The most sacred of our laws – the Constitution- contains a number of articles that guarantee the rights of minorities to lead a life of dignity and equality.  However, to enable us to assess the actual impact of the comprehensive legislation for an egalitarian society conceived by our founding fathers, I wish to flag certain news items that have appeared in the national press in the last two months – cases and incidents that we have read without even raising an eyebrow because they are so commonplace.

The first news item I allude to appeared in a national daily in early March.  ‘Mohammed Amir Khan, aged 32, walked out of Rohtak jail after 14 years in custody.  He was accused in 20 terror cases. Courts pronounced him ‘not guilty’ in one case after another.  But before he was released, he had lost everything.  His father died, his mother got paralyzed, acquaintances deserted them and the family was stigmatized forever.’  In this our so-called great democracy, there are hundreds of innocents like him who have been subjected to such colossal and unacceptable injustices only because of the religion they profess.  Is it any surprise then that when a bomb explodes, cold fear grips the entire Muslim community?  In this climate of injustice and oppression, is there any hope that the law-abiding Muslims will be treated fairly and decently which is all that he demands?

Another significant happening last month was covered by only one or two English national dailies, perhaps because it was such a routine affair.  I refer to two separate incidents involving plain clothes policemen, who barged into a building in Jamia Nagar in the dead of night and attempted to whisk away innocent families for questioning without any authorization.  These incidents brought to the fore the terrible discrimination the Muslim has to contend with even in the nation’s capital.  The most frightening aspect was that the perpetrators of the terrible injustice are supposed to be guardians of the law.  It would appear that the Delhi police have evolved a new concept of jurisprudence in which in normal cases a person is innocent unless there is some evidence of wrong doing, whereas for the Muslim, the principle is that he is guilty until he proves his innocence beyond doubt.  Ironically in both cases, it was the vigilantism of the neighbors that helped rescue these innocents from the police predators.

Next, I came to a news item that appeared about a month ago that in Bhavnagar, a doctor belonging to the majority community finalized a proposal to sell his house to a Muslim. However, the sale was not permitted by the neighbors who sat on dharna outside the doctor’s home until he jettisoned his plan to sell.  In another recent case in Ahmedabad the appointment of a Muslim professor to an institution, had to be cancelled because t0101010101010101he institute was unable to persuade anybody in the vicinity to rent out a flat to him.  In point of fact, the Gujarat State Government has enacted a law preventing distress sale in areas dominated by another community, clearly with the intention of isolating and segregating Muslims in ghettos.  We should not be surprised at what is happening in Gujarat, because right under our noses in the national Capital, Muslims of all classes are essentially corralled in ghettos in Jama Masjid area, Jamia Nagar, Hauz Khas, Seelampur and a few other areas with dismal civic amenities, due to the fact that they are refused rented accommodation elsewhere.  The social exclusion of Muslims in many areas makes a mockery of article 38 which enjoins upon the State to secure a “social order in which justice, social economic and political shall inform all the institutions of the national life”.

As the home to the world’s great religions, we in this country have always prided ourselves on our tolerance and respect for every religion.  And yet, we have all read the recent media reports that 10 years after the horrible Gujarat massacre when more than 400 masjids and dargahs were destroyed, most of the structures remain broken, vandalized and defiled.  It is reported that one of the pre-conditions set by the villagers in many villages for the safe return of the victims from the relief camps was that their places of worships would not be repaired or constructed again.  Despite the strong recommendation of the NHRC, the State has flatly refused to rebuild the dargahs and mosques destroyed in 2002.  This has further heightened the feelings of social deprivation among the Muslims.

Even children have not been spared from this all-encompassing trap of marginalization and exclusion.  I would like to draw your attention to the news report in the Hindu about two weeks ago about the discrimination against Muslim children in nursery admissions in private schools of Delhi. The educational backwardness of Muslims is seen by social scientists as one of the prime reasons for their alienation and poverty, for which the panacea is inclusive education.  But paradoxically, because of communalization of the public space, Muslims are unable to access the opportunities available, leading to their continuing isolation and ghettoisation.  The issue came up  in Parliament, and the discussions there touched a raw nerve.  The MPs of the BJP responded to this expose by stating that Muslims should first close down their madrasas  if they wished to get into the educational mainstream. Little do these insensitive and hard-hearted men realize that Muslim parents desperately seek an inclusive, secular education for their children and the madrasas are actually the last resort.  The tragedy for the Muslims today is that the public discourse, even in Parliament is imbued with distrust and hate.

I can go on and on about basic human rights, forget minority rights being flouted in almost every sphere – be it employment opportunities or neglect of Urdu although it represents the very best of our composite culture.  However, I wish to mention only one more issue where the high principle enunciated in Article 15 of the Constitution prohibiting any discrimination on grounds of religion has been blatantly abused by the lawmakers themselves.  For decades now, there has been a demand for granting S.C. status to S.C. Muslims and Christians on par with the Buddhists and Sikhs of S.C. origin but this issue remains unresolved.  This denial constitutes the very worst form of State sponsored discrimination against Muslims and Christians.  The Constitutional provisions and amendments, as interpreted by our lawmakers, seem to bear an uncanny resemblance to the philosophy of our home grown, right-wing fundamentalists.  The key concept propagated by the leading ideologue of the fundamentalists explicitly distinguishes between followers of indigenous religions from those religions that originated elsewhere.  Just a month ago, that inveterate hate-monger, Pravin Togadia made an impassioned plea for a new Indian Constitution that allows for anyone who converts Hindus to be beheaded.  He went on to assert that “we Hindus should include Budhists, Sikhs and Jains because their line of thinking is no different from Hindus.”  According to the fundamentalist ideology, Muslims and Christians are foreigners in India which rightly belongs to the religions born here.  Tragically, a similar mindset is evident in the denial of SC status to Muslims and Christians while granting this concession to Budhists and Sikhs.  The main argument against giving SC status to Muslims and Christians is that SCs who convert to these religions no longer face any social stigma.  Nothing can be more untrue.  The great Mahatma, who knew this country and its people better than anyone else had this to say on the subject and I quote “whether the harijan is nominally a Christian, Muslim, Hindu or Sikh, he is still a harijan.  He can’t change his spots from Hinduism so-called.  He may change his garb and call himself a Catholic-harijan or a Muslim-harijan or a neo-Sikh, his untouchability will haunt him during his life-time.”  Can the Constitution of this great land be “tainted” by endorsing this totally unacceptable discrimination against these minority groups?  Let me remind my audience that Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution sanctify equality on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.  Despite the noble intentions of our founding fathers, the lawmakers continue to endorse Pravin Togadia’s thesis of distinguishing between religions born in India from those that originated elsewhere.

The future is frightening, to say the least.  The most deviant, anti-minority, right-wing ideas designed to promote bigotry and religious fanaticism are being freely aired in the public space. However, the scariest of all is the indoctrination of the young in the gospel of hate.  Apart from the scores of shishu mandirs, we have nearly 30,000 Vidya Bharati schools whose declared objective is, and I quote, “to develop a national system of education which would help to build a generation of young men and women that is committed to Hindutva and infused with patriotic fervour”.  It is well known that votaries of ‘Hindutva’ have infiltrated the different institutions of governance, even the army.  It may be recalled that the key conspirator in the Malegaon blasts was a serving army man, Lt. Col. Purohit.  The Bhonsle Military School in Nasik which was used as a training ground by the Malegaon conspirators continues to flourish, and there are plans to open similar schools in all BJP ruled States.  There are more than 40,000 shakhas across the length and breadth of the country. When one considers that one of the primary missions of all these institutions is to create and breed distrust and hatred of particular minority groups, it is clear that our founding fathers’ cherished dream of universal brotherhood and a secular, egalitarian polity is under grave threat.  In fact, a few days ago, at his book launch, Shri Harsh Mander, the well known social activist and intellectual, lamented the fact that hatred and distrust of Muslims are freely aired in drawing rooms and offices, so effective and toxic has been the anti-minority propaganda.

In conclusion, I wish to state that this country, by and large, has enacted laws that guarantee the rights of minorities.  But as Clarence Darrow, the humanist who fought relentlessly for the rights of blacks in America, famously observed, no matter what laws we pass, unless people are kind and decent and human to one another, there can be no justice or peaceful existence, for in the ultimate analysis, peace and freedom come from human beings rather than laws and institutions.  Sadly today, the country has little of brotherhood or “the Indian spirit”.

Only a strong political will can counter the insidious, toxic fumes of discrimination, hatred and unequal treatment faced by Muslims in almost every walk of life. Unfortunately, the so-called secular formation in power seems to think that by granting reservation quotas which will provide jobs for a handful of Muslims, they will have rendered justice to the community. What this country badly needs are political leaders like Jawahar Lal Nehru who famously said ;”If any man raises his hand against another in the name of religion, I shall fight him till the last breath of my life, whether I am in government or outside.” Till we get such enlightened leaders, the victims will have to depend on intrepid, well meaning people like you to carry on the fight for a truly egalitarian society.

(The author, a former civil servant, is Secretary General of Lok Janshakti Party and can be contacted on  akhaliq2007@gmail.com)

Musab Iqbal, Editor, Newzfirst.com, in Bangalore spoke to Zulfiqar Gondal over the phone on Bhagat Singh. Excerpts:

What is this resolution about?

I have presented the resolution on behalf of the people of Punjab asking that the name of Lahore’s Shadman Chowk be changed to Bhagat Singh Chowk, because that is the place where he was hanged to death in 1931. We will build a monument in the memory of Bhagat Singh. The resolution has just been presented and we will discuss this at length in the Punjab Assembly.

What prompted you to present this resolution?

I have hosted Bhagat Singh’s family. I have read Bhagat Singh’s work. He is my Punjabi brother who inspired me. A young man who challenged the establishment at such a young age – his courage, his passion for independence struggle is worth admiring. He was not only fighting against the ‘gore angrez’ [white English] but was against ‘kaale angrez’ [brown English] as well.

What is the relevance of Bhagat Singh in present Pakistan?

Capitalism has not solved human problems. Rather it has added to the misery. The poor have become poorer with time. The relevance of Bhagat Singh and his revolutionary ideas are very relevant for our society to fight against injustice and exploitation.

In India Bhagat Singh is hardly invoked. Recently, some people have even been arrested for being anti-national because they possessed his literature. How would you react?

Revolutionary forces are always targeted and they always have to struggle. One who is fighting for the have-nots always has to face the challenge. The ruling classes always dislike such struggle and such thought, so how can they propagate it? In both the countries the ruling classes just wants to maintain the status quo.

What will happen to this resolution in Punjab Assembly?

Certain forces are opposing it but this is not about pass and fail. Rather, it will help in educating the people about such a legend. After [the 1980s rule of former Pakistan dictator] Zia-ul-Haq, the situation has changed so much and religious thoughts dictate in such a manner that our new generation hardly knows about such personalities. Through this resolution we will communicate to the new generation about the revolutionaries and revolutionary ideas. It will create a debate in Punjab and in Pakistan.

How does a Pakistan possessing Islamic ideology see an extreme leftist revolutionary Bhagat Singh?

Around 1967-68 we saw revolutionary movements in Pakistan which were not present in India. We in Pakistan never voted for the mullahs. It is the news media that shows that the mullahs have hijacked Pakistan. That is not a true representation of our society. Our Punjab is very secular and liberal, and so is our country. We use the services of the mullahs for nikaah [weddings] and burials but we don’t give them the charge to run our country.

Is Bhagat Singh significant for the present social movements in Pakistan?

The middle class has vanished from this country. The number of people living below the poverty line has increased tremendously. Goodness is not getting distributed. Rather, greater poverty is getting distributed among the poorest. This situation is providing a momentum to the Left and revolutionary thoughts and movements, and the impact is getting visible.  The have-nots are gathering, and at this very moment, the ideas of Bhagat Singh are very relevant and symbolic. The Left movement here in Pakistan is known through Lenin, Trotsky and Marx. But I want people to know that from this soil of Punjab, a genius was born who stood against the establishment. People here should know the Left movement through Bhagat Singh. (Courtesy: Newzfirst.com)

“We, the willing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing.”

This quotation was written diagonally on the first page of his diary as he showed me his poems. My host is a young man, whose spirits are still volatile despite the sub-zero temperature of this place. It is our first meeting. He does not know that the quotation is by mother Teresa, he does not know mother Teresa at all. He thinks it was said for him, dismissing any reason for researching its origins. The young man got engaged recently, the reason for an occasional blush whenever the subject of his future comes up. I only reached here the night before, but we are close friends now. There is something in the wind, with flakes, that urge people to speak in never-ending monologues. Discuss emotions, exchange secrets, talk about themselves – things they do not talk about ‘normally,’ not the least when they are engrossed in the workings of the ‘civilised world.’ I asked him about the quotation on the wall and he said let’s call it a day.

My room, call it my studio apartment, is a typical bunker, built on self-help basis, thanks to our meagre resources. Carved out from a hillock, it is a classical one-window room of 14×10 feet. The 10-foot high ceiling had 70 girders. Trivial information, you say? I count them every night before I can sleep. No, I have not grown insomniac, but I dare not venture out to count stars in this part of the world.

On one side, the empty cartons have been arranged, covered by gunny bags, only to be topped by the prayer mat. I have a lot of time to pray and reflect, probably since I am the closest I could get to Him. The other wall supports the bed (an arrangement of empty cartons) upon which lies an air mattress, along with our sleeping bags. Tastefully, the big-flower-print bed sheet does not permit the attention to drift to the poor structure of the bed. The dark toilet is an extension of the same room. An old cough syrup bottle has been modified with kerosene oil to serve the purpose of the lamp which practically lights up nothing.

The empty ghee cans are our makeshift geysers. Basic instinct is the best aide when it comes to anatomy in the dark bathroom. The room décor is an artistic arrangement of the empty containers of food, fuel and fire. Food cartons serve as tables, fuel cans as stools and empty (fired) cartridges as bedside teapoy items. The most decorated table has boxes of chicken cubes, noodles, egg biscuits, brick-game and yes, our window to the world, the radio. Other inhabitants include a Fujika (a kerosene-lit heater), petromax, the books that you have sent and the military phone – this masterpiece of technology which connects me to you, remains silent. The weather, the snow, the wind, the electric power everything conspires against our probable communication. Reminds me how Shah Latif narrates the plight of Sassi after she had been robbed of Pannu:

Our high point of the day arrives when we sit down for dinner. Fresh vegetables are a luxury. We have to live on roasted onions and tomato puree, which is canned. The weather denies us the luxury of fresh vegetables, and much more. After getting over with dinner, we gather around the radio and switch it on. This really is the world on our finger tips. There is no FM here, only the BBC and loads of incomprehensible regional channels. The alternative to BBC is Radio Pakistan, which runs the night-time transmission. About the night-time transmission, it is the radio’s revenge from the television for morning shows.

Another day has gone. The vigilant sentries change over their duties. Far from home, away from gatherings, phone calls, SMS-es, these men, I think, are doing something which can never be monetised. Purposelessly, looking against the ravishing snowstorms, their biggest foe is the weather. You can never predict its move. It sulks within and you only realise how loosely you hang between a life and death when it hits you. A minor headache turns into cerebral edema and a man full of stories, intentions, commitments and emotions becomes, what they call, a ‘causality.’

The radio is tuned up and we start receiving our dose of military bashing. A whole lot of qualified individuals start describing us as a merry-making mob, with no clue about how one can party at 20,000 ft above the mean sea level. My mind races. Huge chunks of budget for tomato puree and canned vegetables. Power hungry for morally supporting everyone that we have, people who love us and people who are the reason we live to guard this piece of land. Luxurious lives in a make-shift room with empty cartons. I think the quotation on the wall is not so over-rated.

Hope to hear from you soon…

Yours faithfully,

H

(The author, who wishes to remain anonymous, served his tenure at Siachen with the men who were trapped under an avalanche on Saturday.)

The letter was first published on Dawn.com

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to India has produced predictable results.

It was a private visit, but it was unavoidably given an official colour as the Indian prime minister could not have ignored the Pakistani president’s presence on Indian soil without creating a misunderstanding.

Observers would have conjectured that India considered the embattled Mr Zardari a spent force incapable of delivering on vital issues whatever his desire for improved relations with India.

The government would have been criticised for missing the opportunity to show India’s backing for an elected civilian president at odds with the armed forces who, combined with the judiciary, wanted his ouster.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is, in any case, very keen to make a breakthrough with Pakistan and would have sought this unexpected opportunity to engage with Mr Zardari who was, therefore, invited to Delhi en route to Ajmer for a lunch and a private conversation.

Nothing much was expected from this meeting except a review of various issues and a general exchange of views on further steps needed to make progress.

This is so because India and Pakistan are already engaged in a structured bilateral dialogue covering the whole gamut of bilateral issues whose format and the agenda were agreed after tough negotiations.

One round of this dialogue has already been completed and the second has begun. During this period, the Indian prime minister has met Pakistan’s leaders in India and in foreign capitals.

Unhappy history

What India expects from Pakistan is known to the latter; the answers Pakistan gives to India’s demands are also known.

If progress in resolving outstanding issues is slow, it is because the issues are overlaid by unhappy history and deep mistrust.

Translating general expressions of friendship and goodwill into practical decisions is very difficult.

India wants satisfaction on the terrorism issue; Pakistan wants “justice” on the Kashmir issue and sees terrorism as a way to force India to yield ground.

This thinking has not been totally discarded even though Pakistan itself has become a prey to the very monster of terrorism it created.

The increasing radicalisation of Pakistan and the impunity with which Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, operates accounts for this.

Now Pakistan has raised the water issue in highly charged terms even though the only agreement that has worked between India and Pakistan is the Indus Waters Treaty.

In these circumstances, to have expected President Zardari’s visit to have provided a breakthrough would have been unrealistic.

At about 40 minutes, the one-on-one meeting of the leaders was shorter than expected.

In this amount of time all outstanding bilateral as well as regional issues could not have been discussed in any detail.

Prime Minister Singh appears to have spoken, not for the first time to his Pakistani interlocutors, about the need to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice, prevent terror attacks against India from Pakistani soil and curb the activities of Hafiz Saeed.

Mr Zardari seems to have given a non-committal response.

Predictably, the president spoke of Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek – three areas where the two countries dispute control.

It was important for both leaders to assure their publics that “core” issues had been flagged. That both agreed to a step-by-step approach to resolve them only indicates the limited potential of this high-level conversation in Delhi to break new ground.

This step-by-step resolution of issues has lasted a few decades already and could well last a long time more now that there are question marks about Pakistan’s future stability, the growing Islamisation of sections of its society and the uncertain consequences for itself and the region of its expected over-reach in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal.

Mr Singh expressed his appreciation of the steps taken by Pakistan on the trade front.

More could have been said about this positive development in bilateral ties in the statements by the two leaders and the later briefing on their talks by the Indian side.

Subdued terms

Why this was not done is not clear. Perhaps Mr Zardari was reluctant because he does not want to be personally associated too much with this initiative which he undoubtedly favours, leaving its positive profiling to his government.

Somewhat surprisingly, the two leaders spoke after their meeting to the press in uncharacteristically subdued terms, with the Indian prime minister speaking laconically of finding practical and pragmatic solutions to the outstanding issues and the Pakistani president being even more bland.

Much has been made in the Indian media about the invitation to Mr Singh to visit Pakistan.

Pakistan is pressing for his visit as that would imply that it has delivered on the terror issue, including the trial of those responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attack, and that relations between the two countries have been effectively normalised.

Mr Singh wants to go but he wants concrete results that would vindicate his policy of engaging Pakistan despite its recalcitrance on the issue of terrorism, an approach that has many critics in the country.

A premature visit by the prime minister could be highly counter-productive for him personally and for the country. Hence his caution.

In response to Mr Zardari’s reiteration of an invitation to visit Pakistan “soon”, Mr Singh has indicated his readiness to go on a “mutually convenient date”, nuanced to an “appropriate time” in the briefing later by the Indian ministry of external affairs with the added caveat of “mutually acceptable dates” and “substantive preparations” beforehand.

All in all, the visit did not live up to the media hype, but it served its purpose of maintaining high-level engagement with Pakistan in the hope that incremental progress could be made in resolving the difficult issues that bedevil the bilateral relationship.

(Kanwal Sibal is a former Indian foreign secretary and This article was first published in BBC)

A decade after the month-long outbreak of violence that resulted in the killing of at least 2,000 women, men and children, mostly Muslims, and the rape of significant numbers of women and girls, in the western Indian state of Gujarat, India’s authorities are yet to bring justice to the majority of victims, Amnesty International said today.

The violence by extremist Hindu mobs commenced after 59 Hindu pilgrims, returning from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, were killed in a fire on the Sabarmati Express train set by a Muslim mob at Godhra on 27 February 2002.

The majority of the perpetrators of theGujaratviolence walk free, assuming that they will not be punished by the state institutions which have simply failed to ensure justice for the victims, Amnesty International said.

The fact that more than 2,000 people can be murdered and the lives of thousands of others shattered inGujaratwith only a small number of the perpetrators brought to justice is offensive to any notion of justice, Amnesty International said.

In fact, investigation and trial processes have made headway only in a handful of cases, including the six major cases of mass killings which are being investigated by a special team under the direction of India’s Supreme Court ensuring protection for the witnesses, Amnesty International pointed out, adding that the Supreme Court should continue to monitor these cases and ensure justice for the victims.

The special team, which was the only one to have probed allegations that Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party played a key role in facilitating the riots, referred to his speeches as “sweeping and offensive”, but cited lack of evidence to proceed against him.

Immediately after the riots, theGujaratauthorities cited lack of evidence to close 2,107 cases without giving the victims an opportunity to depose as per the law. Following this, a Supreme Court-appointed enquiry, in February 2006, directed the state authorities to reopen 1,594 of the cases; the victims lodged 13 fresh complaints and successive probes found that 41 police officials were involved in the riots, naming more than 600 persons as accused in various cases. However, the state authorities appointed members and supporters of extremist Hindu organizations as public prosecutors in an overwhelming number of cases, many of which did not lead to convictions given the communal bias of public prosecutors and members of the lower judiciary inGujarat.

Rape and sexual violence was perpetrated against large numbers of women and girls:  accurate figures on the extent of gender-based violence including rape and sexual assault do not exist because many cases were not reported to the authorities. Teesta Setalvad of the Centre for Justice and Peace (CJP), who has been fighting several cases on behalf of the victims, informed Amnesty International that many of those victims who did report gender-related violence were yet to receive justice or compensation. A survey conducted by her organization also found that more than 19,000 persons whose houses were either burnt down or demolished during the riots were yet to receive compensation.

Moreover, at least 21,000 persons are still in 19 transit relief camps awaiting relocation, but the state authorities were now claiming that the land on which the camps were set up belonged to the government and that they would have to vacate the camps, putting them under risk of forced evictions, she informed Amnesty International.

For the relatives of the victims and survivors, this has been an excruciating process of being promised justice and watchingIndia’s institutions break their promises again and again, Amnesty International said, adding that all those responsible for the killings and gender-based violence including rape must be brought to justice – whether they are political leaders, police or government officials. Amnesty International calls on the authorities to improve their response to victims of gender based violence, including witness protection. The authorities should challenge the stigma and stereotyping affecting women and girl survivors of rape. These women and girls, and the family members of those killed, should be provided with full reparation: rehabilitation, restitution, compensation, satisfaction, and guarantees of non-repetition.

Amnesty International urges the authorities inIndiato ensure the provision of adequate compensation to all those who lost their houses during the riots and not to go ahead with any planned forced evictions of riot victims who are in transit camps.

Background

A 2005 report released by Amnesty International describes in detail the failures of the state ofGujaratto exercise due diligence to protect members of the minority community.  During the attacks, police stood by or joined in the violence. Later, police failed to systematically record and investigate survivors’ complaints. Deficiencies in the law relating to rape and the absence of a witness protection program further contribute to justice being denied to survivors. Relief, rehabilitation and compensation remained inadequate, adding to the survivors’ sense of being second class citizens in the state.

The report, India: Justice, the victim – Gujaratstate fails to protect women from violence, AI Index: ASA 20/001/2005 can be found on Amnesty International’s website at http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200012005?open&of=ENG-IND

Also, India: Five years on – the bitter and uphill struggle for justice in Gujarat, AI Index: ASA 20/007/2007, 8 March 2007,  http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA20/007/2007/en

Akash Bisht (Journalist, Delhi)

While Indian intelligence agencies are struggling to unearth all significant leads about the perpetrators of the bomb blast targeting Israeli diplomats in Delhi, sections of the Indian media has as usual gone overboard. Blatantly laying the blame on Iran and Shiite militant group Hezbollah (based in Lebanon), without an iota of evidence or investigation detail, some in the media conjured up fantastic theories, including that the Indian intelligence were aware that ‘Iran was planning an attack’. Pray, so why didn’t they stop this murderous attack? Political observers detect the marked presence of a strong Israeli lobby manipulating news, currently pitching it against Iran in a renewed and high powered propaganda and psychological war.

Needless to say, India shares “civilisational links” and friendly relations with Iran and has not joined the sanctions lobby against the country, or the shrill war cry by Israel and hardliners in the US. It has simultaneously insisted that Iran should follow the nuclear protocol as per international rules. (This too is ironical, post Pokhran II and Pakistan’s Chagai nuclear blasts! What is the measure of responsibility and self control when it comes to being a nuclear power?) There has been of late immense pressure on India to stop all ties with Iran, including a strong letter by the powerful Jewish-American lobby to the Indian ambassador in the US.

Expectedly, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, within hours of the Delhi bombing, accused Iran of masterminding the attack and referred to the Islamic nation as “the largest exporter of terror in the world”. This is part of a pattern. Rightwing forces in Israel and the US, and the hardline regime in Tel Aviv, has been consistently preaching in recent times to go for direct action against Iran, including pushing the tacit proposal to militarily destroy Iran’s potential nuclear installations. Disturbingly, the media chose to un-objectively follow the Israeli version and ignored the harsh realities of the historic conflict between the Zionist regime and the Islamic nation, literally, on the verge of a war. The occupation of Palestine by Israeli with the help of western forces, and the ritualistic sacrifices, atrocities and tragedies in Palestine, at the hands of the Israeli armed forces, has not helped matters, even while the epicentre of conflict in the Middle-East continues to simmer without a tangible, just and humane solution.

Five nuclear scientists in Iran have been attacked by similar magnetic bombs, only one survived. Ironically, sections of the same Indian media chose to remain indifferent to these killings

The events that unfolded after yesterday’s bomb blasts in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, were uncannily similar to those in India. The news that started to trickle in after the blasts in Thailand was in many ways similar in tone and tenor to what followed the Delhi blast. Once again, the media, without any circumstantial evidence, pinned the blame on Iran and mentioned it as a part of the so-called “Iranian global terror drive”. Israel, predictably, jumped to this conclusion, even while the sequence of events in the Bangkok blasts remains clouded.

The Indian government on Wednesday has categorically stated that there is no evidence of involvement of any individual entity, organisation and country in the attack.

Interestingly, Israeli newspaper Debkafile, that had initially termed the Delhi bomb blast as a ‘Hezbollah attack’, later reported that there was ‘no connection’ between the Thai blasts and instances in New Delhi and the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. “At first, Israeli terrorist investigators assumed Hezbollah carried out the bomb attacks on diplomats in Georgia and India to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of the Lebanese Shiite group’s commander-in-chief Imad Moughniyeh. They shifted ground when it was discovered that a motorcyclist had attached a magnetic bomb to Talya Koren’s car not far from the Israeli embassy, and noted that the attack mirrored the method used in the assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists in Tehran,” reads a report in Debkafile.

‘Netanyahu apparently feels, however, that he can manipulate Rightwing Israeli influence on American politics to make it impossible for Obama to stay out of an Israeli war on Iran’

Five nuclear scientists in Iran have been attacked by similar magnetic bombs, only one survived. Ironically, sections of the same Indian media chose to remain indifferent to these killings.

Several Iranian scientists have mysteriously died and disappeared in the past and the two countries, US and Israel, obsessed with Iran’s nuclear programme, have been blamed for these covert murders. In January 2010, a remote-controlled bomb attached to a motorcycle killed a neutron physicist Masoud Ali Mohammadi. In November 2010, two separate bombs killed nuclear scientists Majid Shahriar and Fereidoun Abbasi. In July 2011, Darioush Rezaei, a neutron transport expert and member of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran was shot dead by unknown assailants. “According to Iranian media, a 32-year-old university professor, Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, died when an assailant riding on a motorcycle attached a magnetic bomb to his car, which then detonated and killed him,” reports Salon.  

“There are cursory references to the four Iranian nuclear scientists who were killed in the last two years. Instead, the bomb blast is being touted as revenge for the death of Hezbollah’s military chief Imad Mughniyeh in a car explosion. What is so important about the fourth death anniversary? Do also note that he was killed in Syria, so Israel has a virtual buffet meal at its disposal to point fingers at,” writes Farzana Versey in Counterpunch.

Drop drop drop

The uncanny similarity of the attacks on Iranian scientists and the Israeli diplomat in Delhi has certainly changed diplomatic equations and raised uncanny questions on the entire bombing episode. Is it linked to the high pitched propaganda against Iran? It is widely perceived that Israel is looking for instant reasons to attack Iran and for that it needs legitimacy and support of other countries especially after the Barack Obama administration thwarted hardliner Netanyahu’s reported plans of precision strikes. The relationship between the US president and Netanyahu has not been exactly warm in the recent past. The peace talks have also been lost somewhere in the crossroads, and a rigid Netanyahu has a lot to do with it.

Shiite Iran has had no strategic relations with Al Qaeda or Taliban. These jehadi forces have been nurtured by Wahabi Islamic fundamentalists, based prominently in Saudi Arabia, an ally of the US

“Netanyahu apparently feels, however, that he can manipulate Rightwing Israeli influence on American politics to make it impossible for Obama to stay out of an Israeli war on Iran. He has defied the Obama administration by refusing to assure Washington that he would consult them before making any decision on war with Iran,” reports Al Jazeera.

Earlier this month, Israel’s Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, in an annual Herzliya security conference in Israel, said that the window for an effective strike against Iran was shutting rapidly as the Islamic nation is moving uranium-enriching centrifuges to an underground facility near the holy city of Qom. This, he believed, would give Iran a “zone of immunity” wherein they would manufacture nuclear weapons without any disturbance.

Amidst all this, it is indeed too premature on the part of sections of the Indian and western media to squarely put the blame on Iran and Hezbollah and ignore the bloody historic realities of the strained relations between the two countries. How can they ignore the injustices suffered by the Palestinian people for so many years? Hezbollah has always been defined as a resistance group fighting for the liberation of Palestine and backed by Iran. It is also a fact that despite Israel’s superior military power, it got a kind of drubbing at the hands of Hezbollah during the last military conflict in 2006.

Similarly, Shiite Iran has had no strategic relations with either the Al Qaeda or the Taliban in the Af-Pak region. The truth is these jehadi forces have been nurtured and backed by powerful and prosperous Wahabi Islamic fundamentalists, based prominently in Saudi Arabia, which is an ally of the US. Not surprisingly, Saudi Arabia and other extremist Sunni lobbies are tacitly and overtly backing Israel and the US against Iran, including reportedly pleading for a military strike.

The use of magnet bombs, widely believed to be organised by Israel’s notorious secret service, Mossad, in its covert assassinations, is yet another aspect that sections of the Indian media failed to acknowledge. Clearly, they should have dug deeper, waited for investigation details and chosen to be more discreet and circumspect, before squarely blaming Iran and Hezbollah for the attacks. This is precisely because no evidence has yet appeared implicating Iran or Hezbollah in the Delhi attack on an Israeli diplomat.

“Blindly accepting the Israeli version of domestic links with groups will obviously lead to the blanket indictment of jehadi organisations, many of them imagined entities of the Rightwing parties. Is it not possible that some Hindutva terror groups now openly asserting themselves and held culpable for such activities could be used for Israel’s covert operations? Israel does not have suicide missions, but it understands the masochism paradigm only too well,” writes Versey.

(This article was first published in Hardnews)

New Delhi. A ten year Old Delhi boy suffering from severe Aplastic Anemia has made a desperate appeal to Netizens to save his life.

Abdul Hafeez, a resident of Batla House in New Delhi, is a 7^th class student in Govt. Boys senior Secondary School, Jogabai, Batla House. Like any other student, he was going to school regularly till January 15.

Although He was ill for around six months but seriousness of his illness shocked his family members only on 25^th January when doctors of All India Institute of Medical Sciences told that he is suffering from Apalstic Anemia and an operation is required urgently to save his life.

Doctors have given his family time till 10 Feb for operation. The very expensive operation, at this premiere government institution will cost around 3 lakh rupees, which may also exceed.

Hafeez lives in a single room house with his family in Batla house area of New Delhi. He has one sister who studies in class 9. Two of his siblings have already died from illness. The family cannot afford his treatment.

Students of Jamia Senior Secondary School are collecting funds for his operation. A student Huzaifa Islam along with his friends Farhan Danish, Shahrukh Khan, Adnan Rahish and others are collecting funds for him. So far only 25 thousand rupees have been collected.

Now, Students have made a desperate plea on Facebook to save Hafeez. The students believe that right hearted people will come forward to save life of this little boy. BeyondHeadlines has also decided to donate all funds received from Google advertisements to the treatment of the boy. A Video is also posted on YouTube with Hafeez asking for public help to reach out to maximum people.

Speaking about the online campaign to save Hafeez, Huzaifa, a JMI student says, the social media is  very good platform to share thoughts and information, people also entertain themselves there. We think that if social media can be a tool of information sharing and entertainment then it can also be used to save lives. There are good people on this earth; we just need to reach out to them. And we strongly believe that good souls will come forward to help this little boy. We have very little time so we are using all available means to save his life.

Here is the message written on facebook with picture of Hafeez.

Hello World, My Name is Abdul Hafeez, I am 10 Years Old and study in 7th class in Govt. Boys Senior Secondary School Jogabai, Batla House, New Delhi (India).

I was going to school till January 15. Like any other Kid of my age, I was smiling, playing, cycling in my streets and was living very Happily.

Although, I was ill for months but that never bothered me. On January 25, 2012 The AIIMS Doctors told us that I suffer from Severe Aplastic Anemia, I do not know much about this disease, but the doctors say that I may not Live if I am not operated before 10^th February.

It is a costly treatment (the rough estimate is around 2.9 lakh rupees and it may exceed further). My parents can’t afford this treatment. Jamia School Students are collected funds for me (Around 25 thousand rupees already collected). Now Your Help is only hope for me. You can save my life.

You can donate to me by writing cheque in favor of DIRECTOR AIIMS, New Delhi or Depositing in my (Abdul Hafeez) State Bank Of India Account, A/C No. 32075515358, Branch Code- 8079.

You can also help me by clicking on this link. This website will donate all its earnings from Google Advertisements to my treatment. Your Click on Advertisement may Add few Rupees to the sum.

Also, you can share this post on your facebook or twitter so as it can reach someone who can help me. Only You can save my life. My smile will always be obliged to you. Please pray for me…….I need you…I do not want to die Just because I am born poor.

मेरा नाम अब्दुल हफीज है, मैं दस साल का हूं और गवर्नमेंट ब्यॉज सीनियर सेकेंड्री स्कूल जोगाबाई, बटला हाउस, नई दिल्ली में सातवीं कक्षा में पढ़ता हूं। 15 जनवरी तक मैं भी लगातार स्कूल जा रहा था। अपनी उम्र के बच्चों की तरह मैं भी हंसता था, खेलता था, अपने मुहल्ले की गलियों में साइकिल चलाता था।

मैं पिछले 6 महीने से बीमार था लेकिन मुझे कभी टेंशन नहीं हुई। मगर 25 जनवरी को एम्स के डॉक्टरों ने हमें बताया कि मुझे गंभीर एप्लास्टिक एनेमिया है। मैं इस बीमारी के बारे में ज्यादा नहीं जानता लेकिन डॉक्टर कहते हैं कि यदि मेरा 10 फरवरी से पहले ऑपरेशन नहीं हुआ तो मैं नहीं बचूंगा।

ऑपरेशन बहुत महंगा है (डॉक्टरों के मुताबिक इसमें कम से कम 2 लाख 90 हजार रुपए का खर्चा आएगा, जो बढ़ भी सकता है), मेरे मां-बाप के पास इतना पैसा नहीं है कि मेरा ऑपरेशन करा सकें। जामिया स्कूल के बच्चे मेरी मदद कर रहे हैं (उन्होंने अब तक लगभग 25 हजार रूपए मेरे ऑपरेशन के लिए जमा कर लिए हैं)। अब आप ही मेरी उम्मीद है। आप मेरा जीवन बचा सकते हैं

मेरी मदद करने के लिए आप एम्स के निदेश के नाम चैक दे सकते हैं। चैक Director AIMS, New Delhi के नाम लिखे। आप सीधे मेरे स्टेट बैंक के खाते में भी पैसे जमा कर सकते हैं। मेरे (अब्दुल हफीज) खाते का नंबर है- 32075515358, ब्रांच कोड-8079

आप इस लिंक पर क्लिक करके भी मेरी मदद कर सकते हैं। ये वेबसाइट गूगल विज्ञापन के जरिए होने वाले सभी कमाई मेरे इलाज में दान करेगी। आपके विज्ञापन पर क्लिक करने से मुझे चंद रूपए मिल सकते हैं।

आप इस पोस्ट को अपने फेसबुक या ट्विटर पर शैयर करके मेरी अपील को किसी ऐसे इंसान तक पहुंचाने में भी मदद कर सकते हैं जो मेरी मदद कर सके। मेरा जीवन आप ही बचा सकते हैं। मेरी मुस्कान इसके लिए सदा आपकी आभारी रहेगी।

Note: If you click on advertisements with this article, the payments from google will go to treatment of the child. You can also share this article on facebook to help save life of this little boy.

OmairAnas for BeyondHeadlines

Bloodshed has not receded even after Arab League delegation has arrived in Syria last week. Countries of the BRICS (Brazil, India, China and South Africa) as well as Russia have preferred opposing or abstaining from all important voting in the United Security Council against Libya and Syria. China and Russia have vetoed UNSC resolution which ‘would have warned of options for action to be considered against the Government of President Bashar al-Assad if the unfolding situation warranted, including measures under the section of the United Nations Charter that allowed sanctions’.[1] Veto and abstaininghave different sets of motives and interests and reservations on Western plans. Perhaps veto power nations China and Russia are clearer in their interests than India and Brazil.

It can’t be said that India is following a principle line of non-intervention in a foreign country. Tunisia and Egypt didn’t pose much challenge as the revolution took very brief way to settle down. But international intervention in Libya and call for similar adventures in Syria has divided the world.Even NATO member Turkey itself joined the chorus of military intervention in Libya very lately. India’s position at best can be described as ‘wait and watch’. Both India and Brazil and South Africa have little to do anything on ground. India’s mainproblem of foreign policy is its historical baggage of non-Alignment and its ambition to become strategic partner of Israel and the United States. China and Russian federations are also aware of rapidly changing public opinions and have tried to position themselves within these changing dynamics. China is stressing for resolving the crisis within Arab League while Arab League itself is strongly willing to go beyond. Russians have blamed on external forces for creating a civil war like situation. One Russian delegate after visiting Syria recently commented that the Arab League disliked Syria’s liberal policy: hardline Islamists wanted to gain control over Syria. Fundamentalist religious fanatics had been financed and armed to stage an uprising against the administration. He even called that the “opposition” does not enjoy support amongst the people.[2] However many of these fears and predictions of instability are based on calculated exaggeration and civil war discourse is being used as pre-emptive excuse for systematic killing of opposition groups and people. With this position, public opinion in these countries is suspicious of NATO’s and Western intentions in Libya as well as in Syria. Secular state institutions and culture, women’s status and protection of minority rights and Palestinian causewill be among badly affected had Bashar Al Assad regime been ousted. However most of the excuses are unfounded and exaggeration is aimed to create more confusions rather than recognizing the change.

Regional Stability

Syrian president has issued warning of earthquake in the region if west intervenes in Syria. “Any problem in Syria will burn the whole region. If the plan is to divide Syria, that is to divide the whole region. Do you want to see another Afghanistan, or tens of Afghanistan?”[3]The USS George Washington (CVN-72) is already sent to in Syrian coast.In reaction, Russia has also sent a warship to signal seriousness of its commitment to not allow any Libya styled intervention. The region’s vulnerable security may become an excuse for Assad to prevent revolution. However Both Russia and China have vetoed October 4 proposal at UNSC which “would have warned of options for action to be considered against the Government of President Bashar al-Assad if the unfolding situation warranted.[4]The representative of the Russian Federation warned UNSC while exercising veto that the collapse of President Assad’s Government could destabilize the entire region.[5]But the two countries are doing little to engage President Bashar Al Assad to respond opposition’s demand and open the way for democracy. The two countries have also responsibility to stop violent crackdown on protests. Protesters are being killed and a situation like 1982 massacre in Homsis slowly being repeated. Syrian regime has declined to respond initiatives of Arab League, GCC as well as requests from OIC members which have demanded to end violent suppression of protesters. To create an earthquake, it is highly doubtful that Syrian army will join Bashar Al Assad’s any military adventure plans. Iranian leadership is also said to be considering options beyond Bashar Al Assad as change seems imminent. Also Iran has an opportunity to review its fragile relations with Arab states by engaging with Arab League and regional powers like Egypt and Turkey.

Rise of Islamism and threat to secularism

Rise of Islamists,following the Arab spring, is projected as worst scenario by many commentators. Columnists in Indian media and other countries are suggesting that ‘Islamic Winter’may allow hardline Islamiststo take over the charge and turn the region in Taliban ruled Afghanistan.The Economist on 22 October offered its unreserved apology to RachidGhannauchifor reporting false statements on his behalf saying that his Nahdha Party will oppose Tunisia’s liberal code of individual rights and other laws. “If the Islamic spectrum goes from Bin Laden to Erdogan, which of them is Islam? Why are we put in the same place as a model that is far from our thought” says Ghannauchi. Noted thinker and writer on Islam John L. Esposito hasalways been warning for not mistaking Islam. Israelis were projecting emergence of National Islamism in Syria with help of Hamas and Hizbullah and Iran which intends to wipe out Israel.[6] Now the same chorus is being tuned by pro Assad camps citing Assad’s ‘reliable secular credentials’ and justifying his survival for the sake of gains made by Syria’s secular state institutions and culture.[7]Denying Muslim Brotherhood from Syrian politics is not going to work. Both Islam and Muslim Brotherhood are part of Syrian politics and culture. Muslim Brotherhood and other opposition figures have been systematically harassed by Asad regimes andBashar Al Assad has missed the opportunity to set any preconditions for national dialogue and has lost legitimacy to dictate whom to be invited. He must allow Syrian people to decide whether Muslim Brotherhood deserves their support or not.

Palestinian problem

Syrian diplomats are also defending Syrian regime because of its commitment to Palestinian conflict and its consistent struggle against Israeli occupation in Golan Heights. Though Syria’s efforts for Palestine are recognized but failure of Arabs to get Palestinian issue resolved is a collective failure which many Arab states are trying to solve at bilateral level. Syria like many other Arab states was secretly involved in Turkish mediated negotiation with Israel United States. In absence of any desirable outcome, Syria has preferred maintaining status quo. There are opinions that Syria’s frustration has originated from its failure to implement the so called Assad Doctrine which aimed at creating Greater Syria having parts of Palestinian territories under Syrian control. The principle that Arab nations could extract maximum concessions from Israel only by acting in concert, has actually not worked rather it has failed over the decades. Palestinian factions including Fatah and Hamas have not come in open support of Bashar Al Assad. Given opposition parties’ earlier take on Palestine, there is no possibility that settlement of Palestinian problem will go against the interests of Syrian and Palestinian people. Rather, grammar of peace talk is likely to change and American desperation to engage with Islamic political parties, as Chinese commentator TianWenlin rightly observes, is to avoid becoming the biggest loser in the “Wave of the Middle East”.[8]  Syrian people are enough competent to protect Palestinian interests without help of Bashar Al Assad and his tactic to play Palestinian cardis not going to work.

Endgame

Following the series of sanctions from Arab Leagues, Turkey and European Union which have banned all senior Syrian officials from travelling to member states of Arab League and ban on major commercial and economic transactions has narrowed options before Bashar Al Assad. There is no doubt that Arab League, OIC and United Security Council is very serious about the crisis and the crisis may not be allowed to prolong.[9] Every day Bashar Al Assad is losing his support and control on his power. He has also ignored most of the suggestions from his international friends like Iran and China and many other friends like India are sceptic about the future of current regime and are in “wait and watch” mode.

Turkey has greatest stake in Syria as it has longest border with Syria, military intervention in Turkey’s another neighbourhood will certainly weaken Turkey’s security environment and hence Turkish officials are not ready for any such option. Since last five years Turkey was advocating Zero Problem policy with neighbours. Turkey has emerged as key player in the Arab Spring and its soft power is enhanced by its ‘Zero Problem’ policy and moderate Islamic parties are actively subscribing Turkey’s ruling party model of balancing Islam and politics. Formation of Syrian National Council in Turkey reflects Turkey’s desire to allow all possible voices from Syrian political landscape to be included in the forum so that dialogue for national consensus be formed within Syria, instead of being imposed from outside. At this point, China and Russia should commit for peaceful change in Syria and their cooperation with Turkey to avoid all bad scenarios will indeed be of historical outcomes. All major third world countries along with Russia, China and India have greater stakes in the Arab world. Neither they can sustain west’s hegemony over the energy rich region nor can they ignore people’s aspirations for change in the wake of Arab Uprising.  Leaving the Syrian theatre to Western directors is not a good choice. Partnership with Turkey and the Arab League may avoid bad scenarios particularly the Libya styled military intervention. 

(The writer is researcher at JNU New Delhi and he is working on Transnational Arab Media Culture. He can be contacted on omairanas@gmail.com. The views expressed in this article are writer’s own, and it does not necessarily reflect BH’s editorial policy)

The protesters demanded the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) draw a specific timetable to hand over power by April 2012. They also called for drawing up a minimum salary standard and cancelling the military trials of civilians.

Nearly 20 political groups joined the rally.

The SCAF took over power in February when ex-president Hosni Mubarak resigned under pressure from anti-government protests.

The country will start parliamentary elections on Nov. 28. According to the state media, some 9,500 candidates have submitted their applications either as independents or party lists, but the election authorities have not announced the final number of candidates.

The specific date for the presidential election has not been set.

Like his father and former intelligence chief Abdullah Al-Senussi, Saif Al-Islam was indicted with crimes against humanity in Libya by the ICC earlier this year.

“The Office of the Prosecutor is galvanizing efforts to implement the arrest warrants issued by Judges of the International Criminal Court against Saif Al Islam Gaddafi and Abdullah Al Senussi,” said Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in a statement.

“Through intermediaries, we have informal contact with Saif,” he continued.

“The Office of the Prosecutor has made it clear that if he surrenders to the ICC, he has the right to be heard in court, he is innocent until proven guilty,”he said.

The exact whereabouts of Saif Al-Islam and Al-Senussi are unknown. According to unconfirmed reports Gaddafi’s son requested an aircraft to fly him from Libya’s southern desert to The Hague. Other reports have it that he is on his way to Mali.

“Additionally, we have learnt through informal channels that there is a group of mercenaries who are offering to move Saif to an African country, not party to the Rome Statute of the ICC,” Moreno-Ocampo said.

“The Office of the Prosecutor is also exploring the possibility to intercept any plane within the airspace of a state party in order to make an arrest,”he said.

The chief prosecutor also explained the proceedings if Saif Al-Islam comes to the ICC and proves his innocence.
“This is a legal process and if the judges decide that Saif is innocent, or has served his sentence, he can request the judges to send him to a different country as long as that country accepts him.”

The ICC is still waiting for official documents to confirm the death of Libya’s fallen leader Muammar Gaddafi. He was killed on the run near his hometown Sirte on October 20.