Indianapolis center to build new mosque

INDIANAPOLIS,IN— Leaders of the Nur-Allah Islamic Center say that they plan to build a new mosque as their current facility cannot accomodate the growing number of congregants. The center is currently housed in a converted doctor’s office.

The center hopes to raise $500,000 soon to begin construction a 1.2 acres site they bough a year ago. Leaders of the mosque said that they hope to build a full time school at the new centre. Imam Michael Sahir told the Indianapolis Star that when completed the facility will be the city’s first mosque built through the joint efforts of American-born Muslims as well as converts.

New mosque in Grand Blanc Township

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, MI—The recently completed facility of the Grand Blanc Islamic Center will open this week. This is second mosque in the area. The new mosque, located about half a mile west of Genesys Health Park on Baldwin Road, caters to about 35 families in the area.

The opening ceremony and open house will be held on Saturday, May 20, at the Islamic Center. The vent is open to people of all faiths. Several political and community leaders are expected to attend.

Interfaith Advisory Committee helps Gulf Coast religious leaders apply for grants

BILOXI, Miss., May 12 / — Gulf Coast religious leaders of all faiths are urged to attend “Help for the Helpers,” Saturday, May 20, at Biloxi High School at 1845 Richard Drive. Bishop T.D. Jakes will open at 11 a.m. with an ecumenical renewal service. Immediately following, breakout sessions will offer counselling for leaders, rebuilding advice, and technical information to help in completing grant applications to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund for rebuilding. On-site registration on May 20 is 9:30 to 11 a.m. Religious leaders may pre-register by calling 1-866-749-1956 or by going to bushclintonkatrinafund.org

In December 2005, Presidents George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton allocated $20 million from the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund for local and regional faith-based organizations. The Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund asked Dallas-based Bishop T.D. Jakes and Rev. William H. Gray, III, of Philadelphia, PA, to co-chair an interfaith committee to advise in the grant process.
“My heart goes out to people who have suffered devastation,” Bishop Jakes said. “And though these residents are resilient, it is our privilege to be part of the restoration. I am excited to take part in turning tragedy into hope.”

“Twenty million dollars alone can’t rebuild a region, but it can renew spirits and lay the foundations for people to help each other,” Rev. Gray said.

Dr. Abdelhafiz Bensrieti of the Abu Baker Al-Siddiq Mosque in Metairie and member of the American Arab Ant-Discrimination Committee is part of the advisory group.

Muslims cancel protest against Wachovia after assurance

HERNDON,VA—Muslim activists put on hold their campaign to protest that Wachovia bank’s unexplained closure of a local Muslim charity called FAITH. According to latest reports FAITH and CAIR received assurances that the matter will be investigated by the bank.

The activists held a new conference in front of a Wachovia branch in Washington to urge supporters to express concern about the bank’s action against the Foundation for Appropriate and Immediate Temporary Help, or FAITH, a Northern Virginia charity.

According to a news release by CAIR, Wachovia sent a letter to FAITH last November announcing that the organization’s accounts would be closed in January 2006, despite their good standing.

Numerous attempts by FAITH to discuss the issue with Wachovia officials were unsatisfactory and, according to CAIR, bank Senior Vice President Jeraldine Davis wrote in a letter to the charity, “As you are aware the Bank’s contract with FAITH provides that the Bank can close any customer’s account at any time . . . “

CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad called Wachovia’s approach “heavy-handed” and said an explanation was required.

“Since 9/11, the American Muslim community has noticed disturbing trends within the national banking community where law abiding American Muslims are seemingly and summarily being denied service based solely on their name, religion or ethnicity,” Awad said.

According to The Washington Post, FAITH serves needy residents of all faiths, including offering crisis counselling and providing emergency payments for rent, food and utilities.

Summer Leadership Institute at ISNA

PLAINFIELD,IN— ISNA’s Leadership Development Centre is offering three intensive weeklong courses taught over a three-week period. Each course consists of 45 course hours, including 36 contact hours and 9 credit hours of either an essay or practicum. Participants who complete all program requirements will receive a Certificate in Leadership and Islamic Excellence (CLIE).

Participants who complete one course will be given a transcript of completion for that course.
Participants will learn effective leadership and managerial skills, communication and conflict prevention skills, present central Islamic principles, so participants gain understanding as to how Islamic teaching relates to life in North America.

For more details, call 317-839-1807 or visit www.ildc.net

What’s Right with Religion Award for CAIR-St.Louis

St. Louis, MO—The St. Louis chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-St. Louis) received a “What’s Right with the Region” Award from FOCUS, an organization that honors individuals and organizations who make the St. Louis area a better place to live.
CAIR-St Louis was honored specifically for improving racial equality and promoting social justice in the area.

Kamal Yassin, CAIR-St. Louis President, accepted the award on the chapter’s behalf and said that it is part of CAIR’s mission to encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, and to build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding in communities across America.

Family of slain teens want tougher DWI laws

PATERSON, NJ— Family member of two teenagers killed by a drunken driver of a passing car called for tougher DWI laws in New Jersey. The two sister aged 15 and 16 were struck as they were walking near their home on April 20. The driver admitted to the police that had drunk half liter of Vodka before getting into his car. He was also reportedly on anti-anxiety medication.
At a press conference organized by CAIR and MADD speakers called tougher laws.

Teresa S. Stevens, the state executive director of MADD, based in Trenton said that DWIs are considered motor vehicle violations. Though alcohol-related fatalities have declined overall, she said 270 deaths in New Jersey in 2004 were attributable to alcohol. She added that the figures in 2005 may be higher and that early figures of 2006 indicate another spike. All of this, she said, is alarming especially because it is before the peek season of drunk-drivers.

Yet New Jersey still hasn’t criminalized DWIs, though there is legislation being worked on, Stevens said. “The families’ cries for justice are very familiar: 270 families had the same cry last year.”

By Bob Wood

Once again this week, I’m bringing you yet another opinion to the mix you have read in this column. It serves as another indication of why I remain so bearish about the domestic stock and bond markets despite what seems like a rally in Dow 30 stocks. My hope is that youíll see that I’m not alone in my thinking, and, with some very credible people doing very analytical work, you might begin to see the way things really are — in time to make any needed changes in your portfolios.

One of the several web sites I subscribe to is the “Hat Trick Letter,” produced by Jim Willie. You can find him at (ahem) www.goldenjackass.com. ( Hey, I didn’t name the site!) Actually, Willie does some interesting work, and this past week, he claimed locating those elusive Weapons of Mass Destruction that we’ve heard so much about from the Bush camp. Well, that was until they couldn’t find them and then tried to change the subject.

Actually, Willie can’t locate the WMD that led Bush into his war of choice. But helping to bankrupt the country through massive spending are Bush’s two wars and, now, this past week, even more tax cuts! This move, of course, flies in the face of responsible fiscal policies, but we’re talking about leadership from a man who may be the least bright of the bunch. Any bunch.

The WMD found by Willie are not of the military sort; rather, they are financial. Willie says that ‘’they are many, and the United States is in firm possession of most of them. We have a corner on this market, a monopoly of sorts…

Space is limited to list them all, but the major weapons which have succeeded in gutting the U.S. economy can certainly be cited.’’

Willie continues, with an emphasis on these words, ‘’The United States has put itself in a predicament with over three decades of serious dedication to monetary inflation as a means to wealth accumulation. In the process, real workers have suffered as the Manhattan Made Men have pilfered riches from their corrupt close connections to the Ruling Elite.’’

For example, consider how workers at manufacturing companies have fared when compared to their managers and investors. Think about workers at G.M., for instance.

Willie adds, ‘’Now we find ourselves in a jam, with labor uncompetitive in its wage, with our commodity deposits (energy and minerals) mostly depleted, with our dependence on foreigners staggering and overwhelming (commodities and capital), with our legitimate wealth engines (manufacturing) largely vanished, with reliance on asset bubbles our chosen way of economic life and with constant raids on our home equity deemed normal.’’

But his opinion doesn’t come close to squaring with what you hear on CNBC or from all 29% of all Americans who remain Bush supporters, does it? Willie continues, ‘’An entire generation of economic counselors has preached heretical principles, strayed from proven principles that have stood the test of time, and adopted absurd mythologies which spring up in order to justify the reckless path they have led us toward.

To say that the current system is unfixable is an under-statement. We are so lost.

My country has to resort to coercion, bullying, fraudulent accounting, deceptive statistics, double talk communication, now pre-emptive attacks with flawed intelligence in order to protect itself, or is it to supply ourselves? We have morphed into a nation of pathetic financial drug addicts, hollowed to the core. Our weapons of mass destruction have set the stage for our own annihilation.’’

As I’ve said while quoting other bears, “And you think I’m gloomy?!” Willie’s diatribe agrees that our leaders at the Fed have printed money so fast — that even Jim Cramer sees a comparison with the German Weimar Republic. In those days, the Germans, in an effort to pay the large bills dictated by the Treaty of Versailles, simply printed massive amounts of currency and offered it to creditors.

“So you want millions more? No problem, here you go — freshly printed this morning! You want more? No problem, we’ll print more!’’ And there seemed to be no limit on how much money the Germans could print, until so much of it was in circulation that its value met its true value — close to zero.

And no one since has tried to print so much money so fast — until now. And the world is now flooded with U.S. dollars, owing to the massive trade deficit, now running in the $60-70 billion range monthly. And this trend began more than 30 years ago, so imagine how many dollars are floating around the world. And can you guess what its intrinsic value really is? Don’t forget, the dollar is backed by 100 pennies, nothing more. It is paper printed with pretty ink, at virtually no cost.

Willie proposes that the best way to manage in a time like this is buying gold. And I’ll add commodities like energy and other metals, which look good, too. But I think the best part of his thinking deals with how an “entire generation of economic counselors has preached heretical principles.’’ As in: how did we get into such a mess, with incredible debt and unfunded liabilities, never to be paid, inflation so high that dollars in your pocket are worth less than half of their value 20 years ago, and a manufacturing sector just a shadow of its former self?
After all, this didn’t happen overnight. This process began shortly after World War II, when reasoning prevailed that recovering economies like Japan should have access to U.S. markets, while protecting its own manufacturers from intense foreign competition. And this was done in the interest of ‘’free trade,’’ right?

But we heard that this policy would be good for the U.S. too, making imports cheaper, thus leaving more money for buying other things. And while this sounds good in an economics class room, like many other economic theories, it falls apart in the “real world” laboratory.

One sure thing about economics is there is always another side to consider. In this case, if Japan gains market share, we know the benefit enjoyed on our end: cheaper consumer products. But at what cost? While we can now buy televisions from Asia at much lower cost than those made here, what is the possible downside of this bargain? We can consume more for less money. And that forms the basis of where our economy has been directed.

In The Great Betrayal, a book written almost 10 years ago, author Pat Buchanan covers this topic. ‘’Putting consumption first goes against the grain of common sense, as well as inherited wisdom. Before consumption comes production. Before production comes investment. Before investment, savings. And before savings, income — the reward for work. Before a family consumes bread, a farmer must plow the ground, sow the seed, till the field, wait and watch. Before an athlete becomes a champion he must exercise, train, discipline and deny himself.

No athlete ever consumed his way to an Olympic medal, and no nation ever consumed its way to greatness or prosperity. As Aesop’s fable of the ant and the grasshopper teaches, he who puts consumption first has put his foot on the road to ruin.’’

According to both Willie and Buchanan, we are happily walking down a ruinous path, led by the ‘’best economic minds in the country,’’ perhaps the same people claiming that Bushís tax cuts have worked as promised. So it’s only logical that more tax cuts will be even better. And while cutting consumer taxes makes sense on paper, the latest edition puts almost every saved tax dollar into the pockets of people who need it least and those least likely to spend or invest it.
So what we get is more debt, piled onto the old debt, already so high, that we will never be able to pay it back. Yet the economists and Bush people consider the plan close to sheer genius, since all we have to do is print more money, make credit more available, and the economy will keep growing. Economic nirvana! Yeah, sure!

One thing is for sure in economics, as in life itself: there is no such thing as a free lunch. Another thing to argue: you canít routinely get something for nothing — or you canít simply print wealth. Yet these concepts, so obviously true, are ignored or even refuted by the ‘’best economic minds’’ in our country, always so ready to justify the latest attempt to enrich the regal few at the long-term expense of the rest of us.

Yes, those pesky WMD have been found, all right! And we are swimming in them: trillions of newly printed dollars, trillions in consumer debt and trillions more in unfunded liabilities for Social Security and Medicare. Add to that a manufacturing sector paying so little that servicing our debt becomes nearly impossible. And as these components speed up and grow, the chance that one or more will explode becomes even greater.

Have a great week,

Bob

By Dr. Aslam Abdullah

Six Muslim Organizations in Southern California took a bold step when they asked the FBI to release its records on monitoring of Islamic groups in southern California. The six Muslim groups, including the Anaheim-based Council on American Islamic Relations in Southern California, filed a Freedom of Information Act request on May 15, 2005, asking about suspected law enforcement monitoring of Islamic religious institutions.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California filed the request on behalf of CAIR, the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, the Islamic Center of San Gabriel Valley, Hadi, the Islamic Center of Hawthorne and Masjid Ansar, as well as six leaders in the Muslim community. They include: Muzammil Siddiqi, imam of the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove, Hussam Ayloush, executive director at CAIR, Sabiha Khan, CAIR spokeswoman, and Shakeel Syed, executive director of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California. More organizations and leaders may join later.

The federal government has 20 days to respond to the public-records request, which seeks to learn whether area mosques and community leaders are being monitored and, if so, why, said Ranjana Natarajan, the attorney handling the matter.

The Freedom of Information Act, which outlines request procedures, was enacted by Congress in 1966 to give the public greater access to the federal government’s records. Natarajan said the ACLU decided to request FBI records after working with the Muslim community and conducting “know your rights” presentations at mosques.

Natarajan said worshippers at mosques have been asked what their imam is preaching, where they go and what they do on pilgrimages to Mecca, and for details about religious practices.
CAIR wanted the records request filed on the belief that no person or organization should be monitored because of peaceful religious practice, this is a very significant development and a defining moment for Muslim Americans. For almost four years, several law enforcement agencies have been treating them as suspects. Their houses are not safe and their places of worship are under constant watch. There seems to be an undeclared policy of intimidating and harassing Muslims under the guise of national security. At the airports and on streets they are often stopped by local officials who use their own imagination to humiliate Muslims in whatever way they want. Recently, a group of Muslims who didn’t possess a valid driving license were handcuffed and offered as a showcase to other drivers in a city not far from Washington.

On average 7 of ten Muslim passengers are stopped at the airports for national security issues. This despite the fact that even the congressional report on the 9/11 attacks admits that no Muslim American was involved in 9/11.

So far, Muslim orgnaizations in general were reluctant to take any significant action on civil rights. There exist two opinions within the major Muslim organizations. One believes in working closely with FBI officials and the other believes in working within the legal framework.

So far those who have worked closely with law enforcement agenices have not succeeded in protecting Muslims’ rights. Law enforcemnent agencies have rewarded many of them by promoting them in circles of power in the country and abroad. In fact, some law enforcement agencies decscribe a few Muslim organizations and leaders as theirs. It is also learned that some of these Muslim leaders have often provided details of discussion that take place among Muslim organizations on civil rights issues.

Obviously, there is a serious attempt on the part of some law enforcement agencies to promote some Muslim organizations and leaders. They have also succeeded in recruiting some. Obviously, no official record is available or will be available to substantiate this. However, Muslims can judge the position of an organization on the basis of their stand on key issues. For instance, in southern california, several promiment Muslim organizations and leaders refused to sign the Shura council request for FBI records. Some of course were cautious, but the others who have very close ties with law enforcement agencies did not want to join as it would tarnish their reputation in official circles.

Regardless of what some of these leaders and organizations do, Muslims must take a bold stand on the issue of civil rights. They must not allow anyone to intimidate and humiliate them. They must not allow anyone to suspect their loyalty to the country. LAw enforcement agencies are there to protect them, not to prosecute them. They must come out from this circle of intimidation.

They must speak out, and the best way is to ask law enforcement agencies to release their records in official files. Obviously, not everything in the records will be released.
But asking for the records sends a clear message to those entursted with protecting people’s rights that they can not misuse their authority to prosecute a people on the basis of their religion, culture or ethnicity.

By Nilofar Suhrawardy, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS)

NEW DELHI—The recent elections have spelt a major victory for Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, individually, but party-wise, it has been a grand show for the Left bloc. Gandhi was compelled to face by-polls to Lok Sabha from Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh) as controversy raised over her holding an office of profit prompted her to hand in her resignation from the seat in March. Lest she be disqualified from the Parliament for being chairperson of the National Advisory Council, she quit this post also on the same day, March 23. Despite voters’ turnout being 43.36, Gandhi created a record of sorts by winning the seat with a margin of 417,888 votes. Against 249,765 votes she polled last time, this time Gandhi secured 474,891 votes against 57,003 polled by Samajwadi Party candidate Raj Kumar Chowdhury. This is the largest ever victory margin secured in this constituency. While her victory spelt celebration for her supporters in Delhi as well as Rae Bareli, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described it as “magnificent and glorious.”

State-wise, the biggest gainer has been the Left bloc. In West Bengal, led by the Marxist Communist Party of India, the Left front has returned to power for a record seventh term. Against 235 seats won by the Left for the 294-member assembly, the Congress could win only 21. Prospects of Tranamol Congress displaying its strength were shattered by the party’s securing only 29 seats. In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has been pushed out of power by the Left Democratic Front (LDF). With 140 seats in the Kerala assembly, LDF won 98 against the 41 secured by UDF.

Congress fared better in Tamil Nadu not as a leading party, but as an ally of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), spelling a major blow for All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). In the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly, while DMK won 163 seats, AIADMK was left with only 69. Though the verdict of Assamese voters was a fractured one, as the largest single-party in the 126-member assembly, the Congress has managed to form a government again with the support of an ally, the Hagrama Mohilary faction of the Bodo People’s Progressive Front (BPPF-H), which won 11 seats. Congress managed to win 54, while BJP secured 12. Elections to Pondicherry assembly have also spelt a return to power for Congress.

Here, Congress and its allies won 21 seats leaving six for AIADMK and its allies and three for others in the fray.

Victory in West Bengal has spelt the return of Buddhadeb Bhattacharya as the chief minister for the second term. Congress has retained N. Rangaswamy as chief minister in Pondicherry and Tarun Gogoi in Assam. With the electoral verdict spelling a major change in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK chief Jayalalitha has had to make way for DMK leader M. Karunanidhi as the state’s chief minister. The Left front’s victory in Kerala has brought the state’s chief ministerial position to veteran CPI (M) leader V.S. Achuthanandan.

Though in these elections Congress has fared better than expected, the gains made by Left front have raised several questions, particularly regarding the shift in Muslim votes. The percentage of Muslims is around 28.43 percent in Assam, 23.33 percent in Kerala, 6.54 percent in Pondicherry, 5.47 percent in Tamil Nadu, and 23.61 in West Bengal. Assam and Kerala are the states where the shift in Muslim-vote stands out significantly. In Assam, this was marked by the formation of the Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF), headed by Badurddin Ajmal. Despite being a new entrant in the political field, this party won 10 seats. Formation of AUDF and its success in securing these many seats in itself has been painted as a sign of Assamese Muslims displaying their anti-Congress approach. In Kerala, the Muslim-vote has pushed the Congress-led UDF to the opposition and has failed to secure any seat for the Muslim League.

The poor performance of Congress in West Bengal is also partly attributed to Muslims turning against the party.

Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are still reviewing their dismal performance. Except for securing BJP a few seats in Assam, the elections have not helped the party in other states.

Though Congress has not fared poorly, the party needs to pay serious attention to what is turning away the Indian Muslim away from it and also on why has the Left front been favored by the average Indian voter. The timing is appropriate for the Congress to take another look its economic policies and the pro-American tilt in its foreign policy. The arguments given by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about recent developments in Indo-US relations being beneficial for the country have certainly not convinced either the Left bloc or the Indian Muslim.

Besides, the government’s economic policies favoring liberalization and privatization have apparently not been viewed favorably by the average Indian voter. From this angle, these election results have also been regarded as a warning signal for Congress, calling on it to seriously review the importance given to its economic and foreign policies by the average Indian voter.

By Farish A. Noor, MMNS

The news that former Indonesian President Soeharto is now deemed ‘unfit’ to stand trial for abuse of power in Indonesia has hardly come as a surprise to those who know the country well. Few really believed that the strong man who had ruled Indonesia for three decades from 1966 to 1998 could have been brought to court and sent to jail in any case. The issue however is not that the man ‘got away with it’, but rather what this bodes for the future of Indonesia instead.

Despite the initial wave of euphoria that greeted the fall of the Soeharto regime and the hope that the country would finally make the transition to a working democracy of sorts, problems remain to deny the country and its people the dignity they deserve. Indonesia remains a country on the verge of collapse, the great giant of Southeast Asia which increasingly looks like the sick man of the region; whose frail condition is matched only by the frailty of its other decrepit neighbours, Thailand and the Philippines.

That former President Soeharto has been given the chance to slip away is understandable considering the extent to which the old military elite of the Soeharto era have managed to preserve themselves. The country’s current President Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono is likewise a former general turned President, trained by the Americans and very much in the good books of Washington thanks to his willing role as an accomplice in the US-led ‘global war on terror’.
Yudhoyono was very much part and parcel of the Soeharto regime and served his president very well till close to the end, when he tactically allowed himself to be sidelined just before the pro-democracy movement took to the streets in mid-1998 following the East Asian economic crisis. Well placed, deeply embedded yet marginal enough to be saved the wrath of the public, he has managed to carve a place for himself in the convoluted and messy political terrain of post-Soeharto Indonesia.

Likewise other former military elites and aides to Soeharto have also managed to inch their way back into the country’s byzantine corridors of power. Notable among the old stalwards was General Hedropryono, once dubbed the ‘butcher of Lampung’ for his part in the bloody suppression of the Islamist movement in Lampung, South Sumatra. Just when other Indonesian officers like Generals Wiranto and Moerdani were being dragged to court for their part in the actrocities carried out in East Timor, Hendropryono found himself saved by the events following 11 September 2001 and was dubiously put in charge of anti-terrorism operations by none other than former President Megawati Sukarnoputri. Indonesian human rights groups were aghast by Megawati’s decision that betrayed a total neglect of local sensibilities and an all too evident desire to cozy up to Washington then.

Now that most of the old military and business elite are back in power, it would seem that the time is right to absolve Soeharto for the ills and mistakes that took place during his period in power. His defenders and supporters claim that he was in many ways a visionary, a man who took Indonesia from a dependent import-substitution economy to the status of an emerging ‘Asian Tiger’ economy in a space of two decades.

The defenders of Soeharto are certainly not wrong here: It remains a fact that Indonesia is a model of successful nation-building against impossible odds. In a archipelago made up of 14,000 islands it is a country where literacy is almost universal and where even in the most remote island or village there are post offices, clinics, schools, roads, communication facilities and the outreach of the state controlled media. Indonesia’s painful birth amidst an anti-colonial struggle and several subsequent civil wars persuaded many that it would be a failed state and go down the same path of failed states in Africa, yet that never happened.

But along with the laying down of the infrastructure of nation-building has come the centralizing logic of a maximalist state at the hands of a military elite whose understanding of democracy, civic and civil participation and popular representation remained rudimentary: Indonesia became a thoroughly depoliticised state by the time of the political reforms of the 1970s, and its economy grew thanks largely to the influx of foreign capital (much of it Japanese and American) thanks to the structural adjustment policies taken by the hand-picked ‘Berkeley mafia’ of Soeharto, led by men like the German and American-trained B. J. Habiebie. Indonesia’s economic take off was thus not without its own costs, most notably in the form of the loss of political rights, press freedom and fundamental liberties.

It should not be forgotten that Soeharto was also one of the most vocal exponents of what was then known as the ‘Asian values’ school of thought, led by Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, which argued that in Asia economic rights should come before political ones.

It was in the midst of this depoliticization process that Indonesia found her weath but lost her soul. The violent annexation of East Timor in 1974 showed that this former colony could herself become a colonizing power, and to impose the same colonial logic on other societies and states. The suppression of the peoples’ movement in East Timor remained and shall remain a blight on the record of Indonesia which has yet to be addressed and accounted for till now. Central to this crisis was Soeharto and his generals, who masterminded the annexation and the policies of pacification and resettlement that followed. In this respect Soeharto was not merely a dictator in his own country but also a coloniser of others.

Linked to the shameful conduct of Soeharto and his cronies is the equally shameful conduct of the more powerful Western states—notably the USA, Australia and Britain—who aided and abbetted the Soeharto regime during the worst years of military rule and violent authoritarian government.

America’s role in propping up Soeharto and promoting Indonesia as the ‘bulwark’ against Communism in Asia ended only with the culmination of the Cold War in the West, which reduced Southeast Asia to a mere side-show of little import. Yet in this eastern corner of the world millions of lives were lost thanks to the realpolitik condiretations of technocrats and ideologues in Washington, all of whom were prepared to turn a blind eye to Soeharto’s excesses as long as he stayed ‘neutral on the side of the West’, like another crony of the region, Ferdinand Marcos.

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) – A summit of eight Muslim-majority nations did not specifically discuss the dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Saturday.

The Developing Eight’s final declaration did not refer to the matter, but Yudhoyono said he told his Iranian counterpart directly “that a continued cooperation should be made between Iran and the IAEA to have a peaceful, just solution.”

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad responded that he was willing to continue talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency and pursue other diplomatic discussions, Yudhoyono said.

Some countries, led by the United States, are concerned that nuclear projects which Iran, the D-8’s outgoing chairman, says are for peaceful purposes might in reality have military aims.

The Developing Eight — Iran, Indonesia, Egypt, Malaysia, Turkey, Pakistan, Nigeria and Bangladesh — held their fifth summit on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali this week.

Mokhtar Maghraoui Speaks at Bloomfield Unity Center

May 6—Bloomfield Hills—The famous and well-travelled speaker, Mokhtar Maghraoui, spoke on Saturday at the Bloomfield Unity Center in Bloomfield Hills. Sheikh Maghraoui has acquired a loyal following within the United States, with almost no negative press and a huge amount of positive attention. His lectures are widely read and widely listened to within the American Muslim community. He is a well-known speaker, whose origin is Algerian but who now lives in New York state; his popularity and name-recognition are almost at the same level as Hamza Yusuf and Siraj Wahhaj. His focus on speaking about religious rather than political issues has saved him from the negative press that has cascaded on most Muslim community-leaders since 911.

About 70 people were present to listen to Mr. Maghraoui’s seminar presentation, held on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. This is a substantial turnout for a weekend afternoon—which reflects the love that Muslims everywhere maintain in their hearts for Prophet Muhammad (s). He spoke later at the Bloomfield Unity Center’s fundraising dinner.
The topic of his seminar speech Saturday afternoon was the greatness of Prophet Muhammad (s). The main benefit of his speech is his deep knowledge of the ahadith of Prophet (s). His carefully measured—almost choreographed—emotional discourse on small events that demonstrate the greatness of Prophet Muhammad (s) was calculated to move the heartstrings of his listeners, and in fact deeply touched the mood of those present.

One example of the nature of his speech was his description of the infancy of Prophet Muhammad (s), where he spoke about Halima, who was to become the wet-nurse to the Holy Prophet (s), who before he came into her life was herself almost without milk, riding a donkey who was weak and slow, and whose family maintained a camel that provided very little milk. For barakah, she offered herself as wetnurse to Prophet Muhammad (s), knowing in advance that the ordinary dunya-level compensation for being wetnurse would not be available because Sayyidina Abdullah (ra), his father, had already passed away and the infant Prophet (s) was an orphan.

Maghraoui spoke of the immense barakah that flowed into her life immediately after taking Prophet (s) into her life—her own breast-milk started to flow as soon as she put Prophet (s) to her breast, the donkey she rode on was charged with energy and became faster than all her co-travelers’ mounts (so much so that they joked with her about whether it was the same donkey she had ridden to Mecca with them to find infants to look after), the camel that provided milk to the family was filled with milk, and despite a drought of the time, the family’s sheep were always full of milk as well.

Maghraoui spoke of the trust that Arabs had for one another at that time, saying that it was remarkable that they could trust people they did not know with their own infant children. He explained that the purpose of the tradition of allowing Arabs from the desert to nurture children was to instill in them the purest form of Arabic, to grant them to breathe the pure air outside of the cities, and to grow up clean and strong.

Saturday night the BUC held their spring 2006 fundraiser, hosting about 250 people. The evening was highly successful, with the mosque collecting about $185,000. The evening’s MC was the engaging and personable Dr. Kashlan; Dr. Mouhib Ayas, the President of Board of Directors, gave presentation about where we are now, where we hope to go. He talked about developing more programs for youth, increasing outreach, interacting with community around us. He mentioned especially that Sheikh Ahmad Mabrouk was still visiting from Egypt to coordinate the youth tajweed program.

The community ate dinner together. The dinner was catered by La-Shish, based in Dearborn, and everyone raved about the quality of the dinner.

Sheikh Maghraoui gave a lecture after dinner. He talked about the tradition of charity within Islamic civilization. He provided motivation for giving to the community and for active participation in the events of the community.

Then the expert fundraiser Muhammad Ramzi solicitied donations.

“That evening was a sign of how important the local community considers their local mosque. It’s reassuring how willing they are to support the activties and programs we offer. From the mosque perspective we are grateful and honored that they are willing to contribute,” said Patrick Cates, Administrator of the Bloomfield Unity Center.

For more information about the Bloomfield Unity Center, visit www.muslimunitycenter.org.

Thousands Reached Memorial Park Houston on the “Day Without Immigrants”

More people in Houston marched on the “Day without Immigrants” than on April 10th (the U.S. Government Immigration Policy Protest Day). This despite the recent scare imposed by federal raids on undocumented persons at a Houston-Based pallet company.

On the other hand, there were organizations like the Washington, D.C.’s Group of Hispanic Immigrants, who under the banner “You Don’t Speak for Me” condemned the nationwide demonstrations and condemned the undocumented immigrants. They called the marchers’ demand for mass amnesty unfair to those millions who got legal status by the laws of the existing system.

Now, unlike the famous strikes of the past, like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and halting India during the Independence Movement from British Colonial Rule, this boycott or strike was designed to create political conversation. Therefore, most of the workers had planned ahead, got the day off, minimizing the suddenness and abruptness of their walk-off from work. Many workers did lose a day’s pay. Some at the march said they would make the day up later, while others said the sacrifice is an investment for the future.

The AFL-CIO praised the demonstrations as a boon to the labor community, since for them supporting all working people is the core of the labor movement.

Islamic Conference Comes to Houston

The First ICNA-MAS South Region Conference comes to Houston on Sunday, May 28th, 2006 from 10 a.m. until 10- p.m. at the university center on the University of Houston’s main campus. The theme of the Conference is “Rediscover Prophet Muhammad’s (s) Message.” Expected are several renowned speakers, interactive workshops, the world’s largest Qur`an exhibition, special youth and sisters’ programs, and an Islamic Goods Bazar.

For more information, call 1-866-323-1063 or visit www.icnasouth.com

Houston Under Consideration for 2016 Olympics

The United States Olympic Committee met with Houston city and business leaders last week. Officials said they are looking for a bid that is privately financed and puts athletes first. They said they do not want to pay the city directly and do not want taxpayer money used.
Several things have changed since the last time Houston was considered for this honor.
The METRO plans to expand the Rail System, two new Sports Arenas in Downtown and many other fresh amenities and services.

The committee is also considering Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
They will look at all five cities and then make a decision on one of those cities, or none of them.

The committee has until March 31, 2007, to decide if the United States will try to host the 2016 Olympics.

BP’s Texas City Plant: Biggest Polluter in the U.S.

BP Texas City, near Houston, submitted new emissions data to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), showing a dramatic increase in toxic emissions between 2003 and 2004. BP’s Neil Geary says, however, that the numbers may be misleading. Geary says this was an “on-paper” calculation and that there was no actual emissions increase at BP’s Texas City refinery during the period.

Sending Out Bricks

There is a group, concerned about U.S. immigration policy, that is trying to get their message across to lawmakers one piece at a time.

The Send-A-Brick Project’s Web site enables visitors to send a brick to lawmakers—and one Texas Senator now has an office full of them. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has received 165, so far. The group’s Kirsten Heffron says the more people on the hill who receive bricks the happier they are—but for right now, they’re focusing mainly on the congressional leadership. Heffron says they want Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and House Speaker Dennis Hastert to get the message that the American people, by and large, are completely against illegal immigration, and they’re not for any kind of “legal” status for anyone here illegally. Heffron says those sending bricks are not interested in any new immigration law until the old laws are enforced.

Community Friend Honored

On Saturday, May 20th, 2006 at 8:00PM. at the Westin Galleria Hotel Houston, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) will be honored by the community at an Appreciation Dinner hosted by the Pakistan American Council of Texas (PACT), a registered Political Action Committee. Entrance to the program will be $100 per person.

All the proceeds from the program will go towards the political funds of the congressman and to pay for the organization of the event.

For more information, call 1-866-323-1063 – 281-236-9492 – 713-504-0156.

By Dr. Aslam Abdullah

Justice is one of the basic tenets of Islam. In the Qur`an we read that God commands human beings especially those who have faith in Him, to be just and stand for justice. It is for this intrinsic divine command, God revealed His guidance to humanity and sent down his messengers. But what is new in this statement. In almost every Friday sermon, Muslims are reminded of the virtue of Justice. And almost on a daily basis public officials, political activists and social scientists all over the world remind each other of the value of justice in organizing relationships in all their dimensions.

Yet, even a cursory look at our behavior shows separation between words and acts, sermons and practice.

As the standard bearer of justice, much more is expected from those who claim that they follow Prophet Muhammad (s), who received the last fully preserved divine message. Ironically, they are the ones who have become the worst perpetuators of injustice in most cases. Not only in countries where they are in a majority but also in places where they live as a minority, they tend to preach justice without practicing it themselves.

Injustices are visible in almost all walks of life. However, the first place where these injustices have to be wiped out is the house of God. Mosques and Islamic centers should not only demonstrate their commitment to justice but should also practice it. Unfortunately, in many cases, mosques and Islamic centers show more negligence to the cause of justice than any other segments of the Muslim community. Starting from the rights of people who come to these places of worship to the rights of the people who serve, there is a lack of respect in general of Islamic teachings and values. For instance, it is quiet common in several mosques and centers to confine the decision making to a small coterie of people belonging to a particular ethnic group. The group then makes behind-the-scenes maneuvers to direct the course of events according to their interests.

For instance, in Southern California, in a recent mosque election, a group of people belonging to a particular ethnic group plotted to install Mr. X as president. A quiet campaign was conducted and proxy votes obtained in advance, even before the ballots opened, to secure the election of the person. All those who honestly wanted to participate in the election of their representative were cheated and the results were manipulated. This is not the only example; hundreds of such examples can be given. Usually, it is one person or a small group of people who act together to influence situations.

These people do not realize that their game is only too obvious to others. Generally, witnesses don’t speak out because they don’t want to cause adverse publicity for an Islamic institution.

Injustices are shown in leading people or even using their funds. In many Islamic institutions, for instance, the zakat money is used at the discretion of the zakat committee rather than according to Allah, Prophet (s), and Islam. In an Islamic center in southern California, the chairman of the zakat committee once boasted that he had saved some $50,000 in zakat funds. It was strange to hear that the zakat funds were withheld and not disbursed while only a few miles from that mosque, hundreds of Muslims lived homeless or without a decent meal a day.

Injustices are also practiced when the rights of people are denied to them. In many places run in the name of Islam, the divine faith is the last one to be brought in any dispute. Usually, it is the will of one person or a group of person that decides every thing. Why do people indulge in these acts? Because they are either not questioned for their acts or given too much power.

This status quo must change. Commitment to religion is not a hobby but a social responsibility, especially when it involves the lives of other people. Those who are confident to live up to the Divine expectations of justice must come forward and ensure that this commandment is lived not only locally but also in the larger community.