Common Ground News Service - Partners in Humanity (CGNews-PiH)
for constructive & vibrant Muslim-Western relations
05 - 11 December 2006

The Common Ground News Service – Partners in Humanity (CGNews-PiH) aims to promote constructive perspectives and dialogue about Muslim–Western relations. CGNews-PiH is available in Arabic, English, French and Indonesian.
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Inside this edition

1) by Shaykh Ali Gomaa

Shaykh Ali Gomaa, Grand Mufti of Egypt, looks to history and the Qur’an to determine whether terrorism and extremism are justified under Islam. He asks: “Whom should we trust? Should we trust the extremists, or that upon which the entirety of Islamic civilisation has been built over 1,400 years?”
(Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 5 December 2006)

2) by Heyfa Khenissi

Heyfa Khenissi, a freshman at the University of Maryland and an American Muslim, describes her hopes and concerns for the future of Muslim-Western relations. She also contrasts Islam today and Christianity in the Middle Ages, and lists some of the promising initiatives that both Muslims and Europeans are now undertaking.
(Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 5 December 2006)

3) by Nizar Abdel-Kader

With Lebanon back in the hot seat, Nizar Abdel-Kader, political analyst and columnist at Ad-Diyar newspaper in Beirut, looks at the roles and responsibilities set out for different countries and factions by UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the steps that have been taken, or have yet to be taken, to this end. Then he asks what else is required to quell the new internal tensions, suggesting the US pay heed to 1701’s emphasis on a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, for the sake of Lebanon and the region.
(Source: Bitterlemons-international.org, 23 November 2006)

4) by Scott Peterson

Scott Peterson, staff writer at The Christian Science Monitor, writes on a topic strangely absent from many editorial columns in the past week: the constructive gestures and words of Pope Benedict XVI in Turkey. Commenting not only on the high level impact of his visit, he also asks people on the street in Istanbul whether the Pope’s behaviour in Turkey has changed their opinion of him based on his controversial speech in September.
(Source: Christian Science Monitor, 1 December 2006)

5) by Mohammad Yazid

Mohammad Yazid, staff writer at the Jakarta Post, looks at whether Indonesia can serve as a facilitator for more constructive Muslim-Western dialogue, or there are first some internal challenges that it must address. Considering the country’s successes at inter-religious harmony as well as current difficulties, he highlights where the Indonesian lessons are for improved Muslim-Western relations.
(Source: Jakarta Post, 6 December 2006)
   

1) Terrorists are criminals, not Muslim activists
Shaykh Ali Gomaa

Cambridge, UK - The rise of extremism in the Muslim world has led to the widespread view of Islam as a religion of violence, retribution and war. This is in complete opposition to the truth of our religion and, on behalf of the vast majority of the 1.3 billion Muslims who are ordinary, peace-loving, decent people, I want to repudiate the actions of a misguided criminal minority.

Firstly, they contradict the central theme of peace in Islam. Peace is the greeting of Muslims amongst themselves, the last word spoken by a Muslim in his prayers, one of God’s names, and one of the names for Paradise.

Secondly, the Qur’an permits freedom of belief for all of mankind by saying, “To you is your religion and to me is mine.”

Thirdly, the use of violence is prohibited in spreading the faith. The Qur’an explicitly states: “There is no compulsion in religion”, and “Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good counsel and discuss with them in the most kindly manner”, and “God does not prevent you from being kind to those who have not fought you on account of your religion or expelled you from your homes, nor from dealing justly with them, indeed God loves the just.”

Fourthly – and this is very important – none of these extremists have been educated in genuine centres of Islamic learning. They are, rather, products of troubled environments and their aim is purely political and has no religious foundation.

Thus, terrorists are criminals, not Muslim activists.

My fear is that these extremists will convince the world that the entire Muslim world is the enemy, and that a war on terror is a war on the entire Muslim world. The Qur’an tells us, “O people, we have created you from a single male and female and divided you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.” When God said “to know one another”, He did not mean in order to kill one another.

Whom should we trust? Should we trust the extremists, or that upon which the entirety of Islamic civilisation has been built over 1,400 years? The first Prophetic saying that is taught to a student of Islam is, “Those who show mercy are shown mercy by the All-Merciful. Show mercy to those on earth and the One in the heavens will show mercy to you.”

Should we trust the extremists’ views, or the freedom of choice and belief that Islam has enjoined upon us? The Qur’an says, “Truth comes from God, whoever believes let them believe and whoever does not, let them not believe.” The clarity of this verse is surely there for all to see.

One of the problems in all religions today is that lay-people attempt to set themselves up as religious authorities, even though they lack the scholarly qualifications for making valid interpretations of religious law and morality. These interpretations are made in reaction to political crises, injustices, poverty and frustration, and our role as religious leaders who have spent our lives carefully studying religious exegesis is to re-establish proper authority and guide the people accordingly.

There are more than 6,000 verses in the Qur’an, only 300 of which are related to legal matters; the rest deal with developing good moral character. There are over 60,000 Prophetic traditions and sayings of which only 2,000 are related to legal matters; the rest deal with developing good moral character. For over a thousand years, ordinary Muslims have worshipped God, engaged in developing their society, and have sought to cultivate good moral character. This is made clear in the Qur’an which says, “He caused you to dwell on earth and to develop it.”

From my long study of Islam and its history, I can attest that it is free of ethnic cleansing, religious inquisitions and forced conversions. This may seem contrary to the popular contemporary view of Islam, but it is an opinion that has been confirmed by a study carried out by Richard W. Bulliet who demonstrated that while the body politic of Islam spread quickly, it took hundreds of years for populations to convert to the faith. Islam was spread by love, intermarriage and family relations, not by the sword.

We all need to learn from history and call people to work for the betterment of our societies for our children and grandchildren in a manner in which all are given their due respect and recognise their duties to one another. This is what we understand from personal freedom. Can we achieve this? The hope that we can serves as my inspiration, and I pray that you join me in this so that we can realise these goals.

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* Shaykh Ali Gomaa is the Grand Mufti of Egypt. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org.

Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 5 December 2006, www.commongroundnews.org
Copyright permission has been obtained for publication.

2) ~Youth Views~ Growing up in a world of misunderstandings
Heyfa Khenissi

College Park, MD - I turned 18 this year, and I realised how chaotic the world has become. On some days, I feel like rational voices are becoming rarer. The Muslim world is developing an increasingly negative perception of Europe and the United States because of a series of conflicts in the Middle East and certain cultural misunderstandings. At the same time, Europe and the United States are developing a worsening view of Islam because of terrorist attacks, anti-Semitism and cultural squabbles. The immigration issue in Europe is also making things worse, especially since it is making the far-right popular. Is there any way that one can reverse these negative trends?

In a globalised world, information is transmitted instantly, and people from different parts of the world can become aware of something relatively quickly. I think this is why the Muhammad caricatures had such a profound impact and sparked so much anger in many parts of the world. Thus, social and religious differences make themselves felt more easily than before. After each incident, one would hope that people would react better to future incidents and do something constructive. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem we are learning much from each new incident.

As a liberal American Muslim (I am an American citizen with Tunisian parents), I am concerned about the future, especially since I want to believe I will be free to explore different parts of the world in my career. Every time my religion is exploited for political gain, I cringe. I call for tolerance and calm, and I feel like writing is the only way I can reach out to people. I don't have any prejudice towards others, and I would like to open up to the world. I was lucky enough to live in an environment that encouraged respect towards others, and I would like to learn more about other cultures. I have had the honour of meeting wonderful people of various backgrounds in my lifetime. For instance, one of my friends is Jewish, and I have a friend who is a Christian. I have wonderful conversations with them and every day, I learn more about their beliefs. It is a great experience, and in the process, more knowledge is gained. At the same time, I present myself as a liberal Muslim who wants to build bridges and share my interpretation of Islam.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak made an interesting comment in October, acknowledging that the behaviour of certain Muslims gave the world a negative impression of Islam. He even asked whether it was "time for a new religious discourse that teaches people the correct things in their religion ... and promotes the values of tolerance against those of extremism and radicalism". It does seem that a significant number of people in the Western world have the impression that Muslims are dogmatic and hysterical individuals. It’s good for leaders in the Arab world to step in and try to distance their societies from the negative images people have of Islam.

Religion can give meaning to people, but it can also be abused by some individuals. Many religions have suffered from periods of extremism, but human interpretation of religion tends to fluctuate. Not all of the adherents of a belief have the same interpretation at any given time. For instance, during the Middle Ages, when the Catholic Church and other Christians interpreted their faith a particular way - to include papal calls for the Crusades - some Christian sects, such as the Lollards, strongly opposed them. Generalisations must be avoided at all costs, and not all the practitioners of a religious belief should be blamed for the actions of a few. Today Islam as such is neither as extreme or conservative as Christianity was in the Middle Ages, but a few fanatics have given it that appearance. Religion still deserves a place in this world, even though extremists have always abused religion in the name of politics.

However, I do see some hope. More and more Muslims are reaching out to the West to help Westerners have a better understanding of Islam. Even in conservative Dubai, the government has proposed offering religious tours to tourists in order to promote a more positive, accurate image of Islam. In Europe also, people have proposed events to promote tolerance and understanding; in June 2006, there was a conference in Vienna, where people examined the real causes of intolerance towards Muslims and the misconceptions about Islam that are prevalent today.

Hopefully, these initiatives can encourage seeing past stereotypes.

The ideal way of breaking down stereotypes is by meeting people with backgrounds and beliefs different from ours. Furthermore, when governments encourage moderation and express their desire to confront extremism across the board and in all its forms, a climate of openness can be achieved as well. If a country’s leaders can show the way, then perhaps the people they represent can be encouraged to do the same.

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* Heyfa Khenissi is a freshman at the University of Maryland. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org.

Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 5 December 2006, www.commongroundnews.org
Copyright permission has been obtained for publication.

3) Restoring the state
Nizar Abdel-Kader

Beirut - UN Security Council Resolution 1701 was perceived as an opportunity for progress in the immediate and medium-term future. It opened the way for the Siniora government to demonstrate its capacity to take the steps needed to regain sovereignty over South Lebanon, consolidate national security, achieve economic recovery and repair all the damage caused by this summer’s war between Israel and Hizbullah. The government quickly implemented the security provisions of 1701 south of the Litani River and along the Syrian border, opening the way for the UNIFIL deployment in the South. When Hizbullah conceded the area for this deployment, many observers believed that Lebanon's domestic problems were on their way to being resolved.

Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah's declaration of a "divine victory" was the first indication of the collapse of the consensus among the Lebanese parties over 1701 and the deployment of the army in the South. That speech offered clear signs that containing Hizbullah would not be an easy task. Gradually, it emerged that Hizbullah was shifting the focus of its agenda from the military to the political dimension by trying to discredit the government and accusing Siniora of plotting with the US and France to disarm the "resistance". This shift clearly serves the Iranian-Syrian agenda in Lebanon.

The National Dialogue Conference held before the war had achieved significant progress on issues relating to Shebaa farms, relations with Syria, and the establishment of an international court regarding the assassination of Rafiq Hariri. But it failed to deal with Hizbullah's arms and the election of a new president. After the war, Hizbullah, allied with Christian General Michel Aoun, moved from that agenda to a new one calling for the establishment of a "national unity government" in which both would have veto power over Cabinet decisions.

While the government was seeking help and support from the Arab states and the international community, Hizbullah and its allies were preparing the ground to overthrow the government. The sudden resignation of the Shi'ite ministers from the government was clearly caused by Siniora's call for the Cabinet to approve the special protocol for the establishment of an international court to look into Hariri's assassination. It is believed that Hizbullah's move was prompted by Syria, which opposes the international court.

Nor is Iran, having supported Hizbullah for many years with weapons and money, going to abstain from the game. The Iranian leadership hastened after the war to provide Hizbullah with substantial financial aid to compensate for damages. Hizbullah remains one of Iran's strategic assets in Lebanon--in the words of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, "the main battleground to defeat America and the Zionist state".

Nasrallah clearly explained, in his recent speech on November 19, his intention to bring down the Siniora government unless the majority agrees to the "national unity" government formula. He stated, "we will call for early elections and we will take all necessary steps to force the government to resign and form a temporary or interim government to supervise the elections." The government has so far resisted, arguing that Hizbullah is trying to conduct a coup d'etat.

The assassination of Minister of Industry Pierre Gemayel on November 21 added fuel to the fire. It is a political crime meant to derail the government and accentuate the divisions among the Christian factions while increasing tensions between the Shi'ite and the Sunni communities. Now uncertainties are greater than ever before; this tragic crime could engender political turmoil that in turn could lead to civil strife.

Is there a way out of the present crisis?

Both the government and the opposition must reassess the situation on a more realistic, political basis. There is now a great need for both to review their agendas, concentrating solely on reaching common ground regarding power-sharing and rebuilding lost confidence.

Both parties need to reach a more solid consensus than the one reflected in UNSC Resolution 1701--covering interpretation of 1701's core demands and their implementation, including how to deal with Hizbullah's weapons in the future. As for Hizbullah, it must decide whether it actually wishes to integrate into the Lebanese state, free of Iranian and/or Syrian influence.

The key international players must follow through on their pledges, not only to beef up UNIFIL forces and provide military and financial assistance to the Lebanese government, but also to use carrots and sticks to convince Iran and Syria to stop those actions that are destabilising Lebanon and derailing its evolving democracy. Also, it should be made clear to Israel not to play into the hands of Hizbullah by continuing its violations and delaying resolution of the Shebaa farms issue.

Resolution 1701 stresses "the importance of, and the need to achieve, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East". Accordingly, the United States government should make all necessary efforts to re-launch Arab-Israeli peace talks. Such a move would not only untie the knot of regional conflicts but also alleviate the growing tension and risk of state breakdown in Lebanon.

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* Nizar Abdel-Kader is a researcher and political analyst, and a columnist at Ad-Diyar newspaper in Beirut. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org.

Source: Bitterlemons-international.org, 23 November 2006, www.bitterlemons-international.org
Copyright permission has been obtained for publication.

4) Pope's outreach eases Muslim wariness
Scott Peterson

Istanbul – Marshalling all his powers of persuasion, Pope Benedict XVI is marking his visit to Turkey with glowing words about Islam, in a bid to calm widespread Muslim anger over his quoting in September a 14th-century emperor, who held that the prophet Muhammad brought "things only evil and inhuman" to the world.

In a powerful symbolic gesture, Pope Benedict visited Istanbul's magnificent Blue Mosque Thursday night, becoming only the second pope in history to enter a Muslim place of prayer.

Hosted by the Grand Mufti of Istanbul, Imam Mustafa Cagrici, the pontiff took off his shoes at the entrance - the common Muslim practice - and held a respectful moment of silence beneath the soaring ceiling and ornately tiled walls.

In sharp contrast to recent images of Muslim anger, including burning effigies of the pope, the two leaders exchanged gifts with a "doves of peace" theme. Despite lingering doubts among Turks about Pope Benedict's sincerity, analysts say the pope's fence-mending effort is working.

"The pope's visit to Turkey and his messages to ... the Muslim world have a symbolic value; he's really reached the hearts of the people," says Nilufer Narli, a political sociologist and Islamist expert at Bahcehir University. "His message can play an important role in easing tensions. I think he knows it, now."

But many ordinary Turks aren't convinced. "I don't think he is sincere, because he changed his mind," says Neslihan Kurt, who works in a leather purse shop.

She says she was "angry like everyone else" over the papal comments in September, but concedes that "maybe by his visit, he is really trying to change, to improve things."

Pope Benedict also came bearing another, unexpected gift, which reverses his own public position taken in his pre-papacy days as Cardinal Ratzinger: support for Turkey to join the European Union (EU) at a time of deepening scepticism in Europe about the Muslim state's candidacy.

Vatican support of the EU bid is especially significant now, after a recommendation by the EU on Wednesday to freeze eight areas of policy discussion, because of Turkey's refusal to recognize Cyprus and not open Turkish ports to Cypriot ships.

Turkey is the only nation in the world to recognise the Turkish Cypriot mini-state of northern Cyprus, where Turkish troops have been deployed since 1974 to support ethnic Turks on the divided island.

The pope's support is "important" for Turkey's EU bid, wrote the daily Milliyet newspaper. "This is a big warning for conservative politicians who think the EU is a Christian club."

Throughout his days here, the pope has chosen language that appeals to Turks' deep sense of nationalism - this "noble land" and its "glorious past", he said, yielded a "great modern state" - and its aspiration to be seen as equal to European nations.

Coupled with effusive papal praise of Islam, by which Turkey presided over a "remarkable flowering of Islamic civilisation", the pope's attempt to prove his "great esteem for Muslims" has had some effect on a sceptical public.

"As Cardinal Ratzinger, he was very well known for opposing Turkey's EU prospects, naming Turkey as culturally and religiously different, with no place in Europe," says Cengiz Candar, a columnist for Bugun newspaper, and the English-language New Anatolian.

"But now as Pope Benedict XVI ... he wants to see, as the Catholic Church, Turkey in Europe," says Mr. Candar. "It's a very radical departure from what we know of Cardinal Ratzinger's opinion on Turkey."

That change represents an "evolution" in thinking, after the pope's previous remarks that "if not hostile, were careless and inappropriate", says Candar. "It is not the way a pope would like to be perceived by millions, even billions of people around the world, even if they declare a different faith."

In addition to reaching out to Muslims, the pontiff sought to improve relations within the global Christian community as well. In a bid to heal the millennium-old rift between the Catholic and Orthodox churches - the original purpose of his trip - he held a prayer service with the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew.

The two leaders, who raised their clasped hands above their heads like victorious sportsmen, are seeking to further unification efforts begun in 1965 between the world's 250 million Orthodox faithful and 1.1 billion Roman Catholics.

"The divisions which exist among Christians are a scandal to the world and an obstacle to the proclamation of the gospel," said the pope.

But in the shops and stalls of Istanbul, it was the pope's efforts to bridge the perceived divide between Christianity and Islam that drew locals into debate.

"We think his visit is a pleasant thing, to bring the Christian and Islamic worlds together," says Dogan Met, who was visiting a women's dress shop. "He made some mistakes [and] did not apologise, but in his visit here I find him sincere. He's regretful."

"Why do you think he didn't apologise?" asks Semih Akoz, looking over at Mr. Met. "Do you think human beings never make mistakes? Even the pope?"

"Football is more important than the pope," says Mr. Akoz, a self-described Islamist who had several Turkish newspapers open in front of him to the sports pages. "I don't think the pope's [negative] point of view will change toward the Islamic world. There's been a very old way of thinking for centuries, that the Islamic world is a source of terrorism."

"I think his messages are solving the problem," counters Met, coming to the pope's defence.

"The important thing is that he keep to the words he said here, and not go back to the old words when he leaves Turkey.

"The whole world is watching," adds Met. "I don't think he will change back."

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* Scott Peterson is a staff writer for the Christian Science Monitor. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org.

Source: Christian Science Monitor, 1 December 2006, www.csmonitor.com
Copyright © The Christian Science Monitor. For reprint permission please contact lawrenced@csps.com.

5) Indonesia as facilitator in Muslim-Western relations
Mohammad Yazid

Jakarta – Muslim-Western relations have proven to be very fragile, particularly after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. Interfaith ties across the world have become increasingly turbulent. Some in the West view all Muslims as terrorists, and anti-West movements have cropped up in many predominantly Muslim countries.

The only way to overcome these tensions is dialogue, which can serve as a bridge between faiths, cultures and civilizations. In this way, the two sides can reach points of understanding for mutual respect.

Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world and a “moderate” Islamic stance, has the potential to act as a facilitator and help ease the strained relations between Muslim societies and the West. There are several important points from the country's past that point to its potential to act as a bridge between the Western and Muslim worlds.

First, by adopting Pancasila as the state philosophy and the 1945 Constitution as the legal basis of Indonesia, the founding fathers succeeded in laying a solid foundation for the creation of peace in the country, despite the existence of various religions, ethnic groups and races.

By not choosing Islam as the state religion -- as brought up in discussions in the early phase of establishing the state -- Muslims as the majority group set an example of prioritizing religious harmony. This shows that misunderstandings and tension arising from differences in belief can be settled peacefully. Amicable relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in Indonesia can serve as a reference in initiating a Muslim-Western dialogue.

Second, harmony in religious diversity has been widely experienced in Indonesia at the grassroots level. In daily life, a lot of families with members from different faiths are able to live together in peace and mutual respect.

Third, historically, inter-Muslim ties in Indonesia have been completely harmonious. The presence of various schools with different interpretations of Islam has not given rise to enmity and bloodshed.

This is completely different from the violent divide between different Islamic groups in several Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq. The antagonism between Shiite and Sunni groups -- before and after Saddam Hussein's rule -- will be very difficult to overcome because they have such a deep-rooted history of enmity.

For instance, Shiite followers still find it hard to forget the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, when he fought against Muslims of the Sunni school in the seventh century in what is now Karbala, Iraq.

The harmony enjoyed by Indonesian Muslims is a significant strength in helping to open a dialogue between the West and Muslim societies around the world. The excesses that can arise from the tug-of-war between group interests in Islam will be far reduced by Indonesia's neutral attitude.

These things, however, in no way exempt Indonesia from vulnerabilities that can disturb interfaith harmony, though much of the violence that has occurred in the country over the past six years was originally sparked by non-religious issues.

Poor law enforcement, rampant corruption, collusion and nepotism pose more of a threat to the long-standing religious harmony here. This has prompted a search for alternatives to overcome weak law enforcement, such as the issuance of shari‘a-based bylaws. In fact, the core of the problem is dissatisfaction with a lack of law enforcement.

Still, declining government authority in the eye of the public has become an issue of its own. Though the current government came to office following direct elections, if it does not live up to its promises it will only cause frustration.

Likewise, in the economic sector, those at the bottom of the economic ladder often find it hard to meet their daily needs, especially after the economic crisis in 1997. With unemployment on the rise, social envy is apt to surface, along with increasing crime .

To assume the role of facilitator in Muslim-Western dialogue, Indonesia must first show it is capable of surmounting its internal issues through an intensive exchange of ideas. Otherwise, it will have trouble gaining foreign confidence, whether in the Muslim world or in the West.

In the words of British Muslim scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Bilal Abdallah,
"Muslims need to disentangle themselves from all forms of reactionary positions whose features include intolerance, literalism, extremism and the constant urge to control and limit free expression and creative thinking."

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* Mohammad Yazid is a staff member of the Jakarta Post. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org.

Source: Jakarta Post, 6 December 2006, www.thejakartapost.com
Copyright permission has been obtained for publication.

Youth Views
CGNews-PiH also regularly publishes the work of student leaders and journalists whose articles strengthen intercultural understanding and promote constructive perspectives and dialogue in their own communities. Student journalists and writers under the age of 27 are encouraged to write to Chris Binkley (cbinkley@sfcg.org) for more information on contributing.

About CGNews-PiH
The Common Ground News Service - Partners in Humanity (CGNews-PiH) provides news, op-eds, features and analysis by local and international experts on a broad range of issues affecting Muslim-Western relations. CGNews-PiH syndicates articles that are constructive, offer hope and promote dialogue and mutual understanding, to news outlets worldwide. With support from the Norwegian government and the United States Institute of Peace, this news service is a non-profit initiative of Search for Common Ground, an international NGO working in the field of conflict transformation.
This news service is one outcome of a set of working meetings held in partnership with His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan in June 2003.
The Common Ground News Service also commissions and distributes solution-oriented articles by local and international experts to promote constructive perspectives and encourage dialogue about current Middle East issues. This service, Common Ground News Service - Middle East (CGNews-ME), is available in Arabic, English, and Hebrew. To subscribe, click here. (http://www.sfcg.org/template/lists.cfm?list=cgnews)
The views expressed in these articles are those of the authors, not of CGNews or its affiliates.
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Posted by Evelin at December 6, 2006 06:29 PM