Violated!

Have you ever had anything taken from you? I haven't but my sister did. In secondary school someone stole her phone. I was so angry that someone went through her belongings and took her property I hit a wall (yes I'm aware I'm not the smartest kid!) and my knuckles were sensitive for a good few years.

The point of this story? I'm coming to it, just bare with me.

Have you ever been mugged? Or has anything been taken without your permission but you know it'll get returned but the principle of taking without asking pissed you off to a point you lost your temper?

Now imagine this...You kiss your wife goodbye and head off to work. Your wage is hardly worth the work, but anything is better than nothing. After a tough day at work (like always) you make your way home. You know your on the right street but you can't find your home, you keep going round in circles now panicking! Where is your wife? Where is your home? You happen to see your neighbour in a surrounding area and ask "what has happened??" and he replies "they took your home and they took your wife!" How do you feel? What are you going to do?? This is the threat that looms over EVERY Palestinian, those that aren't feeling this threat are those that this has already happened to!

Well they deserve it, they're terrorist? No they're not! Imagine having your home taken, having your wife taken, who would you normally go to? The police? Palestine is an  OCCUPIED land, the courts are of those who are OCCUPYING them. So of course they're going to turn to those who offer them the justice their hearts are yurning for. Imagine finding out a soldier killed/violated your wife, your daughter or your mother! Your going to want to get justice, no matter what the cost. Therefore they turn to the "extremists".

We can't imagine the suffering they go through daily, because most of us live in a free land, where no matter what your religion, ethnicity and gender we can argue our cases and get the justice we want. They cannot! I was angry beyond belief that someone took my sisters PHONE, these peoples HOMES, JOBS, MEN AND WOMEN are being taken without any justification and without any warning!

The same has happened with over 700 men that the US army kidnapped and took to an Island they'd never heard of! Guantanamo Bay Prison is just as great a violation of human rights as is the continuous occupation of Palestinian land by the Israeli state.

The discussion of the illegality Guantanamo Bay Prison is for another blogpost :)

Gaddafi the goulish general!

Yes, you guessed it i'm gonna jibber jabber about the twat known as General Gaddafi.

He was doing okay, up until now (by okay I mean no-one gave two hoots about him!) Here's where i'm slightly puzzled - the UN.
We've seen the heights he's willing to go to subdue his people, he's got fighter jets (or something of that nature) hovering above them and I personally have seen some nasty images of decapitated / mutilated bodies. To say he's a nasty piece of s*** is definitley putting it lightly!!
Yet, even after all this nastiness the UN simply "condemned the use of violence against civilians and called for those responsible for the attacks to be held to account." WTF!! Seriously, lets pretend Iraq never happened....actually scratch that - the Iraq war happened over night with little (none!) evidence regarding WMDs. Here is a man, Gadaffi, butchering his people in the hundreds yet the US says they'll take "appropriate steps in time"!

Georgies confused & this time he's not the only one!!

Here's what I say - the UN, the US and the UK are a bunch of useless sods! The UN couldn't stop an ILLEGAL war so like hell they can do anything for the people of Libya. The US and UK have been seeking wars since the turn of the century so no-ones going to take them seriously!

The arab worlds the only place on earth that's doing it right! If you want things done you got to take hold of the reigns and do it yourself! Don't ever rely on anyone, because all talk and no action leads you to disappointment and resentment.

May God grant the people of Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria patience, steadfastness and victory! May He humiliate the leaders that oppressed and humiliate the people they were meant to serve.

The power of man...

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

- Abraham Lincoln

 

Man is bound to disappoint. Power leads to possessiveness, who would want to give it up? And this is what we are seeing all around the world today. 

 

You know what bothers me? Why didn't we (the western world) speak out when we never agreed with our leaders! 

Many of us didn't agree to go to war and hit the streets to protest against it - but then we gave up.

Many didn't agree for tuition fee hikes and hit the streets to protest against it - but then we gave up.

Many didn't agree on guantanamo bay and hit the streets to protest against it - but then we gave up. 

Did we not have enough passion? Nope, we believed in our cause 110% , but we lacked consistency! 

Mubarak was in power for 30 years but in 18 days he was removed! How? CONSISTENCY!

When you wake up in the morning and feel like having more control at work, think again. I'm sure you've seen it and I definitley have, even at work when you see a person handed more responsibilities they change. The only way they don't is if they fear the people they work FOR. I haven't seen that kind of fear in our leaders since I was born - until now! 

The Arab world has made the entire world look and listen! You may oppress us for so long, but we're simply sleeping lions...when we put our minds and hearts into it we can remove you in the wink of an eye (figuratively speaking obviously - however should you wish to try the method mentioned pls do inform me of the results) I think its time the democratic world also felt the fear, Cameron has come into government (although technically no-one voted for this government!) trying to convince parliament to allow voting reforms. Here's what I say, I hope that he gets what he wants and then I hope and pray the people come out in their millions and show HIM, he doesn't decide who stays in power! I want to see the arrogance of the western leaders squashed!! They are at just as much of a risk - I feel a revolution is bound to hit our lands and when it does...O boy!

Soldiers who speak out...

I've always admired the military...but not the 21st century type.

I was always taught to respect the people who enforce law, who protect us and risk their own lives in the process. However, all the accounts from prisoners in Abu Ghraib, Kandahar, Guantanamo Bay, H M Prison etc have shown that most are no longer respecting the oath they make.

We, the western world, pride ourselves on how we endorse equality and justice. We gloat about our democratic societies while pitying those in the middle east with far less democracy. 'Innocent until proven guilty' has been ignored since the beginning of the War on Terror. Guantanamo Bay is the perfect example. Your probably sitting infront of your screen thinking 'What the heck do you know?' Well heres my source : Iraq Veterans Against the war (IVAW).

Heres some names I suggest you youtube (that's right youtube you can google if you'd like, but i'm a tad bias toward youtube) :

• Mike Spryner 
• Jason Hurd
• John Turner
• Adam Kokesh
• Nick Morgan
• Brandon Neely (A brilliant man! You can add him on twitter @BrandonTXNeely)
• Bobby Whittenburg
• Joe Glenton
• Kristofer Goldsmith

They're mostly soldiers who have spoken out against the war and spoken out on how badly prisoners were treated. Kristofer Goldsmith has said himself that racism was something that was instilled within them from the beginning.

I'm not going to take up anymore of your time, because i'd much rather you spent it listening to these soldiers testimonies. With that said,, I shall now depart, however I suggest you watch the following video :)

How 9/11 changed my life....

After 9/11 everything changed, to say so is no exaggeration.
The changes in law (i.e. indefinite detention), the blatant discrimination, the tension and the unrest - all after effects of the heinous crime.

I was 11 years old, and I saw it all live on tv after school. I never in my wildest of dreams thought it would impact ME and MY life. Allow me to give you some background info :

I, like many others, would go to mosque, after school, (4pm-6pm) to learn to read the quran and write Urdu.  My dad was the teacher (Yikes!). I have a lot of fond memories, sadly, I'm not the oppressed lady forced to go...as much as some would like to believe. I was never the really the fully practicing type, I prayed but sporadically and self declared the weekend days off - because we'd always go to my nans.
9/11 brought me back to my faith. I was going through a bad patch and I turned to the Quran and it helped and from then on I fell in love with Islam. After the attacks, my dad was constantly verbally abused outside the mosque he worked, his mosque was even raided at one point. There was heightened sense of paranoia, "who are the newbies coming to mosque?", "Are they undercover officers?" At one point I was afraid to sleep without my hijab, why you ask? Because WHEN (note not if) the police raid our house in the early hours at least I'll have my modesty.
School wasn't too bad oddly enough, it only got tough after the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal. I had 4 boys, who aspired to join the army, constantly bugging me  - it was more boring than bullying!

How 9/11 changed my life?
It made me realise that I was not like everyone else. I will NEVER fit into this society or any other 100%. Its not because I don't want to, its because people won't open their minds and see me for who I am. SO many times I hear people I work with say, 'you've the first muslim scarfed girl I get on with' or 'your not the other girls like you', 'I never  have thought i'd get on with you'. - here's the thing, I probably am like all the other muslim girls but you never gave them a chance!

Here's what I say to you, if your the guy who leant over and whispered in my ear (while shopping in sainsburys) "bloody muslims" or if your the group of boys who yelled "paki" as I walked by - I pity the fools! (O yeaaaa, had to get Mr-T in!) Because all the young boys did was point out the obvious, yes I am, however Pakistani is the proper term and I don't need reminding, thanks for the effort though :) as for the older gentlemen, well....all the other shoppers heard you, and you just advertised yourself for ignorance. Sorry people but you do more damage to yourself than to me!

9/11 brought out the strength within me, I would never be how I am now if I hadn't had to face so much hostility at such a young age. So to all you bigots and racists, thanks!!

PEACE :)

What Babar Ahmed taught me...

Feeling a bit sorry for yourself? Well GET OVER IT!

The following should help you "get over it" :)

For years I've been reading about horrific cases of prisoner abuse, indefinite detention and basic human rights being ignored. Sounds depressing, right? HECK YEAH! (If you do not agree please book an appointment with your local psychologist.)

One important message I've learnt, and read from prisoners, is to never let it (whatever 'it' may be) get you down. Babar Ahmed has written a beautiful piece on maintaining that positivity in a prison environment and more importantly in the face of blatant injustice - Words of Wisdom. (Alot is based on religion, but don't let if put you off!) If these men, facing indefinite detention, and some facing it on a land they probably never heard, can maintain their positivity and not recoil into self-helplessness then so can we!!!

Babar Ahmed, some of his injuries sustained during his arrest.

Ibn Taymiyyah once said : "The one imprisoned is the one who is prisoner to his desires. And the one behind bars is the one whose heart is barred from his Lord." How true is this statement! From personal experience, how often do I forget that I have my most basic of needs met - food, warmth and shelter. Yet, I'm not satisfied! I want things I can't afford, I want a better job not realising I'm blessed to have a job at all! I struggle with an eating disorder, yet I forget that its a test of character and strength and rather than dwell in it and the misery it brings I should strive to beat it!

You want to know what keeps me going? I know that when I remember the One who created me, who blew life into me, I feel at ease. There is no doubt in my mind that He would never ever place upon anyone a burden greater than they can bare - its down to us to change our mentality and realise that!

I shall end this post with a piece taken from Words of Wisdom :

 As one scholar said: “True freedom is to live with your head held up high, your forehead raised, with self dignity, each day better than before, tomorrow better than today, no matter what may come to pass."

Why you need to know about Guantanamo Bay

I'm pretty sure most of you have heard about. If you haven't then get googling!!

Guantanamo Bay Prison located in Cuba is the greatest injustice to have been served in the 21st century. If you disagree, then you've either been reading the stuff the government wants you to read or you brains a little bit mushy and therefore your moral compass is slightly wonky.

Tuesday 11 January 2011 marked 9 years since the first detainees were transferred to the US military prison. Your probably thinking 'well they're all terrorists so it makes sense to put them in prison duhh!' or 'well if they're innocent they've got nothing to worry about.' If only that was true! Allow me to introduce you to Fayiz Al-Kandari.

Fayiz al-Kandari

Al-Kandari, who is from a wealthy family in Kuwait, and has a history of providing humanitarian aid in countries where Muslims were suffering (in Bosnia in 1994, and in Afghanistan in 1997), has persistently stated that he arrived in Afghanistan at the end of August 2001, on a humanitarian aid mission that involved building two wells and repairing a mosque for a small rural community. He has also repeatedly stated that, sometime after the US-led invasion in October 2001, he set off for Pakistan, after being shown a leaflet that had a picture of an Afghan holding a bag with a dollar sign on it, accompanied by some text, which, in essence, said, “Turn in Arabs and this will be you,” but was then seized by Northern Alliance soldiers who subsequently sold him to US forces. Fayiz has been held in Guantanamo Bay prison since 2002. Although he has maintained his innocence and the US government has no evidence against him, he was put forward for a trial by Military Commission under President Bush. 

Lieutenant Colonel Barry D. Wingard is the detailed lead attorney from the Office of Military Commissions. Lieutenant Colonel Wingard recently submitted and had published an article about citing hearsey evidence against his client. Lieutenant Colonel Wingard said "Vague charges made it difficult to defend his client after he was assigned in October to represent a Kuwaiti named Fayiz al-Kandari". In trying to prepare his case, Lieutenant Colonel Wingard said:

"There simply is no evidence other than he is a Muslim in Afghanistan at the wrong time, other than double and triple hearsay statements, something I have never seen as justification for incarceration, let alone eight years."

Fayiz is currently still at the facility fighting for justice and living in hope. Be apart of something big and sign the petition to get him back home to his family!

Why do you need to know about Guantanamo Bay Prison? 

Because it breaks almost every law meant to protect us! The Geneva convention does not apply in this awful place, since the opening of this prison indefinite detention without trial has become ACCEPTABLE! This should not be how justice works - throughout history evidence is made present and then a counter argument after which a fair jury decides the outcome. In Guantanamo the accused isn't able to see the evidences presented against him therefore unable to argue against it! Imagine it was your son/daughter/husband/brother in this situation, how helpless would you feel?

I'm not asking you to believe that every person in there is innocent (although most are!) what I'm asking you to do is realise the procedures and policies are illegal and its about time we the public made a fuss about it and made our governments accountable for their actions!

What does this revolution mean to non-Egyptians?

I am not Egyptian. I have no link to Egypt in any way, shape or form.  But I couldn't help but be so proud of this beautiful nation!  

The fine people of this nation have set an unprecedented example to other nations - This is how you protest for democracy! The blood that was shed, was unfortunate, but many will agree it was instigated by pro-Mubarak supporters probably paid in some way to do so. Those who remained peaceful and composed amazed millions around the world with their organisation and dedication to remaining peaceful.

I recall turning on my tv after a long night of protests and watching the young and old clean up the streets, directing traffic and setting up checkpoints. Would these be the images on TV if it had been Britain. The students protests against tuition fee hikes caused thousands of pounds of damage and not a single person was in sight the day after to attempt and clean the streets and I didn't see anyone stopping the others from breaking shop windows etc. However, our TVs were bombarded with images of anti-mubarak protesters physically holding back their fellow comrades when being pelted with stones!

A student protester in London

As a non-Egyptian what does this revolution mean to me? The little people aren't as little as is liked to be believed! Mubarak for years oppressed and terrorised the people of this nation for 30 years yet within 18 days they had removed him. This is the strength of the people! No matter what any one tells you, you can make a difference. If your cause is just and if you are dedicated NOTHING can hold you back. InshaAllah (God Willing) all the tyrants of the world will be shaking in their boots, and rightfully so! The government should fear it's people because they are the key to their power.


God bless the Egyptian people for teaching us this most precious lesson. 

الحرية لمصر