Islami News: Dec 16, 2009

UN to end DR Congo operation

A controversial United Nations-backed operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo that is reported to have claimed hundreds of civilian lives will be wrapped up by year's end, a senior UN envoy has said.

Speaking to the Security Council on Wednesday, Alan Doss, the UN special envoy to the Congo said the objective of the Kimia II operation against Rwandan Hutu rebels in eastern Congo "has been largely achieved although we do recognise that there have been very serious humanitarian consequences."

Doss' briefing took place as the Security Council discusses renewing of the mandate for the UN peacekeeping force, known as MONUC, which has been in Congo since 1999.

Addressing the council, Doss said the Rwandan Hutu militia, known as the FDLR, remained a "potent threat".

"They will seek to return to their former strongholds and punish the population for collaboration with government forces, if they are allowed to do so," he said.

Many FDLR rebels fled to eastern Congo after participating in the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda that killed more than 500,000 people.

Subsequent fighting ballooned into back-to-back civil wars from 1996 to 2002 that drew in other neighbouring countries in a rush to plunder the DR Congo's massive mineral wealth.

The UN maintains the world's largest peacekeeping force in the DR Congo with some 19,000 so-called blue helmets deployed in the country.

But amid mounting allegations of war crimes by the Congoloese army in the country's east, the Security Council is reconsidering its mandate in the country.

On Monday a report by New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the offensive had led to more than 1,400 civilians murdered this year by both Congolese troops and rebels.

According to the report Congolese soldiers, supported and fed by the UN, gang-raped girls and cut the heads off some young men accused of being rebels or supporting the enemy.

Anneke van Woudenberg, HRW's senior researcher in the DR Congo told Al Jazeera the group had documented widespread attacks on civilians, including an increase in sexual violence.

"As long as the Congolese Army is continuing to commit war crimes then UN peacekeepers, through their support of these soldiers – are themselves violating the laws of war," she said.
Source: Agencies

Climate talks at 'crucial' phase

The climate summit in Copenhagen has reached a crucial phase with key rounds of talks on Thursday set to determine the success or failure of the meeting, the United Nations climate chief has said.

Amid mounting signs of deadlock, Yvo de Boer urged delegates from 193 countries to overcome their differences and produce a deal.

"I still believe it's possible to reach a real success," he said on Wednesday. "The next 24 hours are absolutely crucial and need to be used productively.''

On Thursday environment ministers are set to meet for final rounds of negotiations, aiming to salvage a climate pact from half-finished draft texts and overcome long-running rifts between rich and poor nations over how to split the costs of fighting climate change.

The meetings come as dozens of heads of state descend on Copenhagen, hoping to add their weight in the final days of the talks.

About 120 leaders are expected to attend the summit, with security being tightened in the Danish capital following days of escalating protest.

On Wednesday police in riot gear clashed with protesters angry at the lack of progress at the climate change talks.

Police fired pepper spray and beat protesters with batons, making more than 200 arrests, officials said.

Impromptu protests also took place inside the conference hall.

'Breakthrough' opportunity

Among the world leaders set to address the talks on Thursday are the presidents of Iran, France and Brazil.

Barack Obama, the US president, is due to arrive on Friday, as is the Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao.

Speaking at the White House, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said the appearance of leaders from around the globe creates the opportunity for a "breakthrough to happen."

But delegates who have attended several days of gruelling and often tense negotiations, said the slow pace of the talks signalled the summit could be headed for failure.

"We may not get there on the substance, it is quite possible we'll fail on the substance, but at least let's give it a try," said Ed Miliband, Britain's energy and climate minister.

"At the moment the problem is we're not giving it a try."

Sticking points

Denmark, whose prime minister is now chairing the summit, said it was trying to simplify several complex draft negotiating texts to help the leaders attending a final high-level summit on Thursday and Friday agree on a deal.

However delegates from developing nations have rejected Danish proposals to select small negotiating groups to storm through the draft texts, saying the process had to be fully inclusive.

Among the key sticking points is a long-running rift between developed and developing nations over who should cut emissions, how deep the cuts should be, and how much assistance the rich world should provide to poor countries.

The US and China, the world's top carbon emitters, have also been stuck in a dispute over how they will prove they are sticking to emission-curbing plans.
Source: Al Jazeera

Kenya: The Muslim Minority Huge Challenges

The history of Islam in Kenya is long and rich, but Muslims are a minority here, with an estimated 30 percent of Kenya's population of 30 million. However, Muslims expect their number to increase.

“Muslims population in Kenya is estimated at about 30 percent of the population, based on 1999 National Census, about 10 Million Muslims. However, this year’s National Census (carried out in August 2009) results are expected early next year. Actual figures of each religion will be known for the first time,” Billow Kerrow, former Kenyan MP, told IslamOnline.net (IOL).

Kerrow is also a political economist and a former legislator.

Most of the Kenyan Muslims inhabit strategically and economically privileged provinces, such as Coast and North Eastern provinces. Nevertheless, due to successive governments’ neglect, they have been left out of the development realization. A big number of Muslims also live in Nyanza, Nairobi, and Rift Valley provinces.

Muslims' Political Participation

Muslims do fully participate in the national and local politics. The current National Assembly has 222 members of whom 32 are Muslims.

Kerrow told IOL: "In the 2007 general elections, Muslim vote was significant in the overall outcome. Allegedly, there was massive rigging that led to bloodshed. The three top contenders fought hard to persuade Muslims in Kenya to join camps in their support."

He added that there are instances where the Muslims have compromised religion and community’s positions to acquire top positions in political fronts.

According to Akiba Bakari, a self-acclaimed ghost buster in Coast Province, and Mzee Kazungu wa Simba, a medicine man from Matunga constituency in Kwale district, (a predominantly Muslim zone), cabinet ministers and MPs in government and oppositions frequent their homes ahead of elections for charms.

Muslim women's participation in government high level decision-making is limited. There are a few Muslim women in top governmental positions: four Muslim women including a minister.

Historically, Muslim communities in Kenya never used to send their young girls to school. However, the trend is now changing.

Kerrow said that, in general, there are six cabinet ministers, five permanent secretaries, several judges and a bunch of state corporations’ chief executive officers who are Muslim.

“Until recently, Muslims used to hold senior positions such as, commissioner of police, chief of general staff, public service commission and heads of various parliamentary committees,” said Kerrow who once was a shadow finance minister.

Religious Freedom

The Kenyan constitution guarantees freedom of worship for all religions. Muslims in Kenya have united at instances where their religion seemed compromised.

A recent National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and city council was calling for minimal noise. This stirred controversy among Muslims in Kenya.

“Call for Prayer- is a pre-requisite of Muslim Prayers and it should not be interfered with by the NEMA’s new regulations on the noise pollution,” pointed out Kenya’s prime minister Raila Odinga who came to the rescue of Muslims.

Muslim preachers have witnessed thousands of Christians and non-believers converting to Islam. They openly organize open-air sessions, while Christians and Muslims hold debates on Quran and Bible teachings in major towns and streets during evenings.

According to a preacher who wanted to remain anonymous, this is a pure show of freedom in a Christian-majority country.

Most of the hotels in Kenya's major towns and cities have embraced the concept of halal food. Staffs have been integrated to accommodate the Christian and Muslim patrons.

Moreover, to exhibit freedom, the government is in the process of paying out 287 million in cash for the revival of a halal meat company, Bul Bul, in Ngong town south-west of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

This follows a request by Mohammed Moghas, owner of the Halal Meat Products Company to pay parts of the company’s damages as directed by the Attorney General.

Kadhis’ Court

The Kadhi's Court has been in operation ever since before our country’s independence, although with limited jurisdiction. However, it has been operating under Kenya’s present Constitution dispensation since 1963.1

With a proposed draft constitution in its final stages ahead of national referendum, Pentecostal churches in Kenya are said to have denigrated the draft especially on key provisions on the Kadhis courts.

What irritates Christians most in is the special treatment of Islamic shari'ah law. Their main argument is that since the draft talks about separation between State and religion, the constitution should, therefore, not treat any one religion preferentially.

The draft constitution at Sections 208(b) and 209 provides for the establishment of the Kadhi’s courts merely as subordinate courts for marriage, divorce and inheritance applicable only when both the parties are Muslims.

But in doing so, it has clearly not only protected the Muslims’ rights, but more importantly, it has gone out of its way to protect the rights of the very Christians with regard to the latter’s fear of the possibility of introduction of sharia law.2

There are about 17 Kadhis nationwide serving in different parts of the country. These courts are located in various parts of the country.3

Challenges Facing Kenyan Muslims

Drought has been a major challenge for Muslims who are concentrated in the coutnry's most affected areas in the country; Northern, Eastern, and North Eastern provinces. It is estimated that the average human poverty index of those zones is above 70 percent.

“Inhabitants from these areas have had difficulties in payment of schools' fees and access to adequate education. They are mostly pastoralists and usually find their animals dead, thus having nothing to sell to offset fees arrears,” Kerrow said.

He added that there are no institutions of higher education owned or managed by Muslims, except the Aga Khan University. In comparison, there are more than 20 church-run private universities in the country.

Leadership & Identity Crisis

Although the Kenyan Muslims are generally united, leadership is still a challenge. Muslim students have found themselves compromised by some school rules and way of style.

“In Northern Kenya, the challenge is about identity, which has been disenfranchised. Consequently, the area is under-developed and marginalized” Kerrow told IOL.

Muslims in Coast Province and Nairobi (Nubians) face problems of land ownership as the government has been denying them title to their land for a long time.

“Some policies by the current government are not in wave with Muslims. The majority is unhappy and wants new president elected. Key issues that affect Muslims stand unaddressed,” said Abdullahi Abdi chairman of Kenya's National Muslim Leaders Forum.

Allegedly, ancestral land along the Kenyan coastline was allocated to certain community members. The current government has been accused of fuelling this vice.

The Dark Side

Since the series of bomb blasts in East Africa years ago and the 9/11 attacks, Muslims in Kenya have been harassed, allegedly, by US government.

Kenyan government is accused of supporting rendition, and transfer of suspects to other countries for interrogation.

According to Muslim organizations in Kenya, hundreds have been transferred to Somalia, Ethiopia, and Guantanamo Bay as terrorist suspects. It is a gross violation of international human rights.

Last year, eight Kenyans, who were released after sepending years in rendition. They were part of more than 100 detainees captured near border points. Thye fled into Kenya from the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia early January 2007.

Human Right Watch said in a report that at least 90 men, women, and children who fled the armed conflict in Somalia at the time were unlawfully rendered from Kenya to Somalia, and then on to Ethiopia.

The dozens of people caught up in the secret Horn of Africa renditions in 2007 have suffered in silence for too long.

Those governments involved - Ethiopia, Kenya and the US - need to reverse the course, renounce unlawful renditions, and account for the missing,” said Jennifer Daskal, senior counterterrorism counsel at Human Rights Watch, the author of the report "Why Am I Still Here?: The Horn of Africa Renditions and the Fate of the Missing."

Kenyan Muslims continue to struggle for their rights. While breakthrough has been made in the religious and political fields, still some challenges have to be faced.

Abdulkarim Mohamed Jimale, is a Somali freelance Journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya. He works with a number of local and international media stations. He is interested in the social, and political affairs of

Bygones Are Bygones...Today Is All You Have

The greatest expectation and the ultimate hope of all people in this world is to lead a happy easy life. Indeed, seeking happiness has occupied most of the philosophers' and thinkers' minds but, actually, very few are those who have reached this happiness and achieved comfort in life. Therefore, this is a good recipe for leading a happy life, enjoying contentment and peace of mind.

The Past is Gone Forever

By brooding over the past and its tragedies, one practices a form of insanity; a kind of sickness that destroys our resolve to live for the present moment. Those who have a firm will have thrown away and forgotten occurrences of the past, which will never happen again.

Episodes of the past are bygone, sadness cannot retrieve them, melancholy cannot put things right, and depression will never bring the past back to life. This is because the past is non-existent, let bygones be bygones.

Do not live in the nightmares of the past or under the shade of what you have missed. Save yourself from the ghostly apparition of the past. Do you think you can return the sun to the east, the baby to its mother's womb, milk to the udder, or tears to the eye? Do you think you can reverse the wheels of history?

By constantly dwelling on the past and its happenings, you place yourself in a very frightful and tragic state of mind. Reading too much into the past is a waste of the present. When Allah mentioned the affairs of the previous nations, He, Almighty said,

(Those are a people who have passed away) (Al-Baqarah 2:134)

Past days are gone and done with, you will benefit nothing by carrying out an autopsy on them. The person who lives in the shade of the past is like someone who tries to saw sawdust. In the past it was said: "Do not remove the dead from their graves."

Our tragedy is that we are incapable of dealing with the present; neglecting our beautiful castles, we wail over dilapidated buildings. If every man and every jinn were to try jointly to bring back the past, they would most certainly fail. Everything on earth moves forward, prepares for a new life, and so should you.

Today Is All That You Have

When you wake up in the morning, do not expect to see the evening. Live as if today is all that you have got. Yesterday had passed with all its good and evil, while tomorrow has not arrived yet. Let the span of your life be but one day, as if you were born in it and will die at its end. With this attitude, you will not be caught between an obsession over the past, with all its anxieties, and the hopes of the future, with all its uncertainties.

Live for today and during this day you should: pray with a wakeful heart, recite the Qur'an with deep understanding and remember Allah with sincerity. During this day you should strike balance between your affairs, get satisfied with your allotted portion, and be concerned with your appearance and health.

Live today free from sorrow, bother, anger, jealousy, or malice. Organize the hours of this day, so that you make years out of minutes and months out of seconds. Seek forgiveness from your Lord, remember Him, prepare for the final parting from this world, and live today happily and in peace. Be content with your sustenance, your wife, your children, your work, your house and your life.

(So hold that which I have given thee, and be among the thankful.) (Al-A`raf 7: 144)

You should engrave in your mind one phrase: "Today is my only day". If you have eaten fresh bread today, then what do the dry rotten bread of yesterday or the anticipated bread of tomorrow matter?

If you are truthful with yourself and have a firm, solid resolve, you will undoubtedly convince yourself of the following: Today is my last day to live. When you reach this attitude, you will benefit every moment of your day, by developing your personality, expanding your abilities, and purifying your deeds.

Then say to yourself:

Today I will be refined in my speech. I will utter neither evil nor obscene speech. Also, I will not backbite.

Today I will organize my house and my office making them ordered and neat.

Today I will be particular about my cleanliness and appearance. I will be meticulous in my neatness and balanced in my walk, talk and actions.

Today I will strive to be obedient to Allah, pray in the best possible manner, do more voluntary jobs of righteousness, recite the Qur'an and read useful books. I will plant goodness into my heart and extract the roots of evil from it, such as pride, jealousy, and hypocrisy.

Today I will try to help others; visit a patient, attend a funeral, guide someone who got lost and feed a hungry person. I will side with the oppressed and the weak. I will pay respect to the scholar, be merciful to the young and respectful to the old.

O', past that had departed and is gone, I will not cry over you. You will not see me remembering you, not even for a moment, because you departed from me never to return.

O', future, you are in the realm of the unseen, so I will not be obsessed by your dreams. I will not be preoccupied with what is to come because tomorrow is nothing and has not yet been created.

"Today is my only day" is one of the most important statements in the dictionary of happiness for those who wish to lead a happy life in its fullest splendor and brilliance.

Leave the Future Sorrows Alone

Thinking about prospective sorrows is something and attaining knowledge, skills and cleverness for your future is something else; while the former is hated in Islam, the latter is much encouraged—do your best in every thing and leave the consequences to your Lord

(The commandment of Allah will come to pass, so seek not ye to hasten it. Glorified and Exalted be He above all that they associate (with Him).)( An-Nahl 16: 1)

Be not hasty and rushed for things that have not yet come to pass. Do you think it is wise to pick fruits before they ripen? Although you should plant them. Tomorrow is non-existent, so why should you have apprehensions about prospective disasters? Why should you be engrossed by them, although you do not know whether you will even live until tomorrow or not?

The important thing to know is that tomorrow is unseen, it is like a bridge that we should not cross until we reach it. Who knows, perhaps we might never reach it, it might collapse before we reach it, or we may actually reach it and cross safely.

For us, as Muslims, to be engrossed in fears, sorrows or expectations about the future is looked down upon in Islam, since it leads to a long-term attachment to this world; an attachment that a good believer shuns.

Many people in this world are unduly fearful of future poverty, hunger, disease, and disasters. Such thinking is inspired by Satan, Almighty Allah says,

(The devil promiseth you destitution and enjoineth on you lewdness. But Allah promiseth you forgiveness from Himself with bounty.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 268)

Many are those who cry because they expect starvation tomorrow, fear to fall sick after a month or panic that the world will come to an end in a year.

Someone who does not know at all when he will die, (all humans are of this kind) should not bother himself with such thoughts.

Since you are absorbed in the toils of today, leave tomorrow until it comes. Beware of becoming unduly attached to future prospects in this world.

Sheikh `A'id Abdullah Al-Qarni is a prominent Saudi scholar and da`iyah. He has his doctorate in Hadith. He has made many audio lectures and a number of TV programs about different Islamic and Da`wah-related topics.

US Patriot Act Under Rights Groups Fire

WASHINGTON-- Leading civil liberties groups in the United States are pushing against the renewal of some provisions of the controversial Patriot Act, the post-9/11 law which many think indiscriminately violates Americans’ rights, particularly Arabs and Muslims.

"Most Americans than expected would end up in government databases,” Michelle Richardson, a Legislative Consultant for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), told IslamOnline.net.

“I think people are generally unhappy about that."

Amendments to two provisions of the Patriot Act, which are set to expire by the end of the year, have already been introduced in Congress but have yet to be approved by both the House and Senate.

But civil rights groups say the amendments to the provisions which have swept innocent people into the government's investigations are not enough.

“The government has been very ambiguous of what is and not allowed," says Leigh O’Neill, Director of Government Relations at the Arab American Institute.

"I don’t know if people feel safe right now. There’s work to do."

One of the provisions expiring is the Section 206, also called the "roving wiretap provision", which allows the government to tap phone lines and Internet accounts.

Under Section 215, federal officials can get Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) orders to get "any tangible thing," such as business records, in connection with terrorism investigation.

The new amendments would require the government to name either the person or place being tapped and require specific facts linking the evidence sought to an authorized investigation foe issuing the FISC orders.

Though not expiring, the National Security Letters (NSL) provision, which has come under scrutiny from rights groups and even the Department of Justice, is also being amended.

"The FBI can send letters without judicial review,” says O’Neill. “There's no evidence that a business needs to be directly involved in an investigation."

Even supporters of the Patriot Act like Matthew Kroenig, assistant professor in the Department of Government at Georgetown University, see certain flaws in it.

Kroenig says one of the more threatening aspects of the Patriot Act is how it has broken the separation between domestic intelligence and law enforcement.

The Patriot Act was signed into law by a landslide eight years ago, less than a month after 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The law gave the government a raft of new powers which include phone tapping and search without warrants and surveillance of internet records and bank accounts.

Targeted

O’Neill, of the Arab American Institute, says the Patriot Act has targeted minorities in the US.

"The extended powers of search and seizure and increased domestic surveillance have alienated a community that is really eager to participate in and protect this county."

Arabs and Muslims have taken the brunt of an over-zealous use of the law.

A backlog of Muslim charities were targeted by federal authorities empowered by the Patriot Act in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on claims of channeling funds to groups designated as terrorist like Hamas and Lebanese Hizbullah.

The intense government pressures on charities have forced them to stop transferring much-needed aid to orphanages in Muslim countries in order to keep operating at home.

"It's preventing members of our community from giving and charities abroad are suffering from that lack of charitable donations,” added O’Neill.

“They're scared of being monitored or tracked to a 5th degree of separation to criminal activity abroad.”

Rights activists lament that the debate around them comes while Americans are fixated on the health care debate.

"Right now, we are in a perfect storm of health care and other issues that have drawn attention away from it,” says Richardson.

But O’Neill hopes that under a new administration, a better approach can bring communities, law enforcement on every level and ordinary Americans to the table so neither national security or civil liberties are compromised.

"Given the new administration, given the dynamics in Congress, it’ll reveal a lot about the character of the political climate right now and we can expect for genuine political reform."

By Aisha Qidwae, IOL Correspondent

Reuters Plans Islamic Finance Portal

CAIRO – Realizing its importance and potentials, the international financial services information company Thompson Reuters is planning to launch a news portal covering information about the Islamic financial industry in early 2010.

"At present there is no global connectivity for the industry and this platform will be able to connect up players from across the globe," Rushdi Siddiqui, Thomson Reuters global head of Islamic finance, told Gulf Daily News on Wednesday, December 16.

"It will help to increase work flow in the industry with real time news across developments in all asset classes as well as provide data and analytical tools."

Siddiqui says the portal has been developed to address three major issues facing the Islamic finance industry.

"Firstly it will reduce information search costs by posting data and indices in real time for a variety of product and developments."

He also expects it will draw more players from the Far East and Western countries who will enjoy the authenticated access to information offered by Reuters Thompson.

"At present the western financial system tends to be a bit wary of Islamic finance which it sees as lacking openness in reporting.

"The Islamic Finance Gateway will overcome this problem by robust, clear and crisp information about the global industry," Siddiqui contends.

Reuters believes this would help bring about a sharp rise in the Islamic finance market, already one of the fastest growing sectors in the global financial industry.

Starting almost three decades ago, the Islamic banking industry has made substantial growth and attracted the attention of investors and bankers across the world.

Currently, there are nearly 300 Islamic banks and financial institutions worldwide whose assets are predicted to grow to $1 trillion by 2013.

New Borders

Gaining new grounds, the southwestern Indian state of Kerala is planning to issue the secular country's first sukuk by early next year.

"We need long-gestation funds to build airports, high-speed trains and expressways," Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said in an interview in Trivandrum, the southern state’s main city.

"Islamic finance promises unexplored potential in that context."

The rubee-dominated Islamic bonds would be issued by the new Al-Barakah Financial Services Ltd., launched by the Indian government with 10 billion rupees ($214 million) of capital.

Sukuks, which conform to Islam's prohibition of receiving or paying interest, typically work as profit-sharing vehicles.

Companies that issue Islamic bonds make payments to investors using profits from the underlying business, instead of paying interest.

But money can not be invested in alcohol, gambling, pornography, tobacco, weapons or pork.

With Muslims making up around 13.1 percent of India’s 1.1 billion people and approximately quarter of Kerala populace, the Sukuks are expected to be a hot sell.

"India, if opened up for Islamic banking, is the big prize," Afaq Khan, Dubai-based Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Plc’s Islamic banking unit, told Bloomberg Wednesday.

"Its large Muslim population and strong growth promise excellent opportunities for releasing a lot of funds into the documented economy."

The Sukuk market has reached $111.9 billion in the eight years to 2008 and a further $69 billion is expected to be issued in 2008/2009, according to the International Islamic Financial Market.
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