In The News

How Far East Can Europe Go?

Shada Islam May 3, 2004
As the celebrations over the expansion of the European Union die down, debates over the next big expansion proposal are sure to heat up. Talks on Turkey's entry into the European Union, however, won't be limited to a simple discussion of the economic benefits of regional consolidation. To some, letting Turkey - an Islamic nation that has been accused of human rights abuses - into the...

Learning From Europe

Nader Fergany April 30, 2004
In a time of tremendous scrutiny upon the Arab world, many interpreted the March collapse of the Arab League summit in Tunisia as a sign of Arab impotence. Nader Fergany, the director of Almishkat Centre for Research, and the lead author of the Arab Human Development Report, argues that rather than being discouraged by the failure of the summit, Arabs should push to reform the Arab League itself...

Canadians Allow Islamic Courts to Decide Disputes

DeNeen L. Brown April 28, 2004
In Ontario, Canada, Muslims can now choose to decide civil disputes under sharia, a form of Islamic law. Practitioners may agree to arbitration in tribunals separate from the Canadian judicial system, run by imams and Muslim elders. The power of these courts would be limited, and the Canadian government reserves the right to overturn decisions. The idea for establishing sharia in Canada came from...

The Trouble with Civilian Casualty Stories

Jefferson Morley April 15, 2004
A controversy is raging between the US military and several Arab news outlets over their coverage of the siege of Fallujah. General John Abizaid, head of the US Central Command, criticized the Qatar-based Al Jazeera for portraying US military action "as purposely targeting civilians." "We absolutely do not do that, and I think everybody knows that," Abizaid said. "They...

China's ‘Big Mamas' in a Quandary

Paul Mooney April 12, 2004
For quite some time now, the Chinese government and its net-surfing citizens have been involved in a series of serious net games. While the government seems bent on restricting the free flow of certain types of information into China that it fears will prove destabilizing – such as Taiwan, the Falun Gong – China's 80 million netizens (net citizens) appear equally determined to keep access to...

'The World Stood by for Too Long'

April 8, 2004
Around the world, commemoration of the ten year anniversary of the Rwandan genocide has taken a variety of turns. Some, particularly within the US and Europe, have used the opportunity to recognize that the failure to intervene was a profound failure of foreign policy. To some, however, "Never again" rings empty after 800,000 people were killed in 100 days. Others, in Africa...

Uzbeks' Anger at Rulers Boils Over

Seth Mydans April 8, 2004
The recent terrorist attacks in Uzbekistan highlight the country's overall decay and discontent. Ruled since the Soviet Union broke up in 1991 by President Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan appears mired in economic depression, and political terror: 80% of the people live in poverty and most talk as if still living under Soviet era oppression. Furthermore, lack of civil society groups, a free press...