US senators urge Saudi Arabia to halt ‘barbaric’ flogging of blogger

A high-powered group of U.S. senators is demanding that Saudi Arabia cancel the "barbaric punishment" of a blogger sentenced to 1,000 lashes for criticizing the country's clerics, saying the floggings are particularly troubling in the wake of terror attacks driven by "religious intolerance."
Blogger Raif Badawi has been ordered to endure 20 weekly sets of 50 lashes until he is whipped 1,000 times. Saudi authorities postponed the second round, after a doctor concluded his wounds from the first 50 lashes had not yet healed.

But rights groups, the U.S. State Department and now U.S. lawmakers have decried the punishment as inhumane. The State Department recently urged Saudi Arabia to cancel the lashings, though officials have not elaborated on what steps they may be taking to pressure Riyadh, a key U.S. ally.  Eight U.S. senators, in a letter to Saudi King Abdullah, warned that "further violence" against Saudi citizens expressing themselves peacefully "will unfortunately be a source of continued divergence between our two countries."
They urged the "immediate halt" to the lashings and the prisoner's "immediate release." The senators said they share the concerns of Badawi's wife that he could be "irreparably injured or killed" if the whippings continue. They also urged the release of his lawyer, a human rights activist sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The Jan. 16 letter was signed by: Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; Jeanne Shaheen, R-N.H.; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; Mark Kirk, R-Ill.; and Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.
In a pointed passage, the lawmakers lamented that the Saudi judicial system was proceeding with this sentence, even as the world mourns the victims of the Paris terror attack -- many of whom worked for the French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo, which had published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
"At a time that the world is wrestling with and mourning violence committed in the name of religious intolerance, such an example of state-sanctioned violence against peaceful religious dialogue is highly troubling and helps legitimize the extremist view that violence is a justified response to the free exercise of speech and religion," they wrote.
Badawi was sentenced in May to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for criticizing Saudi Arabia's powerful clerics and ridiculing the country's morality police on a liberal blog he founded. The Jiddah Criminal Court also ordered he pay a fine of 1 million Saudi riyals, or about $266,000.
Badawi's first public flogging took place last Friday before dozens of people in the Red Sea city of Jiddah. The father of three was taken to a public square, his feet and hands bound, and whipped 50 times on his back before being taken back to prison.
Rights groups and activists say his case is part of a wider clampdown on dissent in the kingdom. Criticism of clerics is seen as a red line because of their influential role in supporting government policies. The clerics' ultraconservative Wahhabi interpretation of religion is effectively the law of the land.
The 31-year-old Badawi has been held since mid-2012 and his Free Saudi Liberals website is now closed. He was originally sentenced in 2013 to seven years in prison and 600 lashes in relation to the charges, but after an appeal, the judge stiffened the punishment. Following his arrest, his wife and children left the kingdom for Canada.
"The notion that Raif Badawi must be allowed to heal so that he can suffer this cruel punishment again and again is macabre and outrageous," said Said Boumedouha, Amnesty International's deputy director for Middle East and North Africa.
Both the U.S. State Department and the U.N. high commissioner for human rights have called on authorities in Saudi Arabia to cancel the punishment.
In a statement on Jan. 8, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the U.S. is "greatly concerned" by the "inhumane" punishment.
It remains unclear how aggressively the U.S. is pressuring the Saudis, which are cooperating with the U.S. on fighting the Islamic State and other key Middle Eastern issues.
Asked last week at a press briefing about the steps the U.S. is taking, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said: "I don't think we're in the business of demanding things."
She later said the U.S. has raised the issue privately and publicly.

We don't have Buhari's credentials - Nigerian Army release statement

The Nigerian Army says it does not have in its possession the original or copies of the credentials of the presidential candidate of the APC, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. The position of the army was made known at a press conference in Abuja today Jan. 20th. The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig, Gen O. Laleye addressed news men. What he said below...

Gentlemen of the Press, I am pleased to welcome everyone back from the Christmas and the 2015 New Year festivities. On behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, I wish you all a happy and more fulfilling 2015. Since our last media briefing on 31 December, 2014, some issues relating to the Nigerian Army have occurred and this briefing is holding specifically to address them.I will begin with the Major General Muhammadu Buhari certificate controversy.

Gentlemen, let me state clearly that the Nigerian Army holds the retired senior officer in very high esteem and respect and would not be a party to any controversy surrounding his eligibility for any political office. Suffice to state that Major General Buhari rose steadily to the enviable rank of Major General before becoming the Head of State of our dear country in December 1983.

The media hype on retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s credentials as well as the numerous requests made by individuals and corporate bodies to the Nigerian Army on this issue have necessitated that we provide the facts as contained in the retired senior officer’s service record.

Records available indicate that Major General M Buhari applied to join the military as a Form Six student of the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina on 18 Oct 61. His application was duly endorsed by the Principal of the school, who also wrote a report on him and recommended him to be suitable for military commission. It is a practice in the NA that before candidates are shortlisted for commissioning into the officers’ cadre of the Service, the Selection Board verifies the original copies of credentials that are presented.

However, there is no available record to show that this process was followed in the 1960s.

Nevertheless, the entry made on the NA Form 199A at the point of documentation after commission as an officer indicated that the former Head of State obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1961 with credits in relevant subjects: English Language, Geography, History, Health Science, Hausa and a pass in English Literature. Neither the original copy, Certified True Copy (CTC) nor statement of result of Major General M Buhari's WASC result is in his personal file.

I hope this explanation will put to rest the raging controversy surrounding the secondary school credentials of Major General Mohammed Buhari as it affects the Nigerian Army.

I will also seize this opportunity to make some observations on the recent CNN report titled 'The Battle Against Boko Haram', which was aired a few days ago. I believe we all hold the CNN in high esteem. However, CNN’s report on issues concerning kitting, equipment, medical treatment and corruption in the Nigerian Army is perhaps the best example of a media house’s show of bias, ignorance, poor journalism, unprofessional and handwork of a sponsored documentary. Let me start with kitting. It would interest you to know that there is no Army in the world where personnel do not purchase additional uniforms and kits to augment those officially issued to them. Accordingly, the Nigerian Army without fail issues uniforms and kits to its personnel periodically.

Like other armies, the NA has over the years, established ordnance shops in all its barracks and cantonments where uniforms and kits are sold at subsidized prices to its personnel from allowances already provided in their pay slips. Similarly, you will agree with me that the NA has a very functional health care delivery system in the country. There is no barrack or cantonment that does not have at least one Medical Inspection Room, Medical Reception Station or Medical Hospital.

The NA fully subscribes to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and this is functional in all its health facilities. Specifically, personnel in the North East have the best medical treatment in that the various health facilities in all the barracks and cantonments are well equipped. Notwithstanding this, personnel with extensive injuries are evacuated to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Kaduna (44 NARHK), while others are promptly flown abroad for medical treatment. Therefore, issue of a soldier of the NA paying for treatment and drugs covered by the NHIS is absurd. The Nigerian Army’s undoubted operational gains in the North East of recent, have rubbished the claim of Boko Haram out-gunning the NA.

The CNN would do well to beam its searchlight on the atrocities of Boko Haram terrorists against innocent and defenseless Nigerians rather than the NA. Equally, the NA in the past had requested severally that any evidence of corruption in the NA should be reported to the appropriate authority. Till date, no such evidence has been forwarded but rather all we see and hear are sweeping statement of the purported corruption in the NA. In the case of Nick Robertson, his leading questions and introduction of the word ‘corruption’ to the unknown person purported to be a soldier of the NA was most unprofessional and merely justifies a paid exercise. The CNN in the past have interviewed authorized personnel of other countries’ armies and not unauthorized hooded criminals to speak to the media.

The CNN knows very well how to contact the relevant offices to clarify issues concerning the NA but chooses rather to conduct a clandestine interview in a kiosk with a faceless person and a masked individual who obviously know nothing about the NA.

Finally, the Nigerian Army wishes to state that it will remain focused on its mission to rid Nigeria of terrorism and insurgency. To that end, it has commenced the implementation of the extensive operational, administrative and logistical decisions reached during 2014 COAS Annual Conference. In no distant future, law abiding Nigerians will begin to see very positive results in terms of security, particularly in the North East and our dear nation generally. Before I depart, I once again seize this opportunity to reiterate the NA’s unalloyed loyalty and subordination to civil authority as presided over by His Excellency, President and Commander – in – Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR.

The Nigerian Army also wishes to emphasize its adherence to the principles and respect of human rights in the discharge of its constitutional duties. It further calls on everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspected breach of the peace to security agencies.
Thank you and God Bless.

At least 69 die after drinking contaminated beer at Mozambique funeral

Dozens more in hospital, as authorities say crocodile bile may have been added to traditional beer
 
Police believe that crocodile bile may have been added to the traditional beer that killed people at a funeral.

Mozambique’s government has declared three days of mourning after 69 people died from drinking contaminated traditional beer at a funeral over the weekend.
Paulo Bernando, director for health in North-east Tete province, said 196 others have been admitted to hospitals.
“People flocked to the hospital, suffering from diarrhea and muscle pain,” Bernando told Radio Mozambique. “Then bodies from various neighborhoods were brought to the hospital, and this alerted us.”

The government issued a statement on Sunday night to declare the three days of mourning. District health officials on Sunday evening had put the death toll at 56, with 49 hospitalized. Pombe, a traditional Mozambican beer, is made from millet or corn flour. The exact source of the contamination is still unknown, but authorities believe the drink was poisoned with crocodile bile during the course of a funeral on Saturday.
Police are investigating the incident.
Blood and traditional beer samples were sent to the capital Maputo to be tested, said provincial health director Carle Mosse.
“We are waiting for the results of the tests of the samples being done at Maputo Central hospital so that we can identify the type of the product put into the drink,” said Mosse.
Authorities are collecting clothing, food and coffins for the bereaved families.

Global outrage at Saudi Arabia as jailed blogger receives public flogging

Kingdom stays silent as protesters contrast its opposition to Paris attacks on free speech with its own attacks on free speech
 
US secretary of state John Kerry attends a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Jeddah. Saudi Arabia is a strategic ally of the US and UK.
 

Saudi Arabia is remaining silent in the face of global outrage at the public flogging of the jailed blogger Raif Badawi, who received the first 50 of 1,000 lashes on Friday, part of his punishment for running a liberal website devoted to freedom of speech in the conservative kingdom.
Anger at the flogging – carried out as the world watched the bloody denouement of the Charlie Hebdo and Jewish supermarket jihadi killings in Paris – focused on a country that is a strategic ally, oil supplier and lucrative market for the US, Britain and other western countries but does not tolerate criticism at home.

Badawi was shown on a YouTube video being beaten in a square outside a mosque in Jeddah, watched by a crowd of several hundred who shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) and clapped and whistled after the flogging ended. Badawi made no sound during the flogging and was able to walk back unaided afterwards.
“Raif was escorted from a bus and placed in the middle of the crowd, guarded by eight or nine officers,” a witness told Amnesty International.
“He was handcuffed and shackled but his face was not covered. A security officer approached him from behind with a huge cane and started beating him.
“Raif raised his head towards the sky, closing his eyes and arching his back. He was silent, but you could tell from his face and his body that he was in real pain.”
Badawi’s wife, Ensaf Haidar, told the Guardian from Montreal on Sunday: “Many governments around the world have protested about my husband’s case. I was optimistic until the last minute before the flogging. But the Saudi government is behaving like Daesh [a derogatory Arabic name for Islamic State or Isis].”
Saudi Arabia joined other Arab and Muslim countries in condemning the murder of 12 people at the Paris satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo but angry comments highlighted its double standard in meting out a cruel punishment to a man who was accused of insulting Islam.
One cartoon circulating on social media showed a man resembling Badawi being flogged alongside the words: “Saudi Arabia condemns the terrorist attack on freedom of expression in Paris …” Another image showed a pencil being flayed by whips.
One woman at Sunday’s Paris solidarity rally carried a placard declaring: “I am Raif Badawi, the Saudi journalist who was flogged.” Others protested at the presence of the Saudi foreign minister.
Badawi was sentenced last May to 10 years’ imprisonment and 1,000 lashes – 50 at a time over 20 weeks – and fined 1m Saudi riyals (£175,000). He has been held since mid-2012, and his Free Saudi Liberals website, established to encourage debate on religious and political matters in Saudi Arabia, is closed.
He is expected to receive another 50 lashes this Friday.
Arabic Twitter users condemned Saudi Arabia for behaving like Isis – part of the argument that the fundamental values promoted by the Saudi state do not differ from those that are carried to a brutal extreme by the jihadi group that controls parts of Syria and Iraq.
“Just a reminder,” tweeted one Tunisian woman. “Those who criticise Isis, which beheads and flogs people, and lines up children to watch, are the ones who are making excuses for the flogging of a man in Saudi Arabia. They are all Isis.”
Saudi Arabia is one of five Arab countries in the US-led coalition fighting Isis. It has arrested hundreds of people for alleged links to terrorism and imposed penalties on those travelling abroad to fight – though it still wants the overthrow of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad.
About 2,500 Saudis have fought with Isis.
The US, EU and others publicly urged Riyadh not to go ahead with the flogging. Britain’s Foreign Office said: “The UK condemns the use of cruel and degrading punishment in all circumstances.”
A spokesman said on Sunday that concerns about the case continued to be expressed “at all levels”. There is no sign that the Saudis’ western allies will take any punitive action to back up their protests.
“The Saudis have a policy for inside the country where they want to show that they are pious and protect the faith,” said Ali al-Ahmed, of the Washington-based Institute for Gulf Affairs.
“Outside they project the opposite impression, that they are liberals and that it’s ordinary people who are savage and conservative.
“That’s why the west says: ‘Yes, we need to protect the Saudi royals because the alternative is Osama bin Laden.’
“It’s worked for the Saudis and it gives the west an excuse not to support any kind of change or reform.”
Badawi’s punishment is part of a wider campaign against domestic dissent. His lawyer, Waleed Abu al-Khair, was sentenced to 15 years in prison last July because of criticism of human rights abuses.
His case resumes on Monday, with the government reportedly seeking an even harsher sentence.
Fadhil al-Manasif is facing 14 years in prison on charges stemming from his assistance to journalists covering protests over the treatment of Shia Muslims in the Sunni-dominated country.

Orphans Stand #UpForSchool With A World At School Global Youth Ambassador

As A World at School Global Youth Ambassador, I was inspired to spend the New Year with orphans because I believe they have a role to play in the #UpForSchool Campaign, to get every child back into learning. We need to get them involved, the orphans, beggars on the street and less privileged need us more than we do.

Like every other child, they face more challenges and are at greater risk living and growing up without parental care which can affect their mental state of mind. By interacting with the orphans, I discovered they are intelligent, smart, willing to learn, break limits and soar higher in life.

 We need to give orphans all over the world a platform where their voices will be heard. They desire and deserve the best in everything including: quality education, healthcare, basic learning and writing materials, adequate security, well trained teachers, improved water supply, basic school and health facilities and above all, love for a sound mind and healthy body.

I am motivated, touched and inspired by the aspirations of this young children, let us work together to give them a reason to be hopeful and live a healthy lifestyle for a brighter future which starts now!

We, the Global Youth Ambassadors for A World at School are here to give voice and hope to children all over the world, irrespective of their race, tribe, color, religion, ethnic background, ability or disability.

Do something by signing the petition and Stand #UpForSchool at www.aworldatschool.org

Thank you!

Joy Tiku Enighe

A World at School Global Youth Ambassador

Bomb Explosion Rocks Maiduguri Market Again

Another bomb explosion has been reported at Maiduguri Market in North East Nigeria.
Though details were sketchy at the time of writing this report,it was learnt the explosion occurred almost at the same place where two female suicide bombers detonated bombs recently.
Borno ,Adamawa and Yobe States have been under Boko Haram insurgency.Insurgents attacked Damaturu last night for the second time in recent time.
Maiduguri  has been receiving heavy traffic of refugees from different parts of the state.After a second attack by Boko Haram on Baga  on Wednesday, many more refugees fled to the capital.

2,000 Slaughtered In Alleged Boko Haram Deadliest Massacre In Northern Nigeria

More than two thousand bodies remain strewn in the bush in Northern Nigeria from a recent Islamic extremist attack which according to Amnesty International, it is regarded as the “deadliest massacre” in the history of Boko Haram.


Government spokesman on Insurgency, Mike Omeri disclosed that incessant onslaught ensued on Friday in Baga, a town on the border with Chad where insurgents seized a key military base on Jan. 3 and attacked again on Wednesday.

“Security forces have responded rapidly, and have deployed significant military assets and conducted airstrikes against militant targets,” Omeri said in a statement.
 
District head Baba Abba Hassan said most victims are children, women and elderly people who could not run fast enough when insurgents drove into Baga, firing rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles on town residents.

“The human carnage perpetrated by Boko Haram terrorists in Baga was enormous,” Muhammad Abba Gava, a spokesman for poorly armed civilians in a defense group that fights Boko Haram, told reporters.
 
He said the civilian fighters gave up on trying to count all the bodies. “No one could attend to the corpses and even the seriously injured ones who may have died by now,” Gava said.

According to Amnesty International, there are reports the town was razed and as many as 2,000 people killed.

If true, “this marks a disturbing and bloody escalation of Boko Haram’s ongoing onslaught,” said Daniel Eyre, Nigeria researcher for Amnesty International.

The previous bloodiest day in the uprising involved soldiers gunning down unarmed detainees freed in a March 14, 2014, attack on Giwa military barracks in Maiduguri city. Amnesty said then that satellite imagery indicated more than 600 people were killed that day.

Fulani Herdsmen Burn Down Miza Town In Kogi

Reports from Miza in Kupaland of Lokoja Local Government of Kogi State said Fulani herdsmen have burned down the entire town .
Eyewitnesses said a large  number of Fulani herdsmen   attacked  the town  Saturday morning in what was a surprise  raid ,taking the residents unawares .
It was not immediately clear if anybody was killed .But It was also  learnt that most residents of the town had fled after an initial attack on the town  by the herdsmen.
“Many people had left. But our people left behind called  early this morning to say about 1000 Fulani  were coming towards Miza. And given their large number, our people  left behind  in the town were advised to  avoid engaging the Fulani in fighting .The Fulani’s then proceeded to burn down the entire town”, a source said .

The number of Fulani herdsmen who launched the latest  attack, several sources said the town has  indeed been burnt down.
Some believe  it was a reprisal attack. Earlier in the week, Fulanis attacked the town  but the vigilantes in Miza repelled them killing at least 5 Fulanis. One person from Miza and another from Gbeduma were killed .Other reports said many more lives were actually lost in that attack.
“ Today’s attack on Miza, burning down entire town  is unprecedented in the history of the peace loving people of Kupaland” ,an elder who did not want to be named said.
Many people had  fled  from their towns and villages  and most of  are living as refugees in Niger state.Some have gone to join their relatives in Lokoja and Minna, and other towns in neighboring states.
Sources said the latest attack was surprising because  it came hours after  the police authorities held a meeting  in Lokoja with representatives of Kupa and Fulani people  urging them to embark on a  ceasefire.
The crisis with Fulani began in Abugi  recently.At a point herdsmen burnt some  houses in broad daylight  in Abugi  much to the surprise and horror  of  all.
Unconfirmed reports also said Fulani herdsmen burnt some houses in Agini ,another town  in Kupa also within the week .
“These attacks call for a comprehensive intervention from government.We are calling on the State and Federal governments to urgently come to the aide of Kupa people.Our people are  fleeing their villages.They are at the mercy of Fulani herdsmen now..Help us tell  government to come  and save our people”,one of the leaders  said under condition of anonymity.

Orphans Stand #UpForSchool With A World At School Global Youth Ambassador

A World at School Global Youth Ambassador, Joy Tiku Enighe, celebrated the New Year with orphans in Abuja.

She had a fun filled day interacting with the children of the orphanage home and took photos with some of them. The children requested for some vital things that can not be neglected by the government, NGO’s and individuals.

Read their conversation with A World at School Global Youth Ambassador and their demands below:

A World at School Global Youth Ambassador: What are your challenges or things you lack?

Their response:

1.       We need peace within us (violence, rough play, noise making and fighting among ourselves).

2.       We lack writing and reading materials.

3.       We want to be well fed with balanced diet and not only carbohydrate to make us healthy.

4.       Three of the girls said “we want to go back to school; we have completed our primary education, waiting to be enrolled into the secondary school for the past one year”.

5.       We need a new antenna, since it got faulty, we are only watching AIT.

6.       Our teachers and nanny are complaining that their salary and welfare package is very poor; we are urging the relevant authority and the Federal Government to increase our teachers and nannies salaries because they are doing their best to take care of us.

7.       Armed robbers have been terrorizing this environment; we need a quality gate, well fenced and secured environment.

8.       Power supply

9.       Church equipment

10.   Borehole – Water supply

11.   Standard playing field with carpet grass

12.   Dining table for boys and girls

13.   Uniforms and sport wear

14.   School bus

15.   Standard toilet and bathroom facilities

A World at School Global Youth Ambassador: If you have an opportunity to meet the President of Nigeria and global leaders, what will you request for?

Their Response:

1.       We want the President to make Nigeria a great country where there is peace and unity.

2.       We want free primary education.

3.       We want quality healthcare, qualified nurses and good medical facilities.

4.       We want the President to build and provide more homes for orphanages, the less privilege and beggars on the street.

5.       We want the President to fully equip the military and train the security personnel’s to conquer boko haram.

6.       We want our teachers to be well trained.

7.       Government should provide money for our school fees.

8.       We need adequate security in our learning and sleeping environment.

9.       We need basic learning and writing materials (chalk, board, chairs, tables, books, pen and pencils).

We, the Global Youth Ambassadors for A World at School are here to give a voice and hope to children all over the world, irrespective of their race, tribe, color, religion or ethnic background.

Do something, sign the petition and stand #UpForSchool at www.aworldatschool.org

Share your views, tweet, re-post, spread the word and show love!