ACHA PEACE BULLETIN http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ACHAPeaceBulletin
A publication of Association for Communal Harmony in Asia (ACHA) www.asiapeace.org
Editor: Pritam K. Rohila, Ph. D.
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ACHA PEACE BULLETIN-Volume VI, No. 6, June 2, 2004, Next Issue, July 7, 2004
Editorial
Indian Election 2004, Pritam K. Rohila, Ph. D.
Peace & Harmony
News From & About South Asia
Peace & Harmony Organizations
Society for the Promotion of Rational Thinking (SPRAT)
Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC)
Youth Initiative for Peace (YIP)
The Writers, Artists and Citizens' Forum Against Communalism
Feature
Cricket for peace series, Waqar Gillani, The Daily Times, May 03, 2004
Elections (in India) help heal communal divide, Luv Puri, Hindu, May 3, 2004
Carrying message of HOPE and peace, Mandira Nayar, The Hindu, May 08, 2004
Awards & Grants
2004 Violence Prevention & Intervention Grants
Books & Journals
Breaking the Cycles of Hatred:
Memory, Law, and Repair, Martha Minow, 2003
Escaping the Circle of Hate: The Role of Education in Building Sustainable
Peace, James Whitehead, 2004
Managing and Settling Ethnic Conflicts. (Eds) Ulrich Scheckener and Stefan Wolff, 2004
Unarmed Heroes - The Courage to go Beyond Violence, 2004
Conferences
October 14-16, 2004, Madison, WI, USA: Second Biannual Meeting Of The National Advisory Council On South Asian Affairs
Courses In Human
Rights
Educations &
Training
June 29-July 16, 2004, Kandy, Sri Lanka: Democracy, Sustainable Development, and Violent Group Conflict
Violence Prevention
Websites
(For a copy send a blank email to pritamr@open.org with its subject as the UPPERCASE word in the article title. Please limit your request to 3 articles. When requesting an article from an issue of ACHA Peace Bulletin, other than the current one, please also mention date of publication of that issue)
Bangladesh
Playing with FIRE, Zafar Sobhan, The Daily Star, May 14, 2004
Ahmadiyyas under SIEGE in Chittagong, Editorial The Daily Star, May 30, 2004
India
Is India SHINING? Gurcharan Das, The Wall Street Journal, May 3, 2004
Shining India? Economic Liberalization and RURAL Poverty in the 1990s, Anders Riel Müller and Raj Patel,
Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy, May 2004
The ROOTS of Indian democracy, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Daily Times, 23 May 2004
India-Elections
India's New ERA, Salman Rushdie, Washington Post, May 14, 2004
Not a HEALTHY concoction, Kuldip Nayar, Deccan Herald, May 12, 2004
TERROR and Democratic Resilience, Kanchan Lakshman South Asia Intelligence Review, May 17, 2004
Economist Named NEXT Leader of India, Amy Waldman, New York Times, May 19, 2004
India-Pakistan
MISSILE Race in South Asia, Dr. Syed Rifaat Hussain, South Asian Journal, 14 April 2004
'Ungrateful Indian GUESTS', Editorial, Daily Times, 3 May 2004
Kashmir
The 1999 KARGIL War: South Asia’s Cuban Missile Crisis? Geoffrey Cook, Muslim Observer, March 31, 2004
ELECTIONS in Kashmir, Dr. Shabir Choudhry, May 22, 2004
Nepal
Nepal's Strategic BALANCING, M.R. Josse, South Asian Journal, 14 April 2004
Political IMPASSE, Deepak Thapa, South Asia Intelligence Review, May 10, 2004
Pakistan
Pakistan's REAL Bulwark, Alfred Stepan and Aqil Shah, The Washington Post, May 5, 2004
Abu Ghraib and AFTER, Khalid Hasan, Daily Times, Sunday, 09 May 2004
Why can't Gen Musharraf put his social VISION into practice? The Daily Times, May 17, 2004
The failure of our DEMOCRACY, Shafqat Mahmood, May 20, 2004
These 'CODES of honour', Anwar Syed, Dawn, April 25, 2004India Elections
US and the FAILURE of our democracy, Shafqat Mahmood, May 28, 2004
No TEARS for Dhaka, Khalid Hasan, Friday Times, May 28, 2004
Religion
Hindu-Muslim relations and intra-Muslim sectarian DISPUTES in present-day India, Yoginder Sikand
Secularism
Religious SWORD Over Pakistan, Mahnaz Ispahani, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2004
ABHOR Singularity! The critique of secularism by Nandy et al
confuses tradition with religion, Kuldip
Nayar
Prehistory of HINDUTVA, Ramachandra Guha, The Telegraph, April 17, 2004
THREE Indian secularisms, Mike Ghouse MIKEGHOUSE@aol.com, 31 May 2004
South Asia
Security Paradigm as MIRAGE, Praful Bidwai, South Asian Journal, 14 April 2004
Replicating Kerala and Sri LANKA, Z. Bhutta, S. Nundy and K. Abbasi, British Medical Journal
Sril Lanka
CONFRONTATION to Accommodation, Jehan Perera, South Asian Journal, 14 April 2004
Peace Process: An Opportunistic RESUMPTION, Jehan Perera, South Asia Intelligence Review, May 10, 2004
*Indian
Election 2004, Pritam K. Rohila, Ph. D.
My
hat off to the voters of India! Bravo! Well Done!
Indian
voters had proved their mettle before. They did not appreciate the excesses
committed when Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister. They booted her out of office
at the next election.
Now
they have demonstrated their wisdom again. The expensive "India
Shining" media blitz conducted by the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP)-led NDA
government, at a considerable cost to the central and state governments, did
not fool them.
They
were acutely aware of the growing economic inequality in the country.
Increasing number of luxury products in a few million urban rich and middle
class homes has not made the rural-poor feel good.
Information
technology employs less than a million people. Its growth has not improved the
lot of the more than 230 million individuals, who are slaving away their lives
in the agriculture sector.
They
saw through the changing faces of some of those in power. The recent varnish of
secularism failed to win the hearts of a majority of voters.
Indian
voters have responded with a resounding "No" to divisiveness and
intolerance! "No" to Talibization of India! "No" to
intimidation of minorities! "No" to adulteration of textbooks!
"No" to corruption of young minds of poor tribal children in the
Madrassa-type special schools set up for them by the Hindutva brigades!
About
170 political parties had fielded over 4,600 contestants for 543 of the 545
seats in Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Indian parliament. Of more than 650
million registered voters, about 380 million used electronic machines to cast
their votes at 773,667 polling stations in elections held over three weeks.
Counting of votes took place in 1,214 centers across the country.
Of
539 seats for which votes have been counted the ruling BJP and its allies have
won only 188 seats, 110 short of its achievement in the 1999 election. The
number is far short of the majority of 273 required to form government. Prime
Minister Vajpayee has already tendered his resignation.
Congress,
the main opposition party and its allies have won 219 seats. Even in the state
of Gujarat, a bastion of the Hindutva brigade, and the site of the
unprecedented anti-Muslim violence two years ago, has won 12 out of 26 seats.
Let
us hope the incoming Congress-led government will not repeat the blunders of
the BJP government, and avoid those committed by some of the previous Congress
governments. Let us pray that it will try to right its previous wrongs, improve
the lot of the rural poor and minorities, resolve the Kashmir issue, stop the
arm race with Pakistan and, establish peace in the Indian subcontinent.
PEACE & HARMONY NEWS FROM & ABOUT SOUTH ASIA
(Readers are invited to submit similar information from other areas of South Asia to help us broaden of our coverage. Please send the info to pritamr@open.org, a week before the date of publication of the next issue of ACHA Peace Bulletin)
*Bangladesh-India
Indo-Bangla joint working group launched
DHAKAL A joint working group was formally launched in Dhaka Wednesday to
exchange information on trade and investment between Bangladesh and India. The
group was formed jointly by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and
High Commission of India in Dhaka following a proposal made by Indian High
Commissioner to Bangladesh Veena Sikri during a meeting with the DCCI officials
in January. KANTIPUR ONLINE May 27,
2004
Dhaka plans 'goodwill envoy' for Delhi
DHAKA: Bangladesh is likely to soon
send a “goodwill envoy” to New Delhi hoping to establish close links with the
new Congress-led Indian government headed by Sonia Gandhi, sources said.
President Iajuddin Ahmed, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Leader of the Opposition
in the parliament Sheikh Hasina, BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan
have already congratulated Sonia Gandhi and Indian people for the massive
victory of Indian Congress against the BJP-led alliance government of outgoing
prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. New
Age May 16,2004
*India
UPA's priority will be immediate neighbours
The United Progressive Alliance government will give the highest priority to bilateral relations and work to increase areas of agreement with immediate neighbours. http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/may/31mea.htm
Muslims `Feel Secure' After Centre Deploys Forces To Riot Victims
Ahmedabad: At the request of several non-government groups to the country's Supreme Court Federal security forces have been deployed across the state of Gujarat to protect Muslim riot survivors and key witnesses in riot cases. Reuters, May 2, 2004
Mandate for secularism: Manmohan http://in.rediff.com/election/2004/may/22man1.htm
Congress-led United Progressive Alliance to make communal riots offence
http://www.rediff.com/election/2004/may/21cmp2.htm
CMP proposes the repeal of POTA http://in.rediff.com/election/2004/may/21cmp3.htm
Bishops Visit Hindu Pilgrimage Site To Promote Inter-Religious Harmony
In one of the largest and most sacred Hindu festivals held in the heartland of India visited by hundreds of thousands of Hindus, a group of Catholic bishops visited the pilgrimage site in an attempt to foster inter-religious harmony and understanding.
Voices against communalism raised in Bangalore
To counter the spread of communalism in the social and political fabric of the State, these writers and their allies in other segments of the creative arts recently formed the Writers, Artists and Citizens' Forum Against Communalism, a network of secular individuals and organisations. "As writers we all feel passionate about the damage that communalism inflicts particularly when we look at our State's pluralistic literary and cultural heritage," said U.R. Ananthamurthy. Frontline, May 8-21, 2004.
Godhra abounds in communal harmony again
Godhra (Gujarat): Shukal, an upper caste Brahmin and Rahim Bhai, a Muslim, surprised the entire town that was once wracked by riots, when the latter performed the sacred thread ceremony of the sons of the former.
When communal riots broke out in the town in March 2002, in which over a thousand people, mostly Muslims were killed, Rahim managed to save Shukal and his family. "We had saved the lives of Leela Ben and her husband during the communal tensions. She later tied a holy thread to make me her brother. Since then, we have been living like a family and we celebrate each other's festivals," Rahim Bhai said.
"I am very happy that my Muslim uncle participated in this ritual. It shows that Hindus and Muslims are not separate and we can be together in peace. And I think this is what people have to understand," Ajay Shukal, Aswin Shukal's son said. ANI, May 5, 2004
President, PM greet citizens on Milad-un-Nabi eve
President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Sunday extended their greetings to the people on the eve of Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Mohammad. Both of them quoted from the Prophet's Hadeeth and urged people to lead a righteous life. Times of India, May 2, 2004
*India-Pakistan
India tries to cool tempers in Pak
India will respect all documents signed with Pakistan and will strengthen the peace initiative of the last government. http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/may/31pak1.htm
India, Pakistan to discuss book exchange
ISLAMABAD: Indian
and Pakistani publishers and booksellers will meet to discuss programmes to
exchange and display books during the visit of an Indian writing delegation
from May 31. “We have invited members of the Federation of Indian Publishers
and Booksellers to visit Pakistan to discuss with us various issues of mutual
concern, including books exchange and display programmes,” National Book
Foundation (NBF) Secretary Aslam Rao told Daily Times on Saturday. DAILY TIMES May 30,2004
Indo-Pak ceasefire completes six months
JAMMU: The
India-Pakistan ceasefire completed six months on Wednesday with no report of
any incident from the Line of Control (LoC) or the International Border (IB)
during the period, Press Trust of India reported on Thursday. Daily Times, May
28, 2004
Musharraf invites Sonia to Pakistan
NEW DELHI: President Pervez Musharraf conveyed the invitation to Ms Sonia during a telephone conversation this evening. The External Affairs Ministry spokesman said that the Pakistani leader congratulated the Congress president on her party's victory in the elections. "He assured her of Pakistan's commitment to peace between the two countries and requested Ms. Gandhi to give her support to the dialogue process." The Hindu May 26,2004
Pakistan, India
mull common fishing zone
NEW DELHI: Foreign offices of
India and Pakistan have decided to accentuate the process of demarcating a
common fishing zone extending five nautical miles into each other’s national
maritime boundaries. Also, the next Pakistan-India foreign secretary level
meeting, likely to he held in June, will discuss a proposal from the Indian
Coast Guard to establish a “hotline” telephone connection. Daily Times, May 23,2004
New Indian PM pledges 'environment for peace'
NEW DELHI: Indian prime
minister-designate Dr Manmohan Singh Thursday promised to build better
relations with Pakistan and form an “environment for peace” in the region. Also
he offered to include all “interested
groups” in talks on Jammu and Kashmir. Daily
Times May 21,2004
Musharraf, Jamali greet Manmohan http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/may/22pak.htm
Pak-India nuclear talks from 25th
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Monday said
nuclear talks with India will go on as scheduled despite a change of government
in New Delhi. Pak Tribune May 18,2004
Pakistan 'committed' to peace with India
UNITED NATIONS: Foreign Minister
Khurshid Kasuri on Monday said he wanted the new government in neighbouring
India to be assured that Pakistan was committed to peace. The News May 18, 2004
Pakistan gives legal sanctity to Sikh body
AMRITSAR: The Government of
Pakistan has passed a Bill to give legal sanctity to the five-year-old Pakistan
Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC). This is for the first time that any
Islamic country has accorded sanction to a religious body of a minority
community. Tribune India May 16,2004
Indian soy meal exports to Pakistan rise
Pakistan has emerged as India’s
leading buyer of Indian soy meal, according to Soybean Processors Association
of India chairman Rajesh Agarwal. He said exports have already crossed 50,000
metric tons. PTI, India West May 14, 2004
Pakistan to release two Indian soldiers soon
NEW DELHI: Pakistan has
officially conveyed that it will release soon two Indian armymen -- Lance Naike
Jagsir Singh and Sappar Mohammad Arif -- who are in their custody for the last
four and half years, according to an army spokesman here. May 13,2004
Jamali sees no terror hurt to peace
ISLAMABAD: “Whenever the country
is on the road to development, criminals try to put up roadblocks but let me
assure you that the peace process with India would not be hit by terrorist
acts,” Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Saturday told journalists at
the first symposium of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Daily Times May 09,2004
India clears Pak entry into Asean forum
NEW DELHI: In a decision that will further boost bilateral relations with Islamabad, India has decided to drop its long-standing objection to Pakistan joining the 23-nation Asean Regional Forum (ARF). The change in policy, say official sources, is because of a written assurance provided by Pakistan to Indonesia - current Asean chair - that it will not raise any Indo-Pak bilateral issues at the ARF if it were to become a member. Times of India May 9, 2004
Pakistan, India to ink own N-test ban treaty
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India are
likely to sign a formal bilateral agreement to ban nuclear tests in the
subcontinent, according to a source in the Pakistani foreign office. Pakistan
had previously announced a unilateral moratorium over further nuclear tests.
But there was no formal understanding between the two countries over future
tests. ISLAM
ONLINE May 08, 2004
India, Pakistan to amend shipping protocol
KARACHI: India and Pakistan have
agreed to amend the shipping protocol between the two countries to allow them
to pick up cargo for a third country, thus reduce overheads and expenditure for
shipping companies of the two countries, India's secretary for communications
Daniel T. Joseph told the Urdu language daily Ausaf. Kerala News, May 8, 2004
Lollywood meets Bollywood
After decades of mutual mistrust,
the moviemakers and film stars of Pakistan and India are interacting, buoyed by
a belief that South Asia's most popular medium can propel the fledgling peace
process. Leading the collaborations, Lollywood's Muammar Rana, 30, was scooped
up by Bollywood in March for a supporting role in the film Dobara
(Once Again). Working in Bollywood blew Rana away. "My experience of
working in India was out of this world," he said on his return after
spending weeks in Bombay. "I was shaky and fearful to start with. But
everybody there turned out to be so nice and wonderful that I felt very
confident and comfortable during the shooting of the film," he told AFP.
"All of them gave me lots of love and respect and frankly I was
overwhelmed by the sentiment. Press Trust
of India, Lahore, May 5, 2004
*Kashmir
Kashmir Peace Festival is expected to be big draw
New Delhi, Bikes, music and
cricket will ring through Jammu and Kashmir as a peace festival celebrates the
relative
silencing of guns in the violence-torn Himalayan valley. The Kashmir Peace
Festival is being organized in Srinagar by a group of international volunteers
to promote peace and tourism at a time when the region is savouring an
unprecedented thaw in India-Pakistan relations. kashmir_news@yahoo.com
May 9, 2004
*Nepal
Maoists ready for talks, may drop key demand
KATHMANDU: The Maoists in Nepal are ready to hold talks with the government for settlement of the ongoing conflict and may drop one of their major demands of election to constituent assembly if a suitable alternative is given, a former government-rebel talks facilitator claimed today. Deepika Global May 27, 2004
*Nepal-Bandgladesh
Nepal, B'desh land port goes operational
PHULBARI: The Banglaband land port has come into operation on Monday
with the export of 10 truckloads of food materials to Bangladesh and the import
of one truckload of carbon rods into Nepal. Himalayan Times May 26, 2004
*Nepal-India
Indians in Nepal to widen rail gauge
JANAKPURDHAM: The Indian envoy to
Nepal Shyam Saran said that Indian technicians are already in Nepal to expand
Nepal's only railway — Janakpur-Jayanagar — into broad gauge. THE
HIMALAYAN TIMES May 08,2004
*Pakistan
Trials under jirga system banned in Sindh
Justice Rehmat Hussain Jafferey
of Sindh High Court delivered a historic judgment banning all trials conducted
under ‘jirga system’ throughout the province of Sindh. This order was announced
during a hearing of a petition filed by one Shazia Mangi and Ehsan Chachar of
Daharki seeking protection from the
court against the tribal leaders, as the couple had married of their free will
and sought protection for their lives, as they have been declared ìkaro-kariî
by their tribe. Paktribune April 26, 2004
*Pakistan-Bangladesh
Islamabad, Dhaka to boost economic ties
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Bangladesh
Thursday agreed to enhance economic cooperation and to share their experiences
in economic reforms to leverage expertise for consolidating financial gains by
the respective countries. Pak Tribune May
21,2004
*South Asia
India vows to strengthen Saarc
NEW DELHI: The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government
on Thursday unveiled its agenda for next five years. Besides other things the
document pledged to give the “highest priority” to building close political and
economic ties with neighbours and strengthening the South Asian Association for
Regional Countries. Daily Times, May 28, 2004
*Sri Lanka
LTTE reiterates backing for peace
KILINOCHCHI: S P Thamilselvan, political wing leader of Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE), has reiterated that despite the current stalemate
in resuming the peace talks, the LTTE would remain committed to the Ceasefire
Agreement (CA), and will continue to work towards a political settlement to the
national question. SUNDAY OBSERVER May 30,2004
US to revive peace talks in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO: . Christina Rocca, the
assistant secretary of state for South Asia is expected here on Thursday for
talks with Sri Lankan leaders amid hectic diplomatic moves to revive Sri
Lanka’s stalled peace process. Daily
Times May 13,2004
Buddhist, Christian clergy appeal for unity
KANDY: If the Inter Religious
Committee comprising the Maha Sangha and religious leaders of all faiths
discuss peace and other major problems and present to the masses a common
consensus, all ethnic groups would shed differences and unite for peace and
unity, said Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkhitha Maha Nayaka Thera, Chief Prelate
of the Asgiriya Chapter. May 07,2004
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
ready to resume peace talks
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) said on
May 3, 2004, that they were ready to resume peace talks with the Government of
Sri Lanka. Daily News May 4, 2004
*Sri Lanka-India
3,000 Sri Lankan refugees to return home
CHENNAI: Formalities regarding the repatriation of 3,000 of Sri Lankan
Tamil refugees living in India are almost complete, Sri Lanka Deputy High
Commissioner Sumit Nakandala said in Tamil Nadu on Saturday. According to UNHCR
figures, about 360,000 people have returned to Sri Lanka since Feb 2002 when
security forces and the Tamil guerrillas reached a truce. HINDUSTAN TIMES ,
May 30, 2004
India to help rebuild northern Sri Lanka
COLOMBO: Making it clear that it would not get engaged with the LTTE,
India today said it was ready to help in reconstruction work in Sri Lanka
rebel-held areas. Indian Express May 26, 2004
*Sri Lanka-Pakistan
Pakistan, Lanka FTA talks
ISLAMABAD: A four-member Pakistani delegation will visit Sri Lanka from June 3 to June 10 to finalise the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the government of Sri Lanka and to attend the third meeting of the Committee of Experts (COE) on carrying forward the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) process. Daily Times May 26,2004
PEACE
& HARMONY ORGANIZATIONS
*Society for the Promotion of Rational Thinking (SPRAT), SF-8, Rajnagar Complex, Narayan Nagar Road, Nr. NID, Paldi, AHMEDABAD 380 007 INDIA, Telephone +91-79-2663 46 55 /66 /77 Fax: 2661 20 49
email: info@mysprat.org Web: www.mysprat.org
Empowering the Impoverished
Gujarat
2002 [India] was a nightmare few would be able to forget. But it was also a
challenge for the conscientious to rebuild from the ashes of despair. SPRAT
has responded with vigour and commitment, with the support of persons of
goodwill of all religions and regions. SPRAT fights for justice, promotes
communal harmony and works for the empowerment of the impoverished in a
rational manner.
SPRAT’s intervention helped save an academic year for over 20,000 high school students, helped hundreds of victims receive a modest compensation and restore basic livelihood and helped nearly 3000 victims rebuild their modest dwellings and help save precious lives by supplying critical medicines.
To
promote harmony SPRAT
gave away SALAAM solidarity awards to those who risked their lives to save hapless
Muslims. It is also running a campaign, VR1 [We Are One] endorsed by
celebrities, including international cricketers.
NAI SUBH and KHITAB
True empowerment, however, must begin with correct diagnosis of what ails the community. To alert Muslim brethren to the real priorities of today a campaign has been launched under the banner NAI SUBAH [A New Dawn] by our President Mr M Hasan Jowher. So far he has addressed over 60,000 Muslims in dozens of public meetings throughout Gujarat.
KHITAB is
the new, comprehensive, deeply disturbing and heart-rending presentation in
Urdu available as MP3 audio CD. It raises fundamental questions on every aspect
of Muslim life and presents a rational approach for empowerment. Priced at IRs
145/- [or US$ 10] it has created a serious rethink in the Ummah. Prices
including door delivery within India for Rupee payment & worldwide against
Dollar payment are shown in the table alongside. Contact khitab@mysprat.org.
*Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC): President - Dr. A.H. Nayyar, General Secretary-B.M. Kutty
PPC, in a press statement on May 15, congratulated the people of India, especially the poor and marginalized millions in the villages and townships of India - for rejecting the pro-imperialist National Democratic Alliance NDA, dominated by the religious fundamentalist BJP, in favour of the forces of secularism, peace, democracy and religious tolerance, represented by the progressive political formation of the leftist parties and the Indian National Congress.
PPC fondly hoped that the unexpected outcome of the elections in India will not
only open the way for lasting peace between our two countries but will also
help to promote the development of a truly secular, democratic polity, free
from the scourge of criminalization of politics.
PPC hoped that the two governments will do away with the present obnoxious
anti-people visa system, facilitate free exchange of information and cultural
exchange, re-open Khokhropar-Munabao rail and road links and the sea route,
initiate an open dialogue on all contentious issues including Kashmir with the
sincere intention of resolving them, take positive steps towards the creation
of a close-knit economic cooperation network in South Asia capable of countering
the onslaught of World Bank, IMF, WTO and other international funding agencies
and transnational corporations and work together to put an end to
militarization, nuclearisation and all other forms of weaponisation, and
eradicate sectarianism, religious extremism and intolerance.
*Youth Initiative for Peace (YIP) www.youth.initiativeforpeace.org
YIP consists of members from India, Pakistan, and fifteen other countries. YIP
was established following the "Focus on Kashmir" conference held in
Singapore (2002), a week-long peace camp in Lahore for delegates from
all 7 SAARC nations, and the "Youth Without Borders" conference in
Karachi in July 2003.
Now it plans to organize another peace camp, 'Challenges and Opportunities in South Asia' for forty students from India and Pakistan together to promote the idea of peace in their respective countries.
*'Meri Awaz Suno' Youth Aman
Karwan
Consisting of age 13-20, school and college-going from all over the country, the Karwan was flagged off on 7th April 2004. They traveled for a month about 15,500 kilometers and visited 40 cities in all major states of India like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bhopal, Uttar Pardesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana. To conduct an anti-communalism campaign, they addressed press conferences, held rallies and met the youth everywhere. At the end of their adventure, a reception for them was held in Delhi on May 7. Shabnam Hashmi of Anhad accompanied the Karwan.
*The Writers, Artists and Citizens' Forum Against Communalism
Some of Karnataka's most celebrated writers have decided to come together to counter the spread of communalism in the social and political fabric of the State.
"As writers we all feel passionate about the damage that communalism inflicts particularly when we look at our State's pluralistic literary and cultural heritage," said U.R. Ananthamurthy to Frontline. "One thousand years ago Pampa, our first great poet, wrote that mankind was one. He was a Jain, and wrote a version of the Mahabharata in which he made Arjuna the hero. The great Vachanakaras of the 12th century fought Vedic Hinduism and the caste system. In our own time we have Kuvempu, Bendre and Karanth who laid great traditions of rationalism. How can we allow a party like the BJP to gain a foothold in a state with these great religious traditions?"
Several secular organisations have joined forces with the Forum. These include
the JMS, the People for India Forum, Manasa, Arivu, Bangalore Initiative for
Peace, Democratic Youth Federation of India, Manava Premigala Balaga, Samudaya,
and some progressive Dalit groups.
The Forum activated its network amongst progressive writers and cultural
activists in different parts of the State to organise four cultural jathas that
commenced from Bangalore, Mysore, Hospet and Dharwad. Passing through towns and
villages where the artists staged performances, the jathas converged at Birur in
Chickmagalur for a public meeting and cultural programme. Four lakh pamphlets
against communalism were printed, including the popular
JMS pamphlet "Why Women Should Not Vote for the BJP".
FEATURE
*Cricket for peace series:
Indian children leave, hope to be back soon, Waqar Gillani, The Daily
Times, May 03, 2004
LAHORE A group of 31 Indian children bid farewell to their new Pakistani
friends and returned via
the Wagah border crossing on Sunday after playing a cricket series for peace.
The series was organised by a group of non-governmental organisations in a bid
to promote peace ties between the neighbouring countries. Before leaving, the
children and the organisers said they hoped to include more NGOs in such
informal efforts to promote interpersonal contacts.
"We will try to broaden the
network of peace in the region with the help of children," said Rakesh
Senger, a senior member of the Indian delegation. "We have had meetings
with several NGOs in Pakistan and we will discuss opportunities with Indian
NGOs when we return."
Akshat Jain, a student of class 12 and member of the Indian 'children's
media unit', said he had made a lot of friends in Pakistan. The children for
peace campaign will continue, he said, hoping to come to Pakistan again.
"I will never forget this visit, particularly when I was garlanded
on my arrival in Lahore. Our two countries are the same culturally. No wall can
separate us," he said.
Rehan Khan, a factory worker and captain of one Pakistani team, said he
had heard lots about Indian people, but now knew "they are our
friends". Aditya Vikram, captain of one of the Indian teams, told Daily
Times that they did not expect the warm welcome they received. "It was
really a golden chance for us." He said people to people contact was a
must for peace. "I don't want to go back without my Pakistani
friends," said Om Prakash.
Nishit Sood, another member of
the children's media unit, said he was delighted to have made so many friends
in Pakistan, but felt sad to be leaving them.On their last day in Lahore, the
Pakistani and Indian children participated in a peace march from Liberty Chowk
to Hafeez Centre, attended a reception from the Pakistan India Peoples' Forum
for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) and the Mazdoor Mela for Labour Day.The 31-member
under-17 Indian team had arrived in Lahore to play cricket for peace with the
Pakistani children. The Indian and Pakistani chapters of Actionaid, in
collaboration with lnsaan Foundation Pakistan, Lahore, Society for the
Protection of the Rights of the Child, Islamabad, and Leapfrog in India,
arranged the series to promote interpersonal contacts.
The delegation included two journalists from Indian television channels
Channel V and Music TV. Five young reporters in the delegation were chosen for
writing on 'Cricket for Peace 2004' in Indian newspapers.
The cricket matches took place in Lahore, Kasur, Islamabad, Larkana and
Karachi. Pakistani children will pay a return visit to India in September and
October.
The Indian children team consisted of Hashim Ansari, Basant Kumar, Amit Kumar, Vicky Kumar, Raju Kumar, Sajan Kumar, Jaikishen Singh, Rahul Pandit, Akash Ansari, Ranjit Kumar, Rajan Sharma, Muhammad Azam, Bijay Kumar, Jangir Dhirtiman, Om Prakash Gurjar, Parkash Chand Swami, Ravi Dhanka, Sharad Kant Sharma, Suman Kr Mahato, Vikram Balai, Shaukat Ali, Mohan Kumar Mukhia, Shiv Kumar, Raju Balai, Aditya Vikram, Jay Parkash, Sneha Ramesh, Ashish Jain, Neethu Vincent, Akshat Jain, Mayank Anand and Nishit Sood.
*Elections (in India) help
heal communal divide, Luv Puri, Hindu, May 3, 2004
BHADERWAH: In sharp contrast to previous elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Lok Sabha election campaign here has emerged as a bridging factor between the Hindu and Muslim communities.
The communal tensions in the eastern parts of Doda district, largely sparked by the militants, are fast disappearing with the active participation of local people of both communities from the rural belt.
Doda district of Jammu province was a picture of communal harmony till the mid-1990s. The demographic profile of the district is a complex one, though the distribution between the two communities is almost even. While it is a Muslim majority district (approximately 54 per cent), there are many areas dominated by Hindus.
Militants tried to create an artificial wedge between the two communities by carrying out mass killings of one community, particularly in the eastern areas where the distribution between Hindus and Muslims is equal. For instance, in the Kalaban area of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh bordering Doda, 34 road construction workers were shot dead in August 1998.
The arming of the Hindu community by the authorities for self-defence further polarised the two communities. The 1999 Parliamentary elections that followed further re-enforced this polarisation as political parties tried to cash on the insecurities of the two communities. A vicious circle of communalism and militancy started feeding each other, resulting in a deep communal divide.
But today, the Parliamentary polls are helping speed up the restoration of communal harmony in the area. And it is the rural areas of Bhaderwah, known as the Kerala of Jammu and Kashmir with its high literacy rate, which are leading the way.
Here, members of the two communities are involved in joint campaigning for their candidates.
Abdul Aziz, a political activist in Bhallesa, says, "It is difficult to divide us as the bonds between Hindus and Muslims here go back a long way."
The ties between the two
communities are intimate; for instance at Hindu marriages, it is the Muslims
who play the flute. Politicians, sensing the mood of the people, are now
talking about development issues. There is added reason why the politicians
here have to bank upon the support of the rural population for campaigning even
in the towns. Twelve languages are spoken in Doda district and only a person
belonging to the rural belt can understand the dialects. For this reason, the
politicians require the support of the local men from rural areas to campaign for
them even in the towns.
*Carrying message of hope and
peace, Mandira Nayar, The Hindu, May 08, 2004
It was a welcome fit for `reel' heroes - a sky full of bright pink and
purple kites, orange flowers, cheering crowds and even cameras. And as these real
heroes came home after a journey for peace across the country, it was a chance
for adults to salute the idealism of the youth.
Keeping alive the faith in the spirit of secular India, 30-odd
youngsters under the banner of Youth For Peace decided to spend sleepless
nights on the road from Kashmir to Kerala, asking people to vote to defeat
fascist forces.
"We have a legacy of composite culture that the Sangh Parivar and its
political face the Bharatiya Janata Party wants us to forget. They start by
making us assert our religious identity and then by making us believe that as
Hindus our
needs are different. But they have nothing to do with religion. They want us to
forget the legacy of our composite culture and years of living together and
start believing an alternate history. We were concerned and went on this
journey to ask young people to vote to save the two fundamental principles
India is based on - secularism and democracy,'' claims Swapnil Gupta, a member
of Youth For Peace.
However, the fight to save the freedom of the country is not always easy.
Attacked by people who didn't want them to speak their mind, these young kids
have learnt the difficult lessons of politics up-close and personal.
"It is the first time that the youth have raised their voices, for even
adults are scared of talking about secularism, democracy, freedom of speech.
They have proved that this new generation will be much better than the old.
These children are real heroes. It just goes to show how intolerant we have
become, if they can attack 15-year-old children from expressing their mind,''
says Gauhar Raza.
And while some learnt that standing up for their beliefs is not easy, others
learnt that they are never too young to make a difference. "I always took
my freedom for granted. But after I met other children like me in Gujarat who
are scared of doing anything, wearing whatever they want or even speaking their
mind because goondas might come and bash them up, I realised that it could
happen here. I think it is important for us to take time and think for two
minutes about them, if not then we might end up losing ours,'' says Ajita
passionately.
Carrying messages of hope to different parts of the countries, these children
have become the first link in the chain of peace. Unwilling to bow down to
pressure, they want to be able to extend the chain even more.
AWARDS & GRANTS
*2004 Violence Prevention & Intervention Grants. American Psychological Foundation (APF) invites by August 12 proposals for grants up to $20,000 from doctoral degree psychologists who are involved with a research-based violence prevention program. Submit applications to foundation@apa.org. More info from www.apa.org/apf
*Breaking the Cycles of Hatred: Memory, Law, and Repair, Martha Minow, Princeton: Princeton University Press, (2003): For policy-makers responsible for reconstructing Iraq or seeking to follow a road map to peace in the Middle East as well as for lay people who care about international relations, this book offers needed reflection on the conditions necessary for resolution of intense and long-standing conflicts. (Via Coexistence Network www.coexistence.net).
*Escaping the Circle of Hate: The Role of Education in Building Sustainable
Peace, James Whitehead, Nottingham: Educational Heretics Press (2004): This
book considers the role of education in resolving conflict and in building
sustainable peace both before and after conflicts. The author argues long-term
peace is sustainable when communities that have experienced conflict learn to
coexist, make space for others, and move past the conflict. He argues education
will play a critical role is transforming negative constructions of identity
into positive ones. (Via Coexistence Network www.coexistence.net).
*Managing and Settling Ethnic Conflicts. (Eds) Ulrich Scheckener and
Stefan Wolff, London: C. Hurst & Co. (2004): Following a theoretical
introduction, recognized experts in ethnopolitics provide in-depth case
studies, covering each of the major approaches to conflict management in
different geographic regions. The conclusion summarizes the findings and assesses
future prospects. Thus, a comprehensive picture of the state of the field
emerges alongside an overview of current ethnic conflicts worldwide. (Via
Coexistence Network www.coexistence.net).
*Unarmed Heroes - The Courage to go Beyond Violence, Glasgow:
Clairview Books (2004): Unarmed Heroes includes the personal testimonies and
stories of sixteen individuals who decided to change their world nonviolently.
The book also includes an accessible DIY section, which shows, step-by-step,
how anyone can take constructive steps to change their own lives and learn the
skills of resolving conflict. (Via Coexistence Network www.coexistence.net).
CONFERENCES
*October 14-16, 2004, Madison, WI, USA: SECOND BIANNUAL MEETING OF THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON SOUTH ASIAN AFFAIRS (NACSAA). More info from Raju G. C. Thomas, Executive Vice Chairman, NACSAA, Tel: Tel (414) 288-6840; Fax: (414) 288-3360, Website http://wiscweb3.wisc.edu/southasiaconference/, Email gcthomas@ameritech.net, or raju.thomas@marquette.edu
A listings of Indian educational institutions offering courses in development and human rights http://www.infochangeindia.org/social_studies.jsp
*Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra, 68/1 Suryalok Colony, Rajpur Road , Dehra Dun 248 001, Uttaranchal, Tele: 91-135-2746071/2745539, Fax: 91-135-2741931, Website: www.rlek.org
Post-graduate Diploma in Human Rights course is a10-month full-time, residential post-graduate diploma course which looks at human rights in the global perspective as well as in the context of the South Asian region. The course is recognised by Visva-Bharati University , Santiniketan.
*National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Nagarbhavi, Bangalore 560 072, Tel: 91-80-3211303, Fax: 91-80-3217858, Website: www.nls.ac.in
Post-graduate Diploma in Human Rights Law is a one-year course conducted by NLSIU's distance education department's National Institute of Human Rights. The main objective of the course is to reach out to as many graduates as possible, who are interested in disseminating knowledge about human rights. A candidate for admission to the PGDHRL should have a Bachelor's degree from any recognised university or an equivalent qualification.
*Indian Law Institute, Bhagwan Das Road, New Delhi 110 001, Tel: 91-11-23387526, Fax: 91-11-23782140, E-mail: ili@ilidelhi.org, Website: www.ilidelhi.org
Diploma in Human Rights Law is a one-year course and it is sponsored by the National Human Rights Commission. Those with a graduate degree are eligible to it.
*Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Rai Bareilly Road, Lucknow 226 025, Tel: 91-522-2440826/2440827, Fax: 91-522-2440821, E-mail: info@bbauindia.org, Website: www.bbauindia.org
LLM Degree in Human Rights is a two-year offered by one of the youngest central universities in the country. It is open to those with an LLB degree. It also takes PhD students in human rights.
*Nalsar University of Law, 3-4-761, Barkatpura, Hyderabad 500 027, Tel: 91-40-7567958/7567955, Fax: 91-40-7567310, E-mail: info@nalsarpro.org, Website: www.nalsapro.org
Post-graduate Diploma in International Humanitarian Laws is a one year long and is offered by the department of proximate education of this residential university, which was established under the Andhra Pradesh Act 34 of 1998, Those with a graduate degree in any discipline and work experience of two years can apply. The course material is provided through CDs and password-based web access provided to enrolled candidates.
*Indian Institute of Human Rights, Green Gate, A 14-15-16, Paryavaran Complex, New Delhi 110, Tel : 91-11-6532850, Fax: 91-11- 6858609, E-mail: rights@bol.net.in
Post-graduate Diploma in Human Rights is a two-year correspondence course, which is reportedly recognised by about nine Indian universities to be at par with their Master's degree. According to the IIHR, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has also been signed between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the institute for the strengthening of refugee law and related subjects in the specialisation course in the second year of the two-year post-graduate programme in human rights.
*The South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre, B-6/6, Safdarjung Enclave Extension, New Delhi 110 029, Tel: 91-11-26191120/26192717/26192706, Fax: 91-11-26191120, Website: www.hrdc.net/shrdc
The Center is a New Delhi-based regional network of individuals and seeks to investigate, document and disseminate information about human rights treaties and conventions, human rights education, refugees, media freedom, prison reforms, political imprisonment, torture, summary executions, disappearances and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment. The SAHRDC enjoys special consultative status with the economic and social council of the United Nations. The Centre has been conducting a series of human rights training programmes for various agencies in the South Asian and East Asian region. These include training in ‘Introduction to the UN System: Mechanisms to Remedy Human Rights Violations', ‘National and International Human Rights Procedures Workshop', etc, among others.
*Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, Tel: 91-542-368598/307260, Website: www.bhu.ac.in
Post-graduate Degree Course in Human Rights and Duties Education is a full-time two-year post-graduate LLM degree course.
*Centre for Human Rights, University of Pondicherry, Tel: 91-413-238800, Website: www.pondiuni.org
Post-graduate Diploma in Human Rights and Duties Education is a full-time one-year evening course open to those with a Bachelor's degree in any discipline.
*June 29-July 16, 2004, Kandy, Sri Lanka: Democracy, Sustainable Development, and Violent Group Conflict, a three-credit, 600 level graduate course, in English is offered by Prof Sam Samarasinghe ssamara@tulane.edu, Course Director, in collaboration with the Payson Center for International Development and Technology Transfer of Tulane University, New Orleans. The course can also be taken for certificate. Tuition for graduate credit is US $1,800, and for the certificate $1,000. Travel and living expenses are extra and must be borne by the participant. More info from www.payson.tulane.edu/mad/study_abroad/sl2004.htm
*Blueprints for Violence
Prevention is a national violence prevention initiative in USA to identify
programs that are effective in reducing adolescent violent crime, aggression,
delinquency, and
substance abuse. More info from http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints/index.html
WEBSITES
www.asiaticsocietycal.com is the website of the 220-year-old Asiatic Society Museum in Calcutta where one can view online some of the paintings, sculpture and manuscripts and coins.