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VOLUME # 5, ISSUE # 36, DHAKA, SEPTEMBER 01, 2010 |
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Continuous conquest of Jihadist media
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury • September 1, 2010
Infamous and notorious Dr. Zakir Naik's media vehicle of spreading hate speech has stepped into further expansion with the establishment of a Urdu channel named Peace TV – Urdu under the network of Peace TV, now targeting additional audience of at least 90 million, though the Peace TV has around 60 million audience in twenty countries in the world at this moment.
Peace TV was launched on Arabsat on satellite BADR-3 in October 2006. In November, it was available on BADR-3 and BADR-C. In 2007, Peace TV returned to BADR-4, and became available on PanAmSat PAS-10. It became the first and only Islamic channel of the world. As of September 2007, Peace TV is available in the United States and Canada on World TV channel 65, and in the UK Broadcaster Kamran Khan and Europe on Sky platform, channel 820. It is also freely available from the LiveStation satellite television computer application which can be downloaded from the internet, free of charge.
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Pakistan - the victim of suicidal politics
Tanveer Jafri • September 1, 2010
Pakistan is nowadays the centre of attraction for the whole world because of not only historical flood but also for its terrorist activities. The ever deteriorating situation and political tussle along with the deep rooted radical mind-set are taking a huge toll on Pakistan. These radical forces think that jihad against India is more important than aid to Pakistani flood victims. Although US has asked Pakistan to accept Indian aid for flood victims and there should be no role for politics in disaster. But Pakistan, so far, had not accepted the offer. While at the same time its leaders have been sending SOS to the international community for more and more aid so as to meet the immediate needs of its millions of flood-affected people. Due to such radical suicidal politics last days Pakistan had to face embarrassment when the British Prime Minister on his India tour blamed Pakistan for its dual role in Afghanistan and accused it of supporting the Taliban. He also said that his government would not tolerate the double standards of Pakistan and its support to terrorism in Afghanistan, India or any other part of the world. This truth didn't go down well with Pakistan and the ISI head Shuja Pasha cancelled his British tour. It is to be noted that ISI officials were supposed to go to Britain to attend a meet on 'cooperation against terrorism'. Prior to this also, Pakistan had to face such kind of embarrassment. In this situation, the question repeatedly arises whether this Pak-sponsored terrorism will ever be eradicated?
The 'Moderate Muslim' litmus test
Barry Rubin • September 1, 2010
In the controversy over the "Ground Zero" mosque in New York and other issues, Muslims are often asked if they condemn terrorism, Iran, or Hamas and other revolutionary Islamist groups, along with other questions. The idea is to determine whether they are moderates or radicals. Each of these questions also has an unnoticed "internal Muslim" aspect as well that makes them all the more important.
Yet this question is often placed in the context of whether or not they support murderous attacks on non-Muslims or calls to wipe out Israel. This is a valid consideration, but it misses a key point about why Islamic activists should be asked and how they should answer such questions.
The Lure of Collectivism and the Cycle of Abuse
Szandor Blestman • September 1, 2010
I read an interesting piece the other day about mass delusion and the economy. It got me to thinking about, of all things, conspiracy theories. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, the reason the powerful can get away with conspiracy, the reason they can cause so much harm and consternation is because they know how to create and manipulate mass delusion. Maybe the main mass of the population disregards conspiracy theories so off handedly simply because they don't want to believe they're true, not because facts or evidence point to said theories being false.
Michael Jackson's last DVD this November
Blitz Desk • September 1, 2010
POP legend Michael Jackson's last DVD is set to be released in November 2010. According to Rodney Jerkins, this latest and last DVD containing 10 unreleased tracks will hit the shelves in November.
Rodney Jerkins, who produced 2001's 'Invisible' [Jackson's final studio album before his death in 2009] is preparing the tracks on the disk.
The album is reportedly set to be the first step of seven-year, US$ 250 million deal between the Jackson estate and Sony Music that will include new albums, releases and other projects with the King of Pop's distinctive stamp.
Music critics are apprehending a huge hit of the new album of Michael Jackson. They believe, it will knock-down Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and Kesha.
Competing World Views Tear A "Peace Process"
Barry Rubin • August 27, 2010
The U.S. announcement inviting Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) for direct talks shows quite clearly, though unintentionally, why the talks will fail.
Special Envoy George Mitchell explains:
"We are all well aware that there remains mistrust between the parties, a residue of hostility developed over many decades of conflict, many previous efforts that have been made to resolve the conflict that had not succeeded, all of which takes a very heavy toll on both societies and their leaders. In addition, we all know that, as with all societies, there are differences of opinion on both sides on how best to proceed, and as a result, this conflict has remained unresolved over many decades and through many efforts. We don't expect all of those differences to disappear when talks begin. Indeed, we expect that they will be presented, debated, discussed, and that differences are not going to be resolved immediately."
Malaysian Palm Oil Council selling Waste Cooking Oil in Bangladesh
Blitz Exclusive • August 27, 2010
Malaysian Palm Oil Council has its huge office in Bangladesh, selling thousands of tons of edible oil to the country. This office is the regional office of Malaysian Palm Oil Council, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which was previously known as Malaysian Palm Oil Promotion Council [MPOPC], established on January 25, 1990. The name was changed to Malaysian Palm Oil Council [MPOC] on April 13, 2006. It is a semi-government agency under Malaysian Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities. There are 9 regional offices of MPOC i.e. Los Angeles [USA], Mumbai [India], Brussels [Belgium], Dhaka [Bangladesh], Durban [South Africa], Lahore [Pakistan], Cairo [Egypt], Dubai [UAE] and Shanghai [China].
The Ground Zero Mosque Protest: What the MSM Chose to Ignore
A. Millar • August 27, 2010
Approximately a thousand people turned up at Park Place on August 22, to demonstrate against the proposed construction of a 15-storey Islamic center to be located two blocks from Ground Zero. Packed tightly into little more than one street block, demonstrators waved American flags, held up pictures of loved-ones killed in the al-Qaeda attacks of 9/11/2001, and placards saying "No" to the "Ground Zero mosque" and "No" to Sharia Law. Now and again, throughout the day, these were joined by umbrellas as the hot, humid day broke into showers.
Speakers at the demonstration emphasized that freedom of religion was not at issue. The point of the demonstration was to protest the location, and to ask for sensitivity for those still grieving.
Politics and Illegal Occupations
Szandor Blestman • August 27, 2010
A group of activists calling themselves Fort Hood Disobeys recently tried to block the deployment of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment to Iraq from Fort Hood. The activists were labeled anti war protestors by another media outlet, which is okay by me. It's about time we got some action on the anti war protesting front. It's about time real people started to once again voice their concern in a more pertinent way than simply begging politicians, who obviously couldn't care less, to end these expensive and deadly occupations. One can only hope that this example of civil disobedience is followed up by more incidents and greater disobedience from those who were so boisterous when George Bush was in office but have remained so silent since Barack Obama became president.
Islam, Islamism, or Western Sins
Barry Rubin • August 27, 2010
The current debate over the roots of Islamist revolution, clashes in the Middle East, and conflicts between forces in that region and the West involves two critical issues of interpretation:
First, is there a threat to the West from groups whose members are Muslims or does the fault arise from Western policies and shortcomings which, if altered, would make any conflict disappear?
Second, if there is a threat does it stem from Islam as religion or Islamism as political philosophy?
It is important to understand that revolutionary Islamists do draw on mainstream, accepted, and sacred Muslim texts. Their argument has the potential to be just as "legitimate" in believers' eyes as does the contrary view. At the same time, though, Islam as a religion is not the threat, even though it is the threat's source and rationale.
India halt vaccine programmes after the deaths of four children
Christina England • August 27, 2010
Vaccine programmes grind to a halt in India once more, when four children died after they received the measles vaccination in Lucknow. The four children were reported to have fainted soon after they were vaccinated and witnesses reported seeing the children's eyes roll back as they began to have seizures. All of the children were under the age of two years of age, with the youngest being just six months. Sadly the children died before medical aid workers could reach them.
As news of the deaths spread, immunization drives in 41 villages have been halted until further investigations have taken place.
The Indian Express stated in their article 4 children die within minutes of vaccination - www.indianexpress.com that-
Mariana Costa Weldon • August 28, 2010
Some years back Bat-Zion Susskind-Sacks and I met in unobvious ways. Quasi unexpectedly. Perhaps this encounter had been in mente Dei* all the time; from my side, it couldn't have been a greater experience, a richer blending of mind and soul, considering we are two so different beings. Different because of nationality, religion, formal education, tastes, and age. Regardless, I feel a kinship with her, a kindred spirit that all differences are leveled and all barriers inexistent.
*[this is Latin for in God's mind and we use it commonly, here in the West]
Islamist militancy and South Asia
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury • August 27, 2010
Bayeezid Khan Panni aka Selim Panni, founder and kingpin of notorious Islamist militancy group Hizbut Towhid [HuT] believes in theory of hate speech and poisoning the minds of innocent people with his self-made imaginary statements and stories, which are aimed at creating tremendous hatred in the minds of Muslims against Christians and Jews. He calls upon Muslim in waging Jihad [Holy War] against Jews, Christians and the Western world, for the 'sake of Islamic revival and establishment of HuT rule'.
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