[sacw] [ACT] sacw dispatch (23 Jan 00)

Harsh Kapoor act@egroups.com
Sun, 23 Jan 2000 19:29:38 +0100


South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch
23 January 2000
(http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex)
___________________
#1. Bangladesh: Safety Bill for Whose Security?
#2. Statement on Anniversary of Burning Alive of Graham Stuart Staines in In=
dia
#3. Letter from Tamil Nadu Science Forum
#4. Desh Pardesh Festival/Conference 2000
___________________

#1.
[Bangladesh] Odhikar: Human Rights Coalition
January 2000

Safety Bill for Whose Security?
By Adilur Rahman Khan

The cabinet of the present Awami League government has finally decided to
introduce to the National Parliament the draft Public Safety (Special
Provision) Bill for approval. The Bill deals with some `heinous' crimes and
ensures speedy trial against the perpetrators. It also treats specific
crimes as non-bailable offences. Initially, the cabinet also discussed
punishment of the media for publishing `false reports' against VIP's! This
idea, which, if misused, would violate the right to information and
knowledge, has been erased from the discussion table due to pressure from
concerned groups. Never the less, if this Bill becomes Law, fundamental
human rights are at stake.

This trend of introducing repressive laws is nothing new to the people of
this country. Whenever the political elite feel threatened, mainly due to
their own failure in delivering service to the common people; when the
administration loses its transparency and bad governance becomes the policy
of the day, then is the time to opt for draconian and repressive laws in
order to gain protection from the wrath of the masses. Historically, it has
been proven that although governments enact draconian or repressive laws in
the name of peoples security', ultimately these laws are always used to
suppress the legitimate and democratic voice of the common people and the
opposition movements.

Although Pakistan inherited some of these draconian laws from the British
Raj, no such law was made part of the Bangladesh national legal system
since the birth of its Constitution in December 1972. The Second Amendment
of the Constitution provided the scope for enacting draconian or repressive
laws in the name of `emergency provisions.' The notorious Special Powers
Act, 1974 was enacted through the scope provided by this Second Amendment
and came to be enforced to suppress the voice of the then opposition, who
succeeded in waging a campaign in the face of the first Awami League
government's corruption and injustices. As a result, thousands of political
activists, mostly belonging to the radical left camp, were put behind bars.
There were widespread allegations of custodial deaths and torture by the
law-enforcing agencies and by a special paramilitary force, known as
`Jatiyo Rokkhi Bahini'. Top ranking political leaders were killed. Siraj
Sikdar, the leader of Shorbohara Party, died on 2nd January 1975, while he
was in the custody of the law enforcing agents. As claimed by the
opposition, about thirty thousand people, mostly belonging to the radical
left camp were killed during the time of first Awami League government.

This was only the beginning. The subsequent martial law regimes of
Khandakar Mushtaq, Ziaur Rahman and HM Ershad continued to use the Special
Powers Act, 1974 for their own benefits. Thousands of people belonging to
opposition groups languished in prisons under this draconian law during
their regimes. The downfall of the Ershad regime in December 1990, brought
a scope for repealing all repressive laws and putting the country on course
for a democratic order. Unfortunately this scope did not materialise.

The promulgation of the 'Anti-terrorist Act' in 1992, by the BNP
government, recreated a sense of insecurity in the minds of the common
people, who viewed it as an undemocratic act to suppress the voice of the
opposition. The `Anti-terrorist Act' under which several thousand people
suffered, died a natural death in 1994, leaving a deep sear in the
political history and psyche of this country.

While in opposition, the present Prime Minister declared many times that
if she came to power, she would scrap the `Special Powers Act, 1974' - the
possibility of which has already been ruled out after she became the Prime
Minister. This is even more obvious since the present Awami League
government has now decided to introduce another dark horse - the `Public
Safety (Special Provision) Bill - to the National Parliament.

As has been mentioned earlier, offences categorised under this Bill will
be non-bailable. This goes against the normal practice of the Criminal
Procedure Code and will eventually violate fundamental human rights of
under-trial prisoners. Furthermore, the Bill states that investigations
into the crimes must be completed within thirty days. Given the fact that
the investigations department is not a separate institution and is therefor
inundated with a backlog of pending investigations, this is too short a
time to carry out a thorough investigation. Coupled with the obvious
corruption in the police and criminal justice system the situation can only
become worse.

Political opponents of the present regime and various human rights groups
fear that, as in the past, nothing other than the suppression of the voice
of the dissidents will happen under the proposed `Public Safety (Special
Provision) Bill.' This, they fear, will happen in the name of `public
security,' and public bashing will become routine work with the help of
corrupt administration, bad governance and political criminalisation. If
this Bill finally becomes Law, it will be (mis)used against political
opponents, as has happened with repressive laws in the past. According to
an annual human rights press report submitted at a press conference on 31
December 1999 by Odhikar, a coalition for human rights, approximately
10,000 political workers were apprehended in 1999. Among this number,
several thousand were arrested under the Special Powers Act. If this
proposed Bill becomes Law, the number of opposition workers arrested or
apprehended by the police will only increase. With the Special Powers Act
still in full force, the introduction of another repressive law can only
place the citizens of Bangladesh in double jeopardy.
____________

#2.
STATEMENT ON ANNIVERSARY OF THE BURNING ALIVE OF GRAHAM STUART STAINES IN
INDIA

United Christian Forum for Human Rights
National Convenor: John Dayal

Ph 2722262, 2726582, 3715581 Fax 91-11-3350491
Email: johndayal@v...

PRESS STATEMENT
22nd January 2000
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR GRAHAM STUART STAINES
Killer Dara Singh still to be caught; Concern at Central cynicism on
violence against Christians, patronage to Communal forces
A year after Graham Stuart Staines, who worked with patients of leprosy in
the forest areas of Orissa, and his young sons Timothy and Philip were burnt
alive as they slept in their jeep in the village of Manouharpur in the night
of 22nd and 23rd January 1999, their killers still elude the police forces
of the Central government and the governments of three states.
The communal ideology and political forces that moved the killers, as they
struck at the three helpless persons on the night of 22nd and 23rd January
1999, remain active not only in Orissa, but also in many other parts of the
country. In Orissa, Fr. Arul Das was brutally murdered within a few months
of the murder of the Staines. Each of them paid the price of daring to work
for the empowerment of the poor, the ostracised, and the marginalised.
The year since the death of Staines has seen increasing cynicism and
unconcern on the part of the Central government, and in particular of the
Bharatiya Janata party that leads the ruling alliance at the Centre, and is
in power in many states. In the wake of the triple murder, it launched a
powerful propaganda at home and abroad, trying to whitewash the butchery
that the followers of the Sangh Parivar had unleashed. It spent crores of
rupees in spinning a web of falsehoods using official government machinery
to target the minorities, especially Christians. There continues to be
inaction in over 60 cases of violence that we have recorded in 1999.
The Justice Wadhwa Commission has since given its report. Not just the
Christian community, but the judicial and legal community and civil society
have expressed their shock that despite concrete evidence on the political
background and affiliation of Dara Singh, the well-identified leader of the
killer gang, Justice Wadhwa failed to find any link between Dara and the
Sangh Parivar whose election campaigner the Uttar Pradesh thug was. Since
then the full report of the Special investigative team has become available,
and it leaves no one in any doubt of the Sangh affiliations of the killers.
The reports have conclusively repudiated official insinuations, repeated
often by Central ministers, of forcible conversions in Orissa or anywhere
else. But while it fails to arrest Dara Singh, the official machinery is
working overtime to issue notices to Christian organisations in Orissa
telling them to obey the nefarious anti-conversion Act which violates the
=46reedom of religion enshrined in the Constitution. Such notices have been
received by Christian organisations and Institutions in the tribal belt in
recent weeks.
Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat have become the laboratory of Hindutva, where the
governments in power are challenging the concepts of secularism and fairplay
that form the backbone of the Constitution and the bedrock of Indian
democracy and unity. In Uttar Pradesh, a heavily politicized and
authoritarian police and administration have been given extraordinary powers
against the minority communities through the so-called Places of worship
legislation. Efforts continue to be made to enforce a narrow sectarian
agenda on the education system.
The government of Gujarat has transcended all limits of civil conduct,
shedding the last vestige of its pretense at a secular neutrality by openly
encouraging civil and police officers and employees to join the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh and other Sangh Parivar organisations. Meanwhile, it
enforces a harsh regime against the minorities, using official threats
against educational and other institutions and personnel. The Christmas
season in Gujarat saw a curfew like situation in the Dangs and harassment of
the Christian community in many places. The government however allowed the
controversial Shilanayas at Halmodi village in Surat and the holding of a
Hindutva meeting in Ahwa on Christmas day, breaking its own rules in doing
so.
The Central government has reneged on its commitment to observe 2000 AD as
the year of Christ. It is however rapidly succeeding in its attempt at
absolute Hindutvaisation of the national educational and youth policy. It is
also conniving with the Sangh Parivar in the continuing effort to crush the
freedoms, and more than that, the spirit, of the Minority communities of the
country. The government and its leadership have not raised a finger to stop
the Parivar's plot to demonise the minorities and question their patriotism
and their loyalty to their motherland. If anything, the Central government
has used the powers at its command to harass the minorities. The latest is
the attempt of the Department of Posts and Telegraph to cancel postal
facilities for scores of Christian magazines and newspapers in many states.
The Christian community remembers in martyrs, and is strengthened in
reflecting on their commitment to the cause of Justice, Peace and service to
the poor for which they laid down their lives, and for which others face a
daily threat. We commemorate their memory by rededicating ourselves to the
service of the poor and the marginalised. With others in civil society, we
stress our solidarity with our Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain brothers and
sisters, the Dalits and marginalised groups struggling for human dignity and
an opportunity for development
We take this opportunity to remind members of the ruling NDA alliance, and
those of its members who also rule in the states of the expectations that
the nation's minorities have of them, and the tremendous and powerful role
they can play as members of a federal polity to ensure the welfare of the
minorities and an end to the nefarious Hindutviasation of government policy
and public space. They and Chief Ministers of States are historically placed
to help undo the damage that has been done to the secular fabric of the
nation, and to ensure that the NDA government does not allow itself to be
hijacked by protagonists of the sectarian and communal agenda, which
threatens the unity and integrity of the country.
In many parts of the country, memorial services are being organised for
Graham Stuart Staines and his sons. In Manouharpur and Baripada, where they
lived and died, memorial services will be held on 22nd and 23rd January.
The best memorial to these and other martyrs is the strengthening of the
secular fabric of India, nurturing its federal and democratic policy, its
plural culture, and a commitment of solidarity with Dalits, the Tribals, the
poor and the marginalised.
Released by John Dayal, National Convenor.

____________

#3.
[E-mail from Tamil Nadu Science Forum]
23 January 2000
=20

TAMIL NADU SCIENCE FORUM.
TNSF has been working in villages and slums all over Tamilnadu. We
initiated the Arivoli literacy campaigns and made the government take it
up seriously. Arivoli gave us a strong village volunteer base running into
thousands. Now in several districts, we are working with children, women,
farmers and youth on various programmes. A few of these programmes are
listed below.
Children's Education Programmes* Non-Formal Education (NFE) Centers for
Child labour - Children who come to these centers, work in match
factories, in beedi industry, weaving looms or farms. We have pulled
some of these children out of bonded labour. Other children continue
to work and come to the center in the evenings. After a whole day's
hard work, regular classes can be very stressful. So, these centers
use only game based learning methods. Teachers from the local villages
are trained for this purpose - running a center for about 30 children
costs Rs. 400/month. We have several centers in Sivakasi, Kanchipuram,
Nemeli, etc.* Thulir School in Latheri Village - Children learn best if we
do not force them, judge them or punish them. In this model school -
running for the last three years - children learn everything through
games. Freedom is the mantra - the children learn only what they want,
when they want and the way they want it. The result - very high
learning levels and lots of confidence. Running this school costs only
about Rs. 6000/month. And fees and local donation supports a part of
it. We are also using the experience gained from this school to train
other teachers. Several government and private school teachers have
adopted these activity-based teaching methods in their own schools.
Health and Women's Empowerment Programmes * A movement for health - In
about 1000 villages (in 17 blocks all over TN) we are working on a
health programme called Arogya Iyakkam. In each village we have a
local health volunteer who is trained on basics of child nutrition,
pregnancy care, first aid - on basic preventive and curative health
needs. This volunteer maintains a register of all families, all
children and pregnant women. She goes to every house (particularly
malnourished children and pregnant women), talks to them about their health
problems and provides individualized health advice to each family. The
register has helped us measure the impact we make and we have found very
significant improvements in the health of children and women. In a block of
30 villages we address the health needs of about 30,000 families - with
about 5000 under-five children and 1500 pregnant women. With about Rs.
4000/month, we can sustain this programme in one block. We also collect
local donations and sponsorships to meet training camp and medicine
needs.* Savings groups, Libraries and Support Shelters - Twenty women
form a group, meet every week and save about Rs. 20 a month each. The
Rs.400 that is thus saved is given as a loan to one woman at 24%
interest. This backup saves them, during emergencies, from having to
go to moneylenders who charge 120% interest. The women find this so
useful that they are willing to pay the running expenses of this
programme. The weekly group meetings are used to read newsletters and
books, discuss and share personal and community problems. In many
cases, the women have successfully taken up issues of wife beating,
liquor problem and other community issues. In several places, we also
have a legal aid cell for women victims of violence. Right now, about
20,000 women are part of this savings network across the state and together
they have saved more than a crore of rupees! Though this programme tries to
sustain itself right from the start - there still is a need for a
revolving-loan fund of about Rs.40-50 thousand/block (30 groups). This
can help the block sustain the programme without a problem. This money will
be used to give loans to the women and only the interest will be used for
expenses. So the capital can be used to continue the programme year after
year. Donations of Rs. 4000/month can create this fund in a year's
time.* Enterprises and Agriculture Programmes* Vocational Training and
Cottage Industries - We have trained a number of handicapped people in
umbrella making and Screen-Printing and they are running a production
unit in Latheri village. We have also been regularly training women in
various enterprises and have started several production units. For
example in Kanyakumari the women run a ready-made garment unit, in
Nemeli they make and sell nutrition mix packets, and in Madurai the
women make pickles and bags. These units need no funds as such to
sustain them - but they do need start-up capital (small amounts which
banks do not lend) and some money for training. * Ganini Computer and
Information Centers - We are also running low cost computer education
and information centers. (Information in Tamil on relevant topics like
agriculture, educational and employment opportunities, etc). One
center serves about 30-60 villages. The profit that the center makes
is used to support education, health and women's empowerment
programmes in the local villages. This programme does not need
financial assistance - but it does need used computers/parts, and technical
and training support.* Farmer Experimenter Networks - We have organized a
number of farmers into a network. These farmers try out agricultural
experiments and initiate changes in farming patterns. Apart from this, we
are also working on techniques to improve soil fertility, water harvesting
and crop management practices. These ideas are still in an experimental
stage and will be replicated once they are successful. Since this work is
being supported by government project grants, it does not require
additional financial resources. But people interested in investing
their time and expertise will be very useful.* How Can I Help ?
Make a donation* Usually students donate Rs. 10-50/month and professionals
Rs.100-500/month. But no amount is too small. You can specify which
programme(s) you would like to support. You can make a monthly pledge,
yearly pledge or one-time donation. We will send you regular updates on
email as well as by post informing you of the progress as well as how your
money is being spent.
To pledge an amount, email Balaji Sampath: kb@e... with your Name,
Address, Phone, Email and Pledge Amount (please specify whether it is
monthly/yearly/one-time). You can also contact us by phone or letter
at the address given below.
To donate, please make a Crossed Cheque payable to Friends of TNSF and
contact us or mail it to our address. Please contact us at the numbers
below in case of doubts or questions and we will clarify.
* Volunteer Your Time* Get your friends, relatives and colleagues to donate
as well. You can also join our email and mailing list and ask if other
friends would like to be on it as well - send us your contact
information and we will send you regular updates. * Visit one of the
programmes and write a report (for our monthly newsletter and your
friends).* Volunteering time regularly - If you would like to spend your
time or use your expertise to help any of the programmes, let us know.
Depending on your time constraints, interests, travelling constraints,
etc, we can together come up with a list of tasks where you can help.
* Start a Volunteer-Group in your college/company and adopt a block - You
can decide how you want to support the block - financially, and/or through
regular visits. All you need is a group of 8-10 reasonably committed people
to get this going. Taking turns, someone from the team can visit the block
once in two-three weeks and can find out what sort of support is needed and
whether everything is going as planned. If you would like to start
something like this, please contact us.*To a pledge a donation, to
volunteer time or for any questions, contact Balaji Sampath: Phone -
4402434, 8266033, Email: kb@e... Hoping to hear from you soon,
Tamilnadu Science Forum Volunteers
____________

#4.
January 12, 2000

Dear Colleague,

Desh Pardesh holds its 10th annual Festival/Conference of Diasporic South
Asian Arts, Culture and Politics next year--and we want you to join us in
celebrating a decade of counter-culture.

Since 1989, Desh Pardesh has worked to encourage new expressions of the
diasporic South Asian experience, bringing together diverse communities to
consider contemporary issues in arts, culture and politics. Our festival
is now the largest of its kind in North America with audience of over 5000
national and international artists, activists, academics and cultural
workers every year. Our mandate has grown too. We remain committed to
progressive politics, but are keen to facilitate new conversations about
matters like internet culture, housing, prison arts, food, sexual choice,
environmental racism, radical religion and more, and explore different
skills-building strategies for supporting new artists.

Next year's Festival/Conference will be staged at the Buddies in Bad Times
Theatre space and other satellite venues, June 6-11, 2000. We invite
contributions from self-identified South Asians in all artistic
disciplines, including film and video, dance, theatre, performance art,
new media, literature, spoken word and music. (The South Asian Visual Arts
Collective (SAVAC) coordinates the visual arts program. They can be
contacted at 340-1452, or at the address below.)

The deadline for submissions is now February 29, 2000.

Included with this letter is a submissions form. We ask that you make
members of your group of our call for proposals, and provide them with the
applications. If you would like a member of our Programming Committee to
attend one of your meetings to present or discuss Desh Pardesh, or if you
would like any more information about our plans for Desh 2000, please
don't hesitate to contact us as at (416) 340-0485.

Sincerely,

Andil Gosine, Artistic Programming Director
----

Desh Pardesh Festival/Conference 2000
of Diasporic South Asian Art, Culture, and Politics

SUBMISSION APPLICATION
Submission deadline: February 29, 2000

WHAT IS DESH PARDESH?
Desh Pardesh is a non-profit, community-based organization bringing
together diasporic South Asian communities that are involved in
progressive community-building through arts and activism. Our organization
is member-driven and responsive to changing times and issues. Desh is
feminist, anti-racist, anti-imperialist, anti-caste/classist and
anti-heterosexist. Desh exists to provide a community forum for the
voices and expressions of constituencies in the South Asian community that
are systemically silenced -- in particular, independent artists; cultural
producers and activists who are women, lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transsexual, or transgendered; people with disabilities; the working
class; seniors; and youth. Desh organizes ongoing programming throughout
the year in Toronto, but holds an annual festival/conference in the summer.

The annual Desh Pardesh Festival/Conference is an exploration of new and
challenging issues faced by South Asian artists and activists both locally
and internationally. Five nights and four days of multidisciplinary
programmes, workshops, forums, dances, and more.

What kind of work is EligibLE for submission?
=46ilm and Video -- Literature and Spoken Word -- Dance and Performance Art
-- Music and Theatre -- New Media and Visual Arts* -- Panels and Workshops.
(*Visual Arts submissions including painting, photography, sculpture,
installation, and mixed media will be co-ordinated by SAVAC (South Asian
Visual Arts Collective), a Desh-sponsored initiative.)

Works must be independently produced and artists must retain editorial
control over their work

WhoSE WORK WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR PROGRAMMING?
New, Emerging, and established artists from all disciplines who identify
themselves as part of the South Asian diaspora (including, but not
exclusively, African, American, British, Canadian, Fijian, Indo-Caribbean,
Pakistani, Sri Lankan, etc.), or who produce collaborative projects with
artists from other communities of colour and mixed ethnicity (including,
but not exclusively, Aboriginal, African, Black, Caribbean, East Asian,
Latin American, Pacific Islander, and Southeast Asian).

WHERE DO I SEND APPLICATIONS?
Complete attached forms and send to our office (Suite 450, 401 Richmond
Street West, Toronto, ON Canada M5V 3A8). Work being sent from outside
Canada should be marked =93for festival preview only, no commercial value=
=94,
or you may be required to pay customs duties. DO NOT send work via UPS
(United Parcel Service), as they charge large customs fees, which we are
not able to pay and your package will be returned to you. Sorry, no fax
or e-mail submissions will be accepted.
Desh Pardesh International Festival/Conference 2000
of Diasporic South Asian Arts, Culture and Politics

Application form and Submissions Checklist
Name:

Address:

Phone/Fax: ( )

E-Mail:

Please circle the discipline/area you are applying under:

Dance - Film - Literature - Mixed Media - Music - New Media - Panels -
Performance - Photography - Spoken Word - Theatre - Video - Visual Art
-Workshops

SUBMISSIONS CHECKLIST
All
$5 cheque for processing fee; $10 if you would like your materials
returned
A biographical statement which can be printed in our program (about
50-100 words)
A page or two describing your work and explaning why it is suitable for a
Desh Pardesh festival

Dance/Theatre/Performance
A representative 5-minute demo-tape of your work in VHS format
A written summary detailing number and names of participants, length,
specific technical requirements (lighting, sound, space) of proposed
performance
For theatre, a script of proposed piece

=46ilm/Video
A VHS tape of proposed pieces. You may send more than one work on each
VHS tape
Label all tapes clearly, with the following information: title, director,
running time, format.

Literature/Poetry/Written and Spoken Word
Send 5 separate copies of each piece
For spoken work, a cassette of your performance

Music
A CD, cassette tapeof your work and of the pieces you would like to
perform
Include a written summary detailing number of musicians, instrumentation,
length and specific technical requirements (lighting, sound, space) of
proposed performance.

New Media
Slides photograph or video samples of your work
A detailed description of technical requirements and size of the
production

Your signature below constitutes acceptance of all eligibility
requirements outlined in the Submissions Application for the 10th Annual
Desh Pardesh Festival/Conference

Signature: Date:

__________________________________________
SOUTH ASIA CITIZENS WEB DISPATCH is an informal, independent &
non-profit citizens wire service run by South Asia Citizens Web
(http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex) since1996.