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#1 POTA repealed: Undemocratic laws cannot fight ???terrorism??™ Asian Tribune, September 21, 2004, Tuesday POTA repealed: Undemocratic laws cannot fight ???terrorism??™ By Neeraj Nanda ??“ Asian Tribune The new United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government in India has decided to repeal the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). The POTA was made a law by the previous BJP led Government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee after the unfortunate 9/11 events in the US. The UPA Government had made an electoral promise to repeal the POTA. The BJP is not happy with the repeal of POTA. It says that the Government is compromising with the security threats faced by the country in the current international political environment. It has asked the six State Governments run by BJP to enact their own anti-terror laws. The question arises as to what was wrong with the POTA. The main allegation was that it was more used as a political weapon and less as an anti-terror law. A person even without having any evidence against him could be kept in detention. So, someone could be just picked up on suspicion and put behind bars. In many cases members of a particular minority community were targeted. Any person charged under POTA was not presumed to be innocent. This was against the basic concept that the accused charged of a criminal offence is presumed innocent until proved guilty. POTA, in fact, presumed a charged person to be guilty until you prove that you are innocent. This was against the basic concept of innocence presumed under Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence. Civil liberty and human rights groups have rightly welcomed the repeal of POTA. The UPA Government has decided that cases earlier covered by POTA will now be covered by the country??™s common criminal laws. It also goes without saying that the question of ???terrorism??™ cannot be delt with by enacting stiff laws. Similar laws are planned in Australia and the Russian Government also plans to enact such stiff laws after the recent school massacre of innocent children by Chechen rebels. The laws enacted in the US are quite well known. Even the Amnesty International has criticized them. It is good that India has shown to the world that anti-democratic laws are no solution to fight ???terrorism??™. This does not mean that ???terrorism??™ should be ignored. There are many insurgencies in India. There are also many extremist groups all the time ready to create trouble or create rift among different religious groups. The use of terror is un-democratic and in human. It has to be fought socially, economically and politically. If the law enforcing bodies have unlimited and arbitrary powers they are bound to be misused. The one who has to fight terrorism cannot do things which further alienate communities and create a mass base for groups using terror as a weapon. The world is in the grip of a situation where every thing is being justified to fight ???terrorism??™. Many acts of terrorism or violence are being ignored because they do not fit into the scheme of things. Terror has to be fought with the help of the people and not by alienating them. Laws are not enough. POTA or other similar laws in other countries have not curbed terrorism. The need of the hour is sense and correct political strategies of education to curb the root causes of violence as a political weapon. - Asian Tribune - http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=11305 ------------------------------------------------------------- #2 PWG WATCH 1) PW to continue struggle for `just society' By G. Narasimha Rao VISAKHAPATNAM, SEPT. 20. The talks between the Government and the CPI (ML) - People's War are meant to solve the people's problems, but the PW's armed struggle would continue till equality in the society was achieved and the influence of bourgeois and affluent sections on governance was eliminated, the official representative of the Andhra-Orissa Border Zone Committee of the PW, Diwakar, has said. (The Hindu, September 21, 2004, Tuesday) http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092107430500.htm 2) Centre for holistic approach to naxal problem, says YSR By Our Special Correspondent TIRUPATI, SEPT. 20. The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, today described as crucial the Chief Ministers' meeting the Union Home Ministry is convening in Hyderabad tomorrow on the naxalite problem. At a press conference here, Dr. Reddy said the underlying intention of the Central Government was to have a coordinated approach among all the affected States to the "vexed problem". The Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, would be presiding over the conclave. While three States would be represented by their Chief Ministers, the rest would be represented either by their Home Ministers or their representatives, he said. (The Hindu, September 21, 2004, Tuesday) http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092109980600.htm 3) Time for fresh look at naxal issue: YSR By Our Special Correspondent HYDERABAD, SEPT. 20. The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Monday called for coordinated and unified approach by various States for tackling naxalism. Speaking to presspersons on the eve of the Chief Ministers' conference on the issue here tomorrow, Dr. Reddy said the meeting would discuss the kind of `proactive steps' to be taken. "We will look at the issue from all angles. It is not just the weapons issue or socio-economic angle to it." (The Hindu, September 21, 2004, Tuesday) http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092108930400.htm 4) People's War dons role of NGO By S.Harpal Singh ADILABAD, SEPT. 20. If the naxalite couple of Burra Srinivas Goud and Talla Jamuna from the Dandakaranya area, who surrendered to the police, are to be believed, the CPI (ML) People's War is giving the non-government organisations a run for their money in the tribals tracts of Chattisgarh and Maharashtra since 1997. According to the former naxalite couple, the PW is engaged in imparting knowledge on agricultural practices among the tribals. (The Hindu, September 21, 2004, Tuesday) http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092107380500.htm 5) Cuddapah SP joins issue with PW By Our Staff Reporter CUDDAPAH, SEPT. 20. The Cuddapah Superintendent of Police, V.C. Sajjanar, on Monday charged the People's War(PW) with enacting a `high drama' by projecting gullible youth as `coverts' and spreading malafide propaganda on the police machinery and demanded it to tender a public apology. (The Hindu, September 21, 2004, Tuesday) http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092107390500.htm 6) Naxal couple surrenders By Our Correspondent ADILABAD, SEPT. 20. A People's War naxalite couple, Burra Srinivas Goud alias Venkanna alias Dasru alias Prasad, 35, a resident of Chityal village in Kadam mandal, and Talla Jamuna alias Veena, 30, a resident of Lingapur village in Dharpalli mandal in Nizamabad district, surrendered to the district police here on Monday. (The Hindu, September 21, 2004, Tuesday) http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092107370500.htm 7) PWG to hold rally on Sep 30 HYDERABAD: N Narsimha Reddy, who is the organising committee secretary of the rally being planned by the People??™s War Group (PWG) and Janasakthi Naxalites here on September 30, said that peace talks with the Government might not take place if disarmament is insisted upon when the Naxalites are engaged in a political campaign.(New Indian Express, September 21, 2004, Tuesday) http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEA20040920232517&Page=A&Title=Southern+News+%2D+Andhra+Pradesh&Topic=0& 8) PWG warns government about 'weapons' issue HYDERABAD: Organising committee secretary N Narsimha Reddy of the rally being planned by People's War group (PWG) and Janasakthi naxalites on September 30 here, said that peace talks with the government might not take place if disarmament is insisted upon when the naxalites are engaged in political campaign.(New Indian Express, September 21, 2004, Tuesday) http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEA20040920130340&Page=A&Title=Southern+News+%2D+Andhra+Pradesh&Topic=0& 9) Police ???gram sabha??™ irks Naxals VISAKHAPATNAM: Naxalites belonging to People??™s War conducted a second gram sabha at RV Nagar in GK Veedhi mandal here on Monday evening. According to information reaching here, the police as part of their regular schedule, held a gram sabha at RV Nagar with revenue officials on Monday morning. After getting the information, the Naxals enquired about the officials who attended the meeting and summoned all of them including MRO of GK Veedhi and held another gram sabha in the evening at the same venue and asked the villagers to submit petitions to the revenue officials.(New Indian Express, September 21, 2004, Tuesday) http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEA20040921042258&Page=A&Title=Southern+News+%2D+Andhra+Pradesh&Topic=0& 10) AP to seek Centre??™s advice on Naxal talks HYDERABAD: Ahead of the Chief Ministers??™ conference on extremist problem here on Tuesday, the Andhra Pradesh Government has decided to explain to the participants the ??????proactive measures??™??™ it has taken in holding talks with the Naxalites.(New Indian Express, September 21, 2004, Tuesday) http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEA20040921040924&Page=A&Title=Southern+News+%2D+Andhra+Pradesh&Topic=0 11) Only 3 CMs to attend anti-Naxal meet Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad/Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi Only three chief ministers have confirmed their participation in the one-day conference on Tuesday September 21 of nine Naxalite-affected states convened by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in Hyderabad to deliberate on the initiatives taken by various state governments to tackle the menace and its impact on other states. (Rediff News, September 20, 2004, Monday) http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/sep/20naxal.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Confederation of Human Rights Organizations (CHRO) 3, Rams' Cottage Ambalathumukku Pettah Thiruvananthapuram-695024 Kerala South India Ph.: 0471-2476262 www.humanrightsindia.com www.humanrightskerala.com |
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| << September22, 2004 - [India Thinkers Net]Right Livelihood Award for Dr.Asghar Ali Engineer |
September22, 2004 - [India Thinkers Net]MANIPUR WATCH >> |
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