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[1] From: Pradip Kumar Datta <pradip200@yahoo.com> Date: Sat Dec 30, 2006 Subject: Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein executed Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein executed December 30, 2006 09:11 IST Last Updated: December 30, 2006 09:49 IST Ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was hanged on Saturday at 8.30 am IST, according to Arab media reports, which have been confirmed by Hussein's lawyer and US military officials. The state-run Iraqiya television channel broadcast the news that 'the execution of Saddam Hussein is complete'. Both his co-accused, his half brother Barzan Hassan al-Tikriti and Awad Hamed al-Bandar have also been executed. Hussein was sentenced to death by an Iraqi court on November 5 for killing 148 Shias in 1982. Amidst confusion about when his execution would actually take place, Hussein met with his lawyers and half-brothers on Friday. He reportedly handed over to them his personal belongings and a letter meant for 'his people'. It is being reported that after signing the execution order on Friday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was not present at the execution, footage of which has been taken but not released as yet. AGENCIES ----------- [2] From: Jagannath Chatterjee <jagchat01@yahoo.com> Date: Sat Dec 30, 2006 Subject: The murder of Saddam Hussain. Dear Sirs, Saddam Hussain, the toppled leader of Iraq, was murdered today morning at Baghdad. The murderer is a known serial killer. The murder of Saddam is sure to escalate tension in the region and Iraq is set to divide into three separate countries, the North becoming Kurdistan, the Central ruled by Sunnis, and the South by Shias. Coming at the onset of Id this murder will anger and unite anti American forces. The murderer is thus both anti American and anti Arab. The murderer has now set targets on Iran and North Korea. By reacting mutely to the killing the people who call themselves world leaders can be counted as accessories to this murder. Iraq was stable under Saddam till the forefathers of the murderer decided to incite the Shias to revolt against the Sunnis. When the Shia movement was at its peak the instigators quietly moved out leaving the Shias at the mercy of the angered leader. Later they came back to wage an unnecessary war against Saddam completely throwing the country into disarray and the whole region into instability. Saddam was tried in a manner perhaps unparalleled in history. There was no semblance of justice in the trial and there was no scope for the leader to appeal. Now Saddam is no more whereas Bin Laden roams free despite being in the sights of America on a couple of occasions. Saddam had become dispensable, Laden is necessary as an excuse for a few more misadventures. This murder must be condemned. The decision of India to express its dissatisfaction is laudable. Yours faithfully, Jagannath Chatterjee, Health & Human Rights Activist, Member: MANITHAM, Chennai, Loksatta, Maharastra/Hyderabad. ----------- [3] From: "P.J. Victor Raj" <pjvraj@yahoo.com> Date: Sat Dec 30, 2006 Subject: Investing in our children Investing in our children Children under six years of age make up nearly 20 per cent of India's population. Were their welfare high on the country's agenda, it is hard to imagine that so many would continue to remain undernourished, stunted, and wasted in an era of buoyant economic growth. Data from the third National Family Health Survey conducted in 2005-06 tell us that as many as 42.4 per cent of all children under six are undernourished — that is, they weigh less than what they should for their age — down only 2.1 percentage points from the figure of 1998-99. The percentage of stunted children has fallen from 44 to 37 but at the current rate of decline, it will take more than two decades for Indian children to achieve a normal height-for-age distribution. More than half the children under six are not fully immunised and 77 per cent are anaemic. Three decades after it was launched, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme remains the primary vehicle of government intervention. However, as the recently released FOCUS survey on the status of children under six and the performance of anganwadi centres (AWCs) shows, the ICDS is simply not providing care of a quality and quantity India so desperately needs. With no `trickle down' and no effective government intervention, India's children continue to languish. Against this grim background, the December 13, 2006 judgment of the Supreme Court (PUCL v Union of India & Others, Judgment by Pasayat and Kapadia JJ, the text of which is available at www. thehindu. com) on the universalisation of the ICDS assumes great significance. The apex court has directed the Central Government to "sanction and operationalise" a minimum of 1.4 million AWCs by 2008. The bench also ruled that rural communities and slum dwellers are "entitled to an `Anganwadi on demand' (not later than three months from the date of demand) in cases where a settlement has at least 40 children under six but no AWC." This judgment, like earlier ones on the universalisation of school meals, has the potential to transform the childhood of India's most underprivileged young citizens. The AWC was conceived as a space where children regardless of parental income or place of residence could receive nutritional support, immunisations, and early childhood education. Their mothers, too, are entitled to antenatal care. For the promise to be fulfilled, three things must happen. First, attention needs to be paid to ICDS design. For a start, AWCs must have proper premises and provide cooked nutritious food rather than ready-to-eat items. Secondly, budgetary allocations at the Central and State levels need to be increased substantially. Thirdly, the Supreme Court must monitor the implementation of its order with the same sense of urgency as it has all its rulings on unauthorised urban construction. India has an appalling record of neglecting the welfare of its children. It is time they were made the country's number one priority. http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/30/stories/2006123001891000.htm ----------- [4] From: Pradip Kumar Datta <pradip200@yahoo.com> Date: Sat Dec 30, 2006 Subject: 754 Bangladeshis intercepted 754 Bangladeshis intercepted SHILLONG, Dec 29 – BSF intercepted 776 illegal Bangladeshi entrants on Asom-Meghalaya border this year, of whom 754 were handed over to police and 22 to Bangladesh Rifles after finding them to be cases of ‘inadvertent crossing’, reports PTI. A BSF spokesman of Asom, Meghalaya, Manipur and Nagaland Frontier, headquartered here, said today that most of the 754 Bangladeshis handed over to the police were deported to the neighbouring country after talks in BSF-BDR flag meetings. The figures were from January to November. Troops of the frontier had effected an overall seizure of smuggled goods worth over Rs 8.5 crore including forest produce valued at Rs 2.4 crore, narcotics worth Rs 70.9 lakh and cattle valued at Rs 1.9 crore from the Indo-Bangladesh border. He said BSF also seized fake Indian currency notes with the face value of Rs 33,000 which were being pumped into the country from Bangladesh. In counter-insurgency operations, the AMMN Frontier was instrumental in apprehending 35 militants of various underground outfits of Manipur. Two battalions of the frontier which participated in the anti-Naxalite operations in Bihar also arrested three ultras and recovered arms, ammunition and explosives. ---------- [5] P.K. Mahanandia: Salute To A Living Legend By Vidya Bhushan Rawat http://countercurrents.org/dalit-rawat301206.htm A Dalit as India's cultural Ambassador in Europe Democracy And Reinforced Building By Amit Chamaria http://countercurrents.org/dalit-chamaria301206.htm Almost 90% of decision- makers in the English language print media and 79% in television are of the upper caste, although the upper castes are about 16% of the country population; Brahmin alone constitute 49% of this segment, and 71% of the total are upper caste men ----------------------------------------- WISHING ALL THINKERS A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR the.moderator India Thinkers Net ____________________________________________ |
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| << December30, 2006 - [India Thinkers Net] Happy News Year |
January02, 2007 - [India Thinkers Net] Kashmir,Kerala ADB loan,Assam,Mumbaikar, etc >> |
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