Solidarity Day

-    In Solidarity and Remembrance of  those who are conflicted and oppressed around the World.

Palestine

•  More recently the Israeli Knesset has passed a controversial bill which is called the Pawner Plan Law which is planned to displace tens of thousands Bedouin citizens in Negev. When implemented it will result to the second largest ethnic cleansing of the Arab Bedouins since 1948.
•  11^th of July 2013, a 5 year old Palestinian Boy was detained by Israeli forces for throwing a stone. The Rules of Israel’s Military Occupation in the West bank state that the age of responsibility starts at 12 and apparently applies to both Israeli and Palestinian Children. The injustice continues even for the children of Palestine
•  Peace talks are due to resume for the first time in nearly three years after intense US mediation through US Secretary of State John Kerry , with Israel and Palestinian Official As Israel has agreed to release prisoners
• In July 2013 the European Union Collectively agreed to Stop EU funding to the illegal occupied territories of Israel due to Israel continuous expansion of settlements
• spokesman for Lady Ashton, the EU’s foreign policy chief: “Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and with the non-recognition by the EU of Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied territories”

-          Like South Africa , The EU has adopted the  legislation relevant for the correct labelling of settlement products  from the illegal occupied territories.

Rohingya

•  The Rohingya people are an ethnic minority in Myanmar was have been persecuted by the Buddhist Majority government
•  They are labelled illegal immigrants from Bangladesh,
•  Since 1978 Military operations have been conducted against them- forcing them to flee to Bangladesh with no hopes on return as well as rape, mass killing
• The United Nations has described the Rohingyans as the Most Persecuted Minority in the world
• They are denied citizenship, access to education, healthcare, require permission to marry, have their reproductive rights restricted and are subject to numerous abuses such as forced labour.
• In June 2012 a Buddhist women was alleged to be raped and Murdered by Rohingyans which led to the subsequent violence and clashes between Buddhist Rakhines and Rohingyans
•  Myanmar's President Thein Sein says refugee camps or deportation is the "solution"
• In July 2012 , protect the Rohingya group started to create awareness and begin a dialogue on the plight of the Rohingyans
• This [Rohingya persecution] is truly systemic. It's part of Myanmar's legal and social system to discriminate against the Rohingya on the basis of their ethnicity … all the facets of life are affected by a system that codifies and makes lawful their persecution and discrimination." Benjamin Zawacki, a Myanmar researcher for Amnesty International

Syria

•    In July 2012 the international Red Cross dubbed the violence in Syria as civil war, Between the Free Syrian Army and the Bashar Al Assad Government forces
•   In March 2013 the United Nations reported that there are over one Million Syrian refugees , half of them being children
•  According to the United nations after 27 months of conflict, at the end of April reported the death toll to be around 93 000
•  The United Nations estimates that the conflict claims as many as 5,000 lives per month, nearly 1 in 3 Syrians are refugees or displaced inside the country, and there are 6.8 million Syrians in need of urgent assistance.
•  According to the Observatory which monitors violence through the network of security and medical sources report  over 100 000 deaths, 10 000 have been detained by pro-Assad’s forces and 2500 Assad military men have been captured by the Free Syrian Army (“ rebels)
•  The conflict in Syria has led to insecurities and sectarian tension in other states such as Lebanon and Iraq

Syria is part of that mubarak land (Shaam) for which Nabi SallAllahu 'Alayhi Wasallam made the Du'aa: Allahumma Baariklana fi Yamanina wa fi Shaamina (Oh Allah bless our Yemen and our Shaam). Someone asked: "and our Najd Ya Rasoolullah SallAllahu 'Alayhi Wasallam. To which Nabi Sallalahu 'Alayhi Wasallam repeated the Du'aa for Yemen and Shaam and the person asked again for Du'aa to be made for Najd but the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alayhi Wasallam repeated the Du'aa for Yemen and Shaam only and on around the third time the person asked for Du'aa for Najd the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alayhi Wasallam said that Najd is a place of fitna from where the horn/era of shaytan will emerge. (Bukhari Sharif)

Historically many false claimants to prophethood came from Najd such as musaylama bin kadhab, etc. Ibn Abdul Wahab Najdi (founder of Wahabism) and the Saudi dynasty are also from the Najd province which is East of Madinah. Madinah and Makkah are in al-Hijaz province. The point being that Syria which constitutes a large part of Shaam is blessed.

Please post the following under Syria on the blog:

Gift of the Givers has a hospital in Syria and they are sending food to Syrians in Syria and Syrian refugees in Yemen. People can deposit into their International Projects account and put the deposit reference as "Syria Lillah" or "Syria Zakaah". Then email them the proof of payment specifying where the money should go to: hospital, feeding in Syria or feeding Syrian refugees in Yemen. Their International Projects account is:

 ACCOUNT NAME:Gift of the Givers Foundation

ACCOUNT NUMBER:052278611

BANK:Standard Bank

BRANCH:Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

BRANCH CODE:057525

SWIFT CODE:SBZAZAJJ

They also make provision for Online Transfers: http://www.giftofthegivers.org/contact-us/

Kashmir 

Main contributors to the Economy: agriculture, saffron , horticulture, manufacturing sector, and tourism

•         Population  : estimated 10 Million people 
•         Estimated Killing 91 865
•         Women raped 9708
•         10 000 civilians are missing

-        Jammu and Kashmir

-        Valley located in the Himalayas – Known as the Paradise of Earth

•  Since 1947( August) after the Indian Subcontinent gain independence from British Rule , both India and Pakistan have engaged in an ongoing and unresolved conflict over Kashmir ( over 6 decades
• It is under Indian control but Muslim majority population , with about 4% of Hindus which reside in Kashmir
•  Over 40 000 civilians have been killed since 1989
•  Average one Indian Solider to 10 Kashmirie
•   India administrates Jammu and Kashmi
•  Pakistan administrates territories of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit- Batistan

-        Since 1947 over 3 wars have been fought between India and Pakistan of Kashmir

-        Above all Kashmir is now demanding for their independence, sovereignty and self-termination. Apart from both India and Pakistan 

-       Kashmir is a Muslim Majority dominated by Indian control over Police and Parliament

-        Pakistan disputes India’s control over Kashmir

-        Pakistani forces which media dubs them as rebels have been fighting Indian Forces since 1989 in Kashmir

o   Either for independence of Kashmir or for Kashmir to be merged to Pakistan

What has happened in Kashmir Recently?

•  A Parliamentary raid took place on an Islamic school (Madressa) in search for militants.This lead to widespread protest especially by residents of the Good district in Kashmir, resulting in police killing four protestors.They gathered outside base of the border security forces in Gool which is 230KM south of Srinagar( Summer capital of Kashmir- Indian control primarily dominated here)
• Pakistanis gathered to about 400 protestors who took the streets if Muzaffarabad (Capital of Pakistan). They marched to the United Nations office to hand them an memorandum/letter seeking for international intervention to protect the human rights in Kashmir

 History of Kashmir

-        In 1947 after independence from British rule

-        The Maharaja  Singh of Kashmir signed an interim standstill agreement to maintain transport and other services with Pakistan

-        By October 1947, conflict heightened and the Maharaja Singh has appealed to India for military assistance

-        Thus the Indian Governor General: Lord Mountbatten suggested that the best way to instil peace is if Kashmir falls under India’s Dominion for a temporary basis. This was known as the Instrument of Accession and resulted in India taking 2/3 of the territory, Pakistan taking the Northern reminder and China occupying the eastern parts of Kashmir and Jammu

-        What is the instrument of accession ?

o   Granting of Indian jurisdiction on external affairs and defence

o   This lead to Indian claiming ownership of the entire state of Kashmir-

o    only 1/3 of terrotority was administrated by Pakistan

-        According to India the Instrument of Accession of Kashmir to India was finalised then and thus Kashmir is theirs, contrary to that Pakistan believe Kashmir is a disputed territory and are demanding for self-determination of Kashmir

-        December 20 1948- the United Nations Commission proposed that Kashmir’s future is to be decided by the will of the people of Kashmir- THIS NEVER HAPPENED

-        After 1989:  end of soviet occupation in Afghanistan> lead to the apparent militarization of Kashmir and allegedly Kashmir became a training ground.

o   Indian gave the army increased authority to end the insurgency under the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Acts

-        Since 1989 on going  conflict have been going on which deaths, casualties , kidnappings etc. have been escalating

-        In 2001 , Pakistani General Musharraff and Indian Prime Minister had met over a 3 day peace summit and failed to produce a joint statement on Kashmir

-        In 2003 the Prime Minister of India, Atal Behari , offers ‘ Hand of Friendship’ to Pakistan which by November 26 they implemented a Pakistani proposed ceasefire- No change in the situation

-        Pakistan cities many UN resolution that favours a UN-run referendum but Indian argues the Simla  agreement of 1972 binds both Pakistan and India to solve the problem of Kashmir on a state to state basis

o   The Simla agreement formalises the Line of Control – yet it didn’t prevent any further clashes i.e. 1999 on the Siachen Glacier

-        After the recent incident in Kashmir, both Indian and Pakistani officials meet again to try and resolve the situation in Kashmir

                 Another struggle for Land, Another fight for justice!!

• Stand for All Muslims
• Educate people around you on the situation, whether its in Palestine,Burma or Kashmir

Some Ideas on What Can You Do?

•         Encourage your local MSA to have Seminars, debates and more events to educate students on local affairs
•        Create posters, pamphlets etc. on war torn countries and circulate it in order to raise awareness and educate others
•       Volunteer at organisations in assisting them in making a difference
•       For Palestine : Boycott Divestment and Sanction  – Muhammed Desai :  084 211988
•        For Rohingya : Protect the Rohingya - David Kamer: 0734922304
•     Get  creative !! write poems, articles and essays and be featured on MSA UNION's blog

-          Move beyond principally acknowledging a crisis and become actively involved in creating awareness !! INFOGRAPHIC DONE BY : Saffiyah Patel - MSA UNION Head of Media and Marketing 

     ARTICLE BY: Sumayya Omar - MSA UNION Head of Politics and