[sacw] SACW #2 (11 Sept. 01)

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire / Dispatch No.2
11 September 2001
http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex

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

[1.] Canada / Sri Lanka: A tiger in the temple [LTTE uses Temples to=20
Fund Raise in Canada]
[2.] The backfire: Pakistan has a twisted tryst with militancy (M.H. Askari=
)
[3.] India: Hindutva and Minority 'Problem' ( Ram Puniyani)
[4.] Urgent Alert from Kerala, India
[5.] Washington Screening of Grace Poore's film on child sexual abuse=20
in India & Sri Lanka
[6.] India Pakistan Arms Race & Militarisation Watch (IPARMW) # 49

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

#1.

The National Post (Canada)
http://www.nationalpost.com/

September 6, 2001

A TIGER IN THE TEMPLE
Once inside Canada, some refugees devote themselves passionately to=20
the conflicts gripping their homelands. Tamil Tiger supporters have=20
found religious centres to be an effective place to fundraise and=20
proselytize

Stewart Bell National Post

RICHMOND HILL, Ont.-Buses and cars are lined up along the shoulder=20
of the highway outside the Ganesh Hindu temple as worshippers=20
wearing a mix of South Asian and Western clothes arrive by the=20
thousands to celebrate the completion of renovations at their house=20
of prayer.

As they enter the temple grounds, however, they are greeted not by=20
a priest, but by eager youths selling red flags bearing the=20
militaristic emblem of the Tamil Tigers, a guerrilla group in Sri=20
Lanka, where many of the temple-goers originate.

Laid out for sale on tables are framed photos of Vellupillai=20
Prabhakaran, the assassin who commands the Tamil Tigers -an=20
organization the Canadian government accuses of terrorism, murder,=20
torture, forcible conscription of child soldiers and ethnic=20
cleansing.

Nearby, men wave collection jars, soliciting donations for a Tamil=20
relief organization that Canada's intelligence service suspects is=20
secretly funding the Tigers' war against the Sri Lankan government.=20
"Money for the refugees?" they plead.

For many new Canadians, going to church is becoming a politically=20
charged affair. It means having to endure the pressure tactics,=20
fundraising campaigns and shrill propaganda of militants soliciting=20
support for far-off wars that worshippers thought they had left=20
behind.

In the 1980s and '90s, some temples in British Columbia served as=20
support bases for extremists involved in the fight for Sikh=20
independence from India. Montreal police claimed in 1999 Algerian=20
terrorists were soliciting money at mosques. Now the Tamil Tigers=20
are making a move on some Hindu temples in Ontario.

"It's a natural target," said John Thompson, executive director of=20
the MacKenzie Institute, a think-tank on security issues. "Insurgent=20
Practice 101 is to make sure you have control of all institutions,=20
all forms of authority and all cultural outlets."

Symbols of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are visible=20
at the Ayappan temple in Scarborough. The Tiger logo is affixed to=20
the door of a hut on the temple grounds, painted in the red and gold=20
LTTE colours. Inside, a poster of Mr. Prabhakaran is draped over a=20
desk.

At a festival last week at the Richmond Hill temple, north of=20
Toronto, police watched as youths stood behind tables selling Tamil=20
Tigers paraphernalia: photos showing Mr. Prabhakaran posing=20
heroically in his trademark tiger-striped camouflage, CDs of his=20
speeches and videotapes depicting battle scenes of the insurgency=20
that has cost Sri Lanka 62,000 lives.

"This is our national leader," says a youth selling the photos. He=20
points to one of the dozens of desktop Tiger flags on sale for $5=20
each. They depict a roaring tiger's head and two crossed rifles=20
surrounded by a ring of bullets.

"This is our national flag," he says.

Morty Moorthy, president of the Richmond Hill temple, said he was=20
unaware Tiger guerrilla material was being sold at the event, which=20
attracted some 20,000 people a day over three days.

"We don't officially support any of this. We're a non-political,=20
charitable organization. Our purpose is religion."

He said he would raise the matter at the next temple board meeting.

Mr. Moorthy denied the temple was under any pressure from the Tigers=20
and their supporters. "No, it has never come to the board. In fact,=20
the board will be as shocked and surprised as I am."

But Adiyar Vipulananda, a Hindu spiritual leader in Scarborough, is=20
angered by what he says are the aggressive tactics Tamil Tiger=20
supporters are employing on temples. He wants the divisive politics=20
of Sri Lanka-and particularly the Tigers-to stay out of the temples.

But he has paid a price for his stance.

Mr. Vipulananda was serving on the board of directors of a new=20
Scarborough temple last September when he received a telephone call=20
one evening. The caller, who said he was representing a Tamil Tigers=20
support organization, told him to resign at once.

"They said, 'We will kill you.' "

Several other board members who had refused to let the Tigers into=20
the temple said they received similar telephone calls. One had his=20
shop window smashed. "The other four guys also got phone calls and=20
they called their wives," Mr. Vipulananda said.

"The women, they were afraid, they said, 'Resign, resign, we don't=20
need the temple.' And they resigned. They said, 'Don't go to the=20
police. If you go to the police, they will send the gangs and they=20
will harm us.' The government, they do not take proper action=20
against this.' "

After leaving, Mr. Vipulananda began creating a new temple, the Siva=20
Vishnu Temple, and complained to Toronto police about the threats.=20
The cellphone that placed the call was disconnected within hours=20
after he received the threat, he said.

"That is a criminal offence. This is very bad. This is a challenge=20
to the government."

There are many others like him who want the Tigers out of the=20
temples, he said, but they are afraid of retaliation and believe the=20
police cannot protect them. The Tamil Tigers and their supporters=20
"misuse the freedom of Canada," he said. "The people came here to=20
live in peace, but these people, they collect money. The people are=20
giving money, but the people don't know what they do [with it]."

The LTTE is a guerrilla force that formed in the early 1970s to=20
fight for a separate state for Sri Lanka's ethnic Tamil minority.=20
Its extensive use of terrorist bombings, attacks against civilians,=20
ethnic cleansing of Muslims and torture has earned the Tigers=20
international scorn.

Canada accuses the group of assassinating university professors,=20
human rights monitors and other civilians, as well as political=20
leaders, including Rajiv Gandhi, the former Indian prime minister,=20
killed by a LTTE suicide bomber.

"The LTTE raises money through drug trafficking. It also raises=20
money by relying upon the willing or unwilling expatriate=20
communities abroad, such as the large number of Tamil refugees in=20
Canada," government lawyers wrote in a recent deportation case.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service suspects that some of=20
those donations, which it estimates at up to $2-million a year, are=20
coming from organizations that show up at temple events to take=20
donations and sell LTTE goods such as flags. But the groups say=20
while the money they collect goes to areas under rebel control, it is=20
earmarked for humanitarian aid rather than weaponry.

The Sri Lankan civil war is not the only foreign conflict that has=20
spilled into Canadian religious institutions. Talwinder Singh=20
Parmar, a Sikh militant, warned at a Calgary temple in July, 1984,=20
that planes would fall from the sky in retaliation for the Indian=20
government's assault on the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine in=20
Sikhdom. The following year, an Air-India flight out of Vancouver=20
was bombed, killing all 329 aboard.

Intelligence reports concerning Islamic terrorists make occasional=20
mention of mosques. CSIS investigated reports that Sheik Umar Abdel=20
Rahman, spiritual leader of the terrorist group Al Jihad, had=20
visited an Ottawa mosque in October, 1992. He was later convicted=20
for the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing in New York.

In December, 1999, police said a terrorist gang headed by Algerian=20
Karim Said Atmani had been demanding money at Montreal mosques and=20
sending the proceeds abroad to finance the jihad, or=20
Muslim holy war. Mr. Atmani was a friend of Ahmed Ressam, the=20
convicted Algerian terrorist.

As Canada has opened its doors to refugees fleeing modern warfare,=20
it has also let in migrants who, once in Canada, continue to devote=20
themselves passionately to the conflicts gripping their=20
homelands-and they have found places of worship to be an effective=20
venue for their activities.

Such places are often run by societies that have charitable status=20
and receive government grants. Religious institutions also draw=20
large numbers of people from the same countries of origin who may be=20
sympathetic to the cause being pursued by the guerrilla group.

"It's a concentration of population issue," said Dave Harris, former=20
chief of strategic planning at CSIS. Churches afford the "ability to=20
move around and circulate without initial interference from security=20
and intelligence organizations, who traditionally have been very=20
wary about putting a foot into a temple," he said.

The encroachment of foreign-based extremists into churches is "a=20
deadly incursion on to our charter rights of freedom of worship and=20
religion in this country," said Mr. Harris, who now runs the private=20
security consulting firm Insignis. He said he had personally spoken=20
to a Muslim man who was afraid to go to his mosque because it was=20
bringing in extremist spiritual leaders.

"It's outrageous to think that we're even having to discuss this in=20
the year 2001. What has happened to this country, that we are now in=20
a position where decent religious people-immigrants who have chosen=20
to leave behind resentments-are intimidated by brethren whose first=20
interest has nothing to do with religion other than to use and=20
manipulate it as a tool of political violence?"

Last Sunday morning, hundreds gathered at a unit in a commercial=20
warehouse in Scarborough for kumba bishekam, the official opening of=20
Mr. Vipulananda's new temple. Musicians sat cross-legged beneath a=20
picture of the goddess Siva, beating drums and blowing into=20
clarinet-like instruments.

Incense smoke drifted through the air as worshippers clasped their=20
palms and raised them over their heads. Mr. Vipulananda stood before=20
the shrine, bare-chested, with a purple and gold sarong wrapped=20
around his waist.

There was no sign of the Tamil Tigers. But they are already making=20
their move. The day before the opening festivities, the Tigers'=20
Canadian support branch phoned wanting to get involved in the event.

"They wanted to come here and set up their tables," Mr. Vipulananda said.

"I told them, no."

Quietly, many worshippers wonder how long he can resist.

"That should not be done in a place of worship," said Sinnathamby=20
Chelliah, president of the International Tamil Cultural=20
Organization. Worshippers visit temples to ease their minds, console=20
themselves and offer prayers in peace, he said.

"All these people who go there do not want disturbance. I support=20
the struggle [the Tamil insurgency], but using temple premises for=20
this, I do not like.

"Religion should be above all this."

Copyright =A9 2001 National Post Online

______

#2.

The Asian Age
10 September 2001

The backfire: Pakistan has a twisted tryst with militancy

By M.H. Askari

Karachi

With the various jihadi parties and groups appearing to be in a=20
defiant mood following the ban on their fund raising and other=20
related activities, the government has a tough job on its hands=20
enforcing the restriction and keeping religious fanaticism and=20
militancy generally under control. Following the ban placed on two=20
sectarian militant organisations, the Laskhar-i-Jhangvi and=20
Sipah-i-Mohammad, as part of series of steps to curb factional and=20
sectarian violence in Pakistan, the religious extremists regard the=20
ban on collection of funds as a crackdown on religious and sectarian=20
militancy generally.

However, the corps commander of Sindh, Lieut-Gen. Tariq Waseem=20
Ghazi, has categorically denied the intention of a general crackdown.=20
The head of the Inter-Services Public Relations has also contended=20
that there is no jihadi activity in Pakistan. He maintains that=20
certain individuals have placed fund collection boxes at various=20
places and were "misusing" the funds collected in the name of jihad.=20
The government has had these boxes removed.

Nevertheless, a number of organisations working in support of jihadi=20
forces in Kashmir and Afghanistan have been angered by the=20
government's action. Seven major jihadi groups meeting in Lahore=20
announced their decision to start a campaign against the=20
government's move. An alliance of several Mujahideen groups based in=20
Azad Kashmir has declared the ban on collection of funds as=20
"harmful" to the liberation movement in Kashmir.

Collection of funds in the name of jihad has been going on in=20
markets, shopping centres, mosques and other places all over the=20
country for a long time. The ban has therefore created a sense of=20
indignation and anger among those who have been engaged in=20
fund-raising. They believe that the action has been taken under=20
powerful external pressure (such as from America) which has led to=20
the government's move to prohibit fund collection.

The US and some other western governments have held Pakistan=20
responsible for encouraging religious militancy in the country.=20
Because of the rapid spread of religious extremism in Pakistan, they=20
have often expressed the apprehension that Pakistan might be going=20
the way of the Afghan Taliban. The authorities will need to deal with=20
the problem with a mix of tact and firmness. It is important that=20
Pakistan should continue to be seen as a responsible member of the=20
international community.

The armed struggle in Kashmir has been going on for more than ten=20
years. Even a number of Indian scholars have recognised that the=20
roots of the insurgency lie in the misguided policies of the=20
successive governments in New Delhi.

It is important for Pakistanis generally, and the jihadi outfits=20
particularly, to realise that any attempt at seeing or presenting the=20
Kashmiri people's struggle for self-determination in a purely=20
religious and communal light is bound to prove counter-productive;=20
it will lead to a hardening of attitudes on the part of the=20
authorities in New Delhi who would perceive it as a challenge to=20
their professions of secularism.

A significant section of the liberal intelligentsia in India does=20
not look upon the Kashmiri struggle as a communal or religious=20
movement. However, there are elements in India (and outside) who=20
view it through what has been called "a jaundiced and thoroughly=20
communal lens of Hindu-Muslim conflict". Talk of jihad encourages=20
them in their view of the situation in Kashmir.

The ban on sectarian militants or on the collection of funds in the=20
name of jihadi does not suggest that the government had suddenly=20
become insensitive to the people's religious sensitivities. If=20
anything, the action speaks of a firm resolve not to countenance=20
religious extremism in any form and not allow the exploitation of=20
people's religious sentiments for questionable purposes.

It was not very long ago that the All Parties Hurriyat Conference=20
(APHC) in Kashmir itself adopted a resolution to make it clear that=20
its struggle for self-determination was not motivated by communal or=20
religious considerations and was aimed at securing for the Kashmiris=20
their basic right of self-determination.

Perhaps the overzealous of proponents of a particular concept of=20
jihad in Kashmir derive their inspiration from the legacy of the=20
late Gen. Zia-ul-Haq's Islamisation programme. For most of his term=20
in office (1972-1987) the general was involved in the anti-Soviet=20
war of resistance in Afghanistan and this provided him with the=20
rationale for enacting a number of legislative and administrative=20
measures in pursuit of his Islamisation move.

Gen. Ziaul Haq's enactments changed the fundamental nature of the=20
political, social and constitutional set-up that the Quaid had=20
visualised for Pakistan. In his drive to turn Pakistan virtually into=20
a theocracy, he made many basic changes in the country's legal,=20
constitutional and economic systems and institutions, gave=20
disproportionate importance to obscurantist elements and ideas in his=20
scheme of things and pursued a deliberate policy of running down=20
liberal democratic forces, norms and values.

In the process he created the right ambience for the swift rise of=20
the forces of religious bigotry, intolerance and extremism in the=20
country troubling Pakistan internally and externally today.

A Khaleej Times report concedes that the "unprecedented crackdown"=20
is part of an effort to bring stability to Pakistan. The report goes=20
on to say: "If successful, Gen. Musharraf could very well see=20
economic improvements and (as a result) himself or some one of his=20
choice (to be) in power after the democratic elections in October=20
2002. But if the plan fails=8A extremist elements=8A could divide=20
Pakistan."

However, the fact is that since the Army take-over in October 1999,=20
nothing has happened to suggest that there could be some sort of an=20
ideological divide within the Army. In fact, Gen. Pervez Musharraf=20
has taken most of the major decisions about his government's=20
policies after intensive consultations with his fellow generals.

However, it remains to be seen what further steps the government=20
takes to clip the wings of religious and sectarian extremists and how=20
effectively it enforces the prohibitory and restraining measures.

By arrangement with Dawn

[6 September 2001]

_________

#3.

Hindutva and Minority 'Problem'

Ram Puniyani

RSS leadership has invited the Bishops for 'dialogue'. Since the agenda
has not been made public, neither has it been intimated to the
participating bishops, one does not know whether it is going to be the
much hyped inter-faith dialogue or the RSS wants to explain the "Hindutva
line" on minorities to the religious leaders of Christian community.

This event is coming in the wake of sustained anti-Christian violence,
which has been going on from last four years. The popular perception has
come to realize that somewhere it is linked to the Hindutva forces whose
patriarch is RSS. This violence such as the attacks on missionaries, rape
of nuns, burning of Bibles, attack on Missionary schools, which 'peaked'
it self in the horrendous burning alive of Pastor Graham Stuart Stains
along with his two innocent sons is going on unabated. Its manifestations
keep coming up here and there, now and then. This violence is quite
different from the anti-Muslim violence, which came up in the form of
communal (anti-Muslim) riots in a concentrated fashion. The anti-Christian
violence has been preceded by a word of mouth and leaflet-booklet campaign
by the Hindu right. The salient features of this tirade had been that
Christianity is a foreign religion, these foreign funded organizations are
converting the gullible by inducement and force and that they run schools
and colleges as a mere tool for their 'anti-National' conversion activity.
The literature published by RSS and its offshoots is full of half-truths
and blatant lies about the activities of missionaries. RSS progenies have
been propagating that preaching of religion and conversions is against
constitution and so the Missionaries are anti-National. Most of the RSS
propaganda is direct and they have used every platform to put forward
these lies. It is surprising as to why knowing all this very well the
Bishops, by accepting the invitation to have a dialogue, have given
legitimacy to the RSS as representative of Hindus, which it is not.

Do bishops expect that they will be able to 'change the heart' of the
fountainhead of Fascist-Fundamentalist organization? Or is it that they
have accepted the invitation out of the fear of since RSS is the patron
saint of the lead party of the ruling coalition?

On the other hand why should RSS be 'wasting' its time in convincing the
Bishops that it has no role in the ongoing anti-Christian violence etc.?
One needs to understand that Hindutva, the politics of RSS is very clear
and unambiguous about the place of minorities in Hindu Rashtra, which they
want to bring in place of the present Secular Democratic India. Hindutva
pioneer Savarkar had clearly laid the foundation of the 'minorities as
second class citizen's' in his book 'Hindutva or Who is a Hindu', "The
Aryans who settled in India at the dawn of history already formed a
nation, now embodied in the Hindus ...Hindus are bound together not only
by the tie of the love they bear to a common fatherland and by the common
blood that courses through their veins and keeps our hearts throbbing and
our affection warm but also by the tie of the common homage we pay to our
great civilization, our Hindu culture."(Savarkar; Who is a Hindu, 1923).
Hindutva according to him rests on three pillars: geographical unity,
racial features and common culture. He further went on to elaborate the
criterion for defining as to who is a Hindu?
According to him all those who regard this land as their fatherland and
holy land are the only ones who are Hindus and thereby the people to whom
this land belongs. This led to the automatic interpretations that the
Christians and the Muslims, whose holy places are in Jerusalem and Mecca,
are not on par with the 'Hindus' who own this country. Initiating the
theorizing of the 'doubting of patriotism of minorities', Savarkar states,
"but besides culture the tie of common holy land has at times proved
stronger than the chains of a motherland. Look at Mohammedans: Mecca to
them is a sterner reality than Delhi or Agra" (Savarkar, ibid)

Second RSS Supremo, Sarsanghchalak, Mr. M.S.Golwalkar further elaborated
the themes outlined by Savarkar. He was very appreciative of Hitler's
'tackling' the 'problem' of Jews. Commenting about Hitler's methods, Mr.
Golwalkar writes, "German National pride has now become the topic of the
day. To keep up the purity of the nation and its culture, Germany shocked
the world by her purging the country of the Semitic races-the Jews.
National pride at its highest has been manifested here. Germany has also
shown to the world how well nigh impossible it is for races and cultures
having differences going to the roots to be assimilated into one united
whole, a good lesson for us in India to learn and profit by." (Golwalkar,
'We or Our Nationhood Defined', 1938,)

He is very candid in showing the other races and those belonging to
'foreign' religions their place, "The foreign races in Hindustan must
either adopt the Hindu culture and language, must learn to respect and
hold in reverence Hindu religion, must entertain no ideas but those of
glorification of the Hindu race and culture or may stay in the country
wholly subordinated to the Hindu nation claiming nothing, deserving no
privileges, far less any preferential treatment not even citizens rights."
(Golwalkar, ibid)
Later in his second book 'Bunch of Thoughts' he gave further instructions
to his followers about the threats posed by the minorities and Communists.
As per him this Hindu Nation is facing the internal threat from Muslims,
Christians and Communists (Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, 1966)".

Keeping this tempo of 'understanding' about minorities RSS and its
progeny, Sangh Parivar, kept up the pressure against them by various
means. First in line of the firing was Muslims, who have been subject of
major demonisation through Shakha Bauddhiks (Intellectual Sessions) and
the literature produced by Sangh Parivar. Their 'word of mouth' methods,
which has also earned them the epithet 'Rumor Spreading Society' has
served them extremely well in spreading the communal venom, and 'doctoring
the social common sense' which in turn has formed the base for sustaining
anti-minority violence during last many decades. Lately the Sangh Parivar
has focused its energies more on the Christians. To begin with Christians
have been brought in to active firing line due to the fact that
anti-Muslim tirade has stopped yielding desired dividends. Then in the
villages and remote places, where the missionaries have been doing their
social work, the Adivasis, due to the education and secularization
activities encouraged and promoted by them, have begun to protest against
the oppression of the vested interests, who in turn are the social base of
Sangh Parivar. Also this has challenged the established social
hierarchies. Sangh Parivar politics being essentially for status quo
cannot swallow the social transformation. And finally the very base of
Hindutva type of politics is to keep sustaining the hate for the 'other'.
And as per that logic Christians are the next in line after the Muslims.

RSS has changed none of its premises and understanding about its concept
of Religion based Nationalism. Its current literature is full of hatred
for the activities of Missionaries. In this light one is amazed by the
naivet of the Bishops in making the trip to Hedgewar Bhavan in Nagpur,
from where the current top brass of RSS operates. But RSS has a definite
agenda in wooing over the Bishops. In the light of the sustained
anti-Christian violence there has emerged a strong group of laity and some
religious leaders amongst the Christians who are operating on Secular
grounds, and are associating themselves with Human Rights movements, and
seem to be coming to the forefront of leadership of the Christian
community. They are also building bridges to the other democratic and
secular movements. And this is something, which can be a strong counter to
the designs of Sangh Parivar. To undermine these secular Democratic
elements from the community, RSS wants to give the recognition to the
politically nave Bishops as the 'leaders' of the community. It wants to
deflate the reach and appeal of the newly emerging leadership from the
Christian community. But the point is how long can this vehicle of
politics of Hindutva succeed in its methods in keeping the minorities
fragmented, divided and aloof from the broader demcoratic struggles which
are a serious threat to its goal of Hindu Rashtra.

(Ram Puniyani is Secretary of EKTA, Committee for Communal Amity, Mumbai)

_________

#4.

Urgent Alert from Kerala, India

Adivasi Refugee Camp in front of the Chief Minister's Residence from=20
August 30, 2001

32 Adivasi men, women and children have died since mid-July in the=20
districts of Wayanad, Palakkad and Kannur Districts. Hundreds have=20
been hospitalised. Thousands of Adivasis are facing hunger,=20
starvation and imminent death in different parts of Kerala. The=20
government, which used to blame mysterious illness for the deaths,=20
embarked in propagating that liquor and polluted water are the=20
culprits. The Adivasis have been made refugees in their own land,=20
rendered landless and jobless.

The colonisation and invasion of Adivasi territories have been=20
abetted by the governments of the past. The Kerala (Restriction on=20
Transfer of Lands and Restoration of Alienated Lands) Act 1975 has=20
been repealed by another act passed in 1999, which the High Court had=20
struck down as unconstitutional and now rests with the Supreme Court=20
to decide. This is the case where a mere 7500 acres of alienated=20
lands could go to some 4500 in a state where there are some 3.5 lakh=20
Adivasis of whom by now 80% would be landless. The government itself=20
claims that over 11,000 Adivasi families are landless. The Kerala=20
Private Forest (Vesting and Assignment) Act of 1972 stipulates that=20
56,833 hectares of land should be given to Adivasis for cultivation,=20
which has not been implemented. These lands are now going into the=20
hands of the powerful. There are thousands of hectares of land in the=20
name of numerous Adivasi rehabilitation projects held by the various=20
government department - Sugandhagiri, Pookod, Vattachira,=20
Priyadarshini, Attapady Girijan Society, Pambra, Vanasri,=20
Vanalakshmi, Cheengeri, Cheeyambam=8Ahuge estates of over 40,000 acres=20
which were to be handed over to Adivasis forming into cooperatives.=20
Flush with funds and den of corruption, the Adivasis here are=20
provided less than minimum wages or no wages at all living a life of=20
bondage, starvation and death by hunger.

The destruction of forests disables the Adivasis from gathering food=20
from the forests. Food crops have been rapidly replaced by cash=20
crops. Employment of Adivasis as labourers has dwindled with=20
globalisation making the cash crops economically unviable. Government=20
doles have been swindled. The massive funds for Tribal Development=20
are siphoned off for construction of roads, bridges and the like. The=20
media has been crying hoarse about the human tragedy that stalks the=20
Adivasi colonies as well as the scandals. Murders, suicides, deaths=20
due to diseases and starvation deaths have steadily increased. A=20
whole people are on the verge of being wiped out. An ethnocide is on.

On the day prior to the Independence Day, in Noolpuzha panchayat of=20
Wayand where 2 starvation deaths took place, a Civil Supplies vehicle=20
was waylaid and the goods distributed amongst the Adivasis. 4 Adivasi=20
women of whom 2 are minor were arrested.

The right to land, which is in fact available, as fundamental to the=20
survival of Adivasis and lawfully to be handed over has been violated=20
blatantly. A more than a decade old land struggle has been going on.

The ethnocide and starvation deaths are a creation of the governments=20
and the ruling class. This is easily and obviously preventable. The=20
fundamental right to life and food is violated with impunity.

On September 6th, Chief Minister A.K Antony held talks with the=20
leaders. A number of immediate demands were agreed to of which some=20
are
- tribal development programme being funded from the general budget=20
would henceforth be carried out through the Tribal Development=20
Department instead of the Panchayats,
- setting up of committees at the state (ministerial level committee=20
headed by the Chief Minister with the Finance, Forest, SC and ST=20
Welfare, Agriculture, Revenue and Health Ministers as members) and=20
district level official committee,
- free rations for all Adivasis for another 2 months, 10 Kg of rice=20
per month for all the Adivasis who were incapacitated as part of=20
Annapoorna programme,
- restoration of full rights for the collection of minor forest produce
- 90% of the jobs in the forest department would be reserved for Adivasis
- serious investigation into all cases involving exploitation, murder=20
and rape of Adivasis
- etc

However, on the key issue of land rights A.K Antony made a vague=20
promise that 10,000 acres of land would be distributed to the=20
Adivasis and that the State Planning Board would prepare a master=20
plan for comprehensive tribal development covering health care,=20
education and employment within four months. Any master plan without=20
addressing the issue of land rights is meaningless. Moreover, this=20
does not address the land rights of the vast majority of Adivasis.=20
Land rights are fundamental to our survival. Hence, we are=20
intensifying the present struggle.

The declaration of the commencement of REFUGEE CAMP for Adivasis by=20
Adivasis in front of the Chief Minister's residence from 30 August,=20
2001 is also a call to all having human concerns to come forward and=20
become participants in this struggle for life and death. Today is the=20
13th day. The struggle has had overwhelming support from and is=20
sustained by the general public, organisations of the oppressed,=20
human rights organisations etc - both materially and morally.

Our demands:
1. 5 acres of land to all landless Adivasis
2. Funds allotted for tribal development this year, instead of=20
transferring to the three-tier panchayats, should be used for=20
agricultural development and wages for the Adivasis until they are=20
able to reach self-sufficiency
3. Restoration of the rights to the forests.

Our programmes:
1. The refugee camp continues indefinitely until the government=20
clearly spells out their plan on land rights
2. "Avakasa Sthapana Yatra" (Rights Assertion Journey) from Kasargode=20
to Thiruvananthapuram from September 12-17, 2001
3. Meeting for evolving guidelines for the peoples master plan on=20
September 16, 2001
4. Adivasi Solidarity Day to be observed on September 18, 2001,=20
opening up of more Adivasi Refugee Camps in the capital and march to=20
the capital
5. State wide agitations, dharnas, picketing, protests, rallies,=20
support campaigns etc by Adivasis and all other supporting sections=20
in the society

Please extend your support in all possible ways to sustain and=20
strengthen our struggle.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1. Issue press statements
2. Send protest telegrams/fax demanding land for all
3. Organise protests in solidarity with the struggle
4. Issue signed statements from prominent citizens
5. Visit and join us at the Refugee Camp in front of the Chief=20
Minister's residence at Thiruvananthapuram

All forms of support are crucial and critical for us.

Please send telegrams/protest letters to:
1. Mr.A.K.Antony
Chief Minister
Government of Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala
India
Ph : 91- 471-333682
Fax : 91- 471-333241

2. Chairman
National Human Rights Commission,
Sardar Patel Bhavan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi-110 001.
Ph: 91-11-3348477; 3361175
Fax 91-11-3340016; 3366537
Email: jrlawnhrc@h...

Please send us copy for our use.

Camp Address:
Ms. C.K Janu
Devi Lodge
Government Press Road
Pulimode
Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala=20=20
Ph: 91-471-330882 (For leaving messages)
Contact Email: shaji@m...
rights@o...

11 September, 2001

C.K.Janu
Chairperson
Adivasi-Dalit Struggle Committee
Nettamani House, Trissilleri,
Manathawady,
Wayanad District,
Kerala
India 670 646

_______

#5.

Grace Poore's film on child sexual abuse in India and Sri Lanka

There will be a special screening of Grace Poore's film on Child=20
Sexual Abuse in India, and Sri Lanka on Oct 11, 2001 at Visions=20
Theatre and Bistro, Dupont circle. The screening is at 6.45 pm; come=20
early to meet the producer and videographer.

Using poetry, paintings, first person narratives and interviews, the=20
documentary celebrates the resilience of women who have defied all=20
odds to break silences around a deeply camouflaged subject.

Tickets are $10 and will fund her next project

Please call: Grace Poore 301 589 4462; Dai Harmon: 202 547 0417; or=20
Shiva Subbaraman 301 572 4536 for purchase of tickets.

We appreciate any additional donations, and we hope to have a sell=20
out crowd. The screening will be followed by a Q&A dialogue, and we=20
hope that as many of you as can come will do so to show us your=20
support.

_______

#6.

India Pakistan Arms Race & Militarisation Watch (IPARMW) # 49
10 September 2001

[information & news for peace activists on arms sales to the region,
defence budget figures, acquisitions & updgrades of weapons systems,
development and deployment of new weapons, implications of militarisation
(of the state & of non-state actors); the developments on the
Nuclearisation front and the doings of the 'intelligence' agencies.
Bringing such information to wide public knowledge is our goal here. No to
secretive & exclusive control of this information by technocrats, planners
who plot national security hidden from public scrutiny. Please help us in
the information gathering work for wide public dissemination in South Asia.
Send Information via e-mail for IPARMW series to: aiindex@m... for
inclusion in the Emailings.]

The complete IPARMW archive is available at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IPARMW/messages

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SACW is an informal, independent & non-profit citizens wire service run by
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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in materials carried in the posts do not
necessarily reflect the views of SACW compilers.