Ban says Syria conflict has become ‘proxy war’
3 August, 2012 – Agence France Presse – The Daily Start

UNITED NATIONS: U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon said Friday that the Syria conflict has become a “proxy war” and that the international powers must overcome rivalries to end the violence.

Evoking the U.N.’s failure in the Srebenica massacre in Bosnia, Ban warned the divided U.N. Security Council that “the immediate interests of the Syrian people must be paramount over any larger rivalries of influence.”

Ban gave his grim warning ahead of a U.N. General Assembly vote on a resolution deploring the Security Council’s failure to act on the Syrian civil war and condemning the government’s use of heavy weapons.

The U.N. secretary general said growing radicalization and extremism had been predicted at the start of the conflict in March 2011.

“The next step was also forewarned: a proxy war, with regional and international players arming one side or the other. All of these dire predictions have come to pass,” Ban told the 193 member General Assembly.

Ban turned his fire on the Security Council which he said had become “paralyzed” by divisions over Syria.

Russia and China have vetoed three resolutions on Syria. They in turn accuse western nations of seeking to force the downfall of President Bashar Assad.

“Now, with the situation having worsened, they must again find common ground,” he said.

Ban said the Syria conflict “is a test of everything this organization stands for” and recalled a recent visit to Srebenica, site of a massacre he called “one of the darkest chapters in this organization’s history.”

U.N. peacekeepers were accused of not doing enough to stop the slaughter of 8,000 Muslim boys and men in the Bosnian town in July 1995.

“I do not want today’s United Nations to fail that test. I want us all to show the people of Syria and the world that we have learned the lessons of Srebrenica,” the U.N. leader said.
…source

Bahrain disperses protesters, arrests activist’s daughter
ABU DHABI – 3 August, 2012 – Reuters

The daughter of a prominent Bahraini opposition activist and 40 other people were arrested early on Friday, hours after security forces used tear gas and birdshot to disperse hundreds of protesters demanding political reforms, activists said.

At least 45 people were injured in the security forces’ operation to break up the three separate protests across the Gulf Arab island kingdom late on Thursday, they said.

Bahrain crushed an uprising led by majority Shi’ite Muslims last year, after successful popular revolts in Tunisia and Egypt, but protest marches and rallies continue, leading at times to clashes between police and Shi’ite youths.

Bahraini Shi’ites say they have long been marginalized in political and economic life, which the government denies. Bahrain’s Sunni rulers have rejected the main opposition demand – an elected parliament with full powers to pass laws and form governments.

The head of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, Mohammed al-Maskati, said activist Zainab al-Khawaja was arrested early on Friday when she tried to hold a solitary protest sit-in at al-Badei street close to the capital Manama.

Zainab is the daughter of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a leading Shi’ite figure in the uprising who ended a more than three-month-long hunger strike in May after drawing attention to the issue of imprisoned activists.

“She had taken part in the protests and then headed to that street to start a sit-in. That is when she was arrested,” Maskati told Reuters by telephone.

“From the information we have managed to gather from lawyers and the families of protesters, at least 40 others have been arrested as well,” he said, adding that police had used tear gas to disperse the protesters. There were no reports of serious injuries.

“All three protests were heavily crushed as tear gas and birdshot was used with reports of at least 40 to 45 people being injured,” Maskati said, adding that injuries ranged from slight to serious.

Government officials were not immediately available for comment.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement on its website that “riot instigators” threw Molotov cocktails at a ministry vehicle in a road near Bani Jamra, but that its driver and his companion escaped uninjured.

Zainab al-Khawaja was previously arrested on April 21 for trying to stage a protest in Manama during Bahrain’s Formula One Grand Prix. She was sentenced in May to one month in jail and fined 200 dinars ($530) on a separate charge relating to insulting a government employee.

“I still haven’t managed to find out exactly what the charges pressed against her are,” said her lawyer Mohammed al-Jishi. …source

Saudi uprising trumps sectarian card
By Zayd Alisa – 3 August, 2012 – Asia Times

As popular uprisings swept the Arab world, many experts stressed that Saudi Arabia was incomparable to others. It was immune from turbulence, let alone, regime-ousting uprisings.

Confident that its internal front was impeccably secure, the Saudi regime moved swiftly to achieve its external overarching goals, which ranged from holding at bay the spread of popular uprisings clamoring for democratic change and political reform, to severely undermining, if not, reversing what it perceives, as the mounting
Iranian and Shi’ite influence, and ensuring the survival of other monarchies.

The Saudi regime offered Ben Ali, Tunisia’s dictator, refuge and has steadfastly refused to hand him back to face trial. The Saudi king gave, not just his emphatic support to Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s tyrant, but also threatened the US that he was ready to bankroll him.

Saudi Arabia’s tireless effort to spearhead the counter-revolution suffered its first setback at the hands of its closest ally the US, which encouraged the Egyptian army to turn against Mubarak. The Saudi regime has made concerted effort to make up for lost ground in Egypt. It has gained huge influence with the military council by providing it with $4 billion in aid, as well as by throwing its weight behind the extremist Salafi movement, which emerged second after the Muslim Brotherhood in the parliamentary elections.

As for Yemen, the Saudi regime initially supported Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen’s dictator, but when his brutal crackdown spectacularly backfired, it launched its own initiative to ensure that Saleh was replaced by another staunch ally, namely his deputy, Abd-Rabbu Mansour, through a cosmetic election. Just as important, however, was the Saudi regime’s clear message that uprisings were absolutely futile, since Saleh was ousted by its own initiative rather than an uprising.

For the Saudis, the Bahraini uprising was indisputably a nightmare scenario that sent shock waves right across the kingdom. This was hardly surprising, since Bahrain was a brutal dictatorship governed by the Al Khalifa family, from the Sunni minority, while the vast majority of Bahrainis were Shi’ite.

In Saudi eyes any concession, no matter how insignificant, let alone a triumph by the Bahraini uprising, would inspire its own Shi’ites to rebel against the regime. Shi’ites form an overwhelming majority in Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich eastern province, which is located just some five kilometers from Bahrain.

Like the Shi’ite in Bahrain, they have constantly complained of being subjected to intolerable discrimination and marginalization. Despite the undeniable failure of their supposed “day of rage” in March last year, it nonetheless unnerved the Saudi regime.

In response, the king announced unprecedented measures ranging from billions of dollars in benefits and new jobs to a stern warning that security forces would pull no punches in confronting protestors. He also gave massive rewards to the Wahhabi Salafi religious establishment and,

Most ominously, gave a green light for the Saudi army to invade and occupy Bahrain. Within 24 hours of the occupation, Bahraini forces backed by Saudi forces unleashed a ferocious onslaught against the peaceful protesters in Manama’s Pearl Square.

In another strenuous attempt to placate the dramatic escalation in exhortations for political reform, the king suddenly declared last September that municipal elections supposed to be held in 2008 would finally take place. Not surprisingly the turnout was hugely disappointing – 1.08 million Saudi men of the country’s 18 million population registered to vote – since it is abundantly clear that the council is a powerless body.

Behind such machinations a pivotal role was being played by the radical and regressive Wahhabi Salafi religious establishment in propping up and lending religious legitimacy to the Saudi regime, which in turn provides it with the vital funding to propagate and export its extremist ideology.

According to the Wahhabi ideology it is strictly forbidden to oppose the ruler. Far from questioning the highly contentious actions of the Saudi regime, the religious establishment has issued religious fatwas to back them up. These fatwas were utilized by the Interior ministry headed by Nayef, to declare last February that these protests were a new form of terrorism that would be confronted with an iron fist, as was al-Qaeda. It also indirectly blamed Iran for the protests.

The peaceful protests in the eastern province entered a highly perilous phase in October 2011, when the savage crackdown turned into a campaign of cold-blooded murder. The dramatic escalation coincided with the death of Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the heir to the throne and the appointment of Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, who died on June 16 this year, as a replacement.

The Saudi regime’s overriding priority has always been to establish and bolster its position and image as the indisputable guardian of Sunni Islam, even though it firmly endorses the Wahhabi ideology.

Ever since 1979 – when the Iranian revolution toppled the shah – the Saudi regime has vigorously endeavored to portray and present all major events and conflicts in the region as an integral part of an ongoing existential sectarian war waged against the Sunnis by the Shi’ites, namely Iran, in order to become the unrivalled power in the region. …more

Britain to increase support for Syrian rebels
Al Akhbar – 3 August, 2012

Britain promised more support for Syrian rebels on Friday after the resignation of envoy Kofi Annan highlighted the failure of international diplomacy to halt the 17-month-old conflict in Syria.

“That doesn’t mean … that we give up on diplomacy,” British Foreign Secretary William Hague told BBC Radio 4. “We don’t give up on the diplomacy with Russia and with China. But we will have to do other things as well.”

Moscow and Beijing have frequently complained about Western and Gulf Arab backing for the insurgents locked in an increasingly bloody drive to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying such support undermines peace efforts.

“We will over the coming weeks increase our practical but non-lethal support to the opposition,” Hague said. “We have helped with communications and matters of that kind and we will help them more in this situation given the scale of death and suffering and the failure so far of the diplomatic process.”

Assad says the insurgency is the work of foreign-backed “terrorists”, with his own forces acting to restore stability.

Britain and the United States have blamed Russia and China for the failure of the peace mission Annan had conducted on behalf of the United Nations and Arab League.

“It (the diplomatic process) is not dead but … it is a bleak moment,” said Hague, who met Russian President Vladimir Putin in London on Thursday. “Diplomacy has not worked so far. Diplomacy has so far failed the people of Syria.”

Annan cited the continued “finger pointing” among world powers as one of the reasons for his resignation, but Britain, the US and Germany insist on blaming Russia and China for the failure of his project.

Russia and China thwarted three Western attempts at the UN Security Council to push through resolutions that would have paved the way for military action in Syria.

Moscow and Beijing are wary that the West is seeking to exploit the Syrian crisis to further their interests.

The two powers point to a UN resolution in 2011 on Libya, which ultimately led to Western military intervention that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, with Europe grabbing much of Libya’s lucrative oil resources. …source

Sponsors of Terrorism: A U.S. List with anti-Cuban Tinge
3 August, 2012 – nsnbc

Havana, Aug 1 (Prensa Latina via Cubadebate) Cuba’s inclusion for the twentieth time consecutive in the list of sponsors of terrorism that makes the United States unilaterally aims to justify the hostile policy of the White House against Havana. As before, since it inserted in 1982 this country in that list, Washington referred to the alleged support to foreign groups considered as terrorists, but only based on media reports.

This time also said that Cuba has deficiencies with respect to international standards in fighting money laundering and the financing of terrorist groups.

Immediately the State Department report was rejected by the Cuban Foreign Ministry, considering as hoax the attempt to ignore the collaboration of the country with the mechanisms of the United Nations (UN) in the fight against that scourge.

United States hides the fact that Cuba gives truthful and accurate information periodically to the appropriatet UN mechanisms on these issues (money laundering) and others referred to the fight against terrorism, the statement said.

It also ignores that in February this year the government renewed the proposal to agree a bilateral program to fight against terrorism, to which the U.S. government has not responded.

Thus, Washington justifies the policy of blockade it maintains against its neighbor for over 50 years, by establishing through this list that Cuba can not receive financial aid or enjoy of trade benefits or financial treaties.

The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba also discredited exercise considering that the United States does not have the slightest moral authority in the matter.

It is well known that the Washington government has used state terrorism as a weapon of its policy against Cuba, which has caused 3 478 dead and 2 099 disabled.

It has also sheltered tens of terrorists, some of whom still live freely in that territory, the statement continued, referring to Luis Posada Carriles, a Cuban-born terrorist who lives in Miami.

Posada Carriles is responsible with the midair bombing of a Cuban airliner in 1976 with 73 people aboard, fact which he admitted, and for which Venezuela claims for his extradition to finish judging him, a request which was denied by the U.S. authorities.

Beyond the current justifications for keeping Cuba on the list of sponsors of terrorism is the decision of the White House to continue its hostility against this nation of 11.2 million inhabitants.

Undoubtedly, with its exercise the United States discredits a fight that humanity must carry out for the sake of its own survival. …source

Expect Resistance

Bahrain bus attacked, opposition member held
3 August, 2012 – Agence France Presse – The Daily Star

DUBAI: An interior ministry bus was attacked in Bahrain on Friday, state news agency BNA reported, as the opposition reported the arrest of a woman member trying to travel abroad for an Amnesty International conference.

“A group of rioters and saboteurs attacked the bus with Molotov cocktail bombs” near the Shiite village of Bani Jamra, BNA quoted a police official as saying.

The agency said the driver and a companion were unhurt but the bus was gutted.

“Police have launched an inquiry to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice,” the official was quoted as saying.

Witnesses said protesters and police clashed in several Shiite villages late on Thursday and early on Friday.

Dozens of people chanted “Down with (King) Hamad” and “The people want to overthrow the regime,” as they waved the kingdom’s red and white flag, they said.

Security forces fired tear gas and birdshot, the witnesses said, adding that several people were wounded.

The authorities accuse Shiite protesters of using petrol bombs against security forces during frequent demonstrations in villages outside the capital Manama.

Sporadic protests have intensified since a March 2011 crackdown ended month-long protests in Manama’s main Pearl Square demanding democratic reforms in the Sunni-ruled Shiite-majority Gulf state.

The main Shiite opposition bloc Al-Wefaq said the authorities detained a leading female member, Ahlam al-Khuzai, at the airport early on Friday.

Khuzai was arrested as she was travelling to Tunisia for a conference organised by London-based rights watchdog Amnesty International, Al-Wefaq said in a statement.

“Al-Wefaq is following with great concern the arrest of its general secretariat member Khuzai… She is still in custody,” it said.

Al-Wefaq has said more than 240 people were arrested in July, and dozens were injured in clashes with the police.

Amnesty says 60 people have been killed since the protests first erupted in February last year.

…more

Financing of US Rep. Dan Burton trip to Bahrain raises issues
3 August, 2012 – Bahrain News

When U.S. Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., and his wife, Samia, arrived in Bahrain in April, they were greeted with a huge welcome poster featuring oversized smiling headshots of the Burtons.

The veteran lawmaker, who is the third-ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, met with the crown prince, after which a local pro-government newspaper ran a picture of the two men under the headline, “Bahrain’s reforms are hailed.” The paper reported that Burton had “lauded His Majesty for his statesmanship (and) steps to modernise Bahrain and promote reforms,” amid continuing pro-democracy protests.

When the congressman returned to Washington from Bahrain, he took to the House floor to praise Bahrain’s leaders and criticize protesters

Burton’s soothing words for the embattled government weren’t the only unusual thing about this trip.

The $20,966 cost of the trip, including business-class flights for Burton and his wife, was paid by a nonprofit group, the Bahrain American Council, created last year by the lobbying and public relations firm Policy Impact Communications to promote the Bahraini government line in Washington. …more

Bahrain riot police fire tear gas, stun grenades on protesters
3 August, 2012 – RT

Published: 03 August, 2012, 14:58
Bahraini policemen arrest protestors during an anti-government demonstration in the village of Bani Jamrah, West of Manama, on August 2, 2012 (AFP Photo / Mohammed Al-Shaikh)

Bahraini policemen arrest protestors during an anti-government demonstration in the village of Bani Jamrah, West of Manama, on August 2, 2012 (AFP Photo / Mohammed Al-Shaikh)

TAGS: Arms, Conflict, Middle East, Protest, Politics, Human rights, Opposition, Police

Bahraini riot police have fired tear gas and stun grenades at hundreds of demonstrators attempting to block a highway. Frequent antigovernment protests have wracked the country since February 2011.

Protesters and police clashed in several Shiite villages late Thursday and early Friday, witnesses told AFP. The recent protests are a move by Bahrain’s opposition to spark further street demonstrations in the country.

The ongoing uprising by the country’s Shiite majority, which claims systematic discrimination on the part of Bahrain’s Sunni monarchy, has weakened after multiple mass arrests. At least 50 people have been killed and many more detained since protests began 18 months ago.

Advocacy group Physicians for Human Rights released a new report this month titled ‘Weaponizing Tear Gas,’ which accused Bahraini authorities of badly injuring and even killing protesters with tear gas by flooding enclosed spaces like cars and houses with the toxic chemicals.

The report stated that government officials misused tear gas against Shiite Muslim civilians, and that the attacks caused severe suffering amounting to torture. The report concluded that Bahraini authorities had “routinely violated every UN principle governing police use of force.”

The EU and US have made few statements and taken no direct action against the Bahraini government’s crackdown on the uprisings.

Richard Sollom, Deputy Director of Physicians for Human Rights and author of the report, noted that the report would likely not be well-received by the Obama administration, which has refrained from criticizing the Bahraini government, he said in an interview with New York Times.

Bahrain is home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which patrols the Persian Gulf and is a strategic check against Iran.

The Bahraini government did not respond to the group’s request for an account of the exact types of tear gas used by the police, Sollom said. It also refused to reveal where it is obtaining the tear gas, although canisters recovered on the street by activists suggest that they were manufactured in the US, France and Brazil. …more