Saturday 16 November 2013
TJ Joseph, Christian teacher accused of blasphemy (and mutilated) is fully acquitted
by Nirmala CarvalhoKerala Court hands down acquittal on appeal. In 2010, Islamic extremists accused the teacher of having offended Muhammad. While denying any responsibility, a group of strangers cut off his hand and part of his right arm. After being suspended and then fired by the school authorities, today the teacher was offered his job again.
Mumbai ( AsiaNews) - TJ Joseph , a Christian teacher accused of blasphemy in 2010, following which a group of strangers cut off his right hand and part of the arm, has finally been acquitted. The court of Thodupuzha in Kerala today heard the appeal filed by the teacher and acquitted him of all charges. A ruling , Sajan George , president of the Global Council of Indian Christians ( GCIC ) told AsiaNews, "for which we must thank the Indian judicial system . The case of Professor Joseph was one of the darkest pages in Kerala's recent history ."
It is March 2010, the teacher, a professor at Newman College, was accused of blasphemy by the Islamic fundamentalist group Popular Front of India ( PFI ) . According to the extremists, he added offensive questions about Muhammad to an exam questionnaire. Under constant threats, the man apologized publicly for his "unintentional error " .
A few months later, however , a group of strangers attacked him in Muvattupuzha ( Ernakulam district ) , cutting off the hand and part of his right arm . TJ Joseph survived the attack, but in September the same year the school authorities fired him, without any possibility of a pension.
According to Sajan George , the most serious aspects of this episode " was the attitude of the police, who registered the complaint against him and also arrested him, and of the institution , which has suspended him from duty . Fortunately, the Mahatma Gandhi University, to which Newman College is affiliated, revoked the decision of the school authorities and have offered him his job back".
Marriages of shame
Child marriages among Syrian refugees have turned into a lucrative business
Sahar* wished she could slap that
Saudi sheikh, just like she had slapped taxi drivers asking her to
provide them with young Syrian girls. But instead she just said “no” and
told him that if he shows up at that mosque again she will cut his
beard. Then she says she left, slamming the door. It wasn’t just an
accident, neither was it just one sheikh who asked her to serve as a
matchmaker.
A few months later, another Saudi sheikh approached her at the mosque: He wanted a young Syrian girl to marry and he was wondering whether she could find him a bride, for a fee, of course. Sometimes she gets such proposals from taxi drivers. “Once, I was in a taxi and the driver approached me. There was this Lebanese sheikh who wanted to marry a Syrian girl. ‘He will give you money, and he will also give that woman money,’ he told me. I slapped him, as usual,” she recalled.
Sahar is a conservative Muslim. She wears a hijab, she dons an abaya, she goes to the mosque. “I am a good girl, I am trustworthy. They feel they can trust me with that,” she explains. “If I agree to sell a girl, maybe some other woman would sell me against my will.”
But not many think like Sahar does. Young women get sold off for a week to men willing to pay. Taxi drivers ask around about young girls aged 16-17; deals are made in the streets of Tripoli. “I have refused to do this, but many people don’t.”
Some people make a business out of trafficking women for rich foreigners, says Ayman Hariri, a Syrian activist who settled in Akkar in 2011 when he had to flee Daraa fearing arrest. He used to run an NGO that provided aid for Syrian refugees, but he decided to close it down. Trying to provide aid is difficult, with some aid organizations using their small NGOs to sell 16-year-old girls to their Gulf sponsors in exchange for money.
“I can tell you about someone I know, I met him in person and he offered to bribe me. He posed as a sheikh with a Saudi benefactor. People soon found out his organization was actually what you call a whorehouse: He was getting girls for the Saudi sheikh. If he liked the girl, he would offer $10,000, he would marry her for a week, and then she would go back home with $1,000. The rest was given to the so-called Lebanese sheikh, who now owns a building and has several cars,” Hariri explains.
He says that Akkar is not like the Zaatari camp in Jordan, and the arranged marriages and cloaked prostitution aren’t nearly as frequent. “Jordan is closer to the Gulf, where girl-brides and early marriage are more common. Lebanon is farther away.”
But international organizations and NGOs in Lebanon say early marriage happens among the Syrian refugees as well as host communities. Stopping it is almost impossible, because Lebanese law allows child marriage, sociologist Rafif Rida Sidawi told NOW. “The Lebanese family code allows marriage for girls as young as 13-14. In some confessions, even as young as 9.” (Lebanon has 15 different family codes, almost one for each sect. Many of them allow child marriage.)
A Lebanese sheikh who requested to remain anonymous told NOW that he would never marry a girl under 13, although the law tells him that the minimum age is 9. “I need to see the girl, to see if she’s ready. I also need a medical certificate, and the father’s permission,” he explained.
Most NGOs that deal with women’s rights in Lebanon are concerned by the increasing number of early marriages among Syrian refugees. According to UNHCR’s refugee response plan, 10% of Syrian refugee women and Lebanese women in host communities have been exposed to gender-based violence, including early marriage, rape, and domestic violence. To cope with poverty, Syrian girls are married off very early, sometimes for money, sometimes for protection. The family simply can’t afford to support them and they find a husband to share the burden.
“It doesn’t mean that early marriage did not take place in Syria before the war, but the difference is that now it has become a business, a trade. It turned into trafficking,” Roula al-Masri, Gender Equality Programme Manager at ABAAD-Resource Center for Gender Equality, told NOW. “They tend to sell their daughters for the husband to take care of the entire family or pay the rent… It’s a coping mechanism. And it is highly discriminatory, because they think that even if the girls were educated, they would never contribute to the economy of the family,” she explains. (Al-Masri’s association is one of the few in Lebanon which provides shelter for Syrian women who were victims of gender-based violence, including early marriage.) She says the women who get to the three shelters are always afraid that somehow they are going to be exposed, and they demand strict confidentiality.
“They don’t talk about this. The families don’t talk about this. The girls don’t talk about this,” Sahar told NOW as she put her hand over her mouth to show how obstinate people’s silence is. “It’s shameful for them,” Sahar explains.
Shame is a big thing, says Sahar. Shame makes people do horrible things.
“I will never forget this little girl in Wadi Khaled,” Sahar almost whispers, trying to regain her voice while her eyes fill with tears. Sahar found this girl locked by her family in the bedroom. She was assessing aid needs when she heard her crying. The men were not at home. The mother was too scared to speak, the little girl’s body bruised, her face burnt. She had been beaten up by six Syrian soldiers when they attacked their house in Baba Amr, in Homs. “When the doctor came, we found out that she had been raped. Only she had no idea that what had happened to her was rape. She thought they were hitting her. Her father and brother then burnt her face.”
What happens when a young girl like this gets married off to an older man? Is she any different than that girl in Wadi Khaled who was raped by six men, without even knowing she was being raped? Are these sheikhs any better than those six Syrian soldiers? These are questions Sahar says she can’t answer. But she will continue to slap taxi drivers and slam doors in sheikhs’ faces, wishing that other women like her find the strength to do the same.
“These men are nothing,” she says, pointing her chin at the floor. “Men are weak.”
Luna Safwan contributed with reporting and translation.
Ana Maria Luca is on twitter @aml1609.
*Sahar is not the interviewee’s real name. It was changed for security reasons.
A few months later, another Saudi sheikh approached her at the mosque: He wanted a young Syrian girl to marry and he was wondering whether she could find him a bride, for a fee, of course. Sometimes she gets such proposals from taxi drivers. “Once, I was in a taxi and the driver approached me. There was this Lebanese sheikh who wanted to marry a Syrian girl. ‘He will give you money, and he will also give that woman money,’ he told me. I slapped him, as usual,” she recalled.
Sahar is a conservative Muslim. She wears a hijab, she dons an abaya, she goes to the mosque. “I am a good girl, I am trustworthy. They feel they can trust me with that,” she explains. “If I agree to sell a girl, maybe some other woman would sell me against my will.”
But not many think like Sahar does. Young women get sold off for a week to men willing to pay. Taxi drivers ask around about young girls aged 16-17; deals are made in the streets of Tripoli. “I have refused to do this, but many people don’t.”
Some people make a business out of trafficking women for rich foreigners, says Ayman Hariri, a Syrian activist who settled in Akkar in 2011 when he had to flee Daraa fearing arrest. He used to run an NGO that provided aid for Syrian refugees, but he decided to close it down. Trying to provide aid is difficult, with some aid organizations using their small NGOs to sell 16-year-old girls to their Gulf sponsors in exchange for money.
“I can tell you about someone I know, I met him in person and he offered to bribe me. He posed as a sheikh with a Saudi benefactor. People soon found out his organization was actually what you call a whorehouse: He was getting girls for the Saudi sheikh. If he liked the girl, he would offer $10,000, he would marry her for a week, and then she would go back home with $1,000. The rest was given to the so-called Lebanese sheikh, who now owns a building and has several cars,” Hariri explains.
He says that Akkar is not like the Zaatari camp in Jordan, and the arranged marriages and cloaked prostitution aren’t nearly as frequent. “Jordan is closer to the Gulf, where girl-brides and early marriage are more common. Lebanon is farther away.”
But international organizations and NGOs in Lebanon say early marriage happens among the Syrian refugees as well as host communities. Stopping it is almost impossible, because Lebanese law allows child marriage, sociologist Rafif Rida Sidawi told NOW. “The Lebanese family code allows marriage for girls as young as 13-14. In some confessions, even as young as 9.” (Lebanon has 15 different family codes, almost one for each sect. Many of them allow child marriage.)
A Lebanese sheikh who requested to remain anonymous told NOW that he would never marry a girl under 13, although the law tells him that the minimum age is 9. “I need to see the girl, to see if she’s ready. I also need a medical certificate, and the father’s permission,” he explained.
Most NGOs that deal with women’s rights in Lebanon are concerned by the increasing number of early marriages among Syrian refugees. According to UNHCR’s refugee response plan, 10% of Syrian refugee women and Lebanese women in host communities have been exposed to gender-based violence, including early marriage, rape, and domestic violence. To cope with poverty, Syrian girls are married off very early, sometimes for money, sometimes for protection. The family simply can’t afford to support them and they find a husband to share the burden.
“It doesn’t mean that early marriage did not take place in Syria before the war, but the difference is that now it has become a business, a trade. It turned into trafficking,” Roula al-Masri, Gender Equality Programme Manager at ABAAD-Resource Center for Gender Equality, told NOW. “They tend to sell their daughters for the husband to take care of the entire family or pay the rent… It’s a coping mechanism. And it is highly discriminatory, because they think that even if the girls were educated, they would never contribute to the economy of the family,” she explains. (Al-Masri’s association is one of the few in Lebanon which provides shelter for Syrian women who were victims of gender-based violence, including early marriage.) She says the women who get to the three shelters are always afraid that somehow they are going to be exposed, and they demand strict confidentiality.
“They don’t talk about this. The families don’t talk about this. The girls don’t talk about this,” Sahar told NOW as she put her hand over her mouth to show how obstinate people’s silence is. “It’s shameful for them,” Sahar explains.
Shame is a big thing, says Sahar. Shame makes people do horrible things.
“I will never forget this little girl in Wadi Khaled,” Sahar almost whispers, trying to regain her voice while her eyes fill with tears. Sahar found this girl locked by her family in the bedroom. She was assessing aid needs when she heard her crying. The men were not at home. The mother was too scared to speak, the little girl’s body bruised, her face burnt. She had been beaten up by six Syrian soldiers when they attacked their house in Baba Amr, in Homs. “When the doctor came, we found out that she had been raped. Only she had no idea that what had happened to her was rape. She thought they were hitting her. Her father and brother then burnt her face.”
What happens when a young girl like this gets married off to an older man? Is she any different than that girl in Wadi Khaled who was raped by six men, without even knowing she was being raped? Are these sheikhs any better than those six Syrian soldiers? These are questions Sahar says she can’t answer. But she will continue to slap taxi drivers and slam doors in sheikhs’ faces, wishing that other women like her find the strength to do the same.
“These men are nothing,” she says, pointing her chin at the floor. “Men are weak.”
Luna Safwan contributed with reporting and translation.
Ana Maria Luca is on twitter @aml1609.
*Sahar is not the interviewee’s real name. It was changed for security reasons.
Knowing the difference between political insecurity and national security
Just days after finding out that friendly countries such as the United States and Australia have been
Nurul
Izzah's revelation on the presence of 30 Special Branch men in the UK
is sourced from a public document and not an official secret as alleged
by a minister. - The Malaysian insider pic, November 15, 2013.using Kuala Lumpur to snoop, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar revealed that Malaysia has 30 Special Branch policemen based in London.
That has caused both Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim and Cheras Unno division chief Datuk Seri Syed Ali Alhabshee to get apoplectic and ask for action to be taken against the Lembah Pantai MP ostensibly for breaking a national secret.
Left out of the diatribe against Nurul Izzah is that she had received the information from a public document and she had questioned their work as there was no threat from the British that would warrant such a large presence of the Malaysian intelligence services.
Syed Ali and Shahidan should not infect the rest of Malaysia with their ignorance over what she had done and paint a picture of possible sabotage or treason.
They want action taken against Nurul Izzah for revealing that 30 Special Branch men are in London when it is not a national secret but contained in a public document.
Perhaps they should read what she said, like the rest of Malaysia, before jumping to conclusions. Defending an indefensible just because it is your own government shows a herd mentality.
National security is important business and no Malaysian would want to expose something that can jeopardise the country.
But this does not apply to political insecurity if such intelligence services are being used to spy on fellow citizens.
And perhaps Umno types appreciate being duped by their own leaders. But the rest of us prefer intelligence and diligence from our national leaders and lawmakers.
The question of why there are 30 Special Branch men based in London and the costs of putting them up there has yet to be answered. Instead, we get obfuscation and calls to investigate Nurul Izzah.
That could be the easy way out for some Umno types who can only bluster when flustered to give an answer. That kind of action will not work with the new generation of Malaysians who want to know how public funds are being spent.
Don't waste time and money to find out how Nurul Izzah knows about the Special Branch men in London. Instead, answer her intelligently or leave it to the more intelligent ones in the government. - November 15, 2013.
Nurul
Izzah's revelation on the presence of 30 Special Branch men in the UK
is sourced from a public document and not an official secret as alleged
by a minister. - The Malaysian insider pic, November 15, 2013.using Kuala Lumpur to snoop, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar revealed that Malaysia has 30 Special Branch policemen based in London.That has caused both Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim and Cheras Unno division chief Datuk Seri Syed Ali Alhabshee to get apoplectic and ask for action to be taken against the Lembah Pantai MP ostensibly for breaking a national secret.
Left out of the diatribe against Nurul Izzah is that she had received the information from a public document and she had questioned their work as there was no threat from the British that would warrant such a large presence of the Malaysian intelligence services.
Syed Ali and Shahidan should not infect the rest of Malaysia with their ignorance over what she had done and paint a picture of possible sabotage or treason.
They want action taken against Nurul Izzah for revealing that 30 Special Branch men are in London when it is not a national secret but contained in a public document.
Perhaps they should read what she said, like the rest of Malaysia, before jumping to conclusions. Defending an indefensible just because it is your own government shows a herd mentality.
National security is important business and no Malaysian would want to expose something that can jeopardise the country.
But this does not apply to political insecurity if such intelligence services are being used to spy on fellow citizens.
And perhaps Umno types appreciate being duped by their own leaders. But the rest of us prefer intelligence and diligence from our national leaders and lawmakers.
The question of why there are 30 Special Branch men based in London and the costs of putting them up there has yet to be answered. Instead, we get obfuscation and calls to investigate Nurul Izzah.
That could be the easy way out for some Umno types who can only bluster when flustered to give an answer. That kind of action will not work with the new generation of Malaysians who want to know how public funds are being spent.
Don't waste time and money to find out how Nurul Izzah knows about the Special Branch men in London. Instead, answer her intelligently or leave it to the more intelligent ones in the government. - November 15, 2013.
Najib's 'nambikei' crashes with Sri Lanka trip
Johor
Indian Business Association (Jiba) president P Sivakumar's diagnosis is
based on Najib's decision to attend the Commonwealth Heads of
Government (CHOGM) meeting in Sri Lanka.Also coming under fire was MIC president G Palanivel, who Sivakumar suggested should resign over this matter.
"The Tamils make up 70 percent of the Indian community in Malaysia, and yet the prime minister did not pay heed to the urgings to boycott the meeting in Sri Lanka.
"Tamil people have been massacred in Sri Lanka... it is an act of genocide. Najib should have been more sensitive to and respectful of the feelings of the Tamil community.
"But for our prime minister, who repeatedly called on the Indian community to have nambikei (trust) in him prior to the polls, economics took precedence," Sivakumar told Malaysiakini.
He pointed out that the issue in Sri Lanka was not merely a concern for Tamils, but for all Malaysians who respected human rights.
He reminded Najib that giving out hampers and handouts during election season did not make a leader.
"The true mark of a leader is one who listens to the people," Sivakumar added.
However, he said, the Indian community too deserved this snub for supporting BN in the last general election.
"This is what you get for blind support. Hopefully, the community has learned a lesson and will show their frustration in the next general election," he added.
As for Palanivel, Sivakumar said the MIC president must state his stand now that the prime minister had refused to listen to him.
"If I was the MIC president, I would resign. You (Palanivel) said you would raise the matter in the cabinet, what happened to that?
"So what are you going to do now? This is a disrespect to the Indian community, and nambikei has gone down the drain," he added.
'Najib has betrayed our trust'
Also taking Najib and MIC to task was Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (Mipas) secretary-general S Barathidasan.
"Najib asked the Indian community to have nambikei in him, but he has betrayed our trust. So many memoranda were sent and protests held, but he ignored them.
"The Indian community should punish him and BN in the next election," he said.Barathidasan (right) said if the government could take a strong stand with regard to the plight of Muslims in southern Thailand, Palestine and Myanmar, why not for the Tamils in Sri Lanka?
"As a Muslim leader, are you supposed to only defend Muslims? Aren’t the Tamils in Sri Lanka humans as well? Furthermore, there are thousands of Tamil Muslims in Sri Lanka who also suffered," he added.
As for MIC, Barathidasan stopped short of condemning the BN component party as irrelevant.
"What is the point of claiming to be the representative of the Indian community when it is the NGOs that have to fight and do all the work?" he asked.
Najib, who is leading the Malaysian delegation for CHOGM, will be engaged in a packed programme.
He and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, will also attend a state banquet hosted by Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Proham: Public demos show Malaysia lacks human rights
In a scrutiny of last month's Universal Periodic Review (UPR), where Malaysia defended its human rights record before most of the 193 UN members, Proham chairman Simon Sipaun said that government officials had ignored the rights of the poor minority.
Sarawak
sent JC Fong, the former State Attorney-General and now state legal
consultant to Geneva represented the state. But he painted "a very rosy
picture" of the life of displaced natives, Sipaun said.If what JC Fong claims are true why are the natives filing cases against the state government in court? Why are they making blockades in protest? Why are they holding demonstrations? These are not the behaviour of happy and satisfied people," he said in a statement.
Sipaun's (right) views echoed
that of Sarawak PKR chairperson Baru Bian, who had called for Fong's
removal as state consultant. Baru's legal firm has filed more than 200
Native customary rights (NCR) land claims against the government, not to
mention the others filed by other legal firms.Proham's Sipuan noted that he was speaking out based on his own visits to rural Sarawak and dialogues with the Penan people, who are now protesting the construction of dams which destroyed their homes.
"It should be remembered that human rights are indivisible. Civil and political rights cannot be suppressed in return for more economic, social and cultural rights. It is clear that in Malaysia political and civil rights are lagging far behind," he said.
Sipaun also slammed the "diplomatic hypocrisy" of the US, seen by some as a global champion of human rights.
"President Obama was reported to have said on 11th October, 2013 that ‘Malaysia is a model of diversity, tolerance and progress.
"Either Obama was grossly misinformed which is unlikely or just playing politics," he said.
Sipaun noted that in Asia, Malaysia was believed to be second only to Papua New Guinea in terms of income disparity.
Sabah and Sarawak, even though rich in natural resources, were still among Malaysia's poorest states. He noted that more than 50 percent of the total number of poor people in the country live in Sabah.
"About 39 percent of wealth in Malaysia is in the hands of 10 percent of rich people. In short, the rich are filthy rich and the poor are really poor and destitute," Sipaun said.
As the nation progresses, human rights must march along, he added.
"What is certain at present is that awareness of human rights is far greater than before due to the higher standard of literacy and more and better access to the internet.
As a result, expectation is rising and it is becoming difficult, if not impossible, for the government to hide the truth," he said.
Surendran suspension 'against Standing Orders'
By not adhering to the standing orders, it said, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia (left) had acted in “self-interest” as he had an “axe to grind” following Surendran's comments against him.Among procedures it alleged were contravened were:
The motion brought by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department did not specify what provision it was being made under.
“(This) should have been fatal and rejected outright by the speaker (especially for such a serious matter).
“But the speaker not only accepted it but went on to explain on behalf of the Prime Minister's Department that it was done under Rule 27,” Lawyers for Liberty founder Eric Paulsen said.
The motion was submitted at 6pm on Nov 13 and tabled the next day at 11.30am, in less than 24 hours.
Under Rule 27(3), only a motion involving public interest can be brought with 24 hour's notice.
Paulsen said that this was in contradiction with the speaker's strictness on the 48-hour suspension period earlier meted out to Surendran.
This too, Paulsen said, contravened Rule 44(2), which states that the 48-hour period is inclusive of the day of the incident of suspension.
There was no debate or definition of why the matter was considered “public interest”.
“The use of Rule 27 in this case is clearly erroneous and a serious conflict of interest as the motion is presented to the speaker for his deliberation when the speaker’s position is itself the subject of the motion,” he said.
Surendran was not brought before the Rights and Privileges Committee, under Rule 80, but his fate was “summarily executed by BN parliamentarians” who believed Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor's version of events regarding the temple demolition “wholesale”.
“This harsh and overkill reaction, a serious blow to democracy, sends a dangerous and chilling message to the opposition...“(This message is) that the opposition can only voice its dissent at the risk of serious repercussions and BN can and will abuse its majority votes if the opposition were to overstep its 'boundaries',” Paulsen said.
Surendran was yesterday suspended for 48 hours for trying to raise the issue of the demolition of the annexures of the Sri Muneswarar Kalyamman Temple on Jalan P Ramlee in Kuala Lumpur.
He was, at an earlier sitting, booted out of the Dewan Rakyat for trying to raise issue of the death in custody of P Karuna Nithi.
Church leaders steer clear of sultan’s decree
Deeming it a sensitive matter, Church and Sikh leaders say they would leave it to the Federal Court to decide on the use of the word 'Allah'.
PETALING JAYA: In the wake of a royal decree banning non-Muslims from using the word ‘Allah’, Christian and Sikh religious leaders refused to be drawn into commenting on the matter.
Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) secretary Rev Hermen Shastri said he does not want to make a comment regarding the Allah issue as it was a sensitive matter.
“For now I have nothing much to say,” said Council of Churches Malaysia(CCM) secretary Rev Hermen Shastri.
Yesterday, the Sultan of Selangor, Sharafuddin Idris Shah, decreed that the word ‘Allah’ is exclusive to Muslims and non-Muslims should refrain from using it.
He said this was to avoid confusion among Muslims over the use of the word when used by other religions.
As such, he called on the Selangor people to respect and abide by the decision of the Selangor Fatwa Council on the matter.
‘We just hope justice will prevail’
Sultan Sharafuddin also said that Malay bibles and Christian publications of the Herald should refrain from using the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God.
The ruler cited Section 9 of the Non Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation against Muslims) Enactment 1988, which bars non-Muslims from using certain Arabic terms.
Malaysian Gurdwara Council president Jagir Singh also refused to comment on the matter, although Sikhs also use the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God.
“I’ll leave it to the Federal Court to decide on the matter. This is involves a royalty and it is very sensitive for me to comment,” he said.
FMT also contacted several other church leaders for comments but they refused, saying they will leave it the court to decide on the matter.
“We just hope justice will prevail,” they said.
The sultan made the statement following the Court of Appeal’s decision on Oct 14 to uphold the Home Ministry’s ban on Catholic weekly Herald from using the word ‘Allah’.
PETALING JAYA: In the wake of a royal decree banning non-Muslims from using the word ‘Allah’, Christian and Sikh religious leaders refused to be drawn into commenting on the matter.Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) secretary Rev Hermen Shastri said he does not want to make a comment regarding the Allah issue as it was a sensitive matter.
“For now I have nothing much to say,” said Council of Churches Malaysia(CCM) secretary Rev Hermen Shastri.
Yesterday, the Sultan of Selangor, Sharafuddin Idris Shah, decreed that the word ‘Allah’ is exclusive to Muslims and non-Muslims should refrain from using it.
He said this was to avoid confusion among Muslims over the use of the word when used by other religions.
As such, he called on the Selangor people to respect and abide by the decision of the Selangor Fatwa Council on the matter.
‘We just hope justice will prevail’
Sultan Sharafuddin also said that Malay bibles and Christian publications of the Herald should refrain from using the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God.
The ruler cited Section 9 of the Non Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation against Muslims) Enactment 1988, which bars non-Muslims from using certain Arabic terms.
Malaysian Gurdwara Council president Jagir Singh also refused to comment on the matter, although Sikhs also use the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God.
“I’ll leave it to the Federal Court to decide on the matter. This is involves a royalty and it is very sensitive for me to comment,” he said.
FMT also contacted several other church leaders for comments but they refused, saying they will leave it the court to decide on the matter.
“We just hope justice will prevail,” they said.
The sultan made the statement following the Court of Appeal’s decision on Oct 14 to uphold the Home Ministry’s ban on Catholic weekly Herald from using the word ‘Allah’.
Facebook users want photo of robbers distributed
The CCTV video on a robbery in Bandar Puteri Klang has gone viral on Facebook and YouTube and many users want the two robbers' photos to be distributed to the public.
PETALING JAYA: Facebook and YouTube users want the pictures of the two men who robbed a handphone shop in Bandar Puteri Klang, to be pasted everywhere so that the public can identify the robbers and call the police.
The video obtained from the CCTV recording was uploaded by the store owner’s brother on Facebook and YouTube to warn the public about the robbers.
In the video, two men walked into the shop disguised as customers. Once in the shop they pulled out their machetes, with one guy guarding the counter and the other looting the items.
The video has angered many netizens for the brutal behaviour displayed by the two robbers.
A netizen known as Saraneetha Sri commented on the page,’Apa lagi? Freeze the pics from the video and post them everywhere to make the public aware of these social garbage! Let their parents know what kind of trash they have brought to this society! Disgrace! disgrace! Disgrace!’.
Another commenter Mohd Ayub Khan said: Dah bagi polis tak video ni. Kita boleh tengok polis buat
keja tak? Nanti dah mati baru nak buat keja’ (Have you given the video to the police? It shows the police is not doing their duty? When someone dies, then they do their duty)
Facebook user Terra Ryzer wants the police to punish the duo under “Ops Cantas” and another commenter Muthu Yanasacaran echoed the similar view saying: Better shoot them on the spot’.
South Klang police district confirmed the incident and told FMT they were conducting investigations to track the suspects.
PETALING JAYA: Facebook and YouTube users want the pictures of the two men who robbed a handphone shop in Bandar Puteri Klang, to be pasted everywhere so that the public can identify the robbers and call the police.The video obtained from the CCTV recording was uploaded by the store owner’s brother on Facebook and YouTube to warn the public about the robbers.
In the video, two men walked into the shop disguised as customers. Once in the shop they pulled out their machetes, with one guy guarding the counter and the other looting the items.
The video has angered many netizens for the brutal behaviour displayed by the two robbers.
A netizen known as Saraneetha Sri commented on the page,’Apa lagi? Freeze the pics from the video and post them everywhere to make the public aware of these social garbage! Let their parents know what kind of trash they have brought to this society! Disgrace! disgrace! Disgrace!’.
Another commenter Mohd Ayub Khan said: Dah bagi polis tak video ni. Kita boleh tengok polis buat
keja tak? Nanti dah mati baru nak buat keja’ (Have you given the video to the police? It shows the police is not doing their duty? When someone dies, then they do their duty)Facebook user Terra Ryzer wants the police to punish the duo under “Ops Cantas” and another commenter Muthu Yanasacaran echoed the similar view saying: Better shoot them on the spot’.
South Klang police district confirmed the incident and told FMT they were conducting investigations to track the suspects.
Intense battle for MIC Youth, Wanita posts
Candidates from both wings are optimising the use of Facebook and Twitter as a platform to to promote their manifestos.
KUALA LUMPUR: In less than 24 hours, 560 delegates each from the MIC Youth and Wanita wings will go to the party polls to elect their respective national leaders to represent them for the next three-year term.
Since nomination on Nov 8, two candidates vying for the post of Youth chief, current deputy chief V. Mugilan and secretary C. Sivarraajh have garnered grassroots support from several states, in what has largely been a peaceful and healthy campaign.
Typical of campaign time, both candidates used social networking websites, including Facebook and Twitter, as a vehicle to promote their vision and mission through respective manifestos.
Mugilan’s manifesto themed ‘Vote for Change’ underlines 10 aspects focusing on education, socio-economic development and youth development within and outside the party.
Stressing on the need for inclusive growth for youth development, Mugilan said: “The real challenge lies in creating, not only more job opportunities but also encouraging conducive laws which would facilitate entrepreneurship.
“It is important to generate employment for the youth.”
According to statistics from the youth and sports ministry, there are 12.9 million youth in the country. Of the number, Indians make up about 663,700.
“Young Indians are the best resource and they are in abundance. The best among them need to be tapped.
“I promise to bring positive changes to lead the almost 400,000 strong MIC Youth members in the right direction,” Mugilan told Bernama in an exclusive interview here today.
Furthermore, he stressed that the youth should be encouraged to participate in national policy matters, adding that youth advisory councils should be set up to alleviate unemployment, crime, gangsterism and loan-related problems, among others.
Mugilan’s manifesto also underlines the setting up of a library for youth at the MIC national headquarters, insurance scheme for division youth leaders and their deputies, and delegates, as well.
He said if he was elected Youth chief, he would allocate a minimum of RM1,000 for MIC youth divisions and also set up a young entrepreneur club.
Meanwhile, Sivarraajh, with a similar manifesto, underlines 16 aspects to ensure the smooth running of the socio-economic empowerment of Indian youth in the country.
The special officer to the Perak menteri besar said his manifesto, among others, comprised enhancing business entrepreneur status, participation in government positions and the implementation of the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for MIC Youth.
“The agenda has been carefully studied and planned, and I will personally ensure that it is fully implemented to transform the youth leadership to become successful and internationally competitive,” he said.
Tomorrow’s polls will also see another fight between national Wanita MIC secretary M. Vickneswari and Mohana Muniandy, an MIC central working committee (CWC) member for the Wanita chief post.
Mohana is keen to set up a think-tank to draft a blueprint for the development of Indian women in the country.
She said the think-tank, which would comprise women from corporate, government, business and political parties, would address pressing issues affecting Indian women to enable them to realise their full potential.
Vickneswari, meanwhile, said with her 17-year experience in the party, she had the strength and calibre to empower Indian women from all socio-economic levels.
“It’s my responsibility to empower the next generation of young female leaders, and I take this commitment very seriously,” she added.
The polls will also see the Wanita and Youth wings elect two representatives each for the CWC, 12 national council members and 35 delegates to the MIC annual general assembly scheduled on Nov 30, in Melaka.
Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: In less than 24 hours, 560 delegates each from the MIC Youth and Wanita wings will go to the party polls to elect their respective national leaders to represent them for the next three-year term.Since nomination on Nov 8, two candidates vying for the post of Youth chief, current deputy chief V. Mugilan and secretary C. Sivarraajh have garnered grassroots support from several states, in what has largely been a peaceful and healthy campaign.
Typical of campaign time, both candidates used social networking websites, including Facebook and Twitter, as a vehicle to promote their vision and mission through respective manifestos.
Mugilan’s manifesto themed ‘Vote for Change’ underlines 10 aspects focusing on education, socio-economic development and youth development within and outside the party.
Stressing on the need for inclusive growth for youth development, Mugilan said: “The real challenge lies in creating, not only more job opportunities but also encouraging conducive laws which would facilitate entrepreneurship.
“It is important to generate employment for the youth.”
According to statistics from the youth and sports ministry, there are 12.9 million youth in the country. Of the number, Indians make up about 663,700.
“Young Indians are the best resource and they are in abundance. The best among them need to be tapped.
“I promise to bring positive changes to lead the almost 400,000 strong MIC Youth members in the right direction,” Mugilan told Bernama in an exclusive interview here today.
Furthermore, he stressed that the youth should be encouraged to participate in national policy matters, adding that youth advisory councils should be set up to alleviate unemployment, crime, gangsterism and loan-related problems, among others.
Mugilan’s manifesto also underlines the setting up of a library for youth at the MIC national headquarters, insurance scheme for division youth leaders and their deputies, and delegates, as well.
He said if he was elected Youth chief, he would allocate a minimum of RM1,000 for MIC youth divisions and also set up a young entrepreneur club.
Meanwhile, Sivarraajh, with a similar manifesto, underlines 16 aspects to ensure the smooth running of the socio-economic empowerment of Indian youth in the country.
The special officer to the Perak menteri besar said his manifesto, among others, comprised enhancing business entrepreneur status, participation in government positions and the implementation of the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for MIC Youth.
“The agenda has been carefully studied and planned, and I will personally ensure that it is fully implemented to transform the youth leadership to become successful and internationally competitive,” he said.
Tomorrow’s polls will also see another fight between national Wanita MIC secretary M. Vickneswari and Mohana Muniandy, an MIC central working committee (CWC) member for the Wanita chief post.
Mohana is keen to set up a think-tank to draft a blueprint for the development of Indian women in the country.
She said the think-tank, which would comprise women from corporate, government, business and political parties, would address pressing issues affecting Indian women to enable them to realise their full potential.
Vickneswari, meanwhile, said with her 17-year experience in the party, she had the strength and calibre to empower Indian women from all socio-economic levels.
“It’s my responsibility to empower the next generation of young female leaders, and I take this commitment very seriously,” she added.
The polls will also see the Wanita and Youth wings elect two representatives each for the CWC, 12 national council members and 35 delegates to the MIC annual general assembly scheduled on Nov 30, in Melaka.
Bernama
Malaysia Agreement back in the spotlight
In the wake of parliament's refusal to debate the Malaysia Agreement, Amanah has invited Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah to talk about the "non-fulfilment" of the terms.
KOTA KINABALU: Parliament’s rejection of a motion by Sabah MP to debate the 18/20 points Malaysia Agreement has spurred Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) here to organise a public talk and round table discussion on the issue.
Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah will present a keynote address at a discussion on the 20-Points Malaysia Agreement.
Amanah deputy president Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing said the forum follows parliament’s rejection of the motion which was brought by Penampang MP Darrel Leiking.
“Razaleigh has agreed to come and repeat a speech he gave at a forum held in Kuala Lumpur recently entitled “The Non-Fulfilment of the 20 and 18 Point Agreements with Sabah and Sarawak,“ the Tamparuli assemblyman told FMT Friday.
The organisers are also inviting other personalities to be panelists at the round-table discussion and once confirmed will set the date and venue of the forum, he said.
“The result and resolution reached during the round-table discussion will be further extended to the National Supreme Council of Amanah before formally present it to parliament for tabling,” Bumburing added.
Amanah Sabah, he said, shared Leiking’s disappointment at the Deputy Speaker’s decision.
“It all zeroes-in on whether the federal government has honoured their obligation to protect and honour the safeguard guaranteed to Sabah as part of the condition for Sabah to join in forming Malaysia.
“All these are clearly recorded in the Inter Governmental Commigttee (IGC) report and summerised in the 20-points safeguard which was incorporated in the Malaysia Agreements of 1963 and later enacted as Malaysia Bill 1963,” he said.
Bumburing said social problems arising from all these issues are now even felt in the peninsula and shows that it has reached unexpected proportions which needed to be aired in parliament.
He said the Health Minister’s statement that hospitals are now treating more foreigners than Malaysians in Semporna Hospital was an indication of the extent of the problem.
All this, he said, raises questions over whether the safeguards guaranteed to Sabah as outlined in the 20-point Agreement have been respected, honoured and implemented by the federal government.
KOTA KINABALU: Parliament’s rejection of a motion by Sabah MP to debate the 18/20 points Malaysia Agreement has spurred Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) here to organise a public talk and round table discussion on the issue.Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah will present a keynote address at a discussion on the 20-Points Malaysia Agreement.
Amanah deputy president Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing said the forum follows parliament’s rejection of the motion which was brought by Penampang MP Darrel Leiking.
“Razaleigh has agreed to come and repeat a speech he gave at a forum held in Kuala Lumpur recently entitled “The Non-Fulfilment of the 20 and 18 Point Agreements with Sabah and Sarawak,“ the Tamparuli assemblyman told FMT Friday.
The organisers are also inviting other personalities to be panelists at the round-table discussion and once confirmed will set the date and venue of the forum, he said.
“The result and resolution reached during the round-table discussion will be further extended to the National Supreme Council of Amanah before formally present it to parliament for tabling,” Bumburing added.
Amanah Sabah, he said, shared Leiking’s disappointment at the Deputy Speaker’s decision.
“It all zeroes-in on whether the federal government has honoured their obligation to protect and honour the safeguard guaranteed to Sabah as part of the condition for Sabah to join in forming Malaysia.
“All these are clearly recorded in the Inter Governmental Commigttee (IGC) report and summerised in the 20-points safeguard which was incorporated in the Malaysia Agreements of 1963 and later enacted as Malaysia Bill 1963,” he said.
Bumburing said social problems arising from all these issues are now even felt in the peninsula and shows that it has reached unexpected proportions which needed to be aired in parliament.
He said the Health Minister’s statement that hospitals are now treating more foreigners than Malaysians in Semporna Hospital was an indication of the extent of the problem.
All this, he said, raises questions over whether the safeguards guaranteed to Sabah as outlined in the 20-point Agreement have been respected, honoured and implemented by the federal government.
List of temples facing possible demolition
- Kuil Sri Virapatar – Kepong
- Kuil Sri Maha Veppan Kaliamman – Kepong
- Kuil Sri Nageswari Amman Alayam – Old Klang Road
- Kuil Sri Aelumalaiyan – Mont Kiara
- Kuil Sri Nageswar Jai Muniswarar – Jalan Sg Besi
- Kuil Sri Maha Pathinetthampadi Karupanna Swamy – Setapak
- Kuil Om Sri Arulmigum Muniswaran Alayam – Manjalara, KL
- Kuil Sri Ashhathasa Puja Mahaletchumny Thurgai Amman Alayam- Jalan Semantan,KL
- Kuil Sri maha Muniswaran – Warisan Tradisi, Jalan Cheras
- Kuil Sri Muniandi – Warisan Tradisi, Jalan Cheras
- Kuil Sri Venayagar – Jinjang Utara
- Kuil Durgai AmmanNagambigai- Sungai Besi
- Kuil Sri Thirumurugan Aalayam – Jalan Semarak
- Kuil Sri Maha Athiparasakthi – Jalan Semarak
- Kuil Sri Maha Samundeswarie Alayam – Jalan Semarak
- Kuil Natha Muniswarar- Jalan Semarak
- Kuil Samayapurathamariamman- Jalan Semarak
- Kuil Sri Maha Muniswarar Kaliaman – Kg Muhibbah – Jalan Puchong
- Kuil Sri Maha Mariamman – Jln Kg Pasir, KL
- Kuil Sri Maha Annal Agilandeswari – KL
- Kuil Sri Muneswaran Alayam – Kl
- Kuil Kaliaman – KL
- Kuil Sri Muniswarar -KL
No I am not kidding. This is not an exhaustive list as there are another over 10 temples within the vicinity of Sentul and its surrounding in a similar predicament with Sentul Raya Sdn Bhd’s projects sprawling over there.
Those temples above either face demolition relocation through forceful acquisition by government agencies or private sector without any regards even though almost all existed before the independence of the country and the existence of DBKL.
Similar to how the estate plantation workers were displaced due to the so called development of the nation without any safety net for the Indian community that eventually lead to over 350,000 stateless Indians and their indulgence into vice activities, we are yet to observe another round of further attempts in steamrolling the Indian community in Malaysia at the whims and fancies of a rowdy government.
A temple that offers an atmosphere of sacredness, dignity and tranquility should not be desecrated in such a confrontational manner by the authorities and moreover it is a flagrant violation of international obligations undertaken under the United Nations Charter.
Such occurrence was prevalent in the past due to the toothless Indian politicians but that is the very purpose why the government brought in Hindraf (an NGO) through the MOU to avoid such malfeasances, yet again without any negotiation or discussion, the government decides to strike with a master and slave attitude towards the Malaysian Indians.
The reluctance and the lackluster attitude by the government and their officials in dealing with the stakeholders by conveniently taking an unilateral decision clearly indicates the irrelevance of any constructive opinions from the Indian community or their leaders.
Malaysian Indians need to unite to stand against any oppression by anyone against their basic rights to practice their belief as protected by our constitution.
Social media a threat to Islam, internet controls a must, Muslims told in Friday sermon
(MM) - Putrajaya should rethink its decision against policing the internet as Islam's “enemies” have resorted to launching cyber attacks to challenge the religion of over 60 per cent of Malaysians, the country's foremost Islamic authority said in today's sermon disseminated to Muslims nationwide.The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) alleged that “enemies of Islam” were prowling social media platforms, purportedly to topple the governments of Muslim-majority nations, with a nod to the conflict-riddled Middle East as an example.
“The pulpit would like to state that the abuse and misuse of the internet and telecommunications technology is against religious obligations, laws and community conduct.
“Believe it, using social media to weaken the resolve of Muslims is actually a sly strategy by the enemies of Islam which have been successful in bringing down several Islamic countries in the Middle East,” Jakim stated in its sermon, which is also available on its website.
“Therefore, the suggestions that the internet should be censored and controlled must be considered so that this facility does not end up destabilising the public and country.”
The people of Egypt, Libya and Syria had joined in the Arab Spring revolution to overthrow authoritarian rulers despite full Internet shutdown by their governments, but social media was said to have played a part in spreading their message to a global audience.
Jakim's suggestion today followed calls by Malaysia's former prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, for the internet to be filtered due to rampant abuse in the distribution of pornography, questionable news and slanders.
Dr Mahathir, who had promised the federal government would never censor the internet when he opened up Malaysia's information superhighway over a decade ago, has been pressing the Najib administration for a policy change, arguing that today's changing situation warranted the introduction of controls to stem the spread of offensive material online as it could threaten national security.
In today's sermon, Jakim accused international powers of an organised ploy to spread teachings such as liberalism and pluralism to the youths through the internet.
“They have launched subtle and organised attacks by spreading news that insult Islam and its adherents whether through symbols, websites, blogs, or social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and so on,” the sermon said.
Jakim has been steadfast in its attack on what it perceived as a global conspiracy against Islam, singling out ideas such as liberalism, pluralism, feminism, socialism and even positivism.
In a sermon for the Aidilfitri celebration in August, Jakim had warned Muslims nationwide against a conspiracy by “enemies of Islam”, suggested that “colonial” ideas were being used to incite challenges against Islam’s position in the Constitution.
Malaysia is already practising internet censorship, with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announcing last week that it has blocked 2,753 websites for violating the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and other regulations so far this year.
Of those, 15 websites were blocked for allegedly infringing the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment, while the bulk of it at 2,611 were phishing sites.
Where the fuck is Anwar Ibrahim’s statement?
Anyway,
the royal decree in question was issued by His Highness the Sultan of
Selangor. And the Monarchs are heads of religion (meaning Islam) in
their respective states. And Selangor is a Pakatan Rakyat-run state, not
a state run by Umno or Barisan Nasional. So this has just become a
Selangor issue (from originally a federal issue) that involves the
Pakatan Rakyat state government. Raja Petra Kamarudin
Article 3 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia
(1)
Islam is the religion of the Federation; but other religions may be
practised in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation.
(2) In every State other than States not having a Ruler the position of the Ruler as the Head of the religion of Islam in his State in the manner and to the extent acknowledged and declared by the Constitution, all rights, privileges, prerogatives and powers enjoyed by him as Head of that religion, are unaffected and unimpaired; but in any acts, observance or ceremonies with respect to which the Conference of Rulers has agreed
that they should extend to the Federation as a whole each of the other
Rulers shall in his capacity of Head of the religion of Islam authorize
the Yang di-pertuan Agong to represent him.
(3)
The Constitution of the States of Malacca, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak
shall each make provision for conferring on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
shall be Head of the religion of Islam in that State.
(4) Nothing in this Article derogates from any other provision of this Constitution.
(5)
Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
shall be the Head of the religion of Islam in the Federal Territories
of Kuala Lumpur and Labuan; and for this purpose Parliament may by law
make provisions for regulating Islamic religious affairs and for
constituting a Council to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in matters
relating to the religion of Islam.
*********************************************
First
read and understand Article 3 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia
(above). And if you cannot understand what it says then let me know and I
will help explain what it means.
Now read these news items (click the links):
Finally,
what is Pakatan Rakyat’s common stand on this matter? Can we hear from
Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim regarding Pakatan Rakyat’s common stand?
And don’t give me that crap about “get Pakatan Rakyat into power first
and after they form the federal government we can fight over this matter
later”.
We do not want Pakatan
Rakyat to fight over this matter later, once they are already in power.
We want to know now, before we decide whether to put them into power,
what their common stand is. This is because the three coalition members
of Pakatan Rakyat are so divided on this issue it would be dangerous to
sweep the matter under the carpet and sort it out later once they get
into power.
Pakatan Rakyat will
never be able to agree on this matter once they get into power if they
cannot agree on it before they get into power. And this matter is so
crucial it threatens to tear the country apart if not resolved.
Anyway, the royal decree
in question was issued by His Highness the Sultan of Selangor. And the
Monarchs are heads of religion (meaning Islam) in their respective
states. And Selangor is a Pakatan Rakyat-run state, not a state run by
Umno or Barisan Nasional. So this has just become a Selangor issue (from
originally a federal issue) that involves the Pakatan Rakyat state
government.
MCA disagrees with
His Highness the Sultan. And MCA is a coalition member of Barisan
Nasional, the ruling party. Does Umno agree with MCA or does Umno agree
with His Highness the Sultan? And do DAP, PAS and PKR agree with His
Highness the Sultan or agree with MCA?
DAP,
PAS and PKR have been sidestepping many sensitive and divisive issues
for far too long. PAS is adamant on implementing the Islamic Sharia
criminal laws of Hudud. DAP is adamant that it is not going to happen.
And PKR is adamant that they will agree to disagree and agree not to
talk about the matter in public.
So
what about His Highness the Sultan of Selangor’s royal decree regarding
the Allah word in the Pakatan Rakyat-run state of Selangor? Are we also
agreeing to disagree? And are we agreeing to disagree with His Highness
the Sultan or agreeing to disagree with MCA?
Enough of this bullshit! The truth please! And call this the democratic right of the voters to ask this question.
British PM David Cameron meets Tamils in Jaffna; Sri Lanka fumes at CHOGM
COLOMBO: Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron made an historic visit Friday to Sri Lanka's former warzone, stealing the spotlight from a Commonwealth summit after the host, President Mahinda Rajapakse, warned against passing judgment on his country's past.
Only hours after the summit opened in Colombo, Cameron flew into the northern Jaffna region where some 100,000 people lost their lives in fighting between Tamil rebels and troops from the majority Sinhalese government.
Several women who lost relatives during the war tried to hurl themselves in front of Cameron's motorcade as he became the first foreign leader to visit Jaffna since the former British colony gained independence in 1948.
Clutching photos of their missing loved ones, they screamed "We Want Justice" before the premier sped away.
He later toured the offices of a Tamil newspaper whose printing presses have been torched several times, including in April this year, and which has lost five staff in attacks since Rajapakse came to power in 2005.
"This is going to make a very lasting impression on me. That is something you don't forget," Cameron told journalists at "Uthayan" (Sun) daily where the portraits of slain staff line the walls.
"But it's only when you see it with your own eyes, it really brings home just how much you're suffering."
MV Kaanamylnathan, the paper's editor, said Cameron visit was a chance to publicise the region's plight.
"Everyone is pretending that everything is okay, that Tamils have equal rights but it's not true," he told AFP in Jaffna.
"This needs to be told to the international world." The landmark visit overshadowed the start of a three-day summit which was meant to be a chance for Rajapakse, a Sinhalese nationalist who oversaw the crushing of Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009, to showcase Sri Lanka's revival.
But after refusing to bow to demands for an independent investigation into the end of the conflict, he has been confronted by a public relations disaster, including a string of boycotts.
Cameron flew out of Colombo shortly after Rajapakse said in an opening speech warned his fellow leaders of trying to impose their own "bilateral agendas".
"If the Commonwealth is to remain relevant to its member countries, the association must respond to the needs of its people and not turn into a punitive or judgmental body," he said in a speech ahead of the formal opening of the summit by Britain's Prince Charles.
Since the war, the economy has enjoyed growth rates of up to 8.2 per cent and more than one million tourists visited Sri Lanka last year — a new record.
But the legacy of the war continues to poison Rajapakse's relations with the international community.
Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper was the first to announce a boycott after his government said the summit was akin to "accommodating evil" while his Mauritian counterpart Navin Chandra Ramgoolam — due to host the next one — is also refusing to attend.
Even India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is staying away, preferring to antagonise a neighbour rather than offend Tamil voters ahead of next year's elections.
The agenda for the three-day summit includes sessions on debt restructuring and climate change.
But Rajapakse spent the build-up fending off allegations that his troops were responsible for the death of some 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final weeks of the war.
During an impassioned speech, the 67-year-old leader said his regime deserved credit for ending the conflict.
"We asserted the greatest human right — the right to life," he said. "In the last four years there has not been one single terrorism-related incident in Sri Lanka."
The Jaffna peninsula, home to around 800,000 Tamils, was the main battleground of the war and its towns and villages are now littered with shelled-out buildings. Some 30,000 people still live in refugee camps.
Although provincial elections were held in Jaffna in September, they fell well short of Tamil demands for more autonomy.
Cameron spoke with the new chief minister of Jaffna, CV Wigneswaran, for about 30 minutes at the town's library as dozens of women who still don't know what happened to their loved ones demonstrated outside.
At the last summit in 2011 in Perth, Commonwealth leaders drew up a charter of common values which committed members to respecting human rights.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the Commonwealth's outgoing chair, acknowledged Sri Lanka was emerging from a troubled past and said its people could take heart from how South Africa had come through darker times.
"Sri Lanka's willingness to host this Commonwealth shows its commitment to democratic pluralism and freedom based on law and ought to reassure all its citizens that just as today is better than yesterday, tomorrow will be better than today," he said.
"So we are here to praise as much as to judge." Prince Charles, who is representing his mother Queen Elizabeth II, said the Sri Lankan people had "confronted great adversity," as he also recalled the devastating impact on the island of the 2004 tsunami.
CHOGM Listens To Malaysia's View - Najib
From Leslean ArshadNajib was given the opportunity to intervene in two discussion sessions with leaders of Commonwealth countries on "Growth with Equity, Inclusive Development" and dialogue with youth leaders.
During the discussion session on " Growth with Equity, Inclusive Development," he shared Malaysia's development philosophy of "growth with equity" where it is inclusive, without marginalising any group.
He told Malaysian journalists here on Friday that equitable development should be used as a foundation for Commonwealth member countries.
The Commonwealth is seeing imbalance development with 48 member countries categorised as developing, 14 countries as 'least developing' and 31 countries as 'small and valnerable.'
"As a nation, we (Malaysia) believe in the market economy.. but market economy cannot distribute wealth fairly and equitably. The government has to intervene but the intervention does not reject the fundamental market economy."
During the intervention, he shared Malaysia's success in reducing poverty, raising social mobility based on the democratisation of education and a growing middle class.
While in the dialogue with youth leaders, Najib shared the '5E' concept to empower young people in the country's development via engagement, empowerment, employment, education and entreprenuership.
"The chairman responded to the '5E' by calling on youth leaders to respond to all the 'E' mentioned," he said.
COLOMBO, (Sri Lanka), Nov 15 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's view on equitable development and empowering youths expressed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has drawn the attention of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2013, here on Friday.
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