[sacw] SACW #1. | 30 Jan. 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire - Dispatch #1. | 30 January 2002

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

#1. Asiapeace Appeals to the Pakistan Government to Quash the Charges=20
of Blasphemy Against Dr Younas Shaikh
#2. No neighbourly love lost: letter from Pakistan
#3. BANGLADESH: Fundraiser for Hindu Victims of Communal Violence
#4. Dialognow.org web site
#5. Press Release Friends of South Asia and Qaumantri Punjabi=20
Bhaichara Group Of California

________________________

#1.

Dear Members and Friends of Asiapeace,
I am interrupting my despatches to bring to your notice a letter=20
written recently by Dr Younas Shaikh who you will recall has since=20
last year been sitting in the death cell in a prison in Pakistan=20
after having been found guilty of blasphemy. Please read his letter=20
below and also the Statement which I want to issue on behalf of=20
Asiapeace. The text can be improved and corrected. So, do not=20
hesitate to advise me. All nationalities are welcome to sign this=20
petition.

Warm regards,
Ishtiaq Ahmed
Moderator, Asiapeace

Asiapeace Appeals to the Pakistan Government to Quash the Charges of=20
Blasphemy Against Dr Younas Shaikh

President Pervez Musharraf
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Islamabad
Pakistan.

Dear Mr President,
We, the undersigned, appeal to you to order the release of Dr Younas=20
Shaikh who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani court on 18 August=20
2001 on trumped up charges of blasphemy. As is evidenced from his=20
letter below, he was framed for the alleged crime of blasphemy=20
through a conspiracy of jihadi zealots within the state machinery as=20
well as those present in the larger society. The very wording of the=20
Blasphemy Law is an appalling exercise in retrogressive legislation:

Use of derogatory remarks etc. in respect of the Holy Prophet:=20
Whether by words, either spoken or written, or by visible=20
representations, or by any imputation, innuendo or insinuation,=20
directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet=20
(peace by upon him) shall be punishable with death, or imprisonment=20
for life, and shall be liable to fine.

It is a disgrace that in the 21st century Pakistan should be applying=20
outmoded and barbaric edicts which help fanaticism and obscurantism=20
attain respectability in the name of religion.

As you have very emphatically pointed out in your recent speeches,=20
Pakistan will no longer be allowing terrorism to operate from within=20
its territories. But, is it not so that the blasphemy law by itself=20
is a form of juridical terrorism? Its retention in any form is=20
inconsistent with your declared intention of making Pakistan an open=20
and tolerant society.

We, Sir, therefore, urge you forthwith to rescind the Blasphemy Law=20
and other related discriminatory legislation prevalent in the=20
Pakistani legal system against religious minorities; release Dr=20
Shaikh and others who have been charged on similar grounds; and,=20
openly declare Pakistan a democracy upholding the 1948 Universal=20
Declaration of Human Rights as one of the main source of=20
constitutional and legal reform. Such a commitment will also help=20
Islam attain its proper place in the modern world: as a great=20
religious and ethical system catering to the individual's quest for=20
spiritual anchor as well as providing inspiration for good deeds to=20
fellow human beings.

1. Ishtiaq Ahmed
Moderator, Asiapeace
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science
Stockholm University
Tel: work: 00 46 8 16 26 24
<mailto:Ishtiaq.Ahmed@s...>Ishtiaq.Ahmed@s...

Statement supported by:

2.

0 0 0 0

[The letter from Dr. Sheikh is not being posted below since it was=20
already circulated in SACW of 29 January 2002]

_____

#2.

Tehelka.com
29 January 2002

No neighbourly love lost: letter from Pakistan

Pakistani schoolgirl Ragni Marea Kidvai recounts her trip to Delhi,=20
where she discovered, pleasantly enough, that ordinary Indians have=20
no animosity towards Pakistanis and visa-versa
Lahore, January 14

I have rarely, in the 17 years of my life, heard a moderate opinion=20
of India. People here either love the country, or they detest it. In=20
a country where hate is prevalent and in a home where there's nothing=20
but love for the Indian people, it is often hard to choose which side=20
to be on - which is why I have always wanted to go to India. I've=20
heard stories about Partition, and studied about it in school -=20
generally from books providing a biased viewpoint - but somehow=20
they've never managed to make me hate India.

I believe India is our other half. I went there with an open mind,=20
with a desire to create my own opinion, but when I came back, I knew=20
I would never be unbiased again. My experience was one I would never=20
want to give up. I loved the place, the people and the culture as if=20
they were my own.

>From the moment I landed in Delhi I felt totally at home. We were met=20
at the airport by a couple of family members who whisked us off to=20
their house for the weekend. The warmth and hospitality with which we=20
were treated made me feel awful about not having met most of them=20
earlier. After the first few days spent with family, we shifted to a=20
hotel.

For the days that followed, we rented a car and shopped whenever we=20
got any spare time. Just walking down Janpath in Delhi was great fun!=20
Our shopping trips were often interspersed with visits to Barista for=20
coffee, chooran hunts and lunch at Sagar and Haldirams. But it wasn't=20
the shopping or the food that made my trip to India an experience of=20
a lifetime- it was the people! From the taxi drivers and students at=20
Delhi University to the friends and family I met there, not once was=20
I made to feel like an outsider.

Our trip was not meant to be a holiday, in fact all three of us (my=20
parents and I) had gone for work, but somehow I remember everything=20
else much more vividly. In the last week, we shifted out of our hotel=20
rooms to stay with a family friend - a family my parents had sailed=20
with during my father's 25-year career as a sailor in the merchant=20
navy. That was definitely the part I enjoyed most. Despite being out=20
all day, when we got back home in the evenings, and some times even=20
night, we were all full of energy and ready to talk till three in the=20
morning- as we often did.

Our parents would talk about their days on the ship, telling stories=20
that made us roll on the floor with laughter. The kids (Vishnu, Udai=20
and I) would talk incessantly most of the time, exchanging stories=20
about school and college. Their cousins joined us a couple of times=20
as well, and we all went out together on diwali. Their parents=20
treated me like a member of the family, and when I left, not once did=20
it occur to me that I had known these people for only a week!

It's been a while since I've gotten back - more than a month, but=20
even now all I can think about is going to India. Despite being armed=20
with replies in case I was faced with criticism, I never needed to=20
use them. Very few people seemed to care that I was from Pakistan,=20
and the ones who did usually didn't have anything negative to say,=20
unless it was about our political situation! Therefore, when I think=20
back about the trip, I know, whether there is another futile war or=20
not, I will still love the people, as much as I do now!

_____

#3.

Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 22:36:27 -0500
Subject: [APF] BANGLADESH: Fundraiser for Hindu Victims of Communal Violenc=
e

Friends,
This is a very worthwhile campaign to raise funds to rehabilitate the
victims of recent communal violence in Bangladesh after the 2001 election
(the election was lost by the Awami League, which traditionally gets the
majority of the Hindu vote).

Deadline for the fundraiser is Jan 31. If you can help with a contribution=
,
no matter how small, that would make a big difference to the rehabilitation
efforts.

If you are pledging any amount, please e-mail me and let me know what amoun=
t
you are planning to donate.

Many thanks,
Naeem Mohaiemen
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

http://www.drishtipat.org

Cheye Dekho Campaign
-----------------------------------=20
We are all painfully aware of the unprecedented communal persecution
unleashed upon our hapless minority community of Bangladesh immediately
preceding the general election of 2001 and in it's bloody aftermath. We are
extremely saddened and enraged at the extent and ferocity of this crime
against humanity perpetrated by none other than a section of our own
countrymen.

The village Annada Prashad in the district of Bhola, Bangladesh,
predominated by the Hindu community, saw unprecedented violence upon them.
Almost two hundred women were raped and hundreds of families were rendered
homeless. The political thugs came down heavily on the members of the Hindu
community.

Drishtipat has launched the 'Cheye Dekho' campaign to help the victims of
Annanda Prashad and elsewhere in Bangladesh.

How you can help

We urge all conscious and compassionate people to come forward in this time
of need and commitment, and to donate generously towards this noble cause o=
f
helping the distressed. They desperately need our assistance to get back on
their feet again and to reclaim their shattered faith in humanity.=20=20

Raise Fund:

Drishtipat has taken initiatives to raise funds for the victims of Annada
Prashad. The plan is to raise $25,000 by January 31st 2002.

We will provide the aid to the victims through the auspices of the
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and other associated reliable entities in
Bangladesh. We expect to help the victims rebuild their lives through
targeted efforts such as home reconstruction and small business setup
grants.

We also have partnered with SpaandanB, a US based non-profit organization
that promotes and supports education, medical projects and development
activities in Bangladesh. SpaandanB will receive your tax-deductible
charitable contributions and will provide you with a receipt after the New
Year.

Note: All donations are tax deductible

How to Help=20

You can make a pledge now and then send your money by a check, by paypal,
paydirect or by a credit card.

To send a check, please make your check payable to SpaandanB, fill out
=93Cheye Dekho campaign=94 in the memo line and mail to:

SpaandanB
ATTN: Simee Adhikari
2041 Westcreek Lane,
Apt D91,
Houston, TX 77027

If you live outside USA, please check out the list of contact persons in
different countries.

If you would like to send your money by paypal or paydirect , or to pay by
credit card, please send the money to charity@d...

Receipts will be mailed back from SpandaanB after the begining of new
year.=20=20=20=20
=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20

Drishitpat is a non-profit, non-political expatriate Bangladeshi
organization committed to safeguarding every individual's basic democratic
rights, including freedom of expression, and is opposed to any and all kind=
s
of human rights abuses in Bangladesh. We are based in the United States, an=
d
have members in every part of the globe. In early 2001, we successfully
publicized and raised over $16,000 for the medical treatment of journalist
Tipu Sultan.

More details at:
http://www.drishtipat.org

_____

#4.

Dialognow.org

DialogNow.org is a forum to promote dialog between the two peoples of India
and Pakistan. In spite of being neighbours, there is little or not
communication between people of the two countries, and consequently a lot o=
f
misunderstanding about the viewpoints of the other side.
http://www.dialognow.org/

______

#5.

Joint Press Release
Friends of South Asia and Qaumantri Punjabi Bhaichara Group Of California

For Immediate Release

PEACE DEMONSTRATORS URGE INDIA & PAKISTAN TO RESUME DIALOGUE

January 27, 2002
Palo Alto, CA

[Questioner:] "What do we want?"
[Chorus:] "We want peace!
Atal Bihari ...
We want peace!
Parvez Musharaff ...
We want peace!"

- Slogan chorus led by Prashant Jawalikar

As the governments of India and Pakistan continue their preparations=20
for war and the tense situation between these two nations threatens=20
to spiral out of control, many people, alarmed at these recent=20
trends, are organizing peace rallies urging the two governments to=20
desist from war. Today, the bustling University Avenue in downtown=20
Palo Alto, California, was the site of one such peace rally,=20
organized under the banner of "People for Peace between India and=20
Pakistan". More than 120 people assembled at the Lytton Plaza to=20
light candles, sing songs and shout slogans affirming their faith in=20
peace.

"We organized this rally in the Bay Area today as part of a Global=20
Peace Vigil," explained Akhila Raman, a software consultant from=20
Berkeley. "This is an effort across several groups in different=20
cities in the world to hold peace rallies on the same day, and have a=20
common memorandum to present to the two governments," she said.=20
Similar rallies were also held in several cities in India and=20
Pakistan, including Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Rawalpindi and=20
Karachi, as well as in other cities with substantial expatriate=20
populations, such as Boston, MA in the US. In the San Francisco Bay=20
Area, the call for peace was supported by two local South Asian=20
groups, Friends of South Asia (FOSA), and the Qaumantri Punjabi=20
Bhaichara Group (the Punjabi International Friendship Group). Both=20
groups have organized smaller peace demonstrations earlier in the=20
area.

Satnam Singh Chahal of the Qaumantri Punjabi Bhaichara Group, who=20
also participates in the peace vigils held at the Wagah border=20
between India and Pakistan on the 14th of August each year, said, =93We=20
believe that this war-like situation on the Indo-Pak border is a=20
political game of political leaders and we cannot afford to play this=20
game.=94 Added Raman, =93The aim of this initiative is to put continuous=20
and ongoing pressure on the leadership of both India and Pakistan to=20
resolve [their] disputes by dialogue and peaceful means, and to avoid=20
war at all costs.=94 Ali Hasan Cemendtaur, a Pakistani writer based in=20
San Jose, commented that people gathering for the vigil may disagree=20
on how the issues need to be resolved, but they all agreed that the=20
process of resolution should be peaceful and inclusive.

The common memorandum prepared by these groups is addressed to both=20
Pakistani and Indian governments and urges them to take concrete=20
steps to deescalate the current tensions in the region and establish=20
long-lasting peace. The memorandum advocates the reopening of all=20
trade and travel links between the two countries and urges the two=20
nations to sign a No War Pact. As Girish Agrawal from FOSA pointed=20
out, over 10 million people in India and Pakistan have close=20
relations living in the other country but travel between the two=20
nations is very difficult because of restrictive regulations, and has=20
become almost impossible since all bus, train and airplane services=20
between the two countries have been suspended following the Dec 13th=20
attack on the Indian parliament.

The memorandum also included requests for a permanent dialogue=20
process to be set up between the two governments which would allow=20
them to hold negotiations on all outstanding issues such as that of=20
cross-border terrorism and the self-determination of Kashmiris; and=20
also a plea to reverse the arms race and participate in global=20
nuclear disarmament measures. "Political leaders in India and=20
Pakistan have been talking of hatred for the last 54 years; what=20
issues has this mantra of hatred resolved?" Cemendtaur asked of the=20
largely South Asian crowd assembled in the plaza, "What has this=20
given us in return besides wars, poverty and suffering?" He said=20
that Pakistani children are being taught that Indians are some kind=20
of monsters who need to be hated and killed, and a similar process of=20
demonization of the Pakistanis is going on in India. =93By bringing=20
together Indians and Pakistanis, we are fighting this polarization=20
that the two governments are trying to create,=94 he said.

Other speakers also noted the contrast between prevalent poverty in=20
the two countries on the one hand, and the billions of dollars being=20
spent on state-of-the-art weaponry on the other. Forty percent of=20
India=92s population lives below the poverty line, yet 20 percent of=20
the nation's budget was spent on defense in the year 2000. "If the=20
disputes are resolved by peaceful means, both India and Pakistan can=20
achieve significant phased cuts in defense expenditure and channel=20
the much-needed money to the social sector," noted Raman. This=20
sentiment was echoed by Sabahat Ashraf, a Pakistani writer based in=20
San Jose whose wife is from India. "We should work together to get=20
rid of poverty, we should strive for human rights, and work really=20
hard so that our people can live in peace and prosper," said Ashraf.

Several of the demonstrators carried home-made signs that carried=20
slogans such as =91Cowards Make War, the Brave Make Peace=92, =91When=20
Governments go to War, Citizens Die=92 and =91No one wins a Nuclear War.=92=
=20
In recent days, the =91nuclear option=92 has been verbalized by many=20
policy makers in India and Pakistan even as their armies are lined up=20
eye-ball to eye-ball along the long common border. Diplomatic=20
relations between the two countries have been scaled back following=20
the recall of the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan by the Indian=20
Government. India has accused Pakistan of harboring terrorist=20
organizations and has repeatedly spurned all offers for dialogue. On=20
January 25th, India test-fired its intermediate range nuclear capable=20
missile, Agni II. Pakistan has also reciprocated its readiness for=20
the madness of nuclear war by deploying massive formations of troops=20
and armaments along its border with India, and shortening the time=20
required to arm its missiles with nuclear warheads to a mere three=20
hours.

"India and Pakistan are on the brink of war," said Satnam Singh=20
Chahal. "It is incumbent upon all people who are concerned with=20
India and Pakistan to bear upon the respective governments to step=20
back and rethink their approach." Added Bhanjan Singh Bhinder, also=20
of the Qaumantri Punjabi Bhaichara Group, =93It is easy for [the=20
politicians] to make war, because the people who decide on making war=20
don=92t even lose a limb or a toe. The brunt of suffering is borne by=20
the common people, while the cowards who make these decisions go=20
unscathed.=94

The crowd gathered for the rally reflected the ethnic, religious and=20
professional diversity that constitutes the South Asian diaspora in=20
the Bay Area today. There were taxi-cab drivers and attorneys, high=20
school students and university professors, Silicon Valley=20
professionals and housewives. Many passers-by and students from=20
nearby Stanford University also joined in, enthusiastically taking up=20
the sloganeering and the singing of songs. Towards the end of the=20
rally, the demonstrators took the procession up and down the length=20
of University Avenue and were greeted by many cheering onlookers who=20
joined in the chants, waved and honked their horns in support.

People at the rally took heart from what a peace activist from=20
Oakland, Kiran Patel said, "If we people from India and Pakistan can=20
enter into arranged marriages with strangers, learning to make a=20
lifetime of love and warmth within it and carrying it down to our=20
children, I=92ll be darned if we cannot learn to love one another=20
across the border."

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

High-resolution photo downloads:
All photos copyright: Bhaskaran Raman and Aniruddha Vaidya (Friends=20
of South Asia). (Permission granted to use photos with appropriate=20
crediting.)
http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/FOSA-bayarea/lst
http://jake.cs.berkeley.edu/~bd//peace-vigil-jan-2002/

Information on Global Peace Vigil:
http://www.mindspring.com/~akhila_raman/vigil_main.htm

Article in San Jose Mercury news:
=93Indians, Pakistanis appeal for peace=94, Katherine Corcoran, San Jose=20
Mercury News, Jan 28, 2002.
http://www0.mercurycenter.com/premium/local/docs/vigil28.htm

Friends of South Asia
P.O. Box 20136 Stanford, CA 94309
Email : FOSA_US@Y...

Press contacts for the rally information:
Akhila Raman: 510-649-8719
Friends of South Asia: 408-265-2795
Qaumantri Punjabi Bhaichara Group of California 408-935-9160

Video coverage of the rally:
Angad Bhalla: abhalla@s...

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

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