VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Volume 177, April 3, 2011
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficial and the Most Merciful

(www.xeniagreekmuslimah.wordpress.com)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

"The Fire (of Hell) is forbidden to touch anyone who is close to the people, soft, lenient, and kind-hearted." Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 223

EDITORIAL:

If you are looking to enrich your knowledge pertaining to details of Holy Quran and Hadith, sorry you have reached the wrong site. However if you are looking to understand the challenges that the global ummah is facing in the contemporary diverse, multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-national world, then you have reached the right site. Despite the increasingly diverse and heterogeneous global population, the people of ABRAHAMIC FAITH and of other faiths have common interests in terms of maintaining the traditional family, fighting injustice and have united stand against EXTREMISTS OF ALL FAITHS. It is high time that the CITIZENS OF THE WORLD join hands together and work for the COMMON GOOD OF HUMANITY.

The global ummah is NOT living in an island but is dispersed in almost every country and corner of the globe. As Muslims our guide is the HOLY QURAN and teachings of Prophet Mohamed (SAW). As the name of this E-Zine GLOBAL UMMAH rightly represents Ummah from various parts of the world. In this E-Zine, we have touched on issues impacting Muslims in the United States, Europe, discussed on chronicles in terms of destruction of family and ongoing injustice against women, sexual health and chronicles in extremism.

PART - I

AMERICAN UMMAH

MUSLIM PUBLIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL COMMENDS HEARING RECOGNIZING 'OUR COUNTRY’S STRENGTH LIES IN ITS DIVERSITY'
MPAC NEWS

(Washington, DC - 3/29/11) – Today, the Muslim Public Affairs Council commended the Senate Judiciary Committee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights for holding a productive hearing on “Protecting the Civil Rights of American Muslims.” MPAC welcomed the committee’s support for the civil rights of all Americans, including Muslims.

“We applaud Sen. Durbin’s leadership in bringing the issue of civil rights to the forefront of public policy discourse,” said MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati.

“We look forward to working with him and all of members of Congress in countering fear and intimidation against any religious or ethnic groups in America.”

The hearing focused on issues affecting the civil rights of Muslim Americans, including hate crimes, school bullying, confusion about sharia and workplace discrimination. The hearing highlighted the work of the Department of Justice’s civil rights enforcement and included testimony from four civil rights lawyers and faith-based leaders.

Witnesses called to today’s hearing included:

Thomas Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
Farhana Khera, Executive Director of Muslim Advocates
Theodore McCarrick, Catholic Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC
R. Alexander Acosta, Dean of the Florida International University College of Law & former U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights

"Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian Americans are entitled to the same fundamental rights and protections guaranteed by the Constitution to all Americans," Khera said.

"The common commitment to religious freedom is at the heart of American life,” McCarrick said. “As other countries wrestle with how to treat religious minorities, let them look to our nation, as we can ensure our Muslim sisters and brothers are treated with dignity. Let them see that here people are blessed with full religious freedom and respect for all religions."

Committee Chairman Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) spelled out the purpose of the hearing as “to make it clear there are some basic and fundamental principles that guide how we deal with one another.”

Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) stressed the importance of protecting Muslim Americans’ religious freedom, adding that even one incident of bias or hate against Muslim Americans is “one case too many.”

"There are some real issues to be dealt with [today],” Graham said. “Can we stand up for the rights of Muslim Americans? Yes, we must; if any one group suffers, we all suffer. The biggest victim of radical Islam is fellow Muslims; we are all in this together. Muslims who are trying to separate themselves from radical Islam need our help."

MPAC yesterday submitted written testimony for the record, which stressed that Muslim Americans are neither villains nor victims with respect to our political circumstances.

"We are like any other American group, reaffirming America as home, committed to defending our country against any threat, both domestic and foreign, and enriching American pluralism by making it a better place to live for all.

"The contributions of Muslim Americans to all aspects of civil society and public policy discourse will inevitably be seen for what it actually is doing -- strengthening America. At that point, we have succeeded against the current civil rights challenge to all Americans."

TAKE ACTION:

Please take 5 minutes to contact the following Senators to thank them for holding today’s hearing and addressing the challenge to Muslim American civil rights:

Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)
Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)

Founded in 1988, MPAC is an American institution which informs and shapes public opinion and policy by serving as a trusted resource to decision makers in government, media and policy institutions. MPAC is also committed to developing leaders with the purpose of enhancing the political and civic participation of Muslim Americans.

PART - II

ISLAM IN EUROPE:

www.islamineurope.blogspot.com
March 31, 2011

France: Religious Leaders Concerned About Islam Debate

31 Mar 2011

Via AFP:

Leaders of six religions on Wednesday voiced concern that a debate on France's secular nature and Islam planned by President Nicolas Sarkozy's right-wing party could lead to confusion and stigmatization.

The text signed by Roman Catholic, Protestant, Christian Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist leaders described secularism as "a pillar of our republican pact, a basis of our democracy, a foundation of our desire to live together."

"Let's take care not to squander this precious gain," they warned, saying it was "capital during this pre-election period, to calmly stay the course by avoiding lumping things together and the risks of stigmatization."

Denmark: 32% Want to Ban Halal Butchering

31 Mar 2011

Via the Copenhagen Post:

In Denmark, where a majority are either Christian or without religion, halal meat is increasingly common. We just don’t know it. While 96 percent of all Danes regularly eat chicken, a full 67 percent are not aware that the chickens are butchered using the halal method, according to a survey conducted by Interresearch for Søndagsavisen.

Bunkenborg believes it is the industry’s responsibility to inform its consumers, but he admits that it is not easy for them to know how the animals have been butchered.

“Some producers have chosen to label their halal products, but they are under no obligation to do so,” he said.

The Danish Consumer Council (DCC) does not think there is a basis for labelling halal-butchered chickens. “There could be a debate about animal welfare during the slaughtering, but the Animal Ethics Council has given the go-ahead in that area,” said Camilla Udsen, a DCC spokesperson.

Despite that, 32 percent of Danes think that halal butchering should be banned over concerns of animal welfare.

UK: British Muslims for Israel

03 Apr 2011

Via Israel National News:

A new British group called British Muslims for Israel thinks calls for Israel's destruction are "nonsense" and condemn Hamas and Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade who are "determined to kill indiscriminately."

The group lobbies for Israel and highlights hypocrisy of Iran and Muslim dictatorships. A spokesman for the group, Hasan Afzal, explained in an interview with Channel 10 that Muslims in Israel are freer than they are under repressive Arab regimes.

PART - III

CHRONICLES IN DESTRUCTION OF FAMILY:

Report unmasks extremely explicit sex education materials for children in UK
(lifesitenews.com)
Rebecca Millette
Mar 11, 2011

A report issued in the UK earlier this week, called “Too Much, Too Young,” unmasks the extremely explicit nature of sex education material that public groups are pushing on school children as young as five-year-olds. Among other things, the controversial resources teach youngsters about oral and anal sex, as well as prostitution, masturbation, and “straight and gay,” and include explicit depictions and descriptions of sexual intercourse, as well as real footage of full-frontal adult nudity.

The Christian Institute, an advocacy group, published the extensive report on Wednesday, along with the 16 public councils that are advocating the programs. “If sex education is forced on primary schools by a change in the law, we expect the use of these resources to become more widespread,” said the report.

Among the explicit resources highlighted in the report, is the book “How did I begin?” by Mick Manning and Brita Granström, which includes illustrations of a couple in an intimate embrace in bed, with an explicit description of intercourse and sperm release. It also provides definitions of the words “erection,” “orgasm,” “masturbation,” and “prostitute.”

Another book, “Where did I come from?” by Peter Mayle, has full-frontal illustrations of a couple and informs youngsters that sex feels like “tickling” and is similar to “skipping” because “you can’t do it all day long.”

“Most parents would be deeply upset if these materials were used with their primary-aged child,” said Mike Judge, Head of Communications at The Christian Institute in the report press release.

Nick Seaton of the Campaign for Real Education, commented, “Some of this stuff could destroy someone’s childhood if it upset them too much.”

Sex education material aimed at children ages 7-11 becomes even more explicit. A video produced by BBC Active shows full-frontal adult nudity, and gives detailed illustrations and explanations of intercourse.

“Too many local authorities are taking their lead from the Sex Education Forum – a body that includes organizations that encourage sexual experimentation and aim to break down traditional moral standards.”

“Too Much, Too Young” includes advice for parents on taking action in the sex education debate, including contacting MPs and, as a last resort, filing statutory complaints.

BABY SELLING SURROGACY BILL PASSES WASHINGTON STATE HOUSE

www.LifeSiteNews.com

Kathleen Gilbert

Mar 11, 2011

OLYMPIA, Washington
A controversial bill that clears the path for homosexual couples to attain legal parentage of children and sets up parameters for paid surrogacy passed late last month along party lines in the Washington State House of Representatives.

HB1267 amends several aspects of the Washington state code to replace legal references to “mother” and “father” with “parent,” and would allow homosexual couples to hire a woman to carry a child to term and immediately claim legal parentage of the child upon his or her birth.

However, the law gives the surrogate mother free rein to abort the child with no legal repercussions from the waiting couple.

According to The Daily Herald, laws allowing compensated surrogacy exist in California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Texas. It is currently a felony to buy or sell a child in Washington, and unpaid surrogacy, such as among family members, is permitted.

A public hearing on the measure, which went to the Senate after passing the House 57-41 on Feb. 28, has been set for March 15 at 1:30 pm.

Although the bill was backed almost solely by House Democrats, the Herald noted that Democrat Rep. Mark Miloscia, a social conservative and a Catholic, was among the most vehemently opposed.

One of his several proposed amendments mocked the legislation, proposing that couples be allowed to “enter into womb rental agreements with low-income women, lonely military wives, or women with mental illness or disabilities.”

“I am OK with surrogacy for compassion,” said Miloscia, one of whose amendments renamed the measure “the Baby Selling Act of 2011.” “This is completely different. You are turning a baby into a product; I said ‘a widget’ on the floor. And you are turning a low-income woman into a breeding facility with no protection.”

Miloscia also called for the baby to be a taxable product, but that amendment also failed.

Backholm told LifeSiteNews.com that the gender-neutering language of the bill represented the erosion of the natural family in state law. “The expectation should be that when kids are born, there’s a mother and a father,” Backholm said.

Dr. Sharon Quick, a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists and retired Clinical Assistant Professor from the Washington School of Medicine, agreed.

“It’s really treating children as trophies to be won or bought by the highest bidder,” said Quick, who, as a respected fact-checker of scientific literature, also criticized the assumption that homosexual parentage should be put on legally equal footing with a traditional household.

“The scientific literature is clearly on the side of the best environment for a child is with a married mom and dad in a low conflict situation,” Quick told LifeSiteNews.com in a telephone interview.

(news.yahoo.photos.com)

PART IV

CHRONICLES IN INJUSTICE AGAINST WOMEN:

(ED NOTE:
Do you think that it is okay for thousands of women to have abortion without any legal consequences and essentially kill a growing fetus, however it is NOT OKAY and in fact is a crime for a desperate female who attempted suicide to have in the process inadvertently killed her fetus ? Would you recommend that a suicidal person be referred for psychiatric treatment in order to be TREATED OR additional stress be given to her by charging her with a crime of homicide (murder) and feticide with possibility of receiving PUNISHMENT if convicted.)

INDIANA CHARGES SUICIDAL PREGNANT WOMAN WITH "FETICIDE" AND "HOMICIDE"(RH Reality check. March 31, 2011)

In December of 2010, Bei Bei Shuai, a 34-year-old pregnant woman living in Indiana, attempted to end her own life. She did so in one of the slowest and most painful ways possible: she consumed rat poison. With help from friends who intervened, however, she made it to a hospital and survived. The premature newborn she delivered by undergoing cesarean surgery did not.

An Indiana prosecutor’s response has been to charge her with the crimes of murder (defined to include viable fetuses) and feticide (defined to include ending a human pregnancy at any stage). She has been arrested, denied bail, and will, unless bail is granted, be imprisoned for as long as her case proceeds through the court system

“Virginity Tests” Forced On Egyptian Women Protesters

msmagazine.com

March 23, 2011
Amelia Thomson-Deveaux

(ms.magazine.com)

Although Egypt’s popular revolution was inspiring because, as Judy Molland wrote a few weeks ago, women were a “strong, defiant force” in the revolt that toppled the Mubarak regime, some information is now filtering out that makes it clear that women protesters were still subject to some fairly horrible, sexist treatment.

Amnesty International is now condemning the treatment of at least 18 women who were held in military detention after being arrested during a protest on March 9 (a month after Mubarak stepped down). The women told Amnesty International that they were beaten, given electric shocks, and subjected to strip searches while being photographed. They were then forced to submit to “virginity tests” and told that if they were “found not to be virgins,” they could be charged with prostitution.

“The army officers tried to further humiliate the women,” an Amnesty International report explained, “by allowing men to watch and photograph what was happening, with the implicit threat that the women could be at further risk of harm if the photographs were made public.”.

Egyptian feminist Nawal El Saadawi reacted with outrage, saying that “[Egyptian women] are furious. We participated in every part of the revolution, and then as soon as it ended we were completely isolated.”

UNITED STATES

(Ed Note:

We appeal to the American Ummah to support women in below class action suit against Walmart Sex Discrimination case that has now reached the Supreme Court)

NATIONAL WOMEN'S LAW CENTER:

Sex discrimination. In the workplace. It's madness — right? Imagine hearing things like this at work:

"If you would wear lower-cut shirts, you would probably get more pay".

"The way I see it, a whore for a quarter is a whore for a quarter".

"Men are here to make a career and women aren't. Retail is for housewives who just need to earn extra money".

Women working at Wal-Mart report that these were just a few of the absurd statements made by Wal-Mart managers. They are part of the record in the largest class-action fair pay case in history: Wal-Mart v. Dukes, which is being heard today in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Title IX Suit Filed Against Yale University For "Hostile Sexual Environment"
Jezebel.com
April 1, 2011

Margaret Hartmann

Today the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights announced it will open an investigation of Yale University "for its failure to eliminate a hostile sexual environment on campus, in violation of Title IX."

The Yale Herald reports that earlier this month, 16 Yale students and alumni filed a complaint with OCR, citing several public scandals, including Delta Kappa Epsilon's rape chant, and private cases of sexual harassment and assault. Current student Hannah Zeavin, one of three complainants who have gone public, say the atmosphere on campus, "precludes women from having the same equal opportunity to the Yale education as their male counterparts."

The complaint includes personal accounts from five students, along with descriptions of these well-publicized incidents:

Delta Kappa Epsilon pledges chanting "No means yes! Yes means anal!" on campus in October 2010.

A September 2009 "Preseason Scouting Report" email, which was written and circulated by a group of male students. The email ranked 53 freshman women in the order of how many beers it would take to have sex with them.

Pledges from Zeta Psi surrounding the entrance to the Yale Women's Center in January 2008 with signs that said "We Love Yale Sluts."

Fraternity members stealing t-shirts inscribed with accounts of sexual assaults from the Clothesline Project in 2005".

"Yale deliberately shields those who commit sexual harassment and rape from both the public eye and from the consequences of their actions," says Zeavin, who is distressed by the continued presence on campus of those who have been accused of sexual assault.

"You cannot imagine what it is like to sit in class with the person who raped your best friend."

AUSTRALIA

Visa Agents Involved in Sex Trade
Nick Mckenzie, Maris Beck
March 31, 2011
(www.theage.com.au)

MIGRATION agents registered by the federal government are helping to run illegal prostitution rackets across Melbourne.

Up to six migration agents have worked with the mostly Asian syndicates running prostitution rackets in Melbourne and Sydney.

One of the agents involved in the sex industry in Melbourne helps to find Asian women, including those on student visas, to work as prostitutes in four different CBD apartments.

Migration agents are registered by the federal government and have powers to help people get visas and deal with the Immigration Department. They are meant to be governed by a strict code of conduct.

An investigation by The Age has also discovered that:

Under-age women have been working in illegal brothels in Melbourne's inner east.

The Australian Federal Police is investigating people linked to two state-licensed brothels as part of a human trafficking inquiry that has already led to the charging of a woman for allegedly forcing Chinese students to work as prostitutes.

A senior state government minister is planning to introduce new laws to force police to take more action against illegal brothels.

The two licensed brothels linked to a human trafficking and sexual slavery inquiry are not the only government-registered and approved brothels with ties to organized crime.

PART V

SEXUAL HEALTH:

Below sayings from www.islamfortoday.com

The Prophet Mohamed (SAW) stated that in one's sexual intimacy with one's life partner there is sadaqa (worship through giving).

God's Messenger(s) said: "In the sexual act of each of you there is a sadaqa." The Companions replied: "0 Messenger of God! When one of us fulfills his sexual desire, will he be given a reward for that?" And he said, "Do you not think that were he to act upon it unlawfully, he would be sinning? Likewise, if he acts upon it lawfully he will be rewarded." (Muslim)

"Of His signs is this: that He created for you spouses that you might find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy." (Quran, 30:21)

Allah created male and female from a single soul in order that man might live with her in serenity (Quran, 7:189),

"Not one of you should fall upon his wife like an animal; but let there first be a messenger between you." "And what is that messenger?" they asked, and he replied: "Kisses and words." (Daylami)

5 ways Sex Can Make You Look and Feel Younger
www.ivillage.com

(From lowering stress to protecting your heart, sex does a body good)

(1) Libido Increases Energy

The word "libido" does not just refer to sex; if you look in the dictionary, it also means "positive life energy." Libido is often a reflection of a person's feelings of motivation, confidence and "mojo." If a person's libido is low, their energy will be low, so it’s worth evaluating and doing something to improve it.

Elizabeth Gutrecht Lyster, M.D., M.P.H. of Holtorf Medical

(2) Sex Reduces Stress

Research started by Alfred Kinsey in the 1940's shows that people with fulfilling sex lives experience less anxiety and tend to be less violent or hostile. Sex causes the release of oxytocin, endorphins and dopamine, all of which are hormones that increase positive feelings of attachment, affection and closeness.

(3) Oxytocin Is Good for Your Health

Sexual activity, especially orgasm, causes the release of the hormone oxytocin -- the “love” hormone” -- that gives all sorts of health benefits, like mood enhancement, lower cortisol (the stress hormone), lower blood pressure, glowing skin and possibly even protection against several hormone-mediated cancers (breast, ovarian, prostate)

(4) Sex Protects Your Heart

For both men and women, studies show that sex has a protective effect on our health. Researchers in Ireland found that men having frequent sex had a 50 percent decrease in their risk of cardiovascular mortality as compared to men having the least amount of sex. Other studies have confirmed similar findings in women, especially if they are reaching orgasm.

(5) Sex Gets the Blood Flowing

Healthy sexual encounters cause the dilation of blood vessels all over the body, which in turn improves blood flow to many of the body's organs, including the brain. Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to the cells and improves organ health.

PART VI

CHRONICLES IN EXTREMISM:

Right-Wing Media Attacked Muslim Advocates for Giving Muslims Common Legal Advice

(Media Matters)

29 Mar 2011
www.loonwatch.com

(Farhana Khera did a good job at the Dick Durbin hearings today
MPAC NEWS).

As a Senate subcommittee is poised to begin a hearing on Muslim civil rights, several right-wing media outlets are attacking Farhana Khera, a witness at the hearing and the Executive Director of the Muslim legal advocacy group Muslim Advocates, for urging American Muslims to have an attorney present when speaking to law enforcement. But this is standard advice given by many legal rights advocacy groups, including the American Bar Association and the Naval Legal Service Office.

Legal Groups Regularly Advise People To Have An Attorney Present When Speaking To Law Enforcement…

American Bar Association: It Is “Wise To Have A Lawyer Present” When Questioned By Law Enforcement. The ABA’s Division for Public Education provides the following advice:

But Right-Wing Media Nonetheless Smeared Khera For Giving That Advice To Muslims.



THE END

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

Volume 176, March 28, 2011
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficial and the Most Merciful

EDITORIAL:

In this E-Zine, we addressed diverse issues including Islam in Europe, interfaith relations, health, chronicles pertaining to destruction of family, injustice against our Muslim sisters through domestic violence in Turkey, diversity of Global Ummah and World Family Therapy Congress in Netherlands et.c.

PART I

ISLAM IN EUROPE:
(islamblog.com)

SWEDEN:

The Islamic Association in Sweden (Islamiska Förbundet) engaged lecturers with anti-Semitic opinions at a conference in Stockholm in December, with one known for spreading myths about Jewish conspiracies and ritual killings, reported the Dagens Nyheter (DN) daily.

The newspaper names, among others, Salah Sultan, an Egyptian professor who has expressed anti-Semitism in several film clips on Youtube.

After being shown the YouTube clips of the Egyptian speaking, Abdirizak Waberi, a member of parliament and former chairperson of the Islamic Association, expressed surprise.

"We have invited him in good faith," he said.

Waberi stressed that had the association known of the film clips, the lecturer would probably not have been invited. He furthermore underlined that Sultan said nothing that could be construed as anti-Semitic during the course of the conference.

RUSSIA:

Xenophobia is a bigger threat to Russia’s unity than problems in the North Caucasus, Ravil Gainutdin, Chairman of the Council of Muftis, has said.

The growth of xenophobia, Islamophobia and chauvinism in Russian society is the most serious threat for all citizens, including Muslims, Gainutdin said.

He was speaking at the Muslim Conference “Russia is our common home” in Moscow on Thursday. The forum is being attended by some 500 clergymen, public figures and businessmen from 70 regions.

Gainutdin condemned the action of nationalists staged in Manezhnaya Square late last year, explaining why, in his view, the bigger threat is coming “from Moscow” rather than the North Caucasus.

However, terrorism, religious, and political extremism remain another big problem Russia is facing now, the mufti noted. “Muslims are the main target for terrorists both in the Caucasus and Russian cities,” Interfax quoted him as saying. Gainutdin stressed that imams, muftis and policemen often fall victim to terrorists in the republics of the North Caucasus.

PART II

INTER-FAITH COOPERATION

(ED NOTE:
Most extremists including the Taliban hate the involvement of people of other faiths trying to assist the Muslims. They would rather prefer that the needy Muslims rather continue their plight and hardship than receive help from non-Muslims. We respectfully disagree with such an approach. While we strongly encourage Muslim Organizations to help each other, when this does not happen due to various reasons, we believe it should be okay for non-Muslim Organizations to assist those Muslims that need help)

CARITAS STEERS YOUNG AWAY FROM PITFALLS
(condensed version)
www.cathnewsindia.com
March 15, 2011

Caritas in northwest Bangladesh has held a special training program for youth leaders from several faiths to help them avoid social vices and crime.

About 100 young people from across Rajshahi diocese attended the three-day inter-faith youth formation program which ended March 25.

Activities highlighted ways for a modern day family to maintain its values.

It also taught leadership and self-evaluation skills as well as self-employment strategies.

The Caritas program was part of a countrywide venture being carried out across Bangladesh to counter growing violence and petty crime as well as drug use and other vices.

“The crime rate is already double that of last year,” said program coordinator Kazi Raihan Zamil, a Muslim.

“We’ve started this initiative to make young people aware of what they should or shouldn’t do to save themselves and their friends from many social vices,” he added.

“It’s not just the government; we are all responsible for building a better society. When I go back home I will be able apply self-formation techniques and tell my friends what I’ve learnt,” said Mozammel Haq, 21.
Source: ucanews.com

PART III

HEALTH:

(ED NOTE:
As Muslims, we are glad to note that a majority of Muslim mothers globally continue to breastfeed their babies and we encourage them and other potential mothers to continue such practice and not be swayed by contemporary trends)

STUDY SHOWS BREASTFED BABIES HAVE GREATER IQ'S

Submitted by Annabel Tautou on 03/14/2011

The British research of breastfeeding has revealed that breastfeeding affects a child's mental ability all the way through secondary school. The research of over ten thousand children from the Bristol region has discovered that those who breastfed exclusively for at least the first week of life showed a consistency in outperforming the children who had been put on the bottle since birth. For details check out: http://www.frenchtribune.com/teneur/113889-study-shows-breastfed-babies-have-greater-iqs

BREAST FEED FOR SIX MONTHS TO SAVE LIFE AND MONEY

Submitted by Nimisha Sachdev on 04/05/2010

Breast-feeding for the first six months, by 90% of US women would save the life of 900 babies and billions of dollars every year.

Breast-feeding can prevent deaths and expensive illnesses which include stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia.

Breast feeding has numerous health benefits such as antibodies in breast milk help babies to develop strong immune system; it also can affect insulin levels in the blood which causes less chance of obesity and diabetes to be develop in babies. Around $13 billion is the estimated loss due to the low breast-feeding rate. For details please check out: www.frenchtribune.com/teneur/1013-breast-feed-six-months-save-life-and-money

7 SYMPTOMS YOU SHOULD NEVER IGNORE

Jan 19, 2011

(Mclatchy-Tribune News Service.) --

Almost one-third of women have some form of heart disease, and most don't realize it. Half of the men who die suddenly from heart disease had no prior symptoms.

Heart attack symptoms aren't unisex. "What we think of as characteristic heart attack pain -- like an elephant sitting on your chest -- is much more likely to occur in men than in women," says Dr. Marianne Legato, director of the Partnership for Gender-Specific Medicine at Columbia University. In fact, 43 percent of women having a coronary don't experience any chest discomfort at all.

Women also wait longer to go to the ER than men do (their top reason for hesitating: They don't want to bother anyone). But that can be fatal: Your odds of surviving improve by 23 percent if you get treatment within 3 hours and 50 percent within 1 hour.

For details check out: http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC256/24479/20781/1387508.html?d=dmtICNNews

PART IV

CHRONICLES ON DESTRUCTION OF FAMILY (continued): ABORTION

SPOTLIGHT ON CANADA

Opinion: Abortion statistics show reality of a land without restrictions
www.life.nationalpost.com
March 7, 2011
(condensed version)

By Anastasia Bowles

No matter what your position on abortion, the study reveals unsettling facts about abortions in Ontario, and by extension, in Canada. For example, we learn that for every 100 babies born in Ontario, 37 are aborted.

The ratio for teens aged 15-19 is even more shocking. For every 100 babies born to Ontario teens, 152 are aborted.

The study noted that teens “were by far the most likely of any age group to have an abortion rather than a live birth.” And since it excluded abortions for girls under 15, the teen abortion rate is even higher.

It also revealed disturbing data about repeat abortions in Ontario hospitals. As many as 52% of women had one or more previous abortions. Even more disturbing, almost one fifth of teens aged 15-19 said they had already had at least one abortion. The study even cautioned that the percentage of repeat abortions was likely higher due to under-reporting.

And that’s just for hospitals. Abortion clinics were excluded from the repeat calculations even though they perform more than half the province’s abortions. And teens don’t need parental consent for clinic abortions (though they may at some hospitals), so more teens may go to clinics.

Even fairly liberal parents might squirm to think that their child, aged 14 or younger, could walk into a clinic to have an abortion — more than once — and they would never know.

Most Canadians are unaware that teens don’t need parental consent to have an abortion. They don’t even have to inform their parents. In fact, most Canadians — 80% according to a 2010 Angus Reid poll — don’t even know we have no legal restrictions on abortion.

For the record, abortion is fully legal in Canada at any stage of pregnancy, for any reason, and for any Canadian citizen, and taxpayers pay for almost all of them.

In British Columbia, a law even prohibits citizens from accessing any statistics about abortions performed there. This in democratic Canada.

Nonetheless, any data about abortion in Canada is valuable and welcome. One can’t help but wonder why all the secrecy if there is nothing to hide? For a cause that has always been championed as a woman’s right, it is ironic that information about something exclusively relevant to women’s health is ignored, or worse, suppressed. Shame.

- Anastasia Bowles is the acting executive director of LifeCanada

International Women’s Day prompts call for UN to investigate China’s crimes against women

BY PETER SMITH
March 8, 2011
www.LifeSiteNews.com
(condensed version)

WASHINGTON, D.C.,

The 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day has prompted a renewed call for the United Nations to take a stand against the brutality experienced by women under the People’s Republic of China’s “one-child policy.”

Congressman Smith noted that “too few people outside China” understand the Chinese government’s “massive and cruel repression and violence” inflicted on hundreds of millions of women.

Chinese women, he explained, are put under “mind-bending pressure to abort.” This includes, but is not limited to, steep fines and penalties for having illegal “out-of-plan” children that can be ten times a couple’s annual income. Failure to pay means jail time, and the woman’s extended family, colleagues, and neighbors can also be punished and threatened with the loss of birth permits.

“If the woman is by some miracle still able to resist this pressure, she will be physically dragged to the operating table and forced to undergo an abortion,” said Smith.

The result, Smith continued, has been that 500 women in China commit suicide every day, making China the only country in the world where more women commit suicide than men.

He also said the gender imbalance that exists because families abort in favor of having their one child be a boy to support them, has left millions of Chinese men without the possibility of having wives, and generated a greater market for human sex trafficking.

PART V

CHRONICLES ON INJUSTICE (continued)

SPOTLIGHT ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN TURKEY

(ED NOTE:

If ISLAM stands for peace, Muslims should do their best to first demonstrate the Islamic golden value of peace at their own home and within their family - the smallest social unit. There are several hadith and verses in the Holy Quran emphasizing love between husband and wife. For example, Prophet Mohamed (SAW) stated that the best of Muslims are those who are best to their wives.

One of the the root causes of domestic violence starts with dysfunctional ways of coping with difference of opinion between the spouses. A lot could be done to improve skills in dealing with difference of opinions without use of verbal or physical aggression. We appreciate and deeply respect the reference to historical facts during Islamic speeches. However we humbly plead that such historical references be anchored to the current realities in the 21st century by addressing important social issues impacting a Muslim, his or her spouse, family and community at large and Islamic oriented ways to cope with current bio-psycho-social stresses.

Our loving Prophet Mohamed (SAW) never once ever involved in verbal or physical aggression against any of his family members. It behooves us to note as to why Muslims are not practicing above quality of our loving Prophet. We condemn domestic violence and as Muslims we need to develop additional Islamic oriented programs geared towards peaceful interpersonal conflict resolution, anger management and violence prevention programs.)

(www.demokrathabertr.wordpress.com)



(www.milliyet.com.tr)


SPOTLIGHT ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN TURKEY

www.todayszaman.com

"Making the right to life a priority"

In January alone, 17 women, one girl and two babies were killed. Thirty-four women were assaulted and four raped, one of whom was 76 years old. Another was 97.

In January, 15 children were raped and nine forced into prostitution. Four women committed suicide while one attempted to kill herself.

According to Bianet, an Internet news portal, these numbers were collected from stories that appeared in newspapers. We do not know if there are more.

But who killed them? Who harmed them? And who assaulted them?

According to the same source, it was mostly their husbands, and then their fathers and brothers. These men live amongst us. They come from various professions; some are civil servants, some drivers, and some are educated.

When you look at the geographical spread of these crimes, it is also diverse. But if they take place in predominantly Kurdish areas, they are presented as “honor killings.” However, if they take place in western parts of the country, their name becomes “passion crimes.” In reality, the women are subjected to murder, assault and violence everywhere.

Every time a woman was killed, kidnapped or assaulted, mainstream media presented the story as an individual case. According to them, a man, a complete stranger, suddenly and out of the blue came from the darkness and harmed them. A quick look at readers’ comments shows that most of them also believe that it is only some perverts who commit crimes against women, some uneducated, mentally ill men…

This is not the case -- not in Turkey, not in the world. Women are usually attacked by the people they know and trust.

Even worse, in many cases the attacks give many signals that they are coming. In many cases, women desperately ask for help prior to their murder. They file complains, they search for help.

(www.haberpan.com)

The good-hearted people of this country will never forget the face of Ayse Pasali. Journalists took a photo of her, with her face entirely purple as a result of being beaten by her husband. This was only days before he killed her. She asked for help from the police several times. They came but did nothing. They asked Pasali if she wanted to file a complaint against him. The husband was there, so she said no. It seems the police did not know that according to new regulations in the law, she does not have to file a complaint. The security forces were required to act, but they did not.

They finally divorced, but her former husband continued to assault her. She filed a complaint, but the necessary measures were not taken. In the end, he killed her.

But it does not end there. Although the husband is in prison, the court case against him is proceeding very slowly. The court has sent him to the Council of Forensic Medicine (ATK) to determine his mental state. Well, first of all, it is obvious that he killed Ayse Pasali step by step. He showed no signs of being mentally unstable. But, in any case, the prison administration has not sent him to the ATK, which is only slowing down justice.

The Pasali murder makes it very clear that despite legal regulations, the security forces and the justice system are weak and unable to protect women because protecting women is not their priority.

There should be special services for women who are attacked. These services should be available 24/7 and a woman should know that once she reaches them, all her needs will be taken care of in one place: health, legal assistance and advice for planning her future.

But to implement all these things requires one thing: making the right to life of women a priority. This will be the most valuable gift to women on March 8.

PART VI

DIVERSITY OF OUR GLOBAL UMMAH

"Religion of Uzbekistan comprises of ninety percent of Islam and eight percent of Orthodox Christians. According to the history of Uzbekistan many versions of Islamic belief were practiced in the country. Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity were present in Uzbekistan at that period. But Islam religion in Uzbekistan became very popular and it spread widely to the other regions"

www.mapsofworld.com

Ordinary People From Uzbekistan
(www.englishrussia.com)

"Photos from the two old towns – Khiva and Bukhara in Uzbekistan. Just daily routine of ordinary people, who do not know what the word “luxury” means. But just look at their vivid faces, and at these clean streets… Maybe there are some advantages of living in a small town in a small republic?"

(www.englishrussia.com)

(www.englishrussia.com)

(www.englishrussia.com)



(www.englishrussia.com)

(www.englishrussia.com)

(www.englishrussia.com)

(www.englishrussia.com)

(www.englishrussia.com)

(www.englishrussia.com)

PART VII

XIX WORLD FAMILY THERAPY CONGRESS
(Netherlands)



International Family Therapy Association’s 19th World Family Therapy Congress

30 March 2011 to 3 April 2011

Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands

www.ifta-congress.org

Family Therapy:
Coming Together for Peace, Justice, and Healing. Focus on presenting approaches to problems and ways of coping to help heal hurting families, couples and children in various cultures.

The Congress goal is the same as it has been since IFTA was founded in 1987: Advancing family therapy worldwide by promoting research, education, and sound practice while promoting international cooperation and the exchange of knowledge and ideas that support the health and well-being of families and persons around the world.

The Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country with a rich heritage of family therapy and is a wonderful setting from bringing together hundreds of presenters from scores of countries to share and learn about both familiar and new problems and ways of dealing with them. Besides the professional opportunities, The Netherlands also offers not only the cultural and historical advantages of nearby Amsterdam and, even closer to the congress site, the beautiful tulip fields.

Mobilizing families to help addicted loved ones achieve recovery:
The ARISE Model

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

Fewer than 10% of substance abusers ever get the treatment they need, at great cost (physically, emotionally, and financially) to themselves, their support systems, and society at large. In Europe, alcoholism alone costs an estimated €125-889 billion annually, and this figure does not include the rising expense of drug abuse. A primary reason for such low levels of treatment engagement is the myth that a person has to “hit bottom” before getting help and that concerned family members are powerless to change that.

The work of Dr. Judith Landau, a specialist in addiction and other behavioral compulsions for 30+ years, proves the exact opposite: in fact, families are the most instrumental factor in addiction recovery.

As neuropsychiatrist and professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine, Dr. Landau has explored the origins of addiction and how to facilitate long-term healing for addicted individuals and their families. Her pioneering work led to the development of The ARISE Intervention and Continuum of Care, an Evidence-Based, Best-Practice Intervention method, which has proven effective at achieving treatment entry at a rate of 83% and 61% sobriety at the 1-year mark, with 10% more improved. The success of the ARISE Intervention lies in harnessing the family’s motivation to change. The addicted loved one is empowered to seek and maintain sobriety by the collective momentum of his/her family and support network working together to support a lifetime of individual and family healing and recovery.

Join Dr. Landau during the IFTA 2011 Pre-Conference Workshop to explore the underlying philosophy and basic principles of ARISE, and learn how the ARISE Intervention can transform your family, practice, and community at-large!

ABOUT THE ARISE INTERVENTION AND CONTINUUM OF CARE

The ARISE Intervention and Continuum of Care is an invitational approach to Intervention that mobilizes families and concerned members of the support system to motivate addicted individuals to enter and engage in treatment, working collectively for a minimum of six months towards relapse prevention and long-term individual and intergenerational family recovery and healing. The ARISE process is invitational, non-confrontational, and transparent, honoring and harnessing the immense power of relationships to facilitate sustainable change. It is designed to respond to the love, fear, worry, and guilt of those living with the addiction with the minimum expense of time, cost and professional involvement. It is based on Transitional Family Therapy, also an Evidence-Based, Best Practice Method.

ARISE works because family patterns of loyalty, power dynamics and hierarchies, boundaries, communication, life-long investment, intergenerational protectiveness are much more powerful than Interventionists to effect (and maintain) change.

ABOUT DR. JUDITH LANDAU, MD, DPM, LMFT, CAI, BRI II

Dr. Judith Landau, a child, family and community neuro-psychiatrist and retired professor of psychiatry and family medicine, has specialized in addiction and other behavioral compulsions for more than 30 years, exploring the origins of problems and how to facilitate long-term healing for addicted individuals and their families. She has conducted several thousand interventions, including executive interventions. As co-developer of the ARISE Intervention and Continuum of Care and developer of Transitional Family Therapy.

She has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and 6 books on the model, taught in over 100 countries and trained over 1000 people as ARISE Interventionists. Dr. Landau has served as consultant to UN, WHO, NIMH, NIDA, NIAAA, and several international governments including Kosovo, Argentina, South Africa, Hungary, Bosnia, and Taiwan. She is past president of the International Family Therapy Association (IFTA), president of Linking Human Systems, LLC and LINC Foundation, Inc. and director of The Landau Network of Certified ARISE Interventionists. Dr. Landau is recipient of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy’s award for Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Marriage and Family Therapy and the American Family Therapy Academy’s award for Innovative Contribution to Family Therapy. Her upcoming books on ARISE for professionals and families are: The ARISE Intervention and Continuum of Care and Are you Living with a Stranger? ARISE Intervention and Lifelong Recovery Guide for Families.

THE END

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Volume 175, March 20, 2011
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

EDITORIAL:

We were saddened to learn about the devastating tsunami in Japan and subsequent loss of lives and destruction of property. We convey our deep condolences to the families of the victims and pray Allah to ease their sufferings.

Our focus in this E-Zine is on the ability of Global Ummah to adapt with the latest developments that are distilled in the twin refineries of advanced reproductive technology and possible disruption of the traditional family structure. We also discuss about issues relating to promoting interfaith activities which we strongly believe in, as well as highlighting the recent instances of the extremists raising their ugly head yet again, revisiting the chronicles pertaining to destruction of family via reckless practice of abortion and issues pertaining to fighting injustice.

PART A

REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY:

WHAT WOULD BE THE ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE WITH REGARD TO THREE PARENT IVF TECHNOLOGY ?

(ED NOTE:

There is lot of focus in Islam on seeking knowledge and when knowledge is used for the betterment of mankind, it is generally encouraged and supported. However when such positive benefits undermine the traditional structure of family in terms of a child being born from one mother and one father compared to genetic manipulation involving three parents and two babies being born five days apart from five parents, then how should the Global Ummah perceive such new reproductive technology ? For further complexity in this issue, please read the article dated January 2, 2011 cover story in the New York Times Magazine: "MEET THE TWIBLINGS" ...“How four women (and one man) conspired to make two babies.”

In terms of advanced reproductive technology, there is a tendency for some Muslim scholars et.c to wait until the very end and then come out with fatwas FOR or AGAINST such application. We strongly advocate MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH and encourage Muslim scientists, Islamic leaders and Social Service professionals et.c to discuss such new controversial developments and attempt to reach a consensus if possible and feasible. Repeating time and again about us being ONE UMMAH but in reality consistently fighting with each other may not be of much help.

In as much as every coin has two sides, we need to improve our ability to deal with difference of opinion and put extra effort to understand the perspective OF THE OTHER SIDE, however different it may be from ours. Sometimes we become so entrenched in our own beliefs that we have shut the door to seek new knowledge or information that in our perception is CONTRARY to what we believe. The discomfort level is so high that we just cannot absorb such different opinions with an open mind, instead we feel at ease and comfortable that we did our part by labeling the OTHER DIFFERENT MUSLIM VOICE as munafiqeen (hypocrite), kafir et.c.

It is time we put our hearts and brains together and work towards the common good for the GLOBAL UMMAH).

Scientists Seek Approval for New ‘Three-Parent’ IVF Technology
Rebecca Millette
Mar 16, 2011
(www.lifesitenews.com)

LONDON, U.K.

A new “three-parent IVF” technology developed in Britain has been sent to the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority for review. With government approval and a change in Britain’s fertility laws, scientists hope the new method may be introduced in just over a year.

The controversial technique was developed by scientists at Newcastle University using cloning methods to remove faulty DNA during the fertilization process, thereby in theory preventing certain incurable fatal diseases of the heart, liver and brain in the newly “created” child. The method uses sperm and egg from the “real” parents, as well as some DNA from a donor mother. The researchers say that the child created through the method would inherit 98 percent of their DNA from their “real” parents.

Unlike the vast majority of DNA in the body, which comes from both the mother and father, the faulty mitochondrial DNA that causes the diseases in question comes only through the mother. The process thus involves fertilizing the primary mother’s egg with the father’s sperm in a lab, and then transplanting the parents’ DNA, without the mother’s mitochondrial DNA, into a new egg from the donor mother that has all DNA removed, except the healthy mitochondrial DNA. The embryo is then implanted into the primary mother and the new baby has DNA from three parents.

In developing the process, scientists used a variation of the technique used to make Dolly the cloned sheep in 1996. “A child born using this method would have correctly functioning mitochondria,” said lead author of the original study, Professor Doug Turnbull, “but in every other respect would get all their genetic information from their father and mother.” “As doctors we have a duty to treat disease and where possible to prevent disease,” said Professor Alison Murdoch, head of the Department of Reproductive Medicine at Newcastle University. “With diseases for which there are no treatments the imperative to develop new treatments is even greater. Of course no treatment is ever risk free and if there are risks we will need to quantify these so that doctors can discuss them with patients.”

....Critics point out that IVF produces its “miracle babies” only through a process that results in the death of many human embryos, and have also pointed out to the numerous other unknowns involved in the process. Dr. David King, director of Human Genetics Alert, told the Daily Mail that in his view doctors cross the line when they tamper with human genetics using methods such as the new three-parent IVF. “Up to now there has been a consensus that we should not manipulate human DNA in this way,” he said. “It is altering the genetic constituents of every cell in the child’s body. If it’s a girl, then those changes will be passed down to all her descendants. The first children conceived using this technique will be an experiment.”

There are also concerns about long-term health complications for IVF babies. Studies in the UK in recent years reveal that children conceived through IVF methods suffer from nearly twice as many health problems as those conceived naturally.

Where Did I Come From? – It’s No Longer a Simple Question
www.lifesitenews.com
Albert Mohler
Jan 3, 2011

WHERE DID I COME FROM ...

That is, the answer was easy in terms of biology. In some form, the answer took the shape of a story about two people, one male and one female, who came together and made a baby. Mommy and Daddy made a baby. That story was both true and universal. For most of human history, there was no alternative account. The answer given by parents in 1960 was the same as that given in 1060 or in any previous year.

All that changed with the biological revolution and the emergence of new reproductive technologies. The development of In Vitro Fertilization technologies [IVF] came only after human beings grew accustomed to reproductive control through the Pill. If medical technologies could be harnessed to avoid pregnancy, surely new technologies could allow couples to have long-wanted children who had not come by natural means.

This revolution is portrayed movingly in the January 2, 2011 cover story of The New York Times Magazine. In “Meet the Twiblings,” Melanie Thernstrom provides an account of how she and her husband became parents to babies Violet and Kieran, who appear adorably on the cover of the magazine. The cover text also contains this teaser: “How four women (and one man) conspired to make two babies.”

As Thernstrom acknowledges, this is a complicated story. The two babies were born five days apart. They shared a common egg donor (obtained commercially) and a common sperm donor (Thernstrom’s husband, Michael). But they were carried by two different surrogate mothers. Genetically they are siblings, but they emerged from two different wombs. They were born five days apart, but they are not really twins. Thernstrom calls them “twiblings.”

She writes movingly of her efforts, with Michael, to have a child. After six IVF rounds and clear medical advice, the Thernstroms moved to develop a new plan, but the plan required a great deal of thinking. The pull of the new reproductive technologies was clear, as was the revolution these technologies represent. She writes, “Reproductive technology fills an important — and growing — need. Gay couples are increasingly choosing to have families.

Eight percent of women between 40 and 44 identify themselves as involuntarily childless or hoping to become pregnant, according to a Pew report. Most women in that age bracket will be able to become pregnant only by using donor eggs.”

Melanie and Michael wanted siblings of about the same age to grow up as companions. IVF twins were more dangerous, so Michael came up with the idea of using two surrogates to deliver two babies at about the same time.

....Melanie and Michael referred to these babies as “drafts.” In her words, they did this “to remind ourselves that they were notes toward the children we wanted, but if they died, they were just beginnings like all the embryos had been, and we would start again.”

Kieran was born first, with Violet arriving five days later. Both are adorable and healthy. The roles of the surrogate mothers did not end with the births, however, for the Thernstroms — against the prevailing advice — chose to maintain a relationship with the surrogates and the egg donor.

Interestingly, Melanie Thernstrom seems to see the complexity of these births as somewhat advantageous. “I wanted to avoid what I think of as the claustrophobia of the nuclear family,” she explains. She refers to the web of relationships required by this process as “a kind of extended family.”

She also acknowledges the ambiguities created by these new technologies. “Third-party reproduction creates all kinds of relationships for which there are not yet terms,” she explained. “For example, there is no word to describe the relationship between our children and the carriers’ children, but it feels to me that they are, somehow, related. They are gestational siblings; they don’t share a mother, father or genes, but they were carried in the same body and they learned its fathomless chemical language.”

Furthermore:

There is also no word to describe our children’s relationship with each other. Our children were born five days apart — a fact that cannot be easily explained. When people press me about their status (“But are they really twins?”), the answer gets long. The word “twins” usually refers to siblings who shared a womb. But to call them just “siblings” instead of “twins” also raises questions because full genetic siblings are ordinarily at least nine months apart. And our children could be considered the same age because they were conceived at the same time (in the lab) and the embryos were transferred at the same time. If the person continues to quibble about whether they really qualify as twins (as, surprisingly, people often do), instead of asking why it matters, I announce airily that they are “twiblings.”

It is as if we are now living on a new planet — one in which all the natural boundaries of sex and reproduction have been left behind. The technologies of reproduction are redefining sex, marriage, relationships, family, and the human story.

Humanity is rushing headlong into a world in which the answer to the question, “Where did I come from?,” can be endlessly complicated. We have no adequate categories for explaining the relationship of little Kieran and Violet and all those who “conspired” to bring them to be. We read the birth announcement of Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, and we know that the most important moral questions are already off-limits.

PART B

NEED OF THE HOUR: PROMOTION OF INTERFAITH ACTIVITIES


RUSSIAN MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN CLERICS:

Here are the photos from Russian army. These are Russian Christian and Muslim clerics, some of the dressed into Russian Army Uniform.

(www.englishrussia.com)

Here are the priests – some wear Army Uniform together with their clerical symbols.



(www.englishrussia.com)

They look they are fond of being there in the army and don’t quarrel – a real unity of Islam and Christianity

Building Peace ‘Like Planting a Seed’

March 15, 2011
www.cathnewsindia.com

A priest who spent years promoting peace in areas of conflict in the southern Philippines remembers how the fighting brought together Christian and Muslim communities who declared their villages “zones of peace.”

“The seed we planted is growing but we need to nurture it,” Father Robert Layson, priest of senator Ninoy Aquino parish, said after celebrating Holy Mass in Sultan Kudarat.

“We approached the government forces and the MILF so we could arrange a way of making innocent civilians more secure and protected, especially during fighting,” Father Layson said. Efforts to help communities caught up in the conflict led to the creation of Ginapaladtaka, an acronym for seven villages that united and formed the “zones of peace.” Combatants from both sides were not allowed carry weapons when entering Ginapaladtaka’s boundaries. Father Layson said that while it was important to help these affected communities, the need to politically engage the government and the rebels had to be followed up.

“People planted the seed of peace, and are letting it grow,” the priest said. Source: ucanews.com

EXTREMISM RAISES ITS UGLY HEAD AGAIN:

(ED NOTE:
As we indicated in the past, extremists have their own diversity in terms of comprising of different faiths, being narrow minded, self-centered, ignoring the rights of others who don't confirm to their value system, myopic in perspective and hell bent on violence and destruction. We have no hesitation whatsoever in strongly condeming the bomb attack on the moderate Muslim group, banning of worship by Christians in Indonesia and attack on Christian cemetery in Mysore - India)

Jakarta bomb hits moderate groups
www.cathnewsindia.com
March 16, 2011

A parcel-bomb exploded at the East Jakarta offices of the Utan Kayu Community yesterday injuring five people, three of them seriously. The blast occurred in the compound of the Utan Kayu Community, a collection of moderate Islamic groups, while three policemen were trying to defuse the device. One of the seriously injured officers lost a hand in the blast, while a security guard and a cleaner were slightly hurt.

The bomb, hidden in a book, was addressed to Ulil Abshar Abdalla, an activist of the Liberal Islam Network and delivered to the Institute for Studies on Free Flow of Information in the morning. An employee became suspicious after noticing some wires sticking out of the parcel and immediately contacted the police. According to Adrianus Meliala, a criminologist from the state University of Indonesia, Abdalla may have been a target because of his support for human rights and his recent condemnation of the attack on the Ahmadiyah sect on February 6. Source: ucanews.com

Indonesians Ban Christian Worship
www.cathnewsindia.com
March 14, 2011

Christians in Bogor City in West Java say local authorities are flouting a court order by still trying to prevent them from worshiping in their church. “Police have barred us from praying in our church and have even blocked the entrance,” Bona Sigalingging, an official of Taman Yasmin Church, said yesterday. Sigalingging said a January supreme court ruling cleared the way for them to use their church after a lengthy legal battle.

However, on March 6, when they tried to use it, local authorities and police locked the church’s doors. When they went to the church yesterday they were forced to break in so they could hold a Sunday morning Mass, according to a report on the Jakarta Post website. “Barring us from the church is in defiance of the law and goes against the constitution,” Sigalingging said.

It seems local authorities would rather bow to the demands of a radical Muslim group than comply with the Supreme Court’s decision, Reverend Sumampauw said. Besides robbing citizens of their constitutional rights, the local government is abusing the constitution, he said. Source: ucanews.com

Muslims Condemn Christian Worship Ban

www.cathnewsindia.com
March 15, 2011

Indonesia’s Nahdlatul Ulama (NU),the country’s second largest Muslim organization, expressed concern at the level of intolerance shown in the recent ban of Taman Yasmin fellowship in Bogor, West Java.

“NU is concerned about the attitude of intolerance, especially of radical Muslim groups. NU is against groups spreading hatred through sermons,” said Imanuddin Rahmat, deputy secretary of the organization’s central board at a March 14 press conference in Jakarta. Source: ucanews.com

Catholic Cemetery Attacked in Mysore, India
cathnewsindia.com
March 15, 2011

Unidentified people vandalized a Catholic cemetery at Pushpagiri in Mysore. The attackers desecrated the graves, broke the tombstones and damaged a large statue of Christ on March 10. The cemetery falls under the parish of Infant Jesus Church in a nearby area. Locals suspect that the attack was the handiwork of radicals.Karnataka had seen a series of attacks on Christians and their places of worship in 2008. Source: CBCI

PART C

CHRONICLES ON DESTRUCTION OF FAMILY:
RAMPANT AND RECKLESS PRACTICE OF ABORTION:

(1) UNDERCOVER VIDEO EXPOSES CHILD PROSTITUTION:







(2) VIDEO - EXPOSE PLANNED PARENTHOOD VIDEO CONTEST:






(3) VIDEO RELATING TO ABORTION:

Planned Parenthood Helped Abort My Siblings: Pro-life Video Contest Winner

KATHLEEN GILBERT
March 16, 2011
www.lifesitenews.com

The winner of a pro-life contest for videos urging Congress to de-fund the Planned Parenthood Federation of America has a chilling story to tell.

Melissa Pereira says that because of the courage of her sexually-abused mother, she managed to avoid an early encounter with the abortion giant - something two of her older siblings sadly did not avoid.

“26 years ago, my mother was forced into a Planned Parenthood with her supposed husband. Dear Congress, he was her sexual abuser,” says Pereira, a student at Caldwell College in New Jersey. “My mother, scared and frightened, was five months pregnant. Planned Parenthood told her that it was just a blob of cells, that it was just tissue. So much for being informed.

“With state-funded money, my sibling was aborted.” Pereira’s video won $1,000 in the “Tell Congress” Youtube video contest hosted by Live Action, Students for Life of America and others to support the de-funding of Planned Parenthood. A year after the first abortion, Pereira says her mother became pregnant again. While Planned Parenthood gave her no counseling, an employee referred Pereira’s father to a local hospital where another abortion was performed.

Her father “knew just where to go to find the support he needed ... and to hear what he wanted to hear about choices,” said Pereira. But when a third pregnancy happened, “my mother refused to go anywhere, she chose to keep that child. I was that child,” says Pereira. She adds that she and her mother continued to be abused by Pereira’s father, who she says is now a registered sex offender. Pereira says she was forced one day to call 911 while her father repeatedly punched her mother’s pregnant belly, “a brutal solution to manage her fertility” that ended the life of Pereira’s third sibling.

“Planned Parenthood believes that unwanted children will turn into criminals. But they need to open their eyes and see that these people who are doing these abuses are the real criminals,” she said. Lila Rose, president of Live Action, praised the creative spirit behind the winning entries. “Together, we stand for the protection of our unborn brothers and sisters, and we will work to expose organizations like Planned Parenthood which destroy innocent human beings and cover up the abuse of our young peers,” she said in a statement Tuesday.

35,000 forced abortions per day in China as Chinese President visits U.S.

BY JOHN JALSEVAC
(www.lifesitenews.com)

Jan 19, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC
Victims who have lived through imprisonment and harassment by the Chinese government, including the government’s vicious one-child policy, gathered together with human rights leaders on Capitol Hill yesterday to speak out on the arrival of Chinese President Hu Jintao in the United States.

One activist, former Tiananmen Square student leader Chai Ling, pointed out, “As we gather here in Washington, over 35,000 forced and coerced abortions are taking place today in China.”

Ling called the “brutal” enforcement of the one-child policy “the largest crime against humanity.”

“It is the inhumane secret slaughter against mothers and babies,” he said. “It is a Tiananmen massacre taking place every hour; and it is an unending holocaust that has gone on for 30 years.”

Referencing the famous “I have a dream speech” by Martin Luther King, whose birthday was celebrated earlier this week, Ling said: We dream a dream that tomorrow China’s Forced One Child Policy will become history; we dream a dream that children will grow up with brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts; we dream a dream that all tears will be wiped from the faces of parents whose children were taken; we dream a dream that all young men will have brides and taste the sweetness of being newly wed; we dream a dream that all mothers will mourn no more because they are with children.

Big Brother Winner: ‘I Wept For Hours’ Over Abortion Done to Please Boyfriend

BY KATHLEEN GILBERT
www.lifesitenews.com
Mar 15, 2011

Josie Gibson -A former winner on Britain’s version of the reality show Big Brother has opened up about her abortion experience six years ago, revealing how she was shattered after her boyfriend pressured her to abort her baby at 3 months gestation. She warned others to “not have an abortion for any man.”

In an interview found in the paper edition of Britain’s OK! Magazine this week, Josie Gibson said that she had an abortion when she was 20 years old. She had wanted to keep the baby; however, she said, her boyfriend at the time made it clear that he didn’t want the child. “He waited until I was three months gone to let me know he didn’t want it,” said Gibson. “I even had baby names picked and he turned around and told me that he didn’t want our child and that I should get rid of it.”

Gibson, now 26, admitted, “I’ve regretted my abortion ever since.” “I wept for hours. I knew straight away that it was a mistake,” she recalled.

“I didn’t really want to have an abortion. But I did it anyway, to please him. Big mistake.” To other women in a similar situation, Gibson urged: “Don’t be forced into anything, don’t have an abortion for any man. Everything will work out alright in the end if you stay true to your own heart.”

Unreality TV reports that Gibson responded gratefully on Twitter after fans read the interview and sent her messages of support: “Thankyou 4 tweets guys. Was a little worried about OK mag with being so open about everything but I’m happy you understand x.”

The organization Silent No More Awareness has collected testimony from hundreds men and women who have suffered after abortions in several countries.

PART D

CHRONICLES (Continued) IN FIGHTING INJUSTICE:

DOWRY:
AN EVIL THAT MUSLIMS IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT HAVE ADOPTED AND CONTINUE TO PRACTICE:


(www.haiderajaz.blogspot.com)

(ED NOTE:

We appeal to all our dear Muslims brothers in the Indian subcontinent to have the courage to say NO to dowry and instead focus on meeting the Islamic commitment of giving Mah'r to the bride.

Prophet Mohamed (SAW) had stated that the BEST OF MARRIAGE ARE THOSE THAT HAVE THE LEAST BURDEN. It is really a paradox that Muslims happily celebrate the marriage following Islamic customs while simultaneously violating above recommendation of Prophet by accepting dowry and creating MAXIMUM BURDEN specially for the parents of the economically challenged bride.

We are looking forward to receive names of those courageous Muslim brothers in the Indian subcontinent who have the guts to say NO TO DOWRY and we request to give us your names to be published in this E-Zine with the hope of making you TRUE MUSLIM ROLE MODELS for other Muslim men to emulate. Dear brothers, those females that you marry are our sisters, please be considerate. We encourage the imams and Islamic leaders to strongly condemn the practice of Dowry in their speeches on Fridays and other occassions)

TWO WOMEN END LIVES OVER DOWRY, MARITAL ROW
Ahmedabad Mirror Bureau
www.ahmedabadmirror.com
February 08, 2011

Anisha Mansuri (30) hanged herself at her Juhapura home, while Jasu Parmar (40) jumped into the Sabarmati river.

Two women ended their lives in the city on Sunday. Anisha Mansuri, 30, hanged herself at her home in Juhapura, whereas Jasu Parmar, 40, jumped into the Sabarmati river. Anisha, a mother of three, committed suicide apparently because of dowry harassment. Her father Iqbal Ajmeri, in fact, has leveled the charge of abetment to suicide against her husband, Mehmood Ansuri and his three family members.

According to the complaint, filed in the Vejalpur police station, Anisha married Mehmood in 2006. The two stayed with Mehmood’s family in Jainab Park in Juhapura. Sometime back, the Ansuris started demanding dowry from her to buy a new house.

When Anisha could not fulfil their demand, they started to harass her. Tired of being ill-treated, she hanged herself from a ceiling fan on the first floor of her residence at about 10 pm on Sunday.

“We have registered a complaint against Mehmood, his father and two other family members. We will take necessary action after recording statements of witnesses,” an inspector at Vejalpur police station, J B Rana, said.

HUBBY, IN-LAWS ASSAULT WOMAN OVER DOWRY

Ahmedabad Mirror Bureau
February 06, 2011
Vijay Zala

Anisha Saiyed was admitted to a hospital last month after her husband beat her up for refusing to meet his demands

Nasir and his parents demanded Rs 2 lakh

A woman in Shah-e-Alam has accused her husband and in-laws of tormenting her for dowry. Anisha Saiyed has filed a complaint against the three in Isanpur police station.

Anisha, a mother of three, married Nasir 13 years ago. Some years back, he and his parents started demanding dowry. They used to allegedly abuse her and hit her whenever she refused to seek money from her parents.

Anisha didn’t complain about the harassment to her parents because she didn’t want them to get worried. In her complaint, she has alleged in January this year, Nasir and his parents demanded Rs 2 lakh. On the evening of January 29 when she was in her room with her daughter, he hit her. Two days later, he again attacked her, causing severe injuries. Anisha was admitted to a private hospital following the incident. Later, she filed a complaint against Nasir and her in-laws with the Isanpur police.

MATCH MADE ONLINE GOES AWRY OVER DOWRY HARASSMENT
January 30, 2011

A 29-year-old fashion designer who married a man she met on the internet has accused him and his parents of tormenting her for dowry

The mahila police arrested the woman’s husband on Friday

A 29-year-old fashion designer who married a man she met in an online chat room has accused him and his parents of harassing her for dowry.

Amina Khan (name changed), who lives with her parents in Navrangpura, has filed a complaint against her husband, Mehtab Ishra Hussain Shaikh, and in-laws with the mahila crime branch. Mehtab, who was arrested on Friday and sent to judicial custody on Saturday, hails from Mumbai. He tied the knot with Amina at a hotel in Ahmedabad on January 2, 2008, after chatting with her on the internet for about a month.

According to Amina’s complaint, Mehtab and his parents were given Rs 1.4 crore, a Honda City, some furniture and valuables as dowry. She and Mehtab then moved to his residence in Mumbai.

Tensions, however, surfaced between the two just a month after their marriage when Amina came to know that her husband was a drug addict and an alcoholic with a gambling habit.

The 29-year-old fashion designer has alleged that he used to frequently hit her and demand more dowry. Amina has said that she was harassed by Mehtab and her in-laws even after she became pregnant. In fact, she was forced to come to Ahmedabad to give birth to the baby, a girl.

Even after the delivery, Mehtab continued to ill-treat her. He slapped her while she was still at the maternity home. According to her complaint, she was allowed to return to his residence in Mumbai after her parents gave him jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh.

Mehtab apparently sold off this jewellery to buy drugs. In 2010, the Shaikhs demanded Rs 1 crore from Amina’s father to buy a plot in Mumbai. When her father said that he only had Rs 50 lakh, they allegedly tormented her. In July 2010, they drove her out of their home.

Fed up with the harassment, she filed a case of domestic violence against them. In October 2010, the Shaikhs threatened Amina and her parents that if the case was not withdrawn, they would kill them.

On January 18 this year, Amina and her father approached the mahila crime branch and filed a complaint of dowry harassment against the Shaikhs.

On Friday, inspector C N Chaudhary arrested Mehtab and produced him in a metropolitan court, which sent him to a day’s police remand. On Saturday, he sought bail, but Amina’s lawyer, Prakash Patel, opposed his application. Magistrate D C Trivedi then sent Mehtab to judicial custody.

Bangalore: Husband Held For Dowry Death

hsharma on 25 January, 2011
(criminalrecordsindia.com)

On January 25, 2011 Deccan Herald reported that the Mahalakshmi Layout police arrested a man in a dowry death case on Monday. The man arrested, Ameer Pasha (30), is married to Masthan Bi (20). According to police, Ameer and his mother harassed Bi for more dowry. An alcoholic, Pasha used to beat his wife regularly.

Pregnant Woman Killed For Dowry...

December 28, 2010
www.emirates247.com

A pregnant woman was murdered allegedly by her husband and in-laws over dowry in a Delhi suburb on Monday. Sarita, who was three months pregnant was killed by her husband and in-laws and later hanged from a ceiling to make it look like a case of suicide, the officials told the Indian media. Parents of the victim have lodged a complaint against the family members.

Human Trafficking in Europe

JAMA January 28, 2011
(The World in Medicine)

Joan Stephenson, PhD

Human trafficking in Europe yields about $3 billion a year for criminal groups, who control more than 140 000 persons at any point in time and subject them to sexual exploitation or forced labor, according to a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (http://www.unodc.org/).

The report, Trafficking in Persons to Europe for Sexual Exploitation, notes that the vast majority of those affected are young women who are subjected to violence, rape, imprisonment, drugging, and other types of abuse.

A key step to attacking the problem, the report said, is “information sharing that has to be conducted through the creation of an international monitoring mechanism on trafficking in persons.”

PART E

(ED NOTE: CELEBRATE THE UNION OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN AND WOMAN).


WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY BY YEKATERINA MUKHINA

(Yekaterina Mukhina may be called one of the most stylist photo authors of Russia)

www.englishrussia.com)

THE END