Malaysian politician’s use of a doctored photograph “distasteful”

Malaysian politician’s use of a doctored photograph “distasteful”

An opposition politician and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) information chief Tian Chua has refused to apologize for posting a satirical photomontage featuring Malaysia’s deputy prime minister Najib Razak.  The photo links the nation’s prime minister to a murdered Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaaribuu.  Two of Deputy Prime Minister Razak’s police bodyguards are currently on trial, accused of killing the young woman.  Miss Shaariibuu’s body was found in a jungle clearing outside Kuala Lumpur last November.

Opposition politicians are using the Deputy Prime Minister’s link to the two bodyguards to hint at a possible political scandal, but others say Mr. Chua’s tactics are disgraceful and an example of dirty tactics.

A witness has said Mr. Tian Chua saw a photo of Miss Shaariibuu with the deputy prime minister.  This photo, however, has never been made public.  Instead, Mr. Chua created his own and put it on his website. 

What was supposedly comedy has sparked controversy.  Politicians want Mr. Chua to apologize for using the photo.  Others have demanded that action be taken against Mr. Chua.  One minister said if this were the case, others might also be tempted to insult the Prophet Muhammad.

Mr. Chua has refused to apologize or retract the photo from his website.


For more information, please see:

–http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6283056.stm

–http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/20070707085214/Article/index_html

–http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=271486

Price Cut Worsens Zimbabwe’s Economy

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch, Africa

Two weeks ago, Zimbabwe’s Industry Minister Obert Mpofu ordered businesses to cut the prices of certain commodities in half. In an effort to curb the country’s inflation rate, now well beyond 5000 %, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mbeka threatened to seize and nationalize companies if they were found to be profiteering. However, many businesses defied the government imposed price cut.

On Saturday, the crackdown began on defiant businesses.Since Monday, 1,328 shop owners and business managers have been arrested. Among those arrested were two directors of Zimbabwe’s main food distributor and fast food chain.

Earlier economists warned that the price cut would only lead to empty shelves and the closure of more businesses. That premonition has come true. The sudden drop in prices led to stampedes, bulk purchases and panic buying of staple commodities. Unable to replace food sold at below cost prices, bread, meat and fuel have run dry.

Buses, ordered to reduce fares by three-fourths, are simply abandoning routes. Businesses, incurring significant losses, are expected to make huge lay-off since workers are failing to go to work.

In just two weeks, the economy is coming to a standstill and many blame the President.

The effects of food shortages hit the country’s main university in Harare, the University of Zimbabwe. Thousands of students were evicted, this past weekend, when they protested against a decision to deny them food for not paying their fees.

Students were ordered to pay an extra one million dollars (4,000 US dollars), for an extended semester after a strike by lecturers shortened the semester. According to Benjamin Nyandoro, the spokesman for the Zimbabwe’s National Student Union, many of those evicted lived on campus because they had no friends or family in the area. Now they have no choice but to sleep in the streets.

For more information please see:

BBC – Mass Zimbabwe Arrest Over Prices – 09 July 2007

Yahoo – Price Cut Paralyzing Zimbabwe Economy – 09 July 2007

Yahoo – 1,300 Arrested in Zimbabwe Prices Crackdown –  09 July 2007

Yahoo – Zimbabwe University Evicts Students Following Food Riots – 09 July 2007

Fatwa issued against Liberal Saudi Muslims

In June, an Islamic leader issued a fatwa against liberal Muslims.  Sheik Saleh al-Fozan said, “Calling oneself a liberal Muslim is a contradiction in terms … one should repent before God for such ideas in order to be a real Muslim.”  (Reuters)  The edict has caused liberal Muslims to fear attacks from Islamic militants. 

A fatwa is a religious edict issued by an Islamic cleric.  Typically, a fatwa is used to express disapproval against someone whose actions contradict the issuing cleric’s interpretation of Sharia law.  Sometimes violence follows the issuing of a fatwa.  This happens when militant followers enforce the fatwa by killing the target of the edict.  For example, in 1989 a fatwa was issued against Salman Rushdie. Although, he has survived the fatwa by going underground for many years, some of his book Satanic Verses translators were killed, as well as his Norwegian publisher. Also, 37 people died while his Turkish translator was targeted.

For this reason the Liberal Muslims are fearful that violence will ensue from this fatwa. “Even if his (Fozan) intention is not calling for violence, the implication is violence,” replied Turki al-Hamad.  (Reuters)  Hamad is a novelist targeted by Saudi Islamists because of his desire to expand the freedom of the individual. 

Saudi conservative Muslims are conflicting with liberal Muslims on whether the influence of the clerics should be limited.  The liberals also desire to limit the Saudi royal family’s power through implementing parliamentary elections.  The discord between the factions of Islam could cause violence amongst the factions.  If this happens it is likely that the Saudi government would have to intercede and the Royal Family would seize the opportunity to cement its power.  If the discord does not lead to open violence, it could create the necessary tension to limit the influence of radical militant clerics. 

Reuters. Saudi fatwa against liberals raise fears of violence. 8 July 2007.
Fars News Agency. Enemies seek to Sow Religious Discord among Muslims. 7 July 2007.
CNN. Iran dissacociates itself from Rushdie death sentence. 24 September 1998.

Over six million Afghans face food insecurity

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 6.5 million people face food insecurity in Afghanistan.

In 2006, some areas of Afghanistan faced a food crisis when demand for food surpassed supply, FAO reported.

Floods and torrential rainfall have caused extensive damage to agriculture and livestock.

Acute malnutrition (severe weight loss) affects about 5 to 10 percent of children under five, according to the Afghan government and the UN. Acute malnutrition affects mostly children under two, and is often caused by diarrhea and other hygienic problems.

Afghanistan feeds a majority of its population through an underdeveloped agriculture system. Afghanistan is about 90 percent self-sufficient in cereal production, but it has a long way to go to properly feed its growing population, aid officials say.

Afghanistan needs to preserve its natural resources improve water and irrigation management, diversify agricultural production, expand its fruit and vegetable production, improve livestock production and help households diversify their sources of income, the FAO said.

For more information, please see:

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/18a420db2b7c1a2d8fd9a19acd3cef9f.htm

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73131

http://afghandevnews.wordpress.com/2007/07/05/hundreds-of-families-displaced-by-floods-livelihoods-lost/

Indonesia police killing Papua province civilians

In Papua providence, Indonesian police beat and killed civilians and raped women during operations against separatists, according to a Human Rights Watch report.

Human Rights Watch interviewed alleged victims and witness, all of whom spoke anonymously due to fears of reprisal.

The report cited investigations of eight alleged killings by police and military since 2005, and several beatings. Human Rights Watch also reported two cases of rape.

Papua became part off Indonesia in 1969 after a U.N.-sponsored ballot, which has since been dismissed as a sham.

A separatist insurgency started in the majority Christian region in Muslim-majority Indonesia. Tens of thousands have died because of military action by Indonesian forces.

About 100 Papuans demonstrated outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta to demand an independence referendum.

Human Rights Watch said the abuse deepened mistrust of the national government and risked fueling separatist tensions in the region.

Human Rights Watch urged the government to open Papua to independent observers, and to allow independent and transparent investigations of rights abuses.

For more information, please see:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/05/asia/AS-GEN-Indonesia-Papua-Human-Rights.php

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/JAK225319.htm

http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailgeneral.asp?fileid=20070705160128&irec=19

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/286636/1/.html