DR AFFIA AWARENESS DINNER STATEMENT

Dear readers,
As you all know I greatly support the cause of Dr Affia and have posted on her several times. Today I attended a awareness dinner set up by Dr Ihtesham in Southall. I was covering the event for JFAC. Below is a statement issued by Dr Ihtesham...please read and support a very just cause. There will be a further post written by me including more pictures from the night.




event held to support Dr Aafia Siddiqui today (27th January 
2011) 
organised by Dr.Ihtesham Sabri.

The plight of the Pakistani  neuroscientist, Dr Aafia Siddiqui, also known as the 'Daughter of Pakistan', was highlighted today in a very high profile press conference style event held in a prestigious Southall venue, TKC.

Speakers included Lord Nazir Ahmed and well-known journalist Yvonne Ridley, with legal aspects of the case discussed by solicitor Mr Sultan Sabri and barrister Abid Hussain.  Chaired by GP Dr Ihtesham Sabri, the 
panel outlined to a spectrum of media and professional guests the tragic case of Dr Siddiqui, starting with her 
disappearance from Karachi on the 30th March, 2003.  All three of her children were with her when she vanished, and the whereabouts of her youngest son, who was then only months old, are still unknown.

Dr Siddiqui, now 38, had studied in the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US before returning to Pakistan.  She was missing for 5 years before being produced in front of a group of journalists in Ghazny, Afghanistan and subsequently being accused of taking up an unattended rifle to shoot a US soldier-a premise that both Mr Sabri and Barrister Hussain stated to be highly questionable in the least, given her petite 
frame and having a background in neurosciences and academia rather than military training.  In fact, the only individual to sustain any injury during this incident was Dr Siddiqui herself; a gunshot wound to the trunk. 

She was then hurriedly renditioned to the USA to stand trial for having allegedly committed this crime.  Mr Sabri brought to guests' attention the illegality of rendition under International law, Afghanistan being a sovereign country and the scene of the incident in question, whilst Yvonne Ridley cited the Vienna convention  having been 
broken in this act by the US.  All 4 speakers called for a swift and just repatriation for Dr Siddiqui to Pakistan, 
where she can undergo a fair and balanced trial to face any charges openly-there was a common concern that US law courts are acting unjustly and bowing to fierce islamophobic pressures from their people. The sentencing of Dr Siddiqui to 86 years imprisonment was described as unprecedented and the likelihood of appeals being successful under this legal system seem to be disheartening according to the panel's viewpoint.


Yvonne Ridley, who has campaigned fervently for Dr Aafia's cause, shared her journey of discovering and then raising awareness that there was in fact a female prisoner in Bagram, who had come to be known as the Grey Lady, and also as Prisoner 650.  Allegations of this woman being tortured 
abound, and during a subsequent trip to Pakistan there was much public support for her release.  Lord Nazir Ahmed, a famous politician and peer who has fought for Dr Aafia to be repatriated, gave a practical set of action 
points that anyone feeling the injustice of this case can 
follow in an effort to bring justice to Aafia Siddiqui and her young family.These include lobbying local MP's, and US congressmen and women.  By bringing this issue into our mosques and community centres, and writing letters calling for her repatriation to our national newspapers, one may attain greater awareness of the incongruities of 
the fragile case against this mother of three and eminent academic. 

One overwhelming conclusion of this awareness event is that Dr Siddiqui has been reported to have developed a psychiatric condition known as Psychosis, diagnosed in 2008 by US prison psychologist Diane Mclean, in 
which the sufferer has a loss of contact with reality. Dr Ihtesham Sabri spoke about the effects that this condition can have on altering an individual's mental capacity to consent and also in making any decisions, not least to stand trial in such a perilous case. He also expressed concern that it would be unlikely for a person of Dr 
Siddiqui's circumstances and stage of life to develop this distressing condition without external factors such as sensory deprivation techniques, and cited UK politicians who had accused MI5 of outsourcing and complicity in torture.  He called for an urgent independent medical delegation to be allowed to visit and assess Dr Siddiqui in the USA where she is now incarcerated.


Best 
regards,

Dr.Ihtesham Sabri

TUNISIA AND THE BATTLE GOES ON.....

When the protests in Tunisia started a month ago we never imagined that this was the beginning of the ousting of a dictator. It was a unplanned moment of frustration by a people tired of being down trodden and abused by a greedy and corrupted president.

The same man that was held up by the west including the UK as a beacon of modernisation a champion against Islamic groups had been slowly strangling his people. Bleeding the very life force from the country. Lack of jobs and investments coupled with high prices and corruption had created a Tunisia far removed from the idyllic tourist destination it was painted to be. Behind the exotic souks and camel rides were a people controlled and held back by a dictator in power for 23 years.

The ironic thing is the BBC's coverage spent more time focusing on the Thomas cook holiday makers rather then the murder of over 50 innocent protesters. Quoted was one holiday maker who said that the protests had not touched them, they saw nothing, they were protected from it all. On hearing this the irony was not lost on me. This sums up the wests attitude towards the Ben Ali...too busy watching the lip service given to modernisation and so called western civilisation, to notice the ugly nasty truth unraveling in the corner. Like the western tourists just sent home, too busy snapping pictures of the colourful locals to notice the sadness and misery in their eyes.

But now the ugly truth of Ben Ali and his administration has been exposed like the dirty wound that it is. On Friday we cheered as we heard that Ben Ali had fled Tunisia bound on a plane for nowhere. Hovering in the Skies until eventually the corrupt Saudi regime opened their already bloody arms to him. With a history of accepting exiled leaders they were obvious choice for a man not welcomed anywhere in the world. Even his greatest supporters France turned their backs on him.

So on Friday we celebrated...a win not only for Tunisia but for every other nation drowning under the weight of dictatorships. This wasn't like the ousting of Saddam by America when our happiness of his departure was marred by our guilt that we has been freed by yet another oppressor. But the undiluted feeling of total freedom and power. Strength achieved through unity and the simple power of the people. Martyr's gave up their lives in Tunisia so that the world could see that freedom is feasible, with unity and strength comes a power that will leave even the bloodiest of dictators shaking in their boots. A fire has been lit in Tunisia and is slowly spreading like like a blanket of truth and justice covering everything it encounters in its path.

In Algeria there is rioting against unemployment rates and bad living conditions, in Egypt protests have also erupted and even in Libya there have been reports of clashes with the police based on unrest in regards to living conditions. There is an unrest in Tunisia's neighbours and it has the dictators of the middle east quivering in their steel studded army boots.

Arab leaders have remained staunchly quite on this subject apart from Gaddafi who has shown his contempt of the liberation of Tunisia. I am sure he is hoping that this fierce thirst for freedom will not reach and swallow up Libya. He was quotes as saying he was pained by the fall of the Tunisian Government. Protesters had been led astray by wiki leaks disclosures detailing the corruption in Ben Alis family and regime.

Personally I hope the people of my country Pakistan follow in the footsteps of Tunisia and oust Zadari from a post he never deserved or gained ethically, I hope and pray that this is a lesson that the people of the world take and expand on. 

However we have won the battle but not the war. Celebrations need to be short and sweet, the fight is far from over. Getting rid of Ben Ali has cut the tree but the roots are still there spreading their poison back into the soil of the Tunisian people.

The new Government put in place on Monday is no different from what was in place before. Mohamed Ghannouchi as well as foreign interior, finance and defense ministers retain the same roles as they had under Ben Alis regime.

Mohamed Ghannouchi was quoted as saying 

"Ministers that have served under Ben Ali and who have retained their jobs in the new government have clean hands and have always acted to preserve the international interest" - French radio European 1

We must continue to push forward with this battle. To see it through till the end, so that the countless lives that have been lost or destroyed were not in vain. It is important that the Tunisian people have in place a transitional care taker government that does not exclude any of the political parties. There needs to be a call for a free and fair election in order to return the sovereignity of Tunisia back to its people.
We cannot let the current Government run by Mohammed Ghannouchi continue while there is still Internet censorship, while opposition leaders are excluded from the government, while the security services responsible for shooting and murdering innocent civilians are still intact, If we do it is only a matter of time before the Tunisian people are locked back in the cage from which they have just escaped and our dreams of a free world disapere in a wisp of smoke before our very eyes. We cannot let the roots of the RCD continue to strangle the dreams of the Tunisian people. Until all parties are involved in a unified Tunisia the voice of the people will continue to roar.
So lets continue to put pressure on the RCDRachid Ghannouchi return to represent the people, to allow a unified caretaker government to help the people of Tunisia move into their new chapter in life.

There will be a protest outside the Tunisian Embassy at 5pm on Wed 19th Jan. Please come along to show your support.

Attached below are picture from Saturdays celebration outside the Tunisian Embassy.

Viva la Tunis

Today my post will be short but sweet. I have attached some photos from the protest outside the Tunisian Embassy, please ignore the quality...the rain was so heavy.

Since the protest we have heard today that Ben Ali has fled to Malta. I cannot express my joy at hearing this...today was a triumph for people power. I just hope that the Tunisian people can come back from this even stronger.
Viva la TUNIS xxx

Inside Story - Tunisia's unemployment crisis

I apologise but this is a very hurriedly put together post so please excuse my writing style...content in this case is more important.

I have been paying great attention to the situation over in Tunisia at the moment. I first learnt about the protests through Al Jazeera around the Christmas period. I had up to this point imagined Tunisia as a country of plenty with a booming tourist and textiles industry. I like many others had no idea of the high levels of Unemployment and corruptions that Exist in Tunisia. Maybe I had heard a few snippets as I am privy to some very politically minded people. But if I was so ignorant to the truth how can I expect the average Joe to know the situation there.

Tunisia is run by a dictator, a man who runs a one party state where he has been the unquestionable leader for several decades.

Who takes from the country what he wishes and desire for no thought to the people he is supposed to govern. Ben Ali and his cronies are so corrupt that the idea to invest in Tunisia has become abhorrent to even it's own resident business men and women. Investing in Tunisia is like investing in a black hole. you have no idea where you money is going and what you will receive in return.

The gamble is just too much. This has led to a high level of unemployment especially amongst the younger generation. Tunisia's lack of non manual jobs has led to unemployment levels of up to 48% for Tunisian women and 23 % for men.

The young people in Tunisia are desperate for an opportunity to use the skills that they have been gained in University. Many are left with no choice to but to leave for other countries such as Libia. But can we just expect all the young people in Tunisia just to leave their families and go..that is not the solution.

In fact the recent riots were sparked by the attempted suicide of a young graduate called Mohammed Bouazizi reduced to illegally selling fruit and vegetables from a street cart to survive. When his produce was confiscated by the police it was too much for him and he doused himself in petrol and set him self alight.

Here was a man highly educated having to reduce himself to breaking the law to survive. Can you even imagine the desperation he felt to have committed such an act as suicide.

Well the youth of Tunisia do so they came out onto the streets to peacefully protest against the corruption in the government. This was not a protest organised by any particular group or organisation but rather an uprising of the people to voice their beliefs.

We in the UK were outraged by the recent handling of the student protesters in London. We were angry and disgusted by the police charging us with battens and horses. Well just a 2 hour plane ride away the young people in Tunisia are being murdered for speaking out against their government.

The official figures vary but there have been over 50 recorded deaths during the protests as well as numerous injuries from police brutality or from actually being gassed. In fact as I write this My Tunisian flat mate has just informed me that today a 14 year old male protester was murdered. I remember being so sickened when I heard that our police held 14 year olds in the kettles and denied them food and water. Now imagine one of those young people shot for attending the same protest. We would be up in arms, there is no way that we would allow such an act. Yet just two hours away in a modern westernised tourist destination this has just happened and yet the world silently watches on.

When governments are reduced to killing children to squash an up rising you know that there is something fundamentally flawed in all its policies, that it is so inherently corrupt that you have no option but to burn it to the ground and start again. This is not just about jobs but corruption that is so deeprooted in Ben Ali's adminstration that its like a cancer slowly killing the country and it's residents.

Murder and brutality not being enough for Ben Ali he has now imposed an 8 o'clock curfew on the Tunisian people, any one caught breaking this faces immediate arrest and detention. What kind of madness is this? Ben Ali is creating a prison of Tunisia one in which any rebellion is met with brutality and death. With no excuses made for age or gender. This is the worst form of brutality to scare a people into submission. While the country crumbles in his iron fist Ben Ali has sent his wife's family to safety in Canada.

So while they enjoy all the pleasures Canada has to offer, while their children run free in parks and forests the Real Children of Tunisia are being imprisoned and murdered.

Ben Ali has censored all media coverage in Tunisia with Channels such as Al Jazeera now being banned from the country. It is trying to sweep it's oppression under the carpet, and we are compliant in helping him do this by remaining quite. Even today I learnt of a young man that has been arrested and imprisoned for simply posting information on his Facebook in Tunisia.

I wish that I could get out to Tunisia and get photos to show the truth of the situation, but I know that if Ben Ali has banned media coverage and major organisations cant' get in or out I have no choice but to watch in anger and frustration from the side lines.

However getting frustrated and screaming at the computer screen is not going to help the Tunisian people. We need to be more constructive in our support. So what can we do?

Firstly there is an initial protest outside the Tunisian embassy at 5pm tomorrow. Please attend and show your support. I am intending to get pics which will be circulated in the Tunisian community to show them that we are beside them and not silenced to their plight. Hopefully this is the first of many. I know it is very last moment but we have no time to waste if innocent children are being murdered we must mobilise. Please I implore you try to attend this protest, if you cannot please pass this blog or info to as many people as you can. Below is the address for the embassy as well as info on how to writ to your MP and a sample letter.

People let's show that Evil Dictator Ben Ali that the world is no longer silent to his crimes and we stand side by side with the people of Tunisia

I thank you all

The Tunisian Embassy 29 Prince’s Gate--SW7 1QG London, United Kingdom

Please follow these simple steps to write to your MP:

1- Go to www.writetothem.com and enter your postcode, and click GO
2- Click on your MP's name.
3- Enter your name and details and copy-paste the message below, update and personalise as required, and submit
4- Shortly after submitting you will receive an email asking you to confirm your letter, click on the link in the email.
5- Done, you letter is sent.
6-Please forward this message to your contacts.


Sample Letter

[Your MP]
[Your MP's address]


RE: Dozens of protesters killed in Tunisia during protests against youth unemployment, government’s corruption and lack of public freedoms


Dear [MP]


I am writing to you as one of your constituents to draw your attention to the tragic events unfolding in Tunisia.


At least fifty protesters have been shot dead by police during nationwide protests that have taken place in various towns and cities, particularly in the central west of the country, while dozens of journalists, lawyers, bloggers and human rights activists have been arrested and subjected to mistreatment.

The protests were initially sparked by the suicide attempt of a young graduate, Mohammed Bouazizi, who set himself on fire in desperation to protest against youth unemployment (he later died in hospital) in the town of Sidi Bouzid. This was followed by a number of other suicide attempts as well as a wave of protests around the country.

The protests have been joined by students, trade unions, lawyers and others. Thousands of lawyers went on a general strike following the mistreatment and arrest of many lawyers during an attempted sit-in on 31 December.

The Tunisian authorities' response has been a brutal crackdown on these legitimate expressions of dissent, through the use of tear gas and live bullets against unarmed protesters.

As noted by Amnesty International, Tunisian authorities have also sought to prevent the spreading of information on the protests by enforcing a media blackout and by blocking websites and closing the email accounts of Internet activists, in particular those using Facebook.

This is taking place following decades of systematic repression, corruption, and silencing of all voices of dissent, whether through trade unions, political parties, or independent civil society associations. Tunisia has been condemned as one of the top "enemies of the press" and "enemies of the Internet" alongside countries such as China and Iran by international groups such as the Committee for the Protection of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders.

Against this alarming situation, I urge you to call on the British Foreign Secretary to urgently summon the Tunisian ambassador to demand the following:
- That an end be put to the use of force against protesters, and that those responsible for the deaths and injuries caused to protesters be held to account.
- That all those arrested during the protests be immediately released.
- That Tunisians be allowed to express their grievances and protest freely.
- That an end be put to the media blackout and the blocking of Internet websites and accounts.

The EU is Tunisia's number one trading partner, and Britain has large investments in the country (British Gas is the largest foreign investor in Tunisia). Under the EU partnership agreements, Tunisia pledged to "strengthen democracy and political pluralism by the expansion of participation of political life and the embracing of all human rights and fundamental freedoms". For many years Tunisia has consistently failed to honour those pledges, with complete impunity. It is now seeking to raise its status to an advanced partner with the EU.

Britain must not allow Tunisia to continue to violate human rights and freedoms with impunity. It must exert pressure on the Tunisian government to honour its pledges. Urgent action is required to prevent further loss of life and the escalation of events.

Yours sincerely,
[Your name]

http://www.writetothem.com/