Jamaat al-Muslimeen International Press Release
(The tragedy behind the War News)
800,000 African Muslims Face Death by Starvation
The terrible war between two of America's allies, the stubborn
regimes in Eritrea and Ethiopia, has overshadowed the immense tragedy
which has overtaken millions of people in southern Ethiopia.
While war rages in north, famine has brought an entire population to
the brink of death in the south. Millions face malnutrition and disease
while an estimated 800,000 might actually die.
ALIEN FORCES AT WORK IN TROUBLED LAND: On May 24, channel 24 in
Baltimore had a half-an-hour advertisement to help the starving people
of Ethiopia. Try to calculate how much half-an-hour costs on Discovery
channel. This was a major (European by descent) group coming out of Oklahoma!
They were flashing credit card signs on the left of the screen, urging
viewers to donate.
MUSLIM WOMAN WOULD NOT GIVE UP HER IDENTITY EVEN NEAR DEATH:
The Oklahoma people had already been to the famine area. They
showed extensive footage of the people arriving from the famine-stricken
regions at the relief centers only to find that there was no relief.
The footage showed long lines of women and children moving through
the arid land. The women were identifiable right away as Muslims from
their Islamic headgear (like dopattas in Pakistan but worn very carefully
over the head).
ONE IMAGE of human dignity caught my attention. A mother walking by
her near- teen daughter was gesturing to her daughter that her head
cover had fallen off. Immediately the daughter pulled it right back.
To the Oklahoma man, this little gesture meant nothing. To me, it
showed the dignity of our people even when faced with death. I
remembered the 7 million Afghans trekking down from their villages to refuge in
Islamic Pakistan, the Palestinians crowded in their camps, the Bangladeshis in
their slums - all alive with faith even against impossible odds.
Why are we so crassly silent about our African family? The Europeans
are rushing in, hoping to establish another enclave of slaves.
Whay's the problem with us?
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO GAVE REFUGE TO THE PEOPLE OF PROPHET
MUHAMMAD (peace be on him) when the first community, Muslims of Makka,
were surrounded by oppression.
Let's follow the Sunnah: Start fasting on Mondays and Thursdays and
donate lunch money to the children of Ethiopia.
(When I told my students about the man from Oklahoma, they laughed
because they know that this MAN does not care even for the people in
Brooklyn, Detroit, Watts and South Chicago. They 'knew' right away why
he was rushing off to Ethiopia.)
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Donate to Jamaat al-Muslimeen, P.O. Box 10881, Baltimore, MD 21234.
Write: "Ethiopian Emegency" in the memo line.
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Our committee for Ethiopia has the following core members:
Sis. Saida (Montreal) (Ethiopian), Br. Awele (Addis Ababa) (Ethiopian),
Sis. Yasmeen (Baltimore) (Pakistani origin), Br. Ebrima (Purshase, New York)
(Ethiopian), Br. Kaukab Siddique (Bel Air, MD) (Pakistani origin,
coordinator)
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Visit our web site: www.NewTrendMag.org
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Come to our 3rd International Symposium in Morgan State University,
Baltimore, on June 24 (all day). Registration: $15. Lunch $10. Low cost
lodging available.
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2000-05-27 Sat 09:44ct