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Showing posts from January 20, 2013

Syria online lovebirds in jihadist-led wedding

Aleppo: Yusef and Ghada met through Facebook, and with all of the courts in Syria's war-ravaged second city of Aleppo closed, they had no choice but to exchange vows before a jihadist commander. "It was a very quick ceremony. We signed a paper, exchanged rings, and we were married. The commander (also a Muslim sheikh) was too busy to waste time on us reading verses from the Koran," Yusef, 26, says with a laugh. The marriage between the rebel fighter, who also works as a fixer for foreign journalists, and his 33-year-old lover brought some respite to Aleppo's the battered, opposition-held southwestern district of Sukkari. Celebrating the occasion, AK-47 assault rifles were fired into the air by the rebels who are fighting to oust the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. "Congratulations! May God bring you lots of children," one of them cheers as the groom's friends dances in circles around the newly weds. "We can't let war dictate our

Bomb blast rocks Manipur on Republic Day

Imphal: A bomb blast on Saturday marred the Republic Day celebrations in the state, with Governor Gurbachan Jagat appealing for peace in a troubled Manipur. Amid heavy security, Jagat hoisted the tricolour and took the salute at an impressive march past by police forces in the state capital. According to police, a separatist group triggered an improvised explosive device blast near Wangbal in Thoubal district. However, no casualties were reported form the blast site. Speaking on the occasion, the governor called for enduring peace in the state. Meanwhile, a Coordination Committee of seven major separatist outfits called for a boycott of the Republic Day. Serial bomb blasts rocked the state capital on Friday as well, with the rebels targeting Manipur Rifles ground. However, no one was injured. The first explosion took place near a pond inside the 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles campus here where the Republic Day parade is scheduled to be held tomorrow. The second bomb explosion oc

WikiLeaks film script leaked to WikiLeaks: Assange

LONDON: If you're making a movie about WikiLeaks, this is the kind of thing you probably see coming. Julian Assange says he has obtained a leaked copy of the script for "The Fifth Estate," a DreamWorks film about the maverick computer expert and his famed secret-busting site. In a speech before the Oxford Union debating society earlier this week, Assange said his unauthorized sneak peek has left him convinced the film is a hit piece. "It is a mass propaganda attack against WikiLeaks, the organization (and) the character of my staff," he said, adding that the movie, the opening scenes of which Assange described as taking place in Tehran and Cairo, also hyped Western fears over the Islamic Republic's disputed atomic energy program. "It is not just an attack against us, it is an attack against Iran. It fans the flames of an attack against Iran," he said. A DreamWorks spokeswoman declined to comment on Assange's claims. In a telephone in

Suicide bomber misses Nato, kills 5: Afghanistan police

KABUL, Afghanistan: Afghan Police say a suicide car bomber has killed five civilians and wounded another 25 in a botched attempt to hit a convoy of Nato supply trucks in eastern Afghanistan. Gen. Faziluddin Ayar, who is responsible for the east, says the bomber missed the convoy, which suffered no damage. The attack took place Friday in the Tagab district of eastern Kapisa province. The ministry of interior says in a statement that the bomber instead rammed into a residential home, killing those inside. It says four of the dead were from the same family. The Taliban claimed responsibility in a text message sent to news media. Source http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-25/south-asia/36547214_1_suicide-bomber-tagab-district-nato

Militant groups clash in NW Pakistan, 24 killed

PESHAWAR: A Pakistani official says clashes between two Islamic militant groups over control of a prized valley near the Afghan border have killed 24 people. Arshad Khan of the Khyber tribal region said Saturday that the clashes started Friday when the main militant group Tehrik-e-Taliban captured a base of another militant group, Ansarul Islam, in the Tirah valley. Ansarul Islam then tried to retake the base, with fighting continuing into the next day. A military officer speaking on condition of anonymity said most of the dead were militants but some local tribesmen were also killed. The remote and mountainous valley is valued by militant groups as a base. It's difficult for the Pakistani military to enter and allows militants easy access to Afghanistan and other tribal agencies. Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Militant-groups-clash-in-NW-Pakistan-24-killed/articleshow/18194929.cms

At least 50 dead in Venezuela prison riot: Hospital

CARACAS: At least 50 people were killed and 90 others wounded Friday in clashes at a prison in northwest Venezuela, a hospital director who was at the scene said. Most of those injured at the Uribana prison in Lara state suffered gunshot wounds, said the hospital official, Ruy Medina. He called the death toll "alarming," saying it was based solely on bodies brought to the hospital. Medina said the inmates began arriving at the hospital shortly before midday, and that 14 of the injured had wounds severe enough to require surgery. Iris Varela, the government minister responsible for Venezuela's jails and prisons, said the riot was set off after inmates rebelled when prison authorities launched a sweep of the facility in search of illicit weapons. Varela had said earlier in the day that there was an "undetermined number" of casualties from the melee. Venezuela is infamous for the lamentable state of its prisons, especially for their overcrowding, which

Chhattisgarh tribals defy Maoists, attend Republic Day celebrations

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh's tribal population in the Maoist bastion Bastar on Saturday defied Maoist dictates and celebrated Republic Day although the rebels blocked dozens of roads in forested interiors. Reports from Dantewada, Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kanaker, Bastar and Kondagaon districts which together form the Bastar region said tribals came out in large numbers to attend Republic Day celebrations. Inspector general of police Himanshu Gupta, who presides over the Bastar region, said the guerrillas laid heavy wooden logs in key forest roads to force people to stay indoors. "This is a known Maoist tactic to enforce a boycott of Republic Day," Gupta said. Chief minister Raman Singh hoisted the national flag at Lalbagh ground at Jagdalpur. In a brief speech, he said his government was determined to improve people's quality of life. Governor Shekhar Dutt unfurled the tri-colour at the state's main Republic Day event at the Police Parade ground here whe

Algeria: A New Chapter In War Against Terrorism

A new incarnation of Algeria’s black decade — the period between 1990 and 2000, when some 200,000 people died in the civil war and fight against Islamic terrorism — seems to be on the verge of birth. Unlike in the 1990s, however, when terrorist activity in Algeria was homegrown, the newer version is cross-border and multinational, which means the fight against it will be more difficult. The roots of the problem date back to 1991, after the military took control of the government and forced President Chadli Bendjedid to resign in January 1992. The Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) — which in December 1991 had emerged the winner in the first round of parliamentary elections — was banned, and its leaders, Abassi Madani and Ali Benhadj, and thousands of others were arrested. Subsequently, Islamist guerrillas fought an armed campaign against the government that would eventually leave Algeria internationally isolated. The conflict spawned several armed rebel groups, including the mountain-b

Shun violence, Meghalaya governor tells rebels

Shillong, Jan 26 (IANS): Meghalaya Governor R.S. Mooshahary Saturday appealed to rebel groups to shun violence as thousands defied threats from guerrillas and took part in Republic Day celebrations. Despite a shutdown call by the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), a mass of humanity witnessed the Republic Day celebrations at the Polo ground here. The HNLC, which conducts hit-and-run operations from hideouts in Bangladesh, wants a sovereign Khasi homeland in Meghalaya's eastern part. "I appeal to all rebel outfits to seek a resolution of their demands through established democratic processes by peaceful means and to abjure the path of violence," Mooshahary said after unfurling the Indian flag. Lauding the police and paramilitary forces for battling rebel outfits, the governor said: "The internal security scenario in the state is, by and large, satisfactory." He added: "Some moribund extremist outfit tries to enforce bandh eve

US Debating Deeper Involvement in France’s Mali Invasion

US transport planes are already ferrying French troops back and forth into Mali, but the real depth of US involvement in their invasion has yet to be decided, with US officials in discussion with the French on what they need and debating among one another just how much they can escalate their involvement in the near-term. The latest proposal is for US refueling planes to get involved in the war, keeping the French warplanes pounding various towns in central Mali up in the air longer. Much of the debate centers on if President Obama would be able to approve the escalation without Congressional authorization. Pentagon officials were also reportedly concerned about the open-ended nature of the war, saying that as the war drags on the US could be directly facilitating air strikes for a long, long time. US refueling was a large portion of its involvement in the NATO war in Libya, providing the bulk of such support while other nation’s planes pounded western Libyan cities. Source ht

15 neo-paramilitaries surrender in western Colombia

A leader of the neo-paramilitary group, "Los Urabeños", and 15 of his subordinates on Friday surrendered to naval authorities in western Colombia. The 15 members allegedly included two women, two children aged 15 and 17, and the notorious leader, known as El Tigre. The prolific criminal was formerly a member of the right-wing paramilitary group, the AUC before joining the notorious drug smuggling gang, "Los Rastrojos". The former neo-paramilitaries traveled to a meeting point via two boats bringing with them various weapons, ammunition and comunication devices. The pre-determined meeting point was a port in the western department of Choco where they were picked up by the country’s navy. Some of the ex-members are speculated to have contact with the FARC, Colombia’s largest left-wing guerrilla group. The Urabeños are considered the most powerful neo-paramilitary group operating in Colombia with around 1,200 members. Like many other criminal organizations and

ELN could ‘grow to 6K members’: NGO

Colombia’s second largest rebel group, the ELN, could grow from 2,500 to 6,000 armed members if not allowed to participate in the ongoing FARC-government peace talks, said conflict-monitoring NGO Indepaz on Friday. According to Indepaz president, Camilo Gonzalez Posso, the Colombian government has made the mistake of ignoring the rebels during the ongoing FARC-government peace talks. “President [Santos] cannot keep going in unknowingness of the need to have a peace accord with the ELN,” said the NGO president. If the ELN is not included in the peace process, Gonzalez warned they could attract dissident FARC guerrillas disgruntled with a possible peace accord between their group and the government. “We would no longer be struggling with a group of 2,500 men, but some 6,000,” said Gonzalez. In early January, Leon Valencia, the director of the research institute Nuevo Arco Iris, said the ELN had "reorganized" in parts of northern and eastern Colombia. Nuevo Arco Iri

Differences over land reform remain between Colombia govt, FARC

Significant differences remained on the table when the third round of peace talks between FARC and Colombian government negotiators came to a close in Havana on Thursday. "There are similarities in the desire to transform the countryside, although there remain notable differences,” said Government negotiator Humberto de la Calle. Though both sides have agreed that addressing the country’s rural poor is a major concern, they are divided on how to go about reform. Ivan Marquez, a FARC negotiator, demanded that cattle ranchers’ land be redistributed to the poor. Marquez pointed out that currently there are almost 100 million acres of land owned by cattle ranchers, half of which could be given to rural peasants and the displaced poor. The government has said that it wants to redistribute land to the poor as well, but in the interest of protecting private property, it wants to redistribute land that has been illegally seized by drug traffickers and other illegitimate armed gro

Colombia to address illegal weapons sales at Latin America summit

Colombia will participate in the First Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) where it will review regional economic and social issues. In Santiago, Chile from January 26 to 28, representatives from Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union will meet to discuss proposals for renewed economic and social indicators. Closing the infrastructure gap and how to strengthen economic cooperation amongst regional countries will be the primary focus of the summit. According to Colombia's Foreign Ministry, "the Declaration and Plan of Action of Santiago, which will define...CELAC during 2013, includes topics such as: reducing the infrastructure gap in Latin America and the Caribbean, addressing the region's vulnerability to climate change, strengthening regional financial architecture, creating an energy strategy...and measures to improve consular care and migration management, among others." One of the topics Colombian president J

Cambodian communities continue to improve under landmine removal

WNN Breaking When Mr. Prak Phally returned home with his family in 1999 they found numerous landmines. “We found these mines all around our land. We are very worried for the children,” said Phally. Image: Sean Sutton/MAG (WNN/AN) Phnom Penh, CAMBODIA, ASIA: Landmine removal in Cambodia is not easy. It comes with danger and casualties. It also comes with constant fear that a landmine can explode at any time under the feet of children, elders and other family members. The area in Cambodia that was controlled tightly by paramilitary and government forces in the late 1960s to the late 1990s is still the most dangerous region in Cambodia for landmines. “This whole area was a Khmer Rouge stronghold for many years,” says Touch Samol, Chief of Bamteay Timuoy, a village in Banteay Meanchey province on Cambodia’s north-western border with Thailand. “It was an important area for them.” The region was the scene of extended periods of conflict involving the Khmer Rouge, Vietnamese and Gover

Central Africa rebel forces continue to draft child soldiers to their ranks

WNN Breaking A group of former child soldiers from the DRC – Congo, Africa region – stand together outside in 2007. Child soldiers can be of either gender, male or female. Depending on their gender child soldiers are often given different specific duties. Witnessing atrocity and violence under conflict has caused numerous child soldiers to have challenges healing from their experiences once they are no longer part of the paramilitary force. Image: L. Rose (WNN/UN) New York, U.S., UNITED NATIONS: A top United Nations official has expressed disappointment after new reports of child recruitment by armed groups in the Central African Republic (CAR) that had previously made commitments to stop this practice. According to the office of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Leila Zerrougui Armed Conflict, , armed groups that are part of an alliance of rebel groups known as ‘Séléka’, including the Convention des patriotes pour la justice et la paix (CPJP) and th

Eight child soldiers freed in Kachin State, says ILO

Kachin rebels released eight child soldiers captured and held as prisoners of war, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Thursday. An underage recruit wears the Burmese army shoulder patch insignia of the 707th Artillery Operations Command based in Kyaukpadaung, Mandalay Division. Photo: Mizzima The ILO acted as an intermediary between the government and the rebels in the release of the soldiers in the northern state of Kachin, according to a report by AFP. “This led to the release of eight underage recruits by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) who were held by the KIA as prisoners of war,” said the ILO's Rangoon liaison officer, Steve Marshall. Despite President Thein Sein's reforms and the signing of a joint action plan to tackle the issue of child soldiers in June 2012, children are still being recruited in Burma by both the army and insurgency groups, said Child Soldiers International, a London-based advocacy group, in a report released on Wednesday

Burma Will End Child Soldier Use: Official

By | January 25, 2013 | Deputy Information Minister and presidential spokesman Ye Htut says Burma is committed to resolving the problem of recruiting and using child soldiers. The statement came in response to a new report charging that the practice continues despite a pact with the UN to end it. He said on Thursday that Burma’s signing of the agreement last June demonstrated the country’s commitment and political will to eliminate the problem.Child Soldiers International reported on Wednesday that levels of child recruitment have declined, but the practice continues due to a lack of political will to implement safeguards, with a failure to monitor army recruitment. It said recruitment patterns appear unchanged from the past decade. –AP Source http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/25099

A child soldier with Mali’s mujaheddin – or a lost boy without work?

He was a thin, bewildered kid in a filthy yellow-beige tunic and loose trousers. Someone had given him a heavy khaki military jacket with a fake sheepskin collar which came down below his knees. As the policeman brought him out to meet journalists, I saw a flicker of fear pass across his delicate features. He was 16, he said. And he wasn’t a fighter, just a lost boy looking for a job who had ended up working as a cook for the jihadis. Adama Drabo’s story gives an insight into the jihadis who are fighting the French and the nature of poverty and deprivation in Mali. Captured by Malian soldiers a few days ago, he is being held in a police station in the central town of Sevare, which is where I met him. He told his story to a group of journalists without hesitating, and I got no sense that he had been coerced. If he is 16, as he said, he does not technically qualify as a “child soldier”, but that makes him no less vulnerable. The son of farmers in Niono, south-west of Sevare, he

Iraqi insurgents try to harness opposition rage

BAGHDAD — Iraqi insurgents are trying to capitalize on the rage of anti-government protesters and the instability caused by rising civil unrest, complicating the government's efforts to stamp out a resurgent al-Qaida and other militants. Organizers of the protests attracting minority Iraqi Sunnis insist they have no links to terrorist groups. Yet Iraqi and U.S. officials have expressed concern that violent extremists could benefit from the demonstrators' feelings of alienation and hostility toward the Shiite-led Iraqi government. And tensions are rising. At least five protesters were killed and more than 20 were wounded on Friday when soldiers opened fire at stone-hurling demonstrators near Fallujah, a former al-Qaida stronghold where tens of thousands took to the streets. Some in the crowd waved black banners emblazoned with the Muslim confession of faith. They were the first deaths at opposition rallies that have been raging around the country for more than a month.

Twitter suspends Somali militants' account after graphic photos

A message from Twitter on the English-language @HSMPress account read that it had "been suspended", without elaborating. However, Somali and Arabic language accounts of the Shebab continue to operate, and the extremists used their Arabic account to denounce the suspension as censorship. "This is new evidence of the freedom of expression in the West," the message read. On Wednesday the Shebab used the account to release a link to a video of several Kenyan hostages they said they will execute within three weeks if Nairobi's government does not release prisoners held on terrorism charges. Earlier this month they posted graphic photographs of a French soldier killed during a failed bid to release a French agent the Shebab had held for more than three years. They later used Twitter to announce the hostage's execution. French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault denounced the publication of the photographs as a "particularly odious display." Twi

Syria's desperate refugees now living in caves on the side of cliffs

Clinging to the rock face, the four-year-old girl moved along the cliff edge.The bottoms of her rubber clogs full of mud, her small feet slipped perilously as she stepped on the wet rocks of a narrow ledge, no more than four inches wide, which gave way to a steep drop. With her arms outstretched to her daughter, Um Salem, 40, beckoned her forward. This is the only way to reach their makeshift home; a nook in the side of a cliff in northern Syria. Um Salem, 40 and her children are among more than 100 people who have found some kind of refuge from the war in the caves and natural fissures of this sheer mountainside in Idlib province. Their home village of al-Hamama lies little more than a mile away. But when rebels began fighting government troops there more than two months ago, the picturesque farming hamlet became the hostile terrain of air strikes and tank and mortar fire. Their story of flight is familiar now across Syria, where an estimated 2.5 million people have been disp

Britain sends spy plane to Mali amid fears of 'mission creep'

The Sentinel R-1 air craft departed from RAF Waddington and will operate out of a US base in Senegal. "We have now decided to deploy Sentinel, a surveillance capability that has proved its worth in Libya and on an ongoing basis for counter-insurgency operations in Afghanistan," said Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary. At the outset the French intervention to halt the southern advance of Islamist forces, Britain supplied two C-17 military transport aircraft. But after further consultations with the French, it was decided at a meeting of the National Security Council earlier this week to offer the Sentinel. Flying with a crew of five, it can operate at an altitude of 49,000 feet and was a highly valued asset in the successful campaign to remove Col Muammar Gaddafi. "It is redolent of Sierra Leone, where we sent in a minor force and ended up taking over the whole UN operation," said Matthew Jamison, a specialist in the region at the Royal United Services In

Zero Dark Thirty will not be shown in Pakistan cinemas

Kathryn Bigelow's film has been nominated for five Oscars and sparked debate about using torture to gain intelligence. Mohsin Yaseen, general manager for marketing at Cinepax, said derogatory refences to Pakistan's military and intelligence agencies meant any distributor would face awkward questions. "It's a touchy subject for a Pakistani audience," he said. The film is set largely in Pakistan. It charts a CIA agent's personal quest to track down the al-Qaeda leader, which ended when US Navy Seals launched a covert raid on a villa in the Pakistani town of Abbotabad, barely 30 miles from the capital Islamabad. The mission was hugely embarrassing for Pakistan's military, which not only failed to detect the raid but was also apparently oblivious to the presence of the world's most wanted man only a few hundred yards from its officer training academy. It led to speculation that officers may have protected bin Laden – concerns raised in the film

Egypt protests on second anniversary of Tahrir Square revolution

Tens of thousands of demonstrators descended on Tahrir Square in Cairo, two years to the day since the protests began that eventually led to the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's dictator of 30 years. They were led by liberals and leftists, secular political activists who claim the revolution has been hijacked by Islamists, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood and President Mohammed Morsi who together eventually triumphed in the country's first free elections. They accuse him of reverting to Mr Mubarak's authoritarian style, as well as moving Egypt backwards with a restrictive Islamist constitution. Mr Morsi called on Egyptians to "reject violence" which he said was aimed at "tainting the civilized nature of Egypt's revolution". At first, the protests were largely peaceful. But away from the square young demonstators attempted to storm the familiar targets of the revolutionaries, including the interior ministry, which came under s

Britain lists Israel next to Iran as nation with human rights record 'of concern'

The criticism will unsettle the Jewish State, which proudly boasts it is the only democracy in the Middle East, and considers the UK an ally amid an increasingly critical Europe. In the quarterly report published on Thursday, which considers the period between October and December 2012, Israel sits in the company of Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Zimbabwe – countries the foreign office considers to have a human rights record 'of particular concern'. The Palestinian Authority is also included, although it is noted that Israel's refusal to deliver Palestinian customs revenue has undermined the leadership's capacity to enforce law and order. The four-page entry on Israel lingers on November's intense bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip and recently announced plans to expand dramatically Israel's settler presence in the West Bank. Following the Palestinian Authority's successful bid for upgraded status at the United Nations last November, Israel announced

UN group asked to review Fla. felon's rights rules

Jan 25, 2013 1:06 AM IST TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union is asking an international human rights group to review Florida's new restrictions on restoring the voting and other civil rights of ex-felons. The ACLU of Florida on Thursday sent a letter to Gov. Rick Scott and state Cabinet members informing them of its request to the Human Right Committee, which was established by the United Nations. The letter also urges them to loosen the restrictions on restoring rights for felons who have completed their sentences. Sitting at the Board of Executive Clemency, Scott and the Cabinet approved the limits nearly two years ago. The ACLU says as a result only 94 people have had their rights restored during a 12-month period through March 2012. That compares to 5,582 during calendar 2010 and 24,375 In 2009. Source http://www.wflx.com/story/20671331/un-group-asked-to-review-fla-felons-rights-rules

Hungary’s alarming climate of intolerance

By Lydia Gall, Special to CNN Editor’s note: Lydia Gall is the Eastern Europe and the Balkans researcher at Human Rights Watch. The views expressed are her own. A prominent columnist calls for a “final solution” for Hungary’s Roma population. A member of parliament calls for drawing up a list of Jewish people involved in Hungarian politics. Two-thirds of those asked in an opinion poll say they wouldn’t let their child be friends with a Romani child. Another poll suggests a similar number believe Jewish people have too much influence. One doesn’t have to be a student of history to be worried about the growing climate of intolerance in Hungary. The hatred clutching Hungary has deepened since the present government took office in 2010 and made a gradual shift to the right. The ongoing campaign by Fidesz, the ruling party, to undermine the rule of law and its clampdown on human rights has contributed to the current state of chauvinistic attitudes in the public domain toward minoriti

Ukraine Lost 4th Highest Number Of Cases At European Court Of Human Rights In 2012

Ukranian News - In 2012, Ukraine was the fourth among the countries of the Council of Europe in terms of the number of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in which the country was found to have violated the European Convention on Human Rights. The press service of the court announced this in a statement. The European Court of Human Rights' report on its activities and statistics in 2012 was published by the court's President Dean Spielmann at the annual press conference on 24 January. "The countries with the largest number of decisions in at least one violation of the Convention by the state was found were Russia (122 decisions), Turkey (117), Romania (70), Ukraine (69), Bulgaria (58), Poland (56), and Greece (52)," the statement said. The court also notes that as of December 31, 2012, the majority of the cases it considered were against Russia (22.3%), Turkey (13.2%), Italy (11.1%), and Ukraine (8.2%). The court has jurisdiction over 47 countri

Neo-fascists arrested in Italy

An operation to eliminate a neo-fascist youth organization was conducted by the units of Italy’s law-enforcement bodies. Arrests and searches with the confiscation of arms were carried out in Naples, Salerno, Latina, and a number of other cities in the south of the country. Two leaders of the neo-fascist organization have been arrested. They are facing accusations of organizing street disorders, subversive activity and extremism. Those under investigation spread the ideas of ethnic hatred and ante-Semitism among young people. Source http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_01_25/Neo-fascists-arrested-in-Italy/

Will ancient monuments survive the Arab Spring?

The international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned the desecration and destruction of cult buildings of religious minorities in Syria by militants of the Syrian opposition. The HRW statement gives specific instances of desecration, robbery and destruction of shrines and holy buildings of Syrian Christians and Alawites in the provinces of Idlib and Latakia on the part of the opposition. According to scientist-participants of the Arab Archaeological Symposium in Cairo, Egypt has lost more cultural treasures during the past 2 years than any other time in the country’s history. Over the last 8 months, 35 Sufi mausoleums had been destroyed In Tunisia, Vice-President of the Union of the Sufis of Tunisia Mazen Sherif said. According to him, Wahhabis are behind these attacks, and he fears that before long they will resort to destroying monuments of cultural heritage in Carthage, El Djem and Duga. Is the destruction of historical monuments an inevitabilit

INDIA: Promise of a republic yet to be realised

Before the world, along with Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said Al Said as chief guest, and presided over by the President of India, Honourable Pranab Mukherjee, India will celebrate its Republic Day tomorrow. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) congratulates India and the people of this great nation on the 64th year of constituting a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic that guarantees to all its citizen, justice, liberty, equality, dignity as individuals, and integrity as a nation. If not at any other occasion during the year, perhaps it is 26 January a most opportune moment, that the country's collective conscience could consider introspecting, as to how far the solemn promise made 64 years ago is realised in India today. The concepts of res publica, rests on the actual realisation of justice, liberty, equality and dignity to the people, irrespective of their race, colour, religion, caste and region. They are critical to the integrity of the nation. The

UN expert investigates US drone attacks, targeted killings involving civilians

UNITED NATIONS – A U.N. expert on Thursday launched a special investigation into drone warfare and targeted killings, which the United States relies on as a front-line weapon in its global war against Al Qaeda. One of the three countries requesting the investigation was Pakistan, which officially opposes the use of U.S. drones on its territory as an infringement on its sovereignty but is believed to have tacitly approved some strikes in the past. Pakistani officials say the drone strikes kill many innocent civilians, which the U.S. has rejected. The other two countries requesting the investigation were not named but were identified as two permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. That makes it clear the two countries are Russia and China, since the other permanent members are the United States and U.S. allies France and Britain. The civilian killings and injuries that result from drone strikes on suspected terrorist cells will be part of the focus of the investigation by

MPs warn of far-right rise in Europe during Holocaust Memorial day debate

MPs spoke movingly of meeting Holocaust survivors and visiting the sites of Nazi atrocities in a parliamentary debate convened to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. In what has become a tradition since 2008, politicians of all parties acknowledged the annual memorial day, which officially takes place this year on Sunday. They used the debate to raise the question of the rise of extremism in Europe, including in Hungary with the far-right party Jobbik and in Greece with Golden Dawn, and warn of history repeating itself. "When we stop remembering our collective history, because we no longer have first-hand accounts from people who were there, or simply because it shows the unpalatable truth about how we can turn on a minority, we risk making the same mistakes," said Conservative MP Graham Evans. "It is inevitable that they will be repeated. Evil men know that. Adolf Hitler knew it. He frequently referred to the Armenian genocide… the memory of it had all but disappeared b

Turkish mob threatens German soldiers

German soldiers manning Patriot missile batteries on the Turkish-Syrian border have been threatened by an angry mob of demonstrators thought to be from a left-wing nationalist youth group. After some 40 people surrounded the soldiers in the southern town of Iskenderun, one German reportedly had a bag containing white powder thrown over his head. Four other soldiers managed remained unscathed and all five made it back to their army quarters after Turkish security forces arrived. All of the Germans were in civilian clothing at the time of the incident. While the authorities stepped in quickly enough to prevent things from escalating further, similar attacks have happened in the past on foreign soldiers on Turkish soil. Thought to be from the Turkey Youth Union (TGB), a nationalist youth organisation, members have been known to throw bags over NATO soldiers in the past in reference to the treatment of Turkish soldiers captured by US forces during the 2003 Iraq war. The German sold