Twitter bans account with suspected tie to Khamenei
‘Revenge is certain’ threat on Trump
DUBAI, Jan 23, (AP): Twitter said Friday it has permanently banned an account that some in Iran believe is linked to the office of the country’s supreme leader after a posting that seemed to threaten former president Donald Trump.
In the image posted by the suspect account late Thursday, Trump is shown playing golf in the shadow of a giant drone, with the caption “Revenge is certain” written in Farsi.
In response to a request for comment from The Associated Press, a Twitter spokesman said the account was fake and violated the company’s “manipulation and spam policy,” without elaborating how it came to that conclusion.
The tweet of the golfer-drone photo violated the company’s “abusive behavior policy,” Twitter’s spokesman added.
In Iran, the suspect account - @khamenei_site - is believed to be linked to the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei because its behavior mirrored that of other accounts identified in state-run media as tied to his office. It frequently posted excerpts from his speeches and other official content.
In this case, the account carried the link to Khamenei’s website.
Other accounts tied to Khamenei’s office that did not tweet the golf-drone photo, including his main English language account, remained active. The photo had also featured prominently on the supreme leader’s website and was retweeted by Khamenei’s main Farsi language account, @Khamenei-fa, which apparently deleted it after posting.
Earlier this month, Facebook and Twitter cut off Trump from their platforms for allegedly inciting the assault on the U.S. Capitol, an unprecedented step that underscored the immense power of tech giants in regulating speech on their platforms. Activists soon urged the companies to apply their policies equally to other political figures worldwide, in order to combat hate speech and content that encourages violence.
The warning in the caption referenced Khamenei’s remarks last month ahead of the first anniversary of the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard general Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad. In his speech, Khamenei did not call out Trump by name, but reiterated a vow for vengeance against those who ordered and executed the attack on Soleimani.
“Revenge will certainly happen at the right time,” Khamenei had declared. Iran blocks social media websites like Facebook and Twitter, and censors others. While top officials have unfettered access to social media, Iran’s youth and techsavvy citizens use proxy servers or other workarounds to bypass the controls.
The nomadic Bedouin has been weaving Sadu as utilitarian objects for centuries. Featuring bright, vivid colours that stood out against a pale desert landscape, the weaving took the shape of things that the Bedouins used daily such as tent dividers, camel bags, pillows, floor coverings etc. Woven by women, Sadu became a form of artistic expression of their reflection of the world as they saw it. Sadu was fortunate to find its saviour in Sheikha Altaf Salem Al Ali Al Sabah, an anthropologist by training who recognising the slow disappearance of Sadu decided to dedicate her life and work to its resurrection.
It has been a long, arduous journey for Sadu. With origins dating back centuries to the deserts of Kuwait, the woven cloth, an essential part of many nomadic cultures, has transitioned from functional, utilitarian objects carried on bags of camels to beautiful works of art. Last month, UNESCO added Sadu, the Saudi and Kuwaiti traditional form of weaving to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage ensures better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance. One of the convention’s main goals is to safeguard the ICH element and ensure its continuity for generations to enjoy. Sadu is the second Kuwaiti cultural practice on the list after date palm production and related activities. Kamel Al Abdul Jalil, Secretary-General of the National Council For Culture Arts & Letters views it as a well-deserved win brought about by Saudi support and collaborative efforts of the National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters and Sadu House. To celebrate this honour, Kuwait Towers will beam ornamented and coloured lights depicting Sadu motifs from Jan 12-Jan 31.
The nomadic Bedouin has been weaving Sadu as utilitarian objects for centuries. Featuring bright, vivid colours that stood out against a pale desert landscape, the weaving took the shape of things that the Bedouins used daily such as tent dividers, camel bags, pillows, floor coverings etc. Woven by women, Sadu became a form of artistic expression of their reflection of the world as they saw it. As the wheels of modernisation fastened its pace, the weaving tradition slowed until it threatened to come to a grinding halt. By the eighties, Sadu in Kuwait was on the verge of extinction. An essential element of Kuwaiti heritage known for its bright colours, beautiful motifs that spoke a language laden with symbolism was falling prey to mass consumerism and the digital age. Demand for Sadu was falling, and Bedouin women, the master weavers, were dwindling in numbers. Their successors refused to learn and practice a craft that was financially unviable.
Sadu was fortunate to find its saviour in Sheikha Altaf Salem Al Ali Al Sabah,
an anthropologist by training who recognising the slow disappearance of Sadu decided to dedicate her life and work to its resurrection. For decades, she fought the slow erosion of material culture,a by-product of the process of social change through advocacy, lobbying, founding the Al Sadu Weaving Cooperative with likeminded individuals, establishing Sadu House as a centre of weaving and traditional crafts, researching, documenting, archiving, speaking and collaborating. To her, UNESCO’s listing of Sadu as an Intangible Cultural Heritage is a source of great pride. “We are so happy and proud of this accomplishment. It is a culmination of years of work and negotiations with the Arts Council regarding this matter,” said Sheikha Altaf, Honorary President of Al Sadu Weaving Cooperative Society. “You are well aware of our work for years and have been a part of this journey of energy and application through programmes of study, documentation, publications, weaving courses and design workshops etc. The training of teachers and students and the inclusionof weaving into the school art curriculum helped push the Sadu file seriously forward.”
When asked how this endorsement from UNESCO will benefit the craft, Sheikha Bibi Duaij Jaber Al Ali Al Sabah, Chairperson of Al Sadu Weaving Cooperative Society said, “The endorsement highlights the importance of safeguarding the craft. The various ministries have seen the significance of cultural heritage in the international arena, and this will reflect on future cooperation with them.” A former instructor at GUST, Sheikha Bibi gave in to her inner calling when she took up the mantle of Sadu House. “AlSadu Society has always been in my life ever since I was an infant when I used to visit with my mother. I completed all the weaving courses when I was older. Coming back to the house and the society felt like a duty to keep this craft alive for future generations. Over the years, we created and managed many successful programs. We look forward to preserving and promoting the craft.” Sheikha Bibi spearheads the preservation of Sadu, and she has successfully given the craft a sustainable form in a contemporary space.The UNESCO has highlighted the role of older Bedouin women as the primary bearers of the craft.Commenting on the changing role of these women, Sheikha Bibi mentioned, “We view our master weavers as national treasures and make sure we have audio and visual recordings of the knowledge they have in regards to the craft. We have the responsibility of safeguarding all that pertains to this craft. We do this by offering traditional AlSadu workshops and professional weaver courses to a new generation of weavers to ensure the craft’s continuity.”
Wadha Mohammed Al Ajmi, a Sadu masterweaver, is very happy with the recognition. She said, “I feel proud of Kuwait and its people’s prosperity. I am proud that the rich Al Sadu craft heritage is considered one of Kuwait’s cultural achievements.” Masirah Al Enzi, Vice President of Al Sadu Society, shared, “The inception of AlSadu Association resulted from the continuous efforts of a group of individuals aimed at preserving the heritage of traditional weaving in Kuwait. The association worked on documenting the art of weaving and Sadu long before it was publicly announced. The inclusion of Sadu in the representative list of UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage is considered a tribute to the efforts made continuously by members and volunteers of the association and those interested in the art of Sadu. It is also a great incentive to face up to any difficulties that may hinder this effort.” Ayeisha Khallid, a former long time member ofKuwait Textiles Art Association, an organisation that operates under Sadu House’s auspices, was Sadu Coordinator for years. Having been a part of Sadu’s journey for many years, she shared her happiness at this achievement from Pakistan, where she relocated. “This achievement is attained after along struggle by Sheikha Altaf to give master weavers and Sadu its place in the world of textile arts. It has been a prolonged journey, but her willpower made the difference. She stood like a rock sometimes alone, but her determination to have Sadu recognised as a heritage weaving art and as the true face of Kuwait has come true. My best wishes to Sheikha Altaf and all at Sadu House and I hope the new generation will take it to greater heights.”
Farah Al Sabah is the Head of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) at the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters. She is an important member of the team that worked hard to actualise this achievement. Explaining the efforts of the NCCAL, Farah said,“For the Sadu file, the ICH Team sought out Sadu weavers, both old and young, master and beginner, female and male so we could interview them, learn how they are passing on the tradition, and get their approval to submit a file concerning their craft to UNESCO.” Paying tribute to the efforts of Sadu House she said, “Thanks to the Sadu House’s tireless work in promoting, preserving, and teaching traditional sadu weaving for decades. Because they were aware of the UNESCO ICH Convention, they had requested the nomination of al Sadu for years. Therefore, the ICH Team partnered with Sadu House on submitting a successful file.” The NCCAL hosted workshops, community-based meetings, and lectures for the general public to discuss what intangible cultural heritage is, and what the UNESCO convention requires. From these meetings,members of the public identified ICH elements, and requests for inscription were suggested. These ICH elements suggestions include the diwaniya, sea-faring songs, falconry, Bisht weaving, and other Kuwaiti traditions that are still practised.
The consumer-driven, technology valuing world is seeing an erosion of important elements of human heritage, that are functional and carry messages of culture and society in its process, colours, symbols and motifs. The values placed on these artforms will be lost without the efforts of organisations like the Sadu House and NCCAAL in preserving these vestiges of shared heritage.