[sacw] sacw dispatch | 17 July 00

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch
17 July 2000

_____________________

#1. India: Hindu militants cause Bombay shutdown
#2. Pakistan: Jammat i Islami peddling a soft image
#3. U.S.: Brahmans meet in U.S. to discuss future
#4. Call for Entries: 4th South Asian Video Festival
_____________________

#1.

BBC News Online: World: South Asia
Sunday, 16 July, 2000, 18:53 GMT 19:53 UK

Hindu militants cause Bombay shutdown

Supporters of a Hindu militant leader have brought most of Bombay to a
standstill with street protests against a government move to prosecute
him over anti-Muslim riots in 1992.
On Sunday, much of Bombay was deserted as shops were shut and people
stayed indoors, fearing violence.

The protesters took to the streets on Saturday evening, following a
decision by the Maharashtra State Government to prosecute Bal Thackeray,
who leads the extreme right-wing Hindu organisation Shiv Sena.

Mr Thackeray, who had warned his arrest could spark riots, called for
calm among his supporters, as the state government said it was
determined to go ahead with the prosecution.

"This government is not going to be shattered by the threats of the Sena
chief," Maharashtra's Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh was quoted as
saying.

Deserted

Shiv Sena supporters were reported to be forcing a shutdown in Bombay,
deflating bus tyres, harassing shopkeepers and hauling people out of
cars to bring traffic to a standstill.

A domestic private airline, Jet Airways, was also affected when workers
refused to load luggage in support of Mr Thackeray.

Elsewhere in Maharashtra state, Shiv Sena supporters pelted buses with
stones and blocked commuter train services.

Police said there had been some minor violence in some parts of the city
and state.

Role in riots

The decision to prosecute Mr Thackeray was announced on Saturday by
Chhagan Bhujbal, the state's deputy chief minister.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an incitement to communal riots
Bal Thackeray

------------------------------------------------------------------------

He will be prosecuted for his role in the religious riots that followed
the destruction by Hindu zealots of the 15th century Babri mosque in the
town of Ayodhya.

A judicial commission into the riots accused Mr Thackeray and other Shiv
Sena leaders of making provocative statements which sparked off the
riots.

The state's previous government took no action against him.

Mr Thackeray has said his prosecution could result in nationwide
violence.

"If you are governing in a vengeful manner then you must be prepared to
face consequences as well," he warned.

"This is an incitement to communal riots," he added.

Although he held no official post, Mr Thackeray was the uncrowned
monarch of a BJP-Sena administration in Maharashtra, which was routed in
assembly elections by the Congress Party last October.

It is not the first time that the self-confessed admirer of Adolf Hitler
has found himself in the eye of a storm.

Mr Thackeray has repeatedly attacked Muslims in his speeches, and his
followers once dug up a cricket pitch to prevent Pakistan from playing
against India.

______

#2.

The News International
16 July 2000
Op-Ed.

Qazi promotes moderate Islam

Dr Manzur Ejaz

Amir Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Qazi Hussain Ahmed acknowledged that his party
had no differences with the government on foreign policy unless the
government changes its present course. Referring to the kind of
government Jamaat will form, if given a chance, he vowed that it will be
very different from the Taliban's. Jamaat will only implement Pakistan's
present constitution honestly, he elaborated. It appears that Jamaat and
the government has convergence of ideas on essential aspects of state
ideology. No wonder, Qazi sahib was provided a chance to speak to the
major US think tanks in addition to having meetings with state
department officials.

This was Qazi sahib's second appearance at the conference arranged by
the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA). However, unlike the last
time when he kept to addressing and meeting Islamic organizations and
individuals, he was eager to communicate to diverse groups in the
Washington area. He held a press conference for Washington-based
Pakistani newsmen, spoke at Brookings Institute, the Henry Stimson
Center, and Institute of Middle-East Affairs and was expected to have
met with state department officials including Karl Inderfurth, Michael
Sheen and some others. He was also invited by the Pakistan American
Business Association (PABA). In addition, he paid a visit to Ambassador
Maleeha Lodhi at her residence and went to a dinner hosted by one of
Musharaf's Washington-based confidant. His trip had all the semblance of
an official trip of a cabinet minister of the Musharraf government.

Speaking to different groups Qazi sahib dispelled long held impressions
about fundamentalist religious organizations like JI. Speaking to
Pakistani newsmen, he said that JI will establish an entirely different
Islamic system in Pakistan than the Taliban have in Afghanistan. He
condemned honour killings of women in Pakistan saying that it had
nothing to do with Islamic ideology and such practices were wrongfully
linked with Islam. He claimed that his party was against every form of
oppression whether exercised against an individual, group or community.
He surprised everyone by saying that JI stands against cultural
oppression too. A veteran journalist was surprised by Qazi sahib's
frequent quotes from Allama Iqbal and said, "This is new for
Jamaat-i-Islami. They used to avoid quoting Iqbal."

Qazi sahib reiterated the same points at Brookings Institute and assured
the American audience that his party was very moderate and had no
intention of imposing the Taliban type of Islam in which chopping of
hands or stoning to death are justified. He opined that Taliban have not
understood Islam in the proper perspective and are misled on several
accounts. He even showed some softness towards India saying that JI
stands for talks with India and claimed that he had advised JI workers
to refrain from staging demonstrations against India.

After reassuring the Americans of the humanistic nature of the Islamic
system that he was preaching, he asked the US to consider lifting
sanctions imposed against Pakistan. While Qazi sahib was promoting his
own agenda, presenting himself as a mainstream Islamist party that can
rule by upholding the standards of international human rights, he was
also bidding for the government of Pakistan.

At times it appeared from his expressions like "Pakistan is the most
sanctioned country" that he had been thoroughly briefed by the foreign
office or someone close to Pak-US dialogue. He presented standard
answers on nuclear questions, India and Afghanistan. Having been to
press briefings of Pakistani officials, one got the feeling that Mr Qazi
was presenting an official viewpoint. Qazi sahib had assured the
Pakistani press that he was competent enough to present Pakistan's
national viewpoint to foreign countries like the US. And, as a matter of
fact, from all available reports it appears that he did a good job to
clear Pakistan's official position. Mr Javed Jabbar, in his last visit
to the US, had argued that Pakistan had an image problem (everything
else was fine!). And that should be changed. He ended up annoying many
people by presenting himself as a bullhead (despite his good English).

On the contrary, it appears that Qazi sahib has done a good job by
presenting himself as a moderate Muslim and allying the fears of the US
intelligentsia. Many US think tanks had invited him to hear it from the
horse's mouth. It is clear from Qazi sahib's presentation that he had no
problem with the state ideology of Pakistan on foreign and domestic
fronts. At the same time it appeared that state functionaries also knew
how Qazi sahib can present their view on international fora. Therefore,
it is evident that Pakistan's state ideology is enshrined in religious
fundamentalism and parties like JI are always going to be better
representative of the present state. Such a relationship is blurred
during the civilian governments but becomes transparent during military
regimes.

Qazi sahib had misgivings about opening up trade with India or letting a
gas pipeline go to India through Pakistan before settlement of the
Kashmir issue. He had objections about the government ministers who are
perceived to be secular or coming from the NGO sector. However, it
appeared that he has been assured by the Musharraf government that it is
ready to correct its mistake of appointing such elements who, in Qazi
sahib's words, are alienated from the masses and are incompetent as
well. Reading in between the lines of Qazi sahib's statements, it
appeared that such undesirable elements are going to be removed from the
government soon.

Some argue that JI is equally marginalized from the major fundamentalist
forces in Pakistan and needs Musharraf government's backing for its
survival. Families of JI members are educated--their female cadres and
other women are mostly professionals--and will be preyed upon like
everyone else if a Taliban type Islam takes over the country. Therefore,
JI has a genuine fear of such an eventuality and will like to join hands
with the government and international forces to thwart forces which are
said to be characterized as "lunatics" by JI leaders. The military
government and their functionaries (even secularists), aware of benefits
of an alliance with JI for promoting their agenda internally and
externally, are placating Qazi sahib. At least, that is what his Wash
ington tour shows.

______

#3.

Brahmans meet in U.S. to discuss community's future

by Suman Guha Mozumder, India Abroad News Service

New York, July 15 - Delegates from across the U.S., India and Nepal
thronged the first World Brahman Convention in Pennsylvania to discuss the
past, present and future of the Hindu upper caste group.

The theme of the convention, organised by the Brahman Samaj of North
America (BSNA), was 'Brahmans of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,' according
to BSNA president Nirmalendu Choubey.

Vidya Nivas Misra, former vice chancellor of Sampurnanda Sanskrit
University, in Varanasi, and Kashi Vidyapeeth, who was the keynote speaker,
claimed the Brahmans and the Vedas are the two main factors in the
retention of Hinduism.
"Brahmana is the core of Hinduism and cannot be separated from it," a BSNA
press statement quoted him as saying. "Brahmans, who constitute 20 per cent
of India's population, have survived the misrules in the past and will
survive the present situation," he added.

Other distinguished guests at the convention were Prabha Dwivedi, Uttar
Pradesh's Minister for Technical Education, and Ashok Trivedi, president of
IGATE, a U.S.-based company. Ashok Bajpai, Consul Passport at the Indian
Consulate in New York, spoke on behalf of Consul General Shashi Trapathi.

BSNA's youth organisation played a major role in conducting and moderating
various seminars and cultural programmes. Two invited youth speakers,
Anjali Tripathi and Rachna Choubey, asked young Brahmans to take interest
in the preservation of "our rich heritage".

A proposal was made to the Samaj president to form a 'World Brahman
Federation' to unite the community. Choubey presented Brahma-Vishista
awards, among others, to Ila Arun, the famous Rajasthani singer. The Samaj
will hold its next convention in Los Angeles in July 2001.
______

#4.

F o u r t h A n n u a l
C h i n g a r i V i d e o F e s t

S o u t h A s i a n V i d e o F e s t i v a l

University of Wisconsin-Madison,
October 13 - 14, 2000

Chingari Forum announces the Fourth Annual Chingari South
Asian Video Festival at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Chingari VideoFest 2000 coincides with the Annual Conference
on South Asia organized by UW-Madison Center for South Asia.
The VideoFest provides an opportunity for independent
filmmakers to showcase their work during this international
conference.

Documentary works related to South Asia and its diaspora are
invited. We seek politically progressive projects that deal
with such issues as labor movements; social justice
movements; religious fundamentalism; economic globalization
and market fundamentalism and its impact on the poor;
patriarchy and gender politics; the location and
construction of social identities; lesbian, gay, and
bisexual struggles; racism; political and economic human
rights; and environmental degradation.

Entries should have been released in or after 1997, and must
be submitted on video (only NTSC, standard VHS 1/2 inch
please). English language subtitles are desirable to
facilitate a wider viewing audience, but are not necessary.
All entries will be returned, unless instructed otherwise.

Submissions must be received by Friday, September 15, 2000
and should be sent to the following address:

Center for South Asia
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Attn.: Brendan LaRocque
203 Ingraham Hall
1155 Observatory Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
USA

For further information contact Chingari Forum at:
chingari@m...

============================================================
Entry Form for Chingari VideoFest 2000 also available at:
http://www.sit.wisc.edu/~chingari
============================================================

* * ENTRY FORM * * ENTRY FORM * * ENTRY FORM * *

C H I N G A R I V I D E O F E S T 2 0 0 0
AT
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
October 13 -14, 2000

____________________________________________________________
* Multiple submissions may be made, *
* but please use a separate form for each entry *
____________________________________________________________

Title of Entry
____________________________________________________________

Director(s)
____________________________________________________________

Producer(s)
____________________________________________________________

Year of Release
_______________________________

Country
_______________________________

Running Length
_______________________________

Format
_______________________________

Color/B&W
_______________________________

Short Description of Entry
____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Has the entry been screened before? (if yes, please list)
____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Contact Postal Address, Phone, Email
____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Brief Bio of Filmmaker(s)
____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

All entries will be returned, unless instructed otherwise.
Do you wish your entry to be returned (Yes, No)? (If No,
your entry will be donated to the South Asia Collection
at the University Library)
____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________
* All Entries Must Include A Copy Of The Video *
_______________________________________________

Entry Form for Chingari VideoFest 2000 also available at:
http://www.sit.wisc.edu/~chingari

Chingari is a progressive
South Asian and South Asian-American
students' collective at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison.

For more information visit our website at:
http://www.sit.wisc.edu/~chingari
or send us an email at:
chingari@m...

______________________________________________
SOUTH ASIA CITIZENS WEB DISPATCH (SACW) is an
informal, independent & non-profit citizens wire service
run by South Asia Citizens Web (http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex)
since 1996. Dispatch archive from 1998 can be accessed
by joining the ACT list run by SACW. To subscribe send
a message to <act-subscribe@egroups.com>
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

_________________________
Harsh Kapoor
SOUTH ASIA CITIZENS WEB
http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex
e.mail: aiindex@m...