.001-08:002011-02-26T03:36:55.025-08:00Golan residents recall their Tahrir<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">Residents of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights celebrate their Arab identity as a form of resistance.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span class="byLine" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvByLine"> Mya Guarnieri</span><span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">25 Feb 2011 17:47 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=201122093915567148" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=201122093915567148" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="center"> <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong>Syrian residents of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights march to commemorate their 1982 uprising [GALLO/GETTY] </strong></span><br />
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</tbody> </table>Siham Monder was 14 when Syrian residents of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights took to the streets for a strike and protests that spanned six months of 1982.<br />
<br />
"Now I'm 43," Monder says. "And I remember that every day in that period there was a conflict with the [Israeli army]. There were more soldiers here than residents."<br />
<br />
While the Israeli military occupation of the Golan began after the 1967 war, the strike and protests started on February 14, 1982, two months after the Israeli knesset passed the Golan Heights Law, legislation that effectively annexed the territory.<br />
<br />
The Israeli move was condemned by both the US and the United Nations - the latter has issued multiple resolutions against the annexation - and it remains unrecognised by the international community.<br />
<br />
Here, in the Golan, the annexation was embodied by the army's effort to distribute blue Israeli identity cards. In 1982, some 15,000 soldiers came to deliver the IDs to Syrian residents, a group that numbered less than 10,000 at the time. <br />
<br />
"The people refused them. They were against it. They threw them in the [soldiers’] faces," Monder says, adding that the army often responded violently to the unarmed protesters.<br />
<br />
An elderly man recalls standing on his balcony and flinging the identity card into the street below, which was full of Israeli soldiers. Another resident adds that the roads were "blue" with all the refused IDs.<br />
<br />
Syrian residents were somewhat victorious - while the Israeli attempt to impose citizenship failed and residents were classified as permanent residents, their land remains occupied.<br />
<br />
Every year, on February 14, the Syrian residents gather in the village of Majdal Shams to mark their intifada. They meet by the statue of Sultan Al Atrash, the Druze leader who led revolts against both the Ottoman and French occupations. Waving Syrian flags as they make their way through the town, they sing of their home country and chant of liberation and freedom.<br />
<br />
Samir Ibrahim, a 48-year-old dentist, serves as an impromptu translator. "They’re saying, 'Zionists go away from here.'" <br />
<br />
This year, the Syrian residents of the Israeli-occupied Golan offer up messages of support to the Egyptians, Tunisians, and all of the Arab people who are struggling against oppression.<br />
<br />
"Today is not a sad day. It's the day that we refused [Israeli citizenship]. It's a Tahrir Square day for us," Ibrahim explains, referring to the square that served as the nerve centre of the Egyptian revolution.<br />
<br />
From doorways and balconies, elderly women shower the passing crowd with rice. <br />
<br />
<strong>'Born anew'</strong><br />
The march ends at Shouting Hill. Syria is on the other side of the steep valley. Standing under banners of Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, local leaders address the twin crowd that has gathered in Syria. Their words echo across the border. And messages of solidarity and support bounce back from their counterparts. <br />
<br />
Because the Israeli occupation has torn many of the area's households into two - some 120,000 Arabs were driven from their homes in the Golan during and after the 1967 war - families sometimes gather here on the weekends to talk with relatives on the other side. In the earliest days of the occupation, they shouted, hence the name Shouting Hill. Later on, they took to using bullhorns.<br />
<br />
Today some of the protesters hold binoculars. They scan the crowd in Syria, looking for their loved ones. <br />
<br />
Ibrahim's 18-year-old daughter is studying in Damascus. Because of Israeli movement restrictions, Ibrahim will not be able to see her until this summer. But she told her father that she would attend the rally today. Ibrahim cranes his neck, hoping to catch a glimpse of his child.<br />
<br />
"I talked to her this morning," he says. "She said she'd be wearing green."<br />
<br />
He cannot see her. And this day of celebration is tinged with sadness.<br />
<br />
Monder, who is a lawyer, remarks: "Family reunification is our right according to international law. The Geneva Convention says it's forbidden to injure the humanity [of an occupied people]. And it's part of our humanity to be in touch with our family."<br />
<br />
"People have died there [in Syria] and their parents can't go [to the funeral]," Monder says, adding that few homes in the Golan are untouched by this phenomenon.<br />
<br />
Families have been split in another way - hundreds of Syrian residents of the Golan have been political prisoners. <br />
<br />
Ibrahim points out a gentleman who did 25 years for resisting the occupation. Monder greets Amal Mahmoud, a woman who spent four years behind bars.<br />
<br />
"She's a heroine," Monder remarks, adding: "[Today's celebration] reinforces the hope that the day of liberation will come. Every February 14, we're born anew."<br />
<br />
<strong>Business as usual<br />
</strong>But the next morning, it is business as usual. Distribution trucks roll into the village, bringing Israeli-brand milk, sour cream and produce that the villagers made or grew before the occupation began.<br />
<br />
Since 1967, Syrian residents of the Golan have seen their lands illegally confiscated by Israel and used for Jewish settlements and wineries that, in violation of international law, profit from the occupation.<br />
<br />
According to Al Marsad Arab Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Golan, Jewish settlers are allocated five times more water than the area's Arab farmers. And Syrians in the Golan Heights pay more for water than Israelis.<br />
<br />
Their production strangled, the Syrian residents of the Golan have become a captive market. Some stores sell water from a local spring that has been bottled and sold by an Israeli company.<br />
<br />
Zaid Ouidat owns a small store within sight of the Al Atrash statue. Inside, the cooler is stocked with Israeli brands.<br />
<br />
"It's our land and [the Israelis] are holding it by force," he says. "They're not giving us the land to put goats and so we can't drink milk, we have no cows, nothing ... Someone comes to buy milk because they don't have any and where can they buy it?"<br />
<br />
"I think about this," Ouidat continues. "But what is there to do? There's no choice. If there was another way, I would import, but there isn't. What, I will bring it from Syria, from my people?"<br />
<br />
He gives a dry laugh.<br />
<br />
"This is Syrian land but no one can do anything about it," Ouidat says. "There are no options."<br />
<br />
<strong>Embattled Arab identity</strong><br />
Taiseer Maray is the general director of Jawlan, Golan for Development. Founded in 1991, it was created as another form of resistance to the Israeli occupation.<br />
<br />
In the 1990s, he explains, Syrian residents of the Golan "realised that we should do more than go to demonstrations, that [protesting] is not enough". And, despite the fact that Syrian residents pay higher taxes than their Jewish neighbours, they were receiving far fewer services from the state.<br />
<br />
Jawlan was created to address both of these issues. The organisation built a medical clinic and a school. It provides health services throughout the area and offers a wide variety of educational and cultural activities.<br />
<br />
One of the organisation's goals is to reinforce the youth’s identification with Syria.<br />
<br />
After annexation, Maray says: "[The Israelis] opened the gates from the other side and tried to use the opportunity to make us Israeli .... You feel it in the schools."<br />
<br />
Maray points out that the Israeli educational system only hires Arab teachers that keep their politics quiet. And, in these schools, Syrian residents of the Golan are taught that they are Druze, not Arab.<br />
<br />
While most of the Syrian residents are of the Druze religion, Maray emphasises that it is just that - a religion.<br />
<br />
"They are trying to make us feel like we are something different than the other Arabs," Maray says.<br />
<br />
"We study all the Zionist ideology, all the literature, Hebrew, the tanach," he continues, referring to the Hebrew bible.<br />
<br />
"They teach us Arab poetry and culture. But they don't teach us about the culture of resistance .... The people in the Golan Heights were very much involved in the revolt against the French."<br />
<br />
Maray, a biologist and father of two, admits that his own children have come home parroting things they have learned in Israeli schools. But the society, organisations and parents all work on their children to shore up their embattled Arab identity.<br />
<br />
Tharaa, an 18-year-old girl who asked that her family name be omitted, remarks: "Our parents know what it was like in Syria because they were there, before the war. But we learn at school that we're from Israel."<br />
<br />
Her friend Walida comments: "All the time we feel like we are undefined."<br />
<br />
"Unknown," Tharaa says. "Like a dog."<br />
<br />
"Yes, like a dog," Walida agrees.<br />
<br />
The girls fall into silence.<br />
<br />
Tharaa says: "We hope to be known."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-91224964802155199362011-02-26T00:52:00.001-08:002011-02-26T00:52:42.872-08:00The music of revolution<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">Singer Yusuf Islam talks about his latest song, which was inspired by the popular uprisings in the Arab world.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span class="byLine" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvByLine"> Riz Khan</span><span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">24 Feb 2011 09:43 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=201122484440953389" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=201122484440953389" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td class="DetailedSummary"> <br />
We speak with rock icon Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, about his latest song <em>My People</em> which is inspired by the popular uprisngs calling for freedom and change in the Arab world.<br />
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<tr> <td class="MostActiveDescBody SkyScrapperBoxes" valign="top"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> <div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/AJERizKhan" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Images/2010/10/11/20101011115623437580_9.jpg" /></a><a href="mailto:riz@aljazeera.net" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Images/2010/10/11/20101011115623437580_10.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/ajrizkhan" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Images/2010/10/11/2010101112200686580_8.jpg" /></a><br />
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</tbody> </table>The song was recorded in a studio close to the Berlin Wall which fell in 1989 paving the way for the unification of Germany and the collapse of communism in Europe.<br />
Islam, who gave the world timeless classics such as <em>Wild World</em>, <em>Morning Has Broken</em> and <em>Peace Train</em>, says his song is also intended to urge people in the Arab world to keep fighting for their rights.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-9599607250377495242011-02-23T09:31:00.001-08:002011-02-23T09:31:34.692-08:00Libya's lucrative ties<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">As world leaders condemn violence against protesters, what is at stake for Western nations with close ties to Gaddafi?</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span class="byLine" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvByLine"> Riz Khan</span><span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">22 Feb 2011 12:52 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=201122273958118658" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=201122273958118658" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td class="DetailedSummary"> <br />
Why did the UK government on Monday cancel eight arms export licences for Libya?<br />
This comes after a warning from a legal adviser to the UN Commission on Human Rights who suggested that Britain may be found guilty of "complicity" for the killings of protesters by Muammar Gaddafi's regime.<br />
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</tbody> </table>In the third quarter of 2010 alone, according to the Campaign Against Arms trade, the UK licensed over $6mn worth of ammunition to Libya, including sniper rifles and crowd control ammunition, which is suspected to have been used by the regime to suppress demonstrators.<br />
Although the UK has condemned the violent attacks on Libya's protesters, in the past it has turned a blind eye to the country's dubious human rights record for fear of risking lucrative oil, trade and arms deals.<br />
On Tuesday we examine the relationship between the two countries with Sir Richard Dalton, the former British ambassador to Libya; Dr. Mohamed al-Magariaf, the co-founder of the National Front for the Salvation of Libya; and Hafed al-Ghwell, a Libyan-American analyst</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-10015496890279346112011-02-23T09:29:00.001-08:002011-02-23T09:29:39.613-08:00The project for a new Arab century<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr id="trHeadline"><td class="articleTitle" valign="top"><span id="DetailedTitle">The project for a new Arab century </span> </td> </tr>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">The birth pangs of a new Middle East are being felt, but not in the way many outsiders envisioned.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span class="byLine" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvByLine"> Mohammed Khan</span><span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">22 Feb 2011 15:17 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=2011219122242386295" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=2011219122242386295" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong>One constituency the US has long ignored in the Arab world is the people [GALLO/GETTY]</strong></span></span><strong></strong></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>No sooner did former US president George W. Bush come into power in January 2001 than a much vaunted neo-conservative doctrine came into full swing, wreaking havoc across the Middle East. Throughout the eight years of the Bush presidency, the levers of power - the political, the economic, the scholarly and, importantly, the military - were all employed towards one ultimate goal: The project for the new American century.<br />
<br />
Bush's neo-con backers had prepared the manual for his presidency well before time. With their man in power, the greatest force of Western power since the Roman Empire set about changing the world in the name of neo-conservatism, to "promote American global leadership", we were told.<br />
<br />
At the receiving end of the mighty American military-industrial complex were the people of the Arab world. The basic premise was to utilise maximum US force, power and influence to create a new Middle East, one obedient to the interests and objectives of the US. The central focus was the preservation of the superiority of Israel and the utilisation of American hard-power to eliminate any threats posed to it. The benign undercurrent, we were told, was the need to spread democracy across the region. After all, democracies do not fight wars against one other.<br />
The scorecard of the Bush doctrine is there for all to see: "Shock and awe" was unleashed against Iraq in the pursuit of this project; the Palestinians in Gaza were collectively imprisoned for having the audacity to vote for Hamas; Lebanon was brutalised by Israel with the tacit backing of the US in an effort to destroy Hezbollah; Iran became the new public enemy number one (after Iraq had been dealt with of course); the Gulf states went along quietly arming themselves in the name of stability and North African dictators were given free rein to fight "Islamism" - also in the name of stability.<br />
<br />
With American hyper-power on full display over this period, there was little doubting the contention that in the realm of international relations, "the end of history" was indeed being reached in the absence of any challenger to the formidable US military might. "Liberty" to Arabs, it seemed, was being brought on the back of American battle tanks. The destruction wrought on the region over this period was apparently "the birth pangs" of a new Middle East.<br />
<strong>It's the people, stupid</strong><br />
How times change. The human and capital cost, however, of the Iraq adventure almost bled the US economy dry. The invasion became so bogged down that the political will to continue the war soon weakened. The thought of expanding the military adventure to other lands similarly evaporated. Post-Bush, the Americans were now left grappling with "soft-power", to persuade, to diplomatically engage with Arab/Iranian leaderships in order to resolve disputes. In the midst of this power play in the region, one constituency which the US had long ignored (and continues to ignore) is the people. <br />
<br />
Toppling disobedient leaders and oiling the wheels of pliant ones proved useful so long as the populations of these countries remained voiceless. As the people begin to find their voices, however, the Middle East as we have long known it is beginning to alter. Unfortunately for the decision-makers in the US (and their policy advisers and legions of "intellectual" think tanks) the dramatic changes are not in the direction that they had conceived.<br />
The catalyst for the political earthquake that we are currently witnessing was a massive popular uprising in Tunisia at the end of 2010. Emboldened by the overthrow of the brutal regime of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the people of Egypt then took to the streets demanding reform. In just 18 days, Egyptian civil society, which we had been told by regional "experts" either did not exist or was spineless, broke the shackles of oppression and overcame a dictator whose regime had become synonymous with abuse and corruption. Egypt had finally been released from 30 years of political imprisonment.<br />
<br />
That Hosni Mubarak continued to breed fear about the "chaos" that his removal would unleash and his foreign backers continued to maintain the need for "stability" and "orderly" change, showed the total lack of understanding on their part of the momentous changes that were being played out. The revolutionary bug has now spread across the wider region with people in Algeria, Yemen, Bahrain and Libya currently battling despotism, while leaderships in Jordan, Syria and Morocco (to name but a few) consider ways of preventing the tide of "people power" from sweeping their shores.<br />
<br />
<strong>'Islands of stability'</strong><br />
Consider for a moment the extent to which various US administrations have suffered from an ailment which, for wont of a better description, we will call "foot in mouth syndrome". The shah of Iran was an "island of stability" in the troubled Middle East, according to the then US president, Jimmy Carter. A short time after these illustrious words were spoken, Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was dethroned; Iran had witnessed an Islamic revolution and US policy in the country was found lacking. Around the time that Iran’s new Islamic leadership swept to power, Egypt too was undergoing change, this time in the form of the presidency of Hosni Mubarak who came to power in 1981 following his predecessor’s assassination.<br />
However, after almost 30 years of stern one-man rule, Egyptian civil society revolted against Mubarak’s despotism, seeking his ouster in January 2011, precisely a decade after Bush’s first inauguration. What were the very first utterances of the US administration under Barack Obama, as protesters gathered on Egypt’s streets? "Our assessment is that the Egyptian government is stable ..." said Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state. Her assessment, reminiscent of the meanderings about Iran, could not have been more wrong.<br />
<br />
The islands of stability that the US has traditionally favoured are not the same sort that the people of the Arab world have desired. While Iraq under Saddam Hussein was ripe for invasion and "democratic change", the hunger for reform on the part of populations in other parts of the region also subjected to Saddam-like repression was not felt by the US. Where the American military brought democracy to Iraq, the Arab people are now battling to bring democracy to themselves. Should we then be surprised that the neo-con intellectual machine that planned change in the Middle East under Bush is now largely silent? While their project has failed, a new Arab people’s project is beginning to blossom.<br />
If any clear evidence of US opposition to the people's wishes in the region were needed, the Obama administration willingly obliged on February 18. The UN Security Council (UNSC) held a vote to condemn Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank as illegal and to demand an immediate end to all such activity. Settlement building is a particular sore among Palestinians and the wider Arab population. While 14 out of the 15 UNSC members backed the resolution, the US issued its first veto under Obama, damning the Palestinian Territories to further Israeli expansionism - well in keeping with the American spirit of defying global opinion. The PR spin on the veto will no doubt attempt to portray the US measure as some sort of noble endeavour. The nobleness was certainly in Israel's favour.<br />
<br />
<strong>Moment in history<br />
</strong>When I was an undergraduate, the most fascinating, most closely scrutinised event that all students of the Middle East were exposed to was the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran. That was a truly momentous event. The repercussions for the Middle East were staggering. Political Islam came to the fore as an academic discipline. The political power play in the region shifted with alliances quickly emerging against Iran for fear that its brand of revolutionary zeal would spread. That revolution continues to captivate.<br />
<br />
More than 30 years later, however, the new crop of undergraduates will be evaluating perhaps an even more momentous event: That of February 11, 2011, when Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous nation, one at the core of the region’s political, economic and security affairs, defeated its very own despotism, rid itself of fear and raised expectations of a new era of political relations in the Middle East. Incidentally, Mubarak was forced out precisely 32 years from the day when the shah of Iran was deposed.<br />
<br />
While the people of Tunisia wrote the introduction to what we can call the unfolding "project for the new Arab century", the people of Egypt have just completed its defining first chapter. What conclusions can be drawn from these historic events is far too early to gauge. What is certain, however, is that many more chapters will be written before the political dust settles. Safe to say, nevertheless, that the birth pangs of a new Middle East are now definitely being felt, but not in ways that many outsiders imagined.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-81519879134221950992011-02-23T09:27:00.001-08:002011-02-23T09:27:41.356-08:00Gaddafi loses more Libyan cities<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">Protesters wrest control of more cities as unrest sweeps African nation despite Muammar Gaddafi's threat of crackdown.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">23 Feb 2011 15:13 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=2011223125256699145" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=2011223125256699145" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td class="DetailedSummary"> <br />
Muammar Gaddafi, Libya's long-standing ruler, has reportedly lost control of more cities as anti-government protests continue to sweep the African nation despite his threat of a brutal crackdown.<br />
Protesters in Misurata said on Wednesday they had wrested the western city from government control. In a statement on the internet, army officers stationed in the city pledged "total support for the protesters".<br />
The protesters also seemed to be in control of much of the country's east, and an Al Jazeera correspondent, reporting from the city of Tobruk, 140km from the Egyptian border, said there was no presence of security forces.<br />
"From what I've seen, I'd say the people of eastern Libya are the ones in control," Hoda Abdel-Hamid, our correspondent, said.<br />
She said there were no officials manning the border when the Al Jazeera team crossed into Libya.<br />
<strong>'People in charge'</strong><br />
"All along the border, we didn't see one policeman, we didn't see one soldier and people here told us they [security forces] have all fled or are in hiding and that the people are now in charge, meaning all the way from the border, Tobruk, and then all the way up to Benghazi.<br />
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</tbody> </table>"People tell me it's also quite calm in Bayda and Beghazi. They do say, however, that 'militias' are roaming around, especially at night. They describe them as African men, they say they speak French so they think they're from Chad."<br />
Major-General Suleiman Mahmoud, the commander of the armed forces in Tobruk, told Al Jazeera that the troops led by him had switched loyalties. "We are on the side of the people," he said.<br />
Benghazi, Libya's second largest city, was where people first rose up in revolt against Gaddafi's 41-year long rule more than a week ago. The rebellion has since spread to other cities despite heavy-handed attempts by security forces to quell the unrest.<br />
With authorities placing tight restrictions on the media, flow of news from Libya is at best patchy. But reports filtering out suggest at least 300 people have been killed in the violence.<br />
But Franco Frattini, the Italian foreign minister, said there were "credible' reports that at least 1,000 had died in the clampdown.<br />
<strong>Defiant Gaddafi</strong><br />
Amid the turmoil, a defiant Gaddafi has vowed to quash the uprising.<br />
He delivered a rambling speech on television on Tuesday night, declaring he would die a martyr in Libya, and threatening to purge opponents "house by house" and "inch by inch".<br />
He blamed the uprising in the country on "Islamists", and warned that an "Islamic emirate" has already been set up in Bayda and Derna, where he threatened the use of extreme force.<br />
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<tr> <td> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong> </strong><div class="twtr-widget" id="twtr-widget-1"><div class="twtr-doc" style="width: 250px;"> <div class="twtr-hd"><h3>Twitter Reaction</h3><h4>Libya Protests</h4></div><div class="twtr-bd"> <div class="twtr-timeline" style="height: 300px;"> <div class="twtr-tweets"> <div class="twtr-tweet" id="tweet-id-15" style="height: 111px; opacity: 1;"><div class="twtr-tweet-wrap"> <div class="twtr-avatar"> <div class="twtr-img"><a href="http://twitter.com/quailcrown" target="_blank"><img alt="quailcrown profile" src="http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/1242622183/codepink_peace_sign_normal.jpg" /></a></div></div><div class="twtr-tweet-text"> <a class="twtr-user" href="http://twitter.com/quailcrown" target="_blank">quailcrown</a> RT @<a class="twtr-atreply" href="http://twitter.com/parvezsharma" target="_blank">parvezsharma</a>: Hmm <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Iran" target="_blank">#Iran</a> President <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Ahmadinejad" target="_blank">#Ahmadinejad</a> condemns <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gaddafi" target="_blank">#Gaddafi</a> for using force against <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Libya" target="_blank">#Libya</a> civilians! <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gadafi" target="_blank">#Gadafi</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Benghazi" target="_blank">#Benghazi</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Feb17" target="_blank">#Feb17</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23mousavi" target="_blank">#mousavi</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Iranelection" target="_blank">#Iranelection</a> <em> <a class="twtr-timestamp" href="http://twitter.com/quailcrown/status/40462563124715520" target="_blank">5 minutes ago</a> · <a class="twtr-reply" href="http://twitter.com/?status=@quailcrown%20&in_reply_to_status_id=40462563124715520&in_reply_to=quailcrown" target="_blank">reply</a> </em> <br />
</div></div></div><div class=" twtr-new-results"><div class="twtr-results-inner"> </div><div class="twtr-results-hr"> </div><span> <strong>12</strong> new tweets</span></div><div class="twtr-tweet" id="tweet-id-14" style="height: 97px; opacity: 1;"><div class="twtr-tweet-wrap"> <div class="twtr-avatar"> <div class="twtr-img"><a href="http://twitter.com/BashedByDrunks" target="_blank"><img alt="BashedByDrunks profile" src="http://a2.twimg.com/sticky/default_profile_images/default_profile_1_normal.png" /></a></div></div><div class="twtr-tweet-text"> <a class="twtr-user" href="http://twitter.com/BashedByDrunks" target="_blank">BashedByDrunks</a> No question there - The <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Libya" target="_blank">#Libya</a> authorities (aka the @<a class="twtr-atreply" href="http://twitter.com/UN" target="_blank">UN</a>) are a bunch of murdering bastards.. <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23whitehouse" target="_blank">#whitehouse</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23obama" target="_blank">#obama</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23gaddafi" target="_blank">#gaddafi</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23epicfail" target="_blank">#epicfail</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23ICC" target="_blank">#ICC</a> <em> <a class="twtr-timestamp" href="http://twitter.com/BashedByDrunks/status/40462382107070460" target="_blank">5 minutes ago</a> · <a class="twtr-reply" href="http://twitter.com/?status=@BashedByDrunks%20&in_reply_to_status_id=40462382107070460&in_reply_to=BashedByDrunks" target="_blank">reply</a> </em> <br />
</div></div></div><div class="twtr-tweet" id="tweet-id-13" style="height: 82px; opacity: 1;"><div class="twtr-tweet-wrap"> <div class="twtr-avatar"> <div class="twtr-img"><a href="http://twitter.com/ibnkafka" target="_blank"><img alt="ibnkafka profile" src="http://a2.twimg.com/profile_images/1249250762/2693957-3810161_normal.jpg" /></a></div></div><div class="twtr-tweet-text"> <a class="twtr-user" href="http://twitter.com/ibnkafka" target="_blank">ibnkafka</a> RT @<a class="twtr-atreply" href="http://twitter.com/TruthWitness" target="_blank">TruthWitness</a>: Reports indicate that 70% of <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Libya" target="_blank">#Libya</a> has been liberated & is no longer under <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gaddafi" target="_blank">#Gaddafi</a> rule <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23feb17" target="_blank">#feb17</a> <em> <a class="twtr-timestamp" href="http://twitter.com/ibnkafka/status/40462385378639870" target="_blank">5 minutes ago</a> · <a class="twtr-reply" href="http://twitter.com/?status=@ibnkafka%20&in_reply_to_status_id=40462385378639870&in_reply_to=ibnkafka" target="_blank">reply</a> </em> <br />
</div></div></div><div class="twtr-tweet" id="tweet-id-12" style="height: 111px; opacity: 1;"><div class="twtr-tweet-wrap"> <div class="twtr-avatar"> <div class="twtr-img"><a href="http://twitter.com/Khalid_AlWazzan" target="_blank"><img alt="Khalid_AlWazzan profile" src="http://a2.twimg.com/profile_images/1248568472/Khalid_20Al-Wazzan_normal.jpg" /></a></div></div><div class="twtr-tweet-text"> <a class="twtr-user" href="http://twitter.com/Khalid_AlWazzan" target="_blank">Khalid_AlWazzan</a> RT @<a class="twtr-atreply" href="http://twitter.com/alarabiya_ar" target="_blank">alarabiya_ar</a>: الهوني للعربية: خطاب القذافي يؤكد أنه غير متزن ويجب عرضه على طبيب نفسي <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23alarabiya" target="_blank">#alarabiya</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Libya" target="_blank">#Libya</a> @<a class="twtr-atreply" href="http://twitter.com/libia" target="_blank">libia</a> @<a class="twtr-atreply" href="http://twitter.com/libyan" target="_blank">libyan</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23feb17" target="_blank">#feb17</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Feb17" target="_blank">#Feb17</a> @<a class="twtr-atreply" href="http://twitter.com/gaddafi" target="_blank">gaddafi</a> <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23gaddafi" target="_blank">#gaddafi</a> <em> <a class="twtr-timestamp" href="http://twitter.com/Khalid_AlWazzan/status/40462399727341570" target="_blank">5 minutes ago</a> · <a class="twtr-reply" href="http://twitter.com/?status=@Khalid_AlWazzan%20&in_reply_to_status_id=40462399727341570&in_reply_to=Khalid_AlWazzan" target="_blank">reply</a> </em> <br />
</div></div></div><div class="twtr-tweet" id="tweet-id-11" style="height: 111px; opacity: 1;"><div class="twtr-tweet-wrap"> <div class="twtr-avatar"> <div class="twtr-img"><a href="http://twitter.com/SalwalSaeed" target="_blank"><img alt="SalwalSaeed profile" src="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/1251891877/jan_23_050__2__normal.jpg" /></a></div></div><div class="twtr-tweet-text"> <a class="twtr-user" href="http://twitter.com/SalwalSaeed" target="_blank">SalwalSaeed</a> RT @<a class="twtr-atreply" href="http://twitter.com/bintlibya" target="_blank">bintlibya</a>: Seems like the <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Libya" target="_blank">#Libya</a> ambassador to the UAE is still siding with <a class="twtr-hashtag" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gaddafi" target="_blank">#Gaddafi</a> here's a number for whoever wants to call him +971504587811 :) <em> <a class="twtr-timestamp" href="http://twitter.com/SalwalSaeed/status/40462444237307900" target="_blank">5 minutes ago</a> · <a class="twtr-reply" href="http://twitter.com/?status=@SalwalSaeed%20&in_reply_to_status_id=40462444237307900&in_reply_to=SalwalSaeed" target="_blank">reply</a> </em> <br />
</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="twtr-ft"> <div><a href="http://twitter.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="http://widgets.twimg.com/i/widget-logo.png" /></a> <span><a class="twtr-join-conv" href="http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23Libya%20%23Gaddafi" style="color: white;" target="_blank">Join the conversation</a></span> </div></div></div></div><strong></strong></span><br />
</td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>He urged Libyans to take to the streets and show their support for their leader.<br />
Several hundred government loyalists heeded his call in Tripoli, the capital. on Wednesday, staging a pro-Gaddafi rally in the city's Green Square.<br />
Fresh gunfire was reported in the capital on Wednesday, after Gaddafi called on his supporters to take back the streets from anti-government protesters.<br />
But Gaddafi's speech has done little to stem the steady stream of defections from his side.<br />
Libyan diplomats across the world have either resigned in protest at the use of violence against citizens, or renounced Gaddafi's leadership, saying that they stand with the protesters.<br />
Late on Tuesday night, General Abdul-Fatah Younis, the country's interior minister, became the latest government official to stand down, saying that he was resigning to support what he termed as the "February 17 revolution".<br />
He urged the Libyan army to join the people and their "legitimate demands".<br />
On Wednesday, Youssef Sawani, a senior aide to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, one of Muammar Gaddafi's sons, resigned from his post "to express dismay against violence", Reuters reported.<br />
Earlier, Mustapha Abdeljalil, the country's justice minister, had resigned in protest at the "excessive use of violence" against protesters, and diplomat's at Libya's mission to the United Nations called on the Libyan army to help remove "the tyrant Muammar Gaddafi".<br />
A group of army officers has also issued a statement urging soldiers to "join the people" and remove Gaddafi from power.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-18999176506666658512011-02-23T06:26:00.001-08:002011-02-23T06:26:47.411-08:00Saudi king announces new benefits<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">King Abdullah announces $10.7 billion in pay raises, job creation and loan forgiveness schemes as he returns to country.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">23 Feb 2011 11:29 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=2011223105328424268" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=2011223105328424268" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong>King Abdullah was recovering in Morocco after receiving treatment in the United States for a herniated disk [AFP]</strong></span></span><strong></strong></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has announced a series of benefits for citizens amounting to $10.7 billion, as he returned to the country after he spent three months abroad for health treatment, state television reported.<br />
The steps, announced on Wednesday, include funding to offset high inflation and to aid young unemployed people and Saudi citizens studying abroad, as well the writing off some loans.<br />
The move comes as governments in the region scramble to deal with pro-democracy uprisings sparked by youth unemployment and political repression.<br />
As part of the Saudi scheme, state employees will see their incomes increase by 15 per cent, and additional cash has also been made available for housing loans.<br />
No political reforms were announced as part of the package, though the 86-year-old monarch did pardon some prisoners indicted in financial crimes.<br />
Abdullah was recovering in Morocco for four weeks, after <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/11/20101122132537957448.html" target="_blank">undergoing surgery in the United States </a>for a herniated disk which had caused blood accumulation around his spine.<br />
During the king's absence, his brother, Crown Prince Sultan, was in charge of the Kingdom. Sultan himself has also suffered from illness intermittently over the last two years, and has spent long time abroad.<br />
While analysts say that Saudi Arabia is unlikely to face the kind of <a class="InternalLink" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/spotlight/2011/02/2011222121213770475.html" target="_blank">popular protest movements </a>seen in countries such as Egypt, Tunisia or Libya due to its estimated $400 billion in oil reserves, the government is still being pressured to address high youth unemployment and extensive housing issues.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-66278254251417084552011-02-23T06:22:00.001-08:002011-02-23T06:22:24.101-08:00Is the West Bank next?<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">If Israel refuses to accept a viable peace deal, the revolt sweeping the Arab world will arrive in Palestine. </div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span class="byLine" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvByLine"> MJ Rosenberg</span><span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">22 Feb 2011 21:41 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=2011222211617377989" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=2011222211617377989" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expects the US to protect Israel from a Palestinian rebellion, writer says [EPA] </strong></span></span><strong></strong></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>If Binyamin Netanyahu's govenment, and its lobby in Washington, were rational they would be rushing to plan Israel's evacuation from the occupied territories, and encouraging the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.<br />
That is because they would understand that the Arab revolution will not stop at the gates of the West Bank, especially when it is the occupation that unites virtually all Arabs and Muslims in common fury.<br />
As for the Palestinians themselves, they are watching the revolutions with a combination of joy and humiliation. Other Arabs are freeing themselves from local tyrants while they remain under a foreign occupation that grows more onerous every day -particularly in East Jerusalem. While other Arabs revel in what they have accomplished, the Palestinians remain, and are regarded as, victims.<br />
It is not going to last. The Palestinians will revolt, just as the other Arabs have, and the occupation will end.<br />
But it is up to the Israelis to help decide how it will end (just as it was up to the Mubarak government and Egyptian army to decide whether the regime would go down in blood and flames or accept the inevitable).<br />
<strong>Gaza mistakes</strong><br />
For Israel, that means accepting the terms of the Arab League Initiative (incorporating United Nations Resolutions 242 and 338) and trade the occupied lands for full peace and normalisation of relations with the entire Arab world. Or it can hang on to an unsustainable status quo.<br />
They can wait for the eruption, thinking they can contain it and ignoring the fact that the weaponry they can use against any foreign invaders cannot be used against an occupied civilian population. That is especially true in the age of Al Jazeera and of Twitter, Facebook, and the rest.<br />
Right-wing Israelis and their lobby in Washington invariably respond to this argument by saying that it is impossible to leave the West Bank, pointing to the experience in Gaza. They withdrew only to have their own land beyond the border shelled by militants who seized control as Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) troops left for home.<br />
That is true and it might indeed happen again if the Israeli occupation is ended as a result of a popular uprising.<br />
But Gaza is only an applicable precedent if Israel leaves without negotiating the terms of its departure. Israel left Gaza when Palestinians made the price of staying too high. But, rather than negotiating its way out, Israel just left.<br />
<strong>Colonial mentality</strong><br />
In an act of colossal and typical arrogance Ariel Sharon, the former prime minister, withdrew unilaterally. Not only did he refuse to negotiate the terms of the withdrawal with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, Sharon refused even to give the Palestinian Authority (PA) advance notice of the day and time of their departure.<br />
Had they done so, the PA would have been in place to prevent the havoc that ensued. But they weren't. Sharon, utterly contemptuous of Palestinians, behaved as if Israel was 19th century Belgium and Palestine was the Congo. No consultations with the natives were even contemplated.<br />
The Israeli government would have to be absolutely out of its mind to allow a repeat of that experience. But that would likely happen if Israel is forced out rather than negotiating its way out.<br />
Fortunately, both the Israelis and the Palestinians already have worked out detailed plans to ensure mutual security following an Israeli withdrawal. In fact, the Palestinian Authority already utilizes those plans to maintain West Bank security and, with Israeli help, prevents attacks on Israel from territories its control.<br />
The same modalities would have to be worked out with the Hamas authorities in Gaza. Hamas has repeatedly said that it would accept the terms of any agreement with Israel worked out by the Palestinian Authority and approved by the Palestinian people in a referendum.<br />
What is Israel waiting for?<br />
Can it honestly look at the way the Middle East has evolved in 2011 and believe that the occupation can last forever? Can it have so little respect for Palestinians that it believes them incapable of doing what Egyptians, Libyans, and Tunisians have done?<br />
Or is it that Netanyahu simply counts on the United States to come to its assistance when the inevitable happens. That would be a big mistake. It is one thing for the United States to get pressured by the Israeli lobby into vetoing a resolution on settlements. It is quite another to think that anything the United States does can preserve the occupation.<br />
<strong>US protection</strong><br />
In fact, after last week’s votes, it is doubtful that the Palestinian people (other than a few big shots) even care what the United States thinks anymore.<br />
No, it is up to Israel to defend Israel. And that means ending the occupation, on terms worked out with the Palestinians, rather than allowing it to end in violence that could cross the border and threaten the survival of Israel itself.<br />
Why can’t Israel see that? Have the fanatics in the Israeli government (the settlers and the religious parties) decided that it better to have no Israel at all than an Israel without the West Bank and its settlements?<br />
Because that is how Israel is behaving: as if Ariel, Hebron, and Maale Adumim are worth more than Tel Aviv, Haifa, and the Jewish parts of Jerusalem.<br />
It’s a kind of insanity.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8625918837892722419.post-5172388640683311912011-02-22T14:40:00.001-08:002011-02-22T14:40:38.351-08:00Libya's falling tyrant<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<tr> <td> <div id="ctl00_cphBody_dvArticleInfoBlock"> <div class="articleSumm" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvSummary">Gaddafi reaps what he has sown during his four-decade rule: terror, nepotism, tribal politics and abuse of power.</div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5"> </div><div id="dvByLine_Date"> <span class="byLine" id="ctl00_cphBody_dvByLine"> Larbi Sadiki </span><span id="dvArticleDate"> Last Modified: <span id="ctl00_cphBody_lblDate">21 Feb 2011 23:03 GMT</span> </span> </div></div><div id="dvToolsList"> <div id="toolsEmail" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Email Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgSend2Friend" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsEmail.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/Send2Friend.aspx?GUID=201122120055942895" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpSend2Friend" target="_blank">Email Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsPrint" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Print Article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgPrintArticle" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsPrint.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpPrintArticle">Print Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsShare" style="float: left; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Share article" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgAddThis" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsShare.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php" target="_blank">Share Article</a></div></div><div id="toolsFeedback" style="float: right; width: 25%;"> <div style="float: left;"><img alt="Send Feedback" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_imgFeedback" src="http://english.aljazeera.net/Media/ver2/Images/toolsFeedback.gif" /></div><div style="float: left; height: 20px; padding: 6px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="indexSummaryText" href="http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/ArticleTools/SendFeedback.aspx?GUID=201122120055942895" id="ctl00_cphBody_ToolsList2_hpFeedback" target="_blank">Send Feedback</a></div></div></div><div class="Tmp_hSpace5" style="clear: both;"> </div></td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="center"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px;"><strong>Gaddafi, now facing a bloody uprising, has ruled oil-rich Libya with an iron fist since a coup in 1969 [Reuters]</strong></span></span><strong></strong></td> </tr>
</tbody> </table>Libya cannot escape the infection of democratic revolutionary wind blowing through the Middle East and North Africa. If longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi falls, it will be a sweet victory for the heirs of Omar al-Mokhtar, the legendary anti-fascist and anti-colonial hero. But a lot of blood will spill before the Libyan colonel abandons ship.<br />
After Iraq's Saddam Hussein and Tunisia's Ben Ali, Gaddafi is the worst of the Arabs’ surviving illegitimate rulers. He is now reaping what he has sown: terror, nepotism, tribal politics, and abuse of power.<br />
In Gaddafi’s Libya, the so-called People’s Congress, universities and other regime-affiliated organisations have had to toe the official line: worship of the "brother leader", read his Green Book, and the brand of Pan-Africanism that no Libyan except Gaddafi and his henchmen believed in.<br />
While visiting the country with a group of students from Exeter University, the hollow slogans of Gaddafi’s "Great Revolution" covered all public space. "Partners not salaried" one says. Another declares "People’s rule" (sultat al-sha’ab). Nothing could be further from the truth.<br />
Gaddafi has ruled the country with the delusion of grandeur of a man who rose to power in a 1969 coup with fairly acceptable political ideals that got corrupted and abandoned. Gaddafi’s much vaunted socialism turned into distribution in favour of the Colonel’s clansmen.<br />
<strong>Inner circle</strong><br />
An inner circle of Gaddafi’s confidants and close relatives decided and executed the hangings of the 1970s, relying on the fearsome and murderous "revolutionary committees".<br />
No recourse to the people was taken when decisions were made and carried out about war such as in Chad and elsewhere in Africa. The people could not openly complain about the money lavishly disbursed in the pursuit of Gaddafi’s foreign adventurism, including the sponsoring of terrorist organisations.<br />
Gaddafi’s regime has been linked to the 1972 Black September killings of Israeli athletes in Germany , the 1978 disappearance in Libya of Shia Imam Musa Al-Sadr, the 1984 murder of British police officer Yvonne Fletcher, the 1986 bombing of Berlin’s La Belle Discotheque, the 1987 arms vessel destined to the Irish Republican Army, and to the hijacking of Pan Am flight 73 in 1986 and the 1988 Pan Am flight 103 bombing. This does not exhaust the list.<br />
The US bombing of Tripoli and Benghazi in 1986 or the large amounts of monies paid by Gaddafi to compensate all kinds of claims against Libya have been some of the prices paid by Libyans for their leader’s miscalculation.<br />
The sanctions and pariah status have only been eased only in the past 10 years. Carrying the green Libyan passport has made Libyan citizens persona non grata in many parts of the world.<br />
Gaddafi’s narcissism was such that very few of his comrades in arms from the original Free Officers cohort that executed the 1969 coup against King Idris have survived his brutality.<br />
A few died in mysterious circumstances (Omar Limheshi; Imhammad al-Muqrif). Others withdrew from public life voluntarily (Abd al-Salam Jelloud).<br />
<strong>Act of public disavowal</strong><br />
Like Egypt, the uprising in Libya qualifies as an act of public disavowal of an existing regime. These are countries which had military revolutions and today are experiencing civil revolutions.<br />
Like Tunisia, but in a worse fashion, Libya has invested very little in social capital or civic capacity building. All organisations are committed to, and affiliated with, Gaddafi’s Great Revolution. Literally, these are cells that spy on the people or militias bribed to defend the regime. When protesters wave flags, chant pro-Gaddafi or anti-Western slogans, they do so on regime orders.<br />
Regardless, Libyans have not been passive. For instance, the Libyan League for Human Rights, the National Conference for the Libyan Opposition (NCLO), and the banned Islamists all have used the internet to express their anger. In some cases, Libyan dissidents used the Internet as a political tool before activists in other part of the Middle East. The NCLO met in London in 2006 and it may plan a role in reforming post-Gaddafi Libya.<br />
Attempts at removing Gaddafi began in the mid-1980s. The most famous was the May 1984 Bab Al-Aziziya Barracks coup when the National Front for the Salvation of Libya, made up of military and civilian dissidents, played a leading role.<br />
The most serious challenge against Gaddafi’s authority came from the most populous and powerful Libyan tribe, the Warfallah, in October 1993. The rebellion led to kangaroo trials in 1995. Many tribesmen were executed in 1997.<br />
The eastern region, Benghazi, has always been a source of dissidence against the regime. Dozens died in protests in 2006.The map of the current mutiny is both tribal and regional. Two tribes have withdrawn allegiance to Gaddafi's regime, thus settling old scores. Gaddafi is now paying the price for humiliating the Wirfallah tribe, which he has excluded from his favours since the mid-1990s. Similarly, the Tabu tribe in the country's southeast has suffered appalling discrimination.<br />
The misery belts of Libya are now leading the rebellion. Cities like Al-Baida, Derna, Ijdadia are all marginalised and are not beholden to Gaddafi, as they have not gained from his rule. Tripoli’s poorest suburbs, Zintan and Zawiya, which have come under heavy fire, are leading the rebellion in the capital.<br />
Why is the revolution that ousted Tunisia's Ben Ali proving to be infectious? The reasons can be summed up by the following factors: the presence of a Ben Ali-type hegemon; dynastic and nepotistic rot; monarchical republicanism; rampant corruption; the marginalisation of young people; human rights violations; information control and a police state.<br />
All of these conditions apply to Libya. The only good in Gaddafi’s Libya is the absence of elections, which spared the Gaddafi’s revolutionary committees the additional misdemeanour of rigging them.<br />
In addition to these factors, the eastern region, namely Benghazi, has been deprived of the dividends of petroleum. In a country with one of the longest stretches of coastline and high oil production, income and opportunity should be available to citizens. But this is has not been the case. Now, Gaddafi is reaping what he has sown.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Abu Hasan Chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010025076722989524noreply@blogger.com0