Erdogan, Turkey, ISIS, Russia and Syrian mess

After the downing of the Russian Jet when it violated the Turkish airspace, there seems to be a lot of cold war style propaganda against Turkey and its role in Syria. It seems there is a deliberate attempt to take down Turkey using the situation in Syria.

If a liberal and democratic Turkey goes down then it will empower groups like ISIS and create chaos in Middle East and surrounding regions including Europe. Erdogan is not perfect like any other leader of the world but it is stupid to think that he is in bed with ISIS even after ISIS killed hundreds in Ankara blasts. ISIS considers all democratic leaders and their voters as infidels and worthy of being killed including leaders in Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc so it will be really stupid for anyone to support a group which is committed to to kill you, takeover your countries and destroy your system. ISIS is a product of hatred and chaos created after 2003 Invasion, they have no ideological grounds except revenge, hatred and ignorance. They started as a splinter group of Al-Qaida and later joined by Saddam loyalists who were full of vengeance.

If NATO or Russian led alliance want to eliminate ISIS then they need to stop playing super power games in Syria like they played in Afghanistan which resulted in the creation of Al-Qaida type groups.

Before accusing others, Russia first needs to give answers about the downed Malaysian civilian jet and the way they are destabilizing Ukraine.

This whole Syrian game is fishy with no clarity of approach on how to tackle ISIS or Daesh. At the moment Pakistan and China both are doing the right thing by staying out of it despite their own allies pushing them into this mess.

Turkey made a mistake of jumping into this Syrian mess like Pakistan made by jumping into the Afghan mess. Now they are facing similar pressures to do more or accusations of being in bed with the terrorists like Pakistan was facing even after losing a lot of civilians and soldiers in this war.

Many Pakistanis seem to be falling for this game too, mainly due to sectarian or left/right political alignment. Instead of bringing sectarianism from the conflicts between a theocracy like Iran or a family dynasty like KSA, we need to go more towards liberal Muslim democracies like Turkey, Indonesia, Azerbaijan and I hope Pakistan will be in the same or better league too. Things are not perfect in these countries but they seem to go in the right direction with the establishment of democratic processes, strong opposition culture and strong media.

Unfortunately, even in 21st century, we are stuck with theocracies, dictators like Assad or Al-Sissi and backward monarchies.

Sheikh Hasina’s hate based nationalism and Imran Khan address in Pakistani assembly on Qader Molla issue

Recent reports of angry protests in Pakistan against a resolution in Pak assembly on Qader Molla’s judicial murder seems to have pissed off the tyrant Sheikh Hasina and her hyper nationalist supporters. According to reports, the angry protesters burned Pakistani flag, tried to enter embassy and even burned the effigies of PTI head Imran Khan.

It seems many Bangladeshis, mainly from Awami League support base, are so blind in their hatred that they cant even try to see the opinion of others on the issue. At least try to listen before acting like blind nationalists.

Link to Imran Khan’s speech in National Assembly on Qader Molla issue

Imran Khan in principle always opposed military operation of 1971 by Pak army. The resolution was mainly against the way they are conducting the trial in Bangladesh through kangaroo courts and using anti-Pakistan sentiments. If Sheikh Hasina wants to throw Bangladesh into a bloody civil war to promote her election campaign then its her issue and the issue of Bangladesh. No one is undermining the right of Bengladeshis to play politics. The only thing is that not everyone can remain silent on political murders of Muslims through unjust and fake trials. Most of the people who are criticizing Molla’s political murder,including Imran, also opposed military operation of 71 . Pak army did a lot of bad things in 71, the better way is to go for a fair trial which will also look into what Mukti Bahni did with non Bangladesh supporters in 71.

It seems Bangladeshis are stuck into the past and their government is trying to cover up their failures by using anti Pakistan sentiments. There are bad things which happened in the past, the options are either to remain stuck in them or to move on like Nelson Mandela and South Africa did. It seems Sheikh Hasina wants BD to remain stuck in the bad past so that she can control their minds through hate.

Also try to see what non Pakistani key Muslim leaders like Turkey’s PM Erdogan are saying:

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-333932-erdogan-calls-execution-of-bangladeshi-opposition-leader-a-historic-mistake.html

Middle East control freaks and their collusion against Morsi

The regional control freaks like Saudi/UAE Monarchies, Iranian Theocracy, Israeli Apartheid regime and Syrian Dictatorship felt threatened by the rise of Muslim Brotherhood in the region. It is interesting to see that these have their own conflicting interests but rise of a genuine movement was their common target.

These forces are in conflict with each other in Syria, Palestine and other parts of the region but for a rising democracy of middle east under the leadership an elected president Morsi, they decided to directly or indirectly collude with each other.

This shows big challenges for pro-democracy forces in the region especially if they belong to Islamic movements.

We wish best of luck to people who are opposing a military coup. For those who think that the anti-Morsi crowd in Tahrir square exercised their democratic right by demanding a coup and their large number provides moral justification of the coup. My question is: What about the millions who voted for him? It means anyone who can gather a big crowd on nations capital can practically impose their will on people living in other parts of the country. Egyptians will soon realize where they are heading and what fraud happened with them. The victory they achieved 2 years ago is lost as the control is in the hands of same forces now (just different faces). They should have waited for 3 years for next elections instead of calling military or accepting military coup.What about the millions who voted for him? It means anyone who can gather a big crowd on nations capital can practically impose their will on people living in other parts of the country. Egyptians will soon realize where they are heading and what fraud happened with them.

The victory pro-democracy and pro-freedom people achieved 2 years ago is lost as the control is in the hands of same forces now (just different faces). The fascist crowd should have waited for 3 years for next elections instead of calling military or accepting military coup.

Pakistan Elections 2013:Vote for Change, Vote for PTI and Vote for Bat!

Some random comments on these elections

Need Change: Zardari and Nawaz Sharif are two big symbols of this political system. People need tos ee who is sticking with them as allies and who is taking a stand against them. People need to come out for a change and vote for Naya Pakistan and Vote4PTI. Reject these NRO and IJI-2(10 Party alliance) gangs.

People standing up above their prejudices: I am glad that some of my strongly religious friends who belonged to Shia sect are now not following Sajid Naqvi and others who are supporting PPP and MQM but they are now supporting PTI. Similarly some of my Deobandi friends have stopped blindly following their brand of sectarianism and instead of following Fazl ur Rehman type, they will now give votes to PTI. Similar is the case with some Barelvi friends. This is change as its not just feudalism and extortion mafias which are exploiting people. These fake fatwa factories are also exploiting the sectarian diversity and using it to strengthen their political and financial positions. In sha Allah PTI will get the chance and deliver good for the people and the country.

For Karachi: If someone can solve two major issues of Karach then its IK only. Two major problems of Karachi are:

a) Bring peace
b) Local bodies elections and decentralization of power

Military operations by PPP and PMLN governments were the reasons behind the start of ethnic violence as it provided more sympathies to MQM. ANP,PPP and MQM are major responsible of recent mess in Karachi. PMLN was ally of PPP in center when PPP took power in 2008 and they remained allies for a long time in Punjab. Bot PPP and PMLN avoided local bodies elections in last 5 years so one can get the idea what Karachiites should do?

MQM and JI are not major parties and they only work as proxies of PPP and PMLN respectively. PTI will be in a position to take independent position on the issues.

For IK haters: The thing is simple, whatever IK does and whatever social class background he has, he stands up above his social class prejudices of Mr/Mullah, Shia/Sunni,Muslim/Non-muslim or ethnic ones and supports justice and prosperity for all. This thing is lacking in so called religious and so called liberals of Pakistan a lot.

Comment on IK’s speech in grand finale of PTI 2013 election campaign:  I am glad that Imran Khan thanked people from all school of thoughts for praying for his health. Apart from many other reasons, I support Imran Khan mainly because he stands up above from his sectarian and social class prejudices and works for justice for all whether shia or sunni, whether muslim or non-muslim, mr or mullah, poor or rich and treats them like human beings. This is something which is lacking in fake liberal and fake religious parties.
My vote is for Justice and My vote is for BAT!

It seems all this anger is not just about a rubbish movie

It seems many people have found their way of releasing frustration, from this fake war, unemployment, electricity crisis, corruption and many many other issues, by damaging public and private property in the name of their love of Prophet (S.A.W). If these idiots want to show their anger on other issues then they should not use the name of Islam of Prophet (S.A.W) and if it is about Islam then this type of violence, attacks on embassies/diplomats and damage to civilian property is not taught by Islam.

Attacks on ambassadors and diplomats are not allowed. Even the ambassadors of worst enemies of Prophet (S.A.W) were not harmed by Prophet (S.A.W) or Sahaba (R.A). What sort of love of Prophet (S.A.W) that people are clearly violating his teachings in the name of the religion he preached. If people have issues with war or foreign policies then they shouldn’t do it at least in the name of religion or the love of Prophet (S.A.W). Even in the war case, Islam doesn’t allow attacks on diplomats.

It seems all this anger is not just about a rubbish movie but the movie has worked like a spark to ignite the fuel. We should not let these morons who made such films to do things which are against Islam and the teachings of Prophet (S.A.W) and that too in the name of Islam.

Recent reports of violence from all over the Muslims world and today in Pakistan on the day of Yaum e Ishq e Rasool (S.A.W) are not very helpful in spreading the right message of Islam. The way people are protesting, it seems they are more interested in looting and plundering the wealth of others than showing any love for the Prophet (S.A.W). I condemn such violence in the name of religion especially in the name of a religion which doesn’t allow such actions.

Another pseudo liberal method: Using sectarian violence in Pakistan issue to downplay Syrian and Burma situation.

Another pseudo liberal method: Using sectarian violence in Pakistan issue to downplay Syrian and Burma situation.
My view : Sectarian violence is a result of unjust policies and war crimes committed by sectarian and social class fascists sitting in so called Pak army and government. People who oppose this war, which has been given sectarian and social-class clash direction, are opposing this war do it for many reasons and one of the main reasons is that this war is promoting sectarian violence.

The people who use sectarian violence issue to undermine Syrian and Burma situation are mostly those who support this fake war on terror. In other words those who oppose this war on terror, Bashar al Assad in Syria and Burma Muslim massacre are those who oppose killings of innocent people whether in drones, military operations or resulting violence/suicide attacks. This policy of only opposing resulting violence and not drones/military operations/Burma killings/Bashar al Assad violence shows that these sectarian and social-class fascists don’t consider others as human beings and only support the human rights of those who they think are humans based on their sectarian and social-class prejudices.

 

Burmese Muslims under threat of extinction–> A thought proviking article by Tariq A. Al-Maeena of Saudi Gazette

We have been hearing some news about the massacre of Muslim minority community going on Burma but due to restrictions on media, not much is coming out. There have been some fake images circulating in the social media but that doesn’t make the real issue fake. Tariq A. Al-Maeena has tried to put some light in his article written for Saudi Gazette.

———————————————————————————————
Burmese Muslims under threat of extinction

Source : www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20120718130312

Tariq A. Al-Maeena

While most of the media’s attention is focused on Syria, the state of the euro or the US presidential elections, very little is being said about state sponsored ethnic cleansing in Myanmar or Burma.  Perhaps it is because the unfortunate victims happen to be Muslims and there are no strategic gains to be garnered by allying with them.

Ten Burmese Muslims on their way to a spiritual place of worship last month were attacked by a large number of Rakhine Buddhists who butchered and killed them with knives.  Five others escaped.  One man from the village where the attack took place said a mob of ethnic Rakhines set upon the bus carrying the pilgrims and carried out the massacre.

“More than a hundred people beat and killed those people. The residents even torched the bus,” he said, adding that the police arrived but were unable to control the baying crowd. “There are not many people at the scene now, only dead bodies on the road. The senior town residents are trying to comfort the people,” the man added.  The Rakhine Buddhists are also threatening Muslims from the other towns of Rakhine state with the same fate.

There was a lot of fanfare and noise by the West on the repressions by the military regime against its people.  The pressure by Western governments intensified in the form of sanctions against the regime which resulted in the generals allowing a small amount of democracy to creep in.

This also brought notable Burmese activists working for democracy such as Aung San Suu Kyi to the front pages and television screens and calls for the continued democratization of the country.  Amidst this fanfare of publicity, the plight of the minority Muslims somehow failed to attract any headlines or generate any sanctions.

A government statement following the massacre of the Muslims last month which was published in the New Light of Myanmar added more fuel to the burning embers when it warned against “anarchic and lawless” acts, but referred to the victims as “kalar” (blackie), a racial slur used for persons of Indian appearance.

Dozens of people marched in Yangon to protest growing anti-Muslim violence and accused the government of stoking the flames of sectarian tensions. Political leaders and civil society groups appealed for calm and called on the government to issue an apology.

“The newspapers should not stoke this conflict. Are they trying to suggest that one race is more violent than another?” said an MP from the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party.  The state media has since issued a retraction for the use of racially offensive language in its official appeal for calm and urged readers to refer to the victims as “Islamic residents”.

In the past, the Nobel Prize winner and democratic icon Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy have gone to great lengths to avoid discussing the country’s Muslim minority, especially the Rohingyas, for fear of alienating many of their supporters. But following the brutal slayings, which was one more chapter of targeted violence against the Muslim minority, she was compelled to speak out.

Finally breaking her silence, she joined the fray in the debate by calling for the perpetrators to be held to account in accordance with the rule of law. She added that “the majority of the people in a society should have sympathy for the minority.”

“Maybe some people would not like me saying this but I have to say what I must say regardless of whether they like it or not. When you are the majority in a society, then you are the strong party. If you are strong then you must be generous and sympathetic. I would like to see all people in Burma get along with each other regardless of their religion and ethnicity.”

This pattern of violence against the Muslim minority should be brought to light.  The safety and security of all minorities in any society must be guaranteed.

World governments and international human rights organizations that were so focused on the democratization of the Burmese in the past must now focus their attention on saving one of the country’s minorities in the present.

— The author can be reached at talmaeena@aol.com

Myanmar raises death toll from clashes –>Disturbing news from Myanmar

It is not unexpected to see tyranny in a country ruled by dictators. But situation in Myanmar is getting worse day by day. Muslim minority in Myanmar are suffering badly from certain groups fueling racism and religion base riots. Human rights associations and justice loving people should raise their voice on the worsening situation in Myanmar.

Myanmar raises death toll from clashes

State media says 50 people killed and thousands more displaced by clashes between Rakhine Budhists and Rohingya Muslims.

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2012/06/201261692224258958.html

Myanmar’s state media says the death toll has gone up to 50 in ethnic clashes in the western state of Rakhine, as the UN warned of “immense hardship” faced by thousands displaced by rioting.

The New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Saturday that 54 other people were injured and 2,230 houses and buildings were destroyed by fire during the clashes between Rakhine Budhists and Rohingya Muslims.

The report did not say whether the updated toll included 10 Muslims beaten to death on June 3 by a Buddhist mob in apparent revenge for the rape and murder of a Rakhine woman, which sparked the violence.

The violence was a result of long-standing tensions between the ethnic Rakhine community and the minority Rohingya, whom many Rakhines regard as illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.

The Rohingya say they have lived in the region for decades.

A senior state official said on Thursday that 29 people had been killed, but rights groups and other local sources believe the real figure could be much higher, as there was hardly any information from the remote villages.

Despite the apparent cessation of violence, the area still faces a humanitarian crisis because of the numbers of displaced people.

Thousands displaced

Nearly 32,000 people from both sides are being housed in camps across Rakhine, officials in the capital, Sittwe said on Thursday, after thousands of homes were set ablaze.

Unknown numbers of Rohingya have also tried to flee to Bangladesh, but the authorities there have barred their entry.

A UN team witnessed the devastation on a two-day visit to the region, saying that about 10,000 displaced people, both Rakhine and Rohingya, were sheltering in Sittwe alone.

Pledging help for the affected area, UN special adviser Vijay Nambiar praised the government for its “prompt, firm and sensitive” response to the clashes but urged a “full, impartial and credible” probe into the unrest.

Sittwe, a port city and the region’s main urban centre, was calm for the fourth straight day, though many shops and markets remained closed and people were still fearful of further arson attacks.

Soldiers were sent to help quell the violence and when the situation spread to Sittwe, President Thein Sein declared a state of emergency, giving the military full administrative powers to keep order.

Myanmar’s government doesn’t consider the country’s about 800,000 Rohingya Muslims as citizens, thereby rendering them stateless and unable to access to education, health and social security.

———————————————————–

 

 

Forced Conversion News–>Further Development

Few days ago I shared a news from UN website regarding forced conversion. Here is the other side of the story. Case is in Sind High Court, hopefully there will be a fair decision

Source :http://tribune.com.pk/story/347239/forced-conversion-teen-insists-she-converted-of-own-free-will/

‘Forced conversion’: Teen insists she converted of own free will‘

by Sarfaraz Memon (Express Tribune)

SUKKUR: Faryal Shah (Rinkle Kumari) appeared before the media on Thursday and made it clear that she had not been kidnapped and had not been forced to convert to Islam and marry Naveed Shah.

Faryal said that she had converted to Islam and had married Naveed Shah of her own free will, and that nobody had pressurised her into this. Reading out the Kalma-e-Tayyaba, Faryal said she was a Muslim girl and therefore had nothing to do with her parents.

Faryal (Rinkle Kumari) and her husband Naveed Shah were produced in front of the Sindh High Court (SHC) Sukker bench on Thursday morning amid tight security.

The couple was escorted by SSP Ghotki Pir Mohammad Shah along with a heavy contingent of police. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Mian Abdul Haq of Bharchoondi Sharif, his son Mian Mohammad Aslam and a large number of their followers were also present.

The couple through their lawyer, Achar Gabole, had filed a constitutional petition stating that their lives were under threat from the relatives of the girl, who had been issuing threats of dire consequences.

Answering a question on threats to their lives, she said, “Our lives are under threat from my maternal uncle Raj Kumar”. She once again made it clear that she was a Muslim and wanted to live with her husband Naveed Shah.

Advocate Mohammad Murad Lund, who was representing Faryal’s grandfather Manohar Lal, told The Express Tribune that the single bench comprising of Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh without recording the statement of the girl had ordered SSP Ghotki to provide protection to the couple and ensure that they are produced before the SHC chief justice in Karachi on March 12.

Advocate Mohammad Murad Lund kept on insisting that, the girl was under pressure due to the presence of a large number of Bharchoondi Sharif followers. He said everything will become “crystal clear” in Karachi, as the girl would be able to record her statement in a tension free atmosphere.

Mian Mohammad Aslam of Bharchoondi Sharif said that everyone had seen that Faryal was neither under pressure and had not said a word against the Pirs. “Rather she gave a statement against her own maternal uncle who is threatening to kill her.”

He said his father, PPP MNA Mian Abdul Haq had also come to the court because the girl’s parents had requested that they wanted to meet their daughter, but they didn’t come to see her.

Aslam said when the couple had come to Dargah Bharchoondi Sharif on February 24, Faryal had spoken to her parents on his instructions and had told them that she had come there to convert to Islam and marry Naveed Shah.

“I personally requested them to come over and meet their daughter to see for themselves that she was not under pressure, but they didn’t’ come,” Mian Aslam said.

He once again said that neither Islam nor the law of the land allowed forced conversion.

A disturbing news on forced conversion—>Sind girl forced to convert and marry the kidnapper

This seems really pathetic. there is no room for these type of actions neither in constitution nor in Islam. forceful conversion is not allowed and directly against Quran. I think human rights organizations especially some of rich or political class hindu community member can raise the issue in high court or supreme court or  even in Sharia Court as it is a direct violation of Islamic law as well. Only conversion allowed is voluntary conversion by heart. Also I believe Islamic organizations can help in this as it is a direct insult and misuse of Islam.

The incident is of Sind. I believe there are four major crimes on which Pakistan Civil Society and Courts should look at :

1) Abduction of a minor girl

2) Forced Conversion

3) Marriage and perhaps Forced Sex (Rape)

4) Misuse of Islam and damaging Islam’s image

I hope some action will be  taken by Civil Society, Religious  and Political Parties, Media and Courts.

—————————————————————————————–

PAKISTAN: Abducted and forced into a Muslim marriage(IRIN ASIA)

Source : http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=94969#.T0wby1N0pvY.facebook

KARACHI, 27 February 2012 (IRIN) – Sixteen-year-old Ameena Ahmed*, now living in the town of Rahim Yar Khan in Pakistan’s Punjab Province, does not always respond when her mother-in-law calls out to her.
“Even after a year of `marriage’ I am not used to my new name. I was called Radha before,” she told IRIN on a rare occasion when she was allowed to go to the corner shop on her own to buy vegetables.
Ameena, or Radha as she still calls herself, was abducted from Karachi about 13 months ago by a group of young men who offered her ice-cream and a ride in their car. Before she knew what was happening, she was dragged into a larger van, and driven to an area she did not know.
She was then pressured into signing forms which she later found meant she was married to Ahmed Salim, 25; she was converted to a Muslim after being asked to recite some verses in front of a cleric. She was obliged to wear a veil. Seven months ago, Ameena, who has not seen her parents or three siblings since then and “misses them a lot”, moved with her new family to southern Punjab.
“The abduction and kidnapping of Hindu girls is becoming more and more common,” Amarnath Motumal, a lawyer and leader of Karachi’s Hindu community, told IRIN. “This trend has been growing over the past four or five years, and it is getting worse day by day.”
He said there were at least 15-20 forced abductions and conversions of young girls from Karachi each month, mainly from the multi-ethnic Lyari area. The fact that more and more people were moving to Karachi from the interior of Sindh Province added to the dangers, as there were now more Hindus in Karachi, he said.
“They come to search for better schooling, for work and to escape growing extremism,” said Motumal who believes Muslim religious schools are involved in the conversion business.
“Hindus are non-believers. They believe in many gods, not one, and are heretics. So they should be converted,” said Abdul Mannan, 20, a Muslim student. He said he would be willing to marry a Hindu girl, if asked to by his teachers, “because conversions brought big rewards from Allah [God]. But later I will marry a `real’ Muslim girl as my second wife,” he said.
According to local law, a Muslim man can take more than one wife, but rights activists argue that the law infringes the rights of women and needs to be altered.
Motumal says Hindu organizations are concerned only with the “forced conversion” of girls under 18. “Adult women are of course free to choose,” he said.

“Lured away”
Sunil Sushmt, 40, who lives in a village close to the city of Mirpurkhas in central Sindh Province, said his 14-year-old daughter was “lured away” by an older neighbour and, her parents believe, forcibly converted after marriage to a Muslim. “She was a child. What choice did she have?” her father asked. He said her mother still cries for her “almost daily” a year after the event.

Sushmat is also concerned about how his daughter is being treated. “We know many converts are treated like slaves, not wives,” he said.
According to official figures, Hindus based mainly in Sindh make up 2 percent of Pakistan’s total population of 165 million. “We believe this figure could be higher,” Motumal said.

According to media reports, a growing number of Hindus have been fleeing Pakistan, mainly for neighbouring India. The kidnapping of girls and other forms of persecution is a factor in this, according to those who have decided not to stay in the country any longer.
“My family has lived in Sindh for generations,” Parvati Devi, 70, told IRIN. “But now I worry for the future of my granddaughters and their children. Maybe we too should leave,” she said. “The entire family is seriously considering this.”
*not her real name