William Nicholas Gomes: the Enemy's Enemy

Asian governments are out of line with their obligations toward humanity and he won't stop writing about it.

William Gomes interviewing a mother whose son is acid survivor at Dhaka Medical College Hospital for News agency Asia News

(SALEM) - I am incensed after reading blatantly false claims published in Bangladesh tabloid press about our human rights ambassador, a highly effective journalist / activist named William Nicholas Gomes. Since being named to his new role at Salem-News.com, William has been under constant attack by pro-government media and they are dastardly in their methodical attempt to discredit our writer. It is not going to work out for them however.

Reading the charges against this man, reminds me of why everything in this part of the world is so topsy turvy, disjointed and frightening for millions. When governments act as terror agents against their own people, the vast majority will lower their eyes and simply do as they are told, but Gomes knows what is taking place in Bangladesh is wrong, and he refuses to be silent about it.

William Gomes has been singled out because he is a threat toward the power brokers and a friend of the common man. His no-holes-barred approach frightens officials who are guilty of wrongdoing as does his effectiveness in dealing with government officials, so they tell their 'journalists' at institutions like BLITZ (Comprehensive Tabloid Weekly), (Seditious text messages sent to Bangladeshi cell phones) to begin writing things that are not just untrue, but laughable.

All I can say about their random, manufactured charges, is that they are not true. It is all an attempt to discredit Mr. Gomes and it is only convincing a handful of 'tabloid' readers.

The tools are being sharpened on both sides; Salem-News.com believes William Gomes' success is also poison and that the enemies of human rights do not want him to progress. William recently wrote an open letter, carried by Salem-News, that led to high-level intervention from Pakistan's government. A land activist named Baba Jan had been tortured for 12 days by ISI police. Pakistani officials confirmed that it was the open letter from William Gomes that brought about their response.

There are not opportunities like the ones William represents available to us every day. Language barriers are large, cultural understandings are often detached. But William knows it all, he speaks and writes in multiple languages and has vast cultural understanding is extremely valuable toward fixing the biggest problems in this world.

So if you read something about William Nicholas Gomes that doesn't seem right, just ignore it and smile and move on knowing that he is making a difference every single day and it scares Asian governments that are out of line with their obligations toward humanity.

Those who want to know more about Bangladesh and this country's human rights record, visit amnesty.org

• Bangladesh Government Blocks Website for Publishing 'Anti State' Poem - Tim King Salem-News.com
• William Gomes: An Outspoken Voice for the Voiceless - Kourosh Ziabari Salem-News.com
• William Gomes, a Poet with Power - Bonnie King Salem-News.com
• Sedition Charges Against Journalist in Bangladesh? - Tim King Salem-News.com
• Letter from Salem-News.com Human Rights Ambassador Brings Relief to Torture Victim in Pakistan - Salem-News.com
• BANGLADESH: Warn Government to Stop Waging War Against its Own People - Letter by William Gomes Salem-News.com
  

Tim King in 2008, covering the Iraq War

Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

Tim King has more than twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. Tim is Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. His background includes covering the war in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, and reporting from the Iraq war in 2008. Tim is a former U.S. Marine.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing from The Associated Press the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs, Electronic Media Association and The Red Cross In a personal capacity, Tim has written 2,026 articles as of March 2012 for Salem-News.com since the new format designed by Matt Lintz was launched in December, 2005.

Serving readers with news from all over the globe, Tim's life is literally encircled by the endless news flow published by Salem-News.com, where more than 100 writers contribute stories from 20+ countries and regions.

Tim specializes in writing about political and military developments worldwide with an emphasis on Palestine and Sri Lanka, Iraq and Afghanistan, and the U.S. Marines. You can write to Tim at this address: tim@salem-news.com. Visit Tim's Facebook page (facebook.com/TimKing.Reporter)