Mosaic News - 7/16/10: World News From The Middle East [VIDEO]
Jundallah claim responsibility for Iran deadly blasts
Al Arabiya TV, UAEPresenter, Female #1
Jundallah released two photos of the two suicide attackers who bombed a mosque in Iran’s Zahedan region. The group said that the two attackers are Mohammed Rigi and Abdul Basit Rigi. However, official Iranian sources have not yet confirmed the veracity of these photos or the names of the two attackers. News reports contradicted each other over the death toll of the Zahedan twin bombings in Iran. While medical sources said that 68 people were killed, the official news agency said that the death toll is estimated at 27. The twin blasts targeted a religious gathering in Zahedan, and were carried out by suicide bombers, in one of the largest mosques in the city. Jundallah claimed responsibility for the twin blasts saying that they targeted the Revolutionary Guards in retaliation for Iran’s execution of its leader Abdolmalek Rigi.
Reporter, Male #1
The twin bombings in Zahedan, capital city of Sistan-Baluchistan province, which is predominantly Sunni, were carried out in response to Iran’s execution of Abdolmalek Rigi, Jundallah’s leader. Rigi was executed on June 20th, and the bombings took place merely one day after the Iranian Ministry of Interior announced that Sistan-Baluchistan province had become more secure since Rigi’s execution. The two attacks targeted a mosque celebrating the anniversary of the establishment of the Revolutionary Guards, which coincided with the birthday of Imam Hussein.The Iranian Ministry of Interior said that the double suicide blast killed and wounded dozens of people, including members of the Revolutionary Guards, who were monitoring the gate of the mosque. Iranian authorities accused Jundallah of carrying out the attacks even before the group claimed responsibility for the twin bombings, saying they targeted the gathering of members of the Revolutionary Guards on this religious occasion. Deputy chief of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Committee said that they came from Afghanistan and were supported by US intelligence in order to create sectarian sedition. The Iranian leadership warned that seditions may happen after a store in Zahedan was set on fire after the two bombings. The Revolutionary Guards released a statement, through the head of its political bureau, Yadollah Javani, saying that Washington is the one trying to create sectarian seditions in Iran by using the recent execution of Jundallah’s leader, Abdolmalek Rigi.Najah Mohammed Ali, al-Arabiya.
Presenter, Female #1
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned the twin bombings that shook the city of Zahedan, and offered her country’s condolences to the families of the victims. Clinton said in a statement released in Washington that the two attacks in Zahedan, in addition to other attacks in Uganda, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Algeria, reaffirm the importance of the international community’s efforts to fight the terrorist groups that are threatening the life of innocent civilians. In another development, the New York Times reported that US officials said that Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri spied for the US intelligence agency in Iran for several years. According to the newspaper, the officials said that the scientist was the very person who informed them of how the University of Tehran became a secret headquarters for Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and that he had provided important and secret information on Iran’s nuclear program.
Lieberman changes tune on Gaza
Al Jazeera, QatarPresenter, Female #1
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman proposed a new plan to absolve Israel of all its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip.
Presenter, Male #1
According to this plan, Gaza will become a fully independent and separate entity relying on assistance from Europe. This statement preceded US envoy George Mitchell’s arrival to the region.
Presenter, Female #1
Our correspondent Elias Karram has more details about this plan.
Reporter, Male #1
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman proposed Israel’s disengagement from the Gaza Strip and a complete break of its links to it. According to this plan, Israel will stop providing the Strip with water, electricity and other daily necessities.Lieberman’s goal is to gain international recognition of Israel’s ending of its occupation of Gaza and the EU’s contribution in transforming it into an independent entity. Lieberman’s plan is similar to a former proposal that Benjamin Netanyahu had declared as not being representative of the Israeli government’s position after it was protested by the Egyptians.
Guest, Male #1 (Mi’ayar Kuhan, political analyst)
This is only a proposal drafted by the Israeli foreign ministry, under Lieberman. The Israeli government has not approved it and has not even studied the plan. This matter will be decided by the Israeli government. And for the Israeli government to approve it, it needs to gain the approval of Egypt and the European Union.
Reporter, Male #1
Lieberman intends to brief the EU foreign ministers on the content of his plan during their anticipated visit to Gaza. He will also request their support in establishing 3 projects in the Gaza Strip to carry out Israel’s disengagement from the territory, the most prominent of which is building a power plant, then a wastewater purification plant and a desalination plant, in addition to reconstruction projects. On the Palestinian side, the plan was rejected by both Hamas and Fatah.
Guest, Male #2 (Sami Abu Zahri, spokesman for Hamas)
We, in the Hamas organization, reject this Israeli idea because it attempts to swap the demand to lift the siege with evading the occupation’s legal and practical responsibilities in the Gaza Strip.
Guest, Male #3 (Ahmed Assaf, spokesman for Fatah)
We reject this Israeli proposal, because we consider Gaza part of the Palestinian territories that were occupied in 1967. Second, the State of Palestinian will not be established without the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem. And finally, this Israeli plan aim to completely isolate Gaza.
Reporter, Male #1
In his plan, Lieberman proposed to end the siege on Gaza and entrust the international forces with its security responsibilities, including monitoring its ports and coasts and providing Israel’s security. It also allows ships to dock in Gaza’s port after being inspected at ports in Cyprus and Greece.Lieberman’s plan may appear to be just an experiment, but the possibility that it might become reality in the future cannot be excluded. A plan that the Israeli government will adopt to justify separating Gaza from the West Bank, and tossing the burden of being responsible for 1.5 million Palestinians on Egypt. Elias Karram, al-Jazeera, occupied Jerusalem.
'Jewish terrorist' remand extended
IBA, IsraelA military court in Tel Aviv has convicted a solider and an officer in connection with their mistreatment of anti security-fence protesters in Bilin in 2008. Bulburg and reserve staff sergeant Leonardo Correa were both convicted of inappropriate behavior. Correa was also found guilty of illegal use of his weapon.
Lebanon postpones debate over Palestinian civil rights
Dubai TV, UAEPresenter, Male #1
The humanitarian rights of Palestinian refugees’ in Lebanon is an issue that is causing some Lebanese to be fearful and that providing some facilities to the refugees’ would be the first step towards nationalization. Efforts are on going to develop 4 bills related to the refugees’ civil rights that would satisfy all parties, however the humanitarian sufferings in the refugee camps remain the same. Our correspondent Ilyan Shatiri visited the Shalita Camp, one of Lebanon 11 refugee camps and brought us the following report.
Reporter, Female #1,
Most of the youth and men in Shalita camp sit this way all day long. They don’t have anywhere to go; or even a job to earn a living. This is how the children of the camp spend their time. They wander the streets; removed from the prospect of an education. As for the network of streets in the camp they are constantly chaos: sewage and trash flow between the building and streets. This is a brief picture of the situation in refugee camps which reflects the suffering of more than 400,000 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon 11 camps.
Guest, Male #1
We don’t want to get naturalized. Let them give us our civil rights so we can work…just like all other Arab countries.
Guest, Male # 2
We’ve been here for 60 years. We don’t have ownership rights, and we’re not allowed to work.
Reporter, Female # 1
This humanitarian suffering did not echo in the Lebanese parliament and the issue is still pending. In order to skip ahead of other files, a political agreement was reached to postpone talks over the four bills related to Palestinian civil rights, which would grant them the right to work, to own property, and to take advantage of the health care system. Rights that might never be enacted as long as some Lebanese citizens fear these bills might lead to the naturalization of the Palestinians.
Guest, Male # 4 (Wissam Matta
Palestinians in lebanon want equal rights
Future TV, LebanonPresenter, Male # 1
The Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, warned against continuing the debate around Palestinian rights without finding a solution, arguing that it hurts the reputation and standing of the Christians, and harms the state in general.
Reporter, Male # 2
In front of a delegation from the people’s university in the city of Zahle, they met in Meerab, in the presence of Deputy Shant Janjanian. The Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, warned against making the debate around Palestinian rights seem as if the Christians are against according the Palestinians basic civil rights. Geagea added that “in reality, the Lebanese Forces, in cooperation with our allies in the Future Movement, and the March 14th forces, proposed a law related to this issue”.
Guest, Male # 3 (Samir Geagea, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Lebanese Forces)
In the document we prepared, we completely avoided anything, as minute as it might be, that might make the naturalization of the Palestinians possible. This is not something that we can accept. On the other hand, any issue that might add an additional burden on the Lebanese treasury has been excluded. In between these 2 restrictions, we have suggested everything possible to improve the living and humanitarian conditions of our Palestinian brothers in Lebanon.
Reporter, Male # 2
Geagea welcomed any debate or proposition by those displeased by his and the Future movement’s proposition for the sake of harmony and a unified law.
Presenter, Female # 1
Scheduled to coincide with the parliamentary session, Palestinians factions and civil organizations planned a demonstration in Riad el-Solh Square, asking for the accordance of humanitarian rights to the Palestinians.
Reporter, Male # 2
In concurrence with the general legislative session of parliament, which discussed proposals related to the civil rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Palestinian and Lebanese organizations organized a demonstration, in front of the ESCWA headquarters in Beirut, in support of the Palestinian people’s social and humanitarian rights. The demonstrators stressed the importance of granting the Palestinian refugees their most basic social rights.
Guest, Male # 4
The time has come for granting our people humanitarian rights. The time has come to close this tragic file; we have had enough tragedies. Stop trading their rights.
Guest, Male # 5
From here, we tell everyone, our brothers, the head and members of the Lebanese parliament, that the time has come to take a humane stance, in the name of national fraternity, in the name of human rights, in the name of our shared struggle in facing a common enemy.
Reporter, Male # 2
In addition, statements were issued, stressing the importance of granting Palestinian refugees their civil and social rights, and the need to differentiate between naturalization and rights. Particularly since Palestinian refugees reject getting naturalized, and hold on to their right of return. At the end of the protest, the demonstrators gave Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri a list of their demands.
Human Rights Watch blasts Assad's human rights record
BBC Arabic, UKPresenter, Male # 1
Ten years have passed since Bashar al-Assad’s accession to the Syrian presidency following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad. On this occasion, Human Rights Watch released a report criticizing the country’s human rights record, indicating that rights violations and the imprisonment of dissenters continue.
Reporter, Male # 2
Ten years ago, the ruling of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party in Syria by Hafez came to an end. His young son, Bashar, an ophthalmologist and a graduate of British universities, began the country’s 4th Ba’athist rule. The young Assad inaugurated his term by promising to reform the economy, and talked about transparency and democracy. However, ten years after these promises were made, some international human rights organizations see that a big gap persists. A lengthy report released by Human Rights Watch discussed the continued undermining of freedoms, indicating that the past 5 years of al-Assad’s rule witnessed an increase in the suppression of political activism, the stifling of freedom of expression, and the continued use of torture. In addition to violating the rights of the Kurdish minority, as well as censoring the media and websites, and blocking blogs. The report also indicated that the period of forgiveness, witnessed in the first few years of Bashar’s term, quickly faded away with the continued domination of the numerous intelligence agencies on public life. The Human Rights Watch report cites numerous examples, the latest of which the ruling of a military court that convicted lawyer Haitham al-Maleh, a human rights activist, for his call to dismantle the 1963 emergency law. These incidents and others that have taken place in the last 10 years of Bashar’s rule, came as the regime was engaging in a fierce battle with the major Western powers, primarily the United States and the European Union. That battle intensified after the Syrian army withdrew from Lebanon following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq el-Hariri, and the accusations that were directed against Syria as a result. In addition to Syria’s support of armed groups that fight Israel, and its alliance with Iran. (English
Sudan: Unity or seperation?
Al-Alam, IranPresenter, Female #1
According to Agence France-Presse, Sudan has ordered the expulsion of two female officials from the International Organization for Migration working in Darfur. The agency added that Sudanese authorities ordered Laura Palatini, an Italian national, and Carla Martinez, a Spanish citizen, to leave the country within 72 hours. Leader of the National Umma Party, Sadik al-Mahdi, said that unity between the South and North must be voluntary. Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Yasser Erman, called for the adoption of a new mechanism to achieve stability in Sudan, by means of administering cultural and religious pluralism in the country.
Reporter, Male #1
With the participation of several political groups in Sudan, the Political and Media Forum held a session at the home of Imam Sadek al-Mahdi, the leader of the National Umma Party in the city of Omdurman. The participants discussed the implications of the country’s political situation and the future of Sudan under the terms of unity or secession of the South. The issue has been causing a major concern among Sudanese constituents, both at the internal and external levels, especially as the country moves closer to the referendum on South Sudan’s independence, set to take place in January.
Guest, Male #2(Al-Sadek al-Mahdi, Head of the National Umma opposition Party)
The unity and security of our nation are the top priorities for all Sudanese people.This unity must be voluntary, by means of self determination. This requires us to counter all rogue voices that are seeking to undermine and stir doubt over the self-determination mechanism.
Reporter, Male #1
Speakers at the forum expressed fear over the danger of separation from the South, and called for forming a united front that will bridge the gap between the North and the South, in case the latter chooses to secede. Unless this unity is achieved, the South and the North may reenter, once again, a state of war.
Guest, Male #3 (Deputy Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Yasser Erman)
What is needed in Sudan, including in the South, Darfur, the East, the Nuba Mountains, the Blue Nile region, as well as Central and Northern Sudan, is a new mechanism to help us better administers our religious and cultural diversity. This is the type of project that will achieve stability in Sudan.
Reporter, Male #1
The political opposition blocs called for the promotion of freedoms and the unification of laws, as well as the creation of an environment that will lead to democratic changes, which they say is the ideal gateway for unity.
Guest, Male #5 (Kamal Omar, National Congress Party’s Political Secretary)
Our national obligation requires us to rally behind the peace initiative and broker another peace deal, dubbed Juba Two, where we can discuss all issues including the issue of unity between the North and the South. This unity will help Sudan emerge out of its political stalemate.
Reporter, Male #1
The launch of a political program that will address the concerns and legitimate demands of the southerners, the amendment of the peace agreement articles, the launch of a national mechanism to support unity and raise awareness about the danger of separation…All these issues are causing concern among the media and political constituents in Sudan. Mohammad Sati, al-Alam, Khartoum.
** Mosaic News is produced by Jamal Dajani. Contact: mosaicnews{at}linktv{dot}org
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