By Syed M.Aslam
Jan-07- 13, 2002
*** "... when the 'war of civilization' is
burning and maiming the Pakhtoons of Kandahar and destroying their
home because 'good' must triumph over 'evil' ... If I was an Afghan
refugee, I would have done just what they did ..."
(British journalist Robert Fisk justifying brutal
assault, which caused serious physical injuries to him, by tens of
angry Afghan refugees near Quetta city, Pakistan)
*** "IT ISN'T PATRIOTISM, but jingoism
that the press in the United States has demonstrated since September
11."
(Chilean reporter Ximena Torres Cautivo accusing
the US media of lack of in-depth analysis on the war against
Afghanistan and the attempts by the public and the advertisers to
silence a few voices of dissent)
*** "UNDCP SURVEYS and work have
confirmed the almost total disappearance of the opium poppy in areas
controlled by the Taliban."
(The UN Drug Control Programme appreciating the
former Afghan government for the 'most impressive results in the
global fight against drugs' expressing apprehensions that opium
cultivation could return the war-ravaged nation to its former status
of the largest poppy producer)
*** "THE GOVERNMENT is saying 'trust
us', but democracies require more than trust, even in times of
war."
(Human Rights Watch, the largest US-based human
rights organization, criticizing the US Justice Department for denying
it access to information about the people, including Pakistanis,
arrested in relation to the September 11 investigation)
*** "THE AMERICANS LIE as easily as they
breathe. They had promised a Palestinian state and now they bless
Israel's destruction of Palestinian land, so to fabricate a cassette
is nothing."
(An Egyptian dismissing release of Osama tape as
fake. The tape has failed to convince the Muslim world about the guilt
of the alleged mastermind of the terrorist attacks on September 11)
*** "IF WE LOOK at news programmes, they
almost always follow a standard official protocol which give
precedence to the news of the country's leaders and top officials even
if they hold no news."
(Former Sudanese Minister of Information, Professor
Ali Mohammed Shummo, criticizing media in the Arab world for acting as
a mouthpiece for the government depriving it of all objectivity and
credibility)
*** "THE ARMY is cooperating with and
assisting the FBI's efforts ... We're following every logical
lead."
(An un-named FBI official commenting on the
investigation that US army scientists have made anthrax in a
weapon-grade powdered form in recent years)
*** "MANY PEOPLE perceive me as a
snob... so I want to lessen my being brutally frank and to have
greater patience."
(Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
making public her resolution for the Year 2002 promising to her temper
in check when dealing with the press)
*** "THE NEW POET LAUREATE will write
poetry, especially for use in parliament on occasions of state sponsor
poetry readings, (and) give advice to the parliamentary librarian
regarding the collection of the library and acquisitions to enrich its
cultural holdings."
(Canadian Senator Jerry Graftstein explaining the
reason for the creation of the post of official poet laureate by the
parliament)
*** "IF THERE IS ONE COUNTRY in the
world which I have always liked to visit that was America ... But now
this is the only country I would never like to turn to."
(Unnamed Saudi Arabian doctor vowing not to visit
the US, where he had worked, ever again. He was taken into custody
just because his name resembled one of the suspects of terror attacks)
*** "WE DID EXACTLY what President Bush
did when he gave notice to the Taliban saying they should hand over
the Al Qaida, close down the terrorist networks or face the
consequences."
(Indian ambassador to the US, Lalit Mansingh,
comparing Indian war threats to Pakistan akin to the US action in
Afghanistan)
*** "WE DON'T tell the Americans what to
do in their territory, so they shouldn't come here and dictate on our
land."
(A Cuban criticizing the US for housing Taliban
prisoners in a controversial US Navy base at the "usurped"
Guantanamo Bay on the Caribbean island nation)
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