Muslim Americans must meld into U.S. society before suspicion and mistrust lingering since the attacks on New York and Washington isolates them and sparks radicalism in their ranks, a study said on Tuesday.

“There is an urgent national need for Muslims and non-Muslims to work together to create full and equal opportunities for civic and political participation of Muslim Americans,” the report said.
For the first time since World War Two when the U.S. government rounded up and interred Japanese, many are questioning the loyalty “of a largely unfamiliar and largely immigrant American community,” said the report written by a task force of 32 individuals from business, government and academia.

Six years after the September 11 attacks focused attention on them, Muslim Americans remain “largely outside the U.S. mainstream,” the report said, even though they are an often well-educated and diverse group with the potential to make important contributions to civic life.
“The Muslim American community lacks strong institutions and recognizable public or political voices to gain regular access to government and media circles,” the report’s executive summary said.

“Some existing Muslim American institutions have avoided foreign policy issues for fear of drawing unfavorable scrutiny,” it added.

While independent studies found little evidence of widespread extremist activity with links to al Qaeda or similar organizations, efforts to counter perceptions to the contrary have not been effective, it said.

“Many Americans perceive Muslim Americans as not having fully and readily acknowledged the potential for radicalism within their community,” added the report prepared after a year’s study under the sponsorship by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and Washington’s Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

“The climate of suspicion and mistrust and the lack of engagement threaten to marginalize and alienate some elements among Muslim Americans to the point that the danger of radicalization becomes a real possibility,” it concluded.

Farooq Kathwari, co-chair of the task force, said in an interview that a radical response is always possible, “especially among the young. They are hot blooded and they don’t want to be alienated.”

“Fortunately in America there is more chance to be integrated,” he said, but “a pro-active engagement makes a lot of sense. We need to be extra careful that we don’t create a situation that is a self-fulfilling prophecy…”

The Kashmir-born, Brooklyn-raised Kathwari is the president and chief executive officer of furniture maker Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. Others on the task force included former congressman Lee Hamilton, who co-chaired the Iraq Study Group, and former labor secretary Lynn Martin.
Kathwari said the historic pattern of assimilation for immigrants that sees later generations woven into the fabric of society was disrupted for Muslim Americans by September 11.

“This process of integration has to be accelerated,” he told Reuters, to counteract both the perception that Muslims are one monolithic force and to ease fears among Muslims, some of whom have become targets of violence.

A recent Pew Research Center poll estimated there are 2.35 million Muslims living in the United States, a tiny fraction of the U.S. population of more than 300 million. Other estimates range as high as 7 million.

That same survey, based on a sample of 1,050 Muslims and released in May, drew a contrasting picture of U.S. Muslims, saying they were largely assimilated, happy with their lives and more moderate than Muslims in other countries.

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Courtesy Al-Ahram, Egypt

While temporary security in Gaza might have been restored under the control of Hamas, the economic conditions continue to deteriorate and the future for all and sundry remains under threat, writes Saleh Al-Naami in Gaza

Opinions from both sides

Ismail Al-Hamsi had another reason to rejoice over the fall of Gaza into Hamas’s hands. The Palestinian security people who used to extort money from his father, a fruit importer, were out of commission. “The official in charge of the Mintar crossing point would take 110 Shekels ($25) for every tonne of apples my father brought in from Israel,” the 23-year-old Palestinian said.
He was sitting outside the entrance of his father’s store in Souq Al-Faras, the largest market district in Gaza. The sense of relief over Hamas’s gaining control was palpable throughout the market, which is frequented by thousands of shoppers every day, and for very much the same reasons that the young Al-Hamsi mentioned. People had long been subjected to the financial bribery of the security officers.

Salim Abu Murshid, 54, a farmer from the agricultural district to the east of the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, planned to celebrate. He was going to distribute all the melons he’d harvested to his neighbours and to all those who showed up at next Friday’s prayers in his neighbourhood mosque. “From now on, the security people won’t be able to steal the sand from my fields and sell it to construction contractors,” he said.

Certainly not all Gazans were similarly affected. But if there is a general unanimity over any issue, it is that Hamas’s control will put an end to one of Gaza’s worst nightmares: the breakdown in security and the chaos resulting from the infighting of rival militias. Ali Ibrahimi, 35, works as a civil engineer for a construction company. He is a Fatah supporter, but he believes that Gaza will become much safer than it had been before the recent events. Gamal Nassar, 29, a taxi driver from the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, agrees. He attributed the anarchy which had prevailed primarily to a government at odds with itself, with the cabinet dominated by Hamas and the security agencies controlled by Fatah.

Some Palestinians, however, see the clouds rather than their silver lining. Specifically, they predict further economic deterioration and humanitarian suffering. Much as he supports the Hamas movement, Mahmoud Darwish, 48, a school teacher from the Maghazi refugee camp believes that Hamas will never be able to run Gaza in a way that fulfils the needs of the people. Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh’s recent statement that his government would continue with its duties made Mahmoud laugh. “Sure Abdul-Abd, [Haniyeh’s nickname] we’ll wait until you open up the borders to let food in, so people don’t starve to death,” he said caustically.

Interestingly, many of those who fear that economic and humanitarian conditions will worsen following Hamas’s take over hail from the youth leaders and intellectual elites associated with the movement. Hamas field leader Ali Abu Nusseir, 47, urged Hamas officials to back down on their refusal to relinquish in power and to try to strike an agreement with the new emergency government formed by Salam Fayyad. “Under the current conditions, this is the only way that the people’s basic needs will ever be met.” Abu Nusseir described Hamas’s situation as follows: “Hamas is like a starving man who grabs a loaf of bread. But the bread has come right out of the oven, so all he can do is toss it from one hand to the other, because it is too hot to eat.”

Nahad Al-Sheikh Khalil, an academic with ties to Hamas, put it another way: “Because of the limited margin for manoeuvrability, Hamas must find a way to come to terms with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. If they do not, people here will be without the bare minimum for survival.”

It is clear from the reactions of people in Gaza that their greatest hope is for law and order to prevail, which will be quite an undertaking. According to figures released by the Mizan Centre for Human Rights, 655 people died between 2002 and the beginning of June 2007 as a consequence of the security breakdown in Gaza. Of these, 81 were children. During the same period, 127 people were kidnapped, among whom 30 foreigners. The source of optimism for Gazans lies in their hope that there will be a turnaround in this tragic situation and that the power struggle between Hamas and Fatah will cease.

It was obvious to all that the reason why the national unity government’s security plan had not been put into effect, in the period before the recent outbreak in hostilities between Fatah and Hamas, was that security officials loyal to Abu Mazen had refused to cooperate with Hamas as part of a power struggle against it.

The anxiety over further economic deterioration, too, is not without grounds. Gaza is the most densely-populated area on earth (one and a half million people living on 360 square kilometres) which does not have economic resources of its own. Not only is this small area penned in by Israel from the land, air and sea, but, as well, the Paris Protocol that the PA and Israel concluded in 1995 has inextricablly tied the Palestinian economy to that of Israel: Gaza gets all of its water, electricity and fuel from Israel, and all of Gaza’s imports and exports have to pass through Israeli ports.

To top all of this, the PA has to pay the salaries of some 150,000 government and security service employees at the end of every month from taxes withheld by Israel and donations from the international community which ceased following the economic embargo. Even before the recent crisis, these employees had been receiving only a portion of their salaries and only intermittently at that. Now it appears that the situation for them could get even more drastic.
The signal to this effect came from the Israeli Deputy Defence Minister Ephraim Sneh who announced on Friday that the US administration and Israel had agreed to take action to double the economic pressure on Gaza, while easing conditions for the Palestinians in the West Bank so that the people in Gaza would realise that their situation would only get worse under Hamas’s rule.

The intent is clearly to foment popular discord in Gaza against Hamas, and the chances of this happening are not remote. According to Palestinian economic analyst Hani Habib, the recent US and EU decision, after the Fayyad emergency government was formed, to re-open the flow of financial aid to the PA would have little impact on the lives of Palestinians in Gaza. “Even supposing that the emergency government could pay civil servants their salaries, they still won’t be able to get the basic necessities because of the Israeli blockade. What’s the use of having money if there’s nothing you can buy with it?”

As though this prognosis was not already gloomy enough, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Avigdor Lieberman declared that Israel would not hesitate to cut off water, electricity and fuel to Gaza if Palestinian resistance movements continued to fire missiles at Jewish settlements across the border from Gaza. In a television interview with Israel’s Channel 10 on Sunday morning, the head of the ultra-right Yisrael Beitenu party said, “why should we give them the electricity to run the machines which produce the crude missiles they fire at us?”

Talal Okal, writer and political commentator for the Palestinian Al-Ayam newspaper, also wondered whether the emergency government would be able to improve the situation for the people in Gaza. With the Hamas takeover in Gaza, this government no longer possesses the means to function as a ruling authority and to fulfil its responsibilities, he said. He then raised another problematic issue, which is that the emergency government has only a one month remit. “This division and this perverse situation cannot be expected to come to an end in such a short time. So is there a way to overcome the challenges that have arisen?” Okal asked.

To Hamas parliamentary spokesman Salah Al-Bardawil, many of the abovementioned problems fall under the heading of alarmism. He feels confident that neither Israel, the Americans nor the Arabs want to tighten the blockade against the Palestinians in Gaza. Such a blockade would not be in their interests because of the repercussions this would have throughout the region.

The dramatic turn of events which led to Hamas’s seizure of control in Gaza is an unprecedented turning point in the history of the Palestinian people. Beyond optimism in regard to an improvement in the security situation, nobody, whether in Hamas, Fatah including Abu Mazen’s inner circle, Israel or the Arab countries — which are deeply disturbed by these developments — has a clear idea where events will lead.

Still, it may be useful here to recall the words of Israeli writer, B Mikhael when he cautioned his government against depending on the exertion of economic pressure to topple the Hamas government. The experience so far, he said, demonstrates that the more Israel pressures the Palestinians to turn against Hamas, the more they cling to it. Conversely, the closer the Americans and Israelis embrace the Abu Mazen government the more this government appears, in Palestinian eyes, like the Vichy government in France during World War II.

Other Israelis have warned their government against taking any military action in Gaza or the West Bank. Hamas could take advantage of any Israeli aggression to mobilise Palestinian support as it mounts attacks against Israel, creating a scenario that would throw everything into further confusion, they argue.

The Hamas leadership has shown itself savvy to where the possible ends and the impossible begins. For this reason, it is important for Hamas to reach some compromise with Abu Mazen. Even now, the movement might not reject the idea of holding early elections, which Abu Mazen would find difficult to reject, having himself decided earlier to call for these before putting this decision on hold after the Mecca Accord was reached.

On the other hand, if Hamas feels that the other parties intend to drive it into a corner, it may be moved to act desperately. In this case, we cannot rule out more attempts to attack Israel, which in turn could lead to the Israeli re-occupation or partial re- occupation of Gaza. Such a development would prove deeply embarrassing to Abu Mazen and many Arab governments and it would do more than anything else to unite the Palestinian factions, once again, behind the option of armed resistance, probably under Hamas’s leadership.

9-27

India Post, News Report, Srirekha N. Chakravarty

NEW YORK: In a major case of ‘Food Fraud’, more than 30 percent of the ‘Basmati Rice’ sold in the retail markets of the US and Canada has been found to be adulterated with inferior quality grains.

Basmati adulteration, it is estimated, is a $15 million hoax on the consumers in the US, according to Ricesearch, a one-of-a-kind DNA rice authenticity verification service in India. The state-of-the-art testing facility has been exclusively set up by Tilda, exporter of premium Basmati, with a major footprint in the US, Canada, UK and Middle Eastern markets.

Acting in public interest, a survey on Basmati rice conducted by Ricesearch revealed that only 68 percent of the so-called Basmati Rice sold in the US and Canada is unadulterated.

In the survey, 27 percent of the samples failed to meet rice export standards prevailing in India and Pakistan – the UK and US standards would reject 32 percent.

Even more shocking is the revelation that one in every five samples drawn from the market had adulteration levels of over 25 percent; over 25 percent of the samples had complex mixes of three or more varieties, which result in inconsistent cooking; and less than 15 percent of the samples were of pure traditional Basmati.

“Less than 15 percent of the samples had 100 percent pure basmati, 85 percent was adulterated,” reiterated TP Mahesh, President of Tilda Marketing. “The worse thing about the US market, it has been found, is that different lots of the same brand had differing percentages of admixtures, presumably going by the tolerance levels of consumers say in New York or Houston.”
“Based on that we have come to the conclusion that every year consumers are losing $15.7 million, because they think they are buying pure Basmati rice, but they are not,” pointed out Mahesh.

Scientists have recently deciphered the rice genome allowing them to identify the “finger print” of individual rice grains and specific rice varieties.

“At Ricesearch, we collect samples of Basmati rice from the market, put it in packets without labels, including our own brand of Basmati, and then do the testing,” explained Mahesh. “We work very closely with finger print experts in India (the Center of DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, India), Food Standards Agency, UK and the University of Bangor, Wales, UK.”

Tilda started its rice testing facility in 1993. In 2000 Ricesearch as well as the Food Standards Authority of the UK tested samples of ‘Basmati’ in the UK, and shared the results. “When results came in, they were aghast,” Mahesh said.

Consequently, in 2004, the UK government made it mandatory that only certain qualities of rice can be called Basmati and brought into the country. Consequently today in the UK Basmati imports have been regulated to ensure that only the traditional and patented variety gets in. Fines are being imposed on people who adulterate, and such DNA based testing for rice has precedents of successful convictions where two rice importers were convicted after pleading guilty to the offense of selling ordinary rice as Basmati rice.

“The BBC’s Channel 4 recently did a story on food fraud and in that connection talked about Tilda’s DNA testing techniques to ensure the purity of our Basmati supply,” informs Mahesh.
Interestingly, the British Retail Consortium has also come up with a Code of Practice on Basmati Rice agreed upon by The Rice Association, British Rice Millers Association and British Retail Consortium, in consultation with, among others, the All India Rice Exporters Association.

Further investigations are on-going while the European Union has implemented DNA testing on imports of Basmati entering the European community since 2003.

Following the UK experience, Tilda carried out a similar exercise in the Middle East, where more than 40 percent of the so-called Basmati available in the UAE retail market was found to be adulterated with inferior quality grains.

After creating a media buzz to educate consumers in the Middle East, Tilda has now launched a similar exercise in the US. “We just want to tell consumers that you cannot be ripped off on food,” said Mahesh. RiceSearch does an on-going research on rice samples collected from the traditional farmers’ mandis, and other emerging varieties before they become commercially significant.

“The whole idea is to pick up the threats below the radar to preserve the authenticity of Basmati,” says Mahesh. The rice DNA testing lab does continuous collaborative work with the Center of DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnospitcs, India, the FSA in UK (equivalent of the FDA in the US) and the University of Bangor, Wales, UK. The authentic Basmati varieties selected from historic land races and patented are Basmati 370, Basmati Type 3 (Dehradun Basmati), Haryana Basmati Collection 19 (HBC, Taraori Basmati, Karnal Local), Basmati 386 and the Pakistani variety – Kernel Basmati. Although several cross breeds have been recognized, Mahesh points out that they are simply not the same in terms of the qualitative characteristics of 100 percent pure Basmati.

According to Mahesh, at least 15 percent of the major US retailers stock Indian Basmati. Tilda intends to make these US retailers aware of the fraudulent varieties of ‘Basmati’ and work with them for testing samples, similar to what it did with the FSA in the UK. “But first, our aim is to educate the consumers and tell them not to buy blindly. There are brands which are being sold on ‘Buy One Get Two Free’ scheme, which should make the consumer question the authenticity because Basmati is a premium product and cannot be sold at such cheap rates,” says Mahesh.
The problem is difficult to stem unless there is widespread consumer awareness, feel Tilda officials. “The rice that gets imported from India may be pure, but it is at the US end that it gets adulterated, packaged and sold as Basmati. The controls have to happen at the port of entry,” says Mahesh. Implying that there is no ulterior motive on part of Tilda in exposing the food fraud, Mahesh says: “We have no issue on the consumer getting the product at a cheaper price. The problem is when consumers are led to believe that what they are getting for that price is pure Basmati, when it is not.”

9-27

By Nilofar Suhrawardy, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS)

NEW DELHI–The Palestinian problem as of now is not limited to Palestinians living perpetually under war clouds. It extends to their being deprived of the right to live normally within their own territory. Without a region that they can call their own state, what should be regarded as Palestinians’ passport is viewed as a travel document. Numerous check points faced by them in their own territory have made travel problematic and cumbersome for them. For the average Palestinian earning less than two dollars a day, just the expense of traveling for medical help can cost around $70. War, war-threats, infighting or violence in any form is certainly not the answer to these problems, so what makes it continue? These were some of the questions raised at a seminar organized here last week by Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and League of Arab States’ Mission (June 22). The seminar on Palestine: 1967 and After was held marking the 40th anniversary of the June 5 war leading to Israeli occupation of Palestine.

In his opening address, Talmiz Ahmed, director-general of ICWA, described the crisis affecting Palestinians at present as “worst of worst.” It was imperative for the world community, he said, to be “sensitive to aspirations of Palestinian people.”

With numerous conflicts affecting the entire area from Pakistan to Palestine, he pointed to the region facing a “very serious human cost.” On the manner in which extremist designs were used to crush the same, describing the former as “mirror-image” of the latter, Ahmed pointed to there being a “resurgence of imperialism.” Commenting on “extremist” measures being used to crush what Israel and United States’ top leadership “view as Islamic terrorism,” Ahmed raised the question: “How should we approach these issues?”

Even the so-called “peace” measures carry little importance for Palestinians as they are “nothing but reconfirmation of the occupation process,” Ahmed Salem Saleh Al-Wahishi, ambassador, League of Arab States Mission, said in his address. Until a “genuine attempt” is made for peace, giving due importance to Palestinians’ interests, “The entire region will continue to be conflict-ridden,” he said. “Any step (in the peace process) being taken to satisfy Israel should also satisfy Palestinians and Arabs,” he asserted. Describing the 1967-war as a “wake-up call” to what the region has faced since then, Al-Wahishi emphasized the need for Palestinians to “unite.” “I look forward to Palestinian unity, to the narrowing of the gulf between them,” he said.

Tracing Palestinian sufferings to sixty year-period, Palestinian envoy Osama Musa said: “We are victims since 1947.” Dismissing the role played by the United Nations in settling the Palestinian problem as a “failure,” Musa said: “The UN was for peace, but there is no peace, only disaster. There has been one foolish resolution after another from the UN.” On the diplomatic “concern” displayed by the US regarding peace, human rights, justice and similar issues, Musa said: “They have no justice. They believe in justice through tanks and missiles. They talk of human rights but Americans are biggest violators of human rights.” Musa pointed out that even serious attempt made by Israel and Palestine would not be supported by the US, because he said: “Israel and Palestine’s peace is illogical for American interests because then Arabs would not need USA.”

King Abdullah (Saudi Arabia) was credited for the Makkah accord, which brought the two Palestinian factions (Fatah and Hamas) together, though for a little while, by C.R. Gharekhan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s special envoy for West Asia and Middle East peace process. “India agrees that President Mahmoud Abbas’ hands should be strengthened. But that is not enough,” he said.

During discussions, views were also aired on whether the involved parties had erred in not giving adequate importance to the victory of Hamas in Palestinian elections 18 months ago and what should be the approach towards them now. Giving personal account of his experience in Palestine, P. Harish, Indian bureaucrat who has lived there for several years, pointed to Palestinians being without a state. “Statelessness – the defining characteristic of Palestinians, that is the worst crime, worst humiliation of people beyond poverty, that of living in occupied territories,” he said.

Since the Palestinian problem began six decades ago, “Israel is violating the resolutions of international legitimacy by rejecting the demand of international community for its withdrawal from occupied territories in West Bank, Gaza Strip, Syrian Golan height and what is left from Lebanese territories,” League of Arab Nations stated in a press release. Israel has “ignored vividly,” the release said: “The international humanitarian law, particularly the 4th Geneva agreement of 1949 – in relation to protection of civilians at time of war,” and other international conventions related to foreign occupation, through its “inhumane violation” and “oppressive measures including policies of racial discrimination, exploitation of population and construction of the wall which was denounced by the International Court of Justice.” Based on the Beirut Summit and the recently held Riyadh Summit (March 2007), the release called for peace in the region, “to fulfill the legitimate right of Palestinian people to return to their home land and to establish their independent state with its capital Jerusalem and to establish peaceful relations between Israel and Arab states.”

India’s concern about Palestinian problem is strongly reflected by holding of the seminar in the capital city. India has officially expressed the hope that the situation would soon “return to normalcy.” At a separate gathering, in response to questions, an Indian ministry of external affairs’ spokesperson said (June 22): “The need of the hour is to work towards meeting legitimate aspirations of all the people of Palestine, including their right to live in peace with their neighbors, within secure and recognized international borders.”

9-27

By Dr. Aslam Abdullah, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS)

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and Washington’s Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars recently released a study on Muslim Americans with several questionable conclusions and dubious assertions.

The conclusions that it has drawn contradict some earlier surveys’ findings and create a climate of unrealistic uncertainty among Muslims. Based on the interview The Muslim Observer conducted among 50 Muslims in Nevada and California, it can safely be said that 85% of Muslims think that the findings are not based on realities, and exaggerate facts. Some 60% said that the survey lacks credibility as it fails to identify the sources that are determined to isolate Muslims. Interes tingly the survey advises Muslim Americans to meld into US society before they are isolated and turn to radicalism.

The report concludes that the Muslim Americans lack strong institutions and public and political voices to gain access to the media and government. The report also says that Muslims are outside the national mainstream. It also says that some existing Muslim American institutions have avoided foreign policy issues for fear of drawing unfavorable scrutiny.

The report contradicts last month’s PEW Survey based on a sample of 1,050 Muslims and released in May, saying that Muslims were largely assimilated, happy with their lives and more moderate than Muslims in other countries.

The Woodrow Wilson International Center ignores the following fundamental facts.
1. Some 33% of Muslims are of African American descend. They are fully integrated in the society. Some of them are members of various legislative bodies. Many are active in community and social life and they do matter in the politics of the African American community.

2. In several states, Muslims are actively involved in state and local politics; many playing an active role in affairs of the state.

3. The report says Muslims are afraid to raise foreign policy issues. The fact is that Muslim organizations and institutions run by immigrant Muslims have raised only foreign policy issues during the last 15 to 20 years.

4. The report says that Muslims must meld into the US society before they are isolated. The fact is that some 70% of Muslims are already assimilated into US society.

They are the ones who do not come to the mosque, who have changed their names, and who have forsaken their Islamic identity. One can easily find pockets of such Muslim communities all over the country.

The report failed to identify the impact of the Christian right and the Zionist extremist in orchestrating anti-Islam campaigns in the country. These two groups, with some clandestine efforts on behalf of some well known intelligence agencies, have invested huge resources in orchestrating an intense anti-Muslim campaign to make them isolated and alienated. The report fails to give any details of these groups.

It also fails to give a correct assessment of Muslim institutions and organizations.
It seems that the Center had the good intention to produce a quality document, but those who ran the project ran it down as their methodology was faulty and their conclusions were even more unrealistic.

9-27

Low Turnout for Dearborn Heights City Council Candidate Forum

By Dana Inayah Cann, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS)

Dearborn Heights–June 25–Including the press (which consisted of Dearborn Heights Cable TV, channel 12 and WOW channel 10) and the Dearborn Heights City Council Candidates, about 40 people were in attendance at this open forum held at the Dearborn Heights City Council Chambers. The forum was sponsored by the League of Women Voters for Dearborn and Dearborn Heights (LWVDDH), a non-partisan, political organization who’s mission “encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding on major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.“

Of the eight candidates, only seven were present: Barbara Langlois, a retired city worker; George C. Landry, a veteran of the United States Military; Elizabeth Agius, Council Chair for Dearborn Heights and program evaluator and research analyst at Wayne State University; Rose Tripepi, a retired UAW Ford employee; Kenneth Baron, Councilman for the last 12 years and a business owner; Bob Brown, executive director of the Senior Alliance Area Agency; and Ned Apigian, a licensed builder, city planner and self-employed architect.

Candidate Maria Ellul Langlois, a patient advocate and emergency department representative at Oakwood Healthcare System was not able to attend.

The forum began at approximately 7pm. After a welcome and introduction of the forum given by the president of LWVDDH, Mona Hammoud, candidates introduced themselves prior to answering questions developed by audience members and LWVDDH.

The forum covered issues such as the upkeep of the city, ordinances, wildlife, outsourcing, top three concerns for the city and hopes for the city’s future. For each question, three to four candidates were given the chance to respond.

“It’s a complicated issue,” said George C. Landry, 35 about the city‘s upkeep. Landry, a 33 year resident stated that numerous houses are going up for sale along with vacant houses and others going into foreclosure. “Homeowners need to be outspoken to keep up their properties,” said Landry.

Ned Apigian, 62 and a 36 year resident wants the city to create more ordinances. “The city of Dearborn Heights needs a tree ordinance,” said Apigian, expressing his frustration with people who trim and cut down trees without following the proper procedures. Apigian also spoke about people who violate trash day procedures, saying that no one wants to drive down a street where residents line the curbs with trash before time. “We don’t seem to have enough money to enforce this,” said Apigian.

“Some neighbors can’t afford to upkeep their property,” said Barbara Langlois, a 47 year resident. Langlois suggested that neighbors help each other by cleaning and fixing up properties, especially those of senior citizens.

Over the years, wildlife have become an annoyance for the residents of Dearborn Heights. Bob Brown and Kenneth Baron both agreed that wildlife in Dearborn Heights is here to stay, noting that the animals are everywhere in the city and if people refrain from feeding them, the animals won’t be prompted to emerge on their properties.

Apigian said of the issue that he can think of more issues to be concerned with other then the animals. “We’re surrounded by the woods,” said Apigian. “ I don’t think it’s a problem unless it’s a nuisance.”

As for the outsourcing of union jobs, Elizabeth Agius, a 20 year resident, thinks that outsourcing is not yet an issue. Retired union worker Rose Tripepi stated that she is against outsourcing.
When asked about their three top concerns for the city and hopes for the future, Landry concerns are for the budget, safe guards for children and that every concern by the citizens is taken care of. He hopes that in the next ten years, the value of properties in Dearborn Heights will increase. Agius’ concerns are for the residents quality of life, the city budget and bringing in new businesses to the city. She hopes that in the next ten years the city will have a stable funding base. Tripepi’s concerns are for the care of seniors, abandon homes and the children.

Tripepi’s hopes that in the next ten years the city is rejuvenated and that the more businesses come to the city.

At the end of the forum, candidates expressed their love for the city and how their past and/or present job skills can be used to fulfill the position as City Council.
Election day is November 4, 2007.

For more information of the League of Women Voters for Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, log onto lwvddh.org or call (313) 278-6476.

Press Releases: Metro Detroit Mosques to House Mini Jewish Libraries

The American Jewish Committee, Metropolitan Detroit Chapter, will present small Jewish book collections to two metro-Detroit area mosques on Thursday, June 28. The first Building Bridges Thru Books presentation is scheduled for 2:00 pm at the Detroit Muslim Center located at 1605 W. Davison in Detroit and the second ceremony will be held at 4:00 pm at the Islamic Organization of North America, IONA at 28630 Ryan Road in Warren.

Both Imam Abdullah Bey El-Amin of the Detroit Muslim Center and Imam Steve Mustapha Elturk of IONA will address members of their mosques upon accepting the gifts.

The two collections include books about the Jewish faith, customs and holidays, Jewish literature, Jewish codes of law and ethics and sacred texts.

Sixteen books appropriate for young adults and up will be housed in special areas of the mosques and made available to those who are serious students of the Abrahamic faiths. This project has been generously underwritten by Suzy and Burton Farbman.

“Recent events in the Middle East and in America have challenged many members of the Jewish and Muslim communities who value the cultivation of positive relations between the two faith communities,” reflects Brenda Rosenberg. As the co-chair of the Chapter’s Interreligious Affairs Commission, Brenda Rosenberg feels that Building Bridges Thru Books is a model for strengthening interfaith outreach and understanding.

“Together with Muslim leaders, we are paving the way to breaking down the barriers of misumderstandings, incorrect information and prejudice that so easily can divide us.”

Imam Abdullah Bey El-Amin was the first imam to be approached by the American Jewish Committee leaders and enthusiastically accepted. He has already begun setting space aside for the mini-library. Imam Mustapha Elturk has designated space in IONA’s library’s comparative religion section and has expressed appreciation for the gift. “We value this contributionnd we hope that these books will indeed help build bridges among those who follow the Abrahamic faiths.” Other area imams and their congregants have agreed to accept mini Jewish libraries and presentations in Dearborn and in Oakland County will be scheduled for August.

Book titles: Biblical Literacy, Essential Torah, The Book of Jewish Values, The Jewish Book of Why, The Torah, The Jewish Study Bible, The Student’s Guide Through the Talmud, The Torah–JPS Standard Edition, To Pray as a Jew, Inside Judaism, The Jewish Holidays, Symbols of Judaism, The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions, American Judaism, Children of Abraham: An Introduction to Judaism for Muslims, This Jewish Life.

AJC Interreligious Affairs Commission, Co-chairs Brenda Rosenberg (248) 790-1544 and Sheldon S. Toll (248) 613-3188.

ACCESS, NNAAC: Historic Visit to Capitol Hill

Representatives from six member organizations of the National Network of Arab American Communities (NNAAC), convened in Washington D.C. to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform. On June 20, participants joined top civil rights and immigrant rights leaders from throughout the country at the Rights Working Group meeting to discuss due process and immigration reform.

NNAAC members then made a historic trip to Capitol Hill, where they met with senior staff from Representative Keith Ellison’s (D-MN) office and Representative Nydia Velazquez’s (D-NY) office. In this first ever NNAAC Hill visit, participants discussed the impact of immigration reform on the Arab American community and advocated for a just and comprehensive immigration reform bill. NNAAC would like to thank Rebecca Abou-Chedid from the Arab American Institute for facilitating these Hill visits.

A day earlier, on June 19, participants joined thousands in a march to the White House. Taleb Salhab, ACCESS National Outreach Director, moderated the rally.

Participants included representatives from ACCESS, the Arab Cultural and Community Center in San Francisco, the Arab American Action Network in Chicago, the Arab American Community Center in Orlando, the Arab American Family Support Center and the Arab American Association of New York, both based in Brooklyn.

For more information about the immigration reform effort, contact Nadia El-Zein at (313) 842-4763 or nelzein@accesscommunity.org.

Blue Cross Blue Shield CEO Meets with Arab American Community

On June 26, ACCESS hosted a reception in honor of Daniel Loepp, President and CEO or Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The event took place at the Arab American National Museum, and in attendance were leaders from various segments of the Arab American community. Mr. Loepp was recognized for his dedication to serving the local population in his role.

“Dan clearly evidences a commitment to the betterment of our society,” said ACCESS Board President, Noel Saleh. “Through his leadership and coalition building, the Michigan Blue has helped to preserve coverage to individuals year-round regardless of medical condition. He clearly has a deep concern for the well being of all people.”

Also recognized was ACCESS Board Member Cathy Mozham, Director of Community Affairs at Blue Cross Blue Shield. Her contributions and support as a board member have become at tremendous asset to ACCESS and its work.

ACCESS Services for the Elderly

ACCESS provides assistance to the elderly in getting through the maze of services, programs, and options available for seniors. Our Social Services case managers provide information and referral services to seniors, to increase awareness and access to Senior Network Services that are available to them by The Senior Alliance and Detroit Area Agency on Aging.

Services include: Adult Day Services, Caregiver Support, Care Management, Case Coordination and Support, Chore Services, Congregate Meals, Elder Abuse Services, Gatekeeper Program, Health Screening, Hearing Impaired Services, Home Delivered Meals, Homemaker and Personal Care Services, Caregiver Assistance, Legal Assistance, MMAP (Medicare/ Medicaid Assistance Program, MI Choice Waiver Program, Refugee Support Project, Respite Care, Transportation, and Vision Services.

In partnership with ACCESS, the DAAA (Detroit Area Agency on Aging) and TSA (The Senior Alliance) are on a mission to find, educate, and enroll 1000 eligible individuals into the low income subsidy (LIS) program offered through the Social Security Administration known as “Operation Extra Help” to provide them with benefits they may be eligible for.

For more information, please contact Enam Abraham at (313) 945-8109 or Hala Ancouni at (313) 842-6755.

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Distinctive Pakistan Community Center Opens in Houston

Located at the intersection of South Dairy Ashford at Bissonnet in Southwest Houston, the first full-fledged “Pakistan Community Center ” of the USA has been established in a former H-E-B Grocery Store.

The First Annual Gala Fundraising Dinner was held at the Center this past week, while the Center will be officially inaugurated by Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, Mr. Mohammed Mian Soomro on July 05, 2007.

The fundraiser was attended by three Congresspersons: Sheila Jackson Lee, Al Green and Nick Lampson.

Mr. Ghulam Mohammad Bombaywala, President of the Pakistani-American Association of Greater Houston (PAGH), talking to local media, said that he is most happy to be given an opportunity by God and the community to be the caretaker of this project.

This project was envisioned way back in the 1980s and several individuals and committees have worked on various options and plans. However, it was during the presidential tenure of Mr. Bombaywala that PAGH Pakistan Center Trustees and PAGH officials came with the unique idea of a self-sustaining Community Center. There was debate within the community on this issue and some were not in favor of combining business interests with a community services center.

Mr. Ghulam Mohammad Bombaywala and his team continued with the plan of using the funds generated by the sale of earlier Pakistan Center Land, the funds raised by the team plus taking out loan to purchase the old H-E-B Grocery Store and renovate it to make seven shops facing Bissonnet (the commercial and self-sustaining part of the Center) and Pakistan Community Center facing South Dairy Ashford.

All seven shops have been leased, and it is expected that the loan of $1.5 million for the property will soon be paid-off.

The 37,000-Square-Foot building has seven shops, a 16,000-Square-Foot Banquet Hall and Seminar Room (which both can as well be rented to generate funds), a community clinic, library, after-school activity room, elderly people’s room, and separate prayer halls for ladies and men.
PAGH can be reached at: Pakistani Community Center, 12638 Bissonnet, Houston, Texas 77099, Phone: 281-684-4231.

Chinese Language Needs To Be Learnt: China Town Hall Meeting

The Asia Society Texas Center for the past twenty-eights years has operated as a medium for perspectives and deliberations on subjects related to Asia. Hundreds of programs are offered each year on Asia, with economics seminars, USAID Reports, health issues, cultural exhibits and salons, the annual Tiger Ball, and much more.

The Asia Society Texas Center, in collaboration with the National Committee on US-China Relations and the University Of St. Thomas Center for International Studies, brought web-cast at the Cullen Hall of the St. Thomas University Houston. This web-cast was part of Local Connections–National Reflections China Town Hall Meetings, which were held simultaneously in 30 Cities across the US.

The first thirty minutes were addressed by Dr. Thomas J. Christensen, who is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs with responsibility for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia.

Mr. Stephen A. Orlins, President and CEO of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, was the Webcast monitor. After the webcast, each of the 30 cities had a local
program.

In Houston, the panel included Ms. Naila Qureshi of the Asia Society, Dr. Gustavo Wensjoe of the University Of St. Thomas Center for International Studies, and Kein G. Nealer of The Scowcroft Group, Washington, D.C.

Dr. Thomas J. Christensen emphasized the necessity of developing an articulated and coordinated plan towards the People’s Republic of China that can integrate all the concerns like economic, security, diplomatic, and human rights. China’s brisk appearance as a salient constituent of today’s strategic environment has considerable connotations for the US, the Asia, and the world. He said Chinese is one of the most important languages for everyone (especially entrepreneurs and the youth) to learn.

According to Dr. Thomas J. Christensen, China’s over dependence on oil can create a world crisis, especially since China is relying on countries for oil who are not in friendly terms with the USA (like Sudan, Iran and Venezuela).

He said when he visited China in the previous decades the number of cycles and automobiles he saw have interchanged their numbers; meaning there are as many automobiles now on Chinese roads as there used to be bikes in the previous decades. And as the numbers swell at astronomic rates, the world can get engulfed in energy crisis very soon.

About the economy and China-US Trade Deficit, it was mentioned that China’s policies of market liberalization have resulted in rapid export-led economic growth, prompting increased foreign investment; development of China’s manufacturing capabilities; and integration into the global supply chain. China’s abundant and inexpensive labor supply has made that country an obvious place for multinational companies to expand their production. According to Dr. Christensen’s assessment, five of eight factors identified as major drivers of China’s comparative advantage—for example its ability to undercut the prices of global competitors—are considered unfair trading practices. These include its undervalued currency, counterfeiting and piracy, export industry subsidies, and lax health, safety, and environmental regulations. These practices violate China’s WTO commitments, especially regarding workers’ rights, market access, currency manipulation, subsidies, and the protection of intellectual property rights. These violations and unfair practices also contribute to a growing U.S. trade deficit with China; one that U.S. Census Bureau statistics confirm increased 177 percent in the past six years from $83.8 billion in 2000 to $232.5 billion in 2006.

Dr. Thomas J. Christensen concluded by saying that in all spheres like the economy, the environment, military spending and innovations, China needs to become more transparent and show willingness to work together with the world community.

At the conclusion of the half-hour webcast, Kevin Nealer lead the discussion with the Houston audience on “China ’s Energy Demands and Implications for U.S.” Remember Nealer is the author of the Council on Foreign Relations Report Beginning the Journey: China, The United States and the WTO.

He is a consultant to the U.S. defense and intelligence communities on trade and economic security issues.

For more information on future Asia Society Texas Center Programs, contact: Ms. Susie Works, 4605 Post Oak Place, Ste. 205, Houston, Texas 77027 – Tel: (713) 439-0051 Ext. 12 – Fax: (713) 439-1107 – E-Mail: susiew@asiasoc.org.

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By Mohammed Ayub Ali Khan, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS)

CHICAGO, IL– “Urdu is a language of unity and brotherhood and negates the theory of clash of civilizations. Efforts should be made to propagate its message of amity and inclusiveness in order to defeat the divisive forces,” said renowned critic, linguist and Urdu scholar Dr. Gopi Chand Narang. He was speaking at the inaugural session of the fourth International Urdu Conference in Chicago on Friday, June 22. The three day convention consisted of nine sessions were more than two dozen papers were presented on Urdu fiction, Urdu literature & Feminism, the role of Naat & Marsia in Urdu literature, and the Contributions of the Progressive Movement, etc.

Continuing on the importance of Urdu as a unifying force Dr. Narang said that its role is similar to the one of the mystics. He cited an anecdote of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya who was once gifted a pair of scissors. The great mystic declined to accept it and said that he should rather be presented with thread and needle so that he can do something constructive. “Urdu has the vast potential to patch up the civilization, religious, and other differences,” Dr. Narang added.

Dr. Taqi Abidi, president of the Central Committee of the Urdu Conference, said over 60 per cent of the Urdu literature consists of devotional poetry like Naat & Marsia and that it will be foolhardy to ignore this discipline. He claimed that there are over seven thousand Marsias in Urdu. In a powerful rebuke to those who claim that Marsias are exclusively the domain of the Shi’ah community, Dr. Taqi Abidi said that each Marsia ends on the Naat which is universally accepted by Muslims and even non-Muslims. “If one wants to get a glimpse of pristine forms of poetry in which chivalry, devotion, faith, suffering, and other noble characteristics are discussed then one cannot ignore the disciplines of Naat & Marsia.”

Dr. Ali Ahmed Fatimi of Allahabad University in his paper on the Progressive Movement said that it introduced the genuine emotions,concerns, and aspirations of the suffering masses in Urdu poetry which was predominantly occupied with mundane subjects. He said that this movement should be revived to meet the modern day challenges of poverty, hunger, and war.

Dr. Abidullah Ghazi, educationist & author, pointed out that the Progressive Movement had played an influential role in socialist countries. He claimed that the literature of Communist China had borrowed heavily from the subcontinent’s progressive writers.

Dr. Qamar Raees clarified that the Progressive Movement wasn’t necessarily anti-Islam or anti-religion and that many poets of this movements were deeply religious. He said that even Sajjad Zaheer was highly appreciative of the revolutionary message of the Holy Qur’an in his book Roshnai which was written while he was incarcerated. While in jail Zaheer and other prisoners were denied the books of Marx, Engels and other revolutionary writers but were provided with copies of the Holy Qur’an. At this he apparently remarked that perhaps the jail authorities do not know that the Holy Qur’an is the most revolutionary book on the face of the earth.

Dr. Abdul Jaleel Pathan, Vice Chancellor of Maulana Azad Urdu University, said that Urdu is not an impediment in the learning of modern subjects and his university offers a diverse array of subjects including business management and communication. Many graduates of the university are now employed in many mainstream businesses and the university will soon offer more courses in Science and Arts streams.

Khalil ur Rehman, publisher & chief editor of Urdu Times, stressed on the need to develop new educational techniques and methods for the teaching of Urdu in the modern context. He said that the internet holds vast potential in imparting Urdu literacy in North America due to its widespread penetration. Urdu Times, the largest Urdu language newspaper in North America, is the organizer of the conference and has held successful Urdu conferences in the past years in New York, Toronto, and London. He urged the lovers of Urdu to join the movement for its propagation. He proposed the formation of a ‘Urdu Foundation’ as a not for profit organization to promote Urdu language & literature, commission research activities, and develop technologies for learning and teaching of the language.

The convention concluded with a grand Mushaira in which more than thirty local and international poets participated including Dr. Qamar Ra’ees, Dr. Mohsin Ahsan, Dr. Taqi Abidi, Dr. Khaliq Anjum, Nayyar Jehan, Sayyid Hanif Akhgar, Dr. Ziauddin Shakeeb, etc.

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Courtesy India West, Richard Springer

The wave of immigrants who energized the high tech sector from 1995 to 2005 were well-educated and came to the United States mainly for further education and employment, not to launch new start-ups, according to a recently-released study.

Also, among Indian American entrepreneurs during the decade, graduates of the famous Indian Institutes of Technology played a less dominant role than previous media reports have implied.
These are two of the more surprising findings in a new report, “Education, Entrepreneurship and Education,” issued June 11 by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University, and the School of Information at the University of California at Berkeley.

The survey was a follow-up to a January 2007 report, “New Immigrant Entrepreneurs,” which found that in 25.3 percent of technology and engineering companies started in the U.S. from 1995-2005, at least one key founder was foreign-born and 26 percent of those immigrant-launched firms had an Indian co-founder (I-W, Jan. 5).

In a teleconference with reporters June 11, lead co-author of both reports, Vivek Wadhwa, executive in residence at the Pratt School, said he was not surprised that the Indian and Chinese entrepreneurs were so well educated, but the “extent” of their education was an eye-opener.

Of the 144 company founders surveyed (including 87 Indians and the rest from China and Taiwan), 96 percent held bachelor’s degrees and 74 percent held graduate or postgraduate degrees, including 26.8 percent with Ph.D.s and 47.2 percent with master’s degrees.

About 52.3 percent of the immigrant founders initially came to the U.S. for higher education, 39.8 percent for job opportunities, 5.5 percent for family reasons and only 1.6 percent to start a business.

More than 53 percent of immigrant founders of tech and engineering firms completed their highest degrees in U.S. universities and about 72 percent of these degrees were in three fields: engineering (43.5 percent), computer science/information technology (18.5 percent) and applied sciences (10 percent).

“The U.S. economy depends on these high rates of entrepreneurship and innovation to maintain its global edge,” Wadhwa said in a statement.

“Our higher education system has historically attracted talented immigrants from around the world to the United States to study. We now face a choice – to encourage more Americans to complete higher degrees in these fields, or to encourage foreign students to stay in the United States after completing their degrees. We need to do both.”

Of the Indian American founders, 91.3 percent completed their undergraduate degree in India, but only 15 percent at one of the seven IITs. “No single university stood out,” Wadhwa said, adding that both Delhi University and IIT-Bombay accounted for seven percent each.

Since a BusinessWeek article and a “60 Minutes” profile some years ago highlighted the accomplishments of graduates of the IITs, it has been thought that they played the primary role in the Indian American contribution to the tech boom. This report may lessen that perception.
Wadhwa, founder and former chief executive officer of Relativity Technologies in Raleigh, N.C., joked to reporters that he might have to endure the wrath of some IIT grads because of the finding.

The study also determined that immigrant entrepreneurs tend to move to cosmopolitan areas, and regions with the largest immigrant population also tend to have the greatest number of technology startups.

About 31 percent of the engineering and technology companies founded from 1995-2005 in the 11 technology centers surveyed had an immigrant as a key founder. This compares to a national average of 25.3 percent.

Robert Litan, vice president of research and policy at the Kansas City, Mo.-based Kauffman Foundation, told reporters that the study argues the U.S. immigration policy “should be more liberal in accepting more high-skilled immigrants as well as allowing those who want to upgrade their skills” to do so.

Wadhwa pointed out that many of the more recent group of immigrant founders must wait six to 10 years, or even longer, to get their green cards.

Faced with such delays, “they might as well go back to Delhi and Bangalore” to start up their companies, he added.

Immigration law needs to be changed to help persuade foreign-born entrepreneurs to remain in the U.S., Wadhwa insisted.

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