[sacw] SACW | 1 Dec. 00

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire
1 December 2000 
http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex)

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#1. Sri Lankan NGO to stage 11-day peace campaign
#2. Women's team finalises Indo-Pak. people-to-people interaction plan
#3. India: New round of terror for Assam's non-Hindi speaking people
#4. India: A "religious" judicial bench for Hindu's to be set up
#5. India: Hindu Far Right activists meet on 6 Dec
#6. India: Book Launch of 'The RSS & the BJP: A Division of Labour' (6 Dec 00)
#7. India: A Week To Resist Globalization, Combat Communalism, Defend Democracy

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#1.

samwonline.com

SRI LANKAN NGO TO STAGE 11-DAY PEACE CAMPAIGN

By Mahendra Ratnaweera

Thursday, November 30, 2000 4:30:09 PM EST

COLOMBO Dec 1: 
The People's Peace Front, a non-government organization, has called for an 11-day "No War and Violence" campaign which is due to get underway December 1 and end December 11.
Nearly 70 NGOs are backing the campaign said PPF official S.Sivakurunathan.
The main feature of the campaign would be to drape a one-kilometer banner around the steel fence of Colombo’s Vihara Maha Devi Park.
Sivakurunathan said, "Sri Lanka's ethnic war is causing much destruction to humanity. Over 60,000 people have been killed and more than 30,000 left disabled. Most of the dead are men, hence the number of widows in the country has risen to about 20,000 while over a million people have been displaced and 10,000 others orphaned. More than 20,000 children are deprived of education in the war-torn areas. Many have been reported missing in action. We are hoping to get families of those missing to line the Vihara Maha Devi Park on December 11 and to drape the premises with the banner and carry a petition in procession to the Norwegian embassy."

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#2.

Indian women's team finalises people-to-people interaction plan

By Aarti Dhar

LAHORE, NOV. 30. More than a week after Islamabad was in the news for hosting a trans- border marriage between the children of two top Kashmiri leaders, Mr. Abdul Ghani Lone and Mr. Amanullah Khan, and New Delhi held centre-stage following the unilateral ceasefire announced by India, the focus temporarily shifted to the historic city of Lahore where women of the two countries tried to break the frosty relationship at a people-to-people level.

A 32-member all-women delegation, under the banner of Women's Initiative for Peace in South Asia (WIPSA) aimed at bridging the gap in perceptions and removing distrust which had resulted in animosity among the two countries. And the target this time round was the academicians.

Motivated by the genuine desire for peace, the delegation comprising academics, social workers and lawyers was equipped with knowledge about each other so that the common concerns and anxieties of the two societies could be realised and an informed and educated understanding of each other was bound to lead to a better analysis, and resolutions of points of conflicts.

Despite odds at various levels, the delegation concretised an action plan to widen the people-to-people interaction and decided to organise an immediate exchange of small groups of school and college students on a sustained basis and develop a peace curriculum to be disseminated among institutions of both countries with special focus on women's role in the conflict resolution.

A 10-day `artists camp' involving artists from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal would be held in Matheran near Mumbai in the near future, and the work done during this period would be auctioned with a view to encourage artists to harness their creativity for the cause of peace in South Asia and to encourage dialogue between them.

According to Ms. Meera Khanna, WIPSA (India) Trustee, who led the delegation, an interface of journalists from both the countries would be held to end the sustained campaign of disinformation. The organisation would create a website that would be a medium for exchange of authentic information on conflict issues.

A special theatre festival would focus on peace and involve theatre groups from all South Asian countries. This would be preceded by a special theatre bus to Pakistan. A combined anthology of South Asian women writers will focus on women's issues, Ms. Khanna said.

During their 3-day stay in Lahore, the delegation visited the Lahore University of Management Sciences, the National College of Arts formerly known as the Mayo College and the Aitchinsons College.

The Women's Initiative for Peace in South Asia spearheaded the people-to-people contact in March this year with the first all- women delegation to Pakistan. This was reciprocated by the visit of 64 women from Pakistan to India who strongly believe that the civil society is increasingly getting aware of the vital need to bridge the gap in perceptions which was crucial for the progress and the very existence of the two countries.

Describing the mission as `tourism of understanding', Ms. Khanna said individual-level contacts can be strengthened by involving youngsters who have dreams and the strength to realise these dreams of a progressive India and Pakistan.

Copyrights © 2000 The Hindu & indiaserver.com, Inc.

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#3.

NEW ROUND OF TERROR FOR ASSAM'S NON-HINDI SPEAKING PEOPLE

By Syed Zarir Hussain, India Abroad News Service

Guwahati, Nov 27 - A string of well-planned attacks by separatists on
Hindi-speaking people in Assam during the past one month marks the beginning
of a new round of terror in the volatile insurgency situation in the region,
police said.

More than 50 Hindi-speaking persons have been brutally killed in systematic
attacks spread across the state beginning October 22 with the latest of the
serial killings taking place Sunday midnight when four Bihari quilt-makers
were shot dead in western Assam.

The targets have been the Marwari community, hailing from Rajasthan, and the
Biharis, hailing from Bihar. The bulk of the business in Assam is in the
hands of the two communities, most of who have integrated with the Assamese
over the years.

The attacks have shattered the morale of the Hindi-speaking people residing
in the state with panic gripping the business community. "There is total
chaos and panic with most of the non-Assamese people residing in Assam
feeling insecure and haunted with a fear of being the next target
themselves," J. P. Singh, a Bihari community leader in Assam, told India
Abroad News Service.

Police said the massacres were the handiwork of the outlawed United
Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), fighting for an independent homeland.
However, the ULFA has categorically denied its involvement in the killings.

"We have conclusive evidence to prove that the killings were perpetrated by
the ULFA who out of desperation have been hitting at soft targets to show
they are still a force to be reckoned with," Assam Police chief Hare Krishna
Deka told IANS.

In at least three attacks, handbills and leaflets bearing the name of the
Assam Tiger Force (ATF), an unknown outfit, were strewn all over the place.
"Indigenous Assamese were in danger from outsiders," the ATF handbills said.

Community leaders say the killings were part of a deep-rooted conspiracy to
divide the greater Assamese society on communal lines.

"We definitely believe the recent attacks on the Hindi-speaking people is an
attempt to divide the well-knit Assamese society of which we are also very
much part and parcel," Jai Prakash Goenka, a leading Marwari businessman in
the state's principal city of Guwahati said. "Now with the recent killings
we are worried and there is bound to be some fear in the minds of the people
despite assurances from the government."

Although the identity of the killers is yet to be established, politicians
have already started attacking rival parties for masterminding the
massacres.

"The attacks are politically motivated and could be the handiwork of forces
trying to dislodge our government and bring in President's rule before the
forthcoming assembly polls," Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta
said.

The opposition Congress Party on the other hand has held the government
responsible for failing to provide security. "The government has miserably
failed to control the deteriorating law and order situation in Assam. Things
are in very poor shape and the law and order machinery in the state has
almost collapsed," Pankaj Bora, Assam Congress spokesman, said. "The
government should resign and there should be President's rule to avoid chaos
in the state."

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) views it differently. "The killings could
be at the behest of some foreign hand," Bijoya Chakraborty, Union Water
Resources Minister and BJP Member of Parliament from Assam, told IANS. "This
is a nefarious trend and the Assam government has failed to identify the
killers."

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#4.

The Hindustan Times
1 Dec. 2000

'NYAY PEETH' FOR HINDUS SOON 

HT Correspondent 
(Meerut, November 30) 

LIKE AKAL Takht of Sikhs a Nyay Peeth (judicial bench) for Hindu community would be constituted soon. This Peeth would give punishment to those found guilty of doing work against the Hindu ideology. 

While talking to the mediapersons here Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth Dwarika Sharda Peethdheeswar Swami Swaroopa-nand Saraswati declared that Nyay Peeth would soon begin functioning all over the country on district level though its headquarter would be at Hardwar. He said that cases related to the violation of Hindu ideology and religion would be heard by the Peeth and necessary punishment would be given to those found guilty. The punishment would be given by the Sankaracharaya himself. 

Regarding by-laws of the Peeth he explained that Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Suraksha Samiti has been given the task to make laws and code of conduct for the Peeth.

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#5.

The Times of India
1 Dec 2000

`KAR SEWAK SAMMELAN' ON DECEMBER 6 

The Times of India News Service

AYODHYA: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has decided to organise a `kar sewak sammelan' at Karsewakpuram here on December 6 next. It happens to be the ninth anniversary of the demolition of the disputed structure. Over 25,000 kar sewaks are expected to attend the meet.

The call for the `Kar sewak sammelan', has been given by the newly-constituted Ayodhya Prant unit of the VHP.

Bhagwan Jaiswal, president VHP's Ayodhya Prant unit, said here on Thursday the sole objective of this congregation was to mobilise the rank and file for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

He said he was expecting 2,000 kar sewaks from each district of the Ayodhya prant, which consists of 13 districts of eastern UP. Prominent VHP leaders, including its working president, Ashok Singhal, would be participating in the sammelan, he added.

Meanwhile, the sammelan, after a gap of couple of years here, has resulted in regenerating fear psychosis amongst the minorities of the twin township of Faizabad and Ayodhya.

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#6.

From: <leftword@v...>
Dec1., 2000

LeftWord Books takes pleasure in inviting you to the launch of [the book]

The RSS and the BJP: A Division of Labour

[by ] A.G. Noorani

The book will be released by Shri Jyoti Basu

[on] 6 December 2000

Banga Bhavan Auditorium
3 Hailey Road
(off Kasturba Gandhi Marg)
New Delhi, India

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#7.

Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 09:37:05 +0530
Organization: samvad

INSAF (INDIAN NATIONAL SOCIAL ACTION FORUM )

Press Release : 

A WEEK TO RESIST GLOBALIZATION, COMBAT COMMUNALISM DEFEND DEMOCRACY Or A CALL TO STRENGTHEN SECULAR DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST INDIA

Mumbai, December 1, 2000

INSAF ( Indian National Social Action Forum ) has given a clarion call to all secular and 
democratic organisations in the country to observe A WEEK TO STRENGTHEN 
SECULAR-DEMOCRATIC-SOCIALIST INDIA beginning December 3 and ending December 10 
to resist globalization, combat communalism and defend democracy. Knitting 
together three historic events i.e. Bhopal Gas tragedy on 3rd December 1984, 
Demolition of Babri Mazjid at Ayodhayaya on 6th December 1992, and the 
International Human Rights Day on 10th December 1948, 

According to 
INSAF, December 3 should be observed to Resist Globalization while paying homage 
to the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy, which resulted in the death of about 3000 
and maiming of about 3 lakh citizens. Even today, Bhopal stands out as a symbol 
of the devastation of our economy by MNCs. While in 1984 one MNC like the Union 
Carbide committed such a crime against a people only to fulfil its profit 
motive, today the entire national economy has been mortgaged to the global 
capital affecting all aspects of life. The National Democratic Alliance 
government under the leadership of Bhartiya Janata Party is today ruthlessly 
implementing the second generation economic reforms and liberalization in India 
under the aegis of World Bank and International Monetary Funds. And in doing so 
it has found a silent spectator in the Congress-I, a party that was responsible 
for liberalization with the Structural Adjustment Programmes in India in 1991. 
Therefore, it has become all the more necessary to assert our faith in the 
founding principle of Socialism as enshrined in the Indian Constitution leading 
to securing to all the citizens Justice -- social, economic and 
political.

Similarly, December 6 should be remembered for the 
worst attack on secular character of Indian polity when the Hindutva forces -- 
under the patronage of BJP, Shiv Sena and their allies -- demolished Babri 
Mazjid at Ayodhaya.

Since 1992, a systematic attack on the 
secular-democratic movements and institutions in the country under the 
leadership of Sangh Parivar to give concrete expression to its agenda of Hindu 
Rashtra. It has also generated fear and hatred among communities that have been 
living in harmony for years. There are attempts to redefine some of the basic 
tenets of the Indian Constitution like "secularism" and "nationalism" from the 
point of view of the majority religion. The draconian design of communal forces 
widely covers all aspects of life including art and literature, culture and 
history, education and communication. Against such a blatant attempt to enforce 
the agenda of "one nation-one people" based on majoritarianism by the Sangh 
Parivar, an alternate agenda to Combat Communalism is to be systematically 
chalked out and implemented.

Finally, December 10 should be observed as a DEFEND DEMOCRACY DAY! The adverse impact of globalization is being felt all over, specially on the Right to Life Livelihood of peoples. 
Today, the democratic space is shrinking, and more and more stringent laws are 
being ruthlessly implemented to control the people's movements, trade unions and 
social activists. The attempt to revise the Indian Constitution by the BJP is 
also to be seen against the backdrop of serving the vested interests of the 
forces of globalization and communalism. These attacks cut at the very root of 
the Indian Constitution that states in its Preamble that " WE THE PEOPLE OF 
INDIA, solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR 
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC." Thus, on the International Human Rights Day, it is 
apt to renew our resolve to protect civil liberties and democratic 
rights.

Reminding the nation and people to reaffirm their resolve in the founding principles of the Indian Constitution, and to restore the secular-democratic character of our polity through people's agenda clearly spelling out a common strategy and programme are the need of the time. The WEEK 
to Resist Globalization, Combat Communalism and Defend Democracy has been 
committed by INSAF towards this end. The weeklong campaign is aimed at raising 
public consciousness on these issues and build alliances to defeat the forces of 
death and destruction. 

INSAF is a national forum of about 250 social action groups, social movements, and progressive intellectuals providing platform to share their ideas and experiences and jointly work towards the 
realization of a new society based on socialism, secularism and democracy. 

Spread in about 12 states of the country, INSAF came into being in 1993 as a people's response to resist globalization and combat communalism.

Adv. Rajendra K. Sail
Secretary
Wilfred D'Costa
National Organising Secretary
Address : A-1, Krishnadeep Apt. 
Yashwant Nagar, VAKOLA, Santa Cruz (E), Mumbai - 400 055

______________________________________________
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
at http://www.egroups.com/messages/act/
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