Tag: Americans

Singaporeans Uneasy, ‘Disheartened’ By Trump’s Immigration Policies

Field service engineer Syed Irsyaad, 26, is due to head for the United States — where his firm is based — to undergo training in April, but thinks it is better that non-Muslim engineers go in his place now.

Mr Syed is among the Singaporean Muslims who have been watching the developments in the US closely, where President Donald Trump last Friday signed an executive order banning travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Iraq and Syria, from entering the US for 90 days.

While the ban does not affect travellers from Singapore, some Singaporeans who live in the US or travel there frequently are seeking assurance and proof of the purpose of their travel from their firms so they would not get held up unnecessarily at immigration, noting the uncertainty surrounding the execution of the order.

Mr Syed said non-Muslim engineers could go in his place without such concerns, and he would forgo the trip “for peace of mind of the people at home”. “Everyone is in limbo for now (and) doesn’t have any idea what’s going on yet. It’s a good time to wait it out for a while,” he told TODAY.

Ms Zakiyah Ibrahim, 27, a Singaporean social-work Master’s student in New York City, said she had been surprised by how quickly the ban kicked in, but was heartened to see how the New York community has reacted.

Her university and student accommodation provider had sent “assuring” emails, voicing their disagreement with the ban and vowing to protect the needs of international students.

But Mr Trump’s unpredictability has also created anxiety. Ms Zakiyah, who studies at Columbia University, has not personally experienced any negative sentiment because of her religion. But she feels that the ban has stirred up negative feelings against Muslims. “And we can’t say this (travel ban) will not extend to Muslims generally,” she added.

Uncertainty hovers even for non-Muslim Singaporeans who hold a US green card — which grants permanent residency — and those with jobs there.

Ms Cheow Xinyi, 33, who will graduate from her Columbia Master’s programme this month, returned for the Chinese New Year holidays last month. She is due to return to New York today to start her part-time job as a community organiser with a non-governmental organisation.

She wrote to the NGO last week to request a letter confirming her job. “Theoretically, I don’t need it; it’s just to be safe … I really hope it wouldn’t come down to that.”

Singaporean Serene Chew, 56, a green-card holder who has lived in Hawaii for nearly four decades, said she was caught in the middle. She is “disheartened” by the travel ban and has “some fear” because she is not American. “With Trump, you never know what he’s going to do,” she said, while acknowledging that some restrictions may have been “a long time coming”, citing the troubles faced by Germany over the influx of refugees.

Responding to TODAY’s queries, Ms Camille Dawson, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Singapore, said the US government was “committed to facilitating legitimate travel for international visitors while ensuring the security of US borders”.

“The suspension provided for in the Executive Order does not include Singapore, and the US Embassy in Singapore continues to welcome and encourage Singaporeans’ travel and study in the United States,” she said.

Meanwhile, Americans in Singapore who spoke to TODAY generally disagreed with the ban.

Mr Glenn van Zutphen, owner of media consultancy VanMedia Group, said the move is not keeping with the spirit of what the US has always stood for.

He said the Trump administration should slow down the pace at which changes are being introduced. “It’s clear he wants to show his constituency he can get things done, but the government needs to move a bit slower … to make sure things are done in proper sequence (and) with more forethought,” said Mr van Zutphen, who is in his 50s.

A retired journalist, who wanted to be known only as Ms Jo, 69, said she has “never been so scared”. “The US is a country of immigrants and supposedly a safe haven in the world. I know of (friends in the US) who are thinking of other places to live,” she said.

Source: Today

February 1, 2017
Goodbye Brother Muhammad Ali!

On a flight home from the Janaza of Muhammad Ali (ra), and wanted to pen my emotions while they’re still raw.

It was an absolute whirlwind. When we arrived at the center, it seemed more like a sporting event than a funeral prayer. Everyone was excited to have their ticket and take pictures of the occasion. In many ways, it seemed offensive. This was a man that I grew up adoring, and It was like seeing a family member go. To be honest, I had a really hard time forcing a smile throughout the day. But I thought to myself, one of the things that made Muhammad Ali so special was that he would make everyone around him feel special no matter how swamped or busy he was.

His family walked in and sat down one by one. Layla, Hana, etc. People surrounded them as if they were some sort of display taking pictures of them sitting in their grief. At that point, for whatever reason, one of the organizers recognized me and a few other scholars/preachers, and pulled us to be in the very front row.

Then there his body was. I imagined him walking through shouting “the champ is here!” It’s amazing that he has a presence even in his death. I stood next to one of his sons that looks exactly like him as his coffin was rolled out. With all the selfies with his casket, snapchatting, etc. around me, I chose to focus my eyes on my dear brother Hamza Abdullah who was one of those standing next to his casket. I know the softness of the heart of Hamza and could see the emotion in his eyes and wanted to feel that rather than the “I was there” euphoria. So I focused my eyes on the coffin of the champ, and the eyes of my beloved brother. Surat Al Fajr was recited as his coffin was moved. “Oh soul at peace, return to your Lord pleased and pleasing. Enter thou amongst my servants, enter though my paradise.”

The center roared with shouts of Allahu Akbar and La Ilaha IlAllah. He evokes that raw emotion even in his death. As Imam Zaid moved forward to lead his janaza, I couldn’t help but think what the journey of his soul must be like. That he’s hearing the shouts and the footsteps of the people around him. I pray that the angels are comforting him, and assuring him of his place in paradise. If there is any indication by the way he’s loved around the world, I hope we will all bear witness for our champ.

The reciter than read from Al Fussilat, “those who say our Lord is Allah, and remain firm, the angels descend upon them saying “do not fear or grieve, and receive the glad tidings of the Paradise you’ve been promised.” It was at that point that I broke down. I love the champ, and I also envy him. Not in a way that’s negative but in a way that I can only wonder if the angels would descend upon me with mercy and words of comfort like I hope they have descended upon him.

To be honest with you all, I didn’t know how much it would hurt to hear of the death of Muhammad Ali or attend his Janaza. I was surprised by my own grief. We knew he was severely ill, aging, and barely able to communicate. It was only a matter of time so why did it hurt so much? I still don’t know that I fully understand as many people have expressed the same feelings. But what I do believe is that Allah put the love of Muhammad Ali in the hearts of so many people. This is a special connection. It can’t but be divine.

I can’t think of anyone more deserving than him to have Janaza prayed in absentia across the country and many parts of the world. I’m still immensely grateful to Allah for allowing to have actually prayed in the first row of the janaza of one of my heroes.

May Allah shower him in His mercy, raise him to levels in the hereafter even higher than the ones he reached in this world, and join us with him and the one he was named after in the highest level of Jannatul firdaws. Ameen

I always wanted to meet him in this life, but pray it will happen in the next.

Love you champ,
Omar

Source: Omar Suleiman

June 10, 2016
Biases And Ignorance Of West Have No Place In Singapore

I have benefited from dealing with people from the Muslim part of the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, so I was gratified to read the commentary “Time to look beyond the Western view of the Middle East” (Nov 23).

My experiences when I talk about the Islamic world and the subcontinent confirm Ms Koh Choon Hwee’s point: The average Singaporean’s knowledge of both regions is inadequate, and his or her views reflect those of small-town American news outlets.

Why do we parrot the views on cultures we have grown up with from a group of people who are too far removed from those cultures to know better?

Our ignorance is more shocking, especially as gaining markets in those regions has become more crucial to our economic well-being.

I think back to 2006, when I worked with oil firm Saudi Aramco on an event promoting Saudi culture: One of the Saudis asked me if geography was taught in Singapore, after several members of the public had asked him which part of Dubai he was from.

This was not an isolated incident of ignorance. One only has to think of the way people think that Sikhs come from Bengal. A glance at the map would show that Bengal and Punjab are at opposite ends of a very large country.

Our small island has prospered from being open to the world. While it remains important to be tuned in to the Western world, we cannot be deaf to places that people in the West are.

Like any other part of the world, the Middle East and India present both challenges and opportunities that we cannot ignore.

To succeed in the wider business world, we should encourage people to understand cultures beyond the ones we know.

We must acknowledge that things such as the Paris bombings were caused by people claiming to be Muslims.

We must be vigilant against terrorism. We must understand there are reasons why things such as terrorism exist, however, and we cannot let the experiences and prejudices of the West influence our interactions with people from other parts of the world.

I remember Khaled Maeena, former editor of Saudi daily Arab News, telling me: “Singaporeans, you should trust your own experiences and culture, and not believe everything the West tells you.”

I could not agree more.

Source: www.todayonline.com

November 27, 2015
Leader Of The Islamic State Wounded In US-led Air Strike

The leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was “critically wounded” when a U.S.-led air strike targeted the western Iraqi border town of al-Qaim, tribal sources told Al Arabiya News Channel on Saturday.

U.S. Central Command confirmed in a statement that U.S.-led air strikes targeted ISIS leaders near their northern Iraqi hub of Mosul late Friday, without confirming whether Baghdadi was killed, AFP reported.

“This strike demonstrates the pressure we continue to place on the ISIL [ISIS] terrorist network and the group’s increasingly limited freedom to maneuver, communicate and command,” U.S. Central Command said.

Anbar province MP Mohammad al-Karbuli told Al Arabiya News Channel that coalition aircraft had targeted a gathering of ISIS leaders in al-Qaim that led to the killing of tens of people and wounded many more.

Karbuli said chaos ensued the air raid with ISIS members scrambling to transport their wounded to al-Qaim hospital which was overwhelmed with the number of patients.

Reuters news agency quoted two witnesses as saying an air strike targeted a house where senior ISIS officers were meeting, near al-Qaim.

The witnesses said ISIS fighters had cleared a hospital so that their wounded could be treated. ISIS fighters used loudspeakers to urge residents to donate blood, the witnesses said.

The agency also quoted residents as saying there were unconfirmed reports that ISIS’ local leader in the western Iraqi province of Anbar and his deputy were killed.

Source: http://english.alarabiya.net

November 10, 2014
Gaza: Where Have All The Activists Gone?

I have always thought that those who resort to violence or those who go as far as exploding themselves are sick and inhuman. But now I know how it feels to have nothing to lose but your worthless life. I know how it feels to be so desperate that you literally cry from disappointment when you actually wake up in the morning, and to spend the night before asking God for a last favor … to take your life because you’re just too cowardly to take it yourself. #‎Gaza‬ is no longer a city or a territory. It is a disease. It is an unbearable pain, an un-treatable wound. Gaza is the opposite of life, but at the same time far beyond death.

This is the Facebook post to which I woke up yesterday, written by Maisam Morr, one of the few Gazans who typically serve as my “rocks” – resilient spirits who never give up, and keep my hope alive that we can beat back the grinding, dehumanizing force that is the Israeli occupation. She is the one who dreamed up the Rubble Bucket Challenge (the Palestinian response to the ALS ice bucket), and who – in the midst of the unremitting “gray” of the destruction that is Gaza – asked for a pink laptop for her birthday. And yet now, she was succumbing.

The breaking point for Maisam was the announcement Sunday that Israel had closed its two crossings into Gaza for all but the most critical humanitarian aid, in response to the firing of a single rocket fired. No injuries or property damage resulted, and no groups in Gaza claimed responsibility or credit. According to Maisam, “almost all Gazans swear that it is some sort of a trick (a planned trap) to open another front with Israel.” F16s are now flying low over Gaza again, as if on cue.

According to news reports, Israel had not decided how long the crossing would be closed. “It will depend on the security situation.” There’s that code phrase…”security situation” – a cover for just about any action Israel chooses to take, and which no one in the international community (in the West at least) is courageous enough to challenge. (Update: the crossings re-opened today, and Palestinian officials said 330 truckloads of goods, as well as one of cement, would be allowed in. Seriously? ONE truckload of cement? In a way, I think that’s how Israel uses closures – as a device to make Gazans happy for crumbs when they come.)

Meanwhile, in the wake of the Oct. 24 attack on an army checkpoint in the northern Sinai that killed 31 soldiers, Egypt has emulated Israel. It declared a three-month lockdown in the area, including a dawn-to-dusk curfew, and indefinitely closed the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s only non-Israeli-controlled bridge to the outside world. Meanwhile, Egypt is demolishing an estimated 800 homes housing 10,000 residents to set up its own buffer zone along the border with Gaza (546 yards wide, 8 miles long). As with the Israeli rocket, no group claimed responsibility, yet the Egyptian government has been quick to implicate Hamas and other Gaza-based “terror groups.” In addition to slamming its doors shut to thousands of Palestinians seeking medical treatment or opportunities to study abroad, the Egyptian government canceled indefinitely the indirect talks between Israelis and Hamas on a long-term truce.

“My dearest Egypt,” wrote Maisam on her blog. “You treat me like an infectious disease. You see me as a threat to your national security while all I ever wanted is to protect my life, my dignity and my very being. Forgive me for being so selfish and so blind for I simply cannot understand how come my call for freedom collides with your mighty security. Only few years ago, I thought we fought a shared enemy but it looks like that I AM the enemy.”

Abu Marzouk, deputy chairman of Hamas’ political bureau and a member of the Palestinian reconciliation delegation, describes the closures as collective punishment, in contradiction of all understandings, agreements and international law, and adds that it will be impossible to sit idly by. And can you blame him? Since the ceasefire was announced on Aug. 26, two Palestinian rockets were shot by unknown parties. Israel, however, has violated it 19 times by shooting at fishermen and farmers, and opened the crossings on an extremely limited basis – far less than implied by the spirit of the ceasefire terms. (It doesn’t help that Israel wants the “civilian nature” of every project to be verified by Israeli and U.N. officials.) See my blog post for a complete listing of ceasefire violations and an overall status report.

Yet, Nicole Ganz, spokeswoman for the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, says the Palestinian Authority has yet to file a complaint. And the international activist community? It sometimes seems it takes a war to mobilize us in mass numbers as well – which explains why we’re all focused on Syria and Iraq, with barely a mention or attempt to push back on the daily deteriorations in Gaza and the West Bank.

“During the war, I was getting messages all the time from foreigners who wanted to help, who promised to help me get out for a bit after it was over,” recalls Maisam. “But now..nothing. Even during the war, I never felt like I wanted to die. This is new to me. I guess we’ll just keep breathing until we stop.”

Source: http://mondoweiss.net

November 6, 2014