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[1] From: Abhiyya <abhiyya@yahoo.com Date: Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:33 am Subject: Where temple, masjid coexis Where temple, masjid coexist B. Madhu Gopal http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/20/stories/2008062058190400.htm 26-year-old Anil Kumar has created a replica of Makkah Masjid on the first floor of Ramalayam near Poorna Market Photo: K. R. Deepak Worthy effort: Gatti Anil Kumar with the replica of Makkah Masjid in Visakhapatnam. - Visakhapatnam: A ?masjid? atop a temple of Lord Rama in Visakhapatnam! Sounds unbelievable? Head straight to the Ramalayam at Periki Veedhi near Poorna Market. The first floor of the ancient temple houses a replica of Makkah Masjid, which is considered to be the holiest shrine of Muslims. While the skill of Gatti Anil Kumar in creating the masterpiece is coming in for all-round appreciation, the temple committee? s gesture in allowing him to use its terrace is being seen by Muslim brethren as a move that helps in narrowing down the cultural divide. The cherished dream of every Muslim is to visit Makkah during his/her lifetime. But not many can afford to visit the holy place spending thousands of rupees. It was this thought that made 26-year-old Anil Kumar create the replica of the grand mosque. Muslims can have a feel of the mosque in all its grandeur and those going there for the first time can have first-hand knowledge of the places of historical and religious importance and make sure that they do not miss them. Eye for detail His in-depth knowledge of the holy shrine and the legends associated with its various structures, apart from his eye for detail in making the model, has earned him the appreciation of Muslim religious leaders. It took two years for Anil Kumar to build the 8? x 10? replica that is 20? high. ?I have used soft metal and teakwood in making this model. Unlike my earlier model that was made with sand, sawdust and plaster of Paris, this is a permanent one.? His father Suryam assisted him by getting details and pictures of the mosque from his friends. His ambition is to shift the present replica to the Haj House in Hyderabad. ?Exact model? ?I had been to Makkah on five occasions. This is an exact replica of the original structure and I am sure that Saudis would be prepared to pay any amount to airlift the model to their country,? says Aziz. Anil cherishes the appreciation of his earlier model by former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. He met Dr. Kalam during his visit to the city for the Presidential Fleet Review. Anil has been making models for nearly a decade now. He considers making the ?grand mosque? as his toughest and most satisfying experience With Regards Abi ---------------- [2] From: "EMPOWER INDIA" <ttn_empower@sancharnet.in Date: Sun Jun 22, 2008 1:12 pm Subject: Report of the independent UNAIDS committee chaired by Dr. Rangarajan on the impact of HIV/AIDS in Asia One very interesting opportunity for getting media coverage on the case is going to come up on June 30th, just a couple of days before the court resumes. This is the formal release of the report of the independent UNAIDS committee chaired by Dr. Rangarajan on the impact of HIV/AIDS in Asia. It is going to be released by the prime minister, so media coverage is guaranteed. I think I've mentioned this report earlier, and of course Ashok is well aware of it too, and Anand told us in Delhi that it is part of the submissions for the Delhi case. As I wrote in the piece I did for ET what is important with the report is where its coming from - Dr. Rangarajan, ex RBI governor, ex Andhra Pradesh governeor, chairman of the OM's council of economic advisors is very close to Dr. Manmohan Singh, and that's how he persuaded him to release the report. Here's the link to my piece: http://economictime <http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Specials/World_AIDS_Day/Rangarajan s. indiatimes. com/Specials/World_AIDS_Day/Rangarajan _on_condoms__licensing_of_HIV_drugs/articleshow/2587055. cms When I asked Dr. Rangarajan about 377 he said quite firmly it could be changed. Now reading the report, which is available from the URL below (and I've given a link to the press release on it), it is amazing the extent to which they have gone in making it part of the final recommendation. I am going to put three relevant sections below, but here's the money quote from the Policy Recommendations: "Countries should repeal punitive laws that criminalize sex between men." Wow!!! This is the report the PM will be releasing just a few days before the case starts again, and it is a great media opportunity. So please inform your editors about it, speak to people who might be willing to write op/ed pieces using the info and lets get ready to splash this on July 1st - just one day before the care reopens! Here are the links to the UNAIDS report and press release: http://data. <http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2008/20080326_report_commission_aids unaids. org/pub/Report/2008/20080326_report_commission_aids _en. pdf http://data. <http://data.unaids.org/pub/PressRelease/2008/20080326_pr_asiacommissio unaids. org/pub/PressRelease/2008/20080326_pr_asiacommissio nreport_en. pdf And three relevant sections: SEX BETWEEN MEN: A FAST GROWING EPIDEMIC Although there is an emerging gay scene in some cities, same-sex monogamy remains relatively rare in Asia. Social taboos and discrimination means that many men who have sex with men still disguise their sexual preference by also having sex with women (in marriage or otherwise). Men with many partners are more likely to encounter a newlyinfected partner and become infected, and they are also more likely to spread the virus to a large number of other people. In a study in Bangkok in 2004, HIV-negative men reported anal sex with an average of 41 men in their lives, while HIV-positive men averaged 54 life-time partners. In Ho Chi Minh City, some 8 per cent of men who had sex with other men said they had had anal sex with three or more consensual partners in the previous month. 48 Partner turnover in Phnom Penh was higher, with 21 per cent of the men saying they had sex with six or more partners in the previous month (and almost half of those men exchanged sex for money at least once in the previous week). Such high partner turnover, combined with low condom use, has led to a rapid rise in HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men in several Asian cities. In Bangkok, more than one in four (28 per cent) men who have sex with men were found to be infected with HIV in a 2005 study, up from 17 per cent in 2003.50 In the Chinese capital, Beijing, fewer than 1 per cent of surveyed men who have sex with men were HIV- positive in 2004; two years later, prevalence had reached almost 6 per cent. In Karachi (Pakistan), 4 per cent of surveyed male sex workers were found to be infected in 2005; within two years, that figure had nearly doubled. Among transgender sex workers, HIV infection levels were higher: 22 per cent in Jakarta in 2002 and 37 per cent in Phnom Penh in 2003. When HIV prevention services have been provided in Asia to men who have sex with men, uptake of those services tends to be impressive. In Indonesia, the Health Ministry collaborated with non-governmental partners to produce and promote safe sex packs, including condoms, waterbased lubricant, and information about HIV and sexually transmitted infections. Figure 2.11 shows levels of condom and lubricant use before and after the prevention programmes started. Clearly, high coverage of a service that men appreciate can translate into rapid behaviour change. Community groups of men who have sex with men have proved to be energetic and competent partners (and leaders) in HIV prevention in many settings. This can keep costs down, while ensuring high programme coverage. STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION BLOCK COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN POLICYMAKING The stigma attached to sex work, drug use or sex between men is reflected in many countries by national legislation that makes such behaviour illegal. In certain countries, community activists have helped overcome some of these barriers, even where there is little likelihood in the short term of effecting legal reforms or changes in social attitudes. Often, progress has been achieved through participation in national AIDS governance structures such as Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanisms and National AIDS Commissions. There are also many locallevel examples where communities have managed fruitful negotiations with local police to allow outreach, participation and harm reduction activities to occur unimpeded. Meanwhile, stronger efforts are needed to reduce discrimination by means of effecting legal reform and strengthening the human rights frameworks, as well as by supporting community organizations in monitoring discrimination and developing advocacy strategies. Legal working parties could be established to review current legislation and laws, in order to recommend concrete actions for Governments. At a more basic level, it may also be necessary to help to mobilize and to organize affected communities. This implies, among other things, providing training in skills and network-building. It is not that communities lack skills and assets, but rather that those attributes may need to be adapted so that communities can engage more effectively with Governments. from Policy recommendation: 5. Adopt a human-centred approach and speak out on controversial issues The criminalization of people most at risk undermines efforts to prevent new infections and provide treatment and care to people who are already infected. Research shows that where sex workers and drug injectors are targeted for arrest and prosecution, condom use tends to be lower and needle-sharing tends to be higher. Such policies drive people most at risk deeper underground, which makes the provision of outreach services not only more labour- and cost- intensive, but also less effective. In some countries, outreach workers and service providers are harassed and arrested. The Commission believes such policies are counter-productive and dangerous. 5.1. Address legal barriers to effective prevention in most at-risk populations. Cross posted: lgbt-india Forwarded by: Yours in Global Concern -------------- [3] From: "Sukla Sen" <sukla.sen@gmail.com Date: Mon Jun 23, 2008 4:05 pm Subject: CNDP Condemns Intransigence of Indian Prime Minister on the Deplorable Indo-US Nuclear Deal *CNDP Condemns Intransigence of Indian Prime Minister on the Deplorable Indo-US Nuclear Deal* The Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP) - a national coalition of organisations and individuals for nuclear disarmament - notes with great concern the Indian Prime Minister's obstinate insistence on going ahead with clinching of the India-specific agreement with the IAEA. This will be a vital intermediate step towards operationalising the Indo-US nuclear deal in the teeth of strong opposition within India. The Prime Minister wants to go ahead, trampling upon democratic norms and values, regardless of all rational considerations, let alone ethical ones. The CNDP reiterates its consistent and firm opposition to the deal on the following grounds as pointed out repeatedly in the past. *The deal severely undermines the prospects of global nuclear disarmament by (selectively and arbitrarily) "legitimising" India's nuclear status and, in the process, the possession of nuclear weapons by the existing nuclear weapon states ? both "recognised" and "unrecognised" - and also the aspirations of other actual and potential aspirants. The deal will promote the cause of nuclearmilitarism and nuclear-weapon build-up in India against the interests of peace and the people in the region. It will further intensify the arms race between India and Pakistan ? both nuclear and conventional. Pakistan, in fact, made a strong plea for a similar deal. And the brusque refusal by the US, instead of dissuading it, would only further inflame its passions and thereby turn the nuclear mess in South Asia all the more dangerous. **This deal is also an utterly reprehensible move to bring India closer to the US orbit as a regional ally to facilitate the execution of its global imperial ambitions.* *This deal is also an utterly reprehensible move to bring India closer into the US orbit as a regional ally to facilitate the execution of its global imperial ambitions.** Furthermore, the consequent shift in focus in favour of highly expensive nuclear power, if the deal comes into operation, will significantly distort India's energy options at the cost of efforts to develop environmentally benign and renewable sources of energy. * The CNDP, on this occasion, calls upon the Indian people to rise in protest against the intransigence of the Prime Minister and voice their strongest opposition to the undemocratic move to impose the deplorable deal on the country. *Achin Vanaik Admiral L Ramdas J Sriraman ND Jayaparakash Amarjeet Kaur Sukla Sen * ------------------- |
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