Sri Lanka: Women’s Insecurity in the North and East

“More than two years after the end of the war, many women still live in fear of violence by the state and from within their own communities”, says Alan Keenan, Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst and Sri Lanka Project Director. “The conflict has badly damaged the social fabric and has left women and girls vulnerable at multiple levels. A concerted and immediate effort to empower and protect them is needed”. Read more>>>

UK Major bank report fails to identify root causes to the financial crisis

The failings were attributed to a host of factors broadly grouped under internal failings at the managerial level, in addition to the failings of global regulation and finally the failure of the FSA itself in its regulatory approach. The findings of the report essentially call for increased regulation and monitoring to be applied at various levels of management and regulation to minimise the risk of a repeat of the failings. Read more>>>

Holding Libya Together: Security Challenges After Qadhafi

“Libya was liberated in piecemeal fashion, mostly by local rebellions and ad-hoc military groupings that used both military means and negotiations to achieve their goals”, says William Lawrence, Crisis Group’s North Africa Project Director. “As a result, a large number of local forces and militias grew up that could legitimately proclaim themselves national liberators”. Read more>>>

  

South Sudan: Compounding Instability in Unity State

“Instability must be considered in light of the complicated history of this frontline state within the “old” Sudan, the strategic interests of national powers, and the complex web of relationships and shifting alliances among the state’s political and military actors”, says Zach Vertin, Crisis Group Senior Analyst. “Some troubles have festered for years, while more recent developments – prompted by the partition of Sudan – have exacerbated instability and intensified resource pressure”. Read more>>> 

Eurozone Crisis – Beware of Greeks Seeking Gifts

In the last week of October the heads of the Eurozone countries announced their long awaited plan for solving the debt crisis ravaging the region. With Greece seemingly on the brink of a sovereign debt default and Portugal, Ireland, Spain. Not only to quieten the markets but also to show confidence that the politicians have a workable plan to save the region from a possible Euro meltdown. Read more>>>

Babri Masjid Demolition 19 years ago

It was L. K. Advani who first brought the Babri Masjid issue to the forefront of the BJP’s strategy to achieve power. His extremely provocative and dangerous ‘rath yatra’ (chariot journey) whipped up religious sentiment, polarised society, generated passions and stirred Hindus and Muslims with pernicious results. Read more>>>

Syrian crisis draws in regional and major powers

The Arab League’s announcement of economic sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has set in motion a rapidly escalating crisis that is drawing in both the regional and major powers. The offensive being mounted against Syria now threatens a wider conflagration in the region. Read more>>>

South Korea: The Shifting Sands of Security Policy

South Korean officials have repeatedly stated that any further attacks would be met with a firm response. The rules of engagement have been changed so that rather than limiting retaliation to the same type of weapon used in the attack, the South will use whatever force it deems necessary, including air strikes. Instead of following the earlier patterns of provocations and ensuing attempts at compromise, Lee warned the North there would be no reconciliation until they apologised. Read more>>>

Myanmar: A New Peace Initiative

The international community has an important role to play in support of peace and development in Myanmar. It should understand the complexities of the conflict and support conflict resolution without making the attainment of peace a prerequisite for improving bilateral relations or beginning to lift sanctions. Encouraging the protagonists to find their own way to stop the fighting and make headway on a political settlement would simultaneously help meet key Western benchmarks on political prisoners, human rights, and democracy. Read more>>>

Sri Lankan government imposes austerity budget

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is also the country’s finance minister, presented the budget for next year to parliament on November 21. Following the dictates of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), he has maintained the current wage freeze and imposed new burdens on workers and the rural poor, while making further tax concessions to big business. Read more>>>

A meeting on JVP crisis in Sri Lanka

The JVP was founded in the 1960s on the basis of a mixture of Maoism, Castroism and Sinhala populism. In the 1990s, it abandoned the “armed struggle” and has been thoroughly integrated into the Colombo political establishment. Amid plummetting electoral support, it is currently headed for another split. Read more>>>

Obama’s aggressive turn to Asia

The installation of Obama as president was backed by powerful sections of the American foreign policy establishment as the means of extricating the US from Iraq and Afghanistan and mounting an aggressive drive into the economically-dynamic Asian Pacific region. Read more>>>

The Egyptian revolution turns against the military

By these mass struggles, workers and youth have made clear that they reject the junta’s “democratic transition” as a fraud. They sense that elections run by the military under emergency laws have nothing to with democracy. Such elections would only produce a legislature controlled by the junta and its imperialist backers, trying to lend false parliamentary legitimacy to further repression and right-wing policies by Mubarak’s old cronies. Read more>>>

The crisis of the euro

The collapse of the eurozone would have disastrous economic and social consequences—on this point experts agree. It would plunge the continent into social upheavals and national conflicts similar to those in the first half of last century. Read more>>>  

Global Economic Crisis – The Crises of Debt

Since the global financial crisis began in 2008 the end to the crisis appears as distant as ever and in 2011 further cracks have appeared.To remind us of how we have got here – growth in Western economies in the last decade was driven by the real estate bubble which stimulated the remainder of the economies of the West. Read more>>>

Greece is a another victim of capitalism

The European Union was conceived after WW2 as Europe was ravaged from war. The European continent has a long history of wars as various rulers and empires attempted to conquer the continent. To ensure this never happened again and to contain Germany, perpetuator of two wars in the 20^th century, a unified Europe was attempted. Read more>>>

ILO report warns of sharp employment downturn, social unrest

The vast majority of countries categorized as having advanced economies—mainly in the United States and Europe—have seen a slowdown in employment growth in the most recent quarter, and more than half have seen employment declines. At the same time, about half of those countries categorized as “emerging or developing” have seen declines in employment, including Russia and Mexico. Read more>>>

Africa without Qaddafi: Case of Chad

During his 42-year reign, Qaddafi was time and again an actor in and mediator of Chad’s conflicts. After initially playing an active role in destabilising the north, he contributed in recent years to bringing relative peace to that historically rebellious zone by mediating between armed groups. When the crisis in Libya began, Déby initially tried to defend Qaddafi’s political legitimacy by accusing the rebels of colluding with Islamists. Read more>>>

Pharaoh has Fallen. Now Egypt needs real change

Hosni Mubarak, the Pharaoh of Egypt, was today thrown out of office in humiliation. Yesterday he did not announce his resignation despite being expected to do so. Yet, by the permission of Allah (swt) the demands of the brave and perseverant Muslims of Egypt, Mubarak has gone  after 18 days of demonstrations, sacrifice and martyrdom. Read more>>> 

The Capitalist System – Taking the ‘Care’ out of the ‘Healthcare Service’

Capitalist societies are imbibed in a culture which sanctifies materialism, over that of human life. Capitalist values have reared generations who ascribe more importance on goods and services than they do on human dignity, and nurtured an individualistic mindset moulded upon the pursuit of self-interest rather than care and concern for the needs of others. Read more>>>

Tax doesn’t have to be Taxing

Islam has a completely different taxation philosophy. Rather than taxing income the Islamic fiscal policy focuses taxation on wealth. Islamic taxes on wealth broadly focus on unused monies, land and benefits. Islam has an array of taxes related to the production of land and the utilisation of land. Islamic taxation consists of very low taxes and hence does not burden the Ummah. This means that individuals are more likely to invest their wealth without being afraid of high taxes and will be motivated to work harder to reap the rewards for themselves and their families. Read more>>>

The euro crisis: Major Powers plan new bank bailout

As the economic crisis deepens and Europe, following the US, sinks into recession, conflicts between the trans-Atlantic allies are escalating. At the same time, rivalries within the European Union itself are intensifying. Some senior European political figures with a sense of history have already pointed out the dangers arising from a break-up of the euro zone. Read more>>>

America: The land of poverty

In 2010 there were 46.2 million people—almost one out of every six residents—living below the official poverty line, including 16.4 million children. Of these nearly half, or 20 million, were described as living in deep poverty, subsisting on less than half the income the US government says is needed for basic food, shelter, clothing and utilities. Read more>>>

Why this sinister"hate-Muslim" campaign now?

There is a growing feeling and fear among Sri Lanka's Muslims that a sinister campaign has been underway inciting the Sinhalese against them. The campaign portrays Sri Lanka's Muslims as a threat to Buddhism, the Sinhala people, their culture and the country as a whole. Read more>>>

UK riots: Weeks later, are politicians and thinkers insane?

The UK’s intellectual and political classes are not insane, but you could be forgiven for thinking so when you hear many of the solutions they have brought forward to tackle the causes of the riots that shook the country in August 2011. A famous English proverb says “A sign of insanity (madness) is to keep doing the same thing and expect a different outcome”. Read more>>>

Why we must mobilise against the EDL

The EDL is a fascist street fighting movement. Attempting to demonstrate in Tower Hamlets is a highly provocative move by the EDL and consistent with previous attempts to bring their violent Islamophobia into Britain’s Muslim communities. EDL demonstrations have led to riots, with violent attacks upon police officers, Muslim, Asian and black communities,  Mosques, Sikh and Hindu temples. Read more>>>

Honestly identifying the root causes of the social malaise in society of UK

After the UK's countrywide riots that stunned but probably did not surprise and the immediate outright condemnation across the political spectrum, the British political class is at a well-rehearsed stage of any crisis when solutions are proposed. Read more>>>

Sri Lanka Experiences: Emotional Politics, Violence, And The Future

On 5 June 1956, disturbances occurred at Colombo when about 200 Tamils led by 12 members of Parliament staged a silent protest demonstration against the introduction of the Sinhala-Only policy, outside the Parliament building. They were assaulted, even stoned, by the Sinhalese mobs led by the Sinhalese politicians. Read more>>>

Aid and Conflict in Afghanistan

After a decade of major security, development and humanitarian assistance, the international community has failed to achieve a politically stable and economically viable Afghanistan. Despite billions of dollars in aid, state institutions remain fragile and unable to provide good governance, deliver basic services to the majority of the population or guarantee human security. Read more>>>

The political establishment and the Oslo massacre

It was only a matter of time before the incessant promotion of racial hatred, national and anti-immigrant chauvinism and militarism engendered an act like that which occurred in Oslo. Read more>>>

US imperialism and the South China Sea crisis

The Obama administration’s aggressive drive to counter China’s growing strategic and military influence in East Asia has seen the South China Sea become one of the globe’s most dangerous flashpoints. Read more>>>

UK Media and the Norway massacres: Why they targeted Islam

The British media decided to ignore their original errors, failing to educate their audience that the European Union’s Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2010 stated that of the 294 ‘terrorist’ incidents in Europe in 2009, only 1 was perpetrated by Muslims. Read more>>>

The European debt crisis and the threat of dictatorship

Since then, the European debt crisis has only intensified. In line with the pattern throughout the crisis, the new round of social cuts and privatizations has been seized on as a benchmark to demand even more brutal attacks on the living standards of the working class in Greece, across Europe and internationally. Read more>>>

Partition of Sudan prepares way for further conflicts

South Sudan formally declared its independence on July 9. President Barack Obama was among the first to recognise the new country. He welcomed the “birth of a new nation”. “I am proud to declare that the United States formally recognises the Republic of South Sudan as a sovereign and independent state upon this day, July 9, 2011. Today”, Obama said, “is a reminder that after the darkness of war, the light of a new dawn is possible”. This is simply rubbish. Read more>>>

Sri Lankan ex-lefts promote illusions in Tamil National Alliance

The NSSP is not only providing much-needed political assistance to the discredited TNA but also lining up with US and European imperialism, which are seeking to pressure the Sri Lankan government to negotiate with the Tamil organisation. Read more>>>

The Islamic Ruling on Protests & Demonstrations

This struggle that the Ummah is engaged in is the highest political struggle that was sanctioned by the Messenger of Allah (saw) as the best struggle. Yet, we find some ‘ulama' (clerics) sponsored by the oppressive regimes giving a most unfortunate regressive fatwa (religious edict) that claims protests and demonstrations in the Muslim lands are haram (prohibited). Read more>>>

Justice through Islamic Governance

With the Arab spring in full flow, it is becoming clearer that many players are competing for the space created by the overthrow of some rulers in the Middle East. Whilst the Ummah braved the brutal crackdown on the streets to end the architecture of client rulers, foreign interference and foreign dependency constructed by the Western colonial powers, the West continues to call the Arab spring as a call for democracy, Western values and more Western involvement. Read more>>>

The Quest for Economic Progress – An Islamic Blueprint for Pakistan

As the recent Credit Crunch has shaken the global Capitalist structure to its very foundations, people world-wide are questioning its practical stability and intellectual validity. As the bankruptcy of Capitalist thought is revealed, there is an urgent need to replace it with a practical alternative model that is based upon sound ideas and has a pedigree of success. Read more>>>

Extra-judicial practices of the Russian Security Agencies

We see today that Russian leaders are trying to portray Russia as a civilised nation that respects human rights, yet in reality this is how they act to achieve their objectives: by separating a mother and her children in order to force a man to confess to crimes he did not commit. Read more>>>

The Libya Contact Group: Colonial attempts to control a post-Gadhafi Libya

By having these meetings in the Muslim lands the foreign powers be they America, Britain or France are trying to create an air of legitimacy for their intervention in Libya. Their stooges in the Muslim world of course help these modern day colonists. Read more>>>

Khilafah Conference 2011: Revolution in the Muslim World

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The Theory of Evolution - A Critique

The Theory of Evolution has become the de facto standard used in the West, and indeed beyond, to explain the existence of creation and life, it is described as rational and scientific. In stark contrast, other arguments that explain the existence of life are considered to be irrational, backward and steeped in ignorance borne out of belief in religion. In other words, there are essentially two clear camps: the ‘scientific’ and progressive camp which espouses the virtues of the Theory, and the apparently ‘unscientific’ contingent which clings to outmoded explanations such as the existence of a Creator.  Read more>>>

Sri Lankan worker dies of police-inflicted wounds

Roshen Chanaka Ratnasekera, a 21-year-old employee from the Katunayake Free Trade Zone (FTZ), died on Wednesday from police gunshot wounds. More than 200 workers were injured when police attacked a FTZ protest on Monday using water cannon, tear gas and batons and live rounds. Read more>>>

The Deceptions in Obama’s Speech at the American State Department Reveal the Falsehood of American Policies

Towards the end of his speech, Obama confirmed that America supports a two-state solution in Palestine: one state for the Jews, tranquil and secure whose safety America will protect; and one for the people of Palestine, crippled and deprived of weapons. Read more>>>

Demonstrate Against Obama Hands OFF the Muslims World

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A Public talk on 'Global Economic Crisis & Alternative Islamic Solutions' By: Mr. M. R. Mohamed, (Political Economist)

A Public talk on 'Global Economic Crisis & Alternative Islamic Solutions' by Mr. M. R. Mohamed (Political Economist) was held at Sri Lanka South Eastern University Auditorium on 11th of May 2011 and it was organized by the Open Economics Forum of the Dept. of Economics-SEUSL.  Read more>>>

Demonising Pakistan – The Result of Obama’s speech

When US President Obama told the world that US special forces had killed Osama Bin Ladin in Abbotabad, Pakistan, it provoked a storm of media commentary. He claimed that justice had been done, blaming Bin Ladin for the 9/11 attacks. Read more>>>

HT banned now on “alternative media” as well as print and electronic media

Freedom of Expression exposed as a lie yet again: America orders global closure of active Facebook accounts of Hizb ut-Tahrir and of its members. Read more>>>

A Thousand Women Gather at UK Conference “Islam: The Global Liberation For Women”

Over a thousand women, Muslim and non-Muslim from across the UK and from Europe attended a conference in Central London on Sunday 20th March, organised by the women of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain. The event aimed to counter the relentless accusations from the Western media and politicians regarding Islam’s oppression of women as well as to challenge the prevalent belief that women’s liberation can only be achieved through Western secular liberalism. Read more>>>

Enforcing freedom through bans and bombs

Today Monday 11th April 2011 marked a very important date in the history of ‘freedom’ for the world. From this day any woman in France caught wearing a Burqa (face veil) in any public place will be fined and put on a citizenship course. Any person who is accused of forcing a woman to wear the Burqa can face up to 2 years in prison. Of course women aren’t allowed to re-adorn the face veil if it is found that there are no oppressive Muslim men pulling their strings because the French liberal state knows what is best for Muslim women. Liberty it seems must be implemented at all costs, even if it means through the sanctioning of draconian laws. Read more>>>

The Libyan war and the deepening inter-imperialist conflict

The joint statement issued Thursday by US President Barack Obama, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, and British Prime Minister David Cameron on Libya not only escalates the war. It also intensifies the political divisions within Europe that are in the background of the neo-colonial operation in North Africa. While the war is marketed as a “humanitarian” enterprise, little if any attention is being paid—at least in public—to the increasingly bitter dispute between France, Britain and the United States on one side and Germany on the other. Read more>>>