Dr Kaukab Siddique | Editor-in-Chief Rajab 4, 1425/ August 20, 2004 #83
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Letter to "Fresh Air," National Public Radio (NPR)

John Prendergast’s Anti-Sudan, anti-Islam Diatribe is not a Recipe for Peace

Dear Producer of "Fresh Air"

Your August 19 interview with Presidential Adviser John Prendergast on the situation in Dharfur (Western Sudan) showed that the man is a bitter propagandist against Islamic Sudan. There were big holes in his story which should have disqualified him as a serious commentator on Sudan’s unfolding tragedy. Here are a few points you should consider before you decide to invite him again:
  1. He claimed to have visited Dharfur but could not mention the name of even one village or location in the area during 40 minutes of talk.
  2. He admitted that he visited the area with the armed rebels. Obviously he went with them where they took him and saw what they wanted him to see. It’s amazing that he saw nothing wrong with such a slanted viewpoint and yet claimed to be objective.
  3. The atrocity stories he told seemed to have been borrowed wholesale from rebel story tellers. He was not an EYE WITNESS to ANY of the alleged atrocities, yet he spoke glibly about them without any evidence whatever. I’ll take two examples from Mr. Prendergast’s narrative to show his inability to think for himself:
    1. He claimed that as soon as the village women rushed out of their huts, the militia started RAPING THEM ON THE SPOT. Does Mr. Prendergast know anything about rape? He should study the rapes of Muslim women in Kashmir by Hindu military forces, by the Serbs in former Yugoslavia, and by the Hindus in Gujarat, India. Rape is not "push button" kind of activity: the woman is usually put into a helpless position before she is raped. The people who told Mr. Prendergast the story of "instant" rape must have sensed that he’ll believe anything.
    2. Mr. Prendergast claimed that he was shown (again we are not told by WHOM and WHERE) a mass grave and then he told the story about how the young men were lined up and shot and then their bodies dumped in the mass grave. He is willing to make such serious allegations without a shred of evidence, and does not have even a photograph of the alleged "mass grave."
  4. Mr. Prendergast tried to play with horrifying statistics to be able to use the "g" word (genocide). He claims one million refugees and 30,000 killed. Such play with UNVERIFIED and UNVERIFIABLE statistics clearly indicates Mr. Prendergast’s agenda. He has to prove genocide! Anyone who knows about Dharfur would realize that it is not like Palestine where one can easily arrive at some idea of the extent of suffering in spite of Israeli control. Dharfur is a vast area where basic travel is difficult. The possibility of a census mission, with the structure it requires, which could produce genuine statistics, is physically impossible.
  5. For Mr. Prendergast, the Sudanese people, other than the rebels, have no humanity. He does not consider how much those opposed to the rebels might have suffered. He does not provide any statistics at all for them. According to the Sudan government, the rebels are heavily armed and in their very first onslaught wiped out the police stations in the area, thus causing a breakdown of civic order.
  6. Islam in the form of a political force, such as the government of Sudan, however diluted, is anathema to Mr. Prendergast. For him, the Sudanese government is not civilized BECAUSE it aims at implementing Islam in Sudan. That’s the real issue in Mr. Prendergast’s bigoted mind.
  7. Because he sees Islam as the problem, he does not ask the obvious question: WHO ARMED THE REBELS? Sudan has put the blame on Israel. Thus the cause of the suffering could be the distribution of weaponry to the rebels by Israel.

    Conclusion: There can be little doubt that Mr. Prendergast is an anti-Islam, anti-Sudan bigot, and NPR squeezed all the hate it could out of him to attempt a smear campaign against the biggest African nation. It’s the "slavery in Sudan" fabrication all over again, this time in the guise of "genocide."
Sincerely

Kaukab Siddique, Ph.D
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Another Letter to NPR [To TOTN Program]

AFGHANISTAN: U.S. AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD, REPRESENTATIVE OF AN OCCUPYING POWER MISLEAD NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO

Dear Talk-of-the-Nation,

I listened with interest to TOTN's 8/12 interview with Mr. Khalilzad, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan. Khalilzad's creative and grandiose claims of progress for Afghanistan, and particularly for Afghan women, were accepted without question by the TOTN host . One might ask what veracity does one expect from the appointed representative of an occupying power? Neil Conon might instead have asked Khalilzad how many Afghan civilians, men and women are killed daily in bombing raids by the U.S. air force, or even questioned him on the rapes of Afghan women under U.S. occupation, or on the treatment of Afghan prisoners, very similar to that of Abu Ghraib. Progress under occupation is not progress but a delusion.

Nadrat Siddique
Pasadena, Maryland
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CHICAGO CALLING
[From New Trend's veteran journalist Ather Masood.]
[Br. Ather has been travelling to Georgia and California.]

CYNTHIA MCKINNEY'S VICTORY: PLUS HELP FOR IMAM JAMIL'S CAUSE

Poem for Kwame Toure, Black Power Pioneer [Kwame Toure's Birthday June 29, 2004] 
Black Power! I remember you said. 
In Antebellum South like homstead. 
Like Huey, Bobby, and yes Fred. 
Stokely Carmichael in watershed. 
Even on Depaul's campus did u lead. 
A White man's closet near not ur bed. 
SNCC in hearts is alive and not dead. 
Black Panther Party shall never dread. 
63rd and Kedzie where gangsters bled. 
Folllowing something of ur way to led. 
In Gahna may you rest in Peace ahead. 
Mississippi roads you have enough tread. 
With a fist to skies as all these Devils fled. 
Angela Davis of you said it best in all red. 
Power to the People for Kwame instead.
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HELP BROTHER FROM SUDAN IN GEORGIA

Brother Hassan Musa is orignally from the Sudan. Unfortunately he was one of the many brothers caught up with immigaration issues after 9/11. Living barely on low income, he is seeking some way to maitain a halal form of employment in the state of Georgia. The State has also taken his family away from him because he is not able to support them, due to his Immigration status. The brother is in need of Legal support as well as Prayers and duas. If anyone can assist this brother in maintaining employment or legal assistance, please call him at 678-851-4245. This information is being written with his permission
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My Trip to Los Angeles: How People Perceive Muslims

God Blessed me to take a trip to Los Angeles. It was my first time there as part of a diversity conference. Clearly the climates in and around California is very hot. But the diversity conference turned up the heat even further. I met a famous actress from the old movie "West Side Story."

During her speech she referred to the Shia and Sunni Muslims as ethnic groups. She also went on to describe the conflict in Falasteen as a purely economic concern. After her presentation, I went up to the esteemed and popular human rights activist. I tried to get her attention and explained that the "Shia" and "Sunni" groups are not ethnicities, but in fact two schools of thought among believers in Islam. Either she didn't hear or did not want to.

I further tried to express how the conflict in Falasteen cannot be described in purely "economic," terms. But in fact has an religious, political, social, and economic dimension. I then met one of the actors from Star Trek. He was very gracious and full of knowledge about things that have taken place in the past regarding Asian-Americans. Later on I went to speak to him which was a total honor. We spoke about what Muslims must do in this nation to prevent their Civil Liberties from being take. The esteemed gentleman told me that Muslims must condemn Terrorism. He felt that American-Born Muslims had indeed failed to condemn acts of Terrorism in the world. I tried to explain that this was not the case and many many Muslim organizations expressed similar viewpoints. However he didn't seem to believe. He once again reiterated the need for Muslims in America to condemn kidnappings and the killing of innocents which he hasn't seen. The last guest that came was a Native-American gentleman. He had a wonderful disucssion full of very moving points, Some of which is rarely thought of. In his topic and answering a question he used the name Mohammed as part of his presenation while imitating an East Indian man. While this was a joke, I later spoke to this gentleman about his presentation and asked him to not use the name Mohammed in any sort of joke.

He explained to me that this was done in jest and is a form of speaking he carries on with family. It was in NO WAY in referrence to the Prophet but someone named as such from India. Even so I made it a point for him to know my viewpoint on this matter, which was enough for the time being. The reason for all this is that we need to know how people are perceiving us. Natrually it is not surprising to see some speakers express completely inaccurate views on Islam. At the same time others are in many cases misinformed. It would be interesting to see how others would have responded if the name of other revered figures was mentioned as part of a joke.

Cynthia McKinney raises the hopes of Muslims in America

The heat in Georgia is very different. It can get quite steamy. Georgia has lots of different types of trees, like California which has different blends of Palm trees. Never seen poisonous snakes in real life until this week in Decatur County. We walked house to house street to street and person to person for Cynthia. And.....everyone knew. Wearing blue and white t-shirts we forced ourselves up forgotten roads, where MLK walked with many many others, re-living in our own ways things long forgotten but yet still understood. Our skins were torched in the sun, with the "Georgia air," all around us. We may have knocked on a hndred or more homes, full of Muslims, Black people, and many many more. I must tell you, I lost count Tuesday evening. The hundreds of people came from the most ancient of homes to the most wealthy. Black people in all their glory. Everywhere. Jamaicans, Hebrew Israelites, Muslims, Pan-Africanists, Hyderabadis, Falasteenis, All of us the oldschoolers and newschoolers. We made our way to the Omni Center. We stood on stage with Cynthia. Usher's song "Oh Yeah" was playing loud and proud on every speaker. She won getting 51%. Every pundit was expecting a run-off. The opposing forces vigoursly supported whosever came against Cynthia. Of course the Pro-Zionist camp now is pretending they never gave Georiga's race much importance. After being called Anti-American, Anti-Patriotic, Anti everything, and pro-terrorist, under the sun, mocked and scorned by CNN, Capitol Hill news, and the Republicnan and democratic parties, Cynthia defied everything and rode a wave of support that broke every record in Georgia's history. They had to admit it in the end. First time in hisotry a candidate came back from defeat and reclaimed what was rightfully under the name McKinney. I was surrounded by people in a place that was despised and rejected by many. Without a cause. And yet it was thru Cynthia everything has now changed. Even though eggs, milk, and defening words were thrown our way we never gave up in two years. Never. Despite being called everything by the Bush administration for defying him , Cynthia stood tall with each of us Tuesday evening. Many of us stood in the Omni center remembering Harold Washington. How far some things have come. With Muslims voting in droves around Decatur, GA the elections were completed. Fate was sealed. Black people came out like never before. The old and new. We all came for Cynthia never ever giving up hope. One man threw an egg at me and stated "Cynthia will never win! Get ready to go back home you foreigner." Cynthia's relative wiped the egg off my shirt. But I stopped her. The stains are still there. To be hated, misundertood, reviled, rebuked without a cause is unfortunate. But it is the road of every prophet and anyone that follows them. We will preservere. I wonder how he feels now. Sitting there on Andrew Young Avenue I thanked Allah for all of the blessings. One wonders often how even the smallest of things are indeed a blessing from the most high. It is hard to describe what I am feeling. But the Muslim and Black nations changed the world Tuesday night. Let it be known that it was Cynthia who was the FIRST to condemn Mr Bush for his 9/11 antics. She was the FIRST to come out and stand up openly, as a member of Congress, for the rights of Falasteeni people. Cynthia was the FIRST person to condemn the Pro-Indian lobby which manuvered against her for standing up for Indian minorities.

ON IMAM JAMIL: I spoke with Cynthia who was gracious enough to listen about Imam Jamil Al Amin. After much discussion on the current status of Imam Jamil, the newly elected offical would like to help affect his current condition. It is truly a blessing to have someone like Cynthia McKinney standing up for Black people and Muslims. This writer calls on Imam Jamil's Defence committee to enter into conversation with Cynthia for our beloved Imam. If needed I can and will facilitate.

Cynthia still needs donations for her campaign They can be sent to:
www.cynthiaforcongress.com
THE HISTORY TRAIN IS BACK ON TRACK.
Or regular mail at Cynthia McKinney for Congress: PO Box 371125 Decatur, GA.
The movement to bring our troops home from Iraq has now begun with Cynthia!
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ISRAELI VIEW OF KERRY

Excerpted from the Jerusalem Post

[Sent by Dr. Ismail Zayid, Nova Scotia, Canada.]

"Whenever America is diminished in the eyes of the world, it does Israel no favor," said Levine, who as John Kerry's newly appointed top adviser on the Middle East is expected to play a major role in shaping the Democrat's policy on region.

During an interview in his law office, the former congressman from West Los Angeles was addressing himself to concerns that Kerry's advocacy of a multilateral US foreign policy might mean greater pressure on Israel for concessions to the Palestinians and surrounding Arab states.

Not so, said Levine, "but if we cannot convince Europe, Russia and other countries to keep nuclear weapons away from Iran, to fight terrorism, and to exert greater leverage on Arab countries, we will fail," and thereby weaken Israel.

To gauge Kerry's attitude toward Israel, one need only look at his votes during 20 years in the US Senate, according to Levine.

"By every rating and criterion, Kerry's votes have shown 100 percent solid support for Israel," he said. "That's well understood in his home state of Massachusetts, but not yet throughout the rest of the country."

Levine's appointment as chair of the Kerry campaign's Middle East Policy Working Group has been hailed by Jewish spokesmen and organizations as a reassurance that Israel's interests will have an eloquent voice in Kerry's inner circle.
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2004-08-22 Sun 12:39ct