27 July 2010By El-Hajj Mauri’ Saalakhan
Assalaamu Alaikum (Greetings of Peace):
I begin with a note of thanks to The Creator for
blessing me with the health, energy, and, most
importantly, the consciousness needed for undertaking
this work. We are presently in the month of Sha’ban,
and thus, committed Muslims around the world are now
preparing themselves for that very special month to
follow called Ramadan!
The past few months have been extremely busy, and I
don’t expect the pace to let up any time soon. I just
returned from one of my intensive travelogs – first to
New York (for Lynne Stewart’s unfortunate
re-sentencing); then to Detroit Michigan (to address a
sizeable Muslim community on the Albany resolution on
preemptive prosecutions and the case of Dr. Aafia
Siddiqui); and then on to Philadelphia (for the
imprisonment conference connected to the annual
Riyaadah).
I regret that I arrived too late to deliver my
anticipated presentation at the Philadelphia
conference. I understand that it went very well,
however. (By the time I arrived the organizers were
working on some concluding resolutions; whenever I
receive a copy I will share them with our listserv,
insha’Allah.)
Insha’Allah, I am scheduled to deliver a 20 minute
presentation at ICLI - before the start of the ju’muah
khutbah at the Islamic Center of Long Island in
Westbury, NY - on Friday July 30. The ju’muah prayer
service will be immediately followed by a community
forum on the [anti] preemptive prosecution resolution
that was passed up in Albany. We expect at least one
or more of the council-members who were involved in
the passage of that precedent-setting resolution to
participate, insha’Allah.
ALLAH willing, I am also scheduled to return to
Detroit for two days of speaking engagements (at
different venues), beginning with the ju’muah khutbah
at the Islamic Center of Detroit (located at 14350
Tireman), on Friday, August 6.
Tomorrow evening (Friday, July 23) I will deliver a
short lecture (and take questions) once again at the
Islamic Center of Maryland (ICM) in Gaithersburg, on
the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui. This program comes at
an opportune time for committed Muslims in the
Washington, DC area.
Insha’Allah, the next day I will join up with other
activists for the national peace & activism conference
being held this weekend in Albany, New York. (See Info
Below)
And finally, after a brutally unjust trial at a
federal courthouse in New York City a few months back,
our sister, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, is scheduled to be
sentenced on Monday, August 16, 2010 – the first week
of Ramadan. (This is the same federal court in lower
Manhattan where Lynne Stewart’s trial and sentencing
was held.)
This Friday’s lecture at ICM will be an opportunity
for Washington (DC) area Muslims to gain valuable
insight and much needed clarity on this very troubling
case. We thank the administration of ICM for having
the courage and consciousness to schedule a forum on
this issue at this time.
With that said, here are the “Info Briefs” for July
22, 2010. If you find them worthy, please share them
with others.
In the struggle for peace thru justice,
CONTENTS
1. Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s plight raised with Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton
2. Pakistani Supreme Court President receives threats
3. The sentencing of Lynne Stewart
4. Rally for the Newburgh 4 at New York’s City Hall
5. The arrest of another young Muslim “jihadist”
6. The timidity of Muslim organizations
7. The Albany Peace Conference & Sunday Rally
8. Coalition Meetings for the 1431 A.H (2010 C.E.) Day
of Quds observance
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s plight raised with Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton
When this commentator first read about Secretary of
State Clinton’s paltry offer of civilian-related
material support to Pakistan, in an attempt to improve
America’s image in that besieged land, the first thing
that came to mind were the far more effective ways
that America could improve its “image” in that South
Asian nation – such as, the elimination of U.S.
imposed war-related pressures on the Pakistani people;
the return of its “disappeared”; and the immediate
repatriation of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui.
It is for this reason that I was truly gratified to
receive the following transcript of an exchange that
took place between Clinton and a Pakistani journalist,
regarding Aafia. - MS
Note the emphasis of the question, and the emphasis of
the response.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1007/S00430/television-roundtable-with-pakistani-journalists.htm
QUESTION: Secretary of State, where do you see
Pakistan after July 9/11 – after July 2011 and beyond
that, when U.S. forces will start pulling out from
Afghanistan?
Secondly, you have been talking about U.S. perception
in Pakistan. There are reasons for that and one of the
reasons is that if we can hand over 200, 300 people
who are involved in terrorist activities or alleged to
be involved, [to] the United States – and on the other
hand, if we demand one Pakistani prisoner in United
States, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, U.S. always come to the
excuses of justice.
Now, those people who were handed over to U.S. were
also charged in Pakistan, but they were handed over to
U.S. on your demand. Why can’t you consider one
request from Pakistan to hand over Dr. Aafia Siddiqui
to Pakistan?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, first of all, you asked what
will happen to Pakistan after July 2011. What we hope
is that the relationship that we are developing will
lead to even closer cooperation on many fronts. What
July 2011 is meant to be is a signal to the Afghan
Government that they have to address with urgency the
need to defend their own country. And I was very
pleased that President Karzai agreed to create local
defense units, because the Afghan army is making
progress but it’s not yet at a stage where it can
defend the whole country.
So what we see is, starting in July 2011, a movement
toward ownership and leadership in certain parts of
the country by the Afghan army, but not the beginning
of any wholesale withdrawal. That was never the
intent. But what we have done in developing what I
believe to be more open and confidence-building
relationships on both the civilian and the military
side is that all of this is being discussed with your
leadership so that they’re aware of what we’re doing
and why, and we’re aware of what you’re doing and why.
So that’s a long way from where we were a couple of
years ago.
And specifically on the case that you mentioned, that
trial was just held. The process continues. I can’t
predict what might happen in the future, but for the
time being, it is a matter for our justice system
because of the underlying facts of the case.
The following message comes as a suggestion from a
supporter of Aafia and the Siddiqui family.
pakistantownhall@gmail.com - is an email address which
has been set up specifically by Hillary Clinton's own
staff, and they will be trolling through it for
suggestions and applications for USAID.
If you agree that the repatriation of Dr. Aafia
Siddiqui (back home to Pakistan) would be one of the
best ways for America to effectively improve its image
in that corner of the world, then let the U.S.
Department of State hear our voices on the matter.
Please be concise, dignified and polite in the message
you convey (argue in ways that are best). The door of
opportunity is opening wider, let us take advantage of
it! - MS
This report speaks for itself. May ALLAH bless Qazi
Anwar, and protect him, for having the courage to
press the issue of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui - MS
©
EsinIslam.Com
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