SACW | 19 March 2005
sacw
aiindex at mnet.fr
Fri Mar 18 19:38:17 CST 2005
South Asia Citizens Wire | 19 March, 2005
via: www.sacw.net
[1] Kashmir Solidarity Day - 20th April 2005 (J&K Coalition of Civil Society)
[2] Gujarat Chief Minister Modi Denied Visa to the US - Editorials and Reports
- Persona Non Grata (Edit., The Times of India)
- A Slap in Mr. Modi's Face (Edit., The Hindu)
- Rights groups hail visa denial to Modi
- Modi visa: Muslim bodies hail US move
- 'Visa denial a courageous stand'
- Centre protests move
- Letter to the Editor (Mukul Dube)
[3] India: National Integration Council - An
Appeal (Ram Puniyani, EKTA, Committee for
Communal Amity)
[4] India: 'Demolish the illegal multi-stories
to give back our land’ Victimized poor from
Mumbai Slums Demand Center's Intervention Again
(NAPM)
[5] Upcoming events and announcements:
(i) The release and screening of docu-lectures
'Un Sapnon ki Khatir' (In Defence of Our Dreams)
(New Delhi, March 23, 2005)
(ii) India: Final Solution by Rakesh Sharma,
India, 2003 (on BBC, 20 March 2005)
(iii) India Pakistan Arms Race and Militarisation Watch Compilation # 151
--------------
[1]
[KASHMIR SOLIDARITY DAY]
Dear friends,
On 20th April 2004, Aasia Jeelani, a JKCCS
activist got killed in a landmine blast while
performing her duties as an election observer,
during Indian parliament election of 2004 in
Lolab valley.
In memory of all those who lost their lives,
their dignity, people who got disappeared and
those who continue to be suffering, in the last
15 years of the movement for self-determination,
the JKCCS executive council has decided to
observe 20th April 2005 as a day of solidarity
with the martyrs and disappeared. We would like
those who believe in the right of
self-determination of all people to express their
solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
And, on 21st April 2005, the Association of
Parents of Disappeared Persons, one of the
constituents of JKCCS, intends to lay the
foundation stone of the memorial in the memory of
the disappeared persons of Kashmir.
We appeal to friends everywhere to either join
the march in Srinagar or organize solidarity
manifestations wherever they are.
We are hopeful that the Civil Society groups and
democratic minded people in the world would
affirm their support for the right of Kashmiri
people for self-determination.
The participants who travel to Srinagar will be
provided local hospitality from 19th to 22nd in
Srinagar.
Parvez Imroz
President
J&K Coalition of Civil Society
The Bund Amira Kadal, Srinagar, Kashmir, 190001
o o o
Jammu & Kashmir
Coalition of Civil Society
The Bund Amira Kadal, Srinagar - 190001, Jammu and Kashmir
Website: www.jkccs.org
Concept Note
The past 16 year armed conflict in Jammu &
Kashmir has affected the entire society. There
has been no let-up in the situation. The
confrontation between the armed groups and more
than half-a-million Indian security personnel
engaged against each other in the Valley has
resulted in massive human rights violations,
which continue unabated. According to the
official figures, since May 1990 to May 31 2003,
34,709 persons have got killed while as All
Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), a
conglomerate of pro-independence group, says
90,000 people have died.
About 20,000 women have been widowed while
another 1000 are living, as 'half-widows' since
the fate of their husbands, who disappeared in
custody, is not known. The number of victims of
enforced or involuntary disappearance, mostly
non-combatants, is pegged at 8,000. However,
officials say 3,931 are missing from May 1990 to
May 2003.
More than 25,000 children have been orphaned.
Thousands of Kashmiri youth have been reduced to
a psychological wreck by systematic torture.
According to studies, most Kashmiris today suffer
from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and
are in need of urgent treatment. As against 1,762
patients registered during 1990 at Government
Psychiatry Diseases Hospital in Srinagar (the
only one of its kind in Kashmir Valley), the
number of patients who visited the hospital in
2000 went up to a staggering 38,696. In 2002 the
figure further rose to nearly 48,000.
Shockingly, the figures have already crossed
48,000 up to September 2003. It is worthwhile to
mention that before the eruption of conflict in
Kashmir in 1989 there was hardly any case of
PTSD. Suicide rates particularly among the women
and youth have also gone up. This, the experts
say, is sufficient to ring the alarm bells.
The Kashmir imbroglio has assumed serious
dimensions particularly after the nuclear
explosions by the two belligerent neighbours,
India and Pakistan in 1998. The South Asia has
become the nuclear flashpoint causing worry to
the people in the region and elsewhere. Of and
on, the bellicose statements from the leaders of
both the countries have further threatened
fragile peace in the region. The Indian armed
forces have been granted impunity under the Jammu
and Kashmir Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
The Government of India refuses United Nations
role on Kashmir, it refuses the third party
mediations, even facilitation by US and tries to
convince the international community that Kashmir
is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.
The Kashmiri pro-freedom groups and the people of
Kashmir have been boycotting the Indian
parliamentary elections and State Legislative
Assembly since 1989 when the armed conflict broke
out in the Valley. The separatists believe that
elections under Indian constitution are no
substitute to their struggle for right of
self-determination.
The change of Government had led to an impression
in a section of the people that the "reign of
terror" in Kashmir would be over soon, at least
human rights violation will minimise and
according to the Common Minimum Programme the
government will seek accountability from the
perpetrators and repeal the draconian laws. But
with the passage of time, the PDP government has
proved as helpless as its predecessors.
Seemingly, it has been rendered ineffective by
the Indian security forces who continue to
indulge in alleged human rights abuses and are
not within the mandate of the State.
In its 26-month rule (November 2002 - January
2005), nothing has improved. Till date more than
141 cases of custodial disappearances have been
reported in Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, there
have been 78 cases of alleged extra-judicial
executions and other human rights abuses. The
authorities ordered inquiry in 63 cases to probe
into the excesses, but the findings in almost all
the cases are withheld.
At present, India and Pakistan are
engaged in the confidence-building measures and
have shown interest in resolving the contentious
issues including Kashmir. The Government of India
is eager that the other issues be decided first
and Kashmir last while as Pakistan and people of
Kashmir fear that the Kashmir issue would be kept
in backburner as has been done in past. There
have been several agreements between India and
Pakistan for resolving Kashmir imbroglio but the
Indian government has not engaged in the
meaningful and the purposeful dialogue for
resolving it. There is lurking fear in Kashmir
that even if there will be a settlement between
India and Pakistan, it would be what suits them
and will be imposed on Kashmiris. Kashmiris have
generally welcomed the genuine dialogue process
between India and Pakistan but at the same time
are anxious for not taking them as the third
party in the present dialogue process. On the one
hand the so-called CBM's are continuing, but on
the ground there is no let up in violence.
There are many civil society initiatives
happening between the Indian and the Pakistani
civil society. There is interaction of human
rights activists, journalists, students, the
business community, women activists and others.
But unfortunately in these programmes a people to
people initiative, business, improving relations,
Baghliar and many other things are discussed but
there is hardly any initiative been taken to
address the Kashmir dispute which is the root
cause of conflict between India and Pakistan.
It is in this regard the JKCCS wishes to
organize civil society initiative from Kashmir
and for Kashmir, which will help in highlighting
the self-determination movement of Kashmiris.
And, also to honour the martyrs and pay tribute
to those who sacrificed their lives for truth.
This is for emphasizing the need for the global
civil society to engage itself for the peaceful
and the non-violent resolution of the Kashmir
dispute according to the wishes of the Kashmir
people, which will culminate into the peace in
South Asia.
______
[2] [ Gujarat Chief Minister Modi Denied Visa
to the US - Editorials and News Reports]
The Times of India - March 19, 2005
Editorial
PERSONA NON GRATA
US denies visa to Modi over Gujarat genocide
The horrors of Gujarat 2002 have returned to
haunt Narendra Modi. The US government has
refused entry to the Gujarat chief minister
invoking two provisions in the US Immigration and
Nationality Act: One of them concerns diplomatic
visas while the other regulates tourist and
business visas. The diplomatic visa has been
denied because Modi's visit is at the behest of
some Indian-American organisations, including the
Asian-American Hotel Owners' Association; the
business visa request was dumped because one of
the provisions in the Act "prohibits any
government official who was responsible for or
directly carried out at anytime, particularly
severe violations of religious freedom". The BJP,
as expected, has taken umbrage at the US
immigration department: It has described the
decision as 'unwarranted' and one which 'caused
insult to the entire nation'. The party wants the
Central government to intervene in the matter on
the grounds that the manner in which Modi was
told that he is not welcome in the US, and the
reasons given, were unacceptable. New Delhi
should steer clear of the issue. The right to
issue a visa is discretionary, and the reasons
cited for denying it in this case are valid. Modi
has the mandate to govern Guja-rat, but that has
not washed off the stains of the genocide his
government perpetrated in the state for three
months in 2002. Investigations by the media and
depositions by senior police officials have
confirmed the involvement of the Modi government
in the riots. Even the Supreme Court had
questioned the role of Modi and his government
during the riots as well as in investigating the
pogrom. Yet, Modi has continued in office,
protected by mentors in the party who are now
busy shielding him from his own MLAs.
Modi acolytes are certain to harp on the fact
that he is a democratically elected leader. Hence
to shut the door on the chief minister is to
insult the people who elected him. In a
globalising world, no state or politician can
afford to be an island. Democratic credentials
have to be validated not just locally but also by
the global community. This has been central to
New Delhi's foreign policy. When South Africa was
under the apartheid regime, India refused to have
bilateral relations with its 'democratically
elected' white government. The BJP should now
realise that it can't shield its poster boy of
hate under the pretext of electoral mandate. This
logic has failed to cut ice even in India: The
protests in Kolkata when Modi visited the city
recently being the latest instance of public
disapproval. Howls of shame will follow him as
long as he and his party refuse to admit guilt
and willingly stand for trial for the pogrom that
shook the very foundations of the secular Indian
state.
o o o o
The Hindu - March 19, 2005
Editorial: A SLAP IN MR. MODI'S FACE
IN A SINGULAR instance of the Ides of March for the Gujarat Chief
Minister, Narendra Modi, the United States has rejected his
application for a diplomatic visa, while simultaneously revoking his
tourist/business visa under Section 212(a)(2)(g) of the U.S.
Immigration and Nationality Act. It is intriguing why Mr. Modi chose to
ask for a diplomatic visa for a trip that was ostensibly to address the
Asian-American Hotel Owners' Association and meet business
leaders. Was he apprehending something so untoward that the
protection of a diplomatic visa would come in handy? In denying a
diplomatic visa under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act, the U.S. Government has clarified that Mr. Modi was
visiting the United States for a purpose that did not "qualify for a
diplomatic visa." In revoking the business/tourist visa, Washington
has been even more forthright, arguing that any foreign government
official who was responsible or had "directly carried out, at any time,
particular severe violations of religious freedom" was ineligible to
enter the U.S. Not too long ago, Mr. Modi had exulted about the
similarities between President George W. Bush's election speeches
and his own communal vitriol in 2002. He even challenged political
pundits to analyse the spiritual consanguinity between Mr. Bush and
himself. Now that the U.S. Government has formally given
international recognition to Mr. Modi's responsibility in the post-
Godhra genocide, he must be puzzled as to why and how these
assumed similarities could have been given such short and
ignominious shrift.
The United States has effectively barred Mr. Modi from entering its
territories and declared him persona non grata. This significant
decision owes a lot to the active protests by human rights activists
across America. What helped matters was the U.S. State
Department's International Religious Freedom Report, which was
released on September 15, 2004. The report extensively deals with
specific instances of the systematic derailment of the rule of law in
Gujarat during and after the post-Godhra riots and traces the genesis
of violent acts against minorities to the Hindutva philosophy espoused
by the Bharatiya Janata Party. The U.S. Commission on International
Religious Freedom found Mr. Modi's complicity in the riots in Gujarat
in its May 2004 report. The denouement came in the form of a
resolution in the American House of Representatives, moved recently
by John Conyers, Jr., an influential Democrat Congressman from
Michigan. It asked the House to condemn "the conduct of Chief
Minister Narendra Modi for his actions to incite religious persecution
and urging the United States to condemn all violations of religious
freedom in India." Quoting the State Department, Congressman
Conyers spoke about the role of the Modi Government in promoting
racial hatred and fanning communal passions.
Predictably, Chief Minister Modi has reacted to the denial of U.S. visa
by calling it an "insult to India and the Constitution". This is precious
coming from a man who not only violated every single norm enshrined
in the Indian Constitution, but was also asked by the pre-eminent
leader of his party, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to follow his
rajdharma. Mr. Modi has now resorted to the rhetoric of being
popularly elected as well as the spurious legalism of the absence of
indictment of the Gujarat Government or the Chief Minister in the
"incidents" — Mr. Modi's euphemism for the pogrom conducted
against the minorities — that happened after the Godhra massacre.
Dissidents within the BJP in Gujarat have been active in recent weeks
demanding his scalp. With this additional setback over his U.S. visa,
the Gujarat Chief Minister could be in for a long, hard summer.
o o o o
Hindustan Times - March 19, 2005
RIGHTS GROUPS HAIL VISA DENIAL TO MODI
Indo-Asian News Service
Ahmedabad, March 18, 2005|20:35 IST
Human rights groups and activists welcomed on Friday the US move
to deny visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi over the 2002
sectarian violence in the state.
"It is a step in the right direction. We were asking for it for a long
time," Father Cedric Prakash of Prashant, a rights advocacy group,
said.
The city-based group was part of organisations that sought to create
people's awareness on human rights issues in Gujarat ahead of
Modi's visit to the US that was to begin on Saturday.
"This is also for the first time the US government is not indulging in
double-talk," he added.
The US government refused to grant diplomatic visa to Modi citing his
government's handling of the sectarian violence in the state in 2002
that claimed at least 1,000 lives.
Dwarikanath Rath, convenor of the Movement for Secular
Democracy, said: "Secular activists in the state are pleasantly
surprised.
"(US President) George W Bush could do what (British Prime
Minister) Tony Blair could not do," he said.
Modi had visited Britain last year amid protests and demonstrations by
human rights activists.
Rath added that the reasons cited by the US, including suppression of
religious freedom, were well considered.
Mukhtar Mohammed, a lawyer fighting cases related to communal
violence, said the US move was a victory for human rights
organisations.
He, however, did not praise the US Government for the decision. "Any
right-minded government would have acted that way."
Added Samon C Christian, joint secretary of the All India Christian
Council: "It is a victory for the secular world. We highly appreciate and
congratulate the US government for taking a wise and strong
decision."
o o o o
Rediff.com March 19, 2005
MODI VISA: MUSLIM BODIES HAIL US MOVE
George Joseph in New York
"The United States is sending a subtle message by cancelling the visa
of Narendra Modi. The message is that the US does not approve of
the sectarian strife and communal violence in India," Kalim Kawaja, a
leader of the Indian Muslim Council-USA, said.
"Frankly we did not expect such a move from the State Department. It
was quite a surprise for us too. We welcome it and we are happy that
the US has taken a clear stand on the communal issue," he said.
"The State Department did not condemn or issue a statement when
the Gujarat riots killed many people. Only the annual human rights
report of the state department mentioned the killings. So this is a
major change in the attitude of the State Department," he said.
But he was cautious in his reaction.
"Supporters of Modi may unleash their anger on his opponents," he
said.
"What happened in Gujarat was very similar to Kosovo. There were
large scale violations of human rights," he said.
"As soon as Modi came to power, the attacks began. First it was
against Christians and later Muslims," he said.
Kawaja said he did not expect the State Department revoke the
decision.
"They took the decision after carefully considering several factors. It
was a very conscious decision. So chances of a revocation are not
high."
"This decision may not change many things. But it will evince
discussion on the issue. In a sense this decision is good for India and
the US," he said.
"It was not taken to appease the Muslims, but it was aimed at the
sectarian agendas of some," he said.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations applauded the decision.
"This case demonstrates what can be accomplished when Muslim,
human rights and minority groups work together for a common
purpose," said CAIR executive director Nihad Awad.
"We would like to thank those groups and thousands of people
worldwide who took action by contacting the State Department, the
White House, Congress, and the media in defense of the victims of
Gujarat."
IMC-USA president Dr Shaik Ubaid, said: "It is a great victory for
pluralism, justice and rule of law. Celebrate we must and celebrate we
will. We will continue our struggle till the victims of pogroms in India
get justice and the supporters of Hindutva ideology are thoroughly
defeated in the US and India."
"The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was launching Modi as their
next Vajpayee, their next Prime Minister. The launch site has now
become the burial ground of this sinister plan. I congratulate the
members of Coalition Against Genocide for their historic
achievement."
The Coalition Against Genocide was planning a rally on Friday
evening as a dress rehearsal for the proposed protest on March 20 in
front of the Madison Square Garden in New York, where Modi was
supposed to speak.
"The rally is changed to a victory rally," secretary of CAG George
Abraham said.
o o o o
Rediff.com - March 18, 2005
'VISA DENIAL A COURAGEOUS STAND'
Suman Guha Mozumder in New York
The denial of visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is "a
principled and courageous action" by US Secretary of State
Condoleeza Rice and the State Department, a noted Indian American
academic said in New York on Friday.
Arjun Appadurai, provost and senior vice-president of New School
University, who co-signed a letter of protest sent to Dr Rice urging the
US not to permit Modi to come on a private visit, said he believed the
denial of visa is a recognition by the US of the controversy
surrounding Modi.
"It indicates to the world that the United States retains a deep
commitment to human rights and a deep commitment to the rights of
the minorities and to democratic inclusion across the world,"
Appadurai told rediff.com.
Asked to comment on Modi's assertion that the denial of visa is an
insult to the Indian Constitution and gives a lie to US claim of respect
for democracy since no court has indicted him in connection with the
Godhra massacre, Appadurai said this is "a twisting" of facts.
"The fact that he has not been indicted by court of law is a critique of
our judicial institutions," Appadurai said.
Appadurai said Modi had been indicted by many independent judicial
and citizens' bodies and that the Indian state and Indian judiciary
should now confirm these findings.
"I believe to say that he has not been indicted by law and therefore the
denial amounts to a stifling of democratic rights is not the correct
estimate of this case. In fact, this on the other hand is upholding of
democratic rights," he said.
Appadurai said in any case the rights of a chief minister to come to
the US on a private invitation does not raise any constitutional issues
at all.
"As far as Modi's claim of "insult to the Indian Constitution" is
concerned, it is entirely a red herring which should not even arrive,"
Appadurai said.
"And if it arrives at all, it should arrive in the context of Modi's own
activities in Gujarat in 2002 and how his government violated the
rights of the minorities. That is a real constitutional issue and not this
denial of visa."
o o o o
Deccan Chronicle
www.deccan.com
CENTRE PROTESTS MOVE
New Delhi, March 18: The stinging blow dealt by
the US to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
elicited reactions of euphoric welcome from
secular groups in the US and India and strong
protests from the BJP, Modi himself, and the
government of India.
Human rights activists in New York and here were
"stunned" when the Ministry of External Affairs
called the head of the mission of the US embassy
to lodge a strong protest against the denial of
the visa and to "request an urgent
reconsideration".
External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh set the
tone earlier on Friday when he responded to the
US decision by stating that the government would
take up the issue with the US embassy. On Friday
evening, the MEA issued a statement saying, "This
action on the part of the US embassy is uncalled
for, and displays lack of courtesy and
sensitivity towards a constitutionally elected
Chief Minister of a State of India."
It pointed out that the visa had been requested
for the Chief Minister by the government through
a note verbale to the US mission on February 28.
The human rights and secular organisations that
had initially supported the Congress-led
government were furious, while the BJP expressed
great happiness with the response. BJP leader
Yashwant Sinha said the government had acted with
speed and "we are very happy".
Secular activist Shabnam Hashmi said, "It is now
clear that the ordinary people voted out the
communal forces and the Congress came to power
without doing anything. They are not bothered
about the country, they are just basic CEOs
running a party." It was a month-long battle that
led to the US decision to invoke the relevant
sections under the US Immigration and Nationality
Act that, an US embassy official said, "makes any
government official who was responsible for, or
directly carried out at any time, particularly
severe violations of religious freedom ineligible
for a visa".
A high-voltage pressure campaign led to several
small victories over the last month for the US
groups, which had united to oppose Modi's visit.
Modi was scheduled to address the Asian America
Hotel Owners’ Association at Fort Lauderdale,
Florida. This was to have been addressed by
well-known personality Chris Matthew, who yielded
to signature campaigns and letters to announce
that he would not speak at this function with the
Gujarat Chief Minister.
The US activists had also written to US Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice saying, "Secretary
Rice, we ask that you do not allow this egregious
violator the privilege of entering the United
States, in keeping with the International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998." The Coalition
Against Genocide issued a statement lauding the
US decision.
o o o o
D-504 Purvasha
Mayur Vihar 1
Delhi 110091
18 March 2005
Mr. George Fernandes said on television today that the denial of a
U.S. visa to Narendra Damodardas Modi was a *zulm*. How would this
old master of double-speak describe the said Modi's treatment of
Muslims in Gujarat, in particular on and after 28 February 2002,
echoes of which continue to this day? As *rehem-dili*, perhaps, or,
in the words of the poet-statesman Atal B. Vajpayee, *raj-dharma*?
The stand of the Congress party on the visa denial raises a question.
If it is based on Modi's being a constitutionally elected figure
in a supposedly sovereign nation, was the noise that that party made
about his having defiled the Constitution no more than a form of
ritual flatulence?
Mukul Dube
______
[3]
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005
NATIONAL INTEGRATION COUNCIL - AN APPEAL
The constitution of National Integration council
has come as a big respite. One recalls that
this crucial body was not constituted by the BJP
led NDA coalition. Apparently it was in pursuance
of BJP agenda of Hindu nation that this was not
thought of at all. Having said that it is
imperative to point out that this council, must
urgently take up issues related to National
integration which are long over due.
1. We have witnessed that the communal violence
has been assuming more menacing proportions
during last fifteen years; starting from Mumbai
riots of 92-93 and as seen in carnage of Gujarat
(2002). During these years we have also
witnessed the serious violation of the
administrative and bureaucratic norms, which
have strengthened the communal forces. We have
also witnessed the serious attempt to obstruct to
process of justice, and apathy towards
rehabilitation of riot victims. The matters have
gone to the extent that the victims of carnage
are not able to return to there original places
and are also being pressurized to withdraw the
cases against the perpetrators of crimes.
Accompanying this has been a communalization of
social thinking and demonization of minorities.
2. The situation requires an all around attempt
to address the underlying issues involved. It
relates to training of the bureaucracy and
police, it also calls for reviewing as to how
and why large sections of these services
collapse. We need to understand as to why a
section of state machinery fails do what is
expected of them and instead start siding with
the perpetrators of crime. There is a need for
incorporating the value of freedom struggle,
national integration and communal harmony in
there training manual and than to back it up
with regular follow up workshops and updates on
these issues. It also requires the control and
monitoring mechanisms to combat the biases
prevalent in large section of state apparatus.
A social audit of the decisions affecting the
values of harmony is called for.
3. The social mind set has been communalized to
a great extent. This will need the efforts to
promote the cultural mechanisms at the levels of
communities, social associations and other
conduits to percolate the message of national
integration. Already this government seems to
have initiated the move to rectify the
distortions in the text books. That being
commendable is not enough. The other general
literature, published by the Government agencies
also needs a revamp. The state level books also
need to be looked at to remove biases against
weaker sections of society.
4. A section of media has played very negative
role during the communal riots. The working
journalists and students of journalism need to
be addressed through their curriculum and
through exposure to syncretic traditions and
values of communal harmony. As the total review
of curriculum is needed special attention needs
to be paid to students of teachers training
colleges and social work colleges.
5. While we give a deeper look to some of these
suggestions to be implemented, we need to have
seminars and workshops on this theme at all the
training institutes geared to train our
officials at various levels.
Sincerely yours
Ram Puniyani
EKTA, Committee for Communal Amity,
Center for Study of Society and Secualarism, Mumbai
______
[4]
National Alliance of People's Movements
Chemical Mazdur Sabha, Haji Habib Building, I Floor,
182 Naigaon Cross Road, Dadar (E), Mumbai - 400014.
Press Note/ March 18, 2005
'DEMOLISH THE ILLEGAL MULTI-STORIES TO GIVE BACK
OUR LAND’ VICTIMIZED POOR FROM MUMBAI SLUMS
DEMAND CENTER'S INTERVENTION AGAIN
Camp Delhi, March 18, 2005
Hundreds of women, men and infants/ children from
Mumbai’s slum communities are camping on the streets
of Delhi since March 15th demanding justice.
Representatives from Delhi slums and hundreds from the
Valley of Narmada have joined them against inhuman,
unconstitutional displacement that has not only made
them all shelter-less but rendered them destitute.
Today, on the fourth day of their sit in, they are to
meet Prithviraj Chauhan, the minister for PMO on
behalf of the Prime Minister and Smt. Sonia Gandhi.
They will also present their anguish before Mr Suraj
Bhan, the Commissioner for Scheduled Castes.
It was on February 14 in Mumbai that Smt Margaret
Alva, in charge of monitoring the implementation of
part manifesto, took a clear position favouring
protection of slums and houses built before 2000 since
that was the promise given during the election
campaign. On February 16, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi herself
intervened and along with the Member of Parliament and
Chief Minister of Maharashtra himself reiterated the
same. However, the contradictory statements by the CM
thereafter and no action or protection towards
allowing any land, compensation, or services to 90000
families, most of whom are still hanging around the
place they were bulldozed on and evicted from,
compelled them to march to Delhi.
A number of MPs from RSP and CPM and Samajwadi Party,
including Shri Abani Roy, Shri Ranjilal Suman, Mr
Krishna Das, and Mr Ramdas Athavale of the Republican
Party of India visited the people on dharna to express
their support. There is a debate is due in the
Parliament on the issue. The people, would like to
seek a cleanr and honest answer, as to whether they
indeed want to protect them or throw out to drains.
The people also met Mr. Pritviraj Chavan, the minister
in charge of PrimeMinister’s office and other leaders
including the chairman of national commission on SC
and ST.
The pathetic plight of the urban poor who are
ruthlessly and brutally ousted and tortured, whose
labour in building the city, its buildings, highways
and infrastructure, the metro to megacities whose
services as hawkers is a breach of the promises by
Congress – NCP, the Common Minimum Programme, the
constitutional and human rights and all the Supreme
Court orders guaranteeing right to food to every
citizen, has not changed till date. The police force
standing at the slum locations prevents them from
building even a small shelter at the site as in
Ambujwadi, Indira Nagar and Rafiq Nagar with the wire
fencing put up indicate no commitment on the part of
Government of Maharashtra towards urban poor. No
compensation is paid to enable poor to live, no
relief, no service and no proper survey is carried out
at the community level. The builders lobby is all
ready to usurp the land and World Bank awaits a formal
agreement on Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Projects. In
such a sitiatuation
the urban poor’s struggle is to march ahead-
· to demand compensation for the losses, right to land
with sites and services, low cost cooperative housing
schemes, and immediate relief by allowing the evictees
to put up their own shelters on the same land,
· to compel the government of Maharashtra and Mumbai
Municipal Corporation to withdraw police force and
stop all atrocities and withdraw the false and
fabricated cases filed against the poor and the
supporting activists,
· to expose the utter violation of various commitments
of rehabilitation in the World Bank funded (or to be
funded) Urban Infrastructure Projects,
· to unearth the illegal land distribution, land use
by the rich builders and profiteering corporate,
accumulating thousands of crores rupees worth
prosperity, demanding demolition of those and
allotment of land to the poor and dispossessed,
· to propose an alternative people’s plan for
sustainable, equitable and livable Mumbai and every
city in the country without exploiting the poor within
and around, and
· to make the central Government fulfill its promise
to reenactment evolve a national policy on development
planning and developmental rehabilitation along with a
National and state level Commissioners for that.
Raju Bhise Shahar Vikas Manch, Mumbai
Rajendra Ravi Lokayan, Delhi
Medha Patkar National Coordinator, NAPM
_______
[5] [Upcoming Events ]
(i)
Anhad
Invites you to
The release
and screening of docu-lectures
'Un Sapnon ki Khatir'
(In Defence of Our Dreams)
By Shri
Arjun Singh
Minister for Human Resource Development
On March 23, 2005 at 5pm
At Anhad ,
4 Windsor Place, New Delhi-110001
The Programme:
5.00pm- Welcome
5.05pm-Screening of Excerpts from “ Un Sapnon ki Khatir’
5.25pm- About ‘Un Sapnon ki Khatir’- Harsh Mander
5.30- Sharing the Dream- Gauhar Raza
5.35- The Broad Political Context- Prof. KN Panikkar
5.45- Formal Release by Shri Arjun Singh followed by his Speech
6.15-Vote of Thanks
6.20-Tea
The VCd package “Un Sapnon ki Khatir “ produced
by Gauhar Raza contains the following
docu-lectures in
Hindi.
The Docu-Lectures :
Prabhash Joshi Hindutva: Ek Rajneetik Akhada
Amit Sengupta Media ka Sampradayikaran
Dr. K.M. Shrimali Ayodhya
Pralay Kanungo Sangh Parivar Ka Itihaas
Dr. Ram Punyani Sachchai Ya Brahm: Sampradayikta Ek Drishtikon
Sohail Hashmi Pahchan ka Prashan
Kuldeep Nayyar Bharat- Pak Sambandh
Harsh Mander Samaj Aur Shasan: Gujarat Ek Sabak
Dr. Tulsiram Daliton ka Mudda aur Sampradayikta
Anand Pradhan Vaishvikaran aur Sampradayikta
Shubha Mudgal Hindustani Sangeet ki Samanvyavadi Parampara
& Sohail Hashmi
Nivedita Menon Nari Aandolan aur Sampradayik Rajniti
Amar Farooqui Swatantrata Aandolan Ki Virasat
Prashant Bhushan Samvaidhanik Adhikar Ke Roop Main Dharmnirpekshta
Swami Agnivesh Dharm Ka Apharan
Achyut Yagnik Maujooda Rajnaitik Haalat
Documentaries
Rakesh Sharma Final Solution
Gauhar Raza Zulmaton ke Daur Main
The set could be obtained from anhad 23rd March
onwards for Rs. 600 + actual courier charges.
Aparna Sen has contributed 50 copies of her film
'Mrs & Mr.Iyer' for the first 50 packets to be
sold.
______
(ii)
INDIA: FINAL SOLUTION
Rakesh Sharma, India, 2003
Sunday 20 March 2005 9.50pm-11.20pm
A study of the politics of hate. The film
graphically documents the changing face of
right-wing politics in India through a study of
the 2002 killing of Muslims in Gujarat.
Interview: "I wanted it to be more than a record of grief"
DIRECTOR INTERVIEW
Rakesh Sharma "I wanted it to be more than a record of grief"
Nick Fraser Storyville Series Editor
Final Solution was shot over two and a half years
by the Indian filmmaker Rakesh Sharma. It tells
the story of a massacre of Muslims committed in
the western state of Gujarat. It investigates the
relationship between the BJP and those who
instigated, and actually carried out the killings.
For outsiders, it has three merits.
Firstly it is an extraordinary and convincing film.
Secondly, it offers a very rare insight into the
details of democracy in India, and one that
shouldn't encourage people to be snooty about its
practices.
Thirdly, it alarmingly suggests that Adolf
Hitler's and Benito Mussolini's inventions were
not confined to Europe. The BJP dresses up in
saffron gear, but its conduct is that of a
mid-20th-century fascist party. It is capable of
fomenting plots in order to legitimise violence,
and it nurses the most violent racial hatreds.
Although the BJP's vote went down in the last
elections, it is hard to watch this film and not
be alarmed by the prospect of Hindu fascism.
(iii)
India Pakistan Arms Race and Militarisation Watch Compilation # 151
(18 March, 2005)
Contents:
1 Ominous call to arms in South Asia (Syed Saleem Shahzad)
2 "Peace Pipe" or Pipe Dream? U.S. vs. an
Iran-Pak-India Project (J. Sri Raman)
3 U.S. expected to OK arms sales to India,
Pakistan (Richard Whittle and Katie Fairbank)
4 Policy Could Shift, Spur F-16 Sales - FW plant
may benefit if U.S. lets rivals India, Pakistan
buy fighters (Richard Whittle and Katie Fairbank)
5 Rice's agenda: To scuttle pipeline? (M B Naqvi)
6 Pakistan offers arms aid to Nepal ()
7 South Asian nuclear security regime (Mirza Aslam Beg)
8 South Asian nuclear safety (A.R. Siddiqi)
9 Arms sale to top Rice's agenda during visit to Pakistan
10 India and Pakistan, Kashmir - Rivers run through it (Randeep Ramesh)
11 Pakistan Opposition Halts Parliament Over Iran Nuclear Controversy
12 Pakistan: Defence audit (Editorial, The Nation)
13 Eyes are everywhere in Islamabad (Scott Baldauf)
14 Pakistani Gun Bazaar Sputtering (Riaz Khan)
15 India: Take the jungle to the law - review of
Army's special powers (Sanjib Baruah)
16 India: Fishermen up in arms against Centre
17 [India's Defence Spending ]
(i) Defending Ourselves To Death - India must cut arms spending (Praful Bidwai)
(ii) Fuelling the arms race (Praful Bidwai)
(iii) India's Rising Defence Budget (Ikram Sehgal)
18 Pakistan: Two U.S. Citizens 'Disappeared'
19 Bomb thrown at home of leading journalist in
Gilgit (reporters without borders)
20 Tehelka expose: dismissed armyman moves Delhi High Court
21 India: Hang his murderers: Yunus mother can't wait for justice
22 India may not get 'Arrow' despite US Defence Dept support: CRS
23 India: Women Power May See Repeal of Draconian Army Act (Ranjit Devraj)
24 India expresses concern over US arms sales to Pakistan
25 India: Many Lives of S. A. R. Geelani ! J' Accuse ! (Subhash Gatade)
26 Nepal:
(i) Nepal's rising vigilante violence (Charles Haviland)
(ii) Police summon editor of country's largest newspaper (CPJ Press Release)
URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IPARMW/message/162
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
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/
Sister initiatives :
South Asia Counter Information Project : snipurl.com/sacip
South Asians Against Nukes: www.s-asians-against-nukes.org
Communalism Watch: communalism.blogspot.com/
DISCLAIMER: Opinions expressed in materials carried in the posts do not
necessarily reflect the views of SACW compilers.
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