ベイルート「歴史見直し論とシオニズム」会議中止を求めたアラブ知識人14人連名は偽造の告発

送信日時 : 2001年 4月 8日 日曜日 1:15 AM

件名 :アラブの知識人14人の連名は偽造の告発

　本日夕刻、極めて重要な転送情報が入りましたので、急ぎ、英文を全文送ります。簡略な説明だけにしますが、主旨は、先のベイルート「歴史見直し論とシオニズム」会議の中止に関して、開催に反対した「アラブの知識人14人」の連名なるものが、何と、「偽造された」(FABRICATED)ものだったという告発です。

　日本国内でも、私自身が拙著『湾岸報道に偽りあり』で日本語版から引用したこともある『イスラム報道』の著者、エドワード・サイードが、この連名に加わっていることを、鬼の首でも取ったように騒いだ某大学教授がいましたが、このサイード本人が、騙されたと怒っているのです。その手紙が最後にあります。

　サイードは、「ホロコースト否定論」には反対の立場で、ベイルートという場所にも反対したのですが、言論の自由を尊重するから、政府が会議の開催を禁止することを求めたりはしなかったと記しています。

　以下は、一昨年、ニューヨークで開かれたユーゴ戦争におけるNATOの戦争犯罪を裁く独立戦争犯罪法廷（ラムゼイ・クラーク代表の国際行動センター主催）に参加した際に、そこで知り合ったアメリカの友人が転送してくれた電子手紙です。つまり、この独立戦争犯罪法廷には、少なくとも、日米両国から、それぞれ一人づつは、「ホロコースト見直し論者」が参加していたことになります。

Al-Awda@yahoogroups.com
April 2, 2001

Edward Said Repudiates Arab Intellectuals' Call to Ban Beirut Revisionism Conference

Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2001 14:28:23-0700 (PDT)
From: Ibrahim Alloush
Reply-To: Al-Awda@yahoogroups.com

　Dear List members, Below you shall find a message from Edward Said on the banning of the conference of revisionist historians.

　As you all know, that conference was supposed to take place in Beirut on March 30. However, the Lebanese government banned it as a result of pressures from Western governments and the Zionist movement.

　A statement by fourteen Arab intellectuals calling on the Lebanese government to ban the conference of revisionist historians in Beirut was circulated in the media and on the internet.

　That alleged statement was used as a political cover to justify the banning of the conference and the curtailing of free speech rights. It seems, however, that the statement was FABRICATED according to a statement by Dr. Edward Said below.

　The original text read to signatories over the phone was different from the one published in the press. Edward Said says he still does not have a copy of either texts. Many of the signatories did not know that they will be signing a request to an Arab government to ban free speech. Initial contacts with Mahmoud Darwish indicate the same, even though there is no document like the one below to prove that yet.

　This journalistic scoop was made by Samaa Abu Sharar, the daughter of Majed Abu Sharar, the Central Committee member of Fateh who was assassinated in Rome in 1981. Samaa is a journalist living in Amman, Jordan, who writes in English and French. She was out to prove that even if Edward Said disagreed with revisionist historians, he could have never signed the statement calling for banning their conference, which constitutes a violation of free speech rights.

　After all, Arab regimes don't need much encouragement in this area. Below you shall find Edward Said's response to Samaa Abu Sharar's query. Please be aware that he authorized her to quote him in part or in full, and hence, she forwarded his message to others to make her point. In the cause of objectivity, I am forwarding it to those who supported the banning of the conference of revisionist historians in Beirut without any alterations. I still think, however, that it is incumbent upon those whose names were added to a statement that they did not endorse, to MAKE A PUBLIC DECLARATION to that effect.

　Later

Ibrahim Alloush

---

From: Edward W Said
To: samaa Abu-Sharar

Subject: Re: A message from Amman

Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2001 07:15:17 -0400 (EDT)

　Dear Samaa, I don't have and never saw the memo since I was called by phone, told that there was no time to send a copy for me to see, and was asked to approve the text for signature.

　I did, on condition that there would be no appeal to any government concerning the banning of the conference. I don't believe

　a), in addressing governments and

　b), asking governments to ban anything, least of all conferences, books, etc.

　Having been the victim of such governmental decisions I couldn't put myself in such a position. I was very clear about this.

　The next thing I knew is that the statement appeared with a request to Hariri's government to ban the conference.

　All I had agreed to sign was a statement denouncing the holding of such a conference in Beirut. To repeat, I did not ask the government to ban it, nor would I ever.

　This request was added against my wishes, and without my knowledge. I am deeply opposed to holocaust-deniers but I am equally opposed to banning by government edict everyone's right to free speech.

　This was a terrible breach of confidence and a small group of franco-arab "intellectuals" simply betrayed my trust. To this day they haven't had the decency to send me a copy of what I supposedly signed. You may use any and all of the information I've sent you here.

Best,

Edward Said

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