At Crash Scene of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, Rebels Blame Ukraine

At Crash Scene of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, Rebels Blame Ukraine

Michael McLaren

Remember this? My favouritest music man during my teenage years.

http://miskolcwebcam2.axiscam.net/view/viewer_index.shtml

We single Israel out because we in the west are shamefully complicit in its crimes

The assault on Gaza has been a humanitarian disaster, yet the west's staunch support for Israel continues.

BY MEHDI HASAN PUBLISHED 16 JULY, 2014 - 17:45


Palestinian firefighters survey the scene of a house destroyed during an Israeli strike. Photo: Getty


Seventeen members of a single family wiped out in a missile strike. A centre for disabled people bombed. Schools and mosques attacked. Operation Protective Edge has been a humanitarian disaster for the residents of Gaza. This, apparently, is how Israel defines “self-defence”.

The experts disagree. The UN’s top human rights official, Navi Pillay, has said the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza raises “serious doubt . . . whether the Israeli strikes have been in accordance with international humanitarian law”. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have gone further, urging the hapless president, Mahmoud Abbas, to make the Palestinian Authority join the International Criminal Court and bring war crimes charges against Israel.

For its many supporters in the west, Israel is being unfairly singled out for criticism. As the country’s former foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami angrily said to me in an interview for al-Jazeera English in 2013: “You are trying to turn Israel into a special case.”

According to the likes of Ben-Ami, there are much more vile regimes, and more violent groups, elsewhere in the world. Why pick on plucky Israel? What about the Chinas, Russias, Syrias, Saudi Arabias, Irans, Sudans and Burmas? Where are the protests against Isis, Boko Haram or the Pakistani Taliban?

There are various possible responses to such attempts at deflection. First, does Israel really want to be held to the standards of the world’s worst countries? Doesn’t Israel claim to be a liberal democracy, the “only” one in the Middle East?

Second, isn’t this “whataboutery” of the worst sort? David Cameron told those of us who opposed the Nato intervention in Libya in 2011: “The fact that you cannot do the right thing everywhere does not mean that you should not do the right thing somewhere.” Well, quite. And the same surely applies to criticism of Israel – that we cannot, or do not, denounce every other human-rights-abusing regime on earth doesn’t automatically mean we are therefore prohibited from speaking out against Israel’s abuses in Gaza and the West Bank. (Nor, for that matter, does the presence of a small minority among the Jewish state’s critics who are undoubtedly card-carrying anti-Semites.)

Trying to hide Israel’s crimes against the Palestinians behind, say, Syria’s barrel bombs, China’s forced labour camps or Russia’s persecution of gays won’t wash. After all, on what grounds did we “single out” apartheid South Africa in the 1980s for condemnation and boycott? Weren’t there other, more dictatorial regimes in Africa at the time, those run by black Africans such as Mengistu in Ethiopia or Mobutu in Zaire? Did we dare excuse the crimes of white Afrikaners on this basis?

Taking a moral stand inevitably requires us to be selective, specific and, yes, even inconsistent. “Some forms of injustice bother [people] more than others,” wrote Peter Beinart, the author of The Crisis of Zionism, in December 2013. “The roots of this inconsistency may be irrational, even disturbing, but it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t act against the abuses they care about most.”

Third, Israel is “singled out” today, but by its friends and not just by its enemies. It has been singled out for unparalleled support – financial, military, diplomatic – by the western powers. It is indeed, to quote Ben-Ami, a “special case”.

Which other country is in receipt of $3bn a year in US aid, despite maintaining a 47-year military occupation in violation of international law? Which other country has been allowed to develop and stockpile nuclear weapons in secret?

Which other country’s prime minister could “humiliate” – to quote the newspaper Ma’ariv – a sitting US vice-president on his visit to Israel in March 2010, yet still receive 29 standing ovations from Congress on his own visit to the US a year later? And which other country is the beneficiary of comically one-sided resolutions on Capitol Hill, in which members of Congress fall over each other to declare their undying love and support for Israel – by 410 to eight, or 352 to 21, or 390 to five?

Indeed, which other country has been protected from UN Security Council censure by the US deployment of an astonishing 42 vetoes? For the record, the number of US vetoes exercised at the UN on behalf of Israel is greater than the number of vetoes exercised by all other UN member states on all other issues put together. Singling out, anyone?

Fourth, the inconvenient truth is that we in the west can happily decry the likes of, say, Assad or Ayatollah Khamenei yet we can do little to influence their actual behaviour. Have sanctions stopped Assad’s killing machine? Or Iran’s nuclear programme? In contrast, we have plenty of leverage over Israel – from trade deals to arms sales to votes at the UN. Israel is our special friend, our close ally.

Yet when Israel started bombing Gaza this month, claiming it was acting in response to incoming rocket fire and was trying to kill Hamas operatives, Cameron merely “reiterated the UK’s staunch support for Israel” and “underlined Israel’s right to defend itself”. And the hundreds of Palestinian dead? Didn’t they have a right to self- defence? There was not a word from our PM. This, ultimately, is the fundamental difference when it comes to comparing Israel’s abuses with those of other “rogue” nations. We single out Israel because, shamefully, we are complicit in its crimes.

Mehdi Hasan is a contributing writer for the New Statesman and the political director of the Huffington Post UK, where this column is crossposted

Plane spotter

I guess I know a little bit about train spotting. I've wondered about plane spotting, though. How do you spot planes. Well, this includes a little photographic obsession too: what sort of lens captures these images?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jpro747/

Obituary : Peter Young

A gentle giant passes – Amar Singh & Lim Swee Im

On June 28, 2014, quietly and with little fanfare, one of the greatest of Malaysians has died. He has now gone on to be with God for all eternity, receiving a reward far beyond what many of us can ever hope to receive.

Rev Peter Young (pic) was a gentle giant. A truly great Englishman who swapped his British citizenship for a Malaysian passport to serve the underprivileged here.

He was a rare man amongst men, one whose heart of compassion was far bigger than any tiny ego he may have had. He never clung to power or fame, thus remaining unrecognised and unacknowledged for his great service to our people, whom he adopted and loved as his own.

Peter was an exemplary person. He has done a great service for Malaysians. He is an inspiration to many of us, as his life speaks louder than his words.
Many people have probably never heard of him, as he is not one to "blow his own trumpet". Allow us to share some of his life and contributions to our country.

We first met Peter when he was with Malaysian CARE in 1980. He happened to live near our home and we became friends through mutual interests and beliefs. He was appointed the first executive director of Malaysian CARE in January 1980, a Christian organisation aimed at showing God’s love by action in the community.

Through inspiration and leadership of Peter, his wife Betty and others involved with Malaysian CARE, many marginalised Malaysians were reached and supported. At this time the social services by the government was in its infancy and most NGOs were doing "charity work".

Peter tried to move our hearts and minds from a "charity model" to a "social and rights model". In this, his vision was very far ahead of most of us. He worked by setting up model services that others could see and pattern after.
Pioneer work was started with Rumah Care, a home for children whose parents were patients and residents of the Sungai Buluh Leprosarium. Soon after, work and sheltered homes were set up for the mentally ill, prisoners, drug dependents and disabled persons.

In this Peter was a landmark and watershed in the history of social work in Malaysia. Without his work and example, we would have been much slower in developing services as well as poorer at focusing our energy on the right areas and right approach.

Our contact with Peter continued and he was instrumental in encouraging our hearts, and the hearts of many, to turn to look at the needs of the poor, disabled, disadvantaged, marginalised and outcast in Malaysia. In this his heart was truly after God’s.

Peter was never one to cling on to his past achievements. I remember vividly at one Asia-Pacific Paediatric Conference in 1993, where everyone was talking about the physically disabled. Peter instead presented a paper on the needs of children with intellectual and learning problems. Another paradigm shift for many of us. This area is now recognised as an enormous need in the country.

Peter never needed to cling on to power or have fame and recognition. I still remember clearly what he said when I met him at Malaysian CARE during its early days, and when I was still a young and immature doctor. He expressly stated his intent was to build up Malaysian CARE and then to hand over the organisation to a local born Malaysian when its foundations had become firm and stable.

True to his original intent, after many hard decades of labour down the road, he stepped down and handed over the leadership completely, without further interference or intervention, to a local born Malaysian. He did all the hard work when the organisation was unknown, and gave it all away to another person just when the organisation had become a recognised and well known force for social service. He was content to just fade away and remain forgotten by younger generations.

As said, after many years, he left Malaysian CARE in capable hands and started "Dignity and Services" - an advocacy group to promote the needs and champion the cause of persons with learning disabilities.

Dignity and Services gave birth to United Voice which is the first and only registered self advocacy group for members with learning disabilities in the country. He also helped to start "The Micah Mandate", a Christian-based public interest advocacy ministry that seeks a transformation of Malaysia through justice, mercy and humility.

Peter has spoken and shared at many meetings and through books and writings over many years. He speaks simply but with passion and conviction. He is by nature a quiet and reserved man but has a great sense of humour. Spending an hour with him is to be with a true VIP, a servant of God. In Malaysia, those who most deserve awards, are often least likely to get them. Many get awards just for occupying a position without doing much work. Peter deserves awards many times over for the depth and scope of his work.

In memory of Peter, we ask that we jointly “Make the Right Real” (Incheon Disability Strategy). We know what is needed in our country to heal our social problems, let’s work together to make this happen.

We have lost our focus as a nation and are fascinated with grandeur, twin towers and feeding the rich. Too little of government expenditure, tax payers' ringgit, are spent on supporting those in need. Our social services (Welfare Department) are poorly funded and very poorly staffed. Few of the staff in the Welfare Department are trained social workers.

Peter, as a true Malaysian, would be delighted if we rose to the occasion and grew significantly the services for the poor and disabled, disadvantaged, marginalised and outcast.

Peter has gone Home, one of Malaysia’s greatest humanitarians, a wonderful man of God.

But Peter remains in our hearts.

Peter remains in the work that he has started, sustained, flourished and multiplied.

We bless you Peter and your beloved wife Betty, who stood alongside you in your hard years of labour, for your inspiration, dedication and loyalty to Malaysia and Malaysians.

Malaysia is so much poorer without your physical and spiritual presence. We are glad you are with the God whom you love with your entire being. – June 30, 2014.




* Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS and Datin Dr Lim Swee Im read The Malaysian Insider.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

Malaysian issue I don't like #1

I found this history of the Bible Society of Malaysia on a blog post of one of the members involved in the bible confiscation by JAIS saga in January 2014 in Malaysia.


RECOLLECTIONS: AL-KITAB’S CHEQUERED PAST Standard

March 14, 2014: The seizure of 321 copies of the Malay Bible was nothing new to The Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM). The raid and the arrest of Sinclair and me, well, that was something we did not expect nor had experienced before. The following is a history of government action against the Al-Kitab leading up to the events of January 2, 2014.

1981: Before BSM was registered as a society in 1985, the predecessor of the Al-Kitab was already banned. On December 2, 1981, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued an order banning the Indonesian Al-Kitab which was used by Malay-speaking East Malaysian Christians since the early days of the twentieth century. There was no local edition of the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia available then. According to the gazetted order, the printing, sale, issue, circulation or possession of the Indonesian Al-Kitab was prejudicial to the security of the country.

1982: As a result of an outcry from the Christian community, the Home Minister in 1982 modified the order to say that the ban of the Al-Kitab is subject to its possession or use only by Christians in Church. In other words, from an absolute ban, it was modified to a partial ban.

1995: BSM publishes the first ever Malaysian Malay-language Bible, the Al-Kitab: Berita Baik.

1998: A shipment of the Indonesian Al-Kitab was detained at Port Kelang by KDN (Kementerian Dalam Negeri or Home Affairs Ministry) and released only after the words “Untuk Agama Kristian” (For the Christian Religion) were stamped on the inside front cover of every copy.

2001: Another shipment of the Indonesian Al-Kitab was detained. KDN officers required the Bibles to be stamped but the BSM refused to do so. After 2 weeks, the shipment was released by KDN on the condition that the bibles should not be distributed.

2003: In March, the Iban bible, Bup Kudus, another Malaysian language Bible published by BSM was banned. The Iban word for God “Allah Ta’ala” was thought to be a use of the word “Allah.” As a result of public pressure and objection by the Christian community, the government lifted the ban a few weeks later.

In April, a shipment of 1,000 copies of the Indonesian Al-Kitab was detained by KDN at Port Kelang.

2005: In mid-2005, the Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi, agreed to release the bibles on condition they be stamped with a cross and the words “Penerbitan Kristian” on the first page before they are distributed. It took another 2 years for the bibles to be released.

2006: BSM thought that KDN’s harassment of BSM imports of bibles could be avoided by having the Al-Kitab printed locally. In February, KDN officers visited BSM’s printer in Penang and ordered work on the printing of the Malaysian Al-Kitab to be stopped. After some meetings with the General Secretary, Mr. Joel Ng, KDN said that the bibles must have the cross and the words “Penerbitan Kristian” on its front cover.

2007: KDN wrote to BSM revising its earlier condition and required the words “Untuk Agama Kristian” to be imprinted on the front cover of the Al-Kitab. By that time, the covers of the Penang batch of bibles had already been prepared using the words of the earlier condition.

In 2007, the 1,000 copies of the Indonesian Al-Kitabdetained by KDN in 2003 was finally released.

2009: KDN seized 5,000 copies of the Malaysian Malay Bible, the Al-Kitab Berita Baik. After complaints by the Christian community, KDN agrees to release it in 2010 but did not do so.

2011: In March, BSM initiated a prayer campaign for the release of the 5,000 copies of the Al-Kitab. Extensive press coverage and impending Sarawak state elections turned this into a national issue and embarrassment for the Federal Government. KDN agreed to release the bibles but stamped and serialized each copy before doing so. Christians cried desecration. In April, the Government issued the “Ten Points Solution” allowing the Malay Bible to be imported or printed locally provided that copies meant for West Malaysia should have the symbol of the cross and the word “Penerbitan Christian” (Christian Publication) printed on its front cover.