FOREIGN TIMES
Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, March 16, 2019
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Huge protests in Algeria as allies turn on Bouteflika A huge crowd has gathered in the Algerian capital to protest for a fourth consecutive Friday demanding urgent change and an end to the rule of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has been in power for 20 years. Demonstrators crammed streets and squares in central Algiers after Friday prayers, many draped in Algeria’s red, green and white flag. Reuters news agency said protesters numbered in the hundreds of thousands, describing the rally as the biggest since the start of the rallies last month. Demonstrations also took place in Bejaia, Oran, Batna, Tizi Ouzou and other cities. The rally was the first major test of whether 82-year-old Bouteflika has calmed anger on the streets with his surprise announcement on Monday that he would not seek reelection but would instead cancel the presidential poll scheduled for April 18. “You pretend to understand us, we will pretend to listen to you,” read a banner held aloft by the mostly young demonstrators. “The options for the authority to stay in power have become nil,” law student Kenza Sulaimani was quoted as saying by the DPA news agency. “We don’t want to see anyone belonging to the present regime.” Meanwhile, Algeria’s ruling FLN party showed more signs of turning its back on Bouteflika, with one senior figure saying in an interview overnight that the long-serving president was “history now”. Former spokesman Hocine Kheldoun, who talked to Ennahar
television late on Thursday, became one of the most senior FLN officials to break with Bouteflika publicly, saying the party had to look forward and support the aims of demonstrators. A former minister who is familiar with Bouteflika’s inner circle told the Reuters news agency that the president could not survive given the pressure building against him. “Game over. Bouteflika has no choice but to quit now,” the former minister said on condition of anonymity. Protesters were initially overjoyed when Bouteflika announced he would not stand again, but his move to cancel the vote prompted accusations of “tricks” and set off a new round of demonstrations. He has also named a new prime minister, replacing the unpopular Ahmed Ouyahia with former interior minister Noureddine Bedoui, who, on
Thursday, defended the postponement of the polls. The protest movement has been led by students in a country where half the population is under the age of 30 and youth unemployment has spurred anger against a government seen as out of touch. The military, which has traditionally played a behind-the-scenes powerbroker role, has distanced itself from Bouteflika and stayed in its barracks throughout the crisis. It is expected to retain influence under all scenarios. Bouteflika, who uses a wheelchair and has rarely appeared in public since suffering a stroke in 2013, has promised a “national conference” to carry out reforms. The president said new elections would be held “before the end of 2019”, suggesting he may stay in office for another year.
‘Hello, brother’: Muslim worshipper’s ‘last words’ to gunman A Muslim worshipper, who was among the first people to be killed in New Zealand’s worst ever mass shooting, appeared to say “Hello, brother” to the attacker just moments before he was shot dead. According to a live stream video of the attack, the man, who is yet to be identified, could be overheard saying “Hello, brother” as the gunman approached the entrance of the Al Noor mosque in central Christchurch. At least 49 people, including children, were killed in Friday’s attacks targeting the Al Noor and Linwood mosques. Police said on Saturday morning that 42 people were being treated for wounds following the “terrorist” attack. Two of them, including a four-year-old child, were in critical condition. Video footage of the assault, which has been widely shared on social media, showed a gunman shooting indiscriminately at worshippers as they ran for safety or lay huddled on the floor. A 28-year-old Australian man, who police have not identified, has been charged with murder. He is set to appear in court on Saturday. As the attack shocked New Zealand, a nation where violent crime is rare,
several social media users hailed the Muslim man who greeted the attacker before he was murdered. “’Hello, Brother’ were the last words of the first New Zealand victim. As he faced a rifle, his last words were peaceful words of unconditional love. DO NOT tell me that nonviolence is weak or pacifism is cowardice,” one Twitter user said. “’Hello brother’ a word came out of a pure soul filled with a peaceful faith. ‘Hello brother’ was said to a killer with a rifle pointed to this greeting. ‘Hello brother’ he said thinking that he is talking to a human with soul and feelings. ‘Hello brother’ was shot dead,” another wrote. “Hello brother and the reply was three bullets - Bi-ayyi thanbin qutilat (For what crime. She was killed) [Quran: 81, v9],” said another. Aziz Helou, a resident of Melbourne, Australia, wrote on Facebook that “amongst the chaos of today, the evil we both heard and saw”, that one incident stood out. “The first Muslim man to die, his final words were ‘hello brother’. These words were uttered by a man who symbolised Islam. He had a rifle pointed at him by a man with clear intentions to kill and
how did he respond? With anger? With aggression? No, with the most gentle and sincere greeting of ‘hello brother’. “Perhaps this hero was trying to defuse the situation? Maybe Allah used this man to show the world the kindness that is Islam. I don’t know but what I want, is to make certain, is that this detail isn’t lost amongst you. That this mans final act was an Islamic one, a sincere courageous and warm way to stop violence instead of fuelling it”. In a social media video, former New Zealand rugby star Sonny Bill Williams gave a tearful tribute to those killed. Williams, a practising Muslim, struggled to hold back tears in the 64-second Twitter post, telling families of those killed that “you are all in Paradise”. “I heard the news. I couldn’t put it into words how I’m feeling right now,” Williams said. “Just sending my duas (prayers) to the families”. Before the attacks took place, the gunman reportedly published an Islamophobic manifesto on Twitter. He then live-streamed his rampage, according to an analysis by the AFP news agency. Political leaders across the world condemned the killings, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan describing them as “the latest example of rising racism and Islamophobia”. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan also blamed the attacks on rising Islamophobia. “I blame these increasing terror attacks on the current Islamophobia post-9/11 where Islam and 1.3 billion Muslims have collectively been blamed for any act of terror by a Muslim,” said Khan. “This has been done deliberately to also demonise legitimate Muslim political struggles.”
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The world reacts to New Zealand mosque attacks
Political and religious leaders from across the world have expressed their condemnation at the deadly shooting at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. Forty-nine people were killed and at least 48 suffered serious injuries in the shootings targeting the mosques during Friday prayers. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the shootings appeared to be a well-planned “terrorist attack”. Police said three men and a woman were in custody in connection with the attacks. The timing of the shootings and the posting on social media of what appeared to be live, point-of-view video footage of the assault by a gunman, added to the distress of many. Here is how political leaders around the world reacted soon after the incident. Turkey Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the deadly attack on the mosques, describing them as “the latest example of rising racism and Islamophobia.” “With this attack, hostility towards Islam, that the world has been idly watching and even encouraging for some time, has gone beyond individual harassment to reach the level of mass killing,” Erdogan said at the funeral of a former Turkish minister. “It is clear that the understanding represented by the killer that also targets our country, our people and myself, has started to take over Western societies like a cancer.” Erdogan’s spokesman separately condemned what he called a “racist and fascist” attack. “This attack shows the point which hostility to Islam and enmity to Muslims has reached,” Ibrahim Kalin wrote on Twitter. “We have seen many times Islamophobic discourse against Islam and Muslims turning into a perverse and murderous ideology. The world must raise its voice against such discourse and must say stop to Islamophobic fascist terrorism,” he said. US President Trump sent out a 270 character Tweet but failed to mention the word Muslims when condemning the deadly shootings. Instead, he sent his “warmest sympathy and best wishes” to the people of the country. “49 innocent people have so senselessly died, with so many more seriously injured. The US stands by New Zealand for anything we can do,” Trump wrote in a post on Twitter. Earlier, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that the US strongly condemned the attack. “The United States strongly condemns the attack in Christchurch. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with the people of New Zealand and their government against this vicious act of hate,” Sanders said. The UN Security Council condemned the mass shootings in Christchurch as “heinous and cowardly” and said acts of “terrorism” were criminal and unjustifiable. ‘Hello brother’: Muslim worshipper’s ‘last words’ to gunman “The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” the 15-member body said. A spokesman for Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general, said the UN chief was “shocked and appalled at the terrorist attack” in New Zealand and was urging people everywhere to work together to “counter Islamophobia and eliminate intolerance and violent extremism”. Jordan According to the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, a Jordanian man was among those killed and five other Jordanian nationals have been injured in the attack. “This heinous massacre is an appalling
terrorist crime. It unites us against extremism, hatred and terrorism, which knows no religion,” Jordan’s King Abdullah said. Lebanon Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Jubran Bassil warned against the rise of extremism in the West, saying it puts “communities at great risk and in direct confrontation that will only lead to the scourge of war.” Egypt Egypt said it stands by New Zealand and the families of the victims, and condemned “the despicable act of terrorism that goes against all principles of humanity and serves as a new reminder of the need to continue and intensify international efforts to fight terrorism, violence and extremism.” Qatar Qatar said it condemned in the strongest terms the “terrorist and brutal attack” in New Zealand. In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Qatar reiterated its firm stance on rejecting violence and terrorism, regardless of motives and reasons. Indonesia Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslimmajority country, strongly condemned the shooting as authorities were checking on whether any of its citizens were victims. “The government and the people of Indonesia convey deep condolences to the victims and their families,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a statement. READ MORE New Zealand PM: Dozens killed in ‘terrorist’ attack on mosques She was earlier cited by media as saying six Indonesians had been inside the mosque when the attack occurred, with three managing to escape and three still unaccounted for. Malaysia In Muslim-majority Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the biggest party in its ruling coalition, said one Malaysian had been wounded in the attack he described as a “black tragedy facing humanity and universal peace”. “I am deeply saddened by this uncivilised act, which goes against humanistic values and took the lives of civilians,” he said in a statement. “We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims and the people of New Zealand.” Pakistan Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan blamed the New Zealand attacks on rising Islamophobia after 2001’s September 11 attacks. “Shocked and strongly condemn the Christchurch, New Zealand, terrorist attack on mosques. This reaffirms what we have always maintained: that terrorism does not have a religion. Prayers go to the victims and their families,” he tweeted. “I blame these increasing terror attacks on the current Islamophobia post-9/11 where Islam & 1.3 bn Muslims have collectively been blamed for any act of terror by a Muslim. This has been done deliberately to also demonize legitimate Muslim political struggles,” he added. Afghanistan Afghanistan’s ambassador to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, Wahidullah Waissi, said on Twitter three Afghans had been wounded. “My thoughts are with the family of Afghan origin who’ve been shot and killed at this heinous incident.” Organization of Islamic Cooperation The Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said the attack “served as a further warning on the obvious dangers of hate, intolerance, and Islamophobia.” OIC’s Secretary General, Youssef alOthaimeen, urged the New Zealand government to provide more protection to Muslim communities living in the country. Al-Azhar University in Egypt Al-Azhar, the world’s foremost Sunni Islamic institution and university, said the attacks reflects an “escalation of the discourse of hate, xenophobia and Islamophobia” in Western countries.