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| << March11, 2007 - [India Thinkers Net] Dalit news update |
March11, 2007 - [India Thinkers Net] March 11 posts 7-9 Pak CJ ,Border fencing etc >> |
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[1] The Indian Diaspora, or NRIs or GPIOs as its members are also called, is by all accounts doing very in the United States of America. Thank you. Consider this: Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton attends their cocktail parties And former President William Clinton inaugurates their restaurants, and their wedding ceremonies. Several Congressmen depend on the fat political contributions from Indian businessmen for their re-election. Some in the Indian government actually believe that this Diaspora can influence US nuclear policy, Congressional bills, and the off-shore back-office business. But just who is this Indian in America? The Hindu Association of America [HAF] would have us in India believe that it and its friends in the 2 million strong NRI community are a major political force on the Hill, as the policy-making institutions of the US system are called because of their location on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. I have personally seen the vast network that the Rasthriya Swayamsevak Sangh of India has built amongst the very large and diverse groups of Non Resident India s living in the US - and collectivized on the basic of regions, mother tongues, and professions. Other civil society groups have successfully documented the vast amounts of Dollars that are being channelised to the RSS and its daughter gtroiups in India - chief among them the units working among Tribals -by Indian living in the US. Eventually these dollars find their way to the dissemination of hate campaigns against Christians, and Muslims. The funds of course come through hawala rackets - not through the FCRA bank accounts enforced by the Government on other agencies. The HAF also claims success in challenging US policy on education, for instance, and for challenging insults to Indian icons, idols and images of mythological gods and goddesses. But above all, the HAF claims a political clout in Washington and State capitals based o a wildly exaggerated Number of its membership and the number of Hindus in the US. HAF though its statements and web sites claim that there are 2 million Hindu Americans --- a whopping 0 Lakh. Civil society groups point out that since the US census cannot by law ask for religious affiliation, HAF has come up with their own figure of 2 million. Through repetition they are trying to make it a fact. The claim has at last been challenged. Professor Raju George C. Thomas, Visiting US Fulbright Professor, Faculty of the Political Sciences of Belgrade University, Serbia Montenegro and well known political scientist who taught in various US universities, says there are political motives behind the HAF claims and that the actual demographic figures show an entirely different picture. Prof George in fact wrote to the HAF questioning its claims, and its motives. Said the Professor to the HAF: You claim that there are 2 million Hindus in the US. This is easy to claim without documentation because the US Census does not ask for religious affiliation. You can claim anything you want and repeat it until it becomes fact. The total Indian American population figure that I could discover is 1.75 million. Then how could Hindus be 2 million? You are perpetuating a deliberate and pre-meditated fraud. According to a US Website: Of 284 million Americans: 93 % or 264 million of them are Christians. 7% or 20 million are non-Christians 1.9% or 5.4 million are Muslims. 1.9% or 5.4 million are Jews. 0.6% or 1.7 million are atheists. 0.3% or 0.9 million are Buddhists. 0.3% or 0.9 million are other religionists. [Includes Hindus] 2% or 5.7 million are of other religions or are non-religious. -------- [2] Praxis And Pragmatism In Sri Lanka By Chandi Sinnathurai http://www.countercurrents.org/sl-sinnathurai110307.htm The fundamental human rights and civil liberties of the people have to be restored urgently in Sri Lanka. Whether the person is a Sinhala or a Tamil. Whether it is the Tamil Tigers or the Sinhala State: both sides have to be held accountable for human rights breaches Psychosis And Mania: ADHD Drug Warnings Come Too Late For Many By Evelyn Pringle http://www.countercurrents.org/pringle110307.htm The makers of drugs used to treat attention disorders have known about the serious health risks associated with the medications for years but instead of warning the public, the industry has consistently focused its efforts on expanding the market and colluding with FDA officials to keep warnings off the labels of ADHD drugs Pakistan Continues To Need Assistance From Effects Of 2005 Quake By Brian McAfee http://www.countercurrents.org/pak-mcaffee110307.htm While the 2005 earthquake continues to wield a crisis situation for the thousands still living in tents and the personal loss of huge numbers of our fellow humans the help and outreach by relief workers and agencies in many cases has been exemplary. Recent reports indicate that approximately 35,000 are still living in 44 temporary camps throughout the earthquake effected area ------------- [3] From: Arif Khan <ank2000pk@yahoo.com> Date: Sun Mar 11, 2007 Subject: FW: War on Terror and Removal of Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan War on Terror and Removal of Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan Why was the Chief Justice of Suprem Court of Pakistan suspended? According to the reports appearing in media in Pakistan, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan presented a list of 148 missing persons in the Supreme Court on 8th March, 2007, and alleged that the country’s intelligence agencies were responsible for their disappearance, with the patronage of the federal and provincial governments. The bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had issued notices to the federal and provincial governments for March 26 for hearing. Amina Masood Janjua, who has been leading an effort to find the missing persons, including her own husband, presented another list of 59 missing persons to the SC. Her case was adjourned because the attorney general did not turn up. The HRCP said in its petition that those who disappeared but were subsequently released had told the commission that the victims were picked up by intelligence agents, and subjected to prolonged isolation and physical and mental torture, with the object of extracting confessions and evidence against their own self or against their friends and relatives. “In some cases they were coerced into spying for the intelligence agencies. They also confirm that no legal authority, charge or allegation or the whereabouts of their place of detention were ever disclosed.” The HRCP claimed that the abductees were stripped, hung upside down, subjected to sleep deprivation, severe beatings, electric shocks, burning and injuries to vital body parts through various instruments. “The testimonies received by the HRCP also revealed that the security services and the law enforcement agencies illegally maintain private prisons or safe houses equipped with all instruments of torture,” says the petition. The released people were also warned they would be picked up again if they made any disclosure or protest. Political parties like MMA have been critical of President Musharraf's tactics to hunt down Taliban leaders and other fugitives to please the administration of US President George Bush. Some quarters allege that the persons suspected of knowing whereabouts of the underground Taliban and Alquida leaders are abducted the secret service and tortured to give them information so that they may collect the hefty reward money. Some opposition leaders allege that the persons who protest against high handedness of Military rulers are also abducted and tortured. It is alleged that Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was not willing to close his eyes on such human rights violations and other illegal or wrong actions of the Government. Therefore, he was suspended and the procedure to sack him initiated. Besides opposition leaders, the associations of the lawyers all over Pakistan, former chief justices of the Supreme Court, senior lawyers and human rights activists have criticised President Gen Musharraf’s decision to suspend Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on the charge of misuse of authority. Asma Jehangir, chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), opined. "The removal of the Chief Justice of Pakistan is a bitter blow to the independence of the judiciary. There were rumours that the government wanted to remove him." "Such a dismissal can only be acted upon after the Supreme Judicial Council decides on merit against an accused judge. The speed with which the Chief Justice of Pakistan has been removed shows that the executive is nervous of an already tame judiciary." Shah N. Khan Arif N. Khan http://www.netvert.biz/wordpower ---------- [4] Subject: Riyadh wants apology from Dutch politician.... on Quran In a message, <issuesonline_worldwide@yahoogroups.com, writes: Riyadh wants apology from Dutch politician http://dawn.com/2007/02/19/top11.htm RIYADH, Feb 18: Saudi Arabia wants an apology from a Dutch politician who said Muslims should “tear out half the Quran” if they wanted to live in his country and has asked the Dutch government to intervene, a Saudi newspaper said on Sunday. The Dutch government, which said it did not agree with the remarks made by anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders, confirmed that foreign ministry officials held informal talks last week with the Saudi embassy in The Hague. “It (the embassy) appealed to the appropriate authorities on the need for Wilders' insulting statements to be withdrawn and an apology given to Muslims,” the Saudi newspaper Al Watan reported. “The embassy has demanded that the Dutch side put an end to such statements and actions.” “Our minister is not happy with Wilders' remarks,” a Dutch foreign ministry spokesman said. “It is not the point of view of the Dutch government. Wilders is a parliamentarian, it is his right to express himself,” the spokesman added. Last year Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest shrines, withdrew its ambassador to Copenhagen over Danish cartoons which provoked worldwide protests among Muslims. Wilders, who has lived under heavy guard since 2004 when a Dutch-Moroccan killed filmmaker and Islam critic Theo van Gogh, has campaigned to ban the Muslim veil, wants to freeze immigration and ban new mosques and religious schools. Wilders, who is seen as an heir to murdered Pim Fortuyn and whose new party won nine seats out of 150 in November parliamentary elections, has warned of a “tsunami of Islamisation” in a country that is home to 1 million Muslims out of a population of some 16 million. “The Dutch news agency ANP quoted Wilders as saying on Sunday he would not retract his remarks. “I would not dream of taking any of it back,” Wilders said. “Have they gone completely mad? It is scandalous that a country which does not have freedom of speech teaches me a lesson. They must learn you are a parliamentarian here, you may say what you want.”Reuters ------------- [5] From: Pradip Kumar Datta <pradip200@yahoo.com> Date: Fri Mar 9, 2007 Subject: Govt aware of Arunachal on China map: Pranab Govt aware of Arunachal on China map: Pranab NEW DELHI, March 8 – The Government is aware of the fact that maps and globes depicting Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as integral parts of China are being sold and circulated in the Communist nation, Rajya Sabha was informed today. In a reply, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the government has conveyed to the Chinese side that Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh are integral parts of India. The two countries are also engaged in discussions to arrive at a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question at an early stage, he said. In another reply, the Minister said the government is watchful of China’s plans to lay a railway line through bordering areas adjoining India and connecting other cities of China with the capital of Tibet, Lhasa. He said the government was also alert towards the media reports stating China’s proposal to extend the said railway line to Khunjarb Pass situated along the border of Pakistan and China. Mukherjee also said the government has proposed to the Chinese side to open an alternative route to Kailash Mansarowar, through Demchok in Jammu and Kashmir. During the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao, the two sides agreed to explore its possibility. To a query whether India has conveyed its concern over China’s reported plan to build a dam on Brahmaputra river and divert 200 billion cubic metres water annually to its ageing Yellow river, Mukherjee said the issue was taken up during the visit of Chinese President in November last year. Various issues of mutual interest, including India-China boundary question, two-way investment flows and cooperation relating to trans-border rivers were discussed, he said. A number of initiatives were announced to consolidate institutional linkage between the two governments, encourage comprehensive economic engagement, promote trans-border connectivity and cooperation and enhance science and technology, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.–PTI ----------- [6] From: Pradip Kumar Datta <pradip200@yahoo.com Date: Fri Mar 9, 2007 Subject: Sharmila in custody Sharmila in custody OUR CORRESPONDENT Imphal, March 8: Three days after she returned here from Delhi, Irom Sharmila is back in jail with a court remanding her in judicial custody yesterday. She is now in Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, being nose-fed. Sharmila, the most persistent crusader against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, has been on a hungerstrike for the past six years demanding repeal of the “draconian” law. After being released from jail in October last year, Sharmila shifted her campaign to the national capital on October 4 to draw the attention of those in power in Delhi as well as the international community, to alleged rights abuse in the state. On returning to Imphal on March 4, police, however, picked her up when she went to Kangla fort to pray at the Kangle temple and admitted her to the state-owned Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital. She was produced in a deputy magistrate’s court here, which sent her to judicial custody for 15 days. ------------- |
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| << March11, 2007 - [India Thinkers Net] Dalit news update |
March11, 2007 - [India Thinkers Net] March 11 posts 7-9 Pak CJ ,Border fencing etc >> |
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