Pierre Leblanc and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The Guatemalan justice system sentenced Efrain Rios Montt of crimes against humanity and genocide against the Mayan Indians. His 80 year prison sentence effectively means that he will die in prison for his role in past crimes against Mayan Indians and other individuals in Guatemala. However, is Rios Montt being treated fairly given the longevity and brutal reality of what happened in Guatemala in the past?

Equally important, it is abundantly clear that America under many presidents supported the violation of human rights for many decades in countries which include El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua. This list can easily be extended to other nations like Chile. However, the point is that America and various paramilitaries on the right were involved in many brutal realities whereby the CIA played a powerful role.

Very few people will shed a tear for Rios Montt given the massacres that took place while he led this country briefly. Yet, massacres in Guatemala and other regional nations happened well before Rioss Montt came to power and likewise other brutal massacres took place after he was forced from power. Therefore, how can Rios Montt be separated and singled out to such a great extent given the role of so many individuals? Likewise, it is clear that many American administrations and CIA leaders were involved in arming, assisting and manipulating the United Nations (UN) in order to cover-up so many crimes.

Robert Parry covered many unfolding stories about Nicaragua and other important areas for AP and Newsweek. He comments that “Though many Latin American governments have practiced the dark arts of “disappearances” and “death squads,” the history of Guatemala’s security operations is perhaps the best documented because the Clinton administration declassified scores of the secret U.S. documents in the late 1990s.”

“The original Guatemalan death squads took shape in the mid-1960s under anti-terrorist training provided by a U.S. public safety adviser named John Longon, according to the documents. In January 1966, Longon reported to his superiors about both overt and covert components of his anti-terrorist strategies.”

The Guardian media group in 1999 stated that “Bill Clinton has made a dramatic break with the policy of previous presidents by expressing regret for the role the United States played in backing a brutal counter-terrorism campaign that caused the deaths of thousands of civilians in Guatemala’s civil war.”

“Mr Clinton made the apology in Guatemala City during his current four-nation visit to central America. It followed the publication last month of the findings of the independent Historical Clarification Commission which concluded that the US was responsible for most of the human rights abuses committed during the 36-year war in which 200,000 people died.”

This is the problem because Rios Montt was in power between March 1982 and August 1983. However, given the countless massacres that took place before this time period and that massacres continued after Rios Montt was forced from power; then how can he be held accountable if other powerful players within the America government and CIA escape similar judgments? Similarly, the same applies to past Guatemalan political and military individuals who were behind untold massacres for many decades – therefore, why is Rios Montt being singled out to such an extreme?

Bill Clinton stated “It is important that I state clearly that support for military forces or intelligence units which engaged in violent and widespread repression of the kind described in the report was wrong…And the United States must not repeat that mistake. We must and we will instead continue to support the peace and reconciliation process in Guatemala.”

Therefore, it means that while many commissions have firmly pinned the involvement of America and the CIA in countless massacres throughout many nations in South America in the past; that somehow one apology stating that the US “must not repeat that mistake” again is apparently good enough to escape prosecution. Ironically, Bill Clinton during his political office was also involved in murky dealings in Bosnia and Croatia whereby Islamic jihadists and Croatian paramilitaries were given covert support – and whereby the CIA held central links in the chain – during the Bill Clinton administration.

The US State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research way back in 1967 noted the “accumulating evidence that the [Guatemalan] counterinsurgency machine is out of control…counter-terror units were carrying out abductions, bombings, torture and summary executions of real and alleged communists.”

Robert Parry reports that “In April 1981, a secret CIA cable described a massacre at Cocob, near Nebaj in the Ixil Indian territory. On April 17, 1981, government troops attacked the area believed to support leftist guerrillas, the cable said. According to a CIA source, “the social population appeared to fully support the guerrillas” and “the soldiers were forced to fire at anything that moved.” The CIA cable added that “the Guatemalan authorities admitted that ‘many civilians’ were killed in Cocob, many of whom undoubtedly were non-combatants.”

“Despite the CIA account and other similar reports, Reagan permitted Guatemala’s army to buy $3.2 million in military trucks and jeeps in June 1981. To permit the sale, Reagan removed the vehicles from a list of military equipment that was covered by the human rights embargo.”

If Rios Montt is guilty of crimes against humanity and genocide then what about the role of other powerful people in Guatemala; within the corridors of power in America over many decades; individuals within the CIA involved in murky dealings; and other ratlines which equally applies to private companies which benefitted from economic sales to the forces of torture in Guatemala? The issue isn’t the innocence or guilt of Rios Montt because very few people will doubt his role within the chains of command; it is about other more powerful individuals which assisted in these crimes against humanity.

Turning back to The Guardian article published in 1999 it states that “I have never seen anything like it,’ said Kate Doyle, the Guatemala project director at the National Security Archive, a private research body which has obtained the US documents. Ms Doyle said the documents tell the fullest story so far of our intimacy with the Guatemalan security forces.”

“A 1966 document reveals that US security forces set up a safe house inside the presidential palace in Guatemala City for use by Guatemalan security agents and their US contacts. It became the headquarters for the so-called dirty war.”

In this sense, if so many other people escape the net of justice then Rios Montt is “a collective scapegoat” for all the other powerful individuals in America and Guatemala who have escaped similar indictments. Therefore, it is essential that “the book isn’t closed” because many individuals were involved in the chain of events in America and Guatemala.

Sadly, many powerful modern nation states are still involved in supporting terrorist networks, mercenaries from a distance and supporting nations which don’t even provide the barest forms of human rights. The reason they can do this is because judgments are too limited towards individuals like Rios Montt. Given this reality, the same power mechanisms of covert and overt support towards forces of evil are still happening in the modern world. Likewise, destabilizing nations under the disguise of humanitarian ideals is the modern modus operandi whereby human rights organization, the mass media, special advisors and PR personnel collectively work together in order to overthrow governments. Rios Montt was just a cog in the machinery therefore until the entire machinery is brought to justice then nothing will prevent powerful governments from doing what they please.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/1999/mar/12/jeremylennard.martinkettle

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2005/011005.html

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Sarah Deschamps and Michel Lebon

Modern Tokyo Times

The continuing expansion of Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) throughout Japan is clear to all fashion lovers in this nation. At first H&M focused heavily on Tokyo and Kanto which is the natural route into the Japanese fashion market. However, the pulling power of Osaka and the Kansai region soon materialized and in 2012 the Nagoya area followed the logical path of expansion. This reality means that 2013 will also witness new ideas from the trendy H&M brand in Japan.

H&M in countless surveys done by Modern Tokyo Times did extremely well because this dynamic company was ranked high on the list. These surveys relate to female fashion in trendy Tokyo and were aimed at younger ladies. Therefore, the age groups selected mainly focused on the range of 18 to 34 years of age.

It is clear that when H&M entered the Japanese market fully in 2008 that this company had great vision and natural self-confidence. This isn’t surprising because H&M was already a big hit throughout Europe and North America. Given this reality, then H&M had already achieved a buzz within Japan before opening their first store. Not surprisingly, many fashion lovers were waiting in anticipation because of the freshness of this company and its sheer innovation.

Several years later then in numerous surveys throughout Tokyo the company H&M was extremely high on the fashion radar. It didn’t seem to matter which district was picked because the same conclusion highlighted the power of this company within the Tokyo fashion market. This reality meant that in surveys taken in Ginza, Harajuku, Ikebukuro, Omotesando, Daikanyama and other powerful fashion districts in the capital of Japan, many trendy ladies selected H&M.

In another article by Modern Tokyo Times related to H&M it was stated that “The “fast fashion” brand of H&M is extremely popular for younger Japanese individuals because this company is trendy and affordable at the same time. H&M first moved to Japan in 2008 in trendy Ginza in Tokyo and since this time the company continues to grow and attract new shoppers. Therefore, the new outlet in Nagoya, which is based within the Matsuzakaya department store, is further evidence of the gradual move to other parts of Japan and this is most welcome.”

The second major area of expansion for H&M was the Kansai region and with great emphasis being put on the powerful Osaka and Kobe area. Osaka is a mega-city and areas like Namba, Umeda and many others, are awash with the finest in Japanese and international boutiques. Indeed, Osaka should be much higher on the international fashion map. This notably applies to the sheer size of the population and the purchasing power of individuals throughout this major economic hub which encompasses Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto.

The amazing “fast fashion” brand of H&M meant that it could enter the Ginza market with ease in Tokyo despite the leafy nature of this buzzing part of the capital city. Ginza is famous for the crème de la crème of fashion boutiques whereby the price range is often very pricey. This is only to be expected given the companies located in Ginza and Yurakucho. However, H&M took this in their stride and soon became a powerful brand within the high octane nature of Ginza fashion.

For now the rise of H&M is continuing in Japan because this company connected with Japanese ladies very quickly. H&M plays to the strengths that this company is blessed with and when extreme confidence is added to this, then clearly you have powerful forces at play. Therefore, for fashion lovers who adore H&M in Japan they will be eagerly awaiting new fresh ideas in 2013 from this innovative fashion company.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

In Kosovo and Iraq under the watch of America, the United Kingdom, and other allies, the Christian communities suffered greatly. At no point was their suffering addressed properly and because the Christians of Iraq had no militia to protect them, then over half of the Christian population fled. Likewise, the Orthodox Christian population in Kosovo plummeted alongside the destruction of churches, monasteries and many things connected with the indigenous faith. The same scenario is now happening in nations which are being supported by major Western powers and of course Northern Cyprus is another “cleansed” Christian area. Indeed, Northern Cyprus connects the past with the present anti-Christian policies of Washington, London and other nations which appease Islamist forces.

In Egypt the indigenous Christian faith is once more facing another bleak future because of ongoing Islamization. Despite this, and the fact that secular forces face being crushed by the current government of Egypt; the United States, the European Union and Gulf nations are all working together in order to help the Muslim Brotherhood survive financially. Simply put, Christian blood isn’t “only cheap” it doesn’t even enter the radar to any significant degree. Therefore, apartheid Sharia Islamic law is threatening to engulf Egyptian society. Also, the indigenous Christians don’t fit the false history of the Middle East because it was their land which was colonized by invading Islamic armies. This colonialism is forgotten and the same applies to many areas of the Middle East whereby the indigenous Christian faith struggled for survival because of jizya policies, slavery, dhimmitude and enormous discrimination within Islamic Sharia law.

Alarmingly, in the modern world you still have several Islamic Sharia law states which support killing apostates and killing non-Muslim males for merely marrying a Muslim woman. Therefore, while old men in Saudi Arabia can marry young 8 and 9 year old girls legally under Islamic Sharia law; the hatred within this apartheid legal system can be seen by the fact that non-Muslim males face the death penalty for an act of love in several Islamist nations. Of course, if Christian law supported the same barbarity in the modern world then the media would cover this from head to toe.  Instead, in Saudi Arabia women must cover-up from head to toe and non-Muslims must stay in the shadows without any holy places to visit.

The latest clash between Coptic Christians and Muslims took place after a Muslim woman named Rana el-Shazali is believed to have converted to Christianity. It appears that a normal romantic relationship is deemed to be a threat to the Muslim community because the reaction was violence and intimidation. While in the West the term “Islamophobia” is being manipulated in order to crush genuine debate. It is noticeable that the same people who cry “Islamophobia” say little about Islamic Sharia law having “a real legal phobia” against atheists, Christians, minority Muslim groups like the Ahmadiyya, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Zoroastrians, Baha’is, Sikhs, and all non-Muslim faiths.

Anti-Christian attacks have taken place in the Beni Suef province where the romance began to flourish in the town of Wasta. AP comments that “Muslims have attacked churches there and forced Christians to close their shops for nearly eight days last month and members of the Christian man’s family have been arrested, including his mother and father, after a prosecutor accused them of collaborating in hiding the woman. The woman’s family issued an ultimatum for the church to bring her back early this month, but when it didn’t, violence erupted anew.”

“On Friday, ultraconservative Salafis distributed flyers accusing the church of “proselytizing Christianity,” according to a copy of the flyer posted on a social networking site. It called on residents to rally inside a mosque located meters (yards) from the church to “rescue a Muslim soul and bring her back from the deviant path.”

Somehow, the Salafists and Muslim Brotherhood are so concerned about this “one Muslim soul” because it threatens their apartheid worldview whereby non-Muslims are unequal in law. Of course, the Muslim Brotherhood doesn’t mind taking money from major Western nations but equality is out of the question.

The Investigative Project on Terrorism highlights the naivety and duplicity of important institutions in America because James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, commented in 2011 that the Muslim Brotherhood is “largely secular” and that this organization “eschewed violence.”

In the same article it was stated that “Some Islamists, such as Wagdy Ghoneim, who enjoyed close relations with the Council on American Islamic Relations while he lived in the United States, have issued calls for genocide against the Copts.”

“The day Egyptians — and I don’t even mean the Muslim Brotherhood or Salafis, regular Egyptians — feel that you are against them, you will be wiped off the face of the earth. I’m warning you now: do not play with fire!” Ghoneim said in a Gatestone Institute report. “I want to remind you that Egypt is a Muslim country…. if you don’t like the Muslim Sharia, you have eight countries that have a Cross on their flag [in Europe], so go to them. However, if you want to stay here in Egypt with us, know your place and be respectful.”

In the New York Times it was stated by Roger Cohen that “Perhaps the most radical change in U.S. foreign policy under President Obama has occurred here in Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood, long shunned as a collection of dangerous Islamist extremists, is now the de facto object of American support….. Not only that: Ultraconservative Salafist politicians, who make the Brotherhood seem like moderate pragmatists, are now regular visitors to the U.S. Embassy and, on the theory that it is better to have them inside the tent than out, they are able to visit the United States to learn how things work in the land of Jeffersonian democracy.”

Modern Tokyo Times meanwhile commented about the recent visit of John Kerry to Egypt by stating that “The only conclusion to come from Kerry’s trip is that you have no unity and that now it is Islamists which welcome Washington in Egypt. After all, important moderate leaders within the National Salvation Front refused to meet Kerry in person – because they seek “a real broad church” within the government of Egypt – and not the chains of a “theocracy.”

In another article published on the Investigative Project on Terrorism it was stated that “In Egypt, the Obama administration is asserting a moral equivalency between actions by government forces and the Coptic Christian minority, said Shea, director of Hudson’s Center for Religious Freedom. She noted that the State Department failed to forcefully condemn the Egyptian government for sending tanks and bullets after Copts protested the burning of their churches in October 2011.”

“The massacre left 24 Copts dead and 272 injured.”

“The U.S government put out a response condemning it and asking for both sides to refrain from further violence,” Shea said. “Sam Tadros said in NRO at the time that I should tell the military to stand down and tell the Copts to stop dying.”

Gulf petrodollars are spreading militant Islam which hates not only non-Muslim faiths but also religious diversity within the Muslim faith. In Egypt it is clear that the Muslim Brotherhood hopes to usurp power at the expense of pluralism. Therefore, this movement is backing up the “theocratic dream” by manipulating many dark forces including ruling by fear and spreading sectarianism. Given this reality, then why did President Obama openly celebrate when Hosni Mubarak fell but the same leader refrains from tackling anti-Christian forces within the corridors of powers in Egypt?

http://www.investigativeproject.org/3877/opposition-leader-obama-administration-downplayed

http://www.investigativeproject.org/3959/hudson-panel-us-ignoring-increasing-christian

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/02/director-of-national-intelligence-james-clapper-muslim-brotherhood-largely-secular/

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Boutros Hussein and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The two West African nations of Burkina Faso and Niger have stated that they both fully endorse the border decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). According to both nations they are pleased by the decision of the ICJ because you have no winner or loser. Instead, Burkina Faso and Niger can focus on the future whereby a genuine border will now apply between both nations.

In Kosovo the bias of leading nations like America and the United Kingdom is clear for all. After all, the Kosovo Albanians got everything despite not being internationally recognized by all nations and violating many international laws. At least Burkina Faso and Niger have gained and equally lost part of their territory in a diplomatic fashion. This reality shames many leading nations which just arbitrarily take land from nations or enforce their respective power dynamics in order to carve-up or weaken societies when it pleases them.

Tensions over the border between Burkina Faso and Niger date back to 1927 because of the legacy of France. Ironically, the same France is still meddling negatively in the affairs of Libya, Syria and also this nation recognized Kosovo despite the many violations of international law. In Mali it is essential for the international community to help this nation against Islamist terrorist factions. However, the ongoing support of destabilizing Syria isn’t warranted because secularism faces being crushed by Islamist militancy.

Turning back to Burkina Faso and Niger then tensions erupted in 2006 because of security forces and the confusion over the border region. At the same time custom officials in both nations were unsure about the real demarcation zone. Therefore, instead of turning to conflict or involving themselves in destabilization policies both Burkina Faso and Niger turned to the ICJ court to resolve the issue.

In Kosovo the Serbian Orthodox Christians and other minorities had no court to decide fairly about the rights and wrongs of the Kosovo diktat. Once more, Orthodox Christians were treated like second-class-citizens just like in Northern Cyprus whereby Turkey isn’t being forced to leave after invading several decades ago. The upshot of all this is the murder of vast numbers of Orthodox Christians in Kosovo on the watch of America, the United Kingdom and the European Union after the ending of the conflict. This also applies to the destruction of Orthodox Christian churches, monasteries, architecture and even graveyards have been emptied and violated. Today the land of Kosovo is a ghetto for the majority of minorities and meanwhile this part of the former Yugoslavia is now a narcotics paradise. Sadly, this angle often follows in the footsteps of Washington and London because in modern day Afghanistan this nation is awash with heroin.

Vojin Joksimovich commented in an article titled Bare-Handed Kosovo Serbs Battle NATO which was published by Modern Tokyo Times that “On September 16 (2011) deputy mayor of Zvecan, Miodrag Acic, visited the UNMIK office in Zvecan to discuss the present crisis. Acic stated that Serbs have clearly defined who they are, born in the Serbian Province of Kosovo and Metohija, not so called Kosovars, with a rich identity of more than 1500 years old and who have a love of their culture, language and traditions. Serbs have survived all of the invasions and occupations which befell them in the last 1500 years. Serbian culture and heritage is all over Kosovo despite the fact that Albanians are trying to destroy it. He pointed out to a lack of toponyms, whose origins could be found in the Albanian language. There are, however, Islamic and Turkish toponyms due to the 500 year occupation. Now the Kosovo Albanians with help from US/NATO, with disproportional use of force, are trying to steal our history, our toponyms, our land, our language and are making the last try to expel of us. Acic pointed out and named international officers who side with the Albanians and disregard international law and use instead the Kanun of Leke Dukagjini, set of traditional Albanian codes.”

The embattled Serbs of Kosovo which are witnessing their “Orthodox Christian Jerusalem” being Islamized and Albanianized must be amazed by the even-handed approach of the ICJ when it comes to Burkina Faso and Niger. After all, for the Orthodox Christian Serbs they have seen the bias of major international institutions which forgive Muslim and Catholic war criminals against them – at the same time where is the outcry about the cleansing of Orthodox Christians from Krajina, Kosovo and parts of Bosnia?

The Justice Minister of Niger, Marou Amadou, told AFP that “I think that the court sliced up the territory fairly….We gain a little in the North, we lose a bit in the South. Both countries win out because there’s no more border dispute.”

Likewise, Jerome Bougouma, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Territorial Administrative and Security, commented that “We are parting as good friends, very good friends.”

For the Kosovo Serbs and other minorities, just like for Serbia itself with regards to the European Union, it is one diktat after another. Therefore, only when Serbia bows down to nations which violated the sovereignty of the former Yugoslavia – and accept their servitude to all and sundry – will this nation be allowed to join the European table. Ironically, the Serbs in history fought against the invading Islamic invasions of Ottoman Turkey and against Nazi Germany. However, the real winners in the Balkans are the former fascist states of Germany and Croatia (Bosnian Muslim SS Units) and Turkey which still denies the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Christian holocaust which led to millions being killed in the early twentieth century.

In this sense, the Orthodox Christian Serbs are being punished for “fighting on the right-side of history.” Whoever says history is dead should only look at the conspiracies against the Serbs of the Balkans. Therefore, while justice can be found between Burkina Faso and Niger the same can’t be said about the ongoing diktat in Kosovo whereby the Serbs and other minorities must bow down to Albanianization.

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2011/09/20/bare-handed-kosovo-serbs-battle-nato/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22165499

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Boutros Hussein and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

It will be interesting to note if the pro-Gaza brigade will equally rebuke Hamas for supporting anti-female edicts in Gaza?  Of all the problems facing the Palestinians it appears that Hamas believes that forcing females into the “shadows” is a major priority. Therefore, from the next school year all schools irrespective of religion must follow the path of gender segregation and of course this is part and parcel of a slippery road.

Christian Palestinians in Gaza are now dhimmis because they have no say in the matter. Therefore, the Gulf paranoia of Saudi Arabia and aspects of Taliban logic are seeping into the Palestinian cause. Of course, the majority of schools in Gaza are already based on gender segregation but private and Christian schools could decide for themselves. However, now this right will be taken away from them unlike in the West Bank.

In secular Syria this nation is facing a civilizational war whereby radical Salafists want to turn this nation into “year zero.” Alawites, Christians, the Shia, and mainstream Sunni Muslim leaders, all face the wrath of Islamist terrorism, indoctrination and enforced “year zero.” Despite this, major Western nations like America, France and the United Kingdom are closing their eyes to the “civilizational war” in Syria – in order to fulfill their geopolitical ambitions.

This is nothing new because political elites in London and Washington supported Islamist terrorism and Islamization in Afghanistan along with their friends in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and others throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. The result of this shortsighted policy was the enforcement of women being put into the shadows. Nothing was learnt because today many of the same nations are involved in supporting the Islamization of Syria. Therefore, the mosaic of civilization in Syria faces the wrath of Salafi Islamist hatred whereby this nation could be turned into another fundamentalist state.

Not surprisingly, leaders within Hamas have turned against Syria and clearly you have a correlation between Gulf nations supporting Hamas and greater “year zero” policies. Also, just like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, it is clear that Hamas is worried about even more fundamentalist groups in Gaza. This reality means that Hamas is seeking to show their Islamist credentials in order to crush future Islamist competition. Islamists will also be pleased that Christian dhimmis have been firmly put into their place.

Syria is a nation where women have freedom in government controlled areas and mosques and churches dot the landscape. Yet in areas where strongholds of Islamists exist then indoctrination, putting females in the shadows and crushing all alternative thought patterns is being put into place. In the last few weeks it is known that two Sunni Muslim clerics were killed in Syria for speaking out against terrorism, sectarianism and the new civilizational threat emanating from the Gulf.

Turning back to Gaza then Waleed Mezher (Gaza Ministry of Education legal advisor) stated to Reuters that “We are a Muslim people. We do not need to make people Muslims and we are doing what serves our people and their culture.”

Hala Qishawa from the Women’s Affairs Center in Gaza comments that “They are fundamentalists who believe Islam says women should stay at home and not go out without a hijab. They are a fundamentalist party who want every section of society under their control, including civil society, the young and women.”

In Libya and Mali many Sufi shrines have been attacked just like in Somalia. Christians also face growing persecution in Libya and Islamists in Tunisia recently killed a major secular leader called Chokri Belaid. Meanwhile in Egypt the Coptic Christian community faces growing hostility and within this nation you have major anti-Shia rhetoric. Likewise, in Pakistan the Shia, Christians and all religious minorities reside in fear in many parts of this nation. Also, Islamists in Pakistan have killed health workers just like in Northern Nigeria and recently they shot a young girl for demanding female education in this country.

Therefore, it is perverse that major Western nations are once more on the side of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey whereby they support sectarianism, terrorism and sedition against secular Syria. Either, the nations of America, France and the United Kingdom are sleepwalking into “the Islamist year zero” brigade in Syria; or they care zilch about religious pluralism and the rights of women when it comes to foreign policy objectives; or the political elites in these Western nations have “sold their collective soul” to draconian feudal monarchies; or they are collectively blinded by their own rhetoric whereby the same nations keep on supporting draconian dark forces? Of course, it could be a mixture of the above but clearly the rich civilization of Syria is under threat.

The Washington Post stated about Gaza that “Other edicts include bans on women smoking water pipes in public, riding on the backs of motorcycles or getting their hair done by male stylists. Last month, it barred girls and women from participating in a U.N.-sponsored marathon, prompting a U.N. aid agency to cancel the race.”

It must be stated that several conservative nations separate children from a certain age but just like the above it is clear that the agenda is much more. Also, if individuals want to freely separate children based on religious beliefs then this happens all over the world. Yet in other societies individuals have choices and clearly banning women from running and how they dress is all part and parcel of creating a fundamentalist state whereby no choices are available to individuals. It is also noted that Christians have to follow suit and the reality of what is happening in Gaza today is following in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia and the Taliban.

If Hamas in the future stretches further into the West Bank then one day you will have many Palestinians yearning to move from Palestinian held areas in the future. The Muslim Brotherhood and various Salafi groups are on the march because of the petrodollars of the Gulf; the indoctrination rat lines; open manipulation of Islamist charities; and of course the connivance of major Western nations. Therefore, what is happening in Gaza could one day be a reality in Syria if the central government is overthrown by various Islamist factions.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthority/9965274/Hamas-orders-schools-in-Gaza-to-be-segregated-by-gender.html

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Xavier Patras William

Modern Tokyo Times

Christians are fleeing a Muslim rampage in Lahore after another “alleged blasphemy” accusation led to approximately 3,000 Muslims attacking Christians. Like often happens, the entire Christian community is fleeing over a minor alteration between a Muslim and Christian. Of course, if Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism are mocked then nothing happens and this applies to the response of the minority non-Muslim communities and from a legal point of view.

It must be stated that when Shia Muslims are killed in vast numbers in Pakistan by Sunni Islamic militants, then this is usually based on major terrorist attacks. This applies to suicide attacks, Shia Muslims being taken of buses and killed in cold blood and by other deplorable terrorist ways.

However, the attack against the Christians of Joseph Colony which is near Badami Bagh, Lahore, was done by local Muslims. Sadly, this incident isn’t anything new and neither is the deplorable response whereby one “alleged comment” can lead to prison, death and the entire non-Muslim community being attacked where the “alleged” incident occurs.

Sawan Masih, 26, is the Christian involved in the “alleged incident” and now he fears for his life because of the hatred within the hearts of people who can’t accept religious equality and freedom. Equally alarming, is that the institutions in Pakistan are stacked against non-Muslims and Muslims who “allegedly blaspheme.” Therefore, many innocent Christians and Muslims are at the mercy of a failed law which incites hatred and which is open to enormous manipulation.

The Express Tribune, a Pakistan media group, stated that “The charged group gathered around Joseph Colony on Noor Road, led by Shafiq Ahmed, who was in search of the accused Savan, alias Bubby. The mob attacked Savan’s house, partially burnt it and pelted it with stones. Other houses in the locality – home to about 150 Christian families – were also attacked.  Many residents, including women and children, hastily fled to save themselves.”

It is known that a blasphemy case was registered therefore the police have taken Sawan Masih into custody. The case will be registered under the dreaded 295-C section number. Therefore, Sawan Masih will face a very dark period because violence can easily happen within the institutional system – or if he is released – given the nature of the hatred towards the local Christian community which expresses such hatred over such a minor “alleged altercation.”

Salamat Masih, a local Christian resident, stated that “We were busy in our daily work, we heard a noise “burn them alive,” and a huge mob rushed in and burnt our properties. They threw acid and threw stones at Christian houses. The authorities kept silent and didn’t intervene until everything was burnt.”

Apparently a local Muslim cleric stated that Sawah Masih should be killed if he is seen anywhere. Life for All which is campaigning against religious persecution is on the ground in order to help the local Christian community.

Sadly, it is clear that major democratic nations are not speaking out against issues like this. Yet with every case like this then Pakistan is “losing a part of its soul” to the forces of darkness. Many Pakistan nationals involved in human rights in this country, irrespective if Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, or secular; are “showing the light of Pakistan.” However, you have too many negative forces against them because the international community isn’t doing enough to support organizations which are trying to stem the tide of hatred. Therefore, it is imperative that the blasphemy law is taken out of the legal system in Pakistan because all citizens of this nation, irrespective of faith, can face a bleak future based on “a minor altercation” or “a false statement.”

Xavier Patras William based in Pakistan provided the above images

Xavier Patras William is based in Pakistan and he is a writer and human rights activist who kindly provides articles for Modern Tokyo Times.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/518244/alleged-blasphemy-mob-burns-100-christian-homes-in-lahore/

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Vojin Joksimovich, PhD

Modern Tokyo Times

On November the 16th  the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) outrageously reversed convictions, acquitted and ordered immediate release of the Croatian Colonel General Ante Gotovina, commander of  a military offensive known as Operation Storm (Oluja in Serbian), and Colonel General Mladen Markac, Operation Commander of the Special Police in Croatia. Gotovina was on the run until 2005, when he was arrested in Spain and transferred to the ICTY. Needless to say the acquitted generals returned to Zagreb to a hero’s welcome with the 100,000 large crowd chanting “Victory, Victory.” In Belgrade there was a fury in denouncing the verdict as a scandalous injustice towards those Serbs ethnically cleansed. The Serbs have always viewed the ICTY as a political and not a legal body.

The Appeals Chamber ruled on 3:2 decision that the original chamber had “erred” in finding the existence of a Joint Criminal Enterprise (JCE) whose purpose was the permanent and forcible removal of Serbian civilians from the Krajina region in today’s Croatia, where the Serbs had lived for some 500 years. Last year Gotovina and Markac were sentenced to 24 and 18 years respectively. The Majority judges, without the benefit of hearing all the evidence as the Trial judges did, were: the American judge Theodor Meron, the Jamaican judge Patrick Robinson and the Turkish judge Mehmet Guney.

Operation Storm

Operation Storm took place during August 1995 and it was the largest European land offensive since WWII, involving 150,000 Croatian troops, and resulted in the largest single movement of refugees in Europe since the Hungarian uprising which erupted in 1956. About 2,000 Serbian civilians were murdered (1,922 according to the Veritas Documentation and Information Center and between 200,000 and 250,000 were ethnically cleansed in a matter of 84 hours. The UNHCR quotes lower figures of hundreds of civilians killed and 200,000 displaced. While passing through the hostile Croatian territory Serbs were dragged from their carts and beaten to death. NATO planes participated on the side of Croatia. Retired US four-star generals (MPRI) trained and directed the Croatian army. While the 50th anniversaries of V – E Day celebrations were taking place in Europe in May 1995, Croatia committed another genocide over the UN cease-fire lines against the Serbian population of Western Slavonia in the vicinity of Jasenovac, the largest genocide per unit of territory during WWII. About 1,500 were slaughtered. In one village alone, Bela Stena, 500 women and children were the victims. Hence, the extermination of Serbs continued after 50 years in full view and support from the democratic and human rights advocates in the West. It should also be noted that Rahim Adeni, Kosovo Albanian and the Croatian Army general was acquitted by the Zagreb District Court for well documented war crimes by the Canadian UN contingent in the Medak Pocket in Krajina. Another Croatian Army general, Ivan Cermak, was also acquitted last year by the Tribunal for his Operation Storm crimes.

Dissenting Judges

The two dissenting judges were: the Italian judge Fausto Pocar and the Maltese judge Carmel Agius. Agius in his 30 page dissenting opinion said: “I respectfully but strongly disagree with almost all of the conclusions reached by the Majority.” He added that he was “distancing himself”  from the decision to acquit and together with judge Pocar expressed his concern at the way fellow judges handled the appeal. Pocar in his 20 page dissenting opinion disagreed with the verdict “which contradicts any sense of justice” and stated: “Given the sheer volume of errors and misconstructions in the Majority reasoning and the fact that the Appeals judgment misrepresents the Trial Chamber analysis, I will not discuss everything in detail—only three most fatal errors: 200m standard, artillery attacks of four towns and the JCE.”

It was mind-boggling how the Majority could credibly deny the “existence of the JCE whose purpose was the permanent and forcible removal of Serb civilians from the Krajina region” when they had the President of Croatia on record saying: “We have to inflict such blows that the Serbs will to all practical purposes disappear” and when they had a videotape of the Croatian Defense minister saying that “Serbs in Croatia will never be there again for as long as we are there.” On September 12, 1993, the Croatian President Tudjman told his cabinet that “Croatia must resolve the Krajina problem by war, contrary to international norms, meaning by ethnically cleansing the Serbs from Croatia.”

Former Chief Prosecutor

Former chief ICTY prosecutor from 1999 to 2008 and the author of Madame Prosecutor: Confrontations with Humanity’s Worst Criminals and the Culture of Impunity, Carla Del Ponte, in an interview with Belgrade’s Blic said that she was shocked, surprised and stunned. “It was not justice. Unbelievable. I cannot accept it. I feel complete solidarity with the Serb victims of the crimes we proved with evidence.” I assume that “the facts were reinterpreted.” Del Ponte agreed with everything she heard on the Serbian TV because it was obvious that crimes were committed and now the question remains who committed them. It should be noted that Del Ponte, while in office, was viewed as a Serb-hater and never concealed her dislike of Serbia. “I expect that a verdict will be brought in the Ramush Haradinaj case within 15 days and there is a danger that the same thing occurs. I am very disappointed.” Haradinaj is a Kosovo Albanian, former Prime Minister of Kosovo, indicted on 37 charges for actions while regional commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) including mounting a “widespread and systematic campaign to abuse, kill and expel Serbs and other minorities.” Nine witnesses linked to the Haradinaj case have been killed, while the main witness was shot during the investigation. He was found not guilty on all counts and released in 2007, but partial re-trial was ordered in 2010.

It is of interest that Serge Brammertz, Del Ponte’s successor as the chief ICTY prosecutor, was also very disappointed. He indicated that the prosecution will consider reexamination of the verdict. The New York Times characterized the decision as the most dramatic in the Tribunal’s 19-year history. The Times expects that, given the role Croatia played in the war as well as sharp criticism of the two dissenting judges, the verdict will be studied by attorneys and war historians.

Perspectives of this Writer

This writer was not surprised by the ICTY Appeals Chamber decision because for the purposes of his books he had researched modus operandi of the ICTY for over a decade and had even compared the ICTY trials with the Stalinist Moscow 1936-1938 trials. The people who pay for the Tribunal and support it were themselves complicit in the crimes that were part of the ICTY charter. In particular I came to the conclusion that another miscarriage of justice would take place after I had learned that General Gotovina was preparing the Operation Storm with the deputy CIA director George Tenet in the military base Sepurine near Zadar. After the so called “Srebrenica Massacre” President Clinton, concerned about his reelection, decided to intervene militarily against the Serbs and offered an alliance to the Croatian leadership under president Tudjman. My speculation is that the American judge acted upon the State Department instructions and swayed opinions of the other two judges. Judge Meron is probably the most influential ICTY judge having served two terms as the president. He joined the Tribunal in 2003 after serving in the US State Department. His anti-Serb bias has been well known. There are numerous examples when he violated human and process rights of the Serbian inductees’ and those of Vojislav Seselj’s in particular. He banned even his telephone communications and visits. He was a member of the Appeals Chamber, which freed thuggish Naser Oric, who as a Muslim commander of Srebrenica, was responsible for the murder of 1,300 Serbs and who boasted for his crimes in an interview with the Toronto Star in 1995.

From the perspectives of this writer, the most significant outcome of the Appeals Chamber decision is that nobody will be responsible for the war crimes committed not only in the Operation Storm but throughout the civil wars in Croatia. Hence, ethnic cleansing committed by the sides in the conflict favored by the US/NATO is not a war crime. No Croat from Croatia was sentenced by the ICTY (Croatian General Mirko Norac was sentenced by the Zagreb District Court to 7 years imprisonment). Only 12 Bosnian Croats were sentenced with 6 still at trials. All of those Croats were sentenced or indicted for the crimes against the Bosnian Muslims, not the Serbs. The Court’s decision will undoubtedly reopen the wounds as indicated by the Serbian president Tomislav Nikolic, which is contrary to the Court’s often stated principle of promoting reconciliation between former warring parties. It is obvious that the South African style Truth and Reconciliation Commission would have much better served that purpose but it was unacceptable as it didn’t serve the US/NATO objectives.

Most alarming from the international justice aspect as well as that of the western civilization in general, which takes pride in the rule of law, this will be the second time since WWII that nobody was found accountable for the Croatian war crimes over the Serbs and hence those genocides will be concealed from the history. Evil continues to win against justice. Croatia, which has been a NATO member since 2009, can enter the EU on July 1, 2013 with its legal state clear.

ICTY Modus Operandi

The ICTY was established by the UN Security Council in 1993. The Tribunal is of dubious legality as the UN Charter does not give the Security Council the authority to create a body with supranational powers to prosecute individuals. Michael Mandel, professor of Law at Osgoode Hall Law, York University in Toronto, in his remarkable book How America Gets Away with Murder, provides an excellent account of how the ICTY was born. Lawrence Eagleburger, US Secretary of State, and presidential candidate Clinton had publicly launched the idea in August 1992 as a way of opposing the peace process in Bosnia and to justify the military solution they favored. Eagleburger even named ten individuals: seven of them were low level (four Serbs, two Croats. and one Muslim), but there were also big names: Milosevic, Karadzic and Mladic. This practically dictated the Tribunal agenda. In other words, the proposal was used by the Americans to justify its intention to go to war by branding their adversaries as post-WWII Nazis. This conspiracy killed the Vance-Owen peace plan, which depended on the involvement of the leaders named, and thus unnecessarily prolonged the war.

The ICTY is the best first test of the outcome of post-WWII politics – the Nuremberg Doctrine, which makes individuals liable to international prosecution for actions committed during a war. The Nuremberg trials of German major war criminals introduced judicial legitimacy – a tribunal with a panel of judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys. Initially, mostly US appointees staffed the Tribunal. In 1994, in the Office of Prosecutor there were 22 from the US, four from the Netherlands, two from Germany, two from Denmark, two from Norway, two from Sweden, two from Zimbabwe, and one from Great Britain. With the exception of Zimbabwe all were from NATO countries. NATO was the aggressor first in the civil/religious war in Bosnia and subsequently in the KLA insurrection from Northern Albania into Kosovo. It was immediately assailed as a NATO political instrument. It has been a rogue court with rigged rules and scandalous protocol to achieve the political objective to convict. John Laughland wrote: “It is not victor’s justice; it is no justice at all.”

The court indicted 161 people: 94 Serbs, 29 Croats, 9 Albanians, 9 Bosnian Muslims, 2 Macedonians and 2 Montenegrins. There are no indictees remaining at large. 126 cases have been completed. 13 defendants were transferred to local courts with 11 being convicted. Fifty Serbs have been sentenced thus far to over 700 years in jail. Six Serbs died in the Hague jail, including the Serbian President Milosevic, without being convicted. Canada’s best-known criminal lawyer, Edward Greenspan, writing in the National Post, pronounced the Milosevic trial as “lynching,” a ”show trial,” and a “kangaroo court.” The British lawyers attending the opening sessions stated that 80% of charges were hearsay, as such would be inadmissible in British courts. The Milosevic trial lasted over four years. It ended in March, 2006, when he was found dead in his cell. It was known that he was a sick man when he arrived in The Hague. However, the Court denied his request for provisional release in order to have heart surgery at the Bakoulev Center in Moscow despites guarantees from the Russian government. His basic human rights were grossly violated.

Not only was Milosevic indicted, but also his top civilian and military leaders. On the other hand, the court waited for the Croatian President Tudjman and the Bosnian Muslim President Izetbegovic to die and then issued statements that they were about to be indicted. The civilian and military leaders of the Bosnian Serbs, i.e. Dr. Karadzic and General Mladic, have been indicted and deported to the Hague by the Serbian authorities as they were hiding in Serbia. Their trials are in progress. They are indicted among other charges for the “Srebrenica genocide.” The legal definition of genocide is the systematic and planned extermination of an entire national, racial, political, or ethnic group—what the Nazis did to the Jews and Croatian Ustashi to the Serbs, Jews and Roma at Jasenovac during WWII. This definition was violated by the ICTY in order to appease the Islamic world as they wanted to have an equivalent of the Holocaust.

The track record very briefly summarized above clearly shows that it is not a court of justice but a political servant of the US/NATO political interests. Serbian president Milosevic was indicted when the NATO bombs were falling on his country making collecting real evidence impossible. Of course, the US/NATO could have been accused of war crimes against the Serbs for the naked aggression which took place. However, the NATO aggression, which was a supreme international crime, was declared “a law-enforcement mission against war criminals who were right then perpetrating unspeakable acts, Nazis in fact, and the ICTY drove this point home at every opportunity.”  Prof. Mendel wrote the following in his book: “But the role the ICTY was born to play came in the Kosovo war. This has nothing with trying and punishing criminals, and everything to do with lending crucial credibility to NATO’s cause. Starting in the fall of 1998, the ICTY became a virtual press office for NATO, issuing press releases containing official statements that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) as an outlaw state whose leaders were inveterate war criminals up to their old tricks in Kosovo. There was an exclusive concentration on the Serbs as criminal non-compliers with international law, to the complete neglect of similar behavior by the KLA, Bosnian Muslims and Croats, and ultimately NATO itself.”

UN General Assembly Debate

The Appeals Chamber decision was met with outrage in many parts of the world resulting in damage to the prestige of the UN. Former Serbian foreign minister Vuk Jeremic, who serves as the UN General Assembly president for this year, has been successful in scheduling a debate for April 10, 2013 with regard to the role of ad-hoc criminal tribunals in accomplishing justice and reconciliation between nations. His initiative was supported by Russia and China but opposed by the US, Britain and France. Jeremic stated that the debate is important so that nobody should think that committing war crimes is acceptable if a superpower provides the green light. Somebody might think that the same recipe can be applied to the situation in northern Kosovo.

Vojin Joksimovich, PhD is the author of three books and over 100 articles on the subjects of World Affairs

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Helmet Joachim Schmidt and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The government of Hafez al-Assad is facing an ongoing proxy conflict which is aimed at crushing the independence and unity of the nation. Many hostile forces are meddling from outside of Syria. This applies to major Western powers like America, France and the United Kingdom. Alongside this you have Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar which are showing their disdain towards international law and the United Nations (UN).

Obviously, the UN is being manipulated by elites based in Washington, London and Paris because they are enabling terrorists, mercenaries and operatives to work freely in order to destabilize Syria. This applies to giving Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar a free reign to create mayhem in Syria. Notably this applies to safe havens in Turkey, funding the Free Syrian Army (FSA), funding Islamist terrorist organizations, providing military hardware and inciting hatred towards religious minorities in Syria.

Another fresh massacre (http://rt.com/news/syria-rebel-video-crime-874/) against unarmed individuals happened by forces which are on the side of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. At the same time more Christian churches have been attacked; car bombs are a common reality in Syria; minorities are beheaded by Islamists; journalists and media outlets are targeted; and Islamists and the FSA are spreading daily carnage because of terrorism, massacres and systematic persecution.

If the UN continues to ignore the funding of international terrorism, allowing terrorists and proxy militias to use Turkey in order to spread carnage – and with this being done without any accountability; then what is the purpose of international law, the UN and the war on terrorism? Either the UN begins to raise serious issues or this organization, just like elites in Washington, London and Paris, will be dragged down to a level whereby it will never recover. Therefore, measures must be taken against Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar and against other nations which are supporting the countless number of ratlines.

The recent massacre in Saraqeb by forces which are being helped by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar is further evidence that the FSA and Islamists are nothing more than brutal killers. Many videos have been seen whereby individuals have been beheaded and killed by other brutal methods by the FSA and various Islamist terrorist organizations. Yet the latest massacre shows vast numbers of unarmed people being abused, tortured and then killed in cold blood. Of course, vast numbers of massacres like this have been done by the FSA and various Islamist groups away from the camera.

Victoria Nuland, spokesperson for the United States Department of State, commented that “There is no justification for that kind of behavior ever. Anyone committing atrocities should be held to account.”

This statement is an improvement by America when applied to the usual lame comments involving terrorist attacks and other massacres which are taking place in Syria. However, the statement isn’t strong enough because nations supporting, abetting, training, arming and inciting media hatred should also be held accountable. After all, these people died because of outside nations providing the funding and military hardware.

Dr. Ibrahim Alloush, a political analyst, told RT that “Every day, these so-called rebels supported by NATO and the GCC countries are performing killings of this type. In this case, [the men] are being shot by guns but in other cases, they kill them with knives, slitting their throats and performing unspeakable acts on some of their prisoners. This form of brutality is part of the mentality of these rebels…they are anti-humanistic.”

Erdogan, the leader of Turkey, is clearly allowing terrorists, mercenaries and covert operatives to have a free reign in areas near the border with Syria. Indeed, for Turkey to deny this would be scandalous in itself. After all, the military hardware entering Syria from Turkey makes a mockery of border guards and stemming international terrorism. On the contrary, Turkey is “the dropping point” for spreading carnage against Syria.

It is time for Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and any nation involved in supporting the FSA and various Islamitst terrorist organizations, to be held accountable. If not, then killing religious minorities, murdering journalists, car bombings, other forms of terrorist attacks, wanton massacres and other brutal deeds – are now on the table because the UN is currently “toothless” to act. Therefore, something needs to be done to prevent outside nations from spreading such daily carnage and this should start with criminal courts for the leaders of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The Taliban prides itself on killing apostates from Islam, killing people brutally under Sharia Islamic law and enforcing its Islamic inquisition on all and sundry. It matters not if they kill Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, Christians, and so forth; the only logic to the Taliban is that all other thought patterns must be crushed and defeated utterly. This brutal methodology is also being unleashed against the people of Syria, northern Mali, Somalia, parts of northern Nigeria and in other parts of the world where Islamists have a strong foothold.

Malala Yousafzai, a young girl from Pakistan, is fighting for her life because of an Islamist organization which glorifies in killing children, Shia Muslims and any individual which opposes their Islamic inquisition. Part of the blame for this hatred also belongs to the government of Pakistan which bankrolled the Taliban in its proxy war in Afghanistan. Likewise, the draconian nation of Saudi Arabia alongside the United Arab Emirates fully recognized the Taliban diplomatically prior to September 11, 2001.

In many ways the Taliban is the “outward mirror” to what Saudi Arabia believes in. After all, in the land of Saudi Arabia you also have an Islamic inquisition whereby Muslim converts to Christianity/Buddhism/Hinduism/Judaism/Sikhism and so forth, face either the death penalty or prison.

Minority Muslim groups like the Shia and Ahmadiyya also suffer horrendous violence at the hands of Islamists in Pakistan. In recent years Sunni Islamists have taken the Shia off buses and then killed them systematically. Shia Muslims were also butchered by the Taliban and al-Qaeda in vast numbers prior to the loss of Taliban control over vast areas of Afghanistan.

Malala Yousafzai is clearly a victim of the barbarity of the Taliban but within Pakistan many non-Muslim and Muslims also reside in fear because of institutional hatred by the government. Blasphemy laws are clearly breeding grounds of hatred whereby nobody can feel protected because so many innocents have suffered, irrespective if Sunni, Ahmadiyya, Shia, Christian and so forth. Until rationality returns to Pakistan within all major levers of society then hatred will continue to rule the day. After all, the riots which erupted over the “innocence of Muslims” in Pakistan were about “blind hatred,” an excuse to incite violence and to manipulate the masses. Many Muslims were killed by “mobs of religious bigots” but will the same “religious fanatics” kill in order to protect the freedom of Malala Yousafzai?

Of course not, because it is not part of the Islamist agenda. Simply put, it is hard to burn American flags when it is Pakistan nationals which care little about killing young girls and ruling by fear. It is time for the people of Pakistan to stand-up against institutional hatred within the government system and against Islamists which desire to turn Pakistan into “year zero.” The foundation of Pakistan was not based on religious hatred but day by day the freedom of many is being crushed.

In Saudi Arabia you have no Christian churches, Ahmadiyya mosques, Jewish synagogues, Hindu temples, Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and so on. Instead, you have an Islamic inquisition whereby even reading the Bible outside means persecution. Likewise, women are still forbidden from driving cars and you have no freedom over dress and shopping freely. This barbarity is the same mirror which the Taliban supports and the same applies to other Islamists like al-Shabaab in Somalia and Islamists in northern Mali, who are now destroying black African Islam in this nation.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan commented that “It was not a crime against an individual but a crime against humanity and an attack on our national and social values.” However, this is only part true because blasphemy laws agreed by the government of Pakistan are also inciting hatred and playing into the hands of Islamists.

Malala Yousafzai was attacked because this brave young girl just wanted a normal future, which is taken for granted in the vast majority of nations throughout the world. It is time for the Taliban to be openly challenged religiously and it is also time for Pakistan to amend laws which are encouraging hatred and supremacy. Also, all ratlines which still exist between the Taliban, and institutions within Pakistan and outside of this nation, must be severed completely.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Jibril Khoury and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

King Abdullah of Jordan is facing calls for political changes within society alongside other important areas. However, despite political and religious opposition to the status quo in Jordan this nation continues to maintain law and order. Therefore, the demonstration today will be watched carefully within Jordan and internationally.

The Muslim Brotherhood is the main force behind the expected huge demonstration. This is being managed by the political wing of this organization which is called the Islamic Action Front. Yet clearly this is a gamble by opposition forces because sentiments are divided in this country.  This especially applies to the loyalty angle within the majority of the native Jordanian community which views King Abdullah to be the common thread.

Last month King Abdullah told AFP that “As constitutional monarch, my mandate is to be the umbrella for all political groupings and all segments of our society, and as part of that responsibility, I am telling the Muslim Brotherhood that they are making a tremendous miscalculation.” 

King Abdullah stated this after the Muslim Brotherhood stated that they would not partake in elections unless major reforms were implemented. One of the main areas of contention is the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood insists that the prime minister must be elected and not appointed by the ruling monarch. Other issues related to corruption and the need to speed up political reforms – are also causing rifts between supporters of King Abdullah and a wide array of opposition.

The current events led to parliament being dissolved alongside the promise of elections in the very near future. No specific date was announced by King Abdullah who decided to dissolve parliament in order to tackle the growing political problems in Jordan.

Zaki Bani Arshid, political bureau of the Muslim Brotherhood in Amman, stated that “In particular we demand certain amendments to the constitution which lead to the formation of a parliamentary government.”  The Muslim Brotherhood is also hoping for greater political representation in Jordan based on their political powerbase. Also, with the growing rise of Islamist based politics in Egypt and Tunisia, then this organization clearly believes that the time is right to challenge the status quo.

According to the Muslim Brotherhood they are expecting 50,000 people to demonstrate and this demonstration also represents other political organizations. It could be that this number is being underplayed in order to claim success if the figure is much higher. King Abdullah wisely cancelled a counter-demonstration which was expected to muster at least 200,000 people. However, King Abdullah fully understands the need to not allow “a spark” to ignite the passions of many opposition figures.

Another major bone of contention is the ethnic angle whereby Jordanians of Palestinian backgrounds are marginalized in favor of native Jordanians. The vast majority of native Jordanians support King Abdullah but clearly you have divisions within both groups when it comes to political reforms.

The Jordanian Minister of Information, Samih Me’aitah, is clearly unhappy about the behavior of the Muslim Brotherhood. He commented that “How could the Brotherhood demand amending the constitution and changing the regime structure without even taking part in the coming elections?”

It is hoped that the demonstration will pass peacefully and that all major players can solve the many areas of discontent. The last thing the region needs is another “hotspot.”

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Xavier Patras William – Pakistan Correspondent

Modern Tokyo Times

Governor Taseer was a Muslim leader killed for defending minorities and justice

Another tragic case in the nation of Pakistan happened which is shocking by the nature of not only the violence that happened, but by the sickening incitement of hatred by Islamic clerics in goading people to kill this individual. He was simply taken from the police station and set alight based on being an alleged blasphemer against the Islamic religion. Of course, the notion of forgiveness or if the person was innocent didn’t enter the minds of clerics who demanded his death and the people who killed this individual in such a barbaric way.

Jibran Khan of Asia News comments that “The assailants poured gasoline on him and set him on fire, because previously it was rumored that he was guilty of blasphemy. The prison officers were unable to contain the attack of the fanatics, four policemen were injured and several are now hospitalized….Currently there is little information on the generality of the man, burned alive with inhuman brutality, who died as a result of serious injuries. From preliminary reports it appears that he had mental problems and had been thrown into a cell, while the investigators looked into the alleged violation of the “black law”. However, rumors that he had burned the Koran spread rapidly triggering the reaction of the fundamentalists and yet another extrajudicial killing over an alleged case of blasphemy.”

The DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) of the Ahmedpur Bahawalpur District said, “The Chani Goth police station received a complaint that a person has burnt pages of the Quran, the police arrested the person and brought him to the police station and put him in the lock up. Some religious leaders announced on loud speakers that a man has committed blasphemy against Islam. A huge mob gathered outside the police station and they demanded to hand over the person who had committed blasphemy. They even blocked the main highway and within a few moments the mob broke the gates of the police station and attacked the police officers on duty.”

He further stated that “…before we could know the details about the person who was arrested, the mob broke the lockup and took out the prisoner, threw petrol on him and burnt him alive. They also torched police vehicles in the police station, this continued for over 2 hours. The mob stood there until the man was completely burnt.”

The police was only able to tell that the man was mentally unstable, although his identity remains shrouded in mystery at the moment. It is clear that police officers on duty were ill-prepared by the ferocity of the assailants whom had been whipped up into-a-frenzy by Islamist clerics demanding his death. DSP Naveed said, “We have registered the FIR about the incident and will arrest the culprits soon. We are thankful to Allah that no policemen were killed in the attack.”

At the time of writing the body has been sent for autopsy in order to garner further details about the individual who was burnt alive. Currently, his body remains unclaimed and given the hatred of Islamists then family members and friends will be very scared because of enormous intimidation.

This incident is a further reminder of the hatred within the hearts of a minority of religious Islamic clerics who believe that killing blasphemers is the work of Allah. Equally alarming are the laws in Pakistan related to this issue and clearly state institutions and religious fanatics are spreading fear within Pakistan because blasphemy could be aimed against anyone.

Salman Taseer, the former Governor of Punjab, showed “the light of Islam” because he spoke up against religious tyranny and persecution. This Muslim leader who represented all individuals in the Punjab, irrespective of religion, took a stand in defending Asia Bibi who currently is still in jail for blasphemy. It is clear that Asia Bibi and other individuals in prison on the grounds of blasphemy need political asylum in a country which will protect the many individuals in prison on the same charges. After all, “the light of Islam” enshrined in Salman Taseer was put out by a Muslim fanatic who killed him.

The Masihi Foundation Pakistan and Life for All Pakistan have strongly condemned the incident. “Religion should be kept separate from state affairs, burning a man alive is an inhuman act, the police has failed to take action against the people responsible. The law was abused by the mob – there is no justification for this barbaric act. The authorities must act and take action against this lawlessness. No one is above the law, there is no justification in killing a human being, it is for the judicial system to decide if the person is guilty or not. It is time to put an end to the law of the jungle or we will end up in insanity. Laws are made to protect people from other people, not to protect God from humans. We urge the Chief Justice to take notice of the incident and to take action against the people involved in the incident. The CJ must ensure the rule of the law in the Country of Pakistan.”

The Bahawalpur Catholic Diocese has also condemned the incident. Father Zafar Samuel from Bahawalpur commented that “This is a sad incident, we condemn it. This is an inhuman act. It must be condemned. The Punjab province has been in the limelight for the abuse of the blasphemy law. There is a strong need to spread awareness regarding blasphemy and laws associated with it. These naive people have no idea what it is all about.”

The Bishop of Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Rufin Anthony, stated “We strongly condemn the attack on the police station and the loss of a human life. The law enforcing agencies must act and ensure the rule of law. Taking the law into their hands is against the law. It is time for some changes in the legislation that will protect innocent lives and ensure the safety of the people accused and under trail. How much more blood do we have to endure for the authorities to realize that it is time to act. We don’t want incidents like Shanti Nagar, Kasoor, Sialkot, and Gojra to be repeated. We urge them to take this as an eye opener and rescue the suffering.”

Also, for decades it is clear that nations like the United States and United Kingdom have given Pakistan vast sums of economic aid and military aid. Therefore, it is time for outside nations to raise the issue of human rights in Pakistan because sadly it seems that geopolitics is more important to nations which remain silent.

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Punjab:-Muslim-extremists-burn-alive-a-mentally-disabled-man-accused-of-blasphemy-25202.html  (The image is very strong so please be warned)

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Walter Sebastian and Pierre Leblanc

Modern Tokyo Times

In the latest international boxing match between Apple and Samsung the latest “right handed punch” was aimed perfectly to the head of Samsung. However, just like the prior “right handed punch” by Samsung landed perfectly to the body of Apple, it is clear that both opponents lack the killer punch. Therefore, the wrangling between both companies will continue to create future blows but without any clear cut winner.

Instead, both companies will continue to pay vast sums in legal fees and fight tooth and nail. The latest verdict in a legal court in California stipulates that Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus smartphones can’t be sold until the patent dispute is decided. Not surprisingly, Samsung is very disappointed by the decision made in California which currently appears to be favoring Apple.

Lucy Koh, US District Judge, viewed all the evidence at her disposal and commented that Apple “has shown a likelihood of establishing both infringement and validity.”  This statement comes on top of the same judge barring the sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet created by Samsung in America until a final decision is made.

This clearly shows that Apple had put a huge emphasis on blocking the Galaxy Tab 10.1 because the decision by Lucy Koh is rather rare. After all, with no final decision made then pre-trial injunctions are not so common. Given this fact, Apple must pay a bond of virtually $100 million dollars in order for the pre-trial injunction to be enforced.

The South Korean company is clearly unhappy about the current state of affairs. Therefore, Samsung issued a statement issuing their “disappointment” by the decision made in California. However, Samsung made it clear that they “…will take all available measures, including legal action, to ensure the Galaxy Nexus remains available to consumers.”

The see-saw in the current case alleges that Samsung used “blatant copying” according to Apple. Yet Samsung is implying that Apple is infringing on its patents relating to how phones and tablet PCs are connecting to the worldwide internet. Therefore, like two highly professional boxers and extremely good chess players, neither side can outdo the other because both sides have internal weaknesses. This means that continuing court cases will be used in various nations but it is most unlikely that either side will emerge victorious because both sides have varying aces without holding all the aces.

It is abundantly clear that the market they are involved in is extremely lucrative and both companies are internationally famous. The “war” over tablet PCs and smartphones is set to continue because both companies are adamant that they are in the right. Currently the sale of iPad keeps on growing and for Apple, along with the iPhone, they have reeked in rich rewards.

Likewise, the Galaxy range of products by Samsung is also a winner and the enormous power of this company doesn’t like to be second best. Also, Samsung is not in any mood to be outfoxed but the same also applies to Apple. Therefore, it is most likely that the current international legal cases will continue between both companies until they can reach a compromise.

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