SACW | 15 Feb 2005

sacw aiindex at mnet.fr
Mon Feb 14 18:30:13 CST 2005


South Asia Citizens Wire   | 15 Feb.,  2005
via:  www.sacw.net

[1] India: Letter to NHRC re Disinformation 
campaign by the police and sections of the media 
in the case relating to the murderous attack on 
Prof. S. A. R. Geelani
[2]  Bangladesh:
(i) Online Petition - We the citizens of 
Bangladesh and Our Friends Around the World, 
Demand Security
(ii) Valentine's Day party at Dhaka University foiled by bomb blasts
[3]  India: On Slum Demolitions in Bombay
(i) Bombay's Demolition Drive (2004-2005) An ongoing sacw blog
(ii) Stop Further Demolitions; Relief & 
Rehabilitation For Evicted (Press Note by 
Zopadpatti Bachao Kriti Samiti)
(iii) Letter to Prime Minister and UPA Chair re 
Slum Demolitions in Bombay (Ammu Abraham)
[4]  India: On Keeping One's Eyes Open (Mukul Dube)
[5]  India: The Survivors of Tsunami Protest Against Kerala Government
[6] Upcoming Events:
(i) Towards A Comprehensive Solution To The Issue 
Of The Mill Lands (Bombay, 16 Feb 2005)
(ii) Discussion with Nivedita Menon On Recovering 
Subversion: Feminist Politics Beyond the Law (New 
Delhi, 15 Feb 2005)
(iii) Anhad invites you to the screening of the 
film "Kitte Mil Ve Mahi" (New Delhi, 26 Feb 2005
(iv) "International Kashmir Peace Conference" (New York, 24-25 Feb 2005)


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

[1]

URL: www.sacw.net/hrights/letterNHRC14022005.html

Delhi University Teachers in Defence of S. A. R. Gilani
5B Imperial Avenue, Delhi 110007

The Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
Samsad Marg
New Delhi

14 February, 2005

Subject: Disinformation campaign by the police 
and sections of the media in the case relating to 
the murderous attack on Prof. S. A. R. Geelani

Sir,

As citizens concerned with democratic norms, 
justice and human rights in India, we are very 
disturbed by the statements emanating from the 
Delhi Police, through sections of the print and 
the visual media, in the case mentioned above.

In our open letter to the Home Minister, dated 9 
February, 2005 (Annexure 1), which was signed by 
hundreds of academicians, writers, artists, 
journalists and social activists within hours of 
the attack on Prof. Geelani, we stated: "we 
strongly feel that the involvement of the Delhi 
Police itself, especially its Special Branch, in 
the crime can not be ruled out. It is clear by 
now that this Branch was in the grip of 
communal-fascist forces during the entire 
proceedings in the Parliament attack case. As 
with the other accused in the case, Prof. Geelani 
was falsely implicated on the basis of forged 
documents and concocted evidence. He was 
illegally arrested, brutally tortured and made to 
sign on blank sheets of paper by the officers of 
the branch. Attempts were made on his life inside 
the prison. Per the records submitted by his 
defence before the Supreme Court of India, he was 
constantly shadowed by the police throughout the 
country even after he was honourably acquitted by 
the High Court." The needle of suspicion is thus 
directed at the Delhi Police until they are able 
to exonerate themselves with truthful 
investigation.

Instead, as with the entire proceedings in the 
Parliament attack case, the Delhi Police has 
started a disinformation campaign, with the aid 
of sections of the print and the visual media, to 
divert the attention of the country away from the 
real issues of the case. We wish to draw your 
attention to four specific aspects of this 
campaign among many others.

1. Involvement of Ms. Haksar: There is a sinister 
attempt to target Ms. Nandita Haksar, Prof. 
Geelani's lawyer and an outstanding human rights 
activist of the country. Ms. Haksar had defended 
the rights of the unempowered for many decades. 
With exemplary courage and dedication to 
democracy and justice, Ms. Haksar had defended 
the rights of Prof. Geelani in a trial that was 
marked with shocking instances of prejudice and 
violation of law. She had also protected the 
entire Geelani family from abuse and suffering 
with almost motherly care.

The complaint of the police (Annexure 2) that 
they were not informed of the attack in time thus 
allowing "vital" clues to disappear is without 
any basis. When Geelani knocked on their door 
with several bullets inside his body, Ms. Haksar 
and her husband did what we would expect a human 
being to do, namely, to transfer the critically 
injured immediately to a reputed hospital. 
Geelani's life was possibly saved due to their 
prompt action. Moreover, as Ms. Haksar has 
repeatedly stated, the prime suspect in this case 
is the Delhi Police itself. It is natural that 
seeking help from the possible perpetrators of 
the crime did not strike her at that critical 
moment.

On the other hand, when some of us visited the 
scene of attack nearly five hours after the 
event, we found the place swarming with police 
from the Crime Brance; yet, the crucial stretch 
of road between the car and the Haksar house had 
not been cordoned off. This enabled cars and 
people, including police personnel, to trampel 
all over possible clues in the soggy, muddy 
stretch of road.

2. Geelani as a "suspect": An attempt is being 
made, both by the police and some of the media, 
to drag in aspects of the Parliament attack case 
to vilify Prof. Geelani (Annexure 3). Despite his 
hounourable acquittal by the High Court, he is 
portryed as a person having terrorist links and a 
suspect in the case. The attempt clearly is to 
lessen the impact of the brutal attack on Geelani 
by pointing at his allegedly questionable 
character. Apart from the fact that these 
allegations, after the judgment of the High 
Court, are clearly libelous, they have nothing to 
do with the case itself: the only issue right now 
is to bring the perpetrators of the attack on 
Geelani to justice.

3. Role of other accused: The preceding strategy 
is extended to involve even the other accused in 
the Parliament attack case - Mohammad Afzal and 
Shaukat Hussain Guru - currently languishing in 
the death row of the Tihar Jail. It is said that 
they might have organized the attack as a revenge 
on Geelani (Annexure 4). Not only that the 
accused are lodged in high-security isolated 
cells of the Tihar Jail for the past three years, 
as noted, it is on record that they did not even 
have the resources to organize their legal 
defence. Eminent lawyers and human rights 
activists had to step in to provide legal 
assistance to them. Also, Mohammad Afzal had 
clearly exonerated Prof. Geelani from any 
involvement in the Parliament attack case. Even 
then, granting that they organized hired killers 
from inside the jail, could they have done it 
without direct complicity of the police and the 
jail administration?

4. Harassment of family: The police and sections 
of the media are claiming that the clothes 
Geelani was wearing during the attack were 
"hidden" by the family (Annexure 5). The fact is 
that, in a routine manner, the clothes were 
handed over to the family by the hospital, and 
they handed them over to the police the moment 
they asked for it (Annexure 6). The police cannot 
fail to know this.

Moreover, they have kept Geelani's car under 
seizure and the family is not able to use it 
during this harrowing period. They have also 
seized the computer used by Geelani's daughter 
ostensibly to search for Geelani's enemies. In 
our opinion, these actions not only show the 
failure of the police to launch a serious 
investigation into this massive crime, there is 
an attempt to personalize what is clearly an 
enormous political crime. Who are the police 
trying to shield with these diversionary tactics?

In view of the grave implications of the concerns just raised, we urge you to:

(1) direct the police and the Press Council to 
refrain the police and the media from spreading 
falsities
(2) direct them to strictly obey the principles of natural justice
(3) ask the government to hand over the case to 
an independent judicial inquiry with CBI as the 
investigating agency.

Annexure 1: Open Letter to Home Minister, 
www.sacw.net/hrights/OletterHomeMin9feb05.html

Annexure 2: "Delay in reporting incident made 
task tough for police", The Hindu, 10/2;
         	        "Cops hit back: Clues 
lost as we were not told in time", Times of India 
12/2.

Annexure 3: "Hounded by cops?", Times of India, 11/2

Annexure 4: "Whodunit tales and theories", Times of India,11/2

Annexure 5: "New Holes in Geelani case", Times of India, 13/2

Annexure 6: "A blood-stained sweater", Hindustan Times, 13/2.


CC: 1.   The Police Commissioner, Delhi Police
2. The Hon'ble Minister of Home Affairs, Govt. of India


Sincerely,

1. Tripta Wahi (Convenor), Delhi University
2. Neeraj Malik (Convenor), Delhi University
3. Nirmalangshu Mukherji, Delhi University
4. Vijay Singh, Delhi University
5. Javed Malik, Delhi University
6. Sanghamitra Misra, CSCS Bangalore
7. Deepika Tandon, Delhi University
8. Shashi Saxena, Delhi University
9. Sharmila Purkayastha, Delhi University
10. N. D. Pancholi, PUCL
11. Uma Chakravarti, Delhi University
12. Anand Chakravarti , Delhi University
13. S.R. Ilyas, Journalist
14. Svati Joshi, Delhi University
15. Sunil Kumar Mandiwal, Delhi University
16. K. Balagopal, Human Rights Forum Hyderabad
17. Harish Dhawan, Delhi University
18. Nagraj Adve, PUDR
19. Kr. Sanjay Singh, Delhi University
20. Debashish, DSU Delhi
21. Ujjwal K. Singh, Delhi University
22. Bela Bhatia, CSDS
23. Gautam Navlakha, EPW
24. Nandini Sundar, PUDR
25. Joseph Mathew, Writer
26. Sunita Kumari, Nari Mukti Sanghathan
27. Shahana Bhattacharya, PUDR
28. Rakesh Shukla, PUDR
29. Tapas Ranjan Saha, Delhi University
30. Gangesh, Jawaharlal Nehru University
31. Babul Dhkar, Delhi University
32. Awadesh, Jawaharlal Nehru University
33. Mona Das, Jawaharlal Nehru
34. Dhwajendra Dhawal, PDSU
35. Chitra Joshi, IPC
36. Veena Naregal, IEG


______


[2]     [Bangaldesh]


(i)

Dear Friends:
Please consider signing the following petition to 
Govt of Bangladesh regarding the recent violent 
events in Bangladesh. The writers are Rahnuma 
Ahmed & Saydia Gulrukh both human & women's 
rights activists in Bangladesh.

Please encourage friends and family members to 
sign.  The name of the signatories will be 
announced in the Nari Shomabesh (women's 
gathering) in the Shahid Minar (Central Martyr's 
Memorial), Dhaka on Feb. 23rd organized by the 
Bikkhubdo Nari Morcha (Woman's Organization).

The Govt of Bangladesh is sensitive to its 
"image" abroad and a large number of signatories 
will encourage it to carry out its 
responsibilities. The Govt's efforts to-date in 
carrying out its responsibilities for 
investigating and punishing the perpetrators has 
been minimal to non-existent.

For additional information please contact Piash Karim at piashk at yahoo.com


" We the citizens of Bangladesh and Our Friends 
Around the World, We Demand Security... Petition 
to The Government of Bangladesh"

The petition can be found at
URL: www.petitiononline.com/smkibria/petition.html


o o o o

(ii)

Daily Star - February 15, 2005 	 
 	 
Valentine's Day party at DU foiled by blasts
16 including females hurt in stampede as four bombs go off amid tight security
DU Correspondent
At least 16 people including 12 Dhaka University 
(DU) students were injured as four bombs exploded 
in a large Valentine's Day crowd in front of the 
DU Teachers-Students Centre (TSC) last night, 
creating panic on the entire campus. [...].
URL: www.thedailystar.net/2005/02/15/d5021501011.htm

______


[3]  [Bombay's Slum Demolitions]


(i)

[ Bombay's Demolition Drive (2004-2005) An ongoing sacw blog
URL: dupb.blogspot.com/ ]

o o o o

(ii)

ZOPADPATTI BACHAO KRITI SAMITI

C/o Bhupesh Gupta Bhavan, Sayani Road, Prabhadevi, Mumbai-400025

Press Note/ 13.2. 2005

HUNDREDS OF EVICTED HUTMENT DWELLERS CONFRONT 
RULING PARTY IN MUMBAI: STOP FURTHER DEMOLITIONS, 
RELIEF & REHABILITATION FOR EVICTED

Hundreds of the evicted slumdwellers in Mumbai 
demanded the ruling Congress party that all the 
demolitions be stopped forthwith and the evicted 
people be allowed to resettle on the same land, 
and the state should provide food, shelter, clean 
water amnd compensation for the grave violation 
of human and democratic rights by the Maharashtra 
government, at the behest of the corporate 
powers. It called on the Congress party to stand 
for the 'common people' as per its declared 
stance and restore, protect life and livelihoods 
of poor people.

Over five hundred representative men and women 
from over 15 hutment colonies and activists over 
20 organizations comprising of the Zopadpatti 
Bachao Samyukta Kruti Samiti converged on front 
of the headquarters of Maharashtra State Congress 
Committee in Tilak Bhavan. Many women came with 
their children and many have left them behind to 
register their protest. Both the men and women 
had lost their livelihood and the older chidren 
and college-going youngsters had to face 
displacement and destitution when their 
examinations are nearing. Despite the destitution 
they have been facing for over two months, the 
people kept alive the fire to fight for their 
right to life. "We have no choice, but to fight 
for our right to life. It seems that the 
Maharashtra government and the corporate and 
media elites care only for the rights of the rich 
people", said the agitated people. " The eviction 
of the hutment dwellers is a conspiracy against 
the Bahujan Samaj (the backward). We have brought 
these people to power; now they are serving the 
moneyed interests. We can drag them off the seat 
if power as well", announced the young Siddharth.

In the afternoon the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress 
Committee Chief, Mrs. Prabha Rau invited a 
10-member delegation for discussion. It seems 
that Mrs. Rau and other Congress leaders were 
hesitant to assure the instant stippage of the 
eviction or relief to the already evicted. It was 
curious that the former minister Hussain Dalwai 
was non-commital about stopping the demolitions 
and was beating around the bush. He also blamed 
the previous Sena dominated Mumbai Metopolitan 
Corporation for ordering the demolitions and 
police atrocities! Another former minister Kripa 
Shanker Singh was at least apologetic but equally 
non-commital. They however insisted that the 
demolitions is a complicated issue.

In the end Medha Patkar made it clear that the 
state government should not wait for three days 
to stop the demolitions, provide relief if 
shelter, food, clean water, medical service and 
stoping the police teror and atrocity. She 
demanded that the Congress Party should make it 
clear whether it envisages any place for the poor 
people in the city development plan. " We would 
be watching what stance Mrs. Margater Alva and 
other Congress leaders take in the Mumbai-Vision 
seminar, sponsored by the builders and corporate 
powers".

Earlier the day, the delegation of the Samyukta 
Kriti Samiti met the General Secretary of All 
India Congress Committee amd the party in-charge 
of Maharashtra affairs, Mrs. Margate Alva. They 
gave a detailed memorundum and asked her to 
restrain the Maharashtra government. They 
criticised the so-caled development plam for 
Maharashtra prepared by the multinational 
McKinsey company. They pointed out that there has 
been unprecedented violation of the human rights 
of over 35 million people, by razing over 80,000 
huts. It had adversely affected the education of 
about 10 million people. The people have been 
living on the dust, dirt and garbage, 
deliberately filled in by the Corporation to make 
it difficult for ti re-occupy the cleared land. 
There were large scale police atrocities, and 
still they are being harassed by the police. They 
asked Mrs. Alva to make the Congress party to 
honour the assurance made in the pre-election 
manifesto. They demanded that –

Stop the inhuman demolitions, withdraw the police 
and private security forces, respect electoral 
promises and give the rights to the hutment 
dwellers upto 2000; rehabilitate the already 
evicted at the same place giving them the land 
right, paying the compensation upto Rs. 30,000 
for the damages. The organizations asked for 
strictly enforcing the urban land ceiling act and 
free over 2500 hectares land from capitalists; 
they demanded the immediate and unconditional 
withdrawal of the cases against the hutment 
dwellers and the activists. They also demanded 
that the city development plan should have the 
plan for the housing of the poor people and that 
"separate land for slums, poor, and marginalized 
people" It made clear that while planning for the 
Mumbai the vision of poor 60% of the people's 
livelihoods, shelter should be protected and be 
given top priority.

Vidya Chavan
Vitthal Ghag
Raju Bhise
Sanjay Shinde
Dhruv Rerdkar
Vilas Rohimal
Anand Kamble
Shakil Ahmed others

o o o o

(iii)

To:  Shree Manmohan Singh, The Prime Minister of India

and

       Shreemati Sonia Gandhi, The UPA Chairperson 
and President, Congress Party,

Mumbai, 14-02-2005

Dear Sir / Madam,

As you know, the Municipal Commissioner of 
Mumbai, with the support of the BMC and the Govt 
of Maharashtra, have been on a spree of slum 
demolitions, of allegedly post-1995 habitations. 
Until now, the people who lived in these 
habitations have not been given any shelter, 
however temporary; their children cannot sit for 
exams, they cannot cook food and eat. They sit 
around all day long under the sun, hoping for 
something. Most of them are working people and 
they have been unable to go to work as they are 
sitting around guarding their belongings.

There is a conviction among the middle class in 
Mumbai that these people are a great strain on 
the infrastucture of the city. This is far from 
true. Thousands of acres of mill lands coming 
free and being sold in the old textile area of 
Parel etc are going to have huge high rises on 80 
to 90% of it. That is going to put a great strain 
on the infrastructure and bare necessities of 
life in Mumbai, especially water. The slums 
cannot rise very high, and as such are not that 
much of a strain on infrastructure.

As for the 1995 cut off date, we are told that 
many people who lost their dwellings and whole 
bustees were there before 1995, some for a very 
long time. The Congress made a pre-election 
promise that the cut-off date will be moved to 
2000; many slum dwellers who would have voted for 
a certain other party, voted for the Congress in 
the last Assembly elections on that promise. That 
is how the Congress has made such a come- back in 
Mumbai. By the sleight of hand of changing the 
Chief Minister, promises solemnly made should not 
be broken.

And irrespective of all this, these are citizens 
and citizenesses of India; they are being 
callously disenfranchized, struck off the 
electoral rolls. Soon they will not exist, for 
all legal purposes. Even illegal migrants, or 
even animals or any living thing should not be 
treated in this manner.

Apparently, all this is being done in furtherance 
of the "Shanghai-Mumbai" plan. But India is not 
China, and Mumbai is not Shanghai. It is not even 
Delhi, which has already been cleansed by chasing 
all the poor out. Mumbai has been the mother of 
all the displaced of India who are capable of 
working, but without a livelihood elsewhere.

We are not saying that people should be allowed 
to build habitations over crucial water pipes and 
so on; but that the demolitions should not be so 
indiscriminate, and that going ahead with this 
get rich scheme of builders in Mumbai will spell 
the end of Mumbai one of these days.

On Saturday, just 2 days ago, Medha Patkar of 
NBA, Prakash Reddy of CPI and a number of others 
have been also arrested, and incarcerated, in 
relation to a protest near Rafiq Nagar bustee, 
which had been demolished last December. 1000 
families had been rendered homeless at one 
stroke. The women and children have been sleeping 
in a cemetery nearby since then. These are people 
who had homes, who had work, whose children were 
going to school. The government of Maharashtra 
and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation increased 
the number of homeless, jobless and school 
dropouts by 1000 families at one stroke. And we 
go begging every other day to the World Bank and 
ADB and IMF, for loans for development, 
especially of Mumbai. Where is all this money 
going? A lot of it was supposed to improve life 
for the suburban commuters of Mumbai, the 
miserable suburban population, spending an 
average of 4 hours packed into mind numbing 
misery daily. A whole lot of people squatting on 
railway lands have got new places; but has the 
commuters' life improved? Not a jot. The bridges 
are higher; making physical exertion greater than 
ever, even for the ageing, the sick and the 
disabled; but the promise of one more line to 
separate out the outstation trains so that the 
commuters do not have to run up the stairs and 
down when locals are shifted to other platforms - 
even that has not been done; never mind Shree 
Govinda, Congress M.P. from Mumbai referring to 
his mother, taking a much advertized train ride 
pre-elections and challenging Shree Ram Naik of 
the BJP (quite rightly) etc.

If you cannot build for the people, alleviate 
their misery, at least do not demolish what they 
have already built, so heartlessly.

- Stop the demolitions immediately.
- Release all arrested persons immediately and 
call them for discussions about the demolitions 
and resettlement.
- Put up some permanent camps in Mumbai for 
temporary shelters for the displaced, in every 
zone; do not leave people/children out on the 
streets.
- Remove all the security guards - paid for by 
the builders' lobby , from the demolished areas.
- Compensate those whose homes have been illegally demolished.
- Pay attention to the school-going children and 
make arrangements for them to continue to attend 
school
- Make arrangements for the elderly and the sick; 
do a survey on how many are already dead due to 
the demolitions
- Conduct an enquiry into how women are managing 
and arrange for counselling for those who are 
greatly distressed.

We are all crying for the Tsunami-hit people, 
calling for the establishment of democracy in 
Nepal.

These demolitions are violating several 
fundmental rights of the victimized people, 
according to the Constitution of India. What is 
the point of having a Constitution, if the most 
fundamental rights of the citizenry is violated, 
and the poor can be thrown out and not only their 
labour, but even their meagre possessions can be 
misappropriated any time by agencies of the 
state? Has some ledger been kept somewhere about 
what the belongings of each of these men, women 
and children are? Did someone keep track of how 
many notebooks, pencils, erasers of every child 
student in the demolished bustees were? If not, 
how can they even be compensated for personal 
property destroyed? Are they not human beings and 
are their dreams not as worthy as those of any of 
your children?

Please stop the demolitions immediately, and 
start taking stock of the destruction.

Yours truly,

Ammu Abraham for the Women's Centre, Bombay.

______


[4]

sacw.net  |  14 February 2005
http://www.sacw.net/DC/CommunalismCollection/ArticlesArchive/MDube14022005.html

ON KEEPING ONE'S EYES OPEN

Mukul Dube

I have been asked why I "continue to waste time 
and energy" on the Hindu Right even after it 
suffered a resounding defeat in the general 
election. I hold that only the blind among us can 
fail to see that the Hindu Right is down but not 
out. Over the last several years, it has 
systematically planted its people in positions 
from which they can exercise control over, or can 
influence, the daily affairs of the country. It 
has set up institutions which appropriate public 
resources and use them to further its divisive 
and essentially mediaeval agenda. Finally, let us 
not forget that the several states in which the 
BJP still rules can be likened to the typically 
small sites of origin of carcinomas which spread 
rapidly and unstoppably.
	More important by far, the Vedic Taliban 
has filled with poison the minds of millions. We 
breathe a foul mixture of suspicion, fear and 
hatred. We no longer see that what our country 
needs are such things as food, industrial 
development, health care and education. Instead, 
we pour on to the roads when some ranting 
demagogue howls that the arrest of a man on 
suspicion of murder is an attack on Hinduism. In 
both the Babari Masjid matter and the Kanchi 
Sankaracharya one, the law, which is the 
underpinning of all civilised societies, has been 
used as a stick with which to beat others, it has 
been bent and twisted into a shield behind which 
to hide, it has been kicked about like a ball in 
a game which has no rules.
	My priorities, though, have been changing 
since the general election of 2004. The most 
important one by far is to see what the Congress, 
leader of the UPA government, does and does not 
do. Changing the chairpersons and the governing 
bodies of institutions is certainly a beginning, 
but it must remain a mere cosmetic exercise 
unless the numerous infiltrated termites are 
dislodged not just from the wood-work but from 
the very foundations of those institutions.
	Then there is the matter of promises made 
but kept only on paper. A law, POTA, which is no 
longer on the statute books, continues to be used 
in Gujarat against the minorities. The UPA is 
silent on the question of compensating those who 
may have suffered on account of this law, which 
it called Draconian and amenable to misuse in 
justifying its repeal, and on the related 
question of punishing those who may have misused 
it.
	Not only is justice still denied to the 
victims of the horrors of Gujarat 2002, more 
injustice is being heaped upon them. This is 
despite the fact that the BJP and its allies have 
been replaced at the Centre by a coalition which 
makes loud noises about secularism. It is my 
conviction that these noises are hollow; and I 
shall seek to adduce evidence and formulate 
arguments to explain my position.
	The NDA got away with all manner of 
hogwash because no one challenged it. Now, unless 
the UPA is kept aware that it is being watched, 
it will only sit back and fatten itself in the 
way in which its dominant partner did that so 
successfully for so long.

______


[5]

Date: 13 Feb 2005 08:26:20 -0000

   THE SURVIVORS OF TSUNAMI PROTEST AGAINST KERALA GOVERNMENT
Friends,

It's been over forty five days since the tsunami 
struck the coast of Kerala killing about 180 
people and rendering thousands homeless but the 
relief work carried out by government agencies in 
Kerala has been far from satisfactory. Over 16000 
people are still living in makeshift tents and 
shelters. There are very few NGOs working in 
Kerala due to the political climate and the 
plight of the affected people in camps is 
pathetic. Women and families have no privacy 
whatsoever and frightened children are staying 
away from schools.

The government has only functioned as a 
distributing body for emergency aid and work for 
the long term relief promised to the affected 
people has not yet begun. Mounting frustration 
and anger among the affected people have resulted 
in the creation of a forum – The Tsumani Affected 
People's Forum and the subsequent talks held with 
political leaders yielded no fruit. The forum, a 
non-party collective of the affected people, 
decided to go on an agitation to press for their 
demands.

On 10 February 2005, thousands of people from the 
relief camps gathered at the state highway and 
held a public meeting to protest against the 
government apathy. Fourteen innocent people from 
relief camps were rounded up by the police and 
beaten up in custody. Later, ten of them were 
released and 4 of them are still in Jail.

These traumatised victims of a  disaster have 
again become victims of government apathy and 
police violence. They have no recourse to any 
political help whatsoever as the forum is a 
non-political collective of the affected people. 
In other states affected by the tsunami, the 
victims are already leading normal lives while 
over 16000 people in Kerala are still languishing 
in tents and makeshift shelters.

The government claims that it has spent 97 crores 
towards rehabilitation work but none of this is 
visible. Restoration and repair of fishing boats 
and engines damaged by the tsunami has not yet 
begun and the people are still without any means 
of livelihood. Drinking water facilities are not 
available for children in affected schools and 
schools have poor attendance. People still form 
long queues for food and health and sanitation in 
the camps are poor.

This agitation is a struggle by the marginalised 
people against government apathy. We request you 
to do whatever you can to  support the struggle. 
We request you to send protest letters to the 
Chief Minister of Kerala:
cmkerala at vsnl.net.in>
and copy to:
Maglin Peter (09447154491)
Secretary
Kerala Fisherpeople's Relief Forum
shambhu at bigfoot.com

The following are the demands put forward by the 
Tsunami Affected People’s Forum of Alappad 
Panchayat, Karunagapally, Kerala before the Chief 
Minister Sri. Oommen Chandy. The CM summarily 
rejected these demands and hence the forum has 
decided to resort to agitation measures against 
the government attitude.
1.    For the next of kin of the people killed by 
the Tsunami, a compensation of Rs. 500,000; for 
those who have suffered disability, Rs. 100,000; 
for those who suffered grievous injury, Rs. 
50,000 and Rs. 25,000 for those who were injured.
2.    All the people now housed in relief camps 
to be shifted to temporary shelters before 31 
January 2005. Each of these families should be 
given a sum of Rs. 3000 per month and be provided 
food rations free of cost.
3.    For all those who lost their dwellings, new 
and strong houses worth Rs. 500,000
4.    One government job to be provided in the 
families of every person who lost their lives.
5.    The maintenance work on damaged houses to 
be completed before 31 January 2005.
6.    All construction work should be in 
consultation with the sub committees of the forum.
7.    The replacement of livelihood equipment for 
all persons who lost the same and to restore 
normal working conditions.
8.    To create schemes for the employment of women.
9.    To assess accurately the damage inflicted 
upon household articles and institutions in the 
affected areas and to provide appropriate 
compensation.
10.    An additional grant of Rs. 2000 to be 
issued to all the affected families.
11.    All relief benefits from the Department of 
Fisheries to reach all the families of fishermen.
12.    To write off all loans of the affected 
people and provide electricity and water free of 
cost for at least three months
13.    To remove the effects of salt-water 
incursion from the affected areas and wells and 
to remove the salinity of the topsoil.
14.    To establish treatment plants for 
providing fresh drinking water supply on a 24 
hour basis.
15.    The road from Vellanathuruthu to Azheekkal 
to be repaired immediately and adequate roads to 
be laid in the affected area.
16.    All electric lines and streetlights to be renewed.
17.    Free travel concession passes for the students from the affected areas.
18.    The work for a bridge from Azheekkal to 
Ayiramthengu to be started immediately.
19.    A hundred bed government hospital to be 
constructed at Alappad Panchayat at the earliest.
20.    Break waters to be constructed along with 
the sea wall at 50 meter intervals.
21.    To stop the environmentally harmful 
(black) sand mining prevalent in the area.
22.    To construct a memorial for those who lost their lives at Azheekkal.
23.    To complete the construction of the Azheekkal fishing harbour.
24.    The section of the TS canal in the affected area to be cleaned up
25.    To publish the actual list of villages affected by the tsunami
26.    To bring about transparency, 
accountability and effectiveness in all 
government relief operations and activities
V Sasikumar
Convenor

_______

[6]   [UPCOMING EVENTS]

(i)

Dear All:

You are cordially invited to a seminar:

TOWARDS A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO THE ISSUE OF THE MILL LANDS

Date:
WEDNESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2005

Time:
3.00 P.M. to 6.00 P.M.

Venue:
Academy of Architecture
5th Floor, Rachna Sansad
Off Sayani Road, Behind Ravindra Natya Mandir
278, Shankar Ghanekar Marg
Prabhadevi, Mumbai 400025
Phone +91.22.2430.1024, +91.22.2431.0807, +91.22.2422.9969

The Urban Department of Government of Maharashtra has appointed a
committee to examine the modifications made to Section 58 of the
Development Control Regulations (DCR) in 2001. This Section deals with
the development of the textile mill lands of Mumbai. The Terms of
Reference for the committee states that 'the interests of the textile
workers / financial institutions should not be jeopardised'. However,
the composition of the committee clearly demonstrates that while the
interests of some stakeholders are represented, that of the workers has
been deliberately ignored. The members represent financial
institutions, mill-owners and the Municipal Corporation of Greater
Mumbai (MCGM), in addition to architect Charles Correa. However, any
representation of the textile workers is conspicuously absent.

Section 58 of the Development Control Regulations

In Section 58 of the DCR (1991), mill lands were to be shared more or
less equally between the MCGM for open spaces, Maharashtra Housing Area
Development Authority (MHADA) and the mill-owners. When the DCR was
modified in 2001, the land share of the mill-owners increased by a
whopping 180%. This increase was made at the cost of both the city and
the workers. The land share of the MCGM, which was meant for creating
parks and other amenities, as well as the land share for the housing of
the textile workers have been reduced by 90%. On the other hand, as per
the proposals of 16 private mills submitted to the MCGM as per the
modified DCR Section 58, the mill-owners’ share has been tripled!

In the modified DCR 58, there is a provision that within the space
provided for public housing, 50% is set aside for housing textile
workers. There is also a provision made for job opportunities for the
family members of the workers. This was in response to the demand made
by the textile workers, who were losing their jobs due to mill
closures. However with the revised sharing of the lands, these gains
will now only remain on paper. The closure of the mills has already
deprived the workers their livelihood. The new modifications proposed
to the DCR will deny their right to housing as well. The proposed
amendments to DCR will also deprive the citizens of Mumbai of badly
needed open spaces.

It is to discuss these urgent issues that Mumbai Study Group and Girni
Kamgar Sangharsh Samiti have jointly organised a seminar on WEDNESDAY
16 FEBRUARY to see if a consensus is possible among the different
stake-holders in the development of the mill lands. The intention is to
formulate a set of suggestions / demands which will then be submitted
to the new committee. The seminar is expected to be attended by
individuals and organisations from a diverse cross section of Mumbai’s
citizens.

Please make it convenient to attend and make your valuable contribution
to the discussion and the proposals.


Datta Iswalkar, Meena Menon, and Neera Adarkar
GIRNI KAMGAR SANGHARSH SAMITI

Pankaj Joshi, Arvind Adarkar, and Darryl D'Monte
MUMBAI STUDY GROUP


_______


(ii)

  Join us for a discussion with

Nivedita Menon
On Recovering Subversion: Feminist Politics Beyond the Law

Based on her recently published book of the same 
title (Permanent Black, 2004), Nivedita Menon 
will engage with us on a discussion of a 
particular dilemma for radical politics today, 
what she calls the "paradox of constitutionalism" 
- the tension between the need to assert various 
and differing moral visions and the 
universalizing drive of constitutionality and the 
language of universal rights. What are the 
specific historical experiences of the Indian 
feminist movement in engaging with this dilemma? 
What are its consequences for the present, and 
where do we go from here?

Venue: Seminar Room, Dept. of Linguistics
Arts Fac. North Campus, Delhi University
Date: 15 Feb 2005
Time: 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm


Stree Adhikar Sangathan.
streeadhikar at rediffmail.com

note : Due to unavoidable circumstances, this 
programme originally planned for '7th Feb. will 
now be held on 15th feb, 2005

______


(iii)

Anhad invites you to the screening of the film

KITTE MIL VE MAHI- where the twain shall meet (72 
Mins, Punjabi with English Subtitles) by Ajay 
Bhardwaj

February 26, 2005 at

Anhad, 4 Windsor Place (Opp.Kanishka Hotel), New Delhi-110001

This film contends the dominant perceptions of 
the economic and spiritual heritage of Punjab. It 
does so through a people's narrative on the 
preservation and regeneration of its 'little' 
traditions, which often appear seamlessly 
cultural and political.

Travel to the heart of Punjab. Enter a world of 
Sufi shrines worshipped and looked after by 
Dalits. Listen to B.S. Balli Qawwal Paslewale, 
the first generation Dalit Qawwals born out of 
this tradition. Join a fascinating dialogue with 
Lal Singh Dil - a radical poet, a Dalit, 
converted to Islam. Meet the last living legend 
of the Gadar movement, Baba Bhagat Singh Bilga, 
who contests the subversion of a common past, 
while affirming a new consciousness among Dalits, 
within and beyond Punjab.

The interplay between the constituents of this 
mosaic brings to light the triple marginalisation 
of Dalits--- amidst the agricultural boom that is 
the modern Punjab, in the contesting ground of 
its 'major' religions, and in the intellectual 
construction of their 'syncretism'.


______


(iv)

Dear friend, 
			February 8, 2005

The International Educational Development 
(accredited with the UN ECOSOC) and the Kashmiri 
American Council would like to invite you to 
participate at the "International Kashmir Peace 
Conference", entitled "Peace Initiative in South 
Asia: Exploring Possible Options for Kashmir" to 
be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New 
York, on Thursday & Friday, February 24th & 25th, 
2005.   

This year's conference has come at a crucial 
point in South Asian history. The international 
community has become increasingly concerned at 
the failure to resolve the Kashmir question, an 
issue which, if not resolved, could have 
disastrous consequences on the lives of millions 
of people across South Asia. Both India and 
Pakistan have recently placed Kashmir on a 
negotiating agenda.  In September, during the 
historic meeting between Prime Minister Manhoman 
Singh of India and President Musharraf of 
Pakistan, the leaders affirmed their commitment 
to °ßexplore possible options for a peaceful 
negotiated settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir 
issue in a sincere spirit and purposeful 
manner.°®    It is our hope that the two leaders 
and their governments fully recognize that there 
can be no °ßpeaceful negotiated settlement°® 
without the full and active participation of 
Kashmiris living on both sides of the Ceasefire 
Line as well as of those belonging to the 
Kashmiri diaspora.     

The speakers will focus not only on the well 
known opposing views of the governments of India 
and Pakistan but also on the rights and 
perceptions of the people of Kashmir.  In having 
these distinguished speakers share the podium, we 
seek the beginning of a dialogue that can bolster 
the current momentum of the peace process.  The 
full range of positions regarding the crisis in 
Kashmir will be voiced, and any conclusions or 
recommendations from this program will have the 
backing of people with the most potential to act 
on them in a positive manner.

We look forward to your participation in this event.

Yours sincerely,

Ms. Karen Parker, Esq.				Dr. Ghulam-Nabi Fai
UN Delegate						Executive Director
International Educational Development		Kashmiri American Council.


4th International Kashmir Peace Conference

The United Nations Headquarters
New York, New York
Conference Room # 1

"Peace Initiative in South Asia: Exploring Possible Options for Kashmir"

Thursday, February 24th, 2005.
Registration:  9.00 a.m.

Speakers:

  India

1.	Mr. Dileep Padgaonkar, former Executive 
Managing Editor and currently Consulting Editor 
and a columnist of The Times of India.  He was 
conferred the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest 
civilian award.
2	Mr. Kuldeep Nayar has served as India's 
High Commissioner to London; press officer to 
Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri; Editor of 
United News of India; Resident Editor of The 
Statesman, New Delhi; The Indian xpress, 
Chandigarh.

3.	Ambassador Nirupam Sen ***
Indian Ambassador to the United Nations, New York.

Pakistan

1	Mr. Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Member, the 
Senate of Pakistan.  He is the Chairman of the 
Standing Committee on Defence; Foreign Affairs; 
Kashmir Affairs; Northern affairs; Government 
Assurances and Human Rights

2.	Ambassador Munir Akram
	Pakistani Ambassador to the United Nations, New York.

3.	Professor Mumtaz Ahmad, Department of Political Science
	University of Virginal, Hampton.

United Nations

1.	Mr. Kieren Pendragast, Under Secretary 
General for Political Affairs ***

United States

1.	Dr. Henry Kissinger, Former Secretary of State, the United States ***
2.	Dr. Robert C. McFarlane, Former National 
Security Advisor to the President Reagan & 
Chairman, Energy and Communications Solutions, 
Washington, D.C.
3.	Dr. Daniel Philpott, Associate Professor
Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Notre Dame, Indiana.
4.	Amb. Yusuf Buch, former Advisor to the UN Secretary General
5.	Dr. Vijay Sazawal, President, Indo-American Kashmir Forum
5.	Dr. Ghulam-Nabi Mir, President, World Kashmir Freedom Movement

Kashmir

1.	Mr. Syed Ali Geelani, Chairman, All Parties Hurriyet Conference
2.	Mr. Mohamamd Yasin Malik, Chairman, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front
3.	Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, All Parties Hurriyet Conference
4.	Mr. Shabir A. Shah, President, Jammu Kashmir  Democratic Freedom Party
5.	Pandit Bhushan Bazaz, President, Indo-Kashmir Cultural Forum
6.	Dr. Hameeda Banu, Professor of English, University of Kashmir
7.	Mr. Farooq Siddiqi, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front
8.	Dr. Rekha Chowdhary, Jammu University

Europe

1.	Mr. Lars Rise, Member, Norwegian Parliament
1.	Barrister Majeed Tramboo, Executive Director, Kashmir Center, Brussels
2.	Prof. Nazir Shawl, Executive Director, Kashmir Center, London

  (*** to be confirmed).

Admission to the Conference on 24th February is 
free but registration is required.


*********************************************************************

Kashmir Roundtable Discussion

The United Nations Headquarters
New York New York
Conference Room # D

Friday, February 25th 2005

Registration at 9.00 a.m.

There will be a Kashmir Roundtable Discussion on Friday, 25th February at
the United Nations Headquarters. 

Seating to the Round-table Discussion is limited. 
Admission is free but registration is required. 
Program for the Roundtable begins at 9.00 a.m. 
Kindly call  or send us e-mail or fax to register 
prior to September 25th.  No one will be admitted 
without prior registration. 

No exceptions.

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

Buzz on the perils of fundamentalist politics, on 
matters of peace and democratisation in South 
Asia. SACW is an independent & non-profit 
citizens wire service run since 1998 by South 
Asia Citizens Web: www.sacw.net/
SACW archive is available at:  bridget.jatol.com/pipermail/sacw_insaf.net/

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