[sacw] SACW | 10 August 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire | 10 August 2002

__________________________

#1. A Pakistani tragedy ( I. A.Rehman)
#2. India: Minority institutions and the state (Pratap Bhanu Mehta)
#3. India: Who is anti-national and What are the real problems of=20
Indian society?+ Press Release - in response to VHP accusations=20
against Sandeep Pandey
#4 India: SPRAT rally comes under police scrutiny
#5. UK: Massacres in Gujarat - Eye Witnesses Speak (London, 15 Aug. 02)
#6. India: Who is afraid of Elections? (Amir U Khan)
#7. India: Independence Utsav celebrating freedom, peace and=20
diversity (Bombay, 15 Aug. 02)
#8. India: The figure of 2000 deaths should be used in Gujarat write=20
ups (Pritam Singh)
#9. India: EPW - Letter to Editor 'Eklavya: Closure Notice' (C N=20
Subramaniam, Rashmi Paliwal)

__________________________

#1.

DAWN
9 August 2002

A Pakistani tragedy

By I. A.Rehman

Hameeda Begum, 57, strikes you as a typical Gujar woman from a Gujrat=20
village - tall, heavily built, sun-burnt, capable of looking you in=20
the eye, articulate in matters she understands, but innocent in=20
matters she does not know about, such as becoming a complainant in a=20
murder case.
She was required to file an FIR because she saw her husband and her=20
son, (the latter is invariably referred to as 6.5-foot tall sohna=20
jawan, a student of BCS felled by volleys of gunfire. She saw this as=20
she was sitting on the pillion of the motorbike her husband was=20
driving, with the young son in front of him. They were overtaken by a=20
car, forced to stop and then guns started spitting fire. This=20
happened early in May on a metalled road barely 15-16 miles away from=20
the city of Gujrat, in the most developed part of the country.
Oh, another murder story, one might say, but this is not about=20
another case of double murder. This is the story of rural Pakistan in=20
transition, of the survival of old customs despite education and=20
enterprise. It is a tale of innocence destroyed by the system.
She belongs to Shergarh village, tehsil Gujrat. Her family has only a=20
small piece of land, which she does not consider worth mentioning.=20
She has other references to be proud of. Her 108-year-old father has=20
been living in England for decades. Both of her brothers made their=20
home in England and helped a large number of Gujratis settle there.=20
The older of the two has died while the younger one is still "leading=20
a decent life."
Her husband, Aziz Ahmad, did a stint in the army and then went to=20
Dubai where he served for 30 years. Hameeda did not join him for=20
nearly two decades-and-a-half because she was supposed to look after=20
her mother-in-law, who was also the sister of her father, and her=20
son. "It is a custom with us to look after the elders of the family,"=20
she says. But all her children - three sons and two daughters -=20
joined their father in Dubai "for education." It was only after her=20
mother-in-law and her son had died that Hameeda went to Dubai and=20
stayed there for about five years. Otherwise, the husband and the=20
children would come home to spend a month's leave every year.
It was all very well. All her children got good education. One son=20
did MBA, did not like the petty jobs offered in Pakistan and went to=20
Canada. He is unlikely to come back. The second son is in Dubai. And=20
the third one, "the apple of my eye, six and a half-foot tall, who=20
was gunned down along with his father on a May morning was studying=20
in 'BCS'." The elder daughter did MA and the younger one graduated.=20
"We do not have land but we have education," she says and her head=20
goes up a few centimetres. She does not consider herself illiterate=20
either as she studied up to the fifth class.
After retirement from his Dubai job, her husband Aziz Ahmad decided=20
to live in his village, because he loved his identity, wanted to be=20
amidst his people. "He built a beautiful house," says Hameeda. A=20
local lawyer testifies to his welfare work.
In marriages, the family has been following the old custom of=20
cousin-marriages and watta-satta, within the single biradari living=20
in the village. All the villagers are in one way or another related=20
to one another. And Hameeda's family is not the only one to boast of=20
education. Others from the village also have shown enterprise. There=20
is one who has done PhD and another who holds a commission in the=20
army, through not all the villagers have done equally well.
The children's marriages did not work. The eldest son was divorced by=20
his wife and her parents sent Hameeda's daughter home (this was=20
watta-satta). In retaliation, says Hameeda, "we forced a saukan=20
(second wife) on their daughter." What she means is that she gave her=20
younger daughter in marriage to the husband of the woman whose=20
brother had divorced Hameeda's elder daughter and whose sister had=20
separated from her husband (Hameeda's son). There is no other way to=20
describe this arrangement. Every action is justified in the name of=20
tradition.
Further, the brother of the woman, on whom a saukan was foisted (hum=20
ney saukan daldi), was chosen as the new spouse of the girl who had=20
been divorced, and the couple went away to Canada. The young man's=20
old father was left in the village where he owned property (land,=20
kothi, and shops), estimated worth 10 million rupees. The in-laws of=20
her daughter, the one made to suffer a saukan, got documents prepared=20
that had the effect of depriving the old man of everything he=20
possessed. Hameeda's husband, Aziz Ahmad, is said to have supported=20
the old man's suit for regaining his property. But Aziz Ahmad was=20
killed and the old man died of fright.
ActII.
After the double murder on a May morning, the village elders told=20
Hameeda not to go to the police. "We'll look after everything, we'll=20
take revenge," they are reported to have said. Their plea was=20
grounded in tradition. Somebody went to the police station (Saddar,=20
Jalalpur Jattan) and gave a list of people as witnesses who said they=20
had not witnessed anything. The police task was easy. Since there=20
were no witnesses to the daylight murders by the roadside, nothing=20
could be done to the culprits. The evidence of people who saw the=20
murder was not taken into account.
Now Hameeda Begum is asking for two things. She seeks security of her=20
own life and she wants the killers of her husband and her son to be=20
brought to book. Ordinary, normal demands, one might say. But a=20
majority of the population knows how difficult the required=20
guarantees are. Nothing is more difficult to achieve today than=20
security of life and assurance of justice.
The last movie the great Russian film-maker Eisenstein was working on=20
was titled An American Tragedy and it dealt with a difficult=20
situation faced by a woman. Somebody may think of writing the story=20
of Zafran Bibi of Kohat, or Mukhtar Bibi of Meerwala or Waziran of=20
Mianwali or of Hameeda Begum of Gujrat as A Pakistani Tragedy. And if=20
Ghalib was right about seeing the river in a drop and the totality in=20
a small part, then one should be able to see in the lives of these=20
women in a society that is Pakistan.
Hameeda Begum's story is not set in a tribal society, nor in an area=20
far from settled communities. She lives in the developed part of=20
Punjab, where access to colleges and courts as well as rail and road=20
links is easy. Here, too, the custom of treating women as weights in=20
a bargain has survived. Neither education nor migration to the=20
advanced world has affected it. The right to vote to elect=20
representatives and the devolution plan have not improved the=20
capacity of citizens to receive justice.
Why have customs such as watta satta, foisting of a saukan, rape of=20
women by their protectors, gang-rape under community sanction and=20
surrender of girls to settle feuds survived? People go abroad, adjust=20
themselves to foreign cultures and disciplines but at home they do=20
not change their ways. Education does not help them to grow out of=20
ancient practices because it does not address such issues. Nor does=20
education help in throwing up policemen capable of fighting custom.=20
In the end everybody is likely to throw up his/her hands in despair=20
and tell Hameeda that she cannot be helped.

_____

#2.

The Hindu
Saturday, Aug 10, 2002
Opinion - Leader Page Articles
Minority institutions and the state
By Pratap Bhanu Mehta
http://www.hindu.com/stories/2002081007101000.htm

_____

#3.

{ From Bobby Ramakant c/o Sandeep Pandey. A - 893, Indira Nagar,=20
Lucknow-226016. Ph (0522) 347365, 342435, 98390 7 33 55, fax:353020}

Who is anti-national and What are the real problems of Indian society?

The VHP recently charged that comments of Sandeep Pandey, this year's=20
Magsaysay awardee from India, that initiating dialogue towards=20
building mutual trust is the only way to solve India-Pakistan dispute=20
over Kashmir, were anti-national. They recommended that he should be=20
tried for POTA for making statements that were pro-Musharraf and=20
pro-ISI. This incident hits at the core issue underlying present=20
India-Pakistan dispute and some of the deeper problems plaguing both=20
societies. The facts that several Islamic terrorists operating in=20
Kashmir get active support from Pakistan's government, fundamentalist=20
groups and ISI are well established.

The fact that these groups are interested in destabilizing India is=20
also well known. They have been highlighted umpteen times by Indian=20
governments especially the existing one. However, who all besides=20
above-mentioned culprits are responsible for bringing the situation=20
to this brink, is a painful question that is rarely raised by our=20
government? Let us look at some of the other equally established=20
facts and see how they are linked to the India-Pakistan problem.=20
Firstly, most sensitive citizens of this country including several in=20
the government will agree that rampant poverty and near-complete=20
absence of social-economic opportunities to the vast majority of=20
people of this country is one of the main problems that needs urgent=20
attention. Without solving this problem India can never progress=20
either economically or socially. Same applies to Pakistan's problems.=20
By aggressively pursuing nuclear weapons and missiles development and=20
creating atmosphere of war, governments in both countries have helped=20
to

(i) divert already scarce resources that should have gone into basic=20
infrastructure development, education, poverty removal, and=20
programmes aimed at cleaning-up corruption and inefficiency in=20
institutions of governance, and

(ii) divert attention of media and common people from more basic=20
problems that these governments failed miserably to solve. Who would=20
vote for a government that allows its failure on 'roti-kapda-makan'=20
issues affecting people's daily lives to get highlighted? Over past=20
several years, South Asia has witnessed both deteriorating=20
social-economic problems like worsening living conditions of the poor=20
and worsening regional security. Both these problems make the future=20
bleak for common people of South Asia. Worse, they make more people=20
in India vulnerable into believing that Pakistan and ISI sponsored=20
activities are among the main reasons for even the basic problems of=20
Indian society - a typical syndrome of ignoring one's own collective=20
guilt and responsibility. This syndrome also explains similar problem=20
of increasing hold of jingoist forces among Pakistan's people. Those=20
individuals from South Asia who are fortunate to have benefited from=20
higher education and who desperately seek more efficient and economic=20
living conditions for their immediate family members will=20
increasingly desire to leave for the USA, Western Europe and other=20
more industrialized regions.

Try to answer the following three questions:
(a) Do you think that solving India's problems of poverty and=20
ensuring economic prosperity will help in eventually diluting the=20
India-Pakistan problem and possibly even making it redundant?;
(b) Do you think that developing nuclear weapons and missiles and=20
mutually creating atmosphere of conflict with Pakistan will help in=20
eventually solving problems of poverty and economic prosperity in=20
India?;
(c) So, which one do you think is the more basic problem and where=20
should our government channel greater share of financial and human=20
resources (given that financial resources as well as high quality of=20
human resources are scarce in our country)? It is not difficult to=20
answer these questions provided we do not gullibly believe in the=20
propaganda that India-Pakistan and Kashmir problem is entirely of=20
Pakistan's making. Both countries' governments have been so=20
successful in deteriorating Kashmir problem and India-Pakistan=20
relations that for many of us this problem has probably become more=20
important than poverty of majority of our fellow-citizens. It=20
attracts more resources and more media attention.

Today people of India and Pakistan live in an atmosphere of utter=20
mistrust created artificially by governments of both the countries=20
over past several years. The two countries are caught in a vicious=20
spiral where 'communal frenzy' and 'irresponsible political=20
governance' feed into each other. While religious fundamentalists=20
increasingly spread poison of hatred, common people in both countries=20
continue to live under pitiable conditions.

Common citizen's fundamental rights of access to food, clean water,=20
primary health services, education, electricity, communication,=20
employment opportunities, justice and security, continue to be=20
thwarted in both the countries. Is this absence of even basic=20
responsibility of governments towards their own people not a proof of=20
being anti-national? Secondly, common sense tells us that all=20
citizens must unite to protect our society and nation's interests.=20
Well-being and security of all sections of our society is a=20
precondition to expect national loyalty from them. A person who is=20
deprived of even basic sense of social-economic security while living=20
in his/her own country will be more vulnerable to destabilizing=20
forces.

Abject poverty of large sections of our fellow-citizens including=20
dalits, tribals, landless farmers, casual labourers, and=20
state-supported communal pogroms against muslims have rendered the=20
majority of all these sections of our country=92s population extremely=20
insecure on social, economic and psychological aspects.

Majority of people (from both Hindu and Muslim communities) who=20
actually participate in communal riots are poor. A poor person=20
belonging to Hindu community who is disenchanted by failure of=20
successive governments to grant him any employment opportunity is=20
likely to become susceptible to Hindutva fundamentalist forces.=20
Similarly, an ordinary Muslim who fears that the state is biased=20
against his community is likely to fall prey to Islamic=20
fundamentalists. Few will disagree that Islamic terrorists and=20
fundamentalists are likely to gain greater sympathy of ordinary=20
Muslim citizens of Gujarat who have lost almost all hope of justice=20
in their daily lives.

So, who are the real anti-national elements in our own country?=20
Individuals like Sandeep Pandey who are simultaneously working for=20
education and economic upliftment of poor dalits in rural areas,=20
highlighting the imperative of dialogue between India and Pakistan,=20
and protesting against nuclear weapons while pointing out that it is=20
the poor's problem that needs precedence at national level? Or our=20
governments who have failed to solve basic problems of our people and=20
made them psychologically vulnerable to destabilizing forces, and=20
Hindutva fundamentalists whose programmes render our minorities=20
insecure and thus make the task of external terrorists that much=20
easier? Hindutva fundamentalists are against the interests of common=20
people in India in the same way as Islamic fundamentalists are=20
against the interests of common people in Pakistan. These are the=20
real anti-national elements that are against genuine peace and=20
well-being of ordinary citizens in both the countries.

o o o

(9 August, Lucknow)
Press Release:
The VHP recently charged that comments of Sandeep Pandey, this year's=20
Magsaysay awardee from India, that initiating dialogue towards=20
building mutual trust is the only way to solve India-Pakistan dispute=20
over Kashmir, were anti-national. They recommended that he should be=20
tried for POTA for making statements that were pro-Musharraf. Through=20
this incident we want to highlight the core issues underlying present=20
India-Pakistan dispute and some of the deeper problems plaguing both=20
societies.
The facts that several Islamic terrorists operating in Kashmir get=20
active support from Pakistan's government, fundamentalist groups and=20
ISI are well established. The fact that these groups are interested=20
in destabilizing India is also well known. They have been highlighted=20
umpteen times by Indian governments especially the existing one.=20
However, we wish to highlight other more important facts and=20
questions that are rarely raised by our government? We believe that=20
following acts of our own governments and Hindutva fundamentalists=20
are as 'anti-national=92 as the acts of external terrorists:
1. Government's failure to provide access to food,=20
clean water, primary health services, education, electricity,=20
communication, employment opportunities, justice and security to the=20
poor sections of India's population, especially the dalits, tribals,=20
landless farmers, and casual labourers. This has led to deep=20
disenchantment in the poor. This absence of even basic responsibility=20
of government towards its own people is a proof of being=20
anti-national.
2. Joining with Hindutva fundamentalists to support=20
and participate in gruesome murders of over 1000 ordinary Muslims=20
citizens in Gujarat. The state and central governments have failed=20
miserably to provide even basic rehabilitation to thousands of=20
devastated families. This has created an atmosphere of deep=20
insecurity and fear among minority communities in Gujarat and other=20
parts of India. Task of external terrorists has become that much=20
easier.
3. Aggressive pursuit of nuclear weapons and=20
missiles development and creating atmosphere of war in the=20
subcontinent. By doing this, both Indian and Pakistani governments=20
have helped to (i) divert already scarce resources that should have=20
gone into basic infrastructure development, education, poverty=20
removal, and programmes aimed at cleaning-up corruption and=20
inefficiency in institutions of governance, and (ii) divert attention=20
of media and common people from more basic problems that these=20
governments failed miserably to solve. Over past several years, South=20
Asia has witnessed both deteriorating social-economic problems like=20
worsening living conditions of the poor and worsening regional=20
security. Both Indian and Pakistani governments have played active=20
role in contributing to this dismal situation.
We urge the governments of both countries to immediately begin the=20
process of dialogue and trust-building, and begin channeling greater=20
share of national resources towards improving basic living conditions=20
of their deprived citizens. Asha and National Alliance of People's=20
Movement are themselves doing the following towards this end:
a) Working in some rural areas in Lucknow, Hardoi,=20
Varanasi and Ballia districts towards primary education of children=20
from dalit families.
b) Working towards rural employment generation by=20
training the youth and women in useful skills, facilitating access of=20
primary health services for the rural poor, and generating caste=20
awareness.
c) Working at the national level towards communal=20
harmony. National Alliance of People's Movement organized a padyatra=20
in June-July 2002 to protest against Gujarat killings, and got=20
support of several respected religious figures from both Hindu and=20
Muslim communities in this effort.
d) Working as part of Pakistan-India People's Forum,=20
led by eminent persons like ex-Navy Chief Admiral L. Ramdas and=20
filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, in organizing visits and interaction=20
between Indian and Pakistani citizens including students. We believe=20
that such people-to-people contacts will help in removing mistrusts=20
and eventually build atmosphere of friendship between people of the=20
two countries.
e) Working together with similarly committed=20
activists from Pakistan to organize protests against nuclear weapons=20
programmes of the two countries.
Through these activities, we want to highlight two important messages:
(I) Improvement of living conditions of the poor sections of India=20
should be the number one concern of our governments as well as the=20
educated class; and
(II) Problems of Kashmir, India-Pakistan conflict, and Communal=20
tensions can be solved only by initiating the process of dialogue,=20
trust-building, and eventually working towards a peaceful South Asia.

_____

#4.

The Times of India
SPRAT rally comes under police scrutiny
TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ THURSDAY, AUGUST 08, 2002 11:26:59 PM ]
AHMEDABAD: The Sah-Nirman rally scheduled for Friday is coming under=20
close police scrutiny. The rally, planned by a group of voluntary=20
organisations headed by Society for Promotion of Rational Thinking=20
(SPRAT), plans to highlight the injustice done to riot victims and=20
promote communal harmony.
The city police have advised the organisers against putting up=20
'provocative' placards and banners. Besides, the police are upset=20
over the proposal to carry goods damaged in the riots on camelcarts=20
and handcarts .
The president of SPRAT M H Jowher, however, said, "This rally=20
propagates national integrity, communal harmony and also highlights=20
inadequacy of riot-compensation. Persons who were widowed, orphaned,=20
bereaved and rendered jobless will participate in this rally. If the=20
police objects to this then let them arrest us."
The rally will have about 15 camelcarts and 20 handcarts carrying=20
burnt cars, damaged goods and victims who have suffered serious=20
injuries during the riots.
Additional police commissioner (Sector II) Satish Verma told TNN, "We=20
have advised the rallists to avoid provocative slogans, placards,=20
posters or displays. Under no condition can we allow anything to=20
disrupt peace in Ahmedabad. We will not take any chances."
Jowher said, "We expect a total of 3,000 participants from both the=20
communities to take part in this rally. There won't be any political=20
or religious overtones. This will be a peaceful rally where we will=20
pray for peace and draw the world's attention towards the plights of=20
riot-hit."
Nitaben Mahadeo of Abhikram, an NGO dealing with social issues, said,=20
"I decided to take part in this rally because of its secular nature.=20
On the anniversary of the Quit India Movement, we must banish fascism=20
and communalism."

_____

#5.

MASSACRES IN GUJARAT - EYE WITNESSES SPEAK

Harsh Mander - (Country Director - Action Aid India) former Indian=20
Administrative Service Officer who after visiting Gujarat resigned=20
from the Indian Administrative Service.

Gopal Menon - Director of the first documentary on the Gujarat=20
violence - "Hey Ram!! =96 Genocide in the land of Gandhi" will speak=20
and show his film at this meeting.

stand together against the communal violence

15th August 2002 - Indian Independence Day - 7pm start

Being held at Amnesty International UK Offices,

8 Hardwick Street, (off Rosebery Avenue), London EC1

Nearest tube: Angel, Farringdon, Holborn. Buses: 38, 19, 341.

Following the attack on Hindu religious activists travelling by train=20
from Ayodhya at the end of February systematic attacks were carried=20
out against the Muslim community in Gujarat. Unofficial estimates=20
suggest that over 2000 Muslims were killed as a result of the=20
violence. Thousands were displaced and continue to live in squalid=20
conditions in the relief camps for fear of further violence or=20
because their houses have been demolished. Despite assurances given=20
by the state government in the Gujarat High Court that camps would=20
not be closed down until every last person had been rehabilitated,=20
camps are reportedly being closed down. Reports of the systematic=20
sexual abuse and rape of Muslim women and police inaction against the=20
perpetrators are rampant. Following calls from the Gujarat Chief=20
Minister, Narendra Modi, a state election is looking likely in the=20
next few months. Observers have said that if an election is held=20
Narendra Modi, who is alleged to have been implicit in the violence,=20
will return to power.

Hosted by Amnesty International and supported by Newham Monitoring=20
Project and South Asia Solidarity Group.

For more details on the meeting please contact South Asia Solidarity=20
Group 0207267 0923

_____

#6.

Who is afraid of Elections?

Amir U Khan

The Gujarat Chief Minister wants to encash all the badwill he has=20
generated. Almost everyone seems to believe that this adventure of=20
his is a winner. The voter would have no choice but to opt for the=20
protector of the faith. Early elections will be influenced by recent=20
happenings and the polarization will reap benefits for the ruling=20
party. The opposition is egging the Election Commission to use its=20
discretion and postpone elections. The intelligentsia reminds the=20
nation everyday that such an election would be a travesty of=20
democracy and must be staved off.

True, sporadic violence in Gujarat continues. Also relief camps=20
continue to house thousands of refugees. Displaced citizens would not=20
be able to exercise their votes. But honestly, why do we want=20
elections in Gujarat postponed? The question assumes significance as=20
most of us otherwise would agree that the democratic process is the=20
best means of ending conflict. We want elections in Kashmir; we have=20
seen the democratic process win over the population in Punjab. Assam=20
went to vote, and the peace process was rejuvenated. Then why this=20
worry about Gujarat. Any election, in modern times of civil strife=20
has its shortcomings. With few exceptions, all elections are carried=20
out in the face of severe influences of one variety or the other.

The present government at the center won a battle scarred election,=20
and by its own admission garnered votes on the post Kargil insecurity=20
that prevailed in North India. The records that the government lead=20
by Rajiv Gandhi broke when it came into power in 1984 were primarily=20
due to the sympathy generated by Mrs Gandhi's assassination. In=20
Delhi, the state government broke a few electoral records helped by=20
onion prices sky rocketing. Naidu conducted polls amidst violence for=20
his local bodies last year and the world watched the blood sport that=20
local elections in Andhra and most of the country have come to. Rajiv=20
Gandhi, Vajpayee. Sheila Dikshit and Naidu won in the backdrop of=20
crises, and the nation applauded.

Internationally, Le Pen, with all his strident postures went to polls=20
and ruffled a few feathers. Known for his harsh anti Muslim, anti=20
immigration and anti foreigner stance, he was criticized but=20
elections were held, despite fears that his wave of popularity, might=20
just lead him to victory. Zimbabwe went for elections in March this=20
year and Mugabe won, much to Tony Blair's consternation. Despite=20
civil strife and violence. In June, Papua New Guinea's population=20
cast its votes, again amidst great strife and uncertainty. The famous=20
Falkland crisis that preceded Thatcher's win is a classic example of=20
conflict influencing voter behaviour. No one asked for postponing=20
elections then.

It is another matter that the Gujarat crises were not accidental. And=20
was clearly an orchestrated attempt at the polarization of votes. So=20
the issue is not that elections are undesirable. Or that the timing=20
needs to be taken into account. The concern is simply with the rule=20
of law. And Modi stands accused on this account. The issues do not=20
have so much to do with the election schedule as with the judicial=20
process. It is not the election commission or democracy at stake; it=20
is our foundations of the rule of law. And that is what is agonizing=20
in this entire episode. Have we abdicated all belief in the rule of=20
law? All trust in our electorate? That we now consider the law=20
wimpish and the voter foolish. That one would just turn a blind eye=20
to serial killing and the other to plain bad governance.

The rule of law should prevail. And it is the breakdown in the law=20
apparatus that must be protested. Let elections happen - they will=20
show whether the voting public is as ruler bound as the bureaucracy=20
and the police. Article 324 of the constitution in clause 1 is very=20
clear on this count - The superintendence, direction and control of=20
the preparation of the electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all=20
elections to Parliament and to the Legislature of every State and of=20
elections to the offices of President and Vice-President held under=20
this Constitution shall be vested in a Commission (referred to in=20
this Constitution as the Election Commission). The government of the=20
day dissolves the assembly and recommends early elections. It is now=20
for the voter to decide, as in any good democratic system, where=20
power evolves from the people.

Most of today's conflicts are not between nations. We see civil wars=20
everywhere, with ethnic, linguistic or religious distinctions being=20
the important dividing lines. Civil strife is the result of a=20
breakdown in processes that naturally regulate social behavior to=20
avoid violence. The rule of law ensures regulatory feedback=20
mechanisms that consist of agreement on goals, ways to detect=20
violations of agreements, and methods to enforce agreements. The=20
legal system is central to the issue. Laws define acceptable=20
behavior, courts determine violations, and the police enforce the=20
law. The rule of law collapses when people in power fail to address=20
conflict due to hatred and prejudice, or because they lack adequate=20
resources. It is this failure that underlies the consternation. And=20
strangely, most well meaning people ignore this critical aspect, and=20
instead attack the democratic institution of elections.

Granted that democracy and elections are no guarantee that people=20
will always make the optimal decision. But they have then would have=20
nobody but themselves to blame. And, if a government forces the=20
citizenry to do something against their will, and they suffer, so=20
will the government. It is not surprising that there has never been=20
any war between two democracies. This is enough circumstantial=20
evidence to suggest that elections help conflict and violence.=20
However it must also be pointed out that civil strife sometimes has=20
deeper roots, such as abuse of power. Again it is not surprising that=20
with states where criticism is silenced through press censorship and=20
a lack of elections suffer the most by way of violence, corruption=20
and human rights violations. And this brings to fore the issue of=20
independent foreign observers.

Traditional patriarchy demanded a dictatorial head of the family, the=20
"pater familias," who wields absolute authority. He could sell his=20
children, marry them off at birth or beat them to death. The law=20
would not interfere unless he did the same with the neighbour.=20
Today, we abhor this notion and come down hard on any such behaviour.=20
Domestic violence, child abuse or forced marriages are illegal. Why=20
then, at the diplomatic level do we still campaign for this outdated=20
notion of absolute state sovereignty? Where governments are unable to=20
protect their own people from massacres. When the law fails to=20
protect large segments of the population and enforcement agencies=20
look the other way. Why should the task of maintaining peace and=20
strengthening the democratic process then remain a monopoly of the=20
home ministry? Monopoly breeds complacency and inefficiency, and=20
there is enough evidence now to prove this point.

The Chief Election Commissioner, echoing a large majority maybe, has=20
declared that the country does not need a white man to observe our=20
elections and judge our democracy. It seems strange that a long=20
tradition of democracy has yet not made us feel confident of=20
showcasing free and fair elections. Anyone who shuns attention must=20
either be very modest or have something to hide. We are certainly not=20
modest about our democracy, and often speak of our achievements in=20
this regard with great self righteousness. Elections in Kashmir and=20
in Gujarat should be held, as soon as possible. And if they are free=20
and fair elections, what is the problem in letting people, white or=20
coloured, see this for themselves?

Amir U Khan is a professional economist and teaches at various=20
management institutions.

______

#7.

INDEPENDENCE UTSAV
celebrating freedom, peace and diversity

15 AUGUST 2002 at Mahatma Phule School Hall, Dadar (W)

3-4 pm: children's hour

v exhibition of children's paintings on peace, diversity and friendship

v workshop on the theme of freedom

Open to all children from ages 6-14. Admission free. Children, bring=20
your pictures, come with your parents and friends!

4.30-6.30 pm: songs, poems, plays

v Sambhaji and group-Marathi poems and songs

v Vikalp Natya Manch-street play

v Navjanwadi Sanskritik Manch-songs

v Dharavi youth group-skit

v Aavhan Natya Manch-songs

7.00-9.00 pm: more!=20

v Chetan Datar and group-performance of Manto stories

v Neela Bhagwat-songs of Kabir and contemporary poets

ENTRANCE FREE !

Venue: Mahatma Phule School Hall, Dadar (West)

(from Dadar Station, go straight along Ranade Rd, turn left at=20
Gokhale Rd, and right at Babrekar Marg-there's a petrol pump at the=20
corner. The school is on the right. Babrekar Marg is off Gokhale Rd,=20
between Shiv Sena Bhawan and Portuguese Church)

O r g a n is e d b y I N S A A N I Y A T

____

#8.

The figure of 2000 deaths should be used in Gujarat write ups
Pritam Singh (Oxford)

Most commentators on Gujarat have been using a figure of about
1000 deaths in the recent violence there. However, two recent
reports on Gujarat published in The Economist (London) and The
Financial Times have used the figure of 'over 2000 deaths'. Both
these publications are very careful in using numbers because of
the implications of quantitative data for analysis. They have
obviously used this number after cross-checking different
sources of information. Initially, the figure of 2000 deaths was
used in a leaked document of the British High Commission in
Delhi. The Financial Times has reported that they have had the
access to the full report of the High Commission and that input
would have been one of the sources the FT would have used and
cross-checked.
It is important that all commentators who care for accuracy
should from now on use the figure of 2000 deaths and not 1000
which is given by the BJP-led governments in Gujarat and and at
the Centre.

_____

#9.

Economic and Political weekly (Bombay) August 03, 2002
Letter to Editor

EKLAVYA: CLOSURE NOTICE
This is to draw the attention of the readers of EPW to the closure of=20
the Hoshangabad Science Teaching Programme (HSTP) and the Social=20
Science Teaching Programme in the schools of Hoshangabad district by=20
the government of MP. These programmes were being developed by=20
Eklavya in collaboration with the government of MP. The HSTP sought=20
to make activity-based science education a reality in ordinary=20
government schools, while the social science programme sought to=20
foster critical thinking about social issues. The decision to close=20
down has been taken without any expert academic review of the=20
programmes and ignoring the appeal of hundreds of scientists,=20
educationists, students and teachers, etc.

The process of the closure began when the District Planning Council=20
of Hoshangabad at the behest of a BJP MLA admitted and passed=20
'unanimously' a recommendation for closing down the HSTP. The council=20
meeting was chaired by a senior Congress minister. Subsequent to this=20
decision, a widespread debate on the experience of HSTP took place in=20
the district in which a large number of teachers, students and others=20
participated. The debate highlighted the broader educational=20
objectives at stake. The state government was expected to take a=20
stand on the debate and take a decision on the future of the HSTP.=20
Eklavya was asked by the government to submit a review of the=20
programme and its experience over the last 30 years. This report was=20
submitted in early June. Without discussing the report or the issues=20
any further with Eklavya or presenting its assessment before any=20
professional forum, the government of MP on July 3 unilaterally=20
decided to accept the recommendation of the DPC to close HSTP.=20
Simultaneously the social science programme of Eklavya running in=20
eight government schools was also discontinued even though the DPC=20
had made no recommendation regarding it.

The academic community needs to take up three issues that have been=20
thrown up by this decision of the government of MP. Firstly, deciding=20
on curricular matters without any transparent professional review,=20
secondly, the role of politically constructed 'community' (as for=20
example the DPC) in deciding such matters; and thirdly eliminating=20
the space for innovation within the formal school system in the name=20
of uniformity. Today when the entire nation is debating on issues=20
relating to how curriculum should be formulated and what should be=20
taught to our children, elimination of alternative possibilities=20
evolved through civil society initiatives within the secular,=20
scientific and democratic tradition needs to be strongly condemned=20
and resisted. We appeal to all concerned academics and activists to=20
raise these issues in all available forums and build public opinion=20
against such moves.

C N Subramaniam,
Rashmi Paliwal
Bhopal

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

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