Home > Programs
> Peacewatch
> Tues., May. 27, 2003
Pacifica's PeaceWatch
Today's Stories:
Simin Royanian on the Iranian al Qaeda
Connection
Sergio de Mello UN Representative for Iraq
Iraqi American Mosque Speak Out
Muslim detained for refusing to spy
Sunaina Maira on civil liberties/immigrant youth speaking
out
Veteran Interview
Note: if the audio link is incorrect, please check the Peacewatch
page at Radio4All.net
here
Simin Royanian on the Iranian al Qaeda Connection
Senior Bush administration officials postponed a meeting
at the White House this morning that was scheduled to discuss
US strategy towards Iran. The meeting-- rescheduled for Thursday--
comes in light of recent intelligence information the administration
say suggests Iranian al Qaeda operatives played a role in
the May 12th suicide attacks in Saudi Arabia. Those attacks
killed 11 and injured 200 in Western housing compounds in
the capitol, Riyadh.
Peacewatch spoke earlier today with Simin Royanian, a Kurdish
Iranian economist and co-founder of Women for Peace and Justice
in Iran. We asked her how much evidence there is of the Iran-
al Qaeda connection, and what exactly Iran's role in the US-led
war on terrorism has been thus far.
Tape: Simin Royanian is a Kurdish Iranian economist and
a co-founder of the group Women for Peace and Justice in Iran.
[top]
Sergio de Mello UN Representative for Iraq
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan today, announced the appointment
of Sergio de Millo, the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights
as his special representative in Iraq for four months. De
Millo will establish the UN presence and mount the UN operations
in Iraq.
Tape: Sergio de Millo, the new UN Special Representative
for Iraq and Secretary General Kofi Annan at a press conference
at the United Nations.
The Secretary General responded to questions from the press
regarding the recent resolution lifting sanctions in Iraq.
Tape:
[top]
Iraqi American Mosque Speak Out
With in-depth, daily coverage of the occupation of Iraq
now fading from the media spotlight as Iran and the Middle
East peace process take center stage, Armond Pie from Pacifica
station KPFK visited an Iraqi mosque just south of Los Angeles
to find out how Iraqi-Americans feels about recent events
in their native country. He presents now some of their voices...
Tape: Iraqi Americans at a Los Angeles-area mosque, speaking
with Armond Pie of Pacifica station KPFK. Special thanks to
Fidel Rodriguez for production assistance with that report.
[top]
Muslim detained for refusing to spy
Azzam Abu Huwil, a Jordanian Palestinian, recently found
himself again under arrest by INS agents. During his arrested
Huwil asserted that the agents informed him that he was being
arrested because he refused to act as an informant for the
FBI.
According to Muslim American Society, executive director,
Mahdi Bray, Huwil is simply one of many Arabs and Muslims
who have been singled out for what he termed "clearly
a case of harassment and intimidation by the government."
Peacewatch spoke with Bray today regarding the status of Huwil's
detention by INS.
Tape: Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American
Society
[top]
Sunaina Maira on civil liberties/immigrant youth
speaking out
While many Arabs and South Asians experience what they characterize
as a crackdown on civil liberties here at home, Sunaina Maira
of the University of Massachusetts Amherst English Department
and the South Asian Center says that immigrant children are
among the most outspoken critics of the government's so-called
homeland security policies. She spoke recently in Boston at
a conference entitled "War on Terrorism or Assault on
Human Rights?"
Tape: Sunaina Maira of the University of Massachusetts Amherst
English Department and the South Asian Center. She spoke in
Boston at a conference entitled "War on Terrorism or
Assault on Human Rights?" Special thanks to Mark Weaver
of community radio station WMBR for production assistance
with that report.
[top]
Veteran Interview
Yesterday was Memorial Day, a time for reflection and remembrance
of those who have died in past wars. Peacewatch reporter Eddie
Becker went to a commemoration of the day at the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial here in the nation's capitol. Eddie grew up before
the Vietnam War, and he remembers marching along with his
father, a World WarII veteran in his hometown's Veterans Day
Parade to a circle of trees, each planted in the name of a
veteran who didn't return.
Tape: Charlene Edwards and Michael Pagolo, whose relationship
eventually led to them becoming husband and wife. They spoke
with Peacewatch reporter Eddie Becker at yesterday's Memorial
Day ceremonies here in the nation's capitol.
For more information on Charlene and Michael's story, you
can go to their website at www.voicesfromvietnam.com
Credits
[top]
For a copy of today's show, please contact Pacifica
Radio Archives at 800 735 0230.
|
Listen
to the show
Help
stream
whole show
download
part 1
