|
March 14, 2006
Fighting for Our Rights
1. Federal Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Hassiba Belbachir
2. Muhammad Salah, Torture, Secret Evidence and Due Process
3. The Crime of Being a Muslim Charity
In Solidarity
1. Chicago Muslims Offer Condolences on Tom Fox
2. Danish Ambassador Meets with Council Leadership
In Service
1. 13 State Representatives and Senators Sign on to Strengthen Council’s Social Service Program
2. The Illinois Department of Human Services
MEET MURTUZA SALAHUDDIN
Fighting for Our Rights
1. Federal Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Hassiba Belbachir
(3/13) One year ago, Hassiba Belbachir, a 27 year old Algerian national residing in Chicago, an immigration detainee who was never charged with any crime, was found dead in her McHenry County Jail cell, jail-issued socks wrapped around her neck. Her legacy, her family and her community seek answers and justice for her wrongful death. Today, her family filed a federal lawsuit demanding just that. The federal complaint names McHenry County and Centegra Health System, the private contractor responsible for providing medical services to those detained at the jail, and individual employees of each entity, as responsible for violating her rights under the United States Constitution, the Americans with Disabilities Act, international law as well as Illinois state law.
A McHenry County Coroner's Inquest concluded that Mrs. Belbachir died by her own hand, but the Inquest left many questions unanswered. Why didn’t jail staff and health care providers, who knew she had serious physical and mental health medical problems, give her the treatment she needed? Why didn’t they notify the Algerian consulate that she was in their custody? Why didn’t they monitor her more closely? Why didn’t they save her life? What does her death say about the County’s ability to properly care for immigration detainees? And what effect should her death have on the jail expansion project, to quintuple the number of cells for immigration detainees? It is the family’s hope that their lawsuit will help answer many of these questions.
According to Council Chairman Abdul Malik Mujahid, “Hassiba Belbachir came to America to live the American dream. But she died mysteriously in detention before she could ever experience it. And her story is not an isolated one.”
Read: What Happened to Hassiba in a US Prison
[top]
2. Muhammad Salah, Torture, Secret Evidence and Due Process
(3/13) Amnesty International has joined the Chicago Coalition to Protect People's Rights. The Council of Islamic Organization is a founding member of the coalition. Saturday afternoon, dozens of activists and supporters of Muhammad Salah and his family gathered at the Chicago-Kent School of Law in Chicago’s Loop to attend a panel discussion on torture admissibility and due process, hosted by the Coalition to Protect Peoples’ Rights. Speakers on the panel included Mrs. Maryam Salah, Muhammad Salah’s wife and attorneys and human rights experts Michael Deutsch, James Fennerty and G. Flint Taylor. A written statement by Muhammd Salah was read aloud.
An American citizen of Palestinian descent, Mr. Salah traveled to Israel in 1993 to provide monetary assistance to Palestinian families. At the Gaza border-crossing, over twenty Israeli soldiers arrested and detained him. The Israeli Secret Service then systematically tortured him during an 80-day interrogation and forced Mr. Salah to sign a confession in Hebrew, a language that Mr. Salah does not understand. The Israeli Military Court sentenced him to five years in prison. After serving his sentence, he returned home to his family in the U.S. in 1997.
When he returned, the U.S. government had launched an investigation and had listed him on a list of Specially Designated Terrorists. Since March 3, 2006, the court is holding hearings on whether to admit this confession as evidence. The court has closed to the public the portion of the hearing in which Mr. Salah's Israeli interrogators are testifying as to their torture. The closing of the hearing further violates Mr. Salah's Sixth Amendment Constitutional rights and the public's First Amendment right to a full public trial.
The Coalition to Protect People's Rights has united in order to raise public awareness about the United States government's violation of Mr. Muhammad Salah's due process rights. The Coalition, which is comprised of civil rights groups, human rights groups, community-based organizations, and concerned individuals, advocates for the safeguarding of people's rights protected by the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,,-5673080,00.html
[top]
3. The Crime of Being a Muslim Charity
(3/12) “The Treasury Department is playing target practice with American Muslim charities. On February 19 the Treasury Department seized the assets and froze the operations of KindHearts, a Toledo-based humanitarian organization, acting on the dubious allegation that it is financing terrorism. Someone from Treasury once told us, "There are folks here who look at you guys like notches on their belts . . . just waiting to take the next one out."
Unfortunately, those of us in the American Muslim community who want to give to legitimate causes in a lawful manner are getting mixed messages from the U.S. government. We are told that if we conduct due diligence and function transparently, we should be able to give to charities of our choice. Then the government closes most of these charities, using the weakest of evidence to support its actions and leading many American Muslims to believe that our government opposes efforts to help needy Muslims around the world. Moreover, the arbitrary freezing of assets ensures that the money will never reach the destination intended by the donors -- the truly indigent. The government has consistently denied requests to have the frozen funds released to reputable organizations (that are not on any lists) doing similar work so that the donors' intentions are honored.
Since September 11, 2001, six American Muslim charities have been shuttered in this fashion. The government still doesn't have a single terrorism conviction against any of the employees or board members of any of those charities. Similarly, the government has never been able to document a bona fide trail showing how money from the charity got into the hands of actual terrorists. Never.
We are among those American Muslims who decided that because it is our right as Americans to fulfill our religious obligation to help the needy both here and abroad, we would start a new charity. We did so in 2002 and have experienced our fair share of government harassment as a result. None of us is interested in engaging in illegal activity; it is immoral, unethical and un-Islamic, and it serves no useful purpose whatever.”
The writers, Dr. Laila al-Marayati and Dr. Basil Abdelkarim, are board members of KinderUSA, a Muslim American nonprofit humanitarian organization.
Read the rest of the article here.
[top]
In Solidarity
1. Chicago Muslims Offer Condolences on Tom Fox
(3/13) Chicago, March 13, 2006 - “Every day brings us a chance to make choices. Options to work towards leaving this world a better place or to stand by passively. Tom Fox chose to stand by his convictions and his dedication to peace will never be forgotten by the people of Iraq or Muslims world wide,” said Mr. Abdul Malik Mujahid, Chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago.
Extending condolences to Mr. Fox’s family on behalf of the Muslim community, Mr. Mujahid also expressed his deepest respect for the work that CPT has undertaken. “The manner in which the organization has approached Mr. Fox’s death is admirable and courageous,” he added. “Despite such a loss, they’ve reaffirmed their resolve to work for peace and justice, and have called for forgiveness for those who’ve considered them enemies. It’s humbling as much as it is praiseworthy,” he said.
The Council has called Mr. Fox’s death ‘murder’ and ‘the work of extremists who use Islam as an excuse for their heinous deeds.’ His death is Un-Islamic and a gruesome stain on the religion.
The Chicago Muslim community will continue to demand the safe and speedy release of the three remaining CPT peace activists Harmeet Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember who were abducted November, 2005.
[top]
2. Danish Ambassador Meets with Council Leadership
(2/27) the Danish Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Friis Petersen, met with the Council leadership and other Muslim leaders from the Chicago area, who expressed serious concerns on behalf of the American Muslim community regarding the cartoon controversy and disrespect of the Prophet Muhammad. Ambassador Petersen, who was joined by the Danish Consul General Mads Mikkelsen, met with Council Chairman Abdul Malik Mujahid, Vice-Chairman Dr. Zaher Sahloul, board members Shahnawaz Khan, Kareem Irfan and LaDale George, House of Representatives members Dr. Talal Sunbulli, Tariq Hafeez and Tabassum Haleem. Imam Frederick al-Deen and CAIR-Chicago’s Ahmed Rehab also took part in the meeting.
Ambassador Petersen described Denmark as a country of 5 million, comprising of a relatively homogeneous population which prides itself for being an open society with generous social programs. Denmark donates $2 billion annually to Muslim and African countries. The majority of the Danish Muslim population resulted from refugee or asylum programs -- 80-85% of whom have become productive members of Danish society. According to the Ambassador, the remaining population of Muslim immigrants displays a lack of commitment to assimilation and engages in anti-social behavior, including crime and violence disproportionate to their numbers.
Islamophobia does not exist in Denmark according to the Ambassador; Danish citizens know about enough about Islam to appreciate the positive effect of the religion on practicing Muslims. The cartoons are considered to have been the initiative of one newspaper based upon decisions made by its cultural editor. Although the cartoons were considered to be in poor taste, the Danish Prime Minister did not want to turn it into a political issue since he is also responsible for the freedom of press. Ambassador Petersen stated that "never in my worst nightmares did I imagine that my country of Denmark would be on the receiving end of such ill will from the Muslim world."
The Council leadership shared its concerns on cartoon with the ambassador and offered practical initiatives and assistance with outreach efforts were offered to the Danish diplomats. Chairman Mujahid introduced the Chicago Muslim community, its size, uniqueness and diversity to Ambassador Petersen. Dr. Sahloul spoke about the double standards Muslims face daily, while Mr. Irfan spoke of need for cooperative efforts between American Muslims and the Danish government in improving relations among Danes and the Muslim world. Dr. Sunbulli spoke of potential youth programs that may aid this effort and Mrs. Haleem discussed the public school curriculum in the United States, which includes teaching about the five major religions and how the Organization of Islamic Speakers Midwest (OIS-M) assists teachers fulfill this requirement.
[top]
In Service
1. 13 State Representatives and Senators Sign on to Strengthen Council’s Social Service Program
(3/2) Dozens of civic activists representing various Council members and organizations made the downstate trip to the state capitol Springfield on the first Thursday of March for the Council’s Lobby Day. On their agenda that day was to appeal to legislators of both houses to ask Governor Blagojevich to support state funding of Muslim-run social services. Representatives from Hamdard, Arab-American Family Services, Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), Aqsa School, Mosque Foundation, Islamic Center of Naperville and Masjid al-Huda joined Council Chairman Abdul Malik Mujahid in the effort. Each delegate met with his or her district representative or senator. The Council’s political outreach coordinator has been following up with the legislators.
The Council has been exploring the best methods to increase funding for Muslim social services providers and is appealing for state funds to be disbursed to these providers in the form of grants. Muslims run their social service programs largely based on donations from the Muslim community. The Council believes that with state funding, these services can be sustained and further developed to assist even more people as other faith groups do.
[top]
2. The Illinois Department of Human Services
(3/12) The Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) aims to assist Illinois families achieve self-sufficiency and a better quality of life by providing many social services, including community health and prevention programs, employment trainings for persons with disabilities and financial support, employment trainings and child care for low-income families. Illinois’ largest agency, with over 15, 000 employees and an annual budget of nearly $5 billion, DHS delivers these services through 211 offices and partnerships with a network of local providers throughout Illinois. The DHS serves Illinois families through seven main programs: alchoholism and substance abuse treatment and prevention programs; developmental disabilities programs; health services for pregnant women and mothers and their infants, children and adolescents; domestic violence prevention
programs; mental health programs; rehabilitation programs; and welfare programs including food stamps and child care.
Learn more about the Illinois Department of Human Services here http://www.dhs.state.il.us/
[top]
MEET THE STAFF
(3/13) Murtuza Salahuddin, a Schaumburg native, was recently hired by the Council as an Outreach Coordinator. Mr. Salahuddin, who holds degrees in Biology and Bio-Technology from Roosevelt University, will focus his energies on increasing political activism and awareness in the Muslim community, including coordinating the Council’s voter registration program. A certified registrar, Mr. Salahuddin has had experience in this arena, having registered voters in the 2004 national election. He has also had years of experience working within the Muslim community; Mr. Salahuddin is a Sunday school Quran teacher at Masjid al-Huda in Schaumburg and is a founding member of the state-wide Iowa Muslim Students Association.
[top]
| 
