UN concerned about missing persons in Balochistan

Women In Prayer Shawls Detained At Judaism's Holiest Site

 

Rabbi Susan Silverman (center, left), the sister of American comedian Sarah Silverman, along with her teenage daughter Hallel Abramowitz (center, right), are arrested by Israeli police as they leave the Western Wall in Jerusalem, on Monday.

Police in Jerusalem on Monday detained 10 women for wearing the tallit, a Jewish prayer shawl traditionally worn by men, while praying at the Western Wall.

The Women of the Wall have been fighting for years for permission to worship in the manner that men do at the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism for prayer. The stone structure is part of the retaining wall that surrounded the Second Jewish Temple, which was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.

Men and women both pray at the wall, but in separate sections and under rules set by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, a body appointed and funded by the government. It is headed by an ultra-Orthodox rabbi, Shmuel Rabinowitz.

Frequent Protests

Many of the women at the wall Monday gather regularly on the first day of the Jewish calendar month to pray — and just as regularly, police detain them.

Women are not supposed to wear religious items such as prayer shawls at the Western Wall — or at least that's how the rabbi in charge interprets it, and police enforce his decision.

But Anat Hoffman, the leader of Women of the Wall, disagrees.

"Secular Israel, the democratic, Jewish state of Israel, has taken the keys to the holiest site of the Jewish people, and given it to one rabbi, who belongs to less than 8 percent of Israel's population," she says, referring to the country's ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Hoffman had a male friend sneak in the prayer shawls. In the past, police have confiscated them. Then she and her supporters entered the women's section, donned their shawls, and began to pray.

The security force for the site moved in quietly and told some of the women to come with them. But the women refused, and sat on the ground.

Police have arrested women for donning prayer shawls at the wall in the past, but left them alone for the time being.

On the men's side of a mesh barrier, some male supporters chanted along with the women. But one man began yelling at them, saying Reform Jews don't belong at the wall — Israel's ultra-Orthodox do not recognize more liberal strains of Judaism.

Prominent Male Supporters

The women continued praying for a solid hour, glad to have gotten so far. The group believes the police held back because six former Israeli paratroopers showed up in support.

They included men like Yitzhak Yifat, who helped take back the wall, which was under the control of Jordan for nearly two decades before Israel took it in the 1967 Six-Day War.

But once the crowd of supporters and media dispersed, police stepped in and grabbed 10 women, including Susan Silverman, the sister of American comedian Sarah Silverman, and Lior Nevo, a rabbinical student.

"I don't know, apparently I'm not being arrested," Nevo said, as she was being led away. "I don't know, they haven't told me anything."

Police said the women were being "detained" for disturbing the peace by wearing the tallit at the wall. One concern is protecting the sensitivities of the many ultra-Orthodox who pray at the Western Wall — including many women. One woman, who would not identify herself, says devout Jews follow the teaching of their rabbis.

"This according to the Torah is not correct," she says. "Just because a few women decide to do it because it makes them feel better, because it makes them feel more important?"

After a circuitous court battle, the Women of the Wall have been offered an alternative site for worship away from the wall proper, something they refer to as "the back of the bus with new upholstery."

The rabbi in charge of the wall hasn't budged, although police did refrain on Monday from carting women away during prayer. The Israeli Parliament has basically punted on the issue.

Meanwhile, the Women of the Wall say they'll be back next month to try again.

http://www.npr.org/2013/02/11/171728482/women-in-prayer-shawls-detained-at-judaisms-holiest-site?ft=1&f=1001

Hindu Radicals Protest Against Valentines Day By Thrashing Couples

Canada Should Kick Out Canadian-Pakistanis Who Took Jihadi Training In Pa

Gaza Gags Civil Liberties

A new crackdown on civil liberties makes the future for girls uncertain in Gaza. Credit: Mohammed Omer/IPS.

GAZA CITY, Feb 12 2013 (IPS) - Gaza is becoming increasingly radicalised as Hamas continues its crackdown on civil liberties, press freedom and the rights of women. In the last few weeks a number of journalists have been arrested and accused of being involved in “suspicious activities”, several detainees shot dead by police during arrest attempts, and female students asked to abide by a strict Islamic dress code.

“Hamas is on a gradual track of the Islamisation of Gazan society, which goes against their early promises,” Dr Samir Awad from Birzeit University near Ramallah tells IPS. “Most people in Gaza, even the most conservative, oppose this. Gazans are already very conservative and they don’t need Hamas dictating their religion to them.”

Women have borne the brunt of the crackdown. Gaza’s Al Aqsa University has announced that female students will be required to wear full traditional Muslim garb, from head to toe.

Some female students have expressed outrage, claiming that the new demands are in violation of their public freedom. They say that already female students are modestly dressed but that some prefer wearing pants and a long overcoat rather than a burka, abaya or hijab.

In the past, Hamas has banned women from riding on the backs of motorbikes, from smoking water pipes, and men from working in female hair salons – saying such practices were immodest. Not all bans, however, have been imposed uniformly.

“Hamas has also banned mixed parties and mixed activities as well as enforcing other restrictions on women but not on men. Gaza’s entire seashore has practically been confiscated by Hamas as if it is their private property and they decide who can access the area and when,” Awad tells IPS.

The dress code decision has also further undermined the latest unity efforts between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority (PA)-affiliated Fatah movement.

PA Minister for Higher Education Ali Jarbawi stresses that Hamas’s decision is illegal and cannot be implemented. He wrote an official letter to Al Aqsa’s president stating the illegality of the move which he said also violated Palestinian government decisions.

Dr. Faiq al-Naouk, advisor for managerial affairs at Al-Aqsa University responded saying that the controversial decision would be implemented only gradually as an act of “goodwill” before it becomes mandatory.

“Hamas’s increasing radicalisation is one of the sticking points for Fatah and Hamas being able to form a unity government,” says Awad.

Hamas has cracked down on other civil liberties too in the past few weeks. ‘New Star’, the annual Palestinian version of ‘American Idol’, was recently banned by the Islamist group on the grounds that it was “indecent” and violated conservative interpretations of Islam.

Producer Alaa Al Abed lashed out at the decision, of which he was only informed at the last moment, saying the ban prevented Gaza’s 12 contestants from competing in the second round of the competition.

“This is more serious than Hamas just killing fun in Gaza – they are limiting the freedoms of the people, according to their whims,” al-Abed says.

Teenage girls and women can only rarely be seen singing in public, but men are encouraged to sing, without musical instruments, about the glory of Islam and fighting Israel.

Journalists are also facing censure. Hamas has carried out a wave of arrests of Palestinian journalists in the coastal territory, accusing them of being involved in “suspicious activities”. Palestinian human rights groups say internal security services in the Gaza Strip have stepped up harassment of journalists in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) distributed a list of media workers it said had been arrested, and condemned the seemingly coordinated campaign, which Hamas officials deny.

Hamas interior ministry spokesman Islam Shahwan says his ministry guarantees freedom of the press, and says recent detainees were charged with recognisable offenses. He says they had admitted to charges that they “threatened the security of the community.”

The ministry added that “those persons are not journalists at all. Even those who work as journalists use this field as a cover to carry out suspicious acts.” The Palestinian media freedoms watchdog Mada issued a statement claiming abuse of those detained as well as confiscation of property and searches.

Gaza’s Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights has expressed concern over the repeated use of lethal and excessive force by Hamas police following the death of several individuals during attempts to arrest them.

The organisation called on the Hamas authorities to use reasonable force to arrest people suspected of breaking the law, and further called for investigation into the conduct of the police officers involved.

“Law enforcement officials may use force only when strictly necessary and to the extent required for the performance of their duty,” says Mezan. (End)

http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/02/gaza-gags-civil-liberties/

Fake currency being pumped by Pakistan into the capital puts Delhi Police in a tizzy Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/fake-currency-nepal-border-pakistan-delhi-police-bogus-notes/1/249987.html

The high quality counterfeit currency flooding the capital is worrying Delhi Police. And their reason to worry is genuine, given the sudden spurt in thefake notesbeing pumped by Pakistan, mainly through the porous Nepal border.

Last year a whoppingRs.17.3 crore bogus notes were seized, a quantum jump from theRs.28,20,390 recovered in 2011. Almost 50 times the 2011 seizure.

Experts term it as "economic terrorism by Pakistan", and see it as a threat to economic stability of the country.

 

 The increased influx of fictitious cash has forcedDelhi Policeto even set up a separate cell in the Parliament Street police station, where individuals or banks can submit fake currency they receive through different means. And in the first month of this year,Rs.32 lakh of fake currency has already been deposited there.

"Most of the Fake IndianCurrency Notes(FICN) have been detected by banks and later deposited with us. However, the crackdown on fake currency smuggling will continue," said Neeraj Kumar, city police commissioner.

Police maintain that the major points for pushing fake currency continue to be the border states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, UP, Bihar and West Bengal. Bogus money is routed through these states from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Dubai, with Pakistan being the main source.

 

The most notorious routes for smuggling fake currency into India were the Bangladesh-Kolkata route (via the North 24 Parganas), Nepal-Gorakhpur and Nepal-Bihar routes. But now, police say, Jharkhand's Sahibganj district has emerged as the main landing spot for fake notes sent from across the border.

Security agencies are flummoxed with the mint quality of the fakes, making detection difficult. Not only the imported paper used by the government, the counterfeiters are able to copy colour, ink, special water marks and even micro lettering to make them look like the real ones.

Police say more than 90 per cent features of fake currency notes match the original.

RBI Governor Dr. Duvvuri Subbarao has also expressed his concern over fake currency notes circulating in the country. Speaking in a public outreach programme at Lalpur Karauta village in UP earlier this week he said, "We are facing one more problem and that is of fake currency notes. There are some criminal, unsocial elements who are involved in fraudulent activities. We are also trying to see that the police department is vigilant towards these fraudsters."

The menace forced the government in December last year to approve an amendment in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, under which a person or group of individuals and an association who are involved in counterfeit currency circulation can be booked, if it is tantamount to a threat to the economic stability of the country.

In December 2012, the counsel of National Investigation Agency, submitted before the Supreme Court that security agencies have maintained that the wilful smuggling and circulation of high quality FICN printed in Pakistan into our country with the direct intent to threaten the economic security, sovereignty and integrity of India is tantamount to a 'terror act'.

The 2011 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report of the US State Department said India faces an increasing inflow of counterfeit notes, produced primarily in Pakistan. Terrorist and criminal networks use this money to finance their activities in the country.

In 2012, Delhi Police recovered aroundRs.2.4 crore fake currency denominations from two tempos in Dabri area of the Capital. The arrest of the accused revealed that they had smuggled the copied cash through the Line of Control in J&K. "It was brought into the capital in a train from Jammu," said a senior police official.

The FICN also comes into the country through diplomatic courier baggage, police claim. In the current scenario the business of fake currency has not remained the staple of only the kingpins. "We are sharing inputs with other security agencies as well to keep a tab on this smuggling to bust all such networks," said S.N. Srivastava, Special Commissioner (special cell) of Delhi Police.

Read more at:http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/fake-currency-nepal-border-pakistan-delhi-police-bogus-notes/1/249987.html

Sudan and Darfur rebel group sign ceasefire under UN-African Union auspices

 

Acting Joint Special Representative and Joint Chief Mediator of UNAMID Aïchatou Mindaoudou. Photo: UNAMID   

11 February 2013 – The Government of Sudan and one of the main rebel factions in Darfur have signed a ceasefire agreement to move the peace process forward, the United Nations-African Union mediator announced today.

“This is a major breakthrough in the road towards a comprehensive and lasting peace accord in Darfur,” said Aïchatou Mindaoudou, who is also the Acting Joint Special Representative in the UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

The Government, represented by State Minister and Head of the Darfur Follow-up Office, Amin Hassan Omer, signed the ceasefire with Arko Sulaiman Dahiya, Vice Chairman and Head of Delegation from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), on 10 February in Doha, Qatar.

The agreement now lays the groundwork to start negotiations on other substantive issues, such as power and wealth-sharing and return of internally displaced persons and refugees.

The negotiations for the ceasefire had begun last month in Qatar under the parameters set in the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD). The DDPD forms the basis for a permanent ceasefire and comprehensive peace agreement to end the fighting that began in Darfur ten years ago, pitting government forces and allied militiamen against rebel groups.

JEM is the second rebel group to commit to the DDPD, after the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) signed it last year.

Following the signing, Ms. Mindaoudou congratulated both parties and said she hoped that the agreement would attract the non-signatory movements to join in the peace process.

“The road to peace is challenging and needs a great deal of resolve, perseverance and concessions from both sides,” said Ms. Mindaoudou, reiterating her commitment to continue to work with the parties to the conflict towards achieving a comprehensive peace in Darfur.

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News Tracker: past stories on this issue

As talks advance in Darfur, UN peacekeeping official urges sustained focus on peace process

link http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44108&Cr=Darfur&Cr1#.URkXuB3AcbA

Baloch students and activists organized a demonstration in front of parliament house Melbourne Australia at Spring Street.

At 9^th of February Baloch students and activists organized a demonstration in front of parliament house Melbourne Australia at Spring Street. The participants of the protest were carrying placards demanding to stop military   operations in Balochistan they urge that UN should intervene in Balochistan, the participants of the demonstration also carried the photo of the victims of the torture, kill and dump.  

hmer Rehman a student activist from Balochistan while addressing to the participants. He said, that we all know the land of Baloch; Balochistan is been occupied by Pakistan and Iran. Today I would like to focus on the Pakistani occupied Balochistan. In Pakistani occupied Balochistan the Baloch people are living a life at the gunpoint in the shadows of inhuman atrocities. Their physical survival is at stake with the systematic and organized genocide being carried out by the security agencies of Pakistan. The Baloch struggle is the response to cultural domination, economical exploitation, Political subjugation and occupation of the Baloch land by the Pakistan.

 

He said, In the last five years Pakistani military and intelligence agencies abducted thousands of Baloch political activists including Doctors, Lawyers, Students, Teachers, Journalists and Baloch intellectuals. Recently the organization named voice for the Baloch missing persons documented that, more then fourteen thousand Baloch are missing and they are in the custody of the Pakistani intelligence agencies. And more then seven hundred torture mutilated dead bodies of the Baloch missing persons were dumped across the roadsides and mountains in the Balochistan and in the different cities of the Pakistan.

Mr Rehman further said, in the beginning of 2013 the Pakistani military conducted deadly military operations and bombarded on civilian population in the Mashkay region of the Awaran, Balochistan. Which resulted in several casualties many of women and children were injured and killed.

Recently in last three days Pakistani sieged the village of Mangochar, Kalat district Balochistan. In this fresh operation many Baloch were killed and many of them were abducted by Pakistani military and their intelligence agencies. 

 

Keeping all these atrocities and barbarism, I would also like to record my protest against the silence of international media. It is shameful that international media is not highlighting the state atrocities and the gross human rights violations, which are, carried out by Pakistani military and their intelligence agencies against the Baloch nation. We request the free media of the world to please take notice of these Pakistani crimes and highlight them.

 

At last he said, on the behalf of oppressed Baloch nation, I appeal from the Australian government to take notice of these atrocities of Pakistan and discuss Balochistan’ human rights situation in the international forums such as united nation. And I also appeal to the other civilized and democratic countries of the world to take an immediate action to pressurize the Pakistani government to stop the Baloch genocide and ongoing military operations across the Balochistan.

 

Baloch National Front leads huge protest to Karachi Press Club

Photos from @BSO_Azad on twitter/facebook | February 10, 2013 | BNF (Baloch National Front) leads massive protest rally to the Karachi Press Club to decry silence of the international and Pakistani media

See photo coverage here.

Following a recent rally organized by the Baloch National Front (BNF), an alliance of the Baloch Student Organisation-Azad (BSO-Azad) and the Baloch National Movement (BNM) in Turbat (see below), the BNF led a massive protest rally to the Karachi Press Club on February 10, 2013, to decry the silence of the international and Pakistani media, the UN and human rights organizations over military atrocities in Balochistan. Story to come...

  

  

  

    

BSO-Azad protest against ‘military operation’ in Balochistan

BSO Azad against Baloch genocide Protest in Turbat, Balochistan, February 2013

 

Kech: A rally held by the Baloch Student Organisation-Azad and the Baloch National Movement (BNM) is said to be the largest in Turbat's history. The city echoed with “Free Balochistan” slogans.

Thousands of Baloch women, children and elderly took part in a rally on Saturday against Pakistani military operations in Balochistan, kill and dump practices and the ‘criminal silence of the international media’ over gross human rights violations in Balochistan, as well as the silence of the UN and other international human rights organisations regarding the Baloch genocide.

he rally,Baloch Student Organisation -Azad and the Baloch National Movement (BNM), is said to be the largest in Turbat’s history. The city echoed with “Free Balochistan” slogans.
housands of Baloch women, children and elderly took part in a rally, on Saturday, against the military operations, kill and dump and ‘criminal silence of International media’ on gross human rights violations in Balochistan and the silence of UN and other international human rights organisations on Baloch Genocide.

Kareema Baloch, the vice chairperson of the BSO-Azad, led the parade from Degree College Turbat to Fida Shaheed square, where a sit-in was staged. The rally then headed towards Boys College where it took a shape of huge demonstration. The rally participants chanted the slogans in support of free Balochistan and Baloch freedom loving forces. The participants were waving flags of Balochistan and their respective parties. 

The participants of rally strongly criticized the international media for their criminal silence on ‘Baloch Genocide’ by Pakistan. A Baloch woman held a placard which read: “BBC and VOA STOP IGNORING BALOCH GENOCIDE,” They also condemned UN for its coldness about Balochistan situation.

Several hundred Baloch from Mand, Balecha, Dasht, Turbat, Shapok, Hoshaap, Keesak and other areas of Balochistan participated in the rally which was headed by vie chairperson of BSO-Azad, Kareema Baloch.
Speaking to the participants of the rally, Kareema Baloch said: “The Baloch nation is resisting for a free state from past many decades. Thousands of Baloch have already laid their lives whereas thousands are still suffering in torture cells. Despite all these atrocities the international media has criminally remained silent. UN, which has taken notice of human rights violations against Congo, Palestine, and Kosovo, is also ignoring the Baloch genocide by Pakistan and Iran.”

She further said that Pakistan and the so-called Pro-Pakistan Baloch nationalists are planning to start a massive military offensive in Balochistan to pave the ground for upcoming Pakistani elections. The operations in Mashkay, Gebun, Mastung and Mangochar, she said, were also carried out please these pro-Pakistan Baloch parties.

“The Baloch nation should boycott the ‘traitors’ and Pakistani electoral process, because these elections are to strengthen and legitimise the occupation of Balochistan,” said Kareema Baloch.

She added that the state of Pakistan failed to defeat the Baloch struggle by arming the drug dealers and other convicted criminal, and now it was using the likes of Malik, Hasil Bizenjo and Sardar Akhtar Mengal against the Baloch national struggle. “These attempts of the state will also fail and the drawn of freedom is inevitable in Balochistan,” Ms Baloch said.

She alleged BNP-Mengal, National Party and BNP-Awami were hands in gloves with Pakistan and were equally responsible for Baloch genocide. She requested the Baloch nation to hold these traitors accountable for their deeds. 

Miss Mahdem Baloch, Qandeel Baloch and Ruzhn Baloch also addressed the procession and urging the international media to break their silence on Baloch genocide. 

Hundreds of activists of Baloch Students Organisation (Azad), including women and children, on Saturday took out a rally and staged a demonstration in Turbat city to protest the alleged military operation in Balochistan and recovery of bullet-riddled bodies of missing persons.

Participants of the rally, holding placards and banners inscribed with different demands, marched through streets of the city. The rally culminated into a demonstration at Fida Shaheed Chowk.

The protesters shouted slogans against “Frontier Corps’ (FC) targeted operations” and recovery of bullet-riddled bodies.

Speaking on the occasion, BSO-Azad Vice Chairperson Banuk Karima Baloch and others condemned the “targeted operations of FC” and alleged that innocent Baloch were being targeted and their bullet-riddled bodies were being thrown away.

They said the Baloch leaders who were part of Aslam Raisani’s government were equally responsible for the murder of innocent Baloch. 

They said that “more than 500 innocent Baloch people have been brutally killed and their bodies were thrown away”. “We are demand our rights through the UN charter,” they said, adding that the UN should take notice of “excesses” of security forces towards the Baloch. 

They also criticised Baloch nationalist parties, including National Party and Balochistan National Party (Mengal), for their preparations for the upcoming elections. 

The protesters also criticised the media for not highlighting the alleged brutalities of security forces in Balochistan and termed this practice against the rules and ethics of journalism. They vowed to continue their struggle until their demands are met.

Global and Regional Security Challenges in South Asia What Future for Balochistan?

   

10am-1pm

Sunday 24 February 2013

The Royal Society

6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London

This conference comes as Hamid Karzai, Asif Ali Zardari and David Cameron urge the Taliban to join the reconciliation process in Afghanistan, Malala Yousafzai vows to continue her campaign and mass funerals are held on a daily basis in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In light of the increasingly alarming situation in the region, the conference aims to provide a better understanding of the geopolitical complexities that shape the lives of the people of South Asia

The region of Balochistan, which is Pakistan’s largest province, but also covers parts of Afghanistan and Iran, will be given special attention at the conference. The recent bombings in Quetta only highlighted some of the complex aspects the region is characterized by. The secular Baloch people are suffering from severe pressure, as well as neglect, from Islamabad, with enforced disappearances, summary executions, economic exploitation, militarization, political disempowerment, talibanization and nuclear testing disrupting society and suppressing any Baloch claims for self-determination.

To address these important global and regional security challenges, international experts, community representatives, academics and high-ranking politicians will come together to share their insights and expertise concerning the future of Balochistan and South Asia.      Courtesy: UNPO