The largest Arab-American newspaper published in the US since 1986
P.O.Box 1130 , Montgomery TX 77356
Tel(281)799-0345 & (713)594-3061 Fax(832)201-0957
arabtimesnewspaper@yahoo.com arabtimes@aol.com
ADC Shame on you
Arab Times recently published an
editorial questioning the ADC's decision to honor Sheikh Mohammed
Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, with a global leadership
award. At the same time as Sheikh Al Maktoum was so honored, two
cases are pending against him in U.S. federal courts for child
slavery, stemming from the kidnapping of children and their forced
labor as camel jockeys in the camel races popular in the United Arab
Emirates
By MATT SEDENSKY
Associated Press Writer
MIAMI (AP) -- The wealthy rulers of the United Arab Emirates are being
accused in a lawsuit of enslaving tens
of thousands of young boys over the past three decades and forcing
them to work under brutal conditions as camel jockeys.
The civil lawsuit seeks class-action status and was filed last week by
unnamed parents of boys as young as 2 years old who were allegedly
abducted, enslaved and sold to serve as a backbone in the popular Arab
sport of camel racing. More than 30,000 boys could have been
victimized in what the suit calls "one of the greatest humanitarian
crimes of the last 50 years."
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai, and
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, the deputy ruler, were the most
active perpetrators of the crimes, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit was filed in Miami because the members of the royal family
maintain hundreds of horses at farms in Ocala -- among their billions
of dollars in U.S. assets -- and because "there is no venue outside
the United States in which the plaintiffs can possibly get redress for
being trafficked internationally and enslaved." It seeks unspecified
compensatory and punitive damages.
"The defendants robbed parents of their children and boys of their
childhoods, their futures and sometimes their lives, for the craven
purposes of entertainment and financial gain," the lawsuit said.
Calls to the United Arab Emirates embassy in Washington, D.C., were
not answered and there was no way to leave a telephone message after
hours. A telephone message left at a Kentucky farm owned by Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum was not returned. John Andres Thornton,
the Miami Beach-based co-counsel for the children, said the crown
prince had been served with the lawsuit on Monday while buying horses
in Kentucky.
The lawsuit claims the boys were taken largely from Bangladesh,
Pakistan and elsewhere, held at desert camps in the United Arab
Emirates and other Perisan Gulf nations, and forced to work. It claims
some boys were sexually abused, given limited food and sleep and
injected with hormones to prevent their growth.
"Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Hamdan treated their camels better than
they treated their slave boys for the simple reason that the camels
were far more valuable," the lawsuit said.
Camel races are immensely popular in the Persian Gulf. The United Arab
Emirates banned the use of children as camel jockeys -- long favored
because of their light weight -- in 1993, but young boys could still
be seen riding in televised races for years afterward. The problem was
highlighted in the U.S. State Department's June 2005 "Trafficking in
Persons Report."
The sheikhs are heavily invested in U.S. horse racing and the crown
prince owns Bernardini, the winner of the 2006 Preakness Stakes. They
also own Dubai Ports World, whose involvement in port operations in
Miami and elsewhere sparked Congressional concern, and the Dubai
Holding Co. and its subsidiaries, which own hotels, apartment
buildings and health care facilities
www.arabtimes.com monitored and blocked
in QATAR
The government of Qatar
restricted the peaceful expression of views via the Internet and
censored the Internet for political, religious, and pornographic
content through a proxy server, which monitored and blocked Web sites,
e-mail, and chat rooms through the state-owned Internet Service
Provider (ISP). For example, the Arab Times, an
Arab-American online newspaper, which at times published
articles critical of the government, was not available to users in the
country. A user who believed that a site was censored mistakenly could
submit the web address to have the site reviewed for suitability. In
some cases the ISP responded by unblocking the site after an internal
investigation. Statistics, however, were not available.
U.S. Department of
state Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2006
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
March 6, 2007
To read the full report click this link
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78861.htm
The government of
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES restricted access to some Web sites
on the Internet. Internet chat rooms, instant messaging services, and
blogs were monitored. Individuals and groups engaged in peaceful
expression of views via the Internet, including by email, without
reports of government prosecution or punishment, although there was
self-censorship apparent in many chat rooms and blogs.
According to the NGO The Initiative for an Open Arab Internet,
Internet access was widely available. According to January 2005 press
reports, 37 percent of the country's population was connected to the
Internet provided through the state‑owned monopoly Etisalat. A proxy
server blocked material deemed inconsistent with the religious,
cultural, political and moral values of the country; information on
how to circumvent the proxy server; dating and matrimonial sites; and
gay and lesbian sites, as well as those concerning the Baha'i Faith
and those originating in Israel. The proxy server occasionally blocked
broad categories of sites including many that did not meet the
intended criteria. Etisalat populated its proxy server list of blocked
sites primarily from lists of Web sites purchased from commercial
companies; though individuals could also report offensive sites. In
July 2005 Etisalat blocked a blog from within the country for the
first time, briefly blocking http://secretdubai.blogspot.com due to a
compliant that it contained "nudity"-though the site contains no
images. Etisalat removed the block after the site's owner requested
that the block be reviewed. There were no other reports of local blogs,
being blocked. The politically oriented - and
often critical -sites Arabtimes.com and UAEprison.com remain
blocked without explanation.
The Peace
Process on Life Support
by James Zogby
(Monday, December 3, 2007)
"...it is hard to see a breakthrough, or be optimistic. The Conference
is over, the delegates have gone home, preparing to meet "to make
every effort" to complete an agreement."
The Annapolis Conference turned out to be much less than the "historic
breakthrough" hyped by official briefers and dutifully (or naively)
echoed in mainstream media.
In fact, Annapolis was only historic if one ignores the Madrid
Conference of 1992. Or if one discounts the significance of the
Israeli-Palestinian Accords signed in Oslo, Cairo, Paris, Washington,
and Wye. Or the major post-Oslo economic summits in Casablanca and
Amman. Or even George Bush's own multi-nation gathering at Sharm
el-Sheikh. In other words, Annapolis was only historic if one either
disregards history or discounts its importance.
Seen in this larger context, Annapolis, at best, represented a rather
sad and pale reminder of what was, what might have been, what was
lost, and several steps back from where the peace process was seven
years ago.
One wants to be hopeful and supportive of every effort to end this
horrible conflict, securing for Palestinians their long-denied rights.
Given what transpired in the lead-up to Annapolis and at the
Conference itself, however, it's hard to be optimistic.
In the six months since the Bush Administration announced the
Conference, too little preparation left the meeting, its agenda and
goals, in limbo until the final day. And despite U.S. assurances to
Arab participants that Israel would make significant confidence
building gestures toward the Palestinians before the Conference, these
did not occur.
Scrutinizing the joint statement issued by the parties at Annapolis,
and examining in close detail statements issued by President Bush and
Israeli Prime Minister Olmert, there was little indication of any real
movement toward a positive outcome. The goals set in the joint
statement were too vague and limited, and the rhetoric used by the two
leaders reflected old and failed hard-line policies that have brought
stalemate for the last seven years.
The joint Israeli-Palestinian statement reflected, in itself, the
fundamental dilemma plaguing this entire process. Both parties are
politically weak. The Israelis, however, are by far the dominant
force, able to dictate terms to their liking. Under these
circumstances, the best Palestinians can do is say "no." In this
situation, for real substantive negotiations to take place, a third
party (presumably the U.S.) must be willing and able to offer support
to strengthen both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and to balance
the scale between them by protecting the interests of the less
powerful Palestinian negotiators. With the refusal of the U.S. to play
this role, the result is an ambiguous statement like the one that was
issued at Annapolis. In it, the best to which the Israelis and
Palestinians could agree was to negotiate "core issues" (which they
could not agree to define except to indicate that "core issues"
referred to those "specified in prior agreements" - which they also
could not agree to define); and to "make every effort to conclude an
agreement before the end of 2008." In other words, they could not
agree to implement, but only to try to agree.
For his part, Bush in his opening statement continued to espouse the
same neoconservative vision that has infected his entire approach to
the Middle East since 2002. In Bush's view, democracy, like a magical
elixir, trumps justice, and therefore makes all things right. Given
this, Palestinians, he argued, should focus less on their borders and
more on the character of their state. In Bush's view, then, the
challenges facing Palestinians are not to secure their rights and gain
sovereignty, but to root out terror, establish a working democracy,
operate with transparency, and form the institutions of a free society
- all this before having a state of their own!
Bush added requirements for the Israelis in this process, but they
were limited and far less onerous than even those he previously
outlined. All the Israelis were asked to do is to remove unauthorized
outposts, end settlement expansion, and "find other ways for the
Palestinian Authority to exercise its responsibilities without
compromising Israeli security" - whatever that means.
Israel's Prime Minister, aside from some statements indicating his
support for a Palestinian state and his commitment to make "painful
compromises" to attain that goal, said little that would commit his
government to steps that would put at risk his already fragile
government coalition. For example, in one stroke, he defined away the
refugee issue, proposing only to assist Palestinian refugees to find
their place in a future Palestinian state. In another passage, Olmert
describes his insistence that "previous agreements" would serve as the
"point of departure" for future negotiations. One of the agreements he
cited was President Bush's letter to Ariel Sharon in June of 2004.
This, of course, was no agreement at all, but a unilateral give-away
by the U.S. President to the Israeli Prime Minister.
In that letter, Bush commits to Israel:
support for actions Israel takes to defend itself against terrorism
(presumably including extrajudicial assassinations, the construction
of a separation wall and acts of collective punishment, etc.);
that in any future Israeli withdrawal, the U.S. understands that
"existing arrangements regarding control of airspace, territorial
waters and land passages.... will continue;"
that the refugee issue will be resolved by the settling of Palestinian
refugees in a future Palestinians state and not in Israel; and finally
that "in light of new realities on the ground, including already
existing major Israeli population centers, it is unrealistic to expect
that the outcome of final status negotiations" will result in Israel
surrendering these population centers, which include primarily the
settlements ringing Jerusalem.
Given all of this, it is hard to see a breakthrough, or be optimistic.
The Conference is over, the delegates have gone home, preparing to
meet "to make every effort" to complete an agreement. In a few days,
major international donors will gather in Paris to provide needed
financial support to the Palestinian Authority. That is a good thing.
The process is not dead; but absent a significant change in the U.S.
approach, it's barely on life support.
Dr. James Zogby is president of Arab American
Institute in Washington .DC
***
June 1, 2007
Shame in King Abdullah II House
By Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Muala
In his recent book, Lee Iacacco cites a
quote from Winston Churchill, "The longer you look back, the farther
you can look forward." The Hashemite regime in Jordan ignores
historical precedence. A few days ago, the absolute monarchy in
Jordan has marked 61 years of undemocratic monopoly of power, during
which its main concern has been to centralize politics and pave the
way to strengthen the executive power (the king), so that a tiny
technocratic elite, working hand-in-hand with a political segment of
the draconian security forces, would impose an authoritarian vision on
the whole of Jordan society. They have achieved success at a heavy
price!
With the repression of the press and
judiciary growing day after day, with the absence of any effective
political parties, with a bribed Parliament,
and with the added monopoly of the press, radio and television
stations at the behest of King Abdullah II, the morphology of the
civil society, of which all the above institutions are crucial
pillars, has a disturbing meaning in the country.
For a desperately poor
country, Jordan’s current leadership has proved weak and
untrustworthy. King Abdullah II’s local and foreign policies have had
a deeply damaging structural impact on Jordanians. The royal family in
Jordan has lost its moorings. The royal family rings hollow. The royal
family is self-serving. Leaders restore moorings. And King Abdullah II, a man deeply
unmoored, is precisely not the man to introduce genuine democracy in
Jordan or revitalize peace and lead Jordan and its citizens in the
Middle East and on the world stage.
In a significant sense, what we are seeing
and observing in Jordan these days is the history of massive
corruption and lax management, a travesty of justice, press-monarchy
conflict, ghastly threats toward opponents of the absolute monarchical
regime, a tangled and defunct economy, endless abuse of people’s basic
rights, such as freedom of expression, and abject poverty inflicted on
the diminishing middle class and urban and rural working people.
The outcome: A countless number of evil terrorists like Abu Musab Zarqawi
and his associates (e.g.,
Al-Maqdsi, Abu Trab, Al-Bana, Al-Jarrar, Saqallah
and Al-Smmadi) has been planted in Jordan and exported to the
world via the daily actions of the corrupt Hashemite regime in Amman.
The solution: Constitutional changes so that Jordanians can govern
themselves by electing their own government, Senate and Supreme Court
judges. Freedom, proactive and elected leadership, peaceful
coexistence and a sustained economy represent major parts of the
solution to fight evil terrorism in the Middle East and beyond!
One of the many
weaknesses of King Abdullah II is his lack of effective communication,
a key leadership skill in the 21st century. Commanding the
native language of a country is a very important skill for the
proactive and successful leaders of that country. In fact, it is a key
tool for those leaders to communicate with their followers and the
people in the street. King
Abdullah II lacks this important communication skill and tool.
This embarrassing shortcoming has been evident at key Arabic events as
well. In the recent Arab
Summitheld in Sudan, the king delegated Faisal Al-Fayez, the
former appointed and corrupt Prime Minister, to deliver his Arabic
speech. In Saudi Arabia, a few days ago, King Abdullah II did not give
a speech. Instead, his staff circulated the excerpt of his speech to
the press. In his visits to Jordanian cities and villages, King
Abdullah II does not speak much in Arabic, but relies very heavily on
his staff to jot down what people say to him so his wife Queen Rania
can translate these notes to Arabic for the king, later in the evening
or the next day, according to reliable sources at the royal court. And
when he speaks in Arabic, people laugh at him! A few months ago, King
Abdullah II said in a very funny Arabic accent, on national TV, “Kel
wahid be saker tmoh” (everyone must shut up). People
across Jordan laughed and have been very upset and shaking their heads
that their unaccountable and unelected king cannot speak their own
language! Also, King
Abdullah II has never shown up before local and regional Arabic
speaking press conferences in order to avoid
embarrassment due to his heavy Arabic accent and any situation where
he might run out of Arabic vocabulary and not understand the questions
voiced in Arabic. The same reliable sources informed JNMthat when
an Arabic-based newspaper asks to interview King Abdullah II, the
royal court staff asks for the questions in advance, prepares the text
of answers and insists that the interview is set up as a photo
opportunity that is focused on very informal, unrecorded conversation.Yes, in our own country, Jordan, we
have an Arabic as a Second Language (ASL) King!
The domestic audience
and international community are watching! Note the following salient
statements:
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/05/22/jordan15973.htm
issued by Human Rights Watch in New York on May 22, 2007, the
important chapter in the U.S. State Department’s 2006 human rights
report:
http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/State of Human Rights in
Jordan--Report 1.doc, the stunning report:
http://www.carnegieendowment.org/files/cp76_choucair_final.pdf)
contemplated by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in
Washington, DC, in December, 2006, the comprehensive reports:
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=2442&l=1
issued on November 23, 2005 and February 19, 2003 respectively, by the
International Crisis Group’s (Crisis Group), several scientific polls
and surveys:
http://www.css-jordan.org/polls/index.html conducted by the
Center for Strategic Studies (CSS) at the University of Jordan, the
stunning 38-page report:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/arabic/middle_east_news/newsid_6313000/6313195.stm)
(Arabic news story) published by Manfred Novak, the United Nations
Human Rights Commission's Special Rapporteur on Torture, on Tuesday,
January 30, 2007, and the
recent statement:
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=22118
released by Reporters Without Borders (RWB), condemning the arrest of
Dr. Ahmed Oweidi Al-Abbadi, former Member of Parliament and the author
of 57 books. All point to one
key fact that King Abdullah of Jordan has done nothing less than
silence all public dissent. Most of this was done, no doubt, to keep
control of his absolute monarchy in choppy political waters and to
show American and European critics that he does not shrink from
sticking a finger in his own eyes.
In a speech, delivered
on Thursday, May 24, 2007,
King Abdullah II stated, “For our democratic march, we are very much
concerned that it must take deep roots…we must reactivate the role of
civil society, respect the principal of pluralism, in the frame of
national unity that must become intact, above all
differences…pluralism and diversity are the streams that foster this
march and allow the citizens the freedom to choose and express
themselves…”
When asked about the
current Parliamentarian elections law, a very unfair and controversial
piece of legislation, criticized by many domestic and international
observers and experts on national elections, King Abdullah II reported
in Al-Arab Al-Yawm Newspaper, on Tuesday, May 15, 2007, that
“the government decided not to change the current Parliamentarian
elections law,” which is a fabricated response designed to mislead the
public and international community since the government in Jordan is
appointed directly by the king.
On Thursday, May 31,
2007, King Abdullah II visited the Abbad tribe in the city of Eira.
According to independent dignitaries and educated leaders in this
tribe, the visit was arranged by King’s Adviser for Tribal Affairs,
Sharif Fawaz Zaben Abdullah, and dozens of loyalists to the absolute
monarchy in this tribe. Hundreds of intellectuals and representatives
in the Abbad tribe declined to attend, stressing that this absurd
visit was arranged to show the people and foreign diplomats in Amman
that King Abdullah II still enjoys the support of Abbad tribe despite
his decision to imprison one of their leaders, Dr. Ahmed Oweidi Al-Abbadi, former
Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Jordan National Movement
(JNM). Dr. Al-Abbadi has been in jail since Wednesday, May 2, 2007 for
speaking up against corruption and human rights abuses in the country.
Now, who is the bluffer?
Who is behind of all of the massive corruption, lawlessness, human
rights abuses, abject poverty, and bribery and force of members of
parliament to enact laws that support the ailing monarchy in Amman and
curbing people’s freedom of expression and association? Who is
appointing these consecutive corrupt governments, cruel senior
intelligence officers, self-promoting senators and bribed judges? Who
is conducting the people’s business and managing the ruined
infrastructure of health, education and transportation sectors? Who is
calling for the charges and arrest warrants against peace and human
rights activists who are being targeted solely for exercising their
rights to speak up and speak out against failures of the judiciary
system and human rights abuses, thereby challenging the dominant power
structures of the Hashemite regime? And, who is the unelected and
unaccountable monarch who does not pay tax and refuses to open his
books and unfold the annual budget of his corrupt house, the royal
court, and members of the Hashemite royal family?
The answer is very obvious: our
illustrious King Abdullah II. No single change in the political,
economic, legislative and/or social arenas takes place and shapes in
the country without the blessing and direct involvement of King
Abdullah II and his intelligence community!
Americans must be true to
themselves. For any action on King Abdullah II’s
cruelties that the U.S. authorities describe as unwarranted
interference, it would be foolish of Americans not to expect to pay a
price. Tyranny breeds
terrorism and violence. We have all been witnessing
the massacres and daily killings of innocent people on the streets of
Baghdad and other parts of new Iraq. Where are most of these evil
terrorists coming from? Certainly, based on news and intelligence
reports, most of these suicide bombers and killers are made in Iraq
and neighboring countries, such as Jordan. We must recall and never
forget what the dead rat, Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab
Zarqawi,
did in the cities and villages of new Iraq. Zarqawi was made in
Jordan!
On the other hand, the Jordan
National Movement (JNM) calls for national unity against the corrupt
regime of King Abdullah II. JNM is for all Jordanians, including our
brothers and sisters, the large Palestinian-Jordanian community in
Jordan. We stand for their rights in Jordan as much as we do for the
rest of the population. We fully understand that they are
misrepresented in the unelected government, security forces and army,
and oppressed politically and economically. And this is one of the
reasons that we, ALL Jordanians, regardless of origin and nationality,
must work side by side and shoulder to shoulder against the corrupt
cliques and henchmen of the Hashemite regime in Amman. This regime has
not been elected nor selected via legitimate channels to govern the
people of Jordan. As long as this absolute monarchical refuses to
share power and listen to the legitimate demands of the Jordanian
people (http://www.css-jordan.org/polls/index.html),
we must work relentlessly and peacefully with the other concerned
countries and organizations to impart genuine, democratic and peaceful
change in Amman.
The Hashemite regime in
Amman must be confronted by a reasonable choice between suffering
penalties for its absolute authoritarian ways and opening up political
space for internal challenge. The democratic deficit
in Jordan will not be overcome without the help of the United States
and those democratic countries that have short and long-term interests
in its stability and security. Constitutional amendments are vital to
introduce viable political changes to our homeland. The current
absolute monarchical regime in Jordan must be replaced by a
constitutional monarchical system of governance. The outcome of making
these necessary changes could be a beacon of hope in creating lasting
peace, economic prosperity, justice, local and regional security, not
only in Jordan, but also in the entire Arab and Muslim worlds.
A new constitution, a
popular government, and an independent justice system in Jordan would
be the hallmark of constructive change in Amman. The present
constitution is very ancient and extremely ineffective. The current
and previous unelected governments have proved to be totalitarian,
despotic, impartial and corrupt. The will of the people of Jordan
must prevail. The people’s loyalty and allegiance must be directed
toward Jordan and its people. In the new world order, full freedom
goes hand-in-hand with economic and political reforms, information
technology, peace and security. Thus, these important
issues must be planned for in the form of short and long-term
strategies to bring ongoing prosperity to our homeland and its
citizenry.
The Jordan National Movement (JNM)
will proceed to assist in accomplishing this visionary
plan with full responsibility and vigor. These political reforms, of
course, will not take place without direct support from the people of
Jordan and their friends in the United States. We must march together
toward fairness and the rule of law in our homeland. Again, the
dividends of this plan will be reaped and shared by all citizens in
the Middle East region.
Mission
Statement:
An authentic, independent Jordanian organization seeks to promote
democracy, human rights, and political, economic and social reforms,
and national strategic issues in Jordan, and constructive and
peaceful dialogue to settle current and future conflicts in the
Middle East region
October 27, 2006
For Further Info. Contact:
Dr. Ahmad Oweidi Al-Abbadi (Chairman),
Former Member of Parliament (Two Terms) Amman-Jordan, at 00962 777
419 545,
oweidi2005@yahoo.com, & Dr. Abdul
Salam Al-Mualla (Secretary of Foreign Affairs), Dean & College
Professor, in the U.S. at (703) 629-5427, aalmala@verizon.net.
Open Letter
to U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Condoleeza Rice: Jordanians Under
Absolute Monarchical Siege
Dear Madam
Secretary:
We are writing you
this letter concerning the current political, social and economic
developments in Jordan and the recent falsified remarks delivered by
King Abdullah in Jordan and abroad. The king says something in the
presence of foreign leaders, dignitaries and world press and media,
but acts very differently back home. For instance, the king is using
international forums, such as World Economic Summit in Davos,
Switzerland, Dead Sea and other international gatherings for merely
public image and propaganda to show his western audience and his
foreign interlocutors that he is a real democrat believing in
democracy and human rights.
New
York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a stern, comprehensive and
accurate report (http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/09/19/jordan14205.htm)
on September 19, 2006 regarding the most recent human rights abuses in
Jordan, conducted directly by King Abdullah’s regime and his cruel and
Gestapo-like intelligence apparatus. This report reinforces another
recent report
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE160052006, issued by Amnesty International (AU) on July
24,2006.
All of the above reports are very
accurate and emphasize the latest facts reported by the Jordanian
National Movement (JNM): Abuse of human rights conducted by the
current corrupt absolute monarchical system in Jordan is rampant and
widespread.
The great majority of Jordanians firmly believe that
Jordan is governed by a ruthless clique influencing King Abdullah’s
absolute monarchical decisions: his wife Queen Rania, Director of
General Intelligence
Directorate (GID), Director of
King Abdullah Office, several unelected influential senators and
bribed journalists, and many members of a rubber stamp parliament who
have been elected via unlawful election means, such as “vote buying,”
“ballot stuffing,” “ghost
voting”and “depressing
the vote share of th
e rival candidates” with direct assistance and
official involvement of the GID officers.
According to a former GID
officer, who asked to be remain anonymous, told JNM that “before
Parliament elections, we summon potential candidates to the GID
headquarters in Amman and we tell them that in order to be elected,
they (candidates) must not oppose the king and abide later by
directions and orders issued privately by the GID.” In the daily
newspaper Alarab Alyawm, columnist Mohammad
Al-Subaihi, wrote in an article on Tuesday, September 26,
2006, titled “Death Knell to Parliament,” “I sincerely hope that this
Parliament goes home unreturned…” Another writer,
Sameeh Al-Maitah, stated in an
article, published in Al Ghad daily newspaper on Thursday, September
28, 2006, that the “government owns and dictates the opinions of
more than 80 members (70%) of current Parliament.”
As far as the media is concerned, the
regime in Jordan displays essential features of an authoritarian media
system. All broadcast media are controlled and manipulated by the
appointed government and royal court circles. Strict control over Jordan Radio and Television is exercised through
the GID, which also oversees print media, and can act against any
perceived dissension: incarceration, employment termination and
newspaper closure or suspension.
For example, Al Majd weekly newspaper
goes under strict monitoring system performed by GID officers before
publication every week. The Royal Court communicates its positions on
national and international issues directly to executives of the
broadcast media thus restricting the overall atmosphere of freedom of
expression. For instance, When Borzou
Daragahi, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer,
wrote a very well-balanced article in the Los Angeles Times newspaper
on Sunday, October 1, 2006, explaining the current political situation
in Jordan, the first reaction from the royal court and GID was placing
Mr. Daragahi on the watch list at Jordan’s borders and airports, a
similar despicable action that they have also applied to several
Jordanian opposition leaders living aboard.
The national and
international status of Jordan’s economy, public health and labor
rights are sliding backward. In Aqaba Province alone, 1100 cases of
“brain paralysis” have been discovered in recent weeks. The Global
Competitiveness Report (GCR) puts Jordan at the 45th rank among 117
counties worldwide in the GCR 2006 report. This represents a sharp
fall: from the 35th most competitive country in the GCR in 2005 to the
45th in 2006.
Further, the American
Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
and the US National Textile Association (NTA), filed a lawsuit against
the appointed and unelected Jordanian government on Thursday,
September 21, citing severe workers’ rights violations in the country:
“100-hour workweeks, physical abuse, unsafe working conditions, unpaid
wages, (and) distorted labor-market conditions globally.” These facts
were confirmed by a report aired on Jordanian TV on Monday, October 3,
2006.
Fahad
Al-Khitan, a well-respected journalist, added in an article
appeared in the Alarab Alyawm newspaper on Tuesday, October 3, 2006
that “more than 7 thousand workers were forced to live in 3 small
buildings located in Al-Ramtha city, which has caused and created
absolute miserable conditions and dangerous sanitation issues to those
workers and other people living in nearby neighborhoods.”
The GID Director’s dirty hands and
spies are everywhere, conducting despicable business on behalf and
under the directions and watchful eyes of King Abdullah and members of
the royal family. Like the king, the GID Director is above the law and
he has absolute authority to detain any person regardless of any legal
requirements and ramifications, selecting and endorsing ministers,
senators, members of parliament and high ranking officials,
interfering in municipal and parliament elections, passport renewals,
conducting and practicing wide-range favoritism and terrorizing public
employees.
For instance,
Salah Al-Momani, an avid Jordanian writer
living in the U.S., has been barred from renewing his Jordanian
passport due to his calls for basic political reforms in his native
homeland of Jordan. Further, upon direct orders from the king,
death threats were recently issued by the GID to members of JNM
living in Jordan and abroad, due to their constant and effective
campaign for genuine constitutional changes in the current corrupt
branches of the state.
It is absolutely shameful and ludicrous
to hear Queen Rania, the wife of King Abdullah, stating on Thursday,
September 21, 2006, during a conference organized by Clinton Global
Initiative in New York City, that the “only way to create a stable and
secure world is to address global injustices, specifically in the Arab
world,” while she and her husband, King Abdullah, and members of the
royal family are standing in the way by not allowing the Jordanian
people to elect a representative government! Queen Rania has been
playing significant overt and covert political roles in the daily
functions of the unelected government. She is interfering, dictating
and steering the executive branch of the state. Queen Rania is
assuming this unconstitutional role despite opposition from the great
majority of Jordanians. She is responsible for promoting corruption
and nepotism in the appointed government. While Jordanians live an
impoverished life, Queen Rania spends a huge portion of the country’s
resources on buying private jets, building new palaces, lavish
parties, royal receptions and her very expensive fashions.
The Hashemite family is in disarray! In
an invited presentation held in Amman a few weeks ago,
Prince Hassan
(the former Crown Prince to the late King Hussein), asked attendees to
convey to the Jordanian people that he has disowned himself officially
and politically from the current regime of King Abdullah. Jordanians
live under a cruel dictatorial regime that refuses dialogue with the
opposition (a my way or the highway kind of mentality), imposes its
will on the people, uses fear and intimidation by throwing dissidents
in jail, changes governments as it pleases, and resorts to bribes to
enlist supporters and appoint them in key governmental and royal court
positions.
As tax payers,
Jordanians are misinformed and blocked from accessing critical
information related to the state budget, monetary policies of
borrowing from foreign countries and even basic information such as
the annual income of members of the royal family.
No one in Jordan, including members of Parliament, knows or is even
allowed to discuss the budget of the royal court. King Abdullah
lacks command of the Arabic language: speaks Arabic with a heavy
accent and has never spoken at or attended an Arabic press conference
or delivered a lengthy speech in Arabic.
Also, the king
and members of the royal spend most of their time traveling abroad
spending millions of dollars, they do not pay taxes and their annual
and source of income are unknown to the public or appointed
government. For instance, King Abdullah recently
gave each government, military and security agencies employee JD100
($150), total of $77.5 million, for Ramadan, described by observers as
a cheap bribe to silence Jordanians and reduce the heat of resentment
that our people feel toward him and his oppressive regime. Jordanians
are wondering where he obtained this money from and how much he has in
his personal and saving accounts!
JNM stands firm to defend the rights of
the people of Jordan to effect change and make genuine and speedy
constitutional changes. The royal family in Jordan must understand
that we will not relinquish our total commitment to these essential
changes and will seek every single diplomatic avenue and peaceful mean
to inform the international community of the current and future
exacerbating circumstances in our homeland Jordan.
As stated by
Professor Marc Lynch in an article, written by Simon Tisdall on
Tuesday November 29, 2005, in the UK-based Guardian Newspaper, “after
six years in power, King Abdullah had little to show for his frequent
speeches about reform. His tenure had been characterized by a steady
decline in freedoms.” JNM will work consistently and wholeheartedly to
reverse the regime’s absolute military-style of governance. To avoid
generating new evil terrorists and suppressed people in Jordan, our
friends must work hand-in-hand with us to carry out this long-awaited
change swiftly, peacefully and democratically!
Cc:
President George W. Bush, U.S.A. President Vladimir
Putin, Russia President Hu
Jintao, the People's Republic of
China President Jacques
Chirac, France Chancellor
Angela Merkel, Germany Her Majesty Queen
Beatrix of the Netherlands Prime Minister
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Spain
Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe, Japan
Senator Hilary
Clinton, U.S. Senate Ban Ki-Moon,
UN Secretary General
Steve Hadley, US National Security
Adviser
Klaus Schwab, President of the World
Economic Forum (WEF)
Members of U.S. Congress
European Union, Delegation of the
European Commission to the United States
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR)
Transparency International
U.S. and Worldwide Human Rights
Organizations and Political Institutions
U.S. and Jordanian Press and Media
I would like to thank the arabtimes for informing us
about the recent
development with class action law suit filed against the "evil doers"
from the oil states. I cannot express my excitement in words , but
readig the article on BBC news web site I was very happy that someone
will be held accountable for their inhumane and uncivilized practices
of enslavement , abuse and exploitation of childern. Watching the
documentary that aired on HBO Real sports program brought me to tears
feeling sympathy for these innocent childern and it the same time i
felt shame and anger that I share the same race and religion with
these evil sheiks who entertain themselves on the pain and suffering
of those childern .I hope all major news organization and media in the
usa will give this developing story the proper attention and coverage
it deserves. I also hope more high profile lawyers will join the team
represeting these exploited childern.
Againg thank you arabtimes
I wish you more success
regards Adam
From : ikram omar <ikramomar@hotmail.co.uk>
Sent : Tuesday, September 12, 2006 8:51 PM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
Subject : Read this motherfuker
DR>OSAMA FAWZI
After reading the what you wrote in this article, I know why you
created this website. I used to think you are the only Arab person who
write what he thinks is right but clearly you are sucking America's
ass simply because you live their. So my thoughts that you are
righting with no control over your fucking hand, was wrong you idiot.
So my advice would be your motherfucker to go back to your country
Plantain and fight the Jews instead of you seating in that fucking
office and writing bullshits.
For now fuck off you fucking Arab bastard
From : hamudisayel@yahoo.com
Sent : Wednesday, September 13, 2006 5:44 PM
To : ikramomar@hotmail.co.uk
CC : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
Subject : Double-read this asshole
Ikram,
I don’t know where the hell you come from, but I am sure you are not
British. You're English language sucks and you can't spell worth of
shit.
To make this short and to the point:
If you don't like Dr. Fawzi, you can stop reading his paper or never
visit his website. But to ask him to go back to his country because
"he sucks america's ass" is stupid on your behalf. Why the hell are
you in Britain then since the U.K is the biggest supporter of America?
At Least Dr. Fawzi criticizes the American government when it does
wrong. Your stupid ass lives in Britain and "hates" the hand that
feeds it. You are the type of person who lives in the West and hates
everything about it. If you hate America that much, you should get out
of Britain since it's America's puppet. Go back to Pakistan or
wherever your mother shit you and try to open your mouth there and
let's see for how long you would be alive.
And before you badmouth the Arab nation, make sure you come from a
better background. Half of your country is probably CIA agents.
From :asad_2006_79@yahoo.com
Sent : Wednesday, September 13, 2006 4:06 PM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
Subject : ikram omar letter
dear arab times :
i know that you always say the readers have the right for there
opinion, but please please please, can you correct the spelling for
that guy ikram omar from U.K before you publish it? very bad english
sounds like a taco bell employee in his english ,and he is an arab but
calling the arabs names like you fucking arab bastard, i bet money he
is not even legal in U.K they will catch him soon and ship him back to
amman to sell viggies there and cry
yours
asad
indianapolis,indiana
From : Yaser Kailani <yaserkailani@hotmail.com>
Sent : Thursday, September 14, 2006 1:10 AM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
CC : ikramomar@hotmail.co.uk
Subject : Tributs to Arabtime and MR.Fawzy
It is not surprising me to hear that kind of insults for some one
really I pay him all my respects and tributes.
MR. Fawzy.
I knew that in this darkness time of our Arabs nation wich is the
slaying for this nation is currently occurred, and imminent every
things will be done because such people like our governments and Ikram
Omar, wich I believe that he is even doesn’t deserve to be carry those
integrity, honesty, and dignity names.
But before I go I want to say final words that the Arabs nations if it
doesn’t saved by Allah and some persons have been chosen by Allah to
defence this nation such you MR. Fawzy, really it is will be the end.
From : CIVICRACER1188@aol.com
Sent : Thursday, September 14, 2006 1:07 AM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
Subject : your newspaper
Hi,
I just want to say that I am one of your daily readers, and I really
like the way you write, especially the words you use. Briefly I want
to say it in my arabic language:
"tadaouna al nokat ala al horouf", always. Keep it this way and God
bless you.
Finally I want to apologize for writing in English, as I don't have
arabic keyboard.
Thank you.
Mona - Boston
From : walking_hormone@hotmail.com
Sent : Thursday, September 14, 2006 8:07 AM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
CC : ikramomar@hotmail.co.uk
Subject : In response to the email by Ikram Omar
As-salaamu alaykum wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu
I just wanted to express my deepest sorrow about the comments by Mr.
Ikram Omar. I don't know about his origin but his verbal belligerence
has brought shame to his country, his religion (if applicable) and to
his parents. Surely, Mr. Omar will jest on this gesture, but your
parents have totally wasted their energy and hard earned money on your
education, since your control of the language is akin to a blind man
driving a car.
Secondly, I want to make this absolutely clear that I am not siding
Dr. Osama Fawzi or the Arab nation at all. Infact, the Arab nation is
responsible for the differences it has with the rest of the Muslim
nation. It hurts to hear this, but this not only an accepted fact, it
is also a personal observation.
Coming back to the topic, freedom of speech is a powerful tool, but
Mr. Omar, there are many ways to deliver your opinion with decency and
due respect that a fellow human being irrespective of his/her caste or
creed deserves. Attitude and behaviour of others is reciprocal to your
own. If you will sow hatred and abuse, you will get the same, unless
it tickles your fancy.
ZJ
Pakistan
From :almala@att.net
Sent : Thursday, August 31, 2006 7:16 PM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
Subject : State of Human Rights in Jordan: Report (1)
Jordan National Movement
Amman, Jordan
http://www.jnm.jeeran.com (Under Construction)
Mission Statement: An authentic, independent Jordanian organization
seeks to promote democracy, human rights, and political, economic and
social reforms, and national strategic issues in Jordan, and
constructive and peaceful dialogue to settle current and future
conflicts in the Middle East region
Human Rights Report (1)
August 31, 2006
For Further Info. Contact:
Dr. Ahmad Oweidi Al-Abbadi (Chairman), Former Member of Parliament
(Two Terms) Amman-Jordan, at 00962 777 419 545, oweidi2005@yahoo.com,
&
Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Mualla (Secretary of Foreign Affairs), Dean &
College Professor, in the U.S. at (703) 629-5427, almala@att.net.
State of Human Rights in Jordan: Report (1)
New York-based Human Rights Watch reported on June 17, 2006 that the
Jordanian regime “must not roll back on its commitment to fully
respect freedom of expression…rather than implement the reforms it
promised…the [unelected] government of Prime Minister Ma’ruf al-Bakhit
is giving the intelligence agencies, the police and prosecutors free
rein to clamp down on legitimate speech.” For instance, the leadership
and countless members of Jordan National Movement (JNM) are being
threatened and harassed on a daily basis by the omni-present officers
of the General Intelligence Directorate (GID). According to a recent
major report, Jordan's 9/11: Dealing With Jihadi Islamism, prepared
and delivered by the independent International Crisis Group (ICG), the
(GID) has “carved out a critical role (since 1999) and, according to
one analyst, "regional developments over the past few years have only
helped entrench the Mukhabarat's (GID) role in politics and society."
Further, the same report emphasized that “the [Jordanian] media, while
free in theory, consistently exercises a degree of self censorship
that reflects keen awareness of its limits, encouraged by occasional
arrests or threatening phone calls.”
On March 8, 2006, the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of
the U.S. State Department, issued a report stating that “although the
[Jordanian] government respected human rights in some areas, its
overall record continued to reflect problems.” Among these major human
rights problems: “restrictions on the right of citizens to change
their government, allegations of torture, continued police abuse and
reported mistreatment of detainees, arbitrary arrest and prolonged
detention, instances of impunity, denial of due process of law,
limited judicial independence, infringement on citizens' privacy
rights, harassment of members of opposition political parties,
restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly, association,
movement, and on some religious practices, legal and societal
discrimination against women, ‘honor’ crimes, child abuse,
discrimination against (Jordanians of all origins), restrictions on
labor rights and abuse of foreign domestic workers.”
Torturing prisoners to death continues to occur in Jordan. For
instance, a gruesome crime took place at Al-Jafer prison on Saturday,
August 12, 2006. The Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR), Jordan
Branch, reported on Monday, August 14, 2006 that the inmate, Mr. Mwafq
Abdul Aziz Odeh Taha, was beaten to death by prison security guards
and found dead at Al-Jafer’s horrible prison. He was serving an
unknown sentence for non-criminal charges. Al-Jafer is located 270 km
in the isolated and extremely hot southern desert, very far away from
prisoners’ families and close relatives. [The prison was built in 1935
and ordered to be reopened by the appointed government in 1998 after
the late King Hussein decided to close it down several years ago.]
After a recent visit to Al-Jafer, the AOHR noted deep bruises on
Taha’s left shoulder and emphasized that he was starved to death. The
AOHR described the prison conditions as “absolute and extreme misery”
and “over crowded.” The chairwoman of the Complaints Department at the
AOHR, Ms. Basma Al-Hassan, stated that prisoners at Al-Jafer have “no
access to bathrooms, medical assistance, drinking water and provided
with only one piece of rotten cover to sleep on the bear floor.” The
AOHR issued a press release stating that 80 percent of the 264 current
prisoners at Al-Jafer prison are incarcerated due to traffic
(speeding) violations, administrative fractions (violating a city
ordinance) and other non-criminal charges. Political prisoners in
Al-Jafer, such as Mustafa Arabiat, Fouad Mohammad Zamzam and Ahmed
Ibrahim, were imprisoned for speaking up in public against the king
and the royal family.
Recently, the GID has been very active in preventing and disallowing
political and human rights activists (living inside and outside of the
country) from renewing their Jordanian passports, a repugnant practice
that is inconsistent with the current constitution and very basic
human rights. For instance, an avid writer, Mr. Salah Al-Moomni,
living in the U.S., was told by the Jordanian authorities in Amman
that he could not renew his passport because of his critical articles
of the government. For further information on the most recent
violations conducted by the GID, please read this report:
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE160052006, prepared by
Amnesty International (AI).
Abuses of human rights, travesties of justice, unequal distribution of
national resources, political oppression and abject poverty breed
indefinite cycles of violence and vicious acts of terrorism. These
dimensions of daily hardship are widespread and growing rapidly in
Jordan. The current condition in Jordan is unbearable and heading
towards a situation worse than what was happening in Iraq during
Saddam Hussein’s era. The current regime has absolute executive power
of a ppointing and dismissing governments, creating illegitimate and
rubber stamp parliaments by picking and firing senior judges, senators
and high-ranking advisers. These ongoing circumstances are creating
potential junior and senior terrorists who would have nothing but hate
towards those countries that support absolute monarchical regimes in
the Arab world.
The U.S., Europe and the civil world have to face this reality: either
ease the pressure and discontinue supporting absolute monarchical
regimes in the Middle East region, or face a countless number of angry
people. Those oppressed and freedom-loving people will turn to
violence and terrorism and do everything at their disposal to vent out
their immense anger at the U.S. and other countries that support these
cruel r ogue regimes.
Hence, the Jordan National Movement (JNM) urges all democratic
countries, worldwide free societies and international civil
institutions to take bold, practical and courageous measures against
the current corrupt absolute monarchical system in Jordan. We need to
work together to curb this regime’s double-faced local and foreign
policies that have deceived the global civilized community regarding
its daily dictatorial activities against the people of Jordan. We must
work hand-in-hand to defeat growing terrorism in the Arab world:
peacefully and democratically!
Cc:
President George W. Bush, U.S.A.
President Vladimir Putin, Russia
President Hu Jintao, the People's Republic of China
President Jacques Chirac, France
Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany
Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Spain
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Japan
Senator Hilary Clinton, U.S. Senate
Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General
Dr. Condoleeza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State
Steve Hadley, US National Security Adviser
Klaus Schwab, President of the World Economic Forum (WEF)
Members of U.S. Congress
European Union, Delegation of the European Commission to the United
States
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR)
Transparency International
U.S. and Worldwide Human Rights Organizations and Political
Institutions
U.S. and Jordanian Press and Media
Web censorship: Correspondent reports
As human rights group Amnesty International launches a global campaign
to try to halt censorship of the internet by governments, BBC
correspondents report from some countries where web users face
difficulties.
CHINA: RUPERT WINGFIELD-HAYES, BEIJING
Officially China does not censor the internet. According to the
Chinese government, its internet regulation is no different from that
in America, Britain, or anywhere else in the world.
In its quest to control the internet China has sought overseas help
China says it only blocks internet sites that are damaging, such as
pornographic sites, or ones promoting things like terrorism.
The reality of China's internet is very different.
Just try logging on to the BBC News website from an internet cafe in
China. You can't. The same goes for websites for The New York Times,
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and a host of others which
could hardly be described as pornographic or "dangerous".
China probably has the most sophisticated internet monitoring and
censorship system in the world. In the last few years it has spent
tens of millions of dollars building what has come to be known as the
"Great Firewall of China". In the past, whole websites were blocked.
Today the system can block out individual parts of websites.
In its quest to control the internet China has sought help from
overseas. Some large, US-based computer software companies are
believed to have sold Beijing the sophisticated software needed to run
its filtering system. Companies like Google and Yahoo! have also been
accused of co-operating in China's internet censorship.
Google, for example, has modified its Chinese language search engine
so that it does not show results for sites the Chinese government
deems "harmful".
Inside China there is an even larger effort to control the country's
own internet.
Internet service providers (ISPs) are required by law to monitor their
own websites and chat-rooms for "dangerous content". Every ISP in
China has its own staff of "web police". On top of that government
employs thousands more who constantly scan the Chinese web, closing
down any site or blog that is considered subversive.
For those Chinese who persist in using the internet to criticize
Communist party rule, the end result can be a prison cell. Three young
men were recently sentenced to prison terms of eight to ten years for
using the internet to send "sensitive" information to foreign based
websites.
CUBA: STEPHEN GIBBS, HAVANA
Cuba has vowed to be a force to be reckoned with in the digital era.
Thousands of Cubans are being trained in a new school for computer
technology on the outskirts of Havana. Free computer clubs have been
set up across the country. Even the smallest rural schools are being
provided with their own terminals.
Cuba's licensed internet terminals are meant only for tourists
But at the same time the government is working hard to prevent its
citizens from surfing the net without restraint. Shops in Havana might
appear to sell high-quality computers, but actually making a purchase
is impossible for Cubans without special approval, which is rarely
granted.
Similar restrictions are in place for anyone who might want to open up
an account with the state internet service provider. Exceptions
include senior government officials, academic researchers, and
foreigners.
The authorities say these regulations are in place in order to ensure
the internet in Cuba is used for "social and collective use."
'Prioritising'
Although all Cuban media is rigorously state controlled, the
government rejects accusations that it is censoring the net.
It concedes that some sites are blocked, but say these are "terrorist,
xenophobic, or pornographic". Websites based in the US which publish
articles by dissidents from within Cuba are generally inaccessible.
The government says that what it is doing is "prioritising" the
internet, for use by sectors such as education and health. Essential,
it says, given Cuba's limited resources, and limited bandwidth.
The bandwidth problem is blamed on the United States. As a result of
the US trade embargo, Cuba cannot link up to the web via a direct
fibre optic line. Instead it has to use more expensive satellite
links.
Thousands of Cubans get around their governments restrictions and
access the internet via the black market. User IDs and passwords are
sold by state employees whose jobs give them legal access. Some log on
via home made computers built from smuggled parts.
A legal alternative is to go to one of the cyber cafes that are being
set up across the country. But these have another barrier - cost. Half
an hour surfing the web costs around $3. That might be comparable to
the price in other parts of the world, but in Cuba, where the average
salary is $15 a month, it is substantial.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: JULIA WHEELER, DUBAI
In the United Arab Emirates, internet censorship centres on two
distinct areas; pornography and the criticism of Gulf governments.
While the majority of the multi-national population welcomes the
blocking of pornography sites, the same cannot be said for the more
politically motivated cases.
The UAE is one of the fastest developing countries in the world
From the UAE, attempting to access sites like www.uaeprison.com or
www.arabtimes.com (published in the
United States) brings up an apology for the site being blocked and an
explanation; it is "due to its content being inconsistent with the
religious, cultural, political and moral values of the United Arab
Emirates."
It is not clear how the monopoly internet provider, Etisilat,
determines what contravenes the country's values. There is a right of
reply on any blocked site message though, allowing surfers to suggest
it be made accessible.
For many, the censorship of sites which question, discuss or oppose
the ruling families of the Gulf states and their absolute power, is
anachronistic. The UAE is one of the fastest developing countries in
the world, but this development is far more economic than political.
Satirical blogs, parodying the city and its residents, such as
secretdubai.blogspot.com, www.dubaienquirer.com and
onebigconstructionsite.blogspot.com can be found.
Internet users in Dubai's commercial free zones - like Dubai Internet
City, Dubai Media City and Knowledge Village - are able to sidestep
the strict state censorship by using a different proxy. The more
technically savvy users in other parts of the country are also finding
ways to access the banned sites they want to view.
In March, there were reports internet cafe users could have their
personal details recorded and kept on file. The explanation from the
authorities was that this was to curb "cyber crime" including hacking
and sending spam emails, but it has brought into focus questions of
personal privacy.
The opening-up of the telecoms sector which is due to allow another
state-run company, Du, to operate from later this year is unlikely to
change the position on blocked sites.
Perhaps one of the biggest annoyances for the mostly expatriate
population in the Emirates is the inaccessibility of internet
telephony sites like www.skype.com. This is widely seen as economic
censorship; the state wanting to ensure continuing large profits
through migrant workers making international telephone calls.
E-mail this to a friend Printable version
SEE ALSO:
Amnesty to target net repression
28 May 06 | Technology
Iranians strive to beat media controls
04 May 06 | Middle East
Net censorship spreads worldwide
04 May 06 | Technology
Telecoms thriving in lawless Somalia
19 Nov 04 | Africa
China tightens web control
27 Jan 04 | Asia-Pacific
Cuba cracks down on internet use
11 Jan 04 | Americas
Vietnam cyber dissident released
15 Jun 04 | Asia-Pacific
Dubai launches Internet City
29 Oct 00 | Middle East
RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Irrepressible.info
Amnesty International
Internet Governance Forum
Cuban government
Dubai Enquirer
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Ms Condolesa Rice, Amman,
April 11, 2006
Secretary of State
USA
Excellency
I am writing to you in my capacity as a Jordanian citizen. I happen to
lead the Jordanian National Movement, a populist movement which calls
for major reforms, transparency, and zero tolerance to corruption. We
have deep seated belief in democracy and adherence to human rights. We
believe that people in the region can live in peace and prosperity
through dialogue, openness and above all giving people the power to
control their lives and destiny. As such, we totally oppose all forms
of violence and terrorism, including state terrorism.
We are in total agreement with your calls to reform the region through
democracy and peaceful means. We view this as a true opportunity for
the Jordanian people to take real control of their lives and future.
Further more, we believe that your calls are genuine and sincere since
they are based on the longstanding democratic practices in USA which
are deeply rooted in the American culture that values human rights and
individual freedom highly.
We, in Jordan, have long been victims of state oppression,
marginalization, and state corruption. We live in a state in which the
king enjoys a” divine” role. His words are orders to be obeyed; his
instructions are above the law and his deeds are never to be subjected
to any public accountability. This is clearly stated in the
constitution or in the daily life interpretation of it. Any individual
opposing him or even stating an alternative opinion is subjected to
all forms of prosecution, torture and exclusion from public life and
the process of policy making. There are numerous cases that exemplify
what I am stating. The king and his circle are constantly calling for
democracy, adherence to human rights and the fight against corruption.
The real practice is totally the opposite. The democracy they believe
in is that which gives them total power over the people, a free hand
to do what they want and above all total obedience from the citizen.
Corruption is an abstract idea and practice that does not apply to
them, even when they are the major initiators and perpetuators of
corruption.
We see a light of hope when we witness that the USA embassy staff in
Amman are truly engaged in exploring alternative ways of reaching the
people and understanding there needs and concerns by means of what I
call the third path. I refer here to non-party populist movement that
reflects best what people feel and believe in. Surely such steps are
in line with your policy. May I say that the meetings we had with the
embassy staff have definitely left a positive impact on the movement
and on me about the sincerity of your calls and the whole image of
USA. I believe that such practices would serve the long term interest
of the Jordanian people and those of the United States and are worthy
of more attention.
ÇáÏß澄 ÇÍãÏ ÚæíÏí ÃáÚÈÇÏí = ÑÆíÓ ÇáÍÑßÉ ÇáæØäíÉ ÇáÃÑÏäíÉ
00962777419545 äÞÇá
Ahmad Oweidi Abbadi, PhD.
Former member of lower house of parliament (twice)
Chairman,
Jordanian National Movement.
Email : oweidi2005@yahoo.com
Mobile jordan : 00962 777 419 545
From :lh225@georgetown.edu
Sent : Sunday, May 7, 2006 6:07 AM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
Subject : Leila(Georgetown University student)-article
My name is Leila Hanafi and I am a Moroccan student at
Georgetown University in Washington DC. We organized an event last Friday at
Georgetown University on Women and Development in Morocco at Georgetown
University. Please let me know if you could post my article?
The distinguished panel included His Excellency Moroccan Ambassador Mekouar,
William Jordan, Maghreb Affairs Director at the State Department, and
Melissa Rugiero from the United Nations Developmen Fund for Women (UNIFEM) .
The event also featured an art exhibition by renowned artist Helen Zughaib
who provided an extraordinary overview of the work Arab women artists are
producing.
Please find attached my article.
Many thanks and regards,
Leila Hanafi
Women and Development in the Middle East and North Africa:
Achievements and Challenges
A Case Study of Morocco
By
Leila Hanafi
Georgetown University
Washington, D.C.
In the United Nations Arab Human Development Reports, gender inequality was
identified as one of the main obstacles to development in the Arab Region.
Gender inequality is a root cause of Arab underdevelopment; it is essential
for improving economic growth, and reducing poverty. Tackling this deficit
is a pre-requisite for moving forward. A stimulating discussion focused on
this issue at Georgetown University in Washington DC. Themed Women and
Development, “Their Challenges and Achievements - A Case Study of Morocco,”
the discussion focused on women’s development in the Middle East and North
Africa and featured a distinguished panel of experts that included: His
Excellency the Moroccan Ambassador Mr. Mekouar, State Department Director of
Maghreb Affairs - Mr. William Jordan, UN Development Fund For Women
representative - Mrs Melissa Rugiero, and Dr. Loubna Hanna – Moroccan
professor at American University, School of International Service.
The event was organized by several Georgetown student groups lead by Leila
Hanafi – “whose opening remarks raised the issue of the importance of having
women themselves play a role in regional Arab development.” In conjunction,
she explained why gender equality is relatively important towards achieving
nearly all of the Millennium Development Goals – (the global development
framework adopted by the United Nations in 2000 for improving world
standards of living through poverty reduction).
The discussion focused on Morocco, a case-model country that could be used
to inspire other nations in the Arab world to embark on women’s development
and achievement through the Millennium Goals framework.
Opening the presentation, Morrocan Ambassador Aziz Mekouar outlined
Morocco’s ever-present character as the known liberal and
non-confrontational face of Islam. Describing Morocco’s King Mohamed VI’s
reforms, the ambassador showed how such reforms were major breakthroughs in
the long struggle for equal rights of Moroccan women. The impact of these
reforms in Morocco had far-reaching implications – “and could have major
effects in the Muslim and Arab world as a whole.”
Following the Ambassador’s presentation, UNIFEM representative - Melissa
Rugierio, described that organization’s activities to promote gender
equality and achievement through the MDGs in Morocco. Ms. Rugiero noted the
importance of gender issues as central to UNIFEM’s goals of creating a world
where women live free from poverty, violence, and inequality.
In succession, William Jordan – “Director of Maghreb Affairs” at the US
State Department, highlighted Morocco’s reforms, and stressed that “these
reforms can help unleash the full potential of all citizens and add to the
prosperity and stability of Morocco and the region.” He then described three
focus areas of US government activities in Morocco and the Arab world:
supporting local NGOs and women’s rights groups in their effort to achieve
full participation for women in civil and political society; providing women
with the skills and tools required to help build strong judicial
institutions, and provide access to opportunities for women in efforts to
gain economic independence – “increasing their power in the private sector
towards building democratic societies.”
Presiding after Mr. William Jordan, Dr. Loubna Hanna, a distinguished
professor at American University School of International Service, reiterated
the importance of gender issues to development by pointing out that gender
equality is not only for the sake of women - it is really a by-gender issue:
“the welfare of society relies increasingly on a country's quality of human
resources, and women remain a largely untapped resource.” Dr. Hanna
crystallized this and the fact that women in general have a strong potential
to bring about change. In her analysis, she stated that promoting gender
equality is a smart economic decision, and a realistic response to the
challenges of globalization. Dr. Hanna went on to say that “excluding women
is to exclude serious human capital.” Therefore, gender issues need to be
viewed as central in policy design and implementation: “we need to focus our
efforts towards promoting gender equality and empowering women with the firm
understanding that these issues are principal elements of the developmental
process,” she stated. Dr. Hanna concluded by emphasizing the role of civil
society and building partnerships to promote gender equality.
Such ideals were in the mind of Georgetown student organizer Leila Hanafi:
“we wanted to bring together this panel for just such a reason,” stated
Leila. “Discussions of these kinds begin the dialogue that is essential to
bringing about change as women in Morocco and the Arab world redefine their
roles, and forge new pathways of participation and leadership,” she went on
to say.
Morocco has made steady and significant progress in elaborating and
implementing democratization and good governance reforms due in great part
to the civil society that has developed and matured rapidly in Morocco –
“especially with respect to women’s associations.” The quick pace of reforms
and the emergence of new actors at various levels have resulted in strong
opportunities to strengthen and broaden women’s rights. With these reforms,
Morocco has set itself on a path to become a modern democratic society, and
has become the leading model for both women’s development and progressive
reforms in the Arab world.
The event also featured sights and sounds of Morocco, a nourishing taste of
Moroccan cuisine, and art exhibition by renowned artist Helen Zughaib who
provided an extraordinary overview of the work Arab women artists are
producing.
###
Special Note:
This remarkable and unprecedented event was presented by the United Nations
Association of the National Capital Area-Human Rights and International Law
Committee, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service Academic Council,
and the Embassy of Morocco.
Anti-Muslim
Cartoon
By Ali Alarabi
3/7/06
ALIALARABI@SUNTIMESMAIL.COM
The issue of offensive cartoons
published recently underscored the deep misunderstanding between Muslims
and non-Muslims here at home and around the world.
The controversy started when a Danish paper published cartoons offending
Muslims by depicting Islam's Prophet Muhammad offensively. This issue has
since taken a worldwide dimension when several other European papers
republished the cartoons. They were claiming solidarity with their Danish
colleagues in the name of freedom of the press, and this created as a result
a ripple effect of protest and violence in many countries.
In the United States, civic-minded
mainstream newspapers remained true to their ethical standards by choosing
instead the moral high ground by refraining from publishing the offensive
cartoons.
This choice in no way caused the freedom of press to suffer; quite to the
contrary, it has strengthened this freedom through making moral choices in
line with the mores and values of the mainstream of the society.
It has been argued that publishing the cartoons, albeit offensive, is an
exercise in freedom of the press. That is not entirely untrue, and such
freedom in my opinion must be preserved and cherished at all times. This is
something I call good.
However, newspapers do not operate in a vacuum; they have a duty to the
community, which is to reflect its mainstream mores and moral values through
civility and decency in its public debate.
When choosing not to publish such
offensive cartoons means preserving human life and keeping and promoting
peace between religious and ethnic groups, it overrides other
considerations, and it is a greater good.
Those papers that have published the offending anti-Muslim cartoon have
erred in publishing something they knew will incite violence, and eventually
the loss of life and property.
Muslims have the right to be outraged and to feel insulted by what they felt
was a very offending depiction of their prophet, but they too have erred in
taking their protest too far into torching down embassies and expressing
their displeasure in violent means.
This issue has brought to the fore deep-seated mistrust and for the most
part miscommunication between the West and the Muslim world.
For many Muslims, this latest
controversy has shown yet another example of the West's hypocrisy,
disrespect and assault on Islamic beliefs and values. Furthermore, it is not
just in the popular culture and Hollywood movies that we oftentimes see
Muslims or Arabs being portrayed in contemptuous, negative and prejudiced
imagery.
Medieval literature and authors such as Dante Alighieri's work, for example,
contain demeaning and monstrous anti-Islamic images that reflect a
prejudiced view of Islam and its adherents, and show that modern
stereotypes, suspicion and mistrust between the Western societies and Muslim
ones have medieval roots.
This controversial issue has made many in Western societies wonder why
Muslims feel very offended because a newspaper drew a cartoon about their
prophet, when Christian values and beliefs oftentimes are assaulted and
ridiculed in the public square without sparking this type of worldwide
protest and in many instances are met with an apathetic stare.
An answer could be found in the
political and social development of Western societies since the Reformation
of 1517 and the religious and political horrific warfare between Catholics
and Protestants, that eventually necessitated the treaty of Westphalia in
1648, which in turn ushered an end to the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648)
between the religious and ethnic communities of Europe.
As a result, European societies went through a sacrilegious process that
essentially diminished the power of religion in the public square, thus
creating a sort of rupture between religion and the individual, and also
marked a retreat of religion from public life.
For Muslims, on the other hand, those historical events were peculiarly
European; there were no Reformation, no religious warfare of European sort
and more importantly no rupture between religion and the individual.
The Muslim world is not a one
monolithic giant. It is, rather, a vast expanse of multitudes of races,
cultures, languages and ethnic groups, and could not be expected to behave
as if they were a product of European historical experiences.
Muslims therefore remained passionate about their religion, and religion
remained active in both private and public domain.
If lessons could be learned from this issue, it is that Muslims, Christians,
Jews and others must work harder to better understand each other and create
a reservoir
of tolerance and good well for all.
From : jasb@mail.dk
Sent : Friday, February 3, 2006 11:39 PM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
Subject : your article about prophet Mohammed cartoons
Dear Usama Fawzi
Salam:
Is it ok with you to translate the article and press it in Danish news
papers
Jame Sbaih
Hareskovvej 3 1 th
2700 Brønshøj
DK
From : suwwan.moussa@neuf.fr
Sent : Tuesday, January 31, 2006 6:50 PM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
Subject : for osama fawzi
Marhaba, your article on Mohammade ibne Abdallah is excellent, walak
inteh jabbare ya osama fawzi, ...good luck, Moussa SUWWAN Halasseh,
min alqodsse