Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.
This document was written around the time this site was created, for those who wish to understand what this site is about. And while our understanding of the world and events has grown since then, the basic ideas remain sound and true to the purpose.
So please post all links, thoughts and ideas that you feel will benefit the readers of this site to the comments under this post each day. And thank you all for your contributions.
This is the new Samizdat. We must use it while we can.
On gold and silver becoming legal tender:
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/south-carolina-legal-tender-act-would-treat-gold-and-silver-as-money/
President Trump pardons Thanksgiving turkeys – but they have already been served with subpoenas to appear in Adam Schiff’s basement…
Obama And Biden Under Formal Investigation For Corruption In Ukraine Says Paul Sperry
November 26, 2019 Alex Hall 93 Views 0 Comments Barack Obama, Joe Biden
OPINION
Investigative reporter Paul Sperry has announced that at least three Senate committees are formally investigating Obama-Biden-Ukrainian collusion to damage Donald Trump’s chances to win the 2016 presidential election.
https://conservativeus.com/obama-and-biden-under-formal-investigation-for-corruption-in-ukraine-says-paul-sperry/
Iran’s Judiciary Puts Legal Restrictions on Key Elements of Saudi-Backed TV
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/11/26/2147594/iran-s-judiciary-puts-legal-restrictions-on-key-elements-of-saudi-backed-tv
“Iran’s Judiciary has placed legal restrictions on the properties of the key elements of the “Saudi-Zionist” TV channel Iran International, given the “terrorist” nature of the UK-based media outlet, the Judiciary’s Media Center said…”
Iran to Send Naval Fleet to Russia’s St. Petersburg
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/11/26/2147551/iran-to-send-naval-fleet-to-russia-s-st-petersburg
“Iran’s Navy commander unveiled plans for the dispatch of a naval fleet to the Russian port city of St. Petersburg…”
“Teachers Strive to Ensure Students ‘Unlearn’ Thanksgiving ‘Myth’’ by Dr. Susan Berry – November 25, 2019
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/11/25/teachers-strive-ensure-students-unlearn-thanksgiving-myth/
“The Great Thanksgiving Hoax”
by Richard J. Maybury – November 23, 2016
Originally published November 20, 1999
https://mises.org/wire/great-thanksgiving-hoax
Librivox – Podcast
“Bradford’s History of the Plymouth Settlement”
by William Bradford – 36 Chapters
https://archive.org/details/history_plymoutn_settlement_1007_librivox/bradfordshistory_01_bradford.mp3
“Bradford’s History of the Plymouth Settlement, 1608 1650 Full Audiobook by William BRADFORD”
Full Audiobooks – December 16, 2016
Saudi Arabia Slams Iran for Ongoing Breaches of Nuclear Deal
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2009571/saudi-arabia-slams-iran-ongoing-breaches-nuclear-deal
“The Saudi cabinet condemned on Tuesday for its ongoing breaches of the 2015 nuclear deal and other international agreements over its nuclear program.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the meeting that was held in Riyadh.
It welcomed the United States’ announcement last week that it was suspending sanctions waivers related to Iran’s Fordow facility, hoping that the international community would take similar firm stances on Iran’s violations and their consequent threats to global peace and security.
The cabinet again expressed the Kingdom’s complete rejection of Washington’s announcement that it no longer considers as illegal Israeli settlements constructed on Palestinian territories.
The achievement of permanent peace demands that the Palestinian people obtain their full legitimate rights according to the Arab peace initiative and international resolutions, demanded the cabinet.
Turning to local developments, the cabinet hailed King Salman’s annual address to the Shura Council last week. It praised his highlighting of the Kingdom’s firm internal and foreign policies, which trace back their roots to the Kingdom’s founder King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman.
The cabinet expressed its gratitude to King Salman for sponsoring last week the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Diriyah Gate project. The Diriyah Gate underlines Saudi Arabia’s mission to showcase the cultural icon to the world as one of its great gathering places. Appealing to international tourists and local citizens seeking authentic and cultural experiences, the destination will celebrate the rich cultural history of the Kingdom. The cabinet hailed in this regard Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, for overseeing this national project.
The cabinet also congratulated the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on the 50th anniversary of its establishment. The OIC has strived to safeguard the interests of the Muslim nation, transforming into the second largest organization in the world after the United Nations.”
US Says Received 20,000 Messages from Iran Protests
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2009576/us-says-received-20000-messages-iran-protests
“The United States said Tuesday it has received nearly 20,000 messages from Iran about protests including photos and videos after appealing to demonstrators to defy restrictions on the internet.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stood at the podium in front of images of blazing streets, four days after he asked Iranians to send in information so the United States can “expose and sanction the abuses.”
“We’ve received to date nearly 20.000 messages, videos, pictures, notes of the regime’s abuses through Telegram messaging services,” Pompeo told reporters, referring to the encrypted app.
“To the courageous people of Iran who refuse to stay silent about 40 years of abuses by the ruling regime, I say simply this: the United States hears you, we support you and will continue to stand with you in your struggle for a brighter future for your people and for your great nation,” Pompeo said.
The protests, triggered by a sharp rise in gas prices, came after a year and a half of biting sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump that aim to contain Iran’s regional role.
In response to Iran’s effort to shut down the internet, the United States has imposed sanctions on the communications minister and pressed Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to suspend the accounts of Iranian government leaders.
Amnesty International said Monday that at least 143 demonstrators have been killed since November 15 as the regime tries to repress protests violently.”
Aramco IPO retail subscription hits SR27bn
http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/583534/SAUDI-ARABIA/Aramco-IPO-retail-subscription-hits-SR27bn
“The subscription for the Initial Public Offering of Saudi Aramco as of 8pm Tuesday (November 26) amounted to SR27,043,232,640, representing total subscribers of 3,102,064 and total subscribed shares of 845,101,020, lead manager Samba Capital said.
The breakdown of the results by channel showed that Internet Banking got the biggest share at 37.92%, followed by Branches at 36.48%, then Automated Teller Machine at 23.81%, and Phone Banking at 1.79%.
Commenting on the outcome, Rania Nashar, Deputy Chairman of Samba Capital, said that the level of demand witnessed during the IPO is a strong indicator of the trust that the investing community has in the strength of the company’s financial position, in addition to the rising level of financial awareness among Saudi citizens – demonstrated through their efforts to increase their savings by investing in companies offering attractive returns.”
The last day of subscription for the retail tranche is Thursday (November 28, 2019).”
Turkey: 370,000 Syrian refugees volunteered to return to Syria
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191126-turkey-370000-syrian-refugees-volunteered-to-return-to-syria/
“Turkey’s Vice President has today announced that around 370,000 Syrian refugees have been returned to Syria from Turkey, adding that they made the move voluntarily.
Fuat Oktay made the announcement at the International Forum on Local Solutions to Migration and Displacement in the Turkish province of Gaziantep.
However, reports that the refugees returned “voluntarily” to their war-torn country have previously been disputed by Amnesty International which, in a report last month, said, “Turkish authorities have taken handcuffed refugees in buses back to Syria.”
It reported that refugees were “beaten” into signing “voluntary return” documents, while others were told that they were signing to receive blankets from detention centres…”
EU report names terrorist group PKK as drug traffickers
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191126-eu-report-names-terrorist-group-pkk-as-drug-traffickers/
“The terrorist group PKK plays an active role in continent-wide drug trafficking, a new European Union report said Tuesday, reports Anadolu Agency.
The report by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and the European Law Enforcement Agency (Europol) decried growing gang violence and drug-related homicide in Europe, and cited the terrorist PKK’s role in this.
“The PKK … has been reported to be involved in organised crime, with few examples of its engagement in the drug trade in the EU,” says the 260-page 2019 EU Drug Market Report.
The document explains the drug market’s links to wider criminal activities, human trafficking, and terrorism.
“Organised crime may feed terrorism through a variety of channels, including supplying weapons, financing terrorist activities through drug distribution and infiltrating financial markets,” it warns.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU – has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
Turkey has stressed the PKK’s pivotal role in European drug trafficking and organised crime.
The PKK earns $1.5 billion from drug trafficking annually, said the Turkish National Drug Report for 2018.”
U.N. investigators eye 160 Islamic State militants over Yazidi massacres
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-un/u-n-investigators-eye-160-islamic-state-militants-over-yazidi-massacres-idUSKBN1Y02F1
“United Nations investigators have so far identified 160 Islamic State militants accused of massacres of Yazidis in northern Iraq in 2014 and are building legal cases against them, the head of the team told the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday.
The U.N. investigative team, created by the U.N. Security Council, started work a year ago to collect and preserve evidence for future prosecution of acts by Islamic State in Iraq that may be war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.
“In relation to the Yazidi community alone, the crimes that targeted them, we have identified over 160 perpetrators of massacres against the Yazidis … and we’re focusing our work to build solid cases hopefully in relation to each of those that may be presented to domestic courts,” said Karim Asad Ahmad Khan, head of the U.N. team.
U.N. experts warned in June 2016 that Islamic State was committing genocide against the Yazidis in Syria and Iraq to destroy the minority religious community through killings, sexual slavery and other crimes.
Islamic State militants consider the Yazidis to be devil-worshippers. The Yazidi faith has elements of Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Islam…”
Trump says U.S. will designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorists
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mexico-cartels/trump-says-u-s-will-designate-mexican-drug-cartels-as-terrorists-idUSKBN1Y02NJ
“U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorists over their role in drug and human trafficking…”
Egyptian woman wins case against Islamic inheritance laws
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/356612/Egypt/Politics-/Egyptian-woman-wins-case-against-Islamic-inheritan.aspx
“An Egyptian lawyer has said on Monday that she won a case that challenges the country’s Islamic inheritance laws, which mandate that male heirs inherit double the share of females.
Huda Nasrallah, a Christian, has over the past year been demanding that the property left by her late father be divided equally between her and her two brothers.
She is one of approximately 10 million Coptic Christians who live in Egypt, a predominantly Muslim country whose constitution dictates that Islamic sharia is the main source of legislation.
Islamic doctrine typically mandates that male heirs receive twice the share of female heirs.
But Nasrallah, a human rights lawyer, has built her case around an article in the 2014 constitution that says the respective doctrines of Egyptian Christians and Jews should be used to decide family law and inheritance cases that affect them.
Coptic Orthodox teaching specifies that inheritances should be divided fairly between heirs, regardless of sex.
Nasrallah’s two brothers had testified that they wanted their father’s estate to be divided fairly between the three offspring, but the courts had twice ruled against them.
But this week, a higher court issued a final ruling in Nasrallah’s favour.
“Finally a ruling was issued on my case for inheritance to be equally distributed between male and female heirs,” Nasrallah said on Monday on Facebook.
Local courts that issue official inheritance declarations have continued to rule based on Islamic inheritance laws, with many Christian families deciding to settle inheritance matters outside the country’s legal system.
“But now, courts can rule based on the Christian doctrine,” Nasrallah said in TV comments following the ruling.
She had said that her move was not primarily about inheritance, but rather the right to be treated equally to her brothers.
Nasrallah confirmed that this week’s ruling is the second of its kind in recent years, as a Cairo court had handed down a ruling in favour of a Coptic woman in a similar case in 2016.”
Egypt’s prosecution says news website Mada Masr founded by banned Muslim Brotherhood
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/356614/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-prosecution-says-news-website-Mada-Masr-fou.aspx
“Egypt’s state security prosecution has said that national security investigations revealed that independent news website Mada Masr was founded by the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group with the aim of spreading false news.
The announcement came after plain clothes security forces raided the website’s office in Cairo on Sunday, arresting three staff members including editor-in-chief Lina Attalah.
This followed the arrest of one of their editors, Shady Zalat, at his home a day earlier and detaining him in an unknown location. The four were released later on Sunday.
The high state security prosecution had authorised the inspection of Mada Masr’s office, a statement from the prosecution office said late on Monday. This followed “national security investigations which concluded that the website was founded by the Brotherhood group to spread false news and rumours with the aim of disrupting public order,” it added.
“The inspection resulted in the seizure of equipment used in the crime,” the statement added.
Mada said on Facebook on the day of the arrests that nine plain-clothed officers questioned the journalists on site for several hours and asked some of them to unlock their phones and laptops, before the three staff members were arrested.
Mada Masr was one of hundreds of news websites blocked by Egyptian authorities two year ago, but the independent outlet has continued to publish critical and investigative reports in Arabic and English, including via its Facebook page to challenge the ban.
The website can be accessed locally only through a virtual private network (VPN) app.”
Moroccan Court Sentences Rapper to 1 Year in Prison for Insulting Police
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/11/287634/moroccan-court-rapper-insulting-police/
“The Court of First Instance in Sale near Rabat sentenced Moroccan rapper Mohamed Mounir, better known as Gnawi, to one year in prison on Monday, November 25.
The court convicted the rapper, who will also pay a fine of MAD 1,000, on charges of insulting security services in a video posted on social media…”
Pakistan receives $1 billion in hot foreign money
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2106441/2-pakistan-receives-1-billion-hot-foreign-money/
“Foreign investors have bought over $1 billion worth of Pakistan government’s debt, said Finance Adviser Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Monday – an amount that is equal to the increase in official foreign exchange reserves in the current fiscal year…”
62 ISIS militants including Pakistani, Turkish nationals surrender to Afghan forces
https://www.khaama.com/62-isis-militants-including-pakistani-turkish-nationals-surrender-to-afghan-forces-04398/
“A group of 62 ISIS militants including Pakistani and Turkish nationals surrendered to Afghan forces in eastern Nangarhar province.
The local officials said the militants, including 30 Pakistanis and 2 Turkish nationals surrendered to Afghan forces in Achin district of Nangarhar.
Tamim Arif Momand, the deputy provincial governor of Nangarhar said the militants surrendered amid ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
Momand furhter added that ISIS militants have lost capability to resist the Afghan forces.
Sulaiman, one of the militants of ISIS said he joined the terror group in Afghanistan five years ago and participated in several fights.
The militants also handed over several weapons including Ak-47s, PKMs, pistols and munitions, the provincial government added in its statement.
This comes as the ministry of defense had earlier announced that more than 600 ISIS militants and their family members have surrendered to Afghan forces during the recent weeks.”
Police detains 75 over suspected FETÖ links
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/police-detains-52-over-suspected-feto-links-149134
“Turkish police on Nov. 26 detained 52 suspects for their alleged links to the FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt, security sources said.
The detentions came after prosecutors in Istanbul issued warrants for 54 suspects.
The police conducted simultaneous raids across the country, and detained 28 suspects on charges of using the terror group’s encrypted smartphone messaging app, ByLock.
Separately, prosecutors in coastal northwestern Çanakkale province issued detention warrants for 21 active-duty soldiers including a lieutenant colonel as part of an investigation into the terror group’s crypto structure in the Turkish Armed Forces.
Also prosecutors in central Konya province issued detention warrants for 50 FETÖ-linked terror suspects who were accused of being “covert imams” — senior FETÖ members — leading terror group members who infiltrated into the armed forces.
In the following hours, 23 of them were detained in the operation launched in 26 provinces.
Another detention warrant was issued by prosecutors in Ankara for 37 suspects, including 32 active-duty soldiers and a “covert imam”, and 24 suspects were detained.
In total, 75 suspects out of 162 have been detained so far.
A hunt for the remaining suspects is underway.
FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt on July 15, 2016, which left 251 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.”
Turkey: 9 suspected YPG/PKK terrorists arrested
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkey-9-suspected-ypg-pkk-terrorists-arrested/1656071
“Nine suspected YPG/PKK terrorists were arrested on Tuesday in the metropolis of Istanbul as well as eastern Turkey, according to Turkish security sources.
The arrests came as part of an anti-terrorist probe by prosecutors in the eastern province of Kars, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
The suspects face charges of being members of the terrorist group YPG/PKK and spreading terrorist propaganda.
During the arrests, police seized three pistols and two shotguns, as well as cassettes and numerous digital materials belonging to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union — has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.”
Nigeria: 3 Chinese expats taken, police officer slain
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/nigeria-3-chinese-expats-taken-police-officer-slain/1656314
“Three Chinese nationals were abducted in southwestern Nigeria late Monday in an attack that also killed one police officer, the Nigerian police confirmed on Tuesday.
The three were working in an expatriate mining business in the city of Osun, and were abducted in the Itagunmodi area of Osun state, reported news website Vanguard.
Another expatriate in the group was reportedly shot while trying to escape the kidnappers, and is now receiving treatment at the OAU Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife, the Punch news website reported.
The rifle of the slain police officer was also taken away during the attack, said the Vanguard.
There is no information yet on the kidnappers or their possible motive.
According to Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Zhou Pingjian, some 40,000-50,000 Chinese are based in Nigeria, most of them workers and businesspeople.”
Filthy Turk is supporting ISIS (Boko Haram) in Nigeria.
Raymond Ibrahim:
Turkey: Arming Genocide of Christians in Nigeria?
Erdogan’s support for jihadis appears to go far beyond ISIS.
https://cms.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2019/11/turkey-arming-genocide-christians-nigeria-raymond-ibrahim
Study: Deported Afghans vulnerable to radicalization
https://www.dw.com/en/afghanistan-deportations-germany-europe-violence-radicalization/a-51424791
“A new study concludes that Afghans deported from Germany and EU countries are at risk of death, economic hardship and radicalization. The government is seeking to streamline deportations in 2020.
People deported to Afghanistan face dire security and economic challenges upon their return that make them vulnerable to radicalization, a study published on Wednesday concludes.
Interviews with dozens of people deported from Europe over an eight-month period in 2018 reveal that increased violence across Afghanistan compounds the plight of returnees who receive little reintegration help from the Afghan government or the international community.
Medico International and the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization (AHRDO), which conducted the study, are now calling on Germany and its partners in Europe to halt deportations to Afghanistan. People returned to the country are left economically destitute, in danger of attacks and vulnerable to recruitment efforts by the nation’s many insurgent groups, the study concludes.
“Deportations have to cease immediately because we are violating their human rights,” Hadi Marifat, executive director of AHRDO, told DW. “Germany doesn’t deport Syrians, but it does Afghans. It’s not taking into consideration that deportees could be killed at any moment in the country”
Most violent country
In 2019, Afghanistan was ranked the most violent country in the world by the Global Peace Index.Afghan forces, which took over control of domestic security from US and international forces in 2014, cannot keep the Taliban at bay. The extremist group currently controls over 40% of the country.
The United Nations estimates that 10 million Afghans need emergency humanitarian assistance. The situation has only worsened in the months since US-led peace talks with the Taliban deteriorated and the nation elected a new president. More than 400 civilians were killed in July alone, making it the deadliest month on record since the UN began tracking civilian casualties in 2009.
“We currently see that political dynamics in Afghanistan directly translate into violence,” Conrad Schetter, an expert on Afghanistan with the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC), told DW. “There is not much hope that the situation will improve.”
Continued resettlement
Last year, the UN Refugee Agency deemed Kabul too dangerous for resettling people who had been deported, and Amnesty International charged that nations that deport people to Afghanistan are violating international law.
Even so, EU nations have deported about 20,000 Afghans since 2015, according to Eurostat. More than half of them returned voluntarily as part of programs that guarantee resettlement funds. In Germany, returnees to Afghanistan can receive up to €1,000 ($1,100).
Where funds cannot convince individuals to leave on their own, governments around Europe have vowed more consequential deportation efforts.
An express goal of Germany’s incoming European Council presidency is to streamline the deportation process to ensure that there is “never a repeat” of the year 2015. That summer, Chancellor Angela Merkel kept open the nation’s borders to about 1 million displaced people sparking a political backlash that continues.
Last month, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that Germany would also be reassessing the security situation in Syria and other countries to determine whether deportations might be possible.
“Just like in Afghanistan, there are of course regions in Syria in which one can live relatively safely,” Seehofer said, adding that deportations were not yet an option. “At the end of the year we will carry out a reassessment of the security situation with the Foreign Ministry.”
Risk of radicalization
The Medico/AHRDO study paints a completely different picture from the interior minister’s: “You don’t see places where people can go that are safe, even in the cities,” Marifat said. “You never know when and where an attack will happen.”
Fifty-eight percent of the study’s participants reported that they were unable to return to their communities of origin because they felt unsafe. Another 10% are still moving from place to place in order to survive.
For those who do manage to settle somewhere, making ends meet is difficult, the study found. The average cost of each person’s journey to Europe was $11,120 — 17 times more than the nation’s per capita income of $642 in 2018.
Often indebted, unemployed and experiencing psychological stress from the trauma of their travels and being deported, many find themselves ostracized from their communities and receive little assistance from Afghanistan’s government. “The first thing they experience is complete shock,” Marifat said. “It takes some time to explain that they’re in a different reality, that they won’t get back to Germany.”
Once they come to terms with that reality, they have little means to air their grievances in a state where they fear reprisal for speaking out. That makes them especially vulnerable to radicalization by the country’s many insurgent groups, the study concludes.
“They went to Europe with big hopes and now they’re being alienated. How do they develop their own future?” said Schetter, who believes that Germany should halt deportations to Afghanistan and apply more humanitarian criteria to its policies.
“Frustration about the current policies push people in the direction of extremist groups,” Schetter said. “This is a situation that only leads to further deterioration.””
Volkswagen defends presence in China’s Xinjiang amid uproar over Uighur abuses
https://www.dw.com/en/volkswagen-defends-presence-in-chinas-xinjiang-amid-uproar-over-uighur-abuses/a-51427056
“VW is under pressure for working with the Chinese government in Xinjiang after evidence of human rights abuses against Uighurs in the region. Meanwhile, the German and US governments urged China to uphold human rights.
As international outrage over human rights abuses in Xinjiang province grows, German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) has vehemently defended its presence in the region, where it operates a production facility in Urumqi.
Speaking with DW on Tuesday, the company said its 2012 decision to open the Urumqi facility was “based purely on economics.” VW says it expects “further economic growth in the region over the coming years.”
The statement came in the wake of a data leak confirming the mass surveillance and incarceration of ethnic Uighurs and other minority Muslim groups by the Chinese government.
‘We do not assume any of our employees are forced laborers’
Volkswagen addressed working conditions at the Urumqi facility, which is operated by a joint venture with the Chinese company SAIC, noting, “We do not assume any of our employees are forced laborers.”
Earlier in the day, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called on China to uphold human rights. “China must meet its international obligations on human rights,” Maas said in Berlin.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also decried China’s massive human rights abuses, saying, “The Chinese Communist Party is committing human rights violations and abuses against individuals in mass detention.”
Pompeo said the newly released report, “shows that it’s not random, that it’s intentional and ongoing.” He called on China to immediately release all arbitrarily detained individuals in the region.
In an exclusive interview with DW in Berlin, visiting United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “It is absolutely essential that human rights are respected. It is absolutely essential to have policies that allow for minorities to feel that their identity is respected.”
Dubious relationships
VW, which has been active in China for 35 years, recently came under pressure to justify its presence in Xinjiang after a report by the Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) claimed it was operating Urumqi at a loss in order to secure contracts with the Chinese government for more lucrative sites in eastern China. VW denied the accusation.
Responding to a request from DW about the SZ claims, VW said: “The factory, which has a capacity of 50,000 cars per year, is well utilized. We assume western China will enjoy further economic growth over the coming years, and we will continue to count on our Urumqi plant and to expand our presence in the region.”
The SZ also claimed SAIC Volkswagen maintains close relations with the People’s Armed Police, “a paramilitary unit that is thought to be one of the driving forces behind the internment camps.””
Pakistan to raise Quran desecration incident at EU, OIC
Decision taken in meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad
Pakistan on Sunday decided to take up the recent incident of desecration of the Muslims’ Holy Book, the Quran, in Norway at the European Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The decision was taken in a meeting of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) core committee, a forum of the party’s top leadership, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan here at Islamabad.
“The meeting has condemned the incident of the disrespect of the Holy Quran and decided to raise the issue at EU and OIC forums,” Firdous Ashiq Awan, prime minister’s special assistant on Information, told reporters after the meeting.
Pakistan will present a resolution at EU and OIC level and would demand to discourage and stop such actions that affect the sentiments of Muslims across the world, she added.
On Saturday, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry summoned the Norwegian ambassador and conveyed concern over the incident.
According to the Foreign Ministry, Pakistan’s ambassador in Oslo has also been instructed to convey Pakistan’s protest to the Norwegian authorities,
The extreme right-wing group, Stop the Islamization of Norway (SION), in Norway held a protest against Islam last week and attempted to burn a copy of the Holy Quran.
SION members were prevented from burning a copy of the Quran by police. However, the group’s leader insulted the scripture held sacred by Muslims by throwing it in a waste container.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/pakistan-to-raise-quran-desecration-incident-at-eu-oic/1654293
ANADOLY AGENCIE Turkey condemns disrespect for Muslims holy book
Ankara reacts to Islamophobic group’s desecration of Quran in Norway
[…]“We expect that such actions to be prevented and those who are responsible to be brought to justice as soon as possible,” the statement added.
The ministry stressed that Turkey is deeply concerned about the recent rise of discrimination against Muslims, hatred against Islam and attacks on mosques in Western European countries.
“Islamophobia and xenophobia becoming ever more alarming recently is an issue that needs to be tackled immediately,” it said.
The ministry underlined that racist and extreme right rhetoric and social media messages by certain politicians were inciting these trends against Islam.
“These attacks are not only aimed at Muslims, but also pose a threat to all humanity,” the ministry stressed.
“On this occasion, we repeat our call to the international community to work together to completely remove this virus that threatens the entire world,” it added.
The ministry also highlighted that it was important that the UN resolution on “Combating terrorism and other acts of violence based on religion or belief” be implemented by all member countries”
“Turkey will continue to lead the international efforts in this direction,” it said.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/turkey-condemns-disrespect-for-muslims-holy-book/1649116
change org petition
Norway burning of quran, legal action against norway government.
[…]now it is time to become together and start trend against norway government.
Muslim World should take notice about Norway Government, why this insanity is allowed in any Country or State? It should be stopped and banned!!
https://www.change.org/p/holy-quran-norway-burning-of-quran-legal-action-against-norway-government
Pakistan decides to raise sacrilege issue at OIC, EU
ISLAMABAD.: A day after lodging a diplomatic protest with the Norwegian government over the desecration of the Holy Quran by an Islamophobic and anti-Muslim group, Pakistan announced on Sunday that it would raise the matter at the international forums.
The decision was taken by the core committee of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan. The sacrilegious act, meanwhile, whipped up nationwide anger as protest rallies were staged in different towns and cities of the country.
“The core committee unanimously condemned the desecration of the Holy Quran and decided to take up the matter in the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the European Union (EU),” said Firdous Ashiq Awan, the special assistant to the prime minister on information and broadcasting, while briefing the media after the meeting.
The head of the extreme right-wing group – Stop the Islamisation of Norway (SION) – last week staged a protest against Islam in the Norwegian city of Kristiansand where the group’s head attempted to burn a copy of the Holy Scripture.
A young man, identified as Umer Ilyas, prevented Lars Thorson from committing the blasphemous act, but the latter threw it in a waste container in the presence of a police contingent. Ilyas, who is being hailed as hero by Muslims worldwide, was taken into custody by the police.
Firdous said the core committee has also passed a resolution on the issue which “will be submitted in the OIC and the EU”.
The public desecration of the Holy Quran has shocked and angered 1.3 billion Muslims around the world, including those in Pakistan, with Islamic scholars and clerics denouncing the blasphemous act which was allowed to be staged by Norwegian authorities in the name of “freedom of expression.”
Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Saturday summoned Norway’s ambassador to lodge a diplomatic protest. Oslo was urged to bring those responsible for the sacrilegious act to justice and prevent recurrence of such an incident in the future. Pakistan’s ambassador in Oslo was also directed to convey Pakistan’s protest and deep concern to Norwegian authorities.
On the streets, meanwhile, protest rallies were staged in different towns and cities of the country against the desecration of the Holy Quran. Protesters called upon the government to snap trade relations with Norway.
Dozens of activists of the politico-religious Jamaat-i-Islami party staged a demonstration outside Peshwar Press Club where they demanded that the Pakistan government use diplomatic channels to press Western countries to ban such blasphemous acts.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council also denounced the incident and decided to boycott courts across the province on Nov 25 in protest against the sacrilegious act. Similar rallies were also staged in other cities.
Meanwhile, a Norwegian police commissioner has warned people that desecrating the Holy Quran and making hate speeches can result in a violation of the criminal code of conduct, according to a foreign news agency.
The police commissioner said that everyone had the right to freedom of expression so long as it did not violate the law. He warned that if the law was violated, then police would interfere.
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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2105821/1-pakistan-take-qurans-desecration-norway-issue-eu-oic/
Turkey’s Diyanet Condemns Quran Desecration in Norway
TEHRAN (IQNA) – Head of Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) denounced recent desecration of the Quran in Norway and called for those behind the insulting act to be tried in court.
Ali Erbas said that the move was a clear indication of growing Islamophobia in Europe, Turk Press website reported.
He strongly condemned the desecration and called on Norwegian officials to take legal action against those behind it and prevent a repetition of such actions.
A protest against Islam organized by the far-right group ‘Stop Islamization of Norway’ (SIAN) took a violent turn after the group’s leader Lars Thorsen tried to burn a copy of the holy Quran, leading to a brawl between the leader and the counter-protesters.
According to IBTimes, the incident took place on Saturday in the Norwegian city of Kristianland. The anti-Islam rally organized by SIAN was allowed by the local authorities. But the police warned against desecration of the holy Quran, after the group expressed its intent to do so.
In another incident, the leader of the far-right Stop the Islamization of Norway (SION) group, Arne Tumyr, threw two holy Qurans in the trash after police intervened, according to reports.
https://iqna.ir/en/news/3469926/turkey%E2%80%99s-diyanet-condemns-quran-desecration-in-norway
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