[sacw] SACW | 25 Sept. 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire | 25 September 2002

__________________________

#1. Sri Lanka: For Rajini Rajasingham-Thiranagama (Nalin Swaris)
#2. India / US: Open death threat issued to Muslims (following temple=20
attack in Gujarat) at a Hindu far right web site hosted in the US.
#3. Press Statement : STOP THE WAR! Peoples' Initiative for Peace, Bangalo=
re
#4. Ways of Resisting: Sahmat Needs Your Support
#5. Letter to the Chief Justice of India (All India Defence Committee=20
For Syed Abdul Rehman Geelani)
#6. The struggle against dowry must be linked to a wider political=20
agenda (Brinda Karat)
#7. Row over censor's cuts in India war film (BBC report)
#8. Major Conflict in India on Education - Row Brewing on Pro-Hindu=20
Slant in Textbooks
(Praful Bidwai )
#9. Call for applications: Forum on Trauma, History, and "Asia"

__________________________

#1.

The Island (Colombo)
25 September 2002
Midweek Review

For Rajini
23rd February 1954 =AD 21st September 1989

by Nalin Swaris
I met Rajini Rajasingham-Thiranagama only once, in the Netherlands,=20
in the autumn of 1984. The Sri Lankan Workgroup, of which I was a=20
founder, organised a Sri Lanka Day, in Utrecht, in the aftermath of=20
the terrible events of the Black July of =8C83. We had invited the=20
various Tamil political formations, including the militant groups,=20
with offices in London, to send representatives to the Utrecht=20
conference. Rajini came as a sympathiser of the LTTE. Not=20
surprisingly, most of the participants evinced the greatest interest=20
in the problems faced by the Tamil people.

Rajini was the most articulate and charismatic of the Tamil leaders=20
from London. Another comrade and I were the only two Sinhalese=20
present. We kept a polite, even reverent distance as Rajini spoke=20
with earnest intensity about the decades of humiliation suffered by=20
the Tamil people, the savagery of July=B983 and the justness of the=20
armed struggle for Tamil liberation. She knew to distinguish between=20
the Sinhala people and the perfidy of Sinhala politicians in power.

Two young Dutch women of the Sri Lanka Workgroup and Rajini became=20
instant friends. Rajini was a faithful correspondent and we of the=20
Workgroup followed her activities after her return to Jaffna:=20
Rajini=B9s indignation at the treatment meted out to the people by the=20
IPKF, her growing disillusionment with the militant groups, her=20
disassociation from the LTTE and the decision to found the University=20
Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) with a band of brave colleagues.=20
Then on the morning of September the 22nd 1989, one of Dutch women of=20
the Workgroup called me and in a voice broken with sobs, said, "They=20
have killed Rajini". I gritted my teeth, took a deep breath and=20
cursed the political thugs who ordered the elimination of an=20
extraordinary human being like Rajini, perhaps the noblest this=20
nation has produced in the post-independence period.

The encounter with Rajini in Utrecht has been seared into my memory.=20
A slight built woman in jeans and pullover, long dark tresses and=20
large eyes burning like coals. What I remember is her passion and the=20
pure quality of it. She dedicated herself to what she believed in=20
with total commitment and integrity. Rajini was a pilgrim of the=20
absolute. She not only had the courage of her convictions but more=20
importantly also the courage to question her convictions, when they=20
seemed misdirected.

An Extraordinary Life

Who was Rajini Rajasingham-Thiranagama? And why should we remember=20
her with homage and gratitude? One of the most cherished tapes in my=20
video collection is a registration of the talk given by Dr. Brian=20
Seneviratne at an extraordinary meeting of the Queensland Tamil=20
Association to commemorate the murder of Rajini=20
Rajasingham-Thiranagama. Knowing how much I admired Rajini, a Tamil=20
friend DHLed a copy to me in the Netherlands.

Brian Seneviratne had been reviled by Sinhala Nationalists as a=20
=8CTamil loving=B9 traitor. He was an outspoken supporter of the Tamil=20
cause, but unlike some latter day advocates of =8Csubstantial internal=20
autonomy=B9, he did not mince his words when the so-called liberators=20
of the Tamil people became their worst oppressors. He was not a=20
crypto-racist who believed that if the Tamil people are happy with=20
tyrants, of what concern is it to us in the South, as long as we have=20
peace? Brian Seneviratne was visibly outraged by Rajini=B9s murder and=20
was fighting hard to contain his tears as he spoke. He knew Rajini=20
from the time she was a medical student in Colombo and he was on the=20
teaching staff of the Peradeniya Medical School. Rajini was a close=20
friend of a niece of his and they used to frequently visit his home=20
in Colombo.

A brilliant student, Rajini obtained grades in all her examinations=20
and after passing out began her teaching career at the Anatomy=20
Department of the Medical Faculty of the University of Jaffna. She=20
was awarded a commonwealth scholarship to do her postgraduate studies=20
at one of London=B9s most prestigious medical schools the Middlesex=20
University Hospital. She then moved on to the University of Liverpool=20
do research on Comparative Anatomy for her M.D. Brian Seneviratne=20
pointed out that after obtaining her doctorate Rajini need not have=20
returned to Sri Lanka: "With the research work she had done, her=20
training and publications in international medical journals, Rajini=20
had only to indicate that she wished to stay on in the West.

There is a dearth of qualified anatomists all over the world and=20
people would have fallen over each other to offer her a job". Neither=20
did Rajini on her return set up an NGO shop in Colombo. She had=20
developed enough contacts in the West and Western money-bags would=20
have rushed to fund her if she wanted to monitor human rights=20
violations in Jaffna, from a villa in Colombo. But she went back to=20
her beloved university and almost single-handedly opened up the=20
Anatomy Department, cleaning up the rubble of the battle scarred=20
rooms with her bare hands.

As her friend Amrit Wilson recalled after Rajini was killed, "She=20
taught a colossal 48 hrs a week. But she found time to set up the=20
university Teachers for Human Rights Group and in the last few months=20
she also produced and acted in a play about rape and violence against=20
women in the context of war". She and some of her colleagues saw with=20
anguish how the fabric of Jaffna society was collapsing before their=20
eyes.

The peace that the Indian army was keeping had become a reign of=20
terror. The various liberators were meting out rough justice and=20
instant death to dissenters and to those whom they decided were=20
traitors to their particular recipe for achieving Eelam.

That is when the decision was made to found the UTHR(J). To Brian=20
Seneviratne again: "I do not wish to speculate as to who killed=20
Rajini Thiranagama. Everyone had a motive, the IPKF, the EPRLF and=20
the LTTE. The more relevant question is: "Why was his extraordinary=20
girl killed?" Then holding up the first and second UTHR reports and=20
the pre-publication issue of the Broken Palmyrah, he said, "This is=20
why she was killed." He then went on to cite atrocities committed by=20
the Indian army, the TELO, the EPRLF and the LTTE, recorded in the=20
Broken Palmyrah. He said that knowing the calibre of the authors, he=20
could personally vouch for the authenticity of the events recorded=20
and in any case, he said the writers have gone to the trouble of=20
explaining the way they had gathered their facts individually, and as=20
a group.

A New Standard for Human Rights Work

The UTHR set a new standard for human rights works and a new work=20
style for gathering information about human rights violations. Rajini=20
expressed the ideal which inspired them as follows: "A life is a=20
life. Whoever takes life must be exposed independently of party=20
feeling. We wanted to show, that in the first place we valued life".=20
For Rajini and the founder members of the UTHR (J) =8Chuman=B9 meant all=20
the humans that inhabit this benighted Isle, and life meant all life,=20
not just Tamil, Muslim or Sinhala lives. Their indignation against=20
human rights violations was not selective - a tactic of partisan=20
politics. Rajini was particularly concerned with the plight of Jaffna=20
women.

Whenever reports reached her of atrocities committed against women=20
she would get on to her bicycle and rushed to the spot to offer=20
comfort and record the atrocity with meticulous care. Rajini=B9s=20
reports and analysis of the physical and psychological damage=20
suffered by Tamil women was titled, "I have no more tears sister".=20
Every one of the founders were (are) highly qualified academics. But=20
they did not work from comfortable city-offices, letting their field=20
workers do =8Cthe dirty work=B9, after which they could sift the material=20
and send it off together their learned comment, to interested present=20
and potential donors.

They were there on the spot and did not shrink from letting their=20
hands be stained by the blood of victims. They continued their work=20
in Jaffna even after Rajini was killed and fled Jaffna because their=20
lives were in imminent danger. These eminent scholars have lived=20
clandestine lives in the South, and the people who gather information=20
about human rights violations in the North and the East and smuggle=20
them to the South do so at great peril to their lives.

The UTHR(J) members who work with meagre resources and who have=20
resisted the temptation of becoming a respectable big NGO, remain an=20
embarrassment to some =8Cpeace-process-championing=B9 NGO wallahs.

A Greek Tragedy

Like a heroine in a Greek tragedy, Rajini knew that the drama of her=20
life was unfolding inexorably towards a deadly denouement. But it was=20
a destiny she had freely determined and consciously taken into her=20
own hands: "One day a gun will silence me. And it will not be held by=20
an outsider, but by a son born in the womb of this very society -=20
from a woman with whom my history is shared".

Her murder and that of outstanding Tamil humanitarians like=20
Kanadasamy and Thiruchelvam exemplify the tragic course of the Tamil=20
Liberation struggle; begun as valiant resistance to Sinhala-State=20
oppression, it degenerated into hatred of the Sinhala people.

The hatred then turned inward into a frightening implosion of Tamil=20
on Tamil violence, with the LTTE emerging, through rivers of blood,=20
as the "sole representative of the Tamil-speaking people". What=20
Rajini wrote in early 1989, is equally valid today: "There are no=20
mass organisations which can effectively mobilise the people, or=20
voice their needs and opinions ... there were all the externals of=20
change: murals, Tiger courts, ribbon cutting by the Tigers! But the=20
people have no role. They are spectators, bystanders, unable to=20
determine the course of their struggle". Rajini did not spare our=20
intellectuals either: "Our intellectuals should have been the=20
catalysts to energise the benumbed community" (in the South today, we=20
have, cricket, all night pop concerts and Sportoramas to distract a=20
besotted community NS.) "In many instances they have sidestepped=20
confrontational issues... their unprincipled conduct reflecting=20
merely a desire to create niches for themselves in which they can=20
survive with the trappings of respectability and nominal power".

Just and Enduring Peace and Rajini

Rajini=B9s voice has not been silenced. She continues to speak to us=20
through her writings passionate, limped, lyrical. She was a not an=20
ivory academic writing abstruse and arid pieces for a Colombo=20
conference. Rajini did not try to feel with her head.

She thought with her heart. A passion for truth and justice, love for=20
her wounded people and pain, exasperation with hypocrisy, are=20
palpable in her writings. It as if she knew her time was running out=20
and was writing with running feet. Rajini realised that whether in=20
making war or in making peace what is at stake is our common humanity=20
and the right that all of us, especially the least of us have, to=20
live in freedom and with dignity: that neither national liberation=20
nor national security justifies the trampling of basic human rights,=20
especially the right to life.

The first round of talks have ended with both sides expressing=20
satisfaction and the spectator-people expressing relief. The two=20
negotiating parties, the LTTE and the Government(s) of Sri Lanka have=20
a horrendous record of gross human rights violations and crimes=20
against humanity. Torture is routinely practised in LTTE camps and in=20
our police stations. Torture is endemic to our criminal investigation=20
system.

There is no difference in the ferocity of Sinhala on Sinhala and=20
Tamil on Tamil violence. If and when a peace is settled what sort of=20
society will we have in =8Cthe autonomous region=B9 and in the rest of=20
the country where corrupt and cynical politicians gave impetus to the=20
will for separation? This is the question which Rajini asked during=20
the =8CIndian peace=B9 and which the UTHR(J) continues to ask. As the=20
negotiators whittle out their peace, like the ghost of Hamlet=B9s=20
father, the spectre of Rajini haunts the battlements of Sattahip.

Any genuine peacemaker or intellectual worthy of his of her salt,=20
including dottori and professori, must have the courage to "speak to=20
it=B9.

_____

#2

[Open death threat issued to Muslims (following temple attack in=20
Gujarat) at a Hindu far right web site hosted in the US. Here goes: ]

ooo

http://www.HinduUnity.Org
Together we shall fight to protect
our culture, heritage & religion!
Proud to be the official website of the Bajrang Dal

MUSLIMS ATTACK HINDU TEMPLE, 25 Killed (Sept 24)
and 25 hostages still being held.

"For every Hindu that has died in this temple, there will be 30
Muslims who will face the same consequences. 26 Hindu have died as
of today. If the rest die, there will be that many Muslim lives
taken. Let the world know that Hindus have take enough Islamic
terror and retaliation is the only solution left for us to protect
our culture, religion and people."
- Rohit Vyasmaan, Chairman, H.U.

_____

#3.

PEOPLES' INITIATIVE FOR PEACE, BANGALORE [India]

Bangalore, Sept 23, 2002
Press Statement : STOP THE WAR !

We, the Peoples=92 Initiative for Peace, Bangalore, a coalition of=20
diverse social action groups and concerned citizens, are greatly=20
alarmed by and unequivocally condemn, the preparations for a=20
full-blown war against Iraq currently being undertaken by the United=20
States of America. We also deplore the recent air strikes and=20
military build up against Iraq by the US and UK, that are being seen=20
by many as a prelude to an all-out war.

The US governments=92 plans are impermissible and immoral, and need to=20
be immediately checked. While its intention is no more noble than to=20
install a puppet regime in Iraq that would be in line with its=20
economic and political interests in the oil-rich Middle East, the US=20
would like the world to believe that war against Iraq is necessary to=20
combat terrorism and contain a "rogue state".

In the context of a 12 year embargo and trade sanctions that have=20
killed thousands of Iraqi people, caused unmitigated hardships,=20
crippled the economy and devastated public life, the war plans of the=20
US government can only be termed sinister and evil. In the context=20
of Iraq's stated readiness for unconditional inspection of its=20
weapons factories, it is the US, by continuing to prepare for war=20
that is acting the rogue. In the context of international disapproval=20
of the US plans, and lack of support from both the UN and even his=20
own US Congress, it is George Bush who, by going ahead with his war=20
plans, is demonstrating to the world that the very country that has,=20
since September 11, 2001, been most vociferous about combating terror=20
is today the biggest perpetrator of terrorism.

The US is of course no stranger to the politics of terror. Be it=20
Chile, or Nicaragua, Vietnam or Iraq, a succession of US governments=20
has systematically violated the sovereignty of independent nation=20
states to consolidate USA as a global super power. However, the=20
September 11 tragedy armed the US with the self-styled right to=20
selectively identify, target and bomb countries that it considers=20
inimical to US interests. It allowed the memory of vibrant=20
anti-Vietnam protests to be replaced in the collective American=20
memory by a frantic need for security to be gained through the=20
unholiest of means: war!

While war might boost a sagging US economy, the rest of the world has=20
little to gain. The memory of thousands of devastated Indian workers=20
fleeing Iraq and returning to Indian shores in 1991 when the US first=20
waged war against the country is still fresh in our minds. We cannot=20
allow history to repeat itself.=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0

The rising pitch of anti-Islamic propaganda by the United States post=20
September 11 has boosted right-wing fascism that targets Muslims all=20
over the world be it Chechnya, Palestine or indeed in our own=20
country, in Gujarat. Immediately after the events of September 11=20
last year, as the US undertook to bomb Afghanistan "back into the=20
stone age", the forces of Hindutva took heed of a manufactured=20
anti-Islamic world opinion to strengthen the powers of the state in=20
Kashmir, introduce draconian anti-people laws, and step up communal=20
propaganda that culminated in the massacre of thousands of innocent=20
Muslims in Gujarat. We firmly believe that a war against Iraq will=20
create conditions for another series of attacks on minorities in=20
India. We cannot tolerate this.

By going ahead with its war plans against Iraq, the government of the=20
United States is preparing to create not only an unmitigated and=20
unmanageable disaster in Iraq but a wider regional conflict in the=20
Middle East that will have long-term devastating humanitarian,=20
social, economic and political consequences. The United States must=20
be checked. We appeal to the world community and the people of the=20
United States to condemn the sinister plans of the US government and=20
undertake all possible steps to halt its plans for war. We appeal to=20
the people of Bangalore to join us in condemning all expressions of=20
military terrorism and war. In today's context of an advanced=20
development of weapons of mass destruction, life is too precious to=20
bear the burden of war.

For People's Initiative for Peace

Prof. Hasan Hansoor

E-mail: pip_blr@s...

_______

#4.

WAYS OF RESISTING: SAHMAT NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

The last ten years, from the demolition of the Babri Masjid on 6=20
December 1992 to the recent genocide in Gujarat, have witnessed the=20
growing rise of rightwing Hindutva forces in our country and, through=20
them, a systematic assault on the spirit of nationalism and the=20
cultural imagination of this country. The unprecedented levels of=20
hatred and violence reached during the recent genocide in Gujarat=20
point to a new stage in this offensive.

Sahmat proposes, in the year 2002, to mark the history of these ten years.

The resistance to Hindutva and the Sangh Parivar has come from=20
various sections of society. It has come from artists, theatre=20
persons, film-makers, photographers and writers, as much as from=20
scholars, journalists, academics, scientists, activists and other=20
sections of the intelligentsia.

We need at this historic juncture, to make a public manifestation of=20
this entire work.

=91They Shall Not Pass=92, the famous freedom slogan of La Pasionara,=20
will be the motto that guides the entire project.

Sahmat proposes to organise : Ways of Resisiting =96 a month long=20
programme in Delhi. Apart from organising lectures, plays,=20
documentaries, music work shops and publishing new books and posters,=20
SAHMAT plans to present an exhibition of artworks, photographs,=20
cartoons, videos and archival material that represent ways of=20
resisting the rise of fundamentalist and fascist forces.

This is an appeal to groups, organisations, individuals and=20
documentary producers to send us a copy each of the videos,=20
publications, posters, pamphlets, books (in all languages) and any=20
other material that they might have produced during the last ten=20
years related to the topic.

The reports prepared by different activist groups etc., will also=20
form a part of the display material for the project.

Kindly circulate this to smaller groups in your area, who do not have=20
access to the internet or kindly send us their addresses.

The dates for the exhibition are from December 21, 2002 to January 1,=20
2003 at the Rabindra Bhawan Gallery, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi-110001

We will circulate the detailed programme as soon as it is finalised.

Send the material to:

SAHMAT

8, VITHALBHAI PATEL HOUSE

RAFI MARG

NEW DELHI-110001

TEL: 3711276/ 3351424

<mailto:sahmat@v...>sahmat@v...

____

#5.

Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 12:17:48 -0700 (PDT)
From: <sargeelanidefence@y...>

ALL INDIA DEFENCE COMMITTEE FOR SYED ABDUL REHMAN GEELANI
Chairman:
Rajni Kothari

Members:
Aruna Roy
Babu Mathew
Surendra Mohan
Prabhash Joshi
Syeda Saiyidain Hameed
Arundhati Roy
Sandeep Pandey
Sanjay Kak
Dr Y.P. Chibber
Nandita Haksar
Kr. Sanjay Singh

Solidarity campaign

To
The Chief Justice of India
Supreme Court of India

We, the undersigned, wish to express our concern over
the fact that the four persons accused of conspiring
to attack the Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001
are not getting a fair trial and are being denied
their rights under the Indian criminal law,
Constitution and international human rights law.

Amnesty International has already voiced its concerns
in its Open Letter to the Law Minister dated July 8,
2002 =A0that these four people =A0who have been =A0charged
under the Prevention of Terrorism Act have slim
chances of defending themselves because the law itself
violates international human rights standards. The
letter states:"Amnesty International believes that
POTA in several of its provisions violates
international standards for fair trial and is
particularly concerned that even the minimal safe-
gaurds contained have not been implemented in the case
of Abdul Rehman Geelani."

We endorse the concern expressed by Arundhuti Roy in
her message of solidarity to the All India Defence
Committee for Syed Abdul Rehman Geelani: "I am writing
to say that as a member of the committee I fully
support the enterprise of ensuring that S A R Geelani
gets a free and fair trial. If he does not it would
undermine the meaning of democracy."

Express your solidarity by sending the message to

<mailto:sargeelanidefence@y...>sargeelanidefence@y... or=20
<mailto:sargeelanidefence@h...>sargeelanidefence@h...

For more information regarding the trial visit our website

www20.brinkster.com/sargeelani

____

#6.

The Telegraph
Wednesday, September 25, 2002

Liberalized Oppression
- The struggle against dowry must be linked to a wider political agenda
BRINDA KARAT
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1020925/asp/opinion/story_1221161.asp

____

#7.

BBC
24 September 2002
Row over censor's cuts in India war film
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/38273000/rm/_38273049_india02_srivastava_=
vi.ram

____

#8.

South Asia Tribune
Issue No 10, Sept 23-29, 2002

Major Conflict in India on Education

Row Brewing on Pro-Hindu Slant in Textbooks

Praful Bidwai

NEW DELHI: A major conflict is brewing in India on the issue of=20
education and religion, thanks to a Supreme Court ruling last week=20
that upheld a controversial move by the federal government to rewrite=20
school textbooks by giving them a Hindu-chauvinist slant.

The conflict is unlikely to remain limited to a tussle between=20
secularists, who make up a majority of the population if one goes by=20
social attitude and political choice, and Hindu nationalists=20
represented mainly by the Right-wing religious-sectarian Bharatiya=20
Janata Party (BJP) which leads New Delhi's multi-party ruling=20
coalition.

The issue has a federal devolution dimension too. Many Indian states=20
are up in arms over what they see as blatant federal interference in=20
their school curricula without consultation or consent.

The controversy has major implications on the rights of the child to=20
unbiased information, and for the issue of tolerance and respect for=20
difference in the plural, multi-cultural, multi-religious society of=20
1 billion people in this country.

Under the Supreme Court ruling, India's children will grow up being=20
taught a viciously prejudiced version of history that exclusively=20
privileges India's ''Hindu past'' while berating its ''non-Hindu''=20
periods. Also at stake are civic values and notions of citizenship.

India's education system primarily uses government-recommended=20
textbooks, whether in state-run or private schools. These are=20
approved by the Central Board for Secondary Education through a=20
multiple-stage process involving consultation among teachers, experts=20
and officials, and between the federal government and states.

Pivotal to the process is the Central Advisory Board on Education=20
(CABE), which is a 104-member body consisting largely of state=20
representatives and independent experts, and the National Council for=20
Educational Research and Training (NCERT), an ''autonomous'' body that
draws up the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) based on the=20
National Education Policy.

Following this framework, detailed syllabi for each class and subject=20
are formulated. The textbooks ultimately follow the syllabi. CABE,=20
established in 1920, approves the National Curriculum Framework.=20
Although not a statutory institution, its function and authority are
considered indispensable.

Without it, the states' views would be excluded from the=20
curriculum-textbooks process, a situation that would mean dangerous=20
over-centralisation in this country of 33 states and territories.

The source of the controversy is the National Curriculum Framework=20
produced by NCERT two years ago, and the textbooks being written now=20
under that plan. CABE did not approve the framework, and yet the=20
government arbitrarily imposed it on the Central Board of Secondary=20
Education.

The Vajpayee government never convened CABE. Instead, it packed NCERT=20
in 1998-99 with known supporters of the Hindu-chauvinist ideology,=20
who systematically and brazenly hijacked the curriculum by=20
introducing the concept of ''value education'' centred on religion.

Then, in November 2000, ignoring stiff opposition from teachers,=20
scholars, and from one-half of India's states, the government=20
declared the curriculum framework ''approved'', and thrust it down=20
the throats of the school education boards.

The willful short-circuiting and sabotage of democratic procedure is=20
only one ground on which the government was challenged in a public=20
interest petition in the Supreme Court.

The petition was filed by three eminent citizens, including an=20
award-winning right-to-information activist, a social scientist, and=20
a journalist-policy commentator. The group's composition is=20
interesting: two Hindus, of which one is married to a Muslim, and one=20
Christian.

The petitioners' second substantial ground was that the NCF militates=20
against the principles of secularism, equality, right to education=20
and to development, embedded in India's Constitution.

Under the Constitution, the state cannot favour a religion or=20
religious denomination or support religious instruction -- a sound=20
principle drawn from the U.S. Constitution. Article 28 of the=20
Constitution prohibits ''religious instruction'' in educational=20
institutions fully managed out of
state funds.

The National Curriculum Framework has numerous formulations which,=20
however subtly, favour religion and spiritual notions. It roots its=20
own philosophy in these. It holds that religion is ''a major source''=20
of ''universal'' or ''essential'' values to be inculcated though=20
education.

Thus, it says, ''what is required today is =E0 education about=20
religions, their basics, the values inherent therein and also a=20
comparative study of the philosophy of all religions. These need to=20
be inculcated =E0 right from the primary years =E0 Students have to be=20
given (sic) the awareness that the essence of every religion is=20
common, only the practices differ.''

This is a major departure from the National Policy on Education of=20
1986, which speaks of fostering ''universal and eternal values'',=20
without mentioning religion.

India's Supreme Court has itself held in any number of cases that=20
''religion cannot be mixed with any secular activity of the State. In=20
fact, the encroachment of religion into secular activities is=20
strictly prohibited.''

However, the National Curriculum Framework insinuates religion into=20
secular education. The strong bias in favour of one specific religion=20
- Hinduism -- is evident in its school syllabi.

These syllabi and the textbooks based on them have drawn sharp=20
criticism because they blatantly depict Hinduism as the ''essence''=20
of Indian culture and other religions as ''alien'' or ''invaders' ''=20
faiths.

They glorify history through falsehood and distortion, presenting=20
India as the world's best or ''master'' civilisation, denying the=20
validity and value of other great civilisations.

They depict Hindu gods Rama and Krishna not as mythological, but=20
historical, figures. They minimise the caste system and its corrosive=20
influence on Indian society. In place of advocating sexual equality,=20
they talk of taking the ''best'' about each ''gender'' from tradition.

Even more laughably, the NCF speaks of differentiating gifted=20
students on the basis of their ''spiritual quotient'' -- defined=20
nowhere, but clearly a dubious idea -- as well as their=20
''intelligence quotient'', a thoroughly discredited concept.

These questionable propositions about the nature of India, about=20
religion and education have had loathsome effects in textbooks:=20
deletion of whole periods of history, exclusion of Islam and Sikhism=20
in the list of ''major religions'', distorted presentation of=20
feudal-era wars between
kings as ''national'' wars fought by Hindus against Muslims.

There was a compelling case for ruling against the existing=20
curriculum framework and for reformulating it on a democratic and=20
secular basis, but the Supreme Court dismissed it.

By endorsing the curriculum that allowed the rewriting of textbooks,=20
the Supreme Court has allowed itself to be seen as ideologically=20
partisan toward those who drew up the curriculum framework.

This is a cruel blow to citizens fighting for secularism -- barely=20
six months after the Gujarat pogrom against Muslims and amidst the=20
BJP's hate campaign against India's religious minorities consisting=20
of 180 million people.

_____

Critical Asian Studies: Forum on Trauma, History, and "Asia"
Simpson Center for the Humanities
University of Washington

How can traumatic injustices of the 20th century across "Asia" and=20
its diasporas be narrated? What happens to the arts and humanities=20
when mass injustice is deeply felt but seemingly inexpressible?=20
Should scholars in the United States join the urgent intellectual=20
project of inter-Asian efforts to rethink "Asia" in relation to=20
trauma and just histories?

Each year the Forum on Trauma, History, and "Asia" will host two=20
intellectuals located in Asia broadly defined, whose projects engage=20
these questions. Holding appointments as visiting scholars, the=20
fellows will lead an investigation into the matter of how scholarship=20
treats trauma, defined as unread or unspoken injustice. Together=20
with the Faculty of Critical Asian Studies, the scholars selected=20
will experiment with analytic and scholarly language capable of=20
turning injustice into legible history. Each year the Project will=20
also sponsor an international workshop that examines how the objects=20
of our study are being reconfigured in early 21st century economic=20
and cultural transformation and what role the humanities ought to=20
play in shaping our thinking about regional agendas and scholarly=20
lexicons.

Critical Asian Studies: Forum on Trauma, History, and "Asia"=20
http://depts.washington.edu/critas/ in partnership with the Simpson=20
Center for the Humanities at the University of Washington,=20
http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/ invites applications to fill the=20
two fellowship positions for the 2003-04 academic year.

Deadline for application is December 10, 2002. Fellows will be in=20
residence for one academic year. Each fellow will receive a stipend=20
of approximately $37,500, an office equipped with computer and=20
Internet access, secretarial support and supplies, and a small=20
stipend to offset travel expenses. Additionally, each fellow will be=20
compensated for teaching one quarter-long graduate seminar offered=20
through the Simpson Center.

Applicants to the fellowship should send a five-page narrative=20
proposal outlining a project that widens our understanding of the=20
relation of trauma, history, and "Asia." Also include two letters of=20
recommendation, a current curriculum vitae and a brief description of=20
the seminar that you propose to teach. Electronic applications are=20
welcome.=A0=A0

Contact: Jenna Brostrom, Simpson Center for the Humanities,=20
University of Washington, Communications Building 206, Box 353710,=20
Seattle, WA 98195-3710, (206) 616-2759, email:=20
critasia@u...

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