[sacw] SACW | 23 Oct. 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire | 23 October 2002

__________________________

#1. Uneasiness in Pakistan 13 days after the polls... (M. B. Naqvi)
#2. Pakistan Touts New Terror Decree (Paul Haven)
#3. India: Compromised Citizenship - Redress Alienation in Gujarat=20
Now (Farah Naqvi)
#4. India: Writers, Historians & activists approach Supreme Court on Gujara=
t
#5. India: Social Anesthesia (Najid Hussain)
#6. India: Statement by teachers of Zakir Husain College, University=20
of Delhi on the Murder of Dalits
#7. Murder of 'cow killers' in India prompts much soul searching (Luke Hard=
ing)

__________________________

#1.

Uneasiness in Pakistan 13 days after the polls...
M. B. Naqvi
Karachi October 22

There is growing uneasiness in the country about the failure to=20
convene the National Assembly or any of the Provincial Assemblies=20
even 13 days after the polls. At least four leaders of one MP parties=20
sounded an alarm bell on Monday in Islamabad. They feared that the=20
military authorities might take what they described as "some other=20
unconstitutional steps".

There has been a strange slow-paced action in not completing the full=20
strength of the National Assembly. Sixty women have to be elected by=20
the core National Assembly of 272 members and another ten have also=20
to be elected from amongst the religious minorities. All this could=20
have been easily done during these barren 13 days which would, with=20
the similarly completed Provincial Assemblies, have also brought into=20
being the college of electors for the upper House, Senate or for the=20
election of the President, if required.

This "if required"refers to the substantial constitutional issues=20
that may be, among other reasons, holding up both the convening of=20
the Assemblies and the formation of governments. These constitutional=20
issues are a major bone of contention between the military as an=20
entrenched ruling elite group and the variegated tribe of elected=20
MPs, on the one hand and among the parties, on the other.

Foreigners might joke about the Pakistani generals being deeply=20
interested in Constitutional issues when they are known the world=20
over as being only too prone to abrogate or suspend a constitution.=20
That is mistaken impression. Whether or not the Pakistani generals=20
excel in warlike matters, they are masters of the finer points of=20
Constitutional details or their implications. Anyway the military=20
leaders are immersed in constitutional matters because they had=20
carried out a military coup three years ago and are ruling by diktat=20
without a Constitution; they have been making do with the fiction=20
that there is a Constitution but it is in abeyance --- as if that=20
means anything at all.

Anyhow, the military is aware that what they did in 1999 was morally=20
wrong and illegal. Since there existed a court, calling itself the=20
Supreme Court and a citizen could go to it complaining the illegality=20
of the military's takeover. As it happens Pakistan's Superior=20
Judiciary has dealt with such futile appeals many times. Except once,=20
the apex court found all military coups in Pakistan a "necessary"=20
deviation from constitutional rectitude under a rather convenient=20
doctrine of "state necessity". But this time the Court was bolder:=20
while validating Musharraf's violation of the Constitution, it laid=20
down that he should hold election within three years and make over=20
power to the elected representatives of the people.

Musharraf complied with the Court decision by holding the polls on=20
Oct 10 last. That far too many people complain of rigging in these is=20
another matter. The question of questions is what follows after the=20
polls have been held? Ordinarily, if Musharraf was strictly following=20
the Court's guidelines, he should have transferred power by Oct 13,=20
2002. He is still mulling over when to convene the first oath taking=20
session of the National Assembly. Why?

There are very serious matters that the generals have to be sure=20
about before they hand back power. They want to be sure that the new=20
Assembly is friendly enough not to start legal proceedings for law=20
breaking in 1999 takeover. After all Martial Laws there is always an=20
act that indemnifies all military personnel who may have acted=20
outside the law. It is a vital requirement. Military takeovers are=20
easy but ending a military government is a risky operation: what will=20
the new men do? In this case, there are many more sensitive issues=20
than merely the saving of the skins of those who may have assisted=20
and conspired to do what was then or even now, if the Constitution is=20
restored, a crime.

Additional matters have cropped up because the military leaders have=20
decided to become a Constitutional Authority who can go on=20
supervising and guiding the elected government and preventing it=20
doing things they do not like. So Musharraf has amended a=20
Constitution --- all by himself --- that was not in force. He has=20
called it a National Security Council that will keep a weather eye on=20
the elected government. He has also acquired the right to dismiss the=20
whole elected system and governments responsible to the elected=20
Assemblies --- again under his own signatures. There is also his own=20
status. He at one stage promoted himself to become the President of=20
the Islamic Republic and later gave himself another five years=20
through a referendum that has become controversial.

There are many among the newly elected lot who question the very=20
right of Mr. Musharraf to be President as well as a paid employee of=20
the government as the Chief of Army Staff or writing under his sole=20
hand 29 Constitutional Amendments. Now, no elected MP would be so=20
unrealistic to refuse to pass an indemnity act or want to proceed=20
against an all powerful general who has yet to grant even a fraction=20
of the state power. But many are insisting that he gets himself=20
elected as per laid down procedure and get his Constitutional=20
Amendments passed by the Parliament in accordance with the=20
Constitution which they supposed will become in force as soon as they=20
sit in the NA.

The generals have heard these demands. They are scanning the whole=20
lot of newly elected persons: how many will insist on these demands=20
and how many can be won over to pass these amendments and accept the=20
Musharraf Presidency. A lot of behind the scenes rethinking,=20
negotiations with the elected gentry with some arm-twisting and some=20
inducement is going on. The suspicion is that there are chances of=20
election results being rejected --- probably by demonstrating that=20
the results are such a split mandate that no government can be formed=20
at least at the Centre.

The Assembly is sure to be called to session if a majority can be=20
found that will enable a government to be found and whose supporters=20
should be able to thwart other Constitutional amendments that are=20
hostile to what the Musharraf package of reforms (including IMF given=20
economic policies).

There is another consideration: the US. No outsider knows how have=20
the American government and area experts viewed the emergence of MMA=20
and the general nature of election results. There has been an=20
extraordinary reluctance to say something definite. But American=20
wishes are always a factor in Pakistan --- far more so now. This is=20
an important factor and will be among the major causes whatever=20
course of action the generals take. Ends story.

_____

#2.

The Washington Post
Tuesday, October 22, 2002; 6:55 AM

Pakistan Touts New Terror Decree

By Paul Haven
Associated Press Writer

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan =AD=AD Pakistan's military government defended a=20
controversial new anti-terrorism measure that allows police to detain=20
suspects for up to a year without charge, saying Tuesday that it was=20
vital to keep dangerous suspects off the streets.

The law, signed into effect by President Gen. Pervez Musharraf over=20
the weekend, has been criticized by human rights groups, who say it=20
grants authorities too much power. But Interior Minister Moinuddin=20
Haider said the new measure is similar to laws passed in other=20
countries since Sept. 11.

"This law is important for when you don't find much evidence but you=20
know for certain that this man is involved, or could be involved in=20
terrorism," Haider said in an interview with The Associated Press.=20
"We do not want these people roaming all over the cities where they=20
could create trouble."

Haider said the government had wanted authority to detain suspects=20
for up to two years without charge, but decided on the one-year limit=20
after consulting legal authorities. Under the law, suspects would=20
have a chance to argue for release every three months.

The law also allows authorities to more easily probe the assets of=20
suspects and their families, a tool that Haider said was crucial to=20
helping cut terrorists off from their funding.

The decree was condemned by human rights groups.

"This is a very Draconian measure," said I.A. Rehman, director of the=20
Lahore-based Human Right Commission of Pakistan. "It is quite a=20
serious attack on basic human rights."

Rehman said Pakistani police already abuse power granted to them=20
under existing "preventative detention" decrees, and increasing that=20
power would lead to even more abuse.

The government says the new powers are in line with tough=20
anti-terrorism laws passed in several European countries since Sept.=20
11, as well as America's indefinite detention of suspected al-Qaida=20
and Taliban prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, Musharraf has become a vital ally of the=20
United States in its war on terrorism, gaining him the enmity of=20
Islamic extremist groups at home. An increasingly swift undercurrent=20
of anti-Americanism helped pro-Taliban religious parties win=20
unprecedented influence in parliamentary elections earlier this=20
month, the first elections since Musharraf seized power in a 1999=20
coup.

But Haider said the rise of the religious parties, especially in the=20
provinces bordering Afghanistan where many Taliban and al-Qaida are=20
believed to have fled was "no cause for undue concern." He said the=20
government's commitment to fighting terrorists would not be affected.

Haider noted that more than 400 al-Qaida suspects had been arrested=20
in Pakistan, and also pointed to a government crackdown on domestic=20
militant groups believed behind a string of attacks on Christians and=20
Westerners in recent months.

"There are many extremists in Pakistan, and there are many sectarian=20
people who kill in Pakistan, but we have arrested most of them," he=20
said. "Pakistan is no longer a safe sanctuary for anybody. It is only=20
a matter of time =AD due to the government's resolve and better=20
coordination between our intelligence agencies =AD and we are=20
constantly producing good results."

Haider said the government had no evidence that al-Qaida might be=20
considering an attack in Pakistan, but he added that after the recent=20
attacks in Yemen and Indonesia, authorities were on the lookout.

"Of course, if you pursue a strong policy against terrorism, those=20
people who are affected could take any type of step," he said. "We=20
have to be prepared."
=A9 2002 The Associated Press

_____

#3

The Times of India
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2002
EDITORIAL
LEADER ARTICLE
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?artid=3D25993353

Compromised Citizenship
Redress Alienation in Gujarat Now

FARAH NAQVI

Now that the debris in Gujarat has temporarily settled (or has it?),=20
and cameras turned away from scenes of violence (at the moment=20
they're trained on the triumphant glow of Indian democracy in=20
Kashmir), let us finally count the dead. In terms of lives lost, we=20
know estimates range from 2,000 to 3,000. But what about the living=20
dead? The scores of Gujarati Muslims who exist in the twilight zone=20
of silence, painfully adjusting themselves to life in no-man's land=20
for they are no longer treated as equal citizens of India.
What rights of citizenship the burnt and looted Gujarati Muslim had=20
have finally been stripped. When my house is razed, children killed=20
and women raped, I naturally head to the police station. I seek=20
justice through the legal system. I may have little faith in the=20
system to deliver, but I do it still. Because that is my right. That=20
is the law. The idea of legal recourse and entitlement of citizenship=20
is powerful enough to override the reality of tedious legal=20
processes, and low conviction rates.
In troubled times we invoke our citizenship rights; we get solace=20
from it. But in Gujarat the natural entitlement of citizenship is=20
over. In its place has arrived alienation, a word used often in=20
decades past to describe the mood in Kashmir. Kashmiri Muslims were=20
alienated from the Indian nation, we were told. We needed to bring=20
them back.
So today, as we bask in the democratic revival in Kashmir, let us=20
worry for Gujarat. For, in Gujarat, alienation has taken root. It's=20
been coming for a while. Not just in Gujarat, but elsewhere too. The=20
140 million Muslims of India, no less than 12 per cent of the=20
population, have never had more than 5 per cent of representation in=20
state assemblies or Parliament.
In the services (IAS, IPS and IFS) Muslims range from under 3 per=20
cent to 3.5 per cent. In the private sector, the number of Muslims in=20
executive posts ranges from zero to perhaps 5 per cent. More than=20
half the urban Muslim population lives below the poverty line.
The facts are endless, the intent clear, the sum total spells=20
alienation. And now, there's Gujarat. I've been back to Gujarat=20
several times in these past seven months as part of a women's=20
fact-finding team, as an activist, as a concerned citizen. In=20
district after district, Muslims are living lives of humiliation.
It's called samjhauta, compromise; allowed back into their towns and=20
villages on condition that they will not file police complaints, not=20
name those who committed violence against them. Step out of line and=20
you will be hounded out.
A father in Anand district looks at me, eyes pools of deadened pain,=20
and describes the rape of his daughter. He saw them but there is no=20
police case. No names. No justice. I have to live here, he says. But=20
he no longer has any citizenship rights.
In another village in Dahod district, a group of women huddle=20
together in the glow of a solitary kerosene lamp, looking=20
suspiciously at the bindi on my forehead, and say nothing happened=20
here. A fellow activist encourages them, "You can tell her, she's=20
Muslim?". They look at me with new eyes, and slowly words start=20
tumbling out. How they were raped, how they ran -- it is an=20
avalanche, there are so many, I lose count. They know the rapists.=20
But they are not filing any cases. Like many others in Gujarat, this=20
too is a compromise village.
I am pained that they trust me not because I am human, but because I=20
have a Muslim name. That too is alienation. In the few villages where=20
Muslims have dared to seek legal redress, their economic survival=20
stands threatened -- their businesses boycotted, their services=20
shunned. Still they hang in there teetering between survival of the=20
flesh and survival of the spirit. That's alienation.
Meanwhile the sangh parivar thunders on about minority appeasement.=20
Appeasement. How did we allow it to become such a dirty word? I=20
looked it up in my dictionary. Among other things, it also means=20
propitiation to admit a fault and, by trying to make amends, to allay=20
hostile feelings. Do it, for the sake of India. Make amends to the=20
Muslims of Gujarat before their alienation turns into another=20
bleeding Kashmir-like wound.
Take away the Haj subsidy if need be, but give them back their=20
citizenship. But then that's the last thing that elements of the=20
sangh parivar want. They want open wounds. So Narendra Modi is=20
allowed to ride atop a gaurav rath. Hurl invectives at miyan=20
Musharraf, keep alive the Pakistani threat. It should surprise no one=20
that people like Bal Thackeray are against troop withdrawal from the=20
border. The enemy must be kept alive inside and outside.
For the Gujarati Muslim, it will mean a life of terror and the tag of=20
a terrorist. Small mercy that when push comes to shove, he will not=20
be allowed to really die. Because there is truly nothing more useless=20
than a dead enemy. So what if it also means killing the idea of India.
(The author is a freelance writer and activist)

_____

#4.

http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/oct/22guj4.htm

Rediff.com
October 22, 2002
1812 IST

Jnanpith winner approaches Supreme Court on Gujarat

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Centre, Gujarat=20
government and the National Human Rights Commission on a petition=20
filed by Jnanpith award winner Mahashweta Devi and 29 others seeking=20
reopening of relief camps for Gujarat riot victims and transfer of=20
all riot-related cases to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

A bench, comprising Justice V N Khare, Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice=20
Arun Kumar, after issuing the notices, directed the petition be=20
tagged along with the one filed by noted danseuse Mallika Sarabhai on=20
Gujarat riot issues.

The petitioners, including Bhism Sahni, Dileep Padgaonkar, Subha=20
Mudgal and Ashok Vajpayee, requested the court to issue a direction=20
to the state government to reopen the relief camps till all=20
rehabilitation work was complete.

Seeking transfer of all riot-related criminal cases to the CBI, they=20
pleaded that special fast track courts be set up to try the cases=20
after submission of the charge sheet by the agency.

The petitioners requested the court to direct the state government to=20
impose fine on officials if riots ever erupted in their area and also=20
sought initiation of departmental and criminal proceedings against=20
officials who had a hand in the February riots.

The petitioners said the NHRC should be asked to monitor relief and=20
rehabilitation measures being taken by the Gujarat government and=20
also evolve a proper compensation scheme for the riot victims.

The pleaded that the government should consider allotting houses and=20
granting soft loans to the victims.

PTI

____

#5.

http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=3D20021021&fname=3Dnajid&sid=
=3D1
[ October 21, 2002]

Social Anesthesia

by Najid Hussain

Giving his daughter the lesson in optimism, Ahsan Jafri, the former=20
Member of Parliament who was killed during the last Gujarat violence,=20
had often said, "There is animosity in the world, but there is also=20
brotherhood and love; there is pain and miseries in the world, but=20
there is also happiness and progress; there is fighting and brutality=20
in the world, but there is also peace and tranquility. It only=20
depends upon where and how you look at the world".

Jafri was an optimist. However, a little pessimism is often good for=20
a society. It helps us take a little deeper look at our analyses,=20
protocols, evaluations, understanding and theses.

Gujarat violence has provided several valuable insights about the=20
communal polarization that has been so shrewdly and successfully=20
advanced and achieved in the state. Jafri was right in one sense=20
that it only depends upon how you look at your world. Well, let us=20
take a look at our world- a little pessimistically this time.

The champions of the communal divide have us believe that the Gujarat=20
violence was a result of Hindu-Muslim animosity, which is historic,=20
deep-rooted and, given the tenets of Islam, unavoidable. But in=20
reality, nothing could be farther from the truth. It was not the=20
religion- Hinduism or Islam- that was responsible for the Gujarat=20
violence. The only religion that was actually responsible for the=20
violence was Extremism.

Extremism, which has remarkably flourished globally in the 20th=20
century, is a religion in itself. Converts to Extremism come from=20
Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and many other faiths. But=20
the violence seen in Gujarat occurred because the elements of this=20
extremist faith entered the government, or the government was=20
controlled by the extremists.

True religions have been a part of our creation and are not at all=20
bad - regardless of Semitic origin or Pagan. No religion teaches us=20
to be evil, unkind, intolerant, or violent. It is exactly the=20
opposite of these natural instincts in the human beings that the=20
religions came to address, suppress and eliminate. In present times,=20
it is mostly the interpretation stupid- an interpretation that has=20
more to do with politics than spirituality.

The question is, what leads us to miss this obvious deduction?

Speaking at one of the fundraisers for Gujarat victims, Imam Siraj=20
Wahhaj, a clergy who accepted Islam recently, recounted his=20
experience with a dentist. He had gone to a dentist for the=20
extraction of his trouble tooth. After seating him on the chair, the=20
dentist took a pliar in his hand, rest his foot against Imam Siraj=20
Wahhaj=B9s chair and started yanking on his tooth. The procedure was=20
brutal and Imam Siraj said a lot of blood came out before the tooth=20
was extracted. But he also said that he did not feel the pain. No=20
pain, because he was under the effect of anesthesia.

One could see several reflections in that experience.
The procedure in Gujarat, which was called "A Great Gujarat=20
Experiment" by the extremists like Togadias and Singhals, was brutal.=20
Abundant blood, burning, rape and mutilation of innocent people- men,=20
women and children, occurred. But judging from the reaction of our=20
government, our polarized communities and the world at large, it is=20
not difficult to see that many did not feel the pain from that=20
procedure. Many of us- the good Samaritans, educated, intellectual=20
people- even condoned it in the backdrop of Godhra and Amarnath.=20
These are the people who are under the effect of a very heavy dose of=20
anesthesia- Social Anesthesia- administered to them by the crafty and=20
opportunistic political doctors.

There are several brands of this Social Anesthesia. The most=20
commonly used in India are Kashmir, Ayodhya, Muslim Personal Law and=20
the excesses committed by Pakistan and Bangladesh on their local=20
Hindus. A pessimistic question is "Is any of these issues truly=20
Hindu-Muslim problem, or they have only been cleverly dressed to look=20
like Hindu-Muslim problems?" Let us see.

Kashmir:
We have repeatedly been told that Muslims, who are the majority in=20
Kashmir, have been committing Hindu genocide and ethnically cleansing=20
the region of Hindus. However, the reality is that for every Hindu=20
killed in Kashmir, nearly 5 innocent Muslims have lost their lives.=20
The total number of Muslims killed in the valley over the last 15=20
years is well over 35,000. How can this be called a Hindu genocide?=20
Hindus have fled from Kashmir, but the Muslims are dying right there.=20
Every day. It is neither a Hindu genocide, nor ethnic cleansing by=20
Muslims. It is simply a tragedy that is borne out of our failure as=20
a country to deal with the extremists and terrorists and compounded=20
by the constant communal rhetoric of the opportunists.

No one should belittle the pain and miseries the Kashmiri Pandits=20
have suffered. But no one should ignore the pain and miseries of the=20
innocent Muslims in Kashmir as well, who also have suffered equally,=20
if not more and continue to suffer. Kashmir is not a Hindu-Muslim=20
problem. It is a political problem, which is being exploited by the=20
extremists on either side of the communal divide. Life of Kashmiris=20
is disrupted and destroyed on either side- India as well as Pakistan.=20
There is no security, or peace for them in Kashmir. Description of=20
the state of Muslims in POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) by Khalid=20
Hasan in "Kashmir: Time for honesty" clearly shows that Kashmir is=20
not at all a Hindu-Muslim problem.

This problem can be solved only if our leadership stops exploiting=20
Kashmir issue for petty benefits and electoral gains, or as Arundhati=20
Roy points out, invokes Kashmir to hide their domestic failures=20
behind it. The solution lies in accepting Kashmir as a political=20
problem and therefore in finding a political solution. Integrating=20
the Kashmiris with the rest of India by making them partners in our=20
progress will help.

Ayodhya:
For nearly 600 years since Babar built Babri Masjid, the issue did=20
not polarize Hindu-Muslim communities as much as the communal spin=20
put on this issue and its subsequent advertisement in the past=20
decade, starting with Advani=B9s Rath Yatra, has made it possible.=20
Muslims in general have shown a total complacency in the apathy of=20
their leadership in tackling the issue. Over my fifteen years of=20
working on this problem, I am yet to come across a Muslim who=20
actually believes that Babri Masjid should not be given to the Hindus=20
with respect and dignity that it deserves. That view is held by a=20
wide spectrum of Muslims- rich and poor, educated and illiterate,=20
young and old. But the Muslim leadership is not listening to their=20
silent majority who want to build the bridge of co-operation and=20
understanding with their fellow Indians, just as the Hindu leadership=20
is not listening to their silent majority who do not want to=20
politicize their religious issue. It would seem that the Muslim and=20
Hindu leadership is working hand-in-glove in a self-serving manner=20
using this issue, just like the Kashmir issue, in their own power=20
struggles. It is again extremism at work on both sides, and helped=20
with our silence, poor judgment and a lack of understanding, or clear=20
thinking, has even been successful in producing communal divisions=20
that we have not seen for the last 600 years.

Muslim Personal Law (MPL):
In the aftermath of fatwa against Salman Rashdie and banning of his=20
book, "Satanic Verses" in India, I had asked literally hundreds of=20
Muslims how they felt about the issue. Every Muslim condemned the=20
book and a large majority justified banning its publication as well=20
as the fatwa against Rashdie. But, strangely enough, none of them=20
had read the book or even seen it. Pessimistically seen, this is not=20
very uncommon in India. That is essentially because we are a=20
community that jumps to conclusion before knowing, or many a times=20
without knowing, the facts. It is precisely this characteristic, or=20
the weakness, which has been smartly exploited by the extremists to=20
their advantage on the issue of MPL.

Extremists say that Indian Muslims are against Uniform Civil Code=20
(UCC) because they don't want to lose the provision of multiple=20
marriages allowed under the Muslim Personal Law which helps them=20
increase their population through excessive procreation. One of=20
Modi=B9s derogatory remarks on Muslims during his Gujarat Gaurav Yatra=20
was "ham paanch, hamaare pachchees" (we five and our twenty five).

However, the fact is that the demography of India has not changed to=20
any significant extent over the last 50 years despite ballooning of=20
our population. I don=B9t know of any Muslim who has, or wants to have=20
four wives and dozens of children. The percentage of population with=20
large families (more than six) also does not show any significant=20
religion bias. So why are these derogatory rhetoric sticking?=20
Satanic-Verse-syndrome!

If the Muslim leadership was clever, it would have challenged the=20
proponents of UCC to do just that- bring in a Uniform Civil Code in=20
India. It is not just Muslims who have special provisions through=20
MPL under the existing laws. There are special provisions, some of=20
them even for multiple marriages, provided to various castes and=20
Hindu tribes under our existing laws and it is not easy to properly=20
integrate these laws in order to arrive at a Uniform Civil Code=20
without upsetting many communities. But the blame has been squarely=20
pinned on the Muslims and the Muslim leadership has no clue or the=20
courage to call the bluff.

Hindu Genocides in Pakistan and Bangladesh:
Ill treatment of Minorities in countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh,=20
Afghanistan, Most of Middle East, Malaysia, Burma, Laos and many=20
other such countries including much of South America has been a=20
reality. But again it would be wrong to make this a Hindu-Muslim=20
issue. We all know that in Pakistan not just Hindus, but many Muslim=20
tribes, for example Shia=B9s, Ahmadis, Ismaeelis, AghaKhanis and Bohras=20
have also suffered much worse atrocities. Bahais have suffered in=20
Jordon and Iran; Shia=B9s continue to suffer in Iraq, Saudi Arabia,=20
Malaysia; Buddhists, Christians and Muslims in Burma and Laos; Kurds=20
in Iraq. These are mainly majority-minority issues, which should not=20
be communalized in terms of Hindu-Muslim rivalry. During Aurangzeb=B9s=20
reign, several Bohra leaders had been slained, notable amongst whom=20
were Maulana Kutbuddin and Maulana FeerKhan Shuja=B9uddin. They were=20
all Muslims. Besides, it is a common sense that if the neighbor is=20
beating his wife, my wife does not destroy her own house treating the=20
neighbor's affair as one of man-woman issue and call every man=20
unjust, or a woman-basher. Muslims in India in general do not have=20
ill feelings towards their Hindu compatriots, just as Hindus in=20
general do not have ill feelings towards Indian Muslims. We just=20
need to get out of this Pakistan-Bangladesh, Hindu-Muslim anesthesia=20
and stop the extremists invoking religion to divide us thereby=20
weakening our union, which has been so unique for so long.

Working at the grassroots for decades with a campaign of=20
misinformation, misinterpretation and plain lies, Indian extremists=20
have successfully raised an entire generation based on the ideology=20
of hate and intolerance of others=B9 faiths and religious beliefs.=20
This generation has been totally anesthetized with the Hindu-Muslim=20
rhetoric and made immune to see the human sufferings. While the=20
leaders who preach hate and violence have never lost any of their=20
family members to the communal violence they propagate in the=20
country, common citizens have suffered and continue to suffer great=20
losses in terms of their lives and livelihoods. Country as a whole=20
also pays a big price by getting weak and impoverished. Just the=20
Gujarat violence has costed us more than 10,000 crore rupees in=20
damages and several thousand crore more in lost opportunities,=20
investments, time, goodwill and the security. Its time for the=20
silent majority to come out of the hibernation, rise, speak up and=20
make that difference which will stop the campaign of hate and terror=20
and put the hate-mongers out of business, preferably behind bars.=20
Muslims need to reject a lot of their present leadership just as=20
Hindus need to do away with their own. When Shahabuddins, Bukharis,=20
Singhals, Modis, Advanis and several of their cohorts are driven out=20
and replaced by the true sons and daughters of India, who are full of=20
pride for their country and love for the humanity, there can be=20
optimism. There can be hope for the unity, integrity, humanity and=20
our peaceful co-existence, which will bring unprecedented progress to=20
our country and push India to become one of the most developed and=20
powerful nations in the world. Working together, I have no doubt we=20
can realize that dream.

____

#6.

21st October 2002.

We the undersigned are shocked and ashamed by the lynching of five=20
Dalit young men ostensibly because they were skinning a cow. The=20
statements of the VHP, whose members are allegedly involved in the=20
gruesome killing, seek to justify the incident. The ruling BJP and=20
its leaders, like the functionaries of the extended Sangh Parivar,=20
have either lapsed into silence after a few perfunctory statements,=20
or are trying to find technicalities which they suggest could=20
'account for' the horrendous crime.

The country is yet to come to terms with the brutality of the Gujarat=20
carnage. Here the VHP, Bajrang Dal, RSS and BJP have been identified=20
as significant perpetrators of the violence by victims, the National=20
Human Rights Commission and several investigating commissions.

The situation is most alarming. Under the garb of a 'fight against=20
terrorism' acts of fascist terror are being carried out by Hindu=20
fundamentalists. These acts are becomingly increasingly brazen=20
because the very institutions that should protect the rights, life=20
and liberty of all citizens have been either paralyzed or directly=20
co-opted by these fundamentalist forces.

It is imperative that all rational concerned citizens, irrespective=20
of their political affiliation or religious conviction, speak out=20
forcefully against organizations that are tearing apart the social=20
fabric of our plural culture and traditions.

The Central Government must act at once against the Sangh Parivar and=20
the Shiv Sena as they have acted against other fundamentalist groups.=20
These organizations must be banned immediately if the constitutional=20
structure and the rights of citizens are to survive in our country.
Yours Sincerely,
1. Amaresh Ganguly
2. Ram Bhatnagar
3. Uma Shankar
4. Lima Kanungo
5. Virendra Lal
6. Madhu Prasad
7. Khalid Alvi
8. Satyapal Singh
9. S.H. Siddiqi
10. Gurpreet Singh
11. M.N. Wadhawan
12. M.S. Hasan
13. Khurshid Alam
14. M. Jafar Ahrari
15. M.Arif
16. Ayub Khan
17. Gayatri Shishodia
18. Mukul Chaturvedi
19. Shubhra Sinha
20. Divya Tiwari
21. Rachna Sethi
22. Rana Sami
23. Sarita Khurana
24. U.S. Bava
25. Nirupma Mathur
26. Ruma Debnath
27. Mumtaz Mujeeb
28. Shanti Duggal
29. Swati Gupta
30. Anuradha Marwah
31. Babeeta Churungu Kaul
32. Ratnum K. Wattal
33. Sangeeta Dar
34. Shailza Gupta
35. Nisha Jaiswal
36. Swati Arora
37. Rizwan Ahmed
38. M.M. Rehman
39. Sanjay Sharma
40. Pradeep Kumar
41. Bharat Bhushan
42. G.K. Arora
43. Ramji Misra
44. K.K. Sarna
45. M. Jafar
46. Shamshul Haque
47. L.M. Saha
48. Harender Singh
49. Sanjay Mehra
50. Saba Khan
51. S.G. Hashmi
52. K.C. Tuli
53. J. Rehman
54. Ramesh Mehta.

This statement is signed by teachers of Zakir Husain College,=20
University of Delhi and is being sent to all newspapers/ journals. We=20
appeal to all to also send statements to the press urgently.

_____

#7.

The Guardian
Tuesday October 22, 2002

Murder of 'cow killers' in India prompts much soul searching

Luke Harding in New Delhi

A Hindu religious leader has welcomed the murders of five men accused=20
by a mob of killing a cow, India's most sacred animal, claiming that=20
the life of the creature is more important than that of a human.

The victims in the north Indian state of Haryana hailed from the=20
downtrodden Dalit caste, called "untouchables".

Police claim a 4,000-strong mob, incensed by the cow skins carried in=20
the men's truck, attacked the Dalits and killed them. Other=20
witnesses, however, insist the police killed them because they had=20
refused to pay a bribe. Officers then allegedly spread the word that=20
the Dalits had killed a cow to induce a vengeful mob.

To compound suspicions of a cover-up, the officer in charge of the=20
case carried out a postmortem late last week - on the cow. And police=20
have yet to make any arrests.

The case touches on several themes in modern Indian society: police=20
unaccountability; the rise of violent Hindu extremism; and the=20
persistence of India's ancient caste system.

It also raises the question: can a cow's life be worth more than that=20
of a human? The answer, says Giriraj Kishore, a leader of the=20
extremist religious Hindu group, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, is yes.=20
Respected Hindu papers such as the Indian Express called it horrific.

Ratan Singh, whose 27-year-old son was burned to death, said the=20
families had been skinning cows for generations, that they had been=20
working on council contracts, and that their truck would never have=20
carried a carcass.

He said that one man was so seriously beaten that police had "to=20
spread the story that they were killing a cow".

The men's bodies - "half-burned, their eyes gouged out", were found=20
in hospital.

"Untouchability" survives in many Indian villages, despite laws=20
designed to protect Dalits, and to reserve jobs for them in the civil=20
service.

Although Dalits are at the bottom of the caste heap, some point out=20
that the cows' lot in India is not always a happy one either -=20
thousands die each year after ingesting plastic bags from rubbish=20
heaps.

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

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