UPDATE: Muslim Men to March in Texas

Update THE PEACE THRU JUSTICE FOUNDATION
11006 Veirs Mill Rd, STE L-15, PMB 298
Silver Spring, MD. 20902

SAFAR 1433 A.H.
(December 31, 2011)

Assalaamu Alaikum (Greetings of Peace):

I begin with a note of heartfelt thanks for all those who took time out of a day of relaxation (and for many, heightened expectation), to dramatize their concern for a most deserving political prisoner, and prisoner of war, by the name of Aafia Siddiqui. ALLAH blessed us with a beautiful day, and the collection of concerned citizens who came together was even more beautiful (alhamdullilah)!

As I noted earlier to Aafia's sister (Dr. Fowzia), one of the most important elements that came out of today's mobilization was the broadening of the base of support for Aafia in America. There were Muslims and non-Muslims, Sunni and Shi'a, people of varying racial and cultural orientations, the young and the not so young:).

Yesterday, through the introduction of a local activist, by the name of Thomas Muhammad, I also had an opportunity to brief an outspoken African-American councilwoman (for the city of Dallas) on Aafia's case over lunch; and she has pledged her support to do whatever she can in the days ahead, insha'Allah. With these connections being made, and with ALLAH's help, we expect the base of support to broaden even more, insha'Allah.

With that said, may ALLAH bless you, and fortify you, in this new year (of the Islamic and Gregorian calendars).

Your brother in Islam,

MS

From the family of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui ..

Dear Mauri

We want to thank you and all the people who have made the courageous effort to stand with you peacefully today at Carswell on this New Year's eve.

In some ways it is sad that such a mobilization is even needed to ask for something so basic as humane treatment of a prisoner and a right to visit in confidence with family and lawyer without dehumanizing conditions.

We hope that relevant authorities will take note and find it in their hearts to do the humane thing. Such gatherings do seem to have an impact. In April of this year, a group similar to this made a point and the result was that Aafia did finally get some phone calls to family and a visit after almost 2-1/2 years. Of course, what the system can give, it can also take away, and so Aafia has been banished again into isolation.

We are thankful for the effort made by each and every one for standing for humane treatment of all the prisoners at Carswell.

May you all have a peaceful and prosperous New Year and May you all see your loved ones in safety, freedom and good health.

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui's family

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Full assembly at 11 am MUSLIM MEN MARCH ON FMC CARSWELL (Fort Worth) on behalf of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and other Female Prisoners experiencing the agony of long-term isolation, refusal of visits from family members, a history of severe mistreatment and many reports of extreme human rights violations.

For more information please go to Justice for Aafia here and here

Also view the four items just below this posting and the comments under several.

March for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and other Female Prisoners

@08:00 - 05:00PM

An emergency mobilization for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, and all other female prisoners suffering abuse in a federal institution that has a long, shameful record of violating the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee against “cruel and unusual punishment.”

While ALL ARE INVITED to join this urgently needed mobilization, we feel it is a special obligation on Muslim Men!

PLEASE SUPPORT THIS URGENTLY NEEDED MOBILIZATION

BY

1. HELPING US SPREAD THE WORD

2. PLANNING TO ATTEND

3. DONATE

You can mail a donation to:

The Peace Thru Justice Foundation

11006 Viers Mill Road

STE L-15, PMB 298

Silver Spring, MD. 20902



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If you plan to report or disseminate the news about this group for peace thru justice and Dr. Aafia Siddiqui be sure to check out the two posts just below, the family site here and find Don't Blame the Victim at aboutaafia.blogspot.com -- here -- and here Also find plenty on Dr. Aafia and her court hearings/trial/indictment on this site and at andyworthington.co.uk

Update on Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and A Christmas Gift

Update on Aafia this Year End Season (2011) See this and much more pertaining to Dr. Aafia Siddiqui at freeaafia.org

In September, 2011 Aafia was finally allowed a family visit after almost 2-1/2 years. Then another one in early November. She was also finally allowed to meet with a lawyer of her choice. But almost immediately following her interaction with a non-government appointed lawyer, Aafia has now had her "privileges" suspended indefinitely.

What this means is that she is effectively not allowed any visitation from anyone except US or Pakistani government officials. No contact with family and a confiscation of all her meager "possessions" including all religious books and materials. She is also subjected to solitary confinement. Her health is deteriorating with serious concerns about her physical treatment based on last accounts. She is not allowed visits from independent physicians.

Yet, despite all of this, Aafia remains an inspiration and lives on in the hearts of those who have faith. We believe that even when everything looks bleak and one could be excused for feeling helpless, the help of God is nearer than we realize. We also believe that success will be the ultimate destiny for those who who have maintained the trust. The efforts of our supporters who believe in justice will not be in vain.

This holiday season we are thankful for Ahmad and Maryam. We pray for those at Carswell to be guided and have mercy. We wish for the happiness and safety of all our supporters. We pray for peace, justice and freedom to prevail throughout the world.

From the Family of Dr. Aafia

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A Christmas Gift
by Andrew Purcell

Dec 21, 2011

Okay. I got my Christmas gift seven weeks early. A complete surprise considering it came directly from Aafia.

How did this happen?

She is too dangerous for me to be allowed to visit. Certainly doesn't have a lot of opportunity to go to the mall and shop.

During the first weekend of November I drove to Fort Worth with Aafia's brother. The prison officials would not confirm the visit. Come up and maybe, we'll see. He made the five hundred plus mile round trip expecting to be turned away. He was surprised that after some discussion they were allowed a four hour visit.

A good visit has a much different definition at Carswell Prison than it does in the real world, and this was not a good visit. When he got back to the hotel he proceeded to tell me about it.

In the middle of this he paused and said that Aafia had a question for me. She asked me to read books about Islam because she wanted to make sure that I go to Heaven.

This is the woman we are fighting for. Living through nearly nine years of hell and she is concerned about my soul.

As Christmas greetings go, this is not the traditional carols and a light snowfall on Christmas Eve, but I can't imagine many gifts that I will cherish more.

(See an earlier piece by Andrew Purcell in post below this one on oneheartforpeace)

Why the Dr. Aafia Campaign Makes a Lasting Difference

Here is Andrew Purcell's beautiful message Ramadan EID year before last

A SPECIAL EID MESSAGE FROM A FRIEND
Why Dr. Aafia's Campaign is Cause for Celebration

"I know very well how everything I do for Aafia keeps backfiring. It is just so frustrating. I am just hurt and overwhelmed, shocked at the situation here."

- Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui
the sister of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui

From her place in the center of the eye of the hurricane I know how Dr. Fowzia could write those words. She is standing in the midst of a situation that nothing could have prepared her for.

She wonders if anything she has done for Aafia makes any difference at all. After all Aafia is still in an American jail, waiting to be sentenced to life in prison later this month. She is no closer to coming home than she was when she was found dazed and disoriented on the streets of Ghazni. So Dr. Fowzia sees herself as a failure...

...but not so fast. Take a few steps back and catch your breath. In 2003 Dr. Aafia and her three children vanished from the face of the Earth as agents of the military dictator kidnapped and sold them to representatives of the United States. Now step forward seven years. As a direct result of Dr. Fowzia's work, her sister Aafia is no longer being held and tortured in an unacknowledged prison facility and two of her three children have been recovered and are living with their grandmother.

Traditionally the families and friends of those who have disappeared by secret government orders have been lucky if they can find a general location where the bodies might have been dumped. Dr. Fowzia and her supporters have achieved something unprecedented in the field of human rights; they have forced the reappearance of Aafia, her son Ahmad, and her daughter Maryam. Three living human beings.

It is true that Aafia is still being held in an American jail and there is still no sign of her youngest son Suliman. Is this the victory? Not yet. In this line of work few victories come easily. There are no rules. Progress is measured as a few steps here and a couple of inches there.

When Aafia is sentenced later this month it will not mean her case is over and lost. It will instead be the confirmation of a victory that freed her from torture in a secret prison and returned two of her children home.

The sentencing will also mark the beginning of the next steps in the campaign. Suliman, the child who may never have had a chance to live, must be accounted for. If he is still alive, return him to his family, if he is not, an explanation must be provided. Aafia must be cleared of the slanders and libels that have been thrown at her. And of course, return Aafia home.

This may seem to be a lot of effort for one woman and a child who may not even be alive. If it were just the two of them you might be inclined to count your blessings and quit. Aafia and Suliman were just born with bad luck.

But it isn't just about them. Or Ahmad and Maryam. Or Aafia's mother, sister, and brother. Or even her ex-husband or her crazy uncle. Hundreds of Pakistanis disappeared in very much the same fashion during the rule of the military dictator. Bring Aafia home and account for Suliman and it will be proof that others can also be returned. It just takes the will to shine a little bit of light on evil, and evil gets very frightened.

In the Bible story, Moses brought God's message to the Pharaoh, "Let my people go!" Pharaohs come and go using different names, but the message remains.

Look at how Dr. Fowzia responded to her sister's plight armed with only faith in God, a pure soul, and courage. Despite death threats, she and a small group of supporters stood up to a dictator and within a few days Aafia reappeared. A few weeks later the dictator was gone.

This can be repeated to help others. Human rights groups will be studying this case for years as proof that the evil can be overcome.

As a final note, when Aafia came to America she often spoke to me about Islam. She said that while many people focused on fasting and feasting during Ramadan, there was more to it. Ramadan is also a time of reflection. Reflection on the things you have done for others. Like Dr. Fowzia and the campaign for her sister. This has acomplished something extraordinary and it will accomplish even more. This campaign has rewritten the book on saving people from injustice.

Andrew Purcell

Find posting here

From UK: PRESS RELEASE: tenth anniversary of Gitmo

Notification of events surrounding the tenth anniversary of the first detainees arriving at Guantanamo Bay

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CagePrisoners
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28 December 2011


PRESS RELEASE: Notification of events for the tenth anniversary of Guantanamo

Notification of events surrounding the tenth anniversary of the first detainees arriving at Guantanamo Bay:

1. Press launch of ‘Laa Tansa: Never Forget’ project

Laa Tansa is a major online project that has been undertaken by CagePrisoners in order to provide the most complete picture of Guantanamo to date. The press conference will provide media the opportunity to interview a large host of former Guantanamo detainees, their lawyers and families who will all be present at the event.

Date: 10 January 2012

Time: 10:30 am

Venue: Frontline Club
13 Norfolk Place
London
W2 1QJ

Speakers: Former Guantanamo detainees, their families and their lawyers. Please see the notes at the end for a full list of those who will be present.

2. Guantanamo Remembered: 10 Years event

On the tenth anniversary of Guantanamo Bay’s opening, CagePrisoners, Reprieve and the Islamic Human Rights Commission will co-host an event in order to reflect on the impact of a decade on the lives of those in Guantanamo and their families.

Date: 11 January 2012

Time: 6:00 pm

Venue: Conway Hall
25 Red Lion Square
London
WC1R 4RL

Speakers: Former Guantanamo detainees, their families and their lawyers. Please see the notes at the end for a full list of those who will be present.

3. UK Film Premiere: Death in Camp Delta

CagePrisoners host the UK film premiere of the Erlin Borgen film, Death in Camp Delta. The film tells the story of Yasser al-Zahrani who died in Guantanamo. The film features former Guantanamo prisoners Omar Deghayes, Moazzam Begg, Al Jazeera's Sami al-Hajj, survivor of the brutal massacre at Qala-i-Jangi, Walid al-Hajj, and Colonel Talal al-Zahrani, father of Yasser.

Date: 12 January 2012

Time: 6:30 pm

Venue: Curzon Cinema (Soho)
99 Shaftsbury Avenue
London
W1D 5DY

Speakers: Erling Borgen (Filmmaker and Director of Death in Guantanamo)
Moazzam Begg (former Guantanamo detainee and Director of CagePrisoners)
Talal al-Zahrani (father of deceased Guantanamo detainee,
Yasser al-Zahrani)
Cori Cryder (Legal Director of Reprieve)


[ENDS]

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Notes:

1. Guest speakers at the press launch and event includes:

Moazzam Begg (former Guantanamo detainee and Director of CagePrisoners)
Sami El-Hajj (former Guantanamo detainee)
Mousa Zemmouri (former Guantanamo detainee)
Murat Kurnaz (former Guantanamo detainee)
Waleed Haj (former Guantanamo detainee)
Saad al-Azemi (former Guantanamo detainee)
Colonel Talal al-Zahrani (father of deceased Guantanamo detainee)
Victoria Brittain (Patron of Cageprisoners)
Clive Stafford Smith (Director of Reprieve)
Massoud Shadjareh (Director of Islamic Human Rights Commission)
Gareth Peirce (Human Rights Lawyer)
Michael Ratner (President of the Center for Constitutional Rights)
Asim Qureshi (Executive Director of Cageprisoners)

Media enquiries for interviews with the above guests can be directed to CagePrisoners at the contact details below.

2. CagePrisoners is a human rights NGO that exists to raise awareness of the plight of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and other detainees held as part of the War on Terror. We aim to give a voice to the voiceless.

Give a voice to the voiceless.

CagePrisoners Ltd.
27 Old Gloucester Street
London
WC1N 3XX

Press contact: (44) 203 167 4416
Email: asim@cageprisoners.com
Web: www.cageprisoners.com

Peace According to the Peace-Makers

World Peace

Peace is an Inside Job

Christmas is a time to recognize the birth of a great teacher, who taught us to practice peace and forgiveness. At WWH, we embrace lessons from all faiths to help us navigate religious, political, and personal conflicts.

There are many paths toward peace and fulfillment and they all begin inside. We must commit to kindness and compassion as our life’s top priority. Stop the angry and unkind thoughts, and replace them with goodness or neutral ideas. It’s not easy when our hearts are full of pain and fear, but by building a calm inner space we can control our words and actions, and change our world.

Join us in our goal to live peacefully in the world.

Think compassion. Live healing and forgiveness.

See "World Without Hate" movement and site

Even After All this Time
**
By Hafez (See "The Gift") - the poet from Iran - who said “I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being.”*

*photo above is of an Iranian Sunrise
flickr.com

**the photo of Hafez poem at end of this post is of part of an american school project for peace among diverse children.

Why should we allow War to be the "god" of our planet?

Will we continue to allow War to be the "god" of our planet or will we would-be peacemakers together make the difference?


WHAT IF? WHAT NOW? here

Remembering and refusing to repeat ANYWHERE - December 27 three years ago in GAZA -- one of history's greatest crimes -- FIND here Gaza and go back in November/December three years ago to find archives on this site: oneheartforpeace

US CITIZENS: PLEASE CALL your legislators, leaders and the White House to demand respectful negotiation - no more instigation of war with bully back tactics.

Here is a startling piece about North Carolina USA legislators to US Congress:
"Three days ago by a margin of 410 to 11, Congress has just passed one of the most potentially dangerous pieces of legislation in world history, The Iran Threat Reduction Act.

Every member of the North Carolina delegation voted in favor except for two who were absent – both rock-ribbed Republicans (Myrick and Coble). While other nations and international organizations are attempting to criminalize war, the US congress is attempting to criminalize diplomatic contact and potential peace negotiations. This astonishing piece of legislation symbolizes the dangers Americans face from their elected representatives in government and those from the Military Industrial Complex who are actually in control of our government." This is according to the speech I found from Information Clearing House ICH here

North Carolinians and US citizens: WAKE UP! There's a light we can and MUST be doing to alert our leaders to REFLECT before they vote on the legacy they leave behind representing our voters. CALL and speak your mind -- yet I have found when I do research carefully, isolate a few main points and speak with respect I have the ears of my representatives longer and get respect back.

Just in today: US warns Iran...here