[sacw] SACW | 10 Feb. 03

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire | February 9, 2003

#1. Pakistan: Govt policy vs. rhetoric (Editorial, The Daily Times)
#2. End of road for Indo-Pak. dialogue? (Amit Baruah)
#3. India: The voodoo lounge (Amulya Ganguli)
#4. India: An Appeal Focus: Human Rights Alert, Gujarat
#5. Indian Muslim Advocacy Group Calls Indian Embassy Festivities=20
Around Massacres' Anniversary A Stratagem Of Cover Up. Urges Boycott.
#6. Publication Announcement: Communal Politics - Facts versus Myths=20
by Ram Puniyani
#7. Oppose War drive against Iraq:
a. Responding to Colin Powell by Rahul Mahajan
b. UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors Issue Statement On Iraq
c. When Hawks Soar And Doves Cry (SHIRAZ SIDHVA)
d. Appeal For A French Veto On War With Iraq

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

#1.

The Daily Times
February 10, 2003
Editorial

Govt policy vs. rhetoric

The latest edition of "Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers" says=20
that Pakistan and India were among the top military spenders during=20
1999-2000. At eight per cent growth, the two beat the rest of the=20
world. Yet Pakistan officially insists it is not in the business of=20
an arms race with India. The fact also is that in proportional terms=20
Pakistan's economy is making a greater "sacrifice" than India's=20
because the latter's economy is still posting a viable growth rate of=20
over six per cent while our government admits that under the most=20
favourable assumptions it will take another two or three years at=20
least before our growth can go up to six per cent
General Pervez Musharraf has stabilised the economy after his army=20
predecessor pushed for the disastrous 1998 nuclear tests that sent=20
investments flying out of the country. Again it was General=20
Musharraf's wise political about-turn in Afghan policy after 9/11=20
that set the stage for the surge in Pakistani remittances from abroad=20
and massive debt rescheduling by the international community that=20
beefed up our reserves, strengthened the rupee and improved=20
Pakistan's credit ratings. Pakistan's new political orientation was=20
supposed to consolidate the economy and spare some funds for=20
development and poverty alleviation. However, this didn't happen=20
because tensions with India went up after the Agra summit failed and=20
India brought its troops to the border in 2001. The government of=20
Pakistan now ended up asking for budgetary overruns of Rs 15 billion=20
on its own troop mobilisation.
The curious thing, however, is Pakistan's two-pronged rhetoric: it=20
keeps saying it is not in an arms race with India even as it=20
continues to promise a "bloody nose" to India. In fact, when the=20
Indian troops withdrew in December 2002, General Musharraf should=20
have welcomed it as a peaceful gesture and reduced his counter-blast=20
appropriately. Instead, he decided to boast that India had got cold=20
feet because of Pakistan's military counter-threat. We all know what=20
happened - one missile test by Pakistan was followed by three from=20
India, one Indian army chief revealed that India had been ready to=20
launch a war against Pakistan last year, and General Musharraf=20
responded by saying that if India had done so Pakistan would have=20
used "unconventional means". Soon thereafter, both sides decided to=20
expel each other's diplomats.
While there is no dearth of hawkish statements from the BJP ruling=20
elite in India, Pakistan's old policy of issuing tit-for-tat threats=20
has brought it bad press internationally. As for India, its policy of=20
leading Pakistan by the nose on the path of suicidal rearmament has=20
proved successful. General Musharraf is being pulled in two=20
directions. One direction is suggested by international pressure in=20
favour of giving up the old aggressive stance; the other is suggested=20
by the corporate interests of the army and the general indoctrination=20
of Pakistani nationalism. But by pursuing these two directions=20
simultaneously he is able to satisfy neither the international=20
community nor the hawks at home. Now that Pakistan's foreign reserves=20
have topped 10 billion dollars and there is more space in the budget=20
for spending after the debt-relief, the world expects it to abandon=20
military adventurism and repair its much-damaged irredentist economy.=20
On the other hand, the service chiefs are eyeing this good fortune as=20
spare money for importing more weapons to be better able to fight=20
India. It now appears that a nuclear Pakistan also needs matching=20
conventional weapons to continue with its aggressive posture. No one=20
sees any contradiction in the claim made by the pro-bomb lobby that=20
Pakistan forestalled conventional war with India in 1999 and 2001=20
because of our nuclear deterrence, and the case now being made that=20
nuclear deterrence can be credible only if we have matching=20
conventional ability!
Meanwhile, General Musharraf is now saying that he wants talks with=20
India without preconditions. State-employed experts have also come on=20
PTV to say that India and Pakistan should normalise relations=20
"before" the Kashmir dispute is resolved. Indeed, General Musharraf=20
was recently so amiable towards the Indian opposition leader Dr=20
Subramaniam Swami that he went away with the impression that Pakistan=20
was willing to give India the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status. But=20
the contradictions continue. Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar is=20
still harping about linking MFN "conditionality" with Kashmir. All=20
the jihadi leaders are out, thanks to the government. And during the=20
Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5, the Pakistan government went on=20
a hate-India spree even as General Musharraf tried to present=20
Pakistan in Moscow as a moderate state willing to patch up with India.
Is Pakistan pursuing peace and war diplomacy simultaneously?=20
Diplomacy as avoidance of war is a laudable objective, but diplomacy=20
that is taken to mean duplicity is vulgar and wrong. Initiatives that=20
reek of a double game seldom succeed and invariably prove harmful=20
through loss of credibility. Thus General Musharraf may have been=20
forced by his circumstances to do things in half measures, but the=20
result is that there is less and less international comprehension and=20
trust in his policies. Tragically this lack of trust has spread=20
internally too. He has ended up pleasing no one, and national support=20
for his policies has eroded among friends and foes alike. In=20
particular, the current much-publicised drive for buying more=20
conventional weapons while the economy is still in the oxygen tent is=20
not justified. *

______

#2.

The Hindu, Feb 10, 2003

End of road for Indo-Pak. dialogue?

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI Feb. 9. Relations between India and Pakistan have entered=20
uncharted waters after both expelled each other's Charge d'Affaires=20
on Saturday and placed a question mark on the future of the tattered=20
relationship.

Bilateralism, the much-touted public principle that India has long=20
propounded, is almost dead given that there are no high-level=20
communicators or messengers left in New Delhi or Islamabad.=20
Willy-nilly, India has created a situation where there is no scope=20
for a bilateral dialogue.
..... India closing down the possibility of diplomatic contact with=20
Pakistan is a dangerous development. The hard-line approach adopted=20
since the December 2001 Parliament attack has not yielded anything=20
tangible to New Delhi.
[...].
http://www.hinduonnet.com/stories/2003021004851100.htm

______

#3.
The Hindustan Times
Monday, February 10, 2003
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/printedition/100203/detIDE01.shtml
=20=20=09=20
The voodoo lounge
Amulya Ganguli

>From 'soft' Hindutva to 'softer' Hindutva? Just when it was believed=20
that the Gujarat debacle has awakened the Congress to the perils of=20
imitating the BJP, it appears to have decided to indulge in more of=20
the same with a vengeance. And who is joyfully marching backwards?=20
None other than Digvijay Singh, one of the Congress's most promising=20
leaders.

After his professed preference for go mutra, visitors may be wary of=20
any beverages in his office. But what else has he in store? Will he=20
now echo the Sangh parivar's view that a liberal smearing of cow dung=20
is an antidote to atomic radiation? Or that a cow's mooing=20
automatically cures mental illness?

It is necessary to remember that all such hokum is an integral part=20
of the parivar's medievalism. They are not a purposeless ploy either.=20
The Hindutva camp deliberately fosters an atmosphere redolent of the=20
dark ages because it helps its retrogressive political agenda. Which=20
is to foment primitive atavistic feelings typical of that period.

After all, one cannot target mosques for destruction in an atmosphere=20
of rational scientific discourse. There is need for darkness,=20
unreason, hatred. Hence, Narendra Modi's pogrom in Gujarat, Murli=20
Manohar Joshi's distorted history, the prayers offered at sati=20
temples by VHP leaders, the boosting of astrology, the praise of=20
bovine waste products.

But why should the Congress endorse the saffron camp's fads?=20
Throughout its history, the Congress has been associated with India's=20
march into the modern era. It is a legatee of Ram Mohun Roy,=20
Vidyasagar, Ranade and other social reformers. It has always been for=20
the emancipation of women and against untouchability. This was the=20
reason why the Indian Social Conference routinely held its annual=20
meetings in the venues of the AICC sessions in the early years of the=20
20th century.

At the individual level, there may have been obscurantists and=20
faddists in the Congress. Tilak opposed the Age of Consent Bill,=20
Mahatma Gandhi wanted husbands and wives to forsake sex (which=20
Verrier Elwin described as "damaging to everybody" just as Gandhi's=20
advocacy of prohibition was "damaging to tribals") and Morarji Desai=20
had curious dietary habits. But the Congress's image has always been=20
a forward-looking one, especially under Nehru who regarded the=20
newly-built dams and industries as the 'temples' of modern India.

Nehru's emphasis was on the people breaking away from their hidebound=20
past and cultivating a scientific temper so that India can emerge=20
from the darkness of ignorance and superstition. After saying "Beware=20
of superstition" in The Discovery of India, Nehru quotes with evident=20
approval Swami Vivekananda's observation: "I would rather see=20
everyone of you rank atheists than superstitious fools, for the=20
atheist is alive, and you can make something of him. But if=20
superstition enters, the brain is gone... Mystery-mongering and=20
superstition are always signs of weakness."

The first prime minister would have been horrified by the praise for=20
go mutra. Digvijay Singh's reference to a certificate from an unknown=20
New Zealander would have also left him speechless. It is typical of=20
Indians to quote sahibs to buttress their case. It is a part of the=20
inferiority complex which some of us still seem to harbour vis-a-vis=20
the whites. The BJP, too, wheels out a few whites to make its point.=20
One of them is Konraed Elst whose praise for Advani's rath yatra was=20
mentioned by the home minister in his deposition before the Liberhan=20
Commission. Roger Frawley is another, a 'Vedic scholar' who sees=20
nothing wrong in the breaking of a mosque when the Muslims broke so=20
many temples.

It is hardly surprising that Digvijay Singh is the chief minister of=20
a state where bhoot-pret ka mela is an annual feature. This exercise=20
in exorcism is another medieval trait which perpetuates quackery in=20
the place of modern medicine by claiming to 'cure' those 'possessed'=20
by evil spirits. The mela ranks with witchcraft as an instance of=20
social dementia which still prevails. As is known, even human=20
sacrifices are occasionally reported.

Instead of focusing on rooting out such practices, the chief minister=20
is spending time in claiming that a 'scientist' from New Zealand had=20
told him how he (the 'scientist') had established on the basis of=20
Indian scriptures that cow horns filled with cow dung and buried on a=20
specific date and then taken out on another specified date fertilise=20
one whole acre without the need of any other fertiliser! This is=20
mind-boggling stuff which even Murli Manohar Joshi hasn't been able=20
to think up.

Unless Singh has decided that the only way to beat the Sangh parivar=20
is by indulging in competitive obscurantism, he should desist from=20
these outrageous statements which will make a laughing stock of both=20
himself and his party, not to mention the country. It will be back=20
again to India being a land of snake-charmers and rope tricks if the=20
Congress and the BJP engage feverishly in displaying their faith in=20
voodoo. Even Laloo Yadav, that enduring symbol of backwardness, has=20
nothing comparable. His case that IT cannot bring rain to parched=20
crops even sounds sensible in this weird context.

The need for caution is all the greater because only a thin line=20
separates the Congress tricolour from the BJP saffron. The ease with=20
which former Congressmen like Ramakrishna Hegde, K.C. Pant, the late=20
Rangarajan Kumaramangalam, Mamata Banerjee and groups of legislators=20
in UP have crossed the line is evidence that they can accept the=20
minority-baiting saffron world view without any qualms of conscience.=20
>From such opportunistic political perambulation, it is a short jump=20
to the parivar's regressive ideological mumbo-jumbo.

It isn't only the Hindutva lobby's tactic of spreading darkness which=20
is responsible for people in high positions merrily indulging in such=20
hocus-pocus. The growing cult of godmen shows how blind submission to=20
irrational beliefs remains a feature of Indian life. The only=20
sensible statement made by a major figure in recent times was when=20
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam unambiguously rejected Pramod Mahajan's suggestion=20
for choosing an auspicious day for his swearing-in as president.=20
Kalam said that no days or seasons are inauspicious since they are=20
the result of the earth revolving on its axis and going round the sun.

India hasn't had a winner of a Nobel prize in science since C.V.=20
Raman in 1930. Nor has an Indian's name been associated with=20
scientific discoveries like the Raman Effect or Boson (subatomic=20
particles named after Satyendra Nath Bose). Chandrashekhar's Limit=20
presaging the formation of black holes is the work of a scientist who=20
lived abroad. Articles on science have disappeared from the Indian=20
media while their place has been taken by vacuous outpourings of=20
'holy' sentiments in 'spiritual' columns.

There is darkness not only in the political field but also in=20
education, with Murli Manohar Joshi ensuring with his deletion and=20
distortion of historical passages that serious objective research is=20
hampered. The least the Congress can do is not to add to the gloom.

_____

#4.

AN APPEAL FOCUS: HUMAN RIGHTS ALERT, GUJARAT
We, the concerned citizens of Gujarat express our anguish at the current
situation prevailing in the state, that are exhibiting gross human rights
abuses and which is increasing vulnerability of people engaged in social an=
d
human rights work. The legal processes, the pace and the nature of the
investigations vis a vis Godhra and post Godhra are glaringly evident of th=
e
threat to common masses who have dared to name the accused.
The most recent and shaking event has been the arrest of Maulana Hussian
Umarji who is an accepted social and religious leader of Godhra. He has bee=
n
charged on the basis of a statement made by a history charge sheeter Sabeer
Bin Yameen Behra under Section 120B, 394 of the IPC, accusing Maulana
Hussain Umarji of hatching a conspiracy, recruiting youth and executing the
Godhra train burning incident. "A special investigation team and Panchmahal
police raided the house of the Maulana in the Signal Falia area of the town
around 3:45 am on Thursday." (Times of India, Ahmedabad: Friday, February
7,2003)
According to media reports also Maulana has been involved in relief and in
coordinating with the state in investigation procedures for the Godhra and
post-Godhra incident. Prior to this during the 2001 earthquake he has been
known to do a lot of relief work. (Times of India, Ahmedabad: Friday,
February 8,2003)
Whereas on one hand, a person of Maulana's stature has been arrested on the
basis of a statement made by a history sheeter the examples that have been
set below show very clearly that even where victims and witnesses have made
clear statement the main accused have not been arrested or event
investigated.
The following are illustrative examples:
=B7 In FIR No. 101/2002 relating to incident of 28/2/2002 of Naroda Gaam, a
complaint was lodged by ASI Satuji Shivaji, where the name of the deceased
or the name of the accused were not known. After six months the police has
recorded a statement on 5/8/2002 naming one Bismillah Khan Pathan and eleve=
n
other whose names are not mentioned. Apparently Bismillah and eleven other
are those Muslims who had witnessed the role of political leaders, Dr. Maya
Kodnani and Dr. Jaideep Patel. Arrests were commenced in September wherein
all twelve have been arrested one after the other and none of them have bee=
n
able to obtain bail so far.
=B7 In FIR No. 193 of 2002 registered by Naroda Police Station, one Babubha=
i
Pirubhai Shiekh had witnessed and complained about the role of police
officer supporting the mob in looting and burning the houses on 28/02/2002
in Naroda Patiya. The police is likely to cover up the case by filing 'B'
summary
=B7 In FIR No. 142 of 2002 of Anjanwa village, District Panchmahals, the
complaint is of 14 murders apart from looting, burning etc. Police mentione=
d
28 persons as accused in the charge sheet and arrested only 6 of them till
12the Dec. 2002. The police have shown 22 as absconding though they are
known to be freely moving around. There are five such names that appear on
the record of the statements who have not been shown as accused by the
police. The high court of Gujarat has directed the IO to submit an affidavi=
t
explaining why these five persons named by the witnesses in their statement=
s
on the records of the charge sheet have not been included in the list of
accused.
=B7 The court has issued notices to attach the properties of all accused
belonging to the Muslim community in Godhra when they were unable to arrest
those mentioned in the FIR. So far those accused in cases of violence
against minorities in Naroda Patiya and Chamanpura and similar cases in
other parts of Gujarat have not been issued similar notices. And in most of
the cases the police is filing 'A' summary reports. E.g. In Ahmedabad city
alone, 959 cases were registered in connection with the violence of Feb-Mar
2002, out of which in 416 cases, the police has filed this 'A' summary
report ( as on 30th October 2002).
=B7 Many Muslim women who have been targets of violence by the mobs and
injured or killed in police firing have been shown as accused in FIRs and
those alive have had to go through the ordeal of being in jails for long
periods. They could not obtain anticipatory bails.
This substantiates that there is a marked discrimination in the
investigation processes in the Godhra train burning incidents and post
Godhra events.
There are several other similar cases all over the state where the entire
judicial process of registering the complaint, investigation and the
criminal justice process is being scuttled by the state police. The police
have even recorded some statements of key witnesses who have alleged that
some relief camp organizers and NGOs pressurized them to give their earlier
statement accusing political leaders and police. The police and
investigation machinery is working overtime to wrap up all riot-related
cases by letting all rioters scot-free, and unleashing a series of arrests
of innocent minority people and social activists.
We appeal to all national and international human rights organizations to
campaign and ensure that the investigation process in Gujarat in done in a
transparent, non-discriminatory and fair manner so that there is no
violations of human rights in the investigations processes.
We appeal that the investigation processes should not be used for targeting
and intimidating minorities and secular and human rights defenders.
We urge immediate attention and action, to stop the continuation of gross
human rights violations happening in the state of Gujarat.
Bhavna Ramrakhiani (Ahmedabad Community Foundation), Hiren Gandhi (DARSHAN)=
,
Bhabani Das (SAMERTH), Dinesh Parmar (Banaskantha Dalit Sanghtan), Wilfred
D'Costa (INSAF), Sheeba George (SAHRWARU), Sophia Khan (Vikas Adhyayan
Kendra), Persis P. Ginwalla (Behavioural Science Centre), Rafi Malek (Centr=
e
for Development), Jimmy Dabhi, Ahmed Shaikh (Jamait-Ulema-I-Hind) and other=
s

_____

#5.

For Immediate Release February 9, 2003
Contact person: Zahir Janmohamed
Indian Muslim Advocacy Group Calls Indian Embassy Festivities Around=20
Massacres' Anniversary A Stratagem Of Cover Up. Urges Boycott.

(Washington D.C., 02/05/2003): Indian Muslim Council - USA (IMC-USA)=20
has learnt that India's BJP-run government has instructed Indian=20
Embassies in United States and other countries to hold well=20
publicized Eid Parties on the occasion of the Muslim festival of=20
Eid-ul-Adha.=20

This year, Eid-ul-Adha roughly coincides with the first anniversary=20
of the State sponsored massacres of Muslims in Gujarat, India. The=20
BJP government and its affiliate organizations are widely blamed for=20
orchestrating these pogroms in which more than 2000 Muslims were=20
killed, 800 women and young girls were raped and 200,000 were=20
displaced from their homes. No serious effort has been made by the=20
government of India to punish the guilty or rehabilitate and=20
compensate the victims.

IMC-USA urges Indian Americans of conscience to refrain from=20
participating in these official Eid celebrations that are being=20
hosted as a stratagem of cover up. IMC-USA also urges the Indian=20
Embassy in US to cancel these celebrations as a mark of respect for=20
the victims of Gujarat massacres and divert the money for these=20
festivities towards much needed relief and rehabilitation in Gujarat.

Commenting on the embassy proposal that Indian Muslims in the United=20
States contribute financially to make this a memorable "celebration",=20
Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA said, "This is a slap on the=20
face of the Indian Muslims. Due to BJP's own handiwork, tens of=20
thousands of Muslims in Gujarat will have to observe Eid in a state=20
of homelessness, hunger and humiliation. Does the BJP think that by=20
hosting such celebrations their crimes against humanity will be=20
washed away?"

Dr. Ubaid explained that Indian Muslims were not against=20
participating in any function or occasion that fostered communal=20
harmony or promoted goodwill, on the contrary IMC-USA would encourage=20
Muslims to hold such functions, but to be hosted by private groups.=20
He said, "The politics of official celebrations that have been=20
mastered in India as a ploy to deflect criticism that the government=20
is not protecting Indian religious minorities are now being promoted=20
abroad. For years political leaders have held Ramadan and Eid parties=20
that serve no purpose while genuine Muslim concerns about religious=20
discrimination remain ignored.

He pointed out that the leaders of Hindutva-fascist parties like the=20
RSS and World Hindu Council (VHP) are worried that the occasion of=20
the first anniversary of Gujarat genocide will regenerate media=20
interest in these terrible crimes against humanity and give impetus=20
to a nascent international campaign to bring the perpetrators to=20
justice. These militant groups who call themselves adherents of=20
hindutva ideology of racial and religious supremacy, are called=20
fascist by Human Rights organizations, Gandhians and centrist parties=20
in India because their founders were inspired by Hitler and Mussolini=20
and they openly espouse Hitler's genocidal policies

ALSO SEE:
"The Other Face of Fanaticism" By Pankaj Mishra, New York Times=20
Magazine, February 2, 2003
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/02/magazine/02HINDU.html?pagewanted=3D1

"We Have No Orders to Save You" - Human Rights Watch Report, April 2002
http://hrw.org/reports/2002/india/

Indian Muslim Council-USA
265 Sunrise Highway,
1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570
Tel: (516) 567-0783

_____

Sage Publications
New Releases from SAGE!
February 2003

COMMUNAL POLITICS
Facts versus Myths
RAM PUNIYANI , Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai

This lucid and absorbing book explores many facets of communalism and=20
its growing threat to the social fabric of the nation. Ram Puniyani=20
argues that one of the main reasons for the ascendancy of communal=20
politics is the misconceptions and distortions spread by those bent=20
upon constructing an identity based on suspicion and hatred. These=20
misconceptions (or myths as the author calls them) are drawn from=20
different arenas such as history and culture and are built upon a=20
partial projection of events and 'facts' combined with a skewed=20
assertion of norms and practices of the 'other' community. A mountain=20
of hatred, says the author, is then built upon these totally=20
selective 'facts' which misinform and mould common perceptions.

Overall, this fascinating book dispels, in a novel and logical=20
manner, many distortions which have been responsible for arousing=20
communal passions and which have created an external or 'enemy' image=20
of religious minorities and the socially disadvantaged.

CONTENTS : Preface / Introduction / Ancient India: Was It a Golden=20
Period? / Medieval India: Dark Era or Foundations of Syncretism? /=20
Gandhi and Godse: Nationalism, Hindutva and the Freedom Struggle /=20
The Partition: Who was Responsible? / The Kashmir Imbroglio: How=20
Green is the Valley? / The Babri Masjid-Ram Janambhoomi Dispute:=20
Abode of Ram or House of Allah? / Minorities in 'Secular' India:=20
Appeasement or Maltreatment? / Crime and (No) Punishment: Communal=20
Violence, Inquiry Commissions and Deliverance of Justice / Spreading=20
the Word: Conversions and Anti-Christian Violence / Ram Rajya:=20
Religious Nationalism or Secular Democracy / Hindutva: Fanatical=20
Faith or Political Tool? / Unmaking the State: Rewriting the=20
Constitution / God Willing: Genesis of Terrorism, Motives of War and=20
Islam / The Gujarat Experiment: Programmed for Pogrom / Epilogue /=20
References / Index

2003 / 308 pages
Paper: Rs 295.00 (0-7619-9667-2)

______

#7.
[SPECIAL SECTION]

OPPOSE WAR THE DRIVE AGAINST IRAQ

a. Responding to Colin Powell by Rahul Mahajan
b. UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors Issue Statement On Iraq
c. When Hawks Soar And Doves Cry (SHIRAZ SIDHVA)
d. Appeal For A French Veto On War With Iraq

---------

Published on Friday, February 7, 2003 by CommonDreams.org
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0207-03.htm

Responding to Colin Powell

by Rahul Mahajan

If one believes everything Colin Powell said to the Security Council=20
yesterday, one's first response ought to be that there's no reason to=20
fight a war, since U.S. surveillance capabilities are so awesome that=20
Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) can easily be found. And=20
one's first question should be why has the United States for over two=20
months withheld this apparently so damaging evidence from those=20
weapons inspectors, who could have verified conjectures and destroyed=20
WMD stocks and production facilities.

If indeed the evidence presented is of the character claimed by=20
Powell, then the United States has chosen to sabotage UN Security=20
Council Resolution 1441, clause 10 of which "Requests all Member=20
States to give full support to UNMOVIC and the IAEA in the discharge=20
of their mandates, including by providing any information related to=20
prohibited programmes."

The actual evidence may not even warrant that conclusion. What Powell=20
served up to the Council was a sorry mess of fuzzy aerial photographs=20
of buildings, a cute "organizational chart" of supposed al-Qaeda=20
operations in Iraq, a couple of tape recordings that are capable of=20
multiple interpretations and, as before, a large number of undated=20
reports by unnamed Iraqi defectors.

Given the history of U.S. government use of disinformation to drum up=20
support for war, from relatively subtle measures like doctoring=20
satellite photos to convince the Saudi government that Iraq was=20
massing troops for an invasion of Saudi Arabia in 1990 to incredibly=20
crude ones like the continuing claims by officials from George W.=20
Bush on down that Iraq "expelled" weapons inspectors in 1998 (as=20
covered in the press at the time, the inspectors were withdrawn at=20
the behest of the United States), a skeptic need not actually accept=20
any of the evidence as presented. Even so, it's useful to go through=20
it.

Evidence about Iraq and al-Qaeda

The weakest part of the whole presentation, and the most important,=20
was the claims trying to link Iraq with al-Qaeda operations. In the=20
past, the link depended on the claims about one man, Mohammed Atta,=20
meeting with Iraqi intelligence in Prague (we've since found out that=20
he was almost certainly in the United States at the time of the=20
alleged meeting); now it depends on one man, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Al-Zarqawi is apparently a high-level operative of an Islamist group=20
called Ansar al-Islam, which is operating in northern Iraq (currently=20
an autonomous region with a provisional Kurdish government that is=20
aligned with the United States). Although there is no evident link=20
between this organization and the Government of Iraq (GOI), Powell=20
claims that the GOI has a high-level agent in Ansar, who "offered=20
al-Qaida safe haven" - although apparently few if any accepted the=20
offer, since the supposed presence is in the part of Iraq not=20
controlled by the GOI. The full extent of the connection between=20
al-Zarqawi himself and the GOI is apparently that he got medical care=20
in a hospital in Baghdad, hardly an indication of high-level Iraqi=20
complicity in terrorist attacks against American targets.

There is no attempt to link Ansar itself to the 9/11 attacks. In=20
fact, while apparently the mere presence of al-Zarqawi, a subordinate=20
in Ansar, in Iraq is sufficient reason for war, the head of Ansar,=20
known as Mullah Krekar, is living unmolested in Norway, and the=20
United States has not even made an extradition request. Krekar denies=20
any connection of Ansar with al-Qaeda.

Powell also claims that one al-Qaeda detainee has told them that Iraq=20
provided information about biological and chemical weapons to=20
al-Qaeda members. Given the condition al-Qaeda detainees are being=20
held in and the obvious incentives for them to tell a story the U.S.=20
government wants to hear, this is very far from being actual=20
evidence. The claim also flies in the face of common sense. Saddam=20
Hussein has always been seen by al-Qaeda as an enemy and has himself=20
seen Islamists as the biggest internal threat to his rule. To give=20
them the ability to make chemical or biological weapons, weapons he=20
sees as essential to the survival of his regime (many analysts think=20
the primary reason the United States didn't implement "regime change"=20
in 1991 was the threat that the GOI would use its stocks of chemical=20
weapons in self-defense), potentially destabilizes his own rule.

Evidence about Iraq's WMD

The heart of the presentation, however, was claims about Iraq's=20
violation of UNSCR 1441 and about its attempts to acquire WMD. This=20
included evidence like a photograph of a shed and a truck next to a=20
bunker, followed by a claim that such a configuration of truck and=20
shed (the truck is apparently a "decontamination" truck) is an=20
infallible indicator that the bunker has chemical weapons in it, and=20
even a photograph of what an Iraqi UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle)=20
"would look like."

Powell claimed that Iraq was reviving attempts to acquire a nuclear=20
weapon, telling us that two out of three elements were in hand. The=20
third element, fissile material, is and has always been the stumbling=20
block. According to Powell, "we have more than a decade of proof that=20
he [Hussein] remains determined to acquire nuclear weapons," but no=20
acknowledgment that in more than a decade he has been entirely unable=20
to do so.

Nor was there acknowledgment of the assessment that Mohammed=20
el-Baradei, chief of the IAEA team charged with Iraq's nuclear=20
disarmament, delivered to the Council:

"No evidence of ongoing prohibited nuclear or nuclear-related=20
activities ? has been detected to date? Nor have the inspections thus=20
far revealed signs of new nuclear facilities or direct support to any=20
nuclear activity. The IAEA expects to be able, within the next few=20
months, barring exceptional circumstances and provided there is=20
sustained proactive cooperation by Iraq, to provide credible=20
assurance that Iraq has no nuclear weapons programme."

He also resurrected claims that Iraq's attempts to acquire certain=20
aluminum tubes show that it is trying to make centrifuges for=20
production of fissile material, disputing the IAEA's conclusion that=20
those tubes are better suited to conventional artillery.
Most of the other "evidence" was unsourced or from one of the legion=20
of defectors that has always conveniently cropped up when the United=20
States has needed them.

The most compelling evidence was audio recordings of two=20
conversations apparently showing Iraqi attempts to conceal evidence=20
from inspectors. It's not possible to know whether the tapes are=20
real, whether they are recent or from the previous inspection regime,=20
or what exactly they are referring to. Forgetting all of these=20
caveats, it's quite likely that the Iraqis are trying to hide not=20
actual WMD but minor things that didn't make it into the December 7=20
declaration (for example, the empty chemical munitions that were=20
recently discovered) and are trying to eliminate those discrepancies=20
surreptitiously instead of letting the inspectors find them.

In the whole presentation, there was no acknowledgment of the true=20
state of affairs regarding chemical and biological weapons, as=20
concluded by the UNSCOM inspectors in 1998 and confirmed by UNMOVIC=20
more recently. That is simply this:

There are records of how much in the way of chemical agents,=20
biological growth medium, and other components Iraq imported from=20
Western firms (particularly American and German ones). There is=20
evidence of how much inspectors destroyed. There are Iraqi claims=20
about how much was used in the war with Iran and how much was=20
unilaterally destroyed by them. Iraq is unable to produce sufficient=20
evidence for the inspectors to match up those different numbers. So=20
there is some discrepancy in terms of chemical munitions - for=20
example, Iraq claims 550 mustard-filled shells were lost after the=20
Gulf War, but it can't prove this. There is discrepancy in terms of=20
biological growth medium and if you take this discrepancy and make=20
the entirely unrealistic stipulation that Iraq's fermenters were=20
constantly and continually used for all these past years, you can get=20
high numbers for the amounts of biological agents like anthrax that=20
Iraq theoretically might have.

These discrepancies are enough that inspectors could not close the=20
book on chemical or biological weapons (although they essentially did=20
on nuclear weapons). They presumably owe at least in part to the fact=20
that Iraq, after undergoing eight years of war with Iran, the most=20
devastating air bombardment in history in the Gulf War, and twelve=20
years of crippling sanctions, doesn't have all of its records nicely=20
intact.

Is there an Iraqi threat?

It is undoubtedly true that in the past Iraq went to considerable=20
lengths to avoid cooperating with inspections. It's possible that=20
that is happening again - some of Powell's evidence might be real.

But missing from the entire presentation was any serious talk about a=20
threat posed by Iraq, either to the United States or even to any=20
country in the region. Mere possession of WMD, even if established,=20
is not exactly evidence of aggressive intent. And in fact Iraq has=20
been the recipient of aggression frequently since the Gulf War=20
(bombings by the U.S. and U.K., periodic invasions in the north by=20
Turkey, virtual Kuwaiti annexation of Iraqi land in the south), but=20
has not itself seriously threatened any.

The evidence about Iraq's intent to attack seems to run something=20
like this - Saddam "gassed his own people" in 1988, therefore there=20
is an imminent threat that he will attack us in 2003. The imminent=20
threat is not, however, so severe as to keep us from having a full=20
year of warmongering and bellicose rhetoric before we actually attack.

This conveniently ignores the central fact about Hussein's record of=20
aggression. Without exception, his worse crimes were committed with=20
full U.S. support, both material and diplomatic. The war on Iran, the=20
massacre of Kurds in the Anfal campaign of the late 1980's, even the=20
bloody suppression in 1991 of the "Iraqi intifada" all involved=20
explicit measures of support from the United States - providing=20
military intelligence, approving export of chemical and biological=20
agents, providing "agricultural" credits, disarming rebels, and much=20
more. The invasion of Kuwait was done in the deliberately fostered=20
belief that the United States would not mind. Without U.S. support,=20
Hussein knows well that he can only be a threat to his internal=20
political enemies.

Powell did not deal with these facts, but essentially admitted the=20
lack of any evidence of a real Iraqi threat when he fell back on the=20
"pre-emption" argument - "should we take the risk that he will not=20
someday use these weapons at a time and a place and in a manner of=20
his choosing, at a time when the world is in a much weaker position=20
to respond?" Of course, in the absence of concrete evidence, any=20
country can make this argument against any other, which is why=20
"pre-emption" is clearly not consistent with international law.

What if Iraq isn't cooperating?

If Iraq is not cooperating fully with inspections right now, it's=20
important to understand why. The first round of weapons inspections=20
started to fall apart in 1998 for one reason - the United States=20
refused to commit to lifting the sanctions once Iraq was disarmed.=20
This refusal was an abrogation of its own commitment under UNSCR 687.

This time, it's even worse. The United States is steadily bombing=20
Iraq, in an escalating pattern that is no longer even vaguely linked=20
to enforcement of the illegal "no-fly zones" but is clearly part of=20
the suppression of air defense with which U.S. wars begin. It is=20
building a massive military presence in the Gulf. And it is declaring=20
openly, to all with the ears to hear it, that it will go to war with=20
Iraq no matter what Iraq does, whether the Security Council is with=20
it or against it.

In fact, at least one columnist, Bill Keller ("What to Expect when=20
you're Inspecting," New York Times, November 16, 2002) has pointed=20
out that inspections are a wonderful prelude to war because they "can=20
significantly diminish Saddam's arsenal," thus making it easier for=20
the United States to fight without fear of retaliation and because=20
"inspections immobilize Iraq while we deploy."
So Iraq is in the bizarre position of being called on to disarm while=20
being attacked by another country, and then being reviled by the=20
"international community" for partial compliance.

It is becoming increasingly likely that the United States will obtain=20
a Security Council resolution authorizing war. And if it does, its=20
main argument will be that it must go to war with Iraq to uphold=20
international law. It's important to understand ahead of time just=20
how obscene that argument is. It's not just because the United States=20
has systematically undermined international law with regard to Iraq,=20
by refusing to acknowledge the basis (disarmament) for lifting the=20
sanctions, by committing repeated acts of illegal aggression against=20
Iraq (like the Desert Fox bombing), and by deliberately making the=20
sanctions bite Iraqi society as hard as possible for purely political=20
reasons (see "Economic sanctions as a weapon of mass destruction,"=20
Joy Gordon, Harper's, November 2002). It's not just because the=20
United States enforces a double standard, in which itself and favored=20
allies are exempt from legal requirements while states it decided to=20
target are not.

It's because this war is a violation of the ultimate international=20
law. It is a "crime against peace," a war of aggression. It was=20
decided on long ago in the White House, and the only reason other=20
countries may vote in support of it is the repeated statements that=20
the war will happen whether they want it or not. It is the United=20
States holding not just Iraq but the entire world hostage.

Rahul Mahajan is a member of the No War Collective=20
(www.nowarcollective.com). He is author of "The New Crusade:=20
America's War on Terrorism" (April 2002, Monthly Review Press) and=20
the forthcoming "The U.S. War on Iraq: Myths, Facts, and Lies." He=20
can be reached at rahul@t...

o o o o

Press Release No.2003 - 09

UNESCO GOODWILL AMBASSADORS ISSUE STATEMENT ON IRAQ

Paris, February 6 - Nineteen UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors meeting in=20
Paris have issued the following statement about Iraq:

Statement by the Goodwill Ambassadors

Paris, UNESCO Headquarters,
6 February 2003

On the occasion of our annual meeting, held in Paris on 5-6=20
February 2003, we, the Goodwill Ambassadors of UNESCO wish to express=20
our great concern over the risk of war in Iraq.

Expressing ourselves in our own names, we wish to recall the=20
Preamble of the UNESCO Constitution, which states:

"- That since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds=20
of men that the defences of peace must be constructed;

- That ignorance of each other's ways and lives has been a=20
common cause, throughout the history of mankind, of that suspicion=20
and mistrust between the peoples of the worlds through which their=20
differences have all too often broken into war;
[=8A]
- That the wide diffusion of culture, and the education of=20
humanity for justice and liberty and peace are indispensable to the=20
dignity of man and constitute a sacred duty which all the nations=20
must fulfil in a spirit of mutual assistance and concern;

- That a peace based exclusively upon the political and=20
economic arrangements of governments would not be a peace which could=20
secure the unanimous, lasting and sincere support of the peoples of=20
the world, and that the peace must therefore be founded, if it is not=20
to fail, upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind;

"
Convinced that a war may be avoided, we urgently request on=20
the one hand to the Iraqi authorities to provide their cooperation=20
and to comply fully with the requirements expressed by the United=20
Nations Security Council and, on the other hand, appeal to all=20
States Members of the United Nations to work for peace.

Patrick BAUDRY, Pierre BERGE, Pierre CARDIN, Marin CONSTANTIN, Cheick=20
Modibo DIARRA, Miguel-Angel ESTRELLA, H.R.H. Princess FIRYAL, Ivry=20
GITLIS, Ikuo HIRAYAMA, Jean Michel JARRE, Omer Z=FClf=FC LIVANELI, H.R.H.=20
Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco, Kit=EDn MUNOZ, Ute-Henriette OHOVEN,=20
Kim Phuc PHAN, Madanjeet SINGH, Zurab TSERETELI, Giancarlo Elia=20
VALORI, Marianna VARDINOYANNIS.

o o o o

Outlook Magazine | Feb 17, 2003

US
When Hawks Soar And Doves Cry
It's you're either with us or against us again. And nobody wants to=20
be against the US. More Coverage
SHIRAZ SIDHVA
http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=3D20030217&fname=3DPowell+%28F=
%29&sid=3D1

_____

From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign
Date: Fri Feb 7, 2003 11:23 pm
Subject: APPEAL FOR A FRENCH VETO ON WAR WITH IRAQ

PLEASE PASS ON THIS APPEAL TO THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT TO VETO WAR WITH IRAQ,
AND PLEASE SEND A FAX TO PRESIDENT CHIRAC URGING HIM TO DO SO.

The following appeal can be signed at Sign on : http://www.veto.ht.st

You are also urged to fax it directly to the president of France, Jacques
Chirac at +33-147-42-2465.

It can also be sent to the French foreign minister at +33-1-4317-5203

and to the Prime Minister of France at +33-142-43-2677.

The '+' stands for your own country's ISD access code. This is often '00'
or '11'.

Australia has 0011(ph) and 0015(fax) access codes.

International Appeal
for a French Veto
at the Security Council
of the United Nations

To the President of the French Republic

Mr. President,

According to the rules of the United Nations, each permanent member,
i.e. China, the United States, France, Great Britain and Russia, has
the sovereign
power to block any Security Council resolution.

Enormous pressure is being exerted on leaders, on States and on
public opinion, to start a war against Iraq with unfathomable
consequences.

Public opinion in your country, as in many other countries, is
opposed to this war.

Because France has means of action that other countries in Europe and
in the rest of the world do not have and that it is thus in charge of
a responsibility of historical import,

we ask of you:

In virtue of the power given you by the constitution of your country
and of the power bequeathed you by the rules of the United Nations;

To demand that any war declaration made against Iraq be put to the
vote at the Security Council;

To use France's right of veto to block any resolution that would
allow the start of a war against Iraq.

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

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