June 26, 2008
Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Being Gay In The Mideast
 -- By CNN's Octavia Nasr If you're a homosexual in the Arab world, there is a great chance you'll get the same treatment fifty-two men did at an Egyptian gay disco on the Nile in 2001: arrested, their heads covered with white hoods, on charges of practicing debauchery and denigrating Islam. That would be the official treatment, which might be kinder than the one you get from your family. In the documentary titled Gloriously Free, a gay man who fled Jordan after being shot and almost killed by his brother paints a grim picture. In the film, he’s identified with only a portion of his name “al-Hussein”: "There are laws concerning homosexuals. However there is no killing by the government by law. But there is still the traditional honor killing by family and persecution by society." A society that is deeply rooted in the conservative interpretation of Islam and centuries-old social laws. Another Film entitled, A Jihad for Love, explores the relationship between Islam and homosexuality, as well as the official stance from the religious authority. An unidentified sheikh interviewed for the film says with much conviction, "Homosexuality is a crime and is punishable in Islam by death." The film shows the disturbing stand for gay people who practice Islam. An unidentified gay man whose face is not shown says, "I wish there was a verse in the Quran that said please do not discriminate against homosexuality."
But if gay people in the Arab world cannot live their lives openly, many of them have resorted to talking about it online, forming chat groups to offer each other support. On the internet, an Arab gay and lesbian community is very active. They express themselves and their homosexuality openly and try to bring change to a culture that still doesn't accept them and often pretends that they don't even exist. The Gay and Lesbian Arabic Society (GLAS) say on their special website: "We are part of the global gay and lesbian movement seeking an end to injustice." But for now, they can only gather in secret or on the Internet until their communities give them the justice they seek. 5 Comments
Add a commentJune 24, 2008
Child Brides In Yemen
 Ten-year-old Nujood Ali-- By CNN's Paula Newton in Yemen, who will host the July edition of Inside the Middle East. Mideast Snapshot - Iranian Salt Fields
Sarkozys Whisked Away At Airport
 French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni were rushed into the official plane flying them back to Paris following an incident at Ben Gurion Airport. According to a police official, a customs guard committed suicide during the departure ceremony, which spraked panic at the event. Meanwhile, several rockets hit southern israel this morning. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, which they said was revenge for the killing of one of their members in the West Bank. The Hamas-Israel truce may well prove to be extremely short-lived. June 23, 2008
The Sarkozys Visit Israel
 Talk about a 180 degree change with his predecessor Jacques Chirac: French president Nicolas Sarkoz and his wife Carla Bruni are currently on a three-day visit to Israel after years of French disengagement from the country. Sarkozy repeated that a nuclear-armed Iran is "unacceptable" (we've heard that before). He also added that Israel should freeze settlement building on Palestinian territory. But forget all the boring political talk, it seems in Israel, as in every other country the duo visit, attention is squarely focused on the glamourous Carla. From AP: "Queen Carla," said a headline on the front page of Yediot Ahronot, Israel's largest daily. Inside was a two-page spread with a collage of her photos and a breakdown of her wardrobe — including the $2,500 Prada dress she wore upon arrival, a $1,200 hand purse and a $650 pair of sandals. Is there a separate budget line for Carla's wardobe? June 22, 2008
Got Oil? (Part II)
 U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman shakes hands with Saudi King Abdullah in Jeddah today. (Photo AP) In 1919, French energy minister Henry Berenger wrote to French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau: "He who will have the oil will have domination (...) The nation that will be the owner of this precious fuel will see billions." Until the world gets viable alternative energy to power factories, cars and homes, Berenger's impressively prescient 1919 note will continue to hold true. Which is why the most powerful countries and oil executives in the world are converging on Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this week end to try to find a way to control sky-rocketing crude prices. Saudi Arabia says it will increase production by more than two million barrels a day by the end of next year. But with market speculation blamed for most of the price increase, there are fears the move will do little to take pressure off consumers. |
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Welcome to the Inside the Middle East blog. Our reporters, producers, cameramen and editors will regularly add to this with colorful behind-the-scene stories. This page is about how we put the show together -- from on-location shoots to the editing room -- as well as for anecdotes and stories that don't always make it into our finished on-air product.
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