[sacw] SACW #1 | 07-8 Mar. 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire - Dispatch #1 | 07-08 March 2002
[ NOTICE: Technical problems in the last 48 hours on the web based=20
version of the SACW list have caused multiple copies to be delivered=20
to recipients. SACW apologies to all for the inconvenience caused,=20
but this has not been provoked by the list compilers but due to=20
problems at Yahoo]

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#1. Pakistan : Brutal fanatics (Ardeshir Cowasjee)
#2. India: Press Statement on the Arundhati Roy case (SAHMAT)
#3. Mass Meeting Outside Tihar Jail, Delhi in Support of Arundhati=20
Roy. (7 March)
#4. PRESS RELEASE re Arundhati Roy's arrest (Gujrat activists)
#5. Events in India - The echoes of Partition (Mahir Ali)
#6. 6th update on developments in India (sonia jabbar)
#7. News Reports on events in India:
- Provocation Helped Set India Train Fire
- "The death toll continues to rise as police discover more bodies"=20
(The BBC's Adam Mynott)
- "The police have done excellent work" Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra =
Modi
- Eyewitness: Escaping the mobs (BBC)
#8. Christian Council demands International ban on VHP: to move UN bodies
#9. Upcoming Protest Demo in London (South Asia Solidarity Group and=20
Asian Women Unite)

________________________

#1.

DAWN 03 March 2002
Brutal fanatics
By Ardeshir Cowasjee

Call them brutes, fanatics, bigots, murderers, terrorists, religious=20
militants - call them what you will. The killing of Daniel Pearl was=20
an act perpetrated by deranged, unreasonable, mindless men.
In coming to Pakistan, Pearl took an occupational risk; danger was=20
always on the cards. All that we can say is that we are extremely=20
sorry that we harbour among us such cruel people.
Yet, as we sorrowfully must admit, all societies of this world have=20
always harboured a section of people who will maim and kill at will,=20
and for as long as mankind exists so will it be. The sole check,=20
though never its elimination, on this natural phenomenon is the=20
enforcement of law and order. At the risk of repeating myself ad=20
nauseam, I revert to the founder of our country, Mohammad Ali Jinnah,=20
who before the birth of Pakistan clearly told his future legislators=20
what it was he expected of them.
On August 11, 1947 he said: "The first observation that I would like=20
to make is this: you will no doubt agree with me that the first duty=20
of a government is to maintain law and order, so that the life,=20
property and religious beliefs of its subjects are fully protected by=20
the state." His emphasis was on 'first'. He knew his onions. None can=20
doubt that he was our sole statesman.
Now, take the case of a recent horrific murder in Britain. A=20
front-page story in The Times (London) on February 21 related how a=20
slightly built Asian boy, initially thought to be aged between 12 and=20
16, was brutally beaten to death in a park in the London suburb of=20
Kingsbury, stripped naked, and his body set alight by an accelerant.
So savage was the beating to his face and upper body that he was=20
unrecognizable. The body was found by a passer-by, less than 50 yards=20
away from a busy main road. Kingsbury near Wembley, said the police,=20
has no record of racial tension. After a week of investigations=20
covering racial, sexual and drug-linked motives, a further news item=20
reported that the boy had still not been identified, which in Britain=20
is unusual, and that extensive forensic examinations had revealed=20
that he could even have been an adult in his mid -20s of mixed-race.=20
Police are now hoping that a rare congenital tooth abnormality will=20
help in identifying the murdered boy.
One week may have passed with no clues, but eventually - it may take=20
months - the murderers will be tracked down, arrested, taken to court=20
and if the evidence holds good, they will be duly punished under the=20
law. The deterrent of punishment works. Such acts in a country which=20
operates under its laws are few and far between. In countries bereft=20
of law and order they are everyday occurrences that pass unremarked.
The criminal investigation system in Pakistan is both ineffective and=20
completely useless to society. On the odd occasion when culprits (or=20
suspected culprits) are found, the judges of our criminal courts, in=20
the event that the crime relates to religion, are too afraid to=20
convict. Fear is their guide, not the application of the law. In all=20
cases relating to the blasphemy law, Section 295-C PPC, when a judge=20
sentences an accused blasphemer to a long term of imprisonment or=20
even to death it is for the preservation of his own skin. He dare not=20
do otherwise.
There is something so radically wrong with our judicial system, as=20
radically wrong as there is with the mindset of the faithful=20
adherents to the various sects of the religion of this country, and=20
until the latter is changed the former is doomed.
Since President General Pervez Musharraf's much-lauded speech of=20
January 12, when he declared his intention to crack down on the=20
extremists of Pakistan and banned a couple of the more murderous=20
religious political parties, the SSP being one, the following are=20
incidents of Shia slaying and maiming as reported in the press.
Karachi, February 11: A shopkeeper was shot dead and two others=20
injured in an armed attack on a shop in Saddar. Two unidentified=20
assailants, riding a motorcycle, came to Pak-Iranian Tea Company shop=20
on Shahrah-i-Iraq and sprayed those inside the shop with bullets. The=20
shopkeeper, Mohammed Ramazan, aged 55, and his employee Ehsan Ali,=20
aged 20, and Firdaus, aged 50, who owned a cabin near the Iranian Tea=20
Company shop, were injured. They were rushed to Jinnah Hospital where=20
doctors pronounced Ramazan dead on arrival. Ehsan and Firdaus were=20
admitted to the hospital. Firdaus was stated to be in a serious=20
condition.
Karachi, February 11: A Pakistan Steel Mills Security officer, Syed=20
Adil Hussain, 45, was stabbed to death and his body dumped on a main=20
road in Gulistan-i-Jauhar. He was killed after being kidnapped. He=20
had left home in New Karachi on Sunday evening but did not return.=20
Three daughters survive him.
Karachi, February 10: A pan shop owner, Syed Azad Hussain Zaidi, was=20
shot dead in Sector F-E, New Karachi, by two motorcycle riders.
Karachi, February 8: A bus carrying a pharmaceutical company's worker=20
from its Korangi factory to a Karsaz mosque was fired upon near=20
Shaheed-i-Millat Expressway, injuring three Shias.
Rawalpindi, February 6: Prominent educationist and a central leader=20
of the Muslim League (QA), Professor Maqsood Jaffery, was injured in=20
a terrorist attack.
Karachi, February 6: Superior College's principal, Azhar Zaidi, and=20
his son Professor Ashar Zaidi were seriously injured in=20
Jaffar-i-Tayyar Society, as they were going from home to the college.=20
Mr Ashar lies in a critical condition.
Larkana, February 5: Mohammad Hassan, 60, custodian of Jadal Shah=20
Imambara, was killed in a terrorist attack.
Karachi, February 4: Dr Fayyaz Karim was killed in Khawaja Ajmer=20
Nagri. He was a skin specialist working at the Civil Hospital.
Karachi, February 3: Two terrorists on a motorcycle killed Sadiq Ali=20
Hamshiri in Kharadar in his bakery. He was a trustee of Hussainian=20
Iranian, Kharadar.
Karachi, January 30: Dr Syed Mujawar Ali, 45, was seriously injured=20
by two terrorists on a motorcycle in Model Colony.
Karachi, January 29: Mr Jawwad Rizwi, 65, was shot dead and his=20
friend seriously injured by two terrorists on motorcycles near Sea=20
View Apartments. Mr Rizwi was a retired insurance executive and a=20
trustee of a mosque/imambara in Defence.
After the horrific attack on the mosque in Rawalpindi in which the=20
Shia death toll is 11, a petition is doing the rounds gathering the=20
signatures of Shias, Sunnis, Ismailis, all other sects of Islam,=20
Christians, Hindus, Parsis and Buddhists, which will soon be sent to=20
President General Pervez Musharraf. Excerpts read:
"Caliph Umar is quoted as having said that if a dog went hungry for=20
one night on the distant bank of the river Euphrates in his realm,=20
the caliph could not sleep in peace. We ask you General Musharraf:=20
are you able to sleep in peace surrounded by this ever-widening pool=20
of blood of Shia Pakistanis that is being spilt by fanatic terrorists=20
in the name of Islam, the latest act right in the capital city?
"This petition is being written on 27th February 2002. In the six=20
weeks since your speech of 12th January there have been one dozen=20
attacks on Shia Muslims of Pakistan in which at least 21 Shi'as have=20
been martyred. Those attacked include doctors, business executives,=20
educationists and now even those offering prayers to Allah. According=20
to press reports, Rawalpindi's senior superintendent of police in=20
whose area 10 Shia prayer-goers were brutally slain last night, is=20
quite certain that it is beyond the ability of the police to=20
adequately protect the citizens' lives.
"If this is the level of 'ability' of the country's security=20
apparatus to enforce the government's writ, then whom should Shia=20
Muslims of Pakistan be looking to for protection of their lives in=20
this land for gaining which they contributed a lot under the=20
leadership of the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah? We are proud of=20
the swift action our government is taking against those who kidnapped=20
and killed Daniel Pearl. At the same time, however, we wonder if the=20
one-sided killing of Pakistani Shias doesn't deserve the same, if not=20
greater, level of attention and more importantly, action, from our=20
government. Or shall being killed continue to remain an 'occupational=20
hazard' of being a Shia in Pakistan?
"Dear General Musharraf, we were saddened to see the trite, and by=20
now cruel-sounding, statement issued on your behalf promising for the=20
umpteenth time that 'no stone will be left unturned to track down the=20
culprits' and 'the criminals would be dealt with iron hands'. We=20
implore your military government to start acting like a military=20
government, and to actually take very strong and decisive action=20
immediately (involving the army, if need be) to rid the country of=20
this menace, so as to provide a sense of protection to the country's=20
Shia population."
A Pakistani, whether Shia or Sunni, is a citizen of this country and=20
his life must be protected. That is what the government owes to him.=20
If necessary, our military government should use military protection=20
and force to ensure that law and order prevails, particularly during=20
Muharram, and that no more innocent lives are lost in the name of=20
religion. No religion says 'Kill'.

_____

#2.

PRESS STATEMENT

SAHMAT , New Delhi
6 March 2002

Statement on the Arundhati Roy case

We are dismayed and pained at the Supreme Court judgment harshly=20
convicting writer and activist Arundhati Roy of contempt of court for=20
her criticism of the judicial verdict in the Narmada case, among=20
other things.

The sentence is far from "symbolic" and entails three months'=20
imprisonment if Roy does not pay a Rs 2,000 fine.

The judgment will be widely seen as discouraging and deterring any=20
criticism of judicial verdicts, even if it is reasonable, factually=20
correct, logically sound, and in the public interest. This has=20
distressing implications for the freedom of expression and a writer's=20
ability to communicate creatively. Its impact on the media, which=20
already has to battle growing political and commercial interference,=20
will be deleterious.

While expressing our solidarity with Arundhati Roy, and the heroic=20
movement of the people of the Narmada Valley, we call upon the=20
Supreme Court to review its judgment.

Signed by
Irfan Habib, Geeta Hariharan, Prabhat Patnaik, Sukumar Muralidharan,=20
Achin Vanaik, Zoya Hasan, Rajendra Prasad, Shabnam Hashmi, Kamal=20
Mitra Chenoy, Vishnu Nagar, Praful Bidwai and Others

_____

#3.

MASS MEETING OUTSIDE TIHAR JAIL, DELHI IN SUPPORT OF ARUNDHATI ROY.

PLEASE JOIN MASS MEETING OUTSIDE TIHAR JAIL, DELHI SHARP AT 10.00 AM ON
7-3-2002 TO PROTEST AGAINST ARUNDHATI ROY'S UNJUST SENTENCE BY THE INDIAN
SUPREME COURT WHICH IS KOW-TOWING TO BIG MONEY ELEMENTS. NIGHT VIGIL
CONTINUES.

_____

#4.

PRESS RELEASE

6TH MARCH 2002

WE FELL VERY SORRY FOR THE SUPREME COURT=92S JUDGMENT IN THE CASE=20
AGAINST Ms. ARUNDHATI ROY UNDER CONTEMPT OF COURT PROCEEDINGS

On 15th October 1999, the Supreme Court, without even giving=20
Arundhati Roy a notice or an opportunity to be heard and therefore=20
in violation of the principles of Natural Justice proceeded to make=20
the following remarks against her:
=93Judicial process and institution cannot be permitted to be=20
scandalized or subjected to contumacious violation in such a blatant=20
manner in which it has been done by her. =85=85 Vicious stultification=20
and vulgar debunking cannot be permitted to pollute the stream of=20
justice. =85 We are unhappy at the way in which the leaders of the NBA=20
and Ms Arundhati Roy have attempted to undermine the dignity of the=20
court. We expected better behavior from them.=94
In February 2001, the Supreme Court issued notice to Roy,=20
Medha Patkar and Prashant Bhushan for Criminal Contempt of Court on=20
the basis of a petition filed by 5 lawyers who alleged that she along=20
with Patkar and Prashant Bhushan had led this demonstration, shouted=20
vulgar slogans against the Court, and had assaulted and threatened=20
the petitioners.
The Petition filed by the Advocates had several fatal defects.=20
Firstly, the petition did not disclose the addresses of the=20
Petitioners or the respondents as required by the Supreme Court=20
Rules. Roy=92s address was mentioned as =93Booker prize winner=94, Patkar=
=92s=20
as, =93Leader NBA=94, and Prashant Bhushan as =93Advocate Supreme Court=94.=
=20
The address of all the petitioners was mentioned as =93Bar Library No.=20
1=94. Secondly, the petition was signed by only one of the petitioners=20
though according to the rules it should have been signed by all five=20
of the petitioners. Thirdly, the affidavit in support of the petition=20
was signed by only one of the petitioners though it purports to be on=20
behalf of two of them. Lastly, the petition did not contain the=20
consent of the Attorney General or the Solicitor General of India,=20
which is a mandatory requirement of the Contempt of Court=92s Act. And=20
that is quite apart from the absurdity of the charges of assault and=20
threats made in the petition against Medha Patkar, Arundhati Roy, and=20
Prashant Bhushan. Even the local police station had refused to=20
register the FIR of the petitioners on these charges. Despite these=20
defects, the Court entertained the petition and notices were issued,=20
requiring Roy, Patkar and Prashant Bhushan to be present in Court in=20
person on every hearing of the case.
In these circumstances, Roy in her affidavit in reply, while=20
asserting her right to be present at the demonstration and setting=20
out the facts of what happened there, also expressed her indignation=20
at such a petition being entertained at all by the Court. Her=20
affidavit went on to say,
=93On the grounds that judges of the Supreme Court were too busy, the=20
Chief Justice of India refused to allow a sitting judge to head the=20
judicial inquiry into the Tehelka scandal, even though it involves=20
matters of national security and corruption in the highest places.=94
=93Yet when it comes to an absurd, despicable, entirely=20
unsubstantiated petition in which all the three respondents happen to=20
be people who have publicly though in markedly different ways=20
questioned the policies of the government and severely criticized a=20
recent judgment of the Supreme Court, the court displays a disturbing=20
willingness to issue notice.=94
=93It indicates a disquieting inclination on the part of the court to=20
silence criticism and muzzle dissent, to harass and intimidate those=20
who disagree with it. By entertaining a petition based on an FIR that=20
even a local police station does not see fit to act upon, the Supreme=20
court is doing its own reputation considerable harm.=94
The Court went on to hold that the above paragraphs of Roy=92s=20
affidavit themselves amounted to contempt since they imputed improper=20
motives to the Court. The Court has thus directed the issue of a=20
second contempt notice on this basis!
In the Constitution of India the Supreme Court and the High=20
Courts were seen as watchdog bodies, independent of the executive,=20
and entrusted with the task of seeing that all institutions function=20
in accordance with the Constitution, and the Rule of Law. They were=20
assigned with powers not only to declare and set aside Executive acts=20
of Government, but also to strike down (even declare=20
unconstitutional) laws made by Parliament and the State Legislatures.
In stifling all criticism by the threatened exercise of the=20
power of contempt, the issue in a democratic society is ultimately=20
one of the accountability of the judiciary itself. In order to stifle=20
free speech and comments on the Courts, even an occasional exercise=20
of this power is enough to deter most persons from saying anything=20
that might annoy their Lordships. Perhaps the most important reason=20
for lack of reforms in the judiciary is the reluctance of the Press=20
to write about and discuss the state of affairs within it for fear of=20
contempt.
Is it not possible that the Court even the Supreme Court can abuse=20
its powers of contempt and use them against persons who criticize the=20
court or its actions? Ironically, the very issue of the second=20
contempt notice to Roy itself validates her criticism of the Court in=20
her affidavit. In fact the Court tacitly accepts the validity of her=20
criticism by itself saying that =93almost every one of the rules framed=20
by this Court have been violated=94, by the petition. What does a=20
citizen like Roy make of the fact that the Court does not proceed=20
against the petitioners who misled the Court by filing a false and=20
concocted petition and who get up in Court and say without=20
justification that they have lost confidence in the Court and that=20
the case should be transferred to another Court.
The present contempt of court Act says that even the truth of the=20
imputation could not be pleaded in defense.
It is for this reason that Arundhati Roy=92s case is a test case in=20
which the right of a citizen to criticize the Courts and discuss its=20
motivations is pitted against the power of the Courts to punish for=20
contempt.
Is it really necessary to enforce respect for the judiciary without=20
scrutiny of its performance? Is there something particularly holy=20
about Courts and judges that even a citizen who has proof of the fact=20
and is prepared to face action for civil and criminal defamation=20
cannot criticize them? Why is defamation (which is actionable in both=20
civil and criminal proceedings) not a sufficient safeguard to protect=20
the reputations of judges and Courts, if that is considered=20
sufficient for all other classes or citizens? These are uncomfortable=20
questions, but they need to be answered. They need to be urgently=20
addressed by the Judiciary itself, the government and above all by=20
the citizens.
Today the supreme court decided in the contempt case and ordered one=20
day imprisonment and Rs. 2000 fine and If fine is not paid more=20
imprisonment to Arundhati Roy. We fell very sorry for the judgment=20
issued today by the supreme court. We demand public debate on the=20
issue of accountability and scrutiny of the Supreme and High Court.

Rohit Prajapati, Dr. Maya Valecha, Trupti Shah, Kritbhai Bhatt,=20
Thakorbhai Shah, Sudhir Biniwale
Anand Mazgaonkar, Swati Desai, Michael Mazgaonkar, Rajnibhai Dave
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, VADODARA , GUJARAT, INDIA

_____

#5.

DAWN 6 February 2002

The echoes of Partition

By Mahir Ali

It IS profoundly ironic that India's prime minister Atal Behari=20
Vajpayee was prevented from attending last week's Commonwealth heads=20
of government meeting in Australia by the unfinished business of=20
Partition. The only redeeming factor in his Bharatiya Janata Party's=20
assumption of office in New Delhi was the likelihood - or at least=20
the possibility - that its presence at the helm would deter=20
tendencies towards communal violence.
That hope has now been negated, and one is compelled to wonder=20
whether it is entirely a coincidence that the latest outbreak of=20
violence has followed hot upon the heels of the BJP's recent=20
humiliation in state elections, particularly in its Uttar Pradesh=20
heartland. Even if the two events are not linked by an umbilical=20
cord, the BJP nonetheless has much to answer for in terms of its=20
inability to curb the wilder tendencies of its ideological=20
stablemates such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Shiv Sena -=20
which are, by any standard, as odious as the extremist Islamic groups=20
Pakistan is expected to act against.
It is possible, of course, that last week's heinous attack on Hindu=20
families returning to Ahmedabad from a pilgrimage to Ayodhya was=20
carried out by a band of bloody-minded Muslims on the basis of some=20
perceived provocation, and that the equally reprehensible reprisals=20
by Hindu mobs against Muslims in Ahmedabad were no more than an=20
emotional response to the outrage in which the police apparently=20
colluded by becoming spectators to the mayhem.
But somehow such a course of events seems too convenient. There may=20
be cause to reassess this view should the contagion not spread beyond=20
Gujarat. If, on the other hand, it degenerates into the sort of=20
free-for-all that claimed thousands of lives 10 years ago, it will be=20
hard to shake off the suspicion that the tactics used by Hindu=20
nationalists to acquire power in India are being employed once more=20
to retain it.
At the start of the week, there were signs that the worst may be=20
over. For the time being. But the depraved ogre of hatred between=20
communities will in due course inevitably rear its head once more=20
unless the breeding grounds it thrives upon are thoroughly=20
decontaminated.
Ayodhya is by no means central to communal suspicions and strife in=20
India. It was a marginal issue before Hindu nationalists - including=20
interior minister Lal Krishna Advani, whose ridiculous Rath Yatra a=20
decade ago was an unfortunate milestone in the BJP's ascendancy -=20
whipped up a frenzy about it among their followers. If the Mughal=20
emperor Babar did indeed order the demolition of a temple, the=20
purported birthplace of the mythical Hindu deity Ram, to build a=20
mosque, it was a grievous fault.
The crime was repeated some five centuries hence by the shock troops=20
of the VHP, who destroyed the mosque in 1992, and now they seek to=20
compound it by constructing a temple on the ruins. Certain Muslim=20
groups, on the other hand, have given notice that they intend to=20
rebuild the Babri mosque. What does this bizarre saga prove apart=20
from religion's detachment from reality? Even from a confessional=20
perspective, however, no religion suggests that bricks and mortar=20
are, under any circumstances, more precious than human lives.
The dearth of rationality and logic involved in laying lives on the=20
line in disputes that ought never to have arisen in the first place=20
makes it somewhat less surprising that the foremost opponents of=20
Partition turned into the chief proponents of the divide.=20
Manifestations of this phenomenon can be found on both sides of the=20
border. All that Mohammed Ali Jinnah stood for was anathema, for=20
example, to the Jamaat-i-Islami during the 1940s; that did not=20
prevent it, however, from becoming the chief custodian of Pakistan's=20
ideology a couple of decades later.
Similarly, the Hindu zealots of today can trace their antecedents at=20
least as far back as Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mohandas Gandhi=20
because the Mahatma was perceived as being too soft on Muslims. Such=20
nationalists deeply resented Partition, yet the extremists among them=20
remain adamant that India should be more or less Muslim-free. As=20
Ramchandra Paramhans, a Hindu ascetic who has dedicated his life to=20
the alleged Ramjanambhoomi in Ayodhya, recently told the Indian=20
writer Pankaj Mishra, reviving a popular slogan from the 1980s and=20
90s: "There are only two places Muslims can go: Pakistan or=20
Qabristan."
There is indeed something incongruous about the fact that the=20
descendants of all those who before 1947 identified themselves as=20
Indian Muslims - who were led to believe that they constituted a=20
distinct nation - today find themselves divided more or less equally=20
between three nations. This raises a number of intriguing questions,=20
one of the more obvious ones being: could the carve-up have been more=20
judicious? It may not be too hard, in this case, to respond in the=20
affirmative.
But could the division have led to a contiguous territory evolving=20
into a coherent state that could conceivably have satisfied the=20
aspirations of the vast majority - say, at least 90 per cent - of=20
India's Muslims? If not, then might it not, in retrospect, have been=20
wiser to aspire with greater determination for a modus vivendi within=20
the context of a secular, democratic, united India?
Yes, India's secular credentials have certainly been progressively=20
tarnished in recent decades - and not just at the behest of the BJP=20
and its extremist allies. However, it's worth considering that India=20
could have been a remarkably different nation had it not been put=20
through the trauma of Partition.
The tradition of neighbours turning on one another with a vengeance=20
goes back much further, of course, but it found its apotheosis in=20
1947. And the subcontinent has never quite recovered from the shock.=20
Cynically exploited by opportunist politicians, communal prejudices=20
have been passed down the generations. They are naturally reinforced=20
each time vested interests arrange a series of pogroms.
It would be facile to continue laying the blame for such tendencies=20
on the divisions sowed by the former colonial power. The British had=20
few qualms about manipulating Hindu-Muslim discord for their own=20
advantage. But they have been gone for 55 years. That may not be a=20
particularly lengthy period in historical terms, but surely it's long=20
enough for us to take responsibility for our actions?
It is also worth remembering that irrationalities propelled by faith=20
are not all that we need to fear. Pakistan's history, unfortunately,=20
bears adequate testimony to the fact that mindless violence can stem=20
from any number of differences, perceived or real: sectarian, ethnic,=20
linguistic, caste-based, and so on. Nor should we forget that the=20
resentment that fuels malicious conduct often, perhaps even=20
invariably, is rooted in economic disparities. Just as deprivation -=20
actual or imagined, absolute or real - can be channelled into=20
movements for social progress, it can also be used as a means of=20
instigating fascistic behaviour.
It is not just the depredations of poverty per se on the basis of=20
which the subcontinent is forever teetering on the brink, but also=20
the poverty of leadership, the poverty of imagination, a destructive=20
passion for the lowest common denominator whereby mediocrity almost=20
without fail rises to the surface, like scum in a stagnant pool.
Fresh streams - of thought, of consciousness - seldom succeed in=20
rejuvenating us, and when they do it's for all too brief an=20
interregnum. The analogy is hard to avoid: however pristine their=20
sources, the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra seemingly turn=20
into an undifferentiated, foul-smelling mass of muddy water before=20
they flow into the sea.
One of the primary reasons why we flounder in the twilight is that=20
our dogged refusal to learn from history condemns us to repeat it. It=20
was pertinent of Vajpayee to suggest, in the wake of last week's=20
worst excesses, that Indians should collectively hang their heads in=20
shame. Everyone in the subcontinent, whatever our creed or=20
allegiances, ought to heed that advice. Too many of us are prone to=20
blood lust. Besides, acts of inhumanity - regardless of whether they=20
are perpetrated in Lidice or Srebrenica, Ahmedabad or New York or=20
Kandahar - diminish all of humankind.
And if any vow is called for after the carnage in Gujarat, it's got=20
to be "Never again" rather than "Wait till I get my chance!"
Revenge, unlike resistance, is futile. A meaningful existence needs=20
to be constructed on a bedrock of hope, not fear or despair. What's=20
done cannot be undone, but it's still not too late to give ourselves=20
something to look forward to.

_____

#6.
Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 00:46:13 +0530
From: sonia jabbar
Subject: 6th update

Dear Friends,

Every day another pillar of our secular democracy gets exposed for what
it really is: shaky, termite-ridden structures on the verge of collapse.
The Supreme Court of India today sentenced Arundhati Roy to a day's
imprisonment and a fine of Rs.2000 for "criminal contempt." Her
affadavit, they said, scandalised them, blew their wigs off so to speak,
and thus the severity of the judgement, which they added sagely, would
have been more severe but for the fact that she was a woman. Poor dears
all of them have been so busy in devising a suitable rap for Roy that
they have failed to notice the invectives being hurled at them by the
VHP every day.

Murderers roam free in this country, while those who speak on behalf of
the poor or dispossessed are thrown behind bars. The "World's Largest
Democracy" stands exposed. Every institution is manned by third rate
intellects, moral pygmies who have gotten where they have not through
hard work or talent but through sycophancy, corruption and sheer
banditry. The VHP in a turnaround from yesterday's meeting with the
Shankaracharya, said they would not accept the court verdict. Why is the
Government negotiating with them when they should be signing the orders
for their arrest? In a sickening development Jaya Jaitley has absolved
the Modi government from all responsibility of the carnage. I ask all of
you to write/call her and condemn her craven stance, and those of you
who know her personally, to boycott her socially. The pressure must be
equally on the NDA allies for propping up this depraved government.

Today some of us met with senior Congress leaders including Arjun Singh
and other members of the Opposition who have now agreed on a tougher
position then the one they had adopted thus far. They have demanded the
resignation of both Modi and Advani. We agreed that civil society and
political parties must work together to resist the fascism of the Hindu
Right. The basic minimum demands for coming together would be 1) Demand
Modi's resignation and 2) demand a ban on the VHP. We want to hold a
massive rally on the 13th of March. If the shilanyas puja is allowed the
parties promised that they would cooperate with us on a programme of
resistance.

The Left parties held a large protest at Jantar Mantar today. I didn't
attend as I was down with fever, so sorry but no report on that. Perhaps
someone who went could write in an update and I'll circulate that
tomorrow
regards
sj
----------------------------

Programme

Thursday, 7 March: V .V .Important planning meeting at the Indian
Social Institute, Lodi Road, New Delhi [near Saibaba temple] Time:
4.30 pm. Every group/individual who is concerned about the situation in
Gujrat and the rest of India must attend this meeting. Crucial decisions
like the fact finding team for Gujrat, planning for Ayodhya etc. will be
taken tomorrow so pl. do come.
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

Actions around the country:

Lucknow: Sandeep, Madhavi and others have undertaken a fast for communal
harmony.

Dharamsala: The Dalai Lama has written to the PM expressing his shock
and concern about the Gujrat carnage. He will be writing to the leader
of the Opposition as well.

Hyderabad: Yesterday (5th March) over 30 volunteers divided into 6
groups and
visited 6 different localaties in the old city. An appeal for more
volunteers to join in this effort- do come, and bring others along as
well. The volunteers meet up
at COVA office at 5: 30pm and then proceed from there. Yesterday there
was also a Peace Rally organised by Asmita from Charminar to Sultan
Shahi,
where many women participated. Other upcoming events:

1) March 7th 2002: 4:30pm-6:00pm Interfaith Prayer Meeting being
organised jointly by Interfaith Forum and People For peace and communal
harmony .Venue:
Charminar, Old City

2)March 7th 2002: 10 am : Koti to Indira Park, Peace March and Rally
organised by all the Left Parties

Do join in and extend your solidarity

Sagari Ramdas

In keeping with the ironic times, I had this later update from Sagari:

Dear Friends

This is in continuation of our earlier email regarding the Interfaith
Prayers Event, scheduled to be at Charminar on March 7th at 4:30 pm,
organised by Interfaith
Forum and People For peace and communal harmony. The police have at the
last moment, cancelled the permission, stating that this will create
"Communal
Disharmony" in the old city! In view of this, the program has been
postponed for now. We shall keep you informed.

Sagari Ramdas
_____

#7.

The Washington Post
Wednesday, March 6, 2002; Page A10

Provocation Helped Set India Train Fire
Official Faults Hindu Actions, Muslim Reactions for Incident That Led=20
to Carnage
By Rajiv Chandrasekaran
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44252-2002Mar5.html

ooo

The BBC's Adam Mynott
"The death toll continues to rise as police discover more bodies"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/36145000/rm/_36145744_india03_mynott_vi.r=
am

Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi
"The police have done excellent work"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/36136000/rm/_36136348_india15_modi_vi.ram

BBC News
Wednesday, 6 March, 2002, 11:27 GMT
Eyewitness: Escaping the mobs
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1857000/1857360.st=
m

_____

#8.

ALL INDIA CHRISTIAN COUNCIL
79/B I&II Floors, Street 8, West Marredpally, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh
President: Dr Joseph D' Souza Secretary General: Dr. John Dayal

Christian Council demands International ban on VHP: to move UN bodies

Press Statement
Mumbai, March 6th, 2002
.
Statement released by Dr. Joseph D'Souza, President, All India=20
Christian Council, Dr. John Dayal, Secretary General, All India=20
Christian Council and Rev Dr. G. Samuel, Executive Secretary,=20
Fellowship of the Baptist Churches, and Mr Abraham Mathai, Council=20
leader in Maharashtra, and member of the State Minorities Commission,=20
on behalf of the full executive of the All India Christian Council.
While expressing deep shock, grief and condemnation of the killings,=20
violence and destruction caused by religious extremists in Gujarat,=20
the All India Christian Council fully endorses the demand for a ban=20
on the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Bajrang Dal and their=20
affiliates made by all the secular, democratic forces across the=20
religions and the political divide in India.
A ban on these groups in India is not enough. The Christian Council=20
calls for an International ban on the activities of the VHP, it's=20
affiliates and frontal organisations abroad and calls for an=20
investigation of it's funding sources in the USA, Canada, UK and the=20
European nations. Barring the Bharatiya Janata party, which it=20
patronises, all other political groups, Human rights organisations=20
and Civil Society groups have branded the VHP and its affiliates as=20
terrorist organisations.
TEXT OF THE STATEMENT: The All India Christian Council condemns in=20
the strongest terms the violence caused by religious extremists in=20
Gujarat. The horror of the burning alive of people in the Sabarmati=20
Express and of over 600 men, women and children in Ahmedabad and=20
other parts of the state have shaken the soul and the conscience of=20
India.
The government of India has banned the Islamic Students Movement=20
SIMI, but despite overwhelming evidence of complicity in violence=20
against Christians and Muslims, has so far taken no action against=20
the VHP-RSS-Bajrang Dal group.
The Christian Council leadership endorses the demand made by all=20
secular and civil society bodies for the ban on the VHP and Bajrang=20
Dal for unleashing terror on innocent individuals and entire=20
communities. The evil ideology of the VHP-RSS-Bajrang Dal is not=20
confined to India and has supporters in other parts of the world. The=20
Christian Council has resolved to move the United Nations High=20
Commissioner on Human Rights and other international bodies to=20
investigate the activities and the funding of the VHP and it's=20
affiliates in the Western nations as well as in West Asia, Japan and=20
Mauritius.
The VHP/Bajrang Dal/RSS outfits have engaged in a constant hate=20
campaign against the minorities and have also recruited hundred of=20
thousands of persons who have been given arms training. Many=20
questions have been raised about the huge funding of all these=20
activities. Barring the Bharatiya Janata Party, all other political=20
groups, Human rights organisations and Civil Society groups have=20
branded the VHP and its affiliates as terrorist organisations.
The VHP's offices in foreign nations, its fanatical cadres and its=20
huge finances make it all the more dangerous outfit not only for the=20
Indian people but also for the International community. The VHP's=20
devious campaign to gain respectability in the UN and other forums=20
has been fully exposed by its present actions and statements. The VHP=20
and Bajrang Dal goons have not spared moderate Hindus who protected=20
Muslims and their properties in the present Gujarat, apart from their=20
violence against Christians, while indulging in the unabated carnage=20
in Gujarat. This reveals the extremist and fascist ideology of the=20
VHP that militates against India's plural ethnic, religious and=20
cultural identity, and its democratic institutions.
Among those who have had to leave their houses in Ahmedabad and find=20
refuge elsewhere are senior Judges and police officers. This=20
constitutes a coercion of the Indian judiciary. The VHP-RSS fanatics=20
have repeatedly shown their contempt of the judicial system and the=20
rule of law.
It is extremely sad that even though civil society leaders and the=20
media have been constantly warning the Central Government about the=20
campaign of the VHP to build a temple at the site of the 400 year old=20
Babri Mosque in Ayodhya that they illegally demolished in 1992, and=20
it's open defiance of the law and the Courts, nothing was done by the=20
BJP led Union government. The Union Government has been paralyzed by=20
these fascist outfits, which are powerful extra-Constitutional=20
centres of power in India.
The nation is reaping the bitter fruit of the Prime Minister's=20
inaction against the VHP/Bajrang Dal/ RSS and their hate campaign=20
against Christian and other minorities, and particularly their=20
anti-Christian violence of the last 4 years. The All India Christian=20
Council agrees with the Prime Minister that India's name has been=20
defamed internationally, but we remind the Prime minister it is=20
primarily so because of the inaction of his Government and the=20
complicity of the Government of Gujarat in the violence. Nothing=20
short of a ban on the VHP/Bajrang Dal and its affiliates will build=20
national credibility. The Christian Council conveyed this to the=20
Prime Minister of India together with other concerned civil society=20
leaders.
The Christian Council condemns the Gujarat government - which has=20
made the State the laboratory of its Hindutva experiment - and=20
specially the state police for it's patent complicity in the ongoing=20
violence in Gujarat. The Council has consistently pointed out that=20
the police and bureaucracy in Gujarat have been increasingly=20
infiltrated by the Hindutva ideology, which traces its roots to the=20
Nazism of Adolph Hitler. Senior police offices in Gujarat have=20
indicated how terribly bigoted the administrative and police=20
structures have become.
The Christian Council calls upon the Supreme Court of India and the=20
National Human Rights Commission to investigate the government and=20
police complicity in the communal carnage. In the meantime the=20
Christian Council leaders have called upon all Indians to together=20
fight the scourge of violent, hate filled religious extremism. The=20
fact that the VHP- Bajrang Dal goons have not spared moderate Hindus=20
is an ominous sign. This must get all civil society to come out in=20
the open and counter through peaceful and democratic means and defeat=20
all communal forces without which there will be no social and=20
economic development. The future of India depends on this peace,=20
justice and rule of law.
Signed Dr. Joseph D'Souza, Dr. John Dayal, Rev Dr. G. Samuel and Mr=20
Abraham Mathai.
For further information, please contact Dr Dayal (91 11) 2722262,=20
Mobile 09811021072 Email:=20
<mailto:johndayal@v...>johndayal@v...

_____

#7.

STOP THE KILLINGS!
DISMISS THE MURDEROUS GOVERNMENT OF GUJARAT!
VHP OUT OF AYODHYA!
PICKET THE INDIAN HIGH COMMISSION
INDIA HOUSE, THE ALDWYCH, WC1 [London, UK]
MONDAY 11 MARCH 4.30pm - 6.30pm

South Asia Solidarity Group and Asian Women Unite! have called this=20
protest to express our grief and anger at the terrible events in=20
Gujarat during the last week, and to add our voices to the demands of=20
progressive and anti-communal people across India for those=20
responsible for the killings to be brought to justice.

We are also coming together to oppose and resist the growing=20
influence of communal organisations, in particular the Vishwa Hindu=20
Parishad (VHP) who are using these events to poison relations between=20
South Asian communities in Britain.

Communalism and cold-blooded murder

For several months, the VHP has been whipping up communal tension and=20
targetting Muslims in India. In particular, it has renewed its focus=20
on building a Hindu temple at Ayodhya in U.P., at the same site where=20
the destruction of the historic Babri Masjid (mosque)on 6 December=20
1992 led to riots in which more than 3,000 people died. Far from=20
trying to prevent this, the Central Government led by the BJP, which=20
also controls the state government of Gujarat and up until elections=20
last week, U.P., has provided ample suppport to the VHP. Soon after=20
September 11, the government introduced a draconian new=20
anti-terrorist law - POTO. This has been used to persecute Muslim=20
youth on a large scale, while the terror outfits of the Hindu right=20
remain free to do as they wish. In the last week of February, =91kar=20
sevaks=92 - VHP activists travelling to Ayodhya for the temple building=20
- were reported to be terrorising train passengers, tearing off=20
burkhas of Muslim women and attacking those they suspected of being=20
Muslims.

On 27 February several compartments of a train carrying VHP activists=20
to Ayodhya were attacked and set on fire at Godhra in Gujarat and 58=20
people were killed, including women and children and other passengers=20
unconnected with the VHP. No sooner had the news of Godhra spread=20
than organised gangs of the Hindu communal organisations went on the=20
rampage while the police stood and watched as silent spectators, or=20
in some cases actually took part in the killings. From well-off=20
residential areas in Ahmedabad city to smaller towns and surrounding=20
villages, Muslim neighbourhoods were singled out and people burnt=20
alive. The planned and cold-blooded nature of the killings was clear=20
- in one case alleys adjoining Muslim homes were filled with water=20
and electric cables submerged in them so that those who tried to=20
escape the massacre would be electrocuted. Up to 1000 people have=20
been killed. Former MP Ehsan Jaffrey was burnt to death along with=20
members of his family and 38 others. In Naroda near Ahmedabad, a=20
thousand strong crowd surrounded a slum, dragged people out and burnt=20
67 of them alive. Among those who have lost their lives is Mohamed=20
Aswat Nallabhai from Batley who was on holiday and was travelling by=20
minibus with three relatives when their vehicle was set alight. Two=20
others who were with him are still missing.

The Gujarat Government - Active Sponsors of the Carnage

The BJP government in Gujarat simply withdrew itself and watched as=20
the killer squads of the VHP, RSS and Bajrang Dal went about their=20
systematic slaughter of Muslims with absolute impunity. Gujarat Chief=20
Minister Narendra Modi has shown where he stands by justifying the=20
killings as an =91emotional reaction=92 to the Godhra incident, and=20
congratulating the police for their =91excellent work=92. The Home=20
Minister in his government, Gordhan Zadhapia, is himself a VHP=20
leader. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner P.C. Pande openly endorsed the=20
communal role of the police in the massacres by stating that the=20
police =91were not insulated from the general social milieu=92. Dismissal=20
of this communal government has to be the first step to restoring=20
trust in Gujarat.

Central Government Collusion

The Central government is an alliance of parties led by the BJP - the=20
party of Prime Minister Vajpayee. The BJP is part of the same family=20
of Hindu fascist organisations to which the VHP and other killer=20
outfits active in Gujarat belong. For all these organisations,=20
Gujarat has been seen as a laboratory for a =91Hindu rashtra=92 or Hindu=20
state. In fact Gandhinagar in Ahmedabad is the constituency of the=20
notorious Union Home Minister L.K. Advani, who used Gujarat as the=20
launching pad for his =91rath yatra=92 (chariot procession) to Ayodhya in=20
1990. Yet he waited three days to visit Ahmedabad after the riots,=20
and he did not even issue a statement on the brutal killing of an=20
ex-MP in his own constituency. While vowing to prosecute those=20
involved in the Godhra killings, he made no mention of bringing those=20
who took part in the killings of Muslims to justice. Meanwhile the=20
government delayed sending in the Army by a full 36 hours and when it=20
did the Army was deployed so slowly and selectively that the killings=20
continued to spread across Gujarat. Only a week ago, the results of=20
the Assembly elections in four states showed a massive rejection of=20
the BJP by the Indian people from all communities. The BJP had fought=20
the elections on a platform of appeals to anti-Muslim, anti-Pakistan=20
sentiment and paranoia about national security and terrorist=20
=91threats=92. As commentators in India have argued, =91the fire Gujarat=20
has been kindled precisely to silence the people and vitiate the=20
social and political climate in the country...the anti people=20
measures being implemented by the government can only be pushed=20
through in this distorted and disturbed situation=92.

BRING THE GUILTY TO JUSTICE -
THOSE ON THE STREETS AND THOSE IN GOVERNMENT!
Details: South Asia Solidarity Group, tel 020 7267 0923; email=20
southasia@h...
Asian Women Unite! Tel. 020 7424 9535, email=20
<mailto:londec@h...>londec@h...

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