From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Thu Jan 1 02:54:57 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:24:57 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-21 Message-ID: <65be9bf40812311324u1715ce18r50ef3e9ab6d2a6ef@mail.gmail.com> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1030203/asp/northeast/story_1632744.asp The Telegraph Monday, February 03, 2003 'Foreigner' tag on Hindu migrants OUR CORRESPONDENT *Shillong, Feb. 2: *The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), the political wing of the Khasi Students' Union (KSU), has decided to make influx of Hindus into Meghalaya a poll issue. The party wants to deny legal status to Hindu migrants who entered the state after March 24, 1971. Party president Paul Lyngdoh released a policy statement, which said: "Illegal Hindu migrants who have infiltrated after March 24, 1971, should not be granted refugee status". The policy statement, entitled "Meghalaya's economy and agenda for action", said it would treat migrants coming after the cut-off date as "illegal". According to the policy statement, "the relentless entry of people from other regions of the country is a threat to the indigenous people of the state". It claimed that "the exact number of 'illegal foreigners' who have entered the state is not available nor the numbers of the floating Indian population". While holding successive state governments responsible "for failure" to implement the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946, the policy statement said the problem of influx, if not checked, would "cause serious demographic imbalance in the state". The party emphatically announced in its policy statement that it would bring about major changes if voted to power. It said it would issue multipurpose photo identity cards to genuine citizens while a revised version of the inner line permit system, keeping all its plus points intact, would be introduced. Other political parties in the state, however, have dismissed fears of "influx by Hindus" as "misleading" and a "catchy political issue". Senior Congress legislator from Mawprem constituency, D.N. Joshi, was of the opinion that "there cannot be any cut-off year for people of Indian origin, be they Hindus or from any other religion". He was critical of the fact that while infiltration occurs from across the Bangladesh border, Hindus belonging to the country were being made scapegoats. "People from the country have the right to settle anywhere and even the Centre would not prevent Indians from moving about in their own country," he said. Pointing out the "dwindling" non-tribal population in the state, Joshi said "due to stringent measures" such as the bar on purchase of land and lack of jobs, people from the non-tribal community have been compelled to migrate. BJP legislator from Pynthormukhrah, Alexander Laloo Hek, also felt that such laws could not be imposed. Though he did not want to comment on the issue, he sounded sceptical whether a state could raise such a demand. [image: Top] From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Thu Jan 1 02:58:31 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:28:31 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-22 Message-ID: <65be9bf40812311328m167ea2of0a3bf428d8a89e0@mail.gmail.com> *http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/FJ02Df03.html South Asia 2 October, 2004 Smart cards make inroads into Asia* By Raja M MUMBAI - As governments in a violence-ripped world build techno-fortresses, computer chip-driven bits of plastic flap as wonder cards driving the next sunrise industry. Smart cards usually have multi-purpose lives, from being national ID cards to tools for buying bus tickets or paying the petrol pump bill. But, as privacy activists warn, smart cards could also be gilt-coated Trojan Horses for snooping governments, terrorists and crooks. Essentially, computer chip-embedded plastic cards that store and transact data, smart cards are expected to be a US$6.8 billion global business this year. Unit shipments were over 2 billion cards in 2003, according to Jafizwaty Ishahak, industry analyst for smart cards and auto ID with consultants Frost & Sullivan. She told Asia Times Online that the Asia-Pacific region alone accounts for about 34% of the volume. With Malaysia's MyKad, Hong Kong's Smart Identity Card System (SMARTICS), Taiwan's Health Card, the Indian government's plan to have a multi-purpose national ID card and South Korea aiming for public official ID cards by 2005, companies such as Sony, Infineon and Hitachi are smacking their lips. Says Ishahak: "India along with the rest of South Asia is an active emerging market that shows lots of promise for growth." Experts estimate the Indian smart card industry, growing at 45% annually, will reach $6 billion by 2010. In the next five years, the Indian smart card population is expected to increase eight-fold. Such happy times for smart card makers are feeding the growing banking and retailing industry, the cellular phone boom in India - estimated to be exploding at over 70% annually (smart cards are used in SIM cards of GSM mobile phones) - and big projects such as national ID card schemes. "Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, India and China are at the planning or pilot stage of launching a national smart ID card scheme," says Ishahak. Hong Kong's SMARTICS, which won a Gold Award in the 6th Hong Kong Computer Society IT Excellence Awards, represents a successful smart card use. With a photograph, identity details and fingerprint biometrics of each card owner, SMARTICS contains an electronic certificate for encrypted e-transactions. In a Hong Kong government press release, director of immigration Lai Tung-kwok said: "ID cards with multi-application is not only an identification document but lays a solid foundation for e-applications and e-commerce." While India plans its multi-purpose national ID card scheme, provincial governments have already launched smart card projects for driving licenses, vehicle registration, social security, health and other uses. Later this year, Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) is scheduled to launch an automatic fare collection in Mumbai buses through smart card technology. BEST, besides being the major electricity supplier in Mumbai, holds the monopoly for public bus services in the city. "We plan to first issue smart card machines in 57 buses," A S Tamboli, chief spokesperson for BEST, told Asia Times Online. "With bus conductors carrying smart card reading machines, the scheme will help reduce cumbersome ticket transactions." BEST plans to use the smart card facility in 394 of its 3,380-strong bus fleet in the first phase. The smart card won't cost BEST anything, says Tamboli, with the card company planning to use it as a multi-purpose utility including credit/debit card facilities. Mid-September, the Delhi transport department will be using smart optical cards for new vehicle registrations, with add-ons such as vehicle history storage, log, tax, insurance, accidents and other requirements under the Motor Vehicle Act. Fortunately for smart card merchants in India, privacy is yet to be a big talking point, unlike in the West, where the presence of biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, iris (eye) scans, or facial recognition systems in ID cards has sparked off a debate that lurches between security and privacy. The Electronic Frontier Foundation dismissed national ID schemes as a "solution in search of a problem". According to the EEF, it opposes the national ID scheme in the United States because there is "no compelling case for its utility or effectiveness as a crime-fighting tool because of the costs (dollars, privacy, and liberty) involved and its high potential for abuse by entities in both public and private sectors". Privacy International, the London-based human-rights group formed in 1990 as a watchdog on surveillance and privacy invasions by governments and corporations, says America's Patriot Act indirectly squeezes countries into the US security program. The Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act, 2002 entails countries to have machine-readable, tamper-resistant passports to qualify for the visa waiver program. The Indian government took a major step toward spreading smart card use by a standardized operating system called SCOSTA (Smart Card Operating System for Transport Application) developed by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, as the standard operating system for driving licenses and other transport-related projects. A Frost & Sullivan report in 2003 listed the bigger bottlenecks for the Indian smart card market: "Low purchasing power, low technology awareness and cultural shifts, delay in approval standards, other cheaper competing technologies and poor allied infrastructure such as telecom, ATMs and card readers, etc." According to an industry professional, smart cards in India are estimated to cost around $2 to $4 a person. But the system to enable use of smart cards could cost a business establishment around $1,000. Worse costs could lurk. Privacy International warns that no smart card technology is secure enough to escape fakes issued by terrorist and criminal gangs. Besides, there could be inevitable goof-ups. In 2002, personal data was leaked from Japan's new nationwide identification system only two days after the controversial program was launched. Personal information of over 2,500 people was sent to the wrong people, the Osaka regional government admitted shamefacedly. The system already faced widespread protests and opposition even before the blunder, with fears of individual privacy violation and abuse. Months earlier, the Japanese Defense Agency was found to have been secretly compiling private information on people who had requested documents under the country's Freedom of Information Act. Security worries can be contained, says a leading semi-conductor company. "The authentication can happen on the card itself so that personal data do not have to leave the card," Reiner Schnrock, a senior director at the Munich-based Infineon Technologies AG, told Asia Times Online. "Through the use of smart cards, personal data can be stored decentrally on the card." A better way ahead to avoid such abuse, believe some experts, would be to develop smart cards more as e-commerce and e-governance tools to access government services rather than as the more controversial national ID cards. However, in cash-strapped Indian states, money, more than privacy and security, seems a bigger issue with the whole deal. *Raja M is an independent writer based in Mumbai, India. * From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Thu Jan 1 03:04:56 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:34:56 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-23 Message-ID: <65be9bf40812311334x46aa45d4p514aa7c71ec793f3@mail.gmail.com> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/773237.cms Times of India India Govt considering national identity cards 10 Jul 2004, 1245 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: Government on Saturday said it is "actively considering" issuing multi-purpose national identity cards (MNICs) to all citizens but voiced serious concern over India's burgeoning population, which was expected to overtake that of the most populous country China in the year 2035. "Every person in the country will be provided national identity cards and given a unique national identity number," Home Minister Shivraj Patil said inaugurating a seminar on Census Data Dissemination here. A pilot project covering 30 lakh population spread over 13 states and union territories is currently going on. Its basic aim is to create a National Population Register which will have both the National Register of Indian Citizens and that for non-citizens. To this effect, the necessary amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955 has been recently carried out to provide for compulsory registration of all citizens. "The success of the project would depend on timely and complete updating of this register which again partly depends on complete registration of births and deaths," Patil said. The MNIC project, the Minister said, once completed will not only enhance the security cover of the country but also facilitate national level e-governance programme which is one of the important agenda items of the Common Minimum Programme to ensure that Government services reach people in every nook and corner. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Thu Jan 1 03:08:49 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:38:49 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-24 Message-ID: <65be9bf40812311338w5682c784teb19fac752c84cd0@mail.gmail.com> http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=91199 Indian Express Pune Edition Tuesday , July 13, 2004 EC plans biometric I-cards A long-term plan, extension of multi-purpose national identity card project Vishwas Kothari Pune, July 12: The Election Commission is toying with the idea of introducing the use of biometric identification features like thumb impression embedded in electronically-readable cards to check poll rigging. ''They (biometric cards) are a little farther away but a desirable goal possible with the use f electronic technology,'' Election Commissioner (EC) of India N Gopalaswami told The Indian Express on the sidelines of a training programme on 'Electoral management and administration' at the Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration (YASHADA) here on Monday. Advertisement This forms part of the long-term plans and is not likely to be effective during elections in the near future, he added. The biometric I-cards may come as an extension of the ambitious multi-purpose national identity card (MNIC) project under active consideration by the government. Citing Home Minister Shivraj Patil's statement last Saturday, Gopalaswami said the ministry had already embarked on a pilot project covering a population of 30 lakh spread over 13 states and Union territories. The idea is to ultimately provide a national identity card with an identity number to all citizens and thereby creating a national population register (NPR). ''Our first requirement will be cards having biometric features included. Once the Home Ministry's experiment is successful, the same can be borrowed. The same cards can form the basis for polls later on,'' he said. ''Nations like the United Kingdom, which is working on a similar project, are talking of 2013 as the targeted deadline because they must have made a positive assessment of the problems such a project faces especially covering the last 5 per cent of the population,'' he said. He said the Commission had accorded top priority to ensuring that complaints of missing names from the electoral rolls — witnessed on a large-scale during the March Lok Sabha polls — are not repeated. ''We have taken a fairly extensive and ambitious programme of enlightening voters and I am sure that will pay dividends,'' he said. Logistics was the other problem that the Commission will have to tackle. ''Maharashtra has never presented any poll-related law-and-order problem in the past,'' Gopalaswami pointed out. NO POLLS DURING FEST EC N Gopalaswami said the dates for Assembly elections in Maharashtra had not yet been finalised. He assured that the Commission would consider the request by political parties that the dates be finalised after giving apt consideration to the 10-day Ganesh festival in September, when large section of the population are on vacation. ''That definitely will be done,'' he said. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Thu Jan 1 03:41:38 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 22:11:38 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] What has insanity to do with infiltration? A lot, say figures Message-ID: <65be9bf40812311411o18434ab7h22722eaba202b887@mail.gmail.com> * http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/what-has-insanity-to-do-with-infiltration-a-lot-say-figures/404943/ Indian Express *Vikram Rautela Posted: Dec 31, 2008 at 0335 hrs IST *Ahmedabad* *Nearly 7% of those caught were mentally unsound. Intelligence agencies say it needs to be probed* If you think illegally trespassing into India or Pakistan requires intelligence and a sharp brain to dupe extra vigilant security agencies manning the frontier, then think again. According to figures, more than seven per cent of those apprehended while crossing the Indo-Pak International Border in Gujarat in the last five years, were "insane". Intelligence agencies, however, frown at this insanity theory and say it needs to be probed properly. According to figures accessed by this newspaper, a total of 359 people, including infiltrators as well as those who were caught while attempting to sneak into Pakistan from the Indian side, were apprehended at the Gujarat frontier by the Border Security Force between 2004 and 2008. Of these, a total of 27, according to the records, were insane or at least believed to be so. Intelligence officers, however, say that some of these persons could only be posing as insane in a bid to dupe the police and carry out their mission discreetly under the guise of a mentally-unstable person. Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) P P Pandey said: "Posing as being insane after being caught is a gimmick we come across several times. While most of them break down during the joint interrogation by the different agencies and confess to having pretended being insane (apparently in a bid to dupe the security agencies), some are genuinely insane." Pandey also did not rule out the possibility that some of these people could be anti-nationals, terrorists or even Pakistani spies. "This possibility cannot be ruled out completely. We have alerted security agencies and the state police in the bordering areas to be watchful about this." The BSF, which nabs such people most of the time, says it hands them over to the state police. They are later interrogated at the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) in Bhuj. "Whether these pople are actually insane is a matter of police investigation," said BSF Inspector General G S Shekhawat. Wabang Jamir, the Superintendent of Police, Kutch-Bhuj, who heads the JIC, said: "We come across such cases very often. In fact, there was a Bangladeshi national, who was apprehended by the BSF while trying to sneak into Pakistan. This man not only pretended insanity but also acted deaf and dumb for several days. He finally broke down and confessed that it was a gimmick to dupe us." At present, the JIC houses close to 100-odd foreigners caught for paperless travel to India. The JIC also has a competent psychologist, who examines these people and certifies their mental status. "It is only after this certificate that we consider such people insane and initiate the process of their deportation," said Jamir. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Thu Jan 1 03:48:17 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 22:18:17 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Infiltration from Bangladesh cannot be completely plugged, says BSF chief New Delhi Message-ID: <65be9bf40812311418y7455678dr822bde50b915a653@mail.gmail.com> Web India 123.com http://news.webindia123.com/news/ar_showdetails.asp?id=711300235&cat=&n_date=20071130 November 30, 2007 New Delhi | November 30, 2007 11:15:05 AM IST Border Security Force (BSF) Director General A K Mitra has said that it was impossible to stop infiltration along India's porous borders with Bangladesh. "I believe that we cannot completely control infiltration through the India-Bangladesh border. But that doesn't mean we stop our efforts towards achieving the same. It is very porous border and even today many areas are not fenced because of geographical barriers," said Mitra. India shares a 4096-kilometer border with Bangladesh out of which the land border stretch is around 2979 kilometers and the remaining 1116-kilometer stretch in the riverline border, only 66 percent of fencingof the total stretch is complete. New Delhi estimates there are up to 20 million illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in India. Bangladesh denies the charges. India is building a barbed wire fence to prevent unauthorized movement of people across the border. Dhaka does not oppose the fencing per se, but objects when it is built too close to the zero line on the land and river line border. (ANI) From kauladityaraj at gmail.com Thu Jan 1 12:03:30 2009 From: kauladityaraj at gmail.com (Aditya Raj Kaul) Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 12:03:30 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Army wanted Abdullah. Any surprises here? In-Reply-To: <6b79f1a70812310459m5b2a91abwb87990bb1ec53869@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fd66c110812310452m2570e6b3v676214e75bae2222@mail.gmail.com> <6b79f1a70812310459m5b2a91abwb87990bb1ec53869@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <6353c690812312233m31ea6349oe69fcd21ee2345a3@mail.gmail.com> yeah lol Typical of Shivam! Jai Hind! On 12/31/08, Pawan Durani wrote: > > yeah ...nothing surprising including the way you think...little Johnny.... > > > pawan > > > On Wed, Dec 31, 2008 at 6:22 PM, Shivam V wrote: > > > Army support is where the Abdullahs score over Muftis > > > > By Ashish Sinha in New Delhi > > Mail Today, 30 December 2008 > > http://mailtoday.in/30122008/epaperhome.aspx > > > > NSG commandos protecting the Abdullah family, especially patriarch > > Farooq, are a happy lot because the former chief minister takes good > > care of them and has a more " mainstream" view of matters political. > > > > The contrast, mainly with the People's Democratic Party ( PDP), is > > significant as Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's attempts to simultaneously ride > > two boats — of " soft separatism" while sounding " national" — were > > detested by the security forces, especially the Army. > > > > Any political decision on Kashmir — especially when the ball is in the > > Congress's court — cannot afford to ignore the sentiments of lakhs of > > troops stationed here because, at least for now, they appear to be a > > more permanent fixture than any party, even the National Conference ( > > NC). > > > > Personnel who have fought militancy in Kashmir say the " return of > > democracy" here cannot mean a retreat of the troops to the barracks. > > It is here that the Abdullahs surge ahead of the Muftis, especially as > > the PDP's plan of storming the assembly on a separatist agenda failed. > > > > Within the NC, the son scores over his father. Omar is seen as someone > > who means business and is capable of addressing the concerns of the > > youth, the most restless and wronged section of Kashmir today. > > > > When Farooq took over the NC from his father Sheikh Abdullah in 1981 — > > he became CM the next year — he was a political novice and pedigree > > was mainly why the baton came to him. But Omar, who represents the > > eagerness of the babalog s of Indian politics to make a difference, > > has a better track record. Only 38, he has been thrice elected to the > > Lok Sabha and was a Union MoS for over three years, handling commerce > > and external affairs in the NDA government. > > > > Kashmir is a society where the oft- promised dream of development- > > driven good days ahead has not been realised. > > > > "Farooq was in control of Kashmir twice during the troubled times — > > first from 1986 to 1990 and then from 1996 to 2002. But at the > > grassroots, he is still seen as a typical politician," said a senior > > BSF officer, adding " Omar is perceived as a firebrand leader > > committed to making a difference within the operating principle of J& > > K being an integral part of India. For a society ravaged by years of > > violence, that promise means a lot." > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> -- -- Aditya Raj Kaul Freelance Correspondent, The Times of India Cell - +91-9873297834 Campaign Blog: http://kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com/ Personal Blog: http://activistsdiary.blogspot.com/ From ysaeed7 at yahoo.com Thu Jan 1 12:29:17 2009 From: ysaeed7 at yahoo.com (Yousuf) Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 22:59:17 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Student ties trump Indo-Pak tension Message-ID: <120051.70519.qm@web51412.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Student ties trump Indo-Pak tension 1 Jan 2009, 0512 hrs IST, TNN MUMBAI: Perhaps it's a sign of better things to come. Indian teenagers who were in Pakistan at the time of the terrorist attacks on Mumbai said students from both countries grew closer even as the two countries were beginning to prepare for war. The Indian students, who were in Lahore to attend the Lahore University Model United Nations, say their view of the neighbouring country changed dramatically after the interaction. Shouryendu Ray, an 18-year-old from Mumbai, landed in Pakistan a little over an hour before the terrorists struck Mumbai. "I was having dinner when I heard the news. I was worried sick about my family back home," he said. "I was so disturbed by the attacks that I thought I wouldn't attend the first session of the model UN the next morning," he added. But thanks to the warmth and support shown by the Pakistani students he was staying with, he changed his mind. Nineteen-year-old Shruti Ojha, another Indian delegate at the model UN, said, "I was anti-Pakistan even before the terror attacks. I thought that after the attacks, I'd face a great deal of hostility in Pakistan. But I was surprised at how well everybody treated me." Ray recounts his experience of shopping in Lahore. A watch which cost Rs 5,000 caught his eye. The shopkeeper was so delighted to learn that Ray was Indian that he sold him the watch at half-price, and wouldn't let him leave without a soft drink. The elderly rickshaw driver who ferried the Indian delegates around Lahore said it was his dream to visit India. The students recalled that he told them, "Even if I can't come to India, I'm glad I've at least been able to show Indians around." Ojha, too, spoke of the affection showered on her in Pakistan. When she was readying to leave, Sana Maqbool, a Pakistani student who shared her dormitory, gifted her a ring as a memento. If the Indian students brought back stories of warmth and affection, they also left behind some of their own. Tajwar Awan, a 20-year-old student at the prestigious Lahore University of Management Sciences, said she had thought all Indians were anti-Muslim until she had the opportunity of interacting with Indian students at the Model UN. "I was extremely worried about the Indian students after the terror attack," said Awan, speaking to TOI from Lahore. The bonds between the students on both sides of the border continue despite stark contrasts in political views. Ray said a Pakistani friend recently left him a note on Facebook, asking why India was violating Pakistani airspace. "Why does the Indian press blame all India's problems on Pakistan?" asks Turab Hassan, a 19-year-old management student from Lahore. He's a member of Seeds of Peace, an international organisation that works with children from countries that are in conflict with each other. Hassan, who visited India in 2006, and who recalls seeing the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, said he was disturbed to see images of the hotel on fire. "Terrorism is a problem faced by both India and Pakistan," he said, and added, "It's frustrating to see the way the Indian press has been attacking Pakistan." Ray and Ojha expressed similar concerns about the Pakistani press, which they said blamed India for the crisis. "The Pak papers were actually trying to justify the terrorist attack on Mumbai," said Ray. Friendships, however, trumped political differences. Hassan said he anxiously phoned all his Indian friends to ensure they were safe after the attacks. Indeed, many Indian students said they received a flurry of calls and emails from Pakistani friends after the terror attacks. "I've been in touch with many students in Pakistan after 26/11," said Samyak Chakrabarty, a Jai Hind College student who has worked closely with the UN. Chakrabarty has organised Model UN sessions in Mumbai, which were attended by several Pakistani students. anahita.mukherji at timesgroup.com From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Thu Jan 1 22:15:48 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 16:45:48 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Army wanted Abdullah. Any surprises here? In-Reply-To: <6353c690812312233m31ea6349oe69fcd21ee2345a3@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fd66c110812310452m2570e6b3v676214e75bae2222@mail.gmail.com> <6b79f1a70812310459m5b2a91abwb87990bb1ec53869@mail.gmail.com> <6353c690812312233m31ea6349oe69fcd21ee2345a3@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <65be9bf40901010845m1f1b48eag1b67858752621052@mail.gmail.com> Dear Pawan, Dear Aditya, It is with a huge amount of admiration that I have read your mails in the past year. Admiration for the enthusiasm that you have shown to relentlessly pursue what you believe in. Don't you feel that if you take little more pain in articulating your ideas, especially your disagreements with other members on this list, you will perhaps be able to talk through to more people. You will be able to create a range of arguments to support your worldview in the public domain. You will be able to make other people see a point of view which you deem fit. There is nothing wrong in agreeing to disagree. Calling Shivam names, or laughing out aloud is perhaps a valid from of reaction but it is alienating. I think at best tagging and making fun does not prove or dis-approve anything, at worst it indicates a lack mental strength and stamina. I expect a robust, well thought out, sharp, biting, incisive, verbose, witty, argumentative and an exhaustive debate from you. Hope you shall live up to the expectations of many members like me on this list. Warm regards Taha On Thu, Jan 1, 2009 at 6:33 AM, Aditya Raj Kaul wrote: > yeah lol > > Typical of Shivam! > > Jai Hind! > > On 12/31/08, Pawan Durani wrote: > > > > yeah ...nothing surprising including the way you think...little > Johnny.... > > > > > > pawan > > > > > > On Wed, Dec 31, 2008 at 6:22 PM, Shivam V wrote: > > > > > Army support is where the Abdullahs score over Muftis > > > > > > By Ashish Sinha in New Delhi > > > Mail Today, 30 December 2008 > > > http://mailtoday.in/30122008/epaperhome.aspx > > > > > > NSG commandos protecting the Abdullah family, especially patriarch > > > Farooq, are a happy lot because the former chief minister takes good > > > care of them and has a more " mainstream" view of matters political. > > > > > > The contrast, mainly with the People's Democratic Party ( PDP), is > > > significant as Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's attempts to simultaneously ride > > > two boats — of " soft separatism" while sounding " national" — were > > > detested by the security forces, especially the Army. > > > > > > Any political decision on Kashmir — especially when the ball is in the > > > Congress's court — cannot afford to ignore the sentiments of lakhs of > > > troops stationed here because, at least for now, they appear to be a > > > more permanent fixture than any party, even the National Conference ( > > > NC). > > > > > > Personnel who have fought militancy in Kashmir say the " return of > > > democracy" here cannot mean a retreat of the troops to the barracks. > > > It is here that the Abdullahs surge ahead of the Muftis, especially as > > > the PDP's plan of storming the assembly on a separatist agenda failed. > > > > > > Within the NC, the son scores over his father. Omar is seen as someone > > > who means business and is capable of addressing the concerns of the > > > youth, the most restless and wronged section of Kashmir today. > > > > > > When Farooq took over the NC from his father Sheikh Abdullah in 1981 — > > > he became CM the next year — he was a political novice and pedigree > > > was mainly why the baton came to him. But Omar, who represents the > > > eagerness of the babalog s of Indian politics to make a difference, > > > has a better track record. Only 38, he has been thrice elected to the > > > Lok Sabha and was a Union MoS for over three years, handling commerce > > > and external affairs in the NDA government. > > > > > > Kashmir is a society where the oft- promised dream of development- > > > driven good days ahead has not been realised. > > > > > > "Farooq was in control of Kashmir twice during the troubled times — > > > first from 1986 to 1990 and then from 1996 to 2002. But at the > > > grassroots, he is still seen as a typical politician," said a senior > > > BSF officer, adding " Omar is perceived as a firebrand leader > > > committed to making a difference within the operating principle of J& > > > K being an integral part of India. For a society ravaged by years of > > > violence, that promise means a lot." > > > _________________________________________ > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > > > -- > > -- > Aditya Raj Kaul > > Freelance Correspondent, The Times of India > Cell - +91-9873297834 > > Campaign Blog: http://kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com/ > Personal Blog: http://activistsdiary.blogspot.com/ > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > From indersalim at gmail.com Thu Jan 1 23:42:16 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (indersalim) Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 23:42:16 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] ] Fwd: 'Little Baghdad' in Gaza - Bombs, Fear and Rage Message-ID: <47e122a70901011012y2e58abb9oea7bba0622377495@mail.gmail.com> 'Little Baghdad' in Gaza - Bombs, Fear and Rage By Amira Hass, Haaretz Correspondent December 28, 2008 "Haaretz" -- -There are many corpses and wounded, every moment another casualty is added to the list of the dead, and there is no more room in the morgue. Relatives search among the bodies and the wounded in order to bring the dead quickly to burial. A mother whose three school-age children were killed, and are piled one on top of the other in the morgue, screams and then cries, screams again and then is silent. Mustapha Ibrahim saw all this on Saturday at one in the afternoon, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza. As a field investigator for a human rights organization, he thought he'd been immunized, but nothing prepared him for what he saw. Wounded people whose situation was less than serious were asked to leave Shifa, in order to free up beds. Dr. Haidar Eid is a lecturer in Cultural Studies at Al-Aqsa University. He, too, saw the bodies and the wounded on Saturday. Also the children whose limbs had been amputated. "To pick a time like this, 11:30 [A.M.], to bomb in the hearts of cities, this is terrible. This choice was intended to cause as large a massacre as possible," he summed up. Abu Muhammad was 200 meters from the hospital, when an awful sound was heard: Three large police centers which were bombed, were located close to the hospital. "Within seconds, this was a little Baghdad, bombs everywhere, smoke, fire, people not knowing where to hide. Fear everywhere, and rage and hatred," he said. He himself ran to his daughters' school, like tens of thousands of other parents in the Strip. From 11:25 until 11:30, as some 50 warplanes bombed their targets, hundreds of thousands of children were in the streets. Some were coming from the first shift of classes, others were going to the second. "In the schoolyard I saw 500 frightened girls, crying. They did not know me, but clung to me," Abu Muhammad related. In the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood alone, there were 43 fatalities. One mourning tent was set up for all of them. Most of them were young policemen who had joined the civilian police and were killed during the course commencement ceremony. Training camps of the Izz-al Din al-Qassam and interrogation and detention centers were deserted when they were bombed. But police centers in the Strip, which give services to people, were teeming. No one believed that they would be bombed. In the afternoon, they were still looking for bodies in the debris. Khalil Shahin rushed to the police station in the center of the Strip. "A huge building, and all of it on the floor," he said. Some 30 people were killed there. He knew that his nephew, a civilian, was killed when he went to clear up some matter at the station. At first, teacher Umm Salah thought the explosion was a sonic boom. The whole building shook, all the glass, but the smoke and the clouds of dust, and the wails of ambulances, made clear that something much more horrible had taken place. The glass wounded a number of pupils. There were those who cried, there were those who were silent. She found her son in the maelstrom in the street. He had been taking a math test when the bombing began. They went back home together, finding his younger brother with their 70-year-old grandmother. The grandmother tried to hide her fear as she took care of her grandchildren. "There's been no electricity, nor gas, nor flour or bread nearly all of the past week," Umm Salah said. "And suddenly the electricity came back. I turned on the television, I saw the images, I turned it off and sent the kids to do their homework." --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights movement" group. To post to this group, send email to humanrights-movement at googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to humanrights-movement+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- -- http://indersalim.livejournal.com From indersalim at gmail.com Thu Jan 1 23:44:03 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (indersalim) Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 23:44:03 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: STOP GAZA SLAUGHTER!!!---Yvonne Ridley In-Reply-To: <82afb4ca0812311232w6b598491t692ac39e63306ee2@mail.gmail.com> References: <82afb4ca0812311232w6b598491t692ac39e63306ee2@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <47e122a70901011014x64893f4eqe1abbaefacf5a0aa@mail.gmail.com> Anarchy In The UK (and the birth of SGS - STOP GAZA SLAUGHTER) By Yvonne Ridley December 28, 2008 "Information Clearinghouse" -- THE murderous military campaign which has been unleashed by Israel has provoked people across the world to demonstrate, rally and protest in their hundreds of thousands. Soon the movement will turn into millions as more ordinary, decent citizens of the world show their disgust at the barbarism of Israel ... and the cowardly silence of our own leaders. This is no longer a political issue, or a Middle East issue. It is a case of what is right and what is wrong, and what is decent and what is inhumane. And ordinary people are now taking the initiative because they can no longer rely on their political leaders to show any of the human qualities demanded of them including strength, integrity or compassion. British people, normally reserved and controlled, brought anarchy to the streets of upscale Kensington yesterday as they stormed barracades and pushed past police to head towards the Israeli Embassy in London. There was more anarchy in Scotland as our friends over the Border vented their spleen over the war crimes and massacre carried out by Israel. And unless British Prime Minister Gordon Brown gets some lead in his pencil, the anarchy will continue. I am normally a law-abiding citizen, but the anger and shame I felt drove me to join those who tore down the barriers on Saturday. Gordon Brown is the very man who lectured us about what it is to be British. Well let me turn the tables on this pathetic, self-serving man who does not deserve to lead our country. Being British is about fair play, justice and humanity ... standing up for the underdog in the face of bullies. Brown, like other leaders around the world, simply looked the other way as the Israeli military jackbooted its way through the blood dripped gutters once trawled by the Nazis to kill, massacre and maim. In the final days of December 2008 Gordon Brown will be remembered for acting like one of the silent cowards who hangs uncomfortably on the edge of the schoolyard as the bully kicks and thumps the little, weak child. And that feckless fool David Milliband is no better. While Brown told journalists he was "deeply concerned" over Israeli actions, the British Foreign secretary urged Israel to abide by its "humanitarian obligations". And it was their weasly words which was directly responsible for the lawlessness which erupted in the streets of London on Saturday, and I'll tell you why. I was outraged and ashamed by the weakness shown by Milliband and Brown and called my good friend Ghada Razuki. We have both been to Palestine and we have both been to Gaza and we were both repelled by the pathetic reaction of our government. So we decided to launch SGS - Stop Gaza Slaughter - and call for a rally. We began hitting the phones. Many organised groups were already planning a demonstration for the Sunday and they urged us to wait. One told me: "You do not have police permission". Almost choking with rage, I responded: "Permission? Permission to demonstrate and march and exercise my democratic right to protest? This is Britain! And did Israel ask anyone for permission to bomb Gaza?" But Ghada did call the police and inform them that we were planning a demo - in truth I thought around 30 of us might turn up to respond, but it seems that we were not the only ones who were outraged by the silence of Messrs Brown and Co. "I thought you said only 30 were going to turn up, there must be 3,000 here now," said one police officer. I just shrugged my shoulders and said I had no idea a few text messages, FaceBook and a blog could have resulted in such a turnout. In truth I am sure many who arrived in Kensington on Saturday would have come anyway. But what happened was pure 'people power' and this is what happens when you have a leader who commands little or no respect. When the people lead, the leaders will follow and I think in the next few days Brown's advisers will tell him that what the British people want is a real man who will stand up to the bullies. And if he doesn't there will be more anarchy and it will get worse. This is neither a threat nor a promise - just a prediction. If Brown wants to survive politically, he will have20to join us when we demonstrate on Saturday, January 3 - opposite the British Parliament. He needs to show us he is really man enough to lead this country. And on the subject of Saturday's demonstration - police permission is apparently being sought. I have some advice for the Metropolitan Police: "Do not try and stop the democratic right of every person in Britain to demonstrate." I am going to be there - with or without police permission. And if they want to arrest me and lock me up then so be it. Has it now become a crime to demonstrates against war crimes? Crimes against humanity are being carried out by Israel and I refuse to be silent. __._,_.___ From indersalim at gmail.com Thu Jan 1 23:45:19 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (indersalim) Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 23:45:19 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Robert Fisk: Leaders lie, civilians die, and lessons of history are ignored In-Reply-To: <82afb4ca0812311232h572b98far8958e18840334fa6@mail.gmail.com> References: <7ed216030812300302i1cdf4218rb0516c71d4ec44f0@mail.gmail.com> <82afb4ca0812311232h572b98far8958e18840334fa6@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <47e122a70901011015q27bbda2ck4d51c2c0f22868ff@mail.gmail.com> Robert Fisk: Leaders lie, civilians die, and lessons of history are ignored We've got so used to the carnage of the Middle East that we don't care any more – providing we don't offend the Israelis. It's not clear how many of the Gaza dead are civilians, but the response of the Bush administration, not to mention the pusillanimous reaction of Gordon Brown, reaffirm for Arabs what they have known for decades: however they struggle against their antagonists, the West will take Israel's side. As usual, the bloodbath was the fault of the Arabs – who, as we all know, only understand force. Ever since 1948, we've been hearing this balderdash from the Israelis – just as Arab nationalists and then Arab Islamists have been peddling their own lies: that the Zionist "death wagon" will be overthrown, that all Jerusalem will be "liberated". And always Mr Bush Snr or Mr Clinton or Mr Bush Jnr or Mr Blair or Mr Brown have called upon both sides to exercise "restraint" – as if the Palestinians and the Israelis both have F-18s and Merkava tanks and field artillery. Hamas's home-made rockets have killed just 20 Israelis in eight years, but a day-long blitz by Israeli aircraft that kills almost 300 Palestinians is just par for the course. The blood-splattering has its own routine. Yes, Hamas provoked Israel's anger, just as Israel provoked Hamas's anger, which was provoked by Israel, which was provoked by Hamas, which ... See what I mean? Hamas fires rockets at Israel, Israel bombs Hamas, Hamas fires more rockets and Israel bombs again and ... Got it? And we demand security for Israel – rightly – but overlook this massive and utterly disproportionate slaughter by Israel. It was Madeleine Albright who once said that Israel was "under siege" – as if Palestinian tanks were in the streets of Tel Aviv. By last night, the exchange rate stood at 296 Palestinians dead for one dead Israeli. Back in 2006, it was 10 Lebanese dead for one Israeli dead. This weekend was the most inflationary exchange rate in a single day since – the 1973 Middle East War? The 1967 Six Day War? The 1956 Suez War? The 1948 Independence/Nakba War? It's obscene, a gruesome game – which Ehud Barak, the Israeli Defence Minister, unconsciously admitted when he spoke this weekend to Fox TV. "Our intention is to totally change the rules of the game," Barak said. Exactly. Only the "rules" of the game don't change. This is a further slippage on the Arab-Israeli exchanges, a percentage slide more awesome than Wall Street's crashing shares, though of not much interest in the US which – let us remember – made the F-18s and the Hellfire missiles which the Bush administration pleads with Israel to use sparingly. Quite a lot of the dead this weekend appear to have been Hamas members, but what is it supposed to solve? Is Hamas going to say: "Wow, this blitz is awesome – we'd better recognise the state of Israel, fall in line with the Palestinian Authority, lay down our weapons and pray we are taken prisoner and locked up indefinitely and support a new American 'peace process' in the Middle East!" Is that what the Israelis and the Americans and Gordon Brown think Hamas is going to do? Yes, let's remember Hamas's cynicism, the cynicism of all armed Islamist groups. Their need for Muslim martyrs is as crucial to them as Israel's need to create them. The lesson Israel thinks it is teaching – come to heel or we will crush you – is not the lesson Hamas is learning. Hamas needs violence to emphasise the oppression of the Palestinians – and relies on Israel to provide it. A few rockets into Israel and Israel obliges. Not a whimper from Tony Blair, the peace envoy to the Middle East who's never been to Gaza in his current incarnation. Not a bloody word. We hear the usual Israeli line. General Yaakov Amidror, the former head of the Israeli army's "research and assessment division" announced that "no country in the world would allow its citizens to be made the target of rocket attacks without taking vigorous steps to defend them". Quite so. But when the IRA were firing mortars over the border into Northern Ireland, when their guerrillas were crossing from the Republic to attack police stations and Protestants, did Britain unleash the RAF on the Irish Republic? Did the RAF bomb churches and tankers and police stations and zap 300 civilians to teach the Irish a lesson? No, it did not. Because the world would have seen it as criminal behaviour. We didn't want to lower ourselves to the IRA's level. Yes, Israel deserves security. But these bloodbaths will not bring it. Not since 1948 have air raids protected Israel. Israel has bombed Lebanon thousands of times since 1975 and not one has eliminated "terrorism". So what was the reaction last night? The Israelis threaten ground attacks. Hamas waits for another battle. Our Western politicians crouch in their funk holes. And somewhere to the east – in a cave? a basement? on a mountainside? – a well-known man in a turban smiles. http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-leaders-lie-civilians-die-and-lessons-of-history-are-ignored-1215045.html From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Fri Jan 2 06:35:21 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 01:05:21 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-25 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901011705k6983d36bs2b8039f81494ff7@mail.gmail.com> http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040711/main2.htm National ID-cards on anvil Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 10, 2004 The Centre is considering to issue multi-purpose national identity cards (MNICs) to all citizens. "Every person in the country will be provided national identity cards and given a unique national identity number," Home Minister Shivraj Patil said while inaugurating a seminar on Census data dissemination here. A pilot project covering 30 lakh population spread over 13 states and union territories is on. Its basic aim is to create a national population register which will have both the national register of Indian citizens and that for non-citizens. The country's population is expected to overtake that of the most populous country China in 2035. The MNIC project, the minister said, would not only enhance the security cover of the country but also facilitate the national level e-governance programme which is one of the important agenda items of the Common Minimum Programme to ensure that government services reach people in every nook and corner. The minister said the issue of giving voting rights to the citizens of Indian origin overseas would be examined by the government in all seriousness. The new government was also in the process of looking at the issue of dual passport to the NRIs. Meanwhile, expressing concern over population explosion, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today said Sanjay Gandhi's five-point programme, including population control, was a good one but failed due to its improper implementation. "Sanjay Gandhi's programme was good but due to the atrocities committed by the bureaucracy it could not be implemented," Mr Shekhawat said here. He was inaugurating a conference on bio-diesel, organised by an Allahabad-based NGO, Utthan, at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute. According to the latest estimates by the United Nations, India will overtake China in 2035 when it reaches a population of 146 crore, which is about 50 per cent more than the population at the turn of this century, he said. Mr Patil said in the past decade, there was an appreciable decline in the growth rates in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Fri Jan 2 06:40:53 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 01:10:53 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-26 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901011710y77014ec3s627c50536200211d@mail.gmail.com> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1062469.cms THE LEADER ARTICLE: Identity Crisis: In Search of a Permanent Citizen Identification Scheme 26 Mar 2005, 0000 hrs IST, Prodyut Bora The government and its agencies started out trying to create a traceable and unique identification scheme for its citizens. However, in attempting to do so, it has created so many identification schemes that they have become the problem rather than the solution. The government's approach to the problem is rather like the blind men groping over an elephant. Just as each man declaimed he had identified the object merely by touching a portion of its body, we have the government issuing 'final' solutions to the identification question all the time. For long, most Indians have been using a ration card as their primary form of identification when dealing with the government. Although its objective was to provide a minimum amount of foodgrains and basic household necessities to people living below a certain income level, it soon emerged as the only proof of citizenship for those that could not afford amenities like personal vehicle, telephone, banking etc. Often, producing the ration card on demand could be the difference between life and death, as illustrated by the many cases of tsunami-hit people that were denied aid because they could not unearth their ration cards from the rubble left behind by the waves. Prior to the early 90s, very few people could afford personal vehicles or go abroad. Mercifully the situation is changing now, and more Indians are equipping themselves with a driving licence and passport: Two additional documents of identification. However, there was a time when the Election Commission (EC) had to decide on a standard documentary evidence that citizens would have to show before being permitted to vote. Instead of picking any of the existing identification forms, it chose a brand new one: the voter ID card. Ditto for the taxman: the Permanent Account Number (PAN) card. While all this was going on, the government declared, and rightly so, that the country ought to have a national register of citizens (NRC). As a sign of inclusion in the NRC every Indian would be given a multipurpose national identity card (MNIC). Considering the danger that continually increasing infiltration from across our borders poses, and the ease with which any foreign national can obtain identification documents like ration cards and driving licences, it was thought that an NRC and MNIC would provide a single-point reference for validating identity. It was also thought that over time it would replace the multiplicity of documentary evidence, with one single piece of paper that would be acceptable and honoured across the whole range of governmental institutions and statutory bodies. Finally, with all the talk of e-governance and G2C (government to citizen), it was assumed that a single MNIC Number could be used to access all governmental services online. And should the corporate and education sector want it, such identification tools could be used by them as well. While the momentum of the NRC and MNIC scheme has slowed down with the change in government, the vision of a nationally valid, multipurpose application, secure identification scheme remains. But it takes only a moment's notice to crack a dream. As if all the previous forms of identification were not good enough, as if an NRC and MNIC aren't comprehensive enough, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in late 2003 mooted the idea of a central database of market participants, subsequently called MAPIN (Market Participants and Investors Database), and a Unique Identification Number (UIN). And just recently it has released a notification that effective April 1, 2005, investors entering into a securities market transaction of a value of Rs 1 lakh or more need to quote their MAPIN-UIN. Although SEBI has subsequently modified its order and extended the deadline to December 31, 2005, the arguments still stand. Several commentators have already criticised the SEBI move for a variety of reasons, not the least for its demand that anyone desiring a MAPIN-UIN would have to provide their fingerprints "like a common criminal". My objective is not to question SEBI's authority to create MAPIN, but to ask the government one simple question: When will this madness end? First you have a Permanent Account Number (PAN), then you have a Multipurpose National Identity Card (MNIC), and now you have a Unique Identification Number (UIN). So how is PAN permanent, MNIC multipurpose and UIN unique? It's not that there are no success stories to draw from. Take the US Social Security Number (SSN) scheme. Whether it is opening a bank account or filling a tax form or buying a gun, quoting one's SSN or showing one's driving licence is good enough. More cases from around the world abound. The UK has already initiated legislation for a National Identity Register (NIR) and a National ID Card. The European Union has started work on EUCLID (European initiative for a Citizen digital ID solution). The Indonesian government has introduced what it calls SIN (Single Iden-tity Number), to replace various citizen identification numbers like driving licence number, taxpayer number, and other such numbers issued by government bodies. The question in front of the government is: How long are we going to create these little islands of automation before good sense dwells and one of the world's leading countries in the field of IT realises the benefit of a single identity and identification scheme? (The author is a member of BJP's media cell.) From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Fri Jan 2 06:44:22 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 01:14:22 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-27 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901011714t505812o1945a29dac51163f@mail.gmail.com> http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page.asp?relid=9387 THE WAY TO EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATION Abhishek Dayal GOVERNANCE One Year of UPA Government Thursday, May 19, 2005** *Citizen-Centric Reforms* The IT revolution has begun to influence the governments' functioning. This tool can be used effectively to rid the system of some of its endemic problems. A number of successful initiatives have been taken by the Centre and State governments recently. The proposed Multi-purpose National Identity Cards to be issued by the Home Ministry, BHOOMI in Karnataka, eSEVA in Andhra Pradesh, and Rural Access to Services Through Internet (RASI) in Tamil Nadu - all these projects aim at cutting red-tapism, bringing the Government closer to the people, speeding up decision-making, reducing chances of corruption and taking the benefits of technology to the weakest sections of the society. But these initiatives cannot be effective if they work in isolation. The UPA Government feels that for effectively using the technology for transforming governance, a more focussed approach is necessary. The Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council has suggested several policy initiatives to modernise the government. These include overall vision, mission, strategy and approach e-governance as a reform process, e-readines in terms of government's willingness to share information with public and across government agencies and issuance of a multi-purpose national identity cards. India is on the verge of transformation from a developing country to a developed economy. Much needs to be done, and quickly. The initiative to identify the policy interventions necessary to reform the system is a welcome step in this direction. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Fri Jan 2 06:48:58 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 01:18:58 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-28 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901011718l595358a6x5cf46b2b4041f833@mail.gmail.com> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Lucknow/UP_shows_way_for_multipurpose_ID_card/articleshow/msid-1429076,curpg-1.cms UP shows way for multipurpose ID card 26 Feb 2006, 0207 hrs IST, Arvind Singh Bisht, TNN LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh leads the nation by becoming the first state to be all set for issuing the multipurpose national identity card. A pilot project started in 2003 for this purpose is about to be completed in Nautanwa tehasil of Maharajganj district. The project was conceived at the behest of the Centre under its scheme to establish a national register of Indian citizens. The multipurpose identity cards are important from nation's security point of view as it would help police in identifying infiltrators, criminals, smugglers and terrorists from across the border as every valid resident of the country would be carrying the identity card. A pilot project is currently underway in UP along with 12 other states. Two tehasils were taken up for survey under the project in J&K, one specific area each in Uttranchal, West Bengal, Assam, Tirpura, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Pandicherry, Gujarat, Rajesthan and Delhi. In this regard, UP is ahead of all other states as a baseline survey which is crucial for the project is about to be completed in Nautanwa tehsil of Maharajganj. The tehsil has a mixed population of over 4 lakh, with a heavy strength of Nepalis. Nautanwa is also considered to be significant from the security point of view due to increased activities of Maoist and high incidence of smuggling through Nepal borders. The card will be issued to all citizens above 15 years and would contain specific data of the person related to socio-economic status, property details and place of reside. Each card will contain a unique national identity number, which would be computer compatible and the information contained in it will be available in network. There will be scope for updating information stored in the card. Once the trial project is found satisfactory, it would be initiated in other parts of the state. The card will also be a legal document for identification of person. Apart from this, the card is linked to the Centre's plan to make registration of births and deaths compulsory in the country. At present, only 56 per cent of births and 50 per cent of deaths are registered, despite the fact that the registration of births and deaths is compulsory under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969. Incidentally UP lags behind in this aspect along with Assam, Bihar and West Bengal. These states recorded less than 40 per cent of total births. Assam recorded only 11 per cent deaths and 28 per cent births. Surprisingly, J&K is among the better states in this respect along with Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra. The identity card will, thus, be useful in monitoring the growth of population, which has witnessed a significant fall in the sex ratio of since 1991. The 10th Five-Year Plan has set a target of reducing the infant mortality to 28 per 1,000 births by 2012. If this target is to be achieved, information about the infant mortality rate for every region and every socio-economic group will be required which would also be contained in the multipurpose card. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Fri Jan 2 06:53:25 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 01:23:25 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF Message-ID: <65be9bf40901011723x681a3d76td837246ee47bb64a@mail.gmail.com> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2116525.cms Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF 7 Oct 2006, 2336 hrs IST, Vishwa Mohan, TNN NEW DELHI: Border Security Force (BSF) chief A K Mitra has expressed serious concern over the recent attempts by Pakistan-based terrorists to enter India through Rajasthan and Punjab sectors — the 'fenced border' stretch which did not report a single infiltration bid in the last 10 years. Referring to incidents where BSF foiled attempts of terrorists to infiltrate into India last month, Mitra told TOI, "This is a matter of concern for us and we are taking it seriously". He said it was not clear if the infiltration bids were one-off incidents or was the beginning of a trend. "We have sensitised all border outposts and asked our personnel to remain on high alert. "The BSF, which is deployed on the entire western border along Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat, had to encounter the first such infiltration bid in Amritsar sector on September 14 when it killed two persons, including a Lashkar-e-Taiba militant. The second incident was reported from Sherpura outpost in Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan on September 24 when the BSF killed three militants during a night-long gunfight. The use of these low-key western sectors as infiltration points assumes significance as it underscores the fact that the level of infiltration through J&K may not be a reliable index of Pakistan's willingness to clamp down on jehadis crossing into India. Intelligence agencies point out that the past years have seen ISI increasingly using Bangladesh to push in terrorists. The use of Rajasthan and Punjab sectors, however, is sure to add to the worries of the security establishment. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Fri Jan 2 06:51:32 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 01:21:32 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] IB blames 'slack' BSF for infiltration Message-ID: <65be9bf40901011721j64c74486m69e7b21634891559@mail.gmail.com> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Pakistan/IB_blames_slack_BSF_for_infiltration/rssarticleshow/3030645.cms IB blames 'slack' BSF for infiltration 12 May 2008, 0103 hrs IST, TNN NEW DELHI: Intelligence Bureau has blamed the renewed infiltration - which saw jehadis belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba taking hostages on Sunday - on the dip in the alertness of Border Security Force during the five-year-long restraint observed by Pakistan. In a report to the Centre, the IB has clearly mentioned that the infiltrators, suspected to belong to LeT, sought to exploit the complacency that has crept into the BSF. The IB operatives, based on intercepts, also warned of more attempts by jehadis who have gathered at different points along the border to sneak in. The report attributes Sunday's hostage-taking to the desperation of the gang who found themselves trapped. Samba used to be on the live route for infiltrators till the BSF sealed the routes. From there, the jehadis would set off for "targets" in Doda, Bhaderwah and elsewhere. It is fairly common for security forces engaged in counter-terrorism operations to lower their guard during periods of lull. What is also common is that terrorists seek to exploit the vulnerability. The Lashkar gangs are seeking to do precisely that at places like Keran, Machal, Uri and Boniyar. Meanwhile, the stepped up infiltration bids are sure to raise questions about Pakistan's willingness to persist with the pattern when it stopped providing fire cover to terrorists trying to cross over into India. "The civilian authority may not have the same leverage with the armed forces. They are also more sensitive to the opinion on the street which continues to back the liberation of Kashmir. But it will be premature to derive drastic conclusions from a couple of incidents," said a senior security source. In any case, with J&K getting ready to welcome nearly three lakh pilgrims for the Amarnath yatra from next month, security agencies fear more Samba-like terrorist operations in the state, particularly in areas close to the route of the pilgrimage. Though the Samba attack appeared to be a direct fallout of the infiltration which took place on Thursday, officials, getting inputs from the state, believe that the militant operation on Sunday was just the beginning of a grand plan of terrorist outfits to make their presence felt before the forthcoming assembly elections and the yatra would provide them an opportunity to strike at easy targets. Referring to intercepts which the agencies had during the past month, sources in the CRPF - which is the main counter-insurgency force in the state - said that the outfits were desperate to strengthen their cadres through infiltration. Currently, all the outfits together have nearly 1,200 jehadis in the state and this is half of what they had in 2006. Melting of ice during summer would provide them a chance to infiltrate through the unfenced LoC, sources added. "Infiltration through the fenced international border in Samba sector shows the desperation of militant outfits which generally prefer LoC to sneak into the state," a senior BSF official said. He added that the terrorists were also desperate to alter the impression of "relative peace and declining infiltration" in the state by making some big strikes. As compared to 343 infiltrations in 2006, the state had witnessed 311 such movements in 2007, the official said. Fearing more disturbances in the coming months, the Centre has alerted the state and asked BSF to step up vigil along the border. The CRPF has also started deploying its personnel along the Amarnath yatra route. The yatra will beginning on June 18 and continue for nearly two months. "The army had to redraw the plan to rescue the hostages. We feigned an assault from the front of the house while a group of soldiers managed to break open the door at the rear helping the hostages to escape," Lt Col Goswami said. One of the terrorists was killed at this stage. Regardless, however, of the success of the operation against the terrorists, the attack called into question the BSF's claim that Thursday's infiltration attempt was totally foiled. While locals say that the police had set up road blocks on the highway and intensified patrolling, indicating some terrorists had managed to sneak in, a police source said around 12 terrorists had got in when Pakistan Rangers opened covering fire for them to enter into the Indian side. "The recovery of 10 kg RDX, some detonators and more than 100 rounds of the Pika sniper rifle on Friday confirmed these doubts," a source said. But BSF director general Ashish Mishra, who was in Srinagar on Friday, ruled out infiltration of any more armed terrorists. From ysaeed7 at yahoo.com Fri Jan 2 09:51:21 2009 From: ysaeed7 at yahoo.com (Yousuf) Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 20:21:21 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF In-Reply-To: <65be9bf40901011723x681a3d76td837246ee47bb64a@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <859394.19858.qm@web51402.mail.re2.yahoo.com> A BSF jawan who had served both on Indo-Bangladesh as well as Indo-Pak border was once asked what difference did he find while serving on these 2 borders. His reply was: "we earn 300 rupees to help cross one animal (goat/cow) from India to Pakistan, and the same 300 to cross one human from Bangladesh to India. That's the only difference" --- On Fri, 1/2/09, Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> wrote: > From: Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> > Subject: [Reader-list] Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF > To: "reader-list at sarai.net" > Date: Friday, January 2, 2009, 6:53 AM > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2116525.cms > > Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF > 7 Oct 2006, 2336 hrs IST, Vishwa Mohan, TNN > > > > NEW DELHI: Border Security Force (BSF) chief A K Mitra has > expressed > serious concern over the recent attempts by Pakistan-based > terrorists to > enter India through Rajasthan and Punjab sectors — the > 'fenced border' > stretch which did not report a single infiltration bid in > the last 10 years. > > Referring to incidents where BSF foiled attempts of > terrorists to infiltrate > into India last month, Mitra told TOI, "This is a > matter of concern for us > and we are taking it seriously". > > He said it was not clear if the infiltration bids were > one-off incidents or > was the beginning of a trend. "We have sensitised all > border outposts and > asked our personnel to remain on high alert. > > "The BSF, which is deployed on the entire western > border along Jammu and > Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat, had to encounter > the first such > infiltration bid in Amritsar sector on September 14 when it > killed two > persons, including a Lashkar-e-Taiba militant. > > The second incident was reported from Sherpura outpost in > Sriganganagar > district of Rajasthan on September 24 when the BSF killed > three militants > during a night-long gunfight. > > The use of these low-key western sectors as infiltration > points assumes > significance as it underscores the fact that the level of > infiltration > through J&K may not be a reliable index of > Pakistan's willingness to clamp > down on jehadis crossing into India. > > > Intelligence agencies point out that the past years have > seen ISI > increasingly using Bangladesh to push in terrorists. The > use of Rajasthan > and Punjab sectors, however, is sure to add to the worries > of the > security establishment. > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to > reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject > header. > To unsubscribe: > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: > <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Fri Jan 2 12:02:18 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 06:32:18 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF In-Reply-To: <859394.19858.qm@web51402.mail.re2.yahoo.com> References: <65be9bf40901011723x681a3d76td837246ee47bb64a@mail.gmail.com> <859394.19858.qm@web51402.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <65be9bf40901012232v7474242bg63b11d289a7563a3@mail.gmail.com> Dear Yusuf, Thank you for sharing the anecdote below. For the sake of clarification could I ask you to please cite the source of this anecdote. Was this something that you have heard or read from some where. I apologize for being painful and sounding like an utter idiot but I think it would be nice to have this bit categorized properly. Warm regards Taha On Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 4:21 AM, Yousuf wrote: > A BSF jawan who had served both on Indo-Bangladesh as well as Indo-Pak > border was once asked what difference did he find while serving on these 2 > borders. His reply was: "we earn 300 rupees to help cross one animal > (goat/cow) from India to Pakistan, and the same 300 to cross one human from > Bangladesh to India. That's the only difference" > > > > > > --- On Fri, 1/2/09, Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> wrote: > > > From: Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> > > Subject: [Reader-list] Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF > > To: "reader-list at sarai.net" > > Date: Friday, January 2, 2009, 6:53 AM > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2116525.cms > > > > Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF > > 7 Oct 2006, 2336 hrs IST, Vishwa Mohan, TNN > > > > > > > > NEW DELHI: Border Security Force (BSF) chief A K Mitra has > > expressed > > serious concern over the recent attempts by Pakistan-based > > terrorists to > > enter India through Rajasthan and Punjab sectors — the > > 'fenced border' > > stretch which did not report a single infiltration bid in > > the last 10 years. > > > > Referring to incidents where BSF foiled attempts of > > terrorists to infiltrate > > into India last month, Mitra told TOI, "This is a > > matter of concern for us > > and we are taking it seriously". > > > > He said it was not clear if the infiltration bids were > > one-off incidents or > > was the beginning of a trend. "We have sensitised all > > border outposts and > > asked our personnel to remain on high alert. > > > > "The BSF, which is deployed on the entire western > > border along Jammu and > > Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat, had to encounter > > the first such > > infiltration bid in Amritsar sector on September 14 when it > > killed two > > persons, including a Lashkar-e-Taiba militant. > > > > The second incident was reported from Sherpura outpost in > > Sriganganagar > > district of Rajasthan on September 24 when the BSF killed > > three militants > > during a night-long gunfight. > > > > The use of these low-key western sectors as infiltration > > points assumes > > significance as it underscores the fact that the level of > > infiltration > > through J&K may not be a reliable index of > > Pakistan's willingness to clamp > > down on jehadis crossing into India. > > > > > > Intelligence agencies point out that the past years have > > seen ISI > > increasingly using Bangladesh to push in terrorists. The > > use of Rajasthan > > and Punjab sectors, however, is sure to add to the worries > > of the > > security establishment. > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to > > reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject > > header. > > To unsubscribe: > > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > > > > From ysaeed7 at yahoo.com Fri Jan 2 12:38:49 2009 From: ysaeed7 at yahoo.com (Yousuf) Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 23:08:49 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF In-Reply-To: <65be9bf40901012232v7474242bg63b11d289a7563a3@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <193617.10084.qm@web51403.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Dear Taha No, I didn't read it anywhere. I was told this anecdote by an ex-IPS officer (obviously name-less) who said this is quite a popular story. In fact illegal movement of cattle for commercial purpose is very common across Indo-Pak border (and could it be done without the help of border forces?). You may see some reports below: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/bsf-bdr-discuss-steps-to-tackle-cattle-smuggling-infiltration-lead_10088545.html http://www.vina.cc/stories/GENERAL/2005/7/india.pak.animaldeal.html http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-33111220080418 http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-54238.html http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1232370.cms Yousuf --- On Fri, 1/2/09, Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> wrote: > From: Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF > To: ysaeed7 at yahoo.com, "reader-list at sarai.net" > Date: Friday, January 2, 2009, 12:02 PM > Dear Yusuf, > > Thank you for sharing the anecdote below. For the sake of > clarification > could I ask you to please cite the source of this anecdote. > Was this > something that you have heard or read from some where. I > apologize for being > painful and sounding like an utter idiot but I think it > would be nice to > have this bit categorized properly. > > Warm regards > > Taha > > > On Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 4:21 AM, Yousuf > wrote: > > > A BSF jawan who had served both on Indo-Bangladesh as > well as Indo-Pak > > border was once asked what difference did he find > while serving on these 2 > > borders. His reply was: "we earn 300 rupees to > help cross one animal > > (goat/cow) from India to Pakistan, and the same 300 to > cross one human from > > Bangladesh to India. That's the only > difference" > > > > > > > > > > > > --- On Fri, 1/2/09, Taha Mehmood > <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> wrote: > > > > > From: Taha Mehmood > <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> > > > Subject: [Reader-list] Infiltration through > Punjab worries BSF > > > To: "reader-list at sarai.net" > > > > Date: Friday, January 2, 2009, 6:53 AM > > > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2116525.cms > > > > > > Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF > > > 7 Oct 2006, 2336 hrs IST, Vishwa Mohan, TNN > > > > > > > > > > > > NEW DELHI: Border Security Force (BSF) chief A K > Mitra has > > > expressed > > > serious concern over the recent attempts by > Pakistan-based > > > terrorists to > > > enter India through Rajasthan and Punjab sectors > — the > > > 'fenced border' > > > stretch which did not report a single > infiltration bid in > > > the last 10 years. > > > > > > Referring to incidents where BSF foiled attempts > of > > > terrorists to infiltrate > > > into India last month, Mitra told TOI, "This > is a > > > matter of concern for us > > > and we are taking it seriously". > > > > > > He said it was not clear if the infiltration bids > were > > > one-off incidents or > > > was the beginning of a trend. "We have > sensitised all > > > border outposts and > > > asked our personnel to remain on high alert. > > > > > > "The BSF, which is deployed on the entire > western > > > border along Jammu and > > > Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat, had to > encounter > > > the first such > > > infiltration bid in Amritsar sector on September > 14 when it > > > killed two > > > persons, including a Lashkar-e-Taiba militant. > > > > > > The second incident was reported from Sherpura > outpost in > > > Sriganganagar > > > district of Rajasthan on September 24 when the > BSF killed > > > three militants > > > during a night-long gunfight. > > > > > > The use of these low-key western sectors as > infiltration > > > points assumes > > > significance as it underscores the fact that the > level of > > > infiltration > > > through J&K may not be a reliable index of > > > Pakistan's willingness to clamp > > > down on jehadis crossing into India. > > > > > > > > > Intelligence agencies point out that the past > years have > > > seen ISI > > > increasingly using Bangladesh to push in > terrorists. The > > > use of Rajasthan > > > and Punjab sectors, however, is sure to add to > the worries > > > of the > > > security establishment. > > > _________________________________________ > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and > the city. > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > To subscribe: send an email to > > > reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in > the subject > > > header. > > > To unsubscribe: > > > > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > From navayana at gmail.com Fri Jan 2 18:00:27 2009 From: navayana at gmail.com (Navayana Publishing) Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 18:00:27 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Navayana-Sarai Lecture # 3: Anupama Rao, 12 January 09 Message-ID: NAVAYANA invites you to Navayana-Sarai lecture # 3 Anupama Rao will speak on Theorizing Caste Violence in Postcolonial India Thoughts from Maharashtra 3:30 pm, 12 January 2009 Seminar Room, CSDS This talk takes up the relationship between symbolic politics and political violence as they have influenced changing repertoires of caste violence and Dalit politics in Maharashtra, from the namantar struggle of the 1970s, to the present. Anupama Rao is trained as an anthropologist and historian, and teaches at Barnard College, Columbia University. She is the author of The Caste Question: Dalits and Politics in Modern India (University of California Press, forthcoming); contributing editor of Discipline and the Other Body: Correction, Corporeality and Colonialism (Duke University Press, 2006), as well as Gender and Caste (Kali for Women, 2003), and the author of numerous publications, including "Death of a Kotwal: Injury and the Politics of Recognition," Subaltern Studies XII. www.navayana.org -- Navayana Publishing E92, II Floor Saket New Delhi--110017 Ph: +91 9971433117 www.navayana.org Join Navayana Book Club and avail free books and special discounts! http://www.navayana.org/display.php?id=5 -- Navayana Publishing M-110 (First Floor) Saket New Delhi--110017 Ph: +91 9971433117 Registered address: Navayana Publishing 54, I Floor Savarirayalu Stree Pondicherry 605001 Ph: 91-413-2223337 Mobile: 91-94430-33305 www.navayana.org Join Navayana Book Club and avail free books and special discounts! http://www.navayana.org/display.php?id=5 From kiccovich at yahoo.com Sat Jan 3 01:41:18 2009 From: kiccovich at yahoo.com (francesca recchia) Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 12:11:18 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] From the ashes of Gaza, Tariq Ali In-Reply-To: <47e122a70901011015q27bbda2ck4d51c2c0f22868ff@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <65877.46890.qm@web31706.mail.mud.yahoo.com> >From the ashes of Gaza In the face of Israel's latest onslaught, the only option for Palestinian nationalism is to embrace a one-state solution guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 30 December 2008 08.00 GMT The assault on Gaza, planned over six months and executed with perfect timing, was designed largely, as Neve Gordon has rightly observed, to help the incumbent parties triumph in the forthcoming Israeli elections. The dead Palestinians are little more than election fodder in a cynical contest between the right and the far right in Israel. Washington and its EU allies, perfectly aware that Gaza was about to be assaulted, as in the case of Lebanon in 2006, sit back and watch. Washington, as is its wont, blames the pro-Hamas Palestinians, with Obama and Bush singing from the same AIPAC hymn sheet. The EU politicians, having observed the build-up, the siege, the collective punishment inflicted on Gaza, the targeting of civilians etc (for all the gory detail, see Harvard scholar Sara Roy's chilling essay in the London Review of Books) were convinced that it was the rocket attacks that had "provoked" Israel but called on both sides to end the violence, with nil effect. The moth-eaten Mubarak dictatorship in Egypt and Nato's favourite Islamists in Ankara failed to register even a symbolic protest by recalling their ambassadors from Israel. China and Russia did not convene a meeting of the UN security council to discuss the crisis. As result of official apathy, one outcome of this latest attack will be to inflame Muslim communities throughout the world and swell the ranks of those very organisations that the west claims it is combating in the "war against terror". The bloodshed in Gaza raises broader strategic questions for both sides, issues related to recent history. One fact that needs to be recognised is that there is no Palestinian Authority. There never was one. The Oslo Accords were an unmitigated disaster for the Palestinians, creating a set of disconnected and shrivelled Palestinian ghettoes under the permanent watch of a brutal enforcer. The PLO, once the repository of Palestinian hope, became little more than a supplicant for EU money. Western enthusiasm for democracy stops when those opposed to its policies are elected to office. The west and Israel tried everything to secure a Fatah victory: Palestinian voters rebuffed the concerted threats and bribes of the "international community" in a campaign that saw Hamas members and other oppositionists routinely detained or assaulted by the IDF, their posters confiscated or destroyed, US and EU funds channelled into the Fatah campaign, and US congressmen announcing that Hamas should not be allowed to run. Even the timing of the election was set by the determination to rig the outcome. Scheduled for the summer of 2005, it was delayed till January 2006 to give Abbas time to distribute assets in Gaza – in the words of an Egyptian intelligence officer, "the public will then support the Authority against Hamas." Popular desire for a clean broom after ten years of corruption, bullying and bluster under Fatah proved stronger than all of this. Hamas's electoral triumph was treated as an ominous sign of rising fundamentalism, and a fearsome blow to the prospects of peace with Israel, by rulers and journalists across the Atlantic world. Immediate financial and diplomatic pressures were applied to force Hamas to adopt the same policies as those of the party it had defeated at the polls. Uncompromised by the Palestinian Authority's combination of greed and dependency, the self-enrichment of its servile spokesmen and policemen, and their acquiescence in a "peace process" that has brought only further expropriation and misery to the population under them, Hamas offered the alternative of a simple example. Without any of the resources of its rival, it set up clinics, schools, hospitals, vocational training and welfare programmes for the poor. Its leaders and cadres lived frugally, within reach of ordinary people. It is this response to everyday needs that has won Hamas the broad base of its support, not daily recitation of verses from the Koran. How far its conduct in the second Intifada has given it an additional degree of credibility is less clear. Its armed attacks on Israel, like those of Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade or Islamic Jihad, have been retaliations against an occupation far more deadly than any actions it has ever undertaken. Measured on the scale of IDF killings, Palestinian strikes have been few and far between. The asymmetry was starkly exposed during Hamas's unilateral ceasefire, begun in June 2003, and maintained throughout the summer, despite the Israeli campaign of raids and mass arrests that followed, in which some 300 Hamas cadres were seized from the West Bank. On August 19 2003, a self-proclaimed "Hamas" cell from Hebron, disowned and denounced by the official leadership, blew up a bus in west Jerusalem, upon which Israel promptly assassinated the Hamas ceasefire's negotiator, Ismail Abu Shanab. Hamas, in turn, responded. In return, the Palestinian Authority and Arab states cut funding to its charities and, in September 2003, the EU declared the whole Hamas movement to be a terrorist organization – a longstanding demand of Tel Aviv. What has actually distinguished Hamas in a hopelessly unequal combat is not dispatch of suicide bombers, to which a range of competing groups resorted, but its superior discipline – demonstrated by its ability to enforce a self-declared ceasefire against Israel over the past year. All civilian deaths are to be condemned, but since Israel is their principal practitioner, Euro-American cant serves only to expose those who utter it. Overwhelmingly, the boot of murder is on the other foot, ruthlessly stamped into Palestine by a modern army equipped with jets, tanks and missiles in the longest-armed oppression of modern history. "Nobody can reject or condemn the revolt of a people that has been suffering under military occupation for 45 years against occupation force," said General Shlomo Gazit, former chief of Israeli military intelligence, in 1993. The real grievance of the EU and US against Hamas is that it refused to accept the capitulation of the Oslo Accords, and has rejected every subsequent effort, from Taba to Geneva, to pass off their calamities on the Palestinians. The west's priority ever since was to break this resistance. Cutting off funding to the Palestinian Authority is an obvious weapon with which to bludgeon Hamas into submission. Boosting the presidential powers of Abbas – as publicly picked for his post by Washington, as was Karzai in Kabul – at the expense of the legislative council is another. No serious efforts were made to negotiate with the elected Palestinian leadership. I doubt if Hamas could have been rapidly suborned to western and Israeli interests, but it would not have been unprecedented. Hamas' programmatic heritage remains mortgaged to the most fatal weakness of Palestinian nationalism: the belief that the political choices before it are either rejection of the existence of Israel altogether or acceptance of the dismembered remnants of a fifth of the country. From the fantasy maximalism of the first to the pathetic minimalism of the second, the path is all too short, as the history of Fatah has shown. The test for Hamas is not whether it can be house-trained to the satisfaction of western opinion, but whether it can break with this crippling tradition. Soon after the Hamas election victory in Gaza, I was asked in public by a Palestinian what I would do in their place. "Dissolve the Palestinian Authority" was my response and end the make-believe. To do so would situate the Palestinian national cause on its proper basis, with the demand that the country and its resources be divided equitably, in proportion to two populations that are equal in size – not 80% to one and 20% to the other, a dispossession of such iniquity that no self-respecting people will ever submit to it in the long run. The only acceptable alternative is a single state for Jews and Palestinians alike, in which the exactions of Zionism are repaired. There is no other way. And Israeli citizens might ponder the following words from Shakespeare (in The Merchant of Venice), which I have slightly altered: "I am a Palestinian. Hath not a Palestinian eyes? Hath not a Palestinian hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Jew is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that … the villainy you teach me, I will execute; and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction." From pkray11 at gmail.com Sat Jan 3 01:45:44 2009 From: pkray11 at gmail.com (prakash ray) Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2009 01:45:44 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Gandhi on Jews & Middle-East Message-ID: <98f331e00901021215y69b14a68n1a849df7b966d2db@mail.gmail.com> Dear all, I am posting this article written by Mahatma Gandhi. Prakash Gandhi on Jews & Middle-East (Article Written on November 20, 1938/Published in Harijan on November 26, 1938) Several letters have been received by me asking me to declare my views about the Arab-Jew question in Palestine and the persecution of the Jews in Germany. It is not without hesitation that I venture to offer my views on this very difficult question. My sympathies are all with the Jews. I have known them intimately in South Africa. Some of them became life-long companions. Through these friends I came to learn much of their age-long persecution. They have been the untouchables of Christianity. The parallel between their treatment by Christians and the treatment of untouchables by Hindus is very close. Religious sanction has been invoked in both cases for the justification of the inhuman treatment meted out to them. Apart from the friendships, therefore, there is the more common universal reason for my sympathy for the Jews. But my sympathy does not blind me to the requirements of justice. The cry for the national home for the Jews does not make much appeal to me. The sanction for it is sought in the Bible and the tenacity with which the Jews have hankered after return to Palestine. Why should they not, like other peoples of the earth, make that country their home where they are born and where they earn their livelihood? Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French. It is wrong and inhuman to impose the Jews on the Arabs. What is going on in Palestine today cannot be justified by any moral code of conduct. The mandates have no sanction but that of the last war. Surely it would be a crime against humanity to reduce the proud Arabs so that Palestine can be restored to the Jews partly or wholly as their national home. The nobler course would be to insist on a just treatment of the Jews wherever they are born and bred. The Jews born in France are French in precisely the same sense that Christians born in France are French. If the Jews have no home but Palestine, will they relish the idea of being forced to leave the other parts of the world in which they are settled? Or do they want a double home where they can remain at will? This cry for the national home affords a colorable justification for the German expulsion of the Jews. But the German persecution of the Jews seems to have no parallel in history. The tyrants of old never went so mad as Hitler seems to have gone. And he is doing it with religious zeal. For he is propounding a new religion of exclusive and militant nationalism in the name of which many inhumanity becomes an act of humanity to be rewarded here and hereafter. The crime of an obviously mad but intrepid youth is being visited upon his whole race with unbelievable ferocity. If there ever could be a justifiable war in the name of and for humanity, a war against Germany, to prevent the wanton persecution of a whole race, would be completely justified. But I do not believe in any war. A discussion of the pros and cons of such a war is therefore outside my horizon or province. But if there can be no war against Germany, even for such a crime as is being committed against the Jews, surely there can be no alliance with Germany. How can there be alliance between a nation which claims to stand for justice and democracy and one which is the declared enemy of both? Or is England drifting towards armed dictatorship and all it means? Germany is showing to the world how efficiently violence can be worked when it is not hampered by any hypocrisy or weakness masquerading as humanitarianism. It is also showing how hideous, terrible and terrifying it looks in its nakedness. Can the Jews resist this organized and shameless persecution? Is there a way to preserve their self-respect, and not to feel helpless, neglected and forlorn? I submit there is. No person who has faith in a living God need feel helpless or forlorn. Jehovah of the Jews is a God more personal than the God of the Christians, the Musalmans or the Hindus, though, as a matter of fact in essence, He is common to all the one without a second and beyond description. But as the Jews attribute personality to God and believe that He rules every action of theirs, they ought not to feel helpless. If I were a Jew and were born in Germany and earned my livelihood there, I would claim Germany as my home even as the tallest gentile German may, and challenge him to shoot me or cast me in the dungeon; I would refuse to be expelled or to submit to discriminating treatment . And for doing this, I should not wait for the fellow Jews to join me in civil resistance but would have confidence that in the end the rest are bound to follow my example. If one Jew or all the Jews were to accept the prescription here offered, he or they cannot be worse off than now. And suffering voluntarily undergone will bring them an inner strength and joy which no number of resolutions of sympathy passed in the world outside Germany can. Indeed, even if Britain, France and America were to declare hostilities against Germany, they can bring no inner joy, no inner strength. The calculated violence of Hitler may even result in a general massacre of the Jews by way of his first answer to the declaration of such hostilities. But if the Jewish mind could be prepared for voluntary suffering, even the massacre I have imagined could be turned into a day of thanksgiving and joy that Jehovah had wrought deliverance of the race even at the hands of the tyrant. For to the god fearing, death has no terror. It is a joyful sleep to be followed by a waking that would be all the more refreshing for the long sleep. It is hardly necessary for me to point out that it is easier for the Jews than for the Czechs to follow my prescription. And they have in the Indian satyagraha campaign in South Africa an exact parallel. There the Indians occupied precisely the same place that the Jews occupy in Germany. The persecution had also a religious tinge. President Kruger used to say that the white Christians were the chosen of God and Indians were inferior beings created to serve the whites. A fundamental clause in the Transvaal constitution was that there should be no equality between the whites and colored races including Asia tics. There too the Indians were consigned to ghettos described as locations. The other disabilities were almost of the same type as those of the Jews in Germany. The Indians, a mere handful, resorted to satyagraha without any backing from the world outside or the Indian Government. Indeed the British officials tried to dissuade the satyagrahis (soldiers of non-violence) from their contemplated step. World opinion and the Indian Government came to their aid after eight years of fighting. And that too was by way of diplomatic pressure not of a threat of war. But the Jews of Germany can offer satyagraha under infinitely better auspices than Indians of South Africa. The Jews are a compact, homogeneous community in Germany. they are far more gifted than the Indians of South Africa. And they have organized world opinion behind them. I am convinced that if someone with courage and vision can arise among them to lead them in nonviolent action, the winter of their despair can in the twinkling of an eye be turned into the summer of hope. And what has today become a degrading man-hunt can be turned in to a calm and determined stand offered by unarmed men and women possessing the strength of suffering given to them by Jehovah. It will be then a truly religious resistance offered against the godless fury of dehumanized man. The German Jews will score a lasting victory over the German gentiles in the sense that they will have converted that latter to an appreciation of human dignity. They will have rendered service to fellow-Germans and proved their title to be the real Germans as against those who are today dragging, however unknowingly, the German name into the mire. And now a word to the Jews in Palestine. I have no doubt that they are going about it the wrong way. The Palestine of the Biblical conception is not geographical tract. It is in their hearts. But if they must look to the Palestine of geography as their national home, it is wrong to enter it under the shadow of the British gun. A religious act cannot be performed with the aid of the bayonet or the bomb. They can settle in Palestine only by the goodwill of the Arabs. They should seek to convert the Arab heart. The same God rules the Arab heart, who rules the Jewish heart. They can offer satyagraha in front of the Arabs and offer themselves to be shot or thrown in to the Dead Sea without raising a little finger against them. They will find the world opinion in the their favor in their religious aspiration. There are hundreds of ways of reasoning with the Arabs, if they will only discard the help of the British bayonet. As it is, they are co-sharers with the British in despoiling a people who have done no wrong to them. I am not defending the Arab excesses. I wish they had chosen the way of non-violence in resisting what they rightly regarded as an unwarrantable encroachment upon their country. But according to the accepted canons of right and wrong, nothing can be said against the Arab resistance in the face of overwhelming odds. Let the Jews who claim to be the chosen race prove their title by choosing the way of non-violence for vindicating their position on earth. Every country is their home including Palestine, not by aggression but by loving service. A Jewish friend has sent me a book called The Jewish Contribution to Civilization by Cecil Roth. It gives a record of what the Jews have done to enrich the word's Literature, art, music, drama, science, medicine, agriculture, etc. Given the will, the Jews can refuse to be treated as the outcaste of the West, to be despised or patronized. He can command the attention and respect of the world by being man, the chosen creation of God, instead of being man who is fast sinking to the brute and forsaken by God. They can add to their many contributions the surpassing contribution of non-violent action. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Sat Jan 3 03:55:39 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 22:25:39 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Survey of the spectrum of arguments regarding MNIC as they exist in the public domain followed by questions.(1998-2004) Message-ID: <65be9bf40901021425x38279608kdea375207b3aeba8@mail.gmail.com> Dear All, Dear Yosuf, Many thanks for providing the context for your anecdote and forwarding the links to various news stories on the issue of infiltration and security on the Indian Border. I think these stories are important for all us because they indicate a far more systemic failure on part of our organizations to do their job properly. I wonder why is political class of our country hell bent for the last seven years to create a particular perception of fear and insecurity and dole National Identity Card as the sole solution? Having said that I certainly don't want to go in for a -blame-the-politician- argument for our social ills, because certainly terrorist attacks happen, people get killed, and ordinary citizens live precarious lives, but insofar as the issue of Multiple Purpose National Identity is concerned, the consensus building exercise for the issuance of the card seems to tread multiple lines of argument which in my rather limited opinion are as follows- 1. The Starting point- Kargil War occurs-for which intrusion is blamed-fencing of border areas is peddled as a solution(spatial insulation argument)-plus distribution of identity cards is forwarded as a second option (social containment argument). This argument is largely forgotten insofar as popular news media and political commentators are concrened. I wonder why there is not even a mention of it now? Premise seems to be that MINC will alleviate intrusion of all illegal foreigners. 2. 'Terror' Strikes- Islamic 'terrorists' blamed-since one cannot differentiate between a Pakistani Muslim from a Bangladeshi Muslim from an Indian Muslim from an Indian Hindu, identification of all people is peddled as a solution- (Separating wheat from the chaff argument) Premise seems to be that 'Good' Muslims would be separated from 'Bad' Muslims. 3. Public Distribution System- Redistribution of moneis to the poor-the corruption within the system is blamed- inefficiency of numbers and the uncertainty of the identity of the beneficiary is blamed- distribution of identity card is again peddled as a solution. (just distribution argument) Premise seems to be that corruption in the system will be routed out. Distribution will be just. 4.Population- Conducting Decennial census is a thing of the past- old mind set is blamed- inefficient data collection is blamed- the national identity card centers will collect data on a real time basis is peddled as a solution. (Modernity argument, catching up with the West argument) Premise seems to be that with real time data correct policies will be formed with respect social and spatial aspects of the country and that there will be no illegal immigrants. 5. Voter- The photo voter identity card is a failure- ease of forging of documents is blamed- inefficiency of government agencies is processing voter information is blamed- National identity card and its 'multiple purposes' is peddled as a solution. (Multiple Purpose Argument) Premise seems to be that aspirations of genuine citizens could be ascertained. Card will reduce the burden of carrying many documents. Data processing will be streamlined. In addition to MNIC the GOI is also considering the issuance of a Unified National Identity Card or UID and plans are also underway for the creation of a DNA database for the country. In both these cases the premise seems to be that the -GOOD- of the country could be achieved, as a UID card will benefit everybody and a DNA database will help in medical advancement. Questions- The above framework exists in mass consciousness. What we need to do now is, I believe, ask questions and seek answers to gain a grip on this unfolding story. I have divided my questions in this regard into two categories, general and specific. First let us look at general questions- 1. If MINC is an identity document then what does the Government of India mean by it? More specifically what it mean to identify a particular person as that particular person? 2. Is the production of a national identity card -an-absolute-and-necessary- condition for all of us in India, if so WHY? What is the evidence that supports this claim? 3. Is there NO OTHER way with which the money that the GOI has could be distributed more justly? 4.On the basis of what evidence has the GOI come to this conclusion that with MINC or the process of identification of people for granting them MINC cards, will correctly identify all Indians as Indians? When all other forms of identification have failed in the last one hundred and twenty years. 5. Is there any precedent wherein the distribution of identity cards have benefited all recipients? 6. Who will be the real beneficiary, will it be the corporates (Companies who have invested millions in the production and manufacture of cards and who are in the data management game), the GOI who will have access private and personal information of millions of Indians which till now was strictly the property of owner or the recipients? Specific questions with respect to arguments which have come in the public domain as listed above. To begin with, in this post I will put forth just one question per corresponding argument mentioned earlier. I will of course present more questions in the event this post generates some discussion. I earnestly hope it does. :) 1. Regarding Spatial insulation and social containment argument- Given that Indian borders are still not insulated especially along Nepal and Bangladesh border, how will the issuance of a National identity card deter intrusions? 2. Regarding Separating the Wheat from the Chaff argument- How will a National Identity Card solve the problem of 'Bad' Mulsims which is far more complex and whose roots lie in socio-economic, socio-political, religio-theological, ethno-national notions and popular interpretations of these notions? In other words how will a National Identity card prevent a mad enraged Muslim oscillating between brink of insanity and completely misguided religious fervor to annihilate himself and others in the process? or from the perspective of the State, how will a National Identity Card help the authorities in identifying the existence of such a rogue element amongst the One Hundred and Fourteen Million Muslims who live in India alone? 3. Just Distribution argument- What is the evidence that the information or the data so collected will not be subjected to various ethno-national pressures? In other words What is the evidence that distribution entailing from such an exercise will be corruption free? or Is there any precedent where the issuance of cards has resulted in just distribution? 4. Modernity Argument, Catching up with the West argument- Given that there is no precedent of such a technology bearing fruit for all in the West, why do we need to copy it in India? What will we benefit as a Nation from such a massive disbursement of public money? What is the opportunity cost? What is the evidence for the cost benefit analysis that the GOI seems to have done for the introduction of such a card? 5. Multipurpose Argument- Given that when we already have a range of identity cards addressing individual purposes, why is the government not interested in making sure that the truth claims and validity of earlier forms of identification is made more sound? Is the investment in improving earlier forms of identification more than, what many believe to be 27000 crore rupees (The cost of bringing in MNIC for a national roll out)? The assertion, that the total cost of National roll out for MNIC is 27000 Crore, could be regarded as hear say, it stems from a discussion at the Smart Card Exposition held in Pragati Maidan in 2006, between S Swarn, the editor of Electronics Today Magazine and a representative of NXP of Philips. I was part of audience. I ofcourse do not have any evidence to support this claim. Hence we need to ask even more fundamental question regarding the cost of the card. I would like to believe that the cost of card will be more? That would include cost of building the MNIC centers, creating the required architecture to maintain it and putting a mechanism in place to run it. What is the TOTAL COST of introducing and maintaining MNIC? Because we the citizens of India have no access to this information? What are the estimates? How are those estimates arrived at? Is the procedure just of arriving those estimates correct? Warm regards Taha Dear Taha No, I didn't read it anywhere. I was told this anecdote by an ex-IPS officer (obviously name-less) who said this is quite a popular story. In fact illegal movement of cattle for commercial purpose is very common across Indo-Pak border (and could it be done without the help of border forces?). You may see some reports below: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/bsf-bdr-discuss-steps-to-tackle-cattle-smuggling-infiltration-lead_10088545.html http://www.vina.cc/stories/GENERAL/2005/7/india.pak.animaldeal.html http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-33111220080418 http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-54238.html http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1232370.cms Yousuf From: Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF > To: ysaeed7 at yahoo.com, "reader-list at sarai.net" > Date: Friday, January 2, 2009, 12:02 PM > Dear Yusuf, > > Thank you for sharing the anecdote below. For the sake of > clarification > could I ask you to please cite the source of this anecdote. > Was this > something that you have heard or read from some where. I > apologize for being > painful and sounding like an utter idiot but I think it > would be nice to > have this bit categorized properly. > > Warm regards > > Taha > > > On Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 4:21 AM, Yousuf > wrote: > > > A BSF jawan who had served both on Indo-Bangladesh as > well as Indo-Pak > > border was once asked what difference did he find > while serving on these 2 > > borders. His reply was: "we earn 300 rupees to > help cross one animal > > (goat/cow) from India to Pakistan, and the same 300 to > cross one human from > > Bangladesh to India. That's the only > difference" > > > > > > From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Sat Jan 3 04:18:06 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 22:48:06 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Survey of the spectrum of arguments regarding MNIC as they exist in the public domain followed by questions.(1998-2004) In-Reply-To: <65be9bf40901021425x38279608kdea375207b3aeba8@mail.gmail.com> References: <65be9bf40901021425x38279608kdea375207b3aeba8@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <65be9bf40901021448m2c826a94j3718b2d9aa9c0d5a@mail.gmail.com> Correction regarding the last question: Is the procedure for arriving at those estimates correct? On Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 10:25 PM, Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com>wrote: > Dear All, Dear Yosuf, > > Many thanks for providing the context for your anecdote and forwarding the > links to various news stories on the issue of infiltration and security on > the Indian Border. I think these stories are important for all us because > they indicate a far more systemic failure on part of our organizations to do > their job properly. > > I wonder why is political class of our country hell bent for the last seven > years to create a particular perception of fear and insecurity and dole > National Identity Card as the sole solution? > > Having said that I certainly don't want to go in for a > -blame-the-politician- argument for our social ills, because certainly > terrorist attacks happen, people get killed, and ordinary citizens live > precarious lives, but insofar as the issue of Multiple Purpose National > Identity is concerned, the consensus building exercise for the issuance of > the card seems to tread multiple lines of argument which in my rather > limited opinion are as follows- > > 1. The Starting point- Kargil War occurs-for which intrusion is > blamed-fencing of border areas is peddled as a solution(spatial insulation > argument)-plus distribution of identity cards is forwarded as a second > option (social containment argument). > > This argument is largely forgotten insofar as popular news media and > political commentators are concrened. I wonder why there is not even a > mention of it now? > > Premise seems to be that MINC will alleviate intrusion of all illegal > foreigners. > > 2. 'Terror' Strikes- Islamic 'terrorists' blamed-since one cannot > differentiate between a Pakistani Muslim from a Bangladeshi Muslim from an > Indian Muslim from an Indian Hindu, identification of all people is peddled > as a solution- (Separating wheat from the chaff argument) > > Premise seems to be that 'Good' Muslims would be separated from 'Bad' > Muslims. > > 3. Public Distribution System- Redistribution of moneis to the poor-the > corruption within the system is blamed- inefficiency of numbers and the > uncertainty of the identity of the beneficiary is blamed- distribution of > identity card is again peddled as a solution. (just distribution argument) > > Premise seems to be that corruption in the system will be routed out. > Distribution will be just. > > 4.Population- Conducting Decennial census is a thing of the past- old mind > set is blamed- inefficient data collection is blamed- the national identity > card centers will collect data on a real time basis is peddled as a > solution. (Modernity argument, catching up with the West argument) > > Premise seems to be that with real time data correct policies will be > formed with respect social and spatial aspects of the country and that there > will be no illegal immigrants. > > 5. Voter- The photo voter identity card is a failure- ease of forging of > documents is blamed- inefficiency of government agencies is processing > voter information is blamed- National identity card and its 'multiple > purposes' is peddled as a solution. (Multiple Purpose Argument) > > Premise seems to be that aspirations of genuine citizens could be > ascertained. Card will reduce the burden of carrying many documents. Data > processing will be streamlined. > > In addition to MNIC the GOI is also considering the issuance of a Unified > National Identity Card or UID and plans are also underway for the creation > of a DNA database for the country. In both these cases the premise seems to > be that the -GOOD- of the country could be achieved, as a UID card will > benefit everybody and a DNA database will help in medical advancement. > > Questions- > > The above framework exists in mass consciousness. What we need to do now > is, I believe, ask questions and seek answers to gain a grip on this > unfolding story. > > I have divided my questions in this regard into two categories, general and > specific. First let us look at general questions- > > 1. If MINC is an identity document then what does the Government of India > mean by it? > > More specifically what it mean to identify a particular person as that > particular person? > > 2. Is the production of a national identity card > -an-absolute-and-necessary- condition for all of us in India, if so WHY? > What is the evidence that supports this claim? > > 3. Is there NO OTHER way with which the money that the GOI has could be > distributed more justly? > > 4.On the basis of what evidence has the GOI come to this conclusion that > with MINC or the process of identification of people for granting them MINC > cards, will correctly identify all Indians as Indians? When all other forms > of identification have failed in the last one hundred and twenty years. > > 5. Is there any precedent wherein the distribution of identity cards have > benefited all recipients? > > 6. Who will be the real beneficiary, will it be the corporates (Companies > who have invested millions in the production and manufacture of cards and > who are in the data management game), the GOI who will have access private > and personal information of millions of Indians which till now was strictly > the property of owner or the recipients? > > Specific questions with respect to arguments which have come in the public > domain as listed above. > > To begin with, in this post I will put forth just one question per > corresponding argument mentioned earlier. I will of course present more > questions in the event this post generates some discussion. I earnestly hope > it does. :) > > 1. Regarding Spatial insulation and social containment argument- > > Given that Indian borders are still not insulated especially along Nepal > and Bangladesh border, how will the issuance of a National identity card > deter intrusions? > > 2. Regarding Separating the Wheat from the Chaff argument- > > How will a National Identity Card solve the problem of 'Bad' Mulsims which > is far more complex and whose roots lie in socio-economic, socio-political, > religio-theological, ethno-national notions and popular interpretations of > these notions? > > In other words how will a National Identity card prevent a mad enraged > Muslim oscillating between brink of insanity and completely misguided > religious fervor to annihilate himself and others in the process? > > or from the perspective of the State, how will a National Identity Card > help the authorities in identifying the existence of such a rogue element > amongst the One Hundred and Fourteen Million Muslims who live in India > alone? > > 3. Just Distribution argument- > > What is the evidence that the information or the data so collected will not > be subjected to various ethno-national pressures? In other words What is > the evidence that distribution entailing from such an exercise will be > corruption free? > > or Is there any precedent where the issuance of cards has resulted in just > distribution? > > 4. Modernity Argument, Catching up with the West argument- > > Given that there is no precedent of such a technology bearing fruit for all > in the West, why do we need to copy it in India? > > What will we benefit as a Nation from such a massive disbursement of public > money? What is the opportunity cost? What is the evidence for the cost > benefit analysis that the GOI seems to have done for the introduction of > such a card? > > 5. Multipurpose Argument- > > Given that when we already have a range of identity cards addressing > individual purposes, why is the government not interested in making sure > that the truth claims and validity of earlier forms of identification is > made more sound? > > Is the investment in improving earlier forms of identification more than, > what many believe to be 27000 crore rupees (The cost of bringing in MNIC for > a national roll out)? The assertion, that the total cost of National roll > out for MNIC is 27000 Crore, could be regarded as hear say, it stems from a > discussion at the Smart Card Exposition held in Pragati Maidan in 2006, > between S Swarn, the editor of Electronics Today Magazine and a > representative of NXP of Philips. I was part of audience. I ofcourse do not > have any evidence to support this claim. Hence we need to ask even more > fundamental question regarding the cost of the card. I would like to believe > that the cost of card will be more? That would include cost of building the > MNIC centers, creating the required architecture to maintain it and putting > a mechanism in place to run it. > > What is the TOTAL COST of introducing and maintaining MNIC? Because we the > citizens of India have no access to this information? > > What are the estimates? > > How are those estimates arrived at? > > Is the procedure just of arriving those estimates correct? > > Warm regards > > Taha > > > Dear Taha > No, I didn't read it anywhere. I was told this anecdote by an ex-IPS officer (obviously name-less) who said this is quite a popular story. In fact illegal movement of cattle for commercial purpose is very common across Indo-Pak border (and could it be done without the help of border forces?). You may see some reports below: > > http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/bsf-bdr-discuss-steps-to-tackle-cattle-smuggling-infiltration-lead_10088545.html > > http://www.vina.cc/stories/GENERAL/2005/7/india.pak.animaldeal.html > > http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-33111220080418 > > http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-54238.html > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1232370.cms > > Yousuf > > From: Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF > > To: ysaeed7 at yahoo.com, "reader-list at sarai.net" > > Date: Friday, January 2, 2009, 12:02 PM > > > Dear Yusuf, > > > > Thank you for sharing the anecdote below. For the sake of > > clarification > > could I ask you to please cite the source of this anecdote. > > Was this > > something that you have heard or read from some where. I > > apologize for being > > painful and sounding like an utter idiot but I think it > > would be nice to > > have this bit categorized properly. > > > > Warm regards > > > > Taha > > > > > > On Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 4:21 AM, Yousuf > > wrote: > > > > > > A BSF jawan who had served both on Indo-Bangladesh as > > > well as Indo-Pak > > > > border was once asked what difference did he find > > > while serving on these 2 > > > > borders. His reply was: "we earn 300 rupees to > > > help cross one animal > > > > (goat/cow) from India to Pakistan, and the same 300 to > > > cross one human from > > > > Bangladesh to India. That's the only > > > difference" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > From rahul_capri at yahoo.com Sat Jan 3 23:34:49 2009 From: rahul_capri at yahoo.com (Rahul Asthana) Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2009 10:04:49 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Reports of Protests against Israeli Air Strikes in Gaza In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <718632.84769.qm@web53608.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Hi Shuddha, What do you think the Indian state should do,in response to the recent terror attacks? Thanks Rahul --- On Tue, 12/30/08, Shuddhabrata Sengupta wrote: > From: Shuddhabrata Sengupta > Subject: [Reader-list] Reports of Protests against Israeli Air Strikes in Gaza > To: "Reader-list list" > Date: Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 6:02 PM > Dear All, > > We are all aware of the terrible toll of unarmed civilian > casualties > caused by the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) air strike on > Gaza a few > days ago. It demonstrates yet again the willingness of > those who > currently hold power in Israeli to sabotage the chances of > a lasting > and durable peace with the Palestinian people. There is no > other way > to describe these air strikes other than as acts of gross > state > terrorism. > > Of course, Hamas, (which controls the West Bank, and whose > origins > lie in the cultivation by Israel of an 'Islamist > Opposition' within > the Palestinian ranks in the eighties and earlier ) with > its own > obduracy has contributed to the 'blowback' that > holds the peace > process in Israel-Palestine hostage to a never ending cycle > of > competitive retribution. > > Militant Zionists, Fundamentalist Islamists and inflexible > > Palestinian Nationalists have a joint vested interest in > the > perpetuation of conflict in a manner that should come as no > surprise > to those familiar with the faultlines and destinies of > identity- > based conflicts in South Asia. > > There are of course, a few stray voices in the Indian > 'blogsphere' > who are already calling for 'India to Emulate > Israel'. Some of them, > such as this one, > > http://blogs.expressindia.com/showblogdetails-comments.php? > > pg=2&contentid=393780 > > come from Dr. S. Subramaniam, IPS (Retd.) > > He says - > > "..A country which did not have a geographical > existence before 1948 > is continuing to show the way on how to respond to > terrorism...They > strike at the terrorist bases wherever they are, ignoring > standard > international conventions and borders...India has to > reassess its > policy options and think of non traditional measures for > tackling > this menace.In this, we have a lot to learn from both > Israel and USA." > > Dr. Subramaniam has had the distinction of being the > former DG of > NSG (National Security Guards) CRPF (Central Reserve Police > Force) > and Founder of SPG (Special Protection Group). So he is not > exactly > an audolescent Hindutva shadow warrior on testosterone who > admires a > bit of Israeli state muscle flexing (and there are lots of > those). He > is a former senior ranking officer who has held posts of > great > responsibility in the security establishment in India. I > sincerely > hope that his views represent the opinions of an isolated > fringe that > has no current influence in the corridors of power. > > However, especially at times like this, it becomes > important to > complicate the picture. Just as few Indians and > Pakistanis (or so I > hope) other than some hyperventilating television anchors > and > isolated armchair warriors within and without the military- > > intelligence complexes in India and Pakistan have been > recently > rooting for war, so too, there is a substantial component > within the > spectrum of Israeli public opinion and civil society that > is outraged > (and justly so) by the IDF's disproportionate and > lethal show of > force in Gaza. > > And just as many of those in India and Pakistan who are > committed to > combatting war hysteria and the hardening of postures have > been > condemned as 'traitors' by their jingoist peers. So > too, many in > Israel today are willing to stand up and be called > 'traitors' because > they condemn events like the attacks on Gaza. I think this > kind of > action that runs the risk of being called 'treason' > are worthy of > being honoured. Right now, I am rooting for all those who > are being > called, or run the risk of being called 'traitors' > for opposing > militarist options in India, Pakistan, Israel and Palestine > by their > respective 'uber-patriotic' peers. > > Please find below, a report and a reflection on protests, > in Israel, > by Israeli people, against the Israeli state's assault > on Gaza. May > their tribe increase. Characteristically, these have been > reported > far less in the international media in comparison to the > protests > across the Arab and Islamic world. > > regards, > > Shuddha > > ------------------------ > > 1. Hundreds of activists in Tel Aviv protest IAF strike in > Gaza > By Ofri Ilani, Haaretz Correspondent (Haaretz is a > mainstream but > liberal Israeli Newspaper) > http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1050470.html > > Hundreds of left-wing and human rights activists marched in > the > streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night to protest the > massive Israel > Air Force offensive in Gaza that left at least 230 dead and > hundreds > more wounded. > > The protesters marched from Tel Aviv's Cinematheque > toward the > Defense Ministry offices. Police, some mounted on > horseback, > surrounded the protesters, arresting five of them. > > According to the protesters, Israel's military action > in Gaza does > not protect Israeli citizens or provide them security. > Advertisement > "No one can tell us that slaughtering the citizens of > Gaza is meant > to protect the citizens of Sderot and Ashkelon," said > Matan Kaminer, > a student who participated in the march. > > Some protesters complained of extraneous force on the part > of horse- > mounted police, but overall the march remained non-violent. > > Similar protests took place in Arab villages in the Galilee > and in > Bedouin villages in the Negev. > > 2. Onslaught on Gaza - protest on Day 1, in Tel-Aviv > Report by Adam Keller for The Other Israel, December-2008-- > > January-2009 issue > http://chet-justice.blogspot.com/2008/12/onslaught-on-gaza-protest-on- > > day-1-in.html > > Saturday, December 27 - a few minutes to midnight. War in > Gaza. It > has come. > > This morning, some of us got up with anxiety to listen to > the early > morning news, and go on hoping against hope for a few more > hours. > This morning, more than two hundred Gazans, whose names we > will > probably never know, woke up without guessing that is was > their last > morning. And also in the Israeli border town of Netivot, > the 58-years > old Beber Vaknin got up and went strolling through the > quiet weekend > streets of his hometown, not knowing that long before > sunset he would > become part of statistics. A very favourable body count > indeed for > Day 1 of Israel's newest war - one dead Israeli to 225 > Palestinians, > as of this hour. Cheers! > > The mass bombing and killing at 11.30 am came as a shocking > surprise > - even though there had been, in fact, no reason whatsoever > to feel > surprised. Out of our anger and outrage, sharp texts of > angry protest > and denunciation were feverishly written and hurled out to > other > activists, to the media, to anyone and everyone in Israel > and the > whole world who might possibly be willing to listen: > "The Gaza war is > the vicious folly of a bankrupt government", > "Barak conducts his > elections campaign by bloodshed on both sides of the > border." > > At record speed, a rendezvous for protest was suggested by > the > Coalition of Women for Peace and quickly taken up by > Hadash, Gush > Shalom, the Anarchists, Tarabut and also the Meretz > grassroots > network. The message spread among all by word of mouth and > phone and > email and SMS and Facebook: "Stop the War! Stop the > War! Gather at > 6.00 pm for > > "Stop the War! Stop the War! Gather at 6.00 pm for an > open planning > meeting at the Tel Aviv Cinemateque Square. We march out at > 7.30. > Come one, come all!" Friends were contacted in both > bombed Gaza and > bombed Sderot, both giving their heartfelt support to any > effort to > stop the madness. Transportation was improvised from Haifa > and > Jerusalem, and even from the Arab towns of Tyra and > Nazareth some > came to Tel-Aviv, though there were demonstrations going on > in their > hometowns. > > The police, too, had somehow heard of it. Long before six, > the > Cinemateque was surrounded on all sides - ordinary police > and riot > police and mounted police, and more and more patrol cars > arriving and > unloading additional ones every minute. "Look, these > ones don't carry > pistols - they have automatic rifles! Do they intend to > bring the war > here, too?" whispered a girl in an Animal Rights > t-shirt. > > On the side a dozen youngsters were intensively preparing > placards. > > "Stop the massacre!" / "Olmert's War - > Our Victims!" / "War is not > election s spin" / "No to the murder of > innocents!" / "We Israelis > say: The Government of Israel perpetrates War Crimes!" > / > "International Intervention Now!" / "EU, > Stop the War!". "Livni, > Murder is not Feminist!" / "Thou Shalt Not > Kill!" > > One slogan came up very often: "This is not my > war!" It was written > again and again in Hebrew, Arabic, English or a combination > of these. > > Meanwhile, there was an event taking place inside the > Cinemateque > building, planned long in advance, of the African refugee > community > in Israel›calling upon the authorities to give asylum to > the refugees > and not deport them. > > A young black woman came over, speaking of children in > Congo, her > homeland, being forced to work at mines and handle > carcinogenic > materials. The circumstances didn't allow to go in and > give this > cause the attention which it also deserves. > > By seven o'clock, the Cinemateque Square was crowded > with over a > thousand present. More than what one would expect in Israel > during > the very first hours of a war, amidst the kind of war fever > which the > Israeli media is capable of. > > Lines were formed, banners unfurled, and the drummers > started their > rhythm - but the police stretched their own line after > line, blocking > all exits. A large-scale violent clash seemed inevitable > but > organizers called out: Stop! Wait! and began negotiating. > After some > twenty tense minutes the call was sounded: Forward! and to > the wonder > of all, the police ranks parted to let protesters through. > > The compromise with the police was that the march take a > route to the > Ministry of Defence avoiding interference with main street > traffic. > The inhabitants of the normally tranquil Sprintzak Street > looked down > from their balconies to the ongoing stream of chanting > protesters: > > "Jews and Arabs Refuse to be Enemies!" / In Gaza > and Sderot, Children > Want to Live!" / War is a disaster - Peace is the > solution!" / Stop > the War! Return to the Truce!" / Silence the guns - > Save the > peoples!" / Barak, Barak, hey, hey, hey - How many did > you kill > today?" / "Bloodshed will not buy you > power!" / "The blood is flowing > for the ministers' prestige!" / "The blood is > flowing for the polls > of the corrupt parties!" / "No to War! - Back to > Negotiations!" > > Even "No to War! - Yes to Peace!", which on most > days would sound > like a naive truism, was today a sharp radical message. > > For a considerable while, police did not intervene, but at > the corner > of Kaplan Street there was suddenly a charge of the mounted > police > directly into the crowd, a scuffle and angry shouts of > "Police > State!" - "Forward, forward!" called the > organizers. "We have an > appointment with Olmert at the Ministry of Defence." > > Several hundred metres to the right and the Ministry gates > appear on > the far side of the street. "Ladies and gentlemen of > the press - our > attack on Gaza today was surgical an pin-pointed", the > voice of > Olmert on the radio, which some activists put on, is > broadcast from > the towers across the street. "Liar, war > criminal!" rises the shout > as if answering from the street, and several young people > broke > through the police fences, trying to block the street - to > be > immediately dragged into the waiting patrol cars. > > It continued until half past nine when it was announced: > "We are > finished here for today, but we will continue to come back > until it > is over. Anyone willing to spend some more hours, join us > to picket > the police station where our friends are held." > > In the bus, on the way home, the radio - amidst all the war > reports > from the south - carried a short report of the > demonstration. The > number of protesters was given as two hundred... It was an > obvious > hostile reporting, a way of trying to diminish the > opposition to the > war. > > But maybe, one should not be too discouraged with getting > mentioned > at all, on such a day of media-orchestrated war euphoria. > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to > reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject > header. > To unsubscribe: > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: > <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From aman.am at gmail.com Sun Jan 4 05:07:40 2009 From: aman.am at gmail.com (Aman Sethi) Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2009 18:37:40 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Reports of Protests against Israeli Air Strikes in Gaza In-Reply-To: <718632.84769.qm@web53608.mail.re2.yahoo.com> References: <718632.84769.qm@web53608.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <995a19920901031537m39804a0i96bbd8800d05d39e@mail.gmail.com> Dear All, An addition to the roster of un(der)reported protests. In case this doesnt make it to the press,just attended a massive protest rally outside the Israeli consulate at 42nd Street in New York. The crowds stretched for almost 8 blocks all the way up to 50th Street. The organisers- Al Awda New York - claimed an attendance of nearly 20,000 - which did seem to be a bit excessive - but it certainly was a rather large and noisy crowd. There are protests planned for the coming weeks - a calendar of protests can be found at http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1773 The tone of the protest was largely around pressuring the American administration to use its leverage with the Israeli state to end the attack - even as Israel announced plans of sending in tanks, armoured vehicles and troops. Other reports on a variety of news channel suggest that the Israeli Navy has also moved in. While the speakers - as at most rallies - had their own specific stands on the invasion, the culpability of the US, and the nature of the state of Israel; the main organisers made it a point to announce that they were not anti-semitic in any way, but were against a certain form of Zionism as manifested in the actions of the Israeli administration. The weather, by the way, was terrible. best a. On Sat, Jan 3, 2009 at 1:04 PM, Rahul Asthana wrote: > > Hi Shuddha, > What do you think the Indian state should do,in response to the recent terror attacks? > Thanks > Rahul > > > --- On Tue, 12/30/08, Shuddhabrata Sengupta wrote: > > > From: Shuddhabrata Sengupta > > Subject: [Reader-list] Reports of Protests against Israeli Air Strikes in Gaza > > To: "Reader-list list" > > Date: Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 6:02 PM > > Dear All, > > > > We are all aware of the terrible toll of unarmed civilian > > casualties > > caused by the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) air strike on > > Gaza a few > > days ago. It demonstrates yet again the willingness of > > those who > > currently hold power in Israeli to sabotage the chances of > > a lasting > > and durable peace with the Palestinian people. There is no > > other way > > to describe these air strikes other than as acts of gross > > state > > terrorism. > > > > Of course, Hamas, (which controls the West Bank, and whose > > origins > > lie in the cultivation by Israel of an 'Islamist > > Opposition' within > > the Palestinian ranks in the eighties and earlier ) with > > its own > > obduracy has contributed to the 'blowback' that > > holds the peace > > process in Israel-Palestine hostage to a never ending cycle > > of > > competitive retribution. > > > > Militant Zionists, Fundamentalist Islamists and inflexible > > > > Palestinian Nationalists have a joint vested interest in > > the > > perpetuation of conflict in a manner that should come as no > > surprise > > to those familiar with the faultlines and destinies of > > identity- > > based conflicts in South Asia. > > > > There are of course, a few stray voices in the Indian > > 'blogsphere' > > who are already calling for 'India to Emulate > > Israel'. Some of them, > > such as this one, > > > > http://blogs.expressindia.com/showblogdetails-comments.php? > > > > pg=2&contentid=393780 > > > > come from Dr. S. Subramaniam, IPS (Retd.) > > > > He says - > > > > "..A country which did not have a geographical > > existence before 1948 > > is continuing to show the way on how to respond to > > terrorism...They > > strike at the terrorist bases wherever they are, ignoring > > standard > > international conventions and borders...India has to > > reassess its > > policy options and think of non traditional measures for > > tackling > > this menace.In this, we have a lot to learn from both > > Israel and USA." > > > > Dr. Subramaniam has had the distinction of being the > > former DG of > > NSG (National Security Guards) CRPF (Central Reserve Police > > Force) > > and Founder of SPG (Special Protection Group). So he is not > > exactly > > an audolescent Hindutva shadow warrior on testosterone who > > admires a > > bit of Israeli state muscle flexing (and there are lots of > > those). He > > is a former senior ranking officer who has held posts of > > great > > responsibility in the security establishment in India. I > > sincerely > > hope that his views represent the opinions of an isolated > > fringe that > > has no current influence in the corridors of power. > > > > However, especially at times like this, it becomes > > important to > > complicate the picture. Just as few Indians and > > Pakistanis (or so I > > hope) other than some hyperventilating television anchors > > and > > isolated armchair warriors within and without the military- > > > > intelligence complexes in India and Pakistan have been > > recently > > rooting for war, so too, there is a substantial component > > within the > > spectrum of Israeli public opinion and civil society that > > is outraged > > (and justly so) by the IDF's disproportionate and > > lethal show of > > force in Gaza. > > > > And just as many of those in India and Pakistan who are > > committed to > > combatting war hysteria and the hardening of postures have > > been > > condemned as 'traitors' by their jingoist peers. So > > too, many in > > Israel today are willing to stand up and be called > > 'traitors' because > > they condemn events like the attacks on Gaza. I think this > > kind of > > action that runs the risk of being called 'treason' > > are worthy of > > being honoured. Right now, I am rooting for all those who > > are being > > called, or run the risk of being called 'traitors' > > for opposing > > militarist options in India, Pakistan, Israel and Palestine > > by their > > respective 'uber-patriotic' peers. > > > > Please find below, a report and a reflection on protests, > > in Israel, > > by Israeli people, against the Israeli state's assault > > on Gaza. May > > their tribe increase. Characteristically, these have been > > reported > > far less in the international media in comparison to the > > protests > > across the Arab and Islamic world. > > > > regards, > > > > Shuddha > > > > ------------------------ > > > > 1. Hundreds of activists in Tel Aviv protest IAF strike in > > Gaza > > By Ofri Ilani, Haaretz Correspondent (Haaretz is a > > mainstream but > > liberal Israeli Newspaper) > > http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1050470.html > > > > Hundreds of left-wing and human rights activists marched in > > the > > streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night to protest the > > massive Israel > > Air Force offensive in Gaza that left at least 230 dead and > > hundreds > > more wounded. > > > > The protesters marched from Tel Aviv's Cinematheque > > toward the > > Defense Ministry offices. Police, some mounted on > > horseback, > > surrounded the protesters, arresting five of them. > > > > According to the protesters, Israel's military action > > in Gaza does > > not protect Israeli citizens or provide them security. > > Advertisement > > "No one can tell us that slaughtering the citizens of > > Gaza is meant > > to protect the citizens of Sderot and Ashkelon," said > > Matan Kaminer, > > a student who participated in the march. > > > > Some protesters complained of extraneous force on the part > > of horse- > > mounted police, but overall the march remained non-violent. > > > > Similar protests took place in Arab villages in the Galilee > > and in > > Bedouin villages in the Negev. > > > > 2. Onslaught on Gaza - protest on Day 1, in Tel-Aviv > > Report by Adam Keller for The Other Israel, December-2008-- > > > > January-2009 issue > > http://chet-justice.blogspot.com/2008/12/onslaught-on-gaza-protest-on- > > > > day-1-in.html > > > > Saturday, December 27 - a few minutes to midnight. War in > > Gaza. It > > has come. > > > > This morning, some of us got up with anxiety to listen to > > the early > > morning news, and go on hoping against hope for a few more > > hours. > > This morning, more than two hundred Gazans, whose names we > > will > > probably never know, woke up without guessing that is was > > their last > > morning. And also in the Israeli border town of Netivot, > > the 58-years > > old Beber Vaknin got up and went strolling through the > > quiet weekend > > streets of his hometown, not knowing that long before > > sunset he would > > become part of statistics. A very favourable body count > > indeed for > > Day 1 of Israel's newest war - one dead Israeli to 225 > > Palestinians, > > as of this hour. Cheers! > > > > The mass bombing and killing at 11.30 am came as a shocking > > surprise > > - even though there had been, in fact, no reason whatsoever > > to feel > > surprised. Out of our anger and outrage, sharp texts of > > angry protest > > and denunciation were feverishly written and hurled out to > > other > > activists, to the media, to anyone and everyone in Israel > > and the > > whole world who might possibly be willing to listen: > > "The Gaza war is > > the vicious folly of a bankrupt government", > > "Barak conducts his > > elections campaign by bloodshed on both sides of the > > border." > > > > At record speed, a rendezvous for protest was suggested by > > the > > Coalition of Women for Peace and quickly taken up by > > Hadash, Gush > > Shalom, the Anarchists, Tarabut and also the Meretz > > grassroots > > network. The message spread among all by word of mouth and > > phone and > > email and SMS and Facebook: "Stop the War! Stop the > > War! Gather at > > 6.00 pm for > > > > "Stop the War! Stop the War! Gather at 6.00 pm for an > > open planning > > meeting at the Tel Aviv Cinemateque Square. We march out at > > 7.30. > > Come one, come all!" Friends were contacted in both > > bombed Gaza and > > bombed Sderot, both giving their heartfelt support to any > > effort to > > stop the madness. Transportation was improvised from Haifa > > and > > Jerusalem, and even from the Arab towns of Tyra and > > Nazareth some > > came to Tel-Aviv, though there were demonstrations going on > > in their > > hometowns. > > > > The police, too, had somehow heard of it. Long before six, > > the > > Cinemateque was surrounded on all sides - ordinary police > > and riot > > police and mounted police, and more and more patrol cars > > arriving and > > unloading additional ones every minute. "Look, these > > ones don't carry > > pistols - they have automatic rifles! Do they intend to > > bring the war > > here, too?" whispered a girl in an Animal Rights > > t-shirt. > > > > On the side a dozen youngsters were intensively preparing > > placards. > > > > "Stop the massacre!" / "Olmert's War - > > Our Victims!" / "War is not > > election s spin" / "No to the murder of > > innocents!" / "We Israelis > > say: The Government of Israel perpetrates War Crimes!" > > / > > "International Intervention Now!" / "EU, > > Stop the War!". "Livni, > > Murder is not Feminist!" / "Thou Shalt Not > > Kill!" > > > > One slogan came up very often: "This is not my > > war!" It was written > > again and again in Hebrew, Arabic, English or a combination > > of these. > > > > Meanwhile, there was an event taking place inside the > > Cinemateque > > building, planned long in advance, of the African refugee > > community > > in Israel›calling upon the authorities to give asylum to > > the refugees > > and not deport them. > > > > A young black woman came over, speaking of children in > > Congo, her > > homeland, being forced to work at mines and handle > > carcinogenic > > materials. The circumstances didn't allow to go in and > > give this > > cause the attention which it also deserves. > > > > By seven o'clock, the Cinemateque Square was crowded > > with over a > > thousand present. More than what one would expect in Israel > > during > > the very first hours of a war, amidst the kind of war fever > > which the > > Israeli media is capable of. > > > > Lines were formed, banners unfurled, and the drummers > > started their > > rhythm - but the police stretched their own line after > > line, blocking > > all exits. A large-scale violent clash seemed inevitable > > but > > organizers called out: Stop! Wait! and began negotiating. > > After some > > twenty tense minutes the call was sounded: Forward! and to > > the wonder > > of all, the police ranks parted to let protesters through. > > > > The compromise with the police was that the march take a > > route to the > > Ministry of Defence avoiding interference with main street > > traffic. > > The inhabitants of the normally tranquil Sprintzak Street > > looked down > > from their balconies to the ongoing stream of chanting > > protesters: > > > > "Jews and Arabs Refuse to be Enemies!" / In Gaza > > and Sderot, Children > > Want to Live!" / War is a disaster - Peace is the > > solution!" / Stop > > the War! Return to the Truce!" / Silence the guns - > > Save the > > peoples!" / Barak, Barak, hey, hey, hey - How many did > > you kill > > today?" / "Bloodshed will not buy you > > power!" / "The blood is flowing > > for the ministers' prestige!" / "The blood is > > flowing for the polls > > of the corrupt parties!" / "No to War! - Back to > > Negotiations!" > > > > Even "No to War! - Yes to Peace!", which on most > > days would sound > > like a naive truism, was today a sharp radical message. > > > > For a considerable while, police did not intervene, but at > > the corner > > of Kaplan Street there was suddenly a charge of the mounted > > police > > directly into the crowd, a scuffle and angry shouts of > > "Police > > State!" - "Forward, forward!" called the > > organizers. "We have an > > appointment with Olmert at the Ministry of Defence." > > > > Several hundred metres to the right and the Ministry gates > > appear on > > the far side of the street. "Ladies and gentlemen of > > the press - our > > attack on Gaza today was surgical an pin-pointed", the > > voice of > > Olmert on the radio, which some activists put on, is > > broadcast from > > the towers across the street. "Liar, war > > criminal!" rises the shout > > as if answering from the street, and several young people > > broke > > through the police fences, trying to block the street - to > > be > > immediately dragged into the waiting patrol cars. > > > > It continued until half past nine when it was announced: > > "We are > > finished here for today, but we will continue to come back > > until it > > is over. Anyone willing to spend some more hours, join us > > to picket > > the police station where our friends are held." > > > > In the bus, on the way home, the radio - amidst all the war > > reports > > from the south - carried a short report of the > > demonstration. The > > number of protesters was given as two hundred... It was an > > obvious > > hostile reporting, a way of trying to diminish the > > opposition to the > > war. > > > > But maybe, one should not be too discouraged with getting > > mentioned > > at all, on such a day of media-orchestrated war euphoria. > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to > > reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject > > header. > > To unsubscribe: > > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: From javedmasoo at gmail.com Sun Jan 4 11:49:35 2009 From: javedmasoo at gmail.com (M Javed) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 11:49:35 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan Message-ID: Ten myths about Pakistan 4 Jan 2009, 0032 hrs IST, Mohammed Hanif Living in Pakistan and reading about it in the Indian press can sometimes be quite a disorienting experience: one wonders what place on earth they're talking about? I wouldn't be surprised if an Indian reader going through Pakistani papers has asked the same question in recent days. Here are some common assumptions about Pakistan and its citizens that I have come across in the Indian media... Pakistan controls the jihadis: Or Pakistan's government controls the jihadis. Or Pakistan Army controls the jihadis. Or ISI controls the jihadis. Or some rogue elements from the ISI control the Jihadis. Nobody knows the whole truth but increasingly it's the tail that wags the dog. We must remember that the ISI-Jihadi alliance was a marriage of convenience, which has broken down irrevocably. Pakistan army has lost more soldiers at the hands of these jihadis than it ever did fighting India. Musharraf was in control, Zardari is not: Let's not forget that General Musharraf seized power after he was fired from his job as the army chief by an elected prime minister. Musharraf first appeased jihadis, then bombed them, and then appeased them again. The country he left behind has become a very dangerous place, above all for its own citizens. There is a latent hankering in sections of the Indian middle class for a strongman. Give Manmohan Singh a military uniform, put all the armed forces under his direct command, make his word the law of the land, and he too will go around thumping his chest saying that it's his destiny to save India from Indians . Zardari will never have the kind of control that Musharraf had. But Pakistanis do not want another Musharraf. Pakistan, which Pakistan? For a small country, Pakistan is very diverse, not only ethnically but politically as well. General Musharraf's government bombed Pashtuns in the north for being Islamists and close to the Taliban and at the same time it bombed Balochs in the South for NOT being Islamists and for subscribing to some kind of retro-socialist, anti Taliban ethos. You have probably heard the joke about other countries having armies but Pakistan's army having a country. Nobody in Pakistan finds it funny. Pakistan and its loose nukes: Pakistan's nuclear programme is under a sophisticated command and control system, no more under threat than India or Israel's nuclear assets are threatened by Hindu or Jewish extremists. For a long time Pakistan's security establishment's other strategic asset was jihadi organisations, which in the last couple of years have become its biggest liability. Pakistan is a failed state: If it is, then Pakistanis have not noticed. Or they have lived in it for such a long time that they have become used to its dysfunctional aspects. Trains are late but they turn up, there are more VJs, DJs, theatre festivals, melas, and fashion models than a failed state can accommodate. To borrow a phrase from President Zardari, there are lots of non-state actors like Abdul Sattar Edhi who provide emergency health services, orphanages and shelters for sick animals. It is a deeply religious country: Every half-decent election in this country has proved otherwise. Religious parties have never won more than a fraction of popular vote. Last year Pakistan witnessed the largest civil rights movements in the history of this region. It was spontaneous, secular and entirely peaceful. But since people weren't raising anti-India or anti-America slogans, nobody outside Pakistan took much notice. All Pakistanis hate India: Three out of four provinces in Pakistan - Sindh, Baluchistan, NWFP - have never had any popular anti-India sentiment ever. Punjabis who did impose India as enemy-in-chief on Pakistan are now more interested in selling potatoes to India than destroying it. There is a new breed of al-Qaida inspired jihadis who hate a woman walking on the streets of Karachi as much as they hate a woman driving a car on the streets of Delhi. In fact there is not much that they do not hate: they hate America, Denmark, China CDs, barbers, DVDs , television, even football. Imran Khan recently said that these jihadis will never attack a cricket match but nobody takes him seriously. Training camps: There are militant sanctuaries in the tribal areas of Pakistan but definitely not in Muzaffarabad or Muridke, two favourite targets for Indian journalists, probably because those are the cities they have ever been allowed to visit. After all how much training do you need if you are going to shoot at random civilians or blow yourself up in a crowded bazaar? So if anyone thinks a few missiles targeted at Muzaffarabad will teach anyone a lesson, they should switch off their TV and try to locate it on the map. RAW would never do what ISI does: Both the agencies have had a brilliant record of creating mayhem in the neighbouring countries. Both have a dismal record when it comes to protecting their own people. There is a simple reason that ISI is a bigger, more notorious brand name: It was CIA's franchise during the jihad against the Soviets. And now it's busy doing jihad against those very jihadis. Pakistan is poor, India is rich: Pakistanis visiting India till the mid-eighties came back very smug. They told us about India's slums, and that there was nothing to buy except handicrafts and saris. Then Pakistanis could say with justifiable pride that nobody slept hungry in their country. But now, not only do people sleep hungry in both the countries, they also commit suicide because they see nothing but a lifetime of hunger ahead. A debt-ridden farmer contemplating suicide in Maharashtra and a mother who abandons her children in Karachi because she can't feed them: this is what we have achieved in our mutual desire to teach each other a lesson. The writer is the author of 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sunday_TOI/Ten_myths_about_Pakistan/articleshow/3932145.cms From kauladityaraj at gmail.com Sun Jan 4 15:03:11 2009 From: kauladityaraj at gmail.com (Aditya Raj Kaul) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 15:03:11 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Stay order defied at Nepal temple Message-ID: <6353c690901040133m38f9b98h35af8c60250b14b6@mail.gmail.com> * Stay order defied at Nepal temple *Prerana Marasini KATHMANDU: The newly-appointed priests performed rituals at the Pashupatinath Temple here for the second day on Friday though the Supreme Court in a stay order on Thursday directed them not to do so. The court had issued the order to the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) but the officials say they came to know about it only through news. "We haven't received anything in writing," Shyam Sekhar Jha, Director of the Trust, told *The Hindu.* "We cannot implement anything unless we get the decision in hand and discuss it." The three Indian priests, who had been working at the temple, had submitted their resignations at different times but they were accepted by the PADT at once. Head priest Mahabaleswar had been working at the temple for more than 15 years. Meanwhile, Mr. Jha said the priests had cited health problems for resigning. "We even requested them to come to the temple and perform puja, but they didn't turn up." Some sections of society opposed the decision to replace the priests terming it "politicisation of religion". The Prime Minister is the patron of the temple. The new priests are alleged to be Maoists. The government is also blamed for breaking the tradition without adhering to the procedures to hire new ones. President approached A delegation of the Constituent Assembly members met President Ram Baran Yadav on Friday and asked for help in resolving the chaos. According to a member Suprabha Ghimire, Mr Yadav said he would consult the government soon on the matter. The tradition of conducting the main rituals by Indian priests had started long before Nepal was united by King Prithvi Narayan Shah. Nepal was the only Hindu Kingdom in the world until 2006, when the interim government turned it to a secular country. From kauladityaraj at gmail.com Sun Jan 4 15:06:09 2009 From: kauladityaraj at gmail.com (Aditya Raj Kaul) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 15:06:09 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Maoists have outraged Hindus: Nepal Minister Message-ID: <6353c690901040136u4c7f01bw9b76600cda0a11fd@mail.gmail.com> *PASHUPATINATH TEMPLE ROW* Maoists have outraged Hindus: Nepal Minister *CNN-IBN Link - http://ibnlive.in.com/news/maoists-have-hurt-hindu-sentiments-nepal-minister/81919-2.html * *New Delhi:* Nepal's Foreign Minister has blamed his Maoist allies for the removal of Indian priests at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu and accused Prime Minister Prachanda of not punishing the people who stormed the shrine on Thursday. Workers of the Young Communist League (YCL), the youth wing of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), on Thursday defied court orders and appointed their own priests at the temple in place of Indian priests who claim they have been conducting rituals at the shrine for 300 years. "The Prime Minister and his cadres YCL are responsible for this. This is against Hinduism and this is against Hindu sentiment," Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav told CNN-IBN from Kathmandu. "This is an anti-religious move. They are trying to capture the Pashupatinath temple and disturb religious activities." Yadav accused the Maoists of bringing politics into a "religious matters". "We condemn and criticise this. Protests are going on against Maoist activities," he said. The dispute at the temple began in December 2008 with three Indian priests submitting their resignation under pressure, allegedly from the Maoist government, and the Pashupatinath Area Development Trust (PADT) appointing two Nepali priests. Nepal's Supreme Court ordered a stay on the PADT order after aides of the Indian priests filed a petition, alleging that the trust had overridden all procedures to make political appointments. Devotees, for the first time in the history of the temple, were unable to offer worship on January 1 because of the controversy, which now may snowball into a diplomatic dispute between India and Nepal because of the Maoist youth wing's action. Nepal's former king Gyanendra, who was the patron of the temple, has urged that issue not be politicised. "I appeal all not to politicise the current Pashupatinath Temple issue and maintain the religious harmony for which Nepal is adored the world over" said the former monarch in a statement issued on Sunday. From taraprakash at gmail.com Mon Jan 5 01:44:32 2009 From: taraprakash at gmail.com (taraprakash) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 15:14:32 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan References: Message-ID: <24B6440BFE624EE5A697955EFEA3F8B9@tara> I wonder if this article is talking about Pakistan or Pakistanis. Generally when media talks about a country, India, Pakistan, US etc., they mean the governments not the people. If you need to know about the nexus between Pakistan state apparatuses and these Jihadi groups, one can just visit www.bbcurdu.com As far as I know, this site is not part of the Indian media. BBC Urdu service, that has its headqurters in Pakistan, and that was first to send its correspondents to Kasab's village to confirm his identity as a Pakistani national, is running a feature on Jihadis and Pakistan establishment links. The site also has an interview with Hamid Gul, former ISI chief and one of the founding members of these jihadi groups. On being asked "what was the relevance of these groups once the USSR forces had been defeated in Afghanistan?" Gul says that earlier the US had an even-handed approach towards India and Pakistan. But now there is a tilt towards India, so these nonstate actors are required as a deterant to India. The author of the below article also ignores the fact that different Jihadi groups are working towards different agenda. So much so that Pakistan establishment differs between good taliban, those who don't attack Pakistani army, and bad Taliban, those who destroy pakistani infrastructure. So much about the homogenity of these groups. How much active these Jihadi groups in the Indian territory, is also dependent on what kind of relationship India and Pakistan governments have. So much about decoupling of the Pakistani state and these groups. I wonder if the mango exporting author heard that Navaz Sharif interview that was not broadcast only on India media. In the interview given to one of the Pakistani channels Sharif said that the government had something to hide in Faridkot. I wonder if the mango exporting author reads anything by Hoodboy and Mariana Babar, both Pakistanis. Yes, Indian media have lots of shortcommings, but before anyone from Pakistan addresses them, they need to first put their house in order. ----- Original Message ----- From: "M Javed" To: "sarai list" Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 1:19 AM Subject: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan > Ten myths about Pakistan > 4 Jan 2009, 0032 hrs IST, > Mohammed Hanif > > Living in Pakistan and reading about it in the Indian press can > sometimes be quite a disorienting experience: one wonders what place > on earth they're talking about? I wouldn't be surprised if an Indian > reader going through Pakistani papers has asked the same question in > recent days. Here are some common assumptions about Pakistan and its > citizens that I have come across in the Indian media... > > Pakistan controls the jihadis: Or Pakistan's government controls the > jihadis. Or Pakistan Army controls the jihadis. Or ISI controls the > jihadis. Or some rogue elements from the ISI control the Jihadis. > Nobody knows the whole truth but increasingly it's the tail that wags > the dog. We must remember that the ISI-Jihadi alliance was a marriage > of convenience, which has broken down irrevocably. Pakistan army has > lost more soldiers at the hands of these jihadis than it ever did > fighting India. > > Musharraf was in control, Zardari is not: Let's not forget that > General Musharraf seized power after he was fired from his job as the > army chief by an elected prime minister. Musharraf first appeased > jihadis, then bombed them, and then appeased them again. The country > he left behind has become a very dangerous place, above all for its > own citizens. There is a latent hankering in sections of the Indian > middle class for a strongman. Give Manmohan Singh a military uniform, > put all the armed forces under his direct command, make his word the > law of the land, and he too will go around thumping his chest saying > that it's his destiny to save India from Indians . Zardari will never > have the kind of control that Musharraf had. But Pakistanis do not > want another Musharraf. > > Pakistan, which Pakistan? For a small country, Pakistan is very > diverse, not only ethnically but politically as well. General > Musharraf's government bombed Pashtuns in the north for being > Islamists and close to the Taliban and at the same time it bombed > Balochs in the South for NOT being Islamists and for subscribing to > some kind of retro-socialist, anti Taliban ethos. You have probably > heard the joke about other countries having armies but Pakistan's army > having a country. Nobody in Pakistan finds it funny. > > Pakistan and its loose nukes: Pakistan's nuclear programme is under a > sophisticated command and control system, no more under threat than > India or Israel's nuclear assets are threatened by Hindu or Jewish > extremists. For a long time Pakistan's security establishment's other > strategic asset was jihadi organisations, which in the last couple of > years have become its biggest liability. > > Pakistan is a failed state: If it is, then Pakistanis have not > noticed. Or they have lived in it for such a long time that they have > become used to its dysfunctional aspects. Trains are late but they > turn up, there are more VJs, DJs, theatre festivals, melas, and > fashion models than a failed state can accommodate. To borrow a phrase > from President Zardari, there are lots of non-state actors like Abdul > Sattar Edhi who provide emergency health services, orphanages and > shelters for sick animals. > > It is a deeply religious country: Every half-decent election in this > country has proved otherwise. Religious parties have never won more > than a fraction of popular vote. Last year Pakistan witnessed the > largest civil rights movements in the history of this region. It was > spontaneous, secular and entirely peaceful. But since people weren't > raising anti-India or anti-America slogans, nobody outside Pakistan > took much notice. > > All Pakistanis hate India: Three out of four provinces in Pakistan - > Sindh, Baluchistan, NWFP - have never had any popular anti-India > sentiment ever. Punjabis who did impose India as enemy-in-chief on > Pakistan are now more interested in selling potatoes to India than > destroying it. There is a new breed of al-Qaida inspired jihadis who > hate a woman walking on the streets of Karachi as much as they hate a > woman driving a car on the streets of Delhi. In fact there is not much > that they do not hate: they hate America, Denmark, China CDs, barbers, > DVDs , television, even football. Imran Khan recently said that these > jihadis will never attack a cricket match but nobody takes him > seriously. > > Training camps: There are militant sanctuaries in the tribal areas of > Pakistan but definitely not in Muzaffarabad or Muridke, two favourite > targets for Indian journalists, probably because those are the cities > they have ever been allowed to visit. After all how much training do > you need if you are going to shoot at random civilians or blow > yourself up in a crowded bazaar? So if anyone thinks a few missiles > targeted at Muzaffarabad will teach anyone a lesson, they should > switch off their TV and try to locate it on the map. > > RAW would never do what ISI does: Both the agencies have had a > brilliant record of creating mayhem in the neighbouring countries. > Both have a dismal record when it comes to protecting their own > people. There is a simple reason that ISI is a bigger, more notorious > brand name: It was CIA's franchise during the jihad against the > Soviets. And now it's busy doing jihad against those very jihadis. > > Pakistan is poor, India is rich: Pakistanis visiting India till the > mid-eighties came back very smug. They told us about India's slums, > and that there was nothing to buy except handicrafts and saris. Then > Pakistanis could say with justifiable pride that nobody slept hungry > in their country. But now, not only do people sleep hungry in both the > countries, they also commit suicide because they see nothing but a > lifetime of hunger ahead. A debt-ridden farmer contemplating suicide > in Maharashtra and a mother who abandons her children in Karachi > because she can't feed them: this is what we have achieved in our > mutual desire to teach each other a lesson. > > The writer is the author of 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sunday_TOI/Ten_myths_about_Pakistan/articleshow/3932145.cms > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From aman.am at gmail.com Mon Jan 5 02:26:30 2009 From: aman.am at gmail.com (Aman Sethi) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 15:56:30 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan In-Reply-To: <24B6440BFE624EE5A697955EFEA3F8B9@tara> References: <24B6440BFE624EE5A697955EFEA3F8B9@tara> Message-ID: <995a19920901041256w1ab288e3o5956ca71d4eec157@mail.gmail.com> Dear Taraprakash, Mohammed Hanif is in fact, the HEAD of the BBC Urdu service, - the very same service that you so approvingly quote. So I would give him far more credence than you have. Further, since the BBC Urdu appears to be a paragon of journalistic practice - i think he is well suited to make a few remarks on the stereotypical way in which pakistan is portrayed in the Indian media. I find it really amusing that indians can dedicate reams to pointing out (in painful detail i might add) how barkha dutt or rajdeep sardesai got it wrong - but when a pakistani writes a reasonably illuminating opinion piece - he is asked to put his house in order. best a. On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 3:14 PM, taraprakash wrote: > I wonder if this article is talking about Pakistan or Pakistanis. Generally > when media talks about a country, India, Pakistan, US etc., they mean the > governments not the people. If you need to know about the nexus between > Pakistan state apparatuses and these Jihadi groups, one can just visit > www.bbcurdu.com > As far as I know, this site is not part of the Indian media. BBC Urdu > service, that has its headqurters in Pakistan, and that was first to send > its correspondents to Kasab's village to confirm his identity as a Pakistani > national, is running a feature on Jihadis and Pakistan establishment links. > The site also has an interview with Hamid Gul, former ISI chief and one of > the founding members of these jihadi groups. On being asked "what was the > relevance of these groups once the USSR forces had been defeated in > Afghanistan?" Gul says that earlier the US had an even-handed approach > towards India and Pakistan. But now there is a tilt towards India, so these > nonstate actors are required as a deterant to India. The author of the below > article also ignores the fact that different Jihadi groups are working > towards different agenda. So much so that Pakistan establishment differs > between good taliban, those who don't attack Pakistani army, and bad > Taliban, those who destroy pakistani infrastructure. So much about the > homogenity of these groups. How much active these Jihadi groups in the > Indian territory, is also dependent on what kind of relationship India and > Pakistan governments have. So much about decoupling of the Pakistani state > and these groups. I wonder if the mango exporting author heard that Navaz > Sharif interview that was not broadcast only on India media. In the > interview given to one of the Pakistani channels Sharif said that the > government had something to hide in Faridkot. I wonder if the mango > exporting author reads anything by Hoodboy and Mariana Babar, both > Pakistanis. Yes, Indian media have lots of shortcommings, but before anyone > from Pakistan addresses them, they need to first put their house in order. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "M Javed" > To: "sarai list" > Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 1:19 AM > Subject: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan > > >> Ten myths about Pakistan >> 4 Jan 2009, 0032 hrs IST, >> Mohammed Hanif >> >> Living in Pakistan and reading about it in the Indian press can >> sometimes be quite a disorienting experience: one wonders what place >> on earth they're talking about? I wouldn't be surprised if an Indian >> reader going through Pakistani papers has asked the same question in >> recent days. Here are some common assumptions about Pakistan and its >> citizens that I have come across in the Indian media... >> >> Pakistan controls the jihadis: Or Pakistan's government controls the >> jihadis. Or Pakistan Army controls the jihadis. Or ISI controls the >> jihadis. Or some rogue elements from the ISI control the Jihadis. >> Nobody knows the whole truth but increasingly it's the tail that wags >> the dog. We must remember that the ISI-Jihadi alliance was a marriage >> of convenience, which has broken down irrevocably. Pakistan army has >> lost more soldiers at the hands of these jihadis than it ever did >> fighting India. >> >> Musharraf was in control, Zardari is not: Let's not forget that >> General Musharraf seized power after he was fired from his job as the >> army chief by an elected prime minister. Musharraf first appeased >> jihadis, then bombed them, and then appeased them again. The country >> he left behind has become a very dangerous place, above all for its >> own citizens. There is a latent hankering in sections of the Indian >> middle class for a strongman. Give Manmohan Singh a military uniform, >> put all the armed forces under his direct command, make his word the >> law of the land, and he too will go around thumping his chest saying >> that it's his destiny to save India from Indians . Zardari will never >> have the kind of control that Musharraf had. But Pakistanis do not >> want another Musharraf. >> >> Pakistan, which Pakistan? For a small country, Pakistan is very >> diverse, not only ethnically but politically as well. General >> Musharraf's government bombed Pashtuns in the north for being >> Islamists and close to the Taliban and at the same time it bombed >> Balochs in the South for NOT being Islamists and for subscribing to >> some kind of retro-socialist, anti Taliban ethos. You have probably >> heard the joke about other countries having armies but Pakistan's army >> having a country. Nobody in Pakistan finds it funny. >> >> Pakistan and its loose nukes: Pakistan's nuclear programme is under a >> sophisticated command and control system, no more under threat than >> India or Israel's nuclear assets are threatened by Hindu or Jewish >> extremists. For a long time Pakistan's security establishment's other >> strategic asset was jihadi organisations, which in the last couple of >> years have become its biggest liability. >> >> Pakistan is a failed state: If it is, then Pakistanis have not >> noticed. Or they have lived in it for such a long time that they have >> become used to its dysfunctional aspects. Trains are late but they >> turn up, there are more VJs, DJs, theatre festivals, melas, and >> fashion models than a failed state can accommodate. To borrow a phrase >> from President Zardari, there are lots of non-state actors like Abdul >> Sattar Edhi who provide emergency health services, orphanages and >> shelters for sick animals. >> >> It is a deeply religious country: Every half-decent election in this >> country has proved otherwise. Religious parties have never won more >> than a fraction of popular vote. Last year Pakistan witnessed the >> largest civil rights movements in the history of this region. It was >> spontaneous, secular and entirely peaceful. But since people weren't >> raising anti-India or anti-America slogans, nobody outside Pakistan >> took much notice. >> >> All Pakistanis hate India: Three out of four provinces in Pakistan - >> Sindh, Baluchistan, NWFP - have never had any popular anti-India >> sentiment ever. Punjabis who did impose India as enemy-in-chief on >> Pakistan are now more interested in selling potatoes to India than >> destroying it. There is a new breed of al-Qaida inspired jihadis who >> hate a woman walking on the streets of Karachi as much as they hate a >> woman driving a car on the streets of Delhi. In fact there is not much >> that they do not hate: they hate America, Denmark, China CDs, barbers, >> DVDs , television, even football. Imran Khan recently said that these >> jihadis will never attack a cricket match but nobody takes him >> seriously. >> >> Training camps: There are militant sanctuaries in the tribal areas of >> Pakistan but definitely not in Muzaffarabad or Muridke, two favourite >> targets for Indian journalists, probably because those are the cities >> they have ever been allowed to visit. After all how much training do >> you need if you are going to shoot at random civilians or blow >> yourself up in a crowded bazaar? So if anyone thinks a few missiles >> targeted at Muzaffarabad will teach anyone a lesson, they should >> switch off their TV and try to locate it on the map. >> >> RAW would never do what ISI does: Both the agencies have had a >> brilliant record of creating mayhem in the neighbouring countries. >> Both have a dismal record when it comes to protecting their own >> people. There is a simple reason that ISI is a bigger, more notorious >> brand name: It was CIA's franchise during the jihad against the >> Soviets. And now it's busy doing jihad against those very jihadis. >> >> Pakistan is poor, India is rich: Pakistanis visiting India till the >> mid-eighties came back very smug. They told us about India's slums, >> and that there was nothing to buy except handicrafts and saris. Then >> Pakistanis could say with justifiable pride that nobody slept hungry >> in their country. But now, not only do people sleep hungry in both the >> countries, they also commit suicide because they see nothing but a >> lifetime of hunger ahead. A debt-ridden farmer contemplating suicide >> in Maharashtra and a mother who abandons her children in Karachi >> because she can't feed them: this is what we have achieved in our >> mutual desire to teach each other a lesson. >> >> The writer is the author of 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' >> >> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sunday_TOI/Ten_myths_about_Pakistan/articleshow/3932145.cms >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 04:01:54 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 22:31:54 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-29 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901041431i42e017deo3763348bce47620e@mail.gmail.com> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050426/asp/nation/story_4662351.asp The Telegraph Tuesday, April 26, 2005 Nobody?s children for Dhaka, residents for Delhi ALOKE TIKKU New Delhi, April 25: Indians will have to learn to live with illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. The government is coming round to the view that there is no way India can deport the immigrants to Bangladesh when Dhaka refuses to acknowledge them as its citizens. Officials say every time an illegal immigrant is refused Bangladeshi citizenship, international law and convention require that India let them stay on. They are not eligible for all the rights that an Indian citizen can claim but can continue to stay in India. Under the multipurpose national identity card scheme ? the pilot project has been delayed and is expected to be completed this year-end ? the government has decided to give them a resident card instead of a citizenship card. Technically, the officials say, once Dhaka disowns its nationals living in India, they become ?stateless?. International conventions require that they be allowed to live in the country where they are found till a decision is reached on their citizenship status. An official said the only other way to send them back to Bangladesh is to push them illegally through the border. Government officials have long conceded this is what the border forces do but the numbers have never been significant to make a difference. ?But it is rather uncivilised and not something that anyone ? on this side or that ? should be doing to deal with a problem involving human beings,? an official said, pointing out the best way to deal with the problem was to speed up erecting the border fence and strengthen policing. ?Everything else that the government says or does is to cater to its political constituency,? an official said, hinting at the Delhi police plan, once submitted to the high court, that promises to deport 100 Bangladeshi nationals every day. From 2001 to June last year, Delhi police claimed to have deported 12,200 people. The officials, however, concede that most of them would have come back through the porous border. ?Many of them, specially in a place like Delhi, treat it as a forced-but-paid holiday?. They only need to spend money on their return journey,? one of them said. The Border Security Force is fed up of managing hundreds of people whenever any state goes into overdrive to round up immigrants and sends them to the border for deportation proceedings. According to a group of ministers on national security, there were 1.2 crore Bangladeshi immigrants in the country in 2001 with 50 lakh in Assam alone. The UPA government has, however, rubbished this estimate, arguing that there is no basis for this figure. But it has acknowledged that the number is significant. It was this view in the government that prompted home minister Shivraj Patil to declare after the chief ministers? conference in Delhi last week that the problem of Bangladeshi immigrants had to be handled in a humane manner. Patil also pointed out that though the problem cannot be overlooked it is important not to blow it out of proportion. ?It should be looked at in the right perspective,? he declared after listening to seven chief ministers, including those of Bengal and Maharashtra, who had sought action from the Centre. Top From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 04:03:49 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 22:33:49 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-29 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901041433h1b8f36d3p4c3d418b91ef9b5d@mail.gmail.com> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050823/asp/nation/story_5136259.asp The Telegraph Tuesday, August 23, 2005 | Report taking shape amid infiltration buzz DEVADEEP PUROHIT Berhampore, Aug. 22: The Murshidabad district administration is in the final stages of preparing its report on the multipurpose national identity card project that should give some idea of the problem of infiltration in this border region. Over 2.55 lakh people in Murshidabad municipality and Murshidabad Jiaganj block were covered under the pilot project, the survey throwing up the alarming possibility that some 90 per cent of the population have failed to show proof of nationality according to any one of the 20-odd criteria. M.N. Prasad, the district magistrate of Murshidabad, said: "We are towards the end of the verification process in these two localities. We are yet to complete it for around 15,000 people and the report will be ready once we cover them." "Since the report is not ready, we are not in a position to comment on how many people could produce the documents. But the trend suggests that it will be around 30 per cent." Political parties dismiss suggestions of only 9-10 per cent of the population being able to provide some citizenship proof. "Since it is a border district, people presume infiltration is high in Murshidabad. But we are not aware of such infiltration," said Mannan Hossain, member of Parliament from Murshidabad. Though there is no comparable data for other districts, figures available from government sources suggest a high incidence of infiltration in Murshidabad. Population density in Murshidabad is around 1,100 against the state average of 902 and population in the district has grown by 23.7 per cent in the last decade. "These figures are not only high, but also growing with time and there is no doubt that infiltration is one of the reasons behind the numbers," said an official involved in the project, stressing the need for fencing the India-Bangladesh border. The demographic composition has changed, again indicating infiltration. "The percentage of the Hindu population came down from 44.6 in 1951 to 35.92 in 2001, while the Muslim population grew from 55.24 to 63.67 in the same period. These are known facts, but politicians prefer silence," the official added. Infiltration may be taking a heavy toll. Over 2.15 lakh people in the district ? the highest in the state ? are covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, showing the extent of poverty. The literacy rate is only 55 per cent and Murshidabad stands 15th among 17 districts ranked by a government-backed survey in terms of the human development index. While miseries have multiplied for the people, infiltration has created a political dimension. The number of Assembly seats in the state has increased from 19 to 22 in the constituency delimitation exercise. "That's why identity cards and fencing along the borders are a must in these areas," said a senior Border Security Force official. He stressed the importance of the ID card project, which has been rolled out to prepare a population register of over 3 million people. Id cards will be distributed to people possessing any of the 20-odd documents the government has specified as proof of Indian nationality. The two localities from Murshidabad are part of a Rs 20-crore nationwide pilot project covering bordering districts in 13 states. "Those with the documents will be included in the draft citizen register, while the citizenship of the rest will be in suspense and their names will feature in the draft register of residence. We will publish these registers," said Prasad. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 04:06:04 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 22:36:04 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-30 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901041436h741ed719ofc175d1cf71267ca@mail.gmail.com> http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/06/stories/2006120605460300.htm The Hindu Online edition of India's National Newspaper Wednesday, Dec 06, 2006 ePaper MNIC: Training programme inaugurated at Thiruvadanai Staff Reporter Verification process under way in Thondi and R.S. Mangalam town panchayats RAMANATHAPURAM: Chandrakant Kamble, Director (Census), has sought the cooperation of Thiruvadanai residents to complete the task of issuing Multipurpose National Identity Card (MNIC) to them. Speaking at the inauguration of a training programme for field-level staff, including Village Administrative Officers, at Thiruvadanai on Monday, he said the Central Government selected Thiruvadanai taluk for the pilot project to provide MNIC to all Indian citizens because of the good track record of this taluk in successfully implementing several pilot projects earlier. Mr. Kamle said that the final phase of work was important to prepare hundred per cent error-free list of Indian citizens. The people should meet the VAO, `Makkal Nala Panialarkal' or panchayat assistant to verify their name, family members' name and other details. If they found any error, they should immediately intimate the officials concerned with proper application forms. Awareness campaign Pamphlets, wallpapers, newspaper advertisements and others would be issued to create awareness among the people. Tom tom (tandora) and other public address system would also be used. Collector K.S. Muthuswaamy said that verification process was undertaken in Thondi and R.S. Mangalam town panchayats, 82 panchayats and two panchayat unions. Forty-six VAOs, 82 panchayat assistants and 82 `Makkal Nala Paniyalarkal' were also engaged in the work. And 306 teams were formed for the verification process. Village Administrative Officers were the custodians of these records. Mr. Muthuswaamy said officials such as Revenue Divisional Officer, tahsildar and deputy tahsildar would crosscheck the information in order to ensure accurate details. So far, 1,27,432 persons in Thiruvadanai taluk had been photographed for the MNIC and nearly 32,000 persons were to be photographed. Out of 1.81 lakh verified persons, records produced by 1.67 lakh were found to be valid. About 14,000 documents were proved to be invalid proof. He said those who had not produced documents such as birth certificate and land record could arrange individual affidavits. It would be accepted as a valid record. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 04:08:47 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 22:38:47 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-31 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901041438j2b3a69ccoa573f67110a96b63@mail.gmail.com> http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=6758 PIB Thursday, January 27, 2005 National Conference of Chief Registrars of Births and Deaths begins STATES ASKED TO CONTINUOUSLY MONITOR SEX RATIO 12:57 IST The Centre has asked the states to continuously monitor the sex ratio at birth so that the practice of prenatal sex determination and sex related abortions could be checked effectively. Inaugurating the Annual National Conference of the Chief Registrars of Births & Deaths here today, the Home Minister, Shri Shivraj Patil drew attention to the deteriorating sex ratio as revealed by the 2001 Census and said that the trend is disturbing. From 945 girls per 1000 boys in the age group 0-6 in 1991, the child sex ratio declined to 927 girls per 1000 boys in the 2001 census. 31 States and Union Territories covering 477 districts registered a decline in the child sex ratio in the 2001 census. The number of districts where the child sex ratio is below 900 increased from 69 in 1991 to 118 in 2001. Shri Patil said that this is reflective of the practice of female foeticide and even infanticide. The Home Minister expressed concern that even after 30 years of implementation of the Registration of Births & Deaths Act, 1969 under which registration of both births and deaths is compulsory, about half of these vital events are not being registered. He said that the States should preferably hand over the work of registration of births and deaths to Panchayats. He observed that when the country is poised to become one of the major economic powers in the world, it could ill-afford to have a system of vital statistics that did not capture cent percent births and deaths. Shri Patil stressed the need to make use of IT for the purpose of improving birth and death registration and assured all support to the states in this effort. Earlier, in his presentation on the status of birth and death registration, the Registrar General of India, Shri D.K. Sikri indicated that about 57% of the births and 51% of the deaths only were being registered in the country. He pointed out that issuing a birth certificate free of charge on registration of the birth was mandatory under the law but was not taking place in many parts of the country. The National Campaign on Issue of Birth Certificates launched by the President of India on 14th November 2003 has resulted in more than 3.04 crore birth certificates being issued during one year. The Government of India and UNICEF would be supporting the State governments for improving the registration system so that the target of 100% registration by 2010 set by the National Population Policy 2000 could be achieved. The Conference would review the working of the Civil Registration System in the States to find out ways and means to improve the levels of registration of births and deaths so that the target of 100% registration could be achieved within the stipulated time. The Conference would discuss monitoring of sex ratio at birth based on registration records; ensuring the issue of birth/death certificates free of charge on registration within 21 days; standardization of birth/death certificate formats so that they have a similar design across the country; computerization of Civil Registration System so as to improve citizen services; implementation of Medical Certification of Causes of Death so as to collect high quality data on the underlying causes of death; and issues relating to updating of the Population Register through birth and death registers in the areas where pilot project on Multipurpose National Identity Card is being implemented. The Chief Registrars of Births & Deaths of various States, Principal Secretaries/Secretaries in charge of the Civil Registration System in some States, representatives of UNICEF and officials of the Office of the Registrar General, India and Directorates of Census Operations are attending the two day conference. OK/ 270105 - RGI From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 04:10:46 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 22:40:46 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-32 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901041440u10a440dan935c71f135f27ce2@mail.gmail.com> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050318/asp/nation/story_4507832.asp The Telegraph Friday, March 18, 2005 | Nation at a Glance Apex court notice on migrant law New Delhi: Deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants took an all-India hue with the Supreme Court directing the Centre to file its reply on issuing multi-purpose national identity cards to all citizens and extending the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, especially to Delhi and Bengal, reports our legal correspondent. The state of Bengal and a petitioner from Delhi had filed pleas seeking a directive to the Centre to extend the Illegal Migrants Act to their states. The court also asked the Centre to file an action taken report on the 1998 submission of the Assam governor that continued influx of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants had altered the demography of the region. A three-judge bench of Chief Justice R.C. Lahoti and Justices G.P. Mathur and P.K. Balasubramanyan sought an action taken report on creating and updating the National Citizenship Register, pending since 1951. The creation of the register was a major aspect of the Assam accord. The All India Lawyers Forum for Civil Liberties, Asom Gana Parishad MP Sarabananda Sonowal and Ramesh Borpatra Gohain from Assam had filed petitions seeking a directive to deport the Bangladeshis. The state of Bengal, the Jamait Ulama-e-Hind of Assam, and Abu Hanif of Delhi filed petitions opposing the plea and seeking a directive to continue with the Illegal Migrants Act and extend it to other states. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 04:13:07 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 22:43:07 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-33 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901041443r7e6eb3dbs27d77795b79fd840@mail.gmail.com> http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/full_story.php?content_id=84350 Columns Indian Express Wednesday, December 21, 2005 India connected, India Empowered A billion people and perhaps as many problems. But we have the technology and the talent APJ ABDUL KALAM E-Governance grid I visualise an election scenario, where a candidate files his nomination from a particular constituency. Immediately the election officer verifies his/her authenticity from the national citizen ID database through multifactor authentication, through a multipurpose citizen ID card. His education credentials come from the university records. His track record of employment comes from various employers with whom he had worked. His income and wealth resources come from the income-tax department, and other sources. His property record comes from the registration of land authority across the country. His credit history comes from various credit institutions like banks. His/her civic consciousness and citizenship behaviour comes from the police crime record. His legal track records come from the judicial system. All the details arrive at the computer terminal of the election officer within a few seconds automatically by the act of e-governance software agents which crawls across the various state and central government web services directories through the network grid and collects the information automatically and presents the facts in real-time without any bias. Artificial intelligence software analyses his credentials and gives a rating on how successful he will be as a politician. The election officer sitting at the remote block of the country decides on the spot and the election process starts. The voters vote from home through virtual polling booths. From prabhatkumar250 at gmail.com Mon Jan 5 04:21:41 2009 From: prabhatkumar250 at gmail.com (prabhat kumar) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 23:51:41 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] On WHITE TIGER and SES OF POPPIES Message-ID: <418f44e20901041451x457a57e4pd2210ab761f11aba@mail.gmail.com> *Oceans Apart* *Kalpana Wilson* 'The wind had fallen off, so there was not a fleck of white visible on the surface, and with the afternoon sun glaring down, the water was as dark and still as the cloak of shadows that covers the opening of an abyss. Like the others around her, Deeti stared in stupefaction: it was impossible to think of this as water at all - for water surely needed a boundary, a rim, a shore, to give it shape and hold it in place? This was a firmament, like the night sky, holding the vessel aloft as if it were a planet or a star.' *- Sea of Poppies* At first glance completely antithetical – *The White Tiger *and *Sea of Poppies*, both shortlisted for this year's Booker Prize, share some common features and themes. Both begin in apparently isolated closed boundaried settings of villages in the plains of Bihar and eastern UP. And in both, this is a starting point for physical and metaphorical journeys across a world shaped by capitalist globalisation. In both the transformations wrought by these processes are subjected to a bitterly critical gaze. Here however the similarity ends. One might assume that Adiga's short (if not very sharp) tale of a Bihari driver's experiences in 21st century Delhi, contemporary in subject and self-consciously innovative in form - has more immediacy for left and progressive readers than Ghosh's panoramic and classically constructed novel of 19th century migration to Mauritius. But reading both books leaves one with the inescapable feeling that whereas *The White Tiger* is designed to be all too superficial and ultimately palatable in its portrayal of the (apparently specifically Indian) inequalities of globalisation, *Sea of Poppies* raises, and powerfully sustains, much more fundamental questions about the nature of the expansion of capitalism, through its subtle and highly evocative narration of the experiences and emotions of a range of characters, and also gives one clues as to why it was Adiga's book which was chosen to win the prestigious Booker Prize. Written as a series of letters from a Bangalore-based 'Indian entrepreneur' to the Chinese premier, *The White Tiger* is the story of Munna, born in a village in Gaya district, the son of a rickshaw puller and a mother who is soon to die of TB. Having been allocated the more 'respectable' name of Balram at school, he is dubbed 'White Tiger' - 'the creature that comes along only once in a generation' by a visiting inspector of schools who marks him out as a rare example of 'an intelligent honest vivacious fellow'. But Balram's education is soon cut short when he is taken out of school to work in a tea shop as part of the conditions of a loan his family takes from one of the village landlords to meet the expenses of his cousin sister's wedding. By shrewdly listening in on the conversations of customers, Balram gathers that his best option is to become a driver, an ambition he doggedly pursues. Seeking employment in Dhanbad, he is taken on as 'Number Two Driver' and all-round servant by the same landlord. Quite soon (having dispatched driver number one by threatening to expose his Muslim background) he is on his way to Delhi as driver to the younger son of the family, the liberal, cosseted Ashok, newly returned from America, and his wife Pinky. Ashok's main activity in Delhi turns out to be to bribe various ministers and politicians on behalf of the family's illicit coal business – and as Balram drives him to these assignations interspersed with endless trips to malls, restaurants and nightclubs, he becomes increasingly aware that 'these days, there are just two castes: Men with Big Bellies, and Men with Small Bellies. And only two destinies: eat – or get eaten up'. With a series of events compounding Balram's awareness of the material and psychological barriers preventing him crossing from one group to the other, and an arrogantly oblivious Ashok leaving him in charge of ever greater sums of bribe money, the stage is set for Balram to murder his employer and flee to Bangalore with the 'red bag' of cash. Having established his own successful business, he sets out to explain with obvious irony, 'how entrepreneurship is born, nurtured and developed in this, the glorious twenty-first century of man. The century, more specifically, of the *yellow* and the *brown* man.' *The White Tiger* veers between detailed and highly specific descriptions of the world Balram enters as a servant in Gurgaon, and a crudely simplified code used to describe the world he leaves behind in Bihar – lower castes become 'Pigherders', a powerful and corrupt politician, possibly intended as an amalgam of Laloo and Mulayam, is 'the Great Socialist' (he is a 'pigherder' too) and most tellingly, the entire Gangetic plain is referred to simply as 'the Darkness'. Of course, the tactic of caricaturing and renaming has been used effectively in many political satires – particularly under conditions of censorship and repression - but *The White Tiger* lacks the sharpness and accuracy to be one of them. Rather, it seems to be mainly in order to make his book more 'accessible' to Western readers that Adiga has simplified to this extent – an impression which is intensified by the fact that he translates even proper names, however incongruous the results: Balram's grandmother is referred to as 'Kusum Granny'; an older stranger is addressed as 'Muslim uncle'. In any case, Adiga's own disdain for political distinctions is clear – and is very much in tune with the metropolitan elite's view of Bihar. Thus the 'Great Socialist's party is shown sloganeering not about 'social justice' but 'stand up to the rich', the landlords form a party called the All India Social Progressive Front (Leninist Faction) and 'Naxals' main activity is kidnapping the children of the rich. It is perhaps not surprising then that there is little in the descriptions of Balram's early life which evoke any sense of place: this is very much Bihar-by-numbers, with set-pieces such as the description of vote rigging or of the hospital devoid of doctors where Balram's father dies. Tellingly, the most convincing observations are those which a traveller passing though might make from the road: the village bus-stand, for example. The characters too are seen through the lens of an outsider – Balram's father is described as a man with a sense of dignity 'despite' being a rickshaw puller, 'a human beast of burden'. But this is shown by the fact that he chooses to remain standing while waiting for long hours rather than squatting 'hunched over' on the ground which, apparently, is 'the posture common to servants in every part of India'. One cannot help wondering if servants are perhaps the only people Adiga has met who find such a position comfortable! While Balram retains some affection for his father and his elder brother Kishan, the women of his large extended family, led by his hypocritical, grasping grandmother, are portrayed as parasitically driving the men to premature death – they are described as 'pouncing' on the men who return home with their earnings as migrant labourers 'like wildcats on a slab of flesh', more concerned with feeding the family buffalo than the men of the household, and responsible for forcing the boys of the family into child labour and the young men into early marriage for the sake of dowry. When Balram returns home to find Kishan 'thinner, and darker….' he imagines that instead of chicken the women 'had served me flesh from Kishan's own body on that plate.' While it could be argued that the misogyny is Balram's rather than Adiga's, the author clearly shares his protagonist's distorted perception that women of all classes only consume. Why else, for example, are there no women in the world of domestic servants in Delhi – where are all the maids and ayahs, so many of whom have also migrated to Delhi from Bihar and Jharkhand to work? Ultimately, Balram's family's poverty is explained all too stereotypically in terms of the joint family system, too many children, a penchant for lavish weddings – and with so little depth to his personal history, he inevitably remains a superficial character. Once installed in an upmarket apartment block in Gurgaon, however, Adiga is clearly on more familiar ground, and in fact the portrayal of Balram's employer Ashok, seen through his driver's eyes, is much more complex and credible. America-returned Ashok is attached to his self-image as more liberal and caring than his feudal father and brother, expressing concern over Balram's cockroach-infested living quarters and appreciating his (mostly faked) religiosity. Many of Adiga's readers, particularly NRIs, might recognise something of themselves in this – as where he demands '"Take me to the kind of place you go to eat, Balram" "Sir?" "I'm sick of the food I eat, Balram. I'm sick of the life I lead. We rich people, we've lost our way, Balram…" I ordered okra, cauliflower, radish, spinach, and *dhal*. Enough to feed a whole family, or one rich man. He ate and burped and ate some more. "This food is fantastic. And just twenty-five rupees! You people eat so well!"' The dispensability of Ashok's principles is brought home when he agrees to his family's scheme to make Balram take the rap after his wife Pinky drunkenly runs over and kills a child on the road. Much of the second half of the book focuses in on the relationship between 'servant' and 'master', a relationship which grows increasingly obsessive on Balram's side. Adiga seems to intend this as a metaphor for the current Indian economic model – and there is much emphasis on the increasing polarisation between rich and poor (which, according to Balram, has rendered all previously existing barriers of caste, community and gender obsolete!). But the India presented in *The White Tiger* has been denuded not only of its vast and varied middle class, but also its working class – people who have to wait for buses are all servants in the houses of the rich - or destitute pavement dwellers; Delhi's call centre workers are all the daughters of the rich. By doing this - and by embodying the poor in Balram - a man apparently without human ties of any kind, inextricably bound to his employer, and only desiring (literally) to become Ashok - Adiga avoids and elides any question of the possibility of challenges to the model itself.[image: the white tiger] In fact, despite the references to economic polarisation, it soon becomes clear that it is not capitalist globalisation, but only the specifically Indian version which Adiga has a problem with. Much is made of Balram's notion of the Rooster Coop – a system where 'a handful of men in this country have trained the remaining 99.9 per cent – as strong, as talented, as intelligent in every way – to exist in perpetual servitude'. That *The White Tiger* is reassuring fare for those who are merely uncomfortable with the idea of Indian competition in global markets is confirmed by the comments of Michael Portillo, head of the Booker Prize judges and erstwhile Conservative minister in the British government, that the book exposes 'the dark side' of India's 'economic miracle' and reviews like that in *Time *Magazine (Adiga's own ex-employer) which was titled somewhat gloatingly 'The Death of the Indian Dream'. And if Adiga's message – that a poor 'entrepreneur' can only make it from rags to riches via murder – might imply at least a healthy cynicism about capitalist 'dreams' in general, even this cynicism turns to sentimentality towards the end of the book, where Balram opines 'The moment you recognise what is beautiful in this world, you stop being a slave…If you taught every poor boy how to paint, that would be the end of the rich in India.' Where Adiga simplifies and translates (both linguistically and conceptually) for a target audience, Amitav Ghosh in *Sea of Poppies *does the opposite: he immerses us in a vast and diverse ocean of overlapping languages, experiences and subjectivities. Yet the attention to details gathered from extensive research, and more importantly the sensitivity, depth and dynamism of Ghosh's writing seems to convey the very texture of the lives he describes. This ensures that the reader identifies effortlessly with a half-dozen central characters, notably Deeti, a young woman widowed by opium addiction in a Bhojpur ravaged by forced poppy cultivation, who is now on the run from her Rajput in-laws, Zachary Reid, an African American ship's carpenter, the son of a freed slave woman who finds himself making his way in a rigidly racialised world by passing as white, Paulette Lambert, the unconventional daughter of a French Jacobin raised in Calcutta and struggling to fit into English colonial high society, and Neel Rattan Halder, an unworldly Bengali aristocrat oblivious to the fact that he is about to lose everything he possesses at the hands of a British opium trader and the colonial judiciary. Set in 1838, *Sea of Poppies*' key motif – which gives its name to the trilogy of which this book is the first part - is the Ibis, a ship until recently used to transport human beings from Africa to work as slaves on European owned cotton and sugar plantations and now, in the wake of the abolition of the slave trade, and under new owner Benjamin Burnham, a corrupt Calcutta based opium trader and evangelist Christian, preparing to transport indentured labourers - 'girmitiyas' - from the plains and hills of eastern India to the plantations of Mauritius instead. As migrants, convicts sentenced to transportation, lascars, guards and officers, the lives of the book's many characters become inextricably intertwined on board the Ibis. The Ibis sets sail from Calcutta on the eve of the First Opium War, in which Britain attacked China to enforce what Ghosh himself has called 'the biggest drug trading operation in the history of the world' in which opium, produced from white poppies grown under conditions of colonial coercion by peasants across eastern India was forced on the people of China by the British in a hugely profitable triangular trade. Through the British characters, Ghosh highlight the tensions and shifts within colonial strategy in this pre-1857 period – the self-righteous triumphalism of Burnham and his associates in justifying the impending war on China in the name of spreading 'civilisation' and Christianity, so reminiscent of the run-up to the invasion of Iraq ('it cannot be denied that there are times when war is not merely just and necessary, but also humane. In China that time has come') is questioned by Captain Chillingworth, the opium-smoking Englishman who is to command the Ibis. Chillingworth favours the approach of preserving 'native' customs – but the reality of what this means becomes all too clear at sea when the upper caste feudal violence of the Subedar in charge of guarding the migrants, Bhyro Singh, is directly sanctioned. While this is quite nuanced, the fact that the British characters are mainly seen through the eyes of Indians, or other 'outsiders' like Zachary and Paulette has predictably attracted the hostility of some British reviewers. Notably, William Dalrymple, the British Empire's current apologist-in-chief, has described the book as reproducing 'a world familiar from Bollywood movies' in which 'the Indian characters are invariably drawn vulnerable and big-hearted, while the English are uniformly unfeeling brutes', before condescendingly dubbing it a 'masterpiece of anti-imperial fiction'. This drew an uncharacteristically sharp response from Ghosh in an interview for * The* *Hindu*: "… every character in my book is deeply flawed...It seems to me that he does not want to recognise what his countrymen once did… You think these slave traders and drug lords were also nice people? It makes you think that his whole project is to sort of whitewash the past." This project is of course not solely Dalrymple's, but has become increasingly dominant with advocates from Gordon Brown to Manmohan Singh enthusiastically espousing the rehabilitation of the British imperialism of the past even while consolidating the contemporary American-led version. *Sea of Poppies* counters this project with passion, humour and meticulous research, and conveys how lives were shaped not only by the racism and cruelty of the British colonial enterprise but the globalised economic processes of capital accumulation which it developed and sustained. [image: sea of poppies] In fact, the novel navigates not only specifically British colonialism but all the currents and counter-currents of mid-19th century globalisation. 'The tide was beginning to sweep in, and the Hooghly had filled with sails, as ships and boats hurried to take their berths or to stand out to mid-channel. From where he lay, on the slats of his gently rocking dinghy, Jodu could imagine that the world had turned itself upside down, so that the river had become the sky, crowded with banks of cloud; if you narrowed your eyes, you might almost think that the ships' masts and spars were bolts of lightning, forking through the billowing sails….Looking across the river Jodu could count the flags of a dozen kingdoms and countries: Genoa, the Two Sicilies, France, Prussia, Holland, America, Venice. He had learnt to recognise them from Putli…she knew stories about the places from which they came…nurturing his desire to see the roses of Basra and the port of Chin-kalan…' One of its central themes is the transformation of identity within these processes, and the contingency of identity itself. On board the Ibis, almost everyone is in the process of becoming someone else – out of choice or compulsion. Deeti must abandon her caste identity and embrace that of Kalua, the dalit cart-driver whose life is intertwined with hers and who becomes her husband; the Bengali speaking Paulette poses as a Brahmin's daughter in order to gain a place on the ship; Jodu, the young Bengali Muslim boatman who shared Paulette's childhood, is also on board, yearning to become a fully-fledged lascar; Zachary must continue to go along with the assumptions that he is a white man even when the analogies between the treatment of the indentured migrants and the slavery his mother was born into become impossible to escape; Neel has been turned into a convict with his crime tattooed on his forehead: hearing the Bhojpuri songs of the migrants in the quarters adjoining his cell, as the ship is about to enter the open sea, he suddenly remembers the language he learnt as a small child from the retainer who cared for him. 'Slowly, as the women's voices grew in strength and confidence, the men forgot their quarrels: at home too, during village weddings, it was always the women who sang when the bride was torn from her parents' embrace – it was as if they were acknowledging, through their silence, that they, as men, had no words to describe the pain of the child who is exiled from home. *Kaisé katé ab* *Birahá ki ratiyã?* *(How will it pass* *This night of parting?')* At the same time, the novel's portrayal of feudal patriarchal abuse and violence through the experiences of Deeti and Kalua both in Bhojpur and on board the Ibis is chillingly familiar from much more recent events, reminding us that as significant as the transformative impacts of global capitalism are the pre-existing power relations that it sustains and incorporates. Sea of Poppies conveys the meaning of both these processes in a way which has inescapable contemporary resonance. Perhaps most memorable of all is the emergence of new forms of collective consciousness and new possibilities: 'But aren't you afraid, she said, of losing caste? Of crossing the Black Water, and being on a ship with so many sorts of people? Not at all, the girl replied, in a tone of unalloyed certainty. On a boat of pilgrims, no-one can lose caste and everyone is the same…From now on, and forever afterwards, we will all be ship-siblings – *jaházbhais* and * jaházbahens* – to each other. There'll be no differences between us. This answer was so daring, so ingenious, as fairly to rob the women of their breath. Not in a lifetime of thinking, Deeti knew, would she have stumbled on an answer so complete, so satisfactory, and so thrilling in its possibilities. In the glow of the moment, she did something she would never have done otherwise: she reached out to take the stranger's hand in her own. Instantly, in emulation of her gesture, every other woman reached out too, to share in this communion of touch.' -- Prabhat Kumar Ph.D. Student, Department of History, South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 330, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Mobile: 00 49 17685050077 FAX: 00 49 06221 546381. From swakkhyar at gmail.com Mon Jan 5 09:53:11 2009 From: swakkhyar at gmail.com (swakkhyar deka) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 09:53:11 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: SUSPECT:-old baby raped...pls read and sign In-Reply-To: References: <87a82c340901012056g660f5013id7a3413d148b8f2@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <99ca36500901042023u180adbbcpd2fd3d501c9ad5e3@mail.gmail.com> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Suchira Nandi Purkayastha Date: Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 11:57 PM Subject: Fwd: SUSPECT:-old baby raped...pls read and sign To: prantick majumder , prantick majumder < prantick_majumder at yahoo.co.in>, pallavi_assam , payel chakrabarti , uttam pegu , priyadarshinee nath , peroshj at gmail.com, elora baruah , egocentricme at mail.com, sandipan sengupta , sraboni kar , chanda singh , SAGNIK CHAKRAVARTTY < sagnik.chakravartty at gmail.com>, SABAH AL-AHMED < sabahalahmed23 at rediffmail.com>, sapan borah , sharma siva , Laxmi Saikia , shamik chakraborty , Sudarshan Borpatragohain < sudarshan.borpatragohain at gmail.com>, "swakkhyar ...shitting high in transit" , suranjeeta hasnu , Samarjeet Borah , stuti goswami , "sandipabiswas at gmail.com" , tandrali das < tandrali.das15 at gmail.com>, taraknath das , barnali biswas , bhubanb chetia , blissmedha , jubi borkakoti , jayeeta - duttaroy , dipul ramchiary < dipul.ramchiary at gmail.com>, dhirmandeep , Nandini Dutta , jetendra roy , ratnadeep choudhury , joby cherian ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: dorodi Date: Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 6:56 PM Subject: Fwd: SUSPECT:-old baby raped...pls read and sign To: ankita s , anurodh agrawal , Bhargav Phukan , Taking a break 4m orkut < farhana.th at gmail.com>, amby gautam , aneesharanjan at gmail.com, Pankaj Baruah , Suchira Nandi Purkayastha , nabinsarmah at gmail.com, prantick majumder , s , parik21 at yahoo.co.in, parineeta81 at gmail.com, Kalpita Pandit < kalpita.haz at gmail.com>, madhurjyalahkar at gmail.com, bidisha singha < bidisha.singha at gmail.com>, Laxmi Saikia , Dimpy Kalita , sanjit gupta , simantik dowerah , sachin gogoi < gagesmax at yahoo.co.in> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: arie aru Date: Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 10:26 AM Subject: Fwd: SUSPECT:-old baby raped...pls read and sign To: amby gautam , amitjee at gmail.com, amnamirza2002 at yahoo.com, Angela Singh , Nilakshi Barooah , "rolimehrotra1112 at gmail.com" , sravasti datta , divyachandhok83 at gmail.com, dorodi.sharma at gmail.com ast week a 3 year old girl in South Africa was beaten and raped . She is still alive. The man responsible was released on bail yesterday. He is walking the streets . If you are too busy to read this then just sign your name and forward this on. This is a very important petition. It is an essential part of the justice system for children. You may have already heard that there's a myth in South Africa that having sex with a virgin will cure AIDS . The younger the virgin, the more potent the cure. This has led to an epidemic of rapes by infected males, with the correspondent infection of innocent kids. Many have died in these cruel rapes. Recently in Cape Town , a 9-month-old baby was raped by 6 men . Please think about that for a moment. The child abuse situation is now reaching catastrophic proportions and if we don't do something, then who will? Kindly add your name to the bottom of the list and please pass this on to as many people as you know. If you are signature no.: 1000 - please forward the mail-list to childprotectpca at saps.org.za Please don't be complacent, do something about the kids of South Africa .. You can make a difference. That child is fighting for life. This is just 1 of the million cases of child abuse, so please pledge your support and help keep CPU (CHILD PROTECTION UNIT) open. Please give your support to the petition and ensure that it goes to as many people as possible. Please don't just leave it, make a difference . In order to write your name copy this message and paste it in a new mail (compose). Or click on forward and add your name to the list and send it on to others. Again, if you are number 1000 please send this to:childprotectpca at saps.org.za 01 - Jackson Kennedy ( Australia ) 02 - Eugenie Knight Draper ( Australia ) 03 - George Spiteri ( Australia ) 04 - Susie Dureau ( Australia ) 05 - Tim McCarthy ( Australia ) 06 - Megan Gleeson ( Australia ) 07 - Susie Gleeson Byrne ( China ) 08 - Fiona Darrigan( China ) 09 - Elizabeth Hyland ( Dubai UAE) 10 - Margaret Winstanley ( Australia ) 11 - Kate Williams ( Hong Kong ) 12 - Shari Boyanton( England ) 13 - ayelet shariv ( Israel ) 14 - Inbar Goren ( Israel ) 15 - Dafna Gal ( Israel ) 16 - Ruth Moushinsky( Israel ) 17 - Aviv Moneta ( Israel ) 18 - Becky leinwand ( Israel ) 19 - Frances Derhy ( Israel ) 20 - Merav Hernando ( Israel ) 21 - talia Schneider ( Israel ) 22 - Sharon Aviv ( Israel ) 23 - Liora Engler ( Australia ) 24 - Abigail Fry ( England ) 25 - Robyn Elmslie ( Australia ) 26 - Stephanie Fuller ( Hong Kong ) 27 - Tanya Burrows( Australia ) 28 - Martha E Morrison ( Australia ) 29 - Gordon Pears (NSW Australia ) 30 - Patricia Pears (NSW Australia 31 - Bette Bishop(NSW Australia ) 32 - Vaeda van Lieshout ( Victoria , Australia ) 33 - Zac Oldfield ( Vic , Australia ) 34 - Julie Woodberry ( Vic , Australia ) 35 - Patrick Rigby ( Vic , Australia ) 36 - Joshua Rigby ( Vic , Australia ) 37 - lesa woodberry( vic.aus) 38 - Tania Pantalleresco ( Vic , Australia ) 39 - Abbi Fendyk ( Australia ) 40 - Angela Lancerotto ( Australia ) 41 - Nicole Grech ( Australia ) 42 - Rochelle Many ( Australia ) 43 - Melissa de Leo ( Australia ) 44 - Shereen Santiago ( Australia ) 45 - Lisa Vella ( Australia ) 46 - Simon Smithson 47 - Renay D'Amico ( Australia ) 48 - John Green ( London , UK 49 - Sandra Powell ( London UK ) 50 - Charlene Jones ( Perth , Australia ) 51 - Helen Stathakis ( Perth , Australia ) 52 - Anna Rogers ( Perth , Australia ) 53 - Helen Barwick ( Perth , Australia ) 54 - kerry summerton [ Adelaide Australia ] 55 - Kadina Gregory ( South Australia ) 56 - Fillmore Family ( South Australia ) 57 - E Stiesch ( South Australia ) 58 - K Craig ( Australia ) 59 - E Cleveland ( Victoria , Australia ) 60 - S Flanagan ( Australia ) 61- M.Gliddon( Australia ) 62 - J Gliddon ( Australia ) 63 - R Maher (Australia ) 64 - L Morrison ( Australia ) 65 - P Woods ( Australia ) 66-C Morrison Australia ) 67 - S Morrison ( Australia ) 68 - J Morrison (Australia ) 69 - R Woods ( Australia ) 70 - T Draper ( Australia 71 -L Gentle ( Australia ) 72 - Campton ( Australia ) 73 - J Beale (Australia ) 74 - L Malamoo-Jib ( Australia ) 75 - R.Backo ( Australia ) 76 â?'Raymond D. BLANCO ( AUSTRALIA ) 77 - B.Toby ( Australia ) 78 - Annie Webster (Australia ) 79 - Maz Clarke ( Australia ) 80 - Jenny Cooper(Australia 81 - russell Cooper( Australia ) 82 - Ben CooperAustralia) 83 â?' Lauren Smith ( Australia ) 84 - Tess Hynes ( Australia ) 85 - Casey Symonds (Australia ) 86 - Claudia Beinhoff ( United Kingdom ) 87 - Kerry Weddell (South Africa ) 88 - Daina Dyball ( Australia ) 89 - Christen Allen (Australia ) 90 - Alira Hayward ( Australia ) 91 - Lenore Hayward (Australia ) 92 - Jordan Toomey ( Australia ) 93 - Kayt Howe ( Australia) 94 - Kerstin Thuresson ( Australia ) 95 - Marie Tatters 97 - John Ross Australia ) 98 - Susan Ross ( Australia ) 99 - Gloria Grant Australia) 100 - Grant ( Australia ) 101 - Vicki Remington Australia ) 102 - Melanie Close ( Australia ) 103 - Lyn Shepherd ( Australia ) 104 - Judith Cassells ( Australia ) 105 - Isabel Boura ( Australia ) 106 - Ester Pereira ( South Africa ) 107 - Helder Pereira ( South Africa ) 108 - Antolia Mabokela ( South Africa ) 109 - Ed Viana ( South Africa ) 110 - Carlos Bello ( Maputo Mozambique ) 111 - Joao Ruas (Maputo-Mozambique) 112 - Sara Americano (Maputo-Mozambique) 113 - S?f³nia Timana (Maputo-Mozambique) 114 - Eugenia Comissal (Maputo-Mozambique) 115 - David Nhancume (Maputo-Mozambique) 116 - Maria Ant?f³nia Barros ( Maputo - Mozambique ) 117 - Francisca Ibrahimo Da Silva ( Maputo - Mo?f§ambique) 118-Millie Whitehead ( Maputo ) 119 - Renï¢??EBooysen 120 - SonjamVenter ( Mozambique , Maputo ) 121 - Nahida Karimo ( Maputo ) 122 - L Pereira ( Mozambique ) 123 - Guambe, ( Maputo ) 124 - Costa, Liliana ( Maputo , Mozambique ) 125 - Guimar?f£es, Helu?a Maputo , Mozambique ) 126 - Em?ia Tembe ( Maputo Mo ?f§ambique) 127 - RAUL ALMEIDA - Maputo 128 - Latif, Abubacar A. - Maputo/Mozambique 129 - Teresa Ferr?f£o - Mozambique 130 - Rosa Maria 131 - Nhancolo, Odete( Maputo , Mozambique ) 132 - Estev?f£o Chumaio 133 - GAWANA MBAZIMA(MAPUTO-MOZAMBIQUE) 134 - Pioris, Te?f³filo(Maputo-Mozambique) 134 - Inocencia M.F.C.Cantengo(Maputo-Mozambique) 135 - Ubisse,I(Maputo-Mozambique) 136 - SALOMAO MUIANGA ( MAPUTO CITY ) 137 - [SANDRA ELIZABETE MACARINGUE MAPUTO/MOZAMBIQUE] 138 - OTILIA ROGERIO BEMBELE - MAPUTO / MO?f???AMBIQUE 139 - Bernardo -MAPUTO/MO?f???AMBIQUE 140 - Leonor Sheila Pene'wuda'(Mpto-Mocambique) 141 - FATIMA MAPUTO-MOZAMBIQUE) 142 - Samuel Uamusse ( Maputo , Mozambique ) 143 - Sandra Caniat Karimo ( Maputo , Mozambique ) 144 - Lutfe Karimo ( Maputo , Mozambique ) 145 - Kayla Caniat Karimo ( Maputo , Mozambique ) 146 - Kyandra Caniat Karimo ( Maputo , Mozambique ) - Monica Vasconcelos Roberts 148 - Eric Vasconcelos Roberts 149 - Andre Vasconcelos Roberts 150 - M?f¡rio Filipe Guimar?f£es ( Brazil ) 151 - Claudia Ferreira ( Brazil ) 152 - Deborah Cunha ( Brazil ) 153 - Acyr Luz ( Brazil ) 154 - Maria Eduarda Guimar?f£es ( Brazil ) 155 - Leandro Quadros ( Brazil ) 156 - Priscila da Luz Guimar?f£es( Brazil ) 157 - ï¢??ESarah Issï¢??E( Maputo - Mo?f§ambique) 158 - ï¢??EPaulo Cam?fµes (Maputo-Mo?f§ambique) 159 - ï¢??EMaria Teresa Cam?fµes (Maputo-Mo?f§ambique) 160 - ï¢??EJosï¢??ECam?fµes ( Maputo - Mo?f§ambique) 161 - ï¢EDalila Nordine Maputo-Mo?f§ambique) 162 - ï¢??EEus?fÂÂ(c)bio Abdulla(Chimoio-Mo?f§ambique) 163 - Tina NYOMBO ( Angola - Luanda ) 164 - Bern ?ia da Flora NYOMBO (Angola-Luanda) 165 - Vanda Soares ( Luanda - Angola ) 167 - Andreza Vasconcelos (Luanda-Angola) 168 - ?f'ngela Chagas ( Luanda - Angola ) 169 - Fernanda IZATA ( Luanda - Angola ) 170 - Malvina Teixeira(NY-USA) 171 - ï¢??EANTONIO IZATA ( Luanda - Angola ) 172 - Ulisses da Cruz Luanda - Angola ) 173 - Josï¢??EAlexandre de Oliveira ( Belgium ) 174 - Beto Figueiredo ( U.K. ) 175 - ï¢??EMANUEL LEMOS DA SILVA LUANDA-ANGOLA) 176 - ï¢??EZulmira Gon?f§alves (Benguela-Angola) 177 - Rayssa Peairo ( Angola ) 178 - ï¢??EEM?f??LIO SILVEIRA F. MESQUITA (BENGUELA??EANGOLA) 179 - ï¢??EMathias Louren?f§o ( Luanda ï¢??EANGOLA) 180 - ï¢??ECarlos Cepeda ( Luanda Angola ) 181 - ï¢??EN?f¡dia Cruz ( Luanda ï¢??EAngola) 182 - ï¢??ETidiane Nahary ( Luandaï¢??EAngola 183 - ï¢??EVanessa Jackson( USA ) 184 - Walter Afonso ( Luanda Angola ) 185 - Paulo Maria Francisco ( In Luanda , Republic of Angola 186 - ï¢??ELopes do Nascimento (In Benfica-Luanda, Republicm of Angola ) 187 - Tony Domingos (in Viana-Luanda, Republic of Angola ) 188 - ï¢??ECruz Junior ( Luanda ï¢??EAngola) 189 - ï¢??ERuth Saraiva (Luanda ï¢??EAngola) 190 - Sandra Louro( Luanda - Angola ) 191 - Luciano Fonseca ( Praia Cape Verde ) 192 - Nezi Brito ( Hanson - USA ) 193 - Carlos Brito(Oslo-Nooruega) 194 - Maia Brito(Oslo-Noruega) 195 - Esma Alissi(Oslo-Norway). 196 - Shayma Alissi (Surrey-UK) 197 - Ane Haugen(Surrey-Uk) 198 - Anders Solvang (Sydney- Australia) 199 - Marte Lajord Fr?f¸seth (Tromsï¢?? E Norway ) 200 - Siren,Stefanussen ( Drammen- Norway ) 201 - Kaia Kristine Pettersen ( drammen- Norway ) 202 - Ranveig Menes Andersen (Drammen-Norway) 203 - Lene Menes Alm(Drammen-Norway) 204 - Britt Hasselberg ( Drammen - Norway ) 205 - Tone Monsen ( Oslo - Norway ) 206 - Vanessa Borgli ( Oslo- Norway ) 207 - Eva Christin Laszka(Oslo-Norway 208 - Tom Brodal Bjerke ( Oslo ï¢??ENorway) 209 - Rita Laska-Marosi(Budapest-Hungary) 210 - SharonJohnsen(Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia) 211 - Tore Johnsen(Oslo-Norway) 212 - Chrystina Tan Teck Lian ( Kuala Lumpur ) 213 - Fong Oy Leng( Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia ) 214 - Helene Fong ( Kuala Lumpur ?- Malaysia ) 215 - Angie Ang ( Singapore ) 216 - Francis Chua ( Singapore ) 217 - Sim Claire ( Singapore 218 - Jacky Wong ( Singapore ) 219 - Giselia Lim ( Singapore ) 220 - Garry Lim ( Singapore ) 221 - Nana Wang ( Singapore ) 222 - Arwati ( Singapore ) 223 - Mahadir ( Singapore ) 224 - Rukiah ( Singapore ) 225 - Alip ( Singapore ) 226 - Arianah ( Singapore ) 227 - Azlindah ( Singapore ) 228 - Fazilrudin ( Singapore ) 229 - Azar ( Singapore ) 230 - Yen Ling ( Malaysia ) 231 - Carine ( Malaysia ) 232 - Kam Lok Kun ( Malaysia ) 233 - Tee Siok Chew ( Malaysia ) 234 - Selina Josephine Matupang ( Singapore ) 235 - Shallynn Teoh ( Malaysia ) 236 - Sivakumaran ( Malaysia ) 237 - Jeslyn Teo ( Singapore ) 238 - Jessica Ang( Singapore ) 239 - Lina Tan ( Singapore ) 240 - Chee Keat ( Singapore ) 241 - Tabitha ( Singapore ) 242 - Puiwan ( Singapore ) 243 - Siew Cheng ( Malaysia ) 244 - Choi Har ( Malaysia ) 245 - Tommy Hoe ( Malaysia ) 246 - SohCheng Lim ( Singapore ) 247 - Lim Hwi Eng ( Singapore ) 248 - Lim Lay Ngoh ( Singapore ) 249 - Chok Leng ( Singapore ) 250 - CS See ( Singapore ) 251 - YT Toh ( Singapore ) 252 - Clarence Fernandez ( Canada ) 253 - Asha T ( Australia ) 254 - Karina Isdahl ( Canada ) 255 - Jacqueline Ostick ( Canada ) 256 - Eli Wick ( Canada ) 257 - Katherine Storrie ( Canada ) 258 - Jamie Borock ( Canada ) 259 - Jamie Stadelmann ( canada ) 260 - Chandra Henkel ( Canada ) 261 - Sarah Henkel( Canada ) 262 - Katy bast ( Canada ) 263 - Ashley Szederkenyi( Canada ) 264 - Cameo Kerr( canada ) 265 - Serena Bining ( Canada !) 266 - Harjot Gill ( canada !!) 267 - Harmeet Mann( Canada :D)-- Please sign this is sooooo cruell-.- 268 - nARBIR MATHARU ( CANADA ) 269 - Kajal Parmar ( Canada :D) 270 - ARSHDEEP BASI:D( CANADA ) 271 - E.AKizuki( Canada ) 272 - Vineeta ( Canada ) 273 - PRIYANKA KUAMR ( NEW ZEALAND 274 - Kajal Chandra 275 - courtney smith 276 - miki lambert 277 - maddie 278 - Courtney ( Victoria , Australia ) 279 - shira shery( Israel ) 280- Carisse( Melbourne , Australia ) 281-Joana F ( Melbourne ,Australia ) 282- Dani M ( Melbourne , Australia ) 283- Arlene M ( Melb , Australia ) 284-Rhonda Shuter ( Toronto , Canada ) 285-Samara Shuter ( Toronto, Canada ) 286-Shannon Kook-Chun ( Toronto-Montreal , Canada 287-Millie Marshall ( London ) 288-Simon Marshall ( > >>Vancouver Canada ) 289-Emily Doyle-Yamaguchi ( Vancouver , Canada ) 290 -Garett Jansen ( Vancouver , Canada 291 - Michele Lougheed ( Vancouver , Canada ) 292 - Diane Divall ( Vancouver , Canada ) 293 - P. Grandinetti ( Vancouver , Canada ) 294 - L. Grandinetti ( Vancouver , Canada ) 295 - C. Bowes ( Vancouver , Canada ) 296 - S. Rae ( New Westminster , BC , Canada ) 297 - Christine Heidt ( Edmonton , AB , Canada ) 298 - Jeannine chenier( edmonton ,ab, canada ) 299 - Lynda Cyr ( Edmonton , AB , Canada ) 300 - Tracey Turcott 301 - Kerry Cyr 302 - Linda Turcott ( Abbotsford , BC Canada ) 303 - Corie Robinson ( Chilliwack , BC Canada ) 304 - Wendy Robinson ( Chilliwack , B.C. Canada ) 305 - Dora Zwart ( Chilliwack , B.C. Canada ) 306 - Leona Rodrique ( Chilliwack , BC Canada ) 307 - Sarah Hernandez ( Montreal , Canada ) 308 - Andrewlina Hernandez ( Kota Kinabalu , Malaysia ) 309 - Hartini Hashim ( Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ) 310 Emily Claricev Joannes ( Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ) 311 - Ann Marian Ronald ( Malaysia ) 312) Milani Stephen ( Sabah , Malaysia ) 313) Andrias Anthony ( Sabah , Malaysia ) 314) Marion Maeve Michael ( Sabah , Malaysia ) 315) Mandy Mae Michael ( Sabah , Malaysia ) 316) Judith Molly ( Sabah , Malaysia ) 317) Stanise Ansanit ( Sabah , Malaysia ) 318) Noor Aini Razi ( Sabah , Malaysia ) 319) Marjorie Poigi ( Sabah , Malaysia ) 320) Esalilawati Aliamat ( Sabah Malaysia ) 321) Rujiah Jumin ( Sabah , Malaysia ) 322) Emmawati Azaini ( Sabah , Malaysia ) 323) Ezam @ Reyno Bin Osman ( W.P Labuan , Malaysia ) 324) Dayang Haniza Hamidon ( Malaysia ) 325) Issac John Charles ( Malaysia ) 326) Baby Ngu (W.P Labuan , Malaysia ) 327) Christina Joseph ( W.P. Labuan , Malaysia ) 328) Sandra Cathie Edward ( Labuan , Malaysia ) 328) Wilson Koh ( Labuan , Malaysia ) 329) Davie M. Doughty ( Alabama , USA ) 330) Jamnah Taim 331) ADRIAN BIN ZAINI( LABUAN , MALAYSIA ) 332) ROWENA BTE MD SALLEH( LABUAN , MALAYSIA ) 333) Saiful Bahri Hussain (Miri/Sarawak/Malaysia) 334) CHARLES BORROMEO MADILIOUS 335) PETRE Y L LEE (WP LABUAN MALAYSIA ) 336) Hj. Ibrahim Tara 337) Buntat Ibrahim 338) Azizi Irwandy Yaacob (WPKL MALAYSIA ) 339) Azriel Aswad (Perak Malaysia ) 340) Thinagaran (Sri Manjung Perak Malaysia ) 341) Azlan Pakiri (Kampung Deralik Perak , Malaysia ) 342) Suzana ( Perak , Malaysia ) 343) Prakash (Manjung, Perak , Malaysia ) 344) Alan 'D' Guna ( Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ) 355) Joan Augustine ( Malaysia ) 366) Mega ( Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ) 367) KOMMAL A ( KUALA LUMPUR , MALAYSIA ) 368) Hema ( Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ) 369) Egan ( Penang , Malaysia ) 370) A.Nizam Shah ( Kuala Lumpur , MALAYSIA ) 371) Nazima Kassm ( Kuala Lumpur .. Malaysia ) 372) Maheswaran Kovilan ( KL, Malaysia ) 373) Jay Arunasalam ( Kl , Malaysia ) 374) Enba Deva ( KL, Malaysia ) 375) Devamanokaran Poonagasu( Malaysia ) 376) Nalinee Narayanan ( Malaysia ) 377) Narayanan ( Malaysia ) 378) Letchumey ( Malaysia ) 379) Premila ( Ipoh , Malaysia ) 380) Ganes Narayanan ( Kulim , Malaysia ) 381) Janarthini Menon ( Malaysia ) 382) ahmad Daud ( Malaysia ) 383) James Sebastian ( Malaysia ) 384) Patricia Joseph ( Malaysia ) 385 Danny Wong ( Malaysia ) 386 Andy Choo ( Malaysia ) 387 Angie Gow ( Malaysia ) 388 Noor Syahida Nawawi ( Malaysia ) 389 Barbara Samy ( Malaysia ) 390 Sunita Pandita ( Malaysia ) 391 Jayasutha Raman ( Malaysia ) 392 Jayamalar Raman ( Malaysia ) 393 Ahmootha Ramachandran ( Malaysia ) 394 Vimala Ramachandra 395 Sheila K Nalliah 396 F.Peter ( Sabah , Malaysia ) 397 Farida Ibrahim ( Malaysia ) 398 Badri Ibrahim ( Malaysia ) 399 Anna Matthew ( Malaysia ) 400 Angela Sam ( Malaysia ) 401 Martha Joseph ( Malaysia ) 402 Ann Maria ( Malaysia ) 403 Miranda ( Malaysia ) 404 Sanjiyah Shauun( Malaysia ) 405 Kavineesh Gopal ( Malaysia ) 406 Yaitheisha Gopal ( Malaysia ) 407 Jaydalynn Ann ( Malaysia ) 408 Rosie Michael 409 Melinda Michael 410 Michael Rajoo 411 Elvin Tony 412 Ann Magdalene Elvin 413 Stephen Lee ( Malaysia ) 414 Sunitha K ( Malaysia ) 415 Kanjana M ( Ireland ) 416 - Regu Bhaskaradass ( Malaysia ) 417. Sreekumar Menon ( Malaysia ) 418. Peter Jesudoss ( Malaysia ) 419. Prima Jesudoss ( Malaysia ) 420. Kadam 421. Esan 422. Julian Jansen ( Malaysia ) 423. Alison Francis 424. Low Li-Sa 425. Gwyneth Lim 426. James Ding ( Malaysia ) 427. Lena Chong ( Singapore ) 428. Nitya Daryanani ( Singapore ) 429. Dia Dadlani ( Nigeria ) 430. Amreeta Buxani ( UK ) 431. Anupa Panjabi ( UK ) 432. Anand Panjabi ( UK ) 433. R Malkani ( USA ) 434. Vicky Punjabi ( INDIA ) 435. Parul Katyal ( India ) 436. Disha Goel [ INDIA ] 437. Sahil Bagga ( INDIA ) 438. Andre Tully 439. Pooja ( India ) 440. Pradeep Menon [ India ] 441. Shree Prakash ( India ) 442. Abhijit Kundu ( India ) 444.M.R.K.Karthy( India ) 445. Nagarajan C T ( India ) 446. Bhuvana ( India ) 447. Lakshmi Priya ( India ) 448.Ditty mary Joy( India ) 449.Suma Shivappa( India ) 450. Lekha ( India ) 451. Sumana( India ) 452. Ashwini( India ) 453.Aparna ( India ) 454.Chitra ( India ) 455. Sneha( India ) 456. Padmashree ( India ) 457. Divya A L ( India ) 458. Divya S R( India ) 459.Navneet Malhotra ( India ) 460.Aparna V( India ) 461.Kirti Prakash Pandey( India ) 462.Raj Goutham( India ) 463. RadhiKa ( India ) 464.S.Sasi Rekha( India ) 465.Nithiya.P( India ) 466)Gunasakthy.T( India ) 467)Saravanan.( India ) 468. Sonia Manivannan ( INDIA ) 469. Priya.M ( INDIA ) 470. Smitha Palan ( INDIA ) 471.Babita Amin( INDIA ) 472. Neeta Shetty ( INDIA ) 473. Jacintha D. Fernandes ( INDIA ) 474. Jessey Chitra D ( INDIA ) 475 Purnima K C ( India ) 476.Sangeetha Prasath ( Srilanka) 477.Sonali Rupatunge ( Sri Lanka ) 478. Thumesha Jayatilake ( Sri Lanka ) 479. Pavithra Seneviratne( Sri Lanka ) 480 Vinod Jayaweera 481.Dinindu Lathpandura ( Sri Lanka ) 482.Pasindu Lathpandura ( Sri Lanka ) 483.Charmaine Cuttilan ( Sri Lanka ) 484 Marque Ratnayeke ( Sri Lanka ) 485 Suzanne Paul ( Sri Lanka ) 486 Sanjiva Peiris ( Sri Lanka ) 487 Himeshi Fernando ( Sri Lanka ) 488 Surandima Perera ( Sri Lanka ) 489 Aruni Wijerathne ( Sri Lanka ) 490 Chandima Nishani ( Sri Lanka ) 491 wathsala samarakoon ( Sri Lanka ) 492. Dananjaya Rasingolla ( Sri Lanka ) 493. Teng Seer Ping ( Malaysia ) 494. Tang Chun Hsia ( Malaysia ) 495. Merilyn Ng ( Malaysia ) 496 Sheila Ignatius( Malaysia ) 497 Debbie Ignatius ( Malaysia ) 498. Angeline Pasqual ( Malaysia ) 499. Elena Pasqual ( Malaysia ) 500. Jerome Wong ( Malaysia ) 501. Lorraine Pasqual ( Malaysia ) 502. Ng CL ( Malaysia ) 503. Johanna Kee ( Malaysia ) 504 Priscilla ( Malaysia ) 505 Edna Mary Xavier ( Malaysia ) 506 Angie Sia ( Malaysia ) 507. Mary Lim-Lopez( Republic of Macedonia ) 508. Roselind Yap-Stanislaus( Malaysia ) 509. Vivien Caroline ( Malaysia ) 510. Sheteel 511. Ranjit 512. Harleen 513. Hardev 514. Nereena ( Malaysia ) 515. George ( Malaysia ) 516. Netanya ( Malaysia ) 517. Nirmala ( Malaysia ) 518. Lynn Lim ( Malaysia ) 519. Loke ( Malaysia ) 520. Wong Li Li ( Malaysia ) 521. Gary WK Wong (Malaysia) 522. Mei Sha (Malaysia) 523. Laura Yap (Malaysia) 524. Kevin Yap (Malaysia) 525.Chen (Malaysia) 526.Janet (Malaysia) 527.Irene (Malaysia) 528 Lucy Ng ( Malaysia ) 529 Sharon (Malaysia) 530 Karen Chong (Malaysia) 531 Derek Hoh (Malaysia) 532. Fauziah Mohd Kashim (Malaysia) 533. Suhaimy Sulaiman (Malaysia) 534. Fadhilah Syahinda (Malaysia) 535. Faridanial (Malaysia) 536. Farissyaqiel (Malaysia) 537. Faizzikry (Malaysia) 538. Carmen Irene (KL, Malaysia) 539. May Teoh (KL, Malaysia) 540. Venoth (KL, Malaysia) 541. Danny Chan (KL, Malaysia) 542. Nikki Ang (KL, Malaysia) 543. Mr & Mrs Chew Kwok Wing (Malaysia) 544. Chew Yoke Sim (Malaysia) 545. Mary Chew (Malaysia) 546. Fabian Lum (Malaysia) 547. Lum Kok Kiong (Malaysia) 548. Francis Chew (Malaysia) 549. Jeannie Chew (Malaysia) 550. Mindy Chew (Malaysia) 551. AJ (Malaysia) 552. Yieshka Sue-lynn (Malaysia) 553. Ivy Chew (Malaysia) 554. Soo MF (Malaysia) 555. Jason Soo (Malaysia) 556. Joyce Soo (Malaysia) 557. Dr Paul Chan (Malaysia) 558. Corine Chew (Malaysia) 559. Jeffrey Chew (Malaysia) 560. Raymond Chew (Malaysia) 561. Joel Lum SF (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) 562. Lynette Lee (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) 563. Elene Chian (Malaysia) 564. Moniza Abu Bakar (Malaysia) 565. Sandhora Aris (Singapore) 566. Nur Amalina Hafidz (Singapore) 567. Haryati Rahim (Singapore) 568. Shanthi Kalimuthu (Singapore) 569. Sukhjit Kaur (Singapore) 570. Baldeva Kaur ( Singapore) - May God have mercy on these 'Sick Heads' . 571. Sokhwant Kaur ( Singapore ) 572. Daljit Singh ( M'sia ) 573. Basir Beran (Malaysia) 574. Rina Farizq (Malaysia) 575. Azi (Johor....Malaysia) 576. Whitebear (Malaysia) 577. Hidayah ( Malaysia ) 578. Zaliena Zakaria (Malaysia) 579. Chew BK (Malaysia) 580. Shaunmus (Malaysia) 581. Vaneetha Kuttan (Malaysia) 582. Azman Husin ( Malaysia ) 583. Saifful Md Salleh (Malaysia) 584. Nur Murni Abd Halim (Malaysia) 585. Patrick Wong (Malaysia) 586. WHThye (Malaysia) 587. Sam MW (Malaysia) 588. Tan SM (Malaysia) 589. Harrison (4 yrs old, Malaysia) 590. Hayley ( 1.5 yrs old, Malaysia) 591. Maureen Wee (Malaysia) 592. JR Wong (Malaysia) 593. Elena Lim (KL, Malaysia) 594. Alvin Liew (KL, Malaysia) 595. Angelia (Ipoh, Malaysia) 596. Nancy Lim (Ipoh, Malaysia) 597. Lam Lai Fun (KL, Malaysia) 598. Soo CF (KL, Malaysia) 599. Jennifer Lam (KL, Malaysia) 600. Steven Tan (KL, Malaysia) 601. Amanda Sim (KL, Malaysia) 602.EdD Chia (KL,Malaysia) 603.Nic.Gan (Malaysia) 604.Michelle Wee (Malaysia) 605.Indrani Muthaiya (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia) 606.Thomas Raj(PJ,Malaysia) 607. Tina LK Lim (Malaysia) 608. Yvonne PL Fong (Malaysia) 609. J. Ong (Malaysia) 610. B.P. Lim (Ma Regards, 611.Vincent Lim9(Malaysia) 612.Patricia Cheah (Australia) 613.SanSan Cole (BSB, Brunei) 614.Susie Allport(NZ) 615. Shinsuke Saikawa (BSB, Brunei) 616. Albert Tan KH (BSB, Brunei) 617. HH Pek (BSB, Brune 618. TRACY SY LEONG (BSB, BRUNEI) 619. Anita S (BSB, Brunei) 620. Mandy Kueh (BSB, Brunei) 621. Mrs Jan (BSB, Brunei) 622. Caroline @ Mrs Lim (BSB, Brunei) 623. Rita ( Mrs Lai Brunei ) 624. Chua608 (Brunei) 625. Manis (Brunei) 626. Mawar (Brunei) 627. HMHE101 (Brunei) 628.Fazerana Marzuki (Brunei) 629. Erdina Amdan (Brunei) 630. Hamidah Mokhtar (Brunei) 631.Zarifah Mokhtar (Brunei) 632.Sofian Kipli (Brunei) 633.Suffian Bin Mohamed ( Jabatan Daerah Belait , Negara Brunei Darussalam ) 634.Sarimah Bte Abdullah ( Kampung Rampayoh , Mukim Labi , Negara Brunei Darussalam ) 635.Nuraleeya Farhana Bte Suffian (Kampung Mumong Kuala Belait,Negara Brunei Darussalam ) 636.Murdani Bin Hj.Zakaria ( Ravenguard Security Services,Negara Brunei Darussalam ) 637.Shaharurizam bin Mohamad ( Royal Brunei Air Forces , Negara Brunei Darussalam ) 638.Lt.Col.Hj.Dzulkifli Bin Hj.Abu Bakar ( Royal Brunei Airlines,Negara Brunei Darussalam ) 639.Major.Attaman Bin Amat ( Royal Brunei Armed Forces,Negara Brunei Darussalam) 640.Ellaspalma Bin Bajau ( Brunei Shell Petroleum,Negara Brunei Darussalam ) 641.Yusni Bin Hj.Ja`afar ( Belait District Office,Negara Brunei Darussalam ) 642.Shah Azaland Bin Mat Said ( Belait District Office , Negara Brunei Darussalam ) 643.Md.Khairul Azmi Bin Hj.Bujang ( Belait District Office Negara Brunei Darussalam ) 644. James Bober (Canada) 645. Monica Bober (Canada) 646. Aline Beaudoin (Canada) 647. Diane Girouard (Canada) 648 Tom Hastie( canada) 649 Vicki Jordan (Australia) 650 Lee Killian (Australia) 651 Anna Campbell (Australia) 652 Lidia Trajkovski (Australia) 653 Phara Harris (Australia) 645. Josephine Smith (Australia ) 645. Jennie Thomas (Australia) 646. Sally demir (Auatralia) 647. Selda K (Australia ) 648. Julin Ertek (Australia ) 649. Liza Eshiaa (Australia ) 650. Lela Ljubisav ( Australia ) 651. Joanne Khoury (Australia ) 652. Natalie Yammine (Australia) 653. Natalie Aslan (Australia) 654. Pamela Aslan (Australia) 655. Sarah Kordahi (Australia) 656. Stephen Zancanaro ( Australia ) 657.Spiro Deligiannis (Australia) 658 Spiro Delidiannis 659. Natalie Boland (Australia) 660. Rachel Miles (NSW Australia) 661. Christina McIvor (NSW Australia) 662. Maree Hitchcox (Sydney, Australia) 663. Carolyn Waldon (NSW Australia) 664. Michael Waldon (NSW Australia) 665Heidi Perry (NSW Australia) 666 David Kohari (NSW Australia) 667 Darrelle Wilkinson (QLD, Austraila) 668 R Wormington Q.L.D 669 A Wormington Q.L.D 670 D Wormington Q.L.D 671 S Wormington Q.L.D 672 K Wormington Q.L.D 673 R G Wormington Q.L.D 674 J S Van Der Vegt QLD 675 S J McMeekin QLD 676 L Diprose QLD 677 Krissy Yarran (Gton, WA) 678..Judith yarran(gton WA) 679 Lyn Csendes (Fremantle WA) 680 Kathy Butler (Mt Barker W.Australia) 681. Muddy Waters (Mt Barker WA ) 682. Jai Wallis - Perth WA 683. Kyla Wallis - Perth WA. ( PLEASE HELP THESE POOR BABIES & LITTLE CHILDREN ) 684. Leesanda Allen - Brisbane qld. 685. Vanessa Allen - Perth, WA 686.Cheree Butler-Perth, WA 687. Charmaine King -Wickham WA 688. Kate Randall ( Dongara, Australia) 689.Anika Dalaney - Coral Bay WA 690.Ali Dalaney - Darwin NT 691. Angela Killick - Geraldton WA 692. Janine Treffone - Geraldton WA - Please help these children 693 Leonie Hicks - Geraldton WA 694. Selina McLennan - Geraldton WA 695. Sheree Kelly - Perth WA 696. Anne.m Stevens - Eaton WA 697. Mel Gardiner - Bunbury WA 698. Melissa Thorp-Eaton WA 699. Travis Thorp-Eaton WA 700. Rae Thorp- Capel WA 701. Lorea Munro - Perth 702 Bev Richards - Perth WA 703 Meriel Newhook - Perth Australia 704 Debbie Sutherland 705 Sue More 706 George Jones 707 Sue Jones 708 Marie Meadon 709 Rita van der Walt 710 - Karen Sebastian (South Africa) 711 Lisa Alves 712 Chanda Prinsloo(South Africa) 713 Olivia Geanballey ( South Africa ) 714 Kershan Pillay 715 Yeshiel Pillay 716 Melissa Pillay 717 Warren Winfred 718. Thiloshen Pillay 719. Devon Stanley 720.Marietjie Stapelberg 721. Lizelle Roets 722. Geraldine Hendriks 723 Marietha Hicks (Pretoria, South Africa) 724 Celeste Ras 725 Riana Beneke 726 MarilÃ(c)y Liebenberg 727 Marizanne Prinsloo (Heidelberg South Africa) 728 Cirene Martinson (Swakopmund, Namibia) 729 Madeleine Deyzel (Nigel, South Africa) 730 Johan Deyzel (Nigel, South Africa) 731 Dalene Deyzel (Nigel, South Africa) 732 Liezl Balfour ( South Africa) 733 Kevin Balfour ( South Africa) Dear all, Some months ago I posted some information about events and webcasts from the Pan African Space Station (PASS) out of Cape Town; in particular I mentioned a concert by the Zulu guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Madala Kunene. I just found out that the entire concert (solo performance by Kunene in complete darkness) is now available for listening and download! See: http://www.panafricanspacestation.org.za/passcast.php?archive_id=28 . Certainly it confirms my sense of Kunene as one of the greatest performers and musicians I have ever seen (heard). Worth listening to with all the lights off. This is part of an ongoing series of uploads at PASS; this is really turning out to be an amazing (and free) music archive. We're also awaiting the upload of the sets by "our own" DJ Spooky (if I may put it that way)-- by all accounts it was very inspiring. Vivek From ysaeed7 at yahoo.com Mon Jan 5 11:17:59 2009 From: ysaeed7 at yahoo.com (Yousuf) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 21:47:59 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Slokas After A Noon Namaaz Message-ID: <54689.37469.qm@web51404.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Slokas After A Noon Namaaz Outlook Magazine | Dec 22, 2008 Muslim children study Sanskrit and Hindu ones read Quran in these UP madrassas NAMRATA JOSHI We arrive at Madrassa Anwarul-Islam Salfia at 12.45 pm, a little before namaaz. As the students gather around the row of taps to wash their hands and feet and line up for prayers, this modest building in the dusty, narrow bylanes of Chauri in Jalalpur, in eastern UP's Jaunpur district, looks exactly how we expect a madrassa to be: a place for rigorous study of Islam, Urdu, Arabic. What we encounter instead is a complete contradiction. The bare, red brick walls of the Standard 7 classroom are yet to be plastered, the window frames still to be fitted. Here, 12-year-old Nadima Bano and Hishamuddin are reciting, their pronunciation perfect and elocution chaste, this ode to India, "Yasyottarasyamdishibhati bhumao Himalayah parvatraj eshah..." It's a sloka in Sanskrit that translated means 'the land shielded by the Himalayas in the north'. "Sanskrit padhne se zubaan saaf ho jaati hai (the diction becomes clear by learning Sanskrit)," Hishamuddin tells us. "Sanskrit is considered the mother of all languages," says their teacher Rabindra Kumar Mishra. "It's ironical that institutions like this madrassa should be nursing it while it's vanishing elsewhere." That it's no exception we have stumbled upon becomes clear to us as we proceed north to Ambedkarnagar district, to Madrassa Azizia Islamia in Kamharia village. The hands of the wall clock might be stuck at 6.45 in this primary school or maktab, but the school itself has progressed in other ways. Space is obviously at a premium Classes 2-5 are being held simultaneously in separate, little rows in a large hall. Sirajuddin is teaching Sanskrit grammar to Class 3. "It was my favourite subject when I was a child," he says with a smile. "Balakah pathati; Sah pathati; Balakau pathatah (A child studies, he studies, they study)...," his student Muhammad Shahid recites for us. They soon move on to another lesson. "Asmakam deshasya asti ateev shobhanah (our country is very beautiful)...". However, this story is not only about Hishamuddins learning Sanskrit. It's also about 13-year-old Ravi Prakash Pandey, a Brahmin and the son of a Sanskrit professor, opting to learn Quran in Class 1. A former student of Azizia Islamia, he can now recite the holy text from memory and has a copy at home that he peruses religiously. "Quran teaches that we must help others and do good deeds and stay away from evil," he says, without batting an eyelid, and then rushes to wash himself and wear a cap before reading it aloud for us. We hear this echo back in Salfia where two Hindu girls 14-year-old Arti Kumari and Anita Kumari are writing about Prophet Mohammed in Urdu on the blackboard "Jab hamare Hazrat ki umr paintees baras ki thi (when our prophet was 35 years old)...". "They face absolutely no problem in writing, reading or understanding Urdu," their teacher Kaiser Jahan informs us. At Madrassa Arbiya Zia-ul-uloom in Mandey in Azamgarh district, sisters Manju and Ranju Kumari have been learning Urdu from Class 1. They mean it when they recite: "Urdu hai jiska naam hamari zubaan hai, duniya ki har zubaan se pyaari zubaan hai (Urdu is the sweetest of the languages in the world)." Passing by Class 1, you can hear Prashant Kumar explaining Urdu numerals to his classmates. The teachers on either side of the linguistic divide find much in common between Sanskrit and Urdu both languages, they say, have an evolved, complex grammar. "Their grammar must be the toughest," says Muhammad Tariq of Madrassa Arbiya. They see this coexistence of Sanskrit and Urdu as normal and not deliberately symbolic in these troubled, divisive times. "How can you associate a language with any religion?" asks Brijesh Kumar Yaduvanshi, a long-time resident of Jaunpur and president, All India University Students' Union."Urdu doesn't belong to Muslims nor does Sanskrit have to do just with Hindus." Nevertheless, the focus on Sanskrit, a language that has long gone out of everyday use, is intriguing. "It's not about helping students get jobs," says Qari Jalaluddin of Salfia, "but about teaching them humanity, about great thoughts and the right way to live, about being able to distinguish right from wrong." Sanskrit is taught at Salfia till Class 9, Urdu is compulsory in Class 1-5, after which it's up to the Hindu students to decide whether they want to study it further. (Photo: Well versed: Ravi Prakash reciting Quran) This easy cohabitation of Sanskrit and Urdu in Jaunpur's madrassas could well be regarded as a legacy of the town's liberal Sufi past. "It was a centre of education in the middle ages," says Yaduvanshi, "has never witnessed a single Hindu-Muslim riot, and has always been a symbol of unity." The Salfia madrassa has, in fact, been built on land bought from a Brahmin family in 1987. The Azamgarh-Mau madrassas too offer a counterview for an area that has of late been made infamous for its alleged association with terrorist activities. "After all, it's the land of Rahul Sankritayan, Maulana Shibli, Firaq Gorakhpuri," says Sanjay Srivastava, professor at the Poorvanchal University. "It's a literary and cultural centre and people here have been feeling humiliated for being targeted for all the wrong reasons." At a time when stereotypes about madrassas, especially those in eastern UP, as breeding grounds for terrorists have been gaining currency and every succeeding terror attack has boxed Indian Muslims further into neat categories as either educated, patriotic liberals or misinformed, misled fundamentalists, these madrassas are a powerful rejoinder, a heartening testimony to the unspoken, uncelebrated, broad-mindedness and inclusiveness of the common, faceless Muslim. The madrassas we visit have a sizeable number of Hindu students. Salfia currently has 475 students, of whom about 225 almost 45 per cent are Hindus. In Azizia Islamia, 35 of the 143 students are Hindus. The newly set up Madrassa Faizul Quran operates out of a small makeshift building in an obscure corner of Amari village in Azamgarh district. The maktab has 100 kids, of whom 20 are Hindus. At Arbiya, 22 of the 374 students are Hindus. There is little to distinguish students. You know Vinky and Reena Yadav from Soni and Rehana Banu only by their names or in the way they wear their head scarves. "We don't believe in bhed bhav," says Salfia's Jalaluddin. "Tameez and tehzeeb are the same in every religion." And though the madrassas do teach hifz, or memorisation of the Quran, all have a progressive vision too. "You can't move forward with religious education alone, our students need to be taught everything: science, geography, maths, English," says Salfia principal Muhammad Saikat. It is the only school in the village which offers high school education for girls, or else they'd have to walk 10 km to the next school. The aim now is to start computers and electronics classes. Like many others, these madrassas are yet to get government aid. There is no midday meal scheme, nor are students given free uniforms; it is all provided by the madrassa management boards. Azizia and Arbiya give students free books and charge no fee. In Salfia the fee's just Rs 5. Faizul Quran charges Rs 40 but only 10 per cent of the students pay up. The teachers themselves get no regular pay from the government but survive on the grants patrons give to the madrassas, the salary averaging from Rs 800-1,500. In contrast, teachers on the government payroll get a princely sum of Rs 3,000. Humble and ill-equipped though they are, these madrassas are incredible examples of how Hindus and Muslims live as one than as separate entities in these forgotten hamlets."They represent the Ganga-Jamuni sanskriti of our villages. Why would anyone want to break the sacred thread of this age-old relationship?" asks Srivastava. Why indeed? From kauladityaraj at gmail.com Mon Jan 5 11:52:33 2009 From: kauladityaraj at gmail.com (Aditya Raj Kaul) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 11:52:33 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] MUSLIMS LEAVING ISLAM -- WORLD IS CHANGING ! Message-ID: <6353c690901042222m2f5281cdl4c860de8dbf751fb@mail.gmail.com> ESCAPE FROM HAMAS === AND ISLAM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td8YdfNoPBk A Fox News Special Report on Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of Hamas founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef, and his decision to abandon his Muslim faith, denounce his father's organization, move to America and become a Christian. Please pray for this courageous young man!! God be with him! Love Aditya Raj Kaul From c.anupam at gmail.com Mon Jan 5 12:31:40 2009 From: c.anupam at gmail.com (anupam chakravartty) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 12:31:40 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] MUSLIMS LEAVING ISLAM -- WORLD IS CHANGING ! In-Reply-To: <6353c690901042222m2f5281cdl4c860de8dbf751fb@mail.gmail.com> References: <6353c690901042222m2f5281cdl4c860de8dbf751fb@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <341380d00901042301r50ef1c82peaf35c51cb283704@mail.gmail.com> What courage are we talking about here? Pray tell all of us about it. Hamas founder's son decides to convert, go all the way to America and make money. What's the big deal about this? Why are you associating courage with this personal step? I think you will also associate courage with Ajmal Kasab, then Israeli forces bombing Gaza, Polpot executing millions while Americas invasion of Vietnam. How wisely with your thought-constructions you have defined this Platonic virtue for your own good. An after thought: Is there courage involved in escaping? From pawan.durani at gmail.com Mon Jan 5 12:36:51 2009 From: pawan.durani at gmail.com (Pawan Durani) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 12:36:51 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] After Mumbai: Terrorism And Recession Message-ID: <6b79f1a70901042306q26e4c7afw9181e517ed59237e@mail.gmail.com> http://www.forbes.com/markets/2008/12/10/kepel-terrorism-mumbai-markets-face-cx_ll_1210markets21.html Q&A After Mumbai: Terrorism And Recession Lionel Laurent, 12.10.08, 10:06 PM EST Social unrest and violence could be on the menu as the world economy slows. Gilles Kepel The coordinated terrorist attacks in Mumbai in November left nearly 200 people dead and exposed the vulnerability of India's financial capital. Although India is no stranger to terrorism, the scale of the violence and the targets selected for attack--including five-star hotels and a Jewish religious center--cast a shadow over India's image as a vibrant, emerging economic heavyweight. (See "Mumbai Will Rise Again.") And even though the American-led "War On Terror'" may be in its twilight, as the Bush era gives way to the Obama administration, the global economic slump may expose fractures in society and potentially spread violent unrest across the world. Yahoo! BuzzForbes.com asked Middle East expert Gilles Kepel--whose new book, Beyond Terror And Martyrdom, examines the future of relations between Islam and the West--about the attacks on Mumbai and what to expect from the economic crisis. Forbes.com:Who do you think was behind the Mumbai attacks? Gilles Kepel: My feeling is that the attack was performed by Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani group, because it resembled their modus operandi. They do not do suicide bombings because they feel that if they press the button on the suicide belt, they commit a grave sin against Allah's will. For them, Allah is the one who decides when he should take back the life that he has given. And in committing suicide, even if it's for the sake of jihad, a Muslim goes to hell. So in order to be martyred in the region of Kashmir, the terrorists usually come with heavy weaponry and go on a shooting spree and kill as many Hindus as possible, until finally they are killed because they are overcome in numbers. What about the timing of the attack? I believe that there is mounting pressure on the Afghan-Pakistan border against the Taliban and al-Qaida groups, and that predator drones are killing scores of terrorist leaders and operators. [Pakistani president] Asif Ali Zardari is engaging in military action against jihadi militants, which has chagrined a number of people in the [Pakistani intelligence service] ISI who are supporters of the Taliban. By ratcheting up the tension and bringing India into the battlefield, the attackers aimed to turn Pakistan away from the Taliban and focus on tension with India. This would then alleviate pressure on the militants. Is there an economic story behind the Mumbai attacks? Were the terrorists targeting Mumbai's stature as a financial capital? The attacks exposed the weakness of the so-called Indian economic takeoff. India may be a 'BRIC' country, along with Brazil, Russia and China, but the almost double-digit growth in these countries is based on a predicament; that is to say, that most of the population lives in sheer poverty. In India, you have approximately 150-200 million people who live by European standards and 1 billion who live in sheer poverty. Not to say that Muslims are necessarily poor, just as there are poor Hindus also, but this exposes a number of fault-lines behind the Indian miracle. The aim of the attack was mainly political, but the economic dimension is still visible. In China, there are two kinds of Muslims. On the one hand, there are the Chinese Muslims known as the Hui, who are the Chinese who converted to Islam. They do not pose a problem tantamount to the one posed by the Uigurs, who are a Turkic people annexed by China. They, to a large extent like the Tibetans, have a strong national identity issue, which they then clothe with an Islamic garb. But the Uigurs are far away from the prosperous areas of China, they are in the mountains. As far as Russia is concerned, apart from the Muslims who are in Moscow, most of the Muslim population is concentrated in Central Asia or the Caucasus. That led to the insurgency in Chechnya and problems in Dagestan. For the time being, Chechnya's issue has been dealt with through strong, brutal repression. But now the pro-Russian forces are using Islamization as a means to fulfil their power. This resembles what happened in former authoritarian socialist regimes in Egypt and Algeria, when a weak power courted Islam as a means of social control. Meanwhile, in Dubai, and the Emirates, we have not seen a terrorist threat emerge yet. Why is that? Because that would be detrimental to the terrorists' own interests. The Gulf countries have financial establishments, they have booming economies and terrorists need financial services. If they attack Gulf states, it will make it more difficult for them to organize their networks. Not that those states are complacent about it, but it means they are not pointed to as a land of jihad. Do you think there is a connection between terrorism and economic crisis? Mass revolt and mobilization of the population are definitely linked with economic conditions, as we saw in Algeria in the 1980s. Back then, the Algerian state could not buy social peace anymore because it had no oil revenues coming in. But the capacity of terrorist groups to develop is not directly linked to the price of a barrel of oil. But do terrorist groups flourish in times of domestic economic crisis? It helps. But a number of terrorist leaders have no economic problems. Many of the leaders of the Islamist movements are sons of good families. Like [al-Qaida's second-in-command] Ayman al-Zawahiri, who is just an aristocrat, or Osama bin Laden, who is from one of the most wealthy families in Saudi Arabia. What motivates these middle-class rebels? A large number of prominent middle-class terrorists belong to a strand of society that does not have access to power. Power there is confiscated by the ruling dynasties. It's a case of the pious middle class. From do_not_reply at perfspot.com Mon Jan 5 15:32:41 2009 From: do_not_reply at perfspot.com (Syed Mohd Irfan) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 03:02:41 -0700 Subject: [Reader-list] =?utf-8?q?Birthday_request?= Message-ID: <93440-2200911510241615@perfspot.com> I'm using a new service to keep track of the birthdays for my friends and family. Please click the link and enter your birthday for me. http://perfspot.com/b.asp?e=reader%2Dlist%40sarai%2Enet Thanks for your help. Syed Mohd Irfan ------------------------------------------------------------ You are receiving this email because Syed Mohd Irfan (sirfirf at yahoo.com) has invited you to join. If you wish to never be contacted by PerfSpot.com again, please click here: http://perfspot.com/u.asp?e=reader%2Dlist%40sarai%2Enet If you have any questions or require assistance please contact our support team: Toll Free (USA): 1-888-311-PERF (311-7373) Direct Dial (International): (1)602-273-3758 Email: support at PerfSpot.com PerfSpot.com | 4800 N. Scottsdale Rd Suite 4500 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251 | USA From taraprakash at gmail.com Mon Jan 5 20:33:35 2009 From: taraprakash at gmail.com (taraprakash) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 10:03:35 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] MUSLIMS LEAVING ISLAM -- WORLD IS CHANGING ! References: <6353c690901042222m2f5281cdl4c860de8dbf751fb@mail.gmail.com> <341380d00901042301r50ef1c82peaf35c51cb283704@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <3BAC0D5AD062432B92F098150E292A7F@tara> Your last question can generate a great philosophical discussion. I wish someone picks this up for a discussion. Is suicide, for instance, cowardly or courageous. I have heard many contemplating suicide saying "par dar lagta hai" (I am afraid). Mostly that fear is not a spiritual one, but physical. Getting crushed under a train will be very very painful kind. ----- Original Message ----- From: "anupam chakravartty" To: "sarai list" Sent: Monday, January 05, 2009 2:01 AM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] MUSLIMS LEAVING ISLAM -- WORLD IS CHANGING ! > What courage are we talking about here? Pray tell all of us about it. > Hamas > founder's son decides to convert, go all the way to America and make > money. > What's the big deal about this? Why are you associating courage with this > personal step? I think you will also associate courage with Ajmal Kasab, > then Israeli forces bombing Gaza, Polpot executing millions while Americas > invasion of Vietnam. How wisely with your thought-constructions you have > defined this Platonic virtue for your own good. > > An after thought: Is there courage involved in escaping? > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From shahzulf at yahoo.com Mon Jan 5 20:53:42 2009 From: shahzulf at yahoo.com (Zulfiqar Shah) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 07:23:42 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] The News Story on Sindh Tenancy Act Message-ID: <498374.9937.qm@web38804.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Law supporting Sindh peasants lies defunct   By By Shahid Shah   KARACHI: According to the Sindh Tenancy Act (STA) 1950, a landlord is required to pay a fine worth Rs500 if found abusing a tenant, but since its inception, this law has never been implemented. “Peasants have no political and social freedom,” lamented Taju Bheel, President Hari Mazdoor Mahaz Sindh, and suggested that hari (farmer) courts be formed to resolve the issue. The STA was an attempt to address issues faced by tenants who are peasants, such as the duration of their residence and their share of agricultural produce. However, according to a draft prepared by the Asian Development Bank, “the Act no longer reflects contemporary circumstances and needs and the level of compliance is low.” One of the issues tenants face today is that landowners take loans worth millions of rupees from banks in tenants’ names. “The government is providing billions of rupees to rescue the rich (shareholders) from the sinking stock exchange,” said a social activist. “Instead, it should come forward to pay back peasants’ loans.” Currently, there is no tribunal in place to deal with matters related to peasants. Moreover, they cannot afford to go to civil courts, where cases can drag on for several years. Under the STA, every tenant must be registered, but according to Zulfiqar Shah, provincial head of South Asia Partnership (SAP), a civil society organisation, this has never happened. In addition, none of the tenants have a permanent address, as they are often forced by their landlords to relocate. “Such displacement affects education,” said Bheel. “These children should be treated equally and provided a quota in universities and colleges.” According to Zulfiqar Shah, Pakistanshould follow India’s example and form an agricultural policy for its farmers. As a mark of protest, tenants residing in Sindh, united under the SAP, have planned a march from Hyderabadto the Sindh Assembly building on March 15. The march is expected to end by the close of month. Sindh is home to over a million peasants, none of whom have access to education or health services. Before the partition of the sub-continent, the STA ensured that peasants in all provinces of Indiawould receive their rights. By contrast, the traditional system allowed the landlord to impose his own rules. Rochi Ram, a lawyer and social activist, explained that in the majority of India, each piece of land was in the hands of three parties; the government, the landowner and the peasant, but just the feudal lord and landowner in Sindh. In 1930, things looked to be changing for the peasants when the Sindh Hari Committee was formed. At the same time, however, the landof Sindhat Sukkur Barrage and JamraoCanalwas distributed among people from Punjab, resulting in widespread protests in Sindh. With the help of the Sindh Hari Committee and the leadership of Comrade Hyder Bux Jatoi and Qadir Khokhar, the peasants succeeded in getting the STA enforced in 1950, which was meant to ensure interaction between the tenant and landowner. According to the STA, all disputes between the peasant and landowner were to be resolved by the Mukhtiarkar, then a first-class magistrate. However, when landowners entered politics and became ministers, the Mukhtiarkar became a servant of the feudal lord. The STA also stated that the tenant had to pay the cost of the plough, but ever since the mode of production switched from ox ploughs to tractors and other machinery, the cost has increased manifold. “They (peasants) were in a better condition before the partition,” said Ram. He believes that the current political system, where the majority of the politicians are from the families of feudal lords, has done nothing for the protection of peasants’ rights. “They have no way of getting justice.”   Source: The News, KarachiSaturday, January 03, 2009 New Email names for you! Get the Email name you've always wanted on the new @ymail and @rocketmail. Hurry before someone else does! http://mail.promotions.yahoo.com/newdomains/aa/ From kauladityaraj at gmail.com Mon Jan 5 21:07:21 2009 From: kauladityaraj at gmail.com (Aditya Raj Kaul) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 21:07:21 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Wish some Jews lived in Kashmir too In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <6353c690901050737t45eae053hdbc58209422b248b@mail.gmail.com> December 30, 2008 Op-Ed Contributor Why Israel Feels Threatened By BENNY MORRIS Li-On, Israel MANY Israelis feel that the walls — and history — are closing in on their 60-year-old state, much as they felt in early June 1967, just before Israel launched the Six-Day War and destroyed the Egyptian, Jordanian and Syrian armies in Sinai, the West Bank and the Golan Heights. More than 40 years ago, the Egyptians had driven a United Nations peacekeeping force from the Sinai-Israel border, had closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping and air traffic and had deployed the equivalent of seven armored and infantry divisions on Israel's doorstep. Egypt had signed a series of military pacts with Syria and Jordan and placed troops in the West Bank. Arab radio stations blared messages about the coming destruction of Israel. Israelis, or rather, Israeli Jews, are beginning to feel much the way their parents did in those apocalyptic days. Israel is a much more powerful and prosperous state today. In 1967 there were only some 2 million Jews in the country — today there are about 5.5 million — and the military did not have nuclear weapons. But the bulk of the population looks to the future with deep foreboding. The foreboding has two general sources and four specific causes. The general problems are simple. First, the Arab and wider Islamic worlds, despite Israeli hopes since 1948 and notwithstanding the peace treaties signed by Egypt and Jordan in 1979 and 1994, have never truly accepted the legitimacy of Israel's creation and continue to oppose its existence. Second, public opinion in the West (and in democracies, governments can't be far behind) is gradually reducing its support for Israel as the West looks askance at the Jewish state's treatment of its Palestinian neighbors and wards. The Holocaust is increasingly becoming a faint and ineffectual memory and the Arab states are increasingly powerful and assertive. More specifically, Israel faces a combination of dire threats. To the east, Iran is frantically advancing its nuclear project, which most Israelis and most of the world's intelligence agencies believe is designed to produce nuclear weapons. This, coupled with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad's public threats to destroy Israel — and his denials of the Holocaust and of any homosexuality in Iran, which underscore his irrationality — has Israel's political and military leaders on tenterhooks. To the north, the Lebanese fundamentalist organization Hezbollah, which also vows to destroy Israel and functions as an Iranian proxy, has thoroughly rearmed since its war with Israel in 2006. According to Israeli intelligence estimates, Hezbollah now has an arsenal of 30,000 to 40,000 Russian-made rockets, supplied by Syria and Iran — twice the number it possessed in 2006. Some of the rockets can reach Tel Aviv and Dimona, where Israel's nuclear production facility is located. If there is war between Israel and Iran, Hezbollah can be expected to join in. (It may well join in the renewed Israeli-Palestinian conflict, too.) To the south, Israel faces the Islamist Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip and whose charter promises to destroy Israel and bring every inch of Palestine under Islamic rule and law. Hamas today has an army of thousands. It also has a large arsenal of rockets — home-made Qassams and Russian-made, Iranian-financed Katyushas and Grads smuggled, with the Egyptians largely turning a blind eye, through tunnels from Sinai. Last June, Israel and Hamas agreed to a six-month truce. This unsteady calm was periodically violated by armed factions in Gaza that lobbed rockets into Israel's border settlements. Israel responded by periodically suspending shipments of supplies into Gaza. In November and early December, Hamas stepped up the rocket attacks and then, unilaterally, formally announced the end of the truce. The Israeli public and government then gave Defense Minister Ehud Barak a free hand. Israel's highly efficient air assault on Hamas, which began on Saturday, was his first move. Most of Hamas's security and governmental compounds were turned into rubble and several hundred Hamas fighters were killed. But the attack will not solve the basic problem posed by a Gaza Strip populated by 1.5 million impoverished, desperate Palestinians who are ruled by a fanatic regime and are tightly hemmed in by fences and by border crossings controlled by Israel and Egypt. An enormous Israeli ground operation aimed at conquering the Gaza Strip and destroying Hamas would probably bog down in the alleyways of refugee camps before achieving its goal. (And even if these goals were somehow achieved, renewed and indefinite Israeli rule over Gaza would prove unpalatable to all concerned.) More likely are small, limited armored incursions, intended to curtail missile launches and kill Hamas fighters. But these are also unlikely to bring the organization to heel — though they may exercise sufficient pressure eventually to achieve, with the mediation of Turkey or Egypt, a renewed temporary truce. That seems to be the most that can be hoped for, though a renewal of rocket attacks on southern Israel, once Hamas recovers, is as certain as day follows night. The fourth immediate threat to Israel's existence is internal. It is posed by the country's Arab minority. Over the past two decades, Israel's 1.3 million Arab citizens have been radicalized, with many openly avowing a Palestinian identity and embracing Palestinian national aims. Their spokesmen say that their loyalty lies with their people rather than with their state, Israel. Many of the community's leaders, who benefit from Israeli democracy, more or less publicly supported Hezbollah in 2006 and continue to call for "autonomy" (of one sort or another) and for the dissolution of the Jewish state. Demography, if not Arab victory in battle, offers the recipe for such a dissolution. The birth rates for Israeli Arabs are among the highest in the world, with 4 or 5 children per family (as opposed to the 2 or 3 children per family among Israeli Jews). If present trends persist, Arabs could constitute the majority of Israel's citizens by 2040 or 2050. Already, within five to 10 years, Palestinians (Israeli Arabs coupled with those who live in the West Bank and Gaza Strip) will form the majority population of Palestine (the land lying between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean). Friction between Israeli Arabs and Jews is already a cogent political factor. In 2000, at the start of the second intifada, thousands of Arab youngsters, in sympathy with their brethren in the territories, rioted along Israel's major highways and in Israel's ethnically mixed cities. The past fortnight has seen a recurrence, albeit on a smaller scale, of such rioting. Down the road, Israel's Jews fear more violence and terrorism by Israeli Arabs. Most Jews see the Arab minority as a potential fifth column. What is common to these specific threats is their unconventionality. Between 1948 and 1982 Israel coped relatively well with the threat from conventional Arab armies. Indeed, it repeatedly trounced them. But Iran's nuclear threat, the rise of organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah that operate from across international borders and from the midst of dense civilian populations, and Israeli Arabs' growing disaffection with the state and their identification with its enemies, offer a completely different set of challenges. And they are challenges that Israel's leaders and public, bound by Western democratic and liberal norms of behavior, appear to find particularly difficult to counter. Israel's sense of the walls closing in on it has this past week led to one violent reaction. Given the new realities, it would not be surprising if more powerful explosions were to follow. Benny Morris, a professor of Middle Eastern history at Ben-Gurion University, is the author, most recently, of "1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War." -- -- Aditya Raj Kaul Freelance Correspondent, The Times of India Cell - +91-9873297834 Campaign Blog: http://kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com/ Personal Blog: http://activistsdiary.blogspot.com/ From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 21:47:49 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 16:17:49 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] India signs biggest ever defence deal with US Message-ID: <65be9bf40901050817x44201e7bmf0c5cb725b2785a4@mail.gmail.com> Dear All, Even as we debate and discuss economic depression and as some would argue, its obvious correlation with terror. It seems that in some sectors terror and economics go hand in hand and rightly so, for in order to protect our great country we need few sticks. Please read the story below which indicates that how even in these times of rather grave economic crisis the Indian Government is giving its two pennies to the cause of generating employment. Kind regards Taha India signs biggest ever defence deal with US Font Size Agencies Posted: Jan 05, 2009 at 1651 hrs IST AddThis Print Email Feedback Discuss India has signed a deal to buy eight maritime aircraft from aerospace major Boeing.India has signed a deal to buy eight maritime aircraft from aerospace major Boeing. India has signed a deal to buy eight maritime aircraft from aerospace major Boeing. Related Stories: US site rank Indian commandos as 'top Desis'Indian Americans organise 'Washington Lobby Day'Shift focus of US military aid to Pak: Indo-AmericansUS envoy meets ChidambaramIndian Americans ask UN to declare Pak a terrorist state New Delhi: In its largest defence purchase ever from the US, India has signed a deal to buy eight maritime aircraft from aerospace major Boeing to strengthen the Navy's intelligence gathering capabilities. The USD 2.1 billion contract for eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance (LRMR) aircraft was signed between a Defence Ministry official and Boeing's country head Vivek Lall here on January 1, Navy and industry sources said in New Delhi on Monday. The Government had approved the deal in its last Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting in 2008 after protracted talks. The deal with Boeing, sources said, was through a direct commercial contract and issues such as end-user verification agreement between India and US for these defence products were still pending, sources said. The Navy will get its first aircraft under the deal by 2012-13 and the rest of the aircraft would be delivered in phases by 2015-16, sources said. The contract also provided for the Navy to place follow-on orders for about eight more of these aircraft, being purchased to replace the existing fleet of eight ageing Tupolev-142M turboprops. The P-8I is armed with torpedoes, depth bombs and Harpoon anti-ship missiles and is capable of anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare. Expected to help in plugging the existing gaps in Navy's maritime reconnaissance capabilities, the aircraft has an operating range of over 600 nautical miles. Customised to meet Indian Navy's needs and based on the Boeing 737 commercial airliner, the P-8I aircraft is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon multi-mission maritime aircraft under development for the US Navy to replace its P-3C Orion fleet. Interestingly, the P8I deal would be the largest deal India signed with the US, after the USD 962 million deal signed in 2007 for six Lockheed Martin's C-130J 'Super Hercules' transport aicraft for its special forces. Its purchase would greatly help inter-operability and supportability objectives of both the Indian and US Navies, according to a Boeing official in New Delhi. Apart from the Tu-142Ms, the Indian Navy currently uses IL-38SDs and Dorniers for surveillance operations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It was also looking for six advanced medium-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft at a budget of Rs 1,600 crore to further boost its patrol and intelligence gathering capabilities in the IOR. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 22:48:44 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:18:44 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-34 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901050918k6083934eg422d22c2c647fcc9@mail.gmail.com> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050331/asp/northeast/story_4554083.asp The Telegraph | Thursday, March 31, 2005 | Delhi skirts IMDT debate - Court?s queries on migration barely answered R. VENKATARAMAN New Delhi, March 30: Delhi today informed the Supreme Court that ?four data entry operators? had been assigned the task of computerising citizenship records as part of the process of identifying and deporting illegal migrants, provoking a caustic reaction from those demanding the repeal of the allegedly ineffective Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act. The government was responding to the apex court?s directive to file an affidavit on the subject of issuing multi-purpose national identity cards, the creation of a national citizenship register and a former Assam governor?s report on illegal migration. ?The government of India has agreed to provide funds for the purchase of computers required for computerisation of the (national citizenship) register,? Delhi stated in its affidavit. But Manish Goswami, one of the lawyers arguing for abrogation of the IMDT Act, was clearly not impressed. ?The way things are described in this response, it might take 40 more years to even prepare the register and identify the Bangladeshi illegal immigrants, by which time the demography of Assam, West Bengal and even Delhi and Maharashtra would have further changed because immigrants have infiltrated all these areas,? he said. Delhi touted the continuity of the process of fencing the border, preparing a databank of citizens, strengthening the BSF, registering countryboats and intensifying surveillance of the riverine sector of the Indo-Bangladesh order as ?action taken? on the report compiled by former governor Lt Gen. (retd) S.K. Sinha. The governor had warned of catastrophic demographic changes in Assam if illegal migration continued. The apex court will resume its hearing on the case tomorrow. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 22:50:41 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:20:41 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-35 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901050920w7420ce75m9a617f9c2f823c4d@mail.gmail.com> http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060319/spectrum/book4.htm Tribune Spectum Sunday, March 19, 2006 Mission technology Rajesh Kumar Aggarwal The State, IT and Development eds. R.K. Bagga, Kenneth Keniston and Rohit Raj Mathur. Sage Publications. Pages 325. Rs 380. Information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services (ITES) have achieved record growth in recent years. While the number of telephone and Internet users have increased manifold, software development and earnings too have increased to a new high. However, the digital divide between the rural and urban sectors, public and private sectors continues. The book has been divided into four sections—The Route to Development, Challenges Before the State, ICT Initiatives in Developing India and The Road Ahead. The first section focuses intensively on good governance. It says that governments are now gearing up to appear SMART (simple, moral, accountable, responsive and transparent) and ICT (information and communication technology) has an indispensable role in social, economic and political development of the state. At the same time, the book argues that ICT is not a substitute for good governance but it can be an enabler of good governance. President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in his paper, Vision of Citizen-Centric E-Governance for India, visualises e-governance as "a transparent smart e-governance with seamless access, secure and authentic flow of information crossing the inter-departmental barrier and providing a fair and unbiased service to the citizens". He says the primary data requirement for effective e-governance is a national citizen ID card, which should be a multi-purpose, secure and authentic, similar to the photocopy of an individual, with multifactor authentication such as photograph and biometrics-fingerprints, iris-based systems and digital signatures. The papers by Jayaprakash Narayan, E.A.S. Sarna and Sameer Sachdeva and Rohit Raj Mathur advocate investment in ICT but cautions that such investments should only be made rationally. It would be detrimental to invest on computers in schools and hospitals, if these institutions lack basic facilities such as proper buildings, blackboards, toilets in schools and medicines, doctors and para-medicals in hospitals. Even though ICT revolution is being perceived as the new engine of growth, the second section of the book points that there are many challenges before the state such as bridging the digital divide, regulating framework to facilitate universal connectivity in India, implementation of cyber laws, organising process documentation and integration of e-governance. Moreover, there are challenges before the state to combat corruption in public life. N. Vittal, former Central Vigilance Commissioner, recounting his experiences, says ICT can act as a powerful administrative tool that can bring corrupt acts of individuals to the notice of the society at large with a much greater impact. R.K. Bagga highlights some of the critical messages for digitising governments, which are important for government to business, government to citizen, government to employee and government to government (G2B, G2C, G2E and G2G) decisions. The section three lists some of the ICT e-governance initiatives in rural and urban India. These are eSeva and Saukaryam (meaning facility in Telugu) in Andhra Pradesh and FRIENDS (Fast, Reliable, Instant, Efficient Network for Distribution of Services), IKM (Information Kerala Mission), and Akshaya (a project to spread mass computer literacy at grassroots level) in Kerala. The Road Ahead, suggests a bigger role for e-governance in overall development of the nation. It advocates the creation of micro-enterprises around technology, promoting public-private partnership. The last paper by R.K. Bagga and Rohit Raj Mathur summarises some very important recommendations based on the three ASCI (Administrative staff College of India) workshops for G2B, G2C, G2E and G2G groups, and records the suggested future action agenda. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 22:52:49 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:22:49 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-36 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901050922y234b2ac2i9e4cff43ad1a18f9@mail.gmail.com> http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/21/stories/2005122119321700.htm The Hindu Online edition of India's National Newspaper Wednesday, Dec 21, 2005 Evolve system to disqualify dubious politicians: Kalam Staff Reporter "Election officer can glean track records " "The core of empowerment for prosperity of one billion Indians was connectivity and partnership between governmental and multiple institutions in the public and private domains" NEW DELHI: Expounding his vision of realising knowledge economy through application of e-governance for empowering the nation, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Tuesday said even politicians of doubtful integrity could be kept away from elections in that set-up. Speaking at the India Empowered Summit organised here by The Indian Express along with Tata and NDTV Profit, Mr. Kalam picked up an election scenario to elucidate the impact of e-governance. When all the government departments and institutions are inter-connected the election officer could immediately verify the candidate's authenticity from the national citizen identity database through multifactor authentication from a multipurpose citizen identity card, he said. "His education credentials can come from university records, his track record of employment from various employers with whom he had worked and his income and wealth resources from the Income-Tax Department and other sources. "The candidate's property record could come from the registration of land authority across the country. "His credit history could be collected from various credit institutions like banks. His civic consciousness and citizenship behaviour could come from the police records and his legal track records from the judicial system." Artificial intelligence "Artificial intelligence software could analyse his credentials and give a rating on how successful a politician will he be," said Mr. Kalam, adding that it was also possible to let people cast their vote sitting at home. Referring to the Indian Oil Corporation employee, S. Manjunath, who was recently killed by the oil mafia in Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Kalam said it was unfortunate but added that it was time to bring about a change to prevent such incidents. "As we are talking about the responsibilities of the Government, it is also essential that people are equally responsible. The education system has to create responsible, enlightened and righteous citizens," Mr. Kalam added. Manjunath's parents who participated in the conclave met the President later. The Summit was a culmination of a series of 160 articles on "Empowering India" contributed by leaders and experts from the fields of politics, government, business, sciences, arts and sports, which were published in The Indian Express. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 22:56:02 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:26:02 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-36 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901050926x5a6dd3c4i2ac5dae4fda7776a@mail.gmail.com> http://www.hindu.com/2005/07/24/stories/2005072403900800.htm The Hindu Online edition of India's National Newspaper Sunday, Jul 24, 2005 BJP criticises handling of internal security Special Correspondent Accuses UPA of mismanaging economy NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday accused the Manmohan Singh Government of allowing the internal security situation to deteriorate, betraying the "aam aadmi" [common man] by mismanaging the economy and indulging in vote bank politics for narrow gains. Resolutions to this effect were adopted at the party's office-bearers meeting, convened here to discuss the agenda originally drawn up for the July 21-23 national executive meet, since postponed. Briefing presspersons, senior leaders Jaswant Singh and Sushma Swaraj said party matters were not discussed. The focus was on the UPA Government's performance in 14 months of office. "The office-bearers expressed grave concern at the "sharp deterioration" in the country's internal security situation ever since the Congress party, in a post-election arrangement of unprincipled convenience with the Left Front, installed itself into office... ," Mr. Singh said reading out from a resolution. The BJP demanded that the Government "honestly" implement the Supreme Court judgment on the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act; wind up the Group of Ministers established for the purpose; prevent illegal migration by vigorously enforcing the Foreigners Act 1946 and complete border fencing on the Bangladesh border at the earliest. Other demands included a white paper on "Illegal migration, its status, consequences and remedial action needed," checking the growth of madrasas and proselytising activity in the entire north-east, a multipurpose identity card and a national register of citizens, status report on the spread of naxalism and restoration of the Prevention of Terrorism Act or similar legislationto thwart anti-national activities. FDI in retail trade In a resolution on the economy, the BJP opposed the proposal to open up the retail sector to foreign direct investment. It would affect the viability of small enterprises and have a debilitating effect on the livelihood of lakhs of people engaged in retail trade, it said. The Congress-led Government had not only eroded the living standards of the common man, its mismanagement of the economy had stymied progress as well. The Government had failed to cushion consumers against the rise in petroleum prices, which rose by 30 per cent in a year. The condition of farmers had worsened and the "share of agriculture in India's Gross Domestic Product had dropped.Expressing alarm over "the effects of policy incoherence on the overall economic progress of the country," the BJP said that "after inheriting an economy that was heading for double-digit growth, the UPA has squandered the legacy of the erstwhile National Democratic Alliance Government." From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 22:57:56 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:27:56 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-37 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901050927r1b59c91jb48ea5bec73372e@mail.gmail.com> http://www.hindu.com/2005/07/27/stories/2005072716591300.htm The Hindu Online edition of India's National Newspaper Wednesday, Jul 27, 2005 Patil on steps to prevent illegal migration Special Correspondent Assurance at the end of over five-hour debate; Adjournment motion moved by Advani defeated by voice vote # Floating outposts for riverine areas # Register of citizens to be updated # Multipurpose identity cards soon NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that the Government would not allow genuine citizens to be put to difficulty, following the recent Supreme Court order to scrap the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act. The Minister's assurance came at the end of an over five-hour debate on an adjournment motion moved by Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani on the "failure of the Government to protect the eastern borders from illegal migration from Bangladesh." The House rejected the motion by voice vote. Border fencing On the steps to prevent illegal migration, Mr. Patil said fencing of the eastern borders was expected to be completed by next year. Riverine areas would have floating border outposts and Border Security Force battalions would be posted every 30 km, instead of the present 70, to increase vigil. The register of citizens would be updated and the multi-purpose identity card scheme implemented in the border areas. Mr. Patil sought to know why the National Democratic Alliance Government made no effort to act on the Governor's report submitted in November 1998. "Is it not vote bank politics to say that Hindu migrants should be seen as refugees and Muslims as illegal migrants?" The problem probably arose from an Opposition desire to use the issue for political purposes. "We are chips off the old block. Whether Hindus or Muslims, we belong to this land. ... Don't adopt this method, it will create problems." Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee placed the enactment of the IMDT Act by Parliament in 1983 in historical perspective. While stating the Government was bound to follow the court order, he noted, "We have the right to disagree with view of the Supreme Court declaring it [IMDT] null and void. ... Does it prevent Parliament from passing another Act to ensure the genuine rights of genuine citizens? ... No one is talking of illegal immigrants," he said, responding to the criticism that referring the matter to a Group of Ministers was aimed at diluting it. Welcoming the court order, Mr. Advani saw it as a comment on the functioning of the Government and said that of the three aspects of internal security — terrorism, naxalites and illegal migration — the last was more dangerous. For, there was a collective will to counter the first two aspects and none to tackle illegal immigration. Mr. Advani said the Vajpayee Government had introduced a Bill in 2003 to repeal the Act but the House was dissolved before it could be taken up. Mr. Mukherjee, who was then heading the Parliamentary Standing Committee which scrutinised the Bill, countered this claim. He said the Bill, along with nine others, was referred to the panel towards the end of the session and there were several sittings before the House was dissolved. Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Basudeb Acharia opposed the motion and said the IMDT was aimed at judicial scrutiny to ensure that the rights of genuine citizens were protected. He cited instances of Bengali-speaking Muslims in the area being put to difficulty. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Mon Jan 5 23:00:39 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:30:39 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-38 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901050930r6d4a0484y42a74b489f718a17@mail.gmail.com> http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\01\06\story_6-1-2008_pg4_10 Daily Times Sunday, January 06, 2008 ID cards for Delhi citizens trigger intense debate * BJP believes ID cards will help unmask potential terrorists * Congress and left parties say cards may become a potential for 'police raj' By Iftikhar Gilani NEW DELHI: The government order mandating all citizens living in Indian capital Delhi to carry identity proofs after January 15 lest to invite police action has triggered an intense debate. Welcoming the decision, the opposition Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday revived its campaign for a national citizen register to have the record of every Indian citizen in the country. "Delhi governor's decision for the security purpose is welcome as it would trigger a debate and study of the practical difficulties that may arise from the multiplicity of the ID proofs that the people may have to carry while many may not have any such proof at all," BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar told reporters. He said the move initiated in Delhi should be followed up with the issue of the multi-purpose national identity cards (MNIC) across the country and a national citizen register be created to keep record of these cards. Javadekar said that such cards should be handy to carry in pocket and have all the necessary electronic data on the person on a secure micro processor chip implanted in them to be useful for all purposes including elections and issue of passports and ration cards. Unmasking terrorists: The BJP believes that the national ID cards will not only help in enhancing national security but they would also help in unmasking potential terrorists and guard against the illegal immigrants. Police raj: However, leaders in the Congress and the left parties believed that such cards may become a potential for the police raj and harassment of the citizens. Any citizen not having the ID card may be even dubbed Bangladeshi as it used to happen during the NDA regime, a Congress leader pointed out. Others in the BJP headquarters underlined that the MNIC project was initiated by the NDA government in November 2003 and its importance was also underscored by then President Abdul Kalam in his 2006 Independence Day address to the nation. Though the present UPA government has continued the pilot project launched in selected sub-districts of 12 states and union territory of Puducherry, there appears no urgency to put it on fast track despite acknowledging that the national ID to every Indian citizen would go a long way in increasing the national security. The prime reason for then deputy prime minister and now opposition leader Lal Krishna Advani to push for these cards was to help in identifying the militants and the Bangladeshis allegedly staying in India illegally. The Delhi governor's order has enthused the BJP to once again push for such cards as a part of their campaign for increasing the national security. As part of the pilot project, only last May the first set of the multi-purpose national identity cards were handed over to the citizens of Pooth Khurd in Narela locality of the capital. The pilot project for collection of the database of citizens and preparation of the smart ID cards is going on in the sub-districts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir , Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry. The project involves collection of particulars of the individuals, photographs and finger biometrics of all those who are 18 and above. The national ID cards are prevalent in many countries around the world, including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and some European countries. Some countries, such as Denmark or Sweden, make widespread use of personal identification numbers issued at birth for all official transactions. A debate continues in the countries like United States and United Kingdom on the merits of adopting national ID cards as they already have the system of the photograph-bearing driving licences for the identification purposes. At the time of launching the scheme in India in November 2003, the government had stressed that the main propose to issue multipurpose National ID cards is to provide a credible individual identification system for improving the security conditions and to help the e-governance by improving the citizen-government interface. From atreyee.m at gmail.com Mon Jan 5 23:20:04 2009 From: atreyee.m at gmail.com (atreyee majumder) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 23:20:04 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] reader-list Digest, Vol 66, Issue 12(Israel) Message-ID: <1944bc230901050950u7855bd7l348f11a910425429@mail.gmail.com> On Israel, the memory and perpetrator of holocausts, I thought this was moving- http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/bruce-anderson/bruce-anderson-israel-is-in-danger-of-fighting-the-last-war-not-the-next-one-1225816.html Atreyee On Mon, Jan 5, 2009 at 10:50 PM, wrote: > Send reader-list mailing list submissions to > reader-list at sarai.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > reader-list-request at sarai.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > reader-list-owner at sarai.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of reader-list digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. The News Story on Sindh Tenancy Act (Zulfiqar Shah) > 2. Wish some Jews lived in Kashmir too (Aditya Raj Kaul) > 3. India signs biggest ever defence deal with US (Taha Mehmood) > 4. News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National > Identity Cards-34 (Taha Mehmood) > 5. News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National > Identity Cards-35 (Taha Mehmood) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 07:23:42 -0800 (PST) > From: Zulfiqar Shah > Subject: [Reader-list] The News Story on Sindh Tenancy Act > To: Cab Net , Sindh Media > , Sindh org >, > Reader-List > Message-ID: <498374.9937.qm at web38804.mail.mud.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 > > Law supporting Sindh peasants lies defunct > > By By Shahid Shah > > KARACHI: According to the Sindh Tenancy Act (STA) 1950, a landlord is > required to pay a fine worth Rs500 if found abusing a tenant, but since its > inception, this law has never been implemented. > > "Peasants have no political and social freedom," lamented Taju Bheel, > President Hari Mazdoor Mahaz Sindh, and suggested that hari (farmer) courts > be formed to resolve the issue. > > The STA was an attempt to address issues faced by tenants who are peasants, > such as the duration of their residence and their share of agricultural > produce. However, according to a draft prepared by the Asian Development > Bank, "the Act no longer reflects contemporary circumstances and needs and > the level of compliance is low." > > One of the issues tenants face today is that landowners take loans worth > millions of rupees from banks in tenants' names. > > "The government is providing billions of rupees to rescue the rich > (shareholders) from the sinking stock exchange," said a social activist. > "Instead, it should come forward to pay back peasants' loans." > > Currently, there is no tribunal in place to deal with matters related to > peasants. Moreover, they cannot afford to go to civil courts, where cases > can drag on for several years. Under the STA, every tenant must be > registered, but according to Zulfiqar Shah, provincial head of South Asia > Partnership (SAP), a civil society organisation, this has never happened. In > addition, none of the tenants have a permanent address, as they are often > forced by their landlords to relocate. > > "Such displacement affects education," said Bheel. "These children should > be treated equally and provided a quota in universities and colleges." > > According to Zulfiqar Shah, Pakistanshould follow India's example and form > an agricultural policy for its farmers. As a mark of protest, tenants > residing in Sindh, united under the SAP, have planned a march from > Hyderabadto the Sindh Assembly building on March 15. The march is expected > to end by the close of month. > > Sindh is home to over a million peasants, none of whom have access to > education or health services. Before the partition of the sub-continent, the > STA ensured that peasants in all provinces of Indiawould receive their > rights. By contrast, the traditional system allowed the landlord to impose > his own rules. > > Rochi Ram, a lawyer and social activist, explained that in the majority of > India, each piece of land was in the hands of three parties; the government, > the landowner and the peasant, but just the feudal lord and landowner in > Sindh. > > In 1930, things looked to be changing for the peasants when the Sindh Hari > Committee was formed. At the same time, however, the landof Sindhat Sukkur > Barrage and JamraoCanalwas distributed among people from Punjab, resulting > in widespread protests in Sindh. > > With the help of the Sindh Hari Committee and the leadership of Comrade > Hyder Bux Jatoi and Qadir Khokhar, the peasants succeeded in getting the STA > enforced in 1950, which was meant to ensure interaction between the tenant > and landowner. > > According to the STA, all disputes between the peasant and landowner were > to be resolved by the Mukhtiarkar, then a first-class magistrate. > However, when landowners entered politics and became ministers, the > Mukhtiarkar became a servant of the feudal lord. The STA also stated that > the tenant had to pay the cost of the plough, but ever since the mode of > production switched from ox ploughs to tractors and other machinery, the > cost has increased manifold. > > "They (peasants) were in a better condition before the partition," said > Ram. He believes that the current political system, where the majority of > the politicians are from the families of feudal lords, has done nothing for > the protection of peasants' rights. "They have no way of getting justice." > > Source: The News, KarachiSaturday, January 03, 2009 > > > New Email names for you! > Get the Email name you've always wanted on the new @ymail and > @rocketmail. > Hurry before someone else does! > http://mail.promotions.yahoo.com/newdomains/aa/ > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 21:07:21 +0530 > From: "Aditya Raj Kaul" > Subject: [Reader-list] Wish some Jews lived in Kashmir too > To: "sarai list" > Message-ID: > <6353c690901050737t45eae053hdbc58209422b248b at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252 > > December 30, 2008 Op-Ed Contributor > Why Israel Feels Threatened By BENNY MORRIS > > Li-On, Israel > > MANY Israelis feel that the walls — and history — are closing in on their > 60-year-old state, much as they felt in early June 1967, just before Israel > launched the Six-Day War and destroyed the Egyptian, Jordanian and Syrian > armies in Sinai, the West Bank and the Golan Heights. > > More than 40 years ago, the Egyptians had driven a United Nations > peacekeeping force from the Sinai-Israel border, had closed the Straits of > Tiran to Israeli shipping and air traffic and had deployed the equivalent > of > seven armored and infantry divisions on Israel's doorstep. Egypt had signed > a series of military pacts with Syria and Jordan and placed troops in the > West Bank. Arab radio stations blared messages about the coming destruction > of Israel. > > Israelis, or rather, Israeli Jews, are beginning to feel much the way their > parents did in those apocalyptic days. Israel is a much more powerful and > prosperous state today. In 1967 there were only some 2 million Jews in the > country — today there are about 5.5 million — and the military did not have > nuclear weapons. But the bulk of the population looks to the future with > deep foreboding. > > The foreboding has two general sources and four specific causes. The > general > problems are simple. First, the Arab and wider Islamic worlds, despite > Israeli hopes since 1948 and notwithstanding the peace treaties signed by > Egypt and Jordan in 1979 and 1994, have never truly accepted the legitimacy > of Israel's creation and continue to oppose its existence. > > Second, public opinion in the West (and in democracies, governments can't > be > far behind) is gradually reducing its support for Israel as the West looks > askance at the Jewish state's treatment of its Palestinian neighbors and > wards. The Holocaust is increasingly becoming a faint and ineffectual > memory > and the Arab states are increasingly powerful and assertive. > > More specifically, Israel faces a combination of dire threats. To the east, > Iran is frantically advancing its nuclear project, which most Israelis and > most of the world's intelligence agencies believe is designed to produce > nuclear weapons. This, coupled with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad's > public threats to destroy Israel — and his denials of the Holocaust and of > any homosexuality in Iran, which underscore his irrationality — has > Israel's > political and military leaders on tenterhooks. > > To the north, the Lebanese fundamentalist organization Hezbollah, which > also > vows to destroy Israel and functions as an Iranian proxy, has thoroughly > rearmed since its war with Israel in 2006. According to Israeli > intelligence > estimates, Hezbollah now has an arsenal of 30,000 to 40,000 Russian-made > rockets, supplied by Syria and Iran — twice the number it possessed in > 2006. > Some of the rockets can reach Tel Aviv and Dimona, where Israel's nuclear > production facility is located. If there is war between Israel and Iran, > Hezbollah can be expected to join in. (It may well join in the renewed > Israeli-Palestinian conflict, too.) > > To the south, Israel faces the Islamist Hamas movement, which controls the > Gaza Strip and whose charter promises to destroy Israel and bring every > inch > of Palestine under Islamic rule and law. Hamas today has an army of > thousands. It also has a large arsenal of rockets — home-made Qassams and > Russian-made, Iranian-financed Katyushas and Grads smuggled, with the > Egyptians largely turning a blind eye, through tunnels from Sinai. > > Last June, Israel and Hamas agreed to a six-month truce. This unsteady calm > was periodically violated by armed factions in Gaza that lobbed rockets > into > Israel's border settlements. Israel responded by periodically suspending > shipments of supplies into Gaza. > > In November and early December, Hamas stepped up the rocket attacks and > then, unilaterally, formally announced the end of the truce. The Israeli > public and government then gave Defense Minister Ehud Barak a free hand. > Israel's highly efficient air assault on Hamas, which began on Saturday, > was > his first move. Most of Hamas's security and governmental compounds were > turned into rubble and several hundred Hamas fighters were killed. > > But the attack will not solve the basic problem posed by a Gaza Strip > populated by 1.5 million impoverished, desperate Palestinians who are ruled > by a fanatic regime and are tightly hemmed in by fences and by border > crossings controlled by Israel and Egypt. > > An enormous Israeli ground operation aimed at conquering the Gaza Strip and > destroying Hamas would probably bog down in the alleyways of refugee camps > before achieving its goal. (And even if these goals were somehow achieved, > renewed and indefinite Israeli rule over Gaza would prove unpalatable to > all > concerned.) > > More likely are small, limited armored incursions, intended to curtail > missile launches and kill Hamas fighters. But these are also unlikely to > bring the organization to heel — though they may exercise sufficient > pressure eventually to achieve, with the mediation of Turkey or Egypt, a > renewed temporary truce. That seems to be the most that can be hoped for, > though a renewal of rocket attacks on southern Israel, once Hamas recovers, > is as certain as day follows night. > > The fourth immediate threat to Israel's existence is internal. It is posed > by the country's Arab minority. Over the past two decades, Israel's 1.3 > million Arab citizens have been radicalized, with many openly avowing a > Palestinian identity and embracing Palestinian national aims. Their > spokesmen say that their loyalty lies with their people rather than with > their state, Israel. Many of the community's leaders, who benefit from > Israeli democracy, more or less publicly supported Hezbollah in 2006 and > continue to call for "autonomy" (of one sort or another) and for the > dissolution of the Jewish state. > > Demography, if not Arab victory in battle, offers the recipe for such a > dissolution. The birth rates for Israeli Arabs are among the highest in the > world, with 4 or 5 children per family (as opposed to the 2 or 3 children > per family among Israeli Jews). > > If present trends persist, Arabs could constitute the majority of Israel's > citizens by 2040 or 2050. Already, within five to 10 years, Palestinians > (Israeli Arabs coupled with those who live in the West Bank and Gaza Strip) > will form the majority population of Palestine (the land lying between the > Jordan River and the Mediterranean). > > Friction between Israeli Arabs and Jews is already a cogent political > factor. In 2000, at the start of the second intifada, thousands of Arab > youngsters, in sympathy with their brethren in the territories, rioted > along > Israel's major highways and in Israel's ethnically mixed cities. > > The past fortnight has seen a recurrence, albeit on a smaller scale, of > such > rioting. Down the road, Israel's Jews fear more violence and terrorism by > Israeli Arabs. Most Jews see the Arab minority as a potential fifth column. > > What is common to these specific threats is their unconventionality. > Between > 1948 and 1982 Israel coped relatively well with the threat from > conventional > Arab armies. Indeed, it repeatedly trounced them. But Iran's nuclear > threat, > the rise of organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah that operate from across > international borders and from the midst of dense civilian populations, and > Israeli Arabs' growing disaffection with the state and their identification > with its enemies, offer a completely different set of challenges. And they > are challenges that Israel's leaders and public, bound by Western > democratic > and liberal norms of behavior, appear to find particularly difficult to > counter. > > Israel's sense of the walls closing in on it has this past week led to one > violent reaction. Given the new realities, it would not be surprising if > more powerful explosions were to follow. > > Benny Morris, a professor of Middle Eastern history at Ben-Gurion > University, is the author, most recently, of "1948: A History of the First > Arab-Israeli War." > > > -- > > -- > Aditya Raj Kaul > > Freelance Correspondent, The Times of India > Cell - +91-9873297834 > > Campaign Blog: http://kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com/ > Personal Blog: http://activistsdiary.blogspot.com/ > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 16:17:49 +0000 > From: "Taha Mehmood" <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> > Subject: [Reader-list] India signs biggest ever defence deal with US > To: "reader-list at sarai.net" > Message-ID: > <65be9bf40901050817x44201e7bmf0c5cb725b2785a4 at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Dear All, > > Even as we debate and discuss economic depression and as some would argue, > its obvious correlation with terror. It seems that in some sectors terror > and economics go hand in hand and rightly so, for in order to protect our > great country we need few sticks. > > Please read the story below which indicates that how even in these times of > rather grave economic crisis the Indian Government is giving its two > pennies > to the cause of generating employment. > > Kind regards > > Taha > > > > > India signs biggest ever defence deal with US > Font Size > Agencies Posted: Jan 05, 2009 at 1651 hrs IST > AddThis > Print Email Feedback Discuss > India has signed a deal to buy eight maritime aircraft from aerospace major > Boeing.India has signed a deal to buy eight maritime aircraft from > aerospace > major Boeing. > > India has signed a deal to buy eight maritime aircraft from aerospace major > Boeing. > Related Stories: US site rank Indian commandos as 'top Desis'Indian > Americans organise 'Washington Lobby Day'Shift focus of US military aid to > Pak: Indo-AmericansUS envoy meets ChidambaramIndian Americans ask UN to > declare Pak a terrorist state > New Delhi: In its largest defence purchase ever from the US, India has > signed a deal to buy eight maritime aircraft from aerospace major Boeing to > strengthen the Navy's intelligence gathering capabilities. > > The USD 2.1 billion contract for eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime > reconnaissance (LRMR) aircraft was signed between a Defence Ministry > official and Boeing's country head Vivek Lall here on January 1, Navy and > industry sources said in New Delhi on Monday. > > The Government had approved the deal in its last Cabinet Committee on > Security (CCS) meeting in 2008 after protracted talks. > > The deal with Boeing, sources said, was through a direct commercial > contract > and issues such as end-user verification agreement between India and US for > these defence products were still pending, sources said. > > The Navy will get its first aircraft under the deal by 2012-13 and the rest > of the aircraft would be delivered in phases by 2015-16, sources said. > > The contract also provided for the Navy to place follow-on orders for about > eight more of these aircraft, being purchased to replace the existing fleet > of eight ageing Tupolev-142M turboprops. > > The P-8I is armed with torpedoes, depth bombs and Harpoon anti-ship > missiles > and is capable of anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare. > > Expected to help in plugging the existing gaps in Navy's maritime > reconnaissance capabilities, the aircraft has an operating range of over > 600 > nautical miles. > > Customised to meet Indian Navy's needs and based on the Boeing 737 > commercial airliner, the P-8I aircraft is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon > multi-mission maritime aircraft under development for the US Navy to > replace > its P-3C Orion fleet. > > Interestingly, the P8I deal would be the largest deal India signed with the > US, after the USD 962 million deal signed in 2007 for six Lockheed Martin's > C-130J 'Super Hercules' transport aicraft for its special forces. > > Its purchase would greatly help inter-operability and supportability > objectives of both the Indian and US Navies, according to a Boeing official > in New Delhi. > > Apart from the Tu-142Ms, the Indian Navy currently uses IL-38SDs and > Dorniers for surveillance operations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). > > It was also looking for six advanced medium-range maritime reconnaissance > aircraft at a budget of Rs 1,600 crore to further boost its patrol and > intelligence gathering capabilities in the IOR. > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:18:44 +0000 > From: "Taha Mehmood" <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> > Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose > National Identity Cards-34 > To: "reader-list at sarai.net" > Message-ID: > <65be9bf40901050918k6083934eg422d22c2c647fcc9 at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050331/asp/northeast/story_4554083.asp > > The Telegraph > | Thursday, March 31, 2005 | > > Delhi skirts IMDT debate > - Court?s queries on migration barely answered > R. VENKATARAMAN > > New Delhi, March 30: Delhi today informed the Supreme Court that ?four > data entry operators? had been assigned the task of computerising > citizenship records as part of the process of identifying and > deporting illegal migrants, provoking a caustic reaction from those > demanding the repeal of the allegedly ineffective Illegal Migrants > (Determination by Tribunals) Act. > > The government was responding to the apex court?s directive to file an > affidavit on the subject of issuing multi-purpose national identity > cards, the creation of a national citizenship register and a former > Assam governor?s report on illegal migration. > > ?The government of India has agreed to provide funds for the purchase > of computers required for computerisation of the (national > citizenship) register,? Delhi stated in its affidavit. > > But Manish Goswami, one of the lawyers arguing for abrogation of the > IMDT Act, was clearly not impressed. ?The way things are described in > this response, it might take 40 more years to even prepare the > register and identify the Bangladeshi illegal immigrants, by which > time the demography of Assam, West Bengal and even Delhi and > Maharashtra would have further changed because immigrants have > infiltrated all these areas,? he said. > > Delhi touted the continuity of the process of fencing the border, > preparing a databank of citizens, strengthening the BSF, registering > countryboats and intensifying surveillance of the riverine sector of > the Indo-Bangladesh order as ?action taken? on the report compiled by > former governor Lt Gen. (retd) S.K. Sinha. The governor had warned of > catastrophic demographic changes in Assam if illegal migration > continued. The apex court will resume its hearing on the case > tomorrow. > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:20:41 +0000 > From: "Taha Mehmood" <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> > Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose > National Identity Cards-35 > To: "reader-list at sarai.net" > Message-ID: > <65be9bf40901050920w7420ce75m9a617f9c2f823c4d at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252 > > http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060319/spectrum/book4.htm > > Tribune > Spectum > > Sunday, March 19, 2006 > > > > Mission technology > Rajesh Kumar Aggarwal > > The State, IT and Development > eds. R.K. Bagga, Kenneth Keniston and Rohit Raj Mathur. Sage > Publications. Pages 325. Rs 380. > > Information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services (ITES) have > achieved record growth in recent years. While the number of telephone > and Internet users have increased manifold, software development and > earnings too have increased to a new high. However, the digital divide > between the rural and urban sectors, public and private sectors > continues. > > The book has been divided into four sections—The Route to Development, > Challenges Before the State, ICT Initiatives in Developing India and > The Road Ahead. > > The first section focuses intensively on good governance. It says that > governments are now gearing up to appear SMART (simple, moral, > accountable, responsive and transparent) and ICT (information and > communication technology) has an indispensable role in social, > economic and political development of the state. At the same time, the > book argues that ICT is not a substitute for good governance but it > can be an enabler of good governance. > > President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in his paper, Vision of Citizen-Centric > E-Governance for India, visualises e-governance as "a transparent > smart e-governance with seamless access, secure and authentic flow of > information crossing the inter-departmental barrier and providing a > fair and unbiased service to the citizens". He says the primary data > requirement for effective e-governance is a national citizen ID card, > which should be a multi-purpose, secure and authentic, similar to the > photocopy of an individual, with multifactor authentication such as > photograph and biometrics-fingerprints, iris-based systems and digital > signatures. > > The papers by Jayaprakash Narayan, E.A.S. Sarna and Sameer Sachdeva > and Rohit Raj Mathur advocate investment in ICT but cautions that such > investments should only be made rationally. It would be detrimental to > invest on computers in schools and hospitals, if these institutions > lack basic facilities such as proper buildings, blackboards, toilets > in schools and medicines, doctors and para-medicals in hospitals. > > Even though ICT revolution is being perceived as the new engine of > growth, the second section of the book points that there are many > challenges before the state such as bridging the digital divide, > regulating framework to facilitate universal connectivity in India, > implementation of cyber laws, organising process documentation and > integration of e-governance. Moreover, there are challenges before the > state to combat corruption in public life. N. Vittal, former Central > Vigilance Commissioner, recounting his experiences, says ICT can act > as a powerful administrative tool that can bring corrupt acts of > individuals to the notice of the society at large with a much greater > impact. > > R.K. Bagga highlights some of the critical messages for digitising > governments, which are important for government to business, > government to citizen, government to employee and government to > government (G2B, G2C, G2E and G2G) decisions. > > The section three lists some of the ICT e-governance initiatives in > rural and urban India. These are eSeva and Saukaryam (meaning facility > in Telugu) in Andhra Pradesh and FRIENDS (Fast, Reliable, Instant, > Efficient Network for Distribution of Services), IKM (Information > Kerala Mission), and Akshaya (a project to spread mass computer > literacy at grassroots level) in Kerala. > > The Road Ahead, suggests a bigger role for e-governance in overall > development of the nation. It advocates the creation of > micro-enterprises around technology, promoting public-private > partnership. The last paper by R.K. Bagga and Rohit Raj Mathur > summarises some very important recommendations based on the three ASCI > (Administrative staff College of India) workshops for G2B, G2C, G2E > and G2G groups, and records the suggested future action agenda. > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > reader-list mailing list > reader-list at sarai.net > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > End of reader-list Digest, Vol 66, Issue 12 > ******************************************* > From ravis at sarai.net Mon Jan 5 23:42:31 2009 From: ravis at sarai.net (Ravi Sundaram) Date: Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:42:31 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] fwd: The Terrorist and the Citizen, IIC Jan 10 Message-ID: <6.2.3.4.2.20090105234002.03b4c340@mail.sarai.net> The Sociology Unit at the Institute of Economic Growth, and the India International Centre invite you to a panel discussion on *The Terrorist and the Citizen: How Television Transforms Political Life*. 4 pm on Saturday, Jan 10, 2009 Lecture Room, India International Centre Annexe Participants: *Chair: Arindam Sengupta, Executive Editor, *Times of India* *Jawed Naqvi*, Delhi correspondent, *The Dawn*, Karachi *Ashutosh*, Managing Editor, IBN 7 *Harinder Baweja*, Editor-Investigations, *Tehelka* *Dipankar Gupta*, Professor of Sociology, Jawaharlal Nehru University ------------- From taraprakash at gmail.com Tue Jan 6 00:27:47 2009 From: taraprakash at gmail.com (taraprakash) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 13:57:47 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan References: <24B6440BFE624EE5A697955EFEA3F8B9@tara> <995a19920901041256w1ab288e3o5956ca71d4eec157@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <45ED451FD1B74E4DA727314D879C1119@tara> I found nothing illuminating in the article. Thankfully I use other sources except reader list for reading news. Just because a journalist works for an authentic news agency, it doesn't mean he/she becomes credible. What do you say about Praveen Swami working for Hindu? Of course Barkha Dutt or anyone in Imdian media will do better to put their own house in order before commenting on the ills of Pakistan. I agree that it is not fair to criticize everything that comes from Pakistan, I also believe that it is wrong to applaud everything that comes from there. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Aman Sethi" To: Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 3:56 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan > Dear Taraprakash, > Mohammed Hanif is in fact, the HEAD of the BBC Urdu service, - the > very same service that you so approvingly quote. So I would give him > far more credence than you have. Further, since the BBC Urdu appears > to be a paragon of journalistic practice - i think he is well suited > to make a few remarks on the stereotypical way in which pakistan is > portrayed in the Indian media. > > I find it really amusing that indians can dedicate reams to pointing > out (in painful detail i might add) how barkha dutt or rajdeep > sardesai got it wrong - but when a pakistani writes a reasonably > illuminating opinion piece - he is asked to put his house in order. > best > a. > > On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 3:14 PM, taraprakash wrote: >> I wonder if this article is talking about Pakistan or Pakistanis. >> Generally >> when media talks about a country, India, Pakistan, US etc., they mean the >> governments not the people. If you need to know about the nexus between >> Pakistan state apparatuses and these Jihadi groups, one can just visit >> www.bbcurdu.com >> As far as I know, this site is not part of the Indian media. BBC Urdu >> service, that has its headqurters in Pakistan, and that was first to >> send >> its correspondents to Kasab's village to confirm his identity as a >> Pakistani >> national, is running a feature on Jihadis and Pakistan establishment >> links. >> The site also has an interview with Hamid Gul, former ISI chief and one >> of >> the founding members of these jihadi groups. On being asked "what was the >> relevance of these groups once the USSR forces had been defeated in >> Afghanistan?" Gul says that earlier the US had an even-handed approach >> towards India and Pakistan. But now there is a tilt towards India, so >> these >> nonstate actors are required as a deterant to India. The author of the >> below >> article also ignores the fact that different Jihadi groups are working >> towards different agenda. So much so that Pakistan establishment differs >> between good taliban, those who don't attack Pakistani army, and bad >> Taliban, those who destroy pakistani infrastructure. So much about the >> homogenity of these groups. How much active these Jihadi groups in the >> Indian territory, is also dependent on what kind of relationship India >> and >> Pakistan governments have. So much about decoupling of the Pakistani >> state >> and these groups. I wonder if the mango exporting author heard that Navaz >> Sharif interview that was not broadcast only on India media. In the >> interview given to one of the Pakistani channels Sharif said that the >> government had something to hide in Faridkot. I wonder if the mango >> exporting author reads anything by Hoodboy and Mariana Babar, both >> Pakistanis. Yes, Indian media have lots of shortcommings, but before >> anyone >> from Pakistan addresses them, they need to first put their house in >> order. >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "M Javed" >> To: "sarai list" >> Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 1:19 AM >> Subject: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan >> >> >>> Ten myths about Pakistan >>> 4 Jan 2009, 0032 hrs IST, >>> Mohammed Hanif >>> >>> Living in Pakistan and reading about it in the Indian press can >>> sometimes be quite a disorienting experience: one wonders what place >>> on earth they're talking about? I wouldn't be surprised if an Indian >>> reader going through Pakistani papers has asked the same question in >>> recent days. Here are some common assumptions about Pakistan and its >>> citizens that I have come across in the Indian media... >>> >>> Pakistan controls the jihadis: Or Pakistan's government controls the >>> jihadis. Or Pakistan Army controls the jihadis. Or ISI controls the >>> jihadis. Or some rogue elements from the ISI control the Jihadis. >>> Nobody knows the whole truth but increasingly it's the tail that wags >>> the dog. We must remember that the ISI-Jihadi alliance was a marriage >>> of convenience, which has broken down irrevocably. Pakistan army has >>> lost more soldiers at the hands of these jihadis than it ever did >>> fighting India. >>> >>> Musharraf was in control, Zardari is not: Let's not forget that >>> General Musharraf seized power after he was fired from his job as the >>> army chief by an elected prime minister. Musharraf first appeased >>> jihadis, then bombed them, and then appeased them again. The country >>> he left behind has become a very dangerous place, above all for its >>> own citizens. There is a latent hankering in sections of the Indian >>> middle class for a strongman. Give Manmohan Singh a military uniform, >>> put all the armed forces under his direct command, make his word the >>> law of the land, and he too will go around thumping his chest saying >>> that it's his destiny to save India from Indians . Zardari will never >>> have the kind of control that Musharraf had. But Pakistanis do not >>> want another Musharraf. >>> >>> Pakistan, which Pakistan? For a small country, Pakistan is very >>> diverse, not only ethnically but politically as well. General >>> Musharraf's government bombed Pashtuns in the north for being >>> Islamists and close to the Taliban and at the same time it bombed >>> Balochs in the South for NOT being Islamists and for subscribing to >>> some kind of retro-socialist, anti Taliban ethos. You have probably >>> heard the joke about other countries having armies but Pakistan's army >>> having a country. Nobody in Pakistan finds it funny. >>> >>> Pakistan and its loose nukes: Pakistan's nuclear programme is under a >>> sophisticated command and control system, no more under threat than >>> India or Israel's nuclear assets are threatened by Hindu or Jewish >>> extremists. For a long time Pakistan's security establishment's other >>> strategic asset was jihadi organisations, which in the last couple of >>> years have become its biggest liability. >>> >>> Pakistan is a failed state: If it is, then Pakistanis have not >>> noticed. Or they have lived in it for such a long time that they have >>> become used to its dysfunctional aspects. Trains are late but they >>> turn up, there are more VJs, DJs, theatre festivals, melas, and >>> fashion models than a failed state can accommodate. To borrow a phrase >>> from President Zardari, there are lots of non-state actors like Abdul >>> Sattar Edhi who provide emergency health services, orphanages and >>> shelters for sick animals. >>> >>> It is a deeply religious country: Every half-decent election in this >>> country has proved otherwise. Religious parties have never won more >>> than a fraction of popular vote. Last year Pakistan witnessed the >>> largest civil rights movements in the history of this region. It was >>> spontaneous, secular and entirely peaceful. But since people weren't >>> raising anti-India or anti-America slogans, nobody outside Pakistan >>> took much notice. >>> >>> All Pakistanis hate India: Three out of four provinces in Pakistan - >>> Sindh, Baluchistan, NWFP - have never had any popular anti-India >>> sentiment ever. Punjabis who did impose India as enemy-in-chief on >>> Pakistan are now more interested in selling potatoes to India than >>> destroying it. There is a new breed of al-Qaida inspired jihadis who >>> hate a woman walking on the streets of Karachi as much as they hate a >>> woman driving a car on the streets of Delhi. In fact there is not much >>> that they do not hate: they hate America, Denmark, China CDs, barbers, >>> DVDs , television, even football. Imran Khan recently said that these >>> jihadis will never attack a cricket match but nobody takes him >>> seriously. >>> >>> Training camps: There are militant sanctuaries in the tribal areas of >>> Pakistan but definitely not in Muzaffarabad or Muridke, two favourite >>> targets for Indian journalists, probably because those are the cities >>> they have ever been allowed to visit. After all how much training do >>> you need if you are going to shoot at random civilians or blow >>> yourself up in a crowded bazaar? So if anyone thinks a few missiles >>> targeted at Muzaffarabad will teach anyone a lesson, they should >>> switch off their TV and try to locate it on the map. >>> >>> RAW would never do what ISI does: Both the agencies have had a >>> brilliant record of creating mayhem in the neighbouring countries. >>> Both have a dismal record when it comes to protecting their own >>> people. There is a simple reason that ISI is a bigger, more notorious >>> brand name: It was CIA's franchise during the jihad against the >>> Soviets. And now it's busy doing jihad against those very jihadis. >>> >>> Pakistan is poor, India is rich: Pakistanis visiting India till the >>> mid-eighties came back very smug. They told us about India's slums, >>> and that there was nothing to buy except handicrafts and saris. Then >>> Pakistanis could say with justifiable pride that nobody slept hungry >>> in their country. But now, not only do people sleep hungry in both the >>> countries, they also commit suicide because they see nothing but a >>> lifetime of hunger ahead. A debt-ridden farmer contemplating suicide >>> in Maharashtra and a mother who abandons her children in Karachi >>> because she can't feed them: this is what we have achieved in our >>> mutual desire to teach each other a lesson. >>> >>> The writer is the author of 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' >>> >>> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sunday_TOI/Ten_myths_about_Pakistan/articleshow/3932145.cms >>> _________________________________________ >>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >>> Critiques & Collaborations >>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >>> subscribe in the subject header. >>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >>> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Tue Jan 6 01:38:16 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 20:08:16 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Smart Card Apps Make Financial & Retail Transactions Safer Message-ID: <65be9bf40901051208x4d582dfft990e8b74d1873f1@mail.gmail.com> Dear all, So much so for global depression. Some sectors are witnessing a boom as suggested by news reports. Take the smart card sector for instance, as the report below suggests, this sector may witness an increase of revenue by 15%. It seems as if one man's poison is indeed other man's food. Global insecurity is leading to secure sales and secure employment. Regards Taha http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/smart-card-apps-make-financial-retail-transactions-safer-81728.php Smart Card Apps Make Financial & Retail Transactions Safer Smart cards have emerged as a viable and safe option for end users to prevent fraudulent transactions; as a result, their use in financial and retail sectors will increase significantly. NEW DELHI, INDIA, January 05, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- RNCOS in its new research report "Global Smart Card Market Outlook" says that the financial/retail sector is expected to continue to represent the largest application area for the global smart card industry. And the shipment of smart cards in financial/retail/loyalty is estimated to increase by 15% in the current year. According to the report, the rising applications of smart cards in diverse sectors are due to the high security they provide. Consequently, smart cards are being widely used in financial applications such as payment cards and ATM or banking cards. With robust growth in the global financial market, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, the opportunities for the global smart card industry have increased tremendously, says the report. Rising number of fraudulent cases has highlighted the risks associated with using magnetic strip cards for transactions. Moreover, the growth opportunities for smart cards have further increased by the decision taken by Visa and MasterCard to use Europay, MasterCard and Visa (EMV) specification worldwide. Besides, the banking sector represents an area of tremendous opportunities for smart card industry because its functionalities, such as value-added services and enhanced consumer benefits, have made smart card viable and the safest option for end users. Thus, the demand for smart cards is expected to grow at an unprecedented rate. "Global Smart Card Market Outlook" provides in-depth and comprehensive information on the growing marketplace for smart cards at the global and national level. It contains thorough analysis along with statistical data on the present market trends, emerging markets and future growth prospects for the smart card industry. Apart from this, the report contains statistical information on value, shipments and applications of smart cards at the global and national level that helps clients to identify critical opportunities for growth of the smart card industry. It helps clients to evaluate key factors driving growth in the industry and future avenues. The study also provides forecast on the number of mobile subscribers and smart card shipment by region. For more information visit: http://www.rncos.com/Report/IM599.htm Current Industry News: http://www.rncos.com/Blog/ About RNCOS: RNCOS, incorporated in the year 2002, is an industry research firm. We are a team of industry experts who analyze data collected from credible sources. We provide industry insights and analysis that helps corporations to take timely and accurate business decision in today's globally competitive environment. We are running a special offer on selected reports, where you can avail our reports at discounted prices. Please click here to know more: http://www.rncos.com/promotion.htm From yasir.media at gmail.com Tue Jan 6 02:40:59 2009 From: yasir.media at gmail.com (=?WINDOWS-1256?Q?yasir_~=ED=C7_=D3=D1?=) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 02:10:59 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan In-Reply-To: <45ED451FD1B74E4DA727314D879C1119@tara> References: <24B6440BFE624EE5A697955EFEA3F8B9@tara> <995a19920901041256w1ab288e3o5956ca71d4eec157@mail.gmail.com> <45ED451FD1B74E4DA727314D879C1119@tara> Message-ID: <5af37bb0901051310k23912a17jdea4aed8666928be@mail.gmail.com> he's also written about the mango paiti that exploded. http://pakteahouse.wordpress.com/2008/05/28/a-case-of-exploding-mangoes-the-new-pakistani-novel/ On Mon, Jan 5, 2009 at 11:57 PM, taraprakash wrote: > I found nothing illuminating in the article. Thankfully I use other sources > except reader list for reading news. > Just because a journalist works for an authentic news agency, it doesn't > mean he/she becomes credible. What do you say about Praveen Swami working > for Hindu? > Of course Barkha Dutt or anyone in Imdian media will do better to put their > own house in order before commenting on the ills of Pakistan. > I agree that it is not fair to criticize everything that comes from > Pakistan, I also believe that it is wrong to applaud everything that comes > from there. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Aman Sethi" > To: > Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 3:56 PM > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan > > > > Dear Taraprakash, > > Mohammed Hanif is in fact, the HEAD of the BBC Urdu service, - the > > very same service that you so approvingly quote. So I would give him > > far more credence than you have. Further, since the BBC Urdu appears > > to be a paragon of journalistic practice - i think he is well suited > > to make a few remarks on the stereotypical way in which pakistan is > > portrayed in the Indian media. > > > > I find it really amusing that indians can dedicate reams to pointing > > out (in painful detail i might add) how barkha dutt or rajdeep > > sardesai got it wrong - but when a pakistani writes a reasonably > > illuminating opinion piece - he is asked to put his house in order. > > best > > a. > > > > On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 3:14 PM, taraprakash > wrote: > >> I wonder if this article is talking about Pakistan or Pakistanis. > >> Generally > >> when media talks about a country, India, Pakistan, US etc., they mean > the > >> governments not the people. If you need to know about the nexus between > >> Pakistan state apparatuses and these Jihadi groups, one can just visit > >> www.bbcurdu.com > >> As far as I know, this site is not part of the Indian media. BBC Urdu > >> service, that has its headqurters in Pakistan, and that was first to > >> send > >> its correspondents to Kasab's village to confirm his identity as a > >> Pakistani > >> national, is running a feature on Jihadis and Pakistan establishment > >> links. > >> The site also has an interview with Hamid Gul, former ISI chief and one > >> of > >> the founding members of these jihadi groups. On being asked "what was > the > >> relevance of these groups once the USSR forces had been defeated in > >> Afghanistan?" Gul says that earlier the US had an even-handed approach > >> towards India and Pakistan. But now there is a tilt towards India, so > >> these > >> nonstate actors are required as a deterant to India. The author of the > >> below > >> article also ignores the fact that different Jihadi groups are working > >> towards different agenda. So much so that Pakistan establishment > differs > >> between good taliban, those who don't attack Pakistani army, and bad > >> Taliban, those who destroy pakistani infrastructure. So much about the > >> homogenity of these groups. How much active these Jihadi groups in the > >> Indian territory, is also dependent on what kind of relationship India > >> and > >> Pakistan governments have. So much about decoupling of the Pakistani > >> state > >> and these groups. I wonder if the mango exporting author heard that > Navaz > >> Sharif interview that was not broadcast only on India media. In the > >> interview given to one of the Pakistani channels Sharif said that the > >> government had something to hide in Faridkot. I wonder if the mango > >> exporting author reads anything by Hoodboy and Mariana Babar, both > >> Pakistanis. Yes, Indian media have lots of shortcommings, but before > >> anyone > >> from Pakistan addresses them, they need to first put their house in > >> order. > >> > >> > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: "M Javed" > >> To: "sarai list" > >> Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 1:19 AM > >> Subject: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan > >> > >> > >>> Ten myths about Pakistan > >>> 4 Jan 2009, 0032 hrs IST, > >>> Mohammed Hanif > >>> > >>> Living in Pakistan and reading about it in the Indian press can > >>> sometimes be quite a disorienting experience: one wonders what place > >>> on earth they're talking about? I wouldn't be surprised if an Indian > >>> reader going through Pakistani papers has asked the same question in > >>> recent days. Here are some common assumptions about Pakistan and its > >>> citizens that I have come across in the Indian media... > >>> > >>> Pakistan controls the jihadis: Or Pakistan's government controls the > >>> jihadis. Or Pakistan Army controls the jihadis. Or ISI controls the > >>> jihadis. Or some rogue elements from the ISI control the Jihadis. > >>> Nobody knows the whole truth but increasingly it's the tail that wags > >>> the dog. We must remember that the ISI-Jihadi alliance was a marriage > >>> of convenience, which has broken down irrevocably. Pakistan army has > >>> lost more soldiers at the hands of these jihadis than it ever did > >>> fighting India. > >>> > >>> Musharraf was in control, Zardari is not: Let's not forget that > >>> General Musharraf seized power after he was fired from his job as the > >>> army chief by an elected prime minister. Musharraf first appeased > >>> jihadis, then bombed them, and then appeased them again. The country > >>> he left behind has become a very dangerous place, above all for its > >>> own citizens. There is a latent hankering in sections of the Indian > >>> middle class for a strongman. Give Manmohan Singh a military uniform, > >>> put all the armed forces under his direct command, make his word the > >>> law of the land, and he too will go around thumping his chest saying > >>> that it's his destiny to save India from Indians . Zardari will never > >>> have the kind of control that Musharraf had. But Pakistanis do not > >>> want another Musharraf. > >>> > >>> Pakistan, which Pakistan? For a small country, Pakistan is very > >>> diverse, not only ethnically but politically as well. General > >>> Musharraf's government bombed Pashtuns in the north for being > >>> Islamists and close to the Taliban and at the same time it bombed > >>> Balochs in the South for NOT being Islamists and for subscribing to > >>> some kind of retro-socialist, anti Taliban ethos. You have probably > >>> heard the joke about other countries having armies but Pakistan's army > >>> having a country. Nobody in Pakistan finds it funny. > >>> > >>> Pakistan and its loose nukes: Pakistan's nuclear programme is under a > >>> sophisticated command and control system, no more under threat than > >>> India or Israel's nuclear assets are threatened by Hindu or Jewish > >>> extremists. For a long time Pakistan's security establishment's other > >>> strategic asset was jihadi organisations, which in the last couple of > >>> years have become its biggest liability. > >>> > >>> Pakistan is a failed state: If it is, then Pakistanis have not > >>> noticed. Or they have lived in it for such a long time that they have > >>> become used to its dysfunctional aspects. Trains are late but they > >>> turn up, there are more VJs, DJs, theatre festivals, melas, and > >>> fashion models than a failed state can accommodate. To borrow a phrase > >>> from President Zardari, there are lots of non-state actors like Abdul > >>> Sattar Edhi who provide emergency health services, orphanages and > >>> shelters for sick animals. > >>> > >>> It is a deeply religious country: Every half-decent election in this > >>> country has proved otherwise. Religious parties have never won more > >>> than a fraction of popular vote. Last year Pakistan witnessed the > >>> largest civil rights movements in the history of this region. It was > >>> spontaneous, secular and entirely peaceful. But since people weren't > >>> raising anti-India or anti-America slogans, nobody outside Pakistan > >>> took much notice. > >>> > >>> All Pakistanis hate India: Three out of four provinces in Pakistan - > >>> Sindh, Baluchistan, NWFP - have never had any popular anti-India > >>> sentiment ever. Punjabis who did impose India as enemy-in-chief on > >>> Pakistan are now more interested in selling potatoes to India than > >>> destroying it. There is a new breed of al-Qaida inspired jihadis who > >>> hate a woman walking on the streets of Karachi as much as they hate a > >>> woman driving a car on the streets of Delhi. In fact there is not much > >>> that they do not hate: they hate America, Denmark, China CDs, barbers, > >>> DVDs , television, even football. Imran Khan recently said that these > >>> jihadis will never attack a cricket match but nobody takes him > >>> seriously. > >>> > >>> Training camps: There are militant sanctuaries in the tribal areas of > >>> Pakistan but definitely not in Muzaffarabad or Muridke, two favourite > >>> targets for Indian journalists, probably because those are the cities > >>> they have ever been allowed to visit. After all how much training do > >>> you need if you are going to shoot at random civilians or blow > >>> yourself up in a crowded bazaar? So if anyone thinks a few missiles > >>> targeted at Muzaffarabad will teach anyone a lesson, they should > >>> switch off their TV and try to locate it on the map. > >>> > >>> RAW would never do what ISI does: Both the agencies have had a > >>> brilliant record of creating mayhem in the neighbouring countries. > >>> Both have a dismal record when it comes to protecting their own > >>> people. There is a simple reason that ISI is a bigger, more notorious > >>> brand name: It was CIA's franchise during the jihad against the > >>> Soviets. And now it's busy doing jihad against those very jihadis. > >>> > >>> Pakistan is poor, India is rich: Pakistanis visiting India till the > >>> mid-eighties came back very smug. They told us about India's slums, > >>> and that there was nothing to buy except handicrafts and saris. Then > >>> Pakistanis could say with justifiable pride that nobody slept hungry > >>> in their country. But now, not only do people sleep hungry in both the > >>> countries, they also commit suicide because they see nothing but a > >>> lifetime of hunger ahead. A debt-ridden farmer contemplating suicide > >>> in Maharashtra and a mother who abandons her children in Karachi > >>> because she can't feed them: this is what we have achieved in our > >>> mutual desire to teach each other a lesson. > >>> > >>> The writer is the author of 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' > >>> > >>> > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sunday_TOI/Ten_myths_about_Pakistan/articleshow/3932145.cms > >>> _________________________________________ > >>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > >>> Critiques & Collaborations > >>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > >>> subscribe in the subject header. > >>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > >>> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > >> > >> _________________________________________ > >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > >> Critiques & Collaborations > >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > >> subscribe in the subject header. > >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > From yasir.media at gmail.com Tue Jan 6 02:54:22 2009 From: yasir.media at gmail.com (=?WINDOWS-1256?Q?yasir_~=ED=C7_=D3=D1?=) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 02:24:22 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan In-Reply-To: <5af37bb0901051310k23912a17jdea4aed8666928be@mail.gmail.com> References: <24B6440BFE624EE5A697955EFEA3F8B9@tara> <995a19920901041256w1ab288e3o5956ca71d4eec157@mail.gmail.com> <45ED451FD1B74E4DA727314D879C1119@tara> <5af37bb0901051310k23912a17jdea4aed8666928be@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <5af37bb0901051324m71c127a8x1b94345b034cefdb@mail.gmail.com> I think the artcle is a smattering fo insights but pretty realistic, instead of the fictional realities that people in other countries have spun primarily to fill their lack of information with self-motivated garbage. let me add that recently the labels of taliban and prevalent modes of feudalism (land & culture) strike me as absolutely not being medieval but of the stone-age. one would blame the attenuated recessed structure government but its hardly there. so there's a real dilemma - you may forget about the rest. taraprakash is talking through his topee. best On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 2:10 AM, yasir ~يا سر wrote: > he's also written about the mango paiti that exploded. > > http://pakteahouse.wordpress.com/2008/05/28/a-case-of-exploding-mangoes-the-new-pakistani-novel/ > > > > > On Mon, Jan 5, 2009 at 11:57 PM, taraprakash wrote: > >> I found nothing illuminating in the article. Thankfully I use other >> sources >> except reader list for reading news. >> Just because a journalist works for an authentic news agency, it doesn't >> mean he/she becomes credible. What do you say about Praveen Swami working >> for Hindu? >> Of course Barkha Dutt or anyone in Imdian media will do better to put >> their >> own house in order before commenting on the ills of Pakistan. >> I agree that it is not fair to criticize everything that comes from >> Pakistan, I also believe that it is wrong to applaud everything that comes >> from there. >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Aman Sethi" >> To: >> Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 3:56 PM >> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan >> >> >> > Dear Taraprakash, >> > Mohammed Hanif is in fact, the HEAD of the BBC Urdu service, - the >> > very same service that you so approvingly quote. So I would give him >> > far more credence than you have. Further, since the BBC Urdu appears >> > to be a paragon of journalistic practice - i think he is well suited >> > to make a few remarks on the stereotypical way in which pakistan is >> > portrayed in the Indian media. >> > >> > I find it really amusing that indians can dedicate reams to pointing >> > out (in painful detail i might add) how barkha dutt or rajdeep >> > sardesai got it wrong - but when a pakistani writes a reasonably >> > illuminating opinion piece - he is asked to put his house in order. >> > best >> > a. >> > >> > On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 3:14 PM, taraprakash >> wrote: >> >> I wonder if this article is talking about Pakistan or Pakistanis. >> >> Generally >> >> when media talks about a country, India, Pakistan, US etc., they mean >> the >> >> governments not the people. If you need to know about the nexus between >> >> Pakistan state apparatuses and these Jihadi groups, one can just visit >> >> www.bbcurdu.com >> >> As far as I know, this site is not part of the Indian media. BBC Urdu >> >> service, that has its headqurters in Pakistan, and that was first to >> >> send >> >> its correspondents to Kasab's village to confirm his identity as a >> >> Pakistani >> >> national, is running a feature on Jihadis and Pakistan establishment >> >> links. >> >> The site also has an interview with Hamid Gul, former ISI chief and one >> >> of >> >> the founding members of these jihadi groups. On being asked "what was >> the >> >> relevance of these groups once the USSR forces had been defeated in >> >> Afghanistan?" Gul says that earlier the US had an even-handed approach >> >> towards India and Pakistan. But now there is a tilt towards India, so >> >> these >> >> nonstate actors are required as a deterant to India. The author of the >> >> below >> >> article also ignores the fact that different Jihadi groups are working >> >> towards different agenda. So much so that Pakistan establishment >> differs >> >> between good taliban, those who don't attack Pakistani army, and bad >> >> Taliban, those who destroy pakistani infrastructure. So much about the >> >> homogenity of these groups. How much active these Jihadi groups in the >> >> Indian territory, is also dependent on what kind of relationship India >> >> and >> >> Pakistan governments have. So much about decoupling of the Pakistani >> >> state >> >> and these groups. I wonder if the mango exporting author heard that >> Navaz >> >> Sharif interview that was not broadcast only on India media. In the >> >> interview given to one of the Pakistani channels Sharif said that the >> >> government had something to hide in Faridkot. I wonder if the mango >> >> exporting author reads anything by Hoodboy and Mariana Babar, both >> >> Pakistanis. Yes, Indian media have lots of shortcommings, but before >> >> anyone >> >> from Pakistan addresses them, they need to first put their house in >> >> order. >> >> >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> >> From: "M Javed" >> >> To: "sarai list" >> >> Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 1:19 AM >> >> Subject: [Reader-list] Ten myths about Pakistan >> >> >> >> >> >>> Ten myths about Pakistan >> >>> 4 Jan 2009, 0032 hrs IST, >> >>> Mohammed Hanif >> >>> >> >>> Living in Pakistan and reading about it in the Indian press can >> >>> sometimes be quite a disorienting experience: one wonders what place >> >>> on earth they're talking about? I wouldn't be surprised if an Indian >> >>> reader going through Pakistani papers has asked the same question in >> >>> recent days. Here are some common assumptions about Pakistan and its >> >>> citizens that I have come across in the Indian media... >> >>> >> >>> Pakistan controls the jihadis: Or Pakistan's government controls the >> >>> jihadis. Or Pakistan Army controls the jihadis. Or ISI controls the >> >>> jihadis. Or some rogue elements from the ISI control the Jihadis. >> >>> Nobody knows the whole truth but increasingly it's the tail that wags >> >>> the dog. We must remember that the ISI-Jihadi alliance was a marriage >> >>> of convenience, which has broken down irrevocably. Pakistan army has >> >>> lost more soldiers at the hands of these jihadis than it ever did >> >>> fighting India. >> >>> >> >>> Musharraf was in control, Zardari is not: Let's not forget that >> >>> General Musharraf seized power after he was fired from his job as the >> >>> army chief by an elected prime minister. Musharraf first appeased >> >>> jihadis, then bombed them, and then appeased them again. The country >> >>> he left behind has become a very dangerous place, above all for its >> >>> own citizens. There is a latent hankering in sections of the Indian >> >>> middle class for a strongman. Give Manmohan Singh a military uniform, >> >>> put all the armed forces under his direct command, make his word the >> >>> law of the land, and he too will go around thumping his chest saying >> >>> that it's his destiny to save India from Indians . Zardari will never >> >>> have the kind of control that Musharraf had. But Pakistanis do not >> >>> want another Musharraf. >> >>> >> >>> Pakistan, which Pakistan? For a small country, Pakistan is very >> >>> diverse, not only ethnically but politically as well. General >> >>> Musharraf's government bombed Pashtuns in the north for being >> >>> Islamists and close to the Taliban and at the same time it bombed >> >>> Balochs in the South for NOT being Islamists and for subscribing to >> >>> some kind of retro-socialist, anti Taliban ethos. You have probably >> >>> heard the joke about other countries having armies but Pakistan's army >> >>> having a country. Nobody in Pakistan finds it funny. >> >>> >> >>> Pakistan and its loose nukes: Pakistan's nuclear programme is under a >> >>> sophisticated command and control system, no more under threat than >> >>> India or Israel's nuclear assets are threatened by Hindu or Jewish >> >>> extremists. For a long time Pakistan's security establishment's other >> >>> strategic asset was jihadi organisations, which in the last couple of >> >>> years have become its biggest liability. >> >>> >> >>> Pakistan is a failed state: If it is, then Pakistanis have not >> >>> noticed. Or they have lived in it for such a long time that they have >> >>> become used to its dysfunctional aspects. Trains are late but they >> >>> turn up, there are more VJs, DJs, theatre festivals, melas, and >> >>> fashion models than a failed state can accommodate. To borrow a phrase >> >>> from President Zardari, there are lots of non-state actors like Abdul >> >>> Sattar Edhi who provide emergency health services, orphanages and >> >>> shelters for sick animals. >> >>> >> >>> It is a deeply religious country: Every half-decent election in this >> >>> country has proved otherwise. Religious parties have never won more >> >>> than a fraction of popular vote. Last year Pakistan witnessed the >> >>> largest civil rights movements in the history of this region. It was >> >>> spontaneous, secular and entirely peaceful. But since people weren't >> >>> raising anti-India or anti-America slogans, nobody outside Pakistan >> >>> took much notice. >> >>> >> >>> All Pakistanis hate India: Three out of four provinces in Pakistan - >> >>> Sindh, Baluchistan, NWFP - have never had any popular anti-India >> >>> sentiment ever. Punjabis who did impose India as enemy-in-chief on >> >>> Pakistan are now more interested in selling potatoes to India than >> >>> destroying it. There is a new breed of al-Qaida inspired jihadis who >> >>> hate a woman walking on the streets of Karachi as much as they hate a >> >>> woman driving a car on the streets of Delhi. In fact there is not much >> >>> that they do not hate: they hate America, Denmark, China CDs, barbers, >> >>> DVDs , television, even football. Imran Khan recently said that these >> >>> jihadis will never attack a cricket match but nobody takes him >> >>> seriously. >> >>> >> >>> Training camps: There are militant sanctuaries in the tribal areas of >> >>> Pakistan but definitely not in Muzaffarabad or Muridke, two favourite >> >>> targets for Indian journalists, probably because those are the cities >> >>> they have ever been allowed to visit. After all how much training do >> >>> you need if you are going to shoot at random civilians or blow >> >>> yourself up in a crowded bazaar? So if anyone thinks a few missiles >> >>> targeted at Muzaffarabad will teach anyone a lesson, they should >> >>> switch off their TV and try to locate it on the map. >> >>> >> >>> RAW would never do what ISI does: Both the agencies have had a >> >>> brilliant record of creating mayhem in the neighbouring countries. >> >>> Both have a dismal record when it comes to protecting their own >> >>> people. There is a simple reason that ISI is a bigger, more notorious >> >>> brand name: It was CIA's franchise during the jihad against the >> >>> Soviets. And now it's busy doing jihad against those very jihadis. >> >>> >> >>> Pakistan is poor, India is rich: Pakistanis visiting India till the >> >>> mid-eighties came back very smug. They told us about India's slums, >> >>> and that there was nothing to buy except handicrafts and saris. Then >> >>> Pakistanis could say with justifiable pride that nobody slept hungry >> >>> in their country. But now, not only do people sleep hungry in both the >> >>> countries, they also commit suicide because they see nothing but a >> >>> lifetime of hunger ahead. A debt-ridden farmer contemplating suicide >> >>> in Maharashtra and a mother who abandons her children in Karachi >> >>> because she can't feed them: this is what we have achieved in our >> >>> mutual desire to teach each other a lesson. >> >>> >> >>> The writer is the author of 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' >> >>> >> >>> >> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sunday_TOI/Ten_myths_about_Pakistan/articleshow/3932145.cms >> >>> _________________________________________ >> >>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> >>> Critiques & Collaborations >> >>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> >>> subscribe in the subject header. >> >>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> >>> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> >> >> >> _________________________________________ >> >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> >> Critiques & Collaborations >> >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> >> subscribe in the subject header. >> >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> > _________________________________________ >> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> > Critiques & Collaborations >> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> > subscribe in the subject header. >> > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> > > From aman.am at gmail.com Tue Jan 6 03:35:00 2009 From: aman.am at gmail.com (Aman Sethi) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:05:00 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Myths, Mangoes and ordered houses - re: 10 myths about pakistan Message-ID: <995a19920901051405i4f01691ds74098a71f7cd182@mail.gmail.com> Dear All - particularly Javed, (who I thank for posting this text) and Taraprakash and Yasir -for their thoughts, This is in response to a conversation on the authenticity/ "insightfullness" of Mohammed Hanif's text that appeared in the Times of India in the Times of India -and I have appended at the end of this mail. I think the reason I find Mohammed Hanif's text (appended below) interesting is primarily because often when reading/learning about another place - especially through the eyes of correspondents - it is hard to imagine how anyone lives there at all. For weeks I have been having conversation with friends about how pakistan appears to be teetering on a brink of some sort - without really knowing that that brink is - how deep the chasm is - is it in the chasm already - what does it means to be in the chasm - or is there no brink, no teetering, no nothing except to the grind of the everyday. But fortunately, i have also been re-reading Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut's book on the dresden fire-bombing in WWII where, after describing the devastation of dresden as a moonscape utterly ravaged by carpet bombs, he writes "Billy's story ended very curiously in a suburb untouched by fire and explosions. The guards and americans came at nightfall to an innn which was open for business. There was candlelight. There were fires in three fireplaces downstairs. There were empty tables ad chairs waiting for anyone who might come, and empty beds with covers turned down upstairs." On reading texts like Slaughterhouse Five - or Sebal's incredible Natural History of Destruction there is the tendency to abstract trite observations like "ordinary people continue with their normal lives even as the world collapses around them." I would argue that what makes these texts interesting -and relevant - is that they remind us that this IS normal life. This horror, this destruction, this banality, this IS normal life. And Mohammed Hanif's text - (without placing it in the same league) - again gives us a snapshot into the normalcy of normal life in pakistan. Reading the news on the series of bomb blasts in Delhi, Surat, Bangalore and elsewhere through the fall of 2008 - one is tempted to read the same spiral of chaos, the horror of implosion and the embarrassment of "state failure" that Indians so happily foist upon neighbouring countries. But as those living in India will readily testify; it certainly doesnt seem so - no matter what the disaster, we are firm in our belief that -like the batsman in cricket - the endurance of the state should be given the benefit of doubt. Perhaps we could accord others in the neighbourhood the same privileges. The story of the americans and the innkeepers ends something like this : "The Blind innkeeper said that the americans could sleep in his stable that night, and he gave them soup and ersatz coffee and a little beer. Then he came out to the stable to listen to them bedding down in the straw. "Good Night Americans," he said in German, "Sleep well." best a. Ten myths about Pakistan 4 Jan 2009, 0032 hrs IST, Mohammed Hanif Living in Pakistan and reading about it in the Indian press can sometimes be quite a disorienting experience: one wonders what place on earth they're talking about? I wouldn't be surprised if an Indian reader going through Pakistani papers has asked the same question in recent days. Here are some common assumptions about Pakistan and its citizens that I have come across in the Indian media... Pakistan controls the jihadis: Or Pakistan's government controls the jihadis. Or Pakistan Army controls the jihadis. Or ISI controls the jihadis. Or some rogue elements from the ISI control the Jihadis. Nobody knows the whole truth but increasingly it's the tail that wags the dog. We must remember that the ISI-Jihadi alliance was a marriage of convenience, which has broken down irrevocably. Pakistan army has lost more soldiers at the hands of these jihadis than it ever did fighting India. Musharraf was in control, Zardari is not: Let's not forget that General Musharraf seized power after he was fired from his job as the army chief by an elected prime minister. Musharraf first appeased jihadis, then bombed them, and then appeased them again. The country he left behind has become a very dangerous place, above all for its own citizens. There is a latent hankering in sections of the Indian middle class for a strongman. Give Manmohan Singh a military uniform, put all the armed forces under his direct command, make his word the law of the land, and he too will go around thumping his chest saying that it's his destiny to save India from Indians . Zardari will never have the kind of control that Musharraf had. But Pakistanis do not want another Musharraf. Pakistan, which Pakistan? For a small country, Pakistan is very diverse, not only ethnically but politically as well. General Musharraf's government bombed Pashtuns in the north for being Islamists and close to the Taliban and at the same time it bombed Balochs in the South for NOT being Islamists and for subscribing to some kind of retro-socialist, anti Taliban ethos. You have probably heard the joke about other countries having armies but Pakistan's army having a country. Nobody in Pakistan finds it funny. Pakistan and its loose nukes: Pakistan's nuclear programme is under a sophisticated command and control system, no more under threat than India or Israel's nuclear assets are threatened by Hindu or Jewish extremists. For a long time Pakistan's security establishment's other strategic asset was jihadi organisations, which in the last couple of years have become its biggest liability. Pakistan is a failed state: If it is, then Pakistanis have not noticed. Or they have lived in it for such a long time that they have become used to its dysfunctional aspects. Trains are late but they turn up, there are more VJs, DJs, theatre festivals, melas, and fashion models than a failed state can accommodate. To borrow a phrase from President Zardari, there are lots of non-state actors like Abdul Sattar Edhi who provide emergency health services, orphanages and shelters for sick animals. It is a deeply religious country: Every half-decent election in this country has proved otherwise. Religious parties have never won more than a fraction of popular vote. Last year Pakistan witnessed the largest civil rights movements in the history of this region. It was spontaneous, secular and entirely peaceful. But since people weren't raising anti-India or anti-America slogans, nobody outside Pakistan took much notice. All Pakistanis hate India: Three out of four provinces in Pakistan - Sindh, Baluchistan, NWFP - have never had any popular anti-India sentiment ever. Punjabis who did impose India as enemy-in-chief on Pakistan are now more interested in selling potatoes to India than destroying it. There is a new breed of al-Qaida inspired jihadis who hate a woman walking on the streets of Karachi as much as they hate a woman driving a car on the streets of Delhi. In fact there is not much that they do not hate: they hate America, Denmark, China CDs, barbers, DVDs , television, even football. Imran Khan recently said that these jihadis will never attack a cricket match but nobody takes him seriously. Training camps: There are militant sanctuaries in the tribal areas of Pakistan but definitely not in Muzaffarabad or Muridke, two favourite targets for Indian journalists, probably because those are the cities they have ever been allowed to visit. After all how much training do you need if you are going to shoot at random civilians or blow yourself up in a crowded bazaar? So if anyone thinks a few missiles targeted at Muzaffarabad will teach anyone a lesson, they should switch off their TV and try to locate it on the map. RAW would never do what ISI does: Both the agencies have had a brilliant record of creating mayhem in the neighbouring countries. Both have a dismal record when it comes to protecting their own people. There is a simple reason that ISI is a bigger, more notorious brand name: It was CIA's franchise during the jihad against the Soviets. And now it's busy doing jihad against those very jihadis. Pakistan is poor, India is rich: Pakistanis visiting India till the mid-eighties came back very smug. They told us about India's slums, and that there was nothing to buy except handicrafts and saris. Then Pakistanis could say with justifiable pride that nobody slept hungry in their country. But now, not only do people sleep hungry in both the countries, they also commit suicide because they see nothing but a lifetime of hunger ahead. A debt-ridden farmer contemplating suicide in Maharashtra and a mother who abandons her children in Karachi because she can't feed them: this is what we have achieved in our mutual desire to teach each other a lesson. The writer is the author of 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sunday_TOI/Ten_myths_about_Pakistan/articleshow/3932145.cms From melissa_global at yahoo.com.au Mon Jan 5 23:32:37 2009 From: melissa_global at yahoo.com.au (melissa) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 10:02:37 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Palestine Message-ID: <913111.56901.qm@web52811.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Please feel free to distribute these news and information sites. Walk a mile in a Palestinian's shoes in the Occupied Territories and start a new dialogue that could shift the dominant discourse from never- ending violence to creative justice. 1. A Question of Zion, by Jacqueline Rose 2. Breaking the Silence (Israeli soldiers speak out) http://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/index_e.asp 3. Holyland Trust http://www.holylandtrust.org/ Including the Palestinian news network: http://www.pnn.ps/ 4. http://www.shovrimshtika.org/gallery_item_e.asp?id=53 5. The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions http://www.icahd.org/eng/ 6. Reports from the Lutheran Church http://www.elcjhl.org/palestine/conditions/ 7. The Palestine Monitor http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article14 8. Ecumenical liberation Theology Centre, Al Quds/Jerusalem http://www.sabeel.org/ SABEEL’S REFLECTION ON GAZA The Narrow Gate of Justice “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14) On Saturday, December 27, 2008, as the children of Gaza were about to leave their schools to return home, the Israeli air force carried a massive air attack against the people of Gaza. In less than 4 hours, over 150 people were killed and 200 injured – men, women, and children. By the end of the fourth day, over 390 Palestinians were killed and almost 2,000 injured. On the Israeli side, 4 were killed and no statistics are available on the number of injured. FACTS ABOUT THE GAZA STRIP: Population: 1.5 million. 75% of them are refugees. 45% of them are under 14 years. Area: 360 sq km, 139 sq miles. Population density: 4,167 people/sq Km (The highest in the world.) 80% of Gazan households live below the poverty line, subsisting on less than $3 per person a day. 80% of all Gazan families would literally starve without food aid from international agencies. The Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, similar to that of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, started with the 1967 June war. In September 2005, the Israeli army pulled out ofGaza and removed its illegal settlements. However, the illegal Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip did not come to an end. Israel maintained its tight control over Gaza’s borders (air, land, and sea). To make things even worse, Israel imposed a siege on Gaza in June 2007, thus tightening its border restrictions and causing the humanitarian conditions to deteriorate further. Under the brutal siege, every aspect of the lives of the people of Gaza was controlled. They were totally dependent on Israel for fuel, electricity, cooking gas, medical supplies, food supplies (even flour), building material, etc. Israel made sure that the Palestinians would remain alive at barely the survival and basic subsistence level. On November 14, 2008, UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon issued a statement that said, “The Secretary-General is concerned that food and other life saving assistance is being denied to hundreds of thousands of people, and emphasizes that measures which increase the hardship and suffering of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip as a whole are unacceptable and should cease immediately.” IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER: FIRST: A word about tahdi’a (the period of calm or truce). It is important to note that among the terms of tahdi’a was the understanding that Israel would lift the siege of the Gaza Strip, and gradually extend the truce to the West Bank. This Israel did not do. It only partially lifted the siege and allowed a trickle of vital commodities into Gaza which kept the people at the level of mere survival. Israel’s raids into the West Bank continued on a daily basis and scores of Palestinians were arrested or assassinated. The International Herald Tribune reported on December 19, 2008 that it was Hamas’ understanding that after the tahdi’a Israel would open the crossings and allow the transfer of goods that have been banned since the siege was imposed. There was never a return to the 500 – 600 truckloads of goods shipments that used to go into the Gaza Strip before the siege. “The number of trucks increased to around 90 from around 70.” The facts and figures tell the real story. Sadly, however, many western leaders have shut their ears, eyes, and mouths against the cry of the oppressed and they fell into the deceptive snares of Israel. Most of the world judges Israel by what it says and not by what it does; while they close their ears to the comprehensive and workable 2002 Peace Initiative adopted by all the Arab leaders including the Palestinians. Even Hamas has agreed to a Palestinian State within the 1967 borders as expressed to President Carter on his latest visit to Syria. SECOND: So long as Israel holds the Palestinians in general and the Gazans in particular under occupation, they (the Palestinians) have the right, according to international law, to resist the “seemingly never ending” belligerent occupation and struggle for their liberation. Israel, therefore, cannot demand from the international community sympathy and political support and from the Palestinians calm and security, while it maintains its inhuman and illegal occupation. It is only when Israel ends its occupation that it can have a legitimate right to defend its borders. Israel stands in violation of international law and is the aggressor due to its belligerent occupation. THIRD: The Arab leaders and governments can do more for peace. Many people accuse them of a conspiracy of silence. Most of the Arab people are ashamed of the positions of their governments because they have not used their resources collectively to end the occupation. Sabeel is not talking about the use of force although many of our Arab people do. We believe that the Arab governments could have contributed much more towards a resolution of the Palestine-Israel conflict through nonviolent means. Tragically, this did not happen. FOURTH: Although Sabeel wishes that Hamas and other Palestinian factions had chosen a nonviolent way to resist the Israeli siege, we feel that the disproportionate use of military force against the Gaza Strip and the number of casualties that it produced must be strongly condemned. It is a shame that once again many western leaders have failed to see the deeper issues that are involved. They chose to stand with the occupier rather than with the occupied, with the oppressor rather than the oppressed, and with the powerful rather than with the weak. It is important to continue the resistance against the belligerent occupation. But we call on our Palestinian people to abandon the armed struggle and to choose a more potent and effective way – the way of nonviolence. We can do it and we can win. The Palestinians are capable of setting an example for the rest of the world. This is what we must do; and this is what can restore to us our human pride and dignity. In fact, we must look to a world where wars, and weapons of violence and destruction would be banned and where oppressed nations would choose the higher moral ground and resist the evil of belligerent occupations by nonviolent means. We hope for a world where a reformed United Nations would never be held hostage by powerful nations, but would enjoy the freedom to establish justice for the oppressed of the world. FIFTH: We believe that the real message of the Palestinians to the world is a genuine cry for freedom and liberation. The Palestinians did not initiate the violence. The prolonged illegal Israeli occupation is the real cause for the violence in our area. Israel has shut the door on justice. The only way that can guarantee a lasting resolution of the conflict is for the United States’ new administration to dare and open the door of justice. We believe that it is the narrow gate of which Jesus Christ spoke. It is the gate that leads to a life of peace and security. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” This is the narrow gate of justice. This is the basis of international law. The way of military domination, occupation, violence, and wars is the wide gate that leads to destruction; while the gate that seems narrow and hard is the one that leads to justice, peace and security for both sides. We have tried the wide gate and it has only brought us destruction. It is high time to try the narrow gate of justice so that we might find life. Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center Jerusalem December 31, 2008 www.sabeel.org Stay connected to the people that matter most with a smarter inbox. Take a look. From kaksanjay at gmail.com Tue Jan 6 12:23:12 2009 From: kaksanjay at gmail.com (Sanjay Kak) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 12:23:12 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] When piracy is only self-defence Message-ID: <5c5369880901052253m6f38bd9cia9de48407e85ba74@mail.gmail.com> Europeans have been dumping nuclear waste in Somalia's seas and looting seafood. This is the context in which the 'pirates' have emerged, argues JOHANN HARI When piracy is only self-defence Johann Hari [Source: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=4&theme=&usrsess=1&id=239043] Who imagined that in 2009, the world's governments would be declaring a new War on Pirates? As you read this, the British Royal Navy, backed by the ships of more than two dozen nations, from the US to China, is sailing into Somalian waters to take on men we still picture as parrot-on-the-shoulder pantomime villains. They will soon be fighting Somalian ships and even chasing the pirates onto land, into one of the most broken countries on earth. But behind the arrr-me-hearties oddness of this tale, there is an untold scandal. The people governments are labelling as "one of the great menaces of our times" have an extraordinary story to tell, and some justice on their side. Pirates have never been quite who we think they are. In the "golden age of piracy", from 1650 to 1730, the idea of the pirate as the senseless, savage Bluebeard that lingers today was created by the British government in a great propaganda heave. Many ordinary people believed it was false: pirates were often saved from the gallows by supportive crowds. Why? What did they see that we can't? In his book Villains Of All Nations, historian Marcus Rediker pores through the evidence. If you became a merchant or navy sailor then, plucked from the docks of London's East End, young and hungry, you ended up in a floating wooden Hell. You worked all hours on a cramped, half-starved ship, and if you slacked off, the all-powerful captain would whip you with the Cat O' Nine Tails. If you slacked often, you could be thrown overboard. And at the end of months or years of this, you were often cheated of your wages. Pirates were the first people to rebel against this world. They mutinied, and created a different way of working on the seas. Once they had a ship, the pirates elected their captains, and made all their decisions collectively, without torture. They shared their bounty out in what Rediker calls "one of the most egalitarian plans for the disposition of resources to be found anywhere in the eighteenth century". They even took in escaped African slaves and lived with them as equals. The pirates showed "quite clearly, and subversively, that ships did not have to be run in the brutal and oppressive ways of the merchant service and the Royal Navy." This is why they were romantic heroes, despite being unproductive thieves. The words of one pirate from that lost age, a young British man called William Scott, should echo into this new age of piracy. Just before he was hanged in Charleston, South Carolina, he said: "What I did was to keep me from perishing. I was forced to go a-pirating to live." In 1991, the government of Somalia collapsed. Its nine million people have been teetering on starvation ever since, and the ugliest forces in the Western world have seen this as a great opportunity to steal the country's food supply and dump nuclear waste in their seas. Yes: nuclear waste. As soon as the government was gone, mysterious European ships started appearing off the coast of Somalia, dumping vast barrels into the ocean. The coastal population began to sicken. At first they suffered strange rashes, nausea and malformed babies. Then, after the 2005 tsunami, hundreds of the dumped and leaking barrels washed up on shore. People began to suffer from radiation sickness, and more than 300 died. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN envoy to Somalia, tells me: "Somebody is dumping nuclear material here. There is also lead, and heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury, you name it." Much of it can be traced back to European hospitals and factories, who seem to be passing it on to the Italian mafia to "dispose" of cheaply. When I asked Mr Ould-Abdallah what European governments were doing about it, he said with a sigh: "Nothing. There has been no clean-up, no compensation, and no prevention." At the same time, other European ships have been looting Somalia's seas of their greatest resource: seafood. Europeans have destroyed their own fish stocks by over-exploitation, and have now moved on to Somalia's. More than $300 million worth of tuna, shrimp, and lobster are being stolen every year by illegal trawlers. The local fishermen are now starving. Mohammed Hussein, a fisherman in the town of Marka, 100 km south of Mogadishu, told Reuters: "If nothing is done, there soon won't be much fish left in our coastal waters." This is the context in which the "pirates" have emerged. Somalian fishermen took speedboats to try to dissuade the dumpers and trawlers, or at least levy a "tax" on them. They call themselves the Volunteer Coastguard of Somalia, and ordinary Somalis agree. The independent Somalian news site WardheerNews found 70 per cent "strongly supported the piracy as a form of national defence". No, this doesn't make hostage-taking justifiable, and yes, some are clearly just gangsters, especially those who have held up World Food Programme supplies. But in a telephone interview, one of the pirate leaders, Sugule Ali, said: "We don't consider ourselves sea bandits. We consider sea bandits (to be) those who illegally fish and dump in our seas." William Scott would understand. Did Europeans expect starving Somalians to stand passively on their beaches, paddling in Europe's toxic waste, and watch Europeans snatch their fish to eat in restaurants in London and Paris and Rome? Europeans won't act on those crimes, the only sane solution to this problem, but when some of the fishermen responded by disrupting the transit-corridor for 20 per cent of the world's oil supply, they swiftly send in the gunboats. The story of the 2009 war on piracy was best summarised by another pirate, who lived and died in the fourth century BC. He was captured and brought to Alexander the Great, who demanded to know "what he meant by keeping possession of the sea." The pirate smiled, and responded: "What you mean by seizing the whole earth; but because I do it with a petty ship, I am called a robber, while you, who do it with a great fleet, are called emperor." Once again, the great imperial fleets sail, but who is the robber? The Independent, London From kauladityaraj at gmail.com Tue Jan 6 13:52:20 2009 From: kauladityaraj at gmail.com (Aditya Raj Kaul) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 13:52:20 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Snow Message-ID: <6353c690901060022v35d6492enef73d2a4538127bb@mail.gmail.com> Snow - by Radhika Koul Mummy! It is snowing! I cried. Yes, it was just like that fairy tale. Just like that dream. The picture had indeed frozen. Little snowy pearls in front of the great green conifer whirls. With frozen snow islands at the tree feet and the big brown mountain beneath. They stopped and smiled, Dazed perhaps by their own beauty. I stood there too, in open mouthed wonder, Thanking the Lord. I had finally been blessed. Blessed, as I saw the first real falling snow of my life. As I saw the true colours of my land, for once in my life. So whats the big deal, you may say. When a Kashmiri sees falling snow 13 years after she is born, it is big deal. When a Kashmiri sees that snow from the window of a hotel room and not her own doorstep, it is a big deal. When a Kashmiri is as much a tourist in Kashmir as a Canadian, it is a big deal. And when the snow that should have been the most routine part of your life comes as an out-of-world-surprise, you wonder what else you must have lost. read more at - http://kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com/2009/01/snow-radhika-koul.html Radhika Koul is a high school student here in New Delhi. She can be reached at radhika.koul at gmail.com Kindly leave your comment on the blog and forward this e-mail to your friends. On behalf of Roots In Kashmir Aditya Raj Kaul From jeebesh at sarai.net Tue Jan 6 18:58:30 2009 From: jeebesh at sarai.net (Jeebesh) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 18:58:30 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] More of Sea Piracy Message-ID: <167B7477-7380-4F4B-96D1-1E1449188205@sarai.net> dear All, Following on Sanjay's post on the somialian pirates, i am mailing a series of readings on the same. warmly Jeebesh "The Floating Dungeon: A History of the Slave Ship" To find the ghost and let them live again Marcus Rediker http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I2xGTXB8tc&NR=1 Off the coast of Somalia: 'We're not pirates. These are our waters, not theirs' http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/off-the-coast-of-somalia-were-not-pirates-these-are-our-waters-not-theirs-1017962.html To foreign ships, they're a scourge but Daniel Howden and Abdinasir Mohamed Guled discover that Somalia's pirates see things very differently Friday, 14 November 2008 Two boats from HMS Cumberland intercept a suspected pirate vessel in the Gulf of Aden after Russian and British forces repelled an attack on a cargo ship When Bile Wadani is not counting his money, he counts his wives. So far he has three – but he promises there will be more to come. "I didn't ever dream I would marry three wives but I have that dream now because I can get as much money as I want." As he speaks, waves can be heard crashing in the background. Bile is speaking by mobile telephone from the deck of a captured ship somewhere off the mountainous coast of northern Somalia, near the tip of the Horn of Africa. His words are interrupted by the crackle of gunfire. Bile will not reveal his exact location or identify the captured vessel as he claims he is being hunted by foreign warships. He is one of the new generation of pirates who have turned the Gulf of Aden into the most dangerous shipping lane in the world. The success of their rough and ready tactics has been such that insurers are warning that shipowners may have to use alternative routes, which would have tremendous ramifications for global trade and commodity prices. International governments are committing millions of pounds to fighting the pirates. The Royal Navy's HMS Cumberland joined forces with a Russian frigate to kill three pirates as they attempted to seize a Danish vessel in the latest incident on Tuesday. Despite the fact that warships from Denmark, France, Russia, Japan and the US have joined the Royal Navy in patrolling the gulf, little attention has been paid to the roots of the problem. Both the risks and the rewards of Bile's chosen career are colossal. And along with an increasing number of his compatriots in the anarchy of Somalia, he has chosen to embrace them. The lure of vast sums of money is transforming the coast of this country and turning the pirates into the heroes of a shattered land. Millions of dollars in ransoms are being paid by desperate ship owners – an estimated $30m (£20.5m) so far this year. That is one and a half times the annual budget for authorities in the northern region of Puntland. One captured vessel can fetch up to $2m. The epicentre of this piracy is the port town of Eyl, in the Nugal region. It is off limits to the outside world, a safe haven for the pirates and a base for their attacks. It now functions, according to residents, almost completely on the proceeds from piracy. Much of the rest of Somalia has been destroyed by the seemingly endless wars that have washed across the country in the two decades since it last had a functioning government. The capital, Mogadishu, lies mostly in ruins. In Eyl, the streets are lined with new buildings and awash with Landcruisers, laptops, satellite phones and global positioning systems. Almost everyone in Eyl has a relative or husband among the pirates. Fatima Yusuf, who has lived her whole life in Eyl, describes the intense involvement of the whole community in the fortunes of the young men who set out in crews of seven or eight armed with AK-47s and rocket launchers to take on the tankers on the high seas. The planning is rigorous, Bile insists: "When we want to kidnap a ship, we go with not more than six or seven men because we don't want to be a mob, this is a military tactic." Fatima says the people will gather to pray for the pirates and that when they set sail sacrifices are made in traditional ceremonies where a goat will be slaughtered, its throat cut." An industry has grown up around the pirates, with restaurants to feed the kidnapped crews who as potentially tradable assets must be looked after. The pirates have become glamorous figures. Like most of the girls in Eyl, Sadiya Samatar Haji wants to marry a pirate. "I'm not taking no for an answer," she says. "I'll tie the knot with a pirate man because I'll get to live in a good house with good money." Twelve-year-old Mohamed Bishar Adle, in nearby Garowe, the regional capital of Puntland, knows what he wants to do with his education. "When I finish high school, I will be a pirate man, I will work for my family and will get more money." Beyond the bravado, Bile acknowledges that the danger is increasing. He will not say how many attacks he has participated in but he does claim to have been one of the pirates who clashed with French forces in April this year after the capture and ransom of a luxury yacht. French commandoes pursued a band of Somali pirates en route to Eyl after a ransom had been paid. Bile says nine of his compatriots were taken and that only he and one other friend were able to escape. Six of those caught face prosecution in Paris after being transferred to France. He also remembers the terror of his first mission. "You don't know if it's a warship. You have to open fire and if it doesn't respond you know." Bile did not grow up dreaming of being a pirate. He comes from a family of fishermen whose livelihood was destroyed, he says, by the arrival of industrial trawlers from Europe. At some 3,300 kilometres, Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa. With a fertile upswelling where the ocean reaches Africa's Horn, the seas are rich in tuna, swordfish and shark, as well as coastal beds of lobster and valuable shrimp. With the overthrow of Siad Barre's government in 1991, the territorial waters off Somalia became a free-for-all. Trawlers from more than 16 different nations were recorded within its waters – many of them armed. EU vessels flying flags of convenience cut deals with the illegitimate authorities in Somalia, according to UN investigators. Clashes between large, foreign fishing interests and Somali fishermen in the late 1990s were the prelude to the upsurge in piracy. Bile, like many of the pirates, calls himself a "coastguard" and insists he has more right to these contested seas than the foreign forces now patrolling them. He says many of his friends' boats were destroyed in these battles and stocks of a fish known locally as "yumbi" have all but disappeared. Like many in Somalia, Bile is angry that outside powers are seeking a military solution to a more complex problem. He rejects the tag of "terrorist" and denies links to Islamic militias, like the Al-Shabab, which are in control of large areas of Somalia. He insists that the pirates would not give "one AK-47" to the Islamists. While admitting that the influx of foreign navies is making his life more dangerous, he remains defiant: "We will keep carrying out attacks. We are ready for long distance attacks as far as the coast of Yemen." Pirates Turn Villages Into Boomtowns By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN and ELIZABETH KENNEDY http://news.aol.com/article/pirates-turn-villages-into-boomtowns/253992 AP MOGADISHU, Somalia (Nov. 19) - Somalia's increasingly brazen pirates are building sprawling stone houses, cruising in luxury cars, marrying beautiful women — even hiring caterers to prepare Western-style food for their hostages. And in an impoverished country where every public institution has crumbled, they have become heroes in the steamy coastal dens they operate from because they are the only real business in town. Armed pirates guard a beach Oct. 16 in Hobyo, Somalia. Piracy is on the rise on Somalia, a result of the nation's extreme poverty and unstable government. Pirates have pumped $30 million into Somalia's economy this year, thanks to ransoms that owners pay to get their ships back. "The pirates depend on us, and we benefit from them," said Sahra Sheik Dahir, a shop owner in Haradhere, the nearest village to where a hijacked Saudi Arabian supertanker carrying $100 million in crude was anchored Wednesday. These boomtowns are all the more shocking in light of Somalia's violence and poverty: Radical Islamists control most of the country's south, meting out lashings and stonings for accused criminals. There has been no effective central government in nearly 20 years, plunging this arid African country into chaos. Life expectancy is just 46 years; a quarter of children die before they reach 5. But in northern coastal towns like Haradhere, Eyl and Bossaso, the pirate economy is thriving thanks to the money pouring in from pirate ransoms that have reached $30 million this year alone. "There are more shops and business is booming because of the piracy," said Sugule Dahir, who runs a clothing shop in Eyl. "Internet cafes and telephone shops have opened, and people are just happier than before." In Haradhere, residents came out in droves to celebrate as the looming oil ship came into focus this week off the country's lawless coast. Businessmen gathered cigarettes, food and cold bottles of orange soda, setting up kiosks for the pirates who come to shore to resupply almost daily. Dahir said she even started a layaway plan for them. "They always take things without paying and we put them into the book of debts," she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "Later, when they get the ransom money, they pay us a lot." Residents make sure the pirates are well-stocked in khat, a popular narcotic leaf, and aren't afraid to gouge a bit when it comes to the pirates' deep pockets. Dangerous Waters Tian Yu 8: In this photograph supplied by the U.S. Navy, Somali pirates hold the crew of a Chinese fishing vessel hostage as the ship passes through the Indian Ocean on Nov. 17. The ship was seized Nov. 16 and was forced to anchor off the Somali coast. "I can buy a packet of cigarettes for about $1 but I will charge the pirate $1.30," said Abdulqadir Omar, an Eyl resident. While pirate villages used to have houses made of corrugated iron sheets, now, there are stately looking homes made of sturdy, white stones. "Regardless of how the money is coming in, legally or illegally, I can say it has started a life in our town," said Shamso Moalim, a 36-year- old mother of five in Haradhere. "Our children are not worrying about food now, and they go to Islamic schools in the morning and play soccer in the afternoon. They are happy." The attackers generally treat their hostages well in anticipation of a big payday, hiring caterers on shore to cook spaghetti, grilled fish and roasted meat that will appeal to Western palates. Somali Pirates Strike Again Pirates hijacked another cargo ship the coast of Somalia making it the 7th ship to be hijacked in less than two weeks. Shelia MacVicar reports. And when the payday comes, the money sometimes literally falls from the sky. Pirates say the ransom arrives in burlap sacks, sometimes dropped from buzzing helicopters, or in waterproof suitcases loaded onto skiffs in the roiling, shark-infested sea. "The oldest man on the ship always takes the responsibility of collecting the money, because we see it as very risky, and he gets some extra payment for his service later," Aden Yusuf, a pirate in Eyl, told AP over VHF radio. The pirates use money-counting machines — the same technology seen at foreign exchange bureaus worldwide — to ensure the cash is real. All payments are done in cash because Somalia has no functioning banking system. "Getting this equipment is easy for us, we have business connections with people in Dubai, Nairobi, Djibouti and other areas," Yusuf said. "So we send them money and they send us what we want." Despite a beefed-up international presence, the pirates continue to seize ships, moving further out to sea and demanding ever-larger ransoms. The pirates operate mostly from the semiautonomous Puntland region, where local lawmakers have been accused of helping them and taking a cut of the ransoms. For the most part, however, the regional officials say they have no power to stop piracy. Meanwhile, towns that once were eroded by years of poverty and chaos are now bustling with restaurants, Land Cruisers and Internet cafes. Residents also use their gains to buy generators — allowing full days of electricity, once an unimaginable luxury in Somalia. There are no reliable estimates of the number of pirates operating in Somalia, but they number in the thousands. And though the bandits do sometimes get nabbed, piracy is generally considered a sure bet to a better life. NATO and the U.S. Navy say they can't be everywhere, and American officials are urging ships to hire private security. Warships patrolling off Somalia have succeeded in stopping some pirate attacks. But military assaults to wrest back a ship are highly risky and, up to now, uncommon. Associated Press writers Mohamed Olad Hassan reported from Mogadishu and Elizabeth Kennedy from Nairobi, Kenya. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. 2008-11-19 10:24:20 ALSO SEE: The Politics of Pirates (Should Johnny Depp be a Founding Father?) http://engagepodcast.blogspot.com/2008/05/politics-of-pirates-should-johnny-depp.html VIDEO ON PETER LINEBAUGH Magna Carta Manifesto 1 of 8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDg2p3krPKQ&feature=related "The Floating Dungeon: A History of the Slave Ship" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I2xGTXB8tc&NR=1 Democratic Pirates The History of Decapitating Commoners by Nic Veroli From the Oct 11 – Oct 17, 2001 issue The Many-Headed Hydra: Sailors, Slaves, Commoners, and the Hidden History of the Revolutionary Atlantic by Peter Linebaugh and Markus Rediker (Beacon Press) $18 The history of the movement against neoliberal globalization did not start in 1999 in Seattle. It did not even start on January 1, 1994, that legendary day when "subcommandante insurgente" Marcos led an army of Zapatista indios down the slopes of Chiapas' mountains into battle against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). No, the war on neoliberal globalization began much earlier--on the afternoon of July 25, 1609, on an English ship. Such is the thesis of Peter Linebaugh and Markus Rediker, probably two of the most daring American historians writing today. Their new book chronicles the history of the first two centuries in the history of what they call "the Atlantic working class," from the birth of capitalism in the early 17th century to the aftermath of the American and French revolutions in the early 18th and 19th centuries. That is the "many-headed hydra" they invoke: a planetary monster with innumerable heads in all parts of the world, linked together by a diaphanous, almost intangible trunk. According to Linebaugh and Rediker, the revolt against capitalist globalization begins not simply as a struggle against property-title- clutching aristocrats, who in early modern times were trying to privatize lands held in common by English peasants. With a far more cosmopolitan vision than even Karl Marx, they argue that this revolt was also immediately global in scope, the product of transatlantic coalitions between European commoners, African slaves, and Native American societies. The different constituencies were often brought together and kept in contact with each other by ethnically heterogenous crews of sailors, who glided from one end of the world to the other on ships that recalled a prison chain gang rather than merry shipmates. Those sailors frequently mutinied, threw their officers overboard, or worse, and joyfully converted to the faith of the pirate: Eat well, drink well, and above all, make decisions on every aspect of life "in common" or, as we would say today, democratically. You'll have to read the book to find out what happened on that famous afternoon in July, 1609. Suffice it to say that neither then nor afterward did things always go smoothly for this "many-headed hydra" of a revolt. Indeed, the name itself was bestowed upon this multi- ethnic assemblage of peoples by elite intellectuals such as Francis Bacon and Walter Raleigh, who eagerly counseled their lords to decapitate the hydra whenever it reared one of its ugly heads. Apparently, then as now, these intellectuals were unaware of the mythical hydra's magical property: If ever one of its heads is cut off, it regenerates itself almost immediately. Today, the hydra is again under attack. The Republicans in the White House, on Capitol Hill, and in the various right-wing think tanks are out to get the democratic hydra. Taking advantage of the recent terrorist attacks--acts which speak as much of the twistedness of its perpetrators as they do of the desperation of hundreds of millions of dispossessed peoples around the world--these stone-hearted crocodiles are using the shock and grief of many of us here in the States to put forward an agenda that surpasses in folly even the most obnoxious fantasies of Dr. Strangelove. In less than a month, conservatives have managed to take back the lead in defining the issues on the public agenda. From talking about the sweatshops, unemployment, and the consequences of a recession for working people, we have all been brought into dismal speculations on the possibility of World War III, how many of our civil liberties we'd have to give up for "security" at home, and the effects of the recession on the wealthy. But neither a war abroad nor more police at home is going to make the problem go away: Global environmental degradation and poverty are not made better by uranium-depleted bullets or more phone taps. So has the anti-capitalist hydra been decapitated in one fell swoop? No, for as Linebaugh and Rediker put it: "The globalizing powers have a long reach and endless patience. Yet the planetary wanderers do not forget, and they are ever ready from Africa to the Caribbean to Seattle to resist slavery and restore the commons." The history of the movement against neoliberal globalization did not start in 1999 in Seattle. It did not even start on January 1, 1994, that legendary day when "subcommandante insurgente" Marcos led an army of Zapatista indios down the slopes of Chiapas' mountains into battle against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). No, the war on neoliberal globalization began much earlier--on the afternoon of July 25, 1609, on an English ship. Such is the thesis of Peter Linebaugh and Markus Rediker, probably two of the most daring American historians writing today. Their new book chronicles the history of the first two centuries in the history of what they call "the Atlantic working class," from the birth of capitalism in the early 17th century to the aftermath of the American and French revolutions in the early 18th and 19th centuries. That is the "many-headed hydra" they invoke: a planetary monster with innumerable heads in all parts of the world, linked together by a diaphanous, almost intangible trunk. According to Linebaugh and Rediker, the revolt against capitalist globalization begins not simply as a struggle against property-title- clutching aristocrats, who in early modern times were trying to privatize lands held in common by English peasants. With a far more cosmopolitan vision than even Karl Marx, they argue that this revolt was also immediately global in scope, the product of transatlantic coalitions between European commoners, African slaves, and Native American societies. The different constituencies were often brought together and kept in contact with each other by ethnically heterogenous crews of sailors, who glided from one end of the world to the other on ships that recalled a prison chain gang rather than merry shipmates. Those sailors frequently mutinied, threw their officers overboard, or worse, and joyfully converted to the faith of the pirate: Eat well, drink well, and above all, make decisions on every aspect of life "in common" or, as we would say today, democratically. You'll have to read the book to find out what happened on that famous afternoon in July, 1609. Suffice it to say that neither then nor afterward did things always go smoothly for this "many-headed hydra" of a revolt. Indeed, the name itself was bestowed upon this multi- ethnic assemblage of peoples by elite intellectuals such as Francis Bacon and Walter Raleigh, who eagerly counseled their lords to decapitate the hydra whenever it reared one of its ugly heads. Apparently, then as now, these intellectuals were unaware of the mythical hydra's magical property: If ever one of its heads is cut off, it regenerates itself almost immediately. Today, the hydra is again under attack. The Republicans in the White House, on Capitol Hill, and in the various right-wing think tanks are out to get the democratic hydra. Taking advantage of the recent terrorist attacks--acts which speak as much of the twistedness of its perpetrators as they do of the desperation of hundreds of millions of dispossessed peoples around the world--these stone-hearted crocodiles are using the shock and grief of many of us here in the States to put forward an agenda that surpasses in folly even the most obnoxious fantasies of Dr. Strangelove. In less than a month, conservatives have managed to take back the lead in defining the issues on the public agenda. From talking about the sweatshops, unemployment, and the consequences of a recession for working people, we have all been brought into dismal speculations on the possibility of World War III, how many of our civil liberties we'd have to give up for "security" at home, and the effects of the recession on the wealthy. But neither a war abroad nor more police at home is going to make the problem go away: Global environmental degradation and poverty are not made better by uranium-depleted bullets or more phone taps. So has the anti-capitalist hydra been decapitated in one fell swoop? No, for as Linebaugh and Rediker put it: "The globalizing powers have a long reach and endless patience. Yet the planetary wanderers do not forget, and they are ever ready from Africa to the Caribbean to Seattle to resist slavery and restore the commons." Everyone in favor, say yargh! Some of the world's earliest democracies flourished aboard pirate ships http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/05/11/everyone_in_favor_say_yargh?mode=PF By Joanna Weiss | May 11, 2008 AS A CHILD, Peter Leeson was pirate-obsessed. He cherished the ruby- eyed skull ring he got at Disney World, after riding Pirates of the Caribbean. He took up a collection of coconut pirate heads. He lapped up the pirate themes in "Goonies." And when he grew up to be an economics professor, and started studying pirate society, he found a new excuse for admiration. Pirates, it turns out, were pioneers of democracy. Presidential candidates, take note: Long before they made their way into the workings of modern government, the democratic tenets we hold so dear were used to great effect on pirate ships. Checks and balances. Social insurance. Freedom of expression. So Leeson, an economics professor at George Mason University, will argue in his upcoming book, "The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates." Yes, those stereotypically lawless rum-chuggers turned out to be ardent democrats. And in their strange enlightenment, Leeson sees the answer to a riddle about human nature, worthy of "Lord of the Flies" or an early episode of "Lost." In the absence of government and law enforcement, what becomes of a band of men with a noted criminal streak? Do they descend into violence and chaos? The pirates who roamed the seas in the late 17th and early 18th centuries developed a floating civilization that, in terms of political philosophy, was well ahead of its time. The notion of checks and balances, in which each branch of government limits the other's power, emerged in England in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. But by the 1670s, and likely before, pirates were developing democratic charters, establishing balance of power on their ships, and developing a nascent form of worker's compensation: A lost limb entitled one to payment from the booty, more or less depending on whether it was a right arm, a left arm, or a leg. The idea of enlightened piracy is strange swill to swallow for those steeped in a pop culture version of the pirate - chaos on the high seas, drinking and pillaging, damsels forced onto the plank. Sure, there's something about the independence of piracy that still speaks to people today. (Even the founders of International Talk Like a Pirate Day acknowledge that there is, in people who love to say "Aargh," a yearning for a certain kind of freedom.) But it turns out that pirate life was more than just greedy rebellion. It offers insights into the nature of democracy and the reasons it might emerge - as a natural state of being, or a rational response to a much less pleasant way of life. To Leeson, pirate democracy was an institution born of necessity. In one successful cruise, a pirate could take home what a merchant sailor earned in 50 years. Yet a business enterprise made up of the violent and lawless was clearly problematic: piracy required common action and mutual trust. And pirates couldn't rely on a government to set the rules. Some think that "without government, where would we be?" Leeson says. "But what pirates really show is, no, it's just common sense. You have an incentive to try to create rules to make society get along. And that's just as important to pirates as it is to anybody else." But Marcus Rediker, the author of the pirate histories "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" and "Villains of All Nations," sees pirate democracy less as a means for order than as a political statement, a pointed reaction to the working sailor's life. When pirates roamed the seas, Rediker says, it was the law-abiding merchant ships that were run like miniature tyrannies. Captains held absolute power. Floggings were routine and often deadly. When pirates recruited sailors from the ships they pillaged, they opened a window to a different kind of society - far from the one the working-class sailors would otherwise find on land or sea. Rediker argues that pirate democracy "is not about human nature at all. It's about the specific experience of sailors and the way that they wanted to imagine a better world." Piracy, says Rediker, a history professor at the University of Pittsburgh, was "a fascinating, almost utopian kind of experiment." Indeed, he says, pirate democracy was purer than what was practiced in Athens: The Greeks didn't give slaves the vote, but pirates offered the right to everyone, black or white. (It's probably also safe to say that pirates didn't have superdelegates.) Before each voyage, the crew elected a captain who could be deposed at any time, as well as a quartermaster whose main purpose was to make sure the captain didn't have too much power. A written charter outlined ship rules, which tended to prohibit theft and violence aboard and set strict rules for the presence of women. (Contrary to popular myth, Leeson, says, pirates usually set limits on drinking. "A drunken pirate crew," he points out, "would be less effective than a sober crew.") Pirates even conducted a version of a fair trial, Rediker says, when determining the fate of captured captains. If any pirate on board knew the man from his merchant ship days, he could testify about his treatment. A captain who turned out to be kind was sometimes spared his life. And in a precursor of our own democratic love of political satire, pirates wrote coarse, hilarious plays that mocked the upper classes' criminal justice system. Their mockery, and their gallows humor, reflected the risks they faced. The pirates' democratic experiment, like piracy itself, turned out to be short-lived. When the buccaneers of the late 1600s attacked Spanish trade ships, Rediker says, the British navy looked the other way. But when pirates began to attack British and American ships in the early 1700s, the British naval crackdown was swift and fierce. By 1730, the traditional pirate life was essentially done. And, scholarly treatises aside, some of its specifics have been lost in the popular imagination. The current image of the pirate is colored more by the Robert Newton movies of the 1950s, or the rantings of Captain Hook, or - to a newer generation - the Keith Richards stylings of Johnny Depp. Even in their own time, the pirates' democratic experiment was quickly forgotten, a culture washed away. It would be another half a century, Leeson says, before James Madison would start to devise a US Constitution. And there's no evidence, he says, that the forefathers of British and American democracy took any of their cues from pirate ships. "The Federalists never refer back to pirates," he says. "I've looked." Joanna Weiss covers TV and pop culture for the Globe. She can be reached at weiss at globe.com. © Copyright 2008 The New York Times Compan From alexanderaugust at gmail.com Tue Jan 6 19:02:34 2009 From: alexanderaugust at gmail.com (Alexander Keefe) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 07:32:34 -0600 Subject: [Reader-list] More of Sea Piracy In-Reply-To: <167B7477-7380-4F4B-96D1-1E1449188205@sarai.net> References: <167B7477-7380-4F4B-96D1-1E1449188205@sarai.net> Message-ID: Dear all, For those interested in this issue and/or new media cartography, the live piracy map: http://www.icc-ccs.org/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=visualization&controller=visualization.googlemap&Itemid=89 Peace and love in 2009, Alex On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 7:28 AM, Jeebesh wrote: > dear All, > > Following on Sanjay's post on the somialian pirates, i am mailing a > series of readings on the same. > > warmly > > Jeebesh > > > > "The Floating Dungeon: A History of the Slave Ship" > > To find the ghost and let them live again Marcus Rediker > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I2xGTXB8tc&NR=1 > > > > Off the coast of Somalia: 'We're not pirates. These are our waters, > not theirs' > > > http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/off-the-coast-of-somalia-were-not-pirates-these-are-our-waters-not-theirs-1017962.html > > To foreign ships, they're a scourge but Daniel Howden and Abdinasir > Mohamed Guled discover that Somalia's pirates see things very > differently > > Friday, 14 November 2008 > Two boats from HMS Cumberland intercept a suspected pirate vessel in > the Gulf of Aden after Russian and British forces repelled an attack > on a cargo ship > > When Bile Wadani is not counting his money, he counts his wives. So > far he has three – but he promises there will be more to come. "I > didn't ever dream I would marry three wives but I have that dream now > because I can get as much money as I want." > > As he speaks, waves can be heard crashing in the background. Bile is > speaking by mobile telephone from the deck of a captured ship > somewhere off the mountainous coast of northern Somalia, near the tip > of the Horn of Africa. His words are interrupted by the crackle of > gunfire. > > Bile will not reveal his exact location or identify the captured > vessel as he claims he is being hunted by foreign warships. > > He is one of the new generation of pirates who have turned the Gulf of > Aden into the most dangerous shipping lane in the world. The success > of their rough and ready tactics has been such that insurers are > warning that shipowners may have to use alternative routes, which > would have tremendous ramifications for global trade and commodity > prices. > > International governments are committing millions of pounds to > fighting the pirates. The Royal Navy's HMS Cumberland joined forces > with a Russian frigate to kill three pirates as they attempted to > seize a Danish vessel in the latest incident on Tuesday. > > Despite the fact that warships from Denmark, France, Russia, Japan and > the US have joined the Royal Navy in patrolling the gulf, little > attention has been paid to the roots of the problem. > > Both the risks and the rewards of Bile's chosen career are colossal. > And along with an increasing number of his compatriots in the anarchy > of Somalia, he has chosen to embrace them. The lure of vast sums of > money is transforming the coast of this country and turning the > pirates into the heroes of a shattered land. > > Millions of dollars in ransoms are being paid by desperate ship owners > – an estimated $30m (£20.5m) so far this year. That is one and a half > times the annual budget for authorities in the northern region of > Puntland. One captured vessel can fetch up to $2m. > > The epicentre of this piracy is the port town of Eyl, in the Nugal > region. It is off limits to the outside world, a safe haven for the > pirates and a base for their attacks. It now functions, according to > residents, almost completely on the proceeds from piracy. > > Much of the rest of Somalia has been destroyed by the seemingly > endless wars that have washed across the country in the two decades > since it last had a functioning government. The capital, Mogadishu, > lies mostly in ruins. > > In Eyl, the streets are lined with new buildings and awash with > Landcruisers, laptops, satellite phones and global positioning systems. > > Almost everyone in Eyl has a relative or husband among the pirates. > Fatima Yusuf, who has lived her whole life in Eyl, describes the > intense involvement of the whole community in the fortunes of the > young men who set out in crews of seven or eight armed with AK-47s and > rocket launchers to take on the tankers on the high seas. > > The planning is rigorous, Bile insists: "When we want to kidnap a > ship, we go with not more than six or seven men because we don't want > to be a mob, this is a military tactic." > > Fatima says the people will gather to pray for the pirates and that > when they set sail sacrifices are made in traditional ceremonies where > a goat will be slaughtered, its throat cut." > > An industry has grown up around the pirates, with restaurants to feed > the kidnapped crews who as potentially tradable assets must be looked > after. The pirates have become glamorous figures. Like most of the > girls in Eyl, Sadiya Samatar Haji wants to marry a pirate. "I'm not > taking no for an answer," she says. "I'll tie the knot with a pirate > man because I'll get to live in a good house with good money." > > Twelve-year-old Mohamed Bishar Adle, in nearby Garowe, the regional > capital of Puntland, knows what he wants to do with his education. > "When I finish high school, I will be a pirate man, I will work for my > family and will get more money." > > Beyond the bravado, Bile acknowledges that the danger is increasing. > He will not say how many attacks he has participated in but he does > claim to have been one of the pirates who clashed with French forces > in April this year after the capture and ransom of a luxury yacht. > French commandoes pursued a band of Somali pirates en route to Eyl > after a ransom had been paid. Bile says nine of his compatriots were > taken and that only he and one other friend were able to escape. Six > of those caught face prosecution in Paris after being transferred to > France. > > He also remembers the terror of his first mission. "You don't know if > it's a warship. You have to open fire and if it doesn't respond you > know." > > Bile did not grow up dreaming of being a pirate. He comes from a > family of fishermen whose livelihood was destroyed, he says, by the > arrival of industrial trawlers from Europe. > > At some 3,300 kilometres, Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa. > With a fertile upswelling where the ocean reaches Africa's Horn, the > seas are rich in tuna, swordfish and shark, as well as coastal beds of > lobster and valuable shrimp. > > With the overthrow of Siad Barre's government in 1991, the territorial > waters off Somalia became a free-for-all. Trawlers from more than 16 > different nations were recorded within its waters – many of them > armed. EU vessels flying flags of convenience cut deals with the > illegitimate authorities in Somalia, according to UN investigators. > > Clashes between large, foreign fishing interests and Somali fishermen > in the late 1990s were the prelude to the upsurge in piracy. > > Bile, like many of the pirates, calls himself a "coastguard" and > insists he has more right to these contested seas than the foreign > forces now patrolling them. He says many of his friends' boats were > destroyed in these battles and stocks of a fish known locally as > "yumbi" have all but disappeared. > > Like many in Somalia, Bile is angry that outside powers are seeking a > military solution to a more complex problem. He rejects the tag of > "terrorist" and denies links to Islamic militias, like the Al-Shabab, > which are in control of large areas of Somalia. He insists that the > pirates would not give "one AK-47" to the Islamists. > > While admitting that the influx of foreign navies is making his life > more dangerous, he remains defiant: "We will keep carrying out > attacks. We are ready for long distance attacks as far as the coast of > Yemen." > > > > Pirates Turn Villages Into Boomtowns > By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN and ELIZABETH KENNEDY > http://news.aol.com/article/pirates-turn-villages-into-boomtowns/253992 > > AP > > MOGADISHU, Somalia (Nov. 19) - Somalia's increasingly brazen pirates > are building sprawling stone houses, cruising in luxury cars, marrying > beautiful women — even hiring caterers to prepare Western-style food > for their hostages. > And in an impoverished country where every public institution has > crumbled, they have become heroes in the steamy coastal dens they > operate from because they are the only real business in town. > Armed pirates guard a beach Oct. 16 in Hobyo, Somalia. Piracy is on > the rise on Somalia, a result of the nation's extreme poverty and > unstable government. Pirates have pumped $30 million into Somalia's > economy this year, thanks to ransoms that owners pay to get their > ships back. > > "The pirates depend on us, and we benefit from them," said Sahra Sheik > Dahir, a shop owner in Haradhere, the nearest village to where a > hijacked Saudi Arabian supertanker carrying $100 million in crude was > anchored Wednesday. > These boomtowns are all the more shocking in light of Somalia's > violence and poverty: Radical Islamists control most of the country's > south, meting out lashings and stonings for accused criminals. There > has been no effective central government in nearly 20 years, plunging > this arid African country into chaos. > Life expectancy is just 46 years; a quarter of children die before > they reach 5. > But in northern coastal towns like Haradhere, Eyl and Bossaso, the > pirate economy is thriving thanks to the money pouring in from pirate > ransoms that have reached $30 million this year alone. > "There are more shops and business is booming because of the piracy," > said Sugule Dahir, who runs a clothing shop in Eyl. "Internet cafes > and telephone shops have opened, and people are just happier than > before." > In Haradhere, residents came out in droves to celebrate as the looming > oil ship came into focus this week off the country's lawless coast. > Businessmen gathered cigarettes, food and cold bottles of orange soda, > setting up kiosks for the pirates who come to shore to resupply almost > daily. > Dahir said she even started a layaway plan for them. > "They always take things without paying and we put them into the book > of debts," she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. > "Later, when they get the ransom money, they pay us a lot." > Residents make sure the pirates are well-stocked in khat, a popular > narcotic leaf, and aren't afraid to gouge a bit when it comes to the > pirates' deep pockets. > Dangerous Waters > Tian Yu 8: In this photograph supplied by the U.S. Navy, Somali > pirates hold the crew of a Chinese fishing vessel hostage as the ship > passes through the Indian Ocean on Nov. 17. The ship was seized Nov. > 16 and was forced to anchor off the Somali coast. > "I can buy a packet of cigarettes for about $1 but I will charge the > pirate $1.30," said Abdulqadir Omar, an Eyl resident. > While pirate villages used to have houses made of corrugated iron > sheets, now, there are stately looking homes made of sturdy, white > stones. > "Regardless of how the money is coming in, legally or illegally, I can > say it has started a life in our town," said Shamso Moalim, a 36-year- > old mother of five in Haradhere. > "Our children are not worrying about food now, and they go to Islamic > schools in the morning and play soccer in the afternoon. They are > happy." > The attackers generally treat their hostages well in anticipation of a > big payday, hiring caterers on shore to cook spaghetti, grilled fish > and roasted meat that will appeal to Western palates. > Somali Pirates Strike Again > Pirates hijacked another cargo ship the coast of Somalia making it the > 7th ship to be hijacked in less than two weeks. Shelia MacVicar reports. > And when the payday comes, the money sometimes literally falls from > the sky. > Pirates say the ransom arrives in burlap sacks, sometimes dropped from > buzzing helicopters, or in waterproof suitcases loaded onto skiffs in > the roiling, shark-infested sea. > "The oldest man on the ship always takes the responsibility of > collecting the money, because we see it as very risky, and he gets > some extra payment for his service later," Aden Yusuf, a pirate in > Eyl, told AP over VHF radio. > The pirates use money-counting machines — the same technology seen at > foreign exchange bureaus worldwide — to ensure the cash is real. All > payments are done in cash because Somalia has no functioning banking > system. > "Getting this equipment is easy for us, we have business connections > with people in Dubai, Nairobi, Djibouti and other areas," Yusuf said. > "So we send them money and they send us what we want." > Despite a beefed-up international presence, the pirates continue to > seize ships, moving further out to sea and demanding ever-larger > ransoms. The pirates operate mostly from the semiautonomous Puntland > region, where local lawmakers have been accused of helping them and > taking a cut of the ransoms. > For the most part, however, the regional officials say they have no > power to stop piracy. > Meanwhile, towns that once were eroded by years of poverty and chaos > are now bustling with restaurants, Land Cruisers and Internet cafes. > Residents also use their gains to buy generators — allowing full days > of electricity, once an unimaginable luxury in Somalia. > There are no reliable estimates of the number of pirates operating in > Somalia, but they number in the thousands. And though the bandits do > sometimes get nabbed, piracy is generally considered a sure bet to a > better life. > NATO and the U.S. Navy say they can't be everywhere, and American > officials are urging ships to hire private security. Warships > patrolling off Somalia have succeeded in stopping some pirate attacks. > But military assaults to wrest back a ship are highly risky and, up to > now, uncommon. > Associated Press writers Mohamed Olad Hassan reported from Mogadishu > and Elizabeth Kennedy from Nairobi, Kenya. > Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the > AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise > distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated > Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. > 2008-11-19 10:24:20 > > > > ALSO SEE: The Politics of Pirates (Should Johnny Depp be a Founding > Father?) > > > http://engagepodcast.blogspot.com/2008/05/politics-of-pirates-should-johnny-depp.html > > > VIDEO ON PETER LINEBAUGH > > Magna Carta Manifesto 1 of 8 > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDg2p3krPKQ&feature=related > > > > "The Floating Dungeon: A History of the Slave Ship" > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I2xGTXB8tc&NR=1 > > > > Democratic Pirates > The History of Decapitating Commoners > by Nic Veroli > > From the Oct 11 – Oct 17, 2001 issue > > The Many-Headed Hydra: Sailors, Slaves, Commoners, and the Hidden > History of the Revolutionary Atlantic by Peter Linebaugh and Markus > Rediker > (Beacon Press) $18 > > The history of the movement against neoliberal globalization did not > start in 1999 in Seattle. It did not even start on January 1, 1994, > that legendary day when "subcommandante insurgente" Marcos led an army > of Zapatista indios down the slopes of Chiapas' mountains into battle > against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). No, the war > on neoliberal globalization began much earlier--on the afternoon of > July 25, 1609, on an English ship. > > Such is the thesis of Peter Linebaugh and Markus Rediker, probably two > of the most daring American historians writing today. Their new book > chronicles the history of the first two centuries in the history of > what they call "the Atlantic working class," from the birth of > capitalism in the early 17th century to the aftermath of the American > and French revolutions in the early 18th and 19th centuries. That is > the "many-headed hydra" they invoke: a planetary monster with > innumerable heads in all parts of the world, linked together by a > diaphanous, almost intangible trunk. > > According to Linebaugh and Rediker, the revolt against capitalist > globalization begins not simply as a struggle against property-title- > clutching aristocrats, who in early modern times were trying to > privatize lands held in common by English peasants. With a far more > cosmopolitan vision than even Karl Marx, they argue that this revolt > was also immediately global in scope, the product of transatlantic > coalitions between European commoners, African slaves, and Native > American societies. > > The different constituencies were often brought together and kept in > contact with each other by ethnically heterogenous crews of sailors, > who glided from one end of the world to the other on ships that > recalled a prison chain gang rather than merry shipmates. Those > sailors frequently mutinied, threw their officers overboard, or worse, > and joyfully converted to the faith of the pirate: Eat well, drink > well, and above all, make decisions on every aspect of life "in > common" or, as we would say today, democratically. > > You'll have to read the book to find out what happened on that famous > afternoon in July, 1609. Suffice it to say that neither then nor > afterward did things always go smoothly for this "many-headed hydra" > of a revolt. Indeed, the name itself was bestowed upon this multi- > ethnic assemblage of peoples by elite intellectuals such as Francis > Bacon and Walter Raleigh, who eagerly counseled their lords to > decapitate the hydra whenever it reared one of its ugly heads. > Apparently, then as now, these intellectuals were unaware of the > mythical hydra's magical property: If ever one of its heads is cut > off, it regenerates itself almost immediately. > > Today, the hydra is again under attack. The Republicans in the White > House, on Capitol Hill, and in the various right-wing think tanks are > out to get the democratic hydra. Taking advantage of the recent > terrorist attacks--acts which speak as much of the twistedness of its > perpetrators as they do of the desperation of hundreds of millions of > dispossessed peoples around the world--these stone-hearted crocodiles > are using the shock and grief of many of us here in the States to put > forward an agenda that surpasses in folly even the most obnoxious > fantasies of Dr. Strangelove. In less than a month, conservatives have > managed to take back the lead in defining the issues on the public > agenda. From talking about the sweatshops, unemployment, and the > consequences of a recession for working people, we have all been > brought into dismal speculations on the possibility of World War III, > how many of our civil liberties we'd have to give up for "security" at > home, and the effects of the recession on the wealthy. > > But neither a war abroad nor more police at home is going to make the > problem go away: Global environmental degradation and poverty are not > made better by uranium-depleted bullets or more phone taps. > > So has the anti-capitalist hydra been decapitated in one fell swoop? > No, for as Linebaugh and Rediker put it: "The globalizing powers have > a long reach and endless patience. Yet the planetary wanderers do not > forget, and they are ever ready from Africa to the Caribbean to > Seattle to resist slavery and restore the commons." > > The history of the movement against neoliberal globalization did not > start in 1999 in Seattle. It did not even start on January 1, 1994, > that legendary day when "subcommandante insurgente" Marcos led an army > of Zapatista indios down the slopes of Chiapas' mountains into battle > against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). No, the war > on neoliberal globalization began much earlier--on the afternoon of > July 25, 1609, on an English ship. > > Such is the thesis of Peter Linebaugh and Markus Rediker, probably two > of the most daring American historians writing today. Their new book > chronicles the history of the first two centuries in the history of > what they call "the Atlantic working class," from the birth of > capitalism in the early 17th century to the aftermath of the American > and French revolutions in the early 18th and 19th centuries. That is > the "many-headed hydra" they invoke: a planetary monster with > innumerable heads in all parts of the world, linked together by a > diaphanous, almost intangible trunk. > > According to Linebaugh and Rediker, the revolt against capitalist > globalization begins not simply as a struggle against property-title- > clutching aristocrats, who in early modern times were trying to > privatize lands held in common by English peasants. With a far more > cosmopolitan vision than even Karl Marx, they argue that this revolt > was also immediately global in scope, the product of transatlantic > coalitions between European commoners, African slaves, and Native > American societies. > > The different constituencies were often brought together and kept in > contact with each other by ethnically heterogenous crews of sailors, > who glided from one end of the world to the other on ships that > recalled a prison chain gang rather than merry shipmates. Those > sailors frequently mutinied, threw their officers overboard, or worse, > and joyfully converted to the faith of the pirate: Eat well, drink > well, and above all, make decisions on every aspect of life "in > common" or, as we would say today, democratically. > > You'll have to read the book to find out what happened on that famous > afternoon in July, 1609. Suffice it to say that neither then nor > afterward did things always go smoothly for this "many-headed hydra" > of a revolt. Indeed, the name itself was bestowed upon this multi- > ethnic assemblage of peoples by elite intellectuals such as Francis > Bacon and Walter Raleigh, who eagerly counseled their lords to > decapitate the hydra whenever it reared one of its ugly heads. > Apparently, then as now, these intellectuals were unaware of the > mythical hydra's magical property: If ever one of its heads is cut > off, it regenerates itself almost immediately. > > Today, the hydra is again under attack. The Republicans in the White > House, on Capitol Hill, and in the various right-wing think tanks are > out to get the democratic hydra. Taking advantage of the recent > terrorist attacks--acts which speak as much of the twistedness of its > perpetrators as they do of the desperation of hundreds of millions of > dispossessed peoples around the world--these stone-hearted crocodiles > are using the shock and grief of many of us here in the States to put > forward an agenda that surpasses in folly even the most obnoxious > fantasies of Dr. Strangelove. In less than a month, conservatives have > managed to take back the lead in defining the issues on the public > agenda. From talking about the sweatshops, unemployment, and the > consequences of a recession for working people, we have all been > brought into dismal speculations on the possibility of World War III, > how many of our civil liberties we'd have to give up for "security" at > home, and the effects of the recession on the wealthy. > > But neither a war abroad nor more police at home is going to make the > problem go away: Global environmental degradation and poverty are not > made better by uranium-depleted bullets or more phone taps. > > So has the anti-capitalist hydra been decapitated in one fell swoop? > No, for as Linebaugh and Rediker put it: "The globalizing powers have > a long reach and endless patience. Yet the planetary wanderers do not > forget, and they are ever ready from Africa to the Caribbean to > Seattle to resist slavery and restore the commons." > > > > Everyone in favor, say yargh! > > Some of the world's earliest democracies flourished aboard pirate ships > > > http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/05/11/everyone_in_favor_say_yargh?mode=PF > > By Joanna Weiss | May 11, 2008 > > AS A CHILD, Peter Leeson was pirate-obsessed. He cherished the ruby- > eyed skull ring he got at Disney World, after riding Pirates of the > Caribbean. He took up a collection of coconut pirate heads. He lapped > up the pirate themes in "Goonies." And when he grew up to be an > economics professor, and started studying pirate society, he found a > new excuse for admiration. Pirates, it turns out, were pioneers of > democracy. > > Presidential candidates, take note: Long before they made their way > into the workings of modern government, the democratic tenets we hold > so dear were used to great effect on pirate ships. Checks and > balances. Social insurance. Freedom of expression. So Leeson, an > economics professor at George Mason University, will argue in his > upcoming book, "The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates." > > Yes, those stereotypically lawless rum-chuggers turned out to be > ardent democrats. And in their strange enlightenment, Leeson sees the > answer to a riddle about human nature, worthy of "Lord of the Flies" > or an early episode of "Lost." In the absence of government and law > enforcement, what becomes of a band of men with a noted criminal > streak? Do they descend into violence and chaos? > > The pirates who roamed the seas in the late 17th and early 18th > centuries developed a floating civilization that, in terms of > political philosophy, was well ahead of its time. The notion of checks > and balances, in which each branch of government limits the other's > power, emerged in England in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. But by > the 1670s, and likely before, pirates were developing democratic > charters, establishing balance of power on their ships, and developing > a nascent form of worker's compensation: A lost limb entitled one to > payment from the booty, more or less depending on whether it was a > right arm, a left arm, or a leg. > > The idea of enlightened piracy is strange swill to swallow for those > steeped in a pop culture version of the pirate - chaos on the high > seas, drinking and pillaging, damsels forced onto the plank. Sure, > there's something about the independence of piracy that still speaks > to people today. (Even the founders of International Talk Like a > Pirate Day acknowledge that there is, in people who love to say > "Aargh," a yearning for a certain kind of freedom.) But it turns out > that pirate life was more than just greedy rebellion. It offers > insights into the nature of democracy and the reasons it might emerge > - as a natural state of being, or a rational response to a much less > pleasant way of life. > > To Leeson, pirate democracy was an institution born of necessity. In > one successful cruise, a pirate could take home what a merchant sailor > earned in 50 years. Yet a business enterprise made up of the violent > and lawless was clearly problematic: piracy required common action and > mutual trust. And pirates couldn't rely on a government to set the > rules. Some think that "without government, where would we be?" Leeson > says. "But what pirates really show is, no, it's just common sense. > You have an incentive to try to create rules to make society get > along. And that's just as important to pirates as it is to anybody > else." > > But Marcus Rediker, the author of the pirate histories "Between the > Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" and "Villains of All Nations," sees > pirate democracy less as a means for order than as a political > statement, a pointed reaction to the working sailor's life. When > pirates roamed the seas, Rediker says, it was the law-abiding merchant > ships that were run like miniature tyrannies. Captains held absolute > power. Floggings were routine and often deadly. When pirates recruited > sailors from the ships they pillaged, they opened a window to a > different kind of society - far from the one the working-class sailors > would otherwise find on land or sea. Rediker argues that pirate > democracy "is not about human nature at all. It's about the specific > experience of sailors and the way that they wanted to imagine a better > world." > > Piracy, says Rediker, a history professor at the University of > Pittsburgh, was "a fascinating, almost utopian kind of experiment." > Indeed, he says, pirate democracy was purer than what was practiced in > Athens: The Greeks didn't give slaves the vote, but pirates offered > the right to everyone, black or white. (It's probably also safe to say > that pirates didn't have superdelegates.) Before each voyage, the crew > elected a captain who could be deposed at any time, as well as a > quartermaster whose main purpose was to make sure the captain didn't > have too much power. A written charter outlined ship rules, which > tended to prohibit theft and violence aboard and set strict rules for > the presence of women. (Contrary to popular myth, Leeson, says, > pirates usually set limits on drinking. "A drunken pirate crew," he > points out, "would be less effective than a sober crew.") > > Pirates even conducted a version of a fair trial, Rediker says, when > determining the fate of captured captains. If any pirate on board knew > the man from his merchant ship days, he could testify about his > treatment. A captain who turned out to be kind was sometimes spared > his life. And in a precursor of our own democratic love of political > satire, pirates wrote coarse, hilarious plays that mocked the upper > classes' criminal justice system. > > Their mockery, and their gallows humor, reflected the risks they > faced. The pirates' democratic experiment, like piracy itself, turned > out to be short-lived. When the buccaneers of the late 1600s attacked > Spanish trade ships, Rediker says, the British navy looked the other > way. But when pirates began to attack British and American ships in > the early 1700s, the British naval crackdown was swift and fierce. By > 1730, the traditional pirate life was essentially done. > > And, scholarly treatises aside, some of its specifics have been lost > in the popular imagination. The current image of the pirate is colored > more by the Robert Newton movies of the 1950s, or the rantings of > Captain Hook, or - to a newer generation - the Keith Richards stylings > of Johnny Depp. > > Even in their own time, the pirates' democratic experiment was quickly > forgotten, a culture washed away. It would be another half a century, > Leeson says, before James Madison would start to devise a US > Constitution. And there's no evidence, he says, that the forefathers > of British and American democracy took any of their cues from pirate > ships. "The Federalists never refer back to pirates," he says. "I've > looked." > > Joanna Weiss covers TV and pop culture for the Globe. She can be > reached at weiss at globe.com. > (c) Copyright 2008 The New York Times Compan > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> -- jugaadoo.blogspot.com From anansi1 at earthlink.net Tue Jan 6 22:01:16 2009 From: anansi1 at earthlink.net (Paul Miller) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 11:31:16 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Antarctica: An Exhibition Message-ID: <57C65A60-C1CA-43BE-BB6E-AC802737FA17@earthlink.net> Hello to the Sarai crew - this week on Jan 8, 2009, I have a large exhibition of my Antarctica project at Robert Miller Gallery. There will be a wide variety of people from different scenes at the event. I hope some folks from the list can make it! rsvp at robertmillergallery.com in peace, Paul Details are at: http://www.djspooky.com/art/robertmillergallery.php and the press release: There will be artist/composer dialogs every Thursday of January around my show. The trailer for the project is at: www.djspooky.com/art/terra_nova.php So far: the dialogs are as follows: Gallery show opens on Jan 8, 2009 Then: Every Thursday of January Sound + Image: Composers in dialog about contemporary art and composition "Meet The Composer" is media sponsor for the events. Sound + Image Laura Kuhn - Director of the John Cage Trust Foundation is in dialog with me on Jan 10 Peter Halley - Chair of Yale University's Art Department for Painting is in dialog with me on Jan 15 Carol Becker - Dean of Columbia University's School of The Arts is in with me dialog on Jan 22 Paul Cantalone (Oliver Stone's sound track composer - did the score for W), Carter Burwell (soundtrack composer for No Country for Old Men), and Ronen Givony (curator, Wordless Music Festival), are in dialog with me on Jan 29 Here's the press release for the project: North/South Robert Miller Gallery is pleased to announce its first exhibition of the work of Paul Miller. In 2008 Miller went to Antarctica to shoot a film about the sound of ice, and ended up creating an installation out of the journey. For Robert Miller Gallery, Paul Miller recasts the epic detritus of the art and other cultural worlds as skillfully handled archival video samplings, digital prints, and drawings, calling into question the value of appropriation and the status of the copy. Finding inspiration in historic documents and films like James F. Cook's infamous 1912 film "The Truth about the Pole" (a false narrative made by the "explorer" using the North Pole as a film studio, Cook tried to portray himself in a documentary he self- financed as the true discoverer of the North Pole), and rare images of Admiral Byrd's 1939 voyage to the South Pole, Miller explores the range of "truth" in modern portrayals of the explorer's path. In 2007-2008 Miller spent four weeks in Antarctica re-tracing several explorers' journeys and with his "North/South" show at Robert Miller gallery, he reconstructs a collage of their journals and ephemera in multiple contexts. Using materials as diverse as John Cage's 1938 "Imaginary Landscape #1" as an inspiration (it was the first composition written for turntables) Miller looks at how documents and archival materials influence perception of history and the search for the explorer's goal of defining new frontiers. In "North/South" he deftly recontextualizes the rhetorical tropes of music notation and graphic design to mine the intersection of public and personal. A deejay and writer, Miller maps his ongoing relationship with the past, present, and future of music, using record collections, musical taxonomies, and play-lists as impetus for portraits and cultural critiques to blur the lines between how composers create and artists design work based on a seamless dialog between "sampling" and originality. This exhibition of new work will incorporate digital prints, works on paper, and a video installation to define a sonic landscape/timeline that begins around the turn of the first millennium and projects centuries ahead into the future for concepts such as "A Manifesto for a People's Republic of Antarctica." Drawing on a history of music's ups and downs in terms of mountains and valleys, water and above all, ice, Miller expands on the tradition of landscape portraiture, creating a topography of music spanning across every wall of the gallery. North/South is comprised of four sections: 1) Notations – a contemporary response to John Cage, 2) Appropriation of O, a collaboration with artist Ann Hamilton, 3) Rodchenko, Revisited – an exploration of Miller's graphic design of prints for a fictional revolution in Antarctica, and 4) North/South – a video installation juxtaposing Admiral Byrd and James F. Cook's respective voyages to the South and North Poles, with historical documents of other famous and infamous voyages to Antarctica and the Arctic. Miller translates the possibilities of music's futures into graphic terms of an almost science-fictional account in images of a revolution in Antarctica. His backward and forward glance, though, embraces its own subjective account, bringing Miller's own thoughts on history (and its representation) to the forefront. His "People's Republic of Antarctica" does not attempt to be a definitive narrative on music's relationship to revolution, but instead one that exists at the interface of his personal vision and that of a shared popular culture. Miller's video installation is an acoustic portrait of Antarctica's relationship to the "Great Game" of national interests in claiming the wilderness of the South Pole. Miller's composed score for the video materials is based on gamelan shadow theater, and electronic music's ability to re-define geography's relationship to "authenticity" – natural sounds versus their reconstruction in digital media are motifs for the composition that accompanies the installation. While using sound within installations has a tradition in contemporary art, Miller conflates its use within a fine-art context with other ways in which music reaches the public. Miller postulates that you are your own archive. His composition "Terra Nova" was written while he was in Antarctica for 4 weeks, and it offers an extended trip through Miller's sound art palette. Paul Miller was born in 1970 in New York. In 2004, his exhibition Rebirth of a Nation, a remix of D.W. Griffith's infamous "Birth of a Nation" was installed as "Path is Prologue" where it premiered at the Paula Cooper Gallery, and then traveled as a live multi-media opera to over fifty widely acclaimed venues, such as the Herod Atticus Theater at the base of the Acropolis and the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. His works have been performed at locations as diverse as the Tate Modern and The Guggenheim and he has had numerous exhibitions in the United States and abroad, including solo shows at the Annina Nosei Gallery and he has also curated group exhibits at Jeffrey Deitch gallery. In addition, Miller has been included in the 1997 and 2002 Whitney Biennial, the 2004 Venice Biennial of Architecture, and 2007 Venice Biennial's "Africa Pavilion." In 2004 he published a critically acclaimed and award winning book "Rhythm Science" about the relationship of graphic design and contemporary music, and in 2008, he edited an anthology of writings on sound art, digital media, and contemporary composition entitled "Sound Unbound" (both, MIT Press), featuring Pierre Boulez, Steve Reich, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Brian Eno, Moby, Chuck D, Saul Williams, Jonathan Lethem, Daphne Keller (Senior Legal Counsel to Google) and many others. In addition to his art works, he tours the world constantly as Dj Spooky - a very "in-demand" world famous dj. He currently lives and works in New York. Terra Nova, the composition based on Miller's journey to Antarctica will be premiering in NY as a headlining event of Brooklyn Academy of Music's Next Wave Festival 2009, and will tour opera houses for the next several years. The Robert Miller Gallery 524 W26th Street New York New York, 10001 Tel: 1 212 366 4774 Fax: 1 212 366 4454 Email: rmg at robertmillergallery.com Gallery Hours: Tuesday Through Saturday, 10am to 6pm From taraprakash at gmail.com Tue Jan 6 22:16:27 2009 From: taraprakash at gmail.com (taraprakash) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 11:46:27 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Groups in Pakistan demand to come out of denial mode Message-ID: <9657335F1336483EA5348A4627AF3F4C@tara> Voices of reason If India and Pakistan are to walk away from the current crisis with a joint victory against the scourge of terrorism, especially of the cross-border kind, they would do well to heed the voices of reason and sanity being raised on both sides of the border. A fine example is the statement issued on Sunday by Pakistani human rights activists, women's rights activists, teachers, labour leaders, and others on the Mumbai terrorist attack and its aftermath. The spirited statement demands, among other things, that "the government of Pakistan must no longer stay in a state of denial.[and] must not miss the opportunity of devising an effective strategy to overcome the menace of terrorism." It also makes democratic demands on India and appeals to both governments to "redouble their efforts at addressing the rise of militant groups in the region.[and] quickly compose their differences over ways of dealing with terrorism." This democratic intervention comes at a time when a major section of the Pakistani establishment continues to be in a public state of denial over the fact that the Laskhar-e-Taiba perpetrators of the November 26 attack came from Pakistan. Given the unsustainable obfuscation and the related failure to respond positively to India's key demands that the Lashkar conspirators and masterminds should be brought to justice and the terrorist infrastructure should be eliminated to prevent future attacks, bilateral relations nosedived. This time the crisis in Pakistan-India relations has failed to divert international attention from the problem of terrorism. No rationalising linkage has been made by anyone in his or her right mind between what happened in Mumbai and the Kashmir issue. In the midst of all this, the Manmohan Singh government has done well to keep a cool head: it has responded to the crisis firmly but with exemplary restraint. If there is one thing the history of the past decade has taught us on the subcontinent, it is not to allow civil society and people-to-people relations between India and Pakistan to be held hostage to the acts and stratagems of extremist elements. This principle is easy to state but difficult to practise. Irrational responses do have a way of overwhelming the rational. Far from cutting off contact with Pakistanis, especially in the realm of ideas, this is a time for intellectuals, journalists, artists, and ordinary people on both sides to try and understand each other's problems and perspectives better. If democratic Pakistani intellectuals can be brave enough to stand up and urge their government to end its state of denial over Mumbai, democratic and secular India is eminently capable of ruling out irrational options. From taraprakash at gmail.com Tue Jan 6 23:19:46 2009 From: taraprakash at gmail.com (taraprakash) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 12:49:46 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Myths, Mangoes and ordered houses - re: 10 myths about pakistan References: <995a19920901051405i4f01691ds74098a71f7cd182@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <8175044FF41B4192AED837AF01C6E49D@tara> Dear Aman and all. I would just like to clarify what I said in an earlier mail. One would give the benefit of the doubt to the batsman as long as there were doubts. I think it is baseless and irresponsible to give a state clean chit just because it sounds progressive and broad minded to do so. I wouldn't object if you were to say that even India has links with Jihadi elements which Pakistan claims India uses to destabilize Pakistan. But I will definitely not agree with the claim that Pakistani state has no nexus with jihadi elements which have unfurling Pakistani flag on Red fort as their stated aim. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Aman Sethi" To: "sarai list" Sent: Monday, January 05, 2009 5:05 PM Subject: [Reader-list] Myths,Mangoes and ordered houses - re: 10 myths about pakistan > Dear All - particularly Javed, (who I thank for posting this text) and > Taraprakash and Yasir -for their thoughts, > > This is in response to a conversation on the authenticity/ > "insightfullness" of Mohammed Hanif's text that appeared in the Times > of India in the Times of India -and I have appended at the end of this > mail. > > I think the reason I find Mohammed Hanif's text (appended below) > interesting is primarily because often when reading/learning about > another place - especially through the eyes of correspondents - it is > hard to imagine how anyone lives there at all. For weeks I have been > having conversation with friends about how pakistan appears to be > teetering on a brink of some sort - without really knowing that that > brink is - how deep the chasm is - is it in the chasm already - what > does it means to be in the chasm - or is there no brink, no teetering, > no nothing except to the grind of the everyday. > > But fortunately, i have also been re-reading Slaughterhouse Five - > Kurt Vonnegut's book on the dresden fire-bombing in WWII where, after > describing the devastation of dresden as a moonscape utterly ravaged > by carpet bombs, he writes > > "Billy's story ended very curiously in a suburb untouched by fire and > explosions. The guards and americans came at nightfall to an innn > which was open for business. There was candlelight. There were fires > in three fireplaces downstairs. There were empty tables ad chairs > waiting for anyone who might come, and empty beds with covers turned > down upstairs." > > On reading texts like Slaughterhouse Five - or Sebal's incredible > Natural History of Destruction there is the tendency to abstract trite > observations like "ordinary people continue with their normal lives > even as the world collapses around them." I would argue that what > makes these texts interesting -and relevant - is that they remind us > that this IS normal life. This horror, this destruction, this > banality, this IS normal life. And Mohammed Hanif's text - (without > placing it in the same league) - again gives us a snapshot into the > normalcy of normal life in pakistan. > > Reading the news on the series of bomb blasts in Delhi, Surat, > Bangalore and elsewhere through the fall of 2008 - one is tempted to > read the same spiral of chaos, the horror of implosion and the > embarrassment of "state failure" that Indians so happily foist upon > neighbouring countries. But as those living in India will readily > testify; it certainly doesnt seem so - no matter what the disaster, we > are firm in our belief that -like the batsman in cricket - the > endurance of the state should be given the benefit of doubt. Perhaps > we could accord others in the neighbourhood the same privileges. > > The story of the americans and the innkeepers ends something like this : > "The Blind innkeeper said that the americans could sleep in his stable > that night, and he gave them soup and ersatz coffee and a little beer. > Then he came out to the stable to listen to them bedding down in the > straw. > "Good Night Americans," he said in German, "Sleep well." > > best > a. > > Ten myths about Pakistan > 4 Jan 2009, 0032 hrs IST, > Mohammed Hanif > > Living in Pakistan and reading about it in the Indian press can > sometimes be quite a disorienting experience: one wonders what place > on earth they're talking about? I wouldn't be surprised if an Indian > reader going through Pakistani papers has asked the same question in > recent days. Here are some common assumptions about Pakistan and its > citizens that I have come across in the Indian media... > > Pakistan controls the jihadis: Or Pakistan's government controls the > jihadis. Or Pakistan Army controls the jihadis. Or ISI controls the > jihadis. Or some rogue elements from the ISI control the Jihadis. > Nobody knows the whole truth but increasingly it's the tail that wags > the dog. We must remember that the ISI-Jihadi alliance was a marriage > of convenience, which has broken down irrevocably. Pakistan army has > lost more soldiers at the hands of these jihadis than it ever did > fighting India. > > Musharraf was in control, Zardari is not: Let's not forget that > General Musharraf seized power after he was fired from his job as the > army chief by an elected prime minister. Musharraf first appeased > jihadis, then bombed them, and then appeased them again. The country > he left behind has become a very dangerous place, above all for its > own citizens. There is a latent hankering in sections of the Indian > middle class for a strongman. Give Manmohan Singh a military uniform, > put all the armed forces under his direct command, make his word the > law of the land, and he too will go around thumping his chest saying > that it's his destiny to save India from Indians . Zardari will never > have the kind of control that Musharraf had. But Pakistanis do not > want another Musharraf. > > Pakistan, which Pakistan? For a small country, Pakistan is very > diverse, not only ethnically but politically as well. General > Musharraf's government bombed Pashtuns in the north for being > Islamists and close to the Taliban and at the same time it bombed > Balochs in the South for NOT being Islamists and for subscribing to > some kind of retro-socialist, anti Taliban ethos. You have probably > heard the joke about other countries having armies but Pakistan's army > having a country. Nobody in Pakistan finds it funny. > > Pakistan and its loose nukes: Pakistan's nuclear programme is under a > sophisticated command and control system, no more under threat than > India or Israel's nuclear assets are threatened by Hindu or Jewish > extremists. For a long time Pakistan's security establishment's other > strategic asset was jihadi organisations, which in the last couple of > years have become its biggest liability. > > Pakistan is a failed state: If it is, then Pakistanis have not > noticed. Or they have lived in it for such a long time that they have > become used to its dysfunctional aspects. Trains are late but they > turn up, there are more VJs, DJs, theatre festivals, melas, and > fashion models than a failed state can accommodate. To borrow a phrase > from President Zardari, there are lots of non-state actors like Abdul > Sattar Edhi who provide emergency health services, orphanages and > shelters for sick animals. > > It is a deeply religious country: Every half-decent election in this > country has proved otherwise. Religious parties have never won more > than a fraction of popular vote. Last year Pakistan witnessed the > largest civil rights movements in the history of this region. It was > spontaneous, secular and entirely peaceful. But since people weren't > raising anti-India or anti-America slogans, nobody outside Pakistan > took much notice. > > All Pakistanis hate India: Three out of four provinces in Pakistan - > Sindh, Baluchistan, NWFP - have never had any popular anti-India > sentiment ever. Punjabis who did impose India as enemy-in-chief on > Pakistan are now more interested in selling potatoes to India than > destroying it. There is a new breed of al-Qaida inspired jihadis who > hate a woman walking on the streets of Karachi as much as they hate a > woman driving a car on the streets of Delhi. In fact there is not much > that they do not hate: they hate America, Denmark, China CDs, barbers, > DVDs , television, even football. Imran Khan recently said that these > jihadis will never attack a cricket match but nobody takes him > seriously. > > Training camps: There are militant sanctuaries in the tribal areas of > Pakistan but definitely not in Muzaffarabad or Muridke, two favourite > targets for Indian journalists, probably because those are the cities > they have ever been allowed to visit. After all how much training do > you need if you are going to shoot at random civilians or blow > yourself up in a crowded bazaar? So if anyone thinks a few missiles > targeted at Muzaffarabad will teach anyone a lesson, they should > switch off their TV and try to locate it on the map. > > RAW would never do what ISI does: Both the agencies have had a > brilliant record of creating mayhem in the neighbouring countries. > Both have a dismal record when it comes to protecting their own > people. There is a simple reason that ISI is a bigger, more notorious > brand name: It was CIA's franchise during the jihad against the > Soviets. And now it's busy doing jihad against those very jihadis. > > Pakistan is poor, India is rich: Pakistanis visiting India till the > mid-eighties came back very smug. They told us about India's slums, > and that there was nothing to buy except handicrafts and saris. Then > Pakistanis could say with justifiable pride that nobody slept hungry > in their country. But now, not only do people sleep hungry in both the > countries, they also commit suicide because they see nothing but a > lifetime of hunger ahead. A debt-ridden farmer contemplating suicide > in Maharashtra and a mother who abandons her children in Karachi > because she can't feed them: this is what we have achieved in our > mutual desire to teach each other a lesson. > > The writer is the author of 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sunday_TOI/Ten_myths_about_Pakistan/articleshow/3932145.cms > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From aman.am at gmail.com Wed Jan 7 00:04:32 2009 From: aman.am at gmail.com (Aman Sethi) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 13:34:32 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Myths, Mangoes and ordered houses - re: 10 myths about pakistan In-Reply-To: <8175044FF41B4192AED837AF01C6E49D@tara> References: <995a19920901051405i4f01691ds74098a71f7cd182@mail.gmail.com> <8175044FF41B4192AED837AF01C6E49D@tara> Message-ID: <995a19920901061034u3d8b1ec6w978a30b8a7b19365@mail.gmail.com> Dear Taraprakash, I have never denied the presence of militant groups in pakistan. That there are "links" between armed groups and power centres in pakistan is not something i am contesting - I think the interesting question is the nature of these "links" and the nature of the state. If I was to say the "Indian state" has connections with terror organisations in kashmir - what would that mean? One would then ask - okay - which organ of the state - so say we say the IB - or in the case of Pakistan - the ISI - then once asks - okay, so does the director of IB/ISI have direct contact with a militant commander? Probably not - its probably a connection between mid-tier people on both sides - from here on we start entering reasonably murky waters -which get murkier as one tries to plumb its depths (sorry for the mixed metaphor) ... and Hanif's piece - gives an idea of the complications in drawing straight lines between dots -that is all I am saying. best a. On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 12:49 PM, taraprakash wrote: > Dear Aman and all. I would just like to clarify what I said in an earlier > mail. One would give the benefit of the doubt to the batsman as long as > there were doubts. I think it is baseless and irresponsible to give a state > clean chit just because it sounds progressive and broad minded to do so. I > wouldn't object if you were to say that even India has links with Jihadi > elements which Pakistan claims India uses to destabilize Pakistan. But I > will definitely not agree with the claim that Pakistani state has no nexus > with jihadi elements which have unfurling Pakistani flag on Red fort as > their stated aim. > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Aman Sethi" > To: "sarai list" > Sent: Monday, January 05, 2009 5:05 PM > Subject: [Reader-list] Myths,Mangoes and ordered houses - re: 10 myths about > pakistan > > >> Dear All - particularly Javed, (who I thank for posting this text) and >> Taraprakash and Yasir -for their thoughts, >> >> This is in response to a conversation on the authenticity/ >> "insightfullness" of Mohammed Hanif's text that appeared in the Times >> of India in the Times of India -and I have appended at the end of this >> mail. >> >> I think the reason I find Mohammed Hanif's text (appended below) >> interesting is primarily because often when reading/learning about >> another place - especially through the eyes of correspondents - it is >> hard to imagine how anyone lives there at all. For weeks I have been >> having conversation with friends about how pakistan appears to be >> teetering on a brink of some sort - without really knowing that that >> brink is - how deep the chasm is - is it in the chasm already - what >> does it means to be in the chasm - or is there no brink, no teetering, >> no nothing except to the grind of the everyday. >> >> But fortunately, i have also been re-reading Slaughterhouse Five - >> Kurt Vonnegut's book on the dresden fire-bombing in WWII where, after >> describing the devastation of dresden as a moonscape utterly ravaged >> by carpet bombs, he writes >> >> "Billy's story ended very curiously in a suburb untouched by fire and >> explosions. The guards and americans came at nightfall to an innn >> which was open for business. There was candlelight. There were fires >> in three fireplaces downstairs. There were empty tables ad chairs >> waiting for anyone who might come, and empty beds with covers turned >> down upstairs." >> >> On reading texts like Slaughterhouse Five - or Sebal's incredible >> Natural History of Destruction there is the tendency to abstract trite >> observations like "ordinary people continue with their normal lives >> even as the world collapses around them." I would argue that what >> makes these texts interesting -and relevant - is that they remind us >> that this IS normal life. This horror, this destruction, this >> banality, this IS normal life. And Mohammed Hanif's text - (without >> placing it in the same league) - again gives us a snapshot into the >> normalcy of normal life in pakistan. >> >> Reading the news on the series of bomb blasts in Delhi, Surat, >> Bangalore and elsewhere through the fall of 2008 - one is tempted to >> read the same spiral of chaos, the horror of implosion and the >> embarrassment of "state failure" that Indians so happily foist upon >> neighbouring countries. But as those living in India will readily >> testify; it certainly doesnt seem so - no matter what the disaster, we >> are firm in our belief that -like the batsman in cricket - the >> endurance of the state should be given the benefit of doubt. Perhaps >> we could accord others in the neighbourhood the same privileges. >> >> The story of the americans and the innkeepers ends something like this : >> "The Blind innkeeper said that the americans could sleep in his stable >> that night, and he gave them soup and ersatz coffee and a little beer. >> Then he came out to the stable to listen to them bedding down in the >> straw. >> "Good Night Americans," he said in German, "Sleep well." >> >> best >> a. >> >> Ten myths about Pakistan >> 4 Jan 2009, 0032 hrs IST, >> Mohammed Hanif >> >> Living in Pakistan and reading about it in the Indian press can >> sometimes be quite a disorienting experience: one wonders what place >> on earth they're talking about? I wouldn't be surprised if an Indian >> reader going through Pakistani papers has asked the same question in >> recent days. Here are some common assumptions about Pakistan and its >> citizens that I have come across in the Indian media... >> >> Pakistan controls the jihadis: Or Pakistan's government controls the >> jihadis. Or Pakistan Army controls the jihadis. Or ISI controls the >> jihadis. Or some rogue elements from the ISI control the Jihadis. >> Nobody knows the whole truth but increasingly it's the tail that wags >> the dog. We must remember that the ISI-Jihadi alliance was a marriage >> of convenience, which has broken down irrevocably. Pakistan army has >> lost more soldiers at the hands of these jihadis than it ever did >> fighting India. >> >> Musharraf was in control, Zardari is not: Let's not forget that >> General Musharraf seized power after he was fired from his job as the >> army chief by an elected prime minister. Musharraf first appeased >> jihadis, then bombed them, and then appeased them again. The country >> he left behind has become a very dangerous place, above all for its >> own citizens. There is a latent hankering in sections of the Indian >> middle class for a strongman. Give Manmohan Singh a military uniform, >> put all the armed forces under his direct command, make his word the >> law of the land, and he too will go around thumping his chest saying >> that it's his destiny to save India from Indians . Zardari will never >> have the kind of control that Musharraf had. But Pakistanis do not >> want another Musharraf. >> >> Pakistan, which Pakistan? For a small country, Pakistan is very >> diverse, not only ethnically but politically as well. General >> Musharraf's government bombed Pashtuns in the north for being >> Islamists and close to the Taliban and at the same time it bombed >> Balochs in the South for NOT being Islamists and for subscribing to >> some kind of retro-socialist, anti Taliban ethos. You have probably >> heard the joke about other countries having armies but Pakistan's army >> having a country. Nobody in Pakistan finds it funny. >> >> Pakistan and its loose nukes: Pakistan's nuclear programme is under a >> sophisticated command and control system, no more under threat than >> India or Israel's nuclear assets are threatened by Hindu or Jewish >> extremists. For a long time Pakistan's security establishment's other >> strategic asset was jihadi organisations, which in the last couple of >> years have become its biggest liability. >> >> Pakistan is a failed state: If it is, then Pakistanis have not >> noticed. Or they have lived in it for such a long time that they have >> become used to its dysfunctional aspects. Trains are late but they >> turn up, there are more VJs, DJs, theatre festivals, melas, and >> fashion models than a failed state can accommodate. To borrow a phrase >> from President Zardari, there are lots of non-state actors like Abdul >> Sattar Edhi who provide emergency health services, orphanages and >> shelters for sick animals. >> >> It is a deeply religious country: Every half-decent election in this >> country has proved otherwise. Religious parties have never won more >> than a fraction of popular vote. Last year Pakistan witnessed the >> largest civil rights movements in the history of this region. It was >> spontaneous, secular and entirely peaceful. But since people weren't >> raising anti-India or anti-America slogans, nobody outside Pakistan >> took much notice. >> >> All Pakistanis hate India: Three out of four provinces in Pakistan - >> Sindh, Baluchistan, NWFP - have never had any popular anti-India >> sentiment ever. Punjabis who did impose India as enemy-in-chief on >> Pakistan are now more interested in selling potatoes to India than >> destroying it. There is a new breed of al-Qaida inspired jihadis who >> hate a woman walking on the streets of Karachi as much as they hate a >> woman driving a car on the streets of Delhi. In fact there is not much >> that they do not hate: they hate America, Denmark, China CDs, barbers, >> DVDs , television, even football. Imran Khan recently said that these >> jihadis will never attack a cricket match but nobody takes him >> seriously. >> >> Training camps: There are militant sanctuaries in the tribal areas of >> Pakistan but definitely not in Muzaffarabad or Muridke, two favourite >> targets for Indian journalists, probably because those are the cities >> they have ever been allowed to visit. After all how much training do >> you need if you are going to shoot at random civilians or blow >> yourself up in a crowded bazaar? So if anyone thinks a few missiles >> targeted at Muzaffarabad will teach anyone a lesson, they should >> switch off their TV and try to locate it on the map. >> >> RAW would never do what ISI does: Both the agencies have had a >> brilliant record of creating mayhem in the neighbouring countries. >> Both have a dismal record when it comes to protecting their own >> people. There is a simple reason that ISI is a bigger, more notorious >> brand name: It was CIA's franchise during the jihad against the >> Soviets. And now it's busy doing jihad against those very jihadis. >> >> Pakistan is poor, India is rich: Pakistanis visiting India till the >> mid-eighties came back very smug. They told us about India's slums, >> and that there was nothing to buy except handicrafts and saris. Then >> Pakistanis could say with justifiable pride that nobody slept hungry >> in their country. But now, not only do people sleep hungry in both the >> countries, they also commit suicide because they see nothing but a >> lifetime of hunger ahead. A debt-ridden farmer contemplating suicide >> in Maharashtra and a mother who abandons her children in Karachi >> because she can't feed them: this is what we have achieved in our >> mutual desire to teach each other a lesson. >> >> The writer is the author of 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' >> >> >> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sunday_TOI/Ten_myths_about_Pakistan/articleshow/3932145.cms >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Wed Jan 7 02:59:21 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 21:29:21 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-39 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901061329w19b79b7ey20ca610fe50d3669@mail.gmail.com> http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page.asp?relid=28238 Saturday, May 26, 2007 Ministry of Home Affairs FIRST TRANCHE OF MULTI PURPOSE NATIONAL IDENTITY CARDS HANDED OVER TO THE CITIZENS 18:19 IST The first set of national identity cards under the Pilot Project on Multi-purpose National Identity Card (MNIC) was handed over to the citizens of Pooth Khurd at Narela by Shri D.K. Sikri, Registrar General, India & Registrar General of Citizens Registration, here today. A Pilot Project to understand and develop the processes for collection and management database of citizens as well as for smart card technology has been under implementation in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and in the union territory of Pondicherry. The Pilot Project on MNIC has followed the census approach for collection of particulars of each individual in the pilot areas. Alongwith the particulars of individuals, photographs and finger biometrics have also been collected of all those who are 18 years of age and above. For management of citizens database, 20 centres have been set up, one at each Tehsil/Block headquarters equipped with computer terminals and on-line connectivity. The back-end management of these centres has been out-sourced to Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The personalization of cards has been entrusted to the Consortium of Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) comprising Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Electronics Corporations of India Limited (ECIL) and Indian Telephone Industries (ITI). The design of the card has been prepared with the help of National Institute of Design and carries a unique National Identity Number (NIN) for each of the citizens. The identity card being given to each individual citizen, has a micro processor chip with a memory of 16 KB which is a secure card. Besides having several physical features into the design of the card, it is the cyber security using 'asymmetric key cryptography' and 'symmetric key cryptography' that has made the card secure against the risk of tempering and cloning. The National Informatics Centre has made a major contribution towards developing the processes for database management and smart card technology. The rest of the citizens in the pilot areas shall be delivered cards by post for which special arrangements have been made with the Department of Posts for delivery. The cards will be sent to them in a packet which is tear-proof, temper-proof and waterproof. This has been specially designed for this project. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Wed Jan 7 03:02:40 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 21:32:40 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-40 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901061332g7ae82061y628f742e15dfd820@mail.gmail.com> http://www.hindu.com/2007/05/26/stories/2007052601511300.htm The Hindu Online edition of India's National Newspaper Saturday, May 26, 2007 National identity card scheme to be launched today Special Correspondent Plan to disburse two million cards to those above 18 years NEW DELHI: The ambitious Multipurpose National Identity Card (MNIC) scheme will become operational on Saturday with the Government scheduled to release the first set prepared under the pilot project initiated four years ago. The MNIC boasts of being a tamper-proof plastic card with data in visible zone and details in a microprocessor chip that requires a reader to peruse the data it contains. The card would give the citizen a 16-digit ID number and would be delivered by India Post in a tamper-proof customised cover that is both waterproof and able to sustain extreme temperatures. Rs. 45-crore project Registrar General of India Devender Kumar Sikri told The Hindu that the Rs. 45-crore project planned to provide two million cards to people above 18 years in 13 districts across 12 States and the Union Territory of Puducherry. After the official launch on Saturday, the MNIC centre hopes to despatch cards to two of the three million people in these districts over the next three months. A consortium of public sector companies viz. Bharat Electronics Limited at Delhi and Mumbai, Electronics Corporation of India Limited at Kolkata and Indian Telephone Industries, Chennai, have coordinated with the MNIC. The microprocessor chip, provided by Philips, would work on system developed by the National Informatics Centre and is embedded in the plastic card designed by the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. It can be read offline and at present it will be available at police stations. Individuals too can purchase the reader. Explaining the features of the16 kB chip, M. Loganathan of BEL and J. Sundara Rao of ECIL, said it had three specific usages, validation, updating and additional applications, for which some 6 KB to 8 KB space would be available. It would contain biometric data of the cardholder. S.K. Chakrabarti, Deputy Director General of MNIC, at the Registrar General of India, has been coordinating at the Government end. The card itself would carry digital signatures of two officials. Mr. Sikri said at present the Government was paying Rs. 60 a card, but with volumes the price could come down. While the pilot project was launched in November 2003, The Citizenship Act, 1955, was amended in December 2003, to provide for compulsory registration of all citizens and issue of a national identity card. The pilot project was launched in Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Tripura, Goa, Delhi and Tamil Nadu. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Wed Jan 7 03:05:34 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 21:35:34 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-41 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901061335g1b3dc962j25d86b871ce33722@mail.gmail.com> http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/May272007/national200705263969.asp Deccan Herald Sunday, May 27, 2007 National ID card launched New Delhi, Agencies: In a move to effectively address emerging security concerns, the Centre on Saturday, launched the multi-purpose "National Identity Card" at Narela in the capital city as part of a pilot project which may eventually be extended throughout the country by issuing a chip-based smart ID cards to all the citizens. Registrar General of India Devender Kumar Sikri presented the first card to a woman resident of Narela in north-west Delhi. Home Ministry sources said the remaining 2.4 million citizens, who are covered under the Rs 44.36-crore pilot project in selected sub-districts of 12 states and one Union territory, would receive the card by post, before July this year. "The card would give the citizen a 16-digit ID number and would be delivered by India Post in a tamper-proof customised cover that is both waterproof and able to sustain extreme temperatures," an official of the Registrar General of India said. Details on card Costing Rs 60 each, the ID card will carry basic details across several parametres including educational qualification, place of birth, photograph and fingerprints of the holder. A few details would be visible on the card. The remaining information would be stored in the 16-kbs chip on the card that can be read only with a reader. The card is also aimed at helping e-governance by improving the citizen-Government interface." Secure "This is a secure card,'' the sources said, pointing out that it is being introduced on the basis of the recommendations of a Technical Committee constituted by the Government. This committee has representatives from prestigious institutions such as National Informatics Centre (NIC), IIT Kanpur, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Indian Telephone Industries Limited (ITI) and Electronics Corporation India Limited (ECIL) and Intelligence Bureau (IB). The scheme will be implemented in the entire country after taking into account the experiences gained and lessons learnt from the pilot project, which was launched in 2003 when the BJP-led NDA government was in power. States covered Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Asom, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Tripura, Goa, Delhi and Tamil Nadu and Union territory of Puducherry were covered under the pilot project. From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Wed Jan 7 03:07:13 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 21:37:13 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-42 Message-ID: <65be9bf40901061337q3b8e0e2bxfbf928671a913e15@mail.gmail.com> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Multi-use_ID_cards_in_the_offing/articleshow/2573759.cms Multi-use ID cards in the offing