ACHA PEACE BULLETIN
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ACHAPeaceBulletin
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A publication of Association for Communal
Harmony in Asia (ACHA)
www.asiapeace.org & www.indiapakistanpeace.org
Editor:
Pritam K. Rohila,
PhD asiapeace@comcast.net
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Volume XI, No. 12,
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CONTENTS
EDITORIAL
*ACHA
Appeals for Justice in
EVENTS
*
PEACE & HARMONY EDUCATION &
TRAINING
*December 23-25, Rajsamand,
HUNGER AND POVERTY
*December 26-28, Rajsamand,
NONVIOLENCE TRAINING CAMP
PEACE & HARMONY EDUCATION RESOURCES FOR YOUTH & ADULTS
*History Shows: Winning
with Nonviolent Action, by Rachel MacNair
*Gaining
Mind of Peace: Why Violence Happens and How to Stop It, by R. MacNair
PEACE & HARMONY NEWS FROM
SRI LANKA UPDATE
*Security
Measures Alone Cannot Protect Civilians
______________________________________________________________________________
EDITORIAL
*ACHA Appeals for Justice in
1.
For three days,
following the Sabarmati Express fire on
Recent revelations by
the Tehelka investigators have clearly established
the crucial role high officials of the
We
appeal to the Government of India to immediately undertake all measures at its
command to fully and impartially investigate the matter, and punish all the
perpetrators, planners and supporters of this cruel and inhuman episode in the
state’s history. Also the Government of India must ensure appropriate
compensation to and rehabilitation of all the victims and their families and
safety and progress of all
2.
Since March
this year, the current administration of
On November 3,
the Constitution was suspended and replaced with the Provisional Constitutional
Order (PCO). Since then honorable judges who refused to take the oath under the
new dispensation were arbitrarily dismissed, denied their civil rights and
retirement benefits. They are now being evicted from their residences. Many
other “uncooperative” officials were suspended or arrested. The judges and
other officials have been replaced with government puppets. Protestors and
opponents have been arrested, baton charged, or otherwise treated cruelly. The
Election Commission has made whimsical decisions. Unprecedented curbs have been
put on the media.
These illegal
and dictatorial actions of the current regime have sabotaged the progress made
in recent years by civil society in
We, therefore,
appeal to the government to immediately restore the constitution, reinstate all
judges and the officials, remove all restrictions on the media, ensure fair and
free elections, and release from jails all those who were recently arrested for
their non-cooperation and protests.
Pritam K. Rohila, Ph. D.
For Directors and Members of
Association for
Communal Harmony in
EVENTS
*
PEACE & HARMONY EDUCATION & TRAINING
*December 23-25, Rajsamand, Rajasthan, India:
INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUES ON CHALLENGES OF VIOLENCE, HUNGER AND POVERTY: EVOLVING
SUSTAINABLE COUNTER MEASURES is being organized under the auspices of Jain Acharya Mahapragya and Yuvacharya Mahashraman, by Anuvrat Global Organization (ANUVIBHA www.anuvibha.in anuvibha@sify.com), at the Children’s Peace Palace. The program will
consist of plenary sessions and workshops. Registration fee including board an
dodging is $100. More info from V. Sarkar at vsarkar1@earthlink.net
*December 26-28, Rajsamand, Rajasthan, India:
1ST INTERNATIONAL
NONVIOLENCE TRAINING CAMP, being
organized under the auspices of Jain Acharya Mahapragya and Yuvacharya Mahashraman, by Anuvrat Global
Organization (ANUVIBHA www.anuvibha.in anuvibha@sify.com), at the Children’s Peace Palace. egistration
fee including board an dodging is $100.
More info from V. Sarkar at vsarkar1@earthlink.net
PEACE &
HARMONY EDUCATION RESOURCES FOR YOUTH & ADULTS
*History Shows: Winning with Nonviolent
Action, by Rachel MacNair, Xlibris (1-888-795-4274 ext. 276)
Did you know that large nonviolent campaigns
go back at least as far as the ancient Romans, whose workers staged a major
walk-out in 494 B. C.? Did you know that several brutal dictatorships and
entrenched empires have been toppled by nonviolent movements? Did you know this
has been going on throughout history, all over the world, by people of
different religions and backgrounds? Even governments have engaged in
nonviolence. The first organized nonviolent army was by Muslims!
This book gives short stories of some of the
major nonviolent actions that have succeeded. Each page has separate cases, so
pages can be photocopied for history or other social studies classes to enrich
understanding of different peoples and times. Color pictures are included, and
it is available in both hard cover and paperback.
Young people can learn about the part of
history that war-focused texts tend to overlook. Adults can be educated with an
overview of the broad span of how well nonviolent action has worked in the
past. Both can learn the basics of the history of nonviolent action. You can
peruse excerpts here
More information from http://www.rachelmacnair.com/youthbooks
Email questions and comments to: admin@rachelmacnair.com
*Gaining Mind of Peace: Why Violence Happens and How to Stop It, by Rachel MacNair, Xlibris (1-888-795-4274 ext. 276)
For young people puzzled by warring and
violent ways, concepts are explained in simpler language, with stories to
illustrate the points. This is a good peace education resource for both young
people and adults who would like a shorter overview. Because of its format with
each chapter starting with a story, explaining a concept, and then suggesting
action applications, it is also well suited for adult book discussion groups.
You can also peruse the content of the first chapter to help you decide if you wish to purchase the book.
More information from http://www.rachelmacnair.com/youthbooks
Email questions and comments to: admin@rachelmacnair.com
PEACE & HARMONY NEWS FROM INDIA & PAKISTAN
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndiaPakistanPeaceDay/
KASHMIR NEWS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KashmirSolutionsForum/
PAKISTAN
UPDATE
Compiled from Beena Sarwar updates and other
sources
*December 6
People's Resistance meeting to plan for a larger public protest was
held at the Karachi Press Club. All the main political parties, several smaller
ones, and other groups attended it. Brief report and photos at http://www.teeth.com.pk/blog/2007/12/06/peoples-resistance-issues-a-protest-call-for-13th-dec-in-karachi/
*December 4
Aabpara
Protest, Islamabad, was initiated by the Students Action Committee. Video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK_fV5ppxaE
*December 1
Musharraf’s ABC interview after oath; blames U.S. for turmoil. Video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4WwTYWhkNw&eurl=http://www.justicedeniedpk.com/post/2007/12/Here-we-hang-people%2c-don't-teach-us-what-you-have.aspx
*November 30
Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s Bol! Sung by Malhar in support of the current movement for the restoration
of democracy country Pakistan. Video at http://youtube.com/watch?v=5sOUpNs-m9Q
and www.malhaarrocks.com
SRI LANKA UPDATE
*Security Measures Alone
Cannot Protect Civilians, National Peace Council of Sri Lanka, 12/14 Purana Vihara Road, , Colombo 6, Tel: 2818344, 2854127,
2819064, Tel/Fax: 2819064,
E Mail: npc@sltnet.lk,
Internet: www.peace-srilanka.org
A pattern of attacks
on the civilian population appears to have taken hold with with
the latest claymore mine attack on a public bus in Kebettigollewa
in the Anuradhapura district, where a similar claymore mine attack took the
lives of more than 60 people last year in June. The National Peace Council
condemns this bomb blast suspected to be by the LTTE which took place on
December 5, killing 16 persons and wounding at least 38 others. The increased
frequency in this type of attacks by multiple parties including government
forces suggests that a new phase of the conflict has been entered, with
non-combatants being targeted in order to gain the military upper hand.
The events of the last week strongly suggest that despite the mass arrest of
Tamils, stricter controls at check-points and night visits by armed forces
personnel to Colombo households, the security situation is deteriorating rather
than improving. These measures do not appear to provide greater civilian
security and we are now seeing the tragic result of this lack of protection.
The question the government and the Sri Lankan people now need to confront is
whether these attacks on civilians will be halted by a reliance only on
increased security measures.
This point has been raised by the Supreme Court in its recent ruling against
security checkpoints that dot the city. In the course of a judgement
of a case filed for alleged arbitrary arrest and detention at a checkpoint on a
main road in Colombo, the Supreme Court pointed out that checkpoints obstruct
the free movement of Sri Lankan citizens and that checkpoint personnel harass
them as they go about their lawful business. The court also pointed out that
these checkpoints had been of limited effectiveness in preventing attacks.
We ask the government to consider whether the current security measures are
successfully combating the horrifying attacks on civilians of the type we have
seen in the recent past. NPC believes that a military approach will not end the
ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka, nor will guarantee the safety of civilians. We
take strength for our own continued activism in favour
of democratic rights from the judicial support for the fundamental rights of
Sri Lankan citizens to be treated as equals before the law and to enjoy their
full freedoms. We call for a resumption of political dialogue on a
political solution while demanding an end to attacks on civilians by all sides
and for the protection of civilians at all times.