POLICE DISPERSE TAHRIR IN CITY

Police have foiled a procession brought out by Hizb ut-Tahrir, a banned Islamist outfit, in the city. Witnesses said they took out the procession around 12 :15 pm on Tuesday in front of Kadam Foara, close to the National Press Club. Police chased the Tahrir men and broke up the procession, officer in- charge of Shahbagh Police Station Rezaul Karim told bdnews24. com. He confirmed the arrest of at least one activist of the Islamist group.

Volte Face ?

In a dramatic volte face, the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, on June 7, 2011, declared that she wished to keep Islam as the ‘State Religion’, thus preserving the illegal changes made to the Constitution in 2007 by the Provisional Government led by Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed. The announcement was in complete contrast to the ruling Awami League’s (AL) declared pro-secular approach. Hasina, who also leads the AL, appears to be targeting the support of some radical Muslim formations in a replay of her last tenure, 1996-2001. The present posture suggests that the Hasina Government may increasingly incline to the use of Islam for political maneuver. Meanwhile, the Dhaka High Court, on June 8, asked the Government to explain the legality of its standpoint on the status of Islam as the ‘State Religion’.

The instrumentalisation of Islam to secure political legitimacy began in Bangladesh after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975. The successor President and Chief Martial Law Administrator, General Zia-ur-Rahman, passed a Presidential decree in 1977, removing the principle of secularism from the Preamble of the Constitution and, instead, inserted the infamous Fifth Amendment declaring "absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah". Further, in 1988, Islam was given the status of ‘State Religion’ through the Eighth Amendment by the even more zealous military regime of H. M. Ershad – Rahman’s successor.

The ongoing controversy regarding the status of Islam and its legality as the 'State Religion' came to the forefront after the General Elections that restored Hasina to power in January 2009. Her Government immediately focused attention on the challenge of tackling religious extremism and terrorism. At that time, the AL Government had made it clear that it would re-introduce the original ‘Four State Principles’ – democracy, nationalism, secularism and socialism.

Meanwhile, on January 3, 2010, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court lifted a four year stay against a ban on ‘the abuse of religion for political purposes’. By lifting the stay, the Supreme Court approved the August 29, 2005, judgment of a three judge Bench, led by Justice A. B. M. Khairul Haque, which declared the Fifth Amendment illegal. The Bench also defined the meaning of secularism as religious tolerance and religious freedom. Subsequently, on February 20, 2010, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed stated, "Now we don't have any bar to return to the four state principles of democracy, nationalism, secularism and socialism, as had been heralded in the 1972 statute of the State”.

Finally, the 184-page judgment of the Supreme Court was issued on July 28, 2010. The apex Court got rid of the bulk of the Fifth Amendment, including provisions that had allowed religious political parties to prosper, or that legitimized military dictatorship. The verdict further dubbed such parties as extra-constitutional adventurers and suggested "suitable punishment" for those who installed military regimes and imposed martial laws. The simultaneous trial of 1971 War Crimes and the arrest of prominent leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) on such charges further heated up the debate on the role of Islamic parties in the political arena.

At that juncture, it appeared that the Hasina Government was determined to take on the radical Islamic groups – both militant outfits and political parties. On March 16, 2009, Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder placed a report that identified 12 ‘militant’ outfits – the Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B), Hizb-ut-Tawhid, Ulama Anjuman al Bainat, Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Islami Democratic Party, Islami Samaj, Touhid Trust, Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), Shahadat-e-al-Hikma Party Bangladesh, Tamir-ud-Deen (Hizb-e-Abu Omar) and Allahr Dal. The Government has so far banned four Islamist militant groups – the JMB, HuJI-B, JMJB and Shahadat-e-al-Hikma. The main targets of the law enforcers, however, were the party activists and cadres of five main groups – Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS, youth wing of the JeI)), JMB, HuJI-B, Hizb-ut-Tahrir and Hizb-ut-Tawhid. 

The Institute for Conflict Management database indicates quick follow-up action to arrest leaders and cadres of these militant formations. The numbers do not, however, include mass arrests that are common during political rallies, protest marches and violent mass activities. For instance, on April 12, 2010, the Chittagong Police filed a case accusing 1,500 to 2,000 leaders and cadres of JeI and ICS for attacks on the Police at the city's Anderkilla Intersection. The arrests in this incident are not included in the data.

Arrests of Militant Leaders and Cadre: 2009-2011*

Islamist Party/Organisation	2009	2010	2011*	Total
ICS	31	235	40	306
JMB	107	51	12	170
HuJI-B	10	16	13	39
Hizb-ut-Tahrir	43	43	46	132
Hizb-ut-Tawhid	31	33	90	154
Total	222	378	201	801

Source: South Asia Terrorism Portal [*Data till June 19, 2011]

Among the arrested are important leaders, such as the founder of HuJI-B, Sheikh Abdus Salam; its current chief, Mufti Abdul Hannan Sabbir; the chief of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Mahiuddin Ahmad; the regional leader of Hizb-ut-Tawhid, Mohammed Moinuddin; among others. Recoveries from the site of arrest have included arms and ammunition, with typical variety of cocktail and hand made bombs, bomb-making manuals, Jihadi literature, anti-Government leaflets, etc. 

Contradictions were, however, sharpening within the country, with three visible and polarizing trends consolidating: the ongoing 1971 War Crimes trials; the anti-women Islamist demonstrations protesting the formulation of the National Women’s Development Policy (2011); and the re-emergence of mass and violent street politics, after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party called a 36-hour national protest on June 13, 2011. The Islamist Parties clearly have huge stakes in all three issues, with JeI as the principal target of War Crimes trials, and Islamist allies of the BNP as key components in the anti-women and street demonstrations and protests. Bangladesh has, moreover, a long and infamous tradition of protracted and violent street protests and bandhs (general shutdowns) that have paralysed the country for weeks and months at end.

It is under these cumulative pressures that the AL’s stand on Islam began to shift. When Sheikh Hasina appeared before a Parliamentary Committee (PC) which was reviewing the Constitution in the light of the Supreme Court verdict in April 2010, she had already modified her position to concede that her party was “not against having Islam as state religion”. This constituted a complete reversal of the policy laid down by her father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Hasina also stated that her party was against banning religion-based political parties, though it wanted ‘some restrictions’ on them. 

Internal conflicts within the ruling alliance make Hasina’s situation more complex. The Jatiya Party, headed by H.M. Ershad and commanding 29 MPs, is against any ban on religion-based political parties. On the other hand, Left-leaning parties – including the Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Ganotantri Party and National Awami Party – are strongly opposed to the Jatiya Party’s proposal. The Left-parties are lightweight, with three MPs in the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, two in the Workers Party, and none in Ganotantri Party and National Awami Party. The AL, with a more than three fourths majority in Parliament (270 MPs in a House of 345), is, in any event, under no threat, but values the alliances for the stability and inclusive mandate they provide. The management of the alliance, consequently, will remain a matter of concern as polarizing issues come to dominate the agenda. 

Against this backdrop, Hasina’s June 7 statement can only worsen the political muddle in the country, as it dilutes its projected Constitutional identity, in the words of Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, as “a secular, not moderate Muslim, country”, and embarks on the slippery slope of an Islam pasand (committed to Islam) country. AL’s progressive ‘secular disillusionment’ can only intensify the percolation of radical thought through Bangladeshi politics and society, even as voices against Islamist extremist dogma are gradually stifled by the original initiator of secular politics in the country.

PAKISTANI SCHOOLGIRL KIDNAPPED FOR SUICIDE ATTACK

A nine-year-old girl in Pakistan has said that she was taken and forced to wear an explosive vest in what police say was a planned militant attack. Sohana Jawed was abducted several days ago from her home in Peshawar and taken to an area near the Afghan border, according to police in Lower Dir. Sohana told a press conference there that she was put in a suicide vest and told to stand near some soldiers, but she threw the vest off and ran away. Suicide attacks by girls are rare. But militants in Pakistan have often recruited young boys to carry out suicide attacks. Sohana told her story at a press conference organisd by police in Lower Dir on Monday. But the authorities in Peshawar say they have not received a complaint of a missing girl and have not identified a resident with her name, the Associated Press news agency reports. 'Unconscious' Sohana said that she was kidnapped by two women while on her way to school and forced into a car carrying two men. One of the kidnappers put a handkerchief over her mouth and she became unconscious, she said. When she woke up and started crying, one of the women gave her some biscuits, she said. She said she became unconscious again after consuming the biscuits. Sohana said when she woke up next she found herself in a house. " In the evening they gave me bisuits, and then put me to sleep again. When I came to in the morning, they put this this thing on me which wouldn't explode," she said. Police official Salim Marwat said the vest contained 9 kg (20 pounds) of explosives, the AP news agency reports. "Most likely it had to be detonated through a remote control since a minor was wearing it," he is quoted as saying. The kidnappers appear to have brought her to a paramilitary checkpoint outside Timergarah, the main town in Lower Dir. She said that she then started shouting as she approached the checkpoint and threw the vest away. "I got the chance to release my hand from the woman and run," Sohana said. Police say they have launched an operation to search the kidnappers who escaped. Sohana was 'kidnapped' to carry out a suicide attack

BANGLADESH TURNS AROUND FROM SECULARISM TO ISLAMIC CONSTITUTION

Bangladesh on Monday night decided to make a radical shift from secularism to a pro- Islamic constitution. The move angered pro-democracy, secularist activists and also surprised the nation's moderate Muslim population. An amendment of the constitution will be brought soon to retain Bismillah ir- Rahman ir-Rahim (in the name of Allah in the preamble of Bangladesh on Monday night decided to make a radical shift from secularism to a pro- Islamic constitution. The move angered pro-democracy, secularist activists and also surprised the nation's moderate Muslim population. An amendment of the constitution will be brought soon to retain Bismillah ir- Rahman ir-Rahim (in the name of Allah in the preamble of the constitution, most gracious, most merciful), freewheel policy to religious biased politicking and Islam as state religion. A meeting of the cabinet ministers chaired by Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina on Monday approved the amendments of the constitution. The constitutional reforms committee worked for months to recommend several revisions. Meanwhile, the opposition led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia and Islamist alliance partners launched a countrywide agitation, including strikes protesting abrogation of non-partisan interim government to ensure free, fair, credible polls in the reformed constitution. They fear that the forthcoming general elections due in 2014 could be rigged based on proven track records of ruling party. Two senior ministers AMA Muhith and AK Khandaker expressed their discontent during a cabinet meeting and protested the inclusion of “ Islam as the state religion” of the republic in the reformed constitution. They argued that it will be in conflict with the constitution of 1972 ensuring the state should be secular with equal rights to all citizens practising other religions including Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. Commenting on the ministers’ argument, Hasina remarked, “ the committee report has been prepared in this regard on the basis of reality as there have been many changes in the past 40 years.” Secularists argue that state cannot belong to a faith, instead human beings may have a religion or faith. A year after the bloody war of independence from Islamic Pakistan in 1971 , Bangladesh ( formerly an eastern province of Pakistan) adopted a secular constitution. Despite being the fourth largest Sunni Muslim dominated population, the country banned political activities of Islamic parties. The 1972 secular constitution guaranteed religious freedom and respect of all faiths was installed by independence leader Shiekh Mujibur Rahman, the father of present prime minister Hasina. Subsequently the military juntas ruled the country for 15 years doctored the constitution, encouraging Islamization of Bangladesh.

Pope speaks on economic crisis, refugees, youth, family

(June 20,2011) Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday voiced concern at the effects of the economic crisis, especially on the youth. During a day-long visit to tiny Republic of San Marino, nestled on the eastern slopes of Italy's Apennine Mountains, Pope Benedict called for attention to be paid to "the crisis affecting numerous families" and the difficulties of educating today's youth hit by "the precariousness of their role in society and in the prospect of finding a job". The Pope voiced his concern during a Mass for some 22,000 people at the stadium in Serravalle, a village at the foot of the San Marino fortress. Many in the crowd waved flags and wore t-shirts and caps in the Vatican's yellow and white colours. Earlier Pope Benedict flew in a helicopter from the Vatican to Torraccia, where San Marino Bishop Luigi Negri greeted him before boarding the Popemobile to ride to Serravalle for the Mass. In his pronouncement, Pope Benedict warned against "hedonism and the greed of power".

Before reciting the ‘Angelus’ Marian prayer at the end of the Mass the Pope reminded all of Monday’s World Refugee Day, and appealed for refugees saying they deserve a dignified welcome from countries receiving them, until they can return home freely and safely. Recalling this year’s 60th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, the Pope invited civil authorities and every person of good will to ``guarantee a welcome and dignified living conditions'' for refugees.

Later on Sunday the Pope held a prayer meeting with some 4 thousand young people in the town of Pennabilli. Bishop Luigi Negri of San Marino noted how young people are the weakest link in the local Church and society, of how they are victims of the manipulations of a ‘bad culture and bad teachers’ that dominated society and its institutions. Pope Benedict encouraged the young people not to be afraid of facing difficult situations, moments of crisis and life’s trials, remembering the Lord is with them. Rather than allowing scientific and technological tools substitute the life and the richness of relationships of friendship and love, they should allow themselves to be illuminated by the mystery of Christ.

Earlier, Pope Benedict asked local authorities to give greater support and recognition to families. He warned against attempts to undermine the fundamental value of the institution of the family, which he said marginalises young generations and the weakest in society. The family alone, he said, can nurture mature and responsible people with deep and perennial values. The Holy Father also encouraged the San Marino community in the current economic crisis, expressing his concern for those workers who have seen their labour rights undermined by the precarious nature of today’s job market.

Cabinet Okays Panel Report in full ( Islam as State Religion and “Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim” in the Constitution)

Constitution of Bangladesh Govt.

DHAKA JUNE 20 : The cabinet on Monday approved the parliamentary special committee report on constitutional amendment recommending abolition of the caretaker government system from the Constitution. The cabinet meeting was held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.After the meeting, Prime Minister's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad said: “The cabinet member discussed the report of the parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment for a long time but they did not change any word of the report.” A cabinet minister, who attended at the meeting, said the report was likely to be placed in the current session of Parliament.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith and planning minister AK Khandaker have requested the cabinet members not to include “Islam” as state religion of the republic. “As it would be in conflict with the Constitution of 1972 ensuring the state should be secular with equal rights to all citizens practising other religions including Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity,” they added. Commenting on the ministers’ argument on the matter.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “The report has been prepared in this regard on the basis of reality as there have been many changes in the past 40 years. It requires no further changes.” On June 8 , the 15- member special sub- committee on constitutional amendment, which was formed on July 21 , 2010 , placed its final report with 51 recommendations before Parliament ( Jatiya Sangsad) including that for abolition of the caretaker government system. The report allowed retention of Islam as state religion and “Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim” in the Constitution.

The report recommended insertion of a new Article 7 A that says any unconstitutional seizure of state power should be considered treason and persons involved should be tried on sedition charges.

The committee also recommended that Articles 58( a), 58 ( b), 58 ( c) 58 ( d) and 58 ( e) and 147 be deleted from the Constitution as these are related to the formation of caretaker government. The report suggested replacing Article 123(3) , which says that a general election could be held within 90 days after the dissolution of Parliament, whether by expiration of its term or otherwise.

However, the report also suggests that if dissolution of Parliament happens for reasons other than expiry of its tenure, election could be held within 90 days after the dissolution.

The committee has proposed to limit the tenure of the state of emergency to 120 days by amending Article 141. The special committee also recommended insertion of a new Article 7( B), which would help secure the basic framework of the Constitution, so that the preamble, all articles in Parts I, II, and III and Article 150 of Part IV could not be deleted. The panel suggested that the number of seats reserved for  women in Parliament be increased from 45 to 50. According to the recommendations, war criminals cannot be eligible to contest in national elections.

The committee also suggested that the power to impeach Supreme Court judges be vested in the Supreme Judicial Council. The committee recommendations include incorporation of the March 7 , 1971 speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his March 26 , 1971 proclamation of Independence in the Constitution.

The committee also suggested replacing Article 70 with the original one in the 1972 Constitution. A recommendation said that Article 2( a) of the Constitution should be amended by keeping Islam as state religion and there should be provisions for ensuring rights for all religions. The provision for hanging the photographs of the President and the Prime Minister in government offices was replaced with the one that makes it compulsory to display photographs of the Father of the Nation in government offices. According to the recommendations, the Constitution should ensure equal rights to all ethnic minorities. Besides, the committee has recommended inclusion of women empowerment and protection of bio- diversity and environment in the Constitution. Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved the draft Anti-Money Laundering Bill 2011 and accession to the UN convention against trans-national organised crime (Palermo Convention). It also ratified the rules of origin of the “Trade Preferential System" among the Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

Muslim appeaser politicians turning India into an Islamic State, Part 2

Vultures feed on corpses of Hindu victims in Calcutta, August, 1946

Muslim appeasement by the UPA government:

In the Part-1, it has been mentioned how the present United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition government in Delhi, under the leadership of Indian National Congress (INC) party is appeasing the Muslims of India with unfair, undemocratic, non-secular and even illegal privileges and concessions to Muslims and thus turning India into a de facto Islamic State. In fact, Muslims in India, despite being the minority, enjoy elevated status and much more privileges, generally offered by a typical Islamic government in a so called Islamic state.

The reader may gauge the extent of Muslim appeasement by the UPA government from the statement of its PM Manmohan Singh. He has said that the Muslims are the first to claim the produce of India. What is the basis of such a stupid comment? Does the Muslim contribute maximum share of India’s GDP? How aggressively the Congress is wooing the Muslim community nationally is evident from the a recent comment by another leader Digvijay Singh, who, while referring to the killing of Osama bin Laden, reverentially said “Osamaji” and bemoaned why the terrorist leader was not given a proper burial.

To please the Muslims further, the said UPA government has drafted a bill called “Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparation) Bill, 2011” and is intending to place the same in the Parliament in the coming Monsoon Session. If the bill gets approval of the Parliament and becomes a law, the Muslims will be supreme lords of the country while majority Hindus will be dragged into slaves of the Muslims.

It is needless to say that the UPA government is going to do this with an eye on vote-bank politics. It has been mentioned in the previous article that the Muslims cast their votes, not according to his/her personal choice but, according to the dictates of their religious and community leaders. Therefore, all Muslim votes go for a single party. When the quantum of Muslim votes becomes significant, or a deciding factor for winning or losing election, political parties start wooing Muslims for their votes by offering them unfair, and even illegal, concessions. The frantic competition that ensues among the political parties to win election and stay in power makes the politicians blind and take any sinister attempt, even at the cost of national interest, to win the Muslim block votes. The reader may recall that the UPA government came to power for the second time in 2009, with the help of the Muslim votes and the present Communal Violence Bill is reward for their support.

The drafting of the Communal Violence Bill:

The draft of the so called Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Repatriation) Bill, 2011, has been prepared by the National Advisory Council (NAC), headed by Sonia Gandhi, the president of INC. It has been agreed by the NAC at its meeting on July 14th, 2010, the NAC Working Group on the Communal Violence Bill, has set up an Advisory Group and a Drafting Committee to develop a draft bill on communal and sectarian violence. The draft a bill should aim to provide effective prevention and control of communal and sectarian violence, and justice and comprehensive reparations to survivors and victims of communal and sectarian violence. This would be ensured on the basis of certain essential elements accepted by people’s groups, civil society groups and the NAC, including the key principle of accountability of public officials. While framing the draft, the relevant provisions, including rules, for relief, compensation, rehabilitation, resettlement, restitution, and reparations, keeping in mind the rights of internally displaced persons.

The following are the members of the Advisory Group Members Communal & Sectarian Violence Bill, 2010 Advisory Group
(1) Abusaleh Shariff, (2) Asgar Ali Engineer, (3) Gagan Sethi, (4) H.S Phoolka, (5) John Dayal, (6) Justice Hosbet Suresh, (7) Kamal Faruqui, (8) Manzoor Alam, (9) Maulana Niaz Farooqui, (10) Ram Puniyani, (11) Rooprekha Verma, (12) Samar Singh, (13) Saumya Uma, (14) Shabnam Hashmi, (15) Sister Mary Scaria, (16) Sukhdeo Thorat, (17) Syed Shahabuddin, (18) Uma Chakravarty, (19) Upendra Baxi, (20) Aruna Roy, NAC Working Group Member, (21) Professor Jadhav, NAC Working Group Member and (22) Anu Aga, NAC Working Group Member
The Joint Conveners of the Advisory Group are (1) Farah Naqvi, Convener, NAC Working Group and (2) Harsh Mander, Member, NAC Working Group

The members of the Drafting Committee are (1) Gopal Subramanium, (2) Maja Daruwala, (3) Najmi Waziri, (4) P.I. Jose, (5) Prasad Sirivella, (6) Teesta Setalvad, (7) Usha Ramanathan (upto 20 Feb 2011) and (8) Vrinda Grover (upto 20 Feb 2011).

The conveners of Drafting Committee are (1) Farah Naqvi, Convener, NAC Working Group and (2) Harsh Mander, Member, NAC Working Group

The key Guiding Principles laid down before the drafting committee are
(1) Broaden title and applicability of the law to include ‘communal & sectarian violence’,
(2) Shift from empowering the State, to seeking action & accountability of State/public officials,
(3) Basic framework of law must not rest on declaration of “disturbed areas”,
(4) Need for an independent National Authority to ensure effective compliance with the law, without disturbing the federal structure,
(5) Ensure accountability & criminal liability of public officials for acts of omission & commission, for preventing or controlling communal & sectarian violence, or extending timely and adequate rescue, relief and rehabilitation,
(6) Incorporate the doctrines of Command & Superior responsibility,
(7) Definition of communal & sectarian violence to cover both isolated incidents as well as mass crimes, against people based on religious, caste, linguistic, regional and other identities,
(8) Need to specifically define and include new crimes/offences including sexual assault, enforced disappearances, torture, long-lasting social & economic boycott, and genocide, among others,
(9) Need to remove prior sanction requirement for Hate Speech (Sec. 153A & 153B – IPC),
(10) Statutory obligation on government to lay down national standards for the entire spectrum of provisions for victims – including rescue, relief, compensation, rehabilitation, resettlement, restitution, reparation and recognizing the rights of internally displaced persons,
(11) Implementation according to the norms in point 10 to be a statutory obligation under this law,
(12) Compensation amounts to be specified in terms of national norms under the law, and revised every 3 yrs and
(13) Need for amendments in CrPC and Indian Evidence Act to meet extraordinary circumstance of communal & sectarian violence to protect victims’ rights. In addition to that,
(14) specific provisions for victim-witness rights to be made under this law

The list of people as given above for guiding, monitoring and preparing the draft of the Communal Violence Bill 2011, one finds that all of them are loyal to the Nehru-Gandhi family. Many of them operate several NGOs and it is well known that an NGO is very efficient instrument to siphon public money. In addition to that, these committees were formed without any approval of the Parliament. So, while commenting on the formation of the committee, Sam Rajappa, in his article Communal Violence Bill  says, “The very fact that Parliament was bypassed and the undemocratic National Advisory Council, acting as a supra Parliament, was entrusted the task of drafting the most sensitive legislation, makes the UPA government a suspect. Harsh Mander and Farah Naqvi, conveners of the advisory group to prepare the draft Bill, are known for bashing Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat, and do not enjoy the confidence of the public” (The Statesman, June 4, 2011)..

“The NAC is a conglomeration of NGO members handpicked by Sonia Gandhi for their faith in the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. Most of these NGOs are foreign-funded and they act according to the wishes of donors.  It is indirect interference in the affairs of the nation by foreign countries. The NAC chairperson has become a supra Prime Minister and an instrument for maladministration”, Rajappa adds.

Salient points of the draft:

The most crucial part of the draft for the Communal Violence Bill 2011 is the definition of the term ‘group’. The basis of such groupings may be religion, mother tongue, ethnicity and caste, e.g. schedule castes and schedule tribes. The next important step is to decide whether a group consists of the people of minority or the majority community. In India as a whole, Hindus are a majority and Muslims and Christian are a minority, on the basis of religion. Based on this criterion, the draft proceeds to designate any group consisting of Hindus as a group of majority, while a group consisting of Muslims and Christians as a group of minority community. But such identification is utterly faulty.
There are so many states, e.g. Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland, and in the Andaman and Nicobar islands, where Hindus are minorities. So, in those states Hindus are deserved to be considered a religious minority. The most astonishing as well as ridiculous part of the draft Bill is that, communal troubles are created only by members of the majority community or the Hindus. From this basic presumption it comes out that for any incident of communal violence, only Hindus will be held responsible and punished. So, for any incident of communal violence between Hindus and Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir, where Muslims constitute more than 80% of the population, they will be considered a minority group and only Hindus will be held responsible and punished. Or in other words, if the Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir persecute the Hindus and massacre them en masse, even then the Hindus will be considered offenders and punished, while Muslims will not be held responsible.

Similar is the case for the states Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland, where Christians are majority and the Hindus are minorities. In the above mentioned states the Christian missionaries are carrying on ceasasionist movements. They have formed militant terrorist gangs and oppressing the Hindus. If the draft becomes a law, only the Hindus would be held guilty of such a violence and let the perpetrators go scot free, as they have labeled as a minority group. So, the draft Bill proceeds on the presumption that communal violence is created only by the majority community (Hindus) and never by members of the minority communities.

But history tells us that, so far violence between the Hindus and the Muslims is concerned, in almost all the cases, the Muslims are the initiators of the violence. The Mopla Riot in Malabar, Kerala, is one of the most famous incident of Hindu Muslim violence, was initiated by the Muslims (called Moplahs) on August 20, 1921. Instead of calling it a Hindu-Muslim riot, it would be proper to designate it as Hindu pogrom by the Moplahs. Another famous incident of communal violence is the “Great Calcutta Killings” that took place in August, 1946. It is also called the “Direct Action Day” by the historians. August 16 was Friday and that too in the month of Ramadan according to the Arabic calendar. It was therefore the holy day of the holiest month for the Muslims. On that holy day, lakhs of Muslims gathered under the Ochterlony Monument (now Shahid Minar) to offer midday holy Jumma prayer. After finishing the prayer, Muslims started to attack Hindus, killing Hindus, looting Hindu shops, setting Hindu shops and Hindu houses on fire. The killing of Hindus went on for several days.

Many hold this misconception that the 2002 Gujarat violence was initiated by the Hindus. But in reality, the violence was initiated by the Muslims by setting the coach S-6 of the Sabarmati Express on fire on February 27 at Godhra and burning 59 Hindu devotees, including women and children, alive. This barbaric incident initiated the communal violence in Gujarat that claimed over 1,200 lives. So, many called this Gujarat Violence as post Godhra Violence.

The coach S-6 of Sabarmati Express burning at Godhra

So, it can be shown that in every incident of Hindu-Muslim violence, Muslims are responsible. It is due to the fact that the Islamic holy book Koran spews hatred against the non-Muslims, including the Hindus and the Islamic doctrine of jihad inspire the Muslims to kill them, set their houses on fire, loot their wealth and riches, rape their women, occupy their tilling land, convert them by force and so on and so forth. But the holy books of the Hindus do not teach such hatred and oppress the non-Hindus. So, the presumption of the Communal Violence Bill 2011 that majority Hindus should be held responsible and punished for any incident Hindu-Muslim communal violence is patently discriminatory, undemocratic and non-secular. Such a view is totally opposed to the secular principle laid down in the Constitution of India that holds ‘an offence is an offence and the offender should be punished, irrespective of to what group he belongs’.
 

The other devastating provision:
The other devastating provision of the draft is that, if an individual of the minority community brings an allegation of propagation of hate against an individual belonging to the majority, police will have the right to arrest him without any investigation and put him behind the bar. The victim would not even have the right to know from whom the complaint has come. During trial, the complainant would not have any responsibility to establish his allegation, and it would be the sole responsibility of the victim to prove his innocence.

It is needless to say that this provision, if it becomes a law, would equip the UPA government to victimize any of its political rivals, and send him to prison. Suppose a fictitious man brings an allegation of propagating hate speech against Narendra Modi, the chief minister of Gujarat, the police will have the right to arrest him immediately and put him in prison. He will be released if and only if he succeeds to prove himself innocent. So, Arindam Chaudhuri, an author, has said that the bill is to kill secularism in India (The Pioneer, June 4, 2011). He has also said, “The NAC-drafted Communal Violence Bill is a recipe for unmitigated disaster. In the guise of promoting communal harmony it promotes rank communalism. In the guise of protecting minorities, it attacks Hindu rights. This Bill will strike at the very foundation of liberty and legitimise criminal misdeeds of Muslims. It must not become law.”

Conclusion:

From the discussion presented above, it appears that the draft of the Communal Violence Bill 2011 has been framed with a strong motive of Hindu bashing. The contents of the draft grossly violate the sacrosanct principle of secularism, democracy and equality enshrined in the Constitution of India and if it becomes a law, it would be a disaster for the Hindus. Though it is doubtful whether such a draconian bill could survive even a preliminary scrutiny of the Supreme Court of India, the Hindus should raise their voice across the country so that the bill gets defeated in the Parliament. If this bill is passed by the Parliament and becomes a law, it will undoubtedly push India a step towards Islamization.

Is Abu Bakar Bashir Smiling Now ?

Abu Bakar Bashir

This week, 72 year old Islamic Cleric Abu Bakar Bashir was sentenced to 15 years jail for terrorism related offences. He is the spiritual leader of the South Asia terror groups Jemaah Islamiyah and Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid. His ranting sermons have inspired many followers to commit acts of terrorism.

This brings to a head 30 years of failed trials and a miniscule sentence handed down during the long career of the smiling, defiant Cleric. Prosecution Lawyer, Andi Muhamad Taufik has advised that his office will launch a High Court appeal. He stated that the 15 year sentence is not enough and the prosecution had sought either life in prison or the death penalty.

Bashir was accused of seven counts of terrorism related to a paramilitary training camp in Aceh that was discovered in February 2010. The charges include planning and/or inciting a terrorist act, and trafficking in weapons and explosives for the purpose of conducting terrorism, both of which carry a maximum penalty of death. The prosecution had called over 130 witnesses during the trial and presented the strongest evidence for charges of supplying funds for terrorism, which carries a jail term of between 3 and 15 years.

At the start of the trial at the South Jakarta Courthouse in March this year, Bashir admitted to setting up a Jihadi training camp in the Sharia-ruled Aceh province. He stated that it was in order to “follow orders from Allah that Muslims perform and prepare for armed conflict so as to cause fear among the enemies of Islam, so they don’t disturb Muslims.” During the trial, Bashir staged two ‘walk-outs’ and at one point refused to attend court. This was in response to prosecution witnesses appearing via teleconference. Bashir at this time stated that attending court was ‘haram’ (forbidden) and that he was scared of Allah. Bashir’s Lawyer, Achmad Michdan stated that the charges leveled against his client were without substance as Indonesia has no law banning this type of training.

Bashir said that the camp was based on Sharia and was implemented as a result of Islamic teachings and challenging this implementation and banning Sharia would mean that the Government would be in effect banning Islam. He also said the he was being tried for defending Islam and that this was a trial by the ‘thagut’ (non-believer), who have no jurisdiction over Allah’s word. Approximately 91 percent of people in Indonesia are adherents to Islam. That equates to 208 million people and makes Indonesia the most populous Islamic nation on earth.

Prior to the verdict being delivered, Jakarta Metropolitan Police chief Inspector General Sutarman had said that the Judges in the trial had received death threats via text messages. Over 3,400 Police Officers and snipers guarded the Court building against any attacks from Bashir’s supporters.

The Jakarta Globe this week reported that they had received a text message that said: “Assalamualaikum. To the lions of tauhid in Indonesia, prepare your mental and physique for a global jihad to be conducted at the South Jakarta district court on June 16, 2011. We have installed 36 explosives all over Indonesia and they will set off by the time the presiding judge delivers verdict for Abu Bakar Bashir. ”

On the pronouncement of sentence, screams of “Allahu Akbar” or “Our God is greater” were heard. Bashir read a prayer and again told the court that he is a holy warrior defending Islam against enemies including the United States, Australia and their allies. He also warned the Judge that he had made an enemy of Islam.

The most notable of the attacks Bashir had a hand in would be the Bali bombing of 2002, where over 200 people including 88 Australians lost their lives, in the deadliest terrorism attack in Indonesia’s history. Two large bombs were detonated in the popular tourist precinct in Kuta. One bomb came from a suicide bomber wearing a back-pack and was detonated at Paddy’s Pub. The second was a larger bomb assembled into a Mitsubishi van that was remotely detonated. A third, much smaller bomb was remotely detonated outside of the US embassy in Denpassar, though the damage was minor and caused no casualties.

Bashir and other members of Jemaah Islamiyah were arrested. Two members that were sentenced to death had attended a boarding school Bashir founded in 1972. Bashir had claimed that he had no prior knowledge of the attack and he did not endorse it, nor did he have any direct involvement. This created large holes in the prosecutions case and subsequently he was only convicted to serve two and a half years. He only served 18 months and was later cleared of any involvement. He was also unsuccessfully prosecuted with involvement in the bombings of churches across Indonesia in 2000 and the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta in 2003.

CAIR Taps Hizballah Apologist for Tampa Office

For a group which claims to stand against terrorism, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) made an odd choice for the new chief of its Tampa chapter.
Hassan Shibly has a track record of defending terrorist groups and acting as an apologist for radical Islam. Following the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War, Shibly granted legitimacy to Hizballah by characterizing it as a "resistance movement" that provides valued social services to the Lebanese people. "They're absolutely not a terrorist organization," Shibly said, and "any war against them is illegitimate."

As a testament to his support for Hizballah's cause, Shibly even expressed a desire to travel to Lebanon to aid the group's war effort.

When asked to explicitly condemn Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist groups, Shibly wouldn't. "Of course we condemn every single act of violence directed against—by Hamas and by Hizballah—directed against civilians," Shibly said in a Feb. 28 lecture at a church in Youngstown, N.Y. "But the trick we fall into is when we want to condemn them as a whole we completely cut off any chances for having a peace process."

To the public, however, CAIR offers a gentler face for Shibly.

His CAIR biography casts him as a man who works actively with inter-faith and social service organizations to "promote cooperation and understanding between diverse faiths and cultures."

In a statement to the Tampa public, Shibly wrote "It is essential we work together as a community, with all those who stand for peace, freedom, love, and mutual respect, to counter those who wish to promote fear, hatred, and violence."

But on his own Facebook page, Shibly defended a radical imam killed by the FBI after he opened fire on agents moving in to arrest him. In an October 2009 post, Shibly questioned the use of force against Imam Luqman Abdullah even though the criminal complaint against him made it clear Abdullah advocated violent jihad and urged followers never to surrender peacefully to authorities.

CAIR also championed Abdullah's case, with the executive director of its Michigan chapter, Dawud Walid, unleashing a series of conspiratorial tirades against the government for its actions against the armed imam.

Shibly's online profile also features American-born Islamic cleric Khalid Yasin as an "Interest." Yasin is known for his controversial views, including a 2005 interview in which he says that Muslims cannot be friends with non-Muslims; that suicide bombings are understandable; and that the U.S. orchestrated 9/11 to wage a war against Islam. "There's no such thing as a Muslim having a non-Muslim friend," he said. "If you prefer the clothing of the kafirs [disbelievers] over the clothing of the Muslims, most of those names that's on most of those clothings is (sic) faggots, homosexuals and lesbians."

Yasin goes further, encouraging children to take up the "honor" of throwing stones and confronting Israeli soldiers when there are no more men left to do it.

In an interview with Pajamas Media in July 2010, Shibly said he was unaware of Yasin's contentious remarks and appreciated being informed of them. Yet almost a year later, Yasin still appears on Shibly's profile.

These negative representations of Shibly become less surprising when one considers his religious inspiration. Shibly's understanding of tolerance and justice admittedly come from his father, who studied under Sheikh Ahmad Kuftaro, the former Grand Mufti of Syria, and his protégé, Sheikh Rajab Deeb.

While Kuftaro promoted interfaith cooperation on his English-language site, in Arabic, he accused the "Jewish lobby" of controlling world opinion and of being "the killers of prophets." He also asserts that "all Muslims are obligated to do jihad upon the Zionists."

Similarly, Deeb wrote that Jews "want to remove and destroy every trace except for their footsteps… and eradicate every race except their race, and they claim to be God's Chosen People."

Shibly seems to have adopted anti-Semitic and anti-Israel views of his own. In one of his Facebook notes, Shibly equates Israelis with Nazis, juxtaposing images from the Holocaust with images of Israeli soldiers interacting with Palestinians. He also describes Israel as an apartheid state and frequently denounces its "state terrorism."

Shibly's disdain for Israel is matched only by his ill-will towards America. In his recent Tampa address, Shibly calls America "a great nation." However, earlier statements, blogs, and Facebook posts suggest he feels otherwise.

In addition to expressing distrust of government agencies, like the FBI, Shibly has also linked to an article calling President Bush a war criminal; accused America of being imperialistic and consumed by its pursuit of oil; and endorsed conspiracy theories about U.S. actions, including questioning the U.S. 9/11 narrative and promoting the idea that the U.S. backs Iraqi suicide bombings to justify its presence there.

In the 2010 interview, Shibly said that Sharia law, and not democracy, should be implemented in countries where Muslims are the majority.

Shibly's support of tolerance and civil rights doesn't extend to homosexuals either. "This issue really comes down to weather [sic] a person believes in God or not," it says in an article posted on his Facebook and Twitter pages about gay marriage.

"Thus for example, if God says marriage is solely between a man and women, or, if He permits polygamy, then so be it. Who are we to question God? A slave has no authority to question the King in his own kingdom."

In 2004, Shibly was detained with several others at the Canadian border while returning from the "Reviving Islamic Spirit" conference in Toronto. The conference featured a host of controversial speakers, including the virulent anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan and William Baker, an anti-Semite with neo-Nazi connections. Shibly sued the Department of Homeland Security for what he believed was racial profiling, but lost the initial case and the appeal after courts found his detainment was not overly intrusive.

"In this instance, we had credible intelligence that conferences similar to the one from which these individuals were leaving were being used by terrorist organizations to fundraise and to hide the travel of terrorists themselves," said Kristi Clemens, spokeswoman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

In an effort to blur the connection between Islam and terrorism, Shibly misrepresented facts, like those taken from this European Union study, in a church lecture in February. While Shibly accurately stated that Islamists were responsible for the smallest percentage of terrorist attacks in the EU between 2006-08, he failed to mention other significant findings. Among them are that several EU member states believe that they continue to face a high-level threat from Islamist terrorism; of 384 terrorism verdicts in 2008, half were related to Islamist terrorism; and Islamists engage in the least targeted killing, aiming for mass casualties with their attacks.

Shibly has said that his online posts and choice of scholarly sources don't necessary reflect his true opinions, but he fails to provide comments contradicting the views expressed or other sources presenting opposing viewpoints.

"Mr. Shibly seems at times to support or work with Islamists who are leading advocates for political Islam," wrote M. Zuhdi Jasser, the founder of the American-Islamic Forum for Democracy. "But when they [Islamists] become violent, he tries to distance himself with no corroborating public record to demonstrate a genuine ideological battle."

World Refugee Day, 2011 : 60th Anniversary of U.N.H.C.R

Archbishop Antonio Maria Vegliò, President of the Vatican Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, at an interview Friday to Vatican Radio, highlighted the World Refugee Day to be celebrated on Monday June 20^th. World Refugee Day this year coincides with the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the United Nations High Commission for Refugee- U.N.H.C.R, and the adoption of the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees. UNHCR has been assisting millions of refugees over the last sixty years, and has become a permanent organisation. It has became responsible for refugees worldwide. The Church , the Archbishop assured, is present with refugees and the internally displaced in many different ways. Many religious congregations got individual members involved, while others joined the Jesuit Refugee Service founded in 1980 by Father Arrupe, Superior General of the Jesuits to respond to the needs of the Vietnamese boat people, refugees fleeing from Vietnam. A special role is played by the International Catholic Migration Commission. More than one million people have been resettled. In addition, Caritas, both at diocesan level or national level, is assisting in many different ways, from emergency aid to direct involvement in managing refugee camps. The ongoing conflict in Abjei, and the situation in Darfur are major concerns. The real challenge however is in northern Africa, especially in Tunisia and Egypt. More than one million left Libya, of which 15,000 arrived in Italy. One has to see the problem in proportion. Tunisia, welcomed half a million persons of which 290,000 are Libyans. Egypt faced the arrival of 340,000 persons of which 161,000 are Libyans.

 

 Name: Aida Hadziahmetovic. Country of origin: Bosnia and Herzegovina. Country of asylum: Slovenia. Reason(s) of this country of asylum: Family remark and hope: I hope that my children will be not forced to go from slovenia, to live in peace.

The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR is launching globally a six-month campaign aimed at promoting public awareness of the stories of individual refugees and others forcibly displaced people. 

As part of its 60th anniversary activities, UNHCR has teamed up with the prestigious Magnum Photos to celebrate the lives of refugees and their impact on Europe over the past six decades.

The light show "60 Years, 60 Lives," is appearing in cities across Europe as the annual World Refugee Day (June 20) approaches. It also pays tribute to the humanitarian achievements in Europe over the past 60 years.

The photos in the light show include six images of former refugees across Europe taken by Magnum photographers Antoine D'Agata and Moises Saman – one per decade. The remaining 54 images were provided by refugees who found sanctuary in Europe and each tells a story, condensed into one detail: the violin brought from home, their first document as a refugee, a family snap. 

Venues for the light show include the façade of Malta's Fort St. Angelo, the Museumsquartier in Vienna and the Metro system in Rome as well as bars and restaurants in Brussels. 

The show will also be projected against the EU Parliament building in Brussels on World Refugeee Day on 20 June. A special showing is planned for members of the European Council and senior European Union officials in the Belgian capital, while thousands of children from around the world will get to see "60 Years, 60 Lives" during the World Scout Jamboree in Sweden later this year.

Today, refugees and asylum-seekers are often portrayed in a negative light in Europe. Some politics and media refer to refugees as a burden or a security threat. 

-  This project aims at reframing the asylum debate. Tens of million of Europeans today are the children and grandchildren of refugees," said Hanne Mathisen, UNHCR's spokesperson in the Baltic and Nordic countries.

The history of Europe as a safe haven for refugees is told in more detail on a special web site created by UNHCR and Magnum Photos and launched this week. The site includes details about the refugees depicted in the photographs, such as Jozsef Bøhm, who fled to with his mother to Norway after the uprising in Hungary in 1956, and Mampuya Mindoco, who fled the Democratic Republic of Congo some 22 years ago, and who after a difficult journey eventually found refuge in Sweden. 

Magnum is a cooperative photographic agency founded by legends Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David "Chim" Seymour just three years before UNHCR in 1947. Magnum photographers have documented practically every refugee crisis that UNHCR has been involved in. Some of the most iconic Magnum pictures show refugees.

Papal Visit to San Marino

(June 18.06.2011) Pope Benedict XVI is going on his 23^rd pastoral voyage in Italy, for a one-day visit to the Republic of San Marino in North Central Italy. He will be boarding a helicopter at 8 in the morning of Sunday, at the Vatican heliport for his one-hour flight to the Republic. Founded in 301 A.D. San Marino is the most ancient European Republic. Recognized by all the principal world organizations, the Republic of San Marino can boast an undisputed pre-eminence on themes regarding peace, freedom and the universal rights of man.. The diocese of the Republic is known by the name San Marino-Montefeltro whose ordinary is Bishop Luigi Negri. An hour after landing the Pope will preside over a concelebrated Mass at the Serravalle Stadium. Then at Liberty square he will be greeted by the Captain Regents, and will meet the authorities of the Republic and deliver a discourse. Before departure he will have an encounter with the youth at the Pennabili Sports Stadium.

Iconic Israeli poet invokes Jesus in latest book

It is difficult to be certain why Haim Gouri uses New Testament motifs in his latest book of poems, entitled Eyval, named after Mount Ebal (Deut. 11:29).

Gouri is an iconic figure in Israeli culture - the personification of the ideal Israeli. Born in Tel Aviv in 1923, he joined the Palmach militia and was sent to Hungary in 1947 to assist survivors of the Holocaust making their way to Palestine. During the 1948 Israeli War of Independence he served as a deputy company commander in the Palmach’s Negev Brigade. Gouri studied literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Sorbonne in Paris. As a journalist he worked for Lamerhav and later, Davar. He achieved fame with his coverage of the 1961 trial of Adolf Eichmann Gouri lives with his wife, Aliza, in Jerusalem.

Although perhaps best known as a poet, Gouri is also a novelist, filmmaker, and journalist. Eyval is a rebuttal of the prevalent tendency amongst so many Israelis to indulge in condemnation of their mother country. “Since…every leper opens up his mouth to frighten her,” Gouri “writes her glory and splendor, counts like a peddler her glories, [and] grinds Balm of Gilead, healing and remedy for her sorrows and illness” (Poem 59).
And in Poem 86, he quotes Jesus Himself: “Who amongst you has not sinned, let him be the first to throw stones at her.”

In Eyval, Gouri dialogues with the Messiah who endlessly tarries. In Poem 23, he seems to identify the Messiah as Jesus and commands Him as a military commander—much like God commanded Abraham before Him: “Move, move over. Get out by night to your land, to your family, through the stone, through the tiredness, through the silence and the shadow of death. Move, move as in a dream of the night. Remember that you have already been here, with the [crown of] thorns that have already became a familiar literary symbol that never lose their greatness.”

While one can understand this poem in various ways, the reader must face Gouri’s need to command Jesus to return immediately to His land and family.

How the Jews Treat Christians in Israel?

St. Anthony of Padua: 780-yr-old relic stolen

780-year-old religious relic of St. Anthony of Padua has been stolen, and parishioners at a Southern California Catholic church are praying to the patron saint of lost items and missing persons for its speedy return.
The relic was stolen from inside a cabinet beside the altar at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Long Beach on Monday, the feast day of the church’s namesake.
The Rev. Jose Magana said he decided to bring out the relic this year, on the 780th anniversary of the death of St. Anthony, because many of his parishioners have lost hope in the rough economy.
Magana said the relic is invaluable and deeply symbolic to his parish. “It’s our history, so it’s irreplaceable,” Magana said. “It belongs to the church, not just the church here in Long Beach, but the entire Catholic church.”
The church opened at 6 a.m., and when Magana turned to the relic during the 9 a.m. Mass, it had disappeared. Magana could hear his parishioners gasp when they realised it was gone, but he continued with the service and called police immediately afterward. Long Beach police Lt. Paul Arcala said the relic is housed in a 16-inch (40-centimeter) tall reliquary case with angel-shaped handles made of gold and silver on either side. He declined to describe it further because that might jeopardize the investigation.

Human Rights Watch Neutrality Questioned in Iraqi Kurdistan

The government and a number of journalists criticized the neutrality of Human Rights Watch (HRW) correspondents in Kurdistan Region, even though they emphasize the necessity of international watchdogs in the Region to monitor human rights and freedom.

In the recent months, as Kurdistan Region witnessed anti-government protests, HRW published a number of reports specifically or partially covering human rights violations in the Region. The reports, particularly the one published on May 24, elicited many different reactions, either welcoming or criticizing the report.

To some observers, including the Kurdistan Regional Government, the report contained biased and unconfirmed information unflattering to the KRG.

Although KRG takes these reports "seriously" and studies them, "some of them are far from truth," said Falah Mustafa Bakir, head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations.

Bakir had previously written letter to the HRW Executive Director Kenneth Roth on June 5 in which he expressed the KRG's appreciation for the organization's efforts in improving human rights while also offering a critique.

"We must take issue with some of the comments in the May 24 statement, and we feel that the lack of substantiation for some of your accusations undermines HRW's reputation as one of the world's leading international human rights organizations," Bakir wrote in the letter.

The KRG official's concern centers on two issues: the HRW's report "Iraqi Kurdistan: Growing Effort to Silence Media" was biased toward the Suleimaniya-based Livin magazine, which it described as "one of Iraqi Kurdistan's leading independent publications." Bakir's letter replies: "However, their independence is questionable at best, they have a clear anti-ruling party bias."

The report talks about lawsuits by the governing parties' (Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) top officials against Livin's Executive Editor Ahmed Mira because his magazine published a report saying KDP and PUK leaders were planning to assassinate three opposition party leaders.

"Such libel suits by Kurdistan government officials are nothing more than a thinly veiled effort to punish critics and create an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship," says HRW's Sarah Leah Whitson, director of the Middle East and North Africa Department.

Bakir defends the KRG officials' right to file the lawsuits by saying: "While it may be difficult for citizens of the long-established and stable countries of the West to imagine what damage an article like this can do to the credibility of a politician in the developing world, even in the West there are legal standards by which journalists and media outlets must abide." He complained the Livin report was based on a single, anonymous source.

The KRG and other observers, other major complaint was about a quote from Whitson where she compares Kurdistan Region rulers to the Baath regime.

She is quoted as saying: "The Kurdistan Regional Government promised a new era of freedom for Iraqi Kurds, but it seems no more respectful of Kurdish rights to free speech than the government that preceded it."

The KRG says it and the Kurdistan people were insulted and offended by this sentence and it made them doubt "whether HRW's purpose is to actually help the human rights situation in the Kurdistan Region, or simply to offend its leadership and its people," Bakir's said in his letter.

"I'm not certain exactly what they have been smoking at Human Rights Watch, or who their field investigators have naively listened to, but this kind of offensive absurdity from a respected international human rights organization needs a response," said David Romano in his weekly column for the Erbil-based Rudaw newspaper.

Romano's column was quoted by The Atlantic writer Jeffery Goldberg in his column, "Human Rights Watch's Upside-Down View of the World." He agreed with the premise that the HRW "seems to dislike Iraqi Kurds in much the same way it dislikes Israelis."

Another point that hints of bias from HRW is its report on minorities in Nineveh from November 2009. Khaled Sulaiman, executive editor of the Suleimaniya-based Haftana (Weekly) magazine expressed his astonishment at why HRW placed blame on the Iraqi Kurds for considering Shabaks and Yazidis as a part of the Kurdish people.

"When did this organization begin to consider the roots of ethnic groups and to ask the government and authorities to stop labeling one group or another as Kurds, Arabs or Turkmen?" questions Sulaiman. He said the report was also biased as it was based on interviews with Arab leaders in Mosul and the report reflects their point of view on the whether the Shabaks and Yazidis are Kurds.

However, Sulaiman sees it as a normal and positive step for international organizations to publish frequent reports on the Region, "as long as they are credible." The area and its situation encourage organizations concerned about human rights and freedom. "But the major problem [here] is the current mess of the Kurdish media," more than freedom of expression, he believes.

Sulaiman's sheds light on two points that were a problem for Kurdish journalists. "The Kurdish security agencies realize the journalists, attempts to publish information about corruption and deficiencies would serve their enemies. But it serves the community and its development."

His other comment is on journalists who "act as executives and believe they have the absolute freedom to take pictures, write and publish. They also mix journalism as a profession and political activities, journalists have become civil and social activists, he is an executive editor today, and tomorrow he will be a member of parliament."

"I don't say the organization [HRW] deliberately aimed this at the Kurdistan Regional Government, but those working for it in Kurdistan lack professionalism and objectivity, which means they don't follow the standards of their organization but are swayed by Kurdish media," noted Sulaiman.

Egypt's Christians Fear Post-Mubarak Era

Large numbers of Copts supported the Egyptian revolution, but they now fear that a recent escalation in violence and discrimination is only likely to worsen following likely Islamist victories at the polls this autumn.

A mass Christian exodus from Egypt, similar to the one that took place in Iraq, seems almost inevitable.

This February saw separate brutal attacks against two Coptic monasteries -- the Anba Bishoy Monastery in Wadi Al-Natroun, 110 kilometres north of Cairo, and the Anba Makarious Al Sakandarie Monastery in Al Fayoum, 130 kilometres south west of the capital.

On March 4, angry crowds burned down the Coptic church of St Mina and St George - together with its irreplaceable relics - in the village of Sool, about 30 km from Cairo.

Then on March 8, a mob armed with guns, clubs, and Molotov cocktails attacked a group of Copts who were demonstrating against the Sool church burning in front of the state television broadcasting building in Cairo.

The Egyptian army, called in to restore order, instead used more violence. Some 13 people were killed and over 100 wounded.

On May 7, two more churches were attacked and at least 12 people were killed and more than 200 wounded in the poor, largely Christian neighbourhood of Imbaba, in north-west Cairo.

Islamists, incited by a rumour of a Muslim woman held captive by Copts, stormed the St Mina Church, burned the Church of the Virgin Mary to the ground, looted and vandalised several Christian-owned shops, and threw Molotov cocktails at an apartment building.

Other attacks have included one on a Coptic man, Ayman Anwar Mitri, who had his ear cut off by suspected Islamic extremists in Qena, and there have also been reports of the kidnapping and rape of Coptic girls.

We believe that Salafists are to blame for most of these incidents and that the inacton of law enforcers - not a single person has been convicted in any of the incidents mentioned above - is allowing the people to do whatever they want.

I think that some of the country's more radical Islamists, including Salafists and members of the Muslim Brotherhood, MB, are using violence to establish Egypt's identity as a thoroughly Islamicised and Arabicised state.

The Salafists were never interested in political participation previously, but now they have started playing a more active role, pushing themselves onto the political scene in a very vulgar way. They are not as strong as the MB but they are trying to form an alliance with them.

And at least with the Salafists you get what you see -- the problem with the MB is that they speak very sweetly about respecting all religions and people's rights, but there is absolutely zero trust in them from the Christian communit y, and they are also criticised fiercely by liberal Muslims.

It is hard to predict how successful the MB will be in elections later this year. From listening to their own propaganda , one would imagine they would win 90 per cent of the vote, but experts have put their predicted share as low as 15 per cent, with a recent poll giving them even less. But the fear is still there.

The church plays a very powerful role in the daily lives of Egyptian Christians, although it has so far held out against any official political participation. But some Copts are getting involved in liberal political parties, most notably the Free Egyptians party founded by businessman Naguib Sawiris, and working alongside liberal Muslims.

On the face of it, people are tolerant, but below the surface it is very different. You see this on Friday around prayer time, when the imams often broadcast very anti-Christian messages. This has been going on forever and the authorities have never done anything about it. Indeed , Mubarak managed to exploit the fear of Islamic fundamentalism to get the support of the Christians during his regime.

The greatest challenge we face is building a culture of tolerance, and it may take decades. Copts are worried about the influence that the Salafists have on previously neutral, but poorly educated Muslim citizens -- a legacy of Mubarak's decrepit education system. But at the very least, confronting sectarianism needs to become a priority that extends beyond the facades of newly-painted churches.

Officially all the Christian sects make up some ten per cent of Egypt's 80 million population. But the church itself says that there are at least 12 million Christians, and they have very reliable statistics through the registration of all births and marriages. There are also at least two million Egyptians Copts resident in the West, and it looks like this number is going to rise sharply.

After the burning of churches and other attacks Christians feel in danger. The British-based Copts website I run has been deluged with enquiries from Egyptian Copts about how to apply for asylum outside, and Copts have been queuing up at embassies in Egypt to try and emigrate. In Iraq after the war, at least 50 per cent of the Christians left the country in the face of sectarian violence. I hope we will not see a repeat of this in Egypt.