[sacw] sacw dispatch 17 September 1999

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch
17 September 1999
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#1. Indo French arms deal...
#2. CIA Targets Indian Programmers
#3. Narmada Sahayog Yatra programme
#4. South Asian gays and lesbians have it hard in the community
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#1.
=46rom: Jane's Defence Weekly, 1 September 99

India seeks French help in submarine programme
India is seeking French help in its submarine building programme as
part of New Delhi's growing defence relationship with Paris
_____________________________

#2.
=46rom: India Abroad Center for Political Awareness Intelligence Report no 1=
=2E1,
Sept. 16, 1999

CIA Targets Indian Programmers As Threat To National Security

A CIA representative last week named Israel and India as the countries most
likely to be building secret trap doors to infiltrate U.S. government and
corporate computer networks utilizing foreign-born programmers doing
Y2K-related work at a conference focused on information warfare.

Information warfare is a nation's concerted use of network hacking,
denial-of-service attacks or computer viruses to gain access to or disrupt
computer networks, now the heart of modern society in terms of banking,
telecommunications and commerce.

According to the CIA, the two countries each have plans to conduct
information warfare and planting trapdoors wherever they can would be a
part of that; this concern is magnified by the fact that The foreign-born
programmers have more access to confidential networks than US-born
programmers and have the ability to install backdoors into US systems.

Terrill Maynard, the CIA's chief of analysis and warning, recommended that
IT departments closely examine the Y2K code that went in their systems and
also run extensive checks on network security.

IACPA expressed concern that unsubstantiated allegations of espionage could
unfairly result in discrimination against Indian computer programmers, who
constitute a large part of the programmer workforce.
_____________________________

#3.
---------- Forwarded message ----------

NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PEOPLE'S MOVEMENTS

Dear Friend, 16th Sep., Delhi

JOIN THE NARMADA SAHAYOG YATRA IN DELHI
The Narmada Sahyog Yatra, extending support to the struggle in the Narmada
valley against the unjust displacement and submergence proclaims the
primacy of the protecting the rights and resources of the depressed and
marginalised people. The Yatra will highlight the issues raised by the
people=EDs struggle in the Narmada valley and appeal to the President to
intervene in the present crisis to safeguard the rights and lives of the
adivasis and peasants The Yatra on September 12 in Kanyakumari,. Hundreds
of farmers, fishworkers, teachers, writers, and others gathered in
Kanyakumari stood in the waters of the Indian Ocean and pledged to protect
the waters, forests, and natural resources of the country.

The Yatra ( marches) will also be launched from Bangalore, Chennai and
Jaipur, towards Delhi. It would be arriving in Delhi after holding
programmes at Trivendrum, Kochi, Calicut, Murgao ( Goa), Panvel ( Konkan) ,
Mumbai and Kota. The Bangalore group will be visiting the Almatti dam
affected area in Bagalkot district in Karnataka before having programmes at
Solapur, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Khandawa and Bhopal en route. Similarly, the
Chennai group would be visiting Chittor (A.P.), Nagpur, Bhopal before
arriving in Delhi on September 20th.

The Delhi Programme:
September 20th
The Narmada Sahyog Yatra calls on all of you to join in observing a Fast
and/or participate in a Public Meeting at Rajghat in support of the
struggle in the Narmada Valley. The representatives of various
organisations and prominent persons from different parts of the country
will also be participating. The programme will begin in Rajghat at 9.00AM.

At the Public Meeting the AIPRF, ISI, PUDR and Insani Ekta Muhim will
present the findings of the Fact Finding Missions that went to the Narmada
Valley recently to independently assess the conditions of the affected
people.

A delegation from the Yatra will meet the President.

September 21st
Join hands in support of the struggle in the Valley by holding hands with
the participants of the Yatra and a number of people/organisations from
Delhi in a Human Chain from Delhi Gate to ITO. We will meet at ITO opposite
Pyarelal Bhavan(across the road) at 4.00pm.

Vimalbhai (Delhi), Jacob Vadakancherry (Swashrya Vypeen, Kerala), Sukhendu
Bhattacharya(NAPM, East), Sawai Singh (Samagra Seva Sangh).

NAPM
14, Supreme Enclave, Mayur Vihar, Ph.1, Delhi-91. Ph: 2256394, 2250632
(telefax): email: napmdel@n...
_____________________________

#4.
=46rom:
Little India, September 1999 Vol. 9 No 9
http://www.littleindia.com

Out of the Shadows:
South Asian gays and lesbians have it hard in the community.

By Romy Varghese

The late afternoon sun shimmers on the Hudson River, creating a blinding
surface of fluid silver that coats the dull green. Beneath the waves the
river pulses, hinting at things hidden under the surface.
Walk away from the water, past the meat distribution buildings (several
with pictures of fluffy white lambs), to the temporary site of the Lesbian
and Gay Community Center at Little West 12th Street. Members of the South
Asian Lesbian and Gay Association (SALGA-NYC) congregate in front of the
building before entering. Although separated by various South Asian
cultures, families and experiences, they share a bond of knowing the risks
in moving out of the shadows.
SALGA members gather once a month and discuss a topic proposed by a
facilitator. The group describes itself as a social and political
organization for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people who
trace their descent from the Indian subcontinent.

There are more than 400 members of SALGA, a significant increase from the
11 it began with six years ago. Yet many are reluctant to talk about their
experiences outside the safety of the group. Some regard the press with
suspicion, fearful of its tendency to generalize and misconstrue. Many also
have not yet come out completely to friends or family. They fear adverse
consequences if recognized. All, but one, were wary about being identified.
Two men, named Hussain and Nick in this article, asked that even their real
first names be withheld.

Of the seven interviewed for this article, three are from Pakistan and four
from India. Hussain, a 28-year-old interior designer, came from Pakistan as
a student in 1991. Atif, now 27, came to America from Pakistan when he was
three and works as a graphic designer in Manhattan. Nick, 26, came to New
York from Bombay last year to work in a software company. Eighteen-year-old
Nishma emigrated from Gujarat four years ago and attends Newton High School
in Queens. Svati, who also comes from a Gujarati family, is 28 and a
doctoral candidate in public health at Columbia University. Mona, a
24-year-old graduate student, emigrated from Pakistan in 1991. Jay
Chakraborty, 44, was the only one who had no reservations about publishing
his name. A financial director, he came to America from Calcutta 22 years
ago.

All differ in their backgrounds, in their relations with their families and
in their process of accepting their sexuality. Yet a sense of a common
South Asian culture runs through their experiences, which, in some form,
include encounters with homophobia from other South Asians.

"In the milieu in which you grew up, (homosexuality) is not acceptable,"
said Mona.

This lack of acceptance causes confusion and a sense of isolation for many
South Asians. Gays who come out risk being ostracized by
their family and community. Family expectations of marriage and children,
reluctance to discuss sexuality, and the common view that homosexuality is
a Western concept contribute to the intolerant attitude toward gays in
South Asian countries.

Lack of communication adds to intolerance of homosexuality. South Asians
traditionally regard sexuality as a taboo subject of discussion.

"(It's) very South Asian not to talk about things," said Atif. "Everyone
(in my immediate family) knows (I'm gay) but doesn't want to talk about it."

Same-sex relationships do not mesh with the strong expectation in most
South Asian families for men and women to get married and have children,
thus fulfilling familial obligations.

"Everything revolves around marriage and children," said Hussain. "That's
how they see you."

Married couples receive the respect and support of the community, who view
them as responsible adults. Gays are denied that stability, since they
cannot enter into this community and receive its support, according to
Hussain.

In addition to treating it as an aberration, many South Asians consider
homosexuality a Western practice. Atif's mother asked if he became gay
because of Western influences, as did Nick's parents, who also asked if he
became gay because he was lonely in America. Stereotypes abound, such as
beliefs that all gays are promiscuous or that all homosexuals are dying of
AIDS. There is no word for homosexuality in Hindi or Urdu; to describe a
homosexual person in either language, one uses slang. In Hindi, a gay man
can be called a "hijra," which actually means eunuch or transvestite.

Hussain recounted how his devout Muslim mother asked him if he were gay,
and when he remained silent, she said, "If you are, I'll never accept you.
You'll have to change yourself. Homosexuality is a sin."

Despite such harsh attitudes, Hussain said he respects his mother for
being straightforward and for her beliefs. He is also mindful of the
implications to his family in Pakistan if he were to come out. His family
could be socially ostracized, which would create more than just emotional
problems, since the family has a certain social standing. In addition, he
considers the implications to himself as well, shown by the example of his
first cousin who is openly gay and lives in Kansas with his white partner.
Completely ostracized, the cousin has ceased to exist within his family; he
is never referred to or talked about. Though such ostracism may reflect the
situation of gays in America 20 years ago, the South Asian experience
differs in that one relies more on family than one generally does in the
West. Family ostracism cuts off more than just phone calls and holiday
cards; it cuts off one's economic and social ties.

"(Being gay) is worse than being a leper, in a way," Hussain said. "At
least if you're a leper, you can get help, but when you're gay, no one will
help you."

Tacit rules seem to exist in South Asian culture. "The subcontinent (is)
full of contradictions on many levels," said Atif. "You can deviate
yourself (in many ways), but when you proclaim your sexual identity, then
it becomes an issue."

In other words, it's "don't ask, don't tell," with a vengeance. Though a
same-sex couple living together in India will raise suspicion and derision,
South Asians tolerate gays if they are silent.

If gays do come out, they must be prepared to face the consequences.

"Economic independence allows people to be open about their sexual
identity," Atif said.
=46or instance, a woman living with her parents in India may be thrown out i=
f
she comes out as a lesbian, and then has no means to support herself.
Hussain agreed, saying that to live an openly gay life in a South Asian
country, one must come from a rich, powerful family, to avoid the police
brutality, physical abuse, and job discrimination that face gays of
middle-class and poor backgrounds. However, an underground gay scene does
operate in India, where gays can express themselves in safety. Indian
organizations such as Humsafar Trust also provide support to gays and
lesbians. The same phenomenon occurs to a more limited extent in Pakistan.
Mainstream acceptance, however, remains a long way off.

"Homophobia grows with the climate in the South Asian region," Hussain said.

South Asian gays, depending on family situation, upbringing, and
environment, regard their sexual identities in different ways and levels of
acceptance. Many who grow up in a traditional value system suffer confusion
and angst, silenced by fear of nonconformity and ostracism. Growing up in
Pakistan, Hussain knew he was attracted to men, but tried to fight it. From
the age of 13 to 18, he had sex with male classmates but dismissed it then,
with some guilt, as a way to satisfy sexual urges.

Coming to the United States in 1991 as a student when he was 21, Hussain
continued to question his sexual identity. He had sexual relations with
women, and tried to convince himself in his confusion that he was bisexual,
not gay. Being bisexual lets one have the "best of both worlds," while
being gay totally excludes one from having a "normal" relationship with a
woman, at least as dictated by society.

Hussain finally accepted his gay identity in 1995 with the help of an
openly gay Pakistani friend with whom he became lovers for a few months.
Since then, he has grown more liberated, fighting lingering feelings of
guilt and fear. He even marched in the Gay Pride March last year.

At 28, Hussain now feels the pressure to marry, but stalls his parents by
saying that he is not ready. He plans to tell them eventually that he is
gay, perhaps in five or six years. In the meantime, he is laying the
groundwork for that day. He has already told his mother of his boyfriend,
though he described their relationship in platonic terms. Hussain wants his
parents to visit New York so they can meet his boyfriend and have a sense
of what his life is about.

Nishma, 18, wishes she could talk about her bisexuality to her mother, whom
she considers her best friend. After coming out to herself last year,
Nishma told her mother nine months ago, and her mother screamed. "I thought
she was going to kill me," said Nishma, who at that point told her mother
she was joking. Her mother has no problems with Nishma working as a peer
educator for Asian/Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS (APICHA), nor her
friendships with gays and lesbians. Yet Nishma feels that her mother will
never accept her own daughter as a bisexual woman. "She's always been there
supporting me," said Nishma. "I wish I could talk to her about (my
bisexuality) like I do with all my other problems." Nishma believes that
even if she did manage to tell her mother, she would treat it as a joke.

Not all South Asian gays suffer strife with their parents. Factors such as
the liberality of the family and adherence to social mores influence
reaction and tolerance. Atif, now 27, came out to his two older siblings
when he was 19 and then to his mother six months ago. His parents know of
his partner, who has attended family functions. His parents ask about his
partner, but nothing specific about their relationship is verbalized,
testimony to South Asian reticence. Atif's extended family is unaware of
his sexuality, and explains away his refusal to get married as part of his
being "artistic."

Others have directly faced their parents about their identities. Nick, who
came from Bombay to New York a year ago, initially tried to deny his sexual
orientation as a gay man. Growing up, he felt isolated and different. With
the help of friends and his partner whom he met a few months after his
arrival in New York, Nick came out. He moved in with his boyfriend in New
Jersey, and wrote a letter to his parents in India explaining that he was
in a stable relationship with a man whom he cares about. The revelation
upset and shocked his parents at first, but they came to accept it with
openness and understanding.

=46or others, not only are their families tolerant, but involved in their
shaping sexual identities. Svati's family played a part in her exploration
of her sexuality. She first began to experiment with different ideas and
people in college; before then, she had never thought of herself as a
sexual person and had little awareness of gay identity.
Raised in the South, she did not even know the word gay until her senior
year in high school. In college, she involved her family members in the
shaping of her identity and feels their support. As recognition of the
existence of homophobia, Svati, as do many others, does not mention her
homosexuality unless it is in a safe environment. "I'm as out as I want to
be," she said.
Several South Asians have no issue with their sexuality. Jay is out in
every aspect of his life. His friends growing up in Calcutta were
non-Indian, mostly American, and Jay was open among them. He never
concealed anything from his family either, but he only verbalized his
sexual orientation in 1982 at age 28, when his family asked why he wasn't
getting married. His liberal family accepted his homosexuality. He responds
to queries from his extended family asking, "When are you going to get
married?" by saying, "When I meet the right man," which is received as
sarcasm or perhaps as beyond the scope of the questioner's imagination.

Jay wishes that some South Asians gays would not restrict their actions in
public over fear of being observed. "You want to share this life with whom
you love," he said, saying that South Asians should be bolder and hold
hands with their same-sex partners in public if they want to.

Discomfort in public echoes the discomfort inside that many South Asian
gays who try to reconcile their cultural identity with their gay identity
feel. Cultural values and expectations add to the sense of isolation for
many. They may cause some gays to wish they were "normal," that, as Nick
once wished, they could have spouses and children. Ultimately, however,
"you realize that your fantasy would never be fulfilled," said Nick. Some,
like Atif, as they grew up, felt they had to choose between their cultural
identity and their gay identity.

"Everyone has different masks, faces, identities," said Hussain. "I have
two: being gay and being Muslim/Pakistani. One day they will blend, but it
is hard."

Unifying under a general label, gay South Asians have banded together
throughout the world, aided significantly by the Internet. A global on-line
resource,
www.khushnet.com provides personals, a message board, chat room,
gay-related news, and the first on-line shopping center directed toward gay
South Asians. Trikone, the first non-profit group for lesbian, gay, and
bisexual South Asians, was founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1986
and has chapters in San Jose, Los Angeles, Austin, and Atlanta. It
publishes a magazine four times a year, with a subscription base that spans
over 20 countries. Other gay organizations exist in Boston, Philadelphia,
and Washington, D.C. In New York, SALGA conducts outreach and social
events, participates in political rallies, and collaborates with other gay
groups of color and South Asian organizations, besides holding support
meetings.

Such organizations nurture South Asian gays who struggle with identity,
their problems compounded by peer and societal expectations. "Growing up,
there's so much pressure on every level," Atif said. "I felt I had a double
life."

Atif credited his college's supportive environment for enabling him to come
out. Other South Asian gays also consider the support of family members and
friends as essential in their process of exploring their sexuality.

=46or many, coming to terms to their sexual identities enables them to be
open and to face a society that has only begun to acknowledge the existence
of gays. Some have turned to activism and education to raise awareness and
help others burdened with confusion and fear, boldly challenging the
traditional South Asian social structure.

Said Atif, "I'm not going to get killed to make a point, but I don't want
fear to dictate my
actions."