World – Page 26 – The Speaker News Journal

Two jihadists executed by Jordan after the murderer of a military pilot

February 4, 2015 by Esther Hervy

Share this

After the Islamic State released a video showing the execution of a Jordanian pilot Tuesday, Jordan’s responded by executing two jihadists imprisoned since 2006 for acts of terrorism. One woman and one man were hanged early Wednesday morning.

The woman, Sajida al-Rishawi, a 44-year-old Iraqi designated a “sister imprisoned” by Daesh, had carried out attacks in the Jordanian capital a year before her arrest. Sixty tourists, diplomats, and expatriates were killed in suicide attacks committed in three hotels. Al-Rishawi was sentenced to death in 2008 for her participation in the attacks.

The man, Ziad Karbouli, was part of al-Qaeda. He had also been sentenced to death in 2008.

The two executions have been interpreted as Amman’s response to the appalling murder of Maaz Al-Kassasbeh, a Jordanian pilot captured on Dec.24 by the Islamic State after the crash of his plane in Syria, where he participated in air strikes for the international coalition against the Islamic State.

The barbarism of the execution of the pilot (burned alive in a cage) raised the emotions of well-known figures in the world of politics.

“This Sunni group is the embodiment of evil,” said David Cameron, British Prime Minister, while François Hollande, the French President, condemned the act as a “barbaric murder.”

In a unanimous statement, the 15 member countries of the UN Security Council also “strongly condemned” a “barbaric and cowardly act which once again shows the brutality of the Islamic State.”

The Islamic state had demanded the release of Sajida al-Rishawi in exchange for the Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, who the Islamic State had held hostage. The transaction had not taken place and the Japanese journalist was beheaded.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had described the killing of Goto as a “vile and unforgivable act.”

In Karak, the hometown of the pilot, some people protested outside a local administrative building. They felt that the government had not done enough to obtain his release.

In the most recent video release by the Islamic State, representatives also list names and display photographs and addresses of soldiers from countries participating in the international coalition, and claim to offer a reward of “100 gold coins” to those who would kill one of them.

Analysis by Esther Hervy

Photo by mhlradio

Islamic terrorists have committed 25,000 separate violent acts worldwide that resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths in last 15 years

January 26, 2021February 3, 2015 by The Speaker Editors

Share this

The number of Islamist attacks since 2001 when the World Trade Center’s twin towers collapsed has reached 25,000, according to terrorist watch group The Religion of Peace. The attacks currently occur regularly at a rate of over 200 per month around the world, so that the time at which the 25,000 mark would be reached was able to be predicted by TROP.

In January, Islamist terrorists committed 266 jihad attacks in 28 countries, including 43 suicide attacks. These attacks resulted in 2,998 deaths and 2,261 injured, not counting deaths and injuries that occured after the time the reports were published.

The numbers were almost the same over the past several months, so that when in early January The Speaker asked the editor of TROP, Glen Roberts, about the date at which the number would reach 25,000, he was able to predict that it would occur in February.

“It looks like there have been only 12 days since the beginning of 2005 without at least one Islamic attack,” said Roberts.

The TROP editor, who has maintained a record of Islamist attacks since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, noted that the number of attacks is the only figure they calculate. They do not calculate the number of people killed by Islamists, which would be many times higher than the 25,000 figure. The 25,000 does not include regular killings by Muslims such as honor killings, murders, or executions, but measures only killings deemed by TROP’s editors to have been motivated by the perpetrators’ interpretation of religious duty.

Roberts also told us that the rate of attacks since 2001 should in no way be considered an increase in such attacks.

“The rate at which people died from Islamic violence was probably much greater prior to this,” said Roberts. “There was less attention focused on terror campaigns in places like Algeria and East Timor, for example, even though the loss of life was staggering. Another example is Bangladesh, where several million people lost their lives in the early 1970’s during independence, a great many of whom were Hindu.”

According to TROP, Islam is unique among the world’s biggest religions in that killing is widespread and continues regularly. Roberts believes that the killing has to do with the scripture and history of the Islam.

“The people who know Muhammad best – his companions – were extremely prolific in waging war against non-threatening populations under the rationale that Islam is meant to be supreme,” Roberts told us. “There is nothing in the Quran that discourages this. In fact, verse 9:29 says that Christians and Jews are to be killed if they resist subjugation. Verse 9:123 tells Muslims to ‘fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness.’”

Young British woman Hannah Davies missing in Bangkok, Thailand

January 26, 2021February 3, 2015 by The Speaker Editors

Share this

A 21-year-old British woman who went missing this week in Bangkok, Thailand is being sought by her Portsmouth family. The woman is feared to have been using drugs and has a history of mental illness. Her last contact with her family happened last Friday when she posted a short Facebook message.

In the Facebook message, 21-year-old Hannah Davies wrote that she was using the computer of a man who had invited her in off the street, according to Stickboy Bangkok. The man had offered her food, she wrote.

When last seen, the 5’6″ woman had long brown dreadlocks and was described as dirty and covered in mosquito bites.

The last known whereabouts of Davies was the Bang Kapi shopping mall in Bangkok Jan. 31.

Davies had been rooming at the Sawasdee Guesthouse in the tourist-area of Khaosan Road. Her last appearance at the guesthouse, according to staff there, was the day before she went missing.

Her family fears she may have been using drugs. According to Davies’ mother, the young woman has a history of mental health issues, and is a danger to herself when these issues surface. Her mother believes Davies requires urgent medical help.

Davies arrived in Thailand Jan. 17 and was travelling alone. She was scheduled to return to the England in mid-March.

Her family and the British Embassy in Bangkok are looking for any information that might lead to locating the woman. They can be reached through the family’s phone number (+44 07954 326152) and email ([email protected]) or the British Embassy’s Bangkok office (+66 02 305 8333).

Strauss-Kahn before the judges: former president of the IMF accusated of procuring

February 2, 2015 by Esther Hervy

Share this

Four years after the case regarding alleged sexual crimes committed at the Sofitel Hotel in New York City, Dominique Strauss-Kahn appeared again today in the opening of another trial — this one on charges of aggravated procuring alleged to have taken place at the Carlton Hotel. The former director of IMF, who is accused of having participated in naughty parties in Lille, Paris and Washington between 2008 and 2011 denied knowledge of the professional status of the girls. The hearing began today at 2 p.m. local time.

One of Strauss-Kahn’s lawyers, Richard Malka, who defended Strauss-Kahn in earlier investigations, said that the law does not necessarily condemn immoral acts.

Apparently, the young women were recruited in Belgian brothels, whose owner, Dominique Alderweireld, was arrested on Oct. 1 for pimping, and is further suspected of having employed undocumented minors.

One of them recounts that a man came to her home to “ensure that she could match the type of woman who could be presented to Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Another girl said that DSK was aware that they were all paid each time, and that she had told Strauss-Kahn so.

“If this man believed that he could not know the quality of the girls, he really wants to make us believe that he is naive and take us for idiots, the second girl, called Jade, said at a hearing. All these girls were good-looking, young, completely designed to meet his desires.

Eric Dupond-Moretti, one of the lawyers for the accused, denounced the extension of “customer to pimp.” If we want to penalize the customer in France, which does. There are countries where the customer is penalized, but not France, said Dupond-Moretti. “I think they want to destroy DSK.”

Dominique Strauss-Kahn faces up to 10 years in prison and 1.5 million euros in fines.

By Esther Hervy

France’s Glavany Amendment: animals now considered “living beings gifted sentience”

February 1, 2015January 31, 2015 by Esther Hervy

Share this

While the French Civil Code considered animals to be “movable property” for 200 years, Parliament voted this Wednesday, Jan. 28 that a change in legal status was in order (even if the Senate rejected the Glavany amendment last week). Animals are now considered to be “living beings gifted sentience.” In this way, an animal is no longer defined by its market value but its intrinsic value. The Civil Code has been harmonized with Rural Code and Criminal Code on this matter.

FNSEA (the main French farmer’s union) criticized the new legislation, fearing the effects with regards to livestock. But after seeing that animals did not receive a new category, the representatives thought things could be worse. This amendment does not change the situation for farmers significantly because it does not create a special status for animals between the men and goods. Animals thus remain property under the Civil Code.

But the animals rights associations still saluted what they considered to be a great victory.

“The main lock popped! This breakthrough creates favorable conditions for the improvement of the animal’s lives,” said Reha Hutin, president of the Foundation 30 Millions d’Amis. Indeed, the group has worked toward this change for more than 10 years. they hope the new amendment will change attitudes and also allow judges to apply the existing law more easily (The Criminal Code allows up to €30,000 in fines and 2 years of imprisonment for any act of animal abuse).

However, it is worth noting that this change only applies to pets or wild animals tamed or held in captivity. The sentience of wild animals, meanwhile, is not recognized.

Concretely, in the short-term future, the law should not change much for our animals, but many still see a positive sign in the consideration of the daily suffering of animals. Even though the road still seems long toward the ban of bullfighting (which has a specific clause in the Act), geese feeding, vivisection and still dairy farms, this new amendment can only cause us to rejoice and to become more aware of the important place occupied animals in our society.

For Christiane Taubira, Minister of Justice, “It’s an act that has weight, meaning and consequences.”

Analysis by Esther Hervy

Corroboration: Vier Pfoten

Image: blurbrain/littlemiao

South Africa Apartheid Leader de Kock on Parole

January 30, 2015January 30, 2015 by Aliza Baraka

Share this

A death squad leader in the South African apartheid, Eugene de Kock, was granted parole Thursday. This comes 20 years after initially being jailed for his role in the murder of activists protesting against white minority rule during the 1980s and 1990s.

The reason for de Kock’s release, according to Justice Minister Michael Masutha, was “in the interest of nation-building.” He emphasized that this decision is in accordance with South Africa’s constitution. This brings to the forefront the struggle that South Africa has in balancing justice with reconciliation.

The release of the 66-year-old comes after his sentencing in 1996 to two life prison terms. De Kock, nicknamed “Prime Evil,” had also been sentenced to an additional 212 years for his crimes. There is much controversy surrounding the release of Mr. de Kock. For this reason, the location and timing would not be made public.

Families of slain victims had mixed responses to the news. Some felt that it was right to move on, letting de Kock go on parole, and in so doing, “a chapter could be closed.” Some family members spoke of reconciliation and the need to focus on rebuilding South Africa.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of the 1990s was an effort to promote unity after the divisiveness and trauma of apartheid. The granting of amnesty, in some cases, was part of this effort.

At his 1995 trial before the TRC, one year after the first democratic elections in South Africa, de Kock confessed to more than 100 acts of torture, murder, and fraud. He took full responsibility for the actions committed by the Vlakplaas police, his notorious undercover unit.

The unit, based on a farm near the capital Pretoria, conducted some of the most horrific crimes during the apartheid era. Their trademark murders, which used explosives, would both kill the victim and destroy the evidence of the death.

One of the key factors in South African apartheid leader de Kock’s parole is that he has expressed remorse for his deeds. Some critics, however, express strongly that because he was ruthless in his brutality, he does not deserve mercy. They say that he should spend the rest of his life in prison.

In the TRC hearings, de Kock recounted murders of African National Congress (ANC) members in other countries, including Angola, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe. The police commander above him was complicit in all of these crimes. However, de Kock is the only one who was charged with the crimes. The others are living in freedom.

De Kock took some actions while in prison that have influenced the reactions of victims’ families as well as his release on parole. In 2007, he did a radio interview, accusing the last white ruler of South Africa, FW de Klerk, of ordering specific killings. He said that President de Klerk “had blood on his hands.” This accusation was denied by the former president.

Justice Minister Masutha also said that de Kock has been helpful to the National Prosecuting Authority’s Missing Persons Task Team in recovering the remains of some of his victims. While in prison, de Kock also reached out to victims’ families. He asked them for his forgiveness.

Another former official within the apartheid era, Clive Derby-Lewis, has not been granted parole. He had been convicted in the assassination of Chris Hani, but has not shown remorse in the way that de Kock had expressed. Moreover, Derby-Lewis has medical reasons – undergoing chemotherapy for stage three lung cancer – that caused the Medical Parole Advisory Board to deny his release.

The actions as well as the parole of South African apartheid leader Eugene de Kock have been met with mixed response. A former employee of the South African Council of Churches spoke out. He had worked there when the Church headquarters were bombed in 1988 and said that South Africans are accustomed to having mixed feelings.

By Aliza Baraka

Sources:

BBC, News Africa
The New York Times
Eyewitness News

Photo courtesy of United Nations – Flickr license

Chinese charge government officials for being part of “illegal underground Tibetan independence organization”

January 29, 2015January 29, 2015 by The Speaker Editors

Share this

It has come to light that officials within the Chinese government have been charged and punished with crimes such as providing intelligence to exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and participating in activities found to potentially be “harmful to national security.”

Fifteen officials of the Chinese government in central Tibet were charged with the crimes in 2014 and have since been punished. The cases were brought to light Tuesday by official Chinese media organization China News Network.

The officials violated political discipline, according to the Wang-Gang, secretary-general of 27th Commission for Discipline inspection committee, the body that uncovered the Chinese crimes. Wang said that the officials, “participated in an illegal underground Tibetan separatist organization,” providing information to the Dalai clique,” “funded activities that endangered national security, and committed other serious violations. The officials, including six Communist party members and civil servants, had been dealt with, Wang stated.

In addition, 45 officials had been found to have abandoned their posts or neglected their duties had been “seriously punished,” according to Wang.

Complaints about misbehaving officials in the Tibetan region were on the increase, according to the discipline commission — up 132 percent between 2013 and 2014.

The commission reported that “the struggle against the separatist situation [in Tibet] is still complicated and grim. The political stance of the minority party members and cadres is not firm, and work needs to continue to strengthen the maintenance of stability.”

Under Xi Jinping, China has undergone visibly heightened corruption investigations, including within the continually resistant region of Tibet, which has been ruled by the Communist Party since China invaded Tibet in 1951. Within Tibet, no Tibetan has ever been placed in the position of Party Secretary for the region.

By James Haleavy

South Sudan’s prices double as dollar crisis hits Juba

March 3, 2016January 28, 2015 by Taban Setimo

Share this

JUBA, South Sudan — Prices of commodity goods have doubled over the past two months in South Sudan’s capital and across the country as the dollar exchange rate has risen from 450 South Sudanese pounds for 100 US dollars to 720 South Sudanese pounds for 100 dollars on the black market.

The chairperson of the traders union, while speaking to reporters in Nyakuron market, said that they are unable to buy dollars from the banks and Forex bureaus easily, so they resort to buying on the black market, but at a higher price, which also influences the final prices of the commodity. He urged the government to take bold action on this issue, as the increase in price is not only the traders’ problem, but is a national problem as well.

As the festive season approaches, a piece of soap which previously was sold at 1 South Sudanese pound rose to 2 South Sudanese pounds, and a kilogram of sugar, which used to be at 6 South Sudanese pounds now costs 8 South Sudanese pounds. The prices doubled amidst the ongoing conflict in the country and the falling prices of oil in the world market.

Oil has been the main revenue/income generating source for South Sudan over the past years, but its production has been diminished by the latest conflicts that have ravaged the country since Dec. 15, 2013.

The official exchange rate for the dollar at the central bank stands at 317 South Sudanese pounds for 100 dollars and the Forex bureau rate is at 319 South Sudanese pounds for 100 dollars. The Ministry of Finance had in April 2014 banned the sale of dollars on the street, but many street dollar vendors are still seen roaming around the town.

The president, in an attempt to curb the escalating prices of commodities and the dollar, sacked National Minister of Finance Mr. Aggrey Tisa Sabuni, and replaced him with the former finance minister, Mr. David Deng Athorbei, who had served as finance minister in the government of Southern Sudan in the early months of post-independence in 2011.

The national minister of finance has now issued a new directive regarding the giving dollars in bulks of about 2000 dollars and above, and also has caused the Forex bureaus to cease operations for at least one week. Banks are allowed to give dollars normally, but are cautioned to follow well-approved procedures to make sure the money does not get into the hands of the street vendors.

By Taban Ronald Setimo

South Sudan: 9 killed, thousands flee village over tribal clashes

January 28, 2015 by The Speaker Editors

Share this

JUBA, South Sudan – Over 3000 residents of Kworijik village, Central Equatoria state fled their homes after unknown gunmen attacked the village on the evening of Sunday, Jan. 19, 2015.

Armed men from the Mundari tribe (cattle keepers) attacked the village in a claimed revenge attack over the killing of one of their tribesmen in December 2014 by the Bari tribe (farmers) of the same village.

Eye witnesses say that one cattle keeper (Mundari tribe) drove his cattle into the farm of a Bari farmer, and when the farmer tried to chase away the cattle using a stick, the cattle keeper opened fire at him and he had to run for his life.

Over Five people are reported dead and several others severely injured, and the displaced are taking refuge at Juba One Primary School near Juba town. Some residents were said to have crossed the river Nile for safety. Police and military personnel were deployed to the village to restore calm.

According to one Mundari elder who spoke on condition of anonymity, the attacks were not planned by the Mundari as a tribe but this was individuals who chose to discredit their mutual and peaceful co-existence with the Bari people. The elder expressed hope that the police wl bring the culprits to justice.

The two tribes of Mundari and Bari belong to the Main Bari speaking group of Central Equatoria and have lived peacefully for many years.
While addressing internally displaced people in Juba One Primary school, the Central Equatoria governor Major General Clement Wani Konga assured the people of continued efforts to bring a lasting solution to the problem facing the village and also that the culprits would be brought to book.

Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), Red Cross, and other humanitarian organizations are on the ground to make needs assessments for internally displaced persons.

Kworijik village is home to Vice President of South Sudan Hon. James Wani Igga and former Mayor of the Juba City Council Mr. Babala Abdullah.

By Taban Ronald Setimo

Luxury hotel in Tripoli stormed by armed gunmen – 8 dead

January 28, 2015 by Milad Doroudian

Share this

Five masked gunmen attacked the luxury hotel, Corintha, on the Mediterranean in Tripoli, Libya Tuesday killing three guards and five foreign guests. Three others were injured.

The working staff said that the men came through the doors and began shooting erratically in the main lobby, killing the guardsmen on duty, and later taking hostages inside of the hotel. A car bomb that was located in the parking lot went off as well, reports say.

Mahmoud Hamza, commander of the Special Deterrent Forces commented that the situation is currently “under control,” yet there is no sign of the five masked men who left destruction in their way.

One of the men working at that time told sources that the hotel which usually staffed British and Turkish nationals was largely empty. This is also the site where Libya’s prime minister was kidnapped in 2013.

The Libyan state is currently in a pseudo-civil war between two factions — rather two governments fighting for power. One is found in Tripoli, and the other which is internationally recognized, in Eastern Libya. In fact, ever since former Libyan ruler Omar Qaddafi’s death in 2011 Libya has been stuck in constant rifle.

Sources were not clear on what happened to the men inside the hotel. Some say that they might have blown themselves up inside, or even escaped. The flow of information has been terrible since fighting commenced last summer, leading to a great deal of the embassies in Tripoli closing shop and heading home.

Information was cleared up earlier today however as Prime Minister Joseph Muscat made it clear in a tweet that the five men were killed in an exchange of fire with police forces.

By Milad Doroudian

Image: Abdul-Jawad Elhusuni

Harper to introduce new anti-terrorism bill in Parliament

January 28, 2015January 27, 2015 by Milad Doroudian

Share this

In light of the attacks that shook Canada at the end of last year, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government has become more intensely committed to fighting terrorism at home and abroad. This coming Friday will be the day that Harper’s government will unveil new anti-terrorism legislation that will attempt to do just that.

The new bill is designed to make the verbose forces of terrorism diminish both online and on other mediums. What this means is that the new legislation will make it a crime to promote terrorism, or any sort of harmful activity, thus cutting out the arm by which foreign elements try to persuade Canadian youth to turn to violence.

In addition he said that the bill will give the police the necessary tools and powers to combat terrorism and prevent events such as the shooting of soldiers in front of war memorials — obviously alluding to the recent attack on the Canadian Parliament last year, but also to label those suspected of terrorist activities and prevent them from going on flights.

On the Oct. 22, 2014, Michael Zehad Bibeau entered Parliament Hill and murdered Col. Nathan Cirillo, who was standing guard at the National War Memorial. The attack occurred only two days after another Canadian serviceman, Patrice Vincent, was struck by a car and killed in Montreal.

At first this seems reasonable as a means to counter such despicable activities as home-grown terrorism, but a great deal of people are concerned with what the increase of Canada’s policing powers will lead to, and how it will affect Canadians individually, as well as the nation as a whole.

“To be clear,” Harper added, “In doing so, we shall be safeguarding our constitutional rights of speech, of association, of religion and all the rest.”

This comes a few weeks after the egregious attack on Charlie Hebdo office that shocked the world, and sparked talks of increasing policing measure in the European Union, and most Western countries.

“These measures are designed to help authorities stop planned attacks, get threats off our streets, criminalize the promotion of terrorism, and prevent terrorists from travelling and recruiting others,” he said in Ottawa.

Harper’s office has always been a vanguard amid Canada’s political leadership in the fight against terrorism, and although the infringement of free speech is exceptionally worrying, the climate which has bred such policies seems almost understandable. Almost.

Although it an imperative to minimize the dangers that terrorism poses, it is also exceptionally important to maintain a balance between the infringement of violent speech, and that of what may be considered as coercive speech.

When issues such as the containment of “free speech” come into play it is difficult not to feel weary, regardless of the good it maintains to set out an accomplish.

Analysis by Milad Doroudian

Image By: Style416

Cambodian villagers slowly edge closer to regaining homes – update

January 28, 2015January 26, 2015 by Brett Scott

Cambodia villagers slowly edge closer to regaining homes - update

Share this

SIEM REAP, Cambodia — Additional details have emerged regarding the ongoing military takeover of a rural Cambodian village that started over a month ago. The 562 families involved hope a court will allow them to return to their own land soon. In addition, one of the imprisoned villagers may be released in a matter of days.

The village of Phnom Tebang Bantay Srey, north of Siem Reap, has been undergoing a gradual military takeover due to a supposed lack of land deeds. Those documents have since reappeared and the villagers hope that this will be what they need to re-acquire their land.

According to the village’s primary spokesperson Solina, previously they would have been content with each of the families having 5 hectares of land returned to them. However, they would now be satisfied with 1 hectare each, as the villagers primary source of food is their own crops. In this case, “They’ve backed off and are remaining patient as they await further developments from the courts.”

Solina says that she’s being sought by the police, primarily because she speaks English and can thus increase awareness of the villagers’ situation. However, she is not overly concerned for her individual safety. “They may threaten us with their guns, but they won’t shoot us. Here in Siem Reap they’re afraid of hurting us because of all the tourists. They’d lose out on lots of business [if word of any violence were to get out].”

However, other villagers are more wary of the police presence and want to take things one step at a time. Not helping things, however, is that what news has gotten out has been negative. According to village leader Chirn, ”The radio station [Asia Free Radio] is saying that we were abusing our own land [having roadblocks set up and burning forest land]. Why would we do that?”

He also said that the government considers the land to be valuable and has slowly been edging the villagers off their land for years. “Starting around 2011, they [the military] have been taking our land, an acre at a time. They do it slowly so we don’t get too alarmed too quickly.”

Another reporter who has been involved in researching the situation and who spoke to The Speaker on condition of anonymity said that he was disappointed with the reaction of a human rights NGO in Phnom Penh. “After I didn’t get much of a response from LICADHO [the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights], I decided to go it alone and help as much as I could independently.” He continues to hope that gradually additional food and water will be able to get to the villagers, who at this time are cautious to return to their land.

On a positive note, one of the imprisoned villagers may be released within a few days, possibly as early as Jan. 28, as the courts review her case. “We just have to be patient,” says Solina. “One day we will get our land back and not have to worry anymore.”

By Brett Scott