BILAL TUBE NEWS ENGLISH

• Joplin mosque razed in fire; 2nd blaze this summer

  Aug 8, 2012 Ahmity 0 Comments

  JOPLIN, Mo. - A mosque in southwest Missouri burned to the ground early Monday in the second fire to hit the Islamic center in little more than a month, officials said.

  The fire at the Islamic Society of Joplin was reported about 3:30 a.m. Monday, the Jasper County Sheriff's Office said. The sheriff's department said the building was a total loss. No injuries were reported and no charges have been filed.

  Imam Lahmuddin, who leads the mosque and was in the building until late Sunday, said he was "sad and shocked" about the fire.

  "I'm still in front of the building looking at the damage and nothing can be saved," Lahmuddin said in a telephone interview Monday. "But since we are people of faith we just can remember that this is a thing that happened because God let it happen, and we have to be patient, particularly in the month of Ramadan, control our emotions, our anger."

  A blaze at the same building July 4 caused minor damage and was determined arson. No arrests were made and the FBI has offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to charges in that fire.

  The agency released video footage of what appeared to be a man starting the July blaze that did not cause extensive damage. Sharon Rhine, spokeswoman for the sheriff's office, said the center's security cameras were burned in the Monday fire.

  The FBI is investigating the cause of the latest fire and whether or not it was also the result of arson, said agency spokeswoman Bridgett Patton.

  A Washington-based Muslim civil rights organization meanwhile called for more police protection at mosques and other houses of worship following the Joplin fire and a deadly attack at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin. The Council on American-Islamic Relations also offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever started the mosque fire.

  About 50 families belong to the Islamic Society of Joplin, which opened in 2007 as a mosque and community center. The FBI led an investigation in 2008 when the mosque's sign was torched. That crime also remained unsolved.

  Lahmuddin, who has lived in Joplin for about four years, said several people were at the center late Sunday. He said despite the attacks, the center's members have good relationships with residents and other churches. He said many are doctors at area hospitals.

  On Sunday, a gunman killed six people at a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee. The imam said it was a cause of great concern that both faiths had seemingly come under attack.

  "I heard that yesterday, and this morning we see this happen in our place," he said. "We are more fortunate that no one here got hurt in this incident."

  Originally published: August 6, 2012 12:18 PM
  Updated: August 6, 2012 2:28 PM
  By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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• Abu Bakar Bashir threatens war if Burma harms Muslim Rohingyas

  Aug 5, 2012 Ahmity 0 Comments

  The 74-year-old made the threat in a letter to the country's president Thein Sein, seen on a website yesterday.

  He is widely regarded as a spiritual leader of radical Islam in Indonesia - the world's most populous Muslim country - and is currently serving a 15-year-jail term for funding terror.

  "We've heard Muslims screaming in your country because of your acts of evil... you have taken them out from their homes and are killing them," he wrote in the letter dated July 22, which was passed on to followers and published on the website voa-islam.com.

  "If you neglect these calls, by Allah our Lord, you have witnessed the fall of proud and conceited countries in the hands of our mujahideen soldiers," he added.

  The letter was confirmed as authentic by Son Hadi, the spokesman for Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT), a group founded by Bashir in 2008 and labelled a terrorist organisation by the United States.

  An outspoken supporter of violent jihad, Bashir was convicted in 2010 of financing a terror cell in Aceh province. Earlier this year, the country's top court overturned a lower court's decision to cut his 15-year term.

  "You must know that we are brothers as Muslims. Their pains is our pain, their sorrows are our sorrows, and their blood that you shed is our blood too," Bashir wrote. "By the will of Allah, we can destroy you and your people."

  Son Hadi said yesterday that the letter was submitted on Monday to the Burma embassy in Jakarta. The embassy was not reachable for comment.

  About 100 Muslim extremists from the Indonesian branch of pro-Caliphate organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir protested yesterday outside the Burma embassy and vowed a Jihad to stop the "Muslim cleansing".

  "We are ready to die to help our fellow Muslims in Myanmar [Burma]. A Jihad is the only way to stop this massacre," one of the protesters on loudspeaker told the crowd, who shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest).

  Violence erupted in June in Rakhine state, in western Burma, between Buddhists and Rohingya, leaving about 80 people dead from both sides, according to official estimates deemed low by rights groups.

  Burma security forces opened fire on Rohingya Muslims, committed rape and stood by as rival mobs attacked each other during the recent wave of sectarian violence, New York-based Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday.

  The authorities failed to protect both Muslims and Buddhists and then "unleashed a campaign of violence and mass roundups against the Rohingya", the group said in a report.

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• Ethiopiana-Wash ington| Ethiopians held a demonistration

  Aug 3, 2012 Ahmity 0 Comments

  Ethiopiana-Wash ington| Ethiopians held a demonistration in front of The US secreteary of stat building in Washington to protest the 

  Ethiopian government interference in relgion affairs.
  With silent symboilc act they asked the Obamaadministration to pose a pressure on Addis Abba governement to release the prisoners who were arrested from mosques and the streets of the Etghiopian capital last month.
  The protesters refused what they called the government imposision of Ahbash ideology on Muslims in Ethiopia

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• Dar Al Hijra is one of the great Islamic community in North America call upon there communities to protest. on On August 2nd, 2012

  Aug 1, 2012 Ahmity 0 Comments

  Our Ethiopian Muslim brothers and sisters are being abused, unlawfully imprisoned, tortured and killed in this moment by Ethiopia government just for asking their basic human rights.

   

  To oppose this inhumane act by this regime, the Ethiopian Muslim communities and other concerned organizations are calling a protest.

  Date and Time:

  On August 2nd, 2012 between 9AM & 12PM

  Place:

  In front of the State Department

   The demonstration coordinator committee

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• Myanmar security forces killed, raped or carried out mass arrests of Rohingya Muslims < By Reuters

  Aug 1, 2012 Ahmity 0 Comments

  Aid workers were blocked and in some cases arrested, and Rohingyas bore the brunt of a government crackdown in Rakhine state after a week of arson and machete attack by both ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingyas, New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a report.

  Based on 57 interviews with Rakhines and Rohingyas, the report seeks to shed light on a conflict that exposed deep-rooted communal animosity and put the spotlight on promises by the civilian government in office since 2011 to protect human rights after decades of brutal army rule.

  “Burmese security forces failed to protect the Arakan (Rakhine) and Rohingya from each other and then unleashed a campaign of violence and mass round-ups against the Rohingya,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

  “The government claims it is committed to ending ethnic strife and abuse, but recent events in Arakan State demonstrate that state-sponsored persecution and discrimination persist.”

  Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin said on Monday the authorities had exercised “maximum restraint” in restoring law and order and that the rioting was not fuelled by religious persecution.

  He rejected what he said were attempts to “politicise and internationalise the situation as a religious issue”, adding that the government was eager to promote “racial harmony among different nationalities”.

  In veiled criticism of the United States and European Union, which praised the government for its handling of the unrest, Adams said the international community had been “blinded by a romantic narrative of sweeping change” in Myanmar.

  The former Burma has a diverse ethnic and religious make-up, but the Rohingya Muslims are not included by the government. There are at least 800,000 Rohingyas in the country but they are not recognised as one of its ethnic groups.

  Neighbouring Bangladesh does not accept them and pushed boatloads back out to sea when they tried to flee the unrest.

  “Resettle them”

  Myanmar President Thein Sein said in June the government was only responsible for third-generation Rohingyas whose families had arrived before independence in 1948 and that it was impossible to accept those who had “illegally entered” Myanmar.

  He recommended that the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR take care of them in camps or resettle them in third countries. UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres replied it could only resettle refugees that fled from one country to another.

  The riots followed two brutal incidents in Rakhine state:  the May 28 rape and murder of a Rakhine woman by three Rohingya males, who were sentenced to death, and the June 3 lynching in response of 10 non-Rohingya Muslims travelling on a bus.

  Human Rights Watch said police and troops did not intervene to stop the mobs from beating the Muslims to death. During the riots that followed, it said some Rohingyas who tried to flee or put out fires at their homes were shot at by paramilitaries.

  It called for the government to end abuses, grant full humanitarian access and invite in international monitors. Access to the area remains restricted.

  Thein Sein is in a tight spot. Concessions towards the Rohingyas could prove unpopular among the general public, but perceived ill-treatment risks angering Western countries that have eased sanctions in response to human rights reforms.

  Minister of Border Affairs Thein Htay says 858 people have been detained for involvement in the violence, including five UNHCR staff and a UN World Food Programme employee. It was unclear how many of the total were Rohingya or ethnic Rakhine.

  The Foreign Ministry has said 77 people died and 109 were injured during the violence, and nearly 5,000 homes burnt down.

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• Allahu Akber tawaqiwu ye Saudi Arabia Alim Dr. Alqarnee 1.5 million follow bemiyaregewu twitter sele Ethiopia post arege

  Aug 1, 2012 Ahmity 0 Comments

  Dear Muslim brothers Muslims in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) 

  Bilal bin Rabah land and the land of the first migration 

  in severe distress where you are?

  Address every sane thinker and the world and to call upon 

  the Ethiopian government to lift the damage from the 

  Muslims in Ethiopia, a country of immigration Companions 

  of the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him

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• Alhamdulila zare ye comitewochachne beteseboch ziyara endeteyequwachewu tesema

  Jul 31, 2012 Ahmity 0 Comments

  የህዝበ ሙስሊሙ መፍትሄ አፈላላጊ ኮሚቴዎች በእስር ላይ ቢገኙም እስከዛሬ ድረስ ቤተሰቦቻቸዉ እንዲጠይቖቸዉ የማይፈቀድ የነበረ ሲሆን ዛሬ ግን በአላህ ፈቃድ የኡስታዝ አቡበከር አህመድ, የኡስታዝ አህመዲን ጀበል እና የኡስታዝ አህመድ ሙስጠፉ ባለቤቶች ዘይረዎቸዎል:: በሚያስደንቅ ሁኔታም በእስር ላይ ሆነዉም የቁርአን ተፍሲር በታላቁ አሊም በዶ/ር ከማል እየቀሩ እንደሚገኙ ለማወቅ ተችሏል:: የታሪክ ምሁሩ ኡስታዝ አህመዲን ጀበልም የቁርአን ሂፍዝ እየተማረ መሆኑን ለማወቅ ተችሏል:: ከራሳቸዉ አልፈዉም በእስር ቤት አብረዎቸዉ ለሚገኙ ሙስሊም ታሳሪዎች እየጠቀሙ ይገኛሉ:: በተጨማሪም ኮሚቴዎቻችን, ዳኢዎቻችን እንዲሁም አሊሞቻችን በሙሉ ጤንነት ላይ እንደሚገኙ ለማወቅ ተችሏል:: አልሀምዱሊላህ!!! ይህ ሁላ የአላህ ችሮታና ፀጋ ነዉ!! ከእስር አላህ ያወጣቸዉ ዘንድም ዱአ እናድርግላቸዉ!!!

  ድምፃችን ይሰማ

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• OnIslam Report Ethiopian Muslim Confirms that they don't have any conflict with Christians in Ethiopia.

  Jul 29, 2012 Ahmity 0 Comments

  CAIRO – As tension remains high in Ethiopia over government interference in the religious affairs of the Muslim community, Ethiopian Muslims deny reports about an imminent conflict with the Christian majority.

  “Muslims in Ethiopia respect our Christian brothers and sisters and are hopeful that the recent fights and violence will not lead to a larger conflict between Muslims and Christians,” a group of Muslim activists and university students calling themselves “Concerned Muslim Ethiopians” said in an e-mail to Bikyamasr website.

  “We have other more important issues to deal with now in Ethiopia.”

  Protests have rocked Ethiopia over the past weeks over government interference in the religious affairs of Ethiopian Muslims.

  Muslims say the government is spearheading a campaign in collaboration with the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs to indoctrinate their community with the ideology of a sect called "Ahbash".

  The government of Ethiopian Premier Meles Zenawi has put the Ahbash in charge of the religious affairs of Ethiopia's Muslims.

  Muslims say the government move is in violation of the constitution, which prevents the government interference in religious affairs.

  Muslims also accuse the Ahbash of launching an "indoctrination program" in predominantly Muslim areas, forcing people to attend "religious training" camps or risk police interrogation and possible arrest.

  But some media reports said that the current tension in Ethiopia could turn into a wider conflict between Muslims and Christians in the east African country.

  “We are a group of university students and we are frustrated with much of the coverage that has been existing in the international media concerning the protests that have been taking place in our country,” the Muslim activists said.

  “As Muslims living in Ethiopia we would like the world to know that we are not against Christians, but are against the government’s efforts to crackdown on our community and attempt to tell us which version of Islam we should be following.”

  Fear Tactic

  Muslim activists also dismissed government claims that it was battling “radicals” as a fear tactic to silence the Muslim community.

  “We just want our freedom and to get the government to let us have it,” the activists said.

  Security forces have attacked Muslim worshippers and mosques in the past weeks in a bid to stop ongoing protests in the country.

  Last week, four Muslims were killed when Ethiopian police stormed into a mosque in the capital Addis Ababa to disrupt preparations for a city-wide program called Sadaqa (feast).

  Police also tried to storm the Anwar Mosque in the west of the capital on Saturday, prompting Muslims to gather to block their way in.

  A week earlier, scores of Muslims were arrested after staging protests against government interference in their religious affairs.

  In April, four Muslims were also killed in clashes with police in southern Ethiopia in protest at the arrest of a Muslim preacher.

  “The police have attacked and even killed Muslims at mosques for not complying with the government on our faith,” the statement said.

  “This is unacceptable and we would like to bring the international attention to our situation and warn against labeling us Muslims as radical. We are not. We are simply citizens who want to practice our faith as we want.”

  Founded by Ethiopian-Lebanese scholar Sheikh Abdullah al-Harari, Ahbash is seen by the West as a "friendly alternative" to Wahabi ideology, which the West sees as extreme and militant.

  Muslims say Ahbash imams are being brought over from Lebanon to fill the Majlis and teach Ethiopians that “Wahabis” are non-Muslims.

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• Amnesty International Criticizes Ethiopian Gov't Over Rights Violations Against Muslim Protesters

  Jul 28, 2012 Ahmity 0 Comments

  Widespread violations feared in clampdown on Muslim protests Amnesty International is concerned over the fate of scores of Muslim protestors arrested in Ethiopia during July. The arrests took place in the context of ongoing protests against alleged government restrictions on freedom of religion in the country. The detainees are at risk of torture and other ill-treatment, and there have been numerous reports of beatings in detention against those arrested. Some detainees have been held in incommunicado detention since their arrest without access to family members, often in unknown locations. Amnesty International is further concerned at widespread reports of the beating of protestors during demonstrations, and other examples of excessive use of force by the police during the arrests and the dispersal of protests, resulting in many injuries to protestors. Those arrested in July include members of a committee of representatives selected by the Muslim community to represent their grievances to the government and at least one journalist. Amnesty International fears that the arrests of community leaders, protestors and others in the Muslim community, and the pending charges against certain individuals, are based on their lawful exercise of the right to freedom of expression and the right to organize and participate in peaceful protests. Addis Ababa’s Muslim community has staged regular peaceful protests throughout 2012 over grievances including an alleged government-backed effort to impose the teachings of the minority Al Ahbash sect of Islam on the majority community, and government interference in elections for the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs. Ethiopia’s Constitution prohibits state involvement in religious affairs. The protests have regularly attracted large numbers of people over the last six months.
  
  On 13 July a police operation targeted a gathering at the Awalia Mosque and Islamic school compound, in north-west Addis Ababa. The gathering was reportedly discussing further protests and also planning and preparing for a Sadaqah (charity) event two days later, to distribute food to people living in poverty. On entering the compound, police are alleged to have used excessive force against those present, beating many men and women in the compound and made numerous arrests.
  
  The same evening, in response to news spreading about the events at Awalia, large numbers of people headed towards Awalia. Witnesses estimate several thousand tried to reach the compound. But the roads were blocked by police and violence flared between police and protestors. Protestors allege that police again used excessive force including beating protestors. Several sources say that police fired live ammunition, resulting in some serious injuries among the protestors.
  
  Large numbers of those on their way to Awalia were arrested. The government confirmed that over 70 people had been detained on 13 July. Protestors and witnesses reported numbers of between 100 and 1,000 people arrested. Those detained were taken away in large military- style trucks. Detainees were first transported to Kolfe Keranyo police station, and later transferred to police stations closer to their respective homes, according to reports. Many of those detained have alleged widespread beating of detainees inside the police stations. One woman reported that she had been subjected to sexual violence by a police officer during the night of 13 July.
  
  A large proportion of the detainees were released without charge after one or two days’ detention. However, many continue to be detained. Several members of the Awalia student council are reported to be detained in Maikelawi federal police detention centre in Addis Ababa, notorious for the use of torture against detainees during interrogation, as documented on numerous occasions by Amnesty International. Whilst the family of one detainee has been able to have contact with their relative, the families of the other members of the student council say they have not been permitted to contact or visit their relatives, in violation of the right of all detainees to have access to family members.
  
  Other detainees arrested at Awalia on 13 July are reportedly being held in incommunicado detention without access to family members, in unknown locations. Ethiopia’s Criminal Procedure Code demands that all arrested persons are brought before a court within 48 hours to challenge the legality of the detention. Further, incommunicado detention, without access to family members and legal representatives increases detainees’ risk of being subjected to torture or other forms of ill-treatment.
  
  Between 19 and 21 July, members of the committee of chosen representatives of the Muslim community were arrested, including Chairman Abubakar Ahmed, Spokesperson Ahmedin Jebel and committee members Kamil Shemsu, Sultan Aman, Adem Kamil, Jemal Yasim and Meket Muhe. The Committee members are reported to be detained in Maikelawi and are therefore at risk of torture or other forms of ill-treatment. 
  

  Read the Rest of Article on amnesty.org

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• Sheik Jamal of Seattle 'killed' in Ethiopia

  Jul 27, 2012 Ahmity 0 Comments

  SEATTLE - Longtime Seattle resident Sheik Mohamed Hussein Mohamed, "aka" sheik Jamal of Seattle, died suddenly on July 19 in Ethiopia and relatives feared he was killed. Following is a report by friends of the deceased elder:

  Sheik Jamal left Seattle on July 17 , 2012 for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to spend Ramadan with his significant others back home. He safely arrived at Bole International airport on July 19, 2012 at 7:45 AM.

  Sheik Jamal left Addis for Galamso town in the Eastern part of the country. He rented a private mini bus and left Addis same day. Our sources further confirmed that there were only three people inside the mini bus: the deceased, the driver and an assistant driver. A few miles away from their destination, the driver and his assistant brought the dead body of Sheik Jamal to Galamso hospital. They said: "He passed away due to abrupt "heart attack"."

  As soon as we heard the rumors of his death, we contacted the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa and informed them about the death of a U.S citizen. The embassy officials and Galamso town police ordered Sheik Jamal's body be transferred over to Addis Ababa Menelik Hospital for autopsy. Here, we confirmed from close family members that sheik Jamal suffered broken nose, scratches around his neck and other parts of his body. We further learned that there was a police officer who was riding with them beside the driver and his assistant. We learned that the driver and his assistant are under Galamso town police custody. The police officer who was believed to be riding with them is not arrested for unexplained reason. The hospital told family members that the autopsy resulted will be issued in two weeks and the honorable sheik's body was transported bac

  k to Bordode town and rested.

  Our community members in Seattle are heart-broken due to this tragedy. We are appealing to all concerned authorities, media outlets and human rights advocates in order to pass around this news and take the initiative of reaching out to the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, the office of Washington State senators and Ethiopian Police commission in order to figure out the legitimate cause of Sheik Jamal's unfortunate death.

  The deceased Sheik was among active organizers and participants a recent Seattle Ethiopian Muslims demonstration 

  against the Assassa town massacre of innocent civilians.

  Ethiomedia.com - An African-American news and views website. 
  Copyright 2012 Ethiomedia.com. Email: editor@ethiomedia.com

  
  
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