Nigeria's Presidential Spokesman Denies Leadership Rift

Nigeria's Presidential Spokesman Denies Leadership Rift

Gilbert da Costa | Abuja27 February 2010

Photo: AP

Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua and his wife Turai Yar'Adua (2009 file photo)

 

Confusion has reigned in Nigeria as to who is really in charge after the sudden return of the oil-rich nation's ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua. Despite an official clarification that acting President Goodluck Jonathan would remain in charge while Mr.Yar'Adua continues to recuperate, many Nigerians believe the assertive wife of the long-absent president, Turai Yar'Adua, is now the main power behind the presidency. Presidential spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi says such insinuations are incorrect.

"When you now read in the [news]papers that Turai takes over,Turai is in charge, all these things are not correct and I think they are very, very unfair to the first lady at a time she is nursing her husband. So there is no such thing. You don't expect the acting president to report to the first lady. It is abnormal and it won't happen," he said.

Mr. Yar'Adua returned to Nigeria on Wednesday and apparently left the airport in an ambulance escorted by a heavily armed military guard. He spent three months at a Saudi hospital for treatment for a heart condition. Mr.Yar'Adua has not been seen in public since his return.
 
Mr. Jonathan assumed executive powers on February 9, ending months of uncertainty and a leadership vacuum, allowing him to push ahead with issues affecting Nigeria such as improving power supply, electoral reforms, reviving the economy and bringing peace and stability to the oil-producing Niger Delta.
 
Adeniyi dismisses suggestions that the return of President Yar'Adua threatens to drive the country into another constitutional crisis. He says Mr. Yar'Adu and Mr. Jonathan have had a very good working relationship.

"It is just one presidency; we are all under Dr. Goodluck Jonathan now as acting president and commander-in-chief, until the president returns," said Adeniyi. "They've always had cordial relationship. I also know for a fact that several times in council [at Cabinet meetings], when the president was presiding, he always said any time he was not around any memo should go to the acting president, then as the vice president."

Worried by the lack of information on the president and uncertainty about his health, many prominent Nigerians have called for President Yar'Adua to resign.

Prophet Muhammad - 1: Away from extreme views

By ADIL SALAHI | ARAB NEWS

Perhaps no historical character has been subjected to vile criticism, false accusations and fabricated assertions by his opponents than Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Yet no one has been the recipient of more profound and genuine love and respect than him.

Both love and hostility linger on, and are nurtured despite the fact that 14 centuries have passed since Muhammad had departed this world. Neither feeling would have lingered had Muhammad been an ordinary person, or had his contribution to human life been of temporary nature.

Today we see both feelings surfacing in different ways and shapes, in areas of our world that are wide apart, and among people of different races, cultures, beliefs and life perspectives. Books like Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses, the Danish cartoons, as well as videos and websites dedicated to attack Islam and its Prophet are manifestations of the hostile trend. The large demonstrations that swept the Muslim world against such productions symbolize the deep seated love Muslims feel toward Muhammad, God's last messenger.

Yet both types of manifestation are extreme, held by small sections of Muslims and non-Muslims. Before the beginning of the 21st century, the great majority of non-Muslims did not take much interest in Islam or its Prophet, despite sustained efforts, over the last third of the 20th century, to distort the image of Islam and to associate it with terrorism. On the other hand, most Muslims today follow the traditional way in their approach to their faith and to the man who delivered its divine message.

Extreme tendencies are hardly appropriate in any generation, let alone in our modern world with its easy and varied ways of communication. By nature, they remain confined within certain areas and among small communities. However, they sometimes acquire a self-energizing force that gives them speedily increasing momentum, and they can stage sweeping revolutions. The end result is almost always a negative one.

When we study the history of Islam and the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we clearly see that his approach was a very moderate one, seeking to win hearts and influence minds and ways of thinking. He never promised anyone any type of material gain. He never sought to achieve supremacy for any class, race, tribe or community. Even the least privileged individual was, to him, a person who had every right to learn of God's message and to make a choice whether to accept or reject it.

Muhammad's community is described in the Qur'an as 'the middle community', to stress its central role in the life of humanity and its moderate approach. Yet Islam is uncompromising in establishing the truth and defending it. It accepts no injustice, no matter who is the perpetrator. It tells its followers that they must always maintain justice, even with their enemies: "Believers, be steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in all equity. Never allow your hatred of any people to lead you away from justice. Be just, this is closer to righteousness." (5: 8)

Steering away from all types of extremity, we will be publishing a series of articles that highlight the true character of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). We hope that this will help our non-Muslim readers to understand our view of him. It will also help Muslims to formulate a better understanding of God's last messenger and why they should follow his guidance in all aspects of life.

Turkish aid brings light to Somalis

Turkish aid brings light to Somalis

World Bulletin Turkey's IHH said its health teams of doctors performed cataract operations on 929 more people in Somalia, increasing the total number of those who can see the light after aid in the whole African continent has reached 34 thousand 749 after aid. Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) said in a statement sent to World Bulletin, "it continues to perform cataract operations in different countries of Africa." "929 people in Somalia's Hargesa area got operations and now can see the light," the IHH statement said. "The total number of people in Somalia reached 6 thousands 851, while the number in the whole African continent has reached 34 thousand 749," the relief group said. Many young people lose sight due to cataract because of weather conditions, economic deficiencies and insufficient number of eye doctors. People, especially in rural areas, condemned to lives in the dark without a surgery. About 5 million people in Africa lose eyesight due to this disease, although they could be brought out of dark with a simple operation. Starting cataract operations in African countries 3 years ago, the Turkish aid brings light to Somalis Turkey's IHH said its teams of doctors performed cataract operations on 929 more people in Somalia, increasing the total number of those who can see the light after aid in the whole African continent has reached 34 thousand 749 after aid. "Target 100 thousand" Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) said in a statement sent to World Bulletin, "it continues to perform cataract operations in different countries of Africa." "929 people in Somalia's Hargesa area got operations and now can see the light," the IHH statement said. "The total number of people in Somalia reached 6 thousands 851, while the number in the whole African continent has reached 34 thousand 749," the relief group said. Many young people lose sight due to cataract because of weather conditions, economic deficiencies and insufficient number of eye doctors.. People, especially in rural areas, condemned to lives in the dark without a surgery.About 5 million people in Africa lose eyesight due to this disease, although they could be brought out of dark with a simple operation. Starting cataract operations in African countries 3 years ago, the foundation continues eye examinations and surgery to bring light to the people of Africa. IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation Chairman Bulent Yildirim said total number of people who got eye operations reached 34 thousand 749 in Africa in three years, while IHH aims to reach 50 thousand at the end of 2010, and targeted number of 100 thousand that will be reached in 2012. "Our work in Africa began in 2007. Our goal is to make 100 thousand operations in the first place. We are approaching this figure with the contributions of our philanthropic people. People can contribute to the campaignfor the cost of one operation, which is 100 new Turkish liras," Yildirim said. IHH chairman Yildirim continued as following: "We work in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Ghana, Benin, Togo and Chad. We take volunteer doctors and nurses from Turkey to the countries we make operations. Health Ministry gives those volunteer doctors and nurses 1 month administrative leave. We need volunteer doctors and nurses. At this point, we expect the support of eye doctors. Finally, I want to say, you may not be doing much with 100 liras in Turkey. But you can help someone in Africa who cannot see, change a person's life."

Stay out of Middle East affairs, Ahmadinejad tells Washington

Stay out of Middle East affairs, Ahmadinejad tells Washington

Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (C)

 attend celebrations of the Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) birthday in Damascus on Thursday. (EPA)
1 of 2

By AGENCIES


DAMASCUS: The United States should pack up and leave the Middle East and stay out of regional affairs, Iran's president said on Thursday during a visit to Damascus that follows a string of US efforts to break up Syria's 30-year alliance with Tehran.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Syrian counterpart, Bashar Assad, reaffirmed their ties by canceling visa restrictions between the two countries and vowing cooperation.

"(The Americans) want to dominate the region but they feel Iran and Syria are preventing that," Ahmadinejad said during a news conference with Assad.

"We tell them that instead of interfering in the region's affairs, to pack their things and leave."

The US has reached out to Syria in recent months by nominating the first US ambassador to Damascus since 2005 and sending top diplomats to meet with President Bashar Assad. Washington is hoping to draw Syria away from Iran and the militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas.

But with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by his side in Damascus, Assad said Thursday that America should not dictate relationships in the Middle East.

"I find it strange how they talk about Middle East stability and at the same time talk about dividing two countries," Assad told reporters when asked about Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's call Wednesday for Syria to move away from Iran.

Assad took a swipe at Clinton for making such a suggestion, saying he and Ahmadinejad "misunderstood, maybe because of translation error or limited understanding." In a show of unity, the two signed an agreement canceling travel visas between the their countries.

A string of high-profile visits to Damascus in recent months — from the US, France, and now Iran — shows Syria's strategic importance in the Middle East.

Ahmadinejad's visit came a day after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States was asking Syria "to begin to move away from the relationship with Iran," and to stop supporting Hezbollah, which is also backed by Iran.

Ahmadinejad said: "Clinton said we should maintain a distance. I say there is no distance between Iran and Syria. We have the same goals, same interests and same enemies. Our circle of cooperation is expanding day after day."

Assad defended Iran's right to pursue uranium enrichment.

"To forbid an independent state the right to enrichment amounts to a new colonialist process in the region," he said. "We need to further reinforce relations if the true objective is stability. We do not want others to give us lessons on our region, our history," the Syrian leader said.

Ahmadinejad stressed that ties between the two countries were as "solid" as ever. "Relations between Syria and Iran are brotherly, deep, solid and permanent ... Nothing can damage these relations," he said.

On the same day in Jerusalem, the United States and Israel resumed an annual "strategic dialogue" for the first time since President Obama assumed office in 2009, with Iran prominent on the agenda.

US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg met with Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon to pick up the regular consultations, which were held during the Bush administration.

Clinton said Wednesday that the recent decision to send the first US ambassador to Syria in five years does not mean American concerns about the country have been addressed.

Asked about Clinton's remarks, Assad said the US cannot dictate Syria's policies. "We are the ones who decide how matters will go and we know our interests," he added.

'Constructive role'

US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley, speaking to reporters in Washington on Thursday, said Assad "need only look around the region and recognize that Syria is increasingly an outlier." "We want to see Syria play a more constructive role in the region and one step would be to make clear what Iran needs to do differently. And unfortunately, there was no evidence of that today," he said.

President Barack Obama is determined to engage with Syria, a country seen as key to peace in the region but which the State Department considers a sponsor of terrorism.

Former President George W. Bush withdrew the last US ambassador to Syria in 2005 after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, which his supporters blamed on Syria. Syria denies any links.

Assad's strong words Thursday indicate that America does not have the kind of leverage it thought over Syria, said Joshua Landis, an American professor and Syria expert who runs a popular blog called Syria Comment.

"America overplayed its hand," Landis said. "The rest of the world is engaged with Syria - France is doing business, Turkey is doing business. Syria can survive. But it can't survive cutting ties with Iran." Still, there are signs Assad could be open to a breakthrough with America.

Assad has begun to dismantle his father's socialist legacy since he rose to office in 2000. He has loosened the reins on banking, sought to attract foreign investment, and encouraged tourism and private education.

He also is hoping for US help in boosting the Syrian economy and American mediation in direct peace talks with Israel - a recognition that he needs US help to reach his goal of winning the return of the Golan Heights, seized by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war.

But Clinton said Wednesday that the recent decision to send an ambassador to Syria did not mean American concerns about the country have been addressed.

Speaking to lawmakers in Washington, Clinton said the nomination of career diplomat Robert Ford signaled a "slight opening" with Syria. But she said Washington remained troubled by suspected Syrian support for militant groups in Iraq and elsewhere, interference in Lebanon and Syria's close relationship with Iran.

Ahmadinejad's trip comes amid rising US tension with Iran over its nuclear program. The US and others believe Iran is hiding nuclear weapons development under the guise of a civilian energy program. Iran insist its intentions are peaceful.

Assad called America's stance toward Iran "a new situation of colonialism in the region." Despite its efforts to woo Syria, Washington has not lifted sanctions on Damascus. First imposed by Bush and renewed by Obama in May, the sanctions cite Syria's support for terrorism, its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and other activities including efforts to undermine US operations in Iraq.

Iran's economic and political support has enabled Syria to survive those sanctions and international isolation.

Ahmadinejad stressed that Syria and Iran are partners with a long history.

"There is nothing that could harm these brotherly relations," he said. "With each passing day, these relations will improve and deepen." Sarkis Naoum, political editor of the Beirut daily An-Nahar, who follows Iran-Syria relations, says he does not see the countries severing ties anytime soon.

"Syria was supported by Iran, Iran helped Syria maintain its regime," he said. "Mr. Obama's engagement policy has not worked yet."

What can Nigeria expect now? | Analysis & Opinion | Reuters

What can Nigeria expect now? | Analysis & Opinion | Reuters
By Matthew Tostevin
What will the return of Nigeria's president, still to unwell to rule, mean for the chance of dealing with pressing problems and preparing for elections by April next year? ... Reuters editor for Africa. Based in Johannesburg, I have been covering Africa for nearly two decades. I joined Reuters in 1995 after starting out as a reporter with BBC radio and for a local newspaper in Sierra Leone. ...
Africa News blog - http://blogs.reuters.com/africanews/

Change Your Life, Way of Thinking & Aims in Life.

يقول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم نعمتان مغبون فيهما كثير من الناس .. الصحة والفراغ   The prophet of Allah (PBUH) said: two favours (of Allah) مغبون from many people... health and والفراغ هذا الايميل فيه قصة حقيقية سريعة ومصوّرة لعلها تغير حياتك وطريقة تفكيرك وأولوياتك في الحياة This email is a true story with pictures. It may change your life, way of thinking and aims in life.  تدور مجرياتها حول شخص من البحرين اسمه : إبراهيم ناصر ابتلاه الله عز وجل بإعاقة كاملة في جسده منذ ولادته ... حيث اكتشف والداه بأنه مُصاب بضمور في العضلات .. لا يستطيع تحريك إلا رأسه وأطراف أصابعه فقط حتى التنفس يتم عن طريق أنابيب تخترق رقبته لتصل إلى القصبة الهوائية It is a story of a person from Bahrain named Ibrahim Nasser. He has been paralyzed completely since birth and can only move his head and fingers. Even his breathing is done with the help of instruments.  كانت أُمنية هذا الشاب أن يقابل الشيخ نبيل العوضي قام والد إبراهيم بالإتفاق مع الشيخ نبيل العوضي دون علم إبراهيم بأن يزوره في بيته .. وذلك لتكون مفاجأة لإبنه وهاهو الشيخ يغادر مطار الكويت متوجهاً نحو البحرين It was the wish of this young man to meet sheik Nabeel Al-Awdi. So Ibrahim's father spoke the sheik on the phone in order to arrange a visit to Ibrahim.  This is sheik Nabeel in the airport.  كان شعور إبراهيم رائعاً وهو يرى الشيخ نبيل العوضي يفتح باب غرفته ليشاهده أمامه .. حيث أصبحت أمنيته حقيقة يراها بعينه ، ولم نرى سعادته سوى من نظراته فقط لأنه لا يستطيع الكلام Ibrahim was very happy to see sheik Nabeel open the door to his room.    We can only see his happiness from his expression as he is unable to speak  The moment sheik Nabeel entered Ibrahim's room  And this is Ibrahim's expression on meeting sheik Nabeel  لاحظوا أنابيب التنفس التي لولاها مات إبراهيم .. لا يستطيع حتى أخد أنفاسه بنفسه Notice the breathing instrument around Ibrahim's neck.. he is unable to even breath normally.  And a kiss on the for head for Ibrahim  Ibrahim with his father, uncle and sheik Nabeel  وبدأ حديث الشيخ نبيل مع إبراهيم حول الدعوة عبر الإنترنت .. والجهود التي يبذلها فيها وذكر له بعض القصص والمواقف Thus sheik Nabeel and Ibrahim started talking about da'wa  and the striving it requires.  They also exchanged some stories وفي أثناء الكلام سأل الشيخ نبيل العوضي سؤالاً لإبراهيم هذا السؤال جعل إبراهيم يجهش بالبكاء .. ونزلت دموعه بغزارة And during their conversation sheik Nabeel asked Ibrahim a question.    A question that made Ibrahim weep... and tears rolled down Ibrahim's cheek.  Ibrahim couldn't help but weep when he remembered some painful memories Here sheik Nabeel wipes the tears from Ibrahim's face هل تعرفوا ما هذا السؤال الذي أثر في إبراهيم Do you know what question it was that made Ibrahim weep? قال له الشيخ : يا إبراهيم .. لو أن الله أعطاك الصحة والعافية .. ماذا كنت تتمنى؟ The sheik asked:    Oh Ibrahim.. if Allah had given you health..  what would you have done? فبكى حتى أبكى الشيخ وأبوه وأخوه محمد وكل من بالغرفة .. حتى المصور نفسه بكى And thus Ibrahim wept bitterly and he made the sheik,    his father, his uncle and everyone in the room weep..    even the camera man wept وكانت إجابته : والله يا شيخ كنت أديت صلاتي في المسجد على أكمل وجه .. واستخدمت نعمة الصحة في كل ما يرضي الله سبحانه And his answer was:    By Allah I   would have performed my salaa (prayer) in the masjid (mosque) with joy..       I would have used the favor of health in everything that would please    Allah Subhanehu we Ta'ala الله أكبر يا إبراهيم .. والله إنك أخجلتني من ربي ومن نفسي إخواني وأخواتي .. أنعم الله علينا بالحركة والعافية ولا نصلي الصلاة في المسجد !!!! ونجلس بالساعات على الإنترنت أو امام التليفزيون Dear brothers and sisters Allah has favored us with agility and health But we do not perform our salaa H ,     not even    in the masjid!  And  yet, we sit for hours in front of the computer or TV  We have time for dramas, for the cinema, but not 10mins for SALAH.  وإن أحببت مشاهدة هذا اللقاء الأكثر من رائع .. ماعليك سوى النقر على هذا الرابط   ._,___ - "Indeed in this there is a remembrance for those who have a living heart,    listen attentively and are awake to taking heed." [Holy Qur'an : Qaaf: 37] --  May Allah guide us to the right path & keep us stead fast in that . Ameen With very best Regards & Duas   The Islamic Email Circle www.islam4ever.net

The Mourning Tree - An Autobiography and A Prison Memoir

The Mourning Tree - An Autobiography and A Prison Memoir

Mohamed Barud Ali, February 2010

Published by Ponte Invisible, available from www.redsea-online.com/books

In 1993, as a Minister of the Republic of Somaliland, "I was given the same office that the National Security Service interrogated me in the first night I was arrested [in 1982]. What can I say? All the demons have been exorcised from my life". So ends, in characteristic modesty and generosity of spirit, the memoirs of Mohamed Barud Ali. The memoirs titled "The Mourning Tree – An Autobiography and Prison Memoirs" were launched on 20^th February – an eventful date for the author and one which has since been commemorated in the Republic of Somaliland. The memoirs which have been published as the well chosen first book in a series titled "men and women" of Somaliland, is not just the story of a man, but also reflect the tale of a nation.

Born, in British Somaliland of the 1950s, under a tree (the Mourning Tree of the title) which was steeped in clan folklore, Barud attended one of the few elementary schools in Somaliland and joined the successive generations which left nomadic life. After independence, Barud attended the prestigious Sheikh Secondary School which was still staffed by redoubtable British teachers, and then, as one of the brightest pupils, he came to the United Kingdom for university education. With a keen eye for detail, Barud narrates amusing vignettes about the inevitable but innocent culture clashes and about the invidious racism of the 1970s seaside town "skinheads" who had never faced before young Somalis jealously guarding their honour. I can attest to the fact that the curious incident of the "black magic" (hot pepper) powder which reduced the tough Brighton "bovver boys" into sopping jellies has gone down in the annals of UK Somaliland students' folklore!

Unlike many other Somaliland students completing their overseas studies abroad in the 1970s, Barud returned to the Somali "Democratic" Republic, as the country was known then, at the end of 1978. By then the so called "bloodless" military coup of General Siyad Barre has already shed much blood. On his return, Barud had no choice but to go to Mogadishu "because it was the only place where there was an opportunity for employment in the country". In 1980, however, he was lucky enough to find employment in his home town, Hargeisa, and soon a new chapter of his life unfolded.

Barud and other young professionals were concerned about the dire state of the British built Hargeisa Group Hospital. With no adequate electricity supplies, relatives of expectant mothers were asked to switch on the headlights of their cars so that midwives and doctors can deliver the babies. A voluntary committee started to improve the state of the hospital and the streets and kept the local officials apprised of their work. The dictator's extensive security apparatus could neither countenance any voluntary welfare activities that might be seen as highlighting the government's failings nor would it allow any meetings or gatherings of such volunteers. The dictatorship's idea of voluntary self help "iskaa wax u qabso" was neither organised by volunteers nor undertaken voluntarily. Barud is very characteristically modest about his role and that of his colleagues, but both the nature and symbolism of their actions to the regime, on the one side, and to the long suffering "Somalileyn" people, on the other, set in train the events that followed and are narrated in the remainder of the memoirs.

It started with a portentous nock on the door late at night in November 1981. Five fully armed National Security Service soldiers took Barud away from his home. They reassured his anxious wife "with disarming civility" that he will be back home within the hour – an hour that stretched to eight and half years! 28 other Hargeisa professionals were arrested during the ensuing months. Barud describes the torture and the inhumane treatment to which he was subjected over a period of four months. This included indiscriminate and repeated beatings, various water torture, sensual deprivation, and hunger. In their continual efforts to extract confessions, the teams of interrogators even tried to condemn Barud and the others for absurd inferences drawn for their traditional names – Barud (gunpowder in Somali); Olad (struggle); Abby (defence) and Dagal (war)! Barud retorted by pointing their other names, such as Warsame (glad tidings), Dualeh (blessed) and Madar (nourishing rain)!

On 19 February 1982, Barud was served, for the first time, with a charge sheet alleging that he committed offences under Siyad Barre's Security Law, which were punishable by death. Barud already knew that the people accused of serious offences were executed promptly with or without short "trials" in special security courts and states that this was indeed the worst week of his life. On the following day (20^th February 1982), Barud heard from his prison cell gun fire that continued spasmodically for three days. This was the regime suppressing and killing unarmed students and young people who came on the streets when they learnt that Barud and 28 other detainees were to be sentenced by the dreaded National Security Court. Young students (and others) in Hargeisa and other cities came out into streets in defiance of the might of the dictatorship, and their stones and pebbles were answered with a hail of bullets, and reportedly some artillery fire. 45 were killed and a considerable number were arrested.

The ensuing show trial of Barud and the other 28 men took only 10 hours, including a break of one hour for lunch. The lawyers brought for them from Mogadishu two days earlier met them only for 10 minutes each on the eve of the trial. Two of the three judges of the court and the prosecutor were all military officers and the inevitable show trial conviction of almost all of them on the same day was no surprise to anyone, except for the fact that there were no death sentences. Barud states that this was simply because the regime was terrified of the continuing demonstrations and uprising from 20^th February. Barud and another were given life sentences and the others prison terms ranging from 3 to 30 years.

The second half of the book is a copy of the transcript of "decision" and an English language translation done in 1986 by Dr Ahmed Hussain Esa. I am not aware of any other written record of Siyad Barre's Security Courts pronouncements which has been preserved and this is a testament to the pivotal role that this show trial has played in the history of the Somaliland people. Apparently also one policeman, at a considerable risk to his life, secretly taped the proceedings!

In October 1982, Barud and the others were transferred to the secret maximum security prison, Labatan Jirow, thousands of kilometres away from their home town. They were held there in solitary confinement in a two square metre cells. It is extremely humbling to read how they coped in such trying circumstances, and Barud recounts the horrors of a prison run directly by the dictator and staffed by military members of his clan. Barud narrates the small acts of defiance and the secret ways they have communicated with each other through the walls without incurring the wrath of the jailers, the games they invented and the methods of collecting and sharing what little medicines they got. All these acts helped them keep their sanity and spirit through the 2375 days they spent in this prison in isolation.

Barud explains that he found physical torture easier to bear than the isolation of solitary confinement. He points out that we all have more strength and resources than we use, which we can be tap into when forced to do so, but he is being much too modest about his own strengths in the same way that he also decried, when released, the admiration of his countrymen. Barud and his colleagues were released in March 1989 when they were suddenly moved out of the jail and taken directly to Siyad Barre, who called them traitors and blamed them for the destruction and loss of life that he unleashed on "Northern towns". Having been in solitary confinement for over 6 years, none of them even knew the details of what Siyad Barre's army did to their own people.

None of the perpetrators of the carnage and destruction mentioned in these memoirs has been made to account for their acts. Many of them are living comfortable lives in western countries and others are still in Somalia colluding with others to keep their benighted country mired in anarchy. There may soon be a small but significant dent in this wall of impunity made by (among other victims of Siyad Barre's war against the Somaliland people) one of Barud's follow prisoners, Bashe Abdi Yusuf, who, having settled in the United States, is bringing a civil claim against former General Mohamed Ali Samatar. The case to be heard at Supreme Court in March will establish whether those who presided over torture, destruction and death of civilians can continue to claim immunity on the basis of the very positions that allowed them to direct such inhuman acts. Although this is neither a criminal trial nor a substantive hearing on liability, it is indeed the first time any of the perpetrators or their masters have been called upon to account for their actions.

Barud points out that the death, devastation and exile visited on the Somaliland people has served as a kind of shock therapy to help them not to dwell too long on their own experience, but we are all glad that he and the others have shared with us their experiences. We value their indomitable spirit and are humbled by their sacrifice. Barud and Bashe and the other young professionals who came to be known (after the title of a secret journal of the period) as "UFFO", the breeze that precedes the rainstorm, were indeed the early wind that gained momentum through their suffering and those of others and finally brought down the dictatorship. The events of February 1982 were indeed the beginning of the end of the tyranny in Somaliland and it is fitting that 20^th February is now officially a date commemorated in Somaliland every year. These memoirs will serve as a reminder of what has happened to us and as a warning of what must never happen again!

Ibrahim Hashi Jama

www.somalilandlaw.com

23 February 2010

For more details about the forthcoming US Supreme Court hearing of the case of Yousuf v. Samantar, visit the Centre for Justice and Accountability website.

ISRAELI STATEMENT ON SITES IN OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY MATTER OF CONCERN – UN

ISRAELI STATEMENT ON SITES IN OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY MATTER OF CONCERN – UN

A senior United Nations official today voiced concern at Israel's announcement that it was adding two religious sites in occupied Palestinian territory to its list of national heritage sites, warning against moves that could prejudice the resumption of peace talks.

Noting that the Israeli announcement concerning the tombs of the biblical patriarch Abraham in Hebron and the biblical matriarch Rachel in Bethlehem had led to heightened tensions, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry stressed that the sites are of historical and religious significance not only to Judaism but also to Islam and Christianity.

"I urge Israel not to take any steps on the ground which undermine trust or could prejudice negotiations, the resumption of which should be the highest shared priority of all who seek peace," he said in a statement, referring to Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that have been stalled for over a year.

"I also call for restraint and calm. As I underscored in my visit to Hebron last week, I would like to see more positive steps by Israel to enable Palestinian development and state-building in the area and throughout the West Bank, reflecting a genuine commitment to the two-State solution," he added of the internationally endorsed plan for Israel and Palestine to live side by side in peace and security.

New law will end male dominance in Saudi courts

Minister of Justice Mohammed Al-Eissa

By ARAB NEWS

Published: Feb 21, 2010 12:10 AM Updated: Feb 21, 2010 12:31 AM

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's justice minister says his department is drafting a law that would allow female lawyers to argue legal cases in court for the first time.

Mohammed Al-Eissa told reporters on Saturday the bill will be issued in the coming days as part of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah's "plan to develop the justice system." The law would mark a major step for female lawyers in the Kingdom. Currently, women law graduates can work in government offices and in court offices, but cannot argue cases before court.

Under the new law, women would be allowed to argue cases on child custody, divorce and other family-related issues.

The proposed new law to be issued by the Ministry of Justice would also allow Saudi women to complete certain procedures with notaries without presenting any witnesses.

"In accordance with the new law, women will be able to complete their preliminary procedures with notaries by just presenting their IDs," said Osama Al-Mirdas, assistant deputy minister of justice for documents.

He said women would be able to complete judicial procedures for registration of properties, housing plans, merging of real estate properties of different persons or classification of property ownership, by just presenting their IDs. "They can also use IDs for mortgaging real estate at nongovernmental funds and for authorizing corporate contracts, sponsorship and gifts." Al-Mirdas said the new regulations were planned in order to facilitate judicial procedures and break the routine barriers that obstruct women from approaching notaries. "Non-Saudis also need not bring any friends or relatives as witnesses for the endorsement of power of attorney and they can get the work done by just showing their IDs," he said. However, non-Saudi women should bring at least one person — a close relative — as a witness, along with her ID.

Al-Mirdas said cases of suspending property ownership and prevention of power of attorneys would be monitored through the Ministry's computer system and the notaries would not be able to complete procedures related to property registration or power of attorney for persons who are blacklisted.

"The ministry will also publish a format for powers of attorney on its website in order to help people to prepare their applications on that basis before presenting them to notaries. We have also updated the guidelines for judicial procedures for distribution," he said.

The ministry has also introduced a new documentation system in tune with the systems followed in advanced countries, he said, adding that it had reduced the burden of courts.

"The new procedures are aimed at reducing the burden of those who approach judicial authorities to get their works done and speed up things without affecting the correctness of documents and soundness of procedures. They also aim at realizing justice and protecting the rights of people," Al-Mirdas said.

 

Obama appoints his envoy to OIC

Obama appoints his envoy to OIC Sultan Al-Tamimi I Arab News

JEDDAH: US President Barack Obama has appointed Rashad Hussain to serve as his special envoy to the Jeddah-based Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The OIC, which is made up of over 50 member states, is considered the second largest inter-governmental organization in the world. "As an accomplished lawyer and a close and trusted member of my White House staff, Rashad has played a key role in developing the partnerships I called for in Cairo," the president said when he made the announcement on Saturday. "As a hafiz of the Qur'an, he is a respected member of the American Muslim community, and I thank him for carrying forward this important work." The OIC issued a statement on Sunday saying the appointment "will facilitate coordination between the US authorities and the OIC General Secretariat, particularly to promote mutual understanding on issues of interest to the Muslim world." The OIC expressed optimism that the post would help develop ongoing cooperation in the field of health, "especially eradicating polio and malaria and advancing mother-child health care." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to formally introduce Hussain to OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu when she visits Jeddah on Monday. Hussain is currently deputy associate counsel to Obama. His work at the White House focuses on national security, new media and science and technology issues. Hussain has also worked with National Security Staff in pursuing the new beginning that Obama outlined in his June 2009 address in Cairo.

Forced-divorce victims; Fatima, Mansour finally together

Forced-divorce victims; Fatima, Mansour finally together

By WALAA HAWARI | ARAB NEWS

RIYADH: After over fours years of legal wrangling over whether step-brothers can forcibly divorce a relative, Fatima Al-Azzaz and Mansour Al-Timani finally went home as a married couple with children on Wednesday night, after the Supreme Judicial Council overruled on Saturday a lower court's in-absentia marriage annulment between the couple.

A source at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) lauded the conclusion of this case, saying the HRC's president Bandar Al-Iban, "pointed out that the decision of Supreme Judicial Council reflects the judicial system's independence, impartiality and care for the benefit of family and the rights of children."

The HRC also commended the efforts of lawyer Ahmad Al-Sudairi, who was retained by the HRC to represent the couple.

The marriage of the couple was annulled in June 2005 by a judge in Jouf at the behest of Al-Azzaz's half brothers, who claimed Al-Timani lied to the woman's father about his tribal background when he approached him for his daughter's hand in marriage in 2002.

The yearlong court battle, which included detaining Al-Azzaz — who is in her 30s — as a ward of the state for her refusal to return to the custody of her family, revolved around the question of whether male relatives of a woman can legally intervene on a marriage on the basis of tribal incompatibility.

Arab News Editorial: Israel's Plot thickening

Plot thickening

There can now be little doubt the Israeli secret service was behind last month's assassination of Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh in his Dubai hotel room. The men who ordered the killing left an embarrassing fingerprint on their crime. Six of the people whose real passports were cloned for the killers' use are British citizens currently living in Israel. The Mossad obviously decided it was easy to steal the details of these individuals.

As a result, the Israeli crime is having wider ramifications with European governments calling in Israeli ambassadors and demanding an explanation of how this falsification of their passports came about.

It should be said, however, that the British in particular have so far acted in a notably pusillanimous manner. Instead of demanding Israel's ambassador in London visit the Foreign Office, he was very gently invited. Since as expected, he had been briefed to give nothing away, Thursday's meeting appears to have been fruitless. All that was left behind was a meaningless promise to cooperate with the British authorities as they investigate the passport fraud.

British Foreign Minister David Milliband, as usual, stuck to the legal niceties by refusing to even speculate publicly who might have been responsible for the passport stunt, until a police enquiry by the Serious Organized Crime Office has been completed. Will it be a very British calm before a very serious political storm? Some recall that in 1987, London protested Mossad's attempted use of another eight forged British passports. After that incident, the British were given a solemn undertaking by the Israelis that it would never happen again.

Even though some pro-Zionists British politicians and civil service mandarins might like to sweep under the carpet this egregious manifestation of Israeli bad faith, the reality is that public opinion in the UK, already deeply disturbed by Israeli barbarity in Gaza, is in no mood to let this matter go. Thursday some London newspapers were questioning the double standards of a supposedly friendly state. The Israelis made much of their adherence to the rule of law yet were clearly prepared to steal and falsify documents of other countries. Moreover, they are ready to murder opponents when it suits them, even though this makes them no better than the men they claim are terrorists.

An Israeli professor of politics was Thursday seeking to shamelessly justify the Dubai murder, assuming, he added quickly, that Mossad had indeed done it because of the lives he claimed Al-Mabhouh's elimination has saved. Supposing Hamas got wind of the planned Israeli bombardment of Gaza and sent a hit team to slay the Israeli Army's chief operational planner when he was staying in an overseas hotel. Would that also be no crime because of the lives that it might have saved?  The immorality of Israel's smugness at its own murderous behavior would be fully demonstrated by the howls of protests that would have followed such an "outrageous crime".

Now, therefore, is the time for European governments betrayed by this passport fraud to take real action to punish Israel. But the Europeans should remember that the real crime is murder, not passport fraud. They should also remember the moral indignation with which the US and UK would have reacted and the dire threats followed if the suspects were the intelligence agencies of any other Middle East 

Zionism a terrifying nightmare

Zionism a terrifying nightmare Alan Hart

MOST Jews of the world (and probably many Gentiles) believe that Zionism is the return of Jews to the land promised to them by God. I must confess, and do so cheerfully, that I don't buy this concept. The Jews who "returned" in answer to Zionism's call had no biological connection to the ancient Hebrews. They were converts to Judaism long after the end of the Hebrew conquest and short-lived domination of much of Canaan, the name as in the Bible by which Palestine was first known to the world. They therefore had no legitimate claim on the land. The Jews who did have a legitimate claim, probably not more than about 10,000 at the time of Zionism's first dishonest mission statement in 1897, were the direct descendants of the Israelites who stayed in place on the land through time. They regarded themselves as Palestinians, and they were fiercely opposed to Zionism's colonial enterprise because they feared it would make them as well as the incoming alien Jews enemies of the Palestinian Arabs. Also true is that prior to the obscenity of the Nazi holocaust, most Jews of the world were not at all interested in Zionism's colonial enterprise and many were opposed to it. The most informed and thoughtful of those who did express their opposition believed that Zionism was morally wrong. They also feared that Zionism's colonial enterprise would lead to unending conflict. But most of all they feared that Zionism, if it was allowed by the major powers to have its way, would one day provoke anti-Semitism. Which is precisely what is happening today. (Hence the title of my book, Zionism: The Real Enemy Of The Jews). In reality it is how the Zionists created their state — a Zionist not a Jewish state — that best defines what Zionism actually is. Israel was created, mainly, by Zionist terrorism and ethnic cleansing — a pre-planned process that saw three-quarters of the indigenous Arab inhabitants of Palestine dispossessed of their homes, their land and their rights. ZIONISM asserts that its state was given its birth certificate and thus legitimacy by the UN Partition Resolution of Nov. 29, 1947. That is propaganda nonsense. The truth can be summarized as follows: • In the first place the UN without the consent of the majority of the people of Palestine did not have the right to decide to partition Palestine or assign any part of its territory to a minority of alien immigrants in order for them to establish a state of their own. • By the narrowest of margins, and only after a rigged vote, the UN General Assembly did pass a resolution to partition Palestine and create two states, one Arab, one Jewish, with Jerusalem not part of either. But the General Assembly resolution was only a recommendation — meaning that it could have no effect, would not become policy, unless approved by the Security Council. • The General Assembly's recommendation never went to the Security Council for consideration because the US knew that, if approved, it could only be implemented by force given the extent of Arab and other Muslim opposition to it; and President Harry S. Truman was not prepared to use force to partition Palestine. • So the partition plan was vitiated (became invalid) and the question of what the hell to do about Palestine — after Britain had made a mess of it and walked away, effectively surrendering to Zionist terrorism — was taken back to the General Assembly for more discussion. The option favored and proposed by the US was temporary UN Trusteeship. It was while the General Assembly was debating what do that Israel unilaterally declared itself to be in existence — actually in defiance of the will of the organized international community, including the Truman administration. The truth of the time was that the Zionist state had no right to exist and, more to the point, could have no right to exist unless ... Unless it was recognized and legitimized by those Zionism had dispossessed of their land and their rights. In international law only the Palestinians could give Israel the legitimacy it craved. What is a Zionist today? Short answer: One, not necessarily a Jew, who (to quote Balfour) supports the Zionist state of Israel "right or wrong" and who cannot or will not admit that a terrible wrong was done to the Palestinians by Zionism — a wrong that must be acknowledged and then corrected on terms acceptable to the Palestinians if there is ever to be peace and the countdown to catastrophe for all is to be stopped. The Arab word for the catastrophe of the original dispossession of the Palestinians is Nakba. In my view, Zionism's Nakba denial is as obscene and as evil as denial of the Nazi holocaust. One thing nobody can deny is the effectiveness of Zionism's propaganda machine. Zionism's spin doctors probably learned from the Nazis that the bigger the lies and the more frequently they are told, the more likely it is that they will be believed in the mainly Gentile, Judeo-Christian or Western world; and all the more so when the mainstream media are terrified of offending Zionism either too much or at all. THE biggest of all of Zionism's propaganda lies is the one which asserts that Israel has lived in constant danger of annihilation, the "driving into the sea" of its Jews. As I document in detail in my book, Israel's existence has never, ever, been in danger from any combination of Arab force. Not in 1948. Not in 1967. And not even in 1973. Zionism's assertion to the contrary was the cover which allowed Israel to get away where it mattered most, in North America and Western Europe, with presenting its aggression (often state terrorism) as self-defense, and itself as the victim when actually it was, and is, the oppressor. The companion propaganda lie is that Israel never had Arab partners for peace. Zionism has two hallmarks. One is self-righteousness of a most extraordinary kind. In 1986 this self-righteousness was described by Yehoshafat Harkabi, a former director of Israeli Military Intelligence, as "the biggest real danger" to the Jewish state. The other hallmark is a shocking and awesome arrogance of military and economic power and the influence the latter buys, most critically in the US Congress where what passes for democracy is for sale to the highest bidders. On the matter of truth as it relates to the making and sustaining of conflict in and over Palestine that became Israel, I hope the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) is right: "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." If that's true, Zionism not only can be defeated but will be. — Alan Hart is a former ITN and BBC Panorama foreign correspondent who covered wars and conflicts wherever they were taking place in the world and specialized in the Middle East. Author of "Zionism: The Real Enemy Of the Jews". He blogs on www.alanhart.net and tweets on www.twitter.com/alanauthor

Brown wants probe as Israel denies role in Hamas murder

Palestinians protest by standing on top of an Israel flag during a rally Wednesday in Gaza. (Reuters)

By DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR

Published: Feb 17, 2010 11:26 PM Updated: Feb 17, 2010 11:53 PM

TEL AVIV/LONDON: Britain will launch a full investigation into the use of forged passports by a hit squad responsible for the murder of a senior Hamas leader in Dubai, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday.

His comments came as Israel's Foreign Minister denied that his country's intelligence agency Mossad was behind the assassination of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh in a hotel in Dubai on January 20.

Issuing the first reaction by an Israeli official to suspicions that Mossad was behind the killing, Avigdor Lieberman said Wednesday that it was "not correct" to assume that Israel was behind the assassination.

His comments come after revelations that several of the people named by Dubai authorities as being part of the hit team bore the same names as British immigrants to Israel.

Six of the 11 people whose names were published by the Dubai authorities held British passports, which the Foreign Office has said were forged.

"We are looking into this at this very moment, we have got to carry out a full investigation into this. The British passport is an important document that has got to be held with care," Brown said in a radio interview.

Opposition politicians in Britain have demanded that the Israeli ambassador should be summoned over the affair, but the Foreign Office said Wednesday it had "not made any official representation to the Israeli ambassador about the case."

Brown said the British government would seek to accumulate evidence about "what actually happened" before making any official statements on the matter.

Meanwhile, Liebermann told Israel Army Radio: "I don't know why we take it for granted that it was Israel or the Mossad that used those passports or the identities of that British citizen."

Rafi Eitan, a former government minister and high-ranking Mossad official, was more direct.

"The Mossad was not behind the assassination of Mahmoud Al- Mabhouh, but rather a foreign organization that is trying to frame Israel," he told the radio station.

Al-Mabhouh, 50, one of the founders of the Hamas military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, was found dead in his hotel room on January 20, a day after arriving in Dubai.

The authorities in the United Arab Emirates have named 11 European passport holders in connection with the case, including the six Britons, three Irish, a German and a French citizen.

Two of the British men, who have lived in Israel for many years, were reported Wednesday to have been shocked at the use of their identity.

According to the BBC, Israel-based Melvyn Mildiner, 31, who holds a British and Israeli passport, said he had never been to Dubai.

"Wow, I didn't know that (the number) was out. That's horrid," he said, adding: "I have never been to Dubai."

Mildiner also revealed that although the name and number of the travel papers matched his own, the date of birth was off by a few days.

British-born Paul Keeley, 42, a builder who has lived on a Kibbutz in northern Israel for the past 15 years and had not left Israel for two years, the BBC and the Daily Telegraph reported.

"When I first heard about this I immediately looked to make sure my passport was still there and it was," he said.

"It has not been stolen so I don't know what on earth has happened," he added. "It is all very worrying but I know I have not done anything wrong."

Those traveling with UK documents were named as Michael Lawrence Barney, James Leonard Clarke, Jonathan Louis Graham, Paul John Keeley, Stephen Daniel Hodes and Melvyn Adam Mildiner.

It is believed that while details like the names, numbers and dates of birth on the suspect passports matched the originals, the photographs and signatures differed.

Dubai's police chief Lt. Col. Dhafi Khalfan Tamim said the identities of the suspects had been passed to Interpol, so that international warrants for their arrest may be issued.