BinZiad
27-08-2002, 00:35
Friends of Al Aqsa programme held in, Leicester on Sunday 25th August 2002
attracted over 1,000 people, below is a brief transcript of Talk by Yvonne
Ridley (Daily Express Journalist).
“Experiences as a Taliban Captive and in eyewitness report on Jenin Refugee
Camp”
On Sunday 24th August at Crown Hills Community Schools over a 1000 Muslim women
from Leicester and surrounding areas attended a talk organized by Friends of Al
Aqsa to hear the guest speaker Miss Yvonne Ridley the Daily Express Journalist
who in 2001 was held captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan, and who had recently
visited Jenin in Palestine in the aftermath of the genocide committed by the
Israelis.
She started off by commenting on her experiences in Afghanistan after being
captured by the Taliban after she was accused of being an America spy by a
Taliban official. She mentioned the fact that the Taliban had captured her, she
initially was frightened for her life yet her viewpoint was drastically changed
by the actions and gestures by her hosts towards her. During her brief captivity
in Kabul she felt frightened again for her life but not by the Taliban captors,
but by the bombarding by American and British forces. She was finally released
only to face the world’s media who expected her to “dish the dirt on this brutal
regime”. Yet the reaction to her truth was different as she mentioned to
everyone that they treated her very well with courtesy and respect. People were
outraged as they expected her to mention that she was tortured and raped, not to
be respected and upheld.
While back in the UK, as she had promised the Taliban she started to read the
Quran, while she would also meet Muslim Clerics and academics in Mosques and
institutions. Her initial research was on an academic nature, yet her findings
on the role of women in Islam according to her “was a breath of fresh air”. Her
biggest revelation was when she met Muslim women across the country; she never
had met so many opinionated women in her life. The academic journey transformed
her into a spiritual journey. She then laughed off the London Evening standard
article that she had accepted Islam and was in the process of recieving lessons
in Islam from Sheikh Abu Hamza Al Masri. She clarified that she was studying
Islam in a spiritual sense, and hopefully everyday will be a day closer to the
acceptance of Islam.
She then went onto mention on her journey to Iraq and Palestine. She had visited
Jenin two days after the Israelis had pulled out of the camp. What she saw there
was horrific; she attacked the UN for not calling it a massacre. Around 65
people were killed. Most of them were women and children. Bulldozers were used
by the Israelis to flatten homes and peoples, F16 Jets, Apache helicopters and
Tanks were used to Shell Jenin. Palestinian Human Shields were used by the
Israelis, the treatment by the Israelis were seen as Nazi style tactics. The
Israelis from top down were in denial of all their actions. She also stated
again that the “suicide bombers” are martyrs, as what would make these young
people blow themselves up? These people are left with no hope and despair they
have nothing else to do. She dwelled on a nine year old boy she met in Jenin,
who had said to her “we can’t rebuild everything, as the Israelis will only come
again and destroy it”. She aimed to highlight that !
all hope was lost by the Palestinians due to the brutal Israeli regime, so what
else would they do to deliver and demand justice.
She then went onto Iraq; she believed firmly that the “heroic resistance by the
Palestinians has prolonged a war on Iraq”. Scott Ritter the UN Weapons inspector
in Iraq until 1999 told her is against any war on Iraq. As a weapons inspector
he firmly believes that Iraq has not got the means to build any weapons of mass
destruction, these are the views of a high ranking diplomat of the UN. She went
onto mention the public opinion in Britain which is now highly against any war
on Iraq. This was down to individuals who have let their views known into
collective opposition. She urged everyone present to attend the rally for
Palestine, and the anti war demonstration on September 28th in London. It is
again a chance to show that we are all united in support for justice in
Palestine and against any attack on Iraq. As a result to the pressure to show
opposition to any war has shown results. In the commons 160 MP’s has signed the
Early Day Motion against any military action; members of the cabinet are split over Iraq. There is quite a divide over Iraq.
The world according to her is fed up with the hypocrisy of America, George W
Bush and Saddam Hussein was very similar in her eyes. Both men want weapons of
Mass destruction, both were undemocratically elected, (anyone remember the vote
rigging in Florida?) Plans to attack Iraq violate all protocols and
International Law. Debate and dialogue has to be used in forums such as these to
uphold democracy and expression. Bush has torn up all Forms of UN Convention and
treaties; he has refused weapons inspectors in his own country. He has
undermined the International Criminal Courts, he has flouted environmental laws.
Over plans to attack Iraq he is facing opposition from Europe and the Middle
East based on humanitarian and political considerations. She also spelt out the
fear that if Iraq is attacked, due to the confusion Sharon would maximize the
chance to systematically ethnically cleanse the West Bank of Palestinians.
George. W Bush wants to attack Iraq firstly of Iraq’s links with Al-Qaeda,
however there is no evidence to show that Iraq has had any strong links with
Al-Qaeda. Then the Anthrax attacks in the US were linked to Saddam Hussein, it
was then investigated that it had no direct link with Iraq, it looks as though
it was started by an American scientist rather than Iraq. Bush then called for a
regime change in Iraq, Bush forgets that America armed and supported Saddam
Hussein, she had shown the double standards of the USA in deploring Saddam, but
supporting Sharon, condemning Iraq on invading Kuwait but defying all protocols
on herself invading Vietnam. Imposing sanction on Iraq, but acquiring weapons of
Mass destruction and actually also using them on other innocent people. Yvonne
firmly believes that “the biggest threat to world peace is America.” Any strike
on Iraq is illegally and immorally bankrupt. She urged again all those present
to pressure their local MP’s to opposes a!
ny war, put more pressure on the government, the cabinet and most all Tony
Blair, but most of all make your voices heard at the rally on Saturday September
28th 2002 at Hyde Park London. In Iraq she saw the reality of American
bombings, after visiting the air shelter in Baghdad where 408 mothers and
children were killed by a laser guided missile. The real reason why the US want
to attack Iraq, the US are in a financial disarray, war would galvanize the run
down economy, Bush is hoping to galvanize his people to support him.
George W. Bush is the most dangerous person in the world, and she stressed that
Blair can no longer allow the US to use Britain as a door mat, and become its
poodle. She had a salutary message for Blair that the last person who trotted
the world and threatened people with someone else’s army was Mussolini of Italy,
look what happened to him?
Yvonne Ridley in a space of an hour covered her experiences of Afghanistan and
Palestine, her views on George W. Bush, her fears over any attack on Iraq and
the need for all of us to be united in delivering justice for Palestine and
being against any attack on Iraq. The audience enjoyed her talk and were
fortunate in listening to her experience and views at a time when there is now
an increase of many journalists, academics and politicians throughout the world
who are increasing in their views to condemn Israel for its actions and demand
justice for the Palestinians.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friends of Al Aqsa is a voluntary organisation concerned with the defence of
Al Aqsa Haram Sharif and the protection of Palestinian Human Rights.
www.aqsa.org.uk
attracted over 1,000 people, below is a brief transcript of Talk by Yvonne
Ridley (Daily Express Journalist).
“Experiences as a Taliban Captive and in eyewitness report on Jenin Refugee
Camp”
On Sunday 24th August at Crown Hills Community Schools over a 1000 Muslim women
from Leicester and surrounding areas attended a talk organized by Friends of Al
Aqsa to hear the guest speaker Miss Yvonne Ridley the Daily Express Journalist
who in 2001 was held captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan, and who had recently
visited Jenin in Palestine in the aftermath of the genocide committed by the
Israelis.
She started off by commenting on her experiences in Afghanistan after being
captured by the Taliban after she was accused of being an America spy by a
Taliban official. She mentioned the fact that the Taliban had captured her, she
initially was frightened for her life yet her viewpoint was drastically changed
by the actions and gestures by her hosts towards her. During her brief captivity
in Kabul she felt frightened again for her life but not by the Taliban captors,
but by the bombarding by American and British forces. She was finally released
only to face the world’s media who expected her to “dish the dirt on this brutal
regime”. Yet the reaction to her truth was different as she mentioned to
everyone that they treated her very well with courtesy and respect. People were
outraged as they expected her to mention that she was tortured and raped, not to
be respected and upheld.
While back in the UK, as she had promised the Taliban she started to read the
Quran, while she would also meet Muslim Clerics and academics in Mosques and
institutions. Her initial research was on an academic nature, yet her findings
on the role of women in Islam according to her “was a breath of fresh air”. Her
biggest revelation was when she met Muslim women across the country; she never
had met so many opinionated women in her life. The academic journey transformed
her into a spiritual journey. She then laughed off the London Evening standard
article that she had accepted Islam and was in the process of recieving lessons
in Islam from Sheikh Abu Hamza Al Masri. She clarified that she was studying
Islam in a spiritual sense, and hopefully everyday will be a day closer to the
acceptance of Islam.
She then went onto mention on her journey to Iraq and Palestine. She had visited
Jenin two days after the Israelis had pulled out of the camp. What she saw there
was horrific; she attacked the UN for not calling it a massacre. Around 65
people were killed. Most of them were women and children. Bulldozers were used
by the Israelis to flatten homes and peoples, F16 Jets, Apache helicopters and
Tanks were used to Shell Jenin. Palestinian Human Shields were used by the
Israelis, the treatment by the Israelis were seen as Nazi style tactics. The
Israelis from top down were in denial of all their actions. She also stated
again that the “suicide bombers” are martyrs, as what would make these young
people blow themselves up? These people are left with no hope and despair they
have nothing else to do. She dwelled on a nine year old boy she met in Jenin,
who had said to her “we can’t rebuild everything, as the Israelis will only come
again and destroy it”. She aimed to highlight that !
all hope was lost by the Palestinians due to the brutal Israeli regime, so what
else would they do to deliver and demand justice.
She then went onto Iraq; she believed firmly that the “heroic resistance by the
Palestinians has prolonged a war on Iraq”. Scott Ritter the UN Weapons inspector
in Iraq until 1999 told her is against any war on Iraq. As a weapons inspector
he firmly believes that Iraq has not got the means to build any weapons of mass
destruction, these are the views of a high ranking diplomat of the UN. She went
onto mention the public opinion in Britain which is now highly against any war
on Iraq. This was down to individuals who have let their views known into
collective opposition. She urged everyone present to attend the rally for
Palestine, and the anti war demonstration on September 28th in London. It is
again a chance to show that we are all united in support for justice in
Palestine and against any attack on Iraq. As a result to the pressure to show
opposition to any war has shown results. In the commons 160 MP’s has signed the
Early Day Motion against any military action; members of the cabinet are split over Iraq. There is quite a divide over Iraq.
The world according to her is fed up with the hypocrisy of America, George W
Bush and Saddam Hussein was very similar in her eyes. Both men want weapons of
Mass destruction, both were undemocratically elected, (anyone remember the vote
rigging in Florida?) Plans to attack Iraq violate all protocols and
International Law. Debate and dialogue has to be used in forums such as these to
uphold democracy and expression. Bush has torn up all Forms of UN Convention and
treaties; he has refused weapons inspectors in his own country. He has
undermined the International Criminal Courts, he has flouted environmental laws.
Over plans to attack Iraq he is facing opposition from Europe and the Middle
East based on humanitarian and political considerations. She also spelt out the
fear that if Iraq is attacked, due to the confusion Sharon would maximize the
chance to systematically ethnically cleanse the West Bank of Palestinians.
George. W Bush wants to attack Iraq firstly of Iraq’s links with Al-Qaeda,
however there is no evidence to show that Iraq has had any strong links with
Al-Qaeda. Then the Anthrax attacks in the US were linked to Saddam Hussein, it
was then investigated that it had no direct link with Iraq, it looks as though
it was started by an American scientist rather than Iraq. Bush then called for a
regime change in Iraq, Bush forgets that America armed and supported Saddam
Hussein, she had shown the double standards of the USA in deploring Saddam, but
supporting Sharon, condemning Iraq on invading Kuwait but defying all protocols
on herself invading Vietnam. Imposing sanction on Iraq, but acquiring weapons of
Mass destruction and actually also using them on other innocent people. Yvonne
firmly believes that “the biggest threat to world peace is America.” Any strike
on Iraq is illegally and immorally bankrupt. She urged again all those present
to pressure their local MP’s to opposes a!
ny war, put more pressure on the government, the cabinet and most all Tony
Blair, but most of all make your voices heard at the rally on Saturday September
28th 2002 at Hyde Park London. In Iraq she saw the reality of American
bombings, after visiting the air shelter in Baghdad where 408 mothers and
children were killed by a laser guided missile. The real reason why the US want
to attack Iraq, the US are in a financial disarray, war would galvanize the run
down economy, Bush is hoping to galvanize his people to support him.
George W. Bush is the most dangerous person in the world, and she stressed that
Blair can no longer allow the US to use Britain as a door mat, and become its
poodle. She had a salutary message for Blair that the last person who trotted
the world and threatened people with someone else’s army was Mussolini of Italy,
look what happened to him?
Yvonne Ridley in a space of an hour covered her experiences of Afghanistan and
Palestine, her views on George W. Bush, her fears over any attack on Iraq and
the need for all of us to be united in delivering justice for Palestine and
being against any attack on Iraq. The audience enjoyed her talk and were
fortunate in listening to her experience and views at a time when there is now
an increase of many journalists, academics and politicians throughout the world
who are increasing in their views to condemn Israel for its actions and demand
justice for the Palestinians.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friends of Al Aqsa is a voluntary organisation concerned with the defence of
Al Aqsa Haram Sharif and the protection of Palestinian Human Rights.
www.aqsa.org.uk