[Transcript]  Mosaic News - 07/15/08: World News From The Middle East

Presenter, MALE, # 1
People and political analysts criticized the accusations that were made by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Moreno-Ocampo, against Sudanese president Al-Bashir. They said these accusations are political in nature with the objective of blackmailing Sudan, serving western interests there.

Reporter, FEMALE, # 1
German citizens responded with strong criticisms after learning that the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Moreno-Ocampo indicted the Sudanese president based on war crime accusations in Darfur. The West has been involved in Darfur very enthusiastically. Germans believe that this is not spontaneous; rather it reflects a systematic policy especially by the US to use the International Court of Justice to blackmail certain countries to serve their own interests. This explains why the International Court of Justice ignores the crimes that have been committed by the US in Iraq and Afghanistan under the justification of spreading democracy.

Guest, FEMALE, # 2
The Americans are the last to talk about human rights and war crimes especially after what they did in Iraq and other countries. Regrettably, what they are doing in Iraq and Sudan is blatant blackmail.

Guest, MALE, # 2
The war in Iraq is a violation of international law. The Americans are responsible for this crime against humanity. Of course, what they are doing is a war crime against the Iraqi people; they have killed more than one million Iraqi citizens.

Reporter, FEMALE, # 1
Political analysts believe that the motive behind the International Criminal Court’ decision is not legal, but rather political, especially when considering the economic struggle between the US and China in Sudan. They wonder about the time of the Pressure that has been exerted by the US on Sudan which is not a cosigner to the International court of Justice to begin with.

Guest, FEMALE, # 3
Of course, there is a clear competition between the US and China in Africa which plays a role in the ICC accusations. The US itself opposes the International Criminal Court and refused to be a cosigner.

Reporter, FEMALE, # 1
Political analysts reiterated that indicting senior Sudanese officials is politically motivated, not legally.

Guest, MALE, # 3
The accusations against the Sudanese president are wrong. The former American president Jimmy Carter is not an ordinary man. He has much political experience and won a Nobel Prize. Carter said that what is going on in Gaza is a violation of international law. It is an ugly violation to international law and human rights. However, we did not hear any reactions about this statement. To the contrary, they have tried to suppress it.

Reporter, FEMALE, # 1
Human rights activists said that the US is trying to use politically motivated accusations to achieve what it has failed to do through military means in the Middle East. They also said that issues go beyond Darfur, and the objective is to harm sovereignty and stability in Sudan and other Arab and Muslim countries.

Presenter, MALE, # 1
The residence of western Darfur held angry demonstrations with the participation of the national unity government, and the governor of the state, Abu Al Qasem Imam Al Haj. The protestors condemned the accusations that were made against the Sudanese President, and reiterated that these accusations are violations to Sudanese sovereignty and show double standards by the International Court of Justice. The City Council of Western Darfur who held an urgent meeting with the governor of the state, condemned the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo. They said that the Sudanese president is a source of pride for the Sudanese people.

Presenter, MALE, # 1
The state of Northern Darfur, condemned the ICC accusations. Protesters rejected Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s accusations.

Reporter, MALE, # 2
Spokesmen at the demonstration condemned Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s accusations and his court; they reiterated that the people of Darfur completely reject foreign interventions in all forms as well as the targeting of Sudan and its leadership. They declared that the Sudanese people in Darfur stand behind the national policy of President Omar Al Basheir.

Guest, MALE, # 3
We stand united behind Al Basier. No God but God and Muhammad his messenger. I swear to God that we would die for our cause.

Guest, MALE, # 4
President Ahmad Al Basier represents development and modernization.

Guest, MALE, # 5
We reject any decision from the International Court of Justice. Second, we are not obligated to comply with decisions made by the ICC because we are not co-signers in it.

Reporter, MALE, # 2
Deputy Governor of Northern Darfur, Idrees Abdalah Hasan, talked in the demonstration, calling on the people in Darfur to unite against the challenges facing the country. He called on them to close the door in the face of those who want to harm the country’s security, reiterating that Darfur will not be used as a means to achieve the goals of collaborators and those who betray their country.

Guest, MALE, # 5
Darfur is steadfast, Darfur is strong, Darfur will not be used as a mean to divide Sudan and humiliate its leaders. Oh our people of Darfur, Oh our people every where unite, unite, unite. Those who are abroad come back to your country. We will defeat the devils like Luis Moreno-Ocampo.

Presenter, FEMALE, #1
The Islamic Jama’a in Pakistan organized a demonstration to condemn the prosecutor of the international criminal court’s decision against the Sudanese President Omar al Bashir. The leaders of the Islamic Jama’a participating in the protests in the city of Lahor, called on the people of the Islamic world to unite and carry out jihad against the United States and the West. More in the following report by Abdel Rahman Matar.

Reporter, MALE, #1
The intense heat and high humidity in the city of Lahor, Eastern Pakistan, did not stop hundreds of Islamic Jama’a supporters from gathering. They demonstrated in support of the Islamic country of Sudan and its President Omar al Bashir. They expressed their fear that Sudan and its President will be targeted by the United States, similar to Iraq and Afghanistan. Hundreds of Islamic Jama’a supporters went out to the streets in demonstration. They called for Jihad against Washington. The leader of the Jama’a urged the protestors to do everything they can to support Sudan. They also sent a message to the Sudanese people. They warned the Islamic countries and their leaders of the repercussions of “staying silent,” which in turn supports tyranny.


Guest, MALE, #2
Our message to the Sudanese people is that they are not alone in facing this oppression. The Islamic nations are with them, God willing. And to the Islamic world we say: if they abandon Sudan today, they will suffer the same fate tomorrow.

Guest, MALE, #3
The leaders of the Islamic world have sold themselves to the West. The Islamic nations should unite and choose the path of jihad. I assure you that when this happens, the enemies of the nation will not last for one minute in the battlefield.

Reporter, MALE, #1
Multi lingual banners were carried during the demonstration, which reflected the Jama’a’s ability to organize its members and showed its wide scope of political concern. What remains, (to be seen), however, is the ability to exert actual effect. The Jama’a sent a clear message during this demonstration. Any US aggression on Sudan means an aggression against the Islamic Nation at large. To face this threat, jihad is essential.

[Summary]

A Guantanamo video has been released, showing the interrogation of twenty-one year old Candian citizen, Omar Khadr. Khadr was just fifteen at the time of his capture and has been accused of killing a U.S. soldier with a grenade in Afghanistan in 2002. Omar Khadr’s father was alleged to be a founder of Al Qaeda. Khadr’s lawyers hope that this video will shame Canadian politicians into action.

Last month legal rulings in the U.S. declared that Guantanamo detainees can go to U.S. court to fight illegal detention in Guantanamo. Also, a U.S. court ruled that there is insufficient evidence to hold a Chinese detainee who has been in Guantanamo for six years.

[Summary]

The house questions the Bush administrations authorization of torture in Guantanamo.

Presenter, MALE, #1
Extremist right wing blocs in Israel are taking advantage of the inflammatory anti-Arab atmosphere. They are working on passing laws that suffocate Arabs, in order to force them to leave their land. The Interior Ministry approved a bill that authorizes the Minister of the Interior to revoke the citizenship of anyone who supports “terrorism,” as the committee called it. He can also revoke the citizenships of anyone suspected of spying on the State or jeopardizing its security. This law comes within the campaign instigated against Arab citizens in Jerusalem after the bulldozer incident two weeks ago.

Reporter, MALE, #2
The fact that Olmert’s government is nearing the end of its term seems to have led the extremist right wing in Israel to approve laws that further complicate the situation of Arabs, placing them under the magnifying glass. The aim of the right wing blocs is to enter the next election period and collect the largest number of votes. Per a request by the Likud Knesset member, Gilad Ardan, the Interior Ministry committee approved a law that gives the Minister of the Interior power to revoke the citizenship of anyone who supports terrorism, as the committee described it, or those suspected of spying on the State and jeopardize its security. This bill will go through the second and third reading in the Knesset within a week. After that, the full power will be in the Interior Minister’s hands. He can revoke the citizenship of whomever he wants, based on reports by the National Security system, the Shebak.

Guest, MALE, #3
These laws are not being created to revoke the citizenship of Jews. I’ll give you an example, which we also gave today during the discussions: Can this law revoke the citizenship of Yigal Amir, the killer of Prime Minister Yithak Rbin? Neither the head of the committee nor the other members were able to give a response to this. So we said openly, this law comes to take away what’s left of Arab rights. We reject this completely, and reasonable Israelis need to reject it also.

Reporter, MALE, #2
It is clear that this bill aims to drive out the Arabs in the country, particularly the inhabitants of Eastern Jerusalem. The voices of right wing extremist blocs called on tightening the restrictions on Arabs, especially after the latest operation. They aim to make Arabs submit to what the occupation imposes on the holy city and its inhabitants, forcing them to accept the laws of the Jewish State, even if it compromises their lives.

Guest, MALE, #4
Even before this bill, they had been looking toward the future and had been preparing for this for many years. This bill aims at Judifying Jerusalem and emptying it of Arab citizens; it is the State’s attempt to terrorize the citizens.

Guest, MALE, #5
Essentially, this bill is designed to remove the Palestinians from their land, to empty Jerusalem from its original inhabitants, and to revoke identity cards from the Palestinians. Will this bill apply to Jewish Israelis? No, it won’t!

Reporter, MALE, #2
This new law, which will take effect within a few days, will place Palestinians in the category of ‘permanent suspects.’ It will be important to exert legal effort to investigate the reasons and justifications for accusations against people who oppose the State’s laws, even if they do it democratically.

Guest, MALE, #6
This law is dangerous to all Jerusalemites; anyone who is suspected of collaborating in any operation, which they call “terrorism”, will be threatened with getting his ID and Israeli citizenship revoked.

Reporter, MALE, #2
Laws like this one emanate from the Knesset, which aims to deform the image of the Palestinians people, and portray them to the whole world as people who adopt terrorism as a way of life. Israel stomps over Human rights and freedoms, while singing praises claiming to be the only Oasis of Democracy in the Middle East. It is not unusual for the Jewish State to pass laws which outwardly seem to protect its entity and security, but which inwardly aim to stick accusations onto Arab Palestinians and mark them as terrorists. It aims to force Arabs to submit to the occupation, which aims at taking the land and uprooting Arabs from these areas. For al-Madar on Abu Dhabi TV, this is Saeed Hasanayn reporting from East Jerusalem.

Presenter, FEMALE, #1
On to the security developments in Iraq: Nine people were killed and 11 people were injured in 2 suicide attacks in Mosul. Twenty eight people were killed and 68 were injured in 2 other suicide attacks in the city of Baquba. Salah Hassan reports.

Reporter, MALE, #1
There is never peace of mind in the city of Baquba. Not one day goes by without hearing the sounds of explosions or gun fire. Today, a disaster hit many of the city’s inhabitants. Two suicide attackers wearing explosives belts penetrated the security barriers. They detonated themselves amidst hundreds of volunteers from the Diyala province. About one hundred people were killed or injured. Both attacks had the fingerprints of al-Qaeda. The city had earlier been a battlefield for various armed militias, and was controlled by al-Qaeda for a long time. City councils, supported by resistance groups, government and US forces, tried to cleanse it in an operation called “The extraordinary Spear.” They tried to drive out armed al-Qaeda members from the city. But the operation did not achieve its ambitions of completely getting rid of al-Qaeda and armed militias. Violence returned, with assassinations and explosions occurring on a semi-daily basis. This led the Iraqi government to start preparations for further actions. According to the Iraqi Interior Minister, Jawad al Bolani, Baquba is at the threshold of a new military operation targeting al-Qaeda members and outlaws. This city greatly affects its neighboring cities, especially Baghdad. In turn, it is greatly affected by its neighbors to the East. Even though the city is characterized by ethnic and sectarian diversity; in the end, this diversity has led to misery and disaster.

REPORTER, MALE #1
The nightmare of Al Qaeda, Iraq’s politicians, the American and Iraqi militaries, the armed Arab and foreign fighters and their struggle for the control of Al-Qaem: All these have exacerbated the state of affairs in Iraq, where many solutions and proposals have ended in a deadlock. The war strategy of attack and retreat, the attacks with booby trapped cars, the fighting of street gangs: All these helped dismantle the US war machinery, making it unable to counter the cells of evil that are spreading across the entire country.

GUEST, MALE #2
Through the killing and by brute force, Al Qaeda was able to seize control of the region. Al Qaeda would kill for any reason, even for suspicion; it has no other methods of punishment besides killing. Through fear, Al Qaeda is trying to control the world.

GUEST, MALE #3
There is more than one Al Qaeda in Iraq; there is Al Qaeda affiliated with Iran, with Syria and with the US. We can’t talk about Al Qaeda as an organization per se; after leaving Afghanistan, the Al Qaeda organization has split. Each political regime tried to exploit Al Qaeda for its own benefits. Al Qaeda is not what it used to be; it’s no longer a well organized entity.

REPORTER, MALE #1
The practices of those affiliated with Al Qaeda are stemming from an extreme ideology not familiar to the Iraqi people, including the residents of Al-Qaem. Al Qaeda, through its extreme ideology, tried to manipulate the political, religious, social, and economic way of life in the city of Al-Qaem. By force or, perhaps by choice, the residents of Al-Qaem used their land and resources to provide a safe haven for Al Qaeda.

GUEST, MALE #4, (Zarqawi, the late Al Qaeda leader in Iraq)
To those holding the flag: Rise up! Where are the lions of Anbar? Where are the lions of Salah Deen? Where are the men of Baghdad? Where are the knights of Ninewa and the heroes of Diala? Where are the brave men of Kurdistan? Where are the lions of Islamic monotheism, the heirs and followers of Khaled, Muthana, Saad, Mikdadi, and Salah Deen?

REPORTER, MALE #1
Al Qaeda, through its desire for domination, is trying to maintain control and monopolize the political, security, and economic decision-making process in the country. In doing so, Al Qaeda didn’t even spare those armed groups or resistance factions which intersect partially or completely with the Islamic State of Iraq, and which don’t want to follow the destructive path of Al Qaeda.

GUEST, MALE #5
Al Qaeda asked all Iraq’s armed groups to fight under its command; Al Qaeda wants to be in charge of all these groups. Many of the groups joined Al Qaeda; however, the Hamza Brigades, led by Jumaa Mohammad, may he rest in peace, refused to join Al Qaeda because it believes in the killing of the Iraqi people; the Hamza Brigades insisted they will not take part in the killing of Iraqis, consequently, Al Qaeda engaged in a war with the Hamza Brigades.

REPORTER, MALE #1
With this, the conflict escalated between Al Qaeda and those opposing it from the armed groups and the local tribes; this resulted in a series of assassinations and counter assassination attacks among the rival groups; which has ultimately led to a reduction in the level of violence against the joint enemy. This comes after the number of US fatalities and losses went down, which is due in part to the war Al Qaeda declared on the remaining factions of the resistance, which are the allies of yesterday and the enemies of today.

Presenter, MALE, # 1
Vice President Tareq Al Hashimi said that some Iraqi ministers have shameful and bad reputations due to corruption. During a visit by Al Hashimi to the Ministry of agriculture, he called for holding corrupt ministers accountable for their actions. The government has detailed information about the ongoing corruption in Iraqi ministries.

Reporter, MALE, # 2
In the frame work of his job which includes surveying the country’s agencies, Vice president Tariq Al Hashimi visited the Ministry of Agriculture. He looked closely at problems facing citizens who work in the agriculture sector. Al Hashimi talked with the minister of agriculture Ali Al Bahadli and a number of officials about obstacles facing the ministry of agriculture in Iraq. The agriculture production has decreased this year.

Guest, MALE, # 3 (Hashimi)
A great deal of progress has been achieved during this visit. There were frank conversations between me and senior officials in the ministry of agriculture, including the minister. I think I heard them saying: how can the president’s office help the ministry overcome the many challenges facing agriculture. I promise the ministry will do all that can to help. I care a great deal about the agriculture sector, not only because I want the production to increase for economic reasons, but also because improving agriculture would also help in improving security. Today, due to the decrease in agriculture production, there is an increase in employment. This means that the security situation will not improve, it may even worsen. Thus agriculture is directly related to the security situation in Iraq. Providing more jobs in agriculture, as Iraq is an agricultural country, this will help improve security. The agriculture must be expanded in Iraq so we can create more jobs for our young men, relatives and the tribes. If the demand for agriculture workers continues to increase, I think Iraq will have a better security situation.