Categories
Conflict & disaster Photography Society

[1853] Of it has no religion

This was the Wall Street Journal Asia in the week of the attack on Mumbai.

Some rights reserved. By Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams

Not that I fully agree with it but I thought it sufficiently captures that there are oppositions among Muslims against the use of terror, contrary to accusation that terror happens because the moderates do not voice their opposition out. One form of the accusations, sadly, came from Friedman the other day:

On Feb. 6, 2006, three Pakistanis died in Peshawar and Lahore during violent street protests against Danish cartoons that had satirized the Prophet Muhammad. More such mass protests followed weeks later. When Pakistanis and other Muslims are willing to take to the streets, even suffer death, to protest an insulting cartoon published in Denmark, is it fair to ask: Who in the Muslim world, who in Pakistan, is ready to take to the streets to protest the mass murders of real people, not cartoon characters, right next door in Mumbai? [Calling All Pakistanis. Thomas Friedman. December 2 2008]

I deeply disagree with Friedman.

I disagree here not to defend Pakistanis or Muslims but rather, the logic used. It paints as if there is passive support among moderate Muslims of terrorism. As if, moderate Muslims need to employ the childishness of those whom violently protested the Danish cartoon to express their disagreement to the use of terror.

Categories
Activism Conflict & disaster

[1343] Of PSA: JUST seminar on terrorism

JUST is organizing a seminar on terrorism set for early next month. I have been invited but unfortunately, I have promised my group within the Malaysian Nature Society to climb up the Klang Gates Ridge together with them on the same day. And so, I have to skip the seminar. To absolve myself from guilt of turning down the invitation, I am spreading the news for them. It is free and you, yes you bloggers you naughty little rascal, are invited.

JUST is pleased to announce that it will be organizing a seminar on “Super Terror and the Politics of 9/11” on the 8th September (Saturday). As part of our effort to reach out to the local blogging community and civil society groups/activists, we are directly inviting bloggers and activists such as yourself to participate in this programme. The seminar will touch on state-sponsored terrorism and will also focus on regional terrorism such as in Latin America, West Asia and Southeast Asia.

SEMINAR ON ‘SUPER TERROR AND THE POLITICS OF 9-11’
Date : 8 September 2007 (Saturday)
Time : 9.00 am — 5.30 pm
Venue : Sin Chew Hall, Sin Chew Daily, 19, Jalan Semangat, 46200 Petaling Jaya
Organiser : International Movement for a Just World (JUST)

For more information, visit JUST.

Categories
Conflict & disaster

[1153] Of a Malaysian worth USD 5 million

The government of the United States of America has put up a bounty of USD5 million on a Malaysian:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States added Zulkifli bin Hir, a Malaysian suspected of bomb attacks in the Philippines, to its most-wanted list on Tuesday and offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest. [U.S. Adds Malaysian Suspect to Most – Wanted List. Reuters. March 27 2007.

Would the Malaysian government just sit and watch?

Anyway, I have a suggestion. Let us start by investigating PAS…