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MONDAY
Vol. 13 Issue No 3488
SPORTS
HOME
P.2 P.10
AFRICA
Free of Foreign
Armed Groups
EDITORIAL:
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Modjeka:
Amajita Ready
for AYC
Sudan Territories
OPINION P. 6
Price SDG 2
P.10
Al-Sawarmi:
MARCH 9th, 2015
18th Jumada I,1436
THE PIONEER OF THE BANKING TECHNOLOGY
We are bound to sustainability of excellence
The WFB SITE: www.onb.com.sd
E-mail: onb@sudanmail.net
P. 11
Message on
the occasion of
International
Women’s Day
Berlin Declaration
Minnawi Movement Infiltrate
Libyan Territory
Exclusive
Libya - Elements of
Minnawi Movement have
infiltrated Libyan territory,
arriving in the country a
few days ago, unnamed
sources reveal.
The elements are said to
be involved in the conflict
between the Libyan crisis
parties.
The movement leaders
have allegedly signed
agreements with Libyan
factions to support them
in the southern front on
the border between Sudan,
Chad and Niger.
Sources added that the
remnants of Minnawi,
who fled from the
campaigns carried out by
government forces against
the strongholds of the
movement in North Darfur
in recent months, entered
Libya through small groups agreement signed with one
to avoid clashes with armed of the Libyan factions.
forces and joint forces The sources thought that
between Sudan and Chad.
the agreement was signed
The sources said that between the remnants of
the so-called Jabir Isaac, the Gaddafi regime, which
commander general of the is stationed in the south
movement in Darfur, now of Libya and Darfur rebel
stationed near the Libyan movement, and that the city
town of Rebiana, while of Sabha is a place where
Mohammad
Meranaga weapons and vehicles will
and Amir Joka moved to be delivered to the rebels
southern Zuwayla city, coming from Sudan.
which is located east of the They revealed that the
city of Sabha.
group from the Minnawi
The Minnawi elements, Movement kept in touch
which infiltrated Libyan with some of the groups
territory, are understood to in South Sudan and Niger,
have remained in contact noting that Jaber Isaac
with a group stationed in negotiating groups stationed
Ubari area, inhabitedAlby
near the Libyan border with
Bashir
local tribes, which provides Niger to persuade them
cover for elements of the to join the force to fight
insurgency coming from alongside the remnants of
Darfur until they move Gaddafi loyalists.
to Benghazi and Tripoli The sources confirmed
in implementation of the that Minnawi Movement
found it difficult to
transfer its elements from
Bahr el Ghazal to Libya,
because of the control of
government forces that
hinder the movement of
the insurgency, and that the
joint forces between Sudan
and Chad has tightened
its control over the border
between the two countries,
which has hampered the
rebels in Darfur.
The sources warned of
the consequences of the
involvement of the Darfur
rebel movements in the
Libyan conflict, and the
implications of that on
the Sudanese citizens
involved, particularly after
the Sudanese government
agreed with the Libyan
government to facilitate the
entry of Sudanese workers
to Libya, and to provide
protection for them.
Sudan Supports Efforts for Ending Libya Crisis
By: Mohamed Abdalla
Khartoum – The Arab League
ministerial meeting is expected to be
held today in Cairo, Egypt.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Karti
will be delivering a speech before the
session.
Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Ali AlSadiq told reporters Karti will assure
that Sudan supports endeavors exerted
to end the crisis in Libya and to brief
on the role played by the country
during its chairing of the mechanism
responsible for peace reconciliation
among disputed parts in Libya,
established during the last Khartoum
meeting.
Sudan’s support for the reformation
proposal to develop Arab League body
and call on joint Arab work based
on joint Arab security and defence
will also be reaffirmed, alongside
the endeavors exerted to reconcile
between Yemeni conflicted parts
which enhance the mission of the UN
envoy to Yemen.
Unilateral US sanctions on Sudan will
also be discussed by the ministers.
“Three top resolutions concerning
Sudan will be scheduled in the
agenda, the first is about peace and
development, the second is related
to the embargo and the third one
is welcoming the partial lift of US
sanctions,” said Al-Sadiq.
The spokesperson added: “Participants
are going to review the charter and
construct of the Arab League body,
terrorism, situation in Libya, Yemen,
Syria, and Sudan beside issues
concerning media in Arab world.”
Nationwide Services Projects Expantion
By: Shadia Basheri
Khartoum – Service projects in the
centre and states, particularly in the
field of higher education will be
expanded.
Minister of Finance and National
Economy Badreldin Mahmoud said
the number of universities and schools
in public education will be increased,
along with electricity generation from
450 megawatt up to 2,600 megawatt.
Hospitals and health centres will also
be improved.
Mahmoud called all the States to follow
the example of North Darfur State in
terms of establishing services project
for citizens.The outline came during
his meeting with North Darfur State
Governor who intended to brief him
on completion of upheaval projects
in North Darfur.For his part, State
Governor Osman Kibir elaborated that
the upheaval projects in North Darfur
have totaled 168 projects of which
some are completed and inaugurated
and others waiting to launch this
month.Among the projects is Western
Salvation Road, describing it as the
greatest achievement in the state.
He praised the efforts of the Ministry
of Finance and its support to the state,
saying that the projects were distributed
among the localities of the state in an
even and fair method.
Meanwhile, Minister of Finance in the
State Dr. Abdu Daud Suleiman said
the upheaval projects included many
sectors, such as security and health,
animal resources, agriculture, water
and infrastructure.He outlined that
an investment forum of businessmen
will be held on the sidelines of the
inauguration of developmental projects
for the renaissance of North Darfur.
Fighting Breaks out between Alhilu Forces,
Gibril Faction near S. Sudan Border
By: Staff Reporter
Khartoum - An outbreak of fighting
between the forces of the rebellion
group, Abdulaziz Alhilu and the
faction of Gibril near Sudan’s border
with South Sudan occurred recently,
resulting in the killing and injuring of
dozens of citizens from both sides.
The violence followed the directives
AL-HADAF
AL-Hadaf Service Co. Ltd.
Headquarters:
Address: Riyadh, St. 117
P.O. Box:1770 Khartoum - Sudan - Cabin: +249 183 460624
Tel: 0183520751 -0155144900
- Fax: + 249 183 464343 - 464076
Website: www.el-hadaf.com E-mail: Email: technical@el-hadaf.com
Wad Medani Branch: Tel: 05118 46586-46587
Port Sudan Branch: Tel: 03118 28055 Mobile: 012310267
Kosti Branch: Tel: 05718 21300 - 23971
issued by Alhilu for implementing
arrests among the fighters of Darfur
forces at the regions of Jigeiba and
Tabanya in the Nuba mountains.
General Daniel Kodi, head of the
Sudan Peoples Movement Partywing of peace disclosed to smc that
Alhilu forces arrested 107 fighters
from Darfur movements following
the conflicts within the Revolutionary
Front, which is witnessing conflicts
between the sector of the North and
Darfur movements.Kodi said the rebel
Gibril Ibrahim sent military forces
led by Brig. Hassan Issa from Raja in
Bahr El-Ghazal to free the detainees.
He noted that clashes broke out killing
dozens in addition to destroying 11
Land Cruisers affiliated with the
Justice and Equality movement.
He said Alhilu and some of the
Revolutionary Front leaders who
attended the Berlin meeting are
serving their personal interests in the
Nuba Mountains region
Al Bashir Promise to Continue
Implementing Sharia
By: Al-Sammani Awadallah
Omdurman– A rally of Sufi Sect in
Omdurman was addressed by Omar
Al Bashir yesterday, as part of the
President’s electoral campaign.
During his speech, the National
Congress Party Presidency nominee
said when his regime announced
implementation of Sharia they found
that it has a strong foundation,
stressing that that its announcement
and implementation is not created in
a vacuum.
He vowed that his presidential term
of office will see the establishment
of more mosques and Quran Khalwas
(traditional Quranic schools). He said
their principle focus is the realisation
of Islamic Sharia.
Al Bashir further received a charter of
solidarity and support from Sufi order
stressing support.
The president continues his electoral
campaign today by visiting Kassala
State, where he will address a mass
rally.
National Intelligence and
Security Service (NISS)
Announcement for the Recruitment of Medical Staff
The National Intelligence and Security Services are now seeking medical
staff who meet the following criteria:
The applicant must:
1. Be Sudanese born to Sudanese parents by birth
2. Not convicted of any crime related to integrity
3. Pass all required tests
4. Specialties required include:
a. Specialist physicians.
b. General practitioners, dentists, pharmacologists.
c. Technicians holding bachelor degrees in the following specialties: Nursing,
medical laboratories, X-rays, anesthesia
5. The applicant should submit the following documents (copy and
original)
a. National Number Certificate or nationality
b. Birth certificate or equivalent
c. University qualification according to specialty
d. Certificate of registration at Sudanese Medical Council
e. Certificate of registration at the National Council for Medical and Health
Professions
f. 2 postal-size photos, 4 colored passport photos.
6. Copies of documents cited above must be attached and submitted in a plain
file.
7. Males are preferred for some specialties.
8. Application can be made at Khartoum National Club as of Sunday 15
March 2015, during official working hours.
Director General of National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS)
2
HOME
Monday, March 8, 2015
Al-Sawarmi: Sudan Territories Free of Foreign Armed
Groups
Abdul-Rahman: Dialogue Only Way
Out of Sudan’s Problems
By: SUNA
Damazin - The National Dialogue has been described
as the only means for overcoming the country’s problems by Member of the National Committee for the
Nomination of Omer Al Bashir, Abdul-Rahman AlMahdi.
He called on the armed movements to cease fighting
and resort to dialogue.
While addressing the launch of Al Bashir’s election
campaign in Damazin Saturday, Al-Mahdi lauded
Ethiopia for its keenness towards Sudan achieving security and stability.He also commended Egypt, Eritrea
and the Gulf states for their support and concern over
Sudan’s peace and stability.
Al-Mahdi added that Al-Bashir’s programme based on
ending the war through dialogue, realisation of peace
and security, continuation of development and the foreign relations reform.
Al-Sawarmi:
Sudan Territories
Free of Foreign
Kidney and Urology Surgeons Association to Receive
Armed Groups
Material, Legislative Support
By: Staff Reporter
Khartoum - The presence of any foreign armed groups in
the country has been denied by the Official Spokesman
of the Armed Forces.
Colonel Al-Sawarmi Khalid Saad said Sudan will never
be a hotbed for any extremist groups belonging to any
country.
In a press statement to SUNA Saturday Saad said the
news report circulated by some foreign media quoting
the Legal Advisor of the Libyan Army that extremist
Libyans have moved from Darfur to Libya arms shipments as ‘unfounded information’.
He said Sudan’s Army is in full control of the situations
in Darfur, monitor the situation carefully and will not
miss any hostile activities.
By: SUNA
Khartoum – The Kidney and Urology
Surgeons Association will be provided
with all necessary legal and material
backing from the Ministry of Health,
at both federal and state level.
Vice-President Hassabo Mohamed
Abdul-Rahman made the directive
while addressing the opening session
of the Associations 3rd scientific conference.
He welcomed the decision taken by
the League of the Arab Urology Sur-
geons to hold their coming conference
in Khartoum, saying the presidency of
the Republic blesses the move which
he hopes will reach a conclusion that
helps medical work progress in Sudan
and in Arab countries.
Abdul-Rahman said the government’s
strategy is to provide health services
for all people in their local areas, commending the leading role played by
the association in providing and in developing kidney surgeries in the country and the role of the association in
exchanging of expertise with similar
regional and international entities.
For his part, Minister of Health Idris
Bahar Abu Garda stressed that the
specialty is of vital importance and
that the government seeks to provide
such an important service to the people in their home areas. He said his
ministry will stand by the conference
and its outcome, commending the role
played by the association.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Association, Dr. Nassir Abdul Majid Ramadan, revealed that the conference will
discuss around 45 scientific papers on
ence with dealers in Sudan and must be aggressive and highly sales
Independent
Candidate Al-Barodi
Announces Election
Programme
and target driven.
By: Staff Reporter
A very reputable and diversified business group with operations
across GCC and in Sudan is looking to recruit a high calibre ‘Sales
Executive’ for Automobile Tyre Sales based in Sudan.
The candidate must have minimum 2-3 years of direct sales experi-
An attractive salary will be offered to the right candidate
Interested candidates may send their CV to: HYPERLINK
“mailto:neeta.m@eurostargroup.com”neeta.m@eurostargroup.com,
HYPERLINK
“mailto:thellai.n@eurostargroup.
com”thellai.n@eurostargroup.com
Mobile: +249 920904636
Only short listed candidates will be called back for interviews.
Khartoum – The election programme of the Independent Candidate to the Presidency of the
Republic, Dr. Mohammed Awad
Al-Barodi was announced on
Saturday.
The programmed, ‘Over All
Development’ is focused on the
youth pumping new blood into
the country’s political work.
He said the programme aims to
solve the country’s problems in
a two-year period, or more, indicating that Sudan’s problems
are caused by the wrong policies
that prevent qualified cadres and
the youth from participating in
politics.
He affirmed that as soon as he
wins, he will stop the internal
conflicts, the rebellion and the
foreign hostilities.
Al-Barodi said the country needs
more effort exerted to face the
political, economic and security
problems.The campaign of the
presidential candidate, Al-Barodi has moved Saturday afternoon
from the city of Omdurman and
toured a number of streets until it
reached Khartoum, where he addressed a mass rally.
specific medical issues related to kidney and urinary track surgeries.
Tripartite
Teamwork
on
UNAMID
Exit to
Visit
Darfur
By: Staff Reporter
Khartoum - The Sudan, United Nations and the African Union team
work assigned to work out strategy
for the UNAMID exit from Darfur
will visit the region next week in
the context of preparing the strategy.
General Director of International
Cooperation and the Director of
the Organisation Department of
the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador
Suraj Adeen Hamed told SUNA
that the UN Secretary General will
submit the strategy report to the Security Council after the agreement
of the three parties.
He said the meetings held between
the three parties reached an agreement on the references of the strategy.
3 HOME
Monday, March 9, 2015
Qatar to
Construct New
Villages in Darfur
By: Staff Reporter
Khartoum - Ten new villages in Darfur will be
financed by Qatar, Head of Darfur Regional
Authority (DRA) announced.
Dr. Al-Tijani Al-Sisi said projects presented by
the European Union have also been approved
for construction.
Al-Sisi said the first phase of development
projects in Darfur is complete, noting that the
second phase of the projects will begin soon,
at a cost of SDG 1810 billion, which will
cover the rest of the localities.
The DRA head said the participation of
the National Liberation and Justice Party
in the elections is restricted to certain
constituencies.
He stressed that their concern is to present
the country’s issues and challenges and how
to solve the problems of citizens, calling on
peace-signatory movements to engage in
security arrangements directly and shift to
political parties.
Al-Sisi said that his party developed a
electoral political programme focusing on the
Sudanese renaissance and its socio-political
and economic issues.
National Students Welfare Fund Concludes 3rd States Forum
By: Staff Reporter
Khartoum - The National Students Welfare
Fund concluded the third forum of States
Secretaries under the banner ‘Evaluation,
perfection and development’, coming up
many recommendations.
Secretary General of the Fund Prof.
Mohamed Abdalla Al-Nagarabi stated at
the conclusion of the forum that many
papers on different issues were deliberated,
with recommendations made in the field of
increasing resources, students support and
the development of university towns along
with reviews of the general performance
report by the states.
He said a number of experts participated in
the deliberations on the presented papers
which are highly effective and useful, saying
that a number of committees to work on
following-up their implementation towards
upgrading performance in the fund more
significantly during the forthcoming period.
Al-Nagarabi praised the State government
for hosting the forum and its unlimited
cooperation in developing students projects
in the state.
The recommendations gave concern to
the infrastructure with its different aspects
such as health and environment, as well
as concentrating on planting fruit trees
and giving attention to holding regular
interviews with students, revising housing
projects and methods of developing them,
holding extra training courses for employees
, availing study scholarship in accordance
with specialisations in addition to activating
different activities with the relevant agencies
and with the community, promoting
autonomous resources and utilising them in
a perfect manner.During the activities water
desalination plants were inaugurated at the
boarding house of the Sea Ports Corporation
for the students by the Deputy Governor
Salah Sir Al-Khatim.
The two plants aim to solve the student’s
water problems.
In a related development, a cultural activity
was held in the main beach in the presence
of a number of state government ministers,
where the student excelled in presenting
different spectacular items.
Construction of Zalinjei International
Airport Starts
By: Staff Reporter
Zalinjei - The government of
Central Darfur State confirmed
that the implementation of
the development projects is
progressing,
revealing
that
the work on the first phase of
the construction of Zalinjei
international airport has begun.
Tijani Ahmed Sikah, Minister of
the Urban Planning in the State,
said that the contracted company
has started initial earth works
of 61 kms. He explained that
the work will be completed in
maximum period of 18 months,
announcing the arrival of the
required equipment and material
to implement the expansion of
the electricity project in the State,
besides rehabilitating the water
projects and maintenance of the
main supply line to the various
quarters of the city.
He explained that the water
network of Garsila Windsay
locality and Dilaij will be
inaugurated after it has been
expanded and rehabilitated,
financed by
the African
Development Bank, with the plan
of providing water services to all
the localities.
He said finally that the State
government,
within
the
2015 budget, has started the
construction of a number of
internal roads of 25km long.
UN Women Marks International Women’s Day in Sudan
Press Release
In marking International Women’s
Day and 20 years since the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for
Action, UN Women was joined by
representatives from the Sudanese
government, African Union, United
Nations Country Team and the
Canadian Embassy in hosting a wideranging panel discussion and art
exhibition at the Corinthia Hotel in
downtown Khartoum.
The Beijing Declaration is widely
regarded as the most comprehensive
blueprint for the advancement of
women’s rights. Today’s panel
examined its legacy in Sudan and the
way forward. The event’s art exhibit
featured modern and traditional
depictions of women in Sudan by
local artists.
“Looking back, I am comforted by
the progress made since Beijing but I
am also concerned about the fragility
of this progress in so many countries
where women continue to bear the
burden of poverty, armed conflict,
gender-based violence and all sorts of
violations of their fundamental rights,”
said UN Women Deputy Country
Representative Fatou Lo, who had
taken part to the Beijing Conference
as a youth delegate.
The Khartoum event was attended
by nearly 60 representatives from,
state ministries, embassies, UN
agencies, universities and civil society
organisations. Ms. Lo thanked the
Sudan Ministry of Welfare and Social
Security (MoWSS) for their support
of the event, and the African Union
and Canadian Embassy in their role as
co-sponsors.
Among the panel speakers was Amal
Gasim Ahmed, Director of the General
Directorate of Women and Family
Affairs at the MoWSS. “Today is an
opportunity to review and assess the
indicators and present suggestions,
recommendations and decisions,” she
said, emphasising the importance of
rural development as a necessity for
women’s empowerment.
This call was echoed by Ahfad
University Professor Balghis Badri,
who lauded “grassroots movements
powered by young female activists.”
She added that proper access to
education and health services for
young women are the best means
by which their communities can
succeed. She also outlined a way
forward in empowering women,
through strengthening the legal and
policy frameworks for women’s
rights, changing mindsets and crafting
integrated packages of development
interventions.
Ambassador
Mahmoud
Kane,
Representative of the African Union in
Sudan, highlighted the need for joint
efforts by all stakeholders to break
barriers and forge lasting peace. “The
AU in Sudan has been facilitating
several issues including peace talks
and the National Dialogue,” he began.
“We always urge negotiators to
increase the involvement of women in
these discussions. The work of women
in resolving conflicts in extremely
important. Because women and the
first victims of conflict.”
This call for collective action was also
reflected in the national launch of UN
Women’s global HeForShe campaign.
United Nations Acting Resident
Coordinator, Geert Cappalaere, led
male guests in signing up for the
initiative, which aims to encourage
greater involvement by men in
promoting gender equality.
Al Bashir to Visit Abyei Next
Week
By: smc
Khartoum - Abyei Oversight Committee revealed that President Omar
Al Bashir will visit Abyei area next week in the context of his electoral
campaign.Head of the committee, Sudan side, Hassan Ali Nimir said the
visit comes within Al Bashir’s expected visit to West Kordofan State.
He said the President will visit Al-Fulla Locality next week and meet the
committee head and members during the visit.Nimir said that five political
parties will participate in the next elections, in Abyei national constituency.
Daily Foreign Currency
Allocated to Import Wheat
and Medicines
By: Staff Reporter
Khartoum - The Union of Exchange Houses confirmed that it has allocated
daily amount of US $60,000 to the Banks and Exchange Houses from the
expatriate’s remittances and export returns to cover the bill of importing
wheat and medicines and to meet the necessary specially related to transfers
for the Sudanese students abroad.Jaafar Abdo, the Secretary General of the
Union predicted, in statement tosmc that the dollar rate will drop due to the
flow and stability of foreign currency. He added that the revenues from the
export of gold contributed in the availability of the Dollar, confirming at the
same time the Exchange Houses commitment to provide foreign currency in
coordination with the Central Bank.
Australia Provides $1.1
Million to Help Southern
Sudan Refugees
By: Staff Reporter
Khartoum -, Australia has donated $1.1 million to help the refugees of South
Sudan who started to arrive in Sudan to escape the conflict in their country
since December 2013.UN World Food Program (WFP) said in a statement
yesterday that the contribution will enable the organisation to purchase
600 metric tonnes of food for 66, 650 people for five months.“With this
contribution to the WFP, Australia is happy to help neighbouring countries
of South Sudan to provide protection and support for the people of South
Sudan, we also welcome the efforts of the Government of Sudan in the
registration of the population of South Sudan to ensure their access to
humanitarian aid,” charge d’ Affaires of the Australian embassy in Sudan
said.
4 HOME
Monday, March 9, 2015
UN Sudan Humanitarian Chief Urges
Darfur Conflict Solution
The Peninsula
Khartoum-The acting United Nations humanitarian chief
in Sudan urged the government and rebels in Darfur
Friday to negotiate a political solution to the conflict, as
troops press an offensive in the region.
Darfur has been mired in conflict since 2003 when
mostly black insurgents rebelled against the Arabdominated Khartoum government, complaining of their
marginalisation.
“It is now nearly 11 years that this has been going on and
we still don’t see an end in sight,” said Geert Cappelaere,
the head of UNICEF in Sudan and the acting UN
humanitarian coordinator in the country.
“The end to it is only a political one, it is stopping the
fighting,” he told AFP in an interview.
He was speaking the day after visiting the village of
Tawila, some 70 kilometres (43 miles) west of the North
Darfur state capital El Fasher.
In November, the government launched a fresh offensive
in Darfur, as well as in the southern Blue Nile and South
Kordofan areas.Tens of thousands have been displaced
by the fighting since the end of December, the United
Nations says, some of whom have sought shelter in
the vicinity of Tawila.Cappelaere stressed the need to
negotiate a settlement in the area because the United
Nations has diverted resources elsewhere to focus on
conflicts in Syria, Iraq and the Central African Republic.
“You have an international community that is struggling
to respond” to the conflict in the western Sudanese
region, he said.
Since 2003 Darfur has been locked in a cycle of conflict,
with government forces and rebels unable to gain a
decisive military advantage.
Government representatives last met rebels in Addis
Ababa in December, but no agreement was reached.
Cappelaere said some parties to the conflict still hoped
to achieve a decisive military victory “but they have
tried that for more than ten years and we still have no
solution”.
People’s
Movement-real
Stakeholders
Party Inaugurates
Elections
Campaign
By: Staff Reporter
Since late December, aid organisations have registered
32,490 newly displaced people in Darfur, the UN’s
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said
Thursday.
The figure was lower than 41,304 reported by OCHA last
month because aid organisations had been able to carry
out more verification of internally displaced persons in
the region.
Khartoum
The
People’s Movement-real
Stakeholders party on
Friday inaugurated its
political and elections
campaign in support of
presidential
candidate
Omar Al Bashir and of the
party’s candidates in the
various constituencies.
The party inaugurated its
activities in Omdurman
Friday under the slogan,
“We are back to launch
the peace and construction
process”, said the move was
made in response to the call
for peace and development
and for coexistence and
cementing the social fiber
in thecommunities in their
home area.
Gen. Abdul Baggi Garfa
has pointed out that his
party’s nationalism could
clearly be seen in its
backing for the incumbent
president and candidate for
the presidential election
this year, Omar Al Bashir
who Baggi stressed is
recognised as a national
figure upon which there
is consensus from all
Sudanese peoples.
He said although the party
backs the nomination
of Al Bashir in the
presidential race, still the
competition would be
fierce with regards the
geographical and other
constituencies with other
parties, including the
National Congress party.
He said this includes the
geographical national and
state constituencies.The
event was attended by
representatives of political
parties and other civil
society organisations and
took place in Omdurman,
Khartoum
state
on
Friday.
Elections a Constitutional Right for Political Forces
Report by SUNA
Elections are a constitutional right for all Sudanese
political parties and mean the peaceful transference
of power far away from war and tension.
The holding of elections in the country means
democracy has been realised, because it represent
the sole criterion, and builds confidence between
the competitors who want to attain power.
The importance of the upcoming elections come in
a complicated political situation so that all political
forces would engage and participate seriously in
all legal and executive bodies, through electoral
districts, because they are considered an excellent
opportunity which will help put an end to the
political disputes.
The country has suffered from the civil wars, and
political conflicts which are affecting and creating
difficulties to sustainable development in general,
and in war affected areas in particular.
Wars and conflicts now represent the main
impediment in the route to development.
The effective solution for confronting these
challenges is active participation in the upcoming
elections, because the country needs cooperation
and integration from all political forces in order
to unify the internal front from the foreign
interventions in its domestic affairs.
Recently, all political forces have been facing a
huge political responsibility which needs effort to
protect the country from the fabricated conspiracies
against its national sovereignty. Sudanese political
forces need to work together to confront these
challenges.
The Sudanese citizens’ role is to pay attention and
be careful of losing their legal right, because they
are free to take their decision, and they know that
who is qualified and appropriate to deserve their
vote. They must go to the ballot box with complete
confidence and freedom to take their constitutional
right.
The omission from voting is a negative step,
because the political situation is very critical and
needs cooperation from all Sudanese people to
participate in the upcoming elections to restore
and spread democracy and extend freedom.
The protection of the country depends on collective
work from all in order to resist aggressive
interventions in its domestic affairs. The country
now needs stability and a permanent constitution
which follows the political conditions.
Participation in the upcoming elections is a
national duty, because through elections we can
promote democracy. The can be no progress
without comprehensive peace and stability, we
are in an alliance era; the world’s states expressed
their keenness to engage in integration and
cooperation. Generally, the country is entering a
sensitive stage and needs the integration of efforts
from all Sudanese politicians to achieve national
reconciliation and comprehensive peace in all
parts of the country.
If we want to continue development we must
forget our political differences and complete the
upcoming elections peacefully because they are
the sole guarantor to take the country forward. Our
power in our integration and cooperation, through
them we can overcome the challenges which have
become a fierce nightmare. The omission from
the elections is not an effective solution, it will
complicate the situation, and spread the apartment
differences, then the consequence will be nothing,
all the political forces and armed groups must
study the political situation carefully then they
will discover that the real disadvantages of these
political differences. It is better for the opposition
and armed movements to engage in the elections
process and sit with the central government
around the negotiations table with a strong desire
to touch on the important points of their political
differences. They can reach to an effective solution
if they devote their determination for the country
to reach a final solution.
The first exam facing the Sudanese people is how
to succeed in the upcoming elections, and put the
country in a position of responsibility, because
the protection of the countries is a national
responsibility and duty of all Sudanese people.
5 BUSINESS
Monday, March 9, 2015
Hilton Announces New Hotels in Dubai, Saudi Arabia
ArabianBusiness.com
Hilton Worldwide has
announced the signing of
three new Hilton Garden
Inn hotels for Dubai and
Saudi Arabia, adding to
the mid-market brand’s
growing portfolio in the
region.
Hilton Garden Inn Dubai
Al Jadaf is expected
to open in early 2017,
following the signing of
a management agreement
with AIG Investments.
The hotel will feature
336 guest rooms, two
F&Boutlets,
flexible
meeting space, as well
as business and fitness
centres, Hilton said in a
statement.
It added that the 166key Hilton Garden Inn
Al Ahsa is expected to
open in 2016 as part of a
management agreement
with Al Jazeera Group.
Hilton Garden Inn Al
Ahsa will also feature two
F&B outlets, four meeting
rooms and business and
fitness centres.
The 154-guest room
Hilton Garden Inn Al
Khobar
King
Fahd
Causeway is expected to
begin welcoming guests
in 2016.
“Hilton Garden Inn is
an exciting proposition
for investors in the
Middle East as Hilton
Worldwide continues to
grow its presence in the
value segment across
the region,” said Rudi
Jagersbacher, president,
Middle East and Africa
for Hilton Worldwide.
“With significant focus on
the development of midmarket accommodation
in Dubai and clear
opportunity in locations
across Saudi and the
wider GCC, we are
delighted to be adding to
this momentum with the
signing of agreements
to open three new
China Vows Cooperation with
Russia despite West’s Sanctions
AFP
China vowed Sunday to
plough ahead on economic
and diplomatic cooperation
with
Russia
despite
Western sanctions against
Moscow over the conflict
in Ukraine, stressing their
relations are based on
«mutual need».
«The practical cooperation
between China and Russia
is based on mutual need,
it seeks win-win results
and has enormous internal
impetus and room for
expansion,» said Beijing’s
foreign minister Wang Yi.
As well as sanctions,
Vladimir Putin’s Russia
is facing a sharp decline
in its ruble currency amid
an economic crisis fuelled
largely by plunging oil
prices.
Both
countries
are
permanent members of the
United Nations Security
Council, where they have
in the past jointly used
their veto power against
Western-backed
moves
such as in the civil war in
Syria.
Wang told reporters on the
sidelines of the National
People’s
Congress,
China’s
Communistcontrolled parliament, that
Beijing and Moscow will
«continue to carry out
strategic coordination and
cooperation to maintain
international peace and
security».
Wang’s comments signal
that Putin, assailed by the
West over the annexation
of Crimea and the ongoing
conflict in eastern Ukraine,
can count on continued
Chinese economic and
diplomatic support.
Beijing and Moscow, allies
and then adversaries during
the Cold War, have over the
past quarter century often
found common ground
internationally, frequently
taking similar stands at the
UN.
They have also forged
increasingly
closer
economic ties, with China
hungry for Russia’s vast
hydrocarbon
resources.
Western sanctions have
made
seeking
stable
markets an urgent need for
Putin, whose economy has
been hit hard by the fall
in prices for oil, a major
source of revenue.
Putin and Chinese President
Xi Jinping, who met five
times last year, have a close
personal relationship.
Xi told visiting Russian
foreign minister Sergei
Lavrov in February that the
two countries’«cooperation
grows ever deeper».
In the economic arena,
the two sides will «work
hard» to increase bilateral
trade to $100 billion, while
intensifying cooperation in
the financial, oil and gas
and nuclear power sectors,
Wang said, after ChinaRussia trade totalled $95.3
billion last year.
Among other results, he
said they would begin «full
construction» of an eastern
natural gas pipeline and
also sign an agreement on
the western route.
properties.”
Hilton Worldwide features
more than 59 hotels
under development in the
Middle East (including
Egypt) across its Waldorf
Astoria Hotels & Resorts,
Conrad Hotels & Resorts,
Hilton Hotels & Resorts,
DoubleTree by Hilton,
Curio - A Collection by
Hilton and Hilton Garden
Inn brands.
BRIEFS
Local Currency Dealers Shy
away from Dealing with
Yemeni Riyal
Arab News
The deteriorating situation in Yemen with regard to the lack of political
and economic stability have driven downward the value of the Yemeni
riyal against the dollar and other key currencies.
This is set to negatively reflect upon the already weak economy in Yemen
despite the recent assurances of the Central Bank of Yemen that currency
exchange rates have actually remained relatively stable. Nonetheless,
global reports confirm the political upheaval in the country may inflict
great harm on the Yemeni economy.
The exchange rate of the Yemeni riyal has declined against the US dollar
to 215 riyals, and against the Saudi riyal to 57 Yemeni riyals.
Ahmad Ali, member of the International Federation of Technical Analysts
(IFTA) said that the Yemeni riyal has been dropping for some time, adding
that it may reach 250 against the dollar. ìThis is a very strong and serious
drop for the Yemeni riyal, which will negatively affect the country>s
economy,î he confirmed.
He dismissed the notion that the dropping value of the Yemeni currency
will negatively affect the value of the Saudi riyal, mainly due to the weak
mutual trade between the two countries which is mostly concentrated in
agro-products. The trade balance of the Yemeni economy saw a surplus of
$811 million at the end of 2012, yet the political disturbance that hit the
country and cast its shadow over the national economy prompted Yemen
to record the biggest deficit in its trade balance in nine years, in 2013. Ali
described the steps made by Yemenis to transfer their money into other
currencies as a good decision. ìMost probably, the Yemeni workforce will
transfer their money either into the Saudi riyal or dollar,î he said. Salim
Al-Amoudi, a currency dealer in Makkah, said that exchange shops in the
city have largely opted to reduce their dealings in the Yemeni currency
because of its declining exchange rate and the decreasing number of
Umrah pilgrims coming from Ye men. He said that the currencies being
exchanged most frequently in Makkah and Jeddah are the dollar, euro and
English pound, followed by the UAE dirham and the Moroccan dirham.
Cash-strapped Greece Repays First
Part of IMF Loan Due in March
Reuters
Greece repaid on Friday the first
310 million-euro instalment of
a loan from the International
Monetary Fund that falls due this
month, as it scrambles to cover
its funding needs.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s
newly elected government must
pay a total of 1.5 billion euros
to the IMF this month, but it is
rapidly depleting its cash.
The payments fall due over two
weeks starting on Friday. The
next three instalments are due on
March 13, 16 and 20.†
“The payment of 310 million
euros has been made, with a
Friday value date,” a government
official told Reuters, requesting
anonymity.
The Tsipras government has said
it will make the payments, but
uncertainty has been growing
over Greece’s cash position. It
faces a decline in tax revenues,
while aid from EU/IMF lenders
remains on hold until Athens
completes promised reforms.
Athens sent an updated list of
reforms to Brussels on Friday,
before a meeting of euro zone
finance ministers on Monday, a
Greek government official said.
The list expanded on an earlier
set of proposals, he said.
The reforms include measures to
fight tax evasion and red tape and
facilitate repayment of tax and
pension fund arrears owed by
millions of Greeks, the official
said. It also proposes a “fiscal
council” to generate savings for
the state.
In the letter to the Eurogroup,
Greek Finance Minister Yanis
Varoufakis says Athens aims to
save 200 million euros by cuts in
public-sector spending, offseting
an estimated 200 million-euro
cost to tackle what it calls the
country’s “humanitarian crisis.”
It also aims to collect 500 million
euros in extra revenues annually
from new gaming licences and
taxing online gaming operators.
“The letter says that it is necessary
to
immediately
commence
discussions between Greece
and its lenders, in order for the
specific reforms to constitute a
first batch of reforms ahead of
the completion of an agreement
in April,” the official said.
Athens is running out of options
to fund itself despite striking
a deal with the euro zone in
February to extend its EU/IMF
bailout by four months.
Greece needs about 4.5 billion
euros a month, including a wage
and pension bill of 1.5 billion
euros. It is not due to receive any
financial aid until it completes a
review by lenders of final reforms
required under its bailout.
Greece’s central bank chief,
Yannis Stournaras, said after
talks with Tsipras on Friday that
Greek banks were sufficiently
capitalised and faced no
problem with deposit outflows.
[ID:nL5N0W74R3]
“There is full support for Greek
banks (from the ECB), there is
absolutely no danger,” he said
after the meeting. But he added
Monday’s euro zone meeting had
to be “successful”.
Atlas Mara Says
to Target Africans
Ignored by Other
Nanks
Reuters
JOHANNESBURG - Atlas
Mara, the newest entrant to the
African banking market, plans
to target low-income earners in
additional to the multinational
companies and middle-class
consumers existing lenders
have concentrated on, its chief
executive said.
«We want to do things outside
the traditional banking model
used in Africa. We want to
service smaller businesses
and the middle class and even
further down the economic
pyramid than that,» John
Vitalo told the Reuters Africa
Investment Summit.
«You can expect us to be
broadly balanced between
retail and wholesale banking,
although this will be different
from country to country,» he
said.
Volkswagen’s
Audi Outsells
Mercedes again
in February
Reuters
BERLIN - Audi (VOWG_p.
DE) outsold German rival
Mercedes-Benz for a second
month in February as the
Volkswagen division benefited
from its revamped model
lineup. Sales in February rose
4.2 percent to 122,550 luxury
cars and sport-utility vehicles
(SUVs), a record high for the
month, Audi said on Sunday,
fuelled by demand for the newgeneration A3 compact series
and revamped A6 saloon.
January and February combined
sales were up 7.4 percent to
a record 260,250 vehicles on
strong demand from China,
Germany and the United
States, its top three markets,
Audi said.
Stuttgart-based
Daimler
(DAIGn.DE) last week posted
record February deliveries of
120,270 vehicles for its core
Mercedes-Benz division, up
14.6 percent from a year earlier
to bring its two-month tally to
246,135 autos.
Ingolstadt-based Audi last
month introduced revamped
versions of its A1 compact
and Q3 SUV to Europe and
will later this year launch new
generations of its top-selling A4
model and flagship Q7 SUV.
Luxury-sales champion BMW
(BMWG.DE) is expected to
publish its February deliveries
next week.
Audi will publish full-year
results on March 10.
Ukraine Industry Seeks Ties with West, but Buckles in Crisis
AP
KIEV, Ukraine - Volodymyr Kuzovkin>s
office is less than 50 miles from the European
Union, but for him and his factory, the EU is
a world away.
Despite Ukraine>s desperation to integrate
with Europe, a desire so strong it sparked the
protests that ousted pro-Russian President
Viktor Yanukovych last year, much of
Ukrainian business remains wedded to Sovietera practices even as it is buffeted by a very
modern economic crisis.
Ukraine is hoping to improve links between
its heavy industry and European markets to
help the economy recover. But for companies
like Kuzovkin>s Lviv State Jewelry Factory
in western Ukraine, the challenges are huge.
Trade with EU countries is not picking up.
Business with oil-rich ex-Soviet states in
Central Asia has tapered off because of
uncertainty over the war in eastern Ukraine.
And the local economy is in shambles ó skilled
workers are going to the front, inflation is
soaring and loans are so hard to come by that
some companies are considering bartering
goods.
«People are spending on subsistence,» says
Kuzovkin, a grizzled 74-year-old former
miner who was put in charge of the Lviv
factory in 1985 by the Soviet government.
The national currency, the hryvnia, has lost
almost three quarters of its value against the
dollar in 12 months. The effects of that are
particularly acute for manufacturers like the
Lviv jewelry plant, which must buy gold and
silver at ever-higher prices.
The factory has slashed production by half
in the last year because it cannot afford the
precious metals, Kuzovkin said. The price at
which the factory buys gold has tripled in 12
months, he adds, with similar rises for silver
and diamonds.
In a room used for producing thin silver chain,
only one machine of six is operating. Kuzovkin
said the factory would need «dozens more
people» to work at full capacity. He had plans
to expand production before violence flared in
the east, but those have been shelved due to
the war.
With much of Ukraine>s heavy industry based
in the east of the country now either under
rebel control, the historically poorer west
and center of the country must now shoulder
more of the burden of helping Ukraine out of
economic crisis.
The machine-building plant called Bolshevik,
located in the west of the capital Kiev, has
been a major employer since Tsarist times and
its website proudly displays honors awarded
to it by the Soviet government, but now it too
is struggling to adapt.
The company focuses on exports to the
U.S. and Europe and imports little, which
would typically allow it to prosper from the
weak Ukrainian currency, but acting Chief
Executive Roman Biloskorskiy says he had
been forced to cut production.
«We only have sales contracts in foreign
currency now,» he said. He noted that with the
plunging value of the hryvnya, «we should be
doing more export sales, but the items that we
buy have also risen in price, so it has ended up
more or less balancing out.»
The factory went through tough times last year
under previous management, with workers
going unpaid, Biloskorskiy said, but wage
arrears have now been cleared and salaries
will rise soon as ordinary Ukrainians face a
rising cost of living.
Vladimir Bratusin, sales director of KRMZ, a
Soviet-era metalworking plant on the outskirts
of Kiev, says the unavailability of dollars
raised the specter of a return to bartering, last
widely seen in Ukraine during the post-Soviet
economic turbulence of the 1990s.
However, he said that while he was open to
barter offers, trading the factory>s output
of items such as drill bits for supplies, the
situation was not yet serious enough to force a
full-scale switch to swap deals.
«We tried barter in the 1990s and it had a
very bad influence on the economy,» Bratusin
said. «It depends who is offering you barter.
If it>s a good client who has something with
value on the market, then it>s O.K., but if not,
we>re not interested.»
Meanwhile, the longer the fighting in eastern
Ukraine goes on, the more it drains the pool of
skilled workers. The Ukrainian government
has reintroduced conscription, calling up
thousands of men and causing more to leave
the country for fear of being forced to fight.
At the Lviv jewelry factory, whose total
workforce of 370 is mostly composed of
women and older men, Kuzovkin says two
employees have already gone to the front,
with 25 more awaiting the results of medical
examinations to judge whether they are fit to
fight.
6 OPINION
Monday, March 9, 2015
Editorial
A Serious War Crime Funded by US Tax Dollars
Berlin Declaration
In the news, the National Congress Party (NCP)
said it will deeply consider the Berlin declaration signed by the opposition forces and take a
stand on it.
The ìSudan Callî forces, including the opposition alliance National Consensus Forces (NCF),
rebel umbrella Sudanese Revolutionary Front
(SRF), National Umma Party (NUP) and civil
society groups, issued the Berlin declaration
where they expressed their readiness to discuss
with the Khartoum government the requirements and procedures of the national dialogue
in a preparatory meeting.
In a first reaction to the Berlin Declaration, the
NCP political sector said the party will consider
the outcome of the Berlin declaration before
taking a position.
As a matter of fact, most of the demands of the
Berlin Declaration are reasonable in principle
and could be accepted by the government; but
the main obstacle here is the insistence of the
SRF that the government should stop its military
operations without announcing that the troops
of the SRF will dissolve its insurgent military
militias and hand their arms over to the Sudan
Armed Forces.
This insistence explodes the whole declaration
and defeats its logic and justification.
It is not in favour of the country to achieve consensus under the pressure of the guns as this is
not acceptable in principle.
The political national dialogue should not be
conducted under the threat of the arms; because
in this case it will produce a regime that will
lead to an eternal dictatorship.
Those who seize power by guns will never recognise the voice of the public.
The SRF and other armed groups which call on
the government to create a conducive environment for dialogue should know that the laying
down of arms and dissolving all the military
militias is on top of the conditions to avail the
required healthy environment for dialogue.
The only safe and just approach for the national
dialogue is to enter into the negotiations’ conference in a civil character and not surrounded
by bodyguards.
We all support the opposition’s just demands to
start the national dialogue provided it dissolves
its military militias first.
Alfatih Ziada
Email: ziadvission@gmail.com
I
sraeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is stridently and continually harping on the alleged dangers of Iran to
Israelís security. Netanyahu has raised this
issue repeatedly over the past 20 years,
often predicting that Iran was as little as a
year away from having a nuclear warhead.
Decades later, it does not, and Israel is still
there. Many observers believe that Netanyahu is performing as a magician does, trying to make the audience take its eye over
the real sleight of hand by pointing in the
direction of a distraction. There are, in fact,
more pressing dangers to Israel than Iranís
nuclear reactors, Extensive and years-long
investigations of Iranís civilian nuclear enrichment program by t never revealed any
evidence that Iran has a parallel nuclear
weapons program. Only a couple of years
ago, the Israeli defense minister was publicly admitting that Iran had not made a decision to weaponize its nuclear program.
Iran is just doing what Japan, South Korea,
Germany, Ukraine, Sweden and Spain have
doneñ develop nuclear reactors to generate electricity. By doing so, Iran can save
its oil and natural gas for export to earn
foreign exchange instead of eating its own
Mohamed Abdalla
Email: abunogood7@gmail.com
T
he Common Market for Eastern and
Southern Africa (COMESA) is one
of the most significant organisations
in the region to boost economic relations
among member states. The main objective
of COMESA is to promote trade activities
and to establish a free zone area alongside
facilitating the movement of people and
goods.
The distinguished development in COMESAs career is a justice court which held its
recent annual meeting in Khartoum, the
E-mail: osmanmust@gmail.com
Tel: +249183571702
Tel: +249183571702
Associate Editor
Alula Berhe Kidani
E-mail:alulakidani@yahoo.com
Tel: +249183571702
Senior Repoter
Al-Sammani Awadallah
a guerrilla group like the Support Front, just
as it isnít really threatened by Iran. What
Netanyahu wants is continued Israeli hegemony, which Iranís nuclear enrichment
program threatens symbolically.
4. Syria and Israel share a long common
border. Syria is in civil war and governmental collapse, and half of Syrians have
been displaced from their homes, four million abroad. The potential for radicalization here is enormous, as the rise of ISIL
demonstrates. Yet Israel has done nothing,
repeat anything, to ISIL. An organization
that France and Britain see as an existential
threat to Europe has elicited only yawns in
Israelís Ministry of Defense. If Syrian civil
and ISIL arenít a threat to Israeli security,
it is hard to think of what could be. These
are the real security threats Israel faces,
which are in the present. Netanyahu does
not want to do the right thing with regard to
the Palestinians, and he is unconcerned by
the Syrian developments because he holds
the incorrect theory that Israel is better off
if the Arabs are busy with one another. Israelis of European background often seem
blithely unaware that they are smack dab
in the Middle East and that its troubles
are their troubles. A normal state like Iran,
which has fair order and a return address
should it attack Israel, is much less a security concern than the 4 unpredictable issues
above. Modified from J. Cole
capital of Sudan.
The government of Sudan obliged to shoulder the responsibility of constructing the
premise of COMESA justice court and support it in running its duties from Khartoum
as the permanent hosting country.
The function of the court is to solve problems and to judge disputes among member
states and to make legislations to regulate
trade relations. The court is composed of
twelve members who are elected democratically. It began operating formally on
March 5th.
The presence of COMESA justice court in
Khartoum serves multiple functions; it has a
good impact on Sudanese African relations
and proves the capability of Sudan in playing a crucial role in the region as well as
in the whole continent. Representatives in
the court may convey to their nations about
Sudanese culture, social life, so we can address the nations of member states through
the court, the benefit is not only justice, law
and legislation; the court also contributes
indirectly to the economic situation and creates jobs. The building was handed over to
COMESA on Thursday in the presence of
Sudanese Vice President Hassabo Mohamed Abdul-Rahman, who announced that the
government of Sudan will continue supporting to the court. What made me comment
on this event is the idea of a justice body
to govern a regional organisation. In Africa
we have a lot of regional organisations, but
there is no separated justice body, the rule
of law in other regional bodies is played
through bureau or secretariats offices.
I expect a brilliant economic future for
COMESA, respecting law and separation
its authority from executive body means
pumping blood into the heart of the organisation to allow it to survive for long time to
provide services to the people of the member states.
The court can also provide training courses
to members; it can activate and enhance
commercial law in the region. It can also
organise other activities according to its
mission.
I appeal to the forthcoming COMESA Summit to discuss not only economic issues, but
also social, political and cultural topics, and
that the charter is amended to meet the future requirements.
English at Higher Education Institutions:
Problems and Solutions (5)
Editor-in-Chief:
Mohamed Osman Mustafa
E-mail: khulud_10@yahoo.com
ing taken from them has deeply alienated
European states and civil society from Tel
Aviv. Sweden has recognized Palestine,
and the French and Italian parliaments have
called for such recognition on a short timetable. A third of Israeli trade is with Europe,
and Israel depends deeply on scientific and
technical exchanges with Europe, which
could gradually be closed off as boycotts
and sanctions spread.
3. Israel now has al-Qaeda on its border
in the Golan Heights. The rebel Jabhat
al-Nusra or Support Front, which holds
the Golan, has declared allegiance to Ayman al-Zawahiri and al-Qaeda central. Mr.
Netanyahu does not seem perturbed by this
development, even though al-Qaeda is a
brutal and highly destructive terrorist group
that killed nearly 3,000 Americans and tens
of thousands of Iraqis and Syrians. In fact,
the Israeli military has targeted the enemy
of the Support Front in Golan, Lebanonís
Hizbullah, but hasnít hit al-Qaeda with air
strikes. If al-Qaeda is holding territory and
it is bordering Israel, Iíd say that is a security issue. Iran is very far away and has
no plausible means of attacking Israel, and
even in the unlikely scenario where it developed a bomb, would no more be able to use
it than the Soviets were able to use theirs
against the US. In fact, Israel is massively
well armed by the US and has its own nuclear arsenal, and isnít really threatened by
COMESA, Justice Court
An Independent Daily
Managing Editor
Muawad Mustafa Rashid
seed corn. None of the countries just mentioned, who have their own nuclear energy
programs, has a nuclear bomb, and no one
is particularly worried about them getting
one. As the former Israeli defense minister admitted, Iran would have to kick out
the UN inspectors before it could turn its
civilian enrichment facilities toward bombmaking. No country under. Here are genuine dangers to Israel, about which Netanyahu wonít be saying anything today:
1. Israelís continued program of flooding its
own citizens into the Occupied Palestinian
West Bank is a serious war crime for which
the country may yet be charged at the International Criminal Court. The illegal colonization of the West Bank sets the Muslim
world, of 1.5 billion persons, against Israel.
The Muslim world wonít be weak and ineffectual forever, and Netanyahu is undermining Israelís future by constantly increasing
the number of Israeli squatters on Palestinian land.
2. Israelís continued de facto opposition to
Palestinian statehood leaves Palestinians
stateless and without the rights of citizenship, or indeed, any basic human rightsñ
to their own property, to freedom of movement to hospitals or shopping, to water and
other resources, to peaceable assembly and
protestñ in short, to basic human rights.
This holding of the Palestinians as stateless
chattel even as their landed property is be-
Dr Mohamed Suleiman Al Zain
msalzein65@gmail.com
A
re academics really educators?
Teacher assistants at universities
are the best students in their specializations but are they professional teachers? They are excellent academics with
very good subject knowledge. However,
they lack the qualities of being effective
lecturers. Teaching is an interdisciplinary
profession that is related to other fields of
knowledge as psychology, sociology management and presentation skills. In addition
to personal qualities such as patience, honesty and being friendly.
All the above skills and qualities need some
good training and adequate period of practice as it is for Basic and Secondary teachers who are experts in their fields. Moreover, academics should be leaders for their
students and take on administrative management roles.
Holding an MA or PhD is not enough to
act properly in a very serious job as teaching. So postgraduate studies should include
teacher education as a component in such
programmes. Gaining teaching experience
is important for future academics who can
be trained during their research through
seminars, tutorials and teaching practice.
This should be a requirement they should
fulfill before being hired as teacher assistants. Furthermore, they need continuous
in- service training to cope with the rapidly
changing ways of learning and teaching.
On the other hand, many academics conduct lectures in several higher education
institutions which affect their ability to provide quality service education as well as doing beneficial research. This can be solved
through raising the salaries of those academics to lessen the long hours they take
lecturing the whole day. Another solution
is by generously funding the researches to
encourage investigating current problems
to reach sound findings.
A third suggestion is that could the Ministry
of Higher Education recruit both lectures to
work on teaching and researchers to work
only on studies? Thus each group will have
enough time to work professionally in their
fields. The scholars in each country are
those who lead the transformation from
poor nations to rich ones such as the model
of Asian Tigers in, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Singapore, Taiwan and North Korea who
recorded sound investment in education
that resulted in world advanced economies.
Email:samani2500@yahoo.com
Production Editor
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By Kelly Askin
T
he failure worldwide to prevent and
punish sexual violence is more than
direóit is downright shameful. The
so-called Islamic State (ìso calledî because
they do not reflect core Islamic values and
are assuredly not a state) viciously slaughters, rapes, enslaves, and forces into ìmarriageî tens of thousands of women and
girls in Iraq and Syria. The Boko Haram
terrorist group kidnaps hundreds of school
girls in Nigeria. Rape and sexual slavery is
epidemic in the Central African Republic.
Armed groups in Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) continue to commit mass
rape with impunity. From France to China,
India to Kenya, Bosnia to the United Kingdom, Colombia to Burma, Sudan to Russiaóto be more specific, in every nation on
earthósexual violence within and outside of
conflict occurs far more commonly than is
reported. In the U.S. and Europe, rape on
college campuses and throughout Western
cities is commonplace. Millions of women
and girls are trafficked for forced labor,
sex, or exploitation. Men and boys are also
victims of sexual assault, although women
and girls are disproportionately affected, in
part because of their reproductive capacity. Successful prosecution of any of these
crimes is low, whether committed in the
global North, South, East, or West.
In the 20 years that Iíve been working on
efforts to prosecute sexual violence at the
international level, enormous strides have
been made in recognizing various forms
of such violence as crimes of war, instruments of genocide, and crimes against humanity. Atrocity tribunals have punished
individuals for rape, enslavement, sexual
slavery, forced marriage, torture, persecution, and other crimes of conflict-related
sexual violence. Indeed, the International
Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and the Special Court for
Sierra Leone have greatly advanced gender jurisprudence, and have had women in
leadership positions within these tribunals.
Mobile courts in the DRC have adjudicated hundreds of rape cases. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
only recently brought charges for decadesold rape offences committed by the Khmer
Rouge. Hundreds of millions of sexual
atrocities go unreported, uninvestigated,
unprosecuted, or unpunished.
In assessing the current state of the worldís
women for International Womenís Day
(March 8), it is clear that we have made
grossly insufficient progress in addressing
one of the most pervasive and insidious
forms of violence. It is incumbent upon
governments, citizens, armies, police,
families, medical centers, neighbors, educators, and organizations, among others, to
redouble efforts to establish accountability
for the sexual violence directed against
half the worldís population. The United
Nations, countries, and donors must invest far more resources and energy into
tackling this odious scourge. International
and domestic laws intended to protect civilians against sexual assault must be enforced and governments held accountable
for their failures to protect, investigate,
and prosecute violence committed against
their citizens or on their territory, including
by state agents. The ICC and other international tribunals must ensure that genderrelated crimes are effectively adjudicated
and the ICC prosecutorís policy paper on
sexual and gender-based crimes rigorously
implemented.
To be sure, countless efforts are afoot to
undermine the notable gains women have
made over the last few centuries, and the
unprecedented advances in international
law made during the past two decades. It
is widely recognized that rape and other
forms of sexual violence are intentionally
used as tools of warfare precisely because
of their effectiveness in terrorizing, harming, and even destroying groups far beyond the individual victims. Until that dynamic is reversed, in part by punishing and
stigmatizing the perpetrators and others
responsible for sexual atrocities, the legal
advances will not be realized in practice.
It is deeply troubling that a broad range of
sexual violence continues to flourish in the
year 2015, and it is equally problematic
that these crimes have a low probability
of receiving any form of accountability. If
we are to have any hope of improvement
for future generations, we must invest significantly more into efforts to prevent and
punish these crimes, and make addressing
them a priority. It will not be easy in the
face of wars, terrorism, religious extremism, propaganda, archaic attitudes, and indifference. But we must persevere, for the
sake of humanity.
TERVIEWS
7 OPINION
Monday, March 9, 2015
Sidelines Sitters Are Coming
Omer Bakri Abu Haraz
E.mail: oba@haggar-cec.com
It is believed that Sudan future can only be bright and
promising if all activities in the current political arena
are forced to concede that the armed confrontations had
badly affected the humanitarian conditions of the innocent civilians, the economy of the country and the stability needed for development. The leaders and political
activists will also be forced to accept the fact there are
two tangible forces causing the dilemma in Sudan since
independence in 1956.
The first force is an assortment of many parties which
converge at one point – The application of Islamic governance. They differ in a short range of the degree of
application of Islamic laws.
This force or front is composed of: The incumbent NCP,
Popular Congress, Umma Party, Democratic Unionist
Party (Khatmiya Faction), Reform Now Party, plus the
NCP allied parties.
The second front is a non-homogeneous group of parties
which agree on secular governance. This front includes
the SPLM/N, Darfur insurgents who did not sign the
DDPD, Communist Party, Baath parties, plus the parties
of the National Consensus Forces.
Before assessing the strength of the two fronts it is important to list some new developments in the political
spectrum in the last few months:
1. Insistence of the government to run the elections on
April 15.
2. The sudden emergence of a new group in Darfur by
the name of (Al-Sahwa), which mean vigilance or attention or alert, headed by the known tribal leader Musa
Hilal. It could be a new opposition group. He is an NCP
who defected to his native tribe with some demands to
be met before March 10, 2015. Most probably he will
come back to the NCP before the end of March.
3. Opposition pledge to boycott the election and their
inciting slogans to the people to join their campaign of
boycotting.
4. The continuation of war in Darfur, S. Kordofan and
the Blue Nile.
5. The unexpected sudden and dangerous split in the
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) after a strong decision
from the DUP leader to dismiss key and very influential
top brass of the party. The dismissed leaders who are adamantly opposing the participation of the party in the upcoming elections and were against the alliance with the
NCP are expected to be a new core for the resurrection
of the historic National Unionist party (NUP) which was
founded by the late President Ismail Al-Azhari before
independence. It was the strongest party in Sudan which
included in its membership the elites and cream of the
Sudanese society. It was amalgamated in one big party
together with the Popular Democratic Party (which was
mainly the religious Khatmiya Sect) in 1967. The new
name of the amalgamation was and is the current DUP
headed by Mawlana Mohammed Osman Al-Mirghani.
6. The growing dimension of the international involvement in the political affairs of Sudan. The latest was the
Berlin Forums with the opposition factions separately
last week. It seems that Berlin Forums are the last efforts from the international community to resolve the
Sudanese problem. The first signs coming from Berlin
are not promising. The gap is widening between the opposition factions. There is a clear split into two sides. The
first side includes NUP leader and the SPLM/N Secretary
General Yassir Arman. This side believes in solving the
problem through direct negotiations with the government
and excluding any military solutions. The both agreed to
sit with the NCP in Addis Ababa without pre-conditions.
The second side is adamantly rejecting sitting with the
NCP before the fulfillment of the demands set in (Call
of Sudan). The bone of contention in the two sides is to
sit before or after accepting their demands. Both sides
agree on the demands set in the (Call of Sudan). In this
respect the NCP should tactfully lean to the first side and
sit with them in Addis Ababa soonest. This will absolve
Al-Mahdi and Yassir Arman of the expected reprimand of
their opponents if the NCP refused to sit with them after
the controversial concession officer by Al-Sadiq Al-mahdi and Yasir Arman. Going back to the recognition and
realization of the fact that there are two strong streams
in the arena – one calling for religious governance and
the other for secular governance, it is important to cast
a shedow on the Sudanese spectrum of politically active
people based on the last census of 2008 and projected to
2015 by applying a 3% annual growth rate for 6 years the
following figures are acceptable:
Population in 2015 is 36 million (2008 was 30 million).
People between 20 – 49 years (youth) 21 million.
Above 50 years 6 million and below 20 years 9 million.
Depending on statistics of 7 elections since 1953 the political active people were only b60%.
So, the expected active people in 2015 are:
Youth: 12.5 million, Old: 3.5 million and so the eligible
voters total is 16 million.
The first religious front is expected to get 60% of the old
group i.e. about 2 million, and 40% of the youth i.e. 5
million. So the total will be 7 million.
The second secular group is expected to get 40% of the
youth i.e. 5 million and 30% of the old i.e. one million.
Total is 6 million.Therefore, the sidelines sitters will be 3
million.Those sideline sitters are suffering from hardship,
unemployment, complaining of the deterioration of basic
services and its high cost plus lack of social and political
freedom.By these factors they are potential members in
the new NUP, if formed, the SPLM party, and the Darfur
insurgents.Those 3 millions will make a healthy balance
in governing Sudan in a democratic rational system. This
recognition of the two opposing forces led the wise and
pragmatic Islamic leader Sheikh Rashid Al-Ghanoushi
of Tunisia to circumvent the imminent chaos in Tunisia
following suit of its neighbours of the Arab Spring. AlGhanoushi is a genuine moderate Islamist, wise, clever
and pragmatic.Now he can lead the bulk of Tunisian to
his side in calculated prudent steps
Message from H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn
Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
And Chairperson of the IGAD Assembly to the People of S. Sudan
6 MARCH 2015
My dear brothers and sisters, the people of South Sudan,
On February 1st of this year, President Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar agreed to
a plan to conclude negotiations on the formation of a transitional government of national unity and begin a process of healing and reconciliation
in your country. My colleagues, the Leaders of the IGAD Member States,
and myself, were hopeful that this moment signaled the nearing of the end
of the terrible tragedy that has befallen South Sudan since December 15th,
2013. President Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar agreed that they would come to
an agreement by March 5th. That deadline has been missed. Talks continued
this morning, past the deadline. I regret to inform you that the talks did not
produce the necessary breakthrough.
The consequences of inaction are the continued suffering of you, the people
of South Sudan, and the prolonging of a senseless war in your country. This
is unacceptable, both morally and politically. On behalf of the people of
Ethiopia, and the people of the entire IGAD region, we stand with you at
this difficult and disappointing time: we remain hopeful that the promise of
peace will be fulfilled in the near future.
My dear brothers and sisters, the people of South Sudan,
Leadership is never easy, but continuing a war flagrantly disregards the interests of you, the people. It is an abdication of the most sacred duty leaders
have to you, their people: to deliver peace, prosperity and stability.
Both President Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar have assured the Leaders of the
IGAD Member States that they are committed to peace. At the same time,
there are individuals on both sides who continue to beat the drums of war.
This cannot be right. There can be no justification for the continuation of this
conflict. The war must end now. On March 3rd, I urged President Kiir and
Dr. Machar to make the necessary and difficult compromises to move out of
this crisis. I asked them to be courageous in offering compromises and alternatives, rather than only reiterating old positions. Both regional and world
leaders joined this call. Unfortunately, as the missed deadline shows, our
pleas have not been heeded. IGAD has tried to mediate the crisis as best
it can, but we must acknowledge that our efforts have not yet produced
the necessary results. Our efforts cannot continue unaltered and expect a
different outcome; the peace process must be reinvigorated and reformed.
In the coming days, I will consult with my colleagues, the IGAD leaders,
partners and friends in the region, on the continent, and beyond to agree a
common plan of action.
My dear brothers and sisters, the people of South Sudan,
Together, we will hold the Parties to their commitment to form a transitional government by July of this year. To achieve that goal, IGAD, joined
by the friends of South Sudan from Africa and abroad, intends to implement a common plan and table a reasonable and comprehensive solution
to end the crisis in South Sudan. While the Parties may see the peace talks
as a process that can continue indefinitely, you, the people of South Sudan,
including the millions directly affected by the conflict, know that peace is
needed, and is needed now. At the highest level, the world must speak with
one voice on South Sudan. We will assist the Parties to make the compromises that have so far eluded them. We will use all influence at our disposal
to convince those that remain intransigent. And we will ensure that the
voices of the silent majority of South Sudanese prevail: peace, reform and
justice.
We ask you, the people, to refuse to support those who militate for war,
destruction and killing. We want you, the people, to be unequivocal with
your leaders: choose reconciliation and not injustice; choose dialogue and
not rigidity. Choose peace and not conflict.
My dear brothers and sisters, do not lose hope. The region, and the world,
stands with you. Peace is our only priority. Peace will be achieved. You, the
people of South Sudan, need and deserve no less.
8 SCIENCE
Monday, March 9, 2015
‘Back to Drawing Board’ if MH370 Search Fails, Malaysia Says
AFP
Malaysia’s transport minister said Saturday the hunt for MH370 would be
sent “back to the drawing board” if the
search now under way comes up empty,
but insisted his government remained
committed to finding the plane.
Liow Tiong Lai’s comments, made on
the eve of the tragedy’s anniversary,
echoed recent remarks by Australian
officials who have suggested the expensive search effort in a 60,000-squarekilometre (23,000-square-mile) area
of the southern Indian Ocean could be
abandoned.
“If the search does not yield anything
by May or after we have completed
the 60,000-square-kilometre search,
then we have to go back to the drawing
board,” Liow told AFP in an interview.
He said that would mean re-examining
all available data that was used to determine the suspected crash zone for
the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, but
would not specify what could happen
next.But he added: “I would like to say
to the next of kin that we will continue
to be committed to the search.”
Sunday’s anniversary looms as a painful milestone for relatives of the 239
passengers and crew aboard the plane
-- which inexplicably diverted from its
Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route shortly
after takeoff last March 8 -- many of
whom are deeply unhappy with the lack
of progress.
Four ships involved in the Australianled search are now using sophisticated
sonar systems to scour a huge and previously unmapped undersea region.
More than 40 percent of the “priority
search zone” has been scanned, with
nothing detected on the seafloor aside
from a few sunken shipping containers.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott
said on Thursday that, while committed to the current operation, he “can’t
promise that the search will go on at
this intensity forever”.
Many next of kin have been deeply critical of Malaysia’s initial response to the
crisis, saying that opportunities to intercept or track the plane were lost.
Liow said an international investigative team formed in the weeks after the
plane vanished was expected to hand
over its findings on the sequence of
events leading up to the disappearance
any day now.
He said the government needed to review the report before releasing it and
he did not know exactly when it would
be publicly available.
However, some next of kin said Malaysia Airlines had informed them the
report would be released at 0700 GMT
on Sunday.
AFP could not immediately confirm
that.
- ‘Committed to finding answers’ Liow, who was named transport min-
ister three months after the disappearance, said the government “will take
appropriate actions if necessary”, based
on the report’s findings, but declined to
speculate on its contents.
But he denied accusations by some
family members that Malaysia’s government and national airline had not
been transparent, saying authorities had
regularly shared all that they know.
“We are very transparent in this. I would
like to emphasis that,” he said.
“I have told the next of kin: they are
seeking for answers? I also am seeking
for answers. I am committed to look for
the answers for them.”
Families were again angered on January 30 when Malaysia declared all on
board to be presumed dead.
The government said the move would
allow relatives to seek compensation
and otherwise move forward, but next
of kin say the declaration cannot be
made without proof of a crash.
Malaysia’s government has announced
no plans to mark the anniversary on
Sunday.
Malaysia Airlines will hold a private
ceremony for staff and the next of kin
of the flight crew at their headquarters.
A separate public event is to be held at
a venue in Kuala Lumpur, organised by
an association of MH370 families.
Liow said he hoped that MH370’s legacy will be safer air travel, noting that
the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has taken up Malaysian
calls to increase the tracking of airliners. Regulators will require real-time
tracking of all passenger aircraft beginning next year.
What Kills more Women
than AIDS and Breast
Cancer? Dirty Water
Reuters
NEW YORK - Diseases spread through dirty water and
poor sanitation are the fifth biggest killer of women worldwide, causing more deaths than AIDS, diabetes or breast
cancer, researchers say.
Nearly 800,000 women die every year because they lack
access to safe toilets and clean water, said the development organization WaterAid, which analyzed data from
the Seattle-based Institute of Health Metrics research
center. “This completely unacceptable situation affects
women and girls’ education, their health, their dignity and
ultimately, in too many cases, results in an early and needless death,” WaterAid CEO Barbara Frost said in a statement. The only conditions more fatal for women than the
lack of decent sanitation are heart disease, stroke, lower
respiratory infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease, according to the report.
More than 1 billion women, or one in three women around
the world, do not have access to a safe, private toilet, while
370 million - one in 10 - do not have access to clean water,
according to WaterAid.
More than 2 billion people gained access to clean water
between 1990 and 2012, but nearly 750 million remain
still lack what the United Nations recognizes as a human
right. Dirty water and poor sanitation are at the root of
problems such as maternal and child mortality, and sexual
violence.
Many women in developing countries give birth at home
without access to clean water, exposing themselves and
their babies to infections.
Without safe toilets, women and girls have to venture outdoors to relieve themselves, often at night, putting them at
risk of sexual harassment and assault.
Moreover, in many poor countries fetching water is considered the responsibility of women and girls, who spend
hours each day trekking to and from wells, keeping them
from attending school or caring for their families.
What We Know about Hillary Clinton’s Private Email Account
AP
WASHINGTON - Once again, Hillary Rodham Clinton did it her way, and it could cost
her.
Clinton’s decision to eschew government
email and use her own private server as
secretary of state is raising questions about
secrecy, security and the law ó including
whether she might have deleted important messages tapped into her ever-present
BlackBerry instead of preserving them for
public scrutiny and history.
At the least, the controversy is a bump on
her unprecedented path from first lady to
presumed presidential contender.
What we know so far:
WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT CLINTON’S EMAIL?
She did all her official work as the nation’s
top diplomat using a personal email account.
Federal officials are generally expected to
use their agencies’ email systems ó the kind
of addresses that have “.gov” at the end.
Clinton didn’t use a commercial email server, like Google operates for Gmail, either.
She had her own email server, traced to her
hometown in Chappaqua, New York. The
address: hdr22@clintonemail.com.
Prior secretaries of state also used nongovernment email for work at times, or avoided
using email much at all. Indeed, the State
Department says the current secretary, John
Kerry, is the first to have an official “@state.
gov” address like other employees use routinely.
The volume of the Clinton documents ó
she’s turned over 55,000 pages ó makes her
use of personal email more striking.
IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH WHAT
SHE DID?
It raises two opposing sets of questions:
ó Was Clinton’s email too secret?
A private account could have allowed her to
withhold or destroy messages that she’s legally required to turn over for congressional
investigations or lawsuits or to make available to the public, the press and historians
under open-records law.
ó Was Clinton’s email too exposed?
A private email server may have left her
sensitive government communications
more vulnerable to people who shouldn’t
see them, such as hackers and spies, because
it lacked the heavy security of government
accounts.
The answers are fuzzy.
Clinton says she’s turned over all relevant
emails to the State Department. The House
committee investigating the deadly attack
on a diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya,
has issued subpoenas seeking messages that
might not have been divulged.
Clinton hasn’t released any information
about her email server and its security features. Private email servers are generally
not as reliable or secure as those used by the
government or in commercial data centers.
Clinton aides and the State Department both
say she never received or transmitted classified information on her private account.
DID CLINTON BREAK THE LAW?
That’s to be determined. Her aides say no.
Her use of private email appears to conflict
with the spirit of Barack Obama’s pledge
to make his presidency the most open ever.
She stands out even in an administration
that has been criticized as failing to live up
to that promise.
However, Obama didn’t sign a law requiring
the archiving of officials’ emails, including
those on private accounts, until last November. Clinton left the State Department two
years ago.
Even back when she was in office, according
to the White House, it was administration
policy for officials to conduct their work on
government email accounts. If their work
strayed into personal emails, officials were
responsible for making sure those messages
were preserved for history.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest says
the vast majority of administration staffers work on government accounts, which
should assure their emails are preserved automatically.
Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill says much
of her messaging was email back and forth
with her State Department advisers on their
government email, so the correspondence
was retained on their end. Still, her emails to
or from people outside the U.S. government
ó foreign officials, for example ó would not
be captured in that way.
After the new law was signed last year, the
State Department asked Clinton and other
former secretaries of state for email records
that should be preserved. That’s when Clinton turned over the 55,000 pages.
Earnest said that if Clinton did in fact collect all of her personal email that was related to her official government work and turn
it over, “that would be consistent with the
Federal Records Act. And that’s the president’s expectation.”
Yet only Clinton and her aides decided what
to turn over.
That leaves congressional investigators
and others to wonder if she might be holding back things the public has a right to see
about Benghazi or other topics.
WAS STATE DEPARTMENT POLICY
CLEAR?
Clinton’s own office instructed State Department employees to avoid doing work by
personal email.
A June 2011 cable to employees warned that
“online adversaries” were targeting personal
accounts of department employees.
The department now says those instructions
concerned emails containing sensitive but
unclassified information, such as personal
information about employees or members
of the public, business secrets or asylum applications.
The issue came up again in a 2012 inspector
general’s report.
The report advised that reliance on “unauthorized information systems increases the
risk for data loss, phishing and spoofing
of email accounts,” as well as the loss of
public records. The report criticized Scott
Gration, then ambassador to Kenya, for using an outside email system, among several
other problems under his leadership. He resigned.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The State Department will review the mountain of Clinton emails for possible public
release and for any security breaches. The
process could take months, pushing the matter deeper into the 2016 presidential campaign. In a tweet this week, Clinton said she
wanted the department to make her emails
public as soon as possible.
Congressional Republicans will keep pressing for emails that might shed light on Benghazi or other controversies, with Clinton’s
potential presidential rivals surely paying
rapt attention.
The State Department is already under pressure to produce information under the nation’s open records law. It’s juggling nearly
11,000 pending requests for various emails,
including more than 75 requests for Clinton
material filed from 2009 to 2013 by media
organizations and others. Associated Press
requests for Clinton emails and other documents have been delayed for more than a
year; in one instance, four years.
WILL THIS BE A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ISSUE?
It seems likely to linger into 2016. The story
fits with critics’ longstanding portrayal of
Clinton as secretive and operating above
the rules.
For example, it recalls the mystery of the
missing Rose Law Firm records during the
presidency of her husband, Bill Clinton.
The billing records for some of her work as
a lawyer in Arkansas were subpoenaed in
the investigation of the Clintons’ Whitewater land deal. The papers were missing for
nearly two years before the Clintons said
they had unexpectedly turned up in a storage area in the residential portion of the
White House.
Clinton was called to testify about the billing records before a federal grand jury ó an
inauspicious first for a first lady.
Her name also was sometimes caught up in
the ethics and legal controversies during the
Clinton presidency that culminated in Bill
Clinton’s impeachment on perjury and obstruction of justice charges in the Monica
Lewinsky scandal.
Recently, she has also faced questions about
her family’s charitable foundation taking
money from foreign governments while she
was running the State Department.
WHAT ABOUT POTENTIAL FOES’
EMAILS?
Jeb Bush, expected to seek the presidency
on the Republican side, also used a personal
email account ó jeb@jeb.org ó on a personal
server, while he was Florida governor.
Florida’s public records law is among the
nation’s strongest. Bush was required to turn
over emails related to his work as governor
from 1999 to 2007 to the state archives,
making them public.
In a show of transparency, Bush obtained
those emails from the archivist and posted
more than 275,000 online at jebemails.com
last month.
In an example of how tricky public records
issues can be, the vast email cache made
public included some Floridians’ birthdays
and Social Security numbers. A spokeswoman said people’s private information
was removed from the website after it was
discovered.
But like Clinton, Bush did not turn over
what he determined to be personal messages
on his account.
Democrats are raising the same questions
about Bush that are being asked of Clinton:
How can the public be sure that he turned
over all relevant emails from his time in office?
Though Bush has taken a couple of swipes
at Clinton over her emails, criticism from
Republican presidential hopefuls has been
muted so far, perhaps because it is a sensitive issue for several of them.
Email from Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker
and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, for example, has become part of criminal investigations.
ONE LAST QUESTION: WHO HAS
THEIR OWN EMAIL SERVER, ANYWAY?
Anybody could, but it’s a pretty geeky pursuit.
A private server doesn’t take a lot of room or
a special power source. It could be the size
of your desktop computer and sit unobtrusively in your home.Some people set them
up as a techy hobby. Others acquire them
for privacy, because they don’t trust corporate email providers to keep their messages
out of the hands of hackers or government
snoops Clinton might also have been worried about leaks. Now she says she wants
her emails out there.
9 WORLD NEWS
Monday, March 9, 2015
Iraqi women: ‘Things Were So Much Better Before’
Al Jazeera
In light of International Women’s Day as well
as the recent appointment of Baghdad’s first
female mayor, civil engineer Zekra Alwach,
it’s an opportune moment to remember the
many “firsts” enjoyed by Iraqi women.†
The nation produced the first female judge,
ambassador, and government minister in the
Arab world. Iraqi women benefited from state
subsidised childcare and education; they once
formed about half the public sector workforce
and 50 percent of the country’s doctors.
Sadly, as the 12th†anniversary of a disastrous
invasion and occupation looms, there is
another rather grim “first” to ponder.
Iraqi women are arguably the first to see their
status go from one of the highest in the region
to one of the lowest, in less than two decades.
(Now followed closely by their sisters in
neighbouring Syria.)
Illiteracy
While most news reports on the new mayor
of Baghdad were quick to point out last year’s
UN report that documented the illiteracy rate
of a quarter of Iraqi women over age 12, and
the fact that only 14 percent of women are
part of the workforce, they lacked any real
context. The tragic decline in women’s status
did not happen in a vacuum. It was the result
of 30 years of war and occupation.
While the verdict is still out on whether
former Dawa party member and director of
the Ministry of Higher Education Alwach
will actually be able to implement any
progressive programmes to assist women
suffering through rampant poverty, corruption
and violence in the beleaguered capital, most
agree anyone is better than the former mayor,
Naim Aboub, an odd-duck incompetent, who
refused to leave his post.
But the woman, who oversaw the construction
of the new Iraqi national bank in London,
certainly has her work cut out for her.
After the eight-year war with Iran bankrupted
the country, Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait ostensibly to force them to cough up “war
debts” - resulted in the first Gulf War and 12
subsequent years of draconian UN sanctions.
Not only did sanctions wipe out the middle
class and cripple what had been one of the
Burundi Catholic Church Says
Incumbent President not
Allowed a Third Term
Reuters
BUJUMBURA - Burundi’s Roman
Catholic Church, representing more
than two thirds of the population in
the central African nation, said on
Saturday the incumbent president
should not stand for a third term in the
June elections.
Burundi is caught in a dispute on
whether President Pierre Nkurunziza,
who has been in power since 2005,
should be allowed to run for another
term given that the former rebel leader
was selected by lawmakers rather than
voted into office in 2005 for his first
term. Under the constitution, he is
allowed to serve only two terms but his
supporters argue his first term should
not count. Nkurunziza himself has not
yet said that he will run, although his
supporters affirm he can.
“We call upon politicians in power
not to speculate or misinterpret the
constitution. All the constitution
provisions about the President’s terms
are very clear: no President can lead
the country more than two terms of
five years each,” Archbishop Evariste
Ngoyagoye, the church’s head, said in
a statement. “The peace deal signed
by all political stakeholders in 2000
is also clear; it states that from now
no President will rule more than two
terms,” added Ngoyagoye in the
message sent by the national council of
Roman Catholic bishops. His comments
mark the first time the Catholic
Church takes positionofficially on the
debate about a third term for President
Nkurunziza. The Church has played
a key role in peace talks in Burundi,
one of the poorest countries in the
world, although in 1994 it opposed
Nkurunziza’s rebel movement.
Ngoyagoye said the Catholic Church,
whose worshippers represent some 70
percent of the population, will soon
organise a nine-day prayer across the
country to wish a peaceful handover
between the current President and
his successor. Burundi’s presidential
office was not immediately available
for comment. On Thursday, European
Union diplomats said in a meeting with
government officials that a third term
for Nkurunziza would create tension
and risks of instability in the coffee
producing nation of nearly 10 million
people. Civil society organisations
have already warned that they will
call for street protests if Nkurunziza,
a Hutu, announces his candidacy for
a third term. The UN Security council
is visiting the landlocked country
next week. During the visit, its 15member delegation will discuss with
leaders how to organise a peaceful and
transparent election this year.
region’s best public health and education
systems, they also forced Iraq’s women into
impossible situations.
With a 3,000 percent devaluation of the dinar,
mothers, many of whom like today were war
widow heads of households, were forced to
sell off their living room furniture to pay for
basics like food and medicine. Girls were
pulled out of school for early marriages or
to work to help support their families. And
many women, even those with PhDs, were
forced into prostitution.
Basic foundations
Still, there were some basic foundations
left in place. When I first arrived in 1997, I
befriended Ahlam, a war widow mother of
two who supported her family by working in
a hair salon. She was a proud member of both
the Iraqi Hairdressers Union and the Iraqi
Women’s Union - a state run institution that
would often intervene in cases of domestic
abuse and divorce settlements.
I would while away hours talking to women
in her salon, a refuge from the outside world
and the male “minders” from the Ministry
of Information. It was a world of female
solidarity and unvarnished truths about
life in Baathist Iraq; talk of how to survive
when state rations ran out and how to pay for
children’s schoolbooks.
This was a time when Sister Marie, a tough
Iraqi francophone nun who ran a private
hospital in Baghdad, would have to negotiate
with black marketeers to buy penicillin. But
it was also still a time when women could
have state subsidised abortions performed at
this Catholic hospital.
After the invasion of 2003, supported by
rather disingenuous “feminist cheerleading”
from the likes of Laura Bush and Cherie
Blair, things went from bad to worse for
Iraqi women. The salon Ahlam had managed
to buy after 12 years of scrimping was soon
threatened by newly empowered extremists;
she had to pull her 13-year-old daughter
out of school as a security precaution; and
kidnappings and rapes were at an all time
high.
Secular to sectarian
As the country - and its old civil code - went
N. Korea Rejects Links to US Envoy
AFP
North Korea hit out Sunday
at accusations that it may be
behind a shocking knife attack
on the US envoy to the South,
branding the claims a “vicious”
smear campaign by Seoul.
Kim Ki-Jong slashed Mark
Lippert with a paring knife
Thursday in an assault that left
the US envoy needing 80 stitches
to a deep gash on his face.
Kim, 55, was immediately
arrested and charged with
attempted murder, and police are
investigating whether he has any
links to the communist North.
He has reportedly told police that
he had acted alone and denied
any links to the North, calling
the suggestion “outrageous”.
The profile painted of him -based on past brushes with the
law and his blog postings -- is
that of a lone assailant with
strong nationalist views who
saw the US as one of the main
obstacles to the reunification of
the divided Korean peninsula.
But Kim has also visited
the North seven times since
1999, and once tried to erect a
memorial in Seoul to the late
North Korean leader Kim JongIl after his death in 2011.
Kim told police he had stabbed
Lippert in protest at massive
US-South joint army exercises
currently underway. The annual
exercises are routinely slammed
by the North as a practice for
invasion.
After the attack Thursday,
the North hailed Kim’s act as
“just punishment” and a valid
“expression of resistance” to the
US-South military drills.
But on Sunday the North’s
Committee for the Peaceful
Reunification of Korea (CPRK)
bristled at suggestions that it
might have been behind the
assault, calling it an attempt to
defame its leadership.
“Even the police and conservative
media of South Korea joined the
(South’s) regime in attempting to
link the case with the (North),”
it said in a statement carried in
English by the state-run KCNA
early Sunday.
“Such moves are prompted
by a vicious intention to save
itself from the present awkward
position... and intensify an
anti-DPRK smear campaign
worldwide,” the CPRK said,
using the North’s official title.
- Questions over ‘mastermind’ Last week police raided Kim’s
house in search for evidence of
his potential links to Pyongyang
and found several books
published in the North, a senior
Seoul detective on the case said
Sunday.
“We are investigating if there
were any mastermind behind
the attack,” Kim Doo-Yeon
told reporters, adding police
were probing whether Kim had
violated the anti-communist
national security laws.
The notorious laws ban
unauthorised contact with the
North or activities deemed to
be praising Pyongyang, which
technically remain at war with
M a l i H u n t s J i ha di st Ni g htcl ub K i l l e r s
AFP
Malian security forces mobilised Sunday
to hunt the killers of two Europeans
and three locals in a nightclub attack
claimed by jihadists - the first to target
Westerners in the capital.
A Frenchman, a Belgian, a Malian
policeman and two others died early
Saturday when a masked gunman
burst into the nightclub in the capital
Bamako, spraying automatic gunfire
and throwing grenades.
Al-Murabitoun, a jihadist group run
by leading Algerian militant Mokhtar
Belmokhtar, has claimed responsibility
in an audio recording carried by
Mauritanian news agency Al-Akbar.
The recording said the operation was
carried out by “brave combatants from
Al-Murabitoun to avenge our prophet
against the unbelieving West which has
insulted and mocked him”.
The investigation was expected to focus
not only on tracking the gunman but
also an accomplice witnesses reported
seeing during the attack and a black fourwheel drive vehicle apparently used
for the getaway. The United Nations
peacekeeping force, which has around
10,000 personnel in Mali, said it has
made investigators and crimes scenes
experts available to the authorities.
Police earlier announced they had
arrested two Malians soon after but
later said the pair were not involved,
describing them as “not terrorists, but
from secular to sectarian, churches were
fire bombed for the first time ever, and life
became even more of a struggle for survival.
But still, Iraqi women carried on. Women
like the Christian activist Hanaa Edwar,
a powerhouse who once confronted male
parliamentarians during the nine-month
hiatus of 2010 when politicians horse-traded
and squabbled while millions of widows
and orphans languished, by screaming at
them and demanding they actually attend
to affairs of the state. Edwar runs Amal,
a grassroots NGO that assists women and
children, and cuts across the largely male
dominated sectarian lines. When I called her
to get her thoughts on the new mayor, she
sounded exhausted. Added to the ambitious
programme she administers that encompasses
literacy and employment training, domestic
abuse prevention and political empowerment
for women, is a new programme addressing
the post-invasion phenomena of extremism
and the internally displaced. While Ahlam has
joined millions of compatriots who are now
refugees, her salon goes on. I took tea there
a few years ago with the Christian owners
and their customers of many faiths; women
who all agree that things were so much better
“before”.
n a city of car bombs and corruption, with
ISIL at the gates, I think of those ladies in the
Baghdad beauty parlour/refuge and marvel
at their strength. If the new mayor is half as
tough as any of them, there is still some hope
for the “city of peace”.
bandits”. Customers of La Terrasse, in
the lively Hippodrome district, said the
gunman arrived in the car and headed
to the upstairs restaurant and bar area
where they began shooting. Reports later
emerged that he had already killed the
Belgian and two of the Malian victims
before entering the venue. As he left he
lobbed two grenades at a security patrol
and one went off, killing the policeman,
witnesses said.
“The killer came here because there
were foreigners. He wanted to kill
foreigners, that’s for sure,” a waiter at
the venue told AFP.
- ‘Cowardly attack’ The Frenchman was named as 30-yearold Fabien Guyomard, a single man with
no children, who had lived in Bamako
since 2007 and worked at ICMS Africa,
a US company specialising in luxury
construction.
Hospital sources said eight people
were wounded, including three Swiss
nationals, one of them a woman.
Two of the Swiss were weapons experts
advising the Malian government as part
of international aid. They were in a
critical but stable condition after being
hit by bullets, the Swiss military said in
Geneva. In the moments after the attack
an AFP correspondent witnessed the
French victim being stretchered out of
the venue while the bodies of the police
officer, a guard and the Belgian could
be seen outside.
Seoul after the 1950-53 Korean
War ended with a ceasefire
instead of a peace treaty.
Offenders are subject to up to
seven years of imprisonment.
The laws -- often used to stifle
political dissents under the
South’s army-ruled governments
in the past -- have been criticised
by rights groups for curbing
freedom of expression.
Kim, who also voiced anger
at the South’s former colonial
ruler Japan on his blog postings,
was convicted in 2011 of
hurling a stone at then-Japanese
ambassador and received a
suspended jail term.
Lippert, 42, is recovering well
and expected to be released from
the hospital as early as Tuesday,
his doctors say.
China’s No. 3 Leader Warns
Hong Kong Activists against
“Crossing a Line”
Reuters
HONG KONG - China’s third-ranked leader warned advocates
of Hong Kong independence on Friday that they were “crossing
a line”, local media reported.
Zhang Dejiang, the chairman of the National People’s Congress
(NPC), made the comment during a closed door meeting, Hong
Kong broadcaster RTHK reported, quoting NPC Standing
Committee member Rita Fan. Zhang said that such calls were
“dangerous” and would not be tolerated, according to Fan.
The remarks come during the annual meeting in Beijing of the
NPC, China’s largely rubber-stamp parliament, attended by about
3,000 delegates. There is no major independence movement in
Hong Kong, but a small and increasingly vocal group of activists
have been calling for a stronger Hong Kong identity, including
some calls for separation from the mainland.
Last year, pro-democracy activists took to the streets to demand
open nominations for the city’s next chief executive election in
2017. Beijing agreed to a vote, but only between pre-screened
candidates. It has since said there was no room for negotiation.
Populist anger has widened to include long-standing frustrations
with mainland tourists crowding out locals in shopping centres,
sparking protests in malls across Hong Kong on most weekends.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. It was
returned to Chinese Communist Party rule by the British in 1997
under a “one country, two systems” framework that granted it a
separate legal system and independent judiciary, but gave ultimate
authority to Beijing.
10 SPORTS
Monday, March 9, 2015
Modjeka: Amajita Ready for AYC
KICK-OFF
South Africa Men’s National U20 team captain Madisha Modjeka says the
moment they have been waiting has finally arrived, and they are fully prepared
to carry the hopes of the entire country.
Amajita kick off their CAF African Youth championships campaign against
Ghana on Monday in Saly, a tourist resort hub, play Mali on Thursday, 12
March before rounding off their group stage assignments against Zambia on
Sunday, 15 March in Dakar.
“By the time we travel to Dakar for our last match against Zambia, we should
know where we stand and I honestly hope that we would have sealed our spot
to the World Cup in New Zealand,” said the towering Mamelodi Sundowns
defender, who was named defender of the tournament at the Commonwealth
tournament in Russia in January.
Tottenham’s Harry Kane
Nets Double to Keep
QPR in Bottom Three
The Guardian
At the end of the match Mauricio
Pochettino took out his phone
and photographed the celebrating
away fans. Every picture tells a
story and the Tottenham manager
spoke of his club’s joy at staying in
contention for Champions League
qualification. He might want to put
that shot in an album alongside
a portrait of Harry Kane, who
delivered three points by scoring
his 15th and 16th Premier League
goals in a spectacular breakthrough
season. Surely the 21-year-old will
feature in an England squad photo
soon.“He’s fantastic, he scored
two goals and he has changed my
opinion of him,” said Pochettino of
a striker who at one stage seemed
destined for a move away from
Tottenham, having been farmed out
on loan four times over the years.
“He’s young and he can improve
more,” said Pochettino, ominously
for Tottenham’s future opponents.
The clash of the Premier League’s
top two English goalscorers was
a subplot in this high-stakes
showdown, and Roy Hodgson
turned up to run the rule over Kane
and Charlie Austin. Both featured
prominently, although the outcome
also owed much to the contrast
between the goalkeepers’ fortunes,
as Hugo Lloris enjoyed the rub
of the green that his Rangers
counterpart lacked. And home fans
may want to issue a Not Wanted
poster for the referee, Craig
Pawson, who rejected two strong
penalty appeals.
An indication that things would
go Lloris’s way came in the first
minute, when he tipped a Bobby
Zamora header over the bar and
escaped without conceding a corner,
as the referee seemingly thought
the header had gone straight out.
Four minutes later, Austin tried
his luck from 20 yards but Zamora
inadvertently blocked his teammate’s well-hit shot.
Quality was in short supply in
the first half but the looseness of
the game meant both sides got
chances. In the sixth minute Kyle
Walker presented Kane with an
early opportunity to impress the
watching England manager but
instead Hodgson must have admired
the reactions of Rob Green, who
showed terrific reflexes to beat
away the forward’s close-range
header. Green could be forgiven for
wishing Hodgson had left at that
point – because in the 34th minute
the goalkeeper charged off his line
in a misguided attempt to cut out
a cross from Andros Townsend.
Nedum Onuoha, seemingly sensing
his approach, ducked out of the
way, but Green never got near the
ball and Kane nodded it into the net
unchallenged.
Spurs had almost made things
equally easy for Austin before that,
as Walker carelessly headed the
ball to the striker in front of goal.
But Lloris repelled Austin’s flicked
shot and then dived to tip the ball
off his feet. Moments later Austin
did beat the goalkeeper but his shot
from 16 yards crashed back out off
the bar.
Luck smiled on Lloris again in the
39th minute, when he got away with
a foul in the box on Mauricio Isla.
The goalkeeper hurtled off his line
and clipped the Chilean’s leg while
performing a wild star jump, but
again the referee apparently missed
the Frenchman’s intervention.
The mild-mannered defender was literally the rock on which all opposition
attacks perished, and was sounding bullish ahead of Monday’s clash with
Ghana.
“There is always this rivalry developing between Ghana and South Africa. We
know what happened at the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and it
would be nice to get even on Monday.
“It won’t be easy considering the Ghanaians reputation in junior tournaments,
but I presume if we want to be the best on the continent, and even the world, we
should stand up against the so-called giants,” he emphasised.
Madisha echoed the sentiments of coach Thabo Senong on the need for Amajita
to stay focused and united for a common cause.
“When you go to war, the last thing you want to happen to the soldiers is getting
distracted. We are so focused we can’t wait for the kick off and get this anxiety
off us,” added the captain.
A Prince Who Would Be King Challenges Sepp Blatter
for FIFA’s Presidency
The New York Times
LONDON — Sepp Blatter has been elected to four
consecutive terms as president of FIFA, a run that
dates to 1998. In his first election — the process
gives every FIFA-affiliated country a vote — Blatter
defeated a former head of the European soccer
confederation. In the second, he defeated the leader
of the African soccer confederation. In the third and
fourth, he ran unopposed.
In other words, it has been more than 12 years
since Blatter — whose public reputation among
fans has descended so low that it has affected his
public speechmaking schedule — had to beat out a
challenger to keep his position. This spring, Blatter,
who previously promised that his fourth term would
be his last, is running again. But this time, as FIFA’s
global standing continues to plummet, he will face a
serious opponent, and possibly several.
For those in search of a change at the top of FIFA —
even the tiniest sign of one — that alone is a form
of victory. This may sound strange, particularly
because Blatter’s stranglehold on the game makes
him a commanding favorite to win another term as
president. But after years of corruption allegations,
obvious shenanigans and inexplicable bureaucracy,
this election, at a minimum, will be the closest thing
to a public airing of FIFA’s problems we have seen
in a generation.
“As popular as football is around the world, the
impression of FIFA is the exact opposite,” Prince
Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, who is running against
Blatter, said in a recent interview. Asked specifically
about Blatter, the prince hesitated, then said: “I think
anybody should stick to words and promises that
they made. And he promised that it was time to stop,
and he didn’t live up to it. I think it’s a pity he didn’t
live up to his word. Because the reputation of FIFA
has taken a huge spiral downwards, and it has to be
time for a change.”
This is hardly a unique platform for Prince Ali to
embrace. All the people who have even considered
running against Blatter over the past few months have
emphasized that they are not Sepp Blatter — a point
that seems to have considerable currency among fans
and many in the soccer news media.
Being the anti-Blatter is basic campaign boilerplate in
soccer. Even David Ginola, a former French national
team star who mounted a short-lived and shambolic
campaign financed by a sports betting company, said,
right at the beginning, “We all know that FIFA isn’t
working.”
Blatter’s long and varied list of sins includes
questionable ethical practices and more-thanoccasional inappropriate innuendo. His biggest
knock, though, may be the bizarre autonomy, and
complete lack of accountability or transparency,
that FIFA has perfected under his stewardship. With
Blatter, things just sort of happen. One FIFA official,
who spoke on the condition of anonymity because
of fears of retribution, said that the recent FIFA task
force assigned to make a recommendation on when
the 2022 World Cup in Qatar should be held was a
perfect example of how Blatter operated.
The task force, which made several visits to Qatar for
examinations, recently recommended that the 2022
tournament be played in November and December
instead of the typical summer window. But that
recommendation did not carry any weight. Even if
the committee had suggested a window in January
and February, or the window in April and May that
many European clubs wanted, Blatter “would simply
raise the November-December window as an option
on his own at the executive committee meeting where
the decision is made,” the official said.
The official added that Blatter would “just push the
one he wants” and that the executive committee,
“which he leads, then makes the decision.”
Prince Ali’s platform is based on changing that
dynamic. “We don’t want an executive president,”
he said.
He continued: “We want to get to a day when people
don’t even know who the president of FIFA is. When
that happens, we will know that the organization
is being run the right way and with the right
priorities.”
Mostly, Prince Ali wants more openness. He has
called for a debate among the approved presidential
candidates — including Blatter, the Dutch official
Michael van Praag and the former Portugal star
Lu?s Figo — so fans and soccer federation officials
around the world can see where each candidate
stands on important issues. The prince wants the
Mardy Fish Attempts Comeback after 18 Months
Away from Tennis
The New York Times
These days, tennis comebacks arrive
in all shapes and sizes, driven by
injury, illness, burnout or suspension,
sometimes after years away from the
professional tours.
Just this month, three notable players
— Juan Mart�n del Potro, Tommy
Haas and Laura Robson — will resume
competition after long injury layoffs.
But in the poignant department, few
compare to Mardy Fish.
Once a top-10 player and the highestranked American man, Fish had his
late-career resurgence derailed three
years ago because of a heart problem
that morphed into a more insidious
psychological impediment. At his
worst, Fish had hourly panic attacks
and was unable to leave his house for
months.
He left the ATP Tour 18 months ago,
seemingly for good, dabbled in lowertier professional golf and became a
father.
Now he is back for a last go — if for
nothing else than to “reaffirm that I can
still play the game,” Fish, 33, said.
He announced on Twitter in January that
he would return to singles competition
at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian
Wells, Calif., which begins this week.
Photo Speaking by phone Wednesday,
Fish said he had felt robbed of the
chance to leave tennis on his own
terms.
“I wanted a different route out of
the game,” he said while preparing
to practice with 11th-ranked Grigor
Dimitrov in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
“I’ve afforded myself the opportunity
to at least try to play one more time.”
Fish’s actions and words suggested a
desire to end his career on a happier
note. Last summer he entertained the
idea of teaming up in doubles with
Andy Roddick at the United States
Open. They were denied because
Roddick, who retired in 2012, could
not conform to doping protocols.
The deeper feeling that Fish had been
somehow cheated continued to chew
him up.Marriage, fatherhood and
financial security were not enough. So
in December, Fish told his family and
close friends that he had decided to
rejoin the circuit.
“I was not secretive, but I kept it close
to the vest for a while,” he said.
Fish has a protected ranking of No. 25,
which means he can gain direct entry
to as many as nine ATP Tour events
(excluding wild cards) over the next
32 weeks. That would take him to
Sept. 7, in time for one last stop at the
United States Open.
He says he dreams of playing in New
York, on the lawns of Wimbledon
again or across the globe at the
Australian Open, though such farflung trips appear unrealistic.
Fish is still on anti-anxiety
medication. He remains in therapy.
He usually wears a heart-rate monitor
when he practices. He has traveled
outside the country only twice since
competing at Wimbledon in 2012
— to Canada and the Bahamas.But
he is light-years from where he was.
He can sleep alone. He has pushed
himself in practice matches without
incident. Last month, he flew crosscountry by himself.“It sounds crazy,
but that’s actually a huge step for me,”
Fish said.His professional comeback
will commence with baby steps. He
has entered only the two Masters
tournaments at Indian Wells and Key
Biscayne, Fla., this month. Then he
will reassess.
“It’s certainly not a full-fledged
comeback,” Fish said. “I don’t think I
can ever do that again.”
Garcia report, which documented the investigation
into the controversial awarding of the 2018 and 2022
World Cup bids, to be published publicly. He wants
to drastically increase how much of FIFA’s revenue is
returned to its member nations for development; from
1998 to 2014, if one compares FIFA’s income to its
development commitments globally, the organization
took in revenue of about $12.5 billion but doled out
less than 20 percent of that — just $2.5 billion.
“I come from a country that doesn’t have the
resources that others do,” he said. “I understand those
challenges well.”
Presumably, Blatter’s challengers will come together
at some point before the May election and consolidate
their efforts behind one candidate to prevent splitting
votes. It is too early to tell whether that contender will
be Prince Ali, but he has some inherent advantages:
He is young and savvy, and he is not from Europe,
which is often seen as the aristocracy of world soccer
by the smaller FIFA countries, which largely support
Blatter even though he is Swiss. Prince Ali has also
been working from the inside, having spent the past
four years as one of the few advocates for reform on
FIFA’s governing executive committee.
He has gravitas, too. A brother of King Abdullah II of
Jordan, Prince Ali left some of his FIFA colleagues
after an event last month and returned home to meet
with the family of Moaz al-Kasasbeh, the Jordanian
military pilot who was tortured and killed by members
of the Islamic State.
The meeting was particularly emotional for the prince,
who has a military background, because he had led
the ceremony when the pilot graduated from flight
school. “I gave him his wings,” Prince Ali said.
Given situations like that one, it is not hard to see
why Prince Ali takes a grounded approach to his
global soccer existence. He loves the game and has
been a champion for it in his country. He has pushed
for development and growth, on the women’s side
and at the grass-roots level. He said he wanted to see
FIFA finally get the sea change it needed.
He is also pragmatic. If he is not successful in this
campaign, he said, he has no plans to try to keep his
place on the executive committee or to try to nab
some other high-powered soccer job. Perhaps more
important, though, Prince Ali said that if he somehow
pulled off the upset and won, he had no plans to
follow Blatter’s lead and seek to hold the job for a
generation or two.
“One term,” he said as he patted the table in front of
him with his hand. “One term. I want to get in there,
make the changes that need to be made and then get
out of the way.”
Cricket World Cup 2015: Ireland
Deny Zimbabwe in Thriller
BBC
Ireland maintained their quest for
the World Cup quarter-finals with a
tense five-run win over Zimbabwe
in Hobart.
Ed Joyce made 112, while Andy
Balbirnie was run out three short
of a maiden hundred as Ireland
posted 331-8, their highest oneday international total. Zimbabwe
required the highest chase in World
Cup history and Brendan Taylor hit
four sixes in 121 from 91 balls.
Seven were needed from the final
over but the last two wickets fell as
the Zimbabweans bowed out of the
event. Ireland next face unbeaten
India, who have already qualified,
on Tuesday. The Irish team’s final
match is the last of the group fixtures
in the tournament, against Pakistan
on 15 March, when West Indies
face UAE, and is likely to determine
which other three sides will advance
to the quarter-finals from Pool B.
After a quiet start in which only six
fours were scored in the opening 20
overs, Joyce and Balbirnie shared
an Irish third-wicket record of 138
in 18 overs. Sussex left-hander
Joyce, who played 17 ODI matches
for England from 2006-7, averaging
27, might have departed first ball,
but a TV review deemed his edge
had fallen short of slip.
He was dropped on 34 and again
having completed his third ODI ton,
while Balbirnie’s attractive innings
came to an unfortunate end when his
dive was short of the crease while
attempting an ambitious second run
inthe final over.
Despite the formidable target,
Taylor, who became only the
fourth Zimbabwean to pass 5,000
ODI runs, used his feet in assured
fashion, timing the ball exquisitely
to compile his first century since
2011. He had guided his team to
within 109 of victory when he was
cleverly deceived by Alex Cusack’s
slower ball in the 38th over,
spooning a catch to mid-wicket.
Left-hander Sean Williams, who had
added 149 with Taylor, somehow
kept his team in contention before,
with 32 needed from 19 balls, he
holed out to deep mid-wicket on 96,
John Mooney taking the catch above
his head with his foot perilously
close to the boundary boards.
Yet 17 runs from the penultimate
over kept the match on a knife-edge
before Cusack took the remaining
two wickets to finish with 4-32, as
Ireland held on for their third victory
in four matches.
11 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Monday, March 9, 2015
Message on the occasion of International
Women’s Day: Beijing at 20
Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin,
UNFPA Executive Director
Nation-Building: The Dangers
of Weak, Failing, and Failed
States (2)
By: Richard S. Williamson
All seemed to change on September 11,
2001. Al Qaeda’s attacks on America not
only brought down the World Trade Towers,
destroyed part of the Pentagon, and claimed
a passenger airplane in Pennsylvania, it also
ended the illusion that our superior military might and two vast oceans immunized
America from the dangers of a menacing
During the past 20 years, we have witnessed
remarkable advances in promoting the human rights and dignity of women and girls
and their full and equal participation in society.
The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, and
the Fourth World Conference on Women in
Beijing bolstered progress for women’s rights
to make their own choices about their bodies
and their futures.
For the first time, world leaders proclaimed
sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as human rights integral to
gender equality and women’s dignity and empowerment. These rights are essential for the
enjoyment of other fundamental rights, for
eradicating poverty and for achieving social
justice and sustainable development.
Today, on International Women’s Day, we
celebrate the progress we have made. And,
we pledge to redouble efforts to complete
these unfinished agendas. We will not stop
until we cross the finish line and realize
equality between girls and boys and women and men.
Together, we have come a long way. Today, more girls are going to school, more
women have joined the labour force, and
more women have access to sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning.
More women are in national parliaments.
More women are playing a role in advancing peace and security.
Maternal death has been cut in half and
there is increased action to protect the
health and rights of adolescent girls, a
long overlooked population.
Global campaigns against female genital
mutilation and child marriage are gaining
momentum. We also see a growing global
movement to end gender-based violence,
and more boys and men promoting gender
equality.
Yet, while these trends hold great promise,
overall progress has been unacceptably
slow, with stagnation and even regression
in some contexts.
No country in the world has achieved gender equality, and discrimination in the law
persists in many countries. Women’s rising education attainment and workforce
participation have not been matched with
equal prospects for advancement and
equal pay.
And everywhere, violence against women
and girls continues to take a devastating
toll.
We can no longer allow violence to strike
one in three women worldwide, as it does
now.
We cannot allow 15 million girls between
the ages of 15 and 19 to be subjected to
genital mutilation between now and 2030.
We cannot allow one in three girls to be
married before reaching age 18.
We cannot allow more than 800 women to
die every day from complications of pregnancy and childbirth.
And, we cannot allow 225 million women
to live without access to modern contraception.
These human rights violations must end!
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of
the Beijing Platform for Action, we must
close the gaps for women and girls, and
address them within the framework of the
new development agenda.
Sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights are essential to sustainable
development and must be at the centre of
this new universal agenda.
When a woman can exercise her reproductive rights, she is better able to enjoy other
freedoms and opportunities—from education to employment to full participation.
Last year, more than 120 world leaders
reaffirmed their commitment to the ICPD
Programme of Action to improve the lives
of people, particularly women and girls,
and protect our planet.
During the upcoming Commission on the
Status of Women, we look to the world’s
leaders to commit to stronger action and
the full implementation of the Beijing
Platform for Action for progress for the
world’s women and girls, and for all of
humanity.
Today, on International Women’s Day and
every day, UNFPA will continue to provide
strong support for the rights of women and
girls, gender equality and universal sexual
and reproductive health and reproductive
rights.
The future we want is a world where
every woman and girl can live free from
discrimination and violence, and enjoy her
full human rights and human dignity.
mportantly, President Bush immediately recognized that the civilized world not only had
to counter the terrorists themselves, but also
the countries that harbored terrorists. Al Qaeda was not only based in Afghanistan, it had
helped turn Afghanistan into a terrorist state.
Osama bin Laden was able to achieve this
base of influence because Afghanistan was a
weak state. This was in part because the West
provided minimal humanitarian assistance
and other aid for the Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan after the Soviet troops were
driven out in 1988. The post- Soviet Afghan
civil war, and vicious rule of the Taliban and
various warlords, seemed inconsequential to
Washington.
Indeed, throughout the 1990’s many saw
“nation-building” as a dubious enterprise.
The killing of 19 marines in Somalia and the
searing image of their bodies dragged through
the streets of Mogadishu in 1993, for many,
captured the risk and futility of nation-building. However, in point of fact, the Clinton
Administration repeatedly supported various
nation-building enterprises in Haiti, Bosnia,
Kosovo, Sierra Leone, and East Timor. These
were the result of multilateral cooperation
through NATO or the United Nations. These
operations achieved varying degrees of success, though they were usually achieved with
little fanfare.
Furthermore, skepticism over these enterprises continued to linger. Governor George Bush
appealed to this public hesitancy in his 2000
presidential campaign against Vice President
Al Gore. In the Presidential debate on October
4, 2000, Bush said, “The vice president and I
have a disagreement about the use of troops.
He believes in nation-building. I would be
very careful about using our troops as nationbuilders.” On October 11th, Governor Bush
further developed his position with the statement, “I don’t think our troops ought to be
used for what’s called nation-building Maybe
I’m missing something here. I mean we’re
going to have kind of a nation-building corps
world. It became painfully clear that there
are people and forces that wish America ill.
Furthermore, September 11th established
that there are not only competitors for economic, political and cultural influence; there
are forces unleashed that could inflict great
harm on America. America’s foreign policy
could no longer be discretionary; it had to
refocus to meet the new threat of global terror networks.
from America? Absolutely not.”
However, the 9/11 attacks forced a serious
rethinking of nation-building; bringing down
the Taliban regime in Afghanistan was not
enough. If we prematurely left the country,
it could revert to a terrorist regime that welcomed al Qaeda. By April 17, 2002, President Bush’s views had shifted radically. In a
speech at the Virginia Military Institute, he
said: we know that true peace will only be
achieved when we give the Afghan people the
means to achieve their own aspirations. Peace
will be achieved by helping Afghanistan develop its own stable government. Peace will
be achieved by helping Afghanistan train and
develop its own national army. And peace will
be achieved through an education system for
boys and girls which work. We’re working
hard in Afghanistan. We’re clearing minefields. We’re rebuilding roads. We’re improving medical care. And we will work to help
Afghanistan to develop an economy that can
feed its people.
By May, 2005, President Bush went further.
He said, we’re improving the capacity of
our military to assist nations that are making
democratic transitions. The main purpose of
our military is to win the war on terror; is to
find and defeat the terrorists overseas. But at
the same time, American Armed Forces are
undertaking a less visible, but important task:
helping these people of these nations build
civil societies from the rubble of oppression.
To give our military more resources for this
vital work, we are rebalancing our forces—
moving people out of skills that are in low
demand, such as heavy artillery, and adding
more military police and civil affairs specialists that are needed in these types of situations.
By transforming our military, we will make
our Armed Forces faster, more agile and more
lethal—and we will make them more effective in helping societies transition from war
and despotism to freedom and democracy.
Democratization in the Arab World: Prospects and Lessons (2)
By: Alula Berhe Kidani
This report which is reviewed in a serious of articles in
this page was produced by the US famous Rand Corporation which plays an important role in the formulation
of the USA foreign policy strategies. It should be noted
that the study is in more than 430 pages, so this is just a
focus on the most important elements of it.
The notion of a “transition paradigm,” in which countries move from authoritarian rule toward democracy
through a sequence of stages, has been largely rejected.
Many countries have been seen to settle into a “gray
zone” of diverse forms of government where autocratic
and democratic features are combined. Such countries
are no longer seen as simply stalled on the road to democracy. In this volume, we use the term transition not
to imply that countries undergoing political change tend
to follow a set, linear pattern but, rather, to indicate our
concern for the process of democratization, in particular, the ways it can be influenced and the possibilities
for how it can unfold. The strand of the democratization literature concerned with the gray zone suggests
that the changes under way in the Arab world may lead
to various possible destinations that differ both from
their points of departure and from liberal democracy.
An important preoccupation of democratization scholars, and one with particular relevance to this study, is
the question, what causes polities to become and remain democracies? Despite a huge volume of research
in this area, there are few uncontested findings and no
overall consensus on causative factors. We did not try
to reproduce others’ efforts to isolate systematically
such factors. Rather, our purpose was to examine how
factors regarded as important in the democratization literature influenced the outcomes of particular transition
processes. We did this so that we could consider how
past experience speaks to the processes now unfolding in the Arab world. We did not look at every possible factor, but instead selected ones that were likely to
be pertinent in the context of the Arab world. And we
selected for close inspection examples of transitions
analysis of the implications for events in the Arab
world.
in which these factors were at play, so that we could
explore their effects on democratization and ways that
challenges might be managed.
The influences we considered include both structural
conditions and policy choices. They are: (1) the mode of
regime change, with attention given to how the way in
which power changed hands affected the democratization process; (2) the country’s past experience with political pluralism; (3) critical policy choices made by the
domestic actors during the transition process, including
decisions made regarding subordination of militaries
to civilian control, elections, constitution making, and
transitional justice (holding former regime members to
account for abuses); (4) state and social cohesion, including social cleavages, insurgencies, and unsettled
borders; (5) economic characteristics; (6) the external
environment; and (7) external policy choices and assistance, including efforts by foreign actors to foster
democratization. These factors and choices form the
structure for our exploration of past transitions and
The Arab World on the Eve of Change
On the eve of the Arab Spring, the Arab world remained the sole zone untouched by global democratization trends. There were a variety of regime types,
including hybrid regimes (in Lebanon, Kuwait, and
Iraq), monarchies, and authoritarian republics, but
no consolidated democracies.
Scholars and policy practitioners have advanced a
variety of theories as well as statistical and comparative analyses to explain this lack of democracy, but
no consensus has emerged on which explanations
are most persuasive.
One category of theories holds that the Arab world
lacks the cultural prerequisites for democracy, such
as affinity for participatory government and individual rights. Some argue that either Islam or the
tribal origins of Arab society has fostered a culture
of submission to authority. Another group of theories looks at what is unique about the location of the
Arab world. The presence of oil in the region is one
of the most prevalent explanations: Oil revenues accrue to the state, enabling it to reinforce authoritarianism by distributing patronage, buying off potential opponents, and building a coercive apparatus. A
third set of theories focuses on the efforts of foreign
powers, particularly the United States, to maintain
regional stability and protect Israel. Finally, Arab regimes have become adept at staving off pressure for
change, for example, by stoking secularist and Islamist fears of each other coming to power.
Regardless of the best explanation or combination
of explanations, it is clear that authoritarianism has
proven resilient in the Arab world.
The Arab Spring broke down the illusion of regime
invulnerability. But the confluence of conditions and
authoritarian strategies that blocked political change
in the past can be expected to pose challenges for democratization going forward.
LAST PAGE
BRIEF
MONDAY
Dozens Killed in
9th March, 2015 - 18th Jumada I,1436
Suspected Boko
Peanut Eaters May
Live Longer
ethnicities, the researchers said.
In the new study, the researchers looked at data from food
questionnaires collected from more than 70,000 Americans,
ages 40 to 79, of African and European descent who lived in the
southeastern U.S. Researchers then followed up with the study
participants for 5.5 years.
In addition, the study also looked at data from more than 134,000
Chinese men and women, ages 40 to 74, who lived in Shanghai
and also provided information on their eating habits. The
researchers followed up with this group for about 6.5 years, on
average.
Heart Benefits
The results for the U.S. study group showed that people who
nibbled on the most peanuts were 21 percent less likely to die
during the study period than individuals who ate the least. To
experience this health benefit, people in the study needed to
consume about 17 to 18 grams of peanuts per day, or roughly
two-thirds of 1 ounce, Shu told Live Science.
The analysis looked at peanut butter consumption separately
from peanut and tree nut consumption only for the Americans
involved in the study, and it found that people who ate more
of the popular nut butter also reduced their chances of dying
compared with Southerners who rarely used the spread.
Among the study participants of Asian ancestry, regular nut
eaters reduced their risk of dying by 17 percent compared with
Chinese men and women who rarely ate nuts, the researchers
found. These findings held true in both the Americans and the
Chinese even after the researchers took into account a person’s
Peanuts may not only be a tasty snack but they may also help
people live longer, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that the people in the study who ate the
most peanuts and tree nuts (such as walnuts, pecans and almonds)
every day had a lower risk of dying over a five- or six-year period
than the people who ate the least peanuts and tree nuts, or none
of them.
Consuming nuts and peanuts was linked with fewer overall
deaths as well as fewer deaths from heart-related problems,
according to the study published online today (March 2) in the
journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
“We showed that peanuts have similar cardiovascular benefits to
tree nuts,” said study researcher Dr. Xiao-Ou Shu, a professor of
medicine in the division of epidemiology at Vanderbilt University
Medical Center in Nashville.
“If people are not allergic to them, they should consider eating
more peanuts for their heart-health benefits because they are
cheaper and more affordable than other nuts,” Shu said.
Although peanuts are considered legumes, they have similar
nutrients to a nut, Shu said.
Nuts, especially tree nuts such as almonds and walnuts, have
been widely promoted as heart-smart foods based on previous
evidence that has tied nut consumption to a lower risk of death
from cardiovascular disease in Caucasian people of European
ancestry, and those of higher economic status.
However, little was known about the health benefits from eating
nuts and peanuts, a less expensive food, among Americans
from lower income groups, or in people of different races and
Reuters
living room unless they put their
cell phones in a basket outside.
They complain that cell phone
addicts have lost their ability to
talk and socialize and instead
smile at their phone screens.
Nehad Bakry, a Saudi mother of
five, used to gather her family and
grandchildren every weekend to
enjoy their time away from their
hectic schedules. There is one
rule in order to sit in her living
room where the family gathers:
leave cell-phones and other
electronic gadgets out of the
room in a box.
“Before the invention of
smartphones, we used to all sit
together and laugh and talk about
memories and tell each other
stories. But since smartphones
Displaced Iraqi women try to catch clothes provided by a charity at a new camp
outside the Bajid Kandala camp in Feeshkhabour town, Iraq, Tuesday, Aug. 19,
2014. Some 1.5 million people have been displaced by fighting in Iraq since the
Islamic State’s rapid advance began in June, and thousands more have died. The
scale of the humanitarian crisis prompted the U.N. to declare its highest level of
emergency last week. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)
gained
popularity,
family
gatherings are not the same
anymore. My grandchildren are
addicted to smartphones and
their gadgets and they smile at
the screen more than they talk to
us. They don’t participate in any
conversations anymore. Some of
them don’t say a word since they
spend the entire time looking at
their mobile screens,” she said.
“I don’t gather them to listen to
their silence. So I decided to make
a rule for everyone, even my
husband. Before the gathering,
leave smartphones in a box that I
made especially for this purpose.
In the beginning, they were
upset with my decision, but later
they thanked me and realize that
they were wasting an amazing
time by isolating themselves,”
Nehad added.Muhammad AlGhonimy, a Saudi father of four,
has banned his children from
using smartphones while they
are sitting together, especially
during meals.
“Smartphones separated us.
When we sat down to eat, all
my children were holding their
phones and were completely
isolated from real life. I felt that
it wasn’t a family atmosphere
anymore. We are all strangers in
one house,” he said.
Muhammad decided to take all
smoking and drinking habits, BMI (body mass index), and
metabolic conditions, which can all influence death rates.
Peanuts and tree nuts may help people live longer because they are
rich in nutrients with known health benefits, including unsaturated
fats, fibre, antioxidants and vitamins, Shu said. Some of these
plant-based chemicals could help maintain the heart’s endothelial
function, which affects the cells lining blood vessels, and they
also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that may
protect the heart, she said.
People should consider increasing their peanut intake as part of a
heart-healthy lifestyle, Shu said.
And since many Americans already take in more calories than
they need, Shu recommended that peanutscould replace the
calories coming from less-healthy snacks, such as cookies,
candy and sugary drinks and should not be consumed in addition
to these foods.
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria - At least
45 people were killed by suspected
Boko Haram militants at dawn on
Tuesday in a remote village of
Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state,
military sources and authorised
vigilante groups told Reuters.
The insurgents started shooting
into houses in Njaba at about
5:30 a.m. (0430 GMT), a military
source in Maiduguri said on
Thursday. The village is close to
the town of Damboa and about
100 km (60 miles) south of state
capital Maiduguri.
“The attack was not immediately
known because the village is very
remote and our men couldn’t
access the area,” the source said.
Boko Haram’s six-year insurgency
to carve out an Islamic state in
the northeast of Nigeria has killed
thousands and displaced over 1.5
million people.
The group gained worldwide
notoriety in April 2014 after
its members kidnapped over
200 schoolgirls from the town
of Chibok in Borno state, the
heartland of Boko Haram.
Saudi Film Writer Shahad
Ameen on Her Way to Conquer
the World
Saudi Gazette
Getting Smart with Smartphone Addicts
Drop-your-phone-in-the-basket
rule makes a difference at family
gatherings
Families who have had enough
of smartphones have come up
with a new rule before members
embark on a social gathering:
Put the smartphone in a basket
before sitting with other family
members.
As family members spend more
time on their mobile phones than
they do sitting and talking with
family, smart phones have raised
the ire of elderly members. Some
families interviewed for this
report said that they do not allow
anyone to sit inside the family
North Nigeria
Experts have found that
eating peanuts could
lengthen our lives thanks to
their heart-helping properties
Yahoo Lifestyle
Saudi Gazette
Haram Attack in
phones away from his children
when they sat together in the
living and dining rooms.
“They were angry and complained
about my decision, but they were
forced to listen to what I wanted.
Since then, we have a good time
sitting together. They started to
talk and I got to listen to their
problems and I think we have
become closer. I taught them
about the dangers of smartphone
addiction and that they need
to be smart when they use it
instead of becoming addicted,”
he said.Heba Al-Turkey, a 24year-old Saudi, said she takes all
the electronic gadgets including
smartphones from her friends
when they are together so they
can talk together and have a good
time.
“When we go out together we
waste a huge percentage of our
time chatting on the phone with
other people while ignoring the
people we are sitting with. We
would meet for two hours but
would only chat with each other
for a few minutes and instead
talk to people on the phone. So,
I decided to take everyone’s
smartphones and put them in
one of our bags. After that rule,
believe it or not, our gatherings
became more enjoyable,” she
said.
Short movie Eye & Mermaid screened at major
international film festival
Saudi film director and scriptwriter Shahad
Ameen knew from a very young age that she
wanted to become a writer. Born and raised in
Jeddah, at the age of 11, Ameen discovered the
“magic of cinema,” as she words it herself, and
decided she wanted to be part of this world,
despite the lack of a cinema culture here.
After completing high school, Ameen went to
London to study video production and art studies
at the Met Film School, in which she obtained a
bachelor’s degree.
“I worked for a while as an assistant director,
but then I completed a degree in screenwriting
in New York,” relates Ameen, who has been a
full-time writer and director ever since.
Her short films include “The Glass Box” and
“Leila’s Window”. While fairly successful,
Ameen’s latest short, “Eye & Mermaid”, could be
her real, international breakthrough. Premiered
at the Dubai International Film Festival in
December 2013, the film was also screened
during this month’s Toronto International Film
Festival (TIFF), a major event that is widely
recognized as the most important film festival
after Cannes.
However, though Ameen, whom we spoke to
prior to the festival, says she is “thrilled to have
Eye & Mermaid screening at TIFF,” she tries not
to focus on the number of visitors or viewers. “I
just hope that people enjoy the film.”
Eye & Mermaid
The title may sound fairylike, but Eye &
Mermaid is in fact a phantasy drama about
Hanan, a fisherman’s daughter who adores the
black pearls her father brings her from the sea.
Curious to find out where these beautiful pearls
are coming from, one day she follows her father
and his crew to find out that they are actually
aggressively extracted from mermaids.
Seeing her father treating a creature so similar
to her in appearance with such cruelty is a big
shock for the little girl. Once she grows up,
Hanan tries to find a way to free herself from the
pains and traditions of the past.
Ameen: “The original title is in Arabic [Huriya
wa Aen] and it has a familiar sound. The title
can mean so many different things in Arabic
and each person can draw their own conclusion
about its meaning after watching the film.”
A full feature film
Eye & Mermaid was financed with the support of
the Hazawi Fund, an initiative by the Doha Film
Institute that aims at promoting film production
in Qatar and the region.
The institute also contributed on the creative
side by providing production mentors and the
cinematographer.Recently, Ameen received the
opportunity to develop a feature film based on
Eye & Mermaid. She finished writing the script
and is now focusing on developing the movie,
which will be titled “Scales”.
It is clear we are going to hear more about this
Saudi screenwriter and director, who thinks the
current international interest in Saudi directors
– or female voices in general – is natural: “We
were almost silent up till now, so I do believe
that the world wants to hear the filmmakers’
voices and wants to see their vision, because it’s
new and different.”
However, Ameen does not see the increasing
competition in the Saudi film industry as a
threat: “A film industry isn’t built on solely one
person.
It’s incredible that we have a couple of female
filmmakers, but I’m hoping to see hundreds of
them in the near future and I think it will generate
a healthy competition and an industry for us to
work in.”
Recurrent themes
While it is easy to relate main character Hanan
to the average Saudi girl, Ameen herself actually
grew up in a very liberated family in Jeddah.
LYRICS FOR CHILDREN
CLASS MESSAGE
In this Jan. 14, 2011 file photo, people look at the Saab 9-4X Crossover during
the 89th European Motorshow at Brussels’ Expo, Belgium. General Motors
announced two more recalls, pushing its total for the year to more than 70,
affecting almost 30 million vehicles in North America. The company says some
rear suspension nuts may not have been tightened properly. That could cause
the toe link adjuster to separate from the suspension, possibly causing a crash.
(AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Mum and Dad;
Teach me – how to read and write,
How to spell the words,
And imbibe, the meanings wise,
How to jingle ABC – DEFG,
And to count; ONE – TWO -THREEFOUR,
FIVE – SIX – SEVEN,
And EIGHT NINE,
Mum and Dad taught me,
Pray per day – Five times,
And to Fast Ramadan,
Published By: Byader Media Distribution Co.Ltd.
-
Relinquish fight,
To spread Peace,
And Telling the Truth,
Mum and Dad taught me;
Keeping my Faith Right,
Mum and Dad Taught Me,
ISLAM IS THE RIGHT.
Printed by: Martyr Major Osman Omer Printing Press
By:
Mohannad Wahba Diyab