Tuesday, December 06, 2005

December, 2005 Show

Part I: A pre-recorded lecture by Dr. Laila Al-Marayati on struggles that American-Muslims face in the US nowadays.

Part II: A live interview with Dr. Lisa Hajjar about CIA practices of secret detentions and interrogations.


Thursday December 8th, 2005
6-7 PM
KBOO 90.7 fm

Click here to listen to this program

Lisa Hajjar is an associate professor in the Law and Society Program at the University of California-Santa Barbara. She is the author of Courting Conflict: The Israeli Military Court System in the West Bank and Gaza (University of California Press, 2005). Dr. Hajjar is a member of the editorial committee of Middle East Report, a publication of the Middle East Research and Information Project.

Dr Laila Al-Marayati is the spokesperson and past president of the Muslim Women’s League, a Los-Angeles based organization dedicated to disseminating accurate information about Islam and women and to strengthening the role of Muslim women in society, Al-Marayati is an obstetrician –gynecologist and director of Women’s health at Northeast Valley Health Corporation.

She has served as presidential appointee to the Commission on International Religious Freedom from 1999 to 2001. As an American of Palestinian- descent, Al-Marayati frequently speaks about the right of the Palestinians. She is a member of the Board of Directors of KinderUSA, addressing the health and educational needs of Palestinian children living in the West Bank and Gaza.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

November 2005 Show

Iran-US-Israel Triangle of Mistrust
A round table with Professor William Beeman and Professor Hooshang AmirAhmadi

Thursday Nov.10th, 2005.
6-7 PM
KBOO 90.7 FM

To listen to this recording click here!
A month ago Iranian President Ahmadinejad during a summit called for elimination of Zionism. This public announcement, perceived by the world as “Israel should be wiped out…”, caused a global outrage that indeed fueled more rhetoric from both sides. Looking at this statement in light of Iranian pursuit of Nuclear energy and discussion with IAEA generated a wide variety of concerns in the western countries. People question the value of these kind of statements and want to understand the Iran-US-Israel game plan in the future. Voices of the Middle East welcomes back two distinguished scholars with insight knowledge about the issue; Professor William Beeman and Professor Amirahmadi.

William Beeman is a professor of anthropology and director of Middle East Studies at Brown University. He writes extensively about Iran and US relations and their conflicts. Dr. Beeman has recently visited Iran and is the author of The "Great Satan" vs. The "Mad Mullahs": How the United States and Iran Demonize Each Other. (Praeger/Greenwood). For his latest op-ed on this issue click here!
Hooshang Amirahmadi holds a PhD in economic planning and international development from Cornell University and is professor and director of the Middle East Studies Center at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Dr. Amirahmadi is also president of the American Iranian Council an organization aimed at normalizing the Iran and US relations. For his latest opinion on this issue click here!

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

October 2005 Show

An interview with Professor Birol Yesilada, Professor of Political Science and Chair of Turkish Studies at Portland State University.

Thursday October 13th, 2005
6-7 PM KBOO 90.7 fm

Click here for the on-line version of this show.

Despite resentments in part of several European Countries finally EU entered into the negotiatiosn for Turkey's full membership in the Union. Dr. Yesilada will elaborate on this process and reasons behind EU's resentment to accept a predominantly Muslim country as a full member. What is at stake for both sides and future implications will be discussed.

Birol A. Yesilada is professor of Political Science and International Studies at Portland State University (PSU). He is also holder of the endowed chair in Contemporary Turkish Studies in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government. He came to PSU in September1998 from the University of Missouri-Columbia where he was Chair of the Department of Political Science.


Dr. Yesilada received his B.A. degree in 1977 in Neurobiology from the University of California at Berkeley, his M.A. in Political Science in 1979 from San Francisco State University, and his Ph.D. in Political Science in1984 from the University of Michigan.

His recent publications include books, The Emerging European Union (with David Wood, Longman, 1996, 2nd ed. 2001 and 3rd ed. 2003), Comparative Political Parties and Party Elites (University of Michigan Press, 1999), The Socioeconomic and Political Transformation of Turkey (co-ed., with Atila Eralp and Muharrem T?Praeger, 1993), and numerous articles and book chapters including ?Political Future of Afghanistan and Its Implications for U.S. Policy? Conflict Management and Peace Science (Spring 2003 with Jacek Kugler and Brian Efird), ?Negotiating a Resolution to the Cyprus Problem: Is Potential European Union Membership a Blessing or a Curse?? International Negotiation Journal (2002, with Ahmet Sozen), ?Turkey?s EU Candidacy? Middle East Journal (2002) ?Turkey and the United States? Dangerous Neighborhood: Aspects of Turkey's Foreign Relations, (2002), ?The Virtue Party,? Turkish Studies (2002), and ?Realignment and Party Adaptation,? in Politics, Parties, and Elections in Turkey (2002). His is co-editor of International Studies Perspectives and Associate editor of Middle East Studies Association Bulletin.

His current research interests include: The European Union (enlargement issues, ESDI-NATO, economic integration and other internal policies), political and economic development of Turkey, radical Islam and terrorism, the Cyprus negotiations (decision making and bargaining analysis), global power transition, and politics of economic reform in the emerging markets.

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

August 11th, 2005 Show

Palestine and Palestinians in Lebanon
Thursday 8/11/05
6:00 PM
KBOO 90.7 FM webcast at www.kboo.fm

First part of the show this week is about Palestinian refugees right to work in Lebanon in light of changes in the Lebanese reforms after Syrian Pullout. Hundreds of thousands of stateless Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon scattered in refugee camps throughout the country, originally displaced through the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. Legally defined as foreigners, Palestinians live in Lebanon as second-class citizens without any basic social or political rights.

Currently Palestinian refugees in Lebanon do not have the right to work in over 70 professions, while broader laws and regulations of the Lebanese state undermine the basic survival of Palestinians. They are forbidden from owning property, the majority living in refugee camps throughout the country, which are surrounded by Lebanese military check-points.


In June 2005, Lebanon’s Labour Minister proposed changes to the country’s labour laws regarding the right to work for Palestinian refugees. The changes, if implemented by Lebanon’s newly formed government, will grant the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the country the right to work in manual and clerical jobs, while still being forced to apply for foreign work permits. The proposed changes will still prohibit many Palestinian professionals from working in their fields of expertise including, medicine, law and engineering.

The proposal to grant Palestinians the right to work in limited professions, takes place in the context of larger ongoing political changes in Lebanon. In April 2005, Syria complied with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559 and withdrew upwards of 15 000 troops from Lebanon.

Social and political pressure also forced from Lebanon, tens-of-thousands of Syrian workers from the country. Many Palestinians in the camps express skepticism regarding the economic motives for this change regarding their right to work. It has been argued that Palestinian refugees can now fill the cheap-labour vacuum, left by the withdrawal of Syrian labour force.


The second part of the show is a speech from Aaron Lakoff a member of the International Solidarity Movement and a journalist with CKUT community radio in Montreal. This presentation was given in Montreal, at a panel organized by Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR.org), shortly after Aaron returned from working for 2 months in the Israeli occupied West Bank, with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). Aaron originally traveled to Palestine, as part of a “Birthright Israel” trip, with the intention of going to work with Palestinians struggle against Israeli occupation.

This presentation specifically focuses on the realities on the ground in occupied Palestine, in the context of the reemergence of “negotiations” between the Israeli state and the Palestinian Authority, specifically addressing the ongoing construction of Israel’s Apartheid Wall and ongoing “Settlement” construction throughout Palestinian territory.

-------------------------------------------------

-> For more information of the situation of Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon visit the Independent Media Center of Beirut at: www.beirut.indymedia.org
-> To view report and pictures from Aaron Lakoff in Palestine visit: aaron.resist.ca

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Campaign for Ganji's release!

Hello my friends;

I have created a simple card asking Iranian ambassador to UN to pay attention to Ganji's case. You just need to print and copy back to back to create 4 post cards per sheet. You can then sign and/or have your friends sign it and send to ambassador Zarif. You can of course use this in any event happening in your area to campaign for release of Akbar ganji. The objective is to send as many postcard as possible in the next few weeks, Ganji is in a very dangerous situation and needs support from all of us.

File is in pdf format and can be downloaded by CLICKING HERE!

Appreciate your help and support of Human Rights.

Goudarz Eghtedari

Monday, June 06, 2005

June 2005 Show

Voices of the Middle East presents:
Thursday June 9th, 2005 6:00 PM
KBOO 90.7 FM

Click here to listen on-line!

First part:
June 16, 2005 is the day of presidential elections in Iran. Eight candidates from right to center reformists are running to replace President Khatami. One of the people who signed up as a candidate for elections but was disqualified by guardian council is professor Hooshang Amir Ahmadi. I am talking to Dr. Amirahmadi about presidential elections in Iran and his plans for remedy of the US-Iran problems.

Second part:

Food is central to Arab culture in general and Lebanese culture in particular. It is also central to one of the most important factors in that culture which is Hospitality.

Food is served to family and guests in copious amounts and the variety of dishes on a well laid table is designed to delight the eye, as well as to impress the appetite and the guest. Such a table is a proud work of art.

I will be talking to Artist Linda Sawaya about her timely book, Alice’s Kitchen, which serves up such a work of art.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

May 2005 Show

US-Iran relations and Iranian government's responses
An interview with William Beeman, Ph.D.

Click here to listen to this show on-line!

William Beeman is a professor of anthropology and director of Middle East Studies at Brown University. He writes extensively about Iran and US relations and conflicts. Dr. Beeman is currently a visiting professor at Stanford University.


For Dr. Beeman's latest op-ed on Iran click here:

Sunday, April 17, 2005

April 2005 Show

Click here to listen to the on-line version of this show!

Outside The Ark
An Artist's Journey in Occupied Palestine
By Ellen O'Grady

Ellen O'Grady is an artist and social justice activist who spent six years living in Palestine and Israel. Her work has been shown in galleries and museums throughout the state and country. Much of her work draws from her time in Palestine and Israel and reflects on the present conflict revealing the human faces behind the ongoing tragedy.
Ellen is currently on a nation-wide tour to promote her new book, Outside the Ark. It is the culmination of her painting series of the same name whose inspiration came from her time living and working in the West Bank. Outside the Ark tells the stories of individual Palestinians living in the West Bank. It links these stories and her own story through a remembering of the Biblical flood story. The work is exhibited in the form of a slide-show/storytelling performance, in paintings exhibitions, and in a book. It has been reaching people at a variety of venues, including art galleries, public libraries, colleges, high schools and places of worship.

Friday, March 18, 2005

March 31st show with John Limbert

Click here to listen to the on-line version of this show!

An interview with Ambassador John Limbert, We will talk about his long experience in Iran, from his Peace Corp volunteer days to becoming a Hostage. Mr. Limbert has writen the "Iran, at war with history" and has recently published a book titled "Shiraz in the Age of Hafez: The Glory of a Medieval Persian City".

6-7 PM Thursday March 31st on KBOO 90.7 FM
Web cast at www.kboo.fm

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

March 10th show with Nijyar Shemdin

Click here for on-line version of this show!

Kurds and elections in Iraq, current situation and future prospects.
an interview with Nijar Shemdin

Thursday March 10th, 6-7pm KBOO 90.7 fm
webcast at www.kboo.fm

Nijyar Shemdin is the Kurdistan Regional Government's Representative in the USA. He has tirelessly given all his efforts to support Kurds.

Thursday, February 10, 2005

February 10th show with Richard Sale

Click here to listen to this recording!

6-7 pm KBOO 90.7 FM in Portland, OR.
Webcast at www.kboo.fm

An interview with Richard Sale about recent reports on US intelligent activities in Iran.

Richard Sale is a United Press International correspondent with extensive works in the Middle East. Mr Sale covers military and intelligence in the region. He will be talking about Pentagon intelligence gathering in Iran and potential courses of actions by the administration.

Saturday, January 15, 2005

January 13th show with Jaime Mayerfeld

Voices of the Middle East
Thursday, 1/13/05 from 6 to 7 PM
on KBOO 90.7FM, for webcast go to http://www.kboo.fm
Host: gabriele Ross

* An interview with Jaime Mayerfeld, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Washington and specialist in theory and practice of human rights. Topic: The nomination hearing of Attorney General to be Alberto Gonzales and his responsibility for reoccurring cases of torture.
Click here to listen to this interview on-line!

* A conversation with Morteza Baharloo, an author born in Darab, Southern Iran. Mr. Baharloo will introduce his book "The Quince Seed Potion" on February 9th at 7.30 at Powell's Books in Portland and on February 14th at 7.30 at Elliot Bay Books in Seattle. More information at http://www.mortezabaharloo.com
Click here to listen to this interview on-line!