SACW | 20 Aug. 2003
Harsh Kapoor
aiindex at mnet.fr
Wed Aug 20 05:14:52 CDT 2003
South Asia Citizens Wire | 20 August, 2003
[1.] View from Pakistan : The Sectarian Menace (Dr. Iffat Idris)
[2.] Questions over Pakistan prisoners [in India] (Reports from BBC +
Kashmir Times)
[3.] Hindutva ...derives inspiration from Hitler, Mussolini (Swami Agnivesh)
[4.] London Demonstration Against Narendra Modi (Letter to the editor
- Dr. Iftikhar H. Malik)
+ Reports of the Upcoming law suit in London against India's Milosevic
- UK rights activists want Modi arrested (Shyam Bhatia)
- Case to be filed against Modi in London (Hasan Suroor)
[5.] India: Progressive Theatre Director under attack by the Hindutva Far Right
- Sangh Parivar targets Habib Tanvir
- BJP leaders stall Tanveer's play again, can't agree why (Hartosh Singh Bal)
[6.] India: State Repression in the Narmada Valley (Angana Chatterji)
[7.] India: Upcoming Documentary Film screenings
- The Marad Path : A Probe Into Communal Tactics [in Kerala] (Aug.
23, Trivandrum)
- Forging A New Identity : Exploring the changing Muslim community
(Aug 21, New Delhi)
[8.] A Discussion Forum on Kashmir (Aug. 22, San Francisco)
--------------
[1.]
Outlook [India]
Web | Aug 19, 2003
VIEW FROM PAKISTAN
The Sectarian Menace
Accusing outside forces is a convenient way of deflecting attention
(and criticism) from the authorities' clear failings.
DR IFFAT IDRIS
Sectarian violence is an unpredictable menace in Pakistan: for weeks,
even months at a time, nothing happens; then all of a sudden there is
a sectarian massacre. No one can tell when or where the sectarian
menace will strike next.
On July 4, 2003, it struck a Shi'a imambargah (mosque) in Quetta, the
capital of the Balochistan province. Worshippers at the Asna Ashari
Hazara Imambargah were in the middle of Friday prayers when two men
entered and opened fire with automatic weapons. A third assailant
then set off a suicide bomb. Dozens of worshippers were killed on the
spot, while others died later in hospital. The total death toll was
over 50. All those killed were Shi'as of the Hazara community.
Earlier, on June 8, Shi'a police recruits, also from the Hazara
community, were gunned down as they were being driven back to their
barracks in Quetta. Prior to this, the last major sectarian attack in
Pakistan had occurred in Karachi in February, when nine Shi'as were
gunned down as they prayed in a mosque.
As all these incidents indicate, the primary victims of sectarian
violence are members of the minority Shi'a community. Karachi,
Pakistan's largest city, has been an especial site of sectarian Shi'a
killings. Such is the scale of the problem there that hundreds of
professional Shi'as have packed their bags and moved abroad, though
Sunnis have also been targeted by extremist Shi'as. Furthermore, the
sectarian menace has gradually spread from Karachi to other provinces
- notably Punjab, and now Balochistan. Across the country, the total
death toll in sectarian killings over the past decade runs into
several thousand.
While seeking an explanation for Pakistan's sectarian menace, it is
noteworthy that, for decades, the country's Shi'as and Sunnis lived
side by side without any major problems. Sectarian killings are a
relatively recent phenomenon in Pakistani society. Their roots, thus,
lie not in religious differences, but in political and social
developments within Pakistan and the region. They are intimately tied
up with the country's wider problem of militant extremist Islam.
The origins of sectarian violence in Pakistan can be traced back to
the war against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. American
funding and Pakistani assistance promoted the proliferation of a huge
number of militant Islamist groups and madrassahs (seminaries) inside
Pakistan. Washington needed the Islamists to 'wage jihad' against the
Soviets in Afghanistan, while Islamabad needed them to bring in
billions of American dollars. Hence both turned a blind eye to their
radical ideology and methods.
The shortsightedness of that thinking became apparent immediately
after the Soviet Union's exit. While radical Islamists in Afghanistan
formed the Taliban, their brethren in Pakistan turned their attention
towards Indian Kashmir or to sectarian opponents inside Pakistan.
Each act of sectarian killing provoked a cycle of revenge killings.
Civilian Governments failed to curb the menace, either because they
wanted the militants to fight Pakistan's corner in Indian Kashmir, or
because they lacked the will and the strength to do so. That failure
in turn allowed the religious militants to flourish and grow in
strength.
External factors other than Kashmir also promoted sectarianism. For a
period, Shi'a and Sunni sectarian groups were sponsored by Iran and
Saudi Arabia respectively.
These two rivals fought a proxy war in Pakistan. Their support abated
as relations between Tehran and Riyadh improved, but the sectarian
groups found other sources of sustenance. They derived ideological
inspiration (not to mention a base from where to train and launch
their operations) from the ultra-orthodox Taliban that came to power
in Afghanistan. The Taliban had strong links with madrassahs in
Pakistan, so it was little wonder their hard-line thinking influenced
people there.
The end-result of all this was that when Musharraf seized power in
October 1999, he faced a formidable foe: well-armed, well-trained and
well-financed Islamist-sectarian organizations, with a huge resource
pool of recruits in the country's thousands of religious madrassahs.
Dealing with such a foe was never going to be easy.
His task was made somewhat easier by 9/11 and the worldwide backlash
against terrorism and extremist Islam (not to mention the Taliban)
that it unleashed. Musharraf could strike against sectarian groups
knowing that public opinion was mostly on his side. Religious
parties, who would normally be expected to mobilize massive street
protests against any Government attempt to curb religious activism,
were now unable to do so.
Pakistan's decision to cut support for the Kashmiri separatist
movement also boosted its drive against sectarianism. As seen, many
sectarian groups emerged or were tolerated because of their
connections with groups fighting in Indian Kashmir. Once Islamabad
decided to abandon the latter, it no longer had to put up with the
former.
The first clear sign of a shift in the Government's attitudes came in
a televised speech by General Musharraf to the nation on 12 January
2002. The Chief Executive announced a campaign to eradicate the
sectarian menace. He banned three sectarian groups, Sipah-e-Sahaba
Pakistan (SSP), Tehreek-e-Jafria Pakistan (TJP), and the
Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat Mohammadi (TNSM), and put the Sunni Tehrik
on notice. He also announced a reform programme for religious
madrassahs - breeding grounds for religious extremism and
sectarianism.
Implementing the anti-sectarian drive, however, has been easier said
than done. As a leading English daily pointed out in its editorial
the day after the Quetta killings: "Mere condemnations and resolve of
the kind expressed by the President and Prime Minister are not
enough. They should prove by deeds that they are capable of rooting
out the menace of terrorism, especially of the sectarian variety."
Aside from the massive scale of the task - there are thousands of
madrassahs, tens of thousands of unregulated arms - there are very
real problems with regard to the capacity of the security forces.
Whenever an incident like that in Quetta takes place, police are
quick to make arrests - but those detained are usually scapegoats.
Very few of the people actually responsible for sectarian killings
have been captured or convicted. Improving the dismal record of the
intelligence and security forces requires a huge investment in
equipment and training - not easy for a country like Pakistan with
limited resources.
The other knee-jerk reaction among many Pakistanis, especially those
in authority, is to blame a 'foreign hand' for sectarian violence.
The July Quetta massacre, for example, was initially blamed on Afghan
nationals. Accusing outside forces is a convenient way of deflecting
attention (and criticism) from the authorities' clear failings. But
it does not help deal with the actual problem, which is primarily
domestic in origin.
There is also a growing suspicion that the Government's strategy
could be fundamentally flawed. Banning groups does not render them
ineffective - rather, it drives them underground and makes them even
harder to trace and curb. As the attack in Quetta showed, it only
takes a handful of dedicated extremists to wreak wide-scale carnage
and destruction. Unless the Pakistan Government can find a way to
deal with these dedicated sectarian killers, the threat of sectarian
violence will continue to cast a dark shadow over Pakistani society.
_____
[2.]
BBC
19 August, 2003, 17:03 GMT 18:03 UK
Questions over Pakistan prisoners [in India]
The Indian Supreme Court has asked the federal government to clarify
under which law 11 Pakistani nationals have been held in Indian jails
for more than a decade.
The Supreme Court's intervention came after one of the prisoners
wrote to the court from a jail in Jammu.
Human rights groups have expressed concern over the fate of some of
these prisoners.
The Supreme Court has held several hearings over the past three weeks
on cases related to Pakistani prisoners.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
o o o
Kashmir Times
18 Aug 2003
Pak prisoners in jails
The Supreme Court (SC) directions to state government to produce all
the records pertaining to Pakistani prisoners in Jammu and Kashmir
jails speaks of the contemptuous attitude and careless manner in
which these detenues have been treated by the authorities. The apex
court's directions have come in view of the observations that the
alien prisoners in the Indian jails have been deprived of their civil
rights by the governments because of the hostilities between the two
neighbouring countries during the past 56 years. It reflects the sad
state of affairs that afflicts Indian agencies in respect of all
those Pakistanis who have been captured on one charge or the other
and then detained for unspecified periods for no fault of theirs.
The court also wanted to know what steps have been initiated by the
government for repatriation of Pakistanis who are still in Indian
jails in different parts of the country for the past many years in
view of the failure of the authorities to do so. Since the SC could
not locate the names and present status of some detenues lodged in
Rajasthan jails in the files of the home ministry on Wednesday, the
former has been forced to seek all the records to ascertain the exact
position. Apart from these cases, there are many others pending in
different states of the country in which the Pakistani prisoners have
been detained and there is no information available about them at a
central place, which can be relied upon. It shows how non-serious and
unconcerned we are about the fate of all those alien prisoners in the
country, thus resulting in denial of basic fundamental rights to them
which are guaranteed under the Indian constitution.
Though the court has heard the arguments of the government counsel
that the authorities cannot rely upon its system of sending prisoners
to their native countries in view of the hostile relations between
India and Pakistan during the past 56 years, but it has rightly
observed that the fundamental rights of the prisoners cannot be held
hostage to hostilities between the two countries. The argument
isadvanced by the counsel that the Indian authorities have also to
seek the release of its citizens, who are detained in Pakistani jails
for minor offences and those who strayed into Pakistani territory. It
has also rightly observed that some mechanism has to be worked out
for exchange of prisoners between the two countries in view of the
fact majority of them happen to be innocents and have already served
their sentences. This is also true when the court has observed that
despite shortcomings on the part of the authorities, law is not
silent on such serious issues and cannot be tak!
en for a ride if there has been no accountability on these matters.
Rational thinking and prudence demands that both the countries have
found ways and means mutually acceptable to both the countries for
exchange of prisoners on regular basis so that the peoples of the two
nations do not suffer for no fault of theirs. Better sense should
prevail in both the countries so that mechanism is worked out for
sending innocents to their homes in the larger interest of the two
countries.
_____
[3.]
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=29861
The Indian Express
August 19, 2003
TERRORISTS IN SAFFRON
Hindutva is pseudo-Hinduism and derives inspiration from Hitler,
Mussolini, writes Swami Agnivesh
Hinduism, through which divine light first dawned on the Earth, is
being poisoned to death. Wearing the mask of Ram bhakti, vested
interests are misusing and exploiting Hindu religious sentiments. If
this trend is allowed to continue it is doubtful if, a few years from
now, Hinduism would be recognisable from other violent and vicious
ideologies like fascism and colonialism.
Hindutva is Hinduism's internal enemy. In its origin and spirit,
Hindutva is an atheistical ideology. It derives its inspiration not
from Ram, Shiva or Krishna, but from Hitler and Mussolini. Hindutva
is pseudo-Hinduism. It can triumph only by hijacking and degrading
our religion.
The stormtroopers of Hindutva, of course, want to look like Hindus.
It is like terrorists wearing army uniforms while attacking an army
camp. Hindutva is essentially religious terrorism. Its language and
strategies belong to the world of terrorism, not religion or
spirituality. Bullying helpless people, murdering innocent women and
children, intimidating dissent, committing rape, arson and loot are
what we expect from terrorists, not from religious people.
Hijackers are thieves who pretend to be owners. They take charge of
something, not because they care for it, but because they want to
exchange it for money. A plane, for example, is hijacked not because
the hijackers love the plane. They will happily abandon the hijacked
plane, when their mercenary goal is attained. That was what the
Hindutva camp did four years ago. All hijackers plan their strategies
carefully. The same is true of the hijackers of Hinduism. Let us look
at some of them.
One, no religion can be hijacked without taking religious icons
hostage. Ideologues of Hindutva have made Lord Ram a hostage to
communalism. In this process they degrade Lord Ram, who has stood for
millennia as a shining embodiment of justice, into a caricature of
cruelty and aggression. Millions among us were fooled into believing
that Lord Ram was sulking like a child because a temple was not built
for him where the Babri Masjid stood. The Hindutva version of Lord
Ram resembles Ravana. Only Ravana can rejoice over words of
aggression and strategies of deceit like what the Sangh Parivar
unleashed in Ayodhya. Hindutva has insulted and caricatured Lord Ram
more than any other external enemy of Hinduism. We must not allow
this to go on one day more.
Two, turning gods into hostages demands that symbols associated with
them be taken over, modified and misused. Temple and trishul are two
instances of this. There is no mention of temples in the Vedas,
clearly indicting that in the Vedic vision God does not live in
structures of stone and lime, but in the hearts and minds of people.
The Hindutva war dance for building a temple for Lord Ram is due to
its communal eagerness to take possession of Lord Ram. By building a
temple for Lord Ram - especially in an aggressive and pseudo-heroic
way - the likes of Pravin Togadia, Ashok Singhal and Giriraj Kishore
can project themselves as Ram's landlords. Ram, then, becomes their
tenant.
That is an attractive prospect because the landlords of Ram can claim
greater religious authority than any other orthodox religious leader.
As of today, Togadia and Singhal conduct themselves as greater
religious authorities than all the Shankaracharyas put together.
Yet another example is the hijacking of saffron: our cherished colour
of spirituality. Saffron is a symbol of the spirit of renunciation.
Hindutva has degraded saffron into the colour of murder and rape.
Worse than pseudo-Gandhians who cheapened khadi, sadhus who sold
themselves to the Hindutva camp have fouled saffron and destroyed its
symbolic meaning and sanctity.
Three, yet another aspect of Hindutva's hijacking strategy is the
studied neglect of Hindu scriptures. The real proof that a person or
group is genuinely interested in Hinduism is the eagerness to
understand our scriptures and to uphold its spiritual mandate. The
Hindutva camp is marked by its total indifference to Hindu
scriptures. They do not respond to issues according to the light of
the Vedas, Upanishads or the gentle teachings of the Puranas and
Bhagavatam.
Take the case of Narendra Modi. It was not according to the spirit of
Lord Ram, Lord Shiva or Lord Krishna, but according to the theory of
Isaac Newton that he responded to Godhra riots. L.K. Advani, not to
be left behind, recently explained his anxiety about alleged
numerical growth of minorities with a reference, not to Lord Ram on
whose name he rode to power, but to French philosopher Augustus
Comte. Hitler's Mein Kampf was the source of Guru Golwalker's
inspiration.
Four, corrupting the culture of Hinduism is a key element in Hindutva
strategy. This is a serious thing, because more than any other
religion, Hinduism is a way of life. It is a distinct culture, marked
by politeness, hospitality, an intricate web of courtesies, values
and relationships. The sound and fury of Hindutva are in stark
contrast to all this. A young father, who is aware of this cultural
degradation inflicted upon us by Hindutva, said the other day that
whenever Togadia appeared speaking on the screen, he switched off the
TV. He did not want his three-year-old daughter to see his
performance and begin to speak like him!
And there is this ardent devotee of the Vedanta in Chennai who said
the other day, ''If the Singhals and Togadias are the custodians of
Hinduism, it is time I converted to some other faith.'' But that is
not the solution. Rather than run away from a burning house, let us
put out the fire. We are obliged to shout from the rooftops: Hinduism
is a way of life and within that way of life there is no room for
communal riots, rape and roguish behaviour. Mercifully, today there
are growing signs that more and more Hindus are waking up to this
grave danger. The Hindu voice of protest against Hindutva has been
rising ever since the massive atrocities in Gujarat.
Whatever else Hindutva is, it is not Hinduism. Communalism and
religious fundamentalism are signs of sickness; they flourish when
religions decay and fall into the lap of vested interests. Saving a
religious tradition from the corrupting stranglehold of communalists
is a greater and more urgent need than defending a religion from its
alleged external enemies.
Hinduism stayed safe and steady despite every imaginable threat from
outsiders. But this is the first time it is facing an organised and
determined attack from within. When enemies put on the masks of
saviours, there is need to wake up and resist them.
_____
[4.]
19 August, 2003.
Editor (Letters)
DAWN,
Karachi
Dear Sir/Madam,
-London Demonstration Against Narendra Modi.
I am a bit perturbed over your APP-based report:
"Muslims protest Modi's UK Visit" (DAWN 19 August).
Being part of this significant event, I can safely
claim that other than hundreds of
Muslims--understandably most of them from Gujarat--
protesting outside the Wembley Centre on Sunday, 17
August, there were several other participants as well,
representing different regions, religions/ideologies
and nationalities. Understandably, the Dauds of
Gujarat who lost two UK-born sons while on a visit to
the state last year, were demanding proper
investigation and had quite a few sympathisers with
them flagging banners and raising slogans. However,
the protest was jointly sponsored by several
Muslim/non-Muslim groups in Britain including the
Indian Workers Association, AWAZ, South Asian
Solidarity Group, Council of Indian Muslims, Women
Living Under Muslim Laws, Oxford South Asia Forum,
South Asia Watch, Indian Muslim Federation, Cambridge
South Asia Forum, Asian Women Unite and many others.
Importantly, not all of them are Muslim per se,
neither would some of them like to be put under any
specific communal category. The purpose behind this
protest was not only to highlight the brutalities
committed under the BJP-led state government of
Narendra Modi now on a visit to the UK, but also to
espouse a common cause and solidarity among South
Asians from various walks of life. Thus, to report
such an event merely as a MUSLIM protest against the
Hindtuva regime is, in fact, dangerously
substantiating the BJP-VHP-BNP campaign here in the UK
nefariously aimed at projecting Muslims as the
international culprits and sole trouble makers.
Besides, it is a cruel joke with those courageous and
well meaning South Asian individuals and groups who
resist both the state-led and societal fascism while
taking all kinds of risks solely in the larger
interests of entire South Asia. Thus, I am afraid,
your APP correspondent, whom I certainly did not see
at all the entire Sunday afternoon outside Wembley
Centre, has unwittingly become an instrument of a
vicious communalist campaign. During the protest, when
a woman reporter from The Independent (London) raised
a similar point of this being a Muslim protest, a
gentleman standing next to me observed right away:
"Look, I am a Sikh from India and am here with twenty
others from the Indian Workers Association; it is not
an entirely Muslim event". He brought a few more
protesters of Sikh and Christian background. My
colleague and friend, Dr. Amrit Wilson, a British
Indian academic from SOAS, was there with her family
and friends representing South Asian Solidarity group.
While talking to TV crews she made laudable efforts to
show that other than Muslims, the protest had the full
support and participation of a wide variety of South
Asians and other human rights groups. A couple of
bob-South Asian protesters at the rally also vocally
volunteered to affirm that there were Hindus,
Christians, Dalits, Sikhs and several other
communities at the demonstration though majority of
them were, of course, Muslim Gujaratis.
For God's sake, request your reporter either to be
present at such meetings or not to carelessly rehash
something that may not only be incorrect but could
also have serious repercussions for communal
relationship in Diaspora. It is a known fact that the
above-mentioned fundamentalist organisations are
trying to their hilt to create Hindu-Muslim,
Muslim-Sikh and Muslim-Christian feuds in the United
Kingdom and by misreporting a major event like the
Wembley Demonstration I am afraid the APP has fallen
into the same trap.
With my very best regards,
Sincerely,
Dr. Iftikhar H. Malik
FRHisS
-22 Worcester Place
Oxford OX1 2JW. UK
o o o
Rediff News, August 19, 2003, Tuesday
UK rights activists want Modi arrested
Shyam Bhatia in London | August 19, 2003 20:18 IST
Human rights campaigners say they have submitted an application
before a London magistrate asking for the arrest of visiting
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
A Bow Street magistrate is expected to respond on Wednesday to
claims submitted by three campaigners that Modi and other BJP
officials can be linked to last year's communal violence in the
state in which an estimated 3,000 people lost their lives.
Suresh Grover, one of the three campaigners who will be
represented at Wednesday's hearing, told rediff.com: "We think we
can show a connection between BJP officials, including Cabinet
ministers, to the incidents that took place in Gujarat."
Grover's said his submission to the magistrate has been co-signed
by London School of Economics professor Dr Gautam Appa and fellow
human and civil rights activist Jagdish Patel.
"I think we have prima facie evidence that Modi was present when
certain actions were decided and he subsequently failed to fulfil
his obligations to safeguard the public," Grover added.
The supplicants are pinning their hopes on the precedent that was
created when the visiting former Chile dictator General Augustus
Pinochet was detained in London for five months, pending his
extradition to Spain to face charges of torture filed by relatives
of those who suffered under his regime.
The issue became a political hot potato for the British government
and Pinochet was eventually released and allowed to return home on
grounds of ill health.
Legal experts in London say the magistrate will be within his
rights to issue a warrant for Modi's arrest, but a decision on
whether to execute the warrant rests with the UK's Attorney
General.
Experts said Modi can be questioned by the police, but will not be
charged without the explicit authorisation of the Attorney
General.
Modi is due to leave London for Switzerland on Thursday. On
Tuesday evening he is due to address a meeting of business
leaders, including NRIs, who have been invited to participate in
next month's Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit.
____
The Hindu
August 20, 2003
http://www.thehindu.com/2003/08/20/stories/2003082010981100.htm
Case to be filed against Modi in London
By Hasan Suroor
LONDON AUG. 19. A case seeking prosecution of the Gujarat Chief
Minister, Narendra Modi, for alleged torture is expected to be filed
in a London magistrate's court tomorrow on behalf of the relatives of
two British citizens who were killed by a mob in last year's communal
violence in the State.
Human rights activist Suresh Grover, who is behind the legal
campaign, said the case would be filed under the Criminal Justice Act
U.K., which gives the British courts jurisdiction over cases of
torture irrespective of where the act was committed or who actually
committed it. The former Chilean President, Augusto Pinochet, was
tried under the same Act in Britain a few years ago.
The case would be built around the complaint of Bilal Dawood, a
British citizen, whose brother Fareed and cousin Shakil were attacked
by a mob and killed while they were visiting Gujarat. The car in
which they were travelling was stopped and set on fire while they
were inside. "All we want is a proper investigation to get justice
for what happened to them," Mr. Dawood said.
Legal sources said the "challenge" for the petitioner would be to
establish that the mob that killed the two was working with the
consent or acquiescence of Mr. Modi or his officials. Though they
would not be required to prove that Mr. Modi personally took part in
the torture, the chain of command leading back to him would have to
be established. "It could be a long shot trying to establish that,"
one legal expert on international law said.
Even if the case is admitted, the consent of the Attorney-General
would be needed to proceed with it.
There was much confusion today after it was claimed that a case had
already been filed in the morning. But Mr. Grover told The Hindu: "We
will be filing it tomorrow before the Bow Street Magistrate's court."
______
[5.]
Deccan Herald
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Sangh Parivar targets Habib Tanvir
DH News Service BHOPAL, Aug 19
Renowned theatre person Habib Tanvir has become the latest target of
the ire of the Sangh Parivar's moral police in Madhya Pradesh.
The VHP-Bajrang Dal-BJP workers did not allow Tanvir's play to be
staged at Hoshangabad on Monday and at Gwalior on August 16. They
have vowed to repeat their exploits at all places where Mr Tanvir's
troupe, "Naya Theatre", travels over the next fortnight. Tanvir and
his troupe are on a state-wide tour under the aegis of the "MP
Sanskriti Parishad", a government outfit meant for promotion of
culture.
Led by the local BJP MLA Sitasharan Sharma, Sangh Parivar's storm
troopers threw rotten eggs and chairs on the dais minutes after the
performance of "Ponga Pandit-Jamadarin" began at an auditorium in
Hoshangabad, about 70 kms. from here. When the police forced the
miscreants out, some of them climbed on a electricity pole and
snapped power supply to the auditorium, forcing abandonment of the
performance.
On August 16, the performance of the same play was disrupted at
Gwalior. Even the presence of the district collector and SP in the
auditorium could not deter the miscreants. After the collector's
warning had no effect on the slogan-shouting disrupters, cops,
present in sizeable strength, lathicharged the trouble makers and
drove them out. The BJP called for a bandh on Monday to protest
against the use of force. The bandh evoked a mixed response.
The Congress has sternly criticised the "blatant display of fascism"
and the chief minister has ordered the police to ensure that the
performances are not disrupted "at any cost".
About a week ago, Sangh Parivar activists had washed the same
auditorium at Gwalior with "gangajal". That was for the "shuddhi" of
the auditorium where, social activist Swami Agnivesh had addressed a
meeting. During the course of his speech, Agnivesh flayed the Prime
minister for promising to "fulfil the dreams of late Mahant
Ramchandra Paramhans." "The Mahant was a criminal who was charged
with sodomy. Instead of vowing to fulfil his dreams, the Prime
minister should have vowed to fulfill the dreams of the likes of
Ashfaqullah and Ramprasad Bismil who were hanged to death together,"
the Swami had said.
o o o
The Indian Express
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=29954
BJP leaders stall Tanveer's play again, can't agree why
Hartosh Singh Bal
Bhopal, August 19: After a performance of Ponga Pandit by Habeeb
Tanveer's Naya Theatre group was called off last night in Hoshangabad
due to protests led by BJP MLA from Itarsi Sitasharan Sharma, the
performance scheduled for today in Narsinghpur has also been
cancelled. Surprisingly, despite opposing the play, the senior
leadership of the BJP in MP cannot even agree on what they find
objectionable about the play.
Accusing the BJP of fascism, Habib Tanveer, addressing mediapersons
in Bhopal, said he would continue with his Sadbhavna Yatra, in the
course of which the play is being performed. He pointed out that the
satire Ponga Pandit - or Jamadarin as the play is sometimes called -
belongs to the Chhattisgarhi oral tradition and has been performed
since the 1930s. ''It is a classic pointing to the creative powers of
the ordinary people. It was performed on streetcorners of every
district in the region by actors usually from the scheduled caste,''
he said.
State leaders when contacted gave a bewildering replies. State BJP
organising general secretary Kaptan Singh Solanki said: ''Ponga
Pandit and Jamadarin are two separate plays through which bhartiya
sanskriti pe hamla hua hai.'' When asked what was objectionable, he,
while admitting that he had not seen the play, said he had been told
''a man is shown entering a temple with his shoes on. A jamadarin is
shown striking a Brahmin. This is a direct attack on our sanskriti.''
Former leader of Opposition Gauri Shankar Shejwar, a Dalit, again
admitting he had not seen the play said: ''I object to the name. It
clearly shows a desire to drive a wedge based on caste. Panditon ko
Ponga nahin kehna chahiye (Pandits should not be called Ponga).''
BJP MLA S.C. Sharma, who spearheaded the opposition to a performance
yesterday, said: ''We had opposed the staging of the play. The SDM
said if we found anything objectionable he would stop the play. Then
the play Lahore was staged. When Tanveer said kattarwadi rajneta
(political extremists) were responsible for the communal riots in the
state in 1992, the audience then objected.''
Asked if he had seen the play, he admitted he had not. Finally the
BJP state office was asked for the name of a functionary who had seen
the play and could voice the objections. The office gave the name of
BJYM functionary in Gwalior, Yogendra Sanger. According to him: ''In
the play when an agarbatti can't be found the pandit's assistant uses
a beedi.''
_____
[6.]
Op-ed, Asian Age, Daily Newspaper, New Delhi, August 20, 2003
State Repression in the Narmada Valley
Angana Chatterji
Villages on the Narmada river are frontlines in the struggle for
cultural survival. In May 2003, a controversial decision was taken to
raise the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam from 95 to 100 meters.
Waters swirl around Dhankhedi, Anjanwada, Bharad, Kevadia, Nimgavan,
Mokhdi, Dhanale, Manibeli. The police assault those facing
submergence, destroying homes, forcibly evicting people, harassing
activists of the Narmada Bachao Andolan. On July 28, 2003, 74 people,
including women and children, were arrested in Chimalkhedi village in
Maharasthra for protesting displacement.
Sardar Sarovar is the largest dam on the Narmada, one of 30 large,
135 medium and 3,000 small dams planned on the river, whose watershed
is home to about 20 million peasants and adivasis. The reservoir will
displace 200,000 people. Canals, colonies and afforestation will
affect another 200,000.
The river comes unannounced into their fields bringing the stench of
rotting crops. Siltation levels are dangerous, captive crocodiles
have killed people. In front of Domkedi village, a red flag flutters.
Shobha Wagh died on May 22, 2003, trapped in the silt. The very river
where people bathed, fished, where children played, their greatest
ally, has turned into their most intimate enemy.
The Maharasthra government claims that it has resettled all project
affected persons at 100 meters. Untrue. 1,500 families in Maharashtra
and 12,000 families in Madhya Pradesh are yet to be rehabilitated at
the 100 meter level. The submergence is devastating the lives of
people, wildlife and precious ecosystems. The people, treated with
contempt and disregard by the state, have nowhere to go.
This state of affairs diverges from the conditions of the Narmada
Project Rehabilitation Policy mapped by the Government of Madhya
Pradesh. It violates provisions of tribal self-determination directed
by Schedule V and VI of the Indian Constitution. Such callousness
defies Convention 107 (and 169 to which India is not a signatory) of
the International Labour Organisation mandating against the arbitrary
separation of indigenous peoples from their traditional survival
resources. It contravenes the conditions of the United Nations
Charter of Rights for Indigenous Peoples, and disobeys the guidelines
drafted by the World Commission on Dams.
The response of the state to people affected by the Sardar Sarovar
dam is a crime against humanity that particularly targets women,
children, adivasis, dalits and other minorities. This dam is a
fearsome testimonial to 'progress' in postcolonial India, where the
voices of the marginalised are drowned out in development planning.
Their lands and livelihoods are collateral that enable the dreams of
the privileged, their cultures and practices seen as a hindrance to
the process of modernisation, insufficiently 'productive', lacking in
value.
India is intent on building non-viable large dams even as many
nations are decommissioning them. As water and electricity pulsates
to Ahmedabad, the Narmada people are left without basic amenities,
without shelter, clean water, electricity, schools. Where
resettlement has been attempted, it is flawed. The rehabilitation
process is deceptive and the people's demand for a written Government
Resolution (Maharashtra) on Rehabilitation is yet to be met. The Daud
Committee of 2001 directs land for land rehabilitation, implying
habitable and cultivable land. Repeatedly, the government's
resettlement package offers neither. Often the same land is allocated
to multiple stakeholders.
Last week, on a solidarity visit to the Narmada Valley, colleagues
and I met with members of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, the prolific
and ethical movement whose commitments since 1985 demand our
solidarity. We witnessed intensifying resistance as the Satyagraha
gains momentum. We met Medha Patkar midstream near Jalsindhi. As our
boats paused next to each other, she smiled and spoke in that
inimitable way of the struggle ahead that has inspired a generation.
Leaving the Valley we got off the boat near Kadipani, four hours from
Baroda, and were stopped and interrogated by the Gujarat police. We
were asked to explain our association with Medha Patkar, and accused
of coming to the Valley to create disturbances. We were informed that
in Narendra Modi's state there are new rules and those deemed
suspicious would be detained. Our visit, we were told, would be
reported to the government. Another indication of mistreatment in
'Modi's Gujarat', where the state participates in the intimidation of
the innocent, in violence against minorities. The very state that was
an accomplice in the recent murder of Muslims and obstructs justice
today, continues to abuse the rights of the people of the Narmada
Valley.
Umesh Patidar, an Andolan activist, was waiting outside the police
station. As we said goodbye, Umesh Bhai handed us some food, saying
that we had a long road to travel and should have sustenance. Amid
all he has to do, amid the horror of his reality, he is caring. It is
humbling to witness the strength of the Andolan, its refusal to be
made inhuman. A clash of worlds. One where integrity and
relationships matter. Another where alienation and greed dominate,
where there is no comprehension, or tolerance, of difference.
Proponents see the dam as a leap in science and technology. They
assert that the quality of life will significantly improve because of
the political and economic decisions made in support of the Sardar
Sarovar. Treacherous fictions. Struggles over the shape of the Indian
nation in the Narmada Valley, narrate the irrevocable depletion of
the country's natural resource base and the brutalisation of the
disenfranchised. Sardar Sarovar tells a disparaging story of the
destitution of communities, of persistent and invasive inequities. It
symbolizes the incapacity of the state to honour lives and
aspirations that dare to challenge the inequities of globalization
and the tyranny of dominant development.
Who is accountable? The World Bank withdrew in 1993 without
redressing the consequences of its involvement. The Governments of
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat have failed to abide by legal
norms, the Supreme Court to deliver juridical justice. How little
democracy functions for the disempowered in India.
The bereaved river rages in despair. Cultural genocide is never
justifiable regardless of how much 'economic prosperity' results. The
injustices in the Narmada Valley must be scrutinized by international
human rights organizations. The government must comply with the rule
of law. If history chronicles that the people of the Narmada were
indeed drowned out, with them will die ways of being precious to
preserving our world, languages, values, spiritualities, imagination
and memory. And, if we do not speak up we will have been complicit in
this massacre.
Angana Chatterji is a professor of Social and Cultural Anthropology
at the California Institute of Integral Studies.
_____
[7.]
CHRO News,
August 19, 2003,
Malayalam Documentary On Marad "Maradinte Vazhikal" : The Marad Path
: A Probe Into Communal Tactics
Preview Show: August 23, 2003, Saturday, 3.00 pm
Kesari Memorial Trust Hall, Thiruvananthapuram
Duration : 50 minutes
This video report on communalization of Kerala documents the affected
Marad area, the Araya Samajam there, the refugee camps outside, along
with versions of about 30 socio-cultural-political-religious leaders,
advocates, journalists and human rights activists/defenders who
analyze the history and politics of Marad.
Script : Adv. N. M. Siddiq
Camera Team : Bava, Ranjan Okkal, Manoj Neerkunnam, Siddiq Mattancherry
Music : Nandu R. Kartha
Direction : Nissam Ravuthar
Produced By : Media Research and Development Foundation MES Centre
Ernakulam North Kochi-682 018 [India]
Phone : 98471-01661 E-Mail : mrdf at rediffmail.com
o o o
Friends
You are invited to the screening of a documentary film
FORGING A NEW IDENTITY
Exploring the changing mindset of the Muslim
community; the modern against the traditional and the
new face of the community.
Directed by Sabia Khan
at 3 PM, on August 21, 2003
India Habitat Centre main auditorium
New Delhi [India]
(A part of the PSBT/UNESCO film festival)
_____
[8.]
This Forum will serve as an Education and a Discussion
Forum on Kashmir; Speakers from India, Pakistan and Kashmir
will critically analyze the historical roots of the conflict
and the way forward from a balanced and liberal viewpoint.
-----------------------------------------------
Topic: A Discussion Forum on Kashmir
Organizers:
Dr. Angana Chatterji,
Professor, Social and Cultural Anthropology Program
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), San Francisco
Mr. Zulfiqar Ahmad
Peace and Security Program Officer for South Asia
Global Peace & Security Program
The Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable Development,
Berkeley
Speakers:
* Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, Professor of Physics, Quaid-e-Azam University,
Islamabad, Pakistan
* Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Executive Director, Kashmiri American Council,
Washington, D.C.
* Ms. Akhila Raman, Researcher on the Kashmir Conflict, Berkeley, CA
Followed by a Q&A and Discussion with audience.
When: Friday August 22, 2003: 6 p.m. - 8.30 p.m.
Where:
Namaste Hall
3rd Floor, California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS)
1453 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Organized by:
People for Peace in Kashmir
Social and Cultural Anthropology Program at CIIS, San Francisco
Supported By:
Friends of South Asia
* FREE event; Limited seats, arrive early to ensure your seating.
Directions and Parking at CIIS:
-------------------------------------
http://www.ciis.edu/welcome/contact.html
Street parking is easily available around the block after 6 p.m.
About The Forum:
------------------
After 56 years of Indian independence, Kashmir remains
the long-standing unresolved dispute which plagues
the subcontinent and has become the nuclear flashpoint,
bleeding the Kashmiris and the economy of both India and
Pakistan, driving them to a mad arms race.
This forum will strive to present a balanced view on the
Kashmir 'problem' by taking a critical look at the role
both India and Pakistan have played in bringing the region
to its current state. The focus will not stray far from
the plight of the people of Kashmir, of all communities,
who have borne the brunt of the fall-out from decisions being
made in Islamabad and New Delhi.
The speakers will also address possible ways to resolve the
seemingly intractable conflict in the region so that the people
of Kashmir, including those who have had to flee their homes and
become refugees in India and Pakistan, can start rebuilding their
lives in peace.
--------------------------------------------------------
For more information:
kashmir_forum at mindspring.com
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
Buzz on the perils of fundamentalist politics, on matters of peace
and democratisation in South Asia. SACW is an independent &
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Citizens Web (www.mnet.fr/aiindex).
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