| hd |
Letters to NABA |
|
|
Updated 06 July 2007 |
||
| Index
- What is
Arabs? (In response to the news letter on the trial census in the
UK). |
||
| top | ||
|
Who are Arabs Letter from Afaf following the email shot on introducing Arab as an ethnic group in the 2011 census (NABA achievement) To Afaf Thank you Afaf for raising this question. The definition of Arabs will depend on the aspect we are looking for /whether it is approached from the historical, racial, ethnic point etc. Historically, we learn at school that Herodotus description of the Semitic races were one which settled in what is now known as the Arab World as Arabs, and that Arabs were from either Adnanites (adnaniyoon) or Qahtanites (Qahtaniyoon). This recognises the anthropological fact that migrating races and groups when settling among any larger community, integrate and assimilate into that group. Ideologists in the last century spoke about Arabism as an identity rather than as a racial and genetic issue. The Arab League describes Arabs as, those who live or come from the countries in the Arab League. The identity concept applies to many other races and nations. If we look at our region, you find that many of those who identify themselves as Kurds, Turks, Pakistanis, Indians, etc have originated from Arab tribes which settled in these regions, and vice versa; many of races that migrated to the Arab world throughout the millennia and settled in Arabia are not Semitic, but they gradually assimilated and became known as Arabs. Our history books recognise the Arab Al-Aariba and al-Arab Al-Musta’riba? In the west, Englishness is very diverse racially. English are not only Anglo-Saxon but originally Celtic (Irish or Scottish), Anglo-Saxon, Norman, Germanic etc. Arab is an amalgam of people that shares a common identity. In this day and age, I consider Arabism to be something akin to Europeanism. Many Britons identify themselves as British or English and secondly as European and the same applies to Arabs. On the other hand, you find some who are ethnically Arab prefer to identify themselves as Muslims, that is on religious basis rather than ethnic basis. The concept of multiple identities is well recognised in our modern age. We can be British, Iraqis, Arabs, Europeans, Londoners, humanists, liberals etc. We can be members of an Arab society, secular group and at the same time religious group, etc without losing any of the other identities. One of the excellent books on the subject is: Identity and Conflict, by Amitra Singh. It is among Arabs more than any other that the question of our ethnic identity (ie whether we are Arab or what) is more diverse. This may well be because Arabs tend to be more intellectual together with a very varied history. From the census point, the identity has important applications and should not be looked at from the ideological aspect. We share many common denominators that need to be addressed within the British democratic system including our civil rights, our position and influence in the British establishment, health, representations etc. In an ideal world, ethnic identity is not important at all as everyone is equal and accepted in the system automatically. Unfortunately, we are not in an ideal system and thus we have to fight for our civil rights like other groups who have settled in the UK and had to fight to be accepted in the system. A more romanticized definition of Arabs can be found on the following link. Various articles on Arabs can be found on the following link: http://ebabylone.net/encyclopedia/en/a/r/a/Talk~Arab_523e.html Kind regards and thank you again for raising this question which is very vital when 2011 comes. Ismail Jalili |
||
| top | ||
|
Action alert from Arab Media Watch
Action Alert Thank Times correspondent James Hider! |
||
| top | ||
|
Friends
of Lebanon in the UK - July 2007 It has been nearly a year since the formation of Friends of Lebanon. In order to stay in touch better with our many friends, we are introducing a monthly newsletter. We would first like to thank you for your support. We are pleased to say that you are part of a worldwide community—growing larger by the day—working toward a better and more peaceful Lebanon. If you would like to become more involved in the day to day work of Friends of Lebanon, please send us an email. If you have suggestions or comments, again, just let us know. In the coming months, we will let you know our plans for the next year. Meanwhile, please note we have posted the July calendar on the website. As always, if you know of an activity/event that you don’t see listed, do drop us a line so we can include it. You will also note that we are inviting guest news editorials for publication on the website. Submissions should be in English, between 500—3000 words in length. (Shorter opinion-pieces are welcome for our “Have Your Say” section.) Articles should be directly concerned with Lebanon. While all points of view are welcome, please note that we will not publish any article deemed racist or inflammatory. Our goal is to provoke examination of ideas: why is a situation what it is? How and why did a situation develop? What are its ramifications? What can we learn from a situation? Is it being justly represented in the media? Assertions should be documented where appropriate, using primary sources when possible. When submitting, please note whether you would like your name published with the article, or whether you prefer it remain anonymous. Many people have asked me over the last year: Why do you do this Friends of Lebanon thing? Do you really think it will do any good? So here’s my answer, just in case you too were wondering. There are some stories you never forget. One day some thirty years ago, my teacher told the class a story of a woman who was attacked near her apartment. Her screams were heard by neighbours. At least 38 of them later admitted they had seen and/or heard her 35-minute struggle. Yet no one came to the woman’s aid. The one and only call to the police was too late: the woman, repeatedly stabbed, had bled to death. (The murder of Kitty Genovese http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs818a,0,7944135.story) That she might have been saved had someone cared enough to speak up was a haunting notion. “If only. . .” is a hard idea to live with. Perhaps this notion is what motivated hundreds of thousands of people to take to the streets in protest during the summer 2006. The rampage against the Lebanese people was simply wrong. Many people who had never before been active in politics felt compelled to stand up for those who were being attacked. Those who screamed were heard. Though too late for many, the bombings finally stopped. A year later, unfortunately, tensions are still high. Let the memory of last summer inspire us to keep listening for screams. Brenda Abou Khalil Friends of Lebanon, 12 Berry Lane, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 7HQ, United Kingdom Phone: (44) 1923 772494 / Fax: (44) 1923 772494 Email: mail@friendsoflebanon.org web: http://www.friendsoflebanon.org |
||
| top | ||
|
Appeal
from an Iraqi academic in exile - June
2007
We are now in badly need for earnest request of aid and support, or alike. My situation now in UAE getting worst than the past year when I left my country, due to the lag of opportunity of finding a job to live in dignity and I don’t know what to do when my earned money will finished. Dr H Alrubaie |
||
| top | ||
|
Addressing the challenges of childhood cataract in
Africa: Strategies for implementing services for children for the WHO-recommended 10 million paediatric eye care catchment area Course description October 1-5, 2007 Rationale Congenital and development cataract is the leading cause of childhood blindness in Africa and there is considerable evidence that children with cataract are not receiving surgical services in a timely fashion, that follow up after surgery remains poor, and that few children receive necessary spectacles and low vision devices. In the past few years, strategies have been developed and tested; these address the problems associated with both delay in presentation as well as poor follow up. The recent “Childhood Cataract Experts Meeting” has led to the documentation of practical solutions. There is now a need to train personnel working in comprehensive eye care programmes on potential strategies to address childhood cataract, in particular, to identify, refer, manage, follow up, monitor, and provide low vision services. Target audience The target audience for the workshop would be ophthalmologists and/or programme managers involved in childhood blindness programmes. The ideal candidates would be individuals who are working in a paediatric ophthalmology unit (covering a WHO recommended 10 million catchment area) and responsible for coordinating service delivery. Tertiary hospitals and university eye departments interested in improving their service delivery are encouraged to apply. Teaching objectives Course participants will learn: 1. The magnitude of the problem of childhood cataract (global perspective & local perspective) 2. The current evidence on management of childhood cataract: age at which surgery can be done, implantation of IOLs in young children, costs of surgical treatment, anesthetic needs, etc. 3. The reasons for delay in presentation for surgery and strategies to address delay (including use of key informants, training of relevant health staff in identification and referral). 4. Best practices for referral of children for surgery 5. The need for follow up of children who have had cataract surgery (including who can provide follow up, recommended approaches to follow up, protocols) 6. How to set up a child tracking system to ensure that children do not “fall through the cracks” after surgery 7. The role of counseling at different levels 8. Post-operative spectacles for children with cataract (costs, infrastructure needed, type of spectacles best suited for children) 9. Post operative low vision assessment and approaches to foster better integration of children into their communities. Training venue and instructors The training will be conducted at the Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology in Moshi, Tanzania. The faculty for the training includes instructors from KCCO and the KCMC Eye Department as well as external faculty from within Africa. Budget The training has financial support from Dark & Light Blind Care. Participants would need to cover their transport to Kilimanjaro (JRO). The fee for the course is $200, which covers all expenses (including airport pick up, accommodation, meals, training materials, instructional fees) from the time of arrival. Applicants should complete the application form (www.kcco.net/courses) and send it to Mr. Genes Mnyganya (genes@kcco.net) Paul Courtright, DrPH Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology Tumaini University/KCMC PO Box 2254 Moshi, Tanzania Email: pcourtright@kcco.net Web: www.kcco.net |
||
| top | ||
|
Racial
discrimination against Arab in the uk
To NABA. Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2007 3:39 PM Dear Sa...... |
||
| top | ||
|
The British Campaign for Medical Boycott of Israel 21 April 2007 A letter from the
Group tp one responder: "You suggest that, in voting to boycott Israel, the NUJ has strayed too far from its legitimate business. We do not think such arguments apply to our grave concerns as doctors about the health-related impact of Israeli policy on Palestinian society. Persistent violations of medical ethics have accompanied Israel's occupation. The Israeli Defence Force has systematically flouted the fourth Geneva convention guaranteeing a civilian population unfettered access to medical services and immunity for medical staff. Ambulances are fired on (hundreds of cases) and their personnel killed. Desperately ill people, and newborn babies, die at checkpoints because soldiers bar the way to hospital. The public-health infrastructure, including water and electricity supplies, is willfully bombed, and the passage of essential medicines like anti-cancer drugs and kidney dialysis fluids blocked. In the West Bank, the apartheid wall has destroyed any coherence in the primary health system. UN rapporteurs have described Gaza as a humanitarian catastrophe, with 25% of children clinically malnourished. The Israeli Medical Association has a duty
to protest about war crimes of this kind, but has refused to do so. Appeals
to the World Medical Association and the British Medical Association have
also been rebuffed. Eighteen leading Palestinian health organisations have
appealled to fellow professionals abroad to recognise how the IMA has
forfeited its right to membership of the international medical community. We
are calling for a boycott of the Israeli Medical Association and its
expulsion from the WMA. There is a precedent for this: the expulsion of the
Medical Association of South Africa during the apartheid era. A boycott is
an ethical and moral imperative when conventional channels do not function,
for otherwise we are merely turning away. |
||
| top | ||
|
Project on Arab American and British Arab community activism Dear NABA I'd like to draw your
attention to a new website that summarizes the results of a 3-year project
on Arab American and British Arab community activism. This project was
jointly funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (UK) and the
National Science Foundation (US), and involved interviews with over one
hundred community activists in Britain and the United States. We hope
you find this report interesting reading. We will be very grateful if
you can circulate this link to others who might be interested and/or if you
can post the link on your websites. We, of course, welcome your
feedback on the report. http://www.arab-communities.org/about-the-project.html#1Abo
|
||
| top | ||
| My book,
Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews - Alan Hart
Monday, March 05, 2007 3:16 PM |
||
| top | ||
| Friday, February 23, 2007 10:53 PM AN BURKHA The 21-July-1995 London bomb suspect Yassin Omar disguised in a burkha fled London dressed as a muslim woman after failing to blow up an Underground train. I have never seen a beautiful woman wearing a burkha. The Burkha must be banned because only people with nefarious purpose like criminals including suicide-bombers and ugly women wear it. Rashad Murji |
||
| top | ||
| The
Atfaluna Crafts On-Line- Boutique Dear Sir/ Madam, Please allow us to introduce you to Atfaluna Crafts – Palestinian embroidery and handicrafts at their best – an exciting collection of quality home décor items, hand-crafted pottery, women’s wear and accessories, and much more. All Atfaluna Crafts products embody their own special taste of Palestine … its culture, its people, its rich history, and its beauty. Using only quality materials, hand-woven fabrics, and traditional designs in innovative color combinations, deaf artists and craftspersons come together to provide products that are both modern and traditional. Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children is a Palestinian NGO which has been working in the field of deaf education and allied services since 1992. Atfaluna Crafts is an income generation program of the Society, established to provide jobs and vocational training to the deaf and marginalized of the Gaza Strip. By purchasing Atfaluna Crafts products, you will help to provide jobs and job training for more than 250 deaf and marginalized persons in the Gaza Strip where years of conflict have had a devastating effect on the economy and have resulted in 70% unemployment. Income derived from making handicrafts buys food, medicines, and other essential needs for some of the neediest-of-the needy in the Gaza Strip. Please take a look at our on-line catalogue for a large selection of high-quality and unique handicrafts. We think that you will like what you see. The following link will guide to our online shop where you can browse through a wide range of products. http://www.atfaluna.net/crafts/ Our premium products are great for gifts, party favors, special events and home decorations. We offer a 20% discount to customers who buy products in the value of $500 or more. We also accept Visa, MasterCard, and Bank Transfer for payment. If for any reason you have questions or comments, we are delighted to hear from you. You can expect us to respond to your e-mail within 24 working hours. Our working hours are 8 am - 3 pm Jerusalem time Sunday through Thursday Please contact us: Email: info@atfaluna.net - Telefaxes: (+972-8) 2828495 or 2865468 We very much look forward to hearing from you. Ghada Abushahla Marketing Officer Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children 72 Philisteen Street - P. O. Box 1296 The Gaza Strip, The Palestinian Authority Telefaxes: + (972-8) 2828495 or 2865468 Web site: www.atfaluna.net |
||
| top | ||
| Wednesday, January 17, 2007 7:38 PM Why isn't your Council urging the prosecution of such preachers? I have correctly urged you to take active interest in whether Arabs are considered good people. If you have watched the Channel 4 programme you should know that Saudi money is financing these preachers and mosques. The programme also showed that those preachers who had been educated in Saudi Arabia were the worst ones. This seems to indicate that Arabs are giving such evil education and financing them. It would be helpful if you took steps to stop this Saudi education and financial help. Sophia Mohamed |
||
| top | ||
| Treatment
of Children from Iraq
From Liza To: naba From NABA To: Y Razaq From: Y Razaq |
||
| top | ||
| The BBC Never Listens to Our
Complaints
John Noble 15 August 2006 The BBC never listens to our
complaints, pays huge sums of our money to presenters who are even difficult to understand like cockney Jonathan and Kirsty Wark. |
||
| top | ||
| To NABA
What
about the execution of a girl aged 16 in Iran I hope you saw today's BBC 2 programme about the execution of
a girl aged 16 in Iran for adultery when in fact she was not even married and was raped. You are in an ideal position to change
the lot of Muslim women under Islam but instead you encourage Islamic terrorism. |
||
| top | ||
| Islamic
Needs To Be Modernised
- received
24 March 2006 The case of Shabina Begum makes Islam look barbaric and non-Muslims hate Muslims. They would of course also resent it wasted at least £100,000 in legal costs to taxpayers. Your organisation should have tried to stop her from taking this silly step but you did not. It implies that you were in favour of her action. Whereas Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia does not allow the building of any religious institution like a church or temple to be built there, Muslims in western and non-Islamic countries always demand mosques and separate state-funded Muslim schools to be built there. Is it fair? In the Koran there are many verses where Muslims are urged to kill non-Muslims. These passages should be removed from it, otherwise Islam will be regarded as a barbaric religion and even I would agree with that view. Salma Janmohamed NABA Reply |
||
| Re: The Human Rights
of the AIDS Victims and Their Families must be raised and emphasized
John A Lincoln, Lecturer 21 June 2006 Dear Dr Jalili I have been listening and following the crisis of the Libyan children victims of AIDS and their families. It is really a tragedy for the poor Libyans to have such a power-hungry mean regime for more than forty long years. This illegal regime screwed up the poor Libyans' limited human resources, economic resources and natural resources. In addition, this regime distorted, abused and neglected the poor Libyans basic human rights, dignity and health. Analysing the various evidences, observations, interviews and applying my own inferences, experiences and expertise, I came up with the conclusion that the main responsibility for this crime which involves absolute human rights violations is your current irresponsible regime. This regime must be held responsible for this crime and many other crimes directly and indirectly. Objectively, this crisis can be highlighted due to the follwing factors: 1. The chaos, corruption and negligence of the regimes' human resources and system of management in the recruitement and the health relevant organizations. 2. The lack of good quality well trained independent human resources in the Libyan health system due to its politicization by the Libyan regime. The recruitement from overseas is based on politics, friendships, influence and biases not on professionalism, merit, quality and reputation 3. The lack of adequate high quality health equipment, facilities, medications and hygenic system in the various Libyan Health organizations. 4. The lack of well trained high quality Professional, Private and Independent employment and recruitement Organizations. The recruitement and employment of health professionals is based mainly on political agendas and influence. The recruitement is not based on merit such as quality, expertise, experiences and reputation. 5. Inadequate resources, motivation and environment conducive to attracting good quality professionals from overseas 6. The lack of modern clear professional contracts, laws and regulations that effectively manage the professionals' obligations, duties and rights. To sum up, I strongly believe for the above mentioned reasons that the main culpt in this crime is the negligence and the politicization of the regime for this tragedy. The system, the resources and the nurses are also partly to blame for not executing their duties professionally, honestly and responsibly. Further, the Libyans have to understand that it is natural the other external environments involved are using this issue for their own political bargains to achieve their own national interests. Certainly, not many of them care too much about the Libyan children victims and their families, because this is not their responsibility, it is the responsibility of the Libyan government and the system of management of the time. The current regime and system are weak and sick all the regime's worries are their continuity in power regardless of the consequences. It is obvious that this regime cann't defend the rights of its citizens, on the contrary it is violating and facilitating the abuse of the rights of its poor citizens. This regime is a coward lawless regime, it doesn't care about its own poeple and its past history is a clear evidence for its own people's negligence and victimization. I wonder where are the Libyans independent courts, judges, lawyers, professionals, justice system, Libyans and oppositions. Libya is clearly becoming a lawless and frightening country under this regme. To help objectively highlight this tragedy, the Libyans and the opposition, particularly the lawyers must unite and convince the world, especially the Arab world, our western societies, leaders and The United States to stand behinde the Libyans' Children Victims and their families to be justly and fairly treated to have their Human Rights acknowledged and highlighted, instead of using this issue as a political game for national gains. This tragedy is a human rights, national and international laws issue. The Libyans should continuously highlight this tragedy by using all modern means to convince the International community to stand with them behind resolving this matter justly and fairly with out politicizing this crime. They must look closely and re-examin all the evidence and the circumstances surrounding this matter before a dicision can be taken. Kind regards John A Lincoln, Lecturer June 21, 2006 |
||
| top | ||
| Spokesman for the MCB
- March 24
Inayat Bunglawala, spokesman for the Muslim Council of Great Britain, has openly priased
Osama Bin Laden in the past. He has called one of the men jailed in connection with the first
attack on the Twin Towers, Sheikh Omar Abdu Rahman, "courageous" and he regularly abuses
high profile jews. NABA reply Thank you for your email and the points you raise. We are essentially a secular organisation and have no links to the Muslim Council of Britain. Our
work is with governmental and non-governmental organisations and is aimed at civil rights,
discrimination and the recognition of Arabs and their role in the UK, although this has not been
helped by the stance taken by the CRE of recognising only religious groups and marginalising
others. |
||
| top | ||
| Please be aware of the irrational
& the biased attitudes towards our Arab Allies, Partners & Friends. John A Lincoln, Lecturer March 21, 2006 I hope things are going well for you and for your family. Let us do something positive to minimize the man-made negatives between the Arab World and our Western World. This certainly will promote cordial dialogue, positive communication, understanding and untimately more exchanges, economic growth, employment and prosperity in both worlds. |
||
| top |