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Saudi Arabia accuses Turkey of supporting extremist militias in three Arab countries
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200214-saudi-arabia-accuses-turkey-of-supporting-extremist-militias-in-three-arab-countries/
“Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Adel Al-Jubeir, confirmed that the kingdom opposes what he described as “Turkey’s incursion into Syria, and its support for extremist militias in Libya and Somalia.”
Al-Jubeir stated in a press conference on the sidelines of his visit to the Romanian capital, Bucharest, to meet officials there, on Thursday: “We oppose Turkey’s incursion into Syria, and we oppose Turkey’s support for militias in Somalia, Syria and Libya.”
He expressed his country’s concern over the transfer of foreign fighters from Syria to Libya, stressing that there will be repercussions for Europe. Al-Jubeir added that “Saudi Arabia is not biased towards a party at the expense of another in the Libyan conflict, and we have informed Haftar (Commander of the Forces of Eastern Libya) and Al-Sarraj (Head of the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA)) about the vitality of reaching a political solution.”
As for Yemen, the Saudi Minister asserted: “We did not want war in Yemen; we intervened to stop Hezbollah and the Houthis, and we only want to achieve stability.”
He also announced that the Saudi Kingdom has provided $14 billion in aid to Yemen through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KS Relief) and United Nations bodies, stressing that the war in Yemen must end by means of a political settlement.
The Saudi-Turkish relations started to deteriorate since the assassination of the Saudi writer, Jamal Khashoggi, in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2018; and collapsed even more last month, as Saudi Arabia has announced its full support for Cyprus’ (Greek) sovereignty over the entire island. As such, the Kingdom’s position led to deepening the rupture between Riyadh and Ankara, which recognises Northen Cyprus as being separate to the Republic of Cyprus.”
Kashmir is Gallipoli for us: Erdogan
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2156564/1-turkish-president-erdogan-address-joint-session-parliament-today/
“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday pledged to continue his unflinching support for Islamabad’s stance on Kashmir, comparing it to Turkey’s own historic 1915 Gallipoli campaign and going as far as saying that the plight of the people of the Indian-occupied territory meant as much to his country as it did to Pakistan as the two countries signed a string of pacts to strengthen ties in various fields.
Addressing a joint session of the Pakistani parliament for a record fourth time, the Turkish head of state also vowed to help Islamabad stay off the blacklist of the global financial watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), at its meeting in Paris next week.
“Today, Kashmir for us is what it is for you [Pakistanis]. How can we forget those [Pakistanis] who prayed for Turkey? Our friendship is based on love and not vested interests. Like in the past, we will continue to support Pakistan in the future,” Erdogan said.
“Pakistan and Turkey’s relations are admirable for others. The much-envied Turkey-Pakistan brotherhood today, is a true brotherhood, strengthened by history and reinforced by historical events,” he added.
“Short-term interests, daily reckonings cannot hinder our everlasting and eternal brotherhood.”
He recalled that Pakistan had always supported Turkey during difficult times. “We can never forget this.”
He pointed out how the Muslims of the Subcontinent had backed Turkey during the Gallipoli campaign, also known as the Battle of Canakkale, in 1915 during World War I, pointing out a rally held in Lahore led by Allama Iqbal.
Quoting a poem by Iqbal, which he said the great poet had read out loud at the Lahore rally, The Turkish president said: Like the poet of Lahore [Iqbal], the people [at the rally] were drowning in these emotions. The people of Pakistan have always stood shoulder to shoulder with the people of Turkey,” he noted.
Elaborating on the incident, Erdogan said while Turkish soldiers were defending the Dardanelles Strait with a glorious resistance in 1915, a rally took place in Lahore 6,000 kilometres from the front and it was “recorded on the unforgettable pages of history”.
“The theme of this historical rally in Lahore Square was Canakkale. On that day, Lahore Square was jam-packed with Muslims as we were struggling to survive and our brothers and sisters here [Subcontinent] were also under pressure of the colonialists. Despite challenges and threats, they raised a huge charity for Canakkale through the exhibitions in the square.”
The Turkish president further said the events that happened in Canakkale a hundred years ago were being repeated in Indian Occupied Kashmir and Turkey would continue to raise its voice against New Delhi’s oppression.
“We can never forget the support of the Muslims of the Subcontinent during those times,” he added.
The Turkish president observed that the Kashmir issue could not be resolved through conflict but through justice and fairness. “Such a solution will be in the interest of all parties. Turkey will continue to stand by justice, peace and dialogue,” he said.
“Our Kashmiri brothers and sisters have suffered for decades and the transgressions have become graver. We once again demonstrated our country’s sensitivity in this matter by defending Kashmir at the 74th United Nations General Assembly.”
Erdogan also thanked Pakistan on behalf of the Turkish people for the support it had extended when there were earthquakes in his country.
Speaking on strengthening trade ties with Pakistan, the Turkish president said the ‘Strategic Economic Framework’ and ‘Action Plan’ documents that Ankara was signing with Islamabad would cover a wide range of industries from trade to infrastructure and from investment to tourism.
“[They] will constitute a road map for the two countries,” he added.
“I have come with a delegation of Turkish businessmen. After Friday prayers, they will be having business discussions with [their] Pakistani counterparts.”
The Turkish president noted that Islamabad was facing political pressure from its critics at the upcoming FATF meeting. “I also want to emphasise that we will give support to Pakistan [at the FATF meeting,” he added.
“Pakistan is on the way to peace and stability; peace and stability don’t come in a few days, it requires work.”
He commended Pakistan’s fight against terrorism, saying that the country had been affected by religious fanaticism. “The country has made enormous sacrifices.”
Pledging his continued support to Pakistan on counter-terrorism, the Turkish head of state said the two countries were the most affected by terrorism “due to their geographic locations”.
“No one can break the bond of Muslim brotherhood in any way. Everyone should stand with one another.”
“I thank God for giving me this opportunity. I am thankful to each of you individually for allowing me to address this joint session of parliament. I would like to convey the greeting of 83 million brothers and sisters in Turkey,” Erdogan said at the start of his address.
The Turkish president thanked the people of Pakistan for the warm welcome he had received on his arrival.
“Here, in Pakistan, we never consider ourselves as strangers. We feel ourselves at home, in one of the most important meeting points in Asia, in the fertile geography of the Islamic world,” he added.
Referring to other conflict zones, the Turkish president said it was their responsibility to provide assistance to Muslims, no matter where they were.
“Turkey has played a leading role in Libya, Yemen, Syria and Palestine. We have been on the front lines of the battle to liberate innocent Muslims across the region.”
“With this understanding, Turkey endeavours to eliminate the differences between the Ummah, to find a solution to the disputes and to claim our righteous causes, especially Palestine, Cyprus and Kashmir.”
During his address, Erdogan also referred to the ‘deal of the century’ by US President Donald Trump. “This is not a peace plan, it’s a plan of occupation.”
“We have been actively engaged in all matters concerning the Muslim Ummah especially during our presidency of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.”
“We took an honourable and determined stance against the attacks of Israel on our first Qibla, Al-Quds Al-Sharif. We declared to the whole world that we would not leave Haram Al-Sharif at the mercy of the occupying Israeli administration by saying,” Erdogan elaborated.
The Turkish president ended his speech by reciting a few verses of the Pakistani national anthem and prayers for the two countries and the Muslim world.
The session started with a recital from the Holy Quran followed by an introductory address by Speaker Asad Qaiser, who paid a tribute to the Turkish president and welcomed the leader to the Parliament.
“It is an honour for me to be able to welcome the Turkish president, a friend to Pakistan, and one of the most influential Muslim leaders in the world. Pakistan and Turkey have strong historical and emotional ties,” said the speaker.
Earlier on his arrival in the parliament, the Turkish president was received by Prime Minister Imran Khan, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza, Naval Chief Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi and Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan were also present at the Parliament House.
Senior government and opposition members also arrived at the Parliament ahead of the joint session. Khyber-Pakhtunkwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan were also in attendance.
The last time the Turkish president addressed the parliament was in 2016, under the leadership of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.”
Bangladeshi man complains of ‘inhumane’ UK border staff
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/bangladeshi-man-complains-of-inhumane-uk-border-staff/1734600
“A Bangladeshi man accused British immigration officials of inhumane and degrading treatment after denying his 6-year-old son medical treatment and forcing him to clean up the child’s vomit, according to local media reports.
Rahman Mahafuzer flew from Bangladesh to London. After his 19-hour flight, he was questioned by officials at Heathrow airport about his right to live in Britain, where he has been living since last May.
Mahafuzer said he was held in detention for more than 10 hours, during which his son vomited numerous times. Immigration officials shouted at them, he said.
“He was sick of waiting and crying continuously and I was busy trying to take care of him but the officer kept telling me to clean the vomit,” he told the Guardian.
“He kept on coming and asking me to go to the toilet and take tissues to clean the vomit but I couldn’t go and leave my son alone,” he said.
Another detainee brought Mahafuzer toilet paper and they cleaned his son’s vomit. His pleas for medical help for his son were denied.
“When I asked them for a doctor, they said it is normal to vomit, and that my son won’t need any doctor,” he said.
He was eventually allowed to call paramedics, and his son was taken to a medical center for treatment.
His wife, Izabela Piaskowska, a Polish citizen, was not told her stepson was taken for treatment as she was separated from her family while waiting to be questioned.
“It was inhuman and degrading treatment,” he said. “We have never faced this issue before, and my brother, who lives in the U.K., was also surprised how they treated us. Is it because of Brexit? Will it be what post-Brexit Britain looks like?” he asked.”
Police arrest 47 PKK suspects in eastern Turkey
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/police-arrest-47-pkk-suspects-in-eastern-turkey/1734144
“At least 47 people, allegedly linked to the PKK terror group, were arrested in anti-terror operations in eastern Turkey, police said on Friday.
Anti-terror police raided 55 houses in Van province in simultaneous operations, the provincial police headquarters said in a statement.
The police said that documents related to the terror group and digital materials were seized during the operations.
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 nearly 40,000 people, including women and children.”
Imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi’s wife ‘fears the worst’
https://www.dw.com/en/imprisoned-saudi-blogger-raif-badawis-wife-fears-the-worst/a-52384827
“Ensaf Haidar has said she’s not been able to contact her jailed husband Raif Badawi for over a month. Raif Badawi is currently in the middle of his 10-year sentence after he spoke out against religion in Saudi Arabia.
The wife of imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi said on Twitter Thursday that she hadn’t heard from her husband for nearly a month.
Ensaf Haidar, who was granted Canadian citizenship a year and a half ago and currently lives in southern Quebec with the couple’s three children, said she’d had no contact with Badawi since January 14. She said that Badawi “used to call me and my children on a regular basis,” and also said that she had been unable to reach officials at the prison.
“This silence is very worrying … I fear the worst,” she concluded.
‘Insulted Islam’
Badawi was detained by Saudi authorities in June 2012 and landed in court the following year for operating an atheist blog in Saudi Arabia.
The blogger and journalist was outspoken about Wahhabism, the state religion in Saudi Arabia, as well as challenging the power of clerics in the country.
He was sentenced in 2014 for setting up an online forum focused on Saudi Arabia’s social and political debates. On the website, Badawi urged “freedom and respect” for differing ideas. The court convicted Badawi on charges of apostasy, or insulting Islam.
The blogger was sentenced with 1,000 lashes. In 2015, Badawi was subjected to the first set of 50 lashes in public, although Saudi Arabia stopped the corporal punishment after international outcry.
In September last year, Badawi began a hunger strike to protest mistreatment by Saudi prison officials. Haidar had tweeted at the time that “the prison director wants Raif to continue the strike!””
US urges release
In early 2019, the international non-profit Reporters Without Borders sent a team to Saudi Arabia to lobby for Badawi’s release as well as 29 other incarcerated journalists.
Haidar has led a prominent global campaign, calling for the release of her husband so that he can one day reunite with his family.
She also helped set-up the Raif Badawi Award for journalists who shed light on human rights abuses in the Muslim world.
Haidar continues to advocate for her husband’s freedom.”
Algerians mark one year of protests with fresh demonstrations
https://www.france24.com/en/eye-on-africa/20200214-algerians-mark-one-year-of-protests-with-fresh-demonstrations
“For the 52nd consecutive week, thousands of Algerians have taken to the streets to call for a complete overhaul of the ruling elite. It’s been a year since the protest movement began…”
Valentine’s Day ban sees dozens of unmarried couples arrested and crackdown on public displays of affection in Muslim-majority Indonesia
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8003693/Police-Indonesia-launch-Valentines-Day-crackdown-immoral-behaviour.html
“Whether it’s wine and chocolates in a hotel room or a takeaway and a night on the sofa at home, millions of people around the world will celebrate Valentine’s Day today with special gestures for their loved ones.
But not so in some parts of Muslim-majority Indonesia, where celebrations and displays of affection were banned for violating the country’s ‘culture and ethics’.
Authorities in Makassar, on Sulawesi island, and Depok, near the capital Jakarta, both warned people against public shows of affection, while celebrations were also banned across the entirety of Sharia Law province Banda Aceh.
Police in Makassar carried out raids on guest houses on Friday, arresting around two dozen unmarried couples found sharing rooms, including a German national.
‘We caught the German with his Indonesian partner in a motel and they weren’t husband and wife so that’s why we arrested them,’ Iman Hud, head of the local public order office, told AFP.
The unlucky lovers were quickly released after a lecture about the evils of pre-marital sex, but five sex workers caught in the dragnet would be sent to a rehabilitation centre, he added.
‘These social illnesses must be prevented. We need to remind the public to uphold our culture and ethics,’ Hud said…”
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A nervous democratic socialist in first class.
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