[sacw] sacw dispatch #2 (16 May 00)

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Web - Dispatch # 2
16 May 2000
________________________________
#1. New Spy Photos Confirm India & Pakistan Expanding Nuclear & Missile
Program
#2. India: Petition to oppose Detention of 'Sahayog' Activists under
National Security Act
#3. Excerpt from a letter by Fahmida Riaz (The Pakistani Poetess who was
recently at an event to promote peace & understanding between India /
Pakistan)
________________________________

#1.

MEDIA ADVISORY
CONTACT: Adam Eidinger
May 15, 2000
202-785-1266 or 202-744-267

Attention Photographers and Camera Crews!
NEW SPY PHOTOS CONFIRM INDIA AND PAKISTAN EXPANDING NUCLEAR AND MISSILE
PROGRAMS

UNITED NATIONS =96 For the first time outside of government intelligence
agencies, new high resolution satellite photos of Indian and Pakistani
primary nuclear weapons and ballistic missile facilities provide visual
proof of a long term commitment to an expensive and highly-integrated
network of military institutions geared towards deployment of nuclear
weapons. The Indian and Pakistani photos, obtained by the Federation of
American Scientists (FAS) from the Space Imaging Corporation IKONOS
Satellite, along with de-classified photos of Israeli nuclear and missile
facilities will be released at a news conference at the United Nations
Correspondents Association Club, 3rd Floor of the UN Secretariat on
Tuesday, May 16, 2000 at 1:00 PM.
WHO: Tim Brown, Federation of American Scientists

Michael Kraig, Consultant to FAS=92s Space Policy Project
Daniel Plesch, Director of the British American Security
Information Council (BASIC)
=46elicity Hill, Women=92s International League for Peace & Freedom (Moderat=
or)
WHAT: News Conference on high-resolution satellite photos of Indian,
Pakistani, and Israeli nuclear and missile facilities
WHEN: Tuesday, May 16, 2000 at 1:00 PM
WHERE: United Nations Correspondents Association Club, 3rd Floor, UN
Secretariat
"These images visibly demonstrate the magnitude of the weapons programs of
the three nuclear weapons states that remain outside the Non-Proliferation
Treaty regime. The NPT Review Conference has failed to come to grips with
this reality, and the future of all non-proliferation efforts hinge on this
fact," says John Pike of the Federation of American Scientists.
"There is unlikely to be any global plan to control and eliminate the
nuclear threat for at least the next five years as the NPT conference in
New York drifts towards failure, says Daniel Plesch, director of the
British American Security Information Council. "The photos released today
by FAS show all too clearly the urgency of inviting India, Israel and
Pakistan to sit down with us and plan the total elimination of nuclear
arms. Were these facilities to be subject to attack, the fallout would
have global impact. The idea that we can isolate ourselves from such
events is a delusion.

To view and download the photos please visit <http://www.fas.org/>
http://www.fas.org. Questions regarding the photos may be addressed to
John Pike of FAS at 202-675-1023. For the latest information on the NPT
Review please call Daniel Plesch at 202-997-1562 or Christine Kucia at
202-487-4386 (mobile) or Adam Eidinger at 202-785-1266 (202-744-2671
mobile). For NPT conference updates as well as statements from national
governments visit BASIC=92s website at <http://www.basicint.org/>
http://www.basicint.org .
_________

#2.

[A Delhi-based charity, the Naz Foundation is currently co-ordinating the
following appeal to L K Advani, Home Minister, Government of India]

PETITION TO OPPOSE DETENTION OF SAHAYOG ACTIVISTS UNDER NATIONAL SECURITY AC=
T

L K Advani,
Honourable Minister for Home Affairs,
Government of India,
New Delhi
mhaweb@m...

Dear Shri Advani,

Subject: Detention of Sahayog Activists under National Security Act

This is to bring to your notice that the National Security Act has been
invoked on May 11, 2000 against Jasodhara Dasgupta (Secretary), Abhijit Das
(Coordinator), Sunita Shahi (Program Officer) and Surendra Dhapola (Program
Offficer) of Sahayog, an Almora-based Indian non-governmental organisation.

This matter was in response to the publication of a booklet "AIDS aur hum".
We accept that the concern expressed regarding the language used in the
document is genuine, but there is no justification for such draconian
action. Staff members of Sahayog have issued a public apology for having
hurt local sentiments. All copies of the controversial booklet have been
either withdrawn or confiscated.

The invoking of the NSA against a non-govermental organisation focusing on
health issues in the local community is completely unwarranted and
unrelated to the offence, and is not relevant in the current situation.

We the undersigned are deeply concerned over this. We realise that you
have not been directly involved in this case, but we are sure that you will
see the miscarriage of justice that has clearly followed the application of
the National Security Act to an issue that has no bearing whatsoever on
National Security. We are concerned that this may affect the moral
standing of the present Government of India which stands up for democratic
rights of the ordinary citizen, and has a reputation in India and abroad
for helping Indian citizens who have dedicated themselves to social work.

We urge your immediate intervention to ensure that the order for detention
under NSA be revoked, the victimisation of Sahayog workers stopped, and the
due process of the law be allowed to take its course.

Yours faithfully,

PLEASE INSERT YOUR FULL NAME, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND WORKING ADDRES=
S.

(for example
--
Dr. M. M. Ghosh MD MS FRCS FRCS(Plast Surg)
Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Withington & Chrisite Hospitals,
Wilmslow Road Manchester UK
M20 4BX
Secretary:
+44 161 446 3375 (Christie)
+44 161 291 4399 (Withington)
=46ax:
+44 161 291 4077
Mobile:
+44 780 872 6908)

Copies of this letter to:
Chief Minister
State of Uttar Pradesh
cmup@u...

Chief Secretary
State of Uttar Pradesh
csup@u...

Naz Foundation,
nazindia@b...

_______

#3.

(Excerpt from a letter by Fahmida Riaz the well known Pakistani poetess who
recently participated at a India-Pakistan Poetry recital (Mushaira)
organised by the Students union of the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru
University in Delhi. Hell broke loose there when a some people tried to
disrupt the recitals by Riaz since she was from the "enemy" country.
Currently the students who organised the event are facing a court case on
trumpted up charges. )

15 May 2000 18:06:47 GMT
[...]

"The mushaira took place on the 29th
of April and I returned to Pakistan on the 3rd of May.
But as the controversy over the mushaira continued and the allegations took
the most bizarre twists and turns, I thought some clarification from my side
could not be out of place, since it was after all my verses that sparked the
unfortunate incident.
I read in the Indian Press that it was being said by certain quarters that
the event was masterminded by ISI (the secret service agency of Pakistan).
The fact is that the poor kids at JNU did not have the remotest idea of what
I was going to read in the mushaira. So the only person to be blamed is my
own cursed self and no one else.
Was I then instigated by the ISI to read those particular poems?
As I weep to read what is being said I can't help laughing in derision at
the irony of it all. Not to long ago the ISI had alleged me of being an
agent of RAW. This accusation was leveled in the National Assembly of
Pakistan!
My poems were against nuclear explosions in Pokhran and Chaghi and against
Hindu and Muslim fundamentalism. I wrote them last year and had already read
them at several gatherings in India. They were written in a humorous style
and invariably got a laugh from the audience and filled my heart with pride=
=D6
yes pride in India. (And how can a Pakistani be proud of India! Here is a
riddle that secret agencies can=EDt fathom. Only the poet knows the secret o=
f
the human heart and what forbidden passions it can harbour).
The real issue is not my poem. Something much more important is at stake.
Who disrupted the mushaira and why? Who whipped out a service revolver? It
is inconceivable that the Indian Army would allow serving officers to
disrupt any civilian gathering. These officers were obviously instigated by
RSS or some other such militant fundamentalist organization. It is to cover
up this mess and embarrassment that the event is being totally
misrepresented and the JNU boys are being victimized. Let us hope our joint
efforts will put an end to this disgusting striving.
[...]
=46ahmida Riaz"
__________________________________________
SOUTH ASIA CITIZENS WEB DISPATCH (SACW) is an informal, independent &
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