[sacw] SACW #2 (18 Dec. 01)

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire | Dispatch #2. | 18 December 2001
http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex

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#1. Sri Lanka: Peace activism, suicidal politics and civil society
#2. India: War-drummers at work, again (Harish Khare)
#3. India: `NCERT has become an RSS puppet'
#4. India: Lovers demand privacy and space

________________________

#1.

University Teachers For Human Rights (Jafna, Srilanka)
Briefing No. 4

Date of Release : 4th December 2001

Peace activism, suicidal politics and civil society

"Contemporary conflicts are fundamentally different form those that=20
dominated the first 75 years of this century (Goodhand and Hulme,=20
1998a). These 'post -nation state wars' are largely internal=20
struggles in which clear interests are difficult to disentangle=20
(Duffield, 1999); death and disablement are concentrated on civilians=20
rather than combatants; and population movements take place within as=20
well as across national borders. In 1995, around 14 million people=20
were refugees and some 23 million were internally displaced (forced=20
to relocate within their own country; ODI, 1998,p.2). It is one of=20
the great paradoxes of modern times that globalisation has been=20
associated with increased intrastate tensions. Far from the 'end of=20
history' predicted by liberal commentators after the collapse of=20
communism, "history' (or at least historical forces) has returned=20
with a vengeance across Europe, Asia and Africa as ethnic,=20
nationalist, religious and cultural groups have proclaimed their=20
identities in often aggressive and exclusive forms. While it has=20
become fashionable to equate virtue with civil society, these events=20
serve to remind us that civil society (like states and businesses)=20
has a dark side too."
[NGOs in a global future: marrying local delivery to world wide=20
leverage : Michael Edwards et al, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND=20
DEVELOPMENT, Public Admin.Dev.19, 117-136 (1999)]

The aim of this briefing is to clarify our position on the following=20
two connected issues:

(i) Virtual elimination of democratic space available in the North=20
and East for public discussion on matters related to peace based on a=20
political solution beyond LTTE's agenda,-- here we wish to address=20
some of the issues raised by a recent press release of the National=20
Peace Council (NPC) entitled "One-Sided Criticism of the Trincomalee=20
Peace Conference", and

(ii) the role of peace activists and civil society organizations=20
operating in an environment of internal and external terror in these=20
regions.

At the onset we wish to dissociate from the tone and substance of the=20
Island editorial on October 22, 2001 that called for an investigation=20
of the NPC under the PTA. We are, moreover, concerned over the ever=20
shrinking space for real and meaningful public debates/discussions=20
regarding sustainable peace in Sri Lanka. We are well aware that in=20
the North and East terror - created by the totalitarian politics of=20
LTTE on the one hand and the judicial and extra judicial instruments=20
employed by the State on the other - has severely curbed such=20
democratic spaces. The call to investigate the NPC - a group that is=20
actively working towards peace - under the PTA - is precisely the=20
kind of activity that could become a threat to free public=20
discussions on peace.

We wish to offer our sincere apologies to the NPC for any=20
inconvenience caused. We are well aware that many of the NPC members=20
share a deep commitment for peace and are working hard towards=20
achieving that goal.

While UTHR (Jaffna) unequivocally supports efforts towards a=20
political solution to the ethnic conflict, history has taught us=20
valuable lessons in identifying and avoiding some of the pitfalls=20
faced by peace activists. Bulletin 27 of UTHR(J) discussed child=20
recruitment in the East by the LTTE and flagged some concerns=20
regarding the peace conference the NPC co-sponsored in Trincomalee.=20
Their press release in response to Bulletin 27 brings out very=20
pertinent issues facing all peace activists in Sri Lanka. We welcome=20
this open exchange with the NPC. We would like to take this=20
opportunity to present our views on the role and goals of peace=20
activity in civil society.

On the Goals of Peace conferences

In the following passages, we present a brief description of our=20
understanding of the ground reality of peace efforts in Sri Lanka in=20
general, and the North and East in particular. We will also elaborate=20
our vision of the role of civil society organizations in this=20
process. Our analysis is based on the following premises:

* We share the conviction that tasks of achieving peace based=20
on a political solution calls for an open discussion & a mass=20
movement - hence the effort will involve the participation of a range=20
of civil society organizations.

* It has become clear that the LTTE will turn against any peace=20
negotiations that do not recognize it as the sole legitimate=20
representative of the Tamil people while giving unconstraint control=20
of the North East. The LTTE's politics is primarily defined by its=20
ideologically-driven military agenda and its ideology rather than by=20
any concern for the civilian well being.

* The LTTE has eliminated all opposition and exercises total=20
domination in the regions it controls - i.e., it appropriates or=20
directs the efforts of all organized forms of civil society-through=20
an organic surveillance system. As a result, in their areas of=20
control, sustained independent protest and public and public dissent=20
has become impossible.

We believe this to be the context in which all NGOs from the North=20
and East participate in peace conferences. We have presented our=20
analysis of the efforts to bring peace elsewhere and the=20
ramifications of internal terror on the Tamil community, the=20
character of the State, and the nature of LTTE [See Briefings Nos 1,=20
3, Report 9, Peace: Understanding our Reality! (written during the=20
1994 peace process)].

If we agree on the validity of these premises then peace activities=20
must contribute towards opening up democratic space for free and=20
unhampered public input and discussion on the goals and strategies=20
towards sustainable peace.
Accordingly, NGOs pursuing peace must recognize the consequences of=20
this climate of internal terror in the North and East, of the near=20
complete control the LTTE exercises over all civil society activities=20
within its domains of control. We need to face difficult questions:=20
What political space is available for local participants in peace=20
conferences who wish to continue to function in their respective=20
regions, to engage in a free exchange of views? If we want to hear=20
the views of the ordinary people of that region, how can we counter=20
the climate of internal terror that already manages the stage and=20
writes the script? What structures/mechanisms must be instituted in=20
such conferences to best produce a map of representative views? What=20
is our responsibility when those we proclaim to be our sole=20
representatives are denying this democratic space by engaging in=20
activities ranging from forced child recruitment to political=20
killings?

On the Role of Peace Activists & Stage Management

The first task that faces peace activists is to question the role of=20
dominant ideologies that perpetuate the conflict in their respective=20
communities. The peace activist must take responsibility for the=20
actions of his or her community, and work towards values in resonance=20
with sustainable peace.

For a Sinhalese activist this means challenging the politics of the=20
majority and its implications on the minority communities and working=20
towards changing that reality. On the other hand, Tamil activists=20
cannot totally rely on the "victimhood" mentality to explain the=20
LTTE's actions that can no longer be explained simply as a reactive=20
violence. They should challenge the terror politics of the LTTE's and=20
take responsibility for what the LTTE does in their name. If not, the=20
peace they aim for is severely flawed.

We realize that it will not be possible to challenge the actions of=20
LTTE and continue to function in the North and East. However, at the=20
minimum, they must feel some responsibility for the LTTE's actions.=20
And with the help from their Sinhalese colleagues, try to initiate a=20
discussion of real problems facing common people in the North and=20
East. Activating such a discussion among the Tamils requires very=20
creative and real " stage management".

It is therefore, inadequate for Sinhalese activists, and the NGOs who=20
visit the North and East to be only sensitive to the immediate=20
reality of war. They need to be courageous enough to initiate=20
discussions on a range of issues that limit the democratic space; to=20
question the actions of the LTTE that has forced its war on the=20
community. It is important for these NGOs to recognize that such=20
moves would challenge one of the dominant themes of Tamil politics,=20
namely that such an "opening up of space" is tantamount to "dividing=20
the Tamil community from the LTTE".

Thus the Sinhalese and Tamil peace activists need to perform=20
sometimes complementary and mutually reinforcing tasks. We shall try=20
to give one example to illustrate our point. Consider the LTTE attack=20
in early 1998 on the Dalda Maligawa that is sacred to the Buddhists.=20
If a Sinhalese activist wanted to address the vindictive outrage an=20
ordinary Sinhalese Buddhist might have felt, then it is a necessary=20
strategy to situate the attack in the context of the State mixing=20
politics with religion and resorting to indiscriminate aerial bombing=20
in Tamil areas. While this context provides no justification for the=20
terror attack, it attempts to explain to the Sinhalese, how the=20
misdeeds of the State make the Tamil community angry and insecure.=20
This is an important part of peace work.

What if the Tamil peace activists were to point only to the misdeeds=20
of the Sri Lankan State in trying to explain the attacks on Sinhalese=20
and their symbols? That will amount to no more than a justification=20
of the attacks.

On the other hand, they could question the motivation for the attack.=20
Was it to elicit a backlash against the Tamils? Why would the LTTE=20
take a conscious decision to attack a religious place, deliberately=20
sacrificing several of its own fighters, for no tangible military=20
purpose? Can such an organization claim to represent the whole Tamil=20
society? When we have been condemning the State for its=20
indiscriminate bombing and damaging of many religious places, how=20
could we now defend this? These are questions the Tamils in general,=20
and Tamil peace activists in particular, need to address if we want=20
to achieve long term peace.

It is regrettable that soon after the attack on Dalada Maligawa, a=20
prominent activist from the NPC wrote an article in the Tamil weekly=20
of the MIRJE, justifying the attack. In that article she posed a=20
question: "Where else does one expects the LTTE to attack, the=20
Peradeniya Gardens?" Here one is left with an impression of the peace=20
lobby as a loose collection of individuals with private agendas, not=20
subject to any discipline from binding values or goals. It needs to=20
be appreciated that Sinhalese members of the NPC have done valuable=20
work going around the South challenging Sinhalese chauvinism. By the=20
same token, one would have expected the Tamil members to challenge=20
Tamil chauvinism among Tamils. But they rather seem to be using the=20
NPC to do the opposite, and thus undermining NPC functioning as a=20
peace group.

Thus in the context of internal terror, the democratic space in any=20
peace effort does not automatically open up when active Tamil groups=20
with divergent persuasions are invited to participate. How safe is a=20
Tamil who engages with the NPC (or any other NGO working towards=20
peace) and voices opinions critical of the LTTE? We know that many=20
participants of the Trincomalee conference have privately confided to=20
individual members of the NPC their views and fears regarding the=20
LTTE. Yet the NPC must be aware that theses views and fears regarding=20
the LTTE did not find expression in the final statement that came out=20
of the Trincomalee conference. It is not that the Tamil activists do=20
not trust the Sinhalese in the NPC. They do not trust members of=20
their own community.

We, the Tamils, had in the past options in choosing our means, values=20
and political directions. In the early days, many argued for various=20
options and worked towards them. Just because the Sinhalese State was=20
oppressive, most Tamils did not fall into the chauvinist trap. They=20
found abhorrent the idea that massacring the Sinhalese and tearing=20
the country apart by any means was the only way forward for the=20
Tamils. This issue becomes more important when all the space is=20
closed and very crucial when certain negative characteristics are=20
being institutionalized.

The need to open up democratic space demands a re-evaluation of the=20
very premises for peace building. Further, it demands of peace=20
activists in the South to be creative and courageous enough to have=20
an open discussion among themselves as activists in their=20
organizations before they could go to the areas in the North-East.=20
Unfortunately this culture of openness and discussion of values is=20
not part of the present NGO outlook. Instead, strategic=20
considerations and project formulations that fit into general models=20
aimed at attracting funds to sustain the organization, seem to=20
dominate.

Are we against negotiations for a political settlement?

We wish to make it clear that the people and, especially, the Tamils=20
want the LTTE to negotiate with the government over the country's=20
political future and end the war. If the LTTE is to represent the=20
aspirations of the people and wants to negotiate a peaceful=20
settlement, we shall be one hundred and fifty percent behind them,=20
despite their horrendous past record of crimes against humanity. If=20
that happens, it would wholly vindicate the NPC's claim that the=20
"ultimate contribution to human rights lies in contributing to=20
bringing about a negotiated peace".

Unfortunately, the political survival of the LTTE has come to depend=20
on the perpetuation of the war. Hence the negotiation agenda of the=20
LTTE has become delinked from the desires and aspirations for peace=20
harboured by the vast majority of the Tamils under their control.=20
Their focus has always been on establishing a monopoly of control.=20
This becomes apparent when we examine last three instances when peace=20
negotiations took place:

* The LTTE was on the run following the capture of Vadamaratchy=20
sector in June 1987 by the Sri Lankan Army. This resulted in the=20
death of 300 civilians. Much to the relief of the Tamil people, the=20
IPKF arrived and peace reigned for a short while. To secure its=20
monopoly on power the LTTE forced the IPKF into a war in October=20
1987. More than 1000 civilians were killed mainly in reprisals and=20
many originating in LTTE provocation (See Broken Palmyra).

* In 1989, cornered by the IPKF, the LTTE entered into a deal=20
with President Premadasa, who ordered the IPKF to withdraw. The LTTE=20
used the honeymoon period to get rid of its political opponents by=20
torture and assassinations (See Report 9 Chapter 3, Report 10 Chapter=20
4). Then it started a war with the Sri Lankan government in June=20
1990. Here it ensured maximum provocation by massacring hundreds of=20
Muslim and Sinhalese policemen who had already surrendered and=20
further also by massacring about 300 Muslim civilians in the East.=20
Thousands of Tamil civilians were killed in reprisals by the security=20
forces and Muslim home guards(See Report 4 & 5).
* In 1994 Chandrika Kumaratunge was elected to lead the country=20
on a peace platform. It was announced on 9th September 1994 that she=20
and the LTTE leader had exchanged warm letters expressing an=20
eagerness to commence the peace process. The first session of talks=20
was fixed for 13th October. Offensive military activities were=20
frozen. While hopes for peace bloomed in the North and South, the=20
LTTE leader intervened in his characteristic style. On 19th September=20
he sent a suicide bomber to sink a naval vessel. In late October 1994=20
another suicide bomber killed UNP presidential candidate Gamini=20
Dissanayake. However, a ceasefire was agreed upon and messages were=20
exchanged. The LTTE kept making demands of a military nature and=20
avoided engaging in political talks. On 19th April 1995 the LTTE=20
unilaterally broke the ceasefire by sinking two naval vessels and=20
shot down two air force planes with newly acquired missiles. It also=20
massacred 45 harmless Sinhalese fisherfolk in Kallara, hoping for=20
government reprisals against Tamil civilians as under the UNP in=20
1990. Throughout this whole process the LTTE warned people in the=20
North and East against reciprocating the peace activity in the South.=20
(See statement)

In addition to the LTTE showing very little interest in a negotiated=20
peace, there are no signs of independent mass movements or civil=20
society organisations capable of questioning and influencing the=20
policies of the LTTE either. In fact, there has not been such=20
movement in many years. The LTTE does not have a functioning=20
political wing and has not allowed any independent activity in the=20
Tamil community. It has been responsible for the death of=20
considerable numbers of Tamil civilians and, particularly, those who=20
were potentially capable of building such a mass movement. Therefore,=20
laying foundations in the form of building a broad base of support=20
for lasting peace and moving ahead is hard work but not=20
impossible.While the outcome cannot be guaranteed, we can identify=20
the obstacles and the pitfalls and work towards creating conditions=20
to ensure sustainable peace process that will lead to political=20
solution. A vibrant peace movement will help constrain the violent=20
excesses of the participants. It would further serve as a continuous=20
reminder of the futility of war and give confidence to the people=20
that they are not powerless entities who can only has to pray for the=20
LTTE to change its politics. The vast majority of Tamils are prepared=20
for compromises and have shown this in the1994 presidential election=20
and in later elections by voting even for the Southern parties.

This obliteration of democratic space in the North-East is the source=20
of our prime concern. Contrary to what the NPC suggests, we are by no=20
means opposed to any negotiations between the Government and the=20
LTTE. But we are critical of any quick-fix approaches that ignore the=20
need to lay foundations to make negotiated peace sustainable.

In the absence of a pressure from below, we are afraid that peace=20
negotiations, more than in the previous three instances, would result=20
in our community being pushed into a more devastating cycle of tragic=20
violence. Short-term expediency should not blind the peace activists=20
and politicians.

Thus, if we want to avoid another repetition of tragedy, the main=20
peace agenda in the Tamil community must be to work towards giving=20
the people the means to make the LTTE accountable.

Obstacle to peace stems from the politics of the LTTE

We recognize that the LTTE as a group is rooted in narrow nationalist=20
ideology bent on asserting its dominance through internal terror. It=20
is a group that has made a virtue of political and internecine=20
killings; It is a group that has successfully established a robust=20
international network that can provide resources for relatively long=20
periods; It is a group that has extended its terror among the=20
expatriate community to silence the dissidents and, most importantly,=20
it has perfected suicide politics to a point where, the resulting=20
ambience of fear, works subtly on decision-makers in the region.=20
However, it suffers from a severe mismatch between its huge material=20
resources mainly flowing from outside Sri Lanka and the dwindling=20
human resources at its disposal as the communities they control have=20
become increasingly disillusioned and desirous of escape from the=20
savage misery of prolonged war. Hence its inexorable need to=20
compensate by virtually conscripting the whole community and relying=20
increasing on suicide bombers, women cadres and now children in=20
sustaining its military machinery.

As mentioned earlier, at every opportunity to achieve a political=20
solution, the LTTE disregarded the desire of the people for peace and=20
imposed on them a further round of war. Even if cessation of=20
hostilities is successfully implemented, can it bring sustainable=20
peace? The LTTE has massacred Sinhalese and Muslim civilians which=20
was rationalized as retribution; it has forcibly expelled Muslims=20
from the North and claimed that it was to protect them; it has been=20
responsible for murdering dissidents and potential competitors for=20
political power within their regions of control. If we were to=20
succeed in bringing about a ceasefire, will there be peace for the=20
Muslims, Sinhalese and the Tamil dissidents in the North and East?

To attain meaningful peace, it becomes essential that the following=20
issues are addressed in any peace forum.

i) Use of child soldiers,

ii) Political killings and suicide attacks

To conclude, simply repeating that all political groups and the Tamil=20
people want negotiations and ignoring much else the people are unable=20
to say due to the terror in their midst, will reinforce the LTTE's=20
terror. The LTTE cannot work towards peace in a united Sri Lanka,=20
owing to its agenda of achieving a separate state based on inherent=20
narrow nationalistic ideology. The various means it has successfully=20
employed in that endeavor has given it an image of invincibility. The=20
LTTE believes that even if temporarily their methods brought negative=20
repercussions, in the long run they could manipulate the community,=20
the "enemy", and other civil society organizations or structures,=20
both locally and internationally, to their advantage in achieving=20
their set goal. This illusion of power would not be shaken,- unless=20
we bring into play the voices of the people into their schemes of=20
thinking. Unless we could at least make them accountable in=20
connection with the two crucial factors mentioned above, the chances=20
remain dim indeed. All other adverse effects that are the general=20
effects of war can be more easily contained, given the people's needs=20
and current worldwide realties.

Its not only the Tamil people who have internalized the terror of the=20
LTTE and become powerless. Many intellectuals and peace activists as=20
well as NGO leaders in the South in some way continue indirectly to=20
legitimize this terror. Instead of responding to the tragic plight of=20
the people who are victims of its politics, they only see the LTTE's=20
destructive power. It is this that evokes their respect, with a=20
belief that to criticize and question the LTTE might provoke it. They=20
elevate the LTTE to the status of Kali, the Goddess in Hindu=20
mythology, and seek means to pacify it, rather than exposing its=20
role, its politics and the resulting consequences.

It is part of this mindset to air such omniscient claims such as the=20
President having beome an obstacle to peace, because she has earned=20
the LTTE leader's ire as expressed in severe attacks on her, first=20
verbal, then also physical. This in turn is used to promote=20
politicians who would appease the LTTE leader instead, with supposed=20
quick fixes drawn from the peace-makers' tool-kit. In all this the=20
interests of the people are glossed over.

The people need a political framework that gives them dignity and=20
security to live in peace, but what the LTTE wants is total control=20
over the North-East without having to expose itself by discussing a=20
political solution. In spite of all its failures and the mounting=20
obstacles it faces, it would pursue the goal of separation=20
single-mindedly. Many in the South believe that allowing the LTTE the=20
control its seeks over the civilians, and mollycoddling them with=20
generous resources would transform them. This amounts to a total=20
failure to understand the nature of the LTTE and its military=20
dynamism. Like several times before, it will end in disaster. Thus=20
negotiations based on a political agenda cannot be set aside for=20
tactical reasons of pacifying the LTTE.

However, if a peace process primarily aimed at negotiations for a=20
political settlement and opening up space, is not a feasible agenda=20
for peace groups, and civil society organizations in the Tamil=20
community remined totally subservient to the LTTE, then peace is=20
going to be a pipe dream. That would leave only the international=20
community, if they so desire, to make the State and, particularly,=20
the LTTE, accountable.
______

#2.

The Hindu (India)
Tuesday, Dec 18, 2001

War-drummers at work, again
By Harish Khare

NEW DELHI, DEC. 17. On December 24, 1999, the Indian Airlines flight=20
IC-814 was hijacked to Kandahar. It was a wonderful story to be told=20
and reported, especially for the electronic media, which was still=20
basking in the Kargil War glory. The ``live'' coverage and excited=20
reporters cranked up such an atmosphere of emotional frenzy that=20
before anyone could realise what was happening, the Vajpayee=20
Government's decision-making had become hostage to the anchorpersons=20
and their excitability.

Unconsciously, the thrust of the round-the-clock coverage by the=20
electronic media was that the Government ought to give in to the=20
hijackers' demand. The refrain was that, if, in the past, the=20
Government could give in to the hijackers/kidnappers' demands in=20
exchange for the safety of a politician's daughter, why not make=20
another gesture of appeasement. The grand theme of a fashionable=20
disdain for the politicians was discernible.

Moreover, the passengers on the IC-814 were the very people who are=20
the primary constituency of the elite television channels and the=20
advertisers. When the relatives of the hostages stormed the Foreign=20
Minister's press conference on December 26, the viewer was left in no=20
doubt on whose side the anchorman's sympathy was.

Stage was set for the Kandahar surrender. Since then, the serious=20
security analysts have come to lament the role of the media in=20
creating such a mood that an inept, uncertain and confused political=20
leadership found it difficult to take a cool-headed and measured=20
approach.

The same script is being written once again. From the night of=20
December 13, anchorperson after anchorperson has taken it upon=20
himself/herself to beat the war drum as loudly as possible. The=20
Ministers are harangued for being so mealy-mouthy. If the United=20
States could do it to Afghanistan, why can't we do it to Pakistan?=20
Follow Israel. Tell us here and now, what is the Government going to=20
do? Spell it out.

The Opposition leaders are being lectured at for not standing by the=20
Government, ridiculed for exercising their democratic right to=20
dissent. There is this distinct sense of disapproval that the=20
Opposition is not for going to war with Pakistan right away. The wise=20
young men and women with microphones can be almost heard muttering=20
``politicians will be politicians.''

May be the media has taken seriously the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal=20
Behari Vajpayee's exhortation the other day that we ought to learn a=20
lesson or two from the ``patriotic'' behaviour of the American media.=20
Mr. Vajpayee was inviting the media to emulate their American=20
counterpart, which has unabashedly dropped all pretenses of=20
journalistic objectivity and fairness in reporting an ``America at=20
war.'' A war-like mood is being sought to be created and=20
unfortunately many of the Central Ministers themselves are abetting=20
this emotionalism.

Fortunately, the security establishment in this country remains, by=20
and large, impervious to the spuriously created ``public mood;''=20
hard-headed and seasoned officials know the pluses and the minuses in=20
each possible option. The danger is that the political leadership may=20
allow itself to be dictated to by the war-drummers.

______

#3.

The Hindu
Tuesday, Dec 18, 2001
`NCERT has become an RSS puppet'

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, DEC. 17. Vested interests in the country are trying to=20
create a generation of blind believers instead of a country of=20
thinkers, through saffronisation and politicisation of education, Mr.=20
Justice K. Balakrishna, former judge of the Karnataka High Court,=20
said here on Monday.

Speaking at a seminar on ``Saffronisation of Education, and=20
Challenges before Secular Citizens'' organised by the Karnataka=20
Christian Political Front, Justice Balakrishna said the BJP-led NDA=20
Government at the Centre was trying to manipulate facts and rewrite=20
history in school textbooks through the National Council for=20
Educational Research and Training (NCERT) which, he said, had become=20
a puppet in the hands of the RSS. In their bid to create a ``Hindu=20
Rashtra'', a few fundamentalists in the Union Government were trying=20
to denigrate the minority sections, in a manner which was=20
contradictory to the spirit of the Indian Constitution, he said.

Condemning the recent revision of school textbooks by the NCERT,=20
which attempted to give wrong interpretations of events of the past,=20
and falsify history, Justice Balakrishna revealed that the Union=20
Government also had plans to overhaul higher education, and to make=20
major changes in the teaching of the sciences. He said efforts in=20
this regard were underway, and the Vidya Bharathi group of=20
institutions in the country run by the RSS had already held 100=20
seminars to talk about the new curriculum.

In the name of ``Indianisation of education'', these vested interests=20
led by Mr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Union Minister for Human Resource=20
Development, and Mr. Dinanath Batra, head of the Vidya Bharathi group=20
of institutions, were suggesting that there should be a change in the=20
way the sciences were taught and, instead of attributing major=20
scientific inventions and discoveries to the western world, the books=20
should throw light on the contribution of Indians such as Aryabhatta,=20
Sushruta, Charaka and Nagarjuna to science.

There was also a proposal to make ``value education'', based on the=20
ideologies of the RSS and the Sangh Parivar, compulsory in all=20
educational institutions. They were discouraging pure research by=20
saying that it was a waste and not useful to the country. ``Instead=20
of promoting scientific temper and a spirit of inquiry in the temples=20
of knowledge, there is an attempt to take the country back to the=20
dark ages,'' he said. The ultimate aim was to legitimise the policies=20
of the Government which were unfavourable to people of religions=20
other than Hinduism, he added.

Ms. Lillian Xavier, member, Karnataka Public Service Commission, Dr.=20
Balachander Rao, Principal, National College, Mr. F.T.R. Colaco,=20
Chairman, and Ms. Philomena Peris, Convener, Karnataka Christian=20
Political Front were present.

______

#4.

BBC News
Monday, 17 December, 2001, 08:44 GMT
Calcutta to get 'love zones'

The Victoria Memorial lawns will be one of the zones

By Alastair Lawson in Delhi
The authorities in the Indian city of Calcutta say they have agreed=20
to set up 'love zones' in the city.
The request was put forward by the Lovers Organisation Voluntary=20
Exhibition (Love).
Love complains that there are not enough areas in the city for=20
courting couples to enjoy each others company without being disturbed=20
by policemen and passers-by.
The parks of Calcutta are renowned for having a high number of=20
courting couples.
But Love says they are unable to enjoy each other's charms in peace.

Sympathy
They have now successfully appealed to the mayor of the city, Subrata=20
Mukherjee, to provide love zones in famous public places in the city=20
such as the Victoria Memorial lawns and the Eden Gardens.

Privacy can be hard to preserve
Mr Mukherjee says that he sympathises with their plight because=20
couples are often interrupted in their mutual admiration.
He says the culprits include prying policemen, troublesome children=20
and touts who extort money in return for giving them privacy.

The mayor says priority will be given to love zones in the most=20
popular public areas that adjoin the River Ganges.
But he insists that those people he refers to as the disciples of=20
Cupid realise that these areas will be designated for lovers as=20
opposed to love makers.
They mayor says there is an important distinction to be made between=20
the two groups.
Love says their campaign will not here.
It wants a public library and a consultancy to be set up for lovers.
And it wants legal recognition of love letters written during courtship.

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