Here’s the proof that the Anti-Israel Lobby which is dominant in the Groups enumerated below, in this case in Care2, are actively practicing selective Human Rights Activism – the article about Muslim Journalist Salah Choudhury has remained un-noticed and largely un-noted in the Care2 News Network since Wednesday this last week. Why? Most certainly because the title of the Discussions and the News Item – “for supporting Israel” –
Muslim Journalist On Trial For Supporting Israel – Human Rights Watch
Muslim Journalist On Trial For Supporting Israel – Amnesty International Redux
Muslim Journalist On Trial For Supporting Israel – International Alliance of Human Rights Advocates
Muslim Journalist On Trial For Supporting Israel – Ethics in Progressivism
Muslim journalist On Trial For Supporting Israel – Petition Site Center
At best this selective omission on the part of the Group-Hosts and other activists can be described as simple hypocrisy , at its worst it’s dereliction of duty.
Apparently only 12 people bothered to actually read the article and note it – despite the fact that this Journalist’s connection to Israel is marginal in this specific instance. The Human Rights violations he was and is being subjected to should have any Human Rights Activist up in arms, not because he speaks out against Radical Islamist attacks on Israel, and propagates for peace and understanding, but because they are Human Rights violations. Period.
“English PEN is calling for all charges against Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury to be dropped. Choudhury is charged with sedition, due to his alleged association with Israel and his criticism of the spread of Islamic militancy in Bangladesh in his writings. The charge carries a maximum penalty of death or 30 years imprisonment.
Choudhury, editor of the tabloid weekly Blitz, was reportedly arrested by security personnel at Zia International Airport, Dhaka, on 29 November 2003, en route for Israel to participate in a conference of the Hebrew Writers Association. Choudhury was planning to address their writers’ symposium in Tel Aviv entitled ‘Bridges Through Culture’ on the subject of the role of the media in establishing peace. Bangladesh has no diplomatic relations with Israel and travel to Israel is illegal for Bangladeshi citizens.
Intelligence forces claim that documents found in Choudhury’s briefcase – in particular the text of his speech and reports on the human rights situation in Bangladesh – are evidence of sedition. He is accused of having links to an Israeli intelligence agency. English PEN, however, believes that Choudhury’s arrest should be seen as punishment for exercising his human right to freedom of expression.
Choudhury has been freed on bail since 2 May 2005, following appeals from PEN USA in Los Angeles, of whom he is an Honorary Member, and other organisations.
Choudhury is known for his work to improve relations between Muslim countries and Israel. He has written against anti-Israeli prejudices in Muslim countries and, most controversially, about the rise of al-Qaeda in Bangladesh.
The offices of Choudhury’s newspaper were bombed in July 2006, and Choudhury was badly beaten in an attack on the newspaper in October 2006, allegedly involving members of the ruling Bangladesh National Party. His attackers branded him ‘an agent of the Jews’. These attacks were carried out with impunity.
The next hearing of Choudhury’s case is in late April 2007 and English PEN is advised that international campaigning on his behalf is very likely to have influence in the next few weeks. We therefore urge you to send the Bangladesh authorities an immediate appeal (see below) and also to sign the electronic petition that has been launched on his behalf by Scholars for Peace in the Middle East. (Click here for the petition).
For further information on the case, including extracts from Choudhury’s writing, see: http://www.interfaithstrength.com
The absence of notes on this News Item and lack of discussion (there has been none except in Human Rights Network – the Group Hosted and Owned by the poster of the article in the other Groups above) on the Topic in those groups becomes even more significant and glaring, as those Groups are usually very active and alert when it comes to bringing human rights violations to the fore in Care2. This leaves me to conclude that this glaring omission is indeed significant of a deep seated hypocritical attitude among Human Rights Activists in Care2.
If Israel had not been mentioned in the Topic line of the News Item and the Discussion Posts, the Human Rights Activists would have noted it even without reading the article.
Shame on you!
SOB's Grins & Grumps 