Showing posts with label palestine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label palestine. Show all posts

Friday, January 30, 2009

Extraordinary stuffs

Extraordinary stuffs happened this week.

For the first time ever, I felt that I would probably know what to do, with a fair bit of efficiency, if a patient goes into arrest - including the shocking bit, like in TV :) The ILS course definitely felt like some sort of turning point in my budding medical career, one worth remembering. Insha Allah.

*****

On a more important note, Recep Tayyip Erdogan stormed off one of the forums in World Economic Forums in Davos, Switzerland. I remember the forums to be rather tame proceedings in the past, I definitely didn't see this one coming.



Then he was given a hero welcome in Turkey, at 200am.




P3r3S (do I have to soil my blog with his name?) shouted first and it was Erdogan who loses his temper? No complains CNN, just small print stuff :)

What's his true intentions are, wallahua'lam. As a matter of personal satisfaction, I don't care - almost.
Although we are living in a morally corrupt political era stripped of world leaders who are not driven by monetary-gains or any other self-satisfying ambitions, I would like to cautiously trust him - just be a little husnuzon to politicians for once :) It is probably needed, otherwise there would be no signs of any sort of worthy saviour around hence depriving myself of much needed optimism.

At least man enough to storm off, unlike the pussy bunch of leaders whom are the Arab politicians... and Malaysia included. It's true and you know it.


"It is not possible to be a secular and a Muslim at the same time. They are continuously saying, "Secularism is in danger." It will be, if this nation demands it. You can not prevent it. The Islamic nation is waiting for the rise of the Muslim Turkish nation. We will. This rebellion will start."


Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Opening ceremony of the RP İstanbul Ümraniye District Organization,
before
he stepped up to become PM of Turkey.



"Mosques are our barracks,
domes our helmets,
minarets our bayonets,
believers our soldiers.
This holy army guards my religion.

Almighty our journey is our destiny,
the end is martyrdom.
.....
....."


An Erdogan's modified intro to Ziya Gökalp's poem - Prayer of the Soldier -
one which landed Erdogan a 10 months imprisonment sentence on charges of "religious hatred" in 1998.


Staunchly secular indeed.

Erdogan once identified Turkey as having "two fundamentally different camps" - those who follow the Attaturk Reforms and the Muslims who unite Islam with Sharia. As a matter of fact, what he said apply to the rest of the Muslim world - one just have to identify oneself which side of the fence one belongs to.

Sitting on the fence? Not an option I'm afraid :)

Is he all great and sincere? wallahua'lam.

*****

Chinese New Year; internet-called Kluang, wished Gong Xi Fa Cai then got asked (again), "Dah ada amoi?"

Adoi, lemah :)

Can't keep avoiding the same question for much longer...

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Ceasefire?


Tonight the leaders of the terrorist illegal occupiers of Zionist Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire after murdering more than 1,200 lifes in Gaza; almost 1/3 children, plus a 'significant' percentage of women. The ever-resilient Hamas managed to kill a respectable 13; and in the words of BBC News - mostly "soldiers".

Undoubtedly the world will celebrate this as some sort of achievement, especially if one only looks at the issue from the selective reporting of the Western media. However I will not be surprised if Hamas kept on firing rockets into Israel's illegally occupied territories.

Why would one be surprised, the rockets were initially fired to apply pressure on the Israelis to lift the inhumane border blockage that has lasted since June 2007.

A blockade that went ahead despite a truce which agreed conditions state otherwise.

A blockade which has literally made Gaza the largest open-air prison in the world (notice the lack of "....." i.e. literally). A blockade which has left Gaza in the state of famine. A blockade that has killed children with relatively curable illness and malnutrition. A humiliating blockade which was designed to directly insult the Gazans right to life. A degrading blockade that chastised the men and women of Muslim ummah as a whole.

Nevertheless, we should see this opening as a golden opportunity. Make use of the current sentiments to apply pressure to the many goverments so that they in hand apply pressure to the Israelis to stop the blockade. The same governments who managed to conveniently overlooked the humanitarian crisis in Gaza prior to the latest occupation. A humanitarian crisis which will likely escalate to immeasureable proportion after the bombings.


And at risk of sounding excessively preachy, but I can't stress enough that we have a responsibility to educate ourselves and the people around us on the root of the issue. How could you possibly claim later on (in front of Allah) that you have at least tried for the cause if you don't even entirely understand what the cause actually is.

What's left? Not even dignity...

As for Hosni Mubarak and Mahmoud Abbas, I sincerely hope you traitors die... slowly... and painfully.

Last but certainly not least, Livni and Olmert and the rest of the Zion terrorists; remember Khaybar... remember Khaybar :) It shall happen again, Insya Allah.



P/S - notice I did not once use the word Jews in this piece, I've got nothing against Jews. In fact, I myself have got quite a few good Jewish friends :)

Sunday, January 11, 2009

F

I pray that one day I could personally "wipe that smirk right off their faces..."

Insya Allah

Pic source : BBC News

Friday, January 09, 2009

George Galloway (Brit MP) inspiring speech during London Palestine Rally




Hmm, now I want to write about Mr. Mubarak... uhh, he's a bad egg indeed...

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Israel's 'colonial tactics' decried

Azmi Bishara, an Arab-Israeli analyst and former member of the Israeli parliament, has lashed out at the Israeli media campaign being run alongside its war on Gaza that criminalises the victims and victimises the coloniser.

Speaking to Al Jazeera on Tuesday, Bishara said Israel's war on Gaza was disproportionate and punishes the Palestinian people for refusing to bow to Israel's fait-accompli in the strip.

"Usually people are pushed to collective punishment because they want to punish resistance movements or national liberation movements.

"That's usually what colonial powers did, and that's what Israel is doing.


Bishara said the majority of Gazans are refugees, whose ancestors used to live in what is now Israel.

"Everybody knows that 75 per cent of the people of Gaza are refugees. Everybody knows that Israel disengaged from Gaza militarily, but occupies it economically and politically and also it besieges Gaza militarily.

"Israel would say, "what would any normal country do if they were threatened by rocket fire? They would act".

"But Israel is not a normal country, it is an occupying country, a colonial country and the people of Gaza are under siege."

‘Punishing democracy’

Bishara said that Palestinians are being punished for choosing Hamas in the January 2006 democratic elections and accused Israeli officials for dramatising their lies.

"Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, should be asked, "What would you do if your house is besieged and you can't feed your child, can't go to school, and can't take them to the doctors and physicians when they are ill.

"I consider Hamas rockets a protest shout, they haven't hurt many, only the few. They are weapons of the poor, used to express their will.

"What brought the war was the siege. When colonial powers have historically gone to occupy countries, siege has always been a weapon. Siege is a military action at the beginning of war.

"When it did not work to break the will of the Palestinian people... Israel realised that the rockets were a response to the siege, and they went to the next phase which was direct military aggression, which is actually now directed against civilians to punish them for their democratic choice.

"What I think will happen is a ceasefire that will mean an end to the siege if the rockets stop. It will happen after the deaths of so many people."

Al-Jazeera, 7th January 2009

Monday, January 05, 2009

A War on Multiple Fronts

It struck me quite hard that non-Muslims in this country cared so much about the plight of our brothers and sisters in Palestine, specifically 'Ghazzah' (which some might not know, spelled as غزة). Thanks to the advancement in information technology, news from far off countries can be made known to us in matters of seconds. It is only up to us to care to read the news or not.

It is a well-known fact that the Israeli government is defying its own Supreme Court order to allow a limited number (8) of foreign journalists into Gaza. They allowed 2 instead, but in show of solidarity (rightly or wrongly) the foreign journalists refused to go into Gaza until foreign journalists are allowed full entry, or at least until the Supreme Court order is fulfilled.

Israel's argument for not allowing journalists in - to devoid to Hamas 'militants' (read: democratically elected government from one of the cleanest elections in middle east history) of any source of propaganda.

But at the same time, the Israel's 'government' propaganda machinery is working round the clock to gain a sympathetic 'victimised' persona, as well as to project to the world that no humanitarian issues are happening in Gaza. (which is kind of retarded if you ask me; there was humanitarian issues even before the latest escalation, I can't imagine what the situation is right now).

There was an article on BBC News discussing a youtube video released by IDF to project the selectiveness of the attacks conducted by Israeli aircrafts - with a large caption: "Grad missiles being loaded onto the Hamas vehicle". It showed an apparently Hamas' truck being loaded with missiles and was shortly afterwards destroyed by an airstrike.

It is put up as a 'clear evidence' of how accurate their attacks were and how well justified.It was viewed 260,000 times shortly after it was released.

It turned out however that a 55 year old Gazan by the name of Ahmad Sanur, claimed that the truck was his and he and his family was moving oxygen cylinders from his workshop. An Israel human rights group B'Tselem put up his account on their website, together with burned out oxygen cylinders (pic above).

Paul Reynolds, the BBC world affairs correspondent made a rather enlightening account, "...the incident shows how an apparently definitive piece of video can turn into something much more doubtful. "

Reflecting on this, whether or not the attack struck a truck-load of missiles, it is important to acknowledge the importance of information trickery undertaken everywhere. And I mean absolutely everywhere (without dangerously going into too much details).

Remember surah al-Hujurat, ayah no 6;
"O believers! If any disobedient comes to you with any news make a strict inquiry lest you may hurt any people improperly then remain repenting on what you have done."

It is rather hard these days to get a balanced view of what's happening inside Gaza, but at least al-Jazeera is operating from within. Reports have been quite graphic hence affecting opinion everywhere especially across the Arab world.

Israel on the other hand says,"Quite a few (media) outlets are very favourable to Israel." - Major Avital Leibovich whose name is becoming quite familiar over the last few days.


As for myself, I am still rather puzzled how western medias conveniently disengage from the root of the matter; 1948.

But at least people are starting to know; not just any people, even orang putihs. Which was very well potrayed during the rallies that I attended.


Pic credit: BBC News

Saturday, January 03, 2009

Rally pics

Death count to date: 430
Wounded : 2,200




Semangat berkobar-kobar...


Muslims and non-muslims alike,
share a common interest known as humanity


Kira-kira 500 orang menghadiri demonstrasi di Bristol


Rakyat kebanyakan tak kira bangsa,
sama-sama menyatakan kebencian atas kebejatan


This is a picture of legendary proportion...
note the placard and the background, this one is pure poetry


Anak bertuah ini meratapi rakan seumur yang kurang bertuah


Senja menjelang; untuk hari ini, dan insya Allah untuk rejim Zionist sama



Pics credit - Momad@Bristol 08/09, from the "Free Palestine" Collection. Pics are taken from the Cardiff and Bristol Palestine Solidarity Rally 08/09
Sorry gambar kecik sgt, rapid editing pakai Powerpoint je. Click on the pics for bigger,higher Q pics. More pics coming soon insya Allah. Bertuah ada photographer pergi rally sama, takyah susah2 amik gambar, bole fokus betul2 :p

---------------

Editing at 2101 GMT : In the latest development of the conflict, BBC News just confirmed that Israeli troops are mobilising into Gaza. After more than 800 airstrike to date, IDF is finally putting some "real man power" into the action. I greet this as a "better" news for our brothers and sisters in Gaza, insya Allah. The playing ground is not actually square, but
at least now they have something proper to fire at.

On the humanitarian side of things, the condition is rapidly deteriorating. With a total bed capacity of 1,500 (estimate) in all 13 of its publically run hospital, and its fleet of 60 ambulances reduced to half; it is of little wonder that the Hamas government and health authority are finding it hard to deal with the increasing number of casualties. The Hamas government has been accused of refusing to send wounded people to Egypt, but truth be told from a hopefully unbiased medical point of view, it takes time and a whole lot of effort to stabilise patients under the best of medical care, let alone with impoverish facilities.

Wallahua'lam...

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Another Cry For Freedom









'Fireworks' are meant to be fired upwards...

On its Sabbath last Saturday, Israel kicked off its New Year celebrations early by bombing the poor people of Gaza, killing more than 300 in 24 hours.

And what did it bomb? Every town and city in Gaza, a university, police stations, government offices and the tunnels dug into Egypt by the Palestinians to smuggle in supplies of food, medicine and fuel in an attempt to break Israel's economic blockade of Gaza. Israel describes these as "military" targets.

The beleaguered Palestinians have suffered 60 years of human rights violations. Israel's actions have been condemned by 69 UN resolutions and described by former US President Jimmy Carter as "one the greatest human rights crimes on earth".

Even the great Nelson Mandela refers to Israel's treatment of the Palestinians as nothing short of "apartheid".

Where is the outcry? Where are the words of condemnation? When Mumbai was attacked a few weeks ago, our government and the US, rightly, lead the world in the chorus of condemnation. Yet today it is our government and the US that are strangely silent. It is a silence, save for the few barely audible whimpers calling for "restraint on all sides", reminiscent of a few years ago, when Israel bombed its neighbour, Lebanon, killing over 1,000 people.

Israel, the world's fourth most powerful army, is bombing an impoverished people who can't defend themselves against F16s, Apache helicopters and missiles, and we want restraint on all sides?

Katusha rockets, fired by the Palestinians in response, are little more than a symbolic act of defiance – the military equivalent of a size 10 shoe being thrown at a press conference, and no match for the devastating Israeli firepower.




Not downwards... 'happy' 1430/2009 everyone

Israel is the one holding the smoking gun as the Palestinians lie bleeding to death at its feet.

Israel constantly refers to threats of it being "wiped off the map", but who could do this? It is grotesquely superior in military strength to its enemies, with 400 nuclear weapons when its enemies don't have one.

The fact is, the only nation to have been effectively wiped off the map is Palestine – by Israel. Israeli politicians refuse even to use the word "Palestine", instead referring to the "Occupied Territories", "West Bank" or "Gaza".

Israel screams aloud that its people face the threat of "being driven into the sea". In fact, the only people literally on the verge of being driven into the sea are the Palestinians in Gaza.

In 1947, as the new Israeli state was carved out of the Middle East, refugees fled to the Gaza province of what was once Palestine, hoping it would only be a short while before they could return to their homes.

They have been living there ever since, in absolute poverty, as Israel has made conditions for them ever worse. So much so, that Gaza is now nothing more than an open-air prison and one of the world's most overcrowded territories.

As Israel sends its message to the Palestinians with bombs and bullets, let us also send a message to Israel – free Palestine.

Farouque Siddique- This is Bristol, 30th Dec 2008.

Pics credit - BBC News

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Cardiff Anti-War Rally

Cardiff, 30th December 08- I attended an anti-war rally against Israel's on-going offensive in Gaza today. I wasn't sure what to expect, with myself never attended such events prior.

It was meant to begin at 12 noon, and indeed it did start on time despite the rally crews were just roughly 10 people at the time. And with just a little bit of hesitation all 4 of us joined in the 10 odd people, kickstarting the rally.

Admittedly it was a bit awkward, but in the name of solidarity for our Palestinian brothers we joined in. And the fact that it was in Cardiff actually helped,"Not our home turf, no one's actually going to know us :p"

BBC News coverage of the event

And the lead "rallyist" consumated the rally, reiterating the reason for our peaceful gathering. He was indeed a full-blooded Welsh with no ties whatsoever to the Palestinians, quite unlikely a Muslim. But the way he spoke was as if his own brothers were suffering; fiery but not angry, he was as impressive as he was clear.

After a short speech, some of the crew members started singing songs which were of foreign entity to us. But we hang around the circle which slowly started to bulge quite a bit. By then there were probably 40 people, mostly Muslims; true to the tradition, late as always. Better late than never I suppose.

The rally carried on, with songs and speeches intertwined. The crowd was expanding even further, it was probably around 100 people after 20 minutes. The number was definitely encouragement enough for us to stay on. Anti-war mantra was chanted, "FREE FREE PALESTINE" etc... The spirit within the crowd was definitely palpable; slogans were shouted, flags were waved, sign boards were numerous; men and women, Muslim and non-Muslim, joined hand-in-hand (not literally) in support of Palestine. Media crews were busy snapping pics, interviewing participants of multi-ethnic origins; ultimately making the rally achieving its main purpose for the day - anti-war publicity.

This single rally was never going to stop any war. 2 rallies are still not enough to stop any war. 10? unlikely. 50? maybe big enough a number to apply some sort of pressure. And this small one is a building block to the 'number', whatever it is.

100 people may not sound that many, but it did look fairly crowded - good enough to attain some media attention (the freaking TV was there!).

On a more personal note, apart from showing solidarity in as many ways as I could/should, I just have to see to reiterate to myself that there are people out there; strangers/ajnabis, not people in my close-circle; who also care - be it in the name of Islam, or even humanity.

I was not disappointed :)

At the end of the day, 'Deeds are only by intention...'


P/S,
- qunut nazilah
- pics coming, unfortunately I'm in between cameras and my old-school Nokia phone does not have a camera function ~ a very close relative to the infamous 3310

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Do something!

As this very sentence is being written, 280 Gazan lifes have been mercilessly snatched away. Hundreds more are injured to varying extent, some might even be fatal.

And yet we sit here doing nothing significant... we read the news to keep ourselves up to date, we gave the Israel Defense Force (IDF) a tongue lashing (that they couldn't even hear) and we prayed for the safety of our brothers in Palestine.

Here's something else, may or may not be so significant, but insya Allah within our (limited) powers.



Go figure!


"Abu Hurairah r.a. reported Allah's Messenger S.A.W as saying: 'Charity does not in any way decrease the wealth, and the servant who forgives, Allah adds to his respect, and the one who shows humility, Allah elevates him in the estimation (of the people)."
Muslim Vol. 4, Hadeeth 6264


Admittedly, this is unlikely to help in the short term.. Heck, even the UN is having problem helping out (humanitarian-wise) in the short term. But make use of the current sentiment, gain something from all the losses.

If you don't have one (sentiment), I feel sorry for you :(

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Israel launched air-strike in "self-defense" again


As this piece is being written, more than 200 people have already been killed by another non-selective strike by the Zionist Israeli regime. More than 700 others were injured. F16 bombers were deployed all over Gaza, resulting in a devestating catastrophe.

It is said to be the "worst attack" since 1967, in term of numbers of casualties. (Yeah, we can probably omit the Shabra & Shatila Massacre, which resulted in deaths estimate ranging from 700 - 3,500).


Rally by Italians to commemorate the Shabra & Shatila Massacre in 2003. Why the heck didn't we have one in Malaysia? (Answer: cause people in general don't care, why? cause people don't know, why? up to yourselves to answer)

Hamas vowed an immediate retaliation, and fired Qassam rockets into Israel 'territories', resulting in a mere 1 death (not that his/her life is less valuable in any way).


Israel said it was an act of self-defense, a response to escalating number of rocket attacks from Gaza. Hmm..



Not that I didn't see that "self-defense" line coming...



Probably he has forgotten what happened in the first place. Who's attacking and who's acting in self-defense. The 'thing' that started in 1881 and 'completed' in 1948. Who took whose property in the first place. Who then wasn't satisfied with the first wave of colonisation that he chose to occupy some more. Who then imposed inhumane sanctions to deplete the Palestinians of everything, literally almost. Who ridiculed others for not adopting democracy only to then sanctioned a "democracy that favours himself". Who then stopped basic supplies coming into Gaza, causing immeasurable humanitarian crisis.



They have suffered all too long... Long enough that, dare I say it, the circle is almost complete...


People say history repeats itself... history comes in cycles.. it's probably nearing the time when the "top end of the wheel" goes down, for its place to be taken by the "bottom end of the wheel".


Pictures credit: cagle.com, wiki

Revision 10 hours later : 271 killed, and attack is still continuing... such retards...

Monday, October 15, 2007

Palestine is Still the Issue

Satu lagi siri documentary sempena Hari Raya... Kan org Malaysia zmn skrg ni beraya kat panggung :p Another work by John Pilger, well-famous journalist cum activist from Australia.

Monday, September 17, 2007

It's Confirmed - They are corrupt SoBs!

Secret UN report condemns US for Middle East failures


Envoy's damning verdict revealed as violence takes Gaza closer to civil war

Read Alvaro de Soto's end of mission report

Rory McCarthy in Jerusalem and Ian Williams in New York
Wednesday June 13, 2007
The Guardian

The highest ranking UN official in Israel has warned that American pressure has "pummelled into submission" the UN's role as an impartial Middle East negotiator in a damning confidential report.

The 53-page "End of Mission Report" by Alvaro de Soto, the UN's Middle East envoy, obtained by the Guardian, presents a devastating account of failed diplomacy and condemns the sweeping boycott of the Palestinian government. It is dated May 5 this year, just before Mr de Soto stepped down.

Article continues
The revelations from inside the UN come after another day of escalating violence in Gaza, when at least 26 Palestinians were killed after Hamas fighters launched a major assault. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the rival Fatah group, warned he was facing an attempted coup.

Mr de Soto condemns Israel for setting unachievable preconditions for talks and the Palestinians for their violence. Western-led peace negotiations have become largely irrelevant, he says.

Mr de Soto is a Peruvian diplomat who worked for the UN for 25 years in El Salvador, Cyprus and Western Sahara. He says:

· The international boycott of the Palestinians, introduced after Hamas won elections last year, was "at best extremely short-sighted" and had "devastating consequences" for the Palestinian people

· Israel has adopted an "essentially rejectionist" stance towards the Palestinians

· The Quartet of Middle East negotiators - the US, the EU, Russia and the UN - has become a "side-show"

·The Palestinian record of stopping violence against Israel is "patchy at best, reprehensible at worst"

Mr de Soto acknowledges in the report that he is its sole author. It was meant only for senior UN officials, and its wording is far more critical than the public pronouncements of UN diplomats. Last night, Mr de Soto, who is in New York, told the Guardian: "It is a confidential document and not intended for publication."

In January last year, the Quartet called on the newly elected Hamas government to commit to non-violence, recognise Israel and accept previous agreements. When Hamas refused to sign up to the principles, the international community halted direct funding to the Palestinian government and Israel started to freeze the monthly tax revenues that it had agreed to pass to the Palestinians. Several hundred million dollars remain frozen.

Mr de Soto, who had opposed the boycott, said this position "effectively transformed the Quartet from a negotiation-promoting foursome guided by a common document [the road map for peace] into a body that was all-but imposing sanctions on a freely elected government of a people under occupation as well as setting unattainable preconditions for dialogue".

The EU said yesterday that there was an imminent risk of civil war if fighting went on, and UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon urged support for Mr Abbas's efforts "to restore law and order".

In the heaviest day of fighting in Gaza for months, Hamas appeared to make its first concerted effort to seize power in Gaza. There was a wave of co-ordinated attacks, which appeared to overwhelm the larger but less effective Fatah force. "Decisiveness will be in the field," said Islam Shahwan, a spokesman for the Hamas military wing.

Fatah's central committee called an emergency meeting in Ramallah, in the West Bank, and said it would suspend the activities of its ministers in the government. Fatah would pull out of the government if the fighting failed to stop, it said.

For the first time in several weeks, fighting spread to the West Bank when Fatah gunmen attacked a Hamas television studio in Ramallah and kidnapped a Hamas deputy cabinet minister from the city.

The day began with a rocket attack on the private house in Gaza of Ismail Haniyeh, the prime minister and a Hamas leader. He was in the building but was not hurt. Fighting spread across Gaza City and within hours Hamas fighters issued warnings over loudspeakers calling on all Fatah security forces to pull out of their bases and return home. At about 2pm Hamas gunmen seized control of several small Fatah bases and one large base in northern Gaza, where there were heavy casualties when Hamas fighters fired mortars and rocket-propelled grenades at the compound.

Several Fatah officers complained that they had received no orders during the day. Mr Abbas tried calling for a truce, and later Fatah ordered its officers to fight back.

READ THE REPORT HERE (PDF FORMAT)

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Human Compassion Surprisingly Limited, Study Finds

by Sara Goudarzi, for LiveScience Journal

SAN FRANCISCO—While a person's accidental death reported on the evening news can bring viewers to tears, mass killings reported as statistics fail to tickle human emotions, a new study finds.

The Internet and other modern communications bring atrocities such as killings in Darfur, Sudan* into homes and office cubicles. But knowledge of these events fails to motivate most to take action, said Paul Slovic, a University of Oregon researcher.

People typically react very strongly to one death but their emotions fade as the number of victims increase, Slovic reported here yesterday at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

"We go all out to save a single identified victim, be it a person or an animal, but as the numbers increase, we level off," Slovic said. "We don't feel any different to say 88 people dying than we do to 87. This is a disturbing model, because it means that lives are not equal, and that as problems become bigger we become insensitive to the prospect of additional deaths."

Human insensitivity to large-scale human suffering has been observed in the past century with genocides in Armenia, the Ukraine, Nazi Germany and Rwanda, among others.

"We have to understand what it is in our makeup—psychologically, socially, politically and institutionally—that has allowed genocide to go unabated for a century," Slovic said. "If we don't answer that question and use the answer to change things, we will see another century of horrible atrocities around the world."

Slovic previously studied this phenomenon by presenting photographs to a group of subjects. In the first photograph eight children needed $300,000 to receive medical attention in order to save their lives. In the next photograph, one child needed $300,000 for medical bills.

Most subjects were willing to donate to the one and not the group of children.

In his latest research, Slovic and colleagues showed three photos to participants: a starving African girl, a starving African boy and a photo of both of them together.

Participants felt equivalent amounts of sympathy for each child when viewed separately, but compassion levels declined when the children were viewed together.

"The studies ... suggest a disturbing psychological tendency," Slovic said. "Our capacity to feel is limited. Even at two, people start to lose it.”


________________


On the issue of genocide, I am a bit disturb by the fact that Shabra Shatila genocide was not even mentioned by the writer. Sure, the 'official' death toll (3500) is probably not as much as the Auschwitz's 'death toll'; and the researcher's background (i.e. non-muslim*) might account for her to be innocently unaware of the significance of the tragedy; but I am still quite adamant that the tragedy is somewhat worth mentioning in such credible journal. This is especially true considering the backlash involved around the world condemning and boycotting Israel and 'her' goods. Nonetheless in the current political viewing of the tragedy (i.e. after the Belgian court proceedings**), who can blame him.


________________

* I have my doubts about the situation in Sudan, as noted in a previous post

* Be aware that I am saying this without prejudice whatsoever. Just that the genocide is understandably more emotionally significant and takes more political influence among muslims.

** Belgian Court Proceeding - After the victims of the Rwandan Genocide won a legal case using a 1993 law, the victims of Shabra Shatila Massacre filed a lawsuit in Belgium against Ariel Sharon (then Israeli Prime Minister but was the Minister of Defence at the time of massacre). The Belgium Supreme Court in February 2003 ruled that there were vindication to bring Sharon and his 'comrades' to face the charges.

Unfortunately at the time, another case was brought forward against the former US President George Bush and Secretary of State (if I'm not mistaken) Colin Powell for war crimes during the first Gulf War. US argued against the validity of having proceedings of war crime committed elsewhere taking place in Belgian Supreme Court. The US pressured the Belgian government to revoke the jurisdiction and even pressured its European Allies to move NATO HQ away from Brussels.

As a result, the Belgian Parliment were forced to amend its law to require human rights complaints to only take place in Belgium given that a Belgian is involved. They also guaranteed diplomatic immunity for world leaders visiting the country.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Rangkuman

Pagi itu aku menatap berita. Kebah-kebah hujan membangkitkan aku dari lena. Hujan di Malaysia sememangnya mempunyai aroma paling enak. Lebih enak dari mana-mana aroma hujan dari seluruh dunia.

Seperti biasa, perkembangan Tebing Barat dicari-cari dahulu untuk mengetahui perkembangan semasa. Israel mengebom Lubnan seperti tanah itu tanah ujian peluru berpandu yang biasanya diuji di tengah laut. Atau seperti mereka ingin menghabiskan stok-stok lama agar industri pertahanan Amerika tidak mati. Tidak mengapa, yang mati bukannya bangsa Yahudi yang agung.

Jauh di sudut hati aku melaknat Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu. Veto Amerika milik Israel sekali lagi menjadi penentu mesyuarat. Apalah gunanya mesyuarat kalau penghujungnya sudah diketahui. Nyata sekali bagiku perjanjian penubuhan PBB merupakan satu medium untuk menanam doktrin keamanan ala barat dalam benak warga dunia. Doktrin yang menekan Islam sejak kejatuhan Khilafah Uthmaniyyah. Masih kuingat cerita orang-orang dahulu. Tentang betapa gahnya ultra-nasionalis dijulang di medan sana tatkala itu. Nah natijahnya sekarang. Terngiang-ngiang di mindaku cemuhan sahabat berbangsa Arabku di United Kingdom terhadap pemimpin-pemimpin bangsanya sendiri. Korup, lemah dan pengecut.

Malam itu kutatap berita di televisyen. “Tajuk utama malam ini : Lubnan terus dibedil, Indonesia dilanda gempa bumi, dan Siti Nurhaliza artis nombor satu tanah air mengumumkan tarikh perkahwinan.” 15 minit pertama daripada berita sejam (tolak iklan 15 minit) itu adalah tentang kahwinnya seorang bakal primadona. Jika dihisab kurang lebih, 1/3 berita adalah tentang kahwinnya beliau.

Berita-berita yang kurang penting seperti pengeboman rejim Zionis yang mula memasuki selatan Lubnan dan gempa bumi Indonesia sebanyak 3 kali dalam sehari sehingga mencetuskan tsunami dihimpit dalam 2/3 terakhir bersama-sama berita-berita kelas ketiga yang lain.

Walau bagaimana sekalipun, nafsu hedonis rakyat Malaysia perlu dilayan. Kehendak massa perlu dituruti. Jika tidak, kurang pula lakunya nanti. Massa di Malaysia ini kian mewah. Jika rakyat Palestin bergelut merintih untuk mengais sisa-sisa pembangunan semalam, rakyat Malaysia tidak berkira sangat jikalau sekadar mahu menghabiskan beberapa ratus ringgit untuk mengundi artis kesayangannya.

Si artisnya pula (atau sewajarnya saya bezakan status mereka dari artis-artis sebenar dengan menggelar artis-artis celup ini artis wannabe) berjanji dengan berhati-hati untuk memberikan persembahan terbaik, “Insya Allah saya akan berikan persembahan terbaik demi peminat.”

Setelah berjaya juga diingatnya Tuhan, “Alhamdulillah saya ingin mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih kepada ibu bapa saya yang tidak jenuh memberi sokongan, ahli keluarga dan terutamanya para peminat yang sudi mengundi saya.” Siapa kata Malaysia negara sekular? Artis-artis ini merupakan contoh terbaik yang rakyat Malaysia mengamalkan agama dalam semua aspek kehidupan. Apapun, peminat pantang dilupakan. Mana tidaknya, perjuangan murni ini hanya mungkin diteruskan dengan restu rakyat. Sekali rakyat memberontak (nauzubillah) musnahlah karier ‘seni’ yang baru bertapak.

Kisah rancangan realiti ini pun menarik. Rakyat Malaysia memang pakar ‘mencetak rompak’ dan meniru pemikiran barat. Apa yang datang dari sana semuanya enak-enak dan bagus belaka. Tak ubah seperti awal 1900an dahulu yang mana sememangnya majoriti produk barat itu bagus. Sekarang, sekurun sudah berlalu. Anak muda gemar benar bercanda di McDonald. KFC kadangkala dianggap lambang kemajuan sesuatu kawasan luar bandar. Golongan muda yang lebih sedikit rezeki ibu bapanya pasti lebih menggemari Star Bucks dari Tongkat Ali Power Root keluaran tempatan.

Tidak mengapalah mereka mahu bersedekah sedikit kepada keterusan rejim Zionis yang secara terang disokong oleh syarikat-syarikat francais ini melalui laman-laman web yang tidak pernah dibaca anak-anak muda tanah Melayu. Mereka tidak suka kepada laman-laman web yang tidak lucah ini, walau setinggi manapun kesedaran yang mungkin diperolehi.

330 pagi esoknya aku terjaga dari tidur dek dentuman yang nyaring memekakkan telinga. Siren berbunyi kuat dan pengumuman dari alat pembesar bergerak pihak berkuasa bergema, “Rejim Zionis Israel sudah mula menyerang Malaysia. Sila tinggalkan halaman rumah anda dan pergi ke tempat perlindungan.” Sepertimana di Lubnan, pihak Zionis sekali lagi tidak lokek mengedar risalah peringatan tentang serangan yang bakal berlaku dalam beberapa minit; ‘memberi peluang’ kepada penduduk untuk meninggalkan halaman rumah yang dibina hasil titik peluh berpuluh tahun agar kemalangan jiwa dapat diminimumkan.

Tahulah aku kemudiannya melalui corong-corong stesen radio kerajaan (yang jijik benar hendak didengar pasca-serangan kerana kualiti yang begitu rendah) yang Israel telah memutuskan untuk menyerang Malaysia kerana mereka mengesyaki rakyat Malaysia telah terlibat dalam kecurian helmet seorang tenteranya di Genting Gaza. Tidak masuk akal, tapi jika direnung kembali, mana pernah mereka ini membuat keputusan yang waras dan masuk dengan norma-norma kemanusiaan. Hatta barangkali serangan ini suatu kesinambungan yang logik.

Kehendak rejim mudah, pulangkan helmet dan hadapkan pencurinya ke mahkamah ‘keadilan’ antarabangsa di The Hague. Kerajaan Malaysia gelabah, bukan mudah hendak dicari pencuri itu, maka alternatif rundingan dicanangkan. Ditolak mentah-mentah oleh Ehud Olmert, pemimpin samseng di sebelah sana.

Dalam sehari sahaja, Putrajaya tinggal debu, Kuala Lumpur rata ibarat padang jarak padang tekukur. Keriangan yang dinikmati sejak setengah kurun lalu, sekelip mata diganti dengan neraka dunia yang mengazabkan.

Indonesia kemudiannya menganjurkan resolusi di Majlis Keselamatan PBB menuntut Israel menghentikan serangan. Disokong 9 anggota, 5 berkecuali dan ditentang dengan veto Amerika. Kehendak ‘Along’ itu mana mungkin disanggah. Pak Lah mengkritik keras kegagalan resolusi itu. Ahli-ahli politik Malaysia turut sama menyatakan sokongan tidak berbelah bahagi terhadap pimpinan Pak Lah.

Di peringkat akar umbi, rakyat terus menderita. Mana mungkin kritikan-kritikan mampu menamatkan serangan yang kian membabi buta. Semalam sebuah hospital bergerak di Johor Bahru dibom, seperti yang berlaku di selatan Lubnan tempoh hari. Kerajaan Malaysia secara terus menerus mencemuh segala jenis pertubuhan di muka bumi ini atas kurangnya tindakan walau mereka secara terus menerus berusaha secara lisan untuk menamatkan pergolakan.

Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) dianggap dayus kerana hanya tahu bersuara; itupun dengan suara yang hampir-hampir berbisik. Ironi benar, hanya beberapa hari lepas Malaysia selaku ketua persidangan OIC dan NAM (satu lagi pertubuhan dorman yang suaranya jarang dipedulikan di peringkat antarabangsa, namun mengetuainya tetap merupakan suatu tanggungjawab besar yang mengangkat martabat sesebuah negara) mengulangi kritikan keras terhadap serangan gila Israel di Tebing Barat dan Lubnan.

Pada khalayak rakyat, umumnya bersetuju berdasarkan pungutan suara yang dibuat oleh TV3 yang OIC dan NAM saling tak tumpah kuasanya seperti kuasa Pertubuhan Pengakap di Sekolah Kebangsaan Felda Taib Andak. Teringat aku pada cemuhan sebilangan kecil rakyat Malaysia yang negara ini dayus kerana tunduk kepada kehendak Singapura dalam isu Jambatan Bengkok. Namun kini umumnya bersetuju yang Malaysia adalah negara yang menganggotai (dan mengetuai) pertubuhan-pertubuhan dayus di peringkat antarabangsa.

Tidak kurang juga di kalangan rakyat yang mengkritik negara-negara rumpun Melayu yang tidak pula dapat dipastikan jika wujud pertubuhan khas untuk mewakili mereka. Sama seperti kritikan rakyat Lubnan dan seluruh massa Arab terhadap pemimpin Liga Arab yang besar tapi lembik, rakyat Malaysia tidak sabar-sabar melampiaskan kemarahan terhadap negara-negara serumpun yang hanya kalut menghambur kata-kata sehingga bunyinya seolah-olah tidak keruan lagi.

Sekurang-kurangnya serangan Israel ini berjaya mengalih perhatian ahli-ahli Parlimen Malaysia daripada berbincang isu kasta atasan seperti isu AP dan isu ketidakadilan dalam penjualan Mercedes yang dirampas Kastam kepada tuan-tuan Yang Berhormat. Jelik benar aku selaku rakyat kelas pertengahan yang sekali-sekali pulang ke tanah air mendengar anggota Parlimen yang gah mempertahankan haknya membeli kereta bertaraf chariot zaman Roman pada harga diskaun.

Jauh di sudut hati aku mempersoalkan perlunya anggota Parlimen diberi hak AP dan hak memiliki kereta-kereta mewah menggunakan wang titik peluh yang diamanahkan rakyat. Apalah ketidakselesaan sedikit itu jika dibanding rakyat yang hidup merempat di bawah bangsal usang atau di tepi-tepi denai kotaraya. Mungkin mereka mahu meniru khalifah-khalifah zaman khilafah Islam yang sesetengahnya hidup seperti tidak mahu mati.

Kini aku sedang termangu bersebelahan rakan karibku yang masih meraung-raung kerana kehilangan kesemua 7 ahli keluarganya dalam serangan udara terbaru Israel. Tersandar di tiang masjid itu, aku termenung mengenangkan masa depan yang terumbang ambing kerana ditembak peluru-peluru gergasi buatan Amerika; dan masa lampau yang tidak dimanfaatkan. Hanya doa yang mampu kuucap, menagih belas kasihan yang Maha Esa seperti seorang bacul yang tidak mampu berusaha sendiri tetapi lebih cenderung untuk terus bertawakkal. Jauh di lubuk hati, aku mengharapkan doa dari saudara-saudara seagama di seberang dunia sana, meski dahulu aku cuai dalam tanggungjawabku untuk sekurang-kurangnya berdoa untuk mereka.

Marah bersulam sedih campur sedikit menyesal. Menyesal kerana longlainya aku sebagai anggota umat yang longlai. Longlai kerana hanya mampu melawan dengan kata-kata. Kata-kata yang mandul tidak diterjemahkan kepada perbuatan. Sinis di hati memikirkan Pemuda-(pemuda) yang dahulunya gah mencari wakil seluruh dunia. Semoga mereka sanggup ke medan perang memandangkan kini perang sudah menjengah ke muka pintu. Termasuklah ketua, naib ketua, dan entah apa jenis ketua mereka sekali.

Tiba-tiba kepalaku terasa pedih yang teramat. Penglihatanku kian kelam, suram sedikit demi sedikit. Dalam tempoh sesaat dua itu, aku sedar, kepalaku sudah diterobos peluru. Aduh, azabnya mati. Amal yang sedikit dibawa bekal, di samping maksiat dan sifat bacul tidak melawan yang bakal memberatkan neraca kiri. Kulihat sekeliling buat kali terakhir.

Dan aku terduduk di atas katil. Berpeluh lenjun.


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Banyak lagi aku nak komen tentang dunia ni. Tapi aku dah bosan. Kredit kpd saudara Tiqo. Semoga berbahagia.

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Selamat pengantin baru kepada Bo dan Lily; Fadhrazy dan Ilham Aliaa. Semoga berbahagia ke anak cucu cicit cuit.

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Real Peace of Mind Only Possible with Hamas

BBC Arabic radio asked a so-called expert about what he thought Hamas should be doing now that it is likely to be the next government in the Palestinian territories. He said Hamas has to change because the Palestinian people would want a government that recognizes Israel, that is willing to resume peace negotiations and that will in turn be acceptable to the United States. If this is truly what the Palestinian people wanted they might as well have settled for Fatah and not elected Hamas.

The people of Palestine gave Hamas their trust exactly because it is not what the expert was suggesting; it does not recognize the State of Israel, it is not willing to pursue a humiliating and illusive peace that does away with Palestinian rights and it is more interested in being accepted by the Palestinian people than by the USA or anybody else.

Furthermore the Palestinian people chose Hamas because of its clean and supportive hands; Hamas has proven itself to be a movement that carries the people on its back instead of riding on their backs. Hamas was given the vote because of the sacrifices it made in order for Palestinian rights to remain intact.

The fact that Hamas does not, and will not, recognize the legitimacy of the state of Israel or its right to exist, does not mean that Hamas is not capable of negotiating a peace deal that would end the bloodshed and give both sides a break from the pain and suffering. Hamas would negotiate a settlement based on the concept of hudnah (truce). As far as Hamas is concerned, and that is the position of the majority of the Palestinian people inside as well as outside Palestine, Israel exists on land stolen from the Palestinian. The creation of the state of Israel was a solution to a European problem and the Palestinians are under no obligation to be the scapegoats for Europe's Whiteman's failure to recognize the Jews as human beings worthy of respect and entitled to inalienable rights. Hamas, like all the Palestinians, refuse to be made to pay for the criminals who perpetrated the Holocaust. However, Israel for Hamas is a reality and that is why it is willing to deal with that reality in a manner that is compatible with its values and principles.

A young Palestinian Hamas supporter dressed in camouflage raises his finger during a rally celebrating the group's victory in parliamentary elections, in the Khan Younis Refugee Camp, southern Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 27, 2006.

It would be a grave mistake on the part of the Israelis, but more so the American and the Europeans, to ignore the wish of the Palestinian people to be represented by the likes of Hamas. Instead of making 'politically correct' statements about Hamas having to do this or that the Europeans must lead the way in recognizing that Hamas today speaks for the Palestinians and therefore has to be communicated with.

Contrary to the claims of alarmists who see the election victory by Hamas a threat to peace, a new horizon for peace making is at our threshold. The entire peace making episodes of the past were based on assumptions absolutely unacceptable to the majority of the Palestinians and those who support their just cause. From Oslo to the Road Map it was always assumed that Israel was the victim that needed to live in peace and security and that the key to this was the end of Palestinian terrorism. The new peace episode that Hamas may indeed be willing to be part of should be based on the fact that the Palestinians are the victims and have been victims since Israel was created on their soil. It is not Palestinian terrorism that is the problem but Israeli aggression.

The late Sheikh Ahmad Yassin who was cut into pieces and his brain poured out of his skull when Israel shot him with an air to surface missile spelled it out for all to ponder a long time ago. He said we shall never recognize the theft of our land but we are willing to negotiate a ceasefire whose duration can be as a long as a generation's life and let future generations on both sides decide where to go then. His conditions for the cease fire are in total agreement with international law and are as fair to both sides as anyone can get. Israel has to give back what it occupied in 1967 as it was then without any Jewish settlements or settlers and has to release all Palestinian prisoners. For that Hamas would be willing to halt its armed struggle and instead pursue peaceful means.

The IRA whose leaders sit in the House of Commons and who negotiated a deal with the British government continue to dream of uniting Northern Ireland with the rest of the Republic; it was never a condition for the peace talks that they should first abandon the dream.

Well, let the Palestinians dream of the end of Israel and let the Israelis dream of Eretz Yizrael from the Nile to the Euphrates but let's negotiate an end to the violence. Hamas alone is capable of that because Hamas will not give up the right of the Palestinians to go back to the villages and towns from which the terrorists who stole their land to build their own state drove them away.

Azzam Tamimi

Visiting Professor

Nagoya University Japan

Azzamtamimi@gsid.nagoya-u.ac.jp

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Saat Kulekatkan Dahiku

Saat kulekatkan dahiku perlahan-lahan ke lantai
marmar, kekerdilanku dan kebesaran-Mu
berlumba-lumba terjun ke sumur diriku.
sumur berkecipak. dosaku meriak.
Tak pernah kumimpi, suatu hari, aku
bisa berwuduk, bisa membasuh kalbuku
dengan air dari pipa baitulmuqaddis;
apa lagi berkali-kali menyebut-Mu
dan memuji-Mu dalam serentet doa panjang,
di suatu zuhur dingin yang jernih,
di suatu sudut asing yang putih,
di atas sejadah bersejarah masjid al-aqsa.
aku musafir yang datang menimba air
dari kolah di rumah-Mu. kupilih rumah ini
antara jutaan rumah-Mu kerana kehebatan
kisah yang tersimpan dalam sejarahnya.
saat kuucap salam perlahan-lahan, memandang
ke kanan dan ke kiri, ada sepercik sinar
jatuh di hadapanku dari dinding yang
dipenuhi kaligrafi purba



masjid al-aqsa
baitulmuqaddis
musim dingin 1995



Buku `Pasar Pengalaman' – T. Alias Taib