How a decades-long connection led to a new collaboration

Posted on January 13, 2024 by beenasarwar

I have known Rob Vreeken for over 30 years, since we met in Amsterdam in the early 1990s. He worked at the leading Dutch daily newspaper De Volkskrant, that we visited — women journalists from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia, in The Netherlands on a month-long fellowship. I have lost contact with the other fellows but Rob and I stayed in touch on email.

The last time we actually met was when he traveled to Pakistan as a foreign correspondent, soon after my daughter was born. He visited our home in Karachi and met my family, thoughtfully bringing along a baby gift. He has also been very supportive of my ventures, from Aman ki Asha, to the Southasia Peace Action Network and Sapan News, , the media outlet I started in August 2021.

Since ‘retiring’ from De Volkskrant a few years ago, Rob has been the paper’s Istanbul correspondent. After the Oct. 7 attacks, he also reported from Israel and the West Bank.

November 11, 2023: Rob Vreeken with Palestinian activist Saleh Diab in East Jerusalem. Photo by Faiz Abu Rmeleh

In November, he shared some photos which I thought would be interesting for my students at Emerson College, where I taught a Global Journalism course last fall. He subsequently shared his experiences with my students, who really appreciated his insights – like, it’s okay to say “I (or we) don’t know” rather than rushing to provide opinion or information, and the importance of acknowledging mistakes that we as journalists and human beings make.

I’m sharing Rob’s first piece written specially for Sapan News. It is a clear and fair analysis of the ICJ hearings at the Hague that he watched live from Istanbul.

You can see the photos I shared with my class in a slideshow embedded in his piece at the Sapan News website. The article, like all our features, is available for syndication with due credit to Sapan News – http://www.sapannews.com.

Read: What Israel fears above all – a Sapan News syndicated feature

Lawyer Vusi Madonsela (left) of the South Africa legal team; looking at him Tal Becker (right), head of Israeli team. Photo by Rob Vreeken, Istanbul.

Check out the Sapan News website and contribute to help support nonprofit journalism. All contributions are tax-deductible, thanks to Sapan News’ fiscal sponsor Tasveer.

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ChanukahForCeasefire; a Jewel in Ivory in Berlin; #SapanforSAARC this Sunday; and the NewsMatch challenge for Sapan News

Posted on December 10, 2023 by beenasarwar

Greetings to those observing Hanukah and salute to those participating in #ChanukahForCeasefire demonstrations around the United States. Thousands of Jews have been lighting candles at #ChanukahForCeasefire gatherings, coming together “to mourn, find hope, and fight on — for ceasefire, freedom for all held captive, and an end to siege on Gaza,” says IfNotNow, a movement of American Jews “organizing for equality, justice, and a thriving future for all: our neighbors, ourselves, Palestinians, and Israelis.” To find one near you, go to: https://innmvmt.org/chanukah.

Such actions, and those of thousands including high school students marching around the world to call for #ceasefirenow, provide hope in a world that feels heavy. It is unbearable to think of the thousands killed, maimed and displaced in conflict areas, especially children.

Public opinion worldwide is clearly for #CeasefireNow, calls being ignored by those who could stop the bombing that continues to claim lives. What can we do? Hold on to ourselves and do what we can, where we can, when we can. Inform ourselves, share information – double-check before sharing so we don’t pass on #fakenews — donate to causes, participate in public actions.

Continue reading →

Filed under: 'Internally Displaced Persons', covid-19, Health, History, Human rights, Interfaith, journalism, Media, Palestine, prisoners, Progressive politics, Resistance, Southasia, Violence in the name of religion | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

‘Kill a Turk and rest’: Avnery in Tikkun; assaulted after peace rally; GAZA

Posted on June 8, 2010 by beenasarwar

Posted to my yahoogroup yesterday

Thanks to Sandy Tarlin in NY for this email update from Tikkun (email: magazine@tikkun.org) including:

  • Editors’ note on the assault on Uri Avnery, 86, after he spoke at a peace rally in Tel Aviv
  • Avnery’s article on the Gaza flotilla.
  • Full account of the assault on Avnery
  • Lying About The Gaza Flotilla Disaster & facts on Gaza blockade

Long, but worth reading in full….  READ ON…posted to my yahoogroup – text below Continue reading →

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We Don’t Feel Like Celebrating with Israel This Year

Posted on September 13, 2009 by beenasarwar

Naomi KleinWe Don’t Feel Like Celebrating with Israel This Year
Article by Naomi Klein – September 8th, 2009

Last para of Klein’s article:
….This is the context in which a small group of us drafted The Toronto Declaration: No Celebration Under Occupation, which has been signed by the likes of Danny Glover and Ken Loach (we will be unveiling hundreds of new names on the first day of TIFF). Contrary to the many misrepresentations, the letter is not calling for a boycott of the festival. It is a simple message of solidarity that says: We don’t feel like partying with Israel this year. It is also a small way of saying to Mona Al Shawa and millions of other Palestinians living under occupation and siege that we have not forgotten them, and we are still outraged.

It’s not too late to add your name
http://torontodeclaration.blogspot.com/

Adding Your Name
To add your name to this letter, please send your name, occupation and country to tiff.letter@gmail.com
We will accept signatures until September 14, 2009

For further reading on this issue:

Letter by Canadian filmmaker John Greyson on withdrawing his film from the Toronto International Film Festival in protest against City to City: http://tiny.cc/tiff_open_letter
(not sure I agree with his decision to withdraw his film, but it reminds me of the Modi award going to Gujarat – ‘business as usual’ -beena)

Response by TIFF co-director Cameron Bailey to Greyson’s withdrawal and this petition:
http://www.tiff.net/livefromthefestival/openlettercitytocity

Report in Israeli daily Haaretz:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1110750.htmlspages/1110750.html

Report in Guardian newspaper, UK:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/sep/01/israel-palestine-boycott-film

Statement by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel
http://www.pacbi.org/etemplate.php?id=1085etemplate.php?id=1085

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Palestine remembered

Posted on July 30, 2009 by beenasarwar

PALESTINE: http://www.palestineremembered.com/

from Asim Ghani with the note

“It’s a wonderful site. Please forward it to as many people as you can. Thanks!”

Filed under: Palestine | Leave a comment »